In hunt for life, astronomers identify most promising stars ITHACA, N.Y. - NASA's new Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is designed to ferret out habitable exoplanets, but with hundreds of thousands of sunlike and smaller stars in its camera views, which of those stars could host planets like our own? TESS will observe 400,000 stars across the whole sky to catch a glimpse of a planet transiting across the face of its star, one of the primary methods by which exoplanets are identified. A team of astronomers from Cornell University, Lehigh University and Vanderbilt University has identified the most promising targets for this search in the new "TESS Habitable Zone Star Catalog," published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. Lead author is Lisa Kaltenegger, professor of astronomy at Cornell, director of Cornell's Carl Sagan Institute and a member of the TESS science team. The catalog identifies 1,822 stars for which TESS is sensitive enough to spot Earth-like planets just a bit larger than Earth that receive radiation from their star equivalent to what Earth receives from our sun. For 408 stars, TESS can glimpse a planet just as small as Earth, with similar irradiation, in one transit alone. "Life could exist on all sorts of worlds, but the kind we know can support life is our own, so it makes sense to first look for Earth-like planets," Kaltenegger said. "This catalog is important for TESS because anyone working with the data wants to know around which stars we can find the closest Earth-analogs." Kaltenegger leads a program on TESS that is observing the catalog's 1,822 stars in detail, looking for planets. "I have 408 new favorite stars," said Kaltenegger. "It is amazing that I don't have to pick just one; I now get to search hundreds of stars." Confirming an exoplanet has been observed and figuring out the distance between it and its star requires detecting two transits across the star. The 1,822 stars the researchers have identified in the catalog are ones from which TESS could detect two planetary transits during its mission. Those orbital periods place them squarely in the habitable zone of their star. The habitable zone is the area around a star at which water can be liquid on a rocky planet's surface, therefore considered ideal for sustaining life. As the researchers note, planets outside the habitable zone could certainly harbor life, but it would be extremely difficult to detect any signs of life on such frozen planets without flying there. The catalog also identifies a subset of 227 stars for which TESS can not only probe for planets that receive the same irradiation as Earth, but for which TESS can also probe out farther, covering the full extent of the habitable zone all the way to cooler Mars-like orbits. This will allow astronomers to probe the diversity of potentially habitable worlds around hundreds of cool stars during the TESS mission's lifetime. The stars selected for the catalog are bright, cool dwarfs, with temperatures roughly between 2,700 and 5,000 degrees Kelvin. The stars in the catalog are selected due to their brightness; the closest are only approximately 6 light-years from Earth. "We don't know how many planets TESS will find around the hundreds of stars in our catalog or whether they will be habitable," Kaltenegger said, "but the odds are in our favor. Some studies indicate that there are many rocky planets in the habitable zone of cool stars, like the ones in our catalog. We're excited to see what worlds we'll find." A total of 137 stars in the catalog are within the continuous viewing zone of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, now under construction. Webb will be able to observe them to characterize planetary atmospheres and search for signs of life in their atmospheres. Planets TESS identifies may also make excellent targets for observations by ground-based extremely large telescopes currently being built, the researchers note, as the brightness of their host stars would make them easier to characterize. In addition to Kaltenegger, Joshua Pepper of Lehigh University and Keivan Stassun and Ryan Oelkers of Vanderbilt University contributed to the catalog, which draws from one originally developed at Vanderbilt that contains hundreds of millions of stars. "This is a remarkable time in human history and a huge leap for our understanding of our place in the universe," said Stassun, a member of the TESS science team. ### Cornell University has dedicated television and audio studios available for media interviews supporting full HD, ISDN and web-based platforms. This story has been published on: 2019-03-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: SANDF continues rescue mission in Malawi, Moz The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says it is continuing its relief efforts in flood-ravaged Malawi and Mozambique. This follows the devastation caused by tropical cyclone Idai, which made landfall across areas in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, leaving a trail of destruction, death and total displacements of communities. Having been deployed on 16 March by the President Cyril Ramaphosa to support flood relief efforts with the United Nations, joint inter-departmental, inter-agency and other multinational organisations in Mozambique and Malawi, the SANDF conducted search and rescue missions in support of other humanitarian agencies. Using its air platforms, the SANDF is also engaged in multilateral efforts to provide lifesaving and sustenance supplies to areas cut-off by the devastating cyclone. The SANDF was critical to all agencies operating in the area in that it provided air-lifts to assist in most low-lying areas, including Beira in Mozambique, which saw entire villages submerged under water, with death toll rising and many people unaccounted for, the SANDF said in a statement. To date, the SANDF has done the following: Friday, 15 March: When the SANDF was called upon to assist in support of the humanitarian efforts in both Malawi and Mozambique, which were facing serious floods, a light aircraft of the South African Air Force - with a team of specialists on board - was dispatched to these areas to conduct assessments to assist on the ground for humanitarian purposes. Saturday, 16 March: Following a successful assessment in both countries, the assessment team deemed it safe to first deploy a team of 10 military health practitioners with search and rescue air assets to Malawi as weather conditions were not as dire as other areas. Consequently, two military aircraft -- Oryx medium utility helicopter and CASA-212 Light Aircraft -- were pledged and despatched to Malawi. Sunday, 17 March: With persistent storm, rains and wind in Mozambique, the SANDF managed to land the first team in Beira to commence with groundwork in preparation for other humanitarian relief organs to make their way to the area. - Two Oryrx medium utility helicopters were deployed and are still operating in the area; - One Agusta-109 light aircraft for search and rescue; - CASA-212 personnel and equipment carrier light aircraft; and - PC-12 reconnaissance light aircraft. Monday, 18 March to Saturday, 23 March: A total of 82 personnel were deployed to Mozambique on different dates, ranging from health practitioners, cargo carriers, air crews and health specialists such as doctors, psychologists and environmentalists. To date, two heavy cargo aircrafts were dispatched to both Malawi and Mozambique to deliver medical supplies, meals and other equipment to support these humanitarian efforts. Consolidated successes for the period 18 to 24 March 2019: - Rescued: 417 - Assisted on Critical Medical Conditions: 11 - Air-lifted to other medical facilities: 30 - Cargo transported: 7 500kg Scores of people were taken to places of safety by the SANDF personnel supported by elements from other agencies. The SANDF relief teams have been deployed to those acutely inaccessible areas of Malawi such as Chapinga, Chinkwangwa, Zomba District in Makina, and Phalombwe in Phaloni. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. With sidewalk fencing installed, steel frames rising and contractor activity buzzing, construction is moving full speed ahead on the restoration of the historic Wright Opera House in downtown Alma. Substantial completion of the major renovation is projected for mid-August 2019. When restored, the 55,000-square-foot building on the corner of Superior and State streets will feature 15,000-square feet of commercial retail space on the propertys ground level and apartments for approximately 40 Alma College students on the second and third floors. In addition, the building will feature performance, event and gathering spaces for community activities such as conferences and receptions. This is a watershed moment that points to a brighter future for our community, says Jeff Abernathy, Alma College president. This project models how colleges and communities can work together for local economic development. Since the 2010 fire, our goal has been to rebuild the Opera House and drive investment to the downtown, and that will happen after all these years. The construction has been a long time coming, but now the finish line is in sight for a revitalized Opera House in Alma. The Opera House project is funded entirely by community benefactors and alumni and friends of the college. In addition to a $1.5 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, donors from the community have provided more than $6 million in philanthropic support. Among the supporters has been the Leppien family. Stephanie, Jeff, Cleo and I are excited to see the progress on the Opera House rebirth, says John Leppien, president of Garr Tool. Every day from here forward gets us closer to realizing the dream of so many; a cornerstone of our downtown will experience life again. Alma College students will be living and connecting downtown. New storefront spaces will be occupied. Great things are happening in our community, and we are proud to be a part of the rebuilding effort. The building is being renovated to meet the historic requirements of the National Park Service. Local investment also is a priority; while Granger Construction of Lansing is managing the project, more than 50 percent of the work will be completed by local contractors. The extraordinary vision and generosity of individual, corporate and foundation donors enabled the return of this historic gem to the Alma community, says Matt vandenBerg, vice president for advancement and external relations. We are immensely grateful for and humbled by their partnership, which reflects the groundswell of enthusiasm for this uniquely special project. The ground floor will feature seven bays. One of the bays will serve as the buildings main entrance with an elevator, stairway and public restrooms. Two of the bays are under a letter-of-intent for a lease while four additional bays are available for interested tenants. Prospective lessees may contact the office of Alan Gatlin, chief operating officer at Alma College, (989) 463-7143, for more information. The renovated building will include full fire suppression along with added noise suppression. With completion planned by mid-August, upper-level Alma College students will move into their residential apartments at the beginning of the fall term. The Opera House was originally constructed in 1879 by lumber baron Ammi Wright. A major fire and subsequent flooding with water from firefighter hoses gutted the interior of the Opera House in 2010. Previous plans to redevelop the Opera House after the fire did not materialize, and ownership transferred to Alma College in December 2017. All right class, come to order. Put your cell phones away. That means you, Johnathan. And Cindy, I see you trying to hide yours behind your text book. For shame! Todays lesson is about how to reach your goals. Suppose your objectives are better education, improved healthcare, addressing climate change, and making voting fairer and easier. Think of each as a large boulder sitting on a rough plain moving in the wrong direction. You will be going into an election against someone who MUST be defeated. You will have only so much energy. A lot of that energy would be used in just bringing a boulder to a halt: M1V1=M2V2, where M1V1 is your mass and velocity and M2V2 is the mass and velocity of a boulder. If you use some of your energy to stop a boulder, you must decide to invest more in moving the rock toward the correct goal or stopping another boulder. If you decide to move a massive rock there is another force you must reckon with: The force to overcome friction: F=mu x Normal, where mu is the coefficient of friction and Normal is the mass, both working at a right angle. The rough surface means a high coefficient of friction, so again a lot of energy. At any moment in time you have only so much energy. You must use it wisely. You want to win the election, so you must pick candidates with the most energy. Energy comes in assorted flavors: The ability to attract many voters, the ability to keep the base, the ability to collect enough money to get your message out. With so many possible candidates you must let all state a position that clearly defines each. To bring in Independents and Republicans no longer beholden to Glorious Leader your theme must not be too far from center. Avoid socialism, for everyone and other terms that could drive them away. It must be upbeat, inclusive, friendly, and fresh. A tone just left of center would prove best. You want to assure the electorate you want to repair the damage to democracy and international affairs caused by Trumpublicans. You also want to insure more fair elections in the future. At this time the attractive candidates would be Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar. Joe has the experience to take office on Day One, and Amy is a pragmatist able to get things done. As we learn about others I may alter my opinion. It is early and much can change. And what has Glorious Master done for you lately? His rants about deceased John McCain over the past two weeks have met with vigorous rebuttal. Trump claimed incorrectly that McCain sent the opposition-research dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele to multiple media outlets in late 2016. McCain gave a version of the dossier to the FBI in December 2016. During an appearance at the White House with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, DonnyT said that he still found it disgraceful that McCain voted against repealing key parts of the Healthcare Act in 2017. He claimed that he was never a fan (of McCain) and never will be. McCains daughter Meghan rightly took offense. She stated correctly that her father had been a great man, while [Trump] spends his weekend obsessing over great men because he knows it and I know it and all of you know it he will never be a great man. My father was his kryptonite in life, hes his kryptonite in death. Senator Mitt Romney tweeted his surprise that DonnyT would once again disparage a man as exemplary as my friend John McCain. He described McCain as heroic, courageous, patriotic, honorable, self-effacing, self-sacrificing, empathetic and driven by duty to family, country and God. Please see if malignant narcissist describes Donald the Magnificent. Ed Fisher writes a weekly column for The Morning Sun. Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Patong Beach sunbed operators push for more space on the sand PHUKET: Less than 48 hours after the polls closed in the national election on Sunday, Patong sunbed operators have filed a formal request to extend their areas at Patong Beach, including setting up an entirely new section of sun beds along one of the busiest sections of Phukets most popular stretches of sand. By Tanyaluk Sakoot Wednesday 27 March 2019, 12:25PM Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Also at the meeting were a variety of Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality The formal request was made by Ampien Tientin, Head of the Patong Sunbed Club, along with several other Patong sunbed operators. Photo: Patong Municipality Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup was joined by Lt Col Surasak Peungyeam, of the Royal Thai Armys 25th Military Circle, at the meeting yesterday (Mar 26). Photo: Patong Municipality Sunbed operators are looking to expand their space on the sand at Patong Beach. Photo The Phuket News /file The formal request was made at Patong Municipality at 10am yesterday (Mar 26) by Ampien Tientin, Head of the Patong Sunbed Club, along with several other Patong sunbed operators. Present to receive the formal request was Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup and Lt Col Surasak Peungyeam, of the Royal Thai Armys 25th Military Circle, which are based in Phuket, and other military personnel. Mr Ampien asked for existing areas for sunbeds and umbrellas to be extended by 40 metres during the busy tourist peak month of November through April. He also asked for a new sunbed and umbrella area to be set up along the central section of the beach. The reasons given for the expanding the operators areas was to better serve tourists during the high season as well as to help keep the areas clean. Sunbed operators keep the areas where they operate clean of any litter which helps to keep the whole beach clean, and expanding the sunbed areas also increases the security and safety of tourists, as the operators keep an eye on tourists and their valuables while they are swimming, Mr Ampien said. Mayor Chalermluck confirmed the she would raise the issue with the Patong beach organising committee. Lt Col Surasak attended the meeting as a representative of provincial beach management committee, she added. This will be taken under consideration. We will inform you of any updates later. she said. In order to legally approve any such expansion the Patong beach management committee must first seek approval from the provincial beach management committee, which was set up in the wake of the Army-led crackdown to clear all vendors from all Phuket beaches in 2014 amid an anti-mafia purge. In the wake of the Army-led beach vendor crackdown, the Phuket provincial government in 2015 with full authority of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) mandated that beach vendors as a whole were prohibited from occupying more than 10% of sand area of any beach in Phuket. (See story here.) Phuket is the only province to enact such a law restricting commercial practices actually on the beaches. By October 2016, Phuket received a new Governor, Chockchai Dejamornthan, who vowed to clear all vendors from Phuket beaches as he pointed out that no government office in the country had any authority to allow any commercial operations on any beaches in Thailand, never mind creating a law to specifically to allow them to operate on 10% of the sand area. Also, it appears that we still have issues with the umbrella and beach chair mafias. There will be no more mafias. It is my duty to work out who will manage Phukets beaches, but I can assure you it will not be mafias and they will be run in accordance with the law, he said. (See story here.) Yet the beach operators remained, and Governor Chockchai was soon posted out of Phuket. Patong Mayor Chalermluck herself petitioned for sunbed operators to be allowed back on Patong Beach in January 2017 after entrepreneurial operators started sculpting sand loungers for tourists to enjoy, for a price. (See story here.) That was after the Navy had ordered sand loungers removed. (See story here.) Within days, the Royal Thai Navy sunk Mayor Chalermlucks appeal. (See story here.) In February 2017, the sun loungers were allowed back onto Patong Beach but only after Maj Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Deputy Commander of Royal Thai Army Region 4, the military unit responsible for all of Southern Thailand, gave his direct consent without any provincial officials present. In Patong, There are five 10% zones, with 180 umbrellas and 360 beach chairs in each zone, Mayor Chalermluck explained at the time. Beach chair rental prices are limited to not more than B200 per a chair, she said. This is in line with the original policy set out in 2014, which allowed beach chairs in the 10% zones only, which is flexible and better for elderly tourists, she said. (See story here.) The encroachment by operators on Patong Beach has continued to grow this year. Only last month jet-ski operators were allowed to start parking their jet-skis and trailers on certain sections on Patong Beach. (See story here.) Phuket boat operators asked to be careful during Asean ministerial visit PHUKET: The Phuket Marine Office issued a notice today calling for all boat operators to be careful while a high-powered delegation conducts a marine life inspection tour between Ao Po Grand Marina to Rassada Pier tomorrow (Mar 28). marinepolitics By The Phuket News Wednesday 27 March 2019, 06:26PM The notice asked boat operators to be careful while the high-powered Asean delegation were conducting their tour. Image: Phuket Marine Office The announcement, No. 7/2019, was issued by Phuket Marine Office Director Wiwat Chitchertwong*. Ministers and senior telecommunications and information technology officials of the 10 Asean member states, including the Asean Secretary-General and staff, will go to study marine life from Ao Po Grand Marina to Rassada Pier tomorrow (Mar 28) from 2pm 5:30pm, Mr Wiwat noted. For safety, boat users please be careful when operating boats during that time, he wrote. The delegation tomorrow will comprise the ministers and top-level officials attending the Asean Digital Ministers Retreat, following the 18th Asean Telecommunications and IT Ministers Meeting (TELMIN). Among them will be Asean Secretary-General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, a former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Brunei Darussalam. Mr Lim and is the 14th Secretary-General of Asean. He assumed his duties on January 1, 2018. The position is for a term of five years. Thailand has been chosen as the host country for a variety of high-level Asean meetings to be held at selected locations throughout the year. The area where the delegation will visit is well known for being busy with tour speedboats heading to and from nearby islands. * Mr Wiwat was installed as Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office in the immediate aftermath of the Phoenix tour boat disaster off Phuket in July last year. He was officially installed as Director of the Phuket Marine Office in January this year. Column: Tillis' Flipflop Hardly Seems Like Much of a Courageous Act In October of 2017, the developers behind the mega-popular calendar app, Fantastical, launched a new app called Cardhop. Cardhop is meant to do for contacts management that Fantastical did for calendar management: to simplify and streamline, while also adding worthwhile features for good measure. Fantastical has become one of the most popular iOS and macOS apps out there, and now, a year and some change later after launching for Macs, Cardhop is looking to shake things up on iOS. Flexibits is the developer behind Cardhop, and they really have made contacts management a better experience while adding to it at the same time. There is a single search bar at the bottom of the app, which you can use to quickly type in a name, business, or address to find someone youre looking for. Whats more, you can even input something like email Stephen and youll be able to quickly start composing an email (in the app of your choice). That search box will allow you to add new entries, too. Just start typing a name or a number, and if Cardhop doesnt have that information already stored in the app it will automatically start generating a new contacts card. Whats even better is that you dont have to go field by field to enter information. You can just type something like Stephen Whiskers 555-555-1000 [email protected] and Cardhop will automatically fill in the blanks. There is an exclusive business card mode for the iOS version of the app. Have the app open and turn your phone over into landscape and it will automatically pull up a business card for yourself, including a QR code. Have someone else scan that code and it will automatically add your contact details. To build your contacts list, Cardhop will since with Google or Microsoft Exchange, whichever you prefer. Cardhop for iOS is launching today at a reduced price of $4. However, Flexibits says it will go up to $5 at a later date, following the limited window. It will work for both iPhone and iPad. You can find a link to the app below. Download You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close SD senator defies House Speaker, releases AG impeachment petitions South Dakotans now have a record of lawmakers who supported a special session to consider the impeachment of Attorney General Ravnsborg. Police discovered the failed attempt when the sewage tank cap was found on the ground the next morning. "We can infer they beat a very hasty retreat, with a somewhat bitter taste in their mouth," Laverton Police Sen. Sgt Heath Soutar told Yahoo. Unsurprisingly, police have "zero interest in recovering the stolen goods." But they are keen on on a laugh, adding that 'we hope word of mouth' would lead them to the crims. If you know someone with shit breath, do get in touch. Speaking of poo and idiots, it reminds us of that time Bryce shared a yarn about how he accidentally shat himself in bed....we'll let him explain it. Two Aussie fishermen have captured the gut-wrenching moment a massive crocodile snatched a bloody good catch as it was reeled in. The video shows the croc chasing the fish in the river, before it's reeled onto land and the croc makes its move for a free feed. The person recording can be heard telling his mate to "run back" as the pair did their best to keep the catch, but there was no chance of outrunning the croc. The whole thing's gone down his gob Props have to be given to the boys for actually trying to leg it from a massive croc. See the full clip bellow. But warning fellow fishermen - this is a hard watch. Enbridge Inc.s embattled Line 3 crude oil pipeline was given the final green light from Minnesota regulators, just two weeks after the Canadian energy company said the project would be delayed by a year. The Minnesota Public Utility Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve the project, which would expand oil transportation capacity from Alberta to Wisconsin at a time when Canadian crude producers are desperate for pipeline space. The commission has faced petitions to reconsider its initial decision to allow certain modifications for the project, including from the states Commerce Department. Enbridge now expects the Minnesota permitting process to be complete in November, with federal permits received in the 60 days following that. The delay of the $9 billion ($6.8 billion U.S.) Line 3 expansion, which would add 370,000 barrels of daily shipping capacity, was the latest in a string of canceled or stalled projects that have plagued the Canadian energy industry. Read more about: Bombardier Inc.s Global 7500 private jet set a record for travelling between Los Angeles and New York City, shaving about 90 minutes off the time it takes an airliner to make the coast-to-coast trip. The Global 7500, the worlds largest business jet, flew between Van Nuys Airport and Teterboro Airport just outside of New York City in 3 hours and 54 minutes, Bombardier said in a statement. The record comes after the Global 7500 flew 8,152 nautical miles on another recent trip, marking the longest flight for a private plane, the Canadian plane maker said. The aircraft, which has a list price of about $73 million (U.S.) and began deliveries in December, has taken the crown from General Dynamics Corp.s Gulfstream G650 as the most coveted luxury jet, boasting a four-zone cabin with a dining area and bedroom. The G650 created a new class of ultra-long-range business aircraft that had been uncontested since deliveries began in December 2012. A typical commercial flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark International Airport typically takes about five-and-a-half hours. A bedroom isnt included. Read more about: National Bank of Canada Chief Executive Officer Louis Vachon doesnt see much prospect of a Canadian recession in the next six to 12 months barring unforeseen circumstances. There needs to be another shoe to drop somewhere, Vachon said Wednesday during a conference his bank hosted in Montreal. There has to be further tightening by the central banks in North America, which appears to be unlikely at this stage, or some kind of macroeconomic or geopolitical accident, which as you know is almost impossible to predict. While financial-market indicators of recessions are beginning to flash red and Canadian economic growth nearly stalled at the end of 2018, signs of strength remain. The nations labour market, for example, is off to a roaring start this year. I dont have a forecasting machine, he said. All I can say is when I look specifically at Canada and in Quebec, where we have even better visibility, the job market remains very, very positive. Vachon also sees Quebecs economy as faring better than the rest of Canada, helping justify the Montreal-based lenders focus on the largely French-speaking province. Consumer sentiment in Quebec is the strongest in the country right now, the chief executive said, adding that National Banks economists are forecasting growth in the province to be slightly better than the Canadian average in the near term. He said the slightly expansionary debut budget last week from Premier Francois Legaults finance minister means consumers in the province will have a little bit more money in their pockets and that the government has room to react with fiscal stimulus in the event of a recession. Read more about: Startup SaudiGulf Airlines will cancel a $1.46 billion order for 16 Airbus SE A220 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier Inc. CSeries, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation. The purchase has been replaced with one for 10 Airbus A320neo jets announced in November said the people, who asked not be named because the matter is confidential. The switch wasnt disclosed when the new deal was revealed. SaudiGulf, which began flying in 2016 and serves nine destinations from Dammam on the Persian Gulf, didnt respond to messages seeking comment. Airbus said it never comments on contractual discussions. The CSeries was competing with the A320 when SaudiGulf placed its order for the Canadian aircraft in 2014, but after struggling for sales the program was sold to Airbus in a transaction that closed last year. The Mideast carriers current fleet includes earlier-generation A320s, and the replacement deal is less costly at $1.11 billion, based on list prices. While SaudiGulf is getting fewer planes, the A320 is bigger, with 165 seats in a two-class layout versus 141 for the A220-300, according to Airbuss website. TORONTO - Pineapple Express star Seth Rogen and screenwriter Evan Goldberg have teamed up with Canopy Growth Corp. to launch a Toronto-based Canadian cannabis brand called Houseplant. The Vancouver-born actor and the Canadian screenwriter with whom Rogen collaborated on the stoner film co-founded the Toronto-based company along with other great friends and colleagues. We have been working on this quietly for years and seeing everything come together is a dream come true, Rogen said in an emailed statement. We could not be more passionate about this company and are dedicated to doing everything the right way. It is extremely important to us to treat cannabis with the reverence it deserves. What a time! Houseplant said Canopy acquired 25 per cent of the business, and invested working capital, but would not disclose any further financial information. Rogen and Goldberg are the business leads of the company, while Canopy in its role as venture partner is providing the facilities, expertise and infrastructure to grow cannabis. We have been getting to know the Houseplant team for quite a while now and continue to be impressed by their understanding of the cannabis consumer, attention to detail, and drive towards their vision, Canopy president and co-chief executive Mark Zekulin said in a statement. Rogen, who has also portrayed pothead characters in films such as Knocked Up and the 40-Year-Old-Virgin, is not the first celebrity associated with cannabis to dabble in the pot industry. Tommy Chong, one half of the Cheech & Chong comedy duo, has a line of medicinal cannabis products called Chongs Choice, available in certain states where legal. In late 2017, director and actor Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes better known as their stoner movie characters Jay and Silent Bob entered into a brand licensing agreement with Hamilton, Ont.-based cannabis company Beleave Inc. to develop strains. And in 2016, rapper Snoop Dogg struck a deal with Canopy to grant the licensed producer the exclusive right to use certain content and brands such as Leafs By Snoop. However, since Canada legalized recreational cannabis last October, these companies are subject to strict rules governing promotion of the products. The Cannabis Act prohibits the promotion of cannabis, cannabis accessories or any service related to cannabis by means of a testimonial or endorsement or by means of the depiction of a person, character or animal, whether real or fictional. It is also prohibited to present cannabis or any of its brand elements in a manner that evokes a positive or negative emotion about a way of life such as one that includes glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring. Any promotion that could be seen as appealing to young people is also forbidden. Houseplant noted that Rogen and Goldberg are not paid spokespeople, but founders and business owners who have been involved in its strategic development and decision making since the beginning. Since inception the Houseplant team has maintained a strong focus on abiding by the regulations which is why, not due to a lack of opportunity both pre and post legalization, Seth and Evan have not participated in any cannabis related event or promotion in Canada, the company said in an emailed statement. They are founders and owners, not spokespeople for the brand and have been very careful not to confuse that. Houseplants team in Toronto consists of a chief commercial officer and marketing manager while its strains will be grown at Canopys facilities in Smiths Falls, Ont., the company added. The first strain Houseplant Sativa will be on sale at legal retailers in B.C. starting next month, with hybrid and indica strains to follow. The company said pre-rolled joints and softgel products will also follow later in the year as the brand rolls out across Canada. Houseplant said it does not have any current plans to launch in the U.S. where cannabis is legal for medical and recreational purposes in several states but is illegal federally but both its partner and the company have global aspirations. The company said there are no current plans for any products branded with Pineapple Express. Rogen and Goldbergs partners in Houseplant also include the California-based United Talent Agency through its business ventures group. The pair have spent five years preparing for the launch, said Goldberg. We are so proud to be launching in Canada, our home... Were excited to be able to share our passion for cannabis with Canadians in this way, he said in a statement. CALGARYIn the middle of a heated Alberta election campaign, the two main party leaders in the race paused from taking shots at each other to aim at a Toronto city councillor. Torontos Mike Layton is bringing a motion to city council this week asking for a report on the cost implications of climate change for Toronto and any legal avenues to pursue compensation for those costs from major greenhouse gas emitters. A week into Albertas 2019 provincial race, that didnt sit well with Albertas United Conservatives or New Democrats, and both parties have put Layton in their crosshairs. The motion which still has yet to even be discussed in Toronto, and could end up instead being referred to a committee says the city should consider taking major oil companies to court over climate-change related costs Toronto bears. Just like tobacco companies knew their products caused cancer, but hid that information from the public, major oil companies have known for decades that their products would cause climate change, the motion reads. As tobacco companies have been held accountable for the health-care costs associated with smoking, big polluters should have to pay their fair share for building a climate-safe city. UCP Leader Jason Kenney took the move as a direct attack on Albertas energy industry, publicly posting a four-page letter addressed to Toronto Mayor John Tory on Tuesday. Read more: Albertans are not a bunch of F-350-driving cavemen: B.C. anti-oil campaign angers Calgary councillors Rachel Notley promises $1.4 billion to expand network of roads for oversized loads, would add second exit out of Fort McMurray Candidates who stepped down over racist views will not be removed from United Conservative Party, Kenney says Kenney slammed the motion as hypocritical and divisive, describing it as an open attack on Canadian energy producers. He said it harms national unity and even raised the spectre of how he sees it stoking Alberta separatist sentiment. The adoption of Councillor Laytons motion would be seen by most Albertans as another example of a campaign to attack and vilify the essential role that our province plays in the Canadian economy, Kenney said. It would pour yet more gas on the flames of the growing national unity challenge. Hours later, NDP Leader Rachel Notley also condemned Laytons motion, writing on Twitter that its clear Mike Layton is out of touch with Canadas economic reality and doesnt see Albertas contributions because he has tunnel vision. She added that Layton would be wise to read the federal budget and see exactly what Alberta contributes to Confederation. Layton wrote on Twitter Tuesday that his motion has been taken out of context, adding that hes simply asking for a report on climate-change costs and options for recouping them. A spokesperson from his office said he was not available for an interview Wednesday, as Toronto city council is in an all-day meeting. But Layton is the son of former federal NDP leader Jack Layton, and Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said that connection to the climate-change motion serves up a gift to Kenney. They couldnt have asked for someone better than Mike Layton to go after, he said. (The UCP) is trying to link that he speaks for Rachel Notley, he said. For them, this is proof that if Rachel Notley ever gets elected again, she will completely shut down the oil and gas sector in this province. Kenney began talking about strategies to fight back on behalf of Albertas energy industry last October, vowing to create a war room to issue real-time responses to lies and myths about the provinces oil and gas producers. He officially announced the initiative, with a $30-million budget, as part of his election platform just last week. Bratt said that even though Laytons motion has yet to even hit the floor in council chambers three provinces away, it opens a campaigning opportunity for Kenney. Its part of (the UCP) platform to fight the rest of the country, and this just allows them to demonstrate how theyd do it. Were seeing this play out in real time how that would work. Similar climate-change motions from municipalities in British Columbia have raised Calgary city councils hackles in the past. When city council in Victoria, B.C., voted earlier this year to ask the Union of BC Municipalities to explore legal action against international oil companies, Calgary councillors were critical Councillor Ward Sutherland issued an Alberta challenge to Victoria politicians, extending an offer for them to come to Alberta for a tour led by advocacy group Canada Action to highlight the ethical and environmental standards of Albertas energy industry. Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps ended up taking Sutherlands offer. Shell visit a project south of Fort McMurray in the spring. Last year, Calgary city council unanimously passed a motion declaring formal support for Albertas energy industry and the construction of new pipelines. Shortly before that, councillors also used their own office budgets to pay a PR consultant to produce videos and a social media campaign in support of oil and gas in the province. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi also wrote a letter to Victoria city council in January to say Calgary stands with Albertas energy industry. Councillor Sean Chu made the request for that letter, and he said Wednesday that he plans to ask for the same in response to the Toronto motion, calling it the stupidest thing. I would like to invite Councillor Layton to ride his bicycle to Calgary and see how we do business here, he said. Read more about: HALIFAXDespite a multimillion-dollar increase in spending, advocates say this years provincial budget doesnt do enough to lift the province out of what they call a health care crisis. The province is investing a total of $4.64 billion to improve health care, or more than 40 per cent of Nova Scotias estimated $11-billion budget. That in an increase of $271 million, or 6.2 per cent, over last years estimate. While the province is pouring money into health infrastructure projects, mental health initiatives, and education for Nova Scotias next generation of health care workers, critics say it needs to do more to improve access to health care. When you look at the areas where theres real need, theyre just not addressed. Thats around physician services, around EHS, said Tim Houston, leader of the Nova Scotias Progressive Conservatives. The things that are really concerning people about their ability to get into the system, theyre not really addressing. And I think what it comes down to is the government can spend more money, but the delivery of health care is not improving. Houston did commend new investments in mental health and addictions services. With help from Ottawa, the province will provide $11.7 million of a total of $295.5 million to support mental health and addictions services, including 10 full-time mental health positions and expanding an adolescent outreach program in Cape Breton to 41 schools in western and northern Nova Scotia. Read more: Nova Scotia delivers fourth consecutive balanced budget with a 6.2 per cent increase in health care spending Approval for Canadian premiers is on the rise except in Nova Scotia and Ontario HaliFIX wants to create Atlantic Canadas first overdose prevention site That funding agreement will also provide $16.8 million to support home care, as part of the $283 million in total home care spending. Physician recruitment, a topic on the minds of tens of thousands of Nova Scotians waiting for a family doctor, only takes up a fraction of new spending in this years budget: $200,000. The money comes from the Culture Innovation Fund, which has a $1.5-million budget. Health Minister Randy Delorey said the money will go to community-based organizations to help draw more doctors to their areas. He said communities like Digby, Amherst and Pictou have already been trying to recruit more health care workers, and this spending will build on that work. This is the provincial government saying, we believe the work youre doing is very good we want to bring money to help support the work youre doing in your communities, he said. So well be connecting with those organizations to discuss exactly what the best way to distribute the funds will be throughout the year. Delorey noted the province will invest $1.1 million to open 10 new family-practice residency seats at Dalhousie Universitys medical school, for a total of 46 seats. Another $2.9 million will help open 15 new residency spaces for specialty medical positions at Dalhousie for a total of 65 seats. These are going to provide more training opportunities, and research has shown that 75 to 80 per cent of residents, when they complete their programs, they stay in the areas where they trained, he said. So we see this as also contributing to the recruitment and retention of physicians here in the province. Chris Parsons, provincial co-ordinator with the Nova Scotia Health Coalition, said even though the province is having difficulty recruiting doctors, there are other way to address it. I think doctor recruitment continues to be a challenge for all governments in Canada, and I think this government is doing its best, said Parsons. But what we need to do is look at solutions that look like more nurse practitioners, that look like dealing with the long-term care problems, that look like dealing with home care, and those things were just inadequate in this budget. He noted that a large chunk of the increased spending went to administrative costs and changes in infrastructure, including $156.9 million for redevelopment projects at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax and the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney. Not enough money was spent on the fundamental changes needed to improve access to health care, he said. Thats inadequate given the scope of the crisis here. We think the redevelopment for those hospitals is long overdue, but we need more money on the front lines for the delivery of services and programming, said Parsons. Gary Burrill, leader of the provincial New Democratic Party, dismissed this years budget as a dumpster full of disappointment. Like Houston, he commended the funding for mental health services, but said the health care spending doesnt address major concerns. Here we are in the middle of a health care crisis with emergency rooms jammed up, chaotic, and overcrowded, he said, adding that an inadequate supply of long-term care beds is a major issue, causing overcrowded emergency departments. Here we have the government bringing forward a budget that has no comprehensive plan for establishing new nursing home facilities in the province. Burrill would like to see a comprehensive plan and a major investment in long-term care. $2.8 million has been set aside to implement the findings of an expert panel on long-term care, though the specifics have yet to be worked out. Adding to the chorus of complaints, Jason MacLean, the president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, said the estimated provincial budget may have a $33.6-million surplus, but it was balanced on the backs of public health professionals who are struggling to keep up with their workloads. Theres nothing in the budget to deal with the backlog that we have now: people getting sent home from the emergency department, pink slips happening, people not having the opportunity to be diagnosed, he said. I think its just following what this government is doing all along. Its talking about money for out in the future, and what theyre going to invest in the future, but what were saying is this government has been told over and over again that theres a crisis. In response, Premier Stephen McNeil said having a balanced budget is strengthening the provinces economy. Sustainability matters. Being able to afford the health care that Nova Scotians deserve is important, but at the same time we need to be able to grow the economy, he said, adding that making investments in physical infrastructure, like hospitals, will help attract new staff. Other highlights of health care spending include a $10 million increase to develop collaborative-care teams, a $4.6-million increase for Emergency Health Services for ambulances, and a $8.4-million increase to pharmacare programs. Read more about: HALIFAXAn accusation of assault temporarily halted the proceedings of the Nova Scotia legislature Wednesday afternoon, and the Tory opposition walked out to protest the governments response. Tory leader Tim Houston said Education Minister Zach Churchill grabbed him by the shoulders during a heated conversation over the Nova Scotia-to-Maine ferry on Tuesday afternoon. He said it happened in a phone booth outside the main chamber of the legislature, and at least two other members witnessed the incident and intervened. We had some words, Houston said on the sidewalk after leading his caucus out of Province House. (Churchill) put his hands on my shoulders and had some very heated comments for me. I told him to get his hands off me and get out. The Progressive Conservative walkout happened after Houston asked the speaker of the house to send the matter to the internal affairs committee for an investigation. After a recess of about 30 minutes, the Liberals quashed the motion with their majority voting power. Read more: Nova Scotia and ferry operator defend value of Maine ferry, call for criticism to stop Tories sue Nova Scotia government over details of Yarmouth-Maine ferry fees Nova Scotias new Progressive Conservative leader preparing opposition offensive If you cant rely on what happens in that chamber to be within what you expect within the process, then whats the point of being there for today? Houston said. Churchill denied the alleged assault, calling it a heated verbal exchange initiated by the Tory leader. (Houston) said, Ive got you on the ropes. You may be able to save your seat, but the ferrys gonna take your government down. Churchill represents the Yarmouth riding that is home to the N.S. ferry terminal and is an advocate for the government-subsidized service. The government has pledged to give $13.8-million to the ferry operator this year, plus contribute an estimated $8.5-million to renovate the Maine terminal. Churchill said he reached out to touch Houstons arm to try to shake his hand. I said, we should calm down, and his response was get your hands off me. When asked about his comments to Churchill, Houston said there was some back and forth, for sure. Premier Stephen McNeil said Churchill told him about the exchange on Wednesday morning and he believed his account. There was a heated discussion between two members...They had very different points of view, McNeil said. But he said the evidence was that two members raised their voices, and he didnt think it warranted an investigation. Is it appropriate? We could argue that, but its not something that would go to that committee. Progressive Conservative heard part of the argument, but didnt witness a physical assault, as it was behind the closed door of the phone booth. Liberal MLA Tony Ince also heard the exchange, but didnt see it. Harrison and Ince said they stepped in to prevent any further escalation. Read more about: VANCOUVERThough British Columbia should be fertile ground for the Liberals to grow support ahead of Octobers general election, the partys biggest asset in 2015 is now its biggest liability: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Thats according to Martyn Brown, a former BC Liberal a provincial party that has no ties to the federal one and is often aligned with small c conservative values who was chief of staff for the provinces premier during the 2000s. B.C. is critical to the Liberals fortunes, as their strength in Quebec seems to be waning and in Atlantic Canada theyre grossly under attack. They have to look for where they can gain seats, Brown said in an interview. As long as Trudeau is their leader, the party is bound to suffer big time. Browns comments follow a new Research Co. poll released on Tuesday that found a majority of British Columbians believe a new party leader would be better. A third of B.C. residents who voted for the Liberals in 2015 also believe a different party leader would do things better in Ottawa than Trudeau. And that animosity toward Canadas current prime minister is pervasive across the province, though strongest outside of the Metro Vancouver region, said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. Read more: SNC-Lavalin affair: We answer your most pressing questions Liberals block new inquiry into SNC-Lavalin SNC-Lavalin controversy shows danger of dabbling in economic nationalism Meanwhile, half of British Columbians think a different party is needed to lead in Ottawa. Notably, a majority of all age groups polled from millennials to boomers and beyond felt that way, as well as a quarter of 2015 Liberal voters. Thats the danger the Liberals are facing, Canseco said. This is more worrisome in urban areas where you can see people gravitate more to the NDP, which places a lot of seats in jeopardy. Prior to 2015, the Liberal party held two seats in British Columbia. But after Trudeaumania took the country, the Liberals went from third place in the House of Commons to holding a majority government. Now, they hold 17 seats in B.C. Canseco questioned whether they could sustain that momentum. And while there wasnt much of a gender gap in 2015, men are now more likely to be critical and dissatisfied with the Liberals. Canseco is closely following the millennial reaction to Trudeau, as the previous election saw a significant spike in the youth vote. For Canseco, the big question ahead of the fall election will be exactly where those votes go. Its no longer the idea of Trudeau as a great unifier, and if they find a shinier object out there, will they support it? he said. If youre disenchanted because of environmental decisions, or maybe electoral reform, or the SNC-Lavalin affair, do you stay home or vote Green or NDP? Poll results were based on an online study from March 8 to 10 among 800 adults in B.C., with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20. Left-leaning progressives offended by the SNC-Lavalin affair may be tempted to vote for the NDP or Greens, Brown said, while centre-right leaning and swing Liberals will now be swayed to vote Conservative. Disenchantment with Trudeau particularly in B.C. has risen because he has failed on so many files, according to Brown, such as proportional representation, balancing the budget, reconciliation and the purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline. (All that has) dramatically reduced his partys fortunes in Greater Vancouver on progressive, environmentally conscious voters, he said. On so many files, hes proven himself to be the opposite of what he purports to be. Braeden Caley, a Liberal party spokesperson, says Trudeau and the Liberals are focused on a strong plan for British Columbians to build more affordable housing, invest in better roads and transit, grow the economy and protect a healthier environment for our kids and grandkids. A decline in support for the Liberals is exaggerated, according to Caley. He says grassroots support for the party continues to grow. More than 15,000 British Columbians have singed up as new Liberals in the past two years alone, he said in an email. The Liberal party is also continuing to be approached by a variety of talented community leaders interested in becoming Team Trudeau candidates throughout British Columbia, building on the strong growth that weve seen in our B.C. team and caucus in recent years. Brown has been publicly calling for Trudeau to step down to improve the Liberal partys chances in October, amid the ongoing SNC-Lavalin affair which he said has dramatically undercut Trudeaus personal brand of having the ethical high-ground. He predicts an RCMP probe on the matter in the near future and told the Star the Liberal party will only have a chance in October if they find a new leader. Brown said that would be in their best political self-interest, especially with the support of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott. If they went into an election with those two women behind them saying were cleaning up our act and we mean it, Brown said, it would suddenly turn the table and make the new Liberal leader potentially the voice of a new ethical government instead of the opposite. Read more about: OTTAWACaitlan Coleman, who was backpacking in Afghanistan with husband Joshua Boyle when the pair were seized by extremists in 2012, told a judge Wednesday her spouse regularly punished her with spankings for arguing with him or disobeying his wishes. Coleman, 33, recounted in court how the two met online when she was 16 and began a complicated on-and-off relationship before marrying in 2011 in Costa Rica and travelling the following year to Central Asia. She said that in the early days of their roller-coaster courtship, her future spouse would often belittle and demean her. Over time, he became controlling, telling her how to behave and what to wear. Emotional and verbal abuse later became punches and slaps to the face, Coleman said. In Ontario court, Boyle, 35, has pleaded not guilty to several offences against Coleman, including assault, sexual assault and unlawful confinement, that allegedly took place after the couple were freed by Pakistani forces and had returned to Canada in late 2017. Coleman testified via closed-circuit television from a separate room Wednesday to avoid being in the main courtroom with her estranged husband. She spoke in a matter-of-fact manner, breaking down in tears only once near the end of a long day of telling her story. Boyle, joined by his parents in the courtrooms public gallery, sat impassively throughout her testimony. Read more: Assault trial begins for Joshua Boyle, former Afghanistan hostage Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle made frantic 911 call about wife, court hears Former hostage Caitlan Coleman, wife of Joshua Boyle, returns to U.S. with children: report The Pennsylvania-raised Coleman said that early on in the relationship, Boyle insulted her, told her she wasnt good enough and made her question her self-worth. She said he became agitated when she suggested in 2008 they go their separate ways, calling her repeatedly and even threatening to kill himself. I did still love him, so I felt very sad, Coleman told the court. In 2009, Boyle married Zaynab Khadr, sister of Toronto-born Omar Khadr, who spent years in a U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after he was captured in Afghanistan. Coleman resumed contact with Boyle and met the newlywed couple for lunch during a visit to Toronto that summer. While walking Coleman to her hotel, Boyle told her she was the love of his life and that they would be together, she testified. It made me feel really happy, she said. I wanted to go through that door. Coleman said Boyle insisted, since she would be his wife, that she must dress conservatively, shun alcohol and not associate with other men. Boyle moved to New Brunswick and Coleman joined him, though she was not keen on the move. She said Boyle shocked her by saying Khadr, to whom he was still married, would come live with them. However, Boyle did divorce his wife and he and Coleman wed during a lengthy trip to Central America in July 2011. Boyle loathed North America and pressed Coleman to go to Central Asia, she said. She learned she was pregnant in June 2012, and the couple headed to Asia soon after. After a few months, Boyle insisted they visit Afghanistan despite Colemans vehement objections. They were there just a week when they were captured by a Taliban-linked group. Coleman gave birth to three children while in captivity. The couple were physically abused by their captors, Coleman told the court. But she said she also suffered violence at the hands of her husband, including spankings on her buttocks as often as three times a week, punches and slaps to the face, choking and biting. In spring 2017, Boyle told her she was a bad person and must stay in the shower area of the room in which the family was being held, she said. I was not in love with him anymore, I was afraid of him, she told the court. This was probably the darkest period of my whole life. Following their October 2017 release, the couple flew back to Canada and lived with Boyles parents in Smiths Falls, Ont., before moving to Ottawa. Initially, they spent time in a hotel. Coleman said following one argument, Boyle ordered her to sit in the shower, then forced her to take three tablets of Trazodone, an antidepressant. Boyle made a late-night 911 call on Dec. 30, 2017, to say Coleman had run screaming from their Ottawa apartment, threatening to kill herself. Police responded and found Coleman just over an hour later at a downtown hotel with her mother Lyn, who was visiting from the U.S. Ottawa police Sgt. Shane Henderson has told the court that Coleman provided a detailed statement saying she was trying to get away from her husband because he had threatened to kill her and had assaulted her numerous times, including just hours earlier. Boyle was arrested in the early hours of Dec. 31, 2017. MONTREALA Montreal borough councillor who caused a furor when she stated publicly how upset she was to be treated by a doctor wearing a Muslim head scarf was kicked out of her partys caucus Wednesday. Lynne Shand will sit as an independent councillor for Anjou, borough Mayor Luis Miranda said in an interview. Mirandas decision was a reversal from two days earlier when he told CBC Shand would remain in his party despite her anti-Muslim comments. Over the weekend Shand wrote on Facebook that she would have refused to be treated by the Muslim doctor if it wasnt an emergency. I had to have an emergency eye exam and who was the ophthalmologist? A woman with a hijab .... I am enraged because our country is being Islamized, she wrote. The councillor responded to comments on her post by stating that Muslims want to convert the planet to Islam through massive immigration and high birth rates. She said she is far from being racist. Miranda issued a news release Monday distancing himself from her comments but told CBC the same day she would remain in his party. I dont consider that something (for which) I should tell her to leave, Miranda said. On Wednesday, following strong denunciations of Shands comments by Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, citizens and other municipal politicians, Miranda announced she would no longer be a member of his caucus. On Tuesday, Montreal city council Speaker Cathy Wong said she had officially complained about Shands comments to the provincial municipal commission. Remember that the privilege of being elected also comes with important public responsibilities, Wong wrote on Facebook. When a politician expresses hate speech about a Muslim woman, she attacks not only women and Muslim communities, but all Montrealers who are working to get along better. Miranda rejected the suggestion he had changed his mind about Shand. He said Wednesday morning was the first opportunity his borough council had to meet and discuss her future in the party. I dont share her opinions, and not a single member of my team shares her comments, he said. As evidence, Miranda cited the fact he hired a Muslim to a senior position within the borough and had helped a local Muslim group find a location for their community centre. My director, who I chose myself, is Muslim. Hes Muslim! Its clear we dont share those comments, he said. There are people who want me to get on my knees and apologize, he added. I wont apologize for anything. I didnt do anything. WHITEHORSEThere was nothing a woman could have done to prevent a predatory attack by a starving grizzly bear that killed her and her 10-month-old daughter, the Yukon Coroners Service has concluded. The service has released the results of its investigation into the deaths of 37-year-old Valerie Theoret and her baby Adele Roesholt outside their cabin near Einarson Lake on Nov. 26. Theoret and her partner were experienced backcountry users who kept a clean camp and made sure there was nothing on the site to attract bears, said Yukon chief conservation officer Gordon Hitchcock. What makes this incident especially tragic is that the family took proper precautions to prevent something like this from happening, he told a news conference Wednesday. To say the victims were at the wrong place at the wrong time sounds trite, but our investigation shows that more than anything else, this was an unfortunate tragedy and that little could have been done to prevent it. The investigation found Gjermund Roesholt Theorets partner and the babys father left the cabin that morning to check one of their traplines. On his way back in the afternoon, he noticed bear tracks starting about one kilometre away from the cabin. However, the tracks veered away from his snowmobile trail and he returned to the cabin to find it empty. He started to run a trapline nearby and about 240 metres from the cabin he heard a growl before a grizzly came out of the bush and charged at him. He fired four shots, killing the bear, before discovering the bodies of his partner and baby daughter, the coroners report says. Roesholt covered the bodies and activated an emergency beacon. The RCMP and Conservation Officer Services arrived the next morning and began gathering evidence. The evidence showed that the bear found the trapline near the cabin and hid behind the trees before attacking Theoret and the baby, who was in a carrier on her mothers back, Hitchcock said. The attack appeared sudden. All evidence suggests Valerie did not have time to react. This was clear evidence of predatory behaviour, he said. A predatory attack is when an animal preys upon another for food and approaches them silently, said Hitchcock. Bears do not normally seek humans as prey and these types of attacks are extremely rare, he said. A necropsy showed the 18-year old male grizzly was too emaciated to hibernate and in pain because it had eaten a porcupine to avoid starving to death and the quills were penetrating its digestive tract. Theoret was not armed and the couple had stopped wearing bear spray once the weather turned cold, but she wouldnt have had time to react and use a weapon, Hitchcock said. This was a tragic chance occurrence, he said. The attack happened in a remote area with dense wilderness and extensive bear habitat. The investigation did not examine the broader area to find any explanation for why the bear was in such a desperate state, Hitchcock added. This is a case of an individual bears health issues, not a population issue, he said. The conservation officer service has accepted all the coroners recommendations and its continuing to provide education about bear safety, including increasing awareness that bear encounters can happen all year round, Hitchcock said. Generally, bears hibernate from November through spring, but there have been sightings in December and January in the past, he said. Hitchcock said this is the first double fatal grizzly bear mauling in Yukon to his knowledge. Fatal bear attacks are rare overall in the territory, with only three in more than 20 years in 2014, 2006 and 1996, he added. Chief coroner Heather Jones told the news conference that the family is suffering from unimaginable grief. By acknowledging the last moments of Valerie and Adele, we provide dignity and respect to their passing by not seeing their deaths as statistics, Jones said. They were daughters, a grandchild, a life partner, a mother, a teacher, good friends, very good friends and members of our own community, and Im sure so much more. Theoret taught French immersion at an elementary school and was active in the Whitehorse community. Friends have said she and Roesholt were experienced trappers and it was their third season at the cabin, where they had been for three months before the attack. Read more about: The victim doesnt speak much English. . . . He showed up randomly at the door in actually Gravenhurst area, having escaped his oppressors. Listen to the full police scanner feed audio of the kidnap victim being found in Gravenhurst below the story. - The international student, kidnapped on the weekend and found Tuesday night in Gravenhurst, was released by his captors, York Region police say. A homeowner on Doe Lake Rd., in the Muskoka Region town about a two-hour drive from Toronto, phoned police after Wanzhen Lu showed up outside their door shortly before 9 p.m., Const. Andy Pattenden told reporters Wednesday. Lu, 22, had unspecified minor injuries and brought to hospital for a checkup, Pattenden said, but has since returned to York Region where investigators are interviewing him. Police are still looking for his kidnappers and Pattenden said the investigation is far from over. When asked whether Lu escaped from captivity, Pattenden said that the student was released and police believe it might have been a car that dropped him off in that area. What exactly happened between Saturday night and his appearance in Gravenhurst on Tuesday is still unknown. Read more: Markham kidnap victim found alive, police say Arrest made in Markham kidnapping but victim hasnt been found, police say Lu was forced into a van by three men in the underground parking garage of his Markham condo at 15 Water Walk Dr. near Hwy. 7 and Birchmount Rd., around 6 p.m. Saturday, police said. Lu had left his vehicle and was walking across the parking garage with a female friend when three men got out of the van, one of them carrying a conductive energy weapon, grabbed him, police said. The victim resisted and police said he was shocked by the suspects. Lu was then forced into the van and the suspects fled, police said. His friend was left behind, unharmed. The van was found abandoned in an undisclosed location Monday, with the plates removed. A 35-year-old man arrested Tuesday morning in connection to the kidnapping was released with no charges. Police are urging the four suspects to turn themselves in. The first was described as wearing a mask, blue pants and a black jacket. The second was described as 6-foot-1 with dark skin, wearing a black Canada Goose jacket. The third suspect also has dark skin and is 6-foot-2 with a heavier build, wearing dark blue jeans and a black jacket. A fourth suspect was wearing a green and yellow jacket with a hood. This type of thing just doesnt happen in York Region, Pattenden said. He added that Lus family, who flew to Canada from China, are aware their son is safe. Lus Instagram account, which has since been deleted, had the tagline fast cars lambo, a reference to exotic carmaker Lamborghini. Media reports suggested he drove a number of luxury cars, including a Lamborghini, Rolls Royce and Range Rover. Police have not confirmed if money was a motive for the kidnapping. On Wednesday, they said the kidnappers were never in contact with police or the family. Lu is a Bachelor of Business Administration student at Yorkville University located at 2000 Steeles Ave. W. On its website, it describes itself as a Canadian university with a national presence. The university offers practitioner-oriented masters, bachelors and diploma programs leading to professional careers that are personally rewarding and contribute to the betterment of society. Pattenden earlier said the investigation consumed a huge amount of police resources as they searched for the missing man. The men and women of York Regional Police, Ive never seen teamwork like this before, he said, also thanking the public and media for relentlessly keeping attention focused on the case. An international student abducted Saturday in Markham has been found alive at a home near the Town of Gravenhurst, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. Sgt. Jason Folz with the OPP told the Star that Wanzhen Lu was located shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday when the owner of the home noticed him at the end of his laneway and called police. Lu identified himself verbally to OPP officers and was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. In news conference late Tuesday night, Const. Andy Pattenden congratulated investigators for their work in the search for Lu, calling it a proud moment for York Regional Police, but stressed that the investigation is far from over. Pattenden confirmed that the 35-year-old suspect York Region Police had arrested in connection with the violent weekend kidnapping of the 22-year-old student has now been released and will face no charges. The four suspects involved in the kidnapping remain at large, Pattenden said. Read more: Arrest made in Markham kidnapping but victim hasnt been found, police say York police search for 22-year-old man kidnapped in Markham parking garage Pattenden said that Lus family, who have arrived in Canada from China, have been notified that their son has been found safe. On Monday, police found the black Dodge Caravan that they believe was used to abduct Lu. According to police, on Saturday, close to 6 p.m., Lu was forced into a van in the underground parking garage of his condo. He was accompanied by a female friend who was unharmed. Lu and his friend had exited their car and may have been walking toward the elevators of the condo. At that point he was Tasered and forced into the van by three men who were wearing hoods, police said. The first suspect was described as wearing a mask, blue pants and a black jacket. The second was described as six foot one with dark skin, wearing a black Canada Goose jacket. The third suspect also has dark skin and is six foot two with a heavier build, wearing dark blue jeans and a black jacket. A fourth suspect was wearing a green and yellow jacket with a hood. Police found the black, wheelchair-accessible van in an undisclosed location. Police say they currently have a forensic team combing the van for clues. The van was found with the plates removed. Chinas ministry of foreign affairs have issued multiple warnings to Chinese nationals, including telephone ransom scams from perpetrators demanding money. The scam has hit students living in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Calgary. But the violence of the recent attack, using a conductive energy weapon is on another level. The incident has caused concern in China, where Canada is regarded as a safe haven from crime. Canada, and Toronto in particular, has benefitted economically from an influx of Chinese students. Moodys Investor Services have estimated that two-thirds of the international student body at the University of Toronto and a third at the University of British Columbia are from China. The Consulate General of the Peoples Republic of China in Toronto attaches great importance to this case and immediately activated the consular protection emergency mechanism, said the consulate in a statement. We will provide all necessary assistance within the scope of our duties. With files from Emerald Bensadoun and Tony Wong. Rhianna Jackson-Kelso is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @RhiannaJK Read more about: The head of a Northern Ontario childrens aid society was told five months ago that his agencys lawyer stated in court documents in an ongoing sexual abuse lawsuit that a 14-year-old girl is not a child but a sexually mature young woman, the Star has learned. Bill Leonard, executive director of Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services, acknowledged to the Star this week that the plaintiff in the case had contacted him last October over the statement. He also acknowledged that he had seen the statement referenced in a January 2019 ruling from the case. The Toronto lawyer who made the statement in a July 2018 affidavit, Gary McCallum, continued to be retained by Leonards agency until this week. On Monday, after the Star published a story about the sexually mature statement McCallum made in his affidavit, Kenora CFS fired him and called his statement intolerable. The case has attracted criticism and condemnation of both McCallums statement and of the childrens aid societys handling of the case. Speaking in the legislature on Tuesday, Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod said after reading the Stars initial coverage she was embarrassed a lawyer representing a childrens aid society would make such a statement. I have a 14-year-old daughter. She is a child. Any 14-year-old child in the care of this province is a child that we must protect. I immediately reached out to my deputy minister to inform her that the position of that defence lawyer was not the position or the views held by me as the minister, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario or the government of Ontario today, MacLeod said. Read more: Childrens aid society says it has fired Toronto lawyer who argued a 14-year-old girl is a sexually mature young woman A 14-year-old girl is a sexually mature young woman, not a child, childrens aid society lawyer argues in sex abuse suit This is not the first time when we see whats happened in Kenora that the standards that should be in place have not been met by our child welfare system. That is why we will bring in robust legislation to hold the childrens aid societies of this province to a higher standard. Nicole Bonnie, chief executive officer of the Ontario Association of Childrens Aid Societies, said in a statement her organization was disheartened by MacLeods comments that suggested childrens aid societies may be turning a blind eye to children and youth in need of protection. She also said McCallums statement in his affidavit was abhorrent and that her organization supports the Kenora agencys decision to fire him. McCallums statement was made in an affidavit filed as part of an ongoing civil case in which a woman is suing the Kenora CFS, claiming she was sexually abused by her foster father as a child while under the care of the agencys predecessor organization. In responding to an affidavit filed by the plaintiffs lawyer, McCallum said in his own affidavit: A fourteen or fifteen (girl) is a sexually mature young woman. Not a child, as the term is generally understood. Ontarios Child and Family Services Act, which governs childrens aid societies, is clear: a child is a person under the age of 18. In a statement this week, the womans lawyer, Simona Jellinek, said her client wrote to Leonard at Kenora CFS directly last October after seeing McCallums statement in the affidavit. After much reflection and heartache, my client wrote to Mr. Bill Leonard expressing her shock at being called a sexually mature 14 or 15 year old woman by (Kenora CFS) counsel in recently filed court documents regarding the upcoming motion. She demanded an explanation from him, Jellinek said. Much like when she was a child and disclosed the rape, my client received no immediate acknowledgement that she was wronged. In fact, Mr. Leonard did not respond to my client. Mr. Leonard forwarded my clients email to (Kenora CFS) counsel. On Oct. 30, 2018, I received an email from agency counsel that confirms Mr. Leonards receipt of my clients email with a request that my client not contact the (Kenora CFS) directly. In an email, Leonard confirmed to the Star he recalled reading the womans letter and being troubled by its contents. I was puzzled because the letter attributed the disturbing comments to a July 2018 affidavit filed by our office, but I was unaware of such statements being included in the July 2018 affidavit, he said. As is normal practice when a case is before the courts I referred the letter to my lawyer with the expectation that he and the plaintiffs lawyer could bring clarity to the matter of what specifically our affidavit stated. I was unaware that the offensive statement was included in the filed affidavit. And in fact the copy of the July 2018 affidavit that I have on file does not include the offending comments. When I found out (Monday) the actual affidavit filed with the court did include the disturbing statements I terminated my lawyer immediately. McCallum told the Star Wednesday in an email that Leonards account that he saw a different affidavit than the one filed in court is correct. He did not immediately respond to a followup question. Leonard also confirmed that he did see the sexually mature statement again, this time in a January 2019 court ruling from the ongoing lawsuit. I did read it, but the judge appeared to be commenting on live issues on both sides and as procedural matters. Without the knowledge of what was in the affidavit before the court, I think the full significance of her comment may not have been understood at the time, he said. Jellinek said in an email to the Star that Leonard had various opportunities to investigate McCallums statement, but did not. Mr. McCallums retainer was terminated only after The Star published this story ... One questions why Mr. Leonard waited so long to take proper and immediate action regarding this offensive position. Jellinek also pointed out that McCallums co-counsel, Harvey Stone, remains the case. Stone was the lawyer who actually argued the motion in court, which relied on McCallums affidavit as the childrens aid societys position, Jellinek said. At no time, either prior to the hearing or at the motion itself, did Mr. Stone take issue with the statement and request that the reprehensible statement be struck from the affidavit as would have been the proper way to handle such an issue. Rather, he chose to allow the court record to reflect (Kenora CFSs) position that my client was a sexually mature young woman. Stone declined to comment to the Star. When asked if Stone will be remaining on the case, Leonard said I am looking into the whole matter. Featured stories: Opinion | I saw an older man harassing a teen girl on the plane. Heres what I did about it Long-term care workers at breaking point due to violence, harassment, sexual assault on job, poll finds Man who was choked in Bruce McArthurs van shares how he escaped I thought I was finished A company has been fined $85,000 in the death of a construction worker killed off-loading a machine from a trailer at a Brampton construction site in 2013. The fine was imposed March 19 after an Appeal Court judge agreed with the Crown that Cobra Float Services Inc. of Concord, a company that specializes in transporting heavy equipment, violated the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to ensure the machine was moved safely. The workplace incident happened at a residential construction site on Alister Dr., in the area of James Potter Rd. and Creditview Rd. on May 25, 2013. The 44-year-old worker, a Toronto resident, was off-loading a curb-building machine from a float trailer, according to the Ministry of Labour. There were gaps between the trailers ramps, and one of the machines wheels dropped into a gap, causing the machine to overturn. It crushed the worker, and he later died in hospital. In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge. VANCOUVERA specialist on Chinese information warfare is calling on democratic nations to question the morality of their ties to Huawei and companies like it, echoing a report that called it a major player in the development of technologies used to persecute ethnic minorities. The Monday report from Reporters Without Borders, entitled Chinas Pursuit of a New World Media Order, points to Huaweis role in the development and implementation of surveillance technologies used to monitor and oppress the Uyghur Muslim population in the Xinjiang region of China. Upward of a million Uyghurs are currently detained in internment camps called re-education centres by the Chinese government according to the UN and human-rights watchdogs. The Chinese telecom company is a key partner ... in the persecution in Xinjiang province, the report says, pointing to the companys development of a Safe City Solution an urban surveillance service that monitors the public through a network of cameras and sensors, ostensibly for public safety. Elsa B. Kania, adjunct senior fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said democratic countries have yet to pause to reflect on the implications of partnering with tech companies that are implicated in human-rights abuses. I think the question is: to what extent is there a moral obligation, as the international community looks to try to condemn and pressure the Chinese government on its abuses of human rights in Xinjiang ... to also see Chinese companies as an extension of that agenda and to similarly exercise pressure against them? said Kania. In response to the claims outlined in this article, Benjamin Howes, Huaweis vice-president of Canadian media affairs, said in an email that the company has no comment on this, as it (is) for the government to comment, which it has over the past weeks/months. Read more: Former diplomats warn global relations crumbling as Canadians mark 100 days in Chinese prison Rare interview with Huawei founder is part of charm offensive against U.S.-led security concerns, says expert Youre with China or youre with us: Global relations hinge on outcome of trade talks, U.S. analysts say According to Huaweis own promotional material, its Safe City surveillance technologies include co-ordinated, citywide, high-definition video cameras that use artificial intelligence to recognize faces and licence plates automatically, logging each instance into a cloud. Analysts add that state strategies also include co-opting personal devices, such as smartphones, to track and listen in on potential dissidents. Huaweis level of complicity in human-rights abuses in China can be framed as a systemic feature of the fact that it is a Chinese company that has been clearly linked to various national priorities, Kania said. Huawei is far from the only company to produce technology used in repressive governmental efforts, Kania said, and its technologies have legitimate uses. Nevertheless, the tools Huawei has developed and deployed in Xinjiang have implications for public security, social stability and policing that are difficult to disentangle from the intense repression and paranoia that characterizes how these activities are carried out in Xinjiang. At the very least, Kania added, Huaweis active operation of data and cloud-computing projects in Xinjiang point to the companys indirect complicity in government persecution of Uyghurs in the region. On March 5, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told reporters that such criticisms are venomous attacks against the preventive counterterrorism and deradicalization measures the Chinese government has taken to keep Xinjiang a stable and tranquil place where people of various ethnic groups live happily together. The migration of Han Chinese to Xinjiang in recent decades has created tension with many Uyghurs, some of whom consider their region an independent state. Geographically, the Xinjiang region sits squarely in the middle of the governments Belt and Road initiative, which seeks to connect China to markets in developing countries. Because dissidents within the Uyghur population have, in recent decades, protested violently against state control, pacifying the minority is key to the realization of the governments goals. To date, concerns raised internationally by intelligence experts and political officials around the security risks posed by Huaweis equipment have focused largely on the companys cosiness with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The proximity between the two entities as well as explicit provisions in Chinese law mean countries that include Huawei equipment in their internet infrastructure risk opening a backdoor for Beijing to obtain sensitive user data, these experts contend. To date, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the United States maintain at least partial bans on Huawei equipment in their 5G infrastructure or official telecom contracts. These restrictions revolve around the perceived risks to national security. Canada has yet to decide. Both Huawei and the CCP have consistently denied all such allegations, saying they reflect a U.S.-led bid to undermine Chinas technological and economic ascendancy. Darren Byler, an anthropologist and lecturer at the University of Washington, spent two years living and conducting research in Xinjiang. Based on his first-hand observation, Byler told the Star in an interview, all tech thats being used there is being used at least to some extent sometimes passively, sometimes explicitly to support the security state. Huawei hardware, such as smartphones, are a part of this surveillance operation, he added: What Huawei does is permit (state) access to phones, to hardware, in a way that a company like Apple or another North American-based company wouldnt permit. Government officials often gift smartphones to Uyghur villagers as a way of showing how much they care about them, Byler said. But the villagers, Uyghurs, that Ive spoken to understand that these phones are being used to monitor their behaviour. Adrian Zenz, an independent researcher and expert on Chinas minority policies, points to the ways in which the CCP frames Huaweis technological contributions in Xinjiang as achievements to be lauded. As far back as 2014, Zenz said, Huawei received government awards and honours for installing citywide surveillance systems in Xinjiang. He pointed to Huaweis own website, which references the companys continuing development of peaceful city systems in Xinjiang, as well as its co-operation with public security authorities. Huawei boasts on its website that technology associated with Safe City Solutions is serving a billion people in more than 90 countries. Read more about: ROMEThe founder and the entire editorial board have quit a Vatican womens magazine that has drawn international attention for exposing the abuse of nuns, citing a climate of distrust and progressive delegitimization of their work inside the Vaticans communications office. In a letter of resignation to Pope Francis, Lucetta Scaraffia, the founder and editor of Women Church World, wrote that the editorial board members, all women, felt in the past few months, that a hierarchy dominated by men was marginalizing them and did not value their work. It seems to us that a vital initiative is being reduced to silence, to return to the antiquated and arid method of the top-down selection, under direct male control, of women who are perceived as being reliable, Scaraffia wrote in the letter, dated March 21, which was provided to the New York Times. Instead of promoting fruitful discussion, the Vatican preferred to return to a clerical self-referential mode, she wrote. The monthly magazine, published by the Vatican newspaper LOsservatore Romano, has focused on womens issues and on the role of women inside the Roman Catholic Church. Recently it had become a forum for revealing and discussing hardships faced by some nuns around the world, including the exploitation of their labour and sexual abuse by priests. The resignations at the magazine, which was created seven years ago under Pope Benedict XVI, were first reported by The Associated Press. Scaraffia said that until recently, it had editorial independence and papal support, first from Benedict and then from Francis. That changed when Andrea Monda became the new director of LOsservatore Romano in December, Scaraffia said Tuesday. She said that Monda began participating in the magazines editorial meetings along with journalists from his newspaper. The staff of the magazine felt controlled, she said. No one had ever imposed on us people from the outside, she said. In a statement issued by the Vatican press office, Monda denied that he had tried to meddle with the magazine, which he said enjoyed the same total autonomy and the same freedom that have characterized the monthly insert since it was born. He said he had limited his involvement to suggesting possible themes and contributors to Scaraffia. After the board of the magazine threatened to resign in January, they pretended to accept our autonomy, she said. But the board felt its work was being undermined when LOsservatore Romano began publishing its own articles about womens issues, with a different editorial slant. They were trying to delegitimize us in every way they could, they wanted to sabotage the magazine, so we decided to leave, before they took us out, she said. The resignation letter was to be announced in the next edition of the magazine, which is scheduled to be published next Monday. Scaraffia said she did not know whether there would be an issue at all. Monda said the magazine would continue to be published. The Vatican communications office has been undergoing an overhaul. The Holy Sees chief spokesman and his deputy resigned in December. They wanted us out because we were autonomous, Scaraffia said. They want only people controlled by them. KABUL, AFGHANISTANDaoud Naji was a student in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif during a massacre of members of his ethnic Hazara minority in 1998. He remembers digging tunnels to hide terrified families during a Taliban killing spree that left as many as 2,000 civilians dead. Naji, now 45 and a leader of a Hazara political movement, fears more mass killings if peace talks between the United States and the Taliban produce a deal that brings the insurgents back into government. He and many other Hazaras worry that the negotiations will deliver oppression rather than peace. Persecuted for more than a century, Hazaras have carved out a thriving urban enclave in west Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, since the Taliban government was overthrown by an American-led coalition in 2001. But they say peace talks have put those gains at risk, especially with Hazaras already bloodied by persistent attacks from Taliban insurgents and Daesh suicide bombers. Some Hazaras describe a sort of living death mourning the loss of loved ones killed by the Taliban or Daesh, also known as the Islamic State or ISIS, while forever bracing for the next blow even as peace talks proceed. If the Taliban get back, the Hazaras will be massacred, said Maryam Tofan, 45, a Hazara mother of three whose husband was killed by the Taliban in eastern Ghazni province. American and Taliban negotiators have agreed on the framework of a deal in which U.S. troops would withdraw in return for a Taliban pledge that Afghanistan will not be used by terrorists. But many Hazaras say the Taliban cannot be trusted and that any peace deal would do little to prevent continued Daesh bombings of Hazara mosques, shrines and rallies. Read more: Taliban announce surprise talks with U.S. in Pakistan Afghan official: Taliban killed 33 troops, police in Helmand Opinion | Peace talks with Taliban monsters breaks my heart This Taliban is the same Taliban who ruled us so brutally in the past, Naji said. Who can guarantee they will not come with guns and stage a coup? Would the United States be here to stop them? Hazaras, most of whom are Shiite Muslims, are considered heretics by the Taliban and Daesh, two Sunni Muslim groups. They have been persecuted since Afghanistans Pashtun emir targeted Hazaras for mass killings and forced removals in the late 19th century. Some were sold as slaves. Although Afghanistan has no national census, Hazaras are believed to make up roughly 10 to 20 per cent of the countrys 35 million people. When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, they orchestrated mass killings of Hazaras in Mazar-e-Sharif in 1998 and in central Bamian province in 2000 and 2001. Hazaras were forced in early 2001 to dangle from cliff faces to drill holes for explosives the Taliban used to topple the ancient Buddha statues of Bamian, carved from sandstone cliffs more than 1,500 years ago. More recently, hundreds of Hazara families were driven from their homes during Taliban offensives last fall against government forces and Hazara militias in the provinces of Uruzgan and Ghazni, part of a traditional Hazara homeland known as Hazarajat. Hadi Noorzad, a Hazara from the Jaghori district in Ghazni, said he and his neighbours fled a Taliban assault in November that he said killed 50 people, including his 22-year-old cousin. Many families returned after government security forces retook the area, Noorzad said, but they still live in fear. The Taliban believe Hazaras are not Muslims and so it is fine to kill Hazaras, he said. Over the past three years, hundreds of Hazaras have died in suicide bombings, most of them claimed by Daesh. Among the deadliest was a double suicide bombing during a Hazara protest rally in Kabul in 2016 that killed more than 80 people. Less than a year earlier, Daesh militants beheaded seven Hazara civilians kidnapped in Zabul province. In March 2018, a suicide bomber killed 33 people in a Hazara area of Kabul on Nowruz, a Persian New Year holiday celebrated by Hazaras. In September, a Daesh suicide bomber killed up to 30 people at a Hazara wrestling club in Kabul. A second bomber killed 26 more, including journalists reporting on the first bombing. In the Qala-e-Nazir area of west Kabul this month, six Hazara men in combat fatigues and flak vests, bearing Kalashnikov rifles and ammo pouches, searched visitors to Al Zahra mosque one snowy morning. Another guard was posted on the mosques roof, his assault rifle aimed at the street. In 2017, the Shiite Muslim mosque was shattered by a suicide bomber who killed four people, including a Hazara community leader who had built the mosque. Enhanced security precautions have become common at shrines, schools and shopping centres in Hazara areas. Haji Khalil Dare Sufi, an elder at Al Zahra mosque, said Hazaras would never give up the weapons he said they needed to defend themselves. Sufi said many Hazaras do not trust the Afghan government or security forces to protect them. We are a vulnerable people a very soft target for the Taliban and Daesh, he said. Many young Hazaras, born after the Taliban regime was toppled, have heard harrowing stories from their parents and are wary of any peace agreement based on Taliban promises. Every time Shams Yusefzai, 17, leaves home for his part-time job at a shoe store in a mall guarded by armed Hazaras, he said, I worry that someone will have to bring my body back home to my family. The possibility of a peace deal with the Taliban raises troubling questions for the teenager. If they come back, will they prevent me from going to school? Will they kill my family? he asked. Thomas Ruttig, co-director of the private Afghanistan Analysts Network in Kabul, said of Hazara anxieties: There is good reason for them to be afraid. When Hazara civilians were killed and forced from their homes during Taliban offensives last fall, Ruttig said, the attacks were not motivated solely by hostility toward the ethnic group. The Taliban were extending their so-called emirate, under which they tax residents, including Hazaras. The insurgents also improved their military position for leverage at peace talks in Doha, Qatar. Even so, Rutting said, We need to see proof from the Taliban that they do not have an anti-Hazara or anti-Shiite policy. Naji, the Hazara political leader, also cited what he said had been pervasive neglect of Hazaras by the Pashtun-dominated Afghan government. He said authorities had provided few public services to west Kabul, where Hazaras have no hospital but have built their own private schools, computer academies and successful small businesses. Hazaras exhibit more liberal attitudes toward womens rights than other Afghan groups, and many Hazaras serve in the police and the army, Naji said. Women would be subjected to punitive restrictions and Hazaras would be purged from the military and government if the Taliban returned, he said. The new Taliban generation is even more fundamentalist than the old one, said Naji, who arrived for an interview in an armoured vehicle accompanied by a bodyguard. At Al Zahra mosque nearby, Sufi held court as a cluster of Hazara men and women sat cross-legged on the floor, listening intently as he catalogued the perils of negotiating with the Taliban. They can talk all they want in Doha, Sufi said of the peace talks. But there can be no good result. Read more about: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump in an unexpected meeting Wednesday with the wife of Venezuelan leader Juan Guaido, lamented the economic and humanitarian crisis where food and power are scarce in the Latin American country, and promised to fix it. The president, in the White House Oval Office meeting, sought to assure Fabiana Rosales de Guaido and the wife of Guaidos chief of staff, who has been detained by the Maduro regime, that things would all work out. Trump blamed past U.S. administrations for the current crisis and, without naming specific administrations, said they should have been more forward thinking. These are things that should never have been allowed to happen, Trump said. But Ill fix it. The high-profile meeting and the preceding bilateral discussions with Vice President Mike Pence are the latest attempt by the Trump administration to keep U.S. attention on the crisis and increase pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who has been able to maintain territorial control of the country. Rosales thanked Trump and Pence as well as national security adviser John Bolton. She described a terrible crisis in Venezuela where children are dying. She told Trump she was afraid for her husbands life, explaining that he had been attacked just the previous day. Read more: Trump surprises GOP and pleases Democrats with push to revive health care battle Donald Trump ramps up media takes in wake of Robert Mueller investigation Trump complains to senators that Puerto Rico is getting too much hurricane relief funding She promised they would continue fighting. What they dont know is when they do that, theyre pushing us forward, Rosales said. We will not rest. We are here to save lives and to give back freedom. We want to save our children, we want to save our elderly who are the ones who are suffering. This is what Venezuela is going through. Romy Moreno Molina, the wife of Roberto Marrero, Guaidos chief of staff, described the 2 a.m. raid where Maduros forces stormed her home, destroyed property and took her husband. It was a nightmare, she said, adding they didnt know what happened to him for almost a week. We have a seven-year-old kid who doesnt know anything. The meeting was also reminiscent of another surprise meeting with the wife of then-detained opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez at the beginning of Trumps term. That meeting was largely seen as a turning point for Trump, who then began increasing pressure against the Maduro government. Trump warned Russia against meddling after Moscow sent military personnel to Caracas, saying, Russia has to get out. Pence earlier called Russias action an unwelcome provocation. Asked whether the United States is considering ramping up pressure on Venezuela, Trump said: Theyve got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. Theyve got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity. Other than military you cant get any more pressure than they have. Rosales was to travel to Capitol Hill later Wednesday afternoon where she was to meet with members of Congress, including Sens. Marco Rubio, Jim Risch, Bob Menendez, Tim Kaine and Rick Scott. Read more about: BANJUL, Gambia - Gambias ex-President Yahya Jammeh looted the tiny West African nation of $1 billion through fear and privilege during his 22 years in power, an amount more than 10 times higher than originally estimated by the new government, leaving the country in lingering debt, according to a report Wednesday by the investigative group Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Jammeh looted the money from state coffers, including the central bank, social welfare office and state telecom company, during his more than two decades in power, getting away with it by elevating civil servants to prominent positions and empowering a group of businessmen led by a key Hezbollah financier, the corruption reporting group said. The $1 billion was used to finance his lavish lifestyle and is believed to still support him in his exile in Equatorial Guinea, the investigative group said. Meanwhile, Gambia remains very poor with a debt of $489 million at the end of 2017, according to the World Bank. Gambias central bank also owes more than 130 per cent of its GDP to lenders, according to the International Monetary Fund. Gambias President Adama Barrow, who beat Jammeh in 2016 elections to usher in a new era for the nation, estimated that Jammeh stole about $90 million. There is an official commission of inquiry launched to look into the stolen funds. The U.S., where Jammeh also bought property, has also banned Jammeh from entering the country because of what it calls significant corruption. Gambias government has not yet commented on the report. The project said that bank statements, contracts, government correspondence and internal reports show a web of fraud that far exceeds the figure offered by Barrow. The money that was not funneled to presidential controlled bank accounts went to businesses that received lucrative contracts from the former leader, the investigative group said. He got away with it because Gambia is small, with a population of some 2 million people, and remained relatively obscure, the group said. He ran the country like an organized crime syndicate, said Jeggan Grey-Johnson, a Gambian activist and communications officer at the African regional office of the Open Society Foundation. Jammeh pillaged money through force, threatening those who dared to stand up to him, and setting up various accounts to hide the assets. Gambias Central Bank governor from 2010 to 2017, Amadou Colley, said during testimony to a commission that Jammeh and his supporters exerted significant control over the institution, and often withdrew funds without proper paperwork, according to the report, which said he diverted more than $71 million from the reserves in only a few years. His methods of choice were to hijack the central banks accounts, create new accounts on which he or his supporters were the only signatories or he used accounts that had gone dormant. Jammeh also found other techniques, gaining significant foreign aid by recognizing Taiwans independence from China in 1995 and having those funds funneled to him and other close associates, including a key financier for Hezbollah named Mohamed Bazzi, who was used as a middleman to invest money in the state-owned telecommunications company and who among others became a beneficiary, the investigative group said in its report. The true scale of Jammehs thefts from the central bank may never be fully known, the organization said. ___ Petesch reported from Chicago. LIMA, Peru - With her youthful energy and globe-trotting, the 26-year-old wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is emerging as a prominent figure in his campaign to bring change to the crisis-wracked country. Fabiana Rosales age and informal dress, often jeans, while touring Latin America belie an inner toughness and maturity cultivated with her activist husband during violent street protests in Venezuelas capital. Her husband has since claimed Venezuelas interim presidency with the support of dozens of nations including the United States, setting up a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro, who refuses to step down amid what he calls an attempted coup. Look, I am the wife of President Juan Guaido and I will accompany him on whatever route he takes and we will overcome whatever obstacles we face as we have done through all our years together, Rosales said during an interview in Perus capital of Lima. But I got involved in politics because I want to change my country. I dont want my daughter to grow up wanting to leave Venezuela, she said, a reference to the roughly 3 million Venezuelans who have fled their country amid a collapsing economy, hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicines, and now blackouts . As her husband leads efforts to remove Maduro through protests at home and by trying to persuade Venezuelas military to abandon the socialist leader, Rosales is trying to drum up international support for Venezuelas beleaguered opposition with highly publicized tours of neighbouring countries. This month she travelled to Peru and Chile, where she met with the presidents of both countries, and spoke in universities about Venezuelas humanitarian crisis. On Wednesday, she met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as the U.S. ratchets up sanctions on the Maduro administration. Its a great honour to have the first lady of Venezuela, Trump said. Shes been through what people dont want to have to go through and should never have to go through. Rosales met her husband at a youth rally for Voluntad Popular, an opposition party she has worked with since her university years. She has become a household name in Venezuela in recent months, standing at her husbands side in rallies attended by thousands. Recently, she has also taken on the role of international ambassador for Venezuelas opposition, as her husband becomes bogged down in domestic affairs. Venezuelas first lady in waiting has helped her husband look more presidential, says Dimitris Pantoulas, a Caracas-based political analyst. She is a professional, young, educated woman, and to a certain extent she is conservative, Pantoulas said. That image corresponds to (Venezuelan) stereotypes of what a presidential couple should look like, especially for those in the middle classes. In the interview, Rosales say that her most important role is to be a mother, and Im also a sister and wife. Guaido declared himself Venezuelas interim president in late January. The opposition leader was serving as the president of Venezuelas Congress, and said the constitution allowed him to form a transitional government because Maduro had been re-elected in a sham vote last year. The political challenge turned Guaido into an instant target of the Maduro administration, which blamed him of organizing violent protests and quickly put him under a travel ban. Guaido snuck out of Venezuela for a one week tour of South America, in which he led a failed effort to move several tons of food and medicine into the country. But upon returning he has focused most of his energy on sustaining his movement, which has lost some of its momentum, as Maduro remains in power and Venezuelans focus on the difficult task of surviving. In her recent trips abroad, Rosales has met with large crowds of Venezuelan migrants, urging them to keep their faith in her husband and telling regional leaders that a dictator like Maduro does not fall in a matter of days. She says the Venezuelan opposition is making progress, designating ambassadors around the world, and recovering control of Venezuelan oil assets abroad with the help of the United States. Rosales opponents have cast her recent tour as a desperate attempt to keep Guaido in the international spotlight, as the Venezuelan crisis drags on and the worlds attention moves elsewhere. She is trying to boost Guaidos image, as support for his movement in Venezuela deflates, Arevalo Mendez, Maduros ambassador to Chile, told a local news outlet last week. The daughter of a journalist and a farmer from the rural state of Merida, Rosales says she became interested in social issues early as she accompanied her mother to interviews. She decided to follow in her mothers footsteps and study journalism, but also helped her father transport his crops to Caracas along roads where he was sometimes shaken down by corrupt military guards. Rosales says she has gone through many of the travails currently faced by Venezuelans, including the harrowing medicine shortages. Her father died in 2013, after suffering a heart attack. He could have survived Rosales said, but there was no medicine in his village to stabilize him, and no ambulance to take him to the nearest hospital. I spent a lot of time in pain, wondering why this had happened to me, she said. But now I have taken this as a lesson from life. And I am working for my daughter to inherit a better country. ___ Manuel Rueda reported from Bogota, Colombia. SRINAGAR, INDIAHe was the kind of professor students adored, always ready to help with books, advice or small loans. His colleagues in the sociology department found him reliable and ambitious, a scholar whose research on consumerism might propel him to a post elsewhere in India. So it was out of character when Mohammad Rafi Bhat failed to attend a faculty meeting at the University of Kashmir one Friday afternoon last year. His family, too, had no idea where he was. Two days later, when his colleagues turned on their televisions, their concern turned to shock: Bhat was dead, having joined a group of anti-India militants who were killed in a confrontation with security personnel. Bhats brief transition from academia to insurgency was part of a troubling trend. Growing numbers of young Kashmiris turned to militancy in 2018, according to official figures, giving new energy to an armed struggle that as recently as a few years ago appeared to be diminishing. Some of the recruits, like Bhat, are highly educated and have promising careers ahead of them; others are high school dropouts from rural villages. But each one embraced violence, drawn to a three-decade insurgency against Indian rule in its portion of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by India and Pakistan. One of the recent recruits was Adil Ahmed Dar, a 19-year-old suicide bomber who nearly sparked a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Dar drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a security convoy on Feb. 14, killing 40 paramilitary personnel. It was the worst such attack in the history of the insurgency, and Jaish-e-Muhammad, a Pakistan-based terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the bombing. Indian security officials accuse Pakistani authorities of sheltering the leadership of militant groups fighting in Kashmir, as well as providing them with guidance, training and material support. Pakistan denies the accusations but recently launched a crackdown on militant groups inside its borders. Read more: India bans pro-independence group in Kashmir India, Pakistan again target army posts, villages in Kashmir 5 dead in Kashmir, shops stage boycott of crackdown by India While India has repeatedly denounced Pakistan, it has remained nearly silent on the increase in local participation in the insurgency. Last year, 191 Kashmiris joined militant groups, according to an Indian Army official who spoke on condition of anonymity, up 50 percent from 2017, when the same figure was 126. As recently as 2013, the number of local recruits was just 16. Bhat, 31, received his doctorate from the University of Kashmir and began teaching there. His students said they were crushed to learn of his death but described it as a form of martyrdom. It is a personal choice, said Mohammad Rayees Rafeeqi, 24. You cannot stop anyone. Kashmir could be hurtling towards a heightened phase of terrorism, according to an assessment recently published by the South Asia Terrorism Portal, a Delhi-based website that tracks militant groups in the region. Even as the Indian government has clamored for action against Pakistan, what is being completely overlooked are strategies to restore internal stability and sober governance to Jammu and Kashmir, Indias only Muslim-majority state. Critics say heavy-handed tactics by India have bred anger and despair. Kashmiris describe a sense of daily humiliation, sometimes petty and sometimes grave, together with a feeling of suffocation by a conflict that shows no hope of immediate improvement. We can say that Pakistan is fishing in troubled waters, Mehbooba Mufti, who served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir until last year, said in an interview. Last month, a Kashmiri boy brought the two countries to the brink of war, she added. Its very important to stop it now rather than wait for another bomb to tick. Todays militancy in Kashmir is smaller and less deadly than it was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Indian security officials say there are around 300 to 400 active militants, most of them operating in South Kashmir. Some of them are locals, while others have crossed over from Pakistani-controlled territory. The lure of militancy for local youths is a cause of worry, said an Indian security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Militants have used social media to glamorize gun culture, he said, while at the same time, the world has become smaller. Events elsewhere in India or around the world now reverberate in Kashmir, feeding a sense that Muslims are under attack. In Srinagar, Kashmirs largest city, paramilitary officers stand guard on bridges and roads against a backdrop of stunning snow-capped mountains. Some walls still bear graffiti with the name Burhan, a popular militant commander killed in July 2016. His killing sparked massive and violent protests to which India responded with deadly force. Naeem Fazili remembers his son Eisa, a university student, coming to him in an agitated state after a young engineer was killed in the 2016 protests. Youre saying that we should arm ourselves with degrees and knowledge to help the Kashmiri people, Fazili recalls his son saying. But what did this degree give him? A school principal, Fazili placed a premium on education and sent his two sons to the most prestigious private high school in Srinagar. Eisa went on to study engineering at a university in the city of Jammu. Then, one day during his final semester in 2017, he disappeared. The day after Fazili began frantically searching for his son, he received a call from a neighbor. Uncle, do you know how to use Facebook? the neighbor asked, and he directed Fazili to a specific page. There, he found a photo of Eisa with an AK-47 rifle in his hands. It was a bolt from the blue, Fazili said. His son was later killed in an encounter with Indian security forces in March 2018, the authorities said. Umair Gul, a doctoral student who has studied the history of the insurgency in Kashmir, wrote recently that educated Kashmiris have long formed part of the militant ranks. But thanks to social media, such examples are gaining new prominence and serving as a recruitment tool. Since the bombing on Feb. 14, India has sent thousands more security personnel to Kashmir. It outlawed an Islamist socio-religious group and arrested hundreds of its members. Authorities raided the homes of well-known separatist leaders. They also postponed fresh state elections, deepening the crisis of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, whose assembly was dissolved in controversial fashion in 2018. (Also last year, the Indian government began requiring foreign correspondents to apply for permits to conduct reporting in Jammu and Kashmir. The permit received by The Washington Post for this story limited the reporter to Srinagar and included a condition that the reporter not meet with people engaged in anti-national activities, without defining such actions.) At the University of Kashmir, students in headscarves and hoodies strolled along paths beneath towering Chinar trees, their trunks pale in the winter sunlight. When Bhat disappeared from the campus on a Friday last year, his students didnt know what to think. Some believed he had gone for a job interview in the South Indian city of Hyderabad. Then they worried that he had been detained by the security forces and launched a day-long protest to demand his release. Bhats father, Abdul Rahim, 64, a retired civil servant, broke down as he recalled the phone call he received from his son early on a Sunday morning last May. The professor turned militant told his parents that he was trapped in an encounter with the security forces and was going to become a martyr, his father recalled. He told them not to worry, that they would meet in the next life. Those who knew Bhat expressed shock that he had turned to militancy but not, ultimately, surprise at his motives. In Kashmir, anything is possible, said Pirzada M. Amin, chair of the sociology department at the University of Kashmir. It is a conflict zone. It can influence anybody. Read more about: SYDNEY, Australia - The Netherlands and Australia confirmed Wednesday that three-way talks with Russia have begun over the ongoing criminal investigation into the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. The two countries announced last year they were holding Russia responsible for providing the missile fired by pro-Russian forces in war-torn Ukraine that brought down the jet, causing the deaths of all 298 people aboard. The dead included 196 people from the Netherlands and 38 from Australia. Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne said Wednesday that the first trilateral talks about state responsibility for the incident took place earlier this month, after diplomatic approaches were made earlier this year. We cannot go into the content of this process because confidentiality is vital here, Blok said at a joint news conference with Payne in Sydney. But I can say this: We remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability. International investigators last year said they had strong evidence the Buk missile system that shot down the Boeing 777 plane came from a Russia-based military unit. Russia has denied involvement and dismissed the findings from the international criminal probe because it was not invited to be part of the investigation team. Payne said Australia remained a strong supporter of the Dutch national prosecution of the individuals responsible, and pledged her countrys continuing commitment to the Dutch-Australian joint investigation into the incident. If Russia were ultimately to acknowledge some form of legal responsibility, it could lead to compensation claims from relatives of the people killed. When the Netherlands and Australia last year said they were holding Russia responsible, they quickly received backing from the United States, Britain and other allies. Blok said the Netherlands appreciated the political and financial support that Australia and other G-8 countries have pledged toward a potential trial of MH17 suspects. Blok, who also laid a wreath at a memorial to MH17 victims in the national capital Canberra, said he and Payne had in their meetings Wednesday reiterated their countries commitment to co-operate in fighting terrorism and extremism. The Netherlands and Australia stand side-by-side in grief and their resolve, he said. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the news conference took place in Sydney. CANBERRA, Australia - Australias prime minister said Thursday that he had ruled out any vote-sharing deal with an influential minor party in a bid to protect the nations strict gun controls. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made his decision after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson apparently questioned the official account of a 1996 massacre in which a gunman acting alone killed 35 people in Tasmania state. Less than two weeks after the Port Arthur massacre, Australia banned semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. New Zealand similarly banned a range of semi-automatic firearms after a lone gunman killed 50 worshippers in two Christchurch mosques on March 15. Morrison said his conservative Liberal Party would disadvantage One Nation candidates under Australias preferential voting system at general elections due in May by refusing to share votes. Under Australias systems, voters rank candidates in order of preference. The higher candidates are ranked by a majority of voters, the better their chances of being elected. The Liberal Party would normally direct its supporters to rank the opposition centre-left Labor Party last, because Labor candidates have a chance of forming government. Like-minded parties often make deals to rank each others candidates ahead of a common enemy. But in a move interpreted by some as putting principle ahead of politics, Morrison said his party would urge voters to rank Labor ahead of One Nation. This is a decision which is based on our strong view about the sanctity of Australias gun laws and to ensure that at no stage that those things should ever be put at risk, Morrison told reporters. Its very important, having been the party that introduced those laws, that we ensure that they are forever protected and there can be no compromise when it comes to those issues or any trading on the issue of those gun laws, he added. Anti-Muslim One Nation has been widely condemned after an Al Jazeera documentary reported this week that two party officials flew to the United States for meetings with pro-gun interests including the National Rifle Association and political donors Koch Industries in September last year seeking money to undermine Australian gun laws. The two-part documentary that uses video secretly filmed by a fake gun lobbyist reveals Hanson said during a dinner with party officials in her home state of Queensland last year that she has a lot of questions about the Port Arthur massacre. She quoted an Australian state premier who said almost a decade before the mass shooting in the ruins of a 19th century Tasmanian prison: It will take a massacre in Tasmania before we get gun reform in Australia. Conspiracy theorists argue the quote proves that the massacre was engineered by the gun reform lobby. Others argue the quote reflects a New South Wales premiers frustration that Tasmania had Australias weakest gun laws and was most resistant to change. Australia now has relatively uniform gun laws. While on the subject of conspiracy theories, a party official at the dinner is recorded mentioning the al-Qaida attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Hanson said on Thursday her broadcast comments has been heavily edited and did not reflect her views on the Australian massacre. There is no question in my mind that Martin Bryant was the only person responsible for the murders of 35 innocent lives, Hanson told reporters, referring to the convicted killer. Let me make it very clear to everyone in this country: One Nation will never water-down gun policy in this country, she added. She described Morrison as a fool who would give Labor the government at the next election through his decision on vote-sharing. Morrison said Hansons broadcast comments on the Port Arthur massacre, to which the gunman pleaded guilty, was the final straw. He said he consulted former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, who introduced Australias gun reforms and a buyback that reduced the estimated number of guns in Australia by 20 per cent, before announcing his decision. Barnaby Joyce, a senior lawmaker in the Nationals party, the rural-based junior partner of the ruling coalition that most directly competes against One Nation for conservative voters, described Hansons comments on Port Arthur as bonkers mad. It is beyond the pale. We now have One Nation questioning both 9-11, the terrorist attack on New York and the Port Arthur massacre, Joyce told Australian Broadcasting Corp. What is next for them? Are they going to question man on the moon? The Nationals have yet to say whether they will follow the Liberal Party lead by putting Labor ahead of One Nation on how-to-vote cards distributed at polling booths to its supporters. One Nation has accused Qatar-owned Al Jazeera of breaching new laws that prohibit covert foreign interference in Australian politics. Al Jazeera said it stood by its reporting and that its journalists adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and objectivity. BERLIN - Frances foreign minister is attending a meeting of Germanys Cabinet, following up on a friendship treaty that the two European powers signed earlier this year. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said as he welcomed French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday he hoped the visit was setting in motion a long-lasting tradition. The two ministers are set to meet again in New York later this week, where Germany is co-ordinating its presidency of the U.N. Security Council in April with Frances presidency this month. France and Germany signed a pact in January renewing the decades-old friendship between two countries that have traditionally led European integration but also had frequent disagreements. It calls for a member of one countrys government to attend the others Cabinet at least once per quarter. COPENHAGEN - A cruise ship that was the focus of a daring rescue operation off Norways frigid North Sea coast became disabled because its engines didnt have enough lubricating oil, the countrys top maritime official said Wednesday. Low oil levels were the direct cause of the engine failure that stranded the ship during a storm Saturday, Lars Alvestad, the acting director general of the Norwegian Maritime Authority, said. Sensors detected the oil shortage and automatically shut down the Viking Skys engines to prevent a breakdown, he said. The ships harrowing weekend ordeal injured dozens of people, including 36 who were admitted to hospitals. Four people from the ship remained hospitalized Wednesday, including one being treated in an intensive care ward in critical but stable condition, Norwegian health officials said. Alvestad said the amount of oil was relatively low but still within set limits as the Viking Sky neared Hustadvika, a shallow area known for shipwrecks that has many reefs but no larger islands to offer boats shelter from pounding waves. The heavy seas probably caused movements in the tanks so large that the supply to the lubricating oil pumps stopped, Alvestad said during a news conference. This triggered an alarm indicating a low level of lubrication oil, which in turn, shortly thereafter, caused an automatic shutdown of the engines. Viking Sky suffered power blackout in challenging weather conditions, he said. The ships operator, Viking Ocean Cruises, said it welcomed the prompt and efficient investigation of the weekend emergency and accepted the findings. We have inspected the (oil) levels on all our sister ships and are now revising our procedures to ensure that this issue could not be repeated, the company said in a statement. The Viking Sky ended up in a dangerous situation when the engines stopped Saturday. With the ship carrying 1,373 passengers and crew members rocking violently, the crew sent out a mayday call. Passengers would recall a large wave crashing through glass doors and knocking people across the floor of an area where they were instructed to gather as a muster point. The crew anchored the Viking Sky in a bay as it came close to hitting rocks and the airlift to get passengers off the ship began. Five helicopters winched passengers off one-by-one as winds howled in the dark of night. Waves up to 26-feet- (8-meters-) high were smacking into the ship, ruling out an evacuation by boat. The rescue operation ended Sunday when the engines restarted, after 479 passengers had been airlifted to land. The ship travelled under its own power to a Norwegian port with nearly 900 passengers and crew members remaining onboard. The ship was on a 12-day cruise along Norways coast before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in Britain. The passengers were mostly an English-speaking mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens. Alvestad said his agency has issued a new safety notice about crews making sure boats have a continuous supply of lubricating oil to engines and other critical systems in poor weather conditions. The Viking Sky was being towed to a shipyard in another port Wednesday for repairs. LONDONPrime Minister Theresa May told fellow Conservative Party lawmakers on Wednesday that she was prepared to resign before the next round of Brexit negotiations, offering up her leadership post in an effort to persuade hardliners to support her unpopular plan to leave the European Union. Mays offer to curtail her political career to save her vision for Brexit was a desperate gambit. Whether it will be enough to pass her withdrawal plan was not clear. What was obvious was that Parliament still does not know its own mind on Brexit. In a special late-night session of indicative votes, an effort to find new ways to break the impasse, the House of Commons could not produce a majority for any of eight different Brexit proposals put forth by members. The closest vote was for a soft Brexit based on a new customs union with the EU. It lost by eight. A call to stage a second Brexit referendum was defeated by 27 votes. On a day when Parliament thought it would take control of Brexit, May and her deal still dominated. Read more: Opinion: May and Corbyn, the Dumb and Dumber of Brexit UK lawmakers seize Brexit agenda in bid to break deadlock Euro stocks fall on growth worries and doubts about Brexit deal Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told the House that the results of the nonbinding votes demonstrated that there are no easy options here. There is no simple way forward. Barclay said the best deal on offer was still the one May negotiated, and he urged the House to reconsider it. If we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end, he warned. May offered no timetable for her possible departure. Some Tory lawmakers said a leadership election within the party could happen over the summer, with May leaving 10 Downing Street by the autumn. Other reports suggested a new leader could be in place by July. Swapping prime ministers within the party would not require a general election. Mays announcement was made behind closed doors, at a meeting of backbench Conservative Party members. There were no reporters in the room. I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach, and new leadership, in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I wont stand in the way of that, May told the Tory lawmakers, according to excerpts released by Downing Street. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party, she said. While Mays offer to step aside encouraged a number of Conservative rebels to say they now will support for her twice-defeated Brext deal, she still may not have enough votes for the deal to pass this divided Parliament. Mays plan would maintain customs and trade arrangements with the EU until at least the end of 2020, and ultimately envisions cutting most of those ties. Crashing out of the European Union without a deal, as well as a long delay, a general election or a second referendum all remain options as the chaos of Brexit continues. The prime ministers surprise announcement was seen as key to getting dozens of hardcore Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, to back her Brexit play. Johnson, Mays former foreign minister, suggested to colleagues that he will now support Mays Brexit deal, this after months of condemning it as a treaty that would make Britain a vassal to Brussels. Rees-Mogg, a Conservative House member who is a power broker in these negotiations, said he would back Mays deal as long as Northern Irelands Democratic Unionists did. He tweeted that half a loaf is better than no bread. He fears losing Brexit entirely. But on Wednesday night, the DUP said it still could not back Mays Brexit, citing a too-great risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped by the arrangements made over how to keep the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic open. Without the DUP, Mays deal faces tough odds. It was unclear whether Mays promise to resign would be honoured if lawmakers do not approve her exit deal. Critics were quick to note the vagueness of her vow to step down. If I were them, Id want it in blood, Margaret Beckett, a Labour Party politician, told the BBC. Ive lost track of how many times shes promised she wont lead them into the next election and suddenly its turned out that she might after all. Read more about: KIEV, Ukraine - As Ukraines presidential election draws near, its ultranationalist groups are becoming increasingly visible, posing a dilemma for the West. Thousands of far-right activists marched to incumbent President Petro Poroshenkos administration headquarters earlier this month, chanting about alleged corruption and throwing funeral-style bouquets and toy pigs to symbolize the embezzlement of state funds. Ultranationalists have also gone to campaign rallies where they fight with police and heckle Poroshenko, who is running for a second five-year term in the March 31 presidential election. And earlier this month, the ambassadors of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations sent a letter to the Interior Ministry voicing concern about the ultra-rights assertive posturing ahead of Sundays presidential vote. The protests reflect the growing presence of far-right groups in Ukraine and their power in shaping the nations political agenda, leaving the West in a quandary. On the one hand, the ultranationalists have played a key role in fighting Russia-backed separatist rebels in the east and are now challenging government corruption. On the other, they are pushing with increasing boldness for changes that go against traditional democratic ideals. In a series of violent actions that underline their strength, right-wing radicals in recent years have assaulted gatherings by LGBT and womens rights activists, attacked Roma encampments around the country, derailed a lecture on the history of the Holocaust and brawled with pro-Russia veterans. The ultra-right groups also have a strict, military-style structure, and many of their members have battlefield experience from years of fighting in the east. While the far-right groups have so far failed to unite behind a single presidential candidate, they have gained growing clout, with the government reluctant to challenge them. Andriy Biletsky, the leader of the National Corps, one of the most visible ultra-right groups, predicted that the nationalists will become the backbone of civil defence in Ukraine. Andriy Yermolayev, the head of the New Ukraine independent thinktank, said the government in the past had turned a blind eye to the rise of nationalist groups, using them as a scare tactic. He added that now the ultra-right has turned on the authorities. The well-organized and aggressive nationalism in Ukraine is a child of the government, Yermolayev said. The government has lost control over radical nationalists. Poroshenko has lost that game. The government has also been beset by allegations of corruption, after a journalistic investigation linked Poroshenkos top associate and an arms factory he controls to alleged embezzlement in the defence sector. The president denied any wrongdoing and ordered an official probe into the claims. The countrys ultranationalist groups came to the fore in 2014, when they spearheaded massive street protests that led to the ouster of Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych. Russia responded by annexing Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and backing separatists in the east, moves that drew Western sanctions. Thousands of Ukrainian nationalists then headed to the east, forming volunteer battalions that served as a vanguard for the Ukrainian forces in the rebel regions. Since then, the influence of nationalist groups has steadily grown, driven by public dismay over the countrys economic woes and rampant corruption. Mostly teenage members of the ultra-right groups have followed the guidance of war veterans, practicing martial arts and learning how to handle weapons. The number of ultra-nationalists is estimated at about 10,000, and they can quickly take thousands to the streets and resort to violence. They have undergone organizational, military and ideological training, Yermolayev said. They are strongly motivated and active. Torch-bearing ultra-right activists regularly march to the beat of drums across the downtown Ukrainian capital, chanting Death to Traitors of Ukraine! During one scuffle at the memorial to a Red Army general killed in WW II, an elderly woman approached a group of radical nationalists shouting Hang the Russians! and defied them, saying: Im Russian, hang me! One of the right-wingers, Kiryl Nedin, pushed her back and was briefly detained for resisting police. At one demonstration, Yevhen Karas, the leader of C14, a highly visible nationalist group, boasted of the growing power of the ultra-right. Of all the political parties in Ukraine, I think, no one (except us) can gather so many people, who sincerely and regularly will come to protests and actions, he said. International human rights groups have strongly criticized the Ukrainian government for failing to track down and punish those responsible for the acts of violence and intimidation. The government has promised to rein in the ultranationalists, but has taken no action. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the right-wing organizations will be stopped. They all know it very well, he said. And... there will be no amnesty for them. The Ukrainian ultra-right argues that the nationalist ideology will eventually prevail not only in Ukraine but across Europe as well. A growing nationalist wave has taken hold in Europe, with populist governments in countries like Hungary and Poland and an increased presence of the far-right Alternative for Germany party in Germanys politics. Miroslav Mares, an expert on right-wing extremist groups at Brno University, said Ukraines far right has been successful in reaching out to ultranationalist forces in Europe. They have good relations to some neo-Nazi groupings in Central and Eastern Europe, Mares said. He added that early in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, some members of Europes neo-Nazi groups trained and fought with the Azov Battalion, a Ukrainian ultra-right paramilitary group created by Biletsky that advocated white supremacist views. The Ukrainian far right also appears to have ties in other countries. Australian Brenton Tarrant, accused of slaughtering 50 people at two mosques in the city of Christchurch in New Zealand, mentioned a visit to Ukraine in his manifesto, and some reports alleged that he had contacts with the ultra-right. The Soufan Center, a research group specializing on security, has recently alleged possible links between Tarrant and the Azov Battalion. Yermolayev, the political analyst, noted that a violent image projected by Ukrainian nationalists could serve as an argument for those in the European Union who are reluctant about putting Ukraine on a membership track any time soon. How can you integrate a country plagued not only by corruption but also nationalism? he said. JERUSALEMFor decades, international law has held that territory seized in war must be returned. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel asserted Tuesday that this was no longer a given. He made the argument after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, but his remarks, two weeks before a tight Israeli election, were taken to refer to the West Bank as well. There is a very important principle in international life, Netanyahu said late Monday after attending the Golan signing ceremony at the White House. When you start wars of aggression, you lose territory, do not come and claim it afterwards. It belongs to us. And moments before landing at Ben-Gurion Airport on Tuesday, he emphasized the point, telling reporters, Everyone says you cant hold an occupied territory, but this proves you can. If occupied in a defensive war, then its ours. The prime ministers remarks were certain to cheer right-wing voters who believe that international acceptance of Israeli control of the Golan, a strategic plateau captured in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, could pave the way for annexation of at least part of the occupied West Bank. But legal experts and leaders of many foreign countries said that interpretation did not comport with international law, which does not recognize sovereignty over territory taken from another country by force. Read more: Hamas reveals weak spot in Netanyahu re-election campaign Victory lap and accolades: Trump has, perhaps, best day ever U.S. abruptly endorses Israels Golan sovereignty in big shift Still, Netanyahus argument reflected how much the diplomatic context for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shifted. With the Trump administration unilaterally acting in defiance of long-standing international consensus on the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and now the Golan Heights, it has become possible to speak openly of annexing the West Bank in a way that was not considered acceptable a few years ago. A Haaretz poll published Monday found that 42 per cent of Israeli voters support annexation of some portion of the West Bank, including some who favour a two-state solution in which the West Bank and Gaza Strip would become a Palestinian state. But Israeli sovereignty of the Golan remains a minority view. The United Nations secretary-general and many countries in the region, from allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to adversaries, like Iran and Syria, which claims the Golan, have condemned the U.S. move. At the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday, allies and adversaries rebuked Trumps declaration, calling it a violation of international law that would only heighten tensions. The French ambassador, Francois Delattre, called the declaration a breach of international law, in particular the obligation of states to not recognize an illegal situation of occupation. Those sentiments were echoed by Britain, Russia and China. Jonathan Cohen, the U.S. representative, said Trumps decision was of critical strategic and security importance to Israel. To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and the malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the regions, he said. Yet even the Trump administration hastened to portray the Golan proclamation as a one-off that should not be seen as precedent in other territorial disputes. This is an incredible, unique situation, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday morning. Israel was fighting a defensive battle to save its nation, and it cannot be the case that a U.N. resolution is a suicide pact. It simply cant be, and thats the reality that President Trump recognized in his executive order yesterday. Pompeo did not specify which U.N. resolution he considered suicidal, but several Security Council resolutions have identified the Golan Heights as occupied territory. After Israel annexed the territory in 1981, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution declaring the move illegal, based on the principle that the acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible. Ever since Trumps tweeted recognition of the Israeli claim of sovereignty over the Golan, Pompeo has been peppered with questions about how the situation there differs from the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 an act that resulted in U.S.-led international sanctions that remain today. Pompeo has insisted that the situations are different, and his argument that Israel was acting defensively is the first time he has tried to explain a rationale for what distinguishes Netanyahus assertion of sovereignty from Vladimir Putins. Putin has long argued that he, too, was acting in the defence of the Russian-speaking majority in Crimea, which was part of the Soviet Union until it was given to Ukraine in 1954. But Pompeos argument that the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan was just an acknowledgment of facts on the ground may undercut his effort to draw distinctions. It suggests that over time, the United States might acquiesce to Russian sovereignty over Crimea. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump argued that the sanctions imposed on Russia made little sense, and that the U.S. foreign policy establishment was more committed to the outcome in Crimea than most Americans were. Much as proponents of Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory might find Trumps move encouraging, there are important practical and legal distinctions between the West Bank and the Golan Heights. The Golan was part of Syria before 1967. It was largely depopulated, with thousands of Syrians fleeing north after Israel captured it. The small, remaining population of mostly Druze residents was offered citizenship by Israel, though few took it. By contrast, Israel contends that the West Bank was not legally part of any sovereign nation before Israel captured it in 1967, and thus considers it disputed, rather than occupied, territory. Israels failure so far to annex the West Bank has left the door open to a negotiated solution. Analysts cautioned that Netanyahu could to be trying to exaggerate the effect of Trumps move for political reasons. This is him spinning the proclamation into more than it is, said Ofer Zalzberg of International Crisis Group. If Israel annexed Gush Etzion, would Trump let it lie? He could decide that the Golan was desirable, but the West Bank is not. He did not commit to recognizing all Israeli annexation. Trump never said he was going to be consistent. Even legal experts who are sympathetic to Israeli claims in the West Bank and East Jerusalem stressed the differences between those territories and the Golan. It cant serve as a precedent, said Alan Baker, a retired Israeli diplomat and former legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry who lives in a West Bank settlement. Every situation has its own specific aspects. Baker, co-author of a 2012 government report that argued that the West Bank was not occupied and that the Israeli settlements there are legal, said one of the main differences between it and the Golan was that under the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, both the Israelis and Palestinians committed to determining the future status of the West Bank through negotiations. According to international law, he said, you cant acquire territory, annex or take sovereignty as an act of war, only as part of a negotiation and with the agreement of the former sovereign. Thats the normal practice. But he added that if a state is exercising the right of self-defence against an aggressor, then the defending state is permitted to remain as long as the threat exists and as long as the other state presents a danger. Since 1948, Baker said, Syria has threatened Israel. Today it is also unstable, has used chemical warfare against its citizens and its president has been accused of committing war crimes. Syria has consistently refused to recognize Israel, or a common border with Israel. Eugene Kontorovich, director of international law at the conservative Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem, also said that Israel does not need to claim defensive conquest in the West Bank and Jerusalem because they were not legally recognized as Jordanian territory by most countries before 1967. While Israel may consider giving some away for diplomatic reasons, he said, there is no other sovereign claimant. But from a diplomatic rather than a legal perspective, he added, It certainly shows that the earth is moving from under the Palestinians. The American administration will not necessarily sit around holding onto a frozen old status quo forever. If the Palestinians do not accept a peace plan soon, the U.S. is ready to move on. Read more about: DOHA, QATARWhen the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and toppled the Taliban government, even those who surrendered were treated as terrorists: handcuffed, hooded and shipped to the U.S. detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Now, in a stark demonstration of the twists and contradictions of the long American involvement in Afghanistan, five of those men are sitting across a negotiating table from their former captors, part of the Taliban team discussing the terms of a U.S. troop withdrawal. During our time in Guantanamo, the feeling was with us that we had been brought there unjustly and that we would be freed, said one of the former detainees, Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa. But it never occurred to me that one day there would be negotiations with them, and I would be sitting there with them on one side and us on the other. The five senior Taliban officials were held at Guantanamo for 13 years before catching a lucky break in 2014. They were exchanged for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only known U.S. service member to be held by the insurgents as a prisoner of war. In recent months, as the Americans and militants took up intense negotiations to try to end the conflict in Afghanistan, the Taliban leadership made a point of including the former prisoners. Each day during the recent round of talks in Doha, Qatar, the five men sat face to face with American diplomats and generals. During days of slow and at times frustrated discussions at the most recent session, which ended on March 12, it was the Taliban side that was often more emotional. Some gave impassioned speeches about how vital it was that the Americans completely leave Afghanistan in as little as six months. The usual response from the American side, led by the senior envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, was to give detailed technical explanations about why withdrawing was complex and needed to be slower, perhaps over years. But other than Khairkhwa, the former detainees seemed more reluctant to speak, officials involved in the talks said. When they did address the group, they seemed less harsh or strident than some of the other Taliban negotiators, perhaps mellowed by years of hardship or wary that their freedom could be fragile. Over the past few years, they have stayed in Doha and have been reunited with their families, but remain under watch by the Qatari authorities at the request of the United States. The five former Guantanamo detainees had varying roles during the Taliban government. Khairkhwa served as a governor and acting minister of interior. Abdul Haq Wasiq was deputy minister of intelligence. Perhaps the most infamous figure in the group is Mullah Fazel Mazloom, a front-line commander who was also chief of the Taliban army. While accusations of human rights abuses by the others have generally remained vague, there seems to be considerably more evidence against Mazloom, who is accused of mass killings and scorched-earth brutality. During an initial tribunal hearing at Guantanamo the New York Times obtained the transcript via the Freedom of Information Act Mazloom (his last name means meek) showed no remorse. There is a 25-year war between person to person, village by village, city by city, province by province, and tribe against tribe, he told the tribunal. If you think this is a crime, then every person in Afghanistan should be in prison or bring them here. Still, he insisted: I never fought against the new government. I never fought against America. In their introductions around the table as negotiations started last month, the five men held up their detention at Guantanamo as the most important part of their identity. In important moments like this, my own personal troubles dont come to mind, Khairkhwa said in the interview, after the negotiations had ended. I am really not thinking about who is sitting across from me and what they had done to me. What is important is what we are talking about, he said, and what is in it for our interests, for our goal and for our country. The mens Guantanamo files include several notations about unco-operative behaviour and instigations, including throwing milk at guards and tearing up their mattresses in protest. Listed in Khairkhwas record, along with making disruptive noises or refusing to eat or shower at times, is this: trying to kill himself and urging others to kill themselves. But in his tribunal hearing, Khairkhwa denied having done so. There was no spoon in my meal, so I asked the guard for a spoon, Khairkhwa said, according to the transcript. Other detainees also shouted that they did not have spoons, either. The sergeant said he was sorry and from orders of his boss he could not provide me with a spoon. When I asked the reason, Khairkhwa added, he said that I was trying to kill myself and encourage others to do the same. Most of the men were detained and sent to Guantanamo after they had surrendered or even after they had started co-operating with the leadership of the new government the United States had installed in Afghanistan. At the time of his arrest, Khairkhwa had retreated to private life in his familys home village, and had reached out to President Hamid Karzai, who came to power in the wake of the U.S. invasion. Khairkhwa, according to his Guantanamo documents, was accused of narcotics trafficking and of closely associating with Osama bin Ladens men in Al Qaeda. He denied both accusations in his hearings. The former Taliban government deputy intelligence chief, Wasiq, had come to a meeting with CIA operatives to discuss co-operation with American and Afghan officials. But he and some of his associates who had come along were bound and taken away, with at least one of them rolled up in a carpet. Mazloom had surrendered to Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, an Uzbek strongman in northern Afghanistan whose militia allied with U.S. Special Operations forces. Dostum sent thousands of Mazlooms men to an overcrowded prison, and his militia killed hundreds if not thousands of those foot soldiers after an insurrection in the prison. Mazloom and some others were eventually turned over to the Americans. Khairkhwa said that even though the two sides had not been able to reach a final agreement this time, the two sides shared a common interest, at least, in ending the war. Its been a long war, with lots of casualties and destruction and loss, he said. What gives me hope is that both teams are taking the issue seriously. On every issue, the discussions are serious, and it gives me hope that we will find a way out as long as there are not spoilers to ruin it. Read more about: CAIRO - A coalition of opposition parties on Wednesday urged Egyptians to vote against constitutional amendments that would potentially allow President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to remain in power until 2034. Egypts Parliament, which is packed with el-Sissi supporters, overwhelmingly approved a package of constitutional changes last month that would further enshrine the militarys role in politics. The amendments will now face a national referendum, which is expected to be held in the coming weeks. The Civil Democratic Movement, which includes secular and left-leaning political parties, decried the changes, saying the amendments will establish dictatorship and autocracy. The amendments will demolish liberties, democracy and the existence of a civil state, spokesman Magdi Abdel-Hamid said. The movement said it cancelled a planned protest on Thursday in front of Parliament. A court in Cairo refused to give them a required license, saying the protest would pose a threat to security. Many of the parties objecting to the proposals were born out of the 2011 uprising that ended President Hosni Mubaraks three-decade rule and raised hopes for democracy in the most populous Arab country. El-Sissi led the 2013 military overthrow of Mubaraks successor, Mohammed Morsi, an elected but divisive Islamist whose rule inspired mass protests. El-Sissi was elected president in 2014, and was re-elected to another four-year term last year after all potentially serious challengers were arrested or pressured to withdraw from the race. Authorities have waged an unprecedented crackdown on dissent in recent years, arresting thousands of people mostly Islamists but also prominent secular activists and rolling back freedoms won in 2011. Opposition leaders say they have accepted invitations from Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Al to present their arguments on the amendments. But they do not have enough power in the assembly to block them. Abdel-Hamid said the coalition hopes to expose the serious dangers and major threats that are likely to arise due to endorsing the proposed amendments. The amendments would extend the presidents term of office to six years, and include a special article that would only apply to el-Sissi, allowing him to run twice more after his current term expires in 2022. The amendments would also allow the president to appoint top judges and bypass judiciary oversight in vetting draft legislation. The amendments declare the military the guardian and protector of the Egyptian state, democracy and the constitution, while also granting military courts wider jurisdiction in trying civilians. In the last three years, over 15,000 civilians, including children, have been referred to military prosecution in Egypt, according to Human Rights Watch. El-Sissis supporters, who dominate the local media, say the amendments are needed to give him more time to develop the economy and defeat an Islamic State-led insurgency based in the Sinai Peninsula. Parties including Wafd, one of Egypts oldest, voiced their support for the proposals, especially extending the presidents term of office from four to six years. Opposition leader Hamdeen Sabahi, the only candidate who ran against el-Sissi in the 2014 presidential election, said he is concerned about the independence of the judiciary. The amendments give the president absolute control over the judiciary, and blows up the principle of separation of powers, he said. CAIRO - A rights group has urged Tunisia to either bar or arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir if he tries to attend an Arab League summit this weekend. In a report issued Tuesday, New York-based Human Rights Watch described al-Bashir as a fugitive from international justice because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for charges of genocide linked to the Darfur conflict. The State-run SUNA news agency said Wednesday, however, that al-Bashir would not attend the summit, without giving an explanation. SUNA said Defence Minister Gen. Awad Mohammed Ibn Auf, who was named vice-president last month, will lead the Sudanese delegation to the annual gathering in the Tunisian capital on Sunday. Sudanese have been holding protests since December calling on al-Bashir to step down. He has ruled the country since seizing power in a 1989 coup. The Arab League has rejected the arrest warrant, and al-Bashir has visited several Arab countries in the years since it was issued. It is not clear whether he would attend the upcoming summit. BEIRUT - Syria said Wednesday its air defences have responded to an Israeli air aggression targeting positions in the northern Aleppo province. State media quoted a military official who said the late night strikes targeted positions in an industrial area northeast of Aleppo city, causing material damage only. The unnamed military official said Syrian air defences were activated and intercepted a number of the attacking missiles. The war monitoring Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli strikes hit an Iranian weapons depot in the area between the industrial zone and the Aleppo airport. The group, based in Britain, relies on a network of activists on the ground in Syria. Iran is an ally of Damascus and has offered military advisers, sent allied militia and material support to help the Syrian government in the civil war, now in its ninth year. Israel, which considers Iran a national security threat, said it will not tolerate Iranian presence on its borders and expanding influence in Syria. Israel has in recent weeks acknowledged it has been striking Iranian targets in Syria. The last such strikes which Israel announced were in January. There was no immediate Israeli comment. The night strikes come at a time of heightened tension between Israel and Syria, following Mondays decision by the U.S. administration to recognize Israels control over the Golan Heights it occupied from Syria in 1967. The decision sparked worldwide condemnation and protests in Syria. JERUSALEM - The Latest on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (all times local): 8:05 p.m. Palestinian border authorities say Egyptian mediators have arrived in the Gaza Strip for talks with the territorys Hamas rulers. The delegation of Egyptian officials crossed into Gaza on Wednesday, as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to hold after a round of heavy cross-border fighting. Palestinian media reported the mediators planned to offer Hamas economic incentives for the groups commitment to halt its weekly demonstrations along the Gaza-Israeli border. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. Even as mediators arrived, Hamas resumed its regular night-time protests at the security fence. Palestinian protesters detonated loud explosives, burned tires and flashed lasers at Israeli soldiers. Demonstrations are expected along the frontier Saturday to mark the anniversary of the rallies in which nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. ___ 7:35 p.m. The World Health Organization has condemned the killing of a Palestinian medic by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Gerald Rockenschaub, director of WHO for the West Bank and Gaza, said Wednesday that health workers provide critical care and save lives, and their protection must be ensured. He added: Health care is not a target. Sajed Mizher, an 18-year-old emergency medical worker, was shot Wednesday while in uniform, tending to Palestinians wounded during clashes with the Israeli army in Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. Mizher was hit in the abdomen and rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The ministry said Israeli soldiers shot Mizher after stones were thrown at them during an arrest raid. The Israeli army had no immediate comment. ___ 4:25 p.m. Israel says that more than 2,000 violent incidents have emanated from the Gaza Strip since Hamas-orchestrated weekly border demonstrations erupted a year ago. An Israeli statistical review published Wednesday found that Palestinians launched 1,233 rockets from Gaza, hurled 94 explosive devices and 600 Molotov cocktails across the security fence and committed 152 acts of arson against Israeli forces. The report said rocket fire killed one Israeli and injured 126. Palestinian attacks on the security fence killed one Israeli soldier and wounded 16. It said incendiary kites have torched thousands of acres of Israeli farmland, inflicting over $9.5 million in damage. Israel has come under criticism for using disproportionate force against unarmed protesters. Over the past year, nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. ___ 3:30 p.m. Hamas supreme leader has made his first public appearance since a new round of cross-border violence with Israel this week. Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday visited the rubble of his Gaza City office, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike. Haniyeh had been in hiding during the two-day flare-up of violence, which ended with an unofficial Egyptian-brokered cease-fire. The fighting broke out after a rocket fired from Gaza struck a home in central Israel and wounded seven people. Israel responded with dozens of airstrikes in Gaza, while Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel. Haniyeh says: The Israeli occupation got the message. He also urged Gazans to participate in mass protests along the Israel-Gaza frontier on Saturday marking the first anniversary of a movement aimed at ending an Israeli-Egyptian blockade. ___ 11 a.m. The Palestinian Health Ministry says an 18-year-old has been shot dead in West Bank clashes with Israeli troops. The ministry says Israeli soldiers shot Sajed Mizher after stones were thrown at them early Wednesday during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. It says two others were wounded in the clashes, which come amid an uptick in West Bank violence. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. It often carries out pre-dawn arrest raids. 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 says most of the Palestinians killed were attackers, but clashes between protesters and soldiers have also turned deadly. ___ 10 a.m. An unofficial cease-fire appears to be holding between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers despite limited exchanges of fire. Schools reopened in southern Israel on Wednesday after late-night rocket attacks from Gaza set off air-raid sirens, breaking a daylong lull. The Israeli military struck back against additional Hamas targets but there were no reports of casualties on either side. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired early Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Large Gaza protests are expected this weekend, marking the anniversary of weekly rallies in which nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. SAN DIEGO - The Navy is investigating after a Marine from Colorado was found shot to death while on guard duty at Southern Californias Camp Pendleton, according to a report Tuesday. Lance Cpl. Riley Schultz was discovered dead around 4 a.m. March 15 with a gunshot wound to the head, the Orange County Register reported. His mother, Misty Schultz-McCoy, said she begged one of the Marines who broke the news to unofficially tell us what they thought led up to the shooting. She said, they thought it was suicide. The next day they acted differently and said there would be an official memorial because they did not believe he committed suicide, Schultz-McCoy told the newspaper from her home in Longmont, Colorado. Officials from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force would not discuss details of the death or the investigation. The Marine Corps presented Schultz-McCoy with a Gold Star and a citation that said her 19-year-old son died while in the service of his country. Schultz-McCoy said both her sons grandfathers served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and he had wanted to become a Marine since he was a boy. Schultz enlisted after high school and went to boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in the summer of 2017. All he wanted to do was protect people, his mother said. Schultzs body will be flown this week to Colorado for services scheduled for April 6. A memorial service is planned for April 3 at Camp Pendleton. ___ Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com American astronauts will walk on the moon again before the end of 2024 by any means necessary, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence declared Tuesday at a meeting of the National Space Council. It is the stated policy of this administration and the United States of America to return astronauts to the moon within the next five years, Pence said at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. On the stage nearby was a model of an Apollo landing module that first transported American astronauts to the lunar surface 50 years ago. Pence described a need for NASA to adopt greater urgency in returning to the moon. But an accelerated pace has not been evident in the Trump administrations NASA budget requests to Congress, raising many questions about how it will be possible for the agency to accomplish this ambitious goal. The vice presidents remarks called for changes in the agencys approach and culture, reflecting frustration within the administration at repeated delays in the development of NASAs giant rocket, the Space Launch System, and Orion, a capsule for taking astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to the moon and possibly, eventually, to Mars. Two weeks ago, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced at a Senate subcommittee hearing that the timetable for the rocket had slipped again and that it would not be ready in time for the first scheduled test flight, without any astronauts aboard, in June next year. He added that NASA was instead considering using smaller commercial rockets to launch Orion for that test flight. Bridenstine later said that Boeing, the prime contractor for the SLS, was looking to accelerate its work. I am confident we can get to that first launch in 2020 for SLS and actually fly the crew capsule around the moon, Bridenstine said at the space council meeting. NASAs current schedule sets 2023 for the first flight of Orion with astronauts aboard. A moon landing would not occur until 2028, almost a decade from now. At present, the space agency plans to first build a small outpost orbiting the moon, called Gateway. Astronauts would travel between the outpost and the lunar surface. Ladies and gentleman, that is just not good enough, Pence said of the timeline, laid out in budget documents weeks ago. We are better than that. Lockheed Martin, which is building the Orion capsule, said in a statement Tuesday that it could help put astronauts on the moon by 2024 with an incomplete version of Gateway. Pence and other critics point out that only eight years elapsed between U.S. President John F. Kennedys famous announcement in 1961 of a plan to reach the moon and the landing of Apollo 11. Pence raised the spectre of China, which landed this year on the moons far side and is also hoping to land astronauts on the moon in the 2020s. He also fretted over the cost of relying on Russia, which has provided transportation for NASA astronauts to the International Space Station since the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011. Were also racing against our worst enemy, Pence said. Complacency. Pence said Bridenstine had developed a plan to get back to the moon. But how this could be accomplished by the end of 2024 was far from clear. NASA, for instance, has not started work on a lunar lander nor issued any contracts to commercial companies to work on one. Pence said the astronauts would land near the lunar south pole, where water ice exists in eternally shadowed craters, adding to the technical complexity. The 1960s Apollo program was given sizable financial resources to achieve its ambitious goals. The NASA budget this year is $21.5 billion (U.S.), its largest in years. But the Trump administration has proposed trimming that to $21 billion next year and then providing annual 1 per cent increases. Although Pence lauded the work of the Marshall Space Flight Center, which leads NASAs rocket development, he also made clear that the agency should shift to alternatives if those are quicker and cheaper. If a commercial company can deliver a rocket or a lunar lander or any other capability faster at a lower cost to the taxpayer than the status quo, NASA needs to have the authority and the courage to change course quickly and decisively to achieve that goal, Pence said. He said he was challenging everyone in Americas space effort to think bigger, fail smarter and work harder than ever before. While the moon landings of the 1960s and 1970s were successful, NASA has since been criticized for overlooking risks that led to the loss of two space shuttles, Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003. Fourteen astronauts died in those failures. Daniel L. Dumbacher, executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said that NASA has over the years become too cautious. NASA needs to be allowed to fail, he said in an interview. You dont do exploration without failure. Dumbacher, who once served as a top NASA official and helped lead early development of Orion and the Space Launch System, said the agency must be willing to defend its engineers when failures do occur. One of the options under consideration for putting the SLS back on schedule is to skip a series of test firings of the rockets first stage. Dumbacher said he did not have the data to decide when that would be a smart tradeoff to make, but I think its worth taking a good hard look at it. At the same meeting, members of the National Space Council proposed other ideas separate from the discussion about returning to the moon. Kelvin Droegemeier, the science adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, talked of nuclear powered rockets that would more efficiently propel people through the solar system. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced the publication of 580 pages of proposed streamlined regulations for the launching and re-entry of spacecraft, a key concern of rocket companies like SpaceX. WASHINGTONA move by the Trump administration aimed at striking down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) thrust the partisan battle over health care into the middle of the 2020 campaign on Tuesday, handing Democrats a potential political gift on an issue that damaged Republicans in last years midterm elections. In a new court filing, the Justice Department argued that the ACA, also known as Obamacare, should be thrown out in its entirety, including provisions protecting millions of Americans with pre-existing health conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents health care plans. U.S. President Donald Trump praised the move during a lunch with Senate Republicans, and he suggested that the GOP should embrace a new congressional battle over health care policy ahead of the 2020 elections. Let me tell you exactly what my message is: The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care, he told reporters before the lunch. You watch. But neither the White House nor Republicans in Congress have offered a new plan to replace the comprehensive Obama-era law, which was passed nearly a decade ago and has grown in popularity since Trump was elected. Democrats immediately seized on the administrations filing, calling it the latest attempt by Republicans to strip health insurance from Americans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday also unveiled Democratic plans for further bolstering the ACA. Trump and his administration are trying to take health care away from tens of millions of Americans again, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said on Twitter, one of several tweets by presidential candidates criticizing Trump about health care. We must fight back again with everything weve got. And in 2020, we need to elect a president who will make health care a right. As recently as November, after Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in an election dominated by the health care issue, Republican congressional leaders had suggested that they planned to move on from their years-long efforts to repeal Obamacare. But Trump suggested that he wants to revisit the issue, after two unsuccessful 2017 efforts to undo former U.S. President Barack Obamas signature legislative achievement. Trump has long fumed over those failures and, as recently as last week, has attacked the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for his pivotal role in quashing the effort. Trump spent much of his time at the Senate lunch talking about health care, according to several senators present. If theres a message to be learned from 2018 on policy, its health care, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters after the lunch Tuesday. Lets become the party of health care. He thinks that thats the one area where weve fallen short and he wants to see us address it, said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. He made that very clear. But by resurfacing old battles about stripping away popular elements of the current health care system, Trump is likely to embolden and unite Democrats who seek to make health care a top issue in 2020, said Amy Walter, national editor of the Cook Political Report. Democrats who have been divided in recent months over proposed Medicare-for-all legislation can now coalesce around the idea of protecting the ACAs most popular provisions, she said. If youre a Republican thinking about 2020 right now, you want to be on offence on health care, not defence, she said. And the only way to do that is to make the focus on what Democrats want to do on Medicare-for-all rather than making it on what the president and the White House are suggesting. The presidents comments at the Senate lunch came after the Justice Department supported invalidating Obamacare in a legal filing Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, where an appeal is pending in a case challenging the laws constitutionality. A federal judge in Texas ruled in December that the laws individual mandate can no longer be sustained as an exercise of Congresss tax power and further found that the remaining portions of the law are void. He based his judgment on changes to the nations tax laws made by congressional Republicans in 2017. Republican senators offered differing responses to the administrations new court filing, though none offered support for throwing out all of Obamacare without a ready replacement for its most popular elements. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican who has voted against bills dismantling the ACA, said Tuesday that she was very disappointed in the administrations legal position. It is highly unusual for the Department of Justice not to defend duly enacted laws, which the Affordable Care Act certainly was, Collins said. This decision to even go more broadly in failing to defend the law is very disappointing. Some Republican senators downplayed the idea that the 2010 health care law was immediately at risk, and they said they would work to make sure those with pre-existing conditions would be protected no matter what. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who backed previous lawsuits seeking to deem the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, said he still supported eliminating the law. I think Obamacare should be gone, he said. Weve got to cover people with pre-existing conditions apart from Obamacare, which is what I talked about a lot. The fate of Obamacare could once again hinge on the Supreme Court, which has installed two new conservative justices since it voted to uphold the landmark health care law in 2012. If the courts were to overturn the ACA, about 20 million Americans would lose their health coverage, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute. The coverage gains were chiefly through the offer of private, subsidized plans in state-based marketplaces and through the expansion of Medicaid in many states to people earning up to 138 per cent of the federal poverty level. There would be ripple effects throughout the health care industry and insurance landscape. Those with workplace plans could be affected; employers would be allowed to scale back certain medical benefits, and people with pre-existing conditions buying coverage on their own would no longer be guaranteed access to coverage at no extra cost. Democrats were eager to highlight the potential damage from a ruling to strike down Obamacare and to change the subject after a summary of special counsel Robert Muellers findings did not establish that Trumps campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election. Some pointed out that relentless focus on health care helped Democrats win control of the House last year. I just won my Senate race, and I talked about health care a lot, said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. While many Democratic presidential candidates have embraced health care proposals that go beyond the Affordable Care Act to offer universal coverage, defending the law against Republican efforts to dismantle it has been a potent rallying cry and an effective unifying tool. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has frequently emphasized his support for Medicare-for-all in his presidential campaign, but on Tuesday he sought to defend Obamacare from the Trump administration. Our goal is to pass Medicare-for-all and make health care a right, he wrote on Twitter. Today our job is to defend the Affordable Care Act from relentless attacks by the Trump administration. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is frequently asked during town hall meetings about health care, a topic that has come up about a dozen times at events across the country, according to a tally by her presidential campaign. Warren supports Medicare-for-all, and she has spoken in favour of protecting Obamacare. Ill say it for the zillionth time: We will not let the Trump administration rip health care away from millions of Americans, she said Tuesday on Twitter. Not now. Not ever. Read more about: WASILLA, Alaska - A 31-year-old Wasilla man has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after a shooting that left a man dead and a woman wounded. Christopher Lorentsen also faces three counts of felony assault in the shooting Tuesday at a home in a Wasilla subdivision that killed 29-year-old Joshua Kelsey of Wasilla. A woman whose name was not released was shot in the leg. Alaska State Troopers say Lorentsen and Kelsey argued before shots were fired. Troopers just before 5 p.m. Tuesday responded to a report of the shots and found Kelsey dead outside the home. The woman was transported to a hospital. LOS ANGELES - Anti-gang officers and detectives arrested three men and two women suspected of taking part in a brutal carjacking and assault on a pregnant school teacher last week, the Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday. The victim suffered 11 stab wounds, a punctured lung and lost two teeth, but she is recovering and her baby is fine, police said. All five suspects were apprehended within three days through an extensive investigation, witness statements, surveillance video and intelligence gathering, a department statement said. The case was quickly presented to the Los Angeles County district attorneys hardcore gang division. All five were charged Monday with attempted murder, carjacking, robbery and hit-and-run. The filing includes gang enhancements against all defendants and additional aggravated mayhem and great bodily injury enhancements against one suspect. The attack occurred March 20 in the Sunland area of northern Los Angeles. The teacher was parking on a street outside her home when three men surrounded her vehicle and one asked to borrow her cellphone, police said. The victim refused, and one of the suspects punched and stabbed the victim multiple times as she remained seated in the drivers seat of her vehicle, the statement said. The victim was then forcibly dragged out of her vehicle while another suspect removed property from inside the vehicle. One assailant fled in a waiting car while two others stole the teachers car but quickly crashed and then ran off. The victim, first-grade teacher Tanya Nguyen, spoke from bed in an emotional Facebook video last weekend, saying she was overwhelmed by the support she has received. Im going to get through this, I promise, she said. A gofundme account was established to help pay her medical bills. BARRON, Wis. - Notable events in the disappearance and discovery of Jayme Closs, a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl who was held captive in a remote cabin for three months after her parents were killed in the familys home. ___ Oct. 15, 2018 James Closs, 56, and Denise Closs, 46, are found shot to death in their home in Barron, a town in western Wisconsin. Authorities issue an Amber Alert for 13-year-old Jayme Closs, and the search for her begins. Oct. 16, 2018 Investigators say they dont consider Jayme a suspect in her parents deaths. Authorities also dismiss a tip placing Jaymes whereabouts in Miami as not credible, and say they believe the girl is in danger. Oct. 17, 2018 Authorities announce that investigators believe Jayme was in her familys home when her parents were fatally shot. Oct. 18, 2018 About 100 people join a ground search for Jayme after Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald requests the help of volunteers. The search turns up nothing useful. The Wisconsin Department of Justice announces it is sending therapists, comfort dogs and school resource officers to help students at the school Jayme attended. Oct. 23, 2018 About 2,000 volunteers from as far as Minneapolis help with another ground search . Several items are found and taken for assessment. Oct. 24, 2018 The FBI offers a $25,000 reward for information leading to Jaymes location. The amount is later doubled to $50,000 by the Jennie-O Turkey Store, where James and Denise Closs worked. Oct. 27, 2018 Funerals are held for James and Denise Closs in Cameron, a village next to Barron. Oct. 29, 2018 Prosecutors announce they have charged a man with burglarizing the Closs home but say hes not a suspect in the case. Dec. 12, 2018 Hundreds of people attend a tree of hope lighting ceremony in honour of Jayme in Barron. Jan. 10, 2019 Jayme is found alive in Gordon, a town about an hours drive north of Barron. She is skinny, disheveled and wearing shoes too big for her when she approaches a stranger and pleads for help. A man driving around the rural area is soon taken into custody. Jan. 11, 2019 Investigators say the suspect, 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson, is jailed on homicide and kidnapping charges. Jan. 14, 2019 Prosecutors formally charge Patterson with two counts of intentional homicide and one count each of kidnapping and armed burglary. A judge sets bail at $5 million cash. A criminal complaint says Patterson saw Jayme get on a school bus one day, decided he would take her and then kept her trapped in his remote cabin until she escaped. Feb. 6, 2019 A judge orders Patterson to stand trial after Patterson waives his right to a preliminary hearing. March 27, 2019 Patterson pleads guilty to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. Sentencing is set for May 24. ___ Check out APs complete coverage of Jayme Closs abduction and her parents deaths. FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a new instrument for researchers to identify organisms from samples the size of fingernails and where those organisms are from and what they eat. The Alaska Stable Isotope Facility purchased a gas chromatograph isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The instruments give researchers a deeper understanding of organisms, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Tuesday. For example, it can be used with a mammoth fossil to help researchers understand what it ate and where it lived, said Matthew Wooller, director of the facility. The new instrument, whats kind of cool about it, is youll do some chemistry at the front end in the fume hood where you take that piece of fingernail and you break it down into a constituent of amino acids, Wooller said. Researchers then measure isotope composition of individual amino acids, leading them to various bits of information to understand the organism. The instrument was purchased with a $140,400 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and matching funds from the university. It will allow students and faculty to increase the volume of research they are doing in biological, geological and environmental science, which will lead to more discoveries and a better understanding of the world around us, said Moses Lee, senior director for scientific research and enrichment programs for the trust. The instrument wont be used only to research organisms from Alaska, Wooller said. We do analyses, contract analyses, for researchers and student projects from all over the state of Alaska and across the U.S. and even internationally, he said. People send us samples from all over. ___ Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Recreational vehicle parking on all Colorado Springs streets will soon be illegal. The Gazette reports the Colorado Springs City Council voted on Tuesday to pass an ordinance that will bar RVs from parking downtown. The ordinance will automatically take effect in two weeks, but the City County decided violators wont face fines until June 1 to allow a grace period to give remaining RV tenants time to find a place to legally park their motor homes. The ordinance extends citywide a ban that prohibits RVs from parking on residential streets any longer than for the expeditious loading and unloading of passengers or property. Starting June 1, first-time offenders will be fined $25. The second fine will be $100, and the third, $125. Four tickets will draw a court summons. ___ Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com WALTERBORO, S.C. - Investigators are releasing few details about a fifth grader in South Carolina who died Wednesday from injuries she suffered in a fight two days before at her elementary school. School officials who called 911 initially said the girl collapsed Monday and was unconscious but breathing in the nurses office at Forest Hills Elementary School in Walterboro, according to a Colleton County Sheriffs Office incident report. The report and statements from deputies and school officials have not detailed how the girl was injured or what the fight was about. The attack is listed on the report as a simple assault. The student who attacked the girl did not use a weapon and is also in fifth grade, according to the incident report, which blacked out the students age, sex and name. The student was suspended, the Colleton County School District said in a statement. The school district identified the girl as Raniya Wright. She died Wednesday morning at a Charleston hospital, Colleton County deputies said. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. The death is a tremendous loss to the school, which has had grief counsellors on campus since the fight, Colleton County School District spokesman Sean Gruber said in a statement. Raniya was a wonderful student. She loved to write, spend time with her friends, play basketball and loved being a big sister. She was actively involved in her church as a junior usher, Gruber said. School officials say they are co-operating with deputies in a criminal investigation. No charges have been filed. PETAL, Miss. - A former law enforcement officer has been charged with rape in south Mississippi. WDAM-TV reports 47-year-old William Harold Brown was arrested Monday in Petal. A judge Wednesday set Browns bail at $750,000 despite a recommendation from a Petal city prosecutor that bail be denied. Its unclear if Brown has a lawyer. Forrest County sheriffs investigator John Tryner says Brown formerly was a Forrest County sheriffs deputy and Petal police officer. The sheriffs office fired Brown in 2017, saying he sent sexually explicit images to a minor. Purvis police charged Brown with one felony count of computer luring of a person under 18 for sexual purposes in April 2017. District Attorney Hal Kittrell said Tuesday his office didnt find sufficient evidence to send that case to a grand jury. ___ Information from: WDAM-TV, http://www.wdam.com General Secretary of the CPV and President Nguyen Phu Trong and DPK Chairman Lee Hae-chan at their meeting in Hanoi on March 26th (Photo: VNA) The DPK leader made the statement at a meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on March 26th. Lee said he was impressed at Vietnams rapid changes and development. He briefed on the RoKs socio-economic situation as well as the DPKs policy on foreign affairs and national development. For his part, Trong stressed that Lees ongoing visit is an opportunity for leaders of the two parties to meet and enhance mutual understanding and trust. He applauded the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on boosting cooperation between the CPV and the DPK. The leader urged both sides to work closely together to realise the pact, which will contribute to consolidating the bilateral friendship and deepening the Vietnam-RoK strategic partnership. Earlier the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for Lee and his entourage. Phuc said Vietnam-RoK relations are growing comprehensively in multiple fields. The RoK is now the biggest foreign investor, second biggest ODA supplier, and third biggest trade partner of Vietnam, he said, adding that the country also ranks second in terms of foreign tourist arrivals in Vietnam. The government leader asked the RoK side to continue creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese citizens living, working and studying in the RoK. Lee vowed to join efforts made by the two countries and their party leaders in fortifying the bilateral ties. He hoped Vietnam will continue facilitating RoK firms investing in the nation. Both leaders affirmed their determination to push Vietnam-RoK trade to USD100 billion by 2020. Also on March 26th, Politburo member and permanent member of the CPV Central Committees Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong held talks with DPK Chairman Lee Hae-chan. At the talks, the two sides informed each other on the current situation of their respective nations and parties. Vuong and Lee also exchanged their ideas on measures to enhance ties between the CPV and the DPK in the time ahead, as well as sharing information and their views on international and regional issues of common concern. Following the talks, head of the CPV Central Committees Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan and Deputy General Secretary of the DPK Kim Kyung-hyup signed the MoU on boosting cooperation between the two Parties./. VICKSBURG, Miss. - A Georgia man was shot Sunday by a man and woman who went on to rob fast-food restaurants, take two hostages during a carjacking and fire at deputies during a high-speed chase prior to their capture Monday, authorities said. The string of crimes stretched across three states, beginning in Columbus, Georgia early Sunday and ending in Vicksburg, Mississippi, late Monday, Warren County, Mississippi, Sheriff Martin Pace told reporters Tuesday. Sharae Dominique Threadgill, 21, of Ellerslie, Georgia, and Jalen Benton, 18, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, were captured after carjacking a mother and daughter and shooting at deputies chasing the carjacked SUV, officials said. Pace said that one of the two hostages, forced to drive, slammed on the brakes, with both hostages jumping out. Pace said Threadgill then took over the wheel, with Benton firing more shots. Pace said deputies shot out one of the SUVs tires and the vehicle ran out of gas, finally ending the chase. These are some dangerous people, Pace said. I firmly believe the hostage driver made a lifesaving/life preserving decision when she choose to end the period where she was driving, A judge on Tuesday denied bail to the pair, who are jailed in Vicksburg. Its unclear if either has a lawyer. Warren County charged Benton with two counts of simple assault on a police officer, armed carjacking, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. Threadgill is charged with armed carjacking, two counts of kidnapping, felony fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. The two are likely to face numerous charges elsewhere. Officials in Columbus, Georgia, say they believe Threadgill and Benton tried to rob 30-year-old Phillip Whitaker, who was found dead in a truck at an apartment around 2 a.m. Sunday. Columbus police believe he was shot in a failed armed robbery attempt at a separate apartment complex. Police in Demopolis, Alabama, said Benton jumped through a drive-thru window at a Burger King with a pistol in each hand and stole two cash register drawers, with Threadgill acting as a getaway driver Monday evening. Less than an hour later, the two tried to rob a Jimmy Johns sandwich shop in Meridian, more than 50 miles (80 kilometres) away, officials said. There, they again entered through the drive-thru window, but Meridian police said the suspects were foiled when a delivery driver arrived. The two repeated the drive-thru window robbery plan at a McDonalds in Brandon, just east of Jackson, authorities said. By then, Mississippi officials were watching for the couple, and a Warren County sheriffs deputy was waiting as they travelled west on Interstate 20 toward Louisiana. The pair veered off the highway in Vicksburg, abandoning their car at a gas station as they fired at officers, officials said. They carjacked the SUV at a Sonic restaurant and sped through the narrow streets of downtown Vicksburg, police said. A special visitor showed up several days ago at 930 E. 50th St., a former synagogue now known in Chicago and beyond as the headquarters of Rainbow/Push, Rev. Jesse Jacksons civil rights organization. Over two days, Saturday and Monday, the visitor, Empire actor Jussie Smollett, spoke with high school students who were thinking about college. He hawked civil rights gear at the upstairs bookstore. For Smollett, the visit may have been an opportunity as well. In explaining its decision to drop all charges Tuesday against Smollett, who had been accused of faking a hate crime attack, the Cook County states attorneys office noted Smolletts lack of previous criminal history, his agreement to forfeit his $10,000 (U.S.) bond payment and his volunteer service in the community. The statement raised several questions, including whether the community service was part of a deal to end the case. It also left many wondering: Just what service had Smollett done? A batch of letters and memos from various organizations, released by the states attorneys office, provided some answers. Read more: Opinion | Vinay Menon: Why dropping the charges sentenced Jussie Smollett to a lifetime of doubt Backlash, questions follow dismissal of Jussie Smollett case Empire actor Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty They mentioned performances that Smollett, who is also a singer, had done at the national conference of the Kennedy Forum, an organization run by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy that focuses on mental health; appearances at the Catalyst Circle Rock School, a predominantly black charter school in Chicago; and work with the City Lights Orchestra, the Boys & Girls Club and the Black AIDS Institute. And Saturday, as his legal team was finalizing talks with prosecutors about dropping the case, Smollett turned up at Rainbow/Push. Smollett, who is black and gay, had been accused of falsifying a hate crime to get attention in a bid for a higher salary from Empire. Smollett maintains his innocence, saying he had not planned the attack he reported to police Jan. 29. Prosecutors said their decision did not exonerate him, but the circumstances of the case, as well as the $10,000 payment and the community service, justified the dropping of the charges. In an interview Wednesday, Jackson said Smollett had volunteered with Rainbow/Push in the past. Tina Glandian, one of Smolletts lawyers, disputed the notions he had escaped prosecution by helping out with Jacksons group. It was not compulsory whatsoever, Glandian said. Him volunteering for the Push Coalition is completely in line with his years of service. ROCKFORD, Ill. - An Illinois man facing federal murder charges in the killing a sheriffs deputy now faces state charges, as well. Winnebago County States Attorney Marilyn Hite Ross said Wednesday that a grand jury indicted 39-year-old Floyd E. Brown, of Springfield, on 75 counts, including 60 counts of first-degree murder. Brown has already pleaded not guilty to the federal first-degree murder and weapons charges in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old McHenry County Sheriffs Deputy Jacob Keltner on March 7. Keltner was a member of a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force trying to serve Brown an arrest warrant at a Rockford hotel when authorities say Brown shot and killed him. DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - A jury outside Philadelphia has gone a second day without deciding whether to sentence a man to death for raping, strangling and dismembering his girlfriends 14-year-old daughter. Jacob Sullivan pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and related charges in the 2016 slaying of Grace Packer. Jurors spent hours in the deliberating room before telling a judge on Wednesday they are deadlocked on the sentence. They were ordered to keep at it. Talks will resume Thursday. If the jury cant come to a unanimous decision, Sullivan will automatically get life without parole. Graces mother, Sara Packer, is due to plead guilty for her role in the gruesome plot. In a plea deal with prosecutors, shell be sentenced to life without parole. Prosecutors say Sullivan acted out a rape-murder fantasy he shared with Sara Packer. KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A man involved in an autopsy of Michael Brown after the black teenager was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, has been temporarily banned from conducting autopsies in Kansas. A judge ruled Monday that Shawn Parcells, of Leawood, Kansas, cant resume his work until a lawsuit filed last week by the Kansas attorney general is resolved. The lawsuit alleges Parcells is a self-taught pathology assistant who conducted coroner-ordered autopsies for Wabaunsee County without a qualified pathologist, as required by state law, the Kansas City Star reported. The suit also alleges Parcells billed the county for 14 autopsies that werent performed and collected payments for private autopsies that he also failed to conduct. The lawsuit noted that some families who sought Parcells services believed he had medical qualifications and was licensed to perform the exams. Parcells, 37, also faces criminal charges filed last week by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidts office. Parcells is charged with theft and criminal desecration in regard to the autopsies. His attorney, Eric Kjorlie, said theyre considering their next steps. Parcells assisted a privately hired pathologist in a second autopsy of Brown in 2014, after St. Louis County performed an initial examination but Browns family and attorneys wanted an independent review. Brown was 18 and unarmed when he was fatally shot by Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014. Wilson resigned from the police force that November, and he was later cleared of wrongdoing by a St. Louis County grand jury and the U.S. Justice Department. The shooting and lack of charges against Wilson sparked nationwide protests and helped fuel the Black Lives Matter movement. ___ Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has nominated a Marine officer with extensive combat and command experience in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Pacific to head the U.S. Marine Corps. If confirmed by the Senate, Lt. Gen. David Berger would take over later this year when the current commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, retires after 44 years of service. Berger is the commander of Marine Corps Combat Development Command and deputy commander for combat development and integration. Hes a career infantry officer and was commissioned in 1981 after graduating from Tulane University. He served as company commander in the first Gulf War, and later commanded Marines in Fallujah, Iraq. He then led the 1st Marine Division in Afghanistan in 2012. He headed Marine Corps Forces in the Pacific after his promotion to three-star in 2014. JUNEAU, Alaska - Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer was among the participants at a White House-hosted discussion on trade, the economy and workforce issues. The White House says it hosted 30 lieutenant governors or secretaries of state from around the country on Wednesday, including Meyer. The White House says the participants met with acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; economic adviser Larry Kudlow; head of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon; and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney. Meyer chief of staff Josh Applebee confirmed Meyers attendance but did not have additional details on the event. ANN ARBOR, Mich. - A University of Michigan violin professor whom students accused of sexual misconduct going back years has retired. The Ann Arbor school told The Detroit News that Stephen Shipps retired on Feb. 28. The school hired Shipps in 1989. He took a leave of absence on Dec. 7, three days before the Michigan Daily published a story in which students accused him of engaging in sexual relationships with teenage students, unwanted touching and making inappropriate statements. Neither Shipps attorney, David Nacht, nor a school spokeswoman replied to messages seeking comment left by The Associated Press. One of Shipps accusers told The Detroit News that she lost her virginity to Shipps when she was a 17-year-old high school student in the late 1970s, when Shipps was concertmaster of the Omaha Symphony in Nebraska. MARIETTA, Ga. - A police detective says a Georgia homeowner blamed an electrician for the death of his pets before shooting him. News outlets report Cobb County police Detective Phil Stoddard testified in court Tuesday that a doorbell camera recorded the shooting by 68-year-old Larry Epstein. Stoddard says video shows Epstein approaching 37-year-old electrician Gordon Montcalm as Montcalm and another electrician prepared to leave the home this month. He says Epstein can be heard saying You killed my pets before shooting Montcalm several times. Montcalm escaped to a nearby home and survived. The other electrician, 21-year-old Jake Horne, was later found with a gunshot wound to his head. He was taken to a hospital and died. Stoddard says theres no evidence of pets being killed. Epsteins defence has requested a mental evaluation. BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. - A West Virginia motorist going nearly twice the speed limit was detained Wednesday after he threatened to kill President Donald Trump and blow up the Pentagon, state police said. The man was taken into custody following a traffic stop along Interstate 68 in northern West Virginia, state police said in a news release. The statement said a trooper saw a vehicle registered from Missouri clocked at 130 mph (209 kph). The trooper stopped the vehicle near Bruceton Mills and indicated the driver appeared to be confused and distressed and made concerning comments. Police dogs indicated the presence of explosive materials inside the vehicle, but the statement said a search turned up no such devices and the incident remains under investigation. The interstate was reopened after nearly four hours. The 42-year-old suspects name wasnt immediately released. The Secret Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and Maryland state police assisted. ___ This story has been corrected to show that no explosive devices were found. MIAMI - A Florida police officer accused of shooting and wounding a severely autistic mans caretaker is facing another trial. Prosecutors in South Florida said Wednesday that theyll retry Jonathan Aledda. Earlier this month, the North Miami police officer was acquitted on a misdemeanour negligence count. A second negligence charge and two counts of attempted manslaughter resulted in a hung jury. A mistrial was declared on those three charges. Aledda testified at trial that he thought Arnaldo Rios Soto had a gun and was holding his caretaker, Charles Kinsey, hostage. It turned out Rios was holding a toy truck. Authorities said Kinsey was lying in the street with his arms upraised, begging police not to shoot. The incident gained national attention after it was partially captured on a bystanders video. ___ Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com JACKSON, WYO.Its a small speck of brown moving across a seemingly endless valley of snow. The valley is so silent and so frigid, it feels as if the slightest sound could crack the sky. Franz Camenzind is unbothered by the cold. He lines up his spotting scope atop a tripod and moves it slowly, left to right. He stops, focuses. A smile creeps beneath his beard. A trio of coyotes is trotting around the carcass of a dead elk. Ravens flit around, taking nibbles. One coyote dives in and pulls at the meat. The elk around them barely even glance over. Coyotes are incredible, the biologist says. Theyre smart, cunning and incredibly adaptive. I admire them. That has scarcely been the main sentiment aimed at coyotes, seen as villains in popular culture and vermin by cattle ranchers and killed in myriad ways. But things finally may be looking up for the coyote. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is awaiting the arrival of a bill that passed both legislative chambers this month that would eliminate coyote hunting contests making it the third state after California and Vermont to initiate such a ban. Grisham, a Democrat who took over from Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, has until April 5 to sign it. This year, bills to ban coyote whacking killing the animals by running over them with snowmobiles were introduced for the first time in the legislatures of Wyoming and Montana, hardly coyote-friendly refuges. However, neither bill got to a vote in the legislatures. And national nonprofit groups mostly focused on wolf repopulation have increasingly been adding coyotes in their call to action releases. Camilla Fox began the California-based nonprofit Project Coyote a decade ago as a way to stop killing contests and tournaments aimed at a variety of predators, including bobcats, foxes, wolves and the coyote. Camenzind, who has studied coyotes extensively, is on the groups science advisory board. Fox said the group has only recently begun seeing small gains for the animals protection as images of coyote hunts and kills are spread on social media platforms. Its been a slow slog to rehabilitate the coyotes image, she admits. When we first started, we were viewed as fringe and people were asking Why in the heck did you choose the coyote? Fox said. We dont have to justify that anymore. Theyre so persecuted and maligned, more people are becoming aware of how badly theyre being treated. Mark Twain may have set the coyotes image in stone 147 years ago when he wrote his travelogue Roughing It. He has a general slinking expression all over, he wrote. The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck, and friendless. The meanest creatures despise him, and even the fleas would desert him for a velocipede. How do coyotes thrive in urban Southern California? The answer is not for the weak-stomached. There arent solid estimates on overall coyote populations in the United States, but the species has managed to thrive despite years of bounties put on their heads by the government, contests rewarding high-volume kills and human populations that have bled into wild and rural areas of America. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 68,913 coyotes were killed in 2017 down from 76,868 in 2016. From 2010 to 2017, the USDA alone killed 592,328 coyotes. States are also willing participants in the killing of coyotes. Utah still offers a $50 bounty for a pelt. Most states have no bag limits on the number of coyotes that can be killed. Furs can be sold for as much as $125 apiece. And coyote-killing contests are still plentiful throughout the country. In one contest, held in southeastern Montana in January, 46 hunting teams killed 48 coyotes the largest weighing in at 33 pounds, according to the Fallon County Times. Prizes for the contests vary, with some offering as much as $1,000 for a first-place finisher who kills the most during a hunt, which typically go for 24 hours. It is legal to kill coyotes, with few exceptions, in virtually any way imaginable: They can be gassed, trapped, shot, burned, run over and beaten, provided they arent on private land, on a limited number of preserves or in national parks. Once mostly found in Western states, coyotes now live and thrive in every state but Hawaii. They also have spread widely into Mexico and Canada. Their stubborn persistence has annoyed ranchers for decades, seeing them as a threat to their livelihood. Mike Carrico, who runs a cattle ranch near Rawlins in southern Wyoming, takes people on coyote hunts usually in the spring when newborn calves are at their most vulnerable. He said a coyotes killing of a single calf can be costly, with the value of that livestock ranging from about $800 to nearly $50,000 if it produces calves for a decade. That loss will make a rancher sore, he said. But he said he also believes in the ethical hunting of coyotes, though he conceded that definition may vary from hunter to hunter. He said for about $750, he will take hunters out on about 250 square miles of land, set up stands where hunters will wait and then call coyotes with sounds that bring them close before being shot. This year, he said, coyotes havent been plentiful but can still be found on every square mile of the land. He said he has respect for the coyote who, unlike the wolf, managed to adapt and survive without help from the Endangered Species Act. Camenzind said coyotes should engender respect as a truly native species to America. Weighing in at 35 to 40 pounds, they are smaller than wolves and can work in a pack or alone. They are resourceful and hardy. They tend to have an alpha male in a group, and he tends to breed with a single female who will usually deliver a few pups; the other members of the group wont breed. The biologist said the problem with unlimited hunting of coyotes is alpha males can be killed, leading to other males in a pack who wouldnt have otherwise bred beginning to produce litters. He said the hunting has the opposite effect of population control and that it instead leads to larger numbers of coyotes sometimes with females breeding eight to 10 pups per litter. Nature, he said, has its own built-in survival instinct that has helped buoy the coyotes through what predator advocacy groups believe has been a relentless killing of the animals. Near Pinedale about 90 minutes from Jackson rancher John Fandek figures hes killed hundreds of coyotes in his lifetime. He grew up in Wyoming, starting as a ranch hand and settling to run his own cattle ranch more than five decades ago. Hes 76 and semiretired now, and he stopped hunting the canids several years ago, deciding instead the land was better served by allowing the coyote to do what its always done: keep rabbit and ground squirrel populations in check while cleaning up the mess of dead elk and deer. He sees a spot for the coyote in the ecosystem and wants to help them out. Inside his house with the heads of several bucks mounted on the wall he speaks plainly about ethical hunting. He hunts only for meat and believes animals deserve dignity and a chance to avoid the crosshairs. Using snowmobiles to chase them to exhaustion and then running them down is barbaric, he said. He walks out onto his balcony and looks over his property on the edge of U.S. Forest Service land. He spots tracks in the snow that cross his property and lead into the trees. Its not uncommon to see the animals cross his yard, he said. His dog, Molly, doesnt like them, but he said theyve never bothered her, either. He mentions the practice shown recently in videos of people running over coyotes, something hes seen happen over several decades. Using snowmobiles to chase them to exhaustion and then running them down, he says, is barbaric. Thats not hunting, he said. Theyre not working for it. When I see that, it bothers me a lot. Its reprehensible. The videos have been condemned by a wide swath of people, including Safari Club International, an advocacy group that is generally opposed to restrictive hunting measures. Its president, Paul Babaz, condemned coyote whacking in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Ethical hunters respect wildlife and are commonly the most ardent conservationists. This respect is codified into legal practices and a deeply held ethical code that coyote whacking directly violates, the statement read. It added that coyote management is necessary, but under ethical guidelines. Those who refuse to follow such guidelines and resort to abusive and cruel practices such as coyote whacking have no place in the hunting community. Camenzind knows these are small, incremental steps toward helping the coyote move to at least a thin veneer of protection. Nowhere to go but up when youre at the bottom. He doesnt understand the vitriol for the coyote, arguing its a uniquely American animal that has many of the traits that are admired around the country. Weather and disease are bigger threats to livestock than coyotes, he said, but you cant shoot the weather. Camenzind looks through the spotting scope again. The coyotes are still near the carcass with the ravens. Two of them have moved on and the third is taking a few more scraps. The carcass will be bones by morning. The elk have started to migrate en masse through the snow. It is still quiet as Camenzind packs up the tripod. Hell be out again to see them, taking pictures and admiring the hardy species from afar and looking out for them one more ally for Twains friendless creature. Biology isnt hard, he said. Its the managing of the people thats difficult. WASHINGTON - Since the Justice Department announced that Robert Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, President Donald Trump has urged Americans to toss the whole Russia investigation aside as a waste of time. Its true the special counsel didnt find an agreement between Trumps campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 election, and he decided not to make a call on whether the president obstructed justice. But Mueller did find other crimes including some committed by people close to the president and he exposed a co-ordinated assault on American democracy aimed at helping Trump win. Over a 22-month investigation, the special counsels team put together perhaps the most definitive story of the Trump campaign and Russia. As Attorney General William Barr decides how much the public will get to see of Muellers confidential report, heres a guide to what the special counsel has revealed so far. ___ RUSSIA TRIED TO HELP TRUMP The Kremlin directed a large-scale effort to help Trump during the 2016 election. According to U.S. intelligence agencies and lengthy indictments brought by Muellers team, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a multipart influence campaign aimed at hurting Democrat Hillary Clintons candidacy, undermining American democracy and helping Trump get elected. That effort included the hacking of the Democratic National Committee, Clintons campaign and other Democratic groups. Russian intelligence officers then co-ordinated the release of stolen emails and internal documents using the false online personas Guccifer 2.0 and DCLeaks, and later the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. While the hacking was being carried out, Mueller has also accused a Russian troll farm, known as the Internet Research Agency, of using fake social media accounts to flood the American public with disinformation. That social media effort began in 2014 with a goal of sowing discord by trumpeting extreme positions on divisive political issues. But as the presidential campaign progressed, the Mueller team says the effort began supporting Trump and disparaging Clinton. WikiLeaks has denied that Russia was the direct source of the material it released. One defendant in the troll farm case has denied the allegations. ___ PEOPLE AROUND TRUMP WERE RECEPTIVE TO THE HELP Donald Trump Jr., Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone and Trump himself all sought to benefit politically from Russias efforts. In the middle of the campaign, Trump Jr. took a meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer thinking he would be getting dirt on Clinton. Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting, which included Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, despite it being described to him as part of a Russian government effort to help his father. Stone sought to help the Trump campaign benefit from damaging material released by WikiLeaks. After the DNC pointed the finger at Russia in its hacking, Stone pitched himself as a WikiLeaks insider in discussions with the Trump campaign. According to Mueller, Trumps campaign kept in contact with Stone about the timing and content of any releases of Clinton documents that could be damaging to her campaign. Trump himself also publicly welcomed Russias help. During a political rally, Trump called on Russias hackers to help find emails scrubbed from Clintons private server, saying: Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. Court documents show that on that same day, Russian intelligence officers tried to hack into email accounts hosted at a domain used by Clintons personal office, as well as email addresses used by her campaign. ___ TRUMP WAS TRYING TO DO BUSINESS IN RUSSIA DURING THE CAMPAIGN In fact, he wanted to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Court documents in the case of Trumps longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, show the Trump Organization pursued the project even after Trump had secured the Republican presidential nomination. As part of that effort, Cohen spoke with an assistant to the Kremlins spokesman about finding the land and financing for the buildings construction. He also pitched Trump on visiting Russia during the campaign as part of the business proposal. The potential deal ultimately fell through, but Cohen discussed the project with Trump and his family even as the GOP candidate was publicly claiming that he had nothing to do with Russia. ___ HIS CLOSE ADVISERS SOUGHT RUSSIAN BACK CHANNELS DURING THE TRANSITION Former national security adviser Michael Flynn , in particular, was a conduit, according to court documents . In the waning weeks of the Obama administration, Flynn had several conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S., involving two issues important to Mueller. On Dec. 22, 2016, at Kushners direction, Flynn asked Kislyak to delay or vote against a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, a request Russia rebuffed. A couple days later, President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its election interference efforts. But in discussions with Kislyak, Flynn asked that Russia not escalate the situation and only respond in a reciprocal manner. Putin ultimately decided not to respond in kind, which Kislyak said was the result of Flynns request. ___ LOTS OF PEOPLE AROUND TRUMP LIED TO INVESTIGATORS His national security adviser, campaign chairman, personal lawyer and three other aides or advisers: All of them have been accused of lying to federal agents or Congress. Flynn lied about his contacts with Kislyak. Cohen lied about the Trump Tower Moscow deal. Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos lied about his contacts with a Maltese professor who told him the Russians had dirt on Clinton in the former of thousands of emails. Mueller also accused Stone of lying to Congress about his discussions regarding WikiLeaks, though Stone denies any wrongdoing. ___ BUT MUELLER DIDNT FIND A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY WITH RUSSIA There were Russia contacts but they werent a crime. In his letter , Barr says Mueller uncovered multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. But the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. To make that determination, Muellers investigation used a specific definition for co-ordination. According to Barrs letter, the special counsel looked for evidence of any agreement tacit or express between the Trump campaign and the Russian government regarding election interference. They found none. ___ EVIDENCE ON BOTH SIDES ON OBSTRUCTION On obstruction, Mueller decided not to decide. While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mueller wrote in his report according to Barr. Instead, the special counsel laid out the evidence on both sides of the question. According to Barr, Mueller left unresolved difficult issues of law and fact regarding whether Trumps actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. Without a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in. Barr, who was appointed by Trump, says he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there wasnt sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. He stressed that the decision was based on the facts related by Mueller and not a reflection of the Justice Departments view that a sitting president cant be indicted. ___ UNANSWERED QUESTIONS Theres still a lot unknown about Muellers report. Barr laid out the main findings and revealed the reports title Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. He said it is made up of two main parts, one on Russia election interference and one on obstruction of justice. But he didnt say what episodes the special counsel specifically evaluated or why Mueller chose not to take a position on the question of obstruction. He didnt even say how long it is, and the Justice Department still wont. Barr has said hes still reviewing what can be released to Congress. And for now, Americans will just have to wait. ___ Follow all of APs Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A Corpus Christi police officer investigating two robberies at a convenience store shot a man who resembled a suspect after mistaking a lighter in his hand for a weapon, the citys police chief said. Police Chief Mike Markle announced Tuesday that the man shot by an officer was determined not to be a suspect in either of the Hi-Ho convenience store robberies, the Corpus Christi Caller Times reported. Police approached the man at his home on Tuesday because he matched the description of a suspect in the robberies earlier that day, Markle said. Police said the man was hiding his hands from officers and wasnt complying with their requests. When the man eventually revealed his hands to police, an officer mistook an object he was holding for a weapon and shot at him, Markle said. Police later discovered the object was a large lighter, Markle said. The man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to the police chief. He didnt explain what kind of weapon the officer believed the man was holding. The officers were searching a neighbourhood for armed suspects. Theyre at a heightened state of awareness, a heightened state of alert, Markle said. They found somebody that matched the description and for whatever reason ... the individual was non-compliant, which resulted in shots fired. The officer involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave, per department policy, he said. Markle said two other men suspected in the robberies were taken into custody. Investigations into the robberies are ongoing, he said. ___ Information from: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, http://www.caller.com WASHINGTON - The Latest on Congress and the special counsels Russia investigation (all times local): 8:05 p.m. The battle over releasing the special counsels report is intensifying as Democrats in Congress insist Attorney General William Barr must quickly release its full findings. Barr says hell release at least a partial version in April. Skepticism has mounted over the four-page synopsis Barr released on Sunday. It said special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. The longer it takes to release the full findings from Mueller, the more Democrats, in particular, warn they will question the legitimacy of Barrs actions. The push comes as the House moves ahead with its own oversight of the Trump administration, including an Intelligence Committee hearing scheduled for Thursday on Russias role in the 2016 election. ___ 6:25 p.m. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says special counsel Robert Muellers Russia report is very substantial in length and breadth. New York congressman Jerrold Nadler says he spoke with Attorney General William Barr for about 10 minutes on Wednesday and Barr described the report to him. Nadler says he isnt authorized to say how long the report is, but that its long enough that Barrs four-page summary cant do it justice. Nadler says hes very concerned that the Justice Department will not meet a Tuesday deadline that House Democrats set for the release of the report. He suggests lawmakers will consider a subpoena if that deadline isnt met. He says Barr wouldnt commit to releasing Muellers full, unredacted report and supporting evidence. ___ 4:20 p.m. Attorney General William Barr says he hopes to release special counsel Robert Muellers report to Congress in April. Thats according to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had dinner the previous evening with Barr. Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says Barr is combing through Muellers report, removing classified and other information. Barr said he is willing to testify before Grahams committee after he sends the report to Congress. Barr on Sunday released a summary of Muellers report, saying it found no evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 elections. By Barrs account, Mueller made no finding on whether the president obstructed justice, a question now in Congress hands. __ 11:55 a.m. Attorney General William Barr is combing through the special counsels report on the Russia probe, removing grand jury and classified information in hopes of releasing it in April and testifying to Congress. Thats according to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who had dinner with Barr on Tuesday. Graham tells The Associated Press the attorney general is going through the report now to make sure theres nothing that could compromise national security or intelligence sources and methods. Graham said Barr also wants to check with prosecutors who have cases stemming from the Russia probe so any release wont undercut their ongoing investigations. Special counsel Robert Mueller gave his report to the Justice Department last week. ___ 12:20 a.m. President Donald Trump says the summary of the special counsels report could not have been better, but congressional Democrats are insisting that more information needs to be released from the two-year investigation into Russias election interference. Trump took a victory lap of sorts Tuesday when he visited Capitol Hill for a gathering of Senate Republicans. Those attending a luncheon say the president was in a lively mood over the reports favourable findings yet also wanted to move on to other issues. House Democrats had their own get-together, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging calm and a renewed focus on policy matters such as health care, jobs and oversight of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Justice Department officials say more from the special counsels report could be released in a few weeks. CAMDEN, Ark. - The Latest on the explosion of a truck in southern Arkansas (all times local): 12:45 p.m. Authorities say a truck driver hauling ammonium nitrate was killed when his vehicle exploded on a south Arkansas highway. Arkansas State Police say authorities have recovered the remains of 63-year-old Randall McDougal of El Dorado following the Wednesday morning blast west of Camden, about 100 miles (160 kilometres) south of Little Rock. State police say the driver was employed by Blann Trucking Co. of Hampton and that the vehicle was carrying ammonium nitrate. State police say the trucks brakes caught fire early Wednesday, and witnesses said McDougal left the vehicle to try to extinguish the blaze. Witnesses told police that the driver had returned to the truck when it exploded. The blast left a large hole that stretches across the highway. ___ 6:30 a.m. Authorities say a commercial truck carrying an unknown chemical has exploded on a highway in south Arkansas, killing one person and creating a massive crater in the road. The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management says one person was killed in the explosion Wednesday morning west of Camden, or about 100 miles (160 kilometres) south of Little Rock. Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler says no other vehicles are believed to be involved other than the truck. He says some residents reported that their windows were blown out by the blast. Sadler says authorities are looking for documentation in the vehicle to determine what kind of chemical was on board. The Arkansas Department of Transportation says the blast created a 15-foot (4.5 metre) crater in the road. CAMDEN, Ark. - A commercial truck hauling a chemical commonly used as fertilizer exploded Wednesday on a highway in Arkansas, killing the driver and creating a massive crater in the road, authorities said. The explosion happened west of the city of Camden, or about 100 miles (160 kilometres) south of Little Rock. According to Arkansas State Police, the driver had called 911 early Wednesday to report that his brakes had caught fire. The driver, 63-year-old Randall McDougal, attempted to extinguish the blaze but was killed when the truck exploded, authorities said. It looks like a bomb went off, Camden Fire Chief Robert Medford told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Theres a big hole in the ground on where the truck was at. State police said that McDougal was employed by Blann Trucking Co. and was hauling ammonium nitrate from El Dorado to Texarkana in south Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Transportation said crews would begin repairing the 15-foot (4.5-meter) crater once the wreckage from the accident was cleared. The affected road is a low-volume road that carries about 1,300 vehicles per day, department spokesman Danny Straessle said. WASHINGTON - The battle over releasing the special counsels report intensified Wednesday as Democrats in Congress insisted Attorney General William Barr must quickly release its full findings. Barr said hell release at least a partial version in April. Skepticism mounted over Barrs four-page synopsis, which was released Sunday and found no evidence President Donald Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. The longer it takes to release the full findings from special counsel Robert Mueller, the more Democrats, in particular, warn they will question the legitimacy of Barrs actions. The push came as the House moved ahead with its own oversight of the Trump administration, including an Intelligence Committee hearing scheduled Thursday on Russias role in the 2016 election. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said he was disappointed Barr would take weeks, not days, to release the report. The president has now an opportunity for weeks, it sounds like, to do these victory laps, said Cummings, noting that Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen, is among those headed to jail as a result of the probe. Cohen goes to jail, the president runs a victory lap. The attorney general told the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., that hes combing through Muellers report and removing classified, grand jury and other information in hopes of releasing it to Congress. President Donald Trump accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, arrives for a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Graham told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had dinner the previous evening with Barr, who said he is willing to testify before the committee after he sends Congress the report. Trump also has said hes fine with releasing the findings. The president said, Just let it go, and thats whats going to happen, Graham said. Whats clear, though, is that Barr will miss the Tuesday deadline set by six House committee chairmen to see the full confidential report and its underlying documents. They have suggested they may eventually need to subpoena it. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said he was very concerned Barr would not provide the material by the time set. Nadler upped the oversight Wednesday by placing a call to Bar. Over 10 minutes, the chairman asked whether Barr would accede to Congress demand for the full report by April 2. Barr said no, according to Nadler. Nadler asked if Barr would release a report to Congress without redactions. He wouldnt commit to that, the congressman said. He also told reporters that Muellers report was very substantial and fewer than 1,000 pages. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has urged caution so as not to throw innocent people whove not been charged under the bus, is blocking legislation to force the disclosure of the Mueller report. Other Republicans, however, insisted on Congress being able to review it. I want to see it all, said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. I think we should see the entire report. The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, was confident a full picture of Muellers report would emerge. People are going to be very surprised, Collins said. Barr is going to put out a lot of stuff. Beyond Muellers findings, House Democrats are pursuing multiple investigations into the presidents political, business and personal dealings, as they press on with their oversight agenda. Part of their work is to determine if anyone sought leverage over Trump, his family or associates. Those probes, including a push to release his tax returns, are not fully dependent on whether the report backs up Barrs conclusion. By Barrs account, Mueller made no finding on whether the president obstructed justice. Though Barr cleared Mueller of obstruction, the question is now in Congress hands. The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the Mueller report will guide us in terms of what has been fully investigated by the special counsel, what has gone uninvestigated. Schiff said, Its very difficult to make those decisions in the absence of really knowing whats in that report. The panel expects to tailor its investigation to focus beyond Mueller, said one member of the panel, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Releasing the report has become the immediate focus on Capitol Hill amid concerns from Democrats that what has been made public so far is tilted positively toward Trump. Questions about Barr are amplified by his unusual role as a lawyer who advocated an expansive view of executive power, suggesting in an unsolicited letter to the administration before being hired that the president cannot be found to have obstructed a Justice Department probe. Schiff has said Barr was all but auditioning for the job a sentiment shared by other Democrats in Congress. Muellers role as a special counsel is different from the independent counsels that investigated earlier administrations, including Kenneth Starrs probe against President Bill Clinton. The law authorizing the independent counsel was allowed to lapse after that and Mueller, as a special counsel, conducted his work under the Justice Department. I would hope the attorney general would not be acting as a political operative for the president, said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Judiciary Committee. The Department of Justice should not be involved in a coverup of whats actually in the report, he said. Its great for a banana republic, its not great for a constitutional democracy. Barr wants to make sure nothing is released that could compromise national security or intelligence sources and methods, Graham said. He said Barr also told him he wants to check with prosecutors who have cases associated with Muellers Russia investigation. Mueller had referred cases to other federal courts as part of his probe. Republicans have said its time for Congress to move on from the Russia probe, but Democrats indicated they are not worried about overreaching as they push ahead with both their oversight agenda and other legislative priorities. I havent read the Mueller report, but if it clears President Trump, I see that as nothing but a relief for our country, said Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa. Its the dream of the Founding Fathers that we have a separation of powers, he said. Checks and balances. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Andrew Taylor, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report. ___ Follow all of APs Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations . AUSTIN, Texas - Nearly 50 people who work at the Texas Capitol have been vaccinated this week because a page contracted whooping cough, a health scare that comes as legislatures around the country grapple with rising immunization exemptions and recent measles outbreaks. Texas health officials have been offering the vaccinations since Monday, three days after lawmakers were notified that a page had come down with the highly infectious disease. At least two House members and their staffs received vaccinations, and one representative who often takes her 9-month-old to work called her pediatrician to check what precautions she should take. The whooping cough case is being held up as a warning in the Texas House, where politically active vaccination opponents have tried to claim territory. I know its on peoples minds, said state Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston. People speculate about which members are going to come down with it because they didnt get vaccinated. Vaccinations are a recurring fight in statehouses, including in Washington state, where a measles outbreak has lawmakers trying to limit vaccine exemptions. A bill in New York would let minors get vaccinated without parental consent, while a California proposal would give state health officials instead of local doctors the power to decide which children can skip vaccinations before attending school. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection also known as pertussis that often starts with what feels like a mild cold, followed by weeks of intense coughing fits. The disease gets its name from the sound some people make at the end of a coughing jag when they gasp for breath. There are about 10,000 to 40,000 cases of pertussis reported each year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Forty-seven people in the Texas Capitol received pertussis vaccinations supplied by state health officials Monday and Tuesday, said Lara Anton, a spokeswoman with the Texas Department of State Health Services. She said she could not disclose any details about the person who contracted whooping cough, citing privacy, but House pages are typically children around middle-school age. It was a large number of people who were potentially exposed, Anton said. In Texas, the number of schoolchildren claiming vaccine exemptions has surged from about 2,300 students in 2003 to more than 56,000. Some legislation filed this year would make it easier to opt out of vaccines or prevent state health officials from tracking exemption data. On Wednesday, worries over vaccination exemptions in Texas could even creep into a vote over a new $250 billion state budget. A Democrat filed one amendment that would study vaccination levels at child-care facilities. That a case of pertussis was confirmed on the House floor should be a wake-up call, said Rekha Lakshmanan, director of advocacy and public policy for The Immunization Partnership, based in Houston. The fact it happened inside lawmakers own house should give everyone a reality check. ___ Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pauljweber Everyone in politics is a communications expert, its said. The exception, as demonstrated throughout the past seven weeks of the SNC-Lavalin saga, appears to be almost everyone in Justin Trudeaus government. The issues at stake in the SNC-Lavalin affair go well beyond good or bad communication strategy, obviously. But the handling of the controversy is a chapter itself in some future manual on crisis management in politics a case study in all the wrong ways to deal with serious challenges to government integrity. This is a serious challenge. It requires more than tight scripts, half-answers and post-dated replies to allegations of impropriety at the highest levels of Trudeaus government. Even when the government has tried to match one damaging leak for another the latest being a report about Jody Wilson-Rayboulds questionable choice for a Supreme Court of Canada appointment the effort only invites more controversy. Ironically, the chronic communications fails were cast into stark relief on Tuesday when a lone Liberal MP showed how it was possible to meet the SNC-Lavalin controversy head on. Granted, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith was part of yet another effort to keep a Commons committee from doing further inquiry into SNC-Lavalin, but he managed to do it without any of the ham-handed communications tactics that his fellow Liberals have been practising for nearly two months now. Read more: Liberals block new inquiry into SNC-Lavalin Opinion | Heather Scoffield: SNC-Lavalin controversy shows danger of dabbling in economic nationalism Opinion | Jennifer Wells: Heres a simple solution to prevent another SNC-Lavalin from happening Once again, Trudeaus Liberals have left themselves open to charges that they are covering up the controversy or trying to shut it down or muzzle the two women who have left cabinet in protest against how SNC-Lavalin was handled. But others in Trudeaus government could take some lessons from this rookie Toronto MP from Beaches-East York, who has a bit of a reputation as a principled independent. Erskine-Smith answered questions. He gave considered answers. He didnt try to pretend that he had them all. He certainly didnt duck a chance to speak at the ethics committee meeting on Tuesday, as his fellow Liberal MPs did, and he didnt run away from reporters questions afterwards either. In fact, he returned to the scrums to clarify where he stood. Erskine-Smith readily acknowledged he was looking for more information on what Wilson-Raybould has alleged about the inappropriate pressure she said she faced on whether to extend a plea deal to SNC-Lavalin. He talked about contradictions that needed to be sorted out between her testimony to the Commons justice committee last month and other subsequent witnesses, such as Trudeaus former principal secretary Gerald Butts. He is not joining the increasing chorus of Liberal MPs pushing for Wilson-Raybould or former minister Jane Philpott to simply walk into the Commons and use their legal privilege in Parliament to tell the truth. Instead, Erskine-Smith is in favour of Trudeau and the government giving them expanded waiver powers to say all they know about SNC-Lavalin. To get at the truth, there should be a broadening of that waiver, Erskine-Smith said. When asked how much guidance the Prime Ministers Office had given him on how to handle Tuesdays committee meeting, Erskine-Smith flatly said, Zero. This could be the secret of his success. The best communications strategy may be no communications strategy at all. It probably reveals something about the current political culture around Parliament Hill that Erskine-Smith is a rare breath of fresh air. It is all too easy to give communications advice from the spectators seats a practice that the punditry business indulges far too often. To be clear, the medias fundamental interest in the SNC-Lavalin saga has been to get the full story not one side or another, just the complete tale of what happened to cause all this turmoil in Trudeaus government. Whats clear is that all the communications strategies in the world on either side of the partisan divide are not useful to achieving that goal. Nor does Parliament seem to be up to the task, given the dysfunction of committees and Question Period. Erskine-Smith also said flatly on Tuesday that Commons committees werent all that effective at legal work. Whenever or if ever the dust settles on SNC-Lavalin, we might well want to consider how the institutions at the heart of Parliament and government couldnt get at some basic truths, and why MPs such as Erskine-Smith are outliers in the prevailing political culture. Susan Delacourt is the Star's Ottawa bureau chief and a columnist covering national politics. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: Any layoffs because of changes to the Ontario Autism Program are completely premature, says Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod. During Tuesdays question period, New Democrat MPP Monique Taylor noted the most recent cutbacks, this time a Northern Ontario service provider that is letting 19 staff go. We already know that northern and rural communities are underserved, and this disastrous new autism program is making it worse, Taylor said. But MacLeod called any job losses under the new autism program completely premature, and were encouraging agencies to find a better way. Were going to clear the wait-list over the next 18 months with 23,000 more children receiving some support from their Ontario government, which I would expect would mean we would need more service providers to support that. On Monday, MacLeod also said the current level of funding $321 million could double to as much as $642 million in the coming months under further enhancements to the new system she announced last week. Those enhancements include extending current behavioural therapies for children for six months, as well as ending means testing and also moving toward a system that provides more funding based on a childs needs. Changes to the Ontario Autism Program, first announced in February, were designed to share funding among more families, but also drastically cut services for many of those already in the system. The new plan gives families the ability to choose the services they want, sets out childhood budgets for those with autism $20,000 a year for children under 6, up to a maximum of $140,000, and $5,000 a year after that up to age 18 to a maximum of $55,000. Families, however, can spend about $80,000 a year for a child with severe needs. Initially, the government had said high income earners would receive less funds, but last week MacLeod said that was no longer the case. She also said parents can spend the money on additional services such as speech therapy. Autism Ontario has just signed a $750,000 contract to help families adjust to the new system, MacLeod also said. Her ministry will hold consultations through the summer to determine how to move forward on more needs-based funding. On Tuesday, Taylor accused the Ford governments plan of putting families in crisis, and we have a complete disaster of an autism program right now in the province because the minister failed to communicate before she put the policy in place. She said the Child and Community Resources, in the Thunder Bay area, has laid off 19 staffers. There were not enough trained therapists in Northern Ontario before the changes to the Ontario Autism Program, and now there will be even fewer, as organizations like Child and Community Resource centres are forced to make layoffs, Taylor said. The new autism program is making services harder to access for northern and rural Ontarians. Instead of investing and strengthening autism services, this minister has gutted them. Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington has also announced it is closing down its Ontario Autism Program as of April 1, blaming a significant change in funding under the Ford government. The government has agreed to a three-month extension that allows the Ontario SPCA to continue enforcing animal welfare laws until the end of June. The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it offered the extra time as a transition phase as the province moves to a new system. Enforcement is the responsibility of government, one that we can confidently support by offering animal protection services to enforcement agencies, said Kate MacDonald, head of the Ontario SPCA, in a written statement. As the transition period concludes, we look forward to our continued focus on the many programs we provide on behalf of animal well-being, including spay/neuter services, animal wellness clinics and our provincial animal transfer program. Tuesday in the legislature, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner pressed the Ford government to come up with a plan to ensure that animal welfare laws would be enforced. In January, an Ontario Superior Court decision ruled that enforcement of animal welfare laws had to change. In early March, the OSPCA gave notice that it would no longer enforce these laws as of April 1 just six days from now yet the government has not announced a plan to cover the gap, said Schreiner, who represents Guelph, who warned that the clock is ticking. Brian Shiller, general counsel for the Ontario SPCA, said the society offered to prolong the contract to June 28, but had turned down a government request to keep enforcing cruelty laws until a new law is passed likely by January 2020 saying that is the job of police. Health Minister Christine Elliott has said the government is committed to ensuring that animal welfare continues in the province. Both our government and the OSPCA have a long history and a shared commitment to protect animals in Ontario. We are actively reviewing the implications of this change to find a solution that works for everyone. Currently, the Ontario SPCA has the power to enforce animal cruelty laws, as do police. The two typically work together on more serious investigations, particularly when a property has to be entered. But the society says the cost of investigating more than 15,000 cruelty cases annually surpasses the $5.75 million it receives each year from the government. Its role came into question in early January when an Ontario court ruled it unconstitutional for the society to have police powers with no government oversight, and gave the government a year to fix the problem. Shiller said the Ontario SPCA, which began in 1873, is a charity and the vast majority of work it does is education and advocacy, sheltering, spaying/neutering as well as rescue efforts in cases of floods or fires. The Ontario SPCA is also asking the province to create a system where it acts as a support to enforcement agencies as opposed to enforcing the laws as is done in the U.S. With files from Canadian Press Brad Blair, the OPP deputy commissioner who was fired after exposing a bid by the Progressive Conservatives to get a police van with $50,000 in customized upgrades for Doug Ford, is suing the premier for $5 million. Blair has served the premier with a notice alleging libel and defamation, charging Ford was malicious and grossly negligent for stating incorrectly on numerous occasions that the veteran law enforcement officer had breached the Police Services Act. The allegations against the premier have not been proven in court. Blair was sacked from the Ontario Provincial Police on March 4 after taking legal action to contest the hiring of Fords friend Ron Taverner as the forces next commissioner a job Blair had also sought. His court filings in that case included OPP documents and emails about the van, which the Progressive Conservative government insists were improperly used for the then-deputy commissioners personal gain. On Wednesday, Fords director of media relations said the premiers concern is and always has been protecting and supporting the front-line OPP officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. Premier Doug Ford will be responding to Mr. Blairs filing through his legal counsel, said Simon Jefferies. As the matter is before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The 21-page statement of claim filed by Blair in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said Fords remarks included the demonstrably false comment that the deputy commissioner had issued retirement papers along with accusations he broke the Police Services Act, when charges in that regard were never laid. The defendant was grossly negligent and failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of his public statements prior to making them, particularly in light of the weight attached to the premiers office, the statement of claim added. Despite being twice warned by Blair that the remarks were false, Ford persisted in disseminating the defamatory remarks and took no steps to issue a public, full and final retraction, the statement of claim continued. Mr. Blair has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damage to his character and reputation, personally and professionally, within the policing community and the community at large. As well, Mr. Blair has been subjected to embarrassment, scandal, ridicule and contempt, the statement of claim said. Blair, who served briefly as interim OPP commissioner, was also a leading candidate to head the force before Taverner was appointed Nov. 29. Read more: Fired deputy OPP boss calls his dismissal a reprisal Deputy OPP commissioner Brad Blair, who blew the whistle on Premier Doug Fords push for a customized van, has been fired Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Dont laugh at Doug Fords customized van hes remodelling the entire OPP to his own tastes Taverner, a 72-year-old Toronto police superintendent and long-time Ford family friend, withdrew his name from consideration on March 6 amid an ethics investigation that would ultimately clear the premier of wrongdoing in the matter. York Regional Police deputy Chief Thomas Carrique was then appointed the new commissioner on March 11. Integrity commissioner J. David Wake found that while Ford did not breach the Members Integrity Act, the premiers office stickhandled the Taverner appointment through with a flawed and troubling process. Last fall, Blair launched a legal action in an attempt to force the Ontario ombudsman to probe the Taverner hiring. That lawsuit revealed the unsuccessful bid by Fords office to get a customized OPP van with a powered reclining leather sofa, 32-inch TV with Blu-ray DVD player and a mini-fridge. At the time, the premier said Blair filed his legal action out of sour grapes and repeatedly accused the 32-year OPP veteran of violating the Police Services Act. When Blair was fired, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones said it was because he had released confidential private information for his own personal gain. Jones maintained the decision was made by her deputy minister, Mario Di Tommaso, a former Toronto police officer who had been Taverners supervisor, and approved by the provincial public service commission. Earlier this month, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath charged that Blairs dismissal was political. Lets not forget Mr. Di Tommaso was on the hiring process (for Taverner) as well and has a relationship with the Fords and with Mr. Taverner, said Horwath. This is yet another example of Mr. Ford just taking out his revenge on people who stand up to him. This thing reeks and every day the stench gets stronger. Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: The environmental commissioner, whose job was eliminated when the political climate changed at Queens Park, warns Ontario is not doing enough to conserve energy and curb greenhouse gas emissions. In her final report to the legislature, Dianne Saxe on Wednesday blasted Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservative government for very inadequate climate change plans that leave her very frightened. As climate change gathers speed, conserving energy must mean burning fewer fossil fuels, Saxe told reporters at Queens Park as she tabled her 175-page report. Ontario is 75 per cent dependent on imported fossil fuels like gasoline, diesel and natural gas. This dependence is bad for our economy, for our climate and for our health, she said. Saxe criticized the Tories for ending wind-power contracts and conservation programs that could jeopardize Canada meeting its international greenhouse gas reduction targets as set out in the 2016 Paris climate change accord. If the world cant hold it together on the Paris agreement, we are toasted, roasted and grilled, she said. But Environment Minister Rod Phillips said Ontario will meet its targets. Weve produced a plan that gets us to a 30 per cent reduction (in greenhouse gas emissions), which is the target that was set by the federal government. The target was agreed to internationally, said Phillips. The environment watchdogs position was scrapped along with those of the provincial childrens advocate and the French-language rights commissioner as part of Fords cuts in last Novembers fall economic statement. Twelve people lost their jobs, including Saxe. Read more: Ontario Tories cut taxes and oversight protections for environment, vulnerable children, and francophones Some Ontario environmental watchdog employees, including Saxe, to be axed, despite Fords election promise they would not be Ontario government wont meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets without serious changes, environment watchdog warns Going forward, the auditor generals office will handle environmental matters. This is a proud but sad day, said Saxe. On Monday, my office will be eliminated. The auditor general may, if she chooses, carry on part of my work from her own point of view, she said. In light of her very different expertise, experience, and interests, I wish her well. Her job is to track money. My job is to put the environment first. Saxe added that the auditor general and I do not have consistent views on climate. We dont agree on climate science or climate policy. I could not find common ground with her, she said. While auditor general Bonnie Lysyks past reports suggest her focus is more on value-for-money audits than environmental programs, she expressed surprise at Saxes comments. Weve never talked about the sciences and technical views so Im not sure where thats all coming from, said Lysyk, conceding she will have a different function as an environmental overseer. One difference between our offices will be on the issue of commenting on government policy. Under our legislation, we dont comment on government policy, she said. In her 2016 annual report, Lysyk demanded estimated cap-and-trade costs be prominently displayed on monthly natural gas bills, even though the government at the time had said it would average out to $5 a month. Unusually for an independent officer of the legislature, the auditor even commissioned a public-opinion poll to see if Ontarians wanted to be reminded of such a charge. Lysyk also wanted the Ontario Energy Board, an arms length regulator, to reverse its decision that such disclosure was unnecessary. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Saxes final report is a damning indictment of the Tories. Thats exactly why this government is getting rid of the environmental commissioner because they dont want to hear what it takes ... to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, said Horwath. Since being elected last June, Fords government has extricated Ontario from its cap-and-trade climate change alliance with Quebec and California, which put a price on carbon. That brought in $1.9 billion annually to the provincial treasury for environmental programs such as subsidies of electric cars. But Ford, who had campaigned against what he called a job-killing carbon tax, scrapped it, reducing gasoline prices by 4.3 cents a litre. His government is spending $30 million in court to fight Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus carbon-pricing measures, which take effect Monday. Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: Qualcomm Inc. has fired multiple legal shots at Apple Inc. aiming to use patents to get an import ban on the iPhone. In separate rulings Tuesday, one hit and one missed. The U.S. International Trade Commission on Tuesday invalidated a Qualcomm patent for a battery-saving feature. Earlier in the day, a separate trade judge said Apple infringed a different Qualcomm patent and recommended certain older models of the iPhone be banned. The commission is scheduled to release a final decision in that case in July. The cases are among some 80 worldwide between the companies in a dispute that's lasted more than two years. Qualcomm is hoping a victory, particularly an import ban, could give it greater leverage in technology licensing negotiations. Qualcomm says it's due billions of dollars in unpaid royalties on the iPhone as the two tech giants argue over the value of the chipmaker's patents. The Cupertino, California-based Apple denied infringing any of the patents in the two cases and claimed Qualcomm is trying to shut its only U.S.-based competitor out of the market, something Apple argues will hinder the development of the fifth-generation of mobile communications. In both cases at the trade agency, Apple argued that no import ban should be imposed even if a patent violation is found. Qualcomm, based in San Diego, argued that the opposite is true. If it can't enforce its patents, that will lessen the value of its innovation and give rivals, particularly China's Huawei Technologies Co., a chance to gain greater market share. Qualcomm has called the Intel products inferior, and accused Intel and Apple of incorporating unlicensed Qualcomm inventions into the Intel chips to improve their quality. In the earlier case on Tuesday, ITC Judge MaryJoan McNamara said she would be recommending an import ban on certain models of iPhones, which are made in China, according to a notice posted on the Washington agency's electronic docket. The judge found no violation of two other Qualcomm patents in the case. Qualcomm jumped as much as much as 2.6 percent in New York on that earlier ruling. Both stocks reflected the partial wins and losses in extended trading following the commission decision. Apple was up less than one percent while Qualcomm fell less than one percent. In the case before McNamara, Qualcomm contended that Apple iPhones with Intel Corp. chips infringed two patents related to ways to improve the speed and quality of data downloads and one for a power-saving feature. It's seeking an order that would ban imports of those iPhones. The judge's finding of infringement related to the power-saving feature, according to the notice. Her full findings aren't yet public, and won't be until both sides get a chance to redact confidential information. "We appreciate Judge McNamara's recognition of Apple's infringement of our hardware patent and that she will be recommending an import ban and cease and desist order," Qualcomm General Counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement when the earlier notice came out. The company had no immediate comment on the later-issued decision from the full commission. The original complaint in the McNamara case linked that patent only to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but it was unclear which models would be affected by this decision. If the ban only applies to those models, it could have a multibillion-dollar impact on Apple for each year that it still offers those devices. The company will probably discontinue them in the next two years. The second decision announced Tuesday targeted a broader range of iPhones, including the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X, and only ones that had Intel chips. Models that had Qualcomm chips wouldn't be affected. The commission's full decision, which sidestepped arguments for now over whether the legal battle between the two tech titans has broader implications for the U.S. supremacy in the fifth generation of telecommunications, isn't yet public. Apple, chafing under what it considers onerous and expensive licensing requirements, has directed its contractors to stop paying Qualcomm until the two sides can reach a new deal. It's also turned to Intel to supply the modem chips on its newest models. Apple likely generated about $58 billion from the iPhone in the U.S. in its 2018 fiscal year. The majority of iPhone sales last year were from newer models like the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. By all accounts, Qualcomm's technology underpins all modern communications and it's a large player in the development of industry standards, spending billions of dollars on research each year. It's also richly rewarded -- the company makes money off the chips in all mobile devices, and also gets paid for the use of its inventions in chips made by others. The Federal Trade Commission has accused Qualcomm of using its patents on industry standards to shut out competitors from the market and demand high licensing fees, and the two sides await a judge's ruling in that case. The patents in this case don't relate to standardized technology but Apple claims Qualcomm is using the ITC to maintain monopoly power. The cases are In the Matter of Certain Mobile Electronic Devices and Radio Frequency and Processing Components, 337-1093 and 337-1065, both U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington). Thomas Folks spent years in his U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lab developing a treatment to block deadly HIV in monkeys. Then, San Francisco AIDS researcher Robert Grant, using $50 million in federal grants, proved the treatment worked in people who engaged in risky sex. Their work - almost fully funded by U.S. taxpayers - created a new use for an older prescription drug called Truvada: preventing HIV infection. But the U.S. government, which patented the treatment in 2015, is not receiving a penny for that use of the drug from Gilead Sciences, Truvada's maker, which earned $3 billion in Truvada sales last year. Gilead argues that the government's patents for Truvada for PrEP, as the prevention treatment is called, are invalid. And the government has failed to reach a deal for royalties or other concessions from the company - benefits that could be used to distribute the drug more widely. "With the amount of effort and time and taxpayer money that went into it, for CDC and Gilead not to come to an agreement, so the taxpayer could get some of that money, is really unconscionable,'' said Folks, who is retired. The extraordinary standoff between the CDC and a drug company over patent rights raises a big question for the Trump administration: How aggressively should the government attempt to enforce its patents against an industry partner? The Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, has patented more than 2,500 inventions created with taxpayer dollars since 1976, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It routinely licenses new pharmaceutical compounds to private companies that take those publicly financed discoveries into the marketplace. Intellectual-property disputes between private companies are common, and they often wind up in court. But it is rare for the government to bring lawsuits over pharmaceutical patents. Gilead, which has a U.S. monopoly on Truvada, charges between $1,600 and $2,000 for a month's supply of a pill that can be manufactured for a fraction of that amount. The number of new HIV infections in the United States has barely budged, meanwhile, and is stuck at about 40,000 a year, according to CDC estimates. Activists want the government to take a more aggressive stance against Gilead. Their complaints are part of a broader wave of anger over drug companies reaping hefty financial rewards by capitalizing on taxpayer-funded research. "The CDC has all these patents and is allowing Gilead to rip off the American people at the expense of public health,'' said James Krellenstein, an HIV/AIDS activist and co-founder of the PrEP4All Collaboration, who has spent months digging into the government patents. Instead of enforcing its patent, Krellenstein said, the CDC is "twiddling their thumbs.'' The fight over PrEP presents a novel challenge to the interdependence of drug companies and government developed over years of collaboration. The government is not locked in a battle for profits, like a private company, said Neel U. Sukhatme, a professor and patent expert at Georgetown University's law school. Rather, NIH and CDC officials see their role as encouraging the commercialization of government-financed discoveries, not placing curbs on them, Sukhatme said. That tends to take patent infringement lawsuits off the table. "They may not want to be in the position of suing these companies that arguably are producing valuable stuff,'' he said. But that stance increasingly is challenged by political anger over high drug prices. Consumer advocates and members of Congress have stepped up demands that the government exercise its rights under existing law to license generic competition or imports during shortages or unwarranted price spikes; several bills would enhance such "compulsory licensing'' provisions. The case of Gilead and Truvada for PrEP adds a new twist to these debates, with demands that the government be more aggressive in exercising its own patent to ease the cost effects of a monopoly. Government officials would not discuss aspect of steps it has taken to enforce the CDC patent. "When it comes to conversations with companies, those are subjects we're not at liberty to talk about,'' said Michael Mowatt, director of the office within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that represents the CDC in patent licensing matters. The CDC itself did not respond to requests for comment. Gilead said it was contacted by the CDC about licensing Truvada for PrEP in 2016. "Since that time there have been several phone discussions and the exchange of about half a dozen letters addressing the parties' concerns and positions,'' Gilead said in a written statement in response to questions from The Washington Post. It would not discuss contents of the calls and letters, citing a confidentiality agreement with the CDC. President Donald Trump set a goal in his State of the Union speech last month of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030; to get close to that goal, specialists say, Truvada for PrEP needs to be far more widespread. Trump's newest budget, released this month, would add $291 million to combat the disease. Gilead began marketing Truvada in 2004 after the Food and Drug Administration approved it to treat people who were already infected by HIV. At about the same time, government researchers at the CDC were looking for medicine that would do something to slow or end the epidemic: block HIV from infecting a healthy person, even if they had unprotected sex. Gilead worked with the government, providing Truvada doses free of charge to test in the monkeys at CDC labs in Atlanta. After Truvada was shown to work as a prophylactic in primates, the CDC applied for its patents. That began a nine-year effort, using two outside law firms retained by the CDC, which made their case to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiners. The National Institutes of Health awarded grants to conduct more study, this time in clinical trials in humans. Grant's study, led from his lab in San Francisco and published in 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine, proved that the drug lowered the risk of contracting HIV by more than 92 percent. In addition to $50 million in government money, $17 million for the study came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grant said. Based on those clinical trials in humans, Gilead won approval to market Truvada for PrEP in 2012. Gilead often works in cooperation with federal research agencies because it seeks to develop drugs to fight infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, epidemics that have attracted intense government attention. But it also has been criticized for excessive pricing; in 2013, it sparked an uproar when it priced a 12-week course of the hepatitis C medication Sovaldi at $84,000. HIV/AIDS activists have been upset about the price of Truvada for PrEP for years. Even though it is covered by most private and government insurance, the drug's high cost is factored into state Medicaid programs; when state Medicaid programs pay for the drug, that leaves less money for education and distribution efforts on the ground, they say. Federal officials estimated in 2016 that less than 10 percent of the 1.1 million people who should be on PrEP treatment are receiving the drug. Gilead says that statistic has risen to about 20 percent. The problem is particularly acute in Southern states, where cultural barriers and lack of education programs are holding back its use. Krellenstein and other activists began unearthing facts about the CDC's patents last year and then commissioned a report on their validity, which they shared with The Post. The outside review was conducted by Christopher Morten, a patent expert and fellow at the Global Health Justice Partnership, a program of Yale University's law school and the Yale School of Public Health. The CDC waged a successful defense of its patent in Europe, strengthening its case that its patents are legitimate, Morten said. "I have no reason to believe that these patents are not valid and enforceable, and moreover, they seem to be infringed (by Gilead) by the use of Truvada for PrEP,'' Morten said in an interview. "These are public assets that were generated with public money that effectively are going to waste here.'' Gilead says the government improperly claimed to invent the use of Truvada for HIV prevention. The drug was already being used by doctors and patients for that purpose "off-label,'' meaning in a way not approved by the FDA, before the CDC patent application in 2006, Gilead said. "Further, the patents do not reflect the contributions of Gilead scientists, who collaborated with the CDC to design the monkey studies that underlie the patents. In addition, Gilead provided Truvada free of charge for the primate study,'' the company said. Gilead's Truvada patent expires in 2021; it could be at least two more years before Gilead faces lower-cost competition in the United States. In response to complaints about its price, Gilead said it offers discount coupons that reduce the cost to less than $5 for a monthly supply for patients who lack insurance. It says it has spent $138 million since 2012 on community grant programs to raise awareness and educate at-risk people. Gilead has earned $36.2 billion on Truvada since 2004, according to its annual reports. "Limited awareness and societal and structural barriers, rather than cost, have hindered broader Truvada usage,'' the company said, citing studies. HIV/AIDS activists and researchers say assertions about the benefits of coupons are misleading. Obtaining Gilead's coupons for Truvada for PrEP is a cumbersome process, they said. If the CDC leveraged its patents to get money for Truvada, it could help cash-strapped state Medicaid programs undertake aggressive education and distribution programs. Virginia Medicaid said it pays $54.04 per pill, or $1,621.20 for a monthly course of treatment. "What we're seeing is that because city and local governments are spending so much on getting PrEP,'' said HIV/AIDS activist Christian Urrutia, "they don't have a lot of money left over to do these kinds of programs.'' EDWARDSVILLE The Madison County Historical Society, 801 N. Main St., Edwardsville, strives to fulfill its mission and vision: Opening doors to Madison County history, and inspiring a sense of place and history for Madison County. For nearly a century, the society has worked in partnership with Madison County government. The county leases the societys assets and operates the museum and archival library, providing salaries for staff, utilities and other operating expenses. The society owns all of the buildings and artifacts located in the museum and archival library on Main Street in Edwardsville, and pays for materials required to properly archive items in the collections, housekeeping, and various other regular expenses, but its primary financial obligation has been to obtain large donations required to obtain buildings and make any major repairs to those buildings. A major renovation of the museum building is now underway. Board member, writer and researcher for the society, Cindy Reinhardt, said the county cut the budget last year by 30 percent, and added that representatives of the county have said the remaining budget may be cut in half next year. These cuts, as the museum began a long renovation process, could not have come at a worse time, Reinhardt said. For the Madison County Museum and Archival Library and their patrons, the loss with the county budget cuts is incalculable. For Madison County government, at the cost of only $1 per person, per year, we are preserving our history. Losing this service and asset diminishes our community and threatens to turn our backs on those in the past, who created our present. The museum building is presently closed as work progresses on a plan that calls for a $3 million combination restoration/renovation, which will be funded by the society. The building was built for Dr. John Weir in 1836, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Plans are to completely restore the exterior of the building according to National Register Standards, while converting interior spaces to modern, interactive exhibits that will tell the story of Madison County. Over $600,000 in society funds have been expended so far toward accomplishing this goal. This spring, the process of removing paint from the exterior of the building will begin. The archival library remains open. The societys primary source of regular income (when there is no building project) is through memberships and donations, Reinhardt said. It has added $13,000 to its budget (separate from the county budget) this year, with a strategic plan to increase this amount each year. At this point, she said staff has not been cut, but any additional cuts will mean staff will have to be reduced. A professional staff has been a great asset to the facility. Museum artifacts are preserved according to professional standards, and it is rare to see such a well-organized archival library on the county level, she said. Professional also means knowledgeable. Most staff members have spent decades doing historical research focused on Madison County, so are especially qualified to assist patrons. While the museum is closed during the renovation process, the museum staff continues work with the collections, assists in planning exhibits for the new museum and creating new exhibits for the courthouse display cases. An exhibit on African-American History in Madison County before 1900 is currently on display at the Madison County Courthouse (four display cases) and administration building (one display case). Since there is no way at this time for the society to make up for the entire loss of funds, if the additional cuts are made next year, operations would have to rely more heavily on volunteers instead of professional staff, and operating hours may need to be cut, Reinhardt said. Through committee work, research, public outreach and more, the members of the Madison County Historical Society board, who are all volunteers, donate thousands of hours each year in addition to the professional staff. This work will continue, and is also important to the success of the operations. The Madison County Historical Museum and Archival Library offer resources for county residents, former residents, students, educators and visitors looking for pieces of Madison County history. The library collections owned by the society include over 10,000 photographs, 1,400 boxes of probate files, hundreds of maps and plats showing early Madison County property owners, thousands of books and family documents like diaries, letters, business records, and other one-of-a-kind source materials, like records from the Civil War prison in Alton. The museum collections have over 20,000 artifacts, including Native American and military items, products manufactured by Madison County businesses, portraits, furnishings, clothing, and unique items of special historic value, like the piano once owned by Elijah P. Lovejoy. People come in person or contact the library by mail or phone looking for information about their families, their buildings, a business, or many other aspects of Madison County history, Reinhardt said. Students come to learn about the use of source documents, or to research a topic for their classroom. Instructors sometimes bring entire classes from SIUE or local area schools. Whether the visitor is an author researching a book, or a grade school student completing a family history assignment, they all come to learn, and they all leave knowing something they didnt know before. And everything is free. The society also has benefits for members, which include six issues annually of MCHS News, an award-winning newsletter that focuses on a different aspect of Madison County with each issue. The current issue is about the Glik Company that opened its first Madison County store in 1902. Each issue explores a different aspect of Madison County history, and we purposely look at the entire county, and make sure all communities are included during the year, Reinhardt said. I will usually do a history of a building pictured in the 1873 Atlas of Madison County (this year, a house in St. Jacob), profile a community (in July we will explore Carpenter), and focus an issue on the venue for our annual event, Dining in History, she said. Dining in History is the societys annual meeting, and is held at a historic place in Madison County, with a meal, a program and/or tours of that location. In addition to the artifacts and documents at the museum and library, society volunteers offer (free to the public) a program of speakers throughout the year. There are also a number of programs for local organizations, and MCHS is in the process of expanding its educational outreach program to bring programs to the classroom. The next segment in the speaker series will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 7, when the society will present a program by Paul Shetley, entitled 5,000 Miles through History: The Ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War. The program will be held in the fellowship hall of Immanuel United Methodist Church at 800 N. Main St. in Edwardsville. For more information on MCHS or to become a member, visit www.madcohistory.org. WASHINGTON - As he prepares for his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, acting interior secretary David Bernhardt has come under pressure from House Democrats to explain his unusual method of keeping records of his meetings with his own staffers and those who have business before the agency. The lawmakers are examining Interior's practice of preparing "a daily card" with Bernhardt's detailed schedule on a Google document but withholding that information from the public. The detailed accounting of the acting secretary's meetings is prepared the evening before or at the start of the morning; the document is later overwritten to reflect his appointments for the following day. None of this the public gets to see. Bernhardt's practice is a departure from that of his predecessors, who kept more detailed calendars that showed who they were meeting and when, and made the information available to the public on the agency's website. The acting secretary's meetings are of keen interest to lawmakers and watchdog groups because his work history as an oil lobbyist, as well as a representative for large Western water agencies, has the potential to create serious conflicts of interest at an agency that controls drilling rights and access to water. Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee plan to make the availability of his detailed calendar a central part of their questioning at his confirmation hearing Thursday, along with topics such as climate change, public lands management and endangered species protections. Bernhardt, who joined Interior as its number-two official in August 2017, has been running the department since Jan. 2, after Ryan Zinke stepped down in the face of multiple ethics probes. Having served on Capitol Hill, in the George W. Bush administration and private sector, Bernhardt has used his familiarity with Interior's inner workings to advance energy development and reverse several conservation measures adopted under President Barack Obama. The existence of his cards came to light in November in the course of a public records request from a researcher. Two months later, Freedom of Information Act officers at Interior informed him that staffers had to take a tedious step to fulfill his request: They had to go back and look at version history of the same Google document, which changed every workday, dating back for months because it was overwritten. Bernhardt's staff does periodically release a daily calendar listing who he meets with, but unlike other secretaries, it did not identify the specific purpose of internal staff sessions. He only began disclosing the topics of meetings with outside groups in January, at the request of House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. When Grijalva pressed the issue and requested Bernhardt's personal calendar, the acting secretary fired off a Feb. 28 letter. "I have not personally maintained a calendar for years, and I have no intention of suddenly doing so now," he wrote. Bernhardt then challenged the congressman to publicly disclose his own meetings with nongovernment groups, writing, "Together, our leadership on this issue will provide a good example." Interior eventually shared hundreds of versions of Bernhardt's daily card as part of 7,137 documents the department submitted to House natural resources late Monday. On that same day, Cole Rojewski, director of Interior's Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs, submitted a letter defending Bernhardt's actions, saying the department's legal counsel confirmed that he complied with its obligations under the Federal Records Act. "The operations of the Office of the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary involve compiling and managing an ever changing schedule," Rojewski wrote. Grijalva's spokesman Adam Sarvana confirmed that the panel received the documents but declined to comment further. The documents, which run 26,792 pages, include the calendar of Bernhardt's that Interior has posted publicly; meeting proposal information forms that external groups submit for meetings; and a daily schedule included in his nightly briefing book. At a budget hearing Wednesday, Grijalva asked a top Interior appointee to explain a March 14 email from a senior official - whose name was blacked out - instructing that any correspondence destined for him or any senator should "NOT be sent until you have further direction." Noting that Trump nominated Bernhardt the next day, Grijalva asked, "Do you know why the email was sent?" "I have no idea, sir," replied Scott Cameron, Interior's principal deputy assistant secretary for policy, management and budget. The concern over Bernhardt's transparency has extended beyond House Natural Resources Committee. In a hearing earlier this month, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., asked a top Interior official handling Freedom of Information Act requests whether Bernhardt's record keeping had raised issues. "Is the calendar for the Acting Secretary deleted at the end of each day, do you know that?" Cummings asked Rachel Spector, acting deputy chief FOIA officer. "I don't know that," Spector replied, before adding, "I have some familiarity with the issue that you're raising, and understand that the solicitors office in the department is working with the records officer in the department to determine what's occurred there, and whether it's consistent." Aaron Weiss, deputy director for the advocacy group Center for Western Priorities, said in a phone interview that the fact that officials overwrote a version of Bernhardt's schedule every day raises problems given his extensive past lobbying ties. Bernhardt has had to recuse himself until August from "particular matters" directly affecting 22 former clients to comply with the president's ethics pledge. "It shows just how far David Bernhardt is willing to go to shield his daily activities from the American people," Weiss said, adding that given the limited information on the acting secretary's public calendar, "They are taking an entirely 'take my word for it' approach to David Bernhardt's conflicts." ANCHORAGE, Alaska - It was an unusual scene for a warm March day downtown: a protest. About 300 people gathered on a closed-off stretch of street, hoisting signs decrying steep budget cuts proposed by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration. "Kids not cuts!" said read a few dozen posters, objecting to reductions in K-12 education. "Tax Us! We are not from Texas or Oklahoma," read another, a derisive reference to a perceived oil-state hostility toward taxes that has trickled up from the Lower 48. Anchorage resident Joe Banta's sign read, "Alaska doesn't need billionaire Koch Corporate Carpetbaggers." The governor is traveling across Alaska this week to sell residents on his plan for deep budget cuts, including three constitutional amendments that would curb future government growth and require majority approval by voters on any new statewide taxes, cuts that are necessary to continue funding the state's oil dividends paid to each resident, Dunleavy says. As he travels, residents are showing up to register their disapproval. Crowds have greeted lawmakers at committee hearings on the proposed budget, and protests - a relatively rare tactic in Alaska politics - are popping up outside budget events. Standing on the bed of a pickup truck, Kendra Kloster of the advocacy group Native Peoples Action assailed potential cuts to the Alaska Marine Highway System, which people depend on in the rural southeastern island communities where she grew up. "Save our ferries!" chanted the crowd. Inside, Dunleavy and members of his administration explained the rationale for their proposal for almost two hours. "The plan that we're putting forth is different from the status quo," Dunleavy told the crowd. The forum was organized and paid for by Alaska's chapter of Americans For Prosperity, a national network of conservative activists funded by brothers Charles and David Koch. Americans for Prosperity is paying "$5,000 to $10,000" to hold similar events in other towns, according to Ryan McKee, the group's state director. AFP and Dunleavy faced criticism over news that they were restricting audience sizes and participation at the forums. McKee said that admission was on a first-come, first-serve basis, and that caps on the audience size were not an attempt to shut the public out, but are determined by the space in venues. "We do smaller events where it's more intimate, we get to more questions, and it's really a discussion," McKee said. A former Republican state senator, Dunleavy campaigned to the right of his predecessor, independent Bill Walker, who entered office in 2014 as the price of oil crashed, sending Alaska's finances plummeting. Walker's years in office were marked by deficit spending to pay for state services, trimming department operating costs, mothballing costly megaprojects and lobbying lawmakers to find a comprehensive fiscal solution, even if it included new taxes. Dunleavy was part of a Republican majority in the state senate that consistently rejected new revenue measures such as an income tax. One of the central campaign issues was, and remains, the size of the Permanent Fund Dividend, what Alaskans refer to as the PFD. For decades, a share of the state's oil wealth has been invested, and a portion of those earnings is paid out to Alaskans each year. Dunleavy campaigned on a promise of restoring PFDs that his predecessor had limited to help pay for government services, and reverting to an older formula for calculating how much the annual transfer should be to each Alaskan. Under the governor's proposals, this year's PFD payout would be about $3,000 to each resident, along with the possibility of additional "back pay" over the next three years based on what the Dunleavy administration says was inappropriately withheld from Alaskans, a move that needs approval from lawmakers. The PFD figures are at odds with the steep cuts to public services many in Alaska say are vital. "Largest proposed budget cuts in state history," said Dermot Cole, who worked at newspapers in Alaska for decades and now runs a blog. Cole criticized Dunleavy during the campaign for promising big PFD checks and a balanced budget, but giving an unrealistic picture of what that would cost residents in terms of services. "It's the point of view that says the only thing that matters in Alaska is the size of the Permanent Fund Dividend, that's what's wrong, because that's not the only thing that matters," Cole said. Cole says reductions would effectively eliminate the ferry services relied on by residents in the rural islands of the southeastern panhandle. The state's University of Alaska System would see $134 million in cuts, a hit that UA President Jim Johnsen warned would leave the institution "with no choice but to eliminate academic programs midstream, along with about 1,500 faculty and staff." Programs that benefit small rural communities in what Alaskans call "the Bush" stand to be affected, many of them after several years of budget reductions already. "I think what we're seeing this year is proposed cuts that don't just cause harm, but compound harm," said Tiffany Zulkosky, a Democrat in the statehouse from the town of Bethel, a hub for several dozen small, predominantly indigenous communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. Zulkosky is concerned about potential effects on education, Medicaid and public safety. Many of her constituents live in tiny communities without organized police or fire departments. In emergencies, there is rarely a first responder, and state police are often a plane ride away. Under Dunleavy's proposed budget, a program to train and hire local public safety officers is cut by 20 percent. In the town of Nome on the edge of the Bering Sea, Mayor Richard Benneville shares many of the same concerns, and he's also bothered by perceived opacity in the budgeting process under the new governor. "I want to like Dunleavy, but I've got to be honest, I don't like the cloak-and-dagger stuff," Benneville said, adding that there was "something very un-American" about it. Some of the proposals have even alienated former allies of the governor. Two powerful entities representing residents in the Arctic Slope, the northernmost part of the state where most of Alaska's petroleum is extracted, have bucked at a measure that could remove their authority to collect property taxes on oil and gas infrastructure. The tax revenue would be redirected from municipalities to the state's general fund, and cost small indigenous communities in the North Slope Borough more than $400 million. That was a constituency that endorsed Dunleavy, but in a February letter, NSB Mayor Harry Brower wrote the proposal could upend good relations between residents and the oil industry. The petroleum sector is one of the few areas spared in the governor's proposed budget, without major changes in the tax credit system that is already in place. The administration maintains it is protecting the state's main source of revenue and the well-being of the private sector. Joelle Hall, the state director of operations for the AFL-CIO, worries the arrangement jeopardizes the health of Alaska for the sake of the oil industry. "It's a pretty bleak vision," Hall explained. "We're basically saying we're going to be an outpost of the oil industry, and we're going to live or die on their success, and their success only." For his part, Dunleavy and those in his administration insist that dealing with policy nuances needs to take a back seat to structural fiscal revisions. They are looking at options that would consolidate, privatize or shrink services in the university, health care and ferry systems, rather than outright eliminate them after this round of budget cuts. The guiding principle is that improvements in government services will follow spending cuts. "You're going to see investment flowing into Alaska like you've never seen before," Dunleavy told the AFP forum audience. "And then we'll be able to build a private economy like other states have done." A case of a form of schoolyard squabbling arrived at a Court of Appeal in Australia on Monday. The court is tasked with deciding whether flatulence is a form of bullying. According to 56-year-old David Hingst, a former employee at Construction Engineering, it certainly is. Hingst sued the firm for bullying in 2017, accusing supervisor Greg Short (whom Hingst referred to as "Mr. Stinky") of being a serial offender who regularly "thrusted his bum" at him, news.com.au reported quoting The Australian Associated Press. Hingst is seeking damages of AUS$1.8 million ($1.28 million). "I would be sitting with my face to the wall and he would come into the room, which was small and had no windows," Hingst told the news service, according to news.com.au. "He would fart behind me and walk away. He would do this five or six times a day," which led the engineer to spray deodorant at his boss, the news site reported. The recurrent gas-passing, Hingst claimed, was part of a conspiracy to end his employment and caused him "severe stress." (Hingst also alleged he was marginalized by employees and received bullying phone calls.) Neither party to the lawsuit returned a request for comment. During an 18-day trial, Short testified that he "may have done it once or twice, maybe," but not "with the intention of distressing or harassing" Hingst, according to news.com.au. Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Rita Zammit dismissed the lawsuit in April. Zammit ruled that even if the flatulence had happened in a small windowless office, it "would not necessarily amount to bullying," news.com.au reported. Instead, the judge said, there was "some inappropriate behavior in the office, including passing wind, but that it was 'typical banter or mucking around.' " Hingst also claimed that he was unfairly made redundant, but Judge Zammit ruled that "it was a genuine redundancy and the deed of release was lawfully executed," according to news.com.au. Hingst appealed. On Monday, the case was heard by a panel of judges at the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria. They're expected to rule on Friday. A behavioral therapist at a Fairfax County, Virginia, center was charged in February with raping two women who have intellectual disabilities. The assaults came to light after doctors made unsettling discoveries: Both women were pregnant. They later gave birth. Now, Fairfax County police have reopened two older sexual assault cases they say have ties to the suspect, Bernard Betts-King. No charges were placed in the sodomy case from 1995 or the sexual assault case from 2012, which involved a missing person. Police declined to say how Betts-King is linked to the cases or whether he is a suspect. Fairfax County police released few details about the older cases. The earlier assault occurred in the 8000 block of Colesbury Place in the Fairfax City area in August 1995, while the latter occurred in the 8000 block of West Boulevard in the Fort Hunt area in October 2012. Police officials would not say whether the altercations involved intellectually disabled women. They also declined to make the case files available. A detective who investigated the recent rape cases is looking at the older cases. The disclosure of the reopened investigations came after The Washington Post filed a public-records request seeking information about any previous contacts police had with Betts-King, 60, of Springfield. "We have reopened those cases and are working to examine any links to any facilities caring for the intellectually disabled," said Fairfax County's police chief, Col. Edwin Roessler. "The investigations are ongoing, so we can't provide additional details at this time." Fairfax County police arrested Betts-King on rape charges in February after a lengthy investigation that focused on Springfield's MVLE Community Center, where Betts-King was employed. The center provides social support and job training for the intellectually disabled. In October 2017, a doctor discovered a 29-year-old woman with Down syndrome was five months pregnant and reported it to police, prosecutors said at a recent bond hearing for Betts-King. The woman, who was a client at MVLE, later gave birth. A second case was reported to police in August after a doctor discovered a 33-year-old client at MVLE was pregnant, according to a search warrant filed in the case. That woman later gave birth. Police said the case was hampered by the fact that the first victim could not identify her attacker. The second woman told detectives a man named "Bernard" at MVLE was the one who raped her, police said. A paternity test on her baby showed there was a greater than 99 percent chance Betts-King was the father. A paternity test on the first woman's baby is pending. Betts-King on Tuesday waived a preliminary hearing, and those cases will now go before a grand jury. Abu Kalokoh, an attorney for Betts-King, said his client denies the charges in the rape cases, but he said he could not comment on the reopened investigations. "Those are investigations that are not on my desk, so I don't know anything about them," Kalokoh said. Kalokoh said Betts-King worked at MVLE for about 15 years, so the sodomy case would have predated his employment, while the sexual assault investigation would have occurred while he was working at the center. Fairfax County police said neither case was reported to Adult Protective Services, because they did not have enough evidence to establish crimes had occurred. Kalokoh said Betts-King also spent 22 years working for Fairfax County's Community Living Alternatives, which helps intellectually disabled people. Betts-King was employed at the Virginia program of St. John's Community Services from 2000 to 2006, also working with the intellectually disabled, according to officials there. Kalokoh said Betts-King had no felonies on his record and passed a background check to work at MVLE. A Virginia agency charged with overseeing facilities that work with the intellectually disabled is investigating the rapes as well. MVLE officials released a statement saying that Betts-King had been fired and that they were taking the situation "seriously" shortly after the rape charges against Betts-King were announced. They declined to comment on the reopened investigations. "MVLE has no further comment except to say that we continue to cooperate with authorities and the investigation," Executive Vice President Kenan Aden said in a statement. Coroner releases name of Meredosia man found dead The Morgan County coroner has released the name of the man who was found dead last week in rural Meredosia. Steven Thaxton, 70, died from what appeared to be a medical emergency, Coroner Jeff Lair said. Thaxton was found unresponsive by a person walking on a nearby farm along U.S. 67 just south of Bethel. The death was being investigated, but foul play was not suspected, Sheriff Mike Carmody said last week. Lair said Tuesday that his office was awaiting autopsy results. Morgan County Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Jeremy J. Deatherage, 37, of 345 Franklin St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 5:04 a.m. Tuesday on a domestic battery charge. Kyle A. McDannald, 29, of 303 S. Railroad St., White Hall, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 5:26 a.m. Tuesday on charges of title/registration possession offenses, driving while license is revoked or suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and driving a vehicle with expired registration. Willie G. Traylor, 58, of 102 Richard St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:18 a.m. Tuesday on a retail theft charge. Amanda R. Henderson, 31, of 220 E. North St., Roodhouse, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:06 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of domestic battery. Ramon Gabriel Colon Melendez, 36, of 220 E. North St., Roodhouse, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of domestic battery. Nicole R. Rabah, 20, of Jacksonville was booked into the Morgan County jail at 4:31 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of domestic battery. Richard L. Kelly, 36, of 202 N. Marnico Lane was booked into the Morgan County jail at 5:59 p.m. Tuesday on charges of retail theft over $300. South Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Sharon A. Washington, 57, of 804 S. Diamond St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:29 p.m. Monday on charges of driving while license is revoked or suspended, speeding, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Elizabeth C. Deshasier, 22, 638 S. Fayette St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:13 a.m. Tuesday on charges of illegal possession/ transportation of liquor by a passenger and liquor sales or possession. Kristen D. Bryant, 21, of 446 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:32 a.m. Tuesday on charges of driving under the influence, illegal possession/transportation of liquor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Greene County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Nathan D. Settles, 39, of Jerseyville was booked into the Greene County Jail at 10 a.m. Friday on a possession of a stolen motor vehicle charge. Lloyd L. Speaker, 33, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 8:45 a.m. Saturday on charges of criminal trespass to a residence, possession of methamphetamine and possession of hypodermic syringes and on a Jersey County warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court. Roodhouse Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Billy Jo Niklewski, 44, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:24 a.m. Sunday on a domestic battery charge. Pike County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Colton B. Bonar, 27, of Hannibal, Missouri, was arrested at 8:04 p.m. Sunday on a charge of unlawful use of a weapon. Cody N. McCoy, 29, of Rockport was arrested at 10:19 p.m. Sunday on a charge of resisting, obstructing or disarming a peace officer. Amber D. Yaste, 40, of Pittsfield was arrested at 2:31 a.m. Saturday on a violation of an order of protection. Randall A. Nicholson, 53, of Hannibal, Missouri, was arrested at 5:53 a.m. Friday on charges of burglary and retail theft. Kayle W. Wassell, 34, of Pittsfield was arrested at 7:16 p.m. Friday on a possession of methamphetamine charge and on a Pike County warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on charges of fleeing and possession of methamphetamine. Shannon L. Ducey, 29, of Baylis was arrested at 5:07 p.m. Thursday on a reckless discharge of a firearm charge. Bryan R. Smith, 47, of Roodhouse was arrested at 12:21 p.m. March 18 on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Compiled by Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree, David C.L. Bauer and Rosalind Essig In the months after Hurricane Maria, which killed an estimated 2,975 people in Puerto Rico, the island's Democratic governor abstained from joining the local chorus lashing President Donald Trump over what they see as a botched federal response. But that fragile alliance has disintegrated, as Trump increasingly insists that aid to the island be cut off, a demand he reiterated to Senate Republicans on Tuesday. In his strongest rebuke yet of the president, Gov. Ricardo Rossello late on Tuesday called Trump's comments "below the dignity of a sitting President" and "irresponsible, regrettable and, above all, unjustified," while suggesting Trump has dodged meeting him. "I invite the President to stop listening to ignorant and completely wrong advice," Rossello said in a statement. "Instead he should come to Puerto Rico to hear firsthand from the people on the ground. I invite him to put all of the resources at his disposal to help Americans in Puerto Rico, like he did for Texas and Alabama. No more, no less." Rossello's stinging commentary is likely to exacerbate deep-seated arguments about who deserves federal aid in an administration that has turned disaster relief into red-meat political fodder. While FEMA admitted to widespread failures after Maria ravaged Puerto Rico in September 2017, Trump has insisted his administration "did a fantastic job" and criticized the island's requests for billions to rebuild. In January, he said he would reject $600 million in food stamps for Puerto Ricans and asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to look into diverting some of its $13.9 billion in emergency funds for the island to pay for his border wall. One senior administration official recently told The Post that Trump's stance is that "he doesn't want another single dollar going to the island." In a closed-door lunch with Senate Republicans on Tuesday, Trump complained that Puerto Rico was getting $91 billion in aid, which dwarfed the disaster relief budgeted for red states like Texas and South Carolina. But that figure is far more than Puerto Rico has actually received, The Washington Post's Philip Bump reported, and it's not clear where Trump got the number. Rossello suggested that Trump was getting bad data and urged him to meet in person to talk. "I can only assume that Trump is receiving misleading information from his own staff," the governor said. "I have now made several requests to meet with the President to discuss Puerto Rico's recovery and reconstruction, but up to this day we haven't received a confirmation or a date, even though Trump told me we would meet after his visit to Vietnam earlier this year." The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Rossello's claims. On Tuesday, a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, insisted Trump was committed to helping Puerto Rico, but also noted that "the Trump Administration will not put taxpayers on the hook to correct a decades-old spending crisis that has left the island with deep-rooted economic problems." Rossello also took issue with allegations that disaster relief has been diverted to help pay off the island's crippling debt. "I want to be very clear: Not a single federal dollar has been used to make debt payments," he said. "This has been the most transparent recovery in the history of the United States, providing unprecedented access and collaboration with federal agencies." The governor has used FEMA's shaky response to Maria to make a renewed push for Puerto Rican statehood, a theme he struck again in his response to Trump. Without a full say in American politics, Puerto Ricans will always get short shrift in disaster response, he argued. "The world knows the unpleasant truth that Puerto Rico is a colonial territory of the United States and are well aware of the democratic deficiencies we endure: We are not allowed to vote for our President nor have voting representation in Congress," he said. "The federal response and its treatment during these past months in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria is clear evidence of our second-class citizenship." Trump's public reluctance to send more money to the island has now launched an official probe. On Tuesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development told Congress that its inspector general is investigating whether the Trump administration has actively interfered with disaster aid to Puerto Rico. Rossello closed his statement by insisting that his only request to Trump was equal treatment. "We are not your political adversaries; we are your citizens," he said. "We are not asking for anything more than any other U.S. state has received. We are merely asking for equality." A South Jacksonville business owner and village trustee has apologized for a since-removed Facebook post in which she complained about a non-English-speaking customer, but that is not slowing the backlash over the remarks. Some are calling the post by Trustee Stacy Pinkerton which was made last week on her personal Facebook page racist and inappropriate. Pinkerton said Tuesday that the post was a result of frustration over a customer who did not speak English. She and her husband own a small-engine repair shop. OMG. Some people and I mean the people who dont speak English. A gentleman cane into shop, speaking in Spanish. Of course me and Tom stood there like WTF. Tom turns around and starts working, leaving me just looking at him, trying to figure it. Tom says dont worry about it. Stupid [expletive] cant figure it out, that we dont know what the he is saying. He will leave in a minute. Just [expletive] us off when they do that. The comment was captured within a half hour of being posted and since has received more than 100 comments and has been shared more than 50 times. Pinkerton later posted an apology, saying her comment was not meaning to be discriminative or hateful. That was not my intention. That didnt ease the heat much, although there have been comments both supporting and opposing Pinkertons remark. Someone has even started a petition through change.org calling for her to resign and to be removed from the ballot for next weeks trustee election. Pinkerton was elected in 2015 and is up for re-election. She has served on the villages Ethics Committee, Personnel Committee and Public Protections Committee. She reiterated Tuesday that the post was a mistake she made after a frustrating moment. It was stupid and I shouldnt have made the comment, Pinkerton said. I have apologized, but they wont accept it. She later said in a text message that the post was taken out of context. Its just upsetting, because I didnt mean it the way they are saying, she said. Village President Harry Jennings declined to comment on the post, except to note, We have no control over what any elected officials may or may not post on their own time on their private accounts. That said, his or her comment(s) would be their own and in no way represent the village, he added. Some of those viewing the post, which was shared on other social media sites, said an elected official should have exercised better judgment. [W]hat in the world makes you think that a village trustee wouldnt be called out on something that is so blatantly bigoted and racist? You should be ashamed of yourself, and you should resign, South Jacksonville resident Anthony Stephens commented on My Social Jacksonville, which put up a screen shot of her Facebook post. Totally disrespectful and unacceptable especially if youre running for any office positions, said Carolyn McGee in a comment on Facebook. A few others, like Alex Galvez of Jacksonville, were more supportive. [W]e expect immigrants to assimilate into our culture which means learn English. If not, leave back to your [expletive] country of origin, he wrote. Susan Barrington Daily said in a comment on the post that she hopes Pinkerton acts differently in future situations. If there is a next time, I hope you try a different approach. Look at this person and in a kind voice, tell him Im sorry, I dont understand, but I will try to help you the best I can, Daily wrote. And then, make the effort. I promise you, the rest of your day will seem so much brighter, she said. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha. SPRINGFIELD Already in 2019, motorists have hit 14 squad cars stopped along Illinois roads. One of those incidents cost an Illinois State Police trooper his life. This information is obviously extremely concerning, acting ISP Director Brendan Kelly said Tuesday during a news conference at the Capitol in Springfield. While only one of these impacts resulted in a fatality, that is one too many. In January, trooper Christopher Lambert was struck and killed along Interstate 294 near Northbrook while he was assisting at an accident scene. Its the worst-case scenario among incidents occurring more often, Kelly said, despite a law that requires motorists to move over and slow down for emergency vehicles that are stopped and have their hazard lights flashing. Scotts Law was passed in Illinois in 2002. In 2013, the law was extended to apply to other vehicles, including ambulances and tow trucks. Kelly said so far in 2019 there have been 494 recorded violations of the law, compared to 184 during the same period last year. This years 14 collisions, occurring statewide at a rate of more than one per week, are already more than the yearly totals for 2016 (5), 2017 (12), and 2018 (8). Kelly blamed the increase on distracted and impaired driving. The amount of distracted driving out there is something everybody is sensitive to, Kelly said. And its increasing, at least anecdotally, from talking to our colleagues across the country. As he spoke during Tuesdays news conference, Kelly was flanked by photos of recent collisions, mangled squad cars hit by distracted or impaired drivers, which Kelly said have resulted in injuries ranging from concussions, lacerations and muscle tears, to ruptured and bulged discs, compound bone fractures and a death. It was the ISPs second stop on a three-day trip across the state to remind people of the law. A stop in Belleville is planned Wednesday. Kelly and other officers held a news conference Monday in Chicago with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who described the anguishing call he made to Lamberts family in January, notifying them of the accident. On Tuesday, Kelly referenced a plan to increase Scotts Law enforcement by allocating an extra 2,000 man hours and using some new and creative techniques devoted to catch drivers breaking the law. If you see a squad car with warning lights on, dont assume its a lone trooper just doing a regular traffic stop, Kelly said. You could have eyes, video, and other instrumentation all around you as part of a special Scotts Law detail. Asked to elaborate on the new tactics, which will be paid for with ISPs existing funds, Kelly said he was not going to spell it out right here. The 14th recorded collision with a parked squad car occurred March 20, when a state trooper and his parked squad car were hit by a semitrailer along Interstate 55 in Collinsville. The officer was outside his car when the crash occurred, and suffered serious injuries. The squad car was demolished. If you see an emergency vehicle with their lights activated, Kelly said, please slow down and move over. Its the right and safe thing to do, but failure to do so could also result in prosecution. Those who violate Scotts Law face fines from $100 to $10,000 and a possible loss of a drivers license. The law is named after Chicago Fire Department Lt. Scott Gillen, who was struck and killed while assisting at a crash scene on a Chicago expressway in December 2000. Reach reporter Grant Morgan at gmorgan@capitolnewsillinois.com ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands - After back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes blew through here in fall 2017, Russell Bryan joined thousands of Americans who rushed to "chase dreams and promises" of big paychecks from the federal reconstruction effort. A contracting firm said his crew would split about $50,000 for their work on 89 properties. So Bryan arrived with 10 friends and relatives last summer to repair blown-in doors and busted window frames and install FEMA-funded roofs, at times working up to 12 hours a day. But the money never arrived, and Bryan could barely afford the ice water he needed to work under the blazing Caribbean sun. The 27-year-old had to call his mother and plead for a plane ticket home. "I felt stranded," Bryan said after he climbed down from the roof on his final day on the job earlier this month. "If I stayed here, as a guy looking for his money, it's nothing but trouble." Frustration has consumed the Virgin Islands amid a wave of complaints about unpaid bills, broken promises and shoddy work in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In one case, the tension culminated in an armed standoff over allegations of unpaid contractors. The discord has cast light on how the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Virgin Islands government and two private multibillion-dollar engineering companies are managing the recovery, and the extent to which the financial windfall is filtering down to the sweaty workers doing much of the manual labor. "It just seems to be a very sketchy business model and based on business practices that are questionable," said Sen. Alicia Barnes, a member of the territorial legislature. "It seems to be a total breakdown in bureaucratic processes where there is no appropriate oversight." A year and a half after Irma hit, the beaches have been cleaned and cruise ships again crowd area ports. Most residents say the overall pace of the recovery has been quicker than with past storms. But the territory - which includes three islands and is roughly the size of Philadelphia - remains a long way from its pre-storm footing after 18,500 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by the hurricanes, resulting in an estimated $11 billion in damage. Like Puerto Ricans, the 103,000 residents of the Virgin Islands are American citizens, though they cannot vote in the presidential election and have no voting representation in Congress. President Donald Trump has complained recently about the amount of disaster aid going to Puerto Rico, amid Democrats' calls for more funding. Last summer, to try to expedite the recovery on the Virgin Islands, FEMA authorized a first-of-its-kind expansion of its Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) program, created after Hurricane Sandy struck the U.S. East Coast in 2012, to make minor repairs on houses so residents could avoid costly relocations to hotels, temporary trailers and new rental units. FEMA allowed the Virgin Islands to exceed the typical $25,000 cap on repairs on a case-by-case basis. The territorial government contracted two global engineering firms, AECOM and Aptim, to carry out the construction, and more than 7,000 houses have been repaired so far. But homeowners have complained about the quality of some of the repairs, and some have alleged that workers are effecting cracks and leaks in doors, walls and roofs. In February, three major subcontractors working under AECOM said they and other firms are collectively owed more than $60 million for work performed, putting some firms at risk of insolvency or bankruptcy. On Tuesday, the territorial government's Senate Finance Committee voted to subpoena AECOM after the firm failed to show up for a hearing on complaints over nonpayment. In a statement to The Washington Post, AECOM did not address whether its subcontractors have been paid in a timely manner, but said, "We are committed to doing everything we can in partnership with the Virgin Islands Territory and FEMA to provide the timely payment of services to subcontractors, including the substantial investment of our capital and resources to expedite payments in advance of the release of program funds." In a separate statement, Aptim Vice President Jeffrey Dorf said the company "is current with our payment terms and conditions with all subcontractors, in regard to our work." There could be more financial trouble to come, given the federal and Virgin Islands governments are at odds over how much the STEP program will ultimately cost. Daryl Griffith, executive director of the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority, said the territory has paid out nearly all of the $187 million in federal funds received for the STEP program. FEMA has promised another $86 million, he said, for a total of $273 million. But Michael Byrne, FEMA's federal coordinator for the Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands recoveries, said the agency has only allocated $223 million so far. Either way, it appears the federal allocation is likely to fall far short of the nearly half-billion dollars Griffith says the program will cost when all invoices are collected. Many local workers worry the money will never make it to their pockets anyway. Nathaniel Phillips, a 35-year-old native of St. Thomas, one of the territory's three islands, said he assembled seven crews in November for roofing work for an Aptim subcontractor, based on a promise that each man would earn between $150 and $500 a day. But after about a month of unpaid work, with Christmas approaching, the workers turned their fury on Phillips. "They would say, 'I am going to get my gun and I'm coming for my money,' " Phillips said. "I literally never thought about having a gun - I am a boxer. But after my life and my family's life was threatened, I went to buy a gun." Phillips and his father cobbled together about $15,000 to hand out to the workers, though the subcontractor still had not paid him, he said, and he could not afford to buy a Christmas gift for his 12-year-old daughter. He and the rest of the workers finally walked off the job on Jan. 2, alleging they were owed a combined $150,000. The subcontractor, Texas-based Allco Construction, did not return calls seeking comment. After Phillips and the other workers held a protest on St. Thomas to draw attention to their plight, Allco arranged to pay some of them. Phillips wasn't one of them. Dorf, from Aptim, said the company "does not have direct line-of-sight into second-tier subcontractor payments" but allows them "to voice their concerns." The responsibility for paying subcontractors ultimately rests with the company that hired them, said Brad Gair, a consultant for Witt O'Brien's, which is advising the territory on its recovery efforts. The layers of subcontractors working on the reconstruction is a "lesson learned" for the territorial government, Griffith said. "Whether they pay or not on time, we don't have visibility on that," he said. "And all of these stories we hear are either totally heart-wrenching or incredibly infuriating." Licensed construction contractor Scott Johnson said the dispute over funding is indicative of broader management shortfalls. A veteran of more than a dozen hurricane-recovery projects, Johnson was lured to St. Croix shortly after Christmas by a subcontracting firm under AECOM that promised him he could make more than $1,000 a week. He worked on four houses - all projects that had previously been started by other contractors who either walked off the job due to nonpayment or were yanked from the job because of poor craftsmanship. At one job, he said, a homeowner cried on his shoulder because a previous contractor had done more damage to her home than the hurricanes did. He fled back to Florida in early February, unable to finish even one roof because of chronic material shortages and poor supervision, he said. "I have never in my life seen anything more mismanaged than this contract," said Johnson, 46. "The people there deserve better. They should be treated on a level of eight to 10, but instead are being treated on a level of 1 to 1." Gair said the quality of the work is inspected separately by the general contractor, Witt O'Brien's, FEMA and the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, a process that can take months and lead to delayed checks. Vernon Eddy, 84, is one of the Virgin Islands residents who believes the process has failed him. Hurricane Irma left a few small holes in the ceiling of his living room and bathroom in his St. Thomas home. As contractors replaced his roof, Eddy said, the rain that arrives here almost daily opened up more than a dozen new holes in his ceiling. He begged them to return to repair the damage. "They just say they are not coming back, and they are finished with me," he said. The problem was particularly urgent for Eddy. His 88-year-old wife was recovering from a stroke in Nashville, Tennessee, and he didn't want to bring her home until the house was in top shape. She died earlier this month as Eddy waited. Sarah Mickelson, a senior policy director at the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said FEMA's STEP program is an example of how the federal government's outsourcing of disaster-recovery operations can shortchange residents. That states and localities are only reimbursed for approved costs after work is completed - meaning those governments have to front sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars - has proven especially problematic for the Virgin Islands, where the government was struggling to pay bills even before the storm. The territory has accumulated about $1.7 billion in debt and has just seven to 10 days of cash on hand. Moody's Investors Service, which rates the territory's credit worthiness, has assigned it the third-lowest of 21 ratings, one above Puerto Rico, which declared a form of bankruptcy in 2017. Faith in the system is deteriorating. The U.S. attorney's office for the Virgin Islands has launched at least one investigation. In February, a federal grand jury indicted four individuals alleged to have submitted fraudulent invoices for housing allowances, including for some workers who never performed work on the island. Meanwhile, tensions are escalating among those who have done the work and are struggling to get paid on time. David Burgess, a local contractor, believes many of the large contracting firms working on the STEP program are engaged in what he called "sub busting." He said the large firms are giving local workers incomplete blueprints or specifications for how a roof should be constructed under FEMA guidelines. Then, just as a project is about to be completed, the firms fire the workers to avoid paying them. "It's a way of keeping everything top-heavy so the money never reaches the ground," said Burgess, 62, who owns J&K Roofing, which the Virgin Islands Daily News has voted the "best roofer" on St. Thomas for the past two years. "They set you up to fail, and then after you complete 60 or 70 percent of the job, they come in and say, 'You don't get paid.' " Burgess believes that is what happened to his 33-year-old son, David Burgess Jr. In January, Burgess Jr. put together a two-man crew to work on a roof under a subcontractor for Aptim, with a promised payout of about $30,000, he said. After about three weeks, the company threatened to kick him off the job and not pay due to slow performance - even though various inspectors kept arriving at the job site and giving conflicting information about the building code. Soon after, armed security guards showed up and shouted at the crew to "get off the property right now," Burgess Jr. said. They refused and called Burgess Sr., who also showed up armed. The four-hour standoff attracted local media coverage. It ended when the subcontractor agreed to pay Burgess Jr. $21,500, allowing him to pocket about $7,000 after accounting for his expenses - including ensuring his co-worker on the project got paid. JERSEYVILLE Its been a long road to recovery for Jerseyville 11-year-old Lonnie Jackson, who spent more than three months in the hospital recovering from a car accident that nearly took his life. But that road finally led him home Monday. He received a heros welcome from his teachers and classmates at Illini Middle School just in time for his 11th birthday. He had been recovering at St. Louis Childrens Hospital since Jan. 11, when a traffic accident on U.S. 67 fractured his skull and jaw. The doctors were saying there was no hope for him, then he started progressing, said his father, Daniel Jackson. He went from walking with a walker last Saturday to walking without one now. Our God is good. With countless people excited for Lonnies return, his first stop was Illini Middle School as a police escort reunited Lonnie with his classmates for welcome-home high-fives, hugs and happy birthday wishes. Daniel Jackson and his wife, Toni, credit the actions of Jersey County Sheriffs Deputy Kevin Ayers, who responded to the scene, for helping to save their sons life. This is one of the first accidents Ive seen like this involving a child that has had a happy ending, Ayers said after receiving a big hug from Lonnie. Its amazing. I just cant believe hes walking away from this, Toni Jackson said while proudly showing a video of her sons first steps without his walker a few days earlier. Feb. 12th was when he hugged his dad again for the first time. Its just so exciting, everyone is so excited. Lonnie doesnt have to see another doctor for his injuries for another three months. Hell have the last of his stitches removed in two weeks. Other than that, its a regimen of physical therapy. There is a God, Daniel Jackson said. Hes real and Lonnie is walking proof. We went from no hope to bringing him home today. "If elected, you would be the first openly gay president of the United States," Stephen Colbert said to Pete Buttigieg after the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, declared his candidacy. While the characterization of being openly gay or "out" is relatively new, the fact is the United States has already had a gay president whose contemporaries knew it: James Buchanan. Indeed, the United States has also had a gay vice president and, maybe more surprisingly, a gay senator from Alabama. If students taking U.S. history classes are taught anything about Buchanan, they learn that he was "our only bachelor president." How quaint. But, by using euphemisms, we falsely educate students - indeed all Americans - about the realities of this country's history. We also distort how and why Buttigieg's sexual identity matters today. Before becoming president in 1857, Buchanan openly lived with William Rufus King, who at various times served as senator from Alabama, ambassador to France and, finally, Franklin Pierce's vice president. They met in Washington as young politicians, and lived together on and off for more than 16 years until King's death from tuberculosis in 1853. Buchanan's biographer, Jean H. Baker, believes that his relationship with the Southerner King partially explains why this Pennsylvanian was a "doughface," a Northerner who did not oppose slavery. Indeed, Buchanan explicitly urged the Supreme Court to deliver an expansive ruling in the Dred Scott case - which denied freed slaves American citizenship and forbade Congress from regulating slavery in U.S. territories - and lobbied Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state. More for you What Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris understand about 2020 How do we know Buchanan and King were a couple? In 1844, after King assumed his posting in Paris, Buchanan wrote a letter to a friend, complaining about being alone and not being able to find the right gentleman partner: "I am now 'solitary and alone,' having no companion in the house with me. I have gone a wooing to several gentlemen, but have not succeeded with any one of them. I feel that it is not good for man to be alone; and should not be astonished to find myself married to some old maid who can nurse me when I am sick, provide good dinners for me when I am well, and not expect from me any very ardent or romantic affection." Maybe he was only looking for a roommate, but who "woos" a roommate? And he admits he would not deliver "ardent or romantic affection" to a woman. Similarly, King wrote Buchanan from Paris: "I am selfish enough to hope you will not be able to procure an associate who will cause you to feel no regret at our separation. For myself, I shall feel lonely in the midst of Paris, for here I shall have no Friend with whom I shall commune as with my own thoughts." Their peers knew about their relationship, which Buchanan and King made no real effort to hide. Andrew Jackson referred to King as "Miss Nancy" - a euphemism for a homosexual. Other contemporaries called King Buchanan's "better half," and one congressman referred to him as "Mrs. B." All this would be quite peculiar if Buchanan was not gay. And we are not likely to get more explicit acknowledgment because both Buchanan and King had their personal papers burned after death. Skeptics will note that in 1819, at age 28, Buchanan was engaged to Anne Coleman, daughter of a rich Pennsylvania ironmaster. Ultimately, she canceled the engagement and shortly thereafter apparently committed suicide. A rumor in the 1850s had Buchanan involved with Sarah Childress Polk, the widow of President James Polk, but it was never substantiated. In all, there is no evidence that he ever was intimately involved with another woman. At best it could suggest Buchanan was bisexual. By not openly discussing this moment, we forget that being gay in the mid-19th century did not automatically exclude a man from national leadership. The idea that some people, including politicians and social leaders, are gay was not news or shocking to our forefathers. Americans generally considered it a private matter, and irrelevant to holding or performing public office. We obscure or even deny all this history, and, consequently, we miseducated our children and misdirect our attention. Moreover, we obfuscate perhaps the one positive step we took as a country in electing James Buchanan, who makes almost every list of the worst U.S. presidents. So, sorry, Pete Buttigieg, you can't aim to be the first gay president, although you could be the first married gay president. Let's stop pretending Buchanan was a bachelor, and take a lesson from our forebears. Instead of focusing on a candidate's sexuality, let's spend our time assessing their aptitude to lead our country in this perilous moment in history. - - - Emanuel is vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. Business CentreLimited (BCL) is an indigenous company set up by Ugandans who have had a wideexperience in Information Technology (IT); Marketing, Installation, Configurationand Support that partners with original Equipment manufacturers, and theiragents/Distributors in Uganda ensure that BCL sales/supplies value addedproducts to its clients at the lowest costs. More often than not, university students donot get opportunities for real interface with the work environment that relatesto their areas study prior to being ushered into the field of work. Hence,engagement of an intern will give the students an opportunity to gainexperience to prepare them for the job market and/or self-employment.Internship also offers opportunities for networking with like-mindedprofessionals. Given the above background the Sponsorship department needs astudent intern to train, develop and support the Sponsorship Team. The Internwill boost sponsor retention through processing of timely and qualitycommunications. Contribute towards meeting the sponsorship commitments. Living WaterInternational (LWI) is a global Non-Governmental organization that exists todemonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately neededclean water, and to experience living water- the gospel of JesusChrist which alone satisfies the deepest thirst. Living Water InternationalUganda (LWIU) was formed in 2009. LWIU is an affiliate of Living WaterInternational based in Houston, Texas, USA that was founded in 1990 andcurrently works in over 20+ countries across Latin America, the Caribbean,Sub-Saharan Africa, and India. LWI Uganda runs an integrated Water SanitationHygiene (WASH) program in South Western Uganda & we partner with otherlike-minded organsations to provide safe drinking water, Community Mobilisation& Gospel Proclamation, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion to communitiesacross Uganda. The USAID fundedRegional Health Integration to Enhance Services North, Lango Project(RHITES-N, Lango) is operating in the nine districts of the Lango sub-region ofnorthern Uganda (Alebtong, Amolatar, Apac, Dokolo, Kole, Kwania, Lira, Otukeand Oyam). RHITES-N, Lango will increase the effective use of sustainablehealth services in the region. The Project is led by John Snow, Inc. inpartnership with African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref), Doctors withAfrica (CUAMM), The Medical Concierge Group (TMCG) and Another Option. Theproject will contribute to measurable improvements in key Ugandan nationalhealth indicators (HIV; tuberculosis [TB]; malaria, maternal, newborn, andchild health [MNCH]; family planning [FP]; water, sanitation, and hygiene[WASH]; and nutrition). The USAID RHITES N, Lango Project, in partnership withMinistry of Health, Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) wishes tore-advertise for the following positions that were run in the New VisionNewspaper of March 11, 2019. USAID RHITES-N, Lango will facilitate therecruitment of qualified Ugandans on behalf of Lira RRH. The hospital is a 400bed hospital situated in Lira Municipality in Lira town with a catchmentpopulation of about 2.3 million people. It is a referral facility offering bothspecialized and general services. 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. Vote View Results It isn't cheap, but income protection insurance can prove a lifeline should you become too sick to work. These policies should provide a monthly payout until your state pension kicks in. But, as we reveal today, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. While the Government has been busy hiking up the state pension age for men and women, insurers have failed to increase the end date on existing policies. Income protection: While the Government has been busy hiking up the state pension age for men and women, insurers have failed to increase the end date on existing policies It means thousands of policyholders face a devastating hole in their finances they have no way of plugging. Their income will now stop years before they can claim their state pension. Anyone who hasn't yet claimed on their policy can renegotiate when their payments will end. But those who are already receiving a payout have been caught out. These individuals did the right and sensible thing. They took action to protect themselves should the worst happen. Now, they are being badly let down. Raising the state pension age will save the Government billions of pounds a year, while the UK insurance industry is thought to be worth around 1.3 trillion. So it cannot be right that responsible, prudent and very unwell people are left to carry the can. Ministers moved the goalposts and then failed to do enough to warn people about the changes. Meanwhile, financial advisers and insurers do not seem to have been very proactive in telling customers they stand to lose out. In fact, when Money Mail contacted experts to question this oversight, it seemed to come as a surprise and it didn't take long for them to try to wriggle off the hook by blaming the Government. Yet, while insurers blame ministers and ministers blame insurers, sick people are losing out. Instead of throwing mud, both sides need to focus on thrashing out a deal to help those affected it is their moral responsibility. Car hire victory At last! A promise to protect holidaymakers from rip-off car hire sharks on the Continent. UK and European watchdogs revealed this week that customers will no longer face 'nasty surprises' at the checkout under plans to force firms to ditch misleading pricing tactics. Enterprise and Sixt say that they have already clarified any extra charges on their websites, while Avis and Europcar (which includes Goldcar) are expected to update their fees by the end of June. After years of being inundated with tales of car hire woe from readers, however, I find it hard to believe that such a rip-off culture can change overnight. So, if you'll excuse my cynicism, I'll be very interested to hear what returning holidaymakers have to say about the effectiveness of these new rules. If you hire a car in Europe this year, keep us posted by emailing carhire@dailymail.co.uk Human touch One thing you do not expect to see celebrated in a major banking group's report on futurist gadgets and gizmos is the importance of the human touch. Yet a report commissioned by CYBG, which owns Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks as well as Virgin Money, says a huge eight in ten of us still want to be able to visit a bank branch, no matter how advanced technology gets. That goes for millennials, too. It's a timely reminder for major High Street banks who are shutting branches faster than you can say 'cashless society'. The fight goes on Reader Doreen, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, emailed me to ask if Money Mail's Unlock Our Pensions Campaign had 'died'. Absolutely not. I promise that we have not forgotten the millions of you who are trapped in annuity contracts and unable to benefit from the Government's pension freedom reforms. In fact, only the other morning, I met with political lobbyists over a strong black coffee to discuss this very issue. As Doreen points out, the problem is that the Government has other things on its mind at present. But, as soon as there is a window of calm in the Brexit storm, we will prioritise the fight to free your cash. In the meantime, keep your letters coming and write to me at v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk The lure of a titanium credit card to go with swish devices will doubtless have Apple enthusiasts salivating. Tim Cooks one-upmanship required something better than the platinum Amex has at the top of the range. The people who really need to be worried about Apple and the other digital giants are the established credit card brands and banks. It has long been my view that the greatest threat to the banks is encroachment by big tech. The lure of a titanium credit card to go with swish devices will doubtless have Apple enthusiasts salivating All the banks have invested lavishly in fintech but, as we saw when TSB sought to embrace an all-encompassing platform pioneered by its Spanish owner Sabadell, it resulted in a costly 300million bill, the departure of chief executive Paul Pester and reputational damage. Amazon has been quietly moving into the financial space, offering its small business customers credit in the UK and providing a low-interest loans service in the US. Apple, smartly, has recruited Goldman Sachs as its credit card partner. Goldman is in the foothills as a retail bank but has the advantage of no legacy consumer systems. The Goldman plan is to turn retail banking into an activity which matches investment banking and wealth management as an enterprise. In the UK, by offering a relatively high return of 1.5 per cent on savings put in its Marcus account, it already has gathered up to 7billion of deposits with an average of an astonishingly high 20,000. The titanium card already has the techies gushing and with 1.4m people reckoned to have Apple devices the possibility of exponential growth cannot be dismissed. The card offers several improvements on the competition. Cook promises more privacy. We know how keen Apple is on that from the San Bernardino shootings in 2015 when the FBI went to court to persuade the company to open a backdoor to the iPhone owned by one of the killers. The titanium card will have no printed numbers but details will be etched in laser, offering greater security when people mislay cards. It will also work alongside the Apple wallet providing simple summaries of transactions without the annoying pop-up ads. The come-ons for holders include discount on Apple purchases, no international charges and an ability to match payments to locations. All of this sounds dandy. But a warning to mighty Goldman and anyone else who partners with Apple: the group is on a constant learning curve and, once it has gained the expertise, has a nasty habit of ditching partners and suppliers. Tims world You might wonder what online grocer Ocado and tonic water champion Fever-Tree have in common They are both run by single-minded entrepreneurs with the schoolboyish name Tim: Steiner at Ocado and Warrillow at Fever-Tree. Both are disrupters in their respective industries and each has its sceptics. Among British shoppers and some analysts Ocado has never shaken off the grocer image. But it is becoming the Amazon of the grocery industry, selling its automatic warehousing and logistics software across the world. Having taken in M&S in an expensive joint venture in the UK, with the help of chairman Archie Norman, it is now going Down Under to Coles where Norman is a director and vice-chairman. Ocado may still find it hard to turn a profit but it is on three continents. In the US, with Kroger, and Australia, with Coles, it is working with some of the bigger beasts. Tech investors dont value on the bottom line but on prospects. Faith in Ocado means that with a market value of 9billion it is now worth twice as much as M&S. Fever-Tree is also fizzing away, having left established players in the tonic water space, such as Schweppes, in the sand. It does make profits, operates with big margins, and sales are bubbling. Growth is closely tied to the gin fad. So there is an issue as to how long investors will stick with what is viewed as a one-trick pony. Dark history Heres a thought next time you tuck into a Pret A Manger salad: the founding Reimann family behind owner JAB Holdings, which also controls Krispy Kreme and has a big stake in cosmetics firm Coty, has just been outed as having a Nazi past. Albert Reimann and his son Albert both now dead are exposed in a report commissioned by the family as anti-Semitic, enthusiastic Nazis, and employers of slave labour. The British are often typecast as too polite to complain or cause a fuss. Research from the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), suggests 15 million of us suffer in silence because we lack the confidence to complain. However, those who don't pluck up the courage to protest will often miss out on refunds and redress. Every week, Money Mail's postbag is full of letters and emails complaining about shoddy service from banks, insurers and utility giants. Speak out: Research from the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), suggests 15 million of us suffer in silence because we lack the confidence to complain Yet a survey for the FCA last October revealed that 28 per cent of us put up with poor service because we lack the know-how to speak up. In many cases, a firmly-worded letter to your provider will do the job, but when that fails there are now numerous official alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes that help customers resolve gripes. Here's our definitive guide on how to get what you are entitled to. HOW TO COMPLAIN You can complain about a business if you are unhappy with the service you received or you have suffered financial loss, distress or inconvenience. You should write 'formal complaint' at the top of an email or letter addressed to the company and request a written response. Bullet point what has gone wrong and explain how you want the firm to resolve the issues. List your direct financial and consequential losses, including time spent on the phone and how you have been inconvenienced. Ask the company to compensate you for this. Include any evidence that supports your case and research the firm online to see if others have experienced the same treatment. Companies typically have eight weeks to respond. If your complaint falls on deaf ears, or is refuted, it is time to turn to an official complaints service such as an Ombudsman or ADR scheme. Critics say they can be confusing and some are ineffective, but they are typically a far cheaper and faster option than going to court. The Financial Ombudsman Service received 333,967 complaints in the tax year 2017 to 2018 BANK BOTHER The Financial Ombudsman Service is responsible for dealing with complaints about all regulated financial firms, including banks, credit card firms, pension providers, insurers, and even payday lenders. It received 333,967 complaints in the tax year 2017 to 2018. Around 34 per cent were upheld in the customer's favour. You must first give your bank a chance to resolve the issue directly. They should investigate and respond within eight weeks. If your complaint is rejected, you should be sent a final response letter outlining your right to refer the case to the Financial Ombudsman. You have six months after receiving this letter to do so. If the bank fails to respond to your initial complaint, you can refer it to the Ombudsman after eight weeks. Your complaint will first be dealt with by an initial case handler. If you lose at this stage you can appeal to the Ombudsman, who's decision is legally binding on the firm. The most the Ombudsman can order companies to pay is 150,000 excluding interest and costs which can be awarded on top. But the maximum payout is rising to 350,000 as of April 1. To make a complaint, call 0800 023 4567, visit help.financial-ombudsman.org.uk or write to Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange, London E14 9SR. I made over 1,000 by complaining John Green says complaining has earned him thousands of pounds in compensation over almost four decades Retired headmaster John Green, 69, says complaining has earned him thousands of pounds in compensation over almost four decades. He made his first major complaint in 1982 when the tyres on his new car wore out after just 3,000 miles. He took the garage to a small claims court and the dealer agreed to replace the tyres and pay him around 100 in compensation. John says it was an easy process. He submitted his claim form by post and represented himself in court. Since then John, who lives in Skipton, North Yorkshire, with his wife Eileen, 70, says he complains about everything not up to scratch and advises others to do the same. In the past three months he has been awarded 90 in compensation from the Energy Ombudmsan following three complaints, including 60 from Yorkshire Water after workmen left a muddy mess on his drive. A decade ago John threatened to sue a company when the delivery driver dropped half a tonne of paving slabs, earmarked for his patio, on his drive. It offered a refund for the smashed tiles but refused to pay for the damaged drive. A year later John threatened the firm with court proceedings. It eventually backed down and paid 1,000 for repairs. John has also previously received bottles of wine and goodwill payments of up to 100 from banks for poor customer service. He says: 'You have to be persistent. It does not matter how long it takes to complain, it is the principal. I refuse to put up with bad service.' John says it is important to say what you want when you complain. He adds: 'Explain how much time you have spent writing letters, emails and on the phone and what you think this amounts to. I aim for 20 an hour, or thereabouts.' BODGED BILLS The most common gripes about energy suppliers include billing mistakes, poor customer service and loss of supply. If you have a complaint, your first port of call is your provider. If your complaint is rejected and you are still unhappy, you have 12 months to take your grievance to the Energy Ombudsman for free. All energy firms are obliged to sign up, and the service is approved by watchdog Ofgem. The most common gripes about energy suppliers include billing mistakes & loss of supply Latest figures show that the Ombudsman resolved almost 49,000 complaints in 2017. More than six in ten were upheld in favour of the customer. If the Ombudsman's rules in your favour, your supplier has 28 days to resolve the issue. If the problem still isn't fixed after 85 days, you can request a further review or, as a last resort, take court action. The Ombudsman can also report the firm to Ofgem. The service is funded by energy companies who pay a fee for any case that is referred to the service. Complain online at ombudsman-services.org, phone 0330 440 1624 or write to Ombudsman Services: Energy, PO Box 966, Warrington, WA4 9DF. BAD BROADBAND Each week Money Mail is inundated with complaints about telecoms giants. These typically include billing errors, slow broadband speed, problems switching supplier, loss of service and mis-selling. All telecoms firms belong to either the Communications Ombudsman which works with more than 1,450 providers including BT, EE, O2 and Plusnet. Or the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (Cisas) which covers Vodafone, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media. In 2017, the Communications Ombudsman resolved 41,751 complaints up from 29,503 in 2016. Cisas dealt with 2,927 disputes between July 2017 and June 2018. You can complain online at ombudsman-services.org, or by writing to Ombudsman Services: Communications, PO Box 730, Warrington, WA4 6WU. Its helpline number is 0330 440 1614. For Cisas visit cedr.com/consumer/cisas, or 020 7520 3814. FLIGHT GRIEVANCE Every year, thousands of airline passengers are delayed, miss flights, lose their baggage, experience poor service or are hit with hidden fees. If this happens to you, always complain to the airline first. If they do not respond after eight weeks, or you are unhappy with the outcome, your next step is to find out if the firm is signed up to a dispute resolution service. The two main voluntary schemes are the AviationADR and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). AviationADR members include Emirates, Flybe, Delta and Virgin Atlantic. Travel hell: Every year, thousands of airline passengers are delayed, miss flights, lose their baggage, experience poor service or are hit with hidden fees British Airways, Thomas Cook, easyJet and Tui belong to CEDR's dispute scheme, along with airports London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester. Only airlines Jet2 and Ryanair are not signed up to either. In this instance, you should contact aviation watchdog the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Complain for free to AviationADR online at aviationadr.org.uk or write to AviationADR, 12 Walker Avenue, Stratford Office Village, Wolverton Mill, Milton Keynes, MK12 5TW. Or call 0203 540 8063. If your airline is a member of CEDR, visit cedr.com/consumer/aviation/submit-a-claim, write to Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, 70 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1EU, or call 020 7536 6099. There is a 25 administration fee if you lose your case. CEDR says it does not close a case until any payment it has awarded has been paid. To contact the aviation regulator, visit caa.co.uk, write to Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT), UK Civil Aviation Authority, 45-59 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TE or call 0330 022 1500. PROPERTY PAIN It is a legal requirement for lettings, sales and property management agents to be signed up to a redress scheme. So if your estate agent delays your house sale, you are hit with unfair fees or were given bad advice, you can complain. This will be either to The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the Property Redress Scheme (PRS). If your dispute cannot be resolved with the firm, they should send you a final response letter outlining how to escalate your complaint. TPO will accept complaints up to 12 months after the final letter is received. If your agent is signed up to the PRS, you have six months. If your estate agent delays your house sale or you were given bad advice, you can complain If your estate or letting agent failed to clearly explain these deadlines, you may be given longer. TPO is the largest redress schemes, with 15,818 sales agents and 14,746 lettings agents. Members include Foxtons and Acorn. In 2017, it received 3,658 complaints, and ordered agents to pay 1.36 million to customers. To complain to TPO, call 01722 333306 and request a complaints form, or download one via its website: attpos.co.uk./consumers/completing-the- complaints-form. Send the form, along with any supporting documents, via email to admin@tpos.co.uk or The Property Ombudsman, Milford House, 43-55 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2BP. You can complain to the PRS online at theprs.co.uk/complain, or call 0333 321 9418. Alternatively, write to Property Redress Scheme, Premiere House, 1st Floor, Elstree Way, Borehamwood WD6 1JH. If the firm ignores the Obudsman's decision, they will be expelled from the scheme. RETAIL REDRESS Shops are not obliged to sign up to any redress scheme but some are members, regardless. Typical complaints received by retailers are about faulty goods, missing parts, deliveries and mis-selling. If your complaint is about a lost, stolen or damaged delivery, you should first complain to the retailer rather than the delivery firm. Typical complaints received by retailers are about faulty goods, missing parts and deliveries The Consumer Ombudsman has around 20 members but only very few, including New Look and Panasonic, are big names. Visit consumer-ombudsman.org/ComplaintLodgement or call 0333 300 1620. Alternatively, write to PO Box 1263, Warrington WA4 9RE. Another scheme, called RetailADR, has 50 retailers signed up, including Debenhams, Cotswold Living, Ikea, and Poundland. To make a complaint call 020 3540 8063, write to 12 Walker Avenue, Stratford Office Village, Wolverton Mill, Milton Keynes MK12 5TW, or visit dashboard.retailadr.org.uk/dashboard/create-claim.php. If the retailer is not signed up to a dispute scheme you can contact Trading Standards via Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06. COURT ACTION As a final option, you can take your complaint to a small claims court (known as a simple procedure in Scotland). There is a claim limit of 10,000 in England and Wales, 5,000 in Scotland and 3,000 in Northern Ireland. Some disputes have different caps the limit for a housing disrepair claim, for example, is 1,000. You first fill out a claim form. Visit gov.uk/make-money-claim or your local court. You do not need a solicitor but you may want legal advice as making a mistake could mean your claim is thrown out. You can also call the HM Courts & Tribunal Service money claims helpline on 0300 123 7050, but it will not give out legal advice. Submitting a claim to the court costs money. How much depends on the size of the claim. If you win your case, you get these fees back, but if you lose you may be liable for the other party's costs. a.murray@dailymail.co.uk Mike Lynch says HP used aggressive tactics, making him a scapegoat after it botched an 8.5bn takeover of his former firm Autonomy Tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has accused American giant HP of waging a vicious public campaign to destroy his reputation. The 53-year-old, once dubbed 'Britain's Bill Gates', says HP used aggressive tactics, making him a scapegoat after it botched an 8.5billion takeover of his former firm Autonomy. The claims will be made today by his lawyers, as they set out his defence in a 3.8billion High Court battle. The civil case is the biggest fraud trial in English legal history. Lynch denies fraud. HP accuses Lynch and other Autonomy executives of cooking the books at the company before it was sold in 2011. The US firm wrote off most of Autonomy's value a year later, blaming the alleged fraud. However, Lynch's lawyers argue his former business was driven into the ground by chaotic management at HP and that its allegations against him are desperate 'makeweights'. They say he was never given the chance to defend himself before the claims against him were taken public and that HP, under former boss Meg Whitman, 'commenced an aggressive and co-ordinated press campaign' before it had properly gathered evidence. 'HP chose to shoot first and ask questions later,' his defence says. 'The choice of target appears to be motivated by the fact that Dr Lynch is wealthy and has a deep pocket for the purposes of this claim. 'Further, the claimants need a high-profile target to blame for the losses that they suffered.' Lynch's lawyers claim the accusations by HP have damaged his reputation and his business interests, with the entrepreneur's fund Invoke Capital losing out on deals. Rather than fraud, Lynch's lawyers argue the failure of Autonomy under HP's control was down to poor business choices. They say HP tried to abandon its takeover of Autonomy in the late stages but was blocked from doing so by the UK Takeover Panel. It then ousted key executives who had orchestrated the deal, made abrupt changes in strategy, failed to expand Autonomy's sales team, sidelined the firm's products and was riven by boardroom arguments over the direction of the business, Lynch's lawyers claim. HP instead alleges Lynch was aware of efforts by executives at Autonomy to artificially inflate sales figures so that the company appeared to be more valuable than it really was. On Monday and yesterday, the company's lawyers said Autonomy's bosses were so desperate to boost sales that they struck deals to sell products to customers but then bought equipment they did not need from them in return. The trial continues. Lloyd's of London suffered a loss of 1billion last year, blaming a 'volatile' investment backdrop and a string of costly natural catastrophes. The insurance market said losses have halved from 2billion a year earlier, but admitted disasters including hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon Jebi in Japan and wildfires in California had taken their toll amid soaring claim levels. The group has pledged to take action to tackle allegations of sexual harassment at the institution in response to reports which surfaced last week. Its plan of action includes an independent route for reporting inappropriate behaviour, a market-wide survey on the issue and new training. Hefty losses: Lloyd's of London suffered a loss of 1billion last year, blaming a 'volatile' investment backdrop and a string of costly natural catastrophes On the issue of its latest loss, Lloyd's of London said the bill for major claims alone cost the market 2.9billion in the last year, including for hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon Jebi in Japan and the US wildfires. This compared with 4.6billion in 2017. But the group said annual results showed 'green shoots of improvement', with prices strengthening by 3.2 per cent on renewal business. Lloyd's of London's return on capital increased to 3.7 per cent, up from 7.3 per cent a year earlier. Lloyd's chief executive John Neal said: 'This performance is not of the standard that we would expect of a market that has both the heritage and quality of Lloyd's. 'We have implemented stronger performance management measures which will remain an enduring feature of how we go about our business. 'We expect these actions to deliver progressive performance improvement across the market beginning in 2019 and in the years to come.' He added: 'We are determined to show decisive leadership across three fronts - to address the performance gap, to secure Lloyd's future success and, following our announcement yesterday, to tackle all forms of inappropriate behaviour with robust actions to create a more inclusive working environment.' Disappointed: Lloyd's chief executive John Neal said, 'This performance is not of the standard that we would expect of a market that has both the heritage and quality of Lloyd's' On the subject of sexual harassment allegations, Mr Neal said: 'It has been distressing to hear about the experiences of women in the Lloyd's market. 'No one should be subjected to this sort of behaviour, and if it does happen, everyone has the right to be heard and for those responsible to be held to account. 'I am pleased that the market has given its full support for a strong set of actions, and I am determined that Lloyd's offers a safe and inclusive working environment for everyone.' Lloyd's of London said it was 'ready' for Brexit after opening its new Brussels subsidiary, which is 'fully operational and writing risks.' The group said: 'This provides certainty for our customers in the European Economic Area that they can continue to access Lloyd's insurance products, services and expertise.' Savers face missing out on the best cash Isa deals as banks and building societies pull their top rates early. In a highly unusual move, some market-leading accounts have already disappeared with more than a week still to go until the end of the tax year. Last week Coventry BS withdrew its Easy Access Isa (Online) paying a top 1.5 per cent after it had been on sale for just 15 days. Deadline looming: You have until April 5 to use your 20,000 cash Isa allowance for this tax year. If you fail to do so, you will lose it for ever as you cannot carry it over to the next tax year And the best one-year fixed-rate Isa, at 1.78 per cent from OakNorth, vanished after just two days last week. It went on sale again on Monday but is unlikely to last long. Aldermore Bank has also withdrawn from sale for the rest of this tax year its fixed-rate cash Isas paying as much as 1.85 per cent. Other providers have warned savers applying for new accounts that they must submit their paperwork as early as this Friday or risk missing the deadline. It means that savers need to act fast. You have until April 5 to use your 20,000 cash Isa allowance for this tax year. If you fail to do so, you will lose it for ever as you cannot carry it over to the next tax year. You will get another 20,000 allowance on April 6 to use by April 5, 2020. The start of March through to mid-April is traditionally known as Isa season. This is when banks and building societies rush to launch top rates to lure last-minute savers looking to use up their annual allowance or attract early birds who want to stash their new allowance as soon as possible after it resets. Cash Isas are a popular choice among savers as any interest earned is automatically tax free. This year, experts expect savers to plough even more cash into the tax-free accounts as nervous investors shun the stock market ahead of Brexit. With rates creeping up, many savers are also returning to Isas as they fear exceeding their 1,000 personal savings allowance (500 for higher-rate taxpayers) if they stick with ordinary accounts. A huge 1.2 billion was saved into Isas in January alone more than four times the 275 million put aside in the same month last year. With such a wall of money coming in, top-paying accounts are disappearing fast, as providers do not want to attract more cash than they actually need. Darren Cook, of data analysts Moneyfacts, explains: 'They need to close products as they cannot afford to hold idle cash in their vaults.' Research from Santander reveals that applications shoot up by 60 per cent in the first week of April compared with two weeks earlier. Anna Bowes, from Savings Champion, says: 'Some providers have already withdrawn their best deals and more will follow if only to make sure they have enough time to open your account before the end of the tax year.' It used to be the case that providers would accept Isa applications down to the wire on April 5. But those wanting to open Sainsbury's Bank's Cash Isa, paying a decent 1.39 per cent, needed their application in by last Friday. OakNorth Bank wanted applications in ten days before the deadline to guarantee its 1.44 per cent easy-access account. Tesco Bank's Instant Isa at 1.44 per cent disappears this Friday to ensure it has enough time to open the account. Friday this week is also the cut-off time for applying for Britannia cash Isas through Co-op Bank branches. Virgin Money says you should make an appointment to open its branch-based Easy Access Cash Isa, rather then just popping in. Leeds BS also recommends you make an appointment because of higher demand. Skipton is extending its opening hours to 6pm or 7pm in some branches on April 5. If you are applying online, Nationwide and Yorkshire BS say you have until midnight on April 5. But some providers have earlier cut-off times. It can take just minutes to open an account online as long as you have your National Insurance number (find it on your payslip, P60, or letters about tax, pensions and benefits). But you need to allow time for the money to get into the account before midnight. Providers also need to check you are who you say you are before they can open an account for you. All firms have slightly different criteria as to what they need to do this, so check in advance. If you get tripped up providing this information in time, you can still open an account quickly with an existing savings or current account provider as they have already completed these checks. Once your money is there, you can move it to a different cash Isa or stocks and shares Isa later. sy.morris@dailymail.co.uk The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Alphatec Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Argus Research Ltd., Batterias Hawker de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Coppervale Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, EH Swiss Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited (94.7%) *, EnerSys (Luxembourg) Finance Sarl, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Argentina S.A., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys BVBA, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys Brasil Ltda., EnerSys Bulgaria EOOD, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys JSC, EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SNC, EnerSys South East Asia Pte. Ltd., EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco LLC, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., Hawker Systems GmbH & Co. KG., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, N Holding AB, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery DMCC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. , SiteTel Shanghai Co Ltd., SiteTel Sweden AB, Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Higher Education Colleges Jobs 2019 in Muzaffarabad AJK Latest Higher Education Department Posts Muzaffarabad 2021 Qualified and experienced personnel for the posts of Junior Clerk, Laboratory Assistant, Lab Boy, Naib Qasid, Mali, Chowkidar, Watchman, Sweeper, Cleaner required for Higher Education Colleges in Muzaffarabad AJK 2019. How to Apply on Higher Education Department 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. MDS Coordinator Job 2019 For Saudi Arabia Latest McDonald Company Hotel Posts Saudi Arabia 2021 A well reputed and established McDonald Company requires the service of qualified and well educated candidate for the position of MDS Coordinator in Saudi Arabia. How to Apply on McDonald Company 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 Community Alliance for a Safer Tomorrow (CAST) recently held its second annual Kick Butts Day Speak Out at Upper Merion Area Middle School. Kick Butts Day is a day to empower students to take a stand and speak out against tobacco. The Speak Out featured roundtable discussions on a variety of thought-provoking tobacco-related questions including: Who do you think e-cigarette companies are targeting with flavors such as Gummy Bear, Bubble Gum, and Chocolate Chip? Why do you think JUUL ads are placed on the doors and windows of convenience stores? Do you think society should do more to protect kids from tobacco? and If you could create a new law related to tobacco or e-cigarettes, what would it be? The students were not at a loss for words when asked to come up with new ideas for laws related to tobacco and e-cigarettes. The students felt that e-cigarette flavors should be banned. In fact, the students even signed a petition at the Speak Out to ask the FDA to ban flavors. The petition is also available online at https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/get-involved/flavors-petition. Some students mentioned that they felt it should be illegal to vape near the entrances of buildings or in the lobbies of buildings. The students noted that they often have to walk past people who are vaping, and they worry about the possible health effects. Many people mistakenly believe that e-cigarette vapor is harmless water vapor, but the students at the Speak Out learned that e-cigarette vapor is actually an aerosol of harmful chemicals, ultrafine particles, heavy metals, volatile organic chemicals, and nicotine. The students had a chance to sweeten their discussions with some ice cream sundaes, and they also had the chance to take part in some special activities such as a tattoo booth featuring Too Cool to Smoke tattoos, a Chalk the Walk station where students used sidewalk chalk to make colorful anti-smoking messages, and a photo station where they could have a picture taken of themselves kicking a large cigarette butt. The students were able to count the shoes in the FATAL FIGURES display which featured 91 pairs of shoes, representing the number of people in the United States who would die from a smoking-related disease during the hour and a half Speak Out. The students had a chance to view a display called Airing Tobaccos Dirty Laundry, which featured a clothesline of t-shirts bearing quotes taken from internal memos from tobacco companies from the 1960s through the 1990s with statements such as We must get our share of the youth market, We must create a package that will be attractive to kids but must not attract the ever watchful eye of the federal government, and Todays teenage smoker is tomorrows regular customer. Each student was given an angry face sticker to place on the t-shirt that made him or her the angriest. The t-shirt with the most stickers read, If were really not selling to kids, were all going to be out of business. As food for thought, students were asked if they thought the same thing might be happening today with e-cigarettes. The students also walked the A-Maze-ing Trail of Deception where they stopped at stations and viewed displays showing the similarity between past tobacco ads and todays e-cigarette ads. At each station, the students had to draw a card telling them whether the ad influenced them to purchase vape products. If they drew a purchase card, they needed to visit the doctor station, where they received information on the health effects of vaping. Afterwards, the students were asked, How do you feel knowing that you are being targeted? The students said that they felt angry, annoyed, sad, and disappointed. One student remarked that he felt really insecure. The Speak Out ended with the students signing a banner pledging to make tobacco history and to help create the first tobacco-free generation! The Speak Out was funded by a mini grant that CAST received from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. For more information on vaping, parents, educators, and community members are invited to attend a seminar on April 11th, Clearing the Air About Vaping, which will be held in the Large Group Instruction Room at Upper Merion Area High School, 440 Crossfield Road, King of Prussia, PA. CAST is hosting this workshop, which will be presented by Be a Part of the Conversation and funded by Montgomery County Department of Drug & Alcohol. Patrick Dowling, a licensed clinician who works with adolescents, and a prevention specialist from Caron Treatment Center will also be part of the expert panel who will help us clear the air about vaping To register to attend, please visit umasdvaping.eventbrite.com. Coeymans Officials in Bethlehem and New Scotland are throwing support behind a controversial local air pollution law in the neighboring town of Coeymans that is expected to be voted on Thursday. Bethlehem Supervisor David VanLuven said Wednesday that he backs the proposed law, which would strictly limit the burning of waste in Coeymans, because "air pollution ignores political boundaries." Douglas LaGrange, supervisor of New Scotland, also supports the proposal. The measure "will not only protect the health and well-being of the residents of Coeymans, but also those residents of adjoining communities," LaGrange wrote in a March 20 letter to the town. That law is opposed by one of Coeymans' largest businesses, cement maker LafargeHolcim, which wants to burn waste tires at its new kiln on Route 9W near the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School. "We have some children from our town that are attending that school," said VanLuven, who wrote a March 19 letter to Coeymans Supervisor Phil Crandall in support of the town law. "Your residents, as well as ours, have to breathe the emissions from waste disposal facilities," wrote VanLuven. "It is therefore well justified for the town of Coeymans to set strong standards for public safety and to require effective standards for monitoring, reporting, and enforcement. Crandall said the measure, drafted last summer, will be voted on by Town Board members at their meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 18 Russell Ave. He said he expects it to pass. If adopted, it would set strict limits on waste burning and impose what could be the nation's strongest standards on emissions, including toxic dioxins and furans, as well as the heavy metal mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Last month, LafargeHolcim took out a full-page advertisement in the weekly Ravena News-Herald urging the defeat of the air pollution measure. Criticism of the pollution measure also is coming from George McHugh, who has left his role as general counsel for Carver Laraway, an Altamont businessman and owner of the Port of Coeymans, to challenge Crandall in this fall's town elections. A 2006 state permit would have allowed Lafarge to burn up to 4.8 million tires annually at the old kiln. While that permit expired last year, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Lafarge could burn tires at the new kiln if the company can show such burning would not violate the plant's existing air pollution limits. Laraway currently has a three-year DEC contract to collect and dispose of an estimated 600,000 waste tires from 29 sites, with additional sites added as necessary. Lafarge officials have said the company has not been in contact with Laraway over the possible provision of tires to its kiln. However, Lafarge sees old tires as a replacement fuel for the kiln, which was rebuilt in 2017 at a cost of about $300 million with a more environmentally efficient design meant to reduce emissions of toxic mercury and other pollution. The new kiln was part of a 2010 agreement between Lafarge and state and federal officials to resolve issues over longstanding air emissions, including high levels of toxic mercury. The company's current state air pollution permit allows the plant to burn natural gas, coal, coke or fuel oil as fuel in its high-temperature kiln used to make cement. Battle lines over the pollution law and the cement company appear to be forming. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. This month, former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith Enck released a 2017 letter between an affiliate of LafargeHolcim and a California-based company that was seeking to acquire municipal waste from Hartford, Conn. Enck said the letter raises doubts about the company's honesty in dealing with Ravena, since Lafarge officials vehemently denied such plans in late 2017 after Enck had discovered a reference to the Lafarge kiln in paperwork filed with Connecticut environmental officials. McHugh has said the town air pollution law, which supporters say is needed to ensure that the company uses only fossil fuels, is overreaching and unnecessary. Laraway has been steadily expanding the port since purchasing the former brickyard in 2007 with state aid from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal. Located off state Route 144, it was the site of Powell & Minnock Brick Works, which closed in 2001. Some neighbors have expressed concerns over the rapid expansion of the port and its potential impact on the Hudson River and nearby Coeymans Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River. Laraway also is the owner of Carver Sand & Gravel, based in Altamont. Coeymans is eyeing the air law as state environmental officials weigh plans by the Lehigh cement plant in Glens Falls to burn a mix of recycled plastics, paper and metal called "raggertail." After the proposal drew local opposition, DEC extended its environmental review, which is not yet completed. Bethlehem Less than a year after Monolith Solar broke ground on its new $4.9 million headquarters in Slingerlands, Monolith's bank is foreclosing on the property. Pioneer Bank of Colonie, which provided Monolith with a $3 million construction loan for the Slingerlands projects, filed a foreclosure lawsuit against Monolith on Monday. The legal action was first reported by the Albany Business Review. In other bad news for Monolith, the Bethlehem IDA voted on Friday to rescind more than $600,000 in state and local tax breaks it had offered the company to build its headquarters at the Vista Technology Campus on Route 85 in Slingerlands. Monolith failed to make a $1,045 payment-in-lieu-of-taxes to the town by Jan. 31, or pay a $2,551 administrative fee that was due Jan. 2, the IDA board noted in a resolution that took away the company's tax breaks for the project. Monolith shut down work at the construction site in the fall, just a few months after it began. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The company subsequently hired Chris Stroud, a former General Electric executive, as its new CEO. Stroud said Monolith intended to re-start construction after it obtained new funding. Monolith, formerly one of the region's largest solar installers, laid off most of its staff in recent months as it went through restructuring. It's unclear if that new funding source ever arrived. A call to the company's Albany offices on Wednesday morning was not immediately returned. Glens Falls The Glens Falls Post-Star is the latest area newspaper to put its downtown headquarters up for sale, reflecting a national trend of newspaper downsizing and real estate liquidation. Interim Publisher Brian Corcoran said Wednesday that the 16,000-square-foot building at 76 Lawrence St., which has been the paper's home for nearly five decades, is now too large for current needs. The building and its five-acre lot are listed for sale at $1.4 million. Two other longtime Capital Region newspapers The Saratogian and The Record in Troy have already sold their longtime downtown headquarters. Newspaper real estate, often occupying key downtown locations, has proven popular with developers. Nationally, papers that have sold historic downtown offices include the Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star, Arizona Republic, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Raleigh News & Observer, and Tampa Bay Times. In Chicago, the former site of the Sun Times is now occupied by the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Corcoran said the Post-Star has not needed its current offices since it started having the newspaper printed by The Daily Gazette in Schenectady beginning in October 2017. If the Lawrence Street property sells, the Post Star intends to rent office space, preferably in the city of Glens Falls, he said. "Our roots are in this city," he said. In February, The Record closed its remaining small office on River Street in Troy, announcing that a handful of staffers would work digitally without a central location, marking the first time that Troy has not had a newspaper office since 1787. The Record's paper edition is now printed at the Albany Times Union in Colonie. The Record's closing of its office came three years after the newspaper left its longtime downtown headquarters at 501 Broadway, following years of staffing cuts. After the building was sold by the newspaper's owners, Digital First Media (DFM), new owners the Rosenblum Companies converted it into high-end apartments and shops, including Bard & Baker, a board game cafe. The Saratogian's downtown office off the busy Broadway corridor closed in August 2017 after being sold. That newspaper, also owned by DFM, still has a small rented office elsewhere in the city, while the former newspaper building is being converted into Walt & Whitman, a beer hall and coffee house. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Newspapers, facing losses in advertising revenues, have reduced staffing and cut other expenses. DFM-owned newspapers have cut their staff by more than 50 percent, double the industry average, according to The News Guild, a national union representing newspaper workers. Selling the former offices has proven lucrative. Alden Global Capital, the New York City hedge fund that owns DFM, has sold more than 125 DFM newspaper properties worth a total of $230.2 million in 23 states since 2013, according to the News Guild report. The Post-Star's history in Glens Falls dates to 1879, with the creation of The Glens Falls Times. Another paper in the city, The Morning Star, launched in 1883, followed by The Morning Post in 1904; those two papers merged into the Post-Star in 1909. The Glens Falls Post Co. purchased the Glens Falls Times in 1927 and continued publication of the Times as an evening newspaper. In 1971, both papers were sold to Howard Publications. The two daily newspapers were merged into The Glens Falls Post-Star in February 1971. The Post-Star was acquired by Lee Enterprises in 2002. Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L), French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (1st R) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged countries around the world to make concerted efforts in four aspects and jointly shape the future of mankind in the face of severe global challenges. Xi made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris. Besides Xi and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, the event was also attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. China and France, both important players in global governance, enjoy a broad political consensus and a solid foundation for cooperation on such major issues as safeguarding world peace, security and stability, upholding multilateralism and free trade, and supporting the United Nations (UN) in playing an active role, Xi said. He noted that China and France are both committed to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality, openness, inclusiveness and win-win results. The two countries, he added, have been jointly safeguarding the fundamental principles in international relations and advancing the improvement of global governance, and have become an important force for safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting the advancement of human civilization. Xi proposed a four-pronged approach to addressing "four deficits" in global affairs. Firstly, the Chinese president called for fairness and reasonableness to address the governance deficit. It is advisable to uphold a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the principle that global affairs should be settled by the peoples of the world through consultation, Xi said, calling for actively advancing the democratization of global governance rules. He also called for upholding the UN, a banner of multilateralism, giving full play to the constructive role of global and regional multilateral mechanisms, and jointly pushing for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Secondly, Xi called for consultation and understanding to address the trust deficit. It is advisable to put mutual respect and mutual trust in the first place, make use of dialogue and consultation, seek common ground while shelving and narrowing differences, increase strategic trust, and reduce mutual suspicion, Xi said. It is also advisable to take a right approach to justice and interests by putting justice before interests, Xi said. He urged r communication and dialogue between different civilizations so as to increase mutual understanding and mutual recognition between one another. Thirdly, he called for joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit. It is advisable to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard Cold-War and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle, and settle conflicts through peaceful ways, he said. He also called for rejecting such approaches as beggaring thy neighbor and seeking benefits at the expense of others. Fourthly, Xi called for mutual benefit and win-win results to address the development deficit. It is advisable to pursue an innovation-driven, well-coordinated and inter-connected, and fair and inclusive approach and forge a growth model of vitality, a cooperation model of openness and win-win results, and a development model of balance and common benefits, so that people from across the world could share the benefits of economic globalization, Xi said. The Chinese side supports necessary UN reforms and safeguards the multilateral trading system, Xi said, adding that his country welcomes France and other countries to actively take part in the development of the Belt and Road. He also called for joint efforts to advance the negotiations on a China-European Union (EU) investment agreement. Hailing China-France friendship, Xi called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation with a long-term and future-oriented perspective under the new circumstances. China and France should deepen cooperation in traditional areas, accelerate cooperation in emerging areas, strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change, implement the Paris Agreement in an all-round way, and push for positive results at the UN 2019 climate summit, so as to benefit the two peoples as well as the whole world, Xi said. Macron said communication and coordination between the EU and China play an indispensable role in safeguarding multilateralism. The EU and China take similar positions in such areas as the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change and Africa's security and development, and both insist on the construction of a strong and just multilateral system, he said. He said that China's fast development and poverty alleviation efforts are impressive. France attaches importance to the significant and active role played by China in international affairs, he said. The EU and China, as important forces on the world stage, should increase strategic mutual trust and promote cooperation through dialogue, he said. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China is significant and can play an important role in world peace, stability and development, he said. The EU could align its development strategy with the BRI in an innovative way and jointly promote Eurasian connectivity, he added. Merkel said the sound relationship between European countries and China has laid a good foundation for carrying out multilateral cooperation between the EU and China. The EU should accelerate the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement, and actively discuss participation in the BRI, she said. The EU and China should cooperate to safeguard multilateralism and compare notes on reforms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral institutions, she said. Germany, she said, proposes to hold a leaders' meeting between the EU and China next year. Referring to the EU and China as important strategic cooperative partners, Juncker said it is important that the two sides maintain dialogue on an equal footing. He called for the EU and China to actively advance the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement and maintain coordination on major international issues such as WTO reforms. Juncker said he is looking forward to seeing positive results at the upcoming EU-China leaders' meeting. 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Media Compagine Coordinator Job 2019 in Islamabad Latest Private Company Media Posts Islamabad 2021 Qualified, experienced and dedicated person for the post of Media Compagine Coordinator required for a leading and well known company in Islamabad Pakistan 2019. How to Apply on Private Company 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. Schenectady A corporation responsible for the troubled pension plan for former St. Clare's Hospital workers is seeking to end its legal existence. Last fall, the corporation announced that 1,100 workers at the religiously affiliated hospital would get either no pension or a reduced check because the fund was short tens of millions of dollars. That left workers shocked and Albany Roman Catholic Diocese Bishop Edward Scharfenberger promising to find a way to help. Late Tuesday, an email sent from the corporation's email account to local media outlets announced the corporation was "winding up its affairs" and had filed a petition in state Supreme Court to dissolve legally. Attempts to reach corporation Chairman Joe Pofit for comment were unsuccessful. A reply to the email was not returned. Since St. Clare's merger with Ellis Hospital in 2008, the corporation's only duty has been to oversee the workers' pension fund. The email continued that the corporation had "completed the termination of the St. Clare's Hospital pension plan in February. The pension plan paid out approximately $30 million in benefits to St. Clare's retirees in the termination." It added that "among its final acts, St. Clare's Corporation contributed $505,000 to the pension plan to be included in the final distribution to eligible plan participants. The corporation also donated its final remaining assets of $51,100 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, to be used exclusively as a pensioner relief fund for the benefit of St. Clare's retirees." Diocesean spokeswoman Mary DeTurris Poust said the bishop "was aware that the money would be given to Catholic Charities and placed in a 'restricted fund' solely for the benefit of pensioners." She added, "As a board member, Bishop Scharfenberger was involved in the discussion related to the dissolution." Previously, Pofit has said the fund would need at least $29 million to restore reduced pensions to more than 660 former workers who have lost all benefits. That would bring pensions up to 70 percent of what had been promised, which is now what is being provided to 434 workers who had retired before November 2015. Pofit has said the pension fund would run out of cash entirely by 2024 if pensions were not slashed. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. David Pratt, an Albany Law School labor law professor who is assisting the former St. Clare's workers, said the corporation "cannot walk away from any legal liability" for pension woes by dissolving its existence. Pratt said efforts by the pensioners to get state assistance for the fund added to the proposed 2019-20 budget so far appear to be unsuccessful. As part of the 2008 merger with Ellis, the St. Clare's pension fund got $28.5 million from the state. At the time, this amount was believed to be sufficient to support the fund for the lifetime of its remaining workers. During the 1990s, officials at St. Clare's Hospital sought and received federal approval for a religious exemption for its pension, which up to that point was federally insured as a private plan. The hospital then got a $90,000 refund for its previous premiums, but the plan was then left uninsured from fiscal calamity. The fund was also exempted from requirements that could have alerted former workers of potential financial underperformance. Founded in Schenectady by Catholic priests and Franciscans in 1949, St. Clare's from its beginnings has been linked to the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese. Bishops also have served on the hospital board of directors. New York Julia Louis-Dreyfus still had tears to shed as she said her official farewell to "Veep." Shooting wrapped for the series in December, but those tearful goodbyes were not enough as she and the cast of the HBO comedy series walked the red carpet for the last time Tuesday. The multiple Emmy Award-winner, who plays politician Selina Meyer, shared what fans can expect from her character in the political comedy's seventh and last season. "Selina Meyer is going to try to make a run for the presidency, yet again. She's been veep. She's been the president. She wants to be the president again. But it's extreme this season. We definitely push the edge of the envelope, and it's going to get pretty raucous," Louis-Dreyfus said. The final season of "Veep" premieres Sunday night on HBO. After the show's sixth season, Louis-Dreyfus announced that she had breast cancer. After a successful round of chemotherapy, she returned to the show. When the series premiered in 2012, the political landscape was far tamer than it is today and the storylines were usually not stranger than the reality. Actor Matt Walsh joked about what an episode of "Veep" would be like if something like special counsel Robert Mueller's report was about to be released. "Can I describe an episode, what that would be like? Selina would try to burn it," Walsh said. Union College student Etienne Giannelli is celebrating a series of firsts with "Stuart Little," a dinner-theater production for kids being performed at Proctors in Schenectady this weekend: First professional production. First time performing in a show for children. First time portraying seven characters in one play, including dog, cat and snooty boat captain. First time being directed by a clown. "In plays I've been in, I'm usually told to dial it back, to tone down my natural silliness," says Gianelli, a junior from Brooklyn who is majoring in theater and managerial economics. "But here, it's all about playing. You just throw yourself out there." "Stuart Little," an adaptation of E.B. White's classic children's book about a mouse-boy who is born to human parents, is part of PB&J Cafe, a concept originated at Adirondack Theatre Festival in Glens Falls that is being used by permission at Proctors. Designed for children about ages 4 to 10, it is being presented in the GE Theatre at Proctors and will feature audiences sitting at tables for a meal mac-n-cheese (regular and vegan/gluten-free), carrots and dip, chips, yogurt station and, in a nod to allergies, soybutter and jelly sandwiches followed by an interactive, fast-paced, 45-minute version of Stuart's story. The five-member cast, stage manager, assistant stage manager and designers are all Union students who are working on the production as part of an internship program created specifically to produce, rehearse and perform "Stuart Little." The show is directed by Aaron Marquise, arts-education manager for Proctors and founder of Marquise Productions, a Montreal-style circus company headquartered in Troy. Marquise trained for four years at the world-renowned National Circus School in Montreal, specializing in a style of contemporary clowning most familiar from Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil. "Kids have a totally different attention span than adults, and the nuances that adults may pick up on are going to be missed by the kids," says Marquise. "You have to find that balance: How do you entertain and engage the kids while making sure the adults aren't bored?" As an example, amid the antics aimed at young audiences, Marquise chose a music cue adults will relate to: film composer Ennio Morricone's iconic theme for the spaghetti Western "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." At other points, the "Indiana Jones" theme is played, and there's a reference to Warner Bros.' "Looney Tunes" animated shorts. "This was a great project for me to come on to as a director," says Marquise. "As a trained clown, one of my jobs on the stage is to play, and one of the things I had to do here was bring that to the cast." He's working with students whose collegiate training is in theater classics and in contemporary work, serious or comedic, intended for adult audiences. That's not "Stuart Little." "This isn't Shakespeare; this isn't Moliere," says Marquise. "I want to make sure the (cast) is having fun, so the audience will, too." Giannelli is having fun. "I'm often cast as bearded, older characters, the father-figure roles, and here, for once, I can be a little boy, and that's closer to my natural personality," says Giannelli. He says the cast is awed by Marquise's skills. "It's phenomenal to see his movements, to see how he works," says Giannelli. "He'll just come out to show us something, how he wants to it to go, and we'll be dying for more. It's amazing to learn the professional side of being silly." sbarnes@timesunion.com 518-454-5489 blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping @Tablehopping facebook.com/SteveBarnesFoodCritic ALBANY - Residents voiced concerns at Tuesday night's Planning Board meeting about a proposed development on New Scotland Avenue across from St. Peter's Hospital. The project consists of 188 residences and 13,515 square feet of retail space. The complex at New Scotland Avenue, South Allen Street and Onderdonk Avenue includes a five-story building with a mix of apartments and retail, two four-story buildings for multi-family units and another two-story structure, also for multi-family use. About 50 people attended Tuesday's meeting. During a two-hour discussion period, the residents brought up concerns about increased traffic, noise and the development's impact on surrounding residence's property values. The main complaint centered on the proposed five-story building bordering New Scotland Avenue. "It's entirely too large," James Hennessey, an Albany resident said at the meeting. "This five-story thing is out of character with the neighborhood." The proposal will be discussed again at Wednesday's Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. Town officials will debate a variance to allow for the construction of a five-story mixed-use building when the maximum permitted height for principal buildings is 4.5 stories. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the Albany Community Development Agency, 200 Henry Johnson Boulevard. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. No action was taken on the actual proposal at Tuesday's meeting. "This project still has a number of hoops to jump through," said Albert DeSalvo, the chair of the Albany Planning Board. Seven existing structures would be demolished: a strip mall at 563 New Scotland Avenue, a house at 313 South Allen Street, a garage and a commercial structure. Other residents at the meeting said they approve of the plans by the developers, Jankow Companies, to replace the existing buildings with a modern structure that would also house storefronts and "quality restaurants." "The building they want to demolish is absolutely horrendous, its's depressing to the neighborhood," said Roxanne Lawrence, another Albany resident. "I would like to see modernization. I want restaurants. I want stores." A teaching assistant at Albany's Giffen Memorial Elementary School is on paid leave following her arrest over the weekend for allegedly bringing synthetic cannabinoids and marijuana into a Washington County state prison. Chinessa I. Carr, 28, was arrested by State Police after she was accused of smuggling the contraband into the prison for an inmate she was visiting at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, according to authorities. Carr has been charged with introducing dangerous contraband into a prison, a felony, and unlawful possession of marijuana, State Police said. According to State Police, Carr faces a criminal charge only for possessing synthetic cannabinoids. She was observed by a correction officer placing the contraband in a bag of chips while visiting an inmate and a search of that inmate subsequently revealed a bundle containing synthetic cannabinoids, authorities said. Carr is employed as a full-time teaching assistant at Giffen, Albany City School District spokesman Ron Lesko. She was placed on leave Monday pending an investigation, he said. She is scheduled to appear in Fort Ann town court on April 3, according to court officials. Smuggling has long been a concern at state prisons with various measures being taken in recent years to crack down on the illicit activity. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Earlier this month, The Glens Falls Post Star, which first reported Carr's arrest, noted that two other women were arrested for trying to smuggle marijuana and narcotics into the maximum-security male prison. Also, on March 15, officers assigned to the package room at Green Haven Correctional Facility Dutchess County found 1.4 pounds of synthetic marijuana, as well as 100 strips of sublingual narcotic and approximately 36 ounces of liquid believed to be alcohol in a package mailed to an inmate at that maximum security prison, according to the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday signed off on changes to legislation that would create a Commission of Prosecutorial Conduct over the objections of the state's district attorneys. Cuomo, in his approval memo, said the adjustments to the legislation that was approved last year may not sufficiently address constitutional flaws raised in the original bill, including questions about the jurisdiction of the commission and separation of powers in the judiciary and executive branches. "Despite my desire for a bill strong-suited for the legal challenges that it will surely confront, my commitment to the creation of this Commission and the promise that it brings for a more transparent and just criminal justice system remains unshaken," Cuomo wrote. The District Attorneys Association of New York (DAASNY) vigorously fought the legislation, arguing that it interfered with prosecutorial discretion, and the organization, which represents the 52 prosecutors statewide, filed a lawsuit in state Supreme Court in Albany charging that the bill is unconstitutional. When legislative leaders agreed to delay the creation of the commission, which was slated to take effect in January, and address prosecutors' concerns through amendments, DAASNY dropped its challenge. The association contends that the amendments are insufficient and has stated its intent to revive the litigation. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "DAASNY welcomes the opportunity to improve the disciplinary system for all those who practice law, while not offending our state's Constitution, interfering with the discretion afforded prosecutors or jeopardizing public safety," DAASNY's president, Albany County District Attorney David Soares, said in a statement Wednesday. Cuomo signed last year's bill into law while acknowledging findings by the state attorney general's office that the legislation had "several constitutional defects." The Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has pushed for the creation of an independent oversight body, citing the high rates of wrongful convictions in New York. "Prosecutors' position has been that they can self-regulate, however, the empirical evidence is that very few prosecutors have ever experienced any discipline when they knowingly and intentionally violated rules of professional conduct," said Andy Kossover, chairman of the legislative committee for the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. ALBANY - State lawmakers believe they've finally found the solution to winning the fight against unsolicited robocalls, which topped 3 billion last year in New York. The key element of legislation that began making its way though the committee process in the Capitol on Tuesday is a requirement that telecommunication companies provide New Yorkers with a free service that can filter unwanted calls. The proposal comes as federal regulators have been pushing telephone provider companies to make call-authentication services available across the country, including software that would block unsolicited robocalls. Consumer Reports estimates that 40 percent of robocalls are scams that generate more than $350 million in annual losses. Sen. David Carlucci, a Rockland County Democrat, said the Federal Communications Commission approach isn't aggressive enough because they have only promised to "consider regulatory intervention." "We're going to make the telecommunication providers do it," Carlucci said. "We know you can, and if you don't, we're going to put penalties in place. This is what the FCC should be doing." Consumer Reports Program Director Chuck Bell credited T-Mobile with acting fast to make their call-authentication system widely available, but said other providers have not been as proactive and claimed the industry has generally been "slow to roll out" the technology since it became available in 2015. Verizon told the FCC in November that a "large portion" of customers should be covered this year. AT&T pledged to make the benefits available to "customers as soon as reasonably possible," but has warned about the potential for delays. Many of the scam companies rely on software that disguises the true origin of calls, in an illegal practice called "spoofing," by making it appear that a person is receiving a call from a number in their area. Many of the companies operate from overseas' boiler rooms, making it harder for regulators to crack down on the practice. Unlike the proposal in Albany, the FCC is not pushing to make the call-blocking services free for consumers. The implementation of that service is key to any legislation, since many of the robocalls that New Yorkers receive come from out of state and abroad, beyond the scope of state laws. The legislation would prohibit robocalls without the consent of the recipient and give the state attorney general's office increased ability to levy civil penalties, but experts said technology that can sniff out robocalls is the most effective way to stop bad actors. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Our providers in New York can stop what it sees as incoming robocalls," said Sen. Todd Kamisnky, a Long Island Democrat. "We certainly have a lot of power in our state to act on them." The legislation would also allow people who initially consented to be contacted, such as when signing a loan agreement, to revoke their consent. Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat and a sponsor of the bill, anticipates the legislation would make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers hounded by debt collectors. It's possible the legislation could also bring an end to political robocalls, which flood the lines of likely voters before every election. Hoylman said the proposal would task state regulators with determining whether those calls should be prohibited moving forward. Sen. Rich Funke, a Rochester-area Republican, raised questions during committee debate on Tuesday about the constitutionality of restricting political robocalls, suggesting it would violate the First Amendment. Senate Democrats want to pass the legislation and let the courts decide that question if it becomes law. Funke was also skeptical of the fines and civil actions authorized by the legislation, saying that someone can't be harmed by a robocall since they have the ability to avoid answering the phone or could simply hang up. In response, Sen. Kevin Parker, a Brooklyn Democrat, said, "Our concern is to have a law that doesn't have any teeth in it and is ignored." David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 ALBANY Supporters of adult-use recreational marijuana are making a last-ditch plea to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders to include its legalization as part of the state budget amid ongoing uncertainty that the issue can be hashed out by Sunday's budget deadline. Advocates on both sides of the issue are trying to make their voices heard as the deadline looms. But supporters of legalization ramped up their efforts Tuesday as talk of stalled negotiations raised new questions about whether lawmakers are prepared to vote on the issue if marijuana isn't pushed through as part of the budget. "I think we have the best chance that we have right now," said Kassandra Frederique, state director of the Drug Policy Alliance. "Politically, everyone knows your best shot is the budget process." Cuomo agreed. In a Tuesday appearance on WNYC, he said that although he had pulled marijuana revenues from his 2019-20 budget proposal, the issue was very much on the table during budget negotiations. "The budget is a decision-making point that stops dialogue and tends to forge compromise and consensus," he said. "And if you go past the budget then there's no natural termination point. You can debate, you can argue, you can refine. But I think our best shot at getting it done is to get it done in the budget." Supporters and opponents of marijuana legalization haven't been quite sure what to make of comments by the governor and legislative leaders in recent weeks, who one moment signal negotiations are moving forward and the next suggest they are at impasse. At a press event earlier this month, Cuomo said he didn't believe marijuana could be negotiated by the budget deadline. "There is a wide divide on marijuana," he said. "I believe ultimately we can get there and we must get there. I don't believe we get there in two weeks." Rich Azzopardi, senior advisor to Cuomo, said Tuesday that marijuana revenue had been removed from the budget because, based on comments from legislative leaders, it couldn't be counted on. But he said the governor remains willing to work on the issue. Of the 10 states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, nine did so by ballot measures. Only Vermont passed it through the state Legislature, though the plan did not allow for retail sales. The last-minute scuttling of a marijuana vote Monday by New Jersey's Legislature seemed to light a fire under advocates in New York, who fear that if legalization doesn't pass in the budget, it may not garner enough votes among lawmakers to pass in the 2019 legislative session. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. That's because even those lawmakers who support marijuana legalization in theory remain unsure how the state should actually implement it, and have empathized with parents, medical professionals and law enforcement officials who have expressed concerns about youth consumption, mental health and addiction issues, and a possible rise in drugged driving. "We urge you to listen to all of our concerns, and decouple this issue from state budget negotiations," the New York State Parent Teachers Association wrote to legislative leaders in a letter Tuesday. Groups representing communities of color, meanwhile, say there is no time to wait. Marijuana prohibition continues to disproportionately impact black and Hispanic men and women in New York, who are arrested, convicted and sentenced at higher rates than their white peers. The marijuana proposal on the table includes a reparative justice component that would allow individuals to seal or reduce pot convictions on their records. Such convictions have kept many individuals out of the workforce, perpetuating a cycle in which they rely on the illicit economy to get by. "What we have heard from the governor in the last two weeks has been disappointing and disheartening, and has just reinforced that our communities are not worth the fight," said Frederique. " ... Every day that marijuana legalization does not pass our communities remain in the crosshairs." TROY Peiching Dong, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute student from Shanghai, took an Uber from Troy to a gun shop in Saratoga County on March 14 intending to buy a rifle. He left the store in the custody of two FBI agents. Now expelled from RPI, hes sitting in a federal detention center in Batavia, waiting for a hearing on his immigration status. Regardless of its outcome, Dong doesnt plan to return to Troy in the immediate future and is hoping to simply go home to China. Hes been through a lot, said Dongs Latham-based lawyer, Mark Sacco. The RPI campus has been rattled by the circumstances surrounding the detention of the 19-year-old freshman, who was studying chemistry and physics. On Monday nearly two weeks after the initial incident the school issued a statement announcing that Dong had been permanently removed. Its definitely the thing on campus right now, said one student, speaking on condition of anonymity. Dongs odyssey started when he was driven to the Saratoga Weapons and Tactical gun shop in Malta. He was interested in buying a high-end rifle, but the fact that he offered his passport and student visa as identification raised a potential concern for Rob Porter, who owns the store. He called federal authorities to inquire if it was all right to sell a firearm to Dong. We made some calls to some departments that have asked us in the past to See something, Say Something," Porter said. State Police said they didnt think there was a problem with the purchase. The FBI, however, wanted to talk to Dong. So the student canceled his Uber ride back to Troy and waited about a half-hour for agents to arrive. Porter said there was nothing about Dongs demeanor or behavior that raised any red flags. He seemed like a nice kid, he said. Dong did, however, show him his switchblade knife which Porter informed him was illegal in New York. Nor was his interest in firearms unusual. Tom King, who heads the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said Chinese people who have traveled to the U.S. often have an interest in guns, which are far more difficult to legally own back home. More for you Assault weapon deadline at hand Sacco said the FBI agents took Dong to an RPI deans office where he was immediately expelled. While the school hasnt offered a detailed explanation as to why, RPI has a policy against weapons on campus. Dong's dorm room was searched by federal authorities after his expulsion and detention. Sarah Ruane, spokesman for the FBIs Albany office, stressed that no criminal charges were involved in the case. Even so, the consequences were severe: With Dong expelled, his visa was no longer valid. He was taken to the Rensselaer County jail, where agents from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement picked him up and took him across the state to the Batavia detention center. The arrest sent shock waves across the normally placid RPI campus, sparking a social media eruption full of speculation and worry. On Monday, the school sought to tamp down potential rumors, issuing a statement that said the school had been "informed by federal law enforcement that a student was attempting to purchase an assault rifle." "With the intervention of law enforcement, and our own Public Safety division, the purchase was prevented," the statement continued. "The student was permanently removed from the university and remains in federal custody. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The statement added that, At no time were guns or ammunition on the Rensselaer campus, nor was there any immediate threat to the campus community. The reference to an assault rifle was an apparent error: The sale of assault-style weapons has been banned in New York for years, with the definition of what constitutes such a weapon expanded by the 2013 SAFE Act gun control law. Its not unusual for students in the U.S. to leave or be deported if their F-1 visa expires or is voided, said L.J. DArrigo, an Albany immigration lawyer. But thats usually because a student has flunked out, isnt taking enough credits or has simply stopped attending classes. And unlike other kinds of visas, federal ICE agents get immediate notice of an expiration from the sponsoring college or university. A student visa is different because it is much more regulated, said DArrigo. Additionally, the fact that he was taken to Rensselaer County Jail likely sealed Dongs fate: The countys sheriff, Pat Russo, has a policy of detaining undocumented immigrants and calling ICE agents to check on them. Sacco said Dongs father has flown from China to New York, and they are working to get him out of detention as soon as possible. They also plan to appeal his expulsion from RPI, although that process could take a while. And its unclear whether he wants to return to the school. This is Dumb Kid 101, Sacco said, characterizing Dongs attempted gun purchase as an honest mistake. It was terrible circumstances coming together, said Sacco. Things looked more suspicious than they were, and you have a climate in this country justifiably so of all these gun issues. Mallory Moench contributed to this story. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU Ministry of Housing & Works Technical Jobs 2019 in Islamabad Latest Ministry of Housing and Works Engineering Posts Islamabad 2021 Government of Pakistan Ministry of Housing & Works Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation in Islamabad requires the services of technical and hard working persons for the posts of Director Technical, Deputy Director Technical, Assistant Director, Contract Specialist, Town Planner & Archiect. How to Apply on Ministry of Housing and Works 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. ALBANY - Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady has sent its top brass to Albany to seek relief in the state budget. Neil Bluhm, chairman of Rush Street Gaming, the Illinois parent company of Rivers, has been making the rounds in the Capitol over the last week in pursuit of a lower tax rate on the slot machines at the two-year old Schenectady casino. While his pitch has resonated with certain players in state government, Assembly Democratic leadership is balking at any changes to the tax structure that would reduce state revenues. Instead, there is a proposal to give the casino a multi-million dollar tax break on advertising expenditures, according to two sources familiar with the plan. A spokesman for the casino said their tax rate, which is the highest in the upstate market, "is making it virtually impossible to compete in a highly competitive regional market" and noted that it was 20 percentage points higher than what the MGM Springfield pays across the border in Massachusetts. Bluhm's presence is in addition to the large footprint that Rivers already has at the Capitol, which includes spending $42,500 a month on representatives from three lobbying firms. The proposed credit that has become a part of the conversation in the waning days of budget negotiations appears to be similar to last year's push for a 10 percent marketing allowance. At the time, Assemblyman Phil Steck, a Colonie Democrat whose district includes the casino, described the request as "reasonable." He noted that the tax-credit plan makes sense if it will result in more casino business and additional state revenues. Since opening in early 2017, Rivers has faced a growing number of competitors for the region's gambling dollars. A Hudson Valley casino opened in February 2018, while the MGM casino in Springfield, Mass., that specifically targeted Capital Region consumers, began operating last summer. A Rivers spokesman noted that the tax structure has result in bus trips running from Schenectady and Latham to MGM Springfield, which significantly eats into their potential customer base. Among the four upstate commercial casinos, the 45 percent tax rate on slots at Rivers is the highest. The rate was enshrined in law as part of the legislative deal to authorize up to seven casinos in New York. Bluhm has been pushing for an adjustment below 40 percent, which would make it comparable to the other private casinos. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The renewed effort by Rivers comes in the wake of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo effectively scuttling any plans to accelerate the issuing of casino licenses to operators who want to run facilities in the New York City area. That plan, put forth by Las Vegas Sands and Genting, would have resulted in the upstate casinos receiving a multi-million dollar fee to aid their bottom lines. At the time, Rivers declined to comment on the proposal, which could have provided them with at least $20 million if a new license is awarded in the next year. Casinos have found other ways to obtain relief, though, as the state Gaming Commission gave permission on Monday to operators in the Southern Tier and Hudson Valley to reduce the number of slot machines they provide. The change is designed to let the casinos utilize the floor space for other amenities, and isn't expected to lower the amount of state revenue. Revenues have increased annually at the three casinos that opened in 2017, but they're still about $203 million short of what they told the state they would be making when they applied for their licenses starting in 2014. Rivers saw the most growth between 2017 and 2018, when their total gambling revenue increased 19 percent. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 The wall of charcoal gray clouds drifted across the sky, the rain picked up and the storm chasers gunned it. Kelley Williamson and Randy Yarnall were looking for rotation, any signs of the birth of a tornado. Hurtling down a two-lane highway deep in the Texas Panhandle, they sat behind the dashboard of a Chevy Suburban tricked out with radar and computers and cameras on the afternoon of March 28, 2017. The thrill seekers were contracted with the Weather Channel, the stars of their own show, "Storm Wranglers." As they drove, storm-fanatic viewers tuned into their live stream on the Weather Channel's Facebook page. "The storm isn't very far in front of us right now," Williamson said into the camera, as they zoomed past a spinning windmill in rural northwest Texas. "Actually, that's what the dark is you're seeing right there." Corbin Lee Jaeger, miles away, must have been seeing the same dark skies. Like Williamson and Yarnall, storms magnetized Jaeger, a 25-year-old certified storm spotter. But that afternoon, the attraction would turn fatal. The live stream ended when when Williamson, 57, and Yarnall, 55, blew through a stop sign, police said, and smashed into Jaeger as he attempted to cross a remote Texas intersection. All three men died instantly. Now, Jaeger's mother, Karen Di Piazza, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Weather Channel over her son's death, seeking $125 million from the network and the estates of Williamson and Yarnall, among others. In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Lubbock, Texas, Di Piazza accuses the Weather Channel of employing two amateur storm chasers and then ignoring warnings from others about their alleged reckless driving, ultimately resulting in her son's death. "The Weather Channel had the opportunity to pull these two individuals off the road or hire a competent, law abiding driver," the lawsuit states. "Instead, The Weather Channel made Williamson and Yarnall television stars, breaking laws, driving on private property, driving off road, in ditches, through hail storms, driving the wrong way on freeway ramps, on the wrong side of the roadway, through red lights and stop signs, all to increase the sense of danger to their television audience and sell advertising and have a hit show. The result was the death of a young man, Corbin Lee Jaeger." The Weather Channel declined to comment on pending litigation, but said in a statement to The Washington Post: "We are saddened by the loss of Corbin Jaeger, Kelley Williamson, and Randy Yarnall. They were beloved members of the weather community and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of all involved." Attorneys are not yet listed for the estates of Williamson and Yarnall, whose representatives could not be reached. The fatal collision raised concerns over the dangers of storm chasing while devastating the storm-chaser community, as all three men were remembered for their unrivaled passion for treacherous weather. Jaeger, a Colorado native who had moved to Arizona with his family, was a certified storm spotter for the National Weather Service and also captured storm footage for a small crew called MadWx Chasing. "He had such a deep passion for weather since he was a young child," Di Piazza told Denver 7 after his death. "He decided that he wanted to get more into chasing and learning more about weather because his goal was to save lives." Meanwhile, Williamson and Yarnall garnered fans around the country. They grew up together in Missouri, and by their own admission, had no formal training and had not studied meteorology. Both were farmers, raising chickens and cattle. Williamson, an eternal adrenaline junkie, was a former bullfighter. He started chasing storms instead after a tornado flipped his wife's van into the air several years earlier, a friend told CNN. Before long, he became an exhilarating personality within the storm-chasing community; his YouTube channel boasted nearly 7,000 followers. When the Weather Channel came calling to offer him his own show, he enlisted Yarnall to be his driver, he said. But according to the lawsuit, the pair had a reputation for being daredevils with lead feet. The lawsuit cites lengthy text messages between a storm chaser and a female producer at the Weather Channel. The producer said she planned to forward the storm chaser's concerns about Williamson and Yarnall's risk-taking to her boss, saying she shared them. "I'm not sure if you happened to catch any of Kelley's movement, but he put himself in a VERY bad spot, live on air, so god forbid if anything happened we would have to see it live on air," the lawsuit claims the producer wrote, adding, "NOT GOOD." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Oh yeah, I saw it," the storm chaser, who was unrelated to the show, responded. "I'm going to be honest with you - it's only gonna get worse. . . . Doing 90+mph to get to the position he was is just asking for bad stuff [to happen] . . . We are just hoping he doesn't get hurt or hurt anyone else." The day after the fatal collision, the storm chaser wrote to the producer again - this time in shock. He said he could not stop thinking about "everything I told him about driving safe and not being so distracted . . . and then telling you that I was worried that he was gonna kill someone or himself . . . And then it happens. So I am obviously in a way dark place right now. I know many of us are. I guess that's [what's] killin me. I tried to tell him over and over." The day he died, Jaeger planned to let the radar guide his afternoon, with no particular destination in mind. Parked in the gravel just off a highway in Paducah, Texas, he posted a photo of his Jeep from MadWx Chasing's Facebook account to update his followers, saying he was "doing a reassessment of today's chase plans." "Big hail in the plans for today, hopefully a tornado as well," he wrote. A Texas Department of Public Safety officer told CNN at the time that a twister had been sighted in Dickens County around the same time as the collision, and that he believed all three men were after the same one. The lawsuit says it appears Jaeger was driving away from the storm, while Williamson and Yarnall were charging right toward it, allegedly at 70 mph. In the final moments of the video, Williamson and Yarnall approach the intersection at a high speed, breezing past a warning for a stop sign as rain pelts the windshield. They get closer to the intersection but they don't slow down. Instead, the engine roars louder. And just then, before a black Jeep enters the frame, the live stream buffers, freezes, and stops. TROY Detective Sgt. Randall French is again ranked at the top of the promotion list for police captain after the city Civil Service Commission approved the list Tuesday. The commission's adoption of the list comes three months after the previous list expired and the city delayed in filling a captain's vacancy in order to get a new promotional lineup. French was passed over by the city for the last two promotions for captain by city officials because of the political ramifications of appointing him following his fatal shooting of Edson Thevenin during an April 2016 DWI stop, according to members of the police department. RELATED: 2016 shooting haunts credibility of Troy detective French testified last week during a Rensselaer County Court criminal trial that he felt he should have been appointed. The city and the Troy Police Benevolent Association, which represents the city's officers, sergeants and detectives, are embroiled in a lawsuit over the city's decision not to use the previous promotional list. Former District Attorney Joel E. Abelove's presentation of the shooting case to a county grand jury within days of the Thevenin shooting and the decision not to have French waive his immunity to prosecution when he testified before the grand jury are now haunting the sergeant's career. French and the city are the defendants in a multi-million-dollar federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Thevenin's widow in U.S. District Court in Albany. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. French scored a 96 out of 100 points on the test, then received an additional 3 points for seniority for a final score of 99 points, according to the new promotional list. He was followed by Sgt. Steven M. Barker with 90 points on the test and 2 seniority points for a total of 92 points and Sgt. Stephen C. Seney with a score of 83 points and 4 seniority points for a total of 87 points. The test results were delayed due to an issue of calculating seniority bonuses for employees with more than 26 years of service, said John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden. The commission adopted a new system for seniority points in February, Salka said. The seniority bonus was calculated for the creation of the list on Tuesday. The PBA filed a grievance over the city's failure to fill a captain's position from the previous list of French, Seney and Sgt. Salvatore Carmello to fill the vacancy created when Assistant Chief Chris Kehn was promoted from captain. Carmello is ranked fourth with 86 total points on the new list. March 27, 2019 There was a lot of talk in 2018 about Saudi Arabia launching the electronic visa as a means of increasing the states revenue after the oil prices dropped. The Government agreed on the issue, and since tourism is always a good way to exploit a countrys resources, they decided to release the e-visa by April 2018. In March 2018, according to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, the bylaws were prepared for adoption. The guidelines were not made public by later that year, but now, Schengen nationals can travel to Saudi Arabia with an electronic visa. As you can imagine, the new-released visa can be obtained easily through the electronic visa system. An applicant needs to go online and fill in a form. The requirements are still something one needs to go over before the online application process, but the most important aspect is the passport. All travelers must hold a valid passport. Moreover, the document needs to maintain its validity for at least another 6 months from the date of arrival in Saudi Arabia. So what does this mean for Schengen nationals? It means that a visa is more convenient to obtain thanks to the simplified application process. For one thing, all you need is a computer or smartphone with an internet connection. Government websites are available for the process, and so are third-party companies that can facilitate it in exchange for a fee. The solution you choose when you want to apply is entirely up to you, but you need to keep in mind that a third-party company will always charge more for its services. The pilot project Saudi Arabia officials launched a pilot project in 2018 to test the newly implemented system. In case you did not know, the Formula E event was held in Riyadh in 2018. Electronic visas were available for the citizens of 80 countries, it granted a stay of a maximum of 14 days, and it cost around $150. The electronic visa released for the Formula E granted access to the entire desert country, but the holy cities if Mecca and Medina were off limits. This rule will still be in place for all non-Muslim visitors. We believe that the reasons are self-explanatory. While the Saudi Arabia electronic visa was available for 80 nationalities in the pilot project, the list is much shorter for future applications. Sure, the nationals of the Schengen Area states are eligible for such a document, and from what we know so will the citizens of Australia, Japan, the US, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. However, some details are still to be put in place in the coming months. Further changes? We still do not know everything about the Saudi Arabia electronic visa, and the officials are yet to reveal details about the fees, duration of stay, and its validity. Plus, there is the question of how they are going to manage the issue of Mecca and Medina. Most of the countrys tourism is based on religious purposes, but since only Muslims can enter the holy cities, that limits the number of tourists Saudi Arabia can receive every year. Is the Government going to adjust the rules for the sake of growing the countrys tourism? Or are they going to keep their sacred places off limits to all non-Muslim visitors? The answers will come in due time. [March 26, 2019] Asia Pacific Banks Lag Global Peers in Regulatory Change Readiness New Asia Risk and Oracle survey indicates the road to modern finance and risk remains a work in progress in APAC SINGAPORE, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than a third of banking executives in Asia Pacific (APAC) are equipped to handle the changing regulatory landscape compared to 46 percent of their peers in North America and Europe, according to a new research developed by Asia Risk and Oracle. The survey reveals that banks in APAC are behind their counterparts in modernizing their finance and risk processes and their use of data. "Using data and innovation to drive business insights" examines more than 150 banking Chief Financial Officers (CFO), Chief Risk Officers (CRO) and other executives in key data roles and examines the state of integrated finance and how banks use data for business insights and to react to rapid changes in the regulatory environment. However, the survey also indicates there is tremendous opportunity for forward-looking APAC banks to use data to turn their finance and risk functions into key drivers of added value and competitive advantage. "For banks, the ability to see, know and balance the way they are performing and complying with regulations is mission-critical to their current operations and to every single decision and action they take to move forward. Our survey highlights how Asia Pacific banks are struggling to overcome the challenges with cost, risk and finance, regulations and the complexity of managing data," said Sonny Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Oracle Financial Services. State of Modern Finance and Risk Today Operational silos and poor communication between finance and risk functions and between different divisions within the bank are hampering performance and the ability to use data to drive profitability. 51 percent say a single view of data to improve predictive power for finance and risk is their greatest priority. There is a need for the CFO, CRO to lead and drive the organisational change sought through data governance and ownership. There is increasing acceptance that response to regulatory change can be accelerated by technology innovation. The survey highlights if banks are aligned to the right operating model, technology such as clud computing, artificial intelligence, machine-learning and robotic process automation can help deliver a step-change in efficiency. Technology can transform many of the manual processes banks rely on today, particularly those related to meeting regulatory requests and gaining useful data insights to meet business objectives. "The presence of a single data source for risk, finance and accounting enables banks to perform timely analysis and reporting based on current and future scenarios," said Stuart Houston, Banking Innovation Advisor, Agile Finance and Risk, Oracle. "This could bring significant enhancement of current reporting, allowing financial institutions to concurrently perform risk and financial calculations for financial, management, and regulatory reporting from a single, unified source." Survey results show CFOs and CROs seek strong ties between digital transformation efforts and delivering the right detail at the right frequency with the right governance and control to meet regulatory requirements. In order to meet complex regulatory requirements banks need an overall data strategy and to incorporate leading technologies to better manipulate the data in a transparent and controlled manner. "Today, integrated finance and risk involves a fair degree of intervention at the human level; there has to be quite a bit of advancement to enable it to innovate and take advantage of the rapid strides in digital technology," said Madhivanan Balakrishnan, Chief Technology and Digital Officer, ICICI Bank. Risk and Finance Alignment Differs in APAC vs. US and EMEA 70 percent of respondents rate better organisational alignment as critical or very important. Twenty percent of APAC respondents say they are siloed, compared with only two percent among banking executives surveyed in US and Europe . . Only 25 percent of banks with more than $500B in assets say they are fully aligned. For smaller banks, 50 percent believe they have full alignment between the risk and finance functions. in assets say they are fully aligned. For smaller banks, 50 percent believe they have full alignment between the risk and finance functions. One-third (34 percent) of executives in APAC see the opportunity for improved insight and clarity compared with over half (52 percent) in more developed markets. While regulation is a burden, it also presents finance and risk teams with the opportunity to improve productivity, turning a cost drain into a potential profit centre by allowing more time to focus on higher value strategic activity. Future of Agile Risk & Finance As complex regulatory requirements continue it will be more important than ever for banks to invest in the right risk mitigation tools to meet complex reporting needs and improve data collaboration. Respondents are equally challenged with finding and retaining skilled staff. There is widespread belief that successful adoption of cognitive technology will be needed to overcome this, and to help meet growing demands to deliver regulatory, statutory and management reporting with complete transparency. An executive from a large bank said few banks have a system that can easily and automatically generate needed reports for regulators. To address this challenge banks rely more and more on manual intervention, when in fact "what's needed is a system where a regulation implemented today can be put into effect tomorrow." This quantitative survey of banking executives and follow-up interviews took place between November 2018 and January 2019. To access the full survey "Using data and innovation to drive business insights" please visit: http://ora.cl/c8FZ4 About Oracle The Oracle Cloud offers a complete suite of integrated applications for Sales, Service, Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Supply Chain and Manufacturing, plus Highly Automated and Secure Generation 2 Infrastructure featuring the Oracle Autonomous Database. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com. Trademarks Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. About Asia Risk Asia Risk is the only publication dedicated to meeting the information needs of risk management and derivatives professionals in the Asia-Pacific region. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841578/Oracle_APAC_Image_2.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/467598/Oracle_Logo.jpg SOURCE Oracle [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Balfour Beatty Communities' Collaborative Building Program Breathes Fresh Air into Military Housing Projects Balfour Beatty Communities announced today that is has rolled out a unique Collaborative Building program, where military residents provide insights and feedback throughout the development of new base construction projects to help ensure home layout, amenities and aesthetics align with the vision and real world needs of today's military families. The program has been successfully implemented at Cannon Family Homes (N.M.), where Balfour Beatty Communities recently completed the delivery of 677 new homes and renovations on another 359 homes based on the direct input of residents there as well as at Fort Carson Family Homes. The initiative is the latest effort from Balfour Beatty Communities to use new techniques and programs to help improve the living experience for military families in the communities they build and manage. "Our mission is to provide housing military residents want to live in, not have to live in, and giving them a voice in the development process helps us achieve that," said Mark Lavin, senior vice president of project management and development for Balfour Beatty Communities. "The collaborative building approach gives our residents the opportunity to tell us what they're looking for in new developments and constructions, as well as the indoor and outdoor amenities they need most to enhance their living experience." The program consists of seven to ten community members who act as liaisons between residents and Balfour Beatty Communities leadership to provide insights and feedback on new developments and amenities that cater to resident needs. Residents are given the opportunity to provide input at key points in the process from design through the completion of construction. At Cannon Family Homes, resident input led to a number of updates to the design and features of the homes and the surrounding communities. Some of the features included updated kitchen appliances, additional storage inside the homes and additional outdoor amenities such as dog stations and path lighting installations. Cannon Family Homes is a gated residential community leasing exclusively to active duty Air Force families stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. Balfour Beatty Communities took over the operation and management of family housing here in 2013 from the Air Force. There is a total of 1,038 total homes at the base that offer a wide variety of two, three and four-bedroom floor plans featuring updated finishes, ample storage space and fully equipped kitchens, patios and garages. Cannon Family Homes residents also enjoy the community's playgrounds, sport courts and fields, a pool, and access to the communities' facilities and amenities. The program and the homes built as a result have received overwhelmingly strong response from residents at Cannon Family Homes. Given the success at Cannon and Fort Carson, Balfour Beatty Communities is looking for additional opportunities to implement the program on both new construction and renovations at other communities throughout the country. In 1996, Congress established the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) to improve the condition of housing for military service members by forging partnerships with experienced private-sector leaders in the housing industry to expand and update the military housing portfolio. As a leading MHPI partner, Balfour Beatty Communities is committed to developing programs at several military housing locations throughout the U.S. to further improve the quality of life for its residents. About Balfour Beatty Communities Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC is a diversified real estate services company delivering development, design, financing, construction, renovation, property and facilities management services in the multifamily, student and military housing sectors. A leader in the industry, Balfour Beatty Communities has more than 50,000 residential units and $6 billion in real estate assets under management and has developed or renovated more than 29,000 units with a total value of close to $4 billion. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, PA, Balfour Beatty Communities has more than 1,200 employees and is a subsidiary of Balfour Beatty Investments, Inc. Balfour Beatty Investments is part of Balfour Beatty plc, a global leader in construction services, support services, and infrastructure investment. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005536/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] The International Cooperation Mechanism for Green Sustainable Development Co-Initiated by China and Nordic Countries STOCKHOLM, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nordic China Smart City Conference was held in Stockholm on March 26th. The conference was jointly initiated by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sweden, the Sweden-China Trade Council (SCTC), the Sweden-China Greentech Alliance (SCGA) and Swecare, and hosted by Swedish Environment Research Institute (IVL). Mr. Zheng Xinli, the Executive Vice Chairman of China Urban-townization Promotion Council (CUPC) and China Green Sustainable Development Association (CGSDA), delivered a keynote speech themed "The New Chapter of Green Sustainable Development - Philosophy and Opportunity of China Nordic cooperation". Mr. Yang Zijian, the Vice President of CUPC and CGSDA, reported on "The Birth of Sino-Nordic Promotion Association for Green Sustainable Development (SNPA) - an International Cooperation Mechanism for Common Innovatin", and joined the panel discussion on "How could a Nordic-China partnership contribute to the fulfilment of UN's Sustainable Development Goals". Witnessed by Mr. Gui Congyou, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Sweden; and Svein Berg, Director of the Nordic Innovation, CGSDA and IVL from Sweden, State of Green (SOG) of Denmark signed the strategic MOU respectively on the initiation of SNPA. The birth of SNPA marked that China and Nordic countries would jointly promote green sustainable development under a new mechanism of international cooperation. SNPA will build an innovative international cooperation model featuring "Government Support + Chamber of Commerce Implementation + Enterprise Participation". The mechanism will take the forum/expo as the platform for exchange and cooperation, with the joint research and intellectual support, the pilot projects as hands-on facilitators, and the enterprises as participants. SNPA will build a new international cooperation ecosystem to create sound business environment and social services, combining the advanced experiences and expertise from Nordic countries with the huge market demand in China. SNPA will deepen international project cooperation in the areas like green urbanization, eco-environment, healthcare, education, industrial innovation, financing support and other areas related to sustainable development, helping to achieve the UN SDGs. China and Nordic counties will join to carry out international cooperation on green sustainable development, which will play an important role in guiding and promoting global sustainable development. SOURCE China Green Sustainable Development Association (CGSDA) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] OGDCL Islamabad Jobs 2019 for Manager & Accountant Latest Oil and Gas Development Company Limited OGDCL Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Oil and Gas Development Company Limited OGDCL, Government of Pakistan are requires individuals for the posts of Manager, Manager Tax, Manager Insurance, Accountant, Chief Accountant, Tax Officer, Material Officer, Assistant Material Officer, Assistant Accountant. How to Apply on Oil and Gas Development Company Limited OGDCL 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. [March 27, 2019] Inventor, Entrepreneur, and STEM Advocate Dean Kamen to Keynote PowerPlex 2019 TROY, Mich., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Plex Systems, the leader in cloud ERP and MES for manufacturing, today announced inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST and president of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, will keynote PowerPlex 2019. PowerPlex, Plex's annual conference, will bring together 1,200 global manufacturing leaders to discuss advancements in cloud enterprise software, ERP, MES, and Industrial IoT. This year's event will be held at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan. Registration for PowerPlex 2019 is now open with early bird pricing available until April 5. Register here. Dean Kamen: Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Leaders As an inventor, Kamen holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents, and is celebrated for having developed innovative medical devices that have expanded the frontiers of healthcare worldwide, such as AutoSyringe, the first wearable infusion pump which Kamen invented as a college undergrad. Decades and hundreds of inventions later, Kamen maintains that one of his proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology through exciting robotics competitions. More tha 615,000 in 100+ countries will participate in FIRST programs this year including the FIRST Robotics Competition, a rigorous STEM-learning program for high school students. "We're thrilled to welcome Dean as this year's PowerPlex keynote," said Bill Berutti, CEO of Plex Systems. "His technology leadership and innovative approach to educating the next generation directly addresses one of the most pressing issues manufacturers face today: the skilled workforce shortage. Building excitement around STEM education and exposing the variety of available manufacturing career paths is essential to closing the skills gap that exists today." Manufacturing Leaders Attend PowerPlex PowerPlex attendees include Plex customers, prospects, partners, and industry analysts. The Plex customer community includes 600 manufacturers running 2,300 factories worldwide, representing industries such as automotive, fabricated metals, food and beverage, industrial machinery, plastics and rubber, and aerospace. "PowerPlex is our opportunity to learn what's coming up and what's new in manufacturing technology so we can stay ahead of the competition," said Diane Laird, finance and administration manager from Larsen & Shaw, which manufactures hinges for everything from pianos and barbecue lids to emergency vehicles and heavy duty industrial doors. PowerPlex: Designed for Manufacturers PowerPlex will host more than 115 sessions led by nearly 120 presenters, while facilitating peer exchange and networking events. Presenters will include Plex users, Plex product leaders, and other industry experts. PowerPlex will also feature: Best practices sessions for users of all experience levels featuring customers such as Stant Corporation, a world leader in vapor management systems, fuel delivery systems, thermal management systems and engineering services; Seven Marine, which produces world-class outboard engines; and NAL, a tier one automotive lighting supplier. Product roadmap sessions and workshop courses, which give attendees a deep look into specific topics through hands-on interaction and experiential learning exercises, and 10 functional learning tracks including the newly introduced Plex Analytics and Industrial IoT track. The Plex Experience Lab & Solutions Expo, where attendees can gain hands-on training, connect with partners, interact with product experts, and experience the Customer Showcase, which features a variety of products customers make with Plex. The sixth annual Plex Impact Awards, which will recognize organizations that demonstrate innovation and leadership in their products, their approach to manufacturing and across their industries. Students and mentors from FIRST, who will join PowerPlex to share their experiences, showcase their robots, and demonstrate how manufacturers can personally address the skills gap. For the full agenda, go to www.plex.com/PowerPlex. To join the PowerPlex conversation on Twitter and LinkedIn, please use #PowerPlex and follow the Plex Systems blog. About Plex Systems Plex is the Manufacturing Cloud, delivering industry-leading ERP and manufacturing automation to more than 600 companies across process and discrete industries. Plex pioneered cloud solutions for the shop floor, connecting suppliers, machines, people, systems and customers with capabilities that are easy to configure, deliver continuous innovation and reduce IT costs. With insight that starts on the production line, Plex helps companies see and understand every aspect of their business ecosystems, enabling them to lead in an ever-changing market. Learn more at www.plex.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inventor-entrepreneur-and-stem-advocate-dean-kamen-to-keynote-powerplex-2019-300819019.html SOURCE Plex Systems [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Monetran Reaches Critical Milestone WILMINGTON, Del., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Monetran LLC, an internet fintech company based in Delaware, has announced that on March 25, the company successfully transferred funds through its proprietary app to a recipient in sub-Saharan Africa. This development is critical because the app forms the most important part of the Monetran system and gives the company the ability to accept payments and to transfer them internationally. Monetran plans to enter the remittance market, which is currently estimated to be worth more than $600 billion globally. The company intends to service select markets from the outset such as the U.S. to Mexico remittance market, which saw nearly $30 billion sent south of the border last year. In one model, a 3% market share would translate into approximately $20 million annually based on Monetran's current fee schedule. According to company documents, this is an immediate goal of the firm. "This development is something we've been looking forward to for a long time," Monetran CEO Don Bielak said. "This brings us to the brink of being able to make international money transfers at a fraction of the cost many of our biggest competitors charge. We expect that with a few refinements we will soon be ready to go full bore." As part of its system, Monetran has developed an asset-backed, redeemable stable token called Moneda. Moneda tokens serve an essential role in the underlying process which makes the transfers possible. The project has been built on the lightning-fast Stellar blockchain, making the transfers by Monetran equally rapid as a result. In addition, Stellar is extremely economical, enabling Monetran to make transfers at up to 70% less than competitors. Monetran is offering equity units, comprising a share of ownership in the company plus a token, to both U.S. and foreign investors through an SEC Regulation Crowdfunding campaign administered by Start Engine, one of the largest companies in the industry. Information on the investment can be found at www.startengine.com/monetran-llc and general information concerning Monetran appears on the company website at www.monetran.com . Contact: D.J. Bailey [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monetran-reaches-critical-milestone-300819236.html SOURCE Monetran, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] New PitchBook Report Shows Cross-Border Investments Bolstered Canadian PE and VC Activity in 2018 SEATTLE, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PitchBook, the premier data provider for the private and public equity markets, released a new report entitled, 2018 Annual Canadian PE & VC Factbook, which provides insight into the trends shaping the Canadian Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) landscape. PE activity remained robust in 2018, notching the second-highest aggregate deal value of the decade. Healthy Canadian PE activity in 2018 has been significantly bolstered by the popularity of the add-on strategy. The typical PE stalwart, B2B, accounted for a plurality of add-ons made last year, but tech companies remained an active arena of interest for PE buyers as well. PE-backed exit volume achieved the second-highest tally in 2018, as sellers remained quite active for the past five years straight. After a record year in Canadian fundraising in 2017, only two funds closed in 2018. Canadian VC activity reached record highs last year and investment with US participation soared to an all-time high. Software remains far and away the largest component of Canadian venture activity by sector, mirroring trends seen in the US and Europe. On the exit front, VC-backed exit activity held steady in volume, although aggregate exit value remained more variable as has been the case historically. VC fundraising stalled in 2018, with only three vehicles raised. "Canada saw healthy PE and VC activity in 2018, despite the slump in fundraising compared to previous years," said Garrett Black, Senior Manager at PitchBook. "It was a strong-year for cross border activity which highlights a maturing startup ecosystem and continued interest in Canadian companies." Canadian PE Activity Canadian PE deal flow remained robust in 2018, achieving the second-hihest aggregate deal value of the decade at C$52.0 billion across 324 transactions. Healthy Canadian PE activity has been significantly bolstered by the popularity of the add-on strategy in 2018, which accounted for a record proportion of all buyout activity last year (63%). across 324 transactions. Healthy Canadian PE activity has been significantly bolstered by the popularity of the add-on strategy in 2018, which accounted for a record proportion of all buyout activity last year (63%). PE-backed exit value hit C$35.2 billion in 2018, the second-highest tally ever. PE sellers remained quite active for the past five years, nearly hitting 100 completed transactions. in 2018, the second-highest tally ever. PE sellers remained quite active for the past five years, nearly hitting 100 completed transactions. On the fundraising side, after a record tally of C$11.6 billion in 2017, only two funds closed in 2018 totaling C$1.2 billion . However, given the aggregate of C$30.1 billion raised since 2014's start and the increase in cross-border investment activity, the local fundraising cycle is likely resetting. Canadian VC Activity Canadian VC deal value hit a record high of C$3.8 billion in 2018, despite completing fewer than 500 transactions. The decline in volume is due primarily to diminishing angel & seed activity, while more mature Canadian startup ecosystems have been able to produce companies capable of raking in C$25 million+ rounds. in 2018, despite completing fewer than 500 transactions. The decline in volume is due primarily to diminishing angel & seed activity, while more mature Canadian startup ecosystems have been able to produce companies capable of raking in C$25 million+ rounds. VC-backed exits in Canada held steady in terms of volume in 2018 ( C$1.1 billion ), although aggregate exit value remained more variable as has been the case historically. Although down slightly in count from last year, there's been a steady stream of liquidity achieved by Canadian venture-backed sellers in the past five years C$8.7 billion across 300+ transactions have been observed. held steady in terms of volume in 2018 ( ), although aggregate exit value remained more variable as has been the case historically. Although down slightly in count from last year, there's been a steady stream of liquidity achieved by Canadian venture-backed sellers in the past five years across 300+ transactions have been observed. Venture fundraising stalled, with only three vehicles amassing nearly C$220 million last year. What's more intriguing about the venture tally is how low it is relative to historical totals; the fundraising cycle in Canada is likely resetting. Spotlight: Foreign Investment VC investment with US participation soared to an all-time high in 2018, accounting for 186 of the 273 cross-border transactions completed. Key drivers of increasing US-based investor participation include potentially lower costs of living (relative to US coastal epicenters of VC like the Bay Area), burgeoning tech ecosystems in Vancouver , Montreal , Toronto , and Quebec , and a surplus of capital to dispense. , , , and , and a surplus of capital to dispense. Cross-border PE activity remained highly dynamic in 2018. Of the C$52.0 billion worth of deals closed last year, a clear majority of almost C$39 billion involved outside investors. Even more strikingly, PE activity with no domestic investor involvement soared to a new high of 180 transactions in 2018, for C$29.9 billion total. worth of deals closed last year, a clear majority of almost involved outside investors. Even more strikingly, PE activity with no domestic investor involvement soared to a new high of 180 transactions in 2018, for total. Given the prevalence of outside investor interest, domestic fundraising on its own does not convey an accurate depiction of capital availability; the slump in activity last year could be due to timing over other factors. Download the full report here. About PitchBook PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscapeincluding public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London and serves more than 24,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-pitchbook-report-shows-cross-border-investments-bolstered-canadian-pe-and-vc-activity-in-2018-300819279.html SOURCE PitchBook [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 26, 2019] SK Innovation announced its plan to build a LiBS Plant in Poland WOJEWODZTWO SLASKIE, Poland and SEOUL, South Korea, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Innovation will establish a global production base to become a leader in the separator market, the core material for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. On 27th of March, SK Innovation announced that it will build a new production plant for Lithium-ion Battery Separator (LiBS) and Ceramic Coated Separator (CCS) in Wojewodztwo Slaskie, Poland. SK Innovation, a leading energy and chemical company in Korea, is engaged in various fields from oil refining, chemicals, lubricants, petroleum development to EV batteries and battery separators. SK Innovation became the world's third company to succeed in developing Wet-Type LiBS in 2004. EUR 335 million to build four LiBS production units and three CCS production units in the 270,000 sqm site located in Wojewodztwo Slaskie. The plant will break ground in the third quarter of this year and begin mass production in the third quarter of 2021. The annual capacity of the plant is estimated to be 340 million square meters of LiBS and 130 million square meters of CCS. SK Innovation recently announced a series of plans to build plants in other countries including China and Poland. Currently it produces 360 million square meters of LiBS per year in Jeungpyeong, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea, and the completion of overseas plants in China and Poland will increase SK Innovations' production capacity to 1.2 billion square meters per year. SK Innovation recently established 'SK hi-tech battery materials Poland Sp. z o.o.', a wholly owned limited company. It is expected that SK Innovation will be able to rapidly provide separator products to major customers in the European market when the plant in Poland is completed. In addition, SK Innovation believes that it will make tangible results in Europe where global EV original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and EV battery providers are competing fiercely with each other. SOURCE SK Innovation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions Introduces Application Management Services Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions announced the availability of its Application Management Services, a set of managed services designed to drive efficiency, control costs, and improve outcomes in corporate legal and claims departments by strategically optimizing the Passport or TyMetrix 360 solutions. As corporations seek innovative ways to solve business challenges, ELM Solutions has expanded its expert services portfolio to help clients maximize internal resources and their technology investments. Global investment banking firm Jefferies LLC is one of ELM Solutions Application Management Services pilot customers. "Jefferies relies on TyMetrix 360 to manage our legal spend and e-billing processes. Our ELM Solutions system expert has helped us better navigate and enhance the administration of our billing," said Vicki Andreadis, Assistant General Counsel, Jefferies LLC. "We are now smarter about how we manage our legal department, which will ultimately result in real substantial cost savings down the line." The suite of Application Management services includes System Administration, Solution Operations, and Report Development. Designed to help deliver better legal outcomes and department efficiency, these services offer lega and claims department's flexible support to manage their Passport or TyMetrix 360 solutions. With the help of these service experts, customers can more quickly adapt to changing business needs, effectively plan for short and long-term initiatives, and efficiently handle surges in work. "By working intimately with our customers in legal and claims departments, we feel the pressure they face not only to attain favorable legal outcomes but also to improve efficiency within their organizations," said Jonah Paransky, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions. "The launch of our Application Management Service offerings provides our clients a deeper level of expertise and knowledge that will allow them to optimize their technology investment and ensure their teams can remain focused on their vital business responsibilities." Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions is the market-leading provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management and legal analytics solutions. Corporate legal and insurance claims departments and their law firms worldwide trust our flexible, multi-solution approach to help ensure compliance, control costs and collaborate more effectively. This includes Passport, the highest rated ELM solution in the 2017 Hyperion Marketview Legal Market Intelligence Report; TyMetrix 360, the industry's leading SaaS (News - Alert)-based e-billing and matter management solution; and the LegalVIEW portfolio of legal analytics solutions based upon the industry's largest and most comprehensive legal spend database, with more than $128 billion in invoices. About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk & Compliance Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance. Wolters Kluwer (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2018 annual revenues of 4.3 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005044/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 26, 2019] Beijing: in the Framework of the 'New Silk Roads' Signed With Artron, Artprice Has Revealed Its New Chinese Brand Specially Adapted to the Chinese Art Market PARIS, March 26, 2019 /CNW/ -- As previously indicated in our March 18 press release (see link below), Artprice has today revealed the Chinese brand name it will use in Artron's launch of its official spring campaign with a new baseline in Chinese. The name is: ??.??? [ Follow the link to read the Chinese name: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-chinese-brand.png ] Decided after much discussion with art market professionals in China, this name evokes Chinese confidence in art and the "Dao of Art"... i.e. the path of wisdom to which knowledge of the Art Market leads. The Chinese baseline ???????? says "Master the Global Art Market". [ Follow the link to read the Chinese baseline: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-maitriser-le-marche-mondial.png ] As thierry Ehrmann says, "by becoming a Chinese brand for China taking into account the specific tastes of Chinese art lovers, collectors and professionals Artprice is blending into the history and daily life of China's thousand-year-old culture, thereby boosting its notoriety and its sales turnover more quickly". At the end of this March, this new initiative will allow Artprice to achieve optimal exposure in China's colossal domestic market and to capture its economic potential with a 'permeability' that relates to China's multi-millennial history of art. Again, as Mr Ehrmann puts it "in order to conquer China you have to immerse yourself in a culture that goes back 4,000 year, and you have to approach the country with both humility and constance. In collaboration with Artprice, Artron has strengthened Artprices's road-map by the creation and implementation of a payment structure in order to comply with the new Directives from the Chinese government announced in February 2019. The strategic moves prompted by these Directives have slightly postponed Artprice's initial targets, which otherwise remain unchanged (See Press Release of 18 March 2019). Artprice's strategy is therefore part of the framework for trade and partnerships defined during President Xi Jinping's visit to France and largely commented in Emmanuel Macron's speech on 25 March 2019 marking the 55th anniversary of China's diplomatic relations with France. In his editorial for the 21st Global Art Market Annual Report co-published by Artprice and Artron last week, Mr Wan Jie, Chairman of Artron Group, Artprice's Chinese Institutional partner, stated: "This growth (of the art market) over time, like that of Artron's partnership with Artprice, will continue to accelerate as we integrate our resources, optimize our data, upgrade our Internet technology and diversify our business cooperation models. The result will be a New Silk Road connecting the different art worlds and the markets of the East and the West." We are therefore talking about a 'New Silk Road for the Art Market' in the framework of China's "One Belt, One Road"(OBOR) or "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) as presented by President Xi Jinping this week in France. Artprice is now accredited by the Chinese authorities as a major player alongside Artron in the project to construct an Art Market SiIk Road, thereby confirming at the highest level the agreements reached during the official visit of Artprice's management to Beijing in November 2018. The Belt and Road Initiative covers approximately 65 countries in Asia and Europe, for a total estimated cost of 55% of global GDP. It involves 70% of the global population 4.4 billion people and 75% of the world's energy reserves, with the total estimated investment period spanning 30 to 35 years for all the projects to be completed. The estimated value of the initial projects is around 900 billion dollars and China is apparently considering making loans for the completion of future infrastructures in the different countries along the new Silk Road that could amount to 8 trillion dollars. Moreover, as the country's population gets richer a phenomenon that is progressing at an astonishing pace China's Art Market is expected to enjoy phenomenal growth. By 2020, Asia should account for roughly 70% of the global Art Market. According to a study published by Bain & Company on 20 March 2019, China alone consumed 33% of the world's Luxury Goods in 2018. As the Art Market has very strng correlations with the Luxury Goods market, this figure corroborates Artprice's and Artron's forecasts for China's Art Market. In fact, according to the same study, China's consumption of Luxury Goods is already greater than that of Europe and the USA combined. To build stronger institutional relations with China, Artprice has become a member of the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons because the French city is one of the historical final destinations of Silk Roads since the Renaissance. Lyons is in fact the most visited French city by Chinese leaders. Created at the initiative of the City of Lyons, the Lyons Chamber of Commerce and the ADERLY, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons has already brought together many institutional and private partners like Groupe SEB, Institut Merieux, Huawei, Sanofi, EDF, Bank of China and Veolia. It defines itself, among other things, as a networking facilitator for contacts at the highest levels in France and China for over 80 years. The Institute's mission is the international promotion of France and of the economic attractiveness of the Lyons region by advertising the economic advantages of Lyons in China and encouraging Chinese investment in the Rhone-Alpes region. Moreover, after launching, in 2013, the project for an "Economic corridor traversing countries crossed by the old Silk Road", in 2014, President Xi Jinping made an official visit to the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons in the framework of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with France. Indeed, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons was revived precisely in this context, and it intends with its historical connections (since 1921) to give new impetus to the future of relations between Lyons and China. On 25 March 2019, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons was the subject of a long article in the Figaro. Apparently China's President Xi Jinping is at the origin of the initiative to revive the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons because a large section of China's historical elite has been educated in Lyon since 1921. No other place in Europe can boast this kind of historical link to the Middle Kingdom. To boost its visibility in China, Artprice will be present (for the first time ever) at Asia's largest Contemporary Art fair... the 7th edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. Alongside Artron, the two groups will occupy a prestigious stand and will promote their exclusive Decision Support Tools. Likewise, Artprice will also be present with Artron at Art Beijing from 26 to 29 April 2019. Lastly, Artprice's Facebook page has just reached 4 million followers worldwide. This represents an exceptional success on the world's leading social network, with a growing level of uptake at each publication, thereby spreading Artprice's databanks and services to new potential clients all over the world. On 30 June 2017, Artprice informed its AGM that it had 345,000 followers worldwide and it promised to reach 1 million by end-2018. That promise has now been largely superseded with an additional 3,655,000 followers, equivalent to a 1,061% increase in less than two years. With its unequalled audience on social media, Artprice is now giving Artron Western exposure just as Artron, at the beginning of April, will open its numerous networks with several tens of millions of members for Artprice (with its new Chinese name) including notably WeChat, but alsoTencent, QQ, Sina Weibo, Baidu and Tieba, among others. March 18 press release: https://www.actusnews.com/fr/ARTPRICE/cp/2019/03/18/artprice-and-artron-are-adapting-their-2019-strategy-to-the-art-market-dimension-of-china_s-belt-and-road-initiative-bri-that Copyright 2019 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/artist/23640/baishi-qi Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription About Artprice: Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Founded by thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/2019-bio-whoswho-thierry-ehrmann.pdf). Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2018 published last March 2019: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2018 Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner. About the Artron Group: "Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website." Artron's Web: www.Artron.net Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2018 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2018 Artprice's press releases: http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Artmarket News: https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 4 million subscribers http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/ Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video, which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos: https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 https://vimeo.com/124643720 The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.6 million subscribers Contact: thierry Ehrmann, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beijing-in-the-framework-of-the-new-silk-roads-signed-with-artron-artprice-has-revealed-its-new-chinese-brand-specially-adapted-to-the-chinese-art-market-300819117.html SOURCE Artprice.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 26, 2019] IGC Provides Corporate Updates India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE:IGC) announces today that, as of Wednesday, March 27, 2019, Hyalolex, the Company's cannabinoid-based, non-FDA approved product designed to assist in helping improve the lives of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, will be available for purchase in select dispensaries in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The MSRP for a 30 ml bottle of Hyalolex is $55.00. For more information about Hyalolex, visit the Company's recently updated website at hyalolex.com. The Company will host a doctor-patient education conference on Saturday, March 30, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in San Juan, featuring several speakers. On January 24, 2019, the Company terminated its Licensing Agreement with DaMa Pharmaceutical, LLC, with a 90-day notice period, with the termination effective April 24, 2019, and the parties were unable to negotiate a replacement agreement. DaMa Pharmaceutical is not presently involved in the launch of Hyalolex in Puerto Rico. On March 22, 2019, the Company launched a nw website where customers can place orders for wholesale hemp crude extract, hemp distillate, or hemp isolate, subject to certain terms and conditions, including compliance with applicable local laws and regulations. For more information about Holi Hemp, visit holihemp.com. The Company further announces that, due to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's current general prohibition on the distribution of CBD-infused drinks, the Company has elected to terminate its Strategic Distributor & Partnership Agreement with Treasure Network SDN BHD, related to the sugar-free energy drink, Nitro G, effective March 26, 2019. About IGC: IGC has two lines of business: infrastructure and hemp-derived medical cannabis/industrial hemp. The company is based in Maryland, U.S.A. Our website: www.igcinc.us. Twitter (News - Alert) @IGCIR Forward-looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on IGC's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IGC's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, competitive conditions in the industries in which IGC operates, failure to commercialize one or more of the technologies of IGC, general economic conditions that are less favorable than expected, and other factors, many of which are discussed in our SEC (News - Alert) filings. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this release will in fact occur. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190326006038/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 26, 2019] Viettel becomes the only telecommunications provider to recover services in Mozambique following Intense Tropical Cyclone Idai MAPUTO, Mozambique, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Movitel, a Viettel brand, has become the first and only telecommunications provider to generally recover its services in Mozambique following the devastating Intense Tropical Cyclone Idai, which wreaked havoc in the country, killing thousands and caused extensive damage in the affected areas. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841230/Viettel_Group___Movitel.jpg Movitel's full services are expected to resume at the end of the month. "After Intense Tropical Cyclone Idai, many roads in Mozambique suffered serious landslides, thus, travelling was very difficult and incident recovery was significantly affected. We expect that by March 30th, incidents will be completely remedied and the whole telecommunications system in Mozambique will be recoveed," said Mr. Do Manh Hung, the General Director of Viettel Global. Idai, which was considered the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere, started approaching Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe on March 14th. Before even arriving, the storm already damaged almost everything in the affected areas, caused severe flooding and claimed thousands of lives. Viettel was alerted of the implications that the storm would bring to its Movitel's network comprising of 273 base transceiver stations, so it immediate started mapping out its remedial plan. According to Mr. Do, Viettel assigned 30 technicians in African markets, including Burundi and Tanzania, to remedy incidents for Movitel while technicians of Movitel and rescue teams from Vietnam, Burundi and Tanzania were asked to repair cable systems and the base transceiver stations affected by the cyclone. Currently, Movitel has recovered 75% of its base transceiver stations and the remaining stations are in the process of being restored. Apart from helping the country to recover telecommunications services, Movitel has donated 50 tons of food and rebuilt houses for people in the affected areas. The company has also given 30 MT (around USD$0.5) to customers in affected areas and offered at least 20,000 SIM cards for exchange. In the flooded areas, Movitel cut price of 2G devices by $3 and replaced batteries for devices bought at Movitel. According to statistics, the number of Movitel subscribers who lost connection during the storm reached almost 290,000. However, with sales promotions and support, original consumption was restored to the normal just days after Idai hit. SOURCE Viettel Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau Launches Timeless Tokyo, a Website to Introduce the Attractions of Tokyo as a Luxury Travel Destination Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, on behalf of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, has launched the Timeless Tokyo website (https://timelesstokyo.com) in late February of 2019 as a planning tool for luxury travel specialists outside of Japan, with the aim of increasing the allure of Tokyo as a luxury travel destination. The concept for the website is TOKYO timeless temptatons. It introduces Tokyo as a luxury travel destination with never-fading attractions both old and new. In addition to introducing the ways to enjoy Tokyo for luxury travel, utilizing themes of history and tradition, art, architecture, food and drink, outdoor activities, and exclusive experiences, all of which luxury travelers are extremely interested in, the website also includes information of local professionals such as luxury hotels and destination management companies for luxury travel specialists who work to design travel to Tokyo, and offers model travel itineraries as well. Allow the website to serve as a bountiful resource when designing unique Tokyo tours. Moving forward, the information for luxury travel specialists on Timeless Tokyo will constantly be supplemented to welcome the travelers seeking exclusive luxury experiences only Tokyo can make available. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190326006063/en/ [March 27, 2019] Hong Kong's Largest SME Financing Platform Qupital Secures US$15M Series A for Greater China Expansion HONG KONG, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Qupital, Hong Kong's largest online, small and medium enterprise (SME) trade financing platform, have announced the completion of their Series A capital raise of USD 15 million. The round was led by CreditEase FinTech Investment Fund (CEFIF), a leading FinTech fund under CreditEase, with additional capital injections from the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund and MindWorks Ventures following their initial investments in the seed round. Qupital plans to use the funds to expand their presence in mainland China, enlarge their technology development and risk management teams, and strengthen its fast-growing, cross-border e-commerce expansion. Qupital & CreditEase Synergy Opens Up Opportunities For Greater China SME & Investors The Series A capital raise is an important step in the strategic planning of Qupital. Adding CreditEase as a strategic investor in this round of funding creates business synergies benefiting both parties. As a pioneer and leader specializing in inclusive finance and wealth management, CreditEase will provide marketplace lending access and networks, to facilitate the geographical expansion of Qupital, as well as bringing on-the-ground operational expertise. In addition, the wealth management team of CreditEase is also considering to provide new capital to fund SMEs' trades. Capture the Development of the Greater Bay Area Qupital plans to use the funding to further enhance its internal credit control systems, e-commerce finance product, and overall technological capabilities to cope with future demand. To penetrate into the Chinese market, Qupital aims to open branches in key cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen while also taking advantage of the flourishing Greater Bay Area to set up a technology centre for talent sourcing and development. "The growing volume of SME and cross-border trading drives a huge demand for alternative financing for SME's who are underserved in the market and opportunities for investors to earn a decent risk-adjusted return," said Dennis Cong, PhD, Managing Director of CEFIF. "We look forward to working with Qupital to broaden its source of capital base and create unparalleled investment opportunities for CreditEase. We will be working with Qupital to further utilize the technologies to enhance risk management, user experience and operational efficiency." "We are pleased to witness the rapid growth of Qupital, from a local Hong Kong startup to a well-organized corporate team in the region," said Cindy Chow, Executive Director at the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund. "Through this follow-on round of financing and the business opportunities that Alibaba Group has facilitated, we have confidence in the future success of Qupital." "MindWorks have always had a strong conviction in Qupital's team and the company's growth prospects within such a tremendous underserved market of USD 60 billion annually," said Mr David Chang, Managing Partner at MindWorks Ventures. "It has been a pleasure to be a part of their journey from the very beginning. Qupital's ability to form strong strategic partnerships at such an early stage is critical for future growth. Their success is also a testament to the flourishing startup ecosystem in Hong Kong -- the future is bright." With the completion of the Series A round, founders Winston Wong and Andy Chan feel honoured and grateful for investor suport and are excited to lead Qupital's next chapter of growth. "Qupital has accomplished remarkable results since 2016. Since the completion of the seed round financing, we successfully handled over 8,000 transactions, totalling HKD 2 billion. Over the past two years, we are grateful to all our investment partners for supporting Qupital. In particular, we are honoured to receive the capital injection from our strategic investor, CreditEase in this round of funding, whose Vision, Mission and Values (VMV) matches with Qupital," said Winston Wong, Founder of Qupital. "We are also extremely pleased to receive the continuing trust from the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund and MindWorks Ventures." "In tandem with our flourishing partnership with Alibaba.com last year, we achieved a successful expansion into the cross-border e-commerce market (supply chain financing). We plan to further expand our regional business towards mainland China and seize the opportunity arising from the development of the Greater Bay Area in the future," said Andy Chan, Founder of Qupital. "We are on track in our goal to becoming the largest supply chain financing platform in Asia within the next three years." About Qupital Qupital is Hong Kong's leading supply chain finance platform. Operating on a safe and secure online platform, Qupital enables SME businesses to raise capital in a few clicks by connecting them with professional investors, whilst at the same time providing a brand-new asset class to investors that was previously unavailable. In 2018, Qupital launched its strategic partnership with Alibaba.com, the leading B2B business platform, aiming to help more Hong Kong B2B businesses in their transformation to e-commerce. Qupital has raised a total of USD 17 million in funding. Qupital's shareholders include CreditEase, Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners and MindWorks Ventures. For more information, please visit http://www.qupital.com/ About the Investors CreditEase FinTech Investment Fund Founded in February 2016, CreditEase FinTech Investment Fund ("CEFIF") is a venture fund investing in FinTech companies globally. CEFIF has an equivalent of USD 1 billion in the total committed capital. The Fund was recently ranked the 2nd "Most Active Fintech VC Fund" globally by CB Insights and also nominated for "Top Fintech Equity Investor" Award at LendIt USA Annual Conference. http://www.cefintechfund.com Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund The Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF) is a not-for-profit initiative launched by the Alibaba Group in 2015. AEF invests in startup companies with a Hong Kong nexus by encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship among the city's young. AEF also supports the application of both research and innovation for the betterment of the city's community. As part of their investment program, AEF provides Hong Kong-based entrepreneurs with investment capital and strategic guidance to help them grow their businesses and penetrate global markets, by utilizing Alibaba's vast ecosystem. AEF also nurtures Hong Kong's younger generation by running an internship program of its own. This program offers Hong Kong's graduates and students at tertiary institutions a chance to learn with us by providing valuable internship opportunities at Alibaba Group and its affiliated companies. AEF further supports other organizations that share its mission of instilling entrepreneurship and creativity. http://www.ent-fund.org/ MindWorks Ventures MindWorks Ventures is Asia's leading regional venture capital firm. Headquartered in Hong Kong with an office in Beijing, the firm invests in high-growth companies across Greater China and Southeast Asia. Since 2014, the firm has invested in over 25 companies and manages over USD 400 million across three funds. http://www.mindworks.vc/ Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190325/2412869-1LOGO SOURCE Qupital [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Pak Army 19 Signal Battalion Job in Kohat KPK Latest Pakistan Army Army jobs Posts Kohat 2021 Young, energetic and responsible person for the position of Mess Waiter required urgently for Pakistan Army 19 Signal Battalion in Kohat KPK Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2019. How to Apply on Pakistan Army 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. [March 27, 2019] Tremolo Security Simplifies Kubernetes Security with Orchestra ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tremolo Security wants to make it easier to secure your Kubernetes clusters. In a blog post on their site, https://www.tremolosecurity.com/kubernetes-security/ , Tremolo Security announced the release of Orchestra, a collection of projects designed to make integrating identity into your cluster as simple as possible. Orchestra is built on Tremolo Security's open source identity management platform, OpenUnison. In the blog post Tremolo Security's CTO, Marc Boorshtein, explains that authentication and access management are two of the hardest components of Kubernetes security. Kubernetes is a unique system for most enterprises because it is both a collection of APIs and a set of tools and applications that developers and administrators interact with. These interactions all need to be secured. In addition to validating who is using your Kubernetes clusters, administrators need to be able to limit access to clusters even if they're enterprise doesn't have a mechanism to do so. Orchestra brings identity and cloud native together. Marc explains, "Your security solutions for Kubernetes need to be as dynamic as your infrastructure. A legacy identity platform will slow you down and negate many of the benefits of cloud native." As an example, Marc points out that customizations to Orchestra are done through code, "When you make an update to Orchestra you're pushing a commit to a git repository which in turn triggers a pipeline to build Orchestra with the latest OpenUnison libraries finally pushing a new container into yourregistry." Enabling identity in a cloud native way makes it easier for enterprises to secure their clusters. Another aspect of Kubernetes security that Marc points out is that tokens are typically long lived, measured in hours. "Long lived tokens pose a risk to your cluster by providing a potential attacker multiple hours of access if a token is hijacked," says Marc. Orchestra helps mediate this concern by using very short lived tokens that are only good for at most three minutes. This cuts down the risk of a hijacked token being abused since once an attacker hijacks a token and tries to use it its likely the token has expired and Kubernetes will reject it. In addition to managing the security of tokens and providing cluster authentication, Orchestra can add an automation layer to Kubernetes access. "Once a cluster is deployed, it needs to be carved up to provide access to teams," Marc says. Marc goes on to say, "You invested hours and dollars in automating your infrastructure, why would you want to manually manipulate RBAC rules?" Orchestra can provide a self service portal for automating access requests to Kubernetes and the creation of namespaces. This cuts down on manual work done by SREs and increases security by providing an authoritative source to audit a cluster against. Many of the headline grabbing breaches in the news are a direct result of unpatched vulnerabilities. Marc explains how Tremolo Security helps keep your Orchestra deployment up to date, "We automate the testing of OpenUnison to make sure that updates in libraries don't break existing functionality letting us update all of our dependencies on each release." Tremolo Security extends this principle to its published containers by continuously scanning them. When Tremolo Security's scans find an update to address a known CVE containers are automatically rebuilt to include those fixes. Users can use any system or service that watches when our containers are updated to trigger deployment pipelines of their own implementations. Lastly, multi-factor authentication is becoming a larger priority for enterprises deploying Kubernetes. Orchestra provides options for FIDO Universal Second Factor (U2F), one time passwords and certificate authentication (also known as PIV and CAC in the US Federal Government). These options can easily be added by forking Orchestra and making a change to its built in configuration. Orchestra is open source and available from Tremolo Security's Kubernetes solutions page at https://www.tremolosecurity.com/kubernetes/ and at GitHub directly at https://github.com/openunison . About Tremolo Security Tremolo Security provides open source cloud native identity management solutions. Tremolo's Unison and OpenUnison combine authentication, web access management, an LDAP virtual directory, self service user provisioning, application integration and reporting into a single system. Tremolo Security's customers include government, financial services and public safety. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tremolo-security-simplifies-kubernetes-security-with-orchestra-300818452.html SOURCE Tremolo Security [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Viettel brings the eSIM technology to Laos, on its way to transform the global telecommunications landscape VIENTIANE, Laos, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Unitel -- Viettel's brand in Laos, has officially become the country's first mobile network operator to launch eSIM technology. eSIM is a sim card built into a phone that allows users to change carriers using their phone settings rather than inserting a new sim. Not only does this bring convenience to consumers but the eSIM also removes the use of physical sim cards made from solid materials, which would likely increase amount of rubbish in the environment. As the world advances in technology and environmental consciousness, products like eSIM are becoming more popular. By providing eSIM technology in Laos, Unitel has helped the country rank seventh among 10 ASEAN Member States in terms of supplying the latest telecommunications technology. Althugh this service was only launched in the beginning of March, Unitel aims to encourage at least 10,000 of its customers to exchange their physical sim card for eSIM by the end of 2020. Laos is the fourth market in Southeast Asia that Viettel has officially supplied this service to. The Vietnamese telecommunications company is also the first mobile network operator to provide this eSIM technology in Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia. Providing eSIM technology is only the beginning of Viettel's goal of digitally transforming the global telecommunications landscape. The telecommunications giant aims to become the pioneer in Internet of Things technologies that supplies "smart" connections around the world. "Viettel has well-prepared platforms and infrastructure and has made digital transformations in its fields such as telecommunications and information technology. This includes application of the latest technologies in the world for a more convenient life," said Mr. Tao Duc Thang, the Deputy General Director of Viettel Group. Metfone Another Viettel's brand in Laos, Metfone, has become the first mobile network operator in the market to launch a fast top-up technology via QR code scanning. By using two Metfone applications including My Metfone and digital wallet eMoney (developed and operated by Metfone) to scan QR code, users can top up faster and more conveniently and this technology can completely replace top-up via scratch cards. SOURCE Viettel Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] The University of West England Partners with Ellucian for Cloud Solutions Ellucian, the leading provider of software and services built to power higher education, announced today a new partnership with the University of West England (UWE Bristol). UWE Bristol will implement cloud-based Ellucian Banner Student, Ellucian CRM Recruit, Ellucian CRM Advise, Ellucian Workflow and Ellucian Intelligent Learning Platfor (ILP) to deliver of a fully personalized digital experience for its users. "Our aim is to place the student at the heart of everything we do and deliver an exceptional experience to each of our more than 30,000 students that is personalized, modern, seamless, and on-demand," said UWE Bristol Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Experience, Jo Midgley. "With Ellucian as our partner, we will implement cloud technology that facilitates new ways of working and allows us to meet the expectations of staff and students alike." The university will replace its disparate, legacy student records systems with Banner Student, enabling the delivery of a coherent student experience and better organizational alignment through data integration across departments. The managed cloud delivery model enhances scalability and security and allows UWE Bristol to easily access the most current application releases and advanced functions. Additionally, the student information system (SIS) will automate the management and compliance of student data including accurate and timely reporting in accordance with rapidly evolving U.K. statutory and regulatory guidelines. UWE Bristol's keen focus on personalized relationship management led them to select Ellucian's CRM solutions. The university will more effectively reach and enroll the right students with CRM Recruit, and better engage enrolled students with an emphasis on improving retention and student success with CRM Advise. These solutions will work in conjunction with Workflow and ILP to inform and automate communication with students and between staff. "We are thrilled to partner with UWE Bristol as they implement cloud technology, to enable efficiencies and best practices that support a more modern experience for students and staff," said Ellucian President and CEO, Laura Ipsen (News - Alert). "What excites me most about UWE Bristol's strategic plan is the delivery of a truly personalized digital experience for students that fosters enhanced interpersonal connections on campus and leads to improved student outcomes across the board." About the University of West England (UWE Bristol) The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has a global and inclusive outlook, with approximately 30,000 students and strong industry networks and connections with over 1,000 employers. Research at UWE Bristol focuses on real world problems and the University plays a pivotal role in the regional economy. With over 300 million invested in infrastructure, buildings and facilities across all Campuses, UWE Bristol is creating a place for learning that is innovative, ambitious, connected, enabling and inclusive. UWE Bristol is in the top 10 universities in the UK for student satisfaction, with a record 89% of UWE Bristol final year students satisfied with their course overall, and have recently been awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) 2018, achieving GOLD Standard. About Ellucian Inspired by the transformative impact of education, Ellucian develops solutions that power the essential work of colleges and universities. As the world's leading provider of software and services designed for higher education, Ellucian works with more than 2,500 institutions in 50+ countries-enhancing operations and enriching the experience for nearly 20 million students. Ellucian provides student information systems (SIS), finance and HR, recruiting, retention, analytics and advancement software solutions. With a full suite of cloud ready solutions, Ellucian provides institutions with the choice and flexibility in how, what and when they deploy solutions in the cloud. Ellucian also supports the higher education community with a range of professional services such as application software implementation, training, education, and management consulting. Ellucian brings power, passion, and performance to bear for higher education, and its ability to better our world. Visit Ellucian at www.ellucian.com/emea-ap. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005059/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Equifax and FICO introduce strategic partnership to deliver the Data Decisions Cloud ATLANTA, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To increase velocity for deploying predictive models, FICO and Equifax are introducing the Data Decisions Cloud. The new Data Decisions Cloud is an end-to-end data and analytics suite that addresses key needs across risk, marketing, and fraud to enable financial institutions to meet the needs of consumers faster and more precisely than ever before. The Data Decisions Cloud integrates the Equifax Ignite platform differentiated data and analytic management with FICO Cloud applications and the FICO Decision Management Suite (DMS), a digital decisioning platform. This broad strategic alignment will enable organizations to easily explore differentiated data, uncover deep new insights, build highly-predictive models and rapidly deploy decisions into production systems across the customer lifecycle. Financial institutions will benefit from an increased pace of innovation for data and decisioning, supported by incredible industry expertise and explainable artificial intelligence (AI). "We are energized about this broad partnership between Equifax and FICO. Two industry leaders are joining forces to help financial institutions better meet the needs of consumers and improve business agility," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax. "Our partnership will seamlessly integrate Equifax's differentiated data assets and Ignite platform with FICO's market-leading cloud based decisioning software and applications." "Our common mission is to empower financial institutions to leverage data-driven decisioning in all their customer interactions," said William J. Lansing, CEO of FICO. "With this strategic partnership, FICO and Equifax will help organizations operationalize the best data with unparalleled predictive analytics and applied AI, and do so in a streamlined and cost-effective way." The strategic partnership is focused on a connected, end-to-end development and decisioning management platform that allows customers to quickly explore, develop, test, and deploy powerful insights into production systems across the organization. In addition, FICO and Equifax are planning to release three pre-built solutions later this year: A connected system for real-time access to raw and trended data that enables the rapid creation and deployment of new predictive elements and promotes data science collaboration across the enterprise. A Compliance-as-a-Service solution that enables customers of all sizes to support their anti-money-laundering and know your customer oligations across the customer lifecycle. An integrated pre-screen marketing automation solution that develops FCRA-compliant campaigns to acquire and retain customers. Liza A. Yannon , director of Quantitative Analysis at Key Bank. "I'm excited to see that FICO and Equifax listened to the voice of the customer by coming together, and I look forward to seeing how they help us obtain more ready access to data, enabling better use of it in analytics and business decisions." "We know there is an overwhelming amount of data in the world and we know consumer expectations are on the rise as they demand highly-personalized engagement, in real-time. To compete in this dynamic market, financial institutions need to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive analytics to find the key insights that will help them deliver differentiated and profitable customer experiences," said Brian Riley, director, Mercator Advisory Group. "The Equifax and FICO partnership underscores these trends and should help address the industry's most challenging problems like streamlining the customer experience, improving data analytic capabilities, and reducing operating costs." Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by expressions of belief, expectation or intention, as well as statements that are not historical fact. All statements that address new products and services, including the Data Decisions Cloud, product development activities, expectations of the strategic partnership, the future operating performance of both companies, and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to the benefits and synergies of the strategic partnership, the potential market impact of new products and services and plans to release additional products and services are forward-looking statements. Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the ability of the parties to enter into definitive agreements for the strategic partnership, the ability of the parties to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the strategic partnership, technical or other difficulties in connection with the introduction of new products and services and the market acceptance of new products and services. A summary of additional risks and uncertainties can be found in Equifax's and FICO's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are given only as at the date of this release and the companies disclaim any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Equifax Equifax is a global data, analytics, and technology company and believes knowledge drives progress. The Company blends unique data, analytics, and technology with a passion for serving customers globally, to create insights that power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 11,000 employees worldwide. For more information, visit Equifax.com and follow the company's news on Twitter and LinkedIn . About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 and based in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 190 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at http://www.fico.com FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Media Contacts: Wyatt Jefferies, Equifax 404-885-8907 Katie O'Connell, FICO 510-621-9832 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/equifax-and-fico-introduce-strategic-partnership-to-deliver-the-data-decisions-cloud-300819058.html SOURCE Equifax Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] TUV Rheinland Issues First 5G Mobile Phone CE RED Certification to Huawei SHENZHEN, China, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TUV Rheinland, the leading international provider of testing, inspection, and certification services, has issued the first-ever CE RED certificate for a Huawei 5G mobile phone. Li Xiaolong,Huawei's Vice President of Mobile Phones, Stefan Kischka, Vice President of TUV Rheinland Wireless/IoT,attended the certification ceremony on behalf of their respective companies. Stefan Kischka congatulated Huawei during the certification ceremony, "TUV Rheinland is pleased to serve as a witness to the world-leading 5G expertise of Huawei. This is great news for both the industry and consumers. TUV Rheinland has much experience in the wireless communications technology field. We hope to continue working closely with Huawei in launching, promoting, and witnessing the new era of 5G." During his speech, Li Xiaolong said, "5G technology and products are more complex than the previous generation of communication technologies. Certification was therefore even more challenging. I thank the technical teams from both companies for working and achieving important breakthroughs in the certification of many key technologies. In the future, Huawei will continue to work with TUV Rheinland on the development of certification technologies for communication products and to promote the large-scale commercialization of 5G devices." The CE mark is mandatory for entering the European market. The Huawei Mate X passed CE certification covering requirements in terms of radio frequency (RF), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), safety (Safety & SAR), RoHs, and environmental protection. As a leading test service provider and pioneer in wireless communications technology, TUV Rheinland has been focusing on 5G development and its commercialization process. CONTACT Simon Hung +852-21921948 [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190318/2406055-1 SOURCE TUV Rheinland [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Bright Interactive's Rebrand Celebrates 20 Years of Success BRIGHTON, England, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Bright Interactive, the software development agency behind Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution Asset Bank, is transforming its brand with the introduction of a new name, logo and design. After two decades in the software industry, the company will now be known as Bright with a redesigned logo that reflects who the company is today and symbolises its dynamic future both in the DAM sector and beyond. Commenting on the rebrand, Bright's Director Martin Wilson stated: "Bright has been very successful over the last 20 years, thanks to the fantastic people who work for us and the clients who've partnered with us. We have always been true to our company values, which have changed very little from when we started, yet until now we haven't always been consistent in how we express these to the outside world. Our new brand is a true reflection on who and what we are as a company and is an integral part of the ambitious plans we have for Asset Bank and our new products Dash and Brand Hub. I think the next 20 years will be even more exciting!" The rebrand will see: Bright bcoming the new master brand name, in turn creating a brand architecture for all of the company's products; these include Asset Bank plus Dash and Brand Hub, which both launch this month. An all-new logo signifying Bright's individuality and intelligence; the fingerprint symbolises the personal human touch Bright offers its customers while the brain represents the intelligence behind every solution Bright creates. New logos for all of Bright's products and services including Asset Bank, Dash and Brand Hub; this will bring the company's offerings into visual alignment with the Bright rebrand. A new colour palette including violet, which signifies leadership, longevity, clarity and empathy; this is complemented by an array of bright accent colours to reflect the company's positive outlook for the future. https://www.assetbank.co.uk/blog/weve-rebranded-as-bright-and-we-couldnt-be-more-excited and find Bright on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/brightassetbank ), Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/assetbanksoftware/ ) and LinkedIn ( www.linkedin.com/company/bright-interactive ) About Bright: Bright is the company behind Asset Bank, Brand Hub and Dash. They are an agile software company and DAM specialists based in Brighton, UK since 2005. This year they celebrate their 20th anniversary in the software and Digital Asset Management (DAM) space and are proud to work with over 800 global clients including 20 FTSE 100. Media Contact: Angela Nyman Bright [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bright-interactives-rebrand-celebrates-20-years-of-success-300819338.html SOURCE Bright [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] OKEx Expands to Turkey and Launches Turkish Lira C2C Trading MALTA, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OKEx, a Malta-based world-leading digital asset exchange, announced its expansion to Turkey by launching Turkish Lira on its C2C (customer-to-customer) fiat-to-token trading platform at its C2C Network Launch Event in Istanbul. The Turkish Lira C2C trading service will be available from early April. To cater to the upcoming traffic from the Turkish market, the Turkish language is now also available on OKEx.com, in addition to the already supported 8 languages. "Turkey is the country that has one of the highest percentages of crypto ownership in Europe, and it owns one of the fastest growing crypto communities in the world. While Turkey is entering an economic recession, people are finding ways to safeguard their wealth and many of them have turned to digital assets. At OKEx, we are actively looking for ways to serve the community here. By supporting Turkish Lira, we hope to provide an additional solution for the local people to address their concerns on economic stability," said Andy Cheung, Head of Operations of OKEx. At the evening networking event hosted yesterday in Istanbul, the Turkish capital, OKEx brought together a group of blockchain and technology enthusiasts to discuss the crypto and blockchain development in the country. During the "mindxchange" session, several crypto leaders and entrepreneurs generated an insightful conversation about the mss adoption process of digital assets in Turkey. The panelists, including Hakan Kayis, Founder of SocialTheGang, Tolga Odoglu, Managing Partner of Menapay, Eray Eren, Co-founder and CPO of Colendi, Elcin Karatay, Lawyer of Solak & Partners, shared their views about how to promote crypto adoption and discussed the potential of blockchain applications in Turkey market. Turkish Lira Now Available on OKEx C2C Trading OKEx C2C trading platform allows users to place orders with self-selected exchange rates and payment methods to buy or sell Virtual Financial Assets with fiat currencies, benefiting users by offering a low-volatility market and zero transaction fee. Turkish Lira C2C Trading Platform will be officially available in early April. OKEx C2C trading offers a decentralized platform for the buying and selling of Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). To trade on the C2C platform, users in Turkey have to complete simple steps, including KYC level 1 verification, as well as linking a valid Turkish bank account and a mobile number. For more information about C2C trading, please visit here. About OKEx OKEx is a world-leading digital asset exchange headquartered in Malta, offering comprehensive digital assets trading services including token trading, futures trading, perpetual swap trading and index tracker to global traders with blockchain technology. Currently, the exchange offers over 400 token and futures trading pairs enabling users to optimize their strategies. The platform provides a safe, reliable, and stable environment for digital asset trading, serving millions of customers from over 200 countries and regions. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841971/Turkey_C2C.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/738615/OKEx_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Professional Network for the Cannabis Industry Launches Out of Colorado DENVER, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- cannektme, the first professional network dedicated to the cannabis industry, had their public launch last week and is accepting new members. Comprised of a private social network, industry job board, business & services directory and aggregated news feed, cannektme utilizes some of the best features of top social platforms today to "cannekt" the cannabis industry. From multi-decade veterans to today's cannabis professionals and enthusiasts, the network brings together like-minded individuals to learn and support each other. Founder and creator Shea Curran says, "As a Schedule 1 federally illegal substance, tech giants like Facebook and Google have taken a conservative approach on cannabis content and marketing, which led to fragmentation of an industry still in its infancy." This stance is largely due to their loose account creation standards - anyone 13 years old and up can create an account, almost anywhere in the world. cannektme takes member privacy and local laws very seriously with a policy only allowing individuals in applicable medical (18+) and recreational (21+) states. By putting this policy into place, the network is inherently private and, thus, allows users to create cannabis content without fear that it will violate terms and subsequently be deleted. When asked about creating the network, Curran said, "During a career search of mine a few years ago, I recognized just how separated the industry was, with most cannabis participants relying on personal relationships and simple word-of-mouth connections. To expand those networks, there haven't been many options with an emphasis on professional development and resources until cannektme." The current landscape of cannabis platforms and applications has been relatively catered to younge, more consumer-based audiences, making a network like cannektme a much-needed resource for industry professionals. Although cannektme does not aim to recreate the technological wheel, there are features unique to the platform that haven't existed until today. While most companies have been fairly niche-oriented, attempting to solve one or a few industry problems, the cannektme network has taken a broader approach, allowing and encouraging the community to lead these efforts. "By leveraging the network, a recent graduate can begin their career in cannabis, a grower can find a B2B supply-chain partner, a freelance marketer can find their next client, a consumer can find the nearest dispensary, a patient can feel accepted and unashamed of their medicine choice - the possibilities of applicable scenarios are endless when you bring passionate people together and the cannabis industry is certainly not lacking passion," Curran stated. In the company's eyes, the launch marks an important step in the continuous effort to de-stigmatize views of the cannabis industry as being "lazy" or "unprofessional." Far from the unfair characterizations and stereotypes, the burgeoning industry is ripe for a start-up like cannektme to advance the conversation towards professionalism and acceptance. As a special thank you to new members, all cannabis industry employers can post unlimited job listings for free. The promo is only for a limited time, so be sure to create an account today to take advantage of this exclusive offer. Sign up today at www.cannektme.com to start networking with cannabis industry peers. About cannektme: Founded in 2017, cannektme is the first professional network dedicated to the cannabis industry. Created by advocate and patient Shea Curran, cannektme aims to solve industry-wide fragmentation by leveraging the best features of online networking today. The network is free to join and open to medical patients and 21+ in applicable legalized states. cannektme Media Contact: Magon Dew Email: [email protected] Phone: (513) 909-9552 Related Images cannektme.jpg cannektme Professional Network for the Cannabis Industry Related Links Sign up View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/professional-network-for-the-cannabis-industry-launches-out-of-colorado-300819231.html SOURCE cannektme LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Teraki Secures $2.3M in Additional Funding and Launches DevCenter for Quicker Data and AI Model Training Automotive AI startup Teraki today announced it has raised $2.3 million in additional funding for its mission to provide breakthrough AI and edge data processing software to meet the exploding data demands of the $395 billion automotive electronics industry. The latest backing for the technology platform, which brings a more than tenfold increase in efficiency to the components used in automotive electronics, comes from Hong Kong-based Horizons Ventures and American Family Ventures. Total funding to date amounts to $5.3 million. "Data driven insights will be key to innovation in the automotive and automotive insurance sectors, as a result, capturing highly accurate information from cars is the basis needed to drive to these insights. Teraki aids in acquiring this information with the highest efficiency and accuracy rates. We are excited to support the growth of the company and its path towards enabling better insurance applications," says Katelyn Johnson, principal at American Family Ventures. American Family Ventures is a $200 million fund backed by American Family Insurance, the 13th largest P&C insurer in the US, interested in bringing data-driven products to the insurance industry. Teraki is the leading provider of embedded, pre-processing software for sensor data in the automotive industry. When embedded in automotive electronic systems, the software enables hardware to process more than 10 times more data without loss of information to train and run machine learning methods of customers. Teraki's deterministic technology is compatible with AI and conforms to standards fr safety related applications. By applying techniques originally developed for quantum computing, Teraki condenses data to as little as two percent of its original size. This means with Teraki pre-processing applications run more than 10 times faster than implementations based on Neural Network. Teraki pre-processing can work directly with AI chips enabling even higher efficiencies. Alternatively, it can also simply reduce the specs of classic automotive chips, thereby reducing the bill of materials. With respect to sensor fusion, Teraki drastically reduces energy consumption and heat production due to lower computational tasks, while still delivering the algorithm detection and prediction performance that are essential for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. Daniel Richart, Teraki's CEO and co-founder says, "Winning the support of these renowned and leading VCs is further validation of our vision to truly enable efficient edge computing and scalable AI applications in the automotive markets. With this investment we will be able to accelerate the time to market for our signed customer contracts and serve the growing customer funnel." Introducing the Teraki DevCenter The company also announced today the launch of the Teraki DevCenter-a cloud-based data training and prototyping environment, allowing customers to train Teraki's algorithms on their data. Data training is an essential step used to teach AI models or machine learning algorithms how to make data-driven predictions or decisions by building a mathematical model from input data. Unique to the industry, the DevCenter automates this complex process and provides development teams with the opportunity to quickly train Teraki's machine learning algorithms based on their own data and to evaluate exactly what performance advantages Teraki's technology can provide. "With the DevCenter we have automated data training tasks, allowing development teams to test our solution with their own data more quickly," says Markus Kopf, Teraki's co-founder and CTO. "Automating this entire process is complex and difficult. For our current and future customers, this makes it much easier to experience for themselves what Teraki technology can do in terms of edge processing and performance improvements that can lower their hardware and data communication costs, improve their applications and algorithms, and create new possibilities in the automotive systems of tomorrow." Customers can sign up for the DevCenter online or email [email protected]. For more information, visit www.teraki.com. About Teraki Teraki provides breakthrough edge data processing software to meet the exploding data demands of the $395 billion automotive electronics industry. The company's AI-based Intelligent Signal Processing software delivers a more than 10X increase in automotive chip, communications and learning performance. This makes highly accurate AI applications possible at scale in embedded environments. These leaps in performance enable the automotive industry to develop new, innovative and cost-effective ways to use the vast amount of data generated by in-vehicle sensors and control units (ECUs, MCUs, TCUs) to improve vehicle safety and autonomy at lower operational costs. Teraki has completed several pre-production validations by premium automotive manufacturers, as well as successful integrations on a variety of microcontrollers. Headquartered in Berlin, Teraki is privately held and funded. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005101/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Argentina's Largest Electricity Distributor Uses Knoa User Experience Management (UEM) to Optimize Use of Its Mobile Field Service Management Application from ClickSoftware Knoa (News - Alert) Software, a leading provider of user experience management (UEM) software, today announced that Edenor, the largest distributor of electricity in Argentina, is using software solutions from Knoa (Knoa UEM and Knoa UEM Toolkit) to help identify, diagnose and resolve critical business issues related to its ERP system and Click Field Service Edge from Click Software. Knoa provides organizations with instant visibility into how employees interact with enterprise applications, in order to identify usability, performance, training or process improvements, leading to increased employee productivity. For the Click Field Service Edge (CFSE) application, used by technicians to improve the quality of service, Edenor leveraged the Knoa UEM Toolkit, which enables organizations to extend Knoa's analytics to any browser-based application. To effectively roll out the CFSE application and maximize technician productivity, Edenor took a phased approach and used Knoa to initially understand how field technicians interacted with the application on their mobile devices. With the insights provided by Knoa, Edenor was able to deliver a targeted user training program in order to speed adoption and effective use of key application functionality. "Knoa has been an exceptional partner in helping us to monitor all functions of our applications," said Luis Alberto Lenkiewicz, Chief Information Officer, Edenor. "What really stands out for us is its flexibility. Knoa allows us to manage and understand employee response times across multiple software suites for even the most complex use cases, such as supply chain management. The Knoa UEM Toolkit enabled us to take the standard Knoa solution and apply it to the mobile application used by our 1,500 field service technicians." "Effective change management is a critical part of any major software deployment, ad particularly the digital transformation projects we are involved in," added Paul Whitelam, SVP Global Marketing at ClickSoftware (News - Alert). "Knoa provides helpful insights into application usage that can inform application design, training programs, and rollout strategies in ways that accelerate time to value." To implement the Knoa solution, including the development of the custom monitoring capability for the field service application, Edenor engaged Edison Consulting, a Latin American consulting firm that specializes in process improvement and digital transformation. The future roadmap of Knoa's implementation at Edenor includes monitoring of the Oracle (News - Alert) Utilities Customer Care and Billing (CC&B) application. Edenor plans to use Knoa to measure the performance experienced by Oracle CC&B users across 16 commercial offices, in order to validate and fine-tune the improvements achieved by a recent software upgrade. This capability is currently under development by Edison Consulting. All these initiatives and other key projects led by Edison Consulting (including process improvement and process mining) are part of Edenor's strategic plan for digital transformation. "It is gratifying to know that our solution is helping a key utility company improve its results to better serve the citizens of Argentina," said Brian Berns, CEO of Knoa Software. "We are seeing more organizations implementing Knoa UEM across multiple software suites simultaneously, and Edenor's example perfectly illustrates why this practice makes good business sense. Understanding how employees interact with corporate applications is the first step towards improving employee productivity and engagement." About Knoa Software Knoa Software delivers solutions that generate unique insights for the optimization of the end-user experience and improved efficiencies for enterprise applications from vendors including SAP (News - Alert), Oracle and others. Knoa's patented software provides CIOs and business executives the actionable metrics needed to ensure organizations and end-users realize the full value of their software investment. Headquartered in New York City, Knoa helps hundreds of global corporations and government organizations make impactful, real-time, fact-based decisions that enrich and maximize the experience and productivity of over a million end users. For further information, visit www.knoa.com or follow us at @KnoaSoftware on Twitter (News - Alert). About Edison Consulting Edison Consulting is a Latin American consulting firm, with headquarters in Argentina, with expertise in business process management and in developing digital transformation programs that help organizations become innovative and agile. For further information, visit www.edison-la.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005041/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Pak Army 6 Light Air Defence GM Regiment Job in Multan Latest Pakistan Army Army jobs Posts Multan 2021 Pakistan Army 6 Light Air Defence GM Regiment requires the services of young and responsible person for the position of Civil Mess Waiter in Multan Punjab 2019. How to Apply on Pakistan Army 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. [March 27, 2019] Health care leaders back Xealth with Series A funding to digitally enable patient care SEATTLE, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Xealth, the leading digital prescribing platform, today announced that it has raised $11 million in a Series A financing round, with new investment from health care industry leaders and investors McKesson Ventures, Novartis, Philips and ResMed. Also joining this round are existing investors Threshold Ventures (formerly DFJ Venture), Providence Ventures, UPMC and Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network. This investment will fuel the expansion of Xealth's platform, better connecting patients and doctors. Xealth enables clinicians to prescribe and monitor digital health care content, apps, devices, and services from within their electronic health record (EHR) charting interface, and to integrate the interaction into a health system's existing patient portal. These capabilities, along with the ability to onboard new digital care vendors in a fraction of the time, enable the delivery and measurement of digital care solutions to improve patient care. "With these new partners joining our existing investors and customers, Xealth will be serving virtually every sector of the health care industryproviders, payors, pharma, devices and supply chain," said Mike McSherry, chief executive officer of Xealth. "The Xealth platform is quickly becoming the preferred 'digital formulary.'" Originally incubated and launched at Providence St. Joseph Health in 2017, Xealth works with UPMC, the Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, Baylor Scott and White, Duke and other leading health systems. More than 30 digital health solutions and over a million patient interactions are being prescribed and monitored by these partners to connect patients with educational content, transportation, meal delivery, e-commerce product recommendations and other services needd to improve health outcomes. "Xealth delivers a win for both patients and clinicians, while driving digital engagement with patients," said Aaron Martin, chief digital officer, Providence St. Joseph Health. "Clinicians can recommend apps, content, products or services directly from the EMR dramatically expanding their tool set for improving patient care and engaging patients digitally." Xealth's newest investors will be supporting the application of innovative digital tools to transform multiple segments of the health care industry. ResMed, a world leader in connected health, has integrated sleep apnea therapy data into more than 1,000 third-party systems, including hospitals' EHRs, enabling clinicians to access data faster, provide more immediate care and improve patient outcomes. For these reasons, ResMed was an early partner of Xealth at Providence to help care for the 40,000 Providence patients who are using CPAP machines. Physicians use CPAP data to help patients better prepare for upcoming procedures, as well as monitor how well the device is working to maintain health. Xealth enables physicians to see relevant data at the point of care, without requiring a complicated EHR integration. Philips, a global health technology leader, recognizes Xealth's tremendous potential to help manage patients with chronic conditions at home, as well as those who need extra support and monitoring outside the hospital. Xealth has already demonstrated the ability to deploy digital, remote monitoring programs and integrate the resulting data into the patient workflow. McKesson Ventures sees Xealth as a player in the emerging "digital supply chain" that makes it possible to prescribe and monitor digital therapies, and makes the associated data streams actionable. Xealth helps to bridge the existing drug and health care products supply chain with the digital, which opens up a new set of digitally-based treatment options that either stand alone or are in combination with traditional therapies. Most importantly, the data feedback loop Xealth creates can empower care teams to make better care decisions and help stakeholder partners improve product offerings. About Xealth Xealth is a digital health prescribing platform that enables clinicians to easily integrate, prescribe and monitor digital health tools for patients from their EHR workflows. These can include patient education, online third-party apps and programs, device monitoring, and non-clinical services such as ride shares, food delivery and e-commerce product recommendations. Using the Xealth platform, care teams and physicians can monitor patient engagement and analyze the effects of more engaged patients. Xealth spun out of Providence St. Joseph Health in 2017, raising $8.5 million from a variety of investors including Threshold Ventures (formerly DFJ Venture), Providence Ventures and other health systems such as UPMC and Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network. For more information, visit www.xealth.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/health-care-leaders-back-xealth-with-series-a-funding-to-digitally-enable-patient-care-300819186.html SOURCE Xealth [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Ekinops: 2018 Annual Results: Sharp Rise in Profit Margins EBITDA Margin of 12.4% PARIS, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EKINOPS (Euronext Paris: EKI) (ISIN: FR0011466069), a leading global supplier of telecommunications solutions for telecom operators, has published its audited annual results for 2018 (FY ended December 31, 2018), approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on March 25, 2019. The corresponding report was issued by the statutory auditors. Ekinops France (formerly OneAccess) and its subsidiaries have been fully consolidated within the Group's financial statements since October 1, 2017. Accordingly, the FY 2018 represents the first full year of consolidation of Ekinops France. m - IFRS - audited 20171 2018 Change in % Revenue 34,291 84,222 +146% Gross margin 17,509 47,088 +169% % of revenue 51.1% 55.9% Operating expenses 21,861 45,803 +110% EBITDA2 257 10,448 +3,965% % of revenue 2.0% 12.4% Current operating income (4,352) 1,285 n.a. Other operating income/(expenses) (2,019) (3,434) Operating income/(loss) (6,371) (2,149) n.a. Net income/(loss) (6,769) (2,084) n.a. (1) On June 30, 2018, Ekinops finalized the purchase price allocation of OneAccess and its subsidiaries. Certain items were impacted by the retroactive effect of this purchase price allocation. Figures for December 31, 2017 were restated to reflect this impact; certain line items therefore differ from the published 2017 annual financial report. (2) EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) corresponds to current operating income restated for (i) amortization, depreciation, provisions and write-offs, and (ii) income and expenses relating to share-based payments. Top 10 clients' revenue grew 32% (on a pro forma basis) At the end of FY 2018, Ekinops full-year consolidated revenue amounted to 84.2 million, up 146%, exceeding the annual target which was raised from 80 million to 82 million mid-September. On a pro forma basis, with the consolidation of OneAccess and its subsidiaries backdated to January 1, 2017, year-on-year revenue growth amounted to +14% (vs 2017 pro forma revenue of 73.8 million). This excellent performance reflects the strong interest shown by major operators and service provider customers for Ekinops' technological solutions, at a time when network layers are converging and there is a shift towards virtualized services and Software-Defined Networks (SDN). Average growth for the Top 10 clients amounted to +32% in 2018 (vs 2018 on a pro forma basis). Record gross margin of 55.9% in 2018 In addition to this buoyant performance, the group posted record gross profits of 47.1 million, up 169% for the period. The gross margin represented 55.9% of consolidated revenues (vs 51.1% a year earlier). This exceeds the group's target of achieving a gross margin of between 50-55% over the long term, a target that takes into account the one-off impacts of changes in the product mix, sales cycles and occasional price pressure on certain electronic components. This exceptional performance in 2018 derives from a healthy business mix, and the combined improvement in margins on IP services products (routers, virtualized products, new OneOS6 software platform) and production costs of the Ekinops 360 platform's optical transport solutions. Profit margins exceed targets: EBITDA margin of 12.4% EBITDA amounted to 10.4 million, up from 0.3 million in 2017. In addition to the steep increase in gross profits, the Group capitalized on the new organizational structure implemented in early 2018 after the merger with OneAccess, which came with stringent cost control throughout the consolidation phase. The increase in operating expenses was limited over the FY, especially for overheads, administrative expenses and R&D expenditure. The EBITDA margin was reported at 12.4% of revenue, exceeding the revised targets set during the year and compared to 2.0% year-on-year and 9.5% at the end of the first half. After taking into account net depreciation, amortization and provisions (8.9 million) and non-cash expenses relating to share-based payments (0.3 million), current operating income amounted to 1.3 million in 2018, compared to a loss of 4.4 million a year earlier. Other operating expenses of 3.4 million mainly include the adjustment to the earn-out related to the acquisition of OneAccess in light of the performance achieved in FY 2018. The operating loss thus amounted to 2.1 million, compared to a loss of 6.4 million in 2017. Net income, Group share for 2018 also amounted to a negative 2.1 million, compared to a negative 6.8 million the previous year. Balance sheet as of December 31st, 2018 In 2018, Ekinops generated 10.3 million in cash flow. The highly efficient management of working capital generated 10 million in operating cash flow (vs a negative cash flow of 5.4 million in 2017). Investment flows totaled 3 million in 2018, virtually entirely used for the company's usual CAPEX (fixed assets and R&D). As regards financing flows, net loan repayments amounted to 3 million over the year. Ultimately, the change in cash and cash equivalents totaled 3.8 million in 2018. On the balance sheet, financial borrowings were reduced to 10.9 million at the end of 2018 from 13.5 million at the end of 2017, mainly as a result of a reduction in Bpifrance's factoring debt and interest-free loans for innovation (PTZI). As of December 31, 2018, bank borrowings were limited to 2.3 million. Available cash stood at 25.1 million. As a result, the group had a strong year-end net[1] cash surplus of 14.2 million (vs 7.8 million at year end 2017). As of December 31, 2018, the Group's consolidated shareholders' equity stood at 74.4 million. ASSETS - m - IFRS - audited 12/31 20171 6/30 2018 LIABILITIES - m - IFRS - audited 12/31 20171 6/30 2018 Non-current assets 73,320 71,128 Shareholders' equity 76,293 74,355 of which Goodwill 27,523 27,523 Financial liabilities 13,494 10,935 of which Intangible assets 35,236 30,363 o/w factoring 7,424 4,955 Current assets 35,606 37,831 of which conditional advances/interest free loans 3,069 2,127 of which Inventories 8,736 11,232 CIR pre-financing liabilities 5,036 4,832 of which Trade receivables 20,703 20,687 Trade payables 11,041 13,958 Cash & cash equivalents 21,316 25,115 Other liabilities 24,378 29,994 TOTAL 130,242 134,074 TOTAL 130,242 134,074 (1) On June 30, 2018, Ekinops finalized the purchase price allocation of OneAccess and its subsidiaries. Certain items were impacted by the retroactive effect of this purchase price allocation. Figures for December 31, 2017 were restated to reflect this impact; certain line items therefore differ from the published 2017 annual financial report. Outlook The excellent results of FY 2018, which exceed expectations, reflect the success of the merger with OneAccess since late 2017, in terms of sales, finance and technology. As far as optical transport solutions are concerned, the year was marked by the commercial success of FlexRate 100/200G solutions, which were successfully installed in the networks of 15 new customers in just a few months, with a focus on North America. This new Flexrate range was completed by the new ultra-low latency encryption module, PM Crypto, and at the very end of the year, with the launch of the 400G module. In terms of network routing and virtualization, 2018 saw the launch of a new range of routers enabling operators to provide enterprise services at fiber speed on existing copper installations. Ekinops has also launched a range dedicated to the SME market (business-in-a-box solution, ONE425 / ONE545 routers) enabling operators to provide IP voice and data services at a price geared to the SME market. In terms of network virtualization, the year also saw the first deployments of OVP (Open Virtualization Platforms), which demonstrate the relevance of implementing communication services based on virtualized solutions and managed by software orchestrators. In 2019, Ekinops is committed to pursuing the roll-out of new solutions, notably in the areas of switching and routing and for the deployment of virtual network functions (VNF). Ekinops is also pursuing its software development activities for SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) solutions. To drive all these developments and market future solutions, the Group plans, in 2019, to boost the investments initiated in the second half of the year, particularly in human resources, by hiring around thirty new employees, two thirds of whom will be dedicated to R&D. 2019 ambitions Ekinops intends to pursue its dynamic development in 2019, through organic growth in both optical transport solution and access activities, and by leveraging commercial and technological synergies resulting from the merger. Moreover, given the successful integration of OneAccess into the Group, Ekinops is keen to continue to seize strategic, value-creating external growth opportunities. Update on talks with Nokia Corporation regarding Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) Following press reports, Ekinops announced on October 18, 2018 that it had initiated preliminary discussions with Nokia Corporation regarding a possible acquisition of Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN). Since that date, Ekinops has continued to study the possible acquisition of ASN and have been discussing deal terms with Nokia Corporation. No agreement has been reached with Nokia to this day. The success of Ekinops current strategy is shown by the strong results announced today, and the combination of ASN and Ekinops would mark another key milestone in the development of Ekinops. Pursuant to statutory and regulatory obligations, Ekinops shall inform the market if an agreement is reached or if discussions with Nokia Corporation are discontinued. 2019 financial calendar Date Release Tuesday, April 16, 2019 Q1 2019 revenues (unaudited) Tuesday, May 21, 2019 General Meeting Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Q2 2019 revenues (unaudited) Wednesday, September 25, 2019 H1 2019 results (audited) Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Q3 2019 revenues (unaudited) Wednesday, January 22, 2020 FY 2019 revenue (unaudited) All press releases are published after Euronext Paris market close. For further media information, or to schedule an interview with Ekinops please contact Beckie Richardson, iseepr +44 (0) 113 350 1922 / [email protected]. For more information visit: www.ekinops.net [1] Cash and cash equivalents borrowings (excluding bank debt relating to CIR pre-financing) View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ekinops-2018-annual-results-sharp-rise-in-profit-margins-ebitda-margin-of-12-4-300819388.html SOURCE Ekinops [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Lao Insurance Industry Governance, Risk and Compliance Report 2019 - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Governance, Risk and Compliance - The Lao Insurance Industry" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. "Governance, Risk and Compliance - The Lao Insurance Industry", report is the result of extensive research into the insurance regulatory framework in the Loas giving insurers access to information on prevailing insurance regulations, and recent and upcoming changes in the regulatory framework, taxation and legal system in the country. The insurance industry of Laos is supervised and regulated by the Ministry of Finance (MOF), according to the rules and regulations stipulated in the Insurance Law 2012 that replaced the Insurance Law No. 11/90/SPA of November 29, 1990. The regulatory frameworks in the country ensure the protection of consumers' interests, as well as providing a level playing field for both domestic and international insurance companies. The MOF is the regulatory body responsible for monitoring and controlling all insurance companies, reinsurance companies and insurance intermediaries operating in the country's insurance industry. It provides detailed analysis of the insurance regulations for life, property, motor, liability, personal accident and health, and marine, aviation and transit insurance. The report specifies various requirements for the establishment and operation of insurance and reinsurance companies and intermediaries. The report also includes the scope of non-admitted insurance in the country. Key Market Highlights The MOF is the government regulatory authority of the Lao insurance industry. Composite insurance is not permitted in the Lao insurance industry. The government of Laos does not impose any restrictions on investment by foreign investors in the insurance industry. The placement of non-admitted insurance is not prmitted in the insurance industry of Laos. The Insurance Law 2012, which replaced the Insurance Law 1990, is the principal law governing insurance business in the country. Scope An overview of the insurance regulatory framework in the Loas. The latest key changes, and changes expected in the country's insurance regulatory framework. Key regulations and market practices related to different types of insurance product in the country. Rules and regulations pertaining to key classes of compulsory insurance, and the scope of non-admitted insurance in the Loas. Key parameters including licensing requirements, permitted foreign direct investment, minimum capital requirements, solvency and reserve requirements, and investment regulations. Details of the tax and legal systems in the country. Reasons to Buy Gain insights into the insurance regulatory framework in the Loas. Track the latest regulatory changes, and expected changes impacting the Loa insurance industry. Gain detailed information about the key regulations governing the establishment and operation of insurance entities in the country. Understand key regulations and market practices pertaining to various types of insurance product. Key Topics Covered: 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is this Report About? 1.2 Definitions 2 GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE 2.1 Legislation Overview and Historical Evolution 2.2 Latest Changes in Regulation 2.3 Legislation and Market Practice by Type of Insurance 2.3.1 Life insurance 2.3.2 Property insurance 2.3.3 Motor insurance 2.3.4 Liability insurance 2.3.5 Marine, aviation and transit insurance 2.3.6 Personal accident and health insurance 2.4 Compulsory Insurance 2.4.1 Social security insurance 2.4.2 Motor third-party liability insurance 2.5 Supervision and Control 2.5.1 International Association of Insurance Supervisors 2.5.2 Ministry of Finance 2.6 Non-Admitted Insurance Regulations 2.6.1 Overview 2.6.2 Intermediaries 2.6.3 Market practices 2.6.4 Fines and penalties 2.7 Company Registration and Operations 2.7.1 Type of insurance organization 2.7.2 Establishing a local company 2.7.3 Foreign ownership 2.7.4 Types of license 2.7.5 Capital requirements 2.7.6 Solvency margin 2.7.7 Reserve requirements 2.7.8 Investment regulations 2.7.9 Statutory return requirements 2.7.10 Fee structure 2.8 Taxation 2.8.1 Insurance premium or policy taxation 2.8.2 Withholding taxes on premium paid overseas 2.8.3 Corporate tax 2.8.4 VAT 2.8.5 Captives 2.9 Legal System 2.9.1 Introduction 2.9.2 Access to court 2.9.3 Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) 3 APPENDIX For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2lndfb/lao_insurance?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005367/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Silicon Valley-based FarmWise Collaborates With Roush To Manufacture Autonomous Robots In Michigan DETROIT, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlighting Michigan's deep history and expertise of manufacturing and ecosystem for emerging tech companies, FarmWise and Roush announced today a collaboration to develop and test autonomous vegetable weeders in the state of Michigan. The initial contract between FarmWise and Roush includes the development of a dozen of prototypes of the self-driving robots in 2019, with scaling to additional units in 2020. Thomas Palomares, co-founder and chief technology officer of Silicon Valley-based startup FarmWise, said there are many reasons why his company chose the Michigan manufacturer Roush to develop its autonomous robots. "Michigan is well-known throughout the world for its manufacturing and automotive industries, the advanced technology expertise and state-of-the-art manufacturing practices," Palomares said. "These are many of the key ingredients we need to manufacture and test our machines. We were connected to Roush through support from PlanetM, and as a technology startup, joining forces with a large and well-respected legacy automaker is critical to support the scale of our manufacturing plan." As growers are looking for new ways to optimize crop production, San Francisco-based FarmWise leverages the latest advances in artificial intelligence and robotics to offer plant-level farming asa-service. The autonomous farming robots are providing high-precision weeding and thinning with the ability to replace herbicides, save cost on labor and increase yield. They will also work reliably around the clock, 24/7, and adapt seamlessly to different crops, improving farming efficiency altogether. "Technology is rapidly transforming every industry across the globe," said Roush CEO Evan Lyall. "The agricultural industry may be one of the most in need to make bold new advances to create efficiencies and produce safer products for consumers. We work with the best engineers to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-life products as we test these tractors in the field. We're proud to support industry pioneers like FarmWise to solve the burning issues farmers face while building the new paradigm for the future of food production." "This collaboration showcases the opportunities that result from connecting startups like FarmWise with Michigan-based companies like Roush that bring their manufacturing know-how to making these concepts a reality," said Trevor Pawl, group vice president of PlanetM, Pure Michigan Business Connect and International Trade at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "We are excited to see this collaboration come to fruition. It is a great example of how Michigan can bring together emerging companies globally seeking prototype and production support with our qualified manufacturing base in the state." About FarmWise Founded in 2016, FarmWise builds adaptive robots for agriculture. Supported by a team of 20 farming and AI experts from MIT, Stanford and Columbia, the company develops autonomous machines to farm every single plant for greater yield, better farmer's profits and a healthier environment. FarmWise's current robots tackle the automation of weeding on vegetable farms, a chemical and labor intensive task. The company is supported by private funding and collaborate with growers in the development of its products. About Roush Roush, a subsidiary of Roush Enterprises, Inc., is a full-service product development supplier headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. Since 1976, the company has grown to more than 4,000 employees in facilities located throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Named a Crain's Detroit Fast 50 in 2018, Roush is widely recognized for providing engineering, testing, prototyping and manufacturing services to the mobility, aerospace, defense and theme park industries. Other corporate subsidiaries include Roush Performance, developer and manufacturer of performance vehicles and products for the automotive aftermarket; and Roush CleanTech, developer and manufacturer of alternative fuel systems for the fleet vehicle market. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silicon-valley-based-farmwise-collaborates-with-roush-to-manufacture-autonomous-robots-in-michigan-300819200.html SOURCE FarmWise Labs [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Interactions to Lead Seminar on Conversational AI at The Erdos Institute's Invitations to Industry Seminar Series NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Interactions LLC, the world's largest stand-alone conversational AI company and leading provider of Intelligent Virtual Assistants for enterprise brands, will lead a seminar for Masters and Ph.D. students at Rutgers University as part of The Erdos Institutes Invitations to Industry seminar series. Dr. Srinivas Bangalore, Director of AI Research at Interactions, and Dr. Shahab Jalalvand, Senior Research Scientist at Interactions, will host the event on Thursday, March 28th at 6:00 pm ET at Rutgers University Hill Center for Mathematical Sciences. The presentation will offer students an inside look at what it's like to work at Interactions,one of the leading companies in the field of conversational AI. Organized by The Erdos Institute , Invitations to Industry aims to connect graduate students in mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering programs to organizations currently hiring for talent with their expertise. To learn more about Interactions and opportunities to join the team, visit www.interactions.com/about-us/careers/ . About Interactions Interactions provides Intelligent Virtual Assistants that seamlessly assimilate conversational AI and human understanding to enable businesses to engage with their customers in highly productive and satisfying conversations. With flexible products and solutions designed to meet the growing demand for unified, omnichannel customer care, Interactions is delivering unprecedented improvements in the customer experience and significant cost savings for some of the largest brands in the world. Founded in 2004, Interactions is headquartered in Franklin, Massachusetts with additional offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.interactions.com . Contact: Lindsay Rand [email protected] (617) 945-1915 [March 27, 2019] Industry Veteran Randy Gottfried Joins Sumo Logic's Board of Directors Former Chief Financial Officer of AppDynamics, Riverbed and Inktomi is Latest Independent Board Member to Help Drive Next Phase of Growth, Innovation and Operational Rigor Sumo Logic Promotes Shea Kelly to Chief People Officer on the Heels of the Company Being Named Top 25 Best Places to Work by Fortune Magazine REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sumo Logic, the leading cloud-native, machine data analytics platform that delivers continuous intelligence , today announced the appointment of Randy Gottfried to its board of directors as an independent board member. The company has also promoted Shea Kelly to chief people officer. These additions further help propel Sumo Logics growth and market leadership, providing real-time insights to empower the people who power modern business. Sumo Logic continues to benefit from the generational shift toward digital business and cloud adoption across all industries and companies of all sizes. Machine data analytics, delivered and consumed as a service, is quickly becoming a core requirement to help them build, run and secure their modern applications for the analytics economy, said Ramin Sayar, president and CEO of Sumo Logic. I am thrilled that Randy has joined our team, as his expertise will help further propel our category leadership position and growth as we work to capture the enormous opportunity in front of us. Gottfried brings a wide range of experience helping high growth companies build the capability to scale and grow their people, process and systems. In addition, over the past 15 years, he has driven the initial public offering process for three companies, completed multiple venture capital, private placement, public equity and debt transactions totaling more than $2 billion. He currently sits on the boards of Freshworks and DataStax, and joins BJ Jenkins, CEO of Barracuda Networks, and Chuck Robel, chairman of the board of directors at GoDaddy, as independent board members at Sumo Logic. Sumo Logic is one of the pioneers that understood early on the massive market transition of loud computing, the rise of new modern application architectures and how delivering continuous intelligence can help businesses make smarter decisions faster, said Randy Gottfried. More importantly, theyve built a great company that provides an essential technology that puts the power of machine data analytics in the hands of everyone all from a single, unified platform. Im excited to join the team and help them continue to solidify its market leadership as it enters its next phase of growth. Sumo Logic, a recognized expert in building and operating massive multi-tenant, highly distributed cloud systems, is the industrys first machine data analytics platform to natively ingest, index and analyze structured and unstructured data together in real-time. As one of the most powerful cloud-native services in the world, the Sumo Logic platform ingests and analyzes vast amounts of data and enables more than 30 million searches and queries, which powers tens of millions of insights to customers who rely on this type of continuous intelligence to more effectively build, run and secure their modern applications. In addition, the company announced that Shea Kelly who joined Sumo Logic as head of people operations in late 2015, has been promoted to chief people officer. Kelly spearheads all strategic talent initiatives and has been instrumental in helping the company more than triple in size, and become widely recognized as a best place to work and industry disruptor. Sumo Logic has recently been recognized as one of Fortunes Best Places to Work in Technology 2019 , a Top 70 Best Places to Work in the Bay Area, Forbes Cloud 100 recipient, and has experienced significant growth in EMEA and APAC . Resources Read about Sumo Logic selected as a Fortune Best Places to Work in Technology about Sumo Logic selected as a Fortune Best Places to Work in Technology Read the Sumo Logic blog the Sumo Logic blog Join us in building a legendary company in building a legendary company Sign up for a free trial of Sumo Logic About Sumo Logic Sumo Logic is a secure, cloud-native, machine data analytics platform, delivering real-time, continuous intelligence from structured, semi-structured and unstructured data across the entire application lifecycle and stack. More than 1,600 customers around the globe rely on Sumo Logic for the analytics and insights to build, run and secure their modern applications and cloud infrastructures. With Sumo Logic, customers gain a multi-tenant, service-model advantage to accelerate their shift to continuous innovation, increasing competitive advantage, business value and growth. Founded in 2010, Sumo Logic is a privately held company based in Redwood City, Calif. and is backed by Accel Partners, DFJ, Greylock Partners, IVP, Sapphire Ventures, Sequoia Capital and Sutter Hill Ventures. For more information, visit www.sumologic.com . Media Contacts Melissa Liton Sumo Logic [email protected]c.com (650) 814-3882 Sydney Holmquist PAN Communications for Sumo Logic [email protected] (407) 734-7327 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Names 18 to MAKERS Class of 2019 Morgan Stanley Wealth Management has recognized the achievements of 18 outstanding professionals as part of its partnership with MAKERS - a project dedicated to identifying and celebrating women of accomplishment across multiple fields along with the men who sponsor and champion women's achievement. "We congratulate these ground breakers, innovators and advocates who advance our mission to be the firm of choice for women employees and clients," said Shelley O'Connor and Andy Saperstein, Co-Heads of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. "Our partnership with MAKERS is a powerful way to celebrate the impact that our talented women have on their clients, colleagues and communities every day, and to recognize the men who champion their advancement." Nominations were solicited from across the wealth management organization and a panel of senior managers selected the 18 individuals to be recognized. They are: Julie Baeder, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Sandy Fletcher, Senior Vice President, Branch Manager Kalena Griffin Costa, Executive Director, Head of International Relationship Management Claudia Mollerup-Madsen, Vice President, Financial Advisor Ileana Musa, Managing Director, Co-Head of International Wealth Management and the head of International Banking & Lending Amy Nash, Senior Vice President, Associate Complex Manager Janet Nickel, Managing Director, Regional Sales Manager Cheryl Palmerini, Managing Director, Head of WM Diversity and Chief of Staff Patricia Selin, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Complex Administrator Gabriela Teran, Managing Director, Branch Manager James Tracy, Managing Director, Head of Consulting Group and Graystone Consulting Rhonda Viapiano, Executive Director, Branch Manager Lori Villegas, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Kate Waters, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Rachel Wilson, Managing Director, Head of WM and IM Cyber Security Adrianne Yamaki, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Kathleen Youngerman, Managing Director, Financial Advisor Launched in 2012, AOL (News - Alert) MAKERS is a storytelling platform for the trailblazing women of today and tomorrow. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a founding partner of [email protected], which encourages corporations to celebrate, acknowledge and connect their leading female employees to the larger MAKERS network. For more information, go to www.makers.com. The 2019 MAKERS will be profiled on the Morgan Stanley Forum for Women, Multicultural and LGBT Financial Advisors throughout the year. To visit the website, go to http://www.morganstanley.com/people/financial-advisors/diversity. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, a global leader, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. 2019 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005404/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Edgeworth Economics Wins a 2019 Concurrences Antitrust Writing Award Edgeworth Economics, a leading provider of economic analysis and expert testimony, is pleased to announce that an Edgeworth publication, "Comparative Analysis of Court-Determined FRAND Royalty Rates," has won a 2019 Concurrences Antitrust Writing Award. The article, authored by Edgeworth Partners Dr. Fei Deng, Dr. Gregory K. Leonard, and Dr. Mario Lopez, was selected by the Concurrences jury for the Business Article award in the category of Intellectual Property. The award was announced at the Concurrences Gala Dinner held March 26, 2019 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. In the award-winning article, which was originally published in the Summer 2018 issue of the American Bar Association's Antitrust, Dr. Fei Deng, Dr. Gregory Leonard, and Dr. Mario Lopez review and compare the two most recent court decsions in FRAND rates in cellular standards, Unwired Planet v. Huawei (News - Alert) and TCL v. Ericsson, to determine the extent to which the two decisions are consistent with each other and potential implications for future litigations. The authors conclude that the two decisions found different rates for Ericsson's LTE (News - Alert) Standard Essential Patent (SEP) portfolio primarily because they reached different conclusions from their respective comparable license analyses, not because of disagreement on the appropriate aggregate royalty burden for all LTE SEPs. Therefore, future FRAND rate litigation in the cellular space may focus more on the measurement of relative portfolio strength and less on the level of the aggregate royalty burden. Edgeworth experts have been at the forefront of FRAND-related litigation across various jurisdictions, including the US, China, and Europe. They have consulted for and/or testified in cases such as Samsung (News - Alert) vs. Huawei (US and China litigations), TCL v. Ericson, Dolby v. Oppo and Vivo (India litigations), In re: Innovatio, RealTek v. LSI Corporation, Ericsson v. D-Link Corporation et al., Microsoft v. Motorola, Asus v. InterDigital (News - Alert), INVT v. HTC and ZTE (ITC proceedings), and Unwired Planet v. Samsung (UK litigation). About Edgeworth Edgeworth Economics (www.edgewortheconomics.com) is an economic, financial, and quantitative consulting firm that provides economic analysis and expert testimony for clients facing complex litigations involving antitrust, class certification, complex commercial damages, consumer financial services, intellectual property, labor and employment, mergers and acquisitions, and transfer pricing. Our clients include law firms, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005259/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] GATE Mobile Wallet Trends Annual Report NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GATE (Global Acceptance Transaction Engine), a virtual card issuing platform solving one of the most significant challenges that alternative payments, banks and e-wallet companies face the universal acceptance of payments across physical, online and mobile channels, released its Mobile Wallet Trends Annual Report. The report highlights trends of both mobile wallet and mobile payment usage across global markets. Mobile wallets are still in early development in most countries, where some areas are starting to see an uptick in success. Worldwide, 2.07 billion consumers will use a mobile wallet to make a purchase in 2019; this is up nearly 30 percent from the 1.6 billion consumers recorded at the end of 2017. China is currently the largest adopter of mobile payments, but other countries are starting to catch up. "Trends in the ecosystem have clearly shown China leading the adaption of wallets such as Alipay and WeChat, with QR codes playing a crucial role in their growth. However, the usage abroad for these wallets seems hampered via the lack of QR acceptance points, as NFC remains the method of choice for the Western world. Technologies such as GATE could actually solve this problem, as it would allow Alipay or WeChat to enable NFC acceptance globally without any merchant integration, allowing them to become the most versatile payment methods on the planet," said Mark Gerban, chief commercial officer of GATE. India has also seen increases in mobile payment usage due to governmental demonetization and the African market has seen strong growth as well due to factors such as low barriers to market entry. Despite the growth seen in these regions, other markets will need to consider several factors to also become key players in the mobile payment industry, such as: Growth Opportunities: generational differences greatly influence payment mechanisms, as well as the availability of technology Online Merchant Needs: fraud reduction and compliance regulations, which vary from country to country, play a role in the creation of new payment mechanisms Offline Merchant Needs: increased efficiency, cost savings to the merchant and increased customer loyalty are all benefits to entering the mobile payment space The report goes on to highlight the potential mobile walles represent to the globally underbanked population. Over 1.7 billion adults (21 percent of the world's total population) do not have access to a traditional bank account. A billion of these adults do have access to a mobile phone, though, and are potential customers for mobile wallets. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay have entered the market in recent years and have started seeing some success. However, their growth is hindered by limitations such as: Apple Pay: product works only on Apple hardware, which brought about the creation of Apple Card Samsung Pay: only a limited number of flagship devices are currently enabled and requires internet connectivity to function on a long-term basis Google Pay: requires internet connectivity to function on a long-term basis, which can limit growth in certain markets such as India and Africa, traditionally Android-dominated markets Apple, Google and Samsung have invested heavily in proprietary wallets, but revenue is still small. Hardware stickiness and loyalty seem to be the greatest value propositions for these mobile wallets, but long-term data is needed to confirm this assumption. Larger companies such as Walmart and Amazon, however, have seen success with their payment apps by improving their customer experience and, therefore, their loyalty. Continuous customer engagement seems to be an area of high potential success, evidenced by companies with outstanding user experiences, such as Uber. "Payments is a critical part of the value chain that allows for continuous customer engagement. As we have seen with many types of e-wallets and mobile payment systems, offering a relevant payment experience for specific cohorts will help uptick activity and brand loyalty. This ultimately leads to higher customer satisfaction, increased revenue and a better product experience," added Gerban. Mobile wallets may still be in their infancy in many countries, but the use of technology and features that improve user experience will drive higher adoption and engagement. To view the report in its entirety, please visit https://www.poweredbygate.com/gate-mobile-wallet-trends-final-03-26-19/. About GATE GATE (Global Acceptance Transaction Engine) has created a virtual credit card issuing infrastructure for alternative payments, banking apps and e-wallets. Unlike other platforms, GATE generates a one-time-use card number for each transaction and never requires internet connectivity for end consumers to make payments. This allows for greater security on mobile devices and backend systems while protecting original payment details, even if an external merchant is actively being breached. GATE has the added ability to enable online payments to work in offline scenarios, such as contactless (NFC) payments. This brings the added benefit of interoperability, where any payment method can be accepted on 112 million NFC terminals worldwide without merchant integration. Headquartered in the Greater New York City area, GATE launched in beta in 2017. For more information, visit www.poweredbygate.com. Related Files GATE Mobile Wallet Trends Annual Report.pdf Related Images company-logo.png Company Logo Related Links Company Website View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gate-mobile-wallet-trends-annual-report-300819195.html SOURCE GATE [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] BAE Systems Reports Billion-Dollar Impact on 2018 New Hampshire Economy BAE Systems (News - Alert) contributed $1.1 billion to the New Hampshire economy in 2018, measured by aggregate employee salaries, subcontracts, and charitable donations. The total impact combines $978.8 million in payroll and benefits to more than 6,000 New Hampshire-based employees; $135 million awarded for subcontracts and purchase orders to 246 suppliers in the state, including $109.1 million to 186 small businesses; and $1.3 million in charitable funds from the company and its employees to local organizations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005461/en/ BAE Systems' 2018 economic impact in New Hampshire. (Graphic: BAE Systems, Inc.) Included in the charitable donations is $471,000 in financial support of higher education, high schools, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs. As part of the company's commitment to STEM, BAE Systems donated $265,000 to New Hampshire-based FIRST. The donation is the latest in a long line of company support for FIRST Robotics, which spans more than 25 years. BAE Systems reinforced its commitment to FIRST in 2019, with the recent launch of a nation-wide annual FIRST Robotics Scholarship and Internship Progrm for high school seniors. "We are committed to supporting the New Hampshire region and beyond by leveraging our rapid growth in 2018 to offer new, high-tech jobs across an expanding footprint in the communities in which we live and work," said Terry Crimmins, president of BAE Systems' Electronic Systems sector, which is based in Nashua. "We start this year with powerful momentum, as we continue to grow, innovate, and increase our manufacturing capacity to deliver high-quality, trusted products to meet the commitments to our customers around the world." The company's recent growth has helped fuel ongoing impact and paved the way for more than 1,100 new hires in New Hampshire last year. The increased headcount has pushed operating space to a total of 2.6 million square feet in multiple facilities across New Hampshire to support projected growth in the areas of electronic warfare, threat management, precision munitions, undersea, space, cyber, and autonomy. To help expand capacity for the future, BAE Systems recently announced it has plans to move into a 200,000-square-foot campus in Manchester, New Hampshire. Once fully staffed, the new facility will house employees primarily focused on supporting the company's electronic warfare programs. To staff the new Manchester office and other facilities in the region, BAE Systems has more than 700 active job openings in business development, engineering, operations, program management, manufacturing, and other key areas. Those interested in applying are encouraged to visit www.baesystems.jobs. Just over the border, BAE Systems contributed $245.7 million to the Massachusetts economy in 2018 also based on aggregate employee salaries, subcontracts, and charitable donations. The company continues to grow in the state with more than 60 new hires in the last year pushing its total employee headcount to nearly 400 employees at facilities in Burlington and Lexington. It also expanded its involvement in the community with a significant increase in company and employee charitable contributions, donating $437,000 to Massachusetts-based organizations. BAE Systems' Electronic Systems sector - headquartered in New Hampshire - is part of BAE Systems, Inc., a global company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with major operations in 30 states and more than 30,500 employees in the United States. BAE Systems also holds more than 2,100 U.S. and foreign patents across numerous technology areas and serves multiple market segments, including electronics, maritime and land platforms, and intelligence and support services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005461/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] United Bank Limited UBL Jobs 2019 Latest United Bank Limited UBL Bank Posts Lahore 2021 United Bank Limited UBL Lahore, Pakistan are requires experienced candidates for the posts of KYC Quality Assurance, Manager QA, Manager Data Analytics, Universal Teller, Relationship Manager, Operation Manager, Branch Manager. Skills Required Management How to Apply on United Bank Limited UBL 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. [March 27, 2019] Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine Available at Rite Aid Pharmacies in Oakland County Michigan With an increase in measles cases being reported in the region, Rite Aid announced today that Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccinations are available upon request at Rite Aid pharmacies across Michigan including Oakland County. No appointment is necessary and vaccinations from a Rite Aid certified immunizing pharmacist are available during normal pharmacy business hours. There are currently 21 confirmed cases of measles, in Oakland County, Michigan, according to the state's Department of Health and the number of sites for potential exposure continues to grow. Based on Michigan state regulations, patients 3 years of age and older can receive an MMR vaccination without a prescription. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles starts with fever and soon causes a cough, runny nose and red eyes before a rash of tiny, red spots occurs. The CDC recommends children get two doses f MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Children can receive the second dose earlier as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose. Adults who do not have evidence of immunity should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Pregnant women should not get MMR vaccine. Patients should consult their local Rite Aid pharmacist with any questions they may have. In addition to the MMR vaccine, Rite Aid certified immunizing pharmacists can vaccinate patients against a number of diseases based on CDC's vaccine guidelines and state regulations. Patients can also visit Rite Aid's Vaccine Central at www.RiteAid.com/vaccinecentral, where they can learn more about the immunizations available in their state, access educational resources on immunizations and complete a free immunization evaluation. Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with fiscal 2018 annual revenues of $21.5 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at www.riteaid.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005465/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Microprinting Market Worth $670 Million by 2024 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --According to the new market research report "Microprinting Market by Substrate Type (Plastic, Paper, Metal), Print Type (Single-Sided, Double-Sided), Type (Monochrome, Color), Application (Banking & Finance, Government, Packaging, Healthcare, Education, Corporate), Geography Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Microprinting Market is projected to reach USD 670 million by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2019 to 2024. Standards and regulations in the banking sector, and technological advancement in microprinting technology are a few major factors driving the growth of the microprinting market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=216162103 Single-sided print type to hold major share of microprinting market during forecast period Single-side microprinting is done on check slips, stamps, official documents, medical prescription and reports, packaging labels, and a few ID cards. The growth of this market is mainly attributed to its widespread use in government, education, and corporate applications. Almost all postage stamps, check slips, event ID cards require single-sided microprinting. Moreover, the packaging industry adopts single-sided microprinting to protect products from duplicity. Matica Technologies AG (Germany), one of the leading financial card providers, offers XID8600 printer, which supports single-sided microprinting on cards. The XID8600, a premium quality printer, could be used for ID card printing. It has the ability to produce up to 120 single-sided cards per hour. Banking & finance application to dominate microprinting market during forecast period The banking & finance application is expected to hold the largest market share of the microprinting market during the forecast period. The growth of this market is attributed to the increasing demand from banking and financial sectors for anti-counterfeit tools and printers for counterfeit deterrence. Banking & finance application uses microprinting for various banking documents, including check slips, currency/banknotes, financial or payment cards, ID cards. Microprinting technology focuses on fulfilling these demands by printing microscopic text. Browse in-depth TOCon "Microprinting Market" 66 Tables 39 Figures 137 Pages APAC to hold major share of microprinting market by 2025 APAC is likely to be the leading region in the adoption of microprinting technology. APAC is witnessing increasing use of microprinting technology-based printers owing to the presence of a large number of bank and finance organizations, government agencies, and corporate companies. Moreover, growing demand for security and anti-counterfeit measures in banking and finance, government, and education sectors is expected to drive the growth of the microprinting market in APAC. In addition, the markets in India, Japan, and China are more likely to govern the microprinting market in the coming years, in terms of adaptability and market size. Moreover, countries such as India and China are expected to witness high growth in the microprinting market because of growing developmental activities and rapid economic expansion. Request Sample Pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=216162103 Xerox Corporation (US), Videojet Technologies, Inc. (US), Matica Technologies AG (Germany), Brady Corporation (US), Zebra Technologies Corporation (US), HP Inc. (US), Ricoh Company Ltd. (Japan), Canon Finetech Nisca Inc. (Japan), Source Technologies (US), SAFEChecks (US), Xeikon (Netherlands), Domino Printing Sciences PLC (UK), Control Print Ltd. (India), Data Carte Concepts (Canada), Evolis (France), Micro Format, Inc. (US), Spectrum Positive (UK), Printegra (US), Trustcopy (Singapore), and William Frick & Company (US) are major players in the microprinting market. Please Explore Relevant Reports: Digital Printing Market for Printers, Inks, and Print Heads by Ink Type (Aqueous, Solvent, UV-Curable, Latex, and Dye Sublimation), Print Head Type (Inkjet and Laser), Substrate Type (Glass, Textile, Paper), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023 Production Printer Market by Type (Monochrome, Color), Technology (Inkjet, Toner), Production Method (Cut Sheet, Continuous Feed, Sheet Fed, and Web Based), Application and Geography - Global Trends & Forecast to 2022 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/microprinting-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Beijing: in the framework of the 'New Silk Roads' signed with Artron, Artprice has revealed its new Chinese brand specially adapted to the Chinese Art Market. PARIS, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As previously indicated in our March 18 press release, Artprice has today revealed the Chinese brand name it will use in Artron's launch of its official spring campaign with a new baseline in Chinese. The name is: ??.??? [ Follow the link to read the Chinese name: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-chinese-brand.png ] Decided after much discussion with art market professionals in China, this name evokes Chinese confidence in art and the "Dao of Art"... i.e. the path of wisdom to which knowledge of the Art Market leads. The baseline is ???????? [ Follow the link to read the Chinese baseline: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-maitriser-le-marche-mondial.png ] As thierry Ehrmann says, "by becoming a Chinese brand for China taking into account the specific tastes of Chinese art lovers, collectors and professionals Artprice is blending into the history and daily life of China's thousand-year-old culture, thereby boosting its notoriety and its sales turnover more quickly." At the end of this March, this new initiative will allow Artprice to achieve optimal exposure in China's colossal domestic market and to capture its economic potential with a 'permeability' that relates to China's multi-millennial history of art. Again, as Ehrmann puts it "in order to conquer China you have to immerse yourself in a culture that goes back 4,000 years, and you have to approach the country with both humility and constance." In collaboration with Artprice, Artron has strengthened Artprices's road-map by the creation and implementation of a payment structure in order to comply with the new Directives from the Chinese government announced in February 2019. The strategic moves prompted by these Directives have slightly postponed Artprice's initial targets, which otherwise remain unchanged (See Press Release of 18 March 2019). Artprice's strategy is therefore part of a strengthening of trade and partnerships between France and China, a topic that has been largely commented in Emmanuel Macron's 25 March 2019 speech marking the 55th anniversary of China's diplomatic relations with France. In his editorial for the 21st Global Art Market Annual Report co-published by Artprice and Artron last week, Mr Wan Jie, Chairman of Artron Group, Artprice's Chinese Institutional partner, stated: "This growth (of the art market) over time, like that of Artron's partnership with Artprice, will continue to accelerate as we integrate our resources, optimize our data, upgrade our Internet technology and diversify our business cooperation models. The result will be a New Silk Road connecting the different art worlds and the markets of the East and the West." We are therefore talking about a 'New Silk Road for the Art Market' in the framework of China's "One Belt, One Road"(OBOR) or "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Artprice is now accredited as a major player alongside Artron in the project to construct an Art Market SiIk Road, thereby confirming at the highest level the agreements reached during the official visit of Artprice's management to Beijing in November 2018. The Belt and Road Initiative covers approximately 65 countries in Asia and Europe, for a total estimated cost of 55% of global GDP. It involves 70% of the global population 4.4 billion people and 75% of the world's energy reserves, with the total estimated investment period spanning 30 to 35 years for all the projects to be completed. The estimated value of the initial projects is around 900 billion dollars. Moreover, as the country's population gets richer a phenomenon that is progressing at an astonishing pace China's Art Market is expected to enjoy phenomenal growth. By 2020, Asia should account for roughly 70% of the global Art Market. According to a study published by Bain & Company on 20 March 2019, China alone consumed 33% of the world's Luxury Goods in 2018. As the Art Market has very strong correlations with the Luxury Goods market, this figure corroborates Artprice's and Artron's forecasts for China's Art Market. In fact, according to the same study, China's consumption of Luxury Goods is already greater than that of Europe and the USA combined. To build stronger institutional relations with China, Artprice has become a member of the Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon because the French city is one of the historical final destinations of Silk Roads since the Renaissance. Lyon is in fact the most visited French city by Chinese leaders. Furthermore, the Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon, of which Artprice has become a member, has existed since 1921. Revived in 2014 at the initiative of the City of Lyon, the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and the ADERLY in the context of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with France, the Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon has already brought together many institutional and private partners like Groupe SEB, Institut Merieux, Huawei, Sanofi, EDF, Bank of China and Veolia. It defines itself, among other things, as a networking facilitator for contacts at the highest levels in France and China for over 80 years. The Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon intends with its historical connections (since 1921) to give new impetus to the future of relations between Lyon and China. The Institute's mission is the international promotion of France and of the economic attractiveness of the Lyon region by advertising the economic advantages of Lyon in China and encouraging Chinese investment in the Rhone-Alpes region. On 25 March 2019, the Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyon was the subject of a long article in the Figaro. It should be noted that since 1921 the Institute has welcomed Chinese youth for them to study and be educated in Lyon. No other place in Europe can boast this kind of historical link to the Middle Kingdom. To boost its visibility in China, Artprice will be present (for the first time ever) at Asia's largest Contemporary Art fair... the 7th edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. Alongside Artron, the two groups will occupy a prestigious stand and will promote their exclusive Decision Support Tools. Likewise, Artprice will also be present with Artron at Art Beijing from 30 April to 3 May 2019. Lastly, Artprice's Facebook page has just reached 4 million followers worldwide. This represents an exceptional success on the world's leading social network, with a growing level of uptake at each publication, thereby spreading Artprice's databanks and services to new potential clients all over the world. On 30 June 2017, Artprice informed its AGM that it had 345,000 followers worldwide and it promised to reach 1 million by end-2018. That promise has now been largely superseded with an additional 3,655,000 followers, equivalent to a 1,061% increase in less than two years. With its unequalled audience on social media, Artprice is now giving Artron Western exposure just as Artron, at the beginning of April, will open its numerous networks with several tens of millions of members for Artprice (with its new Chinese name) including notably WeChat, but alsoTencent, QQ, Sina Weibo, Baidu and Tieba, among others. Copyright 2019 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/artist/23640/baishi-qi Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription About Artprice: Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Founded by thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/2019-bio-whoswho-thierry-ehrmann.pdf). Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2018 published last March 2019: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2018 Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner. About the Artron Group: "Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website." Artron's Web: www.Artron.net Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2018 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2018 Artprice's press releases: http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Artmarket News: https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 4 million subscribers http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/ Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video, which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos: https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 https://vimeo.com/124643720 The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.6 million subscribers Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Artprice.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Jennifer Granston Joins Zignal Labs as Head of Strategy & Insights SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zignal Labs, a leading media analytics and brand measurement technology company, today announced that senior communications executive Jennifer Granston will join the company as Head of Strategy & Insights. In this newly created role, Granston will oversee the development and day-to-day execution of Zignal Labs Strategy & Insights, an offering and team that builds upon the Zignal Labs platform to provide brands with the additional customized analysis and research intelligence they need to implement more strategic, data-driven communications strategies. Jennifer brings an unparalleled depth of experience at the highest levels of communications, marketing and analytics. We are thrilled to add her to our growing leadership team, said Josh Ginsberg, CEO and co-founder of Zignal Labs. She is a proven leader, and in her new role will lead the charge to connect the dots between insights and actions in a way that will build and protect brands in todays increasingly complex media landscape. Granston joins Zignal Labs from WE Communications (formerly Waggener Edstrom). In her nineteen years at the firm, Jennifer held various senior executive roles, most recently Globa Chief Operating Officer and President Insight & Analytics. Amongst other responsibilities, Granston oversaw the firms global rebranding, designed and implemented innovative research programs and led award-winning client teams for some of the worlds largest brands. I first came to know of Zignal Labs as part of deep discovery and analysis I was doing across the competitive analytics landscape and I have not yet encountered an equal in providing accurate, comprehensive, real-time data to brands, particularly in large-scale enterprise environments, said Granston. But in todays media landscape, its not just about the data modern communicators require a modern toolset that can provide visibility into the many obstacles that stand between their message and their customers. I am excited to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the worlds most innovative brands in order to improve the results of their communications programs and initiatives. About Zignal Labs Zignal Labs is the worlds leading media analytics company, helping companies build and protect their most valuable asset: their brand. With unparalleled data veracity, speed to surface insights and a holistic view of the traditional and new media landscape, Zignal Labs empowers the most innovative communications and marketing teams across the Fortune 1000 to measure the conversation around their brands in real-time, rapidly identify and mitigate reputational risks and inform strategic decision-making to achieve mission-critical business outcomes. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York City and Washington D.C., Zignal serves customers around the world, including Expedia, GoPro, DaVita, Under Armour, Synchrony Financial, Prudential, DTE Energy, The Public Goods Project and Uber. To learn more, visit: www.zignallabs.com . Contact: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] ezCater Acquires Monkey Group to Strengthen Its Fully Integrated Catering Marketplace and Software Platform ezCater, the world's largest online catering marketplace, today announced it has acquired Monkey Group, an enterprise software, training, and insights company, and developers of MONKEY, the cloud platform for takeout, delivery, and catering. The acquisition marries the world's largest online catering marketplace with the world's most popular catering management software. Catering, the largest growth opportunity for most restaurants, requires a dedicated suite of solutions. More than 60,000 restaurants and caterers already use ezCater's platform to grow and manage their catering business; more than 8,000 use MONKEY to manage their off-premises channels. Now, ezCater's fully integrated marketplace and software platform offers restaurants and caterers more catering orders than any other source, plus best-in-class catering software, expertise, and data. Integrations with POS, loyalty, and back-of-the-house systems allow orders and data to flow across their entire operation. "ezCater's and Monkey Group's strengths line up exceptionally well," said Stefania Mallett, Co-founder and CEO at ezCater. "Combining Monkey Group's industry leading offerings with ezCater's nationwide online marketplace, expert marketing engine, and API-first platform results in faster, more profitable growth for restaurants." Erle Dardick, Founder and CEO of Monkey Group, added, "Our customers tell us they want more orders, and ezCater's marketplace drives growth for so many restaurants. We're thrilled to join forces to help food service operators thrive even more." Brands who use both platforms, including Einstein Bros. Baels, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's, will benefit from new POS integrations and streamlined data flow between the two companies' systems. "We have partnered with both ezCater and Monkey Media for years, and each individually has been integral to the strategic growth of our catering business," said J. Brandon Turner, CFO at Coffee & Bagel Brands, owners of Einstein Bros. Bagels, Caribou Coffee, and more. "We look forward to seeing what these companies can do together to unlock further catering growth for us." The Vancouver-headquartered Monkey Group, now operating as MonkeySoft Solutions, Inc. (MSI (News - Alert)), will maintain its existing brands, MONKEYMEDIA Software, The Catering Institute, and Off-Premise Insights. For more information about growing your catering business with ezCater's suite of solutions, visit www.ezcater.com/grow. About ezCater ezCater is the world's largest online catering marketplace. ezCater's online ordering, on-time ratings and reviews, and award-winning customer service help businesspeople from organizations of all sizes and industries make meetings more successful and employees happier. Over 60,000 restaurants and caterers use ezCater's products to grow and manage their catering business. For more information or to place a catering order, visit www.ezcater.com. About Monkey Group Monkey Group is made up of MonkeyMedia Software, The Catering Institute, and Off-Premise Insights. Using the business framework, 5 Pillars of Successful Restaurant Takeout, Delivery, and Catering, Monkey Group works closely with each food service operator's executive team to drive strategic alignment, provide education for team members, and deploy the MONKEY platform. With MONKEY, food service operators have access to a full suite of off-premise functionality, including unified multi-channel ordering (online, mobile and call center), CRM, case management, catering sales team and lead management, integrated accounting functionality to manage business-to-business accounts, catering order production management, and delivery dispatch management. Learn more about the 5 Pillars at www.cateringinstitute.com and for more information on Monkey Group, visit www.monkeygroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005096/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Goodly Announces $1.3M in Seed Funding to Make Student Loan Assistance a Mainstream Employee Benefit Goodly, the leading platform for student loan assistance as an employee benefit, announced today a seed funding round of $1.3 million. The investment was led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from Y Combinator, Ace & Company, Zeno Ventures and several prominent angel investors. The company, founded in San Francisco by Gregory Poulin and Hemant Verma, launched at Y Combinator in 2018 to help employers recruit and retain employees by easing the burden of student loan debt for the 45 million Americans that collectively carry $1.6 trillion in student debt. "Goodly came from my own personal experience with student loans. After my father passed away unexpectedly, I had to borrow $80k to pay for my education at Dartmouth College," said Gregory Poulin, Co-founder and CEO. "For many employers, offering student loan assistance is a no brainer. We're witnessing the hottest job market in a generation. One key to improving employee retention is to provide meaningful benefits, not just fun perks. With 70 percent of employees graduating with significant student debt, it's not surprising that job seekers are attracted to employers that offer help with their student loans." Goodly's platform is the first to allow employers to make monthly payments, integrated with their payroll, directly to employees' student debt. The turnkey platform lets employers make regular contributions towards paying down employees' student loans, while allowing employees to automate their regular payments and access expert student loan counseling through Goodly's student loan wellness platform. Goodly's platform gives users all of the resources they need to manage their student loans from one dashboard. "Goodly's mission is to help employers recruit and retain employees by offering practical employee benefits," said Hemant Verma, Co-founder and CTO. "Data shows that a majority of millennial employees would trade everything from PTO, 401k match, and even health insurance to have student loan enefits. Student loan benefits can be a deciding factor for job seekers to accept an offer of employment, and a way for employers to attract top-performing talent by offering to support their financial future." Poulin and Verma bring deep domain expertise in building and scaling human resources and employee benefits software to Goodly from their experience as early employees of the human resources startup Rippling. "As attracting and retaining the best talent at companies becomes increasingly difficult, we see our portfolio companies using creative ways to stay competitive," said Jeff Crowe, managing partner at Norwest Venture Partners. "Millennials highly value student loan repayment benefits when choosing employers, and we think Goodly is best positioned to become the go-to platform for offering this benefit." Studies repeatedly show that student loan repayment assistance is one of the most desired employee benefits and is essential to attracting top talent. But, many employers hold off on offering this benefit because they don't know where to start, or are worried about the administrative workload it would add. Goodly's platform syncs with payroll and HR systems to automate student loan benefits, streamlining the process for employers. You can request more information and sign up for a demo of the platform on Goodly's website. About Goodly Goodly is the industry leading platform that lets any employer offer student loan assistance to employees easily and affordably. The turnkey employer solution lets employers make regular contributions towards paying down employees' student loans. By leveraging its superior technology, Goodly has made student loan benefits accessible and affordable for teams of any size and budget. Companies that offer Goodly are able to better attract and retain top talent by providing meaningful benefits that support and engage employees. For more information, please visit www.goodlyapp.com. About Norwest Venture Partners Norwest is a premier multi-stage investment firm managing more than $7.5 billion in capital. Since our inception, we have invested in more than 600 companies and partner with over 140 active companies across our venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early to late stage companies across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise, and healthcare. We offer a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com. Follow Norwest on Twitter (News - Alert) @NorwestVP. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005503/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Oriden Launched As Pittsburgh's Newest Renewable Energy Player Pittsburgh's newest clean tech start-up just arrived. Oriden launched this week, with a national unveiling at Bloomberg (News - Alert) New Energy Finance's "The Future of Energy Summit" and local unveiling at Carnegie Mellon University's "Energy Week". Although this start-up recently launched, Oriden has a competitive advantage because it is fully-backed by Mitsubishi (News - Alert) Hitachi Power Systems, a Japanese multinational with operations globally and regional headquarters in Lake Mary, FL. Oriden - a play on the English word "origin" and the Japanese word "denki" (??) meaning 'electricity' - is the start of a new type of power generation organization. Oriden fulfills multiple roles within the renewable energy space, providing customized solutions for end-user energy customers - including development and permitting, construction, financing/ownership, and asset management of renewable energy projects. The team will initially focus on distributed renewable solutions, with an emphasis on solar PV and energy storage systems. This will include community solar, behind-the-meter commercial & industrial customers, and distribution level front-of-the-meter projects. "We are excited to locally launch Oriden at Carnegie Mellon University's Energy Week. This week honors innovation and breakthroughs in the energy sector, and MHPS is excited to contribute toward our idustry's ongoing Change in Power through the launch of a new renewable energy solutions business," said Paul Browning, President and CEO of MHPS Americas and Carnegie Mellon University alumnus. "In fact, CMU Energy Week 2018 played a pivotal role in our company creating a new business in the region." MHPS considered multiple cities in its journey to launch a new business focused on renewable energy solutions. Long-time MHPS employee and Pittsburgh native, Michael Ducker (Senior Director of New Product Solutions), had pegged Pittsburgh as a key city and regional market to launch such a business: "Most people do not realize that Pittsburgh is the birthplace of modern American energy. This included the nation's first coal mine in Coal Hill - today known as Mt. Washington, the nation's first commercial gas well in Murrysville, the nation's first nuclear power plant in Shippingport, and the world's first oil well in Oil City. These past milestones combined with the city's recent strides in promoting the next generation of energy innovations made the region a great choice for launching our new business focused on such innovative energy solutions." Ultimately, it took a meeting between Ducker and another Pittsburgh native, Masahiro "Mas" Ogiso, at CMU Energy Week 2018 to seal the future for Oriden and its ultimate headquarters in Pittsburgh. Ogiso, head of the new Oriden team, noted "After learning more about MHPS's vision and motivation to expand into the renewable energy solutions space, I knew this was a unique opportunity to launch a start-up, create innovative customer solutions in a rapidly growing market segment, and all while leveraging the wealth of experience and stability of our parent company. Our ability to launch this business in my hometown made this opportunity all the more rewarding." Oriden's new office is currently under renovation within Pittsburgh's exciting North Shore and just two blocks away from PNC (News - Alert) Park. In its initial hiring phase, Oriden will staff up to 40 local employees to help develop, finance, and operate renewable energy projects. Significantly more jobs are expected as the business continues to scale-up operations. The Oriden team is currently comprised of seasoned renewable energy developers, financiers, and operators. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005588/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] West Corporation Launches VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling (Cisco BroadCloud) OMAHA, Neb., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Corporation (West or the Company), a global leader in technology-enabled services, introduces VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling, a Cisco BroadCloud hosted calling solution designed for midmarket organizations. As a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, a Master Specialized in Collaboration and a Cisco Powered Cisco Webex Teams Service Provider, West is named among a small group of elite Cisco partners to offer Cisco BroadCloud calling, and the first partner to market with an offering that includes a proprietary solution for PSTN voice connectivity. A complete business phone system in the Cloud, VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling (Cisco BroadCloud) includes PSTN connectivity via Wests MaxxConnect SIP Trunking , enabling enterprise-grade features that allow customers to take nd make calls from anywhere and on any device. The solution gives faster, easier access to tools, people and data and includes secure collaboration through Cisco Webex Teams. Wests entire Cisco portfolio, including Webex Meetings and omnichannel contact center solution, Cisco Customer Journey Platform (CJP), can also be seamlessly integrated with VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling, giving customers a single-vendor hosted UCaaS solution. With hands-on support and management from West throughout the planning, implementation and adoption processes, VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling eliminates the burden of day-to-day telephony management for internal IT teams. The launch of VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling marks Wests ability to provide a fully integrated UCaaS portfolio including contact center services to a new segment of midmarket organizations, said Rob Bellmar, Chief Product Officer for West. West is transforming to better serve the needs of the market and differentiating our offering through innovative public and owned stack solutions that help our customers reduce complexity and enhance agility and productivity. VoiceMaxx Cloud Calling will be available initially to customers in the United States and Canada. The Company plans to extend the offering to EMEA and APAC regions later this year. About West Corporation: West Corporation is a leading technology enablement company that connects people around the world, making companies more efficient and improving lives. West helps its clients more effectively communicate, collaborate and connect with their audiences through a diverse portfolio of innovative solutions. For over 30 years, West has provided reliable, high-quality voice and data services. West has sales and/or operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South America. West is controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO). For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com . Contact: Dave Pleiss Investor Relations West Corporation +1 402-716-6578 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue 2019 Gathered Hundreds of Industry Leaders in Beijing BEIJING, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue 2019, hosted by the world's leading computing power-sharing platform BitDeer.com, has recently concluded its very first event in Beijing on March 24, bringing together hundreds of top players in the crypto mining field. Joined by crypto mining elites, influencers, and industry leaders, the gathering covered the present and future of the crypto mining industry, stimulating in-depth and thought-provoking discussions over the new opportunities and challenges confronting the business. At the event, BitDeer.com's founder & CEO Celine Lu made her first public debut after the leading computing power-sharing platform had gained immense popularity amongst mining community members from 223 countries within just 110 days of its official launch. Celine Lu introduced the talented team behind BitDeer.com, and shared the trials and tribulations of launching an ambitious platform during the bearish crypto market. In addition to Celine Lu, the first Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue 2019 event in Beijing featured an all-star roster of speakers including: Zhong Zhuang, CEO of BTC.com Xiaojun Fan - Head of APAC Sales, Bitmain Xin Tian - Co-Founder, AntPool Hua Chai - CEO, TianTian Mining Ltd. Peicai Li - CEO, Wayi Captain Yu - COO, Mining Sea Hailu Gan - Business Development Director, F2Pool Weiliang Xu - Cryptocurrency Researcher Discussions: Opportunities, Challenges, and Market Prospects CEO of BTC.com and mining veteran Zhong Zhuang still saw great potentials in the crypto mining industry. He stated that mining pools, as the initial and key link of the industrial chain, need to identify providing a professional and reliable service as their top priority. As the world's largest Bitcoin mining pools providing a one-stop pool service, BTC.com values the technological edges and the novel computing power-sharing model BitDeer.com has brought to the business. He believes the strategic partnership with BitDeer.com will provide a trustworthy solution to global individual miners. In his keynote speech "Crypto Mining Bible 2019", Xin Tian, co-founder of AntPool, shared that mining pools, facilities, and rigs are three pillars in the mining industry driving the blockchain technology. Been steadily operating for five years, AntPool is proud to provide stable mining service for more than ten proof-of-work protocols. By joining forces with BitDeer.com, AntPool is looking forward to providing quality service to global users. Peicai Li, CEO of Wayi, said that the year of 2019 would witness lower risks and signal a good time to invest into crypto mining. From the perspective of an individual crypto investor, researcher Weiliang Xu shared his decision logic, investment methods, and channels with hundreds of attendees. Both were impressed with the global resources BitDeer.com had leveraged, and the reliable and professional service BitDeer.com had been providing to its global users. CEO of Tiantian Mining Ltd. Hua Chai, Mining Sea COO Captain Yu, and F2Pool's Director of Business Development Hailu Gan joined Lu, Zhuang, and Tian in the final panel discussion on the experiences and lessons learned from the mining industry. BitDeer.com's Leading Computing Power-Sharing Model According to Celine Lu, ineluctably affected by the recent tumultuous cryptomarket, the crypto mining industry should be prepared to lower the barrier to entry, reduce mining costs and strive to better serve individual miners. Take BitDeer.com as an example, the platform has not only enlisted an army of talents and professionals, leveraged global resources including the best pool service providers and utility companies, but also developed a mature and efficient risk control system. In order to provide a transparent, reliable, convenient and first-class computing power-sharing service to users around the world, BitDeer.com has been implementing its proprietary real-time computing power allocation technology, which allows users to be connected to a designated mining pool and offers daily payouts directly to the user's chosen wallet address. Unlike traditional mining business model, BitDeer.com's computing power-sharing model enables aspiring miners to dive right into the world of cryptocurrency mining and provides a white glove service solving the complexities of purchasing, installing and hosting mining machines by providing professionally-managed hardware miners at the world's leading server colocation centers. Currently, BitDeer.com has teamed up with five out of the ten largest mining pools in the world: BTC.com, AntPool, Dpool, ViaBTC, and F2Pool. Furthermore, BitDeer.com has forged strategic partnerships with major cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets, and communities. BitDeer.com is actively seeking partnerships with mining pools and facilities, rig hosting service providers, exchanges and other third parties. At the event, Celine Lu unveiled BitDeer.com's "Mining Madness" month starting on March 24. Interested parties should refer to https://www.bitdeer.com/en/cooperation for more details. Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue seeks to provide a platform where crypto miners, service providers, utility companies, power producers, and blockchain enthusiasts can discuss the industry landscape and relevant issues. According to BitDeer.com, crypto mining community members could expect upcoming events in Shanghai and Chengdu. About BitDeer.com BitDeer.com is the world's leading computing power-sharing platform, enabling global users to mine cryptocurrencies in a transparent, reliable, and convenient way. It saves users from the complicated process of purchasing, installing, and hosting mining machines. Individual miners can enjoy the service with just one click. For more information, please visit https://www.BitDeer.com or connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and VK. Media Contact MagicFew Email: [email protected] Related Images bitdeer-com-founder-ceo-celine-lu.jpg BitDeer.com founder & CEO Celine Lu hosting Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue 2019 in Beijing bitdeer-com-hosted-the-first.png BitDeer.com hosted the first Crypto Mining Industry Dialogue 2019 in Beijing ceo-of-btc-com-zhong-zhuang-giving.png CEO of BTC.com Zhong Zhuang giving a keynote speech panel-discussion.png Panel discussion View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crypto-mining-industry-dialogue-2019-gathered-hundreds-of-industry-leaders-in-beijing-300819615.html SOURCE BitDeer [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Real Estate Innovators Christian Dalzell and Mukang Cho Join Forces to Launch Counter Capital Management LLC Commercial real estate veterans and entrepreneurs Christian Dalzell and Mukang Cho have joined forces to launch Counter Capital Management LLC ("Counter Capital"), a unique real estate investment management platform that will invest in residential and mixed-use properties located in targeted U.S. urban centers and markets. Counter Capital is a strategic joint venture between Dalzell and Cho's incumbent firms, Dalzell Capital Management and Morning Calm Management, which collectively own and operate more than 4 million square feet of commercial real estate and 1,100 residential units around the country. Counter Capital's differentiated strategy consists of acquiring residential and mixed-use properties in urban centers and implementing a tailored approach to managing each asset to enhance the residents' lives. Upon acquisition, each property will undergo specific capital and operational improvements designed to unlock value and ensure consistent product quality across Counter Capital's distinct brands. Specifically, Counter Capital will maximize and expand each property's productivity by allowing a wider universe of people to access traditionally underutilized areas during and after work hours as well as on weekends. This differentiated approach serves to build community connections by providing unique destinations that facilitate resident engagement. Dalzell commented, "Mukang and I came up together in the capital markets industry in the 1990s and have known each other for many years. When we reconnected recently, we realized that not only were we on the same wavelength in terms of how we operate our businesses, but we both share many specific core beliefs and goals. After several months of meetings and constant communication, the bedrock of our relationship is our shared core beliefs and our intense desire to create a product that does not exist today." Added Cho, "The formation of Counter Capital is the result of careful planning and our desire to establish a real estate investment platform that prioritizes the resident before anything else. In an increasingly evolving and complex industry that oftentimes stifles innovation by not adopting evolving tenant preferences, Counter Capital will stand out by creating balanceof live, work and play across a portfolio of highly curated properties that reflect the communities they serve." Counter Capital has partnered with Robert Perry, owner of Philadelphia's premier street-art museum and restaurant Tattooed Mom, to create Counter Culture, a hyperlocal street and contemporary art-inspired co-working and event hosting brand. Counter Culture will design, build and manage authentic co-working and event facilities at Counter Capital's properties as well as those owned and managed by third parties. Unlike traditional national brand co-working spaces that lack any noticeable connection to the surrounding community, Counter Culture will create highly authentic and artistic experiences unseen in the market today. Perry said, "Over the past 21 years owning and operating Tattooed Mom, I've witnessed firsthand the awesome power of embracing the legacy and vitality of your surroundings to create a unique atmosphere that resonates with the community. I look forward to working with Christian and Mukang to replicate this recipe for success as we establish and scale Counter Culture around the country." As likeminded individuals with highly complementary professional backgrounds, Dalzell and Cho created Counter Capital to reinvent the way people live, work and play in urban environments. Linking up with Perry creates a trio of forward-thinking entrepreneurs who are committed to achieving the same goals for their properties as well as their submarkets. Continued Cho, "Real estate is no longer about simply providing individuals with space to congregate, conduct business or lay their heads. Rather, it's about delivering experiences that foster human interaction, creativity, innovation and community goodwill. We are confident our distinctly branded properties will resonate with the communities they serve, helping to create value for our investors." Collectively, Dalzell and Cho have more than 45 years of experience working at leading real estate institutions and law firms including Starwood Capital Group Global, L.P., Eastdil Secured, Crown Capital Management, Kirkland & Ellis and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Together, they have the requisite knowledge and relationships to oversee the successful execution of Counter Capital's differentiated strategy. About Counter Capital Management LLC Counter Capital Management is a real estate investment manager that will invest in multifamily and mixed-use projects in select U.S. markets. The company is focused on creating destinations that seamlessly blend residential, co-working and event space in ways that promote community engagement. Counter Capital is a joint venture between commercial real estate veterans and entrepreneurs Christian Dalzell and Mukang Cho, who are committed to reinventing the way people live, work and play in urban environments. About Dalzell Capital Partners LLC Led by real estate industry veteran Christian Dalzell, Dalzell Capital Partners LLC is a privately-owned investment and management firm formed in late 2016. Since its founding, Dalzell Capital has completed 12 investments - nine controlling and three non-controlling investments - totaling approximately $195 million in gross value. Mr. Dalzell, formerly a senior executive with Starwood Capital Group Global, L.P., Eastdil Secured and Banc of America Securities LLC, has extensive commercial real estate, private equity and investment banking experience. During his 22-year career, Mr. Dalzell has closed more than 500 transactions globally, aggregating more than $62 billion as a lender, intermediary and investor. Dalzell Capital Partners is headquartered in Westport, Conn. About Morning Calm Management Morning Calm Management is a vertically integrated real estate management firm with a focus on special situation investing. Through its affiliates, the firm owns and manages more than 4 million square feet of commercial real estate throughout the United States on behalf of private and institutional capital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005678/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] MIPI Alliance Announces Annual Membership Award Recipients The MIPI Alliance, an international organization that develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries, today announced the 2018 MIPI Alliance Membership Award winners. The luncheon awards ceremony took place today during the Alliance's weeklong member meeting in Montreal. "As MIPI forges ahead in its 16th year of developing specifications that advance hardware and software integration in mobile, IoT, automotive and other areas, the annual awards program recognizes individuals and companies for their invaluable contributions supporting the organization's ongoing growth and success," said Joel Huloux, chairman of MIPI Alliance. "The commitment demonstrated by this year's award recipients is greatly appreciated. Their ongoing support and participation, as well as the support from all our members, help shape MIPI's important specification development work in mobile and other mobile-influenced areas." The annual MIPI Alliance Membership Awards Program recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements by individual and corporate members. An awards and recognition committee appointed by the board of directors receives nominations from MIPI members and selects the award winners. This year's program honored nine award recipients. Awards were given in four categories: Lifetime Achievement, Corporate, Working Group Leadership and Distinguished Service. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have participated in MIPI Alliance efforts for at least seven years and provided significant contributions or leadership to a working group, the board or other MIPI entities. Two individuals were awarded this year: Ariel Lasry, Toshiba (News - Alert) Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, and Jim Ross, Skyworks Solutions Inc. Lasry was recognized for his distinguished efforts as an advocate for MIPI DSI-2, MIPI D-PHY and MIPI UniPro, as well as for his valuable leadership in the Technical Steering Group and, most recently, as a MIPI board member. Ross was awarded for his outstanding work as chair of the MIPI RF Front-End Control Working group, contributions to the MIPI RFFE specification and his invaluable work in advancing MIPI RFFE in preparation for the transition to 5G. The Corporate Award was presented to Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Sony Corporation. Cadence was recognized for its collective contributions to MIPI woking groups, with several company members serving in chair and vice chair roles. Cadence representatives actively participate in member meetings, are consistent MIPI DevCon presenters, and help promote and drive MIPI specifications into the market. Sony was awarded for its leadership role in providing technical expertise for image sensors and other areas, and for contributing to the expansion of MIPI's ecosystem by applying MIPI specifications to Sony's image sensor products. Sony also has been an important contributor to the development of the forthcoming MIPI A-PHY specification and has promoted MIPI within other standards organizations. The Working Group Leadership Award is presented to leaders within MIPI working groups in recognition of noteworthy contributions to the groups' activities or specification development work. Four individuals were recognized for their efforts in 2018. Loren Reiss, Cadence Design Systems (News - Alert), Inc., was recognized for his devoted work within the MIPI PHY Working Group, contributing to updated diagrams and bringing clarity to help implementers overcome interoperability issues. Henrik Icking, Intel (News - Alert) Corporation, was also awarded in recognition of exemplary leadership and dedication as the chair of the MIPI PHY Working Group and for his support across the MIPI Alliance organization. Mikko Muukki, HiSilicon Technologies Co. Ltd., was awarded for his leadership and dedication to the development of MIPI CCS (Camera Command Set) v1.0, a specification that streamlines configuration of image sensors in mobile devices. Rob Gough, Intel Corporation, was selected for the 2018 award for his exemplary efforts and dedication to the MIPI Software Working Group within MIPI Alliance. MIPI software specifications streamline the software integration of components in mobile devices. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals impacting the MIPI Alliance specification development process or those contributing by serving on the board of directors, a working group or helping in the areas of marketing and testing. Ashraf Takla, Mixel Inc., received the 2018 award for his ongoing support and dedication to MIPI DevCon, as well as for his dedicated work and leadership in collecting and defining requirements for the development of MIPI A-PHY. Takla also is active in multiple working groups, and has been a strong advocate for MIPI Alliance through the publication of articles and whitepapers, as well as by partnering with the Alliance to deliver MIPI-related education at industry events. Photos and more information may be found here: https://www.mipi.org/membership/annual-awards To discover more about MIPI Alliance, subscribe to its blog and connect with its social networks by following MIPI on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About MIPI Alliance MIPI Alliance (MIPI) develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries. There is at least one MIPI specification in every smartphone manufactured today. Founded in 2003, the organization has over 300 member companies worldwide and 14 active working groups delivering specifications within the mobile ecosystem. Members of the organization include handset manufacturers, device OEMs, software providers, semiconductor companies, application processor developers, IP tool providers, test and test equipment companies, as well as camera, tablet and laptop manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.mipi.org. MIPI and MIPI UniPro are registered trademarks owned by MIPI Alliance. MIPI A-PHYSM, MIPI CCSSM MIPI DSI-2SM, MIPI D-PHYSM and MIPI RFFESM are service marks of MIPI Alliance. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005090/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] IT Vendors Competitive Market Leaders, 2019- When and Why Vendors Win DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Competitive Market Leaders - When and Why Vendors Win" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Who is really winning among IT Vendors? Who are customers increasing business with in 2019, when does SAP win verses Oracle verses NCR verses SalesForce/Demandware or Aptos or Toshiba? When do they lose business? What are the highest priorities for each vendor's customers? Are their customers growing faster than the market, increasing IT Spend or decreasing? Are they increasing store counts or decreasing? How fast are they moving to the cloud? Are there customers more likely to be investing in emerging technologies like AI/Machine Learning or SDWAN or IoT or Beacons or Big Data? This is just some of the data that is included in this research. This is what they said who is winning their business and why. The Insight Market View series of research studies build upon all this knowledge and add analyst insight to graphically display vendor positioning, drive for innovation and projected growth. The goal of this report, as well as the entire Retail Executive Advisory Program (REAP), is to provide the retail community with the most detailed and complete picture imaginable of the retail technology landscape. We do this to assist retailers in vendor selection and to help the industry understand the trends, drivers and barriers that are fundamentally transforming our industry. Retailers are encouraged to use these charts in discussions with their vendor partners. It is our intent that they provide unique insights into vendor strategy and provide thought-provoking questions as we all move though and prosper in the Era of Intentional Innovation. Highlights This is one of several studies under a series of research that is part of the Retail Executive Advisory Program (REAP). This study looks at top vendors and what their customers are saying about them for their investment plans in 2019. This data is the resultof a primary research study and was collected from retailers representing over 220 retail brands. The data is a cross-tabbed view of individual vendor's customers and their responses. The manner in which it is written is recommendations from the data to each individual vendor represented based on their data, but there is GREAT competitive value in the data and insight for retailers considering each vendor. For it helps them understand why other customers buy their solutions and why. Each profile is a series of charts and reviews of the data in the broader study. Here are some of the data points that you get on each vendor. Average Order Value Increase - This is the average increase/decrease in sales revenue for each customer who responded to the survey. This includes customers increasing, decreasing, don't work with, won't work with. It is a level measurement across all vendors and all respondents. % of Customers Decreasing/Increasing Business with the Vendor - The bar represents the percentage of customers increasing or decreasing spend. Overall Sales Growth Comparison - This is a picture of the sales growth of the company's customers in 2017 and expected increase in 2018 compared to the average retailer in the study. Expected 2019 Revenue Growth by Channel - This looks at the vendor's customers vs. the market in terms of plans sales growth at store level, through desktop ecommerce and mobile ecommerce. Customer 2019 Growth Plans - This is a comparison of the vendor's customers growth plans in terms of growth in the number of stores, store remodels. Top Priorities for 2018 - Looking at the top Store Priorities in the current RIS News study, how do this vendor's customers prioritize these items verses the entire market. This shows where this vendor wins and doesn't win with great data insights. IT Spend Comparison - This looks at a comparison of customers increasing business with this vendor and average retailer in terms of plans to increase overall IT spend and store level IT spend. % of Software Budget in Cloud - For customers increasing business with the vendors, what percentage of their software budget is being spent on cloud based solutions. 2019 Ecommerce Fulfillment Plans - For each vendor, what is the % of each manner that their customers are fulfilling ecommerce orders and how does this compare to average retailers. Adoption of Emerging Technologies - Retailers area investing in technologies like AI/Machine Learning, Beacons, Analytics, IoT, and many others are differing rates. This section rates the average increase in spend for customers increasing business with a vendor and overall retailers in the study. Concluding Thoughts - This is our overall observations of the data as it relates to the vendor. Key Topics Covered: Introduction How To Read This Report Vendor Profiles Amazon Apple Aptos AT&T Cisco Fujitsu HP IBM Infor Infosys JDA Manhattan Associates Microsoft NCR Oracle Salesforce SAP SAS Verizon Zebra Overall Market View - Apples to Apples On Who Is Winning In Their Markets For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/94wp8m/it_vendors?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/it-vendors-competitive-market-leaders-2019--when-and-why-vendors-win-300818587.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Glenn A. Pagan Joins PriceManager as President TEANECK, N.J., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceManager, a global company delivering AI-powered retail analytics and dynamic pricing, assortment and markdown solutions, announced that Glenn A. Pagan has joined the company as president. "In his role, Glenn will lead the company in our efforts to be the premier leader in AI-based dynamic pricing and competitive analytics," says John Swatek, PriceManager's chief executive officer. "His depth of retail data analytics experience, focus on sales and execution, and overall leadership style will serve us well as we execute our long-range plans. Glenn will be a key player in helping us achieve our company vision to be the best in class in this important piece of the retail tech stack." Glenn will oversee all aspects of the business including the sales, account management and marketing departments. "As a longtime believer in helping find efficiencies for retailers, manufacturers and brands, I have a deep passion for what PriceManager is delivering," says Glenn A. Pagan, president. "I am humbled and thrilled to join the company in its mission to provide analytics tools and deep insights that increase sales and profit. I look forward to driving PriceManager toward its tremendous growth potential working alongside a strong leadership grop, team members and partners." Prior to joining PriceManager, Glenn was general manager/U.S. at Upstream Commerce Inc., also a retail analytics and dynamic pricing company, which was acquired in October 2018 by FlipKart, the largest e-commerce company in India. Glenn also spent nearly 23 years working in various leadership roles at several startups as well as companies such as Time Inc., Conde Nast and IBM. About PriceManager Started in 2009, PriceManager makes it easier for omnichannel retailers, manufacturers and brands to find efficiencies, increased sales and profit as well as improved customer experience through our AI-powered dynamic pricing capabilities, as well as assortment, promotions, MAP and markdown tools. PriceManager currently has clients in 54 countries with offices in New Jersey, California and Europe. For more information about PriceManager, visit www.pricemanager.com. Media Contact: Lea Goodman, phone: 800-574-0130, ext. 315, email: [email protected] Related Images glenn-pagan-profile-picture.jpg Glenn Pagan profile picture Related Links website View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glenn-a-pagan-joins-pricemanager-as-president-300819727.html SOURCE PriceManager [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of Orion Group Holdings, Inc. Investors Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Orion Group Holdings, Inc. ("Orion" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORN) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concernin this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. On March 18, 2019, Orion announced that it would not file its annual report with the SEC (News - Alert) on time due to "extended evaluations of goodwill impairment testing and income tax adjustments, among other things." The Company also announced that it "expects that a significant change in results of operations from the corresponding period for the last fiscal year will be reflected in its financial statements." On this news, Orion's share price fell $0.52, or 12.3%, to close at $3.72 on march 19, 2019, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Orion securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley F. Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005819/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 27, 2019] Deadline Reminder: The Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against Avon Products, Inc. Law Offices of Howard G. Smith reminds investors of the upcoming April 15, 2019 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased Avon Products, Inc. ("Avon" or the "Company") (NYSE: AVP) securities between August 2, 2016 and August 2, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors suffering losses on their Diplomat investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to [email protected]. On August 3, 2017, Avon issued a press release announcing its second quarter 2017 financial results and held a conference call to discuss the results. The Company reported a net loss of $0.12 per share and a 3% decline in active representatives. Avon also reported that Brazil revenue was "down 2% in constant dollars, primarily driven by a decrease in Active Representatives." On the call, Avon's Chief Financial Officer acnowledged that, despite Avon's earlier representations, the remedial actions in Brazil (i.e., stricter credit terms applied to recruiting new representatives) were negatively impacting active representatives and revenue in Brazil. On this news, shares of Avon fell $0.36, or 10.71%, to close at $3.00 per share on August 3, 2017, thereby injuring investors. The Complaint filed in this class action alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Avon was engaged in an undisclosed scheme whereby it significantly loosened its credit terms in order to recruit new representatives in Brazil, its largest market; (2) its specific credit terms in Brazil; (3) Avon failed to increase its allowance for doubtful accounts to account for the changes to its credit terms in Brazil; and (4) as a result of these concealments, Avon stock was trading at artificially inflated prices throughout the class period. If you purchased shares of Avon during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than April 15, 2019 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff if you meet certain legal requirements. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005845/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Historically, Samsungs flagship Galaxy prices start dropping about 30 to 40 percent six months after its launch. But as redditor MrRoyce points out, you can get a Galaxy S10 with a $225 discount in Europe right now. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) MrRoyce has been tracking the price of the Galaxy S10 with 128GB in Germany since the phone first launched. Like he points out, price drops are normal after a few months. But it is surprising to see this drop so soon: Major retailers like Amazon Germany are showing significant discounts on the S10 with 128GB of storage, which you can get for as low as $896 compared to the European list price of $1025 (909 Euro). Specialized discount houses will go as low as 23-percent discounts: Idealo.de shows the S10 with 128GB at $777 (690 Euro). Other retailers show similar discounts in Spain and other countries. (Image credit: MrRoyce/Reddit) Price drops happened with the Galaxy S8 and the S9 too, both in Europe and the United States but only a few months after the introduction. The S8s price dropped an outstanding 25.8 percent just three months after launch. This early $225 S10 price drop just five weeks after its launch and barely two weeks after it became available makes you wonder about how fast these units are selling. Especially since Europe is one of Samsungs strongest markets. Apple had to implement all kinds of price tactics to lower the entry point price of the latest iPhones without altering the list price, since they just werent selling as much as they expected. How to get a cheaper Samsung Galaxy S10 right now The price drops are not happening all over the world. In the US, the Galaxy S10 is officially $900 and, but you can get a $390 credit on T-Mobile if you agree to a 24 or 36-month lease. Be sure to check out all of the Best Galaxy S10 deals weve researched so far. MORE: Galaxy S10 vs. Galaxy S10 Plus vs. Galaxy S10e: What Should You Buy? Some eBay sellers located in the United States are selling dual SIM Galaxy S10 global units with tiny discounts $880 with free FedEx shipping vs $900. Redditors claim that international sellers importing units from places like the United Arab Emirates can offer prices as low as $770. But these imports comes with substantial drawbacks. First of all, the supported bands: the global version doesnt work with CDMA carriers like Verizon or Sprint. They will work with AT&T and T-Mobile, though. You may also get worse connectivity because these phones dont support all the bands offered by these carriers. Another drawback is that they use the Exynos processor, which is not as fast as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 in the US version. And you wont be able to use Samsung Pay. So perhaps, unless you really must have a Galaxy S10 at a cheaper price right now, your best bet is wait three months and see the price drop across the board for the US version. After all, if you waited years to upgrade, whats a few more weeks? It just seems really silly to pay more than 20 percent extra knowing that prices are going to drop. Blue Springs, Missouri, could join a growing list of cities across the country replacing using "he" with "they" in its city charter. The role of mayor doesn't always require being "the lead dog on the sled," said Sly James. Rather, it's an opportunity for a bridge between those knowledgeable enough to make change, the outgoing KCMO mayor added. "I sit in a position where - let's say generally, not always - when I call, people call me back," said James. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missour City Council is looking to increase funding to improve resurfacing crumbling roads. "Pretty broken and not great," resident Solomon Tapia said. You probably already know what this story is about. " Lots of bumps, we are trying not to have flat tires," driver Lindsey Mrowinski said. Hyundai is preparing an all-new crossover for the masses. The crossover, called the Venue, will make its debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show. Once launched, the Venue will slot below the Kona in the Korean automakers expanding crossover lineup, making it the smallest crossover in Hyundais entire portfolio. Limited details are available, but expect to hear more about the Venue in the weeks leading up to the New York Auto Show. The Hyundai Venue premieres on April 17, 2019. What is the 2020 Hyundai Venue? Its hard to keep track of how many crossovers and SUVs Hyundai has these days. Are there three models? Four? Five, if you count the Palisade? Hyundais gone into complete overdrive developing one crossover or SUV after another that you can be excused if you dont know how many are out on the market already. Its not going to get any easier, too, because a new Hyundai crossover is coming, adding yet another member to the automakers exploding crossover/SUV family. This new model is called the Venue. Its a weird choice for a name relative to Hyundais traditional strategy of naming its crossovers and SUVs after famous locales and locations. The Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade are identifiable places in a map, but Venue? Youre going to have a hard time finding it in a map, or even a globe because it doesnt exist as a specific location anywhere in the world. But thats the name the new Hyundai crossover will receive, in part because its a reference to an ambiguous place where people, especially the younger crowd, want to be seen. This naming strategy already gives you an idea which market Hyundai wants to tap once the Venue crossover finally arrives. Whether the different naming scheme succeeds or not remains to be seen, but once the Venue hits the market, it will join the hydrogen-powered NEXO SUV as the only two crossovers/SUVs with a different naming scheme compared to their Hyundai brethren. So, what can we realistically expect out of the Venue? Hyundai has indicated that it will be the smallest crossover in its lineup, taking the place of the Kona crossover. Its also been rumored that Venues design will draw similarities to the Carlino, a small and boxy crossover concept that Hyundai unveiled at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo. For those who are unfamiliar with the name, the Carlino was a boxy sub-compact crossover that looks like a cross between the hard-to-forget Scion xB and Hyundais current design language. If this assessment is right, the Venue will come with a boxy design at the back and sharp and sporty design details in the front. Likewise, the crossover will come with a handful of engine options to reflect its sub-compact identity. Its unclear what these engines options are, but it safe to assume that a cocktail of 1.0-liter three-cylinders, 1.4-liter gas four-cylinders, and 1.4-liter diesel four-cylinders will be on the menu. Depending on the market, Hyundai could even throw in a hybrid or electric version down the road. That didnt stop Hyundai from fitting an electric motor in the Kona; why shouldnt it do it on the Venue? Besides, if the goal is to market the crossover towards the young and, lets say, woke market, a hybrid or electric version would sell like hot pancakes on a cold winter day. Beyond the exterior looks and the engine lineup, the Hyundai Venue can we start calling it that? will feature a host of tech and safety features that are supposedly uncommon for a vehicle of its size and, well, price point. Does that mean that it will come with a large touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility? Hyundais tight-lipped on that one, too, but rumors are spreading that these items are included in the Venues overall package. Somehow, someway, Hyundai has managed to fit another crossover below the Kona and its electric alter-ego, the Kona Electric. Not only is it a testament to Hyundais ability to squeeze out every drop of equity from its current crossover and SUV lineups, but its also indicative of the markets current landscape. Crossovers and SUVs remain kings in this world. The more you have, the more you put yourself in a position to thrive and succeed in this segment. Who knows, the Venue might not be the end of it. Dont be surprised if Hyundai manages to fill another crossover spot below the Venue. Itll probably be the size of a hatchback, but at this point, whos really counting, right? Further reading Read our full review on the 2018 Hyundai Kona. Read our full review on the 2018 Hyundai Kona Electric. Read our full review on the 2019 Hyundai Tucson. Read our full review on the 2020 Hyundai Palisade. Suzuki releases its most adventuresome V-Strom model to date with its upgraded-for-2019 V-Strom 1000XT Adventure. Aptly named, the Adventure brings its own brand of long-range capability to the table with a five-plus gallon fuel tank and a whole host of ride-quality and safety electronics to help you keep it dirty side down. Stock panniers provide the dry, secure storage American riders expect with their touring bikes , and the factory offers up a robust line of accessories to fill in any perceived gaps. This may well be the V-Strom youve been waiting for. 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Design The factory drew on its own deep roots for design inspiration with DNA from the DR-Big. Suzuki stepped up its adventure-bike game yet again ahead of MY2019, and the results are impressive with its V-Strom 1000XT Adventure. To be fair, the factory kind of had to make some kind of major moves to compete against the likes of Ducati, BMW, and Triumph in addition to its domestic foes cause it was falling behind in the R&D battle. Well, up until now anyway. The factory drew on its own deep roots for design inspiration with DNA from the DR-Big model that ran from the late 80s through the late 90s. A narrow birds-beak fairing leads the way over a secondary fender that mounts to the fork caps and protects the swept area from grit and grime that can reduce the life of your seals. Over/under halogen headlights split the night, and Suzuki keeps to the old school with incandescent front turn signals even though the factory gets with the times with full LED lighting out back. The windscreen is almost 2-inches taller (49 mm) than the previous max, and it comes adjustable for both height and angle so you can dial in for your body style and personal preferences. Its all wind-tunnel tested, so you can count on low-drag penetration and minimal head-buffet effect where pocket and slipstream meet. Handguards protect your hamburger shovels from the weather with backup by stock handwarmers thatll ease some of the pain of cool-weather riding. A 5.3-gallon fuel tank creates the typical hump in the flyline ahead of a precipitous drop to the shallow-scoop seat that rests the pilots butt at 33.5 inches off the deck. If that sounds a tad on the tall side, thats the price you pay for the 6.5-inch ground clearance and all-around 6.3-inch suspension stroke. The riders triangle is set up to allow for an upright riding posture, and if the circumstances call for it, a standing one, plus the seat is pared down up front so as not to interfere with your ability to reach the ground. Be that as it may, those among us with shorter inseams will tippy-toe it or pick a foot at the redlights. Most of the subframe is screened by the voluminous, 3.7-liter, sheet-aluminum panniers that come with quick-disconnect, stainless-steel carriers so you can easily convert from joyriding to touring or some serious grocery-getting. If you fancy a bit more storage, the 35-liter top case is a must-have accessory. A short mudguard uses the license plate as an extension to help control the fling, and a set of high-visibility, LED turn signals join an LED taillight to make you stand out from the rear. Visibility equals safety, for the most part, which makes me wonder why the Adventure doesnt carry them all around. 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Chassis If you are entertaining some serious off-road endeavor, you'd do well to look for a set of stealth knobbies. For the 2019 V-Strom 1000XT Adventure, the factory tuned the aluminum twin-spar frame to make it 13-percent lighter than the previous gen, yet stiffer to better handle rough terrain. Laced wheels reinforce the off-road chops with aluminum rims and stainless-steel spokes to mount the tubeless hoops. A 110/80-19 leads the way ahead of a 150/70-17, and while the hoops are billed as dual-purpose tires, they have an undeniable bias for the road. In short, if you plan on entering the Paris-Dakar race or entertain some other serious off-road endeavor, youd do well to look for a set of stealth knobbies instead. Inverted, 43 mm, KYB front forks deliver the full trinity of adjustments, and the monoshock out back has adjustable rebound damping and spring preload to make it easy to dial in for changing passenger/cargo loads. Since the Adventure weighs in at 514 pounds wet before you put any touring gear on it, you have the potential to develop considerable energy. Youll have to rely on the dual, 310 mm discs and Tokico Monoblock calipers to slow the front wheel with a twin-piston Nissin anchor to slow the rear, but they come with a pair of safety-related subsystems to help you get the most out of the brakes. First off, a Combination Brake feature automatically distributes pressure between the front and rear calipers for improved stability, plus, the ABS is of the corner-sensitive variety , so you can safely use the brakes with near impunity under almost any conditions. The steering head sets a rake angle of 25.5 degrees with 4.29 inches of trail over a 61.2-inch wheelbase, and the steering swings through 36-degrees of rotation on each side to give the Adventure a 9.5-foot turning radius. Thats tight enough for a U-turn in a two-lane road and decent parking lot maneuverability. Suspension, Front: Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped Suspension, Rear: Link type, single shock, coil spring, oil damped Brakes, Front: Tokico 4-piston calipers, twin disc, ABS-equipped Brakes, Rear: Nissin, 2-piston, single disc, ABS equipped Tire, Front: 110/80R-19 M/C 59V, tubeless Tire, Rear: 150/70R-17 M/C 69V, tubeless 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Drivetrain The fandanglery continues into the engine control systems with a three-mode (One, Two, and Off) traction control feature that marks a first for the family. The fandanglery continues into the engine control systems on the 2019 V-Strom 1000XT Adventure with a three-mode (One, Two, and Off) traction control feature that marks a first for the family. Set the machine to 1 or 2 for conditions good and poor, respectively, or unleash the beast by turning off the TC entirely. The system works by restricting the intake and adjusting the timing when wheel-slip is detected in order to keep the rear end from wiping out, and its impossible to overstate the value of that peace of mind. Power comes from a 90-degree, L-twin plant to the tune of 99.57 ponies at 8,000 rpm and 74.49 pound-feet of torque at four grand. Thatll give you plenty of grunt around town and enough power to cruise comfortably on the highway. A 100 mm bore and 66 mm stroke, times two, gives the mill a 1,037 cc total displacement and a moderately warm 11.3-to-1 compression ratio. Dual over-head cams time the four-valve, dual-spark heads, and the engine water jacket helps keep the mechanical noises where they belong; inside the cases. A pair of throttle bodies house the rider-controlled valves as well as a duplicate butterfly that responds to input directly from the ECM. The system smooths out the difference between demand and engine response to give you smoother throttle transitions The two-into-one exhaust rocks a pair of catalytic converters, fresh-air injection and a crossover tube in a bid to keep emissions low, and it boasts an ECM-controlled valve of its own that delivers variable backpressure and a broader torque band. On top of all that, theres the Low RPM Assist and Automatic Idle Speed Control features to help keep the fire lit on cold mornings and prevent stalling as you come out of the hole. Power flows through a backtorque-reducing slipper clutch and a six-speed transmission before it heads to the rear wheel via a chain final drive for a top speed of 126 mph. Engine: 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC 90-degree V-Twin Displacement: 1,037 cc Bore x Stroke: 100.0 mm x 66.0 mm (3.937 in x 2.598 in) Compression Ratio: 11.3 : 1 Fuel System: Suzuki Fuel Injection, SDTV-equipped Ignition: Electronic ignition (Transistorized) Starter: Electric Lubrication: Wet sump Transmission: 6-speed constant mesh Clutch: Wet, multi-plate type Final Drive: Chain, O-ring type 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Pricing MSRP is $14.6k, putting on the high end of the V-Strom 1000 stable. MSRP on the 2019 V-Strom 1000XT Adventure is $14,599 as it sits on the floor. Blue, white and gray are the main components in the unique color scheme, and they go well with the bright aluminum and blackout treatment throughout the bike. Warranty: 12 month unlimited mileage limited warranty. Coverage extension and additional benefits are available. Color: Pearl Vigor Blue/Pearl Glacier White Price: $14,599 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Competitors For the same price, Ducati brings the pain with a nicer electronics package, but for storage, you'll have to hit the accessories catalog. Suzuki is just one more big fish in a rather crowded pond, so Ive got no compunction whatsoever about going right to the top of the food chain with the Multistrada 950 from Ducati. The Italian stallion takes a wider approach with side-by-side headlights set over a wide, stubby birds-beak fairing. A windshield parts the weather for your upper torso with handguards to extend the coverage to your hands. Best of all, Duc incorporated the front blinkers with the handguards in a bid to reduce clutter up front. A similar riders triangle makes the Multistrada equally comfortable, but the Duc leaves the saddlebags in the accessory catalog, so its not quite as tour-ready right off the floor as the Suzuki. As far as aesthetics are concerned, its hard to beat the voluptuous curves Ducati brings to the table, but the V-Strom has charms of its own. Besides, form follows function, especially in this genre. The Multistrada rolls on cast wheels (unless you spring for the 950 S Spoked Wheel version) with high-quality Pirelli rubbers that come with a ZR rating as a testament to the intended performance envelope. Cornering ABS is a constant across the board, but Ducati adds to the brake functions with a Vehicle Hold Control feature that holds the brakes for you so you can deploy both training wheels on a grade. Ducatis Power Modes compound Suzukis woes in the fandanglery department, as does its Riding Modes that bundle the various ride-quality controls for easy adjustments. A 937 cc Testastretta delivers 113 horsepower and 71 pound-feet of torque in a trade-off from the 100/75 Suzuki mill, but honestly, the ol heinie dyno isnt going to notice. What you will notice is the Ducati rolls for $14,395, just a tad less expensive than the V-Strom, but not enough to matter until you add in the price of the optional hard bags onto the Multistrada and then the V-Strom is the winner at the checkout counter. He Said Suzukis V-Strom has no shortage of competition, and itll be interesting to see how it performs in the market against the other top adv bikes. Personally, I kinda like the narrow front fairing and the adjustable screen, but its the electronics that really sell this bike. She Said My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, I find the V-Strom 1000XTs to be no-fuss-no-hassle adventure bikes with plenty of torque down low and smooth power delivery. Scour the accessories catalog for the most popular adventure add-ons and you have the 1000XT Adventure. It might be worth a mention that the panniers use a different key than the ignition. In this day of keyless ignition and one-key-does-all, Im wondering how I feel about going old school with two keys again. Its probably not a big deal and Suzuki does offer additional tumblers to match the ignition key. 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure Specifications Engine & Drivetrain: Engine: 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC 90-degree V-Twin Displacement: 1,037 cc Bore x Stroke: 100.0 mm x 66.0 mm (3.937 in x 2.598 in) Compression Ratio: 11.3 : 1 Fuel System: Suzuki Fuel Injection, SDTV-equipped Ignition: Electronic ignition (Transistorized) Starter: Electric Lubrication: Wet sump Transmission: 6-speed constant mesh Clutch: Wet, multi-plate type Final Drive: Chain, O-ring type Chassis: Suspension, Front: Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped Suspension, Rear: Link type, single shock, coil spring, oil damped Brakes, Front: Tokico 4-piston calipers, twin disc, ABS-equipped Brakes, Rear: Nissin, 2-piston, single disc, ABS equipped Tire, Front: 110/80R-19 M/C 59V, tubeless Tire, Rear: 150/70R-17 M/C 69V, tubeless Dimensions & Capacities: Overall Length: 89.8 in.(2,280 mm) Overall Width: 39.0 in (991 mm) (w/o Adventure accessories installed: 36.6 in. (930 mm)) Overall Height: 57.9 in.(1,470 mm) Wheelbase: 61.2 in.(1,555 mm) Ground Clearance: 6.5 in.(165 mm) Seat Height: 33.5 in.(850 mm) Curb Weight: 566.6 lb (257 kg (w/o Adventure accessories installed: 514 lbs. (233 kg)) Fuel Tank Capacity: 5.3 gallons (20.0 L) Top Speed: 126 mph (est) Details: Electricals: Headlight:12V 65W (H9 high-beam) & 12V 55W (H7 low-beam), Tail Light: LED Warranty: 12 month unlimited mileage limited warranty. Coverage extension and additional benefits are available. Color: Pearl Vigor Blue/Pearl Glacier White Price: $14,599 Further Reading Ducati Multistrada 950 See our review of the Ducati Multistrada 950. Suzuki V-Strom 1000 / 1000XT See our review of the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 / 1000XT. Suzuki DR Big See our look at the Suzuki DR Big. Suzuki Read more Suzuki news. Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) released a new publication entitled India-SADC Trade and Investment Relations: Harnessing The Potential during the Inaugural Session of the 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership held in New Delhi on March 17, 2019. The study analyses the current trade and investment scenario in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the opportunities that the region presents for Indian businesses. The study highlights trends in SADCs intra-regional as well as global trade and foreign investments, and draws strategies for enhancing its trade and investment. SADC countries are integral part of the African region accounting for around one-third of Africas total geographical area, GDP and population in 2017. Among the major regional trading blocs in Africa, SADC is the largest contributor to Africas GDP (in nominal terms) in 2017. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), SADC ranks first among African RTAs in value terms, representing 37.3 percent of total African exports in 2017. With the increasing diversification of Indias global trade towards other developing countries, SADC has emerged as an important partner for India. During the last ten years, Indias total trade with SADC countries nearly doubled from US$ 13.7 billion in 2008 to US$ 25.5 billion in 2017, with SADCs share in Indias total trade with Africa having increased from 32.8 percent in 2008 to 42.4 percent in 2017. The increasing importance of India as SADCs trading partner can also be assessed from the fact that Indias share in SADCs global trade has more than doubled from 2.9 percent recorded in 2008 to 6.4 percent in 2017. The study highlights that though SADCs trade has grown considerably since the establishment of an FTA in 2008, there exist immense potential for increasing SADCs regional and overall trade. Key strategies include enhancing intra-regional trade, product and market diversification, reduction of non-tariff barriers(NTBs) and other barriers to trade, and development of regional and global value chains. The SADC region accounts for 94 percent of Indian investments in Africa during April 1996 to March 2018, with investments, mostly concentrated towards Mauritius, Mozambique and South Africa. The study highlights select potential sectors in broadening Indias investment base in the region, which include agro-processing, mineral processing, and manufacturing (pharmaceuticals, consumer goods including textile and apparel, leather and footwear and automotive components) sectors, and developing information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in the region. The 52nd session of the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM2019) ended in Marrakech on Tuesday with governments being urged to move with speed to embrace digital transformation to spur economic growth on the continent. The Ministers said if Africa does not move with speed to adapt modern technologies and ensure everyone has broadband internet access at least by 2022, then the continent will not be able to leapfrog development challenges in the near future. Leapfrogging in technology will change the lives of millions of Africans, they agreed, hence the clarion call on the continents leaders to embrace technology to improve governance systems, including revenue collection and efficient, transparent use, and ensure its growing youthful population is reskilled to compete in an increasingly digital world. African economies face major financing gaps and challenges in the mobilization of domestic resources, despite the implementation of several fiscal and budgetary reforms, the Ministers noted, adding digitization may enhance fiscal policy performance and development finance by increasing domestic revenue generation and allocation. The Ministers also discussed threats and challenges posed by digitization and the need to have measures in place to protect citizens and governments. Limited Internet access in Africa continues to impede the development of digitization in economic and social sectors, including e-commerce, e-health and e-government, which are constrained by high transaction costs, the spatial distribution of information exchanges, and limited access to international markets, the Ministers said in their statement. Governments, they said, need to design and improve innovative digital mechanisms that facilitate revenue collection and increase the efficiency of tax administration by promoting the use of online platforms for self-reporting by taxpayers and the use of digital mechanisms to record relevant data on transactions and the identity of taxpayers. They acknowledged the need to increase significantly the availability of high-quality and timely data to support fiscal policy, trade and private sector development in the digital era and strengthening the implementation of national development plans, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Unions Agenda 2063. Member States were urged to undertake the 2020 round of population and housing censuses in Africa with the Ministers noting how they are indispensable tools for promoting development in Africa and providing robust data to support the implementation and monitoring of national development plans, the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. They also urged governments to develop and strengthen civil registration and vital statistics information systems and infrastructure as a foundation for legal identity, including effective digital identity systems. Progress was noted in regional integration efforts on the continent with the ministers committing to taking measures and steps to enhance the incorporation of regional integration agreements and treaties, including the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), into domestic law and implementation. The Ministers said it was worrying that Africa continued to lag behind other regions in terms of infrastructure development. We acknowledge the need to strengthen resource mobilization in order to close the infrastructure gap and also to build the technical capacity necessary for the preparation of bankable cross-border infrastructure projects and, in this respect, commit ourselves to strengthening cooperation, in particular among landlocked developing countries and transit countries, in the development and management of cross-border infrastructure, they agreed. In her closing remarks, ECA Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe, said it was clear from discussions during the conference that Africa can do more and better if it worked closely together and speak with one voice. She said Africa should tap into the ever-growing digital economy which has disrupted age old industries while giving rise to completely new ones. We can do well if we work together and move from theory to action, said Ms. Songwe, adding discussions had proved that fiscal policy was important if the continent is to increase revenue collection to finance its development, in particular its desire to achieve Agendas 2030 and 2063. She said with the advent of the AfCFTA, Africa was well and truly on the path to economic diversification and inclusion with the digital era bringing in efficient and effective ways of collecting, allocating and use of revenues, among many other benefits. Moroccos Economic and Finance Minister, Mohamed Benchaaboun, said it was important for Africa to realize that it needs to rely on itself more than outsiders for its progress and development. South-South cooperation is also important for us as a continent. We need to take it to a higher level, the Minister said, adding the conference had been a huge success. COM2019 was held under the theme Fiscal policy, trade and the private sector in a digital era: A strategy for Africa. Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) 77 Wade Avenue is the latest made from trendy Nail-Laminated Timber. Every few months, members of the green building community get together on Toronto's Wade Avenue for High Performance Design Meets Boots on the Ground, looking out from Propeller Coffee at a big empty lot. In not too long we will be looking at a big green building, 77 Wade Avenue, designed by Bogdan Newman Caranci. As Hines and Michael Green demonstrated in Minneapolis with the T3, tenants love the old industrial post-and-beam look. But the "new digital age industrial workers" and their bosses also like modern big spans, modern wiring, and don't like noise and dust coming from the tenants upstairs. They really want what I call "new old" buildings, which is what 77 Wade appears to be. The key design intent of this project was to fuse contrasting materials to enhance the inherent warmth of an exposed wood structure comprised of composite mass timber, concrete and steel structural assemblies. Unlike the construction of 20th century post and beam buildings, construction of 77 Wade optimizes the use of a mass- timber hybrid structural system by way of pre-fabricated components and just-in-time delivery and construction practices to achieve spans akin to traditional concrete and steel superstructure projects for modern commercial office buildings. Bogdan Newman Caranci Judging from the cutaway rendering, the concrete deck on top is almost as thick as the Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT) below, and it is sitting on steel beams. NLT is the traditional way of building a warehouse floor, made by just nailing lumber together. But old NLT warehouses can be noisy and schmutz often falls out between the gaps. Structurecraft composite floor/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Structurecraft in British Columbia has developed concrete composites where their dowel-laminated timber and the concrete topping work together to make a strong composite floor; 77 Wade may be similar to this. Is it more efficient than a steel deck or concrete building, when it gets this hybridized? I am not so sure, but it's great marketing. Bogdan Newman Caranci A New York brewer recovered beer bottles from an 1886 shipwreck and transformed it into a delicious new ale. Saint James Brewery in Long Island, New York, has just released a new ale that will give you a literal 'taste of history.' Called Deep Ascent, the ale is fermented entirely with yeast that was extracted from bottles of beer that sank on the S.S. Oregon in 1886. The doomed steamship went down off the coast of Fire Island and ended up 135 feet down in a region known to divers as Wreck Valley. The brewery's owner is Jamie Adams, a former Wall Street trader who switched professions after 9/11. He is an avid scuba diver who had spent a decade diving the Oregon wreck before realizing that perhaps there were intact beer bottles with yeast that could be salvaged. The Associated Press reported, "He enlisted a team of divers in 2015 to search for bottles but didnt hit pay dirt until 2017, after storms shifted sands and made the first-class dining room accessible. They dug down 15 feet in the sea bed to gain access, and then another six feet inside the ship to find a half-dozen bottles upside-down, corks intact. Later dives found 20 more bottles." Saint James Brewery Bottles and other treasures brought up from the S.S. Oregon (used with permission) It took two years to extract the 'good' yeast from the bad and to experiment with getting the right taste. The result is a fruity, floral ale with a hoppy finish that Adams believes is descended from a lineage once used by Bass Brewers in England, although, as CraftBeer explained, more information could be revealed in time: "Until they recover the ships manifest, they can only make educated guesses [as to] the brewery origin of the three yeast strains they have isolated, based on the shape, size and pictorial references of beer bottles from the time period." Deep Ascent debuted at the New York Craft Brewers Festival in Albany, New York, this past weekend and was well-received by taste-testers. Adams is pleased: "Deep Ascent represents a true miracle of evolution, evidenced through the longevity and durability of one single cell, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. It represents a window into the Gilded Age and a taste of life for a transatlantic passenger during the 1880s." Right now customers can sign up to pre-order Deep Ascent on the brewery's website; it will become available locally this summer. If successful, it will be distributed more widely by the end of 2019. I imagine it will be. Who can turn down an offer of shipwreck ale? At the present time, there are 16 announced Democratic candidates for the Presidency and there are a few others still contemplating running, including Joe Biden. In all likelihood the Democrats will end up with a larger field than the record-setting Republican field in 2016. It is a field that could overwhelm a nominating process designed to chose among a relatively few candidates. The results could be a contested convention. Not only is the potential field of candidates enormous, but there is no clear front-runner. Biden is ahead right now but chances are that, if and when he formally announces his long voting record will be carefully scrutinized including the way he grilled Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings. With so many candidates in the race from across the ideological spectrum and President Obama having announced that he will not endorse a candidate in 2020, there is little likelihood of a candidate pulling away from the pack prior to the start of the primaries. During the 2016 campaign, there were 17 Republican candidates going into the Iowa caucuses the most that had ever competed in a major partys presidential primary in American history. The lack of a clear frontrunner allowed Donald Trump, the first major party candidate who lacked either military or political/governmental experience, to utilize his talents as a reality-television entertainer and his demagoguery and pugilist personality to bulldoze his way to the nomination. While it is impossible to empathically conclude that the plethora of Republican primary candidates was the key reason that Trump triumphed, it was clearly a significant factor in his victory. Trump was able to win because of his relatively small base of zealot supporters stayed with him throughout revelations of affair after affair and misstep after misstep. He could do no wrong in their eyes. His long-shot candidacy gained huge momentum when prior to the Iowa caucuses, well-known Republicans Perry, Walker, Jindal, Graham and Pakaki withdrew due to very low poll numbers and after Iowa, when Huckabee, Paul and Santorum withdrew because of poor performance. Trumps long-shot candidacy gained saliency as Republican candidates dropped like flies as he vigorously and unrelentingly bludgeoned them. After the first primary in which Trump came in second to Cruz, eight candidates were eliminated. After Trumps victory in New Hampshire, an additional three candidates exited the race Christie, Fiorina and Gilmore. The nomination was Trumps, for all intents and purposes, when Bush left the race after finishing in fourth place to Trump, Rubio and Cruz in South Carolina. In the case of the Democrats in 2020, the absence of clear front-runner and the possibilities of different favorite sons/daughters winning various early primary states (Klobachar in Iowa, Gillibrand in New York, Sanders in New Hampshire and Warren in Massachusetts) could result in no candidate corralling enough delegates to win the nomination before the convention. I could see a scenario in which 2-3 candidates have the bulk of the 3,339 pre-convention delegates and various others have a few hundred votes each. Add to the uncertainty the reduced role that super delegates (party elites, ex-presidents and current members of Congress) will have in picking the nominee at the convention. They will only vote on the first ballot at the convention if it is uncontested and the result could be a contested convention. Who will emerge from this type of a convention is anyones guess? Early in my career, while working in Jersey City I was fortunately to have befriended Morris Pesin, later known as the father of Liberty State Park. Morris taught me one of my lifes most value lessons that while winning is important there are times when you need to step away for the greater good. Morris Pesin, who had won two terms on the Jersey City Council as a reformer, was running for Mayor of Jersey City (I was his campaign manager). When another younger less well known reform candidate emerged, Paul Jordan, rather than take the chance that the vote would be split the vote, Pesin bowed out. He supported the fledgling candidate, who ultimately was elected Mayor of Jersey City toppling the long-time political boss of Hudson County, J.V. Kenny. Pesin deserved to be the candidate, but he didnt want to take chance that hed split the reform vote and perpetuate the old regime. During my career, Ive only seen one Morris Pesin. For the Democrats and the nations perspective, I hope there is a Morris Pesin around and that he/she will act on the basis of the greater good and defer to someone who has the ability to appeal to voters across the political spectrum. For the good of our democracy the Democrats need to select a ticket that has the best chance of defeating President Trump. Electability, not ideology should be the prime selection criteria. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel here on Tuesday and put forward a three-point proposal on the further development of China-Germany relations. The two leaders met on the sidelines of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France. China-Germany practical cooperation has maintained a sound momentum of development despite an increase of volatility and uncertainty in the current international situation, Xi said. China was Germany's largest trading partner for a third consecutive year in 2018, with a nearly 140 percent increase in German companies' actual investment in China, he said. China, Xi told Merkel, has set its goals and ideas that it would continue to deepen reform, expand opening-up and promote high-quality economic development. Noting that China stands firm in sticking to opening-up, Xi said China is also sincere in advancing and expanding its cooperation with Germany and with the European Union (EU). China is willing to join efforts with Germany to continue to expand and consolidate the basis of China-Germany cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples, he said. Recalling that Merkel has repeatedly expressed her firm belief in win-win cooperation, the president said China also considers joint cooperation, mutual benefits and win-win results the only right choice in resolving various global problems. Under the current circumstances, the significance of strengthening China-Germany and China-EU cooperation is beyond the bilateral scope, Xi said, putting forward a three-point proposal on the next-stage development of China-Germany ties. Firstly, the two countries should deepen their bilateral cooperation to set an example of win-win cooperation for the world, Xi said. Noting that China and Germany are not rivals nor adversaries, Xi said seeking win-win results through cooperation is the main thread in China-Germany ties, and urged the two sides to boost cooperation in such fields as artificial intelligence, automatic driving, new materials, new energy, life sciences and smart city. Xi said he hopes that Germany would create a friendly and open policy environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and develop in Germany. Secondly, the Chinese president proposed that the two countries take the lead in China-EU cooperation to inject more stability into the world. China sees Europe as an important force in promoting world multipolarization, and has always been a staunch supporter for Europe's path of unity and self-improvement, Xi said. With China and Europe being the world's two major forces of stability and two major economies, the steady growth of their relations conforms to the common interests of both sides, and is conducive to increasing stability in the complex and ever-changing world today, he said. China hopes that Germany would exert an important and positive influence on helping the EU to focus on cooperation and avoid disturbance, he added. Thirdly, the two countries should jointly advance global governance to safeguard multilateralism, Xi said. China is willing to work with Germany to uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, he said, urging the two sides to enhance coordination within the framework of the Group of Twenty to make greater contributions to improving global economic governance. The Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to promoting international economic cooperation and building an open world economy, Xi told Merkel, pledging to expand third-party cooperation with the German side. Merkel said Germany and China share broad common interests, with sound development of bilateral ties in recent years, and communication and cooperation at all levels and in various fields. Germany would like to deepen its economic and trade relations with China in the digital age, and is willing to actively participate in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Merkel said. Germany is looking forward to fully utilizing the market opportunities brought by China's further opening-up, and will provide a fair and favorable market environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and start business in Germany, she said. The chancellor noted that her country is committed to promoting EU-China cooperative relations and stands for joint efforts of the EU and China in safeguarding multilateralism. Xi arrived in Paris from the southern French city of Nice on Monday to continue his state visit to France. France is the final stop of Xi's three-nation Europe tour, which has already taken him to Italy and Monaco. 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, March 26 Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya today lashed out at public sector banks for double standards under the current NDA regime for their intervention to bail out Jet Airways while the same lenders made his Kingfisher airlines fail ruthlessly. In a series of tweets reacting to banks led by SBI taking over management control of troubled Jet Airways, Mallya said,...Only wish the same was done for Kingfisher. Happy to see that PSU Banks have bailed out Jet Airways saving jobs, connectivity and enterprise, he said. He further said, The same PSU banks let Indias finest airline with the best employees and connectivity fail ruthlessly. Double standards under NDA. Mallya, who is facing extradition to India from the UK, lamented that his efforts to save Kingfisher Airlines was not recognised and instead slammed in every possible way. I invested over Rs 4,000 crore into Kingfisher Airlines to save the company and its employees, he claimed. He also lashed out at the BJP for differential treatment meted out to Kingfisher and Jet Airways. BJP spokesman eloquently read out my letters to PM Manmohan Singh and alleged that PSU banks under the UPA Government had wrongly supported Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya said. He further said, Media decimated me for writing to the current PM. I wonder what has changed now under the NDA Government. The fugitive businessman reiterated his offer to pay off dues through his assets. And I repeat once again that I have placed liquid assets before the Karnataka High Court to pay off the PSU banks and all other creditors. Why do the banks not take my money. It will help them to save Jet Airways if nothing else, he said. Last month Mallya, who is wanted in India on alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores, had filed his application in the UK High Court, seeking permission to appeal against an extradition order signed by the British Home Secretary. PTI Pilots write to SBI, seek salary dues Jet Airways domestic pilots body the National Aviators Guild on Tuesday sought a meeting with SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar over pending salaries, a day after the lenders took over the carrier The guild had last week announced that its over 1,100-odd members would stop flying from April 1 if their salaries dues were not cleared and a clarity on the revival roadmap was not provided by March 31 Jet Airways shares rally further pardeepdhull@gmail.com Mumbai, March 27 Benchmark indices witnessed heavy volatility amid Prime Minister Narendra Modis address to the nation, reflecting nervousness of the investor community over the subject. The 30-share benchmark index dived by over 100 points but recovered sharply to 38,402.35 at 1234 hrs as Prime Minister announced that India had shot down a live satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile in a major breakthrough in space programme. The markets, which opened higher in the morning over Tuesdays close, sharply dipped following the twitter message as it wasnt clear what the subject of the address to the nation was. The benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 200 points on Wednesday during Modis announcement that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. The 30-share index was trading at 38,443.5, up 212.98 points at 12.24 hrs. The benchmark index had jumped over 200 points in the opening trading session. Meanwhile, buying was also seen in defence stocks, with Hindustan Aeronautics rising 7.25 per cent, Bharat Dynamics 6.26 per cent, Walchandnagar Industries Ltd 3.61 per cent and BEML 1.31 per cent on the BSE. The benchmark BSE Sensex was at 38,445.38 points a minute before the Prime Minister took to the twitter at 11.23 am to announce his address to the nation. I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media, he tweeted. But it was not until 12:24 that he made the near 10-minute address. With no precedence of such address after general elections were announced, other than when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated in 1984 and 1991, respectively, memories of November 8, 2016, were revived when Modi made his first address to the nation to announce demonetisation of 86 per cent of the currency in circulation. With election code is in place, it was felt that no policy announcement could be made and there could be some development on the Pakistan front as the Cabinet Committee on Security met just before the twitter message. Sensex fell to 38,332.22 by 11.35 am and further to 38,304.09 by 11.58 am. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 26 The court of the Special Judge, CBI, Sanjiv Joshi, today sentenced head constable Paramjeet Singh to five-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) in a bribery case. While pronouncing the quantum of the sentence, the Judge said: It is common knowledge that the genie of corruption is eating the very roots of our system and increasing day by day despite several efforts made by the legislature since Independence to curb the same. Our country is suffering a loss of billions of rupees due to rampant corruption. Poor people are the worst sufferers of corruption in our society, he said. However, KP Singh, public prosecutor for the CBI, contended that the accused deserved the maximum punishment of 10 years with an exemplary fine to discourage such persons from indulging in corruption. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on the convict. The CBI had arrested Paramjeet Singh for taking a bribe of Rs 1,000 from an auto-rickshaw driver for not challaning his vehicle on September 9, 2014. The CBI received a complaint from the auto driver and laid a trap near the Kisan Bhawan roundabout in Sector 35 and caught him taking the bribe. The accused was caught with the bribe money wrapped in a white paper, which was recovered from him. Earlier, the auto driver had got his vehicle released after paying Rs 4,000 as challan fee after he failed to pay a bribe of Rs 1,200, demanded by the traffic policeman on September 2, 2014. His vehicle was challaned for various offences. On September 4, the head constable again spotted the complainant driving the auto-rickshaw. He again demanded a bribe and threatened to challan him again if he failed to pay this time. The driver then approached the CBI, following which a trap was laid. uttara@tribuneindia.com Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 27 Liquor rates in Chandigarh are likely to shoot up more than 20 per cent from April 1. The UT Excise and Taxation Departments auction for 2019-20 saw sale of 81 of 98 liquor vends rake in Rs 343 crore34 per cent more than its reserve price and Rs 74 crore more than last years auction revenue. A liquor vend in Dhanas village got the highest bid at Rs 10.78 crore65 per cent more than the reserve price last year. This also beat last years record bid of Rs 6.60 crore, which was for a vend at Raipur Khurd. Vends in Khuda Lohorawhich links Chandigarh Kurali Marg to Palsorafetched Rs 8.55 crore, almost 200 per cent more than its reserve prices. The flipside however is that high bidding prices and increase in liquor duties would mean an increase in prices. A vend owner, Darshan Singh Kler, said prices of most India Made Foreign Liquor brands would shoot up 20-25 per cent, but would still be lower than in Haryana and Punjab. Prices of beer and wine are likely to increase only marginally because the duties on them are unchanged. Deputy Commissioner Mandeer Singh Brar, also the UT Commissioner for Excise and Taxation, said this was the first time that the department had successfully conducted allotment process through e-tendering. The department will also begin issuing excise permits online next month. Auction for 17 vends that had no takers in Wednesday's auction would be held soon, Brar said. Pravin Sawhney Pravin Sawhney Strategic Affairs Expert Contrary to the perception, five years of the Modi government have weakened India's national security since the focus was not on making India militarily strong, but on furthering the right-wing agenda of projecting a muscular India. This was done by a three-pronged simultaneous plan: identification of a desirable threat; centralised defence planning; and deep selection of service chiefs. This has eliminated the need for urgent military reforms. Interestingly, nobody even noticed this. The recent appointment of Vice-Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Chief of Naval Staff superseding an officer does not mean that he manipulated his elevation. All it implies is that he was perceived as more suitable for the task at hand which was explained by the Prime Minister himself in October 2014. Addressing the combined commanders conference, Narendra Modi had said, "The threats may be known, but the enemy may be invisible." At once, it was clear that fighting terrorism would be the primary job of the armed forces, never mind the growing real threats from the two military lines, with Pakistan and China. Since terrorism had a global appeal, it would help raise Modi's stature on the world stage. With the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval himself being a counter-terror specialist, he could comfortably lead the defence services. The generals, who had risen in service doing counter-terror operations (CT ops) for over three decades, were delighted. They were no longer required to make excuses for not going back to their primary role of war-fighting a thankless job without the attendant perks like publicity, promotions and awards. Not for nothing the two-year tenure of 15 Corps Commander (in Kashmir) was curtailed to less than a year to accommodate the growing list of aspirants vying for the prized posting. Moreover, the Modi dispensation managed to manipulate most of the media and the mood of people, who, charged with ultra-nationalist fervour, took pride in counting our own dead draped in the Tricolour instead of asking the government why so many of our own were dying. Once terrorism became the primary threat, the need for urgent military reforms to make India militarily strong became unnecessary. Fighting terror is a single service, low-level tactical job. Each service can identify the terror threat on land, sea and air, and then keep fighting it till kingdom comes. Unless the support, source and sanctuaries of terrorists in Pakistan are not threatened, faceless terrorists can never be defeated. Ironically, even for a decisive victory against terrorism, India needs to build credible war-fighting capabilities, which in turn requires major political and military reforms, including joint training for optimal results. The army is least happy with this prospect its large numbers and prominent role would be drastically reduced since given the rapid technology infusion, modern war-fighting entails pivotal role for the air force. There is an added problem. In war-fighting, offence is the best defence. This means that all fences that the army has built on the border and around itself since the November 2003 ceasefire would have to be dismantled, and the risk of actual war with Pakistan would rise. Unfortunately, the political leadership does not understand war dynamics between nuclear adversaries, and the military is unprepared for it. Hence, the focus on low-grade CT ops, which bleeds us more! In order to formally oversee the threat of terrorism, the Defence Planning Committee (DPC) under the NSA was created in April 2018. The DPC was required to formulate the national security strategy, defence capability building plan, defence manufacturing eco-system and defence diplomacy. With this, the job of the Defence Minister was officially rendered to be ceremonial, with the three services chiefs and senior civilian defence officials reporting to the NSA. On the one hand, urgency was given to equipment and withal needed for fighting terror, on the other hand, the services were asked to formulate and prioritise their capability-building plans based on available finances. With chances of a war with Pakistan and China (it takes two to fight) being assessed to be low, military reforms like the post of Chief of Defence Staff, theatre commanders and so on are subjects for seminars and debates. It is immaterial that centralised defence planning would throw up limited options on how to deal with adversaries. This suited the Modi dispensation since end-game for use of force was already decided. The need was for military leadership to do it, and the veteran fraternity to applaud it. For example, the army leadership insisted that the 2016 so-called surgical strikes which were neither surgical or strikes against the real adversary (Pakistan) indicated unprecedented signalling. It is another matter that the then foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, called them 'low-level, targeted, counter-terror operations', and the Pakistan army, cognisant of reality, decided to payback with increased proxy war. The Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh, who oversaw these operations was found hobnobbing with the BJP top brass post retirement, and his Vice-Chief, Lt-Gen Bipin Rawat, was made the Army Chief, superseding two officers. The government, however, made the mistake of saying that Rawat was elevated for his expertise in CT ops (no one had asked the government); this let the cat out of the bag: why focus on CT ops rather than the tangible conventional threats? When Modi ordered the 2019 air strike, Pakistan immediately retaliated in full force in daytime, exposing India's defunct war escalatory capability even when India called it an action against 'non-military' targets. The Indian Air Force did not tell Modi that the use of air power would be unacceptable to Pakistan since it would imbalance conventional warfare parity between the two sides. Worse, senior air force veterans assessed that the air spat is good use of air power. Not to be left behind, the outgoing Navy Chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba, recently spoke of terror threat from sea. This when the threat of interoperability between China and Pakistan navies is staring in the face. Wonder if this was deliberate signalling to indicate the government would choose its favourable officer for what it believes is the threat to nation. shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com Dubai, March 27 A critically ill Indian man who suffered multi-organ failure following a severe lung infection and had mounting hospital bills was airlifted on Tuesday to New Delhi after the Indian community came out in his support. Surrender Khanna, 66, who hails from Punjab, was rushed to hospital after he complained of acute breathlessness on March 15, the next morning after he arrived in Dubai with his wife. Khanna's son Anubhav did not avail any travel or medical insurance for his parents and had unpaid hospital bills mounting to over Rs 18,00,000. The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai thanked the Indian community and doctors for coming out in support of the family that had surging bills of over lakhs of rupees in a hospital here. "CGI Dubai expresses it's sincere gratitude to doctors, NMC Hospital, Indian community philanthropists and family members of Sh Surrender Khanna, a critical patient, who has just left Dubai to India by air ambulance..it showed that together we can..we pray for his speedy recovery," it said in a tweet on Tuesday. According to Khaleej Times newspaper, the Indian Consulate in Dubai mobilised the Indian community to help the family. Several businessmen pitched in with funds which helped Anubhav to arrange for a better-equipped charter plane ambulance for his ailing father and flew out to New Delhi with his mother where arrangements for his father's treatment were made. The private hospital in Dubai, where Khanna was treated, had stopped the billing cycle for a couple of days and extended the period of payment. "I have never seen a private hospital being generous to the extent of stopping the billing cycle after those initial few days," Anubhav was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Khanna had developed breathlessness a day after he arrived here and was rushed to hospital. Doctors diagnosed it to be a severe lung infection and his limbs began getting discoloured. The growing infection affected Khanna's left hand which had to be amputated. PTI shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com New York, March 27 India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, who served 19 months in US jail for insider trading, has blamed the prosecution led by Indian-American former New York Attorney Preet Bharara for conducting the case in an "disingenuous and untruthful" manner, saying he felt like a "political prisoner". Gupta, 70, also revealed that he was kept in solitary confinement for weeks in an American federal prison which, he termed, was "brutal". He was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information about Goldman Sachs to then hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, who is currently serving 11 years in jail for insider trading. They were incarcerated in the federal prison in Ayer, Massachusetts. Gupta served 19 months in prison and was released in 2016. The former managing director of McKinsey penned his memoir 'Mind Without Fear' that released Monday and tells of his dramatic rise to the top of the corporate and financial world in America and then his fall after being charged in one of the largest insider trading cases in the US. Gupta will be discussing his book and his experiences with a New York audience on Thursday at a book launch event organised by leading arts and cultural organisation the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). "I felt like I was a political prisoner. I felt like I had done nothing wrong, it's just my destiny to be here (in prison)," Gupta told PTI here. The insider trading case against Gupta was prosecuted by India-born Bharara, the then US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, pitting the two Indian immigrants against each other. Gupta blames the prosecution for "lying" and exaggerating to win the case "at any cost". "The issue is not Preet Bharara. The issue is the whole system. This system is misaligned, the way he handled the case. It was very cleverly done," Gupta said. He elaborated that he was charged a week before Rajaratnam's trial. "I was tried in absentia at the Rajaratnam trial with no opportunity to defend myself. That's the first tactic which is unfair and they should not have done it that way," Gupta said. He asserted that the prosecutors "kept lying" and saying that Gupta was a 15 per cent owner in Galleon International, the hedge fund founded by Rajaratnam and that was the benefit for him to provide confidential information to him. "I never owned a single share. I never got any benefit. Even in the appeals memo, they wrote that I was an owner in Galleon. They know that it was not true... because they had gone through all my financial statements, my bank accounts. They didn't find anything, any benefit of any kind. "I don't expect the prosecutors to lie but they were lying. That's very unfortunate. The way they conducted the case was disingenuous, untruthful and exaggerated in many ways," Gupta said. He said that the prosecutors had rehearsed then Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein and other witnesses to say exactly what they wanted to say. "It was deceitful, it was like win at every cost. "Nobody has ever heard of an insider trading case when there is no benefit. Zero benefit. It's not like this is the first time I had insider information in my life. I had been advising boards for 40 years. I had inside information, there was never an issue," Gupta said. He said that he met Rajaratnam in the Ayer prison and "I told him that he's the reason I was there". Gupta said the two talked about the trial only when they met for the first time in prison. "We never talked about the trial after that," he said. Gupta said he would see Rajaratnam often as they had a common dining hall and same place for exercise. He says he sometimes even played cards with Rajaratnam in prison. Gupta said that he was in some ways "very appreciative" of the fact that Rajaratnam didn't take a plea deal when the government had offered him five years off for testifying against Gupta. But Rajaratnam refused. "He could have made up something. But he said he doesn't want to testify and he has nothing to say as I had done nothing wrong," Gupta said. Gupta feels that the 11-year sentence for Rajaratnam, who is severely diabetic, was too long for a person with ill health. Talking about his time in prison, Gupta said the biggest stress for him was being away from his family. "It was a relatively short sentence. I could see the end of the tunnel," he said, adding that his friends and family used to visit him every week. Gupta said he also drew solace from conversations he had with his late father and decided to make the prison experience a "true learning experience". "It's like a monastery. You go into a monastery and you get better in every dimension," he said, adding that he used to exercise, read and write a lot in prison and tried to help other inmates as much as he could. "I wanted to become physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually better and I think I succeeded," he said. Despite this, he says prison was hard. "Especially solitary confinement. It's brutal," he said. Moving forward, Gupta said he is working on philanthropic issues and involved with institutions that he created such as the Indian School of Business. He is also focussing on work in maternal, child health, water and sanitation in Gujarat as well as criminal justice reform. "But I'm also 70. I want to spend a little more time with my kids and grandkids. I hope I'm going to slow down," he said, adding that it was difficult to write the book but it was quite a cathartic experience and I'm glad I did it". PTI editorial@tribune.com THE contest on all 10 seats in Haryana is essentially going to be between the two national parties, the BJP and Congress, feels former Speaker and Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma. Batting for younger candidates, Sharma, in an interview with The Tribune reporter Geetanjali Gayatri, says that he thinks alliance politics will not impact the poll results and the INLD and its breakaway group, the JJP, will become irrelevant after the Lok Sabha elections. Excerpts: Is the Congress fighting a losing battle? The Congress will contest to win all 10 seats in the state as we have done in the past. All that the Congress has to do is to change the narrative and ask the BJP about its unfulfilled promises and the five years of misrule during which they tore apart the brotherhood of Haryana and stand fully exposed. What is the Congress USP? All-round development and inclusive growth is our USP. Development in India wasnt brought about in the past five years only. In fact, the Congress made India an economic and military power. We alone have the capacity to take everybody along. We were handed over a country of have-nots while we handed over to the BJP a strong and self-reliant India. The Congress has only one MP from Haryana. How many seats you expect to win this time? No doubt, we only won Rohtak last time. But now, it is going to be different as people will judge the BJP on its performance. The Congress is getting ready for the poll battle and we will surprise opponents as we have done in the past. The BJP is trying to cultivate war psychology which is dangerous. India needs a statesman and not a salesman. Will Congress rely on old war horses or field fresh faces? The Congress will have a mix of both. There are leaders of stature in the party with their own areas of influence but a new crop of leaders is also coming up and is raring to go. They are industrious and have entirely different outlook and understanding of political affairs. I am all for younger people as they are sensitively attuned to the mass sentiments. Where do you see the JJP, AAP and INLD post-poll? Haryana has its own political dynamics. The AAP never had any noticeable presence. The JJP is only a breakaway faction of the INLD. After the split, both will become irrelevant. The real fight on 10 seats in Haryana is going to be between the Congress and BJP. Will alliances with regional parties work for the national parties in Haryana? People of Haryana have suffered alliance politics in the past. The BJP played second fiddle to the INLD and the Haryana Vikas Party was reduced to a two-member party in the House. The Congress does not need an alliance in Haryana. However, we have mutually beneficial alliances at the Centre. editorial@tribune.com Parveen Arora Tribune News Service Karnal, March 26 Unhappy with the treatment meted out to them at the state-run Child Care Institute (CCI) in Madhuban town of the district here, 24 inmates aged between 7 and 18 managed to flee from the home late Monday night. The children reached the residence of Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan and narrated their problems. The wards accused the authorities of forcing them to do physical labour and informed the MLA that they were being assaulted too. They also alleged that the manager of the CCI used to beat them up and had also tried to run them over with his vehicle. Kalyan, late in the night, came to the CCI and handed over all children to the authorities and ordered an inquiry into the matter. Twentyfour children came to me when I was holding a meeting and they narrated their tale of suffering, said the MLA. I took them to the CCI and handed them over to the authorities. I spoke to Deputy Commissioner Vinay Partap Singh as it is a serious issue and a big security lapse. I have sought a report in the matter and asked for an inquiry to fix the responsibility, he said. The children, who were playing in a government high school near the CCI, told The Tribune that the attitude of the manager towards them was harsh. They had not been given proper clothes for the past two months. They said they were forced to pick up bricks for the construction work on the premises. On our refusal, we were often beaten up by the manager. On Monday evening, the manager thrashed us and tried to crush us under his car, said one of the children. Hitesh Garg, CJM-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Umesh Chanana, chairman, Child Welfare Committee, and Charan Singh, member of Juvenile Justice Board, reached the CCI on Tuesday to inquire into the matter. They went through the recording of the CCTV cameras and also talked to each child to know about their problems. Sources said the chowkidar apparently tried to stop the children at the gate, but they ran away. We have interacted with every child and enquired about their allegations. A committee has been constituted to check all facts and fix the responsibility, said Chanana. Chanana said five children below the age of 10 years would be shifted to Shradhanand orphanage in Karnal city. This CCI has 58 children, who are either orphans or of single parents. The home has been in the news earlier too for not having sufficient staff and a manager for a long time. Meanwhile, Raj Singh Sangwan, manager of the CCI, refuted the allegations and said he had joined three months ago. He claimed he was trying to ensure discipline in the institute and denied that he had beaten up the children or had tried to harm them with his car. Probe team finding evidence of torture Charan Singh, member of the Juvenile Justice Board, said child labour was totally prohibited under the Juvenile Justice Act. It was a punishable act. Some details of physical torture have come to light during investigation. The probe committee members will file its report with all the facts, he added. Institute manager refutes allegations Raj Singh Sangwan, manager of the Child Care Institute, refuted the allegations and said he had joined just three months ago. He claimed that he was trying to ensure discipline in the institute and denied that he had beaten up the children or had tried to harm them with his car. amansharma@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Gurugram, March 27 A small-time gang of snatchers abducted son of a local doctor and released him after taking Rs 55-lakh ransom around 10 days back. They posed as members of notorious Kaushal gang, used its modus operandi and managed to cash in on its terror and a recent attack on the same doctors hospital in Rewari. The doctor approached the police today saying he was scared for his sons life and thus kept quiet so far. Sources claim that STF headed by IG KK Rao had got to know of the incident and managed to nab the two abductors though no official confirmation has been issued so far. I would not say anything on this as we are investigating the case and have major leads, Rao said. According to FIR filed by doctor at Civil Lines police station, he along with his son, also a doctor, would travel daily to their Rewari branch of hospital. On March 16, his son went missing on way back to home and his phone was switched off. The doctor called the police. When he did not reach home till 10.30 pm we got scared. We verbally informed police. It was post midnight that we got a ransom call on WhatsApp. Scared for my sons life I gave them Rs 55 lakh near Kundli on GT road on March 17 and got my son back, read the doctors complaint. As per the complaint, an FIR has been registered against unidentified accused under Sections 364-A (kidnapping for ransom) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC at Civil Lines police station. According to sources, there were five men who intercepted the doctor while he was going to Sector 29 to meet his friend before reaching home. They were probably looking to rob him of his car and hold him captive. When the victim revealed his identity the accused remembered threats issued to his family by the Kaushal gang and decided to use gangs name to cash in on opportunity. gspannu7@gmail.com Parveen Arora Tribune News Service Karnal, March 27 Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Jyoti Bainda on Wednesday recommended action against the manager of Child Care Institute (CCI), Madhuban, for creating the circumstances that forced the 24 children to escape from the institute on Monday night. She along with Umesh Chanana, chairperson of Child Welfare Institute (CWC), visited the premises and interacted with the children. During her visit, several shocking facts came to light. She found that the CCTV cameras were lying non-functional and the logbook of the staff movement was not properly maintained. Besides, the manager used to come along with a gunman in the premises, which, as per Bainda, was not permitted. I came here at CIC to inquire about the issue. I interacted with the children, who gave me written complaints against the manager that he used to beat them up and forced them to do physical labour, which is not allowed. The children also pointed out that the manager used to come with a gunman inside the premises, which is totally prohibited, said Bainda while talking with The Tribune. I recommend action against the manager of the CCI as his working is against the institute. He had not maintained his movement record and created such circumstances that the children had to flee from the institute, she maintained. The children also alleged that they were living under the shadow of fear, Bainda said. During her visit she found that the sanitation condition inside the premises was not good. There is poor sanitation and I will also speak to the concerned authorities, she said. Bainda appointed counsellors for the children and said, The counsellors have also been appointed for the children. I have also assured all the children not to worry, she said. She also found three children above the age of 18 and directed the authorities to shift them in other institutes. Meanwhile, Capt Manoj, Director Women and Child Development Department, also reached the institute to investigate the matter. It is learnt that 24 children managed to escape from the institute on Monday night. They reached the residence of Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan and narrated the problems being faced them at the institute. Later, the MLA came to institute and handed over the children to the authorities and directed a probe. editorial@tribune.com Sunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Rohtak, March 26 A number of farmers of Baniyani village in Rohtak district, the native village of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, have been denied insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) despite having suffered heavy crop losses. Several farmers of the village have alleged that money had been deducted from their bank accounts in the name of crop insurance premium, but the insurance company officials say they have not received the said amount. The bank authorities and the insurance company officials are blaming each other for the lapse, while the affected farmers are running from pillar to post to get their dues. When we approached the insurance company, we were told that our crop insurance premium had not been paid. We were shocked as money had been deducted from our bank accounts in the name of insurance premium. We approached the local bank officials, but did not receive any satisfactory response from them, said Ajay Thakur, an affected farmer from Baniyani village. Nagendra HS, deputy general manager of Corporation Bank, said the amount deducted from farmers accounts had been sent to the insurance company to be deposited as premium, but it could not be accounted for at the company level due to some technicalities/communication gap. Preet Singh, president of the district unit of the All-India Kisan Sabha, said a number of hapless farmers were being harassed as they had been denied insurance claims despite the premium amount having being deducted from their bank accounts. He said a delegation of the affected farmers had also met the local Deputy Commissioner and apprised him of their predicament, adding that he had assured them that he would look into the matter and do the needful. On being contacted, Rohtak Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg said the affected farmers had met him and conveyed their grievance. He said he had ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner to submit a report in this regard. Money deducted vinaymishra188@gmail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 Exuding confidence ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said his party would win at least eight of the 10 parliamentary seats in the state. Embarking on a six-day bus tour of the state to mobilise support for elections, Hooda, the newly appointed chairman of Congress coordination committee for Lok Sabha polls in Haryana, said the Jind byelection loss had been blown out of proportion. The INLD is on a slide and by the time of Assembly elections, it would have lost all relevance. The main contenders are Congress and BJP, he said. On reports that a section of party leaders wanted him to contest the LS election from Sonepat, he said, I personally dont intend to. But I will contest if my party asks me to. He said the biggest challenge was to counter BJPs politics of hate, falsehoods, fake nationalism and divisions. On rampant factionalism within Haryana Congress, he said all Congress persons were united under Rahul Gandhi. The LS poll in Haryana is on May 12. The notification will be issued on April 16. editorial@tribune.com Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, March 26 With the final decision on ticket allotment to be taken by the Central Election Committee on March 29, the top brass of the state Congress leadership is camping in Delhi as hectic lobbying is on among contenders. The return of former Telecommunication Minister Sukh Ram and his grandson Ashray Sharma who is an aspirant for the ticket from Mandi, has added a new twist to the political developments. Though ticket are likely to be announced on March 29, it is learnt that Ashray has been given an assurance that he will be given the ticket. Besides, the emergence of three-time BJP MP Suresh Chandel on the scenario has only intensified the hectic lobbying in the Congress. He was learnt to have met AICC president Rahul Gandhi last night in Delhi and is likely to join the Congress in a day or two. It will be a clear indication that he will be given the ticket from Hamirpur, the seat he has represented thrice. All senior leaders, including Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kuldeep Rathore, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mukesh Agnihotri, former state president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, contenders Sudhir Sharma, GS Bali, Dhani Ram Shandil, Rajesh Dharmani and others are camping in Delhi. Former CM Virbhadra Singh too left for Delhi today to attend the oath ceremony of his daughter Justice Abhilasha Kumari (retd) being sworn-in as Member of Lokpal. However, being in Delhi, he is also expected to meet senior party leaders. Even though former CM Virbhadra Singh made a Facebook post, welcoming his bete noire Sukh Ram into the Congress, it is obvious that he is not happy with his return. Both have staked claim to the Mandi seat which they have represented in the past. Chandel to join Cong soon Three-time BJP MP Suresh Chandel was learnt to have met AICC president Rahul Gandhi last night in Delhi and is likely to join the Congress in a day or two. It will be a clear indication that he will be given the ticket from Hamirpur, the seat he has represented thrice. Ex-CM not happy with Sukh Rams return? Even though former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh made a Facebook post, welcoming his bete noire Sukh Ram into the Congress, it is obvious that he is not happy with his return. Both veteran leaders have represented the Mandi segment in the past. In fact, Virbhadra and his son were the top contenders for the ticket but they had declined to contest. Wait and watch over Anil Sharma It is a situation of wait and watch as far as the continuation of Power Minister Anil Sharma in the Cabinet is concerned. BJP sources said the party would wait for the formal announcement of the Congress ticket after which the high command would take the final call. With Anil Sharma clarifying his position that he was not taken into confidence before the move and he had no intention of leaving the BJP, there is a situation of wait and watch till the Congress list is out. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, March 26 The move of the Congress high command to rope in BJP leaders into the party fold and considering them as candidates for the parliamentary poll is frustrating the party cadres. The recent re-induction of Sukh Ram, former minister, his grandson and talks of induction of Suresh Chandel and Maheshwar Singh former the BJP have not gone down well with the workers. What is troubling the Congress workers the most is that Pawan Kajal, who had joined the Congress just before the last Assembly elections, was the top contender for ticket from Kangra. Navneet Thakur, a Congress worker from Dharamsala, said their family had been with the party for two generations. It was very disheartening that workers or leaders, who had given their life for the party, had no value. Instead, the party is trying to take leaders from other parties to lead us. If the leaders can come and go as frequently as they are going in and out of the Congress, the workers feel whats the need for them to be associated with the party with commitment, he said. Shalendar said he had been a Congress worker for decades. I am indebted to former minister Chandresh Kumari, who helped me earn a livelihood. However, it is disheartening to see that certain leaders are coming and going out of the party. It seems that dedication is no longer valued, he said. Most senior leaders are running away from contesting the elections. CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, GS Bali, former minister, Asha Kumari, CWC member, and now even Sudhir Sharma, former minister, have allegedly said no to contesting the poll. A Congress worker said the party should force its senior leaders to contest the elections. The senior leaders, who have enjoyed the benefits of being in power, cannot shirk now, he said. The BJP is already targeting the Congress for the fact that most of its senior leaders are running away from the elections. Vice-president of the state BJP Kirpal Parmar, in a press conference at Dharamsala yesterday, had taken a dig at the Congress leaders for not contesting the poll. The Congress leaders gave their own reasons for not entering the election fray. For Hamirpur, they alleged that it was a difficult seat as the party had not won it for the past more than three decades. In Kangra, the party is faction-ridden. Besides, the leaders alleged that the defeat in the elections could dent their image. Another important reason for them not to contest is that the party is short of finances and any candidate contesting the elections is likely to spend from his own pocket. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Shimla, March 26 The mein bhi chowkidar drive launched by the BJP is now a mass agitation, getting the support from all segments, said BJP state general secretary Chander Mohan Thakur. Referring to the Congress leadership, he said the leaders, who had looted the country for 60 years and were out on bail, were pointing finger at Narendra Modi. The Congress had stated that only 15 paise out of 100 reached beneficiaries, he said, addressing mediapersons here today. Under the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address BJP leaders and people on March 31 through video-conferencing and big LCD screens would be installed, he said, giving a call to all honest Congress men to participate in the programme. Giving details of the programme to be held in all four constituencies in the state, he said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Lok Sabha candidate from Shimla Reserved Suresh Kashyap would attend the programme at Poanta Sahib. Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and candidate from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur would be present at Bangana. Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar and candidate from Kangra Kishan Kapoor would attend it in Dharamsala while the Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahendra Singh and other ministers, along with candidate from Mandi Ramswraoop Sharma would be at Jahu. All MLAs would also be present during the programme, he added. Anil should attend functions When asked whether Power Minister Anil Sharma, whose father Sukh Ram and son Ashray Sharma have joined the Congress, will continue or be expelled from the party, Chander Mohan parried the question by saying that the party would take the call at the right time. However, he maintained that till Anil Sharma was in the BJP, he should attend the party functions. editorial@tribune.com Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, March 26 As the parliamentary polls are inch closer in Jammu and Kashmir, around 30,000 students from Ladakh studying outside the region are uncertain about their participation in the elections as the authorities are yet to take a call on making special polling arrangements for them. According to statistics provided by various organisations of students from Ladakh, there are around 15,000 students, including 8,000 to 9,000 Buddhist students from Leh district, studying in Jammu city, while their number in Chandigarh is between 5,000 and 6,000 and 8,000 and 9,000 in Delhi. Though these student groups have taken up the matter with the election authorities, no decision has been taken whether special polling stations will be set up for such students outside the Ladakh parliamentary seat which has a history of narrow contests in the past, making the votes of these students a deciding factor. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP candidate Thupstan Chhewang had defeated his rival, Ghulam Raza, an independent candidate, by a margin of just 36 votes. Similarly, Ghulam Hassan Khan, who had fought the 2009 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate from the Ladakh seat, had defeated the Congress candidate Phuntsog Namgyal by a margin of 3,708 votes. We have approached the Deputy Commissioner Leh, who is the Returning Officer (RO) for the Ladakh seat, for making special polling arrangements for students from Ladakh in Jammu so that they can participate in the poll process. No such arrangements would mean depriving us of the election process as no student would travel over 700 km distance from Jammu to exercise his or her right to franchise, said Lobzang Nurboo, president All Ladakh Students Association (ALSA) Jammu. Nurboo added, We appeal to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for making special polling arrangements for us. Either all students from the Ladakh region, who are above 18 years, be airlifted to their respective native places or special polling stations be set up in Jammu to facilitate their voting. Taking a dig at the political class, he said, Politicians too dont want to ensure students participation in elections as 40 per cent youths out of Ladakhs total population is educated that can question them for their under-performance. They find their vote-bank in gullible villagers who seldom question them. Shakeel Ahmed, president, Kargil Students Association, said they too had approached the election authorities for ensuring the participation of students in the election process. Avny Lavasa, RO, Ladakh seat, said she had written to the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, over the issue, but any decision in this regard would be taken by the ECI. Firstly, they are late in making their representation and secondly, this is a larger issue to be dealt by the ECI. As far as airlifting of students to Ladakh for voting is concerned, we will take a call as and when we receive any such request from them. Exercising franchise editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 26 Ram Madhav, national general secretary of BJP, said on Tuesday that the party would win all three Lok Sabha seats from Jammu and Ladakh regions and was hopeful of going forward in the Valley, where the party is yet to emerge victorious in any Parliamentary or Assembly elections. We will win two seats in Jammu and one in Ladakh and try our best in Kashmir so that our candidates go forward....our party is fighting all six seats. We will better 2014 results this time, he said. Madhav, who had played a key role in the formation of the last PDP-BJP coalition government in the state, was here to hold a meeting with senior party leaders and review preparations for the upcoming Parliamentary elections. Three BJP Valley candidates Maqbool War (Baramulla), Sofi Yousuf (Anantnag) and Khalid Jehangir (Srinagar), besides state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul and district presidents of the Valley, were present in the meeting. He said the BJP wanted to oust politicians resorting to double-speak from the three Valley Lok Sabha seats. All valley seats should go to those who stand for unity of the country. Those who speak one language in New Delhi and another in Srinagar should be kept away, he said. On reports that Pakistan would allow a corridor for Sharda Peeth pilgrimage in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Madhav said Leadership under the Prime Minister will decide....(but) terrorism is the biggest challenge. All other issues will be resolved once the issue of terrorism is tackled. BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said Madhav had a detailed meeting with the candidates to chalk out a strategy. He met all three candidates and district presidents to review preparations, he said. Reviews preparation editorial@tribune.com Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, March 26 Even as PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has announced the decision not to field any party candidate from the two Lok Sabha seats of the Jammu province to avoid the division of secular votes, Congress candidates are hesitating to involve PDP leaders in the campaigning, fearing backlash from voters. People of the Jammu region have not taken kindly the recent statements of top PDP leaders in support of the Jamaat-e-Islami and JKLF. So, involving them in our campaign in most areas would prove to be counter-productive, a senior Congress leader, wishing anonymity, told The Tribune. He said the party leadership was in a dilemma over directly involving PDP leaders in electioneering. To restore its lost ground in the Kashmir valley, PDP leaders are out to appease separatists by issuing highly provocative statements. Hence, involving them in the campaign would provide an opportunity to the BJP to exploit the situation, he said. While filing their nomination papers, the Congress candidates made it a point to take National Conference leaders with them, but they have avoided involving PDP leaders. On Tuesday, Congress candidate Raman Bhalla, along with party leaders, addressed a series of public meetings in the Nowshere Assembly segment of Rajouri district, but PDP leader Surinder Choudhary was conspicuously missing during the rallies. During the 2014 Assembly elections, Choudhary was the runner-up from this Hindu-majority constituency and had secured over 28,000 votes. The Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha constituency is going to witness a contest between BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma and Congress nominee Raman Bhalla. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, PDP candidate Yash Pal Sharma had secured 1,68,554 votes from the Jammu-Poonch seat while party nominee on the Udhampur-Doda seat Mohammad Arshad Malik got 30,461 votes. Up against BJP After the NC sealed a seat-sharing pact with the Congress on three out of the total six Lok Sabha seats in the state, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti announced on Saturday not to field any candidates on the two Lok Sabha seats in the Jammu region to facilitate victory of Congress candidates The PDP has strong base in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri which are part of the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary seat while the partys presence is negligible in the Udhampur-Doda seat People of the Jammu region have not taken kindly the recent statements of top PDP leaders in support of the Jamaat-e-Islami and JKLF. So, involving them in our campaign in most areas would prove to be counter-productive A senior Congress leader editorial@tribune.com Sanjay Pathak Kathua, March 26 BJP rebel candidate Choudhary Lal Singh on Tuesday vowed to restore dignity and honour of the ethnic Dogri minority of J&K. Demanding trifurcation of J&K, he sought the Union Territory status for the Kashmir valley and Ladakh region and statehood for the Jammu region. Addressing a rally after filing nomination papers as the candidate of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan from the Udhampar-Kathua parliamentary constituency, Lal Singh attacked the local BJP leadership for betraying people of the region. Except befooling people of the Jammu region, local BJP leaders have done nothing to resolve local problems, Lal Singh amid raising of slogans. He reminded the gathering that the BJP had promised to remove Articles 370 and 35A but nothing had been done so far. It is high time to teach a lesson to those who have befooled people for years together, he said while launching a direct attack on the BJP nominee Jitendra Singh, who is seeking re-election from the prestigious seat. He regretted that Jitendra had virtually abandoned the constituency after his induction as a minister in the Central government. He said the Union minister preferred to stay either in Jammu or Delhi. Earlier, Lal Singh took out a rally from Londi Morh in Hiranagar to Kathua after covering nearly 40 km. Meanwhile, Returning Officer Rohit Khajuria said 10 nominations were filed on the last date of filing of papers on Tuesday. editorial@tribune.com Sumit Hakhoo Tribune News Service Jammu, March 26 The drinking water supply to the Jammu region has been hit for the past 24 hours as thousands of the public health engineering (PHE) department daily earners and regular employees went on a daylong strike. They have been demanding pending wages and changes in the departmental promotion committee (DPC) process. A daylong strike was calledby the employees unions in the Jammu region, which affected lakhs of people. We took the strike decision as the administration has failed to release the pending wages of daily earners for the last five years. Even the DPC of the regular employees is not been carried out on time due to which there is resentment among them. Even the regular employees have extended their support to the daily earners, said Jeevan Singh, district president, PHE Employees Union. The unions have also warned to intensify their agitation in the coming weeks if the PHE department and the state administration continues its apathetic attitude towards the workers who had been denied regular wages and regularisation despite the announcements made by the previous PDP-BJP government. Despite repeated assurances, the government has befooled the daily earners for years. We are without wages for the last five years. This is the biggest human rights violation, said Tanvir Hussain, president, J&K ITI, CP Daily Wagers Workers Union. Meanwhile, PHE department Chief Engineer AK Gandotra said the government would take strict action against the regular employees who went on strike. We are considering the issues of the daily earners but the regular employees should not stop the water supply. It is against the rules. The issue has been raised with the union representatives and we have warned them not to indulge in such practices in future. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Narendra Shyamsukha Indias Skill India mission is pledged to facilitate the entry of 104.62 million new employees into industry by 2022. Under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the National Skill Development Council was expected to train 2.4 million youth in 2015 in various short-term skill courses. The NSDC exceeded its targets in the first year but fell short in the second year. A very low percentage of learners were actually placed. The reasons have been attributed to excessive targets and the short-term skills the program laid emphasis on. Hence to meet the targets of the Skill India mission and alleviate the gap between skills and labor supply, a more holistic approach encompassing longer-term skills and combinations with career-spanning competencies are needed. The NITI Aayog has correctly pointed out that a way to measure skill development indicators is required to accurately gauge where society stands today. Training does not match aspiration for youth The government hopes to build vast banks of employable workers rapidly and in a standard manner by strengthening institutions and infrastructure, exploring synergies between the government and industry and roping in overseas stakeholders and facilitators. The same policies also envision re-skilling 400 million people by 2022. However, it has also been underlined by various surveys conducted among the youth for whom the program was meant that certifications and skills do not match their aspirations or their aptitudes. To resolve this dilemma, it has been suggested, that employability skills and attitudes be inculcated in school-going children from a very early age. Children need to be made to understand that no value is created from scratch and that hard work is rewarded by applying the psychology of instant rewards or punishment in the form of loss. That way when these children grow up, a culture of working-for-a-living and corresponding work-reward correlations would have been innately formed at the working age. The writer is Founder Chairman, ICA Edu Skills editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 26 Under the chairmanship of Gurmeet Singh Kular, president, FICO, along with Harpal Singh Bhamber, leader of the delegation and Japneet Singh Chhatwal, deputy leader of the delegation, a 14-member delegation of FICO-I am SME of India reached Taipei (Taiwan) to attend the Taipei Cycle Show 2019. Taipei cycle show is a B2B trade show. It is being organised by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) on scale of 1,139 exhibitors, 55,000 sqm, in association with Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) from March 27 to 30, 2019 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, it will exhibit the complete bicycles, bicycle parts, bicycle Accessories and LEV (Light Electric Vehicles). The major focus of the delegation will be on the E-bikes. We have also arranged for visiting the industrial units in Taiwan, said Manjinder Singh Sachdeva, general secretary FICO. Gurmeet Singh Kular, President, said we had to visit these exhibitions every year to keep ourselves updated with the international bicycle standards and technology, Taiwan is the manufacturer of high-end bicycles and is a major exporter of bicycles to Europe, USA and UK. In India, we also need to pull up our socks and think beyond the roadster models of bicycle as E-Bikes and high-end bikes are the future of this industry, he added. Taiwan is the major reason behind the growth of China, as most of the factories in China are of Taiwanese. The manufacturing standards of Taiwan are very high, said Harpal Singh Bhamber leader of the delegation and Head FICO bicycle division. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Manas Dasgupta Ahmedabad, March 27 About 100 kg of heroin valued at over Rs 500 crore was seized and nine Iranian nationals arrested from a boat off the Porbandar coast today in a joint operation by the Coast Guard and the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad. An official spokesman here said the Gujarat ATS had received a tip-off about the Iranian boat carrying drugs, which would try to off-load the consignment somewhere on the Saurashtra coast near Porbandar. The ATS and the Coast Guard launched a joint operation to trace the boat and located it after about 24 hours of search in the high seas. But as the Indian security forces intercepted the boat and were approaching it, its occupants set it afire in a bid to destroy the drugs. The security forces, however, managed to recover about 100 kg of heroin and nabbed the boat occupants too. The boat was completely burnt and sank in the high seas. Sources said on interrogation, the crew members admitted that the ship had sailed from Iran but had picked up the consignment of drugs from Gwadar port in Pakistan. The consignment was owned by a Pakistani drug mafia Hamid Malek. The sources, however, did not reveal the name of the recipient who was supposed to take over the consignment for distribution in India. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi will not be contesting the Lok Sabha elections either from Kanpur or elsewhere. Joshi, a former Union minister and BJP president, has been replaced with Uttar Pradesh minister Satyadev Pachauri for the seat he represented in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. That the founder member of the Bharatiya Janata Party was being benched like patriarch LK Advani became evident early today after a letter surfaced of Joshi telling the people of Kanpur that he had been asked by BJP general secretary (organisation) Ramlal not to contest the elections from Kanpur or elsewhere. Effectively, this marks a complete generational change in the BJP and also the end of an era represented by the old guard the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and seniors Yashwant Sinha, MM Joshi and LK Advani. Another founding member of the BJP, Advani was replaced with party chief Amit Shah for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in the first list itself. In 2014, Joshi was asked to vacate his Varanasi seat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shifted to Kanpur. Sources said Joshi (85) was quite keen and insistent on contesting the seat for a second time. That he was upset became clear after he cancelled his Kanpur visit scheduled for Monday to attend the politically important Ganga Mela. In fact, the decision on selecting the Kanpur candidate was on hold as Joshi remained firm on contesting from the constituency. However, leaders here say internal surveys showed his popularity in Kanpur at its lowest and that the BJP would have lost badly had he been re-fielded. He was not available in his constituency and had hardly visited it nine to 10 times in the past five years. There was a complete disconnect with cadres and the party wanted a winnable candidate, they said. Like Advani, Joshi is a part of BJPs margdarshak mandal, which has not met even once since its formation in 2014. Till now, at least six other party veterans above 75 have been benched by the saffron party After he was replaced in Patna Sahib by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for the coming poll, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha called the BJP a two-man Army which did not treat its veterans well. Others who have been dropped are Karia Munda from Khunti in Jharkhand, Shanta Kumar from Himachal Pradesh, Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BC Khandhuri in Uttarakhand and Bijoya Chakravarty from Guwahati. A key reason for dropping the veterans is their age. There seems to be an undeclared rule within the BJP not to field leaders over 75 years in age, but some exceptions could be there depending upon their winnability factor. rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 27 Minutes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Indias entry to a select group of space powers that can shoot down live satellites in low earth orbit, a political slugfest on the issue ensued. The opposition Congress claimed that the anti-satellite system mission was initiated by the UPA under the leadership of then PM Manmohan Singh. The first reaction from the Congress came from veteran Ahmed Patel, the former political secretary to then Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He said on Twitter, The UPA government had initiated the ASAT programme which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. Patel also tagged a 2012 media report quoting then DRDO chief VK Saraswat as saying that after successfully testing the Agni V missile India was now ready to launch the deadly anti-satellite systems in double quick time. Agni V has opened a new era. Apart from adding a new dimension to our strategic defence it has ushered in new opportunities like building ASAT systems and launching mini and micro satellites on demand, Saraswat had said at the time after the DRDO tested the 5,000 km Agni V missile. The PM earlier said India is only the fourth country (apart from the US, Russia and China) to acquire such a specialised and modern capability. Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. The opposition leaders were quick to target the PM for making the announcement with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeting, Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nations attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. Former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair, when contacted, defended the PMs decision to make what he described as a historic space achievement for India. It was only natural for the PM to make this major announcement on India crossing a significant threshold in space technology. Its a huge feat, Nair said. There was no immediate official word from the Election Commission though EC sources said the PM had not violated the Model Code of Conduct because he did not make any policy announcement. The announcement related to India acquiring deterrence in space. It was a matter of national security and safety for which the PM did not need the EC permission for an address, a Commission source said. Rahul takes a dig at PM On PMs address, Rahul Gandhi congratulated the scientists and took a dig at the PM. He tweeted, Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day." rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, March 27 The Election Commission on Wednesday set up a committee to examine the matter related to address of the Prime Minister to the nation in the light of the Model Code of Conduct which is in force for Lok Sabha polls. An Election Commission spokesperson said the poll panel has directed a committee of officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of the model code. However, sources in the poll panel said issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code which came into force on March 10 when the ok Sabha election schedule was announced. The seven-phased polls will begin on April 11 and end on May 19. The sources said the decision was taken after the opposition claimed that the PMs address violated the model code as he highlighted an achievement of the government and the issue was not necessarily related to national security. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met. Decisions taken by it and issues such as disaster management do not fall under the (ambit of)model code of conduct and require no prior nod, a functionary had said earlier in the day. Though there was no official word on the deadline given to the committee to submit its report, sources said the task will be completed at the earliest. The panel would go through the video and the transcript of the address. The PM addressed the nation after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security Wednesday morning which was apparently apprised of the development. The matter related to the address of the Prime Minister to the Nation on electronic media today afternoon has been brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India. The Commission has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct, the EC spokesperson tweeted Wednesday night. Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of the Model Code of Conduct Division Sandeep Saxena will head the panel. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Commission Wednesday afternoon. In his address, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. Opposition parties alleged that the PMs address was a violation of the model code of conduct and demanded that EC take action in this regard. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Panaji, March 27 Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday dropped Deputy CM Sudin Dhavalikar after two MLAs of the latters MGP broke away and joined the ruling BJP. Dhavalikar, the lone MGP MLA who did not break away from the party, hit back, terming the development as dacoity by chowkidars. In a communication addressed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Sawant informed her about dropping Dhavalikar. I have dropped Sudin Dhavalikar from the Cabinet. The decision on filling up the vacant seat will be taken very soon, Sawant told PTI. The CMs recommendation to drop Dhavalikar was accepted by Sinha. The Governor is pleased to accept the recommendation of the Chief Minister that Sudin Dhavalikar shall cease to be a minister in the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister, with immediate effect, an official notification said. Dhavalikar said, People are stunned the way, in the middle of the night, chowkidars conducted dacoity on the MGP. People are watching and they will consider their course of action, he said. He claimed the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party was an outfit of the masses and would not be eliminated by such moves. Dhavalikar was allotted portfolios of Transport and Public Works which would be now looked after by Sawant. Governor Sinha, who is in New Delhi now, has cut short her visit and would be arriving in Goa later during the evening to administer the oath to the new minister, replacing Dhavalikar. During the wee hours of Wednesday, two of the three Maharashrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAsManohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskargave a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, merging their partys legislative wing with the BJP. Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter. On Tuesday, MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar had claimed that his party was the target of a conspiracy by opponents. He had said moves were afoot by rivals to wean away Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar, and in the process isolate Sudin Dhavalikar. Any attempt to disturb our MLAs will be viewed seriously and we wont mind pulling out of the government, the MGP chief had said. PTI We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form vinaymishra188@gmail.com Islamabad, March 26 Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the Indo-Pak relations would remain tense till the general elections in India are over, adding he feared another misadventure by Pakistans eastern neighbour. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the February 14 attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama. Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a 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 an Indian pilot, who was handed over to India later. Khan said shadows of war were still hovering over Pakistan and India as Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration could go for another misadventure before the general elections. The danger is not over. The situation will remain tense till the forthcoming general elections in India. We are already prepared to avert any aggression from India, Dawn quoted Khan as saying. Khan also claimed that he cancelled his scheduled meeting with the Taliban in Islamabad due to concerns expressed by the Afghan government. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Jaipur/Gurdaspur, March 26 An ISI agent who travelled to Pakistan 17 times in 18 years was arrested for alleged spying and honey-trapping from his Delhi hideout. Mohammed Parvez (42) was brought by the Rajasthan Police to Jaipur on Monday and produced in a court, which remanded him in four-day police custody, ADGP Umesh Mishra said today. Parvez also provided funds to ISI sleeper cells, the ADGP said. A resident of Chandan Mahal in Delhi, the accused honey-trapped an Army jawan, Sombir Singh, who was posted in Jaisalmer, said Mishra. Parvez would speak to his Pakistani handlers through SIM cards he got issued using the IDs of people aspiring for visa to the neighbouring nation. In turn, he would assure the visa-seekers of early clearance of formalities at the Pakistan High Commission. In Gurdaspur, the local police have been investigating a case involving an ice-cream vendor caught live-streaming through mobile phone the activities inside the high-security Tibri Cantonment. The vendor, Aman Kumar (24) of Hoshiarpur, and his employer Amrit Singh (29) of the Improvement Trust Colony in Gurdaspur, were being questioned, though an FIR was yet to be registered, said a police officer. The officer said Aman claimed he lost his way inside the cantonment and was being helped by Amrit via live-streaming to reach his destination. Asked whether it was a case of espionage, SSP Swarandeep Singh said not much could be said at this stage. TNS rchopra@tribunemail.com Lucknow, March 27 Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Wednesday hit out at the ruling BJP and the Congress for their garibi hatao promise calling it a bluff. She accused both the parties of being birds of the same feather who betrayed people, despite such eradicate poverty slogans which come to nothing after the votes are over. Mayawati said: Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 a bluff is true. But is poll bluff and reneging on poll promises the sole domain of the BJP? In fact BJP and Congress party are both birds of the same feather. They betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers and others, Mayawati tweeted. The Dalit leaders remarks came after the ruling BJP described the Congress minimum income scheme NYAY announced by party chief Rahul Gandhi for elimination of poverty a bluff. Gandhi had on Monday announced to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 25 crore poor families of the country. The BSP, which had earlier announced no alliance with the Congress across the country, is fighting the general election along with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The BSP, which scored a nil in the 2014 election, is contesting on 38 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The SP which won five seats is contesting on 37 and its other alliance partner, the RLD, is contesting on three seats. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance has left two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli for the Congress in the state. The BJP-led NDA had won 73 seats from Uttar Pradesh in 2014. The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls are scheduled from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. IANS uttara@tribuneindia.com New Delhi, March 27 Muslim women from different parts of the country on Wednesday gathered in the national capital urging the secular political parties in the country to add in their manifesto the need to have a law against mob lynching. The women, who launched a detailed 39-point manifesto also demanded that Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, must be scrapped. They also asked for 33 per cent reservations for women to increase their political representation in the Parliament. They also wanted an increase budgetary allocation for girls and women-related interventions. The women from at least 10 states, under the banner of Bebaak Collective (voice of Fearless) came together to release the manifesto listing their demands related to gender equality, minority safeguard and citizenship rights. Among the women was also Khalida, wife of Umar Khan, who was allegedly lynched in 2017 in Alwar, months after dairy farmer Pehlu Khan was lynched in the area. The manifesto demanded formulation of a diversity index across public and private sectors to determine the extent of under-representation of Muslims, 10 per cent reservation to Muslims in higher education and government jobs and a gender-just law in Muslim Personal Law. They also demanded monetary benefits for single women, introduction of a communal violence bill to bring perpetrators to justice and redrafting of Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. All anti-conversion laws should be scrapped, it added. IANS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 India has distanced itself from the controversy over the longer time taken by Malaysian PM Mohd Mahathirs special plane to reach Islamabad where he was to attend Pakistan National Day function as the chief guest. The Centre pinned the blame on Pakistan that had enforced a complete air-flight closure (which was later partially eased) after the IAF strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in February. Malaysia is especially sensitive to contested air spaces as it lost a scheduled passenger flight over eastern Ukraine about five years ago. Pakistan may have sought to play on those fears when its officials claimed that Mahathirs flight to Islamabad took longer than usual because India had denied overflight permission. Government sources here rebuffed those reports as false and motivated. They said, The truth is that Pakistan has blocked its own airspace to flights overflying India. Therefore, though the Indian authorities had given overflight permission to the Malaysian PMs flight, it had to take a longer route because Pakistan had denied it the permission. uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service New Delhi/Islamabad, March 27 Pakistan has pinned the blame for the Pulwama attack on local conditions in Kashmir in its preliminary findings conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan has argued that it was impossible for its citizen to cross the heavily-militarised line of control and then effect an explosion in a place teeming with Indian security personnel. However, Pakistan left the door open for further exchange of notes by observing that it sought further information and evidence from India to take the process forward. Pakistan said its findings are based on a one-sided probe after India handed over a paper to Pakistan alleging active across-the-border connivance in the Pulwama attack that brought both countries to the cusp of war. The findings were shared with the Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria in Islamabad by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. Islamabad said Pakistans findings were conducted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation in the interest of regional peace and security. The Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Foreign Secretary and the "preliminary findings" on the "Pulwama incident" were shared with him, the Foreign Office said. The preliminary findings were shared with India after examining the Indian dossier on the Pulwama attack, it said in a statement. "We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward," the Foreign Office said India has been mounting pressure on Pakistan to act on militant groups using its soil for operations. Some 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed in a deadly suicide attack on February 14. The attack, claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed, escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours and even led to the two countries having a military faceoff. India has been accusing Pakistan of covertly supporting militant activities specifically aimed at targeting its neighbour, but Pakistan denies all such charges. In statements he issued days after the attackand repeated several times laterPakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, while denying Indias allegations, asked for more proof, and claimed the war mongering in India was primarily aimed at drumming up support for the upcoming general elections. India's mammoth seven-phase general elections begin in India on April 11. Votes will be counted on May 23. With agencies editorial@tribune.com Yash Goyal Suratgarh (Rsthan), March 26 On his first tour to Rajasthan after announcement of the General Election early this month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today announced that his party would extend 33 per cent quota to women in Parliament and Assemblies, and the same percentage of reservation in Central government jobs as well, if voted to power. Addressing a poll rally at Khel Sankul in Bundi, Gandhi said India had fought a number of wars with Pakistan, and no Prime Minister ever claimed it was he who fought it. Unfortunately, this PM (Narendra Modi) says it was done by him as if there was no Army or Indian Air Force involved in it. He blamed the Modi government for weakening economy, joblessness and worsening situation of small shopkeepers due to demonetisation and GST implementation. Addressing another rally in Suratgarh, the Congress president said the Congress would not allow formation of two Hindustan based on rich and poor as being done by Modi in last five years. Modiji has made one Hindustan of rich and another of poor, unemployed youths, and hapless farmers. In the past five years, through demonetisation and GST, only 15 to 20 top businessmens were benefitted, and promises made to unemployed youth and farmers proved hollow. The Congress will ensure that injustice to poor, jobless youth and farmers ends in this election, Gandhi said. The Congress novel scheme of Nyay (Nyuntam Aay Yojana or minimum income guarantee) to eradicate poverty would prove as a surgical strike if voted to power. The Congress would work on its historic decision of minimum income of Rs 12,000 per month income to poor families. Over 25 crore poor families would get this benefit. It would be a war against poverty, he claimed. Besides, the Congress president, said the major problem of unemployment and agrarian distress would be tackled by facilitating quick bank loans to youth and extending loan waiver schemes already implemented in the Congress-ruled states in the entire country. He again took a jibe at the Prime Minister over Rafale deal, saying, Voh chowkidar jaroor hai par Anil Ambani ka. Use 30,000 cr diye hain peeche se... Rafale banane ka contract France se dilaya (He is certainly chowikdar but is of Anil Ambani. He has been tacitly provided Rs 30,000 crore and a contract from France to make Rafale. vinaymishra188@gmail.com New Delhi, March 26 External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday asked Pakistan to ensure immediate release of the two Hindu girls, who were allegedly kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam in Sindh province last week. Justice demands that both these girls should be restored to their family immediately, she tweeted. Reena and Raveena, hailing from Hafiz Salman village near the town of Daharki in Sindh, were allegedly kidnapped and forced to convert from Hinduism to Islam on March 20, before being married to Muslim men. Forced conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan: The age of the girls is not disputed. Raveena is only 13 and Reena is 15 years old, Swaraj said. Even the PM of Naya Pakistan will not believe that girls of this tender age can voluntarily decide about their conversion to another religion and marriage, she added. In the morning, a Pakistani HC ordered official protection for the two girls due to concern about their safety as authorities widened a probe to ascertain if the teenaged sisters were abducted, forcibly converted and married. On Sunday, Swaraj tweeted that she asked the Indian envoy in Islamabad to send a report on the incident. Hours later, India issued a note verbale to Pakistan, sharing its concerns and called for suitable remedial action to protect and promote safety, security and welfare of people from the minority communities. Subsequently, Pakistan PM Imran Khan ordered a probe into the incident. The Islamabad HC issued the order on Tuesday after the petition was filed by the girls and their husbands to seek protection from adverse action. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Chennai, March 27 With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announcing about India acquiring anti-satellite capability by shooting down a live satellite in low earth orbit, the question is which satellite was shot down. Modi was silent on the satellite that was hit. Officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were said to be in a meeting and not available when IANS sought to clarify the issue. However, an ISRO spokesperson told IANS: "The entire activity was that of the DRDO's and we were not involved in it." India has a good number of earth observation and communication satellites in orbit. The space debris resulting because of India hitting a satellite in low earth orbit is expected to be not much. Though India's anti-satellite capability was talked about earlier, it was only on Wednesday it was proved to the world. India is also launching a good number of dedicated defence satellites in recent times. With China shooting down its own satellite some years ago, the question of safety of India's satellites in orbit had come up for discussions. IANS FILE - In this March 6, 2019, file photo, bottles of Canola Harvest brand canola oil, manufactured by Canadian agribusiness firm Richardson International, are seen on a shelf of a grocery store in Beijing. China said Wednesday, March 27, 2019 its suspension of the license of a second major Canadian canola exporter is justified by safety concerns, as the sides continue to feud over Ottawa's detention of a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com Tribune Web Desk Chandigarh, March 27 Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a televised address informed the nation about how India had become an important space power. India is the fourth country to have this power. Until today, only the US, Russia and China had achieved this, he said. But before the announcement was made; social media began assuming the possibilities of why Modi wanted to address the country in the first place. After the address, Modi tweeted: #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 27 March 2019 Twitter reactions: One said: Mujhe laga pakistan nahi rah. Mujhe laga pakistan nahi rah Chowkidar Rubi (@chaljaihindbol) 27 March 2019 Another said: Mujhe laga ki Rahul ji BJP me join hone ja rahe hai. Mujhe laga ki Rahul ji BJP me join hone ja rahe hai Chowkidar Anuj mitra (@anujmitra74) 27 March 2019 Another tweeted: ISRO, DRDO, NAL, LRDE - Established by Nehru. Chor Chowkidaar : "Mitron, maine yeh Kiya, woh Kiya..." Modi as always is taking credit. Wish he addresses the Nation on the Job crisis!. ISRO, DRDO, NAL, LRDE - Established by Nehru Chor Chowkidaar : "Mitron, maine yeh Kiya, woh Kiya..." Modi as always is taking credit. Wish he addresses the Nation on the Job crisis! Kudos to our space scientists. #MissionShakti Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) 27 March 2019 One said: Imagine the quantity of blood pressure medication consumed in Pakistan over the past hour. "Arey baba.. Modi is making an important announcement!!. Imagine the quantity of blood pressure medication consumed in Pakistan over the past hour "Arey baba.. Modi is making an important announcement!!"#MissionShakti Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) 27 March 2019 Another tweeted: The entire country gets into a panic when this nautanki Prime Minister tweets or informs us about any impending announcement. One of the many reasons why this guy must be voted out. #MissionShakti. The entire country gets into a panic when this nautanki Prime Minister tweets or informs us about any impending announcement. One of the many reasons why this guy must be voted out.#MissionShakti Sankar Das (@mallucomrade) 27 March 2019 The last time Modi had addressed the nation was on November 8, 2016, when he had announced demonetisation. uttara@tribuneindia.com Lucknow, March 27 Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik Wednesday lodged a strong objection over Akhilesh Yadav's tweet calling him a "campaigner for the BJP", saying the SP chief "disrespected those occupying constitutional posts". A Raj Bhawan statement said Naik has written a letter to Yadav over his Tuesday's tweet. Referring to reports in a section of the media, Naik said Yadav has been quoted as saying "governor and government agencies were campaigning for the BJP and today itself the governor has gone to visit some people involved in an incident in Lucknow". Naik said he had visited the family of an accident victim in the state capital, which he considered his duty. The governor said he has not visited any public programme nor issued any statement since the announcement of elections. "I think that such a talk at election time is not appropriate and is not expected of you," the governor said. The SP president had tweeted on Tuesday: "BJP's election issues: Opposition and chowkidar. BJP's campaigners: Governor, government agencies and media." PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 27 Indias Anti-Satellite (ASAT) test conducted and declared on Wednesday now provides the ability to render an enemy country deaf and blind by targeting communication, military and surveillance satellites. In case satellites are destroyed, it would be near impossible for the enemy to fire long-range missiles and UAVs; and even its routine communication can be stalled. The significance of Wednesdays ASAT test is that India has successfully demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on complete indigenous technology. The test was done using a ground-fired ballistic missile defence system to hit at an Indian satellite. The test does not violate any existing international treaties and is not directed at any country. The China angle China has conducted three such tests since 2007, the latest being in February 2018. India despite being a missile power and space power was reticent. The US Department of Defence, in its annual report to the Congress Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China 2018, says, China is developing multiple counter-space capabilities to degrade and deny adversary use of space-based assets during a crisis or conflict. The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is acquiring a range of technologies to improve Chinas counter-space capabilities. In addition to the development of directed energy weapons and satellite jammers, China is also developing direct-ascent and co-orbital kinetic kill capabilities and has probably made progress on the anti-satellite missile system it tested, the US report said. India will be an insider now Former DRDO chairman VK Saraswat had claimed in 2012 that India had ASAT capability. In October 2014just five months into his tenure--Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised top Indian military commanders about the criticality of controlling activities in space. Addressing commanders of the three armed services, Modi had said: Control of space may become as critical as that of land, air and sea. As full-scale wars might become rare, force would remain an instrument of deterrence and influencing behaviour, and the duration of conflicts would be shorter, Modi had said. Time was running out for India to declare itself as an ASAT power to join the US, Russia and China. The United Nations Conference on Disarmament is discussing a new treaty banning militarisation of space. Once the treaty is done and had India not carried out the ASAT test it would put New Delhi at a serious disadvantage, as it would then only be able to negotiate on such a new treaty as an outsider rather than an insider with ASAT capability. Types of ASAT options A way to demonstrate the ASAT capability without causing debris would be to do a fly-by test, where the ground-based direct ascent missile will fly by the targeted satellite without destroying it. The other option is by jamming satellites using space-based lasers. This method falls under the category of soft-kill methods and does not create debris. Status of banning ASAT The Treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects and generally referred to as PPWT is still being discussed. China and Russia had submitted an update to their original 2008 proposal in June. The US has objected to the lack of a verification mechanism and no restrictions on the development and stockpiling of ASAT weapons on the ground. That means, a nation could develop a readily deployable space-based weapons break-out capability. The PPWT bans the placement of weapons in outer space; it does not ban direct-ascent ASATs launched from the ground. India used the same ground-to-space weapon. Beijing guarded in its reaction Beijing: China on Wednesday reacted guardedly to Indias anti-satellite missile test and expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a written response, said: We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space. PTI Dont militarise outer space: Pak Islamabad: Pakistan said on Wednesday that it was against militarisation of outer space and took a swipe at India's announcement of shooting down a live satellite with a missile. Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena," Foreign Office spokesperson said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Karam Prakash Tribune News Service Patiala, March 26 After the Medical Council of India (MCI) pointed out shortcomings, mainly faculty shortage, in two government medical colleges, the state may lose 100 more MBBS seats in the upcoming session. In the, recently released College Assessment Report, the MCI has observed that there is a shortage of faculty in government colleges in Patiala and Amritsar, one of basic requirements for the renewal of increased MBBS seats. Seats in both these colleges were increased from 150 to 200 from 2014-15 onwards. The said observance was made after the MCI inspection in February. With the upcoming medical college in Mohali failing to take off and Chintpurni and Gian Sagar colleges lying shut, crisis in the medical education set to deepen with the reduction of another 100 seats. As per the report, the two above mentioned Patiala and Amritsar colleges are facing 23 and 16 per cent faculty shortage, respectively. The MCI has sought an explanation and measures taken by the colleges to fix these anomalies. If the colleges failed to comply with the norms, the MCI will recommend cancellation of their increased seats. On February 5, the board of governors, appointed by the Union government, notified that if any college found to be having more than 10 per cent faculty shortage after the final inspection, it will not be considered for the letter of permission/renewal in that academic year. Sujata Sharma, Principal, GMC, Amritsar, said, The MCI had asked for an explanation over staff shortage. We have already sent our reply. On the day of inspection, our faculty was in Chandigarh due to some reason. What the norms say? After an increase in MBBS seats in a college, the MCI carries out an annual inspection for the next five years till the first batch with increased seats passes out. This exercise by the MCI is done to make sure that the said colleges are equipped in every aspect to justify higher intake. Setback for aspirants Medical aspirants in the state will have to be content with fewer seats in the coming session if GMC Amritsar and Patiala lose 50 seats each. With just 1,125 seats in eight colleges, Punjab is already plagued by a dearth of MBBS seats. No new govt college since 1973 No new government medical college has been set up in the state since 1973 when Faridkot college was started. Though the Congress government had promised to set up three new colleges, the way things are going, more MBBS seats in the state seem a distant reality. editorial@tribune.com Aman Sood Tribune News Service Patiala, March 26 Transgenders, whose number has doubled in Punjab since 2014 (from 235 to 509), blame political parties for ignoring them despite they being registered voters. No transgender has been fielded by any party so far. The first time that transgenders and eunuchs were allowed to be registered as third gender was during the 2014 Lok Sabh polls. The Election Commission classified them as others. In the same year, 25,527 were registered across the country under this category. While Punjab is yet to see any transgender file nominations, there were four such nominations from Uttar Pradesh, two from Tamil Nadu and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka in the 2014 elections. There are no separate toilets or queues for us. In many government forms there is no third gender column, points out Sonia Mahant, who heads a dera for transgenders. It is time that the parties mention us in their election manifestos and not ignore us because we are in small number, said the dera head, who contested MC elections in Patiala a decade ago. There are many registered as male or female voters. How will they now change their gender in the voter ID-card, asked activist Simran Mahant. EC figures for 2019 in Punjab show Amritsar has 65, Ludhiana 59 and Patiala 58 registered third gender voters. Officials said they had been trying their best to ensure that all voters from the category were enlisted under a separate column. They can enlist themselves as third gender as a candidate as well as voter. But most have shown reluctance to do so, said an electoral officer. In numbers There has been an increase of 45% of Other voters from 25,527 in 2014 to 41,292 in 2019 Their number in Uttar Pradesh stands at 8,426, Karnataka 6,132, Tamil Nadu 5,472 and AP 3,761 None registered under Other category in Arunachal, Goa, Haryana, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshwadeep Of the 13,039 NRI voters in 2014, only one was registered as Other from TN Their number now is 20 of the total 71,735 such voters abroad, with 8 from Kerala and Karnataka 7 As per the law, only those who undergo sex-change surgery and present a medical certificate are considered transgenders Those who made it editorial@tribune.com Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 26 Five flights, including two cancelled, have been affected from Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport after Pakistan closed its airspace. However, cancellation of Air Indias Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham and Turkmenistans Amritsar-Ashgabat-Birmingham flights is causing more inconvenience to passengers, majority of them NRIs and their relatives. Airport Director Manoj Chansoria said, As per schedule with them, these flights will remain cancelled till March 31. The airlines pulled out these flights after Pakistan closed its airspace following the Indian airstrike at Balakot. After a gap of eight years and much lobbying by holy city-based politicians, the national carrier had resumed non-stop flights on the route in February last year. Only to be re-routed again as Pakistan closed its airspace in response to the Indian airstrike on February 27. An NRI, Charanjit Singh Gumtala, said, A large number of Sikh diaspora reside in Birmingham and areas around it and the AIs flight was the only direct link between Birmingham and the holy city. A majority of the passengers travelling in the flight are from Punjab. They are to now put in 40 minutes more in flying to Delhi and then 40 minutes on the return flight. The AI had suspended its direct operations on this route in 2010. Earlier, it had introduced the maiden flight on this route in 2005. All three flights to Dubai, being operated by SpiceJet, Indigo and Air India Express, are taking longer route to avoid Pakistan airspace as they fly over the Arabian Sea via Mumbai. A passenger, Bhawna Dhawan, who works as a beautician in Dubai, said re-routing of the flight increased travel time and it would add to travel inconvenience and discomfort. Officials of the AI here said any change in the present flight schedule would depend upon the head office and bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. Pak reopens its airspace Karachi: Pakistan fully opened its airspace late on Tuesday evening, nearly a month after shutting it for commercial flights following escalating tensions with India. The Civil Aviation Authority announced the complete opening of Pakistan's airspace, with the national carrier resuming its flights across the country. On Tuesday, two-way flights from Lahore to Islamabad and flights from Karachi to Multan departed as per schedule, said a statement issued by the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). PTI Modi govt colluded with airport mafia: AAP Chandigarh: AAP NRI wing chief and party MLA Jai Kishan Singh Rori accused the Modi-led government at the Centre of colluding with the alleged airport and other mafia. He said while the Airport Authority of India had admitted that the flights between Amritsar and Birmingham had proved to be a boon for passengers, the flights were discontinued on February 27 in the aftermath of the airstrike at Balakot. TNS editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 26 Riding on the nationalism sentiment post Balakot, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to see an increase in its vote share in the border state, despite internal divisions and bickering. The party is contesting three of the 13 Lok Sabha seats Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). However, there are reports of infighting in all three. There are five factions in Gurdaspur, four in Hoshiarpur and two in Amritsar none willing to relent to the other. This intense infighting, say party leaders, has not been addressed effectively. It has, in fact, been brushed under the carpet, which could make the going tough for the Punjab BJP, they caution. Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik, who is Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys confidant, did try to reach out to senior party leaders, such as former state president Kamal Sharma, former minister Manoranjan Kalia and former MLA KD Bhandari. But insiders dismiss it as mere tokenism. In spite of several attempts, Malik did not respond to calls or messages for comment. Owing to the dissensions, the party has not been able to effectively launch its campaign so far and cash in on the nationalist fervour that BJP expects will propel it to victory at the hustings. Worse, the BJP and its ally SAD do not seem to have a joint strategy for the three Lok Sabha seats that the BJP is contesting. While the BJP is wary that the negative sentiment against the Akalis could rub on to the party, the Akali Dal is too busy strategising for the battle in its own constituencies. As a result, differences between local BJP and Akali leaders remain unresolved, said a senior leader from Amritsar, who did not want to be identified. Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur, both Hindu-dominated constituencies, send a good number of youths to the armed forces. Considering the popular sentiment after the Balakot airstrikes, it should not be too hard for the BJP to win the seats. But the state leadership has yet to launch a campaign to cash in on the political narrative, admitted a former president of the Punjab state unit. He, however, argued that unlike the 2014 parliamentary elections, when despite the Modi wave the party suffered a jolt in Punjab with its senior leader Arun Jaitley suffering a humiliating defeat, nationalism would be a key factor in the border state this time. This, he said, would help the BJP poll a larger number of votes. LOW-KEY AFFAIR SO FAR No big rallies, the BJP has begun campaigning in Gurdaspur constituency, holding workers meetings regularly Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik is holding parleys with local leaders and booth-level workers, motivating them One such meeting at Pathankot, that is part of Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, was held on Sunday It was attended by Kavita Khanna, Narendra Parmar, Master Mohan Lal, Ashwani Sharma and Dinesh Babbu, all five ticket aspirants SAFFRON PARTYS VOTE SHARE IN STATE In 2017 Assembly elections, BJPs vote share was 5.4% In 2014 LS polls, party vote share in Punjab was 8.7% In the 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections, it stood at 7.1% pardeepdhull@gmail.com Sydney, March 27 The Netherlands and Australia confirmed on Wednesday that three-way talks with Russia have begun over the ongoing criminal investigation into the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. The two countries announced last year they were holding Russia responsible for providing the missile fired by pro-Russian forces in war-torn Ukraine that brought down the jet, causing the deaths of all 298 people aboard. The dead included 196 people from the Netherlands and 38 from Australia. Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne said Wednesday that the first trilateral talks about state responsibility for the incident took place earlier this month, after diplomatic approaches were made earlier this year. We cannot go into the content of this process because confidentiality is vital here, Blok said at a news conference in the Australian capital, Canberra. But I can say this: We remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability. International investigators last year said they had strong evidence the Buk missile system that shot down the Boeing 777 plane came from a Russia-based military unit. Russia has denied involvement and dismissed the findings from the international criminal probe because it was not invited to be part of the investigation team. Payne said Australia remained a strong supporter of the Dutch national prosecution of the individuals responsible, and pledged her countrys continuing commitment to the Dutch-Australian joint investigation into the incident. If Russia were ultimately to acknowledge some form of legal responsibility, it could lead to compensation claims from relatives of the people killed. When the Netherlands and Australia last year said they were holding Russia responsible, they quickly received backing from the United States, Britain and other allies. Blok said the Netherlands appreciated the political and financial support that Australia and other G-8 countries have pledged toward a potential trial of MH17 suspects. Before laying a wreath at a Canberra memorial to MH17 victims, Blok said he and Payne had, in their meetings on Wednesday, also reiterated their countries commitment to cooperate in fighting terrorism and extremism. The Netherlands and Australia stand side-by-side in grief and their resolve, he said. AP ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM London, March 26 British Prime Minister Theresa Mays government remained defiant after Parliament took partial control of the stalled process of leaving the European Union, arguing Tuesday that the maneuvering simply underscores the need for lawmakers to approve her twice-defeated deal. The House of Commons voted on late Monday to wrest the parliamentary timetable away from the government temporarily so that lawmakers could vote on alternatives to the withdrawal agreement May negotiated with the EU. The government, which usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament, said the lawmakers move upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the media that the government wont pre-commit to accepting the option backed by lawmakers because they might come up with a plan that was impractical. If the Commons votes for the sun to rise in the west, the government will not be able to implement that, he said. The best way through this impasse is the one deal that has been negotiated with the EU that can be delivered quickly now, Hancock said, referring to the prime ministers agreement. Mays authority is hanging by a thread after 30 members of her Conservative Party defied her instructions and voted for Parliament to take control of the process. Three government ministers resigned rather than voted with the government. Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air. Last week the EU granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date, saying that if the Parliament approved the proposed divorce deal, the UK would leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a path to a new option. May is continuing to push for approval of her deal with the EU even though the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected it during votes in January and March. She has warned pro-Brexit legislators that continuing to reject the deal could lead to a slow Brexit that postpones the countrys departure indefinitely. AFP rchopra@tribunemail.com Lahore, March 27 Pakistans former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was released from jail on Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Court granted him six weeks bail to receive medical treatment within the country. Sharif, 69, was lodged in Lahores Kot Lakhpat jail since December last year, serving a seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, who denies wrongdoing, has suffered four angina attacks in recent weeks, according to his daughter Maryam Nawaz. On Tuesday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa accepted Sharifs appeal and allowed him to get medical treatment from any health facility of his choice within the country. Sharif is barred from leaving Pakistan. The deposed prime ministers supporters and party workers gathered in large numbers outside the jail and showered his car with flowers as he left the area. Some PML-N party workers moved along with Sharifs car till his residence. The three-time prime minister was received by PML-N leaders and his family at his house in the Jati Umra Raiwind area here. Sharifs release got delayed as the court order and other required documents could not reach the jail for more than 10 hours after the benchs direction. The Supreme Court observed in its order that several senior doctors had suggested that Sharifs history of hypertension, cardiac and renal ailments might present a mild-moderate risk if he is to undergo angiography. Therefore, granting him relief for a limited period is a reasonable request, the top court said. It directed Sharif to deposit two bail bonds worth Rs 5 million Pakistani rupees (USD 35,423) each, receive medical treatment and surrender after six weeks. PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif thanked the court for meeting the merits of justice. We thank the SC for considering gravity of the situation in the light of the medical reports of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. We also thank the nation and workers of the PMLN whose prayers had made this day possible, he said. He said Sharifs health and well-being is the utmost priority of the party and that would be their prime focus. The Sharif family has been complaining that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan was not providing adequate treatment to the three-time former premier who has serious health complications. Three corruption cases--Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills--were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body in 2017 following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in 2017. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield corruption case in July 2018 which was related to his properties in London. Later, he was given bail in September. In December, the accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship corruption case. The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case is related to setting up steel mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Islamabad, March 26 In a relief to ailing Nawaz Sharif, Pakistans Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to the jailed former prime minister for six weeks for seeking medical treatment within the country. Sharif (69), is lodged in the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore since December last year, serving a seven-year imprisonment in the Al Azizia Steel Mills graft case. He filed an appeal earlier this month against a judgment by the Islamabad High Court, which on February 25 rejected his bail on medical grounds in the same case. A three-member Bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa in a short order granted bail to Sharif for six weeks for his treatment. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo has suffered four angina attacks in recent weeks, according to his daughter Maryam Nawaz. The Sharif family is complaining that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan is not providing adequate treatment to the three-time former premier who has serious health complications. The apex court in its order directed Sharif to submit two bail bonds amounting to Rs 1 crore. However, the Bench made it clear that Sharif could not go out of the country during the six-week period. He will be allowed to get treatment from a doctor of his own choice. After completion the time period, he has to surrender himself, the judgement says. Sharif can apply for bail in the high court if need be, the judgement added. During the hearing, Sharifs counsel Khawaja Haris asked the court to grant the former premier bail for eight weeks. As far as the treatment is concerned, my clients life is at risk. He will surrender in court after the treatment is complete, he told the court. PTI The cases Three corruption cases Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body in 2017 following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in 2017. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Washington, March 26 The Pentagon has notified the Congress that it had authorised the transfer of US$ 1 billion to begin building a new wall along the US-Mexico border, an election campaign promise of President Donald Trump, drawing immediate objections from senior Democratic lawmakers. The funds are the first under the national emergency declared by President Trump to bypass the Congress and build the barrier he pledged during his 2016 election campaign. Trump had promised to build a big beautiful wall, which he said would prevent illegal migration and drug trafficking from Mexico. Though Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall, the neighbouring country has made it clear that it will not foot the bill. A Pentagon budget reprogramming notification sent to Capitol Hill on Monday indicates that up to US$ 1 billion will go toward building nearly 92km of fencing, improving roads and other measures on the southern border. The Department of Defence authorised the Army Corp of Engineers to begin planning and construction for the project Monday night. The department will direct the funds toward 18-foot-high fencing along the Yuma and El Paso sections of the border, according to a letter acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, the media reported. President Trump declared the emergency on February 15 after the Congress refused his requests for US$ 5.7 billion to construct the wall. By declaring an emergency he sought to bypass the Congress and build the wall with military funding. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a resolution to overturn the emergency last month, and 12 Republicans later sided with the Democratic Senators to get it through the Senate. However, Trump vetoed the resolution earlier this month. Congress will now need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override him, which according to analysts is unlikely to happen. Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats immediately objected to the transfer of US$ 1 billion to build fencing along the southern border to block drug smuggling. Every Democratic senator on the Senate Appropriations Committees subcommittees on Defence and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies signed on to a letter written to Shanahan objecting to moving US$ 1 billion in personnel funds to counter drug funds to go toward the wall. The senators said the Pentagon did not seek permission before notifying the committee of the transfer. We strongly object to both substance of the funding transfer, and to the Department implementing the transfer without seeking the approval of the congressional defence committees and in violation of provisions in the defence appropriation itself, the senators wrote. As a result, we have serious concerns that the Department has allowed political interference and pet projects to come ahead of many near-term, critical readiness issues facing our military, says the letter signed by Senators like Patrick Leahy, Tammy Baldwin, Dianne Feinstein and Tom Udall. PTI Trump promised to build beautiful wall The funds are the first under the national emergency declared by President Trump to bypass the Congress and build the barrier he pledged during his 2016 election campaign. Trump had promised to build a big beautiful wall, which he said would prevent illegal migration and drug trafficking from Mexico. Overriding unlikely Trump vetoed the resolution and Congress will now need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override him, which according to analysts is unlikely. uttara@tribuneindia.com Dhaka, March 27 A couple in Bangladesh was in for a surprise when the wife delivered twins, 26 days after giving birth to a boy, something considered as very rare in medical history, media reported on Tuesday. Arifa Sultana Iti was rushed to Ad-din hospital in the southwestern city of Jessore on March 22 to hospital after she fell ill and delivered a girl and a boy through caesarean section. Iti had on February 25 gave premature birth to a baby boy, bdnews24.com website reported. Sheila Poddar, the chief of the hospital's gynaecology department who attended the woman, said she discovered in an ultrasonography test that Iti has two uteruses. The first baby was born from one womb. The two babies born here are from the other womb, she said. Poddar said that the mother and the babies are doing well. It's a rare incident. I have seen such a case for the first time. I had not even heard about such incident before, she was quoted as saying by the website. The woman, who hails from Shyamlagachhi village in Sharsha in Jessore, gave birth to the first baby at Khulna Medical College Hospital. PTI Political Leader of the Tobago Council Tracy Davidson-Celestine may soon find her position untenable, as more Executive members of the Tobago Council resign. There have been four additional resignations from the Executive of the Tobago Council of the PNM in the last 48 hours, following the first one from former chairman Stanford Callender. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 56F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Mainly clear skies. Low 29F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Okay, I am prepared to give the new governor of Tobago one-half an apology for writing last week that he is a fool. Be nice to the young man, nah... he trying to put together an energetic team to first salvage, then turn around the islands economy... - The Ethiopian was recognised for its intra-Africa partnerships - The award comes about two weeks after the March 10, 2019 tragedy - Other winners were Engie Africa, Kobo 360 and Access Bank Africa's air transport giant Ethiopian Airlines has been named the African Champion of the year 2019, beating its rivals South African Airways, Air Seychelles, Air Mauritius and Kenya Airways. This comes as a great news for the Ethiopian which is still recuperating from the Sunday, March 10, tragedy which claimed lives of eight crew members and 149 passengers and also put the airline's stellar reputation on the line. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Ethiopian Airlines' flight headed to Kenya crashes with 157 people on board Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Tewolde Gebremariam receiving the African Champion of the year award during the Africa CEO Summit 2019 in Rwanda.Photo: Business Insider. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Government clarifies Kenya Airways doesn't fly troubled Boeing 737 Max 8 jet The coveted trophy was received by the airline's award-winning Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Tewolde Gebremariam during the seventh edition of the Africa CEO Forum 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda. "I would like to thank everyone for support after the tragic accident that happened to us two weeks ago. As for this award, we promise to continue with the good work for the good of the African continent," the GCEO said in his acceptance speech on March 26. READ ALSO: Ethiopian Airlines: Africas largest flag carrier flies high with zero funding from government According to the Africa CEO Forum organisers, the Ethiopian Airlines, currently the largest, fastest growing and most profitable flag carrier in Africa, scooped the prestigious award because of its intra-Africa partnerships. The CEO of the year 2019 award, however, went to Mohamed el Kettani, the CEO of Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco's top lender. READ ALSO: Ajali ya Ndege Ethiopia: Mkenya aliyewapoteza jamaa 5 akataa kuzika mchanga Kettani was recognised for having invested over KSh 100 billion (US$1 billion) in seven years across the African continent. The International Company of the year 2019 award went to Paris-headquartered Engie Africa, one of the biggest energy companies in world with strong presence in Africa. Other winners were Nigeria's Kobo 360, a tech-enabled digital logistics platform that aggregates end-to-end haulage operations, and Access Bank, a multinational commercial bank also based in Nigeria. 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. Kenya saves over 700 million shillings making police uniforms locally - On Tuko TV Source: Kenyan Breaking News - The raging water war in Murang'a recently saw a county official destroy water pipes in Kabuta area - This left residents suffering acute water shortage for 10 days and angered water supplier MUWASCO - Trouble begun in 2018 when Governor Wa Iria expressed interest in taking over leadership at the water company - He claimed that Murang'a supplied Nairobi County with a lot of water but local residents were not benefiting - The governor demanded that the government pays Murang'a KSh 2 billion annually for the water failure to which he disconnects water supply to the capital city The water interference in Muranga county appears far from over after an official of Murang'a county government allegedly destroyed water infrastructure belonging to Murang'a Water and Sanitation Company (MUWASCO). The countys Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Water Resources and Sanitation Services Benson Githinji was accused of overseeing destruction of water pipes causing a 10-days disruption in supply to MUWASCO customers. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Mkenya wa miaka 70 anayeishi Marekani aomba msaada aweze kurejea nyumbani baada ya kufilisika READ ALSO: Uhuru visits William Ruto as impeachment threats gain momentum The company wrote to Githinji demanding he pay damages amounting to KSh 50,000 per day for the entire period it lost revenue due to the 10-day service disruption. TUKO.co.ke established most pipes connecting residents to MUWASCO water in Kabuta area were severely vandalised on Saturday, March 16, in what brought to the fore the countys constant fights for control of water resources. READ ALSO: Pilot dies after crashing plane in attempt to kill wife The matter was reported to Muranga Police station although no arrests have been made this far as investigations continue into Githinjis possible destruction of public property. On March 16, you and your agents without any court order of right or justification dug up and maliciously destroyed water pipes at Kabuta in Muranga town, MUWASCO said in the letter addressed to Githinji. Muranga Governor Mwangi Wa Irias had previously publicly declared war against MUWASCO chairman Peter Munga. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mike Sonko takes on Muranga governor after threats of closing Nairobis source of water It is noteworthy to remember that Muranga Governor Mwangi Wa Irias had previously publicly declared war against MUWASCO chairman Peter Munga. The governor has been keen on removing him from the helm of the water company. The situation got worse between August and October 2018 to the extent Wa Iria publicly incited residents against paying their water bills in an attempt to financially cripple the water company. Wa Iria together with some MCAs and other county staff stormed MUWASCO offices and destroyed equipment while roughing up employees. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. His family in-law took away his children after his wife died | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko - Daule said Red Cross had failed to account for monies Kenyans had contributed before - He revisited the society's 2011 Kenyans for Kenyans initiative which he said money raised was not accounted for - Duale also claimed the government gave the humanitarian agency KSh 1 billion to build houses for victims of floods but none was put up - Kenya Red Cross appealed to Kenyans to raise funds to support families in hunger-stricken counties - The move also received backlash from a section of Kenyans National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has accused the Kenya Road Cross Society of allegedly failing to account for money and resources it receives from donors and well wishers in the country. The Garissa Town MP who was reacting to the society's recent appeal to Kenyans for funds to mitigate the current drought said no Kenyan should contribute towards the kitty. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for March 27: Government to start vetting missionaries, churches Aden Duale has criticised Kenya Red Cross over appeal to help starving Kenyans.Photo:Aden Duale/Facebook Source: UGC READ ALSO: Nairobi woman comes to rescue of street lady who wanted to reunite with her family Speaking at Garissa Teachers College during the 20th graduation ceremony, the legislator revisited the 2011 Kenyans for Kenyans initiative where he alleged the money raised by well wishers was misappropriated by the humanitarian agency. My friend Abbas Gullet should abandon the M-Pesa pay bill for Kenyans to raise funds. In the last drought, we raised billions of shillings and to date he has not explained to Kenyans how the funds were used, Duale said. He claimed the national government also gave the agency KSh 1 billion to construct houses for flood victims in Budalangi, Tana River, Garissa, Meru during 2018 floods but no single unit was put up. Aden Duale has criticised Kenya Red Cross over appeal to help starving Kenyans.Photo:Kenya Red Cross/Twitter Source:UGC Source: UGC He asked Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the matter saying the society had been turned into a cash cow where Kenyans were being exploited billions of shillings that were never accounted for. "Kenya Red Cross is taking advantage of the current drought to fleece Kenyans yet again.Whenever they see a drought crisis, they call for a press conference in one of the big hotel in the city to give out M-Pesa bill, he added. The vocal MP also took issue with county governments of Turkana, Baringo, Wajir, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo and Marsabit for doing little to mitigate the current drought. He said devolved units were among highest recipients of national government funds with Turkana getting averagely KSh 11 billion, but did little to improve livelihoods. READ ALSO: Duale tears apart impeachment plot against Ruto, accuses Orengo of misleading Kenyans Kenya Red Cross on Thursday, March 21, appealed for KSh 824 million to help provide humanitarian assistance to 1.1 million people affected by the ongoing drought and hunger situation in the country. READ ALSO: Boeing 737 Max plane makes emergency landing in Orlando due to engine failure The agency's Secretary General Abbas Gullet in a presser singled out Turkana, Wajir and Baringo counties as the most affected. The situation in the affected areas has been worsened by delayed rains which affected crop production. The appeal also angered a section of Kenyans who took to social media to criticise the society for lack of accountability. But speaking to NTV on the night of Tuesday, March 27, Gullet denied any claims of misappropriating funds adding every cent contributed by well wishers and the government is accounted for. Story by Mohamud Ahmed- TUKO.co.ke correspondent 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. Should Deputy President William Ruto be impeached? I Tuko TV Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest - Kenyans recently rejected an appeal by the humanitarian organisation to contribute in aid of starving Kenyans in drought hit counties - Most Kenyans said the organisation had failed to account for earlier contributions for a similar call - Kenya Red Cross CEO Abbas Gullet, however, said he would not be intimidated by calls for his resignation - National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale slammed the society for taking advantage of tough times to fleece Kenyans Kenya Red Cross CEO Abass Gullet has told off critics calling for his resignation over alleged misappropriation of funds during the 2011 Kenyans for Kenya fund drive initiative. The CEO was badly trolled by Kenyans on social media after the humanitarian society on Thursday, March 21, appealed to Kenyans to contribute towards helping hunger stricken families in affected counties. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni lands in Kenya for 2-day state visit Kenya Red Cross boss Abass Gulet has dismissed critics calling for his resignation.Photo:Keny Red Cross/Twitter Source.UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Former TV queen Janet Mbugua narrates how she struggled with painful menstruati Speaking to NTV on Tuesday, March 26, the furious CEO said he would not be intimidated by people who were being "paid" to taint his name and that of the society using social media platforms. "I will leave, but I will leave when I want to, it is not your business to tell me and it is not for the cowboys of social media who have been paid to taint people's names and images on social media to tell me when to go or when not to go," said Gullet Gullet, who has been at helm of Kenya Red Cross for at least 14 years said it was insensitive for a section of Kenyans to condemn the humanitarian activities the society was carrying out across the country in a bid to improve lives of suffering citizens. READ ALSO: He dismissed claims that the agency failed to account for billions of shillings Kenyans raised during the 2011 Kenyans for Kenya initiative saying the audited report was posted on the website six years ago. "If Kenyans don't read, don't blame me. The audited report on Kenyans for Kenya have been on the website for six years,"reacted the CEO National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale criticised Kenya Red Cross for failing to account for money raised by Kenyans and well wishers during the 2011 hunger crisis. The legislator further alleged the society had squandered KSh 1 billion meant to build houses for families affected by floods in 2018, claims Gullet dismissed as political rhetoric aimed at tarnishing reputation of the society. "Duale is rude, insulting and doesn't know what he is talking about," said Gullet 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. Should Deputy President William Ruto be Impeached I Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut asked Orengo to focus on failed devolution in Luoland - The Jubilee politician also claimed Orengo's Siaya county is being presided over by corrupt leaders - The Senate Minority Leader recently threatened to draft impeachment motion against Ruto over graft Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut has lashed out at Siaya Senator James Orengo over the latter's threat to institute impeachment motion against Deputy President William Ruto. The Jubilee politician in a Twitter post asked Orengo to fix graft-riddled Siaya county leadership and failed devolution in Luo land before thinking of kicking Ruto out of the government. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Siaya Senator James Orengo's failure to recognise Ruto angers his followers MP Chepkut has lashed out at Siaya Senator Orengo over attempt to impeach Ruto. Photo: William Chepkut/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Raila Odinga Junior aunga mkono wazo la Orengo kumngatua DP Ruto The Directorate of Public Prosecution had in 2018 approved arrest of Governor Cornel Rasanga on allegations of taxpayers' money involving purchase of air tickets for family members and illegal tendering. The governor later bragged how a simple phone call to ODM leader Raila Odinga saved him from the prosecutor's dragnet. "James Orengo comes from a county with one of the most corrupt and incompetent administrations headed by Cornel Rasanga, a non-achiever who leaves Siaya in 2022 worse than he found it. I would first make devolution work in Luo land before thinking about ousting Ruto," Chepkut claimed. Even though Article 150 (1) (b) (iii) of the current Constitution of Kenya states a deputy president may be removed from office for gross misconduct, the senator disclosed he would ensure the DP is out before 2022. READ ALSO: Ainabkoi MP asks William Ruto to fire his advisers for misleading him on drought situatio Siaya Senator James Orengo has threatened to impeach DP Ruto over corruption allegations. Photo: James Orengo/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: MP Gladys Wanga denies ODM is plotting to impeach Ruto According to the Senate Minority leader, corruption allegations and claims of insubordination particularly rubbishing anti-graft agencies' commitment are enough grounds for the motion. The list is too long. And this is not about what he has been linked to, but what he has also admitted. For example, the hotel next to the airport, the Muteshi land and now these two dams where there has been an allegation supported by facts that KSh 21 billion was lost, but he (Ruto) is talking about KSh.7 billion, the senator claimed. However, politicians allied to Ruto have sensationally claimed Orengo is being used by Raila whom they said is eyeing the deputy president's seat. 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. The Man Who Accepted Uhuru Kenyatta's Rejected House - TUKO TV Source: Tuko - The tech-savvy Kenya Power employees worked at the company's IT department - They were accused of manipulating KPLCs' billing systems to embezzle token money - Detectives further established the staff also infiltrated firm's customer management system A probe into the backdated and inflated electricity bills scandal that hit Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) in 2018 has taken a fresh twist after it emerged the utility firm's own employees tempered with the billing system. At least five highly skilled employees based at the company's IT department have been accused of manipulating the KPLC's pre-paid and postpaid billing systems and siphoning up to KSh 1 billion token money. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Kenya Power exposes fraudster threatening to disconnect customers Five Kenya Power and Lighting Company employees based at the IT department were suspended over alleged embezzlement of KSh 1 billion token money. Photo: Kenyanwallstreet. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mume fidhuli ajiua akikusudia kumwangamiza mke wake TUKO.co.ke on Wednesday, March 27, confirmed the five Kenya Power staff were suspended to pave way for further probe into their alleged illegal activities. According to the preliminary reports by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the said employees conspired to reconfigure the system so they could generate extra tokens and profiteer from the theft. READ ALSO: Kenyans protest angrily after Kenya Power buys drinks for Judiciary officers The cheap tokens were allegedly being sold in the black market, leading to revenue loss for the public utility company. The suspects also allegedly interfered with the company's integrated customer management system and were able to either lower or inflate customer bills, and this partly explained why Kenyans complained about varying quantities of pre-paid tokens at some point. The DCI detectives, the Standard reported, are now seeking court orders to be able to access the affected KPLC billing systems and also conduct searches at the homes and offices of the Kenya Power staff implicated in the multi-million fraud. READ ALSO: Kenya Power tells off city lawyer in ugly spat over backdated, inflated electricity bills The high-tech fraud scheme is suspected to have begun in 2017 when electricity consumers started experiencing unexplained delays in token processing. Whereas some allegedly paid for tokens that were never generated, others had to wait up to 15 hours before they could get back power after paying for the token ( a 20-digit figure that is loaded into the meter to receive electricity) through M-Pesa paybill number 888880. Then there were those who could not understand why their power bills significantly varied from one month to another and extremely high in certain cases. READ ALSO: Kenya Power opens hotline after complaints over electricity bills The public rage which was already boiling up over hiked electricity bills reached a crescendo in January 2018 when a damning report emerged indicating Kenya Power was backdating bills in attempts to recover KSh 10.1 billion loss reflected in the Annual Report for the year ending June 30, 2017. It was during this time that city lawyer Apollo Mboya and the Electricity Consumer Society of Kenya (ECSK) also moved to court to file a class action suit against KPLC, mentioned as the first respondent, and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) as the second respondent. 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. Kenya saves over 700 million shillings making police uniforms locally - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko News Said Djinnit, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, briefs the UN Security Council on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] A reward of half a million dollars is being offered to anyone who can provide information th As part of the spring conscription campaign, 18,752 people are to be drafted into the Ukrainian army, the press service of the Defense Ministry reported. On March 27, during the Government sitting, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution On approving the number of Ukrainian citizens to be called for the regular military service, the amount of expenditures for the conscription campaign in April-June 2019. According to the document, in April-June 2019, 18,752 people will be sent to the Armed Forces and other military units of Ukraine for the military service, reads the report. In particular, the 9,000 people will be sent to the Armed Forces, 5,152 to the National Guard, 4,000 to the State Border Guard Service, and 600 people to the State Special Transport Service. iy Ukraine and Slovakia intend to expand trade, economic and investment cooperation in the field of agriculture and to intensify bilateral dialogue between agricultural departments. These issues were discussed at the meeting of Olha Trofimtseva, the Acting Agrarian Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine, with Gabriela Matecna, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, the press service of Ukraines Agrarian Policy Ministry reports. Our countries have agreed on the priority areas for deepening cooperation in the agro-industrial complex, in particular, on an increase in the volume of bilateral trade in agricultural and food products, cooperation in such areas as breeding, seed farming, breeding and feeding high-producing farm livestock, introducing IT technologies, development of processing and producing organic products, Trofimtseva noted. The experience of Slovaks in the regulation of land market relations is relevant for Ukraine that stands at the threshold of the land reform, the acting minister noted. Trofimtseva stressed that the Ukrainian side relied on the support of Slovak colleagues in further liberalization of trade with the European Union in accordance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. ol The Ukrainian Embassy in the United Kingdom in connection with Russian FSBs searches in the houses of Crimean Tatar activists called on Russia to stop violating human rights in Crimea. "The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has just been informed about another wave of Russia's human rights abuses in the occupied Crimea. At least 25 houses of Crimean Tatars were searched, many people were detained. Lawyers' presence was not allowed. There will be a range of fabricated charges ahead. Russia must stop violating human rights in Crimea," the embassy posted on Twitter. As reported, on Wednesday morning, March 27, the officers of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) conducted searches in the houses of at least 25 Crimean Tatar families in the occupied Crimea within the framework of criminal cases, which had been opened against several residents of Crimea suspected of participating in the activities of the Hizb ut-Tahrir religious organization banned in Russia. ish During a working trip to Vinnytsia region, President Petro Poroshenko visited the KNESS PV solar panel production plant. According to the press service of the head of state, he has recently been at the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant. It was decided to attract European funds for the completion of the construction of two power units, the construction of a plant for the disposal of nuclear fuel and the transition to American nuclear fuel. "Earlier our share of nuclear power was 42-45%, and now we bring it up to 60%. Why is this done? Because nuclear power is the cheapest and we will consume less Russian gas," he said. In addition, the president stressed that the alternative sources of energy - renewable energy sources - were growing sharply. "We will have a growing number of solar panels produced in Ukraine. Do you know who produces them in the country? KNESS in Vinnytsia, the president noted. Poroshenko noted that the enterprise was one of the largest taxpayers in Vinnytsia and it offered high social standards. ish The United States welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Yasar Halit Cevik of Turkey as Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine, stressing that his public service as a diplomat makes him well-suited for this position. Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State Robert Palladino stated this at a press briefing on Tuesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "The United States welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Yasar Halit Cevik of Turkey as Chief Monitor of the OSCEs Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM)," the report says. The deputy spokesperson stressed that "Ambassador Ceviks extensive public service as a diplomat makes him well-suited for this position." The United States commends outgoing Chief Monitor Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan for his leadership in standing up the OSCEs largest mission and his commitment to improving its safety and efficacy. "We are grateful to the SMM monitors and staff for their valuable contributions to this mission and their dedicated service under difficult and, at times, dangerous conditions," he said. The United States urges all OSCE participating States to reiterate support for the SMM. "We call on Russia and the forces it arms, trains, leads, and fights alongside in Ukraine to allow the SMM full and unhindered access to the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," Palladino stated. ish The Health Ministry of Ukraine begins cooperation with Switzerland in the field of medical education development. Acting Health Minister of Ukraine Ulana Suprun and a representative of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Ukraine signed a memorandum today, the Health Ministry reported. "On March 25, the Health Ministry of Ukraine and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation signed a memorandum of cooperation for 10 years. This is an important step for cooperation in the framework of the Ukrainian-Swiss project Development of Medical Education, the purpose of which is to help primary care physicians, nurses and managers of medical institutions study and provide better medical aid to their patients, the report says. The project is implemented by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH ) and is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). According to Ulana Suprun, the project designed for 10 years will help implement consistent and institutional changes. ish | By Patricia Fanning The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) assessed its campus climate to determine how UMB can continue to create, affirm, and strengthen an inclusive campus community. The results of the student campus climate survey distributed to all students in February 2018 are being disseminated, in part through a series of presentations to groups of students and members of the faculty and staff. Input from the sessions, held on Feb. 25 and March 25, will be shared with a campus climate task force that is charged with making meaning of the survey data and using the findings to make decisions. Campus Life Services and the Student Affairs deans will collaborate to engage in additional action planning. (View a video below of a March 25 session.) TaShara C. Bailey, PhD, MA, interim curriculum coordinator of the UMB CURE Scholars Program and an adjunct faculty member of the Graduate School, second from right, adds her voice to a discussion of UMB's campus climate for diversity. President Jay A. Perman, MD, told the attendees that UMB is committed to student success and inclusive excellence. In a message to two different groups that gathered on March 25, he said: We're committed to better understanding the student experience especially as it relates to diversity so that we can improve it. And, finally, we're committed to sustaining dialogue and action around the issues brought up in the survey which includes your work here today. Our goal is ensure that every member of our community feels included and respected and able to succeed at this University and within your individual schools. The three sessions, held at the Southern Management Corporation Campus Center, drew 135 attendees for the presentations, which were followed by question-and-answer sessions. Attendees also engaged in preliminary meaning making of the data and action planning. UMB distributed the Education Advisory Board (EAB) climate survey to all students during a period from Feb. 7 through Feb. 28, 2018. From the 6,118 recipients of the survey, there was a 24 percent response rate. In regard to the general campus climate for diversity, 64 percent of respondents said, It is easy to find people on campus who understand me, 64 percent said, I feel close to people at this school, and 92 percent said, I feel safe at this school. Additional results can be found in the presentation and infographic on the Campus Life Services website. Regarding the diversity and inclusion experiences, of the 1,485 respondents: 83 percent of students believe that school leaders are visibly committed to fostering respect for diversity on campus. 80 percent of students believe that diversity is fully embraced within the campus culture. 74 percent of students believe that all students feel welcome and supported at UMB, regardless of identity. 63 percent of students believe that on campus there are enough opportunities to gain knowledge about their own cultural community. Once you understand it, you can impact it, said Patty Alvarez, PhD, assistant vice president of student affairs, referring to the presentation of data from the survey. She led the discussion in collaboration with Courtney J. Jones Carney, MBA, director of the Office of Interprofessional Student Learning & Service Initiatives. Both thanked participants for using their voices and being involved in the process. Flavius Lilly, PhD, MA, MPH, associate vice president of academic affairs and student affairs and senior associate dean of the Graduate School, played a key role in analyzing the survey data and co-presented on Feb. 25. During the sessions, attendees were able to contribute written input toward next steps and were urged to become involved. Whether or not members of the UMB community were able to attend these sessions, they are encouraged to participate. Those who are interested in becoming engaged in the process are invited to complete a form online. Were doing well, said Jones Carney, referring to the finding on general campus climate in which 92 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, I feel safe at this school. But she noted, We need to pay just as much if not more attention to the experiences of the 8 percent who seemed to have a distinctly different experience. Furthermore, she observed that inactions can be just as harmful as actions. Either way, more work is needed. The survey also explored interactions and conversations with diverse peers, and bystander behaviors, among other factors. The survey provided students with an opportunity to express a number of actions to improve the campus climate for diversity. Of the students whose ideas were shared by nearly a third or more of the respondents: 44.3 percent recommended having more multicultural events. 32.9 percent recommended the recruitment of more individuals from underrepresented or minority groups for leadership, faculty, and staff positions. 31 percent recommended incorporating issues of diversity and cross-cultural competence more effectively into the curriculum. One of the areas brought to the groups attention was the category of bystander behaviors. For example, the leaders said it was striking that 13.1 percent of respondents said that, since the beginning of the school year, they had observed someone on campus being shunned, ignored, intimidated, or treated in an offensive, hostile manner, with the majority of individuals engaging in helpful behaviors in response to the incident. Adopting educational experiences that focus on bystander intervention will need to be part of UMBs action plan, Alvarez told the group. Overall, the purpose of the EAB campus climate survey is to understand and measure students experiences, perceptions, and behaviors with respect to diversity and inclusion at UMB, with the goal of developing strategic initiatives designed to create inclusive campus environments. On this World Water Day 2019, with its theme 'Leaving No One Behind', policymakers focused on achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 - Clean Water for All. That means clean water for everyone, including historically marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples. Its a monumental goal. More than 800 million peoplemany of them members of indigenous or traditional communitieslive without basic water and sanitation. The task of traveling long distances to fetch water that may or may not be safe to drink frequently falls on women and children. Despite the UN General Assemblys adoption in 2010 of Human Rights to Water and its 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, indigenous communities remain disproportionately affected by water insecurity. The worlds estimated 370 million to 500 million indigenous peoples suffer frequent water rights violations. They have systematically lost local control of ancestral lands and water due to encroachment, pollution, and excessive extraction, and they are frequently excluded from decision-making about water. Climate change, including intensifying droughts and floods, exacerbates the situation. At the same time, indigenous and traditional peoples have emerged as powerful advocates and agents for change by promoting sustainable water management, based on indigenous and traditional knowledge and practice. The Equator Initiative, a UNDP-based partnership working to recognize and advance local sustainable development, celebrates the catalytic role local leaders play in implementing nature-based solutions for water security. Winners of the prestigious biennial Equator Prize include local organizations working to address important issues in water security, including ecosystem protection and reintroduction of sustainable water governance, and advocating for local control of land and water resources. A few examples: Across 88 villages in the Kisoro District of Uganda, home to the Batwa indigenous group, downstream water insecurity is directly linked to upstream deforestation. Less than two percent of communities have safe drinking water, requiring women and children to walk as far as 25 kilometres to fetch water that often turns out to be unsafe. In response, the Batwa group, recipient of the UNDP Equator Prize 2014, engaged downstream communities in reclaiming an active role in natural resource management. They developed local sustainable watershed management plans based on indigenous and traditional knowledge. By advocating for local management of water resources and installing a series of rainwater harvesting devices, the community was able to bring clean water to more than 6,000 local families. In the remote mountains of Tajikistan, less than half of residents have safe water because of failing infrastructure, melting snow, and deteriorating water governance structures. In response, WUA Ob Umed (Water Users Association Ob Umed), also a recipient of UNDPs Equator Prize 2014, revived traditional, nature-based water governance structures, responsible for watershed-wide monitoring and democratization of water distribution. When watershed control returned to the local community, residents got more irrigation water and safe drinking water. In both instances, effective indigenous governance and reliance on traditional knowledge was accompanied by a focus on protecting natural ecosystems, especially forests, which are the backbone of water security. One recent study found that more than 3,200 cities around the world could improve water security by 10 percent or more simply by improving forest management and agricultural practices. To learn more about the critical role played by indigenous peoples in water security, please explore the work of Equator Prize winners for water security in a photo essay in honor of World Water Day 2019. Find out more about how ecosystem protection and restoration underpins global water security by visiting UNDPs Nature for Water website. To truly leave no one behind, lets recommit on World Water Day 2019 to bringing indigenous and traditional peoples back to where they belongat the centre of managing, planning for, and protecting vital water resources and the ecosystems that support them. To read more about the Equator Initiative, click here. Francesca Raoul, 26, sits on a mat in a classroom where she has slept since her home in Dondo, Mozambique was destroyed in Cyclone Idai. UNHCR/Alissa Everett DONDO, Mozambique After Cyclone Idai tore through her village in Mozambique, destroying scores of homes, Francesca Raoul and her daughter sought shelter in one of the few structures left standing: the local high school. The 26-year-old mother and her daughter are now among more than 200 families who have found shelter in the school in Dondo, a small town 30 kilometres inland from the coastal city of Beira. Together with 10 to 20 other families all of whom lost their homes and most of their possessions to the storm they squeeze into a classroom at night, sleeping side by side. Francesca is in desperate need of the most basic necessities to restart life. I hope for a tent because I dont feel safe sleeping in a group, she said. I lost my kitchen too so some food would be good, but I need to cook it. Others share her plight. Mikirina Perez, 27, a single mother of four, described how little has been available since the storm ripped through the community on the night of 1415 March. She too sleeps in the school with her children. I have only received one cup of maize flour a day for my family. I have only received one cup of maize flour a day for my family, she explained as she looked at her two-year-old boy, whose belly looked distended in an ominous sign of malnutrition. Mikirina and Francesca joined other women earlier that morning to put their names down on a distribution list for relief items. However, they missed out as there were too many families and too few items to distribute. Its very upsetting because things are getting harder as each day passes, said Francesca. A woman sweeps the city streets of Dondo, Mozambique, cleaning and burning the branches and fallen leaves in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. UNHCR/Alissa Everett A tree ripped from its roots by Cyclone Idai with a park bench left on its side in Beira, Mozambique. UNHCR/Alissa Everett A young girl walks barefoot into the flood waters in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Beira, Mozambique. UNHCR/Alissa Everett An aerial view of the city of Beira, Mozambique, and the extensive damage to homes, buildings and trees. UNHCR/Alissa Everett UNHCR staff unload an aircraft carrying relief items for survivors of Cyclone Idai at the airport in Maputo, Mozambique. UNHCR/Vania Turner When the cyclone churned through the area, it destroyed tens of thousands of homes and floods spoiled most food reserves. Prices of whatever little remained in the markets have spiraled beyond reach. The traumatic events of the night the cyclone hit are still fresh. Ginoka Phillipa, 30, described the sound of the wind as it grew stronger until it blew the roof of her house off. I fled with my husband and two boys to a neighbours house, she explains. But when I returned, all the walls had collapsed. She was able to collect a few kitchen pots, some food items and some wet clothes and made her way to the high school which now provides temporary shelter. See also: UNHCR prepares to send aid to Cyclone Idai survivors in Zimbabwe With electricity poles down, local businesses have no power and there is limited road access to allow trade. The markets in the area have shrunk and people are desperate. Help is now at hand. Relief items from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, arrived today in Mozambique, to help thousands of people affected by Cyclone Idai. The aid was flown into the capital, Maputo, from UNHCRs global stockpiles in Dubai. It includes family tents, plastic tarpaulins, sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lanterns, cooking sets, jerry cans and other relief items. Valentin Tapsoba, UNHCR Director for Southern Africa, is in Mozambique to oversee relief operations and reiterated support for those like Francesca and Mikirina affected by the storm. We are here to show solidarity and compassion for the people. They are not alone, UNHCR is here to support them, he said. He added that the relief items would be immediately dispatched to support 10,000 people in the port town of Beira and surrounding areas which were hardest hit by the cyclone. Houses and livelihoods have been destroyed and people are staying in churches, in schools, in public buildings. The situation in Beira is of dire need, he explained. Houses and livelihoods have been destroyed and people are staying in churches, in schools, in public buildings. The survivors of this devastating disaster need assistance, said Tapsoba. This is unprecedented. We have never seen anything like this. He added that more international support is needed to ensure all the affected people get help urgently. Local support has built momentum as most of the volunteers distributing relief items provided by the local authorities are Mozambican nationals. For Francesca, Mikirina and Ginoka, the arrival of UNHCRs aid will be of some relief. UNHCR has scheduled two other flights to arrive in the other affected regions in Zimbabwe and Malawi this week. Additional reporting by UNHCR staff in Maputo, Mozambique The ancient town of Perast, Montenegro, nestled amid mountains by the blue waters of the Bay of Kotor, is an idyllic spot for a hotel, but hotel manager Simona Pulcinelli has a problem: shes struggling to recruit staff locally. Enter Roberto and Silvio*, two Cuban refugees. Roberto, 35, once worked as a guard at a school and Silvio, 43, was a mental health nurse. They left Havana for political reasons and have now embarked on a new career at the Villa Perast. Pulcinella is showing that employers in Montenegro can offer opportunities for refugees. And the two Cubans prove that if refugees decide to settle in Montenegro, rather than seeing it as a transit point on the way to Western Europe, they can find work. I am happy with Roberto and Silvio, says Simona. We have found our synergy. They are very communicative, even though they do not speak English. They have the right rapport with guests. In our business, that is the main thing. Destiny brought us here, says Roberto, who arrived with Silvio in Montenegro in 2016. We saw Montenegro was a nice country and decided to stay. Destiny brought us here." Montenegro, with a population of just over 600,000 people, became an independent state in 2006. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is backing efforts by the government to develop integration and employment programmes for refugees. Montenegro is willing to accept refugees, says Milanka Bakovic, a senior official at the Interior Ministry. It all depends on the choice of the individual. Asylum-seekers may intend to reach a certain place, and that place is often not Montenegro, even though we let them know about the rights they could have here. Refugees can find opportunities if they show flexibility in accepting available jobs, not necessarily reflecting their education, says UNHCR's Representative for Montenegro, Roberta Montevecchi. Against a background of double-digit unemployment, there are local and seasonal vacancies. The Montenegrin language can be a barrier, although speakers of other Slavic languages pick it up quickly. Roberto (left) and Silvio plaster a wall at the Villa Perast Hotel. UNHCR/Daniel Etter UNHCR Senior Protection Associate Darka Minic (left) talks with hotelier Simona. UNHCR/Daniel Etter Hotel manager Simona Pulcinelli stands in front of the Villa Perast. UNHCR/Daniel Etter Tatiana, 50, and her son Rostislav live in a rented apartment in Bar. UNHCR/Daniel Etter Rostislav, 11, studies at school in Bar. He has worked hard to learn the Montenegrin language. UNHCR/Daniel Etter Relative ease with the language may be one reason why two other refugees, Tatiana, 50, and her son Rostislav, 11, both Russian speakers, have done well since coming to Montenegro from Belarus in 2016. Despite initial homesickness and unhappiness in temporary refugee accommodation, they now feel at home in a rented flat in the coastal town of Bar. We have found relief here, says Tatiana, who works as a masseuse during the tourist season and hopes one day to have her own small massage business. Rostislav attends a local primary school, where he is getting top marks in almost all subjects. In a maths competition for the third grade last year, he came second out of 45 pupils. Back at the hotel in Perast, manager Simona speaks with pride of her international team. The Spanish-speaking Cubans are slowly learning to communicate in Montenegrin with some 30 local colleagues. We have found relief here." Simona cheerfully calls herself an immigrant. Four years ago, she left a desk job in Rome and came to Montenegro to run two hotels under Italian ownership. As an employer, she says she was motivated by a mix of altruistic and business considerations to hire the refugees. The two Cubans were staying at a centre for asylum-seekers. Now with full refugee status, they live at the hotel and earn competitive salaries for cleaning and maintenance work. Even out of season, Simona can keep them busy. It means a lot to me to have work, says Silvio. It makes me feel vivid and alive." We came from a very big city. Perast is a tiny little place, but it is calm. When they have time off from work, the two of them enjoy swimming, says Roberto. See also: Cuban refugees work hard to start over in Montenegro Silvios medical knowledge and ability to perform first aid is an extra asset. One day at the hotel, a lady guest fainted, says Silvio. As a nurse, I was able to help her, he says. Soon a new wave of guests will be arriving for the 2019 season, the third for Roberto and Silvio, who are now established and trusted staff. They are preparing by painting rooms. Simona takes a look at her diary. Four weddings are coming up. Three of the parties have only booked for meals but one bride and groom, from Russia, are due to spend their entire honeymoon at the hotel. The couple will step out onto the terrace, overlooking the turquoise waters of the bay, and all will be perfect. Roberto and Silvio will see to that. *Names have been changed for protection reasons UNHCR staff unload an aircraft carrying relief items for survivors of Cyclone Idai at the airport in Maputo, Mozambique. UNHCR/Charlie Yaxley A plane carrying relief items from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, landed early Wednesday morning in Mozambiques capital, Maputo, (0100 hours local time) to support people affected by the Cyclone Idai. The airlift is one of the three flights meant to bring relief to some 30,000 people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. UNHCR aid is being moved from its global stockpiles in Dubai, including family tents, plastic tarpaulins, sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lanterns, cooking sets, jerry cans and other relief items. Survivors of this devastating natural disaster are in dire need of global support, said Valentin Tapsoba, UNHCR Director for Southern Africa, who had personally flown in from Pretoria to oversee relief operations. Our contribution is a gesture of solidarity and a note of thanks to those who have generously hosted refugees and shared whatever little they had. We are here to remind them that they are not alone in this hour of need. In Mozambique, UNHCR supplies will be immediately transported onwards to Beira, one of the hardest hit locations by the devastating cyclone, where thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods. Two other flights are scheduled to arrive in Zimbabwe and Malawi this week. In addition, UNHCR emergency teams have started arriving and are being deployed in all three affected countries to support the response, as well as to assume inter-agency coordination functions to protect vulnerable persons coping with the aftermath of the disaster, including refugees. Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall during the night of 14 to 15 March near Beira City, in central Mozambique. Initial reports indicate 447 deaths, 1,500 injured and significant damage to infrastructure in Beira and surrounding areas. For more information on this topic, please contact: A map of Crimea is drawn on the blackboard as a teacher educates students on the history of this state. Children, 8 and 9 years old, carefully take notes as some raise their hands to ask questions. This school is a program run by the non-profit, Krymska Rodyna, and hosts lessons every Saturday on all Crimean Tatar traditions. From history lessons to dance lessons, classes are offered to youth starting as early as 4 years old to adults. Five years ago this month Crimea was occupied by Russia, and conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine, causing 1.5 million persons to be displaced. Many, including Crimean Tatars, fled to major cities, such as Odesa, Lviv, and Kyiv, thus starting new lives. Anife Kurtseitova, 37, has been an activist fighting for the rights of the Crimean Tatar community. A strong advocate, she has participated in numerous interviews, educating others about her culture, and hosted fundraising campaigns for Crimean children of political prisoners. She decided not to let tragedy determine the fate of her community. Building an NGO organization after moving to Kyiv, she began a Saturday school program focusing on all things relating to the Tatar culture. While negotiating with the Department of Education , she managed to arrange the permission to use several premises on the basis of one school in Kyiv during the time free from classes. Parents and all community of IDPs from Crimea hope that the city authorities will pay attention to the successful activities of NGO and will provide premises for the creation of a unique Crimean-Tatar center for children. Given the fact that over the last year the number of visitors to the center has doubled. Currently, there are 100 pupils and about 50 families, who would like to join the school because there are nothing similar in Kyiv. The children are divided by age, covering specific categories; dance lessons, music lessons, history lessons, and even the Tatar language. Traditional Tatar embroidery classes are also offered for adults. The students also host public dance performances in traditional costumes. Running up and down the stairs speaking to mothers who are helping her coordinate the classes, Anife quickly caters to each teachers needs. In the waiting room, parents laid out cakes and desserts as they laughed and shared stories about their children. Everyone knew everyone, and the parents were just as dedicated as Anife in keeping the program running. It is important for me to keep our traditions and languages alive. We are waiting when the Crimean occupation will be over and all these families will be able to come back home, says Anife. Though it is unknown when this day will come, Anife refuses to give up hope, finding creative ways to keep the spirit of her heritage alive. Her pride represents leadership, and with her guidance the Tatar community became a team. With their efforts, their culture will live on to future generations regardless of any difficulty. Community-based approach a core to protection and transcends to UNHCRs work with displaced population. UNHCR Ukraine protection strategy is built on strengthening community based protection mechanisms initiated by the IDPs and host community to identify and respond to protection needs and create coping mechanisms. UNHCR Ukraine community based protection activities included regular dialogue and communication with IDPs through protection monitoring and Participatory Assessment and Support to small community initiatives. The project was aimed at enhancing capacity of the NGO consisted of initiative of Crimean Tatar IDPs to provide activities for Crimean Tatar children aimed at maintaining their ethnic identity and cultural traditions on the mainland of Ukraine. In 2015 and 2016 UNHCR provided technical assistance (microphones and audio system) and 10 stage outfits for children to the NGO for conduction of classes of Crimean Tatar music, vocal and dancing for the children. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Kyiv's appeals court upholds decision not to return Akhmetov's Ukrtelecom to state ownership The relevant decision was made on February 26. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine boosts poultry exports by 1.43 times in Jan-Feb Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Azerbaijan were major buyers of Ukrainian poultry. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine remains 13th in WSA's rating in Feb All the 64 countries ranked by the WSA boosted steel output by 4.1% in February 2019 y-o-y, to 137.3 million tonnes. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Lutsenko insists the two politicians crossed the Ukrainian border illegally. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has said a criminal case will be opened against head of the Opposition Bloc, presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko and leader of the Ukrainian Choice organization, member of the Za Zhittia [For Life] Party Viktor Medvedchuk for an "unlawful trip" to Moscow on March 22. Read alsoEnvoy says presidential candidate's visit to Moscow "speculation" "Today, criminal proceedings on illegal border crossing will be registered," he said at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, according to an UNIAN correspondent. According to Lutsenko, "questions will be asked not only of the air service, but also the border guard, which let these people leave contrary to the established procedures." "Nevertheless, the proceedings will be registered and the appropriate reaction will not take long to wait," he said. As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller met with Boyko and Medvedchuk in Medvedev's residence outside Moscow on March 22. The politicians reportedly discussed issues of cooperation in the gas sector. Boyko said he was ready to offer the Russian Federation options for extending the transit gas contract, since the current government of Ukraine "is not proactive" in resolving the issue. One of the main areas of Russian interference remains cyber space, the intelligence agency stresses. The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZRU) has released a report on the features of Russias approaches to affecting the course and results of Ukraine elections. Russias main action plan on Ukraine in the short and medium term envisages further provoking extensive destabilization to facilitate the revenge of pro-Russian forces following the 2019 election, the Information Resistance OSINT Group wrote citing the SZRU report published on its website Wednesday, March 27. This will include systemic and versatile measures for influencing the course of the election process and the vote count during the presidential and parliamentary elections, the report says. In this context, the main areas where Russia is most likely to intensify its efforts is destabilization, including on the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, incitement of military-political confrontation with elements of economic influence; propaganda campaigns in the Ukrainian media and using instruments for cyber interference; measures to provide electoral support to individual candidates; and discrediting the electoral process in the international media space and through Kremlins positions in international organizations, as well as Western political and expert circles. The key to achieving the Kremlins goal of revenge of pro-Russian forces in Ukraine is to continue in the short term measures to destabilize the socio-political situation and sow chaos across the Ukrainian territory. Read alsoKremlins plan to sow chaos in Ukraine Russia expects to intensify its efforts in the implementation of propaganda campaigns in the Ukrainian media space, as well as ensuring the predominance of black PR to increase anti-rating of individual politicians. In addition to the possibility of information spins through Russian-funded media, the Kremlin tactics foresee the use of mostly false flag so-called journalistic network marketing distribution of paid-for material by media. Russia will also intensify its efforts in social networks, including with the use of bots and trolls. The main efforts will be made through influencing the electoral preferences of target groups (by age, gender, geographical position, social status, etc.). The Kremlin also seeks to exploit sensitivity of nationalist right-wing and left-wing radical groups to calls to declare themselves by the use force. The purpose of provoking these groups to force response is the spread of fear, panic, and loss of confidence. Russia also plans to exploit false polls data during voting, which will be made public on the evening of March 31, to sow chaos and create grounds for the Kremlin to claim alleged illegitimacy of presidential elections. A religious factor could be used through provocations during the celebration of the Palm Week (April 21-28) as Russia is set to organize a pilgrimage of Russian Orthodox believers to Kyiv shrines. At the same time, under the guise of pilgrims, they plan to deploy in Ukraine intelligence operatives and Orthodox fighters trained to take part in riots. The possibility is being worked out of applying in the temporarily occupied Crimea illegal schemes for the purchase and export to mainland Ukraine of Ukrainian IDs issued before March 2014. Read alsoUkraine's Foreign Intel Service: Russia to spend US$350 mln for meddling in Ukraine elections Russian analysts consider it expedient in the period until the end of March to adhere to the tactics of instigating confrontation between presidential candidates, which, according to their calculations, will help reduce the level of support by the international community. The amassing of the strike grouping of the Russian Armed Forces along the Ukrainian-Russian border, conducting exercises and maneuvers, as well as the shelling of troops, is an element of military-political pressure on the Ukrainian leadership. Special services of the Russian Federation are preparing a series of provocations directly at polling stations in the eastern regions of Ukraine, bordered by the territories temporarily occupied by Russia in Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. Among the options is, in particular, staging refusals to vote for internally displaced persons. Provocateurs are being trained to stage provocative situations at polling stations that will be covered in the media, aimed at creating an impression of falsification, an illusion of opacity of elections and their illegitimacy, in particular in terms of violations of the rights of IDPs. Also, Russian special services have stepped up their work on the use of passport data of deceased persons or persons who went missing in the occupied territories of Donbas in 2014-2018, whose status is impossible to officially confirm or deny. One of the main areas of Russian interference remains cyberspace, the intelligence agency stresses. Read alsoUkraine's top cop walks thin blue line between Russian meddling, free election: National Observer The scenario includes inserting malware and monitoring vulnerabilities in the critical infrastructure cyber defense system; provocations connected with unauthorized interference in computers of opposition political forces with the further leaks; and massive DDoS attacks on the servers of ministries and other government agencies aimed at distracting Ukraines cybersecurity forces and countering their efforts, and the use of pre-installed worms. Also, Russia plans to launch on Election Day unprecedented cyberattacks on CEC servers and district election commissions to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the electoral process. This is about infecting servers and computers of constituency administrations and polling stations with a malware worms capable of distorting statistics and simultaneously releasing across Ukraine large-scale exit polls and parallel vote count in the East and South of Ukraine, which will allegedly demonstrate deliberate understatement by the Central Election Commission of the number of votes cast for pro-Russian candidates. These will be Canadian and Spanish frigates. Two NATO warships are scheduled to call at the Odesa Black Sea port in Ukraine on April 1, 2019. The vessels are part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), the Ukrainian Navy press service reports. "The Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Toronto and the Spanish Navy's Santa Maria frigate will arrive in Odesa after patrolling the Black Sea along with other ships of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two for several days," the report reads. Read alsoFrench warship is latest NATO vessel to visit Ukraine: Kyiv Post During their stay in Odesa, the captains of the two ships will meet with the Ukrainian military officials, local authorities, and personnel of the Ukrainian Navy, as well as receive visitors on board their ships during "open hours". The frigates will also take part in the PASSEX exercise in the Black Sea together with the Ukrainian Navy warships to enhance interoperability. On March 27, Russian law enforcers in the illegally occupied Crimea conducted massive searches in homes of 25 Crimean Tatars and detained 20 individuals. The United States Embassy in Ukraine has called on Russia to cease unjust searches and persecution of Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea. "We are extremely concerned by Russias raids and massive intimidation today targeting Crimean Tatars. We call on the Russian government to cease its unjust arrests, detentions, searches, and persecution of Crimean Tatars, activists, and journalists. #CrimeaIsUkraine," the U.S. diplomats wrote on Twitter. As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 27, Russian law enforcers in the illegally occupied Crimea conducted massive searches in homes of 25 Crimean Tatars, having taken a number of detainees to the FSB office in Simferopol. Read alsoSearches in occupied Crimea resemble raids of Stalin's secret police Crimean Tatar leader Chubarov The FSB press service claimed the searches were part of the investigation into the Hizb ut Tahrir organization, which is banned in Russia. Law enforcers later reported on the detention of 20 individuals. The searches were conducted on March 27 in the regional capital, Simferopol, and nearby districts. Russian-imposed authorities in Ukraine's occupied Crimea region have detained several Crimean Tatars after searching at least 25 houses, a Ukrainian human rights group says. Crimean Solidarity, which has members in Crimea as well as Ukrainian government-controlled territory, said that the searches were conducted on March 27 in the regional capital, Simferopol, and nearby districts, RFE/RL reported. Read alsoRussia's FSB detains another three Crimean Tatars after raids (Photo, video) Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) issued a statement saying that its officers, police, and National Guard troops had searched the houses of individuals suspected of being members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group. Since annexing the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, Russia-installed authorities have prosecuted 31 Crimean Tatars for allegedly belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir. In February, the FSB branch in the Black Sea region launched probes against eight alleged members of the group accused of plotting to seize power in Crimea. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global organization based in London that seeks to unite all Muslim countries into an Islamic caliphate. The group can operate legally in Ukraine. However, Russia's Supreme Court banned it in 2003, branding its supporters "extremists." Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Russian-imposed authorities in Crimea who are targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar community and others who have spoken out against Moscow's seizure and annexation of the peninsula. Nayev says Ukraine's accession to NATO is expected in the not too distant future. Commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces Serhiy Nayev has said the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not much different from the armies of NATO countries today. "Today, the Ukrainian army is not much different from the armies of NATO countries, and even steps ahead with some combat experience," he said in an interview to the parliament's bulletin Holos Ukrainy. Read alsoUkraine's army commander: Russian mercenaries shelling civilians cannot be called the military According to Nayev, Ukraine has long and consistently been heading toward joining the Alliance. "This was also done during the previous periods of independent Ukraine, until 2014, but it was done slowly and uncertainly. The last five years have been a rapid leap forward. In everything, including joint exercises, joint actions in peacekeeping units, training with instructors from the armies of different countries, science of warfare and logistics, and in all other spheres of military life," the commander said. However, Nayev said there is still a certain path to go to join NATO. "And the steps along this path are clearly defined by the relevant doctrines and regulatory documents of the government and the Armed Forces. I believe the date of Ukraine's accession to NATO is not so distant," he said. Chubarov says it is a new, even "more brutal wave of repression and persecution of the Crimean Tatars." Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Member of Parliament of Ukraine Refat Chubarov has said large-scale searches conducted by Russian security forces in Russia-occupied Crimea on March 27 resemble the raids of Joseph Stalin's secret police of the '30s-'50s of the 20th century. Read alsoRussia's FSB detains another three Crimean Tatars after raids (Photo, video) "Russian occupiers' intrusion into the houses of the Crimean Tatars today is an act of the most massive human rights violations in occupied Crimea, committed by the occupiers within one day," Chubarov wrote on Facebook on March 27. According to him, one can say it is the beginning of a new, even "more brutal wave of repression and persecution of the Crimean Tatars," whose goal is to try to bring them to the "total submission to the invaders." As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian-imposed authorities in Ukraine's occupied Crimea region on March 27 detained several Crimean Tatars after searching at least 25 houses. One invader was killed and another two were wounded on Tuesday, intelligence reports say. Russia's hybrid military forces in the past 24 hours mounted 23 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action. Read alsoVolunteer shares footage of Ukrainian army's successful hit on enemy post in Luhansk region (Video) "One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in the past day. According to intelligence reports, one invader was killed and another two were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update published on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on March 27, 2019. Russian occupation forces opened fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, anti-tank missile systems, weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Under attack were Ukrainian positions in the towns of Avdiyivka, Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, as well as in the villages of Vodiane, Lebedynske, Verkhniotoretske, Novotroyitske, Kamianka, Mykolayivka, Chermalyk, Krymske, Novoluhanske, Khutir Vilniy, Novozvanivka, Katerynivka, Troyitske, and Butivka coal mine. "Since Wednesday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report said. The amassing of heavy weapons was recorded both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine has spotted clusters of heavy weapons in Russian-occupied areas of Donbas. Read alsoEscalation in Donbas: One Ukrainian soldier wounded amid 23 enemy attacks in past day "In non-government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-UAV on March 20 spotted eight multiple launch rocket systems (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) and two tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk)," the OSCE said in an update based on information received as of 19:30 Kyiv time on March 25, 2019. "On March 20, an aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of four tanks (type undetermined) and five pieces of towed artillery or mortars in a training area near Miusynsk, 12 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk), and 24 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk)," reads the report. What is more, on March 19, an SMM mini-UAV spotted 22 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk), as well as 58 armoured combat vehicles (ACVs) (type undetermined) in the same training area, and 20 tanks (type undetermined) and 23 pieces of artillery or mortars in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), as well as 73 ACVs (type undetermined) in the same training area. A State Department statement on March 27 said Yasar Halit Cevik will take charge of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. The United States has said a Turkish diplomat will be taking over the international monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine as the conflict there continues to fester. A State Department statement on March 27 said Yasar Halit Cevik will take charge of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), RFE/RL wrote. Read alsoOSCE spots clusters of heavy weapons in Russia-occupied areas of Donbas The mission is a key component of monitoring the low-level fighting in Ukraine's Donbas region, a conflict ongoing since 2014. It's one of the only neutral sources of information on cease-fire violations. More than 13,000 people have been killed in that time, and more than 1 million people displaced, according to the United Nations. "The United States urges all OSCE participating states to reiterate support for the monitoring mission," it said. "We call on Russia and the forces it arms, trains, leads, and fights alongside in Ukraine to allow the [monitoring mission] full and unhindered access to the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," the department said. In May 2018, the two governments said they would hold Russia responsible. Dutch and Australian government officials have met their Russian counterparts to discuss who is responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Wednesday. "The first trilateral meeting has recently taken place," Blok told reporters in Sydney, Reuters reported. "We cannot go into the content of the process because confidentiality is vital here, but I can say this we remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability." Read alsoMH17 tragedy: Largest class-action lawsuit filed against Putin In May 2018, the two governments said they would hold Russia responsible after investigators traced the "Buk" missile system they said had been used to bring it down to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, based in Russia's western city of Kursk. Australia has said it will seek unspecified financial damages for families of its 38 citizens killed. All 298 people aboard were killed when the aircraft, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over territory held by pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. About two-thirds of the dead were Dutch. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko told the Hill's John Solomon in an interview published March 20 that he will open a criminal investigation into an alleged attempt by a top Ukrainian law enforcement official to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Now, just as special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's report appears to have cleared President Trump of conspiracy with Russia, the president's supporters and son are pushing a new angle the real collusion wasn't between Trump and Russia but between Hillary Clinton and Ukraine. This bizarre narrative didn't come from nowhere. It came from Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is fighting for his political life in a hotly contested presidential election. The path it took to Fox News, the president's Twitter feed and our broader national discussion gives us an eye-opening look into how foreign powers can play an obsessive president, a sycophantic television channel and a social media echo chamber, Melinda Haring, the editor of the UkraineAlert blog at the Atlantic Council and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote in an article for The Washington Post. Read alsoComedian Zelensky remains frontrunner in Ukraine presidential race: Poll Poroshenko, a businessman who made millions in the chocolate business before becoming Ukraine's president, is behind in the polls with the first round of the presidential election less than a week away. He's neither a hero nor a villain. He's been leading his country since a 2014 revolution deposed a pro-Kremlin leader there; that was followed by Moscow's annexation of Crimea and the start of a Russian-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine that has claimed 13,000 lives. Even so, Poroshenko is also a fairly typical post-Soviet oligarch who has not reformed his country's political, judicial or economic system in any meaningful way, the author said. What may have set Poroshenko's people off was a speech on March 5 by U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, who slammed corruption in a well-timed and entirely justified expression of U.S. concern in the lead-up to the election on March 31. What the president's entourage did next showed just how easy it is for a foreign power with insight into Trump's psyche and some media savvy to game the American media cycle. Read alsoNABU refutes allegations of attempts to influence U.S. presidential election in 2016 Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko told the Hill's John Solomon in an interview published March 20 that he will open a criminal investigation into an alleged attempt by a top Ukrainian law enforcement official to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Lutsenko claims the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine intentionally leaked evidence that Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was paid off the books by former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's party in an effort to benefit the Clinton campaign. Manafort had previously served as an adviser to the pro-Russian Yanukovych, and the release of payment information to Manafort contributed to his resignation from the Trump campaign and gave credence to the Russia collusion charges. The Hill broadcast the interview and then published the sensationalist story. Sean Hannity made Solomon the star of his prime-time show that evening. Trump watches Hannity, reportedly speaks with him multiple times daily, and tweeted the title of Solomon's story. More than 25,000 retweets later, the Ukrainian collusion narrative went viral. The depressing upshot of this sorry spectacle is that foreign powers can get into the president's head by following a simple formula: find some way to connect your pet peeve to the president's obsession with the 2016 election; find someone who can get on Hannity; hope that Trump is watching and tweeting; sit back and watch the fun. Read alsoU.S. President Trump comments on "Ukrainian plot to help Clinton" Haring said three additional points need to be made here. First, the Hill's Solomon presents Lutsenko as an anti-corruption warrior, someone committed to the truth and totally unmotivated by politics. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ukraine's prosecutor general is woefully unqualified (he doesn't have a law degree), has dragged his feet on every serious anti-corruption case since being installed, and protected his friends, including Poroshenko. Second, the assertion of a "Ukraine collusion" angle is pure drivel. Lutsenko claims he has a recording that Ukraine's National Anti-corruption Bureau an office he has repeatedly tried to undermine leaked Manafort's off-the-book records to help Clinton's campaign. Artem Sytnyk, the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, denies the charge. Sytnyk is one of Ukraine's unknown heroes of the past five years; his agency has fought to put members of Ukraine's corrupt elite behind bars. If Lutsenko has the tape, let's hear it. Third, Lutsenko accuses the current U.S. ambassador to Ukraine of giving him a "do not prosecute" list and says the U.S. Embassy has interfered in his work. The U.S. Embassy vehemently denies Lutsenko's absurd claim. Lutsenko's unfounded allegation is clear retribution for the ambassador's speech condemning the incumbent government for doing so little to fight corruption. The mechanics of the information operation that Poroshenko's minions pulled off are obvious. Lutsenko used Solomon to get to Hannity to get to Trump, whose Twitter feed set thousands chattering about nonexistent collusion. The ensuing blather threatens to derail rational discussion, defame diplomats who are doing their job and distract us from far more important matters, the author stressed. The real question is this: If a bunch of obscure foreigners few Americans have ever heard of can play Trump so easily, and so obviously, what's to stop others from doing the same? All options are open to make Russian forces leave, according to Trump. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Russia to pull its troops from Venezuela and warned that all options were open to make that happen. Russia has to get out, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, where he met with Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, Reuters reports. Two Russian air force planes landed outside Caracas on Saturday carrying nearly 100 Russian troops. The U.S. government believes the troops include special forces and cybersecurity personnel. Asked how he would make Russian forces leave, Trump said: Well see. All options are open. Read alsoWill Russia release demons of war in Venezuela Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met with Rosales to express support for her husband, who invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency in January, saying President Nicolas Maduros re-election was not legitimate. The United States views Russias arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation, Pence told reporters. We call on Russia today to cease all support of the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido and stand with nations across this hemisphere and across the world until freedom is restored, Pence said. Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever EVP and CEO Prestige, said: Garancia is one of the leading brands in pharmacies with a strong positioning between natural and science, offering fantastic beauty products with a touch of magic. Thanks to Saverias vision and expertise in derma-cosmetics, Garancias hero product Pschitt Magique is much loved and has earned great loyalty from consumers across different generations. We are delighted to have the opportunity to grow this brand globally. Saveria Coste, Garancia CEO, said: Since I created Garancia, I have always paid particular attention to product formulation, and I have striven to maintain a disruptive, innovation-driven approach within the company. Based on the combination of nature and science, my formulas are clean, sensory and so effective our consumers think they are magical! After sustained growth in France in recent years, Garancia is now ready to enter a new phase of its development, and Unilever Prestige would be the right partner to help Garancia achieve our ambitions, while maintaining our continued commitment to clean ingredients, creativity and excellence, which will guarantee the preservation of Garancias core values. I am excited by the opportunity to work with the Unilever Prestige team in this new chapter in our history." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in Q2 2019, subject to customary consultation process. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine 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 (@ChaudhryMAli88) The United Arab Emirates and Greenland have signed an agreement on the exchange of information on tax matters to combat tax evasion COPENHAGEN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Mar, 2019) The United Arab Emirates and Greenland have signed an agreement on the exchange of information on tax matters to combat tax evasion. The agreement will promote economic cooperation, overcome obstacles, and increase gains and facilitations of capital flows between the two countries for the benefit of their citizens. The agreement was signed by Fatima Khamis Salem Khalfan Almazrouei, UAE Ambassador to Denmark, on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, and Lida Lennert, Representative of Greenland in Copenhagen, at the representative office in Copenhagen, Denmark. The move is an effective translation of the UAE's belief in the pivotal role of such agreements in achieving the principles of transparency, justice, and protection of the national economy. It is an example of the UAE's active membership in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. (@ChaudhryMAli88) We are in the Druze village of Majdal Shams, the part of the Golan Heights that has been under Israeli rule for more than half a century, there is an emblem of the Syrian Arab Republic here, and a road sign says that Damascus is 40 miles away, while people that we come across call themselves Syrians and slam US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan MAJDAL SHAMS (GOLAN HEIGHTS) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 26th March 2019 ) We are in the Druze village of Majdal Shams, the part of the Golan Heights that has been under Israeli rule for more than half a century , there is an emblem of the Syrian Arab Republic here, and a road sign says that Damascus is 40 miles away, while people that we come across call themselves Syrians and slam US President Donald Trump 's decision to recognize Israel 's sovereignty over the Golan. "Why does he decide the fate of something that does not belong to him?" they asked. Men dressed in bloomers and fezzes, women in knitted shawls were flocking to a public building with columns and arches. They were going to a ceremony to commemorate their deceased compatriot, but since the US president signed a decree recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, it was not difficult to find someone willing to comment on the notorious political issue. "Trump's statements are unacceptable. No one has the right to decide the fate of the Golan, except for Syria, our President Bashar Assad, and the residents themselves, including half a million people who live in refugee camps around Damascus, while their homes and lands are occupied by Israeli settlers," an old man who introduced himself as Hassan Fahaldin said. His elder companion was even more emotional and belligerent. Using lots of hand gestures, Taufik Imashi talked about the Druze's persistence in the struggle for their rights and about military valor, which they demonstrated in battles with the Turks and the French. A monument of Sultan Al-Atrash, the Druze leader of the late-1920s Great Revolt against French colonial rule, stood just across the road. The monument depicted a handsome man with mustache, threatening his enemies with a sword against the snow-covered peaks of Mount Hermon. The Druze are the Arabs who follow their own Abrahamic religion that has its roots in islam. Despite the inflow of the Jewish population, the Druze still make up the majority of the population of the Golan Heights, which was seized by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and then unilaterally annexed by the Jewish state in 1981. The status of the mountain plateau with an area of 1,800 square kilometers (695 square miles) has been at the heart of the Israeli-Syrian conflict, with attempts to solve it having been made even before the beginning of the civil war in Syria. In practical terms, Trump's decision meant that the United States, which is almost the only country that can effectively put pressure on Israel, refused to try to reconcile the Jewish state with Damascus by dividing or returning the Golan. "As an expert in international relations I can tell you that Trump's decision will not change anything in the situation in the Golan. After all, Israel is here, Israel's authority and law are here. But I will also tell you something as a native of this place in this capacity, nothing changes for me, I was and I am still a Syrian," Salim Milyadi, who studied international relations in Kiev during the Soviet era, told Sputnik in Russian. Now Milyadi teaches social studies at a school in Majdal Shams. Rafad Mundar, a lawyer, showed us a border fence, which goes along the outskirts of the village and corrected the interlocutor, who called the land behind the metal fence "the Syrian side. " "Here it is also Syria," he said, implying the village. Behind the fence there was a green hill - the Shouting Hill. According to Mundar, members of families separated by war sometimes come here to talk with their relatives in the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan, using megaphones. A beautiful and sad tradition is gradually dying out under the impact of new technologies as the internet and messengers successfully replace loudspeakers. "In 1967, Israel took control of the Golan Heights in two days, and people who were out of town for work or due to other reasons at that time could not come back. The war caught my aunt and many other relatives in Damascus, and they still live there," the lawyer said. Mundar himself, like many of his compatriots, retains Syrian citizenship and refuses to get an Israeli passport. "If you ask me, whether I believe that this territory will return to Syria, I will say 'yes.' But Syria will be able to get it back only when it is united and strong," he said. People in Majdal Shams expressed their loyalty to Syria openly, they also recognized certain sympathy for Israel, but "off the record," not out of fear, but as if they were embarrassed. "Do not believe all these demonstrations. People are well aware of what kind of life is in Syria in terms of safety and prosperity. And here [in the Golan] everyone has a job, children go to schools, there are two cars in each yard. If you conduct a poll, but only a secret one, about the possible return to Syria, then 100 percent [of respondents] will say no," one of so-called local "dissidents" said, calling loyalty to Syria a part of the Golan Druze's identity that was losing its relevance with the change of generations. Milyadi agreed with this point of view to some extent. "Listen, there is a paradox here. One generation views Israel as an occupier, and some young people do not even think about it. There are people who resist normalization [of relations with Israel], but there are also those who simply do not care. They live, work, study, they do what they want. They feel good, and they are not interested in politics," he said. Majdal Shams really lives in prosperity and tranquility. There are new houses built of solid concrete with natural stone veneers here; modern schools and good roads; restaurants and shops; clean streets; and westernized young people, who are not afraid of being criticized for their indiscreet look or behavior. A very similar Druze village named Khader lies just a few miles away from Majdal Shams. It remained under the Syrian rule half a century ago, and it was on the route of the jihadists' offensive in 2017. The Israeli armed forces then helped the local residents and warned the militants that Israel will not sit on its hands in case of violence against the Druze. Majdal Shams got rid of anxiety about the fate of their neighbors only last summer, when Syrian government forces returned to the 50-mile separation line after smashing or disarming about 20 militant groups, which occupied the area during the civil war. Russia has agreed to disburse $30 million in funds to Kyrgyzstan in response to the Central Asian nation's plea for help to balance its budget, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Wednesday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2019) Russia has agreed to disburse $30 million in funds to Kyrgyzstan in response to the Central Asian nation's plea for help to balance its budget , presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Wednesday. "Only recently in March, the government ... of Russia agreed to grant Kyrgyzstan's request for $30 million in non-reimbursable financial aid to support its state budget," Ushakov told reporters. Russia also wrote off the ally's outstanding debt worth $240 million last year. The Russian government estimated this would reduce the country's overall government debt-to-GDP ratio to 60.6 percent from 65.2 percent. Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday blamed saboteurs for attacking the three dams powering the nation's electrical grid amid a new blackout CARACAS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2019) Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday blamed saboteurs for attacking the three dams powering the nation's electrical grid amid a new blackout. "Terrorists are aiming to put the main hydroelectric power plants out of service - the Guri, Caruachi and Macagua dams," he said in a phone-in with the state channel, Venezolana de Television. Rodriguez called this month's second outage, which happened on Monday, an act of sabotage. He said power would be out from on 5 a.m. (9:00GMT) to 9 a.m. All but two states are without electricity. The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday joined other countries in condemning the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, stating that a peace in the Middle East was impossible as long as Israel continued occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2019) The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday joined other countries in condemning the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, stating that a peace in the middle East was impossible as long as Israel continued occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories. On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order formally recognizing the Golan, annexed from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War, as Israel territory. It came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on the visit to the United States just days before the Israeli parliamentary elections. The US move has already been condemned by the Arab League, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as Russia, China, Turkey, Iran and US Western allies. "The United Arab Emirates has expressed deep regret and condemnation over the US administration's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over Syria's occupied Golan Heights. This step undermines chances of achieving a comprehensive and just peace in the region, where stability and peace cannot be achieved as long as Israel continues to occupy Palestinian and Arab territories," the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement, as quoted by the WAM news agency. The ministry referred to UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 497, which call for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab territories. The UAE also reaffirmed that its recognition of the Golan as Syrian territory remained unchanged, regardless of the US administration's decision. (@FahadShabbir) The US deployed two B-52 bombers from a base in the United Kingdom to Iceland to practice defenses against surface-to-air missiles with the Italian Air Force as part of a NATO air surveillance mission, the Department of Defense said in a press release on Wednesday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2019) The US deployed two B-52 bombers from a base in the United Kingdom to Iceland to practice defenses against surface-to-air missiles with the Italian Air Force as part of a NATO air surveillance mission, the Department of Defense said in a press release on Wednesday. "As Iceland does not have its own national air force, NATO provides a rotational air defense in order to meet Iceland's national security needs," the release said. "While in Iceland, the B-52s conducted training involving simulated surface-to-air strikes. " The Defense Department explained that the deployment took place on Tuesday for exercises with Italian air force Typhoon fighter jets. The two B-52s, part of the Bomber Task Force currently deployed to the US European Command area of responsibility, are from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base in the US state of Louisiana, according to the release. The US aircraft are temporarily operating out of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force Base Fairford in Gloucestershire, the release said. Ji Byung-soo sings "Crazy" on KBS TV's "National Singing Contest" that aired on March 24. Capture from YouTube account of "KBS my K" By Dong Sun-hwa A man, 77, has wowed millions of people by performing his age-defying "Crazy" gig on a televised singing contest. Ji Byung-soo belted out K-pop diva Son Dam-bi's up-tempo song "Crazy" on the March 24 episode of KBS TV's "National Singing Contest." He danced awkwardly to the song, but the performance went viral on major social media platforms. The clip of Ji's jaw-dropping act has garnered nearly 2 million YouTube views in only three days. Watch Ji's performance: bit.ly/2FCuHri "I realize my popularity," Ji said on Tuesday. "I love singing, regardless of genres. It was also rewarding to entertain people." Son Dam-bi presents her "answer dance." Capture from Son's Instagram Pope Francis on Wednesday honoured Sr Maria Concetta Esu for her tireless work as a midwife in Africa over the past 60 years. By Lydia O'Kane Sister Maria Concetta Esu is an Italian nun who for almost 60 years has devoted her life to missionary work in Africa. In her profession as a midwife, Sister Concetta has delivered thousands of babies and at 85 her commitment to children, mothers and families continues. In recognition of her tireless efforts, Pope Francis at the end of his General Audience on Wednesday, honoured this Sister from the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Joseph of Genoni, telling her this accolade was a sign of our affection and our thanks for all the work you have done in the midst of our African brothers and sisters, in the service of life The Pope told the pilgrims present that he had met Sr Maria Concetta in Bangui in the Central African Republic during his visit to open the Jubilee of Mercy in 2015, adding, that day, too, she came from Congo in a canoe, to do her shopping in Bangui. While honouring this religious sister, the Pontiff also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to all the missionaries, priests, religious and laity, who, he said, may not make the news, but sow the seeds of the Kingdom of God in every part of the world. The Pope also spoke of Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, who he recounted goes to the cemetery and visits the graves of missionaries; many young people who have died from diseases... Pope Francis said that the Cardinal told him, they all deserve to be canonized, because their life has been consumed in service. Sister Maria Concetta, who is in Rome for a meeting with her Congregation, is due to return to Africa to continue her work. Bidding her farewell, Pope Francis said, Let us accompany her with prayer. And may her example help us all to live the Gospel wherever we are." This is the third consecutive year that CapitaLand Vietnam organises the Feng Shui seminar with Dato Joey Yap as part of its customer appreciation efforts. Joey Yap is the founder of the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics and chief consultant of Joey Yap Consulting Group Over the years, the event has seen overwhelming response from homebuyers. Last year, the event attracted more than 700 participants and this number has increased to 1,000 this year. According to Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam, 2019 marks a significant year as CapitaLand celebrates its 25th anniversary in the country. In conjunction with this milestone, we plan to organise events throughout the year as a show of our appreciation to customers and stakeholders who have supported us throughout the years. The Feng Shui seminar is the first major event to mark this special year, said Chen. Joey Yap is the founder of the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics and Chief Consultant of the Joey Yap Consulting Group. He is the worlds foremost authority in Chinese Metaphysics and a prolific author of 172 books and counting. Joey has made key note addresses to audiences for the last 18 years all over the world France, Germany, Canada, the UK, the US, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia, to name but a few. Annually, he runs his signature event The Feng Shui & Astrology Seminar in 12 or more countries, drawing in crowds in excess of 20,000 people. Le Duy Hanh, chairman of EVN TPC Quang Ninh has been arrested over charges of abusing his position and powers For several days, Le Duy Hanh, chairman of Quang Ninh Thermal Power JSC was absent from his office and the Quang Ninh Public Security Department confirmed that he had been arrested. Earlier, Tran Ngoc Kiem, chief of the companys office, told local media: We have yet to be informed that Hanh was arrested. We know that he was called to meet with the local public security on Friday, March 22. Le Duy Hanh was born in 1963, worked at Quang Ninh Thermal Power JSC since 2014 as general director and was appointed as chairman of the Board of Management last year. Quang Ninh Thermal Power JSC is held by big shareholders like Vietnam Electricity Power Generation Corporation 1 (EVNGENCO1), State Capital and Investment Corporation (SCIC), Vinacomin-Power Holding Corporation, Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (PLPC), Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE). The company operates Quang Ninhs four thermal power factories with the total capacity of 1,200MW connecting to the national electrical system through the 500kV Quang Ninh substation with the average designed output of 7.2 billion kWh per year. The revenue of the company in 2017 was estimated at VND8.3 trillion ($360.9 million), down VND441.8 billion ($19.2 million) on-year. The total assets of the company on December 31, 2017 were VND14.05 trillion ($610.9 million), while liabilities amounted to VND10.337 trillion ($449.4 million), equalling 73 per cent of the total assets. In 2018, EVN TPC Quang Ninhs total assets shrank to VND13.284 trillion ($577.6 million), while liabilities stood at VND8.269 trillion ($359.5 million). The US has accused telecoms giant Huawei of posing a security risk to western networks because of its alleged ties to Chinese intelligence. (AFP/WANG ZHAO) The United States has accused the firm of posing a security risk to western networks, because of its alleged ties to Chinese intelligence. But some European countries are in negotiations with Huawei to deploy its advanced technology to power the faster wireless networks of the future. The Commission has not yet urged European countries to follow the example of the US, Australia or Japan in banning deals with the firm. But it will now take steps to determine the extent of the risk and encourage EU members to share information. Andrus Ansip, vice president of the commission in charge of the digital single market, told reporters: "We have specific concerns connected with some producers. "Everybody knows I'm talking about China and Huawei," he said, noting tha under a 2017 intelligence act Chinese firms mist collaborate with national spy agencies. "I think we have to be worried about this," he said. The plan, unveiled at a news conference at the EU parliament in Strasbourg, calls for member states to report back on any security threats to their national network infrastructure by Jun 30. After that, the European Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) will be given to Oct 1 to produce a report evaluating the risks at a European level. Then member states will debate what if any measures to take, with a decision before the end of the year. Huawei cautiously welcomed the EU approach. "Huawei understands the cybersecurity concerns that European regulators have. Based on the mutual understanding, Huawei looks forward to contributing to the European framework on cybersecurity," the firm said. "We are firmly committed to continue working with all regulators and partners to make the 5G rollout in Europe a success." Fifth Generation telecoms, which provide almost instantaneous data transfer, will become the nervous system of Europe's economy in the coming years, including strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and healthcare. Huawei has become a world leader in the technology, and Europe's deployment of the network could lag behind if it shuns Chinese suppliers. Some Western capitals are wary that Huawei networks may give Beijing access to commercial, military, scientific and diplomatic secrets. China furiously denies this, but Washington has banned Huawei's 5G technology from its territory and has urged its allies to follow suit or face losing some of their own access to American intelligence. The European Commission's statement came just as China's President Xi Jinping met his French, German and EU counterparts in Paris. Federer has not played a Masters event on clay since 2015. (Photo: AFP/AL BELLO) The 37-year-old last played the tournament, where he is a three-time champion, in 2015, when he also made his most recent appearance at Roland Garros. Federer has skipped the clay-court season for the last two years to focus on being ready for the grass courts of Wimbledon, but announced after the Australian Open that he would return to the red dirt in 2019. The 20-time Grand Slam champion, a three-time winner in Madrid, will line up alongside world number one Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and title-holder Alexander Zverev after tournament organisers announced the field on Tuesday. Federer won his 19th major crown at Wimbledon in 2017, before adding the Australian Open last year, but has not reached a Slam semi-final since. He faces Russian youngster Daniil Medvedev in the Miami Masters last 16 later on Tuesday. The French Open gets underway in Paris on May 26. Structures built illegally on protective forest land in Hanois Soc Son district. (Photo: laodong.vn) According to the inspectorates prior conclusions, buildings illegally constructed in 2017 and 2018 in the district must be dismantled. Despite the ruling, public concern has persisted about violations committed before 2017, many of which were detected as early as 2005 but still have not been dismantled. The Hanoi Inspectorate on Tuesday sent Thanh nien (Young People) newspaper a written response to the concern that reads: For structures built from 2006 to 2018 that violate land use and management regulations, the inspectorate will continue its examination and inspection and then offer recommendations to tackle the violations. Since 2006, the Government Inspectorate has issued conclusions on land use violations in Soc Son District and recommended punishments, but district authorities have been slow to follow through with enforcement. On March 13, the Hanoi Inspectorate recommended the municipal Peoples Committee ask the Soc Son District Peoples Committee to implement the Government Inspectorates conclusions. The Hanoi Inspectorate said it would give relevant documents on the land transfer that led to illegal construction in 2008 to the police for further investigation. Hundreds of violations related to forest land use and management have been detected in the province since 2005, but many of the perpetrators have yet to be punished. People bought dozens of hectares of protection forest land to build houses, villas, resorts and restaurants. In 2017, district authorities discovered 555 illegally constructed buildings, of which 485 have not been taken down. The Hanoi Inspectorates comprehensive inspection of land management and use in the district was ordered by Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung. In its conclusions released last week, the inspectorate determined the district Peoples Committee and authorities of eight communes and towns including Minh Tri, Minh Phu, Hien Ninh, Quang Tien, Phu Linh, Nam Son, Bac Son, Hong Ki and Tien Duoc are responsible for the violations because of their poor management. An artisan blows a newly-made Yuping bamboo flute at a workshop in Yuping Dong Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 23, 2019. As a traditional Chinese musical instrument, Yuping bamboo flute is famous for its clear tone and delicate carving. Made from local bamboo, there are dozens of procedures in the making of this instrument. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Wang Bingzhen) 5 1 [ Editor: WPY ] By Kim Bo-eun Korea Technology Finance Corp. Chairman Jeong Yoon-mo The Korea Technology Finance Corp. (KOTEC), an agency fostering domestic small and medium-sized technology firms, is gaining global recognition for its technology rating system. The quasi-government agency, currently led by Chairman Jeong Yoon-mo, has provided assistance to more than 90 percent of the 572 domestic venture companies that generate more than 100 billion won ($88.38 million) in sales a year. It has fostered four out of six "unicorn companies" which are unlisted startups that are valued over $1 billion, including Viva Republica, operator of the mobile payment app Toss, which is ready to set up an internet-only bank. The number of firms receiving credit guarantee services from the agency has continued to grow. In 2018, the figure stood at 78,244, up from 74,591 in 2017 and 71,285 in 2016. KOTEC was established in 1989 to finance technologically viable but credit-constrained SMEs, as a means to promote these firms' development of technology. Since its establishment, it has provided credit guarantees worth a total of 345 trillion won. KOTEC headquarters in Busan / Courtesy of KOTEC Supporting innovative SMEs With a well-established credit guarantee scheme, KOTEC devised technology rating services to better serve its innovative SME clients. In 1997, it opened the nation's first technology appraisal center, to enable credit guarantees based on a firm's potential, rather than current financial circumstances of the company. In 2005, KOTEC developed its own technology appraisal system called Kibo Technology Rating System (KTRS). All credit guarantees are now provided based on technology ratings. The system assesses commercial viability and associated risks of technology projects to better determine the value of intangible assets owned by SME clients. KOTEC, based in Busan, has established a system that enables technology appraisals nationwide. The Central Technology Appraisal Institute plays a central role. Out of 1,300 employees, around 950 are involved in technology rating, including 240 with PhDs. They had conducted a total of 667,404 technology appraisals by the end of 2018. The Public Private Partnership (PPP) seminar held by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment in collaboration with the World Bank, is attended by representatives of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and many other ministries, the World Bank in Vietnam, the Asian Development Bank, JICA, Ho Chi Minh City Finance and Investment State-Owned Company, foreign embassies and consulate offices to Vietnam, the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, and many international consultancy firms such as KPMG Vietnam, Deloitte Vietnam, PWC Vietnam, as well as representatives from educational institutions, hospitals, and medical centres. Ousmane Dione, country director of the World Bank in Vietnam, highlighted that all levels of government, people, and the private sector should recognise that they are sharing not only the benefits but the risks of PPP investment Key issues discussed in the seminar are solutions for the effective use of the state budget, international experiences on investment under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) form, and strategies to mobilise private capital for infrastructure development and service provision in healthcare, education, solid waste treatment, wastewater treatment, and flood control. Other related issues touch upon the constraints within the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks to promote PPP investment efficiency and strategies to improve private sector participation in service provision and infrastructure development across these four fields. Speaking at the seminar, Ousmane Dione, country director of the World Bank in Vietnam, said that to create a successful PPP model, all sides should recognise the models long-term nature whereby public and private stakeholders share not only the interests but also the risks. For many partnerships without a balanced sharing of risks and interests, failure will be a very likely outcome, thus PPP must become a partnership model in which each and every stakeholder has their benefits, Dione said. He added that the legal, regulatory, and institutional framework must be clear to facilitate investors to accept long-term risks with the expectation to rely on these legal and institutional frameworks. In additional to the sharing of international experiences on the mobilisation of social capital and promotion of PPP, there was also a debate session on the privatisation of investment in solid waste treatment, wastewater treatment, and flood control, as well as healthcare and education. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, to complete the citys five-year socioeconomic development plan (2016-2020), the total investment capital demand from the budget from 2016 to 2020 is VND326.556 billion ($14.2 billion). Meanwhile, the state can only allocate VND171.895 billion ($7.5 billion), which is 52 per cent of the investment demand. OCB will use the funds to increase lending to SMEs and women enterprises IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will provide a loan of $100 million to Vietnams Orient Commercial Joint Stock Bank (OCB). The IFC-led financing package, combined with advisory services, will boost lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially women-owned or -led ones, and will promote supply chain financing in Vietnam. Making up 98 per cent of Vietnams enterprises, SMEs are the primary engine of job creation in Vietnam, employing more than half of the labour force and contributing about 40 per cent to the gross domestic product. Yet around 60 per cent of SMEs have unmet financing needs a $21 billion financing gap. Access to finance is therefore key to unlock the potential of SMEs. The long-term financing package comprises of $57.16 million from IFCs own account and $42.84 million from the multi-investor Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Programme (MCPP) managed by IFC. Notably, OCB aims to use at least 50 per cent of the loan proceeds to finance Women SMEs, with support from the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi). This project is the first investment IFC will make in a commercial bank under its partnership with We-Fi. We-Fis ambition to help expand financial and market access to women will be realized through a performance-based incentive that will help catalyze at least $50 million in loans to women entrepreneurs. OCB sees SMEs as an important target segment to realise its strategy to become a leading retail and SME bank in Vietnam. IFCs financing package helps reinforce the banks continued commitment to expanding lending to this segment, said Nguyen Dinh Tung, OCB chief executive officer. In addition to funding, in partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and IFC, OCB will receive assistance with developing its supply chain finance (SCF) business. IFC and OCBs partnership started in 2011 with a trade finance guarantee of $20 million under IFCs Global Trade Finance Programme. IFC provided additional financing with a $25 million loan in March 2012 and a revolving short-term loan of $10 million. This partnership allows the bank to increase financing to more SMEs and women-owned businesses and help more local companies increase trade and create employment opportunities. Lennar International brought a series of projects in Dallas, Houston, Florida, and California, among others, and tips on investing in them to share with Vietnamese buyers at an event held on March 23, 2019 in Ho Chi Minh City. According to Steven Lawson, business director for Asia region of Lennar International, the steady growth of the Vietnamese economy and the rise of the Vietnamese upper class are factors that stimulate investment flows from Vietnam to overseas countries including the United States. Lennar International brought a series of projects from Dallas, Houston, Florida, and California as well as investment tips to Vietnamese buyers Lennar International has started business in Vietnam with a number of partners, including Interhome, and we have realised that the demand for buying houses from overseas Vietnamese, especially in the United States, is huge, Lawson told VIR. "I previously used to work in China for many years and I realised that the demand for houses in the United States is growing among Vietnamese people, just like I saw in China in 2012-2014," he added. Vietnamese investors are very sophisticated and wise in their investments, and real estate in the US can meeting all the needs of Vietnamese investors, Lawson emphasised. Representatives of Internhome recieved the official certification as Lennar International's representative in Vietnam The most important issues were high quality and good location, with competitive pricing. All these factors resonate, it is worth it for Vietnamese customers to consider the options, Lawson added. Currently, Lennar International and Interhome partners sell properties in the range of $200-600,000 in Vietnam. "I think this is a pretty good price compared to the millions of dollars they charge for a property in Ho Chi Minh City," he said. The good quality, high demand for buying, and high profit for rental and resale investment will be a plus for US real estate in the eyes of Vietnamese buyers. The US real estate market, according to experts, is stable and its development path is largely predictable. Moreover, houses in the United States can be permanently owned, that is, house buyers can hold the property for generations another factor attracting Vietnamese buyers, Lawson added. In addition, the United States provides no preferential treatment for Americans over foreign homebuyers, all are treated equally. This creates great trust among investors from Vietnam when buying real estate in the United States, he added. Vietnam is currently at the 6th position among the 10 nationalities buying houses in the US, according to the United States Real Estate Brokers Association. Vietnamese citizens also receive a rather high number of visas for EB-5 investors, suggesting that investment in the United States is becoming a trend among Vietnamese investors. According to Fortune magazine (New York), US housing prices increased steadily by an average of 6.3 per cent per year, particularly in Seattle and San Francisco, which recorded the biggest increases of 12.7 and 9.3 per cent in 2017, respectively. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, about 130,000 Vietnamese citizens are studying abroad, with 28,000 in the US, making it the largest foreign education destination. Global Real Interhome is a pioneer in providing comprehensive solutions for US-based properties and in being a connection for Vietnamese investors who want to buy properties abroad. Not only bringing potential property projects which can benefit investors, Interhome also offers legal support to make it easier to buy and lease or resettle in residential projects in any state of the US. Founded in 1954 and headquartered at Miami and listed on the New York Stock Exchange Florida (NYSE: LEN), Lennar International is the biggest real estate developer in the US. With a turnover of $20.57 billion in 2018, Lennar International provides residential projects in 21 states and 50 cities in the US, with customers coming from 102 countries, including Vietnam. Prime Minister Hun Sen has said Sam Rainsy, a leader of the former opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, is responsible for divisions in the party amid a call for ex-CNRP politicians who were banned from politics to seek pardons and disavow their membership. Rainsy had publicly stated that the divisions, caused by the offer of royal pardons for more than 100 former CNRP officials who were banned from political life when the party was dissolved in late 2017, were the fault of Hun Sen. But in a speech last week, Hun Sen blamed the divisions on Rainsys apparent lack of leadership. They said Hun Sen could do nothing thats why he tried to break them up, Hun Sen said. My message to you [Rainsy] is that if you let others break you up, then you dont deserve to be the leader. So far nine former CNRP officials have taken up the prime ministers offer of an amnesty ahead of a deadline for applications in April. Hun Sen went on to criticize the CNRP leadership for alleging those who took the offer were paid off by the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party. You mocked your former colleagues like a commodity, that's your failure, Hun Sen said. When they were with you, you always said they were good people. Once they didnt agree with you, you always accused the Hun Sen government of buying them off. You consider your former colleagues who contributed to your success as a commodity. A former member of parliament, Tep Sothy, defended her decision to take the prime ministers offer. I think this is a solution, that I expressed myself as a former member of parliament, Sothy told VOA Khmer. This is to calm peoples feeling that they have a representative inside the country to solve their problem. Its not just a political move for me. Im okay if Im not in politics, but I cannot stand idly. The Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in late 2017 after charging its president, Kem Sokha, with treason for allegedly conspiring with the United States to overthrow Hun Sen. Washington and the opposition have denied the charges and the government has yet to produce evidence to substantiate them. CNRP leaders who have since fled the country say they do not recognize the legitimacy of the decision to dissolve the party. The international community, led by the United States and the European Union, have asked the Cambodian government to restore the CNRPs legal status. Sothy said her decision to return to politics does not mean she recognizes the court's ruling. It was not right but under the current circumstances, we have to look further, that sometimes democracy moves forwards two steps, but backward five. Right now, I see that it is stepping backward, but as a lawmaker, I dont want it to slide back. Therefore, I have to show my goodwill despite criticism... I have to be close to the people. Rainsy has called for party members to ignore the call for a reinstatement of their political rights. This is to show the international community, especially the delegation of the European Union that they should not believe Hun Sen for saying that he has given back political rights to CNRP officials and that he has rehabilitated us, Rainsy said in a video message posted on his Facebook account last week. This is a fraud. If we surrender to Hun Sen, if we ask for political rights from Hun Sen, he will tell the EU that you see there is no need to demand that the CNRP function again because even CNRP officials have abandoned the party to set up smaller parties. A delegation of the European Union was in Cambodia last week to meet with key Cambodian officials, including Interior Minister Sar Kheng, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, and Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak, to discuss a number of issues as part of their monitoring and evaluation before suspending Cambodias membership of the Everything But Arms preferential trade scheme if the government refuses to restore the former opposition and improve human rights. But Hun Sen has remained defiant, saying opposition leaders will die abroad without having a chance to return to politics in Cambodia. Sorry, the CPP cant do that, said Hun Sen. They need Hun Sen to lead the party. More than 100 of the Chibok schoolgirls remain in captivity, nearly five years after Boko Haram militants in Nigeria abducted them from their school. President Muhammadu Buhari promised to make the rescue of the girls, and other abductees a top priority. Some have been released. But advocacy groups say Buhari's government, in its focus on the economy, has largely forgotten the girls who are still being held.. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja. KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo Shinhan head eyes Asia's leading financial group By Lee Kyung-min KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo said Wednesday that the group will push for mergers and acquisition (M&A) in a move to secure new sources of future growth. "Despite the overall adverse business circumstances, the group will seek to enhance close integration among affiliates and boost their competitiveness," he said at a shareholder meeting at the group headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul. Heightened macroeconomic uncertainties compounded by strengthened government regulations on lending rules, are among the factors posing "headwinds" to business, he added. He also said that an aggressive overseas expansion will be pursued in countries including Myanmar and India. The initiative is in line with the "New Southern Policy," a major diplomatic initiative spearheaded by President Moon Jae-in seeking to diversify trading partners mostly by reducing the heavy reliance on China, and the U.S. Yoon recognized that the group's life insurance arm in particular requires measures among other subsidiaries. "The non-banking sectors including card and non-life insurance and subsidiaries will continue to strive to become leading players in the respective industries not to mention the banking business to help the group become the leader in the industry," he said. KB was overtaken by its rival Shinhan Financial Group in 2018 in terms of net profits and total assets. Shinhan Financial posted a combined net profit of 3.16 trillion won ($2.8billion) in fiscal 2018, up 8.2 percent from the year earlier and regained the top spot after just a year of trailing KB. KB Financial had 3.07 trillion won in net income in 2018. He also apologized for the 35 percent plunge in the group's stock price over the past year. On March 13, KB Financial's stock price fell to 41,800 won, hitting a 52-week low. The drop was considered highly "disappointing" given other financial shares saw a 3.6 percent increase on average over the past three months. Shinhan Financial Group Cho Yong-byoung speaks at the group shareholders' meeting at the group headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Shinhan Financial Group Music has been a big part of the Afghan culture, but during Taliban rule it was considered un-Islamic and was banned. And now, even though there appears to be some potential for an eventual settlement with the Taliban to end the fighting, local Afghan music lovers fear that the future of music in Afghanistan might be in danger if the militant group ever regains power. VOAs Jalal Mirzad recently visited a street in Kabul known for its musical roots. His report is narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. An Eastern man and a Western woman make up one of the most unusual musical groups in Washington, D.C. Masood Omari and Abigail Adams Greenway both play tabla, an Eastern percussion instrument, every day in Greenways basement outside Washington. They call this colorfully decorated studio, Tablasphere. And they call themselves Tabla for Two. Omari introduces the instrument: This is a goat skin and the middle part, the black here, is burnt steel, coming from the steel powder and pasted with a strong glue and put in the center. It makes a cosmic sound, you can see? To Greenway, every note that emerges from the tabla is a prayer. It's mathematically perfect and very meditative, she adds. What is unusual is that she and Omari both play the tabla together, giving them a modern sound. The duo plays three different kinds of music, much of which can be heard on YouTube. The first two are classical music and traditional music of Afghanistan and India. The third: We play new music for the New World, we call it. It's our signature music and it is composed by Masood. It's for two tabla players, Greenway explains. Greenway Greenway grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, a manufacturing city steeped in U.S. history. Her first two names hark back to the wife of Americas second president, Abigail Adams. I grew up listening to classical music and American Jazz, Greenway says. My father was a classical violinist. A visual artist, Greenway moved a long way from all that when she embraced Afghan music and musical instruments. She first became intrigued when she was introduced to the music of India. I heard the music and I just said this is the most amazing instrument I've ever heard, the tabla, she said, adding, They say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. The pair met eight years ago in an Afghan antique and textile shop in Washington. I realized that he was this amazing tabla player and I asked for lessons. I didn't know at the time where this was going. All I knew is that I had a huge desire and a force pushing me to learn to play the instrument. "When I saw her first time Abigail, she doesnt (didnt) understand the language of Afghanistan. (But) she understand (understood) the beat and melody, and she was very exciting (excited) to learn. She learned quickly. Omari Omari fled Afghanistan when he was 15 and resettled in Islamabad. There, he studied tabla for 10 years and received his mastership before coming to the U.S. in 2002. What's really extraordinary is that Masood is singing and playing tabla at the same time, Greenway says about her teacher. That is exciting. Greenway has learned to play harmonium, also known as a pump organ, from Omari. And here, she earns his praise: Abigail is playing harmonium in a style no one can play like her. She is playing with her fingers. She is playing very soft, graceful and gentle. After devoting years to intense study and practice, the duo formed Tabla for Two. They play at embassies, museums, universities and at the Tablasphere for special invited guests. Ambassadors If Greenway worried about acceptance as a woman playing Afghan music, she discovered differently. I am clearly an American female and I am playing their music. It's a coming together of cultures, she says. When I play this music they are accepting me, the Afghan people are accepting me. This makes Greenway feel like an ambassador, which is something of Omaris philosophy as well. I believe that I have an important role playing and preserving the music of my country, Afghanistan and sharing it with the world, he says. It's just the beginning. I've just started learning about a place that I knew nothing about that has been so ravaged, Greenway enthuses. And I'm thrilled to show Afghanistan in a positive, beautiful light. The number of families detained crossing the southern U.S. border without documentation continues to climb this month, according to new data released by the U.S. border agency. U.S. Customs and Border Protection predicts that by March 30, it will have detained roughly 55,000 undocumented family units that crossed into the U.S. The number raises questions about what is triggering the increased arrivals. WATCH: California County Sues Trump Administration The head of CBP, Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, repeated at a news conference Wednesday in El Paso that the "surge numbers are just overwhelming the [U.S.] system." While the U.S. has handled more border apprehensions than the current level, what has shifted in recent months is the demographics. More parents are traveling with young children, and with that change comes a different set of challenges, especially regarding detention facilities. CBP detained 76,103 people in February. Nearly half 36,174 were part of family units. McAleenan blamed congressional inaction on immigration for the surge. However, motivators behind migrant flows are considered multifaceted. The motivators involve reasons people want to leave their home country (violence, persecution, economic insecurity, natural disaster); reasons people want to come to the U.S. (to join family, seek safety or asylum, flee abuse, earn more money); political and social factors; policies in the U.S. and Latin America; cartel activity and transportation; or good weather. McAleenan said that additional CBP staff about 750 people he called "humanitarian personnel" would be temporarily assigned to help process detainees on the southern border. The agency plans to move those employees from border checkpoints to handle arrivals that happen away from the formal entry points. The diversion of personnel could slow down access through checkpoints as the Easter holiday approaches a busy week for residents on both sides of the border to cross for family visits, a long weekend, or shopping. "We're doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy," the commissioner told reporters. The deaths of two children in CBP custody at the end of 2018 prompted increased scrutiny of how the agency handles detainees' medical issues. The border news conference comes as Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen traveled to Miami to discuss the migrant issue with Mexican officials, before heading to Honduras to meet with representatives of the Northern Triangle. Nielsen is slated to sign a regional agreement with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador addressing migration flows from Central America to the United States. The so-called "regional compact" would address "information sharing, law enforcement cooperation, and public messaging," according to DHS. Boeing says it is close to completing a software upgrade to the anti-stall system on its 737 MAX jets which is suspected to be responsible for two recent deadly crashes. Boeing executives briefed about 200 pilots and airlines executives in Seattle Wednesday, saying the new software has been extensively tested. "We are going to do everything we can to make sure that accidents like this never happen again," Boeing engineering vice president Mike Sinnett said. He added that the company is "deeply affected by the tragic loss of life" in the crash of an Ethiopian 737 MAX 8 two weeks ago, killing 157. Another MAX 8 crashed off Indonesia in October, killing 189. Investigators say they've seen similarities in both disasters and suspect the anti-stall system on the MAX 8 repeatedly pushed the nose of the planes downward despite the pilots' efforts to keep control. Boeing says the new software is designed to override any faulty messages coming from the system and make it easier for pilots to counter the system from forcing the nose of the plane downward. But it still may be a while before the grounded 737 MAX 8 is in the air again. U.S. federal regulators must give their approval to the upgraded software and pilot training, and the new program must be installed on each individual jet. Approval by regulators in other countries varies. Boeing said Wednesday it does not need more federal oversight in the way it develops and builds airplanes. "The 737 is a safe airplane. The 737 family is a safe airplane family and the 737 MAX builds on that history of safety that we have seen for almost 50 years." Sinnett said. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's call to commemorate the anniversary of Brazil's 1964 military coup is causing discomfort in Latin America's largest nation, with social groups organizing protests and the federal prosecutors' office saying the call "deserves social and political repudiation." Bolsonaro, a former army captain who waxes nostalgic for the 1964-1985 dictatorship, on Monday asked Brazil's Defense Ministry to organize "due commemorations" on March 31, the day historians say marks the coup that began the country's military regime. The reaction was immediate. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors said that under international criminal law Brazil's dictators "had committed crimes against humanity." In a long and strongly worded statement, prosecutors said Bolsonaro's initiative sounded like an "apology for the practice of atrocities." Several civil groups announced that they were organizing protests throughout the country. A Brazilian lawyer reportedly filed a class action suit, arguing that commemorations were not in the public's interest. The decision to commemorate the coup anniversary ended a 2011 move by then-President Dilma Rousseff, who had asked armed forces to suspend such commemorations. Rousseff, a former guerrilla, was jailed and tortured during the dictatorship. "This means that (Bolsonaro) thinks the dictatorship against opponents, against political dissidents, is not a dictatorship," said Rosa Cardoso, a lawyer who coordinated Brazil's national truth commission. "That the illegitimate use of force is not violence when imposed on those who have different beliefs, that torture is not torture but a fair and justified treatment." In 2014, the truth commission concluded that at least 434 people were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship. Among indigenous communities, the death toll rose sharply, according to the report. It is estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 people were illegally arrested and tortured, the prosecutors' office said. Bolsonaro's discourse "shows a deep ignorance and lack of acknowledgment of a doctrine that is internationally accepted," Cardoso said. Bolsonaro's praise for the dictatorship has shocked many Brazilians but seduced others, leading to his election as president last October. He has said the dictatorship should have gone farther in killing communists who threatened Brazil. On Monday, government spokesman Otavio Rego Barros said during a press conference that "the president does not believe March 31, 1964 was a coup." "I never thought I would hear this," Alvaro Caldas, a former guerrilla fighter who was jailed, kidnapped and tortured under military rule, told the Associated Press from his Rio de Janeiro apartment in Copacabana. "I feel as if the torture has returned, and can return," Caldas, now a 78-year-old retired journalist, said while looking at an old photo of himself with two puffy, black eyes. The photo, he said, was taken in 1983, when the military allegedly kidnapped him and interrogated him for about a week before releasing him. "This is what Bolsonaro wants to celebrate, the humiliation of the human being," he said. Another militant and torture victim, Crimeia Alice Schmidt de Almeida, deplored the lack of military convictions for human rights abuses. "We have no one in custody, or at least condemned," said de Almeida, who was sent to a torture center in Sao Paulo in 1972 when she was eight months pregnant. A few retired members of the military have been charged with crimes, but an amnesty law has prevented most prosecutions linked to abuses under the dictatorship from leading to convictions. Barros, the government spokesman, did not give any details about the kind of events that might be held for the March 31 commemorations. The Defense Ministry said the presidential decision consisted mostly in including the March 31 date on the military's agenda, along with a text that could be read in military facilities. But it is up to each facility to decide what to do. The Southeast military command in Sao Paulo, for instance, has said it will form ranks on March 28 in relation to the 1964 "the democratic revolution." British Prime Minister Theresa May bowed to Conservative Party critics Wednesday and said she would quit as the country's leader once Britain had split from the European Union, but it was unclear when she might step down. May, whose Brexit deal she negotiated with EU leaders has twice been overwhelmingly rejected by the House of Commons, said she would quit as prime minister "earlier than I intended" in hopes of winning passage of her divorce deal from the 28-nation bloc. Her comments to Tory lawmakers were the first she made about leaving No. 10 Downing Street, even as her Brexit plan was defeated by 230 votes in January and by 149 votes earlier this month. "I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I won't stand in the way of that," she said. Her intentions became known as Parliament prepared to vote on new Brexit plans. The House of Commons was planning a five-hour debate on several plans, with lawmakers being asked to vote for any of the proposals they could accept. The intention then is to hold a second vote next Monday on the most popular plans in the hope that one can win majority support. Wednesday's debate is occurring two days after the parliamentarians wrested control over the Brexit debate from the government. May said she would consider support for other plans as "indicative votes," but she has refused to say she will adhere to the result. There are now eight options under consideration, including proposals for leaving the 28-nation EU without details of a departure in place, remaining in the EU and holding a new nationwide referendum on the issue. Britons voted nearly three years ago to leave the EU, but as Friday's scheduled departure date grew near, so did turmoil over terms of the deal May negotiated with EU leaders. The contention centered on trade and the border between EU member Ireland and London-controlled Northern Ireland, which local residents routinely cross daily without stopping. Last week, the EU said that if Parliament approved the deal it had negotiated with the British government, Brexit would occur May 22. If not, Britain has until April 12 to say what it plans to do. May hopes to put her plan up for another vote, despite the decisive earlier losses. Pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party had called for her resignation, but until Wednesday she had resisted. "It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered," she said. Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn contended that May was "unable to compromise and unable to reunite the country." He said May must "either listen and change course or go." A Chilean appeals court ruled Wednesday that the Catholic Church should pay compensation to three victims in a sex abuse case involving former Santiago parish priest Fernando Karadima, a decision that could open the floodgates to similar lawsuits. The unanimous decision requires the Church pay 100 million pesos ($146,000) each for "moral damages" to Juan Carlos Cruz, Jose Andres Murillo and James Hamilton. The men accuse Karadima of having sexually abused them decades ago, and the Church of having covered up that abuse. The office of the Archbishop of Santiago said in a statement that the Church would not appeal the court's decision, acknowledging its "errors" and saying it had failed to "accompany the victims" in their time of need. "(We) trust that this ruling will contribute to healing the suffering of Fernando Karadima's victims," the statement said. The appeals court's decision is the first to require Chile's powerful Roman Catholic Church to pay damages related to an ongoing sex abuse scandal that last year prompted Pope Francis to apologize to the church's community worldwide. The case could pave the way for a flood of civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages from the Latin American country's Catholic Church, and beyond. Chilean investigators have looked into about 120 allegations of sexual abuse or cover-ups involving 167 Church officials or workers. The scandal last week prompted Pope Francis to accept the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago and the highest-ranking member of the Catholic Church in Chile. Karadima, now 88 and living in a nursing home in the capital, has long denied accusations that he sexually abused the claimants. He was never charged by civilian authorities because the statute of limitations had expired. He was, however, found guilty of sexual abuse in a Vatican investigation in 2011, and was defrocked by the Pope last year. China said Wednesday that suspension of the license of a second major Canadian canola exporter is justified by safety concerns, as the sides continue to feud over Ottawas detention of a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Chinas actions were scientific and reasonable, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, adding that Canada should take practical measures to correct the mistakes it made earlier in dealing with the overall relationship. Chinas suspension Tuesday of the license of canola seeds from Viterra Inc. is a blow to $2 billion worth of exports widely seen as retaliation for Canadas arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huaweis founder. China earlier had halted imports from Canadas other major canola exporter, Richardson International Ltd. In both cases, China cited hazardous organisms found in shipments of the seeds and Geng said it acted in line with relevant Chinese laws and regulations, as well as the international practice. Without mentioning Huawei directly, he said China hopes Canada can get along with us to ensure the sound and steady development of China-Canada relations. China was infuriated by Mengs Dec. 1 arrest on a U.S. extradition warrant alleging fraud and has since arrested several Canadian citizens on charges the government here says are spurious. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he might send a high-level delegation to China over the canola issue and acknowledged challenges in Canadas relationship with Beijing. Canada last year exported $2.1 billion worth of canola seeds to China, by far its largest customer for the grain, which represented 17 percent of all Canadian exports to China. China says it will prosecute former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei for misusing state funds and abusing his power. Meng disappeared last September while on a visit to his home country from France, where the global law enforcement agency is headquartered. Beijing later announced he had been detained on allegations of accepting bribes and had resigned from Interpol. A statement Wednesday by China's central disciplinary commission said Meng has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party for failing to abide by the party's principles and refusing to follow its decisions. He is accused by the Chinese government of misusing state funds to support his family's lavish lifestyle and using his position to help his wife get a job. His wife, Grace Meng, says she had urged French President Emmanuel Macron to personally plead for her husband before his recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart, XI Jinping. Meng Hongwei, who also held a post as one of China's vice security ministers, is one of many Communist Party officials who have been caught up in President Xi's sweeping campaign against corruption and perceived disloyalty. Human rights groups objected to Meng's appointment as Interpol president in 2016, fearing he would use the post to arrest Chinese dissidents living overseas. Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd is seeking to sell Grindr LLC, the popular gay dating app it has owned since 2016, after a U.S. government national security panel raised concerns about its ownership, according to people familiar with the matter. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has informed Kunlun that its ownership of West Hollywood, California-based Grindr constitutes a national security risk, the two sources said. CFIUS' specific concerns and whether any attempt was made to mitigate them could not be learned. The United States has been increasingly scrutinizing app developers over the safety of personal data they handle, especially if some of it involves U.S. military or intelligence personnel. Kunlun had said last August it was preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) of Grindr. As a result of CFIUS' intervention, Kunlun has now shifted its focus to an auction process to sell Grindr outright, given that the IPO would have kept Grindr under Kunlun's control for a longer period of time, the sources said. Grindr has hired investment bank Cowen Inc to handle the sale process, and is soliciting acquisition interest from U.S. investment firms, as well as Grindr's competitors, according to the sources. The development represents a rare, high-profile example of CFIUS undoing an acquisition that has already been completed. Kunlun took over Grindr through two separate deals between 2016 and 2018 without submitting the acquisition for CFIUS review, according to the sources, making it vulnerable to such an intervention. The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Kunlun representatives did not respond to requests for comment. Grindr and Cowen declined to comment. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which chairs CFIUS, said the panel does not comment publicly on individual cases. Grindr, which describes itself as the world's largest social networking app for gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, had 27 million users as of 2017. The company collects personal information submitted by its users, including a person's location, messages, and in some cases even someone's HIV status, according to its privacy policy. CFIUS' intervention in the Grindr deal underscores its focus on the safety of personal data, after it blocked the acquisitions of U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram International Inc and mobile marketing firm AppLovin by Chinese bidders in the last two years. CFIUS does not always reveal the reasons it chooses to block a deal to the companies involved, as doing so could potentially reveal classified conclusions by U.S. agencies, said Jason Waite, a partner at law firm Alston & Bird LLP focusing on the regulatory aspects of international trade and investment. "Personal data has emerged as a mainstream concern of CFIUS," Waite said. The unraveling of the Grindr deal also highlights the pitfalls facing Chinese acquirers of U.S. companies seeking to bypass the CFIUS review system, which is based mostly on voluntary deal submissions. Previous examples of the U.S. ordering the divestment of a company after the acquirer did not file for CFIUS review include China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation's acquisition of Seattle-based aircraft component maker Mamco in 1990, Ralls Corporation's divestment of four wind farms in Oregon in 2012, and Ironshore Inc's sale of Wright & Co, a provider of professional liability coverage to U.S. government employees such as law enforcement personnel and national security officials, to Starr Companies in 2016. Privacy concerns Kunlun acquired a majority stake in Grindr in 2016 for $93 million. It bought out the remainder of the company in 2018. Grindr's founder and chief executive officer, Joel Simkhai, stepped down in 2018 after Kunlun bought the remaining stake in the company. Kunlun's control of Grindr has fueled concerns among privacy advocates in the United States. U.S. senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Grindr last year demanding answers with regards to how the app would protect users' privacy under its Chinese owner. "CFIUS made the right decision in unwinding Grindr's acquisition. It should continue to draw a line in the sand for future foreign acquisition of sensitive personal data," Markey and Blumenthal said in a statement on Wednesday. Kunlun is one of China's largest mobile gaming companies. It was part of a buyout consortium that acquired Norwegian internet browser business Opera Ltd for $600 million in 2016. Founded in 2008 by Tsinghua University graduate Zhou Yahui, Kunlun also owns Qudian Inc, a Chinese consumer credit provider, and Xianlai Huyu, a Chinese mobile gaming company. A mysterious anti-North Korea group has claimed it carried out last month's raid on North Korea's Embassy in Spain and shared some information with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. A mysterious anti-North Korea group has claimed it carried out last month's raid on North Korea's Embassy in Spain and shared some information with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. On Feb. 22, a group of unidentified intruders broke into the North Korean Embassy in the Spanish capital, tied embassy staff up, searched the compound and ran away with computers and documents about four hours later, according to news reports. Spain has issued two international arrest warrants for members of the group, according to reports. On Tuesday, Free Joseon, a mysterious organization calling itself a provisional government representing North Korean people, claimed responsibility. Previously known as Cheollima Civil Defense, the group has widely been reported to be providing protection for Kim Han-sol, the son of Kim Jong-nam, the assassinated half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "This was not an attack. We responded to an urgent situation in the Madrid embassy. We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten," the group said in a statement posted on its website Tuesday evening (Coordinated Universal Time). "All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution," it said. The group also said "there were no other governments involved with or aware of" its activity "until after the event," yet claimed that some of the information it obtained was shared with the FBI. "The organization shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality," it said. "This information was shared voluntarily and on their request, not our own." The information was leaked to the press, it said, denouncing the leak as a profound betrayal of trust. "To share information that may help identify any of us who take risks to protect others is to aid and abet the regime in Pyongyang. The leaks and breaches of trust were abhorrent acts pursued in the name of political expediency, in service to a regime who has tortured and killed millions," it said. A court report on the Spanish investigation cited by media reports, however, indicated that the group first offered to share material and videos with federal investigators. The U.S. has denied any involvement in the incident. (Yonhap) Egyptian mediators rushed to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Hamas' supreme leader emerged from his hideout as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic militant group appeared to take hold. The Egyptian delegation sought to cement the truce that ended two days of heavy fighting between the bitter enemies. They face a key test on Saturday, when Hamas is planning a mass demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of weekly protests along the Israeli border. In a sign that both sides had stepped back from a major conflagration, Hamas' supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, made his first public appearance since violence with Israel erupted earlier this week. During times of fighting, Hamas leaders typically go underground, fearing assassination by Israel. Standing before the rubble of his Gaza City office, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, he declared that ``the Israeli occupation got the message.'' Haniyeh urged Palestinians to come out in force to the Saturday demonstration. The Israeli military bolstered its forces along the Gaza frontier in advance. Hamas has staged the protests in hopes of pressuring Israel and Egypt to ease a crippling blockade. The protests, however, have yielded few gains, and nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel accuses Hamas of using the demonstrations as cover for attacks, and says it is defending its border against crowds that have hurled flaming tires, grenades and other explosives at troops. But the military has come under heavy international criticism for using disproportionate force against large numbers of unarmed protesters. Economic incentives Palestinian media reported that the Egyptian mediators would offer Hamas economic incentives in exchange for its commitment to end the protests. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a teenage Palestinian medic was shot dead during clashes between Israeli troops and protesters. The Israeli army said it had responded to Palestinians who hurled blocks and firebombs at Israeli forces. The army released a video showing what it said was a medic who removed his uniform and joined a group of protesters throwing objects at troops. It was not clear if the video showed the same medic who was shot. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired early Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed back to Israel from a trip to Washington to deal with the crisis. Israel struck dozens of targets in Gaza, including Haniyeh's office. Gaza's Health Ministry said seven Palestinians were wounded in the airstrikes. Netanyahu faced the difficult task of delivering a tough blow to Hamas while avoiding protracted fighting that could work against him in next month's national elections. He has faced heavy criticism from both political allies and opponents for what they describe as his failure to contain and deter Gaza militants. Indirect talks Netanyahu has conducted indirect cease-fire talks through Egyptian mediators in recent months, and even allowed the delivery of millions of dollars of Qatari aid to Hamas to ease harsh conditions in the territory, which has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power. Hamas has recently faced rare demonstrations over its mismanagement of an economic crisis that has left Gaza with an unemployment rate above 50 percent. Hundreds of Gazans took part in the protests last week, and Hamas responded with a violent crackdown, beating and arresting dozens of demonstrators. The fighting in Gaza comes amid an uptick in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli soldiers shot dead 18-year-old paramedic Sajed Mizher while he tended to wounded Palestinians during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem early Wednesday. It said two others were wounded in the clashes. Fellow paramedic Abed Ghareeb said they were tending to a wounded protester when Mizher, who was wearing a paramedic vest, was shot by a sniper. The Israeli military said it responded to the violent protests with ``riot dispersal means,'' which usually refers to tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets. The World Health Organization condemned the killing of the Palestinian medic in uniform, saying, ``Health care is not a target.'' Israeli troops killed four Palestinians last week. That followed a weekend stabbing and shooting attack in which a Palestinian killed two Israelis near a West Bank settlement. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that it was time to rename Istanbul's landmark Hagia Sophia as a mosque, saying that it had been a "very big mistake" to convert it into a museum. "Hagia Sophia will not be called a museum. It will be taken out of that status. We will call Hagia Sophia a mosque," Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview. "Those who come to Hagia Sophia will visit Hagia Sophia mosque," he said. The former church and mosque, now a museum, often sparks tensions between Christians and Muslims over Islamic activities held there, including the reading of verses from the Quran or collective prayers. Its secular status allows believers of all faiths to meditate, reflect or simply enjoy the astonishing architecture of a building dating to the sixth century. Erdogan is campaigning for votes for his Justice and Development Party (AKP) ahead of municipal elections on March 31. The Turkish leader said the plan would be discussed after the elections. "We think the time has come to take such a step, given there is a demand" from the Turkish people, he said. Such a move is likely to anger Christians and raise tensions between historic foes Turkey and Greece, both NATO members. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited the Hagia Sophia in February. Asked about the criticism, Erdogan said: "There are attacks targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque," referring to the compound in Jerusalem known to Jews as the Temple Mount. "Those who remain silent on this cannot dare to give advice to us on [Hagia Sophia]," he added. Local and regional reactions are mixed over the recent U.S. decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Some say the move raises tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors, while others contend the move does not change the reality on the ground. The U.S. is the first country to recognize Golan as Israeli territory. The rest of the international community considers it Israeli-occupied. President Donald Trump said keeping the Golan Heights under Israeli control "is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and regional stability." The Golan Heights was captured from Syria in the Six-Day War in 1967, and Israel has controlled the strategic region ever since. "The U.S. decision is setting a dangerous precedent," said Ahmed Rahal, a former Syrian army general who currently is a military analyst based in Istanbul. "It's not only dangerous in the context of Arab-Israeli conflict, but also in the global context," Rahal told VOA. "Other countries will be more inclined to attack their neighbors, annex their territory and permanently claim their sovereignty over it, using the argument that America has legitimized this behavior in the case of Golan," he added. Other analysts, however, believe the U.S. move changes nothing on the ground because Israel has controlled the Golan Heights for more than four decades. "I don't think it will have a major impact on regional security," said Jonathan Spyer, a research associate at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies. "Israel's de facto control of the Golan is not in doubt, and there is no likelihood in the foreseeable future of any serious attempt by any force to change this situation." Some Israeli experts charge that the resource-rich region has been of strategic significance to Israel and has served as protection against Israeli foes in the region. "The Golan Heights is very important for us security-wise," said Yaakov Amidror, a former National Security Adviser in Israel. "It is a very important element in our ability to defend Israel. Without us being in the Golan [Heights], Hezbollah, the Iranian and Shi'ite militias in Syria could end up near the Sea of Galilee," Amidror, who also has served as a military officer in the Golan Heights, told VOA in a phone interview. He added that before Israeli forces took control of the region, it "was used by the Syrians to bomb Israeli settlements." Syria's claim Some experts say they believe the Golan issue will become central when a political solution is reached in Syria and the country comes out of the ongoing war. "When a democratically elected government comes to power in Syria, it could seek to retake the Golan from Israel," analyst Rahal said. "That's when a potential legal, political and possibly military conflict between Israel and Syria could arise." Amidror disagrees. "A regime change in Damascus would present a chance for Israel to have an agreement [with a new Syrian government] over the Golan Heights," he said, adding, "If there is a regime change in Syria, dialogue would be much easier." The Golan Heights is mostly populated with Druze, an Arabic-speaking minority, many of whom still have relatives on the Syrian side of the border. Protests Residents in the Druze village of Majdal Shams staged a protest this week to reject Trump's decision, chanting that the Golan was Syrian and waving Syrian and Druze flags. "We denounce Trump for gifting our Golan to Israel. The Golan is not a property of Trump or Israel. It is a Syrian land and will always belong to Syria," Sheikh Mahmoud Nazeeh, a Druze leader, told Syrian state television Wednesday. But given the volatile situation in Syria, many Druze residents of the Golan Heights seem supportive of preserving the status quo in their region. "Nobody can change the reality here," said Faiz Zahraddine, a 40-year-old resident of Ein Qiniya, a Druze village in the Golan Heights. "We have been living under Israeli rule for decades. We have established our lives and careers here. Many people don't want this to change." President Donald Trump and House Republicans stepped up their efforts to win congressional approval for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade accord on Tuesday, selling the plan as offering big benefits for American workers. But prospects remain uncertain as Democrats are in no hurry to secure a political victory for the president. GOP lawmakers emerged from a meeting with Trump and urged quick action on the trade agreement. Supporters in Congress and business groups say they have a narrow window to push it through, given that lawmakers tend to avoid tough trade votes during election season. There are a lot of big wins for American workers in this agreement, said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. We'd like to see it move through Congress as fast as possible and create even more jobs with this growing economy. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., the chairman of the House subcommittee that has jurisdiction over trade, said the pact needs adjustments to be worthy of support. Some Republican lawmakers also have concerns. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, maintains that the president should lift steel and aluminum tariffs on products brought in from Canada and Mexico as a first step to getting the trade agreement through Congress. Trump's top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, told lawmakers during a recent congressional hearing that if they don't pass the trade agreement, the United States will have no credibility at all with future trading partners, including China. There is no trade program in the United States if we don't pass USMCA. There just isn't one, Lighthizer said. The White House's legislative affairs team has talked to more than 290 members of Congress and staff over the past two months to push the deal. But the administration knows that making changes in the agreement to win over lawmakers could jeopardize support for the pact from Canada and Mexico. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told reporters recently that many in her state's agricultural community are still with the president, but if we don't get the trade deals done, they could turn quickly. She said, We need to start wrapping this baby up. The trade deal is designed to supplant the North American Free Trade Agreement , which took effect in 1994 and gradually eliminated tariffs on goods produced and traded within North America. U.S. trade with its NAFTA partners has more than tripled since the agreement took effect, and more rapidly than trade with the rest of the world. But Trump has called NAFTA a disaster for the United States. The new pact his administration negotiated is meant to increase manufacturing in the United States. Trump is warning that if lawmakers don't approve the pact, the U.S. may revert to what he has described as pre-NAFTA. Blumenauer is looking to make changes to the agreement in four areas: enhancing environmental and labor protections, ensuring enforcement of the agreement, and taking on protections for pharmaceutical companies that he believes drive up drug costs for consumers. I don't think anyone wants to blow it up, but there is interest in strengthening it, Blumenauer said. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, the ranking Republican on the trade subcommittee, said he believes the vast majority of Republicans will end up voting for the agreement. He's tried to assure Democratic colleagues that Republicans were open-minded to try and get some things done to address their concerns. Still, Republicans conceded that Democrats are in charge of the calendar. Ambassador Lighthizer has said legislation will be sent to the Hill when Speaker Pelosi gives the green light, said Rep. Kevin Brady, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. Those of us here today are continuing to work with Democrats to address any enforcement issues or any fine-tuning they'd like to see on this agreement, but we think it's crucial ... that we come together and pass this new agreement and get it to the president's desk this summer. Canadian officials have been lobbying the U.S. to end Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs and have suggested that approval by Canada's Parliament could be conditioned upon them being lifted. David MacNaughton, Ottawa's ambassador to Washington, has said it will be a tough sell to pass if the tariffs are still in place. Dan Ujczo, a trade lawyer and Canada-U.S. specialist in Columbus, Ohio, said the trade deal could pass relatively quickly once the tariffs are removed. But Scalise described the tariffs as helping to create more leverage to get a deal done. In Mexico, the administration of then-President Enrique Pena Nieto spearheaded Mexico's negotiations, but representatives of current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador were deeply involved in the talks to ensure an agreement that both the outgoing and incoming administrations could live with. Allies of Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, enjoy a large majority in the Mexican Senate, so passage of the agreement would seemingly go smoothly. Kenneth Smith Ramos, who was chief negotiator for Pena Nieto's government and now works as an international trade consultant at Mexico City-based AGON, said Mexican enthusiasm for the deal could dim though if there are significant new demands on labor, pharmaceuticals, the environment or other issues. We made some important concessions, he said, adding that if the U.S. still wants more, then that starts to unbalance the agreement and there may be a growing opposition in Mexico. The U.N. on Monday confirmed that 10 children were among at least 13 civilians killed in a recent U.S. military airstrike in northern Afghanistan. The U.S., which confirmed the killing of two U.S. service members, carried out an airstrike in the area, and accused the Taliban of using civilian areas as hideouts. The intensified violence in the country has had a toll on civilians. In 2018, civilian casualties hit a record high, within a period since the U.N. began keeping records. When three-year-old Moe Thin Wai Zan asks why her dad has to stay at the prison in Myanmars main city of Yangon, her mom tells her he is working there to provide for the family. Kyaw Soe Oo, a Reuters journalist who was arrested in late 2017 while reporting on the countrys Rohingya crisis, has been separated from his daughter for 15 months, more than a third of her young life. During that time his only contact with her has been at court appearances, where he learned to maneuver his handcuffs to steal brief hugs with her, and in a prison visiting room. But as she grows more aware of what is happening and questions why her father cant come home, prison visits have become distressing. As a result, Kyaw Soe Oos wife, Chit Su Win, has only brought her daughter to see him once in the past few months. Its really upsetting to see her when she cant bring him back home, she said. Kyaw Soe Oo and his colleague Wa Lone were sentenced to seven years in prison in September under the countrys official secrets act. The trial was widely seen as a sham intended to punish the pair for their work uncovering a massacre of 10 Rohingya men and boys in Rakhine state - and to act as a warning to other journalists. More than 730,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since the Myanmar military launched a crackdown in late 2017 that UN investigators said amounts to genocide. Both the military and the government have staunchly rejected those findings, arguing the attacks were legitimate counterinsurgency operations. The reporters lawyers on Tuesday began the final stages of the appeals process by presenting arguments to Myanmars supreme court in Naypyitaw, the capital city. They argue that there is no evidence of a crime, and that police entrapped the pair. Their appeal cites evidence from a police captain who testified that his superior ordered officers to trap Wa Lone by planting documents on him. A decision is expected next month. If the convictions are upheld there are two more stages in the appeals process that lawyers could pursue. Reuterss editor-in-chief, Stephen J Adler, said in a statement that the supreme court has an opportunity to correct a serious miscarriage of justice. If judges rule against them, the reporters last hope of being released soon is a presidential pardon. The men did not attend Tuesdays hearing, but their wives and daughters travelled from Yangon to be there. It was the first time Wa Lones seven-month-old daughter, Thet Htar Angel, had ever flown in a plane. Wa Lone was unable to support his wife, Pan Ei Mon, through most of the pregnancy and missed his daughters birth. Those are moments that we cant get back, Pan Ei Mon told VOA. He now sees his daughter once a month, she said, and each time he finds she has grown to look more and more like her father. On our last visit, when it was time to leave, the baby wouldnt let go of his hand, she added. Last week Kyaw Soe Oo celebrated his 29th birthday, but Chit Su Win was unable to see him as the prison was closed for a public holiday, she said. This is the second time Ive had to spend my birthday in prison, she recalls him saying on a previous visit. I keep telling him to keep it up, that he has his future and has his family, she said. When Moe Thin Wai Zan is old enough to understand, Chit Su Win looks forward to retiring the story about dads job at the prison and telling her daughter the truth. I will teach her to be proud of her father for what he has done, she said. "He stood up for the truth, he did nothing wrong." Than Ei lived in the Thilawa area near Yangon for years, growing vegetables in her backyard and sending her two children to school with money from her husband's construction job. Then came the government order to move. Than Ei's family was among 68 households relocated in 2013 to make way for the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the first such industrial area in Myanmar, about 23km (15 miles) southeast of Yangon. Authorities said each family would get a home a few miles away, or a plot of land and money to build a house, as well as jobs in the new factories, with good wages. But six years on, Than Ei and others who moved say their incomes are lower than before, and they have only limited access to services. Many families sold their homes and left the area after they ran out of money, Than Ei said. "There is no land to grow vegetables or to keep chickens, and we are not close to transport or the market anymore," Than Ei said outside her one-room home in Myaing Thar Yar village. "My husband only got a job as a security guard two years after (the move). We had to take out a loan until then, which we are still paying off." For developing nations like Myanmar - which emerged from decades of economic isolation in 2011 when the military stepped back from direct control - SEZs are seen as a way to attract much-needed foreign investment and create jobs. Authorities say Thilawa SEZ is being built according to international environmental and social safeguards, which includes getting the consent of residents and offering adequate compensation. But for those whose lives have been uprooted by the country's economic ambitions, the reality is different, said Mike Griffiths, a researcher at the Myanmar Social Policy and Poverty Research Group, a think tank based in Yangon. "They not only have lower levels of income, but are more likely to have higher expenditure, higher rates of debt and lower employment rates," he wrote in a report last year on the relocated households. "The picture is of extreme vulnerability." Risky Model The model for economic growth that Myanmar and other countries in the region hope to emulate is that of China, which in the 1980s set up about half a dozen major SEZs to boost its market reforms. Experts say SEZs have contributed significantly to China's economic growth, with the World Bank estimating in 2015 that they accounted for nearly a quarter of the country's GDP. Spurred by China's example, governments from sub-Saharan Africa to southeast Asia have adopted SEZs, but analysts say they have a mixed record of success. "The model has passed its use-by-date, and officials have been slow to catch on," said Charlie Thame, a professor of political science at Bangkok's Thammasat University. "Even from an economic point of view they are fraught with risk, mostly borne by host states." In poorer nations, SEZs "overwhelmingly fail to provide decent jobs or generate beneficial effects to local economies," he said, and domestic legislation and international investment frameworks largely fail to protect those affected. No Consultation When completed, the Thilawa SEZ will cover some 2,400 hectares (9 sq. miles) of land. Dozens of manufacturers, largely making goods for export, are already operating there. Thilawa is the only operational SEZ in the country, with the Dawei SEZ in the southern region of Tanintharyi on hold after some initial construction. A third SEZ is planned, with Chinese investment, in Kyauk Pyu in Rakhine state. The site in Thilawa had been earmarked for industrial use under the junta government in 1996, but the original plans fell through. When authorities announced the start of development for the SEZ six years ago, they said since the land already belonged to the government, villagers living on it were only eligible to be compensated for their crops. None of the residents made to move were consulted on the economic or social impacts of the development, said Mya Hlaing, a member of the Thilawa Social Development Group, which was set up to represent the villagers. "We were also promised training and jobs, but very few have got jobs - and even then, only as cleaners and security guards," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A spokesman for Myanmar Japan Thilawa Development, which operates Zone 1 of the SEZ, said the land acquisition was carried out by government authorities, and that those affected had been offered several job opportunities. Myanmar authorities did not respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment. Backlash About 600km away in southern Myanmar, development of the Dawei SEZ has been suspended since 2013, after it sparked community protests and hit funding difficulties. The project is a joint venture of the Thai and Myanmar governments, and includes a 140-km road to the Thai border, a port, a power plant, a reservoir and an industrial estate. Most residents affected by the initial phase of construction refused to move into the nearly 500 homes that had been built a couple of miles away. "We were not told what types of factories would be built or what their impact would be," said Mar Lar, who sold some of her land in the southern Htein Gyi village but still lives in her own home. Residents in Dawei fear construction on the stalled project will resume soon, even as a backlash against SEZs is growing. Protests broke out in Vietnam last year over planned new SEZs. In India, the Supreme Court has asked why land acquired for SEZs is not being used, and the Myanmar government has scaled back its Kyauk Pyu project with China over fears of a debt trap. But back in Thilawa, the second phase of construction is about to kick off and will see the relocation of more than 800 families, said Aye Khaing Win, a community leader. "The government says the SEZ has done many good things, but we have lost our land. We have not benefited," he said. The Republican-led Senate Tuesday night voted against consideration of the Democratically-supported New Green Deal -- the outline of an ambitious plan to get the U.S. off climate-changing fossil fuels. The vote was 57 to zero against the green proposal. Forty-three Democrats only said "present" when their names were called, refusing to participate in what they say was a Republican sham vote and stunt. The Green New Deal is a non-binding proposal to shift the United States away from oil, natural gas, and coal to renewable energy sources, including wind and solar power. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called it a "radical, top-down, socialist makeover of the entire U.S. economy," noting it would cost millions of jobs and sharply drive up energy prices. Other Republicans called it "ridiculous." Senator Mike Lee used drawings of dinosaurs and the cartoon character Aquaman riding a seahorse to treat the Green New Deal with what he mockingly called "the seriousness it deserves." Fuming Democrats accused the Republicans of turning the issue of the very survival of the planet into a joke. They say Republicans who turn debate over global warming into a game will pay a political price. New York Senator and presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand compared ridding the United States of its dependence on fossil fuels in the 21st century to America's ambitious plan nearly 60 years ago to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s a goal that was reached. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that burning fossil fuels is causing the globe to get unnaturally warmer and polls indicate many American voters are also worried about the consequences of climate change. The last time Charity Job saw her daughter, Awa, was on the morning of April 14, 2014, when the girl left for school in Chibok. Awa was among the 276 girls who were abducted later that day by Boko Haram, and one of the 112 still in captivity. "The insurgents came and took our children, including mine and those of my relatives from their school. Some of us developed high blood pressure and died as a result of the incident. We that survived, we have children. If I die, who will take care of them? Job explained. The Chibok mass abduction in 2014 triggered a global outcry and sparked the creation of the "Bring Back Our Girls Movement" (BBOG) in Nigeria. Today, parents of the girls, like Sule Kwari, still hope their children will return home one day. "We've been coming from time to time to search for our girls. Sometimes when we come, we have to wait for the sun to go down, some people faint from the heat and sometimes we go back very starved, Kwari said. Advocacy group BBOG says the government is not doing enough to ensure the release of the remaining girls. Although the group has been seeing fewer people at its rallies, coordinator Gapani Yanga says they will not relent until the government takes action. "Since the 106 girls were released, we have not heard anything from the federal government. Federal government has to stand up to their responsibility, Yanga said. In October 2016, Nigeria's government secured the safe release of some 21 girls. Another 82 were released in May 2017. Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative, says the committee is negotiating the release of more girls. "I'm sure very soon we'll reach a middle ground where some of the abductees will be released to their families and society at large, Abdulkadir said. In 2015, then-candidate Buhari promised the release of the abducted Chibok girls and others taken by Boko Haram would be his top priority. As the girls' abduction nears its fifth anniversary, advocates say it is time Buhari puts their rescue at the top of his agenda again. Nearly one in three people living in West and Central Africa fear losing their homes and land in the next five years, according to a survey of 33 countries, making it the region where people feel most insecure about their property. More than two in five respondents from Burkina Faso and Liberia worry their home could be taken away from them, revealed Prindex, a global property rights index which gauges citizens' views. In West Africa, "a history of governments and investors seizing land for large projects has made people more insecure," said Malcolm Childress, executive director of the Global Land Alliance, a Washington-based think tank that compiles the index. Insecurity can lead to people struggling to plan for their futures, holding back entire economies, Childress said. "In countries like Rwanda, however, which are mapping and registering customary land, that uncertainty is much lower," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that only 8 percent of the country's respondents feared losing their homes. In Southeast Asia and Latin America, which Childress said had strong institutions documenting land, only 21 percent and 19 percent of people, respectively, reported feeling insecure about their property. The survey, conducted by U.S. polling firm Gallup and launched in Washington, D.C., at a World Bank conference on Tuesday, is the largest ever effort documenting how secure people feel about their homes and land at a global level. A lack of formal documentation and poor implementation of land laws threaten tenure in many countries, experts say, with more than 5 billion people lacking proof of ownership, according to the Lima-based Institute for Liberty and Democracy. Survey respondents cited being asked by their landlord to leave the property as well as family disagreements as the main reasons for feeling insecure. The index also found that 12 percent more women than men felt they might lose their property in the event of divorce or death of a spouse. That gap shows "there is a long way to go in meeting the aspiration of equal economic rights for women worldwide," said Anna Locke from the Overseas Development Institute, a British think tank that is involved in the index. The survey for the first time sampled respondents in Britain, where 11 percent of people feared losing their home, mainly due to a lack of money or other resources. More than 50,000 people were questioned about ownership or tenure in 33 countries most of them from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Over the next year, the poll will be extended to 140 countries. Prindex is an initiative of the Omidyar Network with which the Thomson Reuters Foundation has a partnership on land rights coverage and the U.K.'s Department for International Development. A general view of North Korea's embassy in Madrid, Spain, seen in this March 13, 2019 photo. AP-Yonhap By Jung Da-min Free Joseon, which claimed responsibility for a recent raid on the North Korea Embassy in Madrid, Spain, said it shared some related information with the FBI, in a statement Tuesday. This indicates possible ties between the political group vowing to overthrow North Korea's Kim Jong-un regime and the U.S. agency. In March 2017, the group, then called Cheollima Civil Defense, was in the spotlight for its first online video featuring Kim Han-sol, the son of Kim Jong-nam who had been assassinated in Malaysia. The latest claim also supports allegations that U.S. authorities were involved in the rescue of Kim Han-sol and are currently protecting him. There are cautious predictions that the incident may have negatively affected the ongoing denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S. "The organization shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality," Free Joseon said in the latest statement. Pakistan said Wednesday it has sought more evidence from India to determine whether any Pakistani nationals had played a role in last month's deadly Kashmir bombing that pushed the nuclear-armed rival nations to the brink of war. New Delhi submitted its dossier of evidence to Islamabad a month ago, linking the Pakistan-based outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant organization to the Feb. 14 suicide car bomb attack in the Pulwama district. The blast killed more than 40 Indian security forces, making it the deadliest attack in the disputed Himalayan region, and dangerously escalating bilateral military tensions. "The government of Pakistan has shared preliminary findings with the government of India after examining the Indian report on the Pulwama incident," said a Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement. The information was shared with the Indian high commissioner, who was called to the ministry. The statement noted that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had offered cooperation in the investigation if India provided credible evidence. "Pakistan has acted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation. We do so in the interest of regional peace and security. We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward," it said. The ministry gave no further details, nor did it elaborate on the nature of information sought from India. The Indian dossier contained names of the JeM chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, and several of his associates, along with "specific details of JeM's complicity in the Pulwama terror attack and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan," according to officials in New Delhi. Sources privy to Pakistan's investigation into the dossier said it listed a "few telephone numbers and WhatsApp IDs," but those could not be linked to "the Pulwama incident." India has long accused Pakistan of harboring militants who stage cross-border attacks and fuel a Muslim insurgency in Kashmir charges Islamabad rejects. Cross-border raid Just days after the deadly Pulwama attack, New Delhi demanded Islamabad take action against the JeM leadership and vowed to punish the neighboring country. On Feb. 26, Indian fighter planes carried out a cross-border raid deep inside Pakistan against what it alleged were JeM training camps. Islamabad rejected the assertions as baseless and condemned the violation of its airspace by India. Pakistan undertook a retaliatory military action the following day, shooting down an Indian aircraft in a dogfight with Pakistani planes and capturing its pilot. Islamabad sent the Indian pilot back two days later, though the militaries of both countries have since routinely clashed along the Line of Control, which separates the Indian and Pakistani portions of Kashmir. The Pakistani response fueled fears that a wider conflict could erupt between the two countries, prompting major powers such as the United States, China, Russia and other regional countries to intervene and ease the tensions. Pakistani crackdown In recent days, Pakistan has intensified a crackdown against JeM and other militant groups outlawed by the United Nations and the United States. Pakistani authorities have seized hundreds of facilities, including education institutions and health care units run by militant groups, including JeM, that India blames for plotting cross-border attacks. Islamabad, however, insists the crackdown is not the outcome of any external pressure but an ongoing process as part of efforts to fight terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. More than a month after Indian planes carried out cross-border airstrikes, Pakistan's airspace remains blocked for flights to and from India. Pakistani officials cite the possibility of another "aggression" from the neighboring country for not opening the airspace. Both countries claim the disputed territory in its entirety and have fought two of three wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. The United States, Britain and France, together with India earlier this month, moved a resolution in the United Nations Security Council designating JeM chief Azhar a global terrorist. But Pakistan's close ally, China, blocked the move, saying it had conducted a "comprehensive and thorough evaluation" but still needed more time to consider the proposal. Beijing has previously prevented Azhar's placement on the list of global terrorists. Washington is said to have circulated Wednesday a new resolution, drafted with British and French support, to the 15-member UNSC to seek the blacklisting of Azhar. Health care has re-emerged as a major focus of U.S. political parties with the Trump administration advocating striking down the entire Affordable Care Act and Democrats introducing legislation to strengthen the law that has been in place since 2010. The Justice Department on Monday backed a federal court ruling declaring the entire ACA unconstitutional on the basis that without the fines for not having health insurance, which a Republican-led Congress passed last year, the mandate for having coverage should not be allowed. That went against the administration's earlier position that while some parts of the ACA should be struck down, not all of it should be thrown out. Trump told reporters Tuesday he wanted alternatives to the law, which was one of the chief policies enacted under his predecessor Barack Obama. "The Republican Party will become 'The Party of Healthcare!'" he wrote on Twitter. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer signaled his party is happy to take on the issue, especially following the end of the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump's campaign. Schumer said issues such as healthcare and climate change are much more important to voters. The issue was a key part of the party's 2018 congressional election strategy, which put Democrats back in control of the House of Representatives. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled Democratic proposals she says would improve upon the existing law, while accusing Republicans of working only to "destroy the affordable health care of America's families." The legislation would seek to make health insurance plans more affordable by boosting subsidies to lower-income households, provide more protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and boost outreach and enrollment efforts to help people better understand what insurance options exist for them. The legal battle over the existing law could end up at the Supreme Court, which previously upheld the individual mandate with its financial penalties as a legal tax Congress was allowed to impose. The five justices in the majority on that case remain on the court. Spain is seeking the extradition of as many as 10 people from the United States who burst into the North Korean embassy in Madrid last month and tried to pass stolen information to the FBI. A Spanish judge said he believes all 10 fled to the United States after the February 22 raid. He called them members of a criminal organization and accuses them of trespassing, burglary, assault, and threats. If extradited and convicted, those found guilty could face nearly 30 years in prison. The suspects call themselves Cheollima Civil Defense and describe the group as a human rights movement working to liberate North Korea. On its website, the organization classified its Madrid action as a response to an urgent situation. We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten. Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used. All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution, the group said without providing evidence. The groups origin remains largely a mystery, but first came to prominence following the death of Kim Jong Uns half brother, Kim Jong Nam. Cheollima posted a video of a young man claiming to be Kim Jong Nams son, Kim Han Sol. Whatever information was collected, the group allegedly then turned it over to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This information was shared voluntarily and on their request, not our own, the Cheollima statement read. An FBI statement neither confirmed nor denied the existence of an investigation in the matter, but noted it had a good working relationship with Spanish law enforcement. On Tuesday, the State Departments deputy spokesperson said Washington was not involved with the incident and "would always call for the protection of embassies belonging to any diplomatic mission throughout the world." As stories of the raid began appearing in media outlets across the globe, speculation arose over who may have coordinated the raid and if a foreign government played any role. According to Cheollima, There were no other governments involved with or aware of our activity until after the event. Seouls unification ministry said it had no information on the incident and could not confirm or provide any details about the February 22 event. A goal for a free North Korea On March 1, the 100th anniversary of the Korean independence movement, Cheollima Civil Defense released a statement on its website, declaring itself Free Joseon. WE DECLARE ON THIS DAY the establishment of Free Joseon, a provisional government preparing the foundations for a future nation built upon respect for principles of human rights and humanitarianism, holding sacred a manifest dignity for every woman, man, and child, the website read. The statement went on to add, We declare this entity the sole legitimate representative of the Korean people of the north. We rise against the criminal incumbents of the north, who have perpetuated vast crimes against humanity for decades. We dedicate ourselves completely to the abolition of this great evil, a stain on the very soul of humanity, the organizations website said. In its declaration, Cheollima called on like-minded individuals to join our revolution and those in North Korea to defy your oppressors. It also offered a warning to those engaging with Pyongyang, To those who would continue to legitimize and empower this regime: History will remember where you stood when you were offered this choice. Shrouded in mystery After Cheollima posted the video of Kim Han Sol, theres been significant interest in determining who the groups members are. Domestic and international journalists have repeatedly made inquiries, but they have gone unanswered. The group explains, Even beyond its borders, it (North Korea) will use assassinations, terrorism, and even weapons of mass destruction, to destroy any who might oppose or challenge their monopoly on power. We respectfully and sincerely ask that you do not enable or make it easier for the regimes death squads, who have already committed and continue to commit countless crimes against humanity, to threaten or harm our members and their families, the group said in a statement on its website. The statement added, The identification of even a single member could lead to the identities of others. Several of us have already escaped their attempts on our lives and that of our families. Many of our compatriots and their relatives have not been as fortunate. And any left surviving in concentration camps would surely face execution if the identities of their family members as dissidents were made known. While the group is distancing itself from the media at this juncture, it also says it wants to have a positive partnership with the media and will do so when it feels safe. Spain is seeking extradition from the United States as many as 10 people who burst into the North Korean embassy in Madrid last month and tried to pass stolen information to the FBI. A Spanish judge believes all 10 fled to the U.S. after the Feb. 22 raid. He calls them members of a criminal organization and accuses them of trespassing, burglary, assault, and threats. The leader of the group has been identified as Adrian Hong Chang a Mexican citizen who is a U.S. resident. Others in the group include American and South Korean citizens. The suspects call themselves Cheollima Civil Defense and describe the group as a human rights movement working to liberate North Korea. According to the Spanish court complaint, the 10 barged into the North Korean embassy in Madrid on Feb. 22, wearing full head masks and armed with knives and fake handguns. They allegedly tied up and gagged the staff while they took a North Korean diplomat into the embassy basement and tried to talk him into defecting. When the embassy official refused to go with them, they allegedly bound and gagged him too. Spanish police say an embassy employee managed to jump out of a window and alert officers. Hong Chang posed as a diplomat and assured police everything was fine. The group allegedly escaped with computers and hard drives in a stolen embassy car. Hong Chang is suspected of attempting to pass the material to the FBI when he arrived in the US. It is not known if the FBI took the stolen information. The FBI issued a statement saying "it is standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation." There have been no comments from the Spanish, South Korean, or North Korean governments. But a State Department spokesman said Tuesday the United States government had nothing to do with the raid. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is scheduled to discuss her governments foreign relations by video on a panel formed by the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. Diplomatic agreements between the United States and China prohibit formal, high-level Taiwan-U.S. encounters, and China is angered when it feels the United States is edging away from its deal. Yet the Taiwanese leader's participation comes as no surprise. Informal U.S.-Taiwan relations have reached new highs under President Donald Trump over the past two years, and hundreds of people in Congress, American think tanks and U.S.-based political action committees have been laying a foundation for that resurgence in relations. China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s and threatened to take it by force if needed. U.S.-based Taiwan advocates, American as well as Taiwanese, work daily with ideologically-motivated congress members to elevate Taiwan's relations with the United States despite opposition from China -- or because of it observers say. Ive never met a member of Congress who says I dont support Taiwan issues, said Coen Blaauw, executive director of the Washington-based Taiwan advocacy group Formosan Association for Public Relations. He traveled to Taipei this week for meetings with senior Taiwanese ruling party members. To sell Taiwan, he said, we have the product of Taiwan independence, self-determination, and add to that, that also anti-China sentiment at the moment in Washington D.C. is at an all-time high, Blaauw said. Whos elevating Taiwan Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party keeps a mission in the United States and gets additional backing from the Formosan Association for Public Affairs. At least two other groups act as political action committees to raise funds or push people in the U.S. government, said Huang Kwei-bo, vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi University. The advocacy groups work closely with U.S. Congress members who prefer Taiwan over China because its democratic like the United States. The Heritage Foundation, known for conservative public policy, is seen as particularly pro-Taiwan. One chief peer is the policy incubator Global Taiwan Institute. Think tanks invite powerful speakers to events and publish research such as freedom rankings. Congressional supporters For people in Congress, to suppress Chinas development, this is the main goal, and of course for those in office now, whether or not they have feelings for Taiwan, the historic record shows Taiwan is more friendly, Huang said. At least a half dozen U.S. senators and as many powerful people in the House of Representatives actively push for stronger U.S.-Taiwan ties now by introducing legislation or backing those bills in committee, Blaauw said. Congress approved last year a bill encouraging more high-level visits based on a proposal by Sen. Marco Rubio. Cory Gardner, chairman of a Senate subcommittee on East Asia relations, spearheaded 2018 legislation to let the U.S. government downgrade relations with foreign governments that break diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China. Steve Chabot, co-chairman of the House Congressional Taiwan Caucus, introduced a resolution last week challenging Beijings principle that it should rule Taiwan. Trump on board Some U.S. presidents prioritize relations with China because of its global economic weight, but they have all retained informal ties with Taiwan since Washington severed formal relations in 1979. Congressional bills and lobbying efforts are improving U.S.-Taiwan relations now because Trump supports the cause, said Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies political consultancy in New York. The government approved a $1.42 billion sale of advanced weapons to Taiwan in 2017, enraging Beijing. It has chastised China for poaching Taiwans diplomatic allies, King said. Trump and Tsai spoke by telephone in late 2016, after his election victory but before he took office. Some of Trumps aides also happen to like Taiwan. Before taking his current post, National security adviser John Bolton, argued for locating some U.S. troops from a Japanese base to Taiwan. U.S. governments consider Taiwan one in a chain of democratic friends in the Western Pacific. Scholars say Trump favors Taiwan to remind China of his countrys broader geopolitical influence. Beijing and Washington have been locked in a thorny trade dispute since early 2018. Tsai will probably praise more connectivity with the United States during this weeks panel discussion, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan. The U.S. public, media, academia and Congress have long been friendly toward Taiwan, King said. The difference now is the executive branch. It all starts and ends at the top. When it comes to Taiwan, (Trump) has so far been the strongest U.S. president in recent memory. Thailand's main anti-junta Pheu Thai party says it has joined forces with six smaller parties to claim a majority of seats in the lower house of parliament and form the next government. Sudarat Keyuraphan, Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate, announced the coalition Wednesday in Bangkok, claiming it had won at least 255 seats in the 500-seat chamber that were up for grabs in Sunday's general election. As of Monday, initial results from the vote counting showed Pheu Thai winning 137 seats versus 97 seats for the military-backed Phalang Pracharat party. But even if Pheu Thai holds on to its parliamentary majority after the final results become official, they may not be able to form a government under the country's new constitution, which was drafted by the ruling junta. Under the new charter, the unelected 250-member Senate, whose members are all appointed by the junta, will join the 500 elected members of the lower house to vote for the next prime minister. Phalang Pracharat has also claimed a mandate to form a new government, as the results showed it with a wide lead in the popular vote over Pheu Thai. Thailand's election commission has delayed announcing a full preliminary vote count until Friday, amid growing allegations of vote rigging and irregularities in the vote counting. The Asian Network for Free Elections issued a statement Tuesday saying the results were "deeply flawed," and that the commission's efforts have damaged the perceived integrity of the general election. The commission blames the confusing and contradictory results on human error. The Phalang Pracharat is led by army chief Prayut Chan-ocha, who has led the junta since ousting then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014, while the Pheu Thai is affiliated with Yinglucks brother, Thaksin, a telecommunications billionaire who was overthrown in a coup in 2006. Parties linked to Thaksin have won every general election 2001. Both Thaksin and Yingluck have both been living abroad in exile since the overthrow of their respective governments. The final results are not expected to be announced until May 9. U.S. President Donald Trump says Russia "has to get out" of Venezuela, following the recent arrival of Russian military personnel in the country. Trump made the comments as he spoke to reporters Wednesday at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido. VOA's Jeff Custer reports. U.S. President Donald Trump says Russia has to get out of Venezuela, following the recent arrival of Russian military personnel in that country. All options are open, Trump repeated several times in response to a reporters question on Wednesday about whether the United States is willing to put boots on the ground to remove the Russians. Trump added that Moscow is well aware of the U.S. stance. Trump spoke to reporters at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido. She went into the Oval Office following a meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. The United States views Russias arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation, Pence said alongside Rosales in the Roosevelt Room. We call on Russia today to cease all support of the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido, stand with nations across this hemisphere and across the world until freedom is restored. Russia rejected the U.S. declaration, saying its actions in Venezuela were lawful and agreed with the South American nation's legitimate government, the RIA news agency reported. The Kremlin declined to comment on reports it has deployed Russian servicemen to Venezuela. WATCH: Trump Calls on Russia to 'Get Out' of Venezuela Calls to protest The United States, along with dozens of other countries, have recognized Guaido as the country's interim president, while Russia has backed President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido, in Venezuela on Wednesday, called on supporters to protest Saturday against nationwide power outages. Maduro's cabinet ministers have accused the United States of sabotaging the electrical power grid, including a cyberattack on Venezuela's main hydroelectric dam. "Eighty percent of the population in Venezuela has no power," said Guaido's wife at the White House. "They are trying to break our morale. They want to submerge us in eternal darkness. But let me tell you that there is light, and the light is here." Humanitarian aid Efforts to move U.S. humanitarian aid into Venezuela from Colombia have not succeeded. "Maduro won't take aid," Trump said Wednesday in the Oval Office. "We've sent hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of aid to the border. He won't take the aid. He'd rather have his people starve than take the aid. I don't think that's good, even from a political standpoint, even from a dictator." Trump added that "this did not have to happen in Venezuela," blaming previous U.S. administrations for not solving the Venezuelan issue. "This is a tragedy." The president added that he had "inherited a mess" with Venezuela and other foreign policy matters. News reports say two Russian air force planes carried a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops on Saturday into the main airport in Caracas. "Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character," is how the Russian government-owned Sputnik news service characterized the flights, which it says carried officials to "exchange consultations." Greater risk Some analysts view Trump's rhetoric, combined with the presence of Russian forces in Venezuela, as heightening the risk of a confrontation there. "The Russians are seeking to project power close to the U.S., as they have done in the past, and also show solidarity and support for the Maduro regime," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a transnational think tank. "The U.S. knows that Russia can give Maduro some oxygen and breathing space but lacks the capacity or will to save Venezuela." But should Washington eventually pursue a military option in Venezuela, Shifter predicted, "the Russians would not be prepared to protect Maduro." Shifter told VOA it is the highest levels of Venezuela's military that are essentially sustaining Maduro's hold on power. "The Trump administration should focus on that challenge, not by issuing threats and ultimatums to the generals, which hasn't worked, but rather by trying to arrange and facilitate serious negotiations to strike a deal that would pave the way for a democratic transition," Shifter said. It's certain to be a complicated, difficult task, he added, "but without it, it is hard to have much confidence that the crisis can be resolved." As Ukraine's presidential election draws near, its ultranationalist groups are becoming increasingly visible, posing a dilemma for the West. Thousands of far-right activists marched to incumbent President Petro Poroshenko's administration headquarters earlier this month, chanting about alleged corruption and throwing funeral-style bouquets and toy pigs to symbolize the embezzlement of state funds. Ultranationalists have also gone to campaign rallies where they fight with police and heckle Poroshenko, who is running for a second five-year term in the March 31 presidential election. And earlier this month, the ambassadors of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations sent a letter to the Interior Ministry voicing concern about the ultra-right's assertive posturing ahead of Sunday's presidential vote. The protests reflect the growing presence of far-right groups in Ukraine and their power in shaping the nation's political agenda, leaving the West in a quandary. On the one hand, the ultranationalists have played a key role in fighting Russia-backed separatist rebels in the east and are now challenging government corruption. On the other, they are pushing with increasing boldness for changes that go against traditional democratic ideals. In a series of violent actions that underline their strength, right-wing radicals in recent years have assaulted gatherings by LGBT and women's rights activists, attacked Roma encampments around the country, derailed a lecture on the history of the Holocaust and brawled with pro-Russia veterans. The ultra-right groups also have a strict, military-style structure, and many of their members have battlefield experience from years of fighting in the east. While the far-right groups have so far failed to unite behind a single presidential candidate, they have gained growing clout, with the government reluctant to challenge them. Andriy Biletsky, the leader of the National Corps, one of the most visible ultra-right groups, predicted that the nationalists will become the backbone of civil defense in Ukraine. Andriy Yermolayev, the head of the New Ukraine independent think tank, said the government in the past had turned a blind eye to the rise of nationalist groups, using them as a scare tactic. He added that now the ultra-right has turned on the authorities. The well-organized and aggressive nationalism in Ukraine is a child of the government, Yermolayev said. The government has lost control over radical nationalists. Poroshenko has lost that game. The government has also been beset by allegations of corruption, after a journalistic investigation linked Poroshenko's top associate and an arms factory he controls to alleged embezzlement in the defense sector. The president denied any wrongdoing and ordered an official probe into the claims. The country's ultranationalist groups came to the fore in 2014, when they spearheaded massive street protests that led to the ouster of Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych. Russia responded by annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backing separatists in the east, moves that drew Western sanctions. Thousands of Ukrainian nationalists then headed to the east, forming volunteer battalions that served as a vanguard for the Ukrainian forces in the rebel regions. Since then, the influence of nationalist groups has steadily grown, driven by public dismay over the country's economic woes and rampant corruption. Mostly teenage members of the ultra-right groups have followed the guidance of war veterans, practicing martial arts and learning how to handle weapons. The number of ultra-nationalists is estimated at about 10,000, and they can quickly take thousands to the streets and resort to violence. They have undergone organizational, military and ideological training, Yermolayev said. They are strongly motivated and active. Torch-bearing ultra-right activists regularly march to the beat of drums across the downtown Ukrainian capital, chanting "Death to Traitors of Ukraine! During one scuffle at the memorial to a Red Army general killed in WW II, an elderly woman approached a group of radical nationalists shouting ``Hang the Russians! and defied them, saying: ``I'm Russian, hang me! One of the right-wingers, Kiryl Nedin, pushed her back and was briefly detained for resisting police. At one demonstration, Yevhen Karas, the leader of C14, a highly visible nationalist group, boasted of the growing power of the ultra-right. Of all the political parties in Ukraine, I think, no one (except us) can gather so many people, who sincerely and regularly will come to protests and actions, he said. International human rights groups have strongly criticized the Ukrainian government for failing to track down and punish those responsible for the acts of violence and intimidation. The government has promised to rein in the ultranationalists, but has taken no action. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the right-wing organizations will be stopped. They all know it very well, he said. And... there will be no amnesty for them. The Ukrainian ultra-right argues that the nationalist ideology will eventually prevail not only in Ukraine but across Europe as well. A growing nationalist wave has taken hold in Europe, with populist governments in countries like Hungary and Poland and an increased presence of the far-right Alternative for Germany party in Germany's politics. Miroslav Mares, an expert on right-wing extremist groups at Brno University, said Ukraine's far right has been successful in reaching out to ultranationalist forces in Europe. They have good relations to some neo-Nazi groupings in Central and Eastern Europe, Mares said. He added that early in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, some members of Europe's neo-Nazi groups trained and fought with the Azov Battalion, a Ukrainian ultra-right paramilitary group created by Biletsky that advocated white supremacist views. The Ukrainian far right also appears to have ties in other countries. Australian Brenton Tarrant, accused of slaughtering 50 people at two mosques in the city of Christchurch in New Zealand, mentioned a visit to Ukraine in his manifesto, and some reports alleged that he had contacts with the ultra-right. The Soufan Center, a research group specializing on security, has recently alleged possible links between Tarrant and the Azov Battalion. Yermolayev, the political analyst, noted that a violent image projected by Ukrainian nationalists could serve as an argument for those in the European Union who are reluctant about putting Ukraine on a membership track any time soon. How can you integrate a country plagued not only by corruption but also nationalism? he said. The U.N. refugee agency is appealing for $184 million to support its life-saving operations for nearly a half-million Cameroonians displaced inside their country and as refugees in Nigeria. Violent clashes between the Cameroonian military and armed separatists in the English-speaking parts of the country have intensified during the past year. The U.N. refugee agency estimates more than 437,000 Cameroonians are internally displaced and more than 35,000 others have fled to Nigeria in search of refuge. The UNHCR said most of the victims are women and children who have fled their homes with very little, and they often arrive in impoverished host communities where food, health, education, water and sanitation are scarce. UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch tells VOA that violence is forcing civilians caught in the crossfire to flee for their lives. Civilians have suffered immensely and also burning of houses, torture, rape, kidnapping of school children in this region is a great concern for us," Balock said. "And, in terms of burning houses, we have reports that in over 172 villages in these regions, houses have been burned or destroyed. Baloch said the UNHCR, which he said is severely underfunded and unable to meet the growing needs, urgently needs $35 million to provide critical aid for the hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Inside Cameroon, he said many people are living in overcrowded conditions, without proper shelter or health and sanitation. He said the UNHCR does not have enough money to protect the affected population. That has put the safety of women, children, and people with disabilities, as well as lactating and pregnant women, at risk, he said. Baloch said refugees in Nigeria are living in more than 47 villages along the border in makeshift settlements and are dependent upon humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Choi Young-ae, fourth from left in the front row, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea chairwoman, poses with ambassadors to Korea and the representatives from the United Nations during a meeting on anti-hatred and discrimination at Lotte Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Choi introduced the commission's efforts against hatred, and the participants discussed cooperation to fight discrimination. / Yonhap A New York suburb has banned children not vaccinated against measles from public spaces, such as schools and shopping malls, as it fights the state's worst outbreak in decades of the potentially deadly disease. Rockland County declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and said the ban would remain in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated children get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot. The Rockland announcement follows measles outbreaks in California, Illinois, Texas and Washington and is part of a global resurgence of the viral infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk," County Executive Ed Day said in a statement. "This is a public health crisis, and it is time to sound the alarm." There have been 153 confirmed cases of measles in Rockland County, about 11 miles (18 km) north of Manhattan, mostly among children who have not been vaccinated. The ban begins at midnight after which unvaccinated children will not be permitted in locations such as places of worship, schools and shopping malls. Outdoor spaces like playgrounds are excluded from the ban. People medically unable to get vaccinated are exempt. The outbreak began when a traveler visited Israel and returned to a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Rockland County. There have also been at least 181 confirmed cases of measles in the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens since October, mostly among Orthodox Jews, according to the city's health department. The New York and Washington outbreaks began after U.S. travelers picked up measles in foreign countries, where the disease was running rampant, and brought it back to places where vaccination rates were too low by U.S. public health standards. The disease has spread mostly among school-age children whose parents declined to get them vaccinated, citing reasons such as philosophical or religious beliefs, or concerns the MMR vaccine could cause autism, authorities said. Large scientific studies have demonstrated that there is no link between vaccines and autism. Officials say the measles outbreaks offer a lesson about the importance of maintaining a minimum 95 percent "herd" level of immunization against dangerous, preventable diseases such as measles. Rates as low as 60 percent were found in parts of New York where measles spread, State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in February. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will significantly change its oversight approach to air safety by July, a U.S. transport department official said on Tuesday, following two fatal Boeing MAX 737 plane crashes. U.S. Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel disclosed the plan in written testimony ahead of a U.S. Senate panel hearing on Wednesday. The aviation industry has been thrown into flux by the two disasters a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October that killed 189 and an Ethiopian Airlines one this month that killed 157 both involving Boeing's 737 MAX single-aisle plane. The jet, Boeing's best-selling with orders worth more than $500 billion at list prices, has been grounded globally. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell will tell Wednesday's Senate Commerce subcommittee that the agency's oversight approach must "evolve" following the crashes, according to written testimony viewed by Reuters. He will also say that the 737 MAX will return to service "only when the FAA's analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate." The MAX software is among the leading areas of focus for investigations into the two crashes. Elwell's testimony discloses that Boeing first submitted a proposed upgrade to its anti-stall software to the FAA for certification on Jan. 21. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment but is expected as early as Wednesday to unveil more details of the software upgrade. Elwell will tell the panel that the FAA "will go wherever the facts lead us, in the interest of safety." Boeing is this week briefing airlines on software and training updates for the MAX, with more than 200 global airline pilots, technical experts and regulators due in Renton, Washington, where the plane is built. As well as FAA approval, any MAX software fixes will need a green light from governments around the world, a process that could take months. China's civil aviation regulator has stopped taking applications for MAX 8 airworthiness certification, an official from the regulator said on Tuesday. Ethiopian report expected On Tuesday, a spokesman for Ethiopia's transport ministry, which is leading the investigation in Addis Ababa into the March 10 crash, told Reuters the preliminary crash report would very likely be released this week, though he cautioned "there could be unpredictable things" and declined to give further details. The statement came a day after Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Tewolde Gebremariam said he expected the preliminary report "maybe" to be released this week or next. The airline subsequently issued a statement denying the CEO had commented on the timing of the report's release. "We want to make clear to the world that we have no mandate to comment on the investigation," it said. Separately on Tuesday, families and friends grieving the victims of the Ethiopian disaster held a tearful ceremony in Addis Ababa to unveil a plaque and plant an olive tree with soil from the crash site. The initial report from the investigation will begin to paint a more detailed picture of what went wrong during flight ET 302's six minutes in the air likely with huge consequences for the plane's manufacturer, the airline, or both. Ethiopian Airlines is a symbol of immense national pride for the country of more than 100 million people. Its success over the past decade in particular, as it has grown its Boeing-dominated fleet substantially, is emblematic of Ethiopia's ambitions: to be a regional powerhouse with an Asia-style economic development model. The country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who took office a year ago and announced sweeping economic and political reforms, has said he wants to open Ethiopian Airlines up to foreign investment as part of a partial privatization scheme for state-owned enterprises. All of that could hinge on what the investigation reveals. Most crash investigations end up pinpointing a combination of factors. Software upgrades Boeing's software fix for the grounded 737 MAX will prevent repeated operation of an anti-stall system at the center of safety concerns, and deactivate it altogether if two sensors disagree widely, two people familiar with pilot briefings told Reuters on Monday. Upgrading an individual 737 MAX with Boeing's new software only takes about an hour per plane, though the overall process could stretch on far longer as it is rolled out across the global fleet due to stringent testing and documentation requirements by engineers and regulators, according to a senior FAA official with knowledge of the process. Ethiopian and French investigators have pointed to "clear similarities" between the two crashes, putting pressure on Boeing and U.S. regulators to come up with an adequate fix. Boeing shares were down 0.5 percent at $368.71 on Tuesday, having lost about 12 percent and $29 billion in market value since the March 10 crash. In another potential blow to Boeing, France announced on Monday that Airbus had agreed to sell 300 aircraft to China in a deal worth about is 30 billion euros ($34 billion). Such headline figures surrounding state visits typically mask a mixture of old and new business, but the deal signals China's return to the global aircraft market after a pause of around a year due to trade tensions, industry sources said. U.S. labor officials on Tuesday pressed lawmakers to strengthen enforcement of the provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) intended to protect workers, the latest sign that the trade deal could face hurdles to passage in the Democrat-led House of Representatives. Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was one of President Donald Trump's campaign promises and part of his broader push for better terms of trade for the United States. He has said that bad deals have cost millions of jobs. Representatives from some of the largest and most influential unions in the United States told lawmakers on Tuesday that the reworked pact does not go far enough to ensure improvement of wages and working conditions, especially for Mexican workers. "All the NAFTA renegotiation efforts in the world will not create U.S. jobs, raise U.S. wages or reduce the U.S. trade deficit if the new rules do not include clear, strong and effective labor rules that require Mexico to abandon its low wage policy," Celeste Drake of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations said at a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing. In late 2018, the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada signed the deal to replace NAFTA, but it has yet to be reviewed and ratified by Congress. Trade among the three countries totals more than $1 trillion. Democrats, who took control of the House of Representatives in January, have traditionally been skeptical of free trade agreements and sympathetic to labor groups. Their support is essential to USMCA's passage. USMCA requires its three signatories to maintain labor laws in line with international standards, and to enforce them. But critics have called the agreement's enforcement mechanism insufficient, saying it will still allow weak unions and resulting low wages in Mexico, while failing to stanch the flight of U.S. factories to lower-cost Mexico. NAFTA, launched in 1994, put labor provisions in an unenforceable addendum to the agreement, allowing Mexican wages to stagnate despite a flood of factory investment from U.S. companies. "The (USMCA) labor chapter is an improvement. The problem is the enforceability mechanism," said Shane Larson, a director with the Communications Workers of America, advocating for reopening the agreement. Autoworkers, too, are concerned about the new agreement, despite provisions aimed at requiring more vehicle value content produced in North America and in high-wage areas in the United States and Canada. USMCA "takes some positive steps but doesn't measure up to being able to make more good-paying jobs now and going forward," said Josh Nassar, legislative director of the United Auto Workers union. The imposition of NAFTA led to decades of lost jobs for autoworkers, who watched U.S. factories close as manufacturers moved production to Mexico. House Democrats have greeted USMCA coolly, telling U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer earlier this month about their concerns about labor enforcement and provisions that could lock in higher drug prices. "This agreement is a continuation of the assault on the American middle class," Brian Higgins, a Democratic representative from New York, said on Tuesday at the hearing. The Trump administration is lobbying to persuade Congress to ratify USMCA this year. Trump visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with Senate Republicans, and discussed the trade pact with House Republicans later in the afternoon. North Korea continues to pose a nuclear threat to the United States and its allies, the commander of U.S. forces in South Korea told a congressional panel Wednesday. Gen. Robert Abrams said Pyongyang's production of nuclear weapons materials and missiles are "inconsistent with" the pledge of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to denuclearize. "Despite a reduction in tensions along the demilitarized zone and a cessation of strategic provocations coupled with public statements of intent to denuclearize, little to no verifiable change has occurred to North Korea's military capabilities," Abrams told lawmakers. "These capabilities continue to hold the United States, South Korea and our regional allies at risk," he said. Abrams told the House Armed Services Committee he could not comment in open session about commercial satellite photos seeming to show increased North Korean activity at weapons production sites. But he said, "Their activity we have observed is inconsistent with denuclearization." Kim told U.S. President Donald Trump last June at a summit in Singapore that he would work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Trump returned to Washington and declared, "Just landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea." But since then, there has been little progress toward a deal detailing when and how North Korea would destroy its nuclear arsenal. A second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi a month ago ended without a further agreement. Abrams said he believes it is necessary to maintain a "postured and ready force to deter any possible aggressive actions." The United States has said it will not accept a gradual denuclearization of North Korea in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Some beach resorts are ready to throw in the towel. After an unusually large turnout of college and university students to celebrate spring break an annual event in which young people arrive in droves on beaches along the warm southern coasts of the United States locals and law enforcement are worn out. "Our city has seven miles of beautiful, pristine, sugar-sand beaches. But during spring break, a small area got a little too rowdy," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. "People were fighting. We thought it was unsafe. ... Some of the fights seem scripted." Video of a swimsuit fistfight between a young woman and man circulated widely on social media. In a tragic accident, a young woman leaning out of a car window for a selfie was ejected onto the highway, struck by a car and died. Officials called for reinforcements. "We saw an increase of 33 percent in larger crowds," explained Officer Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department. "We requested the assistance of outside agencies within Miami Dade County to assist us. Beach resorts like those in the southern state of Florida which offer about 2,172 kilometers of sunny and warm coastline traditionally scoop up millions of dollars each year from college students visiting from colder and cloudier regions on spring break. In exchange, the beach towns typically receive hordes of young people who maraud through their vacation, fueled by excessive alcohol, brain-altering substances, hormones and money: Think daytime fraternity parties and bikinis on the beach. This year, some municipalities found the crush of young people overwhelming. It began March 17 on the St. Patrick's Day holiday, an American celebration punctuated by faux-Irish drunkenness. "The majority of folks are here to have a good time," Rodriguez said. "There's always a handful of folks who make poor choices." Miami Beach spent more than $33,000 to publicize this message to visitors: "Come for vacation. Dont go home on probation. Crime and debauchery generally means drunk and disorderly. If someone is arrested, they are brought to a detention center until they can see a judge, possibly after an overnight stay in jail, Rodriguez explained. Police say they try to be patient as they wade through crowds of inebriated and barely clad young men and women, giving students an opportunity to voluntarily dispose of their illegally consumed alcohol. If they don't, officers enforce local ordinances against open containers and smoking marijuana on the beach, Gelber said. For decades, beach towns in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas and Mexico have hosted students seeking a break from the relentless dull of winter and midterm examinations. Older adults who cluck their tongues at todays unruly youth might watch the 1960 film, Where the Boys Are, in which four pale Midwesterners spend the week in Fort Lauderdale, where one is raped and later hit by a car as she stumbles down a busy roadway in despair. "We are a city with amazing beaches, amazing restaurants and great cultural venues," Gelber said. "There are a million different ways to have a great time without doing something stupid or illegal." Joshua Caraway, 19, from Atlanta, Georgia, made news in a different way. He was filmed cleaning up the beach. Police responded quickly and thanked him for his efforts. Want to share your Spring Break experiences with us? Share your comments here, and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. More power outages hit Venezuela on Wednesday after the nation's worst blackouts earlier this month, knocking out water pumps and forcing some Caracas residents to spend hours searching for bottled water in the few shops that were open or to fill up containers at springs in the city's hills. Frustrated Venezuelans wondered how long they would have to endure the new outages, which started Monday and again shut down schools, offices and factories in a country whose economy has been shrinking for years despite its oil wealth. The power crisis has sharpened a political struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who urged supporters to protest as a response to Venezuela's deteriorating infrastructure. "We can't be passive," said Guaido, who announced a protest campaign titled "Operation Liberty" that includes planned demonstrations on Saturday and on April 6. On Wednesday morning, a new disruption to the power grid left 91 percent of the country offline, reversing a "partial recovery" since the start of the latest nationwide blackouts, according to Netblocks, a group that monitors internet censorship.By afternoon, the flow of power remained erratic, returning in some areas only to go off again in a pattern that is now familiar. "It comes and goes. Last night it came back at ten o'clock at night and at five o'clock in the morning it left again. It hasn't come back since," said Luis Jose Vargas, a 48-year-old baker carrying a container of water filled from a brook. "With water," Vargas said, "it's the same." Nancy Villasinda, another Caracas resident, said she spent more than four hours trying in vain to find a shop selling water. The government had said city water pumps were starting to work again, but then another power cut hit, Villasinda said. "I suppose that's why we still don't have water," she said. Maduro's government said schools and state offices and industries were closed Wednesday as workers tried to restore electricity. Few shops in Caracas, the capital, were open and many streets were clear of the usual weekday traffic. After the last blackouts started on March 7, the situation became increasingly desperate for many Venezuelans when water pumps stopped working without power. Looters ransacked hundreds of businesses in the city of Maracaibo. The blackouts eased nearly a week later, but many areas only had intermittent power even after the government said the problem was solved. Maduro, who is backed by Russia, says he is the target of a U.S.-led coup plot and accuses the U.S. and the Venezuelan opposition of sabotaging the country's decrepit power system. U.S. officials and Guaido say the accusation is an attempt to divert attention from the government's mismanagement over many years. The United States was the first nation to recognize Guaido as interim president, asserting that Maduro's re-election last year was illegitimate, and has stepped up sanctions and other diplomatic measures in hopes of forcing him to give up power. On Wednesday, Guaido's wife was welcomed at the White House as part of a tour to rally international support for the Venezuelan opposition. "We are with Venezuela," President Donald Trump said at the start of a meeting with Rosales and other opposition figures. "What's happening there should not be happening." The founder and all-female editorial board of the Vatican's women's magazine have resigned to protest what they call a campaign to discredit them and put them under the direct control of men. The editorial committee of Women Church World, a monthly supplement to the Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano, claims the daily's new editor has sabotaged the magazine after it denounced sexual abuse of nuns by the clergy. VOA's Zlatica Hoke has more. Forty years after the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, John Garver can still recall the smell and the metallic taste in his mouth. "It's time to shut it down," said Garver, who was a 40-year-old salesman when the accident occurred on March 28, 1979, and is now retired and near 80. "I was against it from the beginning," said Garver, who works part time at the Middletown boat club on the banks of the Susquehanna River. "I'm against it now and I was hoping in my lifetime that it will close down," he added, gazing from beneath a worn red fisherman's cap at the giant cooling towers spitting out vapor into a cloudless sky. "Maybe I'll get my wish." He just might. The owner of Three Mile Island, Exelon Generation, has announced plans to shut down the money-losing facility on Sept. 30. Pennsylvania lawmakers are working on a rescue plan, however, to try to save the plant and the hundreds of jobs it provides. About 40 percent of the electricity in the eastern U.S. state is generated by nuclear power facilities. The 1979 meltdown at Three Mile Island remains the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history although it pales in comparison to the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima in 1989 and 2011, respectively. No one died or even seriously injured at Three Mile Island, but the accident sparked nationwide concern about the safety of nuclear power and put the brakes on construction of new reactors. Garver was among the more than 140,000 people who evacuated the surrounding area following the partial core meltdown at Three Mile Island. "We went away for two days," he said. "After they said everything is OK now, we came back. "We were told to go inside, pull the blinds and close the door," he said. "The radiation won't bother you that way, they said." 'Ghost town' Frank Waple, 58, the chief operator of the control room at Three Mile Island, doesn't agree with those who want to shut the facility down. "It would definitely have a large effect on the economy of the area," Waple said, warning that Middletown would risk becoming a "ghost town." "The township gets a tremendous amount of taxes from the plant," he said of Middletown, where many front lawns display signs reading "Nuclear Powers Pennsylvania." "The plant also gives money to senior centers, youth groups, libraries, bookmobiles, fire departments," Waple said. "They are constantly engaged out in the public and supporting it." Waple, who has spent his whole career at Three Mile Island, said it might also be difficult to find another job. "When you get to be close to 60 in this game, it's hard to go to another plant," he said. Waple is close to retirement, but that is not an option for Nathan Grove, 37, an electrician at Three Mile Island. "I'm a single dad," Grove said. To "just stop and transplant would be difficult. "I'm not going to go away from my daughter. She's everything to me," he said. Fighting back his emotions, Grove said he would "push the fight to keep us open" and "make sure people understand the benefits that nuclear brings to the environment." "Nuclear is one of the best ways to help keep the air clean," he said. "People are starting to hear it, but it's difficult. "I think there's a stigma attached," he said. 'The world changes' Speaking to AFP in nearby Harrisburg, the state capital, Eric Epstein, chairman of the watchdog group TMI Alert, brushes aside the arguments for keeping Three Mile Island open. "It's an aging plant," said Epstein, who was speaking near the state legislature building where Three Mile Island's fate will be decided. "It's time to shut it down. It can't compete," he said. "We don't have to keep bailing out a failing industry. It makes no sense." Epstein said Exelon, Three Mile Island's owner, would be able to relocate many of the current employees or put them to work cleaning up the plant. "That is a charade, to say the jobs will be lost," he said. "The world changes," he added. "Life goes on." Back at the Middletown boat club, Garver agreed it is time to turn the page on Three Mile Island, which he said may have been responsible for the cancer death of his aunt. "Who knows?" he said, puffing on a cigarette. While Garver tries to put it behind him, the terrifying events of four decades ago seem to pursue him. Earlier this week, Garver arrived home to find the movie The China Syndrome playing on television. The movie starring Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, in a story about safety dangers at a nuclear power plant, hit theaters around the country just weeks before the Three Mile Island accident. Zimbabwe's government said Tuesday that the number of deaths related to Cyclone Idai has topped 180. The number could go higher, as authorities are still trying to determine how many are missing following last week's rains. Addressing visiting United Nations officials in the most affected area in Zimbabwe, Llyod Kasima, the acting district administrator for Chimanimani, said Cyclone Idai deaths now stand at 181. He said authorities are still trying to figure out how many people are missing. Traditionally, we used to receive some minor rainfalls, and we used to manage that and control. But this disaster was too much for us, was too big, Kasima said. The rivers flooded, creating new streams. In the process, some people were swept away, some died and so far, some are not known where they are. Kasima said the situation has been made worse by power outages, which has hampered communication, and flooding that cut off streets and highways. The Britain-based charity Save The Children is trying to determine how many of the missing are children. Right now, the actual number of children who have been affected is not known because the statistics are difficult to come by, said Sophie Hamandishe, the organization's spokeswoman in Zimbabwe. We do not even know how many children are missing because we have statistics coming from different areas and some are conflicting. The major challenge that we are having is accessing people who need the much-needed aid that we want to deliver. The areas are inaccessible. She said once all roads become accessible, statistics would be available of who was actually affected. The Zimbabwean government Tuesday said more than 40,000 people had been left food insecure by Cyclone Idai, while more than 7,000 had their homes destroyed. The crisis in Sudan and turmoil in other parts of the Africa region have sent thousands of refugees fleeing their homelands in the hope of finding better lives for themselves and their children. Many are fleeing to Egypt, where Edward Yeranian reports the influx is causing a strain on resources. By Kang Seung-woo Cho Hyun-ah, a disgraced former Korean Air vice president, has been accused of repeatedly assaulting her husband, according to police, Wednesday. Cho Hyun-ah Her husband surnamed Park filed a complaint against Cho, Tuesday, on multiple counts, including committing acts of violence against him and abusing their twin sons, the Suseo Police Station said. The two, who married in 2010, have been undergoing divorce proceedings since Park filed for this in last April. At the time he cited Cho's verbal and physical abuse as the cause for their divorce, and now he is demanding punishment for her acts. He is also claiming custody of their children. Park submitted pictures and video footage showing scars on his body, caused by Cho's multiple assaults, as evidence. Complex volcano 1185 m (3,888 ft)Halmahera, Indonesien, 1.68N / 127.88E(4 out of 5)1933-ongoing (as of 2014), 1868(?), 1719, 1550Explosive and effusive (lava flows)(17-day volcano trekking tour to the Molucca Sea: N-Sulawesi, Karangetang and Halmahera) If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Learn about the process of breaking up continents along continental rift zones. Kilauea is the most active volcano on earth, in constant eruption since 1983! Did you know that there are at least 15 active volcanoes in China? The last eruption was from the Kunlun volcano in 1951. The most recent eruption of famous Mt Bromo volcano in East Java, Indonesia. Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. Improved multilanguage support Tsunami alerts Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Detailed quake stats Additional seismic data sources Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: By Kang Seung-woo A hiring scandal at the nation's major mobile carrier KT, which includes a daughter of a high-profile opposition lawmaker, is escalating as the prosecution is digging deeper to summon its former head. former KT Chairman Lee Suk-chae By Kim Jae-heun Seoul's annual, Bamdokkaebi Night Market, has grown in size and diversity this year. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it will operate the market every Friday to Sunday from April 5 to Oct. 27. This year, the night markets in Yeouido, Banpo and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) will open on April 5 and then Cheonggye Stream a day later. The market at Oil Tank Culture Park will open in May. Seoul City is also planning a Christmas Market in December at those locations. Some 190 food trucks and 360 handicraft merchandisers will participate in the night event and citizens will be able to use credit cards to pay for purchases. The city government encourages people to use "Zero Pay," a mobile QR code-based payment system, and those using it will receive 1,000-won worth of points in return. Each night market venue has its own concept including "world night market" on Yeouido, "romantic moonlight market" in Banpo, "youth runway market" in DDP and and "time tour market" at Cheonggye Stream. They will host various attractions from traditional performances to magic shows and street busking. In Korean folklore, "bamdokkaebi" is a goblin-like creature that appears only at night. The local government named the weekend night markets after the mythical creature. Last year, Seoul City earned 11.7 billion won in sales with the markets featuring 189 food trucks and 317 teams of small business. The markets may be closed if there is rain or heavy fine dust, so citizens are advised to check the schedule before visiting at or , the city government said. By Park Ji-won Rep. Lee Un-ju of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP) may face punitive measures from her party for making slanderous remarks against party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu. Several BMP members and chiefs of BMP's regional branches have referred Lee to the party's ethics committee, demanding disciplinary measures including expulsion from the party, the party said Wednesday. The move came after Lee openly criticized Sohn in a YouTube clip released on March 20 over his campaign strategies concerning a by-election in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. "He is so stubborn that anyone talking to him may feel like they're talking to a wall," she said. "He is acting like a loser." Her comments triggered a backlash from Sohn's aides and party officials. Seven party members including Jung Chan-taek, chief of the party's Yeongdeungpo branch, issued a statement in response. "Publicly ridiculing the party chief is tantamount to jeopardizing the people of Korea. She deserves criticism, and harsh disciplinary measures," it said. "Lee should take responsibility for her behavior. We urge her to give up her seat and leave the party." There have been rumors that Lee, an ardent critic of President Moon Jae-in, may defect to the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP). In December, Lee even participated in an LKP meeting without the knowledge of party leadership, and Sohn openly gave her a warning about this. Then Lee criticized Sohn for having no concrete political philosophy as party leader. On Tuesday, a BMP spokeswoman called Lee a "garbage thrower" in a commentary. Rep. Lim Jae-hun of the BMP also urged Lee to apologize to Sohn, or leave the party. By Lee Min-hyung U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew new sanctions imposed on two Chinese shipping firms for their violation of international trade restrictions on North Korea, U.S. media reported Tuesday (local time). Last week, Trump said on Twitter he "ordered the withdrawal of additional sanctions" on the regime without further clarification. The vague tweet has raised speculations over what those sanctions were. This tweet came after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on the Chinese companies Thursday, accusing them of helping the North evade international sanctions by engaging in ship-to-ship transfers of oil and coal. Citing five sources, Bloomberg reported Tuesday what Trump meant by the "order" was to remove the sanctions by the department. "The president in fact intended to remove the penalties Treasury had announced the day before against two Chinese shipping companies that had helped Pyongyang evade U.S. sanctions," the U.S. media outlet reported. The report came in response to growing speculation, with the Trump administration declining to confirm his rather vague remark on the possible sanctions withdrawal. White House press secretary Sarah Huckerbee Sanders only said in a statement that President Trump likes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and the U.S. leader did not think the new sanctions would be conducive to maintaining dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Wu Haitao (C, Front) addresses a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. Wu Haitao on Tuesday called on the international community to help the Great Lakes Region improve the security situation. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the international community to help the Great Lakes region in central Africa with capacity building and help address the root causes of conflict. Poverty and under-development have severe impacts on durable peace and stability of the Great Lakes region, Wu Haitao, the deputy permanent representative of the Chinese mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council. The international community should honor its commitments and increase humanitarian aid and official development aid, help the internally displaced people and refugees return home and increase support and investment in health, education, connectivity and other infrastructure areas, said Wu. He also asked for efforts to promote employment of young Africans and to improve the living standards of locals. Wu asked for international support for capacity building in the countries in the Great Lakes region. The countries lack funds and capacity in peacebuilding and in dealing with the threat of armed groups, he said. The international community should provide aid in cash and in kind as well as technical assistance, with a focus on helping the countries improve security capacity and their capabilities in natural resource management and border control, said Wu. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] South Korean soldiers take part in a military drill being held as a part of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise in Yongin in this Aug. 29, 2017. / Korea Times file By Park Ji-won The United States has asked South Korea to cover the operation and maintenance costs for a U.S.-controlled wartime command bunker complex here, which may run into tens of billions of dollars, according to defense sources, Wednesday Seoul and Washington tentatively agreed to jointly use the Command Post Theater, Air, Naval, Ground Operations, or CP Tango, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, even after wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops is handed over to the South, during their Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) talks. "The two sides have agreed on the idea of jointly using Command Post Tango," a source said. "In broad terms, the SOFA talks are moving in the direction toward joint use." The U.S. initially wanted to hand over control of CP Tango ahead of the OPCON transfer so that Seoul could use the complex as a future command facility. Based on this, it asked the government to pay for operation and maintenance costs. Seoul has been planning to use the bunker at the Capital Defense Command to control operations after taking over OPCON. Costs for the bunker may include upgrades, electricity, paying for contract-based security personnel and managing day-to-day operations, according to a report. The bunker complex recently came into the limelight as it had reportedly been made a target on the list of possible budget cuts aimed at funding President Donald Trump's wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. As part of this, analysts say Washington is likely to pressure Seoul to pay more for the United States Forces Korea (USFK) presence. The U.S. Department of Defense unveiled a fact sheet in March of a "funding pool" for Trump's border wall. This included taking $70.5 million from part of the USFK maintenance budget paid by Seoul which has remained unused. The surplus in this USFK budget denotes a sharp contrast to Trump's claim that South Korea does not pay enough in cost sharing. Rome is an open, multicultural city, mayor Virginia Raggi tells pontiff. Pope Francis called on Rome city councillors to seek to bring about the "moral and spiritual rebirth" of the capital, during his visit to city hall on 26 March. Francis, who is the bishop of Rome, warned: "Rome is a delicate organism, which needs humble, constant care and creative courage to keep it tidy and liveable, so that all this splendour does not decline." The pontiff also stressed the importance of Rome's role as a welcoming city which must be shared with "everyone, near and far, regardless of which people they belong to, whichever language they speak and whatever colour of their skin. Addressing the pontiff, mayor Virginia Raggi said that Rome is "an open city, a city of multilateralism and multiculturalism" which hosts "diplomatic representatives from all over the world with whom a relationship of dialogue and exchange is constant." Raggi also described Rome as a "city of solidarity, thanks to the activity of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of associations, religious and lay, such as Caritas with which for decades we have been working, side by side, in support of the weakest." Pope Francis described the Campidoglio - seat of city hall and the Capitoline Museums - as the "cradle of Rome and the beating heart of its administrative and civil life." In addition to addressing city councillors in the Giulio Cesare hall, the pope held a private meeting with Raggi before meeting municipal employees whom he described as the "backbone" of the city. Francis became the fourth pontiff in modern times to visit Rome's city hall. On 16 April 1966 Pope Paul VI was the guest of then mayor Amerigo Petrucci; on 15 January 1998 St John Paul II visited as a guest of Francesco Rutelli; and on 9 March 2009 Pope Benedict XVI was the guest of Gianni Alemanno. Photo Gregorio Borgia/AP Brexit debate scheduled for 1 April. The House of Commons has responded to the almost six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU, promising a debate on Monday 1 April. The counter of citizens asking the government to make a U-turn on Brexit is still clicking up in real time on the House of Commons petitions website, with signatures fast approaching the 6m level as we write, including those from Italy nearing the 6,000 mark. As Wanted in Rome reported earlier this week, that is only around 0.1 per cent of total people who have signed, and is also only a small proportion of the British expat community in Italy, variously estimated at between 40,000 and 75,000. Now emails are going out to supporters of the petition, confirming it has been accepted and promising a debate next Monday, and a follow-up message with a transcript and a video of the debate. Good news for supporters? Well, not quite. That was parliament (pictured) promising to talk about the request, but the government position thats a different organisation remains adamant: This Government will not revoke Article 50. We will honour the result of the 2016 referendum and work with Parliament to deliver a deal that ensures we leave the European Union. The Government acknowledges the considerable number of people who have signed this petition, says the statement. However, close to three quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected. The debate will be carried live on parliamentlive.tv on 1 April. 4 April-30 May. Ultra_Sur is a project dedicated to contemporary art between Italy and Chile, comprising an exhibition and series of artist talks at MACRO Asilo. The project is organised by Sinopsis Australis, a programme of art residencies between Italy and South America, and is promoted by the Chilean embassy in Rome which hosts the exhibition. The show features the works of 10 Chilean artists and one Italian artist. Organisers say the Ultra_Sur project represents the result of five years of work and underlines the strong network of relationships that have been built up between Chilean and Italian artists. For details see website. Seen above is the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain. Reuters-Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Free Joseon, a political organization opposing North Korea's Kim Jong-un regime, claimed responsibility for a recent raid on the North Korean Embassy in the Spanish capital of Madrid in a statement Tuesday. The incident took place last month when a group of unidentified men broke into the embassy and stole computers from it. "We responded to an urgent situation in the Madrid Embassy," the organization, previously known as Cheollima Civil Defense, said on its website. But the group denied allegations that "armed intruders" attacked the embassy. "We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten," it said. "Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used." Free Joseon is a secretive organization that has vowed to overthrow Kim's regime. Since its establishment in March 2017, it has engaged in a series of clandestine anti-Pyongyang activities. The raid occurred Feb. 22, a few days before the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Vietnam's capital of Hanoi. For this reason, there was speculations that the U.S. government was behind the raid with a view to seizing confidential documents before the summit. But the organization claimed this was far from the truth. "The Hanoi summit had no relation to this operation," Free Joseon said. "We recognize and apologize for any inconvenience caused to the authorities of Spain, who were caught in the middle of a difficult situation." In response to complaints about its pricing, Gilead said it offers discount coupons that reduce the cost to less than $5 for a monthly supply for patients who lack insurance. It says it has spent $138 million since 2012 on community grant programs to raise awareness and educate at-risk people. Gilead has earned $36.2 billion on Truvada since 2004, according to its annual reports. Graphic design by Cho Sang-won 3 out of 10 Koreans want to become YouTubers By Kim Jae-heun A 32-year-old YouTuber, well-known by his alias Doldi, abruptly announced an indefinite suspension of his online activity as of Feb. 14. In his last video, Doldi said, "I won't be able to upload contents for a while or even for a long period of time, because I got a problem at my job from YouTube(ing)." The YouTuber, who mainly dealt with investment and finance, neither uploaded content about his career nor shared secret information related to his company's business. He did not start his YouTube channel with the aim to make a big fortune either, which violates regulations at most major firms here. But his company argued that Doldi's "hobby" could tarnish its reputation and told him to either quit his job or stop his YouTube activity. Doldi's case sparked controversy among young office workers here, many of whom think about having channels on online platforms. In a survey by the country's biggest e-commerce website Gmarket last week, 35 percent of its 875 customers answered they were interested in starting or are already operating their channels. The ratio jumped to 45 percent for those in their 30s. Many office workers find YouTube an attractive platform, in particular, as it is easy and free for anyone to start their own channel and share information about their interests. It also pays good advertisement bonuses when a channel has more than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of viewing time achieved. One real estate investor in his 40s, who started his YouTube channel to share his knowledge and information last June, revealed that he earned 3 million won when 10,000 people subscribed to his channel and 5 million won with 30,000 subscribers. Now he has nearly 184,700 subscribers. Most large local companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, CJ Group and AmorePacific do not regulate their employees' own online media activity, but they do not encourage it either. Samsung Electronics sees YouTube as one of many social media and it does not have a particular rule banning its employees from enjoying the online activity. "Of course, their hobby as a YouTuber should not disrupt their work during office hours and the content they upload online should not cause any ethical problems in society," a Samsung Electronics official said. "Other than that, running an online channel at home after work is fine." LG Electronics took a similar stance in that it allows its employees to act as YouTubers as long as their online activity does not break company rules. "We do have rules banning employees from taking a second job. But we don't see doing YouTube at home as a second job; we see it rather as a hobby. So far, there has been no case where the company has regulated an employee from doing it after work," an LG Electronics official said. Major conglomerates CJ Group and AmorePacific also agreed that their employees can work as YouTubers in their leisure time as long as they do not damage the firm's reputation or leak business secrets. "We don't recommend our employees do YouTube as a second job. But there is no company rule that bans them from having it as a side job. We allow staff to create content and upload it online if it helps with their original job here," an AmorePacific official said. Lawyer Paek Sung-moon of the Ariyul law firm said working as a YouTuber was no problem for office workers, just like they could publish a book or make music as a second job without violating company regulations. "It is hard to see YouTube as a second job that most company ban here. Also, local companies regulate their employees from pursuing side jobs for profit but you can hardly say people can for sure make money by uploading content only on YouTube," Paek told The Korea Times. "Even if one started his channel with such a purpose, there is no guarantee they will make a profit from it. "If the person has leaked his company's business secrets or talked about his company online. That can be regulated with different types of crime charges such as defamation," Paek added. There was no family separation policy, according to the government. It said it was only stepping up prosecution of adults crossing illegally. And to detain parents, it had to place their children elsewhere. The result was chaos. Some were taken under the guise of being given baths. Others were held in chain-link holding pens. Some were babies. Many were lost in the system. Parents werent told where their sons and daughters were or when they would see them again. In the hands of another actress, the character of Qiao might have come across as a doormat. But Zhaos coolly expressive face and emotional resourcefulness make it clear that this is a woman who can take care of herself. By the third act, set in 2018, Qiao is also taking care of a now-crippled Bin. If this seems like a setup for a delayed comeuppance, in fact its an unusual expression of self-sacrifice one that can be read as a metaphor for a nations atonement. (The Chinese government displaced more than a million people in the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the Three Gorges region, where part of this film is set.) In Jias other films, when characters leave home in search of better prospects, they do, more often than not, come back. Home, after all, is home. Right now, teams are working to set up as many camera traps as possible to help locate the worlds remaining saolas so they can begin trying to catch them carefully. Scientists are also talking with local hunters to see if they can tip them off to locations where saolas can still be found. Believe it or not, theres even a plan that involves using leeches. The ordeal has interrupted Smolletts career as an actor and rising musician. Smollett, who started out as a child actor, found his breakout role in 2015 with Jamal Lyon, a gay R&B artist on Foxs Empire. The show became a cultural phenomenon and was a platform Smollett used as a springboard for his LGBT activism. It also dovetailed nicely into music, his first passion, as he collaborated with pop stars such as Alicia Keys. In 2015, he signed with Columbia Records but has since left the label and in 2018 self-released his debut album, Sum of My Music. Sycamore Dr. and Ritchie Hwy. S., 5:30 a.m. March 18. Police found an RV-style vehicle engulfed in flames. Once the fire was extinguished, they discovered male human remains inside. The remains were identified as those of Dennis Lee Perry Sr., a 57-year-old man who lived in the RV. Perry died of blunt force trauma. On March 19, a 35-year-old Glen Burnie man was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder, and first- and second-degree assault. These solicitations, clearly unethical and possibly illegal, have drawn the attention of a federal grand jury and a reprimand from the DC Council. The investigations into Evans deplorable actions should continue, but Evanss constituents do not need to wait for the results. They must remove him from the DC Council to insure these clear conflicts do not continue to harm district residents. Residency fraud has been an ongoing problem but came under increased scrutiny last year after a city investigation alleged that more than 30 percent of students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts more than 160 teenagers lived outside the city and were not paying tuition. But in October, administrators and parents at the school said the city had determined at least 90 of the accused students live in the District. A thick blanket of fine dust fills the sky over the Han River as levels in the Seoul metropolitan area hit "bad" Wednesday morning. The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued an ultrafine dust warning at 8 a.m. after the particulate matter concentration reached over 75 micrograms (ug) per cubic meter for two hours. Yonhap The opening of the school, which has been dubbed New North Middle School while it awaits a permanent name, comes just two years after the city announced it would reopen MacFarland Middle School, which closed amid declining enrollment in 2013. The school now operates with a dual-language program, which teaches core classes in Spanish. That campus is in Petworth, an area not far from Coolidge and another of the citys growing and gentrifying neighborhoods. The sites were used in a years-long spear-phishing campaign that targeted corporations and government agencies, as well as activists and journalists, particularly those involved in advocating and reporting on issues related to the Middle East, according to Microsoft. In the attacks, hackers send out emails and social media posts with the aim of infiltrating computer systems by tricking victims into visiting phony websites with malicious software that appear authentic. Wednesdays vote, and the emotional debates over the bill in both chambers of the legislature, demonstrated the strong role religion continues to play in public policy. Many Catholic and African American lawmakers voted against the bill, reflecting a general suspicion of end-of-life options that is stronger among those demographics than in more secular or mostly white communities. The Catholic Church opposes suicide and says human beings should not help others take their own lives. Hogan described the city where homicides have topped 300 for four straight years, even as homicide arrest rates have plummeted as being in the midst of a violent crime crisis. While some Democrats have criticized the governor for not doing more to help, Hogan said his administration is trying its best, increasing state funding for crime-fighting initiatives, sending federal and state law enforcement to help Baltimore police and opening a violent-crime joint-operations task force. Hogan called the bill on alcohol and tobacco regulation a solution in search of a problem. It would take power from the office of Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), an ally of the governor who rankled fellow Democrats with his advocacy for craft brewers, his close ties to Hogan and his attacks on members of his own party. The 16-page ethics report on Jalisis behavior, released Monday night, details incidents in which aides complained of being yelled at, forced to work long hours without pay, and treated as truant if they went to the restroom or to get lunch. At least one incident escalated to the point where state troopers had to intervene, according to the report. The following information, provided by the Montgomery County Police Department, shows selected offenses reported to police. Crime reports may be based on preliminary information that is subject to change as a result of further investigation. This project has been a real catalyst for significant changes in the way sexual violence is investigated and prosecuted in Virginia, and the way that survivors are treated when they come forward, Herring said in the statement. This testing has helped expand our ability to identify and prosecute perpetrators, and our investments in training, infrastructure, and organization are making trauma-informed, survivor-centered practices the new norm. Eric Weaver Jr., 30, was driven to Prince Georges Hospital Center on Wednesday morning and dropped off around 12:40 a.m., according to Prince Georges police. One of 10 intruders who entered North Korea's embassy in Madrid by force on Feb. 22 contacted the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation days afterwards, Spain's High Court said on Tuesday (March 26). Spain's Interior Ministry had previously said police were investigating an incident at the embassy, but gave no details except to say that a NorthKorean citizen had been injured and that no one had filed a complaint. In an official document based on the investigation, the High Court said on Tuesday one of the group, a Mexican citizen resident in the United States, had contacted the FBI on Feb. 27 in order to pass on information regarding the incident at the embassy, including audiovisual recordings. The intruders had included citizens of Mexico, the United States and South Korea, the High Court also said in the document. The Mexican citizen said he had carried out the raid voluntarily and he did not identify his companions, the court document said. The group checked the embassy for arms before leaving the premises, at which point they separated into four groups and headed for Portugal. The Mexican flew from Lisbon to New York. There was no immediate comment on the matter from the U.S. State Department. (Reuters) Heyer was killed, while others were seriously wounded. One woman who limped to the witness stand at Fieldss state trial testified she had five surgeries and was about to undergo a sixth. Another described a broken pelvis and a third how he pushed his fiancee out of the way before he was hit by the Dodge. He was charged in June with two federal hate crimes in her death and more than two dozen other related charges. He entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville. One of the counts Fields faces in federal court carries the possibility of the death penalty. It was not until a few months before Jacksons death that Bhasin began exhibiting psychotic behavior, according to testimony. He would drink urine and gasoline, saying that doing so would save the world. He at times thought he was Yama, a Hindu god of death. He attacked his parents, saying that they were trying to poison him and that he had to kill them so he could take them to heaven, and they called the police and he was hospitalized. Platania said in the statement that police searched the youths home in Albemarle County and seized electronic devices. The statement says police found no evidence . . . consistent with him planning to carry out any acts of violence. Platania said the youth had no ties to white supremacists and no weapons were found in the youths home. At this time last year, the FAA was widely viewed as the gold standard for safety in the aviation industry, but it is becoming clear that these tragedies resulted from a cascading chain of failures from manufacturer to regulator to airline, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said. We must ensure each and every weakness in this chain is addressed, not just one of them. And we must work to end the culture of coziness in aviation safety oversight to help prevent similar tragedies from happening again. He then asked his mom to pick him up from school that day, so she could help him give it to Owens. That afternoon, Owens wasnt there, so they left it with a manager. Owens said that when he and the restaurants owners learned about the picture, they decided that was it. They agreed then, he said, we have to do Mothra right now. Officials in Rockland County declared a countywide state of emergency Tuesday, announcing that the ban will begin at midnight and remain in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated minors receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Officials said unvaccinated minors will not be permitted in public places, such as churches, schools and shopping centers, though outdoor spaces such as playgrounds are not included in the ban. The forum was organized and paid for by Alaskas chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a national network of conservative activists funded by brothers Charles and David Koch. Americans for Prosperity is paying $5,000 to $10,000 to hold similar events in other towns, according to Ryan McKee, the groups state director. AFP and Dunleavy faced criticism after news came out they were restricting audience sizes and participation at the forums. McKee said that admission was on a first-come, first-served basis, and that caps on the audience size were not an attempt to shut the public out but are determined by the space in venues. By Casey Lartigue, Jr. Attending a special alumni weekend lecture by Harvard University emeritus professor Nathan Glazer about 15 years ago, I began introducing myself as one of his former students. Prof. Glazer interrupted, saying, "Mr. Lartigue. I shall never forget you." I had been infamous at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), zigging and zagging across the campus at top-speed with intellectual scissors and debating knives in both hands. Engaging Prof. Glazer was like a chess match with a world champion who could call "checkmate" at your first move if he wanted to. It didn't matter which book, article or speech I mentioned Prof. Glazer knew it. Learning was more important than winning a debate. One writer smartly noted: "Nathan Glazer has had more second thoughts in his lifetime than most people have had thoughts."Even that was an understatement. Professor Glazer had never-ending thoughts. In 1975 he published the book "Affirmative Discrimination," arguing against affirmative action. A dozen years later, he softened his argument, and even seemed to contradict himself another decade later with "We're All Multiculturalists Now." A conclusion for Prof. Glazer was as permanent as a temporary tattoo. I could identify with that. I had gone from being a Republican to Democrat to progressive to flirting with Marxism before flipping to Objectivist and libertarian, then finally settling on, to quote Prof. Walter E. Williams, being "an extremist, and extremely proud of it." I zigzagged across campus, then discovered the free-floating intellectualism of Prof. Glazer and philosophy Prof. Robert Nozick. Without regret, they had both publicly changed positions on issues. I felt at home in their classes and offices, free to probe and challenge without anyone getting wounded by my words. Indeed, my relentless style had wounded many classmates, much as it destroys sensitive souls today. I was informed by one wounded classmate that minority students had held a meeting about "neutralizing" me. The latest last straw: I had challenged a popular minority professor at a public forum. Some of those critics later revealed themselves when I encountered them in discussions. I insisted they invite me rather than holding clandestine meetings without their targeted guest of honor participating. In welcoming discussion rather than debate, I found a soulmate in Prof. Glazer. I convinced him to be my graduate school adviser, despite his polite dismantling of my arguments. One day when I visited during his office hours, I made what seemed to be a profound point. "Good point," he said, pondering it without being defensive. Silence. I waited for a rebuttal or reading list, thinking I had stunned him with a lucky punch but expecting to get slaughtered again. He analyzed the point from what seemed like 18 different angles, ending with the question he often asked in class after evaluating every possible angle: "What does it all mean?"Every idea was like a flag planted in moving water, at risk of being swept away by the latest statistics, research, or insight. We maintained occasional correspondence in his later years. I attempted to invite him to Korea and had also recommended him to a group visiting Harvard, but in both cases Korean parents vetoed him as a speaker. They said he was too old and, as a retired professor, wouldn't be influential enough to help their kids get into Harvard. I invited him to speeches I gave recently at Harvard, but he said he was too broken down physically. Last year he wrote to tell me that he had broken his leg. He seemed to be more bothered that he was losing his eyesight. A gentleman who had spent a lifetime reading so he could continue "arguing with the world," he probably would have preferred two broken legs instead of losing his eyesight. In one of my last messages to him, I mentioned that a Korean friend had come across his name in her course syllabus. He expressed surprise that South Koreans were reading his 1963 classic "Beyond the Melting Pot." At the age of 95, he remained curious about my activities with North Korean refugees, suggesting repeatedly that I should write something for Harvard Magazine. I was the teacher, he was the student, but he was still my adviser. I sent him links to my columns and speeches and welcomed his queries. His last sentence to me: "I am writing from a rehab facility, recovering from a broken leg, surgery. Not a good thing at 95, if I go I hope the obituary will reach Korea." Nathan Glazer renowned thinker, journal editor, professor, sociologist, presidential adviser, author of 20 books and my graduate school adviser passed away earlier this year, on Jan. 19, at the age of 95. This is probably not the obituary Prof. Glazer envisioned. Then again, knowing me as he did, he might have expected it. Casey Lartigue, Jr., co-founder along with Eunkoo Lee of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center (TNKR), is the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the 2017 winner of the Global Award from Challenge Korea. By Gwynne Dyer When President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday affirming Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, there was an outcry that went far beyond the Arab world. His action went against the international ruling on the "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force," we were told conquest, in less lawyerly language. Alas, that is just an ideal, not a hard-and-fast international law. The Golan Heights, which belonged to Syria, were part of Israel's conquests in the 1967 war. Israel returned most of Egypt's lost territory (except the Gaza Strip) in the 1979 peace agreement, but continues to occupy the lands it conquered from Jordan and Syria 52 years later. The only part it has annexed according to Israeli law, however, is the Golan Heights. As far as Israel is concerned the issue was closed in 1981, although nobody else in the world accepted the annexation, not even its greatest ally, the United States. They all went on referring to the "occupied territories," including the Golan Heights, as defined in U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 but Israel didn't care, and the legal issue was sidelined for another 38 years. The only reason Trump has now "recognized" the Golan Heights as Israeli territory is to give a little electoral boost to his good buddy, Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges that might lose him the election April 9. It doesn't change the legal situation as far as everybody else is concerned, nor does it make Israel's hold on the territory more secure. What guarantees Israel's position in the Golan Heights is a crushing superiority in military force the same being true of most other occupied territories around the world. Article Two of the United Nations Charter requires all members to refrain "from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state," but it's a pious hope, not a universally enforced law. When there is a conquest, the victim is expected to take action itself if possible, as Britain did when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. The victim nation will probably have legal recourse under international law, but it is unlikely to receive military aid unless it is in other countries' interests to provide it. Such interests were engaged in the 1990-91 Gulf War, when Iraq conquered Kuwait. For strategic reasons (i.e. oil), many Arab and Western countries volunteered military forces to reverse that conquest and they had the legal backing of the U.N. too, for what it was worth. But when it's a great power doing the invading, like China in Tibet (1950), the Soviet Union in Afghanistan (1979), or the United States in Grenada (1983), Panama (1989), and Iraq (2003), the U.N. is paralyzed by Security Council vetoes and most other countries lie low. The invaders have no legal right, but that doesn't stop them. When non-great powers invade, like the Indonesian seizure of Timor or the Moroccan annexation of Western Sahara, both in 1975, there will be no outside help for the victim unless some great power cares about it or unless the local people can wage a guerilla war long enough to make the conqueror cut its losses and go home. They succeeded in Timor; they failed in Western Sahara. There has been a major effort to shrink the role of force and expand the rule of law in international affairs since World War II. That war frightened the people in charge enough that they were willing to consider fundamental changes to their old way of doing business, and to some extent they succeeded. This is the most peaceful era in human history. But it is not actually peaceful, and the project everybody signed up for in 1945 is still very much a work in progress. Trump would quite like to wreck it entirely, as in his view it's just another part of "globalization," but there is little chance that he will succeed. He just doesn't have the leverage. Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights makes the simultaneous American campaign to reverse the Russian annexation of Crimea look hypocritical, but that campaign wasn't getting any traction anyway. Similarly, it hasn't sabotaged the much-trumpeted Trump peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because that wasn't going anywhere either. Everybody in the Arab world already knows that Trump is completely loyal to Israel, if only because that is the best way to get the votes of U.S. evangelical Christians. Nobody expects anything to come from his Middle East "peace plan," if it ever sees the light of day. On the shock-horror scale, this whole episode rates about 2 out of 10. Gwynne Dyer (gwynne763121476@aol.com) has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. He is the author of "Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work)." Migrants gather inside the fence of a makeshift detention center Wednesday in El Paso, where a surge has been overwhelming Border Patrol and the U.S. immigration infrastructure. (Sergio Flores for The Washington Post) The nations top border official warned that the U.S. immigration enforcement system along the nations southern boundary is at the breaking point and said Wednesday that authorities are having to release migrants into the country after cursory background checks because of a crush of asylum-seeking families with children. Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said that for the first time in more than a decade, his agency is reluctantly performing direct releases of migrants, meaning they are not turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, they are not detained, they are not given ankle bracelets to track their movements and they are allowed to leave with just a notice to appear in court at a later date. He said that this is a negative outcome but that it is the only current option we have because of overcrowding at detention facilities as Central Americans stream to the border knowing they will be able to gain entry with asylum claims. The number of migrant families coming to the border has reached new highs month after month, a trend that dramatically accelerated after President Trump announced parents and children would no longer be separated, reversing course on his zero tolerance crackdown. McAleenan said the agency detained more than 4,100 migrants Tuesday, the highest one-day total at the border in more than a decade, and agency projections have border apprehensions on pace to exceed 100,000 this month an increase of more than 30 percent. By comparison, at the height of the last border crisis, in May 2014, agents apprehended more than 68,800 migrants that month. [The Conveyor Belt: U.S. officials say massive smuggling effort is speeding immigrants to the southern border] The massive influx of families seeking asylum has strained almost every aspect of U.S. operations on the border, McAleenan said, nowhere more evident than here, along the Rio Grande. Crossings have been overwhelmed with hundreds of migrants seeking asylum daily; Border Patrol stations are crammed and have no space for detainees; the immigration court system is backed up with hundreds of thousands of cases; and health services are having to triage batches of patients who have a variety of ailments and communicable diseases. That breaking point has arrived this week, McAleenan said, standing in front of a border fence. CBP is facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our southwest border, and nowhere has that crisis manifested more acutely than here in El Paso. Migrants are gathered inside the temporary processing center in El Paso on Wednesday. Families were crossing near the facility as the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection was speaking nearby. (Sergio Flores for The Washington Post) If they dont have a valid claim, well repatriate, McAleenan said. If they do, theyll be released with the certainty that they have asylum with the ability to plan, to invest in a business, to make these choices for schools. Right now, they dont have that. They live with uncertainty for years at a time because the system is broken and overwhelmed. CBP officials say they are particularly alarmed by the soaring number of unaccompanied juveniles in crowded detention cells because Health and Human Services cant place them in shelters fast enough. CBP officials said they have 1,350 underage migrants in holding cells without a parent and 20 percent are 12 years old or younger. McAleenan said the overwhelming numbers and inadequate capacity to detain families and children at ICE and HHS is at the heart of the crisis. By law, the minors should remain in CBP custody for the shortest amount of time as possible and not in excess of 72 hours. But CBP officials privately acknowledged Wednesday that they are keeping them in custody longer, in potential violation of a court order, because HHS doesnt have anywhere to put them, a situation leaving CBP with no legal options. The agency is reassigning agents to respond to and care for children, including U.S. agents who were sent south from the Canadian border this week. But Evelyn Stauffer, an HHS spokeswoman, said the agency continues to receive children referred to our care from the Department of Homeland Security and place them in an appropriate shelter as safely and quickly as possible. She said the agency could expand emergency facilities to handle an influx, as they also did under the Obama administration. There are 12,000 minors currently in HHS custody. Near where McAleenan spoke Wednesday, an improvised holding pen beneath a highway overpass is serving as a processing center. U.S. agents have been interviewing hundreds of parents and children in a dusty parking lot. Just before the commissioner began speaking, a group of nine parents and children from El Salvador and Panama traversed the Rio Grande, and agents led them to the processing center on foot. Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, speaks in El Paso on Wednesday. (Sergio Flores for The Washington Post) McAleenans plea for help reflects the growing desperation among Homeland Security officials faced with a border influx that is on pace to be the largest in more than a decade, led by Guatemalan and Honduran asylum seekers who arrive with children and surrender to U.S. agents. McAleenan said his agency currently has more than 13,000 migrants in its custody. A high number is 4,000, he said. Six-thousand is crisis level. Thirteen-thousand is unprecedented. Some of the migrants have been seriously ill, including infants with 105-degree fevers, a 2-year-old suffering seizures in the desert, a 19-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect who needs emergency surgery and a 40-year-old man suffering from multiple-organ failure. Others have lice, the flu and chickenpox. We are doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy in a CBP facility, McAleenan said. But with these numbers, with the types of illnesses were seeing at the border, I fear that its just a matter of time. He blamed the surge on smugglers and U.S. laws that he said encourage illegal migration because migrants are virtually guaranteed to be released in the United States. Theres no questioning why this is happening, he said. The amount of resources needed to handle the surge is diverting Border Patrol agents from other duties, including security work aimed at drug interdiction and interior checkpoints. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, an associate professor of policy and government at George Mason University who researches migration, smuggling and criminal organizations, said it is risky to divert Border Patrol agents from their main security mission. While McAleenan was emphasizing the need for more resources and legal authority to keep people from the U.S. interior, advocacy groups said the Trump administration should instead treat the migrants as refugees and invest in foreign aid. Migrants are streaming out of Central America for a complex set of reasons including drought, poverty, violence and political instability problems that will persist regardless of U.S. border policy. They dont need new money. They need a new strategy, said Frank Sharry, executive director of Americas Voice, an immigrant advocacy group. They think that if were just tough enough, people will stop coming. That completely misreads whats happening. As migrant numbers have surged upward, thousands more Central Americans are waiting in Mexico, at shelters in Ciudad Juarez, and U.S. officials say they probably will cross the river in coming days and weeks. Although Border Patrol apprehensions remain below their annual peak of 1.6 million in 2000, the nature of the increasing migration flows has shifted dramatically, and that shift is driving the alarm. In prior eras, most of the migrants were adult men who could be easily deported to Mexico; now, many of those attempting to cross the border are asylum-seeking Central American families and, to a lesser degree, minors traveling on their own. Because those seeking asylum have a legal right to have their cases evaluated, most families are released into the United States to await hearings in clogged immigration courts, a process that can take months or years. McAleenans appeal came amid heated debate in Congress over the border situation. Trump declared a national emergency in February after a government shutdown failed to secure the funding he wanted for construction of a border wall. Congress sent him a bipartisan resolution that sought to nullify his declaration, but the president vetoed it. On Tuesday, a House vote seeking to override the veto failed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.) called it a sham emergency on Tuesday. The Trump administration has withheld the money Congress appropriated to improve conditions in the Northern Triangle countries, wasted funds on an ineffective wall and refused to work with Congress on a comprehensive solution, Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said in a statement. Every action this administration has taken over the past two years has increased the numbers of families, women and children coming to the border. The migrants arriving in El Paso are crossing the Rio Grande, arriving in a place where the United States already has formidable, modern border barriers. By surrendering to agents on U.S. soil the strip of land between the river and the tall U.S. fencing the migrants can assert their legal right to seek asylum. Border Patrol holding cells in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas also are overcrowded, as are facilities in Arizona. The most dangerous overcrowding is here in the El Paso area, where Border Patrol stations are at 300 percent to 400 percent capacity. Most parents who arrive with a child are issued an appointment with an immigration judge. But agents are so overwhelmed by the volume that they often do little more than a cursory screening, officials said. Migrants sit inside the temporary facility in El Paso, under a highway overpass. (Sergio Flores for The Washington Post) CBP is supposed to be a fast-track system that books migrants into custody, checks their fingerprints and sends them to other agencies. Families and single adults are referred to ICE, which conducts additional checks and detains or releases them to await a court hearing. Families can be detained, but space is limited to roughly 3,000 people. The border security compromise Democrats reached with Trump last month includes $415 million to improve medical care and detention conditions for families and children in U.S. custody, including the construction of a new child-appropriate processing center in El Paso. But that facility is not likely to open for at least six months, CBP officials say. Gil Kerlikowske, CBP commissioner under the Obama administration during the border surge of 2014, when officials were pitching emergency tents and holding large flows of unaccompanied minors in a converted warehouse near McAllen, Tex., cautioned Wednesday that the latest migration projections are an amazing number. It really is a significant issue, said Kerlikowske, who headed the agency from March 2014 until January 2017. Resources and space are going to need to be devoted to dealing with this. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen met with senior Mexican officials in Miami on Tuesday for unannounced talks, telling her counterparts that cross-border trade and commerce are likely to suffer as more CBP officers are pulled away to cope with the migration surge. CBP is preparing to temporarily reassign 750 blue-uniformed officers from its Office of Field Operations to help the Border Patrol, according to a senior DHS official, and Nielsen told Mexican interior minister Olga Sanchez Cordero that move probably will produce longer wait times for trucks and vehicles seeking to cross. Secretary Nielsen said very bluntly that if we didnt work jointly, our resources are pulled away, and that creates problems for us and on the Mexican side in terms of facilitating commerce, and we want to avoid that, said the senior DHS official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. Nielsen also is readying a plan to ask volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration and other Homeland Security agencies to go to the border to help with the flood of Central American families, the official said, adding: We are burning red hot right now, and we are looking everywhere for help. Nielsen arrived in Honduras on Tuesday to meet with Central American leaders, in talks aimed at increasing efforts to deter migration to the United States and to crack down on smuggling organizations. Sacchetti reported from Washington. Officials said the attack had been controlled, but that did little to mollify residents in Caracas, who clogged the streets as they walked home after subway service was suspended Monday. At night, residents in some neighborhoods banged on pots and pans in pitch black to express their growing frustration. On Tuesday morning, banks, shops and other businesses were closed. Since the end of World War II, many peoples from nations that have gone through conflicts have been resettled, starting with the Jews of Europe after the Holocaust, the Hungarians after the failed 1956 uprising, the Vietnamese and peoples from the Middle East and Africa. So, though it is not an easy solution, it is certainly one that can be achieved if people of goodwill set their minds to it. On Tuesday, it still looked unlikely that Ms. May would succeed and time runs out at the end of this week. According to a new timetable dictated by the E.U., if Ms. Mays plan is not approved by then, Britain will have until April 12 to come up with an alternative; if it does not, it will be forced out of the union that day. That would cause massive disruption on both sides of the English Channel. The Bank of England has said it could trigger the worst recession since the 1920s. Though Parliament has already voted against it, Ms. May continues to prefer that no-deal option to a centrist alternative. Korean Air should improve transparency, corporate values Korean Air CEO and Chairman Cho Yang-ho suffered a setback Wednesday as shareholders of the country's largest airline firm failed to support his reappointment bid as an executive director. This marked the first time any chaebol chief has been ousted in a shareholder vote. The shareholders' action should thus serve as a stern warning to Cho who has been accused of doing nothing to enhance corporate value or protect stakeholders' rights. He is also facing allegations of dodging inheritance tax and embezzling company funds. To add insult to injury, Cho's wife has come under investigation for assaulting employees and hiring foreign housekeepers illegally. His two daughters have also invited public ire by abusing employees. His oldest daughter, Heather Cho, earned an ill reputation for the infamous "nut rage" incident in 2014 when she was serving as an executive vice president of Korean Air. Last year, Cho's other daughter grabbed the headlines with her alleged violence toward company staff and others. Simply put, the shareholders turned their backs on the Cho family for their arrogant and spoiled behavior which has not only tainted the image of the national flag carrier but also undermined the company's governance structure. Their refusal to approve Cho's reappointment has set an unprecedented example. It sends a clear message: Any incompetent and exploitative chaebol owners should step down. For this reason, some pundits and market watchers called the shareholders' action a revolt against chaebol. It can also be compared to an economic version of the "Candlelit Revolution" that led to the ouster of the incompetent and corrupt former President Park Geun-hye. In this sense, the vote against Cho represents a victory for shareholders who no longer want to play the role of rubber stamp. It is a direct result of shareholder activism. The National Pension Service, the second-largest shareholder in Korean Air, deserves praise for standing up to the chaebol CEO. The NPS joined hands with small shareholders as well as foreign investors including pension funds from the U.S. and Canada. Local civic groups such as the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy also waged a campaign against the Cho family. Now the case should be a starting point for the reform of Korean Air as well as other family-controlled chaebol. Cho should step down and let professional managers and executives take over management, as he cannot save the troubled airline and Hanjin Group. He should take decisive action to separate ownership and management to improve transparency and accountability. The NPS, the world third-largest pension fund operator with 664 trillion won ($575 billion) in assets, needs to play a greater role by actively exercising its voting rights and participating in companies' decision-making procedures. For this, it should make the best of the so-called stewardship code to better protect the interests of all shareholders and offer a stable return to its subscribers. In addition, the Korean Air case should give an impetus for the Moon Jae-in government's chaebol reform that seeks to remedy the concentration of economic power in the hands of a small number of owner families. It is urgent to create a level playing field to allow all players, big and small, equal opportunities. About 43 percent of Puerto Ricos residents have seen cutbacks to their food-stamp assistance because Congress missed the deadline for reauthorization of additional aid that had been provided in the wake of Maria. A searing report by The Posts Jeff Stein and Josh Dawsey detailed the impacts of the cuts: HIV patients made to sit in soiled diapers that health-care workers cant afford to replace, families forgoing meat and vegetables, worrying if they can afford milk and eating less. A significant portion of those receiving food stamps, research shows, are children, elderly or disabled. Its very hard. It is so unfair. That cut is going to kill us, said the administrator of a clinic that treats HIV-positive men with severe health complications. I am not alone. Victims of tragic accidents, disease onset, combat wounds, complicated surgeries, workplace injuries, gun violence or even a simple fall off a ladder are among the 20 million Americans like me who experience some form of high-impact, chronic and often debilitating pain. Many, given a second chance at life after a serious illness or injury, tragically choose suicide over pain. Why? The most unfortunate among them, those with life-altering, unspeakable pain, are being denied access to the medications they need to go on. Their doctors, now numbering nearly 70 percent of our front-line physicians, have enlisted in the nations war on opioids. Many have turned away from their patients in chronic pain. Luckily for Trump, Esther is just one of many biblical roles his aides have assigned him. A few days after Pompeos Purim gambit, David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, declared that Trump is the answer to the biblical King Davids prayer. The great psalmist sought Gods intervention so that we see the holiness, the beauty, the sanctity of life, and yes, the good in Jerusalem, Friedman told a gathering Tuesday. Id like to think that God has blessed the Trump administration in this very manner. Pelosi has been careful not to openly disparage the left-wing proposals on health care and climate change, lest she open a fissure inside her caucus. At a closed-door meeting Tuesday, for instance, she said she was not ruling out broader legislation: This is no substitute to anything else this is a path to everything else, she said, according to notes taken by an individual in the room who described the meeting on the condition of anonymity. There are six elements of your test, Gorsuch told Francisco. We have to decide whether the regulation is ambiguous, whether the interpretation is reasonable, whether its consistent, whether it was made by someone at a high level, whether there was fair notice, and whether it was made by somebody with expertise. Were the minority, but were putting them on the defensive, he said. Where do they stand? Where do they stand on dark money cascading into the system? Where do they stand on making it easier, not harder, for people to exercise their right to vote? Where do they stand on cleaning up the swamp? . . . If you dont agree with us, whats your answer? They dont have one. Fonseca, the head forensic analyst in Africa for the International Committee of the Red Cross, wasnt sure whether the body was that of a man or woman, adult or child. But it was clear it had been lodged in the tree in this small farming village almost two weeks ago by the torrent of water released by Cyclone Idai. Rains from the storm engorged rivers that burst and then relentlessly rose, turning into tsunamis that raced toward the sea, miles wide and taller than any building in their paths. There has been no word about Meng since his arrest, although his wife has been pressing his case. She has also applied for asylum in France, saying she feared for her safety and that of their children. The lure of militancy for local youths is a cause of worry, said an Indian security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Militants have used social media to glamorize gun culture, he said, while at the same time, the world has become smaller. Events elsewhere in India or around the world now reverberate in Kashmir, feeding a sense among Muslims that they are under attack. The Shakti (which means power in Hindi) mission lasted three minutes, and the target was blown up in its orbit 186 miles from Earth, he said, describing it as a proud moment for India. The satellite shot down in the test was one the countrys existing satellites. Modi said India developed this capability for defensive purposes. Although there is an abolition memorial in Nantes, a former slave trade hub in western France, there is no major museum of slavery in metropolitan France. To date, the countrys only significant attempt to grapple with its slave-trading past is located in Pointe-a-Pitre 4,200 miles away, in the French territory of Guadeloupe. A smaller, third iteration of the show will travel to Pointe-a-Pitre after Paris, in tandem with President Emmanuel Macrons commitment to returning stolen artworks to former colonial territories. LG Uplus engineers check a 5G base station installed at Songdo in Incheon. Courtesy of LG Uplus By Jun Ji-hye SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus have been in tough competition to secure wider coverage for fifth-generation (5G) networks ahead of the launch of the commercial next-generation mobile network service. Telecom companies here are scheduled to begin the world's first commercial 5G smartphone services from April 5. The three companies have competitively announced or plan to make known the number of base stations they have built, vowing to offer the fastest mobile network service with the widest coverage. On Tuesday, KT said it has built 15,000 5G base stations in Seoul and will build 30,000 5G by April 5. KT engineers check the firm's 5G base station at the nation's easternmost island Dokdo. / Courtesy of KT The firm said during a news conference that it is aiming to offer the nation's widest 5G network coverage, noting the high-end service will be available in 85 major cities nationwide by the end of the year. For its part, LG Uplus said Wednesday that it has built 18,000 5G base stations in Seoul and surrounding areas as well as some metropolitan cities, noting that it plans to build 50,000 base stations within the first half of the year. "Beginning with Seoul, surrounding areas and some metropolitan cities, we will build additional base stations in major cities and expand the coverage to 85 towns and counties to keep our competitiveness in 5G networks," an official from LG Uplus said. With the two firms having flamed the rivalry in securing wider coverage for 5G networks, the top mobile carrier, SK Telecom, is also planning to soon unveil its 5G service strategy, including present base station status. An official from SK Telecom refused to disclose details of its base stations for now, but the company is expected to offer the widest coverage for super-fast 5G connectivity. An engineer of SK Telecom examines the firm's 5G base station in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul. / Courtesy of SK Telecom E.U. leaders also would embrace a British move to stay in the European Customs Union. Although that possibility was among the proposals rejected Wednesday, it was still one of the more popular choices. Some negotiators have said that arrangements for Britain to stay in the customs union could be made within hours not days or weeks and that doing so would ensure that the Irish border remains open. But Britain would be stuck without an independent trade policy, a disappointment to ardent Brexiteers. The morning airstrike hit a gas station less than 50 yards from the entrance to Kitaf hospital, according to the charity. The facility, about 60 miles from the northwestern city of Saada, one of the main strongholds of the Houthis, had been open for only a half-hour. Patients and staff were just arriving, said the charity. Saturdays celebration near Baghouz, where musicians played a Kurdish national anthem and The Star-Spangled Banner, held echoes of December 2011, when military leaders gathered in Baghdad to mark the end of the earlier U.S. military mission in Iraq. There, Pentagon leaders praise for the sacrifices troops had made to secure Iraq following the 2003 invasion was mixed with worry about whether the country could maintain stability after an abrupt U.S. withdrawal. Less than three years later, much of Iraqs military collapsed in the face of an Islamic State onslaught. Trump, on the other hand, has said that his personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin can resolve tensions. And he has said that he takes Putin at his word when he claims that the country did not interfere in the 2016 election, an act that the briefing book, along with the consensus view of the U.S. intelligence community, takes as a given and central fact that must inform the United States approach to Russia. Most of Vietnam's famous agricultural products have been protected by geographical indication registration. The geographical indication has affected the perception of businesses and people about the reputation and value of products. Therefore, the value and selling price of protected products tend to increase, many products price even increases from 50% to 100%, such as: Vinh orange in Nghe An province, Meo Vac mint honey in Ha Giang province, and Dai Hoang chuoi ngu (king bananas) in Ha Nam province. The management agency has also implemented many activities to support the protection and management of geographical indications, contributing to improving the value and increasing the competitive advantage of products in the market. Among protected geographical indications, Luc Ngan litchi (Bac Giang province), Binh Thuan dragon fruit and Buon Ma Thuot coffee (Dak Lak province) are geographical indications which are selected for registration to Japan. With the registration of geographical indications abroad, Vietnam's agricultural products are protected, having a basis to handle rights infringement and having the opportunity to increase export output. In addition, the symbol of national geographical indications is also being built to identify the national brand for agricultural products and as a tool to promote and commercialise products bearing Vietnam's geographical indications on the international market. However, the development and commercialisation of products bearing geographical indications are facing many difficulties, beyond the ability of localities and the organisation on managing geographical indications. Geographical indications are mostly raw products, so it is necessary to have processing technology to increase value and meet export requirements. For example, in the process of building geographical indications in Japan, the Association of Luc Ngan Litchi Production and Consumption regretted that the dried fabric products were not selected for export because of the use of coal drying technology. Luc Ngan litchi growing area is in desperate need of processing enterprises with modern drying technology to increase the value of products. Meanwhile, enterprises investing in Vinh orange cultivation for many years have not found technology to extend the time to preserve oranges. Ngoc Linh ginseng (Vietnamese ginseng) has not been able to develop and expand the growing area because of the lack of technology and the process of producing ginseng seedlings. Besides, the locals are anxious to be supported with the labeling of Ngoc Linh ginseng products by barcode and registering Ngoc Linh ginseng in big markets, such as EU, Japan and the US, China and Korea but support procedures are still delayed. Huong Son deer antlers has just been granted geographical indications, so it is necessary for the authorities to remove deer from the list of common forest animals and add them to the list of livestock to develop the brand, especially in foreign markets. The registration of geographical indications protection is only the first step to establish ownership and legal factors related to local specialties. In order to develop sustainably, it is necessary to have coordination between ministries, including the MoST, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade in building and managing geographical indications, especially in connecting science and technology with production and product development to meet local and business requirements. Myung Roe-hyun, center, CEO of LS Cable & System, poses with Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon, left, and Donghae City Mayor Shim Gyu-un after signing a memorandum of understanding to build an additional cable making plant in Donghae at Gangwon Provincial Office in Chuncheon, Wednesday. / Courtesy of LS Cable & System By Baek Byung-yeul LS Cable & System will invest 40 billion won ($35.2 million) to build an additional cable manufacturing plant in Donghae, Gangwon Province, the cable making arm of LS Group said Wednesday. The firm said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Donghae City and Gangwon Province. LS has been operating the country's first submarine cable manufacturing plant in the city since 2008 and the new facility will be built next to it. Construction will begin this year, the firm said. "The second cable plant will be built right next to our submarine cable manufacturing plant, occupying a 104,000 square meter site," a spokesman said, adding the plant will be completed by the early 2021. At the new plant, LS Cable & System will manufacture extra-high-voltage cables including high voltage direct current cables. "With the new plant, the cable manufacturing capabilities of the Donghae plant will be increased by 250 percent," the firm said. While the firm planned to originally build a new plant overseas, it decided to add a new cable manufacturing factory here to contribute to revitalizing the regional economy. "To meet the growing demand for extra-high-voltage cables from Europe and Asia, the firm has been considering adding new facilities to its overseas plants in Poland or Vietnam. But we decided to invest in the local community to create more jobs here. Also the administrative support offered by Donghae City and Gangwon Province also helped us make this decision," the firm said. "We will try to make the Donghae plant a hub of inter-Korean economic cooperation in Gangwon Province ," Myung Roe-hyun, CEO of the firm, said. Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon expressed his gratitude for the firm's investment plan. "While more companies are investing overseas, LS Cable & System's decision to invest in the local community means much more," he said. Korean Air board chairman Woo Kee-hong puts down the gavel after announcing Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho was stripped of his membership in the board and lost his CEO status during the carrier's annual shareholder meeting at its headquarters in Gangseo-gu, southwestern Seoul. By Nam Hyun-woo Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho has failed in his bid to be reappointed as an inside director of Korean Air, the group's core unit, losing management control. Cho, who took control of Korea's largest flagship carrier in 1999, has now become the first conglomerate owner in Korea to lose his CEO status due to the opposition of shareholders in a display of activism. During the carrier's annual shareholder meeting, participants with 64.1 percent of voting shares approved Cho to serve another term, while 35.9 percent opposed. However, since Korean Air's articles of incorporation stipulate an inside director's appointment needs approval from two-third of voting shares, Cho's bid to maintain his grip on the air carrier was not approved. Shareholders holding 74.8 percent of the company's voting shares attended the meeting. Cho's previous term expired earlier this month, and he did not attend the meeting. Cho along with Hanjin KAL and his family members hold a combined 33.35 percent stake in Korean Air, the largest shareholders group. Hanjin KAL is Hanjin Group's de facto holding firm. Payments group Worldpay said on Wednesday it was expanding its business in Australia and New Zealand, making it a new heavyweight disruptor vying for the business of the established payment networks and banks servicing most local firms. The payment technology giant will open two offices in Australia as it seeks to benefit from rapid growth in the country's almost $US30 billion ($42 billion) e-commerce industry, Worldpay General Manager of Global eCommerce for Asia Pacific, Phil Pomford, said. There's going to be a new heavyweight vying for Australia's payment transactions. Credit:Bloomberg "We see growth opportunities to come into a market where there is rising employment, great population growth, and where the shift into the e-commerce and mobile commerce is significant," Pomford told Reuters in a telephone interview. It will first target businesses in the online retail, travel, digital content and online gaming industries. The rare earths miner and processor Lynas Corp has formally rejected an unsolicited $1.5 billion takeover bid from corporate giant Wesfarmers. The Lynas move, which was not unexpected, was revealed in a statement to the ASX on Wednesday morning. Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze. Credit:Louie Douvis Lynas said its board had evaluated the $2.25 per share cash offer for the company "and concluded that it will not engage with Wesfarmers on the terms outlined in the indicative and highly conditional proposal". "In coming to this conclusion, the board has drawn on the companys extensive knowledge of stakeholder interests, and current market and operating conditions. It has also consulted with its advisers on the terms of the proposal, and validated its view as to value." Ben Purchase has been making furniture matched specifically to his customers' requirements for seven years, and over that time one of the biggest challenges has been getting some of them to pay for it. "There should be more protections, because people can just turn around and say, 'I don't have the money', and get away with it," he says. Ben Purchase is doing whatever he can to encourage customers to pay on time for his custom-made recycled timber furniture. Credit:Shannyn Higigns. The founder of Melbourne's Ingrain Designs is fighting this by making it as simple as possible for clients to understand what they owe and then pay with one click. The business has started using the invoice app from payments platform Square, which the multibillion-dollar company launched in Australia on Wednesday. A British fugitive wanted over drug offences in Western Australia has tried to flee the country by launching a jet ski from Queensland's northern tip and making a break for Papua New Guinea. A water race ensued, with officers from three different police agencies piling onto a Border Force vessel and chasing the jet ski to an island just off the PNG coast, where he was caught. The jet ski the man used to try and flee the country, laden with extra fuel and supplies. Credit:Australian Border Force On Monday, a man, believed to be a 57-year-old British national, had been seen launching a jet ski from Punsand Bay on Queensland's northern tip. Authorities believed the man was possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying fuel and supplies. Services providing support to homeless people in Perth have banded together to sound the alarm, warning the sector is at breaking point because funding levels have stagnated for years. WA Council Of Social Services chief executive Louise Giolitto said the most vulnerable people in the community would pay the price for state governments failing to fund the sector to keep up with demand and the cost of running services. She said there had been an alarming increase in the number of people sleeping rough in the city, who urgently needed help to access their basic needs. Services warned of significant cuts in homelessness services unless funding increased to match rising costs. Credit:Andrew Quilty Anyone who goes into the city early in the morning will see people sleeping in doorways, she said. A Western Power contractor is largely liable for destruction wrought by a 2014 bushfire in the Perth Hills region that was sparked by a fallen power pole, a WA court has ruled. The blaze in Parkerville, Stoneville and Mt Helena destroyed 57 homes and various outbuildings, partially damaged six homes and burnt 392 hectares. The blaze destroyed 57 homes. Credit:DFES A group action on behalf of 189 affected residents was heard in the Supreme Court of WA last year, with Garry and Sandra Elwood the test case plaintiffs. The termite-ridden jarrah power pole was privately owned by pensioner Noreen Campbell as it was on her land, but was connected to infrastructure owned by the utility and serviced by its subcontractor Theiss. At the time of the blaze another fire was burning in Merivale, much closer to homes and properties. Firefighting efforts were concentrated on the area while Mr Carmody began the task of rallying local farmers and volunteer firefighters to help and provide their own equipment. Mr Carmody co-ordinated teams to begin the task of clearing and creating containment lines in the Lake Mends area on November 16, and to track the progress of the fire. But due to the rough terrain some machinery became bogged and, in one case, broke down. It took hours for bulldozers to reach the outskirts of the fire, at which point firefighters had lost valuable time. Throughout the day, Mr Carmody was in talks with emergency services about sourcing aerial support or other resources he believed could help volunteers in their efforts but he was told resources were tied up fighting about 40 other bushfires throughout the state, including in Merivale. Loading Mr Carmody said he was wary of not having enough resources when the Bureau of Meteorology had already forecasted potentially catastrophic fire conditions for the following day. But on the morning of November 17, Mr Carmody said he remained hopeful as the conditions didnt seem to be as predicted. "It was a nice day," he said. "I wondered what was going on. "There was something eerie about it. I thought, 'theres something funny going on here, Im missing something'." Then, about 10.30am, the predicted winds came through. Despite harried efforts by firefighters, the fire jumped containment lines on Neds Corner Road and began its march towards peoples homes and properties in Scaddan. Mr Carmody said what happened next was something he had never seen before. "The activity had gone ballistic," he said. "The flames were blasting the bush, it was starting to become like a blow torch. We needed to fall back into a safe point." Mr Carmody told the inquest of the nervousness he felt as the fire intensified, sending up "fire hurricanes" and flames as high as 40 metres. As the commanding fire control officer, Mr Carmody had also previously sent his brother Paul in to track the fire and he had yet to come out. At one point during November 17, firefighters held off attacking the blaze as it was too strong. Credit:Esperance Express He was unable to reach his teams, including his brother, due to poor reception and their satellite radio appeared to be broken. Not only were his crews in danger, but they were now unable to help fight the fire. Mr Carmody said this was when his focus switched from trying to attack the fire to protecting the lives of the community. "I had seen fires that were similar but nothing like this," he said. "This was just so much more. In previous fires we had some chance of fighting it but this ... we had no chance." He contacted those he could and told them to evacuate immediately, while still speaking to his contact at DFES about the support and resources he needed to help people flee the blaze and protect their properties. Mr Carmody told the inquest at that point he wasnt aware control of the fire had been transferred over to DFES, and he was still trying to do everything to save and protect his community. It was in this time Kym Curnow turned out to Mr Carmodys control point and asked how he could help. Loading "Its a vague recollection," Mr Carmody said. "It would have been along the lines of 'its going into your territory. Make sure its clear, make sure its safe'." Mr Curnow acted on instruction, and took off towards the area where his own property was located. "Im in fear, Im in fear for my family, my community, my friends," Mr Carmody told the court. About 8pm at night Mr Carmody was pulled aside by a friend to let him know Mr Curnow had been found dead in his car on Grigg Road. Hours later a DFES officer came out to meet Mr Carmody for the first time. Mr Carmody, who had now been working from early in the morning on November 17 through to about 11pm, said it was at that point he was told DFES would be providing extra resources in the morning including an updated map and aerial support. However, the promised resources did not come and no one came to relieve him from his post the following day. "It was clear everyone was stretched ... but we certainly felt a bit alone," he said. He later found out about the deaths of Tom Butcher, Anna Winther and Julia Kohrs-Lichte through social media, and said emergency services had not notified him of the three deaths. Despite the problems that came with the fire, Mr Carmody said it was clear operational structures had changed since 2015 and he still felt confident working with DFES. Mr Carmody said the suggestion waterbombers could have reduced the fire in the early stages and possibly given firefighters on the ground more time was apt, but there would always be an extreme likelihood the fire would break containment lines regardless. He said it still would have been helpful to give firefighters on the ground more time to act. Mr Carmody said there were still improvements to be made in regional communication during bushfire events, and mitigation techniques in remote bushland such as chaining razing vegetation to a low height so fires wouldnt burn as quickly and said the subjectivity of fire levels meant the fire was classified as a level two event for too long. At the height of the blaze, hundreds of firefighters were on the ground. Credit:DFES "It should have been a level two from Sunday night," he said. Only when a fire reaches a level three alert can DFES supply its waterbombers. As he finished giving more than five hours of evidence, Mr Carmody said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident. "Im saddened weve had four deaths. It affects me," he said. "But Im also grateful were not here for another 40. Ive had 40 other people who have described to me how close they came, and its only been seconds. "People have been injured, people have been rescued from tractors, my nephew was on the truck when he became engulfed in smoke ... he couldnt see the back of the bonnet. At the start of the 2018-2019 school year, the La Jolla Cluster Association decided to focus on social intelligence, a style of social emotional learning intended give students the chance to develop their social consciences and understand emotional wellbeing for themselves and others. At the March 14 meeting at Muirlands Middle School, representatives from three schools provided an update their efforts. The Cluster Association is comprised of parents, teachers and principals from La Jollas five public schools Bird Rock Elementary, La Jolla Elementary, Torrey Pines Elementary, Muirlands Middle and La Jolla High. Bird Rock Elementary: We did a parent survey to find out the areas of interests and priorities for parents and teachers. Social Emotional Learning ranked No. 4 for teachers and No. 9 for parents, explained parent Katie Zanoni. That tells us we need to communicate what Social Emotional Learning is for the parent community. What were putting forth is a survey to teachers to pull out what theyre looking for in terms of resources and support and ways to bolster Social Emotional Learning. She added: Were working to coordinate efforts between parent groups and counselors, and I hear there is a meeting scheduled for early April between the counselors and the principals. Muirlands Middle: Principal Geof Martin said he was communicating with We End Violence director Jeff Bucholtz to explore programming developed for middle-school aged students. We End Violence is aimed at prevention and response through age-appropriate workshops. This programming is oriented to students doing the work playing a game, gathering information, etc. in small teams. Its not a workshop where children just sit and listen to a presentation, Martin said. Were exploring options for how to go forward with this. (Bucholtz) has given us proposals to work with our teachers, so they can get a sense of what it is, and do some training. There may also be a night when parents can come and listen to the work hes doing to better understand the message. Muirlands is also working to create programming with Natural High, a drug prevention non-profit; Unlocking the Genius, a San Diego Unified School District program that provides a digital portfolio archiving student strengths, experiences and connecting students to local opportunities to develop their interests; and Project Wisdom, a collection of character-building exercises and recourses. We are looking at how to address Social Emotional Learning on a systemic level across the school, Martin said. La Jolla High: Teacher Kerry Dill said following a Health & Wellness Fair held on campus, the school is planning to hold another, but in varied sessions. In response to student feedback on the mental health fair, were working on splitting the fair up into three lunchtime activities on the topics of General Mental Health Awareness, Nutrition & Exercise, and Stress & Coping, she said. The students said it was all too much in one day and wasnt as useful as it could have been. Dill also plans to move the fair from May to April to avoid disrupting AP testing, but keeping it close to test time so students can best use the wellness exercises. Another component, she added, is getting our outreach information updated so we can create a one-stop shop on our website with update links and topics (related to social emotional health). We have our team working on that right now. In other Cluster news School start time update: Parent Sharon Miller said there is still forward momentum toward establishing a later start time (also referred to as a healthy start time) at La Jolla High School and Muirlands Middle School. It is not dead in the water, she said. The latest is that the head of transportation at San Diego Unified School District has reviewed our scenarios with the staff, and now its up to District Superintendent Cindy Marten, who is meant to look at it in April. Well have a decision soon after. Hopefully, well hear good news. The Cluster Association has been advocating for a later start time for years. Most recently, La Jolla High and Muirlands Middle School drafted a pilot program to start the school day at 8:30 a.m. next year (an hour later than this year). However, it was determined by the governing San Diego School District departments that the proposal was not cost neutral, and could not be approved as submitted. As a result, Cluster members are negotiating the terms. La Jolla Cluster Association next meets 4:45 p.m. Thursday, April 18 at Muirlands Middle School, 1056 Nautilus St. lajollacluster.com Carbon-free electricity and a halt to thermal coal exports - both by 2030 - and the revival of an economy-wide carbon price top the climate policies the Greens will campaign on at the upcoming federal election. The party, which may hold the balance of power in the Senate after the May poll, will also push for a national energy efficiency target and create a public electricity retailer to boost competition and drive down energy bills. The Greens have set a renewable energy target of 100 per cent for the power sector by 2030 as part of their climate policy goals for the federal election. Credit:Jo Buchanan The renewables target has been raised from the Greens' previously announced goal of supplying 90 per cent of Australia's electricity from solar, wind or other clean energy sources by the end of the next decade. At the end of 2018, renewables supplied about 20 per cent of the National Electricity Market, including rooftop solar. By contrast, the Morrison government has not set a target beyond 2020, while Labor is pledging a 50 per cent renewables share by 2030. Its not so much the vassal state any more, its the slave state this is not Brexit, this is a failure of government policy, it needs to be rejected. Boris Johnson opposed Theresa May's Brexit plan before he supported it. Credit:Brexit Or Johnson. Were on the verge of making a historic mistake, he has said. [The deal] is utterly unacceptable to anyone who believes in democracy. We have wrapped a suicide vest around our constitution and handed the detonator to Brussels it is time to scrap [the deal], otherwise we should tell [the EU] they wont get a penny. But never mind. Because now Theresa May has promised to quit if her deal wins enough support, and ambition beckons. To be fair, Rees-Mogg announced his change of mind a few days ago when it was only heavily speculated, rather than a certainty that May would offer her head on a plate in exchange. He said his preferred option, a no deal Brexit, was no longer a foreseeable outcome, and in the end he wanted some sort of Brexit rather than no Brexit. Its a fair argument. But Mays deal has been the most Brexity Brexit option that Brexiters could reasonably hope for a while, and yet Rees-Mogg somehow didn't realise it. He did have the decency to apologise. Literally: "I apologise for changing my mind" was the opening sentence of his Daily Mail column announcing the switch. Loading Also, to be fair, his support is not absolute but contingent on DUP support (that is, contingent on his being on the winning side of the vote). This doesn't exactly exonerate him. It's tempting to guess his thinking: "I don't want to abandon my principles for nothing". Whatever the actual motive of these two and the other MPs who have changed their mind thanks to May offering to fall on her sword, their apparent motive means they have bitterly disappointed the hardline Brexit wing of the Conservatives where theyd made their habitat and gathered their allies. When Brexiters reveal theyll vote for Brexit, they lose their Brexit cred. Rees-Mogg, absurd Blackadder caricature of a born-to-rule Tory he may be, had a reputation for integrity. He presented himself as a man utterly bound by convention and history, a message reinforced through clothing, accent, and a habit of quoting obscure centuries-old political anecdotes. He may still talk his way out of this week of brain-freeze with a handy 17th century precedent, but his brand is heavily tarnished. It would be generous to a fault to say Johnson had a reputation for integrity, but he had authored the most flamboyant and well-remunerated attacks on Theresa May since quitting her Cabinet, using his media pulpits to pepper her and her plan with regular scorn. To back down so quickly with barely a warning is already being seen in some Brexiter corners as an extraordinary betrayal, a reverse ferret of truly tabloid proportions. But Brexit has always been a proxy for Conservative factional wars. Its just a shame they had to involve the rest of the country. The extra irony is that it could easily be for nothing. Thrown to Britain's lions: Prime Minister Theresa May. Credit:Bloomberg Theresa May saw a chance to get the Brexit she has fought for (after campaigning for Remain), the flawed but acceptable compromise she has heroically, repeatedly insisted the country put up with, a living, wheezing sunk cost fallacy of a Brexit. She threw herself to the English lions, in the hope that her Brexit could sneak out to freedom during the slaughter. But there is a rump of Brexiters for whom compromise is the enemy of patriotism and who will resist May's Brexit to the last, because it's not their Brexit (recall the many republicans who voted against Australia becoming a republic in 1999). And there is the Northern Irish DUP, who dont see any advantage in a new PM, and who still sweat in fear that the May divorce deal could lead to a united Ireland by mistake. And there is John Bercow, the Commons speaker threatening to kill Mays chance at another vote on the deal on a point of ancient precedent, enforced when so many others are being blithely binned. To win that vote, and successfully lose her job, May probably needs the help of quite a few Labour MPs. You couldnt make this stuff up. Madrid: A Spanish judge has issued international arrest warrants for two of the intruders who forced their way into North Korea's embassy in Madrid last month and are currently believed to be in the United States, a judicial source told Reuters on Wednesday. The warrants were issued for the group leader and another suspect after an investigation by a Spanish court found that they broke into the embassy, tried to persuade an official to defect and then stole computer equipment shortly before the February 27-28 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi. The North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain. Credit:AP The suspected leader has been identified by the court in an official document as Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican who is a US resident. The other suspect sought in the arrest warrant is Sam Ryu, who is a US citizen of Korean descent. According the court's official document, which was made public on Tuesday, Hong Chang is believed to have travelled to the United States a day after the raid and contacted the FBI to pass on information about it. Washington: US Attorney-General William Barr plans to issue in a matter of weeks a public version of the special counsel's report that found President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team did not conspire with Russia. Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence that Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Credit:AP Democrats attempted to change the subject to healthcare after the report from Robert Mueller appeared to shatter their case that Trump was an illegitimately- elected president. Barr released his own summary of the report's central findings on Sunday but said he needed more time to review the report to determine how much of it could be made public. A Justice Department official said on Tuesday that Barr's plan was to release a public version in "weeks, not months." Congressional Democrats have demanded Barr turn over the report to them by April 2, which would only leave a week for the Justice Department to complete its review. Washington: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 on its way to storage was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon. Southwest Flight 8701 took off from Orlando International Airport at 2.50pm and returned to the airport about 10 minutes later, after pilots reported an engine problem, federal aviation and airline officials said. The aircraft was being ferried to an airport in Southern California, with no passengers aboard, officials said. All Boeing 737 Max aircraft have been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration and are only allowed to fly in special circumstances, such as being transferred. "The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport. The flight was scheduled to fly to Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California, for short-term storage," Southwest said. The second Business4Breakfast staged by the restructured La Jolla Village Merchants Association (LJVMA) March 19 shined a spotlight on Chinese tourism in San Diego, advising La Jolla merchants how to tap into this huge, but largely unnoticed, market opportunity. Gathered in a banquet room at the Grande Colonial Hotel, about 40 retail and restaurant reps seemed delighted and surprised when they watched three San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA)-financed TV commercials currently airing in China, one in English and two in Chinese. The spots branded San Diego as The Gem of Calfiornia and one featuring Paralympian Alana Nichols even promoted La Jolla exclusively. Brian Hilemon, SDTAs director of marketing partnerships, said his association spends more than $1 million per year marketing San Diego to China as a vacation destination including foundational public relations, travel trade efforts and direct consumer advertising. More than 124,000 Chinese visitors stayed overnight in San Diego in 2017, according to Hilemon, spending $233 million an amount he predicted to increase 74 percent by 2022. China is one of the fastest-growing markets into California, and Chinese visitors spend an average of $1,500 in San Diego per visit, which is higher than any other key market, Hilemon said. The La Jolla merchants also heard from Eddie Davis, head of U.S. sales for Alipay, the mobile payment system introduced by Alibaba (Chinas amazon.com equivalent) to the U.S. in 2017 and which Davis said is currently used by 5 percent of the globes population. Davis described Alipay as like ApplePay for China except for a lot bigger. He said to imagine Yelp, Visa and PayPal combined into one. We are a payment method, so ultimately, that is what happens, said Davis, whose office is in San Francisco. But we also have a free marketing platform, so when tourists come here, they open up our app to look for places to come eat, shop and experience. Davis said Alipay is building out a revised San Diego map for Chinese tourists, and offered La Jolla merchants the opportunity to be included in it. Currently, he said, about 500 San Diego businesses are Alipay-enabled including the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier though he couldnt say how many actively accept it. There is a per-transaction fee associated with accepting Alipay, which Davis described as similar to a credit card, but less, quoting about 1.5 percent per transaction as opposed to Visas 2.3 percent plus $.10 per transaction. Following the breakfast, LJVMA executive director Jodi Rudick said a couple of merchants told her they intended to sign up immediately. We know the impact of international tourism and want to know that we are welcoming people from all the globe, she said. The next Business4Breakfast meeting is 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, at a location to be announced. Aimed at small businesses, it will address how to know when its necessary to hire help. Details will be posted at lajollabythesea.com In 2015, California outlawed non-medical vaccine exemptions for school entry. At the time, only 90.4 percent of kindergartners in our states public schools were fully immunized. The law (SB 277) seems to have worked, since 95.1 percent of California kindergartners had all their required shots by the 2017-18 school year, according to the California Department of Public Health. However, medical exemptions from vaccines are rising sharply, and not all may be legitimate. San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has been diligently tracking medical exemptions, and has noticed some physicians issuing exemptions that appear to be excessively frequent and based on criteria that are not aligned with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SDUSD spokesperson Maureen Magee wrote in an e-mail to the Light. Since 2015, SDUSD accepted 487 medical exemptions from vaccination, according to SDUSD records. Of these, 28 excused students attend La Jollas public schools: La Jolla Elementary (8), Muirlands Middle (7), Bird Rock Elementary (6), Torrey Pines Elementary (6) and La Jolla High (1). As a percentage of La Jollas total public-school enrollment, these exemptions represent just under 0.7 percent, which is higher than the percentage of total unvaccinated SDUSD students, 0.4, although both percentages are actually high since the data encompasses all medical excuses accepted from July 2015 to January 2019. La Jollas granted medical exemptions included one at Torrey Pines for family history of vaccine reactions, one at Muirlands for family history hyperimmune conditions and one at La Jolla Elementary that merely read: no details specified. According to Dr. Mark Sawyer, an infectious disease specialist at Rady Childrens Hospital, these exemptions and probably many more do not appear medically legitimate. Anything based on family history is not something recognized by the CDC or the American Academy of Pediatrics as a legitimate reason to avoid vaccination, Sawyer said. There is no clear connection between one generation and another. If your parents had an allergic reaction to a vaccine, that doesnt mean that you will. (Another physician interviewed for this article, Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley pediatrician Dr. Daniel Lichtmann, noted that the CDC does allow a family-history medical exemption, but only in the incredibly rare case of a family history of immunodeficiency thats due to heredity. While Lichtmann agreed that under-vaccination is becoming an issue, he stopped short of calling any specific exemption from the SDUSD data illegitimate based on the small amount of details it provided.) Legit excuses There are legitimate medical reasons for vaccine exemption the most common being immuno-suppression caused by either disease or treatment for cancer, severe allergic reactions to a previous dose of the same vaccine, and serious side effects such as Guillain-Barre syndrome. But every legitimate reason Sawyer said he knows of adds up together to less than 1.2 percent. Thats the percentage of SDUSD kindergartners currently unvaccinated due to medical exemptions, according to the California Department of Public Health, and it represents an increase of six-fold since 2015, when medical exemptions totaled 0.2 percent. Where were all these medical exemptions before if they are all legitimate reasons? Sawyer asked. (Lichtmann said he couldnt say whether legitimate medical exemptions should total more or less than 1.2 percent.) Whos to blame? Whatever threat is currently mounting in local schools, it cannot be blamed on SDUSD or its individual principals or nurses. The 2015 law does not authorize school districts, or any school personnel, to overrule or even review any exemption issued by a licensed medical doctor. Any physician can use any reason, Sawyer said. In other states, they sometimes have the public-health officer make the final call someone with no personal relationship with the family that might pressure a doctor to make a certain decision. As proof of his assertion, Sawyer points out how many of the SDUSD medical exemptions were written by the same doctors. You would expect to see an even distribution of all family doctors and pediatricians across San Diego issuing one or two each, Sawyer said. Yet, according to the SDUSD data, a single San Diego pediatrician wrote nearly one-third of all 487 medical exemptions since 2015. According to that doctors website, a child can be considered for a medical exemption for allergies to food (or) bee stings (or) medicines that include hives/swelling/wheezing. (According to both Sawyer and Lichtmann, these are not medically accepted reasons for exemption.) La Jollas data is still troubling, but less so than the data for the County as a whole. Here, one doctor excused four public school students, one excused three and three others excused two each. (Because identifying information was not included in the SDUSD data, some of these exemptions may even have been granted to the same students across different schools.) Growing threat Measles a highly contagious virus whose side effects can include pneumonia and encephalitis kills one in every 1,000 of the (mostly) children who contract it. In Madagascar this year alone, nearly 1,000 measles deaths have occurred, according to the World Health Organization, which cited vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 global threats of 2019. Federal guidelines typically recommend that children get their first measles vaccine dose at 12 to 15 months of age and their second when they are 4 to 6 years old. Yet measles outbreaks are now occurring in the U.S. due to gaps in vaccination coverage including two in San Diego. In 2008, an unvaccinated 7-year-old, who received treatment in Bird Rock after contracting the virus in Europe, exposed 800 people including 11 unvaccinated children who contracted it. And in December 2014, San Diego reported more than 20 measles cases caused by a single exposure at Disneyland that infected 131 people statewide. Vaccines not only protect individuals from contracting diseases, Sawyer explained, they protect large groups of individuals occupying closed quarters such as schools. This so-called herd immunity decreases the risk of an outbreak because the overwhelmingly resistant majority prevents the disease from establishing a foothold. However, once the immunization rate in a school dips below 95 percent, herd immunity is compromised. Even some people who are immunized will get the disease in that case, due to the 2 to 5 percent who normally dont respond to a given vaccine, Sawyer said, and the few in the school who cannot receive the vaccine because they have a legitimate reason all these people are now susceptible. Of all the kindergarten classes in SDUSD, 12 have vaccination rates below 95 percent, according to the health department data, and one schools rate is only 50 percent. (None of these schools is in La Jolla.) What can be done In her e-mail, Magee wrote that the districts physician has raised concerns about this trend with legislators and the local chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, among other medical professionals. Currently, however, the only mechanism for holding under-vaccinating doctors accountable is the state medical board, which is charged with imposing sanctions including license suspensions and revocations. But sanctions are difficult to impose without access to family medical records, which the board cannot force a family to hand over. (In fact, the only California doctor to receive a sanction for under-vaccinating was a Capistrano Beach pediatrician who is still practicing and wrote two exemptions for Bird Rock Elementary students since 2015. He received 35 months probation for, the board charged, exempting a 2-year-old from all future vaccinations without reviewing any of the childs medical records.) Is there a better way of insuring the legitimacy of all medical exemptions issued for vaccines in San Diego and elsewhere in California? A study of statewide medical-exemption requests under the 2015 law, conducted last year and published in the journal Pediatrics, acknowledged a serious health risk in California public schools and recommended legal changes including a standardized review of medical exemptions. Sawyer agreed, suggesting that the law be rewritten either to allow review by a public-health officer or to follow the already-publicized, widely accepted reasons to exempt people and unless you have one of these things, you dont get an exemption. UPDATE! As the issue containing this story went to press on Tuesday, March 26, a state measure (SB 276) was introduced by State Senator Richard Pan and Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez giving public-health officials, instead of local doctors, the power to decide which medical exemptions to issue for vaccination. La Jolla murder solved after 40 years The San Diego Police Departments Cold Case Unit solved a murder that took place in La Jolla 40 years ago by partnering with the San Diego County District Attorneys Office Cold Case Unit and the FBIs Investigative Genealogy Team, and using public access genealogical databases. According to police reports, on March 21, 1979, the murdered and bloody body of Barbara Becker was found in her La Jolla home. Becker was a 37-year-old wife and mother of two boys, ages 7 and 9. She sustained numerous sharp force injuries and based on the evidence at the scene, she put up a tremendous fight for her life. The evidence also indicated the suspect was injured in the attack, as there was a blood trail left behind. Homicide investigators worked to solve the murder, but eventually all of the investigative leads were exhausted and the case went cold, read press material. As with all cold-case homicides, evidence is routinely compared to emerging forensic technology. At the time of Barbara Beckers murder, only blood typing was available. When DNA became an accepted forensic technology, the suspect profile developed from the crime scene was uploaded into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but no matches were found. In October of 2018, San Diego Police Departments Cold Case Unit revived the investigation with other cold-case units. Over the course of the investigation, they identified direct family members of the suspect, who voluntarily provided DNA samples for comparison to what was collected in 1979. Paul Jean Chartrand was identified as the source of the blood from the crime scene, police report. Family members confirmed Chartrand lived in the San Diego area at the time of Barbara Beckers murder. During the investigation, it was learned that Chartrand died in Arizona in 1995. Chartrand had a previous arrest the year prior in Los Angeles, which would have made him subject to DNA testing, and his DNA profile legally suitable for upload into CODIS. However, he died prior to the full implementation of the database. The families of both the victim and the suspect have requested privacy following the announcement, but the police department stated it was grateful the case has been solved, though it is tempered by the fact it took 40 years to give Barbara Beckers family the answers they deserved and that Chartrand was able to avoid justice for 16 years after Barbara Beckers murder. Three assaults reported last week Police are reporting three cases of assault over two days in La Jolla: two physical altercations and one digital threat. In the first, reported 2:25 p.m. March 15 on the 5700 block of La Jolla Hermosa Avenue, an unknown white male punched a bicyclist in the arm. The cyclist then fell onto a parked car and sustained abrasions to his left arm and fingers. The suspect fled and is not in custody. About 36 hours later, around 2 a.m. March 17 on the 2500 block of Torrey Pines Road, an altercation took place between two people in a motor home. The suspect shoved the victim into a cabinet, and the victim sustained a small laceration on their head. The suspect was arrested and issued a misdemeanor citation for battery. The third report involved a suspect digitally threatening a victim on the 200 block of Coast Blvd., who reported the incident to police 2:37 p.m. March 17. Police say an unknown suspect contacted the victim via text message and requested she comply with their request to alter her phone settings. The suspect presented personal information about the victim and her associates, then made multiple threats followed by a video in which two firearms were brandished. No one is in custody and the identity of the suspect is unknown. Liquor store robbed The Dicks Liquor Store at 737 Pearl St. was robbed around 11 p.m. March 18. Police report an unknown male used an object to smash the glass door, then entered the business and took cigarettes. Man sues city, scooter-maker over crash in PB The City is facing a lawsuit filed by a disabled man who said he was injured when teenagers on an electric scooter lost control and caused a bicyclist to slam into his wheelchair on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach last July. Plaintiff Richard Pearson is also suing the scooter manufacturer, Bird, over the incident during which, he said, he sustained bruising to his torso, ribs, left knee and left arm. The suit was filed in San Diego Superior Court last week. Pearson uses an electric wheelchair. He said in the suit he was riding on the right side of the boardwalk near Pacific Beach Drive when two girls, ages 12 and 14, on a scooter suddenly crossed over the center line of the boardwalk and into Pearsons path. The scooter caused a cyclist to veer away and then crash into Pearsons wheelchair. Thats when he got injured, the suit says. The lawsuit largely blames Bird for not establishing geofencing a technology that can limit the speed scooters travel at in designated areas and not having a speedometer on the vehicle. The suit contends the City is liable for creating a dangerous condition on public property. It blames the City for not having regulations in place that would require geofencing, speedometers and signs warning pedestrians that the boardwalk was also used by scooters, whose speed could not be monitored. Mayor Kevin Faulconer has since proposed a number of rules that would regulate the scooter industry including requiring geofencing in various areas in the city, including the boardwalk where Pearson was hurt. Restaurant to pay $34,500 for not disclosing surcharge The Paradise Point Resort has agreed to pay the city of San Diego $34,500 to settle a legal claim that one of its restaurants had been misleading customers by not clearly disclosing a surcharge it was levying on diners bills to cover increased labor costs stemming from minimum wage hikes to $12 an hour. The settlement comes more than a year after San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott filed a civil enforcement action targeting the Mission Bay resorts Barefoot Bar & Grill, alleging that the waterfront eatery failed to conspicuously display the dining surcharge and then only added it to menus in extremely small print after Elliott sent a warning letter in August. By not clearly alerting consumers to its 3 percent surcharge prior to ordering, the restaurant effectively advertised prices that didnt reflect the true cost of items to customers. While the Barefoot Bar was one of 11 restaurants that previously received letters from the City Attorneys Office alleging violations of Californias False Advertising and Unfair Competition Law, the other establishments either opted to stop using the surcharges or began complying with the law by more clearly disclosing the levies. No legal action was taken against them. Paradise Point area managing director Michael Stephens released a statement March 22, saying: We were pleased to have settled this issue with the City last year, and while one of our many menus we offer our guests had a clerical error for a short period of time, we are also pleased to share that we have taken measures to ensure that this issue would not happen in the future. The City Attorneys office said most of the $34,500 settlement will go toward a public restitution fund used for consumer education and future minimum wage and surcharge investigations. Police Blotter Feb. 20 Adult in possession of marijuana, on grounds during school activities, 700 block Nautilus St. 1:16 p.m. March 3 Fraud, 900 block Opal St. 11 p.m. March 5 Fraud, 900 block Van Nuys St. noon March 6 Residential burglary, 5400 block La Jolla Blvd. 5 p.m. March 13 Petty theft, 7800 block Herschel Ave. 3 a.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 900 block Muirlands Vista Way, 10 p.m. March 16 Rape, (police could not release details about this case), 2200 block Avenida de la Playa, 1:30 a.m. March 19 Residential burglary, 4900 block Ocean Blvd. 7:15 a.m. Residential burglary, 4900 block Ocean Blvd. 11:50 a.m. Possession of unlawful paraphernalia, 5100 block Mission Blvd. 2:48 p.m. Possession of unlawful paraphernalia, 5100 block Mission Blvd. 3:19 p.m. Possession of unlawful paraphernalia, 5100 block Mission Blvd. 3:35 p.m. March 20 Use of controlled substance, 800 block Kline St. 2:15 p.m. March 21 Residential burglary, 7800 block Prospect St. 10 a.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 1400 block Vue de Bay Court, 4 p.m. Vehicle theft (felony), Camino del Oro at El Paseo Grande, 5:15 p.m. Petty theft, 5800 block Desert View Drive, 11:09 p.m. March 22 Vehicle break-in/theft, 8300 block Camino del Oro, 10 a.m. Petty theft, 800 block Turquoise St. 12:25 p.m. Disorderly conduct: Alcohol, 600 block Westbourne St. 2:35 p.m. Petty theft, 700 block Turquoise St. 5:05 p.m. March 23 Fraud, 1000 block Prospect St., 2 p.m. Petty theft, 7200 block Via Capri, 10:30 p.m. March 24 Vehicle break-in/theft, 600 block Carla Way, 3 a.m. Compiled by Ashley Mackin-Solomon from San Diego Police reports and others A federal grand jury sitting in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg has indicted 12 members of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a Mexican-based criminal organization considered by the Department of Justice to be one of the five most dangerous transnational organizations in the world, on federal drug conspiracy charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today. In an indictment returned under seal on March 5, 2019, and unsealed Monday, following the initial court appearance of two defendants, the grand jury charges: 1. Ramon Carillo-Ruvalcaba, a.k.a. The Barber one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 2. Eduardo Contreras-Devora, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 3. Daniel Gomez-Barajas, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 4. Roman Idearte-Bolanos, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 5. Alberto Jijon, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 6. Miguel Angel Patricio-Cajero, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 7. Isdro Ramos-Bojorquez, a.k.a. Chilo one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 8. Jesus Rogelio Ramirez, a.k.a. Jesse one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 9. Jonathan Rocas-Osorio, a.k.a. Oscar Osorio-Munoz one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 10. Ana Bella Sanchez-Rios, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and one count of money laundering. 11. Ritchie Triplett, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 12. Ernesto Valenzuela-Flores, a.k.a. Juan Flores-Arrellano one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. According to the indictment, between January 2015 and February 2019, the defendants trafficked multiple kilograms of cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Mexico into the United States. As part of the alleged conspiracy, CJNG members recruited individuals from Mexico to reside in Axton and Winchester, Virginia to facilitate the distribution of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The conspiracy alleges that the defendants lived in several homes in and around Axton for the purpose of receiving, storing, packaging, and distributing multiple kilograms of cocaine and multiple pounds of marijuana. According to the indictment, the defendants had received directly from members of CJNG. The drugs were then allegedly shipped to Winchester, and elsewhere throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, for redistribution. "For a long time, all the agencies, have known and been watching a lot of drug activity in the East end of the county," said Henry County Sheriff, Lane Perry. Kim Way Drive in Henry County is where one member, Ramon Carillo-Ruvalcaba, lived at one point according to former arrest warrants. According to Sheriff Perry, activity also occurred on Barker Drive in Axton. "There were a lot of drugs, there was money, and weapons throughout the course of the investigation and with it, it will take some of those things out of the area," said Perry. "It is in a rural part of the county, in the Sandy level area, and its right on the North Carolina border, so there is easy access to Virginia and North Carolina," said Dr. J David Martin, a member of the Henry County Board of Supervisors who represents the Axton community. Martin says thanks to law enforcement the men and women involved in the cartel are no longer a danger to other residents. "I don't know what led to it but we're very hopeful that this is the ending of it," said Perry. A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. As part of this years La Jolla Landmarks Week, the La Jolla Historical Society hosted architectural historian Diane Kane with a presentation on the California-style bungalow, which has become an iconic local treasure. While many associate construction of these houses with the 1920s, Kane told the packed hall on March 20, their establishment was a steady evolution, rooted in Craftsman architecture, and going as far back as the late 1800s and as far away as India. We were a melting pot and stew for architecture at the end of the 19th century, Kane explained. As such, the Craftsman-style houses built in the early 1900s incorporated different styles, features and influences to become the California bungalows we know today. It all started, Kane said, with a style of house called bangla, a seasonal home at the foot of the Himalayas, which was common in the 1800s. Much of India is very hot and humid, so if you were trying to escape that, you would head to the foothills, she explained. This (sanctuary) would be something you would only use in the summer. It had a steeply pitched thatched roof with a couple of rooms surrounded by a porch on all sides, and was fairly open to catch the breezes and take advantage of views. By the late 19th century, Europeans started to discover the beach scene. People wanted fresh air and sunshine and to get away from the city pollution, Kane said. To accommodate this, we started to build houses of the style we saw in India. These came from a catalog; you could order it and they would ship it to your site with a screwdriver, so you could build your own. These catalogs are the first time, she said, the word bungalow appears in European literature. As such, in the seaside towns of Coronado, Ocean Beach and La Jolla, tent cities began to emerge that contained small structures like those in India. They served as a seasonal dwelling and were tightly boxed, with a pyramidal roof. They were fairly ephemeral and not expected to be there forever, Kane said. In La Jolla, which was built around the same time, the streets were curved to address the topography. When our town was being subdivided, it was tough to get here. It was almost a full days journey (from downtown San Diego) until the train got here. People often showed up on horseback and were tired when they arrived, so if you wanted to spend some time in a temporary dwelling, we had bungalows. They too, looked like the banglas of India. Architectural historian Diane Kane shares the history of California-style bungalows at the La Jolla Historical Society, March 20, as part of La Jolla Landmarks Week. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon) In the early 1900s, and as architectural opportunities arose on the West Coast (specifically the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego) architects on a mission to build permanent housing (like Irving Gill), would look at topography, climate and available materials to answer the question: What is here to inspire us to build something that is California? Using Craftsman-style features common for the time such as a low-pitched roof, deep eaves with exposed rafters, decorative knee braces and kept to one story and with breeze-friendly open features in mind, such houses became known as the California-style bungalow. By 1910, Pasadena was crawling with bungalows made from sturdy redwood, Kane said. Architects added shingles to protect the wood from the elements including sun and rain and termites. In La Jolla, as with most things, theres a Scripps connection. Citing the 1904 custom house that would become Wisteria Cottage (the current home of the La Jolla Historical Societyat 780 Prospect St.), Kane said, it has the first use of cobblestones by Ellen Browning Scripps. There is no cobblestone here, so where were these come from? Kane posed. She was buying it from other areas of San Diego, and the cobblestone walls were added to give the appearance of the simple life. As running water, electricity and other technological advancements dawned, the interiors became more modern and functional by the 1920s. Bungalows were the major style and building typology when La Jolla was developing through the 1920s, Kane said. We used to be covered in them. It was all Craftsman in the downtown area, and then, we started building. And after a couple of high-rises went in, and in 1972 we passed Proposition D to stick to a 30-foot height limit. So building began spreading out in the 1980s, then we got post-modernized. Those new buildings wiped out the bungalows. Some of the buildings that werent thrown in the trash were moved as part of the innovative creation of La Jollas Heritage Place on La Jolla Boulevard or saved through historic preservation efforts. These houses were built to be very light, were moved a lot (in their historic uses), and meant to be moved. Right now theres a La Jolla Boulevard property on which bungalows were moved to be preserved. And while there are still some historic bungalows in other areas of The Village, such as on Eads and Fay Avenues, Kane said, they are going very rapidly. When San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer issues his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2020, assessments for the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) are reportedly going to be in it. Along with all City of San Diego MADs (there are currently 55 with their boundaries listed at bit.ly/citymadmaps) staff will be requesting that the La Jolla MAD annual report be approved for FY 2020 along with anticipated revenues and expenditures, said City spokesperson Anna Vacchi. If approved by City Resolution during the FY 2020 budget approval hearing, its anticipated the City will enroll all MAD assessments including La Jollas to the County prior to Aug. 10, 2019. The timeline Volume one of the Mayors budget is released in April with proposed figures, and the Citys Independent Budget Analyst reviews the first draft and then issues a preliminary report in late April. In May, City Council members hold budget hearings to gather input from residents. Soon after, the Mayor releases his revision and the Independent Budget Analyst issues budget recommendations. In June, the adopted budget is established. Should the Mayors budget be approved with the La Jolla MAD, the assessment schedule will be submitted to the County by Aug. 10, and the County will mail the assessments with the property tax bills around late September 2019. The assessments are due to the County in two installments the first is due by Dec. 10, 2019 and second by April 10, 2020. The County then transfers the assessments to the City, Vacchi explained. The funds The La Jolla MAD assessments will be approximately $87 annually for most residents within the District boundaries and fees for District businesses are based on the footprint of the building. The MAD would generate approximately a half-million dollars annually for maintenance in The Village. The La Jolla-based group Enhance La Jolla would manage the MAD with authority to 1) enhance City-provided services including landscape maintenance, street and sidewalk cleaning, litter and graffiti abatement, plus additional trash collection and 2) privately fund and complete capital improvement projects in public spaces, such as upgrade trash cans, install benches, augment signage, make park improvements, increase public art and plant tree canopies on main thoroughfares. The first services will be funded through the assessments collected, and the second through private donations. Enhance La Jolla president Ed Witt said of the recent development: Im very excited and happy that were finally moving forward so we can improve the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District. This will provide us with the necessary tools to begin to enhance the District and create a better environment for business and property owners within La Jolla. I speak for everyone on the board when I say we appreciate the Mayor doing this and the City Attorneys office for recommending this. We will be ready to go as soon as the City forwards us the funds! The projects In the meantime, Enhance La Jolla can collect private donations to execute projects to benefit the community. The board met at La Jolla Library in early March to discuss upcoming projects. The first two the creation of an overall streetscape plan for The Village (pricetag $75,000) and the installation of La Jolla-branded bike racks throughout town (pricetag TBD) have been funded by the La Jolla Community Foundation. A MAD is a legal mechanism by which property owners can vote to assess themselves to pay and receive services above-and-beyond what the City normally provides. The MAD for La Jolla was approved by a majority (weighted by property size and type) of the commercial and residential property owners within its boundaries in November 2016. Soon after the MAD was passed, the La Jolla Benefits Association LLC was formed, and it filed a lawsuit challenging the MADs legality on the grounds that services the MAD would provide are services the City should be carrying out, such as additional trash collection, litter abatement, graffiti control, landscape maintenance and power-washing sidewalks. After legal back-and-forth, San Diego Superior Court Judge Randa Trapp ruled the MAD could proceed. To learn more, visit enhancelajolla.org La Jolla High School horn player Katherine Perrine is the 2019 San Diego Unified School Districts Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Foundation Spotlight Award winner for Artistic Achievement. She was honored at a presentation March 13 at the Eugene Brucker Education Center in University Heights and will receive a $250 scholarship. Katherine was involved in the District Honor Band for three high school years (earning the principal horn position) and only missed her senior year due to commitments traveling the country auditioning for music conservatories and colleges. Of the awards, District Superintendent Cindy Marten said: We know that the arts are an essential part of unlocking the genius in all of our students, and I am grateful for our communitys support of the VAPA Foundation that helps art and music thrive in our schools. Awardees were nominated by the Districts VAPA stakeholder community teachers, parents, community arts partners, administrators and students and winners were selected by a committee that included a teacher and rep from the districts VAPA Advisory Council, VAPA Department and VAPA Foundation. Katherine was nominated by former La Jolla High School music teacher Michael Fiedler. Of all the students he knows, he picked me, Katherine said, adding she was very flattered by the gesture. Instrumental Music Specialist Mark Nicholson introduced her at the ceremony saying: Katherines dedication to her success playing horn is unlike any kind of drive Ive ever seen in a high school student. Despite her many musical commitments outside of school, she has stayed dedicated to the classmates in her school ensembles, consistently enrolling in at least one music class every year. Katherine is also perpetually at work crafting unique arrangements for school groups to sight read some have been performed onstage by her peers with Katherine holding the baton and conducting! Katherine defines artistic achievement at high school. And it all started in fourth grade, as Katherine told the Light: I was attending La Jolla Elementary School, and they started a Brass Club and I saw the trombone and thought it was so cool. I asked my mom if I could play it and she said no because it was too big. But she gave me a clarinet. In fifth grade, Katherine moved on to the cornet, and then to the trumpet. I guess I was pretty good as it, she said. In middle school, she joined the after-school band. Mr. Fiedler asked if anyone wanted to play French horn, and I liked the shape and sound, and tried it. I got to the point where I was playing both (French horn and trumpet), she said. In seventh grade, Katherine auditioned for the San Diego Youth Symphony on the instruments, but it was the French horn for her, after she earned a better symphony placement with it. When I first started playing horn, we found a very good horn player in Benjamin Jaber. He was First Horn of San Diego Symphony at the time. Just sitting down and hearing a very good horn-player was empowering. He made it sound so wonderful ... then I knew what a beautiful sound the French horn could make, she said. To further understand how different instruments work together, she learned to play the cello. I love music, especially classical music. But brass and string instruments are very different in quartets and ensembles. I had no understanding of how these instruments worked together, she said. To truly understand how an instrument works, I had to play it. I got to understand how the string collaborates with the horn and other instruments. The way a cello works with a violin is different than how it works with a horn. Netiquette Die Kommentare auf weltwoche-daily.ch dienen als Diskussionsplattform und sollen den offenen Meinungsaustausch unter den Lesern ermoglichen. Es ist uns ein wichtiges Anliegen, dass in allen Kommentarspalten fair und sachlich debattiert wird. Scharfe, sachbezogene Kritik am Inhalt des Artikels oder wo angebracht an Beitragen anderer Forumsteilnehmer ist erwunscht, solange sie hoflich vorgetragen wird. Personlichkeitsverletzende und diskriminierende Ausserungen hingegen verstossen gegen unsere Richtlinien. Sie werden ebenso geloscht wie Kommentare, die eine sexistische, beleidigende oder anstossige Ausdrucksweise verwenden. Beitrage kommerzieller Natur werden nicht freigegeben. Zu verzichten ist grundsatzlich auch auf Kommentarserien (zwei oder mehrere Kommentare hintereinander um die Zeichenbeschrankung zu umgehen), wobei die Online-Redaktion mit Augenmass Ausnahmen zulassen kann. Die Kommentarspalten sind artikelbezogen, die thematische Ausrichtung ist damit vorgegeben. Wir bitten Sie deshalb auf Beitrage zu verzichten, die nichts mit dem Inhalt des Artikels zu tun haben. Das Nutzen der Kommentarfunktion bedeutet ein Einverstandnis mit unseren Richtlinien. Unzulassig sind Wortmeldungen, die Nichts mit dem Thema des Artikels zu tun haben Kommerzieller Natur sind andere Forumsteilnehmer personlich beleidigen einzelne Personen oder Gruppen aufgrund von Rasse, Ethnie oder Religion herabsetzen in Rechtschreibung und Interpunktion mangelhaft sind verachtliche Abanderungen von Namen oder Umschreibungen von Personen enthalten mehr als einen externen Link enthalten einen Link zu dubiosen Seiten enthalten Nur einen Link enthalten ohne beschreibenden Kontext dazu Als Medium, das der freien Meinungsausserung verpflichtet ist, handhabt die Weltwoche Verlags AG die Veroffentlichung von Kommentaren liberal. Die Online-Redaktion behalt sich jedoch vor, Kommentare nach eigenem Gutdunken und ohne Angabe von Grunden nicht freizugeben. Es besteht grundsatzlich kein Recht darauf, dass ein Kommentar veroffentlich wird. Weiter behalt sich die Redaktion das Recht vor, Kurzungen vorzunehmen. The film tells the breath-taking journey of a single mom named Hai Phuong to save her daughter, Mai, from kidnappers who work in the transnational crime of kidnapping and organ trafficking. Hai Phuong, who was an ex-gangster, has only 14 hours to chase the kidnappers from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City and Phan Thiet to save Mai. Any mistake she makes could end up costing her life and that of her daughter. The film was labelled C18 (Restricted for audiences aged 18 years or above). According to the films leading actress, Ngo Thanh Van, also known as Veronica Ngo, although Hai Phuong was set in a one-day journey on the screen, the filming took place over six weeks in reality with an average of 18 working hours per day. After two weeks of premiere in Vietnam, on February 22 the film hit the big screen in the US and Canada. It will head to the Chinese market in the near future, according to the producer. The movie has won enthusiastic appreciation from audiences and film critics, both at home and abroad. La Jolla resident Linda Tu was one of 17 Women of Distinction from across San Diego, who were honored March 20 by 78th Assembly member Todd Gloria at the Womens Museum of California in Liberty Station. The 78th Assembly includes San Diego County, Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach and Solana Beach. We are celebrating Womens History Month in March and this is an opportunity to honor the women who make San Diego a better place to live, Gloria told those gathered. Each year, the California Legislature holds a Women of the Year ceremony in Sacramento, where each of the states 80 assembly district members honors one woman. Locally, San Diego expands on that to recognize multiple women. We know the 78th Assembly District is home to a number of truly phenomenal women, so thats why we wanted to honor them here, Gloria said. Supporters crowd the Womens Museum of California for the Women of Distinction ceremony. Ashley Mackin-Solomon Linda Tu was recognized in the Civics category for her decades of service to a unique community in San Diego. Other honorees include: Roz Winstead, Stephanie Benvenuto, Cathie Jolley, Diane Peabody Straw, Tracie Jada OBrien, Laurie Black, Rose Ann Sharp, Jen LaBarbera, Tessa Williams, Darcy Pavich, Steph Johnson, Cristina Marquez, Marlena Balderas, Nicole Capretz and Vernita Todd. The 78th District Woman of the Year is Brigette Browning. Since 2005, Linda has been the president of the San Diego Alliance for Asian Pacific Islander Americans and has organized the San Diego Dragon Boat Race Festival on Mission Bay. Mark your calendars for the next one, its May 4. Its amazing, Gloria said, while reading her bio. If you are really nice to Linda, she will let you paint an eye on the dragons for good luck! She helped found the Alliance for Asian Pacific Islander Americans to celebrate Asian Pacific Islander cultures and advocate for Asian Pacific Islander rights and empowerment through service, education and philanthropy. Are you exhausted yet? Thats all in a day for her! Her civic engagement particularly on behalf of our growing, thriving and vibrant Asian Pacific Islander community has led to greater representation and cultural awareness of this key part of San Diego. Tu became a resident of La Jolla in 1988 and taught at the San Diego Chinese Academy at La Jolla Country Day School. She is also a board member of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, where, Gloria said: She has co-curated an exhibited documenting San Diego in the 1930s and 1940s and interviewed people who, as children, lived in what was known as Chinatown. Tu is also an arts and culture columnist for Asia Reader, through which she helps San Diego celebrate many Chinese traditions and showcase San Diegos diverse Asian Pacific Islander performing and visual arts, Gloria said. Nominations for next years awards can be submitted through Glorias website at a78.asmdc.org Stamford Museum & Nature Center has announced that Chopped champion chef Silvia Baldini will teach a six-week spring cooking series designed to boost kitchen skills while building a repertoire of vibrant meals. Baldinis recipes rely on nourishing ingredients that naturally strengthen bodies and minds: leafy greens, robust root vegetables, power-packed fruits, energy-giving whole grains, combined with basic pantry essentials and sustaining proteins, SM&NC said in a news release. As a former supervisor with the Chief States Attorneys Cold Case Unit, Patrick Griffin understands the heartache the families of murder victims suffer when a case goes cold. So when he was appointed as the States Attorney for the Judicial District of New Haven in 2016, he formed his own cold case unit for the municipalities the New Haven courthouse serves. The group made its first arrest last July, charging Christopher Calhoun with the 2011 New Haven shooting death of Isaiah Gantt. Thats one case that would have never been solved, Griffin said. Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane estimates there are 1,500 to 2,000 unsolved homicides in the state that date back to the late 1970s and early 1980s. Theoretically, they could be solved because witnesses could still be alive and capable of testifying, or the person who did it could still be alive, Kane said. There is no statewide cold case clearinghouse and no exact number of how many unsolved homicides Connecticut police departments are potentially investigating, Kane said. Survivors of Homicide, an organization that supports families who have lost loved ones to homicide, estimated there were more than 1,100 Connecticut cold case murders as of 2015. The organization is compiling a complete list, but does not yet have exact numbers for each municipality. Theres not a general database for police to input numbers, said Jessica Pizzano, director of Victim Services for Survivors of Homicide. Her organization supports survivors of homicide during the court process and through support groups held monthly in New Haven, Southington, Danbury and New London. Families who are dealing with a cold case homicide have an additional layer of grieving and most dont have access to court victim advocates, since no arrest has been made, she said. Youre in a gray area, and since the case technically is still being investigated, police usually dont give out information, Pizzano said. Heinous impact Its up to each police department to investigate its own cold cases. Kanes Cold Case Unit takes over investigations when requested. But the local department is required to assigned at least one part-time officer to the effort. The Cold Case Unit works on about 20 cases at a time, said Chief Inspector Michael Sullivan who oversees a number of units within the Chief States Attorneys Office. Its tragic for a family, or even a neighborhood, to have a homicide unsolved, Kane said. Ive often thought it undermines confidence in government. How does a neighborhood react when a murder takes place that isnt solved? Urban areas where there is an unsolved murder also feel it. They say, youre bothering me for that registration and you cant even solve my brothers murder? It has a heinous impact. The Chief States Attorneys Cold Case Unit has existed for more than 20 years, systematically chipping away at murders that other departments have been unable to solve. The effort received a boost, and a new way of investigating, in 2006 when former Hartford Detective James Rovella was appointed as the chief inspector of the unit. Rovella reshaped the strategy by pulling in about a dozen full-time detectives from police departments looking to solve cold cases. He also brought in parole, probation and corrections officers with community sources who may have information on unsolved crimes. Each local detective worked on the cases, in addition to their own. The group started every case from scratch, examining all the evidence with fresh eyes. Rovella, who was recently chosen by Gov. Ned Lamont to head the states Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, also instituted Cold Case playing cards in Connecticut prisons. Each card contains information on a cold case. Four editions of the cards representing nearly 200 unsolved cases are in circulation. Sullivan is working on a fifth edition. The cards, which are the only deck inmates can use, have led to more than a dozen convictions. If there were no card program, some of those cases wouldnt be solved, Sullivan said. The cards have resulted in 3,000 phone calls, which have generated 800 tips, Sullivan said. Rovellas strategy of pulling in help from local departments and outside agencies worked. Within 18 months, the unit solved four cold case homicides involving six victims, including the arrest of Pedro Miranda, accused of killing three young women in the 1980s. It was fairly well staffed and active all around the state, Kane said. But gradually funding dried up and many police departments withdrew their participation, he said. The unit now has officers from Hartford, New Britain, East Windsor, the state Department of Corrections and a representative from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They work closely with prosecutors who will eventually try the case if an arrest is made. Kane lost staff on the unit to fill vacancies throughout the Division of Criminal Justice. But now he expects to add at least another prosecutor and an inspector and hes looking for police departments that want to become a part of the unit. Seeking closure The work of a second Chief States Attorneys Cold Case Unit operating in the Southeastern portion of the state continues on a reduced scale as well. Cases are chosen based on their solvability, Sullivan said. There are a ton of cases and they all deserve to be solved, he said. You try and pick one and see if there are still leads. Maybe witnesses wouldnt cooperate at the time. Some have been investigated so thoroughly that theres nowhere else to go with it. There are about 100 murders each year in Connecticut, he said. If 68 percent are solved, every year youll have more and more cold cases, Sullivan said. Cold cases all have problems, or they wouldnt be cold. The easy ones are solved, they dont become cold. But the ones that arent, there is just so many cases. Every one of those cases deserves to be solved. Griffin understood those challenges and made forming his own cold case unit a priority when he became the New Haven States Attorney. When I was appointed, I requested a meeting with all 13 police chiefs to discuss open and unsolved homicides, Griffin said. I requested that each town or city assign an officer to work with the team. The task force meets regularly to discuss the cases and make recommendations on how to proceed, he said. Hes also pulled in Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF agents and has several of his state prosecutors cross designated as federal prosecutors since theres often a state and federal connection to the cases. Any of the 13 police departments that want a case investigated must designate a lead investigator who prepares a presentation for the group. The Judicial District spans from Cheshire and Meriden to Guilford and Branford and includes New Haven, East Haven and Hamden. The group will review the presentation and determine if there are any avenues they can pursue. Griffin said the unit, which is working on about five cases, is willing to investigate cases that have some possibility of being solved. Were doing the best we can within the constraints of everyones budget, Griffin said. Its not easy, but we recognize that families have not had closure. BRIDGEPORT The University of Bridgeports decision to close out a number of majors including its two-decade-old naturopathic medicine program was greeted Tuesday with sadness and shock. This is a tremendous loss for Connecticut and for the naturopathic community at large, said Dr. Rick Liva, legislative chair of the Connecticut Naturopathic Physicians Assocation. We are saddened and disappointed by this decision. UB announced Monday that the major, one of a handful of accredited naturopathic medicine programs in the Northeast, was being phased out, along with majors in Martial Arts, Design Management, Religion and Politics and East Asian and Pacific Rim Studies. The degree in martial arts has been at UB since 2004 and was the first of its kind in the country. The naturopathic medicine program got its start at UB in 1997, with its first graduating class in 2001. In a letter to the university community on the first day back from spring break on Monday, Provost Stephen Healey said UB will stop accepting applications for those programs for fall 2019. Also being discontinued are a number of concentrations in masters programs in Technology Management and Business Administration that have limited or no enrollment. Students currently enrolled ... will be able to complete their degree at the University of Bridgeport, said Healey. He said he has begun consulting with faculty and students in affected programs. On Monday, some students and former students said there were tears. It was a sad day, said Derek Reilly, who graduated in May 2018 with a degree in naturopathic medicine. He now practices in New Hampshire. Reilly said his main question is why? Healey said the decision was difficult and based on a number of factors, primarily enrollment, revenue and student outcomes. All educational institutions constantly consider their academic inventory, Healey said. This fall, UB reorganized, merging 14 schools and programs into three colleges: Arts and Sciences, Health Sciences and a College of Engineering, Business and Education, under its new president, Laura Skandera Trombley. She came to the university in July 2018. Combined, there are about 100 students total enrolled in the cut programs, including 74 in the four-year naturopathic medicine program. There are about 15 faculty members affected. Some may be shifted to other programs. In its place, UB plans to launch several new programs including an online bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and a bachelors degree in Performing Arts which it has had before. The College of Engineering, Business and Education will launch a bachelors degree in Computer Engineering Technology. In addition, UB will increase its investment in the Criminal Justice, Psychology, Design and Nursing programs, according to the provost. The cuts, Healey added, will free up resources for other programs. Healey said there are no plans at this time to shut down UBs chiropractic medicine, acupuncture or nutrition programs, which many thought meshed nicely with naturopathy. Reilly said there was some crossover with students in one discipline taking courses in the other. His class had about 30 students. Fewer in classes that came behind him. It still seemed like a good size class, he said. Connecticut has allowed the practice of naturopathic medicine since 1920. At one point, UB had as many as 115 students in the program but in recent years, the program has been on the decline, Healey said. It could bounce back, but at 74 it seemed now is the time to phase the program out, Healey said. It will take three years to close out the program unless students transfer to other schools. The decline at UB does not seem to reflect the national trend, according to Dr. JoAnn Yanez, executive director of the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. She said the field is seeing unprecedented gains. This programs closure is unfortunate, but the decision was clearly made as part of a larger University of Bridgeport plan, which includes both the elimination of several programs and introduction of new programs outside of the healthcare field. Yanez said. Dr. Kendra Becker, a UB grad who practices naturopathic medicine in Waterford, called the news sad but maintains the university never did anything to promote or showcase the program. The saddest part is the naturopathic clinic served an underserved population and those patients have nowhere to seek care once the clinic closes, she said. In Connecticut, naturopaths have a limited practice scope and as a result, Becker said, many students select other schools or leave the state after graduation to practice. For years, naturopaths have been fighting to get the right to write prescriptions in Connecticut. State Rep Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said the Bridgeport delegation has been pushing legislation to make the naturopathic program more competitive. I was surprised to read of this news, Stafstrom said. The program was pitched to us a source of pride for the university and an economic driver for the city. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck HARTFORD After weeks of legislative hand-holding and personal phone calls from Gov. Ned Lamont, David Lehman, of Greenwich, on Wednesday finally won approval to be the states next economic czar. The state Senate vote for the former Goldman Sachs banker, who had a role in the failed bets on and against the nations mortgage industry that led to the Great Recession of 2008, was a relatively easy 28-to-8 roll call in the Senate, after a brief debate. Still, the opposition to a key nominee for a new governor was unusual. Five Republicans joined three Democrats in opposing the nomination, which turned out to be neither a slam dunk, nor close for the young Lamont administration. The House did not have to act on the candidacy. Todays vote was a critical step toward our aggressive commitment to growing Connecticuts economy through strategic policies and programs in support of all facets of our diverse economy, Lamont, who was in Washington on Wednesday, said in a statement following the afternoon Senate vote. Since nominating David for this role, he has hit the ground running connecting with over 30 of our states business leaders, touring companies in nearly a dozen communities across the state, meeting with all regional chambers of commerce and sitting down with numerous legislators. In the weeks since his Feb. 1 nomination, Lehman had been running the Department of Economic and Community Development in an acting capacity. Lamont expended a lot of political capital trying to persuade lawmakers to accept Lehman, 41, who has said he will not take a salary. As late as noon, about 90 minutes before the Senate debate, Lehman was still meeting with wavering senators in their Capitol offices. The nomination had been languishing for weeks, amid criticism from some lawmakers that Goldman Sachs was able to profit from the near-meltdown of the national economy. I think the governor should have the ability to put people before us, said Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who admitted he was conflicted with the controversial nomination. Winfield said while Lamont has been critical of public opposition to Lehman which the governor has said was underinformed many people have done deep research into Lehman and his fellow Goldman Sachs bankers roles in mortgage-backed financial instruments that sank the nations economy, with ripples around the world. I know that the people who contacted me did more than a search on the internet, Winfield said. When we talk about the people who are our constituents, the people of this state, we need to be accurate and we need to not be speaking what to some of them appears to be doubt. Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said Lamont, in his first term, deserves to pick his top advisers. Gov. Lamont has told us that Mr. Lehman, in his view, is a very significant and vital component of his economic development team that he hopes to carry forward in a way that will have a transformative effect on the state economy for the good, Looney said. He said that it was a close balance between Lehmans role in the recession and the governors desire to higher him that ultimate led to the confirmation. During the floor debate, Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, said Lehmans testimony in a recent public hearing on his nomination did not convince her that he deserved the job. But in meetings she set up with Lehman this week in Bridgeport, along with major developers and small-business owners, Lehman illustrated his qualifications for the job. We are the center of the state when you start talking about coming to Connecticut, and were in much need of development, Moore said. I wanted him to understand what Bridgeport needed and I wanted him to understand the people who are interested in Bridgeport, but we need support. She said the feedback she got after the meetings was positive. The important thing here is what can this person do for the state of Connecticut in regards to economic opportunity and economic growth, said Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the Transportation Committee. Having that access to capital and intellectual expertise, not just within the state but around the nation or even around the country, and having some of those contacts possibly come to Connecticut and help with our economic growth, is a huge potential benefit for the state of Connecticut. Republicans who opposed the nomination included Sen. John Kissel, of Enfield; Sen. Rob Sampson, of Wolcott; Sen. Kevin Kelly, of Stratford; Sen. George Logan, of Ansonia, and Sen. Heather Somers, of Groton. Democrats who voted against Lehman included liberals Sen. Matt Lesser, of Middletown; Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, of Meriden, and Sen. Mae Flexer, of Killingly. Sampson, the only lawmaker to speak on the floor against Lehman, said he opposed Lamonts economic agenda. I believe we need a better vision than that, Sampson said, attacking the DECDs apparent mission in recent years. The problem I have with this is, its very much like corporate welfare, Sampson said, warning of dangerous ties between business and government. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said that he appreciates Lehmans goal to get corporations to earn state support, not entice them for a few years before the economic incentives dry up and they leave. I think that as he gets more involved in our government, and more involved with the issues surrounding Connecticut, I think hell have a voice to say on many of the issues that are out there, Fasano said kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The Winnipeg football club is in talks with the NFL to host the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders. A beefed-up board has been appointed to the Communities Economic Development Fund (CEDF) and a mandate letter has been sent, outlining the new role it is about to assume as the provinces economic development agency for Northern Manitoba. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A beefed-up board has been appointed to the Communities Economic Development Fund (CEDF) and a mandate letter has been sent, outlining the new role it is about to assume as the provinces economic development agency for Northern Manitoba. These are effectively the first concrete steps taken to implement the Manitoba governments economic growth action plan announced almost four months ago. Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen. (Free Press files) In the mandate letter to new board chairman Jamie Wilson, Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen is asking for a review of the CEDFs current loan program to see if its meeting the needs of economic development in Northern Manitoba and to submit a "robust analysis and recommendations" to the government by the end of the first half of this year. Based in Thompson, the CEDF has been around since 1975 and is a developmental lender to small enterprises in the North. In 2016, the last year for which numbers are available, the CEDF made close $10 million worth of loans, with commercial fishery concerns accounting for about $4 million. The selection of the CEDF as the agency to assist in northern development as part of the provinces co-ordinated approach to economic development was endorsed more than a year ago, when the provinces Look North task force reviewing the northern economy published its report. Including Wilson, new appointees to the board are Chuck Davidson, CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce; Becky Cianflone, executive director of Community Futures Greenstone in Flin Flon; Doug Lauvstad, president and vice-chancellor of the University College of the North; and Colleen Smook, mayor of Thompson. Pedersen was adamant his department is not pre-judging or nudging the new board in one direction or another, but that maybe the exercise will cause a bit of a shift in focus. "They have had a presence in the North all along," he said. "What we are asking from them is to actively become economic development partners and to be proactive in terms of going out and finding those businesses or working with businesses that show interest in the North." Oswald Sawh, the CEDFs chief executive officer since 2013, said the organization is up for the challenge. "Its exciting," he said. "Our mandate is to encourage economic development in the area. We have chosen over the years to fulfil that by way of developmental loans. We never thought that was the only thing we can do. I think these changes feed into that narrative." Wilson is the former deputy minister of education and training (and prior to that, he was the deputy minister of Pedersens department). In the fall, he was named vice-president of corporate development at the Arctic Gateway Group, the new owners of the Hudson Bay Railway. "In the work done establishing the Look North strategy, there were a few things that stood out as important to northern economic development education and entrepreneurship. Finding ways to develop, encourage and financially support entrepreneurs in the North is critical, and if there is an access to capital problem in Manitoba, it is most acute in the North," he said. The economy of Northern Manitoba has been knocked on its heels over the past few years with the closures and imminent closures of mines and metal-processing operations, the disruption and uncertainty over the operation of the Hudson Bay Railway, the coming windup of Manitoba Hydro construction projects in the North and other issues. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Davidson, who co-chaired the Look North task force, said he believes the CEDF is the ideal vehicle to try to undertake a more co-ordinated, region-wide effort. "Part of what we always envisioned at Look North was that you needed to have a lead agency in terms of doing economic development. That was one of our main recommendations to government," he said. "And rather than creating an entirely new organization, Im glad to see government is going in this direction." Pedersen would not comment on budgets or funding requirements. He said a funding proposal is before the Treasury Board for approval. It is anticipated the province is also close to articulating partnership scenarios with World Trade Centre, North Forge Technology Exchange, Economic Development Winnipeg, Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (which promotes tourism and economic development in the capital region) and Travel Manitoba, all of which were named as strategic partners in the provinces action plan on economic growth. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca The Town of Minnedosa is taking the plunge to host the first inflatable water park in Manitoba this summer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Town of Minnedosa is taking the plunge to host the first inflatable water park in Manitoba this summer. The town has secured an agreement with a Calgary-based firm that will erect and operate the facility on Lake Minnedosa. An inflatable water park is like a big bouncy castle for kids but spread out over water. It's an obstacle course using what looks like inflated air mattresses connecting stairs, slides, trampolines, and climbing walls. SUPPLIED A floating water park, similar to this image supplied by the manufacturer, will be coming to Minnedosa Beach in summer 2019 by Splish Splash Water Park. If you fall, you get wet instead of bruised. If your head hits the surface, you get water up your nose instead of concussed. Kids are required to wear lifejackets and it will be supervised by lifeguards. Lake Minnedosa, a small man-made lake about 1.5 kilometres across, was created more than a century ago as a reservoir off Little Saskatchewan River. The inflatable obstacle course is anchored by 2,500-pound blocks in the water. "(The park) is a bit of a gamechanger in terms of the potential business and the attention and amount of traffic it could bring to our town," said Chantelle Parrott, Minnedosa's economic development officer. SUPPLIED Kids using the water park are required to wear lifejackets and will be supervised by lifeguards. Minnedosa has only about 2,500 people but more in summer when its campground and cottages on the lake fill up. But Parrott estimates about 100,000 people live within a 45-minute drive. It's only half an hour away from Brandon to the south and Riding Mountain National Park to the north, and 20 minutes from Neepawa to the east. It's about two-and-half-hour drive northwest of Winnipeg on the Yellowhead Highway, which could also be part of its market along with Dauphin and Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Parrott said. "I think it would be one thing if there were three or four of them in Manitoba but with there being only one, that creates a larger market," she said. Travel Manitoba played matchmaker in the deal. Gerry Champagne, owner of start-up business, Splish Splash Water Park in Calgary, contacted Travel Manitoba about putting up an inflatable water park. SUPPLIED An inflatable water park is like a big bouncy castle for kids but spread out over water. Champagne had better-known beaches like Gimli or Grand Beach in mind. But Gimli is already in talks for an inflatable water park with another company, and the shallowness of Grand Beach could be a problem. Parrott happened to contact Travel Manitoba the same day as Champagne, and Travel Manitoba put the two together. That was on Jan. 28. Within two months, Parrott obtained approval from the town's council and Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, as well as an environmental license from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. "This is just one of those things where I had to say, Yep, this is a priority," Parrott said. SUPPLIED Though admission prices are still to be determined, the water park, with a capacity for 100 people, will set up about mid-June and be open until Labour Day. Champagne, describing himself as an entrepreneur who has owned restaurants, bars and currently has a gymnasium, covers the cost and liability. He is purchasing the water park from the United Kingdom at a price of from $300,000 to $400,000 CDN, he said. "I'm always looking at business ventures," he said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. They are a newer concept but there are eight or nine across Canada already. British Columbia has a couple, Alberta a couple, and at least four are in Ontario. One is supposed to be going into Moose Jaw this summer. Parrott described the local response as "overwhelmingly positive." "It's unique and a different story coming out of rural Manitoba," she said. She looks forward to attracting newcomers to the community. "People are going to fill up their gas tanks and go to the restaurants and go shopping and stay at the campground and Bed & Breakfasts and hotels," she said. Admission prices are still to be determined. The water park, with a capacity for 100 people, will set up about mid-June and be open until Labour Day. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca COPENHAGEN - A cruise ship that was the focus of a daring rescue operation off Norway's frigid North Sea coast became disabled because its engines didn't have enough lubricating oil, the country's top maritime official said Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This photo provided by Michal Stewart shows passengers on board the Viking Sky, waiting to be evacuated, off the coast of Norway on Saturday, March 23, 2019. Rescue workers off Norway's western coast rushed to evacuate 1,300 passengers and crew from the disabled cruise ship by helicopter on Saturday, winching them one-by-one to safety as heaving waves tossed the ship from side to side and high winds battered the operation. (Michal Stewart via AP) COPENHAGEN - A cruise ship that was the focus of a daring rescue operation off Norway's frigid North Sea coast became disabled because its engines didn't have enough lubricating oil, the country's top maritime official said Wednesday. Low oil levels were the "direct cause" of the engine failure that stranded the ship during a storm Saturday, Lars Alvestad, the acting director general of the Norwegian Maritime Authority, said. Sensors detected the oil shortage and automatically shut down the Viking Sky's engines to prevent a breakdown, he said. The ship's harrowing weekend ordeal injured dozens of people, including 36 who were admitted to hospitals. Four people from the ship remained hospitalized Wednesday, including one being treated in an intensive care ward in critical but stable condition, Norwegian health officials said. Alvestad said the amount of oil was "relatively low" but still "within set limits" as the Viking Sky neared Hustadvika, a shallow area known for shipwrecks that has many reefs but no larger islands to offer boats shelter from pounding waves. "The heavy seas probably caused movements in the tanks so large that the supply to the lubricating oil pumps stopped," Alvestad said during a news conference. "This triggered an alarm indicating a low level of lubrication oil, which in turn, shortly thereafter, caused an automatic shutdown of the engines." Some of the remaining passengers look out as the cruise ship Viking Sky arrives at port off Molde, Norway, Sunday March 24, 2019, after having problems and issuing a Mayday call on Saturday in heavy seas off Norway's western coast. Rescue helicopters took more than 475 passengers from a cruise ship that got stranded off Norway's western coast in bad weather before the vessel departed for a nearby port under escort and with nearly 900 people still on board, the ship's owner said Sunday. (Svein Ove Ekornesvag/NTB scanpix via AP) Viking Sky "suffered power 'blackout' in challenging weather conditions," he said. The ship's operator, Viking Ocean Cruises, said it welcomed "the prompt and efficient investigation" of the weekend emergency and accepted the findings. "We have inspected the (oil) levels on all our sister ships and are now revising our procedures to ensure that this issue could not be repeated," the company said in a statement. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The cruise ship Viking Sky arrives at port off Molde, Norway, Sunday March 24, 2019, after the problems in heavy seas off Norway's western coast. Rescue helicopters took more than 475 passengers from a cruise ship that got stranded off Norway's western coast in bad weather before the vessel departed for a nearby port under escort and with nearly 900 people still on board, the ship's owner said Sunday. (Svein Ove Ekornesvag/NTB scanpix via AP) The Viking Sky ended up in a dangerous situation when the engines stopped Saturday. With the ship carrying 1,373 passengers and crew members rocking violently, the crew sent out a mayday call. Passengers would recall a large wave crashing through glass doors and knocking people across the floor of an area where they were instructed to gather as a muster point. The crew anchored the Viking Sky in a bay as it came close to hitting rocks and the airlift to get passengers off the ship began. Five helicopters winched passengers off one-by-one as winds howled in the dark of night. Waves up to 26-feet- (8-meters-) high were smacking into the ship, ruling out an evacuation by boat. The rescue operation ended Sunday when the engines restarted, after 479 passengers had been airlifted to land. The ship travelled under its own power to a Norwegian port with nearly 900 passengers and crew members remaining onboard. The ship was on a 12-day cruise along Norway's coast before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in Britain. The passengers were mostly an English-speaking mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens. Alvestad said his agency has issued a new safety notice about crews making sure boats have a continuous supply of lubricating oil to engines and other critical systems in poor weather conditions. The Viking Sky was being towed to a shipyard in another port Wednesday for repairs. OTTAWA - Higher oil prices helped shrink the country's merchandise trade deficit in January from its record high set at the end of last year as exports rose for the first time since July. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Shipping containers are seen at the Fairview Cove Container Terminal in in Halifax on August 25, 2017. Statistics Canada says the country's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $4.2 billion in January as higher oil prices helped exports rise faster than imports. The result followed a revised deficit of $4.8 billion in December compared with an initial reading of a deficit of $4.6 billion for the final month of 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan OTTAWA - Higher oil prices helped shrink the country's merchandise trade deficit in January from its record high set at the end of last year as exports rose for the first time since July. Statistics Canada said Wednesday the trade deficit amounted to $4.2 billion in January compared with a record deficit of $4.8 billion for December, which was revised from its initial reading of $4.6 billion. Economists had expected a deficit of $3.5 billion for January, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon. Josh Nye, a senior economist at Royal Bank, said the trade report provided a bit of encouragement. "It's a good reminder that the energy sector's near-term difficulties, which weighed on growth toward the end of last year, should be largely transitory," Nye wrote in a brief report. "Prices have rebounded this year and output should follow as mandatory curtailments are reduced." However, Nye cautioned issues remain. "Canadian exporters are swimming against the tide of a softening global industrial sector, slower global trade growth, and a US manufacturing sector whose growth appears to have peaked last year," he said. Statistics Canada said total exports rose 2.9 per cent to $47.6 billion in January, the first increase since July 2018. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. After five months of declines, exports of energy products rose 14.0 per cent in January to $7.1 billion boosted by a 36.5 per cent increase in crude oil exports on the strength of higher prices. Excluding energy products, exports rose 1.2 per cent in January. Meanwhile, total imports rose 1.5 per cent to a record $51.8 billion in January, boosted by imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts. Imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts rose 52.6 per cent to a record $2.7 billion due to higher imports of airliners from the United States. Regionally, Canada's trade deficit with countries other than the United States narrowed to $5.8 billion in January compared with a deficit of $6.6 billion in December as exports rose 7.9 per cent and imports climbed 1.1 per cent. Canada's trade surplus with the United States fell to $1.6 billion in January compared with $1.8 billion in December as exports to the U.S. rose 1.1 and imports from the Canada's largest trading partner rose 1.8 per cent. LONDON - British Prime Minister Theresa May offered up her job in exchange for her Brexit deal Wednesday, telling colleagues she would quit within weeks if the agreement was passed and Britain left the European Union. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Former U.K. Independence Party (UKIP) leader and member of the European Parliament Nigel Farage stands at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday March 27, 2019. The Parliament discusses the conclusions of the 21-22 March EU summit, including Brexit, with European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) LONDON - British Prime Minister Theresa May offered up her job in exchange for her Brexit deal Wednesday, telling colleagues she would quit within weeks if the agreement was passed and Britain left the European Union. May's dramatic concession that "there is a desire for a new approach - and new leadership" was a last-ditch effort to bring enough reluctant colleagues on board to push her twice-rejected EU divorce deal over the line. It looked like it might not be enough, as a key Northern Ireland party said it would not be supporting the deal. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing street to attend her weekly Prime Minster's Questions at the House of Commons, in London, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. British lawmakers are preparing to vote Wednesday on alternatives for leaving the European Union as they seek to end an impasse following the overwhelming defeat of the deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) May's announcement came as lawmakers held an inconclusive series of votes on alternatives to her unpopular deal. It was the first step in an attempt by Parliament to break the Brexit deadlock and stop the country from tumbling out of the bloc within weeks with no exit plan in place. May has been under mounting pressure from pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party to quit. Many Brexiteers accuse her of negotiating a bad divorce deal that leaves Britain too closely tied to the bloc after it leaves. Several have said they would support the withdrawal deal if another leader took charge of the next stage of negotiations, which will determine Britain's future relations with the EU. In a packed meeting of Conservative legislators described by participants as "sombre," May finally conceded she would have to go, although she did not set a departure date. Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters take part in the day 12 leg of the "March to Leave", passing local residents watching them march part in the village of Maids Moreton, England, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finishes on Friday March 29 in London, on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party," she said, according to a transcript released by her office. Anti-EU lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has clashed with May throughout the Brexit process, said she had been "very clear" that if Britain leaves the EU as foreseen on May 22, she will quit soon after. He said the prime minister had been "very dignified." "She put her case well, and reiterated that she had done her duty," he said. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa may leaves the Houses of Parliament, on the day that MPs will be asked to consider a range of alternative Brexit options after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda to force a series of "indicative votes", Wednesday evening March 27, 2019. May told lawmakers Wednesday she is prepared to step down "earlier than I intended" in order to win passage of her Brexit divorce deal from the European Union. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) It was unclear whether May's offer to resign would be enough to win backing for her deal, which was defeated by 230 votes in January and by 149 votes earlier this month. High-profile Brexiteer Boris Johnson announced soon after May's statement that he would support the agreement, which he has previously called a "humiliation." Johnson is a likely contender to replace May as prime minister. But other hard-liners said they would continue to reject the deal, and Northern Ireland's small but influential Democratic Unionist Party refused to budge in its opposition to the deal. The DUP's support was seen as key to persuading other Brexiteers to back the deal. But the staunchly pro-British party fears a provision designed keep an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland after Brexit would weaken the bonds between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. 1.2 metre-tall illuminated sign reading "LET US VOTE" is set up outside Parliament by the public and civic organisation Avaaz in London, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. British lawmakers were preparing to vote Wednesday on alternatives for leaving the European Union as they seek to end an impasse following the overwhelming defeat of the Brexit deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) "We cannot sign up to something that would damage the Union," DUP leader Arlene Foster told Sky News. Asked if the party might abstain instead, DUP lawmaker Nigel Dodds tweeted: "The DUP do not abstain on the Union." Two years ago, Britain triggered a countdown to departure from the EU that ended Friday, March 29, 2019. With that date approaching and no Brexit deal approved by Britain, the EU last week granted a delay. It said that if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal this week, the U.K. will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do: leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. With May clinging to her Plan A getting her deal approved lawmakers this week seized control of the parliamentary timetable for debate and votes Wednesday on a range of Brexit alternatives. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa may leaves the Houses of Parliament, on the day that MPs will be asked to consider a range of alternative Brexit options after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda to force a series of "indicative votes", Wednesday evening March 27, 2019. May told lawmakers Wednesday she is prepared to step down "earlier than I intended" in order to win passage of her Brexit divorce deal from the European Union. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) The results underscored the divisions in Parliament, and the country, over Brexit. None of the eight plans received a majority of votes. The most popular were a proposal to remain in a customs union with the bloc, which was defeated 272-264, and a call to hold a public referendum on any divorce deal, which fell by 295 votes to 268. Both ideas got more support than the 242 votes secured by May's deal earlier this month. A call to leave the EU without a deal was supported by 160 lawmakers and opposed by 400. The plan is for the most popular ideas to move to a second vote Monday to find an option that can command a majority. Parliament would then instruct the government to negotiate it with the EU. May has said she will consider the outcome of the votes, although she has refused to be bound by the result. Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a debate inside the House of Commons parliament in London Wednesday March 27, 2019. As Lawmakers sought Wednesday for an alternative to May's unpopular Brexit deal with Europe, with a series of 'indicative votes", May offered to resign from office if her deal is passed by lawmakers at some point and Britain left the European Union. (Mark Duffy/House of Commons via AP) Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay urged lawmakers to back May's deal, saying the ambiguous result "demonstrates that there are no easy options here." Barclay said he had introduced a motion to have Parliament meet Friday if needed for a vote on May's agreement, but it remained unclear whether it would go ahead. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would not accept another vote on the twice-rejected deal unless substantial changes were made. Wednesday's votes produced inconclusive results, but could push Britain in the direction of a softer Brexit that keeps Britain closely tied economically to the EU. That would probably require the U.K. to seek a longer delay, although that would mean participating in May 23-26 European Parliament elections. Many EU officials are keen to avoid the messy participation of a departing member state. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But the chief of the European Council told European lawmakers that the EU should let Britain take part if the country indicated it planned to change course on Brexit. Donald Tusk said the bloc could not "betray" the millions of Britons who want to stay in the EU. "They may feel they are not sufficiently represented by the U.K. Parliament but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber. Because they are Europeans," Tusk said. ____ Gregory Katz and Tobie Mathew in London and Raf Casert in Strasbourg, France, contributed. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit HALIFAX - Street checks by Halifax-area police have had a "disproportionate and negative" impact on the African Nova Scotia community, according to a new report that found black males were nine times more likely to be stopped by police than the general population. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Forensic officers with Halifax Regional Police search for evidence on a Dartmouth footpath, Wednesday, June 7, 2017. A new report on street checks and racial profiling by Halifax-area police is expected to be released today, more than two years after data showed black people were three times more likely than whites to be subjected to the controversial practice in the city. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Brett Bundale HALIFAX - Street checks by Halifax-area police have had a "disproportionate and negative" impact on the African Nova Scotia community, according to a new report that found black males were nine times more likely to be stopped by police than the general population. The report released Wednesday recommended banning or strictly regulating the controversial practice in the province. "Street checks have contributed to the criminalization of black youth, eroded trust in law enforcement and undermined the perceived legitimacy of the entire criminal justice system," said Scot Wortley, the report's author and a University of Toronto criminology professor. The report was commissioned by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission in 2017 after a United Nations working group raised serious concerns regarding systemic discrimination and racial profiling in police street checks in Nova Scotia. The 180-page report found street check rates in Halifax were among the highest in Canada, second only to Toronto. Ontario banned police carding in specific situations in 2017 a controversial practice that is similar to street checks. Justice Minister Mark Furey pledged he would take action on the issue of police street checks and racial profiling. "We'll need some time to review the report but I will guarantee the African Nova Scotian community and all Nova Scotians this report will not sit on a shelf," he said. "We will act on this." Furey stopped short of ordering a moratorium on street checks until action is taken, but said he will direct police across the province to ensure quotas are not placed on the use of street checks and they are not used as a performance measurement tool. The report examined data from both the Halifax Regional Police and the RCMP, which patrols certain parts of the Halifax Regional Municipality, between 2006 and 2017. Over the 12 year period, the report found that black people were disproportionately questioned by police. Criminologist Scot Wortley presents his findings on the issue of police street checks in Halifax on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Wortley, citing evidence that members of the African Nova Scotia community are disproportionality targeted, recommends banning or strongly regulating police street checks in the province. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan For example, although African Nova Scotians make up only 3.6 per cent of the population, they were subjected to 19.2 per cent of street checks making it five times more likely they would be stopped by police. A closer look at that figure reveals that while black women were three times more likely to be stopped, black men were 9.2 times more likely to appear in Halifax street check statistics. Wortley said the staggering statistics are just the "tip of the iceberg," noting that the figures do not include all police traffic stops and pedestrian stops. "Street checks capture only a small fraction of all police stops," he said, suggesting the number of black people being randomly stopped by police in Halifax could be much higher. Nova Scotia Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard said she supports banning street checks, but that more needs to be done to stop racial profiling. "Banning street checks isn't going to miraculously mean that racial profiling is stopping, so the commitment to ban street checks needs to be tied to a commitment to address all those other issues," she said. In community consultations and surveys, Wortley said black Nova Scotians spoke of being treated rudely or with disrespect by police, and felt intimidated or afraid of police in their community. The report included personal stories from African Nova Scotians recounting their negative experiences with police, including being stopped, questioned, harassed, bullied and assaulted. After the report was released at the Halifax Central Library, Trayvone Clayton, a Halifax university student, stood up to describe his first time being stopped by police at the age of 16. He said he left a party in a white neighbourhood alone to avoid calling attention to himself "because I'm a black youth in a white community." Still, Clayton said he was stopped by police and when an officer put his hand on his shoulder, he told him not to touch him because he hadn't done anything wrong. "Then he puts me in a choke hold and slams me to the ground and puts his knee to my head on the cement," he said. Wortley also held consultations with police, who said street checks when conducted properly can solve crimes and increase public safety. But some officers admitted many street checks are of questionable quality, the result of a performance evaluation system and efforts to "get their numbers up." In response to why black people are over-represented in street check stats, police said the data reflects the reality that black people in Halifax are over-represented in serious, violent crime including gun and gang activity. However, the report found that a third of recorded street checks involved individuals who had never been charged with a crime. Robert Wright, a Halifax social worker who speaks for the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition, called the racial disparity in the street check data "profound." He said the issue isn't about a few "bad apples" in police forces, but rather the impact of historical and systemic racism. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Street checks are illegal, and should be banned," he said. "We cannot begin to talk about the regulation of something that ... is indeed illegal. We do not regulate illegal activity." Halifax Regional Police Chief Jean-Michel Blais said he would be reading the report more closely over the coming days to determine "where we can make initial changes and where we can make long-term changes." He's argued in the past that the valid street checks performed by police officers in Halifax differ from the random stops or carding practices that are now restricted in Ontario. However, Wortley said in his opinion the two practices are not different "there's just been a rebranding." He explained that what's changed is the data management system under which street check information is recorded. For example, Toronto police once had an official card that had to be filled out hence the term carding which later became known as field information reports and now street checks. "The experience on the street is being stopped, being questioned, being asked to produce ID, being asked questions about where you're going, what you're doing, being asked in some cases to empty your pockets or to submit to a frisk or consent search," Wortley said. Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto on Saturday, has been found safe and in good health. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto on Saturday, has been found safe and in good health. Const. Andy Pattenden with York Regional Police told a news conference late Tuesday night that the 22-year-old Lu showed up at a home in Gravenhurst, Ont., earlier in the evening and asked the homeowner for help. Wanzhen Lu is shown in a York Regional Police handout photo. Police say they have found the van allegedly used in the violent kidnapping of Lu, a Chinese national, from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-York Regional Police MANDATORY CREDIT Pattenden did not explain how Lu got there, but said the Ontario Provincial Police were called to the home about 180 km north of Toronto and that Lu was taken to a hospital for treatment of what he described as minor injuries. He also said that four suspects wanted in connection with Lu's abduction remain at large. "We're very concerned that they're still out there, and I can tell you that the investigative efforts are far from over. We're going to continue with this until those four suspects are found and brought into custody," he said. A 35-year-old Toronto man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the case, but Pattenden said he had subsequently been released "unconditionally" without charge. As for the motive, Pattenden said that too remains under investigation and he credited police, as well as the media and the public, for Lu's safe return. "I can tell you it's because of the relentless pressure from investigators, the relentless pressure from the media and relentless pressure from the public continuing to push these images out, continuing to have the eyes and ears of everybody in the GTA helping in this investigation that has brought us to this point and Mr. Lu found in good health." It was certainly the news Lu's traumatized parents, who recently arrived in Toronto from China, were anxiously awaiting. Wanzhen Lu is shown in a York Regional Police handout photo. Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto on Saturday has been found safe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-York Regional Police MANDATORY CREDIT "Our investigators have been able to provide this great news to the family whom I'm sure are sincerely relieved at this point in time. They along with all of our investigators were very concerned for the well being of Mr. Lu," Pattenden said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Lu's abduction was captured on surveillance cameras. Police said he was walking with his friend toward the elevator after parking his car at his condominium around 6 p.m. when a black wheelchair-accessible minivan came up behind him. Investigators said three men jumped out of the van while the driver remained behind the wheel, grabbed Lu, shocked him multiple times with a stun gun and dragged him into the van before speeding off. Lu's friend, a young woman, was not injured in the incident, but was traumatized by what police called the "brazen" and "violent" attack. Security images released by police showed three male suspects wearing winter jackets with their hoods wrapped tight to their faces. Anyone with information about the continuing investigation is asked to contact York Regional Police or call 911. Although the city appears to be fighting a losing battle to save its ailing urban forest, it's replacing dead and dying elm and ash trees with what it believes are less-vulnerable types. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Although the city appears to be fighting a losing battle to save its ailing urban forest, it's replacing dead and dying elm and ash trees with what it believes are less-vulnerable types. "Were planting a wide variety of species (now)," city forester Martha Barwinsky said Tuesday, listing oak, maple, hackberry and crab apple. The city is also planting disease-tolerant American and Japanese elms. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A City of Winnipeg crew cuts down an elm tree at the corner of Wolseley Avenue and Lenore Street Monday. The city is, however, losing trees at more than four times the rate they're being replaced. And 3,200 more were removed last year than in 2017. Last summer's appearance of the cottony ash psyllid also known as jumping tree lice is targeting ash trees, along with the ruinous emerald ash borer beetle. City council allocated $1.3 million in 2018 to fight the emerald ash borer beetle, first detected in November 2017 in the Archwood neighbourhood in St. Boniface. A city-wide monitoring program led to last year's discovery of a borer beetle in Windsor Park, five kilometres from Archwood. The destructive insect, believed to have arrived aboard wooden shipping containers from China, has laid waste to ash forests across North America. Part of the city's plan included removing and disposing of 800 ash trees. But the arrival of the new pest necessitated the removal of several hundred more, Barwinsky said. "We had an outbreak (of the cottony ash psyllid) last year in Riverview and River Heights," she said. In addition to approximately 1,400 ash, Barwinsky said the city removed more than 9,000 elms in 2018 because of Dutch elm disease, which has ravaged the citys American elm forest, which provides the thick, green canopy over many older residential streets. It appears the city was slow to adapt its tree-planting strategy: before Dutch elm disease established itself in Winnipeg in the 1970s, the city planted American elms on boulevards and in parks exclusively. After its arrival, the city planted exclusively ash trees. Together, the elm and ash trees account for 60 per cent of the citys urban forest in parks, on boulevards and natural areas. Just 2,500 replacements were planted last year, Barwinsky said. And even though it was an increase of 100 from 2017, the city is falling behind; the five-year replacement ratio ranged from 50 to 60 per cent, but slipped to 44 per cent last year. About the cottony ash psyllid Eggs are laid in the trees, hatch in spring and the nymphs (immature insects) feed on the growing leaves. At this stage, when feeding on new leaves, the nymphs suck out the sap, causing the leaves to curl, producing a white, cottony substance. In July, the nymphs become adults and lay eggs which hatch in August. click to read more Eggs are laid in the trees, hatch in spring and the nymphs (immature insects) feed on the growing leaves. At this stage, when feeding on new leaves, the nymphs suck out the sap, causing the leaves to curl, producing a white, cottony substance. In July, the nymphs become adults and lay eggs which hatch in August. The second-generation nymphs feed in the curled leaves that were created by the first generation. The white substance provides them with protection from pesticide spray. The insect is tiny, about three millimetres in length (only slightly larger than an aphid), has yellow and black markings, clear wings and is able to jump. How to tell if your tree is infected Thinning in the upper portion of the tree. Browning, yellowing and curling along the edge of leaves, indicating a first-generation psyllid population. Cottony substance found within the curled leaves, indicating a second-generation psyllid population. Heavily damaged leaves can have a cauliflower appearance. Leaves may drop prematurely. How to protect your tree Keep trees healthy by watering. Insecticide treatments may be available. It is best to consult a licensed arborist for treatment options. Source: Province of Manitoba Close "Were falling behind with the reforestation. In my time (10 years as city forester) we havent ever replaced one for one," she said. "We typically have a two-year turnaround time for replacement planting." During the recent 2019 budget public review process, individuals and groups urged councillors to spend more. "The parks and urban forestry budget has been underfunded for years and status quo is not good enough for the long-term health of the urban forest," Pam Lucenkiw, a member of the community advocacy group OURS-Winnipeg, told the parks committee. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Lucenkiw cited a drastic 36 per cent cut in funding to protect the urban forest, from $7.1 million to $4.6 million. Gerry Engel, president of TREES Winnipeg (formerly known as the Coalition to Save The Elms) told members of the executive policy committee that the experience in other cities across North America shows that the citys ash forest is doomed and urged councillors to divert scarce dollars away from fighting the emerald ash borer and concentrate efforts to preserve elm trees, which he said can be saved with proper methods. "Our American elm population is the most spectacular population of elms of any other city in North America, quite possibly the world," Engel said. "The prompt sanitation of diseased trees is critical if were to slow down the spread of Dutch elm disease and maintain a healthy population of elms in the future." The city normally surveys the tree population during the spring, summer and early fall and removes diseased and dead trees during the winter, but Barwinsky said her department is adopting an urgent removal strategy in which diseased trees will be removed shortly after they are identified. Barwinsky said the city will continue to combat the Emerald ash borer beetle, concentrating efforts this year in the Windsor Park area. aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA "Appalled" legal experts say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to crack down on a leak that likely stemmed from his office surrounding one of Manitobas top judges, or risk undermining public confidence in the Supreme Court. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA "Appalled" legal experts say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to crack down on a leak that likely stemmed from his office surrounding one of Manitobas top judges, or risk undermining public confidence in the Supreme Court. "Im quite frankly appalled by the breach of confidentiality that's occurred (and) by the fact that this respected man and sitting judge has had to share personal information about his wife's health, in order to respond to what he has described as an agenda that he has no part of," said Emma Cunliffe, a University of British Columbia law professor. Glenn Joyal, the Chief Justice of the Court of Queens Bench, said in a statement Monday he had applied for the Supreme Court posting, but withdrew, citing his wife's health. Emmett Macfarlane, a political science professor at the University of Waterloo, accused the PMO of "using the fact that somebody applied as a cudgel to try to denigrate Jody Wilson-Raybould." Macfarlane helped craft Trudeaus appointment processes for Supreme Court justices and Canadian senators. Since 2016, a panel has reviewed applications in which judges talk at length about their perspective and life experience. The entire process is confidential. The prime minister picks from a shortlist, and only the selected judges application is made public. "It actually could have a chilling effect on the people who put forward applications," he said of the leak, because people could withhold important information or simply not submit applications given the risk of Ottawa breaching their confidentiality. "To allow a leak is quite frankly dangerous," Macfarlane said, calling it "an attack on the integrity of" the appointment process that requires investigation. CTV News and The Canadian Press reported Monday that Trudeau clashed with former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould over her preference for a Supreme Court nominee. The reports cited unnamed sources, who claimed Wilson-Raybould preferred Joyal over Trudeaus ultimately chosen judge; that she wrote a 60-page report to Trudeau in 2017 arguing Joyal be made head of the Supreme Court (an exceptional move for someone not already on the bench); and this caused Trudeau to doubt Wilson-Rayboulds judgment, before he removed her from the role. The news sent reverberations through Canada's legal community. "In Canada, weve really avoided the politicization of the bench, and the judges on our courts are really strong," said Karen Busby, a constitutional law professor at the University of Manitoba. She was responding to what she called "an attempt to politicize" Joyal. (MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at an announcement in Winnipeg on Tuesday. He refused to comment on the Joyal situation. The Manitoba Bar Association said the incident was "highly disconcerting." It also called out claims in the media that Joyal would reverse gay rights and abortion access as "entirely improper, and indeed false" insinuations. Joyal was similarly unimpressed: "I fear that someone is using my previous candidacy to the Supreme Court of Canada to further an agenda unrelated to the appointment process. This is wrong." While its unknown who leaked the fact Joyal had even applied, the information is widely believed to stem from the Prime Minister's Office, given how confidential the process is, and the source was unflattering to Wilson-Raybould. Trudeau gave reporters no indication hed do anything about such concern. He also wouldnt deny the leak came from his office. "Canadians can know that we have a strong and independent judiciary. And as would be proper, Im not going to comment any further on it," Trudeau said Tuesday in Winnipeg. He repeated the same points two more times when asked about the situation. Thats not good enough for the UBC's Cunliffe, who said the leaks unfairly raise questions around the judge whom Trudeau ultimately appointed to the bench, Sheilah Martin. "If there's some suggestion that there was inappropriate interference in the process, then it's a short step to questioning whether she was the best candidate," Cunliffe said. "This is unprecedented, in my experience." She said the leak has to be investigated in order to avoid a similar situation. The experts said this weeks leak brought to mind then-prime minister Stephen Harpers May 2014 rift with now-retired chief justice Beverley McLachlin. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Harper had disclosed McLachlin reached out to his justice minister, over a concern he may try to appoint a judge who would not meet the legislated criteria to serve on the bench. He inferred she was meddling in the administration of justice. "What happens in the United States now just reminds all Canadians of really how lucky we are, that we have a very strong, independent judiciary, and we dont have a tradition of gratuitously criticizing the judiciary," Busby said. The Canadian Bar Association released a statement Tuesday saying naming applicants and commenting on their suitability "demeans the selection process and ultimately all those who hold the office." Joyal declined to comment Tuesday, as did Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen. with files from Jessica Botelho-Urbanski dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Bonify, the Winnipeg cannabis producer caught selling illegal marijuana in the legal market, isn't being investigated by the RCMP, but the company's problems are far from over. This article was published 26/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Bonify, the Winnipeg cannabis producer caught selling illegal marijuana in the legal market, isn't being investigated by the RCMP, but the company's problems are far from over. An executive terminated in the wake of the scandal is suing Bonify and its acting CEO, and Bonify's federal licence to sell cannabis remains suspended. In a statement, the Manitoba RCMP said its "review of information has been concluded and the RCMP will not be investigating." The force's findings about Bonify have been shared with the Manitoba government, the statement added. A spokesperson for Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen confirmed that Manitoba Justice has received information about Bonify from the RCMP after requesting the review. "The letter contains information that requires further review by the province," wrote the spokesperson. "As such, we cannot provide further comment at this time." George Robinson, acting CEO of Bonify, speaks during a press conference on December 27, 2018. (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press) In December, Bonify hired cannabis consultant George Robinson and his firm RavenQuest BioMed Inc. to launch an internal investigation into what went wrong at the company. Robinson also took over as the company's acting CEO. In February, Robinson said the probe had learned how Bonify purchased 200 kilograms of illicit marijuana, but not where it came from. At the time, Robinson said the possibility of a criminal investigation prevented him from sharing more details. On Tuesday, he said the cannabis "came in through a broker," but he still doesn't know its point of origin. Meanwhile, federal cannabis regulator Health Canada hasn't reached a verdict on whether to restore Bonify's sales licence, which it suspended in February after determining the firm "was possessing, distributing and selling product that was purchased from an illegal source." "Bonify Medical Cannabis has been given the opportunity to respond to Health Canada's action, and provide the department with reasons why the suspension is unfounded or information that Health Canada should take into consideration in its decision-making," Health Canada spokeswoman Tammy Jarbeau said in a statement Tuesday. "The department continues to review the information submitted by the company in response to the suspension." George Robinson said Health Canada inspected Bonify's facility in early February, and "the outcome of that was it was compliant, which means there were no issues." Robinson expects another inspection from Health Canada, after which he hopes the company's licence will be restored. "We have ongoing conversations with Health Canada, both locally and at the federal level, and we're excited that we're closer every day to getting that licence reinstated," he said. Whatever happens with Bonify's licence, the company now faces a new challenge in the form of a lawsuit from Paul Yeoman, the former chief marketing officer who was one of three executives fired late last year. Paul Yeoman, formerly Bonify's chief marketing officer, is seen in a screen capture of the Bonify website. Yeoman is now suing his former employer. (Bonify.com) A statement of claim filed last Friday in Court of Queen's Bench names three defendants: Bonify's parent company, George Robinson and RavenQuest BioMed. The allegations in the statement of claim remain unproven. The lawsuit claims Bonify breached its employment contract with Yeoman and dismissed him wrongfully, and says Robinson defamed Yeoman in statements he made in a Dec. 27 press conference about the investigation. During that press conference, the lawsuit says, Robinson made statements to reporters that were "untrue and defamatory" to Yeoman, including that the terminated executives were motivated to violate government cannabis regulations, that some employees were "bullied and threatened" by the executives and that the executives' terminations were justified. The lawsuit also calls into question the ability of Robinson and RavenQuest to conduct Bonify's internal investigation, calling them "biased" and claiming they had "a vested financial interest in the outcome of the investigation." Bonify's cannabis production facility in Winnipeg's North End neighbourhood. (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press) Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Yeoman never participated in any illegal or improper conduct during his time at Bonify, says the statement of claim. His attorney David Simpson wouldn't comment on the lawsuit Tuesday. Robinson, who remains acting CEO, also declined to comment. Bonify's sales of illegal cannabis become public knowledge following a Dec. 20 report by the Free Press and The Leaf News. An unknown whistleblower at Bonify told Health Canada that the company had sourced 200 kilograms of illegal marijuana from outside of Manitoba, and brought it into a government-regulated facility in Winnipeg's North End. Some of that illegal cannabis was sold at government-licensed cannabis stores in Saskatchewan before being recalled. solomon.israel@theleafnews.com @sol_israel WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government has reached a settlement with a woman who said she was violently tackled by sheriff's officers inside the Winnipeg courthouse. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People enter the Law Courts in Winnipeg on Monday, February 5, 2018. The Manitoba government has reached a settlement with a woman who said she was violently tackled by sheriffs inside the Winnipeg courthouse. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government has reached a settlement with a woman who said she was violently tackled by sheriff's officers inside the Winnipeg courthouse. Calli Vanderaa filed a statement of claim in February of last year that alleged three security guards tackled her to the ground and one put a knee on the back of her head. Vanderaa had been shot in 2015, when she was 16, and said she had the run-in immediately after the man accused of shooting her was acquitted. Vanderaa's statement of claim said the guards detained her father when he yelled at the accused and then came after her when she started recording their actions on her cellphone. The government and Vanderaa's lawyer, Robert Tapper, say they won't release details of the settlement. A provincial cabinet order, dated two weeks before the settlement was made official and released, authorized a payment of $35,000 to Tapper's law firm, but does not specify what for. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The payment must be made out of the Consolidated Fund and charged against Sheriff Services," the cabinet order reads. The government and the sheriffs' statement of defence denied any inappropriate action. "The personal defendants deny they retained the plaintiff in a violent manner and say they used reasonable force to restrain and detain the plaintiff," the statement reads. Vanderaa and her father were held for six hours in a cell before they were released without charges. Recording video inside the courthouse is not permitted under a provincewide court policy. The statement of defence said the officers asked Vanderaa to delete any video or photos she had taken, but she refused to show them she had done so. Forget the panicked flood forecasts, oatmeal-coloured lawns, and gutters filled with fossilized Slurpee cups. The true harbingers of spring in Winnipeg are the hungry, horny turkeys. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Forget the panicked flood forecasts, oatmeal-coloured lawns, and gutters filled with fossilized Slurpee cups. The true harbingers of spring in Winnipeg are the hungry, horny turkeys. JESSICA BOTELHO-URBANSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Wild turkeys roam River Heights earlier this week. Over the past few days, flocks of them have been spotted in several residential neighbourhoods. Over the weekend, a particularly well-photographed gang of gobblers was seen making themselves home in River Heights, strutting down Academy Road after chilling in a Starbucks parking lot, cruising for hens (and snacks). The River Heights turkeys are not plucky escapees from the Assiniboine Park Zoo, as has been theorized in community Facebook groups. In an email to the Free Press, a spokeswoman confirmed the zoo's free-ranging turkeys seven of them, to be exact are accounted for. So what's up with the influx of wild turkeys? "It's probably not super common to see them in the city, but they do move through the city along the waterways for sure," says Heather Hinam, naturalist, educator, and owner of Second Nature: Adventures in Discovery. "Especially with winter being what it was this year. They're on the hunt for food." And because it's spring, they are also likely on the hunt for a mate. "They're definitely more active at this time of year," says Hinam, who holds a PhD in ecology and conservation biology. "Males tend to protect a harem of females. They'll do that, or they'll get together and you'll find a bunch of males competing in what's called a lek, so you'll find two or three males gathered together having a dance-off while the females sit around and watch. "They gather in larger numbers this year for sure." If you run into one of these 10-kilogram birds on the street, Hinam advises to keep your distance. "Give them a wide berth," she says. "Maybe cross the street, just to be on the safe side. The chances of being in real danger is highly unlikely. They are aggressive, but it's like running into a flock of Canada geese; (they) can be just as intimidating as turkeys." And if you don't love the idea of happening upon a flock of turkeys in, say, your backyard, Hinam recommends cleaning up potential food sources. "If you've accumulated a lot of acorns or berries over the winter, it might be time to clean up the yard," she says. "Although, turkeys are great clean-up crews, so really truly I would be quite happy to have a flock of turkeys taking care of the mess in my yard." "Give them a wide berth. Maybe cross the street, just to be on the safe side." Heather Hinam Wild turkeys are one of Manitoba's biggest conservation success stories. They are an introduced species. In 1958, a committee of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (called Wild Gobblers Unlimited) brought in turkeys from North Dakota and released them near Miami, 80 kilometres south of Portage la Prairie. NICK HAVIXBECK PHOTO Wild turkeys are one of Manitoba's biggest conservation success stories. "Right around the turn of the last century, turkeys in North America, period, had been declining badly due to over-hunting," Hinam says. "They originate from the New England area and eastern Canada, so there were a bunch reintroduction programs across the U.S. and Canada. And they've been building their populations ever since." Allison Krause-Danielsen, a Brandon-based regional wildlife biologist with Manitoba Sustainable Development, says the summer of 2018 was a productive one for turkeys across southern Manitoba. "They had a good hatch, and the dry weather last summer made for good survival rates for the young ones from last year," she says. "We have an active program of taking wild turkeys out of areas where they are plentiful, there are large populations in the hundreds in any given area, or if they are causing problems, we'll trap them in January/February, and then release them somewhere else where they are trying to establish a population. "I think we've released about 200 in the southwest part of Manitoba (this winter)," she says. "Turkeys are doing very well, so it doesn't surprise me that there have been more turkeys in the city." "Birds are dinosaurs, so when you take a look at a turkey, it's not hard to see the resemblance." Heather Hinam Because turkeys roost in trees (a somewhat disconcerting fact), she's not surprised turkeys are attracted to Winnipeg's more densely forested areas. It's not hard to understand why city folk have seemed charmed by the sightings of these large and, let's be honest, hilarious-looking birds, posting photos and videos on social media. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "They're fascinating birds, really," Hinam says. "I mean, birds are dinosaurs, so when you take a look at a turkey, it's not hard to see the resemblance." Spotting a turkey on the street also serves as a positive reminder of the city's wild side. "We're very lucky in Winnipeg," Hinam says. "We have quite a lot of urban nature. "I have a screech owl living down the street from me and I live in old St. Boniface. There's all sorts of amazing things. We really need to protect it." jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @JenZoratti As the school strikes spread around the world on March 15, inspired by Greta Thunbergs example, I watched what the global mainstream media chose to report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion As the school strikes spread around the world on March 15, inspired by Greta Thunbergs example, I watched what the global mainstream media chose to report. Granted, that black Friday also brought other things into our newsfeed from New Zealand, but according to most sources, you wouldnt know anything much had happened. Some kids, some places, walked out of school. CBC focused on the hundred or so who gathered in front of the Manitoba legislature. Yet, as the numbers were counted by the organizers, estimates were on the order of 1.4 million people, mostly students, at over 2,000 sites in more than 125 countries. It was an extraordinary achievement for a movement without a leader, a movement that will continue to gather strength and momentum despite the dismissals of those adults who mistakenly believe they hold all the power in our global society. Greta rang the bell when, confronting world leaders, she bluntly told them and us that "you are not mature enough" to respond to climate change. Clearly, our society and its adult leaders need an attitude adjustment in order to deal with the world as it is. I reached that same conclusion when I read the online comments posted on my last op-ed piece in this paper. I received a torrent of abuse for daring to say that the Pallister government (and others) had not done enough to confront the issues around climate change that Manitobans, present and future, will face. There were the predictable posts from the usual trolls, wanting "more information" (as though that would change their minds!) or complaining that in 800 words or fewer, I had not sufficiently fleshed out my arguments to prove there was any problem with global warming. Nor had I offered detailed and realistic solutions to the issues I had identified, demonstrating (once again) I had no clue about any of these issues. Interestingly, this time, the trolls did not go unchallenged or unanswered which is why the number of comments spiralled upward. So, for those who actually want information, type "Global Environmental Outlook 6 report" (or GEO 6) into your search bar. You will find the final version, approved earlier this month by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 4) in Nairobi. If you want the shorter version, select the "Summary for Policy Makers." I was fortunate to be involved in GEO 6 from the very beginning, offering interventions at UNEA 1 and 2 in support of its process, which included more voices than ever before. Setting a new precedent for civil society engagement, as MGS regional representative to UNEP for North America (accredited through the United Church of Canada), I was elected rapporteur for the intergovernmental, multi-stakeholder meetings in Berlin in 2014 that established the parameters of GEO 6, making me responsible for compiling and presenting the final report. I participated as an author in the North American regional assessment, and was an expert reviewer of successive drafts right through to the end of the global GEO 6 report. In such a large undertaking, of course my part was only a small one but it was an honour to be one of the few Canadians who had any role at all. How are we doing? Briefly, we are nowhere near the benchmarks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, or the greenhouse gas emission reductions required in the Paris agreement to keep global temperature rise close to 2 C. Other, more comprehensive goals for 2050 are far out of reach at the moment. Climate change understood only in terms of greenhouse gas emissions is incomplete, however. We urgently need to talk about ecological justice. Developing countries will bear the brunt of climate change they did not create. When a storm like typhoon Idai wipes out 90 per cent of Beira, the main port city of Mozambique, and affects 2.6 million people in the region, it is much worse than a similar storm hitting the sea coast of a developed country like the United States. There is infrastructure elsewhere in a developed country to deliver aid, money to pay for it and people to help. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Not in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Cyclone Idai is perhaps the most devastating weather event ever to hit the southern hemisphere, but it has received minimal news coverage, with no cross-references to climate change, and so far the devastated region has been promised little help. But Greta and her colleagues remind us that we also must consider generational justice. Refusing to listen to our childrens concerns about their future, closing our minds to the impending disaster literally sweeping in from the sea, is evidence of real sickness in the leadership of our society and the adult elites who arrogantly persist in business as usual. As the school strikes spread, that attitude will change. It must. Peter Denton is a sustainability activist, author and consultant. The federal governments pharmacare advisory council recently released a report outlining the foundational elements of a national plan. And last weeks federal budget included a small step toward pharmacare, in the form of funding toward the formation of an agency to assess drug effectiveness and negotiate prices. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The federal governments pharmacare advisory council recently released a report outlining the "foundational" elements of a national plan. And last weeks federal budget included a small step toward pharmacare, in the form of funding toward the formation of an agency to assess drug effectiveness and negotiate prices. Unfortunately, theres a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding core aspects of the pharmacare debate. Given that proponents in Canada often cite government-funded pharmacare programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, its helpful to evaluate these programs and their effect on patients. While these programs have reduced government expenditures and the average price paid per drug, theyve produced some unintended consequences. A recent Fraser Institute study spotlighted four issues Canadians should ponder. First, a national pharmacare program will likely result in reduced access to new drugs as pharmaceutical companies delay or withhold the production of certain drugs if the price offered through the government program isnt satisfactory. Among 20 comparable Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, New Zealand ranks last for access to innovative medicines. And of all the drugs approved in the country from January 2009 to December 2016, barely 16 per cent were added to the public drug formulary, the worst result among 31 comparable countries. Even after New Zealand agrees to list a drug, it can take more than 13 years before its covered by the countrys pharmacare plan, as the budget ceiling is reached. Among 13 comparable countries, New Zealand ranks last in access to cancer medicines. In the U.K. between 2012 and 2014, the National Health Service rejected 22 new cancer drugs comprising 61 per cent of cancer treatments analyzed over that period. Thats not surprising since numerous studies have shown that access to new and innovative medicines in the U.K. is delayed compared to other industrialized countries. Second, a national pharmacare program could decrease pharmaceutical innovation in Canada. A national pharmacare program will likely require pharmaceutical companies to cut their prices, essentially institutionalizing price controls through the program. This is a major problem. Historically, as revenues to finance research and development are reduced, innovation suffers. The United States has always been the global leader in new drug development, and that lead widened after Japan and Germany imposed price controls over the past few decades. The result is that all major international pharmaceutical companies, without exception, have established research and development and commercial operations in the U.S. to take advantage of its pricing environment. Moreover, the percentage of new chemical entities (new drugs that have not previously been approved) originating from U.S.-based companies rose from 31 per cent in the 1970s and 80s, to 42 per cent in the 1990s to 57 per cent in the 2000s. In the mid-80s, pharmaceutical research and development by European companies was 24 per cent higher than in the U.S. Following the adoption of price controls, European pharmaceutical research and development grew at half the U.S. rate and today substantially trails American research and development. Canadians can also expect tax hikes to pay for the government drug program. In late 2017, an analysis by the parliamentary budget officer estimated a national pharmacare program would cost around $20 billion a year. And former federal budget officer Kevin Page says that without tax increases, governments will see their shortfalls balloon and deficits double. Lastly, and worst of all, the evidence suggests a national pharmacare program may produce poorer health-care outcomes for Canadians. Again, the experiences of other countries are illustrative. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Relative to Canada, access in New Zealand to histamine H2-receptor antagonists (used to treat ulcers) and new oncology and rare disease drugs are much lower. The resulting health consequences are striking. Again, relative to Canada, mortality rates for acute myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal conditions and peptic ulcers in 2011 were more than 30 per cent higher in New Zealand. In the U.K., lower access to certain drugs has contributed to lower survival rates for various cancers compared to other developed countries. According to a 2015 report, the U.K. ranks among the worst of all developed countries for survival rates for the 10 types of cancers analyzed. In the case of liver and lung cancer, the five-year survival rate is half the Canadian rate. As the Liberal government pushes for a national pharmacare program, Canadians should understand the experiences of other countries. Canada must cautiously approach any policy change including the introduction of national pharmacare that puts patients, innovation and innovative industries at risk. Kristina M.L. Acri is an associate professor of economics at Colorado College and a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute. Troy Media JERUSALEM - Egyptian mediators rushed to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Hamas' supreme leader emerged from his hideout as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic militant group appeared to take hold. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Israeli soldiers react as they work on their vehicles at a gathering area near the Israel-Gaza border, in southern Israel, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned home from Washington on Tuesday, heading straight into military consultations after a night of heavy fire as Israeli aircraft bombed Gaza targets and the strip's militants fired rockets into Israel. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) JERUSALEM - Egyptian mediators rushed to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Hamas' supreme leader emerged from his hideout as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic militant group appeared to take hold. The Egyptian delegation sought to cement the truce that ended two days of heavy fighting between the bitter enemies. They face a key test on Saturday, when Hamas is planning a mass demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of weekly protests along the Israeli border. In a sign that both sides had stepped back from a major conflagration, Hamas' supreme leader Ismail Haniyeh made his first public appearance since violence with Israel erupted earlier this week. During times of fighting, Hamas leaders typically go underground, fearing assassination by Israel. Standing before the rubble of his Gaza City office, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, he declared that "the Israeli occupation got the message." Haniyeh urged Palestinians to come out in force to the Saturday demonstration. The Israeli military bolstered its forces along the Gaza frontier in advance. Hamas has staged the protests in hopes of pressuring Israel and Egypt to ease a crippling blockade. The protests, however, have yielded few gains, and nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israeli border policemen move away from a burning vehicle during clashes with Palestinians at checkpoint Bet El near the West Bank city of Ramallah , Wednesday, March 27, 2019.(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israel accuses Hamas of using the demonstrations as cover for attacks, and says it is defending its border against crowds that have hurled flaming tires, grenades and other explosives at troops. But the military has come under heavy international criticism for using disproportionate force against large numbers of unarmed protesters. Palestinian media reported that the Egyptian mediators would offer Hamas economic incentives in exchange for its commitment to end the protests. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a teenage Palestinian medic was shot dead during clashes between Israeli troops and protesters. The Israeli army said it had responded to Palestinians who hurled blocks and firebombs at Israeli forces. The army released a video showing what it said was a medic who removed his uniform and joined a group of protesters throwing objects at troops. It was not clear if the video showed the same medic who was shot. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired early Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed back to Israel from a trip to Washington to deal with the crisis. Israel struck dozens of targets in Gaza, including Haniyeh's office. Gaza's Health Ministry said seven Palestinians were wounded in the airstrikes. Netanyahu faced the difficult task of delivering a tough blow to Hamas while avoiding protracted fighting that could work against him in next month's national elections. He has faced heavy criticism from both political allies and opponents for what they describe as his failure to contain and deter Gaza militants. Netanyahu has conducted indirect cease-fire talks through Egyptian mediators in recent months, and even allowed the delivery of millions of dollars of Qatari aid to Hamas to ease harsh conditions in the territory, which has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power in 2007. Hamas has recently faced rare demonstrations over its mismanagement of an economic crisis that has left Gaza with an unemployment rate above 50 per cent. Hundreds of Gazans took part in the protests last week, and Hamas responded with a violent crackdown, beating and arresting dozens of demonstrators. The fighting in Gaza comes amid an uptick in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli soldiers shot dead 18-year-old paramedic Sajed Mizher while he tended to wounded Palestinians during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem early Wednesday. It said two others were wounded in the clashes. Fellow paramedic Abed Ghareeb said they were tending to a wounded protester when Mizher, who was wearing a paramedic vest, was shot by a sniper. The Israeli military said it responded to the violent protests with "riot dispersal means," which usually refers to tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets. The World Health Organization condemned the killing of the Palestinian medic in uniform, saying, "health care is not a target." Israeli troops killed four Palestinians last week, including one said to be unarmed. That followed a weekend stabbing and shooting attack in which a Palestinian killed two Israelis near a West Bank settlement. ____ Associated Press writer Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed. NEW YORK - Anna Sorokin travelled in celebrity circles and tossed $100 tips all the more reason to believe she was the German heiress she said she was. But behind the jet-set lifestyle and pricey threads, prosecutors have said, was a fraudster who bilked friends, banks and hotels for a taste of the high life. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2018 file photo, Anna Sorokin appears in New York State Supreme Court on grand larceny charges. On Wednesday, March 27, 2019, Sorokin, the one-time darling of the Big Apple social scene is scheduled to stand trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled $275,000 in a 10-month odyssey that saw her jetting to Omaha and Marrakesh. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) NEW YORK - Anna Sorokin travelled in celebrity circles and tossed $100 tips all the more reason to believe she was the German heiress she said she was. But behind the jet-set lifestyle and pricey threads, prosecutors have said, was a fraudster who bilked friends, banks and hotels for a taste of the high life. Sorokin, 28, lived in luxury New York City hotel rooms she couldn't afford, promised a friend an all-expenses paid trip to Morocco and then stuck her with the $62,000 bill, and peddled bogus bank statements in a quest for a $22 million loan, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has alleged. On Wednesday, the one-time darling of the Big Apple social scene went on trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled various people and businesses out of $275,000 in a 10-month odyssey that saw her jetting to the Midwest and Marrakesh before landing in a cell at Rikers Island. "Her overall scheme has been to claim to be a wealthy German heiress with approximately $60 million in funds being held abroad," prosecutor Catherine McCaw said after Sorokin's October 2017 arrest. "She's born in Russia and has not a cent to her name as far as we can determine." Sorokin's attorney said she never intended to commit a crime. Anna Sorokin arrives in New York State Supreme Court for her trial on grand larceny charges, in New York, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. She is on trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled $275,000 in a 10-month odyssey that saw her jetting to Omaha and Marrakesh. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Lawyer Todd Spodek told jurors in an opening statement that Sorokin was exploiting a system that was "easily seduced by glamour and glitz" after she saw how the appearance of wealth opened doors. Spodek said she was merely buying time, so she could launch a business and repay her debts. "Anna had to fake it until she could make it," Spodek said. Sorokin, jailed since her arrest, faces deportation to Germany regardless of the outcome of the trial because authorities say she overstayed her visa. Her story, however, may stick around. Shonda Rhimes, the force behind "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal," is developing a show about Sorokin for Netflix. Lena Dunham, of "Girls" fame, is working on one for HBO. Sorokin arrived in the world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams in 2016 with a new name (Anna Delvey) and a wardrobe to match (Celine sunglasses, Gucci sandals and high-end buys from Net-a-Porter and Elyse Walker). She made a show of proving she belonged, passing crisp Benjamins to Uber drivers and hotel concierges, but she gave varying accounts for the source of her wealth, according to people who knew her. At different times, they said, she'd claim her father was a diplomat, an oil baron or a solar panel muckity-muck. In reality, her father told New York magazine, he's a former trucker who runs a heating-and-cooling business. At first, people around Sorokin didn't see a red flag when she asked them to put cabs and plane fares on their credit cards she sometimes said she had trouble moving her assets from Europe, they said and they laughed it off as forgetfulness when they had to hound her to pay them back. "It was a magic trick," Rachel Williams, the friend from the Morocco trip, wrote in Vanity Fair. "I'm embarrassed to say that I was one of the props, and the audience, too. Anna's was a beautiful dream of New York, like one of those nights that never seems to end. And then the bill arrives." As she ingratiated herself into the New York party scene, prosecutors said, Sorokin started talking up plans to spend tens of millions of dollars building a private arts club with exhibitions, installations and pop-up shops. She thought about calling it the Anna Delvey Foundation. Sorokin kept up the heiress ruse as she went looking for a $22 million loan for the club in November 2016, prosecutors said. She claimed the loan would be secured by a letter of credit from UBS in Switzerland and showed statements purporting to substantiate her assets, according to an outline of the charges. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. One bank rejected Sorokin because she "did not have sufficient cash flow to make loan payments," prosecutors said. She bailed on another firm when it pressured her for a meeting with a UBS banker who could verify her assets, prosecutors said. At the same time, Spodek said, one of the firm's executives sent Sorokin provocative texts, telling her she was "beautiful inside and out," that he was "forcing myself not to kiss you" and asking to come up to her hotel room. While seeking the loan, prosecutors said, Sorokin convinced one bank to lend her $100,000 to cover due diligence costs. She ended up keeping $55,000 and "frittered away these funds on personal expenses in about one month's time," prosecutors said. A few months later, in May 2017, Sorokin allegedly chartered a plane to and from the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, but never paid the $35,400 bill. Broke and facing a big bill at a midtown Manhattan hotel in July 2017, Sorokin pleaded with a police officer that a bailout was on the way, prosecutors said. "I have no money and no credit cards. I'm waiting for my aunt from Germany. She's going to pay," Sorokin said, according to court documents. "I'm not trying to run. Why are you making a big deal about this? Give me five minutes, and I can get a friend to pay." ___ Follow Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak WASHINGTON - The battle over releasing the special counsel's report intensified Wednesday as Democrats in Congress insisted Attorney General William Barr must quickly release its full findings. Barr said he'll release at least a partial version in April. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined at left by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone, D-N.J., speaks at an event to announce legislation to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing medical conditions, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Democratic action comes after the Trump administration told a federal appeals court that the entire Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare," should be struck down as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) WASHINGTON - The battle over releasing the special counsel's report intensified Wednesday as Democrats in Congress insisted Attorney General William Barr must quickly release its full findings. Barr said he'll release at least a partial version in April. Skepticism mounted over Barr's four-page synopsis, which was released Sunday and found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. The longer it takes to release the full findings from special counsel Robert Mueller, the more Democrats, in particular, warn they will question the legitimacy of Barr's actions. The push came as the House moved ahead with its own oversight of the Trump administration, including an Intelligence Committee hearing scheduled Thursday on Russia's role in the 2016 election. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said he was "disappointed" Barr would take weeks, not days, to release the report. "The president has now an opportunity for weeks, it sounds like, to do these victory laps," said Cummings, noting that Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, is among those headed to jail as a result of the probe. "Cohen goes to jail, the president runs a victory lap." The attorney general told the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., that he's combing through Mueller's report and removing classified, grand jury and other information in hopes of releasing it to Congress. Graham told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had dinner the previous evening with Barr, who said he is willing to testify before the committee after he sends Congress the report. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as he departs a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Trump also has said he's fine with releasing the findings. "The president said, 'Just let it go,' and that's what's going to happen," Graham said. What's clear, though, is that Barr will miss the Tuesday deadline set by six House committee chairmen to see the full confidential report and its underlying documents. They have suggested they may eventually need to subpoena it. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said he was "very concerned" Barr would not provide the material by the time set. Nadler upped the oversight Wednesday by placing a call to Bar. Over 10 minutes, the chairman asked whether Barr would accede to Congress' demand for the full report by April 2. Barr said no, according to Nadler. Nadler asked if Barr would release a report to Congress without redactions. "He wouldn't commit to that," the congressman said. He also told reporters that Mueller's report was "very substantial" and fewer than 1,000 pages. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has urged caution so as not to "throw innocent people who've not been charged under the bus," is blocking legislation to force the disclosure of the Mueller report. Other Republicans, however, insisted on Congress being able to review it. "I want to see it all," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. "I think we should see the entire report." The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, was confident a full picture of Mueller's report would emerge. President Donald Trump accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, speaks to members of the media as he arrives for a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) "People are going to be very surprised," Collins said. "Barr is going to put out a lot of stuff." Beyond Mueller's findings, House Democrats are pursuing multiple investigations into the president's political, business and personal dealings, as they press on with their oversight agenda. Part of their work is to determine if anyone sought leverage over Trump, his family or associates. Those probes, including a push to release his tax returns, are not fully dependent on whether the report backs up Barr's conclusion. By Barr's account, Mueller made no finding on whether the president obstructed justice. Though Barr cleared Mueller of obstruction, the question is now in Congress' hands. The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the Mueller report will "guide us in terms of what has been fully investigated by the special counsel, what has gone uninvestigated." Schiff said, "It's very difficult to make those decisions in the absence of really knowing what's in that report." The panel expects to "tailor" its investigation to focus beyond Mueller, said one member of the panel, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Releasing the report has become the immediate focus on Capitol Hill amid concerns from Democrats that what has been made public so far is tilted positively toward Trump. Questions about Barr are amplified by his unusual role as a lawyer who advocated an expansive view of executive power, suggesting in an unsolicited letter to the administration before being hired that the president cannot be found to have obstructed a Justice Department probe. Schiff has said Barr was all but auditioning for the job a sentiment shared by other Democrats in Congress. Mueller's role as a special counsel is different from the independent counsels that investigated earlier administrations, including Kenneth Starr's probe against President Bill Clinton. The law authorizing the independent counsel was allowed to lapse after that and Mueller, as a special counsel, conducted his work under the Justice Department. "I would hope the attorney general would not be acting as a political operative for the president," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Judiciary Committee. "The Department of Justice should not be involved in a coverup of what's actually in the report," he said. "It's great for a banana republic, it's not great for a constitutional democracy." Barr wants to make sure nothing is released that could compromise national security or intelligence sources and methods, Graham said. He said Barr also told him he wants to check with prosecutors who have cases associated with Mueller's Russia investigation. Mueller had referred cases to other federal courts as part of his probe. Republicans have said it's time for Congress to move on from the Russia probe, but Democrats indicated they are not worried about overreaching as they push ahead with both their oversight agenda and other legislative priorities. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I haven't read the Mueller report, but if it clears President Trump, I see that as nothing but a relief for our country," said Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa. "It's the dream of the Founding Fathers that we have a separation of powers," he said. "Checks and balances." ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Andrew Taylor, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report. ___ Follow all of AP's Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations . During a reception in Vientiane on February 25 for Politburo member and President of the LFNC Central Committee Saysomphone Phomvihane, the Vietnamese leader said LFNC and VFF held diverse and practical activities to raise mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries people, making active and effective contributions to boosting Vietnam Laos ties in diverse areas. He informed the guest about the outcomes of his talks with Lao Party and State leaders, saying that both sides affirmed strategic significance of and determination to foster traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in the new situation, considering it an important factor to ensure success of each countrys revolutionary cause and an invaluable asset of the two Parties and nations to pass on to later generations. Party General Secretary and President Trong highly valued the LFNCs role in Laos political system with practical activities to unite people together to successfully realise national development goals under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party. He wished that the two fronts would continue working closely together to enhance information and experience sharing and realise signed agreements. In the near future, the two sides need to raise public awareness of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Laos, especially among young generations, he said. Phomvihane, for his part, expressed his delight at the fact that Party General Secretary and President Trong chose Laos as the first country to visit in his new position as President. He agreed with the Vietnamese leaders proposal to further reinforce ties between the two fronts and their chapters, particularly between the Vietnam Laos, and Laos Vietnam friendship associations. Reporting Party General Secretary and President Trong on the outcomes of joint work between the two fronts and friendship associations, he said both sides worked to carry out cooperation agreements, thus building a borderline of peace and friendship. The LFNC partnered with the front organisations of Vietnam and Cambodia to hold and join multilateral activities and forums, thus boosting friendship and solidarity among the three countries. In the afternoon the same day, General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith hosted a fare-well ceremony for the Vietnamese leader and his entourage. Later, Party General Secretary and President Trong left Vientiane for his State-visit to Cambodia. The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Read More BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More 2 hours ago Inflation is painfully high, but some relief may be coming NEW YORK (AP) Inflation is painfully high, but this hopefully is close to as bad as it gets. Consumer prices rose 6.8% for the 12 months ending in November, a 39-year high. Many economists expect inflation to remain near this level a few more months but to then moderate through 2022 for a variety of reasons. Read Article Two Harbors Investment pays an annual dividend of $0.68 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 11.00%. TWO has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. Two Harbors Investment has been increasing its dividend for 2 consecutive year(s), indicating that it does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio of Two Harbors Investment is 61.26%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on EPS estimates, Two Harbors Investment will have a dividend payout ratio of 83.95% in the coming year. This indicates that Two Harbors Investment may not be able to sustain their current dividend. View Two Harbors Investment's dividend history. CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Read More BNP Paribas SA provides a range of banking and financial services in France and internationally. It operates through two divisions, Retail Banking and Services, and Corporate and Institutional Banking. The company offers long-term corporate vehicle leasing, and rental and other financing solutions; and digital banking and investment services, cash management, and factoring services to corporate clients, as well as wealth management services. It also provides credit solutions for individuals under the Cetelem, Cofinoga, Findomestic, AlphaCredit, and Opel Vauxhall brands; savings and protection solutions, including insuring individuals, and their personal projects and assets; and asset management, private banking, and real estate services. In addition, the company offers global market services, including investment, hedging, financing, research, and market intellingence across asset classes; security services comprising clearing, custody, and asset and fund services, as well as corporate trust, and market and financing services; and corporate trade and treasury, debt financing, specialized financing, strategic advisory, mergers and acquisition, and equity capital market services for institutional and corporate clients. The company was formerly known as Banque Nationale de Paris and changed its name to BNP Paribas SA in May 2000. BNP Paribas SA was founded in 1848 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Read More 15 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Deutsche Wohnen in the last twelve months. There are currently 8 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" Deutsche Wohnen stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in DWNI, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Deutsche Wohnen or view top-rated stocks. 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. Read More Finsbury Food Group Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells a range of cakes, bread, and bakery snack products in the United Kingdom and internationally. It offers various bread and morning goods, such as rolls, hot cross buns, muffins, artisan breads, and healthy lifestyle and organic breads, as well as baguettes, doughnuts, and morning pastries; and cakes, including sponge cakes, loaf cakes, seasonal cakes, and individually portioned sweet snacks, such as chocolate cake bites, cake slices, cake bars, and mini rolls. The company provides its bakery products to wholesalers and end-user operators, such as hotels, pub and restaurant chains, fast-food outlets, and contract caterers under its food service brand Kara; and bite style cake products and sweet treats to coffee chains and foodservice customers under its food service brand Johnstone's. Its customers also include supermarkets, discounters, convenience stores, and high street chains. The company's licensed brands include Disney, Thorntons, Weight Watchers, Vogel's, Village Bakery, and Cranks. Finsbury Food Group Plc was incorporated in 1925 and is based in Cardiff, the United Kingdom. Read More Symrise AG develops, produces, and supplies fragrances, flavorings, cosmetic active ingredients and raw materials, and functional ingredients. It operates through three segments: Scent & Care, Flavor, and Nutrition. The Scent & Care segment develops, produces, and sells fragrance ingredients and compositions, cosmetic ingredients, and mint flavors, as well as specific application processes for such substances. This segment's products are used by manufacturer of perfumes, personal care and cosmetic products, cleaning products, detergents, air fresheners, and oral care products. The Flavor segment provides flavors and functional ingredients used in the production of foods, beverages, and health products. The Nutrition segments offers tailored solutions from natural raw materials for use in foods, beverages, pet foods, and aquacultures. It operates in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Symrise AG was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Holzminden, Germany. Read More Greene King plc operates as a pub retailer and brewer in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Pub Company, Pub Partners, and Brewing & Brands. Its brands include Greene King Local Pubs, Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill, Farmhouse Inns, and Chef & Brewer. The company is also involved in brewing, marketing, and selling beer under the Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, and Belhaven Best brands. In addition, Greene King plc engages in the employment, financing, pension trustee, and property businesses. As of April 30, 2018, it operated 2,855 managed, tenanted, leased, and franchised pubs, restaurants, and hotels. Greene King plc was founded in 1799 and is headquartered in Bury St Edmunds, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of HCA Healthcare: 2490 Church LLC, 360 Community Alliance LLC, 4600 Waters Avenue Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., 52 Alderley Road LLP, AC Med LLC, ACH Inc., ADC Surgicenter LLC, AOGN LLC, AOSC Sports Medicine Inc., AR Holding 1 LLC, AR Holding 10 LLC, AR Holding 11 LLC, AR Holding 12 LLC, AR Holding 13 LLC, AR Holding 14 LLC, AR Holding 15 LLC, AR Holding 16 LLC, AR Holding 17 LLC, AR Holding 18 LLC, AR Holding 19 LLC, AR Holding 2 LLC, AR Holding 20 LLC, AR Holding 21 LLC, AR Holding 22 LLC, AR Holding 23 LLC, AR Holding 24 LLC, AR Holding 25 LLC, AR Holding 26 LLC, AR Holding 27 LLC, AR Holding 28 LLC, AR Holding 29 LLC, AR Holding 30 LLC, AR Holding 31 LLC, AR Holding 4 LLC, AR Holding 5 LLC, AR Holding 6 LLC, AR Holding 7 LLC, AR Holding 8 LLC, AR Holding 9 LLC, ASD Shared Services LLC, Acadiana Care Center Inc., Acadiana Practice Management Inc., Acadiana Regional Pharmacy Inc., Access 2 Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Management Co. LLC, Ace Leasing II LLC, Acute Kids Urgent Care of Medical City Childrens Hospital PLLC, Acworth Immediate Care LLC, Administrative Physicians of North Texas PLLC, Advanced Bundle Convener LLC, Advanced Plastic Surgery Center of Terre Haute LLC, Advanced Practice Providers of Gulf Coast PLLC, Alaska Regional Medical Group LLC, Albany Family Practice LLC, Aligned Business Consortium Group L.P., All About Staffing (India) Ltd., All About Staffing Inc., All About Staffing Philippines Inc., Alleghany General and Bariatric Services LLC, Alleghany Hospitalists LLC, Alleghany Primary Care Inc., Alleghany Specialists LLC, Alliance Surgicare LLC, Alpine Surgicenter LLC, Alta Internal Medicine LLC, Alternaco LLC, Altitude Mid Level Providers LLC, Ambulatory Endoscopy Clinic of Dallas Ltd., Ambulatory Endoscopy Holdco LLC, Ambulatory Laser Associates GP, Ambulatory Services Management Corporation of Chesterfield County Inc., Ambulatory Surgery Center Group Ltd., American Medicorp Development Co., Anchorage Surgicenter LLC, AppleCare/Memorial Immediate Care Joint Venture LLC, Appledore Medical Group II Inc., Appledore Medical Group Inc., Appomattox Imaging LLC, Arapahoe Surgicenter LLC, Arlington Diagnostic South Inc., Arlington Neurosurgeons PLLC, Arlington Primary Care PLLC, Arlington Primary Medicine PLLC, Arlington Surgery Center L.P., Arlington Surgicare LLC, Arthritis Specialists of Nashville Inc., Ashburn ASC LLC, Ashburn Imaging LLC, Athens Community Hospital Inc., Atlanta Healthcare Management L.P., Atlanta Home Care L.P., Atlanta Market GP Inc., Atlanta Outpatient Surgery Center Inc., Atlanta Surgery Center Ltd., Atlantis Surgicare LLC, Atrium Surgery Center L.P., Atrium Surgicare LLC, Augusta CyberKnife LLC, Augusta Inpatient Services LLC, Augusta Management Services LLC, Augusta Multispecialty Services LLC, Augusta Primary Care Services LLC, Augusta Specialty Hospitalists LLC, Augusta Urgent Care Services LLC, Aurora Endoscopy Surgicenter LLC, Austin GI Surgicenter LLC, Austin Heart Cardiology MSO LLC, Austin Medical Center Inc., Austin Physicians Management LLC, Austin Urogynecology PLLC, Aventura Cancer Center Manager LLC, Aventura Comprehensive Cancer Research Group of Florida Inc., Aventura Healthcare Specialists LLC, Aventura Neurosurgery LLC, BAMI Property LLC, Backlogs Limited, Bailey Square Ambulatory Surgical Center Ltd., Bailey Square Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Bannerman Family Care LLC, Barrow Medical Center CT Services Ltd., Basic American Medical Inc., Basil Street Practice Limited, Bay Area Healthcare Group Ltd., Bay Area Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Bay Area Surgicare Center Inc., Bay Area Surgicenter LLC, Bay Hospital Inc., Bayonet Point Surgery Center Ltd., Bayshore Family Practitioners PLLC, Bayshore Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Bayshore Occupational and Family Medicine PLLC, Bayshore Partner LLC, Bayshore Radiation Oncology Services PLLC, Bayshore Surgery Center Ltd., Bayside Ambulatory Center LLC, Bedford-Northeast Community Hospital Inc., Behavioral Health Sciences of West Florida LLC, Behavioral Health Wellness Center LLC, Bellaire Imaging Inc., Belleair Surgery Center Ltd., Belton Family Practice Clinic LLC, Big Cypress Medical Center Inc., Blacksburg Family Care LLC, Blossoms Healthcare LLP, Blue Ridge-TKC LLC, Bone & Joint Specialists Physician Group LLC, Bonita Bay Surgery Center Inc., Bonita Bay Surgery Center Ltd., Bountiful Surgery Center LLC, Boynton Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Bradenton Cardiology Physician Network LLC, Bradenton Outpatient Services LLC, Brandon Imaging Manager LLC, Brandon Regional Cancer Center LLC, Brentwood ASC LLC, Brigham City Community Hospital Inc., Brigham City Community Hospital Physician Services LLC, Brigham City Health Plan Inc., Brighton Surgicenter LLC, Brookwood Medical Center of Gulfport Inc., Broward Cardiovascular Surgeons LLC, Broward Healthcare System Inc., Broward Neurosurgeons LLC, Brownsville Specialists of Texas PLLC, Brownsville Surgery PLLC, Brownsville Surgical Specialists PLLC, Brownsville Surgicenter LLC, Brownsville-Valley Regional Medical Center Inc., Buford Road Imaging L.L.C., Byron Family Practice LLC, C. Medrano M.D. PLLC, C/HCA Capital Inc., C/HCA Development Inc., C/HCA Inc., CAREOS Surgicenter LLC, CC Clinic PLLC, CCBH Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, CCH-GP Inc., CFC Investments Inc., CH Systems, CHC Finance Co., CHC Holdings Inc., CHC Management Ltd., CHC Payroll Agent Inc., CHC Payroll Company, CHC Realty Company, CHC Venture Co., CHC-El Paso Corp., CHC-Miami Corp., CHCA Bayshore L.P., CHCA Clear Lake L.P., CHCA Conroe L.P., CHCA Mainland L.P., CHCA Pearland L.P., CHCA West Houston L.P., CHCA Womans Hospital L.P., CHCK Inc., CJW Infectious Disease LLC, CJW Wound Healing Center LLC, CLASC Manager LLC, COL-NAMC Holdings Inc., COSCORP LLC, CP Surgery Center LLC, CPS TN Processor 1 Inc., CRMC-M LLC, CUC PLLC, CVMC Property LLC, Calder Immediate Care PLLC, California Imaging Center Manager LLC, California Urgent Care LLC, Calloway Creek Surgery Center L.P., Calloway Creek Surgicare LLC, Cancer Centers of North Florida LLC, Cancer Services of Aventura LLC, Capital Anesthesia Services LLC, Capital Area Cardiology, Capital Area CareNow Physician Associates, Capital Area Multispecialty Providers, Capital Area Neurosurgeons, Capital Area Occupational Medicine PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care Providers, Capital Area Providers, Capital Area Specialists PLLC, Capital Area Specialty Providers, Capital Area Surgeons PLLC, Capital Division - CCA Inc., Capital Division Inc., Capital Network Services Inc., Capital Professional Billing LLC, Capital Regional Healthcare LLC, Capital Regional Heart Associates LLC, Capital Regional Psychiatry Associates LLC, Cardiac Surgical Associates LLC, Cardio Vascular Surgeons of North Texas PLLC, Cardiology Associates Medical Group LLC, Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio PLLC, Cardiology Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Texas PLLC, Care for Women LLC, CareNow, CareOne Home Health Services Inc., CarePartners HHA Holdings LLLP, CarePartners HHA LLLP, CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital LLLP, CareSpot Professional Services of Middle Tennessee LLC, CareSpot of Brentwood (210 Franklin Road) LLC, CareSpot of Cool Springs (100 International Drive) LLC, CareSpot of Donelson (2372 Lebanon Road) LLC, CareSpot of Hendersonville (280 Indian Lake Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Hermitage (5225 Old Hickory Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Lebanon (1705 West Main Street) LLC, CareSpot of Mt. Juliet (S. Mt. Juliet Road) LLC, CareSpot of Murfreesboro (1340 Broad Street) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (2001 Glen Echo Road) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (West End Avenue) LLC, Career Staffing USA Inc., Carlin Springs Urgent Care LLC, Carolina Forest Imaging Manager LLC, Carolina Regional Surgery Center Inc., Carolina Regional Surgery Center Ltd., Cartersville Medical Center LLC, Cartersville Occupational Medicine Center LLC, Cartersville Physician Practice I LLC, Catalog360 Limited, Cedar Creek Medical Group LLC, Cedars International Cardiology Consultants LLC, Cedars Medical Center Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Cardiovascular Consultants LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Center LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Manager LLC, Centennial Heart LLC, Centennial Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Neuroscience LLC, Centennial Psychiatric Associates LLC, Centennial Surgery Center L.P., Centennial Surgical Associates LLC, Centennial Surgical Clinic LLC, Centennial Womens Group LLC, Center for Advanced Diagnostics LLC, Center for Advanced Imaging LLC, Center for Digestive Diseases LLC, Center for Occupational Medicine LLC, Centerpoint Cardiology Services LLC, Centerpoint Clinic of Blue Springs LLC, Centerpoint Hospital Based Physicians LLC, Centerpoint Medical Center of Independence LLC, Centerpoint Medical Specialists LLC, Centerpoint Orthopedics LLC, Centerpoint Physicians Group LLC, Centerpoint Womens Services LLC, Central Florida Cardiology Interpretations LLC, Central Florida Division Practice Inc., Central Florida Health Services LLC, Central Florida Imaging Services LLC, Central Florida Management Services LLC, Central Florida Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates LLC, Central Florida Physician Network LLC, Central Florida Regional Hospital Inc., Central Health Holding Company Inc., Central Pasco LLC, Central San Antonio Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Central Shared Services LLC, Central Tennessee Hospital Corporation, Central Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Physicians PLLC, Centrum Surgery Center Ltd., Charleston CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Chatsworth Hospital Corp., Chattanooga ASC Acquisition Inc., Chattanooga Diagnostic Associates LLC, Chattanooga Healthcare Network L.P., Chattanooga Healthcare Network Partner Inc., Chelsea Outpatient Centre LLP, Chesterfield Imaging LLC, Chicago Grant Hospital Inc., Childrens Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Chino Community Hospital Corporation Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Hospitals Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Sports Medicine LLC, Chippenham Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Chippenham Pediatric Specialists LLC, Chiswick Outpatient Centre LLP, Christiansburg Family Medicine LLC, Christiansburg Internal Medicine LLC, Christina Cano-Gonzalez M.D. PLLC, Chugach PT Inc., Church Street Partners, Citrus Memorial Hospital Inc., Citrus Memorial Property Management Inc., Citrus Primary Care Inc., Citrus Specialty Group Inc., Citrus Surgicenter LLC, City of San Antonio H2U Employee Health and Wellness Center PLLC, Clarksville Surgicenter LLC, Clear Creek Surgery Center LLC, Clear Lake Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., Clear Lake Cardiac GP LLC, Clear Lake Family Physicians PLLC, Clear Lake Medical Tower Owners Association Inc., Clear Lake Merger LLC, Clear Lake Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Inc., Clear Lake Regional Partner LLC, Clear Lake Surgicare Ltd., ClinicServ LLC, Clinical Education Shared Services LLC, Clinishare Inc., Coastal Bend Hospital CT Services Ltd., Coastal Bend Hospital Inc., Coastal Carolina Home Care Inc., Coastal Carolina Multispecialty Associates LLC, Coastal Carolina Primary Care LLC, Coastal Healthcare Services Inc., Coastal Imaging Center L.P., Coastal Imaging Center of Gulfport Inc., Coastal Inpatient Physicians LLC, Coliseum Health Group Inc., Coliseum Health Group LLC, Coliseum Medical Center LLC, Coliseum Park Hospital Inc., Coliseum Primary Care Services LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Macon LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Riverside LLC, Coliseum Professional Associates LLC, Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center L.P., Coliseum Surgery Center L.L.C., College Park Ancillary LLC, College Park Endoscopy Center LLC, College Park Radiology LLC, Colleton Ambulatory Care LLC, Colleton Diagnostic Center LLC, Colleton Medical Anesthesia LLC, Colleton Medical Hospitalists LLC, Colleton Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery LLC, Collier County Home Health Agency Inc., Collin County Diagnostic Associates PLLC, Colorado Health Systems Inc., Columbia ASC Management L.P., Columbia Ambulatory Surgery Division Inc., Columbia Arlington Healthcare System L.L.C., Columbia Bay Area Realty Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Health Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare Inc., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare of South Florida Inc., Columbia Call Center Inc., Columbia Central Florida Division Inc., Columbia Central Group Inc., Columbia Champions Treatment Center Inc., Columbia Chicago Division Inc., Columbia Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Columbia Development of Florida Inc., Columbia Doctors Hospital of Tulsa Inc., Columbia Eye and Specialty Surgery Center Ltd., Columbia Florida Group Inc., Columbia GP of Mesquite Inc., Columbia Good Samaritan Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia Greater Houston Division Healthcare Network Inc., Columbia Health System of Arkansas Inc., Columbia Healthcare System of Louisiana Inc., Columbia Healthcare of Central Virginia Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation at the Medical Center, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Arlington, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Bay Area, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Central Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Corpus Christi, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Fort Worth, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Kendall, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Massachusetts Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of North Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Broward, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Dade, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Florida, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Tamarac, Columbia Hospital Corporation of West Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation-Delaware, Columbia Hospital Corporation-SMM, Columbia Hospital at Medical City Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Hospital-El Paso Ltd., Columbia Integrated Health Systems Inc., Columbia Jacksonville Healthcare System Inc., Columbia LaGrange Hospital LLC, Columbia Lake Worth Surgical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia Medical Arts Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center Dallas Southwest Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center at Lancaster Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Arlington Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Denton Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Las Colinas Inc., Columbia Medical Center of Lewisville Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of McKinney Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Plano Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Group - Centennial Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Daystar Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Parkridge Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southern Hills Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southwest Virginia Inc., Columbia Medical Group - The Frist Clinic Inc., Columbia Midtown Joint Venture, Columbia North Alaska Healthcare Inc., Columbia North Central Florida Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia North Florida Regional Medical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia North Hills Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia North Texas Healthcare System L.P., Columbia North Texas Subsidiary GP LLC, Columbia North Texas Surgery Center Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Inc., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Partners Ltd., Columbia Ocala Regional Medical Center Physician Group Inc., Columbia Ogden Medical Center Inc., Columbia Oklahoma Division Inc., Columbia Palm Beach GP LLC, Columbia Palm Beach Healthcare System Limited Partnership, Columbia Park Healthcare System Inc., Columbia Park Medical Center Inc., Columbia Parkersburg Healthcare System LLC, Columbia Pentagon City Hospital L.L.C., Columbia Physician Services - Florida Group Inc., Columbia Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Primary Care LLC, Columbia Psychiatric Management Co., Columbia Resource Network Inc., Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare L.P., Columbia Riverside Inc., Columbia South Texas Division Inc., Columbia Specialty Hospital of Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Specialty Hospitals Inc., Columbia Surgery Group Inc., Columbia Surgicare of Augusta Ltd., Columbia Tampa Bay Division Inc., Columbia Valley Healthcare System L.P., Columbia West Bank Hospital Inc., Columbia Westbank Healthcare L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Canton Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Cleveland Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-Georgia PT Inc., Columbia-Osceola Imaging Center Inc., Columbia-Quantum Inc., Columbia-SDH Holdings Inc., Columbia/Alleghany Regional Hospital Incorporated, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Central Texas, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Northern Ohio, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of South Carolina, Columbia/HCA Heartcare of Corpus Christi Inc., Columbia/HCA International Group Inc., Columbia/HCA John Randolph Inc., Columbia/HCA Middle East Management Company, Columbia/HCA Physician Hospital Organization Medical Center Hospital, Columbia/HCA San Clemente Inc., Columbia/HCA of Baton Rouge Inc., Columbia/HCA of Houston Inc., Columbia/HCA of New Orleans Inc., Columbia/HCA of North Texas Inc., Columbine Psychiatric Center Inc., Columbus Cardiology Inc., Columbus Cath Lab Inc., Columbus Cath Lab LLC, Columbus Doctors Hospital Inc., Commonwealth Perinatal Services LLC, Commonwealth Specialists of Kentucky LLC, Community Hospital Family Practice LLC, Comprehensive Radiation Oncology LLC, Comprehensive Radiology Management Services Ltd., Concept EFL Imaging Center LLC, Concept West EFL Imaging Center LLC, Congenital Heart Surgery Center PLLC, Conroe Hospital Corporation, Conroe Montgomery Physicians Group PLLC, Conroe Orthopedic Specialists PLLC, Conroe Partner LLC, Conroe Specialists of Texas PLLC, Continental Division I Inc., Coral Springs Surgi-Center Ltd., CoralStone Management Inc., Corpus Christi Healthcare Group Ltd., Corpus Christi Heart Clinic PLLC, Corpus Christi Primary Care Associates PLLC, Corpus Christi Psychiatric Specialists PLLC, Corpus Christi Radiation Oncology PLLC, Corpus Christi Surgery Center L.P., Corpus Christi Surgery Ltd., Corpus Christi Surgicenter LLC, Corpus Surgicare Inc., Countryside Surgery Center Ltd., Crewe Outpatient Imaging LLC, Cumberland Medical Center Inc., Cy-Fair Medical Center Hospital LLC, DFW Physicians Group PLLC, DOMC Property LLC, DS Real Estate Holdings LLC, Daleville Imaging L.P., Daleville Imaging Manager LLC, Dallas CardioThoracic Surgery Consultants PLLC, Dallas Cardiology Specialists PLLC, Dallas Hand Surgery Center PLLC, Dallas Medical Specialists PLLC, Dallas Neuro-Stroke Affiliates PLLC, Dallas Pediatric Neurosurgery Specialists PLLC, Dallas/Ft. Worth Physician LLC, Davie Medical Center LLC, Daytona Medical Center Inc., Dean 4641 LLC, Deep Purple Investments LLC, Del Sol Bariatric Clinic PLLC, Delray EFL Imaging Center LLC, Denton Cancer Center PLLC, Denton County Hospitalist Program PLLC, Denton Pediatric Physicians PLLC, Denton Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Denver Clinic Surgicenter LLC, Denver Mid-Town Surgery Center Ltd., Denver Surgicenter LLC, Derry ASC Inc., Diagnostic Breast Center Inc., Diagnostic Mammography Services G.P., Diagnostic Services G.P., Dickson Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Bay Area Physician Hospital Organization, Doctors Hospital (Conroe) Inc., Doctors Hospital Columbus GA-Joint Venture, Doctors Hospital Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Hospital of Augusta LLC, Doctors Hospital of Augusta Neurology LLC, Doctors Osteopathic Medical Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Ltd., Doctors-I Inc., Doctors-II Inc., Doctors-III Inc., Doctors-IV Inc., Doctors-IX Inc., Doctors-V Inc., Doctors-VI Inc., Doctors-VII Inc., Doctors-VIII Inc., Doctors-X Inc., Doctors Memorial Hospital of Spartanburg Limited Partnership, Dominion Hospital Physicians Group LLC, Dublin Community Hospital LLC, Dublin Heart Specialists LLC, Dublin Multispecialty LLC, Dura Medical Inc., E.P. Physical Therapy Centers Inc., EASTSIDE URGENT CARE LLC, EHCA Diagnostics LLC, EHCA Eastside Occupational Medicine Center LLC, EHCA LLC, EHCA Metropolitan LLC, EHCA Parkway LLC, EHCA Peachtree LLC, EHCA West Paces LLC, EIRMC Hospitalist Services LLC, EMMC LLC, EP Health LLC, EP Holdco LLC, EPIC Development Inc., EPIC Diagnostic Centers Inc., EPIC Healthcare Management Company, EPIC Properties Inc., EPIC Surgery Centers Inc., EPSC L.P., East Falls Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery LLC, East Falls Family Medicine LLC, East Falls Plastic Surgery LLC, East Florida - DMC Inc., East Florida Behavioral Health Network LLC, East Florida Cardiology Network LLC, East Florida CareNow Urgent Care LLC, East Florida Division Inc., East Florida Emergency Physician Group LLC, East Florida Healthcare LLC, East Florida Hospitalists LLC, East Florida Imaging Holdings LLC, East Florida Primary Care LLC, East Houston Primary Care PLLC, East Houston Specialists PLLC, East Layton Internal Medicine LLC, East Orthopedics PLLC, East Pointe Hospital Inc., Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment LLC, Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment Manager LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners ACO LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners Holdings LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners LLC, Eastern Idaho Health Services Inc., Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Eastside Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Eastside General Surgery LLC, Eastside Heart and Vascular LLC, Eastside Medical Center LLC, Eastside Surgery Center LLC, Edmond General Surgery LLC, Edmond Hospitalists LLC, Edmond Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Edward White Hospital Inc., El Paso CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, El Paso Healthcare Provider Network, El Paso Healthcare System Ltd., El Paso Healthcare System Physician Services LLC, El Paso Nurses Unlimited Inc., El Paso Primary Care PLLC, El Paso Surgery Centers L.P., El Paso Surgicenter Inc., Eldridge Family Practitioners PLLC, Elite Family Health of Plano PLLC, Elite OB-GYN Services of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Irving PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Plano PLLC, Elstree Outpatient Centre LLP, Emergency Physicians at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Emergency Providers Group LLC, Emergency Psychiatric Medicine PLLC, Encino Hospital Corporation Inc., Endocrinology Associates of Lees Summit LLC, Endoscopy Surgicare of Plano LLC, Endoscopy of Plano L.P., Englewood Community Hospital Auxiliary Inc., Englewood Community Hospital Inc., Envision Stakes LLC, Eye Care Surgicare Ltd. a Missouri limited partnership, FHAL LLC, FMH Health Services LLC, Fairfax Surgical Center L.P., Fairview Medical Services LLC, Fairview Park GP LLC, Fairview Park Limited Partnership, Fairview Partner LLC, Family Care Partners LLC, Family Care of E. Jackson County LLC, Family First Medicine in Brownsville PLLC, Family Health Medical Group of Overland Park LLC, Family Health Specialists of Lees Summit LLC, Family Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Family Practice at Forest Hill LLC, Family Practice at Retreat LLC, Family Practitioners of Montgomery PLLC, Family Practitioners of Pearland PLLC, Fannin MOB LLC, Fannin MOB Property Management LLC, Far West Division Inc., Fawcett Memorial Hospital Inc., Florida Care Partners LLC, Florida Care Partners Orlando LLC, Florida Home Health Services-Private Care Inc., Florida Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Flower Mound Surgery Center Ltd., Focus Hand Surgicenter LLC, Foot & Ankle Specialty Services LLC, Forest Park Surgery Pavilion Inc., Forest Park Surgery Pavilion L.P., Fort Bend Hospital Inc., Fort Chiswell Family Practice LLC, Fort Myers Market Inc., Fort Pierce Immediate Care Center Inc., Fort Pierce Orthopaedics LLC, Fort Pierce Surgery Center Ltd., Fort Walton Beach Medical Center Inc., Fort Worth Investments Inc., Forward Pathology Solutions LLC, Four Rivers Medical Center PHO Inc., Frankfort Hospital Inc., Frankfort Wound Care LLC, Freeport Family Medicine LLC, Fremont Womens Health LLC, Frisco Surgicare LLC, Frisco Warren Parkway 91 Inc., Frist Clinic Express LLC, Ft. Pierce Surgicare LLC, Ft. Walton Beach Anesthesia Services LLC, G. Rowe M.D. PLLC, G. Schnider M.D. PLLC, G. Voorhees M.D. PLLC, G.P. Martin Fletcher & Associates LLC, GA PHYSICIAN SERVICES LLC, GA Urgentcare Holding LLC, GHC-Galen Health Care LLC, GI Associates of Denton PLLC, GI Associates of Lewisville PLLC, GME Services of Osceola LLC, GPCH-GP Inc., GYN-Oncology of Southwest Virginia LLC, Gainesville GYN Oncology of North Florida Regional Medical Center LLC, Gainesville Physicians LLC, GalTex LLC, Galen (Kansas) Merger LLC, Galen BH Inc., Galen Center for Professional Development Inc., Galen College of Nursing, Galen Diagnostic Multicenter Ltd., Galen GOK LLC, Galen Global Finance Inc., Galen Health Institutes Inc., Galen Health Partners Limited, Galen Holdco LLC, Galen Hospital Alaska Inc., Galen Hospital of Baytown Inc., Galen Hospital-Pembroke Pines Inc., Galen International Holdings Inc., Galen KY LLC, Galen MCS LLC, Galen MRMC LLC, Galen Medical Corporation, Galen NMC LLC, Galen NSH LLC, Galen Property LLC, Galen SOM LLC, Galen SSH LLC, Galen Virginia Hospital Corporation, Galen of Aurora Inc., Galen of Florida Inc., Galen of Illinois Inc., Galen of Kentucky Inc., Galen of Mississippi Inc., Galen of Virginia Inc., Galen of West Virginia Inc., Galen-Soch Inc., Galencare Inc., Galendeco Inc., Galichia Anesthesia Services LLC, Galichia Emergency Physicians LLC, Garden Park Community Hospital Limited Partnership, Garden Park Hospitalist Program LLC, Garden Park Investments L.P., Garden Park Physician Group - Specialty Care LLC, Garden Park Physician Group Inc., Gardens EFL Imaging Center LLC, Gastroenterology Specialists of Middle Tennessee LLC, General Hospitals of Galen Inc., General Medical Clinics Limited, General Surgeons of Houston PLLC, General Surgeons of North Richland Hills PLLC, General Surgeons of Pasadena PLLC, General and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Conroe PLLC, Generations Family Practice Inc., GenoSpace LLC, Georgia Health Holdings Inc., Georgia L.P., Georgia Psychiatric Company Inc., Glemm SA, Good Samaritan Hospital L.P., Good Samaritan Hospital LLC, Good Samaritan Surgery Center L.P., Goppert-Trinity Family Care LLC, Grace Family Practice LLC, Gramercy Eye Surgicenter LLC, Gramercy Surgery Center Ltd., Grand Strand Regional Medical Center LLC, Grand Strand Senior Health Center LLC, Grand Strand Specialty Associates LLC, Grand Strand Surgical Specialists LLC, Grandview Health Care Clinic LLC, Grant Center Hospital of Ocala Inc., Grayson Primary Care LLC, Greater Gwinnett Internal Medicine Associates LLC, Greater Gwinnett Physician Corporation, Greater Houston Preferred Provider Option Inc., Greater Tampa Bay Physician Network LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physician Specialists LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physicians - Pinellas LLC, Green Oaks Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Greenview Hospital Inc., Greenview PrimeCare LLC, Greenview Specialty Associates LLC, Gulf Coast Division Inc., Gulf Coast Electrophysiology Associates PLLC, Gulf Coast Inpatient Specialists LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Center Primary Care LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Ventures Inc., Gulf Coast Multispecialty Services LLC, Gulf Coast Physician Administrators Inc., Gulf Coast Provider Network Inc., Gwinnett Community Hospital Inc., Gynecology Specialists of Utah LLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Del Sol Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Las Palmas Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Medical City Dallas PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - St. Davids Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers LLC, H2U Wellness Centers Clear Lake Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Conroe ISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Conroe Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Corpus Christi PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers El Paso PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers PISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers San Benito CISD PLLC, HBP Lone Star Inc., HCA - IT&S Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S Inventory Management Inc., HCA - IT&S PBS Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S TN Field Operations Inc., HCA - Information Technology & Services Inc., HCA - Raleigh Community Hospital Inc., HCA - Viera ALF LLC, HCA - WHS Progressive LLC, HCA - WHS Services LLC, HCA ASD Financial Operations LLC, HCA ASD Sales Services LLC, HCA American Finance LLC, HCA Carenow Limited, HCA Central Group Inc., HCA Central/West Texas Physicians Management LLC, HCA Chattanooga Market Inc., HCA Development Company Inc., HCA Eastern Group Inc., HCA Global Capital LLP, HCA Gulf Coast GME PLLC, HCA Health Services of California Inc., HCA Health Services of Florida Inc., HCA Health Services of Georgia Inc., HCA Health Services of Louisiana Inc., HCA Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Health Services of Midwest Inc., HCA Health Services of New Hampshire Inc., HCA Health Services of Tennessee Inc., HCA Health Services of Texas Inc., HCA Health Services of Virginia Inc., HCA Health Services of West Virginia Inc., HCA Healthcare Mission Fund LLC, HCA Healthcare UK Limited, HCA Holdco LLC, HCA Human Resources LLC, HCA Imaging Services of North Florida Inc., HCA Inc., HCA International Holdings Limited, HCA International Limited, HCA LewisGale Regional Cancer Centers Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Long Term Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Luxembourg 1 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg 2 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Equities Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Finance Limited, HCA Luxembourg Investments Sarl, HCA Management Services L.P., HCA Medical City Limited, HCA Medical Services Inc., HCA Midwest Comprehensive Care Inc., HCA Outpatient Clinic Services of Miami Inc., HCA Outpatient Imaging Services Group Inc., HCA Patient Safety Organization LLC, HCA Pearland GP Inc., HCA Physician Services Inc., HCA Plano Imaging Inc., HCA Property GP LLC, HCA Psychiatric Company, HCA Purchasing Limited, HCA Realty Inc., HCA Richmond Cardiac Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA SF LLC, HCA SFB 1 LLC, HCA Sarasota Orthopedic and Spine Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Squared LLC, HCA Staffing Limited, HCA Swiss Capital 1 LLP, HCA Swiss Capital 2 LLP, HCA Switzerland Finance GmbH, HCA Switzerland Holding GmbH, HCA Switzerland Limited, HCA UK Capital Limited, HCA UK Holdings Limited, HCA UK Investments Limited, HCA UK Limited, HCA UK Services Limited, HCA Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital Inc., HCA Western Group Inc., HCA-Access Healthcare Holdings LLC, HCA-Access Healthcare Partner Inc., HCA-California Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-EMS Holdings LLC, HCA-EmCare Holdings LLC, HCA-Georgia Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-HBPS Holdings LLC, HCA-HealthONE LLC, HCA-Solis Holdings Inc., HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Continental LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Gulf Coast LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of North Texas LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of TriStar LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Services LLC, HCA-Solis Master LLC, HCA-Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCAPS Anesthesia Manager LLC, HCAPS Conroe Affiliation Inc., HCOL Inc., HD&S Corp. Successor Inc., HDH Thoracic Surgeons LLC, HHBY Holdings LLC, HHNC LLC, HICCH-SCL LLC, HM Acquisition LLC, HM OMCOS LLC, HMMG 1226 LLC, HPG Energy L.P., HPG Enterprises LLC, HPG GP LLC, HPG Solutions LLC, HSS Holdco LLC, HSS Systems LLC, HSS Virginia L.P., HTI Gulf Coast Inc., HTI Health Services of North Carolina Inc., HTI Hospital Holdings Inc., HTI MOB LLC, HTI MSO LLC, HTI Memorial Hospital Corporation, HTI Physician Services of Utah Inc., HWCA PLLC, Hamilton Memorial Hospital Inc., Hamsard 3160 Limited, Harley Street Clinic @ The Groves LLP, Hathor Chelsea Ltd., Healdsburg General Hospital Inc., Health Care Indemnity Inc., Health Insight Capital LLC, Health International Billing Partners Limited, Health Midwest Medical Group Inc., Health Midwest Office Facilities Corporation, Health Midwest Ventures Group Inc., Health Partners of Kansas Inc., Health Service Partners Inc., Health Services (Delaware) Inc., Health Services Merger Inc., Health to You LLC, HealthCoast Physician Group LLC, HealthONE Aurora Investment LLC, HealthONE Care Partners LLC, HealthONE CareNow Urgent Care LLC, HealthONE Clear Creek LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Bariatric Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Behavioral Health LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cardiovascular LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Medical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Neurosciences LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Occupational Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Oncology Hematology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Orthopedic Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Otolaryngology Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Primary Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Surgeons LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgery Neurological LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Transplant Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Womens Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Youth Rehabilitation LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services LLC, HealthONE High Street Primary Care Center LLC, HealthONE IRL Pathology Services LLC, HealthONE Institutes for Clinical Research LLC, HealthONE Lowry LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Red Rocks LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Thornton LLC, HealthONE Ridge View Endoscopy Center LLC, HealthONE Surgicare of Ridge View LLC, HealthONE Urologic LLC, HealthONE at Breckenridge LLC, HealthONE of Denver Inc., HealthOne Heart Care LLC, HealthOne Lincoln Investment LLC, HealthOne Westside Investment LLC, HealthTrust Europe Company Limited, HealthTrust Europe LLP, HealthTrust Locums Inc., HealthTrust Workforce Solutions LLC, Healthcare Oklahoma Inc., Healthcare Purchasing Alliance LLC, Healthcare Sales National Management Services Group LLC, Healthcare Technology Assessment Corporation, Healthco LLC, Healthnet of Kentucky LLC, Healthserv Acquisition LLC, Healthtrust Inc. - The Hospital Company, Healthtrust MOB Tennessee LLC, Healthtrust Purchasing Group L.P., Healthtrust Utah Management Services Inc., Healthy State Inc., Heart Specialist of North Texas PLLC, Heart of America ASC LLC, Heart of America Surgicenter LLC, Heartcare of Texas Ltd., Hearthstone Home Health Inc., Heartland Womens Group at Wesley LLC, Heathrow Imaging LLC, Heathrow Internal Medicine LLC, Hendersonville Hospital Corporation, Hendersonville Hospitalist Services Inc., Hendersonville OB/GYN LLC, Hendersonville ODC LLC, Hendersonville Primary Care LLC, Henrico Doctors Hospital - Forest Campus Property LLC, Henrico Doctors Neurology Associates LLC, Henrico Doctors OB GYN Specialists LLC, Henrico Surgical Specialists LLC, Heritage Family Care LLC, Heritage Hospital Inc., Heritage Medical Care LLC, Hermitage Primary Care LLC, Hidalgo County Family Practitioners PLLC, Hidden Lakes Health Center PLLC, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Hip & Joint Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Homecare North Inc., Hometrust Management Services Inc., Horizon Orthopedics LLC, Horizon Surgical LLC, Hospital Corp. LLC, Hospital Corporation of America, Hospital Corporation of Lake Worth, Hospital Corporation of Tennessee, Hospital Corporation of Utah, Hospital Development Properties Inc., Hospital Partners Merger LLC, Hospital Realty Corporation, Hospital-Based CRNA Services Inc., Hospitalists at Centennial Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Fairview Park LLC, Hospitalists at Greenview Regional Hospital LLC, Hospitalists at Horizon Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Parkridge LLC, Hospitalists at StoneCrest LLC, Hospitalists at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists of the Wabash Valley LLC, Houston - PPH LLC, Houston CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Houston Healthcare Holdings Inc., Houston NW Manager LLC, Houston Northwest Concessions L.L.C., Houston Northwest Operating Company L.L.C., Houston Northwest Surgical Partners Inc., Houston Obstetrics and Gynecology for Women PLLC, Houston Pediatric Specialty Group PLLC, Houston Urologic Surgicenter LLC, Houston Womans Hospital Partner LLC, ICU Associates of West Houston PLLC, IMX Holdings LLC, IRL Pathology Services MidAmerica LLC, Idaho Behavioral Health Services LLC, Idaho Physician Services Inc., Illinois Psychiatric Hospital Company Inc., Imaging Realty LLC, Imaging Services of Appomattox LLC, Imaging Services of Jacksonville LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana Manager LLC, Imaging Services of Orlando LLC, Imaging Services of Richmond LLC, Imaging Services of Roanoke LLC, Imaging Services of West Boynton LLC, InVivoLink Inc., Independence Neurosurgery Services LLC, Independence Regional Medical Group LLC, Independence Surgicare Inc., Indian Path Hospital Inc., Indianapolis Hospital Partner LLC, Institute for Womens Health and Body LLC, Institute of Advanced ENT Surgery LLC, Integrated Regional Lab LLC, Integrated Regional Laboratories LLP, Integrated Regional Laboratories Pathology Services LLC, Intensive Care Consortium Inc., Internal Medicine Associates of Huntsville PLLC, Internal Medicine Associates of Southern Hills LLC, Internal Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Internal Medicine of Pasadena PLLC, Internist Associates of Houston PLLC, Isleworth Partners Inc., J. M. Garcia M.D. PLLC, JCSH LLC, JDGC Management LLC, JFK Internal Medicine Faculty Practice LLC, JFK Medical Center Limited Partnership, JPM AA Housing LLC, Jackson County Medical Group LLC, Jackson County Pulmonary Medical Group LLC, Jacksonville CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Jacksonville Multispecialty Services LLC, Jacksonville Surgery Center Ltd., James River Internists LLC, John Randolph Family Practice LLC, John Randolph OB/GYN LLC, John Randolph Surgeons LLC, Johnson County Neurology LLC, Johnson County Surgery Center L.P., Johnson County Surgicenter L.L.C., Jordan Family Health L.L.C., Jupiter EFL Imaging Center LLC, KC Pain ASC LLC, KC Surgicare LLC, KPH-Consolidation Inc., Kansas CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Kansas City Cardiac Arrhythmia Research LLC, Kansas City Gastroenterology & Hepatology Physicians Group LLC, Kansas City Neurology Associates LLC, Kansas City Pulmonology Practice LLC, Kansas City Surgery Center Properties LLC, Kansas City Vascular & General Surgery Group LLC, Kansas City Womens Clinic Group LLC, Kansas Healthserv LLC, Kansas Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists LLC, Kansas Trauma and Critical Care Specialists LLC, Kathy L. Summers M.D. PLLC, Kendall Healthcare Group Ltd., Kendall Regional Medical Center LLC, Kendall Regional Urgent Care LLC, Kennedale Primary Care PLLC, Kingwood Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Kingwood Surgery Center LLC, Kingwood Surgicenter LLC, Kissimmee Surgicare Ltd., Kyle Primary Care PLLC, L E Corporation, LAD Imaging LLC, LGMC Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, LOC @ The Christie LLP, LOC @ The London Bridge Hospital LLP, LOC Partnership LLP, LPN TeleBehavioral Health PLLC, Lafayette OB Hospitalists LLC, Lafayette Urogynecology & Urology Center LLC, Lake City Imaging LLC, Lake City Regional Medical Group LLC, Lake Forest Family Health PLLC, Lakeside Radiology LLC, Lakeside Womens Services LLC, Lakeview Cardiology Specialists LLC, Lakeview Hospital Physician Services LLC, Lakeview Internal Medicine LLC, Lakeview Medical Center LLC, Lakeview Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Lakeview Regional Physician Group LLC, Lakeview Urology & General Surgery LLC, Lakewood Surgicare Inc., Laredo Medco LLC, Largo Medical Center Inc., Largo Physician Group LLC, Las Colinas Primary Care PLLC, Las Colinas Surgery Center Ltd., Las Encinas Hospital, Las Palmas Del Sol Cardiology PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Internal Medicine PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Urgent Care PLLC, Las Vegas ASC LLC, Las Vegas Surgicare Inc., Las Vegas Surgicare Ltd. a Nevada Limited Partnership, Lawnwood Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, Lawnwood Healthcare Specialists LLC, Lawnwood Medical Center Inc., Layton Family Practice LLC, Leaders in Oncology Care Limited, Leadership Healthcare Holdings II L.P. L.L.P., Leadership Healthcare Holdings L.P. L.L.P., Lees Summit Family Care LLC, Leslie Cohan M.D. PLLC, Lewis-Gale Hospital Incorporated, Lewis-Gale Medical Center LLC, Lewis-Gale Physicians LLC, Lewisville Primary Care PLLC, Lewisville Surgicare LLC, Lincoln Surgery Center LLC, Live Oak Immediate Care Center LLC, London Oncology Clinic LLP, London Pathology Limited, London Radiography & Radiotherapy Services Limited, Lone Peak Hospital Inc., Lone Star Intensivists at Gulf Coast PLLC, Lonestar Provider Network, Longview Regional Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Lorain County Surgery Center Ltd., Los Gatos Surgical Center a California Limited Partnership, Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Los Robles Regional Medical Center MOB LLC, Los Robles SurgiCenter LLC, Loudoun Surgery Center LLC, Louisiana Psychiatric Company Inc., Loveland Surgicenter LLC, Low Country Health Services Inc. of the Southeast, Lowry Surgicenter LLC, M. Jamshidi D.O. PLLC, MCA Investment Company, MCA-CTMC Holdings LLC, MEC Endoscopy LLC, MFA G.P. LLC, MFM Fact PLLC, MGH Medical Inc., MH Anesthesiology Physicians LLC, MH Angel Medical Center LLLP, MH Asheville Specialty Hospital LLC, MH Blue Ridge Medical Center LLLP, MH Eckerd Living Center LLLP, MH Highlands-Cashiers Medical Center LLLP, MH Hospital Holdings Inc., MH Hospital Manager LLC, MH Master Holdings LLLP, MH Master LLC, MH McDowell Imaging LLLP, MH Mission Hospital LLLP, MH Mission Hospital McDowell LLLP, MH Mission Imaging LLLP, MH Physician Services LLC, MH Transylvania Imaging LLLP, MH Transylvania Regional Hospital LLLP, MHS Partnership Holdings JSC Inc., MHS Partnership Holdings SDS Inc., MHS SC Partner L.L.C., MHS Surgery Centers L.P., MMC Sleep Lab Management LLC, MOSC Sports Medicine Inc., MOVCO Inc., MP Management LLC, MRT&C Inc., MSL Acquisition LLC, MVH Professional Services LLC, Macon Healthcare LLC, Macon Northside Health Group LLC, Macon Northside Hospital LLC, Macon Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, Madison Behavioral Health LLC, Mainland Family Medicine PLLC, Mainland Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Mainland Primary Care Physicians PLLC, Management Services Holdings Inc., Manatee Surgicare Ltd., Marietta Outpatient Medical Building Inc., Marietta Outpatient Surgery Ltd., Marietta Surgical Center Inc., Marion Community Hospital Inc., Mark Gottesman M.D. PLLC, Martin Fletcher & Associates L.P., Martin Fletcher Associates Holdings Inc., Mary Alice Cowan M.D. PLLC, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Maternal Fetal Services of Utah LLC, Maury County Behavioral Health LLC, Mayhill Cancer Center LLC, McAllen Comprehensive Upper Extremity Center PLLC, McKinney Surgeons PLLC, Mechanicsville Imaging LLC, Mecklenburg Surgical Land Development Ltd., Med City Dallas Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Med Corp. Inc., Med Group - Southern Hills Hospitalists LLC, Med-Center Hosp./Houston Inc., Med-Point of New Hampshire Inc., Medi Flight of Oklahoma LLC, MediCredit Inc., MediPurchase Inc., MediStone Healthcare Ventures Inc., MediVision Inc., MediVision of Mecklenburg County Inc., MediVision of Tampa Inc., Medical Arts Hospital of Texarkana Inc., Medical Associates of Ocala LLC, Medical Care America Colorado LLC, Medical Care America LLC, Medical Care Financial Services Corp., Medical Care Real Estate Finance Inc., Medical Care Surgery Center Inc., Medical Center - West Inc., Medical Center Imaging Inc., Medical Center Surgery Associates L.P., Medical Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Medical Center of Plano Partner LLC, Medical Center of Port St. Lucie Inc., Medical Center of Santa Rosa Inc., Medical Center of Southwest Florida LLC, Medical Centers of Oklahoma LLC, Medical City Dallas Hospital Inc., Medical City Dallas Partner LLC, Medical City Dallas Primary Care PLLC, Medical City Frisco, Medical City OB-GYN PLLC, Medical City Pediatrics PLLC, Medical City Specialty Surgicenter of Dallas LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Alliance LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Frisco LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Lewisville LLC, Medical City Transplant PLLC, Medical Corporation of America, Medical Group - Dickson Inc., Medical Group - Southern Hills of Brentwood LLC, Medical Group - Southern Hills of Nolensville LLC, Medical Group - StoneCrest FP Inc., Medical Group - StoneCrest Inc., Medical Group - Stonecrest Pulmonology LLC, Medical Group - Summit Inc., Medical Imaging Inc., Medical Imaging of Colorado LLC, Medical Office Buildings of Kansas LLC, Medical Oncology Associates LLC, Medical Partners of North Florida LLC, Medical Plaza Ambulatory Surgery Center Associates L.P., Medical Specialties Inc., Memorial Family Practice Associates LLC, Memorial Health Primary Care at St. Johns Bluff LLC, Memorial Healthcare Group Inc., Memorial Neurosurgery Group LLC, Memorial Satilla Specialists LLC, Memorial University Medical Center, Menorah Medical Group LLC, Menorah Urgent Care LLC, Mercy ASC LLC, Metairie Primary Care Associates LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Boerne LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Landmark LLC, Methodist Cardiology Physicians, Methodist CareNow Physician Associates, Methodist CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio Ltd. L.L.P., Methodist Inpatient Management Group, Methodist Medical Center ASC L.P., Methodist Physician Alliance, Methodist Physician Practice Services LLC, Methodist Physician Practices PLLC, Metroplex Surgicenters Inc., Metropolitan Multispecialty Physicians Group Inc., Miami Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Miami Beach Healthcare Group Ltd., Miami Dade Surgical Specialists LLC, Miami Lakes Surgery Center Ltd., Miami-Dade Cardiology Consultants LLC, Michael Mann M.D. PLLC, Mid-America Surgery Center LLC, Mid-America Surgery Institute LLC, Mid-Cities Surgi-Center Inc., Mid-Continent Health Services Inc., MidAmerica Division Inc., MidAmerica Oncology LLC, Middle Georgia Hospital LLC, Middle Georgia Urgent Care Services LLC, Middle Tennessee Neurology LLC, Midtown Diagnostics LLC, Midwest Cardiology Specialists LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Kansas LLC, Midwest Division - ACH LLC, Midwest Division - CMC LLC, Midwest Division - LRHC LLC, Midwest Division - LSH LLC, Midwest Division - MCI LLC, Midwest Division - MMC LLC, Midwest Division - OPRMC LLC, Midwest Division - RBH LLC, Midwest Division - RMC LLC, Midwest Division Spine Care LLC, Midwest Doctors Group LLC, Midwest Heart & Vascular Specialists LLC, Midwest Holdings Inc., Midwest Infectious Disease Specialists LLC, Midwest Medicine Associates LLC, Midwest Metropolitan Physicians Group LLC, Midwest Oncology Associates LLC, Midwest Trauma Services LLC, Midwest Womens Healthcare Specialists LLC, Mikrod Services Inc., Mill Creek Outpatient Services LLC, Millenium Health Care of Oklahoma Inc., Mission Bay Memorial Hospital Inc., Mission Community Anesthesiology Specialists LLC, Mission Employer Solutions LLC, Mission Health, Mission Health Partners Inc., Missouri Healthcare System L.P., Mobile Corps. Inc., Mobile Heartbeat, Mobile Heartbeat LLC, Montgomery Cancer Center LLC, Montgomery Hospitalists LLC, Montgomery Regional Hospital Inc., Montgomery Surgery Associates LLC, Mountain Division - CVH LLC, Mountain Division Inc., Mountain View Hospital Inc., Mountain View MRI Associates Ltd., Mountain West Surgery Center LLC, MountainStar Behavioral Health LLC, MountainStar Brigham General Surgery LLC, MountainStar Canyon Surgical Clinic LLC, MountainStar Cardiology Ogden Regional LLC, MountainStar Cardiology St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Intensivist Services LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Cache Valley LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Ogden Regional Medical Center LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - St. Marks Hospital LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Neurosurgery-St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Primary Care LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Specialty Care LLC, MountainStar Specialty Services LLC, MountainStar Urgent Care LLC, MountainView GME Primary Care LLC, Mountainstar Brigham OBGYN LLC, Mountainstar Cardiovascular Services LLC, Mountainstar Ogden Pediatrics LLC, Movement Disorders of North Texas PLLC, Mt. Ogden Utah Surgical Center LLC, NPAS Inc., NPAS Solutions LLC, NT Urgent Care PLLC, NTGP LLC, NTMC Management Company, NTMC Venture Inc., NTX Pathology Program PLLC, Nashville Psychiatric Company Inc., Nashville Shared Services General Partnership, Nashville Surgicenter LLC, Natchez Medical Associates LLC, Natchez Surgery Center LLC, National Association of Senior Friends, National Contact Center Management Group LLC, National Patient Account Services Inc., National Transfer Center Management Services LLC, Navarro Memorial Hospital Inc., NeighborMD Management LLC, Network MS of Florida Inc., Network Management Services Inc., Neuro Affiliates Company, Neuro-Hospitalist of Clear Lake PLLC, NeuroHospitalist of McAllen PLLC, Neurological Eye Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Neurological Specialists PLLC, Neurological Specialists of McKinney PLLC, Neurology Associates of Hendersonville LLC, Neurology Associates of Kansas LLC, Neurosurgery Atlanta LLC, Neurosurgery of Kingwood PLLC, Neurosurgical Associates of North Texas PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of El Paso PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Nevada Surgery Center of Southern Hills L.P., Nevada Surgicare of Southern Hills LLC, Nevada Urgent Care Holdings Inc., New Iberia Healthcare LLC, New Iberia Holdings Inc., New Port Richey Hospital Inc., New Port Richey Surgery Center Ltd., New Rose Holding Company Inc., Niceville Family Practice LLC, North Augusta Imaging Management LLC, North Augusta Imaging Services LLC, North Augusta Rehab Health Center LLC, North Austin Plastic Surgery Associates PLLC, North Austin Surgery Center L.P., North Brandon Imaging LLC, North Central Florida Health System Inc., North Central Methodist ASC L.P., North Charleston Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Lake City LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Live Oak LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Tallahassee LLC, North Florida Division I Inc., North Florida Division Practice Inc., North Florida GI Center GP Inc., North Florida GI Center Ltd., North Florida Immediate Care Center Inc., North Florida Neurosurgery LLC, North Florida Outpatient Imaging Center Ltd., North Florida Physician Services Inc., North Florida Physicians LLC, North Florida Radiation Oncology LLC, North Florida Regional Company Care LLC, North Florida Regional Freestanding Surgery Center L.P., North Florida Regional Investments Inc., North Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., North Florida Regional Psychiatry LLC, North Florida Regional Trauma LLC, North Florida Rehab Investments LLC, North Florida Surgical Associates LLC, North Georgia Primary Care Group LLC, North Hills Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., North Hills Catheterization Lab LLC, North Hills Orthopaedic Surgeons PLLC, North Hills Surgicare L.P., North Houston - TRMC LLC, North Miami Beach Surgery Center Limited Partnership, North Miami Beach Surgical Center LLC, North Palm Beach County Surgery Center LLC, North River Physician Network LLC, North Shore Specialists of Texas PLLC, North Suburban Spine Center L.P., North Tampa Imaging LLC, North Texas - MCA LLC, North Texas Cardiology PLLC, North Texas Craniofacial Fellowship Program PLLC, North Texas Division Inc., North Texas General L.P., North Texas Geriatrics PLLC, North Texas Heart Surgery Center PLLC, North Texas Internal Medicine Specialists PLLC, North Texas Medical Center Inc., North Texas Neuro Stroke OP PLLC, North Texas Pulmonary Critical Care PLLC, North Texas Sports and Orthopedics Center PLLC, North Texas Stroke Center PLLC, North Texas of Hope PLLC, North Transfer Center LLC, Northeast Florida Cancer Services LLC, Northeast Methodist Surgicare Ltd., Northeast PHO Inc., Northern Utah Healthcare Corporation, Northern Utah Healthcare Imaging Holdco LLC, Northern Utah Imaging LLC, Northern Virginia CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Northern Virginia Community Hospital LLC, Northern Virginia Hospital Corporation, Northern Virginia Surgicenter LLC, Northlake Medical Center LLC, Northlake Physician Practice Network Inc., Northlake Surgical Center L.P., Northlake Surgicare Inc., Northside MRI Inc., Northwest Fla. Home Health Agency Inc., Northwest Florida Healthcare Systems Inc., Northwest Florida Multispecialty Physicians LLC, Northwest Florida Primary Care LLC, Northwest Medical Center Inc., Notami (Opelousas) Inc., Notami Hospitals LLC, Notami Hospitals of Florida Inc., Notami Hospitals of Louisiana Inc., Notami Hospitals of Missouri Inc., Notami LLC, Notco LLC, Nuclear Diagnosis Inc., OB Hospitalists of Womans Hospital PLLC, OB/GYN of Brownsville PLLC, OB/Gyn Associates of Denton PLLC, OBS Diagnostic and Treatment Centre LLP, ODP Holdings LLC, ODP Manager LLC, ODP Properties LLC, OHH Imaging Services LLC, OPRMC-HBP LLC, Oak Hill Acquisition Inc., Oak Hill Family Care LLC, Oak Hill Hospitalists LLC, Oakwood Surgery Center Ltd. LLP, Ocala Health Company Care LLC, Ocala Health Imaging Services LLC, Ocala Health Primary Care LLC, Ocala Health Surgical Group LLC, Ocala Health Trauma LLC, Ocala Regional Outpatient Services Inc., Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery LLC, Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery Partner LLC, Occupational Health Services of PRH LLC, Occupational and Family Medicine of South Texas, Ogden Imaging LLC, Ogden Internal Medicine & Urology LLC, Ogden Regional Health Plan Inc., Ogden Regional Medical Center Professional Billing LLC, Ogden Senior Center LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy Manager LLC, Okaloosa Hospital Inc., Okeechobee Hospital Inc., Oklahoma Holding Company LLC, Oklahoma Outpatient Surgery Limited Partnership, Oklahoma Physicians - Medical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Primary Care LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Surgical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Surgicare Inc., Old Fort Village LLC, On-Site Primary Care PLLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi LLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi Manager LLC, OneSourceMed Inc., Online Pathology Services Limited, Orange County Healthcare LLC, Orange Park Hospitalists LLC, Orange Park Medical Center Inc., Orlando CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Ltd., Orlando Surgicare Ltd., Orthopaedic Specialty Associates L.P., Orthopaedic Sports Specialty Associates Inc., Orthopedic Hospital Ltd., Orthopedics Specialists LLC, Osceola Neurological Associates LLC, Osceola Physician Network LLC, Osceola Regional Hospital Inc., Osceola Regional Hospitalists LLC, Osceola Surgical Associates LLC, Outpatient Cardiovascular Center of Central Florida LLC, Outpatient GP LLC, Outpatient Services - LAD LLC, Outpatient Services Holdings Inc., Outpatient Surgical Services Ltd., Outpatient Womens and Childrens Surgery Center Ltd., Overland Park Cardiovascular Inc., Overland Park Medical Specialists LLC, Overland Park Orthopedics LLC, Overland Park Surgical Specialties LLC, Oviedo Medical Center LLC, Ozarks Medical Services Inc., P&L Associates, P/SL Hyperbaric Partnership, PET CT LLP, PMM Inc., POH Holdings LLC, PSG Delegated Services LLC, PTS Solutions LLC, Pacific Partners Management Services Inc., Palm Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Palm Beach General Surgery LLC, Palm Beach Healthcare System Inc., Palm Beach Hospitalists Program LLC, Palmer Medical Center LLC, Palms West Gastroenterology LLC, Palms West Hospital Limited Partnership, Palms West Surgery Center Ltd., Paragon Physicians Hospital Organization of South Texas Inc., Paragon SDS Inc., Paragon Surgery Centers of Texas Inc., Paragon WSC Inc., Paragon of Texas Health Properties Inc., Parallon Business Solutions LLC, Parallon Enterprises LLC, Parallon Health Information Solutions LLC, Parallon Holdings LLC, Parallon Payroll Solutions LLC, Parallon Physician Services LLC, Parallon Revenue Cycle Services Inc., Park Central Surgical Center Ltd., Park Ridge Surgery Center LLC, Park South Imaging Center Ltd., Park View Insurance Company, Parkersburg SJ Holdings Inc., Parkland Hospitalists Program LLC, Parkland Oncology LLC, Parkland Physician Services Inc., Parkridge East Specialty Associates LLC, Parkridge Hospitalists Inc., Parkridge Medical Associates LLC, Parkridge Medical Center Inc., Parkridge Professionals Inc., Parkside Surgery Center Inc., Parkway Cardiac Center Ltd., Parkway Hospital Inc., Parkway Surgery Services Ltd., Parthenon Insurance Company Limited, Pasadena Bayshore Hospital Inc., PatientKeeper, PatientKeeper Inc., Patients First Neurology LLC, Pavilion 2 Condominium Property LLC, Pavilion 2 Medical Office Building Condominium Association Inc., Pavilion Surgicenter LLC, Peach State Anesthesia Partners LLC, Pearland Institute for Womens Health PLLC, Pearland Partner LLC, Pediatric Anesthesia Consultants of San Antonio PLLC, Pediatric Cardiac Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Critical Care of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Hospitalists of Conroe PLLC, Pediatric Intensivist Group LLC, Pediatric Intensivists of El Paso PLLC, Pediatric Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Specialty Clinic LLC, Pediatric Surgicare Inc., Pediatrics of Greater Houston PLLC, Pensacola Primary Care Inc., Physician Associates of Corporate Woods LLC, Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Physicians West Surgicenter LLC, Pinellas Medical LLC, Pinnacle Physician Network LLC, Pioneer Medical LLC, Plains Healthcare System Inc., Plano Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., Plano Heart Institute L.P., Plano Heart Management LLC, Plano Surgery Center - GP LLC, Plano Surgery Center Real Estate LLC, Plano Surgicenter Real Estate Manager LLC, Plano Urology PLLC, Plantation General Hospital L.P., Plaza Medical Specialists PLLC, Plaza Primary Care PLLC, Plaza Transplant Center PLLC, Podiatry of Clear Lake PLLC, Poinciana Medical Center Inc., Port St. Lucie Surgery Center Ltd., Portland Primary Care LLC, Portsmouth Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Portsmouth Surgicenter LLC, Preferred Hospitals Inc., Preferred Works WC LLC, Premier ASC LLC, Premier Medical Management Ltd., Primary Care Medical Associates Inc., Primary Care Plano PLLC, Primary Care Services of Orlando LLC, Primary Care South PLLC, Primary Care West PLLC, Primary Care of West End LLC, Primary Health Asset Holdings Ltd., Primary Health Group Inc., Primary Health Inc., Primary Health Network of South Texas, Primary Health Physicians PLLC, Primary Medical Management Inc., Proaxis Therapy HealthOne LLC, Provident Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., Psychiatry Services of Osceola LLC, Pulaski Community Hospital Inc., Pulaski Urology LLC, Pulmonary Renal Intensivist Group LLC, Putnam Community Medical Center of North Florida LLC, Putnam Hospital Inc., Putnam Radiation Oncology LLC, Putnam Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Putnam Surgical Group LLC, Quantum/Bellaire Imaging Ltd., Quick Care Centers LLC, Quivira Internal Medicine Inc., RCH LLC, RMC - Pulmonary LLC, RMC Transplant Physicians LLC, RMCA Professionals Mgmt LLC, ROi CPS LLC, Radford Family Medicine LLC, Radiation Oncology Center of Thornton LLC, Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Raleigh Community Medical Office Building Ltd., Rapides After Hours Clinic L.L.C., Rapides Healthcare System L.L.C., Rapides Regional Physician Group LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Primary Care LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Specialty Care LLC, Rapides Surgery Center LLC, Raulerson GYN LLC, Raulerson Gastroenterology LLC, Raulerson Primary Care LLC, Raymore Medical Group LLC, Red Rock Holdco LLC, Red Rock at Smoke Ranch LLC, Red Rocks Surgery Center LLC, Redmond Anesthesia Services LLC, Redmond Hospital Services LLC, Redmond Neurosurgery LLC, Redmond Park Health Services Inc., Redmond Park Hospital LLC, Redmond Physician Practice Company, Redmond Specialty Services LLC, Regional Hospital Healthcare Partners LLC, Research Cardiology Associates LLC, Research Family Physicians LLC, Research Internal Medicine LLC, Research Neurology Associates LLC, Research Neuroscience Institute LLC, Resource Optimization & Innovation L.L.C., Reston Hospital Center LLC, Reston Hospitalists LLC, Reston Surgery Center L.P., Retreat Cardiology LLC, Retreat Hospital LLC, Retreat Internal Medicine LLC, Retreat Surgical Associates LLC, Rhodes Limited-Liability Company, Richmond Imaging Employer Corp., Richmond Multi-Specialty LLC, Richmond Pediatric Surgeons LLC, Ridgeline Surgicenter LLC, Rim Building Partners L.P., Rio Grande Healthcare MSO Inc., Rio Grande NP Inc., Rio Grande Regional Hospital Inc., Rio Grande Valley Cardiology PLLC, Rio Grande Valley CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Rio Grande Valley Urology PLLC, Riverside CyberKnife Manager LLC, Riverside Healthcare System L.P., Riverside Holdings Inc., Riverside Hospital Inc., Riverside Imaging LLC, Riverwalk ASC LLC, Roanoke Imaging LLC, Roanoke Neurosurgery LLC, Roanoke Surgery Center L.P., Roanoke Valley Gynecology LLC, Robotic Radiosurgery LLP, Rocky Mountain Pediatric Hematology Oncology LLC, Rocky Mountain Surgery Center LLC, Rome Imaging Center Limited Partnership, Roodlane Medical Limited, Rose Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Rose Health Partners LLC, Rose Medical Plaza Ltd., Rose POB Inc., Rosewood Medical Center Inc., Rosewood Professional Building Ltd., Round Rock Hospital Inc., Round Rock Trauma Surgeons PLLC, Royal Oaks Surgery Center L.P., S.A. Medical Center Inc., SAPN LLC, SCRI Global Services Limited, SCRI Holdings LLC, SCRI Scientifics LLC, SJMC LLC, SSHR Holdco LLC, SSJ St. Petersburg Holdings Inc., STPN Manager LLC, SWMC Inc., Sahara Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Salem Hospitalists LLC, Salem Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Salt Lake City Surgicare Inc., Samaritan LLC, San Antonio Division Inc., San Antonio Regional Hospital Inc., San Antonio Surgicenter LLC, San Bernardino Imaging LLC, San Joaquin Surgical Center Inc., San Jose Healthcare System LP, San Jose Hospital L.P., San Jose LLC, San Jose Medical Center LLC, San Jose Pathology Outreach LLC, San Marcos ASC LLC, San Marcos Surgicenter LLC, Sante Fe Family Practitioners PLLC, Sarah Cannon Development Innovations LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK Limited, Sarasota Doctors Hospital Inc., Savannah Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Savannah Health Network LLC, Savannah Health Services LLC, Savannah Inpatient Services LLC, Savannah Multispecialty Associates LLC, Savannah Pediatric Care LLC, Savannah Primary Care Associates LLC, Sebring Health Services LLC, Selma Medical Center Hospital Inc., Senior Health Associates LLC, Short Pump Imaging LLC, Silicon Valley Health Holdings LLC, Silicon Valley Surgery Center L.P., Silicon Valley Surgicenter LLC, Sky Ridge Spine Manager LLC, Sky Ridge Surgery Center L.P., Skyline Medical Group LLC, Skyline Neuroscience Associates LLC, Skyline Rehab Associates LLC, Skyline Specialty Associates LLC, Smith Laboratories Inc., Solis Mammography at Bayshore Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Conroe Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Denton Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at HCA Houston Tomball LLC, Solis Mammography at Kingwood Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Las Colinas Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Alliance LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Arlington LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Lewisville LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of McKinney LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Plano LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical City Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography at Pearland Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Rose Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Skyline Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at StoneCrest Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at West Houston Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Womans Hospital of Texas LLC, Solis Mammography of Cedar Hill LLC, Solis Mammography of CyFair LLC, Solis Mammography of Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography of Flower Mound LLC, Solis Mammography of Frisco LLC, Solis Mammography of Garland LLC, Solis Mammography of Grand Prairie LLC, Solis Mammography of Houston NW LLC, Solis Mammography of Katy LLC, Solis Mammography of Louetta/249 LLC, Solis Mammography of Mainland LLC, Solis Mammography of Mansfield LLC, Solis Mammography of Mesquite LLC, Solis Mammography of Montgomery LLC, Solis Mammography of North Cypress LLC, Solis Mammography of North Loop LLC, Solis Mammography of Sugar Land LLC, Solis Mammography of West Plano LLC, Solis Mammography of Womans Place LLC, South Atlantic Division Inc., South Austin Surgery Center Ltd., South Austin Surgical Management LLC, South Austin Surgicenter LLC, South Brandon Imaging LLC, South Florida Division Practice Inc., South Texas Surgicare Inc., South Transfer Center LLC, South Valley Hospital L.P., Southeast Georgia Health Services LLC, Southern Hills Medical Center LLC, Southern Hills Neurology Consultants LLC, Southern Kentucky Medicine Associates LLC, Southern Kentucky Surgicenter LLC, Southern Texas Physicians Network, Southpoint LLC, Southtown Womens Clinic LLC, Southwest Florida Health System Inc., Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., Southwest Medical Center Family Practice LLC, Southwest Medical Center Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Southwest Medical Center Surgical Group LLC, Southwest Medpro Ltd., Southwest Surgical Clinic Inc., Southwest Virginia Orthopedics and Spine LLC, Spalding Rehabilitation L.L.C., Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology PLLC, Specialty Associates of West Houston PLLC, Specialty Physicians of Northern Virginia LLC, Specialty Surgicare of Las Vegas LP, Spotsylvania Condominium Property LLC, Spotsylvania Medical Center Inc., Spotsylvania Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Spotsylvania Regional Surgery Center LLC, Spring Branch Family Practitioners PLLC, Spring Branch Medical Center Inc., Spring Hill Hospital Inc., Spring Hill Imaging LLC, Spring Hill Physicians LLC, Springview KY LLC, Spruce Pine Healthcare LLC, St. Davids Austin Area ASC LLC, St. Davids Cardiology PLLC, St. Davids CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, St. Davids Healthcare Partnership L.P. LLP, St. Davids Heart & Vascular PLLC, St. Davids Neurology PLLC, St. Davids OB Hospitalist PLLC, St. Davids Ortho Neuro and Rehab PLLC, St. Davids Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PLLC, St. Davids Quality Alliance LLC, St. Davids Specialized Womens Services PLLC, St. Davids Trauma Surgeons PLLC, St. Lucie Hospitalists LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Hyperbarics LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Walk-In Clinic LLC, St. Lucie Medical Specialists LLC, St. Lucie West Primary Care LLC, St. Marks Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., St. Marks Gynecology Oncology Care LLC, St. Marks Investments Inc., St. Marks Physician Billing LLC, St. Marks Professional Services LLC, St. Marks South Jordan Family Practice LLC, St. Martins Healthcare Limited, St. Martins Ltd., St. Martins Medical Services Limited, St. Petersburg General Surgery LLC, Stafford Imaging LLC, Statland Medical Group LLC, Steamboat Springs Surgicenter LLC, Sterling Primary Care Associates LLC, Stiles Road Imaging LLC, StoneCrest Surgery Center LLC, StoneSprings Medical Office Building Property LLC, StoneSprings Surgicenter LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - Family Practice of Murfreesboro LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - SC Murfreesboro Family Practice LLC, Stones River Hospital LLC, Suburban Medical Center at Hoffman Estates Inc., Sugar Land Surgery Center Anesthesia LLC, Sugar Land Surgery Center Ltd., Sullins Surgical Center Inc., Summit Convenient Care at Lebanon LLC, Summit General Partner Inc., Summit Heart LLC, Summit Outpatient Diagnostic Center LLC, Summit Research Solutions LLC, Summit Surgery Center L.P., Summit Surgical Associates LLC, Summit Walk-in Clinic LLC, Sun Bay Medical Office Building Inc., Sun City Hospital Inc., Sun City Imaging LLC, Sun Towers/Vista Hills Holding Co., Sun-Med LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Holdings LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center LLC, Sunrise Mountainview Hospital Inc., Sunrise Mountainview Multi-Specialty Clinics LLC, Sunrise Outpatient Services Inc., Sunrise Physician Services LLC, Sunrise Trauma Services LLC, Surgery Associates of NTX PLLC, Surgery Center of Atlantis LLC, Surgery Center of Aventura Ltd., Surgery Center of Bay Area Houston LLC, Surgery Center of Greenview L.P., Surgery Center of Independence L.P., Surgery Center of Overland Park L.P., Surgery Center of Port Charlotte Ltd., Surgery Center of Rome L.P., Surgery Center of the Rockies LLC, Surgical Associates of Southwest Virginia LLC, Surgical Care Medical Group LLC, Surgical Center of Irving Inc., Surgical Facility of West Houston L.P., Surgical Park Center Ltd., Surgical Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Conroe PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Surgicare America - Winter Park Inc., Surgicare Merger Company of Louisiana, Surgicare Outpatient Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Surgicare Outpatient Center of Jackson Inc., Surgicare of ADC LLC, Surgicare of AGI LLC, Surgicare of Alpine LLC, Surgicare of Altamonte Springs Inc., Surgicare of Anchorage LLC, Surgicare of Arapahoe LLC, Surgicare of Arlington LLC, Surgicare of Ashburn LLC, Surgicare of Augusta Inc., Surgicare of Aurora Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Aventura LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area LLC, Surgicare of Bayonet Point Inc., Surgicare of Bayside LLC, Surgicare of Bountiful LLC, Surgicare of Brandon Inc., Surgicare of Brentwood LLC, Surgicare of Brighton LLC, Surgicare of Brooksville LLC, Surgicare of Brownsville LLC, Surgicare of Buckhead LLC, Surgicare of CAREOS LLC, Surgicare of Central Florida Inc., Surgicare of Central Park Surgery Center LLC, Surgicare of Central San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Chattanooga LLC, Surgicare of Chippenham LLC, Surgicare of Citrus LLC, Surgicare of Clarksville LLC, Surgicare of Corpus Christi LLC, Surgicare of Countryside Inc., Surgicare of Dallas Specialty LLC, Surgicare of Denton Inc., Surgicare of Denver Clinic LLC, Surgicare of Denver LLC, Surgicare of Denver Mid-Town Inc., Surgicare of Dickson LLC, Surgicare of Eastside LLC, Surgicare of Evans Inc., Surgicare of Fairfax Inc., Surgicare of Florida Inc., Surgicare of Flower Mound Inc., Surgicare of Focus Hand LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Co-GP LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Inc., Surgicare of Ft. Pierce Inc., Surgicare of Good Samaritan LLC, Surgicare of Gramercy Inc., Surgicare of Greenview Inc., Surgicare of Hanover Inc., Surgicare of Houston Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Houston LLC, Surgicare of Houston Womens Inc., Surgicare of Indianapolis Inc., Surgicare of Kansas City LLC, Surgicare of Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Kissimmee Inc., Surgicare of Lakeview Inc., Surgicare of Las Vegas Inc., Surgicare of Laurel Grove LLC, Surgicare of Lorain County Inc., Surgicare of Los Gatos Inc., Surgicare of Los Robles LLC, Surgicare of Loveland LLC, Surgicare of Madison Inc., Surgicare of Manatee Inc., Surgicare of McKinney Inc., Surgicare of Medical City Dallas LLC, Surgicare of Memorial Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Merritt Island Inc., Surgicare of Miami Lakes LLC, Surgicare of Mountain West LLC, Surgicare of Mt. Ogden LLC, Surgicare of Nashville LLC, Surgicare of Natchez LLC, Surgicare of Newport Richey Inc., Surgicare of North Austin LLC, Surgicare of North San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Northeast San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Orange Park II LLC, Surgicare of Orange Park Inc., Surgicare of Orange Park Ltd., Surgicare of Orlando Inc., Surgicare of Overland Park LLC, Surgicare of Palms West LLC, Surgicare of Park Ridge LLC, Surgicare of Pasadena Inc., Surgicare of Pavilion LLC, Surgicare of Physicians West El Paso LLC, Surgicare of Pinellas Inc., Surgicare of Plano Inc., Surgicare of Plantation Inc., Surgicare of Port Charlotte LLC, Surgicare of Port St. Lucie Inc., Surgicare of Portsmouth LLC, Surgicare of Premier Orthopaedic LLC, Surgicare of Reston Inc., Surgicare of Ridgeline LLC, Surgicare of Riverside LLC, Surgicare of Riverwalk LLC, Surgicare of Roanoke LLC, Surgicare of Rome Inc., Surgicare of Rose LLC, Surgicare of Round Rock Inc., Surgicare of Royal Oaks LLC, Surgicare of Silicon Valley LLC, Surgicare of Sky Ridge LLC, Surgicare of Sky Ridge Womens Center LLC, Surgicare of South Austin Inc., Surgicare of Southeast Denver Inc., Surgicare of Southern Hills Inc., Surgicare of Southern Kentucky LLC, Surgicare of Southwest Houston LLC, Surgicare of Spotsylvania LLC, Surgicare of St. Andrews Inc., Surgicare of St. Andrews Ltd., Surgicare of St. Davids Austin LLC, Surgicare of Steamboat Springs LLC, Surgicare of StoneCrest LLC, Surgicare of StoneSprings LLC, Surgicare of Stuart Inc., Surgicare of Sugar Land Inc., Surgicare of Swedish LLC, Surgicare of Tallahassee Inc., Surgicare of Terre Haute LLC, Surgicare of Thornton LLC, Surgicare of Travis Center Inc., Surgicare of Tulsa Inc., Surgicare of Utah LLC, Surgicare of Wasatch Front LLC, Surgicare of West Hills Inc., Surgicare of Westlake Inc., Surgicare of Wichita Inc., Surgicare of Wichita LLC, Surgicare of Willis LLC, Surgicare of Wilson County LLC, Surgicare of Winchester LLC, Surgicenter of East Jefferson Inc., Surgicenter of Johnson County Ltd. a Kansas limited partnership, Surgicenter of Kansas City L.L.C., Surgico LLC, Swedish MOB Acquisition Inc., Swedish MOB I Ltd., Swedish MOB II Inc., Swedish MOB III Inc., Swedish MOB IV Inc., Swedish MOB LLC, Swedish Medpro Inc., TBHI Outpatient Services LLC, TCMC Madison-Portland Inc., THN Physicians Association Inc., TUHC Anesthesiology Group LLC, TUHC Hospitalist Group LLC, TUHC Physician Group LLC, TUHC Primary Care and Pediatrics Group LLC, TUHC Radiology Group LLC, Tallahassee Community Network Inc., Tallahassee Medical Center Inc., Tallahassee Orthopaedic Surgery Partners Ltd., Tampa Bay Health System Inc., Tampa Surgi-Centre Inc., Tarrant County Surgery Center L.P., Tchefuncte Cardiology Associates - Lakeview LLC, Teays Valley Health Services LLC, Telehealth Physician Services LLC, Tennessee Healthcare Management Inc., Tennessee Valley Outpatient Diagnostic Center LLC, Terre Haute Hospital GP Inc., Terre Haute Hospital Holdings Inc., Terre Haute MOB L.P., Terre Haute Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Terre Haute Regional Hospital L.P., Texas CareNow Physician Associates, Texas HSS LLC, Texas Institute of Medicine and Surgery, Texas Psychiatric Company Inc., The Austin Diagnostic Clinic PLLC, The Cancer Care Center of North Florida LLC, The Cardiovascular Partnership for Quality LLC, The Charter Cypress Behavioral Health System L.L.C., The Christie Clinic LLP, The Glynne Medical Practice Limited, The Harley Street Cancer Clinic Limited, The London Breast Institute UK Ltd, The Medical Group of Kansas City LLC, The Neurohealth Sciences Center LLC, The Physicians Clinic Limited, The Prostate Centre Limited, The Rankin Foundation, The Regional Health System of Acadiana LLC, The Wasatch Endoscopy Center Ltd., The West Texas Division of Columbia Inc., Timpanogos Pain Specialists LLC, Timpanogos Regional Medical Services Inc., Total Imaging - Hudson LLC, Total Imaging - North St. Petersburg LLC, Total Imaging - Parsons LLC, Town Plaza Family Practice LLC, Travel Medicine and Infections LLC, Travis Surgery Center L.P., Tri Cities Health Services Corp., Tri-City Multi-Specialty LLC, Tri-County Community Hospital Inc., Tri-County Surgical Specialists LLC, TriStar Bone Marrow Transplant LLC, TriStar Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, TriStar Family Care LLC, TriStar Gynecology Oncology LLC, TriStar Health System Inc., TriStar Joint Replacement Institute LLC, TriStar Maury Behavioral Healthcare LLC, TriStar Medical Group - Centennial Primary Care LLC, TriStar Medical Group - Legacy Health LLC, TriStar Medical Network LLC, TriStar OB/GYN LLC, TriStar Orthopedics LLC, TriStar Physicians LLC, TriStar Radiation Oncology LLC, Trident Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Trident Behavioral Health Services LLC, Trident Eye Surgery Center L.P., Trident Medical Center LLC, Trident Medical Services Inc., Trident Neonatology Services LLC, Tulane Clinic LLC, Tulane Professionals Management L.L.C., Tuscan Imaging Center at Las Colinas LLC, U.S. Collections Inc., Ultra Imaging Management Services LLC, Ultra Imaging of Tampa LLC, University Healthcare Specialists LLC, University Healthcare System L.C., University Hospital Ltd., Uptown Primary Care Associates LLC, Urgent Care Enterprise LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Ann & Simmons LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Cactus & Southern Highlands LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Charleston & Decatur LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Charleston/Sloan LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Craig & Clayton LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Craig & Decatur LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Durango & Cheyenne LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Durango & Flamingo LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Eastern & Horizon Ridge LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Rainbow/Mardon LLC, Urgent Care Extra - Warm Springs & Green Valley LLC, Urgent Care Extra Silverado & Maryland LLC, Urgent Care Extra-Tropicana & Jones LLC, Urgent Care Nevada LLC, Urological Specialists of Arlington PLLC, Urology Associates (London) Limited, Urology Center of North Georgia LLC, Urology Services of El Paso PLLC, Urology Specialists Devonshire LLP, Urology Specialists London LLP, Urology Specialists of Kingwood PLLC, Urology Specialists of Richmond LLC, Urology Surgery Center of Colorado LLC, Utah CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Utah Imaging GP LLC, Utah Medco LLC, Utah Surgery Center L.P., VH Holdco Inc., VH Holdings Inc., VHSC Plantation LLC, VIP Inc., Valify, Valify Inc., Value Health Holdings Inc., Value Health Management Inc., Vascular and Endovascular Specialists LLC, Venture Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Venture Medical Management LLC, Village Oaks Medical Center Inc., Virginia Care Partners ACO LLC, Virginia Gynecologic Oncology LLC, Virginia Hematology & Oncology Associates Inc., Virginia Hospitalists Inc., Virginia Psychiatric Company Inc., Virginia Quality Care Partners LLC, Vision Consulting Group LLC, Vision Holdings LLC, W & C Hospital Inc., WCP Properties LLC, WHG Medical LLC, WHMC Inc., WJHC LLC, Walterboro Community Hospital Inc., Warren County Ambulance Service LLC, Wasatch Front Surgery Center LLC, Washington Holdco LLC, Waterway Primary Care LLC, Weatherford Health Services LLC, Weatherford Mammography JV LLC, Weatherford Regional Medical Center, Welbeck Street Diagnostic Centre LLP, Wellington Diagnostic Services LLP, Wesley Cath Lab LLC, Wesley Manager LLC, Wesley Medical Center LLC, Wesley Physician Services LLC, Wesley Physicians - Anesthesiologist LLC, Wesley Physicians - Cardiovascular LLC, Wesley Physicians - Medical Specialties LLC, Wesley Physicians - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Wesley Physicians - Primary Care LLC, Wesley Select Network LLC, Wesley Urgent Care LLC, West Boynton Beach Open Imaging Center LLC, West Creek Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, West Creek Medical Center Inc., West Florida - MHT LLC, West Florida - PPH LLC, West Florida Behavioral Health Inc., West Florida Cardiology Network LLC, West Florida Cardiology Physicians LLC, West Florida CareNow Urgent Care LLC, West Florida Division Inc., West Florida Gulf Coast Primary Care LLC, West Florida HealthWorks LLC, West Florida Imaging Services LLC, West Florida Internal Medicine LLC, West Florida PET Services LLC, West Florida Physician Network LLC, West Florida Professional Billing LLC, West Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., West Florida Specialty Physicians LLC, West Florida Trauma Network LLC, West Florida Urgent Care Network LLC, West Hills Hospital, West Hills Surgical Center Ltd., West Houston ASC Inc., West Houston Healthcare Group Ltd., West Houston Internal Specialists PLLC, West Houston LLC, West Houston Medical PLLC, West Houston Outpatient Medical Facility Inc., West Houston Surgicare Inc., West Jacksonville Medical Center Inc., West Jordan Hospital Corporation, West LPN Fort Worth Oncology PLLC, West LPN Inc., West Los Angeles Physicians Hospital Inc., West McKinney Imaging Services LLC, West Paces Services Inc., West Park Surgery Center L.P., West Valley Imaging LLC, West Valley Medical Center Inc., West Valley Medical Group LLC, West Valley Medical Group Specialty Services LLC, West Valley Therapy Services LLC, Westbury Hospital Inc., Western Plains Capital Inc., Westlake Surgicare L.P., Westminster Community Hospital, Westside Surgery Center Ltd., Wichita CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Wildwood Medical Center Inc., Willis Surgicenter LLC, Wilson County Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Womans Health Group PLLC, Womans Hospital Merger LLC, Womans Hospital of Texas Incorporated, Women Practitioners of Houston PLLC, Women Specialists of Bayshore PLLC, Women Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Women Specialists of Mainland PLLC, Womens & Childrens Center LLC, Womens & Childrens Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Center LLC, Womens & Childrens Pulmonology Clinic LLC, Womens Center at Brookside LLC, Womens Health Center of Central Florida LLC, Womens Health Center of SWVA LLC, Womens Hospital Indianapolis GP Inc., Womens Hospital Indianapolis L.P., Womens Link Specialty Obstetrical Referral Clinic PLLC, Womens Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Womens Surgical Specialists of Texas PLLC, Womens and Childrens Professional Management L.L.C., Womens and Childrens Specialists LLC, hInsight-Airstrip Holdings LLC, hInsight-BMA Holdings LLC, hInsight-Customer Care Holdings LLC, hInsight-Digital Reasoning Holdings LLC, hInsight-Healthbox Holdings LLC, hInsight-I2 Holdings LLC, hInsight-InVivoLink Holdings LLC, hInsight-LS Holdings LLC, hInsight-Loyale Healthcare Holdings LLC, hInsight-Mobile Heartbeat Holdings LLC, hInsight-NX LLC, hInsight-PWS I Holdings LLC, hInsight-Procured Holdings LLC, and hInsight-VAI Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V.. 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. TCF Financial Corporation operates as the financial holding company for TCF National Bank that provides various financial products and services in the United States and Canada. It operates through Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, and Enterprise Services segments. The company offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; certificates of deposit; individual retirement accounts; debit and credit cards; and check cashing and remittance services. It also provides investment management and custodial services, trust services, financial and estate planning, and retirement planning and employee benefit programs; residential, consumer, and small business lending products; and consumer real estate secured lending, consumer loans, loans secured by personal property, and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers loans and lines of credit, deposits, cash management, capital market products, international trade finance, letters of credit, foreign exchange management services, and loan syndication services. Further, it provides commercial and industrial, commercial real estate banking, and lease financing; and treasury services comprising investment and borrowing portfolios, as well as manages capital, debt, and market risks. As of December 31, 2020, the company operated 478 branches, including 373 traditional branches, 102 supermarket branches, and three campus branches located in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, and South Dakota; and 1,062 ATMs. TCF Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Read More 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. Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund operates as closed-end management investment company. Its investment strategy is to seek high total return. The firm will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in high yield debt securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, which include securities that are rated below investment grade by a rating agency or are unrated debt securities determined to be of comparable quality by the fund's investment manager. The company was founded on July 28, 2003 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. 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. North American Nickel Inc. operates as a mineral exploration and resource development company. The company engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Morocco and Canada, as well as in Botswana. Its principal asset is the Maniitsoq nickel-copper-cobalt-precious metal sulphide project covering an area of 3,048 square kilometers located in southwestern Greenland. The company was formerly known as Widescope Resources Inc. and changed its name to North American Nickel Inc. in April 2010. North American Nickel Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More Nuveen Arizona Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Arizona. The fund invests in municipal securities and other related investments the income, exempt from regular federal and Arizona income taxes that are rated Baa or BBB or better and having an average maturity of 18.66 years. It employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Standard & Poor's (S&P) Arizona Municipal Bond Index and Standard & Poor's (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index. The fund was formerly known as Nuveen Arizona Premium Income Municipal Fund. Nuveen Arizona Quality Municipal Income Fund was formed on November 19, 1992 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alermac Inversiones S.A. de C.V., Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, Brown Brothers Distribution Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Flint Soluciones Seguras Para Trafico, Ennis Highway Traffic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Ennis Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Ennis Paint Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis Paint Boya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Germany GmbH, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis Flint Mexico, Ennis Flint New Zealand, Ennis Flint New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Africa (Pty) Ltd, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Manchester Thermoplastics LLC, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Canada Limited, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holding Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG AP Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l., PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Manufacturing SARL, PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hellas S.A., PPG Hemmelrath Coatings Inc., PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Czech Republic s.r.o., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Kft., PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., Prismo Road Markings Limited, ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 007 857 392, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, SigmaKalon Middle East B.V., Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, United International Business NV, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, Worwag Coatings, and Zaganite Industries Pty Ltd. 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. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc.. Stantec Inc. provides professional consulting services in the area of infrastructure and facilities in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company provides consulting services in engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics. It also offers water, transportation, and public works; transportation planning and traffic engineering; and resource assessment, mine development, reclamation, hydrology, and geotechnical and infrastructure engineering services, as well as urban planning, traffic assessments and optimization, environmental impact assessments, and public consultation services. In addition, the company provides structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and hydraulics engineering services. It serves urban regeneration, infrastructure, education, public and private sector, tourism and leisure, and waste and water sectors, as well as office and commercial, residential, and retail and town centers. The company was formerly known as Stanley Technology Group Inc. and changed its name to Stantec Inc. in October 1998. Stantec Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More WisdomTree International Dividend Ex-Financials Fund's stock was trading at $33.44 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, DOO shares have increased by 23.9% and is now trading at $41.4462. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 6 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Aphria in the last year. There are currently 5 hold ratings and 1 buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "hold" Aphria stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in APHA, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Aphria or view top-rated stocks. The following companies are subsidiares of Continental Aktiengesellschaft: A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH, ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH, ALPHALOR 3 EURL, AZ-CZECH s.r.o., Adam Touring GmbH, Advance Tyre Company Ltd., Advanced Imaging Technologies, Advanced Imaging Technologies (Pty) Ltd, Advanced Scientific Concepts, AlMutlak Continental Company Limited Liability Company, Application Solutions (Electronics and Vision) Ltd., Argus Cyber Security Ltd, BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BEST DRIVE CTM S.A. de C.V., BV Environmental Limited, BV F1rst Limited, Bandvulc Tyres Limited, Belt Concepts of America Inc., BeltTrade Inc., Benecke Changshun Auto Trim (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., Benecke Changshun Eco Trim (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Benecke-Kaliko AG, BestDrive LLC, BestDrive Sverige AB, Bestdrive Benelux B.V.B.A., CAC Philippines Inc., CAS Munchen GmbH, CAS UK Holding Ltd., CAS-One Holdinggesellschaft mbH, CGH Holding B.V., CGT Referral Resources Inc., CONTINENTAL CPM S. DE R.L. DE C.V., CONTINENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES PORTUGAL UNIPESSOAL LDA, CONTINENTAL IBERIA SALES AND SERVICES S.A.U., CONTINENTAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES S A (Pty.) Ltd., CONTINENTAL SURFACE SOLUTIONS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, CONTITECH Chile S.A., CPT Automotive Changchun Co. Ltd., CPT GUADALAJARA S. de. R. L. de C.V., CPT MANUFACTURING MEXICO S. de R. L. de C.V., CPT MAQUILA MEXICO S. de R. L. de C.V., Carrel Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH Co. Vermietungs KG, Changshu ContiTech Trading Ltd., Conseo GmbH, Conti Automotive Servicios S.A. de C.V., Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Conti Trade Australia Pty. Ltd., Conti Trade Italia S.r.l., Conti Versicherungsdienst Versicherungsvermittlungsges. mbH, Conti-Gummi Finance B.V., ContiTech (Shandong) Engineered Rubber Products Co. Ltd., ContiTech AG, ContiTech AVS France, ContiTech Africa (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Anoflex SAS, ContiTech Antriebssysteme GmbH, ContiTech Australia Pty Ltd, ContiTech Belgium BVBA, ContiTech Canada Inc., ContiTech China Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., ContiTech Consulting Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Dae Won Airspring Systems Ltd., ContiTech Elastomer-Beschichtungen GmbH, ContiTech Finland Oy, ContiTech Fluid Automotive CZ s.r.o., ContiTech Fluid Automotive Hungaria Kft., ContiTech Fluid Automotive Maroc SARL, ContiTech Fluid Distribuidora S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Korea Ltd., ContiTech Fluid Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Mexicana Servicios S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Monterrey Servicios S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Oil & Marine Middle East FZE, ContiTech Fluid Serbia D.O.O., ContiTech Fluid Shanghai Co. Ltd., ContiTech Fluid Technology (Changchun) Co. Ltd., ContiTech France SNC, ContiTech Global Holding Netherlands B.V., ContiTech Holding (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ContiTech Holding Netherlands B.V., ContiTech IMAS A.E., ContiTech India Pvt. Ltd., ContiTech Japan Co. Ltd., ContiTech Kautschuk- und Kunststoffvertriebsges. mbH, ContiTech Kuhner Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, ContiTech Kuhner GmbH & Cie. KG, ContiTech Lastik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH, ContiTech MGW GmbH, ContiTech Magyarorszag Kft., ContiTech Maroc SARL, ContiTech Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech North America Inc., ContiTech Oil & Marine Corp., ContiTech Power Transmission (Ninghai) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission (Sanmen) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission Korea Co. Ltd., ContiTech Print Service (S) Pte. Ltd., ContiTech Printing Blanket Shanghai Ltd., ContiTech Roulunds Rubber A/S, ContiTech Rubber Industrial Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, ContiTech Scandinavia AB, ContiTech Schlauch GmbH, ContiTech Services (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Shanghai Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., ContiTech Singapore Pte. Ltd., ContiTech Slovenija druzba za proizvodnjo gumenih tehnicnih izdelkov d.o.o., ContiTech South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Techno-Chemie GmbH, ContiTech Thermopol LLC, ContiTech Thermopol Romania S.R.L., ContiTech Tianjin Conveyor Belt Ltd., ContiTech Transportbandsysteme GmbH, ContiTech USA Inc., ContiTech United Kingdom Ltd., ContiTech Vibration Control France SAS, ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH, ContiTech Vibration Control Slovakia s.r.o., ContiTech Vibration Control s.r.o., ContiTech-Universe Verwaltungs-GmbH, ContiTrade (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ContiTrade Africa (Pty) Ltd, ContiTrade France Rechapage, ContiTrade Services s.r.o., ContiTrade Slovakia s.r.o., Conticlub SAS, Continental - Industria Textil do Ave S.A., Continental Adria pnevmatike d.o.o., Continental Advanced Antenna Automotiva LTDA, Continental Advanced Antenna GmbH, Continental Advanced Lidar Solutions US LLC, Continental Aftermarket & Services GmbH, Continental Aftermarket GmbH, Continental Automotive AB, Continental Automotive Aguascalientes S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Austria GmbH, Continental Automotive Bajio S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Bangkok Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Benelux BVBA, Continental Automotive Brake Systems (I) Private Limited, Continental Automotive Changchun Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Components (India) Private Ltd., Continental Automotive Components Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Corporation, Continental Automotive Corporation (Lianyungang) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Czech Republic s.r.o., Continental Automotive Electronics LLC, Continental Automotive Engineering (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive France SAS, Continental Automotive Funding Corp., Continental Automotive GmbH, Continental Automotive Grundstucksges. mbH, Continental Automotive Guadalajara Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Holding Netherlands B.V., Continental Automotive Holding Spain S.L., Continental Automotive Holdings UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Hungary Kft., Continental Automotive Inc., Continental Automotive Instruments Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Interior Wuhu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Italy S.p.A., Continental Automotive Japan K.K., Continental Automotive Jinan Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Korea Ltd., Continental Automotive Lithuania UAB, Continental Automotive Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Maquila Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Occidente S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Parts (Suzhou) Co. Ltd, Continental Automotive Rambouillet France SAS, Continental Automotive Romania SRL, Continental Automotive SLP S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Singapore Pte. Ltd., Continental Automotive Spain S.A., Continental Automotive Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Changsha Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Changshu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Costa Rica S.A., Continental Automotive Systems Inc., Continental Automotive Systems SRL, Continental Automotive Systems Slovakia s.r.o., Continental Automotive Trading France SAS, Continental Automotive Trading Italia S.r.l., Continental Automotive Trading Nederland B.V., Continental Automotive Trading UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Trading Osterreich GmbH, Continental Automotive UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Wuhu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive d.o.o. Novi Sad, Continental Automotive do Brasil Ltda., Continental Barum s.r.o., Continental Benelux SPRL, Continental Bicycle Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Continental Bicycle Systems Verwaltungs GmbH, Continental Brake Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Brakes Italy S.p.A., Continental Brasil Industria Automotiva Ltda., Continental Caoutchouc-Export-GmbH, Continental ContiTech de Chihuahua S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental ContiTech de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Daek Danmark A/S, Continental Dekk Norge A/S, Continental Digital Services France SAS, Continental Dack Sverige AB, Continental Engineering Services & Products GmbH, Continental Engineering Services GmbH, Continental Engineering Services Ltd., Continental Finance GmbH, Continental France SNC, Continental Global Business Services Manila Inc., Continental Global Holding Netherlands B.V., Continental HT Tyres s.r.o., Continental Holding China Co. Ltd., Continental Holding France SAS, Continental Hungaria Kft., Continental India Private Limited, Continental Industrias del Caucho S.A., Continental Industria e Comercio Automotivos Ltda., Continental Industria e Comercio de Pecas de Reposicao Automotivas Ltda., Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems LLC, Continental Investment Ltd., Continental Italia S.p.A., Continental Lemmerz (Portugal)-Componentes para Automoveis Lda., Continental Llantera Potosina S.A. de C.V., Continental Mabor Industria de Pneus S.A., Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o., Continental Matador Truck Tires s.r.o., Continental Middle East DMCC, Continental Opony Polska Sp. z o.o., Continental Pneus (Portugal) S.A., Continental Pty Ltd, Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Continental Rengas Oy, Continental Rubber of America Corp., Continental Safety Engineering International GmbH, Continental Secure Data Germany GmbH, Continental Secure Data Headquarter B.V., Continental Secure Data USA LLC, Continental Servicos de Vulcanizacao do Brasil Ltda., Continental Suisse S.A., Continental Temic Electronics (Phils.) Inc., Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG, Continental Teves Portugal - Sistemas de Travagem Lda., Continental Teves UK Ltd., Continental Tire Andina S.A., Continental Tire Canada Inc., Continental Tire Chile SpA, Continental Tire Colombia S.A.S., Continental Tire Corporativo S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire Holding US LLC, Continental Tire Japan Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Korea Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Sumter LLC, Continental Tire West Africa Limited, Continental Tire de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire the Americas LLC, Continental Tires (China) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires Espana S.L., Continental Tires Holding Singapore Pte. Ltd., Continental Trebbin GmbH & Co. KG Sondermaschinenbau, Continental Trebbin Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, Continental Tyre AS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Group Ltd., Continental Tyre Investment UK Ltd., Continental Tyre Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Marketing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre North Africa SARL, Continental Tyre PJ Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Services Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Continental Tyre Technology Centre Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyres (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Continental Tyres Ltd., Continental Tyres of Australia Pty Ltd, Continental UK Group Holdings Ltd., Continental VUK s.r.o., Continental do Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., Continental of Taiwan Co. Ltd., Continental vyroba pneumatik s.r.o., Contitech Argentina S.R.L., Contitech Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Contitech do Brasil Produtos Automotivos e Industriais Ltda., Contitrade Espana S.A.U., Contitrade Holding, Contitread Renovado Morelia S.A. de C.V., Correx Handelsgesellschaft fur Kautschukprodukte mbH, Custom Machining Services Inc., DRUST, Dekkmann A/S, Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd., DynaGen Inc., EPD Holdings Inc., Eddelbuttel + Schneider GmbH, Elektrobit, Elektrobit Austria GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Americas Inc., Elektrobit Automotive Finland Oy, Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Korea Limited, Elektrobit Automotive Romania SRL, Elektrobit Automotive Software (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Elektrobit France SAS, Elektrobit India Private Ltd., Elektrobit Nippon K.K., Emitec Denmark A/S, Emitec France SAS, Eu-Retec (Private) Ltd., FSC Franchising Service Company S.p.A., Formpolster GmbH, General Tire International Company, Granite Investments Limited, Holding ContiTech SAS, Hoosier Racing Tire Corp., Hornschuch (Shanghai) Surface Technology Co. Ltd., Hornschuch Consulting GmbH, Hornschuch Group GmbH, Hornschuch Italia S.r.l., Hornschuch Stolzenau GmbH, Hornschuch UK Ltd., Hornschuch-Markt GmbH, INTECH Thuringen GmbH, Kathrein Automotive, Kathrein Automotive Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kathrein Automotive North America Inc., Kathrein Automotive Portugal Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kim Holdings Scotland Limited, Kolubara-Univerzal D.O.O., Konrad Hornschuch AG, Konrad Hornschuch International GmbH, Legg Company Inc., Libra Associates (Properties) Limited, MISA GmbH & Co. KG, MISA-Beteiligungs GmbH, Merlett Belgie B.V.B.A, Merlett Benelux B.V., Merlett Deutschland GmbH, Merlett France SAS, Merlett Group, Merlett Iberica 2016 S.L., Merlett Norway As, Merlett Plastics UK Ltd., Merlett Polska Sp. Z o.o., Merlett RUS LLC, Merlett Tecnoplastic S.p.a., Noviteck SA, O'Sullivan Films Inc., OOO "ContiTech Rus", OOO "Continental Automotive RUS", OOO "Continental Automotive Systems RUS", OOO "Continental Kaluga", OOO "Continental Tires RUS", OOO Hornschuch RUS, OTA Grundstucks- und Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH, OTA keys, OTA keys S.A., Omitec Group, Otomotiv Lastikleri Tevzi AS (OLTAS), POWERTRAIN MAQUILA MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., PT Continental Tyre Indonesia, PT Quantum Inventions Indonesia, Parkpocket, Phoenix Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Phoenix Compounding Technology GmbH, Phoenix Conveyor Belt India Private Ltd., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Solutions Inc., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH, Phoenix Fluid Handling Industry GmbH, Phoenix Oil & Marine Ltd., Phoenix Service GmbH & Co. KG, Phoenix Shanxi Conveyor Belt Co. Ltd., Phoenix Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Pneu Egger AG, Profi Reifen- und Autoservice Gesellschaft mbH, Prazisionstechnik Geithain GmbH, QUANTUM INVENTIONS SDN. BHD., Quantum Inventions, Quantum Inventions Private Limited, R & J Strang Tyre Services Limited, REG Reifen-Entsorgungsgesellschaft mbH, REPARATION PNEUMATIQUES DU SUD EST (REPNEU) SAS, ROSEA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Hannover-Stocken KG, Reifen Apel GmbH, Reifen Kauffmann GmbH, Reifen-John GmbH & Co KG, Reifen-Service Clemens & Hegel GmbH, Rengasmaailma Oy, Road-Broad Automotive Electronics (Qufu) Co. Ltd., Rundpneu Beteiligungsges. mbH, S.C. ContiTech Fluid Automotive Romania S.R.L., S.C. ContiTech Romania S.R.L., S.C. Continental Automotive Products SRL, SAS CONTITRADE FRANCE, STEINEBRONN BETEILIGUNGS-GMBH, Semperit (Ireland) Ltd., Semperit (UK) Ltd., Semperit Reifen Gesellschaft mbH, Senior Experts Services GmbH, Siemens VDO Automotive S.p.A., Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd., Specialty Fabrics & Converting Inc., Specialty Yarn & Converting Inc., Stable One Insurance Company LLC, Synerject Taiwan Co. Ltd., Syrma A.E., TON Tyres Over Night Trading GmbH, TOO "Continental Matador KZ", Temic Automotive (Phils.) Inc., Tikka Spikes Oy, Tyre Maintenance Limited, Tyre Reinsurance (Ireland) DAC, Tyre and Auto Pty Ltd, UMG Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Union-Mittelland-Gummi-GmbH & Co. Grundbesitz KG, Unterstutzungskasse mbH der Goppinger Kaliko- und Kunstleder-Werke GmbH, VIVAX Trading GmbH, Vanvulc Tyres Limited, Vaysse SAS, Vergolst GmbH, Veyance Distribuidora de Produtos de Engenharia Ltda., Veyance Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Industrial Services Inc., Veyance Qingdao Engineered Elastomers Company Ltd., Veyance Technologies, Veyance Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Canada (NS) ULC, Veyance Technologies Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Zambia Ltd., Viking Tyres (UK) Ltd., Vitesco Technologies (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 1. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies 2. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 2. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Automotive Cuautla S.A. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Canada ULC, Vitesco Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Vitesco Technologies Delavan LLC, Vitesco Technologies Eisenach Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Emitec GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Engineering Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies France S.A.S., Vitesco Technologies GDL S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Germany GmbH, Vitesco Technologies GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Group Aktiengesellschaft, Vitesco Technologies Holding 1 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding 2 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding China Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies Holding Netherlands B.V., Vitesco Technologies Hungary Kft., Vitesco Technologies India Private Limited, Vitesco Technologies Italy S.R.L., Vitesco Technologies Japan K.K., Vitesco Technologies Korea, Vitesco Technologies Lohmar Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Roding GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies UK Ltd., Vitesco Technologies USA LLC, Vitesco Tecnologia Brasil Automotiva Ltda., Vogtlandische Reifenwerke Sitz Bad Nauheim GmbH, Vulcanite Holdings Pty Ltd, Vulcanite Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Vulcanite Pty Ltd, Wohlfahrtseinrichtung fur die Arbeiter und Angestellten der Semperit Reifen AG GmbH, Zonar, Zonar Systems Inc., Zytek Automotive, Zytek Automotive Ltd., Zytek Group Ltd., balance GmbH Handel und Beratungsservice im Gesundheitswesen, co-pace GmbH, inotec Innovative Technologie GmbH, and kek-Kaschierungen GmbH. The United States is the last country to allow flights of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 after at least 47 countries and multiple airlines grounded the aircraft following Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash. At least 271 of the 371 MAX planes in service were grounded, according to CNN calculations. To date, 385 MAX aircraft have been delivered, according to Flight Global, of which 344 are the MAX 8 variant. On Wednesday, Canada joined Egypt, Hong Kong, Lebanon and New Zealand in banning all Boeing MAX aircraft from their airspace as an extra safety precaution, joining scores of nations, carriers and authorities that have temporarily suspended the MAX 8 model or other models in the range. On Wednesday afternoon, Canada's Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said that as the result of new data that they received in the morning, they will no longer allow the Boeing 737 MAX 8 or 9 aircraft to take off or land in Canada, nor will they allow aircraft to fly over Canadian airspace. Six minutes after takeoff, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 plummeted into a field, killing all 157 people on board. Shortly after leaving Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, the pilot reported flight control problems and asked to return to the base. As investigators search for clues into the cause of the disaster, some aviation experts are drawing parallels to the Lion Air Boeing MAX 8 plane that went down last October over the Java Sea in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. Canada's Minister of Transport Garneau said satellite tracking data that is collected when certain aircraft take off -- specifically the vertical profile of the aircraft -- was analyzed by officials and was the reason they decided to ground the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 over Canadian airspace. While not conclusive, Garneau said their were similarities in the new data they analyzed and the doomed Lion Air flight that caused them to feel a threshold had been crossed to halt those flights. Both Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have said they have no plans to ground the aircraft. The US is the only country with MAX 8 flights still allowing the jets to fly. US carriers including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are flying MAX 8 planes. The MAX 9 model has never crashed, but it was included in an FAA emergency airworthiness directive following the Lion Air crash last year. A MAX 10 model is still in development. China's aviation administration was the first to order a suspension on Monday evening, grounding all domestic Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets, citing its principle of "zero tolerance for safety hazards." China has one of the world's largest fleets of Boeing 737 MAX 8s, operating 97 of the planes, according to Chinese state-run media. The fall-out for Boeing and its future in China could be severe for investors: China is predicted to soon to become the world's first trillion-dollar market for jets. In a statement, Boeing said it continued to have "full confidence" in the safety of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft, but said it understands the decisions made by customers. On its official Twitter account, the company also reiterated that safety remains its priority. Daniel K. Elwell, the acting administrator of the FAA, said it has conducted a review of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and found "no basis" to ground the aircraft. As more nations ban the 737 MAX 8 planes, Boeing's stock continues a steep slide. Shares in Boeing are more than 10% lower than at Friday's close. As the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes are still under investigation, there is no evidence that they had a common cause. The black boxes from the Ethiopian Airlines plane were recovered on Monday, which will enable investigators to learn more about the cause of the crash. On Wednesday, Ethiopian Airlines spokesman Asrat Begashaw told CNN the "black box" data recorders recovered will "definitely be going to Europe," as Ethiopia does not have the necessary equipment to analyze that data. Begashaw said they haven't decided which country the black boxes will go to yet. In the meantime, some aviation experts are focusing on the similarities between the two incidents. "Given in both air crashes, the aircrafts were newly delivered Boeing 737 MAX 8, and both accidents occurred during the take-off, they share certain similarities," the Chinese administration said in a statement. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde GebreMariam told CNN on Tuesday that the company's pilots had received additional training on the flight procedures involving the 737 MAX 8 after the Lion Air crash. "We believe the similarities are substantial" between the two crashes, GebreMariam said, adding that both incidents featured new models of the same airplane, and both flights lasted only minutes before the planes went down. "We don't yet know the exact cause of the accident, and speculation is not helpful in either way," GebreMariam said, "but I think there are questions without answers on the airplane." Still, aviation safety experts and regulators around the world remain divided on whether the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is safe. "I've never said that it's unsafe to fly a particular model of aircraft, but in this case, I'm going to have to go there," David Soucie, a former FAA safety inspector, told CNN, saying passengers don't have enough information. Peter Goelz, a former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he believes it's too early for American authorities to ground the jets. Some pilots agree. The pilots union at Southwest Airlines, which has the largest fleet of MAX 8s still flying, has stood by the airline's decision. In a Southwest Airlines Pilot Association letter, union president Jonathan Weaks said the union is "extremely confident" that the 737 MAX is safe. He added that he would put his family, friends and loved ones on any Southwest flight, but that he has lobbied for training to "evolve and improve." The letter warns, however, that if new information comes to light, the union "will not hesitate to hold any organization or person accountable." ROME, NY-- A Rochester man is facing charges after police say he made threatening phone calls and ordered gun magazines to his estranged wife in Rome. "She was receiving gun magazine subscriptions in the mail that were addressed to her at her new residence that she was living at," said Jeff Lanigan, a detective with the Rome Police Department. "She was also receiving hang up phone calls at all hours of the night, endless numbers of them. She revealed that whole harassment to us and that's what opened up a full investigation." Lanigan said officers often deal with domestic violence cases. "A majority of our calls that the Rome Police Department responds to are domestic violence related, whether it's just an argument or physical attack or it's just on the harassment level," he said. Dianne Stancato, CEO of YWCA Mohawk Valley, said each year the organization assists roughly 2,800 domestic violence victims. "The victim has to reach out in our opinion here at the Y[WCA], that's why we're here to reach out for help and guidance and help to handle the situation," she said. "We can do a safety plan with the victim and we can accompany them through the court process, because at that point they really do need to seek help with the court system for an order protection, file some charges based on the situation and really have supported help along the process." Aikens was taken into police custody and he is scheduled to appear in city court. The victim has been offered counseling. For more information or for help with a domestic violence situation contact the following numbers: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 YWCA Mohawk Valley: 315-797-7740 Catholic Charities of Herkimer County: 315-894-9917 FRANKFORT, N.Y. -- Health officials in Herkimer County say two raccoons from Frankfort tested positive for rabies. Officials say the raccoons were in the backyard of two separate homes fighting with a dog, and both dog owners killed the raccoons. They were sent to Wadsworth Labs to be tested for rabies. Officials with Herkimer County Public Health are urging people not to play with unknown animals, and to get their pets vaccinated for rabies. The public can protect themselves or their family pets from rabies by practicing the following: 1. Vaccinate your pets against rabies 2. Spay or neuter all animals to reduce the number of strays. 3. Do not feed strays or handle unknown animals, wild or domestic. Herkimer County Public Healths first rabies clinic for 2019 will be held at East Herkimer Fire Department on March 28 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. For more information head to the county's website. Hong Kong: Govt responds to UK report The Government has reiterated that foreign governments should not interfere in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in any form. In response to media enquiries about the UKs Foreign & Commonwealth Offices report on Hong Kong for July to December last year, the Government said today Hong Kong exercises Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law. The administration added the one country, two systems principle has been fully and successfully implemented. It said human rights and freedom in Hong Kong, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the right to vote and the right to stand for election are fully protected by the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation. The statement said at the same time, the Government has a duty to implement and uphold the Basic Law and to ensure that all elections will be conducted in accordance with the Basic Law and relevant electoral laws. There is no question of political screening as alleged by the report. Noting the Basic Law clearly stipulates that the HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China, the Government said any suggestion for Hong Kong independence is a blatant violation of the Basic Law and a direct affront to the national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the PRC. Hong Kong independence runs counter to the successful implementation of one country, two systems and undermines the HKSAR's constitutional and legal foundations as enshrined in the Basic Law, the statement said. Relevant international human rights convention and court cases have clearly pointed out that freedom of speech is not absolute, it added. For other issues mentioned in the report, the Government said it has all along been handling Hong Kong affairs strictly in accordance with the one country, two systems principle, the Basic Law and the laws of Hong Kong. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. At the meeting, Lao Deputy PM Sonsay Siphandone praised the importance of the visit by the Vietnamese delegation, saying that the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Laos Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has achieved positive results in recent years. He also expressed his sincere thanks to Vietnam for its support and assistance, including the support from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, in helping Laos overcome the consequences of a hydroelectric dam breach in southern Laos last year. Minister Dung stated that the cooperation between the two ministries is increasingly elevated, with practical and effective results for the benefit of the two peoples. The Lao side, in particular the Laos Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, has actively coordinated and supported the Vietnamese relevant agencies to perform well in the search, collection and repatriation of Vietnamese experts and volunteer soldiers remains who died in Laos in past wars. Currently, in addition to the cooperation on labour as well as drafting and issuing related documents, the cooperation between the two ministries have been expanding to other fields such as vocational training and social insurance, Minister Dung informed. The same day, Dung and his entourages also visited and worked with the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to prepare for a seminar on labour that will be held today and for the 6th meeting between the two countries Labour Ministries in Vientiane on March 28. Delegates discussed issues related to labour cooperation between the two countries as well as the situation of Vietnamese workers in Laos, facilitating Vietnamese workers in the neighbouring country and boosting the management of Vietnamese guest workers in Laos. Participants also suggested considering the establishment of labour supply companies to meet the actual needs in Laos, while proposing that Lao authorities facilitate skilled workers from Vietnam. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. The country's vast territory makes it the richest nation in terms of natural resource wealth. The nation is a leading producer of coal, diamonds, aluminum, asbestos, gemstones, diamonds, lime, lead, gypsum, iron ore, bauxite, gallium, boron, mica, natural gas, potash, platinum, oil, rare earth metals, pig iron, peat, nitrogen, cadmium, arsenic, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphate, sulfur, titanium sponge, silicon, uranium, tellurium, vanadium, tungsten, cobalt, graphite, silver, vermiculite, selenium, rhenium, copper, and gold. Platinum and Palladium The country produced an estimated 91.16 tons of palladium and 25.9 tons of platinum in the year 2014. The commodities are obtained from various locations in the country including the Kondyor alluvial deposit found in Khabarovskiy which is about 621.3 miles from the city of Khabarovsk. The Kondyor mine produced an estimated 4.08 tons of platinum in the year 2014. The Yorgalan deposit located close to the Kondyor deposit has an estimated 14 tons of platinum reserves. The Norilsk-1 deposit is located on the Taymyr Peninsula, and contains 0.57 tons of Platinum group of metals. The Chernogorskoye nickel-copper-platinum deposit also contains a significant amount of platinum and is located on the Taymyr Peninsula, and to the south of the Norilsk-1 deposit. The government has in recent years increased spending to enhance the extraction of the platinum group of metals. The increased investment is supported by favorable global prices for both metals. Coal Russia holds the second highest coal deposits in the world only beaten to the top position by the US. The country has a total of 173 billion tons of coal deposits which represents 17.6% of global coal reserves. Coal is extracted across 129 separate deposits and 22 basins. About 85% of the nation's coal is produced across three jurisdictions namely the Zabaikal'skiy, Kemerovskaya Oblast, and the Krasnoyarskiy Kray. On the other hand, 66% of explored coal is extracted from two basins, Kuznetskiy basin, and the Kansko-Achinskiy basin. The Kansko-Achinskiy basin has 40.7% of the nations resource deposits. The Kuznetskiy basin contains 27.4% of the nation's resources, and it also produces the highest amount of coal in the nation. The Kuznetskiy basin produced an estimated 59% of the nation's output. Russia produced an estimated 393.4 million tons of coal in the year 2013. Total Anthracite coal production was 14 million tons while bituminous coal and lignite coal was 302.5 million tons and 75.9 million tons respectively. Open cast mining is the most popular method of coal extraction accounting for an estimated 70.6% of total production. Coal is mainly exported to China, the UK, Japan, and South Korea. Natural Gas Russia is among the largest producers of natural gas in the world. The country produced an estimated 22,707 billion cubic feet in gas in 2014. The country produces about 19% of global output. The market share has however been gradually decreasing due to increased production by countries such as Qatar, the US, and Iran. Russia's natural gas reserves are estimated to be 1,748 trillion cubic feet. The Urengoyskoye is Russia's largest natural gas deposit with about 187.17 trillion cubic feet. The Bovanenkovskoye deposit has an estimated 151.85 trillion cubic feet. Other significant deposits include the Yamburgskoye with 113 trillion cubic feet, Shtokmanovskoye deposit with 137.7 trillion cubic feet, the Zapolyarnoye and Astrakhanskoye each with about 88.3 trillion cubic feet in gas. About 80% of the countrys production comes from the Nadym-Pur-Taz region.The Urengoyskoye, Zapolyarnoye, and Yamburgskoye accounted for 40% of the total gas production. Natural gas is mainly exported to the European market. The main importers of Russian gas are Germany, Belarus, Turkey, Ukraine, Japan, Kazakhstan, and France. Petroleum Russia produced an estimated 579.8 million tons of oil in 2014. The country sits among the top three largest global producers of petroleum alongside Saudi Arabia and the US. The country refined an estimated 325.2 million tons of oil in the same year. A significant amount of oil deposits are located in Western Siberia. The Western Siberia deposits account for an estimated 66.6% of total production in the country. Eastern Siberia is also known to hold large amounts of oil reserves. Titanium The country produced an estimated 47,000 tons of titanium sponge in the year 2014 which represented a 2.2% increase in production compared to the previous year. Other Metals Russia is thought to have an estimated 25-40% of global un-mined gold reserves. The Russian Federation is the sixth largest gold producer in the world with an estimated 249 tons produced in 2017 alone. Russia has 10% of the worlds Uranium reserves. The country produced 8% of the worlds total Uranium output. The country also contributes 17% of the world total nickel production, and 22% of the worlds total magnesium output. Challenges In Natural Resource Extraction In recent years the country has witnessed mounting challenges in the extraction of its natural resources. Some of the challenges include inadequate capital investment owing to sanctions on the country from major global powers including the United States and Europe due to its involvement in the Ukraine conflict among other issues. Other challenges include difficulty accessing mineral resources in remote areas in the vast territory. The country is continuously developing mechanisms to overcome the challenges it faces. The country is keen on developing new automated technologies to replace aging equipment which severely limits production. The efforts to develop new indigenous technologies are also driven by restrictions on the importation of new mineral extraction technology from other countries imposed by some members of the international community. The nations declining population has also made it necessary to invest in technology. The Mormon Corridor is a region of the southwestern United States that was settled by followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the LDS Church or Mormonism, between 1850 and 1890. The area is also referred to as the "Mormon Culture Region" in academic literature as well as the "Book of Mormon Belt" in reference to the Bible Belt region in the southeastern United States and the group's sacred text, the Book of Mormon. The corridor begins in Utah, the modern-day headquarters of the LSD Church, and extends northwards into Idaho and Wyoming, eastwards into Colorado, southwards into Arizona and California, and westward into Nevada. History of the Mormon Corridor Mormon settlements in North America were established for agricultural production or to access metal, mineral, and other resources required by the growing population. The Mormon community traveled westward, today known as the Mormon Trail, in search of areas to settle before settling in Utah. Today, Utah is the headquarters of the LSD Church and is home to the largest Mormon population in the United States. Between 1850 and 1890, Mormon communities built urban centers that served as waystations for immigrants. The LDS Church supervised the establishment of several outlying communities and sent out scouting parties in search of suitable settlement land and viable sources of timber, minerals, and water. By 1877, the church had established more than 400 colonies with four distinct roles. The colonies in Carson City, Nevada, served as recruitment centers and provided temporary shelter. The second colonies served as production and manufacturing centers, for example, Cedar City smelted iron, St George produced cotton, while Cache Valley reared cattle. The third colonies assisted and proselytized the Native Americans in Utah, southern Nevada, and north and central Idaho. The fourth group of settlements in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and the neighboring states provided funds and homes for thousands of immigrants. Expansion to Mexico and Canada Punitive legislation and prosecution of polygamists in the United States prompted members of the LDS church in New Mexico and Arizona to migrate to Mexico where the church had identified settlement opportunities. However, the governor of Chihuahua State denied the Mormon colonists the opportunity to own land within the state but allowed them to rent and lease the same. Negotiations between the church, the governor, and Mexican President Porfirio Diaz led to the withdrawal of legal barriers to own land leading to migration of large populations of Mormon from the United States to Mexico. In 1886, church leaders moved north to the province of Alberta in Canada in search of settlements; a year later, Mormon populations in northern Utah established a colony in Cardston. By 1895, several permanent LDS communities had sprouted in the province. In a desperate bid to defend Algerias military-backed National Liberation Front (FLN) regime, the chief of staff of the armed forces, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, demanded on Tuesday that the countrys figurehead president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, be declared unfit to rule. In a televised address delivered against the backdrop of a continuing escalation of the more than month-long wave of popular protests and strikes, General Salah declared: In this context, it becomes necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis, which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the Constitution and the maintenance of the sovereignty of the State. Salah called for the invocation of Article 102 of the Algerian Constitution, which empowers the Constitutional Council, the upper chamber of the countrys legislature, to declare Bouteflika unfit to rule, which would set the stage for his removal from office by a two-thirds vote of the parliament. Bouteflika, a veteran of the war for liberation from French colonialism, has been in power since 1999. The 82-year-old president suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been confined to a wheelchair and not spoken publicly since then. The mass demonstrations, which have brought millions of workers and youth into the streets across Algeria, erupted after it was announced that Bouteflika intended to seek a fifth term. In the face of the mass protests, the government shifted its tactics, declaring on March 11 that the president would not seek a fifth term, but that elections would be postponed until a new constitution was drafted, extending his rule indefinitely. His current term is set to expire on April 29. The move was answered by demonstrators who chanted the slogan, We wanted elections without Bouteflika, now we have Bouteflika without elections. The speech by the 79-year-old General Salah marks a humiliating climbdown by the regime and was greeted with cheers and the honking of horns in Algiers on Tuesday. At the beginning of the mass protests, the militarys chief of staff had denounced demonstrators as adventurers. Subsequently he, like much of the countrys corrupt ruling elite, changed his tune, feigning sympathy for the protesters, while continuing to back Bouteflika remaining in power. Salahs action is entirely unconstitutional. It is up to the Constitutional Council to invoke Article 102, not the head of the military. His intervention, however, expresses the reality of the bourgeois state structure in Algeria, in which the military serves as the backbone of the regime, repeatedly intervening in and mediating conflicts within the state. The Constitutional Council obediently responded to the generals demand, announcing that it would convene an extraordinary session to consider ousting Bouteflika on the grounds of his unfitness to rule. The generals televised speech came as the mass protests continued in the center of Algiers, and as workers strikes swept the country. In Arzew, a major Algerian port and industrial area that includes a refinery exporting LNG (liquified natural gas), workers walked out Tuesday morning in response to a call made on social media, independent of and opposed to the countrys trade unions, for a three-day strike. In addition to demanding the end of the regime and profound changes in the countrys social system, strikers carried a banner that read The union of shame, and demanded the ouster of Abdelmadjid Sidi-Said, the secretary-general of the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) for the past 20 years, who has backed Bouteflika against the mass protests. Post offices and public services were also shut down in many parts of the country. On Monday, thousands of workers, joined by family members and retirees, marched in Tizi Ouzou, one of Algerias largest cities in the north central part of the country. The march was called to protest both the regime and the support given to it by UGTA chief Sidi-Said. Banners read, For the immediate departure of the system and Sidi-Said. Others denounced the union leader as Bouteflikas court jester. While sections of the UGTA bureaucracy have aped the regime, attempting to present the ouster of Sidi-Saidlike that of Bouteflikaas the solution to the grievances of the workers, the hostility of the working class is directed against an entire system of official unions that function as corporatist partners of the government and the employers, serving to suppress the class struggle. In Algiers, meanwhile, Tuesday saw what has become a weekly demonstration by thousands of students, as well as protests by architects, court magistrates and other public sector workers. And in the Mediterranean port city of Bejaia, several hundred students demonstrated, joined by farmers who drove their tractors into the center of town and employees of the state-run forestry department. While the sudden about-face on the status of Bouteflika has been forced upon the regime by the rising tide of working class opposition, General Salahs pseudo-constitutional solution will answer none of the political, much less social, demands that have brought millions of Algerians into the streets. If the Constitutional Council follows the military commanders orders, as it likely will, Bouteflika will be replaced by the legislative bodys chairman Abdelkader Bensalah, who would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 and up to 90 days. Bensalah, 76, is one of the founders of the Democratic National Rally (DNR), a coalition partner of Bouteflikas National Liberation Front (FLN) and a close ally of the ailing president. Under the terms of the constitution, elections would be held under the supervision of Bensalahs caretaker government within 90 days, ensuring continued control and domination by the ruling parties and the ruling class of wealthy businessmen, corrupt officials and military commanders that they represent. Sections of the opposition have denounced Salahs maneuver. Mustapha Bouchachi, a lawyer and leading figure in the Front of Socialist Forces (FFS), stated on Tuesday that The Algerian people dont accept that the government, or a symbol of power of this system, manages the transition period. These elements, which include all of the bourgeois opposition parties as well as pseudo-left groups like the Workers Party and the Pabloite Socialist Workers Party, allied with the French New Anti-Capitalist Party, are demanding only that they be included in this transition and are offering themselves to give the military-dominated regime a political facelift. What has brought masses of workers and youth into the streets, however, is not the desire for such a political reshuffling at the top, but rather the demand for a fundamental transformation of a social order in which 80 percent of the wealth is controlled by the top 10 percent, while the official youth unemployment rate stands at 30 percent and some 14 million people are condemned to live in abject poverty on less than $1.50 a day. As significant as the apparent abandonment of Bouteflika by the regime is in terms of the impact of the mass struggles that have shaken Algeria, it marks only the beginning of the struggle of the Algerian working class to transform these conditions. Whatever the fate of the aging president, power will remain in the hands of the military brass that has served as the linchpin of the capitalist setup in Algeria for decades. Until now, the security forces have been overwhelmed by the massive character of the demonstrations demanding Bouteflikas ouster, responding for the most part with tear gas and the arrest of protesters who are released the next day. The military commands commitment to a shift within the state apparatus may be accompanied by a turn to far more repressive measures that emulate the methods employed by its counterparts in Egypt. While Bouteflikas ouster will no doubt be met with jubilation across Algeria, the critical question is the development of an independent political strategy and the formation of a new revolutionary leadership in the working class. The central task facing Algerian workers is the formation of popular organs of power, based on the working class, to fight to overthrow and replace the remnants of Bouteflikas regime with a workers government. The victory of this revolution depends on its extension beyond Algeria, uniting Algerian workers with their class brothers and sisters throughout the Middle East and in the advanced capitalist countries. The Liberal-National Coalition government, along with Labor, the Greens and the entire Australian political establishment, is cynically using the March 15 fascist massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand to escalate long-standing moves to censor social media and suppress political discussion. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison summoned the Australian representatives of major social media companies, including Facebook, Google and Twitter, to a meeting in Brisbane, where he outlined a series of draconian measures aimed at forcing them to rapidly remove content. Morrison flagged legislation that would compel the platforms to delete whatever the government deems to be abhorrent violent material. It would be a criminal offence for the companies to fail to comply with a government directive, punishable by massive fines. Financial penalties would increase, based on the length of time that the material was publicly viewable. In an unprecedented move, the government has also stated that the legislation, which is still being drafted, will contain provisions for the criminal prosecution and potential jailing of social media executives and office holders who do not obey its dictates. Following the meeting, Attorney-General Christian Porter declared that the response of the social media representatives had been thoroughly underwhelming. There was unfortunately nothing in that room that would discourage the government from looking at a legislative solution to try to ensure that much, much quicker action is taken, Porter stated. Labor leader Bill Shorten has declared his support for the proposed legislation. The Greens have hysterically denounced fake news and called for an inquiry into social media. Labor and the Greens, no less than the Coalition, have overseen the build-up of police state measures over the past two decades. They are making clear that if a Greens-backed Labor government is installed in this years federal election, it will deepen the assault on democratic rights. All of the official parties and the corporate press have presented the proposed measures as an attempt to stop hate speech and prevent the public being exposed to offensive and violent material. They have cited the dissemination on social media platforms and websites of the Livestream video of the shooting produced by the fascist terrorist Brenton Tarrant. These claims are a lie. They are aimed at covering up the responsibility of the political establishment and all of the major parties for the Christchurch attack and utilising the massacre to crack down on the democratic rights of ordinary people. Tarrants attack was not the product of free speech or the internet. The Australian-born fascist was a highly conscious political operative with links to extreme right-wing networks in Australia and across Europe. His political outlook, based on murderous hostility to immigrants and an intense hatred of socialism, mirrors the nationalism and jingoism that has been promoted by Australian governments and all of the official parties for decades. For the past 30 years, Labor and Coalition governments have transformed Australia into a world model for the persecution of refugees fleeing imperialist war and oppression. They have vilified asylum-seekers, while detaining them indefinitely in concentration camps in the Pacific. The major parties and the press have demonised Muslims since 2001, as part of the bogus war on terror, aimed at legitimising predatory US-led military interventions and erecting the foundations of a police state. They have stoked nationalism and anti-Chinese xenophobia to divide and disorient the working class amid a deepening social crisis produced by their pro-business policies, and to legitimise Australias integration into US preparations for war with China. Morrison himself was installed as prime minister in a political coup within the Liberal Party last August, spearheaded by far-right forces. He and his colleagues have sought to transform the Liberal Party into an alt-right-style movement, modelled on Trump and based on extreme nationalism, xenophobia and populism. In reality, the calls for a crackdown on social media are directed against the mass opposition of workers, students and young people to the ruling elites agenda of war, austerity and authoritarianism. Since 2017, the major social media companies, working in collaboration with the US intelligence agencies, have introduced a series of algorithms to dramatically reduce traffic to socialist, progressive and anti-war websites. Facebook and Twitter have deleted hundreds of pages and accounts exposing US wars and military intrigues, and the domination of official politics by the banks and corporations. Morrison has made clear that his governments measures are of a piece with these international efforts to suppress freedom of speech online. In the immediate wake of the Christchurch attack, he floated the possibility of a ban on all social media livestreaming. This would prevent ordinary people from broadcasting significant social and political events and airing their views to a live audience online. Livestreaming has been used in the US, Australia and internationally to document police violence and state attacks on protests and to broadcast political demonstrations to a global audience. Even if the government legislation does not ban live-streaming, statements by senior Coalition ministers have signalled that it will be used to crackdown on political opposition. It is entirely possible, for instance, that footage of police attacking ordinary people or prison guards brutalising detainees could be deemed abhorrent violent material and proscribed. Moreover, the threat of financial and legal penalties is clearly intended to pressure the social media companies, which are already implementing online censorship, to carry out the broadest removal of content, including to protect their own lucrative operations. Already, in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch attack, major Australian internet service providers blocked access to websites which had hosted Tarrants video, even if they had subsequently removed it. Facebook has begun a purge of pages associated with the Australian far-right. These measures will inevitably be followed by attempts to suppress left-wing and progressive pages and opposition from the working class. Morrison, and Peter Dutton, the minister for home affairs, set the stage for this, by declaring last week that it was necessary to oppose extremism of the left and the right. A federal Senate hearing on social media in November last year underscored the real target of online censorship. Journalists from corporate media outlets, including Chris Zappone, the online foreign editor for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, warned that social media threatened social cohesion and was fuelling growing distrust between the populationthe citizensand the leaders of that country. Dr Michael Jensen, of the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, a government-funded think tank, said that online discussion would likely be used to weaken the Five Eyes alliancethe international surveillance network led by the United States, which monitors the communications of millions of ordinary people and is integral to the preparations for war. He warned of online support for Julian Assange, who is being persecuted for his role in WikiLeaks exposure of US war crimes, mass spying and illegal diplomatic intrigues. At the hearing, representatives of the Coalition, Labor and the Greens all expressed support for measures aimed at suppressing anti-war and progressive sentiment online. The drive by the entire political establishment, in Australia and internationally, to social media censorship and other authoritarian measures, underscores the importance of the International Coalition of Socialist, Antiwar and Progressive Websites, initiated by the World Socialist Web Site in 2018 to fight back against these attacks on freedom of speech and democratic rights. British MPs begin a series of indicative votes today to establish what form of Brexit, if any, can secure a majority in parliament. This follows the vote Monday night in favour of a cross-party amendment put by Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin, and Labours Hilary Benn. Under its provisions, MPs can put forward a number of soft Brexit solutions to be voted on, including a Norway style plan, or revoke entirely the Article 50 legislation governing the UK leaving the European Union (EU). With the position of Prime Minister Theresa May gravely threatenedthe EU has allowed her only this week for parliament to pass the withdrawal deal she agreedshe instructed Tory MPs to oppose the amendment. But she suffered a defeat by 329 to 302 after 29 Conservatives voted with opposition parties. Her defeat would have been bigger, but eight Labour Party MPs from pro-Brexit constituencies supported the government. The Letwin/Benn vote went ahead after May told parliament that she still did not have enough support for her deal to pass after two previous defeats. Along with continued resistance from the Tories hard-Brexit faction, organised in the European Research Group (ERG), the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), whose 10 MPs allow May to govern as a minority, remain opposed. Sky News reported sources explaining that the DUP would rather see a year-long extension to Article 50 than back Mays deal. They are opposed to provisionsthat the EU insist are nonnegotiablekeeping Northern Ireland in the EU Customs Union, post-Brexit. Senior EU figures welcomed the vote. The European Parliaments lead Brexit spokesman, Guy Verhofstadt, tweeted Tuesday, Parliament takes control. An opportunity to build a cross-party cooperation leading to an enhanced political declaration & a closer future relationship! This was also the stand taken by the mainly pro-Remain media in Britain, who hailed parliaments seizing control of Brexit. MPs may indeed have formally taken control of the next stage of the Brexit crisis, but any positions arrived at in todays votes are not legally binding on the government. May warned MPs on Monday, No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is. So I cannot commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this house. May stated that she would not accept any outcome contradicting the Tories 2016 election manifesto, pledging that the UK would leave the EUs single market and the customs union. In addition, the move for indicative votes deepens a constitutional crisis begun when Parliaments Speaker, the Remain-supporting Tory John Bercow, intervened to insist that May cannot put her deal for a third time unless it is materially altered. Eurosceptic Bill Cash described the move as a constitutional revolution, with a prime minister unable to determine the course of preliminary debates for the first time in 100 years. To ensure their contending factions are strengthened, given Mays weakened position, Tory MPs are demanding a free vote on any indicative votes. It remains unclear whether May will accede to the demand, but according to Telegraph reporter Steven Swinford, a Cabinet source warned there will be total carnage if Theresa May does not allow MPs free votes on indicative options. There wont be a junior Remain minister left in government.' If Mays vote is not passed this week, it is expected that Remain MPs will attempt a further shoring up next Monday of the indicative votes that have the most support. Nick Boles, one of the 29 Tory rebels, stated that Remain MPs will be relying on the government to reflect parliaments wishes in the first instance but we wont be relying on it for long. If ultimately the government refuses to listen to what parliament has voted for, then well look to bring forward a bill, pass an act of parliament, that will require the government to reflect parliaments wishes. An alternative scenario is possible, in which the indicative votes amendment backfires and forces hard-Brexit Tories to vote for Mays deal as an alternative to Brexit being derailed entirely. Steve Brine, who resigned as a health minister after breaking Mays whip, told BBC Radios Today, What last night will do is focus some minds... Those on my side who dont like the deal, maybe they will realise that the House of Commons is prepared to act. And, anything from here, as far as they are concerned, gets softer in terms of Brexit. Former Tory party leader William Hague, in an article in the pro-Brexit Telegraph yesterday headlined, Brexiteers will soon discover that all other deals are worse than Mrs May's, wrote, The more you look at the alternatives, the more you go back to the deal on the table and think it's not so bad after all. The political shift among sections of the hard-Brexit wing was evident in the comments Tuesday of the chairman of the ERG, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said that he would now back Mays deal rather than risk there being no Brexit at all. Just weeks ago, Rees-Mogg was describing the deal as one in which the UK would remain "not so much a vassal state [of the EU] anymore as a slave state." However, only Mays removal and the possibility of a hard-Brexit Tory being able to take over, will satisfy a significant section of the Eurosceptics. Tonight, May is set to meet the Tory backbench MPs 1922 Committee, where it is expected that she will come under renewed pressure to give a timetable for her standing down in exchange for reluctant MPs backing her deal. According to reports, this proposition was discussed at the prime ministers country retreat, Chequers, where May met cabinet ministers and leading Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson, at the weekend and which some predicted wrongly would end with announcements of a leadership contest. The Sun, owned by billionaire pro-Brexit oligarch Rupert Murdoch, is demanding this outcome. In a front-page editorial Monday headlined, Times Up Theresa, it wrote, Her deal has only one, slim chance of achieving a majority in the Commons. That is if she pledges immediately to resign and set in motion the election of her successor as Tory leader and PM after we leave the EU on the new deadline of May 22. Stating, Her Brexit deal is not the worst imaginable, the Sun insisted that if May stands down, [T]ory Brexiteers and the DUP must back the deal. Because if it fails again this week we are heading for a much softer Brexitor none. That will be a catastrophe for the country, the Tories and Parliament. Nothing will be resolved by the indicative votes in terms of ending the intractable divisions within the ruling elite. Aware of the precariousness of their own position, advocates for a Peoples Vote second referendum as the means of reversing Brexit entirely insist that it must be treated as an option separate to any other. Tory Remainer Justine Greening backed Owen Smith, the Blairite Labour MP and former challenger to the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn in Mondays debate, to insist, There is a difference between the Peoples Vote option and the others The others relate to a substantive route forward on Brexit. A public vote is a way of ensuringthe public are behind whatever consensus this House may find favour with. Smith said, We need to be absolutely clear that a Peoples Vote is entirely separate from any of the options that we might vote on. The author recommends: The Brexit crisis and the struggle for socialism [23 January 2019] Two months before the European elections, the European Parliament has voted to massively escalate internet censorship. Yesterday, the majority of MEPs voted in favour of a directive which, under the guise of copyright reforms, would enforce the use of so-called upload filters in social media, thus further restricting the internet. According to Article 17 (formerly Article 13) of the Directive, internet platforms must now ensure that works protected by copyright are not uploaded without permission. This could only be enforced through upload filters, which automatically filter and censor content. The consequences are clear: internet giants such as YouTube and Facebook, which cooperate closely with the secret services and governments and already censor left-wing and progressive content on a massive scale, are being urged to delete articles, videos or other postings even before they are uploaded. So far, platforms such as YouTube and Facebook have had to delete copyrighted works from their sites as soon as they receive a complaint. According to Article 17 of the new directive, operators must ensure that copyrighted works are not uploaded without permission. Alternatively, they must seek licences for the material uploaded by third parties and, in principle, develop mechanisms to prevent works from being made available in the first place where the rights holders have proven their claims. In practice, given the amount, variety and speed with which new content is uploaded, this could only be achieved by automatically scanning and filtering all content in advance. Anyone who inserts images, excerpts from texts, videos or music to their own content, or modifies such content to create new content from it, can fall victim to the upload filters just as much as someone actually violating copyright law. In addition, upload filters can be politically manipulated so that, for example, texts or videos that are directed against austerity, militarism and war, report on labor disputes and strikes or contain terms such as socialism or Marxism are censored. None of this is the result of an oversight, but is the real purpose of the reform. The European governments and giant tech companies fear growing social opposition and are already censoring left-wing and progressive content on a massive scale. Facebook regularly deletes accounts that oppose war and police violence. In Germany, tens of thousands of posts have been deleted since the so-called Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) came into force. Google, in consultation with German government circles, has modified its search algorithms in order to suppress left-wing and progressive websitesincluding, above all, the World Socialist Web Site. Faced with the Yellow Vest protests in France, the mass protests in Algeria and the growth of class struggle internationally, the ruling class is feverishly seeking ways to suppress all independent opposition. Already last autumn, the EU agreed to intensify internet censorship and threatened opposition parties with sanctions and punishments. This most recent authoritarian measure has been pushed through in direct opposition to the expressed will of the population. On the weekend before the vote, more than 100,000 across Europe took to the streets against the new directive and the infamous upload filters. More than 40,000 people demonstrated in Munich on Saturday and more than 10,000 in Berlin. Further protests took place in Malmo, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Bucharest, Krakow, Lisbon and Thessaloniki. An online petition on change.org, Stop the censorship machineSave the internet, was signed by more than 5.1 million people. Last Thursday, the German Wikipedia site went offline for a day in protest. Immediately after the vote on Tuesday evening, spontaneous demonstrations with several hundred participants each took place in Cologne, Karlsruhe, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dresden and Leipzig. Further protests are planned for the next few days. The directive must be approved by the European Council before it can officially enter into force. According to media reports, this will take place in a vote on 9 April. The MEPs who voted against the reformincluding the majority of SPD, Linkspartei and Green MEPs from Germanyfear above all the growing radicalisation among students and young workers. Julia Reda, a member of the Green/European Free Alliance (EFA) parliamentary group, warned that the directive would rob an entire generation of confidence that politics will represent the interests of the population. In fact, the vote showed that all the establishment parties support censorship and the construction of a European police state. Representatives of all factionsfrom the European Left (GUE/NGL), the Greens, Liberals (ALDE), Social Democrats (S&D) and Conservatives (EPP and ECR) to the extreme right (ENF and EFDD)voted in favour of the new censorship law. In implementing their reactionary plans, EU politicians are resorting to bald-faced lies. A few days before the vote, conservative European politician Daniel Caspary (CDU) denounced the anti-censorship protests in the Bild newspaper as bought demonstrators who would endanger democracy. EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova told Netzpolitik that upload filters and short deletion periods for online platforms could have prevented the right-wing terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand and the radicalisation of the perpetrator. She wanted 100 percent certainty that terrorist content... would not remain on the net. Such statements turn reality upside down. It is not the internet and demonstrators who are responsible for attacks on democratic rights or the radicalisation of right-wing terrorists like Brenton Tarrant, but EU politicians like Jourova herself. She is a member of the Czech governing party ANO 2011, which advocates a restrictive immigration policy and denounces Muslim refugees as potential terrorists. How openly and shamelessly leading European politicians are tying in with Nazi traditions was demonstrated by a statement made by the head of the conservative EPP parliamentary group, Manfred Weber (CSU), at the beginning of 2018. The central European issue was the final solution to the refugee question, he declared. One year later, European governments openly consider fascistic methods to implement their reactionary policies. Ahead of protests by the Yellow Vests last weekend, the Paris military governor announced that the soldiers of an elite unit were ready to open fire on demonstrators with live ammunition if necessary. Workers and youth must draw the necessary conclusions. The struggle against internet censorshipas well as the struggle against social inequality, fascism and warrequires a political struggle: that is, the mobilization of the international working class on the basis of a socialist program. The jailing of John Murphy for common assault by beating confirms the warning made by the Socialist Equality Party of the serious implications for the working class of the March 3 assault on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The SEP warned that the attack on the 69-year-old politician by the burly 31-year-old must be taken as a serious warning of the dangerous right-wing political climate being whipped up by Britains ruling elite and its media outlets. Corbyn was in the Finsbury Park Mosques Muslim Welfare House, when Murphy smashed an egg in his clenched fist into the side of the Labour leaders head while he was sitting down eating with his wife, Laura. The media responded universally by downplaying the incident, referring constantly to an egging, or someone throwing an egg, even though Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott explained that Murphy had effectively punched Corbyn leaving a livid red mark. Video footage, which can be viewed here, confirms Abbotts account of a violent and serious assault. Yet the media has not changed its tune. The main news channels, the BBC and ITN, both refer to an egging when reporting Murphys 28-day sentence. This is despite Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, at Westminster Magistrates Court, calling Murphys actions an attack on the democratic process, as she sentenced him to 14 days behind bars, to be on licence for the next year and to pay a 115 victim surcharge. Arbuthnot continued, The impact on Jeremy Corbyn has been considerable, he says he was very shocked and surprised and he had always previously felt safe. Mr Corbyn wouldnt have been able to anticipate being hit, or that the assault would stop after one hit. Mr Corbyn was particularly vulnerable because of his position as Leader of the Opposition. In his own impact statement, Corbyn said he has been forced to review his personal security, and that his wife and family had been left stressed and distressed. In a perspective comment, the World Socialist Web Site explained that Murphy had screamed, When you vote you get what you vote for, referring to Corbyns acceptance of a possible second referendum on Britain leaving the European Union. We wrote, The impulse for Murphys attack is the toxic atmosphere generated by Brexit, and the relentless and hysterical state campaign against Corbyn and the left. There is a sinister and deadly logic to these attacks. The WSWS noted that on June 19, 2017 Darren Osborne drove a rented van at a group of worshipers on the street outside the same Finsbury Park Mosque and the Muslim Welfare Centre, injuring 12 people and killing Makram Ali. He had admitted planning to murder Corbyn and Londons Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan at a June 18 Al Quds protest in central London. One year earlier, the fascist Thomas Mair murdered pro-Remain Labour MP Jo Cox while screaming, Britain first! The SEP reiterated these warnings at the March 17 launch meeting in Londons Foyles bookshop of Why are they back? which deals with the re-emergence of fascism in Europe. The meeting took place just two days after the slaughter of 50 Muslim worshipers in Christchurch, New Zealand by the Australian fascist Brenton Tarrant. Explaining in his manifesto how he had been radicalised in Europe, Tarrant also threatened to murder Labour Party Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and names Osborne as a co-thinker. He described Brexit as the British people firing back at mass immigration, cultural displacement and globalism, and thats a great and wonderful thing. Daily Mirror Associate Editor Kevin Maguire suggested that Murphys sentencing had been too harsh, tweeting, OK, might be unpopular but wouldnt community service be better than jailing this stupid egg-stremist? In fact, it has emerged that Murphy was a far more dangerous individual than was made apparent during his trial and that his sentence was very lenientespecially in the context of the Christchurch events. It was left to Corbyns son, Tommy Corbyn, to reply to Maguire by posting a screen shot of an explicit death threat made on Facebook by Murphy against opponents of Brexit. Murphy wrote: So surreal that people are so fucking deluded they think ignoring a democratic vote and inciting their own deaths at the hands of a democratic mob is a sensible idea. And in case youre wondering, yes, this is a death threat. Others reported similar comments. The Young Liberal Society noted that on its Facebook group, Murphy had threatened to murder anyone who approved of Good Friday [the agreement ending the Civil War in Northern Ireland]; threatened to shoot traitorous Islamist c***s at Mosques; threatened violence towards several anti-Brexit members; told members to be afraid for their lives if they campaign against Brexit. A member of the group added, He outright said he would kill people at [last years pro-Remain] march. Directly TO people not just generic threats. None of this appears to have been taken account of in the sentencing of Murphy. This is in line with the mass medias efforts to minimise the threat from the far-right, when to address it honestly would mean confronting the key role played by their own efforts to demonise Corbyn and the left. In the comment section of the Daily Mail, for example , can be found such statements as, Brick would have been better, Should have used a brick, Shame it wasn't a brick or iron bar actually, Pity it wasnt a grenade and he [Corbyn] is a Leninist! So jail a gulag or firing squad for all those who disagree with him. BBC News comments add a bloody sledge hammer to this list of weapons. ITN has more of the same, including a disparaging reference to how Corbyn looked so comfortable there hanging out enjoying a meal with his friends in the mosque. Other comments refer to the slanders of the Blairites and the Tories that Corbyn is a Jew-hater and a traitor, who should be imprisoned himself. On the Facebook site Jeremy Corbyn Watch, ex-soldier and admirer of Tommy Robinson, Stewart Stain, asks, Does anyone know Corbyn 's home address? I'm heading to London this week and want to visit. Politically deranged elements such as Tarrant and thugs like Murphy are being given succour by the entire gamut of official politics, especially the anti-Muslim sentiment that pervades the Tory Party and the anticommunism that unites the Tories with the Labour right. The SEP reiterates the necessity for heightened political vigilance and security regarding fascist provocateurs, combined with a determined political counteroffensive for socialism against all those forces giving succour to the far-right. This includes Labours right wing, which Corbyn has protected from expulsion by the partys rank and file. Mondays episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Four Corners program, The Christchurch Massacre and the Rise of Right-wing Extremism, raised serious unanswered questions about how fascist and white supremacist Brenton Tarrant was able to carry out his terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. On March 15, Tarrant, an Australian citizen, killed 50 people and injured 50 more using a semi-automatic rifle. He had spent at least two years planning the massacre in the small city of Dunedin, south of Christchurch, where he trained at a nearby rifle club, wrote his 74-page manifesto and communicated with fascists internationally, including on extreme right message boards on the 8chan website. The attack has provoked widespread shock and anger in New Zealand, Australia and internationally. At vigils and rallies, many people have demanded to know how it could have happened. The state, however, has sought to severely restrict discussion of the most crucial questions, including the political roots of the massacre. In New Zealand, the censors office banned possession and distribution of Tarrants fascist manifesto, which outlines the gunmans political motives and influencesincluding US President Donald Trumpand connections with extreme right-wing circles internationally. Canberra and Wellington have refused to explain why the state did not prevent Tarrants attack despite his many public statements voicing hatred of immigrants, Muslims and socialists, including threats of violence. The New Zealand police and government insist that Tarrant flew under the radar and acted alone, despite his claims that he interacted with many extreme nationalist groups and had received a blessing for his attack from Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Behring Breivik. Four Corners reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop posed the question: How did [Tarrant] manage to fly completely under the radar while planning a mass murder? His report suggested that police and intelligence agencies had underestimated the threat of white supremacist attacks because they were focused on Islamic extremism; and that they are drastically underfunded. Neither of these explanations stands up to scrutiny. As the Four Corners program itself noted, there have been numerous warnings about far-right extremism in Australia and New Zealand, and Christchurch has for decades been known as a centre of neo-Nazi activity. There have been numerous acts of harassment, intimidation and threats against the citys Muslim community, including the Al-Noor mosque targeted by Tarrant. In 2016 neo-Nazi Philip Arps was fined $800 for delivering a box of pigs heads to the mosque. Police have not explained why they did nothing to protect the mosque following this very clear threat. Another 18-year-old man, who has not been publicly identified, has been charged with posting threats against the mosque on Facebook days before the massacre. Again, there has been no explanation of why police took no action until after the shooting. For years, Tarrant posted comments on Facebook praising the fascist and anti-Islamic United Patriots Front in Australia and threatening to kill Marxists and globalists. Two days before his attack, Four Corners noted, the terrorist flooded Facebook with posts on extreme right-wing themes [and] posted photos on Twitter of guns and magazines covered with symbols of his fascist ideology. None of this triggered any intervention by police. The timeline of the day of the massacre raises an even more disturbing question: Why was Tarrant not stopped even after he publicly revealed his exact plans? At midday, he posted links to his manifesto, which clearly identifies his targets, on Facebook. At 1:28 p.m. he shared the document on 8chan along with a message saying he would carry out an attack against the invaders, and links to a livestream video. Three minutes later he emailed his manifesto to 70 email addresses, including the prime ministers office and media organisations. He began live-streaming while driving carefully to the first of two mosques. Tarrant was clearly not worried about being intercepted: his gun is visible in the car and his GPS navigation system can be clearly heard directing him to the first of two mosques. The attack began at 1:40 p.m. As Robert Evans, an analyst from the Bellingcat think tank, told Four Corners, anyone monitoring the neo-Nazi forum would have seen Tarrants message and video and could have reached out to law enforcement in New Zealand and warned them about what was going to happen and cut down the response time before armed police units arrived to intercept them, significantly. Instead, the gunman was able to carry out his attack calmly, at one point leaving the mosque, walking casually outside, then returning to shoot any injured people. A total of 41 people died at Al Noor mosque. Tarrants video ended after 17 minutes, while he was driving to the smaller Linwood mosque where he continued his killing spree. Tarrant was arrested 36 minutes after the first emergency call was made to police as the attack began, while on his way to a third mosque in Ashburton. Evans described 8chan as a 24-hour Klan or neo-Nazi rally where every now and then someone will leave in order to commit a violent attack. The obvious question, which has not been raised in the media, is: were any of the millions of police and spies in New Zealand, Australia, the US, Europe and elsewhere monitoring the well-known far-right forum? And, if so, why did they apparently do nothing to stop the attack? Neil Fergus, an analyst from the think tank Intelligent Risks, told Four Corners that the gunmans social media posts should have sounded alarms, but New Zealands spy agencies were not particularly well-served in terms of resources. This claim is utterly false. Like previous terrorist attacks internationally, including the September 11, 2001 attack in the US, the Christchurch atrocity is already being used to demand even more anti-democratic powers for New Zealands Security Intelligence Service (SIS), Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) and the police. These agencies have received a vast increase in funding, personnel and technical capability over the past two decades. Legal restrictions on their ability to spy on the population are practically non-existent. Security analyst Paul Buchanan told Radio NZ that in 2017, the year Tarrant moved to New Zealand, police conducted 7,000 warrantless searches, an extraordinary number for a country with fewer than five million people. The GCSB and SIS also have the power to conduct electronic surveillance of anyone in New Zealand under legislation pushed through in 2014, ostensibly aimed at combating terrorism. The GCSB is part of the Five Eyes network, led by the US National Security Agency, which also includes the spy agencies of Australia, Britain and Canada. As whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed, the NSA and its partners spy on billions of communications all over the world and share information with each other. There is no innocent explanation for the fact that these agencies, with multi-billion dollar budgets and vast powers and capabilities, failed to monitor Tarrant. The gunman travelled to several countries in Europe, as well as Pakistan, North Korea and, according to some reports, Afghanistan, countries that are under heavy surveillance. Evans told Four Corners that if the gunman had registered as a firearms owner and was commenting on radical Islamic Facebook pages advocating holy war, I think the governments of New Zealand and... Australia would absolutely have been looking into this person before the shooting. While Muslims, environmental groups, pacifist groups and others have been under heavy surveillance, the fascist networks in New Zealand and Australia have been allowed to operate without interference from the state. The explanation for this is political: the anti-Marxism expressed by Tarrant and the fascist tendencies that inspired him are shared by the political establishment and the state. In his manifesto, Tarrant estimates that hundreds of thousands of members of the police and armed forces in Europe are members of far-right nationalist groups, a statement which raises questions about whether Tarrant had any contact with state agencies. The main function of the spy agencies and the police over the past century has been to prevent the growth of a socialist movement in the working class. There are countless examples of police infiltration of socialist and leftist groups in the US, Australia and New Zealand, dating back to before the Russian Revolution. The Christchurch attacks took place in a definite political context of economic breakdown, trade war and growing preparations for war by the US and its allies. Trump, in his violent rants against socialism, expresses openly the fears of the ruling class everywhere, which has been shaken by the upsurge in class struggle over the past year. The political establishment has increasingly adopted the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim demagogy of the extreme right in order to divide the working class. Parties such as Australias One Nation and New Zealand First, which is a major part of the Labour-led government, have expressed racist and xenophobic views similar to those in Tarrants manifesto. The attack in Christchurch must be taken as a sharp warning of the forces that are being prepared to be used against the working class. Workers and young people internationally must make their own political preparations by building a socialist movement to put an end to the capitalist system and its division of the world into nation-states, which is the source of nationalism, racism and war. The jobs massacre in Goodyear-Dunlops tire factories is continuing, with 1,100 job cuts planned at its facilities in Hanau and Fulda in the German state of Hesse. Goodyear-Dunlop shut two plants down over recent years, in Amiens, France, in 2014, and Philippsburg, Germany, in 2017. As Goodyear-Dunlop Tires Germany Ltd. announced on March 19, 490 job cuts will take place at its Fulda tire factory and 610 at its headquarters in Hanau by 2022. Both factories currently employ around 2,900 workers, meaning the latest measure will cut more than a third of the workforce. The one-time largest producer of tires in the world currently employs 60,000 workers in 22 countries. Company management, the works council, and local politicians are now engaged in damage control to prevent a rebellion among the workers. Business manager Jurgen Titz has insisted that the job cuts will be carried out in a socially responsible manner. This simply means that restructuring, including the job cuts, will take place in consultation with the works councils. For their part, the works council and Industrial, Mining, Chemical, and Energy Union (IG BCE) support the plans, and want to try and find the best possible solutions for the workers, said Ines Sauer, chair of the works council at the Fulda factory. In Hanau, works council chair Herbert Sandner claimed he was shocked, and called for a social plan for those impacted. According to the Goodyear-Dunlop board, the company will invest 106 million in the two plants in parallel with the job cuts. Management also announced that in order to improve competitiveness, production in future will focus on larger tires no less than 17 inches in size. The IG BCE welcomed this move in particular. Osman Olusoy, deputy leader of the union in Hesse, merely complained that the restructuring had come too late and that the job cuts were the result of a chain of errors by management in tire production. In order to quell opposition among the workers, Hanau mayor Claus Kaminsky (SPD) sought to pose as their ally, stating that he trusts that Goodyear will remain an important actor in our local economy over the long-term. After a meeting with the board, which was also attended by Sandner, Kaminsky said that the positive thing is that management and the works council are working hand-in-hand. Kaminskys claim that management and the works council are working hand-in-hand is correct, but their goal is to strangle any opposition among the workers. Their claim that the job cuts will secure the factories for the long-term is a flat-out lie. The entire global auto industry is being restructured. A jobs massacre is under way at Ford, VW, Opel, Audi, and at practically all supplier plants. Under conditions of global trade war, General Motors and Ford are in the process of winding down their European operations. In addition, there is the impact of Brexit and the transition to electric cars. The companies are exploiting this to boost their profits at the expense of the workers, and slash hundreds of thousands of jobs. The layoffs at Goodyear began five years ago, when in January 2014 the companys plant in Amiens was closed with the loss of 1,200 jobs. The workers, who responded by spontaneously occupying the plant, were isolated by the trade unions, especially by the IG BCE. Two workers were subsequently hauled before the courts for allegedly kidnapping the factory manager and were handed prison sentences. Then in 2017, the Philippsburg factory in Baden-Wurttemberg, once the largest Goodyear factory outside of the United States, was shut down. Since then, some 2,000 jobs have been cut at German Goodyear plants. The experience of the workers at Philippsburg is worth reviewing. It showed once again how bankrupt the unions policy of isolating each plant actually is. The argument We will accept job cuts to save the plant served to divide the workforce and pave the way for the shuttering of the entire factory. Even as the closure of Philippsburg was in progress, Goodyear outsourced the jobs of around 900 workers in Wittlich to a subsidiary, Goodyear-Dunlop Tires manufacturing. Their collective bargaining rights and wages are guaranteed only until 2022. In Hanau and Fulda, production plans also only run for the coming two and a half years, and much of the work is already done by contract workers who have virtually no rights. If they are to defend their jobs, Goodyear workers must reject the lies and intimidation of Goodyear management, the bourgeois politicians, works councils, and IG BCE. They must organise themselves independently in rank-and-file action committees to make contact with workers at other Goodyear plants and throughout the entire global auto industry in order to take the defence of jobs into their own hands on the basis of a socialist programme. The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter calls on all workers seeking to wage a principled struggle against job cuts and plant shutdowns to contact us. Teacher: One Womans Struggle to Keep the Heart in Teaching is a thought-provoking memoir by a humane and gifted teacher. After committing to her profession for 15 years, in both primary and secondary schools, however, Gabbie Stroud finally resigned out of sheer frustration and despair. Stroud had dreamed of becoming a teacher since primary school. Her childhood dream led her to university, where she gained the qualifications and opportunity to teach in Britain, Canada and throughout rural New South Wales in Australia. The power of Strouds story lies in her highly evocative descriptions of both classrooms and staffrooms, which are heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time; sometimes humorous, but, above all else, highly critical of the crisis-ridden state of public education. Stroud reveals what it is like to be a teacher in a disadvantaged communitythe ever-increasing workload; the mind-numbing regime of standardised testing; inadequate funding, resources and educational support staff. With great sensitivity, she describes some of the children in her classes, and the difficult circumstances that many of them confront beyond the classroom. Stressing the critical role of the relationship between educator and learner, Stroud exposes the negative impact of a data-driven approach on student learning and well-being. While no longer a teacher, Strouds book is clearly resonating with teachers across Australia. And this coincides with an eruption of strike action by educators around the world, opposing the same conditions that forced her resignation. Early this year, Gabbie Stroud agreed to an interview with Sue Phillips, convenor of the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), established by the Socialist Equality Party to unify teachers in Australia and internationally against the global assault on public education. Sue Phillips: Your book begins by describing five- and six-year-old students returning to class after a lunch break. Its a 40-degree Celsius summer day, week two of the school year. You are fumbling with your key to open the door; two students have run off chasing insects; one child is having shoe lace problems and demanding your immediate attention, and another has a nose bleed. Why did you start the book in this way? GS: There are two reasons. When I tried to find my way into the book, I realised the story I wanted to tell was how teaching left me. It didnt just happen on the last day, when I walked out of the classroom. It had been happening for a really long time. That particular day, when I was just trying to get the key into the lock and children into the classroom, a little boy called Grayson threw his shoe at me. It hit me in my chest, and I responded in a way that was not typical. I lost my cool and threw his shoe out the door. It was the first conscious moment of my unravelling: the moment when my story and identity as a teacher started to unravel. But there was another element. For too long now, the reality of the classroom has been missing from discussion around education. I think our voice, the character of students and teachers, has been absent. So chapter one of the book was my attempt to take readers into the classroom. To show what it is like to be a teacher, the sort of things children and teachers are experiencing every day. SP: What has been the response to your book? GS: The response has been absolutely amazing. The book keeps selling out and they keep reprinting it. When you write a book, it can be a very lonely process. I had many days when I thought, Whos going to read this anyway? Its turned out that thousands and thousands are reading it. People find themselves in this story. My inbox and my Facebook message box are literally choc a bloc. At a conservative guess, Id have three or four thousand messages from people who have read my book and taken the time to message me. I looked at some of them today. Ive got a message that says: I am a 27-year-old teacher who has just become a statistic. Its my fourth year out of university. They say that up to 50 percent of teachers drop out in the first five years. This year, that was me. Another: I changed my career to become a teacher and ended up teaching part-time for 12 years at a very challenging school, where I squeezed in library, learning support, computer coordinator, all in two to three days per week. She ends by saying: There is no respect for teachers in Australia. I have thousands of messages like that. One of the most powerful things my voice is doing is giving teachers the language to talk about their experiences. For a long-time each individual teacher thought: Oh gee, it is just me. It is only me that is not coping. My book gives permission to say: No! Like Gabbie, I am not coping, I am struggling; finding it hard; Im having very bad days alongside the very good days. SP: Your book describes your experiences in Australia, but also teaching in London and Canada, where you spent several years. Would you say there is a commonality in the experiences of public school teachers internationally? GS: Yes, definitely. We all face policy makers, politicians, government departments who look to theory and particular research, trying to inform teachers how best to do their job. This just doesnt work. They are not practitioners, who are trained or have experience in education. Even independent and Catholic school in regional and rural Australia are experiencing similar problems to those in public education. SP: Governments and the Departments of Education claim that class size, funding, resources and school staffing are not critical. What do you think? GS: I have read research that class size doesnt matter and it is about the quality of the teachers, blah, blah, blah. But let me tell you, as the teacher who is out the front, my stress levels and potential for having a heart attack go up every time a new student enrolls and is put in my classroom. That has got to count for something. Wheres the research on that? Research shows one of the greatest things to reduce teacher stress is simply to have another adult in the room, who provides support. Someone reliable you can go to when a blood nose happens, or when the interactive whiteboard wont work, or when students like Grayson are having a meltdown, and throwing things across the room. Governments need to talk to the people who do the work, teachers voices need to be heard. SP: Many of the children you taught were from disadvantaged backgrounds. What do you think about the fact that the OECD has described Australias education system as one of the most unequal systems in the world? GS: It actually disgusts me; its absolutely disgraceful. When I grew up and went to primary school, I thought this was the greatest country on the planet, so clever, and well-resourced. But as I have grown older and seen how governments act, I have become so disenfranchised and so disillusioned. The fact that our indigenous children still suffer because of lack of government funding, that kids in regional and rural schools are at a disadvantagethis is just not good enough. We keep talking about Gonski needs-based funding. We are now up to the second Gonski review, but things are not changing for the better. Its almost as if our system doesnt need a reformation, it needs a re-creation. Its like we need to dismantle it and start again from the ground up. SP: The book highlights the transformation wrought since the Rudd Labor government's imposition of NAPLAN (standardised tests) and My School (national school rankings). In your book you say NAPLAN, has infiltrated and transformed schools. Could you explain? GS: The most damaging thing about NAPLAN and school standardisation is that it has totally changed how we think about education. Weve got parents and students, and even some teachers, who believe that learning is something that must be measured, quantified, weighed, scored and ranked. Anyone who has been teaching for a few years knows that true learning, growth and progress is something that you cannot really quantify, measure and rank. The belief we can shop for schools like we shop for insurance is a great disservice to both the learner and the teacher that once you pass the test and you get an A, then youre done. We need serious and creative young people who see learning as worthwhile, just because it makes them a better human being. Not because you get a better score or mark. SP: The book describes the business model being imposed on public education. GS: The business model is the idea of making everything standarda standardised curriculum, professional teaching standards, and standardised tests. Its almost this formulaic idea of, the way to teach is to do this, administer these activities in this way, then test for that, and this outcome should be reached. Teaching does not work like that! It isnt an exact science. It is both science and an art, and so much of the art of teaching comes from teachable moments, arising from the relationship you build with the learner. They come from the time spent engaging with students, in activities and conversations together. We are losing that. There is nothing standard about the journey of learning. Everyones journey is very different, and its not fair to try and make schools into businesses. Schools are not like hospitals and theyre not like businesses. A school is a school. Theyre just unique places where extraordinary things should be happening. SP: In one chapter you explain your attempt to implement a new assessment tool (rubrics) imposed by the education department. You applied the assessment tool in an art lesson. Can you describe the outcome and impact on the students? GS: It was a lesson with little ones, years one and two, and it was about self-portraits. I normally would have started by bringing in a set of mirrors, and pulling funny faces in mirrors and things like that. Having fun, and also looking at self-portraits by Van Gogh and Picasso. Instead, I started with the rubricit was a massive grid that took up the whole of an A4 page. Some kids didnt even have the literacy skills to hold the piece of paper around the right way. A typical rubric is: if you want to get ticked in the column excellent, youd have a complete self-portrait. It would represent the entire face and things would be in proportion and so on. Then certain things for a tick in the good column and then satisfactory, and so it went. Some of them were doing their self-portraits with the rubric by their side, and going through it like a check list, Ive done this and now Im going to do that. Other kids just went at the task with wild abandon, and forgot all about the rubric. When I graded the art work, it was an awful moment. I love looking at their self-portraits, they are on the wall like this series of wanted posters. Theyre just beautiful. They say so much about those children, where they are up to in their learning, and yet I had to grade them and quantify them and put a little check mark in each of the boxes on the grid. When those children came in and got those results it was as though they were receiving their year 12 results. They were anxious and nervous about it. Some of them cried. Kids should feel proud of their work. Some wanted to rip their work off the wall. One said, Ill go home and do it again better with my own paints at home. I just need more time. When the kids look at their work on the wall, many understand that they didnt work fast enough and finish their self-portrait. They dont need their teacher to consolidate that with a nail in the coffin, and a tick on a sheet that said you didnt get this finished. Theres something that happens to the relationship between the learner and the teacher when we grade kids in this way. It felt really uncomfortable. It didnt impact their learning; it didnt improve what they were doing; some were oblivious to it because they were just too little and didnt understand. A parent rang and wanted to know why their child got a C. What qualifications did I have in teaching art and art appreciation to give me the skills to know when a child deserved a C over a B. One parent requested a meeting with the principal. It went on and on. Interestingly, the principal, who was so gung-ho and ready to support rubrics, became quickly worn down, almost wishing we hadnt implemented rubrics. SP: Many teachers will relate to your descriptions of staff meetings. You raise that, over time, you became the person who voiced what everyone was thinking. At one stage, you were banned from taking minutes. Why? GS: I am one of those teachers who brings my whole self to the job, which means my personality comes with me. I think this is a great advantage. For some, my personality became a bit of a dangerous thing. The message in staff meetings, though not stated, was sit down and shut up so we can all get out on time. While colleagues may be sympathetic to my thoughts, the general consensus was that talking is not going to change anything, dont rise against the machine. But Im a thinker and I have things to say. It is not in my personality to sit there and not ask questions. When things were said in staff meetings that did not fit right with me, I had to say something. Some of my comments may have been confronting for teachers in leadership. There was a time where I was banned from taking staff minutes, because I put my comments as an aside beside the minutes. For example, some new program would be suggested in the meeting and I would write, In three months time we wont be running this program or There is no way this can work. Or things like, Where do we find the time for this? My colleagues thought this was hilarious. We sometimes shared the minutes at lunch break, reading them out loud and roaring with laughter. As a result of my minute taking, I was called into the principals office and told it was not on. I took that slap on the wrist, but was just so frustrated that my voice was not being heard. We werent being taken seriously, as professionals. I have hundreds of messages from teachers saying how brave I am to speak out at staff meetings. This is the first port of call. We should all be speaking out at staff meetings. That is where the agitation first begins. I know some teachers are paddling along like ducks on water; they need to pay their mortgages, they think dont rock the boat. The casualisation of the work force is a very real threat to them: lets keep going and dont cause any disharmony. I am sensitive to that, too, like all those early career teachers trying to get a foot in the door, trying to get a permanent job. I think there are lots of reasons why teachers choose to be silentit is a struggle to get your voice out there. SP: In the book, you describe several incidents in which you assisted children who were suffering trauma, coming from difficult family backgrounds. How important is creating a safe and caring environment for student learning? GS: I have heard it said that as children go through the school system and when they grow up, they wont remember the skills and knowledge you taught them. They wont say, Oh that teacher taught me that. What students remember is how a teacher made them feel. This is critical workshowing students how to be in this world, another way of being, which might be different from how their parents respond to the world. A model of how you care and how to co-operate. We, as teachers, have disparate backgrounds, we create a community and we show our kids how to do that. The work of developing relationships is undervalued. Testing and the narrowing of the curriculum impacts on those crucial relationships. It squeezes the time away. So, when we are focused on preparing for tests, and doing tasks that produce data, we dont have time to talk about what happened on the weekend. Or how is your dad is going, I know he is unwell, how are you? I know its hard with your mum in prison and so on. All these kids are in our classrooms, and they need teachers who can invest in them, not just invest in the teaching, but invest time in the relationship. If teachers cannot show empathy, care and interest towards their students, then we are losing a great deal of very important learning in our classrooms. SP: Last year you addressed a meeting of teachers in Melbourne opposing NAPLAN. Many teachers spoke expressing their opposition to what is taking place. You seemed shocked at the pace of change. Could you comment? GS: There are two things I always hear from teachers that are extremely alarming. Firstly, teacher observation procedures. Someone comes in, observes your lesson, and then reports on it, and that becomes how you are accredited. I cant even fathom that. It seems so terrible! The other thing I find equally alarming are data walls, the ranking of students. Weve long known that a sticker chart doesnt work, so what would compel us to think that creating mugshots of students, with students names, and ranking them would serve to improve learning? What would be amazing is teacher mentoring, with experienced teachers. Teachers need to engage in discussions and develop relationships between colleagues. This is where amazing learning among professionals could take place. And yet, instead, we are putting teachers under the pressure of being observed and reviewed, and of being accountable for what we see in the classroom on this particular day. They take one snapshot of you, and use that to make a whole bunch of judgements. There is an obsession with data. Data is collected on those early career teachers, who leave. A lack of mentoring is the main reason they cite. Its funny how we look at some data and not others. SP: Right now, teachers are striking across the United States and internationally over wages, class sizes, and against privatisation. What would you like to say to these teachers? GS: I feel sorry that this has happened, that they find themselves in that position. We need to apologise that we have treated these important professionals in such an appalling way. And then I would congratulate them. I would say keep on keeping on. Keep on pushing against and raging against this machine that keeps on trying to tell us that we dont matter; were not worth anything, and we should keep getting the job done, despite these horrific conditions we find ourselves in. So, I think keep putting your voice out there. Strike action speaks volumes, amplifies the volume of the voice, and I would encourage them to keep on doing that. The author also recommends: Australian primary teachers resign in protest at standardised, assessment-based education [14 March 2016] The campaign for Indias national elections is unfolding in a highly-charged political environment. Among Indias workers and toilers there is deep-rooted anger against not just the Hindu supremacist Bahartiya Janata Party (BJP), which swept to power five years ago on the basis of phony promises of jobs and development, but against the ruinous outcome of three decades of neo-liberal reform. This anger, however, can find no genuine or positive expression in the politics of the Indian establishment. All of the parties, from the BJP and the Congress Party to the Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, have connived in the implementation of pro-investor policies aimed at making India a cheap-labour hub for global capital. All support the great-power ambitions of the Indian bourgeoisie, even as they draw South Asia ever more deeply into the maelstrom of imperialist intrigue and conflict, and threaten to ignite, as was highlighted again last month, a catastrophic war with Pakistan. The elections will be held in seven regional phases, starting just two weeks from now on Thursday, April 11 and concluding Sunday, May 19. The votes are to be tabulated May 23. State elections will be held alongside the national vote in four statesAndhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkimbut not in Jammu and Kashmir, Indias only Muslim majority state and the focal point of the India-Pakistan strategic rivalry. Citing security concerns, the BJP government has extended indefinitely the central government rule it established over Jammu and Kashmir last June, after the state government, in which the BJP served as the junior party, collapsed due to differences over how to contend with mounting popular opposition. Opinion polls, which in India have often proved wrong, indicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP will cling to power. But unlike the past five years, they will be dependent on the votes of their National Democratic Alliance allies for their parliamentary majority. The BJPs record of austerity and reaction The BJP re-election campaign revolves to a large degree around the promotion of Modi as a self-made Hindu strongman, who incarnates an assertive rising India. The other key theme of the BJP campaign is the claim that the Modi government has delivered world-beating economic growth. In 2014, Indias corporate elite propelled the BJP to power, so as to accelerate neo-liberal reform and more aggressively assert its interests and ambitions on the world stage. Five years on, the BJP continues to vastly out distance all its rivals, even when combined, in corporate donations. However, some sections of the ruling elite are fearful that the BJP is sowing a whirlwind: that its noxious communal politics are rending the social fabric and undermining the popular legitimacy of state institutions; and that its relentless hype about Indias growth and suppression, and fiddling with economic statistics cant cover over the grim reality that confronts the vast majority. The fruits of Indias growth have been monopolized by a tiny capitalist elite. Between 2015 and 2017, the portion of Indias wealth owned by the top 1 percent surged from 53 to 73 percent, leaving the remaining 99 percent with a 27-percent share. India, as even much of the corporate media now concedes, is beset by both an agrarian and jobs crisis. According to a suppressed government report, the labour force participation rate plunged from 63.7 percent in 2003 to 49.8 percent in 2017-18, because tens of millions have given up looking for non-existent work. The BJP was clearly rattled by its defeat in state elections in December in three statesMadhya Pradesh, Chhattisgargh, and Rajasthanwhich are part of the Hindi belt that has historically constituted its principal base of support, and by the palpable growth of social opposition in recent months. This includes farmer protests and the participation of tens of millions in a two-day general strike in January against the Modi governments pro-big business economic policies. In an attempt to divert the mounting social anger and mobilize its Hindu right base, the BJP seized on the February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir to foment a war crisis with Pakistan. Making good on Modis pledge to punish Pakistan for the attack, Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan on the night of February 25 for the first time since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. Even though this resulted in a Pakistani counter-strike that brought South Asias rival nuclear powers to the brink of all-out war, the BJP and much of the corporate media continue to promote Indias airstrike as a masterstroke. Modi, they claim, has shattered the shackles of Indian strategic restraint vis a vis Pakistan, winning international recognition for an Indian right to punish Pakistan for major terrorist attacks in Indian-held Kashmir. The Congress Party and their Stalinist enablers The Congress Partys response to last months war crisis was akin to that of the other opposition parties. That is to say, it hailed the Indian airstrikes, but quibbled when the BJP relentlessly milked them for electoral gain, countering that all the credit should go to the heroes who comprise Indias military. The historic ruling party of the Indian bourgeoisie, the Congress appeared to be on its death-bed, after suffering a long string of electoral debacles, until receiving a shot of adrenalin from last Decembers state elections. A dynastic party, now led by Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, the Congress has no substantive differences with the BJP over economic or foreign policy. Indeed, Congress spearheaded the abandonment of the bourgeoisies post-independence state-led development program, its pursuit of an India-US global strategic partnership, and its drive to make India a major military power. But Congress is hoping nonetheless to exploit the widespread anger over the lack of jobs and government support for agriculture and the savage austerity measures the BJP has imposed in the name of reducing the debt-to-GNP ratio. Congress is trumpeting a guaranteed annual income scheme which it claims would ultimately provide the poorest 20 percent of Indian families with up to 72,000 rupees (or roughly US $1,000) per year, with the aim of raising their incomes to 12,000 rupees ($172) per month. Much of this is smoke and mirrors, and not only because the Congress Party has failed to flesh out the details of the program, which would be rolled out over many years. Much of it is to be paid for through rationalizing, i.e., cutting existing social spending programs. In a reference to Modis trumpeting of his surgical strikes on Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi is boasting that the Congress phony guaranteed income scheme constitutes a surgical strike on poverty. But as even some of Gandhis political rivals have noted, the Congress has been claiming that it will lift Indians out of poverty for generations. In 1971, Rahul Gandhis grandmother, Indira Gandhi, won a sweeping election victory on a pledge to banish poverty (Garibi Hatao). The Congress is also denouncing the divisive communal politics of the BJP. But it itself has shamelessly connived with the Hindu right, including by lending full-throated support to an RSS-led agitation against a Supreme Court order opening a Kerala shrine to women, and by placing cow-protection at the center of its government agenda in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress toyed with the idea of forming a grand coalition with a host of regional and caste-ist parties. But ultimately it has formed electoral alliances only in a handful of states. There are two reasons for this. The Congress leadership feared a grand coalition would cut across its attempts to re-establish itself as a truly national party. Recognizing the Congress weakness, many of its potential alliessuch as the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in north India, and the Telugu Desam Party(TDP) in Andhra Pradesh and Telanganadrove a hard bargain. They are calculating they will have greater leverage if they keep their hands free to haggle over cabinet seats with both the Congress and BJPmany of them are erstwhile BJP alliesonce the votes are counted. The CPM, its sister Stalinist party, the Communist Party of India (CPI), and their Left Front have played the principal role over the past three decades in politically suppressing the working class. From 1991 to 2008, the Stalinists propped up a succession of right-wing Indian governments, most of them Congress-led. Moreover, in the states where they have held office, West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, they have implemented what they themselves concede are pro investor policies. The Stalinists response to the bourgeoisies embrace of communal reaction and authoritarianism in the form of Modi and his BJP has been to turn still further to the right. They have redoubled their efforts to chain the working class to the parties of the bourgeoisie and its state, claiming that to counter the BJP and save democracy and the Republic, the working class and oppressed must work for the election of an alternate secular governmentthat is, help bring to power another right-wing capitalist government, likely Congress-led, committed to the ruling class agenda of intensifying the exploitation of the working class and maintaining and expanding Indias role as a satrap of Washington in its military-strategic offensive against China. If the Hindu right has been able to grow into such a menace, it is precisely because the Stalinists have politically paralyzed the working class, preventing it from advancing its own socialist solution to the social crisis, and subordinating it to right-wing capitalist parties and governments. Indias workers must blaze a new political path based on the Trotskyist program of permanent revolution: the mobilization of their independent class strength and the rallying of the toilers and poor behind them in the fight for a workers government, as part of a global working-class offensive against capitalism. The authors also recommend: India and Pakistan tobogganing toward a catastrophic war [2 March 2019] The political significance of Indias two-day general strike [12 January 2019] Indian workers need revolutionary socialist program to combat social devastation and political reaction [8 January 2018] Ontarios right-wing populist Progressive Conservative government is slashing funding for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), a provincially-funded initiative that provides full-time therapy to children on the autistic spectrum. The cuts, which will see many families lose more than 75 percent of their previous funding, are part of an all-out assault on critical public services launched by Premier Doug Ford and his Tories. There are 1,105 children with autism in Ontario who are enrolled in full-time therapy treatments rather than school, and 23,000 more on a waiting listing for government-supported therapy. The new provincial funding scheme, a one-size-fits-all approach, will introduce an annual and lifetime funding cap that will substantially reduce the subsidy currently allotted to many parents. Whereas in the past the province paid up to $90,000 per year to ensure children with autism received the therapy and care they require, the new scheme will pay money directly to the parents, and impose an annual cap of $20,000 for children aged 6 and less. Families with children aged 7 to 18 will be eligible at most for $5,000 annually. The new model means those parents who can afford it will be forced to pay for the remaining expense out-of-pocket, while the vast majority will have to rely on the chronically underfunded public school system to care for their children. The announcement triggered immediate and sustained protests lasting several weeks. On February 15, hundreds of parents and their supporters gathered outside the provincial legislature to protest the changes. Parents, educators, therapists and supporters are deeply concerned and angered that OAPs overhaul, slated to take effect April 1, will leave autistic children without access to essential care. One deeply worried couple has decided to sell their home in order to pay for their 5-year-old son Dylans therapy once the new program takes effect. This drastic measure may help them meet their sons therapy costs for now, but they dont expect to make enough in the future to pay for all the support their son will need. It is very frustrating, and we are very desperate, Dylans father Will Dundas told the media. The government had been putting $90,000 per year toward Dylans therapy under the previous plan, but the family will now receive less than $2,000 per year. Larry O'Malley, president of the Ontario Principals Council, wonders how schools will manage, given existing resources. Staff are not trained to be therapy providers, he told CBC Radios Metro Morning a few weeks ago. The council has requested that the education minister halt changes to the OAP until proper supports are in place. Along with other associations, it has sent a letter to the Education Minister stating that schools will not be able to meet the additional and/or more intensive learning, safety and behavioural needs of these vulnerable students. Faced with such widespread criticism, the Ford government felt compelled to make a number of minor modifications to the OAP reform, which even CBC described as tweaks. Minister for Children and Families Lisa Macleod declared last Thursday that any children currently enrolled in treatment programs will continue to have them funded at current levels by the province until they expire. Following this, parents will be able to extend therapy at the same level for a mere six months. Macleod also lifted the income cap for the direct payments to families, meaning that parents who earn more than $250,000 will be able to receive some level of funding. These token changes will do little to even blunt the impact of the governments callous cuts. Given that children on the autistic spectrum require ongoing care and therapy over many years, the prospect of being able to extend current therapy programs by a few months when they expire will still leave the vast majority of families with bills running into the tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The assault on the Ontario Autism Program comes hard on the heels of a torrent of funding cuts made by Fords Progressive Conservatives since they were elected to office last June, with the aim of reducing government waste by slashing social spending to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. Over the last few months, Ford has announced plans for a series of savage cuts to Ontarios most essential public services, including health care, education, and social assistance programs, as well as the gutting of environmental and workplace standards and the slashing of public sector jobs, all of which carry profound implications for working families, youth and other vulnerable and marginalized groups. In December, Ford announced cuts of $25 million to after-school programs designed for vulnerable youth. Two months later he eliminated free tuition for low-income college and university students, as well as the six-month interest-free grace period before the repayment of student loans. The WSWS reported last week on the Conservatives education reform. It will increase primary and secondary school class sizes, slash frontline teaching jobs, and impose regressive changes to the provinces sex education and math curriculums. Other government restructuring plans affecting parents and children include the total defunding of the Ontario College of Midwives, which will mean increased costs for expecting parents, and a bill which seeks to increase the number of kids allowed at daycare facilities, overriding current legislation introduced in response to a series of infant deaths at daycare facilities in 2014. In February, the Ford government announced plans to merge Ontarios various local health networks and provincial agencies into one central authority. This will give the government the power to push through job and service cuts in the name of efficiency and to contract out the administration of parts of the publicly-financed health care system (Medicare) to for-profit enterprises. If all of the recent proposals are passed into law, workers will contend with extensive layoffs and firings and the further erosion of workplace protections. In October, Ford announced that his government would be repealing a suite of minimal labour reforms instituted by the previous Liberal government, absurdly deemed by Ford a job killer. Ford and his Progressive Conservatives draconian attacks are in the main a continuation and sharpening of the previous Liberal governments austerity policies. During their 15 years in power, the Liberals, with the steadfast backing of the trade union bureaucracy, advanced their own brutal assault on workers rights and social services through the criminalization of strikes, sweeping social spending cuts, the elimination of thousands of public sector jobs, and huge tax cuts for big business and the rich. With Fords vicious austerity program now in full swing, the pro-capitalist unions have done absolutely nothing to mobilize working class resistance, refusing to call so much as a single significant demonstration. Instead, the Ontario Federation of Labour has a countdown clock on the front page of its website to urge visitors to wait more than three years until the next provincial election, when they will be able to elect a progressive government led by the Liberals or New Democratsboth parties with records of imposing brutal austerity in Ontario and beyond. Fords outrageous attacks on fundamental social services, including those that support children with autism and other special needs, can be opposed only if parents, youth and the vulnerable unite their struggles with working people throughout the province, across Canada, and internationally in a common fight for the reorganization of society on the basis of a socialist program that puts social needs before private, capitalist profit. The report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller is a political debacle for the Democratic Party and the corporate media. Day after day, the bulk of the establishment press, led by the New York Times, pumped out unsubstantiated claims and outright lies accusing Russia of subverting the 2016 election and branding Trump as an agent of Putin. Mueller's report, after a sprawling investigation lasting nearly two years, has exposed the entire anti-Russia narrative as a hoax, perpetrated on the American people in pursuit of reactionary political ends. Journalist Matt Taibbi published an article on Saturday headlined Its official: Russiagate is this generations WMD, in which he wrote: The Iraq war faceplant damaged the reputation of the press. Russiagate just destroyed it As a purely journalistic failure, however, WMD was a pimple compared to Russiagate. Those responsiblefrom the editorial offices of the major media outlets to the decision-makers in the Democratic Partyserved as conduits fro the propaganda of factions of the CIA, the NSA and the FBI. They opposed Trump and sought either to remove him or politically cripple him on the grounds that he was insufficiently belligerent toward Russia and too reluctant to escalate military action in Syria and elsewhere. The anti-Russia campaign revived the witch-hunting methods of the McCarthyite red scare. Its aim was threefold: first, to create an atmosphere of hysteria to justify preparations for war against nuclear-armed Russia; second, to channel the mass popular opposition to Trump in a right-wing, pro-war direction; and, third, to create a pretext for internet censorship and other attacks on democratic rights. It was part of a broader, international anti-Russia witch hunt, including the fabricated allegation that Putin was behind the poisoning of Russian expatriate Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. The cast of characters instrumental in perpetrating this fraud includes Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee; his counterpart in the Senate, the billionaire tech mogul Mark Warner; the "liberal" MSNBC pundit Rachael Maddow; late-night TV hosts such as Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers; and James Bennet, editorial page editor of the Times, whose father, Douglas Bennet, ran the CIA-backed US Agency for International Development under President Carter. The director of national intelligence under Obama, James Clapper, who lied to Congress about NSA domestic spying, and Obama's CIA director, John Brennan, who defended CIA torture programs and lied to Congress about CIA hacking of Senate Intelligence Committee computers, have been omnipresent on the airwaves denouncing Trump as a Russian stooge. The Democrats made a decisionbeginning with the election campaign of the favored candidate of Wall Street and the CIA, Hillary Clintonthat they would not oppose Trump on his anti-working-class social policy or his authoritarian hostility to democratic rights and promotion of anti-immigrant racism, but on issues of imperialist foreign policy. An indication of the priorities of the establishment media is given in a survey by the Tyndall Report on stories covered by the broadcast network evening news programs in 2018. Between ABC, CBS and NBC, the Russian election meddling probe was reported nearly twice as many times as Trumps detention (and abuse) of migrant children, and nearly three times as often as fatal police shootings in the US. Taken together, Russiagate at number two and the top reported story, the #MeToo Justice Kavanaugh confirmation battle, were reported four times more frequently than the Gestapo-like treatment of immigrant children. The mechanism by which the mainstream media promoted Russiagate was to publish news articles composed of assertions by national security officials and experts, unusually anonymous, without any factual substantiation of their claims. The same intelligence agencies that dragged the American people into the illegal invasion of Iraq, which cost hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives and thousands of American ones, on the basis of the Big Lie of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, were presented as unassailable sources of truth. The Democratic Party based its opposition to Trump on this right-wing campaign, while at the same time collaborating with the White House in passing near-record military budgets and opposing any popular mobilization against tax cuts for the rich or the persecution and mass imprisonment of immigrants. It combined anti-Russia hysteria with the #MeToo witch hunt, aimed at promoting racial and gender politics to divide the working class, undermine core democratic principles such as the presumption of innocence and due process, and consolidate support for imperialist war within privileged layers of the upper-middle class. The Mueller report has left the Democratic Party in shambles. Its effort to either remove Trump or force him to adopt a more belligerent policy toward Russia have resulted only in strengthening the Trump administration and the Republicans. The Democrats response, signaled by an editorial in Monday's New York Times that recycles all the lies about Russian meddling and sowing discord, will be to double down on its anti-Russia campaign and lurch even further to the right. The World Socialist Web Site has from the outset opposed and exposed the Russiagate fraud. It has explained repeatedly the necessity for the working class to reject both big business parties and their politics of "palace coup" and conduct a struggle against Trump on the basis of an independent revolutionary mobilization against capitalism. In the name of fighting Russian-inspired fake news and upholding authoritative media against those that oppose the policies of the government, the American state has enlisted the internet and tech giants to marginalize and censor left-wing publications, first and foremost the WSWS. This has gone hand in hand with the ongoing persecution of Julian Assange and, just this month, the re-imprisonment of Chelsea Manning, the spearhead of a frontal attack on free speech. The outcome of the Democrats debacle, however, has demonstrated that it was precisely the authoritative media that has been lying through its teeth, while the WSWSs exposure of the reactionary character of every faction of the ruling class has been confirmed. After the Teamsters union unilaterally imposed a sellout contract on nearly 250,000 workers at United Parcel Service (UPS) last October, resistant workers are now confronting efforts by union bureaucrats to push through local and regional supplemental agreements. In addition to the national master agreements for UPS and UPS Freight, workers vote on three regional agreements for the Central, Western and Eastern regions, and twenty-five supplements and riders covering union locals, urban metro areas and state regions. These additional agreements sort out particular details relating to health care and pension benefits, wages, quotas for job creations, vacation days and overtime for workers within these regions. These agreements must be approved across the US before the national agreement can technically go into effect, though UPS, with the assistance of the Teamsters, has already ramped up exploitation of the workforce and announced a profit-boosting transformation plan. Serving as a direct arm of corporate management, the Teamsters union is eager to rush through these local and supplemental votes to give UPS the green light to establish a new tier of hybrid drivers, maintain poverty wages for the part-time workforce, and ramp up workloads and harassment. During the nationwide voting process, workers voted against the following six tentative agreements: Central Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, Local 243 Metro Detroit in Michigan, Upstate and Western New York, Local 804 New York City, and Trailer Conditioners Inc. (TCI). Their rejection sent union representatives back to the negotiating table, only to return with a second offer that workers knew was equally bad if not worse than the first offer. Since the initial rejection, only the TCI supplement was approved, by a 58 to 42 percent yes vote. Workers voted against the follow-up offers in Upstate and Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, and Metro Detroit, and negotiations are ongoing behind workers backs in Central Pennsylvania and Local 804 in New York. However, workers confront the anti-democratic efforts of the union every step of the way. For example, after workers voted by 65 percent against the Upstate and Western New York supplement, the Teamsters used the obscure two-thirds clause in the union constitution to declare it ratified. The clause requires a two-thirds vote to defeat a contract, instead of a simple majority, if less than 50 percent of eligible members participate in the ratification vote. Written into the constitution thirty years ago, this clause was used for the first time when 54 percent of parcel division workers voted against the national agreement last fall. More recently, in early March, UPS workers voted against the supplemental agreements for Western Pennsylvania and Metro Detroit by 96 percent and 88 percent, respectively. Unable to use the bogus two-thirds loophole, Teamsters executives debated the best strategy to drive through the sellout as quickly as possible. The faction of the union represented by Denis Taylor, the Package Division Director of the union, and President James Hoffa prepared to impose the agreements unilaterally, using emergency clauses in the constitution. Fearing that this would provoke a rebellion, the majority of the leaders on the General Executive Board pushed against this plan and instead suggested the pursuit of the normal strategy of wearing down opposition through repeated votes on sellout after sellout. Avral Thompson, the Vice President of the Central Region, warned that, The imposition would violate the trust and solidarity of our members and local unions, adding that local leaders in the relevant states have threatened legal action if the agreements were forced through. In 2013, the Hoffa administration amended the constitution in order to unilaterally impose the supplements and riders after workers voted three times to reject union-backed deals. The Teamsters United and Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) have played a treacherous role by insisting that rank-and-file workers cannot take any action unless it is authorized by the Teamsters bureaucracy, which has repeatedly trampled on the rights of workers on behalf of management. With sentiment growing for wildcat strikes and increasing support for the call by the WSWS UPS Workers Newletter for UPS workers to form rank-and-file committees to take the conduct of the struggle out of the hands of the Teamsters, the two so-called reform factions did everything to uphold the authority of corrupt bureaucracy. At the same time, they claimed the union would be democratized by electing TU and TDU-backed candidates in local elections and replacing Hoffa in the race for Teamsters president in 2021. But the presidency of TDU-backed candidate Ron Carey in 1992, who was elected in a US Labor Department-supervised election, did nothing to change the character of the Teamsters. Carey betrayed the 1997 UPS strike, signing a deal that sanctioned the hiring of part-time employees as full-timers with a reduced pay scale. Carey was later brought down in a corruption scandal implicating the AFL-CIO and the Democratic National Committee. As the union continues its campaign to ram through the sellout for hundreds of thousands of exploited UPS drivers, warehouse workers and other employees, the TDU and TU are reprising the same dead-end proposal as they did after the rejection of the national contract, telling workers to send the negotiators back to the table for a good contract. This is a fraud. The Teamsters is a business, not a genuine workers organization, and it is led by affluent executives who have a direct financial stake in increasing the exploitation of UPS workers and increasing the profits of the corporation. UPS workers must draw the lessons from this past year and begin to form rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to fight the corporate-union conspiracy and advance the interests of drivers, warehouse and other workers. These committees should link up with the fight of workers at Amazon, FedEx and other logistics companies in the US and internationally, to begin a coordinated effort to mobilize the enormous strength of workers in this strategically critical sector of the world economy. An industrial counter-offensive must be combined with a political struggle against both big business parties and the capitalist system they defend. The aim of such a struggle must be the socialist transformation of the economy, including transforming the logistics industry into a public enterprise, collectively owned and democratically controlled by the working class. Hundreds of Uber and Lyft drivers in Los Angeles held a 25-hour strike Monday to protest working conditions along with planned wage cuts. The strike, organized by a group called Rideshare Drivers United, was triggered by Ubers recent announcement to cut drivers per-mile compensation in Los Angeles and part of nearby Orange County by 25 percent. The striking drivers are demanding a cancellation of the 25 percent cut and the implementation of a $27.86 minimum hourly rate. The drivers are also demanding that ride share company commissions be capped at 10 percent for each fare, that emission standards be put in place for all new vehicles added to the platform, that there be a cap on the total number of rideshare vehicles operating in a given area and that a fare surcharge be instituted indexed to the cost of fuel. Ubers per-mile decrease would reduce driver compensation from its current level of 80 cents per mile to 60 cents per mile. The drivers are also incensed that they were not told about the decrease until one hour before the public announcement. Rates paid to drivers by the competitor Lyft in Los Angeles have not increased for more than 12 months. Rideshare Drivers United estimates that there are more than 100,000 rideshare drivers in Los Angeles alone. Of these 100,000, approximately 30,000 drive as their primary or sole source of income. Uber drivers had been paid a 60 cents per-mile rate prior to an increase last September. Uber justified its proposed rate reversion in a press statement essentially telling drivers that they can always earn the money back by working longer hours. These changes will make rates comparable to where they were in September, while giving drivers more control over how they earn by allowing them to build a model that fits their schedule best, the statement read. Ubers decision to slash rates in Los Angeles follows the passage of a ride-share driver minimum wage of $17.22 per hour in New York City last year. In 2018, several New York City taxi drivers took their own lives after being subjected to financial ruin as a result of the growth of the ride share companies which have reaped immense profits from the growth of a more highly exploitable, temporary work force. New York also placed a cap on vehicle licenses for new ride-hail drivers which is set to expire in August. Nonetheless, Uber filed a lawsuit in February hoping to overturn the cap prior to August. Lyft, which has been hailed by the media as a more worker-friendly option to the more scandal-prone Uber, also filed a lawsuit in February against the citys imposition of the driver minimum wage law. Both companies are in an intensifying drive for dominance of the global ride share market. While its drivers strike and protest in Los Angeles, Uber announced that it would close a $3.1 billion deal this week to acquire Dubai-based Careem Networks in order to expand its reach in the Middle East. The acquisition follows the companys purchase of 37 percent ownership stake in Russian company Yandexs ride-sharing subsidiary, a 28 percent stake in Grab in Southeast Asia and 20 percent ownership of Didi Chuxing in China. The company is expected to list an initial public offering (IPO) this coming April. Competitor Lyft will begin trading as a public company on Friday. The Lyft and Uber IPOs are expected to kick off a wave of tech companies going public including Pinterest, Postmates and Slack. Investments by US venture capitalists reached an all-time high of $130 billion in 2018. At the same time, 83 percent of US-listed companies actually lost money in the year prior to their debuts, another all-time high. The previous record had been set in 2000 during the bursting of the dot-com bubble. Lyft lost $1 billion in 2018 while Uber operates at an almost regular loss due in part to massive investments in autonomous vehicles as well as acquisitions of competitor ride-sharing companies. Executives at Uber and Lyft nonetheless stand to reap millions or more from their respective IPOs. Lyfts IPO alone has a current valuation of $23 billion with company cofounders Logan Green and John Zimmer expected to make hundreds of millions each after the listing. The fortunes reaped by a small layer of executives and investors stands in sharp contrast to the conditions experienced by drivers. The average Uber driver in the US, for example, makes only $9.21 an hour according to a report released by the Economic Policy Institute last May. After expenses like gas, car payments and vehicle maintenance are factored in, the average Uber driver can expect to take home as little as $3 per hour. Drivers have reported that they dont make enough money from the service to afford rent and have to remain homeless while driving. In order to defray growing anger over low wages, Uber has offered some long-term drivers stock options in advance of the IPO; however this action is almost totally meaningless as only 4 percent of Uber drivers continue driving for the company after only one year on the job. The growth of companies like Uber, Lyft, Task Rabbit, Airbnb, Postmates and others is part of an overall trend in the US and world job market. Benefits such as health insurance, paid vacations and pensions are seen as unacceptable drains on profitmaking with the utilization of widely available technologies such as smart phones and GPS to better casualize the labor force. There has been a significant upsurge in contract and temporary work over the past two decades. A recent NPR Marist poll found that more than 20 percent of the US labor force, or 30 million people, can be classified as independent contractors. This is nearly double the amount independent contractors in 2005. Little more than half of independent contractors received health insurance through their employers. Drivers at Lyft and Uber are quite justified in their demands and should make every effort to organize a united fight against the giant tech behemoths. This fight must be organized independently of the trade unions, however, which only seek to utilize the organizations created by the workers to increase their dues base and act as attorneys for the corporations against the workers. The experience of truck drivers as independent contractors, stretching back to the late 1970s, is an important lesson. During that entire time, the Teamsters and other unions representing truck drivers have done nothing to fight back against the difficult hours and poverty-level conditions experienced by drivers in spite of the pivotal role they play in the logistics industry and in the economy as a whole. The crucial task for Uber and Lyft drivers is to expand their struggles to include truck drivers, auto workers, tech workers and the working class as a whole. Excelencias, Senoras y senores: Buenas tardes. Me sumo al Embajador Haqjo para darles la bienvenida a este panel que tiene lugar paralelamente a la historica primera reunion del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Adhesion de Sudan del Sur. He estado presente en la reunion de esta manana, que he seguido con atencion. He percibido el sentimiento de orgullo y logro que emanaban la delegacion de alto nivel llegada de Juba y los Miembros de la OMC y el impetu que transmitian. Esta tarde me complace mucho contar con la presencia del Excmo. Sr. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, Negociador Jefe, como orador principal. Tambien es un placer para mi ver a la Embajadora Kadra Ahmed Hassan de Djibouti y a la Embajadora Zorica Maric Djordjevic de Montenegro, que se cuentan entre los grandes "Amigos de Sudan del Sur" desde que en diciembre del ano pasado se celebro en Djibouti el Segundo Dialogo Regional sobre las Adhesiones a la OMC. Como el Embajador Haqjo ha hablado de sus singulares lazos con Sudan del Sur, tambien a mi me gustaria referirme a los mios. Dos meses despues de ocupar el cargo de Director General Adjunto de la OMC en octubre de 2017, participe en la Conferencia Ministerial de Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tuve el privilegio de ser testigo de la aprobacion por parte de los Ministros de la OMC de una solicitud de adhesion a la OMC presentada por una nacion muy joven, Sudan del Sur, que entonces tenia seis anos de edad. Ese fue un momento memorable de la Conferencia de Buenos Aires, en una reunion igual de notable. A mi juicio, el mensaje que Sudan del Sur, con su determinacion de integrarse en la economia mundial, transmitio al mundo fue contundente. Desde entonces he conversado en varias ocasiones con delegaciones de alto nivel de Juba, en particular con el Ministro de Justicia, el Ministro de Educacion y, claro esta, altos funcionarios encargados de cuestiones comerciales. En el Foro Publico de la OMC que se celebro en octubre de 2018, tuve el privilegio de moderar una mesa redonda sobre el tema "Comercio para la paz: La integracion de Estados fragiles en la economia mundial como camino hacia la paz y la resiliencia". El Excmo. Sr. Deng Deng Hoc Yai, Ministro de Educacion General e Instruccion de Sudan del Sur, que participaba como ponente, suscito la simpatia de un gran numero de asistentes a los que explico las razones por las que Sudan del Sur -como pais menos adelantado y que salia de un conflicto- tenia la determinacion de adherirse a la OMC. Estaba plenamente convencido de que el proceso de adhesion de Sudan del Sur a la OMC ayudaria al pais a mantener una paz y una estabilidad sostenibles. Sus observaciones son un oportuno recordatorio de las razones por las que los padres fundadores establecieron el sistema multilateral de comercio despues de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. La iniciativa "Comercio para la paz a traves de las adhesiones a la OMC" ha permitido estrechar los lazos entre la comunidad comercial y los defensores de la paz en Ginebra en los ultimos meses. La iniciativa se puso en marcha en Buenos Aires, con el establecimiento del Grupo g7+ sobre Adhesiones a la OMC. El Grupo fue establecido por ocho paises menos adelantados y vulnerables que durante mucho tiempo han padecido conflictos e inestabilidad: tres Miembros de la OMC (Afganistan, Liberia y Yemen) y cinco Gobiernos en proceso de adhesion (Comoras, Santo Tome y Principe, Somalia, Sudan del Sur y Timor-Leste). En su Declaracion Ministerial, el Grupo se comprometio a utilizar el proceso de adhesion a la OMC y la condicion de Miembro para promover la consolidacion de la paz y el desarrollo sostenible, y para facilitar las adhesiones a la OMC. Fue un placer para mi asistir a la inauguracion de esta iniciativa, y desde entonces he seguido la labor del Grupo. Sus esfuerzos dieron lugar a una serie de actividades bajo el tema "Comercio para la paz", celebradas en otono del ano pasado, que contaron con la colaboracion de la Geneva Peacebuilding Platform. Tambien me invitaron a intervenir en el Foro de Paris sobre la Paz que se celebro en noviembre de 2018, donde puse de relieve la funcion de la OMC en el apoyo a la paz sostenible. En diciembre de 2018, tuve la oportunidad de asistir en Djibouti al Segundo Dialogo Regional sobre las Adhesiones a la OMC para los Paises del Gran Cuerno de Africa, titulado "Comercio para la paz a traves de las adhesiones a la OMC". Todos los participantes en el programa de Djibouti coincidieron en que la adhesion a la OMC era un elemento importante en los planes de recuperacion posteriores a un conflicto de los Estados fragiles, ya que les permitia establecer marcos creibles de politica economica y comercial y promover la transparencia y la buena gobernanza. Reconocieron que la iniciativa "Comercio para la paz" era un medio importante por el cual el sistema multilateral de comercio podia contribuir a los esfuerzos encaminados a consolidar la paz en el Cuerno de Africa y otras partes del mundo. En ese contexto, se pidio formalmente a la OMC que siguiera definiendo su funcion en la contribucion a esos esfuerzos, en particular mediante una mayor cooperacion entre la comunidad comercial y los defensores de la paz. El panel de hoy forma parte de ese esfuerzo. No se me ocurre un ejemplo mejor de "Comercio para la paz" que la presencia hoy aqui en la OMC de Sudan del Sur. Con su firme determinacion de llevar adelante el proceso de adhesion -a menudo complejo y dificil-, Sudan del Sur pone de manifiesto las posibilidades de la iniciativa "Comercio para la paz" alli donde la paz sigue siendo fragil. Una de las razones mas convincentes para ser optimistas con respecto al sistema multilateral de comercio es que los paises afectados por conflictos, como Sudan del Sur, ven en la OMC lo que los fundadores del sistema multilateral de comercio vieron cuando este se creo en 1947, a saber, un camino hacia el crecimiento economico, que los conducira a una mayor estabilidad a nivel nacional y aumentara sus posibilidades de instaurar y mantener la paz. La actitud de Sudan del Sur aqui hoy es un recordatorio oportuno de este beneficio fundamental del sistema multilateral de comercio. Les aseguro en nombre de la Secretaria de la OMC que tenemos la intencion de desempenar plenamente nuestra funcion, es decir, ayudar a los Gobiernos en proceso de adhesion a la OMC y a los Miembros a utilizar el comercio como instrumento para consolidar y mantener la paz. Una vez mas, expreso mis mas sinceras gracias a la delegacion de Sudan del Sur, que se ha comprometido a trabajar en colaboracion con los Miembros de la OMC a fin de que el "Comercio para la paz" se haga realidad. Muchas gracias. Borderlands 3 Vault Card 2 Available Now For Director's Cut Owners With New Legendary Loot and Skins Hungary is among seven European Union countries that display traits of a tax haven and facilitate aggressive tax planning, according to a finding by the European Parliaments Special Committee on Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3). The finding was among conclusions in a package of recommendations approved by MEPs on Tuesday after a one-year inquiry. The other six countries are Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands. Among the recommendations in the package are ones to start work on a proposal for a European financial police force and an EU financial intelligence unit, as well as the establishment of an EU anti-money laundering watchdog. The Syrian man arrested in Budapest, who is suspected of terrorism and involvement in a series of executions in his homeland in 2016, received a prepaid bank card after arriving in the European Union, current affairs channel M1 reported. Information acquired by hirado.hu showed that the man known as Hassan F had received a prepaid bank card with 500 euros. The man tried to avoid detention, claiming that he had ties to the secret services, the website said. During a court hearing, he said he was an agent of the Greek secret services and was in charge of identifying Jihadists who had arrived in Europe. Janos Hajdu, director of counter terrorism centre TEK, told M1 that the man had made many claims in an attempt to avoid justice. All the information is now being checked with the help of international partners where necessary, he added. The mans lawyer, Laszlo Kelen, told the channel that his client had received the bank card with 500 euros in Greece and it was only valid there. Photo: TEK American Cinematheque Head of Programming Gwen Deglise Moore became the latest to receive the distinguished Insignia of Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Arts and Letters, an award established in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers as well as people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world. The Hon. Christophe Lemoine, Consul General of France in Los Angeles, made the presentation Monday evening at the French Consulate home in Beverly Hills. Deglise joins a list of past honorees that includes George Clooney, Sofia Coppola, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Uma Thurman and many others. Im so proud, very intimidated, and so grateful, she told me before the ceremony. To give me the opportunity to look back and to be mostly grateful for the American Cinematheque, and for the importance of our institution and to believe in what we do and to me it is the whole team that is honored tonight. I am just the face of it, but it is for everyones work. She also noted the contributions of associates like her co-programmer Grant Moninger and mentor Dennis Bartok, who now is interim director of the organization, assuming the role after last years retirement of Barbara Smith after four decades of service. Related stories ASC Cinematographers Celebrate 100th Anniversary With List Of Best Shot Films Of All Time - See Who They Chose As #1 . Deglise has been with the Cinematheque, which was founded in 1981, for 22 years. The viewer-supported nonprofit film exhibition and cultural organization operates the world-famous Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Aero in Santa Monica, dedicated as they say to the Moving Picture in all of its forms. One of those forms is French cinema, which Deglise has championed tirelessly with numerous programs dedicated to it ever since she started as a programming intern in 1997. Recent Honorary Oscar winner Agnes Varda was an early supporter of the France native and even made a short film about her immigrant life story called Gwen la Bretonne in 2007. Story continues Christophe Lemoine, Gwen Deglise Moore, Rick Nicita American Cinematheque Chairman Rick Nicita and Consultant to the Board Ken Scherer were among those also in attendance, both giving big props to Deglise. Nicita told me the Cinematheque, a premier source for repertory cinema in L.A. (in addition to Quentin Tarantinos 35mm film haven, New Beverly Cinema) and film programs, is undergoing a transitional period as it moves forward in ever-changing times for the industry. It is transition that is turning out to be transformative, he said.. We are on the verge of some very major changes and improvements, for lack of a better word, but still our mission remains but I think we are going to be able to adapt to the changing landscape very well. Nicita added that he was not trying to be coy but indicated there are plans in the works that will lead the organization into some very great things. What we do will remain but I think we will be able to do it better, more publicized, branded better, marketed better in a world where branding is so important. We are rethinking, but rethinking in a positive way. With all the technological changes and advances, people go to the theatre, they want to see the right movies, the theatrical experience. Were doing fine in that regard. The audience is loyal and considerable. No problem. . A visit to the website shows a variety of programming of classic cinema including an appearance tonight at the Aero with Al Pacino and director Harold Becker after a screening of their 1996 film City Hall. Upcoming this week is a tribute to Italian great Luchino Visconti with pristine copies of The Leopard, Death in Venice and Rocco and His Brothers. Next week director Mike Leigh will be in attendance for his new film Peterloo and a retrospective of the seven-time Oscar nominee. On the opposite side of that scale, John Landis and others from his 1978 comedy National Lampoons Animal House will sit for a Q&A for that movie after a screening. At the Egyptian, the longest-running noir festival in L.A. returns for its 21st year beginning Friday, hosted by Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode and programmed by them with Deglise. Among 70MM film prints the Cinematheque has bought exclusive rights to for exhibition are the eternally popular Lawrence of Arabia and 2001: A Space Odyssey, both of which show several times a year to turnaway crowds on the big screen where they belong. . Nicita told me he tried to get his 30-year-old son to come to a screening of Lawrence last year but was met with resistance when he told his dad he thought he had already seen it on TV once. I said I would make him a deal. Theres an intermission. He could leave at intermission. When the lights came up, he said, Im staying, Nicita laughed. Its interesting. The young audience hasnt seen these movies. I grew up on them. You cant see them now, except on TV like TCM or one or two other places. I think there really is an audience for such movies, the great ones, and especially from the younger people. For Deglise making these movies available to audiences who never had the opportunity to experience them on a big screen is a real mission as she said when she accepted her award. As the Cinematheque is carried by a new wind, as we are re-imagining the Cinematheque for the next decade, I want to remind ourselves that institutions like ours are essential for the health of our city, for our community, for our democracy. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Celebrity The Daily Beast NBCSaturday Night Live returned from a four-week hiatus this week with a holiday message from Kate McKinnons Dr. Anthony Fauci.Do people still think Im sexy or are we done with that? Fauci began. With COVID cases on the rise, people still have a lot of questions: Is it safe to travel? Can I still use this as an excuse to get out of stuff? I would like to never work again.To answer those queries, Fauci presented a series of increasingly absurd scenarios that began with basic situations li In one of her last appearances before taking maternity leave, Meghan and Harry headed to Commonwealth Day services at Westminster Abbey along with other members of the royal family. The arrival of Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys first child is just around the corner and anyone can send an official welcome to Baby Sussex! While the easiest route is sending congratulations via the Kensington Palace social media accounts, theres also snail mail. (After all, Meghan recently shared that she does not look at Twitter. Plus, its well known that the Duchess of Sussex, a former calligraphy instructor, is fond of putting pen to paper.) If you want to send a card or letter to Meghan and Harry congratulating them on becoming parents, heres the address: THR Duke & Duchess of Sussex Clarance House LondonSW1A 1BA United Kingdom The royal parents-to-be may live at Kensington Palace until their move to Windsors Frogmore Cottage in the coming weeks, but their correspondence section is actually located at Clarence House, the official residence of Harrys father, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. If you accidentally send a letter intended for Meghan and Harry to Kensington Palace, theres no need to stress the mail will be re-routed to the correct place. Meghan Markle | TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images Although there are no guarantees, make sure to include your return address because you may receive some royal mail back! Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, have been known to thank fans who reached out following big events. Following their royal wedding in May, fans who offered their congratulations through the mail received notes cased in an envelope containing Kensington Palaces crest. The thank you cards featured the romantic black-and-white portrait of the couple taken on their wedding day by fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski. The photographer also took the couples dreamy engagement photos at Frogmore House in Windsor late last year. The thoughtful notes also contain a sweet message written on behalf of the couple. Story continues The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been overwhelmed by all the incredibly kind cards and letters they have received on the occasion of their Wedding and are so touched that you took the trouble to write as you did, the message read. It really was most thoughtful of you and greatly appreciated by The Royal Highness who send you their very best wishes, the message continued. Meghan and Harry also thanked fans who wished them a happy birthday this year. Rather than send out a posed portrait, a candid photo snapped by photographer Gerry Mooney from the couples trip to Ireland in July was chosen in response to Meghans birthday wishes. The Duchess of Sussex is so touched you took the trouble to write as you did on the occasion of her 37th birthday, reads the back of the postcard, according to royal fan LoopyCrown3 on Instagram. It really was most thoughtful of you and Her Royal Highness sends you her heartfelt thanks and best wishes. Cant get enough of PEOPLEs Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! For his 34th birthday in September, Harry chose to thank fans with a smiley photo of him from back in Dec. 2016, when Harry visited to Camp Ayanganna, the headquarters of the Guyana Defence Force, in Guyana. The Duke of Sussex is most grateful to you for writing as you did on the occasion of his 34th birthday, reads the back of the postcard, according to LoopyCrown3. It really was so thoughtful of you and His Royal Highness sends his warmest thanks and best wishes. A Vermont day care provider is accused of killing a 6-month-old girl by giving her sedatives so the infant would take a nap, PEOPLE confirms. Stacey Vaillancourt, 53, is charged with suspicion of manslaughter and child cruelty in the January death of Harper Rose Briar, the Vermont State Police Department announced in a news release obtained by PEOPLE. Vaillancourts arrest follows a medical examiners autopsy, which found that Harper Rose had high concentrations of diphenhydramine, a sedative, in her body and died of diphenhydramine intoxication. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide. The baby had been in Vaillancourts care for only three days when she died on Jan. 24. On the day of her death, Harper Rose was dropped off by her parents at Vaillancourts at-home day care. She was happy and healthy, smiling big like she always had, the infants family wrote on a GoFundMe page. However, later that day, police responded to a 911 call from Vaillancourts home and found the infant not breathing. Marissa and Blake got the call no parent wants, the family wrote on the GoFundMe page. Harper was unresponsive and headed to the hospital via ambulance. But Harper Rose was pronounced dead at the hospital. They had a lot of doctors working on her but it wasnt enough, Harper Roses father, Blake Briar, wrote on Facebook. Im so lost for words. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Authorities immediately began investigating the infants death. Diphenhydramine is an active, sedating ingredient in over-the-counter antihistamines, the police news release states. It is not to be used on an infant unless ordered by a physician. Investigators were able to determine that Harper Rose was given the sedative without an order from a physician. The state is alleging that the defendant sedated an otherwise beautiful, happy, healthy 6-month-old to the point where that baby could not lift her head and died, Rutland County States Attorney Rosemary Kennedy said, according to the Associated Press. From the states perspective that is about as serious a charge that we see in Vermont. Story continues Stacey L. Vaillancourt | Vermont State Police/AP/REX/Shutterstock On Monday, dozens of Harper Roses family and friends attended Vaillancourts hearing wearing pink shirts that said Justice for Harper Rose, the AP reports. None of this seems real, I cant sleep without seeing her, I cant open my eyes without seeing her, I cant do anything, Blake Briar wrote on Facebook in January. She was the best thing that ever happened to us and I promise me and mommy are always going to love you. I love you Harper Rose Briar, Rest In Peace my beautiful daughter. Vaillancourts attorney, Robert McClallen, entered a not guilty plea for his client. He did not return PEOPLEs calls for comment Tuesday. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. A super bloom of golden poppies along the hills of Lake Elsinore in Southern California has caused an influx of tourists to the area, with onlookers waiting hours to see the flourishing florals up close. But on Monday, one pair decided to beat the long lines and traffic jams, landing a helicopter smack in the middle of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve instead. A photo of the landed helicopter was posted to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserves Facebook page, though it has since been deleted. California State Parks information officer Jorge Moreno did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment, but told CNN Travel that the rotorcraft landed around noon, carrying two passengers. They took off and fled the scene when approached by a ranger. Landing helicopters in the poppy reserve is illegal. Officials from the California State Parks did not immediately respond to PEOPLE, but deputy director of public affairs Gloria Sandoval told CNN Travel, at this point, its under investigation. RELATED: Super Bloom of Poppies in California Is Drawing Crowds But Causing Chaos and Injuries Just a reminder of the importance of staying on the trails pic.twitter.com/HucOVNLybV Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (@PoppyReserve) March 21, 2019 Officers are watching for people illegally entering the park through barbed-wire fencing, trampling flowers. It only takes a few to wreck the habitat for years to come. There are areas in the Reserve that haven't recovered from trampling in 2017.#DontDoomTheBloom #CaStateParks pic.twitter.com/V3GcCE12ip Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (@PoppyReserve) March 18, 2019 The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve have been urging visitors to stay on the designated trails and tread lightly in order to protect the wildflower bloom from trampling. Story continues Officers have also been handing out citations to people for parking outside the boundary and illegally entering the park through barbed-wire fencing and hurting the flowers. It only takes a few to wreck the habitat for years to come, a representative for the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve wrote on the organizations official Twitter account, pointing out that still there are areas in the reserve that havent recovered from trampling in 2017. People visit the super bloom of wild poppies | Mario Tama/Getty Images People visit the super bloom of wild poppies | Mario Tama/Getty Images Mondays helicopter incident comes a week after the city announced they were discontinuing shuttle services and shutting down ramps to the area. Causing the closure was an unbearable weekend of gridlock traffic that city officials said has been miserable and has caused unnecessary hardships for our entire community. The situation has escalated beyond our available resources, officials wrote on Facebook on March 17, explaining that the city pulled out every resource they could in order to keep crowds under control. RELATED: Instagram Model, 19, Bit While Posing for Photo Among Group of Sharks in the Bahamas Amid the chaos and traffic jams that have popped up along with the poppies, there have been at least two injuries in the area one visitor was bitten by a rattlesnake, while a city employee was injured by a hit and run driver. As more people make the trip to Lake Elsinore to see the flowers which they are using as a backdrop for Instagram pictures, the citys residents are becoming increasingly frustrated. Residents have been screaming at the people directing traffic, Lake Elsinore Mayor Steve Manos wrote on his own post. Met people from Sacramento. Estimated 50,000 visitors. Twice as many as last weekend. People lined up since 5:30 am. Its insane. Wildflowers bloom among the charred remains of chaparral brush | David McNew/Getty Images Since then, the city has come up with new plans to manage the crowds, working with Caltrans District 8 and the California Highway Patrol for help. The bloom is expected to remain through April. Usually characterized as sworn enemies, cats and dogs can actually become buddies and even best friends. One of these dynamic duos ended up at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) in Boston this month. Kitty the tabby cat and her best friend and confident Leila the Chihuahua were surrendered to the shelter in the same carrier by their former owner on March 14. The owner was forced to give up their pets after losing their home. They were unable to find a new home that would accept both the animals, and the owner knew the pets couldnt bear to be apart. MSPCA-Angell MSPCA soon found this out as well. When shelter workers went to move Kitty, 6, and Leila, 2, from their carrier into their own cages, the pair refused to be separated. The shelter says Kitty started yelling whenever Leila was taken away. After the animals made it clear they could not be apart, MSPCA broke with protocol and housed the twosome in a room together, so the could grieve the loss of their home and family side-by-side. RELATED: Adventure Dog Adopts Adorable Kitten Sidekick to Explore the World with Leila is two years old and has lived every moment of her life with Kitty. They are each others best friend and keeping them together has made a very difficult situation much easier for them to handle. Anna Rafferty-Fore, associate director of the MSPCAs Boston adoption center, said in a statement. MSPCA-Angell Determined to keep these best friends together forever, MSPCA started the search for a potential adopter willing to take in both pets. The shelter was looking for an animal lover who wanted to shower the duo with attention and affection, someone who understood that Leila and Kitty were wonderful pets worthy of a home were they could peacefully share their future. RELATED: Disabled Dog and Blind Cat Form Precious Friendship MSPCA found these people in Andre and Elizabeth Marion of Sudbury, Massachusetts. The couple happily took in both Kitty and Leila, who are said to be settling into their new home. Story continues MSPCA-Angell The shelter is unfortunately familiar with situations like Kitty and Leilas. The number-one reason why pets are surrendered to the MSPCA is because their families have been forced out of their homes and cannot find new housing that will accommodate pets, Rafferty-Fore said It breaks our heart every time and fires us up to resettle these pets into wonderful homes as soon as we can, she added. Kanye West is currently in Japan meeting contacts and presumably working on upcoming projects, but Yeezys inner circle is very concerned he brought along controversial fashion designer, ASAP Bari. Bari is a streetwear designer and co-founder of the hip hop collective, ASAP Mob. He also pled guilty earlier this year to one count of sexual [] Kanye West ASAP Bari Kanye West is currently in Japan meeting contacts and presumably working on upcoming projects, but Yeezys inner circle is very concerned he brought along controversial fashion designer, ASAP Bari. Bari is a streetwear designer and co-founder of the hip hop collective, ASAP Mob. He also pled guilty earlier this year to one count of sexual assault for a 2017 incident that went down in London. He was seen on social media this week hanging with Kanye in Kyoto, and also clowning around with comedian Dave Chappelle, who joined the group on the trip to Japan. Kanye supported his famous friend last year after Bari was arrested, and explained, Bari challenged me when no one else did and when he got in trouble I was scared to say he was my friend just like I did with xxx and that was some pussy shit on my part. However, the husband of Kim Kardashian was quiet when Bari entered a guilty plea to one of the charges, and was sentenced to pay fines and restitution in lieu of jail time. Bari is still dealing with a civil suit by the alleged victim in that matter, and he has countersued her for defamation. Earlier this month, Bari was hit with 7 criminal counts, including 2 felony charges, for a drug case out of Pennsylvania. Were told many of Kanyes close friends and advisors have suggested to Ye that he distance himself, both personally and professionally, from Bari amid ongoing legal controversies, but clearly that has not registered with the rapper. The post Kanye Wests Inner Circle Upset He Brought Convicted Sex Offender ASAP Bari to Japan appeared first on The Blast. A mother whose son suffers a life-threatening nut allergy says her two children were kicked off a Korean Air flight after the airline allegedly refused to accommodate the allergy. Pooja Patel said her two teenage sons, ages 15 and 16, were traveling alone from Atlanta, Ga. to their home in the Philippines with a layover in Seoul, South Korea, when the incident occurred earlier this month. The boys who had been visiting their ailing grandfather in the United States flew Delta from Atlanta to Seoul, and were set to fly Korean Air, a Delta partner, for the last leg of the trip. RELATED VIDEO: New Jersey Boy, 11, Dies from Apparent Allergic Reaction Seemingly Prompted by Smell of Cooking Fish My oldest son explained to the gate agents his severe peanut & tree nuts allergy (ingestion and airborne) which is what he does when boarding all Delta flights. He asked if they could not serve peanuts, make an announcement for passengers to refrain from eating peanuts, and board early to clean his seat, Patel wrote in a lengthy comment shared to NoNutTraveler.com, a website for people with food allergies to share tips and experiences with various commercial airlines. The gate agent said OK, so they boarded the flight and settled down into their seats. Soon, however, Patel said her son was approached by a flight attendant who told him that peanuts would, in fact, be served on the flight because they must let the other passengers enjoy the peanuts. My son explains to her that it is life threatening and he would appreciate if they dont serve raw peanuts. He kept trying to make them understand that serving peanuts around him could put his life at risk because he could go into anaphylaxis. She refused and proceeded to call her supervisor, Patel wrote. RELATED: Bethenny Frankel Slams Delta for Serving Fish After She Experienced Severe Allergic Reaction Then the same gate agent allegedly presented the boys with two options: stay on the plane with the peanuts, or leave the flight. Story continues The boys tried to provide different options like not serving it around them or moving them to an empty section of the plane, but Korean Air didnt want to hear anything, she wrote. ALL OF A SUDDEN the agent tells them that they dont have a choice..they HAVE to get off the plane. Patel wrote that her sons initially refused, offering to wear a mask in order to take the flight, but the gate agent did not relent and demanded the boys leave the plane, as five flight attendants were watching and laughing at the spectacle. The teens eventually got off the plane and were put on a flight back to Atlanta. In a statement to PEOPLE, Korean Air said it was reviewing the incident. Korean Air is aware that peanut and food allergies are an industry issue and no airline can guarantee a food allergy-free environment. But we have suspended peanut service on all our flights and are exploring ways to deal with this issue in a safe and feasible way. We totally understand the risks faced by passengers with nut and food allergies and will certainly try to accommodate them better in the future. Korean Air sincerely apologizes to Mr. and Mrs. Patel and their sons. Customer service is a mainstay of the Delta and Korean Air partnership and we regret that the Patels experience did not reflect our common values. We are reviewing this incident and will strive to create a better customer experience. , the statement read. RELATED: Mom Shows How Scary a Childs Allergic Reaction Can Be: We Didnt Realize How Severe It Was Delta, meanwhile, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE: Were sorry for this familys ordeal, and we are working with our partner Korean Air to examine the processes surrounding this incident. We will use our findings to create a consistent experience for customers flying Delta and our partner airlines. The boys father, Rakesh Patel, told TODAY Parents that he and his wife are livid and angry over their sons treatment. Instances like these leave an imprint on a young adult. Its not right, Patel said. Personally I would advocate for a ban on serving raw peanuts on any plane but until that happens, how about using common sense and consistent enforcement of policies? Make an effort to be sensitive to your passengers, which would tell the passenger, We care about your life, we understand you have a severe allergy, and were going to take some common sense measures to limit your exposure as best we can. The incident comes two months after The Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel slammed Delta, claiming they served cooked salmon on a flight even after she tried to tell them she was severely allergic to the food. Bethenny Frankel | Phillip Faraone/Patrick McMullan/Getty Frankel, 48, claimed Delta told her that fish allergies were not considered airborne. We have been in touch with this customer directly to understand her allergy and do what we can to accommodate her needs to the best of our ability, a representative for the airline told PEOPLE in a statement. LILLE, France Once nearly one-way traffic, the U.S. TV trade balance with Europe is narrowing just slightly, Avril Blondelot, Eurodata TV head of content insight, suggested at Series Manias Lille Transatlantic Dialogues. That may come as little comfort to European film-TV authorities as U.S. global streaming services look set to dominate the global OTT space. But it does represent one development in a now multi-layered North America-Europe TV relationship which sees the two TV powerhouses united as much as divided in multiple co-productions and most programming trends and a flow of talent, literary inspiration from Europe into North America. Related stories Netflix, TF1 Enter Milestone Partnership on French Period Series 'Bazar de la Charite' (EXCLUSIVE) Federation Entertainment Acquires Popular Israeli Series 'On the Spectrum' (EXCLUSIVE) French Women's Drama 'Purple' Wins Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions Led by The Good Doctor, 911, Instinct and S.W.AT., 430-plus North American scripted series launched in Europe in 2018, according to Eurodata TV Worldwide/NoTa/relevant partners analysis used by Blondelot in her presentation, Europe and North America: Whats New on the Air? But North American hits, punching 20% or more above channel average, dropped 27% last year, not in number but in share and all slots combined, Blondelot said. That can be attributed to the increase of quality European series and the power of local in audience preferences, Blondelot said. Broadcasts are also clustering. One quarter of North American shows were broadcast last year on just 10 channels in Europe, led by such services as Sky Atlantic. There is some two-way traffic. European shows do air in the U.S., most especially, reading English-Language series, on Showtime which has aired Hat Trick Productions Episodes, Ill Behaviour and Patrick Melrose, the last a Europe-U.S. co-production. Story continues Moreover, European titles are finding increased, if still usually limited, distribution in the U.S. Non-U.K. European productions appeal ever more to niche audiences, Gomorrah and Deutschland 83 and Deutschland 86 playing successfully on AMCs Sundance TV. Europe and slightly less North America are united by crime. 45% of European scripted series in North America are crime series, which feature strongly in North American exports to Europe. Both think Scandinavias Sherlock North, NBCs Blue Book feature buddy cop duos. Both continue to feature strong women, whether Warner Bros. TVs s Batwoman or Finland-Germanys terrorist come womens friendship thriller Bullets. But perspectives are broadening, Blondelot said, to take in, for example, Swedish Viaplay original Heder, about a women-staffed law firm specializing in gender abuse crime. On the flip-side of strong women, dramas can feature fathers who are not perfect role-models: Shane Meadows The Virtues is a case to point. Both North America and Europe are producing period emancipation dramas: HBO-BBCs Gentleman Jack, for example. One difference between U.S. and European drama may lie, however, in crime thrillers portrayal of families at risk. The set-up is common to both. But the threats often differ. In Europe, we tend to create fear with real elements, Blondelot said, citing Polish series Judas, aired by RTL in the Netherlands, a true story set in a real place, and Spanish broadcaster TVEs La Caza: Monteperdido, (pictured) which bowed in Spain to a standout 12.1% market share on March 25, TVEs best new series audience figures since Estoy vivo in Sept. 2017. In the U.S. and Canada, in contrast, the threat may come from the paranormal or fantastic, such as in Hulus Castle Rock horror anthology, Blondelot argued. Drama series are not made in cultural vacuums. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Silex, the up-and-coming Parisian production banner, is producing Stalk, a high-concept, contemporary series skewing millennials for France.tv, the streaming service of French broadcasting group France Televisions. The series was co-created, co-writen and will be directed by Simon Bouisson, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed web series Wei or Die. Written by Bouisson and Jean-Charles Paugam, Stalk follows the rise and fall of Lux, an 18 year-old hacker who got hazed and humiliated by the coolest students during his first days at a prestigious engineering school and sets off to take his revenge. His plan consists in cyber-stalking them, hacking their phones and computers to discover their secrets and integrate their clan to ultimately manipulate them. Related stories Series Mania Lille Banks on Brand in Drawing TV Lovers and the Biz to Its Second Edition Penelope Bagieu's Feminist Graphic Novel 'Brazen' Set For Animated TV Series Silex Drawn to 'Adventurers of Modern Art' Priscilla Bertin and Judith Nora, who are producing at Silex Films, described Stalk as a psychological drama featuring an ultra-smart protagonist similar to Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network. Stalk compelled us because it tackles our fears and paranoia to be spied on by all sorts of connected devices and it does so through a story that many young people today will relate to, said Nora. Bertin said Silex and the creative team have been working with real hackers to make the script as realistic as possible. Stalk is headlined by an exciting cast of fresh faces, including Theo Fernandez (Lux), Carmen Kassovitz (Alma), Pablo Cobo (Alex), Yasin Houicha (Samir), Rio Vega (Lolo), Manon Valentin (Margot), Azize Diabate (Felix) and Clement Sibony (Herzig). Story continues The series will start shooting in Lille on April 1 and will premiere on Slash, the platform of France.tv which targets teenagers and young adults. The seriess rights are available outside of France. Silex won Series Manias Co-Pro Pitching Sessions with its 90s set lesbian dramedy project Purple which is being co-produced by Mother Productions. Bertin and Nora are also one of the leaders of the feminist movement 50/50 for 2020 which is pushing gender equality in the industry and has driven many festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Annecy and Series Mania to sign a parity pledge. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. CHICAGO (AP) Chicago police provided a six-night hotel stay with separate rooms and 24-hour security to two brothers who said they were paid by "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett to stage a racist, anti-gay attack on him, according to investigative reports released Wednesday to several media outlets. The hotel rooms were part of an effort to avoid the media last month as detectives investigated Smollett's report that he was assaulted in January by a pair of men in downtown Chicago, the reports said. The heavily redacted reports blacked out the names of Abimbola Osundairo and Olabinjo Osundairo, but the context makes it clear that the brothers were put up from Feb. 15 to Feb. 21 at the Chicago South Loop Hotel near the city's McCormick Place convention center. Police paid for the hotel and the security. "Assistance for food and incidentals were also provided," one report said. Police met with the men at the hotel, stopped at restaurants to get meals for them and drove the pair and their attorney to court, taking them into the courthouse through a back entrance to avoid the media, according to the reports. A judge on Wednesday sealed the investigative documents, and police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said he was awaiting a written copy of the order to determine if he could comment, including disclosing how much the stay cost the department. After learning Tuesday that prosecutors had dropped charges against Smollett, a furious Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the $10,000 bond payment that Smollett agreed to forfeit did not begin to reimburse the city for the costs of the investigation, which began Jan. 29. That's when Smollett, who is black and gay, claimed he was attacked and beaten by two masked men who shouted slurs and yelled, "This is MAGA country," an apparent reference to President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." Smollett also said the men doused him with a chemical and put a noose around his neck. He told a detective that at least one of the attackers was white, according to Chicago police. Story continues After using surveillance cameras and other methods, police identified the Osundairo brothers as suspects and learned that they had flown to Nigeria the same day as the reported attack. The men were arrested Feb. 13 at O'Hare Airport but within two days were released without charges after detailing the alleged plot orchestrated by Smollett. The deal included a $3,500 payment to help stage the attack, which Smollett hoped would help promote his career, police said. The brothers were taken to the hotel after their release, when police found out news organizations were at the men's residence, according to one investigative report. Cook County First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats told reporters that he still believes Smollett staged the attack but prosecutors dropped the case because they needed to focus on violent crimes. Besides forfeiting his bond payment, Smollett also did community service, Magats said. Smollett was not required to admit wrongdoing or apologize, and he immediately told reporters that he was innocent. He has said the $3,500 paid to the brothers was for fitness training. Now Smollett's attorney is trying to shift attention back to the brothers, saying investigators should look into their role in the alleged attack. "The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him," attorney Patricia Brown Holmes said after all 16 charges against Smollett were dropped. On Wednesday, another Smollett attorney, Tina Glandian, told "Good Morning America" that the two brothers were lying. She said Smollett was a crime victim who "just wants his life back." A spokeswoman for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment. The brothers testified before a grand jury, and Smollett was charged last month with filing a false police report about the attack. An attorney who has represented the brothers, Gloria Schmidt, said that the pair did not testify as part of any plea deal and that they were not granted any immunity from prosecution. On Tuesday, Schmidt said in a statement that the two "were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceeding" in the Smollett case. In an interview with AP earlier this month, she said the brothers regretted their involvement. "It started by them having a relationship with Mr. Smollett. Mr. Smollett being in a position of power over them him being this celebrity person who could pull strings for them and help them in their career," Schmidt said. "They were thinking, 'I'm going to help my friend. He's asking for this,'" she said. The brothers could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A phone number associated with their home had a voicemail box that was full. Smollett's lawyer said the brothers had backed up the actor's version of events. "The Osundairo brothers said more than once that the $3,500 check they received was for exactly what Jussie said. They were his trainers," Holmes said. During her interview Wednesday, Glandian acknowledged that Smollett talked and texted with the brothers in the hours before the attack. She said they discussed training and nutrition as Smollett was waiting on a delayed flight to Chicago. But she said Smollett had no idea who attacked him until the brothers were later identified by police. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx defended her staff's decision to drop the charges. She told Chicago's CBS station that she believed the matter was handled properly, calling it "an outcome that we could expect with this type of case." Also Wednesday, a conservative Illinois state lawmaker filed paperwork asking the state attorney general to review the circumstances under which the charges were dismissed. A spokeswoman for the attorney general did not reply to a request for comment. ___ Associated Press Writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report. ___ Check out the AP's complete coverage of the Jussie Smollett case. A young woman from Southern California is ecstatic to have her puppy back in her arms after he was stolen from her yard by a cable company employee this week. The past 24 hours have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Riverside local Melissa Cortez, who discovered on Monday through home security footage that her 10-month-old pug Andrew had been stolen by the worker from Spectrum, which provides cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services. By Tuesday morning, however, after sharing the video on social media, Cortezs pup was back in her arms and the employee who took Andrew was fired by the company. Words cant explain how ecstatic I was [to have Andrew home], she told PEOPLE. My heart was whole again just seeing his happy little face. The surprising ordeal happened on Monday afternoon around 12:30 p.m., Cortez said. While she was out, a Spectrum employee, who was not scheduled to visit Cortezs home as she is not a customer of the company, stopped outside of her house. In security footage shared by Cortez on Twitter, the worker can be seen standing outside of his truck across the street before walking over to Cortezs home. After going out of the shot for a few moments, the worker comes running back with Andrew in hand, hops into his truck, and drives away. @GetSpectrum one of your drivers took my dog. pic.twitter.com/k270cqlpiU Melissa Cortez (@young_bluh) March 26, 2019 @GetSpectrum one of your drivers took my dog, Cortez wrote alongside the surveillance footage. In a separate clip, which recorded the incident from a different angle, the worker can be seen walking up to Cortezs backyard gate to open it for the pug before bending down to pick up Andrew. Story continues Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The employee then carefully closes the gate and rushes toward his truck with Andrew in tow. Cortez also tagged several media outlets in hopes to get the word out about her stolen pup. RELATED: Dognappers Caught on Camera Stealing Puppy as Its Doggy Family Tries to Raise the Alarm When Cortez arrived home and realized that Andrew was missing, she said she thought he may have escaped from the yard, despite him being a generally obedient pup. Hes typically well-behaved and extremely trusting, she said of her pet. [Andrew running away] crossed my mind and for that same reason, I went to the shelter to register him as missing in case he got picked up by someone. But then she decided to check the security cameras, where she watched the Spectrum employee steal her beloved pup right out of her fenced-in yard. At first, I was distressed and worried about what couldve happened to him, Cortez explained. After I watched the footage, I was angered to see it was a person in a position so many people would trust into their home. Cortez then filed a police report with the Riverside Sheriffs Department as she awaited a response from Spectrum, whom she had called and reached out to on social media. RELATED VIDEO: Delivery Driver for Amazon Steals Puppy; Owner Emails Jeff Bezos and Is Reunited with His Dog Within a couple of hours of sharing the footage, Spectrum responded to Cortezs tweet and rectified the situation. By Tuesday morning, Cortez said Bob Trumbull, the Senior Director of Corporate Security for Spectrum, had personally returned Andrew. As for the employee, who has not been identified, Spectrum said in a statement that they have since been fired. As part of its support of the Riverside Sheriffs investigation, Spectrum security has recovered the dog and has returned it to the owner, a representative for Spectrum told PEOPLE. The employee involved has been informed that he has been terminated. Due to the traumatic incident, Cortez said she now plans to be more careful about future deliveries and visitors in her neighborhood. Moving forward, I will definitely have a different perspective and [will] take even more protective measures, she said. Whatever it takes But most importantly, my baby is home safely. Vice Media has agreed to pay $1.875 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by female employees who said that the company underpaid women in their workforce, according to a court filing submitted Monday to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. The company has maintained that there was never any centralized gender pay disparity but agreed in mediation to the payout to past female employees, who is around 675 people. The suit was brought by Elizabeth Rose, who worked with Vice as a project manager from 2014-2016, and argued that Vices practice of relying on past salary data to determine how to pay current employees had resulted in unfair and systemic underpayment for women at the company. Rose and other plaintiffs said Vices pay practices violated New York and California labor laws. Also Read: Vice Media Near Deal for New Show With Hulu, Executive Says (Exclusive) In a statement, Vice insisted that it remained committed to gender pay equity and suggested the settled issues had related to claimed historical disparities and that the company had conducted a pay equity analysis which had been provided to employees. VICEs new management team is committed to maintaining a workplace where all employees are compensated equitably. This is why we provided our employees with the results of the companys pay equity analysis, and have also settled the Rose case whereby we resolve any claimed historical disparities, the company said. We are dedicated to the equitable treatment of all people and we look forward to the Courts approval of the settlement so that we can continue to fulfill this mission. The news is the latest development in a series of scandals that have engulfed the company during the #MeToo era. Complaints and accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct from senior leadership lead directly to the departure of former Vice Media president Andrew Creighton and the companys chief digital officer, Mike Germano, last year. Story continues Also Read: Vice Media Co-Founder Sues Southern Poverty Law Center, Accuses It of Defamation After a 2017 New York Times piece detailing multiple sexual harassment settlements from the company to a number of women, Vice co-founders Shane Smith and Suroosh Alvi publicly apologized to staff and said they would do better going forward. Listening to our employees over the past year, the truth is inescapable: from the top down, we have failed as a company to create a safe and inclusive workplace where everyone, especially women, can feel respected and thrive, they wrote in a public note to Vice employees. The company also announced the formation of an all-women advisory council to be led by Gloria Steinem and would also include, lawyer Roberta Kaplan and Vice COO Alyssa Mastromonaco. In March 2018 the company named Nancy Dubuc to replace Shane Smith as its CEO. Smith has largely stepped away from day-to-day operations in his new role of executive chairman. Pamela Chelin contributed to this report. Read original story Vice Media Agrees to Pay $1.875 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over Gender Pay Disparity At TheWrap Nearly a decade after getting a preventive double mastectomy after testing showed she had the BRCA gene mutation, a Missouri woman learned that she did not actually have the gene. Maureen Boesen and her two sisters have a family history of cancer their grandmother died of ovarian cancer at age 44 and their mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32. So the three siblings all entered in a university study at ages 3, 5 and 7 to see if they had the BRCA gene mutation, which indicates a high likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancers. They were told they could learn the results when they turned 18. We felt empowered to be able to find out, Boesen told KSHB in Kansas City. The siblings waited until they were 21 years old, and then learned that Boesen and her sister Bridget had both tested positive, while the third sister, Kathryn, did not have the gene mutation. It was just devastating because I knew what breast cancer and ovarian cancer can do to a family. You know, my first question out of my mouth was, is there any chance this could be wrong? And the researcher said no, Boesen recalled. She decided to have a preventive double mastectomy at 23 to reduce her chance of developing breast cancer, which meant that she wasnt able to breastfeed any of her three kids that came a few years later. The gene mutation also meant that Boesen was at a high risk of getting ovarian cancer. And so the right thing to do, and what the doctors recommend, is to have a complete hysterectomy by the age of 35, she said. RELATED VIDEO: Angelina Jolie Has Ovaries Removed after Doctor Detects Possible Sign of Early Cancer So last year, Boesen, now in her early thirties, moved forward with that plan. The first step was to get tested for the BRCA gene again, at the request of her insurance provider. But the test results were a shock. I was at work, and the first thing [the doctor] said was, we need to talk. And my heart just sank. And she said, Youre negative! and I just started bawling, Boesen said. I was angry. I was regretful. I was happy. I was sad. I so desperately wanted to feel relief, Oh, thank God, this is the best day of my life, but it wasnt, she said. It was just devastating. I wish what I had been told was, if you dont trust it, get another test. But thats not what I was told, and my life could have been so different, she said, tearing up. My life has been great, Im incredibly fortunate, Im blessed. But it just could have been different. The university that initially told Boesen that she had the BRCA gene is currently retesting her DNA. She expects it to be negative, but if it comes back positive, I dont even know what she would do, Boesen said. Mystery deepens in North Korean embassy break-in after shadowy group claims responsibility originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Spanish police are calling it a brazen daylight assault on North Korea's embassy in Madrid by a shadowy group of assailants in February. But as more information emerges, the mystery surrounding the bizarre international incident has only grown. Its like a thing from Hollywood movies, Kristine Lee, a researcher at the Center for New American Securitys Asia-Pacific Security Program, told ABC News. According to local authorities, on the afternoon of Feb. 22, a group of 10 people using fake firearms burst into the North Korean embassy in the Spanish capital, badly beat and bound some staff members and tried to convince a high-ranking North Korean diplomat to defect. The diplomat declined and was himself gagged, authorities said. The assailants held the embassy for several hours, but in the meantime, the wife of a North Korean employee managed to escape by jumping out a window. She alerted locals who called the police. When the police arrived, the leader of the assailants, identified as Adrian Hong Chang, purportedly greeted them at the door posing as a diplomat and told an officer everything was fine, authorities said. The assailants then left the embassy with computers, hard drives and other electronics in tow using embassy vehicles and, for Hong Chang and an associate, a ride-share car that had been arranged under the name Oswaldo Trump, according to Spains El Pais newspaper. PHOTO: An outside view of the Embassy of North Korea in Madrid, Spain, March 27, 2019. (Victor Lerena/EPA/Shutterstock) The dramatic story took another turn when Spanish authorities revealed that Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen and resident of the U.S., apparently passed information on to the FBI in New York days after the incident. An early Spanish media report initially linked the incident to the CIA, but two former U.S. intelligence officials told ABC News they would be very highly skeptical of the agencys involvement in such a brazen incident, especially since it came just days before President Donald Trumps summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Vietnam. A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Story continues Robert Palladino, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told reporters Tuesday, "The United States government had nothing to do with this." During the incident Spanish authorities said the assailants identified themselves as members of a human rights organization dedicated to regime change in North Korea. On Tuesday a dissident group calling itself Cheollima Civil Defense claimed responsibility but said in a vague statement they were only responding to an urgent situation in the embassy. The group denied it had used violence or gagged anyone in its operation. It also apologized to Spain for involving the European nation in the groups struggle against the North Korean regime. Our fight is only against the regimes practices and on behalf of millions of our enslaved people, reads a statement posted on a website that appears to belong to the group, whose involvement was first reported by The Washington Post. Jenny Town, a North Korea analyst at the Stimson Centers 38 North, told ABC News little is known about the Cheollima Civil Defense group, which first came to some prominence in the wake of the assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Uns half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, in 2017. At the time, the group claimed it had helped protect Nams son, Kim Han Sol. The groups purported leader, Adrian Hong Chang, appears to be the Adrian Hong who was known to North Korean observers for his work with dissidents in the past, according to The Associated Press. In the mid-2000s, when he was a college student, Hong co-founded a group called Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) that was devoted to helping North Korean refugees. But Hong left LiNK a decade ago and has had no involvement with it since, according to Hannah Song, LiNKs current CEO. We have no knowledge of his recent activities, and we have no information on the Madrid Embassy incident other than what has been published by the media, Song said in a statement provided to ABC News. PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un holds a military meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released, March 27, 2019. (Korean Central News Agency/Reuters) Town, who said she knew Hong years ago, said she didnt understand what the group was trying to do in Madrid especially by allegedly using violence, according to the Spanish police. Thats what makes this case really kind of surprising Its hard to kind of figure out what they hope to accomplish from all this, she said. If theyre really looking for regime change, what lengths are they willing to go to sort of engineer this? ABC News has been unable to reach Hong Chang for comment. Lee Wolosky, an American attorney for the group, told ABC News in a statement, "The reported comments of the Spanish judge are misinformed in critical aspects and the decision to disclose the names of those opposing a regime that routinely assassinates its opponents is deeply troubling." Wolosky called on the U.S. government and its allies to support those who are assisting North Koreans fleeing a murderous regime and who are otherwise opposing the Kim regime. Town said she was unsure how North Korea would respond to the incident, but would likely attempt to keep it relatively quiet. Lee, the Center for New American Security analyst, said that while it might be a minor embarrassment for Kim on the international stage, it would likely have little impact on North Koreans. After all, she said, Kims control over the domestic media means its unlikely most people inside the country will ever know it happened. ABC News Jack Date contributed to this report. How a young entrepreneurs underwear brand fights to keep girls in school originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Shayna Fowler is on a mission to help girls across the globe stay in school. How? By addressing menstruation with a simple pair of panties. Menstruation affects at least half the population, so anything that affects that many people should be talked about, she told "Good Morning America." It should be at the forefront of conversations, of education, of legislation, of all those things because of the amount of people that it affects. PHOTO: Khana invites everyone to participate in supporting girls around the world. (Khana) She started Khana, whose mission is to ensure every girl has what she needs to manage menstruation and stay in school. To do this, they created what they call powerful panties. These panties are manufactured in the country receiving them to create jobs and contribute to economic sustainability. (MORE: Girl Scouts fight to install menstrual hygiene locker in their school bathrooms) We say Khana panties are the worlds most powerful pair of panties because they are the thing that helps girls in the developing world, specifically in Uganda, access education, employment and equal opportunity, so that is the power of just one pair, Fowler told GMA. PHOTO: Fowler told 'Good Morning America' that spending a year in East Africa changed the trajectory of her life. (Khana) Fowlers journey began when she moved to East Africa for a year after graduating high school. While working with local nonprofits in Uganda, she befriended a 16-year-old girl named Esther, who changed her life. Esther was missing a week of school every month because of her period and she was not the only one. Fowler soon learned that more than 8 million girls in Uganda were missing a week of school every month, many dropping out entirely when they started their periods because they did not have the means to manage menstruation. As a woman, menstruation is a part of my life and I cant imagine not having been able to pursue an education or employment because of something as simple as not having a pair of underwear and not having access to a pad, Fowler told GMA. Story continues PHOTO: Khana panties are manufactured in the country receiving them to create job opportunities. (Khana) Seeing girls around her own age face this issue was crushing and she knew she had to do something. Fowler asked if donating pads would help the girls in Uganda, but found out that they did not have underwear to hold pads. PHOTO: Khana panties will be distributed with Days for Girls period kits. (Khana) It was then she decided she would dedicate herself to making underwear and she started her nonprofit, Khana. The name comes from the word umukhana, a word spoken in Uganda that means girl. (MORE: Documentary short Oscar winner: 'A period should end a sentence -- not a girls education') Really, we wanted to give honor where honor was due, back to the people of Uganda and their culture when naming Khana, and also it was a tribute to Esther, the girl that started the whole thing, Fowler said. Recently, Fowler saw a video of girls in East Africa receiving Days for Girls menstruation kits and was astonished by their reaction to underwear. She watches the video nearly every day as motivation to keep going. Khana has recently partnered with Days for Girls, an organization that provides girls with period kits containing washable pads and menstruation education tools. Now, these girls will receive Khana panties along with their kits. (MORE: Meghan Markle gives new voice to issue of menstrual hygiene: Here is why you should care) Fowler truly believes that something as simple as a pair of underwear can have a huge impact, not only in the lives of the individual girls but also in social justice and the economy. When those girls are educated they will then likely be employed which makes Uganda's whole economy become more effective ... so investing in girls education is not just an issue of justice, but of economic effectiveness, Fowler told GMA. PHOTO: Fowler wants to work to empower females. (Khana) While Khana's focus is currently Uganda, Fowler hopes it expands to one day make underwear in and for all countries around the globe. Her advice to anyone who wants to start a company for good? Just do something, just start somewhere, it doesnt matter how old you are, or how few resources you feel you have, you can take one step forward, just do something. she said. This is the second official visit of Bruneis Sultan to Vietnam in over 20 years, aiming to strengthen friendly relations and promote both bilateral and multilateral cooperation towards the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1992-2022). The visit takes place in the context of the Vietnam Brunei partnership seeing positive developments in many fields, with political trust having been consolidated through regular exchange of delegations and high-level meetings. Vietnam sincerely congratulates Brunei people for their great achievements in national construction and development over the past years. Bruneis situation has always been stable in recent times. The country is continuing to accelerate the implementation of Vision 2035 set by the Sultan, targeting economic development, stable society and improvement of peoples living standards. Brunei Darrussalam has regained growth momentum for its economy after the recession due to the impact of world oil prices. Its GDP reached 4.2% in 2017 and 2.8% in 2018. The country has made efforts to diversify the economy and reduce its dependence on the oil industry as well as attract more foreign investment and private enterprises in agriculture, forestry, construction, tourism and banking. Brunei has always shared views and supported initiativesof regional and international economic integration and trade liberalisation and is expected to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) in 2020. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the Vietnam - Brunei friendship and multifaceted cooperation have been increasingly developed. The two sides have regularly hosteddelegation exchanges and formed several cooperation mechanisms. Economic cooperation, trade and investment between the two countries have seen encouraging developments. In 2018, their bilateral trade turnover reached over US$54 million. The two-way trade turnover was US$43 million in the first two months of this year. Vietnam mainly exported aquatic products and rice to Brunei, while it imported chemicals from the friendly country. The two sides also made dynamic advances on the enhancement of cooperation in infrastructure development, energy, clean agriculture food processing, construction, and labour. Last year, Lilama Sea Company under the Vietnam Lilama Corporation was licensed to conduct its operation in Brunei with a contract worth nearly US$80 million. The two countries aim to bring bilateral trade turnover to US$500 million by 2025. Brunei is the fourth largest ASEAN investor to Vietnam with 179 projects worth a total of over US$1 billion. Vietnam now has two investment projects worth US$3.6 million in Brunei. The two sides have also continued to pay strong attention to boosting cooperation in other fields, such as defence, education training, and marine cooperation. Vietnam and Brunei have always given each other valuable support as well as shared and supplemented experiences in development and regional and international integration, meeting the needs and potential of each country. The two countries have maintained close relations at regional and international forums, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN, APEC and ASEM. Brunei has always supported Vietnam to participate in many international organisations, including UNESCO the Executive Council of UNESCO for the 2015-2019 term, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2016-2018 period, and also as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020 2021 tenure. Vietnam continues to affirm its Party and States foreign policy in an independent, autonomous, peaceful, cooperative and developing manner. The countrys consistent policy is the diversification and multilateralisation of diplomatic ties, including the appreciation and strengthening of friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Brunei. On the occasion, Vietnam expresses its sincere thanks to the State, Government and people of Brunei for their great support for the national construction and defence of Vietnamese people. May the state visit to Vietnam by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam be a success, creating a driving force to constantly develop the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, for the happiness and prosperity of the two peoples as well as for the peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. SHANGHAI Chinas consumption power has left an indelible mark on global retail, but could its creative potential rise to that same level of impact? The jury remains out, but many attempts are being made, none more visibly than at Shanghai Fashion Week. The event returns Wednesday and figures as Chinas best place for fashion talents to showcase their collections and do serious business. Related stories LVMH to Bolster Presence at Shanghai's CIIE Fair Italy, China Sign Memorandum of Understanding Galeries Lafayette's Billion Euro China Plan I expect to see new creative directors to come out from this group in the near future, said Burak Cakmak, the dean of Parsons School of Design. In recent years, Chinese fashion designers have proven their creativitys global relevance through the recognition they are getting at international prizes and during global fashion weeks. They truly believe in what they are doing, and are not led by trend, established designers or even the market, said Angelica Cheung, editor in chief of Vogue China. For them, design has nothing to do with nationality, gender or age, but to express the vision. I think thats what makes their works convincing to worldwide audiences. Influencer Susanna Lau, better known as Susie Bubble, has been attending Shanghai Fashion Week for the last few seasons. She had a new appreciation for whats happening there. She said, Its interesting that theres this new wave of young Chinese designers focused on the work of the hand. Its less about following trend bends and more about a craft-based instinct. And by showing this way with the hand, it perhaps sheds a different light on Chinese designers and their usual association with fast and efficient manufacturing. On the eve of the fall-winter 2019 shows, WWD here highlights five designers to watch over the next week: A look from Susan Fangs fall 2019 look book. Susan Fang Recently nominated as a finalist in the 2019 edition of the LVMH Prize, the London-based, Shenzhen-born Susan Fang graduated from Central Saint Martins with a B.A. in womens wear in 2015. She worked at Celine and Stella McCartney before launching her brand in 2017. Story continues Susan Fang is about my search for pure beauty, she said of her brand. I challenge myself to create new ways of expressing clothing, from innovative textiles, pattern cutting, accessory, makeup design to show music. Mang Zhang, fashion features editor at Elle China, is a fan. Susan Fang is very good with color and print. And her innovative fabric manipulation technique makes her design interesting and fresh, he said. Fangs upbringing has a big impact on her design approach. Before Central Saint Martins, I never got to stay in one country for more than three years, from and between China, Canada, U.S. and the U.K. Each time, I was forced to adapt to the new environment, or sometimes I really wasnt able to. Because of this, I grew more and more interested in the psychology of people and explored it in all types of media in fine art. The new collection is my most personal one, called Air-Painting, as my childhood was a mixture of imagination and reality, but because of that it was more beautiful, she said. Fang further develops her signature air-weave technique into knitwear for fall. For every new technique she creates, the designer has to design an entirely new tool. We have hundreds of upside-down looped needles on a precisely distanced board to allow the braiding connection of knitwear, for the knitwear this time. The brand is stocked at Joyce and Labelhood in China, while Selfridges will carry her spring 2019 collection exclusively in the U.K. from April. Balancing the international and Chinese schedule is a challenge that the designer has been tackling. I am working 15 hours a day to communicate with different time zones, so that I get to plan ahead and complete our collection and production in advance to meet the earliest fashion week dates. Backstage at Ming Mas spring 2019 show. Ming Ma Once a finance student in China, Wuhan-born Ming Ma changed his path when he was accepted to Central Saint Martins in 2010. After spending six years in school including bachelors and masters degrees and gap years and a further two years working at the Hong Kong-based Tristate Group as a senior designer, Ma launched his brand in 2018. He soon attracted attention from Lane Crawford and Vogue Italia. The Italian magazine called the designer a truly extraordinary case for being capable of creating an extremely refined, versatile and chic collection, in earthy or, on the opposite, super pure colors with a few printed accents. While Shuang Tang, editor in chief of Instyle China said she is very impressed with Ming Mas use of color and the combination of functionality and fine tailoring. Ma explained that I would say my brand underscores the ability of a woman to express her femininity in a very modern way, where her femininity and strength are merged beautifully. I aim to evoke the optimistic attitude for women today. Ming Ma for me is a sculptor with fabric, said Jillian Xin, a fashion retail consultant who works with Labelhood and Lane Crawford. I love the volume that he employs, yet his designs still have an ease to them that is relaxed and understated. His designs are clean, but never boring. Ma is obsessed with photography books, a habit he picked up from the late Louise Wilson, his mentor and course leader at Saint Martins. He particularly loves to collect rare ones Ma was especially pleased that he recently acquired a copy of Tokyo Portraits by Kikai Hiroh and Paloma al Aire by Ricardo Cases. The designer has no plans to bring his collection overseas yet. We are now focusing on the Chinese fashion schedule as we just showed our first collection last year. There are international showrooms interested with us, we are moving further on the global market in the next few seasons, he said. Shanghai is a very dynamic city, there is a group of promising designers here, where you also can attract a lot of global audiences. A look from Caroline Hus fall 2019 collection. Caroline Hu Another nominee for the 2019 edition of the LVMH Prize, Caroline Hu, 30, has been gaining a bit of a cult following after her Parsons masters degree graduate show. For Hu, everything she does is deeply rooted in romance for 10 years, she moved around the world following her partner, before the couple eventually married in 2016 in New York. Born in Shenzhen, Hu studied tourism management in Beijing before shifting to fashion and studying at Saint Martins and Parsons, during which she worked at places like Alexander Wang, Marchesa, Jason Wu and Tory Burch to help pay her tuition. Hus design is deeply influenced by romanticism, craftsmanship, and has an emphasis on intricate detailing. I use a smocking technique to re-create and experiment with the effects that can be superimposed. Just like in painting, I can adjust each color block and its thickness, she explained. Cakmak of Parsons is proud of his former student. She is one of the few designers who are able to create a new silhouette purely informed by her textile development process, and still is able to show what a couture garment can look like in modern times, he said. For the fall-winter 2019 collection, she was inspired by Henri Matisses painting Woman Reading. While a number of people have used the term fairy-like to describe the collection, the designer said that it wasnt her intention. It just happens that this time my theme is about a girl reading a book. Maybe next season, she is still romantic but bolder. Showing in both New York and Shanghai can be stressful, but as long as she is loving what she does, Hu is in a good place. I am someone who is simply passionate about design. One day, if I lose all the passion and ability to tell the story through my design, I might not continue to design anymore. A look from At-One-Ment by Wanbing Huang fall 2019 collection. At-One-Ment by Wanbing Huang Founded by Wanbing Huang in 2018, the London-based At-One-Ment aims to represent all-in-one and unity, and to combine strong aesthetics, unique silhouettes and innovative fabrics. Born in Guangzhou, Huang, 28, holds fashion degrees from Central Saint Martins and Bunka Fashion College. Before starting her label, she worked at Celine under Phoebe Philo, and Issey Miyake. I regard fashion as an essential carrier to show womens emotions and bring them spiritual resonance and comfort, she said. Christian Kwok, creative director of Marie Claire China, thinks that each piece is designed to be an independent work of art, to manifest invisible emotions, to make it easier for people to feel the complex and diverse inner worlds of women. This season, I was inspired by Louise Bourgeois work, so I named the new collection Femme Maison. Different from Bourgeois point of view where women are restricted by the home and doubts about their identities, my interpretation is that the suitcases and houses in the paintings are just foreign objects. After being confused and escaping, women can calmly face everything around them, they build their own house within their hearts, Huang said. Running the brand both domestically and overseas and having done shows and presentations in Shanghai Fashion Week and participated in showrooms in London and Paris, Huang is aware of the challenges. Sometimes it feels very hard to balance the workload, but I am very grateful that I have a great team in London, Guangzhou and Shanghai. In London, I am working on creativity and design, doing most of the fabric research and brand development. In China, my team and I work on domestic sales, operation and manufacture, as well as the show production in Shanghai. Preview of 8on8 fall 2019 collection. 8on8 It can be hard to share the same name as Chinas most famous actress, Gong Li, as 8on8s designer has found out. But this Li has gotten around at least some of the potential for mistaken identity with his clever use of 8s in the label name of his mens wear brand in place of gs to spell, at least indirectly, Gong. A 2017 Saint Martins graduate, he was praised by Vogues Sarah Mower for its intense levels of professionalism. Id seen his graduate collection and it was already obvious from then that he had a clear vision for their designs. What stood out in 8on8 was how cohesive and strong his first collection was. Not just the clothes themselves but the entire visual world he created for the brands, down to the zips they chose, and typography used in its look book. Each piece had been carefully considered and helped to establish an identity, Xin said. The designer explained, 8on8 stands for the mature energy of the young generation, specialized in new waves of classic mens wear, based on my nostalgic view but comes out with a futuristic outlook. With the upcoming collection, Li looks into the modern touch of Seventies retro-futuristic images and continues his exploration with modern tailoring silhouette and the contemporary young culture. In our collaboration as his stylist, I can strongly feel his passion. He once said to me: There is no need for more clothes in the world if you cant express long-lasting aesthetics in the design, said Jojo Qian, fashion director of T Magazine China. Having shown in Shanghai for three seasons, 8on8 has built up a reputation in the local market and Li has been chosen by GQ China to take part in the designer showcase at London Fashion Week Men in June. Launch Gallery: Chinas New Wave of Designers to Watch in Shanghai Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Ben Rios says a nightclub in Corpus Christi, Texas wouldnt allow him inside because he was wearing womens shoes. The nightclub says thats not true. (Photo: Facebook/Ben Rios) A Texas nightclub denies accusations it stopped a gay man wearing stiletto heels and makeup from entering. On Saturday night, Ben Rios, 22, a retail sales associate, went to VoodDoo Niteclub in Corpus Christi, Texas, for a friends birthday party. Outside, he showed his ID card to a host, who allegedly said that Rios wearing makeup and sparkly silver high heels was breaking dress code. When I arrived, I was stopped at the door and DENIED entry for wearing makeup and wearing heels, Rios wrote on Facebook Sunday. The door guy bluntly said Youre a man, youre not supposed to be wearing womens clothing or makeup and simply turned [his] back. I refuse to let this go and my voice needs to be heard! As a semi-regular VooDoo patron, Rios usually wears jeans, but that night he wanted to dress up. Rios tells Yahoo Lifestyle the employee allowed his friends (who wore jeans and T-shirts) inside, then gave him a look. He said, Youre out of dress code and turned his back to me, says Rios. I persisted and he said, Youre a man in womens clothing.' Rios left with his friends. People asked why I didnt record anything but it was over in 45 seconds, he says. On Monday, Voodoo wrote a Facebook statement to explain why Rios was held up at the door: Over St. Patricks Day weekend, two men wearing womens clothing allegedly entered the club and were allowed to use the womens restroom. these two men pulled out their cell phones and began to record women that were using the facilities, read VooDoos statement. Several women approached management upset that two men dressed as women were in the womens restroom recording them without their consent. The men left and the women chose to not speak to off-duty police officers working inside the club, said VooDoo. A spokesperson from the Corpus Christi Police Department did not return Yahoo Lifestyles information request. VooDoo wrote that when Rios and his friends showed up on Saturday, the employee thought Rios might be one of the culprits because he matched the description. He held Rios at the door and called for the manager, but when he arrived, Rios and his friends had left. Story continues We welcome every customer, wrote VooDoo. We do not support any homophobic action in denying our customers entry. We welcome with open arms every race and we welcome anyone regardless of their gender-based clothing. We have men dressed as women all the time come into our club and vice versa. We apologize that this incident occurred. However, it is of the utmost importance that we protect all of our customers while on the premises. Owner Eddie Dijiali tells Yahoo Lifestyle, The host could not have explained the reason why this customer was held at the door we did not want to make him feel guilty for something he may have not done, or have him run if he was, in fact, a suspect. Dijiali says his employee denies telling Rios that his outfit broke dress code and that Rios is wearing a different outfit in his Facebook post. VooDoo is adding two unisex bathrooms to make customers more comfortable. Could the employee have handled it better? Yes, says Dijiali. The customer is welcome to come back wearing womens shoes and makeup. The venue called Rios to apologize, but Rios says the employee was non-transparent. My experience is being treated as a misunderstanding but it wasnt, he tells Yahoo Lifestyle. This was about my clothing. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. MOSCOW (AP) Russia savored an "I told you so" moment Monday after special counsel Robert Mueller found no collusion between President Donald Trump's campaign and Moscow. Government officials also dismissed the extensive evidence uncovered by Mueller of Russian cyber-meddling in the 2016 presidential election. "It's hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if it isn't there," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, insisting that Russia has never interfered in elections in the U.S. or any other countries. While Mueller found no evidence Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Moscow to sway the election in his favor, he uncovered multi-pronged Russian meddling and indicted 25 Russians on charges of hacking Democratic email accounts and spreading disinformation on social media. The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected those charges as "ridiculous" and "politically motivated" and denounced Mueller's investigation as a waste of taxpayer money stemming from the Democrats' effort to discredit Trump. "Colossal efforts and significant taxpayers' funds have been spent to refute a clear fake," it said. Russian authorities over the past months have described the Mueller probe in a language strikingly similar to that of Trump, denouncing it as politically driven witch hunt. "The results of Mueller's investigation are a disgrace for the U.S. and its political elites," Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the information committee at the Federation Council, tweeted Monday. "All of the accusations were proved to be trumped up." Russian state-owned Channel One suggested that U.S. media had been deliberately whipping up hysteria about possible collusion to turn American public opinion against Russia. "There were so many fake scoops: the one about the non-existent back channel between Washington and Moscow, the one about the so-called Russia Dossier with the Kremlin's alleged compromising information on Trump," said Channel One's U.S. correspondent, Yulia Olkhovskaya. "But will the viewers hear the rebuttals now?" Story continues Putin's spokesman said that Russia wants good relations with the U.S. but that it's up to Washington to move to repair ties. Vladimir Pozner, a veteran TV commentator in Russia, said that by lifting the cloud hanging over Trump, Mueller's report removes a barrier to better U.S-Russia relations. "It creates a kind of an opening for an improvement of relations, which is badly needed considering the situation today," Pozner said Monday. Other Russian officials and commentators held out hope that Trump would now reach out to Moscow, but most also noted that congressional support for sanctions against Russia and political infighting in Washington made any improvements in relations unlikely. "There is nothing to celebrate here in Russia; the accusations against us remain," Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Federation Council's foreign affairs committee, said. "There's an opportunity to reset our relations, but the question is whether Trump will take the risk." Whether you have to duck out early to make it to a therapy appointment or need to take a longer leave of absence, bringing up a mental illness with your boss can be intimidating. Here's how to ace the conversation. After graduating from college, Abby, a 22-year-old from Nebraska, accepted a dream job as an editorial assistant at a book publishing company in New York City. She had been attending weekly therapy sessions and taking antidepressant medication for the three years, and felt ready for the big move. At first, things at work were greatboth of her supervisors were pleased with her performance. So initially she didnt want to disclose that she was still receiving treatment for depression. I scheduled appointments during my lunch hour, so I didn't feel the need to request a disability accommodation, she says. I didnt really know how to anyway. But even though things looked like they were going well, Abby started self-harming. Five months after starting her job, she attempted suicide. In the aftermath, she missed three days of work without an explanation. It was time to tell her boss about her mental health struggles. Abbys case is extreme, but odds are there is someone in your office or workplace who is dealing with mental health issues. Mental illness affects nearly a quarter of women in the U.S. each year; 28 percent of women in a Glamour survey reported that their mental health struggles have impacted their career. Liat had that experience. A 47-year-old licensed clinical social worker at a local government agency, she struggled with depression. About a year into her role in a new department, she got to the point where she needed to take a monthlong medical leave to seek treatment. When she returned, her colleagues and supervisorall of whom are also licensed cliniciansseemed hostile. Her boss reamed her out on her first day back in the office about not completing all of her assignments before she went on leave, and she felt like the rest of her coworkers had frozen her out. I hid in the bathroom stalls and sobbed, she says. She wondered whether her colleagues might have treated her medical leave differently if she had been seeking treatment for cancer instead of depression. Five years later, things have gradually improved, but she never got an apology. "My coworkers and I have a pretty good relationship now," she says, "but we never discussed what happened." Story continues Stories like Liats make the idea of disclosing your mental health struggles to your boss even more intimidating. The reality is that some bosses will always be jerks, but most experts agree its worth looping in your boss or HR department if your mental health is impacting your job performance. Every employee should be safe to disclose her mental illness to her employer without fear of retributionthat's the law. And there have been huge cultural strides in destigmatizing mental health. Better employers see it as a part of the process of what it means to work with humanity, says Theresa Nguyen, vice president of policy and programs at Mental Health America. These companies know that supporting an employee often is a win-win, since it helps the staffer produce their best work. While mental illnesses can mean time away from the office (employees coping with depression miss approximately twice as many work days per year) and job performance issues, many women learn to master the juggle and thrive at work. When Abby did eventually tell her boss what was going on, they worked together to make accommodations: a flexible schedule that allowed her to take time off during the day when she needed to see her therapist and extra sick days that she could make up when she was feeling better. I always felt really supported, she says. Looping her boss in allowed her to get back on track and even excel in her rolea year later, she earned a promotion. How can you get that kind of support from your boss? Should you bring up your mental health condition at all? We asked the experts how to tackle these toughies, whether you need a long lunch for a weekly therapy appointment or a leave of absence for more intensive care. 1. Test the waters. What will my coworkers think? Will my boss judge me differently? Will it hurt my career? Those are all valid questions, says Nguyen: Even though everyone has rights to accommodations, the reality is that asking for them is scary. You can check the company handbook or website for any official policies. If you feel comfortable with your direct supervisor, its ideal to speak with her first, says Tanisha Ranger, a Nevada-based psychologist who has helped many clients broach the topic of mental health with their employers. Start by testing the waters, asking general questions such as, If I have a recurring doctors appointment during the work day, how do you want me to handle that? Her response can be a good indicator of whether or not she'll be open to giving you some flexibility. Once youre ready to talk to your boss about your specific situation, schedule some time to speak privately. 2. Do your homework. Before you have a more private meeting, do some due diligenceits important to walk into your bosss office as prepared as possible and offer a plan that youve discussed with your therapist, Ranger says, rather than just unload your diagnosis and wait for your boss to provide the solutions. It helps to provide a list of requested accommodations and explain how each will help you perform to your potential. In other words, you want to present your boss with a solution, not a problem. So explain how your mental illness may affect your work and how specific accommodations will allow you to perform to the best of your ability. For example, if you deal with PTSD and sometimes struggle with concentration, detail how working from home, where you can control your environment, could help you stay on course. 3. Be open to their suggestions. Employees have a right to reasonable accommodations, but its ultimately up to employers to determine what reasonable means. Your boss may not immediately agree to all your requests, so be open to working together to finding creative solutions that will work for both you and your employer. If an accommodation is minor, such as taking a long lunch once a week for a therapy appointment, a brief conversation with your boss will often suffice. But for bigger accommodations that will more drastically change your schedule, be prepared to work with HR too. 4. Know when to involve HR. If you dont have a good relationship with your supervisor or youve tested the waters and gotten the impression that she wont be understanding, you can opt to go directly to human resources to discuss your situation. This is often a more discreet option, since they cant legally share the reason for your medical accommodations if you dont want them to, says Jessica Methot, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. This information is confidential explicitly because supervisors cannot be given information that can be used to discriminate against employees, she says. In this case, you would be protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act. This means that even if you need to take a leave of absence, your boss doesnt need to know whyyou can work with your doctor and your HR team to fill out the appropriate Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork. All you need to tell your boss is that you have a medical condition and youve completed the FMLA paperwork with HR, Ranger says. If your employer is hostile or discriminates against you due to a mental illness, remember that there is the option of legal recourseand that there are plenty of companies and supervisors that offer a nurturing, healthy environment that allows you to thrive in both your career and your personal life. Caitlin Flynn is a writer in Seattle, covering health, politics, and travel. Follow her @caitrose609. (Adds detail) PARIS, March 25 (Reuters) - France signed 15 business contracts with China worth billions of euros on Monday, including a 300-plane order with Airbus and a 1 billion euro contract for EDF to build an offshore wind farm in China, the French presidency said. The order from China for Airbus planes was the most lucrative of the deals unveiled in Paris, with a French presidency official saying it was worth about 30 billion euros ($33.94 billion). France's Fives and China National Building Materials Group signed a 1 billion euro deal to cooperate on energy savings in developing countries. Shipping line CMA CGM and China State Shipbulding Corporation signed a 1.2 billion euro deal to build 10 container ships. CMA CGM, which is based in the southern French port city of Marseille, said the order comprised five vessels powered by liquefied natural gas and five to be fitted with so-called scrubbers to reduce emissions. CMA CGM had ordered in 2017 nine LNG-fueled ships from China State Shipbulding Corporation in what was the first such deal for large box-ships using LNG. In agriculture, France and China struck an agreement to lift an embargo on French poultry exports. The accord, which set out terms for exports of frozen French chicken exports, would end an embargo imposed by China following bird flu outbreaks in France. The move comes after last year's agreement between the countries to end a ban on French beef exports to China, an embargo that dated back to a bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, crisis in Europe two decades ago. (Reporting by John Irish, Marine Pennetier and Guz Trompiz; editing by Michel Rose) Ottawa (AFP) - A couple who split after a five-year hostage ordeal in Afghanistan faced each other in a Canadian court Wednesday at the husband's trial for sexually assaulting his wife. US citizen Caitlan Coleman, 33, recounted her "rollercoaster" relationship with Canadian Joshua Boyle that ended after their 2017 release. Boyle, 35, was arrested just two months after he and Coleman returned to Canada and was charged with sexual assault, misleading police and making death threats. Boyle and Coleman, who married in 2011, were kidnapped by the Taliban during what they have called a backpacking trip in 2012 and were transferred to the custody of the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. The couple were initially separated, and moved around to more than 22 locations in total, but were mainly held together and had three children in captivity -- and another after their release. Coleman testified via video link from another room in the Ottawa courthouse while Boyle sat quietly, his parents at his side. She recounted how she had met the defendant when she was 16 in a Star Wars-themed chat room, and became "smitten, rather crushed on him" as he recovered from a break-up with a mutual friend. She provided a shoulder to cry on when he appeared depressed and the friendship eventually developed into a "powerful rollercoaster" romance. "He was my first kiss," she said. Coleman recalled how she told people Boyle was a wonderful boyfriend, when in reality they would fight over her social drinking, the way she dressed and her friends. Boyle would claim she was "holding him back," the court heard, and would often belittle her and call her a "slut." The judge was told Boyle had married someone else -- the sister of former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr -- during a break in the relationship. But that ended in a 2010 divorce and Coleman married Boyle the following year during a trip to South America. Story continues - 'Didn't have a choice' - She said he became increasingly controlling, referring to her as "helpmeet," and pressed her to travel with him to Afghanistan. After their frequent fights, she would break down and cry, "babbling incoherently," often storming out, and soon she began to "self harm." Coleman said she finally relented and traveled with him to Central Asia with the "firm understanding" that they would not go to Afghanistan. But after landing in nearby Kyrgyzstan, Boyle sprung on her his real plan to go to Afghanistan, telling Coleman that she "didn't have a choice." "I was really scared. I thought this was a very bad idea," she said, noting that she was at least four months pregnant. They were kidnapped one week after crossing into Afghanistan. During five years of captivity, Coleman said Boyle became physically abusive, biting, choking, punching, slapping and spanking her, as well as casually threatening to kill her in front of their children. "I had to call him sir," she said. Coleman said the day they gained their freedom, which she said was "exciting" and involved a "dramatic" car chase, her husband's assaults and verbal abuse stopped and she said she became hopeful. "He started treating me better," she said. But after a short stay with his parents in Smith Falls, Ontario, they moved into a downtown Ottawa apartment and within weeks the abuse started up again, she said. "He started becoming verbally abusive, putting me down, then it deteriorated into physical abuse again," Colemen testified. The court heard Boyle's 911 call on the day Coleman walked out of the couple's Ottawa apartment at the end of December. He claimed she was mentally unstable, struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, and might harm herself. But the call triggered a police investigation that led to him being charged. Coleman's testimony is due to resume Friday, in what is expected to be an eight-week trial. The court has banned the identification of a second alleged victim of Boyle. Lyon (AFP) - A sleepy village in the Alps has reacted with shock after the bullet-riddled body of a former French spy who had been linked to a plot to kill a Congolese opposition leader was found on the side of a local road. Daniel Forestier, 57, a former secret agent who had been living in the Alps for years, was found dead on March 21 on a remote lay-by outside the village of Ballaison, near Lake Geneva, on the French-Swiss border. Forestier, who was charged last year over a plot to murder exiled Congolese General Ferdinand Mbaou, had been shot five times, including in the head and heart, his lawyer Cedric Huissoud told AFP on Tuesday. The mysterious execution-style killing triggered speculation that Forestier had been targeted either because he knew too much, or because of a desire for revenge. "It's hard to believe that this murder bore no connection with his implication in the Mbaou affair," a source close to the investigation told AFP on condition of anonymity. News of the death surprised locals in the village of Lucinges, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the south of Ballaison, where Forestier, a father-of-two, had served on the local council. In an interview with the regional Dauphine Libere newspaper, Mayor Jean-Luc Soulat said he felt "a lot of sadness and shock". While Forestier's spy past was no secret -- he had used his own money to publish a semi-autobiographical novel entitled "Barbouze de la Republique" ("Spy for the Republic") -- Soulat said he had thrown himself into village life on arriving in Lucinges in 2002. Forestier first ran a local bar named "Escapade" and later served four years on the local council. His lawyer said he "led a clean-living, peaceful life" and had never had any brushes with the law before being charged in September over a plot to murder Mbaou, an arch-critic of Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Reacting to Forestier's murder, Mbaou, who has been living in France for most of the past 20 years, told AFP he was "saddened." Story continues "I hope that his death does not prevent justice being served, but I'm confident," he added, referring to the alleged plot to kill him. "He (Forestier) was not acting alone. There are other suspects." His lawyers said it highlighted the threat to the life of the Congolese politician, who has already survived one attempt on his life in France. "None of the protagonists in this affair are safe, starting with our client," they said in a statement. - Criticising Congo's president - In September, investigators charged Forestier and another former agent from France's external intelligence service (DGSE) Bruno Susini, with being part of a criminal conspiracy and possession of explosives in connection with a plot to murder Mbaou. Mbaou believes he was targeted for criticising one of Africa's longest-serving leaders from what he thought to be a safe distance. The 62-year-old general is known for his outspoken attacks on Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled the former French colony and oil-rich central African country of 4.5 million people for some 35 years. Mbaou fled Congo after his former boss, the country's first democratically-elected president Pascal Lissouba, was overthrown by Sassou Nguesso in 1997. In 2015, he was shot in the back as he was leaving his home in Bessancourt, north of Paris. No one was ever charged over that attack. - 'Bizarre affair' - Forestier, who is believed to have worked as a spy for 14 years, had denied any hand in the plot and launched an appeal against the charges. "My client always rejected these incredible allegations, which were based on an account from a single anonymous source," Forestier's lawyer Huissoud told AFP. "This affair was bizarre from the start," Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, the lawyer of Forestier's co-accused Susini, told AFP, adding that the two ex-spies had been "very worried about their safety" after some of their personal details -- including pictures of Forestier's home -- had been shared on social media. The probe into Forestier's killing is being led by the same anti-gang crime squad in the city of Lyon which was investigating him over the plot against Mbaou. burs-cb/adp/har By Steve Holland and Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Russia to pull its troops from Venezuela and said that "all options" were open to make that happen. The arrival of two Russian air force planes outside Caracas on Saturday believed to be carrying nearly 100 Russian special forces and cybersecurity personnel has escalated the political crisis in Venezuela. Russia and China have backed President Nicolas Maduro, while the United States and most other Western countries support opposition leader Juan Guaido. In January, Guaido invoked the constitution to assume Venezuela's interim presidency, arguing that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. "Russia has to get out," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, where he met with Guaido's wife, Fabiana Rosales. Asked how he would make Russian forces leave, Trump said: "We'll see. All options are open." Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the country's military, has said Guaido is a puppet of the United States. Russia has bilateral relations and agreements with Venezuela and Maduro that it plans to honor, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said on Twitter. A spokeswoman for Russias Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said the United States should pull troops from Syria before telling Moscow to withdraw from Venezuela. "Before giving advice to somebody to withdraw from somewhere, the United States should bring to life its own concept of exodus, particularly from Syria," Zakharova said, speaking on Russias state Channel One, TASS agency quoted her as saying. Venezuela's economy is in tatters with food and medicine in short supply due to years of hyperinflation. In addition, citizens are now grappling with power blackouts that experts have blamed on years of neglect and maintenance. Earlier this year, the Trump administration slapped sanctions on state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA, to try to cut off revenues to Maduro. Oil provides 90 percent of export revenue for Venezuela, an OPEC member. Trump has said tougher sanctions are still to come. "TRYING TO BREAK OUR MORALE" U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers on Wednesday that rebuilding after Maduro leaves office would be expensive. "The day and week after is going to be a long process," Pompeo said. "I've seen estimates between $6 (billion) and $12 billion to repair" the economy, he said. The Trump administration has asked Congress for up to $500 million in foreign aid to help "support a democratic transition in Venezuela," Pompeo said in written testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives. At the White House, Rosales, Guaido's wife, told Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that food shortages in Venezuela were hurting children. "They are trying to break our morale. They want to submerge us in eternal darkness. But let me tell you that there is light, and the light is here," said Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist. Guaido was attacked on Tuesday, she told Trump. Upon leaving a National Assembly session, individuals threw stones at the vehicle Guaido was traveling in and tried to open its doors, according to a Reuters witness. "I fear for my husband's life," said Rosales, who was accompanied by the wife and sister of Roberto Marrero, Guaido's chief of staff, who was arrested and detained last week. Rosales is slated to meet U.S. first lady Melania Trump in Palm Beach on Thursday on a swing through South Florida, home to the largest community of Venezuelan exiles in the United States. Rosales also plans to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and members of the Venezuelan diaspora at a prominent Washington think tank. Pence praised Rosales for being "courageous." "Our message very simply is: We're with you," Pence said. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Steve Holland; additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas, Michelle Nichols in New York, Andrey Ostrokh in Moscow, and Roberta Rampton, Doina Chiacu and Makini Brice in Washington; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Leslie Adler) Sydney (AFP) - Australia and the Netherlands on Wednesday said they were in talks with Russia over the ongoing investigation into the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine. The Malaysia Airlines jet was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile over war-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers. Close to two thirds of those killed on the flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur were Dutch, while 38 Australians were also lost. Last year Australia and the Netherlands blamed Russia for the disaster. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and her Dutch counterpart Stef Blok said Wednesday they were making progress on finding those responsible for the disaster after starting trilateral meetings with Russia earlier this month. "We cannot go into the content of the process because confidentiality is vital here," Blok told reporters in Sydney. "But I can say this: we remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability." International investigators concluded that the BUK came from a Russian military brigade based in southwestern Kursk which had crossed into Ukraine. Moscow has vehemently denied any responsibility. Five countries -- Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine -- continue to investigate the disaster. "Australia remains a strong supporter of the prosecution of the individuals responsible," Payne said. Russia also confirmed Wednesday the trilateral meetings had taken place. "They agreed they would be confidential," deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko told reporters in Moscow. Grushko said there was "no agreements" in place yet for the next meeting, TASS state news agency reported. By Alexander Cornwell DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, plans to roll out a commercial 5G mobile network by June, partly using Huawei technology despite the United States' concerns the Chinese telecom giant's equipment could be used for spying. Washington has warned countries against using Chinese technology, saying Huawei could be used by Beijing to spy on the West. China and Huawei have strongly rejected the allegations. VIVA Bahrain, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian state-controlled telecoms firm STC, last month signed an agreement to use Huawei products in its 5G network, one of several Gulf telecoms companies working with the Chinese company. "We have no concern at this stage as long as this technology is meeting our standards," Bahrain's Telecommunications Minister Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed told Reuters on Tuesday when asked about U.S. concerns over Huawei technology. A senior State Department official told Reuters the U.S. routinely urges allies and partners to consider the risks posed by vendors subject to extrajudicial or unchecked compulsion by foreign states. The U.S. Fifth Fleet uses its base in Bahrain, a Western-allied island state off the Saudi coast, to patrol several important shipping lanes, including near Iran. Bahrain expects to be one of the first countries to make 5G available nationwide, Mohammed said, although he cautioned it would depend on handset and equipment availability. Early movers like the United States, China, Japan and South Korea are just starting to roll out their 5G networks, but other regions, such as Europe, are still years away and the first 5G phones are only likely to be released in the second half of this year. Bahrain's state controlled operator Batelco is working with Sweden's Ericsson on its 5G network, while the country's third telecoms group Zain Bahrain is yet to announce a technology provider. No foreign company is restricted by the government from providing equipment for Bahrain's 5G network, Mohammed said, adding mobile operators choose who they work with. Australia and New Zealand have stopped operators using Huawei equipment in their networks but the European Union is expected to ignore U.S. calls to ban the Chinese company, instead urging countries to share more data to tackle cybersecurity risks related to 5G networks. Mohammed said the rollout of the 5G network was an "important milestone" for Bahrain, which is hoping investments in technology will help spur its economy, which was hit hard by a recent drop in oil prices. "It is something we are proud to have," he said. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Mark Potter) BEIJING (AP) China said Wednesday that it has expelled former Interpol President Meng Hongwei from public office and the ruling Communist Party as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Meng was elected Interpol president in 2016, but his four-year mandate was cut short when he was detained without notice by Chinese authorities last October during a visit to China from Interpol headquarters in France. At the time, Meng was also one of China's vice ministers of public security. An investigation found Meng guilty of serious legal violations, a party statement said, noting that he had failed to abide by party principles and implement the party's decisions. The statement said Meng abused his power to satisfy his family's "extravagant lifestyle," indulging his wife's use of his authority for personal benefit. Expulsion from the party is usually the last step before a suspect is sent for trial and almost certain conviction. Corruption charges usually result in lengthy sentences, including life in prison. Meng's wife, Grace Meng, made a bold public appeal from France for help locating her husband after she lost contact with him last September. The appeal especially unusual for relatives of senior Chinese officials cast light on the forced disappearances of dissidents and allegedly corrupt officials alike under President Xi Jinping. Following Meng's appeal, the Ministry of Public Security said he was being lawfully investigated for bribery and other crimes. Interpol said the international police agency had not been informed in advance of the probe, while the French police had launched an investigation into his unexplained disappearance. Interpol later said Meng resigned as president. Rights groups criticized Meng's appointment in 2016, pointing to the lack of transparency in China's legal systems and the potential for Meng to use his position against Beijing's political opponents. He is among a slew of high-ranking officials who have been ensnared by Xi's sweeping crackdown on graft and perceived disloyalty. Hong Kong (AFP) - China on Wednesday condemned a British report that expressed concern over eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, accusing the UK of having "ignored and distorted the truth" about the city. Former British colony Hong Kong enjoys rights unseen on the Chinese mainland, including freedom of expression, which are protected in the handover agreement between China and Britain. But in recent years, concern has grown in Hong Kong and abroad about its freedoms disappearing as Beijing tightens its grip on the semi-autonomous city. In a report Wednesday, Britain's foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "concerned that on civil and political freedoms, Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy is being reduced". Hunt cited recent moves by Hong Kong authorities including banning a pro-independence party, screening political candidates, and barring a Financial Times journalist who chaired a talk by an independence activist. He described "recent pressure being applied on Hong Kong to move towards a mainland Chinese interpretation of civil and political freedoms, under which certain subjects are effectively off-limits for discussion and debate." In response, China's foreign ministry in Hong Kong urged Britain to "stop interfering in China's internal affairs", state media said. A spokesperson for the ministry's top official in Hong Kong said the "so-called report... ignored and distorted the truth by deliberately confusing the legitimate and lawful measures taken" to fight pro-independence forces and protect national security, Xinhua reported. A separate spokesman for Hong Kong's government said it "reiterates that foreign governments should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs" of the semi-autonomous city. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has previously criticised Britain's six-monthly reports on the former colony, noting they still continue "despite the unification". British activist Benedict Rogers said it was "the first time that the (British) Foreign and Commonwealth Office have publicly stated so clearly and strongly in a six-monthly report that not all aspects of 'one-country, two-systems' are functioning well." The latest report "reflects a serious deterioration of the situation on the ground," said Rogers, who founded Britain-based Hong Kong Watch and is deputy chairman of the governing Conservative Party's human rights commission. A big question clouding American politics for more than two years was whether anybody from President Donald Trumps winning campaign assisted in Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Special Counsel Robert Muellers criminal investigation, in producing indictments against Russian nationals and former Trump advisers, dropped hints that some people in the Trump campaign had at least wanted to play ball with Russia. In the end, though, Muellers team concluded there was no conspiracy or coordination, just as Trump has long said. 1. What did Mueller conclude? Muellers final report says the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, according to the four-page letter Attorney General William Barr delivered to Congress. This was despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote. 2. What clues pointed to the campaigns involvement? An intriguing one involved Roger Stone, a political operative who advised Trump. He hinted during the 2016 campaign that he knew in advance that the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks would release unflattering information hacked from the campaign of Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Since that hacking was carried out under the guidance of Russian intelligence, according to U.S. investigators, Stone who was arrested on Jan. 25 on charges of witness tampering and making false statements was seen as a possible link between Trump and the Russian election interference. Furthering that idea, Trumps onetime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, says he overheard Stone tell Trump that he was communicating with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange about a massive dump of emails that would damage Hillary Clintons campaign. 3. What was in those emails? First, WikiLeaks released almost 20,000 emails from inside the Democratic National Committee that showed how staffers there had favored Clinton during her primary campaign against Senator Bernie Sanders. That prompted the resignation of the DNCs chairman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Later, WikiLeaks released tens of thousands of emails from the Gmail account of John Podesta, Clintons campaign chairman; this email dump is the one that Stone seemed to know was coming. The material hacked from Podesta produced unflattering headlines about Clinton saying politicians need both a public and private position on tough issues; Clinton allegedly being fed in advance a question that would be posed during a televised debate; and Clinton speaking of her dream of a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders. Looking back on her defeat, Clinton said the WikiLeaks email dumps had been like Chinese water torture. Story continues 4. What other clues were there? Paul Manafort, chairman of Trumps campaign for two months, may have shared polling data with an associate tied to Russian intelligence. Former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pursued Russias help in the campaign and interacted with a suspected Russian agent who promised compromising information about Clinton. And as Trump was sewing up the Republican Partys nomination in June 2016, a Russian lawyer offering information on Clinton was granted a meeting at Trump Tower in New York with Trumps eldest son, Donald Jr.; Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and Manafort. 5. What did Mueller conclude about all this? Thats not known, since Muellers report to Barr is still secret. Democratic lawmakers have demanded the full report as well as the underlying evidence so they can pursue their own investigations. Muellers team of investigators and prosecutors charged six former Trump advisers, 26 Russian nationals and three Russian companies. Five of the six former Trump advisers have pleaded guilty, though none to charges of helping Russia interfere with the election. (Stone, the sixth, has vowed to fight his charges in court.) A former Federal Bureau of Investigation director, Mueller was called back into service as special counsel to oversee the probe. Eight days before his appointment, Trump had fired the head of the FBI, James Comey, whod been a key player in the investigation. 6. How did this all begin? In April 2016, Democratic Party leaders called in a cybersecurity firm to look at suspicious software on their computers. The firm said it found digital footprints of hackers tied to the Russian government. The Democratic National Committee went public with the news and the suspicion of Russian involvement in June of that year, just after Clinton clinched the partys nomination for president, and just after Assange said his group had upcoming leaks in relation to Hillary Clinton. 7. And WikiLeaks got those emails from Russia? Thats the allegation. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process and Clintons candidacy, and that along the way, Putin and his government developed a clear preference for Trump. Russias efforts included hacking and leaking the emails that undermined Clintons campaign, plus using phony accounts and advertising on Facebook and Twitter to sway American public opinion. U.S. intelligence says Russias General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, gave the emails to WikiLeaks through an intermediary. Some of the emails also were released through the persona of a purported Romanian hacker, Guccifer 2.0, and a website, DCLeaks.com, both of which promoted the hacked information to certain journalists. 8. How does Assange respond? From the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he lives under political asylum, Assange has denied that the Russian government was his source of the hacked emails. But an indictment released by Mueller in July 2018, charging 12 Russian military intelligence officers allegedly assigned to disrupt the U.S. election, said that WikiLeaks asked Guccifer for the hacked emails in order to help promote them in advance of the Democratic National Convention, and that Guccifer responded with instructions on how to access them. 9. What does Putin say? The Russian leader confirmed he did in fact want Trump to win the election but said that was only because Trump was interested in improving U.S.-Russian relations. As for allegations of meddling in the U.S. election, Putin called them utterly ridiculous. 10. What does Trump say? He has always insisted that no evidence would emerge of collusion, which in legal terms would translate to conspiracy. Trump dismisses as a total hoax the suggestion that his campaign welcomed Russian interference. Rabat (AFP) - The driver of a passenger train that derailed and killed seven people in Morocco last year has been convicted of manslaughter but released on time already served, his lawyer said Wednesday. The guilty verdict was handed down late on Tuesday by the court of first instance in the town of Sale near Rabat, the lawyer, Chaouki Ajana, told AFP. Larbi Rich was sentenced to five months and five days in prison for manslaughter, which amounted to the time he had already served in detention since being detained after the crash in mid-October, said Ajana. The train he was driving flew off the tracks about 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Rabat in Sidi Bouknadel municipality on October 16, killing seven people and injuring 125. The 54-year-old driver, who himself suffered serious injuries in the accident, was arrested on October 23. He was due to be released later Wednesday, but his defence team would still appeal the sentence, said Ajana, describing his client as a "responsible man" with a flawless 30-year work record. "Larbi Rich is innocent and wants this to be recognised," said Mehdi Sabik, another defence lawyer. Prosecutors said in October that the derailment had been caused by the "excessive" speed of the train, which had been travelling at 158 kilometres per hour (98 miles per hour) instead of the 60 kph (37 mph) limit. The railway workers' union on Monday expressed its "unconditional support" for the driver and called on the national rail company ONCF to "assume its responsibilities". The court has yet to rule on compensation for injured passengers, with the next hearing scheduled for May 7, according to media reports. By David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration will significantly change its oversight approach to air safety by July 2019, U.S. Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel said in written testimony reviewed by Reuters ahead of a U.S. Senate panel hearing. At the same hearing, the FAA's acting administrator, Dan Elwell, will tell a Senate Commerce Committee panel the agencys oversight approach must "evolve" after two fatal crashes involving Boeing Co 737 MAX passenger jets since October. The accidents, which killed nearly 350 people, triggered the worldwide grounding of Boeing's flagship aircraft and ignited a debate over the proper balance between man and machine in piloting the latest version of the 50-year-old 737. Scovel's testimony for the hearing, set for Wednesday, says that in response to a 2015 inspector general report, the FAA agreed to improve its oversight of organizations performing certifications on its behalf. By July the "FAA plans to introduce a new process that represents a significant change in its oversight approach," Scovel says in his prepared remarks. "While revamping FAAs oversight process will be an important step, continued management attention will be key to ensure the agency identifies and monitors the highest-risk areas of aircraft certification," he wrote, adding that some issues including how pilots get training to respond when automated flight systems require the FAA's "urgent attention." Elwell will also say the 737 MAX will return to service "only when the FAAs analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate." Elwells testimony discloses that Boeing first submitted its proposed anti-stall software upgrade to the FAA for certification on Jan. 21 of this year and that the FAA has tested "this enhancement to the 737 MAX flight control system in both the simulator and the aircraft." Story continues Boeing is expected as early as Wednesday to unveil more details of the software upgrade. The company said Tuesday it would carefully monitor the hearing. Separately, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt will tell the panel in written testimony that the board is "examining the U.S. design certification process to ensure any deficiencies are captured and addressed, potentially up to and including NTSB safety recommendations." Elwell will tell the panel that the FAA "will go wherever the facts lead us, in the interest of safety." He defended the FAA's aircraft certification system, but acknowledged it faces challenges. The 737 MAX is Boeings best-selling plane, with orders worth more than $500 billion at list prices. The software fix will prevent repeated operation of the anti-stall system and will deactivate it if it receives widely conflicting sensor information, Reuters reported. Boeing will also make standard a previously optional warning light. "The testing, which was conducted by FAA flight test engineers and flight test pilots, included aerodynamic stall situations and recovery procedures," Elwell's testimony says. In addition to Scovel's office, federal prosecutors are also investigating the 737 MAX certification. "As the aerospace system and its components become increasingly more complex, we know that our oversight approach needs to evolve to ensure that the FAA remains the global leader in achieving aviation safety," Elwell's testimony will say. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Monday she was naming a blue-ribbon panel to review the FAA's aircraft certification program. Elwell's testimony defends the certification process that allows Boeing or other companies to act as a representative for FAA. But Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said Friday the program "effectively left the fox guarding the hen house." Elwell's testimony says the program "is not self-certification; the FAA retains strict oversight authority." (Reporting by David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Tom Brown) Lyon (AFP) - A former French secret agent who was linked to a plot to kill a prominent Congolese opposition leader has been shot dead in France, his lawyer said. Daniel Forestier, 57, who lived in the Alps region in eastern France, was found dead last Thursday in a remote car park in the small town of Ballaison, near lake Geneva. He had been shot five times, including in the head and heart, his lawyer Cedric Huissoud told AFP. Forestier and another former agent from France's external intelligence service, the DGSE, were charged last September with "criminal conspiracy" and "possession of explosives" in connection with a plot to murder General Ferdinand Mbaou, who has lived in exile in France for some 20 years. Forestier is believed to have worked for 14 years for the DGSE. He was living in the small town of Lucinges, near the Swiss border, where he had served on the town council and ran a cafe. In October, Mbaou told AFP he was angry at the reported plot, but "not surprised". Like a number of France-based opponents of Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Mbaou believes he was targeted for criticising one of Africa's longest-serving leaders from what he thought to be a safe distance. The 62-year-old general is known for his outspoken attacks on Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled the former French colony and oil-rich central African country of 4.5 million people for some 35 years. Mbaou fled Congo after his former boss, the country's first democratically-elected president Pascal Lissouba, was overthrown by Sassou Nguesso in 1997. He had already survived an attempt on his life. Mbaou believes it was the regime that sent hitmen to shoot him in the back as he was leaving his home in Bessancourt north of Paris in November 2015. He still has the bullet lodged in his torso. "The doctors couldn't remove it because it is in a tricky spot, close to the heart," he told AFP. No one was ever charged over the attack. Photo credit: Marian Kilinski / EyeEm - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics Far above the rooftops of Manhattan on October 23, 1929, a crew of construction workers perched themselves around one of the highest human-made peaks in the world. Rumors had swirled that they were planning to hoist a flagpole, but what they were really about to lift was far bigger. From wooden platforms 860 feet in the air, the crew was going to raise and rivet a steel needle weighing 54,000 pounds-the finishing touch of a tower called the Chrysler Building. A few blocks away, the buildings architect, William Van Alen, looked on. He felt nauseous and dizzy as the spire ascended, last-minute worries seeping into his mind. Maybe the cables would break and drop the 54,000 pounds through the building, or perhaps the crane would fail to lift the needle high enough. If the winds grew too strong, the spire would tip over the edge of the building, fall down more than 70 stories and crash onto the streets below. Two years of Van Alens life had gone into this building. The tower should have topped out months earlier, with a far different design and certainly no spire, but rivalry had intervened. Four miles south, another skyscraper was rising, and its owners had the same goal as the Chrysler developers: To erect the tallest building in the world. And the architect of that tower-a bank at 40 Wall Street-was H. Craig Severance, a man Van Alen once called a friend. What transpired would transform the built environment of New York City, creating two of its most endearing architectural symbols and catapulting skyscraper design to heights never before seen. At the Starting Line Photo credit: Library of Congress - Getty Images A decade before William Van Alen ever dreamed about a skyscraper on 42nd St., all that stood at the current site of the Chrysler Building was a five-story structure with a cigar store at ground level. But World War I had just ended, and New York was growing. Elevators and mass steel production -two necessary components of tall buildings-were becoming mainstream. The tallest building in the world, the Woolworth Building, had topped out at 792 feet above Lower Manhattan. And, as Neal Bascomb wrote in his book Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City, an architecture firm called Severance & Van Alen, Architects was on the rise. Story continues The pair divided its workflow simply. Severance was the salesman, the man who won the jobs. Van Alen was the designer. Together, they created buildings that can still be found around New York, including the Vogar Building on 57th Street and the Bar Building on 44th Street. But ten years into this partnership, they began having heated arguments.The two best friends disagreed on designs. They lost a job after taking too long. Van Alen was getting all the credit. Resentment grew. In 1924, Van Alen walked out, ending the practice and the friendship forever. As Van Alen searched for work on his own, a former New York State senator named William Reynolds asked the architect to design a tower to replace a structure he was leasing-the five-story building on 42nd St. Eager for the opportunity, Van Alen spent more than a year sketching, building models, and refining the specs on his vision: the worlds first 800-foot tower. It would be 67 stories, capped by an illuminated glass dome. Reynolds showed off the renderings to New Yorks real estate community and projected its annual rent income at more than $1 million, but he delayed demolition for months. At last, Van Alen learned the truth: Reynolds had no intention of building this tower. The senator wished only to drive up the value of the lease and sell it for a profit. In 1928, he found a buyer in Walter Chrysler, the founder of the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler summoned Van Alen to his office two blocks from the site. He didnt care for the Reynolds design, but wanted to see what else this architect could offer. Chrysler wanted to make a statement, and intended to do so with a tower that would rise higher than any other. Van Alen seemed to have the imagination he sought. The five-story building was demolished. Excavation followed. Van Alen sent floor plans, sketches, and sections to Chryslers office, where the car magnate would spread the papers across the floor and crawl around examining each detail. Photo credit: Zen Rial - Getty Images They settled on a 67-story, 809-foot skyscraper that could fit 11,000 people. In the facade, Van Alen drew patterns depicting cars moving across the walls. Massive gargoyles, shaped like the radiator caps of a Chrysler vehicle, would spread their wings at each corner of the building. At the top, six overlapping steel arches would rise above each side of the tower to form a crowning parabolic dome. A friend of Van Alens later insisted that the idea for the arches was inspired by a bottle of Bacardi. The design was released to the public in March 1929. Thats when it caught the attention of H. Craig Severance. On Your Mark While Van Alen was at work uptown, Severance had been commissioned to design a tower on Wall Street for the Manhattan Company, a bank founded in 1799 by politician Aaron Burr. The building had several investors, and one of them had been trying to persuade the company it should be the one to construct the worlds tallest building. The height to beat was now 809 feet. Severance was all in. Building tall was expensive. To cut labor costs, the Manhattan Company wanted the tower completed in only one year. Most skyscrapers built up to that point-every one of which was smaller than the Manhattan Company Building would be-took at least two years to construct, and Severance was perpetually managing several projects at once. So he brought in architect Yasuo Matsui to assist with the design, and together they worked late nights to prepare a rendering. Following Van Alens design, they drew 67 stories. But a copper pyramid and a mast at the summit would bring it 48 feet higher than the Chrysler Building. Reports of the new tallest building in the world plastered the newspapers. Chrysler and his architect met immediately. Under no circumstances was Van Alen going to lose to Severance. And under no circumstances was Walter Chrysler going to let a bank beat his quest for skyline supremacy. The pair went silent, vowing to keep every design change private. Not even the 2,400 workers assembling the tower could know the full details, lest word reached Severance. Van Alen scrambled in secret to add hundreds of feet to the Chrysler Building, and to figure out a way to hide as much of the additional construction from the city as possible. Chrysler signed a blank check to make it happen. As the towers steel frame surpassed the 14th story, Van Alen had the green light to make his skyscraper not just the tallest building in the world, but the tallest manmade structure anyone had ever seen-higher than a 984-foot monument in Paris called the Eiffel Tower. Changing Course Photo credit: New York Herald-Tribune "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper," the famous picture of a construction crew on an I-beam, looks whimsical, even serene. But constructing skyscrapers took courage. Safety measures in the 1920s were lacking, to say the least. Workers did not even wear hardhats. Cold was colder hundreds of feet up. Rainfall made the metal beams slippery, and for the riveting teams erecting the buildings steel skeletons, there was no fence to block a fall. A foreman told the Saturday Evening Post in 1931 that construction workers would often find themselves on a narrow beam with no handhold, fall flat on their stomach, clutch the beam, wrap themselves round it, shut their eyes and gasp as though drowning. On Wall Street, workers faced rough conditions from the very beginning. To meet the rushed schedule for the Manhattan Company Building, demolition of the sites existing 14-story structure and excavation into the 450-million-year-old bedrock occurred simultaneously. That means workers dug through water and quicksand as the structure above them was dismantled. The crumbling building braced the hydraulic rams that drilled 70 feet below the street to build the foundations for a skyscraper. Construction began about a month later, running around the clock. Steel-laden trucks waited in line along the narrow streets of the Financial District to pull up with when a flag signaled their turn. Photo credit: Bettmann - Getty Images Uptown at his drafting table, Van Alen raced against the construction of his own building, as he drew and redrew a tower already taking shape. The design rose from 67 to 77 floors. The six arches increased to seven. Inside the arches, triangular Art Deco windows would point up in the direction Van Alen wanted the beholders eye to wander. To top it all off, a giant spire would grow out of the dome to scrape the sky and pierce the clouds. The spire, of course, was a secret, Van Alens last touch to ensure he would reach higher than Severance. To hide the construction from the world, the spire would have to be assembled inside the building, within the arches, and then be lifted up and out of the tower. The workers were told nothing in advance. Van Alens cousin, engineer William Edwin Squire, did the math and said that the addition was doable. He didnt say raising a 27-ton steel spire 860 feet above the Earth wouldnt be dangerous. Gaining Altitude Photo credit: Popular Mechanics Severance heard a rumor: A little birdie told him Van Alen had an idea, one that would take the Chrysler Building far higher than reported. No one knew just how high Van Alen planned to reach or what his final design would look like. But the leaders of the project on Wall Street worried that theyd be lapped. As the Manhattan Company Buildings construction crept past the 20th story in August 1929, Severance and Matsui returned to their drafting board. The foundations were strong enough to hold more height and weight, they concluded, so five more stories were drawn to bring the design to an even 900 feet. Certainly, Severance believed, 900 would win. Surely that was enough. After all, the Chrysler Building had already reached the 45th floor, and it seemed too late for Van Alen to build in any major changes to extend it upward. The announcement of some other office tower uptown-a skyscraper to be called the Empire State Building-was of no concern. Construction on this Empire State Building and its proclaimed 1,000-foot target, selected in response to the two rising towers, wouldnt start until the other buildings were close to topping out. The press soon caught wind of the race between the Chrysler and Manhattan Company Buildings. Construction workers on both sites, reading the news and sitting on perches hundreds of feet above the street, gazed across the cityscape and placed bets. Which would rise faster? Which would rise higher? Photo credit: Edwin Levick - Getty Images Chrysler announced that his building would end somewhere between 840 and 850 feet. The steelwork was done, he claimed. But this, of course, was a ruse to throw off the competition, and anyone could clearly see that a derrick rose high above the arches that were now under construction. Rumors surfaced that the derrick was there to lift a 60-foot flagpole. Severance extended his own flagpole to make his tower reach 925 feet. The money was on the Manhattan Company. By October 1929, builders around New York wanted in on the publicity and the chance for sky-high glory. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company announced plans for a 100-story tower. The developer A.E. Lefcourt discussed building a 105-floor skyscraper. Renderings were revealed for a 1,600-foot, 150-story office building with a roof the size of an acre-big enough, its investors declared, to fit a landing field for a relatively young invention, the passenger airplane. Severance and Van Alen dismissed these announcements as nothing more than builders talking big. Their focus was on each other as the race rose to its climax. The Chrysler Buildings steel vertex was delivered in five pieces. Each section was lifted up the side of the building by a series of derricks and lowered slowly into the arched dome. Inside, the five pieces of pinnacle and an American flag were fastened together, and only then did the riveters fully understand what they were doing. The 185-foot-tall, 27-ton metal lattice before them was a spire. The next step was to raise it to the topmost arch, where it would be riveted into place. No one on the street below them knew what was about to happen. Van Alen watched and worried and experienced a bout of vertigo. The derrick, normally only able to lift 20 tons, leaned its boom from an outrigger platform close against the arches for extra strength. The lines from the derrick were attached to the center of the spire to keep it straight. One small mistake could send the metal lattice falling. The derrick began cranking, its wheels turning as the flag and the needle rose. The men on the outrigger platform rushed to grab the spire and align it with the riveting holes to bolt it in place. In 90 minutes, the entire job was completed. A worker climbed the lattice with a level to make sure the tallest structure in history was steady at 1,046 feet. The next day, the stock market crashed, and the Great Depression began. At the Finish Line Chrysler made no announcements as the Manhattan Company Building inched closer to topping out. His buildings true height was immeasurable with the naked eye, and he wanted the opposing tower to end at a shorter altitude. On Wall Street, as the world tried to comprehend what was happening to the economy, the Manhattan Company Building finished its steelwork as the second tallest building in the world-and Severance didnt even know it. Photo credit: Tetra Images - Getty Images It took almost a month for the news to hit that the Chrysler Corporation and Van Alen, not the Manhattan Company and Severance, had won the skyscraper race. A trade publication called the Daily Building Report broke the story, informing the world that the top of the Chrysler Buildings spire was the highest level the [American] Flag ever flew from a fixed point in New York City. Severance couldnt believe it. He had to do something, and saw two options: Create some other addition to his building at the risk of its structural integrity, or tell everyone that Van Alens victory didnt count. After all, the Chrysler Building reached its record altitude thanks to its spire, which isnt usable building space, and the Manhattan Company Building housed the higher habitable floor. Associate architect Matsui penned an article making this case, but no one took much notice. As far as the world was concerned, the final score was 1,046 feet Chrysler, 927 feet Manhattan Company. Aftermath In 1976, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission wrote that the Chrysler Building embodies the romantic essence of the Art Deco skyscraper in New York City, with its dramatic effects, elegant materials, and vivid ornamental details. After the building topped out in 1929, the spire and the overlapping arches were coated in Nirosta steel, a type of stainless steel alloy that cleans itself as long as it snows or rains-giving the Chrysler Building that shining appearance that has lasted for 90 years. Photo credit: Sylvain Sonnet - Getty Images Both the Chrysler and Manhattan Company Buildings were designated by the commission as historic landmarks, meaning they cannot be demolished due to their place in city and architectural history. But like every tall building before them, both towers would be outdone in height. While the Depression halted nearly every new towers construction, one skyscraper kept rising. Despite certainty that floor space had little chance of being rented out, the Empire State Buildings construction continued as the economic collapse approached its second year. Its primary financier, John Jakob Raskob-a self-made millionaire and executive for DuPont and General Motors-knew that the tower had taken on a much larger purpose in a shaken city: As a symbol of hope. Perhaps the December 1930 issue of Popular Mechanics summed up the design best-the Empire State Building was a miracle of glass, steel, chromium, aluminum, limestone and granite [that] commands the horizon and staggers the imagination. In 1931, a year and a half after the Chrysler Buildings spire rose, the Empire State Building was completed at 1,250 feet to become the new tallest building in the world, a title it would hold for four decades. Together, the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings forged a new architectural identity for the city-an identity that has endured for almost a century. ('You Might Also Like',) Algiers (AFP) - Army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, who has called for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure, has until now been a faithful supporter of the leader who made him one of Algeria's most powerful men. Born in 1940 in the Batna region, 300 kilometres (186 miles) southeast of Algiers, he was 17 when he joined the National Liberation Army which for three years battled French colonial rule. With Algeria's independence in 1962, he entered the ranks of the army before attending a Soviet military academy and scaling the ladder. Gaid Salah successively commanded several military regions, before being appointed chief of staff of land forces in 1994, two years into the decade-long civil war between the Algerian army and armed Islamists. In 2004, when he was about to be sent into retirement, Salah was tapped by Bouteflika to replace chief of staff Mohamed Lamari, who was from a faction that opposed to a second term for the president. Now indebted to the president, General Gaid Salah became a loyal supporter of Bouteflika who in turn gave him the means to modernise the armed forces. After returning from Paris in July 2013, where he spend 80 days in hospital following a stroke, Bouteflika gave him the added responsibility of deputy defence minister. It was seen at the time as a title handed to the general in exchange for his support of Bouteflika for a fourth presidential term in 2014, in spite of his poor health. General Gaid Salah also backed Bouteflika when he came under attack from the powerful DRS intelligence agency and its chief, General Mohamed Mediene, who was finally retired in 2015. In recent months, he had publicly supported Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term, until his proposal to end the crisis triggered by the unprecedented opposition that his candidacy raised. On Tuesday, he invoke Article 102 of the constitution under which a president can be removed if found unfit to govern as a way out of the crisis. "It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state," the general said in a televised speech. Article 102 puts the onus on the president either to resign or be declared unfit to govern by a vote of parliament due to a "serious and durable illness". NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Election Commission said it had directed a committee of officers to examine Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of an anti-satellite test on Wednesday, after opposition leaders complained the move was aimed at scoring political points. In a television address to the nation, Modi said an Indian missile had shot down an Indian satellite in space, making India only the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to have that capability. Opposition leader Mamata Banerjee said she was lodging a complaint against Modi with the Election Commission for violating the electoral code of conduct. "Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity-mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election (in April-May)," Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal state and a potential prime ministerial candidate, said on Twitter. Randeep Singh Surjewala, a spokesman for the main opposition Congress party, called Modi's announcement a "gross violation of code of conduct." The Election Commission said in a statement later that the matter had been brought to its notice. "The Commission has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct," it said, without elaborating. India's general election begins on April 11. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das, Zeba Siddiqui, and Subrat Patnaik in New Delhi; Editing by Robert Birsel/Mark Heinrich) India said it had destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world's most advanced space powers. In a rare address to the nation on Wednesday, just weeks before a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A missile fired from a testing facility in Odisha, eastern India, downed the satellite at an altitude of around 300 kilometres (185 miles) in "a difficult operation" that lasted around three minutes, Modi said. "This is a proud moment for India," Modi added, in his first televised national address since late 2016. "India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat." It comes a month after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in a dogfight over the disputed border in Kashmir -- a serious military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. Modi said the anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test was peaceful, and not designed to create "an atmosphere of war". "I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend... fast-growing India." But analysts said it would not go unnoticed in China and Pakistan, India's chief rivals in the nuclear-armed region, and could be interpreted as a show of New Delhi's advancing military capabilities. "This is less about shooting down satellites and more about proving high-altitude 'hit-to-kill' proficiency, which is the core competency required to get good at a range of things -- including defence against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles," Ankit Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists, told AFP. "This is how the message is going to be perceived in Islamabad." A spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry said countries that had "strongly condemned" the demonstration of similar technologies in the past should work towards preventing the militarisation of space. Story continues "Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," the spokesman said. - Star wars - The United States and the former Soviet Union carried out their first successful anti-satellite missile tests in 1985, and China in 2007. All are now said to be working on so-called Star Wars laser weapons to destroy satellites. With satellites increasingly important because of their intelligence gathering role -- and major nations seeking to gain a foothold in space -- the United States in 2014 rejected a Russian-Chinese proposal for a treaty to ban weapons in space, saying it was "fundamentally flawed" because of the lack of weapons verification measures. India's foreign ministry said the country "has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space". "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes," the ministry said. "At the same time, the government is committed to ensuring the country's national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies." Modi said the test did not violate any international treaties and was for the betterment and safety of India's 1.3 billion people. But NASA and the Pentagon warned that ASAT tests create potentially dangerous debris fields in Earth's orbit. "Some people like to test anti-satellite capabilities intentionally, and create orbital debris fields that we today are still dealing with," NASA chief Jim Bridenstine told Congress Wednesday. "And those same countries come to us for space situational awareness, because of the debris field that they themselves created." Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan said not having rules was "worrisome". "We all live in space. Let's not make it a mess," Shanahan said. "Space should be a place where we can conduct business, space should be a place where people have freedom to operate. We cannot make it unstable, we cannot create a debris problem that ASAT tests create." - Elections - The test comes ahead of a national election starting April 11 in which Modi -- whose Hindu nationalist party stormed to power in 2014 -- is seeking a second term in office. Under election laws, the government is forbidden from announcing new policies or other major developments that could benefit the ruling party. "The timing and the manner of the announcement, with elections around the corner, will certainly lead to speculation," Dhruva Jaishankar, Delhi-based fellow in foreign policy with Brookings India, told AFP. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated India's scientists on the feat but also wished Modi "a very happy World Theatre Day" -- referring to celebrations also marked around the globe on March 27. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the announcement, saying for "a deterrent of this kind there is no better than the prime minister to inform the world". India has made giant strides in its space journey in recent years. It launched a record 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017, and has also built a reputation for low-cost space exploration and science missions. burs-np/amz/mtp/rox DUBAI, March 24 (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it would expand its ties with Lebanon in spite of the "provocative and interventionist" call by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for Beirut to choose sides, Iranian state television reported. On a regional tour to drum up support for Washington's harder line against Tehran, Pompeo said on Friday that Lebanon faced a choice - "Bravely move forward as an independent and proud nation, or allow the dark ambitions of Iran and Hezbollah to dictate your future." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed Pompeo's remarks. "Because of the failure of its policies in the Middle East, America has turned to the outdated and disgraced weapon of threats and intimidation to impose its imperious policies on other countries," Qasemi said, state television reported. "While respecting the independence of Lebanon and the free will of its government and nation, Iran will use all its capacities to strengthen unity inside Lebanon and also to expand its ties with Lebanon." Hezbollah, whose influence has expanded at home and in the region, controls three of 30 ministries in the government led by Western-backed Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the largest number in its history. The dominant Shi'ite Muslim power Iran and Hezbollah, founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, are major players in the war in Syria and the fight against militant groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, which include Islamic State. Qasemi said that Lebanon's Hezbollah was a legal and popular party. "How can Pompeo make such impudent and irrational remarks (about Hezbollah) while visiting Lebanon," he said. Tensions between Tehran and Washington has increased since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers last May, and then reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The restoration of sanctions is part of a wider effort by Trump to force Iran to further curb its nuclear program and to end its ballistic missile work as well as its support for proxy forces in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The 10 people who allegedly raided the North Korean Embassy in Madrid last month belong to a mysterious dissident organization that styles itself as a government-in-exile dedicated to toppling the ruling Kim family dynasty in North Korea. The leader of the alleged intruders appears to be a Yale-educated human rights activist who was once jailed in China while trying to rescue North Korean defectors living in hiding, according to activists and defectors. Details have begun trickling out about the raid after a Spanish judge lifted a secrecy order Tuesday and said an investigation of what happened on Feb. 22 uncovered evidence that "a criminal organization" shackled and gagged embassy staff before escaping with computers, hard drives and documents. A U.S. official said the group is named Cheollima Civil Defense, a little-known organization that recently called for international solidarity in the fight against dictatorship in North Korea. Here's a look at the intruders and the Cheollima group. ___ THE GROUP Details about the creation of the Cheollima Civil Defense group are hazy. The word "Cheollima" spelled "Chollima" in the North refers to a mythical winged horse that the government often uses in its propaganda. In a statement posted on its website on Thursday, the group said it has "temporarily suspended" its activities because of what it described as an "attack of various speculative articles by the media." The group said it consists of North Korean defectors living in countries around the world, but that it has not worked with or contacted defectors "living under tight security" in South Korea. "We ask the media to restrain their interest about the truth of our organization or its members. There are bigger things ahead of us," Cheollima said in a statement written in Korean. "We are an international organization unified by determination to cut off the dynastic power of the Kim family." Story continues In March 2017, the group said it had arranged the escape of Kim Han Sol, the son of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who was assassinated at a Malaysian airport earlier that year. A man claiming to be Kim Han Sol appeared in a YouTube video at the time and said he was safely with his mother and sister. "My name is Kim Han Sol from North Korea, part of the Kim family," the man said in English in the 40-second video clip. "My father has been killed a few days ago." Recently the group declared on what appears to be its website the establishment of "Free Joseon," which it described as "a provisional government" that would fight against "the criminal incumbents of the north." North Korea still calls itself "Joson," its spelling of "Joseon," the name of the dynasty that ruled the Korean Peninsula for more than 500 years. The group also recently posted a video showing an unidentified man destroying glass-encased portraits of North Korea's two late leaders. South Korean media reported that the group was behind the writing of "Let's topple Kim Jong Un," the current North Korean leader, on the wall of the North Korean Embassy in Malaysia. After the Spanish judge released documents about the Feb. 22 incident, the Cheollima website said it had been responding to an urgent situation at the embassy and was invited onto the property, and that "no one was gagged or beaten." The group said there were "no other governments involved with or aware of our activity until after the event." The Spanish court report said the intruders urged North Korea's only accredited diplomat in Spain, So Yun Sok, to defect. The Cheollima website said the group shared "certain information of enormous potential value" with the FBI, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality. The FBI said its standard practice is to neither confirm nor deny the existence of investigations. If Cheollima was behind the embassy break-in, it indicates the involvement of North Korean defectors who have experience working for North Korea's military or security authorities, said Nam Sung Wook, a former president of the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea's main spy agency. "There are many young North Korean men who come to the South with more than 10 years of military experience," said Nam, who now teaches at Korea University in South Korea. "People would be surprised at what they are capable of doing, and they aren't always being closely watched by the South Korean government." ___ THE ALLEGED LEADER A Spanish court document identified the leader of the group that entered the embassy as Adrian Hong Chang. This is likely to be Adrian Hong, who in 2005 co-founded Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an activist group devoted to rescuing North Korean refugees, according to North Korean defectors and activists who spoke with The Associated Press. Hannah Song, CEO of LiNK, said Hong has had no involvement with the organization for more than 10 years. "We have no knowledge of his recent activities," Song said. The Spanish judge, Jose de la Mata, described Adrian Hong Chang as a Mexican national and resident of the United States. According to the Spanish court report, the man flew to the United States on Feb. 23, got in touch with the FBI and offered to share material and videos. The report didn't say what type of information the items contained or whether the FBI accepted the offer. An online message by AP to a verified Twitter account linked to activist Adrian Hong wasn't immediately answered. Hong is known for his work helping North Koreans flee their homeland and resettle in South Korea and elsewhere. LiNK said it has helped more than 1,000 North Koreans reach safety. Fellow activists and North Korean defectors said Hong was detained in China briefly in the 2000s because of his work. Kang Chol-hwan, a prominent North Korean defector-turned-activist, said he was close to Hong and helped him with LiNK. Kang, an ex-inmate of North Korea's notorious Yodok prison camp, said Hong became passionate about North Korean human rights after reading his detention memoir. He said Hong visited Seoul and rallied against what he believed were pro-North Korea sympathizers and those silent on North Korean human rights issues. Kang, who said he last saw Hong about five years ago, said Hong wanted to "muster anti-government forces (in North Korea) and bring down North Korea from the inside." Kang said Hong even went to Libya to study the fall of dictator Moammar Gadhafi so he could explore ways to topple the Kim government. Kang believes Hong heads the whole Cheollima group. "He has great capacity for organization because of his experience establishing LiNK," Kang said. "He's a very smart guy." Fellow defector-turned-activist Heu Kang Il, who met Hong around 2005, recalled him as a "passionate young man." Testifying before the Canadian Senate in 2016, Hong said: "North Korea is not a normal nation with the government seeking to serve and protect its citizens. It is a brutal totalitarian regime, ruled by a royal family and a class of vassals, both in tenuous concert with one another. It does not care for the welfare of its people." In an op-ed for The Christian Science Monitor in 2014, Hong said the international community must support "efforts to strengthen meaningful opposition and civil society in the country, training exiles to one day assume leadership positions, educating younger refugees, and creating more robust programs to help defectors adjust to life on the outside." "A class of Korean technocrats must be capable of stabilizing and rebuilding on a national scale," Hong wrote. ___ Associated Press writer Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. Madrid (AFP) - Madrid's city hall adopted a plan Wednesday to limit to 90 days per year the unlicensed leasing of homes to tourists, potentially rendering thousands of holiday rentals illegal. The capital of Spain, heavily reliant on tourist dollars, moved to clamp down on the growing number of houses and apartments rented out to tourists instead of residents facing an ever-shrinking accommodation pool. Owners looking to rent out their property to travellers for more than three months a year will require a licence, which can be granted only if the lodging has its own, independent entrance, like a hotel room. Most landlords will fall foul of the condition in districts where the housing problem has become acute and the new rule could render about 10,000 current rentals illegal. Madrid's leftist administration said it wants "to preserve residential usage." Mayor Manuela Carmena, a former judge, said the policy was designed to stop the flow of residents from the city centre, where rent has been soaring for several years -- 14.9 percent last year alone, according to the Fotocasa real estate portal. The director general of Airbnb Marketing Services, Arnaldo Munoz, said he feared the new rule could cost the city economy hundreds of millions of euros. The rental platform insisted the solution was to put to use "153,100 empty residences representing 10 percent of total Madrid dwellings," citing a 2013 figure from Spain's National Statistical Institute. Major cities including Paris have also moved to stem the proliferation in home-sharing rentals with tighter controls as rents spiral and supply slides. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has accused his main election rival of "corruption" ahead of an April 9 poll as the premier himself awaits indictment on graft charges. "Likud calls on the public prosecutor to open an immediate criminal investigation against Benny Gantz," Science Minister Ofir Akounis told journalists in Tel Aviv. Citing a report issued by state comptroller Yossef Shapira, he said centrist Gantz, a former military chief and key challenger to Netanyahu, was directly implicated in a "serious case of corruption". Shapira's report, released Wednesday, said Gantz had sought a contract with the Israeli police in 2016 for products produced by his high-tech company Fifth Dimension. The report cites irregularities in contacts between Gantz's company and then-police commander Roni Alsheikh. The comptroller did not give details on actions by Gantz's firm as he has no remit to investigate private companies. The contracts were never signed because Gantz's firm ceased operations. "Israel is a state of law and there are one set of laws for Netanyahu and different laws for others," Akounis said. Netanyahu is already under threat of indictment for corruption in several cases. Last week, he said he was suing his election rivals for libel after Gantz claimed the premier profited by 16 million shekels ($4.4 million) from his stock rising on the strength of a deal to buy submarines from Germany. Another member of Gantz's Blue and White coalition, Moshe Yaalon, said Netanyahu's actions "could reach as far as treason". By Nate Raymond March 26 (Reuters) - Purdue Pharma LP has agreed to settle a lawsuit by the state of Oklahoma accusing the OxyContin painkiller maker of helping fuel an opioid abuse epidemic, a person familiar with the matter said. It is the first settlement to result from a wave of recent lawsuits over the drugmaker's marketing of painkillers. The settlement with Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter came just weeks before Purdue, owned by members of the wealthy Sackler family, was set to face the first trial to result from around 2,000 lawsuits nationally against opioid manufacturers. Hunter's 2017 lawsuit accuses Purdue, Johnson & Johnson & Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd of engaging in deceptive marketing that downplayed the risks of addiction associated with opioid pain drugs while overstating their benefits. The companies deny wrongdoing. They had sought to delay the May 28 trial to Sept. 16, citing the need to review records the state belatedly turned over that could be critical to their defense. The state had been seeking over $20 billion in damages. But a trial judge earlier this month rejected the companies' efforts to delay the trial, and on Monday, Oklahoma's Supreme Court rejected their appeal of that decision. Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue had been exploring filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to address potential liabilities stemming from the lawsuits, people familiar with the matter have told Reuters. Hunter is scheduled to hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce a "breaking development" in the lawsuit. A spokesman for Hunter declined to comment. A lawyer for Purdue did not respond to a request for comment. Opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl, were involved in a record 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemic has prompted lawsuits by state and local governments accusing various drugmakers of contributing to the crisis. Those companies include Purdue, which introduced the painkiller OxyContin to the market in 1996. More than 1,600 lawsuits have been consolidated before a federal judge in Ohio, who has pushed for a settlement ahead of the trial before him in October. Other cases, including Oklahoma's, are pending in state courts. Purdue has held discussions to resolve the litigation with plaintiffs' lawyers, who have often compared the cases to widespread lawsuits against the tobacco industry that resulted in a $246 billion settlement in 1998. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a congressional hearing on Wednesday that the Trump administration is still working "all across the government" to identify and hold accountable anyone responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Questioned at a House of Representatives hearing, Pompeo said he would commit to holding anyone accountable who was found to be responsible, even the most senior officials, a reference to powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "We will continue to work to identify those who are responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder and hold them accountable," Pompeo told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, U.S. resident and critic of the Riyadh government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fueled simmering discontent in Washington over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Lawmakers have been sharply critical of Mohammed bin Salman. Some blame him for Khashoggi's killing and other human rights abuses. Eleven suspects have been indicted in Saudi Arabia in Khashoggi's murder. Riyadh has denied the crown prince ordered the killing. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis) Oklahoma's attorney general has agreed to settle it claims against Stamford, Connecticut's Purdue Pharma over the company's alleged role in the nationwide opioid epidemic, according to reportsearly Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal said the company has agreed to pay $270 million to settle the Oklahoma claims. The reports come a day after the Oklahoma Supreme Court denied the company's efforts to delay what would have been the first trial focusing on the opioid manufacturer's conduct. The trial had been set to being May 28 in Oklahoma. Bankruptcy rumors began infiltrating the Oklahoma trial last month, and in early March Reuters first reported that Purdue was exploring bankruptcy to address its growing liabilities over the opioid epidemic. A Chapter 11 filing would halt the lawsuits, folding them into bankruptcy court. Purdue then sought to delay the trial until September, citing a belated tidal wave of documents." The case, filed on 2017, alleged that Purdue and two other opioid manufacturers, Johnson & Johnsons Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, helped create an epidemic over the prescription painkillers by marketing them as a safe and nonaddictive treatment for chronic pain. Purdues lawyers in the case are Sanford Coats of Crowe & Dunlevy in Oklahoma City and Mark Cheffo, a partner in Decherts New York office. Neither Purdue nor the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office immediately returned a call for comment Tuesday morning. This is a developing report. Paris (AFP) - Ethnic Roma leaders called for round-the-clock police protection for their communities on Wednesday in Paris after a series of vigilante attacks sparked by false reports of attempted kidnappings. Police arrested 20 people following attacks on Monday night on Roma people in suburbs northeast of Paris following false rumours spread on messaging apps and social media warning of abductions. "We are calling today on the interior ministry... for immediate protection by way of round-the-clock police presence," Anina Ciucin, a lawyer and spokesperson for The Voice of Roma group told RMC radio. She said the reports were "a revival of the medieval stereotype" of Roma in which "gypsies are likened to thieves and child-catchers." The attacks appeared to have been sparked by the re-emergence of a long-standing online hoax that has circulated in France for years in which people warn of a white van being used in attempted kidnappings of young women or children. Police have renewed their calls on Twitter not to relay the claims and have confirmed that there have been no reports of kidnappings in the area. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux termed the attacks "unacceptable", adding that this showed "the absolute need to fight 'fake news'". "Spreading such rumours in a highly organised and viral way on social media results in violence (and) the stigmatisation of a community," he said, calling the process "detestable". In one attack on Monday night in the suburb of Bobigny, some 50 people armed with sticks and knives set upon Roma living in a nearby slum, setting fire to their parked vans. "Since then we're constantly scared," said Georghe Marcus, one of around 150 Roma from Romania, Serbia and Moldova who live in wasteland next to a canal. "We're not sleeping because we're keeping guard all night." Roma people were also chased in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and had to seek refuge in a supermarket to escape violence, according to Ciucin and judicial sources who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. Story continues -- Tensions -- On March 16, a gang of around 20 young people attacked two people in a white van in the Paris suburb of Colombes, leaving both with light injuries, police said. Many rumours appear to have been spread on the Snapchat messaging service, as well as on Facebook where posts from people claiming their children or family members had been approached by strangers or abducted have been widely shared. In December, police in the town of Versailles, west of Paris, issued a warning about abduction rumours carried online. Police reminded social media users that under French law spreading a false rumour could be punished with fines of 45,000 to 135,000 euros ($50,000 to $150,000). Tens of thousands of Roma people have lived in France for centuries, but a fresh influx of some 20,000 people, mainly from Romania and Bulgaria, since the 1980s has led to the creation of new slums and increased tensions, according to a 2017 study by the government-sponsored National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). Successive French governments have sought to dismantle the slums and repatriate recently arrived Roma who, while allowed to travel freely in Europe, are not eligible to apply for jobs in France unless they meet certain qualifications. Between 10 and 12 million Roma people, also known as Roms, live in Europe, of whom six million are within European Union borders, according to the Council of Europe human rights group. Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's King Salman hosted Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar for talks in Riyadh on Wednesday, state media said, ahead of next week's Arab League summit. "The king affirmed Saudi Arabia's keenness for security and stability in Libya," the Saudi Press Agency said in a brief statement. It added that the two leaders had reviewed the "latest developments" in the North African country, torn by strife since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 which ousted and killed longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi. Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army backs an administration in the east of Libya that rejects the UN-backed government led by Fayez al-Sarraj. The Riyadh talks come a day before the Saudi king is set to head to Tunis for the annual Arab League summit on Sunday. Libya will be high on the summit's agenda. The United Nations said last week it would organise a conference of key players in April to draw up a "roadmap" to lead Libya towards legislative and presidential elections. Libya's rival leaders agreed in Paris last year to hold elections before the end of the year, but that vote never materialised as the two rival administrations and numerous militias grapple for power. But the UN has said Haftar and Sarraj agreed at a meeting in Abu Dhabi last month to work towards organising the polls. By Marcelo Rochabrun SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (Reuters) - Meeting in Brazil this week, auto executives from Toyota to GM talked up traditional fuel sources like ethanol, natural gas and diesel, underlining how South America's protected auto market is likely to resist a broader global move toward electric vehicles for years to come. Even as automakers revamp their global businesses to focus on electric cars in Europe, North America and Asia, executives who oversee production in Brazil and Argentina are still prioritizing internal combustion engines - in part because of subsidies for locally plentiful fuels. "The future of Argentina's energy is natural gas," said Cristiano Rattazzi, who heads the country's unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, as well as its automakers trade group. He added that diesel fuel, out of favor in much of the world, also still has potential in Argentina. Argentina's natural gas production is expected to increase dramatically as foreign oil companies and state-owned YPF pour investment into Vaca Muerta, one of the world's largest shale gas reserves. Aurelio Santana, executive director of Brazil's auto trade group, had similar things to say about ethanol, which powers many of Brazil's cars. "It's very important that the government supports investments in research and development involving ethanol," Santana said. "We need to maintain what we already have here." The desire to stick to what they know underscores the political sway of local energy producers. Recently, Brazil's legislature issued a series of tax incentives, dubbed Rota 2030, which offer significant benefits to car makers who choose to invest in ethanol research. The event took place in Sao Bernardo do Campo, the historic home of Brazil's auto industry, which is still reeling from the shock earlier this year that Ford Motor Co would be shutting its plant in the city. DIPPING TOES IN Toyota Motor Corp is so far the only automaker to announce that it plans to make even a hybrid model in South America, featuring an engine that can run on electricity or either pure ethanol or gasoline. "It's the best solution for our region," said Celso Simomura, Vice President for Toyota's Brazil operation. General Motors Co earlier this month announced an investment of 10 billion reais ($2.58 billion) in Brazil over the next five years, but none of that will go to electric cars, said Carlos Zarlenga, GM's chief for South America. GM will start importing electric vehicles this year to test the market, he added, but there are no plans yet to build them domestically. Volkswagen AG's top executive for South America and the Caribbean, Pablo Di Si, said the German automaker was going to import six electric or hybrid models to Brazil by 2023. But he also said there were no plans to produce them locally. "In Latin America, we need to consider all the caveats," Di Si said, pointing to the lack of a legal framework for electric vehicles and not enough charging infrastructure. Volkswagen wants to sell 1 million electric vehicles globally by 2025. Fiat's Rattazzi was confident that the old ways would survive in South America in the medium term. "In 2030," he predicted, "the combustion engine will still have a place." ($1 = 3.8768 reais) (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; editing by Christian Plumb and Rosalba O'Brien) The Hague (AFP) - A Dutch art detective dubbed the "Indiana Jones of the Art World" has struck again, finding a Picasso painting worth 25 million euros stolen from a Saudi sheikh's yacht on the French Riviera in 1999. Arthur Brand said he had handed back the 1938 masterpiece entitled "Portrait of Dora Maar", also known as "Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)" to an insurance company earlier this month. The discovery of the rare portrait of Maar, one of Pablo Picasso's most influential mistresses, is the culmination of a four-year investigation into the burglary on the luxury yacht Coral Island, as she lay anchored in Antibes. Two decades after its theft and with no clues to its whereabouts, the French police were stumped -- and the portrait, which once hung in the Spanish master's home until his death in 1973, was feared lost forever. But after a four-year trail which led through the Dutch criminal underworld, two intermediaries turned up on Brand's Amsterdam doorstep 10 days ago with the missing picture. "They had the Picasso, now valued at 25 million euros wrapped in a sheet and black rubbish bags with them," Brand told AFP. It was yet another success for Brand, who hit the headlines last year for returning a stolen 1,600-year-old mosaic to Cyprus. He won world fame in 2015 after finding "Hitler's Horses", two bronze statues made by Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak -- a discovery about which he had a book out earlier this month. - Drugs and arms deals - The theft of the Picasso, valued at around seven million dollars at the time, baffled French police, sent the super-rich scurrying to update boat security and prompted the offer of a big reward. In 2015, Brand first got wind that a "Picasso stolen from a ship" was doing the rounds in the Netherlands, although "at that stage I didn't know which one exactly." It turned out that the painting had entered the criminal circuit, where it circled for many years "often being used as collateral, popping up in a drug deal here, four years later in an arms deal there," said. Story continues It took several years and a few dead ends before pinning down that it was actually the Picasso stolen from Saudi Arabian billionaire Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh's yacht as the mega-cruiser was being refurbished, Brand said. Brand put out word on the street that he was looking for "Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)" and in early March he struck gold. "Two representatives of a Dutch businessman contacted me, saying their client had the painting. He was at his wits' end," said Brand. "He thought the Picasso was part of a legitimate deal. It turns out the deal was legitimate -- the method of payment was not," Brand laughed. Brand called the Dutch and French police -- who had since closed the case -- and who said they would not prosecute the current owner. "Since the original theft, the painting must have changed hands at least 10 times," said Brand. Brand said he had to act quickly, otherwise the painting may have disappeared back into the underworld. "I told the intermediaries, it's now or never, because the painting is probably in a very bad state... We have to act as soon as we can." - 'Hung it on my wall' - Then, just over a week ago, Brand's doorbell rang at his modest apartment in Amsterdam, and the intermediaries were there with the painting. After unwrapping it, "I hung the Picasso on my wall for a night, thereby making my apartment one of the most expensive in Amsterdam for a day," Brand laughed. The following day, a Picasso expert from New York's Pace Gallery flew in to verify its authenticity at a high-security warehouse in Amsterdam. Also present was retired British detective Dick Ellis, founder of Scotland Yard's art and antiquities squad, representing an unnamed insurance company. "There is no doubt that this is the stolen Picasso," Ellis, who now runs a London-based art risk consultancy business, told AFP. Ellis is famous for recovering many stolen artworks including Edvard Munch's "The Scream", lifted from the National Gallery of Norway in 1994. "It's not only the public interest to recover stolen works of art," he said. "You are also reducing the amount of collateral that is circling the black market and funds criminality." "Buste de Femme" is back in possession of the insurance company, which now had to decide the next steps, Brand and Ellis said. William Barr testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, 2019. (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM) President Donald Trump and his supporters boasted Sunday of a "total and complete exoneration" by the special counsel investigating Russia's ties to his 2016 presidential campaign, but that wasn't entirely the caseat least when it comes to whether the president tried to obstruct the special counsel's investigation. U.S. Attorney General William Barr, consulting with Rod Rosenstein, his deputy, determined there was insufficient evidence to show the president obstructed justice during special counsel Robert Mueller's 22-month-long probe. Mueller laid out the arguments for both sidesin a word, "punting," as many commentators called it. Mueller did not find evidence supporting a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russians to meddle in the election. Lawyers following the investigation said the lack of a decisive answer from Mueller on whether the president obstructed justice indicates the special counsels team perhaps was divided. Or that Mueller recognized the futility of such a conclusion either way, considering that Justice Department policy recommends against charging a sitting president. "Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president," Barr wrote. Practitioners and legal scholars took the airwaves Sunday and Monday and wrote online, about whether and how Barr's decision on Trump and obstruction was the right call. Meanwhile, U.S. House Democrats are preparing to push for the full Mueller reportto see what the special counsel himself had to say about the evidence for and against the president. Here's a snapshot of some things legal scholars are saying about Barr's momentous conclusion about obstruction: >> Ken Starr, former Whitewater independent counsel: "Muellers decision not to make a determination on possible obstruction of justice by President Trump suggests the likelihood of a division of opinion within the special counsels ranks. The result of that 'house divided' is that Mueller washed his hands of the issue." Starr also wrote: "Stormy weather lies ahead, as the battle over what the evidence of obstruction is and what it means." Fox News Story continues Neal Katyal, partner with Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 2017. (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM) >> Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general now at Hogan Lovells: "Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American. The special counsel regulations were written to provide the public with confidence that justice was done. It is impossible for the public to reach that determination without knowing two things. First, what did the Mueller report conclude, and what was the evidence on obstruction of justice? And second, how could Mr. Barr have reached his conclusion so quickly?" NYT >> Shanlon Wu, former lawyer to Rick Gates: "On obstruction of justice, Barr's summary raises more questions than it answers since it includes the troubling quote from Mueller that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.' A statement of non-exoneration is enormously damning coming from the taciturn Mueller, and the president's actions that led to the concerns about obstruction, many of them public, again demonstrate deeply troubling conduct." CNN >> Rudy Giuliani, lawyer to President Trump: "Now the question is if there were three investigationsno evidence of collusionwho made it up? It didn't just come out of thin air. I want to know who did it. Who paid for it? Who fueled it? Because the person that did it, and the group that did it, knows it's untrue because they invented it." Fox & Friends >> Robert Bauer, former Obama White House counsel: "The attorney generals involvement in the final decision on potential obstruction of justice is more questionable. After all, Mr. Barrs views were well known to the White House on this topic: He did not bring an open mind to it." NYT >> Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School: Two cheers for Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He came to the right conclusion about Russiathere was no collusion between Trump, his campaign or associates with Russia to win the election. Mueller seems to have conducted a generally fair investigation. But he failed to come to a clear decision about obstruction of justice. That was his job and he should have done it. Fox News Jack Goldsmith, testifying in 2010. (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM) >> Jack Goldsmith, Harvard Law School: "A second difficult issue of law is that most, if not all, of Trumps alleged acts of obstruction were intimately tied to his constitutional powers as Chief Executive and as the leader of U.S. foreign policy. Any prosecution for obstruction of justice would have had to contend with serious constitutional objections, based on Presidential power, and hard statutory questions, based on these constitutional issues. In light of these legal uncertainties, plus unspecified factual ones, Mueller made the reasonable call to leave the question of whether a President obstructed justice to the head of the Justice Department, the Attorney General." The New Yorker >> Gene Rossi, Carlton Fields: "I am definitely questioning Attorney General Barr's decision to decide the obstruction issue. He should have recused himself. He should not have decided the obstruction issue. He should have been purer than Caesar's wife. June of last year he wrote a 20 page memo saying there was no obstruction." Bloomberg >> Marty Lederman, Georgetown University Law Center: "There was no apparent justification for Barr to opine on whether Trumps conduct met all the elements of an obstruction offense, other than to give Trump a political boost. Given that thered never be an obstruction prosecution, Barrs legal assessment doesnt tell us anything of relevancethe facts are what they are, and Barr thus should have done what Mueller did, i.e., leave it to Congress and the public to assess their significance." Just Security >> Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles: "You do not need to prove an underlying crime to prove obstruction of justice. Martha Stewart is quite aware of this fact. The Washington Post >> Elizabeth de la Vega, former federal prosecutor: "Mueller did not punt. Indictment was not possible because of DOJ policy, so any judgment on the obstruction issue would be up to Congress. He laid out the facts/arguments that bore on the question for Congress. Nothing in the regs allowed Barr to manipulate Mueller's findings. Twitter Read more: READ: Here Are Mueller's 'Principal' Findings in Russia Investigation The Mueller Probe Was a Gift to the White-Collar Bar New FOIA Lawsuit Demands Release of Mueller Report William Barr Fills Front Office With Trump White House Lawyers READ: Bill Barr's 19-Page Memo Ripping Mueller Probe Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump demanded Wednesday that Russia remove troops from Venezuela and said again that he was not ruling out military action to topple far-left President Nicolas Maduro. Russia's deployment of troops and equipment to bolster Maduro has ratcheted up already high international tension in Venezuela where the Trump administration is pushing hard for regime change amid mounting chaos in the once rich country. "Russia has to get out," Trump said at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, wife of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as Venezuela's interim president in place of Maduro. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Trump's demand, asking in return why US troops were still in parts of Syria, where the Assad regime relies heavily on Russia support. "He said the United States would withdraw from Syria a month ago," she was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. "Before deciding the fate of another country I advise fulfilling promises made to the international community." Russia, one of the major countries that still recognizes Maduro as leader, sent two planes carrying 100 troops and tons of military equipment to Venezuela on Saturday. Maduro is presiding over economic chaos, with the oil-rich country unable to provide basic medical and even food supplies to much of the population. - US military eying Venezuela? - The high-profile reception given to Rosales was the Trump administration's latest bid to boost Guaido, who is under severe pressure from Maduro. On Thursday, she will meet with US First Lady Melania Trump in Florida. Trump said "all options are on the table" when asked by journalists if the United States was considering military action to back a campaign of economic sanctions aimed at crippling the Maduro government's finances. Story continues "They've got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. They've got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity," he said. "Other than military you cant get any more pressure than they have ... All options are open." Trump has made the veiled threat before but appeared to push it further this time. "He's been very clear when he says all options are on the table," Trump's national security advisor John Bolton told reporters at the White House. "He's very determined to see this through," Bolton said. "To minimize the suffering of the Venezuelan people we think it's important to bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible." Testifying before Congress, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated that the United States did not plan to negotiate with Maduro. "I must say that there is no evidence that there is any value in speaking with Maduro at this time. His time has come, his time has gone, it's time for him to leave," he said. Pompeo appeared to confirm that talks were taking place to find a way for Maduro to go into exile. Representative Albio Sires asked Pompeo whether Mexico and Norway, which have both offered to broker an end to the crisis, could find a way to move Maduro out of Venezuela. "Yes, I've personally been in conversations with each of those two governments," Pompeo replied. Earlier, Rosales met separately with Vice President Mike Pence, who plays a major role in the administration's aggressive stand against Maduro, and who also called out Russia. He said "the United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and we call on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regime." "Guaido is the only legitimate president of Venezuela. Venezuela is in crisis after years of dictatorship and oppression," Pence said. Paris (AFP) - The simmering trade war between the United States and China risks devastating the Amazon rainforest as Beijing looks for ways to make up a shortfall in US-grown soya beans, experts warned on Wednesday. Over the last eight months, the US and China have slapped tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way goods trade, weighing on the manufacturing sectors in both countries. One US export especially hard hit by the tit-for-tat measures has been soya beans, most of which are used for animal feed. Chinese imports of US soya products "basically collapsed to zero" at the end of 2018, according to the authors of an article in the journal Nature on how the trade war may unexpectedly impact Brazil's Amazon rainforest. Due to China's insatiable demand for meat products and its reliance on imported soya beans to feed its livestock, the authors said that Brazil would need to take up the production slack if the dispute drags on. Chinese imports of soya have already grown twenty times since 2000. Using UN data and consumption trends, exports estimated that the area dedicated to soya production in Brazil could increase by as much as 39 percent -- an additional 13 million hectares (32 million acres). That is a rainforest the size of Greece. "It's quite striking. This is the worst-case scenario," said Richard Fuchs, senior research fellow at the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, in Karlsruhe, Germany. "But we know that there are only a few players out there, the important (soya bean) producers are the US, Brazil and Argentina," he told AFP. - 10 mn tonnes less meat - Fuchs and his colleagues warned that any additional mass deforestation of the Amazon for agribusiness ventures "will have profound impacts on global attempts to mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity." At current rates, tropical deforestation alone is set to release up to 13 gigatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere by the end of the centry. Story continues The authors stressed that other countries, notably Argentina, could up their production to offset China's soya bean shortfall. In addition, China could choose to rely less heavily on imported soya. This seems unlikely, as just a two percent cut in soya for animal feed would result in 10 million tonnes less meat per year for the country's burgeoning middle class. The researchers said both history and worrying signals from Brazil's newly installed President Jair Bolsonaro suggested that China's soya deficit will be compensated by greater production in the Amazon. Following a 1980 US embargo on soya products to the Soviet Union, the amount of land devoted to soya production in Brazil more than doubled between 1990 and 2010, to more than 24 million hectares. Bolsonaro has sought to limit the land rights of the Amazon's indigenous people and plans to merge the environment and agriculture ministries in moves activists have warned could imperil the rainforest. Fuchs argued that the US-China trade war had exposed dangerous imbalances in global agriculture. "Over 80 percent of crop production in the US is maize and soya bean grown in rotation, largely for export," he said. "If you have a few producers supplying the world market they become highly vulnerable to trade tensions as we see right now." Cairo (AFP) - The US move on the Golan has left fractious Arab nations scrambling for a united response to a decision taken by a key ally, which may only end up benefiting Iran, analysts said. Angry reactions have poured in from Arab capitals after US President Donald Trump on Monday formally announced US recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. But the seemingly united front is only a veneer masking the deep dilemma for Arab governments left trying to deal with Washington's "fait accompli", analysts said. Those Arab states who are "allies of the United States are the most embarrassed because they have gone to great lengths to get closer to Donald Trump," said Karim Bitar, senior fellow at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. Some Arab countries, including regional powerhouse and Iran foe Saudi Arabia, have been cosying up to Washington, hoping to influence a long-awaited Middle East peace plan due to be presented in the coming months. But with the Trump administration shredding long-accepted regional conventions, Arab allies are left in an increasingly humiliating position. "It is rather Iran and its allies who feel comfortable in the idea that nothing can be expected from this American administration," added Bitar. Indeed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday denounced Trump's move as tantamount to "colonialism" something that is "unprecedented in the present century". - 'Iran filling a void' - With Arab states long fractured, Tehran has increasingly sought to spread its influence in the region. While most Arab governments have shunned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the country's devastating civil war, Tehran has been a steadfast ally helping the regime now gain the upper hand as the conflict enters its ninth year. And in Yemen it is supporting Huthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led military coalition which is backing the country's beleaguered government. Story continues Trump's decision could be seen as a "God-send" for Iran which will "try to capitalise on the US-Israeli move to try to fill the void of official Arab leadership" in the region, said Fawaz Gerges, an international relations expert at the London School of Economics. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and annexed it in 1981, in a move that was never recognised by the international community. It has always been assumed that the fate of the strategic plateau would be negotiated as part of a wider peace deal between Israel and Syria. The Arab League, due to hold its annual summit in Tunis on Sunday, slammed Trump's announcement as "null and void in substance and form". Arab governments including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon have all condemned the US move. But while they have been left fuming by Trump's casual short-circuiting of the accepted precepts of a future Middle East peace, they are powerless to take any meaningful action. "Official Arab condemnation does not carry much weight. The Arab state system is dysfunctional and even broken," said Gerges. Rubbing salt into the wounds, Trump's Golan move comes hot on the heels of his earlier incendiary decision, breaking with the decades-long status quo to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year. Perhaps worryingly for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their promised future state, the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has sparked vows from other countries to follow suit. -'Peace process dead'- The Palestinians have broken off contact with the US administration, and Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has railed that Washington has forfeited its historic role as a mediator in the conflict. Arab countries, which have long fought for the Palestinian cause, "have been reduced to extreme fragility and none of them will go to war for Syria," said political sociology professor Said Sadeq. Saudi Arabia has even been quietly cooperating with Washington on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "encouraged the Trump administration to think that core issues of international law and Arab sensitivity like Jerusalem and Syrian territory could be ridden roughshod over," said Neil Partrick, Gulf specialist and author. But the plan being drawn up by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner appears unlikely to win much Arab approval. Bitar slammed the Kushner plan as "smokescreen or a vast humbug" saying the recognition of the Golan serves as a "nail in the coffin" of this plan. "Trump's decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights ensure that Israel will be in a state of perpetual war with its Arab-speaking people neighbours," added Gerges. "The Israeli-Arab peace process is dead." The United States on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that would blacklist the leader of a Pakistan-based Islamist group as a terrorist, setting up a potential clash with China over the move. China earlier this month put on hold a request to put Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the UN sanctions list, over his alleged ties to Al-Qaeda. That request stalled in a UN sanctions committee, prompting the United States to turn directly to the Security Council with the proposed resolution blacklisting Azhar. Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops and stoked tensions between India and Pakistan. The draft resolution obtained by AFP condemns the suicide bombing and decides that Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions blacklist. That would subject Azhar, considered the founder of JeM, to a global travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. It remained unclear when a vote would be held on the draft resolution, which could face a veto from China, one of the five permanent council members along with Britain, France, Russia and the United States. There have been four attempts through a UN sanctions committee to add Azhar to the blacklist. China blocked three previous requests and put a technical hold on the latest one, which could last up to nine months. JeM itself has been on the UN terror list since 2001. - Terrorist activities - Azhar is linked to terrorism for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM, according to an annex to the draft. The draft resolution is backed by France and Britain, which joined the United States earlier this month in pushing for sanctions against Azhar in the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State committee. China has been accused by Western diplomats of protecting Pakistan's interests in the latest standoff with India. Story continues But Beijing has defended its decision by arguing it had adopted a "responsible attitude" in dealing "with this issue with relevant parties via thorough consultation," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared since last month's attack in Kashmir that prompted tit-for-tat air raids, fueling fears of an all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries. Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered cooperation in the investigation if credible evidence was provided by India. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it. By Vivian Sequera and Corina Pons CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government told workers and school children to stay home on Tuesday as the second major blackout this month left the streets of Caracas mostly empty and residents wondering how long power would be out amid a deepening economic crisis. President Nicolas Maduro's Socialist government, which had blamed sabotage by the United States and the opposition for the previous power cut, said an "attack" on its electrical system caused the blackout that first hit on Monday. The outage shuttered businesses, paralyzed the country's main oil export terminal, and stranded commuters. Intermittent service has long affected Venezuela's largely rural interior, but residents of Caracas fear the increasing blackouts in the capital mean that unreliable power is becoming the new normal for them, too. "I hope that now with these blackouts in Caracas they can do something, that everyone reacts," said Maria Melendez, a seamstress in the western city of Punto Fijo who said she has had to replace damaged appliances during previous blackouts. "They used to say that Caracas is Caracas, and everywhere else is weeds and snakes. Now Caracas will also be weeds and snakes if we continue like this." The blackout came amid tensions with the United States over the weekend arrival of Russian military planes, which led Washington to accuse Moscow of "reckless escalation" of the country's political crisis. The United States believes the planes were carrying "cybersecurity personnel," a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday. That would suggest part of their mission could be helping Maduro's loyalists with surveillance and protecting the government's cyber infrastructure. Russia, which has major energy investments in OPEC member Venezuela, has remained a staunch ally of Maduro, while the United States and most other Western nations have endorsed opposition leader Juan Guaido. Citing the constitution, Guaido in January assumed the interim presidency, saying Maduro's re-election last year was fraudulent. Maduro says Guaido is a U.S. puppet attempting to lead a coup against him and has blamed worsening economic difficulties on sanctions imposed by Washington. Power had returned to many parts of Caracas by noon on Tuesday, but businesses remained idle and few pedestrians were walking the streets. Those who went to work because they had not heard that the workday had been canceled were returning to their homes. "How am I supposed to find out, if there's no power and no internet?" said dental assistant Yolanda Gonzalez, 50, waiting for the bus near a Caracas plaza. "Power's going to get worse, you'll see." GOVERNMENT BLAMES "FAR RIGHT" Venezuela's western cities, including Maracaibo and Barquisimeto, as well as the central city of Valencia, also had no power on Tuesday, according to witnesses. The main oil export terminal of Jose and the country's four upgraders that make its crude exportable were paralyzed by the outage, industry workers said. Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez on Monday said the blackout was the result of an attack on Venezuela's main hydroelectric Guri dam which had affected three major transmission lines. He did not explicitly blame the outage on any particular individual or group. But he said, "the intention of Venezuela's far right is to attack, generate anxiety and anguish, in order to seize power and steal all our resources." Brazil Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque said on Tuesday that Venezuela had not complied with its contract to supply northern Roraima state with energy since March 7, without providing details. The first of Venezuela's blackouts this month began on March 7. For nearly a week it left millions of people struggling to obtain food and water and hospitals without power to treat the sick. Looting in the western state of Zulia destroyed hundreds of businesses. Electricity experts say the outages are the result of inadequate maintenance and incompetent management of the power grid since the late President Hugo Chavez nationalized the sector in 2007. "The new normal for the electrical supply is greater vulnerability and less reliability," said Miguel Lara, a former president of the state-run entity responsible for the power system. (Reporting by Vivian Sequera, Brian Ellsworth and Corina Pons; Additional reporting by Mayela Armas; Writing by Brian Ellsworth and Luc Cohen; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien) By Stephen Eisenhammer and Emma Rumney BUZI/GUARA GUARA, Mozambique (Reuters) - For two days before Cyclone Idai hit, a government official drove down the bumpy roads of Buzi in central Mozambique, warning people through a megaphone that a big storm was coming. He told them to find a place to shelter, but many people in the once bustling estuary town did not know where to go. Among them were 21-year-old Gaspar Armando and his extended family of 15. When the cyclone ripped though Buzi on March 14, they stayed in their four homes made of sticks and mud until the storm tore off the sheet-metal roofs and the walls collapsed. Around midnight, with the rain horizontal, the family ran to a small concrete slaughterhouse nearby. They have lived there ever since, climbing onto the blue steel roof when the floods came. "The government knew it was going to be bad but they didnt find us a safe place. They didn't organize it," Armando said. Such scenes played out in many other towns and villages, survivors said. Government and humanitarian officials said they did not anticipate the extent of flooding in one of the most severe storms to hit Africa's east coast in more than a decade. An early warning system implemented by the government did not reach everyone and in the poorest, most remote areas there are few solid structures where people can shelter, aid workers and residents said. The death toll had reached 468 in Mozambique by Tuesday and hundreds of thousands of others were in need of food, water and shelter, according to the United Nations. GRAPHIC - Cyclone Idais destructive path: https://tmsnrt.rs/2HxKqdk NO PLACE TO GO Many people are angry that the government did not do more to protect them. Reuters' interviews with 18 people in four communities spread across 100 kilometers (62 miles) showed the warning systems proved insufficient. Four of those interviewed said they had received no warning about the impending storm. The others said they were warned but were offered no help moving to a safer place. Makeshift camps were set up on higher ground only after the flooding, they said, so many people decided to see out the storm in their homes. "We thought it would just be a little rain," said Louisa Ndega, 60, sheltering at a camp in the village of Guara Guara. Mozambique's land and environment minister, Celso Correia, who is leading the government's response to the disaster, told Reuters it was not clear until the final days before the storm where it would hit. The area under threat was too vast and, with about 7 million inhabitants, too heavily populated to be evacuated, he said. Mozambique was also hit by deadly floods and cyclones in 2000 and 2007, and since then has beefed up its response team and implemented an early-warning system. The system was triggered weeks before Cyclone Idai, with red flags raised to alert people to the dangers, Correia said. He said people had been told to seek higher ground when they saw the flags flying, but that no one could have predicted the force and speed of the flooding when two big rivers burst their banks following the cyclone. The area around the coastal town of Beira, where the cyclone made landfall, started flooding within 36 hours of the storm and was soon unrecognizable, with brown water covering the land. "These floods were extreme," Correia said. "It was almost instantaneous." Philippe Caroff, a forecaster at the regional cyclone center on the French island of La Reunion, said his agency's forecasts were showing a "high level of threat" for the region almost three days before the cyclone made landfall, including storm surges of nearly four meters (13 ft) around Beira. "It was not difficult to imagine that flooding would become a problem, because the area is very flat," he said. There had also been a significant amount of rain in the preceding months, the wet season in Mozambique, he said. The country's national weather service receives updates from the center, and cyclone bulletins are available on its website, Caroff said. EARLY WARNINGS He said he had sent an email to the chief forecaster at the Mozambique weather service when the risk of a worst-case scenario became apparent. In it, he said, he expressed hope that all preparations had been made for Beira's coastal frontline. Mozambique's weather service could not immediately be reached by phone and did not respond to an email seeking comment. The United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which is overseeing the international relief effort, declined comment on the government's preparations. From Mozambique, Cyclone Idai tore inland into Zimbabwe and Malawi, flattening buildings and causing deadly mudslides. At least 179 people were killed in Zimbabwe, where the Department of Civil Protection had sent text messages and issued radio and television warnings advising people to move away from areas in the cyclone's path two days before it hit. But in Zimbabwe's worst affected district, Chimanimani, many said they had no place to go because the government had not provided shelter, and there was no mandatory evacuation order. In Malawi, the death toll stood at 60. Scientists believe climate change will make cyclones like Idai more frequent, making it vital that systems are in place to protect the most vulnerable, according to humanitarian agencies. "There are definitely lessons to be learned," said Pierluigi Testa, an emergency coordinator for the international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). Testa said a network of purpose-built, reinforced-concrete storm shelters similar to ones used in Bangladesh could have offered protection against the cyclone. Correia said there was no time to set up such facilities in Mozambique. About 300,000 people had moved to higher ground though even some of these places ended up under water, he said. "I FELT LIKE WE WERE GOING TO DIE" No one interviewed by Reuters moved in anticipation of the storm. Some sought refuge in sturdy buildings such as schools. At a hospital south of Beira, Catarina Meque, 21, said the water was already rising when she received the flood warning. Medical staff started shouting to people to climb onto beds but hospital workers fled as the water got higher, and Meque said she followed with her malnourished six-month-old baby. "I felt like we were going to die if we waited there," she said in Guara Guara, which she reached after walking for 17 hours through waist-high water. About 100 km northwest of Beira, in the devastated village of John Segredo, villagers said they received no warning at all. Many people remain fearful. In Buzi, a mother holding a young child asked: "The water -- it's not coming back, is it?" (Stephen Eisenhammer reported from Buzi and Emma Rumney from Guara Guara; Additional reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe in Harare and Alexander Winning and Joe Bavier in Johannesburg; Editing by Alexandra Zavis and Timothy Heritage) Thousands of Syrians gathered Tuesday in different cities to protest President Donald Trump's formal recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a move that sparked widespread international condemnation, including from a number of U.S. allies. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Syria's State news agency SANA posted photographs of a march in the southern city of Sweida on Tuesday, in which men and women carried Syrian and Palestinian flags and banners reading "Golan is Syrian." SANA said other protests took place in the southern city of Daraa, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) from the Golan Heights. Syrians wave national flags as well as a Palestinain (L) and Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) (2 L) flags in the town of Quneitra in the Syrian Golan Heights Quneitra Mona Ibrahim, a civil servant, said in Damascus that the Golan "will return to Syria no matter how long it takes. Trump's decision is worthless." Syria slammed the U.S. step as "blatant aggression." The Foreign Ministry said Trump's move represented the "highest level of contempt for international legitimacy" and showed that Washington was "the main enemy" of Arabs. Syrians protest in the northern city of Aleppo against the US' decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said the decision proves that "resistance" is the only way to retake lands occupied by Israel and that the "great Satan" -- the United States -- cannot sponsor the "so-called peace process." Protesters chant slogans in the town of Quneitra in the Syrian side of the Golan Heights Hassan Nasrallah, whose group has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad in the civil war, said in a speech in Beirut that the muted response of Arab countries to Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year encouraged a similar declaration on the Golan. Syrians protest in the northern city of Aleppo On Tuesday, the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned Trump's decision on the Golan, saying it legitimatized Israeli occupation in violation of international law. It added in a statement that the decision does not change the fact that the Golan Heights "is Arab and Syrian occupied land." "Golan is Syrian Arab" Iraq's Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim said the "Golan is occupied Syrian land and its sovereignty must fully return to Syria" in accordance with Security Council resolutions. Gulf Arab states, including U.S. allies that view Iran as a regional menace and supported the uprising against Assad, also denounced the U.S. move. A picture taken from the Syrian town Ain al-Tineh shows the Druze town of Majdal Shams Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain were just some of the Arab countries that condemned the move on Tuesday in official statements. But Gulf states were unlikely to take steps to pressure Trump over the decision. Saudi rulers have welcomed Trump's tough talk and pressure against rival Iran. Saudi Arabia said the U.S. decision will have "significant negative effects" on the Middle East peace process and stability in the region. Ambassadors from the five EU members of the U.N. Security Council -- France, Germany, Britain, Poland and Belgium -- issued a joint statement saying that they don't recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in 1967. A Syria military post in the Syrian Golan "Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law," and any unilateral border changes go against "the rules-based international order and the U.N. Charter," they said. "We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences," they said. All five countries are close U.S. allies. A general view shows the village of Ein Qiniyye in the Golan Trump formally signed the proclamation alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy in the Middle East. The U.S. is the first country to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan, which the rest of the international community regards as occupied territory. Israel has long argued that the strategically important area has, for all practical purposes, been fully integrated into Israel since it was captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War and that control of the strategic plateau is needed as protection from Iran and its allies in Syria. Israel annexed the plateau in 1981. Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the U.S. decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel's 1981 annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan. Israel captured the strategic territory from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt. The annexation was never recognized internationally. Trump and Netanyahu with the US declaration (Photo: EPA) In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolution by a permanent member-state." The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. Protests in Quneitra againt the American recognition of Israeli rule over the Golan Heights (Photo: AP) On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. 'Crucial turning point' The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, a key Syrian ally, called for resistance against the U.S. decision. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land -- and for Palestinians to achieve their "legitimate rights" -- was "resistance, resistance, and resistance." He described Trump's move as "a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict." Trump's decision "deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace," he said in a televised address. Protests in Quneitra againt the American recognition of Israeli rule over the Golan Heights (Photo: AFP) He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syria's membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis. Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump's decision and voiced concern that the U.S. move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washington's closest allies -- Britain and France -- joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan. U.S. Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israel's security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. China and Russia spoke out against the U.S. decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a U.S. ally in the region. A county in New York City's northern suburbs declared a state of emergency Tuesday over a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since last fall, hoping a ban against unvaccinated children in public places wakes their parents to the seriousness of the problem. Rockland's outbreak has most heavily affected Orthodox Jewish communities, in which vaccination rates tend to be lower. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "It's an attention grab, there's no question about it," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said at a news conference, noting that he didn't believe such a drastic step has ever been tried in the U.S. before. An Orthodox Jewish man walks through the parking lot of a supermarket in Spring Valley, NY (Photo: AP) Day said he was taking the action in hopes of reversing a recent uptick in cases amid disturbing reports that health workers were encountering resistance when investigating cases. Under the declaration, which lasts for at least 30 days, anyone under 18 who is not vaccinated against measles is barred from public gathering places, including shopping malls, civic centers, schools, restaurants and even houses of worship. Those in violation could be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. But Day acknowledged that there will be no concerted enforcement effort and that the intent is not to arrest people but to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. "There will not be law enforcement or deputy sheriffs asking for vaccination records. That is ridiculous," Day said. "However, parents will be held accountable if they're found to be in violation of this emergency declaration." The county is experiencing New York state's longest measles outbreak since the disease was declared officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. Health officials say the best way to stop the disease's spread is a vaccination rate in the community of 92 to 95 percent. Day said only 72.9 percent of people under 18 have been vaccinated against measles in Rockland County, which has more than 300,000 residents. Civil rights attorney Michael Sussman, who represents the parents of 44 unvaccinated children who were barred from a Waldorf School in the county, said he would discuss a possible challenge to the emergency declaration in a meeting with his clients Tuesday night. "It's irrational," Sussman said. "You're punishing people who don't have the illness rather than quarantining people who are sick." Sussman said a quarantine of measles patients and those close to them would quickly stop the disease's spread. This month, a federal judge, citing the "unprecedented measles outbreak," denied the parents' request to let unvaccinated children return to the Waldorf School. The lawsuit said the county's order banning unvaccinated children from schools regardless of religious or medical exemptions violated their constitutional rights. The outbreak began in the Rockland area when seven unvaccinated travelers diagnosed with measles entered the county last October. There have been 153 cases to date, Day said. In the early days of the outbreak, people were cooperating with health officials and getting children vaccinated, he said, but that has changed. "Our health inspectors have been hung up on and told not to call again. They've been told, 'We're not discussing this, do not come back,' when visiting the homes of infected individuals as part of their investigations," Day said. "This type of response is unacceptable and frankly irresponsible." On the same day as the federal judge's ruling on the school children, pediatric organizations expressed support for state legislation that would allow minors to get vaccinated without parental consent. Brooklyn Orthodox residents; measles outbreak infected more than 150 people since last fall in Rockland, NY (Photo: Shutterstock) The state legislation's Democratic sponsors said too many parents believe unsupported claims that vaccines are unsafe and cause autism or other conditions. Day echoed that message, noting celebrities who have spoken out against vaccines. "If you're going to People magazine and Jenny McCarthy and Robert De Niro for your medical advice, you need to re-evaluate your life," he said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists six measles outbreaks, defined as three or more cases, around the country in 2019, including Rockland County's. The CDC said the outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought the disease back from other countries, such as Israel and Ukraine, where large measles outbreaks are occurring. There have been 181 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since October, most of them involving members of the Orthodox Jewish community, according to the CDC. Day said the emergency order was timed with the upcoming religious holidays of Easter and Passover in mind. "We want people to be able to celebrate," he said. "We don't want to see a repeat of how this outbreak started when we saw people gathered together and then fall ill last fall." The CDC says 15 states have had at least one case of measles confirmed in 2019, for a total of 314 cases to date. In 2014, 667 cases were confirmed nationwide and there were 372 cases in 2018. Hamas has refused to halt Friday protests or night-time disturbances along the Gaza border fence despite the current round of fighting with Israel, the London-based, Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Israel's Air Force has been bombing Hamas targets in Gaza since Monday evening, hours after a rocket that Israel believes was fired by the terror group directly hit a home north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven people. Palestinians protesting at night along the Gaza border fence (Photo: AFP) According to the report, Hamas will only consider this proposal, made by Egyptian mediators trying to restore calm between the two sides, as part of a wider plan to end the blockade on the Gaza Strip imposed by both Israel and Egypt. As far as Hamas is concerned, the paper says, the only acceptable agreement is "quiet in return for quiet." IDF strikes in Gaza overnight X Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting at the Israel border almost every Friday since last March, and this weekend will mark the first anniversary of the demonstrations, dubbed the March of Return protests. According to the Supreme Commission for the March of Return, the anniversary demonstration will take place next Saturday, and not on Friday as is customary. Palestinians will also mark Land Day on Saturday, commemorating 1976 protests over Israeli appropriation of territory in which six unarmed Arabs were killed and around one hundred others were wounded. The Supreme Commission has called for a general strike in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and urged Israeli Arabs to participate. Palestinian protests along Gaza fence (Photo: EPA) Around 180 Palestinians have been killed in the weekly border clashes with Israel since the protests began a year ago. The cross-border fighting between Israel and Hamas resumed late Tuesday evening after a brief lull, and continued into early Wednesday, with Israeli military striking several Hamas military positions in Gaza, while air-raid sirens sounded in southern Israeli communities. The respite in the violence was broken late Tuesday when Gaza militants fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council, drawing retaliatory air strikes from the Israeli Air Force a short time later. IAF strike on the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City (Photo: MCT) The military wings of Palestinian factions in Gaza said the rocket fire at the Gaza border community was conducted by rouge elements in the Strip without their approval or knowledge. There were no reports of casualties or damage. The airstrikes targeting Hamas positions - including a military compound and a weapons-manufacturing facility - continued well into the night, with Palestinian militants firing rockets at the southern city of Ashkelon, which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. The Israeli military said the aerial attack was carried out in response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, as well as the launching of airborne incendiary devices and violent demonstrations along the security fence. An unofficial cease-fire appeared to be holding Wednesday between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers, despite limited exchanges of fire. A limited number of overnight rocket attacks from Gaza set off air-raid sirens, breaking a daylong lull. The Israeli military struck back against additional Hamas targets, but there were no reports of casualties on either side. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Schools in communities and cities close to the Gaza border - often the first target of Palestinian rocket and mortar fire - opened as usual on Wednesday morning after consultations with the IDF Home Front Command. In the Eshkol Regional Council - where soldiers were stationed at school entrances - some 30 percent of the students didnt make it to class as parents opted to keep their children at home. IDF troops protect schools in Gaza border communities (Photo: Barel Efraim) Both Israel and Hamas appeared ready Wednesday to step back from the brink of a full-fledged confrontation. But violence could erupt again this weekend, when Hamas is set to stage large-scale protests along the Israel-Gaza border, marking the first anniversary of weekly March of Return riots, in which nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by IDF fire. The Israeli military bolstered its forces along the Gaza border in advance. IDF troops on the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters) Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic terrorist group seized control of Gaza in 2007 and expelling Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' rival Fatah movement. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired before dawn on Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Meanwhile, dozens of residents from Israel's Gaza border communities took to the streets late Tuesday in protest over the deteriorating security situation on the southern border. The demonstration began just as the IDF lifted all restrictions on activities in the area, which minutes later was followed by an air-raid siren following the launch of a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council. The protesters waved banners and demanded that the government adopt a definitive policy when it comes to dealing with violence from Gaza. Gaza border residents protest on Tuesday evening (Photo: Avi Roccah) The country hasnt had a policy for years, and the residents of the border communities are paying the price, said one of the protesters, Adi Hamui. Although schools operate as usual, some parents choose not to send their kids to school. The problem is that there is no concrete policy for emergency situations and some parents are forced to go to work. he said. We call on the government to wake up and stop their narrow and cynical considerations that compromise the security of the entire country. A clear strategic plan is needed in order to achieve a realistic long-term solution," he added. "We live in constant state of uncertainty and we do not know whether were still in the midsts of an escalation or not," said Ravit Mena, a resident of the border town of Sderot. They talk about a ceasefire but then there are air-raid sirens. Then they talk about lifting all restrictions, but then there are IDF strikes. We are very confused, which doesnt provide us with a sense of security. Itai Pachter, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza - just five kilometers east of Gaza - pointed a finger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also holds the position of defense minister, claiming that rocket fire on central Israel elicited a far tougher response than attacks on their communities. "He has abandoned us, betrayed us, he lies and deceives us. He doesnt acknowledge our existence, she said. One rocket lands in the Sharon region and suddenly they shut everything down and send an army to the border." Gaza border communities' residents taking their children to school (Photo: Roee Idan) "We, the residents of the Gaza border communities, are patient and strong but Netanyahu accomplished nothing in the past two days, she said. Airborne incendiary devices and nighttime clashes on the border have already resumed. I already started to pack my bag in order to leave, but I had a feeling it would be over before it even started. The latest round of violence began early Monday when seven Israelis, including an infant, were wounded when a house in a moshav northeast of Tel Aviv was directly hit by a long-range rocket fired from Gaza by what the IDF said were Hamas operatives. The Israeli military said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of 120 kilometers (75 miles), making it one of the deepest strikes ever carried out by Hamas. Amid the IDF troop increases in the south and the current fighting, Egyptian envoy General Ahmed Abd Khalek, who is responsible for the Palestinian issue in his country's intelligence community, will arrive in Gaza on Wednesday or Thursday with a delegation of officers to push ahead the signing of a memorandum of understanding. He will do so at the request of Hamas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The memorandum is supposed to guarantee quiet in the coming months. It includes rehabilitation work in Gaza on one hand, and on the other, the end to violence along the Gaza fence and the cessation of airborne firebombs and explosive devices. The signing of this memorandum of understanding between Israel and Hamas, if it comes through, will be the dramatic culmination of a protracted effort. The remains of the office of senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City after it was hit by the IAF (Photo: AFP) What happened in the last two days in Gaza was not a military event. As such, the main players were the prime minister and the head of the NSC, not the IDF chief of staff. It was a clearly political maneuver, with the Air Force and the IDF playing the role of leverage. The rocket fired at Moshav Mishmeret was part of the same behind-the-scenes politicking currently taking place, in which Israel, Egypt and Hamas are all participants. And if an agreement is not signed, we will feel the effects on the ground on Saturday, when Hamas marks the first anniversary of the March of Return protests. The current round of violence actually began at 9pm on March 14, when Khalek was sitting opposite Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. On the table between them was a memorandum of understandings ready for his immediate signature. The document includes a series of Israeli and international commitments to the Gaza Strip, along with Hamas' agreement to a list of conditions set by Israel. Protests along the Gaza border fence (Photo: EPA) This document was formulated at the beginning of March, following Egyptian shuttle diplomacy between Tel Aviv and Gaza, with National Security Council Director Meir Ben-Shabbat pushing for an agreement from the Israeli side. One of the most important clauses in the document is a commitment by Hamas to refrain from any violent activity along the fence for a period of about a year. But instead of Sinwar signing the document, at five minutes past 9, Hamas fired two long-range rockets at the Tel Aviv region. The last thing Sinwar subsequently heard from Khalek was that he was not going to go back to mediation, as long as Hamas refused to accept the conditions of the memorandum and instead kept making new demands. It goes without saying that no one in the Middle East, including Egypt and Hamas members themselves, bought the fairytale that the rockets on the Tel Aviv region were fired by accident. The only ones willing to not only swallow this story but also to disseminate it publicly was Israeli intelligence. The house on Moshav Mishmeret destroyed by a Gaza rocket The Egyptians assessed that the rocket fire was deliberately carried out by Hamas in order to improve the terms of the arrangement. "You are alone," the Egyptian general told Sinwar. "Do you want war? Just please don't come crying to us to save you. Do you want to long-term calm? Then let us know when you have accepted the conditions." Indeed, the Egyptians did not answer Hamas phone calls until Monday evening, when the militant group begged for rescue from Israeli air strikes. Hamas members had signaled their intention to break the rules last Friday, when they not only renewed their violent activities at the fence, but also renewed their tests of long-range missiles. Sinwar, as is his wont, thought that Israel would start a war with him two weeks before the elections. And so he went to his comfort zone - exploiting the weaknesses of the Netanyahu government, while also taking his own actions to the wire. Therefore, on Monday, he fired a long-range rocket into the center of Israel while the country was sleeping. This time Israel did not even deign to talk of mistaken launches. The rocket fire was carried out in the intention of improving the conditions of the arrangement, but also had other objectives in mind. Any Gazans protesting Hamas during an Israeli military operation would be painted as traitors. Indeed, the demonstrations and the organized protests against Hamas' rule have ceased. When the Israeli Air Force began to attack and Israel threatened a large-scale military operation, Hamas quickly pleaded for rescue from Egypt, and apparently expressed willingness to return to the memorandum, which includes stopping the protests at the fence and the airborne firebombs for an extended period. The Egyptians have not publicly used the term "cease-fire." IDF troops on the Gaza border (Photo: AFP) It is reasonable to assume that Benjamin Netanyahu and his staff were not only in touch with the chief of staff and the head of the Shin Bet during his brief US trip, but also with senior Egyptian officials. It was apparently decided not to declare a cease-fire, but to let Hamas sweat and see how it behaves from now on, especially on the anniversary of the March of Return, which was planned as the most violent day of protests along the fence. Meanwhile, Hamas has reduced the amount of firebombs it is sending across the border tied to balloons. If it passes the test at the weekend, keeps the violence down and signs the memorandum, the IDF will send its troops back to their bases. The Palestinian Health Ministry says an 18-year-old has been shot dead in West Bank clashes with Israeli troops. The ministry says Israeli soldiers shot Sajed Mizher after stones were thrown at them early Wednesday during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. It says two others were wounded in the clashes, which come amid an uptick in West Bank violence. After years of air raid sirens, rockets and mortar fire, the mayor of a southern Israel city has hit back at one of Hamas' leaders in the Gaza Strip, writing an open letter in Arabic in which he highlights the differences between his own thriving community and the desolation of the coastal enclave run by the terror group for more than a decade. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In his open letter to Ismail Haniyeh published on Facebook, Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi included two photos one showing Sderots newly built neighborhoods, while the second shows Haniyehs destroyed office, bombed by the IDF on Monday during the current clashes between Israel and Hamas. "You lost," Davidi told Haniyeh in the accompanying missive. A fireball rises over Gaza City as the IAF bombs Ismail Haniyeh's office (Photo: MCT) Good morning, ya Haniyeh, says Davidi, in a somewhat mocking tone. I wanted to send you an email or a fax, but it seems your offices no longer exist. Usually, I address the residents of Sderot. Now its time to address the other side, he says. Alon Davidi with IDF officers (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Ismail Haniyeh can you not see that youre losing? You take all the money you get from the Arab world and instead of using it for food, a functioning economy and a future for Gaza's residents, you waste it on your imaginary attempts to beat us. Its true Haniyeh, things arent simple (here). Sometimes its rough and Ill go as far as to say were suffering. But look at the results of your behavior How does Gaza look in comparison to Sderot? Youve been launching rockets at us for 18 years, says the mayor. But it seems you don't know what goes on in this city its booming! Hundreds of new residents join us every year, new homes are being built. Were growing and growing stronger. And what did you get out of it?? Theres nothing but destruction on your side, he continues, referring to IDF strikes that left parts of Gaza in ruins. Destruction in the Gaza Strip following an IAF attack during the current clashes with Hamas (Photo: EPA) Haniyeh, between you and me when your family needs medical care, you send them to Israel. But your residents have nowhere to go (when they need help). "Its true, life is difficult for us in this reality, operated by a cruel and evil enemy as yourself, who will go to any measures to launch rockets at Israeli civilians instead of fighting the IDF, who you fear! You think youve won, but reality proves that youve lost again and lost big time. You thought youll make Sderot into a ghost town but were powerful! You lost, your residents are losing and will lose more in time to come. Its time to change course, Davidi says at the end of the letter. Archive: Ismail Haniyeh at a Hamas rally in Gaza (Photo: AFP) Residents of Gaza border communities and their supporters rallied locally and in Tel Aviv several times in the past year to protest the government's reaction to the violence from Gaza. In an August protest that followed months of airborne incendiary devices launched at the border region, residents held banners declaring, "We're not cannon fodder" and "Bibi, Bibi, wake up, the south is burning"referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and what they believe to be a policy of governmental neglect of their peripheral region. "We're tired of burned fields and weeping children," said signs carried by the people of Sderot, as they demanded that the government find a solution to the the attacks that had become a daily reality over the past 18 years. On Tuesday night, dozens of residents from Israel's Gaza border communities took to the streets to protest the deteriorating security situation on the southern border. Gaza border residents protest on Tuesday evening (Photo: Avi Rokah) The demonstration began just as the IDF lifted all restrictions on activities in the area, which minutes later was followed by an air-raid siren following the launch of a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council. The protesters waved banners and demanded that the government adopt a definitive policy when it comes to dealing with violence from Gaza. Austrian authorities have arrested an Iraqi man suspected of carrying out unsuccessful attacks on trains in Germany last year and sympathizing with the Islamic State group. Austrian and German officials said that the 42-year-old was arrested in Vienna on Monday. Vienna prosecutors said Wednesday that he is suspected of "carrying out terrorist attacks on railway lines in Germany in October and December 2018." In October, a high-speed train hit a steel cable stretched over the tracks between electrification masts on the Nuremberg-Munich line. A window in the driver's cab was damaged but no one was injured. An Arabic-language note, which investigators described as threatening but unspecific, was found nearby. At Christmas, police found damage to overhead wires in Berlin as well as a note in Arabic and an IS flag. A Lithuanian court has found the Soviet Union's last defense minister guilty of war crimes for his role in a violent crackdown on the Baltic country's independence move 28 years ago. The Vilnius Regional Court on Wednesday sentenced 94-year-old Dmitry Yazov in absentia to 10 years in prison. He and 66 other Soviet-era officials were on trial for the violence that left 14 people dead and hundreds injured when Soviet troops stormed a television tower and an adjacent building in Vilnius on Jan. 13, 1991. The trial began in 2016. Only two defendants were present in court with most of the others being in Russia, which has refused to hand them over. Those present have pleaded not guilty. The Blue and White party is scrambling to uncover a "mole" who has been leaking sensitive information about its leader Benny Gantz. The leaker is apparently someone inside party HQ and is responsible for exposing embarrassing recordings of Gantz made during closed meetings. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The former IDF chief emerged as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's toughest opponent ahead of the April 9 elections, with his party leading the ruling Likud in the polls. Gantz is currently in Washington after giving a speech at the AIPAC conference on Tuesday. Over the past two weeks, at least two secret recordings of Gantz were leaked. In the first, Gantz is heard admitting - in an intimate conversation with his partys staff - that he wouldnt completely rule out the possibility of joining a Netanyahu government after the elections. Gantz went as far as to suggest forming a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties. "I am giving you a blank page with my signature on it, leave me a third of that page, the rest fill in however you want," Gantz said in the recording. Benny Gantz (Photo: AFP) In the second recording - made during a very limited forum - Gantz said that Netanyahu would be prepared to physically harm him on the eve of the elections. "If Netanyahu had a way to kill me, he would have done it," Gantz can be heard saying. Senior Blue and White party officials admitted the release of the second recording caused personal harm to the party leader and damaged his image. One senior party member urged the party to examine how these conversations are being leaked from the election headquarters." The party claimed this is currently a small-scale investigation, which will be expanded in scope once Gantz returns to Israel from Washington. The investigation will remain internal, without the involvement of external bodies. Party officials also said the investigation will not include polygraph tests for Blue and White employees, advisers or close associates who participate in closed meetings with Gantz. "We want to know who the guy leaking this material is," said a senior party official, calling the situation "a very disturbing incident." Since Gantzs recordings have been made public, the social networks have been flooded with parodies and posts - made mainly by the Likud supporters - ridiculing the Blue and White party leader, in an attempt to make the former IDF chief seem mentally unstable and weak. Gantz in Likud's social media campaign For instance, on Netanyahu's official Instagram page, a video was published showing Gantz stuttering and seemingly unable to answer questions during a television interview. In reality, the stuttering was a result of a broadcast delay since the Blue and White leader was in Washington and heard the questions several seconds after theyd been asked. The video on the prime ministers page then tried to make a connection between the leaked conversations and the awkward interview, making Gantz seem as though he was unfit to be a premier. Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who was in charge as prime minister during Netanyahus recent trip to the United States, also reiterated the statements of Likud officials. "We saw yesterday Gantz's shocking television appearance," he said in an interview with Ynet. "Hes living in a fantasy world and is dreaming about the prime minister sending people to assassinate him." "We have never seen an Israeli prime minister who manages such a dirty elections campaign, said Blue and White in a statement. There is only one reason for him to spread a disproportionate amount of lies and fake news - he realizes that he is going to lose." The Palestinian Health Ministry says an 18-year-old has been shot dead in West Bank clashes with IDF troops. The ministry saystroops shot Sajed Mizher after stones were thrown at them early Wednesday during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. It says two others were wounded in the clashes, which come amid an uptick in West Bank violence. The IDF had no immediate comment. Rabbinical judges were baffled by a recent case they had to rule on, when a man asked them to quickly grant him a divorce from his wife so he can go abroad and join his new male partner. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The man, who is religious and a father of several children, walked in to the Netanya Rabbinate office in early March and asked for an urgent divorce right this instance. Illustrative: Rabbinate judges during a discussion When the Rabbinates team inquired about the urgency of the matter, the man revealed he had recently came out of the closet and found a male partner who lives in Italy who now awaits him there. The Rabbis had fierce discussions and were torn whether their approval of the divorce means they will be indirectly supporting a homosexual relationship, forbidden by religious law. Finally, fearing that the mans wife will remain a "chained" women, bound in marriage until granted a divorce document that according to Jewish law can only be given by the husband, the Rabbinate approved the divorce. My lover is waiting for me there and he said that if I dont get a divorce today hell leave me, said the man who sought to end his marriage. He added that he intends to leave Israel for Italy to marry his new partner. Tamar Zandberg from Meretz Party during a protest calling for gay marriage in front of the Tel Aviv Rabbinate (Benny Doitch) I have to divorce my wife since I dont want to ruin her life. Shes a very religious women and we have children, the man explained, referring to the consequence of him leaving the country without a formal divorce leaving his wife unable to remarry. The Rabbinical judges, fearing the man will leave the country if they dont act immediately, quickly called in a scribe to write the divorce document. They even went as far as postponing other discussions they had scheduled for that day. An hour after his arrival, the man was already divorced from his wife in accordance with Jewish laws and customs and was off to the airport, to be united with his new love. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh apparently signalled his group's readiness to end the current round of fighting with Israel on Wednesday, but indicated that the protests planned for Saturday will go ahead. "The resistance said its piece and Israel got the message. I congratulate everyone who helped end the Zionist arrogance in the Gaza Strip," he said. "We will restore the leadership's headquarters, which is a symbol of steadfastness and heroism. I call on all the Palestinian people... to go out on Land Day and participate in the million man marches." Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh apparently signalled his group's readiness to end the latest round of fighting with Israel on Wednesday, but indicated that the protests planned for Saturday will go ahead. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "The resistance said its piece and Israel got the message. I congratulate everyone who helped end the Zionist arrogance in the Gaza Strip," said Haniyeh, whose Gaza City offices were decimated in an IAF strike on Monday night. Haniyeh signals victory at ruins of office "We will restore the leadership's headquarters, which is a symbol of steadfastness and heroism," Haniyeh said. "I call on all the Palestinian people... to go out on Land Day and participate in the million man marches." Israel Air Force warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, after a rocket fired from Gaza - which Israel says the work of Hamas - hit a home in central Israel, destroying the building and wounding seven people. Hamas in return fired multiple rockets at Israeli communities close to the Gaza border, forcing local residents into bomb shelters. The ruins of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's office in Gaza City after an IDF (Photo: AFP) The fighting continued throughout Tuesday, and a brief lull was broken by a rocket fired at Ashkelon and subsequent IAF strikes. There were no reports of casualties on either side. Script Embedder By Wednesday, however, an unofficial cease-fire appeared to be taking hold, despite limited exchanges of fire, a both Israel and Hamas appeared ready Wednesday to step back from the brink of a full-fledged confrontation. IDF soldiers patrolling a school in southern Gaza (Photo: Barel Efraim) Schools in communities and cities close to the Gaza border - often the first target of Palestinian rocket and mortar fire - opened as usual on Wednesday morning after consultations with the IDF Home Front Command. In the Eshkol Regional Council - where soldiers were stationed at school entrances - some 30 percent of the students didnt make it to class as parents opted to keep their children at home. Haniyeh signals V sign with gaza children But violence could erupt again this weekend, when Hamas is set to stage large-scale protests along the Israel-Gaza border, marking the first anniversary of weekly March of Return riots, in which nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by IDF fire. Protests along the Gaza border fence (Photo: EPA) Saturday also marks the annual Land Day protests, commemorating 1976 protests over Israeli appropriation of territory in which six unarmed Arabs were killed and around one hundred others were wounded. Haniyeh's comments illustrated Hamas' insistence that the protests will go ahead. The London-based, Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Wednesday morning that Hamas has refused to halt Friday protests or night-time disturbances along the Gaza border fence despite the latest round of fighting with Israel. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu debated Monday whether to return to Israel from Washington due to the security situation with Hamas in Gaza, he made several encrypted phone calls in order to thoroughly understand the Egyptian role in the situation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter He needed to know where Cairo stood with regards to Gaza, what kind of ceasefire they were working towards, what their intelligence assessments said. He probably even spoke directly to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Benjamin Netanyahu and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the UN General Assembly, September 2018 (Photo: GPO) Sisi has a long history with Hamas and the trouble it causes, dating back to his previous roles as military governor in northern Sinai, head of Egyptian intelligence, and defense minister. He knows the ins and outs of the Hamas efforts to bond with the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement that led Egypt before him - a group that he despises. It isnt a secret that the Egyptian president doesnt believe anything Hamas says. His senior advisors, who have been managing the negotiations with Gaza, despise the Hamas leadership and make no effort to hide it. But what Sisi wants is quiet on his side of the Gaza border, and thus negotiations are in his best interests. He wants no more attempted infiltrations via the Sinai from Hamas, in order to carry out terror attacks in Egypt. The Egyptian find their role in this exhausting game frustrating. They are mediating between two sides who dont believe one another. Hamas makes statements showing Egypt in a positive light, but closely follows the unique relationship Sisi has with US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas believes it was Netanyahu who pushed Sisi into Trumps arms, but also knows there is no other possible negotiator for their conflict with Israel. Presidents Sisi and Trump in Saudi Arabia (Photo: AP) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan doesnt have the access that Egypt has, and has disputes with both Israel and Egypt. Qatar is more ATM machine than mediator. (On Tuesday, the Qataris said they plan to build Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh a new office, after his Gaza City headquarters were bombed by the IAF on Monday night.) The Egyptians understand that Netanyahu wants quiet until the April 9 elections. Cairo sees Netanyahu as keeping his seat as prime minister in fact, whomever I spoke to in Egypt thought Netanyahu would win, and all quickly stressed the importance of this unique, secretive relationship between the Israeli and Egyptian leaders. Indeed, when Sisi took office four years ago, he wanted nothing whatsoever to do with whatever Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Israel were fighting about. He wanted to focus on Egypt and its financial woes. Israel was the one to inform Sisi that if he didnt take control of the situation, the EU, US or Turkey would be waltzing into the Gaza Strip. They stressed that being the sole mediator has perks for Egypt. And so Sisi suppressed, but didnt quite disguise, his loathing towards Hamas. In official meetings, he is businesslike and speaks in English, but behind the scenes and away from the negotiating table, he resorts to blunt swear words in Arabic. L-R: Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, Egypt's President Sisi and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (Photo: Reuters, AP) During the latest clashes between Israel and Hamas, Cairo tried to persuade Jerusalem to pull its punches in Gaza, to do just enough to cause insult but not real injury. The Egyptians wanted Israel to stick to IAF airstrikes and then depart. Conversely, the Egyptians did not believe a single word from Hamas regarding their purportedly "erroneous" rocket launches at Israel. Cairo sent strongly worded messages to the organization, warning that if it continued in this vein, Egypt would look the other way when Israel unleashed its vast military capabilities on Hamas. Egypt is watching both sides carefully. Cairo itself has a single agenda, and that is to establish itself on the global stage. Israel would do well to help with this ambition. UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Wednesday, at the request of Syria, over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move the U.N. Security Council declared "null and void and without international legal effect." In a letter to the 15-member Security Council requesting a meeting, Syria described the U.S. decision as a "flagrant violation" of Security Council resolutions. Trump, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking over his shoulder during a visit to Washington, on Monday signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. A diplomatic miracle occurred this week and it almost went unnoticed. Not because we are indifferent or because it doesnt excite us, we didnt notice because our hearts - and rightly so - were with the Wolf family, six members of which were wounded early Monday morning when a rocket sent from Gaza destroyed their house in Moshav Mishmeret (northeast of Tel Aviv). Our hearts were also with the residents of the south who experienced an incredibly difficult 24 hours filled with air-raid sirens, rockets and simply anguish. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Nevertheless, as our heads were turned toward the Gaza Strip, thousands of miles from here something happened that only a few years ago wouldve been unimaginable to us. The United States, which remains the world's strongest and most influential power, recognized the sovereignty of the State of Israel over the Golan Heights. It may seem like a symbolic gesture at first, but in truth, its not merely a symbolic matter at all, but rather a very significant one. Trump signing recognition order; Nasrallah The one who understands this better than anyone is Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who warned in his speech against the precedent that Trump has set by signing this decree. Nasrallah said the move could in the near future lead to similar decisions in East Jerusalem or even the West Bank. And if that sounds absurd to you, think about what a possibility of the American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during the Obama administration, or even during the Bush administration. Until Syria became embroiled in a bloody civil war - nearly ten years ago - the pressure on Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights, as part of a political agreement, never ceased. As a child I attended more than a couple of demonstrations protesting the likelihood of withdrawing from the Golan - which was quite conceivable at the time - and here we are today, with the worlds strongest world power officially recognizing it as Israeli territory. Nasrallahs concerns are justified. This precedent could establish new facts on the ground about how an area occupied by Israel could eventually become its own territory, under certain circumstances. Of course, this is not true of any area or any circumstances, but it does signify a conceptual revolution in decades of commonly held assumptions about how political borders are defined. An Israeli watchdog agency says it has found "significant failings" in the Israel Police's dealings with a company reported to be a failed startup once headed by prime minister hopeful Benny Gantz. The State Comptroller said Wednesday that the police's acquisition of nearly $14 million of technology from a company in 2016 violated standard procedures. According to the report, police waived a public tender and granted the unnamed company the contract. The report doesn't specify the company or Gantz, but various Israeli news outlets identified it as Fifth Dimension, whose former CEO is Gantz. Gantz's Blue and White Party says the former army chief of staff's conduct was "impeccable." The agency said it criticized only the police's management, not private companies. Egyptian mediators rushed to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Hamas' supreme leader emerged from his hideout as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic militant group appeared to take hold. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Egyptian delegation sought to cement the truce that ended two days of heavy fighting between the bitter enemies. They face a key test on Saturday, when Hamas is planning a mass demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of weekly protests along the Israeli border. Haniyeh makes an appearance Standing before the rubble of his Gaza City office, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, he declared that "the Israeli occupation got the message." Haniyeh urged Palestinians to come out in force to the Saturday demonstration. The Israeli military bolstered its forces along the Gaza frontier in advance. Hamas has staged the protests in hopes of pressuring Israel and Egypt to ease a crippling blockade. The protests, however, have yielded few gains, and nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel accuses Hamas of using the demonstrations as cover for attacks, and says it is defending its border against crowds that have hurled flaming tires, grenades and other explosives at troops. But the military has come under heavy international criticism for allegedly using disproportionate force against large numbers of purportedly unarmed protesters. Palestinian media reported that the Egyptian mediators would offer Hamas economic incentives in exchange for its commitment to end the protests. Israeli armor outside Gaza (Photo: Reuters) Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a teenage Palestinian medic was shot dead during clashes between Israeli troops and protesters. The Israeli army said it had responded to Palestinians who hurled blocks and firebombs at Israeli forces. The army released a video showing what it said was a medic who removed his uniform and joined a group of protesters throwing objects at troops. It was not clear if the video showed the same medic who was shot. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired early Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed back to Israel from a trip to Washington to deal with the crisis. Israel struck dozens of targets in Gaza, including Haniyeh's office. Gaza's Health Ministry said seven Palestinians were wounded in the airstrikes. Netanyahu faced the difficult task of delivering a tough blow to Hamas while avoiding protracted fighting that could work against him in next month's national elections. He has faced heavy criticism from both political allies and opponents for what they describe as his failure to contain and deter Gaza militants. IDF troops (Photo: Avi Rokach) Netanyahu has conducted indirect cease-fire talks through Egyptian mediators in recent months, and even allowed the delivery of millions of dollars of Qatari aid to Hamas to ease harsh conditions in the territory, which has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas violently seized power in 2007. Hamas has recently faced rare demonstrations over its mismanagement of an economic crisis that has left Gaza with an unemployment rate above 50 percent. Hundreds of Gazans took part in the protests last week, and Hamas responded with a violent crackdown, beating and arresting dozens of demonstrators. The fighting in Gaza comes amid an uptick in violence in the West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli soldiers shot dead 18-year-old paramedic Sajed Mizher while he tended to wounded Palestinians during an arrest raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem early Wednesday. It said two others were wounded in the clashes. Fellow paramedic Abed Ghareeb said they were tending to a wounded protester when Mizher, who was wearing a paramedic vest, was shot by a sniper. The Israeli military said it responded to the violent protests with "riot dispersal means," which usually refers to tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets. The World Health Organization condemned the killing of the Palestinian medic in uniform, saying, "health care is not a target." Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that moving his country's embassy to Jerusalem is possible but they are still examining how to do it. Five of the top 10 areas with the lowest rental vacancy rates in 2018 were in Tasmaniawhere the market has been holding up in recent years. Three areas in the top 10 were in Canberra, one Queensland and the other in the Northern Territory, according to figures from SQM Research. Renters in Tasmania are having the hardest time looking for a dwelling, but the low rental vacancy rates should not be enough to woo investors, according to a report by The New Daily. Tasmania has a low vacancy rate, but I think that is set to change because in the last few years it has attracted a lot of investor interest, maybe too much. Its had a lot of growth, and thats been underpinned not by locals, but investors from interstate. For every five people that move to the state one job is created, so the fundamentals arent strong, because it has been so attractive. So I would expect vacancy rates to increase significantly, Anna Porter, property advisor and principal of Suburbanite, told The New Daily. Canberra also stood out on the list. There is still a lot of transitional employment in Canberra, a lot of short- to medium-term job opportunities, and there is a shortage of rental shock. There just isnt enough stock. Were hearing stories of agents putting up sold stickers on places and people ringing that day to see if the property is going to be rented out, Porter told The New Daily. Investors have not given much attention to Canberra due to its land tax rates which are higher than most other states. The competition, though, counters the high tax, according to Porter. Property Investment Professionals of Australia Chairman Peter Koulizos warned that vacancy rates are only one of the factors that investors should consider when purchasing property. Capital-growth prospects, the strength and diversity of the local economy, supply and demand from buyers and renters, new construction which may negatively impact the market, and cash flow, must also weigh on investors decisions when buying properties. An informed investor will expect the market to go through peaks and troughs, said Koulizos. That means they dont easily get spooked by less than stellar data. Instead, they continue to treat their tenants well and with respect, so the chances of their properties becoming vacant are minimised, he said. State Region % TAS West Hobart 0.1122 TAS East Coast of Hobart 0.1957 TAS East Hobart 0.2888 QLD Queensland Far North Coast 0.4757 ACT Tuggeranong, Canberra 0.4797 TAS Central Hobart 0.4946 ACT Belconnen, Canberra 0.5313 ACT Gungahlin, Canberra 0.6570 NT Southern NT 0.7317 TAS Burnie 0.7533 Source: SQM Research In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly. The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. However, without providing us with your personal data, you will be unable to (as appropriate): contact us; subscribe to our mailing list; subscribe to any of our publications; or receive information about In Defence of Marxism. We collect information about you: (1) When you give it to us DIRECTLY You may give us your personal data in order to subscribe to a newsletter or publication, when you contact us by phone, email or post, when you sign a petition / statement, and/or when you donate money to us. (2) When you give it to us INDIRECTLY Your information will also be provided to us when you follow us or otherwise interact with on or via Twitter, when you like and/or join our page on Facebook or interact with us in other ways on or via Facebook. (3) When you give permission to OTHER ORGANISATIONS to share it or it is AVAILABLE PUBLICLY We may combine information you provide to us with information available from external publicly available sources. Depending on your privacy settings for social media services, we may also access information from those accounts or services. We use this information to gain a better understanding of you and to improve our communications and fundraising activities. (4) When you visit our WEBSITE We use cookies to identify you when you visit our website. Please refer to our Cookies Policy for details on the way our use of cookies affects your personal data. What information do we collect? We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal data: (1) We will typically hold your name and contact details, including telephone number, location, and e-mail address. However, we may request other information where it is appropriate and relevant, for example: Your bank details or debit/credit card details (if making a donation). (2) any communication preferences you give; (3) information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website including your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit and number of page views; and/or (4) any other information shared with us as per clause 1. Do we process sensitive personal information? Applicable law recognises certain categories of personal information as sensitive and therefore requiring more protection, including political opinions and trade union membership. In limited cases, we may collect sensitive personal data about you. We would only collect sensitive personal data if there is a clear reason for doing so; and will only do so with your explicit consent. How and why will we use your personal data? Personal data, however provided to us, will be used for the purposes specified in this Policy or in relevant parts of the website. We may use your personal information to: (1) Enable you to subscribe to our hard copy publications; (2) Send you information about our work, campaigns, organisations and any other information, products or services that we provide (this will not be done without your consent); (3) Provide you with the services, products or information you have requested; (4) If you request, put you in touch with other supporters in your area (who have also provided such consent); (5) Handle the administration of any donation or other payment you make via credit/debit card, cheque, standing order or BACS transfer; (6) Collect payments from you and send statements and/or receipts to you; (7) Conduct research into the impact of our activity / campaigns; (8) Deal with enquiries and complaints made by you relating to the website or us in general; (9) Make petition submissions to third parties, where you have signed a petition and the third party is a target of the campaign to which the petition relates; and/or (10) Audit and/or administer our accounts. Supporter Analysis Google Analytics We may use some of your personal information to analyse our digital performance, for example to see how our website can be improved to help us achieve the purposes set out in section 9 below, to record how you are using our website or to assess the popularity of different articles / campaigns. For more information on how we use your personal information in relation to Google Analytics, please view our cookie policy by clicking this link cookies policy You can opt-out of the collection of information for such purposes here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices Communications, updates, fundraising Where you have provided appropriate consent, we will contact you by telephone and e-mail, with targeted communications to let you know about our events and/or activities that we consider may be of particular interest; about the work of In Defence of Marxism; and to ask for donations or other support. Donations and other payments All financial transactions carried out on our website are handled through either: PayPal (Europe) S.a r.l. (PayPal), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read PayPals privacy policy (available at https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full?locale.x=en_GB ) prior to effecting any transactions with us through PayPal; or GoCardless Ltd (GoCardless), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read GoCardlesss privacy policy (available at https://www.gocardless.com/legal/privacy) prior to effecting any transactions with us through GoCardless. We will provide your personal data to PayPal / GoCardless only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing payments for transactions you enter into with us. We do not store your financial details. Childrens data We do not knowingly process data of any person under the age of 16. If we come to discover, or have reason to believe, that you are 15 and under and we are holding your personal information, we will delete that information within a reasonable period and withhold our services accordingly. Security of and access to your personal data We endeavour to ensure that there are appropriate and proportionate technical and organisational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, misuse, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or of access to your personal information. Your information is only accessible by appropriately trained staff and volunteers. We may also use agencies and/or suppliers to process data on our behalf. We may also merge or partner with other organisations and in so doing transfer and/or acquire personal data. Please note that some countries outside of the EEA have a lower standard of protection for personal data, including lower security requirements and fewer rights for individuals. We may transfer and/or store personal data collected from you to and/or at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such personal data may be processed by agencies and/or suppliers operating outside the EEA. If we transfer and/or store your personal data outside the EEA we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient implements appropriate measures to protect your personal data. Otherwise than as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will only ever share your data with your informed consent. Your rights Where we rely on your consent to use your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes the right to ask us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes or to be unsubscribed from our email list at any time. You also have the following rights: (1) Right to be informed you have the right to be told how your personal information will be used. This Policy and any other policies and statements used on our website and in our communications are intended to provide you with a clear and transparent description of how your personal information may be used. (2) Right of access you can write to us to ask for confirmation of what information we hold on you and to request a copy of that information. Provided we are satisfied that you are entitled to see the information requested and we have successfully confirmed your identity, we have 30 days to comply. (3) Right of erasure as from 25 May 2018, you can ask us for your personal information to be deleted from our records. (4) Right of rectification if you believe our records of your personal information are inaccurate, you have the right to ask for those records to be updated. (5) Right to restrict processing you have the right to ask for processing of your personal data to be restricted if there is disagreement about its accuracy or legitimate usage. (6) Right to data portability to the extent required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) where we are processing your personal information (i) under your consent, (ii) because such processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contact or (iii) by automated means, you may ask us to provide it to you or another service provider in a machine-readable format. To exercise these rights, please send a description of the personal information in question using the contact details in section 15 below. You can also unsubscribe from our email list by sending a blank email to news-unsubscribe@marxist.com Where we consider that the information with which you have provided us does not enable us to identify the personal information in question, we reserve the right to ask for (i) personal identification and/or (ii) further information. Lawful processing We are required to have one or more lawful grounds to process your personal information. Only 4 of these are relevant to us: Personal information is processed on the basis of a persons consent Personal information is processed on the basis of a contractual relationship Personal information is processed on the basis of legal obligations Personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests (1) Consent We will ask for your consent to use your information to send you electronic communications such as newsletters and and fundraising emails, and if you ever share sensitive personal information with us. (2) Contractual relationships Most of our interactions with supporters are voluntary and not contractual. However, sometimes it will be necessary to process personal information so that we can enter contractual relationships with people. For example, if you subscribe to one of our publications, or purchase merchandise online. (3) Legal obligations Sometimes we will be obliged to process your personal information due to legal obligations which are binding on us. We will only ever do so when strictly necessary. (4) Legitimate interests Applicable law allows personal information to be collected and used if it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate activities (as long as its use is fair, balanced and does not unduly impact individuals rights). We will rely on this ground to process your personal data when it is not practical or appropriate to ask for consent. Achieving our purposes These include (but are not limited to) promoting socialist policies Governance Internal and external audit for financial or regulatory compliance purposes Statutory reporting Publicity and income generation Conventional direct marketing and other forms of marketing, publicity or advertisement Unsolicited messages, including campaigns, newsletters, and fundraising appeals Analysis, targeting and segmentation to develop and promote or strategy and improve communication efficiency Personalisation used to tailor and enhance your experience of our communications Operational Management Maintenance of suppression files Processing for historical, scientific or statistical purpose Purely administrative purposes Responding to enquiries Delivery of requested products or information Communications designed to administer existing services including subscriptions, administration of petitions and financial transactions Thank you communications and receipts Maintaining a supporter database and suppression lists Financial Management and control Processing financial transactions and maintaining financial controls Prevention of fraud, misuse of services, or money laundering Enforcement of legal claims Reporting criminal acts and compliance with law enforcement agencies When we use your personal information, we will consider if it is fair and balanced to do so and if it is within your reasonable expectations. We will balance your rights and our legitimate interests to ensure that we use your personal information in ways that are not unduly intrusive or unfair in other ways. Data retention The length of time each category of data will be retained will vary depending on how long we need to process it for, the reason it was collected, and in line with any statutory requirements. After this point the data will either be deleted, or we may retain a secure anonymised record for research and analytical purposes. In the event that you ask us to stop sending you direct marketing/fundraising/other electronic communications, we will keep your name on our internal suppression list to ensure that you are not contacted again. Policy amendments We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review and reserve the right to update from time-to-time by posting an updated version on our website, not least because of changes in applicable law. We recommend that you check this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure you remain happy with it. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email. Third party websites We link our website directly to other sites. This Privacy Policy does not cover external websites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit via links on our website. Updating information You can check the personal data we hold about you, and ask us to update it where necessary, by emailing us at webmaster@marxist.com Contact We are not required by law to have a Data Protection Officer however we have a Data Protection Manager. Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com News Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump will welcome Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the White House on April 2, 2019. In honor of the 70th anniversary of NATO, the President and the Secretary General will underscore the importance of the Alliance as a bulwark of international peace and security. They will discuss the unprecedented successes of NATO, including the recent increased commitments on burden-sharing among European Allies, and ways to address the current, evolving challenges facing the Alliance. The President and the Secretary General will meet for a private conversation, followed by an expanded bilateral meeting. News Washington, DC - Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is making strides to help forge Navy families into being more ready and resilient than ever before. As the central advocate for Navy families, CNIC is committed to fulfilling requirements laid out by the Chief of Naval Operations Navy Family Framework, which describes the role Navy families play in mission success, the responsibilities that the Navy has for families, and outlines organizational goals to enhance the mutual support between the Navy and its families. When the Navy familys needs are taken care of, the Sailor can focus on the mission, said Shauna Turner, director of CNICs Navy Family Support Program. The Family Support Program portfolio collectively provide programs that ensure Sailors and families are mission ready and resilient, which increases the deployability, assignability and lethality of the force. One of the first steps CNICs Fleet and Family Support Program has taken in response to the priorities outlined by the CNO is a spouse engagement study, which asked for feedback from Navy spouses and leadership and CNIC headquarters staff regarding programs and services administered through Fleet and Family Support Centers at Navy installations. We conducted an online survey, held face-to-face focus groups, and finally we completed our study with online focus groups, said Turner. This study gave us the insight on what we needed to do to improve our program and to better connect with and inform our Navy families. As a result of feedback received through the study and in response to the CNOs Navy Family Framework, CNIC also established a governance board with other Navy commands and non-federal agencies to seek out opportunities for program improvements. The primary working group members include Dana Richardson, spouse of Chief of Naval Operations; Dr. Barbara Burke, Navy ombudsman-at-large; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith; with Vice Adm. Mary Jackson, commander, Navy Installations Command and chair of the board. Three sub-working groups were established within the board to focus on the key issues identified from the spouse study -- awareness, perception, accessibility, and training. In regards to awareness, the study revealed that a number of Navy spouses are uninformed of Fleet and Family Support Program services. Turner explained that through continued communication, Navy spouses will become more aware, engaged, and hopefully the stigma associated with seeking help can be eliminated. Many Navy spouses as well as commands who are aware of our programs and services view them as primarily reactive, rather than proactive, said Turner. We want them to know that the Fleet and Family Support Center should be their first choice, not their last resort. Turner continued that the Fleet and Family Support Center personnel throughout the Navy are plugged in to their communities. Our program managers and analysts are at the tip of the spear, so to speak, with our Sailors and their commands, she said. We are engaging with leadership, providing guidance and ensuring they are aware of legislative and policy requirements that have to do with Navy families. The CNOs mandate also includes improving training and expanding the education network for Navy spouses and to engage with Navy leadership. Based on our survey, we have already increased access to our programs, said Turner. Weve developed electronic handbooks and commanders guides. Also the MWR Digital Library offers Navy families access to e-books, reference material, and online learning that is available. The remaining key issues are increase access to programs and services and training for spouses and Fleet and Family Support Center personnel. Part of addressing the key issues is access to Fleet and Family Support Program services is through the Internet. Our aim is to deliver accessible, ready, and relevant learning at our centers but also through todays technology, said Crystal Griffen, deputy director of CNIC Navy Family Support Program. There are Navy families without access to our centers who can get the training and information they need through their personal computers. So, we are transforming our programs, optimizing opportunities, and examining them. All of our policies, programs, practices, and processes are aligned to the CNOs Family Framework and strengthen a sense of mission in our families. The Fleet and Family Support Program has also developed commanders guidebooks, toolkits, and strategic communication plans to increase outreach and program awareness. Program managers conduct regular briefings to senior leadership and are active participants in town hall meetings and public forums that support installation leadership. The final goal in the CNOs Navy Family Framework is to reinforce Navy families connection to the Navy and to the core values of honor, courage, and commitment. With the CNIC team identifying the key issues that spouses are concerned with they are moving toward smart solutions to improve the quality of life for Navy families while they serve. Turner stated, that this is not a quick fix but an ongoing process. We put in the man-hours to get to the root of what Navy spouses want, she said. So now we continue putting in the man hours to make sure we give them what they asked for because we are responsible for the delivery of programs and services that increase family readiness and resiliency. Turner also said, that keeping the Navy spouse informed, educated, and empowered is a direct line to the health and lethality of our Navy as a whole. Thats what we do. CNICs Fleet and Family Support Programs are offered at 81 locations worldwide, with 58 of those Fleet and Family Support Centers offering a full selection of programs and services. Find your local FFSC go to: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/ffr/family_readiness/fleet_and_family_support_program/FFSC.html Latest News Washington, DC - Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: Catherine Bird of Texas, to be General Counsel for a term of five years at the Federal Labor Relations Authority Ms. Bird is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) at the Department of Health and Human Services overseeing divisions such as human resources, IT, real estate and logistics, acquisitions, and grants management. Previously, Catherine served as ASAs Associate Deputy General Counsel. Catherine graduated from Baylor University School of Law, Magna Cum Laude. Michelle A. Bekkering of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Economic Policy, Economic Growth, Education, and Environment) Ms. Bekkering currently serves as the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Developments (USAID) Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment, with a concurrent appointment as USAIDs Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Womens Empowerment. Bekkering has served in numerous offices in the Government, including the National Security Council under President George W. Bush and former Congressman Dana Rohrabachers Washington, D.C., office. A native of Iowa, Bekkering graduated from Dordt College. Thomas Peter Feddo of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Investment Security) Mr. Feddo currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investment Security. Before joining the Department of the Treasury, Mr. Feddo practiced law as a partner in the international trade group at Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Feddo previously served with the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Office of the General Counsel of the Navy, and the House Energy and Commerce Committees Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Mr. Feddo previously clerked for the Honorable James T. Turner at the United States Court of Federal Claims. He received his juris doctor from George Washington University and bachelors degree in aerospace engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Upon graduation from Annapolis, Mr. Feddo served as a nuclear submarine officer on the USS Salt Lake City and then with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the remainder of a six-year term, expiring September 1, 2024: Carl H. Lindner III of Ohio Marc I. Stern of California Jon Voight of New York Kelcy Warren of Texas Heather Washburne of Texas Adrienne Arsht of the District of Columbia Karen Tucker LeFrak of New York Michael Huckabee of Arkansas Kelly Roberts of California Daryl Roth of New York Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the United States Commission of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (United States and Canada): Living Section Elmira, New York - Harper Buckley who was born on March 15, 2019 in Elmira, weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces at birth may hold the record for heaviest neonate ever born in New York State, according to her doctors. But, the folks who chronicle world records at Guinness would consider her a lightweight, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens. The world record holder, says AMAC, was a boy who weighed in at a whopping 22 pounds when he was born at home in Saville, OH to 7 ft 11 in tall Anna Bates and her husband, Martin, who was just 7 ft 9 in tall. 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. The perennial tensions that arise between Ghanaians working for foreign-owned heavy industrial companies have reared their ugly heads as workers of a Chinese construction firm protest "inhuman treatment." Workers of Greenhouse International Development Ghana Limited, a Chinese construction firm operating in Ashaiman and Afienya in the Greater Accra Region, are reportedly aggrieved due to what they have described as inhumane treatment in the hands of their foreign managers. The Citinewsroom.com report sighted by YEN.com.gh has it that the workers feel suppressed by their managers as all other internal avenues meant to rectify issues have proven null and void. The workers are therefore demonstrating their dissatisfaction and withdrawing their labour for sometime. READ ALSO: National Road Saftey boss believes Ghana isn't doing badly because others are worse One worker who spoke on behalf of the others said: No salary increment for quite some years now. No leave. We cant attend hospital. No insurance. No SSNIT. We are slaves to the Chinese now. If somebody is sick after working for the company, the company does not look after that person." Another employee, a woman, also drew attention to alleged harassment at the workplace. If we are working, especially the workers that see that they are above us, they will come and be pressing your (private parts). If you refuse, then they will start insulting you or threaten to sack you. READ ALSO: Former Kotoko top scorer and Ghana striker Abukari Gariba turns street beggar in Kumasi Reports say efforts to speak to managers of the Greenhouse International Development Ghana Limited were unsuccessful. This new development is the latest one in a very long history of tensions in foreign-owned companies in Ghana. Usually, most of the tensions and protests are seen in industrial companies. Ghana's investment promotion over the last 30 years have seen hundreds of multinational firms as well as thousands of smaller companies set up offices in Ghana. Although the media highlights the treatment of Ghanaians in foreign companies every now and then, governmental pressure does not really follow the publicity. ATTENTION: The Amazing Cast Of Game Of Thrones In Then And Now (PHOTOS) Yenkasa: Can the Gh. Cedi ever catch-up with the U.S. Dollar?| #Yencomgh: Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story. Source: Yen On 9 April, a new parliament will be elected in Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, the current prime minister from the nationalist Likud party, has to face corruption charges. In order to hold on to power, Netanyahu is trying to lean on the support of several far-right parties. At the same time, Benny Gantzs Kahol Lavan, a more moderate and liberal, but still nationalist alliance is leading the polls. Benjamin Netanyahu served as the prime minister of Israel for 14 years in total. After becoming prime minister in 1996, his first major project was to brutally cut the Israeli welfare state and introduce neoliberal austerity measures. This helped the Israeli capitalists to make extra profits, but at the same time created social tensions beneath the surface. Today, 24 percent of the Israeli population lives below the poverty line. Food prices and rents are high, while wages are low for the vast majority of the workforce. While Israel tries to convey the image of a thriving start-up and high-tech economy, it is one of the most socially unequal OECD countries. These social tensions led to an outburst of anger amongst the Israeli working class in 2011 when, inspired by the Arab Spring, hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem to protest against the high costs of living and corruption. But the protests ended in government commissions, which were supposed to consider the peoples demands and find solutions. Nothing was solved. Every time the question of social injustice threatens political stability in Israel, the Israeli ruling class and their political representatives try to divert attention away from this issue, by appealing to Israeli nationalism. Zionism and the siege-scenario of Israel being threatened by all neighbouring powers, especially by Iran, Hezbollah and the Palestinians. This serves the purpose of blurring class lines and rallying the whole of the Jewish-Israeli population behind the banner of Zionism. What we know as Burgfriedenpolitik from Germany in the first World War is the permanent state of affairs in Israel. Nationalism, racism and the oppression and occupation of the Palestinians is therefore essential to stabilise Israeli capitalism. The fight against racism and the oppression of the Palestinian people is therefore key to the social question in Israel. The fear-mongering over the evil Arabs, Iran and the Palestinians was really the propagandist basis of Netanyahu's power and fame as a politician. I dont like Netanyahu, but he is the only one who can keep us safe, is a sentence I often hear from Israelis. Netanyahu also showed that Zionism is not about combating anti-semitism or learning the lessons from the industrial mass murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust. In order to strengthen Israels position in international relations, he signed agreements with Poland and Hungary, assuring them that both countries were not whatsoever involved in the Holocaust as perpetrators. This is not only historically wrong, but comes at a time when tens of thousands have marched in Poland and Hungary in anti-semitic, ultra-nationalist demonstrations. For Netanyahu, the Holocaust is nothing more than political capital, as was proven when he claimed in a speech to the World Zionist Congress in 2015 that it was not Hitler, but the Grand-Mufti of Jerusalem, who came up with the idea to mass murder all European Jews. Netanyahu and the far right Likud is polling second after Kahol Lavan. In response, Netanyahu forged an alliance with parties of the far right, among them Otzma Yehudit, whose leader has threatened to kill Arabs / Image: In order to hold on to power, Netanyahu has leaned more and more on the far right. In recent years, he did not only grant concessions to the far-right settlers movement in the Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem, but actively supported it. He let right-wingers like the former defence minister Lieberman join his government and escalated his rhetoric against the Palestinians and Iran. Last year, Netanyahu's majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, passed the racist Nation State Law, declaring Israel a Jewish state and making all non-Jewish citizens now officially second-class citizens. All these measures gathered support from the right, but also provoked tensions within the Arab population and the left in Israel. While the elections are approaching, Netanyahu is facing corruption charges. In the polls, his Likud party is second after Gantzs Kahol Lavan. In response, Netanyahu forged an alliance with parties of the far right, among them the right-wing nationalist Jewish Home and Otzma Yehudit, the successor of the extreme right and fascist Kach party, which was banned in 1994 for supporting terrorist attacks against the Arab population. Last year, Michael Ben-Ari, the leader of Otzma Yehudit, warned the Arab population living in Israel: If you speak against a Jew, youre not going to be alive Youre not going to be deported or have your citizenship revoked. Youre not going to be alive! Youll be put in front of a firing squad, taken down this is what Arabs understand. In exchange for these parties supporting Netanyahu as PM, he promised them ministerial posts in his future government. Trump and Netanyahu Netanyahus shift to the right has been firmly supported by the US government since the start of Trumps presidency. In the last few years, the position of US imperialism has become more fragile in the Middle East. The US could no rule any longer over the region as they did before. A deal with Iran was needed in order to allow the US to reduce its exposure in Iraq. Former US president Obama pursued that line at the cost of jeopardising the relations with the traditional US allies in the region. Following a similar pattern to that applied to North Korea and the trade war with China, when Trump came to power, he turned the tables on the Iranians and scrapped the deal. He then leaned in with all the political, economic, diplomatic and military power of the USA to consolidate the alliance with Israel and the Saudis. With the annulation of the Iran deal, Trump cleared the biggest obstacle between the US and its natural allies in the region, Saudi Arabia and Israel. He hopes now that, with their help, he can contain growing Iranian and Russian influence. Trump is clearly willing to impose even more suffering on the Palestinian population in order to compensate Netanyahu. He hopes to weaken the Palestinian leadership to such a degree that they are forced to make further concessions to the Israeli state. The US cut all financial support to UNWRA, the UN agency established in 1949 that is responsible for providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. They moved their embassy to Jerusalem and are giving full support to the colonialist settlement policy of Netanyahu. However, the most likely result is that this will backfire. In February, Netanyahu announced that Israel will withhold part of the revenue Israel is collecting on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, provoking a rift with the Authoritys president Abbas, whose collaboration Israel needs to enforce security controls on the Palestinian population in the West Bank. This is a dangerous game played by Netanyahu for his electoral calculations. The situation of the Palestinian masses is worsening and the Palestinian youth has shown an impressive determination to fight back. Not only do they protest against the Israeli occupation, but more and more Palestinians realise the reactionary role their leadership plays. Just a few days ago, there were protests in the Gaza strip against the Hamas government because of worsening living conditions. While protesters called for a general strike, the Hamas regime cracked down on them with massive police violence. A split in the ruling class An important part of the Israeli ruling class is observing this with great concern. They know how potentially explosive the social tensions in Israel/Palestine are, resulting out of the occupation and oppression of the Palestinians and the impoverishment of the Jewish working class. These parts of the bourgeoisie fear that Netanyahu is pushing it too far, leading to a social explosion that would shake the Israeli regime to its core. Benny Gantz is the favourite candidate of the centrist bourgeoisie, and is gathering support from the middle class who are uncomfortable with Likud / Image: Flickr, IDF That is why the corruption charges against Netanyahu were conveyed to the public and Gantzs party found a lot of sympathy and support among the Israeli bourgeoisie. Gantz, a former General and chief of staff of the Israel Defence Force, presents himself as the more reasonable and moderate alternative to Netanyahu. Gantz is not the only former General in his list, Kahol Lavan. Two other candidates were also Generals of the IDF. This is no coincidence. While there can be no doubt that the leading members of the army are standing on the core policies of defence and the ideology of Zionism, they were the ones who stopped hot-headed politicians in the past from unnecessarily escalating the conflict with the Palestinians or Iran. For example, the army leaders stopped Netanyahu at least twice in the last 10 years from attacking Iran, the Haaretz newspaper pointed out. Benny Gantz is the favourite candidate of the centrist bourgeoisie, but at the same time he is also gathering support from the middle class. Liberal petty-bourgeois and well-paid white-collar workers are growing uncomfortable with Netanyahus right-wing politics. HaAvoda and Meretz Meretz got support from liberal petty-bourgeois and white-collar workers by criticising Netanyahu for corruption, emphasising climate change and supporting minorities / Image: Dr Avishai Teicher Image Dr Avishai Teicher In recent years, the former Labour Party HaAvoda has lost all credibility in the eyes of the working class. It refused to seriously fight against the worsening social conditions of the Israeli working class. Moreover, it has always been the left leg of the Zionist ruling class since the birth of Israel, completely embedded in the Zionist state. Virtually all prime ministers up until the late 1970s were from the LP. People like Rabin, who gave the order to break Palestinian children's arms during the Intifada, and Barak were Labour prime ministers. In fact, HaAvoda has had Zionism and the colonialist settlement policy embedded in its own foundations since its inception. Labours support dwindled and the nationalist radicalisation of Jewish Israelis grew as illusions in the two-states solution collapsed. HaAvoda has nothing to offer the working class. The differences between HaAvoda and Kahol Lavan are practically non-existent, so people are sticking to the bigger of the two. Meretz, a party that can be best compared today to the Green parties in most European countries, managed to gather the support of liberal petty-bourgeois and well-off white-collar workers by criticising Netanyahu for corruption and right-wing policies, as well as emphasising the importance of combating climate change and supporting the rights of minorities. But while doing so, it doesnt address the problems the working-class face every day and is not able to offer a road for them to escape from poverty. Hadash and the Arab parties In the last elections, the leftist Hadash coalition ran joint lists with three other Arab parties (liberal, nationalist and Islamist) as the United Arab List. This alliance was broken up recently. Now Hadash, an alliance mainly around the Communist Party, runs together with the liberal Arab party in a joint list. The other two Arab parties made a list of their own. Over the years, Hadash was the only party that had a clear position against the occupation and put social injustice at the centre of its policies. Its list is currently third in the polls / Image: dovblog Over the years, Hadash was the only party that did not only have a clear position against the occupation, but also put social injustice at the centre of its policies. Its list is third in the polls. Public opinion and the Israeli establishment try to slander Hadash as terrorist-friendly and traitors. Just a week ago, the electoral committee excluded Hadash and the other Arab parties from the election, after a petition started by the extreme-right Otzma Yehudit. The supreme court now has to take the final decision. This is a completely undemocratic move, aimed at stripping the Arab population of political representation and the Israeli population in general of any left-wing alternative. Tensions building up A few months ago, no one would have seriously doubted that Netanyahu would win the coming elections. Now things look a little different. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Gantz will be the next prime minister. Although Gantz is neither the lesser evil and nor will he change anything about the oppression of the Palestinians, or growing social injustice, this would nevertheless mark a political change. The last year was an exceptional one politically. A number of big protest movements swept Israel, beginning with a large march for LGBT rights, the mass protests against the Nation State Law, a large protest movement for refugee rights and a number of protests, including a large demonstration in Tel Aviv, against womens oppression. All this shows that Israel is heading towards a different scenario of social instability and crisis. The laws of dialectics and class struggle do not stop at Israels borders. The social tensions beneath the surface are building up and will erupt sooner or later in a protest movement of the working class, like the one in 2011, but on a higher level. New Delhi: State-owned Allahabad Bank Tuesday said it would raise up to Rs 4,000 crore equity capital by various means including public issue. The decision was taken at the bank's board meeting held Tuesday. "The board of directors of the bank in its meeting held on date, inter alia, approved for raising equity capital of the bank by an amount aggregating up to Rs 4,000 crore including premium by way of issue, offer and allotment of new equity shares of the bank either by way of public issue, rights issue, qualified institutions placements (QIPs) or in combination thereof in one or more tranches," Allahabad Bank said in a regulatory filing. Shares of Allahabad Bank closed 2.66 percent down at Rs 51.20 on the BSE. New Delhi: Former chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) AK Purwar may be named the new Jet Airways chairman, sources told Zee Media. Purwar is also the front-runner for being named the independent board member. Another prominent name doing the round is former Jet board member Srinivasan Vishwanathan, sources said. The Jet Airways board is expected to meet soon and make announcements regarding the new changes after an interim management is being formed after founder Naresh Goyal along with his wife stepped down from the Airline's board. On March 25, Naresh Goyal and his wife announced to quit from Jet Board. Goyal who set up the company with his wife in 1993, would also cease to be the chairman, the filing said. Jet said that a resolution plan is being formulated by a consortium of domestic lenders led by State Bank of India in accordance with the guidelines set out under the Reserve Bank of India on. Under this, an Interim Management Committee will be constituted at the instructions of the Lenders to manage and monitor the daily operations and cashflow of the Company. The formation of an interim management is expected this week. Jet, battling acute financial woes estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore, is looking at all possible options. The liquidity crunch has not only forced the Airline to ground aircraft leading to cancellation of several flights, it has also caused delayed salary payments to its pilots, engineers and other senior staff. Jet said said there will be immediate funding support of upto Rs 1500 crore by lenders for the cash-strapped airline will be made. The board has also approved issue of 11.4 crore equity shares to the Airline's lenders upon debt to equity conversion of Re 1/ of the outstanding debt. GMR Infrastructure said a consortium of Tata Group, an affiliate of Singapore`s sovereign wealth fund GIC, and SSG Capital Management will invest 80 billion rupees ($1.16 billion) in GMR Airports Ltd, which operates India`s biggest airport in New Delhi. The deal will help the company cut its debt and also provide an exit for private equity investors such as Macquarie, Standard Chartered PLC and JM Financial Ltd from the company`s airports business, it said on Wednesday. GMR Infra`s airports business - under which it manages airports in New Delhi and south Indian city of Hyderabad - is the cash cow of the group with over two-thirds of revenue and half the profit coming from the business. After the deal, the company`s net debt will fall to 120 billion rupees, from 200 billion rupees in December 2018, while GMR Airports` debt will halve to 10 billion rupees. Under the terms of the deal, GMR Infrastructure will hold a 54 percent stake in GMR Airports and keep management control, while Tatas will hold about 20 percent, GIC 15 percent and SSG nearly 10 percent. BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING After the deal, which will take 2-3 months to complete, the debt-laden infrastructure company will go to its board for approval to "restructure and demerge" the airports business which will lead to its listing on stock exchanges, a company executive said. "Airport is not an infrastructure play. It is a consumer play. We want to give minority investors exposure to pure play airport business also," said Sushil Kumar Modi, Group CFO for strategic finance. The company plans to create two different verticals under GMR Infrastructure - one that will be formed with the demerger of airports business and the other with remaining businesses of roads, power, its coal mining assets in Indonesia and its industrial land holdings, Modi said. "Both the verticals will operate as separate listed companies in future and help unlock value in each," said Saurabh Chawla, Executive Director (Finance & Strategy), GMR Infrastructure. Over the next few years, the New Delhi-headquartered company will also look at monetising the road assets, industrial land and the coal mines. The demerger and restructuring of the company depends on getting requisite board approvals, which will be sought "very soon", Modi said. Private equity investors in GMR Airports that had long been looking to cash out will now have a chance to exit the business in less than 12 months. GMR Infrastructure said it would start talks with the investors "very soon". Shares of GMR Infrastructure climbed 9.8 percent to touch a near 7-month high on news of the deal. They gave up most of the gains to end 0.3 percent higher in a Mumbai market that lost 0.3 percent. New Delhi: The auspicious occasion of Sheetala Saptami is celebrated every year on the seventh day after Holi. On thuis day, goddess Sheetala, also known as Sheetala Mata in many parts of the country is revered and her blessings are sought. This year, Sheetala Saptami is on March 27. There are various legends and rituals associated with the day. It is also known by the name Basoda or Sheetala Saptami Basoda. The festival is widely celebrated in parts of North India like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. On this day, fire is not lit, therefore fresh food is not prepared and the previous night's food items are consumed. Goddess Sheetala protects her devotees from illnesses such as chicken pox, small pox and other contagious diseases. RITUALS: Devotees on this day get up in the wee hours of the morning and take bath with cold water. Then they visit the Sheetala Mata temples and pray for the wellbeing of their families. Sheetala Mata Vrat Katha is also recited on this day amongst the devotees. Some even perform mundan (head shaving ceremony) in reverence to the goddess who protects against diseases while others observe Sheetala Mata Vrat on this auspicious day. It is also said that on this day, women of the house get up early, take bath in cold water and take the previous night's cooked sweet rice, turmeric, Chana dal, along with water put in a container (lota) to the place where Holika Dahan was organised. They pray at the same spot. The goddess is offered previous night's rice and jaggery as prasad. And devotees later consume the same during the day while observing a fast. TIMINGS: According to Drikpanchang.com, Sheetala Saptami Puja Timings are: Sheetala Saptami Puja Muhurat = 06:21 to 18:32 Duration = 12 Hours 10 Mins Saptami Tithi Begins = 20:01 on 26/Mar/2019 Saptami Tithi Ends = 20:55 on 27/Mar/2019 It is observed a day prior to Sheetala Ashtami. SIGNIFICANCE: Goddess Sheetala is believed to be the incarnation of Goddess Parvati and Goddess Durga. Sheetala means cool, therefore it is said that the goddess protects her devotees and cures them of all illnesses with her cool divine touch. She heals her bhakts from contagious diseases such as poxes, sores, ghouls and pustules to name a few. There is a mention of the goddess in 'Skanda Purana'. LEGEND: She is known by various names in different parts of the country and several legends are associated with her. In one of the stories, it is believed that Goddess Durga incarnated as Katyayanidaughter of rishi Katyanan. She set out to kill the evil forces of the world as Durga and took the lives of demons sent by Kaalkeya. The demon of fever named Jwarasur spread incurable diseases such as cholera, dysentery, measles, smallpox amongst various others. He inflicted these diseases to Katyayani's friends but she cured them all. To destroy the demon of fever and relived the world of all the diseases, Katyayani took the form of Sheetala Devi. In all her idols, each of her four hands held a short broom, winnowing fan, jar of cooling water and a drinking cup. She cured all the children with her divine power. After that, the goddess tells her friend Batuk to confront the demon Jwarasur which results in a battle between the two. The demon wins it and Batuk's body which lied down fades into dust in a split magical moment. The demon could not believe his eyes. He did not realise that Batuk now took the form a male figure with three eyes and four arms holding a battle-axe, sword, trident and demon head. He looked dark, had flowing locks, blazing eyes, wore a tiger-skin and a garland of skulls around his neck. Batuk now became Lord Shiva's Bhairav avatar. As Bhairav, Batuk tells the demon Jwarasur that he is Goddess Durga, who incarnated as Katyayani's servant. A battle ensues between the two again where Jwarasur tries to create other demons but Bhairav kills all. In the final bout, Bhairav kills demon Jwarasur with his trident. New Delhi: India and the US Wednesday signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for exchange of Country-by-Country (CbC) reports of multinational companies regarding income allocation and taxes paid to help check cross-border tax evasion. This agreement for exchange of CbC reports, along with the Bilateral Competent Authority Arrangement, will enable both the countries to automatically exchange CbC reports filed by the ultimate parent entities of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the respective jurisdictions, pertaining to the years commencing on or after January 1, 2016, a Finance Ministry statement said. It would also obviate the need for Indian subsidiary companies of US multinationals to do local filing of the CbC reports, thereby reducing the compliance burden. The agreement was signed by Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman P C Mody and US' ambassador to India Kenneth Juster. India has already signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) for exchange of CbC reports, which has enabled exchange with 62 jurisdictions. Filing of CbC reports by the parent entity of an MNC group to the prescribed authority in the jurisdiction in which it is a resident and exchange of such reports between countries are the minimum standards required under the Action 13 Report of OECD/G20 BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) project. A CbC report aggregates country-by-country information relating to the global allocation of income, taxes paid, and certain other indicators of an MNC. It also contains a list of all the group companies operating in a particular jurisdiction and the nature of the main business activity of each such constituent entity. MNEs having global consolidated revenue of 750 million Euros or more (or a local currency equivalent) in a year are required to file CbC reports in their parent entity's jurisdiction. The Indian rupee equivalent of 750 million Euros has been prescribed as Rs 5,500 crore in Indian rules. "This information will enable an enhanced level of assessment of tax risk by both tax administrations," the statement added. The ATS had got credible information that an illegal consignment of Heroin will be smuggled in Gujarat through the coast. ATS officers together with the Indian Coast Guard and Marine Task Force launched a joint operation to apprehend the smugglers and seize the contraband. While ATS officers boarded Coast Guard Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV), commandos of Marine Task Force were kept in boats in territorial waters to help in apprehending the smugglers. On the basis of limited information, continuous search operation was undertaken and after 24 hours, a suspicious boat was identified which was trying to make attempt to communicate in the particular frequency. When the ICG ship directed the suspected boat to stop, the suspected boat made desperate attempts to run away but was unsuccessful. Indian Coast Guard Ship chased the boat and when apprehension became inevitable, its crew set the boat ablaze to destroy the evidence. In the joint operation, nine smugglers were arrested and approximately 100 kg of Heroin was seized. ATS has identified the receiver of the consignment and is likely to be apprehended soon. The interrogation of nine Iranian nationals from the smugglers boat revealed that a Pakistani national Hamid Malek had sent the consignment, which was loaded in the Iranian boat off Gwadar port of Pakistan. The total value of the contraband as per international value is estimated to be Rs 500 crore. New Delhi: Shortly after addressing the nation on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the scientists involved with the successful conduct of Mission Shakti via video conference. PM Modi in his address announced that India is now the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to have successfully tested an anti-satellite missile - Mission Shakti - developed in-house by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists. Congratulating the scientists on the success of Mission Shakti, PM Modi said that the entire nation is proud of our scientists for achieving well, what they had set out to accomplish, read a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He also added that in line with the Make In India initiative, the scientists have given a message to the world that we are less than no one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his interaction with the scientists also said that India follows the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family and further emphasised that the forces which work for peace and goodwill must remain ever-powerful for achieving peace, the statement added. PM Modi asserted that for global peace and regional peace, India should be capable and strong. He said that the scientists have contributed to this effort with dedication. He also conveyed the greetings of the entire Union Cabinet to the scientists. Later, the scientists also thanked the Prime Minister for giving them this opportunity to prove their skills. India conducted the Mission Shakti test from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha and a three-stage missile was used. New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan last month and returned to India two days later, has gone back to his squadron in Srinagar though he is on a four-week sick leave, official sources said on Tuesday. They said Varthaman preferred to stay with his squadron in Srinagar than going to his family home in Chennai while on leave. The IAF pilot went on leave around 12 days ago after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing after his return from Pakistan. Varthaman could have gone to his family home in Chennai to spend time with his parents. But he chose to go to Srinagar where his squadron is based," the sources said. After his four-week sick leave period, a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top brass decide whether he can return to fighter cockpit as desired by him. He was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit. Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan. After he was captured, Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. India joined an elite and exclusive club of countries on Wednesday by successfully testing an anti-satellite weapon in space. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 'Mission Shakti' was a success just three minutes after launch and that a live satellite on a low earth orbit was shot down. Anti-Satellite Weapon System (ASAT) is a capability that only the United States, Russia and China possessed so far. These can be used to either destroy or interfere with targeted satellites in space - either enemy or defunct - and can be fired from air, land or sea. India is now the fourth country with anti-satellite weapon - developed by Defense Research and Development Organisation, although PM Modi highlighted that the country won't use it against anyone and that it is a defence capability. He also highlighted that no international law or bilateral agreement was flouted by conducting this test. ASATs were first developed by the US and the erstwhile Soviet Union during the Cold War. Both countries focused on creating ASATs as part of their space race in the 1950s and 1960s, further bolstering their capabilities in subsequent decades. Although details of the US tests with ASATs are relatively known now, those of Soviet Union were closely guarded. Considered a part of the strategic defence of these countries, ASATs have also been touted as a deterrence mechanism in outer space warfare, in case it ever takes place. China became only the third country to join the ASAT club in 2007 when it managed to shoot down a non-functioning weather satellite. It has reportedly failed in three previous tests. China was heavily criticised by the international community after its successful tests because it had resulted in hundreds of debris floating around in space. Since, the country may have further developed its capabilities although it continues to keep its research and development in the field under wraps. Not everyone sees ASATs as a symbol of technological advancement which assures peace - with or without acting as a deterrent. Critics of ASATs have long argued that their development is taking warfare to outer space and can be used by countries to cripple one another considering how much the world depends on satellite systems. The threat of using ASATs, say critics, can give bragging rights to countries which have this capability although in his address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi promised the world community that India remains committed to peace in the outer space. NEW DELHI: India achieved a major milestone on Wednesday morning in its defence capabilities in space by shooting down a low earth orbit satellite using an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile. Calling the operation Mission Shakti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the earth-shattering announcement on Wednesday afternoon in an address to the nation while congratulating the Defence Research and Development Organisation scientists involved in developing the anti-satellite missile technology which is possessed only by the United States of America, Russia and China. "In the journey of every nation, there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. On 27 March 2019, India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of Mission Shakti," he said. The low orbit satellite was in an orbit 300 kilometres above the earth when the missile successfully shot it down bringing India at par with the above-mentioned countries in terms of space defence. The Prime Minister also announced that Mission Shakti was an indigenous effort and all the capabilities for the anti-satellite missile were developed in the country. "The main objective of Mission Shakti was to demonstrate to the world its capabilities which are purely defensive in nature and are not against any country. This mission is about the economic and technological development of the country. Mission Shakti was a highly complex one and it was conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme," said PM Modi. The successful test of the ASAT missile gives India the ability to target enemy satellites in space as well as other objects which can be used to launch an attack on the country. The PM, however, said that while the A-SAT missile will give new strength to India's space programme, he assured that the international community that the capability won't be used against anyone. "It is purely India's defence initiative for its security. We're against arms raised in space. This test won't breach any international law or treaties," he said. "India's achievements in the space sector is to maintain the security of the country. India does not believe in war. The success of the mission will help us in preparing ourselves for future challenges. We need to make adapt new technologies to make our future secure. We aim to make Indians feel secured. Together, we will build a safe, secure and prosperous India," he said. USA, Russia and China, the major military powers, developed ASAT capabilities several years ago and can target satellites in space using direct-ascent and co-orbital missile systems. The USA operationalised the system to shoot down a satellite in space in the early 1960s, while Russia (then the USSR) has had the ASAT capability since 1970s. China joined the club in January 2007 with India storming into the elite list on 27 March 2019. According to the document, leaders of the two countries stressed that the newly-established comprehensive partnership will create more momentum for the bilateral multifaceted cooperation, focusing on politics, national defence-security, trade-investment, energy, education-social affairs, people-to-people exchange, and other spheres of shared concern, as well as collaboration within multilateral frameworks. They witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the use of a hotline to deal with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing between the Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Brunei Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism. The two sides shared the view of the significance of maintaining the exchange of all-level delegations, including the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation mechanism, to seek collaboration opportunities for common interests, while further enhancing the partnership and trust between the two countries. They spoke of marked progress in defence affiliation and agreed to seek more specific cooperation opportunities between defence forces of the two countries, covering information sharing, the exchange of high-level official visits, and the establishment of consultation mechanisms. Both sides consented to closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral defence forums, particularly within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM+, as well as the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting (ACDFM), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). They concurred to step up cooperation to facilitate and promote bilateral trade in a more balanced and sustainable manner, towards the target of US$500 million by 2025. They noted with pleasure the bilateral investment ties and reiterated their strong support for increased bilateral investment, especially in government procurement, public services, infrastructure development, fisheries, food processing, manufacturing, and energy. Both leaders hailed labour cooperation between the two countries, and directed the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalid, and Social Affairs and the Brunei Ministry of Home Affairs to enhance collaboration in the field for the benefits of both sides. They shared views on a line-up of regional and international issues, and reached a consensus on close coordination to handle global and regional challenges, including trans-national crimes, climate change, natural disasters, sustainable development, and food-water-energy security. They expressed their delight over the sound cooperation at regional and international forums, such as the ASEAN and its mechanisms, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the United Nations (UN). Vietnam thanked Brunei for endorsing the country to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure. Both leaders reaffirmed mutual support and close cooperation as the two countries are due to take on the rotary role of the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and 2021. They underlined support for an open, transparent, inclusive, and rule-based regional architecture with ASEAN at centre. They also laid stress on the significance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea. Mutual trust must be enhanced among competent countries, while all disputes must be peacefully settled based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). All parties need to demilitarise and exercise self-restraint when operating activities which could increase tensions in the East Sea, they said. They emphasised their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), while welcoming advancements in ASEAN-China cooperation as well as in practical negotiations to finalise a code of conduct in the East Sea (COC). They committed cooperation towards maintaining an open, inclusive, and rule-based trade system, as well as completing a comprehensive Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that will secure benefits for related nations in 2019. In a major boost for India's capability in space, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, codenamed Mission Shakti. While congratulating the scientists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the satellite was in an orbit 300 kilometres above the earth when the missile successfully shot it down bringing India at par with United States of America, Russia and China in terms of space defence. The Prime Minister also announced that Mission Shakti was an indigenous effort and all the capabilities for the anti-satellite missile were developed in the country. The unprecedented feat has been lauded by leaders from all quarters: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari: Congratulations to all the scientists for carrying out "Mission Shakti" successfully. India is moving fast towards becoming a world leader and under PM Modi's leadership. It is on its way to not only become a 'super economic power', but also a 'super science power'. Former DRDO chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat: This is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad: It's a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi, Congress president: Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. New Delhi: Body of an Australian woman of Indian origin was found in Bhakra Canal, in Punjab's Firozpur district. "She was murdered on 14th March. Her husband was having an extra marital affair. Her husband and the woman with him murdered her. A man and a woman have been arrested," news Agency ANI quoting SSP Sandeep Goyal said. The woman, identified to be Ravneet Kaur, reportedly came to her parents' home in a village named Bagge Ke Pippal in Ferozepur on March 14. The murdered woman's brother has told the police that he saw his sister talking to her husband Jaspreet Singh over a video call. While at the call, she stepped out of her house and was kidnapped. The Police have alleged that Jaspreet was having extra-marital affair one married woman called Kiranjeet Kaur. The duo allegedly hatched the conspiracy of murdering Ravneet Kaur with the help of Kiranjeet's sister and two other relatives Police has registered a case against four people and further probe is on. New Delhi: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced about the testing of an anti-satellite missile, which he called Mission Shakti, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a series of tweets, said that the Mission Shakti announcement violates the model code of conduct. "Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by PM Modi, desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of the model code of conduct," she said. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. 3/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Mamata Banerjee also added that they will "lodge a complaint with the Election Commission." "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat," her tweet read. There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission. 4/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Ms Banerjee also added that the "scientists deserve the credit" and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Research, space management & development are a continuous process over the years. Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers. 2/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Meanwhile, in a separate tweet, she praised the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists. Indias Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India , other research & space organisations. 1/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation said that it is a historic day for as India had entered into the elite club of space powers by successfully shooting down a low earth orbit satellite with an anti-satellite missile or ASAT. New Delhi: India became only the fourth country in the world to successfully test a satellite-killer missile. The missile was developed in-house by Defence Research and Development Organisation scientists. The test was conducted on Wednesday from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha and a three-stage missile was used, informed Ministry of Defence. "A DRDO-developed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a 'Hit to Kill' mode. The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. Tracking data from range sensors has confirmed that the mission met all its objectives," said a release issued by the Ministry. The release further said that the test 'has demonstrated Indias capability to defend its assets in outer space.' India now joins an elite and exclusive list of three other countries - the US, Russia and China - with anti-satellite weapons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation, had informed of the test. In his address, PM Modi had said that India is a true space power now and assured that the test was only for defence purposes. New Delhi: Pakistan has sought more evidence from India on the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed on February 14. "We have sought further information, evidence from India to take the process forward," read an excerpt from a statement released by the Pakistan government on Wednesday. A few days after the attack in Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir), the Indian government had handed over a dossier to Pakistan giving details of involvement of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the dastardly attack. "Enclosed are a set of activities that Jaish-e-Mohammed undertakes in Pakistan. These are available on open source, on blogs, websites, Facebook accounts and Twitter accounts. Many of them openly declare association of Jaish with terror attacks," India wrote. The JeM had taken the responsibility of the attack and tensions between India and Pakistan flared up soon after the incident. "Earlier, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had offered cooperation in investigation if credible evidence was provided by India. In response to this offer, a paper was handed over to Pakistan on February 27, 2019. Pakistan has acted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation. We do so in the interest of regional peace and security," the statement released by the Pakistan government further read. On February 26, India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot and the next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat, in which Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured. He was handed over to India on March 1. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tweeted that he will address the nation with an important message. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media (sic)," Modi had tweeted. Ahead of his address a meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS) was held. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah joined the buzz around the content of the PM's address. "What announcement will fit within the code of conduct guidelines of the election commission of India? Hes declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying," he said. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Wednesday to announce that India has achieved a major milestone in its defence capabilities by shooting down a low earth orbit satellite in space by using an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile. The prime minister said that Mission Shakti carried out on Wednesday morning was completely successful and he congratulated the scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation for carrying out the mission with high precision. It is to be noted that besides India, the capability to shoot down satellite using missile in space is possessed only by the United States of America, Russia and China. "In the journey of every nation, there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. On 27 March 2019, India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of Mission Shakti," said the PM. According to PM Modi, the mission was completely indigenous and the low orbit satellite was in an orbit 300 kilometres above the earth when it was shot down by the missile. Modi remarked that the main objective of Mission Shakti was to demonstrate to the world India's capabilities which are purely defensive in nature and are not against any country. A DRDO-developed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile was used to engage an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a Hit to Kill mode. The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. With Wednesday's announcement, PM Modi once again sent a clear message to Pakistan, China and other nations that under his leadership India will follow the muscular defence policy and the country is now capable of defending itself with all its might. With the successful test for ASAT missile, India has now bolstered its defence in space too. Under PM Modi's leadership, India has already conducted two surgical strikes inside Pakistan - the first surgical strike was carried out by Army on September 28-29, 2016 and the second was conducted by Indian Air Force on February 26, 2019. The Balakot airstikes Just 11 days and 12 hours after the cowardly suicide attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26 rained bombs at JeM's terror camps deep inside Pakistan killing 200 to 300 terrorists. The daring airstrikes carried out at around 3:00 am were dubbed by many as Surgical Strikes 2.0. 12 Mirage 2000 fighters of the IAF crossed the Line of Control (LoC) attacked JeM terror camps at Balakot in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa province of Pakistan. Laser-guided bombs were dropped by IAF's Mirage fighter jets at Jaish's biggest terror camp in Balakot. The government later confirmed that it was a pre-emptive strike which was carried out after intelligence agencies received credible information that JeM was planning to carry more attacks inside India. The whole operation, which was ''100% successful" got over in just 21 minutes and all the fighter jets returned to India without any damage. A day after Pulwama attack, PM Modi had assured the nation that his government will avenge the martyrdom of CRPF personnel and will not spare those involved in the dastardly attack. Surgical strikes on terror launch pads across LoC Surgical strikes were carried for the first by Indian Army on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, 2016 on terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan. The strikes were hugely successful as seven terror launch pads were destroyed in a nearly five-hour-long operation. The Army had carried out the strikes days after PM Modi had warned that Uri attack, in which 17 Army personnel were killed, would not go unpunished. The operation was conducted between 500 metres to three kilometres across the LoC. ALH Dhruv helicopters were used to para-drop commandoes of Army special forces inside the Pakistani territory. The whole operation was monitored by the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the then Army chief General Dalbir Singh. Today is a historic day for India as we have become only the fourth country in the world to have successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon in space. Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the objective of 'Mission Shakti' was achieved just three minutes after launch and that a live satellite on a low earth orbit was shot down. Before India, only United States, Russia and China possessed Anti-Satellite Weapon System (ASAT) capability. The ASAT is capable of either destroying or interfering with targeted satellites in space. It can be fired from air, land or sea. The ASAT is developed by Defense Research and Development Organisation. The PM, however, clarified that India won't use the ASAT against anyone and that it is a defence capability. A DRDO-developed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a Hit to Kill mode. The interceptor missile with two solid rocket boosters was a three-stage missile. The scientists involved in 'Mission Shakti' tracked data from range sensors to confirm that the mission met all its objectives. Th radar on ground identifies the target and tracks the movement of satellite which is to be shot down. After this, the three-stage missile is launched from the launcher. The ground radars guide the missile. After this, the heat shield separates from the missile and the missile then hit the fixed target. Prime Minister Modi congratulated DRDO scientists involved in developing the anti-satellite missile technology and said, "In the journey of every nation, there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. On 27 March 2019, India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of Mission Shakti". "The main objective of Mission Shakti was to demonstrate to the world its capabilities which are purely defensive in nature and are not against any country. This mission is about the economic and technological development of the country. Mission Shakti was a highly complex one and it was conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme," he added. Posters against Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been put up in Amethi as she heads to the city for poll campaigning. In the posters, caricatures of Priyanka have put drawn with slogans calling her a 'fraud'. Seeking answers for the last 60 years, the messages read: "Kya khoob thagti ho, kyu 5 saal baad hi Amethi mein dikhti ho. (why do you fool us and come to Amethi only after 5 years)." Another poster read: "May 2014 mein bahut kiya tha vaada. 5 saal ke baad kyu leke aayi ho phir Amethi ko chalne ka irada. 60 saalo ka hisaab do. (You had made many promises before 2014 election. After 5 yeras you have come back again with a view to deceive the people of Amethi.) Some posters even mocked her wearing a saree during election campaigns. "Dekh chunav pehen li saree, nahi chalegi ye hoshiyaari. (You've started wearing sarees to fool people during elections. But these tactics will not work)." Priyanka is in Amethi during the second leg of her three-day Lok Sabha election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. After visiting her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi, she will go to her mother Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli on Thursday. She will visit Ayodhya on Friday before returning to Delhi. Priyanka will be meeting party workers and will address public gatherings during the three-day visit. In the first leg of her campaign from March 18 to 20, she undertook a 140-km-long boat ride from Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. She held several public meetings and visited prominent places of worship in the city. Launching a scathing attack on the National Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Ram Madhav blamed the two political outfits of fanning pro-Pakistan sentiments in the Kashmir valley. Madhav accused the two regional parties of being cut off from the sentiments of the people and not working for the development of the state. "While the people of the state want to exercise their electoral rights and are demanding development, but these parties (NC and PDP) are raising pro-Pakistan slogans. They have announced that they will remove the ban on separatist organisations and set their leaders free. This will not be allowed and efforts to check the activities of the separatists will continue," said Madhav in Srinagar. He also appealed to the Kashmir valley voters to come out in large numbers during the Lok Sabha election and exercise their franchise while keeping in mind the who are development oriented and who are in favour of separatists. The BJP has demanded that the Election Commission of India should conduct the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election at the earliest, he added. Claiming that the Narendra Modi government has worked for the development of the state and also taken a strong stand against terrorism, Madhav pointed out that while the NC and PDP are contesting Lok Sabha election, they had boycotted the local bodies elections held just a few months back alleging that there was a move to scrap Article 35 A of the Constitution. Mumbai: Acclaimed actor Urmila Matondkar on Wednesday joined Congress in the presence of party chief Rahul Gandhi. She may be named as the party candidate from Bombay North. Rahul welcomed Urmila to the party in the presence of Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora, party spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and Randeep Surjewala. The actor thanked them for the welcome. "I am grateful to Congress president Rahul ji for the warm welcome. Today is an important day because I am taking my first step in active politics. My personality and thinking is based on Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," she said. "I was always taught the values of freedom, of our constitution and of our democracy. Today, there are too many questions on the minds of people and it is for this that I have joined politics." Urmila admitted that political parties may invite Bollywood celebrities for their glamour and fan following but said that it is not the case with her. "It is not incorrect to think on those lines but let me assure everyone that I have joined Congress for what the party stands for and to serve my country." Deora thanked Urmila and spoke highly of her achievements. "I have known Urmila ji for years. She is not just one of India's finest artists but also someone who is extremely opinionated on what is happening in India currently," he said. CPI(M) politburo member Nilotpal Basu on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora drawing the CEC's attention to the appointment of BSF DG as special police observer for Lok Sabha poll for the state of West Bengal and Jharkh and the speech of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb. In his letter, the senior CPI(M) leader said that his party was deeply disturbed by the report that BSF DG K K Sharma has appointed by the Election Commission of India as the overall special police observer for the elections to the Parliament for the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand. He added that Sharma, who has now retired, attended a two-day event in Kolkata which was organized by Seemanta Chetna Manch, part of RSS-backed Seema Jagran Manch. Basu claimed that Seema Jagran Manch is a pan India body which aims to instil 'patriotism in the border areas across the country. He also attached a photograph of Sharma attending the event in his letter to the EC. Basu said that Sharma's appointment is patently questionable and would raise the question of political partisanship. He urged the CEC to reconsider the decision and remove Sharma. Drawing attention towards the video clipping of Tripura CM Biplab Deb, Basu said that in the video Deb can be clearly heard saying that the elections to the two parliamentary seats from Tripura will be different from the past and the chief minister is trying to threaten the opposition by saying this. The CPI(M) leader noted that the Tripura CM made this statement in complete senses. He also sent a pen drive to the CEC containing the video clipping as supporting material. Basu said that this is a clear violation of misusing the CM's office to threaten free, fair and peaceful polls. Basu has urged the CEC to take urgent action in both these matters. New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday sent a notice to the four producers of Bollywood film 'PM Narendra Modi.' The EC sent the notice on the complaint of Congress and CPM who had said that the film is being released with political intent and at a time when the Lok Sabha 2019 election is about to take place. The trailer of the film - a biopic on PM Modi - was released last week with Vivek Oberoi in the lead role. The four producers of the film are Suresh Oberoi, Sandip Ssingh, Anand Pandit and Acharya Manish. Several opposition parties have cried foul over the timing of the film's release which was rescheduled from April 12 to April 5. This is almost a week before the first phase of voting - April 11. Director Omung Kumar B, however, had said in his defence that the decision was taken by his entire team. "It's probably the fastest movie being made and released. It's exciting to do something like this because the scale is so huge," he had told news agency ANI. He also said that while his team wanted to initially release the film on April 5 but then thought it better that it releases on April 12 before going back to the initial plan. He has also denied charges that his is a propaganda film. While certain sections of the political fraternity is demanding that the film should be released after the Lok Sabha election, those associated with the film say there is no reason for the date to be pushed back because there is no intention of influencing voters. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit the Congress bastion of Amethi on Wednesday to kickstart the second-leg of her campaigning ahead of Lok Sabha 2019 election. Amethi is of vital significance to Congress as it is not just the party bastion but a family bastion as well because before Rahul Gandhi, uncle Sanjay Gandhi, father Rajiv Gandhi and mother Sonia contested from here and always managed to triumph. Rahul himself won from here in 2004, 2009 and 2014 although he was given a strong fight by BJP's Smriti Irani in the last Lok Sabha election. Priyanka would be hoping that the fight is not close this year as Rahul and Smriti once again face off here. During her visit to Amethi, the Congress general secretary will hold a meeting with the party's booth-level presidents at the AH Inter College in Musafirkhana. Initially, she was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Wednesday before the plan was altered. Now, she will participate in a 50-kilometre roadshow from Faizabad to Ayodhya on Friday in which she is expected to address two meetings. She will also visit Raebareli, another family bastion. Priyanka has been busy since making her political debut in January when she was made Congress in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh. She has, since, launched frontal attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi even though BJP leaders have said that her entry into politics will be of no help to her party. Some of the BJP leaders have also said that it is because of Rahul's failures that Congress brought in Priyanka. With the process of filing nominations coming to a close, battle lines have been drawn in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections in what appears to be mainly a three-cornered contest among the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Congress and the BJP. Telangana, with 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11. Bolstered by its thumping win in the Assembly polls in December last, TRS has set itself a target of winning 16 seats, leaving the Hyderabad seat to its ally All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM). TRS working president KT Rama Rao has said in campaign meetings that neither the NDA nor the UPA, is in a position to form a government on its own post-Lok Sabha elections. TRS can play a key role at the Centre and ensure a better deal for Telangana if it wins 16 seats, he had said. In addition to its own strength, TRS has the backing of Owaisi, which is expected to help the party get minority votes. The main opposition Congress is going alone in the Lok Sabha polls. Still smarting under its humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls (it secured only 19 of the total of 119 seats), the Congress suffered a major blow this month with as many as nine MLAs announcing their decision to quit the party to join TRS. Besides the MLAs, several leaders, including former MLAs, have also joined the TRS. The desertions have left the Congress disappointed and seen an erosion in its ranks. The opposition CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), who are contesting in only a couple of seats each, have declared their support and help to the Congress. However, there is no formal alliance among Congress, CPI and the TJS. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the ruling party in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has decided not to field candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, a first since its formation in 1982. The TDP has in principle acceded to the Congress' request for support. The CPI and CPI(M), who fought the Assembly polls separately, have come together for the Lok Sabha elections and are fighting two seats each in Telangana. Having suffered a drubbing in the Assembly elections (winning only one seat among 119), BJP is contesting all the seats on its own. The party is banking heavily on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Political analyst Telakapalli Ravi feels it will be a cakewalk for TRS as the Congress has lost its strength following desertions. "It appears like a one-sided contest. Instead of consolidating themselves after the defeat in the Assembly polls, they (Congress) have deteriorated. Many key leaders are leaving the party," he told PTI. After its grand success in the Assembly elections, TRS "could not restrain the temptation of encouraging defections," Ravi said. Though Congress has fielded its state unit president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and working president A Revanth Reddy, they may make an impact because of their stature, but winning chances appear slim, he said. Though some TRS candidates are fresh faces, people may vote for the leadership of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said. These candidates come without any baggage, he claimed. There could be anti-incumbency against senior leaders (in the Congress and others) as well, Ravi said. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed a press conference on Wednesday and slammed the Congress for resorting to falsehoods in order to mislead the voters. She said that the Congress did a sting operation and made it public on Tuesday through a website-based news portal TNN. The minister told reporters that this was the website registered in December 2018 had also shown live Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM, in January. "Congress did a sting operation and made it public y'day, through TNN World, a website-based news portal. This was the same website which showed live Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM, in January. This website was registered in December 2018," the minister was quoted as saying by ANI. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman:Congress did a sting operation and made it public y'day, through TNN World, a website-based news portal. This was the same website which showed live Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM, in January. This website was registered in December 2018 pic.twitter.com/L4Jb6LyYrN ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 According to Sitharaman, a Romanian is the director of TNN and this website was used by the Congress to show sting operation on demonetisation. She remarked that it is likely that the Congress would close the website after elections. She attacked the Congress for adopting an election campaign which is driven by conspiracies. "Director of this website is a Romanian. Exposure on demonetisation y'day was showed on this website only. This website is registered for only a year. Maybe Congress has planned to close it after elections. Congress has adopted a conspiracy-driven election campaign," Sitharaman said. N Sitharaman: Director of this website is a Romanian. Exposure on demonetisation y'day was showed on this website only. This website is registered for only a year. Maybe Congress has planned to close it after elections. Congress has adopted a conspiracy-driven election campaign pic.twitter.com/SqjEctY7Pf ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 The minister said that the BJP is taking legal advice in this matter and the party will take all institutions and individuals who are involved in this conspiracy to defame BJP, to the court. She stressed that the BJP will not take this lying down and will take legal action. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: I would like to state here, BJP is taking legal advice. We're taking every possible advice so that institutions & individuals who are part of this conspiracy to defame BJP, we will take them to the court. We will take action on them legally pic.twitter.com/eTzA0bWzA1 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 "I would like to state here, BJP is taking legal advice. We're taking every possible advice so that institutions & individuals who are part of this conspiracy to defame BJP, we will take them to the court. We will take action on them legally," Sitharaman noted. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the Bharatiya Janata Party's charge in Chhattisgarh for the Lok Sabha 2019 election from April 6 with rallies in three parliamentary constituencies here. PM Modi will be in Kanker's Balod on April 6 to address a rally here while he would be in Katghora in Bilaspur constituency on April 16. He would then lead the campaign in Raipur constituency and will address people in Baloda Bazar for which an official announcement would be made soon. BJP has entrusted state leaders of the party to galvanise workers at the grassroots level to ensure proper arrangements are in place for all three rallies to be addressed by PM Modi. Former CM Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh party chief Vikram Usendi and party leaders Dharamlal Kaushik, Ajay Chandrakar, Brijmohan Agrawal and Kedar Kashyap will be setting the pace and have been tasked with ensuring that PM Modi's rallies are a success. Chhattisgarh has been a strong hunting ground for BJP in election although the party narrowly lost in the Assembly election last year. Lok Sabha election, however, are a completely different ballgame with the party hoping that PM Modi's work and policies over the last five years finds favour among voters here. KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday released its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, promising to review GST and probe the demonetisation exercise of 2016 by a Supreme Court judge, if it came to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. The manifesto, released by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, promised employment for students, youths, and minorities, ensuring economic security and livelihood of farmers and bringing the unorganised workforce under a social security network, besides women empowerment. Detailing the main 12 points in the document, she said it was targeted at the electorate in her state. Banerjee exuded confidence of the non-BJP opposition parties coming to power after the 2019 general elections, and said the government then would be formed on the basis of a common minimum programme (CMP) in which her party would pitch for including the all India issues raised in the manifesto. Lashing out against the Narendra Modi government for undertaking the demonetisation exercise, she asked: "Why was it done? In whose interest?... How much money went abroad, and how it went abroad.. whether white money was converted to black money and vice versa. "We want a Supreme Court judge to conduct the probe. It will be a part of the CMP." On the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Chief Minister said: "The way the GST was implemented was wrong. Our Finance Minister (Amit Mitra) had to fight a lot on several issues, but on many counts, they (the Centre) paid no heed. "We will go for a review of the GST by forming an experts` committee. If we find GST is wrong, we will change it. If we feel it is good for the people, the consumers, then only GST will be there." Castigating the Modi regime for doing away with the Planning Commission, Banerjee said: "It was the idea of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. But Modi government dissolved it, they acted like Muhammad bin Tughluq." She said the NITI Aayog, which has replaced the Planning Commission, was of "no use". "The Planning Commission used to call all the states. They knew where the states need to spend money. It used to see to it that the states formulated good plans. On the other hand, Modi formed the NITI Aayog with his nominated people. "So far, I have attended two NITI Aayog meetings. It is of no use, save some speeches. It is the destruction of the federal system. "We will revive the Planning Commission. It will be set up in a way that it enriches the federal structure and works as the epicentre of development," she said. Regarding MGNREGA, the 100 days job guarantee programme, the manifesto sought that the beneficiaries be guaranteed 200 days of work. "The daily wage of Rs 191 should also be doubled. They should get the wage in 15 days." Banerjee also regretted that till date, a number of panchayats were unbanked. "I had requested the banks to set up branches. I was ready to give them land for only one rupee. But still they haven`t been able to do so. If there is no branch, then how can there be digitisation or cheque transfer?" she asked. New Delhi: With just a few weeks left for the national election, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said that she will contest the Lok Sabha polls "if her party wants," but added that she has "not decided" about it yet, news agency ANI reports. While speaking to the reporters in Amethi during the second leg of her three-day Lok Sabha election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, she said, "I've not decided yet but if my party asks me to contest, I will definitely do so. My wish is to work for the party." Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on being asked if she will contest in #LokSabhaElections2019: I've not decided yet; If my party asks me to contest, I will definitely contest. My wish is to work for the party. pic.twitter.com/r7oQlLa1qN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2019 Priyanka Gandhi reached Amethi via Lucknow this morning. After visiting her brother-Congress president Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi, she will leave for Rae Bareli, her mother Sonia Gandhi's constituency, on Thursday. She will then visit Ayodhya before returning to Delhi on Friday. Ahead of Priyanka Gandhi's Amethi visit, posters and caricatures of her with slogans calling her a 'fraud,' covered the city. Priyanka Gandhi joined active politics in January. For years, she took part in Congress' campaigns. Meanwhile, in the first leg of her poll campaign a few weeks ago, Priyanka Gandhi took a 140-km-long boat ride from Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. The Lok Sabha election begins on Aprill 11 and will end on May 19 in seven phases. Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven rounds. The counting of votes will take place on on May 23. New Delhi: After a positive start to the day, markets ended in red on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex fell 139.15 points or 0.36 percent to 38,094.26 while the NSE Nifty also came below 11,500 level by dropping 38.20 points or 0.33 percent to 11,445.05. During mid-session, investors became very jittery ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, anticipating what could subject of the address. This led Sensex shed over 100 points as soon as the PM announced that India joined elite group of nations by shooting down a live satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile, markets recovered sharply. Major losers in the Sensex pack were Asian Paint, Maruti, Tata Steel, M&M, CIL, RIL, Powergrid, Heromoto Corp, HDFC, Airtel, Tata Motors and NTPC, falling by upto 2.11 percent. Meanwhile, IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank, SBI, Bajaj Auto, HCL, Axis Bank, ONGC, Infosys, Bajaj Finance and Vedanta ended in the positive zone, rising by upto 5.67 percent. FIIs were a net buyers worth Rs 999.02 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 196.70 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. Mumbai: Actor Rajpal Yadav, who came out of prison late February after serving a sentence in a case of non-repayment of a loan, says he is healed, happy and excited to go back to a film set and start shooting all over again. "I will soon start the shooting of the film 'Time To Dance' (alongside Sooraj Pancholi and Isabelle Kaif). We shot the film abroad. A small part of it remains. We will finish that. It could have been finished before, but I am really thankful to the producers and directors who waited for me to come back. "That apart, I am also wrapping up 'Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan'. I am also in talks to work with David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. I can't wait to go back on a film set now," Rajpal told IANS here. In November 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced him to three months in prison for non-repayment of a loan of Rs 5 crore that his company took to produce a film in 2010. "I think the law is equal for everyone and no one is immune from the law of the nation, the legal system. So I followed the court's decision as a law abiding citizen," Rajpal said. "I think I trusted a few people who later misused my trust. But I do not want to comment much on that. I want to move forward as I know life has a lot to offer," he added. He was lodged at the Tihar Jail, and there was news that he had also performed during a cultural programme held for the prison inmates. "There was a lot of discipline that we all had to follow. But I always tried to engage my mind with something or the other. I used to interact with the fellow prisoners during recreation activity; I used to conduct an interactive session that we named 'Rajpal Ki Paathshala'. "I gave a motivational speeches. Did exercise in the morning. We had access to the library and I used to sit there and read." The actor is known for playing some interesting characters in films like "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "Waqt: The Race Against Time", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", "Partner", "Bhagam Bhag" and "Judwaa 2" among several others. He has shared screen space with actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Govinda and Varun Dhawan. Rajpal has worked in independent and small budget films for many years while balancing roles in commercial potboilers. What does he think of the evolution in Hindi cinema? "I think this is the time we have waited for 'especially when we started making small budget content-driven films where the story was the hero. Earlier those films use to be called -- one of', now these films are mainstream alongside big budget masala films." New Delhi: Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Amrapali Group to clear his dues worth 40 crore. Dhoni, who was once the brand ambassador of Amrapali Group, told the real estate company owes him the amount towards his service. In April 2016, Dhoni resigned as the brand ambassador of the group, following huge backlash on social media by angry owners/residents of Amprapali housing project. He was massively trolled on twitter. Residents tagged Dhoni in their tweets asking him to dis-associate himself from the builder or ensure that the realty company completes its pending work. Though Dhoni had said at that time that it had become difficult for the builders in the prevailing economic scenario, he had maintained that "whatever is promised, irrespective of where they stand, I think it needs to be met". The complaints from the residents pertained to incomplete project of Amrapali Group's Saphhire project in Noida which had gone viral on Twitter . Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is also seized of a batch of petitions filed by home buyers who are seeking possession of around 42,000 flats booked in projects of the Amrapali Group. The apex court last month allowed Delhi Police to arrest Amrapali group CMD Anil Sharma, and 2 directors forthwith in a criminal complaint filed against them. The court also directed attachment of personal properties of Amrapali CMD, including his bungalow in South Delhi. The court also made it clear that the properties of the other two directors of Amrapali will also be attached. Actor Payal Rajput will soon begin shooting for a special song for Sita movie and it is a peppy and sizzling one. The starlet has given a nod for this song and as per the sources, she will be performing some stunning dance moves which will also have Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Kajal Aggarwal too. The special song will be shot at a huge set which will be erected in the outskirts of Hyderabad. Music is being composed by Anup Rubens. Teja is directing 'Sita' and for the first time ever in his career as a director, his film will be having a special song. This song marks Payals second appearance on screen. She has also been roped in to play one of the leading ladies in Ravi Tejas Disco Raja and Venkatesh Daggubatis Venky Mama. 'Sita' is slated for release on April 25 and major part of the shoot has been completed. Once the shoot of this song is over, the cast and crew will slowly start working for the post-production work. Actor Sonu Sood is back to Tollywood and he is playing the baddie in this film. Fans of the actor are pretty excited about it. It is also said that Kajal Aggarwal will be seen playing a negative role in the film. The first look was released a few days ago and it received positive feedback from the movie buffs. This is her second film with the Bellamkonda lad. Their first film is Kavacham, which released in December. Two NASA instruments have captured images of the remnants of a large "fireball" which exploded above the Bering Sea in December 2018. It is expected that the explosion unleashed approximately 173 kilotons of energy, or more than 10 times the energy of the atomic bomb blast over Hiroshima during World War II. A "fireball" is an exceptionally bright meteor that is visible over a wide area. Fireball events are fairly common and are recorded in the NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies database. The December 18 fireball was the most powerful meteor to be observed since 2013. The still image shows a true-color image of the remnants of the meteor's passage, which is seen as a dark shadow cast on thick, white clouds. The orange-tinted cloud that the fireball left behind by super-heating the air it passed through can be seen below and to the right of the center of the image. The images, captured by the NASA instruments which were aboard the Terra satellite, captured views from five of nine cameras on the Multi-angle Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MISR) instrument and were taken minutes after the event. The Terra spacecraft was launched in 1999 and is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The MISR instrument was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of Caltech. The MISR data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center in Hampton, Virginia. The MODIS instrument is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Kabul: Afghanistan has recalled its ambassador from Pakistan over reported remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that suggested Kabul should set up an interim government, calling the comments "irresponsible." Khan told Pakistani journalists on Monday that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials since the terrorist group refuses to speak to the current government, according to comments published in The Express Tribune. The Afghan government was a hurdle in (the) peace process that was insisting that Taliban should talk to it, Khan is quoted as saying. He also said he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Taliban leaders because of objections by the Afghan government. Afghanistan summoned Pakistan`s deputy ambassador to discuss the "irresponsible" remarks by Khan, said foreign affairs ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi in a series of tweets on Tuesday. The Afghan government deemed Khan`s statements as "an obvious example of Pakistan`s interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan," Ahmadi said. The row marks the third time in just over a month that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Pakistan over comments related to peace talks, illustrating the flaring tensions between the two neighbours at a sensitive time. US and Taliban officials have held recurring talks to end the 17-year war, but the Taliban considers the Afghan government led by President Ashraf Ghani as illegitimate. Ghani`s mandate expires in May, and pressure is mounting on him to step down before the next presidential election, scheduled for Sept. 28. Ghani has rejected the idea of an interim government. LONDON: British lawmakers will wrest control of the Brexit process from the government on Wednesday in order to try to find a majority for an alternative way forward that could break the parliamentary deadlock. They will hold so-called indicative votes on a variety of possible Brexit outcomes. Below is how the process will work: WHAT OPTIONS COULD BE VOTED ON AND HOW WILL THEY BE CHOSEN? The debate is due to start by 1500 GMT. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow will select which of the proposals will be put to a vote. He will choose from a range of options put forward by lawmakers which include the following: 1) An international trade agreement which enables Britain to participate in a post-Brexit customs union with the EU 2) A Brexit deal which must include, as a minimum, a commitment to negotiate a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs Union with the EU. 3) Revoking Article 50 if parliament does not consent to leaving without a deal 4) Confirmatory public vote to approve Brexit deal before it is ratified by parliament 5) Remain a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and reapply to join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). 6) Common Market 2.0, an enhanced Norway-style deal which would include membership of the EU`s single market as well as a customs arrangement with the EU. 7) Opposition Labour Party plan for a close economic relationship with the EU including a comprehensive customs union and close alignment with the Single Market 8) Malthouse Compromise Plan A - Closely modelled on May`s deal but replacing the Irish backstop with an arrangement based around a zero-tariff free trade agreement which relies on technical solutions to move checks on goods away from the border 9) Leaving without a deal 10) Require UK government to secure the consent of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly before Brexit can happen HOW WILL LAWMAKERS VOTE? The options selected by the Speaker will be included on a ballot paper and lawmakers will be asked to vote "aye" or "noe" to each of them. They will be able to vote for as many of the proposals as they wish. Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, who led the process to seize control from the government, told parliament on Monday that lawmakers would have to be willing to support more than one option in order to find a majority. "We will all have to seek compromise. We almost know that if we all vote for our first preference, we will never get to a majority solution," he said. "I do not believe there is a majority in favour of the first preferences of any person in this House." WHAT TIME WILL THE RESULT BE ANNOUNCED? Lawmakers are due to take control of parliamentary business at 1400 GMT. The debate is due to end at 1900 GMT and lawmakers will then be given 30 minutes to record their votes. The Speaker can then announce the results at any time before the close of parliamentary business. It is expected after 2100 GMT. The result could show no majority for any option, a majority for several options or even a majority for all options. WILL THIS BE THE END OF IT? Lawmakers have set out that they plan to take control of parliamentary business again on Monday, April 1 for another debate on Britain`s exit from the European Union. Earlier, opposition Labour lawmaker Hilary Benn, chair of parliament`s Brexit committee, told BBC Radio this could be used to carry out a similar process again in order to further narrow down the options. DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE RESULT? The votes would not be binding on the government. May said on Monday she could not commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held as parliament might vote for something which was unnegotiable with the EU, or which contradicted her party`s 2017 election promises. Conservative lawmaker Nick Boles told BBC TV on Monday night that if the government refused to reflect the wishes of parliament, lawmakers would bring forward legislation seeking to force it to do so. HAVE INDICATIVE VOTES HAPPENED BEFORE? Yes. In 2003, lawmakers were given seven different options for proposed reform of parliament`s unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, but no options garnered a majority. US Vice President Mike Pence announced on Tuesday an accelerated goal of putting Americans back on the moon within five years "by any means necessary," and NASA`s top official immediately embraced the challenge. Pence, chairing a meeting of the National Space Council at NASA`s Marshall Spaceflight Centre in Huntsville, Alabama, borrowed from the vocabulary of the Cold War era in declaring, "We`re in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s." Setting such an ambitious goal - one likely to cost tens of billions of dollars - comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from US soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. The drive to reach the moon reflects President Donald Trump`s desire to champion a bold new national objective as he mounts a re-election bid, while also seeking to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China. NASA had previously aimed to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the year 2028, after first putting a "Gateway" station in orbit around the moon by 2024. The US Apollo program, NASA`s forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earth`s natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon between 1969 and 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted "soft" landings on the moon - the former Soviet Union and China - but those were with unmanned robot vehicles. ECHOES OF ARMSTRONG "It`s time for the next giant leap," Pence said, alluding to the famed words spoken by astronaut Neil Armstrong upon becoming the first man to step onto the moon in 1969. "That next giant leap is to return American astronauts to the moon within the next five years by any means necessary, and to establish a permanent presence on the moon and prepare to put American astronauts on Mars," Pence said. He added, "In order to accomplish this, NASA must transform itself into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organization." Pence`s remarks caused some initial confusion over whether a "return" to the moon necessarily meant landing astronauts on the moon or putting them into lunar orbit by 2024. But NASA officials later clarified a moon landing within five years was, indeed, the stated objective. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a Twitter post: "Challenge accepted. Now let`s get to work." Testifying before a US Senate committee two weeks ago, Bridenstine said NASA was about two years away from launching its next big rocket and capsule vehicle - the Space Launch System, or SLS, designed to carry crews and cargo beyond Earth orbit. Boeing Co. is the primary contractor for the SLS rocket engines. Bridenstine said NASA was considering moving forward with a less powerful commercial rocket, perhaps a vehicle built by SpaceX or the Boeing-Lockheed Martin partnership United Launch Alliance, to get an uncrewed capsule into space by 2020. After Tuesday`s announcement, Bridenstine said he was sure NASA could achieve a successful SLS flight by next year. In November, NASA named nine US companies, including Lockheed Martin Corp, that would compete for funding under the space agency`s renewed private-public partnership for developing technology to explore the lunar surface. NASA has already set its sights on the moon`s south pole, a region believed to hold enough recoverable ice water for use in synthesizing additional rocket fuel. NASA also sees the moon as a way station en route to an eventual manned mission to Mars, which Bridenstine has said might be accomplished by the mid-2030s. Lahore: Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif was released from a jail here in the early hours of Wednesday after the Supreme Court granted him bail for six weeks on medical grounds. On Tuesday, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa accepted Sharif's appeal and allowed him to get medical treatment from any health facility of his choice within the country. Sharif is barred from leaving Pakistan. The former prime minister's supporters and his party PML-N workers gathered in large numbers outside the Kot Lakhpat Jail and showered Sharif's car with flowers as he left the area. Some party workers moved along with Sharif's car till his residence. The three-time prime minister was received by PML-N leaders and his family at his house in the Jati Umra Raiwind area here. Sharif's release got delayed as the court order and other required documents couldn't reach the jail for more than 10 hours after the bench's direction. The Supreme Court observed in its order that several senior doctors had suggested that Sharif's history of hypertension, cardiac and renal ailments may present a "mild-moderate risk" if he is to undergo angiography. Therefore, granting him relief for a limited period is a "reasonable" request, the top court said. It directed Sharif to deposit two bail bonds worth Rs 5 million (in Pakistani rupees) each, receive medical treatment, and surrender his custody after six weeks. PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif thanked the court for meeting the merits of justice. "We thank the SC for considering gravity of the situation in the light of the medical reports of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. We also thank the nation and workers of the PMLN whose prayers had made this day possible," he said. He said that Sharif's health and well-being is the utmost priority of the party and that would be their primal focus. The airport in Plaine Corail has now been declared safe for operations following the passage of Cyclone Joaninha. Air Mauritius is resuming flights to and from Rodrigues. The Schedule:- Note: The schedule below is subject to the limitation imposed by the National Plant Protection Office (NPPO) with the threat of the Fall Army Worm (FAW) in Rodrigues. No flight is allowed to depart from Rodrigues after sunset (18h30) and before official sunrise time The Air Mauritius Contact Centre is calling stranded passengers individually to inform them of their re-scheduled departures. Flight information will also be made available on the company website and social media platform. Passengers are therefore urged not to come to the airport until notified of their flight timings. Air Mauritius regrets all inconveniences caused and wishes to reiterate that the safety of its passengers and crew remains its top most priority. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 86 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the VCFCA Le Duy Truyen highlighted the active development of the bilateral relations in the 2013-2018, and reviewed activities of the association in the period, especially its efforts to enhance people-to-people exchange between Vietnam and Chile. Participants agreed that the association should focus on reinforcing its organizational structure towards making its activities more effective, while developing its membership, especially young members and entrepreneurs that have business relations with Chilean partners. Attention should be paid to activities that can promote economic-trade, culture-art, education-training, and tourism cooperation, and people-to-people exchange, they said. Discussion sessions, talks and screening of Chilean films will be arranged, towards fostering mutual understanding between the two sides people. In her speech, Chairwoman of VUFO Nguyen Phuong Nga praised the association for its achievements in the 2013-2018 tenure and its contributions to promoting people diplomacy and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Chile, expressing her hope that the VCFCA will make more activities to contribute to strengthening the Vietnam-Chile friendship and cooperation. For his part, Chilean Ambassador to Vietnam Jaime Chomali thanked efforts by the VCFCAs executive board and members in bolstering solidarity and cooperation between Vietnamese and Chilean peoples. He pledged to do his best to promote the traditional friendship between the two nations. Mike Workman receives honorary award during virtual FAO virtual event Audio Article Local business owner and founding president of the Morgan Community Fund (MCF) Mike Workman was recently honored during the Foundation for Appalachian Ohios (FAO) Giving Tuesday virtual event. Workman was one of two recipients to be awarded the 2021 Chaddock Philanthropy Award due to his work with the MCF. Im... Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Tuesday, August 3, 2021 ... WMCAP offers utilities assistance for heating and water bills Audio Article Washington-Morgan County Community Action announces that assistance is available to help income eligible households with their home energy and water bills. The Winter Crisis/Emergency HEAP program began on November 1, 2021 and continues through March 31, 2022. The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program has also started and may assist income... Morgan County resident dies in fatal Belpre Township crash Audio Article Joyce Strohl, 69, of Morgan County, sustained fatal injuries in a two-vehicle crash in Belpre Township on December 1, the Marietta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol announced. The Marietta Post is currently investigating the crash that occurred on State Route 618 at State Route 339 at approximately 8:54... MCCA presents Christmas program Audio Article The Morgan County Community of the Arts will present a Christmas program at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, in the sanctuary of the Church of the Gospel Ministry on Kennebec Avenue, McConnelsville. The program will feature the MCCAs Arco Strings under the direction of Dr. Jose Rocha, cello professor and... Malta Council accepts offer from New Hope Audio Article Visitors this evening were Adam LaCava and Marcus Wright Gray of New Hope. Adam LaCava and Marcus Wright Gray from New Hope spoke to council about giving back to the community. They would like to rake leaves in piles, and have the Village Street Crew dispose of them. They asked... One of the most concerning issues today is that the ozone layer , which protects humans from most of the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation, is being depleted by pollution. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions are claimed to be the main cause of this phenomenon. Vietnam made considerable efforts to phase out the use of CFCs by substituting hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). However, in 2016, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol adopted the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFCs since the chemicals are potent and fast-growing greenhouse gases. The Department of Climate Change under Vietnams Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has carried out an assessment of the socio-economic impact on Vietnam as the country ratifies the Kigali Amendment. The department is finalising a dossier to submit to the MONRE for Governments approval. Under the Kigali Amendment, developing countries will follow with a freeze of HFCs consumption levels in 2024, with some countries freezing consumption in 2028. By the late 2040s, all countries are expected to consume no more than 15-20% of their respective baselines. Overall, the agreement is expected to reduce HFC use by 85% by 2045. Once the document takes effect in Vietnam, the Government will commit to comply with the phase out schedule for the HFC phase-down. Industries, sectors and businesses will take the chance to renovate their technology, improve their economic efficiency, practice sustainable production, and raise their competitiveness, thus opening up new opportunities in business, while contributing to creating more jobs and facilitating socio-economic development. The Department of Climate Change will continue coordinating with international organisations and sponsors to support enterprises in successfully reducing the chemicals which are controlled by the Montreal Protocol, ensuring business benefits in the climate fight. Vietnam is a country that does not produce ozone depleting substances. The substances were previously imported for fire extinguishers, refrigeration and air-conditioning applications. Currently, the MONRE has actively coordinated with functional agencies in preventing the illegal trade of ozone depleting substances into Vietnam. In the same effort to protect the environment, energy labelling is seen as an effective solution to drive consumers use of high-performance equipment, gradually eliminate inefficient and obsolete products, and reduce substances which are the main cause of ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect. The Energy Labelling Programme has been implemented in Vietnam since 2008 and energy labels have been made compulsory since July 1, 2013. The programme sets a goal to achieve a minimum cumulative saving of around VND10 trillion (US$ 480 million) and a reduction of 34 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030. Electricity saving will be about 6,000 GWh per year, which reduces the demand for electricity generated from two coal-fired power plants with a capacity of 500 MW (equivalent to US$ 1 billion invested in coal based power plant). According to statistics released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), since the Energy Labelling Programme became compulsory on July 1, 2013, around 15,000 products and equipment in 19 categories were sealed with energy labels as of June 2018. Since 2017, almost all air conditioners in Vietnam have been sealed with energy labels. According to the report of the Vietnam Society of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, it is estimated that 100 million kWh of electricity has been saved annually as consumers have shifted to air conditioning products with higher efficiency. In the past, consumers used to buy products based on their perceptions of prices and models but now they also take into account the products technical information and energy consumption. It is forecast that energy-labelled products will help to reduce electricity consumption by 10% and 30% by 2020 and 2030, respectively. Energy labelling is not only a way to go green but also helps consumers to choose the most energy-efficient products. In other words, it is a financial saving solution for each family. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. According to the website, the charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appeal of this city, which is easily explored by taxi, it reported. TripAdvisor also suggested must-see places for visitors to the city, including Hanois Old Quarter, the Vietnamese Women's Museum and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. London (United Kingdom) topped the TripAdvisor list, followed by Paris (France), Rome (Italy), and Crete (Greece). Other popular destinations in Southeast Asia included Bali (Indonesia), Phuket (Thailand) and Siem Reap (Cambodia). According to the Hanoi municipal Department of Tourism, the city welcomed more than 7.47 million visitors in the first three months of this year, a rise of 10.6% year-on-year. Of the figure, there were nearly 5.6 million domestic tourists and 1.88 million foreigners, up 9% and 15.5% over the previous year, respectively. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L), French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (1st R) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged countries around the world to make concerted efforts in four aspects and jointly shape the future of mankind in the face of severe global challenges. Xi made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris. Besides Xi and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, the event was also attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. China and France, both important players in global governance, enjoy a broad political consensus and a solid foundation for cooperation on such major issues as safeguarding world peace, security and stability, upholding multilateralism and free trade, and supporting the United Nations (UN) in playing an active role, Xi said. He noted that China and France are both committed to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality, openness, inclusiveness and win-win results. The two countries, he added, have been jointly safeguarding the fundamental principles in international relations and advancing the improvement of global governance, and have become an important force for safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting the advancement of human civilization. Xi proposed a four-pronged approach to addressing "four deficits" in global affairs. Firstly, the Chinese president called for fairness and reasonableness to address the governance deficit. It is advisable to uphold a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the principle that global affairs should be settled by the peoples of the world through consultation, Xi said, calling for actively advancing the democratization of global governance rules. He also called for upholding the UN, a banner of multilateralism, giving full play to the constructive role of global and regional multilateral mechanisms, and jointly pushing for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Secondly, Xi called for consultation and understanding to address the trust deficit. It is advisable to put mutual respect and mutual trust in the first place, make use of dialogue and consultation, seek common ground while shelving and narrowing differences, increase strategic trust, and reduce mutual suspicion, Xi said. It is also advisable to take a right approach to justice and interests by putting justice before interests, Xi said. He urged closer communication and dialogue between different civilizations so as to increase mutual understanding and mutual recognition between one another. Thirdly, he called for joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit. It is advisable to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard Cold-War and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle, and settle conflicts through peaceful ways, he said. He also called for rejecting such approaches as beggaring thy neighbor and seeking benefits at the expense of others. Fourthly, Xi called for mutual benefit and win-win results to address the development deficit. It is advisable to pursue an innovation-driven, well-coordinated and inter-connected, and fair and inclusive approach and forge a growth model of vitality, a cooperation model of openness and win-win results, and a development model of balance and common benefits, so that people from across the world could share the benefits of economic globalization, Xi said. The Chinese side supports necessary UN reforms and safeguards the multilateral trading system, Xi said, adding that his country welcomes France and other countries to actively take part in the development of the Belt and Road. He also called for joint efforts to advance the negotiations on a China-European Union (EU) investment agreement. Hailing China-France friendship, Xi called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation with a long-term and future-oriented perspective under the new circumstances. China and France should deepen cooperation in traditional areas, accelerate cooperation in emerging areas, strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change, implement the Paris Agreement in an all-round way, and push for positive results at the UN 2019 climate summit, so as to benefit the two peoples as well as the whole world, Xi said. Macron said communication and coordination between the EU and China play an indispensable role in safeguarding multilateralism. The EU and China take similar positions in such areas as the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change and Africa's security and development, and both insist on the construction of a strong and just multilateral system, he said. He said that China's fast development and poverty alleviation efforts are impressive. France attaches importance to the significant and active role played by China in international affairs, he said. The EU and China, as important forces on the world stage, should increase strategic mutual trust and promote cooperation through dialogue, he said. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China is significant and can play an important role in world peace, stability and development, he said. The EU could align its development strategy with the BRI in an innovative way and jointly promote Eurasian connectivity, he added. Merkel said the sound relationship between European countries and China has laid a good foundation for carrying out multilateral cooperation between the EU and China. The EU should accelerate the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement, and actively discuss participation in the BRI, she said. The EU and China should cooperate to safeguard multilateralism and compare notes on reforms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral institutions, she said. Germany, she said, proposes to hold a leaders' meeting between the EU and China next year. Referring to the EU and China as important strategic cooperative partners, Juncker said it is important that the two sides maintain dialogue on an equal footing. He called for the EU and China to actively advance the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement and maintain coordination on major international issues such as WTO reforms. Juncker said he is looking forward to seeing positive results at the upcoming EU-China leaders' meeting. A Lebanese girl(R) shows her name card in Chinese at the Confucius Institute of Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- With a few lines of graceful handwriting on its title page, the original French version of "An Introduction to The Analects of Confucius," a book published in 1688 with a brownish front cover, was presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a national gift by his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, when the two leaders met on Sunday in Nice, France. It's not the first time that the country, famous for its Louvre Museum and fashion designs, welcomed Xi's arrival. In 2014, the Chinese leader delivered a keynote speech at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, laying out his vision of civilization that features diversity, equality and inclusiveness. "We need to encourage different civilizations to respect each other and live together in harmony while promoting their exchanges and mutual learning as a bridge of friendship among peoples, a driving force behind human society, and a strong bond for world peace," Xi said. Five years on, China is joining various countries and regions to promote inter-civilization exchanges. HARMONY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY "Achieving harmony is like preparing a thick soup. Only with the right amount of water, fire, vinegar, meat sauce, salt and plum can fish and meat be cooked with the right taste ... Who can eat a soup with nothing but water in it?" Xi said at UNESCO. Citing an ancient Chinese scholar, Xi proposed to the world China's understanding of harmony, which is deeply rooted in the spirit of the Chinese people, and reflected in the country's diplomatic practices. "China made the solemn declaration to the world long ago that it is committed to pursuing peaceful development. It strives to develop itself by upholding world peace and maintain world peace through its development," Xi said at the Korber Foundation in Germany in 2014. Through a series of global events, Xi has continuously stressed the wisdom of "harmony without uniformity," which the Chinese have come to appreciate. China needs peace "as much as human beings need air and plants need sunshine," Xi said. "Hegemony or militarism is simply not in the genes of the Chinese." In his 2017 keynote speech at the UN Office at Geneva, Xi said that "China will do well only when the world does well, and vice versa." As the world's largest developing country, China has recognized that it can neither fulfill its development goals nor make greater contributions to the world without a firm pursuit of peaceful development. As the world's second-largest economy, biggest industrialized and trading country, China, sitting on the largest foreign exchange reserves, has contributed more than 30 percent of world economic growth and has lifted more than 700 million of its own out of poverty. Nearly a century ago, British philosopher Bertrand Russell said that there is something in Chinese ethics that means a lot to the modern world. Today, amid a weak world economic recovery, rising regional conflicts and growing terrorism, the world has fixed its eyes upon the East. Without chauvinism and zero-sum mentality, China promotes mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation. The country has played a constructive role in addressing global issues such as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and the conflicts in the Middle East. Martin Jacques, a professor at Cambridge University, has said that China offers "a new example" and "a new possibility" to the world. Petr Bystron, a member of the German Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, said, "China's peaceful policy is a major factor of stability in the world and a haven of peace in Asia." INCLUSIVENESS, LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER "I have visited many places in the world. The best thing I wanted to do is to learn about differing civilizations across the five continents, what make them different and unique, how their people think about the world and life and what they hold dear," Xi said at UNESCO. "Greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can further enrich the colors of various civilizations, heighten people's enjoyment of cultural life, and open up a future with more options," he said. Over the past five years, the Chinese president has visited more than 50 countries, and during his trips he has cited Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, British playwright William Shakespeare, and U.S. author Mark Twain to forge cultural exchanges, and to offer to the world the Chinese idea of upholding inclusiveness. In the U.S. bestseller titled "The Xi Jinping Era: His Comprehensive Strategy Toward the China Dream," Xi is depicted as a man with a great cultural vision who has profound knowledge in philosophy, history, literature, art and music. "To me, the moderate tea drinker and the passionate beer lover represent two ways of understanding life and knowing the world, and I find them equally rewarding," Xi said in a speech at the College of Europe in Belgium in 2014. "There are amazing similarities between China's Taichi and India's Yoga, and China's traditional medicine and India's Ayurveda. The life philosophies our people have held for thousands of years are very similar," Xi said on his state visit to India in 2014. In another speech delivered at Guildhall in the City of London in 2015, the Chinese president said that Tang Xianzu, a Chinese playwright, was a contemporary of William Shakespeare, as both passed away in 1616. In the eyes of Western observers, Xi is a master at telling stories, and his stories are usually both entertaining and meaningful. On Sept. 27, 2014, the 10th anniversary of the first Confucius Institute saw the Chinese leader receive letters from 286 Confucius Institutes from over 90 countries and regions. Now, China has established 548 Confucius Institutes and 1,193 Confucius Classrooms in 154 countries and regions, with 1.87 million students enrolled, according to the latest data. "We hope to build bridges of people-to-people exchanges and deliver better lives to the people," Xi said at the Leaders Roundtable of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017. GLOBAL COMMUNITY WITH SHARED FUTURE "We will continue to push ahead with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and continue to advocate for the development of a community of shared future for mankind. And we will work tirelessly for a more prosperous and beautiful world," Xi said in his 2019 New Year Speech. These words brought to mind his UNESCO speech, where he called on the international community to seek "wisdom and nourishment from various civilizations," and to "work together to tackle the challenges facing mankind." At the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017, Xi also urged the people of all countries "to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity." Over the past two years, Xi's appeal has been incorporated into various documents, such as the UN Security Council resolutions, the UN Human Rights Council resolutions, the Qingdao Declaration of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021). David Gosset, founder of the Europe-China Forum, said China has been pursuing the concept of "Datong," or "the world of great harmony," since ancient times, and the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind is a reinterpretation of "Datong" in the 21st century. With China's continuous development, the idea -- steeped in Chinese wisdom -- will definitely have a profound influence on the world, Gosset said. Based on the conviction of a shared future, China has launched a series of projects within the framework of the BRI to bring development opportunities to countries along the Belt and Road. In 2018, when addressing a symposium in Beijing marking the fifth anniversary of the BRI, Xi noted that it is an initiative for economic cooperation, instead of a geopolitical alliance or military league, and it is an open and inclusive initiative rather than an exclusive bloc or "China club." Today, 123 countries and 29 international organizations have signed a total of 171 BRI agreements with China. The Mombasa-Nairobi railway, built with the assistance of Chinese companies and launched in 2017, has provided 50,000 jobs for local people and is estimated to have boosted Kenya's gross domestic product by 1.5 percent annually. The China-Europe Railway Express carries new opportunities to Europe and injects new impetus into Sino-French trade, whose volume exceeded 60 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. Keith Bennett, vice chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club, said the BRI "is inclusive and offers the greatest opportunity for both investment and development in decades." "Its emphasis on infrastructure and connectivity lays the best possible foundations for promoting all-round, comprehensive economic development and improvement of people's livelihood in the future," he said. (Video reporters: Jin Yuelei, Zhao Yuchao, Han Chong, Lian Zhen, Yu Yue, Zhou Zihan, Chen Chen, Han Qian, Ji Li; Video editor: Zhang Xinyi) International Pakistan PM under attack over Afghan comments Islamabad, Mar 27 (IANS) | Publish Date: 3/27/2019 12:37:45 PM IST Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has come under attack for reportedly suggesting the setting up of an interim set-up in Afghanistan for peace talks to succeed. Khan is said to have told journalists on Monday that forming an interim Afghan government would smoothen peace talks between the US and the Taliban since the militant group refuses to speak to the current government. A furious Afghanistan recalled its own ambassador in Islamabad and summoned Pakistans Deputy Ambassador in Kabul to denounce what it said were irresponsible remarks by Khan, the Pakistani media reported on Wednesday. The Afghan government deemed Khans statements as an obvious example of Pakistans interventionist policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan, an Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said. US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been leading peace talks with the Taliban, also appeared to criticise Khans reported comments. While Pakistan has made constructive contributions on the Afghan Peace Process, PM Khans comments did not, he said. The future of Afghanistan is for Afghans, and only Afghans, to decide. The Pakistan Foreign Office said Khan was only referring to Pakistans model where elections were held under an interim government. The comments should not be misinterpreted to imply interference in Afghanistans internal affairs. Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L), French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (1st R) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China and France have pledged to jointly safeguard multilateralism and improve global governance, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the European country. The two countries believe that in the current situation, upholding multilateralism is the best way to advance international cooperation in tackling growing common risks and challenges as well as in safeguarding world peace and prosperity, the joint statement said. On global economic governance, the two countries call for pushing forward the economic globalization towards a more open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminative system, and safeguarding the rules-based, WTO-centered multilateral trading regime. They will continue to make joint efforts to build an open world economy, reject protectionism in all forms and guarantee a level playing field, added the joint statement. They agree to strengthen China-European Union (EU) ties, support the docking of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the EU's connectivity initiatives including the Euro-Asian connectivity strategy, and strengthen exchanges within the framework of the China-EU Connectivity Platform. The two countries stress that China and the EU are increasingly relying on each other, and that against this backdrop, the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership should be developed to advance global governance reform, and make the multilateral system more effective, better reflect the principle of fairness and justice, and better respond to the challenges in the 21st century. The two countries, in the spirit of mutual benefit, promise to reach an ambitious China-EU comprehensive investment treaty at an early date, which will include market access and investment protection. On climate change, China and France pledge to implement the Paris Agreement in an all-round way. The two countries, said the joint statement, will also work together to push for global concerted efforts to address biodiversity loss, and prepare for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in China next year. By PTI NEW DELHI: India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, who served 19 months in US jail for insider trading, has blamed the prosecution led by Indian-American former New York Attorney Preet Bharara for conducting the case in an "disingenuous and untruthful" manner, saying he felt like a "political prisoner". Gupta, 70, also revealed that he was kept in solitary confinement for weeks in an American federal prison which, he termed, was "brutal". He was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information about Goldman Sachs to then hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, who is currently serving 11 years in jail for insider trading. They were incarcerated in the federal prison in Ayer, Massachusetts. Gupta served 19 months in prison and was released in 2016. The former managing director of McKinsey penned his memoir 'Mind Without Fear' that released Monday and tells of his dramatic rise to the top of the corporate and financial world in America and then his fall after being charged in one of the largest insider trading cases in the US. Gupta will be discussing his book and his experiences with a New York audience on Thursday at a book launch event organised by leading arts and cultural organisation the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). "I felt like I was a political prisoner. I felt like I had done nothing wrong, it's just my destiny to be here (in prison)," Gupta told PTI here. The insider trading case against Gupta was prosecuted by India-born Bharara, the then US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, pitting the two Indian immigrants against each other. Gupta blames the prosecution for "lying" and exaggerating to win the case "at any cost". "The issue is not Preet Bharara. The issue is the whole system. This system is misaligned, the way he handled the case. It was very cleverly done," Gupta said. He elaborated that he was charged a week before Rajaratnam's trial. "I was tried in absentia at the Rajaratnam trial with no opportunity to defend myself. That's the first tactic which is unfair and they should not have done it that way," Gupta said. He asserted that the prosecutors "kept lying" and saying that Gupta was a 15 per cent owner in Galleon International, the hedge fund founded by Rajaratnam and that was the benefit for him to provide confidential information to him. "I never owned a single share. I never got any benefit. Even in the appeals memo, they wrote that I was an owner in Galleon. They know that it was not true because they had gone through all my financial statements, my bank accounts. They didn't find anything, any benefit of any kind. I don't expect the prosecutors to lie but they were lying. That's very unfortunate. The way they conducted the case was disingenuous, untruthful and exaggerated in many ways," Gupta said. He said that the prosecutors had rehearsed then Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein and other witnesses to say exactly what they wanted to say. "It was deceitful, it was like win at every cost. Nobody has ever heard of an insider trading case when there is no benefit. Zero benefit. It's not like this is the first time I had insider information in my life. I had been advising boards for 40 years. I had inside information, there was never an issue," Gupta said. He said that he met Rajaratnam in the Ayer prison and "I told him that he's the reason I was there". Gupta said the two talked about the trial only when they met for the first time in prison. "We never talked about the trial after that," he said. Gupta said he would see Rajaratnam often as they had a common dining hall and same place for exercise. READ HERE | Finance people will eat you for lunch, Rajat Gupta's wife warned convicted banker He says he sometimes even played cards with Rajaratnam in prison. Gupta said that he was in some ways "very appreciative" of the fact that Rajaratnam didn't take a plea deal when the government had offered him five years off for testifying against Gupta. But Rajaratnam refused. "He could have made up something. But he said he doesn't want to testify and he has nothing to say as I had done nothing wrong," Gupta said. Gupta feels that the 11-year sentence for Rajaratnam, who is severely diabetic, was too long for a person with ill health. Talking about his time in prison, Gupta said the biggest stress for him was being away from his family. "It was a relatively short sentence. I could see the end of the tunnel," he said, adding that his friends and family used to visit him every week. Gupta said he also drew solace from conversations he had with his late father and decided to make the prison experience a "true learning experience". "It's like a monastery. You go into a monastery and you get better in every dimension," he said, adding that he used to exercise, read and write a lot in prison and tried to help other inmates as much as he could. "I wanted to become physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually better and I think I succeeded," he said. Despite this, he says prison was hard. "Especially solitary confinement. It's brutal," he said. Moving forward, Gupta said he is working on philanthropic issues and involved with institutions that he created such as the Indian School of Business. He is also focussing on work in maternal, child health, water and sanitation in Gujarat as well as criminal justice reform. "But I'm also 70. I want to spend a little more time with my kids and grandkids. I hope I'm going to slow down," he said, adding that it was difficult to write the book but it was quite a cathartic experience and I'm glad I did it". Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Richard Ferrand, president of the French National Assembly, in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping underlined the spirit of independence when meeting with Richard Ferrand, president of the French National Assembly, here on Tuesday. Xi said he was delighted to visit the time-honored French National Assembly, noting that the old generations of Chinese leaders studied in France and developed a bond with the European country. Fifty-five years ago, Xi said, General Charles de Gaulle, in a remarkable spirit of independence, made the strategic decision to establish diplomatic relations with China. Such spirit has now become ever more indispensable when the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, he said. China-France relations, which have become r, more stable and more productive, are marching forward on a right path, Xi said. China and France, as two great nations, should intensify people-to-people exchanges and dialogue of minds, while promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in a broad range of areas, Xi said. The president said China is ready to deepen cooperation with France in traditional areas and expand cooperation in emerging ones. China is committed to promoting world multipolarization and resolute in safeguarding multilateralism, Xi said, adding that his country is ready to intensify communication and coordination with France on international affairs. It is very important that China and the European Union (EU) strengthen cooperation in the face of prominent instabilities and uncertainties in the international situation, Xi said. China firmly supports the process of European integration, Xi said. Stressing that exchanges between the legislative bodies are an important part of China-France relations, Xi said China supports its National People's Congress in carrying out friendly exchanges with the French National Assembly, and hopes for r inter-party, subnational and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Ferrand said his country takes pride in the precious bond between France and the first generation of Chinese leaders. The French National Assembly is ready to deepen friendship between France and China, and carry forward the tradition of friendly communication and cooperation in various areas, he said. The French side is willing to join hands with the Chinese side to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen cooperation between the EU and China, he added. Aarthi M By Express News Service BENGALURU: With temperature in the city rising to 37C already, its not just the people but also the animals that are finding it hard to bear the harsh days. Instances of birds fainting due to dehydration are suddenly on the rise now. Over the last few days, about 15 birds are being rescued daily by animal activists. Black kites, parrots, parakeets, hummingbirds, crows and pigeons are the most affected birds in the city, which are usually rescued and treated by members of the various non-government organisations in the city. Each NGO functions with a few volunteers in each zone who respond to distress calls about the winged creatures from the people. We request citizens to call us immediately when they spot a hurt or fainted bird. Trying to make them consume water or splashing water on their body, in a bid to help the bird, is a bad idea as the water can directly enter the lungs if not fed properly, explained Jayanthi Kallam, executive director of Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC), a Horamavu-based organisation. Each rescued bird is examined properly for any fractures or other issues and then treated accordingly. Also, water and shorebirds travel from one place to another due to the drying up of lakes, and faint due to dehydration. Hummingbirds and other small birds cannot fly long distances. Its better to keep a bowl of water mixed with a little salt and sugar to help them survive this summer, said Anand Nair, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Bannerghatta. Activists also suggest that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should have their own rescue cell, which would make it easier to look after animals. Instead of depending on NGOs for help, it is BBMPs duty to establish a separate centre for rescue of birds and animals within their forest cell, Simhadri, a volunteer at ARRC, said. When asked to respond on the suggestion, Chola Raju, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, said the department does not have enough funds and manpower to start such an initiative. We have been paying some volunteers on an honorarium basis for helping us out and that is the best we can do right now, he added. KV Navya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Calm amid the chaos. If there was a place that is a perfect testimony to this statement, it has to be Karanai Puducherry, located just three kilometres away from the bustling Urapakkam. A cool breeze welcomes you to the main road, which is covered by a canopy of trees. Children play on a large ground without the fear of vehicles zipping past, and a group of volunteers sits by the side of the lake, clearing plastic bottles. Three years ago, the place looked nothing like this, say locals. The change was possible because of one man - K Karthick - who realised the power of self-responsibility. During the Jallikattu protests, we could not travel till Marina. So, we were holding the strike in the village; most residents took part in it. Once the protest was over, at around 7 pm, there was garbage everywhere banners, pamphlets, water bottles and cups. So, I gathered five men and cleaned the garbage every night and protested in the morning. That was where it all started, said 29-year-old Karthick. After finishing his under graduation in English Literature in Dharmapuri, Karthick was working as a part-time manager in a marriage hall nearby. Following the protest, he felt the need to spread awareness of litter prevention. I can clear litter every night, but that is not how it is supposed to be. One problem must be solved so that I can begin with another. So, I held the first meeting on litter education in my village with about 30 youngsters, and within six months, Karanai Puducherry was spick and span, he said. In 2017, Karthick went on to pursue LLB in a college at Selaiyur. His packed schedule did not stop him from his philanthropic duties. His efforts attracted more office-goers and students in the area. The summer of 2017 was brutal. Vardah had uprooted many trees, so the heat waves were harsher. Again, I gathered a group of volunteers and this time, I also asked for some money to buy trees. Having worked in the village for a year already, everyone was in high spirits and we bought about 500 saplings and planted them in parks, open grounds, on either side of the roads and in temples. About 250 of them survived and 100 are fully grown. They are all native varieties, he said. Volunteers water the trees over the weekends. By the end of 2018, there was no space left for Karthick to plant more trees. There was a long-time demand for a playground and I too wanted more space to plant trees. So, we adopted about 0.7 acres of land near a cemetery in the village, crowdfunded `15,000 to clear the weeds and garbage, and by February 2019, we had a volleyball court and an open ground with proper compound walls for kids to play. The former Panchayat president, Anita Elavarasan, helped us procure JCB for cleaning the lake, he said. Karthick has now shifted his focus towards cleaning the lake in his area which supplies water to the whole village. Weeds, hospital waste and household garbage dumped at the lake have been cleared in three weeks. The water problem is getting worse by the day. It has been seven days since we got any water. If the lake was clean during the last monsoon, we could have had water at least for a couple of months. The work will be completed within two months, he said. Karthick believes all it takes for the well-being of a village or a city is self-responsibility. Whether it is a place of 300 houses or 3,000, somebody must begin the change and all will follow, he said. Samuel Merigala By Express News Service CHENNAI: Students usually let their hair down during a college trip but female students of the Madras Christian College claimed to have spent their final-year trip trying to avoid sexual harassment from the very person sent to keep them from harms way. Both male and female students of the Zoology Department in the college alleged that during their department trip to Karnataka in January, Professor R Raveen touched female students inappropriately, made lewd comments about their dressing and invaded their privacy. He rested his palm on my thigh and refused to remove it despite noticing discomfort, said Devi*, one of the victims, claiming Raveen had done this after squeezing into the last row of bus, though there were empty seats. Students also claimed that Raveen passed lewd comments about the way they had dressed. He asked us why we hadnt brought small (revealing) clothes for the trip and ridiculed us for wearing salwars, said Lakshmi, claiming the other male staff member Samuel Tennyson not only refused to interfere but also encouraged Raveens behaviour. Sunita*, another victim, claimed the worst part was when he allegedly barged into her room in the middle of night to lie next to another classmate. Maybe it was consensual between them, but the other girl and I were terrified when he just lay next to us in the night, she said. On returning to college and after much deliberation, the students decided to file an anonymous complaint towards the end of January only to be rejected by the department. So, 35 of the total 50 students, who went on the trip, signed a complaint detailing the incidents of harassment and the inaction of the other staff member during the trip and sent it to college principal Alexander Jesudasan. It is learnt that the principal forwarded the complaint to the Head of the Department Moses Inbaraj, without intimating the Internal Complaints Committee of the college, which is a violation of the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015 which mandates all sexual harassments to be forwarded to the ICC. Following a brief namesake single-man enquiry with victims which they deem as an attempt to downplay the harassment, it was decided that Raveen and Samuel Tennyson would not accompany students for trips for the next three years and they would not evaluate exam papers of the affected class. How is this even a punishment? We feel helpless and let down. Our juniors will surely continue facing harassment because the management chose not to take strict action, said a student. Interestingly, Dean of Student Affairs Prince Annadurai and Dean of Women Students Vijayakumari Joseph were kept in the dark about these complaints. If the students had approached me, I would have initiated action, said Prince Annadurai, explaining his limitations in the issue because it also involved staff members. When contacted, Principal-in-charge A Duraisamy said that he would look into the issue and would appraise Principal Jesudasan about the situation. We will definitely take strict action if the allegations are found true, Duraisamy said. One professor also claimed that this was not the first sexual harassment complaint filed against Raveen. When contacted, Raveen claimed that the allegations were politically motivated by the former head of the department Arul Samraj. He has been using the students to ruin my career and prevent my advancement in the department, he said. Arul Samraj has refuted these allegations. They are baseless allegations. An independent enquiry must be held by the Internal Complaints Committee to check the veracity of these allegations, Samraj said. By Express News Service CHENNAI: A 40-year-old Filipino, who fell ill while travelling in a merchant vessel from Singapore to Le Havre in France, was evacuated from mid-sea by the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday and provided with medical care. M Almanon, belonging to merchant vessel CMA CGM AMERIGO VESPUCCI developed severe pain in the right lower part of back (lumbar) and was passing blood in urine. As a result, the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC), Port Blair, was informed by MRCC GRIS NEZ (France), requesting urgent medical evacuation. A multifarious swift rescue mission was launched and the master of the vessel was re-directed to proceed with best steerable speed close to Campbell Bay. Potential Search and Rescue (SAR) unit ICGS C-414 was immediately deployed from Campbell Bay harbour for undertaking the medical evacuation of the crew off Campbell Bay seas. The Indian Coast Guard ship reached the merchant ship around 01:35 hrs on Wednesday, braving the prevailing weather conditions and odd hours. The crew was evacuated and airlifted by specialised Search and Rescue configured Coast Guard Dornier up to Port Blair during early hours. Further post monitoring vital parameters, the Filipino was handed over to the local agent at Port Blair. Thereafter, the patient was admitted in GB Pant Hospital for further treatment. The condition of the patient is reported to be improving. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Film actor and former Rajya Sabha member Mohan Babu, who had recently raised a banner of revolt against the TDP government in the State for not releasing fee reimbursement dues to his educational institutions, joined the YSRC on Tuesday. Mohan Babu along with his son Manchu Vishnu met YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad and joined the Opposition party. Jagan welcomed Mohan Babu into the party by offering him the party stole (kanduva). Speaking to reporters later, Mohan Babu said he was not aspiring any post, but joined the YSRC as it is the only party that works for the interests of the State. Reacting on the recent protests demanding release of fee reimbursement dues to his educational institutions by the government, Mohan Babu reiterated that his educational institutions were yet to get `19 crore. If I am proved wrong, I will give back the entire amount that my educational institutions received from the government till now, he said.Naidu had assured to release the fee reimbursement amount every three months, but he failed to do so. I had to sell my assets and also use my own resources to run the education institutions and give salaries to employees, he said and added that his education institutions in Uppal in Telangana are running without any violations. We do not have any dues from Telangana government. I am saying this without any fear (of Telangana government), Mohan Babu said. The veteran actor predicted a clean sweep for the YSRC in the elections. By Express News Service After receiving the biggest ever opening for an Indian film in Taiwan, RSVP Movies action-comedy film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota is now headed for release in China and USA. Set in Mumbai, MKDNH stars debutant Abhimanyu Dassani, Radhika Madan, Gulshan Devaiah, Jimit Trivedi and Mahesh Manjrekar. The film received the Peoples Choice Award: Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018 and was released in India on March 21. Abhimanyu Dassani Speaking about the international reception of his film, Vasan said, It has been an overwhelming journey throughout the film. The love and response are humbling. More than anything else its touching to know the audience found themselves in the world of Surya. After the global recognition at TIFF, now the film is thrown open to the global markets with the international releases in Taiwan, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, South Africa and Japan amongst others. The love and response are enriching more than anything else and it is a bestowing experience to get such appreciation.Headed by Ronnie Screwvala, RSVP Movies delivered one of the biggest hits of 2019 with Uri: The Surgical Strike. Their upcoming slate includes The Sky Is Pink and Bhangra Paa Le. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Suspense on Congress candidate for the Mumbai North seat has increased as the Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar who joined the Congress on Wednesday at Delhi said that she is not doing so to contest the election. The party had been planning to pitch a celebrity in the BJP stronghold constituency in a hope to repeat its performance of 2004, when actor Govinda had defeated BJPs Ram Naik on the latter's home turf. I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections, Matondkar told reporters while addressing a press conference in Delhi along with party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE I am here to stay, she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections, while Surjewala said that the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. Matondkar said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. She said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. Today is a significant day for me as I have formally entered politics. My life has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi from the days of my childhood, she added. While, Matondkars joining the party has brought hope to the party cadre, fielding her for the Mumbai-North constituency might disturb the North Indian voters in the constituency, a group within the party feels. The constituency is predominantly Gujarati and North-Indian in voter profile. It has two lakh Marathi voters. However, they are against the party due to the then city party chief Sanjay Nirupams agitation in favour of North-Indian street vendors. While Matondkars Marathi Girl image might help the party to gain sizable chunk of those two lakh Marathi voters, the north-Indian chunk might desert the party if that flock comes along, said a senior party leader from the area. In 2004, Goindas Bhaiya image had helped the party win and would need a similar celebrity effect if that kind of result is to be repeated, the leader said. By PTI PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday dropped deputy CM Sudin Dhavalikar after two MLAs of the latter's MGP broke away and joined the ruling BJP. Dhavalikar, the lone MGP MLA who did not break away from the party, hit back, terming the development as "dacoity by chowkidars". In a communication addressed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Sawant informed her about dropping Dhavalikar. "I have dropped Sudin Dhavalikar from the cabinet. The decision on filling up the vacant seat will be taken very soon," Sawant told PTI. The CM's recommendation to drop Dhavalikar was accepted by Sinha. "The Governor is pleased to accept the recommendation of chief minister that Sudin Dhavalikar shall cease to be a minister in the council of ministers headed by Chief Minister, with immediate effect," an official notification said. Dhavalikar said, "People are stunned the way, in the middle of the night, chowkidars conducted dacoity on MGP. People are watching and they will consider their course of action," he said. ALSO READ | Two MGP MLAs joined BJP to provide stability to Goa government: CM Pramod Sawant He claimed the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party was an outfit of the masses and would not be eliminated by such moves. Dhavalikar was allotted portfolios of Transport and Public Works which would be now looked after by Sawant. Governor Sinha, who is in New Delhi now, has cut short her visit and would be arriving in Goa later during the evening to administer the oath to the new minister replacing Dhavalikar. During the wee hours Wednesday, two of the three Maharashrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs-- Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar-- gave a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, merging their party's legislative wing with the BJP. Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter. On Tuesday, MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar had claimed that his party was the target of a conspiracy by opponents. He had said moves were afoot by rivals to wean away Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar, and in the process isolate Sudin Dhavalikar. "Any attempt to disturb our MLAs will be viewed seriously and we won't mind pulling out of the government," the MGP chief had said. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Reports that India denied overflight rights to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads aircraft during his recent trip to Pakistan were false and motivated, New Delhi said on Tuesday. Describing it as a pathetic, vain attempt to deflect attention from its own problems and perhaps drive a wedge in the India-Malaysia strategic partnership, a source said, even our Malaysian friends know the real reason for the detour that Prime Minister Mohamads flight had to endure. The truth is that Pakistan has blocked its own airspace for flights overflying India. Therefore, even though Indias DGCA had given overflight clearance to the Malaysian PM s flight, it had to take a longer route. because Pakistan denied permission, said a source. It is strange that even for their national day guest from Malaysia, Pakistan could not make an exception, thereby resulting in a longer flight for the Malaysian PM. It may also be noted that all flights, including international flights, flying westward from or over Pakistan are not being allowed to fly over India by Pakistan, even though India hasnt put any restriction, he said. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: The world's highest polling station is now in the sleepy hamlet of Tashigang in the Buddhist-dominated Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 15,256 feet. This polling station falls in one of the 17 assembly segments that form the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, the second largest constituency in the country. Located around 29 km from the India-China border, this polling station covers two villages of Tashigang and Gete. As per the revised electoral rolls, the two villages have 48 voters, of which 30 are men and 18 women. Seventy-eight-year-old Rigjin is the oldest voter at this polling station. The State Chief Electoral Officer has appointed 68 senior citizens aged over 100 years as the brand ambassadors to educate the young voters about their right to vote. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Initially, state election officials wanted to set up the polling booth at Gete village, but shifted it to Tashigang as the government school building there was found unsafe. Also, Tashigang is connected with a road which is currently closed for traffic due to snowfall. This polling station, however, lacks mobile connectivity and election officials will use a satellite phone during polls on May 19. Earlier the tiny settlement of Hikkim in the same district located at an altitude of about 14,400 feet was the highest polling station in the country. It covered Komic and Hikkim villages which together had 194 voters 101 males and 93 females and in the 2017 assembly elections had a turnout of 83.5 per cent. At 102, Shyam Saran Negi the first voter of independent India who is now hard of hearing and lives with his youngest son Chander Parkash in Kalpa village in Kinnaur district has been appointed as brand ambassador by the State Chief Electoral Officer for its SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) campaign. Meanwhile, the Una district election authorities in the hill state have appointed centenarians as ambassadors to educate the young voters about the significance of exercising their franchise. The 109-year old Likhu Ram of Nandgram village, Brahmi Devi (108) of Bhalaun village and Dhani Ram (105) from Dhussara village. All of them are eager to vote. Of the 51, 59,000 registered voters in the state, 1,011 are more than 100 years old. RIT researchers set to help LIGO resume the hunt for ripples in space and time The Nobel Prize-winning project that hunts for gravitational waves-- ripples in space and time--is about to begin the longest and most sensitive observational run to date. The National Science Foundation's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) received a series of upgrades to its lasers, mirrors and other components and will start its third Advanced LIGO observing run on April 1. Several Rochester Institute of Technology researchers who are members of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration are preparing to pore over the new data to help uncover some of the universe's biggest mysteries. LIGO made history with the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015. The ripples traveled to Earth from a pair of colliding black holes located 1.3 billion light-years away. Since then, the LIGO-Virgo detector network has uncovered nine additional black hole mergers and one explosive smashup of two neutron stars. RIT's Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (CCRG) has a large and active group of 18 faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers involved in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. They are excited about what a new, more sensitive observing run can uncover and expect to see an even greater number of black hole mergers and other extreme events, such as additional neutron-neutron star mergers or a yet-to-be-seen black hole-neutron star merger. "Big data is transforming our world, not because any one individual observation or even instrument provides transformative insight, but because combining data from many of them reveals things we haven't known before," said Richard O'Shaughnessy, assistant professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences. O'Shaughnessy's research focuses on how to discover and interpret gravitational waves produced by merging compact binaries like black holes and neutron stars. "With this third run, we're at the bridge of having clues about compact binaries that were previously completely inaccessible." LIGO, which consists of twin detectors located in Washington and Louisiana, will be joined in the new observing run by Virgo, the European-based gravitational-wave detector, located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Italy. The three enhanced sensors working together will allow more precise triangulation of the sources of gravitational waves. This is an important step toward multi-messenger astronomy, the coordinated observation and interpretation of different signals. In addition to events like black hole and neutron star mergers, LIGO scientists search for weaker, continuous signals like those from spinning neutron stars, where the gravitational wave signal could be identified using a long stretch of data. "As someone studying continuous waves, the improved sensitivity and the longer observing run means we can probe into our sources in a more interesting way," said John Whelan, associate professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences and principal investigator of RIT's group in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. Whelan develops and implements methods to search for gravitational waves and currently leads an effort targeting Scorpius X-1, one of the most promising sources of continuous gravitational waves. "Scorpius X-1 is the first source of x-rays discovered outside the solar system. It is the brightest continuous source of x-rays besides the sun, and it's a binary system of a neutron star and another less massive star." The observing run is expected to last roughly one year, and researchers at RIT expect to begin publishing new findings based on the observations later this year and will have more once the run is complete. Professor Manuela Campanelli, director of the CCRG, said: "We are very excited about the science that will come out of the new observation run, especially within the context of multi-messenger astronomy. LIGO is an important tool to help reveal the hidden side of the universe and I am proud of the faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers that are a part of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration." ### More Information about the LIGO-Virgo collaborations: LIGO is funded by NSF and operated by Caltech and MIT, which conceived of LIGO and led the Initial and Advanced LIGO projects. Financial support for the Advanced LIGO project was led by the NSF with Germany (Max Planck Society), the U.K. (Science and Technology Facilities Council) and Australia (Australian Research Council-OzGrav) making significant commitments and contributions to the project. Nearly 1,300 scientists from around the world participate in the effort through the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, which includes the GEO Collaboration. A list of additional partners is available at https:/ / my. ligo. org/ census. php . The Virgo Collaboration is currently composed of approximately 350 scientists, engineers, and technicians from about 70 institutes from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) hosts the Virgo detector near Pisa in Italy, and is funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France, the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy, and Nikhef in the Netherlands. A list of the Virgo Collaboration members can be found at http://public. virgo-gw. eu/ the-virgo-collaboration/ . More information is available on the Virgo website at http://www. virgo-gw. eu . For more information, contact Luke Auburn at 585-475-4335 or luke.auburn@rit.edu. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on the sidelines of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met here Tuesday and agreed to strengthen China-European Union (EU) relations and global governance cooperation. The leaders met in the French capital on the sidelines of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France. Noting the increasing volatility and uncertainty in the international situation with a rising tide of protectionism, Xi said China is willing to work with all parties to firmly uphold multilateralism, improve global governance and jointly address global challenges. China and Europe are two major forces in the world, and are important participants in and constructors of the economic globalization process, Xi said, adding that they share broad common interests. The Chinese president proposed that the two sides join efforts in three aspects. Firstly, they should together uphold multilateralism, Xi said, urging China and Europe to protect the status and authority of the United Nations (UN) and the international system with the UN at its core. China is willing to increase communication and cooperation with Europe within the framework of the UN, and actively strive for more achievements in resolving international disputes by political means, addressing climate change, promoting sustainable development and other fields, Xi said. Secondly, he proposed that China and Europe work to facilitate development and prosperity on the Eurasian continent. China is willing to continue to push forward the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's Euro-Asian connectivity strategy, Xi said, adding that China will promote bilateral as well as third-party market cooperation to realize mutual benefits and win-win results for all parties. Thirdly, China and Europe should improve strategic mutual trust, he said. China has always regarded the EU as a strategic partner of cooperation and supported the EU's solidarity, stability and prosperity, Xi said. Stressing that China and Europe share far more common interests than differences, the Chinese president urged both sides to take the lead in upholding peace, development and win-win cooperation, and make the cake of cooperation bigger. China stands ready to work with European countries to promote the development of China-Europe ties, he said. Speaking of their meeting, Macron said it has sent a positive signal to the international community that the EU and China firmly uphold multilateralism. Meanwhile, France and China have inked a joint statement on jointly safeguarding multilateralism and improving global governance, which fully demonstrates the strategic nature of their cooperation, Macron said. France and the EU are willing to further enhance mutual trust with China, and together shoulder the historic responsibility of promoting world peace, security and development, he said. Noting that the world today is faced with many difficult problems regarding peace and development, Merkel underlined China's success and huge achievements in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Germany attaches importance to China's key role in international affairs, highly appreciates China's support for Europe's prosperity, and is willing to work with China to advance the process of multilateralism, she said. Juncker said the EU and China, as cooperation partners, could do great things together for the world. The EU stands ready to accelerate cooperation with China and play a positive role in jointly addressing global challenges, he said. Aishik Chanda By Express News Service KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP is having to fend off Trinamools googlies on Bengals poll pitch, as the voting day draws near in the northern part of the state. BJP had to field an Independent candidate in Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday after the Mamata Banerjee-led state government failed to respond to BJP candidates resignation letter, making dismissal of his nomination by the Election Commission inevitable. Jalpaiguri is going to polls on April 18 for which Tuesday was the last day of filing nomination. BJPs Jalpaiguri candidate Dr Jayanta Ray is a state government doctor and as per new EC rules, a candidate has to resign from government post and present the acceptance of a resignation for his nomination. Sources said Jayanta Ray was unaware of the new rule and sent his resignation at the last moment, which the health department did not respond to. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE However, Trinamool founder-turned-BJP leader Mukul Roy played trouble-shooter at the last moment and saved the day for BJP by rushing to north Bengal, holding meetings with regional BJP leaders and making BJP North Bengal Unit co-convenor and former Jalpaiguri district BJP president Dipen Pramanik file his nomination as an Independent. Trinamool also demanded the arrest of BJPs Coochbehar candidate Nisith Pramanik after he revealed in his nomination paper that there were 11 pending criminal cases against him, of which two are outside the state and non-bailable. He has to be immediately arrested or else he may cause trouble in the elections, North Bengal Development Minister Rabindranath Ghosh said. Responding to the demand, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said, Trinamool is trying to make an issue out of everything. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangmas National Peoples Party (NPP) on Wednesday filed a report with the police in Nagaland saying that its candidate for Aonglenden by-election in the states Mokokchung district has been missing since Tuesday. Bendang Jamir, who is the NPPs Mokokchung district unit president, urged the police to file an FIR as the party feared the candidate could be abducted. I would like to state that our NPP candidate O Tinu Longkumer for Aonglenden by-election has been missing since March 26. I request you to kindly look into the matter as we fear that he might have been abducted, Jamir wrote in the report submitted to the officer-in-charge of Mokokchung police station. However, the police said Longkumer is safe and healthy. We formed a SIT (special investigation team) immediately after receiving the complaint and it soon managed to reach him. He said he is safe and healthy and that he was not abducted, Mokokchung Superintendent of Police, Raguramarajan, told this newspaper. He, however, refused to divulge details of the NPP candidates whereabouts. He (Longkumer) will soon issue a statement, the SP added. The social media is abuzz with reports that Longkumer withdrew his nomination on Wednesday. However, official sources said none of the four candidates has withdrawn the nomination. Thursday is the last day for withdrawal of nomination. The NPP candidate is rumoured to have been offered the post of chairman of the states excise department by Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which is a major constituent of the states coalition government. The perception is that if Longkumer opts out, it will help the NDPP candidate Sharingain Longkumer. Apart from NPP and NDPP, Congress and Naga Peoples Front are also contesting the by-elections which were necessitated by the death of sitting MLA Imtikumzuk Longkumer of NDPP last year. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday demanded that the two minor Hindu girls from Sindh province who were abducted, forced to convert to Islam, and married off to older Pakistanis be returned to their families. The girls were abducted a day before Holi, and after condemnation in India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered an investigation. The girls were found and a Pakistani high court on Tuesday ordered them to be kept under official protection due to concerns about their safety as authorities continued their probe. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, which also saw a video being circulated, purportedly of the girls distraught father Hari Das Meghwar being stopped from committing self-immolation outside a police station, Sushma said that Forced conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan: The age of the girls is not disputed. Raveena is only 13 and Reena is 15 years old. Even the Prime Minister of Naya Pakistan will not believe that girls of this tender age can voluntarily decide about their conversion to another religion and marriage. Therefore, Justice demands that both these girls should be restored to their family immediately, she said. On Sunday, Pakistans Information and Broadcasting Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, had responded to Swarajs tweet seeking a report from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on the abduction, saying, Maam its Pakistin (sic) internal issue. Swaraj responded sharply, saying, I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner... This was enough to make you jittery. By Online Desk Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister said India's action was not directed against any country. Shooting down a low earth orbit satellite is a rare achievement for the country, he said. Let us examine the science behind Mission Shakti which has given India a place among the world's elite space powers. What is a low earth orbit satellite? This is an earth-centred orbit with an altitude of 2000 km or less. These satellites move at a speed of 7.8 km/sec. The speed is reduced with an increase in orbital altitude. A satellite needs the lowest amount of energy for being placed into a low earth orbit. These satellites are commonly used for communication purposes such as Iridium Communication Satellites. One of the quintessential LEOs functional is the Hubble Space Telescope which orbits at about 540 km above the earth. ALSO READ | India shot down live satellite under Mission Shakti, enters elite club of space powers: PM Modi These satellites are hard to locate as their position in orbit changes continuously. Also, they observe and communicate over a very small area of the earth. NASA illustration. What are ASATs? Anti-satellite missiles or ASATs are missiles specifically designed to destroy satellites for strategic purposes. Several nations have operational ASAT systems but have not used them in warfare. In 2010. the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had announced that India was developing the exo-atmospheric kill vehicle technology that could be combined to a weapon to destroy enemy satellites in orbit. In 2012, VK Saraswat, the then chief of the DRDO, announced that India has all the building blocks in place to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralize hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. History of ASATs and their legality Anti-satellite tests are extremely controversial and considered to be contributing towards weaponisation of space, which is prohibited by the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Hence PM Modi was careful to mention that the missile test does not violate any international treaty and is a defensive move, aimed at securing its space infrastructure, and does not change Indias strong opposition to the weaponisation of space. In January 2007, China destroyed its dysfunctional satellite with an SC-19 ASAT missile with a kinetic warhead. In January 2008, an American reconnaissance satellite which went out of orbit was shot down by the US with a RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 Anti-Ballistic Missile. Russia is the only country to have test-fired ASAT missiles unlike other nations who fired them to shoot down out of orbit satellites. In November 2015, Russia successfully test-fired its direct-ascent anti-satellite missile, known as PL-19 Nudol. Russia reportedly test-fired the Nudol four more times since then, the last being in December 2018. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: When the newly-appointed Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was asked if she would fight the elections, she said it had to be partys decision. If my party wants me to contest, of course, I will, said Priyanka while adding that her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is the partys prime ministerial candidate in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Amethi. This has been first such declaration coming from a member of the Congress high command. Assuring the people of Rahul Gandhis parliamentary constituency, Priyanka said that Congress would come to power and Congress chief will become the Prime Minister of the country. We will win this Lok Sabha election and Rahulji will become PM, Priyanka Gandhi told Congress workers while addressing the partys booth level meeting in Amethi. However, Priyankas claim may ruffle many feathers in the opposition camp which seems to be fragmented over backing the Congress chief as the prime ministerial candidate if such a situation arises. ALSO READ: Having nose like grandmother does not ensure power: Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya Apart from the support of RJDs Tejaswi Yadav, DMKs MK Stalin, JD(S) Deve Gowda and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, Rahuls candidature has not been backed by any other leader of the opposition bloc. Instead, a number of prominent opposition face like BSP chief Mayawati, Trinamool chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and NCP chief Sharad Pawar have expressed their Prime ministerial ambition at one point or the other. Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived on a two-day visit of Amethi and Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituencies of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi -- to mobilize grassroots workers, also discussed Mission UP at closed-door interactions with booth-level workers for around two hours at the A H Inter College in Musafirkhana. According to a Congress leader privy to the booth level meeting, Priyanka exhorted the Congress cadre to reach out to the electorate by visiting their houses and expose the lies and failures of Modi government. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE She called upon the party workers to put in their best to brighten up partys prospects in the polls. Rahulji has given me the task of forming the Congress government in the next assembly elections in the state. You have seen me working till 4 am. I will work harder to accomplish this task, a worker quoted Priyanka as telling the Congress partys workers. Clad in a blue cotton sari, microphone in her hand, the Congress leader took centre stage among local leaders, taking feedback from them. The Amethi constituency has long remained a Congress stronghold. BJP has fielded Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani to challenge the might of Gandhis on their turf yet again. Speaking on BJP nominee Smriti Irani being pitted against her brother, Priyanka Gandhi claimed that while she had been visiting Amethi since childhood and it was like a second home to her, the union minister came to Amethi for just for "timepass" as she had nothing to do with the constituency. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha elections 2019: Riding on Amethi work, Smriti Irani a tough challenge to Rahul Gandhi Asked if PMs announcement about Mission Shakti accomplishment was the politicisation of the issue, the Congress leader said there was hardly anything left which was not being politicised by the PM. Priyanka Gandhi will be visiting Rae Bareli on Thursday and after taking a night halt in her mothers constituency, she is expected to move to Ayodhya on Friday. By PTI AMARAVATI: The YSR Congress Wednesday said it would file a defamation case against National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah for alleging that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy offered Rs 1,500 crore to the Congress if it made him Chief Minister of the then united Andhra Pradesh. Abdullah levelled this allegation while addressing an election campaign meeting in support of the ruling Telugu Desam Party at Kadapa on Tuesday. The National Conference leader alleged Jagan Mohan Reddy made the offer soon after the death of his father (former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy). "Jagan once came to my house when AP was united. I want to remind him that he told me he was ready to give Rs 1,500 crore if Congress made him the Chief Minister," Abdullah had claimed. ALSO READ: Jagan Mohan Reddy offered Rs 1500 crore to Congress if it made him AP CM: Farooq Abdullah Reacting to this, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that Abdullah levelled the charge as per the direction of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "What is Abdullah's connection with AP? He doesn't even belong to our neighbouring state. What does he know about AP issues? Naidu brought Abdullah to Kadapa in a bid to garner Muslim votes. We are sending him a defamation notice for making baseless allegations against our leader Jagan," the YSRC general secretary said. Addressing an election meeting in Visakhapatnam district, Jagan Mohan Reddy said a leader was "imported" from Delhi to speak a few lines written for him by the "TDP school of manipulation and management." "That leader utters those words and flies off," the YSR Congress chief said, without taking names. By UNI LUCKNOW: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan on Wednesday said had he been the Prime Minister of the country, he would not have waited even for 40 seconds to launch a retaliatory attack on Pakistan after the Pulwama terror strike in Kashmir, where 44 Jawans of CRPF were killed. In obvious criticism of the Prime Minister, the SP leader said here on Wednesday, ''450 terrorists were killed in a retaliatory strike by the Indian air force at Balakot deep inside the Pakistan territory. I want to know from the Pakistan government as to why their Namaze Janazaa was not performed so as to ensure the salvation of the departed souls. ''What kind of Islamic state is Pakistan why it is maintaining silence over the Namaze Janazaa of the 450 terrorists killed in IAF strike at Balakot?,'' he asked. Slamming the BJP for fielding his arch-rival and former cine star Jayaprada as party candidate from Rampur, Mr Khan said ''BJP is struggling to find candidates so they have imported the candidate for the Rampur Lok Sabha seat." Mr Khan is native of Rampur and SP candidate from Rampur Lok Sabha seat. Jaya Prada was elected to the Lok Sabha as SP candidate in 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha election. In 2009, Jayaprada won the election, despite the vehement opposition by Mr Khan. He was also expelled from the party in May 2009 for opposing the official party candidate. Jaya Prada, who joined the BJP on Tuesday, will take on her bitter rival and SP candidate Azam Khan in Rampur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Azam Khan is the same senior SP leader who had once called her a "naachne waali". The bitter rivalry between Azam Khan and Jaya Prada began in 2009 with the former opposing her candidature in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. ALSO READ: Actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada joins BJP, likely to contest from Rampur LS seat Azam Khan is the leader who brought Jaya Prada, then a superstar, to Rampur and helped her win Rampur Lok Sabha seat from a Samajwadi Party ticket. The relationship between the two turned sour, with Azam becoming a vocal critic of the actor-turned-politician when she came out in support of former General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Amar Singh. By 2009, the relationship became so bitter that Azam Khan Supporters openly campaigned against Jaya Prada. Since then, the two have openly criticised each other. At one point, Jaya Prada compared Azam Khan to Alauddin Khilji from the movie Padmaavat. The latter called her a "naachne waali" in return. "When I was watching Padmaavat, Khilji's character reminded me of Azam Khan how he had harassed me during elections when I was contesting," Jaya Prada had said. During the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Jaya Prada had accused Azam Khan of circulating her morphed pictures in Rampur. The images reportedly showed Jaya Prada's face on a nude body and were circulated on social media. The CDs were also distributed across Rampur. Jaya Prada also said that she wanted to commit suicide at that time. Azam Khan, however, denied the charges. In February 2019, Jaya Prada alleged that Azam Khan had attempted an acid attack on her. She claimed that she received multiple threats from the SP leader. After years of abuses and accusations, the two have been put up against each other in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As far as electoral battles go, this would not be an easy one for Azam Khan. Jaya Prada has been a two-time MP from Rampur and this is Azam Khan's debut in Lok Sabha polls. Ashwani Mahajan By The Donald Trump administration has been unhappy with the Indian government over certain economic issues for some time now. But the announcement by the US that it intends to withdraw GSP (General System of Preferences) trade benefits to India has actually surprised us. The US gives preferential treatment to India and some other countries through this provision and sets zero tariffs for some goods from these nations. It is being said that the US move can affect Indian exports worth $5 billion. Indias official stand is that this will not cause any major impact on exports (say, affect merely $190 million in exports). However, the option is open for India to impose retaliatory tariffs on the US, which it has been postponing for several months. All said and done, this action by the US will not help relations between the two great nations. There are many reasons for Americas displeasure, but they are all linked to the economic interests of US companies. The immediate reason is that India has curbed the discounts given by US e-commerce firms Amazon and Walmart (which recently acquired Flipkart). They had been burning huge amounts of money and giving heavy discounts, putting small traders out of business. Before this, the US was also upset with India for not acceding to its demand of tweaking its patent laws to favour American pharma companies. The US actually wanted tweaking of Article 3(d) of the Indian Patent Act, to allow ever-greening of patents, not permissible now under Indian laws. India rejected this demand to protect public health. It was clarified by the then Minister of Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman that Indias patent law is in accordance with international agreements and there is no scope for change in the same. Some time ago when the Indian government decided to cap the prices of coronary stents and knee implants, US companies were annoyed. These firms have been trying for a long time to remove the caps, so they can continue to charge arbitrary prices, but the Indian government was not prepared to oblige them. India has also been taking steps to curb exploitation of farmers by Monsanto, an US agricultural company. Price control has now been applied to Monsantos BT cotton seeds to help farmers. The US administration is also demanding that India should remove the condition that only the milk of vegetarian cows be imported from US. It is notable that in the US, cows are fed with blood and meat, and import of milk from such cows is prohibited in India. The US is trying to arm-twist the Indian government and get concessions for its corporations. But this would not be in the best interests of the Indian peopleour farmers, traders and others. Therefore, if the Indian government bends, it would not send a good signal to our people and the world. The US also understands that it will not get anything suddenly by exerting pressure on our government. But perhaps America believes that after the elections, the government may concede to US pressure. Some say that after the terrorist attack in Pulwama, India desperately needs international cooperation in its endeavour to teach a lesson to Pakistan. India has in fact got this support from the international community in the last few weeks. The US, France, Russia and Britain played a major role in denouncing this terrorist attack in the UN Security Council, due to which even China could not act against it. Some believe that for diplomatic reasons, India should not annoy the US, but it is equally true that accepting the inappropriate demands of any country, no matter how powerful it might be, is not advisable for any sovereign nation. Americas allegation that India imposes higher duties on US products and so hurts its exports is actually not true. In fact import duties imposed by India are as per the WTO agreements. Rather, India imposes much lower duties on imports coming from the US than what is permissible under WTO, and our applied rates of import duties are actually one-fourth of the bound rates. So we can say that even if we raise tariffs by four times, it would not be in violation of WTO agreements. If the US pressurises India to reduce tariffs, it goes against the letter and spirit of WTO agreements. If the US ask us to change our patent laws to suit the requirements of their companies to allow them to earn unreasonable profits, that too is against WTO agreements. In fact, experts say our patent law is exemplary and that it not only complies with WTO, but also helps protect our public health. So far as Indias curbing of discounts by foreign investment recipient e-commerce companies is concerned, our aim is to guard the interests of crores of our small traders and MSME entrepreneurs, whereas America wants us to help Amazon and Walmart. So Americas demands are unreasonable and it wants to bully India. Today when the US has already decided to withdraw GSP benefits to India, its an opportunity for us to take appropriate aggressive measures in national interest to protect public health, employment and agriculture. We should not forget that the US imposed economic sanctions against India after the Pokhran nuclear tests. At that time India didnt even ask the US to revoke economic sanctions. Rather, it withdrew the same under the influence of their companies. Today our economy is much stronger than what it was in 1999. So we need not worry about American action. Ashwani Mahajan Associate Professor, PGDAV College, University of Delhi Email: ashwanimahajan@rediffmail.com For Jet Airways and its promotersNaresh Goyal and familythe wheel has turned full circle. After weeks of jostling, a consortium of banks led by SBI has forced Naresh Goyal to step down, and they have converted some of the debt into 51 per cent equity to take control. After running the first successful private, full-service airline in India for 25 years, it is virtually curtains for Naresh Goyal, whose shareholding will come down to around 25 per cent. For the beleaguered airline, the boardroom coup comes not a day too soon. The `1,500-crore lifeline the creditor banks now throw will help pay salaries and keep the planes flying. For some time. Banks are in the business of lending and are not supposed to run airlines. It was a desperate measure, and the SBI consortium sees it as a short-term deviation. The stated aim is to sell it off as a going concern to recover some of the piled-up debt, now close to Rs 8,000 crore. Jet Airways downward spin after the disintegration of Kingfisher Airlines holds many lessons. How did the Goyal family squander an opportunity after having a virtual monopoly of the airways for over a decade? Given the high cost of aviation fuel and cut-throat competition, is there hope for private airlines in India? The more immediate question is: Will the banks be able to sell off the airline within the two-month window they sought? Or, will Jet be another albatross around the neck of the NPA-ridden state-owned banks? If the banks are not to bleed to death, they will have to ensure a hard-nosed sale schedule, cut red tape and be flexible enough to ensure a deal happens. To protect the interests of the investors and the future of the airline, amalgamation with an existing player is the best optionit will make a turnaround possible and reduce competition in an overcrowded space. If theres going to be waffling, as we saw in the Air India privatisation, we might as well write Jets obituary right now. Kalyan Tholeti By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Less than 24 hours after complying with the Election Commissions directive to transfer State intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao, the Chandrababu Naidu government on Wednesday afternoon took a dramatic U-turn and cancelled the same claiming that he was not connected with poll duties since his primary responsibility was ensuring security to the Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior politicians. The Commission had on Tuesday directed the government to transfer Rao and two superintendents of police -- Rahul Dev Sharma and Venkata Ratnam -- of Kadapa and Srikakulam districts respectively following complaints from the YSR Congress that the trio had been acting in a biased manner. Accordingly, the State government issued a GO Tuesday night transferring them to the police headquarters and relieving them of all poll-related duties. However, it appears that a decision was taken to stall the transfer of Venkateswara Rao alone on Wednesday morning with a shocked Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu leading the charge against the Election Commission. A lunch motion petition was moved in the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking quashing of the EC orders even as Naidu shot off a strongly-worded letter to the Chief Election Commissioner protesting the transfers of the three officers and accusing the Commission of behaving in an undemocratic manner contrary to the principles of natural justice. The ECIs conduct has become questionable due to this coloured decision which is deliberately aimed at benefiting the YSRC under the influence of Sri Narendra Modi (PM) aided by Sri K Chandrasekhar Rao (Telangana CM), he alleged in the missive. The HC, which heard the plea filed by the State government, directed it to submit all relevant orders pertaining to its argument that he hasnt been entrusted with any poll-related duties. It also instructed the Election Commission to submit details of the transfer orders and deferred hearing to Thursday. The YSRC sought to implead itself in the matter which was strongly objected to by the government counsel. However, the court said it will hear the YSRC arguments too. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The man in the eye of the storm AB Venkateswara Rao has for long been a controversial figure in the police department. He was promoted to the rank of DG just one day before the model code of conduct came into force. Seen as close to the ruling TDP, he has raised the hackles of the YSRC more recently for his alleged role in wiretapping its leaders -- the issue is currently being heard by the High Court. A highly-placed source in the police department told TNIE on condition of anonymity that as intelligence chief ABV, as he is known, was among the CMs top strategists. The big question is why is the government so desperate to save him? Defying ECI is unprecedented. At the time of elections, the entire government machinery is at the disposal of the ECI. All that the ECI has done is to transfer him. It is not a punitive action either, the source reasoned and pointed out that at this time, the government machinery, being under the ambit of the poll body, cannot issue a GO nullifying the orders of the ECI. They are tampering with rules. It sends a wrong signal that the government machinery is biased. It appears that the CM is being misled, the source said. TNIE tried to reach ABV but he was not available for comments. A screenshot of the Airbus website China Aviation Supplies Holding Company and Airbus have signed a record deal worth 35 billion U.S. dollars in Paris on Monday for the purchase of 290 narrow-body A320 and 10 wide-body A350 XWB aircraft. President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of the deal with French President Emmanuel Macron at a ceremony in France during this week's state visit by the Chinese leader. China Aviation Supplies announced news of the deal on its website, saying that air transportation had grown rapidly in China in recent years. "In order to meet the developing needs of our enterprises and address demand in the air transportation market, we decided to purchase a batch of Airbus aircraft to expand our carrying capacity." President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of the deal with French President Emmanuel Macron at a ceremony in France during this week's state visit by the Chinese leader. China Aviation Supplies announced news of the deal on its website, saying that air transportation had grown rapidly in China in recent years. "In order to meet the developing needs of our enterprises and address demand in the air transportation market, we decided to purchase a batch of Airbus aircraft to expand our carrying capacity." As of the start of this year, 1,730 Airbus aircraft were in service with airlines in China, including 1,455 of the A320 and 17 of the A350 XWB. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday appealed to the people to ensure victory of BJP at the Centre and in State to take Odisha on a higher growth trajectory. Lambasting the BJD Government for keeping the State backward even after 19 years of its rule, Chouhan said the ruling party, which is drumming up its achievements, has failed to fulfil the basic needs of people. It is a matter of concern that a large number of poor people are still deprived of safe drinking water, electricity and pucca houses. The situation in the State has remained same as it was during the Congress rule 19 years back. There is hardly any change in the economic condition, Chouhan told reporters here. The BJP stalwart from Madhya Pradesh, who addressed a Vijay Sankalp rally (election meeting) at Nimapara for party candidates of Jagatsinghpur Parliamentary constituency, said while the State is at the bottom of many development parameters, it tops the list in under-nourishment, child mortality, farmers suicide and atrocities on women. A double engine growth is required for the State and this could be possible only if BJP is elected to power in Odisha and at the Centre, he said. Chouhan also criticised the State Government for denying benefits of Ayushman Bharat, the health care programme of the Centre, to the people of Odisha. The State Government is doing a great injustice to the poor and needy people of the State by not implementing the health care scheme, he said. Responding to queries on Rahul Gandhis poll promise of minimum income guarantee, the former CM said the Congress has a history of cheating people. The grand old party failed to remove poverty during its 55 years of rule and it can do nothing, he added. By PTI CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government Wednesday issued a government order, announcing a public holiday on April 18, the day the Lok Sabha polls will be held in the state. According to the GO, the Election Commission has notified that the poll day for General Elections to Lok Sabha and Bye-Elections to 18 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu be declared as "public holiday" under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. "The Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby declares April 18, the date on which the polls for the General Elections and bye-elections to 18 assembly constituencies will take place in Tamil Nadu, to be a public holiday", the order issued by chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan said. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Elections to 39 Parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 18 in a single phase polling. Tamil Nadu votes in the second phase of the seven-phase elections to a total of 543 Lok Sabha seats. The AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), its rival DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam and TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) are the main contenders in the polls, making it a four-cornered contest. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: TRS Parliamentary Party leader and sitting MP from Mahabubnagar AP Jithender Reddy is all set to join the BJP. He will be inducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting in Mahbubnagar on March 29. TRS had refused to renominate Reddy for the constituency as he was reported to have not participated in party programmes actively. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE According to sources, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav contacted Reddy and invited him into the party. Reddy is in touch with national leaders, a BJP state leader told Express. If Reddy joins BJP, it will help BJP candidate from the constituency, DK Aruna. According to sources, the BJP national leadership has reportedly assured Reddy that his political future will be in good hands. Reddy has spent 25 years abroad, before he returned to AP and joined NTR-TDP. Later, he joined BJP and won as an MP from Mahbubnagar in 1999. By PTI DHAKA: A couple in Bangladesh was in for a surprise when the wife delivered twins, 26 days after giving birth to a boy, something considered as very rare in medical history, media reported on Tuesday. Arifa Sultana Iti was rushed to Ad-din hospital in the southwestern city of Jessore on March 22 to hospital after she fell ill and delivered a girl and a boy through caesarean section. Iti had on February 25 gave premature birth to a baby boy, bdnews24.com website reported. Sheila Poddar, the chief of the hospital's gynaecology department who attended the woman, said she discovered in an ultrasonography test that Iti has two uteruses. "The first baby was born from one womb. The two babies born here are from the other womb," she said. Poddar said that the mother and the babies are doing well. READ HERE | Two daughters, four sons: US woman delivers six babies in nine minutes "It's a rare incident. I have seen such a case for the first time. I had not even heard about such an incident before," she was quoted as saying by the website. The woman, who hails from Shyamlagachhi village in Sharsha in Jessore, gave birth to the first baby at Khulna Medical College Hospital. By AFP LONDON: Faced with losing all control over the Brexit process, British Prime Minister Theresa May has made one final, desperate move: hinting she will step down if MPs approve her Brexit deal. The Conservative leader has faced growing calls to resign over the political crisis that has gripped Britain for months, and which forced her to ask the EU last week to delay Brexit by a fortnight. With many MPs now pressing for a longer extension or even to reverse the whole process, May has made one last attempt to secure support for the divorce deal she has struck with Brussels. She told MPs in her party on Wednesday evening that she would not "stand in the way" of new leadership for the "second phase of Brexit negotiations" -- without spelling out when exactly this would be. 'Time to move on' May has in the past won praise for her determination and ability to survive an extraordinary period of political turmoil since the Brexit vote. But her approach to the endgame -- refusing to accept that MPs did not like her deal and delaying Brexit to keep trying to push it through -- has prompted frustration and anger on all sides. She has all but lost control of her government, with ministers from both the pro- and anti-Brexit camps joining scores of Conservative MPs in defying the government in parliamentary votes. This weekend, after another humiliating Brussels summit, British newspapers were full of reports of moves by her colleagues to oust her. The Conservative-supporting Spectator magazine suggested May was the "worst prime minister in our history", condemning her "lack of imagination, inability to lead a team or solve complex problems". Her former director of communications, Katie Perrior, wrote in The Times newspaper that May was "a passenger at the time when the country needed a rally driver". Top selling tabloid The Sun praised May's "remarkable resilience in the face of repeated humiliations", but said it was "time to move on". 'Maybot' Despite having campaigned to stay in the EU, May embraced the cause once she took office with the mantra "Brexit means Brexit". Her promise to leave the EU's institutions and end free movement of workers delighted eurosceptic MPs, but caused dismay among many pro-Europeans. The splits in her Conservative party became a serious problem after a disastrous snap election in June 2017, when May lost her parliamentary majority. She was forced to strike a deal with Northern Ireland's pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and since then has struggled to keep her party and its allies together. Naturally reserved and reliant on her husband Philip and a few close aides, May says she is just quietly "getting on with the job". But in the last election, she struggled to engage with voters and was dubbed the "Maybot" after churning out the same answers and speeches over and over again. May's legacy from her previous role as interior minister has also been called into question in recent months, with growing criticism of her crackdown on irregular migration. No unity candidate The question now is whether May's gamble succeeds -- and who might succeed her. May has faced repeated challenges since taking office, with figures such as former foreign minister Boris Johnson constantly challenging her authority. But she won a leadership challenge within her own party in December, even if she had to promise to quit before the next scheduled election in 2022. May's critics are hampered by their own divisions, and have so far failed to unite behind a rival candidate. By PTI BEIJING: China on Wednesday sacked former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei from all his official positions and expelled him from the ruling Communist Party, accusing him of corruption, serious disciplinary violations and encouraging his wife who is settled abroad to campaign against his detention. Meng, 65, who was once a rising political star among officialdom of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held the powerful post of vice-minister of public security before being appointed as China's first official to head the Interpol -- a global organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation. He was expelled from the CPC and removed from office for serious disciplinary violations and suspected graft crimes, the Party's disciplinary watchdog and national supervisory commission announced, state-run China Daily reported. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said the Central Committee of CPC had also approved an investigation into Meng, who was a member of the committee and vice-minister for public security. The CCDI accused Meng of abusing his position and power for personal gain, squandering state funds to finance his family's extravagant lifestyle and disregarding the principles of being a party member. In a rare acquisition, the statement also accused Meng of encouraging his wife to use his status to further her own interests, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. READ HERE | Former Interpol-chief's wife not sure if husband is alive; fears her own safety Any assets acquired as a result of Meng's alleged illegal activities would be handed over to procuratorial office in accordance with the law, the anti-corruption watchdog said. Meng vanished in late September after leaving his home in the French city of Lyon for China. He sent his wife Grace Meng a message on social media, telling her to "wait for my call", along with a knife emoji suggesting he was in some kind of danger. Grace Meng reported her husband missing to the French authorities on October 4 and was later put under police protection after receiving threatening messages over telephone and online. Earlier this year, she applied for asylum in France. On October 6, Interpol issued a request to the Chinese government for information on Meng's whereabouts and the CCDI replied the following day, saying he had been detained in connection with an investigation into alleged corruption. Confirming his detention, the Chinese Ministry of public security on October 8, 2018 said that he is being probed for bribery and other crimes but did not elaborate. The statement came after a meeting held by Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi expressed "unanimous support" for the probe against Meng and pledged "absolute political loyalty" to President Xi Jinping and the party leadership. Xi, who is regarded as the most powerful leader of China after Mao Zedong, heads the ruling CPC, the military and the presidency. He has been designated as the core leader and a constitutional amendment has removed two-term limit for the president, paving the way for him to be the leader for life. The statement indicated that Meng is being probed for links with disgraced senior official Zhou Yongkang. Zhou, 75, was the highest ranking CPC official having served as the security chief in the previously Hu Jintao regime who was punished in the massive anti-corruption campaign by Xi in which over a million officials were punished since he came to power in 2012. Zhou is currently serving life sentence after admitting allegations against him. By IANS ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he fears "another security incident" with India ahead of general elections in that country. "I'm still apprehensive before the (Indian) elections, I feel that something could happen," The News International quoted Khan as telling the Financial Times. "When Pulwama happened, I felt that Modi's government used that to build this war hysteria," he added, referring to the February 14 suicide bombing at Pulwama in Kashmir which killed 40 CRPF troopers. "The Indian public should realise that this is all for winning the election, it's nothing to do with the real issues of the sub-continent." Khan said that tensions were still high even after the Pulwama attack, claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group. READ HERE | If Imran Khan is a statesman, he should hand over Masood Azhar to India, says Sushma India then bombed the JeM's biggest training camp in Pakistan, which retaliated the next day with bombing sorties. An Indian pilot was captured by Pakistan but released. By AFP NETHERLANDS: A Dutch art detective dubbed the "Indiana Jones of the Art World" has struck again, finding a Picasso painting worth 25 million euros stolen from a Saudi sheikh's yacht on the French Riviera in 1999. Arthur Brand said he had handed back the 1938 masterpiece entitled "Portrait of Dora Maar", also known as "Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)" to an insurance company earlier this month. The discovery of the rare portrait of Maar, one of Pablo Picasso's most influential mistresses, is the culmination of a four-year investigation into the burglary on the luxury yacht Coral Island, as she lay anchored in Antibes. Two decades after its theft and with no clues to its whereabouts, the French police were stumped -- and the portrait, which once hung in the Spanish master's home until his death in 1973, was feared lost forever. But after a four-year trail which led through the Dutch criminal underworld, two intermediaries turned up on Brand's Amsterdam doorstep 10 days ago with the missing picture. "They had the Picasso, now valued at 25 million euros wrapped in a sheet and black rubbish bags with them," Brand told AFP. It was yet another success for Brand, who hit the headlines last year for returning a stolen 1,600-year-old mosaic to Cyprus. He won world fame in 2015 after finding "Hitler's Horses", two bronze statues made by Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak -- a discovery about which he had a book out earlier this month. Dutch art detective Arthur Brand posing with stolen Picasso painting Buste de Femme (Dora Maar) on 14 March, 2019 at his Amsterdam home. (Photo | AFP) Drugs and arms deals The theft of the Picasso, valued at around seven million dollars at the time, baffled French police, sent the super-rich scurrying to update boat security and prompted the offer of a big reward. In 2015, Brand first got wind that a "Picasso stolen from a ship" was doing the rounds in the Netherlands, although "at that stage I didn't know which one exactly." It turned out that the painting had entered the criminal circuit, where it circled for many years "often being used as collateral, popping up in a drug deal here, four years later in an arms deal there," said. It took several years and a few dead ends before pinning down that it was actually the Picasso stolen from Saudi Arabian billionaire Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh's yacht as the mega-cruiser was being refurbished, Brand said. Brand put out word on the street that he was looking for "Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)" and in early March he struck gold. "Two representatives of a Dutch businessman contacted me, saying their client had the painting. He was at his wits' end," said Brand. "He thought the Picasso was part of a legitimate deal. It turns out the deal was legitimate -- the method of payment was not," Brand laughed. Brand called the Dutch and French police -- who had since closed the case -- and who said they would not prosecute the current owner. "Since the original theft, the painting must have changed hands at least 10 times," said Brand. Brand said he had to act quickly, otherwise the painting may have disappeared back into the underworld. "I told the intermediaries, it's now or never, because the painting is probably in a very bad state... We have to act as soon as we can." 'Hung it on my wall' Then, just over a week ago, Brand's doorbell rang at his modest apartment in Amsterdam, and the intermediaries were there with the painting. After unwrapping it, "I hung the Picasso on my wall for a night, thereby making my apartment one of the most expensive in Amsterdam for a day," Brand laughed. The following day, a Picasso expert from New York's Pace Gallery flew in to verify its authenticity at a high-security warehouse in Amsterdam. Also present was retired British detective Dick Ellis, founder of Scotland Yard's art and antiquities squad, representing an unnamed insurance company. "There is no doubt that this is the stolen Picasso," Ellis, who now runs a London-based art risk consultancy business, told AFP. Ellis is famous for recovering many stolen artworks including Edvard Munch's "The Scream", lifted from the National Gallery of Norway in 1994. "It's not only the public interest to recover stolen works of art," he said. "You are also reducing the amount of collateral that is circling the black market and funds criminality." "Buste de Femme" is back in possession of the insurance company, which now had to decide the next steps, Brand and Ellis said. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday that it was against the militarisation of outer space, hours after India's announcement of shooting down a live satellite with a missile - a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. China, on the other hand, expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space. It said: "We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space". China conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a defunct weather satellite. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite. He also that the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena," Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement. He said Pakistan was a "strong proponent of the United Nations resolution on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space". READ HERE | Decoding Mission Shakti: A peek into the technology that made India a space power "Boasting of such capabilities (to destroy satellite) is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," he said, referring to India's test. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," Faisal said, without naming any country. Mission Shakti, which was led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, was aimed at strengthening India's overall security, Modi said in his address that comes a fortnight before the start of the general election. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. ALSO READ | India shot down live satellite under Mission Shakti, enters elite club of space powers: PM Modi "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. We are against the weaponisation of Outer Space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space-based assets," the MEA said. By PTI ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man has claimed that a Hindu woman, who authorities said was a minor and abducted by four armed men, has converted to Islam and married him in Sindh province, amidst uproar over a similar case involving two teenage girls from the minority community. His claim came a day after the provincial Minorities Affairs Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal directed authorities to register an FIR of the abduction and provide protection to the girl's family. The FIR was registered on Tuesday after the girl's father complained that his 14-year-old daughter was abducted from their house by four armed men, three of whom were unidentified, on March 17 from her residence in Badin district. However, the man came forward with the claim that she is now his wife after converting to Islam, Dawn reported. He sent documents to journalists, claiming that he has married the girl after she converted to Islam at the hands of Pir Jan Agha Khan Sarhandi on March 17 at his seminary in Samaro town, the report said. The man, who hails from Umerkot district, also rejected her father's claim that she was a minor, saying that the girl was 19 years old, it said. The incident came amidst nationwide outrage over abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two underage Hindi girls in Ghotki district in Sindh. ALSO READ | Seven detained in Pakistan over forced conversion, marriages of teenage Hindu girls Raveena, 13, and Reena, 15, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage. Forced conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan : The age of the girls is not disputed. Raveena is only 13 and Reena is 15 years old. /1 Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 26, 2019 The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday ordered official protection for the two girls due to concern about their safety as authorities widened a probe to ascertain if the teenage sisters were abducted, forcibly converted and married. Police arrested the cleric who solemnised the wedding and six others for their alleged involvement in the girls' forceful conversion to Islam. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. Even the Prime Minister on Naya Pakistan will not believe that girls of this tender age can voluntarily decide about their conversion to another religion and marriage. /2 Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 26, 2019 According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province. According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province. Commenting on the case, rights activist Mukesh Meghwar alleged that Hindu girls were being kidnapped and forced to convert under a "deep-seated" conspiracy. La Jielian talks with a patient in his clinic. (Photo provided by La Jielian) A doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from northwestern Chinas Gansu province is contributing his skills to help cement China-Pakistan friendship. Running a Chinese medical center in Islamabad, Pakistan, Chinese doctor La Jielian has been offering medical services to locals for the past 28 years. So far, Las medical center has received a total of 200,000 patients, including Pakistanis and Chinese, as well as people from other countries. To offer high-quality services and treat more people, La works 10 hours every day, even at weekends. He has become a famous doctor in the local community, and now enjoys a high reputation. TCM has a market in Islamabad, La said. Practicing TCM for over two decades in Pakistan, La has elevated the ordinary doctor-patient relationship to profound friendship. Though he has decided to open a larger clinic elsewhere in Islamabad, La still keeps the original one in case his patients fail to find the new one. Over recent years, La has frequently visited remote places in Pakistan to offer medical services, most of which were project sites of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major component of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Since the construction of the CPEC, many Chinese enterprises have entered Pakistan. However, infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue are a threat to Chinese construction workers in remote areas, and the language barrier also poses a difficulty when it comes to receiving medical treatment. Upon learning this, La began to offer medical services to these people, and call-outs to remote areas are now commonplace. We are serving the BRI construction, La said proudly. During his years in Pakistan, La has witnessed changes in employment, education, livelihood and other fields brought by China-Pakistan cooperation. I was concerned about our safety in Pakistan a few years ago, and even considered moving my family to another country. However, I found it too difficult to leave my patients and friends here, La concluded. By Bloomberg A Southwest Airlines Co. 737 Max aircraft being flown to storage after a U.S. grounding order was forced to return to a Florida airport Tuesday because of an engine problem, the carrier said. The fault on the Boeing Co. jetliner had absolutely no relation to the flight-control issue that prompted U.S. regulators to ground all 737 Max aircraft on March 13, said Brandy King, a spokeswoman for Southwest. The engine performance issue occurred shortly after the plane left Orlando International Airport at about 2:50 p.m., she said. The crew of Southwest Flight 8701 declared an emergency shortly after takeoff and landed safely in Orlando, said the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident. The Max aircraft was being flown to a storage area in Victorville, California, and only the pilots were on board, Southwest said. The plane was taken to a maintenance hangar after landing. ALSO READ | Boeing holds test flights for 737 MAX fix: Sources The FAA grounding allows for airlines to fly 737 Max aircraft that dont have passengers, and Southwest is gradually shifting its 34 Max jets to Victorville. Boeing and FAA test pilots are also allowed to make flights to demonstrate the software fixes being developed for the planes. Deadly Crashes Aviation officials in several countries jumped ahead of the FAA in grounding the Max after an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max slammed into the ground on March 10. That was less than five months after a Lion Air jet plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29. The aircrafts Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, caused the Lion Air jet to dive repeatedly until pilots lost control. The Ethiopian Airlines plane followed a similar flight path. The two crashes killed a combined 346 people. A U.S. Senate panel is scheduled to hold a hearing Wednesday on the two disasters and federal oversight of air safety. Boeing fell less than 1 per cent to $368.50 after the close of regular trading. The shares dropped as much as 3.1 per cent following initial reports of the Southwest planes emergency landing before the carrier identified the cause. By PTI LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday hailed the contribution of the nearly 60,000 Indian doctors employed by the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) during a discussion with the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam. The 92-year-old monarch received Ghanashyam at Buckingham Palace for the presentation of letters of credence ceremony, which marks the formal launch of a new envoy's tenure in the UK. "We had a very good exchange about India-UK relations. Her Majesty received me very warmly. What will really stay with me is the memory of how easy she makes it for everybody around her," said Ghanashyam, in reference to her visit to the Palace in a customary horse-drawn carriage, accompanied by her husband A R Ghanashyam. "We spoke of a number of things that bind us together, most of all, of course, the vibrant Indian diaspora. I mentioned to Her Majesty about a healthcare event that was held in Birmingham last week where I learnt of the almost 60,000 Indian doctors in the UK's NHS and she fondly said, she couldn't think of what the NHS would do without them," she said. Indian doctors are often referred to as the backbone of the UK's health service, with doctors from outside the European Union (EU) being removed from a visa category last year to allow the UK to bring in more doctors from countries like India to address staff shortages. The India-UK healthcare event in Birmingham last week also addressed the issue of greater workforce collaboration between the two countries. Ghanashyam arrived in Britain late last year and this week marked the first big milestone for her new posting. "India's relationship with the UK is very long-standing and comes with some historical complexity. But the contemporary relationship is a very modern one, littered with shared interests, said Vice-Marshal Neil Holland, who accompanied the Indian High Commissioner on her ride to the palace as the UK's Director of Protocol. Reporter Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee). Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Submit One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the China-Europe railway now brings new opportunities for Lyon, Frances second largest city, and promotes the development of China-France commercial exchanges. Dubbed the caravans of steel camels, the China-Europe Railway Express offers an ideal freight solution for the two important global trade markets, as the cost of railway transportation is much lower than air transportation. Merchandise traveling from central Chinas Wuhan province to Lyon in France, for example, will only have to spend 18 days on the freight. Compared to the 30-day-plus transportation via shipping, the time is greatly shortened, said Marcel Stein, chief of German firm DBO Bahnoperator, which runs transit freight trains from the German city of Duisburg to the French city of Lyon. After its launch in 2011, the freight trains now link 50 cities in 15 European countries, with the cumulative number of shipments exceeding 14,000 in total, according to Xinhua News Agency. In France, the first express line linking Chinas city of Wuhan and Lyon was put into service in 2016. One year after, a new route from Wuhan to Frances Dourges was launched to further enhance trade contacts. Currently, Wuhan has two freight trains heading to Lyon weekly, where cargoes are distributed and delivered to Paris, Bordeaux, and Dourges, according to Wang Lijun, the CEO of Wuhan Asia-Europe Logistics (WAE), which operates the Wuhan-Lyon route. Last year, the China-France trade volume exceeded $60 billion, hitting a new record, which shows the great potential of commercial exchanges between the two countries. Driven by the benefits, more and more French firms, including Peugeot, Citroen, and Decathlon, as well as some small and medium-sized enterprises, have expressed their interest. Meanwhile, Wuhan-Lyon cargoes now carry diverse products, varying from aeronautic parts and medical products to authentic wine. Thanks to continuous equipment and technology upgrades, China-Europe will be able to meet the demand of higher professional industries. This means things like agricultural products and livestock products from different regions will achieve greater and larger transportation through the China-Europe Railway Express. SUSPECTED fresh xenophobic attacks in South Africa have resurfaced in some parts of Limpopo province and Durban in KwaZulu Natal, leaving three people dead and several houses burnt to ashes. The Durban attacks come barely a day after the South African government launched a national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and ethnic intolerance in the neighbouring country. The attacks allegedly targeted at foreign shop owners began on Sunday night at Kenville residential area in northern Durban. Residents woke up to screams and chants as a mob of people walked through the area overturning refuse bins, cutting down tree branches, burning tyres, looting shops and stoning cars and homes. In a telephone interview with The Chronicle yesterday, South African police spokesperson for KwaZulu Natal province, Colonel Thulani Zwane, confirmed the latest development, saying two protesters were shot dead after one of the affected foreign shop owners opened fire during the skirmishes. On Sunday shortly after 11PM, a group of more than 100 people in Kenville area outside of Durban went on a rampage between Sea Cow Lake and Inanda roads during which they blocked traffic using rubble from burnt tyres. They stoned and damaged passing vehicles, stormed tuck shops and looted them prompting one of the shop owners, a foreign national, to open fire, instantly killing a 22-year-old man. Two others were wounded and one of them later died in hospital, said Col Zwane. He said one of the female protesters died after falling off a roof of a shop, which was being looted. Col Zwane said two suspects aged 22 and 28 years have been arrested for public violence and appeared at the Durban magistrates court yesterday. We have opened a case of public violence, two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder as well as an inquest into the death of the woman who fell from the rooftop of a shop at China Mall, said Col Zwane. He said although calm has returned to the affected areas, they have maintained police presence. The situation today (yesterday) is not as tense as it was between Sunday and Monday and our police officers are still patrolling the area and monitoring the situation, Col Zwane said. A video is also circulating on social media showing foreigners being attacked and one man is heard speaking in Zulu, saying foreigners are working and the locals are not working. On Monday, South Africa launched a national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and ethnic intolerance. It was launched by that countrys Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery at the St George Hotel in Irene during an event attended by civil society organisations and government officials. The document was approved by Cabinet last month and will be revised every five years. In Tshino village in Vuwani outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo province, police said 11 suspects were arrested last week for torching houses and a car belonging to a Zimbabwean traditional healer during violent protests targeted at foreigners. According to media reports in the neighbouring county, streets were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres by angry community members at Tshino. The angry community members left a trail of destruction, with property belonging to Zimbabweans burnt to ashes. The local community is accusing illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe of fuelling crime in the area. Limpopo police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe said they arrested 11 suspects in connection with the Tshino violent protests. We arrested 11 suspects on charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and arson and they have since appeared at the Vuwani Magistrates Court and were remanded to Friday. Our investigations are ongoing and we hope to make more arrests. We condemn any act of violence and we are saying those involved will face the full wrath of the law. Whoever has grievances should follow the right channels rather than resort to violence, he said. Col Ngoepe said eight houses belonging to foreigners were torched during the violent protests. He said although normalcy has returned, they were still monitoring the situation. In 2017, former South African President Jacob Zuma said it was wrong for South Africans to solely blame all criminal activities on foreigners and urged locals to exercise restraint, unite against crime and work with the authorities to bring perpetrators of crime to book. The latest attacks evoked ugly memories of the deadly xenophobic attacks of 2015 which displaced hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans and other African immigrants living in South Africa, following alleged inflammatory remarks by Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini, who had called for the expulsion of foreigners. Sovereignty of Zimbabwe resides in two institutions, the people as a sovereign authority and also the Constitution . . . the court ruled, the court is not a court of justice, its not just a court of the truth, its a court of law. The law took Mr Mnangagwa to be President, but it does not take away what the people voted for and that dispute has to be resolved, he said. (Newser) Measles cases are spiking in the US, and one area is taking a big stand: New York's Rockland County has declared a state of emergency over an outbreak that has seen 153 cases since October, and is banning unvaccinated minors from public places. Anyone under 18 who has not received the measles vaccine is barred from public spaces unless they possess a medical exemption, the Journal News reports. Outdoor gathering spots are not included in the ban, and signs explaining the ban will be posted in places where it does apply. Anyone found to be in violation could face up to six months in jail or a $500 fine, but officials are not deploying law enforcement to public places to seek proof of vaccination. The declaration expires in 30 days. story continues below Only about 73% of children in the county are fully vaccinated for measles, and herd immunity takes effect at 95%, health officials say. Nearly 84% of the cases since October have been in minors. "Parents will be held accountable if they are found to be in violation of the state of emergency and the focus of this effort is on the parents of these children," County Executive Ed Day says. "We are urging them, once again, now with the authority of law, to get your children vaccinated." The county will hold free vaccination clinics for residents. Experts say the ban on unvaccinated children in public places might be unprecedented, but they also note the difficulty in enforcing such a ban. Per ABC 7, public places are defined in the ban as places where more than 10 people are intended to congregate; recreation and shopping areas, as well as restaurants, schools, daycares, and places of worship, are included, as are public transportation vehicles. (Read more measles stories.) (Newser) The National Park Service improperly banned an Alaska moose hunter from using a hovercraft on a river through a national preserve, the US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a unanimous decision. The court limited the National Park Service's authority to enforce laws and regulations on state-owned rivers in Alaska, the AP reports. Justices rejected the agency's argument that the river was "public land" for regulatory authority and that the agency's water rights interest gave it rule-making authority. The outcome was a victory for moose hunter John Sturgeon of Anchorage, who had sued and lost in lower court rulings. "We reverse the decision below and wish Sturgeon good hunting," Justice Elena Kagan said in reading a summary of the decision. "Sturgeon can again rev up his hovercraft in search of moose." story continues below Sturgeon for 40 years hunted moose along the Nation River, a waterway within the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in northeast Alaska. In 2007, he was using a hovercraft, a loud, blower-powered amphibious vehicle that can navigate in shallow water or even mud. The agency had banned hovercraft in other states. Three Park Service rangers told Sturgeon it was illegal to operate his hovercraft and he headed home. Sturgeon sued in 2011. After lower courts rejected his arguments, the Supreme Court in 2016 said the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act had carved out numerous Alaska-specific exceptions to the Park Service's general authority over federally managed preserves, such as snowmobile and airplane travel between villages. Justices sent the case back for reconsideration but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded the agency had regulatory authority over a river in a preserve. The Supreme Court justices rejected that conclusion. (More on the case here, or read about a moose-culling plan that involves airdropping wolves.) (Newser) "Emotions were still a bit raw" as Sarah Silverman sat down for her first big interview since the cancellation of her Hulu show, I Love You, America, after 21 episodes. "It came as a surprise It is just so heartbreaking because I kind of feel cut off at the knees," the 48-year-old comedian said Tuesday on the Daily Beast's "Last Laugh" podcast. She seemed to have come to terms with the decision. "I know that they did love the show, but I think what it cost compared to its popularity or the eyes that they had on it didntyou know, the people that make the decisions there don't have any connection to the show," she stated. But her "diplomacy was short-lived," per Fox News. story continues below Silverman soon threw in a dig, noting Hulu billed her $1,500 for hair and makeup at the 2018 Emmys, where I Love You, America was nominated for outstanding variety sketch series. "Even Comedy Central, like 15 years ago, paid for that s--- when I was nominated," Silverman said, per Page Six. "Wouldn't it be worth them paying $1,500 to not have me on Matt Wilstein's podcast saying Hulu wouldn't pay $1,500 for an Emmy for their network?" She also noted Netflixa company she hadn't worked with in a yearsent her flowers and made a donation to a charity she supports around her 2018 Hollywood Walk of Fame induction, while Hulu didn't even send an email. "It's just such a bad look for you guys," she said. (Read more Sarah Silverman stories.) (Newser) Authorities in Chicago are confusedand angryabout state prosecutors' decision to drop all charges against Jussie Smollett, but the Empire star might still end up back in court. Sources tell ABC that Smollett, who was accused of staging an attack on himself in late January, is still being investigated by the FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service and could still face federal charges. The sources say federal investigators suspect Smollett sent a threatening letter to himself before the alleged attack, and the investigation has not been affected by Illinois prosecutors' decision to drop 16 charges of disorderly conduct. Smollett said the letter contained racist and homophobic abuse with a drawing of a figure hanging from a tree, Page Six reports. story continues below First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats rejected Smollett's claim Tuesday that he had been exonerated, WLS reports. "This was not an exoneration. To say that he was exonerated by us or anyone is not true," he said. "We believe he did what he was charged with doing." Smollett agreed to forfeit $10,000 bond, and Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Push Coalition civil rights group confirmed that the actor had completed 16 hours of community service. Former prosecutor Tom Needham tells the Chicago Tribune that the episode is likely to deepen distrust between police and the state attorney's office. He says deals like the one with Smollett are not unusual, but prosecutors usually inform police beforehandand require the offender to admit wrongdoing. (Read more Jussie Smollett stories.) Chinese citizens residing on the mainland will be able to apply for passports and travel permits at every exit and entry management department across the country as of Monday, the National Immigration Administration said on Tuesday. The travel permits refer to travel authorization to and from Hong Kong and Macao, as well as permits to visit Taiwan for individuals and tour groups, it said. The administration said that exit and entry management departments nationwide issued 97.21 million passports and travel permits for individuals and tour groups last year, an increase of 12.6 percent compared with 2017. "The new measures, aimed at offering convenience to the public, represent major administrative reforms," Yin Chengji, deputy director of the administration, said at a news conference. After the measures are in place, Chinese living on the mainland will be able to take the same documents and apply for passports and travel permits in their nearby exit and entry management departments rather than returning to the places that issued their hukou, or household registration, it said. Before this, they could only handle such paperwork in their hometowns using identification cards, application forms and hukou. A growing number of people have been living, studying and working in provinces and regions far from their hometowns, and there has been a strong demand for people to apply for passports or travel permits near their workplaces, said Min Haiyun, a senior administration official. This year, an estimated 21 million people will apply for passports and travel permits nationwide, the administration said. Those who apply for the documents away from their hometowns are expected to save more than 20 billion yuan ($2.97 billion) this year on travel expenses. Shi Lixiang, a manager at Beijing Maitian Real Estate Agency Co, said he could get new travel permits in Beijing rather than returning to his native Hunan province. "The new measure will bring us lots of convenience. There is no need to ask for leave, and I can remain fully devoted to my work and communicate with more clients, which will help companies save on operational costs and improve their competitiveness," Shi said. On Monday, the administration will launch an app and an e-government website to better meet the public's new expectations for handling travel documents, said Chen Yongli, a senior official at the administration's information and technology department. Through the new site, people can make appointments at nearby exit and entry management departments, see how the processing of their travel documents is progressing, and find addresses and contact numbers for all departments They can also access their entry and exit records over the past 10 years. "We protect the public's private data, and if online users want to check relevant information, they should register accounts with their real names, and after verification they must undergo facial recognition to gain access," Chen added. (Newser) A Spanish judge lifted a secrecy order Tuesday, revealing details of a bizarre alleged raid on North Korea's embassy in Madrid. According to judge Jose de la Mata, who has been leading the investigation of the Feb. 22 incident, Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen who lives in the US, led a group of 10 people who attacked the embassy armed with machetes and fake guns, the New York Times reports. After Hong Chang posed as a businessman and asked to speak to economics official Yun Sok So, the gang, including a US citizen, stormed the embassy and held the seven people inside hostage for several hours, the judge says. He says the group interrogated Yun and left him tied up in the basement after he refused to defect, the BBC reports. story continues below The investigation found that the wife of an embassy employee escaped by jumping out of a window, the AP reports. But after neighbors called police, officers who arrived at the embassy were greeted by Hong Chang, who assured them everything was fine. According to the judge, the group, who identified themselves as "members of a human rights movement seeking to liberate North Korea," stole computers and hard drives from the embassy. The judge says Hong Chang, who fled to the US the day after the raid, offered stolen "audiovisual materials" to the FBI. The dissident Cheollima Civil Defense group admitted involvement Tuesday, but said it was not an attack, reports Reuters. Officials say international arrest warrants have been issued for Hong Chang and one other suspect. (Read more North Korea stories.) (Newser) Conor McGregor is reportedly under investigation for sexual assaultbut a spokeswoman says legal problems had nothing to do with him announcing his retirement early Tuesday. Sources tell the New York Times that the UFC superstar was arrested in his native Ireland in January after a woman accused him of assaulting her at a Dublin hotel. The sources say the 30-year-old McGregor, who has not been charged with a crime, was questioned and released pending further investigation. Irish law prevents the media from naming sexual assault suspects before they are convicted, and police in the country would only confirm that an "unnamed sportsman" was arrested Jan. 17. story continues below Karen Kessler, a spokeswoman for McGregor's legal team, tells ESPN that the story has "been circulating for some time" and it's not clear why it's being reported now. "The assumption that the Conor retirement announcement today is related to this rumor is absolutely false," she says. "Should Conor fight in the future, it must be in an environment where fighters are respected for their value, their skill, their hard work, and their dedication to the sport." UFC President Dana White tells the AP that McGregor's retirement "totally makes sense," especially since his whiskey business is thriving. "He has the money to retire, and his whiskey is KILLIN it," White says. "If I was him, I would retire too. He's retiring from fighting. Not from working." (Read more Conor McGregor stories.) (Newser) Democrats feeling dejected after the Robert Mueller report failed to meet their expectations didn't have to wait long for a boost. On Monday, the Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to strike down ObamaCare, giving Democrats an opportunity to return to a key campaign issue. The administration, which had earlier sought to strike down only parts of the law, is now seeking to do away with the entire Affordable Care Act, including popular provisions like banning insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. More: Democrats "thrilled." BuzzFeed reports that Republicans were split on the move, while Democrats were "thrilled," and a little puzzled by the president's timing. "Its hard to figure out," said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy. "They literally are teeing this up as an issue for Democrats for the next year and a half. They're not even making a laughable attempt to save the most popular parts of the Affordable Care Act." story continues below GOP divisions . President Trump said Tuesday that the GOP will soon be known as "the party of health care," but the party is split between conservatives eager to abolish ObamaCare and moderate lawmakers who worry about how voters will react, the Wall Street Journal reports. "Youve got to have a framework for pre-existing conditions. You can't just wipe everything away and have nothing there," says Rep. Don Bacon, who represents a swing district in Nebraska. . President Trump said Tuesday that the GOP will soon be known as "the party of health care," but the party is split between conservatives eager to abolish ObamaCare and moderate lawmakers who worry about how voters will react, the Wall Street Journal reports. "Youve got to have a framework for pre-existing conditions. You can't just wipe everything away and have nothing there," says Rep. Don Bacon, who represents a swing district in Nebraska. Election preview . While the case is unlikely to be resolved in the near future, the Trump administration's move is likely to energize Democratic candidates gearing up for next year's election. "The move sets up the possibility that hundreds of thousands of Americans could lose their health insuranceperhaps around the time of the 2020 presidential electionwith the Trump administration part of the reason why," notes Anthony Zurcher at the BBC. . While the case is unlikely to be resolved in the near future, the Trump administration's move is likely to energize Democratic candidates gearing up for next year's election. "The move sets up the possibility that hundreds of thousands of Americans could lose their health insuranceperhaps around the time of the 2020 presidential electionwith the Trump administration part of the reason why," notes Anthony Zurcher at the BBC. A gift for Nancy Pelosi. Trump had handed his opponents the issue that "more than any other, won the House back for the Democrats in last years midterm elections," writes Karen Tumulty at the Washington Post. If Trump is playing hardball to get Democrats to the negotiating table, he may have miscalculated as badly as when he shut down the government, she writes. "Tuesday was Pelosis birthday," she writes. "And Trump just handed her the best gift she could have hoped for." (Read more ObamaCare stories.) (Newser) The knock on the door in Gravenhurst, Ont., came around 9pm Tuesday. Standing outside the rural cottage, some 100 miles north of the Toronto suburb from which he was kidnapped Saturday, was 22-year-old Wanzhen "Peter" Lu, looking for help. The homeowner immediately called police, who found the Chinese international student "in good health" despite minor injuries, according to a statement. Police previously said Lu was shocked multiple times with a stun gun as men with hoods pulled tightly around their faces forced him into a van in the parking garage of his Markham condo building. Luwho is pursuing a bachelor of business administration at Toronto's private Yorkville Universitywas taken to a nearby hospital for assessment, per the CBC. story continues below Police radio transmissions "suggest Lu had escaped his captors, who had kept the exchange student bound and hooded since he was kidnapped," reports the Toronto Sun. This came as great news to "traumatized" family members who'd arrived in Toronto from China on Monday. "They along with all of our investigators were very concerned for the well being of Mr. Lu," York Regional Police spokesman Andy Pattenden tells the National Post. In a statement, police say they "will continue to dedicate significant resources to find the four suspects" who are still at large. "We're very concerned that they're still out there," adds Pattenden, per the CBC. A 35-year-old man from Toronto was arrested early Tuesday in connection with the case. He was then released unconditionally and is not facing charges. (Read more kidnapping stories.) (Newser) By her own words, Betsy DeVos thinks the Special Olympics is "an awesome organization"just not one that should be funded by the federal government. The secretary of education appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday to try to explain nearly $7 billion in suggested cuts to education programs, including the entire $18 million allotted to the group for people with intellectual disabilities, reports NBC News. During her grilling on the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan pointed out 272,000 kids would be affected by the proposed move, per the Hill. Dem Rep. Barbara Lee directly addressed DeVos as well, telling DeVos she didn't get "why you would go after disabled children in your budget," per NBC. story continues below In a Wednesday statement, DeVos defended the amounts allocated to students with disabilities ($13.2 billion) and those who teach them ($225.6 million in grants). She also emphasized that the Special Olympics is a private, not federal, organization, one that she has personally supported (Time notes DeVos donated part of her 2018 salary to the Special Olympics) and one that is able to raise $100 million annually (NBC cites such sponsors as United Airlines and Toyota). It's a worthy program, but "given our current budget realities, the federal government cannot fund every worthy program, particularly ones that enjoy robust support from private donations." Her statement also addressed the media and members of Congress who have "spun up falsehoods and fully misrepresented the facts." (Read more Betsy DeVos stories.) (Newser) India declared itself a space power Wednesday after announcing that it has joined the list of just three other countries with the ability to take down a satellite in space. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a televised address described by the AP as "unexpected" that Indian scientists shot down one of its satellites in low-Earth orbit, just shy of 200 miles away. The US, Russia, and China are the only other nations that have employed such weapons. What you need to know: The history: Reuters reports the first anti-satellite test was conducted by the US in 1959 and demonstrated America's capabilities: Its missile could have destroyed a satellite but did not. The Soviet Union followed suit, and in 1985 the US destroyed one of its own satellites using a weapon launched from an F-15 fighter jet. Then for two decades, nothing. In 2007, China entered the ring. story continues below The mess: When China destroyed one of its satellites that year, the result was reportedly the formation of the biggest-ever cloud of space debris, one comprised of 3,000 pieces. India's foreign ministry said its test was held in low-Earth orbit to avoid the creation of such a cloud; the satellite remnants should fall to Earth in the near-term. When China destroyed one of its satellites that year, the result was reportedly the formation of the biggest-ever cloud of space debris, one comprised of 3,000 pieces. India's foreign ministry said its test was held in low-Earth orbit to avoid the creation of such a cloud; the satellite remnants should fall to Earth in the near-term. What the test indicates: ...that India now has the capability to protect its space assets and to down an enemy satellite, though Modi says India doesn't intend to do the latter: He reiterated that India's policy is to not use weapons in space, reports the AP. ...that India now has the capability to protect its space assets and to down an enemy satellite, though Modi says India doesn't intend to do the latter: He reiterated that India's policy is to not use weapons in space, reports the AP. The timing is significant: India will begin voting April 11 in what the New York Times notes is being described as mankind's biggest election, with almost 900 million registered voters. Modi and his party are trying to stay in power, and the announcement is seen as a bid to garner support by playing up the country's military mightespecially in light of a March 2018 parliamentary report that flagged the county's overly "vintage" military equipment, per the Washington Post. The Times quotes a tweet from a well-regarded Indian political commentator who called it evident of "a poll-eve desperation we hadn't yet detected/suspected." (Read more space stories.) (Newser) Politico is pointing out that the National Socialist German Workers' Party, aka the Nazi Party, "was fascist, not socialistthe opposite end of the political universe from socialists" following what it calls an "inane debate" among members of Congress. It began Monday as Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks accused "socialist Democrats and their fake news media allies" of perpetuating the "biggest political lie" in regard to accusations of collusion between President Trump's campaign and Russia. Standing on the House floor, he went on to read a passage from Mein Kampf, referring to Adolf Hitler as "another socialist who mastered 'big lie' propaganda to maximum, and deadly, effect." Per CNN, his emphasis of "socialist" seemed intended to link Democrats and Nazis, though the two are "not comparable." story continues below GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas continued the thread Tuesday during a Judiciary Committee hearing, saying he feared a corrupt Justice Department could usher in a future authoritarian leader. All that's needed is "another socialist like Hitler to come along" and "we could lose everything," he said. "As a Jewish person ... I get offended when you compare socialists to Nazis," responded Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee. "It's what they were," Gohmert countered before Chairman Jerry Nadler weighed in. "It's hard to listen to historical revisionism or perhaps ignorance about the Nazis," who were at the "extreme right of the political spectrum," said the New York Democrat. Cohen wasn't done. "The logical connection in their messaging is to say that socialists were for the Holocaust," he said. That's "abominable and scary." (Brooks also links rising sea levels to erosion.) (Newser) Anna Sorokin traveled in celebrity circles and tossed $100 tipsall the more reason to believe she was the German heiress worth roughly $60 million she said she was. But behind the jet-set lifestyle and pricey threads, prosecutors say, was a fraudster. Sorokin, 28, lived in luxury New York City hotel rooms she couldn't afford, promised a friend an all-expenses-paid trip to Morocco and then stuck her with the $62,000 bill, and peddled bogus bank statements in a quest for a $22 million loan, the Manhattan District Attorney's office alleges. On Wednesday, the AP reports the one-time darling of the Big Apple social scene is scheduled to stand trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled $275,000 in a 10-month odyssey that ended in a cell at Rikers Island. story continues below Sorokin arrived in the world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams in 2016 with a new name (Anna Delvey) and a wardrobe to match (Celine sunglasses and Gucci sandals). She made a show of passing crisp Benjamins to Uber drivers and hotel concierges but gave varying accounts for the source of her wealth, according to people who knew her. They said she'd claim her father was a diplomat, an oil baron, or a solar panel muckity-muck; he's really a former trucker who runs a heating-and-cooling business. Sorokin was arrested in October 2017 and has been jailed since. She faces deportation to Germany regardless of the outcome of the trial because authorities say she overstayed her visa. Her story, however, may stick around. Shonda Rhimes has announced she is creating a television series about Sorokin, whose Instagram bio says: "soon on Netflix." (The AP has much more here.) (Newser) Jayme Closs and her family will not have to endure a trial: Jake Patterson has pleaded guilty in the 13-year-old's kidnapping as well as the murders of her parents. Patterson, 21, was arraigned on first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping, and armed burglary charges Wednesday in Wisconsin and, per the Journal Sentinel, repeatedly answered "yes" as the judge asked him questions including whether he understood the charges and if he was sure of his plea. The newspaper refers to him as "emotional," noting that he hung his head, sniffled, and his voice broke. As he left the courtroom, he said, "Bye, Jayme." She was not there, though four rows of seats were taken up by her relatives. Two of Patterson's family members were also there, and one cried throughout the proceedings. Patterson, who faces life in prison, will be sentenced May 24. (Patterson apologized to Jayme in a letter.) (Newser) The parents of a woman killed by an immigrant who was released from custody despite a federal request that he be held cannot sue San Francisco for negligence over the death that touched off a fierce national debate, a US appeals court ruled. A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday unanimously refused to reinstate a lawsuit the parents of Kate Steinle filed against San Francisco and its former sheriff, Ross Mirkarimi, in the July 2015 shooting by Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate, the AP reports. Mirkarimi released Garcia-Zarate, a Mexican national, from jail three months before the shooting despite a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to inform them of his release date and hold him until they could pick him up for deportation proceedings. Garcia-Zarate had already been deported five times. The facts of the case are "undeniably tragic," but the sheriff was well within his authority when he issued a memo that limited his department's cooperation with immigration officials, 9th Circuit Judge Mark Bennett said. story continues below "The tragic and unnecessary death of Steinle may well underscore the policy argument against Sheriff Mirkarimi's decision to bar his employees from providing the release date of a many times convicted felon to ICE," Bennett said. "But that policy argument can be acted upon only by California's state and municipal political branches of government, or perhaps by Congress." Federal immigration laws cited by the plaintiffs also did not require Mirkarimi to provide Garcia-Zarate's release date, Bennett said. A San Francisco jury in 2017 acquitted Garcia-Zarate of murder, but convicted him of illegal gun possession. Garcia-Zarate said a gun he found on a San Francisco pier accidentally fired when he picked it up. The gun belonged to a US Bureau of Land Management ranger who reported it stolen; Steinle's parents also named the federal government as a defendant in their lawsuit because the ranger had allegedly left the gun in plain view in an unlocked car on a downtown street. That part of the lawsuit is moving forward. (Here's what President Trump had to say about the verdict in Steinle's killing.) Thubten Khedrup (left) inspects a training program that teaches women sewing skills in Nepal in December, 2018. [Photo/China Daily] A political adviser from the autonomous region has spent two decades helping to raise living standards. Qiang Lijing and Dronla report for Xinhua. As a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, Thubten Khedrup has presented nearly 200 proposals at both the regional and national level. He was elected as a regional political adviser from the Tibet autonomous region in 1998. Talking about his many proposals, the 55-year-old Tibetan was proud to mention the selection of the Tibetan antelope as one of the five mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. "I first presented the proposal in 2003 and submitted it again in 2004. Finally, I made it," he said. "To come up with the 1,000-word proposal, I consulted a dozen conservators and experts on the Tibetan antelopea barometer of the environmental health of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." The adoption of the proposal not only made the rare species more widely known to the world, but also drew global attention to Tibet and the effect of global warming in the region. Doctoral programs Ten years after he submitted a proposal to launch a doctoral degree program in the region, three programsoffering doctorates focused on the regional economy, Tibet's environment and the Tibetan languagewere opened at Tibet University in Lhasa, the regional capital, in 2013. His proposals did not come from wild thinking in the office, but were based on the stories he heard from ordinary Tibetans and a large amount of data collected by his field research team. To obtain the latest data on living conditions in Tibet, Thubten Khedrup has visited countless households, temples and monasteries in almost every county in the region. He also submitted a proposal to the CPPCC calling for the greater promotion of Tibetan medicine. The proposal followed an auto accident in 2002 in which he almost lost his life. After the accident, Thubten Khedrup was in a coma having sustained blood stasis, or blood stagnation, in his head. However, he miraculously regained consciousness after his mother gave him Tibetan medicine. After five years' treatment with Tibetan medicine, he recovered and returned to work. As a political adviser at the national level, he has observed the nation's development from the Tibetan perspective, and has come up with proposals that allow the region to learn from the experiences of other parts of China. To write a proposal on how Tibet could woo tourists in the low winter season, Thubten Khedrup visited Hainan, China's southernmost province, and Harbin, the famous "ice city" in the northeast, to gain experience. (Newser) "Right now, there's a lot of emotion." So said Chicago's head prosecutor Wednesday as she explained the thinking behind the dismissal of actor Jussie Smollett's casea decision that angered Chicago's mayor and chief of police, WBEZ reports. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx goes on: "And I wholeheartedly believe that in our work we cannot be driven by emotions. We have to be driven by facts." According to Foxx, charges against Smollett amounted to a Class 4 felony, which rarely leads to prison time. Smollett also forfeited his $10,000 bond (which "most people" don't do, she said) and completed community service. For Foxx, it appears to be no big deal. What does break her heart? "When I see a 2-year-old who [is] shot while sitting on her mother's lap and there's not that level of outrage." For more: Chicago police released supplemental Smollett-case records to mediathe ones that identify the Empire actor as an "offender," not the original records that call him a "victim," per CNN. The two reports (here and here) describe behind-the-scenes moves by prosecutors and police during the investigation, per the Chicago Tribune. story continues below For example, police kept the brothers accused of staging the attack on SmollettAbimbola Osundairo and Olabinjo Osundairoin a hotel for six nights, with food and 24-hour security. The brothers' names are redacted "but the context makes clear" who they are, says the AP. One of the brothers told police it felt good to come clean but said he did put bleach in a hot-sauce bottle and pour it on Smollett, per CNN. The police records "cast doubt" on Smollett's contention that he paid the brothers $3,500 for training sessions, says CBS News. At the brothers' top hourly rate, $50, Smollett would have been paying for 70 sessions with one check. Smollett attorney Patricia Brown Holmes says investigators should now look into whether the Osundairo brothers perpetrated the alleged racist, anti-gay attack: "The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him," she tells the Hollywood Reporter. The brothers refused to take their lawyer's advice and release a statement after Smollett was freedso now the lawyer, Gloria Schmidt, has dropped them, TMZ reports. Smollett fulfilled his 16 hours of community service Sunday and Monday by helping out at a Chicago bookstore and telling children about the value of discipline and a good attitude, per the New York Times. (Read more Jussie Smollett stories.) Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here John Sturgeon poses with a moose he harvested in the eastern Interior. Ever since a National Park Service ranger told him it was illegal to use a hovercraft to travel in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in 2007, Sturgeon has traveled by airboat, which doesn't violate the rule. Sturgeon has fought the federal government's authority to enforce its hovercraft ban on the river. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. Tibetan people become masters of their own affairs through democratic reform: white paper BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- About one million serfs gained personal freedom and became masters of the new society due to democratic reform in Tibet, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The reform brought fundamental changes to the Tibetan social system and laid a solid foundation for the establishment of socialism in Tibet, said the white paper. Tibet's democratic reform destroyed the institutional shackles which infringed serfs' rights to subsistence, marriage, migration, residence, work, personal freedom, human dignity, and education, according to the document. Noting that people's governments were established at various levels for the people to exercise their rights after the reform, the white paper said that for the first time in the history of Tibet, local governments were elected in a democratic way through the exercise of the right to vote and to stand for election. From September 1 to 9, 1965, the First Session of the First People's Congress of Tibet was held. At this session, Tibet Autonomous Region was established, and the People's Committee of the autonomous region came into being by election. Since 1978, Tibet has held 11 elections of deputies to the people's congresses at township level, 10 at county level, and eight at the level of municipalities having subordinate districts, according to the document. Currently, there are 35,963 deputies to the people's congresses at all levels in Tibet. Of them, deputies from the Tibetan and other minority ethnic groups account for 92.18 percent, it said. The rights of the people of all ethnic groups to participate in the deliberation and administration of state affairs have been fully guaranteed, according to the document. In addition, community-level democracy is developing and improving. At the end of 2018, there were 5,756 community-level workers' unions with 497,082 members, it added. "My mother was hospitalized because she'd overdosed on pseudo-ginseng even though she'd already been in hospital a couple of times before because of food poisoning due to ingredients contained in folk remedies she took," Wang Lele, a Xi'an-based doctoral student told the Global Times. Wang's mother, 60, suffers from high blood pressure, a common chronic disease in aged people. Influenced by the widespread idea that pharmaceutical medications have side effects, she persists in her belief that natural substances are more reliable. "She'd take all this weird stuff she'd heard about to help her health, but even though she suffered because of it, it didn't stop her trying more folk remedies," said Wang. There is a big belief in natural health remedies in China, particularly among seniors. But most of the remedies they try have no health benefits whatsoever, and some are harmful or even toxic. In a recent extreme example, a woman surnamed Zeng, 51, was rushed to the emergency room by her husband on February 22 after she injected a concoction of 20 kinds of fruit directly into her bloodstream, according to Chinese news site thepaper.cn. Zeng, a self-confessed health nut from Guiyang county in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, would try any folk remedy, as long as it claimed to be good for her health. She said that as eating fruit was good for you, she thought that infusing it directly into her body must be even better. Zeng was in critical condition and at severe risk of organ failure and sepsis for five days. Most likely, she would have died if her husband had not intervened in the nick of time. "There are strict procedures for giving a drip," said Liu Jianxiong, who treated Zeng at the intensive care unit at the Affiliated Hospital of Xiangnan University. He warned against people taking the practice of medicine into their own hands and told people to have belief in scientific methods and not to trust folk remedies. "Chinese seniors with cardiovascular diseases believe wrongly that drinking fruit and vegetable juice helps unblock veins and arteries," said Hui Hui, deputy director of the Vasculocardiology Department of Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Northeast China's Liaoning Province. Walking backwards In activities that are less harmful to health, besides the mysterious folk remedies, seniors practice different kinds of activities in the belief that it will improve their health. Go to any park in the mornings or evenings, and it will be full of seniors rubbing up against trees, walking backward and lying on stone statues or paving stones. This stone therapy is supposed to impart energy, and is seen as more effective than the traditional Chinese medicine practice of cupping. But medical experts say that rather than having a healing effect, it may cause hurt. In hot weather, people could get sunstroke, or muscle injuries which could lead to further complications. Rubbing one's back against a tree trunk is supposed to stimulate acupressure points. "To a certain extent, rubbing your back against a tree would help stimulate muscles and bones on the back, which boosts blood circulation and could mitigate pain through stimulating the channels on the back," said Gu Lei, a physiotherapist from Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital. However, Gu said that not all seniors should attempt this "tree therapy." Many seniors suffer from chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and muscular atrophy, so they may damage their bones, muscles and even organs. He suggested that jogging, fast walking and taijiquan are more suitable activities. Vinegar drinking Some seniors believe drinking vinegar helps soften veins. Hui said this is ridiculous, as ingesting too much acidic liquid will stimulate gastric acid, causing indigestion and chronic stomach problems. Hui told the Global Times that while the older generations desire to stay healthy for as long as possible, they cannot rid themselves of the erroneous belief that prescription drugs have damaging side effects, so they turn to these folk remedies instead. They tend to follow the herd and believe in whatever the latest "effective method" that is passed around by their friends and peers. They lack trust in modern medicine, but they need to be persuaded to abandon this conviction, Hui said. A report in the Yantai Daily called for more efforts from health authorities to provide better guidance on appropriate methods of ensuring health and well-being in later life. "Spreading awareness of science-based medication requires patience and care. Doctors and healthcare workers should teach seniors what to do to help them remain healthy into old age," said the report. The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa has threatened to boycott the supplementary governorship election if INEC insisted on con... The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa has threatened to boycott the supplementary governorship election if INEC insisted on conducting it on Thursday. The State Organising Secretary of APC, Alhaji Ahmed Lawan, made the party position known on Wednesday in Yola. Lawan told the newsmen that the party had rejected the Thursdays date and communicated its position to the electoral body. INEC had announced Thursday for the supplementary election in 44 units. This followed the vacation of an interim injunction that stopped it from conducting the election last Saturday. We are not going to participate in the election if INEC is going to conduct it on Thursday. I dont know why INEC is rushing, as conducting this election on Thursday will disenfranchise many voters, particularly workers and students who need to go to work and schools, Lawan said. The PDP Chairman in Adamawa, Mr Tahir Shehu, whose candidate (Ahmadu Fintiri) is leading with a difference of over 30,000 votes, said they were ready for the election. When contacted, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Adamawa, Mr Kassim Gaidam, said that the commission would hold the election as scheduled on Thursday. The Immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Taraba state chapter Mr Joel Daniel has been kidnapped. He was kidnappe... The Immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Taraba state chapter Mr Joel Daniel has been kidnapped. He was kidnapped in the early hours of today by unknown gunmen who made their way to his house at Mayo Dasa area of Jalingo firing gun bullets into the air to scare people. Nigerias Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, has explained how importers are wrecking the Nigerian economy. He specifically said... Nigerias Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, has explained how importers are wrecking the Nigerian economy. He specifically said importers were the greatest wreckers of Nigerias efforts to promote patronage of locally produced products. Ogbeh made this known in Abuja on Tuesday when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Agriculture to defend the ministrys budget. He said that international merchants such as importers of such products as toothpick, sugar, vegetables, and pencils were frustrating governments efforts at ensuring that Nigerians bought made in Nigeria goods. We are a nation of importers. Toothpick every year costs us 18 million dollars, tomato paste costs us 400 million dollars. Meanwhile, a basket of tomatoes is less than N2,000. The farmers are losing money because the processors do not have enough funds to set up factories. Two factories have started off. I am sure by the end of next year we can comfortably tell the importers of tomato paste to stop. Unfortunately, when you do you make enemies; even the importation of rice that we are trying to reduce is creating for us enemies, heavy enemies, people, who can kill if they have the opportunity because you are spoiling their business. Nobody should take this lightly. These guys have hijacked the economy of this country. They have taken it hostage and they have no intention of giving up. This regime is unpopular in part because it is trying to cut down imports and transfer the wealth to another thing. I know what I am saying because I have been in this business for 41 years. We import sugar, handkerchief, toothpaste, even pencils. I read in the newspapers recently that the Champagne Ambassador in Nigeria said Nigerians love life. We are the biggest consumers of champagne on planet earth. More than the French, who made it. It will take a strong government to cure Nigeria of this problem, he said. He said it was unfortunate that some Nigerians, who had developed so much appetite for foreign goods, were finding it difficult to begin to patronise locally produced goods. There is made in Nigeria rice in supermarkets across the country, but I have no sympathy for those who insist that it must be foreign rice. I have no cure for their disease. If they prefer foreign rice I cannot stop them, he said. He said it was unfortunate that some reasons given for the crave for foreign produce was borne out of the need to show class and not because the products were better than locally produced goods. The minister said that the country could pride itself as one of the largest producers of rice and yam in Africa. He promised that the Federal Government would begin to consider the possibility of exploring cocoa and other cash crops. On implication of farmers, herders clash on the amount of products produced in the country, Ogbeh said it had so much effect on the quantity of food crops churned out by farmers. He expressed concern that efforts by the ministry to find a lasting solution to the problem had been frustrated by key players in various states. He pointed out that the ministry invited governors of the 36 states of the federation to a roundtable, only 16 states responded. The minister said the country could pride itself as one of the African countries that is the largest producer of rice and yam. He promised that the Federal Government would begin to consider the possibility of exploring cocoa and other cash crops. A 40-year-old man, Abubakar Hamisu, has died of gunshot wounds he sustained while he and his friends were testing the efficacy of a bull... A 40-year-old man, Abubakar Hamisu, has died of gunshot wounds he sustained while he and his friends were testing the efficacy of a bulletproof charm. The deceaseds friend, Rabe Salisu, 35, sustained gunshot injuries in the incident. The deceased and Salisu are from old Kwari village in the Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, where the incident occurred. The police said the incident occurred on March 16, 2019. The man, who was alleged to have mistakenly pulled the guns trigger, Mani Mohammed, has been arrested by the police and charged to court. Mohammed, 43, who resides in the same village with the deceased and Salisu, reported himself at the Jibia Police Station on the day that the incident occurred. It was learnt that Mohammed mistakenly pulled the trigger while attempting to collect the gun from the others, who were testing the efficacy of the bulletproof charm. The gun reportedly went off, while the pellets hit both the deceased and Salisu. Hamisu and Salisu were rushed to the General Hospital, Jibia, where the former was certified dead, while the latter was treated and later discharged. Mohammed was arraigned before a Katsina Senior Magistrates Court on Tuesday for causing grievous hurt and culpable homicide. The police said the offences were contrary to sections 246 and 222 (7) of the Penal Code. The police prosecutor, Sergeant Lawal Bello, told the court that investigation was still in progress on the case. Poster of the drama All is Well (Photo/Mtime) China's latest mega-hit drama, All is Well, has sparked huge debates on controversial social issues, as many believe the soap opera exactly captures modern people's pains. The drama follows the life story of the female protagonist Su Mingyu, played by China's veteran actress Yao Chen. Despite Su's intelligence and guts in career advancement, her life is still beset with family conflict after the death of her mother in an accident. Su's fight with two immature elder brothers over the support of their nagging crank father reveals the rugged truth of a typical Chinese family. Many netizens say the 46-epiosde drama deserves the title of "mirroring modern society." Since its premiere on March 1, its hashtag has been viewed for more than 43 million times on Sina Weibo. Hot topics such as preference for sons, blind filial piety, midlife crisis, mother's boy and influence of original family have been widely discussed at social media throughout the whole month. "I cried multiple times when watching the drama, because I can totally identify with Su's life. Gender inequality is still a common problem in rural China, and I'm one of the victims," Jiang Yijing, a Beijing-based nursing worker, told the Global Times. "My parents have nearly exhausted all their savings to purchase two houses for my two little brothers in Nanjing, a second-tier city in East China's Jiangsu Province, while I got nothing," Jiang added. In the drama, the behaviors of three male characters even helped some clever people to win business on the e-commerce platform Taobao. Some sellers have launched a special service to customers who pay fees to scold or curse the characters they despise so much. Liu Jun, director of the Teaching and Research Department of the Beijing Film Academy, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Chinese realist works have made progress in recent years. "Last year, Premier Li Keqiang urged more efforts to improve patients' access to costly cancer treatments in response to public discussion of the black comedy Dying to Survive, while the just-concluded All is Well calls for more attention to women's rights," Liu said. However, Liu also pointed out that some realistic TV dramas at the current stage have problems like catering to the market demand, amplifying social pains, and stoking anxiety on controversial issues, with a view to gaining high audience rating. What TV drama producers should do is to strike a balance between social ethics and market demand, Liu noted. All is Well intended to convey positive energy to the viewers and help people step out of pains derived from original families, said Jian Chuanhe, who is the TV drama's director, in an interview. A doctor in a hospital in Nanchang takes samples of fecal bacteria. (Photo provided by the interviewee) Guangdong hospitals are now collecting feces from healthy people in the name of research, compensating 500 yuan ($74) to every person who donates, The Beijing News reported on March 26. The hospitals will use the excrement to rebuild the intestinal flora of patients by transplanting fecal bacteria donated by healthy people. The feces are filtered and screened before being given to patients by capsule or through fluid infusion. Doctors explained that the principle is to use the helpful intestinal bacteria of healthy people to replace the unbalanced bacteria in the stomachs of the ill. The hospitals require that volunteers must not have an infection and must not have taken antibiotics in the last three months. Doctors are also studying the use of human excrement in the treatment of heart disease and diabetes. Traveling-wave tubes: The unsung heroes of space exploration What do televisions and space exploration have in common? No, we're not talking about a cheesy physics joke; rather, this is the story of an often-overlooked piece of equipment that deserves a place in the annals of telecommunication history. Some would argue that the traveling-wave tube (TWT) has not received the recognition it deserves when it comes to the history of space travel and communications - until now. A group of researchers based at the Aix-Marseille Universite in France has published a review looking into the history of TWTs, recently published in EPJ H. This is the first time a paper aimed at the general public has described the vital role of this technology in various areas of development. The team collected and read hundreds of papers on the history and evolution of the traveling-wave tube. First introduced in the 1950s, a TWT is a relatively simple piece of equipment used for transmitting data across long distances, including the vast expanses of space. A TWT is made up of three parts - an electron gun that produces the beam; a slow wave structure made up of a series of magnets, through which the beam travels; and a collector that limits the amount of energy lost in the process. The paper describes how the TWT was pivotal to the development of the television in the 1950s, and to the space programme in the 1960s. But it is just as relevant today. "Traveling-wave tubes are still frequently used in space telecommunication and for deep-space missions," says Damien Minenna, a PhD student who worked on the paper. For example, the NASA probe New Horizons recently sent images of Kuiper belt objects, the most distant images from Earth ever taken by a spacecraft, and they were transmitted using a TWT. In Minenna's own research, he uses TWTs to study chaos in plasmas. He hopes the review article will help others understand, and appreciate, the importance and history of the traveling-wave tube. ### References D.F.G. Minenna, F. Andre, Y. Elskens, J.F. Auboin, F. Doveil, J. Puech and E. Duverdier (2019), The Traveling-Wave Tube in the History of Telecommunication, European Physical Journal H, DOI 10.1140/epjh/e2018-90023-1 This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is expanding its influence domestically and internationally, along with the rise of Chinas national strength, a latest blue book report showed, expressing high hope for TCM to become part of worlds mainstream medical system. According to the blue book report on Chinese medicine culture and industry development (2017-18) jointly issued on March 21 by the Social Sciences Academic Press and other research institutes including the Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM development has entered a new stage. The number of TCM hospitals increased from 2,720 in 2007 to 4,566 in 2017, a rate of 67.87%, as the proportion of TCM hospitals escalated from 13.70% in 2007 to 14.70% in 2017. The number of beds at TCM hospitals climbed from 321,500 in 2007 to 951,300 in 2017, an increase of 195.89%, and the proportion of such beds expanded from 11.98% in 2007 to 15.54% by 2017, the report noted. With respect to outpatient services of TCM hospitals, services increased from 257.87 million in 2007 to 528.482 million in 2017, an increase by 108.17%, the report added. The report said that the TCM industry should attach importance to and improve the discourse on TCM so that more people know about and accept TCM as a medical option. The report also urged to strengthen big data research on TCM. A research platform for the development of the international TCM industry should be set up as soon as possible to provide real and accurate data support for the scientific decision-making of the industry. With the improvement of Chinas comprehensive national strength, TCM is likely to become a mainstream health care option in the world in the future, the report concluded. President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Principality of Monaco on Mar. 24 at the invitation of Prince Albert II of the Principality of Monaco, marking a historic moment in the bilateral relationship, which is very promising, the Monacan finance and economy minister said. Since diplomatic ties were established between China and Monaco, the commercial relations between the two countries have grown remarkably. Bilateral trade volume has increased by a factor of eleven within two decades and the two sides have expanded cooperation in multiple areas, from traditional tourism and cultural industries to mobile communications and high-tech fields, Jean Castellini, Minister of Finance and Economy of Monaco, said in an interview with Peoples Daily, Castellini said that Monaco attaches great importance to developing economic and trade ties with China. Prince Albert II visited China in September last year, and reached a series of cooperation intentions and agreements, which impressed the business community in Monaco. The minister indicated that China is a world leader in the development of infrastructure, high-tech, and other fields. Monaco, holds advantages in clean energy, environmental protection, and financial services. In addition, the experience accumulated by the two countries in the process of economic changes also helps to promote further exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative reflects Chinas determination to adhere to the policy of opening-up and shows the nations willingness to share its development with the world, Castellini commented. The Monacan government has always maintained a high degree of interest in the construction of the Belt and Road, he continued, expressing hope for more plans for further cooperation under the Belt and Road framework. BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday expressed the mainland's willingness to introduce more preferential policies for residents of Taiwan. "We will continue to listen to the voices of compatriots in Taiwan and study what other measures we can introduce to benefit Taiwan and the people," said An Fengshan, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference. "We need to do everything we can to achieve this," added An, noting that efforts will be made to ensure the 31 preferential measures already published are better implemented. The 31 measures, unveiled by the office and the National Development and Reform Commission in February 2018, cover fields of industry, finance and taxation, land use, employment, education and health care and are aimed at sharing the mainland's development opportunities with Taiwan. An spoke highly of the 36 measures unveiled by the Supreme People's Court Tuesday to provide judicial service for expanding integrated development across the Taiwan Strait. "The measures of the Supreme People's Court have responded to the needs and concerns of Taiwan compatriots," he said. "They demonstrated the resolution and sincerity of the judicial organs in doing practical work and resolving difficulties for Taiwan compatriots." Among the 36 measures, 12 of them are for fully ensuring litigation rights of Taiwan compatriots, with nine providing them with quality judicial service, seven for further enhancing safeguard mechanism and eight for promoting cross-Strait judicial exchange. (Photo/Chinanews.com) The she economy is growing rapidly in China, creating new potential in the women-targeted market. A report issued by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com this month indicated that luxury brands such as Gucci, Estee Lauder, Yves Saint Laurent, and Lancome have become a priority for female Chinese consumers. Lipstick sales from the above brands saw year-on-year growth of 250 percent last year. More data released by T-mall, an e-commerce platform under Alibaba, showed that 350,000 female consumers bought at least 12 handbags, while over 3 million purchased more than five tubes of lipstick in a single year. The study suggests that women are the decision makers when it comes to food in most Chinese families, and this phenomenon is especially prevalent in developed areas such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and the Yangtze River Delta, as women in these areas are more educated and independent. A recent survey on female Chinese consumers showed that nearly 70 percent of Chinese women in cities were employed, and economic independence has resulted in more substantial female consumption power. Apart from buying clothes, jewelry and cosmetics, over half of the women surveyed said they were willing to invest in education. Over 60 percent of surveyed Chinese women said they read E-books and paid for information services. Statistics indicated that China is home to over 500 million female consumers, and this group is expected to generate a market of over 10 trillion yuan, becoming a sustained growth point of consumption. (Chinanews.com/Luo Yunfei) The subprime mortgage crisis in the US is not going to happen to China, as Chinas financial risks are controllable, a Chinese economist told Chinanews.com on March 26, during the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference. Wu Xiaoqiu, vice-president of Renmin University of China, noted that Chinas commercial banks which allocate more than 75 percent of financial resources across the country are under strict supervision and maintain steady growth. Furthermore, the exchange rate of Chinese currency Renminbi (RMB) remains stable, and there is little possibility that the country will suffer a substantial depreciation in RMB or a currency crisis, Wu said. He added that Chinas economy relies mainly on endogenous driving forces rather than foreign capitals. Therefore, the Chinese currency will not face a depreciation crisis if foreign investors withdraw their investments when the bonuses of growth diminish. Chinas major financial risks come from debts within local government, said Wu. He added that Chinas economy would maintain an L-shape growth in the years to come. Measures must be made to control fast-growing local debts, especially those that are likely to exceed the gains brought by economic growth. This years BFA annual conference will run from March 26 to 29 with the theme "Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development". According to authorities, over 2,000 delegates, including government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars from 60 countries and regions came to explore solutions to the current difficulties encountered by economic globalization, such as protectionism and unilateralism, as well as the common challenges faced by both Asia and the world. 27/03/2019 - The Argentine economy is expected to begin emerging from its deep recession in 2019, but significant risks remain. Recovery from the crisis will require new efforts to restore confidence, build solid macroeconomic foundations, improve governance, create jobs and ensure that future growth is greener and benefits all Argentinians, according to a new report from the OECD. The latest OECD Economic Survey of Argentina looks at the factors behind the countrys recent downturn, as well as policies that can lay the foundation for a stronger and more inclusive economy. The Survey projects the economy will contract by 1.5% this year before returning to a 2.3% growth rate in 2020. The Survey, presented in Buenos Aires by Alvaro Pereira, director of the country studies branch in the OECD Economics Dept., and Argentinas vice Minister of Finance Miguel Braun, highlights the importance of maintaining momentum on the ambitious economic reforms launched in recent years as well as gains to be made from greater integration in global trade. The Argentine economy has extraordinary potential, but economic policies have held back performance, Mr Pereira said. The severe economic crisis that unfolded during 2018 has pushed the economy into a deep recession, which requires immediate action to restore confidence and unwind significant fiscal and external imbalances. Looking ahead, the priority will be to speed up the reform process while ensuring that policies are in place to protect the most vulnerable groups and enable a return to stronger and more inclusive growth. The Survey shows how fiscal policy can be used to restore confidence, improve macroeconomic performance and promote more inclusive growth. Adherence to fiscal commitments will solidify public finances and convince markets of Argentine authorities willingness to resolve serious imbalances accumulated over many years. Remaining fiscal space can be used for well-targeted spending on social transfers to vulnerable groups. Structural reforms will be key to foster future growth. Reducing domestic regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship and market entry, including at the level of provincial and local governments, will strengthen competition and boost activity. Strengthening the operation and financial autonomy of the anti-corruption office and guaranteeing adequate resource to fulfil its mandate would improve the business environment. The Survey underlines that Argentina is significantly less integrated into the world economy than other emerging market economies, with high tariff barriers that shield it from international competition and often slow integration into global value chains. To foster Argentinas integration into the global economy, the Survey highlights the need to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, starting with intermediate inputs and capital goods. Reducing trade barriers would raise consumer purchasing power, especially for low-income households, and would reduce firms costs, while pushing companies in currently shielded sectors or industries to become more productive. The Survey recognises that while stronger integration presents large untapped potential for improving the living standards of all Argentinians, it also implies challenges for workers, as jobs may move across firms and industries. Such changes in the structure of the economy are necessary, as many jobs are currently trapped in activities with limited potential for productivity and wage growth. At the same time, policies must support workers in the transition. Ensuring a strong social safety net and bolstering adult training programmes and vocational education are key policy priorities, the Survey said. An Overview of the Economic Survey of Argentina, with the main conclusions, is accessible at: http://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/argentina-economic-snapshot. For further information, journalists can contact Lawrence Speer (+33 1 4524 7970) in the OECD Media Office in Paris (+33 1 4524 9700). Note to Editors: The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide. It provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to the economic, social and governance challenges they face. The OECDs 36 members are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Colombia was invited to become a Member on 25 May 2018 and is in the process of completing its domestic procedures to accede to the OECD Convention, when it will become the 37th OECD Member. Costa Rica is currently undergoing an accession process. Argentina participates in the substantive work of many of the OECDs specialised Committees and has adhered to selected OECD legal instruments. As a G20 country Argentina benefits from the broad OECD-G20 agenda, and participates in the development of standards for better global governance such as the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project and the OECD-G20 Principles of Corporate Governance. Further information on OECD cooperation with Argentina is available at: www.oecd.org/latin-america/countries/argentina. In 2016, Argentina submitted a formal letter to the OECD, expressing its interest in initiating an accession process to the Organisation. The OECD governing body, the Council, is currently considering this request, together with similar requests from Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania. Further information on the OECD accession process: www.oecd.org/legal/accession-process.htm. Working with more than 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Related Documents Pompeo lauded Shoukry's dedication to strengthening the US-Egypt bilateral relationship and congratulated Egypt on Tuesday's 40th anniversary of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought greater cooperation between their countries to ensure stability in the region during talks in Washington Tuesday. The two officials discussed ways to boost mutual cooperation and strategic partnership, as well as bolstering efforts to "confront regional and international threats and to achieve stability in the Middle East," Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement. The pair discussed "how to advance Egypts and the regions security and stability," the US Department of State said on its official website. During the talks, the Egyptian minister underlined the importance of pushing for a just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He reiterated Egypt's stance that regards the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian land, following US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Israel be recognised as sovereign in this territory it captured in the 1967 War. Pompeo "recognised the foreign ministers dedication to strengthening the US-Egypt bilateral relationship" and congratulated Egypt on Tuesday's 40th anniversary of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, according to the State Department. Also on Tuesday, Shoukry met with a number of US congressmen including Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committees Subcommittee, Republican US Representative Steve Chabot and Representative Ted Deutch, a Democrat who heads the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East. Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian Actors Union has suspended the membership of prominent actors Amr Waked and Khaled Abul Naga over what the union called "high treason" after the two attended a Congress panel criticising proposed amendments to Egypt's constitution in Washington earlier this week. The union said in a statement on Tuesday that the actors' actions are tantamount to "high treason", as the two actors unilaterally spoke to "external powers" to back the "agendas of conspirators" aiming to undermine Egypt's security and stability. "The union announces the cancellation of their membership and distances itself from their actions," the union said in a statement, adding that it "would not accept any traitor to their homeland to be among its members. Waked and Abul Naga, known for their pro-2011 revolution activism and their critical views of the government, attended on Monday a congressional briefing titled 'Constitutionalising Authoritarianism,' which tackled proposed amendments to Egypt's constitution that would allow President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to stay in office 12 more years after his second and last term ends in 2022. The session was moderated by Congressman Tom Malinowski and attended by Human Rights Watchs Washington director Sarah Margon; Bahey Eldin Hassan, director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies; and Dalia Fahmy, a professor of political science at Long Island University. The proposed amendments, initiated by a pro-government parliamentary bloc, have ignited controversy. Those who back the changes say they are important for the stability of a country hit by years of political turmoil since the 2011 revolution, and are needed to allow the president more time to carry out his economic development plans. Opponents say the changes consolidate authoritarian rule. The parliament is planning to hold a final vote on the amendments on 14 April before they are put to a national referendum. Search Keywords: Short link: Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal told MPs on Wednesday that they should make sure to attend the 'historic meeting' on 14 April Following a vote on Egypt's 2017/2018 budget balance sheet on Tuesday evening, parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal decided to adjourn the House's plenary sessions till 14 April, telling MPs that "I think that all of you will be keen to attend this historic session." "The plenary session on 14 April will be a very important one, and I think that your complete attendance will be essential," said Abdel-Aal. Informed sources told Ahram Online that the final vote on the proposed amendments to Egypt's 2014 constitution will be taken on the plenary session of 14 April. A two-thirds majority of MPs should be available for the vote to be considered legal and constitutional. Upon hearing their name, each MP should say 'yes' or 'no' to the amendments. Abdel-Moneim El-Oleimi, an independent MP representing the Nile Delta city of Tanta and a member of parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee, told Ahram Online that "the vote is highly expected to be on 14 April, as this date will be the deadline for taking the vote." "Parliament took a provisional vote on 14 February, and, in line with the constitution and internal-bylaws, a final vote on the report of the final draft of the constitutional amendments should be held within no more than two months," said El-Oleimi. El-Oleimi indicated that this week parliament will take the penultimate step on the proposed constitutional amendments. "The legislative and constitutional affairs committee dedicated one month to receiving written comments on the proposed amendments, and on 28 March, it will finish a two-week national debate on the amendments," said El-Oleimi, adding that "members of the committee will meet over the next two weeks to put the final draft of the amendments." Parliament said in a statement on 24 March that the amendments to Egypt's 2014 constitution will be voted on by MPs by the Middle of April. "If passed, the National Committee for Elections will be notified to invite citizens to vote on the amendments in a public referendum," said Abdel-Aal. Abdel-Aal told MPs representing Alexandria and the Nile Delta governorates on Wednesday that the amendments aim to go in line with the changing conditions in Egypt and the region. "I am keen to have the discussion and vote on the amendments proceed in a correct and constitutional way," said Abdel-Aal, adding that "to those who say that instead of making amendments we have to draft a completely new constitution, I say that writing a new constitution is not the authority of this parliament." "We can only make amendments in line with Article 226, but writing a new constitution is the task of a constituent assembly comprising representatives from all sectors of society," said Abdel-Aal. Abdel-Aal explained that the amendments do not affect rights and freedoms or the independence of the judiciary, and maintain the role of the House of the Representatives. He also explained that the amendments seek to increase the presidential term to six years because a four-year term is too short for a country situated in a very volatile region. The amendments also aim to create a second house, reinstate the post of vice president, and give a greater quota of seats (25 percent) to women in parliament. Parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee will hold a hearing session with representatives of political parties (120 participants) on Wednesday. On Thursday, the committee will conclude by holding two hearing sessions with representatives of business and economic sectors and NGOs. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian prison authorities have started procedures to release prominent activist and blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah after he completed his prison term in the so-called 'Shura Council case', in which he was sentenced to five years in prison, his lawyer Khaled Ali said on Wednesday. The case dates back to November 2013, when police broke up a protest against military trials of civilians in front of the now-defunct Shura Council. The protest demanded that the committee tasked with drafting Egypt's new constitution remove articles allowing for military trials of civilians. Dozens were arrested during the protest and 22 defendants stood trial for breaking the 2013 protest law, rioting and attacking public servants. Abdel-Fattah was sentenced in 2014 to 15 years in prison, but in 2017 an appeals court reduced the sentence to five years in prison and five years probation after his release. Abdel-Fattah is a blogger, programmer, and human rights activist who belongs to a prominent family of rights campaigners -- his father was the the late human rights lawyer Ahmed Seif; his mother is university professor and political activist Laila Suweif; and Alaas youngest sister Sanaa Seif is also a political activist who served a six-month prison sentence for insulting the judiciary in 2016. Search Keywords: Short link: Iran'a Ansar Bank dismisses new 'desperate' US sanctions 03/27/19 Source: Press TV The US government has imposed new sanctions on an Iranian bank and its subsidiaries, accusing them of using front companies in three countries to evade the previous sanctions -- allegations which the lender has dismissed as "sheer lies." The US Treasury said it had targeted 25 people and firms for allegedly helping Iran's Ansar Bank evade unilateral American sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The action identified four firms in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates as front companies for the bank, which it accused of funneling money to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and related groups. The targeted institutions include banks and other financial institutions such as Ansar Bank, Atlas Exchange, Iranian Atlas Company, the US Treasury said in a statement. In a statement on Wednesday, the Iranian bank hit back at the "desperate move," saying it was a testimony to the failure of US sanctions which would fail to affect its operations. "The excuses mentioned, including Ansar Bank's connection with overseas networks in Turkey and the UAE, and the names of certain unrelated natural and legal persons cited are sheer delusions and lies, and all such claims are hence rejected," the bank said. Ansar Bank is one of the four military-related banks named by the Central Bank of Iran for merger with the country's oldest bank to boost efficiency amid US sanctions. Ansar, Mehr Eqtesad, Qavamin, and Hekmat banks and the Kosar Credit Institution are to be merged with Bank Sepah. The central bank says the merger would create "a stable and more efficient single bank to provide better services to the families of the armed forces and the general public." "The Armed Forces Exit Banking" (source: Iranian daily Setare Sobh) Many Iranian banks, institutions and companies linked to investment, commodities and engineering have been the target of the most draconian US sanctions since Washington left an international nuclear deal last May. Tuesday's move comes as the Trump administration increases what it calls a "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran that focuses heavily on denying it revenue from oil exports. "With this action today we are increasing our pressure even further on the Iranian regime," Brian Hook, the US special envoy for Iran, told reporters. Additionally, Hook said the United States was sanctioning Iran's defense ministry for providing logistics support to the IRGC. The US government on Monday issued an alert, warning international shipping and port operators against flouting its unilateral sanctions against Iran. Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with top oil executives to press them on following the Trump administration's policy of reducing Iran's oil exports to zero. The outreach represented a significant new campaign to sway industry executives to Trump's "energy dominance" agenda that seeks to advance diplomatic and policy objectives through rapidly expanding US oil and gas exports. Bank Ansar said it has been on the list of sanctions since the US began to implement the "oppressive" measures and that the new sanctions would not affect its performance. The bank said it considers the US Treasury sanctions in line with "desperate moves of America following its successive defeats against the noble Iranian people." "No threat will prevent the directors and staff of Bank Ansar from serving the dear people of our country," it added. Flooding Across Iran Kills 25; Relief Efforts Continue 03/27/19 Source: Press TV Heavy downpours and flash floods continue to batter several provinces across Iran but the extreme weather conditions are forecasted to briefly subside later on Wednesday, before another major system brings further precipitation to the country in the next few days. See photos by ISNA The heavy rains have triggered raging torrents of water in 25 of the country's 31 provinces since March 19. The resulting situation has most adversely affected the northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran, as well as the provinces of Lorestan in the west, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in the southwest, and the southern province of Fars. As of Wednesday, IRNA reported that flooding had affected as many as 17 cities and more than 600 villages in the two northern provinces alone. See photos by Mehr News Agency The deluge has inflicted heavy losses on a number of agricultural and farming industries, as well as tribal stockraising units. It has inundated many businesses and warehouses, and damaged or destroyed a large number of residential units in disaster areas. Floodwaters have completely cut off 11 villages in Golestan's Aq Qala City, one of the worst areas affected by flooding, Tasnim News Agency reported, saying the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has undertaken operations there to channel out the water. Flooding in Golestan province (see more photos by ISNA) On Wednesday afternoon, President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Golestan Province to personally oversee the disaster relief operations in the two affected northern province. Relief efforts in Shira (see more photos by IRNA) In North Khorasan Province, precipitation and subsequent deluges have caused damage to 9,600 hectares of farms and orchards, IRNA reported. Flooding in Mashhad (see more photos by Mehr) As many as 25 people have been killed as a result of the flooding countrywide. The southern city of Shiraz with 19 deaths that occurred during Monday's floods accounts for the highest number of casualties. Meteorologists are predicting that the downpours will briefly recede in most parts of the country later on Wednesday. Downpours and flooding, however, will still be affecting the country's eastern provinces where extreme weather conditions continue. Flooding in Jahrom Bazaar in Fars province (see more photos by Islamic Republic News Agency) Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms have been predicted for the Persian Gulf islands to the south of the country, where stormy conditions are expected to create large waves. A fresh weather system entering the country from the west will bring further precipitation as of Thursday. 'Victims to receive ex gratia loans' Earlier on Wednesday, President Rouhani told a meeting of cabinet ministers that authorities need to invest all in their power in repairing the damage. "All our efforts at this juncture should be directed at restoring the situation to normal in the afflicted provinces," he said. The meeting, the Iranian president said, was held to primarily address the manner of reparation and the provision of the affected citizens with ex gratia financial assistance. He also said the government had issued the necessary instructions for the formation of a committee tasked with pinpointing the root causes of the deadly flooding. See photos by Islamic Republic News Agency Meanwhile, Iran's Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati said that in addition to the government assistance, the country's banking system would be providing loans to those involved in agriculture, agribusiness, animal husbandry, and weaving industries in Golestan and Mazandaran. Qolam-Reza Soleimani, the chief of the Iran's Central Insurance agency also said that his organization is examining ways to reduce the financial burden faced by those whose uninsured vehicles have been damaged during the flooding. Iranian Red Crescent Society's donation page Tulsi Gabbard's Norooz Message: The Tropical Winds Of Hawaii 03/27/19 Opinion article by Farid Marjai Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, a House member from the state of Hawaii, and a Democratic candidate for the Presidential election of 2020 has issued a delightful message for Norooz. In her message, she says, " the beginning of Spring is such a beautiful metaphor for a new start and beginnings." Her positive initiative and outreach should be welcomed and celebrated by the Iranian community anywhere in the world. Aloha to all who are celebrating Norooz! Wishing you a prosperous new year filled with love, happiness, peace, and health. #Norooz Pirooz! pic.twitter.com/VcBlstAZNK Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) March 20, 2019 Tulsi Gabbard's election platform for domestic policy, ( health care, education, economic development, and employment) is clearly progressive and inclusive; indeed her policy platform is a reminder of what Bernie Sanders accomplished within the Democratic party in 2016 presidential election. Ms. Gabbard's foreign policy position is also progressive and stands firm against any interventionist wars or militarist policies in general. And so far, she has been able to articulate her antiwar stance for everyone in an articulate and understandable terms. The 37 year old Tulsi Gabbard has a native air about her. Her mother is Indian and her father has Fiji background. She grew up in a military family, and that's why she volunteered for the war in Iraq (as a medical officer). Her experience with war was transformative; seeing the destruction of war at first hand, she was convinced that regime-change wars are destructive and harmful for all. In public office and media interviews she has often spoken to the issue. During the election of 2016, she resigned as the Vice Chair of DNC (the Democratic National Committee) in order to support Bernie Sanders candidacy. Recently she was under pressure to criticize Representative Elhan Omar's stance on Israel lobby, but Gabbard stood firm. In order to sabotage her candidacy and overall progressive message, certain media outlets were spreading unfair rumors that Russian propaganda was pushing her campaign-- but they did not offer any evidence: www.tulsi2020.com/splash/no-fear Ms. Gabbard appears to be knowledgeable about Iran-- in a TV round-table, she was critical of a policy towards Iran that overthrew Dr. Mosaddeq in a sponsored Coup (watch video at 12:56 minuets). It is important that her Norooz message is not overlooked by us, and does not face indifference and silence. On this celebratory occasion we should not be passive observers, yet tap into our sense of "agency". It would be timely and worthwhile to send her emails and messages to demonstrate our appreciation for HER. Her Norooz message is to all those who celebrate Norooz in general, which includes many peoples from western China, all the way to Kurdish people. By mentioning "Iran", or "us Iranians" in the message, we recognize her public gesture and also anchor the issue in a specifically Iran context. A mention of her policy positions against war and sanctions also would be helpful. Political communication should always be plain and concise; it should not contain too many points, it cannot address various disconnected issues, or present mixed signals and contradictory points. This is referred to as "Strategic messaging". Audiences, and interlocutors react well, and know what is expected of them when messaging is cohesive and strategic. You can contact Tulsi Gabbard by email: www.tulsi2020.com/contact At a time when there is much discord in the world, it's encouraging to see affirmative public figures such as Jacinda Ardern (Prime Minister of New Zealand) and Tulsi Gabbord. Although Hawaii is part of the United States, but geographically, this state is very far from the mainland. In a way it can be seen as the gateway to the world. Barak Obama who campaigned on the platform of "change", also spent his formative years in Hawaii. Often the Naseem (winds of change) comes from this gateway. General Surgeon at the 37 Military hospital, Dr. Nuamah Nabil has asked that body organs donation should be encouraged in Ghana. According to him, Ghana does not have any concrete laws surrounding organs donation neither has awareness on the said donations be made, the brain behind the lack of donations in Ghana. He confirmed that even though a lot of tests needed to be run to conduct a donor and a recipient donation of any part of the body that can be donated, an excessive awareness creation on the subject matter would take away the fear in donating an organ. Speaking on UTVs Adekye Nsroma health segment, Dr. Nabil emphasized that it will cost a donor no harm to donate any of his/her body organs to a loved one who is really in need of it for survival. The perception that a donor will face challenges or have short life span is not true, only if the process is uniquely done and the recipient does not react to the organ donated. It is possible that a donor or a recipient will live longer than expected, he further indicated. Organ donation is the process of removing an organ from one person and surgically placing it in another person. Many organs that can be donated include the liver, kidney, pancreas, and heart. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/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 RTHK: UK lawmakers reject all Brexit options British lawmakers have rejected all eight options put forward in a so-called "indicative vote" on Wednesday intended to chart a way forward for Brexit. However Parliament did agree to delay the date of the country's departure from the European Union originally set down in law as Friday until April 12. Lawmakers voted on options that included leaving the European Union without a deal, staying in the bloc's customs union and single market, putting any EU divorce deal to a referendum, and canceling Brexit if the prospect of a no-deal departure gets close. The strongest support was for a plan to stay in a customs union with the bloc after Brexit, which was defeated by eight votes: 272-264. Lawmakers plan to narrow the list of options down and hold more votes on Monday. Hours before the vote, Prime Minister Theresa May told her ruling Conservative Party she would stand down if her twice-rejected Brexit deal was passed. Several hard-line pro-Brexit lawmakers indicated that they would support the deal. However Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which props up her government, said it wouldn't support the deal because of a provision designed keep an open border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland. May is expected to put her deal to the House of Commons again on Thursday or Friday, though Speaker John Bercow has indicated that he will not allow another vote unless there are substantial changes to the proposal. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Beyond the victory, the drama, and the eventual assassination connected with his rule, the name of former president Anwar Al-Sadat is most associated with the 40-year-old Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty It was supposed to be a peaceful Tuesday afternoon at Al-Ahram, with president Anwar Al-Sadat expected to attend the annual commemorative military parade that honours the memory of the 6 October 1973 War. Sadat had already arrived at the venue of the parade in Nasr City in Cairo. He was there along with his vice president Hosni Mubarak and his top aides. Also present for the eighth anniversary of the October Crossing was Jihan Al-Sadat, the first lady, who had arrived with Sadats beloved grandson. The parade had started, and Assem Al-Kersh, a former editor of Al-Ahram Weekly who was then a member of the foreign desk of Al-Ahram, was watching the parade with colleagues before suddenly the transmission went down. It was an awkward moment; it was very unusual for a transmission to go down unexpectedly, certainly not when the president was making an appearance or attending a high-profile event like the October military parade, Al-Kersh remembered. He was not sure what to think. Typically, he checked the wires nothing. The official news agency had not aired an explanation. An hour later, an evening newspaper came out early in the afternoon with a headline suggesting that Sadat had left for his Delta village of Mit Abul-Kom. The paper further said that upon his arrival in the village, Sadat had visited the grave of his half-brother Atef Sadat, one of the first Egyptian soldiers to have died in the early hours of the October War. It was suspicious: the TV would normally air the parade to its end and show the president leaving in his motorcade. Something was odd; it was in the air even if the news was not coming through, Al-Kersh remembered. Sadat An anxious newsroom was not sure what to put on the front page of Al-Ahram for 7 October. There was no confirmation that Sadat had left Cairo for his village, and there was no other narrative to offer. Al-Ahrams editor at the time, Ibrahim Nafie, seemed to know something but was hesitant to share it. This added to the apprehension in the newsroom. Al-Kersh was already trying to contact friends in foreign news agencies, but he was not getting through. Then, a couple of hours later, the news broke. Sadat is dead. The Reuters machine at the foreign desk was ringing, and Al-Kersh jumped up to snatch the dispatch. It was one line: Sadat is dead, official, he remembered. This was shocking news even for this young journalist who had not come to terms with the peace treaty that Sadat had signed a little over two years earlier with Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin with the mediation of US president Jimmy Carter. He dashed into Nafies office, who merely nodded without even having seen the dispatch. By the time Al-Kersh was back in the newsroom to join the team in writing the papers headlines, the US news agency AP had given a more detailed account of how Sadat had died during a shooting at the October military parade. It is interesting that the AP photographer on the scene had a walky-talky, the first to be allowed for a news agency in Egypt. He reported the developments to the Cairo bureau, which immediately filed the story but in the rush missed an urgent code, prompting an eight-minute delay behind Reuters whose chief was on site and managed to find his way to a nearby apartment in Nasr City where he was allowed to use the phone and put out the news, Al-Kersh said. Sadat Hosni Mubarak: The hero of war and peace fell as a martyr. We are committed to the peace treaty with Israel. This was the headline that appeared in Al-Ahram later, alongside a picture of Sadats last appearance in military uniform. The front page in a bold black font carried the statement of then vice president Hosni Mubarak. Mubaraks statement was meant to affirm Egypts commitment to the peace treaty. The newsroom of Al-Ahram had received a message from the presidency to give prominence to this line. In his recollections of the day later, Mubarak, who became Sadats long-serving successor, said that it was important for him to assert this point to avert any concerns about Egypts position on the peace with Israel. This was a serious matter, Mubarak said. A Ground-Breaking Treaty According to Al-Kersh, the assassination of Sadat at the hands of members of the Armed Forces at the October military parade was more about the peace treaty than about any of the other controversies that Sadats name had been associated with during his 10-year rule from the day he succeeded Gamal Abdel-Nasser as president after the latters death in September 1970. Sadats name should have been most associated with the October Crossing of 1973, but this was not the case. So much had happened since the day Sadat spoke before parliament to announce the crossing of the Suez Canal to the east bank that had been occupied by the Israelis since 1967, Al-Kersh said. Of the many political and economic decisions that Sadat took, and the very high drama that he lived through on the internal and international scenes, he was most associated with the peace treaty with Israel, he added. Certainly, Sadats funeral, which lacked the public presence that marked Nassers, was attended by US presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter along with Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin. The peace treaty with Israel was certainly a big deal for the world; this was clear in the news coverage in the foreign press at the time, Al-Kersh recalled. When it happened on 26 March 1979, it was a day when we had to do extra editions of Al-Ahram, just like we did with the signing of the Camp David Accords a year earlier when we had eight successive editions, or with Sadats surprise visit to Jerusalem in 1977, Al-Kersh said. Sadat On the evening of Wednesday 9 November 1977, the newsroom of Al-Ahram was again in a state of confusion. In a statement before parliament earlier in the day, Sadat had taken the world and the Peoples Assembly and the attending Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat by surprise when he deviated from a written speech to say that he was willing to go to the end of the world, to the very house of Israel, the Knesset itself, in search of a peace that would spare the further bloodshed of Egyptian soldiers. The news team at Al-Ahram had already followed the televised statement with surprise, only matched by the surprise that Arafat expressed to foreign minister Ismail Fahmi who had invited him to come to Egypt to attend Sadats speech. We were not sure what to do; initially, we had the statement in the headlines, but then we received a call from the office of Fahmi to ask us to remove any reference to this statement. Then there came a call from the presidential press office requesting the statement to be in the headlines. There was total confusion, but eventually we had the statement in the headlines, Al-Kersh recalled. In his memoirs, Negotiating for Middle East Peace, Fahmi later wrote that it was on the request of Sadat personally that he had called Al-Ahram to request that the reference to his willingness to visit Jerusalem and to make a statement before the Knesset be removed. He told me it was a slip of the tongue, and that I needed to have it removed, Fahmi wrote. According to his memoirs, Fahmi had heard Sadat earlier contemplating the idea of visiting Jerusalem in pursuit of a peace deal. He had made a reference to his willingness to go to the Knesset in pursuit of a peace that would end the bloodshed of Egyptian soldiers during a meeting of the National Security Council on 5 November and his remark was contested by chief of staff Abdel-Ghani Al-Gamassi. This, however, was not the first reference that Fahmi had heard from Sadat about the visit. In his memoirs, the foreign minister, who resigned upon Sadats actual visit to Jerusalem on 19 November the same year, wrote that Sadat had brought the issue up during a presidential visit to Romania where then president Nicolai Ceausescu had conveyed to him a message from Begin expressing a willingness to meet for peace. Sadat, Fahmi added, had already sent a personal envoy to Morocco to meet with Israeli officials to explore their wish for a meeting. Later, despite the firm opposition of his foreign minister and other top aides, Sadat decided to go ahead with the visit. Fahmi decided to send his resignation to Sadats vice president Mubarak only two days before the scheduled visit began. In his memoirs, former foreign minister and Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa wrote that Mubarak had a clear recollection of the incident. Mubarak, Moussa wrote, was instructed by Sadat to accept the resignation of Fahmi and to make the news public. Sadat Sadat, also according to Moussas memoirs, then requested minister of state Mohamed Riad to be sworn in as foreign minister. Riad declined, and he was asked to resign. Boutros Boutros-Ghali was then sworn in as minister of state for foreign affairs and he joined Mubarak as he arrived in Jerusalem on the Saturday evening, 19 November 1979. It was the eve of the Muslim pilgrimage feast. I was there with my family in Alexandria for the occasion. We were watching Sadats arrival in Jerusalem with a great sense of surprise, Moussa wrote. He added that it was a big moment for sure; still, it was very perplexing for us as young men who had grown up with the successive wars with Israel to see our very own president, the head of the leading Arab state, arriving in Jerusalem to be received by the leading officials of Israel. This visit shook the ideas we had grown up with and lived with for years and years. Moussa thought that it was inevitable for us to go to negotiations with Israel, but I did not expect it to happen in such a dramatic way. In the autumn of 1977, Moussa, he wrote in his memoirs, thought that maybe Sadat should not have gone himself. However, some years down the road, it was clear that the shock caused by Sadats visit to Jerusalem was necessary for the prompt negotiations that allowed for the peace process to bring Sinai back to Egypt. In short, I am one of those who believe that without the bravery of Sadat and his willingness to take such a dramatic step that literally put Israel in the corner, it would not have been possible for us to have retrieved all of Sinai maybe until today, Moussa wrote in his memoirs that came out in 2017. The details of the Jerusalem visit and the subsequent negotiations leading to the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978 and then the peace treaty in 1979 are also recalled in the memoirs of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, The Road to Jerusalem, and in the memoirs of Ibrahim Kamel, Egypts foreign minister from December 1977 to September 1978. The narratives share most of the details of the Egyptian-Israeli talks that allowed for the signing of the Camp David Accords and the peace treaty. However, they do offer opposing perspectives. In Boutros-Ghalis memoirs, Sadat is a shrewd politician who manoeuvres the Israelis to his objectives of liberating Egyptian territory and setting the groundwork for a larger Arab-Israeli peace that would eventually allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Sadat In the memoirs of Kamel, who resigned on the eve of the signing of the Camp David Accords, Sadat is a man with good intentions but a rushed schedule to reach a deal at any price and with insufficient guarantees that the peace deal between Egypt and Israel would not come at the expense of other Arab countries whose territories were still occupied by Israel or at the expense of the Palestinians. 40 Years On: Today, when one looks back, one says, well, even if one disagreed with what Sadat did at the time, one has to give him credit for having had the very clear objective of liberating Egyptian territory, which is what he did, said a retired Palestinian official. He added that unlike Nasser, who viewed himself as an Arab leader with responsibilities that took in all the Arab countries, Sadat was more of an Egypt-first president whose prime focus of attention was to restore the occupied Egyptian territories. I guess what we should have thought of back then was that what Sadat was doing was a clear sign about the changing of the times, but we did not. We thought that he would be somehow stopped, or that the Arab opposition to his peace treaty would force him to do a U-turn. But he didnt because his objective was not to be another Arab leader like Nasser but to be the Egyptian president who had liberated the land that Nasser had lost, added the official. Not long after the signing of the peace treaty, an Arab Summit in Baghdad decided to suspend Egypts membership of the Arab League and to remove the headquarters of the Pan-Arab organisation to Tunis. A few years later, following the assassination of Sadat and the subsequent ascent of Hosni Mubarak to power, this decision was reversed. According to statements that Mubarak made later, the return of Egypt to the Arab League and the return of the Arab League headquarters to Cairo was not just a matter of realism but also an indication of the unannounced fact that Sadats visit might have been opposed by all the Arab leaders in public, but in private some did not really oppose it. According to a former Egyptian foreign minister, at least five Arab countries, including more than one Gulf state, were not really opposed to the Jerusalem visit or to the peace treaty. Nobody wanted another war. Several Arab capitals thought that the successive Arab-Israeli wars had neither served Arab interests in general nor the objective of Palestinian statehood. They thought that a negotiated deal was a better scenario, especially with the unmasked US bias towards Israel and the hesitation of the Soviet Union, before the end of the Cold War, to be supportive of the Arab countries. In separate remarks, Arab and Israeli diplomats acknowledged the open secret that before and after the Sadat visit to Jerusalem and the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, there had always been channels of communication, more indirect than now, between Israel and the representative of several Arab regimes. Four decades down the road, Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu is now openly bragging about the many direct contacts he has had with most Arab capitals even at a time when the hope for Palestinian statehood is remote. However, according to a Palestinian politician, the very sad situation in which the Palestinians stand today, completely coerced by Israel and with hardly any backing from the Arab world, started when Sadat chose to unilaterally sign a peace treaty with Israel irrespective of what that meant for Palestinian rights. We all know that Israel was willing to do anything to get Egypt out of the Arab-Israeli struggle. Once Egypt was out, Jordan was going to follow. It did not matter very much whether or not Syria, or for that matter Lebanon, would come to sign a peace deal, because I dont think Israel had the intention to give up the Golan Heights as it did with Sinai, the politician added. As for the Palestinians, well, Israel was not planning to bow to their right of statehood back in 1977 or 1979 or any other time, as it is not willing today to agree to this right, he stated. In his criticism of Sadats peace initiative and subsequent peace treaty, the prominent commentator Mohamed Hassanein Heikal wrote in his book The Debate over the Initiative that when the Israeli delegation arrived in Egypt in the wake of Sadats visit to Jerusalem for the launch of talks at the Mena House meeting supposed to bring all Arab parties along with Israel to the negotiating table, the head of the Israeli delegation objected to having the flag of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the meeting room. According to Heikal, the Egyptian organisers of the meeting removed the flag and told the Israeli delegation that the flag of the PLO had been put there at the initiative of the hotel management without official instructions. For Heikal, this was one of many incidents that made it clear that what Israel was out to get was a peace deal that would negate any future Egyptian influence on the path of the Arab-Israeli struggle. A similar sentiment is expressed by writer Youssef Idris in his book The Search for Al-Sadat. A novelist and commentator who had previously had relatively close relations with Sadat, Idris wrote that his support for Sadats peace initiative lasted no more than four weeks before it became clear that it was not the outcome of an orchestrated Arab diplomatic plan but rather a caprice of Sadats. According to both Heikal and Idris, peace cannot be built upon ones man wishes, no matter how sincere and no matter how passionate. In Retrospect: Esmat Seif Al-Dawla is the founder and chair of the Egyptians Against Zionism Forum and an ardent critic of Egypts unilateral peace with Israel that he says was not just about ending the state of war and the occupation of Israel in return for normal relations, but was essentially about bringing an end to Egypt as a leading Arab state capable, despite the economic hardships, of overcoming the Israeli occupation of its territories in 1967 with the crossing of October 1973. Israel had not expected that Egypt, harshly defeated in 1967, would be able to organise the crossing six years later. This kind of Egypt was a threat to Israel, and it had to be changed once and for all by another Egypt that had abandoned its responsibility towards the Palestinian cause and its ability to be an independent state, Seif Al-Dawla said. He argued that the path towards the 1979 treaty was initiated much earlier than the 1977 visit. It was started, he said, with the extremely unfair arrangements of Sinai first and second agreements that allowed for the end of hostilities between Egypt and Israel in the wake of the ceasefire of the October 1973 War. After the agreement, Seif Al-Dawla argued, Sadat, already stripped of any regional influence, chose to pursue uncertain economic and political choices. On the economic front, he opted for a free-market economy, for example. This simply meant that he abandoned the public sector, which was the basis of the national economy that allowed for social equality and had been essential for the October crossing, Seif Al-Dawla argued. With the inflow of US economic aid, Seif Al-Dawla added, Sadat allowed for the launch of a new socio-economic stratum of businessmen who made huge fortunes and chose in return to support whichever policies that Sadat was adopting in return for their new-found affluence. This, he added, meant the beginning of the erosion of the middle classes that were essential to the stability of society. Sadat In parallel, Seif Al-Dawla added, Sadat was not willing to allow for any serious opposition to the peace treaty with Israel, so he chose to coerce all national political forces that opposed this Treaty, whether from the left that he had always been at odds with, or from the Islamist quarters that he had originally given a push to in attempts to corner the left. Seif Al-Dawla argued that when he quelled the national movement, Sadat unintentionally gave rise to the cause of a religious identity over national identity, which meant that people felt less Egyptian and more Muslim or Copt. On the political front, Seif Al-Dawla argued, Sadat chose to go the extra mile in embracing the US to the point where he was simply following US policies rather than being a partner in them. But the worst part about the peace treaty, in the analysis of Seif Al-Dawla, was the security agreements reached with Israel. Seif Al-Dawla argued that these agreements, enshrined in the Camp David Accords, meant that Egypt would only have very limited sovereignty over Sinai. The maximum number of soldiers Egypt is allowed to have in Sinai is way beneath the number required for Egypt to be able to shield itself against any possible attack. This is unforgivable, he said. Seif Al-Dawla argued that the realisation on the part of Sadats successor Hosni Mubarak that Egypt was not in a position to be able to protect Sinai against a possible Israeli attack was perhaps the reason why he hesitated to bring in a serious development plan for Sinai. Today, Seif Al-Dawla argued, Egypt needs to go through security coordination mechanisms with Israel before it can expand the number of troops or equipment in Sinai to deter radical militant groups. According to Amin Iskandar, a Nasserist politician and writer, in retrospect, the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was perhaps one of the many mistakes that Sadat made during his rule of Egypt. In fact, it is perhaps the root of the many mistakes he made. It was the worst, he explained, because it would be very hard to have it reversed without getting into a confrontation today, not just with Israel but also with other world powers. It was also the worst, he added, because its impact was far-reaching. It was not just about Egypt, but about the entire Arab world, Iskandar stated. But for Gamal Abdel-Gawwad, a political analyst at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, in retrospect, there was perhaps no other way than Sadats way to regain all the Egyptian territories that had been occupied by Israel in 1967 and to move on beyond the phases of subsequent wars with Israel that were becoming impossible to manage from an economic point of view. According to Abdel-Gawwad, while many argued back then, and some still do today, that Sadat could have continued the military path to complete the liberation of Egyptian territories and pave the way for Palestinian statehood, this was in fact an unrealistic path. Egypt, he said, could not have managed another surprise war against Israel. The US had come to the rescue of Israel in a direct way, while the former Soviet Union had been hesitant about providing Egypt with the necessary military equipment. The Egyptians could not have taken another military defeat from Israel. A negotiated settlement was the only way out for Egypt, and in a negotiated settlement it is inevitable that you give something and take something. What you give and what you take depends on the balance of power, he said. Sadat Egypt was in no position to wait for all the Arab countries to come to an agreement with Israel or for the Palestinians and Israelis to reach an agreement, he said. It was not possible because stability in Egypt is always dependent on the sovereignty of the state over its territories. The quality of this sovereignty is another story, he said. Moreover, Abdel-Gawwad added, the debate over the quality of sovereignty over Sinai cannot be assessed strictly on the military and political performance of Sadat. The political and military performance of Nasser, who had actually lost this land to Israel, has to be factored into the assessment as well. The fact that four decades after the treaty, Israel has not violated its commitments and Sinai is still under Egyptian sovereignty, despite whatever remarks one might have on the text of the peace treaty, is what really counts, Abdel-Gawwad said. He added that in the final analysis, Sadat came to office with Sinai occupied, and he died after he had liberated Sinai, partially by war and partially by peace. The Rule Of Sadat: In the view of Iskandar, the rule of Sadat can be divided into two phases: before the peace initiative and the subsequent peace treaty and after it. Iskandar argued that until the October War, Sadat was guided by the firm wish for a war to liberate the land that Israel had taken by force in 1967. His focus was war, but he still acted to sideline all shades of political opposition whether from within or without the regime. He wished to cut the ways with the concepts of Pan-Arabism and socialism that were essential pillars of the rule of Egypt before he took over, Iskandar argued. After the October War, he added, Sadat re-launched himself not as the successor of Nasser but as the hero of the crossing. Then came a litany of US-inspired economic and political moves that prompted a great deal of social unease until he went ahead with the signing of a peace treaty that even many of those who were willing to support a negotiated settlement with Israel believed was an unfair agreement. After the treaty with Israel, Iskandar argued, Sadat accentuated his wish to re-launch Egypt as a country different from the one that Nasser had ruled. And he was not willing to accommodate any disagreement, explaining the decisions he made in September 1981, only a few weeks before his assassination, to arrest figures of the political opposition who were all still in jail on 6 October 1981, Iskandar said. Iskandar blames the second part of Sadats rule for huge mistakes, including the upsurge of sectarian strife that was blamed on Sadats pursuit of an Islamist profile as a Muslim president of a Muslim land. For Iskandar, this was far from being a manifestation of an Islamist bias, but was rather a function of the beginnings of a later times association with Saudi Arabia. An obvious result of this wave, Iskandar argued, was the unfortunate decision of the Church and the Copts to abandon the public space and to cluster together. Iskandar also blames the second part of Sadats rule for an artificial pursuit of political pluralism that was not actually designed to allow real political diversity, but was rather a pretence. Iskandar argued that Sadat, in the second part of his rule, was thinking that he could get away with everything because the world, especially Israel and the US, would support him in return for the otherwise unimaginable political favour that he had done them with the signing of a unilateral peace treaty. However, political researcher Amr Al-Shobaky, at the time against Sadats unilateral peace with Israel and the subsequent set of political decisions that he adopted, is now willing to subject his past views to considered revision. When one sees how things have unfolded on the political scene worldwide, with the end of the Cold War and the rise of the influence of the Arab Gulf countries with the oil boom, it is hard to think that there was another way for Sadat to secure the liberation of Egyptian territories after the shock caused by the October crossing, he said. That said, for Al-Shobaky, the October War is perhaps the thing that Sadat should be remembered for rather than the peace treaty. Al-Shobaky argued that today Sadat should get credit for having seen early on that Arab disagreement would always be a handicap in any serious collective effort to secure Palestinian statehood. He said that the inter-Arab fighting that had started between the Palestinians and Jordanians in 1970 before the death of Nasser had continued well beyond Sadat with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and has since been unfolding. Ultimately, Sadat was an Egypt-firster. This is what he thought, and this is how he made his political choices, Al-Shobaky added. Even if Nasser initiated the early preparations for the crossing right after the humiliating defeat of 1967, it was still a huge decision for Sadat to have taken because it was ultimately an enormous risk despite all the planning and the heroic courage of the Egyptian military at the time, he said. Abdel-Gawwad agreed that there was no one in October 1973 who could say in no uncertain terms that the crossing would succeed or that things would not take a humiliating turn. He argued that decades down the road, some still tend to underestimate what the war was really about. Cold Peace: In his 2004 book The Yom Kippur War, Ibrahim Rabinovich, a Jerusalem Post reporter who covered the war, offers a detailed account of the day of 6 October 1973 when the Egyptians crossed in strength. Rabinovich wrote that not since the construction of the Pyramids, at least not since the construction of the Suez Canal, had Egypt seen such a massive and well-executed enterprise. Seif Al-Dawla argued that what Sadat did after the ceasefire in the autumn of 1973 until he died in the autumn of 1981 simply unrolled the heroism of the crossing. Abdel-Gawwad for his part argued that had it not been for what Sadat did in 1977, what had been secured in 1973 could have been lost at one point or the other. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have complained that while Egypt has honourably respected its responsibilities under the peace treaty, the peace between Egypt and Israel remains a cold peace. In the words of a Cairo-based western diplomat who has served in Israel, the Israelis cannot understand why relations with Egypt are so cold; they say that what they have with Egypt is normalisation not one. In the memoirs he published upon his retirement, Saad Mortada, Egypts first ambassador to Israel, describes an awkward arrival in Tel Aviv that was never smoothed by the willingness of Israeli officials to show him hospitality. On 26 February 1980, I presented my accreditation in Israel and I have to say there was a big difference between the welcome I was accorded by the Israeli government and the Israeli people and between the uptight reaction with which Israels first ambassador to Egypt was received, he wrote. During his three decades of rule, Mubarak would always remind Israeli interlocutors in private, as in public, that for peace to depart from its point of initiation, for which he always credited Sadat, Israel needed to make progress in its negotiations with the Palestinians. Mubarak would argue that the Israeli rulers needed to be as brave as Sadat in their pursuit of peace. However, some foreign diplomats in Cairo who attended an event held by the US Embassy to celebrate 40 years of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty suggested that the impression of the Israeli diplomatic corps in Egypt was that it was unlikely that the new Israeli ambassador to Egypt, expected to present her accreditation later this year to President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, will find a different public posture. Official relations between Egypt and Israel are at an all-time high since the signing of the Treaty, Egyptian officials say it and the Israelis also say it, and this week Netanyahu lifted a long-standing Israeli objection to an Egyptian purchase of German submarines. But this is not at all reflected at the public level, said one of the diplomats following his participation. Hassan, Ali and Maguida are three Ain Shams University students in Cairo. They come from relatively privileged socio-economic backgrounds and are all under 20 years old. None of them come from families with any particularly anti-Israeli sentiment. And none of them have any awareness of being from families who lost members during the October War or any of the previous wars with Israel. However, the three, who study different disciplines, said that they would not wish to have anything to do with Israel. The reason, the three of them agreed, was the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories and the Israeli aggression towards the Palestinians. According to Al-Shobaky this testimony is a mild but significant indication of where Egypt really stands on relations with Israel. Sadat, upon his visit to Jerusalem and the signing of the peace treaty with Israel, spoke of what he called the psychological barrier between Egyptians and Israelis. Clearly, this barrier has only come down at the official level and to an extent at the level of the business community that was manufactured in the wake of the treaty to serve the vision of Sadat, the Americans and the Israelis for normal relations. But things have not changed at the public level, he said. Al-Kersh agreed that for the newsroom of Al-Ahram on the eve of Sadats funeral it was difficult to find pictures of people grieving as had been the case upon the death of Nasser a decade earlier. Al-Shobaky argued that while over two-thirds of Egypts population of 100 million was born in the so-called years of peace with Israel, the overwhelming sentiment is that Egypt is in a state of no war but not in a state of normal relations with Israel. So, while in a sense it would be hard to say that the overwhelming sentiment of the population was opposed to the treaty, it is harder to say that Egyptians really embraced Sadats call for peace, Al-Kersh said. According to Iskandar, the peace was not between Egyptians and Israelis, but between the Israelis and Sadat. In the view of poet Amin Haddad, there is perhaps no stronger evidence for the lack of affinity between Egyptians and the peace treaty than the flow of satirical songs that came out against Sadat from the leading poets of the time, colloquial poets Ahmed Fouad Negm and Sheikh Imam. This is an obvious contrast to the spontaneous flow of passionate national songs, essentially but not only in the colloquial, that came out before, during and after the October War, and even during and after the defeat of 1967 under Nasser, Haddad argued. According to Heikals book on Sadats peace initiative, peace in the Middle East could not have been made by the will of one man alone. Visionary Leader Or Gambler: In his book Al-Sadat between Myth and Reality, Moussa Sabri, a journalist and commentator, describes Sadat, whom he had met in jail in the 1940s for his resistance to the British occupation, as a man of great resolve and unwavering imagination. Sabri, a close confidant of Sadat during the Jerusalem visit, recalled in his book, which came out a few years after the assassination in October 1981, how Sadat would listen carefully to diverse political views, without saying much, or without saying anything at all, and how he would sing songs by Egypts divas at the time, Asmahan and Um Kolthoum, while contemplating an escape from jail. These traits, Sabri wrote, were constants of Sadats and were reflected at times of major political decisions such as the war with Israel in 1973 and the peace with Israel in 1977. Another book issued after the assassination of Sadat by another confidant, the journalist Anis Mansour, describes Sadat as a man with a calculating mind but also as a man who was not willing to confine himself to the prevailing norms. Both Sabri and Mansour describe what the political elite in Egypt might have expected of Sadat when he walked in the footsteps of Nasser, his charismatic predecessor. Sadat would never have accepted simply to follow in Nassers footsteps because he was a man who liked to leave his own imprint even at great risk to himself, Sabri and Mansour suggested. Political science professor Ashraf Al-Sherif acknowledges these traits. However, he argues that in the final analysis Sadat represented the aspirations and dilemmas of the Egyptian political movement since its launch in the 1919 Revolution. Al-Sherif argues that when Sadat was born on 25 December 1918 at the time of the 1919 Revolution, the political movement in Egypt was focused on an independent Egypt that had a particular regional status and good international relations. Like all the rulers of Egypt from the time of Mohamed Ali in the 19th century until today, Sadat acted to establish his legitimacy by protecting and modernising Egypt, Al-Sherif said. Like them, Sadat was only willing to allow democracy at arms length. Al-Sherif disagrees that Sadat diverted from the political path established in 1952 upon the armys takeover of the country and the eventual elimination of the monarchy and the former ruling Mohamed Ali family. I would say that he just re-routed, Al-Sherif said. Sadat is a very good example of the mainstream of Egyptian politics, he argued. However, he added that unlike other political leaders of the past century, Sadat was a man of high drama who always liked to keep his cards close to his chest, and he acted to conceal his true intentions with theatrical acts. This is why some perceived him as unguided and others saw him as gambler, he stated. Today, according to Al-Sherif, himself of the generation born in the decade following the peace treaty, there is perhaps an attempt at an impartial and dispassionate reading of the history of Egyptian-Israeli relations. In this perspective, Sadat could be seen as the man who started a path that allowed for the return of the Egyptian territories occupied under Nasser. For most of the Egyptian population today, Al-Sherif argued, Sadats name is most associated with this issue rather any of the other controversial events his name could be associated with in the minds of others. It would be untypical for an Egyptian man or woman in their twenties to associate the name of Sadat with the Open Door economic policy or incidents of sectarian strife or for that matter an uninhibited approach towards democracy. If they were asked, they would inevitably refer to one of two things: the October War or the peace treaty, with the latter being more likely due to the fact that Sadat himself had anticipated the 1973 War as the last of wars between Arabs and Israelis. Al-Sherif added that consequent acts of Israeli aggression, including the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and other attacks that have followed against Lebanon and the Palestinians, have failed to make Egyptians born after the treaty perceive that there is peace in the Middle East. But this is one thing and the perception of Sadat is another, he said. According to Fady, Adel and Noha, three students at Cairo University who study science and the humanities, the blame for the failure of the peace treaty cannot be put at the doorstep of Sadat, who did take the decision to restore Egyptian territory. Rather, it should be placed at the doorstep of Israel, which has never been candid about peace with its Arab neighbours or about granting Palestinians their legitimate rights. They added that perhaps some of the blame should be put on subsequent generations of Arab leaders who have not supported Arab rights as they should have done and have instead focused on using the Palestinian situation to serve their own undemocratic style of rule. Sadat was not democratic, but he was brave enough to go to war and to peace with Israel to liberate Egyptian territory, Fady said, who added that he did not know of anyone in his age bracket who would call Sadat either a political clown, a gambler, or a traitor. These are things of the past, he said. People might not call him brave or visionary either, however. They just think of him as one of the presidents there during the years of war with Israel and there for the end of wars with Israel, Fady added. For Fadys generation, it is unclear whether the assassination of Sadat was a result of the fury at his economic measures that were not coupled with a genuinely democratic approach or with the controversial peace treaty with Israel. The fact of the matter is that even after Sadat was killed the peace treaty lived. It lived throughout Sadats immediate successor Hosni Mubarak rule, it lived after the 25 January Revolution, and it still is living today, Fady said. In her memoirs, A Woman of Egypt, Jihan Al-Sadat is convinced that it was his call for peace that brought about the killing of Sadat because it was too visionary and too revolutionary at the time. Even though I had always known that my husband might be killed for his courage and his vision of peace, I was not prepared for it when it happened, she wrote. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Sadat and the peace treaty Search Keywords: Short link: The Ghana Police Service has deployed robust information and communications technology to enable it to monitor key areas across the country to make up for the shortfall in the police-citizen ratio. The United Nations police-citizen ratio is one policeman or woman to 500 people, but Ghana has a ratio of one to 900. In what he described as managing crime with technology, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, said with the digitisation of police information systems and the deployment of 1,000 cameras throughout the country, Ghanaians should know that they were being watched every step of the way where the cameras had been mounted. With the digitisation of police informations systems, some of the cameras have been installed at traffic intersections, border posts and key national installations across the country. From analogue phones, the police now have digitised call centres and android-embedded chips on their handsets that facilitate the capture of videos and the identity of callers. The centres are equipped with advanced communication gadgets, including CCTV monitoring screen and digital (eLTE 4) trunking network that are networked to other centres in Kumasi and Tamale. The Kumasi Centre monitors the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East and Eastern regions, while the Tamale centre monitors the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions. The Accra Centre, which is the headquarters, also monitors the Greater Accra, Central, Western, Western North, Volta and Oti regions. The system gives the police a fair idea of happenings across the country and helps them unravel some of the complicated cases of armed robbery, accidents, hit-and-run cases, among others. It will also help professionalise police operations and improve their operational effectiveness. The Daily Graphic had a rare opportunity to visit the Central Monitoring Centre in Accra, where technicians took the team through some key areas in the country on their radar. With a touch of a button, the technicians took the Daily Graphic team to the Tamale Regional Police Headquarters, the Central Business District of Tamale and straightaway zoomed in on Yendi, where the police had a clear view and understanding of happenings on the ground, and to the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters and the Elubo Border. Next phase Mr Asante-Apeatu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the police would introduce the two-way SMS policing in the next two months to enhance communication between the public and the police. The system, he said, was currently being piloted, with he (IGP) being able to send messages to policemen but they could not respond or reply. The IGP said the next phase of the police digitisation project, Alpha 2, would be the introduction of Location Based Systems (LBS) into the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the Police Emergency Command Centre to enable the exact location of callers to be generated on-screen, instead of the caller offering directions to his or her place. He said an additional 8,000 cameras were expected to be deployed throughout the country to beef up security, not only at national installations but also public places, including private properties. Citizens Mr Asante-Apeatu explained that individuals or corporate organisations that wanted the police to monitor their properties could link up with the Emergency Command Centre. He, however, explained that the cameras to be used must be in sync with those of the police. Command Centre The officer in charge at the centre, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ms Gladys Asare, and the technician, Corporal Sadat Hamidu, took the team through the operations of the centre. Ms Asare said the other regional commands without the centres had branch systems where they only received case tickets to act on. She said there were two sections at the centre: the Call-takers Unit and the Dispatch Unit. She said the moment a call came through, a case ticket was generated and forwarded to the Dispatch Unit, which would locate the nearest patrol team to assign to that call. The Daily Graphic team was also taken through some recorded videos of two accidents, one at the Gold House traffic light in the night and the other at the 37 Military Hospital Intersection (which have been downloaded on graphic.com.gh). Ms Asare explained that with those videos, it became easier for investigators to complete their investigations. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the Winamda Polling Station in the Sekyere Afram Plains Constituency lost the wife and two daughters in the recent ghastly accident that occurred on the Amomoa-Nkwanta stretch of the Techiman-Kintampo Highway last Friday. Donkor Fuseini, a former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sekyere Afram Plains during the previous NDC administration, made the disclosure. The deaths of about 60 people in the accident have sparked another round of heated debate over road safety in the country due to the high number of casualties involved. DAILY GUIDE gathered that the NDC Chairmans wife and children were part of those who got burnt beyond recognition, which compelled the authorities to organize a mass burial for them. He told DAILY GUIDE that the NDC in the Winamda Polling Station and Sekyere Afram Plains in general have been devastated by the development. Mr Fuseini disclosed that the chairmans wife travelled to the northern part of the country to get her two daughters to start school at Winamda. Unfortunately, the VVIP ANKAI bus with registration number GT 39116-17 on which they were travelling from Garu in the Upper East Region to Kumasi collided with the Kia Grand Bird Bus with registration GT5694-18, which was heading towards Bolgatanga from Accra. The former DCE expressed his condolences to Chairman Mohammed and the bereaved family on behalf of the NDC members at Winamda and Ghana in general. He fervently prayed to God to support the distressed NDC Chairman in these trying times. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A sober looking Minister for Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, could not control himself any longer than to shared tears after visiting the mass burial site of 38 victims of last Fridays Kintampo road crash who were burnt beyond recognition. He was however, consoled by his colleague Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta, who accompanied him to the site. Hon. Amoako Atta though looked very strong, he at a point in time also became restrained and emotional after listening to some of the accident victims narrate their story and attributed the road crash to the reckless driving of the KIA Grand Bird driver. This was when they visited some of the accident victims at the Techiman Holy Family Hospital and the Kintampo South District Hospital on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, to commiserate with them and also get firsthand information from them. The two ministers who were accompanied by the Executive Director of the Ghana National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ing. May Obiri Yeboah and personnel from both Techiman and Kintampo Police Commands, also visited the accident scene at Ampomakrom in the Kintampo South District. The team had on Monday, March 25, 2019, embarked on a similar mission where they visited victims of the Ekumfi road crash which also happened on the same Friday, March 22, 2019, at Trauma & Specialist Hospital, Winneba and the St. Luke Holy Family Hospital, Apam, as well as the accident scene. The driver of the KIA Grand Bird, according to the narration of the surviving victims, was over speeding and at a point dosing off, disregarding all the numerous calls from the passengers onboard to slow down. He in the process, veered off his and collided head-on with an incoming VVIP bus with registration number GT 3916 17 which was travelling from Accra to Tamale. The Grand Bird bus on the other hand was travelling from Garu Tempane to Kumasi. We were coming from Garu and somewhere along the line, we saw another vehicle climbing the hilly road. Our driver over sped to reach that vehicle and at a point in time tried overtaking it. From there, he continued over speeding and when you caution him to exercise restraint, he tells you that he wants to pick some market women who trade in okro and were waiting for him. He even told us those who could not withstand the speed at which he was traveling could get off the vehicle. So after crossing the Police barrier, I saw him dozing off and has veered off the road but it was too late to save the situation. Our bus in the process, run into the incoming VVIP bus causing this avoidable accident, Ernest Atabila, one of the victims narrated the cause of the accident to the team lead by the Transport and Roads and Highways ministers. Ramatu Issaka, a 54-year old woman, who lost her three grandchildren who were also onboard the KIA Grand Bird bus also said We cautioned the driver several times against over speeding but he didnt listen to us. We had no choice than to keep quit and pray that he takes us to our destination. Just some few kilometers after crossing the barrier, he run into the other bus after veering off his lane. The narration of the road crash victims was corroborated by the Kintampo Divisional Police Commander, ACP Joseph Gyawu. A visible sober looking Hon. Asiamah, interacting with journalists after visiting the road crash victims, said he is completely shocked and devastated after listening to narration of the victims and urged the citizenry to take the security and safety of their lives into their own hands by cautioning over speeding drivers to slow down when onboard their vehicles. He said indiscipline on the countrys road networks, especially, the highways, is killing so many lives and it was about time to end the phenomenon. Please join us to educate the citizenry about security and road safety on our roads because so many lives are being lost. You know for a fact that today, the number killer disease is no more malaria it is road crash. And so, we now have to take our destiny into our own hands, he noted whilst addressing Rev. Sister Catherine Osei, deputy Director of Nursing at Techiman Holy Family Hospital. He also urged the Police to up their game and map out new strategies that will help them to strictly enforce regulations covering road safety in the country. I know that you are doing your best but seeing and knowing what is happening to us, all of us must up our game and see that wherever we are having lapses and allowing these reckless drivers to behave the way they are behaving, we try to tackle it so that they dont capitalize on the loose points and misbehave, he said. Rev. Sister Catherine Osei, on her part complained bitterly about none adherence on the part of drivers to road safety rules despite the numerous road safety educational campaigns theyve mounted to sensitize the drivers and other road users. Today, people are not dying because of diseases. The number one killer had to do with road crashes. In our part of the world here in Techiman, weve been educating road users everyday about the wearing of helmets and adherence to other road safety regulations but they dont take the advice. So, like you have just said we all have to do our best to reduce carnage on our roads, she noted. The Minister of Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta, commenting on the accident said he is very surprised to hear that the accident was caused by the recklessness of the KIA Grand Bird driver contrary to claims by a section of the public that the accident was partly caused by the bad nature of the road network. He said it was about time to confront reckless drivers with punitive measures, believing that measure will help reduce to the barest minimum if not totally eliminate, the incessant road crashes the country has been witnessing lately. To him, the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) ought to be commended for intensifying their sensitization and educational campaign from last year to date rather than to be castigated. Look at the road, its a straight road and the road line markings are there. Other necessary road furniture are all there and you can vividly see them. All the road signs have been mounted and please, the media, let the public understand this that through a comprehensive research by the NRSC, it has been revealed that more than 80% of road crashes are caused by human error. Commander you even said it that the Police despite all the state authority vested in you, when you stop these buses to even check them they dont stop. We should let our people understand and I can assure you that we will do whatever is possible to stop this indiscipline on our roads. Today, because of one persons recklessness, we have lost 59 lives including children and several others injured. This cannot be allowed to continue, he noted. According to the Police, 59 lives have so far been lost through the Kintampo road crash out of which 39 got burnt. 53 people from both buses survived the road crash. Some of the surviving victims who were taking to the various hospitals in the enclave have been treated and discharged. Four dead bodies are still in the Kintampo South District morgue and are yet to be identified by their relatives, according to the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Cornelius Atso Blekpi. 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 Some agents believed to be personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have been accused of carrying out unlawful demolition of properties on Berekuso lands at Abokobi. Chief of Berekuso Odeefoo Nana Oteng Korankye II made the allegation during a press conference held at his palace yesterday. He said the soldiers were being used by a private company Manasseh Resource Limited to carry out the alleged demolition. This same company, Manasseh Resources, fully aware of the Supreme Court ruling instructing the Ghana Police Service to desist from assisting Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie from fraudulently acquiring land to which they have no right, has employed the assistance of the military command to brutalize and destroy properties of indigenes within Abokobi vicinity, the chief claimed. He said that over the past few months, the peace and tranquility that has characterized Berekuso lands at Abokobi has been deeply disturbed by thugs masquerading in military uniform under the guise of a fictitiously obtained land title by one Manasseh Resources Company Ltd. He said these thugs, who have little or no regard for the rule of law, have demolished several properties, erected several roadblocks and re-routed roads through the homes of several indigenes under the protection of some armed military men right here at Abokobi. He said if the wanton destruction of properties by Manasseh Resources Company does not stopped, it could trigger chaos and possible reprisal attacks. The chief said that on 22nd January, 2019, Manasseh Resources managed to obtain a land title with the connivance of some unscrupulous officials of the Land Title Registry using a leasehold document from Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie. He added that this land document can be traced to the famous Civil Appeal No. 49/80 dated 15th December 1982 and while this document has been the subject matter of several High Court rulings, the Supreme Court (Criminal Division) ruling dated 30th day of November 2016 Civil Motion No. J5/1/2017 titled the Republic vrs. High Court (land division) Accra, Ex-Parte: Finali Ltd. & ORS, said the order for the writ of possession of the High Court issued on 25/02/2016 be quashed and the Ghana Police Service hereby ordered not to assist Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie to execute the judgment of the High Court in Civil Appeal No. 49/80. According to him, the document, which claims Numo Nmashie Family owns lands all the way from the sea through Spintex Road, Airport, Madina, Abokobi to Berekuso, has been quashed by the Supreme Court. So how is it possible that in this year 2019 after the Supreme Court of Ghana has brought finality to this issue in 2017, the Land Title Registry can issue a land title to Messrs Manasseh Resources Company Limited based on the same quashed document? he queried. Petitions He said they had petitioned the Defence Minister and the Military High Command over what he called the unauthorized use of the military by a private company in pursuit of parochial interest. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has said Ghana is moving in a backward under President Akufo-Addo and his government. According to him, he gets confused and asks himself a lot of questions when members of the NPP claim Ghana is working again under their administration. In clear terms, Ghana has instead moved in a trajectory of backwardness and retrogression in the past two years three months, he said. Speaking on Adom FMs Mpensenpensenmu newspaper discussion show, Sammy Gyamfi advised members of the NPP to stop blowing their own trumpet of growing the Ghanaian economy better than any other government, as those comments should come from citizens instead. Citizens are the best people to grade the current government per their performance as compared to other governments especially the immediate past one. I am yet to hear any positive adage given about this government, yet they claim to be the best when the prices of every product keep shooting up silently every day, he added. To him, the only prominent tools working again in the country are nepotism, clannish and corruption at its highest space. The NDC National Executive further stated that even though Ghana has experienced massive internally generated funds and donor support through loans under this government than any other administration, there are no positive signs to show for it. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/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 Founder and Leader of United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr Akwasi Addai says he is saddened by what he described as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos neglect after winning the 2016 elections. According to him, the President has failed the UPP after it entered into an alliance with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win the 2016 elections. As part of the deal, Mr Addai, also known as Odike said President Akufo-Addo was supposed to give some officers of the UPP certain appointments after winning power, but after more than two years in power, nothing has been done. I am very pained and worried that the president has neglected me and my party. I have met with the President 15 times and each time he promises to fulfill his pledge, he stated. Akufo-Addo ahead of the election asked me and my party to join forces with the NPP to vote out the National Democratic Congress, promising that after we win power, our party officers will be given appointment, he cried on Accra based Neat FM, monitored by Adomonline.com. Asked what his next action is, Mr Addai, who threw his weight behind the then opposition NPP ahead of the 2016 elections, said I dont have anything to say or do. The person we are talking about is a President and so we will never fight him, I leave everything to God, he said. 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 Former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo for promising to give the Ghana Police Service, three helicopters. It was a "necessity", according to Allotey Jacobs, who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show Kokrokoo, Wednesday. They really need more than three looking at the present day sophistication of armed robbers but it is one step progress for the police service. The police service needs more, he added. Renowned journalist and host of the show, Kwami Sefa Kayi, agreed with Allotey Jacobs and also urged the government to turn its eye to the accommodation of police personnel. According to him, the barracks of police officers should either be renovated or remodeled. Background The Akufo-Addo led government is purchasing three new helicopters to help facilitate police operations of the police service in the country. According to President Akufo-Addo the purchase of the three helicopters will help the police to maintain law and order in the country. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and now Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Mr Koku Anyidoho says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo deserves no praise for the passage of the Right to Information [RTI] bill. He emphatically stated the President was lucky to have the bill passed under his tenure after claiming he absolutely did nothing to see to its passage. Why are we praising the President? he quizzed. According to Koku, Parliament is rather the appropriate body worthy of commendation for the yeomans role it played to ensure the bill is passed after several years of hiccups. Lets rather commend parliament, parliament is made up of both NDC and NPP. They made sure the bill was passed. So it will be appropriate that we thank the representatives of the people of Ghana in parliament, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. Ghanas parliament on Tuesday, 26 March 26 passed the Right to Information Bill - It now awaits presidential assent. The bill was relayed before Parliament in March last year by the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice Joseph Kpemka Dindiok after the previous parliament, the sixth of the fourth republic failed to pass it into law. It had been over two decades since it was first drafted under the auspices of the Institute of Economic Affairs, IEA and more than a decade since the Executive arm of government in 2002 drafted the first RTI bill. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during his third state of the nation address to parliament on Thursday, 21 February 2019, said he was ready to sign the Bill into law as soon as it was passed by parliament. "Mr Speaker, Im happy to state that as you know, Parliament has virtually completed its deliberation on the Right to Information Bill and any moment from now the nation will hear the news of its long-anticipated passing. I will happily assent to it as soon as its brought to my table, President Akufo-Addo said. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 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 NDC Member of Parliament [MP] for Upper West Akyem constituency in the Eastern Region, Derek Ohene Bekoe Asifo has cautioned members of the NPP and government to stop pointing accusing fingers at the NDC as masterminders behind the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) transmission tower collapse near its Head office. According to him, the pointing of fingers at the largest opposition party will not help salvage concrete investigations into the scandal just as alleged by the Energy Minister. Why should members of the NPP blame us on this act when investigations are on-going? They should tell us why they must blame the NDC on any negative action that happens to their government? Are they indirectly telling us to blame them as well on harmful occurrences that happened to the previous government? he asked on UTVs Adekye Nsroma show. I believe members of the NPP want to succeed in courting public sympathy . . . he stated. However, Hon. Bekoe Asifo supports that this matter should be investigated to the bottom as the blame games ceases. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/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 Ace Highlife musician, Daniel Amakye Dede has revealed the circumstances that led to his accident at Nsutam on the Anyinam-Bunso road in the Eastern region, which claimed the life of his former Manager, Isaac Yeboah. He said the driver, who caused the accident, was on phone so he lost control and run into his car. A guy who was in the car with me told me after I regained consciousness that the driver was speaking on phone and crashed into our car, he opined. Amakye Dede revealed this on Adom FMs morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, while commending the station for dedicating airtime to discuss carnage on Ghanaian roads. The Highlife legend sustained severe injuries and lost his manager in the crash which occurred on Saturday, January 2, 2016. The Iron boy, as he is affectionately called, was billed to perform at a place called Paradise, which is a few meters away from popular rest stop, Linda Dor Restaurant. The car, according to reports, also injured four persons who were standing at a nearby fuel station. Sharing his experience three years after the incident, Amakye Dede disclosed that, the careless driver was taken to court this year after persistent pressure on the police. He bemoaned how such careless drivers are left off the hook after causing the death of innocent Ghanaians. The Highlife musician warned that such needless accidents, if not curbed, will rob Ghana off great human resource. Source: Adomonline.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 Related Italy to grant citizenship to Egyptian boy who saved children on hijacked school bus Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, known for his hardline approach on migrants, has said that a 13-year-old Egyptian boy who saved 51 children from a bus hijacking last week will be granted Italian citizenship, referring to the teenager as his "son." Ramy Shehata was the first to alert authorities after he and 51 other children were kidnapped when an Italian driver of Senegalese descent hijacked their bus near Milan and set it on fire, in an apparent protest against migrant drownings in the Mediterranean. Shehata hid his phone and called emergency services after the hijacker confiscated the phones of the other students. Police then rushed to the scene and broke the bus windows to get the passengers to safety. Shehata was hailed in Italian media as a "hero." Yes to citizenship for Ramy, because... he showed that he understood the values of this country, said Salvini, who is also Italys Deputy Prime Minister, as quoted by Italy's news agency ANSA. According to Italy's citizenship law, foreigners born in Italy are eligible to apply for citizenship after they turn 18. But Salvini said that "with acts of skill or bravery, laws can be overcome," according to ANSA. Salvini is the engineer of Italy's hardline policies to control an influx of migrants from across the Mediterranean, estimated at 650,000 boat migrants since 2014. Salvini has ordered the closure of all ports to boats carrying rescued migrants, leading new arrivals to Italy to significantly plummet since he took office. Salvini had said that background checks on Shehata's father should be conducted first before considering citizenship for his son, but other ministers have said that Ramy should be granted citizenship anyway. Shehata was born in Italy but has never been granted official citizenship documents, his father told ANSA. "My son did his duty, it would be nice if he receives Italian citizenship now," the father, Khaled Shehata, said. "We would love to stay in this country. Police spokesman Marco Palmieri said that during the standoff, the driver shouted: Stop the deaths at sea, Ill carry out a massacre. He was apparently referring to the deaths of African migrants at sea while trying to reach Europe. According to the United Nations, some 2,297 migrants drowned or went missing in the Mediterranean in 2018. Search Keywords: Short link: Public Services Minister Carla Qualtrough visited Sprott Shaw College in Penticton Tuesday morning to make an announcement about the proposed Canada Training Benefit. Above, she poses with college staff, students and Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki, standing next to him. Lisa Raitt, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party talks to reporters during a break of the Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, January 25, 2019. The Conservatives are asking the federal judicial affairs commissioner to investigate the leak of confidential information about former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould's controversial choice for chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand There have been five confirmed cases of cholera in Mozambique in the wake of a powerful tropical cyclone, a senior Mozambican health official said on Wednesday, adding that the disease would spread. Health officials were also battling 2,700 cases of acute watery diarrhoea - which could be a symptom of cholera - the official, Ussein Isse, said. "We did the lab tests and can confirm that these five people test positive for cholera," he said. "It will spread. When you have one case, you have to expect more cases in the community." Search Keywords: Short link: Mayor John B. OReilly Jr., with support from the City Council, has proclaimed April as Arab American Heritage Month in Dearborn, a declaration to promote the substantial contributions Arab Americans make to the community. We have so many cultures to celebrate in our city, and important among them is the heritage of Arab Americans, said Mayor OReilly. This month gives us a chance to focus on the accomplishments and contributions of Arab Americans. Since we are so familiar with Arab American culture in Dearborn, we also can be ambassadors to build positive awareness beyond our citys borders, Mayor OReilly said. Within Arab American culture, there is common ground, and also a rich diversity. Arab Americans have their roots in 22 nations and represent varying cultural and faith traditions. For most of American history, Arab Americans have made valuable contributions to virtually every aspect of American society: in medicine, law, business, education, technology, government, military service, arts and culture and literature. In Dearborn, community institutions have planned events and activities promoting the comprehensive heritage of Arab Americans. The University of Michigan-Dearborn began its commemoration in mid-February and will continue with programs for students and the public through mid-April. Visit https://mesa.umich.edu/article/arab-heritage-month for details. To mark the month, the Arab American National Museum (AANM) is offering free admission for all walk-in visitors and discounts on museum memberships in April. Visit www.arabamericanmuseum.org or call 313.582.2266 for information. In addition to AANM offerings, the museum will host community-produced events during April: In 2018, the Dearborn Public Schools voted to declare April 2019 as Arab American Heritage Month, as have other communities across the country. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell acknowledged the month in Congress in April 2017. Source: City of Dearborn Dearborn Heights has welcomed a new DPW director to the city. John Selmi started in the role on March 1. I got started in public works in 1980, he said. I started at the back of a garbage truck. I have worked in public service my entire professional adult career. The main responsibilities of the Department of Public Works director include not only being involved and overseeing the day-to-day operations, much more, he said. That includes water, sewer, roads, highway, trees, street sweeping, all of the public works aspects, he said. The role is also to plan for future projects and future goals. Selmi said he has some goals in mind in his new role. If I had a magic wand and could fix everything overnight, this would be a simple job, he said. Just like any other older community, when the foreclosure crisis hit, a lot of communities took a financial hit and they reprioritized where they spent their dollars. One of the biggest things that were cut were public works. One of Selmis main goals is to improve the processes of the department. A short-term goal is to get a better process on how we do things as far as work order management systems and things of that nature, he said. So theres some accountability, not just a sticky note left somewhere. I want to embrace some new technology. I think thats a good investment for the community and the residents and for the staff. Mayor Daniel Paletko said Selmi is a good fit for the position. Im confident in Johns knowledge and background, he said. Im confident he will be able to help us define what we need to get done quickly. Selmi, who has a history with neighboring cities, said thats what brought him to Dearborn Heights. Ive worked in the neighboring cities and thats when I saw this job opened up, he said. The four-day workweek was certainly attractive for selfish reasons, even though its still a 24/7 job. Im familiar with the area and I see it as a little bit of a challenge and I have one left in me. The challenges that Selmi expect to face are primarily based on process changes and managing people. This is a stressful job, he said. Every new job is a challenge, learning the personalities and the people is a challenge right there. Learning the processes and managing the changes and getting the blessing from the mayor and council can be a challenge. Paletko said having Selmi on board will be beneficial to the city. John is filling a really key role because he came up through a neighboring community and has learned how to do this job, he said. He will be able to really take that expertise and see how were doing things, how hes used to doing things, and making changes. So we think we are going to get the best of someone with experience who has seen how other communities do it to help make our community more efficient. Selmi said he has an open door to any concerns. We are going to do what we have to do and go forward, he said. I have an open door. We are going to go forward, thats my motto. At a February City Council meeting, council members voted on a salary amendment to be more competitive when hiring a DPW director. The proposed amount for the DPW director salary was to increased from $55,000 to $85,000. Council voted to increase the initial salary to $80,000. Councilman Bill Bazzi made the $80,000 motion. Councilman Tom Wencel was the only council member opposed. Wencel said that the city dropped the ball in training its own employees. We should have something lined up to get these guys the training that is required, he said. Instead of this guy has some of the training and this guy has this training. All cities build their guys up until they get to that spot and we dropped the ball on that and apparently we dropped the ball on the building department and the rec department. Selmi said training the current DPW employees is very important to him. Ive only been here three weeks, he said. So Im still trying to get my hands around everything, meet with the supervisors, understand what theyre doing, how they do it, and why they do it. I am a big believer in training. Certainly certifications and training are a benefit. Its a benefit to invest in your employees. Selmi also said he believes field work holds the most training opportunities. In the future, if the employees do want to have a stepping stone, they can get that knowledge, he said. I believe coming from the field side is very valuable because of the fact you have the hands-on knowledge. Paletko said Selmi has already been given the task of training the employees. Hes been given the task of looking at developing our staff so that in years to come, we have somebody that can fill those particular ranks, he said. Councilman Ray Muscat said during the council meeting that he did his research and thinks Selmi is a great choice. I reached out to many people in his former cities, he said. People I trust greatly. These are trustees, former clerks and they think highly of him. They say theyd hire him back in a heartbeat and that hes excellent at his job. Selmi said that hes excited to be onboard. I think its a really good opportunity, he said. Im excited to see what advancements we can make and what we can do for the city of Dearborn Heights. 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 The leader of Algeria's ruling coalition partner RND party, Ahmed Ouyahia, urged President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign, the group said on Wednesday. "The Democratic National Rally recommends the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika according to the fourth paragraph of the article 102 of the constitution," a statement from the party said. Algeria's powerful army chief of staff called on Tuesday for a constitutional move against Bouteflika, signalling an end to his 20-year rule. Search Keywords: Short link: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Wednesday, at the request of Syria, over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move the U.N. Security Council declared "null and void and without international legal effect." In a letter to the 15-member Security Council requesting a meeting, Syria described the U.S. decision as a "flagrant violation" of Security Council resolutions. Trump, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking over his shoulder during a visit to Washington, on Monday signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. The European members of the council - France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland - said on Tuesday they did not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and raised concerns about "broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi said it was an impediment to peace. Iran echoed the comments, describing Trump's decision as unprecedented in this century. The Security Council deployed a peacekeeping force in 1974 - known as the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) - to monitor a ceasefire between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights. There are more than 880 U.N. troops on the ground. Search Keywords: Short link: In promising to recognise the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights, US President Donald Trump is making a gift to Israel of something he does not own, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus US President Donald Trump tweeted last week that it is time for the US to recognise Israels sovereignty over the Golan in a reference to Israels occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights. The response was critical in Arab circles and also around the globe. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group of the Arab Gulf states, expressed regret over Trumps statements, while the Kremlin viewed them as a threat to the stability of the Middle East. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the position of international legitimacy will not change regarding Israels occupation of the Golan Heights. Trumps declaration also contradicts the policies of previous US administrations that attempted to play a mediation role between Syria and Israel to reach a settlement based on UN Security Council Resolution 242. Trumps statement was preceded by the release of the US State Departments annual report on human rights around the world, which this time did not refer to territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 War as occupied in a way that also contradicts previous US policy. In November, Washington for the first time voted against an annual UN Resolution denouncing the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, and this month US senator Lindsey Graham also promised that the US would recognise Israels sovereignty over the Occupied Golan Heights. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he wants to persuade Washington and the EU countries to recognise Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which it occupied in 1967. In 1981, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed a law annexing the Golan Heights to Israel, but the international community still views the region as Occupied Syrian Territory. Trump may have decided to gift the Golan Heights to Israel now for electoral reasons to help Netanyahu in the forthcoming Israeli elections and to take advantage of Syrias weak position in order to circumvent one of the most complicated issues in the Arab-Israeli conflict. However, the move and Israels applause for it are myopic, since as long as Syria does not accept the move the conflict over the Golan will remain open. The regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad with the support of its ally Iran will now take advantage of Trumps move to bolster their propaganda about resistance, meaning that Trump has not given Israel a stable advantage in the long run. Israel occupies the Golan Heights, according to the definition in international law, because there has been no Syrian-Israeli peace agreement. This definition has been the theme of decades of resistance propaganda and the Al-Assad (former president Hafez Al-Assad and his son Bashar Al-Assad) regimes foreign policy. Even though the impact of this negative propaganda has been soft on Israel for decades, today things have changed. The Al-Assad clan are not the only rulers in Damascus, as the Iranians have changed from being allies to partners in power on the ground. Iran wants to keep up its presence in Syria to blackmail the US and Israel, and Trumps latest tweet on the Golan Heights only boosts Irans goals. Statements made by Israeli officials say that Israels security on the Syrian front is linked to the return of the Al-Assad regime to what it was before 2011. Irans control of the regime or the regimes serious weakening warns of its future collapse without a clear alternative to replace it. Neither scenario is comfortable for Israel. Tel Aviv claims that if Israel was not present in the Golan Heights, Iran would have been in Tiberias in Israel and that the time has come for official US recognition of Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It believes that the Lebanese Shia group Hizbullah is positioning itself in the Golan Heights to attack Israel, which is another reason why the US has taken this step, it says. Observers say that Trump has presented Netanyahu with two gifts at the expense of Syria and the Palestinians. First, there has been the recognition of Israels sovereignty over the Occupied Golan Heights, and second, there was the visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Jerusalem, standing side-by-side with Netanyahu at the Wailing Wall in East Jerusalem that Israel has also annexed. These two gifts are supposed to bolster Netanyahus bid for a fifth term in office in the 9 April elections in Israel. Since Trump came to office, the US has adopted hostile positions on critical issues in the region, including recognising Israels occupation of Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the West Bank. It supports the Israeli settlements on the Occupied West Bank, has rejected the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland, and has cut off funding to UNRWA, the UN relief agency responsible for the welfare of the Palestinian refugees. Since the occupation of the Golan Heights in 1967, Moscow has not taken any definitive positions against the Israeli occupation, whether during the Cold War or later. Its positions were limited to slogans that only increased the rate of settlement in the Golan. Since the late Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad provided reassurance for the occupation in return for remaining in power, Moscow has assisted in establishing the rules of the occupier by agreeing to separate forces and has sent messages to Israel about Bashar Al-Assads ability to protect the Golan border. The Golan Heights and their liberation are an afterthought for the Syrian regime, which has always provided a climate of reassurance for the Israeli occupiers. Western circles know that the price for Al-Assad remaining in power is the Golan Heights, with his real role, like that of his father, being to provide guarantees to Israel. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Trumps gifts to Netanyahu Search Keywords: Short link: Israel had ambitions to take over the Syrian Golan Heights even before its occupation of the area began in 1967 More than 20,000 Syrians live under Israeli occupation in the Golan Heights in four neighbouring villages in the highlands of Mount Hermon, among them Majdal Shams, Masaade, Buqaata and Ain Qiniyye. The residents are Druze, primarily farmers, who face considerable hardships because the farmland is scarce and mountainous and because of Israeli harassment. Historically, the Golan region was a main thoroughfare between Syria, Lebanon and Iraq on the one side, and Palestine and Egypt on the other. Ancient Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, Chaldean, ancient Greek and other armies fought there in antiquity, and the area takes its name from an ancient Babylonian city that was once located there that thrived from trade as well as from its prime location. Ancient texts from the Tel Al-Amarna site in Egypt tell of a long conflict between the ancient Egyptians and Hittites that ended with the Egyptians taking control of southern Syria in the 9th century BCE when the area represented vital security depth for Egypt. The Golan was occupied by the Assyrians, Greeks, Byzantines and Ghassanids until the arrival of the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century CE, who conquered the area in the famous battle of Yarmouk in south Golan in 636 CE. From there, the Arab armies then crossed to Damascus and Palestine. Israel expelled 130,000 Golan residents when it occupied the region in 1967, and 50 years later these have multiplied into 500,000 displaced people who still dream of returning home. After the occupation began, Israel levelled most of their villages, including 130 villages, 112 farms and the two cities of Quneitra and Fiq. It then brought in some 20,000 Israeli settlers in 33 settlements, providing them with financial aid and special privileges. According to Israeli statistics, 20 per cent of Israels wine is produced in the Golan region, 25 per cent of its wheat, 40 per cent of its beef, six per cent of its milk, between 30 and 50 per cent of its fruit and 50 per cent of its mineral water. Some three million tourists flock to the region annually, the settlers use 76 million cubic metres of water and there are some 600 Israeli military checkpoints and bases there. The Golan Heights has 1.2 billion cubic metres in water reserves, and along with Mount Hermon supplies Israel with one third of its water needs. Major springs in Golan include Beit Jin, Wazani, Ghour, Barjiat and others, as well as the Yarmouk, Banias and Raqad Rivers which flow into Lake Tiberias or the River Jordan, providing 700 million cubic metres of water. In December 1981, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, decided to annex the Occupied Golan Heights and impose Israel laws, giving Golan residents Israeli citizenship. Former Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin said that we will not find a man in our country or abroad who has studied the history of the land of Israel who will deny that for generations the Golan Heights was an integral part of Israel. Israels ambitions in the Golan did not start with Begin, since the area was at the centre of Zionist ambitions throughout the 20th century. In 1918, former Israeli prime minister David ben Gurion drew a map of what he projected as Israel that included the Golan Heights, Mount Hermon and other territories having sources of water. Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann demanded in a 1920 memo to the then British prime minister that the Golan Heights be annexed to the then British mandate of Palestine. After the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Zionist movement took every opportunity to achieve this goal. The Syrian population of the Golan Heights rejected the annexation decision and the surrender of their Syrian citizenship for an Israeli one. The Israeli forces responded with violence to their protests, and more than 700 Golan residents have been arrested since the occupation began, with many remaining in jail. Israel has made life hard for the Syrian residents of the Golan, imposing tariffs and taxes on them. Based on an agreement supervised by the International Red Cross, Syria began importing 10,000 tons of Golan apples a year some years ago. It also accepts Golan residents in Syrian universities and has eased the requirements for them. Since the Golan Heights were occupied by Israel 42 years ago, successive Israeli government have expressed their desire to hold onto them. Former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin said that keeping the Golan Heights was essential for Israels security, while former foreign minister and prime minister Shimon Peres said they were a vital economic necessity especially because of their abundant farmland and water. The Syrians insist it is impossible to reach a settlement with Israel without the return of Occupied Syrian Territory, but Syria at present does not have the power to achieve this goal. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The story of the Golan Heights Search Keywords: Short link: Ram Madhav (file photo) National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Madhav on Wednesday said the party wants early elections to the state Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. "NC (National Conference) and PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) are happy contesting the Lok Sabha elections while BJP wants to have Assembly election in the state," he told the media here. "We have asked the election committee to hold Assembly elections in the state as early as possible. "Some candidates are shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' while others are calling their party men 'Mujahideen'. We demand FIR against NC's Akbar Lone and an answer from NC," Madhav said. Saying that the BJP pulled out of the ruling coalition with the PDP in the "national interest", he noted: "After we pulled out of the coalition, situation in Kashmir has improved." Madhav said BJP's stand on Article 370 and 35A continues to remain unchanged. Calling the pre-poll alliance between the NC and the Congress a drama, he said: "They have an alliance in Jammu, but they are fighting in Kashmir. They are trying various types of gimmicks against Modi and the BJP, let them do it." New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Automotive Defroster Market: Introduction Safe commuting through an automotive vehicle demands the vehicle to be in a perfect and safe working condition, especially in cold and foggy conditions. Forming of ice or fog on windshields in extreme weather conditions hampers the visibility of the driver, leading to accidents.Automotive defrosters (defogger or demister) are used in automotive vehicles for this specific reason, to remove ice and fog from the windshields of the vehicles. Automotive defrosters are categorized into two main types. Primary automotive defrosters, which use HVAC system and are installed on the front windshield and secondary automotive defrosters, installed don the rear windshield and don't used HVAC system. Automotive defrosters blows warm air onto the windshield of the vehicle causing the icing to melt and provides a better visibility to the driver. They can also remove the condensation from the insides of the windshield by removing moisture. Given their functionality to provide better visual aids to the driver, automotive defroster market is expected to witness significant demand in the coming years. Automotive Defroster Market: Dynamics Automotive defroster plays a vital role in automotive vehicles, passenger and commercial vehicles alike, operating in cold weather conditions. The need for having a better visibility while driving in cold, foggy weather conditions is one of the main driving factors for the increasing demand of automotive defrosters. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/27325 Among the type segment, primary automotive defroster segment is expected to create a greater demand as compared to secondary automotive defrosters, as the primary defrosters are mostly used on the front windshields. Given their use of HVAC system, primary automotive defrosters are highly preferred among consumers. The aftermarket for automotive defrosters is expected to be significantly high due to their high replacement rate and hence, the aftermarket segment in sales channel type is expected to lead the automotive defrosters market. In the vehicle type segment, passenger cars segment is expected to create high demand for automotive defrosters due to the growing number of personal vehicles across the globe. Overall, automotive defroster market is expected to witness significant demand during the forecast period. Automotive Defroster: Market Segmentation The global Automotive Defroster market has been segmented on the basis of type as: Primary Automotive Defrosters Secondary Automotive Defrosters The global Automotive Defroster market has been segmented on the basis of sales channel as: OEM Aftermarket The global Automotive Defroster market has been segmented on the basis of vehicle type as: Passenger Cars Light Motor Vehicles Heavy Motor Vehicles Automotive Defroster Market: Regional Overview On a global scale, regions prone to severe cold weather conditions are estimated to create huge demand for automotive defroster. Among cold prone regions, North America is expected to have a significant market share in the automotive defroster market during the forecast period due to the growing automotive market in the region and the extremely cold conditions in the northern part of the U.S. and all of Canada. Europe region is expected to follow North America in terms of market share, due to the high number of automotive sales in the region coupled with a large aftermarket. China leads the market share in terms of automotive sales by a single country and given the extreme cold conditions the country witnesses during winter, the region is expected to lead the market share in the automotive defroster market during the forecast period. Growing economies like India, are expected to boost the automotive defroster market growth in Asia-Pacific region due to the increasing year-on-year sales of automotive vehicles in the region. Hence, Asia-Pacific region is estimated to register a high growth rate over the forecast period in the automotive defroster market. Japan is also expected to have a significant impact on the growth automotive defroster demand due to the high number of automotive sales and extreme cold conditions in the region. Middle East and Africa region is expected to occupy significantly smaller market share in the automotive defroster market as compared to other regions, given the extreme hot and humid weather in the region. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC)@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/27325 Global Automotive Defroster Market: Key Players Examples of some of the market participants in the global Automotive Defroster market identified across the value chain include: Proair, LLC Thermo King Bergstrom, Inc. Red Dot Corp. SGM Co., Inc. Valad Electric Heating Corp. AGC Full Vision, Inc. Interdynamics Research & Development Boryszew Group New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- This market is significantly fragmented, and is characterized by the presence of a number of regional players. Widespread adoption for safety towards high performance cars is being witnessed in developing countries, and manufacturers are focusing on providing a complete range of automotive thermostats. According to the recently published report by Persistence Market Research titled, "Automotive Thermostat Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Forecast (2017-2025)," the global automotive thermostat market valued at US$ 1,598.3 Mn in 2017, and is projected to be valued at US$ 2,094.5 Mn by 2025 end. The market value is slated to expand at a CAGR of 3.4% over the forecast period. Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Trends -Technological developments fuelling the growth of global automotive thermostat market -Increased import of aftermarket automotive parts from Asian countries -Expansion of product portfolio to become a one stop shop solution and higher investment to be observed in research & development -Utilization of high range thermostats to curb vehicular emissions -Increasing localization of component manufacturing and focus on product innovation and development -Government incentives to attract companies -Focus on manufacturing products that adhere to guidelines & standards issued by regulating bodies -Focus on providing high quality services in order to fulfill the growing consumer expectations Request for Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21682 Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Forecast by Region Persistence Market Research has covered five regions of North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and MEA while examining any market. It has been observed that the APAC automotive thermostat market is estimated to be the most attractive owing to growing automotive production and the strong demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles from emerging economies such as China, India, and other APAC countries. Growing automotive production in Mexico, followed by Brazil, and the demand for advanced auto parts is estimated to contribute to growth of the Latin America automotive thermostat market during the forecast period. North America automotive thermostat market is anticipated to show relatively steady growth owing to a slowdown in automotive production in U.S. and Canada. Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Forecast by Design On the basis of design, global automotive thermostats market is segmented into single valve and dual valve. The single valve segment is expected to emerge as the most attractive component type segment in the automotive thermostat market over the forecast period. The segment has a higher index value in terms of CAGR and incremental $ opportunity. On the other hand, the dual valve segment is expected to hold a minimal share in the global automotive thermostat market throughout the forecast period. However, this segment will witness a steady growth rate over the forecast period. Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Forecast by Sales Channel Sales channel segment includes OEM and aftermarket segments. Growth of OEM segment is largely supported by the changing preference of automakers towards advanced auto components, and the growing adoption of automotive thermostats. The OEM segment accounted for a value share of 56.62% in 2017, and is estimated to reach 57.04% in 2025. Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Forecast by Vehicle Type On the basis of vehicle type, the global automotive thermostat market is segmented into passenger car, light commercial vehicle and heavy commercial vehicle. The passenger vehicle segment accounted for a value share of 73.1% in 2017, and is estimated to reach 73.6% in 2025. The passenger vehicle segment is estimated to gain in 60 BPS point. The heavy commercial vehicle segment is estimated to reach 4.7% in 2025. LCV and HC segment is expected to show steady growth in automotive thermostat market. Request for Report Table of Content (TOC) @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/21682 Global Automotive Thermostat Market: Key Manufacturers BorgWarner Inc., Continental AG, Denso Corporation, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., MAHLE GmbH, MotoRad Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Sogefi S.p.A., Valeo SA, Stant Manufacturing, Inc., Tama Enterprises Co., Ltd., Nippon Thermostat Co. Ltd., Vernet SAS, Ningbo Xingci Thermal Electric Appliances Co. Ltd., and K?raca Holding Enterprise are some of the key manufacturers operating in the global market for automotive thermostats. Selbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Asia Pacific automotive wheel market will observe more than 4% growth up to 2024. High urbanization rate coupled with the increased consumer spending in China, India, Thailand, and Indonesia will propel the regional industry growth. The region holds the highest potential in the industry due to its large scale production and sales ratio in the automotive industry. Request a sample of this premium report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/512057/?utm_source=Releasewire.com-AN Proliferation of luxury and sport cars which requires high-performance components will stimulate the demand for magnesium and carbon fiber automotive wheels. For instance, in 2018, British based Rolls-Royce announced the highest sales record with a sale of around 4,107 units in more than 50 countries. Shifting consumer preference towards enhanced driving experience coupled with the rising need for lightweight vehicles to curb emission will drive the automotive wheel market growth. Rising trends towards material advancement to offer benefits such as corrosion resistance, fuel efficiency, and component durability have resulted in the new product development scope in the automotive wheel market. Technological developments in the automotive wheel sector with respect to the vehicle weight reduction and aesthetic appeal have positively influenced the business expansion. Industry participants are actively investing in R&D to introduce advanced solutions that prevent the vehicle's assembly damage from potholes. In 2017, Maxion and Michelin have developed MICHELIN ACORUS technology, which has two rubber expanders that extend whenever the vehicle undergoes a rugged road impact. Supportive government regulations and standards to ensure the customers and environment safety are playing a significant role in enhancing the automotive wheel market share. For instance, The Ministry of Labor, Ontario (Canada) proposes the regulation for assisting the workers by defining the requirements and hazards related to tire assemblies. Aluminum dominated the material segment and were valued over USD 45 billion in 2018. Manufacturers are anticipated to expand their production capacities to meet the increasing product demand mainly from passenger cars. For instance, in February 2018, Maxion announced to set up new aluminum wheel manufacturing plant in Pune, India with an investment worth USD 50 million with an aim to produce over 2 lakh units annually. Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/512057/ Regular wheel segment is expected to register over 2% CAGR in terms of revenue up to 2024. Continuous demand for economical commercial and passenger vehicles is propelling the segment growth. OEMs dominated the overall end-use segment and generated over USD 65 billion revenue in 2018. Increasing automobile sales due to rising consumer affordability in developing nations have promulgated the demand in this segment. Also, rising commercial transportation sector due to globalization has also resulted in higher sale of commercial vehicles. Key players in the automotive wheel industry share include CLN Group, Mefro, Maxion, Trelleborg AB, Titan Europe, Otto Fuchs, Jantsa, Starco, and ALCAR Holding. Joint ventures and partnerships are among the key strategies adopted by the industry players to improve market share and advanced product development. For instance, in October 2017, Advance One Wheels partnered with Dymag Group to launch its first carbon fiber ADV7.2 CF.2 Advanced Series. Passenger cars are expected to register over 3% CAGR up to 2024. Increasing personal car ownerships owing to the urbanization and changing consumer lifestyle are supporting the segment growth. For instance, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) announced around 12 million new passenger car vehicle registrations with a growth rate of 2.5% in 2018. Table of content: Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Automotive Wheel Market Industry Insights Chapter 4 Global Automotive Wheel Market, By Material Chapter 5 Global Automotive Wheel Market, By Product Chapter 6 Global Automotive Wheel Market, By End-Use Chapter 7 Global Automotive Wheel Market, By Vehicle Chapter 8 Global Automotive Wheel Market, By Region Chapter 9 Company Profiles More Details on this Report At: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/automotive-wheel-market#2 Related Report: Global Automotive Hub Bearing (Automotive Wheel Bearing) Market Growth 2019-2024 Automotive Hub Bearing perform two very important jobs in a vehicle?s suspension. The wheel bearing allows the wheels to rotate with minimal function, and they also support the vehicle?s weight. To be able to do both of these jobs, the bearings must be in near perfect condition. The seals must also be leak free to keep the lubricant inside the bearings and contaminants out. In an average sedan that weighs around 3,400 lb, each pair of front Hub Bearing, as well as the rear wheel or axle bearings, each support 850 pounds. This all depends on the front to rear weight distribution of the vehicle. It?s a lot of weight that needs to be supported over tens of thousands of miles. https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-automotive-hub-bearing-automotive-wheel-bearing-market-growth-2019-2024/?utm_source=RR-AN About Market Study Report Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management. Contact Us: Market Study Report LLC 4 North Main Street, Selbyville, Delaware 19975 USA Phone: 1-302-273-0910 US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150 Email: sales@marketstudyreport.com Website: https://www.marketstudyreport.com Blog: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- In addition to rapid expansion of bone marrow donor registry, increasing commercialization of cellular therapy and tissue engineering, increased survival rate post bone marrow transplant procedures, and easier access to treatment will be some of the most prominent factors driving the bone marrow transplantation market. According to the latest research by Persistence Market Research, the global bone marrow transplantation market is expected to exceed US$ 12 Bn by the end of 2028. The bone marrow transplantation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.6% through the forecast period 2018-2028. North America Will Continue to Lead the Pack in Bone Marrow Transplantation Market Increasing per-capita healthcare and private insurance expenditure is a major factor that is expected to maintain the high demand for technologically advanced treatment procedures, such as bone marrow transplantation, over the forecast period. Increasing blood cancer cases and geriatric population are among the key factors expected to boost the demand for bone marrow transplantation in North America. The increasing prevalence of myeloma in the region is leading to an increase in the execution of bone marrow transplantation procedures through the allogeneic method. Companies engaged in stem cell therapies are expanding their product portfolio to offer sound treatment solutions for diseases caused while undergoing the allogeneic transplant method. The availability of more than 90% unrelated donors and high healthcare expenditure are among the factors driving the overall bone marrow transplantation market in North America at present. Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4288 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant reported an increasing prevalence of leukemia and lymphoma in patients aged 65 years and above, and this age group constituted 25-30% of the total number of bone marrow transplantation recipients in 2014. In 2015, the Senate and House of Representatives of the US reauthorized the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which led to an increase in the US unrelated donors' registry to 200,000 donors. Germany Will Steer Europe's Market for Bone Marrow Transplantation Rise in per capita GDP is expected to improve the healthcare expenditure in countries such as Germany and Spain. Government policymakers are forcing healthcare providers and public payers to disclose the cost charged and reimbursed to maintain price transparency. Healthcare organizations in Germany spend most of their research funding on adult stem cell research. Furthermore, Germany spends 11.3% of its GDP on healthcare, which is above the global average. This, in turn, has led to the presence of better healthcare facilities and more advanced research findings on various healthcare issues such as bone marrow transplantation. Among the 680 centers throughout the Europe, 226 (35%) centers are dedicated to autologous bone marrow transplantation in 2014, with most of the transplants intended for non-malignant disorders. These factors are expected to drive the bone marrow transplantation market in Europe. APAC Reflects Lucrative Potential for Penetration of Bone Marrow Transplantation Procedures Rise in the number of bone marrow transplantation centers and expanding donor registry are among the factors expected to reduce the gap between bone marrow transplantation providers and recipients in the Asia Pacific bone marrow transplantation market. The availability of modern healthcare amenities, along with the presence of several companies engaged in stem cell therapies in China, Australia, and Japan, is expected to be a key factor driving the overall bone marrow transplantation market in Asia Pacific. After the introduction of alleviating procedures for Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) transplant, there has been an increase in the number of allogeneic HSCT procedures using PBSC (64% of the total HSCT) in Australia & New Zealand, which is another factor contributing to the growth of the bone marrow transplantation market in the region. A survey by the Eastern Mediterranean Blood and Marrow Transplant (EMBMT) Group suggests that non-malignant indications accounted for a 36.5% share of the total bone marrow transplantation activities carried out in the MEA region. Countries such as Dubai and Qatar are undertaking initiatives to develop national bone marrow registries to enhance bone marrow transplantation rates. Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/4288 The report offers a comprehensive taxonomy of the bone marrow transplantation market based on the transplantation type, indication, end user, and region. Based on the transplantation type, the global bone marrow transplantation market is segmented into autologous bone marrow transplantation and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Based on indication, the global bone marrow transplantation market is segmented into leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplasia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, aplastic anemia, solid tumors, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and others. Based on end user, the bone marrow transplantation market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and multispecialty clinics. British lawmakers on Wednesday debated multiple options for leaving the European Union as they sought to bring some clarity to the tortured Brexit process and stop the country tumbling out of the bloc within weeks with no exit plan in place. In the wake of two overwhelming defeats for Prime Minister Theresa May's withdrawal agreement with the EU, the House of Commons seized control of the parliamentary timetable for debate and votes on a range of Brexit alternatives. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow selected eight widely differing options for votes from a list of 16 submitted by lawmakers. They include calls to leave the EU without a deal, to stay in the EU's customs union and single market, to put any EU divorce deal to a public referendum, and to cancel Brexit if the prospect of a no-deal departure gets close. Later in the day, lawmakers will vote on all of the options they could accept. The plan is for the most popular ideas to move to a second vote Monday to find one option that can command a majority. Parliament would then instruct the government to negotiate it with the EU. May has said she will consider the outcome of the votes, though she has refused to be bound by the result. The government condemned lawmakers' move to seize control because it upends the usual practice in which the government sets the timetable for debate and votes in Parliament. But Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, one of those behind Wednesday's votes, said ``this is not an insurgency.'' ``This process has come about as a result of the increasing concern that many of us have had across the House of Commons that we were heading not towards an approval of the prime minister's deal, but alas towards a no-deal exit,'' he said. Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air. Last week, the EU granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date, saying that if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal this week, the U.K. will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do _ leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. May, meanwhile, still hopes to bring the divorce deal that the government struck with the EU back for another vote in the House of Commons _ if she can win over enough opponents to ensure passage. Lawmakers rejected the deal by 230 votes in January and by 149 votes earlier this month, primarily because of concerns about the Northern Ireland border. The prime minister is under mounting pressure from pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party to quit. Several have said they would support the Brexit deal if another leader was chosen to lead the next stage of negotiations, which will determine Britain's future relations with the EU. May, who is due to address Conservative lawmakers later Wednesday, did not reply directly when asked in the House of Commons whether she would be resigning in order to get her Brexit deal approved. ``It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered,'' she said. House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom told the BBC there was a ``real possibility'' the unpopular agreement would be brought back for a vote on Thursday or Friday. Tony Travers, a professor of government at the London School of Economics, said the parliamentary votes could boost support for May's deal by convincing pro-Brexit lawmakers that Brexit might be delayed or abandoned. Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has sought a complete break from the European Union, said May's deal is still a bad one, but ``the risk is, if I don't back it, we don't leave the EU at all.'' ``I think we have got to the point where legally leaving is better than not leaving at all,'' he told the BBC. ``Half a loaf is better than no bread.'' But Rees-Mogg said he would not back the deal unless Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party decided to vote for it. The DUP, which has 10 seats in the House of Commons, said Tuesday it still wasn't prepared to support the ``toxic'' deal. May also faces a hurdle imposed by Bercow, who ruled last week that the government can't seek a new vote on the deal unless it is significantly changed. He restated that point Wednesday, saying, ``I do expect the government to meet the test of change.'' Wednesday's votes in Parliament could potentially produce conflicting and inconclusive results. But they could push Britain in the direction of a softer Brexit that keeps Britain closely tied economically to the EU. That would probably require the U.K. to seek a longer delay, although that would mean that the country would have to take part in May 23-26 European Parliament elections. Many EU officials are keen to avoid the messy participation of a departing member state. But the chief of the European Council told European lawmakers that the EU should let Britain take part if the country indicated it planned to change course on Brexit. Donald Tusk said the bloc could not ``betray'' the millions of Britons who want to stay in the EU. ``They may feel they are not sufficiently represented by the U.K. Parliament but they must feel that are represented by you in this chamber. Because they are Europeans,'' Tusk said. Search Keywords: Short link: Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Global Chocolate Inclusions and Decorations Market: Overview Chocolate inclusions and decorations are extensively demanded by manufacturers of chocolate, bakery products, confectionery, desserts, and ice-creams to add value to their products. These extra ingredients added to these products affects the final texture, flavor, and appeal of these among consumers. Variants of chocolate bars with chocolate inclusions and decorations are gathering traction with them for innovative texture and flavor. Chocolate inclusions and decorations vary in color and size. Chocolate decorations are substantial demanded by consumers of cakes. Get Research Report Overview @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/chocolate-inclusions-decorations-market.html Chocolate inclusions and decorations can be used for icing, frosting, topping, and coating. There is a rising use of these in cookies, ice creams, confectionery items consumed across population demographics. Apart from this they are used in pastries and muffins, cream pies, and desserts. These decorations can be of various types such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Growing proclivity of chocolates among adults has fueled the demand for chocolate inclusions and decorations. The various assessments, estimations, and projections offered in the report on the global chocolate inclusions and decorations market takes a closer look at the prevailing growth dynamics. The analyses offered evaluates the current opportunities in various product and application segments and highlights and emerging avenues in various regions. Global Chocolate Inclusions and Decorations Market: Trends and Opportunities The demand for chocolate inclusions and decorations market largely hinges on the back of the rising consumption of chocolates. Chocolates, especially dark chocolates, have attracted worldwide demand owing to their several nutritional benefits, apart from the unique taste and flavor. They contain antioxidants and rich sources of nutrition. The vast purported benefits makes chocolate containing inclusions and decorations increasingly attractive for consumers. They find that it positively impacts cardiovascular diseases and help in managing blood pressure. Rising count of health-conscious populations in various parts of the world, especially in developing and developed nations, is a key trend boosting the chocolate inclusions and decorations market. In recent years, organic chocolate, sugar-free chocolates, dark chocolates with less calorie have gathered large steam among chocolate lovers. This has created lucrative prospects in the global chocolate inclusions and decorations market. The use of chocolate inclusions and decorations in several end-use products enhances the overall experience of consumers and, hence, increasingly demanded by them. This is a significant factor bolstering the uptake of chocolate inclusions and decorations. For More Professional and Technical Industry Insights : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=60813 Global Chocolate Inclusions and Decorations Market: Regional Outlook The study on the global chocolate inclusions and decorations market takes a closer look at key regional opportunities, factors bolstering growth in emerging markets, new avenues in key markets. It also highlights the shares and size of various regional markets and the factors that will influence the prevailing dynamics. Western Europe and North America are expected to contribute substantial chunk of revenues to the global chocolate inclusions and decorations market. Developing regions, notably Asia Pacific, are gathering traction in the global market owing to rising number of food manufacturers and increasing demand in recent years. Global Chocolate Inclusions and Decorations Market: Competitive Landscape The global chocolate inclusions and decorations market strives to offer a comprehensive insight on the competitive dynamics and product portfolio of various players. The study also highlights key strategies adopted by prominent players that will impact the future trajectories of the market. In addition, the analyses takes a closer look at investment strategies of key players in the global chocolate inclusions and decorations market. Prominent players operating in the market are Orchard Valley Foods, Kanegrade Limited, Barry Callebaut, Chocolate Smet Canada Inc., and Dawn Foods. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations. Contact us: Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453 Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Cloud Infrastructure Services Market in hybrid cloud sector is accelerated by rising demand for agility, flexibility, and control. The hybrid cloud allows organizations to respond to fluctuating demands and helps balance the high subscription costs associated with private cloud platforms. Vendors are focusing on expanding their hybrid cloud product portfolio. For instance, VMware has joined forces with Amazon to offer a complete hybrid platform on AWS. Some vendors are also offering on-premise platforms to extend their public cloud offerings. Request for a Table of Content of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2957 The Asia Pacific Cloud Infrastructure Services Market is anticipated to grow at the fastest pace due to the growing demand from developing economies. The supportive government initiatives and policies across the region also promote the demand for cloud services. For instance, in 2017, China launched the Digital China Initiative to enable the rapid commercialization of digital business models on a large scale. North America is projected to the lead the cloud infrastructure services market over the forecast time. The market growth is attributed to the presence of major technology players such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. This region is also a major hub for technology start-ups. Favorable business conditions and supportive government policies have encouraged businesses to develop advanced cloud platforms. Moreover, increasing venture capital in the cloud technology by prominent tech players has also driven the market growth. The need for scalable infrastructure by various enterprises to increase their business operations and customer base also propels the market growth. As the competition among market players is increasing, organizations are looking for more advanced business models to reduce their time to market and switching to cloud infrastructure to improve the business agility. Request for a Customization of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2957 The Storage as a Service (SaaS) market holds the largest market share in the cloud infrastructure services market. This is a business model in which large businesses lend storage space to smaller companies. SaaS vendors are promoting the service as a convenient way to store the backup data. Compute as a Service (CaaS) market is anticipated to grow at a rapid pace over the forecast timespan. This service is used to allow access to raw computing resources on demand. Most of the CaaS services are priced through a consumption-based model. The private cloud deployment model is anticipated to grow significantly in the cloud infrastructure services market. This private cloud market has been widely used by large and small businesses as it provides better control over data and information assets. It also provides better security and superior performance as compared to other deployment models. The public clouds are preferred by organizations that use application systems or web servers in which security is not a prime concern. The public clouds are most suitable for start-ups as there are minimal setup costs. Cloud Infrastructure Services Market is estimated to witness lucrative growth from 2018 to 2024 propelled by increasing digitalization and growing need for more scalable models. As the internet penetration and smartphone adoptions across the globe are increasing, customers are becoming more empowered. This is encouraging organizations to opt for more dynamic and advanced delivery models to connect to their customers and provide personalized experiences. Browse Full Reports: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/cloud-infrastructure-services-market 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- The global cross laminated timber or CLT market was valued at around US$ 670.2 Mn in 2016 and is anticipated to expand at a stable CAGR of 15.1% during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled 'Cross Laminated Timber Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20172025.' Expansion of the global CLT market is driven by the rise in demand for cross laminated timber as a sustainable construction material. In Europe and North America the demand for cross laminated timber is boost by architects' and engineers' preference for wood-based building products instead of concrete and steel. Europe accounts for a major share of over 50% of the global cross laminated timber or CLT market, led by favorable government building codes and expansion in the construction industry. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cross-laminated-timber-market.html Rise in Demand for Cross Laminated Timber as a Sustainable Building Solution in the Construction Industry is Projected to Drive Market Expansion Timber as a construction material is renewable, and buildings that use cross laminated timber create multiple environmental benefits compared to the ones that use materials that are manufactured from fossil-fuel intensive processes that use steel and concrete. The advantages of cross laminated timber associated with the environment are structure passivity and performance, renewability, reduction in carbon footprint, etc.. The only constituents of a CLT building system are wood and a non-toxic/non-VOC adhesive. Cross laminated timber building materials do not introduce any toxins into the indoor environment, providing clean indoor air quality. Additionally, cross laminated timber wall systems are naturally breathable and are integrated with appropriate mechanical systems. This creates a healthy indoor environment that maximizes occupants' comfort and health. Production of Cross Laminated Timber in Europe and North America Likely to Offer Attractive Market Opportunities In terms of consumption, Europe constituted a prominent share of the cross laminated timber market. Cross laminated timber was originally developed and used in Germany and Austria in the early 1990s. Since then there has been an increase in the usage of cross laminated timber in European countries for the construction of residential buildings and educational institutes. The main drivers of the cross laminated timber market in Europe are the green development movement, changes in building codes, and consistent marketing efforts by CLT manufactures. The building codes in Europe ascribe more importance to the usage of wood in the construction business. North America holds a prominent share of the global cross laminated timber market. Acceptance of cross laminated timber as a construction material in Europe has led to an increase in its usage in other regions such as North America. The demand for cross laminated timber is driven by architects and engineers who prefer wood-based building materials and building systems. In the U.S., cross laminated timber is accepted as a construction material, especially for residential buildings. U.S.-based companies have also started to produce CLT panels for use in the construction of temporary roads and working platforms in the oil & gas and heavy construction industries. Moreover, European CLT companies see North America as a promising region of the market. For instance, KLH recently started a sales joint venture with the Idaho Forest Group. Adhesive Bonded CLT to Dominate the Product Segment and Residential Buildings to Dominate the Application Segment of the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Market The global cross laminated timber market can be segmented based on product, application, and region. In terms of product, the cross laminated timber market can be classified into adhesive bonded CLT and mechanically fastened CLT. There is high demand for adhesive bonded CLT, typically in the residential building sector. Adhesive bonded cross laminated timber uses environmentally friendly adhesives. The material is cheaper compared to mechanically fastened CLT as no labor cost is involved in the application of adhesives. Based on application, the global cross laminated timber market can be divided into residential buildings, educational institutes, government/public buildings, and industrial & commercial spaces. The residential buildings segment holds a significant share of the global cross laminated timber market. Residential buildings can reap many benefits by using cross laminated timber instead of concrete and steel. Designers/architects in Europe prefer cross laminated timber for a variety of reasons including aesthetics, cost effectiveness, and environmental performance. Europe Dominates Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Market In terms of region, Europe accounted for major 60% share of the cross laminated timber market in 2016. Presence of key players such as Stora Enso, Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, Binderholz Bausysteme GmbH, KLH Massivholz GmbH, and HASSLACHER Holding GmbH in the region is attracting a higher number of customers for cross laminated timber. Germany dominates the cross laminated timber market in Europe. In terms of volume, the market share of the sub-region is anticipated to rise by 1.2% during the forecast period. Germany is a prominent country of the cross laminated timber market as the product was first developed and introduced in the construction sector in the country. The consumption of cross laminated timber in Germany is high due to its widespread acceptance among architects and builders. Germany is followed by Austria, where large producers dominate the cross laminated timber market. Producers such as Stora Enso engage in research and development of products for the residential and non-residential sectors. In Asia Pacific, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are the major consumers of cross laminated timber. Earthquake prone countries such as Japan have shown significant interest in using cross laminated timber as a construction material for residential and non-residential buildings. The Japanese government has announced an action plan to foster demand for cross laminated timber. The demand for cross laminated timber in Australia and New Zealand is predicted to rise in the near future. The demand for CLT in MEA and Latin America is low as compared to Europe and North America due to gaps in knowledge regarding the usage of cross laminated timber. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=33632 High Degree of Competition Exists among Established Players Key players profiled in the global cross laminated timber market include Stora Enso, Mayr-Melnhof Holz Holding AG, Binderholz Bausysteme GmbH, KLH Massivholz GmbH, HASSLACHER Holding GmbH, Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation, Nordic Structures, Ed. Zublin AG, Eugen Decker Holzindustrie KG, Sterling Lumber Company, and W. u. J. Derix GmbH & Co. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Dental scaling is a procedure associated with removal of calculus from the subgingival and supragingival area of the teeth. The procedure is carried out with a handheld device known as dental scalers, having a handle, shank, and end part shaped like a hook which allows access to the narrow embrasure spaces between the teeth. Dental scalers can be mechanical or power driven, available in different shapes and styles. With availability of enormous material and designs of dental scalers in the market, dental scalers is relatively easier for the dental professionals to carry out the dental scaling procedure, also known as periodontal therapy, with increased comfort level and reduced stress. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dental-scalers-market.html Reduced hand fatigue, rise in patient pool for periodontal esthetics, time efficient technique of scaling, and low requirement of training for dental professionals are expected to drive the global dental scalers market during the forecast period. However, less gentle procedure of power driven scalers and lack of awareness about technologically advanced dental scalers in the emerging countries in the world are likely to restrain the growth of the dental scalers market between 2017 and 2025. The global dental scalers market can be segmented based on product type, blade type, and end-user. In terms of product type, the global dental scalers market can be bifurcated into mechanical scalers and power driven (oscillatory) scalers. Mechanical scalers can be divided into chisel scalers, curettes, hoes, chisels, and others. Oscillatory scalers can be classified into sonic scalers and ultrasonic scalers. Ultrasonic scalers can be magnetostrictive or piezoelectric. The oscillatory scalers segment captured the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2016. The ultrasonic scalers sub-segment accounted for the largest share of the oscillatory scalers segment in terms of revenue, owing to efficiency of these scalers in disrupting the calculus present on the tooth surface and rise in demand for use in subgingival and supragingival area of the mouth. The sub-segment is expected to continue to dominate the segment during the forecast period, attributed to rise in usage in veterinary practice. Based on blade type, the global dental scalers market can be divided into curved blade and straight blade. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=41297 The curved blade segment accounted for the largest dental scalers market share in terms of revenue in 2016, due to their rounded design meant to minimize gingival trauma and other tissue injury. The variations in the curvature and flexibility in the curved blade is a major factor likely to drive the segment during the forecast period. Based on end-user, the global dental scalers market can be categorized into hospitals, specialty clinics, and others. The hospitals segment accounted for the largest market share in 2016 owing to rise in investments in hospitals to improve health care infrastructure in emerging countries and surge in number of multispecialty hospitals across the globe. However, rise in incidence of dental scalers malignancies among the population and availability of well-qualified dental scalers professionals in the developed countries are expected to propel the growth of the specialty clinics segment during the forecast period. The global dental scalers market can be segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest dental scalers market share in terms of revenue in 2016. The region is expected to continue to dominate the global dental scalers market during the forecast period. Dominance of North America is attributed to the strategic presence of key players in the U.S. and Canada, and rise in adoption of technologically advanced dental instruments by dental professionals in the region. However, increase in patient pool and rise in awareness among the population about oral care is projected to boost the growth of the dental scalers market in Asia Pacific from 2017 to 2025. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=41297 Key players operating in the global dental scalers market are Henry Schein, Inc., Dentsply Sirona, COLTENE Group, EMS Medical, Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., LLC, Parkell, Inc., Nordent Manufacturing, Inc., and Micron Corporation, among others. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Global English Language Learning Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global English Language Learning Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Berlitz Languages, Pearson ELT, Sanako Corporation, Inlingua, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill Education, Rosetta Stone, Transparent Language, Voxy, EF Corporate Solutions, New Oriental, Vipkid, Wall Street English, Meten, TutorABC, 51talk, WEBi, Global Education & New Channel International. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1597182-global-english-language-learning-market-4 The English Language Learning market is relatively fragmented, though there are several big players in the world. The key players are like Vipkid, New Oriental, Berlitz Languages, Pearson ELT, iTutorGroup etc. The big players are from United States and China. In 2018, the global English Language Learning market size was 9990 million US$ and it is expected to reach 29700 million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of 16.8% during 2019-2025. This report focuses on the global English Language Learning status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the English Language Learning development in United States, Europe and China. English Language Learning Market Overview: If you are involved in the English Language Learning industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by For Kids and Teens, For Adults, For Businesses & For Educational & Tests, , Digital, Through Books & In Person Courses and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. English Language Learning Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023 Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market. You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1597182-global-english-language-learning-market-4 Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2013-2017 Base year 2018 Forecast period** 2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below: The Study is segmented by following Product Type: , Digital, Through Books & In Person Courses Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: For Kids and Teens, For Adults, For Businesses & For Educational & Tests Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Berlitz Languages, Pearson ELT, Sanako Corporation, Inlingua, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill Education, Rosetta Stone, Transparent Language, Voxy, EF Corporate Solutions, New Oriental, Vipkid, Wall Street English, Meten, TutorABC, 51talk, WEBi, Global Education & New Channel International For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of English Language Learning Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows: - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) - Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1597182-global-english-language-learning-market-4 Key Answers Captured in Study are Which geography would have better demand for product/services? What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market? Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth? What is the current & expected market size in next five years? What is the market feasibility for long term investment? What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the English Language Learning market? What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography? What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future? What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global English Language Learning market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1597182 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global English Language Learning market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global English Language Learning market, Applications [For Kids and Teens, For Adults, For Businesses & For Educational & Tests], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America; Chapter 2, objective of the study. Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques. Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics; Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition; Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by Product Type: , [Digital, Through Books & In Person Courses], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis Chapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencer's, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers; Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply. Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning) Chapter 15, deals with Global English Language Learning Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand]. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- The global fluid management market is projected to reach over US$ 64 Bn by 2025, with a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 5.3% from 2017 to 2025, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled 'Global Fluid Management Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20172025.' North America is expected to continue to be at the forefront of global demand, with the market in the region anticipated to expand at over 4% during the forecast period. This is due to increase in the incidence and prevalence of infectious and lifestyle diseases, rise in the number of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, and rise in prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, driving demand for dialysis treatment. Infusion Therapy Product Segment is expected to dominate the Global Fluid Management Market throughout the Forecast Period The report offers detailed segmentation of the global fluid management market based on product, application, and end-user. The infusion therapy products segment is estimated to hold leading market share in 2017 and is anticipated to expand steadily during the forecast period. The infusion therapy segment includes infusion devices such as infusion pumps and infusion systems; IV access devices such as accessories and disposables such as administration sets; and IV solutions and products such as frozen & liquid premixed medications, empty containers for compounding, and IV solutions. The renal product segment, which predominantly includes dialysis products, is expected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period, owing to rise in prevalence of end-stage renal diseases and increase in number of dialysis centers worldwide. For instance, according to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 2.0 million people undergo treatment for dialysis or kidney transplantation to stay alive across the world. Request A Sample: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=41066 Rise in Adoption of Home-based Dialysis and Infusion Therapy is expected to Boost Demand for Home Care Settings by 2025 The home care settings segment of the global fluid management market is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period owing to increase in research and development activities for the launch of products suitable for home care settings, rise in patient preference for home-based treatments, and lowest cost of the treatments performed at home as compared to hospitals or dialysis centers. For instance, Baxter, a leading player in the global fluid management market is focusing on new product developments suitable for home hemodialysis. Fluid Management Market in Asia Pacific to Expand at a Rapid Pace with Significant Contribution from China, India, Japan, and Singapore In terms of value, North America is likely to continue its dominance in the global fluid management market throughout the forecast period, owing to a high incidence rate of chronic kidney diseases in the region, high adoption of dialysis procedures, rise in new product launches, and the rise in per capita health care spending in the region. For instance, according to national Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases, in 2016, more than 661,000 Americans were suffering from chronic kidney failure, among these, 468,000 individuals were on dialysis and around 193,000 underwent kidney transplant. Europe is a prominent region of the global fluid management market, owing to the presence of a large number of pharmaceutical and medical device companies and increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, end-stage renal diseases, high blood pressure, and cancer among the population. Request Brochure of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=41066 Asia Pacific is an emerging region of the fluid management market and is expected to expand at a rapid CAGR during the forecast perios, owing to a rapidly expanding health care industry; growing economy; and rise in prevalence of infectious and lifestyle diseases such as cardiac disorders, kidney diseases, and others, which are fuelling demand for infusion, dialysis, and endoscopic surgery treatments. For instance, according to a report by LifeSciences Industry Research, by 2020, the global ESRD patients receiving hemodialysis treatment is expected to reach 4.2 million, out of which 1 million patients are likely to to be from China. The fluid management market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is expected to expand at a rapid pace owing to expansion in economies of countries in the regions, rise in disease prevalence, increase in urbanization, rise in adoption of novel medical technologies, changing lifestyles, and increase in health care awareness among the population of the regions. Competitive Landscape Major players operating in the global fluid management market include Baxter, Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, Nikkiso, Co., Ltd., C.R. Bard, Inc., Olympus Corporation, Ecolab Inc., Medtronic, Zimmer Biomet, BD, Smith & Nephew, Hospira, Inc., Animas Corporation, B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Cardinal Health Inc., Stryker, Boston Scientific Corporation, Karl Storz GmbH, Richard Wolf GmBH, Asahi Kasei Medical Co. Ltd., Coloplast Group, and NIPRO Medical Corporation. Other prominent players in the global fluid management market include AngioDynamics, Promed Group Co., Ltd, ICU Medical, Inc., CONTEC MEDICAL SYSTEMS CO.,LTD, SWS Hemodialysis Care Co.,Ltd., Dialifegroup.com, and Medica S.p.A. Leading players in the market are focusing on the service portfolio and geographic reach with the help of mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and new products launches. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations. Contact us: Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Food Grade Calcium Phosphate Market: Introduction Food grade calcium phosphate finds its application in food processing and preservation. Food grade calcium phosphate acts as an enhancing agent which helps improvises the flavor and moisture content of the food. Rapidly expanding food industry across the globe and technological innovation in food processing is expected propel the growth of the food grade calcium phosphate market over the forecast period. Food Grade Calcium Phosphate Market: Dynamics The main driving factor for the global food grade calcium phosphate market is the continuously evolving food processing sector which have resulted in increased demand for food grade calcium phosphate across all major developing economies. The key factor such as growing demand for food products with augmented shelf life owing to the convenience of foods in many countries is further growing the demand for food grade calcium phosphate. The significant increase in use of food grade calcium phosphate due to the growing eating preference among population towards highly nutritional food is highly anticipated to drive the global food grade calcium phosphate market. Additionally, considerable growth in the Europe & North America food sector and technological advancement in food processing techniques is anticipated to create a significant opportunity for the global food grade calcium phosphate market. Request For Sample @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2942 Additionally, the superior characteristics of food grade calcium phosphate such as, food preserving, increasing nutritional value and augment shelf life is highly anticipated to propel the demand for food grade calcium phosphate. As food grade calcium phosphate is utilized to inhibit bacterial growth in the food, food grade calcium phosphate is gaining huge recognition in food processing industries across all regions. All the above mentioned major influencing features are immensely subjected to propel the global food grade calcium phosphate market over the forecast period. The key restraining factor such as stringent FDA regulation over the utilization of food grade calcium phosphate may hinder the global food grade calcium phosphate market growth over the forecast period. Monocalcium phosphate food grade calcium phosphate is anticipated to showcase noteworthy growth rate during the forecast period due to its high suitability in premixing while food processing. On the other hand, among end use industry segment, the nutritional supplements segment is anticipated to see steady market growth over the forecast period, attributed to increasing consumption of nutritional supplement. Food Grade Calcium Phosphate Market: Regional Outlook Based on geographies, the global Food Grade Calcium Phosphate market is segmented into seven regions including North America, Europe, MEA, East Asia (Japan, China, South Korea), South Asia (India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest), Oceania (Australia, New Zealand) and Latin America. Among the above-mentioned countries, Europe is estimated to account for a significant market share due to advancement in food processing industrial activities in countries such as Germany, UK and France. Request For Brochure @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2942 North America is anticipated to witness a high growth in the global food grade calcium phosphate market owing to the rise in consumption of nutritional food in the region. Moreover, Middle East & Africa is projected to showcase most enthusiastic growth in the global food grade calcium phosphate market due to the rise in the disposable income along with an evolving food processing sector across the region. South Asia is one of the key emerging regions that will generate creditable opportunity in the global food grade calcium phosphate market over the forecast period due to the significant rise in population and food consumption. Food Grade Calcium Phosphate Market: Prominent players Prominent players for the global food grade calcium phosphate market are Innophos, Prayon, ICL PP, Chengxing Industrial, Hens, Budenheim, Tianjia Chem, Hindustan Phosphates, Thermphos, Kolod Food Ingredients, Gadot Biochemical, Haifa Group, Kede Food Ingredients, Sudeep Pharma and other key market players. The food grade calcium phosphate market consists of well-diversified global and regional players with the regional vendors dominating their respective region market. The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the food grade calcium phosphate market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The food grade calcium phosphate market report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application and industry. Report Analysis @ https://www.factmr.com/report/2942/food-grade-calcium-phosphate-market The food grade calcium phosphate report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The food grade calcium phosphate report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The food grade calcium phosphate report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies. Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Global Powder Metallurgy Market is accounted for $ 6,000.26 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $ 11120.26 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period. Increase in demand for powder metal-based automotive components and growing demand for fuel efficient vehicles are some of the primary driving factors for the powder metallurgy market globally. However, limited use in the production of three-dimensional products and high capital costs of powder metallurgy processing equipment are restraining the market. Powder metallurgy is a quickly developing technology that deals with the manufacturing of materials or components from ferrous and non-ferrous metal powders. It is used in different applications across numerous industries worldwide. It is used to manufacture filters that need superior strength and shock resistance. Moreover, it is used for manufacturing cutting tool inserts and machinery parts. It is a preferred manufacturing process for different structured parts owing to the cost efficiency and uniqueness of the product. It finds application in business machines, hardware, household appliances, industrial motors, and hand tools. Amongst end-user, electrical & electronics accounted for the largest market share in the global powder metallurgy market due to cutting edge technology and augment in the use of powdered metals in electronic devices such as electric car batteries and sintered parts for different electronic gadgets. By geography, North America dominates the global market during the forecast period. In this region, the growth of the market is influenced due to increasing automotive command for powder metallurgy in the United States (US) for aerospace industry. Some of the key players in Powder Metallurgy market include Sumitomo Electric Company Ltd., Fine Sinter Co., Ltd., Federal-Mogul Corporation, Voestalpine AG, Sandvik AB, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Dorst Technologies, Borgwarner Inc, H.C. Starck, GKN PLC, Hitachi Chemical Company Ltd, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Chicago Powder Metal Products, Hoganas AB, SMC Powder Metallurgy Inc., ACuPowder International, LLC and OBE GMBH. Materials Covered: - Tin Powders - Copper - Tungsten and Molybdenum - Ferrous - Nickel - Iron - Aluminum - Stainless Steel - Non-Ferrous - Other Material End-users Covered: - Aerospace - Electrical & Electronics - Industrial Motors - Business Machines - Automotive - Healthcare Sector - Oil and Gas Industry - Other End-user Regions Covered: - North America US Canada Mexico - Europe Germany France Italy UK Spain Rest of Europe - Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia New Zealand South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific - South America Argentina Brazil Chile Rest of South America - Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE Qatar South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa What our report offers: - Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments - Market share analysis of the top industry players - Strategic recommendations for the new entrants - Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets - Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) - Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations - Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends - Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments - Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements Spanning over 174 pages "Powder Metallurgy - Global Market Outlook (2017-2026)" report covers Executive Summary, Preface, Market Trend Analysis, Porters Five Force Analysis, Global Powder Metallurgy Market, By Material, Global Powder Metallurgy Market, By End-user, Global Powder Metallurgy Market, By Geography, Key Developments, Company Profiling. This report Covered Companies few are - Sumitomo Electric Company Ltd., Fine Sinter Co., Ltd., Federal-Mogul Corporation, Voestalpine AG, Sandvik AB, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Dorst Technologies, Borgwarner Inc, H.C. Starck, GKN PLC. Please visit this link for more details: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/stratistics-mrc/powder-metallurgy-global-market-outlook-2017-2026 Find all Chemicals Reports at: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/chemicals For related reports please visit: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/search/site/Powder%2520Metallurgy Read our Interactive Market Research Blog About MarketResearchReports.com MarketResearchReports.com is world's largest store offering quality market research, SWOT analysis, competitive intelligence and industry reports. We help Fortune 500 to Start-Ups with the latest market research reports on global & regional markets which comprise key industries, leading market players, new products and latest industry analysis & trends. Contact us for your market research requirements: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/contact Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Smart poles are also known as Intelligent light poles. The intelligent term is used as these smart poles can perform their prime functioning of light spreading along with the other advanced functioning such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Charger points, and other many more functions. The smart poles have successfully acquired the key position in the increasing 'Smart City' project in the developing countries such as India. Also, the governments of developed countries such as U.S., U.K. are focusing on the improvising the experience of the people when they are out of their houses and offices by offering them a web connectivity on streets as well. These government initiatives are resulting in the increasing demand for the Smart Poles in the developed countries. The Smart poles are getting increasing popularity due to their ability of multifunctioning which are helping government and other private sector holders to solve the urban problems easily. Also, the smart poles are mainly in focus as they are deployed using the solar-powered energy generation units for it's working as this can enable the deployment of the smart poles in remote areas such as an architectural location. Get Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/11581 Global Smart Pole Market: Drivers and Restraints The ability of smart poles to incorporate the software controls, electronics and sensors which can help in receiving and transmitting the data from the pole location to the operator location is a key parameter responsible for driving the demand of smart poles globally. The smart poles are also contributing significantly in Energy saving parameter along with the improvised level of satisfaction for the people. Also, the increased requirement of the business automation is contributing to increasing the deployment of the Smart Pole globally. The smart poles are Intelligent poles which can also monitor the quality of air, and detection and notification for the officials about incidences such as street flooding also smart poles can turn into the charging stations for electric vehicles. The increasing government initiatives for smart cities are also another factor driving the demand of the smart poles globally. On the other hand, the higher cost required for smart poles is a major challenging factor for the growth of the smart pole market. Global Smart Pole Market: Segmentation The global market for the Smart Poles is segmented on the basis of offerings, installation type, and by application of the smart poles. Segmentation on the basis of offerings The smart poles are offered as the combination of component, Software and Services. Out of these components, segment includes the hardware parts of the poles including light lamps, pole body, the devices for communication, and others (Sensors, Speakers, Camera, Electric vehicle charger points). The software segment includes the software which is used to carry out the functioning of the smart poles in integration with the hardware parts. The Services segment includes the services offered for the smart poles primarily by manufacturers to maintain the operation of the Smart poles, these services include installation services and maintenance services. Segmentation on the basis of Installation Type This segmentation is performed on the basis of the type of smart poles installation performed. The installation type segment consists of the new installation and Up gradation services. The installation service includes the complete new installation of the smart poles and the Up gradation includes the addition of newly added features or hardware parts to the poles. Request For TOC Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/11581 Segmentation on the basis of Applications Type This segmentation is performed on the basis of applications of the smart poles among different end-user areas. The application primarily consists of the locations at which the smart poles installation is performed. This segmentation includes Roads, Public Places, and Others. Global Smart Pole Market: Region-wise outlook The global market for Smart Pole is divided on the basis of regions into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among these regions, the North America region dominates the market in terms of revenue generation because of the dense presence of the vendors for the Smart pole components and software. The Western Europe follows the North America market due to the presence of developed countries and smart lifestyle of the people in this region followed by Eastern Europe. The APEJ region is expected to grow at highest CAGR in forecast period due to increasing government initiatives by the governments of the developing countries such as India this trend is also followed by Japan region. The MEA and Latin America region are expected to grow at the moderate CAGR. Global Smart Pole Market: Industry Key Players The global vendors for Smart Pole include: The key players considered in the study of the smart pole market are SAPA Group, Maven Systems Pvt. Ltd., Philips Lighting Holding B.V., Mobile Pro Systems, General Electric, Cree, Inc., Acuity Brands, Zumtobel Group, SYSKA LED, Lumca Inc., Sunna Design, Goldspar Australia Pty Ltd., and Virtual Extension Ltd., Neptun Light Inc., With the continues advancements going on in the technologically adaptive world every player is coming up with the new features and more advanced versions of the solutions to sustain in the global competition. MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources. The report provides the following information: -Tailwinds and headwinds molding the market's trajectory -Market segments based on products, technology, and applications -Prospects of each segment -Overall current and possible future size of the market -Growth pace of the market -Competitive landscape and key players' strategies View Complete Report at @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/it-and-telecommunication/11581/smart-pole-global-industry-market-research-reports The main aim of the report is to: -Enable key stakeholder's in the market bet right on it -Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them -Assess the overall growth scope in the near term -Strategize effectively with respect to production and distribution MRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the da-ta and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients. About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Contact Mr. Nachiket State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ E: sales@ marketresearchreports.biz Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- The Vehicle inspection system in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025. Request for sample@ https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1512502 The "Vehicle inspection System Market Research Report" offers an incisive insight into market landscape, key market dynamics, profile of key market players along with detailed segmentation & and a comprehensive overview of market environment in terms of sales and production for the forecast period 2018-2025 This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering: BM Autoteknik, Hunter, Gatekeeper Security, American Science and Engineering, Anche, Huayan Technology, Nanhua On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into: Security system, Environmental inspection system, Comprehensive review system, Others By Application, the market can be split into: Motor vehicle inspection agency, Maintenance business, Used car evaluation agency, Others By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want): North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, India Buy Single User Copy of This Report@ https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1512502 Table of Contents Global Vehicle inspection system Market Professional Survey Report 2018 1 Industry Overview of Vehicle inspection system 1.1 Definition and Specifications of Vehicle inspection system 1.1.1 Definition of Vehicle inspection system 1.1.2 Specifications of Vehicle inspection system 1.2 Classification of Vehicle inspection system 1.2.1 Security system 1.2.2 Environmental inspection system 1.2.3 Comprehensive review system 1.2.4 Others 1.3 Applications of Vehicle inspection system 1.3.1 Motor vehicle inspection agency 1.3.2 Maintenance business 1.3.3 Used car evaluation agency 1.3.4 Others 1.4 Market Segment by Regions 1.4.1 North America 1.4.2 China 1.4.3 Europe 1.4.4 Southeast Asia 1.4.5 Japan 1.4.6 India 2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Vehicle inspection system 2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers 2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Vehicle inspection system 2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Vehicle inspection system 2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Vehicle inspection system 3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Vehicle inspection system 3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Vehicle inspection system Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Vehicle inspection system Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Vehicle inspection system Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Vehicle inspection system Major Manufacturers in 2017 Complete Report With TOC@ https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-vehicle-inspection-system-market-professional-survey-report-2018/1512502 ..... Who we are Research Trades has a team of experts who is working on a comprehensive analysis of market research. This estimate is based on a comprehensive study of the future and estimates of future estimates, which can be used by various organizations for growth purposes. We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the customer's specific requirement. Our company provides a large collection of high-quality reports obtained by customer-centered approaches, thus providing valuable research insights. Contact Us: Email: sales@researchtrades.com Call us: +1 6269994607 (USA), +91 7507349866 (IND) Web: www.researchtrades.com Skype ID: researchtradescon The Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty was signed this month 40 years ago, with many of its provisions still open to different interpretations today On the 26th of this month, 40 years will have passed since the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty that ended the state of war and established normal relations between Egypt and Israel. There is no doubt that the treaty signalled an historically unprecedented and qualitative transformation in the history of Egypt, the region and the world as a whole. The region and the world look very different today from how they were then. One has to go back in time in order to realise how much the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty of March 1979 impacted the world as it was then at both the regional and global levels. The treaty also turned a number of what had been perceived for decades as constants into variables. This impact, in particular, remains with us today. The Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty was the first-ever peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country since the establishment of Israel in 1948. It was described by those who opposed it, whether inside Egypt and the Arab world or at the global level and particularly by leftist countries and forces, as a separate peace that had brought Egypt out of the Arab-Israeli confrontation and constituted a stab in the back for the Palestinian question, considered as the central question and real core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Many of the crises the Arab world faced after the treaty were at least partly interpreted in terms of Egypts withdrawal from the Arab-Israeli confrontation, examples being a number of the declarations and decisions by subsequent Israeli governments in the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as the annexation of Jerusalem as the unified and eternal capital of Israel, the bombardment of the Iraqi nuclear reactor in the early 1980s, the annexation of the Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and the invasion of Lebanon in 1982. However, the proponents of this argument fail to account for the crises the Arab world faced even before the conclusion of the peace treaty and late Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadats visit to Jerusalem in 1977. Examples of these can be found in the eruption of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975 and the Syrian military intervention in Lebanon in 1976, just to mention a few. Moreover, history tells us that the peace treaty was followed in 1993 by the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), to be followed one year later by the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. In real terms, these developments only left the Lebanese and Syrian borders with Israel in a state of war, at least at the formal and official levels. The peace treaty provided for a commitment by both parties to resolving any differences among them in a peaceful manner, thus ruling out any future resort to war in case disputes arose. Although some analysts believe that this commitment goes back to the Second Egyptian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement of September 1975, from a strictly legal perspective it was only reflected in a comprehensive sense in the peace treaty of 1979. The earlier agreement was interpreted by other analysts as only referring to the subjects covered in that agreement, rather than to the totality of Egyptian-Israeli relations. The 1979 Treaty also provided for the normalisation of relations between the two parties. This has been the subject of much analysis, review and assessment by observers and historians. Even at the formal diplomatic level, and although diplomatic relations were never cut between the two countries after normalisation started, there have been periods of cold peace, the most significant and the longest of which was Egypts withdrawal of its ambassador to Israel in the aftermath of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. However, much more could be said regarding the normalisation of relations at other levels, including at the economic level, which has seen its own fluctuations, and more particularly at the cultural level, where the normalisation of relations between Egypt and Israel is at its lowest ebb, if it ever existed at all. The subject has been subject to varying, and occasionally contradictory, interpretations, and again from a legal perspective. One interpretation of the normalisation of relations in historical perspective has been to stress that it applies only to bilateral diplomatic relations in the narrow and strict definition of the term, while a second argues that normalisation also covers bilateral governmental and public relations. A third interpretation says that normalisation is meant to include all the areas that government can control, direct or influence, but not civil society or non-governmental sectors. The provisions relating to the normalisation of relations between Egypt and Israel in the 1979 peace treaty were a source of criticism at the time, again inside Egypt and in many parts of the Arab world. They have been blamed for many of the challenges faced by the Arab world over the past four decades. However, history tells us that some of these challenges had nothing, or very little, to do with the treaty, including the eight years of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, to mention a few. Moreover, and particularly since the 1990s, several other Arab countries have started, each for its own reasons, the march of normalisation, with various fluctuations, with Israel. The above are just a few of the many elements that may be worth re-opening for discussion four decades after the conclusion of the March 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. * The writer is a commentator. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The peace treaty 40 years on Search Keywords: Short link: Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- With the presence of a large pool of participants, the global healthcare information system market is displaying a highly competitive business landscape, finds a new research report by Zion Market Research (ZMR). McKesson Corporation, Philips Healthcare, Cerner Corporation, Merge healthcare Inc., and GE Healthcare are some of the key vendors of healthcare information system across the world. These players are focusing aggressively on innovation, as well as on including advanced technologies in their existing products. Over the coming years, they are also expected to take up partnerships and mergers and acquisitions as their key strategy for business development, states the healthcare information system market study. Request Free Sample Report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/healthcare-information-system-market In a major boost to healthcare information system market, in August 2018, Colorado Regional Health Information Organization abbreviated as CORHIO has set up two Wolters Kluwer Health IT services for enhancing interoperability as well as health data standardization along with providing network players with more advanced healthcare data analytics and reporting. As estimated in this report, the global healthcare information system market stood at US$ 41.20 billion in 2016. Witnessing a tremendous rise during the period from 2017 to 2022, the revenue in this market is expected to reach US$ 60.00 billion by the end of the forecast period. The main components available in this healthcare information system market are services, hardware, and software. Among the three, the demand for software is relatively higher and the trend is anticipated to remain so over the next few years, notes the healthcare information system market research report. Download Free PDF Report Brochure @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/healthcare-information-system-market Growing Incidences Of Chronic Diseases To Favorably Impact Market Revenue "Expanding elderly population prone to dreaded diseases along with the rise in the cases of patients suffering from chronic ailments is projected to propel the development of healthcare information system market in the forthcoming years," says the author of this healthcare information system market study. Apart from this, favorable government initiatives and support from private firms will lucratively leverage the business. Low availability of healthcare IT experts along with rise in the service & maintenance cost of healthcare information system can inhibit the of healthcare information system market development in the near future. Nevertheless, new technological developments witnessed across the globe will create new growth dimensions for healthcare information system market in the years to come, thereby normalizing the impact of hindrances on the healthcare information system market, reports the study. Elevated Use Of Electronic Health Record Systems To Support Dominance Regionally, North America has been leading the worldwide healthcare information system market and is anticipated to continue on the dominant position in the years to come, states the market study. Robust demand for high quality diagnostics system is the main factor behind the dominance of the North America healthcare information system market. Furthermore, large-scale implementation & storage of electronic records in the healthcare system witnessed in the countries such as Canada and the U.S is supporting the expansion of this regional healthcare information system market. Inquire more about this report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/healthcare-information-system-market The global healthcare information system market is segmented as follows: By Delivery Mode On-Premises Installation Cloud Based Technology Web-Based Technology By Component Software Hardware Services By Application Pharmacy Information System Laboratory Information System Hospital Information System By Region North America The U.S. Europe UK France Germany Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil The Middle East and Africa Enquire Here Get customization & check discount for report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/1171 About Zion Market Research Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting-edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, the company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Healthcare information technology (IT) is a vast field that involves the use of information technology for designing, creating, developing, using and maintaining information systems in the field of healthcare. Healthcare IT market is growing at a fast rate due to technological advancement in the field and increasing demand for improved healthcare facilities worldwide. Healthcare IT allows exchange of health-related information among organizations electronically. On the basis of applications, healthcare IT market can be segmented into clinical technology, non-clinical technology and payer technology. Various wireless technologies are available in the market such as radio frequency identification (RFID), bluetooth, WLAN, WWAN, WMAN, zigbee technology and others. Use of healthcare IT lowers the cost of treatment and reduces errors associated with healthcare facilities; thus improves the efficiency of the healthcare system. A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3084 On the basis of delivery mode, web-based technology has the largest market. However, cloud technology is growing at the fastest rate. This is due to various successful technologies being used in cloud technology, such as Saas, Paas, Iaas and others. North America, followed by Europe, has the largest market for healthcare IT due to rise in incidence of various diseases, increasing adoption of electronic health records and technological advancement in the region. Asia is expected to show high growth rate in healthcare IT market in next few years due to rise in ageing population, increasing patient pool in the region and government initiatives sin the region. Technological advancement, government initiatives, rise in investments from healthcare IT players, increasing number of patients are some of the key factors driving the growth for global healthcare IT market. In addition, increasing demand for better healthcare facilities and rising need for integrated healthcare systems are expected to drive the market for healthcare IT. However, high maintenance and service expenses, lack of experienced professionals and interoperability issues are some of the major factors restraining the growth for global healthcare IT market. IT-enabled healthcare solutions for physicians, emerging markets such as China and India and innovation of some new information technology in healthcare are expected to offer good opportunities for growth of global healthcare IT market. In addition, shifting focus towards patient-centric healthcare facilities is anticipated to develop good opportunity for global healthcare IT market. Some of the trends that have been observed in healthcare IT market are increase in the use of mobile devices, rising adoption of electronic health records and wireless and cloud technology in healthcare. Some of the major companies operating in the global healthcare IT market are CERNER CORPORATION, Dell, McKesson Corporation, GE Healthcare, Agfa Gevaert NV, Siemens Healthcare, NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., Epic Systems Corporation, Allscripts and CareFusion Corporation. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/3084 York, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- As a long-time provider of quality roofing services to residential, industrial, commercial, and corporate clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, Heidler Roofing is excited to announce the celebration of its 60th anniversary in 2019. Since 1959, Heidler has been a proud regional leader in the roofing industry. Started by Joseph Heidler, Sr. from the garage and basement of his home, he worked diligently to build Heidler into the company it is today. By providing a high level of expertise and a broad range of commercial, residential, and specialty roofing services, Heidler has been able to go above and beyond the capabilities of a typical roofing contractor. When it comes to roofing, Heidler always has their customers covered. Over the last 60 years of business, Heidler has achieved its growth and recognition one roof at a time. By always demonstrating a tireless commitment to quality, service, and safety, the high-end results from the Heidler team speak volumes to the company's accomplishments. The Heidler team has completed roofing projects for distinguished facilities such as the Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI Airport), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Baltimore Basilica. "It's amazing to me that our company has gone from a small basement in York, to the industry leader we are today," says Christopher Hall, Vice President of Heidler. "We may have been in business for 60 years now, but every day is just as exciting as the first and I can't wait to see where our team takes us moving forward." For more information on Heidler Roofing or help with planning your next roofing project, call (717) 792-3549 or fill out a contact form online. About Heidler Roofing For 60 years, Heidler Roofing has provided commercial, residential, industrial, and specialty roofing services to Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. With professionally trained and knowledgeable staff, Heidler guarantees a high-quality product result with every project. To learn more, visit heidlerroofing.com. Harrisburg, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- GLOBAL HOME FRAGRANCE MARKET SIZE, STATUS AND FORECAST 2018-2025 Report studies the latest industry trends, market development aspects, market gains, and industry scenario during the forecast period. The report provides the details related to fundamental overview, development status, latest advancements, market dominance and market dynamics. The Report covers the manufacturer's data, including shipment, price, gross profit, business distribution, industry overview in terms of historic and present situation key manufacturers, product/service application and types, key regions and marketplaces, forecast estimation for global market share, revenue, and CAGR. Global Home Fragrance Market Analysis Report includes top manufacturers Arechipelago, Johnson SC, Nest, Gold Canyon, Sedafrance, Northern lights, Illume, Virginia candle company, Paddywax, Voluspa, Newell Brands, P&G, Allure Home Fragrance along with their company profile, growth aspects, opportunities, and threats to the market development. This report presents the industry analysis for the forecast timescale. An up-to-date industry details related to industry events, import/export scenario, market share is covered in this report. Inquire for free sample copy at https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/1108964685/global-home-fragrance-market-insights-forecast-to-2025/inquiry?source=releasewire&Mode=3 GLOBAL HOME FRAGRANCE MARKET CATEGORISED ON BASIS OF TYPES, APPLICATIONS AND REGIONS Global Home Fragrance Market: Type Segment Analysis Premium Products Mass Market Products Global Home Fragrance Market: Applications Segment Analysis Department Stores Specialist Stores Specialist Online Global Home Fragrance Market by Regions United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia India Central & South America The report has 113 tables and figures browse the report description and TOC: https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/1108964685/global-home-fragrance-market-insights-forecast-to-2025?source=releasewire&Mode=3 We Offer 15% Customization on the Report covering additional 3 countries or 3 Companies in the report + We also offer FREE POST SALES SUPPORT FOR 6 MONTHS from the date of Purchase of the report THE STUDY IS A SOURCE OF RELIABLE DATA ON Market segments and sub-segments Market trends and dynamics Supply and demand Market size Current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive landscape Technological breakthroughs Value chain and stakeholder analysis THE CONTENT OF THE STUDY SUBJECTS, INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 15 CHAPTERS Chapter 1, to describe Home Fragrance product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market driving force and market risks. Chapter 2, to profile the top manufacturers of Home Fragrance, with price, sales, revenue and global market share of Home Fragrance in 2017 and 2018. Chapter 3, the Home Fragrance competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are analyzed emphatically by landscape contrast. Chapter 4, the Home Fragrance breakdown data are shown at the regional level, to show the sales, revenue and growth by regions, from 2014 to 2019. Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to break the sales data at the country level, with sales, revenue and market share for key countries in the world, from 2014 to 2019. Chapter 10 and 11, to segment the sales by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2014 to 2019. Chapter 12, Home Fragrance market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2019 to 2024. Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Home Fragrance sales channel, distributors, customers, research findings and conclusion, appendix and data source. Connect to Our Sales Team at (sales@marketinsightsreports.com) About MarketInsightsReports MarketInsightsReports provides syndicated market research on industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. MarketInsightsReports provides global and regional market intelligence coverage, a 360-degree market view which includes statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations. CONTACT US: Irfan Tamboli (Head of Sales) - Market Insights Reports Phone: + 1704 266 3234 | +91-750-707-8687 sales@marketinsightsreports.com | irfan@marketinsightsreports.com Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Global Hypalon Market Overview Synthetic rubber, Hypalon, used in different end-use industries for resistant to ozone, weather, water and aging; has gained momentum in the emerging economies in the recent years. The use of versatile materials is amplifying the growth of the global market for Hypalon owing to the rising demand of Hypalons in industrial applications. The global Hypalon market houses over a hundred small and large players across the globe. Advanced Hypalon technology has replaced many levels of materials over the decade due to its ease of use and high-tech and high-performance manufacturing technology. Awareness about Hypalons among the end-use industries has resulted in amplified demand for the Hypalon, and the sales volume of the Hypalon over the past two-three years substantiates the same. Global Hypalon Market Scenario The global Hypalon market is likely to create a significant incremental opportunity in several end-use industries across the globe mainly by 2028 over 2018 owing to rising growth for the industrial sector in emerging economies. Also, the global market for Hypalon is estimated to witness a healthy CAGR during the forecast period from 2018 to 2028. The global Hypalon has grown significantly in potential countries, such as U.S., Germany, China, India, UK and France among other potential countries and is likely to witness a high growth during the forecast period. By regions, North America is expected to lead the global market for Hypalon over the forecast period followed by Europe and APEJ due to the significant presence of a manufacturing plant for Hypalon in these regions. The global market is anticipated to witness substantial growth in Latin America and Middle East & Africa region during the forecast period owing to the increasing penetration of prominent players and their sales in these regions. Get Free Exclusive Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=3156 Global Hypalon Market Dynamics The growth in the hypalon market is primarily due to the high growth of the automotive industry, which has created the demand for the tire manufacturing industry. Hypalon being an essential component of modern tires, benefitted immensely from the growth of the automotive industry. Tire industry accounts for the largest end-use market for hypalon. Key features propelling the growth of Hypalon market is color stability, dielectric qualities, flame resistance, low moisture absorption and weather and abrasion resistance. The growth of hypalon market is expected to continue in the near future. Apart from tires, there has been a high demand from footwear and construction industries as well. China is expected to be driving the force of hypalon demand. China has the world's largest automotive industry and is expected to consolidate its position over the forecast period. The highest demand for tires is expected to be generated from Asia Pacific region, especially China, India and Indonesia. Asia Pacific region is characterized by the growth of commercial heavy vehicles with improving economic conditions. Moreover, there is a high demand for high-performance tires due to the labelling regulations in countries like Japan, Korea and EU. This has led to the growth in Solution-SBR (S-SBR) demand. S-SBR is expected to gain a substantial market share over the next six years. Growth of building and construction industry also augured well for the hypalon market. Hypalon finds use in sealing, electrical insulation, fire insulation and expansion joints among many others. Moreover, the growing disposable income levels have further boosted the demand for other applications like footwear and household appliances such as hoses, shock absorbers, sleeves, grommets and diaphragms. In spite of the growing demand for Hypalon, the market is restrained by its origin. Since Hypalon is a downstream derivative of petroleum, Hypalon experiences similar price volatility as its raw materials such as naphtha, benzene and ethylene. Additionally, the manufacture of Hypalon poses specific environmental concerns, which can restrain the market growth. Ask For Customized Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=3156 Global Hypalon Market Key Players Despite the focus of players in North America, Hypalon manufacturers are largely focused in Asian countries, largely China and India. These Hypalon companies, over the past few years, have changed their external strategy towards the company's expansion and mergers & acquisitions. Some of the key market participants in the global Hypalon market are: Trelleborg Nanjing Gaogeya Stedfast Ningbo KQD AB MARINE GROUP Stafford Textiles Limited FSD Orca Archer Rubber LLC Zenith Rubber ROSICH Keqiang Glen Raven Inc. White Cross Rubber Products Ltd. Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics Inc. Colmant Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/3156/hypalon-market About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us FactMR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: www.factmr.com/ Read Industrial News : http://insiderstribune.com/ Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- HTF MI released a new market study on Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed analysis. At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are ABB, Emerson , Rockwell , Siemens , General Electric , Schneider , Yokogawa , Omron , Mitsubishi , Honeywell , Win-911 Software, Pinpoint Information Systems Inc., Tegan Innovations Ltd, Progea Srl, By Solution, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Distributed Control System (DCS), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), By Component, Industrial Robots, Machine Vision, Control Valves, Control Devices, Field Instruments, By Industry, Process Industry, Discrete Industry & By. Click to get Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation Market Research Sample PDF Copy Here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1684208-2019-2024-global-and-regional-industrial-control-and-factory-automation-industry-production-sales-and-consumption-status-and-prospects-professional-market Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report : 1) What all companies are currently profiled in the report? Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the the report "ABB, Emerson , Rockwell , Siemens , General Electric , Schneider , Yokogawa , Omron , Mitsubishi , Honeywell , Win-911 Software, Pinpoint Information Systems Inc., Tegan Innovations Ltd, Progea Srl, By Solution, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Distributed Control System (DCS), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), By Component, Industrial Robots, Machine Vision, Control Valves, Control Devices, Field Instruments, By Industry, Process Industry, Discrete Industry & By" ** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc. 2) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need? Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey. ** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost. 3) What all regional segmentation covered? Can specific country of interest be added? Currently, research report gives special attention and focus on following regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc ** One country of specific interest can be included at no added cost. For inclusion of more regional segment quote may vary. 4) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible? Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our research before giving final confirmation to client. ** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1684208-2019-2024-global-and-regional-industrial-control-and-factory-automation-industry-production-sales-and-consumption-status-and-prospects-professional-market To comprehend Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Industrial Control and Factory Automation market is analyzed across major global regions. HTF MI also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. - North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. - South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. - Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. - Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia. - Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia. 2-Page profiles for 10+ leading manufacturers and 10+ leading retailers is included, along with 3 years financial history to illustrate the recent performance of the market. Revised and updated discussion for 2018 of key macro and micro market influences impacting the sector are provided with a thought-provoking qualitative comment on future opportunities and threats. This report combines the best of both statistically relevant quantitative data from the industry, coupled with relevant and insightful qualitative comment and analysis. Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future. Competitive Analysis: The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as ABB, Emerson , Rockwell , Siemens , General Electric , Schneider , Yokogawa , Omron , Mitsubishi , Honeywell , Win-911 Software, Pinpoint Information Systems Inc., Tegan Innovations Ltd, Progea Srl, By Solution, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Distributed Control System (DCS), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), By Component, Industrial Robots, Machine Vision, Control Valves, Control Devices, Field Instruments, By Industry, Process Industry, Discrete Industry & By includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc. Buy Full Copy Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation Report 2018 @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1684208 In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Global and Regional Industrial Control and Factory Automation are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 Key Stakeholders/Global Reports: Industrial Control and Factory Automation Manufacturers Industrial Control and Factory Automation Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Industrial Control and Factory Automation Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream Vendors Browse for Full Report at @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1684208-2019-2024-global-and-regional-industrial-control-and-factory-automation-industry-production-sales-and-consumption-status-and-prospects-professional-market Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report. Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Liege, Belgium -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- KIDDYARTS is an emerging Belgian brand for children that creates bespoke cushions from children's original artwork. Founded by an inspiring mother of a six-year-old boy, the company has recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to raise funds and support for this project, and the goal of this campaign is to raise a sum of EUR 15,000. KIDDYARTS proudly creates unique cushions by preserving children's hand drawn doodles and artworks. In addition, KIDDYARTS uses eco-friendly ink and sublimation machines to print the artwork of kids on the cushion's fabric. Furthermore, these super-soft and lightweight 40x40cm cushions are made with synthetic fabric and are children-friendly. "This project is inspired by the original artwork of my six-year-old son Yanis, who kept giving me pretty drawings, but it was impossible to keep or display them all." Said LA Y QUAN, the founder of KIDDYARTS, while introducing this project to the Kickstarter community. Furthermore, the project is already getting a phenomenal response and more details are available on the Kickstarter campaign page of the project. The Kickstarter Campaign is located on the web at: www.kickstarter.com/projects/kiddyarts/kiddyarts-together-we-can-create-a-kids-craft-revo and backers from around the world can become a part of this project by contributing generously in the fundraising. Parents are particularly welcomed, while anyone else can also use these pillows as a gift to encourage growing children to become more creative. Furthermore, the company is offering these creative cushions as rewards for the supporters and each reward is being offered with worldwide shipping. About KIDDYARTS KIDDYARTS is an inspiring initiative of a mother and entrepreneur LA Y QUAN, who aims at preserving the hand-drawn artworks of kids from around the world by printing them on a cushion. The company has also launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for this project and the creators of these cushions is welcoming generous support. Contact: Contact Person: Y Quan La Company: Kiddy Arts City: Liege Country: Belgium Phone: +32 492 59 70 04 Email: alex.bourdouxhe@gmail.com Website: www.kickstarter.com/projects/kiddyarts/kiddyarts-together-we-can-create-a-kids-craft-revo?ref=9sycrg Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- HTF MI released a new market study on Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed analysis. At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Forecast till 2025*. Request Sample of Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Report 2018 @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1719995-global-lawyer-liability-insurance-market-1 Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report : 1) What all companies are currently profiled in the report? Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the the report "Chubb (ACE), AIG, Hiscox, Allianz, Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Group, AXA, Travelers, Assicurazioni Generali, Doctors Company, Marsh & McLennan, Liberty Mutual, Medical Protective, Aviva, Zurich, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, Munich Re, Aon, Beazley, Mapfre & Old Republic Insurance Company" ** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc. 2) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need? Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey. ** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost. 3) What all regional segmentation covered? Can specific country of interest be added? Currently, research report gives special attention and focus on following regions: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America ** One country of specific interest can be included at no added cost. For inclusion for more regional segment quote may vary. 4) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible? Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our reserach before giving final confirmation to client. ** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1719995-global-lawyer-liability-insurance-market-1 The in-depth information by segments of the Global Lawyer Liability Insurance market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Market. Professional Key players: Chubb (ACE), AIG, Hiscox, Allianz, Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Group, AXA, Travelers, Assicurazioni Generali, Doctors Company, Marsh & McLennan, Liberty Mutual, Medical Protective, Aviva, Zurich, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, Munich Re, Aon, Beazley, Mapfre & Old Republic Insurance Company Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Product Types In-Depth: D&O Insurance & E&O Insurance Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Major Applications/End users: Coverage: Up to $1 Million, Coverage: $1 Million to $5 Million, Coverage: $5 Million to $20 Million & Coverage: Over $20 Million Geographical Analysis: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future. Competitive Analysis: The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Chubb (ACE), AIG, Hiscox, Allianz, Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Group, AXA, Travelers, Assicurazioni Generali, Doctors Company, Marsh & McLennan, Liberty Mutual, Medical Protective, Aviva, Zurich, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, Munich Re, Aon, Beazley, Mapfre & Old Republic Insurance Company includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc. Buy Full Copy Global Lawyer Liability Insurance Report 2018 @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1719995 In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Global Lawyer Liability Insurance are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 Key Stakeholders/Global Reports: Lawyer Liability Insurance Manufacturers Lawyer Liability Insurance Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Lawyer Liability Insurance Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream Vendors Browse for Full Report at @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1719995-global-lawyer-liability-insurance-market-1 Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report. Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Overview The automatic train protection signaling system is used to indicate a warning signal, when the train is running above the predefined speed that may cause derailment or a collision. The automatic train protection signaling system is installed in the train cockpit so that train pilot and co-pilot could see and hear cautionary signals. Automatic train protection system signaling system includes processors, software, operator displays, antennas, firmware and others components. Automatic train protection signaling system is works as on board train equipment in which antennas and data radio are play crucial role due to its outstanding features such as signal capturing capacity of radio and transmitting capacity of antenna. In automatic train protection signaling system, a unit is also installed under the train chassis which can detect the rail warning system and this transfers signal to the screen installed at the dashboard of the train. Request Sample Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1478 In automatic train protection signaling system, the actual speed of train is always compared to authorized speed. If train's speed is higher than the permitted speed than these devices transmit signal to the screen and automatically transmit signal to the braking system in order to stop the train. These signal is quickly transmitted to braking system for stop the train. Few decade ago, manual train protection signaling system was used to stop or control the train which might had higher chance of accident owing to lack of accuracy. Therefore, railway ministry is installing admonitory devices for reducing the chances of accident and increasing passenger safety. Moreover, U.S. railway ministry has mandated to install automatic train protection signaling system in all types of train for intending to fill the gap between advance technology and conventional technology for train. Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Dynamics Increasing automation in train, metro and others is projected to drive the global automatic train protection signaling market over the forecast period. European railway ministry has mandated some regulations pertaining to train speed such as ERTMS/ETCS level 2 which will always cross verify the actual train speed and maximum permissible speed of train. This system is directly connected to the on board system and ground system devices. Furthermore, increasing self-governing technology in metro train is also anticipated to foster the global automatic train protection signaling market over the slated time period. Factors such as train detection, train separation, route interlocking and over speed protection are estimated to offer lucrative opportunity for the global automatic train protection signaling market by the end of 2028. Browse Full Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/1478/automatic-train-protection-signaling-market Chinese suppliers are winning projects outside of China, while small scale players are vying for pieces of each rail transport project. This is projected to create competitive environment for the global player in respective, the sales of automatic train protection signaling. The use of computer based railway control systems is nowadays pervasive, as it has been demonstrated to be the most operative, if not the only realistic way to follow such hard requirements. Moreover, increasing regulation of rail signaling solution is one of the prominent trends in the global automatic train protection signaling market. Standardization permits suppliers to improve core, regulation-based universal structural design that both empower the interoperability needed to meet native safety necessities and provide a collective, unswerving platform for building local solutions related to passenger safety. Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Segmentation The global Automatic Train Protection Signaling market can be segmented on the basis of Train Type: High Speed Train Passenger Train Freight Train Metro Train Others The global Automatic Train Protection Signaling market can be segmented on the basis of Sales Channel: OEM Aftermarket Speak To Research Analyst for Detailed Insights @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=1478 Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Regional Outlook Western Europe is projected to dominate in the global automatic train protection signaling market owing to massive fleet of rolling stock. China is projected to be the second largest market for the automatic train protection signaling market due to increasing upcoming high speed railway projects. North America is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate owing to sprawling of metro line across the region which will boost the sales of automatic train protection signaling over the foreseeable time period. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is focusing on expansion of rail lines in the Sonoma-Marin Area. For this project, FTA (Freight Transport Association) provided a US$ 22.5 Mn fund to the rail ministry. China is projected to create a lucrative opportunity for the automatic train protection signaling market due to a Chinese company signing two rail projects with Brazil, to build two big-ticket railway-related infrastructure projects in eastern Brazil's Bahia state. The projects values are US$ 2 Bn and US$ 600 Mn. Additionally, in China, the government is focusing on the electrification of trail tracks for the expansion of high speed trains and ultra-high speed trains. These projects are also anticipated to create an opportunity for the market during the forecast period. In India, railway ministry has announced to increase the train's speed for intending to reduce the travelling time. Henceforth, the leading player is focusing the country for sales of automatic train protection signaling system. Middle East & Africa is anticipated to grow with sluggish growth rate owing to the fact that there is no manufacturing facility pertaining to rolling stock. Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Key Participant Leading players for the global Automatic Train Protection Signalling Market are following: Beijing Traffic Control Technology Co., Ltd. Ansaldo STS Bombardier Transportation Siemens AG Hitachi, Ltd. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. RailCorp GL Communication Inc. Wabtec Corporation SENER group HollySys Automation Technologies Ltd. The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry. The report covers exhaustive analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value Chain Regional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa) The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- In 2016, marine diesel engines market from Germany was valued over USD 150 million. Increasing government strategies and initiatives towards development of engine technology will complement the industry outlook. As per the National Master Plan for Marine Technology (NMMT), shipbuilding industry in 2015 was valued at USD 19.9 billion and is predicted to reach USD 25.48 billion by 2018. Request For Sample Copy Of This Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/158 Increasing demand for economically viable engines that are best fit to fulfill reliability, durability, and fuel optimization is further complementing marine diesel engines market penetration. Over the past few years, the shipping industry has been largely emphasizing on developing advanced engines that improve the fuel efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emission. Marine diesel engines operate at an average efficiency of 40% to 50% depending upon the age of the engine, deadweight tonnage, and vessel size. Phasing out of traditional steam engines from various utility sectors is further providing a significant push to marine diesel engines market. High speed engines accounted for over 20% of the marine diesel engines market in 2016. Increasing orders for tug boats, freight carriers, and navy vessels will foster the industry outlook. Increasing demand for recreational vessels including ferries and cruise on account of enhancement in standard of living and increasing disposable income will positively encourage the medium speed engines market. MAN D&T in 2016, contracted with Star Cruise to deliver medium speed engines for cruise ships. Decline in crude oil prices coupled with positive outlook towards shipping sector will further propel the business landscape. Major shipbuilding hubs including South Korea, Japan, and China have witnessed an increase in demand of ship production including container vessels, tanker vessels, and bulk carriers owing to easy fuel availability and cost affordability. Make an inquiry before buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/158 Merchant vessels are one of the prominent application domains that is prominently contributing toward the global industry size. Growing inclination toward LNG along with a significant rise in the sea borne trade have resulted in an increasing deployment of marine diesel engines in merchant vessels, thereby contributing to the industry share. As per estimates, marine diesel engines market from merchant vessels application is expected to chart a profitable road map at a CAGR of 5% over 2016-2024. Offshore application accounted for over 18% in global marine diesel engines market share in 2016. Increasing demand for offshore vessels including FPSO, drill ships and rigs owing to rise in shale exploration will augment the business landscape. Upsurge in demand for tankers, container vessels, bulk carriers, and gas carriers will fuel the marine diesel engines Market for merchant application. According to the Eurostat's in 2015, Germany ports handled 126 million tons of container cargo. Increasing shipbuilding companies along with growing investments towards manufacturing of environmentally safe engines will positively impact the marine diesel engines market in China. In 2014, the government of China issued a financial package to simplify the money stock. In 2015, MAN D&T signed an agreement for ten-year with CSSC and CISC to produce low speed diesel engines in China. Browse Full Report Summary @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/marine-diesel-engine-market Key industry players include Wartsilla, MAN D&T, Teekay, NYK Lines, OSK Lines, COSCO, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and China Shipping Development. 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. This month marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, one that only proved that Israel has no interest in peace It was a cold winter day when I arrived at Dulles International Airport in Washington DC on 4 January 1979 to begin my first diplomatic posting in the Egyptian embassy. Three months earlier, Egypt and Israel had signed the Camp David Accords, on 17 September 1978 in DC as a prelude to starting a diplomatic process to reach a comprehensive, total and just peace among the Arab countries, the Palestinians and Israel. It was to be based on UN Security Council Resolution 242, adopted unanimously by the council on 22 November 1967. I had taken up my first diplomatic posting in Washington while the US administration of former president Jimmy Carter was pushing quite hard for a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. The Israelis were dragging their feet, as usual, in agreeing to a full withdrawal from Sinai. Furthermore, they wanted to keep some military presence while leaving their settlements intact. Needless to say, Egypt would not buy into Israels arguments, nor indirect American pressure in this regard. Moreover, Cairo wanted the expected peace treaty to be part of a larger peaceful settlement for the Arab-Israeli conflict with particular emphasis on granting the Palestinian people their right to self-determination. At the time, Arab countries and the Palestine Liberation Organisation were warning Egypt of reaching what they had called a separate peace with the Israelis at the expense of Arab and Palestinian rights. Moreover, they argued that such a peace would not pressure Israel enough to implement Security Council Resolution 242 on all fronts, nor would Israel, once it had signed a peace deal with Egypt, be interested in settling the Palestinian question. These had been very serious questions facing Egyptian decision-makers at the time. No one in Cairo wanted to be seen within Egypt and in the larger Arab world as reneging on Egypts historic commitments towards all those who had fought side by side with the Egyptian army against the Israelis in 1967 and in 1973, especially Syria and Palestinian freedom fighters. On 26 March 1979, Egypt and Israel signed, at the White House and in the presence of former president Jimmy Carter, the first peace treaty between an Arab country and Israel in a bid to reach this comprehensive and just peace. The treaty itself was marketed in Egypt in grandiose terms. We, the Egyptian diplomats at the Egyptian embassy in Washington, had taken this as too good to be true, but who could have foreseen while former Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat was putting his signature to the text of the treaty with former Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin that the true aggressive intentions of Israel would weigh heavily on the Middle East, in the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights, not to mention Lebanon. Some believed that we should give peace a chance, particularly the Carter administration that had assured Sadat that it would bring Jordan into the peace process and would work with Egypt to facilitate reaching an agreement on self-rule, for five years, as stated in the Camp David Accords, for the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. President Sadat took this commitment on its word. The Egyptian interpretation of self-rule was that after the lapse of the five-year period the Palestinians would exercise their right to self-determination according to the United Nations Charter. The Americans had led us to believe that they endorsed this interpretation. Our calculations proved to be wrong, unfortunately. But it was too late. Begin was adamant that self-rule was meant to be administrative, and had nothing to do with the question of national sovereignty. In fact, the Israelis insisted on referring to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria. In the three years that followed the signing of the peace treaty with Israel, Egypt and the Middle East became destabilised from a larger strategic perspective and in their power dynamics vis-a-vis Israel. On 6 October 1981, former president Sadat was assassinated to be succeeded by his vice-president, Hosni Mubarak. Israel in 1980 and in 1981 had passed two laws, one that has recognised Jerusalem as the undivided and eternal capital of Israel and the second that had claimed that the Golan Heights would remain under Israeli control. However, grave consequences followed in 1982 when Israeli forces led by Ariel Sharon invaded Lebanon and crossed the Litani River to surround Beirut. It was the first time the Israeli army had laid siege to an Arab capital. During this siege, Sharon with his Lebanese allies supervised the massacres at Sabra and Shatila where hundreds of hapless, innocent Palestinians were mowed down. The Israeli occupation of Lebanon would last more than 15 years from 1982 to 2000. This occupation was the direct cause for the establishment of the Lebanese national resistance movement headed by a newly-constituted national militia known as Hizbullah. The price to be paid by the Palestinians and the Arabs to lift the siege of Beirut was the evacuation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and its chairman, the late Yasser Arafat, from Lebanon. The Americans had taken up Israeli demands in this respect and activated the Cairo channel to bring it about. Our concern was threefold at the time: one, to make sure that Arafat would leave Lebanon unharmed, that all Palestinian fighters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation would sail for Tunisia with their personal weapons, and to bring to an end, as quickly as possible, the Israeli occupation of Lebanon. We succeeded in the former two and had to wait for more than 15 years to celebrate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. The former two objectives were easily carried out because it was in the joint interests of the United States and Israel, whereas the third was not. Needless to say, the resounding victory of the Lebanese resistance against Israeli occupation was credited to Iran, a non-Arab power. Such Iranian support paved the way for the gradual entrenchment of the Iranians in Middle Eastern politics in subsequent years. Three months before the assassination of president Sadat, the late Egyptian president had received the Israeli prime minister, Begin, the man with whom he had affixed his signature to the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty two years before, in Ismailia. Exactly two days later, on 7 June 1981, the Israeli air force destroyed the Iraqi nuclear plant. If Israeli aggressiveness lacked any proof, and if the true strategic objective behind signing the peace treaty with Egypt needed elaboration, here you are facing an expansionist Israel that does not want to live in peace with its neighbours and has had no intention, at all, of negotiating in good faith the establishment of a Palestinian state in the context of the two-state solution as per UN Security Council resolutions. If the Carter administration (a Democratic one) had rendered Israel its greatest strategic gift of signing a peace treaty with Egypt, the first of a kind, and its attendant strategic consequences on the destabilisation of the whole Middle East, the Republican Trump administration has done the rest. It has recognised Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel and is on its way, probably, towards recognising the Golan Heights as under Israeli sovereignty, not to mention the creeping Israeli annexation of the West Bank and the perpetuation of the Israeli siege on two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In addition, it has cut its financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority as well as funds earmarked for UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Work Agency) that has catered for the humanitarian, health and educational needs of five million Palestinian refugees scattered around the Middle East. Last Tuesday, 26 March, was the fortieth anniversary of the peace treaty that had signed with the Israelis in conviction that it would lead to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 242. However, this promise has not been fulfilled. On the contrary, the treaty has proven correct all those Arabs and Palestinians that have held to the belief that Israel is only an expansionist power. On the evening of 26 March 1979, the Carter White House had organised a big reception at Blair House to celebrate the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty that morning. I remember my subdued feelings on that distant evening. I did not trust the Israelis then. Middle East developments ever since have not proven me wrong. I will conclude with two quotes from the memoirs of former US secretary of state John Kerry, entitled Every Day is Extra. The quotes show that the Israeli extreme right, incarnated by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the heir of Menachem Begin, is not interested in any peace deal with the Arabs or the Palestinians. It is working for the capitulation of the latter and the subservience of the former to Israel, and the tweet by US President Donald Trump, Thursday, 21 March, in which he wrote that, it is high time for the United States to fully recognise Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights only confirms that Israel is out to grab Arab and Palestinian territories, aided by Trumps White House. Kerry wrote: Israel had increasingly consolidated control over the majority of the West Bank for its exclusive use, effectively reversing the transition to greater Palestinian authority that was called for by the Oslo Accords. The challenge gets only more daunting as the number of settlers in the roughly 130 Israeli settlements east of the 1967 lines grow. When I left as secretary, the settler population in the West Bank alone, not including East Jerusalem, had increased by nearly 270,000 since Oslo, including 100,000 just since 2009. More than 90,000 were living east of the separation barrier that was created by Israel itself, and the population of these distant settlements has grown by 20,000 since 2009. At the same time, thousands of Israeli settlers have set up some one hundred illegal outposts in the West Bank with the acquiescence, if not outright support, of successive Israeli governments. I dont think most people in Israel, and certainly elsewhere in the world, have any idea how broad and systematic this reversal of the Oslo process has become. In the same memoirs, Kerry recalls the last dinner he had with former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres, weeks before the latter passed away in September 2016.Peres told Kerry that, the original Mandate gave the Palestinians 48 per cent (of mandated Palestine); now it is down to 22 per cent. I think 78 per cent is enough for us. However, as Egyptians and Arabs we will never forget Palestine; neither our generation nor future generations. For those Egyptians and Arabs who keep talking about peace with Israel, please stop talking about any kind of peaceful coexistence with the Israelis till the day they are sincerely and genuinely committed to the cause of peace. Furthermore, please dont bet on Jared Kushners plan for an ultimate peace in the Middle East. * The writer is former assistant foreign minister. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Road to nowhere Search Keywords: Short link: Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Chamomile is the common name of a group of plants that have been used since ancient times as herbal remedy. There are several different species of chamomile; however, Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) and Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile) are widely grown across the world. Matricaria recutita is a hardy plant that can be found in a variety of different soils and climate. The plant has historically been used in teas for treating fevers, flu, digestive disorders, and skin ailments. Chamomile oil, also known as blue oil, is the primary extract of the flowers and flower heads of the chamomile plant. This oil contains several compounds that have medicinal benefits with key constituent groups being coumarins, sesquiterpenes, polyacetylenes, and flavonoids. These groups mainly consist of chamazulene, (E)-?-farnesene, ?-bisabolol oxides A and ?-bisabolol oxides B, ?-bisabolol and terpene alcohol. The Matricaria recutita extracts are included as drugs in the pharmacopoeia of many countries across the globe and are known for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and spasmolytic properties.Read Report Overview @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/matricaria-recutitta-extract-market.html Common process of obtaining the Matricaria recutita extract from the blossom of the plant is trough steam distillation. Under this process, hot steam is passed through a still containing the Matricaria recutita flowers. The hot steam penetrates the plant, forcing the essential oil out of the plant. It is then collected separately. Chamomile oil yields obtained from the Matricaria recutita flowers are very low, typical yields being only 0.20.4% of the total weight of the flowers. The extracted oil is used for a variety of medicinal purposes, with the general use being for mental and physical relaxation. Depending upon the therapeutic use, the oil can be ingested orally or can be topically applied. Matricaria recutita oil extract is used to ease insomnia, as a mood enhancer, mild anti-depressant, and an aid to calm nervousness or anxiety problems. Apart from its mental calming properties, the oil is also useful for soothing aching joints and muscles. The Matricaria recutita oil is commonly used as an ingredient in skin lotions and creams due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The oil is also used to ease digestive problems and soothe conjunctivitis symptoms. In addition to pharmaceutical uses, the oil is extensively employed in a number of commercial products including soaps, alcoholic beverages, detergents, perfumes, lotions, ointments, hair care products, food products, bakery products, and cosmetics.Because of its extensive medicinal and pharmaceutical properties, Matricaria recutita oil possesses good economic value and is in high demand across the world. The plant grows well in temperate and semi-temperate regions and is native to Southern and Eastern Europe. Commercial growing of the plant has been undertaken in the mountainous regions of India and Nepal. Matricaria recutita is an important crop in Hungary, France, Yugoslavia, Germany, Russia, and Brazil. The plant can be found in other regions in North Africa, Asia, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Hungary is one of the most important growers of Matricaria recutita with the majority of the flowers produced being exported to Germany. Germany is one of the largest distillers of Matricaria recutita extracts. Several countries in Eastern Europe export Matricaria recutita flowers in bulk to Germany.Request Report Brochure @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20408 Other important distillers of the essential oil are France, India, and the U.S. International demand for Matricaria recutita oil has been increasing at a fast rate in the recent years due to the increasing preference for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics obtained from natural sources. Demand for the Matricaria recutita extract is high in countries in Western Europe and Northern America. Implementation of stringent regulations regarding the use of synthetic ingredients in pharmaceuticals and rising awareness regarding the ill-effects of these ingredients are likely to encourage manufacturers to include natural ingredients in their products. Growth in health consciousness in the burgeoning middle class in China and India is expected to boost the market for Matricaria recutita oil in the near future. One of the major challenges facing this market is to provide speedy transport of the flowers, from the growing fields to the extraction units, which may be located at a considerable distance from the fields. This is necessary because the chamazulene content of the flowers decreases during storage. This, in turn, decreases the therapeutic effectiveness of the extracted oil.The Matricaria recutita extract market is fragmented; a number of small players operate in the market. Key players operating in the Matricaria recutita extract market are Silvestris, Bristol Botanicals Ltd, Norfolk Essential Oils, and Mountain Rose Herbs.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Owing to large number of players in the global micro irrigation systems market, it is anticipated to witness tough competition, along with being highly fragmented. However, Netafim Ltd., Jain Irrigations Systems Ltd., and The Toro Company are the key players that accounted for maximum market share in 2014, with wide range of product portfolio. The firms are working on having better research and development capabilities, coupled with technological advancements. This is foreseen to help the growth of the firms in coming years, with better market position. Sistema Azud SA, Rivulus Plastro Ltd., Lindsay Corporation, Valmont Industries Inc., T-L Irrigation Company, are some other key players leading the global micro irrigation systems market. Companies are indulging into various mergers and acquisitions and collaborations to sustain their existing position and improve it in the span of coming years. According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global micro irrigation systems market, is expected to project a strong CAGR of 15.3% within the forecast period from 2017 to 2023. Get PDF Sample For More Information @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=485 Application-wise, the large corporate and private farming segment is foreseen to account as a leading segment with 52.4% of the entire market by 2023. Geographically, Europe accounts for major share of the micro irrigation systems market in terms of revenue. Government Initiatives to Adopt micro irrigation systems to Help Market Growth Support from the government regarding the adoption of micro irrigation systems is a key factor behind the development of micro irrigation systems market. The declining level of ground water has called for some critical goals for the issue, for example, reception of micro irrigation. Micro irrigation is feasible as it helps spare 50-60% water than what is utilized in stream irrigation and other conventional irrigation strategies. Because of this, various governments are empowering the utilization of micro irrigation and offering concession in deployment cost of micro irrigation systems. A few governments, for example, those of Norway, India, and Switzerland are additionally encouraging the popularity of micro irrigation systems. For instance, in India, the state administration of Tamil Nadu has reported 100% financial support for small agriculturists taking up micro irrigation and 75% for the other farmers as well. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/micro-irrigation-systems-market.html Furthermore, rising water shortage particularly in agrarian nations of Africa and Asia Pacific is requiring manageable water irrigation systems. Rising temperatures in atmosphere and episode of dry seasons as of late have brought about declining surface and ground water requiring other strategies for irrigation of farming land. Reception of micro irrigation systems enables in water conservation as well as streamlines water utilization for irrigation of substantial areas. High Initial Setup Cost to Hinder Market Demand In any case, high starting capital required for micro irrigation systems makes them less reasonable for low-value crops, taking into account that it has low return on investments. Surging expense of micro irrigation systems makes them unreasonably expensive by small farmers, and make them appropriate for cost-concentrated farming. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- With the increase in Shale gas E&P activities across the globe, leading with North America, Europe, Argentina and now China the global chemical/petrochemical industry downstream is expected to witness a critical make over due to the supply shortages in various chemical feedstock. Ethylene, propylene, butadiene and benzene are the four building blocks of various chemicals or petrochemicals produced downstream for consumption by end use industries. Shale Gas is an unconventional, un-associated gas which contains 75-90% Methane, 15-5% Ethane and the rest C3's and heavier hydrocarbons. With lower percentage of heavier hydrocarbons the supply of propylene, butadiene and benzene are expected to decline with respect to Ethylene supply. Excess of Shale production has resulted into an increasing preference for ethane cracking compared to Naphtha cracking, which would result in a supply shortage for C3's and above. The result would be lower availability of propylene and other basic chemicals. In order to ensure optimum supply, on purpose technologies are being built in North America and Asia Pacific. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-996 On purpose technologies include CTL/CTO (Coal to Liquids/Olefins), MTO/MTP (methanol to olefins/propylene), PDH (propane dehydrogenation) and Metathesis. Use of Coal to produce synthetic fuels and petrochemicals has been present for more than 50 years with Germany utilizing this technology to provide fuel for its units during the 2nd World War. The technology was not utilized due to its high operational cost and lower market feasibility with adequate Crude oil supplies. But the decrease in the use of Crude Oil due to environmental concern opened up opportunities for Coal to be used as a feedstock for production of petrochemicals and synthetic fuels. With the increasing production of Shale Gas the demand for ethane cracking has increased hence resulting in a lower yield of propylene. Propane de-hydrogenation operation unlike other operations provides a higher yield of Propylene (82%) ensuring a stable supply for the production of Polypropylene. North America with its expected increase in demand for Polypropylene by 2025, has made investments to increase PDH production capacity by 1.8 Mn MT/y. China has also made investments in PDH operations and has made arrangements with a South Korean trader to supply LPG to its plants. Metathesis which is a technology which was commercialized for the synthesis of higher olefins has also seen traction in the petrochemical industry however, Methanol to Olefin/Propylene technology witnesses a greater growth rate. China with its anticipated increase in Coal and Natural Gas production is expected to focus on CTO/L operations in the coming years in order to meet its growing demand. China has the biggest Natural Gas reserves in the world, however chooses not to utilize it to its potential. PDH operations in the country are anticipated to witness an increasing trend due to future Natural Gas E&P activities. In India, Tata and Sasol have signed up for a CTL plant in Orissa which is expected to come on stream by 2018. The plant would cost Rs. 90,000 Crores and is expected to provide synthetic fuel and petrochemicals. On purpose technologies Impact of Shale Gas: Drivers & Restraints With the increase in availability of Natural Gas in North America and higher preference to ethane cracking to take advantage of the cheaper Natural gas the availability of Propylene, butadiene and benzene are expected to decline which are quintessential for the production of downstream petrochemicals and other chemicals. Also, with low Natural Gas prices the technology has become affordable and economical for profitable production of downstream chemicals and petrochemicals. On purpose technologies Impact of Shale Gas: Region-wise Outlook North America is anticipating an increase of 1.8 Mn MT/y of PDH production capacity by end of 2019. China has also started constructing PDH facilities to utilize the feedstock advantage of Coal with CTL plants in China. India is expected to finish its first CTL plant by end of 2019. In South America, Argentina is expected to start E&P activities from its Shale Gas reservoirs which is expected to provide the region an advantageous feedstock position. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-996 On purpose technologies Impact of Shale Gas: Key Players Some of the major players in the refrigerated display cases are AHT Cooling systems, Epta Spa, Hussman corporation, Nekano refrigerators co. ltd, ISA Italy etc. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- The global particle therapy market was valued at US$ 364.8 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.0% from 2018 to 2026 according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Particle Therapy Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026". The report suggests that increase in number of cancer patients for particle therapy treatment and rise in demand for heavy ion radiotherapy due to biological advantage are expected to drive the particle therapy market in the near future (2018 to 2026). North America and Europe are projected to dominate the global market, owing to an increase in the demand for efficient and effective management of particle therapy and high rate of adoption of particle therapy for treatment planning by oncologist. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at an exponential growth rate during the forecast period. This is attributed to a large base of specialty clinics and hospitals, rise in the geriatric population with brain and spine tumor diseases requiring proton therapy services, and increase in the rate of adoption of new therapies, such as carbon and proton therapy for the treatment of cancer patients. The market for particle therapy in Latin America is likely to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period. Get Report Details: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/particle-therapy-market.html The global particle therapy market is projected to be potentially driven by the features and characteristics of proton therapy. Proton therapy is being offered by various particle therapy producing companies in order to streamline day-to-day work flow and increase the revenue of the practices. Proton therapy provides diverse features and benefits, ranging from patient pain heeling remedies to treatment procedures. These features help physicians and nurses to streamline the tumor treatment therapy activity required for patients in order to maintain their daily workflow efficiently and effectively. The key players offering the particle therapy are introducing value added features, such as set up labs with services such as cyclotrons, synchrotrons, effective modality features, along with imaging modules, thereby reducing the overall operating cost and thus, improving the overall effectiveness and efficiency of proton therapy practices. Companies are focusing on the development of combined proton and carbon therapy facilities in their system in order to effectively integrate the therapy or treatment procedure and patient education and awareness programs on particle therapy. These value added features save the operational time of physicians and help improve its pain management performance among cancer patients. Cyclotrons are non-reactor sources that are used to produce other radioisotopes or electrons or protons. High energy consumption and disintegration machinery produce half-life radioisotopes or protons that are utilized in the treatment of different types of cancer. Cyclotrons enable the user to practice low frequency clinical applications, thereby allowing the healing of extreme cases of tumor disintegration, which in turn is likely to propel the segment during the forecast period. The practice of nuclear medicine in Middle East & Asia has been expanding significantly in the last few years. For instance, most cyclotrons installed in India are between 12 and 18 MeV and only few of 30 MeV; comparatively most cyclotrons installed in Japan are between 12 and 18 MeV as well as 30 MeV. The report offers the detailed segmentation of the applications of particle therapy in pediatric cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, brain and spinal cord tumors (BSCT), breast cancer, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), head and neck cancers (HNC), and others. BSCT and pediatric cancer segments are likely to account for a leading share of the market during the forecast period. This is due to the rising incidence of cancer patient admission to clinics or hospitals, prevalence of different types of cancer among the global population, and the rise in demand for particle therapy by physicians and patients. Various reimbursement and Medicare benefits available for patients in treating diseases led BSCT and pediatric cancer segments to hold a key share of the global market. Request for Report Sample: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=56133 In terms of end-user, the hospitals segment accounted for a leading share of the global particle therapy market in 2017. It is estimated to gain market share and expand at a CAGR of more than 7% during the forecast period. Expansion of specialized pain management services, increase in number of cancer patient footfall in hospitals, and adoption of reimbursement program for the marketing of proton therapy practices led the hospitals segment to account for a prominent share of the global particle therapy market. Increase in number of multinational hospital chains and high digitization budgets are likely to drive the hospitals segment during the forecast period. High prevalence and incidence rates of lung cancer and other prominent cancer diseases in the global population and introduction of new radiotherapy techniques such as particle therapy treatment programs have led to a rise in the patient flow to specialty clinics. These factors are expected to fuel the specialty clinics segment between 2018 and 2026. North America and Europe accounted for a key share of global particle therapy market in 2017. They are likely to gain market share by the end of 2026. High rate of adoption of cyclotron platforms for proton therapy and cancer treatment procedures, high submission of healthcare budgets, and government initiatives to promote radiation therapy techniques to treat cancer caused these regions to hold a major share of the global particle therapy market. Asia Pacific is projected to be a highly attractive market for particle therapy, and is likely to exhibit a prominent attractiveness index. The market in the Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a high CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period due to a large number of specialty clinics in developing countries such as India and China, well-established healthcare facilities, and high rate of adoption of carbon therapy for cancer treatment in countries such as Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The market in Latin America is projected to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period. The report also provide profiles of leading players operating in the global particle therapy market. Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., IBA Worldwide, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd are a few leading players operating in the global particle therapy market that account for significant market share. Companies operating in the particle therapy market are focused on increasing their geographic presence by means of strategic acquisition and collaboration with leading players in respective domains and geography. New acquisitions of humediQ, a manufacturer of IDENTIFY, an automated patient identification, positioning, and motion management system for radiation therapy, played an instrumental role in helping Varian Medical Systems, Inc. strengthen its radiation leadership and ensuring future patients get the right treatment. Other prominent players operating in the global particle therapy include Advanced Oncotherapy PLC., Mevion Medical Systems, Inc., Provision Healthcare, LLC, Optivus Proton Therapy, Inc., Protom International, Inc., and Danfysik A/S. Obtain Report Brochure: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=56133 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Global Pasta and Noodles Market: Overview Since pasta and noodles is the staple food in a number of countries, such as Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and China, its consumption has always been on the higher side. Various European nations also consume pasta and noodles on a daily basis, supporting the demand for it, which, in turn, reflect greatly on the global pasta and noodles market. This market study is a methodical research of the performance of the global market for pasta and noodles in past and during the period from 2017 to 2025. The research especially emphasize on the driving forces, growth barriers, challenges, opportunities, and the prominent trends in this market in order to determine its future status. Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3599 Global Pasta and Noodles Market: Drivers and Restraints The global market for pasta and noodles is benefiting substantially from the frequent introduction of a wide array of new products and the rising trend of instant food for working professionals. With the increasing number of working professionals across the world, the demand for instant food has increased, significantly, as the consumers rarely wants to devote time for cooking food, which is why the demand for instant pasta and noodles is augmenting, leading to a remarkable rise in this market. Global Pasta and Noodles Market: Segmentation The global pasta and noodles market can mainly be analyzed on the basis of the product. Ambient pasta and noodles, chilled pasta and noodles, and dried pasta and noodles are considered as the key products available in this market. Among these, the ambient pasta and noodles segment has acquired the lead, thanks to the availability of a wide array of products, varying in terms of flavors and tastes. Apart from this, several factors, such as longer shelf life and convenience of cooking and consuming, are also boosting the growth of this market segment. Request TOC for Facts & Tables @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3599 Global Pasta and Noodles Market: Regional Outlook The worldwide market for pasta and noodles is considered to be predominantly spread across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these, Asia Pacific has surfaced as the leading regional market for pasta and noodles and the researchers anticipate this regional market to remain doming over the next few years on account of the presence of various economies, where noodles is the staple food. China lead the Asia Pacific market for pasta and noodles due to its large noodles consumer base. This domestic market is projected to continue on the topmost position in Asia Pacific over the forthcoming years. Browse more for Detailed Information @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/pasta-and-noodles-market Global Pasta and Noodles Market: Competitive Analysis The global market for pasta and noodles demonstrates a highly competitive and fragmented business structure, owing to the presence of a large pool of international as well as local participants. Some of the leading players in this market are Delverde, The Kraft Heinz Co., ITC, Barilla Group, and Nestle. These players are taking up a number of strategies, such as introducing new products and expanding to new regions, in order to increase the reach of their products and strengthen their presence in this market. About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients' conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- The "Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market" is an in depth study analyzing the current state and forecast 2018-2025. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market discusses the opportunity areas for investors. The report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Download Sample Copy Of This Report From Here: http://www.amecoresearch.com/sample/11287 Pasteur Pipette Tip is one kind of laboratory consumables. Pipette tips are tips used on pipettes. They are designed to offer premium quality pipetting consumables for scientific laboratories. The global Pasteur Pipette Tip market expected to grow at a steady CAGR of 5.85% during 2019-2025. This report focuses on Pasteur Pipette Tip volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Pasteur Pipette Tip market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan. At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report. The following manufacturers are covered: Eppendorf Mettler Toledo Thermo Fisher Scientific Sartorius Biotix Tecan Corning Sorensen Sarstedt Hamilton Brand Gilson Nichiryo Labcon DLAB Socorex View Detail Report With Complete Table of Content@ http://www.amecoresearch.com/market-report/global-pasteur-pipette-tip-market-11287 Segment by Regions North America Europe China Japan Segment by Type Non-Filtered Pipette Tips Filtered Pipette Tips Segment by Application Industry Research Institutions Hospital Others Available customization: With the given market information, Ameco research offers customization's in line with the company's specific wishes. The following customization choices unit of measurement accessible for the report: Regional and country-level analysis of the Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market, by end-use. Detailed analysis and profiles of additional market players. Table of Contents Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market - Industry Size, Share, Trends and Forecast 2018 - 2025 1 Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Overview 1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pasteur Pipette Tip 1.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Segment by Type 1.2.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2014-2025) 1.2.2 Non-Filtered Pipette Tips 1.2.3 Filtered Pipette Tips 1.3 Pasteur Pipette Tip Segment by Application 1.3.1 Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Comparison by Application (2014-2025) 1.3.2 Industry 1.3.3 Research Institutions 1.3.4 Hospital 1.3.5 Others 1.4 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market by Region 1.4.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Size Region 1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2014-2025) 1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2014-2025) 1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2014-2025) 1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2014-2025) 1.5 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Size 1.5.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Revenue (2014-2025) 1.5.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production (2014-2025) 2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Competition by Manufacturers 2.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 2.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 2.3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Average Price by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 2.4 Manufacturers Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types 2.5 Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Competitive Situation and Trends 2.5.1 Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Concentration Rate 2.5.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers 2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Market Share by Regions 3.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Market Share by Regions 3.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Revenue Market Share by Regions (2014-2019) 3.3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 3.4 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Production 3.4.1 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate (2014-2019) 3.4.2 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 3.5 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Production 3.5.1 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate (2014-2019) 3.5.2 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 3.6 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Production (2014-2019) 3.6.1 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate (2014-2019) 3.6.2 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 3.7 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production (2014-2019) 3.7.1 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate (2014-2019) 3.7.2 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 4 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption by Regions 4.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption by Regions 4.2 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption (2014-2019) 4.3 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption (2014-2019) 4.4 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption (2014-2019) 4.5 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption (2014-2019) 5 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type 5.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Market Share by Type (2014-2019) 5.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Revenue Market Share by Type (2014-2019) 5.3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Price by Type (2014-2019) 5.4 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth by Type (2014-2019) 6 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Analysis by Applications 6.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Market Share by Application (2014-2019) 6.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2014-2019) 7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Pasteur Pipette Tip Business 7.1 Eppendorf 7.1.1 Eppendorf Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.1.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.1.3 Eppendorf Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.2 Mettler Toledo 7.2.1 Mettler Toledo Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.2.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.2.3 Mettler Toledo Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific 7.3.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.3.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.3.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.4 Sartorius 7.4.1 Sartorius Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.4.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.4.3 Sartorius Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.4.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.5 Biotix 7.5.1 Biotix Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.5.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.5.3 Biotix Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.5.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.6 Tecan 7.6.1 Tecan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.6.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.6.3 Tecan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.6.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.7 Corning 7.7.1 Corning Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.7.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.7.3 Corning Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.7.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.8 Sorensen 7.8.1 Sorensen Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.8.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.8.3 Sorensen Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.8.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.9 Sarstedt 7.9.1 Sarstedt Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.9.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.9.3 Sarstedt Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.9.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.10 Hamilton 7.10.1 Hamilton Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Sites and Area Served 7.10.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.10.3 Hamilton Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.10.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.11 Brand 7.12 Gilson 7.13 Nichiryo 7.14 Labcon 7.15 DLAB 7.16 Socorex 8 Pasteur Pipette Tip Manufacturing Cost Analysis 8.1 Pasteur Pipette Tip Key Raw Materials Analysis 8.1.1 Key Raw Materials 8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials 8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials 8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure 8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Pasteur Pipette Tip 8.4 Pasteur Pipette Tip Industrial Chain Analysis 9 Marketing Channel, Distributors and Customers 9.1 Marketing Channel 9.1.1 Direct Marketing 9.1.2 Indirect Marketing 9.2 Pasteur Pipette Tip Distributors List 9.3 Pasteur Pipette Tip Customers 10 Market Dynamics 10.1 Market Trends 10.2 Opportunities 10.3 Market Drivers 10.4 Challenges 10.5 Influence Factors 11 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Market Forecast 11.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue Forecast 11.1.1 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025) 11.1.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025) 11.1.3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Price and Trend Forecast (2019-2025) 11.2 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production Forecast by Regions (2019-2025) 11.2.1 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025) 11.2.2 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025) 11.2.3 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025) 11.2.4 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025) 11.3 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast by Regions (2019-2025) 11.3.1 North America Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast (2019-2025) 11.3.2 Europe Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast (2019-2025) 11.3.3 China Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast (2019-2025) 11.3.4 Japan Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast (2019-2025) 11.4 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Production, Revenue and Price Forecast by Type (2019-2025) 11.5 Global Pasteur Pipette Tip Consumption Forecast by Application (2019-2025) 12 Research Findings and Conclusion 13 Methodology and Data Source 13.1 Methodology/Research Approach 13.1.1 Research Programs/Design 13.1.2 Market Size Estimation 13.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation 13.2 Data Source 13.2.1 Secondary Sources 13.2.2 Primary Sources 13.3 Author List 13.4 Disclaimer Quick Buy This Premium Report From Here:http://www.amecoresearch.com/buy/11287 About Ameco Research Ameco Research is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Ameco Research holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs. Contact: Email: sales@amecoresearch.com | + 1 407 915 4157 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- On the basis of a recently published report by Transparency Market Research, titled, 'Pea starch Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2027' the overall revenue generated from the pea starch market is anticipated to be valued at somewhere around US$ 101.9 Mn in 2018, which is expected to rise at a CAGR of 7.5% throughout the forecast period (2018-2027). Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=21764 North America's Pea Starch Consumption Accounts for over 25% of Global Market Value In the global pea starch market, the demand of pea starch is increasing owing to reasons such as increasing gluten susceptible population and increasing demand of processed food in the global food and beverage market. According to a data from Ingredion Inc., 11 million people suffer from celiac disease and more than 70 million suffer from wheat intolerance. Along with the mentioned factors the demand of the pea starch is increasing in other sectors such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. On the basis of geography, North America and Europe holds the major share, in terms of value and volume. North America holds a prominent value share of 27.9% in the global pea market. Also, regions such as Latin America and Europe are expected to register significant growth, where Asia Pacific is anticipated to register the highest growth in the pea starch market, owing to increasing global presence of key players of different industries. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pea-starch-market.html In Asia Pacific, the demand for pea starch is gaining the traction from the India, Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN countries, where various global players are significantly invested over the past few years. Major players in the pea starch market are focused on geographical and capacity expansion. Furthermore, companies are increasingly focusing on offering cost effective solutions for applications such as dairy products and processed meat products. Manufacturers in the region are also showing their keen interest in utilizing pea starch in their final products. With the increasing demand of pea starch in the global starch market, it can be expected that the demand of pea starch will increase over the forecast period. Growing Consumption of Convenience Food Products Creating Profitable Opportunities for Pea Starch Manufacturers Pea starch is used in various ready-to-mix & eat products such as bakery products, curry and dessert mixes. Gelling, binding, and thickening of starch varies according to the ratio of amylose and amylopectin. Thus, it finds various applications in convenience food products. Baked goods with pea starch have good texture and characteristics without gluten. Instant coffee & tea uses maltodextrin to ensure free flow of granules Growing consumption of convenience food across the globe is anticipated to drive growth of corn starch market Global sales of ready-to-mix food is anticipated to grow 2.3X during 20142020, exhibiting a double-digit CAGR during this period. Rising number of controversies associated with GMO crops is influencing consumers to opt for products with clean label ingredients. In May 2016, Bunge Limitedan agribusiness and food companylaunched non-GMO corn product line in order to cater to growing demand for clean label products TMR has profiled some of the prominent companies active in the pea starch market, such as Axiom Foods, Inc., Puris Foods, Vestkorn Milling AS, Roquette Freres, Emsland Group, Meelunie B.V., The Scoular Company, AGT Food and Ingredients, Felleskjpet Rogaland Agder, Cosucra Groupe Warconing SA, Yantai Oreintal Protein Tech Co., Shandong Jianyuan Group, Dakota Dry Bean, and Parrish Heimbecker, ltd., and others. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Global Polishing Robots Market Research Report 2019 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global Polishing Robots Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are LXD Robotics, Acme Manufacturing, SHL, Fastems, AV&R, Logen Robot, DANBACH ROBOT, MEPSA, Wenzhou Kingstone, Intec, STRECON, Setpoint Systems, Changjiang Industry & Grind Master. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1718957-global-polishing-robots-market The global Polishing Robots market is valued at xx million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025. This report focuses on Polishing Robots volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Polishing Robots market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan. At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer Polishing Robots Market Overview: If you are involved in the Polishing Robots industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Automotive, Electronics, Hardware & Tool & Household Products, , Robotic Polishing Machine with Polishing Tools & Robotic Polishing Machine with Workpiece and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. Polishing Robots Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023 Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market. You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1718957-global-polishing-robots-market Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2013-2017 Base year 2018 Forecast period** 2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below: The Study is segmented by following Product Type: , Robotic Polishing Machine with Polishing Tools & Robotic Polishing Machine with Workpiece Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Automotive, Electronics, Hardware & Tool & Household Products Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are LXD Robotics, Acme Manufacturing, SHL, Fastems, AV&R, Logen Robot, DANBACH ROBOT, MEPSA, Wenzhou Kingstone, Intec, STRECON, Setpoint Systems, Changjiang Industry & Grind Master For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of Polishing Robots Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows: - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) - Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1718957-global-polishing-robots-market Key Answers Captured in Study are Which geography would have better demand for product/services? What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market? Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth? What is the current & expected market size in next five years? What is the market feasibility for long term investment? What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the Polishing Robots market? What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography? What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future? What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global Polishing Robots market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1718957 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Polishing Robots market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Polishing Robots market, Applications [Automotive, Electronics, Hardware & Tool & Household Products], Market Segment by Regions North America, Europe, China & Japan; Chapter 2, objective of the study. Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques. Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics; Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition; Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by Product Type: ,[Robotic Polishing Machine with Polishing Tools & Robotic Polishing Machine with Workpiece], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis Chapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencer's, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers; Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply. Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning) Chapter 15, deals with Global Polishing Robots Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand]. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Potassium potassium phosphite is manufactured by neutralizing phosphonic acid and an alkali salt; naturally potassium hydroxide (KOH). It is an active ingredient in magellan, vital sign, alude, vital, resyst, and other phosphonate fungicides. Potassium phosphite is used as a key ingredient in numerous phosphite fertilizer products such as K-Phite, Ele-Max Foliar Phosphite, and Nutri Phite P + K. Potassium phosphite is also known as monopotassium phosphite, potassium phosphonate, and potassium salt of phosphorous acid. It is widely used in modern agriculture as a strong fungicide. Potassium phosphite is absorbed by plants and incorporated into their cells as phosphite ions. Read Report Overview @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/potassium-phosphite-market.html Global Potassium Phosphite Market: Segmentation The global potassium phosphite market can be segmented in terms of type, application, and region. Based on type, the market can be bifurcated into liquid and solid. Liquid potassium phosphite is extensively consumed in the agrochemical industry. Easily solvent properties of liquid potassium phosphite fuels the demand in the forthcoming years. In terms of application, the potassium phosphite market can be segregated into fungicide, fertilize, and others. The potassium phosphite is widely consumed as a fertilizer in the agriculture industry. Growth of the agriculture industry primarily in emerging economies such as India, China, Brazil, and Denmark propel the demand for fertilizers. This, in turn, propels drives the global market. The fungicide segment is expected to account for a large share of the market during the forecast period. Global Potassium Phosphite Market: Trends & Developments Demand for potassium phosphite has been increasing due to the rise in its consumption in various industries. Potassium phosphite is a type of high-end fertilizer. The cost value is high and there is no large-scale application. Growth of end-use industries of potassium phosphite and technological advancements in the field are factors driving the market. Agricultural production has been rising despite the decrease in arable land. Application of potassium phosphite activates defense mechanism in plants. Additionally, it is compatible with almost all types of pesticides and fungicides. However, due the ill effects to human beings in the processing and rise in preference of organic and environment friendly fertilizers are likely to inhibit the potassium phosphite market in the next few years. Potassium phosphite significantly increases crop yield. This, in turn is projected to boost the market. Global Potassium Phosphite Market: Regional Based on region, the global potassium phosphite market can be split into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific accounts for a major share of the the global market owing to the development of the agriculture industry. This, in turn, is propelling the demand for agrochemicals in the region. The market in North America and Europe is anticipated to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period. Key companies dominate the high-end market. As the technology level in potassium phosphite is a bit high. The market in Middle East & Africa and Latin America is projected to expand at a moderate pace in the near future due to the presence of emerging economies in these regions. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=60246 Global Potassium Phosphite Market: Key Players Key players operating in the global potassium phosphite market include Van Iperen, Phoenix Environmental Care, Suzhou Coonit Fine Chemical Technology Co. Ltd., Luxembourg-Pamol Inc., Plant Food Company inc., Growth Products, Australian Agricultural Chemicals, Rudong Huayun Chem, Currie Chemical, AGRI Nova, Agrowchem, Plant Food Systems, and Pacific Agriscience. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Propylene Tetramer with CAS 6842-15-5 is an oligomer with a quaternary structure of four propylene units. Formed synthetically by the polymerization of propylene with phosphoric acidcatalyst, propylene tetramer is a colourless clear liquid with mild pleasant odour. Propylene tetramer is an important chemical critical for the production of various downstream chemicals. Propylene tetramer is employed as an intermediate for synthesis of a wide range of chemicals such as lube oil additives, polymerization agents, surfactants, agricultural chemicals, coatings as corrosion inhibitors due to its unsaturated double bond and high branching. Due to its versatile polymeric functionality, propylene tetramer is soluble in most organic diluters and solvents such as acetone, ethanol and ethyl ether. One of the important applications of propylene tetramers is for the manufacture of dodecyl phenol or dodecene, by the alkylation of phenol using propylene tetramer, which is primarily used as used in the production of additives for engine fuels and lubricant oils. Propylene tetramer is used for alkylation of benzene to make branched chain dodecylbenzene that is subsequently sulfonated to provide a non-biodegradable surfactant. Global Propylene Tetramer Market: Drivers & Restraints The consumption and demand of propylene tetramer market is expected to grow with the increase in demand from end use industries. The recuperating oil and gas industry and thriving automobile production are expected to create significant demand for propylene tetramer owing to its extensive application in the manufacturing of lubricant additives. Likewise, increasing urbanization has led to an escalation in the demand for surfactants, which are a critical part of household chemicals such as detergents, this demand is expected to create significant opportunities for the global propylene market during the forecast period. The increasing production and consumption of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals also contribute to the sustainable demand for propylene tetramer market. However, stringent environmental regulations regarding the utilization of non- biodegradable substances and presence of alternate chemical substitutes are expected to restrain the revenue sales of the market. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2772 Global Propylene Tetramer Market: Segmentation Global Propylene Tetramer Market can be segmented on the basis of application as: Oil and Fuel additives Fertilizer and herbicide Surfactants and detergents Paint and Coatings Water Treatment chemicals Others Global Propylene Tetramer Market: Regional Outlook In the global propylene tetramer market, North America is a prominent consumer of propylene tetramer, which is due to the increased sales of tetramer due to its application in the lubrication and chemical surfactants and to large industrial sector. Followed by North America, Europe is also one of the major markets attributed to the high use of propylene tetramer in the lubricant industry. The demand of propylene tetramer market in North America and Europe is expected to be moderate for the forecast period owing to increasing significance of bio friendly chemicals and presence of stringent regulations restraining the production and consumption of non-bio degradable products and chemicals. However, the market dynamics is projected to shift towards Asia Pacific owing to relatively higher consumption and modest presence of environmental regulations. Consumption growth is forecasted to be most significant in Asia, followed by Middle East & Africa and South America. In Asia Pacific region, major industrial economies such as India, China and South Korea are expected to project higher growth in terms of both consumer and producer end. Middle East & Africa and Eastern Europe are estimated to participate significantly in the market dynamics of propylene tetramer owing to the escalating consumption in oil and gas sector. Global Propylene Tetramer Market: Market Participants Examples of some of the market participants in the global propylene tetramer market, Bayer AG E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Exxon Mobil Chemical, Shanghai Petrochemical, Dow Chemical Company, TPC Group,Chevron Oronite Company LLC, PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim and Qilu Petrochemical among others. The propylene tetramer market is highly fragmented and participants are focussing on both organic and inorganic expansions. Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2772 ABC/Lorenzo BevilaquaFormer first lady Michelle Obama is on her way to becoming the best-selling memoirist of all time, according to her book's publisher, Penguin Random House. Obama's memoir, titled Becoming, was released in November 2018 and has since sold around 10 million copies. "We believe this could be the most successful memoir in history, said Thomas Rabe, the chief executive of Bertelsmann-- the parent company of Penguin Random House -- at the company's annual conference in Berlin. Penguin Random House announced last November that Obama's memoir sold two million copies in 15 days, making it the bestselling book of 2018. The former first ladys book is also a bestseller around the world, topping the adult nonfiction rankings in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Greece, Penguin Random House said at the time. The memoir is an in-depth, personal look at Obama's life before, during and after her family's eight years in the White House. Obama, 55, is in the middle of the second leg of her popular book tour, which has sold out in major arenas around the world and featured her being interviewed by everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Oprah Winfrey. She is headed next month to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Olso, Amsterdam, Paris and London before coming back through Canada and finishing her book tour in the U.S. She is scheduled to end her tour on May 12 in Nashville, Tennessee, with Stephen Colbert. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The recent decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Israels illegal control over Syrias occupied Golan Heights is not just another deadly blow to whatever remained of the Middle East peace process that was sponsored by Washington since 1991 when former US president George Bush hosted the Madrid Conference. It is an extremely dangerous decision that violates several key principles the world has agreed on since the formation of the United Nations, topped with the inadmissibility of the acquisition of land by force. There is no question that Israel illegally occupied Syrias Golan Heights, the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Egypts Sinai Peninsula following an unjustified aggression on 5 June 1967. The Israeli government at that time skilfully deceived the world and claimed that Arab countries were about to invade the tiny new state, deeming its military aggression an act of self-defence. However, the reality remains that Israel was the party that launched that war, and gradually started since then the process of illegally annexing Arab land and building illegal settlements, whether in the West Bank and East Jerusalem or in Syrias Golan Heights. Israels withdrawal from Egypts Sinai Peninsula in 1982 after the signing of the 1979 Camp David Agreement was in recognition that the 1967 War resulted in illegal occupation of Egyptian and Arab territory. The same applies to Syria and to the occupied Palestinian territories that should form the core of the future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The illegal occupation of Arab territories by Israel was the main premise of the negotiations sponsored by consecutive US administrations. In return for Israels withdrawal from Arab territories illegally occupied in 1967, Arab countries would offer peace and normalisation of relations with Tel Aviv, ending decades of war and bloodshed (the so-called Land for Peace formula). Scores of UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions also reflected the stand of the international community in rejecting Israels illegal occupation of Arab land by force. That was not only in recognition of Arab rights, but also not to set a precedent for other nations to follow in case of armed conflicts. If Israel was allowed to annex the Golan Heights and Palestinian territories, then any other country can follow suit and come up with whatever arguments to justify such illegal action, such as security needs, existential threats or simply that they need a larger space of land for the purposes of natural growth. In other words, Trumps decision makes meaningless all international agreements and principles on respect of the territorial integrity of nations and their borders. Indeed, the United States is the worlds key superpower, and considering its close relation with Israel, and heavy presence in the Middle East region, its decision carries a lot of weight. However, the US does not rule the world, and there remains international bodies, whether political or judicial, that will confirm the illegality of Trumps decision and warn of its dangerous consequences. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, who headed to Washington Monday for meetings with his US counterpart and senior administration officials, will certainly convey Egypts opposition and disapproval of Trumps decision. That was also Egypts stance when the US president took a similar disastrous decision in December 2017 to recognise Occupied East Jerusalem as Israels capital, even moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied city. Arab leaders are due to meet at their annual summit in Tunis at the end of this month. This dangerous decision by Trump to recognise Israels illegal control of Syrias Golan Heights (very obviously in an attempt to help his close ally, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, win the upcoming elections on 9 April) will certainly top their agenda. The Golan Heights are an integral part of Syrias territory and it is not up to the US president, or any world president, to take unilateral decisions on lands that do not belong to his country, or grant such discretion by whim to another country. This is not how international law works, Mr Trump. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline:Trumps disregard of international law Search Keywords: Short link: Norzin Lam, Thimpu -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- The SDF (Secretariat Development Fund) is gathering funds and working towards the common goal of attaining welfare for the SAARC nations. It is also providing complete support to diminish poverty from the nations completely. The main focus nowadays is social development in South Asian countries. Due to theSocial development impact ofproject in South Asia, SAARC countries are going to benefit not only socially but also economically. It will eventually help in the growth of women empowerment too. This project is going to be launched in collaboration with the World Bank. The funding of social projects will be based on loan and grants combination. The spending of the entire fund will be scrutinized and made sure that the total amount is being used for the social development of the southern SAARC countries. The project includes strengthening the livelihood for home-based workers, maternal and child care benefits, initiatives to end violence against children, toll-free helplines for women and children, sanitation awareness and services, and building up of more women entrepreneurs in the SAARC countries. The SDF is working progressively to attain all these goals and make the SAARC countries socially and economically strong. The SDF has also surveyed the areas wherein these developments are most important and have raised funds for the same purpose. The training in Nepal under SABAH along with the workshop for women empowerment in Bhutan was a massive success. Seeing the WASH training results, this project is going to be on fast track,sothat the results are seen soon and benefit everyone. There will also be meetings held by the head members to track and audit the success growth of the project. SDF spokesperson has said in the statement that, "the SDF will make continual efforts for the betterment of the SAARC nations and keep coming up with more such projects if required." About the Secretariat Development Fund (SDF) The SDF was developed to support industrial development, poverty eradication, HR development, protection of environment and promotion of social and infrastructure development of the SAARC countries. From its birth in 1996, it has always aimed to protect the welfare of the people, improve their quality of life and accelerate socio-economy growth. It has been a huge success and the body has helped various underdeveloped countries in SAARC to reach a certain socio-economic status. Contact Information Company: Secretariat Development Fund Address: P.O. Box No. 928, Norzin Lam, Thimpu, Bhutan Phone: +9752-321152/53 Email: info@sdfec.org/ceo@sdfsec.org Web: www.sdfec.org Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Global Specialty Fertilizers Market: Snapshot The global market for specialty fertilizers is displaying steadfast growth over the past couple of years. Across the world, rising demand for food to feed the rising population has necessitated to increase crop yield by means of modern farming practices. This is because agricultural produce that is obtained using conventional agricultural practices that employ regular fertilizers is insufficient to serve the food needs. Apart from this, research initiatives and investments for the introduction of novel specialty fertilizers is also stoking growth of specialty fertilizers market. A report by Transparency Market Research predicts the global specialty fertilizers market to clock a modest 5.7% CAGR for the forecast period between 2017 and 2025. Proliferating at this rate, the market will be valued at US$14,734.4 mn by 2025 from US$8,987.3 mn in 2016. For More Industrial Insights Get Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=14288 Controlled-release Fertilizer Type to Emerge Attractive in Future The global specialty fertilizers market is segmented on the basis of a few parameters, viz. type, crop type, compound, and region. In terms of type, the segments into which the global specialty fertilizers market is divided are slow release fertilizers, controlled release fertilizers, nitrification and urea inhibitors, micro nutrient fertilizers, and others. Among them, the slow release fertilizers segment held the leading market share in 2016 mainly because of ease of availability and excellent cost to performance ratio. However, controlled-release fertilizers are likely to emerge as a key segment as they enable to predict rate of release of nutrients, water penetration, and rate of dissolution. On the other hand, nitrification and urea inhibitors help control leaching of nitrate and enzyme urea by keeping nitrogen and urea in ammonia form for longer time. In terms of crop type, the specialty fertilizers market can be classified into cereals and oilseeds, turfs and ornamentals, vegetables and fruits, and others. Vis-a-vis revenue, turf and ornamentals segment occupied the leading share in the specialty fertilizers market in 2016. However, cereals and oilseeds segment is likely to expand at a significant growth rate over the forecast period. For More Industrial Insights Get PDF Brochure: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14288 Leading players in the global specialty fertilizers market include Yara International ASA, Agrium Inc., The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc., Israel Chemical Limited, Sociedad Quimica Y Minera S.A., Haifa Chemicals Limited, and Coromandel International Limited among others. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Substation automation is an important and an integral part of smart grid rollout. In the process of substation automation, a number of intelligent electronic devices are used in order to reduce the transmission and distribution losses while the electricity is being transferred from the grid. As a result of substation automation, the grid efficiency is increased, the security of the grid is also increased due to the enabling of two way communication, reliable power output is ensured without outages, and the reduction in costs of operating the substations, resulting in both the saving of electricity and money. Hence, the substation automation is a greatly beneficial automation process that helps in efficient and cost effective distribution of electricity. The global substation automation market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 142,900 Mn in the year 2022 and display a robust CAGR during the assessment period. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5190 4 Forecast Highlights on Global Substation Automation Market As per the forecast of Future Market Insights, the communication network segment is slated to touch a value of more than US$ 26,700 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR during the assessment period of 2017-2022. The communication network segment is estimated to account for nearly one-fifth of the revenue share of the module type segment by the year 2017 and is forecasted to gain market share by 2022 over 2017. As per the forecast of Future Market Insights, the digital transducer segment will reach a value of about US$ 10,900 Mn in the year 2017. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the forecast period. The digital transducer segment is forecasted to account for more than one-tenth of the total revenue share of the component type segment by the end of the year 2017 and is expected to gain in market share by 2022 as compared with the year 2017. As per the forecast of Future Market Insights, the power line communication segment is slated to reach a value of about US$ 11,300 Mn in 2022. The power line communication segment is expected to gain market share by the end of the year 2022. The largest share is contributed by the North America region in the power line communication segment. Future Market Insights forecasts the United States substation automation market to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 7% from 2017 to 2022. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5190 The report has also included the profiles of some of the leading companies in the substation automation market like Echelon Corporation, Encore Networks, Inc., ABB Limited, General Electric Company, Cisco Systems, Inc., NovaTech LLC, Schneider Electric SE, Alstom SA, Eaton Corporation Plc and Siemens AG. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Global Swine Flu Drugs Market: Overview The swine flu drugs market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, as number of people suffering from swine flu has increased largely in the past few years. People who have weak immune system, diabetic patients, and people with heart problems, besides children and pregnant women have high risk of getting swine flu. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/swine-flu-drugs-market.html The global swine flu drugs market can be classified on the basis of dosage from, drug class, and distribution channel. On the basis of distribution channel, the market is segmented into retail pharmacies, online pharmacies, and hospital pharmacies. In 2016, the hospital pharmacies segment held maximum share due to wide availability of swine flu drugs in them. Based on dosage form, the market can be classified into oral powder inhalation and capsule. The report on the global swine flu drugs market presents an in-depth analysis on this market. It includes the major factors responsible for the growth of this market. Drivers and restraints give the current picture of the market, whereas trends and opportunities will provide how the demand for intelligent apps will shape in future. Segmentation supports and justifies the above-mentioned factors. In addition, geographic analysis and vendor landscape explains how investors and players can take strategic decisions in the coming years. Global Swine Flu Drugs Market: Trends and Opportunities Swine flu is caused by a strain of the influenza type a virus known as H1N1. The first outbreak of this type of virus was seen in 1930 in the United States where people were closely associated with pigs. In 2009, outbreak of swine flu was seen in Mexico that affected humans at a large scale. Currently, vaccination and antiviral drugs are used to treat influenza. Researchers are making efforts to improve methods of vaccine production that will make it quicker and more affordable. Moreover, two favorable novel peramivir, NA inhibitors, and laninamivir are being evaluated in phase III clinical trials. Thus, benefitting the swine flu drugs market. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=41309 Global Swine Flu Drugs Market: Geographic Analysis Key regions covered in the report on the swine flu drugs market include Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Of these regions, Asia Pacific is expected to lead the market as it held dominate share in 2016. Rising prevalence of swine flu in the region is the major factor for the dominance of this region. Europe and North America held significant share in 2016. Rising prevalence of infectious diseases in Europe among people having long-term health conditions, pregnant women, young children, and elderly is expected to drive the demand in this market. Global Swine Flu Drugs Market: Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape presents key players functioning in the global swine flu drugs market. Gilead Sciences, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Genentech, Inc., BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and GlaxoSmithKline are some of the key players. Leading players in the market are likely to use advanced business development strategies. This will help them to form a firm hold in the market and expand their business in different geographies. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=41309 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- According to the new market research report "Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market by Service (Testing, Inspection, Certification), Sourcing Type (In-House and Outsourced), Application (Consumer Goods and Retail, Construction and Infrastructure), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the overall TIC market is expected to grow from USD 209.4 billion in 2019 to USD 266.2 billion by 2024 growing at a CAGR of 4.91%. Factors such as the increase in disposable income and rapid urbanization in developing economies; high growth in product recalls across the world; high adoption of outsourcing service models by worldwide manufacturers; increased requirement for harmonized standards; surge in illicit trading, counterfeiting, and piracy practices across the world; and enforcement of rigorous government regulations and standards across various sectors are driving the growth of the TIC market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=5352498 Testing services held the largest size of the TIC market, by service type, during the forecast period Testing services are likely to hold the largest size, in terms of value, of the TIC market during the forecast period. Testing is carried out in laboratories and facilitates by manufacturers to improve the marketability of their products and lower manufacturing costs in the pre-production phase. For most applications, testing is required to check whether the products and services comply with the required standards and regulations. Thus, this segment is likely to hold a major size of the market during 20192024. Within the automotive TIC industry, testing services are implemented in automotive lighting and components, connected car solutions, testing for materials, and reliability, thereby ensuring the compliance of products/services with particular standards and regulations. The market for outsourced services is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period The market for outsourced services is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2019 to 2024. The market for outsourced services depends on a country's federal structure and administrative rules. Over time, these factors may have a significant impact on the size of the market, irrespective of the underlying macroeconomic conditions. The TIC market for outsourced services comprises a variety of independent service providers whose primary business is to offer TIC services. Browse in-depth TOC on "Testing, Inspection and Certification Market" 79 Tables 46 Figures 248 Pages APAC held the largest size of the TIC market during the forecast period APAC held the largest size of the TIC market in 2019. In India, the consumer goods sector, the textile and footwear industries are witnessing significant growth. The "Make in India" campaigninitiated by the Indian government to encourage domestic manufacturingand the favorable economic policies are encouraging foreign companies to enter and establish their businesses in India. This has resulted in the increased production in the consumer electronics, retail, and textile industries in the country. TIC services play an integral role for businesses in meeting the national and international standards, in terms of quality of products. Moreover, the TIC market in India has witnessed major investments from the global TIC players such as Intertek Group plc (UK) and TUV SUD (Germany). Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=5352498 Key players operating in the TIC market include SGS Group (Switzerland), Bureau Veritas SA (France), Intertek (UK), and TUV SUD Group (Germany), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), DNV GL (Norway), TUV Rheinland Group (Germany), Applus+ (Spain), ALS Limited (Australia), TUV NORD Group (Germany), Lloyd's Register Group Limited (UK), MISTRAS (US), Element Materials Technology (UK), and UL LLC (US). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Las Vegas, NV -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- Clark County's leading criminal defense attorney, Benjamin Nadig is helping local residents who face disorderly conduct charges by providing them with an effective legal defense. While disorderly conduct, also known as breach of peace under Nevada Code section 203.010, is considered to be a misdemeanor offense, those charged can face major consequences such as jail time. Under Nevada Code section 203.010, a breach of peace is described as maliciously and willfully disturbing the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or person or family. Furthermore, the legal code provides examples of acts that are prohibited under the law such as making loud or unusual noises, tumultuous and offensive conduct, threatening, traducing, quarreling, challenging to fight, or fighting. Mr. Nadig recommends that those who find themselves facing a disorderly conduct charge in Clark County request a consultation immediately, which he offers free of charge at his office located in Las Vegas. Obtaining proper legal defense can aid defendants in negotiating lesser sentencing or having their case dismissed altogether. In many cases, defendants can walk away with a fine and/or community service. But defendants who have prior offenses, are faced with a higher risk for jail time and paying a more substantial fine. Since Mr. Nadig understands that no two disorderly conduct cases are the same, he will thoroughly evaluate the circumstances of each case to determine what is the best course of legal action. Unlike like many lawyers in the area, Mr. Nadig doesn't stop at just helping people fight their disorderly conduct charges; he will also help them through the process of having their criminal record permanently sealed after the fact. Those in need of a criminal defense lawyer in Clark County, please call The Law Offices of Benjamin Nadig at 702-706-0076. About the Law Offices of Benjamin Nadig The Law Offices of Benjamin Nadig represents individuals who have been charged with a criminal offense in the Las Vegas, NV area. Benjamin Nadig, CHTD is a criminal defense lawyer who has represented clients accused of sex crimes, drug crimes, DUI crimes, violent crimes, and more. He also represents clients in catastrophic personal injury matters. This firm thoroughly researches individual cases and compiles evidence so that the client can be involved as little as possible. The Law Offices of Benjamin Nadig provides free consultations 24/7. Benjamin Nadig offers appointments in his office and on-site in jails or any other location that is convenient for the individual requesting service. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2019 -- The torpedoes are self-propelled and self-guided weapons for anti-warships and anti-submarine warfare. The torpedoes are mainly operated underwater and are developed to detonate on contact or in the vicinity of the target. The torpedoes are generally released from submarines or warships, and sometimes from aircrafts or helicopters also. The submarine or warship released torpedoes which are heavier in weight while the same released from an aircraft or helicopters are lighter in weight. The key factor driving the market for torpedoes is the increased production of light weight torpedoes which can be carried on an aircraft or on a warship in a large number. These lightweight torpedoes are mainly targeted at submarines and are released from the aircraft near the target. As the torpedoes are released near to the targets, it minimizes the need for precision navigation systems and thus reducing the overall costs. The increased usage of lightweight torpedoes, are likely to aid the growth of the market for torpedoes. Another prominent factor boosting the market for torpedoes is the advancement in underwater warfare technology. Owing to the fact that, presently underwater warfare has increased a lot in comparison to early days, the torpedoes plays a vital role in undersea warfare due to their self-guided and self-propelled characteristics. The advancement in torpedoes helps the naval forces and air forces to eliminate their enemies in their vicinity. EMEA accounted for the major share in the market in 2017. The development of hybrid torpedoes by the leading manufacturers in Europe is estimated to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. This report focuses on Torpedo volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Torpedo market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan. Get PDF of this report template: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/986524/global-torpedo-market At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report. The following manufacturers are covered: ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Leonardo Lockheed Martin Raytheon Saab ... Segment by Regions North America Europe China Japan Segment by Type Guided Torpedoes Unguided Torpedoes Segment by Application Ships Submarines Air Launch Get Full Report Now at USD 2,900: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/ae403d964a8b215ecb6c83182c2100f6,0,1,Global%20Torpedo%20Market%20Share%20and%20Growth%202019 Benefits of Purchasing QY Research Report - Analyst Support: Get you query resolved from our expert analysts before and after purchasing the report - Customer's Satisfaction: Our expert team will assist with all your research needs and customize the report - Inimitable Expertise: Analysts will provide deep insights about the reports - Assured Quality: We focus on the quality and accuracy of the report About QYResearch QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry. Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Trade21 is one of Singapore's most reliable e-commerce store when it comes to medical and laboratory supplies. With operations that span across major Asian cities, the company is now looking forward to expanding its influence beyond Asia. Trade 21 business approach solely focuses on customer satisfaction has seen it grown from just a small Singapore based startup to one of Asia's most respected e-commerce companies. It gets better with the fact that health practitioners recommend the company for hospital and lab equipment such as disposable gloves and laboratory glassware. It does not end there. Trade21 also sells microscope and imaging accessories. Commenting on why Trade21 has quickly grown within the last five years, the company's spokesperson stated, "The medical profession is among one of the most sensitive industries in the world. That is why it calls for high standards of expertise and professionalism. Besides such demands, patients are always keen on the equipment doctors, and nurses use. For instance, at Trade21 we have partnered with companies such as Labcon to supply the 50 ml centrifuge tubes. Labcon focuses on the quality of these pieces of equipment. We emphasize quality, value for money and professionalism. Such values keep up competitive all the time. They also make it very easy for our clients to trust us." There has always been the need world over to ensure that medical practice standards do not get compromised. Countries like Singapore are now miles ahead of other countries as far as adhering to best practices in medicine is concerned. This demand ranges from professional expertise and research to medical facilities andequipment. The government has played a vital role by ensuring service providers in the health industry like Trade21 uphold quality more than anything else. "Trade 21 Pte Ltd has also joined an alliance with one of the best disposable laboratory gloves manufactures Labskins, to distribute latex gloves in Singapore and the whole of the Asian market," added the company spokesperson. "Some of the features of the Latex gloves include being completely powder free so a lab users hands won't be full of powder after examination or use. The gloves are watertight with no leakage and have been electronically tested to ensure they are secure for lab environment use." Trade 21 surpassed expectations when it went global. While this may have surprised the company's local clients, keen observers saw it coming when the company chose to focus solely on customer satisfaction. With Trade 21, customers are not just limited to latex gloves but can also buy nitrile gloves to other lab gloves available online from without worrying about issues such as the quality of glovesThe company's influence is now felt world over mostly because of the way the company treats each client with professionalism. About Trade21 Trade21 is one of the most respected e-commerce sites in Asia. It stocks high quality medical and laboratory equipment. From latex gloves and microscope equipment to nitrile gloves and centrifuge tubes, Trade21 guarantees nothing short of value for money. The company's e-commerce site is SSL encrypted and easily navigable, so shoppers do not have to worry about privacy. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2019 -- Vinyl chloride monomer is considered one of the most significant commodity chemicals available in the chemical industry. It is a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature. Vinyl chloride monomer is primarily used in the production of polyvinyl chloride, is employed mainly in the building & construction industry. Vinyl chloride monomer is produced commercially by combining hydrocarbon feedstock, which is obtained by cracking natural gas or petroleum, with elemental chlorine. It is generally stored as a liquid under pressure and evaporates readily at ambient temperature. Vinyl chloride monomer gets polymerized if it is exposed to elevated temperatures. It is used in the production of ethylene diamine and chlorinated solvents. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vinyl-chloride-monomers.html The vinyl chloride monomer market is primarily driven by the increase in demand from the building & construction industry. Vinyl chloride monomer is used in siding, roofing, water distribution, wire and cable insulation, window frames, etc. in the building & construction industry. Industrial processes such as landfill liners, piping used in food processing, and chemical processing are also driving the market for vinyl chloride monomer. Advancements in medical technologies and emergence of advanced medical devices are also propelling the global vinyl chloride monomer market, as vinyl chloride monomer is majorly used in the production of blood and intravenous bags, kidney dialysis, blood transfusion, cardiac catheters, and artificial heart valves. Rise in demand for vinyl chloride monomer in the automotive industry is also augmenting the global vinyl chloride monomer market. Global environmental concerns such as carbon emission and global warming along with health related issues are likely to hamper the vinyl chloride monomer market in the near future. However, this trend is likely to change due to the advancements in the production of bio-based vinyl chloride monomer. In terms of raw material, the global vinyl chloride monomer market can be segmented into ethylene, chlorine, and oxygen. Based on application, the vinyl chloride monomer market can be divided into building & construction, healthcare, agriculture, and electrical. The global vinyl chloride monomer market witnessed modest expansion in 2016. This trend is estimated to continue during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is expected to account for significant share of the global vinyl chloride monomer with major contribution from China. This high demand can be ascribed to the easy availability of raw materials and increase in urbanization. Expansion in the building & construction industry in Asia Pacific is estimated to propel the market for vinyl chloride monomer. North America maintains a low production cost position in chlorine and ethylene raw materials. This is likely to boost the share of North America in the global vinyl chloride monomer market. The shift toward lower natural gas and feedstock costs for the vinyl chain in the U.S. and Canada, via shale gas, is solidifying North America's position as one of the world's lowest cost vinyl chloride monomer producers. Technological advancements in medical and electrical sectors in Europe are expected to fuel the vinyl chloride monomer market in the region. The vinyl chloride monomer market in Latin America is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities with the entry of manufacturers in the region. Strong growth in the oil & gas sector in Middle East & Africa is estimated to propel the vinyl chloride monomer market in the region. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1277 Key players operating in the vinyl chloride monomer market include Bayer AG, Mexichem, Nova Chemical, and Chemson Group. A duo of arachnologists from Brazil has discovered a new species of short-tailed whip scorpion in eastern Amazon. Schizomida (schizomids) are an order of small arachnids that display short-range endemism and generally occur in humid tropical and sub-tropical forests, mainly in leaf litter, caves, tree bark or under stones, said Dr. Gustavo Ruiz and Dr. Roberta Valente of the Universidade Federal do Para. They are all known as short-tailed whip scorpions, due to the presence of a short flagellum in males and females. The flagellum of the male is held by the females chelicerae appendages in front of the mouth during copulation in what is known as the mating march. But relatively little is known about the different shapes of male flagellum within the genus Surazomus in terms of evolution, or the mechanism by which the female chelicerae anchor onto the male flagellum. The newly-discovered species, named Surazomus saturninoae, is the third species of its genus reported from eastern Amazon. The single specimen, about 5 mm in length, was collected with pitfall trap in primary upland Amazonian rainforest in Bagre, state of Para, Brazil. The male of Surazomus saturninoae has a distinctive pentagonal flagellum, similar to those of three other species in the genus, the researchers said. The existence and placement of two coupling pockets on the male flagellum offers insight into the position of a couple in the mating march, in particular, how the female chelicerae anchor onto the male flagellum. The findings shed new light on the poorly understood mating march and evolutionary changes that may have occurred in the male flagellum within Surazomus. The discovery is reported in a paper published in the journal PLoS ONE. _____ G.R.S. Ruiz & R.M. Valente. 2019. Description of a new species of Surazomus (Arachnida: Schizomida), with comments on homology of male flagellum and mating march anchorage in the genus. PLoS ONE 14 (3): e0213268; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213268 While the British appear stuck, unable to decide a way forward on Brexit, European power is being damaged on the world stage A dilemma for individuals as well as nations is having to choose between impossible alternatives. When it became clear that her country would not be able to leave the EU by the 29 March deadline, British Prime Minister Theresa May found herself in just such a position with choices running out, because to leave without a deal would be either impossible or so costly that it would be preferable not to. Yet, the real British dilemma is deeper. It is the total inability to take a decision. This is not an assessment made by some political analyst or observer. It is the very essence of the process set in motion when former prime minister James Cameron decided to bring the question of the UKs withdrawal from the EU to a referendum. The result is the complete division of the British people, not just politically, but also emotionally, psychologically and in terms of sense of national affiliation. Cameron resigned because he had sided with the Remain camp. The only solution to the division in the Conservative Party proved to be Theresa May who had voted to remain yet was willing to assume the helm of the Brexit process. Theresa May was the prime minister who believed in a Great Britain that stands atop mountains of traditions, precedents and political wisdom accumulated over centuries. She also believed that the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, which established the EU and its structures, was precise in how it ordered the process should a signatory decide to pull out of the union, and that Article 50 was there to make sure that the welfare of all sides would be observed since all their interests would be affected for better or for worse from a separation after unity and integration. It is worth pointing out, as a historical footnote, that Brexit is not the first process of its kind. In 1982, before the EU was fully formed, Greenland voted to withdraw from the community after it obtained its independence from Denmark which, together with Ireland and Britain, had joined the EUs precursor, the European Economic Community, in 1973. Contrary to what May believed, British history did not contain the traditions and precedents that would help her steer her country out of the EU with the fewest possible losses and best possible gains. Nor were the EUs rules and interwoven relationships that had developed over recent decades things that could be severed so easily. If the EU is the largest political engineering process in history, set in motion in order to make it impossible for European nations to so much as contemplate going to war against each other again, then leaving it was probably not supposed to be easy. Some very difficult reverse engineering along with some tough and intricate negotiations would be required to safeguard the complicated weave of interests of the members, which eventually grew to 28. Averting shock and disruption could only be accomplished through a soft exit that keeps many of these interests and their arrangements intact. The most complicated of these arrangements is the border between the EU and UK in Northern Ireland, which is at once part of the UK and part of the Irish island. But this is not what Brexiters had in mind, especially those who have no objection to leaving the EU without any agreement at all. For Theresa May the cost of that would be unsustainable, not just because she still saw a future for British-EU relations but also because Scotland and Northern Ireland would revolt against a dangerous hard exit. To complicate matters further, the House of Commons has departed from the long-established Anglo Saxon tradition of the two-party system. Unlike with other issues, one cannot speak of Labour versus Conservatives when it comes to Brexit. Both of these major parties now have their own sub-parties of remainers and leavers. Still, the House as a whole turned down the deal that May struck with the EU, and by large majorities. Curiously, parliament did not take Mays defeat to the next logical step which would be to withdraw confidence from her government. On the contrary, it voted to keep it. MPs were not ready for new elections. Meanwhile, the gap between the pro-remain and the pro-leave camps remained unbridgeable. The only alternative was to ask for a three-month extension to the deadline which begged the question as to what could be accomplished in the next three months that could not be accomplished in the preceding three months. Anti-Brexiters want a new referendum, arguing that now the British people are more aware of the costs of leaving than they had been at the time of the first referendum. Pro-Brexiters, including Theresa May, argue that this would constitute an insult to British democracy and, indeed, a threat to its future, as a new referendum bringing a different result would merely pave the way to the hell of endless referendums. Perhaps herein resides the original sin in the whole affair. The basic lesson that Britain has taught the world about democracy is founded on centuries of maturation of the concept of representation whereby it is not the people, themselves, who vote directly on the issues but their representatives who are tasked with deliberating the issues rationally and in the interests of the national weal. Brexit has shown that turning to the masses and the people to settle things, opens the doors to national chauvinisms, populist currents and political demagoguery that, under conditions of conflicting political weights of relatively equal strength, propel towards dead ends and the inability to take decisions. The second lesson, here, is that a structure that began with the Treaty of Paris (1951) establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which was followed by the Treaty of Rome and the Euratom Treaty (1957) which established the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC), and that eventually led to the Maastricht Treaty and its amendments in Amsterdam (1999), Nice (2003) and Lisbon (2009) evolved into such a complex edifice that would be difficult to break free of, even for countries gripped by the most ultranationalist currents and in which the sense of European identity is too low to summon the ability to lend moral support to other European countries at different stages of political, economic and social maturity. The third lesson that the European experience has to offer is that it is inseparable from the globalisation experience as a whole and the liberal traditions that informed it. Perhaps the most important reason for this is the migration and refugee movement from Africa and the Middle East and, in tandem, the movement of world crises into the heart of Europe. Brexit is a reflection of this. In all events, the world is not going to stop and wait until the UK solves its dilemma and Theresa May works her way out of her predicament. Developments keep coming from the US under Donald Trump, from Russia under Vladimir Putin and from China under Xi Jinping. The latter is steadily turning the world into a tri-polar order while Europe is being deprived of an opportunity to become a fourth pole in the world order. * The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 March, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Europes British dilemma Search Keywords: Short link: Combrink, who is on a whirlwind sales tour covering Noosa in Queensland, Melbourne and Perth, said Australia had slipped back to No. 3 position after a resurgence in bookings from the United Kingdom. The source markets now line up as the US, Australia and the UK. Expedition ships galore Combrink, who recently moved from Cape Town to Silverseas Miami office, said never before have there been so many global expedition ships in the water and on order. However, he said, Silversea was the first to offer luxury expedition cruising and is now offering a 167-day expedition voyage aboard the ice-class Silver Cloud, departing Ushuaia on January 30, 2021, for Troms. 167 days of complimentary laundry He said the all-inclusive voyage, which will travel to 107 destinations in 30 countries, will even include complimentary laundry for the entire 167 days. Our guests will travel around the world like no others before them, Combrink said. As earlier reported, Cruise West had begun operating a 335-day world expedition voyage in 2010, but the company ceased operations before it was completed. Newman died peacefully in the presence of family after being hospitalized for several weeks following a cardiac arrest. 'Stuart was a class act,' Carnival Corp. & plc chairman Micky Arison said. 'He lived a very full life and will be missed.' Arison added he was surprised Newman was 96. Perhaps that's because the founder and CEO of NewmanPR stayed active professionally and personally. He remained engaged and was still making valued contributions to the practice, and keeping a busy personal travel schedule, most recently sailing trans-Atlantic with wife Sandy on Cunard's Queen Victoria. Pioneer of South Florida tourism PR 'Stuarts contributions go way beyond the cruise industry. He really was a pioneer of South Florida tourism PR,' said Tim Gallagher, Carnival Cruise Line's former longtime public relations boss. 'With a detailed memory he was a great storytellerand oh, the stories he could telll!' An engaging raconteur, Newman was born to his chosen careersjournalism and public relations. He was known for inventive ways to tell his clients' stories and did that so well he retained clients for decades, his greatest pride. Conch Republic secession For the Florida Keys tourism council, an account Newman's agency won in 1980 and still services today, he played a key role in the Conch Republic, which turned a potential tourism nightmare into a PR coup. Nearly four decades ago, US federal agents set up a roadblock for traffic exiting the Florida Keys, to search for drugs and illegal alliens. Traffic backed up for hours, and the Key West mayor feared tourism and commerce would grind to a halt. From his research, Newman knew the Keys had not joined the rest of the South in seceding from the US in the Civil War but stayed loyal to the union. He got the idea that if the Keys were being treated like a foreign country because of the roadblock, the islands could take a stand to make a point. On April 23, 1982, in Key Wests Mallory Square, the Conch Republic seceded from the US in an elaborate, humor-laced ceremony that got worldwide attention and underscored the quirky personality of the Keys. Not long after, the roadblock went away. A circus for Carnival Fantasy For the introduction of Carnival Fantasy in 1990, the ship was late arriving from Europe due to bad weather. But Newman insisted the show must go on and avoided disappointing crowds that were going to turn out by transforming Watson Island, facing PortMiami, into a circus. The second ship in the series, Ecstasy, had to top that, so Newman came up with a fireworks extravaganza with the ship in the turning basin, an extremely complex and, at the time, novel idea. It went off spectacularly, and Arison, a man of few words, said: 'Great job,' praise Newman never forgot. Carnival had deep trust in him. For another event, Arison asked how to position a ship. Newman replied: 'Micky, it's your cruise line. Why don't you tell them what to do?' Arison said: 'But you're handling the PR, Stuart.' Another account, the annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping convention, Newman oversaw for 25 years. 'He was a good and honorable man who supported our event from the moment it moved to Miami,' UK-based Seatrade chairman Chris Hayman said. 'I know he had a fondness for this country, which goes back to his days with the US Air Force during World War II.' B-17 bravery Indeed, Newman flew 35 missions as a bombardier and navigator. In 1945, while over Germany on a bombing foray, his B-17 took so much flak (enemy gunfire) that it crash-landed in Belgium, a wreck. The crew was rescued from approaching Germans by British troops, 'and three or four days later, they all cimbed back into a plane to continue the fight,' son Andy Newman said. Andy, who followed his father into journalism and PR, arranged to take him up on B-17 flights for his 80th and 90th birthdays, and had planned the same for his 100th. Newman often spoke to military groups, veterans and others, always stating: 'I'm not a hero. The guys who didn't come back are the heroes.' In October, Andy accompanied his father on an 'Honor Flight' for veterans to war memorials in Washington, DC, where they were cheered every step of the way before a heroes' welcome by thousands, from schoolchildren to generals, back in Florida. Newman was born in Chicago and his family moved to Fort Lauderdale when he was 3. He studied at the University of Florida and worked as a stringer for the Fort Lauderdale News, today the Sun-Sentinel. The war interrupted. In basic training, he convinced his sergeant the camp needed its own newspaper, which he produced. Back from Europe, Newman was assigned to the public affairs office for the Air Force at its hospital, housed in the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables. He graduated from UF with a journalism degree in 1946. Founded PR agency in 1946 That year, he started Stuart Newman Associates, now NewmanPR. Besides the Florida Keys, Carnival, HAL, Costa and Seatrade, clients have included Haiti's North American tourism office, Star Clippers, The Image Group, a number of hotels, destinations and others. Newman's greatest strength was client relations, and he shouldered most of his agency's financial side of the business. 'He was very, very service-oriented. He instilled that in me,' said Andy, SVP of NewmanPR. 'The trademark of the agency has always been our commitment to media relations. You want to reach the client's goals but always looking at those through the eyes of journalists and, now, social media and influencers, always being extremely honest. Accuracy is very important, too. We're a tremendous resource for journalists because they know we're truthful. It's all about trust.' Respected by clients and media 'Ive met a lot of PR folks in my life but never one like Stuart,' said Gallagher, who recommended Carnival hire his agency 30 years ago. 'He was honorable, principled and loyal. He gave the profession a good name and gained the respect of his clients and the media alike. He understood that in the media relations business the only thing you have going for you is your credibility,' Gallagher continued. 'And in some 60-plus years of practice, he never lost his. 'To me, he was more than just a colleague; he was a mentor, a great friend and confidantea class act. I will miss him.' Newman was a Marco Polo member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the highest level, and he traveled the world. In 1991, he established the Stuart G. Newman Endowed Scholarship for aspiring public relations professionals at the University of Florida, where a conference room bears his name. He was president of the first Florida chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and one of the principal organizers of the Greater Miami Public Relations Association and the Greater Miami Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists/SDX. Founding father And he was a founding father of the Conch Republic. 'He loved to fish off the Florida Keys,' Andy said. He owned five boats over the years. HIs ashes will be scattered in the Gulf Stream off the Keys, according to his wishes. Besides Andy, Newman is survived by wife Sandy of Miami Beach, daughter Cathy Newman, an author and former longtime National Geographic editor in Washington, DC; daughter-in-law Maria Newman; grandsons Michael Newman and Jeb Fain of Washington, DC, and Alan Newman of Miami; and sister Nancy Simons of Weston, Florida. He was preceded in death by his first wife Edith, the mother of Andy and Cathy. Newmans mother lived to 101 and he intended to beat that. 'After his 90th he decided he want to buy a good bottle of Bordeaux to lay down for his 100th. I helped him pick one out,' Gallagher said. A celebration of life is planned for later. In lieu of flowers, Newman can be honored via a scholarship fund for public relations students at the University of Florida. Make checks payable to the UF Foundation, P.O. Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604. Or contributions can be made to the Florida Keys Soldier Ride. Make checks payable to the Military Affairs Committee, P.O. Box 2519 , Key West, FL 33045. For both causes, note 'Stuart Newman Memorial' in the memo area of the check. According to the agreement, CCCC will co-operate with Genoa port authority to establish infrastructure investment platform. The two parties will pursue comprehensive cooperation for the upgrading and reconstruction of Genoa port. Additionally, CCCC will work with the port of Trieste to evaluate local transportation network for further optimization and improvement on local sea-rail transportation facilities. The agreements follow Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to Italy. Read more: China and Italy to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative Song Hailiang, general manager of CCCC also met the management team from Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri to explore cooperation opportunities on shipbuilding, offshore platform and steel structure. CCCC is the largest port construction and design company in China. The company is principally engaged in the design and construction of transportation infrastructure, dredging and heavy machinery manufacturing business. On Tuesday the UK P&I Club confirmed it had got approval from the financial regulator in the Netherlands for a licence for a Rotterdam-based subsidiary UK P&I Club NV (UKNV). The subsidiary will both the UK Club and other Thomas Miller managed clubs to continue serving their members after Britain leaves the EU. Andrew Taylor, chief executive of Thomas Miller P&I, said The measures taken by the UK Club will provide continuity of service to our Members, irrespective of the outcome or timing of Brexit. Our long term planning has ensured we have the relevant authorisations in place prior to the UK leaving the EU, said Andrew Taylor chief executive of Thomas Miller P&I, which manages the club. Located in the World Port Center in Rotterdam the management board of UKNV comprises Hugo Wynn-Williams as ceo, Paul van den Brom as cfo, and Rene Doff as chief risk officer. Wynn-Williams said, We have been assiduous in our planning to ensure the UK P&I Club, together with other Thomas Miller managed clubs, are able to continue our European operations once the UK leaves the EU. With the expected loss of passporting rights, we have put these plans in place to ensure our Members can continue to conduct their business with little or no disruption. Both North P&I and the Standard Club have already announced plans for new operations in Ireland. North of England P&I DAC, has received authorisation as a non-life insurance business from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) in January. From the date of annual renewals for P&I cover last month 20 February, members and policyholders with an EEA (European Economic Area) place of management will be insured by North of England P&I DAC. The Standard Club also received authorisation from the CBI in January to operate in Ireland under The Standard Club Ireland DAC. As with North P&I at the 20 February renewals all renewing EEA members currently entered in The Standard Club UK Ltd (Standard UK) were switched to underwritten into Standard Ireland. For other clubs not domiciled in the UK the issue is less complex. The West England P&I Club, despite its name, is domiciled in Luxembourg and as such its operations with European members and brokers would not be affected. With regard to the UK, the Club, whose branch in London is registered under the Temporary Permissions Regime established by the Bank of England, will be able to continue underwriting UK risks even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the Club said on Tuesday. Jessica Robinson revealed plans for the first ever Master of Mobility degree, a nine- to 12-month program at Michigan Mobility Institute. Samir Tout is professor of Information Assurance at Eastern Michigan University's School of Information Security & Applied Computing. Photo by S. Tout. In the process of establishing the Detroit Mobility Lab , Jessica Robinson says she's interviewed "dozens and dozens" of local mobility leaders who've all brought up the same concern: a lack of local talent with the specialized skills to fill their industry's needs.So in January, the Detroit Mobility Lab announced plans to offer a first-of-its-kind Master of Mobility degree starting in 2021. Working with local universities and industry, the nine- to 12-month program will offer a high-level educational credential in mobility through the brick-and-mortar Michigan Mobility Institute."We said, 'You know what? This has come up enough. It's time to do something about it,'" says Robinson, the institute's executive director.The Master of Mobility degree is just one example of the innovative ways metro Detroit's higher educational institutions are working to create new curriculum, programs, and collaborations that address the mobility industry's need for talent."It's a major shift," says Samir Tout, professor of information assurance at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). "However, the good news is that it really compels us to open up new types of educational avenues for our students."Those new educational avenues vary from institution to institution. Washtenaw Community College (WCC) has deployed a wide range of mobility training efforts since it opened its Advanced Transportation Center in 2012. The center offers a wide variety of mobility-related programs for college credit , including certificates and associate degrees, as well as shorter workforce training courses . WCC students can take advantage of educational tools like the college's mobile hacking workbench , which simulates the communications systems of a modern vehicle."We really wanted to be a leader in this whole connected space not necessarily the vehicle itself, but the vehicle and the infrastructure to which it relates," says Michelle Mueller, WCC's vice president of economic, community, and college development. "Everything is being affected by this technology. Absolutely everything."The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute's ( UMTRI ) work in mobility research is well-known, but the University of Michigan (U-M) itself doesn't yet offer mobility-specific degrees. However, UMTRI marketing and communications director Francine Romine says mobility topics have made their way into diverse fields of study at the university. U-M's school of engineering offers multiple courses on connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV), and the law school now offers courses dealing with the unique legalities of CAV as well.While it's unlikely that any U-M student will be taking both a legal course and an engineering course on CAV any time soon, Mueller and Robinson both say a multidisciplinary approach is key to mobility training. Robinson says the Michigan Mobility Institute will develop people who "have kind of a tinkerer approach to technology.""I think that's reflective of the state of art within mobility right now," she says. "Most of these things are not production-scale, where we're churning out hundreds of thousands of units. They are still in development and they will be for some time to come."At EMU, Tout recently submitted proposals for two new classes related to vehicle cybersecurity, which he says are just the beginning of a larger plan to expand mobility-related course offerings. But just as important is the work he's done to begin connecting EMU students to the mobility industry. He's already forged a partnership with automotive software company Elektrobit , which funded auto security research projects he and his students worked on last semester. They then exhibited those projects at the North American International Auto Show in January.Tout says that's just the tip of the iceberg. He's working on developing relationships with other mobility-related companies to create more practical learning opportunities for his students. Industry connections are key to WCC and the Michigan Mobility Institute's efforts as well. Mueller says business leaders sit on many of WCC's advisory boards. The college has also made an effort to plug into the local mobility industry by working with MICHauto , the American Center for Mobility , and the Center for Automotive Research "You've got to be tied to industry," Mueller says. "Being part of what they're doing gives you great access to know what's happening and to be able to respond appropriately."Robinson sees industry as an integral part of the Michigan Mobility Institute's work as well. Multiple local and national mobility industry leaders were recently announced as the institute's first advisory board members . She anticipates that relationship being a two-way street, with the institute giving back to industry in more ways than just developing new talent."There will be both an ample opportunity and a real demand for people who are going through these programs to do project-based work at some of the companies that we have here in the region," Robinson says. "You can envision it one day in the way that a group of business students might be deployed today on a project in partnership with one of these companies."One might assume that all this training is aimed primarily at area youth, but Robinson says they're not necessarily the target demographic."There's a lot of investment in our youth in the region through STEM programs, through schools, but also through extracurricular activity," she says. "There's a lot of robotics clubs and programming now. So we're really optimistic that that sets us up for success for our young folks in school and as they start their careers."Instead, she envisions the typical Master of Mobility candidate as someone who already works in the auto industry, has a four-year degree, and is interested in bolstering their skills to transition into a new automotive era. Mueller echoes that sentiment, noting that WCC will continue to focus its efforts both on for-credit courses in mobility-related topics as well as professional development opportunities for the "incumbent workforce." She notes that numerous Ph.D. holders take advantage of WCC's offerings."Sometimes people think at the community college you just have these people taking classes who are just trying to get their first entry-level job or get into a university," she says. "That isn't necessarily true. There's a lot of people that have degrees and they just want to get an additional skill set."Although higher education institutions have done a lot to fill the gap in focused skills development for mobility, Tout says they still have a long way to go. The key, he says, will be working together."We should realize that what we're dealing with is a huge skill gap, a huge shortage in those workers who will fill the jobs of tomorrow that are quite demanding in terms of technical skills," he says. "That really is quite a compelling reason for us to work together and try to prepare, to join curricula, and to co-plan to a certain extent."Visit Driven and learn how the Detroit region is leading the world in next-generation mobility.Photos by Steve Koss A new program coming to Washtenaw County will teach children the basics of entrepreneurship via the experience of running a lemonade stand. Lemonade Day Washtenaw County will take place June 22. It's the local iteration of an international program started in 2007, which now takes place in over 80 cities annually. Participating kids are provided a workbook and parents are provided an app that walks them through the process of setting up a lemonade stand in a location of their choice. Unlike traditional programs where children are simply given a product to sell, the Lemonade Day program also allows children to flex their creative muscles, according to Godfrey Aguwa Jr., co-founder and executive director of DCU Next Generation. The Michigan-based nonprofits mission centers around preventing generational poverty through financial literacy. It's also Lemonade Day Washtenaw County's main sponsor and organizer. "(Kids) choose the name of their business, select a location, draft a business plan, create their own lemonade recipes, set their prices, and more all while keeping 100 percent of their profits," Aguwa says. Lemonade Day's goal is for participants to leave with a pocketful of money, an increased sense of self-esteem and community, and an understanding of the necessary planning it takes to turn an idea into a business. "This is a concept weve seen many adults struggle with so we hope that this opportunity will give our young participants a head start in any future ventures they may have," Aguwa says. Aguwa is hoping for a total of 450 participants. Click here for registration information. Jaishree Drepaul-Bruder is a freelance writer and editor currently based in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jaishreeedit@gmail.com. Photos by Fonda Aguwa. Press Release March 27, 2019 Angara tells gov't: Bring OFWs back home by creating better jobs Reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara said the government should step up efforts to create more and better local jobs to end forced migration that has separated millions of families for decades, while genuinely promoting and protecting the welfare of Filipino workers overseas until they are ready to return home. "Importante na protektahan natin ang ating OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) at higit sa lahat, sa pangmatagalan, dapat natin silang ibalik sa bansa. Kaya dapat ang trabaho dito po sa sarili nating bansa. Hindi na po dapat naghihiwalay ang ating mga pamilya," said Angara, who is scheduled to campaign today in the vote-rich Cavite province, which belongs to the region with the most number of OFWs at around 484,000. The senator, who is running under the platform "Alagang Angara," underscored the need for government to make available decent jobs to returning OFWs, as well as to new college graduates, including beneficiaries of the Free College Education Law that has made state universities and colleges tuition-free. Angara is one of the authors of the law. "Kung titignan po natin ang datos, napakalaki po ng bilang ng mga college graduate na walang trabaho. Kawawa po na wala silang mapuntahan kaya marami sa kanila nag-o-OFW," he added. According to Angara, OFWs were forced to face dire straits and uncertain conditions abroad to escape crushing poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunities at home. There are an estimated 10 million Filipinos who live and work overseas, taking jobs ranging from domestic work in the Middle East and Hong Kong, to jobs as nurses in Europe and Canada. In 2017, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 2.34 million Filipinos went to work abroad. Of this figure, 20.7 percent or roughly 484,000 are from Region 4-A or Calabarzon. Meanwhile, Angara said the government had never been more capable of protecting the welfare and well-being of OFWs and their families than now, thanks to a three-year-old law that institutionalized and strengthened the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). According to Angara, Republic Act 10801 or the OWWA Act of 2016, which he co-authored and sponsored as then chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, provides a wide array of services and benefits to OFWs and their dependents. "Sa pamamagitan ng batas na ito, mas lalong pinalakas ang kakayahan ng pamahalaan na protektahan ang interes at kapakanan ng mga OFW, gayundin ang kanilang pangangailangan at ng kanilang mga pamilya," Angara said. Under the law, OWWA is mandated to provide benefits and services to its members, which include gender-responsive reintegration programs, repatriation assistance, loan and credit assistance, on-site worker assistance, death and disability benefits, health care benefits, education and skills training, social services, and family welfare assistance. These benefits and services, Angara said, are just a small token of gratitude for the valuable contribution of OFWs to the overall national development effort. "We have to give back to our OFWs, whose remittances have kept the Philippine economy afloat for many years," the lawmaker pointed out. Aside from the OWWA Act, Angara has sponsored and authored several laws meant to protect the OFWs and ensure sustainable jobs and decent working conditions in the country. These are the Seafarers Protection Act that shield Filipino seafarers from exploitative fee arrangements and acts of claimant ambulance chasing, the law that made OFW balikbayan boxes tax-free, the law creating Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) nationwide, the JobStart Law, and the revised Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) to help ease youth unemployment. Press Release March 27, 2019 De Lima: Let Filipino people see Acierto report on Yang's drug links Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged former Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto to make public his intelligence report about the alleged links of Chinese businessman and presidential economic adviser Michael Yang into illegal drug trade. De Lima, the staunchest critic of the administration's war on drugs, said the written document submitted by Acierto to the authorities that reached Mr. Duterte in 2017 should be made available for public scrutiny and validation of the information. "Almost three years since he launched his anti-narcotics campaign, Duterte still failed to apprehend big-time drug users and pushers who continue to profit from illegal activities, while he persistently targets the poor. Ito nga kaya ay dahil si Pangulong Duterte mismo ang Number 1 drug lord o protector ng mga drug lords sa bansa?" De Lima asked. "The intel report of Acierto, if publicized and verified, will raise questions as to Duterte's real involvement in the drug trade in the country. Kasi kung malinis talaga si Mr. Duterte, bakit naduduwag siyang paimbestigahan si Yang at ang kasabwat nito? Nakikinabang ba siya sa 'drug business' o siya ba ang totoong mastermind," she added. Acierto, former deputy director for administration of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG), has come out from hiding to reveal that Yang and another Chinese national named Allan Kim were behind the large shabu laboratory discovered in Davao City in 2004. According to him, he submitted a confidential written report detailing the supposed links of Yang and Lim into the illegal drug trade to his superiors in the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and to Sen. Richard Gordon and other officials from Malacanang in 2017, but no actions were done. Acierto said he believes he earned the President's ire for submitting intelligence report on Yang, a close friend of Duterte, that is why he was wrongly accused of being involved in the P11-billion worth of illegal drugs smuggled through magnetic lifters in 2018. "Ang ginawa ko lang, kung tutuusin, ay nag-imbestiga ako ng mga matataas na tao na involved sa droga. Ako ngayon ang nalalagay sa alanganin at gustong ipapatay sa halagang 15 million pesos," he said. De Lima, a former justice secretary, said Acierto's intel report is a public interest matter because not only did it link a prominent personality connected to Mr. Duterte in illegal drug trade but it also places big doubts as to the real purpose of the government's war on drugs. "Tila napakadali kay Mr. Duterte na balewalain ang intel report ni Acierto kasi mukhang nakikinabang siya sa 'drug war' na ginawa ng negosyo ng mga taong halang ang bituka," she said. "He ordered the killing of small-time drug users, claiming they don't deserve to live and breathe the same air that we breathe, while he kowtows to Chinese drug lords, disguised as regular 'businessmen,' and profits from their drug business," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol said that if Mr. Duterte is serious in fighting illegal drugs, he should seek a probe into the supposed involvement of Yang into the drug trade, if not face charges against him. "Kung galit ka talaga sa ilegal na droga at sa drug users at pushers, patunayan mo yan ngayon Mr. Duterte, at paimbestigahan si Yang. Hindi yung puro mahihirap at walang kalaban-laban ang pinagdidiskitahan mo," she said. Last October, Duterte admitted he received a "dossier" identifying Yang as a "drug user or a drug pusher" - possibly in reference to Acierto's report - and cleared Yang's name without having the Chinese national investigated. Recently, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo maintained that Yang is not involved in the illegal drug trade. Questioning Yang's appointment as the president's economic adviser, De Lima has filed Senate Resolution No. 922 calling for a Senate probe into his appointment and determine the extent of his "official engagement" under the present Duterte administration. Press Release March 27, 2019 Lacson: Time to Revisit Mindset, Laws on Firearms after Latest Shooting More at: https://pinglacson.net/2019/03/27/lacson-time-to-revisit-mindset-laws-on-firearms-after-latest-shooting/ A string of recent shootings, including the killing of a policeman along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) on March 26, should prompt changes in the public mindset as well as legislation regarding the possession and carrying of firearms outside residence, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said. Lacson said the killing of Police Senior Master Sergeant Solomon Cugay shows gunmen can act with impunity because of loose firearm laws as well as the public mindset that people with firearms in civilian attire are lawmen. "Presently, when we see persons in civilian attire with firearms bulging from their pants, we just assume they are police or military personnel. It should be the other way around. If we see someone in civilian attire and with a firearm, we should instinctively assume the person is up to no good, and report him or her to the nearest police station," Lacson, who headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001, said in an interview on DZMM radio on Wednesday. "Every day, we hear of someone being gunned down by motorcycle-riding assailants. A policeman is the latest victim in a growing list that includes politicians, traders and even lawyers," he added. He recalled that when he headed the PNP, he limited the issuance of Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFORs), with the end view of making sure only uniformed police and military personnel who are on duty can carry firearms outside their homes. Lacson noted that in other territories like Hong Kong, people automatically report to police those they see in civilian attire and with firearms. "Firearms are for self-defense against intruders and should be kept at home. Once one brings it outside your house, chances are the owner's mindset can change and he or she can use it for offense," Lacson stressed. On the other hand, Lacson said the killing should also be a challenge to the PNP to show they are capable of protecting the public from criminals. "Some gun owners' groups have argued they have no choice but to bring their guns outside their houses because the police cannot protect them. This should be a challenge to the PNP, to show they can protect the public," he said. He also said it is high time the PNP tighten the issuance of PTCFORs, following reports that even criminals who just change their names can get such permits. Meanwhile, Lacson stressed the need to legislate tighter laws against firearms in the 18th Congress. He noted other countries such as New Zealand are considering tighter legislation on gun ownership following a mass shooting there last March 15. "We cannot allow a situation that allows mass shootings like in other countries. Neither can we afford the present situation where the country becomes the Wild, Wild West," he said. Chorus is warning the broadband industry not to expect the level of savings from unbundling fibre services that were achieved on the copper network. The network provider today proposed a lower monthly price for retail broadband firms wanting to attach their own electronics directly to the fibre network. It also set a fee to help split shared fibre to individual customers. From next year, local fibre companies, of which Chorus is the biggest, are required to provide unbundled services, where retail service providers - or RSPs - access the base infrastructure using their own technology to manage the service. The ultrafast broadband network is harder to unbundle than the old Telecom copper lines that form the base of Chorus's legacy assets, in part because of the technology, but also because taking fibre to the home created more entry points than the streetside cabinets of the copper network. "While Im sure some RSPs will argue for even lower input costs, the economic and technical reality of unbundling a newly-built, world-class fibre network is much more challenging than unbundling much older, often fully depreciated, copper network assets that have a fundamentally different architecture," chief customer officer Ed Hyde said in a statement. Chorus is pitching a $28.80 monthly charge covering access to the fibre between the premise and the splitter - a key point where shared fibres are split into individual fibres that go into each customers' home or office. It would also charge retailers $200 a month to access feeder fibre from each splitter, which can connect up to 16 customers. The network operator's regulated prices for the transition period between December 2019 and January 2022 range from $25 a month for a monthly voice connection up to $65 for a 1 gigabit per second connection. "Unbundling economics mean that it is most likely to appeal to the larger RSPs, so the proposed pricing released today seeks to strike a fair balance for all, by enabling RSPs who choose to unbundle to deliver their services, at the same time as ensuring a competitive playing field for all other RSPs," Hyde said. Vodafone New Zealand has lobbied hard for unbundling to allow direct access to the fibre, arguing it is central to promoting competition. It's set up a joint venture with Vocus New Zealand, the parent of third-placed RSP Orcon, to buy fibre access at a wholesale price then repackage it for consumers to allow greater innovation for consumers. The Commerce Commission is currently working on how to set input prices for fibre as it prepares for the new regulatory framework for fibre services. It plans to publish its final decisions in June next year. Chorus today said about 97 percent of its capital investment in fibre has been on the base infrastructure known as layer 1. That means unbundling won't provide the same savings for retail service providers as it did on the copper lines. Hyde said one of the hardest aspects of developing the pricing model was that the costs Chorus avoids by not providing the electronics are minimal. "We are also seeking to ensure Chorus own ability to generate a return from its billions of dollars of investment in fibre, which is essential for ongoing investment and maintenance of strategically critical infrastructure," he said. The company's biggest shareholder, L1 Capital, this week told investors that the new regulatory model should free up cash for bigger dividends over the next five years, and says the share price is "extremely undervalued". In a submission to the commission's current work, L1 warned the regulator that service providers such as Spark and Vodafone had significant incentives to lobby for an unorthodox interpretation of the law to minimise their own costs or entrench their strong market positions. Chorus shares rose 0.5 percent to $5.80 at today's open, and are near the record $5.86 reached on March 15. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: 10th December 2021 Morning Report Ebos Group Limited (NZX: EBO) EBOS Announces Successful Placement Pacific Edge Limited (NZX: PEB) PEB Announces Agreement with Northern Health in Australia AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) AFT welcomes Australian Federal Court appeal success 9th December 2021 Morning Report Ebos Group Limited (NZX: EBO) Acquisition of LifeHealthcare, Equity Raising Livestock Improvement Corporation Limited (NZX: LIC) Special Dividend 8th December 2021 Morning Report New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limited (NZX: NZK) Market Update Scales Corporation Limited (NZX: SCL) Market update Capgemini did not name the companies that implemented AI based projects, but said that the number of was lower when compared with US' 25 per cent and 9 per cent from China. If data from French technology firm Capgemini is to be believed, a whopping 98 percent of Indian automotive companies are yet to implement Artificial Intelligence in their projects. The usage of Artificial Intelligence among Indian auto firms is smaller than even the global average. Globally, 10 per cent of major automotive companies were reported as implementing AI projects, with many falling short of an opportunity that could increase operating profit by up to 16 per cent. Since 2017, the number of automotive companies that have successfully scaled up AI implementation has increased only marginally, from 7 per cent to 10 per cent. However, more significant has been the increase in companies not using AI, from 26 per cent to 39 per cent, the findings showed. According to the report from the Capgemini Research Institute, just 26 per cent of companies are now piloting AI projects, down from 41 per cent in 2017. "These findings show the progress of AI in the automotive industry has hit a speedbump," said Markus Winkler, Executive Vice-President, Global Head of Automotive at Capgemini. "While some companies are enjoying considerable success, others have struggled to focus on the most effective use cases, vehicle manufacturers need to start seeing AI not as a standalone opportunity, but as a strategic capability required to shape the future which they must organise investment, talent and governance around," Winkler said. "Our scientists, a little while ago, have targeted a live satellite in space 300 km away in low earth orbit," he said in a nationally televised speech. New Delhi: India on Wednesday became "a space superpower" by becoming the fourth country to acquire anti-satellite capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday, calling it "a proud moment". "The pre-fixed target was destroyed by the A-SAT in just three minutes. With this, India has established itself as a space superpower. "Mission Shakti was a difficult operation but a huge success," the Prime Minister added. The operation involved a complicated space manoeuvre, Modi said. Only the US, Russia and China possessed the technology until now, he added. Saying the mission did not violate any international law, Modi said: "This is a proud moment for the country. Our scientists have made this happen. "This new technology is not against anyone. It is only for the progress of India. We are only doing it for our safety and security. "Our aim is to maintain peace and not develop a war-like situation," the Prime Minister said. "By Monday or Tuesday, Jet and the lessors should come into an agreement on getting back the grounded planes. By the end of April, Jet would be able to fly 40 more aircraft. As on today, Jet is flying 35 aircraft," Kharola said after meeting with the Jet management including representatives of the State Bank of India (SBI). Delhi: Jet Airways management on Tuesday informed the Civil Aviation Ministry that it would fly 40 more aircraft by April end and also assured that it would not ground any more aircraft, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said. The meeting took place post the management takeover by the SBI and its subsequent Rs 1,500 crore capital infusion for emergency funding on working capital needs. A total of 75 aircraft is envisaged by April end which is around 80 per cent of the Jet's total aircraft previously, he said. Elaborating on the operational part, Kharola said the financial part of the problem at the airline are being handled by the lenders led by the SBI and the Ministry is only looking at the passenger safety aspects so that they don't have to face any hardship. He also said the government is also keeping a close watch on the airfares and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suggested to the airlines not to resort to predatory pricing. On Monday, Jet Airways promoter Naresh Goyal stepped down and the SBI-led management took over the daily operations and cash flow. With Goyal's exit and the SBI leading a consortium of banks to take charge of the interim committee, Rs 1,500 crore was infused as emergency funding by the lenders to look at immediate issues. Jet Airways has been struggling with cash flows for the past six months because of rising fuel costs and intense competition. It has even delayed payment to lessors, airport operators and oil marketing companies besides a part of its workforce to keep the company running. As many as 40 of its aircraft were grounded due to inability to pay rentals. Its pilots and certain sections of the employees have been without pay for some months, leading the pilots to issue an ultimatum on salary payment to the erstwhile management. The airline owes Rs 8,000 crore to the SBI-led lenders consortium. SBI expects Jet to find a new financial investor by the first quarter of next fiscal. "The company's board of directors at its meeting on March 26 has decided not to proceed with a buyback of equity shares of the company," said Mindtree in a regulatory filing on the BSE. Bengaluru: Global software major Mindtree on Tuesday decided not to proceed with its proposal to buy back equity shares after infrastructure major Larson and Toubro (L&T) made an open offer to acquire 31 per cent of equity capital for Rs 3,050 crore. The board, however, invited views from the directors on the unsolicited offer made by L&T for the company's equity shares. Earlier in the day, L&T offered to buy over 5.13 crore shares or 31 per cent of Mindtree's equity stake for Rs 5,030 crore at Rs 980 per share of Rs 10 face value. "L&T has made an open offer to acquire 5,13,25,371 equity shares of Rs 10 face value, representing 31 per cent of the voting share capital from shareholders of Mindtree with an intention to take control of the target company," Mindtree said in an earlier filing on the BSE. The offer opens on May 14 and closes on May 27. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee reacted similarly saying, "Indias Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India , other research & space organisations. "Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission." Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat: "This is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities." Naresh Fernandes: Phew. It's only a cow jumping over the moon. Someone quickly tell those poor sods who are already lining up at the bank counter looking to deposits that cash. Journalist Shekhar Gupta said "While a successful A-SAT launch is a bold strategic move, PM making such a big deal of it personally shows a poll-eve desperation we hadnt yet detected/suspected. Its just a frantic new national security headline as Balakot has faded in a month." "As we waited with baited breath for Modi's grand announcement on National TV & Radio on the eve of elections, Modi chose to announce DRDO & ISRO's decades old work on an anti satellite weapon as his new 'surgical strike'! Clearly it will now provide 10Cr jobs to our people!" stated Prashant Bhushan Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Wednesday at 12:10 PM announcing that India has entered an elite space club by successfully testing A-SAT, an anti-satellite missile. India is now an entrant in a club of three nations -- United States, Russia and China -- with anti-satellite weapon capabilities, informed Prime Minister Modi. Addressing a huge rally in Ghatlodiya area under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, he also alleged that Gandhi had told the US ambassador that people of India are a "bigger threat" to the country than Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group. : Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath Tuesday criticised the previous UPA government over its way to tackle terrorism and asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi what was his "relation with Ishrat Jahan", who was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat Police in 2004. "What is your relation with Ishrat Jahan, a terrorist? When Rahul Gandhi met the US ambassador, he told him that the people of India, and not Jaish-e-Mohammad, are a bigger threat to our country," alleged Adityanath. Attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said, "They (Rahul and Priyanka) go to temples only during elections. They do not have time to visit holy sites if elections are not around." "When they learned that over 24 crore people took part in Kumbh mela (held in Prayagraj recently), the new generation (of the Congress) also dropped by," he said. Adityanath was apparently referring to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's recently concluded Ganga Yatra from Prayagraj to Varanasi during which she visited several temples. He said Gujarat had first exposed Rahul Gandhi when he had visited the Somnath temple in 2017. "During that visit, a temple priest asked Rahul to sit properly, as his sitting posture resembled someone offering Namaz," the UP chief minister said. Referring to Priyanka Gandhi upcoming visit to Ayodhya, the BJP leader alleged that Congress leaders who do not believe in the existence of Lord Ram are now talking about visiting his birth place. "Some new Congress leaders (Priyanka) are planning to visit Ayodhya. When the supreme court was hearing the case of Ram Setu, the past Congress government had told the court that Lord Ram never existed. Now, people who do not even believe in the existence of Lord Ram are talking about visiting Ayodhya," he said. He also attacked the Congress over its promise to roll out the minimum income guarantee scheme for the poor, if voted back to power. Page Content The Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) expects major coverage from 13 international media reps who recently attended the concluded 3rdEdition of the SXM Music Festival, an electronic music festival geared towards lovers of electronic music. Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson is very pleased with the attention that the SXM Music Festival received from international media. The travel and music experience received by these international media reps will go a long way and should be very rewarding for the destination Sint Maarten/St. Martin. This was a great opportunity to promote our destination experience internationally and we look forward to the fourth edition of the SXM Music Festival, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Tuesday. Claudia Arrindell and Marie-Line Andrew-Carty representatives of STB hosted the journalists as part of a press trip during the SXM Music Festival on Thursday March 14, 2019. The St. Martin Tourist Office also hosted the journalists on the French side. Some of the media crew wereLuke John: CRACK Magazine; Rob Mc Callum: DJ Magazine; Stuart Kenny: Amuse; Matthew Moen: Paper Magazine; Greg Mc Kenzie: BBC World Travel; Mike Mc Kenzie: BBC World Travel; Lorren Wilson: BBC World Travel. DJ Magazine is one of the electronic musics best-loved brands that started back in 1991, as a print magazine to reflect the emerging UK electronic music scene. It is now a global multimedia brand with assets spanning print, web, video and events. DJ Magazine is translated into 10 languages every single month is read and respected worldwide. BBC Travel tells awe-inspiring immersive travel stories and for a second year in a row, has won the Gold Lowell Thomas Award for best travel journalism website. Amuse is a re-imagined record label company that offers free music distribution to everyone and record deals to artists. Amuse was founded in Stockholm in late 2015 by a global team of music industry experts. It has offices in Stockholm, Los Angeles and a presence in London, Miami and Bogota. Paper Magazine is a New York City-based independent magazine focusing on fashion, popular culture, nightlife, music, art and film. The group got an opportunity to take pictures at some of our beautiful beaches, their day also included stops at Toppers Rhum Distillery, Rainforest Adventures and Guavaberry Emporium, and lunch at Lazy Lizard on the board walk. They had a great time and enjoyed the tour very much. They are looking forward to returning to our shores, STB reps said. The STB collaborated with the SXM Music Festival to host the Third Edition of the SXM Music Festival. SXM Festival has furthered its reputation as a hub for the global electronic music community by involving some of the worlds most renowned party brands for this years edition. The travel trade media are key to destination promotion and their digital content will be viewed by potential travelers in all markets. It was very important for us to connect with international media and influencers to get the word out that the destination is back and open for business, said Interim Director of STB May-Ling Chun. For further information about the SXM Music Festival, you can log on to SXMMusicFestival.com. For Apple phone users, you can download the SXM Music Festival app and for android users you can go to Play store and download the app. PHOTO: Second left: Claudia Arrindell and Marie-Line Andrew-Carty located on the first right representatives of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau with the hosted journalists of the SXM Music Festival on Front Street. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7f82f98)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7fd2c98)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7f82f98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7fd2c98)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7fb52f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7fd2c98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7fd2c98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe76530d0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe7fc4ab8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe7fc4ab8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7b256a0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8031748)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7b256a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8031748)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7b34c50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8031748)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe8031748)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7654040)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe7f919b0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe7f919b0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7ff65d0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe80bf838)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7ff65d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe80bf838)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe7ee46a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe80bf838)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe80bf838)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe7652fc8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fc3981dd8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fc3981dd8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Posted Wednesday, March 27, 2019 11:43:37 AM Fans of Greg Rikaart were delivered a crushing blow this week: the actor took to Twitter to announce that his time as Days of our Lives' Leo Stark has officially come an end. Shortly after Tuesday's episode of DAYS -- which saw Leo sign annulment papers to end his marriage to Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith) and then curse Will Horton (Chandler Massey) with bad luck -- Rikaart shared that he is exiting the canvas. "That's a wrap on Leo. Thanks for all the love," he tweeted. "Playing this role has been a gift. An absurdly fun and delicious gift." That's a wrap on Leo. Thanks for all the love. Playing this role has been a gift. An absurdly fun and delicious gift. #DAYS Greg Rikaart (@gregrikaart) March 26, 2019 New DAYS star Brandon Barash (Stefan DiMera; ex-Johnny Zacchara, General Hospital) responded with a message that makes it seem like Rikaart's exit may be open-ended: "So much fun playing pretend w you, albeit briefly. Look forward to the next time!" Kassie DePaiva (Eve Donovan) also responded to Rikaart's tweet, sharing: "Dang it!! I wanted to play in your sand box! Love you! You will be missed on and off camera! Congrats on your nomination!" While many DAYS fans are crushed to hear that Rikaart is leaving, fans of The Young and the Restless are hoping that his exit news means he might be returning as his Genoa City alter ego, Kevin Fisher, which he played from 2003 until being let go in May 2017. Y&R is under new leadership, and the current powers that be listened to fans and recently brought back ousted actor Doug Davidson (Paul Williams). Could Rikaart be next? According to Chrishell Hartley (Jordan Ridgeway), Y&R would be smart to snatch the actor back while the getting is good. "You are amazing!!! I am sure we will all be seeing you again very soon," she wrote in response to Rikaart's exit tweet. "Where just depends on who is the smartest and the fastest." In addition to soap operas, Rikaart has several primetime television credits. He recently landed a guest-starring role on Modern Family and has been on shows like Major Crimes, Bones, CSI: Miami, and Dawson's Creek. US Senate rejects Green New Deal in Republican show vote Washington, March 26 (AFP) Mar 26, 2019 US Senate Republican leaders forced a stunt vote Tuesday on a climate change measure they ridicule, seeking to corner Democratic presidential hopefuls over an expensive, economy-upending plan proposed by the party's liberal left wing. The chamber easily rejected the Green New Deal, a proposal offered by progressive Democrats that would dramatically shift the United States away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy in an ambitious effort to zero out greenhouse gas emissions within a decade. It is less a hardened political policy than a blueprint of transformational action to combat the threat of climate change, and several Democrats running to challenge President Donald Trump next year have signed on to the non-binding plan. Six Senate Democrats are 2020 White House candidates, and the chamber's Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought to get them on record supporting what his party believes would be a multi-trillion-dollar boondoggle. "I could not be more glad that the American people will have the opportunity to learn precisely where each one of their senators stand on the 'Green New Deal': a radical, top-down, socialist makeover of the entire US economy," McConnell said. The legislation introduced by McConnell failed to advance, with zero votes in support, 57 opposed, and 43 Democrats -- including all six presidential candidates -- voting "present." Democrats accused the Senate's Republican leadership of quashing debate and blocking any public hearings on climate change. "We need real action on climate change -- not this kind of sham vote," 2020 contender Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said. "Climate change is a global crisis, not a political game," added Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal presidential candidate who supports the Green New Deal. The plan does not detail how America will wean itself off of fossil fuels, or how much the ambitious transformation will cost. Republicans are seeking to make climate change a wedge issue in the election. Trump himself mocked Democrats over the plan. "No planes. No energy. When the wind stops blowing that's the end of your electric," he told a laughing crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference this month. The plan's champion is liberal first-term congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a favorite target of conservatives. US judge recommends partial ban on iPhone imports to US San Francisco, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 A US trade judge ruled Tuesday that Apple had violated a Qualcomm chipmaker patent and said she would recommend banning imports of some iPhones. International Trade Commission Administrative Law Judge MaryJoan McNamara wrote that she would be recommending a "limited exclusion order together with a cease and desist order" against Apple. The company will not be required to post a bond while the order is reviewed by a panel of judges and then possibly US President Donald Trump because the iPhones don't directly compete with any Qualcomm products, according to the ruling. "We appreciate Judge McNamara's recognition of Apple's infringement of our hardware patent and that she will be recommending an import ban and cease and desist order," Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said in released statement. The patent at issue in the ruling involved managing power and extending battery life. The case is one of two complaints by Qualcomm against Apple the commission is considering. The judge found that Apple did not violate other Qualcomm patents listed in the complaint. The ITC also released a finding siding with Apple in a separate Qualcomm patent complaint. Apple said it was "pleased" the ITC found Qualcomm's latest patent claims invalid and described it as an "important step" to make sure US companies can compete fairly in the marketplace. "Qualcomm is using these cases to distract from having to answer for the real issues, their monopolistic business practices," Apple said in a statement. "They are being investigated by governments around the world for their behavior and we look forward to detailing the many ways they're harming consumers and stifling innovation when we present our case in San Diego next month." Apple shares were down a little more than a percent to $186.79 at the close of official trading in New York that followed release of the ruling. Meanwhile, Qualcomm shares were up 2.4 percent to $58. - Complex patent battle - The Californian tech giants have been locked in a long-running battle over patents and royalties that has played out in courts and administrative bodies worldwide. Apple accuses Qualcomm of charging for invalid patents and claims the chipmaker was seeking a disproportionate amount for a single component. Last week, Qualcomm won a $31 million verdict in its multi-front war with Apple over patented technology used in iPhones. A jury in a federal court in southern California ordered Apple to pay Qualcomm for patent infringement for chips used on iPhone 7, 8 and X models. Patents at issue in that case involved "flashless booting" that allows devices to quickly connect to the internet after being turned on and technology that lets smartphone apps move online data efficiently. A third patent is related to promoting rich graphics in games while protecting battery life, according to Qualcomm. On another front, a federal judge in California issued a preliminary ruling that Qualcomm owes Apple nearly $1 billion in patent royalty rebate payments the chipmaker is withholding, according to US media reports. Apple sued Qualcomm two years ago over the payments, which were part of a contracted arrangement. The judge's decision will be on pause until after a trial in the case. Late last year, Qualcomm escalated a legal war with Apple, accusing the iPhone maker of stealing secrets and sharing them with mobile chip rival Intel, according to court documents. Apple's goal was to buy mobile chips from Intel instead of depending on Qualcomm, the dominant maker of mobile phone processors. It has argued that Qualcomm was abusing its dominant position, harming the whole industry. A political factor potentially weighing into the legal wrangling between Apple and Qualcomm is how rulings might hamper the rollout of super-fast fifth-generation, or 5G, telecommunications networks in the US. gc/oh APPLE INC. INTEL Modi declares India 'space superpower' as satellite downed by missile New Delhi, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 India said Wednesday it destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world's most advanced space powers. In a rare address to the nation just weeks out from a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A missile fired from a testing facility in Odisha, eastern India, downed the satellite at around 300 kilometres (185 miles) in "a difficult operation" that lasted around three minutes, Modi said. "This is a proud moment for India," the prime minister added, in his first televised national address since late 2016. "India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat." It comes a month after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in a dogfight over the disputed border in Kashmir -- a serious military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. An Indian jet was shot down and a pilot captured by Pakistan, which had launched retaliatory air raids after Indian planes bombed Pakistani territory for the first time in decades. Modi said the anti-satellite missile test was peaceful, and not designed to create "an atmosphere of war". "I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend... fast-growing India." But analysts said the test would not go unnoticed in China and Pakistan, India's chief rivals in the nuclear-armed region, and could be interpreted as a show of New Delhi's advancing military capabilities. "This is less about shooting down satellites and more about proving high-altitude 'hit-to-kill' proficiency, which is the core competency required to get good at a range of things -- including defence against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles," Ankit Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists, told AFP. "This is how the message is going to be perceived in Islamabad." A spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry said countries that had "strongly condemned" the demonstration of similar technologies in the past should work towards preventing the militarisation of space. "Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," the spokesman said. - Star wars - The United States and the former Soviet Union carried out their first successful anti-satellite missile tests in 1985, and China in 2007. All are now said to be working on so-called Star Wars laser weapons to destroy satellites. With satellites increasingly important because of their intelligence gathering role -- and major nations seeking to gain a foothold in space -- the United States in 2014 rejected a Russian-Chinese proposal for a treaty to ban weapons in space, saying it was "fundamentally flawed" because of the lack of weapons verification measures. India's foreign ministry said the country "has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space". "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes," the ministry said. "At the same time, the government is committed to ensuring the country's national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies." Modi said the test did not violate any international treaties and was for the betterment and safety of India's 1.3 billion people. The announcement comes ahead of a national election in which Modi -- whose Hindu nationalist party stormed to power in 2014 -- is seeking a second term in office. Voting starts April 11 and will last nearly six weeks, with close to 900 million Indians eligible to vote in the world's largest election. Under election laws in force, the government is forbidden from announcing new policies or other major developments that could benefit the ruling party. "The timing and the manner of the announcement, with elections around the corner, will certainly lead to speculation," Dhruva Jaishankar, Delhi-based fellow in foreign policy with Brookings India, told AFP. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated India's scientists on the feat but also wished Modi "a very happy World Theatre Day" -- referring to celebrations also marked around the globe on March 27. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the announcement, saying for "a deterrent of this kind there is no better than the prime minister to inform the world". India has made giant strides in its space journey in recent years. It launched a record 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017, and has also built a reputation for low-cost space exploration and science missions. burs-np/qan European Parliament agrees cut to emissions from new cars Strasbourg, France, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 The European Parliament on Monday approved a plan to slash carbon dioxide emissions from new cars in Europe in an effort to jump start cleaner vehicles to fight climate change. The law, which was previously negotiated by EU member states, fixes a 37.5 percent carbon dioxide reduction target for 2030 compared with 2021. Emissions from new vans will have to be 31 percent lower than in 2021. With 521 votes, MEPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of the limit during a plenary session in the eastern French city of Strasbourg. The final limit was a hard won compromise between parliament, which had originally asked for 40 percent in CO2 cuts, and German-backed member states that pushed for 35 percent. "We achieved this legislation, despite fierce opposition from the car industry and certain member states, which refused to acknowledge the opportunities that stem from a more ambitious target," said MEP Miriam Dalli, who introduced the law. The automobile industry had strongly rallied against the move warning that it could affect jobs. Environmentalists said the cap fell short of what was needed to slow global warming that is caused by CO2 emissions. Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Universal MusicJustin Bieber got the shock of his life when a strange woman suddenly barged into his Laguna Beach, California hotel room on Tuesday, according to the Laguna Beach Police Department, which confirmed a story originally reported by TMZ. "Ok, here is a lesson on how to not get arrested. DO NOT party at night and into the next day till you get kicked out of a five star hotel," the Laguna Beach Police Department tweeted Tuesday. "When you do get kicked out, DO NOT come right back again and 'accidentally' walk into Justin Biebers room with him still inside. #thebiebs." TMZ cites sources as saying the unidentified woman had been partying and wandering around the hotel earlier in the day, and had already once been escorted off the property by security. For some reason, the woman allegedly returned to the hotel and headed straight into Justin's room, according to the gossip website. He reportedly asked her to leave before his security stepped in and held her until police arrived. Police allege the woman, said to be in her late 30s, appeared to be drunk. She also claimed that she entered the Justin's room by mistake, according to TMZ. She was booked for trespassing. The timing certainly wasn't ideal. Justin, who married model Hailey Baldwin late last year, took to Instagram Monday to announce that he was taking a break from music to repair "some of the deep-rooted issues that I have as most of us have, so that I dont fall apart, so that I can sustain my marriage and be the father I want to be. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Can China keep it's climate promises? Paris, March 26 (AFP) Mar 26, 2019 China can easily meet its Paris climate pledge to peak its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but sourcing 20 percent of its energy needs from renewables and nuclear power by that date may be considerably harder, researchers said Tuesday. Tripling the share of non-fossil fuels will require a major overhaul of China's recalcitrant power sector and the full deployment of a fledgling emissions trading system, they said in the journal Nature Communications. There is a lot at stake. If the world's top carbon polluter fails to achieve these and other voluntary targets, the 2015 treaty's cornerstone goal of capping global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) may remain out of reach. On current trajectories, the planet is set to warm twice that much by century's end. China has also pledged to expand carbon-absorbing forests by 4,500 square kilometres before 2030, compared to 2005 levels. "China is on track to achieve its climate commitments," lead author Kelly Sims, director of The Fletcher School's Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University, told AFP. "It is not pulling back from implementing the Paris Agreement even though US President Donald Trump signalled his intention to do so." Over the last decade, China has positioned itself as a global leader on climate action, enacting a raft of policies to slow the growth of its carbon footprint and, eventually, make it shrink. Global warming, however, has not always been the main -- or even the primary -- target. "The vast majority of China's policies have co-benefits for energy security, economic reform and reduced ground-level pollution," Sims told AFP. More than a million -- up to 2.8 million, according to a recent study -- premature deaths in China each year are attributed to foul air. - Room for more ambition - The only major climate policy exclusively aimed at reducing CO2 levels is China's emissions trading scheme (ETS). Introduced in 2017, it is set to cover more than 1,700 power companies and some three billion tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions. China's total emissions in 2018 topped 10 billion tonnes of CO2, well over a quarter of the world total. Driving up the price of carbon within the ETS and boosting the share of renewables in China's electricity grid will both depend on revamping the country's power sector, the study said. "The main challenge is completing power sector reform," said Sims. "There is political resistance from owners of existing coal plants, and from the provinces with major coal production and coal use." To assess China's chances of meeting its carbon-cutting promises, Sims and colleagues canvassed 18 experts, and modelled the implementation of 14 climate policies. China has come in for sharp criticism from watchdog groups for not setting more ambition carbon-cutting targets. The Carbon Action Tracker, which evaluates the CO2 reduction efforts in relation to capacity, has labelled Beijing's "highly insufficient." "Discouragingly, a rise in coal consumption drove Chinese CO2 emissions to a new high in 2017, which will likely be exceeded again in 2018," it noted. But the experts said that Beijing still has plenty of time to put its emissions curve on a downward track before 2030. "There is certainly room to be more ambitious in its peaking target," Sims added. China is also under pressure to bring down -- and account for -- emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane, a byproduct of both natural gas and livestock production. "But China cannot stop climate change alone," Sims said. "All of the major industrialised countries will need to reduce their emissions, and rapidly developing countries will need to implement alternative growth strategies with the help of wealthier countries." General Gaid Salah: key figure of power in Algeria Algiers, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 Army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, who has called for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure, has until now been a faithful supporter of the leader who made him one of Algeria's most powerful men. Born in 1940 in the Batna region, 300 kilometres (186 miles) southeast of Algiers, he was 17 when he joined the National Liberation Army which for three years battled French colonial rule. With Algeria's independence in 1962, he entered the ranks of the army before attending a Soviet military academy and scaling the ladder. Gaid Salah successively commanded several military regions, before being appointed chief of staff of land forces in 1994, two years into the decade-long civil war between the Algerian army and armed Islamists. In 2004, when he was about to be sent into retirement, Salah was tapped by Bouteflika to replace chief of staff Mohamed Lamari, who was from a faction that opposed to a second term for the president. Now indebted to the president, General Gaid Salah became a loyal supporter of Bouteflika who in turn gave him the means to modernise the armed forces. After returning from Paris in July 2013, where he spend 80 days in hospital following a stroke, Bouteflika gave him the added responsibility of deputy defence minister. It was seen at the time as a title handed to the general in exchange for his support of Bouteflika for a fourth presidential term in 2014, in spite of his poor health. General Gaid Salah also backed Bouteflika when he came under attack from the powerful DRS intelligence agency and its chief, General Mohamed Mediene, who was finally retired in 2015. In recent months, he had publicly supported Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term, until his proposal to end the crisis triggered by the unprecedented opposition that his candidacy raised. On Tuesday, he invoke Article 102 of the constitution under which a president can be removed if found unfit to govern as a way out of the crisis. "It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state," the general said in a televised speech. Article 102 puts the onus on the president either to resign or be declared unfit to govern by a vote of parliament due to a "serious and durable illness". Source: sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian Navy and the Chinese Navy will hold joint Naval Interaction-2019 exercises in late April-early May, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday in a statement. "The Russian Navy and the People's Liberation Army Navy will hold annual bilateral Naval Interaction exercises in late April-early May", the statement reads. During the drills, the Russian and Chinese sailors will practice joint maneuvering, organization of communication, missile and artillery firing at sea and air targets, as well as search and rescue support. The ministry noted that the delegation of the Chinese Navy had arrived in St. Petersburg to partake in a conference along with the delegation of the command of Russias Pacific Fleet. Representatives of the two countries started consultations to prepare for the drills on 25 March. The Chinese Defense Ministry said last December that mutual political trust and military cooperation between Russia and China have reached record levels, as evidenced by the numerous bilateral military exchanges and joint participation in major drills. The ministry also praised Russian-Chinese cooperation on maintaining regional stability, as well as on vital international issues. Russia and China maintain close cooperation in several areas including defense, energy and the economy, as well as a regular political dialogue at the UN Security Council and other international platforms. The Chinese Foreign Ministry defines Beijing's ties with Moscow as a "comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination". Modi declares India 'space superpower' as satellite downed by missile New Delhi, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 India said Wednesday it destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world's most advanced space powers. In a rare address to the nation just weeks out from a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A missile fired from a testing facility in Odisha, eastern India, downed the satellite at around 300 kilometres (185 miles) in "a difficult operation" that lasted around three minutes, Modi said. "This is a proud moment for India," the prime minister added, in his first televised national address since late 2016. "India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat." It comes a month after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in a dogfight over the disputed border in Kashmir -- a serious military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. An Indian jet was shot down and a pilot captured by Pakistan, which had launched retaliatory air raids after Indian planes bombed Pakistani territory for the first time in decades. Modi said the anti-satellite missile test was peaceful, and not designed to create "an atmosphere of war". "I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend... fast-growing India." But analysts said the test would not go unnoticed in China and Pakistan, India's chief rivals in the nuclear-armed region, and could be interpreted as a show of New Delhi's advancing military capabilities. "This is less about shooting down satellites and more about proving high-altitude 'hit-to-kill' proficiency, which is the core competency required to get good at a range of things -- including defence against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles," Ankit Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists, told AFP. "This is how the message is going to be perceived in Islamabad." A spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry said countries that had "strongly condemned" the demonstration of similar technologies in the past should work towards preventing the militarisation of space. "Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," the spokesman said. - Star wars - The United States and the former Soviet Union carried out their first successful anti-satellite missile tests in 1985, and China in 2007. All are now said to be working on so-called Star Wars laser weapons to destroy satellites. With satellites increasingly important because of their intelligence gathering role -- and major nations seeking to gain a foothold in space -- the United States in 2014 rejected a Russian-Chinese proposal for a treaty to ban weapons in space, saying it was "fundamentally flawed" because of the lack of weapons verification measures. India's foreign ministry said the country "has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space". "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes," the ministry said. "At the same time, the government is committed to ensuring the country's national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies." Modi said the test did not violate any international treaties and was for the betterment and safety of India's 1.3 billion people. But NASA warned that anti-satellite missile tests create potentially dangerous debris fields in Earth's orbit. "Some people like to test anti-satellite capabilities intentionally, and create orbital debris fields that we today are still dealing with," NASA chief Jim Bridenstine told Congress Wednesday. "And those same countries come to us for space situational awareness, because of the debris field that they themselves created." - Elections - The announcement comes ahead of a national election in which Modi -- whose Hindu nationalist party stormed to power in 2014 -- is seeking a second term in office. Voting starts April 11 and will last nearly six weeks, with close to 900 million Indians eligible to vote in the world's largest election. Under election laws in force, the government is forbidden from announcing new policies or other major developments that could benefit the ruling party. "The timing and the manner of the announcement, with elections around the corner, will certainly lead to speculation," Dhruva Jaishankar, Delhi-based fellow in foreign policy with Brookings India, told AFP. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated India's scientists on the feat but also wished Modi "a very happy World Theatre Day" -- referring to celebrations also marked around the globe on March 27. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the announcement, saying for "a deterrent of this kind there is no better than the prime minister to inform the world". India has made giant strides in its space journey in recent years. It launched a record 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017, and has also built a reputation for low-cost space exploration and science missions. burs-np/amz/wd Bolsonaro sparks anger with call to celebrate Brazil coup Rio de Janeiro, March 27 (AFP) Mar 27, 2019 Born soon after Brazil's 1964 coup, Sueli Alves is too young to recall the horrors of a military takeover that led to the murder and disappearance of hundreds. Her generation came of age in the dictatorship that followed, however, and she knows well the stories of chaos and carnage -- dismissing plans for a 55th anniversary celebration as a "disgrace." President Jair Bolsonaro, an unabashed admirer of Brazil's former dictators, caused a stir this week when he ordered "appropriate commemorations" marking the March 31 overthrow of President Joao Goulart. "I think he should be ashamed to ask this country, which suffered so much, to commemorate what happened," Alves, a 53-year-old office worker in Rio de Janeiro, told AFP. "Bolsonaro is a disgrace for this country. The people who voted for him should be full of regret." Bolsonaro's order to the military has been widely criticized, with the attorney general's office on Wednesday calling on personnel to "abstain" from paying tribute to a regime that committed "serious human rights violations." The far-right leader, whose approval rating plunged in March after a series of political scandals marred his first three months in office, has received little support outside his own ultraconservative Social Liberal Party (PSL) for his controversial idea. PSL congresswoman Joice Hasselmann tweeted that celebrating the anniversary was a way "to take back the true narrative" of history. "To me it's fantastic," fellow PSL federal lawmaker Heitor Freire told AFP. "Brazil should celebrate March 31, the date that Brazil was on the point of turning into a communist country. We could have been like Venezuela or North Korea." - Was it a coup? - Bolsonaro, a former paratrooper, is the first Brazilian president since democracy was restored in 1985 to publicly exalt the military dictatorship -- though he argues its rise to power was not a "coup." Since taking office, he has had fond words for military dictators in 1970s and 80s Latin America, such as Paraguayan Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989) and Chile's Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). Scholars, however, dismissed his and others attempts to legitimize the 1964 overthrow and the decades of military rule that followed. "This always falls in the camp of folklore, the ridiculous, because the scientific evidence is indisputable," said Carlos Fico, a history professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who was human rights minister during ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso's 1995-2002 administration, agrees. "There is no doubt that 1964 was a military coup with civilian help in the name of the fight against communism," said Pinheiro. - 'Silence' - At least 434 people were killed or disappeared in Brazil, far fewer than the 30,000 deaths in Argentina and more than 3,200 in Chile during their respective periods of right-wing military rule. But unlike its South American neighbors, Brazil has not prosecuted military officials for regime-era crimes under a 1979 amnesty law, ratified in 2010. This has contributed to Brazil's lack of a "traumatic memory" of that period -- and a distorted perception of what happened, Fico said. "There are actually people who think that in those times there was patriotism, that the military was honest" despite historical evidence to the contrary, he said. Opposition to the celebrations among ordinary citizens is growing, with calls on social media for street protests against the military dictatorship and to remember its victims. "It shouldn't be celebrated in any way," security guard Victor Firmo told AFP. Even younger members of Brazil's armed forces disapprove, according to Fico -- a view local media reports suggest is shared by several military figures in Bolsonaro's government. "I talk a lot with senior officials -- military who are not generals," said Fico. "They don't like the idea of this type of celebration. They feel uncomfortable with the empirical evidence, they prefer silence." The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday that a newspaper article quoting a senior Sri Lankan official seriously misrepresents her discussion of the recent UN Human Rights Office report1 on Sri Lanka with a Government delegation attending the Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 20. Mondays article in Sri Lankas Daily Mirror newspaper cited a member of the Government delegation, Northern Province Governor Dr. Suren Raghaven, claiming the High Commissioner admitted that certain facts incorporated in the UNHRC report against Sri Lanka could not be condoned whatsoever. It also said he claimed she had advised two of her senior officials who attended the meeting to be more responsible and cautious hereafter. Neither of these claims are true, Bachelet said. Either the newspaper misunderstood the Governor, or the Governor misunderstood or misquoted me. The High Commissioner said she stands fully behind the report and the oral statement2 she made when presenting it to the Human Rights Council, and that she believes it fairly and objectively reflects the situation in Sri Lanka. I am deeply disappointed by the spin that has been put on my discussion with the Sri Lankan Government delegation, she said, noting that other news outlets in Sri Lanka were also continuing to significantly misrepresent the Human Rights Council process in Geneva. In line with normal practice, the UN Human Rights Office report which had been requested by the 47-member-state Human Rights Council was shared with the Sri Lankan Government in advance of its publication. The governments views were taken into account when finalizing the report, and a delegation of senior UN human rights officials discussed its contents with a wide range of Government officials during a visit to Sri Lanka in February. The High Commissioner said she and her Office remained committed to assisting the Government and people of Sri Lanka to implement the Human Rights Council's resolutions 30/1 (2015) and 34/1 (2017). And last week the Human Rights Council in another resolution (40/1) gave the Government two more years to deliver fully on the set of commitments it originally accepted four years ago. Bachelet said the Sri Lankan Government should now refocus its efforts on fulfilling its obligation to provide justice and accountability for the grave human rights violations and abuses that took place during the conflict that ended in 2009, and honour its commitments to establish the truth about what happened and to promote reconciliation. ENDS 1 Click here to view the report https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session40/Pages/ListReports.aspx 2 Click here to view the oral statement https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24371&LangID=E English26/03/2019 10 MIGRANTS IN SERIOUS CONDITION FOUND TREBINJE, March 26 /SRNA/ - Ten migrants have been found this morning at the Zupci border crossing with Montenegro, among whom there were five children and one pregnant woman, in a serious condition, Miso Pamucina, mine clearance coordinator at the Trebinje City Administration, told SRNA. Pamucina said that members of the Civil Protection Trebinje found the migrants in a forest, when placing landmines warning signs in the border zone. "We found them in a very serious condition. They have not taken any food and water for five days, while the most horrible scene was the exhausted children and pregnant women who we barely brought to the border crossing," said Pamucina. He pointed out that he learnt from the migrants that the members of the Croatian police had transported them to the territory of Republika Srpska, "leaving such small children". "This is unbelievable. It was just a matter of luck that we accidentally found them while placing warning signs. The question is what would have happened to them," said Pamucina, stating that the migrants are the Kurds from Iraq and Iran. The migrant, who introduced himself as Yusuf, said that they were heading for Italy, but the Croatian police prevented them from reaching it. "Those non-human left us without food," Yusuf added. The BiH Border Police took over the migrants, while the Red Cross provided them with a doctor and food. Given that they are exhausted, adequate medical help will be rendered to them. The number of migrants found in Herzegovina is increased due to warmer weather. /end/vos English26/03/2019 INZKOS TEN YEARS IN OFFICE TEN YEARS OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES BANJALUKA, March 26 /SRNA/ - Tuesday marks the tenth anniversary of Valentin Inzko coming into office as High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina; unfortunately, there is nothing he can be congratulated for, one can only wish him to leave the country as soon as possible, SNSD spokesman Radovan Kovacevic told Srna. "Inzkos ten years in office can be described as ten years of missed opportunities for BiH to become a normal society in any way, Kovacevic said. He recalled that during these ten years, there had been as many as five elections in BiH and that politicians had had to seek the peoples trust five times. "During that time, without answering to anyone, Inzko was receiving huge amounts of money for incurring only damage to BiH. It is the SNSDs stance it is high time the High Representative left BiH and the country got a chance to make its own decisions itself, emphasised Kovacevic. Ambassadors of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council formally appointed Inzko as High Representative in BiH on March 13, 2009 and he took office on March 26, 2009. Inzko is an Austrian diplomat who took over as the High Representative for BiH from the Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajcak. /end/ds English26/03/2019 SIJEKOVAC - PLACE OF TERRIBLE SUFFERING OF SERB CIVILIANS BEFORE BEGINNING OF WAR BROD, 26 MARCH /SRNA/ - Minister of Labour, War Veterans and Disabled Persons Protection of Republika Srpska, Dusko Milunovic, said Tuesday that Sijekovac is a place of terrible suffering of Serb civilians who were killed by regular units of the Croatian Army together with paramilitary Bosniak-Croat formations before the beginning of the war and combat operations in BiH. "Those saying an aggression was carried out against BiH should come to Sijekovac and find the fact when the aggression was carried out and against whom. I have a question to ask: Did the family Zecevic that was killed here, the families Milosevic, Trifunovic and others carried out aggression against BiH, or was it carried out by the regular units of the Croatian Army that killed children and elderly here, a total of 46 civilians," Milunovic told reporters in Sijekovac. He recalled that women, children and elderly people were killed in Sijekovac; the youngest victim was 17- year-old boy and the oldest was 77-year-old man. "This is one of the evidence that the Serb people had no choice but to take arms and defend themselves against savage attacks. The Serb people defended itself and created Republika Srpska, which is the only guarantee of the survival of Serbs," Milunovic said. He emphasized that there was no progress in the prosecution of the Sijekovac crime perpetrators. "The Serb victims clearly do not touch the Prosecutors Office, only two people have been sentenced to 10 years in prison, and that's all. We seek justice not only for these, but also for the Sarajevo Serbs," said Milunovic. Head of the Republika Srpska War Veterans Organisation, Milomir Savcic, stressed that it is necessary to remember the innocent victims of Sijekovac, but also to call on those responsible for this crime. "We find the BiH Prosecutors Office and the Court responsible as long as every war crime in the territory of BiH is not prosecuted. We have a situation that those who directly committed the crime are not held responsible; while on the other hand, those who did not know the crime was committed are held responsible. The truth must be established in order to never let it happen again to anyone," Savcic said. Head of the Republika Srpska Research Centre of War, War Crimes and Tracing Missing Persons, Milorad Kojic, recalled that Croatia banned access to its archives in 2015. "They then publicly stated that they refused to receive "mounted" indictments from BiH against Croatian citizens. The politics had and still has an impact on the work of the judiciary. Their wish is also to conceal the crimes and to amnesty criminals who committed horrific crimes since 1992 in Posavina and Sijekovac," Kojic said. He points out that he possesses countless material evidence, but that nobody cares. "Zemir Kovacevic was sentenced to ten years in prison and no one else has been convicted. Since 2013, the whole Posavina included, there have been 16 proceedings conducted against 29 persons, the biggest one being the case of Orasje, said Kojic. His Grace, Bishop Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla, stated that a huge tragedy had happened in Sijekovac and that during the prayer in the church they spoke about the martyrs of Sijekovac. "We mentioned not only the people who were killed but also martyrs, as those were absolutely innocent people who were taken out of their homes and killed. Women, children and the elderly were killed, said Bishop Fotije. He pointed out that according to understanding of the holy church, that was martyrdom. "They were killed just because they were Serbs and because they were Orthodox Christians, they were not guilty of anything. The perpetrators are known by their first and late names yet no one has answered, no one has been brought to justice on Earth, said Bishop Fotije, who conducted a holy liturgy and commemoration at the Church of Margaret the Virgin-Martyr in Sijekovac outside Brod on Tuesday. Mayor of Brod Ilija Jovicic says a major crime was committed in Sijekovac. "I dont know how I could describe a situation where you drag people out of their home and kill them. Thats why we, the people from Brod and wider community of people who have been gathering for 27 years, will continue to do so, seeking justice and prosecution of those who committed these crimes, said Jovicic. Regular Croatian forces together with paramilitary Muslim-Croat units from the so-called Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina committed horrific crimes against Serbs in Sijekovac in 1992, brutally killing 46 civilians, mainly women, children, and old people. In the first war crime committed in BiH, nine Serbs were killed within an hour, including mostly members of the Milosevic and Zecevic families. The youngest victim was a 17-year-old Drago Milosevic, while the eldest was a 77-year-old Vaso Zecevic. Fifteen houses and the Church of Margaret the Virgin-Martyr were set on fire in Sijekovac at the time. These killings were a forewarning to all Serbs in BiH of the fate they would face if they were not ready to defend their homes. The commemoration is organised by the Government of Republika Srpska Committee in charge of maintaining the tradition of liberation wars. /end/vos Pictured is the Chinese Haixun01 maritime patrol vessel, which has a displacement of 5,418 tons. Photo: IC Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration signed a contract for China's first 10,000 ton-class maritime patrol vessel on Tuesday, which experts said could sail the high seas and provide assistance to Chinese and foreign ships in need. Under the contract, the ship will be constructed by Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company under China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, according to a statement the company released on Tuesday. Designed by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation's No.701 Research Institute, the ship will be 165 meters long and 20.6 meters wide and have a displacement of 10,700 tons, according to the statement. The ship will become China's first 10,000-ton class maritime patrol vessel and act as the country's flagship for high seas patrol and rescue operations, serving China's strategy of becoming a major ocean power, the statement said. South China's Guangdong Province is an important starting point and a coastal hub of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The large maritime patrol vessel could play a significant role as Guangdong will face more and more maritime tasks as the BRI develops, Li said. Missions for the ship will include comprehensive law enforcement, emergency search and rescue, ensuring navigation safety of other vessels, taking part in international maritime exchanges and cooperation and conducting maritime-related trainings, the statement said. As a large ship it can carry more sailors, personnel and equipment and sail in rough seas, Li said, noting that it can also carry out longer missions and sail further distances than smaller patrol vessels. The ship could have a crew of 100, accommodate 200 people rescued and host multiple types of helicopters, files show. Li said the ship will not only rescue Chinese ships in peril, but also help foreign ones in need. The vessel should be delivered within two and a half years, according to a procurement notice released by Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration in April 2018. China is experienced with ships of a similar caliber, as the China Coast Guard already has two 10,000-ton class cutters, Li said. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is describing as "tragic" and "abhorrent" China's mass detention of Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups in internment camps in the western region of Xinjiang. "We've been very vocal about that publicly, and had long conversations with them privately, as well," Pompeo said in response to a question Tuesday from VOA. "The numbers are in the, certainly, hundreds of thousands. This is, I think we use the word, or words, historic human rights abuse, and we're working to convince the Chinese that this practice is abhorrent and ought to be stopped." Human rights groups have accused China of putting a million Uighurs in detention camps. TWO Warwickshire men have been charged in connection with an alleged kidnap in Warwick. Leon Haq, aged 24, of St Gregory's Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, will appear at Warwick Magistrates' Court Wednesday 27th March charged with kidnap, robbery, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Islam Haq, 25, of St. Helen's Road, Leamington, appeared at the same court charged with kidnap and robbery. It follows a report that a 30-year-old man was attacked and kidnapped following a collision in Shakespeare Avenue on Monday. Tuesday marked the ninth anniversary of the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan by a North Korean torpedo that claimed the lives of 46 sailors. The Defense Ministry held a commemorative event at the Second Naval Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. "A stable life in my opinion is living like my parents, but if you have to survive on your earnings alone, then I think moving up the ladder is impossible," she said. One 24-year-old woman who now works in a major conglomerate, still the great desideratum among young Korean people, can afford to put all of her salary, which is nearly W3 million, into regular savings account because her doctor father and pharmacist mother still give her a W700,000 allowance (US$1=W1,135). Still, many people said parental support matters more now that it takes longer to land a job after graduation, and everything depends whether parents are willing to support their children financially through the years of looking for the perfect job, and even beyond. Now a whole generation have more impressive resumes than any previous generation, but the reality they face is grimmer than ever with a deteriorating job market. Parents who went through the financial crisis in 1997 raised their children determined to give them the best possible start in life, and the luxuries of yesteryear, like English-speaking kindergartens or study abroad, became commonplace among the middle classes. The Chosun Ilbo asked 60 university students or jobseekers over last two months, and the message was clear: "Hard work alone doesn't guarantee success any more." Koreans in their 20s are increasingly finding their viciously competitive years of education hardly worth the insanely long hours they put into it in the face of the desperate reality that awaits them at the end. Some resent these privileges. A 26-year-old woman who works in a community welfare center had to give up further study to become a licensed social worker. She could no longer depend on her father, who is a driver, and mother who works in a supermarket. "If only my parents could have supported further study," she said. "I don't want to blame my parents because I know how hard they worked. I'm just sorry that I couldn't meet their expectations." One 26-year-old jobseeker grew up with a father who worked for 30 years in a public company in a provincial town. She graduated from a respectable university in Seoul, and is currently preparing to take an exam to get a media job in Seoul with a monthly allowance from her parents. "I thought my father was an ordinary man, but now I realize how hard it is to live even an ordinary life. I wonder if Ill be so lucky." A 25-year-old student who wants to find a job in a public company, said, "I'm skeptical that I can earn as much as my father. I'm worried whether I'll even be able to get a job." Some parents view their children's generation with sympathy, but others criticize them for being spoiled or lack of ambition and do not understand why they complain when they grew up with so much more than the previous generation. The phenomenon of downwardly mobile millennials is global. The Pew Research Center in the U.S. defines millennials as people born between 1981 and 1996. They have a strong desire to express themselves, are fluent in social media, and have more university degrees than any other generation. Yet they have ever less to express and are likely to become the first generation who learned more but earn less than their parents. The U.K.'s Resolution Foundation in 2016 claimed that the millennials will earn 8,000 pounds less than the previous generation in their 20s. Torsten Bell at the foundation said at the time, "We've taken it for granted that each generation will do much better than the last -- earning more and enjoying a higher standard of living. But that approach risks looking complacent given the realities of recent years and prospects for the future." Some experts said that the malaise all started with the global financial crisis in 2008 as it has since dragged down the economy and cost many quality jobs, but in fact it started much earlier and has deep structural reasons. The Japanese Education Ministry on Tuesday approved 10 elementary social studies textbooks that assert the island country's flimsy colonial-era claim to Korea's Dokdo Islets. "Dokdo is inherent Japanese territory, which is illegally occupied by Korea," one claims in blunt contradiction of the facts. In reality Dokdo was Korean until the country was annexed by Japan in 1910 but is so small and remote that it was "forgotten" by the Americans after liberation and Korea had to take control of it under its own steam shortly after World War II. Japan only fairly recently rediscovered its territorial ambitions because the islets are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potential undersea resources. But the conservative administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017 told textbook publishers to describe Dokdo and other territories it has disputes over as "Japan's inherent territories." Ten of the 12 social studies textbooks for third through sixth graders assert the claim to Dokdo, six of them using the phrase "inherent territory," up from two. South Korean and U.S. officials will sit down for talks in Washington on Thursday about renewing Seoul's exemption from U.S. sanctions against Iran. But Washington has already told Seoul that an extension is unlikely. Seoul, which does a lot of business with Iran, won a 180-day exemption in November of last year from the U.S.-led sanctions. But if the waiver is not extended by May 3, South Korea could face problems importing Iranian condensates, which account for around 50 percent of the substance it imports to refine oil. Deputy Foreign Minister Yun Kang-hyeon left for Washington on Tuesday to meet with Francis Fannon, an assistant secretary of state. "Even until last year, the U.S. said it would automatically extend our exemption from the sanctions, but there has been a change in position recently," a government source said. "This is frankly a bit of an emergency, but we still have about a month left and will try hard to achieve the best results." In February, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, told Japan's NHK, "What we have announced is the policy to get to zero imports of Iranian crude as quickly as possible. We are not looking to grant any future waivers or exceptions to our sanctions regime, whether it is oil or anything else." White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has stressed that sanctions are the best way to get "rogue regimes" such as Iran and North Korea to sit down for negotiations. A diplomatic source said, "The U.S. government views Iran as a military comrade of North Korea with which it share nuclear weapons and missile technologies and has tracked Iranian crude oil being shipped to the North via China. Sanctions against Iran also signify increased pressure on North Korea." Nissan has told affiliate Renault Samsung it will only order the production of 60,000 cars this year, down 40 percent compared to 2018, the Korean carmaker said Tuesday. Nissan has been Renault Samsung's main client, accounting for half of its production volume. "Considering the unstable output at our factory in Busan," where workers have staged a strike, "and other uncertainties, we were informed by Nissan that it had no choice to adjust production volume," Renault Samsung said in a statement. Its contract with Nissan ends in September of this year, but it had expected orders to match last year's volume until then. Comoros President Azali re-elected in a landslide Moroni, Comoros, March 26 (AFP) Mar 26, 2019 Comoros President Azali Assoumani was re-elected Tuesday by a landslide, according to results published by the electoral commission, in a divisive poll that has sparked tensions and opposition accusations of fraud in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Azali, who first took office in 2016, was credited with 60.77 percent of the vote following Sunday's election, far ahead of his closest rival Mahamoudou Ahamada, who garnered only 14.62 percent, results showed. The 66-year-old president had been tipped to return to power in the island nation of 800,000 people, which is one of the world's poorest and most unstable states. Counting was marred by tensions, with authorities violently breaking up an opposition protest on Monday. Twelve people were injured as police fired teargas and rubber bullets at opposition candidates and supporters as they marched through the capital Moroni protesting alleged irregularities. The opposition allege that irregularities at several polling stations reported by the electoral commission on Sunday amounted to a "coup d'etat" and called for public "resistance". Ahamada, of the main opposition Juwa party, rejected the results saying "we are facing a military coup d'etat through a presidential election". "We call on the international community not to recognise the re-election of Azali." Some 300,000 voters were eligible to vote in the Indian Ocean archipelago, which has a two-round system for electing the president. Azali's campaign director Houmed Msaidie described opposition claims of election fraud as "pathetic", accusing them of creating "a climate of panic to invalidate the electoral process". "If there was fraud, they should go to the appropriate authorities," he told AFP. "We are happy to have won in the first round," Msaidie added. "Now we will do everything we can to stabilise the situation and revive economic development, which is the people's main concern." - Soldiers deployed - The Supreme Court barred some of Azali's major rivals, including former president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, accused of corruption, from running. Heavily-armed soldiers were deployed to several key locations in the capital Tuesday with orders to prevent unrest. After Monday's protests were quashed Interior Minister Mohamed "Kiki" Daoudou alleged that Ahamada and his allies "want to create disorder in Moroni". "We will do everything necessary to guarantee the peace and stability of the country," he told AFP. An electoral commission official told AFP on Sunday that a dozen booths had been vandalised during polling. Those incidents were seized upon by the opposition who alleged election irregularities. At a media briefing on Tuesday before results were announced, Ahamada said his party "utterly" rejected the vote. "The most sensible solution would be to organise elections worthy of a civilised country as soon as possible," he said. - Observer concerns - The country rotates its presidency between its islands of Anjouan, Grande-Comore and Moheli. In Anjouan island, which is mostly hostile to Grande Comore native Azali, the opposition reported an array of irregularities. Witnesses said several stuffed ballot boxes were found on the island. Some opposition poll monitors were also prevented from carrying out their duties, they added. Official observers were also critical of the poll. "(We) condemn the incidents witnessed which meant voters were unable to exercise their civic right in conditions of calm," said a joint statement issued by observers from the African Union, the Comesa east and southern African bloc, and the Eastern Africa Standby Force. There have been more than 20 attempted or successful power grabs in the mainly Muslim nation since independence from France in 1975. Azali staged the poll after Comorans voted in a referendum, boycotted by the opposition, to support the extension of the rotating presidential mandates from one five-year term to two. The change upset a fragile balance of power established in 2001 that sought to end separatist crises on Anjouan and Moheli, and halt the cycle of coups. Gary Miller/FilmMagicLate last year, the surviving members of Static-X's original lineup -- bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuda and drummer Ken Jay -- announced that they were reuniting to release a new album featuring late frontman Wayne Static's final compositions and vocal recordings. The album, titled Project Regeneration, was going to feature mostly guest vocalists, but now that's changed...for a very good reason. According to a statement on the Static-X Facebook page, the band recently "unexpectedly uncovered" a new trove of unreleased Wayne recordings. "Because of this, the album will have fewer guest vocalists and more complete songs featuring lead vocals by Wayne Static," the band writes, adding that the Wayne's lead vocals will now appear on over half of the songs on the album. Project Regeneration is due out this year. Meanwhile, the Static-X trio will embark on a North American tour starting June 18 in Tempe, Arizona, both in remembrance of Wayne, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1999 debut album Wisconsin Death Trip. They've since added a winter leg to the tour, which kicks off December 10 in Salt Lake City, Utah. It hasn't been announced yet who will be handling lead vocals on the tour, but Static-X has shared a video showing their live set-up, featuring the undisclosed singer wearing a mask resembling Wayne and his signature vertical hairstyle. In response to some fans criticizing the idea of the Wayne mask, Static-X replied, "Actually it is the highest form of respect that we can pay to our bro by emulating him...rather than attempting to replace him." Here are Static-X's new tour dates: 12/10 -- Salt Lake City, UT, The Royal Bar 12/11 -- Boise, ID, Knitting Factory 12/12 -- Spokane, WA, Knitting Factory 12/13 -- Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater 12/14 -- Seattle, WA, El Corazon 12/15 -- Vancouver, BC, Rickshaw Theater Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The leader of the group has been identified as Adrian Hong Chang -- a Mexican citizen who is a U.S. resident. Others in the group include American and South Korean citizens. The suspects call themselves Cheollima Civil Defense and describe the group as a human rights movement working to liberate North Korea. A Spanish judge believes all 10 fled to the U.S. after the Feb. 22 raid. He calls them members of a criminal organization and accuses them of trespassing, burglary, assault, and threats. Spain is seeking extradition from the United States as many as 10 people who burst into the North Korean embassy in Madrid last month and tried to pass stolen information to the FBI. According to the Spanish court complaint, the 10 barged into the North Korean embassy in Madrid on Feb. 22, wearing full head masks and armed with knives and fake handguns. They allegedly tied up and gagged the staff while they took a North Korean diplomat into the embassy basement and tried to talk him into defecting. When the embassy official refused to go with them, they allegedly bound and gagged him too. Spanish police say an embassy employee managed to jump out of a window and alert officers. Hong Chang posed as a diplomat and assured police everything was fine. The group allegedly escaped with computers and hard drives in a stolen embassy car. Hong Chang is suspected of attempting to pass the material to the FBI when he arrived in the U.S. It is not known if the FBI took the stolen information. The FBI issued a statement saying "it is standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation." There have been no comments from the Spanish or South Korean government. But a State Department spokesman said Tuesday the United States government had nothing to do with the raid. Guizhou takes the green road to growth From:ChinaDaily | 2019-03-27 10:23 Province banks on big data tech to advance high-quality development Guizhou province in Southwest China is banking on transforming the local agricultural industry, providing roads to every village, and further integrating the big data sector with the real economy to advance its high-quality development, according to provincial officials. The province has been ranked among the top three regions in China in terms of economic growth. It reported a growth of 9.1 percent for last year. Chen Shaobo, director of the Guizhou Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said the province is looking to sustain the high-quality development model by using technology such as big data, poverty alleviation measures, optimizing the economic structure and embracing green industries. Guizhou is the country's first pilot province experimenting with big data technology and it is setting up the country's first national big data lab and innovation center as well as the integration appraisal system for big data and real economy. Supporting the local big data entrepreneurs and ensuring wider participation from the public are key to the continued development of the big data industry in the province, said Chen. "Only by planting the big data gene into our entire social operations - businesses, civil affairs and political agenda, can the big data industry last longer and grow more steadily," said Chen. In 2017, US tech giant Apple Inc established its data center in Guizhou, followed by other technology giants like Alibaba, Foxconn, Baidu and Huawei. Guizhou, a mountainous region, has much cooler weather and stable geographic conditions than many other places in the country and as such provides natural strengths to telecommunication companies and big data firms, he said. How to further enhance the integration of the big data technology and the local industries and businesses is the priority for the provincial government, he added. The province has more than 9,500 enterprises that have applied big data technology, and about 10,000 companies are using cloud technology, becoming a major new economic engine for the province. For example, Guizhou Fa'er Coal Mine Co, a coal-mining operator since 2003, has reconstructed its manufacturing facilities through big data updates, with production capacities growing by more than 1,100 metric tons and efficiency up by 47 percent. Chen said friendlier policies to develop the big data and technology sector have attracted an increasing number of talents to Guizhou and they are the real driving force for growth. Meanwhile, "to develop a strong and modernized economy in Guizhou requires a deep reform in industries and in technology," he said. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... Crown Prince Olav and Princess Martha ride in a carriage procession, March 1929 (Wikimedia Commons) Ninety years ago this month, Crown Prince Olav of Norway married Princess Martha of Sweden in Oslo. The marriage marked the first royal wedding in Norway in more than 300 years, but before the wedding could take place, the residents of Stockholm gave their royal daughter a major going-away present. Olav arrived in Sweden to collect his bride in the middle of March 1929. Press all over the world took notice of his arrival. The Windsor Star, a Canadian newspaper, wrote on March 13 that Stockholm was delighted at the match and took advantage of the princes arrival to express general enthusiasm. Crown Prince Olav and Princess Martha with their parents, Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg of Sweden and King Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway, March 1929 (Wikimedia Commons) A week of celebrations was planned to honor the upcoming wedding, including a grand ball hosted by Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Marthas cousin. The Star noted that a varied and colorful series of social engagements were on the docket. A ball hosted by the kings own regiment was held for the couple, as well as a dinner hosted by two more of Marthas cousins, Count Carl Bernadotte and Count Folke Bernadotte. The Saturday before the couples departure was reserved, according to the Star, as a day for the people. The paper noted that the city of Stockholm [honored] the royal couple with a reception at the city hall, where a special gift was presented to Martha on behalf of the people of Stockholm. A portrait of Martha and Olav taken during their wedding celebrations, March 1929 (Wikimedia Commons) The gift was a very special one indeed: the Vasa Tiara. The Star describes the tiara as an elaborate diadem set with 956 brilliants weighing 49 1/2 carats, a group of white solitaires in a blue-white motive crown and four-carat solitaire brilliants. They also noted that the diadems decorations are based on an emblem of the old Wahsa that is, Vasa dynasty. Martha wore the new tiara in portraits taken at the time of the wedding. After Saturdays tiara presentation, Martha and Olav spent one more day privately with her family in Sweden. Just before they left for Oslo, they attended a gala dinner thrown by Marthas uncle, King Gustav V of Sweden. Afterward, the royals packed up and headed for Norway, where Martha became the wife of the heir to the throne and the mother of the nations present king. Oslo welcomes its new crown princess, March 1929 (Wikimedia Commons) . , . . , , , , The Star. ... By Victor Ing, Special to The Post One of the most important aspects of my work as an immigration lawyer is to help clients plan an efficient pathway to achieve their immigration goals. While most clients have a good understanding of which immigration programs they might be eligible to apply under, many clients do not have a good understanding of how their past criminal history can affect their eligibility to immigrate to Canada. Unfortunately, due to common misconceptions, clients often do not disclose enough information about their past criminal history and this can cause unnecessary delays or even unexpected refusals in their cases. Having a past criminal history can be problematic for a client who wants to immigrate to or visit Canada as a tourist. Immigration applicants, whether from countries requiring a visa or even visa-exempt countries like Australia and the United Kingdom, are required to answer the following broadly worded question when applying for an immigrant visa or just to visit when applying for an electronic travel authorization (eTA): Have you ever committed, been arrested for or been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country or territory? As straightforward as the question may appear there are some very common reasons that lead clients to believe that it is not important to disclose a prior arrest, criminal charge or criminal conviction, including: I have a criminal conviction but it occurred many years ago. I was charged with a crime but those charges were withdrawn. I was charged with a crime but was not convicted. I was convicted of a crime but it has been expunged from my criminal record. In each of these cases, a client is still required to answer yes and disclose their criminal history and the outcome. Notably, it is a common misconception that criminal matters are not important if a conviction is never registered. This is incorrect a client may be found criminally inadmissible to Canada if they have committed a crime outside Canada that is also a crime in Canada, regardless of whether charges were laid and later withdrawn or even if a conviction was never registered. Importantly, disclosing a criminal past does not necessarily mean that a client will be found inadmissible to Canada, but answering no puts him or her at significant risk of refusal because it is always a requirement to be truthful in immigration applications. Moreover, if an immigration officer finds that the client has lied or withheld relevant information about his or her criminality, then a misrepresentation finding could be made, which would bar the client from applying again to enter Canada for five years. Given the serious potential consequences for non-disclosure, it is best to disclose any prior criminal history and to provide the supporting documentation relating to it such as court records and police reports. Although you may be reluctant to disclose a prior criminal history, you should be aware that there are many reasons why you may still be found admissible to Canada, including: -You may have been charged with or convicted of a crime that is not a crime in Canada. -You may have been convicted but because you completed your sentence at least five years ago you can apply for criminal rehabilitation to permanently overcome the conviction or be considered deemed rehabilitated if you completed your sentence at least 10 years ago. - You may have had your criminal conviction expunged or pardoned and Canada will recognize the expungement or pardon and not hold the conviction against you. -You may have been charged with a crime, but the available evidence is not sufficient to find that a crime was committed in the foreign country or in Canada. In summary, when it comes to a prior criminal history, it is preferable to disclose more information rather than less. If you find yourself answering yes to the question of whether you have committed, been arrested for or have been charged or convicted with a criminal offence, then you may benefit from obtaining advice on whether your past criminal record will negatively affect your ability to come to Canada to visit, study or work, or obtain permanent residence. As stated above, there are many reasons a person can be found admissible to Canada despite a prior criminal history, but determining your admissibility will require a detailed review of the relevant criminal offence(s) and an assessment of how it will likely be treated by Canadian immigration authorities. Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services. For more information go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email [email protected]. accused of blocking Such a privilege to welcome Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duchess of Cambridge to Kings for the official opening of Bush House! @RoyalFamily @KensingtonRoyal #LifeAtKings pic.twitter.com/AQLMbTjLp6 King's College London (@KingsCollegeLon) 19 March 2019 Absolutely disgusted that KCL politically profiled students and blocked their ID cards, preventing them from entering the university purely because the Queen is visiting. @kclsu what are you doing to protect students? KCL Action Palestine (@KCLAP) March 19, 2019 Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page : 1 - Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 5C. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 2C. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. MBABANE - Murder suspect Lucky Obama Matsenjwa has punched holes in the report that was compiled by a South African communication analyst, who examined the cellphones that were seized from him and Ngcebo Vermaak, among other people. The gadgets were examined by Lieutenant Colonel Letuba Jack Ramonana, who is stationed at the Cyber-Crime and Deep Web Investigation, Detective Head Office. He has recently been promoted to the Head Office of the Hawks. Ramonana stated that there was a call that was allegedly made by Vermaak to a number that was used by Matsenjwa, 7602 5381 at 11:15pm on May 12, 2017. Through his attorney, Advocate Lucas Maziya, who has been instructed by Sipho Gumedze and Noncedo Ndlangamandla, Matsenjwa labelled Ramonanas report as a fabrication. Matsenjwa said at 11:15pm, his cellphone was no longer in his possession but in the possession of one Musa Dlamini. Ramonana confirmed that he had said there was a phone call that was made by Vermaak to 7602 5381 at 11:15pm. During cross-examination, Advocate Maziya put it to Ramonana that Matsenjwa had informed him that at the time mentioned by the communication analyst, the accused was not in possession of the phone. Activity He submitted that the last activity on his phone was at 8:40pm as per a printout by Eswatini MTN. In response, Ramonana said the data showed that there was an incoming call to the cellphone not that a particular number called another number. Advocate Maziya said whether there was a call that came in, it meant nothing because by that time, Matsenjwa was not in possession of the cellphone. Even Vermaak never said he called that number (7602 5381) at the time of the night, said the advocate. Ramonanas response was that MTN could clarify that because the service provider would be able to show which SIM card was used when the call was made and not the data on the phone. Maziya wondered why MTN could not detect the said call he was referring to and Ramonana said MTN was better-placed to respond to that. Advocate Maziya went on to say Eswatini MTN did not show if there was communication at the time mentioned by Ramonana. Enquired The advocate enquired from Ramonana which was better to go with between the printout from MTN and what is contained in his report. Why is your report different from what the service provider printed? I am expecting to find the same communication from MTN as in your report. You have manufactured what is in your report, he said. MBABANE - The head teacher of Mqolo Primary School had a short conversation with his deputy last Friday; little did he know that he would never talk to her again. The Deputy Head teacher, Mantfombi Girl Dlamini, was found dead in her house at the teachers quarters where she lived alone yesterday morning. This was exactly four days after he had the conversation with the Head teacher, Archie Thwala, whom she worked closely with. The discovery was made after the school administration tried in vain to locate Dlamini, who did not report to work on Monday. Thwala said he was curious when Dlamini was not seen at school on Monday because she was committed to her work. As a result, Thwala said he called her two cellphone numbers. Rang unanswered However, he said one of the cellphones rang unanswered while the other was not available on the network. I tried to ask other teachers but nobody knew Mantfombis whereabouts, stating that they last saw her within the premises last Friday. I was hoping that she would come later as she was not used to missing work without reporting, said Thwala. Later on the day, Thwala said he decided to go to Dlaminis parental homestead at Mvutshini only to find that the family was not aware about her whereabouts. He said the family called their relative but she was nowhere to be found. He said after the meeting with Mantfombis family, they decided to report her missing to the police on Monday evening. The head teacher stated that he informed the police that he last saw Mantfombi at around 5:30pm last Friday. According to Thwala, Mantfombi had taken a day off work as she had to do a medical check-up at hospital. Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel\s annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel\s withdrawal from the Golan. In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council\s resolution by a permanent member-state." The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. \Crucial turning point\ The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, a key Syrian ally, called for resistance against the US decision. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land and for Palestinians to achieve their "legitimate rights" was "resistance, resistance, and resistance." He described Trump\s move as "a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict." Trump\s decision "deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace", he said in a televised address. He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syria\s membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis. Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump\s decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washington\s closest allies Britain and France joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israel\s security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. China and Russia spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a US ally in the region. SOURCE: AFP Saudi Aramco has signed a land lease agreement with McDermott Arabia Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of McDermott International, to grant McDermott a lease to establish a fabrication facility located within the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries in Ras Al-Khair, Saudi Arabia. This is pursuant to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Saudi Aramco and McDermott earlier. The new facility will be used for large scale fabrication of offshore platforms and onshore/offshore modules. To further enhance project execution capabilities in Saudi Arabia, McDermott will also expand its in-country engineering and procurement offices, as well as establish a new marine base in the Eastern Province to support installation of offshore platforms, subsea pipelines and cables, skids, and associated structures and assemblies. This facility will serve as a major engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) hub for not only the kingdom, but for the GCC region, said Ahmad Al Sa'adi, Saudi Aramco senior vice president of technical services. Having this facility with International Maritime Industries (IMI) in the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries offers an integrated portfolio of maritime products and services, said Mohammad Al Assaf, Saudi Aramco vice president of new business development. The localisation of these capabilities will contribute to diversifying the economy, create almost 7000 jobs, and achieve a target of 60% Saudization by 2030, Al Assaf added. The new facility in Ras Al Khair will be located near the Jubail Industrial City on the kingdoms east coast. It will cover an area of approximately 1,150,000 sq m and will utilise cutting edge technologies to ensure world class standards in safety, quality and efficiency. Expanding our fabrication capacity in Saudi Arabia demonstrates McDermotts commitment to the kingdoms Vision 2030 objectives, said David Dickson, McDermotts president and CEO. We will establish a world-class fabrication facility that enables us to better serve the needs of Saudi Aramco and other customers in Saudi Arabia and across the region, added Linh Austin, McDermott senior vice president, Middle East and North Africa. At peak production, the facility will have a throughput capacity in excess of 60,000 metric tons per year. It will localise expertise in multiple disciplines related to the industry and is expected to create a significant number of direct and indirect job opportunities in the Kingdom. Apprenticeship and training programmes will also be provided to ensure that a sufficient number of qualified nationals of the Kingdom are available for hire to meet the in-kingdom content requirements. The facility is expected to be operational by 2022. - TradeArabia News Service Gradiant Corporation, an award-winning innovative water treatment solutions provider, said it has partnered with leading Saudi water supplier Sawaco in a bid to increase the efficiency of its seawater desalination plants. By extracting fresh water from its brine reject stream, Gradiants Counter-Flow Reverse Osmosis (CFRO) technology can double the fresh water output of Sawacos existing reverse osmosis (RO) desalination operations with no additional seawater intake or pretreatment works, said the US-based company in its statement. Over 54 per cent of Saudi Arabias water is currently derived from desalination plants making it the largest producer of desalination water in the world. Sawaco, the kingdoms largest supplier of un-bottled potable water, owns and operates desalination plants which produce over 30,000 cu m per day (cu m/d). The water produced by Sawaco is essential for domestic consumption, landscaping, irrigation, agriculture and in industries such as oil and gas, petrochemical, and hospitality within Saudi Arabia. Due to Saudi Arabias arid climate, lack of natural lakes and rivers, and water consumption being one of the highest per capita in the world, nearly double that of Europe, water scarcity is a serious threat to the security and stability of the kingdom, said the Boston-headquartered Gradiant Corporation. Sawaco, witnessing this challenge, sought to increase water production to meet growing demand, but was unable to do so without significantly increasing the environmental impact and capital expenditure. Despite the abundance of pretreated brine reject from the RO process, no viable technology that used brine as a resource for fresh water production existed until the introduction of Gradiants CFRO, it stated. Gradiants CFRO process is an innovative method designed to address the inherent challenges that limit the water recovery rate of conventional seawater RO, said the statement from Gradiant Corporation. By manipulating the osmotic pressure gradient across the membrane using a saline (sweep) solution, the CFRO process can further concentrate the brine reject from a conventional RO plant from eight per cent up to the saturation level of salt at 25 per cent. While concentrating the saline solution, the counter-flow arrangement in the CFRO process simultaneously dilutes the solution, producing highly purified drinking water. It does so at a cost that is comparable to conventional seawater RO. Sawaco CEO Nizar Kammourie said: "Sustainability is essential for the benefit of the environment and for the long-term profitability of our business. Gradiants technology will improve the economics, energy efficiency, and environmental footprint of our operations." Gradiants CEO and co-founder, Anurag Bajpayee, acknowledges the opportunity this presents for both companies. "We are excited to work with one of the leading desalination companies in the industry, helping them achieve their goal of doubling their fresh water production capacity. Gradiants CFRO technology will make this possible without the expense of new intake, outfall or pretreatment infrastructure," he added. Gradiant Corporation and its subsidiaries deliver tailored solutions for industrial water users with the most complex water treatment challenges. Gradiant, which has its R&D (ressearch and development) headquarters in Singapore, recently launched its Chinese and Indian subsidiary based in Shanghai and Chennai respectively.-TradeArabia News Service Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), soon to be the largest aluminium smelter in the world, announced that it has successfully started 106 pots in Line 6 on March 26. Line 6 comprises 424 pots and that leaves 318 pots to start-up in the coming months, the company said. Speaking on this occasion, Alba board chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa said: We are pleased to have safely started 106 pots which equates to 25 per cent of Line 6 capacity. Our next milestone is to reach 50 per cent by the end of April and we expect full completion of Line 6 in early Q3 2019. I would like to thank all of our employees and contractors for taking Extreme Ownership on Safety during the Line 6 start-up, he said. Alba had announced in February 2019 the successful testing and operation of 40 pots at Line 6 smelter. The Line 6 Expansion Project will make Alba the worlds largest aluminium smelter. With the first hot metal from Potline 6 achieved on December 13, 2018, Alba is now amongst the one-million-tonne smelters in the world. Upon completion in 2019, the Line 6 Expansion Project will boost Albas per-annum production by 540,000 tonnes, bringing Albas total production capacity to 1.5 million tonnes per year. Albas Line 6 Expansion Project is one of the biggest brownfield developments in the Middle East Region. With a Capex of approximately $3 billion, the Line 6 Expansion Project involves the construction of a sixth potline using EGAs proprietary DX+ Ultra Technology, a 1,792 MW power station (Power Station 5) utilising the worlds first H-class General Electric (GE) 9HA gas turbine (GT) and other industrial services. Bechtel is the EPCM contractor for the smelter project and for Power Station 5 (PS 5), GE and Gama Consortium was awarded the EPC contract, while Siemens is the Power Distribution System contractor. TradeArabia News Service ABCJordan Peele is happy to give America a new narrative. In a conversation series at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in East Hollywood attended by The Hollywood Reporter, Peele opened up about his filmmaking process, and why his stories aren't likely to include a white male protagonist. I dont see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie," Peele says. "Not that I dont like white dudes. But Ive seen that movie. " In his latest film, US, Peele tapped Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o and Black Panther's breakout star Winston Duke to portray the lead roles of a typical mom and dad. He says he realizes he's lucky to now have the power to insist on diverse casts in his movies. The way I look at it, I get to cast black people in my movies," Peele explains. "I feel fortunate to be in this position where I can say to Universal, I want to make a $20 million horror movie with a black family. And they say yes. In fact, Universal's investment in Peele's film is already paying off: In its opening weekend, it pulled in $70 million, the largest weekend ever for an original horror movie. Peele says now is the perfect time to change the narrative about what moviegoers want to see onscreen. "It really is one of the best, greatest pieces in this story, is feeling like we are in this time a renaissance has happened and proved the myths about representation in the industry are false, he noted. US is now in theaters. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC), Qatars leading logistics provider, has announced a campaign offering free warehouse evaluation as part of its consulting services which provides warehouse development and operations optimisation solutions to clients. GWC Consulting works to minimise logistics costs, increase visibility and offer better inventory control while maximising the productivity and efficiency of warehouse operations, said a company statement. Hamdan Abdulla Merchant, GWC director of business process improvement, said: We have spent the past 15 years setting a standard for local and international logistics, a standard we are now pleased to put at the disposal of our clients, offering the same experience and innovation that has made us the preferred logistics provider in the State of Qatar. Comprised of a team of industrial engineers, Six Sigma professionals and consulting experts, GWC Consulting brings the best practices in logistics to ensure that the clients warehouse is both efficient and cost-effective, it said. The solution assures a significant reduction of costs by collecting and analysing data from the client site, allowing for the drafting of a detailed Capex and Opex report. The team then suggests changes to the clients warehousing and distribution operations, offering conceptual and detailed designs that assure clients real-time visibility over their inventory, thereby assuring business growth through improved practices. GWC Consulting was developed through the experience gained by the company in offering consultations for clients in a variety of industries including oil and gas, aviation, retail, health care, and museums amongst others. For these clients, the company designed and implemented solutions that assure over 99 per cent on-time order fulfilment and streamlined flow of products through the usage of Lean processes and technology, which has resulted in practically perfect inventory accuracy. The company has also put plans in place that raise the level of warehousing operations by reducing the actual footprint required for storage through various advanced techniques and racking solutions. The team has also refined distribution management operations, allowing their clients to manage multiple deliveries through their dedicated assets. The company has received much recognition in the field: most recently, the company was named Best Customs Brokerage Company for 2018 by the General Authority of Customs; and in 2018, the company was awarded Digital Transformation Award by Microsoft for its outstanding achievements in leading the companys digital transformation, it said. The company achieved net profits of QR237.5 million ($65.23 million) in 2018, representing an increase of 10 per cent in comparison with QR215.4 million ($59.16 million) in net profits listed for 2017. Gross revenues meanwhile reached QR1.232 billion ($338.3 million) at the end of 2018 compared with QR981.3 million ($269.53 million) in 2017. The result was an increase in earnings per share (EPS) to QR4.04 ($1.11) at the end of 2018, in comparison with QR3.68 ($1.01) at the end of 2017, it stated. TradeArabia News Service China Power Hub Generation Company (CPHGC), Hubco, and GEs Steam Power business announced the completion of critical milestones at the CPHGC and Hub Power Plants located in district Lasbela, in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan. GE delivered the first steam turbine for the 1,320 MW CPHGC power plant and helped synchronise it to the grid three months ahead of schedule, just 27 months after the project received notice to proceed. Under an agreement signed in 2016, GE is supplying the core power generation equipment for the project, which comprises two units each of supercritical boilers, steam turbine and generator sets. The projects engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors are Northwest Electric Power Design Institute (NWEPDI) and Tianjin Electric Power Construction Company (TEPC). Zhao Yonggang, chief executive officer, CPHGC, said: CPHGC is the first overseas thermal power project developed by State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) under the Belt & Road Initiative. The 2X660MW coal-fired power project is a priority project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said. We look forward to continuing our meaningful partnership with GE that promises to be beneficial for the power sector of Pakistan, he added. The CPHGC Power Plant, under a joint venture of China Power International Holding Limited (CPIH) with Pakistans Hub Power Company (Hubco), is expected to be in full commercial operation by the mid of 2019 and is one of the infrastructure ventures supported under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a large development megaproject that aims to connect Gwadar Port in southern Pakistan to Xinjiang, Chinas northwestern autonomous region, through transportation and energy networks. The project will help Pakistan diversify its energy mix and reduce dependence on expensive imported fuels, allowing a significant reduction of the cost of electricity generation in Pakistan. The 1,292 MW Hub Power Plant is Pakistans first and largest independent power plant and has been the countrys most efficient steam power facility since 1997. Hubco has launched a project to enhance the efficiency and life-cycle of the facility through retrofit works that replace the old existing turbine rotor and inner cylinder assemblies with advanced GE steam turbine technology within the old existing turbine casing. Khalid Mansoor, CEO of Hubco, said: Pakistans energy demands will continue to grow, and this warranted targeted retrofits of the steam turbine units to increase their output and long-term reliability while also extending their maintenance intervals. I am proud to share that we have completed retrofit works on a steam turbine at the Hub Power Plant, significantly enhancing the units operational performance, he said. These achievements mark significant progress towards delivering on Hubco and GEs joint, long-term commitment to strengthen Pakistans power sector, he added. The retrofit of the first steam turbine is now complete, translating into an efficiency increase of more than 1.3 per cent, over 3.5 per cent fuel savings per kilowatt hour, greater mechanical reliability and lower emissions per megawatt hour of electricity generated. The unit has already started feeding more reliable and efficient power to the national grid. The project showcases GEs ability to successfully retrofit steam turbines developed by other original equipment manufacturers (oOEM) and the benefits that such services offer power plant owners and operators. Michael Keroulle, president and CEO of GE Steam Power business in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said: The modernisation and improved utilisation of existing power generation facilities offers a cost-effective route to enhance energy output and the reliability of electricity supplies across Pakistan. The successful delivery of both new equipment at the CPHGC and upgrade services at Hub Power Plants, respectively, illustrates GEs continuous commitment and ability to support customers with end-to-end solutions that enhance performance across the life-cycle of projects, he said. Sarim Sheikh, president and CEO of GE Pakistan and Afghanistan, said: With Pakistans energy needs continuing to grow, we will need a holistic mix of advanced equipment, maintenance services and modernisation works to better position the country to meet future energy challenges. From the worlds most efficient gas turbines and steam turbines, through modern renewable technologies up to first-of-their-kind retrofit works for installed thermal power plants and innovative digital industrial solutions, GE is proud to serve Pakistan with advanced, tailored solutions that address the specific requirements of the country, he added. GEs steam turbines equip up to 30 per cent of coal-fired steam power plants and 50 per cent of nuclear power plants around the world. In Pakistan, GE has supported the development of energy infrastructure for more than 50 years and today, GE-built technologies can generate the equivalent power needed to supply up to 30 percent of the countrys electricity, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Leaders from across industries and governments are set to attend the upcoming Mena Innovation Forum 2019, an event dedicated to creating lasting change in education and ICT, in Muscat, Oman. Leaders from across industries and governments are set to attend the upcoming Mena Innovation Forum 2019, an event dedicated to creating lasting change in education and ICT through innovation, interconnectivity and creativity, in Muscat, Oman. Dr Rawya Al-Busaidi, Omani Minister of Higher Education, has previously stated: We envision tremendous collaboration with the private sector to accomplish the ambitious goals laid out before us in the realisation of Omans 2040 Vision. We will enhance and bring about newfound investment and technology transfer initiatives that will directly correlate to the creation of more job opportunities and high-skills training for our budding youth population. We look forward to working with the team at ArabBrains; hosting and actively participating in this significant Mena Innovation Forum in Muscat. John Glassey, chief executive officer of ArabBrains, the organisers of Mena Innovation 2019, stated: We are privileged to have the full support of the Omani Government behind the organisation of our Forum, one that will also include ministerial participation from the Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Manpower alongside multiple government stakeholders, such the Research Council and other relevant public authorities. We have a shared belief that greater connectivity and unbridled innovation should be reflected in contemporary official ministerial forums, imparting insight, intelligence and ideas to offer the best solutions to the myriad of challenges in education and ICT. The Mena Innovation Forum offers the perfect opportunity to do face-to-face business, at the most senior level, whilst enjoying a wealth of content dedicated to the education, ICT and innovation spaces, where decisions are made to realize concepts, he added. Mena Innovation will take place from the 16th 18th of September 2019 at the 5-star Kempinski hotel & resort in Muscats modern and vibrant Al Mouj Muscat Waterfront Development. The 16th of September is recognized as Government Leaders Day, with a multitude of ministerial delegations for higher education, education and ICT, inter-government organisations, universities and education stakeholders all joined by top industry investors. The main event days of September 17 and 18 will involve high level panel sessions and the unique organization of hundreds of bilateral meetings between government and industry, utilizing ArabBrains specialized format of pre-scheduled meetings-based events. As well as working closely with many governments, ArabBrains and its leadership remain dedicated to ensuring that private sector technology, knowledge and innovations have access to Middle Eastern and African markets and governments. TradeArabia News Service Emirates, the worlds largest international airline, is looking for Lebanese candidates to join its multinational cabin crew team. The Dubai-based airline is holding two Cabin Crew recruitment open days at Beirut and Jounieh. The Open Day at Beirut will be held at 9.00am March 30 at Movenpick Hotel Beirut, General de Gaulle Avenue Raoucheh, Beirut. The Open Day at Jounieh will be held at 9.00am April 29 at Hotel Burj on Bay, Main Road, Kfar Yassine. The airline is looking for open-minded, helpful, friendly and service-oriented candidates to deliver its award-winning onboard experience to customers. Applicants hoping to give their careers a flying start can walk in with an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) in English, and a recent photograph. Prior online registration is not required to attend the Open Day. Candidates will need to come prepared to spend the full day at the venue. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of timings for further assessments and interviews. Emirates currently flies to 158 destinations across six continents operating a modern fleet of 273 all wide-body aircraft. The airline is the largest global operator of the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380 aircraft. Emirates offers candidates an outstanding career opportunity, in-depth training as well as an unmatched cultural exposure working within a truly international team of cabin crew from over 135 nationalities. Cabin Crew are offered an entire employment package, which includes a variety of benefits such as a tax-free income, free high standard shared accommodation in Dubai, free transport to/from work, medical and dental cover as well as exclusive discounts on shopping and leisure activities in Dubai. For many of Emirates cabin crew team, the companys attractive concessional travel benefits for themselves as well as their families and friends, is a big advantage particularly as Emirates growing global network offers many travel opportunities across the airlines six continents-spanning network. Emirates currently offers three daily flights from Rafic Al Hariri International Airport. TradeArabia News Service Oman Air has introduced its revamped mobile application for iOS and Android smartphones, allowing its guests to organise and manage their journey on the go. Utilising the latest innovations in mobile technology, Oman Airs new app is a user-friendly platform with easy steps, providing guests with inclusive trip management capabilities like flight booking, online check-in, pre-selection of seats, flight status as well as information about Oman Airs latest offers. The revamped app also enables guests to check their Sindbad miles balance, claim any missing miles, request for redemptions, keep track of tier progress, see their upcoming bookings on Oman Air, and much more. Dedicated to delivering excellence in every single guest interaction, Oman Air strives to provide innovative solutions that ensure a seamless world-class service for its guests. The new app is a one-stop-shop for Oman Air guests to access a number of services conveniently from their handhelds whenever and wherever they are. The app, which is available in both English and Arabic language versions, is designed to be simple and informative. Furthermore, the app makes it easier to book flights with Oman Air using credit or debit cards. The booking and purchase of tickets is completed in just a couple of clicks or taps on customised screens. Guests who prefer not to download the app can still book and pay for flights, and access all of Oman Airs web-based services, using the airlines Mobile website. Oman Airs launch of the revamped app is the latest in a series of digital developments which offer even greater convenience for its customers. As the carrier continues to expand with new destinations, codeshares and fleet, its award-winning digital presence is also ensuring that it is more accessible and responsive to the needs of its guests. - TradeArabia News Service U.S. Sell-Side Favors MiFID II-Type Regime Give us MiFID or give us nothing? Wall Street brokers have taken the unprecedented step of urging U.S. regulators to let them charge clients separately for stock and bond analysis, a change that would upend the industry if it happened. The request, made Thursday to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, adds to the fallout from European Union regulations that barred banks from bundling trading services and research into one The request, made Thursday to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, adds to the fallout from European Union regulations that barred banks from bundling trading services and research into one bill for customers. The EU requirements took effect last year, prompting some firms to cut analyst jobs and trim their research budgets. For the full article, please click here: For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Colleagues, It is my great honour to welcome you to this event on Overcoming War Legacies, Endeavour for Peace and Sustainable Development. It is organized jointly by the Government of Vietnam and UNDP. I am pleased to co-chair this event with Deputy Minister of Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, who is a key partner for UNDP in Viet Nam. Today, we gathered to learn from Vietnams endeavours for peace and sustainable development by overcoming war legacies. 40 years after the war, 18 % of the land is still contaminated with mines and ERWs. Let me start by recalling that in the current global humanitarian and development climate, the role of Mine Action as an enabler for sustainable development is increasingly important. It helps bridge the humanitarian action - development divide, and serves a vehicle for delivering the 2030 Agenda. A lot of potential can be unlocked through linking Mine Action to Sustainable Development and achievement of the SDGs. UNDP has supported Mine Action initiatives globally since 1993, when we launched our first programme in Cambodia. Since then, UNDP has supported mine action programmes in over 40 countries. UNDPs commitment is reinforced in Development and Mine Action Support Framework which focuses on three main areas: o Translating mine action into sustainable development dividends. o Strengthening national institutions that accelerate development benefits for the countries and people affected by landmines, and o Supporting international normative frameworks on mine action (namely, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Convention of Cluster Munitions, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). In 2017, UNDP and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining conducted a study on Leaving No One Behind: Mine Action and the Sustainable Development Goals. This important study shows the direct links between mine action and a range of SDGs. For example, releasing land after clearance not only has direct impacts on reducing violence and fear (Goal 16), it is also an indirect accelerator for several other SDGs, including SDG 1 (Poverty), SDG 2 (Hunger), SDG 3 (Healthy lives), and SDG 8 (Inclusive growth). Our work on Development and Mine Action is also in line with UNDPs Strategic Plan and the new UN Strategy on Mine Action (2019-2023) which is closely linked to SDG implementation and the goal of Leaving no one behind. Over the last year UNDP has provided extensive support to the Government of Vietnam in overcoming war legacies, especially in the areas of mine action and to a lesser extent - peacekeeping. You will hear more about our programme from my colleague, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam. Our work spans from building national capacities, mine risk education, to victim support through innovation. We are delighted to learn about the first results of our programme in Vietnam. We intend on putting stronger focus on planning of future activities around developmental outcomes from Mine Action. In particular, we would like to prioritize the initiatives aimed at socio-economic development after demining, and plans for usage of released lands. We are hoping that these best practices could be shared and replicated through South-South cooperation. We also welcome the ambition of the Government of Vietnam for a stronger role in global peace through peacekeeping efforts and their commitment on Women, Peace and Security agenda. Todays event is an opportunity to take stock from past cooperation and look into the future. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the Government of Vietnam in these areas. Thank you for your attention. (March 27, 2019) The City of San Antonio (COSA) and UTSA have been selected as members of the MetroLab Network , a city and university collaboration for civic innovation, joining 44 cities, six countries and 60 universities across the country. Led by COSAs Office of Innovation and UTSA, the MetroLab team members will address issues and challenges faced by residents that can be addressed through research and education projects. The team is also building upon the strategy of SmartSA : to leverage new and emerging technologies and data to improve the quality of life for all San Antonians. SmartSA partners include CPS Energy, the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), the San Antonio River Authority (SARA), and VIA Metropolitan Transit. The City of San Antonio, in collaboration with our SmartSA partners, is driving forward a smart city 3.0 model that prioritizes community input regarding challenges that our constituency faces every day. We acknowledge that we cant tackle these issues alone, which is why we are excited about partnerships like the one we now have with UTSA via the MetroLab network. Their expertise and energy will help ensure we remain inclusive, forward-thinking, and even more impactful in this space of urban innovation, said Brian Dillard, chief innovation officer for the City of San Antonio. Recent projects include the delivery of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) of which UTSA scholars helped co-author. This was a project undertaken by COSA, CPS Energy, UTSA and the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute to integrate environmental stewardship and social equity. This included establishing a baseline inventory for greenhouse gases, developing future emission scenes, identifying mitigation strategies, assessing impacts throughout the city, and creating an implementation plan. This plan is currently under review by the San Antonio City Council and is open to public comments from city residents. Another successful project was the Under 1 Roof program, which replaces worn and damaged roofs for disadvantaged homeowners and installs light-colored shingles and a radiant barrier. The goals were not only to address life/safety issues and improve health outcomes but also improve energy efficiency and reduce utility bills, while demonstrating the benefits of cool roofs for builders and residents. The program also offset the urban heat island effect by selecting homes that were clustered together. For each roof that was installed, data (utility, attic and roof temperatures) was collected and analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the program, which saw reductions in energy usage and cost savings to the homeowner. Designated by the San Antonio City Council, the first Innovation Zones have been established in three key areas of the city: Brooks in the Southeast, the South Texas Medical Center in the Northwest, and Downtown. These zones will be used as proving grounds to test various types of smart city technology which could include: autonomous vehicles, smart streetlights, and various sensors. The goal is to address issues identified by local residents and stakeholders, prioritizing sustainability, access to services, and mobility. The next project will hone in on the Digital Divide in San Antonio. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance found the city ranks 42nd out of 186 cities with 37.5% of household lacking access to broadband internet at home. The long term goal is to improve access and training opportunities to ensure citizens have the ability to interact with various digital platforms, for improved communication and better services for future implementations and ensuring all voices are represented and captured. The plan includes a way to share the data collected in a meaningful way via an accessible platform available to all stakeholders including residents. The City of San Antonio will continue to work with their partners and the community to identify and define the issues, expand the aforementioned projects, and seek third-party funding through grants and awards. UTSA will be pulling experts from all colleges and disciplines where applicable with an emphasis on working with researchers from the College of Public Policy; Architecture, Construction & Planning including its Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research; Engineering; and the future School of Data Science. Over the past decade, UTSA has focused on research pertaining to sustainable communities and critical infrastructure, everything from water studies to low impact development, from smart grids and smart cities to sustainable economic development. Partnering with COSA will bring a number of disparate projects under the MetroLab umbrella, and track measurable impact in the years to come, said Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA interim vice president for research, economic development, and knowledge enterprise. UW Researcher Contributes to Study Showing Arctic Warming Contributes to Drought When the Arctic warmed after the ice age 10,000 years ago, it created perfect conditions for drought. According to new research led by a University of Wyoming scientist, similar changes could be in store today because a warming Arctic weakens the temperature difference between the tropics and the poles. This, in turn, results in less precipitation, weaker cyclones and weaker mid-latitude westerly wind flow -- a recipe for prolonged drought. The temperature difference between the tropics and the poles drives a lot of weather. When those opposite temperatures are wider, the result is more precipitation, stronger cyclones and more robust wind flow. However, due to the Arctic ice melting and warming up the poles, those disparate temperatures are becoming closer. Our analysis shows that, when the Arctic is warmer, the jet stream and other wind patterns tend to be weaker, says Bryan Shuman, a UW professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. The temperature difference in the Arctic and the tropics is less steep. The change brings less precipitation to the mid-latitudes. Shuman is a co-author of a new study that is highlighted in a paper, titled Mid-Latitude Net Precipitation Decreased With Arctic Warming During the Holocene, published today (March 27) online in Nature, an international weekly science journal. The print version of the article will be published April 4. Researchers from Northern Arizona University; Universite Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-In-Neuve, Belgium; the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, Va.; and Cornell University also contributed to the paper. The Nature paper takes a global approach and relates the history of severe dry periods of temperature changes. Importantly, when temperatures have changed in similar ways to today (warming of the Arctic), the mid-latitudes -- particularly places like Wyoming and other parts of central North America -- dried out, Shuman explains. Climate models anticipate similar changes in the future. Currently, the northern high latitudes are warming at rates that are double the global average. This will decrease the equator-to-pole temperature gradient to values comparable with the early to middle Holocene Period, according to the paper. Shuman says his research contribution, using geological evidence, was helping to estimate how dry conditions have been in the past 10,000 years. His research included three water bodies in Wyoming: Lake of the Woods, located above Dubois; Little Windy Hill Pond in the Snowy Range; and Rainbow Lake in the Beartooth Mountains. Lakes are these natural recorders of wet and dry conditions, Shuman says. When lakes rise or lower, it leaves geological evidence behind. The researchers Holocene temperature analysis included 236 records from 219 sites. During the past 10,000 years, many of the lakes studied were lower earlier in history than today, Shuman says. Wyoming had several thousand years where a number of lakes dried up, and sand dunes were active where they now have vegetation, Shuman says. Expanding to the East Coast, it is a wet landscape today. But 10,000 years ago, the East Coast was nearly as dry as the Great Plains. The research group looked at the evolution of the tropic-to-pole temperature difference from three time periods: 100 years ago, 2,000 years ago and 10,000 years ago. For the last 100 years, many atmospheric records facilitated the analysis but, for the past 2,000 years or 10,000 years, there were fewer records available. Tree rings can help to expand studies to measure temperatures over the past 2,000 years, but lake deposits, cave deposits and glacier ice were studied to record prior temperatures and precipitation. This information creates a test for climate models, Shuman says. If you want to use a computer to make a forecast of the future, then its useful to test that computers ability to make a forecast for some other time period. The geological evidence provides an excellent test. The research was funded by the Science Foundation Arizona Bisgrove Scholar Award, the National Science Foundation and the state of Arizonas Technology and Research Initiative Fund administered by the Arizona Board of Regents. At the invitation of the Director General of Iraq Customs, Mr. Mundher Abdulameer Asad Heyer, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Baghdad, Iraq from 24 to 26 March 2019 to complete a diagnostic mission. WCO experts have carried out the Organizations first diagnostic mission to Iraq, following recent improvements in the countrys security situation resulting from the defeat of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Experts conducted field visits to the Safwan border post with Kuwait, as well as to the Umm Qasr seaport. Dr. Mikuriya brought the diagnostic mission to a close by holding a series of meetings with various government authorities ahead of submission of the WCOs final report. Among those he spoke to were heads of licensing, standardization and international Police and Customs/Police authorities, in addition to the Customs management team. Secretary General Mikuriya met with the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers (Prime Ministers Office), Dr. Mahdi Al Alek, to discuss pressing issues of concern such as the lack of information technology (IT) infrastructure in Customs as well as interference by many agencies at the countrys borders. Dr. Mahdi gave assurances that the upcoming WCO report on Customs reform would be submitted to Iraqs highest authorities for decision. Several options for Customs automation were also explored with the Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Maher Hammad Johan. The need for Customs officers to develop data analysis knowledge using the current basic IT system and to take an ownership approach to managing the future IT system was highlighted. Dr. Mikuriya also had a separate meeting with the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Abdullah Laibi, to talk about improvements to port operations; among other things, he asked Minister Laibi to allocate the space required for Customs to carry out inspections. When visiting the Iraq Museum, the WCO Secretary General met with Iraqs Deputy Minister of Culture, Dr. Quais Hussein Rashid, and told him about the WCOs efforts to protect cultural heritage through the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Heritage (PITCH) training programme specifically developed for Customs officers, and through sharing information via the ARCHEO Customs Enforcement Network. They also discussed recent trends in the trafficking of cultural heritage and possible ways to enhance cooperation. On 20 and 21 March 2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) hosted the 7th OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum at its Headquarters in Paris, with the theme Tech for Trust. Among the topics discussed were the ways that blockchain, big data analytics, artificial intelligence and other new technologies are transforming how governments, business and society operate. The 2019 Forum focused on the risks and opportunities of new technologies for anti-corruption and integrity, while new insights related to trade, foreign bribery, competition and development cooperation also featured in the discussions. In the margins of the Forum, the WCO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa, participated in the panel discussions on the parcels trade, which generates new opportunities for consumers to access more diversified products and for firms of all sizes and locations to expand their customer reach. The Deputy Secretary General addressed the issue on the opportunities and challenges of the parcels trade from a Customs perspective. The discussions highlighted the growth in the parcels trade, leading to challenges for cross-border regulatory agencies due to the tremendous increase in the number of small e-packages; the balance that needs to be maintained between enforcement and facilitation objectives; the distinction that needs to be drawn between parcels for personal and commercial use; the protection of intellectual property rights; the lack of accurate data and the need for standardization; the absence of a global legal framework; and the need for coordination between cross-border regulatory agencies and tax authorities. In this respect, the WCO Deputy Secretary General informed the audience about the WCO Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce setting out 15 baseline global standards on/approaches to cross-border E-Commerce, with a view to providing pragmatic, fair and innovative solutions whilst taking into account the diverse expectations and concerns of Customs administrations and stakeholders. Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement while elaborating on the Framework of Standards, whose development had brought on board representatives from governments, the private sector and international organizations as well as E-Commerce stakeholders and academia. The Framework of Standards has been acknowledged as an important starting point for multilateral discussions. The WCO also participated in the Plenary Meeting of the OECDs Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia held from 20 to 22 March 2019. The ACN brings together national governments from over 20 Eastern European and Central Asian countries along with the OECD Member governments, civil society, business representatives and international organizations. The ACN programme supports beneficiary countries with anti-corruption activities, exchange of information, development of best practices and donor coordination. It also comprises a peer review monitoring mechanism on implementation of the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan (IAP). The ACN Steering Group Meeting discussed and agreed on the principles of the 2020-2024 Work Programme introducing new methodology aimed at streamlining the scope of monitoring, introducing standard performance indicators and specifying benchmarks for assessment of countries, and improving the progress update procedure to serve as an effective tool for exerting pressure. During the ACN Plenary Meeting, the WCO provided an update on its current activities, future work and technical support in anti-corruption and integrity development along with an update on the recent initiative to establish a comprehensive performance measurement tool. The ACN expressed an interest in having the WCO participate and share its experience during the process of developing and adopting relevant performance indicators at both national and regional levels as part of the IAPs upcoming fifth round of monitoring. The Deputy Secretary General also met with the OECDs Director for Public Governance to discuss the status of the ongoing cooperation between the two Organizations, including planned joint projects on Customs-related topics as well as cooperation in the area of integrity and anti-corruption, based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016. They both agreed to take the joint work forward. The coming-into-force of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) and the wider challenges of Customs reform and modernization requires Customs administrations to constantly adapt their management and operational models. Of particular importance is the management of human resources in the face of more complex, analytical and forward-looking competencies that are needed to meet this challenge. Recognizing the underlying importance of human capital development, the 2017 Mercator Implementation Plan for Malawi prioritized support for stronger organizational foundations, along with a greater appreciation of the imperatives of continuous professional development and competency-based management. On this basis, the WCO successfully delivered a People Development Diagnostic for the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) from 11 15 March 2019. The People Development Diagnostic, as part of the WCOs Organizational Development Package, provides for a baseline assessment of strategic orientation, competency and job profiling, planning and performance management, training, career path development, remuneration and benefits. The analysis also helped to identify the critical competency gaps within the context of the MRAs modernization and reform programme, including those that are needed to successfully implement the TFA, such as operational analytics, audit, risk and data management. The diagnostic team held in-depth discussions with MRA interlocutors including Human Resources and Organizational Development, Internal Affairs, Internal Audit, Modernization, Policy and Planning, along with front-line Customs staff at the Mwanza border post. All stakeholders showed a high level of commitment and offered important insights. To provide an immediate, low-cost foundation for the development of critical TFA-related competencies, the mission also oversaw the launch of a national e-learning platform, leveraging the resources of the WCOs CLiKC community, while taking into account the documented benefits of blended learning. With this new national platform, MRA will be positioned to take greater ownership of its competency development agenda. This strategic intervention by the WCO is expected to provide the foundation for several follow-up initiatives that will work to strengthen human resources processes and capabilities in keeping with the WCOs Framework of Practices and Principles on Customs Professionalism. This mission was made possible with the generous financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Finland and Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Advertisement By Tim Brockwell Mar. 27, 2019 | PADUCAH By Tim Brockwell Mar. 27, 2019 | 12:34 PM | PADUCAH Officials with the City of Paducah and McCracken County met with Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives Tuesday to begin the process of applying for federal disaster aid to help recover some of the costs associated with the recent flooding. McCracken County Emergency Management Director Jerome Mansfield said he and other officials toured some of the hardest hit areas Tuesday with a FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment Team, and a representative from the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. Mansfield said most of the costs related to the flooding came from installing the city's floodgates, as well as signage and rescue efforts. "The bulk of the costs were emergency protective measures which were taken by the city in putting up the floodgates, which they estimate that will be over a half-million dollars," he said. "Then the county had about $75,000 estimated on putting up road signs as emergency protective measures on flooded roads, as well as some emergency responses by the McCracken County Rescue Squad." Mansfield said in order to be eligible for a presidential disaster declaration, costs must have exceeded a minimum threshold based on the county population times $3.91 per person, which equals $247,800. Mansfield said that amount has already been met, with about $600,000 spent so far locally. Once a presidential declaration is made, FEMA would reimburse the city and county 75 percent of the total flooding costs, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky would pay 12 percent. "We'll calculate costs and meet with the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Recovery Branch, and then they will forward the report to FEMA headquarters, where McCracken County's report will be consolidated with other Kentucky counties. Then they'll look to see if the total amount for the Commonwealth of Kentucky estimated flood damage is at least $6.5 million, which is the state threshold for Kentucky." Mansfield said, adding that he and disaster recovery specialists in Frankfort estimate the state will easily exceed that figure. By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 26, 2019 | 06:11 PM | PADUCAH According to jail authorities, on March 12th, deputy jailers were escorting an inmate, 33-year-old Raymond Stangel, of Paducah, to his assigned cell. Reports say that Stangel began to resist the deputies, and he assaulted one of them. The deputy required medical assistance as a result. Stangel was not injured. Stangel was charged with 3rd degree assault on a corrections officer. An inmate at the McCracken County Regional Jail was charged with the assault of a McCracken deputy jailer. By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 27, 2019 | 01:03 PM | PADUCAH At Tuesday's Paducah City Commission meeting, Mayor Brandi Harless had to briefly give up leadership of the meeting so she and her husband could ask the city for an extension on the rehabilitation project for their Lower Town property.Mayor Pro-Tem Richard Abraham presided over part of the meeting so a municipal order could be discussed related to the home Harless and her husband, Adam Moyers, own at 421 North 5th Street. They purchased the home for $1 in 2015 - before Harless was elected Mayor - as part of the Lower Town Revitalization Project, and they have spent $30,000 so far on the home. The estimated rehab cost for the building in 2015 was $175,984.The purchase required rehabilitation to be done by 2017, but the couple asked for a one-year extension. They came Tuesday to ask for another extension, which would give them until July 31, 2020 to complete the work, and they included a timeline for remaining improvements.Abraham requested data from the city planning department about previous extensions that have been granted in the Lower Town and Fountain Avenue projects, and he learned that several previous participants had received multiple extensions."A lot of times we have individuals who take on a project - no one takes on a project to fail - and they need extra time. We haven't been deadlocked on that time, we want the property developed, we want the neighborhood enhanced, and so, with good intentions we have allowed that," Abraham said.Other commissioners voiced similar opinions, with Sandra Wilson recalling that Harless and Moyers had been simultaneously working on other downtown properties, which are now completed and occupied by renters. Their comments indicated they concurred that since this has been done before on multiple occasions, the mayor was not getting special treatment.The commission voted 4-0 (with Harless abstaining) to approve the order and extend the deadline.The McCracken County Sheriff's Department confirmed that property taxes on the building were paid this week and are up-to-date. While property taxes are due by December 31, they are not delinquent until April 15, at which point they are turned over to the County Clerk.If you wish to watch this discussion, click the link below. This topic is around 7:20 after the meeting begins. On the Net: By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 26, 2019 | 02:05 PM | PADUCAH Police are asking for information that would help solve a credit card fraud case.Paducah Police say a Florida woman contacted them to report that someone used her credit card information at Kentucky Oaks Mall to buy merchandise costing over $480 at The Children's Place. Another purchase for over $400 was made at Victoria's Secret. Both transactions took place on February 1.The victim said she believes someone accessed her account using her social security number, since her credit card is in her possession. She told police she has no ties to Paducah and doesn't know how someone would have her personal information.Police found surveillance video from The Children's Place and have released it to the public. Anyone with information about the suspect is encouraged to call Paducah Police at 270-444-8550.Information also may be provided anonymously through West Kentucky Crime Stoppers by texting WKY and your tip to 847411 (tip 411) or by downloading the app WKY Crime Stoppers from the Apple Store or Google Play. Tipsters also may access the online tip form through the City of Paducah website at http://paducahky.gov/west-ky-crime-stoppers. Information leading to an arrest or indictment may result in a reward of up to $1,000. Children sent to China as satellite babies sing, dance and play with toys at the Chinese-American Planning Council in New York. [Photo by Hong Xiao/China Daily] Lindy Tse will never forget the night her parents brought her back to the United States from Fujian Province when she was 4 years old. She cried silently throughout the journey because she missed her nainai (grandmother), who raised her in China. Tse, an assumed name, was a "satellite baby", which refers to children born in the US to Chinese immigrant parents who are sent to China as infants and raised by relatives typically grandparents and then returned to the US to start school when they are 5 or 6. Parents do this for various reasons. They often work antisocial hours or have several jobs. They also want to send their children to China for cultural reasons. On her return, it took Tse a year before she spoke to her father. Now 17, she said, "I think it was because we had both lost four years that could have been important to our relationship." She speaks only English now and has forgotten most of her early childhood spent in a small village with her grandmother. She still feels distantly connected with her parents. "I just don't know how to show my emotions to them," she said with a shrug. David Chen's parents sent him to Fujian to be raised by his grandparents before he was 1 year old. When he was 5, they brought him back to New York to start school. Chen, now 26 and a student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York, said: "I didn't know who they were - they were strangers to me. I was pretty distant with them." To pay for him to go to China, his parents worked 14 hours a day at different restaurants, often seven days a week. The time the family spent together was limited. By the time Chen started in the third grade, he was starting to have suicidal thoughts because of being separated from his grandparents, the difficulty of learning English, and bullying at school. But instead of sharing his thoughts with his parents, he chose to keep his feelings to himself. "I definitely had my emotions bottled up," he said. A mother working in Boston's Chinatown, who requested anonymity, sent her son to her hometown in China after he was born in the US. "Even though I missed him all the time, there's just no way you can get everything you want. You want to make money, but you also want to take care of your kid ... so we had to give something up," she said. The term "satellite babies" was coined by Yvonne Bohr, a clinical psychologist at York University in Toronto, Canada, who has been studying such separations since 2006. "Babies are often sent away at around the time they have just developed a strong attachment to their biological parents. As a result, they may experience distress during this separation," Bohr said. "When they return, the parents in turn may expect the children to be very happy to be home, often not understanding that for the child, this isn't home," she said. Research suggests that a "satellite" upbringing can disrupt a child's environment, which can lead to depression, anxiety and misbehavior at school. Studies show that the trauma experienced by both children and parents can last a lifetime. Lois Lee directs the Chinese-American Planning Council school-age child care program in Queens, New York. Founded in 1965, the council is a nonprofit that provides support to Asian-American, immigrant and low-income communities in the city. Lee, who has worked with immigrant families for more than 50 years, said 70 percent of the children now at the council are Asian-Americans, of which about 70 percent are satellite babies. In her career as a teacher and administrator in this field, Lee has worked with immigrant families and helped thousands of children, including Tse and Chen. She said most parents of satellite babies work long hours every day and cannot afford child care, the cost of which in New York ranges from $11,700 to $14,144 a year, respectively, for child and infant care, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank in Washington. "These young couples work long hours at jobs in restaurants, nail salons, grocery stores, dry cleaners and hotels, doing work that no one wants to do, and yet they can't get childcare services for their families to keep the children here," Lee said. She said reunions can be difficult for both parents and children after a long-term separation. "They (parents) didn't see their children's first steps. They didn't hear them when they first learned how to talk. They lost five years bonding with them," she said. Even after they live together, parents cannot always manage to take care of their children, and continue to work long hours to secure a better future. "The parents still work until 9 pm... they come home late and the children have to have dinner by themselves, eating food that has been prepared," she said. Some children feel guilty because their parents cannot take care of them. "They feel they are a burden to their family, and they think: 'Why did you bring me back here? You don't want to spend any time with me'," Lee said. The council's operating hours run from the end of the school day until 6 pm and it also opens on holidays when schools close. The staff members perform tasks that parents would normally do, but which they do not always have time for, such as helping with homework, going for walks or to the movies. "We are like the children's substitute parents. We try to help them embrace their identity, appreciate how hard their parents work, that their parents did not want to give them up, but they had no choice," Lee said. The children are told that even now they are back, their parents are still making sacrifices, but this does not mean that they have stopped loving them. Lee added that she thinks the children could show more understanding of their situation. Chen said that being a satellite baby had strained his relationship with his parents, but also made him more independent. "It made me understand why my parents did what they did when I was younger, in terms of working hard and sending me to China as a satellite baby," he said. "My parents and I are now getting on better. Both my sister and I are best friends and we get along really well." The council offers classes to help parents better communicate with their children, and to discipline them. Lee said she does not expect these parents to create a family atmosphere like US families do by eating dinner together or adopting a full set of bedtime routines, "but at least they should talk to their children and (they should) try to understand each other. "Children need to know their parents love them and want to talk to them," she said. In the book Satellite Baby, written by students at the council and published in 2017, the main character comes to live with her parents in the US when she is 6, leaving her grandparents in China. "I haven't felt like speaking since," she laments. After living with her parents for four years, they still feel distant, she is still scared of the dark and has trouble sleeping. But the family eventually grows closer and the character takes on the duty of babysitting for her newborn brother, who was not sent to China to become a satellite baby. She states: "We don't need the money. I love being part of this unique family." Children sent to China as satellite babies sing, dance and play with toys at the Chinese-American Planning Council in New York. [Photo by Hong Xiao/China Daily] In a career spanning nearly 50 years at the council, Lois Lee has worked with immigrant families and helped thousands of children. [Photo by Hong Xiao/China Daily] A young couple sends their child off to China at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. [Photo/China Daily] (Source: China Daily) Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L), French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (1st R) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ju Peng] Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged countries around the world to make concerted efforts in four aspects and jointly shape the future of mankind in the face of severe global challenges. Xi made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris. Besides Xi and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, the event was also attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. China and France, both important players in global governance, enjoy a broad political consensus and a solid foundation for cooperation on such major issues as safeguarding world peace, security and stability, upholding multilateralism and free trade, and supporting the United Nations (UN) in playing an active role, Xi said. He noted that China and France are both committed to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality, openness, inclusiveness and win-win results. The two countries, he added, have been jointly safeguarding the fundamental principles in international relations and advancing the improvement of global governance, and have become an important force for safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting the advancement of human civilization. Xi proposed a four-pronged approach to addressing "four deficits" in global affairs. Firstly, the Chinese president called for fairness and reasonableness to address the governance deficit. It is advisable to uphold a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the principle that global affairs should be settled by the peoples of the world through consultation, Xi said, calling for actively advancing the democratization of global governance rules. He also called for upholding the UN, a banner of multilateralism, giving full play to the constructive role of global and regional multilateral mechanisms, and jointly pushing for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Secondly, Xi called for consultation and understanding to address the trust deficit. It is advisable to put mutual respect and mutual trust in the first place, make use of dialogue and consultation, seek common ground while shelving and narrowing differences, increase strategic trust, and reduce mutual suspicion, Xi said. It is also advisable to take a right approach to justice and interests by putting justice before interests, Xi said. He urged closer communication and dialogue between different civilizations so as to increase mutual understanding and mutual recognition between one another. Thirdly, he called for joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit. It is advisable to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard Cold-War and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle, and settle conflicts through peaceful ways, he said. He also called for rejecting such approaches as beggaring thy neighbor and seeking benefits at the expense of others. Fourthly, Xi called for mutual benefit and win-win results to address the development deficit. It is advisable to pursue an innovation-driven, well-coordinated and inter-connected, and fair and inclusive approach and forge a growth model of vitality, a cooperation model of openness and win-win results, and a development model of balance and common benefits, so that people from across the world could share the benefits of economic globalization, Xi said. The Chinese side supports necessary UN reforms and safeguards the multilateral trading system, Xi said, adding that his country welcomes France and other countries to actively take part in the development of the Belt and Road. He also called for joint efforts to advance the negotiations on a China-European Union (EU) investment agreement. Hailing China-France friendship, Xi called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation with a long-term and future-oriented perspective under the new circumstances. China and France should deepen cooperation in traditional areas, accelerate cooperation in emerging areas, strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change, implement the Paris Agreement in an all-round way, and push for positive results at the UN 2019 climate summit, so as to benefit the two peoples as well as the whole world, Xi said. Macron said communication and coordination between the EU and China play an indispensable role in safeguarding multilateralism. The EU and China take similar positions in such areas as the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change and Africa's security and development, and both insist on the construction of a strong and just multilateral system, he said. He said that China's fast development and poverty alleviation efforts are impressive. France attaches importance to the significant and active role played by China in international affairs, he said. The EU and China, as important forces on the world stage, should increase strategic mutual trust and promote cooperation through dialogue, he said. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China is significant and can play an important role in world peace, stability and development, he said. The EU could align its development strategy with the BRI in an innovative way and jointly promote Eurasian connectivity, he added. Merkel said the sound relationship between European countries and China has laid a good foundation for carrying out multilateral cooperation between the EU and China. The EU should accelerate the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement, and actively discuss participation in the BRI, she said. The EU and China should cooperate to safeguard multilateralism and compare notes on reforms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral institutions, she said. Germany, she said, proposes to hold a leaders' meeting between the EU and China next year. Referring to the EU and China as important strategic cooperative partners, Juncker said it is important that the two sides maintain dialogue on an equal footing. He called for the EU and China to actively advance the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement and maintain coordination on major international issues such as WTO reforms. Juncker said he is looking forward to seeing positive results at the upcoming EU-China leaders' meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ju Peng] (Source: Xinhua) Peng Liyuan(4th L), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the special session on girls' and women's education in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ding Lin] Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday attended a special session on girls' and women's education here at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). At the session, some laureates of the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education gave brief remarks on their understanding and promotion of the undertaking. Peng, a UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, appreciated the efforts made by UNESCO and the prize winners, and shared China's successful practices in this regard. In a review of her work in this field for the past five years, Peng especially referred to the Spring Bud Project, a program launched by China Children and Teenagers' Fund to help dropout girls return to school and to improve teaching conditions in impoverished areas. She stressed that promoting the education of girls and women is a lofty cause that deserves attention, support and devotion from more people. Knowledge and skills are two great forces that can change the lives of women, and with equal and quality education, they all have the opportunity to be outstanding, added Peng. She said China will continue to support UNESCO in organizing the award, and help empower more children and women to embrace a brighter future with opportunities and platforms for international educational cooperation created by the joint development of the Belt and Road. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said that nearly 130 million girls are out of school globally and that women take up two-thirds of the 750 million illiterate people in the world. Advancing girls' and women's education is an important part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and a focus of UNESCO, added Azoulay. The UN body, she said, thinks highly of the remarkable achievements accomplished by China in this cause and appreciates the outstanding contribution of Peng. In a meeting with Azoulay before the special session, Peng said China firmly supports UNESCO's and the director-general's work, and hopes the two sides will continue to deepen cooperation to jointly promote world peace and prosperity as well as the progress of human civilization. Azoulay said that China has made great achievements in the past 70 years, including progress in the development of education and women's affairs. UNESCO highly values the cooperation with China and the support from China is of great importance under current circumstances, she said. Peng Liyuan(L), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, meets with UNESCO's Director-General Audrey Azoulay before the special session on girls' and women's education in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ding Lin] Peng Liyuan(L), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the special session on girls' and women's education in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ding Lin] Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the special session on girls' and women's education in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. [Xinhua/Ding Lin] (Source: Xinhua) The W20 (Women 20, an outreach group of G20) and the World Assembly for Women (WAW!) were held in Tokyo from March 22 to 24, 2019. Nearly 2,000 representatives from United Nations organizations and the political, commercial and academic sectors of almost 30 countries attended the event. Deng Li, Member of the Standing Committee and Member of the Social Development Committee of the 13th National People's Congress, and also Member of the Party Leadership Group of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and Curator of the China National Museum of Women and Children, headed a women's delegation to the event. Deng delivered a speech during the W20 Special Session with the theme of Women as Patients and Caregivers: Improving Gender Equity and Labor Inclusion by Addressing Healthcare Disparities. In her speech, Deng emphasized the four-point proposal of promoting women's all-round development in President Xi Jinping's speech at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in 2015. Deng introduced the major measures adopted by the Chinese Government on promoting women's all-round development and gender equality, especially in ensuring women's health, and the significant results achieved by the Chinese Government. She also introduced the focus points of the ACWF, and called on representatives from other countries to learn from each other and strive to establish a better world for all peoples and build a community with a shared future for mankind. The representatives discussed a society in which women shine, and this year's theme "WAW! For Diversity," together with issues related to health, peace, families, employment and entrepreneurship and gender equality in the digital era. The W20 Japan 2019 Communique was endorsed at the meeting. Deng met Satsuki Katayama, Japanese Cabinet Minister of State for Regional Revitalization and Women's Empowerment, during the meeting. She also met representatives of the women's institutions of the Japanese Government and women's organizations for in-depth discussions on strengthening exchanges between the women of China and Japan. (Women of China) Please understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: website@womenofchina.cn. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn. Fire trucks and hundreds of firefighters join the rescue mission in Xiangshui county, Yancheng city, Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The victims and families affected by the chemical explosion last week in Jiangsu Province, have been provided with legal aid as they seek compensation, as well as with psychological counseling for mental recovery, according to the rescue headquarters established after the blast. The deadly explosion occurred on Thursday following a fire that broke out in a plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co in an industrial park in Yancheng's Xiangshui County. The death toll on Tuesday stood at 78. Fifty-six bodies had been identified as of Monday, with 22 others unknown. After DNA tests, 25 of the 28 people previously reported to be missing were confirmed dead. According to the Yancheng Department of Justice, a legal assistance team including more than 120 lawyers has been formed to help the damaged enterprises and the victims and their families. The team has eight groups, including specialists in insurance claims, property damage and labor disputes. The Jiangsu Lawyers Association also sent attorneys with emergency response experience to Yancheng to train members of the team on legal issues. Workers have been sent to assess property losses, and people affected will be fully compensated, according to the rescue headquarters. Relatives and friends of the missing continue to wait at the police station in Chenjiagang township. Some have been seen weeping after police confirmed that a loved one was dead. Li Hui, 32, received the sad news from a policewoman that his great-uncle, Li Changhai, had died in the explosion. Li, who drove more than 10 hours from Yiwu, Zhejiang, said nothing could compensate for the family's loss. "Though in his 50s, my great-uncle had to leave his hometown in Anhui province to make money. The family was in debt after buying apartments for the two sons so they could marry. We just want to claim the body and bury him in peace." The man added that he would never work in a chemical factory, even if offered a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan ($2,980). According to the rescue headquarters, psychologists have been sent to comfort all the families of deceased victims. Some families have reached agreements on compensation with the local government, it said. According to the provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, environmental protection workers from six cities, together with 11 experts from the department, are in Xiangshui to monitor the air, soil and water. It said that the dams on three rivers had been blocked on the night of the blast to prevent polluted water from running south. Some substances in two of the rivers, including chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen, still exceed environmental standards. The chemical park has issued a notice that the government will take responsibility for repairing all the damaged houses. Those who repair houses by themselves will be compensated in cash. It said a third-party organization will identify damage to the houses and a three-month transitional rent subsidy would be provided to those who make requests. (Source: China Daily) People attend a ceremony marking the start of spring plowing in Nedong district of Shannan city, Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, March 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday issued a white paper on democratic reform and the leap of development in Tibet over the past six decades. The democratic reform in Tibet is the greatest and most profound social transformation in the history of Tibet, said the white paper titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet Sixty Years On." "By abolishing serfdom, a grim and backward feudal system, Tibet was able to establish a new social system that liberated the people and made them the masters of the nation and society, thus ensuring their rights in all matters," the document said. Besides a preamble and a conclusion, the white paper consisted of ten sections, "Feudal Serfdom: A Dark History," "Irresistible Historical Trend," "Abolishing Feudal Serfdom," "The People Have Become Masters of Their Own Affairs," "Liberating and Developing the Productive Forces," "Promoting a Range of Undertakings," "Enhancing Ecological Progress," "Protecting the Freedom of Religious Belief," "Strengthening Ethnic Equality and Unity," and "Development of Tibet in the New Era." Freedom of Religious Belief in Tibet Well Protected After Democratic Reform After democratic reform, Tibet put an end to theocracy, separating government from religion and thus restoring the latter's true significance, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The freedom of religious belief of all ethnic groups is protected by the Constitution and the laws, with all religions and religious sects being equally respected and protected, said the document, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On." "This equates to true religious harmony," it said. Currently, Tibet has 1,787 sites for the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, over 46,000 resident monks and nuns, and 358 Living Buddhas, figures showed. There are four mosques and over 12,000 native Muslims, and one Catholic church and 700 believers. "Tibetan and other minority ethnic groups carry out their religious activities in accordance with native traditions," the white paper said. The Living Buddha reincarnation is a succession system unique to Tibetan Buddhism, and is respected by the state and governments at different levels of the autonomous region, it added. The state issued the Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism in 2007 to further institutionalize the reincarnation process of Living Buddhas. The white paper noted that by 2018, 91 incarnated Living Buddhas had been confirmed through traditional religious rituals and historical conventions. The cultivation and training of religious personnel are being strengthened, and the rights of monasteries and monks are guaranteed, it said, adding that since the 1980s more than 1.4 billion yuan (208.53 million U.S. dollars) has been spent on restoring Tibetan cultural relics and refurbishing key monasteries. Monastery-run scripture printing houses have been conserved and developed, noted the document, saying there are 60 such printing houses at the Potala Palace and other monasteries, producing 63,000 scriptural items every year. All the monks and nuns registered in the autonomous region have been included in the social security net, with full coverage of medical insurance, old-age insurance, subsistence allowance, and personal accident insurance, the white paper added. Significant Progress in Eco-environment Protection in Tibet Tibet has seen significant progress in restoring biodiversity, with a forest coverage rate of 12.14 percent, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The population of Tibetan antelopes has grown from 60,000 in the 1990s to more than 200,000 and Tibetan wild donkeys have increased in numbers from 50,000 to 80,000, noted the document, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On." Since the Qomolangma Nature Reserve was established in 1988, Tibet has set up 47 nature reserves of all kinds, including 11 at state level, with the total area of nature reserves accounting for more than 34.35 percent of the total area of the autonomous region, the white paper said. Tibet has 22 eco-protection areas, including one at state level, 36 counties in receipt of transfer payments from central finance for their key ecological roles, four national scenic areas, nine national forest parks, 22 national wetland parks, and three national geoparks, figures showed. The central government has continued to increase eco-compensation for Tibet in return for its cost for protecting the eco-environment and the consequent losses in development opportunities. The white paper said that since 2001, the central government has paid 31.6 billion yuan (4.71 billion U.S. dollars) in eco-compensation to the autonomous region for protecting forests, grassland, wetland, and key ecological reserves. Currently the autonomous region has 16.02 million ha of forests (including woodland, shrubland and other types of forestland), with a forest coverage rate of 12.14 percent and a growing forest stock of 2.28 billion cubic meters, according to the document. The comprehensive vegetation coverage of natural grassland has reached 45.9 percent, the area of natural grassland is 88.93 million ha, and the area of wetland is 6.53 million ha. The number of black-necked cranes has grown from 3,000 to 8,000, and wild yaks from 7,000 to 10,000 in Tibet, the white paper said. Currently all the major rivers and lakes in Tibet remain in their natural state, 95.7 percent of key waters have reached the national water standards, 97.5 percent of days are rated as "excellent" or "good" in terms of air quality, and ratings of air quality in the Qomolangma region are being maintained at either "excellent" or "good," with Grade I air quality, it added. Life Expectancy of People in Tibet Rises to 68.2 Years The life expectancy of the people in Tibet increased from 35.5 years before 1959 to 68.2 years now, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet Sixty Years On," elaborated on the improvements Tibet has made on various fronts since the democratic reform in Tibet in 1959. Tibet's population has grown from 1.23 million in 1959 to 3.44 million in 2018, with Tibetans accounting for over 90 percent of the total, it said. The living condition of people in Tibet has improved, the white paper said, noting that in 2018, the average per capita disposal income of urban residents was 33,797 yuan (5,035 U.S. dollars), and that of rural residents was 11,450 yuan. Before the democratic reform in Tibet, education was largely the preserve of the privileged aristocracy. The serfs who made up 95 percent of the population were not entitled to education, resulting in an illiteracy rate surpassing 95 percent among young people, it said. In 2018, the net enrollment rate in primary school was 99.5 percent, and gross enrollment rates in junior high, senior high and higher education were 99.5 percent, 82.3 percent and 39.2 percent respectively. In Tibet today there are 1,547 medical institutions of various types, offering 16,787 beds and employing 19,035 medical staff. The figures increased by 24 times, 35 times and 23 times respectively compared with those before the democratic reform, the white paper said. The childbirth mortality rate of people in Tibet fell from 50 per 1,000 at the beginning of the reform to 1.02 per 1,000 in 2017, and the infant mortality rate from 430 per 1,000 to 10.38 per 1,000, it noted. In January, the government of Tibet raised the minimum standard of subsistence allowance to 9,600 yuan for urban residents and 4,450 yuan for rural residents per person per year, the white paper said. Tibet's GDP Grows by 191 Times from 1959 to 2018 Tibet's 2018 GDP reached 147.76 billion yuan (22 billion U.S. dollars), about 191 times more than the 1959 figure calculated at comparable prices, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. Through 60 years of hard work, the people in Tibet have seen agriculture and animal husbandry become increasingly modernized, said the white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On." The added value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries and related service industries rose from 128 million yuan in 1959 to 13.41 billion yuan in 2018. Grain yield increased from 182,900 tonnes in 1959 to more than 1 million tonnes in 2018, it said. Tibet's modern industry started from scratch and has grown steadily, the white paper said, adding that Tibet's industrial added value increased from 15 million yuan in 1959 to 11.45 billion yuan in 2018. Tibet has accomplished a fundamental change and optimization in economic structure, the white paper said, noting that the share of added value from primary industry in GDP dropped from 73.6 percent in 1959 to 8.8 percent in 2018, while the share of secondary industry rose to 42.5 percent and the share of tertiary industry increased to 48.7 percent. The tertiary industry in Tibet is thriving and tourism is developing rapidly, the white paper said, noting that in 2018, Tibet received 33.69 million tourist visits, with a total tourism revenue of 49 billion yuan. More than 100,000 farmers and herdsmen have earned more through tourism and Tibet has become an international tourist destination, it said. Infrastructure has been improved in Tibet, as a comprehensive transportation network composed of highways, railways and air routes has been formed, it added. Tibetan People Become Masters of Their Own Affairs Through Democratic Reform About one million serfs gained personal freedom and became masters of the new society due to democratic reform in Tibet, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The reform brought fundamental changes to the Tibetan social system and laid a solid foundation for the establishment of socialism in Tibet, said the white paper. Tibet's democratic reform destroyed the institutional shackles which infringed serfs' rights to subsistence, marriage, migration, residence, work, personal freedom, human dignity, and education, according to the document. Noting that people's governments were established at various levels for the people to exercise their rights after the reform, the white paper said that for the first time in the history of Tibet, local governments were elected in a democratic way through the exercise of the right to vote and to stand for election. From September 1 to 9, 1965, the First Session of the First People's Congress of Tibet was held. At this session, Tibet Autonomous Region was established, and the People's Committee of the autonomous region came into being by election. Since 1978, Tibet has held 11 elections of deputies to the people's congresses at township level, 10 at county level, and eight at the level of municipalities having subordinate districts, according to the document. Currently, there are 35,963 deputies to the people's congresses at all levels in Tibet. Of them, deputies from the Tibetan and other minority ethnic groups account for 92.18 percent, it said. The rights of the people of all ethnic groups to participate in the deliberation and administration of state affairs have been fully guaranteed, according to the document. In addition, community-level democracy is developing and improving. At the end of 2018, there were 5,756 community-level workers' unions with 497,082 members, it added. White Paper Tells Story of Abolishing Feudal Serfdom via Democratic Reform in Tibet A white paper issued Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office recounted the story of abolishing feudal serfdom through democratic reform in Tibet some 60 years ago. After the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Communist Party of China (CPC) organizations in Tibet worked hard to benefit the local people through measures including giving free medical treatment, building water conservancy projects, and providing disaster rescue and relief, the white paper said. In July 1954, ice collapse caused disastrous floods in the upper reaches of the Nyangchu River. The floods drowned 91 people and destroyed 170 villages, affecting more than 16,000 people. In response, the central government allocated 800,000 silver dollars for disaster relief. The CPC Gyantse Working Committee and the local PLA garrison also fought the floods and provided succor to the victims, it said. As a contrast, in March 1956, Nagchu Dzong (present-day Seni District of Nagqu City) was stricken by a catastrophic blizzard. The government of Tibet did not send relief to victims, but urged them to pay their rents without offering any reduction or exemption, according to the document. The contrast awakened the people in Tibet and some serfs stood up to oppose oppression and exploitation, it said, adding that some members of the upper class in Tibet also began to support democratic reform and see it in a more positive light. In rural areas, which had a population of 800,000, the central government mobilized the people in a campaign against rebellion, corvee labor, and slavery, and in favor of lower rents for land and a reduction of interest on loans. Subsequently, the central government distributed land to peasants so as to completely eradicate feudal serfdom, it said. In monasteries, by means of prudent and steady measures, the CPC launched a campaign against the rebellion, feudal privileges and exploitation, and dealt with matters of political persecution, class oppression, and economic exploitation, it said, adding that these measures abolished feudal privileges, exploitation and the system of oppression. After the democratic reform, 553 monasteries housing over 7,000 monks and nuns were retained in Tibet, which fulfilled the religious needs of local believers, it added. White Paper Criticizes 14th Dalai Lama for Attempting to Maintain Feudal Serfdom A white paper released Wednesday exposed the dark history of Tibet's feudal serfdom, criticizing the 14th Dalai Lama and then reactionaries in Tibet's upper class for attempting to maintain the old system. "For centuries Tibet was ruled by feudal serfdom under theocracy. Millions of serfs were subjected to cruel exploitation and oppression until democratic reform in 1959," said the white paper, "Democratic Reform in Tibet Sixty Years On," released by China's State Council Information Office. Under the system, the three major estate-holders (government officials, nobles, and upper-ranking lamas in monasteries) deprived all rights of serfs, held in their hands the serfs' life and death, monopolized land, pastures and other means of production, it said. They also owned and enslaved serfs, exploited them with exorbitant taxes and levies, and exercised strict mind control in the name of religion, it added. "Serfdom is the most brutal form of slavery in feudal society. It is a barbaric and backward social system in terms of economic development, political democracy or human rights protection," it read. "By the 1950s, the very existence of feudal serfdom had violated the development trend of human history," said the white paper, noting that such a system was a stain on civilization and was destined to be eradicated by history. "Even as they were aware that feudal serfdom under theocracy was coming to an end, the 14th Dalai Lama and the reactionaries in Tibet's upper class had no wish to conduct reform," it said. "Instead, they tried to maintain the system for fear that reform would deprive them of their political and religious privileges, together with their huge economic benefits," it read. Tibet's Democratic Reform Strengthens Ethnic Equality, Unity Tibet has built a new type of socialist ethnic relationship featuring equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony since its democratic reform 60 years ago, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office Wednesday. "Tibet has fully implemented the ethnic policy of the Communist Party of China to enhance the awareness of ethnic solidarity and the sense of community of the Chinese nation, and strengthen ethnic communication and integration," said the white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet Sixty Years On." Over the past 60 years, the central government and all ethnic groups have been committed to the coordinated development of Tibet and the nation, it said. "At major historical points in Tibet's socialist construction, reform and development, the central government has mobilized and organized as many resources as possible from across the country to help Tibet to realize common prosperity," it said. After reform and opening up, the central government has been stepping up its assistance to Tibet. The National Symposium on Work in Tibet was held in 1980, 1984, 1994, 2001, 2010 and 2015 to improve the preferential policies applying to Tibet. "It is estimated that financial aid from the central budget totaled 1.24 trillion yuan from 1980 to 2018, making up 91 percent of Tibet's financial expenditure," the white paper said. Assistance from other provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and large and medium-sized enterprises began in the 1960s. Since the start of reform and opening up in 1978, assistance from developed provinces and cities has increased. Since 2015, assistance by educational and medical personnel from across the country has contributed tremendously to social development in Tibet. More than 10,000 projects are receiving support, representing a total investment of over 40 billion yuan. "With deeper reform and opening up, the economic and cultural ties between people in Tibet and those in the rest of China have become closer, with an increasing number of mixed communities and a closer emotional bond," the document said. Development of Tibet Enters New Era The general plan for governing Tibet in the new era defined by the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core is consistent with the principles and policies applied to Tibet since the beginning of democratic reform, while responding to Tibet's development needs in the new era, said a white paper released Wednesday by the State Council Information Office. "To develop Tibet in a new era, the central authority is committed to the philosophy of people-centered development and the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open, and inclusive development," said the white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On." Considering innovation as the primary driving force, the government of Tibet has worked hard to implement the strategy of innovation-driven development, it said. "By 2018, Tibet had established 74 entrepreneurship and innovation entities, including makerspaces, sci-tech enterprise incubators, innovation and entrepreneurship bases for college students, and bases for small and micro businesses, and these entities have attracted 1,338 entrepreneurship teams and startups," it said. In view of the current economic and social climate, the government of Tibet has been committed to coordinated and sustainable development. The government of Tibet firmly believes that clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets, and that ecological protection is also a means of protecting productive forces. Bearing these ideas in mind, it prioritizes green development with ecological protection. "Following the Belt and Road Initiative, the government of Tibet is building a policy structure that is inclusive, open and cooperative in nature, while accelerating opening-up," it said. It also said the government of Tibet works hard to enhance the sense of participation and gain for people of all ethnic groups, ensuring that the fruits of development are shared by all the people. Since 2013, more than 273,000 new urban jobs have been created. In 2018, the registered urban unemployment rate was 2.83 percent, and per capita disposable income increased by 10.2 percent and 10.8 percent respectively for urban and rural residents. People attend a ceremony marking the start of spring plowing in Nedong district of Shannan City, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] File photo: The peach trees in full bloom are along a road in Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] People attend a ceremony marking the start of spring plowing in Nedong district of Shannan city, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] Potala Palace. [Photo provided to China Daily] People attend a ceremony marking the start of spring plowing at Menzhonggang village in Shannan city, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] Samdrub Drolma, 82, sits at her home in Tibet's Chushul county. [Photo by Kalzang Lhundrub and Pei Cong/provided to chinadaliy.com.cn] Dawa (right), chats with her daughter Badrol at her home. [Photo by Liu Feng/ Tibet Daily] People celebrate Losar, or Tibetan New Year, and Spring Festival in Lhasa, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb 5, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] People celebrate Losar, or Tibetan New Year, and Spring Festival in Lhasa, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb 5, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] (Source: China Daily) Chinese opera artists perform Qiongju opera in Paris, Nov 26, 2018. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] China and France first established diplomatic relations in 1964 and in the 55 years since have enjoyed enriching cultural and people-to-people exchange. More than 2 million Chinese people now visit France each year and about 100,000 French and Chinese are learning each other's languages, while nearly 100 provinces and cities in the two countries have established sisterhood relationships. Diversified Cultural Activities From 2003-2005, China and France held a variety of cultural events in each other's countries as part of the program Cultural Year, which laid the foundations for further similar events over the next two decades. The China Cultural Center in Paris, a governmental cultural organization, hosted more than 180 cultural activities in 2018, attracting more than 50,000 participating locals. Highlights included the Chinese Opera Festival and Chinese Film Festival, with the latter expanding from Paris alone in 2011 to over 10 French cities in 2018, such as Marseille and Lyon, screening more than 100 movies yearly. In Beijing, the Croisements Festival, organized by the French embassy in China, has become an annual carnival for French art lovers in China since its establishment in 2006. It showcases an array of French visual arts, drama, dance, music, film and literature, and the festival's 2018 edition brought 68 cultural programs to 30 Chinese cities. Other major exchanges include the annual Happy Chinese New Year celebrations, the China-France Literature Forum, as well as a range of concerts and performances. Tourism and Education France is one of the most popular tourist destinations among Chinese travelers, with around 2 million taking an annual trip since 2014 in 2018 the number reached 2.3 million. More than 100 Chinese provinces and cities by the end of 2018 had forged sisterhood relationships with their French counterparts, including Beijing and Paris, Wuhan and Bordeaux, and Qingdao and Brest. Around 100,000 Chinese and French people are learning each other's languages, with more than 1,000 young people visiting each other's countries for internships since the launch of the China-France 1,000 Interns program in April 2016. Literature and Film The two countries have also embraced each other's movies, literature, museums, cultures and heritage. A film co-production partnership signed by China and France in 2010 has brought hit films such as Wolf Totem and The Nightingale. At the 2019 Paris Book Fair from March 15-18, more than 500 kinds of Chinese books were exhibited, with 18 participating Chinese publishers displaying their works in traditional culture, Chinese education and literature, and humanities and social sciences. French band Las Aves perform on World Music Day in Beijing, June 19, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A group of Chinese tourists pose for a photo at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, March 20, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] A still from the China-France co-produced film Wolf Totem. [Photo/Mtime] A French child writes the Chinese character for fu (happiness) with a calligraphy brush at the China Cultural Center in Paris, Jan 26, 2019. [Photo/Chinaculture.org] (Source: China Daily) Designer Vivienne Hu greets the audience after presenting her fall and winter collection during the New York Fashion Week on Feb 13.[Photo/Xinhua] Chinese American fashion designer Vivienne Hu was presented the Visionary Artist Award by the University of Southern California Pacific Asia Museum recently for her creative contribution to Asia-Pacific cultural exchanges. Hu is an investment banker turned fashion designer. Born and raised in China, she had her university education in Europe. And she worked as a financier at a leading investment bank on Wall Street, prior to studying fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York. In 2012, Hu launched her brand, which has been selected by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as one of the resident brands of New York Fashion Week since 2014. Her designs blend European elegance and New York street style while incorporating exotic Asian elements. At the heart of her design philosophy is the spirit of the independent woman, displaying both femininity and individuality. Last year, Hu presented a collection that was inspired by murals in the Mogao grottoes in Dunhuang, a 1,600-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northwest China's Gansu Province. The designs captured the essence of timeless art through rich amber, indigo, green and cinnabar tones that feature on the walls of the cave, and embrace the synthesis of expertly layered silk garments and distinctly cut knits, with tailored wool outer layers lined with furs. The looks won instant praise and remain among her most well-received designs to date. "We are delighted to present Vivienne Hu for her creative contributions to furthering Asian design, fashion and arts," said Selma Holo, interim director at the USC Pacific Asia Museum, at the Gala in Pasadena, California. Hu says Chinese culture is an essential element in her design. "It is an honor to represent my culture and my roots through my design," she says. Hu says she has had exchanges and worked with Chinese partners in recent years, and shared her ideas with Chinese fashion designers. Hundreds of art lovers, donors and collectors attended the annual gala. Established in 1971, the USC Pacific Asia Museum is one of a few US institutions dedicated to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. The museum's mission is to further intercultural understanding through the arts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Models present creations from the Vivienne Hu collection at the same event. Hu's designs display both femininity and individuality.[Photo/Xinhua] (Source: China Daily) [Photo/TUCHONG] A recent survey shows that close to 90 percent of university students want to gain financial independence, the China Youth Daily reported Monday. Among those who have such plans, 72.88 percent said they realized financial independence to varying degrees, and 8 percent are paying their own personal bills, the Beijing-based newspaper said. The survey was based on answers from 805 respondents. Different from the older generations that earned money to alleviate the burden on their families, the current students aspire for freedom, a sense of pride and responsibility, and satisfaction of supporting themselves, it said. Nearly 50 percent of respondents attributed their pursuit of financial independence to "a sense of being cool" and reluctance to tell parents why they need the money. Li Yuhui, a professor with the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China, warned against the risks facing students in taking part-time jobs to this end. "With various choices ranging from tutoring jobs to being hired to create fake reviews in online marketplaces, how to make the right and safe decision should be a problem to be jointly addressed by the students, society and schools," Li told the paper. (Source: China Daily) Fears looming cuts to local bus services will leave communities disconnected This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 27th, 2019 A senior councillor has called for a bus operator to reconsider cuts to its local services amid fears that some communities will be cut off. Arriva Buses Wales are due to implement a changes to series of its routes across Wrexham County Borough at the end of the month. In some instances the services will be withdrawn altogether. Such services include the withdrawal of the Service 42: Wrexham Hightown and Service 44: Wrexham Barkers Lane, both of which were only reinstated by Arriva Buses Wales in October 2018. Last month Michael Morton, managing director of Arriva Buses Wales, defended the service changes , stating that those being withdrawn are not commercially viable and are being modified or withdrawn in order to protect the rest of the Wrexham bus network. Services affected by the changes, include: Service 4: Wrexham Rhos Pen-y-Cae Service 4A: Wrexham Johnstown Afoneitha Service 4B: Wrexham Rhos Afoneitha Service 12: Wrexham Brymbo Service 26/27: Wrexham Mold Service 33: Wrexham Llay Service 42: Wrexham Hightown (Service Withdrawn) Service 44: Wrexham Barkers Lane (Service Withdrawn) Cllr David A. Bithell, lead member for environment and transport, has written to Arriva Buses asking them to reconsider their decision with regards these services. Cllr Bithell said: I have consulted on these changes with elected members and many residents have raised have voiced their concerns as to how these changes could leave their communities disconnected. Many of the changes proposed would leave residential estates currently served by buses cut off, meaning elderly, vulnerable or mobility-impaired individuals would have much further to travel before they reached a serviced bus stop. For many people, that would be the equivalent of completely cutting them off from bus travel, meaning they could no longer rely on the transport links they need in order to maintain their independence and day-to-day lives. Cllr Bithell added While I understand these are commercial decisions of Arriva they also have to consider the impact that these planned changes will have on many of our communities. Even if the reductions resulted in a skeleton or reduced service this would still provide links for those people who rely on them. The Welsh Government is currently consulting on plans to improve public transport in Wales. Whilst I am fully supportive of the White Paper, it is my view that it does not go far enough and will not deliver the necessary improvements required to reverse the worrying decline in the Local Bus industry across Wales. More details on the changes coming into play and which services will be affected can be found on the Arriva Buses Wales website. (Click for large) North Wales police and crime commissioner demands tougher sentences for paedophiles This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 27th, 2019 A police boss has written to the Attorney General expressing concern about unduly lenient sentences given to paedophiles after a man who hoarded 300,000 child abuse videos and pictures escaped jail. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones says it was particularly alarming that only a quarter of the people sentenced for making, distributing or publishing child sex abuse images in 2017 were sent to prison. In the letter, Mr Jones referred to the case of James Moran, from Prestatyn, who stored the vile images on his computer hard drive. They included children aged from six months to 17 years, and were kept in hidden files with names such as more work. He had used specialist software to conduct internet searches for terms like jail bait gallery. He had made 18,186 images and 99 movies 220 of them of the most serious type, Category A. A further 293,800 images and films had been found but because of the sheer number of them they had not been categorised. After pleading guilty at Mold Crown Court last November, Mr Moran was given a 14-month suspended sentence, 60 days rehabilitation and 200 hours of community service. Mr Jones wrote: This was the latest case in a series of cases whereby defendants whove committed offences in contravention of the Protection of Children Act 1978 are given whats perceived by members of the public to be unduly lenient sentences. Given the seriousness of such offending behaviour, I agree that such sentences do appear lenient and I have real concerns about some of the sentences given to paedophiles. The fact that only a quarter of the 2,528 people sentenced for making, distributing or publishing child sex abuse images in 2017 were jailed is particularly alarming. Such offences are an abhorrence to our society and should be treated as so. The sentencing needs to be a deterrent. People need to realise that when they commit certain offences, the penalty will fit the crime. I fully understand that sentencing in respect of offences in contravention of the Protection of Children Act 1978 cannot currently be reviewed for being unduly lenient since such offences arent included in the list of offences which can be reviewed. However, since sentencing for direct sexual assault can be challenged for being unduly lenient, and downloading and sharing images of child abuse is as damaging and insidious a crime as direct sexual assault, I believe that such offences should be on the list. I further understand that you are considering adding further offences, including indecent images of children offences to the list of offences which can be reviewed under the unduly lenient process. I write this letter to express my support and would urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to include these offences in any such revised list. Anyone who has been found guilty has the right to appeal against the severity of their sentence. In a civilised society, that is right and there is a procedure for it. However, the procedure for victims to appeal against the undue leniency of a sentence is incredibly perverse. The guidance is extremely ambiguous: Only certain types of case can be reviewed, includingmurderraperobberysome child sex crimes and child crueltysome serious fraudsome serious drug crimessome terror-related offences. This ambiguity makes it hugely testing for the public which I represent to comprehend what can and cannot be appealed against. It is fundamentally unfair that victims do not have the same rights as the perpetrators. I understand that it is impossible to hand out custodial sentences for every crime and indeed it would be unjust to do so. However, I also understand that the punishment must fit the crime and there are an increasing number of indecent images offences that are not punished accordingly. (Click for large) Wrexham veteran to feature in ITV series about inspirational personalities in Wales This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 27th, 2019 A veteran from Wrexham will feature in a new ITV documentary this week about inspirational personalities in Wales. Shaun Stocker was seriously injured at just 19-years-old when when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan back in 2010. He became a double above knee amputee and was blinded. Over the years he has endured around 50 operations and has regained some sight in one eye. The series on ITV, which will air on Thursday, also features the prosthetics team at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. The staff at the hospitals PAMS (Posture and Mobility Service) centre look after the maintenance of Shauns prosthetic legs and they also made and maintain his prosthetic eye which is hand painted and finished with painstaking attention to detail by orbital prosthetist Clare Allen-Bull. The staff working with Shaun, Prosthesis team leader Katie Davis and Senior Prosthetist Rachel Malcolm, connect to Shauns legs via Bluetooth and can make the small adjustments necessary to make sure he is comfortable and can use his prosthetic legs as he needs to and remain active. Shaun regularly takes part in challenges and lives life to the full. Last year, he and a group of veterans undertook a gruelling 1,000 mile expedition across Western Australia to mark the start of the Invictus Games, the international adaptive, multi-sport event for injured or sick ex-servicemen and women created by Prince Harry. Prosthesis team leader Katie Davies said, It was fantastic to take part in the filming for Welsh Lives with Shaun. He is such an inspirational character and it is a privilege for the team to help him achieve all the amazing things that he does. He has been through so much on his journey to get better and he really shows what can be achieved against the odds. We make adjustments to Shauns legs to make sure he is comfortable moving across all sorts of different terrain. Genuinely, we forget sometimes that Shauns an amputee because we have got to know him and the person is the most important part of the care we give. Welsh Lives is broadcast on ITV Cymru Wales on Thursdays at 8.30pm, starting on Thursday 28th March. The programme will also be available online and as a podcast. Pictures: ITV Wales (Click for large) When do you set new goals and make new plans? Every week? Every month? Every year? All of the above? I do, too! While many wait for January ... Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 19:25:17|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Jerome Petit, CEO of France-based Bollore Transport & Logistics' Africa region,receives an interview with Xinhua in Kigali, Rwanda, March 25, 2019. France-based major international and logistics operator Bollore Transport & Logistics said on Monday that it aims to partner with Chinese companies to develop Chinese business and investments in Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran) KIGALI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- France-based major international and logistics operator Bollore Transport & Logistics said on Monday that it aims to partner with Chinese companies to develop Chinese business and investments in Africa. Jerome Petit, CEO of the company's Africa region, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the two-day Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, that the company also wants to help Chinese companies to develop and construct new projects across Africa. The company, operating in 106 countries including 46 African ones, has been in Africa for over 50 years. It has been developing business partnerships between Africa and China since 2005, and has established several strategic partnership agreements with Chinese companies, said Petit. Currently, the company has four "strategic" partnership agreements with the Chinese companies Alibaba, China Communications Construction Company, Huawei and COSCO Shipping, said the CEO. The company's head of the Africa region also spoke highly of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, saying it will have a long-term impact on and benefits for Africa. He cited Kenya with the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway as an example. The initiative will greatly benefit Africa in terms of investment and trade facilitation and access to new markets, he said. "It has been promoting a lot of bilateral business-to-business projects. I think it will continue and we will see increased investments in terms of infrastructure," he added. The initiative is an accelerator of business between Africa and China and will also promote Chinese investments in Africa, said the CEO. About 1,500 participants, including Africa's top CEOs, international investors, experts and high-level policy makers, are meeting at the 7th Africa CEO Forum from Monday to discuss major topics and key challenges concerning Africa's private sector. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 23:06:25|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang (7th L) poses for a group photo during the Lancang-Mekong Week activities celebrating the third anniversary of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, March 26, 2019. China is willing to work with the other five member countries of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) to plan, design and implement the cooperation projects, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang said on Tuesday. Hong made the remarks at the Lancang-Mekong Week activities which kicked off in Myanmar's capital of Nay Pyi Taw to celebrate the third anniversary of the LMC. (Xinhua/U Aung) NAY PYI TAW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with the other five member countries of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) to plan, design and implement the cooperation projects, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang said on Tuesday. Hong made the remarks at the Lancang-Mekong Week activities which kicked off in Myanmar's capital of Nay Pyi Taw to celebrate the third anniversary of the LMC. The event was attended by representatives of the six Lancang-Mekong countries, namely China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Hong expressed his belief that the Lancang-Mekong week will become a crucial platform for countries to share cooperation experience, expand cooperation influence and elevate cooperation level so as to inject new impetus into future cooperation. The Lancang-Mekong week celebration includes a variety of activities such as photo exhibitions and cultural performances. The LMC was launched in March 2016 and more than 260 cooperation projects have been successfully implemented with fruitful cooperation in infrastructure connectivity, industry capacity, cross-border economy, water resources management, agricultural and rural development, poverty alleviation, culture and tourism, Hong said. Noting that Myanmar is playing an important role in the LMC mechanism, he said Myanmar's first batch of 10 projects, supported by LMC Fund, have been successfully implemented, and the agreement was signed in January on the second batch of cooperation projects. He said with the participation by various sectors and communities, the LMC has brought new vitality to the social and economic development of Myanmar and delivered real benefit to the Myanmar people. Myanmar Minister of International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin said the LMC process is heading towards development of the Mekong region and the Lancang-Mekong week activities are to raise the awareness of cooperation among countries in the region. File Photo: Health workers carry out the body of a patient with unconfirmed Ebola virus on Aug. 22, 2018 in Mangina, near Beni, in the North Kivu province, the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian chief on Monday called on the international community to support the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the epidemic has claimed 621 lives. "We don't think the world is paying enough attention to Ebola," UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock told reporters, making a 326-million-U.S. dollar appeal to fight the deadly disease. Lowcock said the appeal is to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the DRC. He just returned from a journey to the African country along with Henrietta Fore, head of the UN Children's Fund, to look into the Ebola outbreak, the second worst outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever behind the 2014-2016 epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters shortly afterward the Fore-Lowcock presentation that the World Health Organization has now tallied more than 1,000 cases in northern DRC since the outbreak was declared in August 2018. "As of March 23, 1,009 confirmed and probable cases and 621 deaths had been recorded in North Kivu and Ituri (provinces)," Dujarric said. "More than 300 patients have been released following treatment." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 05:08:08|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Photo taken on Feb. 28, 2019 shows the construction site of Yuhuang's methanol project in St. James Parish, Louisiana, the United States. Yuhuang Chemical Industries Inc. (YCI), a subsidiary of China's Shandong Yuhuang Chemical, is constructing a 1.85-billion-dollar methanol plant in St. James Parish. The project is one of the largest greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) by a Chinese company in the United States. It was announced in 2014 and started construction in January 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) BATON ROUGE, the United States, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Deep into St. James Parish, U.S. state of Louisiana, hundreds of construction workers are busy working on framed structures and installing giant equipment. The 1,300-acre site on the west side of the Mississippi River will be home to a mega methanol production facility. Yuhuang Chemical Industries Inc. (YCI), a subsidiary of China's Shandong Yuhuang Chemical, is constructing a 1.85-billion-dollar methanol plant here. The project is one of the largest greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) by a Chinese company in the United States. It was announced in 2014 and started construction in January 2017. The plant facility is expected to start commercial production in mid-2020, following the completion of the first-phase YCI Methanol One. YCI Methanol One will have a capacity of producing approximately 1.7 million metric tons of methanol per year, according to the company. "With a productive capacity of about 5,000 metric tons every day, we aim to build a world-class methanol plant," Charlie Yao, CEO of YCI Methanol One, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Despite various challenges, Yao said the project has made significant milestones over the past year. "One of the largest one is that we have formed strategic alliance with the Koch Industries," said Yao. Last August, Koch Methanol, an affiliate of Koch Industries, announced to buy into YCI's methanol production facility in Louisiana. According to the joint agreement, Koch Methanol has acquired an indirect minority equity interest in YCI Methanol One, LLC. "Koch Methanol seeks to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships and this investment is a good example of the opportunities we look for and we're very excited to continue to build and grow this relationship," said Jim Sorlie, senior vice president with Koch Methanol. Methanol is used in the manufacturing of countless everyday products, including plywood, carpet, fuels and plastics. As part of its investment, affiliates of Koch Methanol will receive the exclusive methanol offtake rights from the new facility, as well as construct, own, and operate the methanol terminal assets for the outbound flow of methanol. After site clearing, excavation, backfill and finishing the foundation, the 1.85-billion-dollar methanol plant has been making significant progress in its construction these days. "Starting from the year 2019, we're in a critical stage called moving from the below ground, which is the foundation stage, into the above ground," said Yao. All the major equipment that has been delivered to the site will be erected in the first half of this year, he said. Since last year, the project has made visible achievements, with major facilities such as distillation towers and power distribution building about to be finished and key production equipment rolling out at the site ready to be installed, according to Yao, and he expects more milestones to come in the near future. "Early next year, the contractor will start to turn the unit over to YCI ownership, ready for commission, and we will train operators ready to start the production by mid of next year," he said. There are now some 550 construction workers at the site, said the company and the peak construction employment will exceed 1,000. The plant will also include 100 permanent direct jobs during operation. The world-scale methanol facility has been hailed by many as a sign of strengthening business ties between China and Louisiana. In January, Shandong Yuhuang and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) were presented with the Outstanding FDI Partnership Award by the New York-based Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the largest and most influential non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in the United States, with its members exceeding 1,500. Don Pierson, secretary of LED said Yuhuang's capital investment, job creation and business purchases in Louisiana will help create a better quality of life for locals. He also spoke highly of the Chinese companies that are represented in his state as they do not only benefit the regional economy by creating jobs and contributing to local communities, but are also responsible participants regarding safety and security around their facilities. Chinese commerce has already been a transformative force in Louisiana's economy, with extensive trade and cross-border investment linking the two more strongly than ever, according to the LED website. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 07:08:29|Editor: zh Video Player Close Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese UN envoy said Tuesday China wishes to stress once again that a two-state solution is the fundamental solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and any new initiative should contribute to the realization of the two-state solution. At present, the international consensus on taking forward the Middle East peace process is faced with challenges, while the efforts to facilitate Palestinian-Israeli peace talks have shown no sign of progress, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. In the meantime, the conflict and confrontation in the Gaza Strip is escalating, and the construction of settlements in the West Bank has continued, said the Chinese envoy, adding that the incendiary rhetoric and violent acts of the parties concerned have been frequent. "The development of the situation is extremely worrying," he said. "We call on the Israelis and Palestinians to keep in mind the big picture of regional security, peace and stability, maintain calm and exercise restraint, move in the same direction, halt military actions, and effectively facilitate the ease of tension," he said. The Security Council and other stakeholders that have influence on the Middle East must remain united, and work hard to create necessary conditions for the stabilization of the Palestinian-Israeli situation and the resumption of dialogue, he added. The question of Palestine is at the core of the Middle East issue that bears on the long-term stability and development of the region, said Wu, noting China's insistence on a two-state solution as the fundamental solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The international community needs to build on the relevant UN resolutions, the principle of "land for peace," and the Arab Peace Initiative, and scale up efforts to facilitate the resumption of talks to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, he said. Wu said that any new initiative should contribute to the realization of the two-state solutions, and Security Council resolution 2334 should be effectively implemented. "Immediately cease all settlement activities in the occupied territories, stop the demolition of Palestinian homes, stop the destruction of Palestinian property, and take measures to prevent violence against civilians," he said. The final status of Jerusalem is complex and sensitive, with the settlement of the Palestinian issue having an important bearing on regional peace and tranquility, he said. Wu said that recent conflict in the Al-Aqsa mosque is worrying. "All parties should act with caution and uphold a principle of respecting diverse history, upholding fairness and justice, implementing international consensus, and achieving peaceful coexistence," he said. Regarding Golan Heights, Wu said that it is internationally recognized as an occupied territory, and the UN Security Council has adopted several resolutions calling on the withdrawal of Israel from there. "China opposes any unilateral action to alter the facts and does not wish to see further escalation of regional tension," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over Syria's Golan Heights which Israel occupied in 1967 and annexed in 1981. Five UN Security Council members from the European Union -- Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Poland -- issued a joint statement on Tuesday morning, saying that they do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. "Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. Any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order and the UN Charter," said the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 07:38:36|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Wu Haitao (C, Front) addresses a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. Wu Haitao on Tuesday called on the international community to help the Great Lakes Region improve the security situation. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on the international community to help the Great Lakes Region improve the security situation. Maintaining peace in the Great Lakes Region, which lies at the center of Africa, bears on the overall stability and development of the continent, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council. Since the second half of 2018, the political and security situation in the region has been improved. At the same time, the region faces many challenges, he said. Wu asked the international community to help with the maintenance of security and stability of the Great Lakes Region. He called on the international community to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the countries concerned and their ownership and leadership in dealing with their internal affairs and avoid interference. Regional and subregional organizations should continue mediation so as to help the parties resolve their differences through peaceful means. The United Nations, for its part, should provide assistance in conflict prevention, good offices and peacekeeping and peacebuilding, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 07:43:36|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives failed on Tuesday to override President Donald Trump's veto of a congressional resolution blocking his declaration of a national emergency at the nation's southern border with Mexico. The lower chamber, controlled by Democrats, voted 248-181, short of the two-thirds majority needed for an override. The national emergency declaration, which Trump made last month in a bid to get funding for the construction of a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, would allow the president to shift billions of U.S. dollars from military construction projects to fulfilling his signature campaign promise. Congress sent a resolution to the White House this month terminating the emergency declaration, which Trump vetoed almost immediately. Various legal challenges, meanwhile, are underway against the emergency declaration. Democrats argued that there is no national emergency at the border, accusing Trump of overstepping his authority by circumventing Congress for the border wall funding, while some Republicans were also uneasy that the president's actions may set a bad precedent. The Pentagon announced Monday that it has authorized the transfer of 1 billion dollars for the construction of the border wall, drawing sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers. The fight over the funding of the border wall between the White House and congressional Democrats led to a record-breaking 35-day federal government shutdown, which ended late January. Source Xinhua| 2019-03-27 08:00:50|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Romanian special police agents guard bags of cocaine during a news conference in the building of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Bucharest, Romania, on March 26, 2019. The Romanian police seized over 1,000 kilograms of high-purity cocaine in the Danube Delta, with a black market value of some 340 million U.S. dollars, the country's anti-organized crime authorities announced Tuesday. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel) Source Xinhua| 2019-03-27 08:56:49|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Said Djinnit, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, briefs the UN Security Council on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 09:23:49|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Wu Haitao (C, Front) addresses a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. Wu Haitao on Tuesday called on the international community to help the Great Lakes Region improve the security situation. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the international community to help the Great Lakes region in central Africa with capacity building and help address the root causes of conflict. Poverty and under-development have severe impacts on durable peace and stability of the Great Lakes region, Wu Haitao, the deputy permanent representative of the Chinese mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council. The international community should honor its commitments and increase humanitarian aid and official development aid, help the internally displaced people and refugees return home and increase support and investment in health, education, connectivity and other infrastructure areas, said Wu. He also asked for efforts to promote employment of young Africans and to improve the living standards of locals. Wu asked for international support for capacity building in the countries in the Great Lakes region. The countries lack funds and capacity in peacebuilding and in dealing with the threat of armed groups, he said. The international community should provide aid in cash and in kind as well as technical assistance, with a focus on helping the countries improve security capacity and their capabilities in natural resource management and border control, said Wu. Marilyn Nieves/iStock(BARRON, Wis.) -- Jake Patterson, the man who abducted 13-year-old Jayme Closs and held her captive until she escaped months later, pleaded guilty in an emotional court appearance on Wednesday. "Bye, Jayme," Patterson said, before he was led away. Patterson, 21, shot and killed Closs' parents on Oct. 15 and kidnapped the 13-year-old from her home in rural Barron, Wis. As he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping, Patterson appeared emotional, with his voice cracking at times. The state will not file criminal charges against Patterson for crimes committed in Douglas County, where he lived and held Closs captive. The shocking crime captivated the country and sent Barron County investigators on a months-long search for Closs and her then-unknown abductor. After Closs was rescued in January, the 21-year-old Patterson told police he targeted the teen after seeing her board a school bus, according to a criminal complaint. Patterson told investigators that he fled with Closs to his home in Gordon, Wis. He allegedly created a space for Closs under his bed, and when he'd leave the house, he'd put weights around the bed so she couldn't escape, according to the complaint. Closs told investigators that Patterson "would make her stay under the bed for up to 12 hours at a time with no food, water or bathroom breaks," according to the complaint. On Jan. 10, when Patterson left the house, Closs fled to safety, according to court documents. Patterson's father, Patrick Patterson, told ABC News last month, "I'm very sorry for everything that has happened. ... I wish for a complete healing of Jayme's mind, heart and soul." Closs and her family said in a statement in February, "Jayme and her family wish to extend their deepest gratitude for the incredible gifts and generous donations that she has received from all over the country and around the world." "Jayme greatly appreciates each and every gift, as well as the many cards and letters," the statement said. "The many kind words have been a source of great comfort to her." Jennifer Smith, Closs' aunt who has custody, broke down in tears at Wednesday's court appearance. Sentencing was set for May 24. Jake Patterson faces up to life in prison. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 09:33:53|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Wu Haitao (C, Front) addresses a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 26, 2019. Wu Haitao on Tuesday called on the international community to help the Great Lakes Region improve the security situation. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the international community to help the Great Lakes region improve the security situation, enhance capacity building and address the root causes of conflict. Maintaining peace in the Great Lakes region, which lies at the center of Africa, bears on the overall stability and development of the continent, Wu Haitao, the deputy permanent representative of the Chinese mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council. Since the second half of 2018, the political and security situation in the region has been improved. At the same time, the region faces many challenges, he said. Wu asked the international community to help with the maintenance of security and stability of the Great Lakes region. He called on the international community to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the countries concerned, respect their ownership and leadership in dealing with their internal affairs and avoid interference. Regional and subregional organizations should continue mediation so as to help the parties resolve their differences through peaceful means. The United Nations, for its part, should provide assistance in conflict prevention, good offices and peacekeeping and peacebuilding, he said. Poverty and under-development have taken a heavy toll on durable peace and stability of the Great Lakes region. The international community should honor its commitments and increase humanitarian aid and official development aid, help the internally displaced people and refugees return home and increase support and investment in health, education, connectivity and other infrastructure areas, said Wu. He also asked for efforts to promote employment of young Africans and to improve the living standards of locals. Wu asked for international support for capacity building in the countries in the Great Lakes region. The countries lack funds and capacity in peacebuilding and in dealing with the threats of armed groups, he said. The international community should provide aid in cash and in kind as well as technical assistance, with the focus on helping the countries improve security capacity and their capabilities in natural resource management and border control, said Wu. China has always supported efforts to carry forward the peace processes in the Great Lakes region, and has actively participated in UN peacekeeping in the region. At the same time, China has provided assistance to the region in infrastructure, agriculture and other fields, said the Chinese envoy. China is willing to work with the international community to make further contributions to the peace, stability and development of the Great Lakes region, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 09:53:59|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Tuesday his company was "humbled" and "learning" from an Ethiopian airlines crash that killed 157 people more than two weeks ago. In a statement published Tuesday, Muilenburg said Boeing is resorting to all the resources it has to cooperate "tirelessly" with the Ethiopians to "understand what happened and do everything possible to ensure it doesn't happen again." The Boeing was responding to Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde GebreMariam's statement on the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 earlier this month. GebreMariam said that despite the air crash, Ethiopian Airlines still holds trust in Boeing and pledges to work with the top U.S. aircraft manufacturer to make air travel even safer. "We hold ourselves to the highest standards of safety, excellence and integrity in our work because the stakes could not be higher," Muilenburg said, echoing GebreMariam's statement. "Boeing stands together with all our customers and partners to earn and strengthen the flying public's trust and confidence in us every day," he added. He said that the Ethiopian Airlines, with a history of over 70 years, is "a pioneer and a leader" that launched Africa into the jet age. Boeing has been under intense scrutiny of U.S. federal regulators since a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft crashed near the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa that killed all 157 passengers and crew on board in early March. It was the second fatal disaster involving a 737 MAX airplane in more than five months after Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610 crashed and killed 189 people in October last year. Many countries and airlines across the world have grounded 737 MAX aircraft after investigations found similarities between the two crashes. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:04:04|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, March 27 (Xinhua) -- In just a matter of days, a network of scientists from around the world will continue the search for gravitational waves with new and improved upgrades to an array of detecting technology. Joining this search for what are essentially "ripples in space and time," will be Australian researchers from OzGrav, a collaboration between several of the country's universities. Among them is the Australian National University (ANU), whose team developed a technique for identifying gravitational waves more clearly. Known as "squeezing," the process helps reduce quantum noise that can mask the signal of gravitational waves. As a result of this breakthrough, the U.S. LIGO detectors in Washington and Louisiana became 40 percent more sensitive. While in Europe, a detector at the European Gravitational Observatory in Italy called Virgo, almost doubled its capabilities. "Manipulating the quantum world to enhance the sensitivity of the globe's biggest laser interferometers will enable the deepest searches yet for new gravitational wave sources," OzGrav Professor David McClelland at ANU said on Wednesday. With the detectors now able to search a larger volume of space to investigate events like collisions between black holes, a researcher from OzGrave who spent time in the U.S. installing the instrumentation, Nutsinee Kijbunchoo, said, "With every improvement in our squeezing technology, we can push further out into the universe." "Seeing the range jump to more than 100 megaparsecs for the first time after injecting squeezing was one of the most exciting moments of my PhD!" he said. The project is set to go online April 1. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:19:14|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MOSCOW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The presence of Russian specialists in Venezuela is in line with a military-technical cooperation agreement between the two countries, which does not need the approval of the Venezuelan National Assembly, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. "Russia develops cooperation with Venezuela in strict compliance with the country's Constitution and with full respect for its legislation," the ministry said in a statement. The agreement between the two governments on military-technical cooperation was signed in May 2001 and ratified by both countries, the statement said, without providing further details about the specialists. No additional approval by the Venezuelan National Assembly is required for the development of bilateral military-technical cooperation, the ministry added. On Saturday, two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela, carrying nearly 100 troops and 35 tons of materials, according to media reports. Venezuela has been in political tension since Jan. 23 when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's interim president and was recognized by the United States and some other countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:29:15|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MINSK, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed two regional officials for failure to ensure proper business conditions and production discipline, the president's press service said on Tuesday. The president decided to fire the governor of the Mogilev region and the head of the Shklov district executive committee after visiting Shklov district. During his inspection, Lukashenko was dissatisfied with livestock management and the state of production facilities at a dairy complex there. Noticing a gross violation of technological processes, extremely unsatisfactory conditions of livestock and management, as well as messy scenes on the farm, including inoperative equipment, scrap metal and old parts, the president demanded that local officials arrange proper work of the farm and punish those responsible. Mogilev region locates in east of Belarus with its administrative center Mogilev being the third largest city in the country. Shklow is a town in Mogilev region. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:39:19|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2018 shows a lake and snow mountain in Zhongba County in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Tibet has seen significant progress in restoring biodiversity, with a forest coverage rate of 12.14 percent, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi) BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Tibet has seen significant progress in restoring biodiversity, with a forest coverage rate of 12.14 percent, said a white paper released Wednesday by China's State Council Information Office. The population of Tibetan antelopes has grown from 60,000 in the 1990s to more than 200,000 and Tibetan wild donkeys have increased in numbers from 50,000 to 80,000, noted the document, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On." Since the Qomolangma Nature Reserve was established in 1988, Tibet has set up 47 nature reserves of all kinds, including 11 at state level, with the total area of nature reserves accounting for more than 34.35 percent of the total area of the autonomous region, the white paper said. Tibet has 22 eco-protection areas, including one at state level, 36 counties in receipt of transfer payments from central finance for their key ecological roles, four national scenic areas, nine national forest parks, 22 national wetland parks, and three national geoparks, figures showed. The central government has continued to increase eco-compensation for Tibet in return for its cost for protecting the eco-environment and the consequent losses in development opportunities. The white paper said that since 2001, the central government has paid 31.6 billion yuan (4.71 billion U.S. dollars) in eco-compensation to the autonomous region for protecting forests, grassland, wetland, and key ecological reserves. Currently the autonomous region has 16.02 million ha of forests (including woodland, shrubland and other types of forestland), with a forest coverage rate of 12.14 percent and a growing forest stock of 2.28 billion cubic meters, according to the document. The comprehensive vegetation coverage of natural grassland has reached 45.9 percent, the area of natural grassland is 88.93 million ha, and the area of wetland is 6.53 million ha. The number of black-necked cranes has grown from 3,000 to 8,000, and wild yaks from 7,000 to 10,000 in Tibet, the white paper said. Currently all the major rivers and lakes in Tibet remain in their natural state, 95.7 percent of key waters have reached the national water standards, 97.5 percent of days are rated as "excellent" or "good" in terms of air quality, and ratings of air quality in the Qomolangma region are being maintained at either "excellent" or "good," with Grade I air quality, it added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:44:24|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close YANGON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar military columns have been attacked by the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic insurgent group, in western Rakhine state, leaving casualties from both sides, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services said on Wednesday. In two incidents on Sunday and Monday, the military columns, conducting security operation near Yaysoe Chaung and Kyiyapin villages in Yathedaung and Kyauktaw towns, were attacked by dozens of AA members with small and heavy weapons. In Sunday's clash, when the military column reached the eastern bank of Nga San Baw creek, southwest of Yaysoe Chaung village in Yathedaung township, 10 AA members opened fire from inside a mangrove forest on the opposite bank. After 10 minutes' engagement, the AA group withdrew to the west. On Monday, a military detachment conducting road security work near Kyiyapin village in Kyauktaw came under attack by 150 AA members. Weapons and related materials were seized by the army. The AA group has been blamed for escalating its attack on the government forces since the beginning of this month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:49:25|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ABUJA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said here Tuesday that his government will continue to encourage citizens to cultivate the culture of paying taxes by ensuring a fair implementation of the national tax policy and an effective utilization of resources. Buhari made the remark when receiving the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). The progress made in diversifying the economy, providing social security and securing the country could be further improved with an enhanced and expanded revenue base, Buhari said. "We have made some progress in the past four years," said the president. "However, a lot more can still be done. A key step is to enhance and expand the government's revenue base." He added that Nigeria still relies on oil as the main source of income. "This simply is not enough to meet our infrastructure, social services and security needs," Buhari said. CITN President Cyril Ede said some higher education institutions in the country had started offering taxation as a course, hoping it will also be taught in secondary schools. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:49:25|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close CHICAGO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Prosecutors on Tuesday dropped all charges against U.S. hip-hop drama Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused by Chicago police of staging a hate crime attack on himself. The astonishing twist triggered controversy immediately, and Chicago mayor angrily termed the development as "a whitewash of justice." Smollett, 36, an African American and open gay actor, allegedly paid two brothers he knew 3,500 U.S. dollars to stage an attack on himself in downtown Chicago on the early morning of Jan. 29. Upon the attack report by himself, Chicago police first treated the high profile case as a possible hate crime. However, as investigation deepened, according to Chicago police, they found evidence indicating the actor orchestrated the attack because he was dissatisfied with his salary on the Empire. On Feb. 21, Smollett surrendered to Chicago police after local prosecutors approved felony charges of disorderly conduct for allegedly making false police report. However, on Tuesday morning, prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois, issued a statement following a surprise court hearing. "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," said the statement. Prosecutors did not explain in detail why they decided to drop all the charges. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, standing by Chicago police chief Eddie Johnson at a press conference in the afternoon, blasted the prosecutors' decision and emphasized that a grand jury had chosen to bring 16 counts of disorderly conduct against Smollett. "This is, without a doubt, a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if you're in a position of influence and power, you get treated one way, other people will be treated another way," said the mayor. "There is no accountability then in the system. It is wrong," he added. Johnson said he still stands behind the detectives' investigation and accused Smollett and his legal team of bypassing due process of law. But Smollett's attorneys insisted that their client had been "vilified," accusing Chicago police of "proving a case in the court of public opinion." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 10:49:25|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close YANGON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar government has appointed three new regional ministers to fill the vacant posts in the country's southern Tanintharyi region, the President's Office issued the order on late Tuesday. Daw Yi Yi Cho was appointed as the region's minister of planning and finance and U Hla Htwe was appointed as minister of natural resources and environmental conservation. U Aung Thuya was named as minister of electricity and energy. On March 22, the government appointed U Myint Maung to replace former chief minister of the region Dr. Lae Lae Maw who was sacked and arrested on charge of corruption along with three local company officials. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 11:04:29|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury said on Tuesday that it had imposed sanctions against 25 Iran-related individuals and entities for their commercial activities with Iran's military. The United States took actions against 25 individuals and entities, including a network of Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Turkey-based front companies, which have transferred over 1 billion U.S. dollars and euros to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), according to a statement issued by the Treasury. The statement said the targeted actors also procured millions of dollars' worth of vehicles for MODAFL. "Central to this network and sanctioned today pursuant to our counterterrorism authority is Iran's IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank and its currency exchange arm, Ansar Exchange," said Sigal Mandelker, the Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, in the statement. Both institutions used intermediary entities to exchange devalued Iranian rial for dollars and euros to profit the IRGC and MODAFL, she added. As a result of the sanction, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transacting with them. Moreover, the statement noted that "any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transactions for any of the individuals or entities designated today could be subject to U.S. sanctions." The U.S. government recently has intensified sanctions against Iran. The Treasury on Friday targeted 14 Iranian individuals and 17 entities, accusing their involvement in a defense research organization that assisted a past nuclear weapons program in Iran's capital Tehran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that his country would defeat the United States in the latter's anti-Iran "economic war." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 11:19:33|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close NEW YORK, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A county in the northern suburb of New York City has banned unvaccinated children under the age of 18 from public spaces as the state of New York is combating the worst measles outbreak in decades, local authorities said on Tuesday. Rockland County, which sits around 64 km north of Manhattan, has seen over 150 cases of measles infection since October. A majority of the infected are minors who have not been vaccinated, according to local health officials. The ban begins at midnight Tuesday and will last for 30 days. The public spaces in the ban include schools, restaurants, businesses, shopping centers and places of worship. Parents and guardians will be held accountable if any violation is found and their cases will be referred to the district attorney's office, according to authorities. "The circumstances we're facing here clearly call for that," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said during a press conference. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk." Rockland is among several counties in the state that are experiencing the longest measles outbreak since the disease was announced as eliminated from the United States in 2000. It began last autumn when a local child came back from a trip to Israel, where a battle against measles had been going on for months. State and local health departments have urged parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible, even earlier than the scheduled age of one. Measles spreads easily and can be dangerous to anyone who is not vaccinated, especially young children and pregnant women. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one or two out of every 1,000 children infected with measles will die from severe complications. In 2018, 17 outbreaks and 349 cases were reported in 27 jurisdictions of the United States. Low vaccination rate is widely believed as the reason behind recent outbreaks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 11:59:42|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Gerard Larcher, president of the French Senate, in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with French Senate President Gerard Larcher here Tuesday, urging the two sides to maintain sound strategic partnership and foster more fruitful practical cooperation so as to lay a stronger foundation for bilateral ties. Xi said that the past, present, and future have linked the Chinese and French civilizations closely together, noting the age-old cultures of the two peoples are treasures of mankind. Many founders of the Communist Party of China and the People's Republic of China (PRC) once studied in France when they were young, and were closely tied to France, he said. As this year marks the 55th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties, the Chinese people admire General Charles de Gaulle, who, with a great vision and a remarkable spirit of independence, made the historic decision to establish diplomatic relations with China, making France the first Western country to do so, Xi said. History has proved that the General had made a right decision, and the Chinese people will always remember him, he said. Xi said that China and France should maintain a sound strategic partnership when the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, urging the two countries to foster more fruitful practical cooperation so as to lay a solid foundation to deepen bilateral ties. It is believed that, with joint efforts by the two sides, China's ties with France and the wider Europe will surely see steadfast progress along historical trends, which will not only benefit the two peoples, but also be conducive to world peace and prosperity, Xi said. Xi also said both Beijing and Paris pledge to maintain the basic principles of international norms underpinned by the UN Charter, and uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system. He called on the two countries to continue to closely coordinate and cooperate on such key international issues as climate change. Sound bilateral relations depend on close friendships of the peoples, Xi said, adding that China is willing to strengthen people-to-people exchanges with France in areas like culture and at subnational levels. China supports its National People's Congress to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the French Senate, Xi added. Larcher said France is committed to strengthening cooperation with China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties, Larcher said, adding that it was France's high level of trust in China that led to General de Gaulle's decision to forge diplomatic ties with Beijing. China's newly approved foreign investment law will bring more opportunities for both countries to cooperate in economy, trade and investment, Larcher said. Paris has been an advocate for the multilateral system based on the UN Charter, and is willing to coordinate and cooperate closely with China, he said, adding that the French Senate and its standing committees are ready to step up their exchanges with China's legislative bodies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 11:59:43|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Australia's peak aviation safety authority has announced it will introduce mandatory licenses for drone pilots from July onwards. Peter Gibson, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday that for the first time anyone who wants to fly a drone weighing more than 250 grams will have to receive CASA accreditation. It will also introduce mandatory registration for drones, making it easier for authorities to identify pilots who use drones illegally. Data obtained by CASA will be kept in a database, allowing the government to track how many drones are being used in Australia and where they are being flown. "It will certainly give us big advantages in terms of complaints or reports of drones being flown improperly or against the safety rules," Gibson told the ABC. "We'll have a starting point to know who flies drones in that area, what sort of drone they fly. "For the first time we'll have an overall picture of the drone sector ... probably there are tens of thousands, possibly even 100,000, but at this point we don't know." The announcement comes as CASA prepares to manage a significant increase in the number of drones in Australia's skies with Alphabet, Google's parent company, preparing a mass roll-out of its drone delivery service. A trial of the service, known only as Project Wing, in the suburbs of Canberra in 2018 was hailed a success, prompting the company to build a permanent Project Wing warehouse in the city. "Clearly the unmanned traffic system is the key to safe and efficient drone operations, and all the players that are working in these areas are developing their own systems," Gibson said. "We are working on that already ... it's not simple." Community groups in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have told an ongoing inquiry into drone delivery in Canberra that the noise generated by the drones is unbearable - a view that was dismissed by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 12:04:44|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close MACAO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Asia's 50 Best Restaurants were unveiled in Macao at a gala event with a restaurant in Singapore topping the list. The Odette restaurant led by chef Julien Royer was named the Best Restaurant in Asia this year during the gala Tuesday night. The Gaggan in Bangkok ranked the second place. Two restaurants from Macao, Jade Dragon and Wing Lei Palace, were included in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2019. Top chefs and restaurateurs from across Asia also witnessed the announcement of individual awards, such as sustainable restaurant award and Asia's best pastry chef, among others. The event, supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), has been held in Macao for two consecutive years as part of its efforts to develop a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City of Gastronomy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 12:09:45|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Bill Shorten, the leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), has turned to WeChat to address the Chinese-Australian community's concerns in the lead-up to May's general election. Shorten on Wednesday planned to host a live session on the Chinese social media platform WeChat. Prior to the session, Shorten posted on his WeChat account in Mandarin that he wished "to share Labor's plan, which is also his vision to give everyone a fair go." It came after electorates with large Asian populations swung away from the ALP in Saturday's New South Wales (NSW) state election, a result that, if replicated, could see the ALP lose two marginal seats. In a question posed by a WeChat user, Shorten was asked for his position on Asian immigration after Michael Daley, who led NSW Labor to Saturday's election, expressed fears that Asians with PhDs were taking Australian jobs from locals. Other questions ranged from asking the leader of the ALP, who led the governing Liberal-National Party Coalition (LNP) on a two-party preferred basis according to Newspoll, one of the nation's opinion polls, to "explain Labor's refugee policy" to other topics and so on. Both Shorten and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have used WeChat to promote their policies during this Parliament but Wednesday's stream is an indication that the platform will have a role in this election campaign. It is the second time a senior ALP member has hosted a WeChat live stream with Chris Bowen, the party's treasury spokesman, having done so in 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 12:24:47|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close TRIPOLI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) is keen for the success of the upcoming UN-sponsored Libyan national conference, a UN official stressed on Tuesday. Stephanie Williams, deputy special representative of the UN Secretary General for political affairs in Libya, made the remarks when meeting with officials of several cities of western Libya. She spoke about the UN Action Plan, particularly the conference's agenda, desired outcomes and guarantees for the implementation of these outcomes during the meeting. "Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Williams emphasized that the national conference is a Libyan-Libyan event aimed at agreeing on a National Charter based on principles shared by the Libyan people, a roadmap to end the political impasse and the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections," the UN Support Mission in Libya tweeted on Tuesday. UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame last year proposed an action plan to end the Libyan political crisis that includes the national conference. Last week, Salame said that the conference will be held on April 14-16 in the southwestern Libyan city of Ghadames. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and chaos ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's government in 2011. Despite signing a UN-sponsored political agreement later in 2015, the North African nation has been struggling to make a democratic transition. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 12:34:49|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close SEOUL, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States planned to meet in Washington later this week to discuss countermeasures following the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha was slated to have a bilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Friday (Washington time), according to the Seoul ministry. During the meeting, Kang and Pompeo will assess situations and discuss countermeasures after the second DPRK-U.S. summit while exchanging opinions on broad issues of mutual concern from the bilateral, regional and global perspectives. The second summit between top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in late February at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. After the summit, South Korea has vowed to broker a compromise between Pyongyang and Washington and help resume talks for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 12:44:50|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday issued a white paper on democratic reform and the leap of development in Tibet over the past six decades. The white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On," lauded the democratic reform as "the greatest and most profound social transformation in the history of Tibet." "By abolishing serfdom, a grim and backward feudal system, Tibet was able to establish a new social system that liberated the people and made them the masters of the nation and society, thus ensuring their rights in all matters," the document said. The year 2019 marks the 60th anniversary of the campaign of democratic reform in Tibet. These 60 years have changed Tibet completely, turning the region into a beautiful home to the local people, seeing their solidarity and enterprising spirit and a great leap of social progress, it said. The leap of Tibet's development fully demonstrates that its democratic reform conformed to the historical trend of the times and the fundamental aspirations of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and met the people's real demand for social progress. Since democratic reform, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have become the masters of the country. It has been deeply rooted in the people's minds that they must remain committed to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the socialist road, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy, the document stressed. "For many years, however, the old Tibetan forces represented by the Dalai Lama have attempted to deny the achievements of democratic reform and development in Tibet, for the sake of their political interests and out of a hankering for the dark and backward days of feudal serfdom," the document said. "They disregard facts, and attempt to reverse the tide of history in opposition to the interests of human civilization." Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet are working together with the whole country to create a better life and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it noted. "With steady progress being made towards socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, Tibet is bound to have an even brighter future," the document said. Besides a preamble and a conclusion, the white paper consisted of ten sections, "Feudal Serfdom: A Dark History," "Irresistible Historical Trend," "Abolishing Feudal Serfdom," "The People Have Become Masters of Their Own Affairs," "Liberating and Developing the Productive Forces," "Promoting a Range of Undertakings," "Enhancing Ecological Progress," "Protecting the Freedom of Religious Belief," "Strengthening Ethnic Equality and Unity," and "Development of Tibet in the New Era." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 13:20:06|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Left file photo shows the emancipated serf Pude whose eyes were gouged out by the barbaric serf owners. In old Tibet, serf owners held absolute power over the lives of serfs and slaves. The owners ensured their domination through savage punishments. The right part photo taken by Chogo on May 14, 2014 shows Sonam Dondrup after a cataract surgery at the People's Hospital in Lhasa. LHASA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- About a week before this year's Serfs' Emancipation Day, which falls on March 28, Badro celebrated his 99th birthday with relatives and local officials at home in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Sixty years ago, more than 1 million people, or 90 percent of the region's population at that time, were emancipated from the feudal serfdom. Badro was 39 years old when the sweeping democratic reform ushered in a new chapter for the plateau region in southwest China. Before that, he had lived a miserable life, without dignity, freedom or even his own home. "I was like the serf owner's farming mule during the day and house dog at night, sleeping in the cattle pen," he said. No modern medical institution was available at the time. A serf could only wait for death to come from falling ill. People's average life span was only 35.5 years. "I never expected to live long," he said. Badro had eight siblings, six of whom were forced to leave their hometown to beg for a living. Crop yields were extremely low before the democratic reform. The regional GDP was only 174 million yuan (25.9 million U.S. dollars) in 1959, with social wealth in the hands of no more than 5 percent of the population. An ancient Tibetan ballad describes the miserable life of serfs at the time: "Stomach remained empty even if snow mountains turned into butter; mouth continued to be thirsty even if rivers turned into milk; bodies were not ours even though they were given by our parents." But the democratic reform that began 60 years ago changed everything. Badro was granted land, housing and livestock that year, and he got married and had children. The family of five now live in a spacious and bright Tibetan house. Various insurances and subsidies amount to over 13,000 yuan a month. After 60 years of rapid development, the regional GDP soared to 147.8 billion yuan, an increase of 191 times calculated at comparable prices. Urban and rural per capita disposable incomes are 73 times and 105 times that in 1965, respectively. Crop yields in Tibet stabilized at over 1 million tonnes a year. Its total highway mileage stands at 97,400 km and is still expanding. "I hope I can live even longer to see a more prosperous Tibet," the 99-year-old Tibetan said as his birthday wish. (Producer: Zheng Wei, Wang Jianhua; Editor:Xue Dongmei, Hou Dongtao, Lin Fanjing, Lian Yi, Zhao Yusi; Video: Liu Jinhai, Zhang Yudong; Writer: Painba Cering, Purbu Zhaxi, Cao Bin) Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 13:35:07|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. association representing the steel industry said it will appeal a recent ruling by a federal court upholding the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's move to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from U.S. trading partners. The American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) said in a statement Monday that they are "appealing immediately" the ruling made on the same day by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) that upheld Trump's use of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to levy metal duties on national security grounds. The AIIS and two of its member companies -- Texas-based Sim-Tex, a wholesaler of oil and gas pipe, and Kurt Orban Partners, an international steel trader based in California -- had filed lawsuit on June 27, 2018 to the CIT, challenging the constitutionality of the tariffs. The group said Section 232 violates the constitutional prohibition against Congress delegating its legislative powers to the president because it lacks any "intelligible principle" to limit the discretion of the president. It added that the national security concern is "expansively defined" by the decades-old legislation, which "allows the president to impose unlimited tariffs or create other trade barriers at his unfettered discretion." A panel of three judges of the New York-based court concluded in a ruling that Section 232 met the "intelligible principle standard," citing the "FEA v. Algonquin SNG, Inc." case heard by the Supreme Court in 1976 that involved a presidential order to impose license fees on oil imports based on Section 232. Judge Gary Katzmann wrote in an opinion piece after the ruling that he and his colleagues, relying largely on the 1976 Supreme Court decision, concluded that "the statute passes constitutional muster." Questioning the appropriateness of sticking to the 1976 Supreme Court decision, Katzmann wrote, "While acknowledging the binding force of that decision, with the benefit of the fullness of time and the clarifying understanding borne of recent actions, I have grave doubts." Katzmann said it is difficult to escape the conclusion that Section 232 has permitted the transfer of power to the president in violation of the separation of powers. AIIS said it remains convinced of the same assertion. "We are appealing immediately in order to continue making that argument," it noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 13:40:09|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BOAO, China, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China remains a major engine and a stabilizer for the global growth and has provided inspiration for the world during the past 70 years of development, delegates from around the world have said during the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) held in China's southern island province of Hainan. As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and former Philippine president, said at a panel discussion of the BFA that China has made huge contributions to the world in the past 70 years, becoming one of the largest economies in the world. Arroyo said China has proved to the world that every country can achieve success by following its own development approach that is suitable to its national conditions, and the reform and opening-up policy is the key to China's economic miracle. China's visionary mode of development featuring openness, innovation and win-win cooperation has not only benefited itself, but has also contributed to the world economy as well, former French President Francois Hollande told a panel discussion themed "70 and 40 Years in Retrospect: China in a New Era." Noting that China has achieved unprecedented development in the past 40 years that is unseen in human history, Hollande said one of the major reasons is that China has been constantly adjusting and redefining itself so as to keep up with the changing international landscape. Despite weakening global growth and increasing uncertainties in the world, Asia has a promising economic prospect and is expected to become the world's largest regional cooperation block, said a BFA report released Tuesday. Acknowledging that Asia remains the most dynamic region in the world and has great growth potentials in the future, Hiroshi Nakaso, former deputy governor of the Bank of Japan, said he is looking forward to seeing the two major powers of Asia set successful examples of bilateral economic cooperation in a third country so as to energize more cooperation. The past several decades have also witnessed Japan's increasingly extensive engagement in China's reform and opening-up process. Nakaso said China is Japan's largest trading partner now and trade between the two countries is highly complementary. As protectionism and unilateralism are spreading across the world, Nakaso said "we can't use protectionism to fight protectionism. Emerging economies should further improve their investment climate to make themselves more attractive to foreign capital. A case in point is China's newly-adopted foreign investment law which is a major measure to upgrade its investment environment." Looking into the future, "the Chinese economy is still growing at a very healthy pace and at a pace that the rest of the world would be envious to have," said Chris Marlin, president of U.S. firm Lennar International. "The Chinese consumer gets stronger every month and every year. The advances that China have made in the areas of big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning are the envy of the world in many ways. So, the Chinese economy is very productive and providing stimulus for the overall global economy," Marlin told Xinhua. "We remain confident in the long term fundamentals of the Chinese economy," said Elizabeth Gaines, chief executive officer of Australian iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group. Commenting on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 to boost economic growth by improving the trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond, Gaines said the BRI "represents an unprecedented investment in infrastructure led by China and extended to include many emerging economies." "It is a very important initiative for China and will drive significant investment and demand for steel," Gaines said, stressing that as the third largest iron ore producer in Australia and a long-time partner with the BFA, Fortescue Metals Group is proud of making contribution to China's rapid industrialization and urbanization. The BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization that has been holding this annual conference since 2002. This year's BFA themed "Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development" has drawn over 2,000 delegates from 60 countries and regions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:20:19|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A 57-year-old man is in custody on Wednesday after attempting to flee Australia on a jet ski. The British national was wanted on drug-related charges when he left the country's northeast tip carrying additional fuel and supplies, attempting to cross the 150-km Torres Strait to Papua New Guinea (PNG). Australian authorities were tipped off and gave chase, eventually apprehending the man less than 10 km from the PNG coast. Local Torres Strait island councilors and community members helped the authorities to map possible routes through the area which assisted in the capture. "This is a perfect example of local intelligence sharing, community support and our maritime capability, all working together to enable a quick and effective multi-agency response to a situation," Australian Border Force Commander Jo Crooks said. Authorities said the man will be extradited back to Western Australia where he will face court. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:25:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged voters to abandon the right-wing One Nation party in May's general election. Morrison, leader of the governing Liberal-National Party Coalition (LNP), issued an appeal to voters who have drifted from his own party to One Nation because of "frustrations on a whole range of issues," inviting them to vote for a "party of government" in May. Morrison is under pressure from his party to take a stand against One Nation after the party was caught attempting to undermine Australia's strict gun control policies. "I know that people who have voted for One Nation in the past have done so because of frustrations on a whole range of issues ... managing the population, ensuring that our regions have jobs, that we're dealing with water infrastructure and we're supporting our farmers going through drought," he told reporters on Tuesday night. "The answer is not One Nation. The answer is not to go to those extremes. The answer is the Liberal and National parties of this country." International news network Al Jazeera on Monday night published footage from a three-year undercover investigation of high-ranking One Nation officials James Ashby and Steve Dickson meeting with America's National Rifle Association (NRA). The footage shows Ashby and Dickson seeking up to 20 million Australian dollars from the NRA and Koch Industries to fund a campaign opposing gun control in Australia. Responding to the allegations on Tuesday night, Ashby and Dickson said they got carried away while drinking with Rodger Muller, an Al Jazeera journalist who was posing as a gun lobbyist, in Washington. Their version of events has been disputed by Peter Charley, the executive producer of Al Jazeera's Washington Investigative Unit. "In a meeting at One Nation's Brisbane headquarters, Mr Dickson made clear the party's intentions to increase its power within Australia with the use of U.S. gun lobby cash," he wrote in a story published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday. Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard introduced Australia's strict gun control laws after Martin Bryant killed 35 people with a semi-automatic rifle in Port Arthur in 1996. Howard told News Corp Australia on Wednesday that he supported Morrison's call for voters to abandon One Nation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:45:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close HANOI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has so far this year attracted 10.8 billion U.S. dollars worth of foreign investment, up 86.2 percent on-year, according to its Ministry of Planning and Investment on Wednesday. Specifically, the country licensed 785 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects totaling more than 3.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 80.1 percent in capital, and saw 279 operational projects increasing their capital by nearly 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, down 27.5 percent in additional capital. Between January and March, disbursed capital of FDI projects reached over 4.1 billion U.S. dollars, up 6.2 percent on-year. Also in the three-month period, foreign investors spent nearly 5.7 billion U.S. dollars buying shares of or contributing capital to Vietnamese firms, three times more than the same period last year. Up to 77.8 percent of the total registered capital in the period were in the manufacturing and processing sectors, and 7.2 percent in real estate sector, said the ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:45:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has announced funding for a coalition of indigenous organizations "to change the way governments and indigenous Australians work together." Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced 4.6 million Australians dollars (3.2 million U.S. dollars) in funding to run the National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organizations (NCATSIPO). Comprised of 14 peak indigenous organizations, the NCATSIPO will work alongside state, territory and federal governments to redraft the Closing the Gap targets. Established in 2008, Closing the Gap is the government's strategy that aims to reduce the disadvantages faced by indigenous Australians in life expectancy, child mortality, access to early childhood education, educational achievement and employment outcomes. "It recognizes that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must play an integral part in making the decisions that affect their lives," Morrison told News Corp Australia on Wednesday. "This agreement will put indigenous peoples at the heart of the development and implementation of the next phase of Closing the Gap, embedding shared decision making and accountability at the center of the way we do business. "To effect real change, governments must work collaboratively and in genuine, formal partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples because they are the essential agents of change. The change we all want to see will only come if we work together." According to the most recent report on the Closing the Gap, which was released in February, only two out of the seven targets are on track, prompting the government to revise the targets. The first meeting of the NCATSIPO will be chaired by Nigel Scullion, the minister for indigenous affairs, and Pat Turner, chief executive officer of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organization. "The joint council represents a historic step forward in the practical working relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and governments," Scullion said. "This is the first time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and ministerial leaders have met formally as part of a joint council to progress the Closing the Gap agenda and improve the lives of indigenous Australians no matter where they live." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:50:24|Editor: zh Video Player Close CHENGDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Sichuan Airlines said it will launch a direct flight connecting Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Rome on June 25. The first regular flight linking the two cities will be operated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, on Airbus A330. The flight will take about 11 hours. Italy on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding with China to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. The two countries will co-hold the culture and tourism year in 2020. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:50:25|Editor: zh Video Player Close PARIS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to France has drawn wide public attention here, with French officials and experts hailing it a boost to the development of France-China relations. During his state visit, Xi held talks with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders agreed to carry forward the high-level ties between the two countries and forge a more solid, stable and vibrant China-France comprehensive strategic partnership on a new starting point. Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said Xi's visit has brought a "new spring" to France-China relations. The two countries are committed to strengthening international cooperation, safeguarding multilateralism, jointly dealing with climate change and building a community with a shared future for mankind. The two countries adhere to the principle of reciprocity and win-win and promote their cooperation in the third-party market within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which plays a positive role in promoting world peace and stability, he said. "Xi's visit will become a new starting point of France-China relations," said Raffarin. Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said Macron's China trip in 2018 and Xi's visit to France this time have proved that the two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges. The two leaders share their views on global governance, de Villepin said, and both countries have a strong sense of responsibility for the current world which is full of risks. "The Belt and Road Initiative gives the answer to how states develop and hold dialogues (with each other). China and the European Union (EU) should build a more effective regular consultation framework, in a bid to dispel misunderstanding and determine the priority projects in the initiative," said de Villepin. Claude Raynal, president of the France-China Friendship Group of the French Senate, said frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries help them to synergize their respective strategies, and promote consensus and cooperation. He said Xi's visit also strengthened political trust of the two countries, which serves as a guarantee for long-term development of bilateral ties. David Gosset, a French expert on international affairs and China, said "After 55 years of diplomatic relations, the intensity of the exchanges between France and China has never been so high." Xi's visit to France has promoted cooperation between China and France, as well as the EU, in tackling climate change, maintaining multilateralism, enhancing UN's role and promoting trade connections. The convergence is a source of hope for the world, Gosset said. France-China relations have never been only about the Chinese and the French people. Synergies between the two countries serve global peace and development and mankind's common good, he added. Alain Pompidou, a French scientist and son of former French President Georges Pompidou, said the two countries have a long history of friendship. In the current world, the two countries have to reinforce again their cooperation, which is already strong at the worldwide level, and that is the importance of Xi's visit this time. Didier Bernheim, a correspondent member of the Academy of Fine Arts of France, said culture and arts are the best approaches to shorten the distance between the two peoples. France and China have already forged long-term and frequent exchanges in such fields as fine arts, music and architecture, he added. Eric Lefebvre, director of the Cernuschi Museum in Paris, said France and China have already formed regular high-level cultural exchange mechanisms. Xi's visit will make Chinese culture and arts more attractive to the French people. He said he hoped cultural institutions of the two countries can maintain active exchanges and communication. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:55:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Brazil said Tuesday it signed an agreement with the Chilean government to jointly fight against corruption. The agreement will help the two countries in exchanging information on assets and financial transactions for corruption investigations. Brazil's Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), the country's main anti-graft enforcement agency, and the Chilean Presidency's Secretariat also vowed to exchange successful experiences, and hold conferences and joint trainings regarding anti-corruption efforts. The agreement was reached during Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Chile last week. During his Chile visit, Brazil also joined other South American countries, including Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Paraguay and Guyana, in announcing the creation of the Forum for Progress of South America (Prosur). According to its founders, Prosur, which will replace the South American Union (Unasur), intends to seek the "integration and strengthening of the region." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 14:55:32|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated General John Raymond to lead the U.S. Space Command to be established soon, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Raymond, who currently serves as the commander of Air Force Space Command based at Peterson Air Force Base in the state of Colorado, will serve in both posts for an undetermined period of time if confirmed by the Senate, according to a Pentagon statement. The Space Command will focus on conducting all joint space warfighting operations and ensuring the combat readiness of global forces, said the statement. Raymond was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1984 and has held various posts in the Air Force's space enterprise. Trump ordered the establishment of Space Command late last year, making it the 11th unified combatant command of the U.S. Department of Defense. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told Congress Tuesday that the launch of the Space Development Agency should be the next priority following the Space Command's creation. Trump has also advocated creating an independent Space Force, the sixth branch of the military, but the proposal, unlike establishing the Space Command, requires congressional approval and has been pushed back by Democratic lawmakers. Analysts say the new command is separate from the administration's plan to build an independent Space Force, but could be a step in that direction. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:00:34|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close KAMPALA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has donated 200,000 U.S. dollars in aid to help victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique. A statement of the ministry of foreign affairs issued here late on Tuesday said the donation is a fulfillment of President Yoweri Museveni's pledge to assist the cyclone-affected people. The United Nations (UN) on Monday appealed to donors for 282 million dollars for victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique over the next three months. UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock who made the appeal said the funds would be used to provide people in the region with health, water, sanitation and education, as well as to restore their livelihood. About 446 bodies have been recovered so far and the affected population has risen to 531,466, Mozambican authorities said Sunday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:05:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said job creation, not the use of force, is the way to combat today's phenomenon of mass migration. Speaking to reporters at his daily news briefing, Lopez Obrador said: "I favor attending to the migration phenomenon with development, with employment, with wellbeing." "I don't think the use of force or other measures are an option," he added. His statements came a day after the Pentagon announced it would transfer 1 billion U.S. dollars from its operating budget to pay for the wall that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to be built along the country's border with Mexico. The U.S. Congress has so far refused to provide the 5 billion dollars Trump has requested to finance the project, which he claims is needed to stop the entry of undocumented migrants, mostly Mexicans and Central Americans fleeing poverty. Lopez Obrador is backing a multinational strategy to promote investment in poverty-ridden south Mexico and north Central America to spur job creation. "People go looking for work in the United States out of necessity, not because they like it. To the degree that there is economic growth and employment in Mexico and in Central America, the flow of migrants will slow down," said Lopez Obrador. Mexico has proposed that governments and businesses in the United States and Canada join an integral development plan launched by Mexico and countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America, namely, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, to spur investment and generate jobs in the region. Mexico and the United States have agreed to invest in the scheme to curb migration, with Washington pledging 5.8 billion dollars for economic development and institutional reforms in the Northern Triangle, according to Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry. Washington has also pledged to raise public and private sector investment in Mexico to some 4.8 billion dollars starting in 2019, with 2 billion earmarked for projects in southern Mexico. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:10:36|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close GABORONE, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Tuesday that reducing extreme poverty is his government's priority and he is working to lure foreign investors into the southern African nation to create the much needed employment opportunities. Masisi was addressing members of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city ahead of the party's elective congress, which will be held from April 5 to 7 in Kang, a village in the southwestern part of the country. Masisi will face a challenge from former cabinet minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi for the leadership of the party. "I am aiming for the improvement of the living conditions of almost every citizen of this beautiful country," said Masisi. He added that it is important to establish multilateral partnerships with non-governmental organizations and private entities in the combat against poverty. The proportion of people living below the poverty datum line in Botswana declined from 30.6 percent in 2002/03 to 19.3 percent in 2009/10, and further down to 16.3 percent in 2015/16, according to a latest report on poverty by the country's statistical agency, Statistics Botswana. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:10:37|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A symposium about investment of enterprises based in China's Heilongjiang Province in Mongolia was held here Tuesday to discuss bilateral commercial prospects. At the opening of the symposium, Cheng Zhiming, vice-governor of China's Heilongjiang Province noted that bilateral trade volume between China's Heilongjiang Province and Mongolia reached 148 million U.S. dollars in 2018, with an average annual growth of 40 percent over the past three years. With China's Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Development Road Initiative being efficiently linked, the commercial ties and personnel exchanges between China's Heilongjiang Province and Mongolia will become increasingly close, Cheng said, adding that the cooperation opportunities will increase and the cooperation prospects will be broadened. For his part, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy to Mongolia Song Xuejun said that enterprises from Heilongjiang Province have a good reputation in Mongolia, hoping they will continue to make great contributions to the friendly relations between China and Mongolia. The symposium was hosted by China's Heilongjiang Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia. Representatives from more than a dozen of Chinese companies attended the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:20:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- At least four militants were killed and three others injured in a clash in Chora district of southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province on Tuesday, said a statement issued by the army on Wednesday. The clash, according to the brief statement, flared up in Popalzai village of Chora district on Tuesday afternoon, during which four insurgents were killed and three others injured. Taliban militants haven't commented. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:35:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Soldiers march in a formation during a parade to mark the 74th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, March 27, 2019. (Xinhua/U Aung) NAY PYI TAW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A military parade to mark the 74th Armed Forces Day was held in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday. At the parade, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Vice-Senior Gen. Soe Win stressed that three capabilities, military capability, administrative capability and organizational capability, are needed to make the military more efficient. He also called for continued efforts in protecting the national policy, promoting peace and stability of the country, solidarity and socio-economic development, carrying out the eternal peace essential to build the union based on the democratic and federal system as well as in building high capable military that enables to protect territorial integrity of the state and safeguard the sovereignty. A total of 11,438 soldiers paraded on the grounds while jet fighters and helicopters of the air force conducted a fly-by at Wednesday's military parade. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:40:45|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Kindergarten students play at China-Laos Friendship School in Muang Xay, Laos, March 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) by Zhang Jianhua, Wang Shan VIENTIANE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- "Hello, headmaster!" Xu Shunhong, a stocky man from China's Yunnan Province, was greeted wherever people met him in Muang Xay, a major business town in northern Laos. Since 2006, Xu has been running the China-Laos Friendship School in Muang Xay, the only one in the country that teaches Chinese language and is owned by a foreigner. "We started with 16 students, including the first and second grade students, (and) two Lao teachers. This school couldn't make much money, so I had to find other ways to bring more income, like running a restaurant, providing certificates services, etc.," Xu recalled. With the cultural and people-to-people exchanges growing between China and Laos, the school is now seeing more and more students enrolled, up to more than 1,000 at the peak. "I hope it is able to provide the condition for more Lao people to learn Chinese, so only a low tuition fee is charged by this school," Xu said. Free training is also available to personnel from local government departments at various levels as it aimed to contribute to local development while serving the Belt and Road Initiative, he added. Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road. Xu said after graduating from university, he worked in Pu'er, China's Yunnan Province as a teacher. "During my teaching experience, I came to know some Lao students. In 2005, a traffic accident occurred to these Lao students when they were on their way back to Laos to celebrate the New Year, and some students lost their lives," he said. That accident prompted Xu to make up his mind to set up a school in Laos to facilitate local students learning Chinese language. In February 2018, Xu and Zhang Tingjiang, a local Chinese business leader, began a large-scale construction project near the town of Muang Xay, with a plan to invest 25 million yuan (3.7 million U.S. dollars) to upgrade the China-Laos friendship school. Zhang came to Oudomxay province where Muang Xay is located to do business in 2001, and saw that local students had difficulty in going to school and wanted to help. He told Xinhua that the school now offers tuition waivers for students from the northern provinces of Laos. "They wanted to help Laos, to make Laos better, to make Lao people understand more Chinese. Schools are not built to make money, but more about teaching students knowledge," said Hongkham Bounphakhom, director of teaching affairs at the school. "For the infrastructure, this school must be number one here, but for the scale, it's still number two, but we are developing and very confident about the future of this school," she said. Chanpheng Duangphachan, vice principal of the school, told Xinhua that the school is well-recognized in the surrounding communities, and Lao people from all ethnic groups are willing to send their children there. Lao government departments at various levels also spoke highly of the school for its contribution to local development and cultural exchanges. "This might be the most exhilarating and meaningful thing I've ever done! Life should have dreams, goals, and then fight for them!" said Xu. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:40:45|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday expressed the mainland's willingness to introduce more preferential policies for residents of Taiwan. "We will continue to listen to the voices of compatriots in Taiwan and study what other measures we can introduce to benefit Taiwan and the people," said An Fengshan, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference. "We need to do everything we can to achieve this," added An, noting that efforts will be made to ensure the 31 preferential measures already published are better implemented. The 31 measures, unveiled by the office and the National Development and Reform Commission in February 2018, cover fields of industry, finance and taxation, land use, employment, education and health care and are aimed at sharing the mainland's development opportunities with Taiwan. An spoke highly of the 36 measures unveiled by the Supreme People's Court Tuesday to provide judicial service for expanding integrated development across the Taiwan Strait. "The measures of the Supreme People's Court have responded to the needs and concerns of Taiwan compatriots," he said. "They demonstrated the resolution and sincerity of the judicial organs in doing practical work and resolving difficulties for Taiwan compatriots." Among the 36 measures, 12 of them are for fully ensuring litigation rights of Taiwan compatriots, with nine providing them with quality judicial service, seven for further enhancing safeguard mechanism and eight for promoting cross-Strait judicial exchange. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 15:45:46|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close People mourn for the victims of the deadly chemical plant explosion in Xiangshui County in Yancheng, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 27, 2019. On Wednesday morning, sirens blared and hundreds of people stood in silent tribute to the victims of the deadly chemical plant explosion in eastern China's Jiangsu Province. Wednesday marked the seventh day from the time of the explosion, a key traditional date for people to pay respects to the deceased in China. The explosion has left 78 people dead and more than 600 injured. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng) XIANGSHUI, Jiangsu, March 27 (Xinhua) -- On Wednesday morning, sirens blared and hundreds of people stood in silent tribute to the victims of the deadly chemical plant explosion in eastern China's Jiangsu Province. Wednesday marked the seventh day from the time of the explosion, a key traditional date for people to pay respects to the deceased in China. The explosion has left 78 people dead and more than 600 injured. With white flowers held on chests and in hands, over 200 government officials, rescue workers including firefighters and paramilitary officers and families of the deceased observed a one-minute moment of silence to pay respects to the victims at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at the scene of the explosion. The mourners then bowed and laid white chrysanthemums in front of a memorial wall. At a separate location, another 164 firefighters lined up to observe the one-minute moment of silence. The huge explosion happened last Thursday following a fire that broke out at a plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co., Ltd. in a chemical industrial park in Xiangshui County in Yancheng. It reduced over 10 nearby companies to ruins and damaged many others in the industrial park. "We feel deeply guilty and grieved for the heavy casualties caused by the explosion," said Dai Yuan, secretary of the Yancheng Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, ahead of the memorial. "So many people were killed, and those responsible must be held accountable," said one villager who joined the memorial. Currently, the rescue operation is basically over and the clean-up of debris was underway. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 16:10:49|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NANJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Six Nanjing Massacre survivors passed away this year, reducing the number of survivors to 85. A memorial service was held Wednesday in the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders to commemorate Liu Xingmin and Huang Zhuozhen, two survivors who died on March 20 and March 23, respectively. The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers. Liu was still very young when Japanese troops invaded Nanjing and forced his fellow villagers to kneel on the ground before getting shot. Forty-two villagers, including his father, died that day. Huang was 13 years old when she hid in the woodpile to escape the massacre. Her daughter and grandson donated a clock that Huang had been using to the memorial hall after the service. The search for survivors is still ongoing. "We just received a letter containing clues on potential survivors this morning, and will send volunteers to verify this afternoon," said Zhang Jianjun, curator of the memorial hall. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 16:50:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Citadel Outlets, the only outlet mall in the western U.S. city of Los Angeles and a destination for more than 100,000 Chinese visitors last year, announced Tuesday the opening of the city's only California Welcome Center at the shopping center to enhance and enrich tourists' visit in Southern California. Selected by the California Office of Tourism and Visit California, a tourism related nonprofit organization, as one of 18 official California Welcome Centers, the information hub is located at the shopping center's customer service center and will provide tourists and local residents with personalized travel recommendations and informed suggestions on how to explore all that California has to offer. The mission of each of the California Welcome Centers scattered throughout the western U.S. state is to enable all visitors to have the best experience possible. Each one is staffed with personal travel concierges, knowledgeable experts who are ready to provide information. "With a record-breaking 50 million people visiting L.A. each year for its unrivaled offers of sunshine, world-class attractions and Hollywood glamour, we are excited to add a multi-functional tourist information hub to the welcoming experience," said Cynthia Schmitt, director of international sales and marketing of Citadel Outlets. Located near downtown L.A., Citadel Outlets has more than 130 brand name stores that attracted many travelers from China and other countries. "China is our number one international visitor market at Citadel Outlets," said Clara Tsang, director of public relations of Citadel Outlets, noting that more than 100,000 Chinese visitors shopped at Citadel Outlets in 2018. Los Angeles received a record 1.2 million visitors from China in 2018, according to Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. "Some of our stores also accept AliPay and Wechat Pay," said Tsang, noting that the outlet mall will offer more services to Chinese shoppers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 16:55:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close GABORONE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswana is critically considering solar energy as an alternative source of energy as man-made emissions have skyrocketed, thus affecting the environment, a senior official said Tuesday. Themba Modise, the director of the Department of Energy in Botswana's Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, said Botswana is now channeling its energies towards investing on a low carbon path. According to Modise, investing in the low carbon pathway is aimed at supporting delivery and the realization of the country's national development and its 2030 sustainable goals. "Solar energy will reduce emissions, save costs," said Modise, adding that there is high demand for electricity, fossil fuels and biomass in the country. It is need to work on technology to reduce emissions, the official added. "We are trying to address them individually to increase uptake. A solar deal is already being finalized with Botswana Power Corporation and the expansion and evaluation will be supported by Power Africa Consolidate," he said. Available information indicated that utility-scale electricity generation in Botswana began in 1970 with the commissioning of a small oil-fired station in the capital city of Gaborone and provided for the needs of the city and surrounding areas until its decommissioning in 1989. The year of 1985 saw the start-up of a large coal-fired plant at Morupule near Palapye in central Botswana and the shutdown of the Selebi-Phikwe plant a few years later in 1989 consisting of four 33MW air-cooled units, providing a total generation capacity of 132 MW. This operation, known as the Morupule A plant, served Botswana's needs well for a time. However, with increasing population, electrification of the country, and industrialization, demand rose and increasing quantities of electricity had to be imported from neighboring countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 17:10:58|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has banned the import of glyphosate-containing herbicides after a U.S. court ruled that a weed killer, produced and sold by U.S. agrochemical giant Monsanto, could cause cancer, local media reported on Wednesday. Vietnam's Plant Protection Department has urged businesses to stop signing new import contracts for glyphosate-based herbicides, but products already in circulation in the country are not affected by this decision, online newspaper VnExpress reported. "As soon as we heard the second U.S. trial's verdict that glyphosate is related to cancer, we have issued a document to ban new herbicide imports containing the active ingredient. The removal of this substance from the list of usable herbicides in Vietnam will also be issued in the near future," daily newspaper Tuoi Tre (Youth) quoted the department's head Hoang Trung as saying. The department also asked businesses, organizations and individuals to report back on the production, sales and storage of glyphosate-based herbicides. In Vietnam, glyphosate-based herbicides are also widely used, said Trung. The country uses about 30,000 tons of the chemical every year, in which 60 percent are from herbicides. It is not clear what the remaining 40 percent of the chemical is used for. This is not the first time Monsanto has been accused of making products with adverse effects on human health. Vietnam has repeatedly asked Monsanto and other U.S. firms to compensate Vietnamese victims affected by Agent Orange (AO), a toxic defoliant containing the gene-altering dioxin, sprayed during the Vietnam War. Statistics released by the Vietnam Association of Victims of AO/Dioxin show that there are still more than three million Vietnamese people affected by AO/dioxin, Vietnam News Agency reported. During the 1961-1971 period, some 80 million liters of herbicides were sprayed onto 2.63 million hectares of land in southern Vietnam, 60 percent of which were AO/dioxin, according to the country's Ministry of Defense. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 17:26:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- On the basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus, city-to-city exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait hold broad prospects, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday. An Fengshan, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the comments at a press conference on the achievements made by a delegation from Taiwan's Kaohsiung city, led by mayor Han Kuo-yu, which visits Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen and Xiamen from March 22 to 28. "Much has been accomplished in city-level exchanges and cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, culture and education. A consensus has been reached to build city-to-city exchange platforms and a long-term exchange mechanism," An said, adding that the exchanges and cooperation with Kaohsiung hold broad prospects. "We welcome and support more cities across the Strait to enhance interaction on the basis of the 1992 Consensus and learn from each other so that Taiwan compatriots will have more sense of fulfillment and compatriots on both sides will enjoy increased interests and wellbeing," An added. Speaking of the criticism made by the Democratic Progressive Party and some "Taiwan independence" forces on the ongoing visit, An said that the DPP administration's obstruction and interference in cross-Strait city-level cooperation exposed their true motive to damage Taiwan compatriots' interests and wellbeing for their own ends. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 17:31:06|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JAKARTA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian police have arrested 9 people for involving in illegal trade of endangered Komodo dragons, and are hunting another suspect, police said on Wednesday. The alleged smugglers were part of an international network and have sold a total of 41 Komodo dragons to three countries in the Southeast Asia, director for the special criminal unit of East Java provincial police Senior Commissioner Akhmad Yusep Gunawan told media. The nine persons were arrested in various cities in the provinces of East Java and Central Java, said Gunawan. "This Komodo dragon trade has been undertaken internationally. It was certain that the animals have been sent to three nations in Southeast Asia," he said in Surabaya city. Under the Indonesian law, the suspects could face five years of jail terms, if convicted, according to the police. The police seized five cubs during a crackdown in Surabaya, Gunawan said. The Komodo dragons were obtained from Flores Island, the habitat of the species, he added. The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that lives in Indonesian islands of Komodo. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 17:36:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BANGKOK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of six out of seven parties in Thailand convened at a Bangkok hotel Wednesday to sign a joint declaration on the common resolution to set up a coalition government following Sunday's election. Those parties claimed to have no less than 255 MP seats in their hands and to have planned to set up a coalition government of their own, though a few others might join in at a later date. Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, which has reportedly won 137 MP seats, is practically justified to become core of the planned coalition government endorsed by 255 MPs who will obviously make a majority in the House of Representatives which will have a total of 500 MPs, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, head of the party's strategic campaign team at a press conference. The seven parties include Pheu Thai Party with 137 MP seats, Future Forward Party with 88 MP seats, Thai Liberal Party with 12 MP seats, Prachachart (people's nation) Party with seven MP seats, New Economics Party with six MP seats, Pheu Chart (for country) Party with five MP seats and Palang Puangchon Thai (power of Thai people) Party with one MP seat, according to Pheu Thai secretary general Phumtham Wechayachai. Signing the joint declaration were Pheu Thai leader Viroj Pao-in, Thai Liberal leader Seripisut Temiyavet, Prachachart leader Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, Pheu Chart leader Songkhram Kitlertphairot, Palang Puangchon Thai leader Nikhom Boonwiset and Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. New Economy leader Mingkhwan Saengsuwan did not show up for the joint declaration, but Phumtham maintained that the party has decided to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition. The leaders of the parties also called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to give up on his alleged design to head a minority coalition government with Palang Pracharath (power of people's state) Party, which has reportedly won 116 MP seats, as its core. The voting for the post-election prime minister in parliament needs a simple majority of a total 750 lawmakers, consisting of 500 MPs and 250 senators, in accordance with the 2017 constitution. Meanwhile, the leaders of the six parties and other executive party members visited the Election Commission's headquarters on Wednesday and pressed for the polling agency to promptly announce unofficial results of Sunday's election in all constituencies to make it clear for all parties to see exactly how many MP seats they have made. So far, the EC has only announced unofficial results of 95 percent of the votes from constituencies nationwide, prompting those parties to call for the polling agency to perform in accurate, transparent and just fashion. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 17:51:11|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Sudarat Keyuraphan (2nd L), head of Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party's strategic campaign team and a candidate for prime minister, talks with Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (2nd R) at a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, March 27, 2019. Leaders of six out of seven parties in Thailand convened at a Bangkok hotel Wednesday to sign a joint declaration on the common resolution to set up a coalition government following Sunday's election. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) BANGKOK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of six out of seven parties in Thailand convened at a Bangkok hotel Wednesday to sign a joint declaration on the common resolution to set up a coalition government following Sunday's election. Those parties claimed to have no less than 255 MP seats in their hands and to have planned to set up a coalition government of their own, though a few others might join in at a later date. Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, which has reportedly won 137 MP seats, is practically justified to become core of the planned coalition government endorsed by 255 MPs who will obviously make a majority in the House of Representatives which will have a total of 500 MPs, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, head of the party's strategic campaign team at a press conference. The seven parties include Pheu Thai Party with 137 MP seats, Future Forward Party with 88 MP seats, Thai Liberal Party with 12 MP seats, Prachachart (people's nation) Party with seven MP seats, New Economics Party with six MP seats, Pheu Chart (for country) Party with five MP seats and Palang Puangchon Thai (power of Thai people) Party with one MP seat, according to Pheu Thai secretary general Phumtham Wechayachai. Signing the joint declaration were Pheu Thai leader Viroj Pao-in, Thai Liberal leader Seripisut Temiyavet, Prachachart leader Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, Pheu Chart leader Songkhram Kitlertphairot, Palang Puangchon Thai leader Nikhom Boonwiset and Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. New Economy leader Mingkhwan Saengsuwan did not show up for the joint declaration, but Phumtham maintained that the party has decided to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition. Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit called on the leaders of other parties who had not decided if they would join the planned coalition led by Pheu Thai Party to vote for another candidate for prime minister. The leaders of the parties also called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to give up on his alleged design to head a minority coalition government with Palang Pracharath (power of people's state) Party, which has reportedly won 116 MP seats, as its core. The Palang Pracharath Party, jointly formed by four former ministers from Prayut's cabinet, nominated Prayut as its candidate for prime minister in the general election. The voting for the post-election prime minister in parliament needs a simple majority of a total 750 lawmakers, consisting of 500 MPs and 250 senators, in accordance with the 2017 constitution. Meanwhile, the leaders of the six parties and other executive party members visited the Election Commission's headquarters on Wednesday and pressed for the polling agency to promptly announce unofficial results of Sunday's election in all constituencies to make it clear for all parties to see exactly how many MP seats they have made. So far, the EC has only announced unofficial results of 95 percent of the votes from constituencies nationwide, prompting those parties to call for the polling agency to perform in an accurate, transparent and just fashion. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 18:06:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia will again participate in this year's Earth Hour campaign under the theme of reducing plastic use, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Mongolia said Wednesday. "Plastic waste is one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing the world. So, the country will join the upcoming annual campaign with activities raising public awareness on consequences of plastic waste," Nyamsuren Enkhbayar, spokesperson of the WWF-Mongolia, told Xinhua. Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the WWF since 2007 and will see millions of people across the world switching off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm on a specific day towards the end of March to help fight climate change. Earth Hour 2019 is scheduled for March 30, and Mongolia has participated in the annual campaign since the year of 2010. Buildings surrounding central squares of the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator and several provinces such as Khovd, Uvs, Bayan-Ulgii, Dornod and Khentii will be in darkness for an hour, Enkhbayar said, urging people to switch off their lights too. The Asian country has been focusing on reducing plastic use in recent years. It has announced to ban the use, sale, import and production of single-use plastic bags thinner than 0.035 mm across the country, which came into force on March 1. It is estimated that more than 2 million tons of waste, including 500,000 tons of plastic waste, are produced in the country each year. Out of the plastic waste, just less than 10 percent is recycled, according to the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 18:11:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close GABORONE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswana has won the bid to host the 6th African Federation of Institutes of Internal Auditors (AFIIA) conference, making it the first Southern African country to host this event. The continental event will attract more than 600 participants from all African countries, said Margretmary Mushango, president of the Institute of Internal Auditors Botswana (IIAB) on Tuesday in the capital of Gaborone. Mushango said the IIAB looks forward to hosting the event that will consider auditing systems and standards which will address some pertinent and recurring challenges of Africa such as the lack of good governance, cyber risks and corruption. Themed "The Future of Internal Audit is now. Assure. Advise. Anticipate," the event seeks to share skills that will help organizations across Africa to accomplish their objectives by bringing a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance process. The 6th AFIIA conference is scheduled for May 27-31. Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi will attend the conference. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 18:16:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A new research of the University of Southern California (USC) has provided the first global network model of the inner workings of the hypothalamus, one of the most critical part of the brain that supports life in all mammals, as well as fish, birds and many other animals. The study led by USC researchers was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on March 25. The study is part of an ongoing effort to determine the structural organization of the mammalian nervous system, which the scientists refer to as "The Neurome Project," according to a release of USC on Tuesday. The project is a pioneering effort to gain a better understanding of the brain, the most complex biological structure in the known universe. To create the network model of the hypothalamus, the scientists conducted a rigorous analysis of connection data for each of 65 identified hypothalamic regions and spanning 40 years of brain research. Computer analysis of this data revealed a hierarchical organization comprised of subnetworks of the 65 regions of the hypothalamus on each side of the brain. Out of 16,770 possible connections within and between the 65 regions on each side of the hypothalamus, the dataset collated by USC researchers indicated that nearly 8,000 of them exist, according to the study. "This shows that the hypothalamus has a remarkably highly connected internal network," says Joel Hahn, assistant professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the study's lead author. The computer analysis of the network also showed that two high-level subnetworks, on each side of the brain, are associated prominently with controlling either behavior or the body's physiology. Currently, scientists' efforts are focused on completing a model of the mammalian brain that is based on the connections of its gray matter regions. Eventually, they would extend the model to include the connections between the entire nervous system and the body, together called the "neurome," according to the study. Such an achievement, combined with network maps for the different types of brain cells, would revolutionize research in a multitude of disciplines, from psychology to medicine. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 18:21:19|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BOAO, Hainan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- When Long Yongtu, former secretary-general of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), came to the coastal town in China's southern island province of Hainan for the first time, Boao was still a small fishing village that was little known to the outside world. It took only a few years before the town became home to one of the world's most renowned business event, the BFA, which attracted over 2,000 delegates from 60 countries and regions for its annual conference this year. For Long, the forum was a symbol of globalization. "We should firmly push economic globalization and have the belief that globalization is irreversible," Long said. Globalization and opening-up were the consensuses of companies attending the ongoing BFA as well as the just-concluded China Development Forum (CDF) 2019, as business leaders worldwide try to cash in on the untapped opportunities brought by economic integration. "We believe in open markets and free trade; they enable progress and prosperity," said BMW CEO Harald Kruger at the CDF. As China is further opening its market, the BMW group will not only produce electric vehicles in China but also export them for the first time to other markets, according to Kruger. "One of the key elements of the partnership is openness and trust. Being open to working together, open to new ideas and open to new solutions," said Apple CEO Tim Cook at the CDF. Apple sees China's continuous opening-up as essential not only for China to reach its full potential but also for the global economy to thrive, he said. A day after the conclusion of the CDF, global companies once again voiced their support for a globalized world at the BFA. Themed "Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development," this year's BFA featured various panel discussions that center around globalization and opening-up. "The mission of the BFA is for us to get together to safeguard multilateralism and globalization so that people around the world could share the benefits that globalization brings," said Li Baodong, BFA secretary general. Keynes Li, senior vice president of Nu Skin Greater China, a U.S.-based developer of skin care products, said only through cooperation can all "residents of the global village" achieve win-win. The company increased its investments in China last year and expanded its scope of operation, as it has deep confidence in China's opening-up policy, Li said. Doranda Doo, senior vice president of Chinese tech firm iFlytek, was in Boao to share the company's expertise in artificial intelligence (AI). "The BFA provides us an international platform where ideas are exchanged and resources are shared. We can connect with global experts in the AI industry and have a broader vision," she said. Smaller companies attending the BFA are seeking new ways to participate in globalization. Vincent Lou, founder and CEO of Club Factory, an e-commerce platform, said cross-border e-commerce can help small- and medium-sized enterprises serve overseas consumers without worrying about establishing physical warehouses. "Through e-commerce, smaller firms can benefit from and contribute to globalization," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 18:56:25|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's first overseas visit in 2019 has elevated China's ties with Italy, Monaco and France to a new level, and injected new impetus into China-Europe comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said. When the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, Xi's Europe tour, hailed by the international community, is dedicated to deepening partnership for cooperation, improving global governance, and upholding multilateralism, which shows China's sense of responsibility as a major country, Wang said. In six days, the Chinese president attended over 40 events during his visit to five cities including Rome, Palermo, Monaco, Nice and Paris, Wang noted, adding that it is a trip of friendship, cooperation and exploration that has delivered fruitful results. FRIENDSHIP & MUTUAL BENEFIT This year marks the 15th anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, and next year will witness the 50th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations. At meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Xi agreed with them to further intensify high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, and elevate bilateral relations, Wang said. This year marks the 55th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties. During their meetings, Xi agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to forge a more solid, stable and vibrant China-France comprehensive strategic partnership, and continue to explore the way for major countries to get along with each other, which should feature independence, mutual understanding, foresight, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, Wang said. In the joint statement issued by China and France on jointly safeguarding multilateralism and improving global governance, the two sides pledged to build international relations of mutual respect, equality, justice, and win-win cooperation on the basis of respecting international laws and the basic principles of international norms, Wang said. Speaking of Xi's visit to Monaco, Wang said leaders of the two countries have agreed to firmly stick to the correct direction of bilateral relations, adhere to openness and cooperation, and pursue more win-win results so as to jointly elevate the China-Monaco relations into a new era. During Xi's talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, the Chinese president said both sides should adhere to openness and cooperation and pursue more win-win results, adding that China welcomes Monaco to actively participate in the joint development of the Belt and Road. BUILDING BELT & ROAD, DEEPENING PRACTICAL COOPERATION Wang hailed Italian government's forethought and pragmatism over its decision of endorsing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying Xi and Mattarella agreed that China and Italy, which are at the two ends of the ancient Silk Road, are natural partners in constructing the Belt and Road. Conte, according to Wang, said the BRI will bring great opportunities to Italy. He also agreed to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing next month. France is one of the earliest European countries that have expressed the willingness to take part in the BRI cooperation. During Xi's visit to France, the two countries signed agreements on the third round of the BRI-related demonstration projects in third-party markets and kicked off a third-party market fund, Wang said. At the closing session of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France, Macron said the BRI is significant and can play an important role in world peace, stability and development, adding that the EU could align its development strategy with the BRI in an innovative way and jointly promote Eurasian connectivity. PROMOTING CHINA-EU TIES Following his visits to Spain and Portugal in late 2018, Xi came to Europe again in his first overseas trip this year, manifesting the great importance China attaches to Europe, Wang said. In a world of unprecedented transformations, Xi noted that a stable, strategic and reciprocal China-EU relationship is urgently needed. Wang said during his visit, Xi had in-depth communication with the European leaders to discuss cooperation in international issues and reached important consensus of adhering to multilateralism, and discarding isolationism and unilateral moves. He also said Xi and the European leaders agreed to enhance coordination and cooperation within the UN system, give full play to the constructive role of global and regional multilateral mechanisms such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and Group of 20 and the EU, and actively contribute to solving international conflicts, combating climate change and promoting sustainable development. In his keynote speech at the global governance forum, Xi raised "four deficits" in global affairs including governance deficit, trust deficit, peace deficit and development deficit. To address these deficits, he proposed a four-pronged approach of fairness and reasonableness, consultation and understanding, joint efforts and mutual assistance and mutual benefit and win-win results. It is advisable to pursue an innovation-driven, well-coordinated and inter-connected, and fair and inclusive approach and forge a growth model of vitality, a cooperation model of openness and win-win results, and a development model of balance and common benefits, so that people from across the world could share the benefits of economic globalization, Xi said. SHARED OPPORTUNITIES This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wang said. During his visit, Xi, based on China's just-concluded Two Sessions earlier this month, illustrated to the European leaders the fine performances of the Chinese economy which had overcome multiple challenges in 2018. Wang said Xi also introduced the newly-adopted foreign investment law, emphasizing that it is necessary to use legal means to better protect intellectual property rights and attract foreign investment. Xi pointed out that China will continue to push forward all-round reform and opening-up, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, so that European friends can better share China's development opportunities. The European leaders said they are glad to see a greater development in China, and the EU welcomes China's willingness to share its development opportunities. Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in European countries, said the European leaders, adding that they will not adopt restrictive measures against specific companies, and are willing to provide a fair, open and transparent business environment for all foreign enterprises. During the visit, Peng Liyuan, Xi's wife, also attended a number of events aimed at deepening cultural and educational exchanges between China and the European nations. As a special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the advancement of girls' and women's education, Peng was invited to visit the headquarters of the UNESCO in Paris. Wang said Peng's visit highlighted China's image of a hardworking, responsible major country that actively participates in international education, gender equality and other affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 19:06:28|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Meng Hongwei, former vice minister of public security, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the top anti-graft body announced Wednesday. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) said in a statement that the NSC first conducted an investigation of Meng's illegal conduct and found that he was also suspected of violations of the Party's code of conduct, which led to a CCDI investigation. The investigation found that Meng had completely lost his Party consciousness and sense of organizational rules. He failed to report relevant personal information to the Party and had refused to implement decisions of the CPC Central Committee, the statement said. It said that Meng entertained a serious prerogative mentality and used his power for personal purposes capriciously. He was also found to have lavished public funds for the extravagant life of his family. The statement said that Meng used the influence of his posts to secure a job for his wife and let her take advantage of her posts to seek private benefits. It further accused Meng of a "distorted idea for power" and of taking advantage of his posts to seek benefits regarding promotions, personnel arrangements and business operations for others, accepting huge amounts of money and gifts in exchange. Meng severely violated the Party's political discipline and rules, as well as the Party's rules on frugality, organization, clean governance, work and life, the statement said, adding that he is also suspected of crimes of bribe-taking. He showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress, and his conduct seriously smeared the Party's image, undermined the country's interests and caused harmful influences, it said. The statement said his illicit gains should be confiscated, and his suspected crimes will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 19:26:36|Editor: ZX Video Player Close TOKYO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese auto maker BYD Co. Ltd is set to boost sales of its electric buses in Japan, which are already popular in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa and in Kyoto city, the company said Wednesday. The Shenzhen-headquartered company, which has a global reach boasting sales of over 50,000 electric buses in more than 50 countries and regions, as well as 17,000 units sold domestically, said it began receiving orders this week in Japan for its J6 model of electric bus. Shinsaku Hanada, executive vice president of BYD Japan Co., told a press briefing here that the company is aiming to sell 1,000 units of its 7-meter-long electric bus by 2024. Per unit, the e-buses currently have a pretax price tag of 19.5 million yen (177,000 U.S. dollars) but this could be vastly reduced, by as much as one third, Hanada said, as the environmentally-friendly vehicles may be eligible for a subsidy program backed by Japan's transport ministry. The J6 model, with a capacity to seat up to 31 people and on just a three-hour charge can run more than 200 km, bettering its Japanese competitors, has been designed specifically for the Japanese market, Hanada said. The J6 model, an upgrade of its predecessor, the K6, has an aluminum chassis to make it lighter and able to run further per charge, said Hanada. BYD has already found traction in Japan, with 23 of its e-buses sold. Currently they are operational in Okinawa Prefecture in Japan's south and in Kyoto city in western Japan. "We would like to facilitate the use of our e-buses for local communities," Hanada said, adding that in Oze National Park, in northeastern Japan, the firm's e-buses will also become operational from this summer. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 19:26:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ANKARA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A total of 107 suspects linked to Gulen Movement have been brought to Turkey since the failed coup in 2016, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on Wednesday. Turkey has sent extradition requests to 91 countries for 504 people, Gul told state-run Anadolu Agency. He added that "seven extradition requests have been sent so far to the U.S. for Fethullah Gulen," the U.S.-based preacher. Gul said that Turkish officials are expected to discuss extradition issue and judicial cooperation with the U.S. Attorney General William Barr "face to face" following local election on March 31. Gulen is accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Turkish government launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters at home after the coup attempt, and issued arrest warrants for suspects abroad. Washington is reluctant to extradite the self-exiled Islamic cleric, saying that Ankara has not presented sufficient evidence against him. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 20:06:47|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Guangdong has proposed a more preferential permanent residence policy for talent, and will pilot a skilled migration system in nine cities in the Pearl River Delta, local authorities said Wednesday. Li Shiwei, director of the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, said at a press conference that Guangdong would implement the pilot skilled migration system in nine cities of the Pearl River Delta and shorten the approval period for foreign talent to apply for permanent residence. China's Ministry of Public Security had previously issued 16 entry-exit policies to support the construction of Guangdong Free Trade Zone and innovation-driven development, proposing that foreign talent can apply for permanent residence through the points evaluation system, market-oriented recognition of talent channels, and a conversion mechanism from working residence to permanent residence qualification, according to Li. Currently, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department and other departments are stepping up research on the skilled migration system, further optimizing the existing methods for identifying and evaluating talent, to quickly formulate an implementation plan for the skilled migration system. As for the entry and exit of foreign talent, there are two channels for foreign talent to apply for talent visas: one is the regular channel to apply to visa agencies stationed overseas, and the other is to apply for visas directly at visa agencies in Guangdong. At the same time, foreigners who come to work in Guangdong for a short-term within 90 days can apply for visiting visas. After entering China, they are exempted from applying for work permits and residence permits, according to Li. For high-level foreign talents who have obtained work and residence permits to come to China, their foreign team members and scientific research assistants can apply for work and residence permits for corresponding periods, Li said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 20:16:49|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BOAO, Hainan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China Development Bank (CDB), a major policy bank, has financed more than 600 Belt and Road (B&R) projects totaling 190 billion U.S. dollars since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, said CDB president Zheng Zhijie Wednesday. The bank's outstanding loans for international projects to B&R countries hit 105.9 billion U.S. dollars by the end of last year, accounting for 34 percent of its total outstanding loans for international projects, Zheng said at a panel discussion of the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference. In May 2017, the CDB set up a three-year special lending scheme worth 250 billion yuan (about 37.23 billion U.S. dollars) to support B&R cooperation on infrastructure, industrial capacity and financing. By the end of February this year, lending via the special loan reached 480.7 billion yuan, of which 139 billion yuan was for infrastructure construction, Zheng said. "This has provided sustainable and risk-controlled financial support for the construction of the Belt and Road in the long-term," Zheng said. Zheng also said the financing for B&R infrastructure construction should be promoted. "We need to build a more open and inclusive financing platform and give full play to all sorts of capital, whether it's state-owned, private, or foreign," he said. The BFA annual conference runs from March 26 to 29 in Boao, a coastal town in China's southern island province of Hainan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 20:16:49|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Somali and African Union forces wrapped up a two-day conference in Mogadishu on Wednesday aimed at enhancing intelligence sharing to help flush out terrorist groups in the Horn of African nation. The meeting, organized by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) called for strict vigilance and enhanced collaboration among various security actors in Somalia to defeat the armed insurgency in the country, the AU mission said in a statement. In his closing remarks, AMISOM's chief military intelligence officer, David Obonyo, urged stakeholders to forge closer working ties for efficient intelligence sharing mechanisms. "It will be important going forward to consistently liaise with Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and other security institutions within the country, to be able to get factual information," Obonyo said. He emphasized the importance of systematic sharing of intelligence in defeating al-Shabab and other armed groups which have been terrorizing Somalis. "To do that, to degrade the enemy, the information or intelligence that we share must be timely, accurate and actionable," he added. The conference, the fifth of its kind to be held in the country discussed the dynamics in intelligence gathering and how it impacts on Somalia's security. It brought together AMISOM's military intelligence officers from all sectors, representatives of the Somali National Security Forces and other key stakeholders. Nakibus Lakara, AMISOM's deputy force commander in charge of operations and plans noted that the presence of Islamic State in the Horn of Africa called for improvement in intelligence gathering methods and heightened vigilance. The top military official urged stakeholders to forge closer working ties to defeat the armed insurgency in Somalia. "Most often than not, situations where stakeholders or entities keep information to themselves, creates gaps," he noted. "If you look at all the cases where there has been failure to stall or mitigate terrorist threats, it is because one entity kept information to themselves," Lakara added. He noted that its was necessary to create networks amongst key stakeholders in the intelligence community through liaison; through a common understanding of the security; of the threat environment, including the human terrain. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 20:26:52|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of Chinese people studying overseas reached 662,100 last year, 53,700 more than that in 2017, according to the Ministry of Education Wednesday. Among those, 65,800 were sponsored by public funding while 596,300 were self-funded. The number of returned overseas students totaled 519,400 in 2018, increasing by 38,500 from the previous year, the ministry said. Nearly 5.86 million Chinese studied overseas from 1978 to the end of 2018, it said. Among them, over 1.53 million are still in the process of studying and conducting research overseas, over 4.32 million have already completed their studies, and more than 3.65 million chose to pursue a job in China after completing their studies overseas. Students pump water at the Chinese Friendship Secondary School in Juba, capital of SouthSudan, Aug. 17, 2016. The School accommodates about 2,297 students. (Xinhua/Gale Julius) ADDIS ABABA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A South Sudanese diplomat has hailed China's assistance to his country's peace process and urged China to boost its positive role in South Sudan. James Morgan, South Sudan ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, said China has been playing a positive role over the years in helping South Sudan. "China has a good policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of nations. China plays a positive role in South Sudan through its peacekeepers which have been constructing bridges and schools in addition to their normal peacekeeping roles," Morgan told Xinhua in an interview. "China is already a key development partner of South Sudan. With South Sudan entering a period of relative peace after the signing of the September 2018 peace agreement, I expect China will assist us in the construction of roads, bridges and damaged oil pipelines," Morgan said. China has sent several groups of peacekeeping troops and police to South Sudan under the UN mandate since the outbreak of the civil strife in the east African nation. Chinese peacekeepers in South Sudan have been engaged in protecting refugee camps, repairing broken infrastructures and facilitating local peace initiatives. Chinese peacekeeper Yu Peijie (R) sings songs with local children in Juba, South Sudan, on April 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Teng) The South Sudanese diplomat called on other countries to also actively support the outcomes of the September 2018 peace agreement. "The peace in South Sudan is real," he said. "I call on all international partners to help the people and the government of South Sudan in their efforts to achieve the full implementation of the peace agreement." South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013, after a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to a split in the army, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines. The civil war is estimated to have killed tens of thousands of South Sudanese and displaced millions of others. In September 2018, the South Sudanese government and the armed factions signed a peace deal in Ethiopia after five years of fighting. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:02:02|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Kenya requires a radical policy shift to spur growth of female-led enterprises that have stagnated against a backdrop of limited access to credit, markets and skills, an investor lobby said on Wednesday. Rachel Muthoga, deputy CEO of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), said that affirmative action coupled with mentorship and innovative financing is key to spurring growth of female owned start-ups. "Scaling up women enterprises in Kenya through deliberate actions to increase their market linkages, develop their skills and knowledge and enhance their innovation will help abet unemployment, reduce inequality and hasten attainment of sustainable development goals(SDGs)," said Muthoga. She made the remarks during a forum on promoting women-led enterprises as a means to achieve Kenya's socio-economic transformation agenda. Policy makers, business leaders and innovators, attended the forum that explored innovative ways to revitalize growth of female owned start-ups as well as small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Government statistics indicate that women owned 32 percent of small and medium sized businesses that have potential to transform the country's economy subject to a friendly operating environment. Muthoga said that though Kenya has made progress in closing gender gap in the workplace, the attention should shift to entrepreneurship where women's representation is inadequate. "We need to empower female entrepreneurs to enable them to become part of local and international supply chains. Our policy makers have a duty to ensure the regulatory environment is conducive and supportive to businesses owned by women," said Muthoga. The World Bank's Women Business and Law report of 2018 ranks Kenya at position 71 out of 189 in terms of eliminating bottlenecks that prevent women from making a positive contribution to the economy. Eva Muraya, chair of KEPSA gender board said that regulatory incentives are key to ensuring that female owned start-ups have access to affordable credit and markets. "The financial sector should reduce the cost of borrowing to small and medium sized enterprises owned by women to boost their growth," said Muraya. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:12:05|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The anesthesia-related mortality rate in China has decreased to 12 per 1 million people, close to that in developed countries, which is 10 per million, China Central Television (CCTV) has reported. In recent years, anesthesia has been performed on a wider range of recipients in China, including fetuses, newborns and elderly patients, enabling them to receive medical procedures that were once considered too risky for them. Major hospitals across the country have set up anesthesia outpatient clinics to provide patients with services including anesthesia risk assessment and follow-up visits after surgeries. "Instead of merely focusing on the surgery, an anesthetist now treats a patient from the pre-surgery adjustment of the patient's inner environment to the control of nausea and vomiting after surgery," Ou Shan, director of the anesthesiology department with Chengdu First People's Hospital, said when interviewed by CCTV. The National Health Commission issued a work plan in August 2018, calling on medical institutions to expand their anesthesia services and promote painless labor and gastrointestinal endoscope. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:12:05|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Intellectual Property (IP) Court of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) opened its first trial Wednesday of an appeal case over an invention patent. The case involved a dispute over an invention patent between appellants Xiamen Lukasi Car Accessories Co. Ltd. and Xiamen Fuke Car Accessories Co. Ltd., two Chinese car accessories companies, and the appellee Valeo Systemes D'essuyage, a French company, as well as the defendant of the original trial Chen Shaoqiang. In a lawsuit filed by the Valeo Systemes D'essuyage with the Shanghai IP Court earlier, the two Chinese companies were accused of manufacturing, selling and promising to sell wiper products that fell within the scope of Valeo Systemes D'essuyage's patent protection. The French company also accused Chen Shaoqiang of manufacturing and selling such products. The Shanghai court issued a verdict in January, convicting the two Chinese companies of patent rights infringement and ordering them to stop. The two companies appealed to the SPC later. The IP Court of the SPC accepted the case on Feb. 15 and formed a five-member collegial panel to hold public hearing. After the trial, the panel ruled that the acts of the appellants constituted infringement and ordered them to stop. The IP Court of the SPC was established on Jan. 1, 2019, in Beijing, mainly hearing cases on appeal over patent and other IP rights disputes. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:22:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LUSAKA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- African countries need to utilize opportunities that China presents to boost economic growth on the continent, a peace and development expert said on Wednesday. Lawrence Banda, who is Universal Peace Federation (Zambia Chapter) Vice Secretary General told Xinhua that many African countries are endowed with natural resources but lack the capacity to fully exploit them and bring about the much talked about economic development on the continent. "We have the natural resources and China has the technology that can help transform our economies. So let us encourage more of our people to enter into partnership with Chinese companies," Banda said. According to Banda, much of Africa remains underdeveloped because of lack of investment in key sectors of the economy such as manufacturing. He said such challenges should not stop African nations from realizing their economic goals as there exist ways of addressing them. "Things like setting up a manufacturing plant require huge capital investment which many countries may not have and partnerships exist to address such challenges," Banda said. He also emphasized the need to have exchange programs with China, saying that China's ability to register economic wonders in record time is something that proponents of development consider a marvel. Banda believes that exchange programs help to, among many things boost economies as they serve as platforms for exchanging innovative ideas. "We need to learn what makes them to be so hard working, loyal and result-oriented and use the knowledge to better ourselves," Banda said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:22:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, presides over a symposium during an inspection tour to the National Healthcare Security Administration on March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has called for progress on the establishment of a fairer, more sustainable healthcare security system. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour to the National Healthcare Security Administration Tuesday, according to an official statement Wednesday. Speaking at a symposium held during the tour, Han stressed improving the unified systems of basic medical insurance and serious disease insurance for rural and non-working urban residents and progressing toward universal health coverage. Special attention should be paid to specific groups, with beefed up healthcare guarantee for patients of rare diseases and cancers, he said, stressing the need to address the problem of people becoming poor because of illnesses. He called for a crackdown on medical insurance scams as well as gradual steps to update the directory of insured drugs under the medical insurance systems. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:22:11|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JUBA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan, David Shearer, on Wednesday called on the country's warring factions to take bold steps toward formation of a new power-sharing government as part of a 2018 peace deal. Shearer said the peace agreement signed on September 12 last year is already behind schedule and the parties to the pact must work hard to meet a May 12 deadline to form a new unity government. "My very strong view, and it's one that I shared with the Security Council, is that there is no Plan B. There is only a Plan A, the peace agreement that we have in front of us, and this is the path forward," Shearer told reporters in Juba. Nearly seven months into the pre-transitional period, parties to the peace deal have failed to implement key provisions of the accord such as cantonment and integration of forces and delays in determining the number of states. The UN envoy warned that failure to implement the peace agreement poses great threat for rebirth of violence across the conflict-torn east African country. "A peace that falters will generate frustration, anger and a possible return to violence that could equal that of 2013 and 2016. We cannot allow that to happen," Shearer said. "It is my hope that there will be enough on the table and done to enable the transitional government to take shape and come into force," he added. South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. A peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed following renewed violence in the capital, Juba in July 2016. Under the new peace deal, opposition leader Riek Machar, along with four others will once again be reinstated as Kiir's deputy. "That would be my hope that all opposition groups could come together even if we have not resolved everything. They might be able to sit together, and we can do that while the transitional government goes on," Shearer stressed. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:42:17|Editor: ZX Video Player Close An e-commerce training course for poverty alleviation is held in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun) LHASA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- For the older Tibetans, the memory of bondage and abuse in an era resembling the Middle Ages, and the experience of freedom and prosperity in modern Tibet coexist. Thursday marks the 60th anniversary of democratic reform that abolished ruthless theocracy and serfdom, and established a socialist system that has seen booming economic, political, religious, cultural and social development on the plateau. "By abolishing serfdom, a grim and backward feudal system, Tibet was able to establish a new social system that liberated the people and made them the masters of the nation and society, thus ensuring their rights in all matters," says a white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On," published Wednesday. Today, the crimson-and-white Potala Palace overlooks Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a city that emerged from stifling rule of theocracy and is thriving under the governance of the Communist Party of China. On Wednesday morning, chilly air traveled through Lhasa. Streets are adorned with red lanterns and brightly-colored flags. Workers set up a grand stage for a celebration Thursday at the foot of the Potala Palace and arranged a sound system to play traditional Tibetan music. In Lhasa, devout Buddhists, with prayer wheels in their hands, walked in slow steps, while students and white-collar workers hurried on their way to school and the office. Starting this year, special funding of 300 million yuan (about 45 million U.S. dollars) will be spent on thousands of precious antique books from the Buddhist canon stored at the Potala Palace. The investment is the latest effort to conserve and explore the modern value of the world heritage and icon of Tibetan Buddhism, which was once off-limits palace to the public. Across the region, Tibet is thriving on a path of rapid modernization, balanced by efforts to preserve age-old traditions, culture and religion. TURN OVER THE DARK CHAPTER A region locked by high mountains, Tibet is now home to around 3.44 million people. It is already the consensus of Tibetologists that the democratic reform, which started in 1959, gave personal freedom, right to serfs' life, human dignity and value to the people, and unleashed immense and consistent productive forces for years to come. Tibet of 60 years ago was never the spiritual utopia trumpeted in adventure books written by authors from the West. Wangdu, 70, was born as a serf in Jora Township, Shannan city. "Each day was spent working and working, non-stop," he said. Wangdu and his family belonged to the 95 percent of the population who were serfs under rule of the upper class, who made up the remaining 5 percent. Wangdu was 10 when the democratic reform started. His family received 2.6 hectares of land and more than 100 cows. Across the region, 180,000 hectares of land were redistributed in the reforms and serfs were freed from subjugation. A young herder, he never learned how to farm, but the ownership of property felt refreshing. "I was very keen on learning how to grow crops because they were on my own property," he said. Now living in a border village in Shannan, Wangdu, wearing a long white beard, owns a hotel and leads a leisurely life. Banking on booming tourism, Wangdu makes more than 1,000 yuan from a single guest who stays for a few days at the hotel. "Life is treating me well. I can't complain," he said. He likes to wear gold and silver rings, the type of ornaments that he once saw on the fingers of aristocrats. Like Wangdu, most people who have memories of serfdom are aged 70 or more, and Tibet has distanced itself from its past. But families in Tibet still share the common memory of dire suffering and regard it as the best justification for the need to reform. Padma Chozin was born in 1959, the same year the reform started, so she never had to sleep near a cowshed and work without pay, like her big brother Tenzin Chophel did. The siblings' parents lived on an estate that belonged to an official of then Tibetan local government Surkhang Wangchen Geleg. Tenzin Chophel's childhood memories are about constant starvation. "I had to sleep on top of the bellies of my parents. It was such a small place," he said. Three days after Padma Chozin was born, the democratic reform started and the herders and farmers association redistributed the serf owner's land and cattle to the public. After the reform, Tibetans like Padma Chozin refused to accept subjugation as a way of living. Life began to change rapidly for the better. Padma Chozin was sent to school by her father and at age 16 became the first medical professional in her home of Damxoi Village. She worked for over 30 years as a pediatrician before her retirement five years ago. Now her extended family has more than 70 people, with different careers such as sanitation workers, teachers, civil servants, entrepreneurs and drivers. "The democratic reform changed the path of our family. The dark days of the past are long gone but will never be forgotten," she said. NEW ERA FOR TIBET In the democratic reform, the central government fully considered Tibet's status as an ethnic and border region with deep religious traditions, said Zhang Yun, director of the Institute of History at China Tibetology Research Center. In 1965, a system of regional ethnic autonomy came into practice in Tibet to ensure the rights of ethnic groups in political, economic, cultural and social fields. Tibetan people became masters of their own affairs. According to the white paper, there are 35,963 deputies to the people's congresses at all levels in Tibet. Of them, deputies from Tibetan and other ethnic minority groups account for over 92 percent. Tibet's local legislature made over 300 regulations on preserving the ethnic language, cultivating ethnic cadres, and ensuring freedom of religion, Zhang said. One of the bills is to regulate sky burials, a Tibetan tradition in which bodies are fed to vultures and other predatory birds. It is taken as an act of generosity and a ritual that allows the soul to ascend to heaven. In March this year, Tibet sent 19 delegates and 30 political advisors to the annual sessions of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Thubten Khedrup, one of the advisors and an economics professor from Tibet University, has presented nearly 200 proposals both at the regional level and national level since first elected as a political advisor in 1998. "I'm eager to know more about my hometown Tibet, and hope it becomes better," Thubten Khedrup said. "So finding problems in the development of Tibet and coming up with solutions is how I fulfill my obligation as a political advisor." Besides a modern economic, political and cultural system that shepherds the development of the region, another boost for Tibet comes from the central government. In the past six decades, the central government has convened six conferences on Tibet. During the 13th Five-year period (2016-2020), a total of 657.6 billion yuan of central finance was earmarked for the construction of major infrastructure in Tibet. "No other countries in the world have channeled such huge support for a specific area," Zhang said. The economic support has served well in solving the conflict between economic development and environmental protection, a priority at the roof of the world, with its fragile natural environment. Tibet has 47 nature reserves. Economic projects are off-limits or strictly controlled on more than 800,000 square kilometers, roughly two-thirds of the region's land area. To this day, a modern Tibet is in the making. Agriculture and herding sectors are becoming highly mechanized and modernized. The region's industrial economic volume is expanding. Roads, airports, railways, bridges, and pipelines as part of a highly efficient transport network are established. Tibet is increasing its connection with the rest of the world and opening up. Tibet is seeking high-quality development. It has prioritized seven industries: the digital industry, plateau biological industry, tourism and culture, clean energy resources, green industry, modern services and border trade. The region targets 30-percent growth in the digital economy this year. Tibet is full of vigor like never before, said Norbu Dondrup, vice chairman of the regional government, Wednesday. MODERATE PROSPERITY AND BEYOND Tsering Yudron, 9, dances breezy steps with playmates at the Qamdo Experimental School. She has little idea about Xiaokang, or a moderate prosperous society, which is China's national target for 2020, but her father Norbu Tsering is adamant that his village has met the target. Norbu Tsering, 55, is the Communist Party secretary of Tatok Village in Qamdo. Row after row of spacious houses are built up the mountains in his village. In the past 20 years, people in the village emerged from poverty by working in construction, transport and opening factories to process roasted barley flour. The average income of a family is 12,724 yuan, far above the national poverty line of 2,300 yuan. "You never have to worry about food or clothes, or lack anything. I think that is prosperity," he said. Well-off retirees in the village are not hesitant when they purchase items of a personal liking. Tsering Tashi spent 2,700 yuan on a stereo to listen to Tibetan music. "When I sip a cup of tea and listen to the radio and music, and have nothing to worry about, I think that is what a prosperous life should be," he said. Last year, 180,000 people in Tibet were lifted out of poverty, bringing the region's poor population down to 150,000 from 860,000 six years ago. The poverty rate lowered to less than 8 percent. Industries are being developed to create jobs and bring sustainable earnings for rural people. The Drache Village in Nyingchi is known as a village of truck owners. Over 80 percent of households own trucks and lease them for logistical use. A village-owned company makes concrete slabs and other construction materials. Each family receives as much as 300,000 yuan in dividends per year. Rural Tibetans who used to depend on herding and hunting are hired in environmental protection jobs. Danyaan, 43, in the Nanyi Lhoba ethnic autonomous township in Nyingchi, was a hunter until he was 16 years old. Now he is a forest ranger patrolling near Nanyi scenic spot, a popular tourist destination. "With dividends from the village tour company, and patroller allowances, I make over 100,000 yuan a year," he said. Moderate prosperity is a target, but it does not mean that people can rest and work no more. Tibet still has a long way to improve the livelihood of the people and advance on the path of modernization, Zhang Yun said. "Tibet has no shortage of people who have the right knowledge and ability to realize their dreams. Many young people are open-minded with sharp visions. They will bring about more changes in the future," he said. (Video editor: Yin Le) Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:42:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, learns about community-based elderly care services at Xin'an community in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, March 27, 2019. Li was on a tour to south China's Hainan Province during the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia annual conference on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) HAIKOU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed Wednesday that efforts must be made to better energize market entities and solve difficulties related to development and people's lives. The country must implement the tasks set out in this year's government work report, further promote reform and opening up, strengthen economic growth momentum, and enhance the people's sense of fulfillment, Li said in a tour to south China's Hainan Province during the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia annual conference. Visiting a local high-tech company, Li said implementing larger-scale tax cuts, especially in the manufacturing sector, aims to leave more profits to enterprises so they will have more confidence and the ability to develop and create more jobs. Li warned local tax authorities against arbitrary charges for services, stressing they should ensure that companies enjoy real benefits from tax cuts. While visiting an elderly care center, he said there is much to be done to develop community-based elderly care, nursery and kindergarten services. "The country should give strong support in this respect." This year, specific policies will be introduced on housing use, tax relief and other related issues to attract more social forces into the field to provide safe, high-quality and convenient services for the elderly and children, Li said. In a vocational college, Li told students that the country needs not only high-end scientific research personnel but also highly skilled workers, calling for the cultivation of professionalism and craftsmanship. "We should deepen the reform of the education system, support enterprises and social forces in running vocational education, and use high-quality human resources to promote high-quality development," Li said. Speaking highly of Hainan's development achievements, Li said he hopes for greater strides in reform, opening up and innovation, and greater achievements in promoting economic and social development. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 21:52:21|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, who is attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference, in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, March 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BOAO, Hainan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China will encourage its enterprises to deeply participate in Laos' economic development based on market principles, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday in Boao, Hainan Province. Li made the remarks during his meeting with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, who is attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference. China and Laos have a particularly close relationship, which is showing a good momentum of development and has led to fruitful pragmatic cooperation, said Li. Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, Li said China is willing to work with Laos to carry out closer high-level exchanges, strengthen experience exchanges in state governance and concentrate on building a community with a shared future of strategic significance between the two countries. Li said China is willing to better dovetail the Belt and Road Initiative with Laos' development strategies, hasten the completion of cooperation documents on the China-Laos Economic Corridor, and ensure the construction of the China-Laos Railway will be finished on time and with good quality. Thongloun said Laos and China are a community with a shared future sharing weal and woe. He said Bounnhang Vorachith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos will visit China next month and attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Lao side is willing to push forward the construction of the economic corridor and the Laos-China Railway to better benefit both people, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:17:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PYONGYANG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday accused the United States of plotting a bio-chemical war against it. The official Minju Joson daily said in a commentary that the U.S. Defense Department has worked out a "bio-chemical defense program for fiscal 2019" to introduce a 15.6 percent year-on-year increase in the budget for "Jupiter Plan," a bio-chemical war scenario against the DPRK. The United States pushed ahead with the scheme in the past, and has spent a huge amount of money for the plan in a bid to turn South Korea into a big testing ground for bio-chemical warfare, Minju Joson said. "This shows that the U.S. remains unchanged in its black-hearted intention to strain the situation on the peninsula and stifle the DPRK by force," it added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:17:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PYONGYANG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A Foreign Ministry spokesperson of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday that "the Golan Heights is an inalienable sacred territory of Syria." The official Korean Central News Agency quoted the spokesman as saying that the denial of Syria's dominion over the Golan Heights "is an infringement upon the sovereignty of Syria, and this could lead to further aggravating the unstable regional situation" in the Middle East. "We extend full support and solidarity to the struggle of the Syrian government and people for taking back the occupied Golan Heights, safeguarding the country's sovereignty and achieving territorial integrity," it added. U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday, officially granting U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights during a White House visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move has aroused concern around the world. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:22:32|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A book about the history of China's first domestic truck brand Jiefang was released Wednesday in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. The book, named Jiefang, is an oral history of 14 witnesses who recalled the unknown hardships and struggles to develop the brand in interviews with Ge Bangning, an automobile reporter, over the past 10-plus years. The book, with 260,000 Chinese characters, was published by China Worker Publishing House. The launch event was held Wednesday in automaker FAW Group, which was founded in 1953 and is known as the cradle of China's auto industry. China ended its history of no domestically-made vehicles when the first Jiefang truck rolled off the line in 1956. So far, the brand has sold more than 7 million vehicles. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:27:33|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A series of textbooks designed as learning and training materials for Chinese officials have been published by the People's Publishing House and Party Building Books Publishing House. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, wrote a preface for the textbooks. The textbooks expounded the great significance, scientific system, spiritual essence, and demand of practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the publishers said at a meeting here Wednesday. The textbooks are now available at Xinhua Bookstore outlets across the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:47:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close KUNMING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from six Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) countries met from Tuesday to Wednesday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to mark the success of a joint epidemic prevention platform. The platform for preventing and controlling arbovirus diseases, set up in 2018, has strengthened cross-border disease monitoring, prediction and alert as well as information sharing between the countries, according to the meeting. So far, the platform has collected nearly 200,000 pieces of information including mosquito-borne and infectious diseases monitoring data, geographical data, metrological data, remote sensing data and social and cultural conditions in the region. Malaria and dengue fever are major epidemics in the Lancang-Mekong sub-region and have been on the rise due to increasing cross-border exchanges in recent years. The Chinese government signed an agreement with Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand in March 2018 to increase coordination and deepen cooperation on joint disease prevention and control, talent cultivation, and joint research. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:47:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close GABORONE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Ten Botswana students are scheduled to start their information communication technology (ICT) training in China on April 8 through Huawei's Seeds for the Future ICT talent training program. Speaking at the Seeds for the Future and Huawei ICT Competition 2019 award ceremony, which was held on Tuesday evening in Gaborone, capital of Botswana, Dorcas Makgato, Botswana Minister for Transport and Communications, said the students can be said to be the leaders of the time to come. Makgato said the opportunity to travel to China will give students the chance to see and experience how technology is developed, adding they will return to build Botswana into an internationally competitive nation and economy. Makgato applauded Huawei and the Chinese embassy for their efforts to develop Botswana's human capital. In endorsing Huawei's efforts, Zhao Yanbo, the Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, reiterated his confidence that Huawei will continue to do more work to benefit communities. In doing so, Zhao said Huawei will be setting a good example for Chinese companies in Botswana. The 10 students who will spend three weeks in China are from the University of Botswana, Botho University and Botswana International University of Science and Technology. In China, the students will participate in various forms of ICT trainings in line with the Chinese culture lessons in their stay in Beijing and Shenzhen. According to Ren Fujun, Managing Director of Huawei Botswana, since entering Botswana market in 1998, Huawei has grown significantly to become a leading ICT solution provider through more than 20 years development in the country. While developing itself, Huawei also attaches great importance to giving back to the local society in Botswana, Ren said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 22:57:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher said on Wednesday that Lebanon needs to create a safe and transparent atmosphere for investors by strictly managing its public finances, the National News Agency reported. "Foreign investors expect Lebanon to undertake serious and structural reforms to increase economic transparency and professionalism," Foucher said during a discussion session organized by Association of Lebanese Business People in the World (RDCL World). Foucher emphasized the need to implement reforms which will allow Lebanon to benefit from 11 U.S. billion dollars pledged in loans and donations by CEDRE conference. "This is the responsibility of the Lebanese government. For its part, France has organized CEDRE conference to support Lebanon's economic sectors," he said. Meanwhile, Fouad Zmokhol, founder and chairman of RDCL World, said Lebanon does not want to access CEDRE's money without implementing the necessary reforms. "We do not want to increase our public debt without creating growth opportunities which is the only way to generate money to pay our dues," he said, adding the CEDRE money should be used to fund real projects in a transparent way. Lebanon's public debt reached 82.95 billion dollars at the end of last June, up 8.5 percent from 76.5 billion dollars a year ago, according to Byblos Bank's weekly economic publication. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:12:52|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus, who is attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference, in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, March 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BOAO, Hainan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with Sao Tome and Principe to push their comprehensive cooperative partnership to a new level, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday in Boao, Hainan Province. The remarks came as Li met with Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus, who is attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference. China appreciates that Sao Tome and Principe upholds the one-China principle, which serves as the political foundation of the bilateral relations, said Li, applauding the constantly deepening political mutual trust and remarkable achievements of pragmatic cooperation in various fields since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties in 2016. Li said China stands ready to work with Sao Tome and Principe to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation and provide aid within its capacity to support Sao Tome and Principe's pursuit of sustainable development, so as to achieve win-win results. The prime minister of Sao Tome and Principe said his country and China are close like brothers. The resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2016 has injected new vitality into the friendly bilateral ties. Sao Tome and Principe firmly support the one-China principle and are willing to learn from China's development experience. He said Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest in Sao Tome and Principe and hope to strengthen cooperation with China in fields including fisheries, tourism and infrastructure. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:17:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close LUSAKA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's biggest trade union on Wednesday warned of increased labor unrest in the country if the trend of delayed salary payment persists. Elaston Njovu, Deputy Secretary General of the Zambia Congress of Trade Union, an umbrella body of trade unions, said the trade union body expects more labor unrest against delayed salaries until the government acts on the current situation of delayed salaries especially for public workers. He told reporters that it was time for trade unions in the country to rise against the trend of delayed salaries in both the public and private companies, adding that trade union leaders should not just sit and fold their arms while their members were going for months without salaries. Zambia has witnessed increased levels of delayed salaries among public workers in recent months, a situation which has resulted in work stoppages. On Tuesday, unionized workers from 62 of the 116 councils across the country went on a work stoppage demanding for unpaid salaries. Kingsley Zulu, president of the Zambia United Local Authorities Workers Union told local media that the workers will not go back to work until their salaries are paid. The work stoppage by council workers comes barely a few days after workers from the country's two main public universities downed tools due to delayed salaries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:22:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close LUSAKA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Wednesday warned its nationals living in South Africa to take extra care following reports of fresh xenophobic attacks against foreigners. There have been reports of foreign nationals living in South Africa being attacked especially in Kwazulu Natal Province. Gruesome videos have been posted on social media showing foreign nationals being attacked. While revealing that no single Zambian has been affected so far, Emmanuel Mwamba, Zambia's Ambassador to South Africa urged nationals to be careful and that the embassy was closely monitoring the situation. "We are concerned about reported attacks of foreign nationals living in South Africa. We have noted with deep concern reports of what appears to be sudden rise of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals living in South Africa," he said in a release. He said the community of African Diplomats in South Africa will seek immediate engagement with the South African authorities in order to get a clear understanding on the sudden recurrence of xenophobic attacks. He further called for responsible statements from South African politicians ahead of the national polls in May, adding that any careless remarks against foreign nationals living in that country has potential to spark heightened hatred, destruction of property and loss of life. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:27:58|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close HONG KONG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) reiterated on Wednesday that "foreign governments should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs of the HKSAR" in response to a recent report by the British government. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the HKSAR has been exercising "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, and the "one country, two systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said while responding to the Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong (July to December 2018) issued by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Human rights and freedom in Hong Kong, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the right to vote and the right to stand for election, etc. are fully protected by the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation, said the spokesman, adding "The HKSAR government attaches great importance to them and is determined to safeguard them." The HKSAR government has a duty to implement and uphold the Basic Law and to ensure that all elections will be conducted in accordance with the Basic Law and relevant electoral laws, the spokesman said. The Basic Law clearly stipulates that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China. Any suggestion for "Hong Kong's independence" is a blatant violation of the Basic Law and a direct affront to the national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of China, the spokesman said. "Hong Kong's independence" runs counter to the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" and undermines the HKSAR's constitutional and legal foundations as enshrined in the Basic Law. Relevant international human rights convention and court cases have clearly pointed out that freedom of speech is not absolute, said the spokesman. For other issues mentioned in the report, including the prohibition of the operation of the Hong Kong National Party, a visa application case and the co-location arrangement at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the HKSAR government emphasized that it has all along been handling Hong Kong affairs strictly in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle, the Basic Law and the laws of Hong Kong. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:33:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close HELSINKI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Finland will start providing foreign language teaching to all first graders in autumn 2019, aiming to reduce inequalities in language provision and language learning across the country. Currently, teaching for the first foreign language begins in the third grade in Finland. The legislative amendment is based on a two-year pilot project for early language teaching, aiming to diversify language learning to give children opportunities to learn other foreign languages in addition to English, reported the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday. About 100 municipalities and more than 30,000 pupils have participated in the project, which was implemented in 2017 and 2018. Minna Polvinen, senior ministerial adviser at the Ministry of Education and Culture, told the daily that the project was very successful, and according to the feedback, this was exactly what language teaching needs. A report published by the Finnish National Agency for Education in February this year showed that presently 80 percent of pupils in basic education (grades 1-9) learn one foreign language, which is usually English, in addition to the country's two official languages Finnish or Swedish. The agency claimed that the decline in the language skills among Finns has become a cause for concern. Outi Verkama, coordinator of Tampere City's language-rich project, said that in the period of the project, every child in the first or second grade in Tampere had a chance to choose one of different foreign languages, such as English, German, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese, during a school year. Children in Helsinki could also learn Northern Sami or Estonian. Director of basic Education at the City of Helsinki Outi Salo told Helsingin Sanomat that teachers have been trained since last spring. Teaching is carried out functionally and playfully, using mostly spoken language, because at the beginning of the first class, some students are still unable to read. "We want Multi-skilled talents to work together, so it would be very important to have various language skills for future employees. It may be a big deal to know something other than English," Salo was quoted as saying. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:33:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, the Kremlin said Wednesday. The presidents will discuss prospects for the development of the Russian-Kyrgyz strategic partnership and allied relations, it said in a statement. The parties will exchange views on deepening cooperation in regional associations, taking into account the current chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Following the talks, Putin and Jeenbekov will sign a joint statement. During the visit, a number of intergovernmental, interdepartmental, interregional and commercial documents will also be inked. Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Wednesday that during the visit a protocol will be signed containing amendments to the 2012 agreement on the presence of the Russian Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan. According to a draft of the protocol published on a government legal information website, the parties will agree to increase the rent for the base to 4.79 million U.S. dollars a year from 4.5 million and its territory by some 58 hectares. The Russian airbase was opened in Kyrgyzstan in 2003. In 2012, Kyrgyzstan agreed to lease the base to Russia for 15 years with an automatic extension every five years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:38:03|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday urged the East African Community (EAC) member countries to invest in digital technology to accelerate implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Hassan said digital health technology also stood a better chance of strengthening regional healthcare services and addressing all aspects of poverty. "We can no longer ignore the direct correlation of poverty and social vulnerability in aggravating poor health," she said when opening the 7th East African Health and Scientific Conference at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in the business capital Dar es Salaam. She said Tanzania has already embarked on digitizing its healthcare system through the Ministry of Health and several other agencies to help track medicine consignment from purchase point to delivery point and online reporting of the adverse effects of the use of medicine and cosmetics. "We have recorded positive impact of our healthcare sector since we embarked on digitizing our systems," she told the conference that has attracted researchers and scientists from the east African region, Africa and beyond the continent. However, the Vice-President said challenges still remained in having adequate manpower to support these initiatives and funds to train new manpower and come up with new initiatives. Gibson Kibiki, the Executive Secretary of the East African Health Research Commission, said digital health technology could improve health governance as well as access to quality and effective delivery of health services. "The rapid increase to mobile technology in Africa has fostered a conducive environment for the use of information and communication technology in health," he told the conference themed Technology for Health Systems Transformation and Attainment of the UN-Sustainable Development Goals in East Africa. Kibiki added that over the last 15 years, east Africa has witnessed an expansion of digital health across the entire health sector. Alongside the three-day conference, an international health exhibition held by research institutions, health care facilities, medical/health academic institutions, medical and pharmaceutical industries, EAC organs and institutions, international organizations and UN agencies was showcasing their services and products. The exhibition allowed participants to showcase products from research, academia, healthcare services and the health sector in general. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:43:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The South African police on Wednesday said they have arrested a man wanted for over thirty cases of burglary in Limpopo province. The police said the suspect was arrested on Monday after terrorizing the surrounding areas in Limpopo province between 2012 and 2018. "The suspect, in his thirties, ran amok around the province between 2012 and 2018, breaking into the residential premises and stealing money and properties. Some of his targets when breaking into homes were plasma TVs and other electrical appliances," said provincial police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe. He stated that the suspect may be linked with more similar cases around the province as police are still investigating. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:43:04|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), as well as some members of the BFA board of directors in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, March 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BOAO, Hainan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Wednesday with Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), as well as some members of the BFA board of directors in Boao, Hainan Province. Li congratulated the BFA board of directors on its achievements last year. He said the theme of this year's BFA annual conference is "Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development," which means countries should help each other, enhance communication, coordinate their actions, uphold inclusive rather than exclusive development, share achievements and realize win-win results. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, particularly after the reform and opening up drive in 1978, China has underscored huge economic and social development achievements, said Li, adding that China remains the world's largest developing country and it still has a long way to go to comprehensively achieve modernization. "China advocates maintaining multilateralism, respecting diversity of civilizations and allowing countries to explore their own development path according to their national conditions," Li said. The premier said China will continue to deepen reform and further open up, which will not only help China achieve its goal of modernization, but also contribute to global development and prosperity. Ban Ki-moon, former Russian prime minister Viktor Zubkov, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and former Philippine president, congratulated China on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and said China's development achievements are unparalleled in human history. They said unilateralism and protectionism are challenging globalization and multilateralism, and amid world uncertainties, China has responded by advancing structural reform and expanding opening up, setting an example for other countries. The future of China, Asia, and the world is closely connected and the forum stands ready to work with all parties to promote Asian economic integration, and contribute its wisdom and strength to an inclusive development among all countries, they said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:48:06|Editor: yan Video Player Close TAIPEI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Signs of sluggish economic growth flashed in Taiwan in February, according to an index gauging its economic fundamentals by the island's economic planning authorities on Wednesday. Flashing the yellow-blue light, the composite index of monitoring indicators for February fell 3 points from a month earlier to 17 points. Under Taiwan's five-color system to assess the economy, a blue light (9-16 points) indicates contraction, yellow-blue light (17-22) means sluggishness, green (23-31) signals stable growth, yellow-red (32-37) suggests a warming economy and a red (38-45) light signifies an overheated economy. Seven of the nine variables measured in February remained unchanged from January, while the light for wholesale, retail and food service sales was downgraded from green to blue. The light for machinery and electrical equipment imports was downgraded from yellow-red to green, pulling down the overall index. The trend-adjusted index of leading indicators, which predicts Taiwan's economic performance over the next three to six months, fell for nine consecutive months in February to 99.78 points. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:53:09|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese security official urged efforts to deepen the fight against gangs and organized crime on Wednesday. Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at the opening of a workshop on inspection of a national crackdown on gang crime. Guo, also head of the leading group of the national crackdown on gangs and organized crimes, urged efforts to investigate and solve a number of major gang-related cases and root out the "protective umbrellas" behind them. He called on the inspection teams to improve the work styles, go to communities and work on the frontlines to learn about actual conditions and identify problems, and ensure that satisfying outcomes will be achieved in the campaign. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:53:09|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAIROBI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's fresh produce farmers on Wednesday called on the government to provide a conducive business environment to help make the horticultural sector competitive. The Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya CEO Okisegere Ojepat said the sector has faced stringent and lengthy clearance processes, multiple taxations and levies, high energy costs, and trade restrictions, which has made Kenyan horticultural products less competitive in the regional and international markets. "The sector has been adversely hit by the imposition of the 16 percent VAT on pest control products, among other unfavorable conditions, which has made our products more expensive even in the east African region," Ojepat said in a statement issued in Nairobi. "We are lamenting about cheap imports from the neighboring countries like Uganda but we are not asking ourselves how Ugandans are able to produce these goods cheaply," Ojepat said during the launch of the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya 2019-2024 Strategic Plan in Nairobi. He said the six-year Strategic Plan would address several other issues affecting the horticultural sector including product safety issues and coalition building to ensure that various organizations work towards a common goal. The consortium has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with several organizations including the Nairobi chapter of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and International Trade Centre through SheTrades to help it address the issues related to trade in horticultural products, both locally and internationally. Ojepat said the consortium is keen to have matters that hinder trade in the horticultural sector addressed urgently. "We are keen on ensuring there is market access to products and also that the final products traded locally and globally meet the safety standard," he said. Kenya's earnings from fresh produce exports in 2018 jumped to 153.68 billion shillings (1.53 billion U.S. dollars), a 33 percent increase over 2017 earnings, according to statistics from the industry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-27 23:58:11|Editor: yan Video Player Close JAKARTA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government on Wednesday threatened to quit the Paris accord on climate change if the European Union keeps moving with a plan to bar crude palm oil (CPO) from being used in raw materials for bio-fuel, a senior minister said. The move came after the European commission passed delegated acts classifying CPO as a product that is not sustainable, leading to exemption of the commodity from the list of raw materials for the eco-friendly transport fuel. The acts will be brought to the EU's parliament which will decide within 2 months whether to enforce it or not by 2030. "If the United States and Brazil can exit from the climate deal. We consider it because it is linked with the interests of the Indonesian people," Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stressed. The minister said that the government would firmly defend its national interests as over 20 million people across the country rely much on the palm oil sector which has created many jobs and helped alleviate poverty in the country. The European Union has often accused that palm oil plantations have contributed to the deforestation which threatens the habitat of several endangered species. However, Indonesia has rebuffed the accusation, saying that the country's growers have applied a sustainable and eco-friendly way of cultivation of the commodity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:03:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Wednesday revealed that more than 16,000 Ethiopians die due to HIV/AIDS every year. The new study, which was released by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute on Wednesday that reviewed the status of HIV/ADIS in the country, revealed that some 16,000 Ethiopians are infected by the deadly virus annually, while the virus caused in excess of 16,000 deaths every year. Some 450,000 people across the East African country are also currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted the Ethiopian Public Health Institute as saying. Ethiopia, since 2016, has been working to prevent more than half a million HIV/AIDS-related deaths and up to 80,000 new HIV infections by 2020. The target is part of the second five-year national Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II), effective from 2016 to 2020. The East African country, during the first five-year GTP-I, was able to reduce new HIV infections from 0.28 percent in 2010 to 0.03 percent in 2015, according to figures from the HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention Office (HAPCO). The HAPCO was established in 2002 as an agency of the Ministry of Health and the executive arm of the National AIDS Council (NAC). NAC, chaired by the President of Ethiopia, spearheads the multi-sectoral forum composed of government, private, non-governmental, religious and civic society representatives and people living with HIV/AIDS. Ethiopian government's HIV prevention activities since 2010 mainly focused on people most at risk of infection, with activities that targeted on identifying places and people with a high risk of HIV infection, it was noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:08:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close JUBA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- At least four people, including two members of parliament, were shot dead by gunmen on Tuesday night in the northern Nasir town of Upper Nile region in South Sudan. Veronica Redento, member of the Committee on Public Service in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), told Xinhua on Wednesday that the four died when the assailants opened fire on the boat they were traveling in along the river bank in Nasir after attending a peace mobilization rally on Tuesday. "The two MPs were shot dead with two of their body guards last night, while returning from Nasir where they had gone to disseminate peace messages on the revitalized peace agreement," she said in Juba. "They fell in an ambush. We do not know whether their killers are rebels or criminals," said Redento. She disclosed that lawmaker Simon Deng's body has been recovered while another unidentified MP's body is missing. Deng headed the trade union in South Sudan prior to his death. President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed the revitalized peace deal in September, 2018 to end more than five years of conflict in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Kiir early this year ordered lawmakers and local leaders to disseminate peace in their respective constituencies, despite some legislators expressing personal security concerns in some areas that still experience pockets of insecurity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:33:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The construction of Ubungo Interchange, a major road junction in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, has reached 25-percent completion, an official said on Wednesday. The 80.96 million U.S. dollar project is funded by the World Bank and being constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation. Barakael Mmari, project manager from the Tanzania National Roads Agency, a state-owned agency charged with the development, maintenance and management of trunk and regional roads, said construction of the 266-meter interchange was expected to be completed in December 2020. He was briefing members of the Parliamentary Standing Public Accounts Committee on a visit to the construction site to see progress made. Mmari told the lawmakers that the interchange was set to have a life span of 100 years just like many other such infrastructures elsewhere across the world. "We have so far completed 25 percent of the project and we have not experienced any casualties at the construction site, instead, ever since the construction started the rate of accidents has been reduced at the Ubungo junction," said Mmari. On March 20, 2017, Tanzanian President John Magufuli and the former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim laid the foundation stone for the Ubungo interchange project, connecting Nelson Mandela, Sam Nujoma and Morogoro roads. The project was expected to reduce traffic congestion on the busy Ubungo junction with more than 60,000 vehicles passing daily. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:33:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close HONG KONG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday urged Britain to stop interfering in Hong Kong's internal affairs. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people administrating Hong Kong" with a high degree of autonomy have been faithfully and successfully implemented in the region, a spokesperson for the commissioner's office said late Wednesday in response to a six-monthly report on Hong Kong issued by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Hong Kong residents enjoy extensive rights and freedom never seen before, which is a universally-recongnized fact, the spokesperson said. In the so-called report, the British side ignored and distorted the truth by deliberately confusing the legitimate and lawful measures taken by both the Chinese central government and the HKSAR government to fight against forces for "Hong Kong independence," safeguard national sovereignty and security and uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong with freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, the spokesperson said. The commissioner's office urged the British side to face squarely the reality of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, strictly abide by the basic principles of international relations and stop interfering in China's internal affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:38:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Minerals Council of South Africa said it is worried about the tariff increases recently granted to Eskom as they could destabilize the mining industry and lead to over 90,000 job losses in the next three years. The Minerals Council took on the matter after the National Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) granted power utility Eskom average tariff increases of 9.4 percent, 8.1 percent and 5.2 percent over the next three years. The Council said the effects of this could be devastating. "There is no doubt that the substantial tariff increases will have a major impact on the industry's cost structure, jeopardizing the viability of marginal and loss-making mines and, inevitably, accelerating job losses at energy-intensive mines in particular," Council's Henk Langenhoven said on Wednesday. Langenhoven told Xinhua the mining sector is the biggest user of electricity in the country. "It is most disappointing that the regulator has chosen to support Eskom's own inevitable downward spiral that will come as a result of inflated tariff increases and declining electricity usage by a critical consumer. The mining industry consumes around 30 percent of Eskom's annual power supply, for both mining and smelting activities," he said. The mining industry is not only a major customer, but a consistent and early payer, Langenhoven said. "The mining industry is a price taker which means that it does not set the price of the product it produces. These prices are set by the market." he said, adding the sustainability of a mining operation is dependent on its "ability to contain its cost of production." Statistics SA's March report showed that the mining sector is in recession. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 00:58:23|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to publicly denounce U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights, state news agency SANA reported. Trump's decision denies the rights of the Syrians in the Golan Heights which were protected by the international law and turns a blind eye to the "flagrant violations" of the human rights committed by the Israelis against the legitimate residents of Golan Heights, the ministry said. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move. Recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has been a recent demand by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move came months after the Trump administration moved the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:08:26|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Some 418,572 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in the first two months of 2019, up 31.7 percent over the same period last year, the Tourism Ministry's latest report showed on Wednesday. China is still the biggest source of foreign tourists to this Southeast Asian country, accounting for 33.6 percent of the total foreign visitors to the kingdom during the January-February period this year, the report said. A total of 1.24 million international tourists had traveled to Cambodia during the first two months of this year, an increase of 9.3 percent over the same period last year, it said. Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon told Xinhua recently that Cambodia is expected to attract 3 million Chinese tourists in 2020 and up to 5 million in 2025. "Thanks to our close ties, our attractive tourism sites, and increasing direct flights between our two countries, I believe that we can achieve these targets," he said. Last year, Cambodia received 6.2 million foreign tourists including 2 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 4.35 billion U.S. dollars, the minister said, adding that tourism contributed 12.7 percent to the country's GDP (gross domestic product). Cambodia is famous for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, the Preah Vihear temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province. Besides, the country has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:18:27|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BANGKOK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Leader of Palang Pracharath Party, which supports the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Uttama Savanayana said on Wednesday that they would wait for the complete election results to be announced by the Election Commission first before declaring to form a new government. Uttama said it is not the time for the opposition parties to say they have won over 255 seats in the House of Representatives. During a press conference held to respond to the joint declaration by the six opposition parties this morning, the Palang Pracharath leader said they would wait for the official election results first. Uttama also confirmed that they are talking with other parties to form a coalition government. He said he is confident that they can lead a coalition government that has over 250 seats in the lower house, adding that they have won some 7.9 million votes, the most, in the March 24 general election. Palang Pracharath Party's Secretary-General Sontirat Sontijirawong said the general election this year is different from previous elections as proportional representation is much emphasized and he criticized the opposition parties for issuing the joint declaration. He also said the opposition parties should not define themselves as "democracy side" and use the word "democracy" to divide Thais. Earlier on Wednesday, leaders of six opposition parties, led by Pheu Thai Party, convened at a Bangkok hotel to sign a joint declaration on the common resolution to set up a coalition government. Signing the joint declaration were Pheu Thai, Thai Liberal, Prachachart, Pheu Chart, Palang Puangchon Thai and Future Forward parties. The March 24 general election is the first since 2014. So far, the Election Commission has only announced unofficial results of the 95 percent of the votes from constituencies nationwide. It confirmed again on Wednesday that it would release how many votes each party get to figure out exactly each party's party-list seats in the lower house, which will be followed by the formal election results to be released on May 9. The voting for the post-election prime minister in parliament needs a simple majority of a total 750 lawmakers, consisting of 500 MPs and 250 senators picked by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order headed by Prayut, in accordance with the 2017 constitution. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:28:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOMBASA, Kenya, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday called on East African countries to buy products made from the region to minimize importation of goods that can be manufactured locally. Museveni, who is on a two-day state visit to Kenya, said that countries are losing millions of dollars from importation of goods because of giant factories in East Africa which have since broken down. He called on Kenya to fast-rack revival of Webuye Paper Mill which was critical in supplying paper products in East Africa. Museveni said that his country imports paper worth 13 billion shillings (130 million U.S. dollars) from Finland, yet Kenya has a sleeping paper mill. "It must be stopped. Why doesn't Uganda buy paper from Kenya?. We have to stop enriching others," he told a joint news conference with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in the port city of Mombasa. "When the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is finished, it will take 24 hours from here to Kampala... This should have been done before and there's no other way these countries' economies are going to grow if we don't solve this issue of movement," said Museveni. He pointed out that the enhanced efficiency in handling of cargo at the port and in the movement of goods along the Northern Corridor has been of great benefit to the economies of both Kenya and Uganda, and for the other countries that depend on the Port of Mombasa for their import and export business, including Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He commended President Kenyatta for the rapid development of infrastructure in Kenya. "While we are still waiting for the railway (in Uganda), the Kenyan government has already moved and is now constructing modern jetties and petroleum pipelines," Museveni said. "That means that in the coming years, a lot of cargo will move from the roads to the railway and fuel will move from the roads to the pipeline and across the lake through tugboats which can carry the fuel across the lake cheaper, faster and safer,' he added. On his part, Kenyatta commended the two delegations for ensuring that the inaugural session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation is a success. "I am particularly pleased with the progress we have made in recent years in the areas of trade promotion, the free movement of goods, services and people across our borders, and the people-to-people interactions," Kenyatta said. He noted the success of the One Stop Border Post at Busia and the ongoing improvement of infrastructure and processes at Malaba and Lwakhakha Border Points. Kenyatta called for an increase in the number of one-stop-border-posts to promote the free movement of goods and people between the two countries. He lauded the government and the people of Uganda for their trust and continued use of the Port of Mombasa. "I wish to express my Government's full commitment to continue improving service delivery at the Port. I am pleased to report that the time taken to transport cargo between Mombasa and Nairobi has significantly reduced with the full operationalization of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) between Mombasa and Nairobi," Kenyatta said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:33:34|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close El Hiblu 1 is seen at the Boilers Wharf of Senglea, Malta on March 28, 2019. The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) stormed a merchant vessel taken over by rescued migrants off Libya's coast on Thursday. The vessel, El Hiblu 1, en route from Turkey to Libya was required to rescue 108 stranded migrants that were allegedly transported to Europe. However, the rescued migrants overpowered the ship crew some six miles off the Libyan coast and demanded that the captain change course for Malta. (Xinhua/Roberto Runza) VALLETTA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A merchant vessel which rescued a group of 108 migrants in Libya's search and rescue area has been hijacked and forced to change course, a spokesperson for the Armed Forces of Malta confirmed on Wednesday. The vessel was en route to Libya, where it intended to unload the rescued migrants. However, upon hearing that they were to be returned to Libya, the migrants reportedly seized control of the vessel. The spokesperson confirmed that reports of a hijacked ship had been received and that the situation was being monitored. The vessel was heading towards Malta and it was being tracked by the Libyan Coast Guard, said the spokesperson. The vessel, the spokesperson noted, would not be allowed to enter Maltese territorial waters, and the authorities there were prepared for "any eventuality". The hijacking reportedly occurred when the vessel was just 6 miles from the Libyan coast. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy's ports remain closed to the vessel, noting that "they are not shipwrecked migrants but pirates." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:38:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close WARSAW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Poland, together with the other European Union members of the United Nations Security Council, has criticized the U.S. decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights region. "The EU's position is well-known and has not changed. In line with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions 242 & 497, we do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," the Polish Permanent Mission to the UN wrote on Twitter Tuesday night. Earlier on Tuesday, the five UN Security Council members from the European Union -- Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Poland -- issued a joint statement after U.S. President Donald Trump's Monday proclamation to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981. "We do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them to be part of the territory of the state of Israel," Belgian Ambassador to the UN Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve told media at the UN, speaking for the five EU countries. "We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences," he said, flanked by the ambassadors of Poland, France, Germany and Britain. Israel occupied much of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War. In 1981, Israel annexed the territory, although this was never recognized by the international community. USA: J-CODE Announces 61 Arrests in its Second Coordinated Law Enforcement Operation Targeting Opioid Trafficking on the Darknet This successful operation sends a strong message that DEA, together with our law enforcement partners, will disrupt, dismantle, and destroy drug trafficking organizations that bring poison into our communities, said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. DEAs greatest tool is our relationship with our federal, state, local, and international law enforcement partners who stand with us every day to fight this epidemic. Drug traffickers will be held accountable for the pain and death they cause, regardless of what technology they use. Homeland Security Investigations, together with its law enforcement partners, has proven, once again, the selling of illicit items on the Darknet will not be tolerated in the United States, said Executive Associate Director Derek Benner, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Operation SaboTor sends a clear message to criminals that no matter how or where crimes are committed, nothing is beyond the reach of the law. We will use every possible means to find them, take apart their organizations, and leave them with nothing. Postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners are using tried and true investigative techniques combined with the latest cutting-edge technology to identify those responsible for opioid trafficking and bring them to justice, said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. Operation SaboTor is a major step forward in the journey to combat the opioid epidemic and protect our citizens from dangerous drugs. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to work tirelessly alongside our J-CODE partners to keep our communities safe. The Darkweb is not as dark as you think. When you buy or sell illegal goods online, you are not hidden from law enforcement and you are putting yourself in danger, said Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. This international coordinated approach demonstrates law enforcements determination to tackle crime on the Darkweb and to reduce the number of people who fall victim to criminals selling life-endangering products or scamming them for their own gain. The investigations leading to Operation SaboTor included support and resources from the FBI; DEA; HSI; CBP; USPIS; DOD; DOJs Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Special Operations Division; and Europol and their Cyber Patrol team. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for It's On Us(WASHINGTON) -- Former Vice President Joe Biden is once again apologizing for the treatment Anita Hill received while publicly testifying against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. To this day, I regret I couldnt come up with a way to get her the kind of hearing she deserved, Biden said, while speaking to attendees at the Biden Courage Awards, which honored student heroes whove intervened to prevent sexual assault. Hill accused Thomas of unwanted sexual misconduct when she worked for him in the 1980s. She made several allegations against Thomas including being pressured to go out with him socially, inappropriate remarks at work and discussing pornographic materials. The law professor faced intense public scrutiny and was attacked by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for coming forward against Thomas. Her hearing was in front of an all-male panel of senators, which was headed by then-Sen. Joe Biden, saying it has an obligation to set a standard for the nation. It should not be one of the most difficult places for women to lay out a story of abuse and harassment, Biden said. Biden added after seeing what women like Anita Hill endured, he said its understandable that other women would find it difficult to step forward to tell their stories of harassment and abuse. He said when Hill testified, she faced a committee that didnt fully understand what the hell it was all about. There were a bunch of white guys, Biden said about the committee. After leaving the White House and amid the Me Too movement, Biden first expressed some regrets about the Hill hearings during a 2017 interview with Teen Vogue. "I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill. I owe her an apology," Biden said in the interview. During the awards ceremony Tuesday, the former vice president noted the lack of change in culture over the last three decades in regards to sexual assault. Last fall you saw it all over again in the Kavanaugh hearing, said Biden when referencing accusations and testimony against then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in late 2018. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the allegations. During his speech, Biden repeatedly acknowledged how brave Hill was for coming forward to tell her story. We all have an obligation to do nothing less than to change the culture in this country, said Biden. After public testimony against Kavanaugh and Thomas, both were confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 01:43:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close BUDAPEST, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Ryanair will launch flights to six new destinations from Budapest in its 2019 winter timetable, the budget airline announced on Wednesday. The new destinations are Catania (Italy), Luxembourg, Gothenburg (Sweden), Tel Aviv (Israel), Lappeenranta (Finland) and Poznan (Poland). The flights will operate two or three times a week from October 2019, Ryanair's Regional Manager Denis Barabas told journalists. He said that the new routes could increase the Irish airline's passenger numbers to 3.2 million at the Budapest base, which is 24 percent more than that in 2018. Ryanair carries 18 percent of air passengers to and from Budapest, preceded only by Hungarian airline Wizz Air. With the new routes, Ryanair will operate 46 flights during the winter 190 times per week. Barabas also announced that Ryanair was constantly examining the possibility of introducing new destinations and that the company did not exclude flights from two other international airports in Hungary, Debrecen and Sarmellek. Budapest Airport closed a record year in 2018. It handled nearly 15 million passengers, up 13.5 percent from 2017. Syrian children sitting in their tent look out at the muddy path at the Cordoba camp for internally displaced persons, close to Batabu town, along the highway leading to the Syrian Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, in the northern Syrian Idlib province on Jan. 16, 2019. (Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The scale of the humanitarian challenges facing the people of Syria "remains staggering by any measure," the UN humanitarian chief said on Wednesday. On behalf of the UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, the Director of the Coordination Division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Ramesh Rajasingham told the Security Council in a meeting on the situation in the Middle East that "the humanitarian crisis in Syria is far from over." "This month marks the eighth year since the Syria crisis began," Rajasingham said that the UN assessments indicate that 11.7 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection inside the country in 2019 and that more than 5.6 million Syrians live as refugees across the region. Rajasingham said that the situation in al-Hol camp and in southeastern Deir-ez-Zor governorate presents a number of complex protection challenges. Tens of thousands of displaced people - the vast majority of whom are women and children - have continued to arrive at al-Hol camp from southeastern Deir-ez-Zor governorate, and most new arrivals are in extremely poor health, with many showing signs of distress and suffering from trauma injuries, malnutrition and fatigue, said Rajasingham. According to Rajasingham, the population of al-Hol camp now exceeds 72,000 -- an increase of more than 25,000 over the past month -- with indications that more people could still be on the way. Rajasingham also said that the absence of adult males and adolescent boys over the age of 15 in the camp is notable. International support for efforts to respond to the needs of millions of Syrians remains critical, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 02:53:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russia should pull back its presence in Venezuela, a day after Russia defended its position on this issue. "Russia has to get out," Trump told the press in the Oval Office where he met with Fabiana Rosales, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Trump added that Russia understands U.S. stance "very well." Earlier Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called on Russia to cease talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and said Russia's military move was "an unwelcome provocation." Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela on Saturday, carrying nearly 100 troops and 35 tons of materials, according to media reports. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the presence of Russian specialists in Venezuela is in line with a military-technical cooperation agreement between the two countries, which does not need the approval of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Trump also said that the Venezuelan government was under "plenty of pressure right now," noting that "other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have ... all options are open." The United States has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Guaido. 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. Venezuela has been plunged into political tension since Jan. 23 when opposition leader Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's interim president and was recognized by the United States and some other countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 02:54:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Wednesday announced that an African summit will be held soon to follow up the implementation of South Sudan's peace deal, which was signed in September last year. "An upcoming African summit will be convened regarding South Sudan to look into what has been fulfilled of the commitments of the transitional period, which will end next May, and push efforts to ensure their success," Sudan's Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed told reporters. He did not specify where the summit will be convened. On Sept. 13, last year, South Sudan's conflicting parties signed the final peace deal in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in presence of heads of state and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 03:24:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close LONDON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Terracotta Warriors had helped Liverpool's World Museum become the most visited English museum outside London in 2018, it was announced Wednesday. Figures compiled by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) showed the overwhelming success of China's First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors exhibition, making it one of the best attended exhibitions in Britain in 2018. The 610,000 visitors to the Terracotta event rocketed World Museum up 30 places in the annual league table of British visitor attractions. In what was a cultural coup for the northern provincial seaport city, three of England's top four museums outside of London are in Liverpool. Laura Pye, director of National Museums Liverpool said: "The museums and galleries of National Museums Liverpool are bursting with brilliant objects, incredible stories and memorable moments, and in 2018 we were able to take it to another level with a really vibrant program, including some exceptional exhibitions." According to her, 2018 was World Museum's busiest year with 1,416,632 visitors, a 111 percent increase on 2017. It is estimated the China's First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors exhibition had boosted the local economy by more than 110 million U.S. dollars. Another reason to visit Liverpool, said ALVA, was the hugely popular Double Fantasy: John & Yoko exhibition at Museum of Liverpool which saw almost a million visits in 2018, a 31 percent increase on 2017. The exhibition features never before seen personal items from slain Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono. ALVA announced visitor figures to UK attractions in 2018, which saw an average increase of 8.68 percent over 2017. Overall almost 139 million visits were made to the top 249 sites monitored in Britain by ALVA. The biggest increase of 19.07 percent in 2018 compared with the previous year was in Scotland. Overall more than 138.8 million visits were made to the top 249 ALVA sites in the UK. The most visited attraction in Britain in 2018 was Tate Modern in London, with about 5.87 million visits. In London alone last year over 67.64 million people, nearly the equivalent of the total population of Britain, visited attractions in the UK capital, a 3.37 percent increase over 2017. The figures showed that the top-10 most visited attractions of 2018 were all in London. The British Museum saw a slight decrease of 1.3 percent in visitor numbers, to around 5.83 million visits, but still made second place after the Tate. The National Gallery remained in 3rd place, while the Natural History Museum in London saw an 18 percent increase in visits to remain in the 4th place. For the second year, the most visited attractions outside London were in Scotland, with the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, and The Scottish National Gallery being the most visited. In England, Chester Zoo and Stonehenge were the most visited attraction and heritage site outside London. Bernard Donoghue, director of ALVA, said: "I'm so delighted that every year, more and more people, from here in the UK and from overseas, are experiencing the astonishing array of our leading attractions in every part of the UK. Tourism is our 5th biggest industry and 3rd largest employer." Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 04:09:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Greek Ambassador to Lebanon Francisco Faros said that his country supports Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and regional interests, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday. "Greece contributes in the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and it cooperates closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces, mainly by training maritime soldiers," Faros said during a ceremony held to celebrate Greece's National Day. Faros added that his country respects the United Nations' resolutions especially resolution 1701 which was adopted by the Security Council in 2006. He added that Lebanon is democratic and welcoming and thousands of Greek citizens enjoy living in the country. George Eid, director of the Greek festival in Lebanon, previously told Xinhua there are around 10,000 Greek people living in Lebanon today. File Photo: Syrian government soldiers celebrate victory against the Islamic State (IS) in the eastern city of al-Bukamal in Syria, Nov. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to strengthen the counter-terrorism cooperation in Syria. In order to continue the fight against terrorist forces in Syria, the international community should strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, adopt unified standard to fight all Security Council-listed terrorist organizations so as to prevent their return, Wu Haitao, deputy permanent representative of the Chinese mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council at a meeting on the situation in the Middle East. "In Idlib, there are signs pointing to the resurface of the terrorist organizations threatening security and the stability of Syria. This is the matter that must not be overlooked," said the Chinese envoy. Wu said China supports the efforts by the parties concerned to find a proper solution to the questions in Idlib. UN Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the meeting that the situation in Syria's Idlib deteriorated in recent weeks amid escalating violence. "We've seen reports of exchanges of artillery and mortars; of airstrikes, some reported to have hit civilian targets, causing civilian casualties and further displacement of tens of thousands," she said. She called on the guarantors to work together to address the issue of the council-listed terrorist groups in full compliance with international humanitarian law. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 04:49:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close RABAT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan government has approved 28 new investment projects worth 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in various sectors, the prime minister's office said in a statement on Wednesday. The projects will create 4,346 direct jobs and 7,934 indirect ones, the statement said following a meeting of the Inter-ministerial Investment Commission under the chairmanship of Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani. The breakdown of investments by sector shows a strong predominance of transport and infrastructure sectors with nearly 994 million dollars, representing nearly 42 percent of the total investments submitted to the committee. Telecommunication projects hold the second position with nearly 19 percent of the planned investments, while tourism sector ranks third with 17 percent of investments and industry sector with 12 percent. About 60 percent of the investments projects are funded by Moroccan investors, and the rest is by either funder by international investors or through partnership between local and international partners. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 04:59:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close TUNIS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia is an active country thanks to its privileged relations with all the Arab countries, Mahmoud Afifi, spokesman of the Secretary General of the Arab League (AL), said on Wednesday. "The good relations Tunisia maintains with its regional environment constitute one of the assets of the success of the AL summit," said Afifi at the opening session of the AL council in preparation for a preliminary meeting of foreign ministers at the AL summit. Tunisian Ambassador to Cairo Nejib Mnif, also a permanent delegate of Tunisia to the AL, said that all issues related to the Arab region will be reviewed. Priority issues such as the Palestinian cause, the situation in Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Syria, as well as security issues and the fight against terrorism, will be discussed during the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 05:09:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A new law to outlaw sky lanterns being flown in Britain was put before the House of Commons Wednesday by politician Ruth George. George, a Labour MP representing one of the most scenic parts of England, the Peak Forest, put forward a parliamentary bill to make it an offence to use a sky lantern. She told MPs that last summer when a spate of wildfire raged around the moorland of High Peak area during a heat wave, she was shocked to discover that an American company was promoting a sky lantern festival at a venue on the moors above Buxton. "A sky lantern comprises a paper lantern and a candle, and this company was selling tickets for thousands of people to release naked flames across the tinder-dry moors," she said. At the same time firefighters, park rangers, farmers, gamekeepers British troops were battling dozens of moorland fires, putting their own safety at risk The politician added: "It is not just on dry moorland that sky lanterns are a problem. They have caused significant fires in recent years, most notably one fire in 2013 where more than 200 firefighters tackled a fire in a tire depot that lasted for three days, causing 6 million pounds worth of damage." She said had it not been for closed circuit television capturing the sight of a sky lantern descending on the tires, it would not have been known that that was almost certainly the cause of the inferno. The debate heard that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Welsh Government said in a report that when airborne, sky lanterns pose a safety risk to aviation due to possible ingestion into engines. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which controls Britain's air space, said that 48 reported incidents between 2011 and 2012 were due to sky lanterns and helium balloons. Farmers and animal welfare charities are also concerned about the injuries caused to animals by sky lanterns, which can result in a long and painful death. George said more than 200,000 sky lanterns are sold each year in Britain. Her bill will return to the British parliament early April as part of the law making procedure. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 05:49:38|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Wu Haitao (front), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East (Syria) at the UN headquarters in New York, March 27, 2019. Wu Haitao on Wednesday called on the international community to continue pushing for the political process in Syria. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to continue pushing for the political process in Syria. "Years of conflict in Syria have brought untold misery to Syria and its people. The Syrian people yearn for an early peace so that they can return, rebuild, and resume a life in tranquility," said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, in a Security Council meeting. The UN should enhance its coordination with the Syrian government to facilitate the early formation of a constitutional committee that is representative and acceptable to the parties concerned, Wu said. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the legitimate concerns of the relevant parties in a balanced manner, including that of the Syrian government, with a view to set in motion of viable political process that can be sustained, he added. The Chinese envoy also asked the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation in Syria, to adopt unified standard to fight all Security Council-listed terrorist organizations so as to prevent their return. "In Idlib, there are signs pointing to the resurface of the terrorist organizations threatening security and the stability of Syria. This is the matter that must not be overlooked," said the Chinese envoy. He also called on the international community to actively support the reconstruction in Syria, and to create conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). A fundamental improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria requires the international community to support the Syrian government and people in their economic and social reconstruction, so as to create conditions for the return of refugees and IDPs and help Syrian people rebuild their confidence and resume a normal life, said Wu. Furthermore, Wu called on the international community to enhance its assistance to Syria in line with the humanitarian needs on the ground. Around 11.7 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection inside the country in 2019 and more than 5.6 million Syrians live as refugees across the region, according to UN statistics. "The sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria must be respected throughout all this process," said Wu, noting that China has all along supported a political solution to the Syrian issue, and China is ready to continue to play a positive and constructive role in moving forward the political process. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 06:14:43|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close DAMASCUS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses responded to Israeli airstrike in Syria's northern province of Aleppo overnight Wednesday, intercepting a number of missiles before reaching their targets, according to the state news agency SANA. The airstrike targeted the Sheikh Najjar area in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, according to the report, citing a military statement. Sounds of explosions were heard around the government-controlled area of Sheikh Najjar, which is an industrial zone in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, said the report. The report said the attacks left damages only. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the explosions occurred in weapon depots of the Syrian army and its allies between the international airport of Aleppo and the Sheikh Najjar zone. Israel has repeatedly targeted arm depots around the capital Damascus over pretext that the depots belong to Iranian-backed militias. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 06:39:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close CHICAGO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures settled mixed on Wednesday, with soybeans falling more than 1 percent over rising U.S. stockpile and uncertain export outlook. CBOT corn contract for May delivery was down 3.5 cents, or 0.93 percent to close at 3.7375 U.S. dollars per bushel. May wheat was up 0.25 cent, or 0.05 percent, to settle at 4.695 dollars per bushel. May soybeans were down 13.25 cents, or 1.47 percent, to close at 8.875 dollars per bushel. The American Soybean Association estimates that with depressed prices, unsold domestic stocks will double before the 2019 harvest begins in September. However, export outlook for U.S. soybeans is still uncertain amid the ongoing U.S.-China trade talks, said market participants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to release crop planting intentions and stockpile reports on Friday. The market is positioned for record large soybean stocks, and analysts forecast a decline in 2019 soybean planting intentions. Additional pressure is from the sharply weaker Brazilian currency, which makes Brazilian soybeans more competitive. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 06:54:48|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Daniel Elwell, acting administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), attends a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on airline safety in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 27, 2019. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday vowed to revamp its air safety oversight after two deadly crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets in less than five months pointed to possible lapses in the aircraft approval process. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday vowed to revamp its air safety oversight after two deadly crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets in less than five months pointed to possible lapses in the aircraft approval process. At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on airline safety, Calvin Scovel, the U.S. Transportation Department's inspector general, said that the FAA will significantly change its oversight approach by July. Scovel offered few details about the overhaul, but suggested that the new process would identify the "company self-audit processes" and develop new evaluation criteria. Daniel Elwell, acting administrator of the FAA, agreed that the agency's oversight approach "needs to evolve," but he also defended FAA's controversial program called Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) that allowed aircraft manufacturers to have their own employees conduct safety inspections. Elwell argued the ODA was "not self-certification," since FAA was "directly involved" in the review of Boeing 737 Max's anti-stall software. The failure of the anti-stall system was believed to have led to Indonesia's Lion Air accident in October and is suspected to have also caused the Ethiopian Airlines crash this month. Senator Richard Blumenthal called safety regulation outsourcing "a flawed system" that put the "fox in charge of the hen house" and Senator Ted Cruz said that "close relationship between industry and regulators" erodes the public confidence. Scovel said FAA's work on the ODA program had "management weaknesses," in a statement presented to the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation and Space hearing. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao asked Scovel last week to have an investigation into the FAA's certification of Boeing 737 Max and created an external expert panel on Monday to review FAA's certification procedures. Scovel said that among other problems, "not all FAA offices consulted FAA's database to pre-screen performance histories of prospective ODA personnel." But Elwell said FAA would have to hire 10,000 more workers and spend another 1.8 billion U.S. dollars to spare the ODA program. Elwell also said the certification process of Boeing 737 Max was "detailed and thorough," but "time yields more data to be applied for continued analysis and improvement" for a passenger jet with a fleet of more than 380 in operation globally. Also, Elwell acknowledged at the hearing that the pilots were not given specific instructions on the Boeing 737 Max anti-stall software, but he evaded to clarify FAA's attitude to the fact that Boeing made some safety features on the aircraft "optional" instead of "mandatory." The subcommittee will hold a second hearing on aviation safety in the near future to hear from industry stakeholders that would include Boeing. Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-28 06:54:49|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Eric J. Lyman ROME, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Italian reporters this week that once his mandate as head of government concludes, he wants to leave politics behind and return to his life as a low-key law professor. When that happens, how will he be remembered? Conte already has an unusual place in modern Italian history. He is the first prime minister who is not a member of any of the parties that make up the government coalition that backs him. In fact, Conte was all but unknown when Italians cast their votes a year ago. He emerged as prime minister ten weeks later as a compromise candidate when neither the populist, anti-establishment Five-Star Movement nor the nationalist, anti-migrant League would let a figure from the other party ascend to the prime minister's office. Before being named prime minister, Conte was a low-key law professor at the University of Florence. "These are very rare circumstances in Italy," Nicola Pasini, a political scientist at the University of Milan, said in an interview. "In the past, it's always happened that a potential prime minister leads his party in the election and then tries to form a coalition." Since Conte's elevation to the prime minister's post, the Five-Star Movement and the League have agreed on so little that analysts say Conte's biggest achievement in nearly ten months as head of government might have been holding the government together amid disagreements between the parties that support it. "Conte's full time job has been to keep things balanced between the two parties in the coalition," Daniela Giannetti, a political scientist at the University of Bologna, told Xinhua. "The two parties have different priorities and constituencies. For him, it's been a balancing act." Pasini said that balancing act has made it challenging for Conte to pursue his own political agenda. "He can't make his own strategic decisions," Pasini said. "The best he can do is to reconcile the priorities of the two parties." Pasini said that also means Conte would not have his own political base even if he decided to continue in politics. According to Antonello Folco Biagini, a historian at Rome's La Sapienza University, Conte's statement that he would abandon politics once his mandate was over is not too surprising. "I don't think he ever thought he was changing careers," Folco Biagini said in an interview. "I think he must have felt a civic duty to serve and I think history will look back at his tenure and say he has been a steadying influence during a challenging period." Formally, Conte's five-year term finishes in 2023, but few expect the government to last that long. Elections for European Parliament are scheduled to take place in May, and it is likely that the results of that vote will change the balance of power between the Five-Star Movement and the League. Polls combined with a series of local votes show the League -- the smaller of the two parties based on last year's vote -- is likely to gain substantial strength, most likely precipitating big changes in the government. Un boxer turdean, campion national la cadeti! Boxerul turdean Varga Nicolas Antonio, de la Viitorul Cluj-Napoca, a castigat titlul de campion national la cadeti, categoria 46 kg, la Campionatul National care s-a desfasurat in aceste zile la... Acesta este doar un sumar al stirilor. Vizitati siteul nostru pentru mai multe stiri complete! [citeste mai departe] Stiri pe aceeasi tema - Secretary of State with the Ministry of Health Andrei Baciu announced on Tuesday that more than 9 million COVID-19 certificates have been issued in Romania so far, agerpres reports. "So far, 9,031,038 certificates have been issued. Most of them, 91.8pct, are COVID-19 certificates attesting to vaccination," - The Governments of the United States and Romania* held the seventh round of the U.S.-Romania Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2021, following political consultations between Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on November 8. - Ministrul Afacerilor Externe, Bogdan Aurescu, aflat in vizita in SUA, este de parere ca prezenta militara americana in regiune trebuie crescuta, nu doar in Romania, referindu-se si la ceea ce se petrece in Marea Neagra. Prezent intr-o vizita la Washington, seful diplomatiei romane a participat la - Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, who is on an official visit to Washington, said that the U.S. can count on Romania, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that the U.S. and Romania are "strong NATO allies" working closely on many subjects. The two officials gave a brief press statement - Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will have consultations today in Washington DC with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, as part of a visit to the US November 8-9, at the invitation of his American counterpart, agerpres reports. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), - The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, will have, on Monday, in Washington D.C., consultations with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as part of the visit he is conducting to the United States of America, on November 8 and 9, upon the invitation of his counterpart, MAE informs in a - Mai sunt cateva zile pana la data de 25 octombrie, ziua eliberarii orasului Carei de sub ocupatia hortysta, zi declarata ca Ziua Armatei Romane. Luni, 25 octombrie , vom aniversa 77 de ani de la eliberarea Careiului. Avand in vedere ca din conducerea orasului nu face parte niciun roman, zilei eliberarii - Ambasadorul Romaniei la Washington, Andrei Muraru, a discutat cu Daniel Dines, CEO-ul UiPath, prima companie din Romania listata la bursa din New York. Muraru scrie pe Facebook ca a discutat despre ce putem face ca interesele romanilor sa fie mai bine aparate si si-a exprimat dorinta pentru o colaborare Russia surprised many last year when it used its internal canal system to shift military vessels from the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Azov in order to ramp up pressure on Ukraine (see EDM, May 31, 2018 ; November 27, 2018 ). But in fact, river and canal traffic has always played an enormous role in Russian history and Moscows plans. And now, the Russian government has announced a new project to expand its internal transit links between these two bodies of water, not only for security reasons but also, and perhaps equally important, to be in a position to expand eastwest trade in a way that will compete with the rail systems China and the West have been promoting. Building a new, larger canal system across the North Caucasus has been on Moscows agenda on and off since at least 1932; but its security interests, budgetary stringencies and geo-economic goals make it more likely to be carried out now. First of all, Moscow has shifted its main Caspian Flotilla naval base away from Astrakhan in the north, down to Kaspiysk, on the outskirts of the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, where it is in a position to more readily project power around the Caspian (Pravda.ru, April 2, 2018; Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com , April 4, 2018; see EDM, May 31, 2018 and November 27, 2018). The prospects of a new canal directly between the Caspian and the Sea of Azov are now sufficiently bright that it has sparked competition between Dagestan and Kalmykia over its proposed route ( Regnum , March 16; Chernovik , March 17; Casp-geo.ru , March 22). At present, water connections between the two seas are limited to the Lenin VolgaDon Shipping Canal, which was opened in 1952. Part of what Moscow calls the Unified Deep-Water System of European Russia, this canal is too shallow and has too many locks to be useful for large-scale trade or the shifting of larger military vessels. To compensate for that, the Soviet government, in the 1980s, began construction of a deeper canal alongside it, but that project died along with the Soviet Union. However, in the first years of this century, Moscow again brought up the idea of a canal, albeit in a different location and far deeper and with fewer locks, in order to project power and to compete with alternative eastWest projects being promoted by China, Europe and the United States. This project was christened the Eurasia Canal (see EDM, June 25, 2007; October 1, 2010). If built, it would be 700 kilometers long, four times the length of the Suez Canal and eight times that of the Panama Canal. It would be 6.5 meters deep, have few locks, and would be capable of carrying more than 75 million tons of cargo annually. Such a project, again if completed, would transform the geo-economics and hence geopolitics of the region. For years now, many had assumed that it was going nowhere fast given its potentially enormous price tag (various figures have been suggested and all have been rising), the absence of outside investors given Western sanctions, and competing transportation projects through Azerbaijan and Georgia (see EDM, September 15, 2009; October 17, 2013; November 17, 2017). But a year and a half ago, Moscow adopted a new Strategy for the Development of Russian Ports in the Caspian Basin, which called for the building of new port facilities on the Caspian, developing rail and road links to them, and also building a canal to the Sea of Azov via the route Moscow had been talking about three decades before ( Morvesti.ru , November 8, 2017). That development appears to reflect the coming together of three things: First, China has indicated that it is interested in investing in such ports and a canal and has announced plans to send a delegation to the region in the next few weeks to explore what its role could be. Second, Moscows experience last year with moving naval vessels from the Caspian to the Azov Sea apparently has brought the Russian defense ministry in on the side of such construction, transforming it from an economic project to one with national security implications. And third, Moscow is obviously concerned that progress in the development of eastwest rail, highway and pipeline projects passing from the Caspian through Azerbaijan and Georgiaand even potentially across Armenia, given the recent shift in government therecould undercut its influence in the region, something Russia is not prepared to tolerate. Such behind-the-scenes calculations have now surfaced largely because officials in Dagestan and Kalmykia are in open competition for the location of the new commercial port on the Caspian and hence on the route of a canal westward ( Casp-geo.ru , March 22). Dagestan appears to have the inside track: it already has a large commercial port (Makhachkala) and a rapidly expanding military one (Kaspiysk) as well. Consequently, building a new commercial port and linking it to a new canal system would seem to be the most advantageous choice. But the situation is not nearly as clear-cut; and Kalmyk officials are now arguing that they should be given the port and the money it would bring because Moscow is already subsidizing Dagestan via the development of the naval port there. Given the security risks, they say, Kalmykia is a better choice. Competition between the two North Caucasus republics may in fact slow the canal project down, even If, as expected, China comes in with the money to finance this gigantic enterprise. But it is worth watching because of how these competing arguments shed light on Moscows thinking about the ports and the canal as well as about its intentions in the region and more broadly. Open source Once Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman was asked about launching the development bank. Groysman looked surprised and replied: "Ukraine does not need a development bank." So do we need or dont we need the development bank? Ukraine has a fairly short history of capitalist development. Many of our politicians have not reached the idea of the need to create such organizations. Despite the fact that we live in a world with access to any information, for some reason, we approach the search for this information very selectively and take just what we like, and often believe different external advisers. However, we should be interested in history. Not only in reading books about abstract institutions, but studying a practical history of creating certain structures, like a development bank, for example. The first development banks began to appear a long time ago. In France, such a bank was established in 1816 under Louis XVIII. It was named La Caisse des depots et consignations (CDC). The creation of this bank was rather random, due to certain historical events. The king was in dire need of money but did not trust the Bank of France, which was created under Bonaparte in 1800 and previously performed the functions of meeting the needs of the state. And with the help of this new bank, he wanted to provide financing for the state. In general, it wasnt considered a development bank, but Im talking about it, since this bank has become an organization that is now called a development bank, and this organization still exists. At that time, France was a relatively poor agrarian country. In addition, after the Napoleonic wars, the economy was depressed, so the private sector was in dire need of financial resources to stimulate activity. And as often happens, the high risks and memories of the recent past did not inspire optimism among bankers and they were not in a hurry to finance the private sector. Therefore, the CDC took over this function. The formation of a full-fledged development bank as in other European countries took place in the post-war world. At that time the bank launched a full-scale financial activity, providing financing to French companies, while the private sector was not very eager to finance them. It is necessary to understand the peculiarities of the work of banks with risks. Private capital is very cautious. This is especially evident in periods of economic stagnation. Bankers say: a bank is an organization that will happily provide you with an umbrella in sunny weather but will demand it back if it rains. This behavior of bankers is very predictable and they should not be blamed for it. Banking is a business. And like any business, banks expect to make a profit. It is clear that no one likes to lose money in questionable transactions, especially bankers. If banks are not willing to lend, then who should do this? As I have already said, many countries have a very long history of capitalism and in the process of development went through different stages. However, as history shows and then economists have confirmed that during periods of economic stagnation, financing is the best way out for the state, even if it is associated with higher risks. This is done for one simple reason. Stagnation can last a very long time. And often this has social consequences. As history has shown, states more quickly climb out of the depression, if they act as investors instead of the private sectors. And one of these investors is the State Development Bank. In France, the development bank is already 200 years old. Now it is one of the largest banks in France, which owns more than 10 subsidiaries, each of which deals with a certain direction. There are state strategic funds that own shares in the private business, where the bank is a strategic (long-term) investor. There are international investment companies helping the international development of French business. There are programs to support and finance innovations, programs of financing and development of the small and medium business. This is just an example of one country. Such banks exist in France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Poland, Brazil, Korea, and China. In addition, there are international organizations that play the role of a development bank: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank). However, despite the fact that these international organizations finance many projects in Ukraine, their presence is not enough to revive our economy. Therefore, it is strange for me to hear the talks that we need a land market and the lack of talks about the need for a development bank. No casualties among the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been spotted On March 27, the Russian-backed militants fired at Ukraine's positions. The enemy used the Minsk-banned weaponry six times in the Donbas conflict zone. The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) HQ reported this on Facebook. In the East operational group action zone, the enemy attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Opytne, Hnutove, and Chermalyk settlements. In the North group area, the enemy attacked our positions near Luhanske, Novooleksandrivka, and Krymske villages. According to the report, the Russia-backed militants fired with 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, heavy machine guns, small arms and grenade launchers of various systems. No casualties among the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been spotted. The Ukrainian soldiers stopped the attack by opening fire as well. The casualties of the Russian military have been checking yet, the report said. Earlier, March 26, pro-Kremlin occupants have shelled Ukrainian outposts 14 times. In Donetsk region, the enemy attacked Avdiivka, Krasnohorivka, Vodyane, Lebedynske, Kamyanka, and Mariinka. The Russian mercenaries used small arms, heavy machine guns, stationary and under-barrel grenade launchers. In Luhansk region, the militants fired mortars of various calibers and anti-tank missile launchers. BMP-1, infantry fighting vehicle, and 120 mm mortars were used in the attack on Novoluhanske. The British Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFO) has not launched any investigations against President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. The British Embassy in Ukraine reported this on Twitter. "Taking into account the recent speculations, the British Serious Fraud Investigation Office confirms that we have not launched the investigations against President Poroshenko, the report said. On Saturday, the presidential candidate and the leader of the Batkivshchyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, said that the British Office for the Investigation of Fraud, in cooperation with the OLAF, has launched investigations against Petro Poroshenko related to his corruption schemes. February 25, journalist investigations Bihus.Info, Nashi Hroshi program revealed a sensational investigation into Poroshenko's and his close associates' involvement in embezzlement in the Ukrainian defense sector. Igor Gladkovsky, the son of close Poroshenko ally Oleh Gladkovsky, deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, organized a corruption scheme to smuggle spare military-equipment parts from Russia in 2015. The corruption scheme participants were supplying smuggled Russian components and components from the Ukrainian military units through straw companies at prices 2-4 times higher than market ones. One of the straw companies was Poroshenko's Kuznia na Rybalskomy enterprise. Ukroboronprom state concern, which supervises defense industry production facilities, bought smuggled spare parts from Russia. The journalists could prove the embezzlement of 9,25 million USD, but this was only the tip of the iceberg. Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have to go on, according to European Parliament representatives To have any deal between Europe, Ukraine and Russia to create a stable energy supply for each of those regions is very very important. The Member of European Parliament Steven Woolfe commented on the negotiations of delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. What we dont want to see is the lights in peoples houses being turned out if no deal is arranged. So, my view is that Ukraine should be in a position to act as a bridge between Russia and that of the European Union, not act as a war between them. At the same time, Woolfe noted that the European Union wished to become an empire. And for them, there are many who would like to see it as a war, they would like to stop any negotiations or links between the Ukraine and Russia and this is a big mistake. The world is growing, population is growing, the need for energy sharing is growing. Cooperation is extremely important. The one-sided mentality of the European Union to say that we are right and Russia is wrong and there is no compromise will be a mistake historically, he added. As we reported earlier, the delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life held negotiations with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller last Friday. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. The economic negotiations were initiated by the Ukrainian side. Earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk noted that Ukraine buys Russian gas according to the Dusseldorf+ formula and due to this, gas price is too high for the consumer. He also believes that the only way Ukraine can preserve its gas transmission system is by the creation of a gas transmission consortium. In 2014, Russia decided to make Kyiv pay for gas supplies in advance. After that, Ukraine reduced the purchase of Russian gas and began to buy reverse gas in Europe. In November 2015, Naftogaz stopped buying gas from Gazprom. Open source Danish authorities refused to construct the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 within its waters. Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev reported this on Facebook. Gazprom faced with another refusal to construct the gas pipeline way Nord Stream 2 in Denmark. Of course, it has not killed the project yet, Kobolyev said. Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda urged the German government to give up on Nord Stream 2 construction. He insisted that the new pipeline would breach the current energy balance, posing danger to the energy safety of some countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Russian president Putin claimed that the Russian Federation was ready to save the gas transit through Ukraine after the launch of the Nord Stream 2. Gazprom and its partners intended to begin the realization of the Nord Stream 2 project, which costs ten billion dollars. It is expected that the 1,200-km gas pipeline will be laid through the Baltic Sea, and will connect Russia and Germany bypassing Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic countries. The capacity of the gas pipeline will be twice increased compared to that of the first Nord Stream. The construction is estimated to be completed by the end of 2019. Ukraine is adamantly opposed to the construction by calling it politically motivated and suggesting the EU to create a consortium with the involvement of European companies to manage the existing more efficient transportation route through Ukraine. A number of EU countries have expressed their disagreement with the Nord Stream 2 project in particular Poland and Lithuania. According to him, the world is currently tied up in a different sphere and one should be ready to any situations which may arise Open source Dialogue with Russia, on economic cooperation as well, can help to overcome the conflict between Kyiv and Russia. Member of European Parliament Jiri Payne said that in his commentary to 112 Ukraine TV channel. Communication means you can cooperate avoiding conflicts, and I would like to strengthen contacts between Europe and Ukraine, because if you are talking it works. As well as contacts between Ukraine and Russia its necessary to speak, to communicate, to work together. If there is, but theres always a way to cooperate on gas, on oil or whatever, if there is the possibility to cooperate, thats the way how to stabilize even political relations. According to him, the world is currently tied up in a different sphere and one should be ready to any situations which may arise. As we reported earlier, the delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life held negotiations with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller last Friday. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. The economic negotiations were initiated by the Ukrainian side. Earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk noted that Ukraine buys Russian gas according to the Dusseldorf+ formula and due to this, gas price is too high for the consumer. He also believes that the only way Ukraine can preserve its gas transmission system is by the creation of a gas transmission consortium. In 2014, Russia decided to make Kyiv pay for gas supplies in advance. After that, Ukraine reduced the purchase of Russian gas and began to buy reverse gas in Europe. In November 2015, Naftogaz stopped buying gas from Gazprom. Earlier, Washington recognized Israel's sovereignty over this disputed area; UN Security Council resolutions state quite the opposite UN Security Council Reuters The Syrian government asks members of the UN Security Council to gather for an urgent session over the highly disputed issue of the Golan Heights. AFP news agency reported this via Twitter on Wednesday. #UPDATE Syria asks the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory https://t.co/g15mwlGom9 pic.twitter.com/FANZpdPYbB AFP news agency @AFP March 27, 2019 Recently, U.S. leader Donald Trump signed the declration that recognized Israel's sovereignty over this disputed area. This, however, met strong resistance of the EU and Canada. Ukraine also stated it abided by the several resolutions of the UN Security Council, which set the status of the Golan Heights as 'Israeli-occupied territory'. 'Ukraine has been adhering to the UN Statute, living up to the UN Security Council decisions', Kateryna Zelenko, the ministry's spokeswoman stated. The Resolution No.497, passed in 1981 specifically states that 'Israel's decision to set its own laws, jurisdiction and government on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is ineffective and has no international legal force'. The Ukrainian official admitted that Ukraine continues to 'consistently stand for the achievements of comprehensive peace regulation in the Middle East, taking into account the legitimate interests of Israel's security'. The Turkish diplomat is to take office on June 1, as his compatriot steps down Halit Cevik, new head of OSCE SMM in Ukraine kyivpost OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine gets a new head. Turkish diplomat Halit Cevik will step in, replacing his compatriot Ertugrul Apakan. Turkish foreign ministry reported that on March 27. Cevik won the contest where six candidates competed. He's going to take office on June 1. Ertugrul Apakan has been chairing the Mission since April 2, 2014. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was deployed on 21 March 2014, following a request to the OSCE by Ukraines government and a consensus decision by all 57 OSCE participating States. The SMM is an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks are to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis. It's been roughly a year since Serhiy Nayev was appoined as Commanding Officer of the Operation; on this occasion, the warlord gave an interview to one of the Ukrainian newspapers Sergiy Nayev, the Joint Forces Commander Kyiv Post Creating safety zones and taking certain localities in the 'grey area' of Donbas under control are the most important achievements of the Joint Forces Operation over the previous year. Serhiy Nayev, the Joint Forces Operation Commander said this in his interview with Golos Ukrainy newspaper. Answering the question about the most notable things that happened over the year of his management in the Operation, Nayev said the following: 'Speaking of the success, it is, of course, the creation of safety zones in the Joint Forces Operation area and taking a number of inhabited localities under control'. According to him, these localities are in the area between the Ukrainian forces and the Russian occupants. 'This strengthened the positions of the Joint Forces and the safety zones themselves', Nayev said. He also mentioned the reformed system of subordination in the structure of Ukraine's national security. 'It's a clear vertical [structure] that allows us to manage troops and solve a wide variety of tasks more effectively', the Joint Forces Operation Commander said. The official admitted that some of the damaged and ruined infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was restored; the maintenance and emergency crews managed to fix a number of vital infrastructure objects in the area. Besides, the Ukrainian government came up with the initiative of strategic humanitarian assistance for the military and civilian establishments in the war-affected zones. In 2019, the volunteers brought medical supplies to the amount of USD 75,000', Nayev concluded. From left to right: Gazprom head Alexey Miller, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev, Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko and Viktor Medvedchuk. Gas talks on March 22, 2019 112 Agency To have any deal between Europe, Ukraine and Russia to create a stable energy supply for each of those regions is very very important. The Member of European Parliament Steven Woolfe commented on the negotiations of delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. What we dont want to see is the lights in peoples houses being turned out if no deal is arranged. So, my view is that Ukraine should be in a position to act as a bridge between Russia and that of the European Union, not act as a war between them. At the same time, Woolfe noted that the European Union wished to become an empire. And for them, there are many who would like to see it as a war, they would like to stop any negotiations or links between the Ukraine and Russia and this is a big mistake. The world is growing, population is growing, the need for energy sharing is growing. Cooperation is extremely important. The one-sided mentality of the European Union to say that we are right and Russia is wrong and there is no compromise will be a mistake historically, he added. Earlier, some lawmakers in the European Parliament positively evaluated the latest visit of the delegation of Opposition Bloc - For Life to Russia. The political party's leaders Viktor Medvedchuk and Yuriy Boiko held negotiations with Russian Premier Dmitriy Medvedev and CEO of Gazprom energy monopolist Aleksei Miller. The talks were focused on resuming direct supplies of the Russian gas to Ukraine and keeping the transit across the Ukrainian gas transport system. Julia Reid, in her turn, believes that the talks between Kyiv and Moscow have to concern Ukrainians and no one else has the right to interfere. Without the negotiation of this contract, the current one which runs out in 2020, there will be no gas flowing through the pipeline and this will be very bad for the peoples of Eastern Europe and even Germany who actually get their gas from Russia. If you remember 2009 when there was war, very many people suffered and some people even died because there was insufficient gas, or there was no gas coming through and they couldnt heat their homes in a very cold winter. So, myself and my fellow colleagues, we welcome that there should be a negotiation of contact between Ukraine and Russia. It enables Ukraine to be more of a bridge than a wall between the European Union and Moscow. So we would hope that this goes ahead and the contract for gas will be renewed, Julia Reid, Member of the European Parliament for the South West England region, said. At the same time, Jonathan Bullock thinks that European people should act as separate states. According to Bullock, Ukraine should act in the interests of Ukraine. I do think that its much better for nation-states to act individually, so Ukraines to do whats best in Ukraines interest and likewise we in Western Europe and in the United Kingdom, for example, to do what we would like. For example, Id like to see more emphasis on nuclear power rather than renewables, because nuclear power can be consistent and not intermittent. But it is important that the nation states can act in a sovereign way. The problem with the EU, having been involved in these things, is that it act in a supranational way which is not necessarily in the best interests of the nation states, said Jonathan Bullock, a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands constituency. He also believes that it is important that member states can always act independently. I think its important that the nation states can always act independently. I think that the problem with the EU being involved is that they cannot represent everybody. This is a big problem that we are having in the UK and one of the reasons we are leaving, Jonathan Bullock added. As we reported earlier, the delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life held negotiations with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller last Friday. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. The economic negotiations were initiated by the Ukrainian side. Earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk noted that Ukraine buys Russian gas according to the Dusseldorf+ formula and due to this, gas price is too high for the consumer. He also believes that the only way Ukraine can preserve its gas transmission system is by creation of a gas transmission consortium. In 2014, Russia decided to make Kyiv pay for gas supplies in advance. After that, Ukraine reduced the purchase of Russian gas and began to buy reverse gas in Europe. In November 2015, Naftogaz stopped buying gas from Gazprom. According to the President, clashes with the police and destabilization are used in order not to recognize the elections in Ukraine Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko Open source Ukrainian President Poroshenko stressed that nobody has ever managed and would not manage to organize artificial protests. The President of Ukraine stated this, as the Administration of the President reports this on its website. Look at the surprising coincidence of interests of the Russians, individual candidates, and oligarchs regarding the non-recognition of the elections. For this purpose, they use the radical forces, marches, clashes with the police, destabilization. However, the Ukrainian people do not support this. Nobody came to support this," Poroshenko said. According to the President, those presidential candidates believe that it is enough to pay for a few buses of demonstration participants and the next Maidan protest will take place. No. The Revolution of Dignity showed that when Ukrainians struggle for their choice - for the Association Agreement, for the European choice - millions come to the streets. However, nobody has managed to organize that artificially. And I can calm everyone down - it's not going to happen, Ukrainian President emphasized. According to the President, there would be more than 2,000 officially registered international observers in Ukraine, and this is the biggest number for the entire Ukrainian history. The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. 39 candidates take part in the race. The election will most likely come in two rounds this time. The first one is slated for this Sunday, March 31. The second one is expected to take place in late April. Farkhad Bazarov, Riza Izzetov, Shaban Umerov and two of their supporters were taken in after searches that the law enforcers conducted in the city's Kamyanka district Searches in Crimea, Berkut, March 2019 Facebook Anton Naumlyuk After another round of searches took place in the occupied Crimea, agents of the FSB, the Russian federal security service detained five Crimean Tatars in Simferopol. Krym.Realii reported that on Wednesday morning. Farkhad Bazarov, Riza Izzetov, Shaban Umerov, Eskender Mamutov and Emil Ziyadinov were taken in - after the searches and a brief showdown between the FSB and the residents of Kamyanka. Zair Smedlyayev, the head of the Central Election Committee of Qurultai of Crimean Tatars told 112 Ukraine TV channel that the searches took place in 25 residential houses. According to him, these people are suspected of the membership in Hizb-Ut Tahrir, the movement that Russia officially considers 'an extremist organization'. Smedlyayev assumed that the FSB have been searching for some banned literature, explosives, guns or drugs. Earlier, we reported that the Russian Security Service raided ten houses of the Crimean Tatars in an occupied village of Strohonivka, Simferopol region. Julia Reid MEP 112 Agency Julia Reid MEP believes that the talks between Kyiv and Moscow have to concern Ukrainians and no one else has the right to interfere. Without the negotiation of this contract, the current one which runs out in 2020, there will be no gas flowing through the pipeline and this will be very bad for the peoples of Eastern Europe and even Germany who actually get their gas from Russia. If you remember 2009 when there was war, very many people suffered and some people even died because there was insufficient gas, or there was no gas coming through and they couldnt heat their homes in a very cold winter. So, myself and my fellow colleagues, we welcome that there should be a negotiation of contact between Ukraine and Russia. It enables Ukraine to be more of a bridge than a wall between European Union and Moscow. So we would hope that this goes ahead and the contract for gas will be renewed, Julia Reid, Member of the European Parliament for the South West England region, said. As we reported earlier, the delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life held negotiations with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller last Friday. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. The economic negotiations were initiated by the Ukrainian side. Earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk noted that Ukraine buys Russian gas according to the Dusseldorf+ formula and due to this, gas price is too high for the consumer. He also believes that the only way Ukraine can preserve its gas transmission system is by creation of a gas transmission consortium. In 2014, Russia decided to make Kyiv pay for gas supplies in advance. After that, Ukraine reduced the purchase of Russian gas and began to buy reverse gas in Europe. In November 2015, Naftogaz stopped buying gas from Gazprom. MEPs support the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and believe they have to go on Jonathan Bullock MEP 112 Agency Nation-states should act individually, so Ukraines to do whats best in Ukraines interest and likewise we in Western Europe and in the United Kingdom. Jonathan Bullock, a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands constituency said that in his comments to 112 Ukraine TV channel. I do think that its much better for nation-states to act individually, so Ukraines to do whats best in Ukraines interest and likewise we in Western Europe and in the United Kingdom, for example, to do what we would like. For example, Id like to see more emphasis on nuclear power rather than renewables, because nuclear power can be consistent and not intermittent. But it is important that the nation states can act in a sovereign way. The problem with the EU, having been involved in these things, is that it acts in a supranational way which is not necessarily in the best interests of the nation states, said Jonathan Bullock, a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands constituency. I think its important that the nation states can always act independently. I think that the problem with the EU being involved is that they cannot represent everybody. This is a big problem that we are having in the UK and one of the reasons we are leaving, Jonathan Bullock added. As we reported earlier, the delegation of political party Opposition Platform For Life held negotiations with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller last Friday. The delegation was headed by the political council chairman of Opposition Platform For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and supported by the presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko. The economic negotiations were initiated by the Ukrainian side. Earlier, Viktor Medvedchuk noted that Ukraine buys Russian gas according to the Dusseldorf+ formula and due to this, gas price is too high for the consumer. He also believes that the only way Ukraine can preserve its gas transmission system is by the creation of a gas transmission consortium. In 2014, Russia decided to make Kyiv pay for gas supplies in advance. After that, Ukraine reduced the purchase of Russian gas and began to buy reverse gas in Europe. In November 2015, Naftogaz stopped buying gas from Gazprom. The National Assembly is the only authority in this country to allow the stay of foreign troops Russian transport aircraft in Venezuela Reuters A group of lawmakers of Venezuela will be demanding that Russia withdraw its military from the country. TASS news agency reported that. 'We join the demand of MP Marquina, urging Juan Guaido as the Commander-in-Chief to immediately order these gentlemen to leave, as in this particular moment, they invaded the Venezuelan territory', MP Eliezer Sirit said during his speech at the Parliament. He reiterated that the National Assembly is the only authority in this country to allow the stay of foreign troops. Earlier, we reported that the Russian military aircraft arrived in Venezuela. Ilyushin Il-62 and Antonov An-124 landed at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas on Sunday. Dozhd, the Russian TV channel, reported that, citing journalist Javier Malorca. '99 Russian military servicemen came to the airport; they were led by Vasiliy Tonkoshkurov, the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces reached the airport', reads the message on the TV channel's website. Judging by the data of air naigation online services, the planes arrived from Syria. Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios and Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko asked to pass these missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Government supported such initiative Open source Law enforcers found 36 Russian surface-to-air missiles for man-portable air defense systems Pechora in Odesa region, southern Ukraine, as Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraines Prosecutor General, said at the session of Ukraines Government, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine. The law enforcers found 36 anti-aircraft missiles, which were supposed to be smuggled from Eritrea (East Africa) to the port. Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios and Yuriy Lutsenko asked to pass these missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On the basis of arrest the mentioned property, ammunition and missile system is proposed to be passed to the Armed Forces of Ukraine by sending a letter to the establishment on the necessity of such weapons for our army. I would like to stress that if the Government accepts this proposal, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive a modern man-portable air defence system Pechora, Matios noted. Official Moscow states that only direct talks between Kyiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk might lead to the resolution of inter-Ukrainian conflict Russia supports the plan of restoration of peace in Ukraine proposed by Viktor Medvedchuk, the Chairman of the political council of Opposition Platform For Life, as Borys Gryslov, Plenipotentiary Envoy of Russia to Contact Group on Ukraine, said. Only direct talks between Kyiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk might lead to the resolution of inter-Ukrainian conflict. We support the plan of restoration of peace proposed by Viktor Medvedchuk, which fully complies with Minsk Agreements, Gryslov told the journalists. He added that certainly, Ukraine is in a difficult situation. It is important that there is a way out of this situation, a specific plan to improve the situation. This is the implementation of Minsk Agreements, which are supported in the Normandy format, and resolution of the UN Security Council by Kyiv authorities. And the most important thing about the Minsk Agreements is a direct dialogue between Kyiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk, Gryslov noted. Medvedchuk, who represents Kyiv in the humanitarian subgroup on Ukraine, proposed to create an autonomous region of Donbas as a part of Ukraine. According to him, this implies the creation of local bodies of public administration, including a parliament and government. Later, Ukraines Prosecutor General Office opened a probe against Medvedchuk under the articles on state treason and violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Earlier, the political party Opposition Platform For Life held an All-Ukrainian Congress. "On January 29, during the Congress of Opposition Platform For Life, we have discussed main provisions of this plan, we pointed out that negotiations should form the basis of the plan. As I have said then and I can repeat it now: this is direct talks between Kyiv and Donetsk, Luhansk and Moscow. I do think so, drawing upon the experience of the negotiation process, and I have been dealing with this since May, 2014. Therefore, I believe that such statement might change the situation in terms of a peaceful settlement, if there is a political will from all the sides. Yet, it might appear if it is effective in this quadrangle, through direct negotiations, Medvedchuk explained. The emergency occurred at about 4.50 a.m. on the mine located on Ukraine-controlled territory of Donetsk region. All 29 miners who stayed inside were timely evacuated to safety A fire broke out on the premises of Donetsk region-based Pokrovska coal mine on early Wednesday. The flame emerged in the mine's windway, the State Emergency Service reported. 'A fire emerged at the windway No.11 of Pokrovska mine (...) in the area of Udachne village, Pokrovsky district, at about 4.50 a.m. March 27. No victims,' the message reads as posted on the website. The service reported that the emergency took place on the 815-meter horizon. According to the authority, 29 miners stayed inside the mine when the accident took place. All of them were evacuated in good time; their lives are beyond danger. Currently, the works are suspended on the mine's section No.5, where the fire broke out. The other sections work under the regular schedule. Four units of the Energy and Coal Ministry's mine rescue team are involved in fire extinguishing works. Wizz Air company announced the opening of a new flight from Kyiv to Leipzig. This is mentioned in the press release of the carrier. 'Wizz Air, the fastest growing airline in Europe and a leading low-cost carrier in Ukraine, is pleased to announce today a new service from Kyiv to Leipzig in Germany. Leipzig is also a new destination in the WIZZ network available only from Kyiv for now. The first flight to this new station commence on 5 July. With this new service operating on Mondays and Fridays, WIZZ offers Ukrainian passengers new opportunities to plan their next city break in Germany with fares from just EUR 19.99 / UAH 609', the message says. Additionally, the company stated that Wizz Air is now offering a total of 45 routes to 13 countries from Ukraine. 'The airlines operations continue to provide Ukrainian passengers affordable travel opportunities between Ukraine and the rest of Europe while contributing to the development of the local community and economy and stimulating the local job market in aviation and tourism sectors. In the first three months of 2019, WIZZ carried nearly 450,000 passengers on its low fare routes to and from Ukraine, which represents a more than 80% growth year over year and makes Wizz Air the largest low-cost carrier in Ukraine'. Last year, WizzAir's overall passenger flow made some 34 million passengers. The European Parliament supported the negotiations of the delegation of the political party Opposition Platform For Life led by Viktor Medvedchuk, the Chairman of its political council, and Yuriy Boyko, the presidential candidate, with Alexey Miller, Gazprom Head (Russian energy monopolist), and Russias PM Dmitry Medvedev. The fact that some presidential candidates propose to cooperate with Russia if this would facilitate de-escalation of the conflict, I think, its a good initiative. This meets the interests of everyone Ukraine, Russian and the EU. We depend on Russian gas (40% of consumption). Obviously, Ukraine has to play an important role in establishing our relationships despite the fact that, as we see, some pro-Western powers in Ukraine play their role and this is a game against Russia. And in fact, it is not in Ukraines and Europes interests. To look at both sides: Russia and Europe. This is a Ukrainian peculiarity which we have to respect. Yet, this position has to be used for mediation in settlement of Russian-European political and economic relationships, MEP Nicolas Bay stated. Earlier, some lawmakers in the European Parliament positively evaluated the latest visit of the delegation of Opposition Bloc - For Life to Russia. The political party's leaders Viktor Medvedchuk and Yuriy Boiko held negotiations with Russian PM Dmitriy Medvedev and Gazprom Head Aleksei Miller. The talks were focused on resuming direct supplies of the Russian gas to Ukraine and keeping the transit across the Ukrainian gas transport system. Julia Reid, Member of the European Parliament for the South West England region, believes that the talks between Kyiv and Moscow have to concern Ukrainians and no one else has the right to interfere. Without the negotiation of this contract, the current one, which runs out in 2020, there would be no gas flowing through the pipeline and this will be very bad for the peoples of Eastern Europe and even Germany who actually get their gas from Russia. If you remember 2009, when there was war, very many people suffered and some people even died because there was insufficient gas, or there was no gas coming through and they couldnt heat their homes in a very cold winter. So, myself and my fellow colleagues, we welcome that there should be a negotiation of contact between Ukraine and Russia. It enables Ukraine to be more of a bridge than a wall between the European Union and Moscow. So we would hope that this goes ahead and the contract for gas will be renewed, Julia Reid, said. At the same time, Jonathan Bullock thinks that Europeans should act as separate states. According to Bullock, Ukraine should act in the interests of Ukraine. I do think that its much better for nation-states to act individually, so Ukraines to do whats best in Ukraines interest and likewise we in Western Europe and in the United Kingdom, for example, to do what we would like. For example, Id like to see more emphasis on nuclear power rather than renewables, because nuclear power can be consistent and not intermittent. But it is important that the nation states can act in a sovereign way, said Jonathan Bullock, a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands constituency. The attacks goal is to put into doubts the legitimacy of the electoral process cyber security Reuters The Russian Federation plans to conduct unprecedented cyber-attacks on the servers of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and the district election commissions around Ukraine on the day of elections, March 31. The purpose of this is to doubt the legitimacy of the electoral process. The press service of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reports this. In particular, the Russian Federation is planning to launch the Internet shortcut virus, which can distort statistic data of the servers and computers of the constituencies and polling stations. This programme is to be activated on the day of elections, this and other viruses are targeted at hindering data transfer to CEC server and to a central online vote-counting server. According to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, the malware, which was created by the Russian Special Forces for the hybrid war, would be used for those planned attacks. Earlier, Ukraines Security Service informed about prevention of a large-scale cyber attack at the website of the Central Election Commission. It was noted that the cyber-attack was targeted at the computer equipment, which provides the work of the commissions official website. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry informed that Russia resorts persecutions of experts and scientists who carry out researches which do not comply with Russian imperial historical doctrine Open source Russia is trying to impose its view on the history and resorts to the persecution of experts and scientists, as the representatives of Ukraines Foreign Ministry commented the probe launched by the Russian Federation against Volodymyr Viatrovych, the Director of Ukraines Institute of National Remembrance. The fact that Russian Investigation Committee opened an investigation against the Director of Ukraines Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Viatrovych is another failed attempt of the Kremlin regime to rewrite the Ukrainian history and impose its view concerning the historical events as the only true one, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kateryna Zelenko noted. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry informed that Russia resorts persecutions of experts and scientists who carry out researches which do not comply with Russian imperial historical doctrine. Random justice of the Russian Federation shows that they are not able to respect the international law as well as ignoring the facts of the liberation movement of Ukraine which undertook Nazi persecution. Due to this, we want to note that the materials of Nuremberg Trials contain evidence of the struggle of Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists against Nazi, the representatives of the Ministry reported. It was also noted that law on condemnation of communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes work in Ukraine and it provides criminal liability for denial of criminal nature of such regimes. March 14 it was reported that Russias Investigation Commission opened a criminal case against the Director of Ukraines Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Viatrovych for rehabilitation of Nazism. Viatrovych is seen as a controversial figure in both Ukraine and abroad. He has been accused of whitewashing the history of Ukraine, marginalizing or suppressing the facts about the involvement of Ukrainian nationalists in the Holocaust and their collaboration with Nazis, and passing laws restricting free speech. Viatrovych is responsible for an exhumation ban. Ukraine doesn't study crime evudences and bans any such research even after 75 years. Thank's for the fish. -- Douglas Adams Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting. Blog Archive Dec 2021 (43) Nov 2021 (84) Oct 2021 (58) Sep 2021 (67) Aug 2021 (62) Jul 2021 (54) Jun 2021 (50) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18) Indoor agriculture, a generalized term used to refer to farms inside structures such as greenhouses, container farms, and multi-level warehouse operations housing thousands of rows of plant space, has been touted as a way to meet the demand for local food, help consumers learn more about food production, and provide a fresher source of produce with fewer food miles. But some are skeptical about the scalability of an inherently localized industry and whether it will ever truly compete with traditional mass market produce, especially when it comes to container farming where production is housed in an old shipping container. The confines of the retrofit shipping container make it inherently inefficient compared to other forms of CEA (controlled environment agriculture) and therefore the audience for container grown produce will be a highly niche one over the long term, agriculture consultant Peter Tasgal recently wrote in the AgFunderNews guest post What is the Future of Container Farming? Tasgal also noted that there are significant costs involved with container farming, including retrofitting the box, labor, and the cost of power for the LED lights. He concludes that container farming is at least four times as expensive per pound to produce leafy greens in a container compared to traditional farming methods. There is technological innovation that will improve the efficiency of container farming, but I dont see anything on the horizon that will allow container-grown produce to compete with the quick turning leafy greens sold at your local grocery store or those sold by wholesale distributors, Tasgal wrote. Funding for novel farming systems like indoor agriculture and insect farming dropped between 2018 and 2017 according to AgFunders AgriFood Tech Funding Report 2018, which you can download here, raising $596 million. There were 17% fewer deals and only two of those deals were over $100 million after US vertical farming operation Plenty closed a record-breaking $200 million round in 2017. Different Routes to Market Indoor ag companies route-to-market approaches differ just as much as their approaches to cultivating produce under a roof. Some companies like BrightFarms and Bowery, for example, are offering packaged salads to local retailers to compete with traditional supermarket produce offerings. But for Boston-based Freight Farms, however, competing with grocery store produce was never the plan. Founded by Brad McNamara and Jonathan Friedman, Freight Farms has been a longstanding player in the container farming space, raising over $12 million in venture capital funding to-date, including backing from accelerator group Techstars, Right Side Capital Management, Spark Capital, Morningside Group, and The Startup Playbook author Will Herman. As many startups often say, the idea is to disrupt existing markets, not necessarily to conquer them. For a startup that spends most of its time thinking about how to grow food inside a box, its technology is based on thinking outside of the traditional produce cultivation box. They compare container farming to the iceberg lettuce industry. We are not interested in that market, Friedman told AgFunderNews. We are interested in a distributed food system and some of the incredible changes that are happening throughout the whole food system like ugly produce, food waste, yield maximization. The entire system is in flux and thats exciting. Introducing Greenery, the Leafy Green Machine 2.0 Freight Farms offers a ready-made shipping container called the Leafy Green Machine (LGM) that can be placed in a wide variety of locations including dense metropolitan areas. It just launched its newest product, Greenery, which is the first deviation from the LGM model. Within the same 320-square-foot space as the LGM, Greenery boasts 70% more growing space and new IoT technology driven at improving yield, efficiency, and automation. With its real-time transparency feature, a single head of romaine can be traced back through every growing stage to the exact hour its seed was planted. It also features recipes that allow farmers to replicate ideal environmental conditions for specific crops like non-native produce. It supports a variety of crops beyond greens, as well, including tomatoes and root vegetables. The University of Georgia has already purchased two Greenery containers. An independent farmer operating WhyNot Farms, which supplies pasture-raised meat to chefs in North Carolina and Tennessee, also made a purchase. Although the duo has been pleased with the LGMs success, Greenery was developed in response to their clienteles feedback and ever-changing needs. Freight Farms has diverse users throughout the world, including schools, hospitals, NGOs, corporations, and private owners who develop niche businesses offering locally grown produce to restaurants and chefs in the area. The joys of standardizing something is that you get a lot of feedback. We have a network of 200 farmers around the world including Guam, Puerto Rico, Europe, and UAE. When we talk about greenhouse farming or traditional farming, no one farms the same way so its hard to collect these metrics, Friedman says. We looked at workflow considerations and where operators were spending the most time such as fixing things or having to remove a column to replace a part. We benefitted from having hundreds of customers in all these varied segments but at the end of the day, there is overlap among what they want, like more yield, fewer operating costs, flexibility, and customization. Our core, bread-and-butter customers are small business entrepreneurs, McNamara told AgFunderNews. And because we had experience developing four generations of the LGM, we were able to move faster and to save development dollars because we had real experience. Something Jon and I talk about all the time is humancentric design. When it came to Greenerys design process, it was equal parts human and plant-centric. Tech Developments Some of the biggest differences between the LGM and Greenery have to do with workflow and appearance. Greenery has mobile LED light boards and grows rows that are both adjustable. This allows farmers to grow a larger variety of crops and makes it easier to maneuver through the grow rows. After the fourth evolution of the LGM, there was a significant design jump to increase yield, bring in new tech, and to hit the metrics that all of our customers want, which are things like increased yield and improved workflow, Friedman adds. One of the bigger things we ran into is that we felt like we had exhausted as much of the off-shelf tech as we could. We realized we had to go back to the beginning and build from the ground up. As a testament to its outside-the-box ethos, NASA selected Freight Farms for a Small Business Technology Transfer grant to fund work with Clemson University exploring how to grow food in extreme climates. NASA is hoping that Freight Farms can help create an off-grid crop production unit that would help facilitate deep space exploration. Its a Dynamic Time for Agriculture As far as the future of container farming, McNamara and Friedman want to remind people that the industries are not static entities, especially when they are so heavily focused on technological innovation. What frustrates us is that articles are written as if everything is in a static state. We are in a dynamic time for indoor agriculture. If you could have told us back in 2010 how things would be today, it would have been beyond our wildest dreams, McNamara says. With LGM and Greenery, we offer a new way of growing to build a distributed food system, which is exciting to us. You can lower the bar to entry for agriculture with this technology, making it possible for people who want to get into this professionally but who dont want to build a warehouse or who dont have a background in ag, says Friedman. If they want to grow their own brand or have a private label deal for a restaurant, we want to give them the tools to achieve that and to bring the other half of the world into farming and agriculture. narvikk/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- After the Department of Justice backed a federal judge's ruling this week that the entire Affordable Care Act should be overturned, Congressional Democrats are blasting the administration, while some Republicans are even expressing reservations about the shift in policy and scrambling to come up with an alternative. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly phoned President Donald Trump to convey his disagreement with the Department of Justices support to overturn the entire law, according to Axios. I think "Obamacare" is a failure, McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon, refusing to specify the details of his conversation with the president. I think we need to replace it. We need to make sure we protect preexisting conditions. We need to make sure that we lower the costs. We need transparency. We need patience to have a relationship with their doctor. McCarthy said he was meeting later Wednesday afternoon with ranking Republican members from committees of jurisdiction, working on making sure we have our health care bill out there. Were working on it right now, McCarthy said. I think health care is an important issue for all Americans. We want to make sure that all Americans have the ability to have greater choice, lower costs and higher quality and thats what were working towards. After suffering through a prolonged fight over health care in 2017, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she is unhappy with the Trump administrations renewal of the health care fight. Collins, who joined moderate Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and the-late John McCain to tank the GOPs last effort to repeal and replace "Obamacare," told ABC News that she is "very disappointed in the administration's decision" to try and strike down the law through the courts. I know the president has said that he wants the Republican party to be the party of health care, and I'm glad to hear him say that -- but it seems to me the cart is before the horse here," Collins said. "If he has some good ideas for improving the ACA or our system of health care in this country, then those initiatives need to be put forth first before you try to strike down the entire ACA. Collins made clear she believes this is a fight for Congress, not the courts. It is highly irregular and unusual for the department not to defend the duly enacted laws of this country regardless of whether or not the president agrees with those laws, Collins said. This is a major departure from the traditions of the department and I disagree with it. That's not to say that the ACA is perfect, it has led to higher premiums. There are a number of problems with the law that should be remedied, but this approach of trying to strike down the law in its entirety in the courts is not the right way to go. Democrats worry that millions of Americans could lose their insurance if the law is struck without a safety net in place to help people who currently rely on "Obamacare" -- a frustration that is shared throughout the Democratic caucus, with freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York telling ABC News that shes upset. Im not shocked because this entire administration and the Republican Party seems hell-bent on making health care more expensive and skyrocketing prescription drug prices because they care more about corporate profits than they do about the livability and cost of living of American people, Ocasio-Cortez told ABC News. This means that insulin is going to get more expensive. This means that less people are going to be covered by health insurance. And this is putting peoples lives at risk. So, Im not surprised but I am disappointed, and Im upset. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., whose late husband was a driving force behind passing the landmark health care law in 2010, said she is simply stunned and expressed exasperation on behalf of people who rely on "Obamacare" to obtain health insurance. Heres the fact of the matter: Too many people are worrying whats going to happen to them," Dingell said. "They can be denied health care, so outrage is probably the best word to use to describe how I feel right now. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said the paramount goal for Congress should be to ensure pre-existing conditions are covered while the ACA court battle rages. I think we can make some very important steps to assure people that pre-existing conditions are going to be covered and at the same time lower the cost of health care for family budgets, Alexander said. Rep. Matt Gaetz, one of the presidents most vocal supporters on Capitol Hill, agreed that Congress shouldnt wait for the judicial branch to settle the score. I think the American people have suffered under "Obamacare" for far too long, and we shouldnt have to wait for the courts, Gaetz, R-Fla., said, urging lawmakers to begin working on replacement legislation. We should get legislation moving that can improve choice and that can lower costs. Obamacare" hasnt worked for the American people. Weve seen rising prices. Weve seen worse health care outcomes in many cases, and weve seen a private market collapse in terms of choices for the American people, Gaetz added. We definitely need a better system, and hopefully well be able to get that going forward. While the showdown is almost certain to drag on into the 2020 election, Ocasio-Cortez signaled that Democrats shouldnt wait for the Supreme Court to hear the matter and should use their House majority to pass legislation to protect the law. What were trying to do, I think, is respond immediately and have a legislative response as things work their way through the courts, Ocasio-Cortez said. Were trying to shore up and strengthen the ACA. Buckling up for a political fight, McCarthy pivoted his energy towards opposing proposals by some progressives to expand access to Medicare. The real fear I have is the Democrats plan of Medicare for all, that theyre going to take away all the private health insurance, McCarthy said. Now they want to take away any of that private health insurance ... from individuals with their Medicare for all, and thats a scary situation for all of us. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. I'm not sure what happened to the National No-Call Registry, but I must assume it went up in flames because I for one get robocalls all the time, despite having repeatedly registered my number over the years. (It's still around, it just doesn't work.) The robots interrupt constantly, their methodsfor example, deploying familiar area codes, perhaps to make you think someone you love has suffered an accident and that's a hospital administrator calling youhaving grown at once sneakier and bolder in recent years. It's enough to make a person want to tear out all her hair, and because I assume you feel the same way, I'm pleased to report that the New York legislature might finally do something about the ceaseless badgering. On Tuesday, the Robocall Prevention Act was voted to advance out of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications committee. The bill, now headed for a full vote, aims "to stop the scourge of robocalls in New York" by blocking people and companies from sending robocalls (and robotexts) to state residents who have not consented to receiving these missives. Noncompliant entities could face a $2,000 fine for every illegal call (up to $20,000 for offending calls placed "within a continuous 72-hour period"), and phone companies would have to make robocall-blocking technology freely available to their customers. The bill also sets up a framework for harassed phone owners to sue robocallers for damages. According to NBC 4 New York, almost 48 million robocalls went out across the country last year, and aside from being annoying, they are actively harmful: the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging estimates that seniors lose nearly $3 billion to fraudulent calls each year, including robocalls intended to skim personal details. Representative Yuh-Line Niou, who's sponsoring the bill in the Assembly, reportedly added that people living in her Manhattan district have been receiving robocalls in Chinese, warning them of baseless visa issues in an effort to steal sensitive information. "If New Yorkers had a movie about our lives, a robocall would be the soundtrack to our lives," Senator Brad Holyman, a sponsor of the legislation, told the NY Post, adding that this was an oft-maligned issue in his Manhattan district. "This is the top complaint I get from constituents next to complaints about the subway." Now, to be clear, it is often illegal for telemarketers to bombard people on the No Call Registry, and the Federal Trade Commission will sue violators. However, the automated, Internet-based nature of the robocall makes them difficult to police, which is why the people attached to the approximately 230 million numbers on the list have found it so hard to hide from the robots. A handful of other states have attempted similar measures to banish robocalls, and while this sprawling scam may be too big to banish entirely, I am not about to sneeze on any efforts toward that goal. Block all robocalls from now until forever, thank you and goodnight. Mark your calendarsthe 31st annual Fleet Week New York will be held May 22nd through 28th, and the U.S. Navy says about 2,600 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen will be on hand to join in the "celebration of sea services." There will be five U.S. Navy ships, three U.S. Coast Guard cutters, four U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Yard Patrol boats (YPs), one Military Sealift Command ship, and two Royal Canadian Navy vessels. Fleet Week is kicked off with the Parade of Ships, where vessels make their way up from the New York Bay to the Hudson River, and then get docked throughout the city for the public to visit. Some of the shipsthe ones in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island are available to tour; here are details: Manhattan, Pier 88 : (Tours will be closed Sunday, May 26) San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New York (LPD 21), from Mayport, Florida will embark several hundred Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Kingston-class coastal defence vessel HMCS Glace Bay (MM 701), from Canadian Forces Base Halifax Manhattan, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Pier 86: Four USNA YPs, from Annapolis, Maryland (Vessels depart Saturday, May25) Sentinel-class cutter USCGC Lawrence O. Lawson (WPC 1120), from Cape May, New Jersey Sail training vessel HMCS Oriole (KC 480), from Canadian Forces Base Halifax Brooklyn Cruise Terminal: (Located in the Red Hook Community) Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66), from Mayport, Florida - (Scheduled to arrive Saturday, May 25) Homeport Pier, Staten Island: Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), from Norfolk, Virginia Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5), from Mayport, Florida Keeper-class cutter USCGC Katherine Walker (WLM 552), from Bayonne, New Jersey Medium endurance cutter USCGC Campbell (WMEC 909), from Kittery, Maine Kings Point (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy): (Not open for general public tours) Cyclone-class patrol coastal ship USS Tornado (PC 14), from Mayport, Florida Bronx/SUNY Maritime College: (Not open for general public tours) Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Burlington (T-EPF-10) More information can be found at the Fleet Week New York website. And check out images from photographer C.S. Muncy's overnight stay on the U.S.S. Arlington at the start of last year's Fleet Week. Chinese Graffiti, a self-described Asian-American gastropub, opened a couple of weeks ago on Avenue A with a menu featuring the likes of dumplings, three kinds of fried rice, chicken wings, meatball sliders, sweet potato fries, vegetarian Chocolate Lave Cake, and "Wok Lobster" pasta. It's a reasonably appealing selection of food, if a bit safe. But then, leading off the Small Things section, you notice something called Pork Belly Cotton Candy, which promises little clouds of pink, spun-sugar cotton candy with a hunk of crisp, fried, fatty pig hidden inside. This is not the first time this dish has made an appearance in NYC. Turns out the chef at Chinese Graffiti is David DiSalvo who, in addition to working at Blaue Gans and Wallse, ran the kitchen at Carnem Prime Steakhouse in Park Slope, where he also offered this, fluffy odd concoction. Last Friday evening at his new place, DiSalvo explained that he's not pulling an Instagram stunt here (it's not always very photogenic!). In fact, the dish was inspired by star chef Jose Andres's famous cotton candy foie gras, which DiSalvo loves, but he wanted to do a more accessibly-priced (and less cruel?) version. And it's actually pretty good! The pork belly is juicy, and the sweet meat does just fine under all that wispy sugar. For three bucks it's definitely worth trying. As for the rest of the food, we liked the perfectly medium-rare Marinated Flat Iron Steak a lot, which got a nice kick from the chimichurri. The Xiaolongboa pork soup dumplings had a good, deep flavor to them, though the skin that was a little thicker than ideal. The Stupidly Hot Amazing Sticky were more "fine" than any of those other things, and portioned miserly. The latter complaint was heard around the table in regards to the decent Pork Belly Fried Rice, as well. Atmosphere-wise, you're looking at a long and narrow space that's dominated by an eye-catching ceiling installation featuring dozens of bamboo rice steamers. The restaurant seats about 50, the soundtrack is a solid hip hop mix, and the service... well let's just say everyone's excited to see you. Chinese Graffiti is located at 171 Avenue A, between 11th and 10th Streets, and is open Monday through Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and from Thursday to Saturday from 5 until midnight. Closed Sundays. (646-454-0715) Heeding the desperate pleas of waterfront-loving New Yorkers, Mayor Bill de Blasio is finally making good on his threat to take legal action against the "Times Square-style" billboard floating through local rivers. On Wednesday, the Mayor's Office announced that the city had filed a lawsuit against Ballyhoo Media, the company behind the sixty-foot ad-barges, for repeatedly violating a decades-old zoning resolution that prohibits advertising on local waterways. Describing the massive LED screens a "public nuisance," the complaint seeks an injunction against Ballyhoo that would force it to cease operations in local rivers. "Our waterways arent Times Square," de Blasio said in a statement. "These floating eye-sores have no place on them. Ballyhoo is operating in direct violation of the law, and we are filing this suit to put a stop to it." The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court on Wednesday, seeks a $25,000 penalty for each day that the company violates the law. Seeing as the boat has been making daily voyages around Manhattan's lower half since October, the potential fine could be upwards of $3.6 million. It remains unclear why the city has elected to bring the matter to court, rather than instructing NYPD patrol boats to impose the fine themselvesas they are authorized to do in other instances of illegal waterfront activity. Still, news of the lawsuit was celebrated by local residents, some of whom had spent months frustrated by the city's apparent lack of enforcement. "It's heartening to see the process work like weve been taught it should work from grassroots complaints, to excellent investigative journalism, to, finally, political and legal action," said Matthew Patrick Menlo, a West Chelsea resident who says he frequently wakes up to the aggressively bright boats outside his apartment. The company responsible for the boats, meanwhile, has disputed the categorization of their product as either illegal or obnoxious. In a statement, CEO Adam Shapiro claimed he'd worked with several legal experts, who told assured him the company was "operating in accordance with all current laws and zoning resolutions." "We love the waterways and have developed this platform to be an asset to the community," Shapiro added. "Ballyhoo has proven to provide unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that has been received with overwhelmingly positive community support. We are confident that New York City will see the value and excitement we bring to the waterfront. The suit comes just two days after a bill was introduced in City Council raising the daily fine on the boats to $100,000. If these guys wont stop breaking the law by flaunting these obnoxious floating billboards in our harbor, they deserve to be sued and I applaud the Mayor for taking action," said Councilmember Justin Branna, who co-sponsored the legislation. "These monstrosities are ugly and illegal and soon they will be a thing of the past." A few times every century, there is a world-changing event so momentous, it gets dubbed the "shot heard round the world." First, there was the shot heard round the world at the start of the American Revolution in the late 18th century. Then there was the shot heard round the world with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. And then today, we had another shot heard round the worldonly this time, it was the Tweet tweet-quoted round the (insular) world (of Twitter): Today I introduced my coworkers to the St Louis secret of ordering bagels bread sliced. It was a hit! pic.twitter.com/XNGbljtpYz Alek Krautmann (@AlekKrautmann) March 26, 2019 Slicing. Up. Bagels... like it's any old Rye Bread?! Who knew that such darkness lurked within the hearts of humans (or at least, humans who live in St. Louis). The already-legendary tweet has divided the Internet into four distinct categories, which I shall document below: 1. This is a crime and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law I believe this is a Class A felony in New York City. And if its not, it should be. https://t.co/ngbbPFvnya Justin Brannan (@JustinBrannan) March 27, 2019 "911, what is your emergency?" "I'd like to report murders." "Plural?" "Yes. Like a dozen of them." https://t.co/D1aZC75erp Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 27, 2019 You should go to jail for 5-10 years if you cut a bagel like this. https://t.co/bR6ca87bU3 Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 27, 2019 I feel like we, as a nation, should all lay down our idealogical weapons and unite behind how terrible this is. https://t.co/t2uZoiWkrJ Jennifer Mendelsohn (@CleverTitleTK) March 27, 2019 fairly confident this display would get one chased out of a new york office by a mob wielding plastic cutlery and menacingly snapping west side story style https://t.co/iVJxP062zX southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 27, 2019 2. This is, more specifically, totally meshugganah wtf is "bagels bread," what have you done to my beautiful Jewish food? https://t.co/SU2faOQNGb Leor Galil (@imLeor) March 27, 2019 This is deeply upsetting to my people. https://t.co/AXWdJOovFk marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) March 27, 2019 This photo is antisemitism. https://t.co/8BK8JdZiRW Jonathan "Boo and Vote" Cohn (@JonathanCohn) March 27, 2019 This is a shonda. Not only does that German family with former Nazi ties own Einstein and its awful bagels, but they also own a stake in Panera, which allowed this to happen. https://t.co/TBk5EoNQSZ Amy Spitalnick (@amyspitalnick) March 27, 2019 This is a violation of all that is good and holy in this world. https://t.co/0s7rqbA925 Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (@TheRaDR) March 27, 2019 3. What can we say, St. Louis is a very silly place! What the hell is happening in St. Louis? https://t.co/iyvuEbULMD Alex Fitzpatrick (@AlexJamesFitz) March 27, 2019 not everyone from st. louis is a satanist, fyi https://t.co/OOoi4crlTS hannah gais (@hannahgais) March 27, 2019 I went to St. Louis once and I don't remember it being a dystopian nightmare? https://t.co/AxLXRZJ2fk Jessy! Jessi! Jesse! (@JesseThorn) March 27, 2019 sometimes it's way too easy to clown on st. louis https://t.co/TXDWThqcj3 josh terry (@JoshhTerry) March 27, 2019 Almost as bad as the St. Louis secret of getting bagels at Panera. https://t.co/6O8fsGrgm0 ian karmel (@IanKarmel) March 27, 2019 I don't think I'll ever understand how bad St. Louis is at all things food. https://t.co/cwhu8mNbIX Danny Barry (@TheDannyBarry) March 27, 2019 sell st. louis back to france https://t.co/DTDYNRd8eJ Walter Hickey (@WaltHickey) March 27, 2019 4. Actually, this is a brilliant lifehack, don't knock it 'til you try it That anyone would treat this as anything OTHER than a genius bagel hack just shows how averse we are to change, even when it's dope (and yes, blueberry bagels are a sacrilege) https://t.co/Lr3OjX4xRN Willa Paskin (@willapaskin) March 27, 2019 im just gonna say it this is a good idea. do not @ me or ill call the cops they wont show up but my seriousbess will be illustrated https://t.co/xqHZtZ84iF tracy the emotional support penguin (@brokeymcpoverty) March 27, 2019 im not that offended by the bagels sliced like bread. it's just still a bagel. it's a bagel cut up. i would look at it, and eat it, with the same amount of consideration and thought as a classically cut bagel. thank you soooooo much three jeans (@moongrudge) March 27, 2019 Ideal for eating with Cracker Barrel cracker cuts. We see no problem here, St. Louis https://t.co/KvHEfL7yox CrackerBarrelCheese (@CBCheeses) March 27, 2019 This man is a genius. It solves both bagel problems: 1)weird puffiness 2)insufficient surface area. I'm changed. https://t.co/aczTitOK6R Sam Sanders (@DreamSong77) March 27, 2019 In case it wasn't clear where I stood on this, I find this to be an absolute abomination that completely misunderstands and distorts the distinct pleasure derived from the holy shape of the bagel, God's most favorite source of carbs. Can you imagine cutting the wheel up and still trying to use it on your horse-and-buggy? Of course not, that's absurd! And cutting up a bagel into slices like it's a stale loaf is equally absurd. It's a waste of a beautiful form. Bagel comes from the Old High German boug meaning "a ring." Please cut accordingly.https://t.co/vsZBhmpIIQ https://t.co/sgxXZIr9yU Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) March 27, 2019 speaking of bagels is it a real bagel if the bagel is so swole there is no actual center hole darth (@darth) March 27, 2019 Then again, as someone who also thinks Pizza Bagels are a legitimate source of nutrition, I am open to other opinions. But most of my coworkers found these sliced-up bagels deeply troubling as well. "These are not adult-sized portions. We aren't toddlers at a party," said Elizabeth Kim, who called the bagels "cringeworthy." "Well I think the image above is Cursed, but if you had, say, a bunch of different cream cheeses and you wanted to sample a lot of them, I could see a case for this technique," reasoned Paula Mejia. "Otherwise why mess with the classic two halves?" Claire Lampen, who actually is from St. Louis, brought some much-needed perspective to the argument. Her mother, Paula Lampen, recalled that the St. Louis Bread Co. (a.k.a. Panera Box, which henceforth shall be known as the infamous place where the sliced bagels in the original tweet are from) were doing this back in the '90s as a way of putting samples out for customers so you could try before you bought. "The slicing style was efficient" for sampling, she explained. Lampen, who still lives in St. Louis, hasn't seen this style used anywhere else in St. Louis anytime recently however. This line of inquiry got Claire to probe her own mind for buried memories of bagel-related childhood trauma. She used to eat a lot of bagel chips (not bagels sliced up, but crispy chips like the ones you can get at Trader Joe's) in her childhood as a snack, and wondered whether their predominance in the region marked them as a local delicacy: "If that was not a national phenomenon, maybe the issue here is that St. Louis doesn't understand bagels unless they are chips. Maybe we just love chips, and we can only appreciate bread products through the lens of chips." As might be expected from someone who grew up amidst such warped views on bagels, Claire does think people should give the sliced-up bagel a try before relegating it to the waste basket of historically bad ideas. But even Panera Bread isn't sure about the franchise's decision though: Our team is divided over here. Do other people slice their bagel Bread Co style? https://t.co/NbdZjj6G6C Panera Bread (@panerabread) March 27, 2019 I suppose, as with most things, it could be worse: The NYPD has arrested a driver for allegedly killing a 72-year-old cyclist in Midtown earlier this year. Police say that Kenneth Jackson was driving an oil truck on Eighth Avenue on the morning of February 4th when he turned left onto West 45th Street, hitting cyclist Chaim Joseph as he biked up the avenue shortly before 6 a.m. Jackson, a 52-year-old Queens resident, allegedly drove away from the scene of the crash. He is charged with failure to exercise due care and failure to yield to a cyclist, both misdemeanors that carry a penalty of up to $500 in fines and a maximum 30 days in jail, under New York's Right-of-Way law. Asked why Jackson wasn't charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious injury or death, which is a felony, an NYPD spokesperson referred us to the office of Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Vance's office said they could not provide any information on the case, pending Jackson's arraignment. (Jackson received a Desk Appearance Ticket.) Police say that Jackson was driving the truck for Approved Oil Company of Brooklyn when he killed Joseph. Jackson is the third reported driver from Approved Oil to kill a pedestrian or cyclist in the last two years. In an email, Approved Oil attorney J. Bruce Maffeo said, "There is no evidence that Ken Jackson was driving negligently or aware that he had hit the bicyclist who was dressed in dark clothes and traveling at night. As a result the police who investigated the incident declined to arrest him at the time and correctly saw the tragic incident as an accidentnothing more or less." Maffeo added, "The charge against Ken involves an untested NYC statute that criminalizes any motor vehicle accident involving a fatality. While Ken and Approved Oil sympathize with the victim and his family, neither he nor the company acted negligently, much less criminally, in this case and intend to vigorously contest the charge." Joseph Cutrufo, a spokesperson for Transportation Alternatives, countered, "This crash happened in midtown Manhattan, a block from Times Square, where there's no shortage of light. And last we checked, it's not a crime to wear dark clothes. It is, however, against the law to kill a person with an oil truck." Sarah Foster, 27, was killed by Approved Oil driver Steven McDermott as she crossed the street in Murray Hill, 11 days after Joseph's death. McDermott is charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. Danielle Leathers, 59, was killed by an Approved Oil driver as she crossed East 138th Street in the Bronx in March of 2017. It's unclear if the driver was charged in that case. Days after Joseph was killed in Midtown, the NYPD set up stings near the spot where he was killed to ticket cyclists. "Whenever there is a fatality... its a horrible situation, and we all feel it. That does not mean were going to stop enforcement," Mayor Bill de Blasio said when he was asked about the policy. "We need cyclists to obey the law, and of course enforcement is a part of that." Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images(MADRID) -- Spanish police are calling it a brazen daylight assault on North Korea's embassy in Madrid by a shadowy group of assailants in February. But as more information emerges, the mystery surrounding the bizarre international incident has only grown. Its like a thing from Hollywood movies, Kristine Lee, a researcher at the Center for New American Securitys Asia-Pacific Security Program, told ABC News. According to local authorities, on the afternoon of Feb. 22, a group of 10 people using fake firearms burst into the North Korean embassy in the Spanish capital, badly beat and bound some staff members and tried to convince a high-ranking North Korean diplomat to defect. The diplomat declined and was himself gagged, authorities said. The assailants held the embassy for several hours, but in the meantime, the wife of a North Korean employee managed to escape by jumping out a window. She alerted locals who called the police. When the police arrived, the leader of the assailants, identified as Adrian Hong Chang, purportedly greeted them at the door posing as a diplomat and told an officer everything was fine, authorities said. The assailants then left the embassy with computers, hard drives and other electronics in tow using embassy vehicles and, for Hong Chang and an associate, a ride-share car that had been arranged under the name Oswaldo Trump, according to Spains El Pais newspaper. The dramatic story took another turn when Spanish authorities revealed that Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen and resident of the U.S., apparently passed information on to the FBI in New York days after the incident. An early Spanish media report initially linked the incident to the CIA, but two former U.S. intelligence officials told ABC News they would be very highly skeptical of the agencys involvement in such a brazen incident, especially since it came just days before President Donald Trumps summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Vietnam. A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Robert Palladino, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told reporters Tuesday, "The United States government had nothing to do with this." During the incident Spanish authorities said the assailants identified themselves as members of a human rights organization dedicated to regime change in North Korea. On Tuesday a dissident group calling itself Cheollima Civil Defense claimed responsibility but said in a vague statement they were only responding to an urgent situation in the embassy. The group denied it had used violence or gagged anyone in its operation. It also apologized to Spain for involving the European nation in the groups struggle against the North Korean regime. Our fight is only against the regimes practices and on behalf of millions of our enslaved people, reads a statement posted on a website that appears to belong to the group, whose involvement was first reported by The Washington Post. Jenny Town, a North Korea analyst at the Stimson Centers 38 North, told ABC News little is known about the Cheollima Civil Defense group, which first came to some prominence in the wake of the assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Uns half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, in 2017. At the time, the group claimed it had helped protect Nams son, Kim Han Sol. The groups purported leader, Adrian Hong Chang, appears to be the Adrian Hong who was known to North Korean observers for his work with dissidents in the past, according to The Associated Press. In the mid-2000s, when he was a college student, Hong co-founded a group called Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) that was devoted to helping North Korean refugees. But Hong left LiNK a decade ago and has had no involvement with it since, according to Hannah Song, LiNKs current CEO. We have no knowledge of his recent activities, and we have no information on the Madrid Embassy incident other than what has been published by the media, Song said in a statement provided to ABC News. Town, who said she knew Hong years ago, said she didnt understand what the group was trying to do in Madrid especially by allegedly using violence, according to the Spanish police. Thats what makes this case really kind of surprising Its hard to kind of figure out what they hope to accomplish from all this, she said. If theyre really looking for regime change, what lengths are they willing to go to sort of engineer this? ABC News has been unable to reach Hong Chang for comment. Lee Wolosky, an American attorney for the group, told ABC News in a statement, "The reported comments of the Spanish judge are misinformed in critical aspects and the decision to disclose the names of those opposing a regime that routinely assassinates its opponents is deeply troubling." Wolosky called on the U.S. government and its allies to support those who are assisting North Koreans fleeing a murderous regime and who are otherwise opposing the Kim regime. Town said she was unsure how North Korea would respond to the incident, but would likely attempt to keep it relatively quiet. Lee, the Center for New American Security analyst, said that while it might be a minor embarrassment for Kim on the international stage, it would likely have little impact on North Koreans. After all, she said, Kims control over the domestic media means its unlikely most people inside the country will ever know it happened. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The first new statue of a female historical figure coming to New York Citywhere currently only 5 of around 150 historical statues are femalewill be Shirley Chisholm. And now we know what that tribute may look like. The monument to the trailblazer is coming to the Parkside entrance to Prospect Park in 2020, thanks to Chirlane McCray's She Built NYC initiative. (Another statue, depicting both Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, will be coming to Central Park around the same time, though as part of a separate initiative.) No artist renderings were available when the Chisholm monument was announced late last year but now the city has released a few possibilities. Scroll down and you'll find 5 artist renderings (along with each artist's statement) that are being considered. One of these will be selected in early April through the Citys Percent for Art program, and the public is invited to comment on the proposals at women.nyc through this Sunday, March 31st. (There has been some criticism around the She Built NYC decision-making process, Hyperallergic reported earlier this year, with some members of the city advisory committee saying their recommendation to honor groups "rather than individuals" was ignored. So it's unclear what kind of real say the public will have in this decision-making process.) It was ten years ago when we first wrote about the incredible difference in the number of male and female statues in New York City. The numbers have not changed since then but they will soonwith Billie Holiday, Elizabeth Jennings Graham, Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias, and Katherine Walker joining the current female statues of Joan of Arc, Golda Meir, Gertrude Stein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harriet Tubman (plus Chisholm, Stanton and Anthony) by 2022. Mickalene Thomas: "Prospect Park is known as Brooklyns Backyard. The sculpture that inspires me is one that reflects the breadth of Shirley Chisholms impact and also illustrates her as a woman who was deeply in touch with the people of the Brooklyn community. In the current political and cultural landscape, art is about accessibility and immersive experiences. Rather than portraying Shirley standing at a podium and speaking down to her audience, this model will instead show her rooted in the peoples space and speaking to their truths. Shirleys figure will be created at human-scale and seated at the viewers level so that audiences can engage with her. The car on which shell sit not only captures a moment in time, but it also emphasizes the social relationships of the communitythis will be a space for people to congregate. The surrounding environment will have dual purpose benches/planters and in them the plant life will be selected to reference Shirleys Caribbean heritage. By employing a nontraditional sculpture to depict a nontraditional force, the monument is meant to highlight the fortitude of both Shirley Chisholm and the people she represents. This is ultimately about the visibility of everyone in the community." Tanda Francis: "While many were beginning to organize the fight for America to live up to its promise that "all men are created equal", Shirley Chisholm's trailblazing life prompted us to consider the equality of all of humanity. Chisholm Trail Memorial is a bold and timeless dedication to Shirley Chisholm, supported by her own powerful words. Her inspiring quotes are embedded into the ground of the sidewalk leading to the Ocean Avenue entrance of Prospect Park. This trail tempers visitors to the mindset of this great woman as they approach her monumental bronze representation framed by vertical jets of water and light. Chisholm Trail is a colossal dedication which the people of New York City and the world will seek out and know of our commitment to honoring the women who helped build New York." Firelei Baez: "The monument is comprised of a series of hand-painted metal columns that collectively shape-shift into three respective portraits of the trailblazing legislator and first African American presidential candidate. Like a lenticular panel whose image changes when viewed from different angles, from each of three vantage points, this traversable forest of flower-like posts will transform into varying representations of Shirley Chisholm. As the viewer walks around the sculpture, the partial images painted onto each of the posts three sides will coalesce into distinct portraits when viewed from specific perspectives. Each of the three portraits represent a different aspect of Chisholms public role and accomplishments. Baez creates Chisholms three representations incorporating hand-painted imagery tied to inherited Afrodiasporic narratives... A point of inspiration for this sculptures form is the monument to Nelson Mandela in Howick, South Africa." Amanda Williams & Olalekan Jeyifous: "We have created a monument to Shirley Chisholm that celebrates her legacy as a civil servant who left the door open to make a space for others to follow in her path toward equity and a place in our countrys political landscape. Depending upon your vantage point and approach to the Ocean Avenue entrance, you can see Ms. Chisholms silhouette inextricably intertwined with the iconic dome of the U.S. Capitol building. This mashup symbolizes how she disrupted the perception of who has the right to occupy such institutions and to be an embodiment for democracy. This trailblazing woman was not diminutive. This monument represents how Chisholms collaborative ideals were larger than herself. The ground plane is carved in a shape that mimics the amphitheater like style of Congressional seating. Each seat pays homage to those who came after Ms. Chisholm as well as leaves room for those who have yet to come." La Vaughn Belle: "This proposal reinterprets Shirley Chisholms famous quote, If they dont give you a seat at the table bring a folding chair and positions it into a larger framework of mobility. This monument invites visitors to not only think about Chisholms personal journey from childhood to elderhood, but also the movement of a people and a nation. For what her historic run for the presidency challenges most is our imaginary of what is possible. Wearing a turban and an eagle pin, she steps boldly into a re-envisioned version of the presidential seal. She challenges us to think about how this petite black woman with a Bajan accent marking her immigrant roots, could represent the promise of the United States both literally and symbolically and how her trail -to use her campaign slogan- could 'bring U.S. together.'" Upon the release of the renderings, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who is also pushing for the Brooklyn Municipal Building to be renamed for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, commented, noting, "Shirley Chisholm, a true daughter of Brooklyn, born of West Indian immigrants who settled in Bedford-Stuyvesant, was one of this nations greatest dreamers. A monument of this magnitude, dedicated to the first person in 192 years to embody the triple threat of being Black, a woman, and a representative of Congress, is most deserving of this lasting recognition. It is long overdue." Which route to take? From what is currently known regarding the established dose effects of tadalafil, it was also accepted by the Court of Appeal that routine experimentation in a Phase I clinical trial would establish 500 mg and 100 mg as the maximum one off and daily chronic doses of tadalafil respectively. From such a result, it was held that routine practice would lead a skilled person to select a 50 mg dose of tadalafil for a subsequent Phase IIa efficacy study. Having established the safety and efficacy of a 50 mg dose, it was further agreed that a skilled person would then reasonably be expected to try doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg in a Phase IIb dosage study. ["Effectively asking the statutory question without allowing the skilled person to do anything but stand still at the priority date", muses Merpel] "Lilly's approach would require the court to disregard the work which a skilled person would carry out after the priority date in order to implement the teaching of the Daugan patent." "In this case the trial judge's findings of what would have been the sequence of tests, which did not depend upon hindsight, including the finding, which the evidence clearly justified, that the team, having found a therapeutic plateau, would be very likely to test lower doses and so come upon the dosage regime which is the subject matter of the patent". Whether something is "obvious to try" Whether something is "routine" The burden and the cost of the research program Necessity for and nature of value judgments Existence of alternative or multiple paths of research Motivation of the skilled person Unexpected or surprising results of research Caution against hindsight and step-by-step (i.e. salami slicing) analysis Bonus effects A particular issue at the Supreme Court was focused on the second factor, i.e. routineness. Here, Lord Hodge stated: Secondly, it follows that the routine nature of the research and any established practice of following such research through to a particular point may be a relevant consideration which is weighed against the consideration that the claimed process or product was not obvious to try at the outset of a research programme. Again, it is only one of several factors to be weighed in the assessment and it has no primacy and certainly no paramount status as a consideration. "Several intervener's advocated that obviousness be approached by a fact specific assessment on a case by case basis, an approach which is consistent with my approach in this judgment, and resisted recognition of any one factor as being of overriding importance, whether it be the cost and effort which pre-clinical and clinical trials entail, or the standardised but sometimes routine nature of such tests." "A fortiori, efficacious drugs discovered by research involving standard pre-clinical and clinical trials should be rewarded with a patent if they meet the statutory tests." In doing so, the Supreme Court (in a welcome change...) has followed the previous approach of the lower courts to the question of inventive step in both the UK courts and in the jurisprudence of the EPO.The patent in question related to tadalafil (branded as CIALIS). Tadalafil is an orally administered drug for treating sexual dysfunction. Tadalafil works in a similar way to Pfizers famous blockbuster drug Viagra, but with fewer side effects. The original first medical use patent for tadalafil ( EP 0740668 , "Daugan") and its associated SPC have both expired. The latest decision related to ICOS's patent ( EP 1173181 ) which claimed a particular dosage regime of tadalafil. Lilly is the exclusive licensee of the patent.In an attempt to clear the market for their own tadalafil generic, Actavis brought revocation proceedings against the ICOS/Lilly patent. Actavis argued that the claims lacked novelty and inventive step in view of the original tadalafil patent ("Daugan"). The contentious claims related to a dose regime of up to 5mg tadalafil per day. The Court of Appeal, in overturning Mr Justice Birss' decision , found the patent invalid for lack of inventive step (). Particularly, it was found that the claimed dose would have been obvious for the skilled person to try (IPKat post here ).In the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Kitchin (as then was), giving the judgment of the Court, held that the dosage regime claims of the ICOS/Lilly patent lacked inventive step in view of the original Daugan patent. Particularly, the claimed dosage regime was found to have been obvious given the standard procedures followed in clinical trials.The Daugan patent (filed in the name of Glaxo, transferred to ICOS and exclusively licensed to Lilly) disclosed the use of tadalafil for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. The patent specified a tadalafil dose in the range of 0.5 to 800 mg per day. Daugan provided data for a 50 mg tadalafil dose. Daugan did not disclose a dose of 1 to 5 mg per day of tadalafil as an effective treatment of sexual dysfunction. The novelty of the subsequent tadalafil patent in view of Daugan was therefore not at issue.In overturning the decision of Birss J, the Court of Appeal found, based on the findings of fact at first instance, that the disclosure in Daugan would have highly motivated a skilled person to pursue tadalafil in clinical trials. The blockbuster success of the related drug Viagra was found to have been a significant motivating factor. The question was then one of whether the skilled person would have arrived at the claimed dosage regime.However, if the skilled person carried out the Phase IIb trial, subsequently published data indicated that they would have been faced with the surprising discovery of a dose plateau within the 25-100 mg tadalafil dose range. Within this range, increasing or decreasing the dose would not have significantly affected the efficacy of, or tolerance to, the drug. The question of obviousness was dependent of on what a skilled person would be expected to do in view of these data. What would it have been obvious for the skilled person to do?The Court of Appeal reasoned that the purpose of a Phase IIb clinical trial is to establish a dose response curve. A skilled person would therefore have been expected to perform further studies using modified dose ranges. In this way, a response curve could be determined. A skilled person would thereby eventually try a dose of 5 mg or lower. In other words, it would not have been obvious to a skilled person to initially try a dose as low as 5 mg in a hypothetical Phase IIb clinical trial. However, the results from a trial using higher doses would, as a routine matter, be "very likely" (as the trial judge found) to lead the skilled person to a daily dose of 5 mg.ICOS and Lilly appealed the Court of Appeal decision to the Supreme Court. It was submitted by Lilly that the Court of Appeal's approach to the question of obviousness of the claim went beyond the requirements of Section 3 (Inventive Step) of the UK Patents Act 1977. Section 3 , it was argued, merely required a court to ask the question of whether the claimed invention was obvious to a skilled person at the priority date, having regard to the state of the art at the priority date. Evaluating the potential outcome of clinical trials should not form part of such an analysis, it was argued.Lord Hodge, giving the judgment of the Supreme Court, dismissed this reasoning. Particularly, Lord Hodge found that:Lord Hodge then went on to agree with the Court of Appeal that the dosage regime patent was obvious in view of the original tadalafil patent. Particularly, Lord Hodge agreed with the Court of Appeal that tadalafil can be used to treat sexual dysfunction and would have highly motivated a skilled person to pursue tadalafil in clinical trials. He reasoned that, the target of the skilled person in implementing Daugan would be to ascertain the appropriate dose. It was clear to the judge that the skilled person would know this target from the outset. Lord Hodge concluded (with an impressive use of subordinate clauses):The Supreme Court emphasised that the law of inventive step is there to strike a balance in the patent system. The test of inventive step is thus multifactorial and the relevant factors that may be at issue are dependent on the facts (and patent), in question. In this case, Lord Hodge listed 9 relevant factors (which, even at 9, were not said to be exhaustive). These included:The Supreme Court thus upheld the Court of Appeal's finding that the patent lacked inventive step and dismissed the appeal.There were a number of intervener's in the case (including The IP Federation , whose representation included the IPKat's very own AmeriKat!), British Generic Manufacturers Association and the UK BioIndustry Association . As commented by Lord Hodge:Lord Hodge particularly observed that he did not believe the Supreme Court's or the Court of Appeal's judgment supported any general position that the product of well-established or routine enquiries cannot be inventive. On the contrary:Never-the-less, the results of clinical trials are undoubtedly more susceptible of falling on the wrong side of inventive step than other forms of subject-matter. Regulatory approval requires particular results to be obtained in a particular way, and it is therefore routine for a skilled person to follow a particular route. Consequently, in this context, patent protection often demands evidence that shows something more to prove inventiveness (i.e. surprising effect, bonus effect, overcoming technical prejudice, lions in the path, skilled person's lack of motivation, etc).Following from Lewison LJ's commentary in the Court of Appeal (see IPKat post here ), it will be interesting to see if cases continue to be more focused on purebred obvious questions, or whether "obvious to try" assessments ever regain the foothold they were considered to have held prior to the Court of Appeal's decision. Further, it will be interesting to see how the consideration of "obvious to try" may be applied to the inventiveness of drug candidates identified by systematic automated (and AI powered) searches of a database of likely candidates.However, at the very least, it is welcome to have a Supreme Court decision on patent law that seems to be fully grounded in everyone's previous understanding of the law. In contrast to many other conferences on AI, this gathering concentrated on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on how intellectual property law will operate in the years ahead, as opposed to how AI will impact on attorney firm practice. There were 28 speakers, with six panels spanning all forms of IP, including patents, designs, copyright and trade marks. The full agenda of the conference can be found here . The main issues addressed at the conference can be summarized as follows:: How will AI impact how we innovate and create, produce and deliver new products and services, as well as how we work and engage with one another? How might the new tools and insights offered by AI improve our ability to recommend and assess changes to IP policy?: How can AI-related inventions be protected? What are the challenges that inventors and rights-holders face, whether they are a Fortune 500 company, a start-up, or a non-profit?: Will AI change the likelihood of confusion and liability? How will it impact the branding of products and the protection of trademarks?: Who is the author of AI-generated content? Are such works copyrightable? What policy implications arise from the use of copyrighted works for the purposes of machine learning?: Counterfeit goods make up an estimated $461 billion or 2.5 percent of all global trade. How is AI improving counterfeit detection? How can we leverage new technologies to solve this age-old problem?: How are other major economies addressing AI, and in what ways do they differ from the approach taken by the U.S? To what extent do these differences matter to U.S. companies and researchers?The opening remarks were provided by Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO and Lynne Parker, Assistant Director for Artificial Intelligence, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Director Iancu provided a summary on the importance of AI for the US and global economy and the importance of its impact on IP law.He further summarized some of the initiatives being implemented by the USPTO regarding AI. They include a new cognitive assistant called U or Unity, which is a tool that is intended to allow patent examiners, through a single-click, to conduct a federated search across patents, publications, non-patent literature, and images and through AI and machine learning-based algorithms, which would then present to the examiner the results in the form of a pre-search report.The USPTO is also exploring semi-automated tools for search query expansion, trained to mine technology-specific synonyms with the help of crowd or examiner-sourcing. As well, the USPTO is testing new AI tools and techniques, such as robotic process automation (RPA) that could generate smart office action templates, which are automatically populated based on the interactions between examiner and attorney. This will save the examiners from some of the more tedious clerical aspects of generating office actions.Ms Parker provided a useful and interesting summary of what is meant by the term artificial intelligence. In so doing, she framed the subsequent discussions and provided an important staring point in any discussion of AI.Focusing on the trademark panel, the participants were Dana Brown Northcott, Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Amazon.com, Inc., Makalika Naholowaa, Senior Attorney and Head of Trademarks, Microsoft Corp, Adam West, Head of Marketing, Satalia in London and Susan Anthony, Attorney-Advisor, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO, and Lee Curtis.The trade mark panel discussion ranged over a broad range of subjects. Susan began by raising the question of whether AI has a branding problem. Adam West commented that we naturally overestimate the impact of any new technology, such as AI, in the short term, but underestimate its long term impact. How will AI impact on the way products are purchased, which after all is the basis of trademark law.Makalika Naholowaa structured her answer in two layers, the publics perception of AI in general and then the publics perception of the impact of AI on marketing specifically. She emphasized the importance of clarity in educating the public and highlighting to them the benefits of AI. She commented that the fourth industrial revolution is coming quickly on the heels of the third industrial revolution linked to the internet. Most of us were around for the third industrial revolution, in contrast to the first industrial revolution from several centuries ago.Makalika Naholowaa also observed that the way information in the purchasing decision is presented to the consumer may change with the introduction of AI. However, the information available to the consumer should not be reduced. Further, Makalika highlighted that AI will make existing processes faster and cheaper, providing direct benefits to consumers.The discussion also considered whether some of the current terminology used in trademark law-- such as average consumer, likelihood of confusion, imperfect recollection and the slurring of trade marks-- may become redundant. After all, trademark law is based on human frailty. Can AI be confused? What happens when you take the human and the frailty out of the purchasing process, how does that impact trademark law? Further, who is liable when an AI assistant purchases infringing product? Some guidance may be found guidance in EU decisions such as Google France and the eBay vs. LOreal decisions , which suggest that AI providers will not be found liable without active knowledge of infringing activity.Also discussed was how AI can help in the fight against infringers and counterfeiters with Amazon increasing efforts to make sure that counterfeiters do not even get to the detail pages. Amazon is developing AI machine learning at the backend to identify fraud vectors, scooping behind the scenes unseen by the consumer to identify products which could be counterfeit and remove them from the detail pages. Amazon has already set up the Brand Registry as part of those efforts.Dana commented that the fight against counterfeits will be a partnership between AI, academics, consumers and technologists and she also highlighted the move to product searching by voice. It is predicted by some commentators that within five years, 50%t of product searching will be conducted by voice, as a result of the increased use of AI assistants. This means that the phonetic comparison of trade marks will have an increased importance in trade mark comparison. This may also mean that some of burden may be pushed back onto the consumer to concentrate on the differences between brands.A video recording of entire conference can be found here (around seven hours split into parts).Picture on lower left of the Oracle at Delphi is in the public domain. [ essentials ] 03.26.19 Lessons Learned in a Hungarian Kitchen 1. Gather what you need Its best to begin preparing early. The earlier the better. Before you ever open the heavy metal door between you and your Hungarian kitchen, before you rattle the skeleton key inside the lock, before you slide into the backseat of your new bosss car, before you ride 120 miles south from Budapest to your new home, before you spot the lights of your hometowns sweet corn festival flickering beneath the plane window as you fly away, before you take the job to teach English for a year, before you begin daydreaming about moving to Europe, before you start down the line of thoughts that lead you to stand in your Hungarian kitchen, take a moment. Pause. Consider the word small. A swastika scribbled on a page corner. Poppy seeds on a flaky roll, flecks of paprika on the soup ladle, smudges of jam caught in the lunch ladys hair. There are many ways people and places can be small. Glances and glares. Dots and dashes over vowels. The village you teach in will seem a hopelessly small place to be a child staring down life and seeing years to come. Youll begin to have a recurring dream about a brick through the window after encountering a few people who seem small-minded enough to throw one. Then there will be your kitchen. Your kitchen will be small, no bigger than a narrow closet with just enough space for a table, one chair, and a mini-fridge that reminds you of college dorms. If theres time to spare, consider the word large. Youll encounter the large. The towering Christmas tree in the town square. The Hapsburg mansions in Budapest. The expansive sunflower fields in bloom. The pig hefted atop a scale after slaughter, the train car heaping with potatoes, the steam clouding over vats of hot kraut at festivals. Contemplating the large makes for worthwhile daydreaming, but your time may be better spent on the small. Once in Hungary, in the quiet moments, it will be the small that troubles you, that overwhelms you. Youll find yourself trying to redefine the word so that your students have a life of opportunities awaiting them and the sixth-grader perfecting his rendering of a swastika is passing through a phase. So, get a head start. Dont put off the work of convincing yourself things are not as small as they seem. Because its hard to believe something you suspect is not true, but there are times when its worth trying. Living in Hungary will be one of those times. 2. Review the directions, make adjustments as needed When you walk into your Hungarian kitchen, one observation will overpower all the rest. Before you notice that the cabinets are orange and the space is unventilated, you will notice how miniature everything seems. Not just how close the walls are to each other, how tight the passage between the sink and counter, but how everything is shrunk down from the size you expect. Take heart. Youre not alone. This is a common revelation for an American abroad, realizing how big our sidewalks are, how large our cars. But if the contents of your kitchen are downsized, even for a Hungarian home, theres work to be done. Not on the kitchen, itself. That will remain as it is for the year youll live here, one town over and a 27-minute bus ride from your school. No, the kitchen will remain beyond your control, but your vocabulary can be adjusted. Pull out that drawer of words in your lexicon. Run your fingers over the language youve come to rely on for describing what surrounds you. See that ubiquitous adjective? The word small? Throw it out. Get rid of tiny, too. Narrow and cramped will have to go. Find any related words, the accompanying adverbs, and toss them all. Once you move to Europe, youll continuously narrate your experiences to yourself, checking in to see if the lived reality conforms with the storyline you always imagined. These words may lend accuracy when describing your Hungarian kitchen, but they wont contribute anything usable to your campaign to one day walk into your kitchen and realize youre home. These words can be replaced. Utilize the adjective quaint. Youll need it often, since its a good substitute for all the other size-related words that you left behind. Place idyllic beside it. Peaceful, simplified, and charming could be helpful. Your stove is not a small box of danger waiting to engulf your head in flames every time you go to ignite the pilot light. Its a charming relic. The washer, with its metal drum that tears holes in whatever armful of clothes its holding, will not seem like a frustrating hand-me-down. It will become a quaint reason to do your wash in the bathtub. Words matter. They give us the material for constructing the story we tell ourselves, the data for responding to the internal question, How am I doing? Choose your response carefully. 3. Use what you can Many people have called your home their own. Its a white stucco building tucked into one corner of the high school that provides your housing. Its leftover from the Hungarian tradition of building a home for the groundskeeper on the school property. Over the years its been split into parts. One of the slices went to the groundskeeper, who you may hear but will rarely see. Another section is rented to the German teacher. The basement is a student club where a rock band of high school seniors practices every Thursday. The leftover space is for you. The flat consists mostly of the living room, with a floor you soon cover with an air mattress after sleepless nights on the broken futon. In the back corner is your kitchen. Its owned by the city and houses the native English teacher for however long she stays, which is usually no more than a year or two. The rent is free, so you can tell yourself you shouldnt complain, but that may not stop it from happening. The native English teachers conversation classes arent taken very seriously by the students or other English teachers. Without a native speaker, the school would lose funding. Every room and closet in your apartment exists behind a heavy metal door. One of the doors, which leads to the place where you hang your laundry, is tricky to open, and sometimes you get stuck inside. In a matter of seconds, your apartment can be sealed up so only a hallway is visible. This was once a common floorplan for flats, especially the uniform bloc housing that Soviet communism built. It is also how many Hungarians appear to you. Closed. Polite, helpful, and neatly contained. You may want to reject this observation, because it feels like youre giving in to the people who told you Hungarians were hard people to get to know, but you cant lie to yourself. Sitting in your kitchen, where you seem to be spending more and more time alone, you imagine that the teachers must invite each other over for dinner often, lingering over empty plates chatting. After a few months, are invited for dinner by a fellow teacher. Hers is the first Hungarian kitchen you have seen. Everything is the size you expect it to be, and your kitchen begins to look like a dollhouse version of the real thing. You stare at the pictures on the fridge of her family and friends. You realize she has a full life, a foundation with people around her. You think, this is the start. Were breaking through. You begin to imagine the dinners to come, because you know that while Hungarians are private people, once you are in their inner circle, you are in. But you will not return to this Hungarian kitchen or any other. Your most tangible connection to the people around you becomes the objects that fill your home. Theyve all been accumulated after falling out of use by one person or another, mostly teachers. In the first few days, you feel like you will never stop discovering new things in the drawers: a delicate glass vase under the sink, ceramic candle holders in the closet, a beautiful but tarnished ladle beside wooden spoons. You will make borscht, and after you dip in a spoon to have a taste, decide its ready. You pull out the ladle, rub a finger against the swirls etched into the handle, and wonder about its history. What celebrations called for its use? You think of the kitchens youve had in the past, how theyve always been hubs for convening over coffee mugs or plates of food. You think of the other kitchens under the roof above you and ponder what the other people beneath are eating for dinner. You think about the foreign teachers who have used this ladle in the past. You had heard Hungarians were skeptical of outsiders and hard to know. They learned this privacy after years of dictators. But you thought you would find a way to become an exception. You thought youd meet confidants, and that if you didnt, youd have the assertiveness to find some. Instead, you walk home from work considering what elaborate meal youll spend the evening cooking. You hunch over the pot of lecso, a Hungarian stew doused in paprika youve been perfecting under the guidance of a cookbook that was on the bookshelf, and you wonder if the former residents of this kitchen were alone for so long too. 4. Let your kitchen teach you In your first weeks, you decide to make goulash. As you make your way past the supermarkets overflowing crates of pale green peppers and stacked tubs of sauerkraut, you will find one phrase sliding through your mind again and again, like a slideshow with a solitary picture: Nem beszelek magyarul. I dont speak Hungarian. Indeed, you dont. With the exception of this phrase and a few others struggling to be pronounced in your mind, thus far your first graders know about as much English as you do Hungarian. Yet you mentally grip this phrase, Nem beszelek magyarul, like a child clinging to a flashlight in a dark room. Write this phrase on a flashcard and stick it to one of the orange cabinets. When you return home, begin adding more post-it notes. The glass salt and pepper shakers, nesting in the silver frame on either side of a toothpick container, will get covered in two post-it notes: so for salt and bor for pepper. The fridge will get a post-it note. The wall, the door, the ceiling. Dont stop there. Above your kitchen table, post cartoonish drawings of food with the colored pencils youll purchase for your students, and write the Hungarian beside each image. Theyll look like elementary cartoons, but theyre the best you can manage and that will have to be enough. At dinner, before you take a bite, say, Egeszsegedre, which means cheers, or bless you, or, may it serve your health. At school, when you have lunch duty, share the phrase with your students. They will say it back every time. Try it out on the stern lunch lady, Aunie Kitchen as the students call her in Hungarian, the one who appears perpetually disgruntled. Your tongue will get tangled up, and the words will come out all wrong, but her face will soften. Egeszsegedre, she will say, slowly, with a rare smile. 5. Light the stovetop flame If these tips seem trivial, its because they are. No matter how soon you begin to sift a word out of your vocabulary, the meaning behind it will persist. Your kitchen can help you learn Hungarian, but its hard to learn about a persons life with a mishmash of nouns and verbs at your disposal. Your kitchen may be one way to learn about a country and its people, but a ladle is poor company. Still, the advice is worth following, because there will be things that deserve your concern. And to get through your new, temporary life in Hungary, youre going to need a place all your own to make sense of it all. That place will be your kitchen, because with all its faults it has a stove and pots and hours of possibilities. Dont bother with months of resisting your appreciation for it. Dont waste your energy being bitter at burnt meals and singed pans. Dont bother mustering anger about an airless room that makes you feel woozy with heat even when the ovens set to the small flame. Your kitchens not worth your frustration. Youre going to need that energy for things that do. You will learn real lessons that cant be neatly contained in quick tips. Before you see what poverty looks like sitting in your classroom without pencils, before a local students drops out of school and later appears with a swastika on his chest, before you learn the school secretary dislikes a fifth-grade student because she comes on to her husband, take out a pot. Cover its bottom with a glossy layer of oil. Light a match and light a stovetop flame. Open the forgotten Hungarian cookbook and choose the most involved recipe. Chop all the vegetables the recipe calls for, then keep going. Chop all the veggies in the house. Watch their structure soften and bend in the hot oil. When youre ready, youll stare into the tangled peppers, and begin to make some sense of it all. But when youre not, youll practice some self-compassion. Give the spoon a turn, let the peppers and tomatoes reassemble into a new form. Ask yourself, How am I doing? and stare into the pan into while you formulate your response. [ dog days ] 03.26.19 Gigantic T heres a big dog downtown, she said. Uh-huh, I said. I was having trouble figuring out what made this observation phone-worthy. We rarely called each other; texting usually covered most of it. Id pulled over to the side of the road to take her call and was feeling a little impatient. No, a big dog, Beth said. Okay . . . Its taking up all of Main Street, and the sidewalks, too. I laughed, not getting the joke. Her tone was serious. It just appeared. People are trapped under it. Its on Facebook and Twitter and I could hear her tapping at her laptops keyboard. Jesus, Ian. The photos. Id just crossed the bridge from Hadley to Northampton. I decided to drive downtown. Yellow DO NOT CROSS tape fluttered across the entire four-lane width of Main Street, from the cell phone store on the east side, looped around a cruisers side view mirror, to the candy store on the west side. The cops stood gaping, ostensibly there for crowd control, but the crowd was apprehensive. The roads leading into downtown were choked with cars and people. I abandoned my car by the railroad bridge and pushed my way forward, trying to comprehend the unreality obstructing our little shopping district. The dog. The big dog. It looked like a basset hound, but the distorted scale twisted it into something grotesque, almost unrecognizable if you were too close. The creature (later determined to be female) pushed against crumbling buildings on both sides of the street. She lay there, her house-sized head flopped across the northbound lane, eyes closed, apparently fast asleep. Under a flap of lip there was a bulge, which would later be identified as a flattened 2010 Chevy Cobalt. In the following days, eighteen people would be declared missing and presumed dead. Two would later be revealed to be insurance scams, one an attempt to escape child support. Witnesses claimed the animal just appeared. First, she wasnt there, then she was. And then there was screaming and muffled car alarms and the grinding sounds of buildings twisting and buckling. She didnt fall from the sky; she didnt lumber out of the mountains and lie down for a quick nap, she didnt rise from the ground. She didnt slowly materialize like on Star Trek, nor did she suddenly grow from a normal-sized dog to a Hindenburg-sized one. The dog just suddenly was. Youd expect black helicopters. Hazmat suits and quarantine plastic bubbles. Swift, bloodless government response. Movies and books have led us to believe that this would be the case. And why not? We all waited for it: twenty-four, seventy-two hours of anticipation. Dont get me wrong. There were helicopters. Plenty of helicopters, mostly media. And sure, there were a fair number of conspicuously inconspicuous sedans with out-of-state plates parked on side streets those first few days. Men appeared in town wearing sunglasses and suits and earpieces. They drank our coffee and crossed our crosswalks. They assessed, reported, and left. It was three days before the White House issued a short statement classifying the basset hound as a non-terrorist threat. Federal authorities didnt want to touch the problem. Neither did the state. The dog was deemed a municipal problem. No National Guard, no Red Cross, no disaster relief. The city council pleaded their case to state and federal officials as if the basset hound was a tornado. The officials insisted it was more like a beached whale. Teds Boot Shop, a bank, and Birdhouse Music were destroyed. Across the street, a hair salon, a clothing store, and another bank were badly damaged. Thornes, an indoor market, had to seal off its Main Street entrance, which was now completely blocked by a wall of hair and fat. Eventually, three buildings would be razed after being found structurally unsafe, displacing thirty-one upper-floor residents and eleven businesses. Traffic was diverted a block over, down State Street, to the dismay of remaining Main Street businesses and State Street residents alike. The dog required 24-hour protection. People were approaching her, touching her, climbing on her, pulling her two-foot long hairs out and selling them on eBay. The Northampton police department put officers on overtime shifts until the budget was stretched too far. Before long, the city council couldnt allocate any more money for the detailtheyd already dipped into the snow emergency fund. The city was in crisis. A non-profit organization was formed. The board of directors raised funds through concerts, house parties, a spring fun-run. Over time, they embraced merchandise, seeking to balance respect for the sleeping creature with the reality of the situation. There were T-shirts, stickers, movie licensing. The income allowed the foundation to construct a viewing platform along the head and belly of the beast. A stairway was constructed over the dogs hindquarters, allowing foot traffic to flow relatively unimpeded. The dog hair continued to be sold off through officially sanctioned auctions (humanely harvested, naturally shed hairs, of course). The shallow breathing was a concern at first. The Five Colleges assembled a team of scientists and researchers to study the basset. Breathing, heartbeat, hair growththe data pointed to some sort of fracture in time. The dog appeared to exist on its own plane of existence, enveloped by a temporal bubble of unknown origin. The team published a formula that tied the animals unreal scale to the way she experienced time. That fall, while the citizens of Northampton regrouped, coped, and adjusted their lives, the scientists estimated that the dog slept for about an hour in giant-dog-time. She snoozed undisturbed through winter and into summer, except for one bad dream that lasted most of July (she slowly twitched her back leg, systematically demolishing the Haymarket Cafe as she chased what was popularly believed to be a giant-dream-squirrel). The town was divided into factions: Wake Her Up versus Let Her Sleep (the citys official position was Let Her Sleep). The topic crept into every city council meeting, local forum, and letter to the editor. There was always talk of trying to move her, though no one knew quite how. Even if they did, there was no other town interested in taking her. A multimillionaire from Nevada expressed interest in airlifting the creature to the desert, to put her on display in one of his casinos. The foundation said no. That gave Northamptonites something else to argue about. Time passed, and the sleeping behemoth became a part of everyday life. The town adapted and learned to function around her and in spite of her. Visitors couldnt help but express disbelief when theyd see townies strolling past the beast with their morning coffees or smartphones, not even glancing up. The dog was given a thousand nicknames: some cute, some clever, some disparaging. In a somehow very New England way, the one that stuck was The Dog. As the one year anniversary approached, the foundation decided to celebrate. Plans were laid for The Dog Day Festival: a dog parade, dog show, food carts, music, activities for children, speeches, a memorial for the victims. The community pulled together to celebrate and mourn. People and pets came from all over the country, and the media returned in full force. It was a beautiful New England day. Hundreds of basset hounds sniffed hundreds of other basset hounds butts. Kids wore officially-licensed floppy-ear hats. As the mayor approached the podium on the platform for the plaque dedication, there was a rumble. By the time the four-day fart tapered off to safe levels, seven people and thirteen dogs had died, and an entire neighborhood had been evacuated. The asphalt beneath The Dogs rear end had melted, and City Hall was deemed permanently uninhabitable. The historic building was razed, and the debris was burned and buried in an old rock quarry up on the mountain. The federal government maintained that this was not a terrorist attack, either. I was awake at 5 a.m. on a Sunday, restless and roaming downtown, killing time 'til the coffee shops opened. I ended up in front of The Dog, because there was really no way to stroll around downtown without eventually ending up there. The on-duty security guard, subcontracted by the foundation, snoozed in his Hyundai. It was unusually warm for February, and the piles of snow turned to an impenetrable fog as I climbed the steps of the viewing platform. Like many a New Yorker and the Statue Of Liberty, Id never actually stepped foot on the thing before. I looked up, the curve of the beast looming in the whiteness. I sat on a bench for a while, picking at the already-peeling paint and staring at her wrinkly face. Folds of brow and ear and jowl drooped menacingly overhead. For the last year, The Dog had come to fill many roles for the town: part confessional, part wishing well, part memorial. Visitors often spoke to her, bowed their heads in silent meditation, or left flowers, little notes, candles. It had never occurred to me to talk to her before, but that sleepless Sunday morning seemed to be the morning to start. Id had a rough year. I told The Dog about my heartache, and my workache, and my acute dissatisfaction with most everything in my life. I talked about Beth moving out. I talked about my grandfather, six years dead, and my perpetually broken car. I promised The Dog I would exercise more and eat less meat. I vowed to make more art and curb my Netflix binging. I told her Id always wanted to see what Austin was like, SXSW and brisket. I would make a meat exception for Texas brisket. I told her that I was sad and lonesome. I told The Dog that I desperately needed coffee and sleep. I dont remember how long we talked. Later, when I was interrogated by the police, I guessed around twenty minutes, but I was just giving them a number because they were demanding an answer to corroborate with the security camera footage. I dont really know how long it was. I just remember the fog pig-piling on us, and the relentless silence of a sleeping town. I leaned over the railing and ran my palm across part of her mist-covered brow. It felt and smelled like a damp mop. The whole morning did. The Dog made this town too small. I had lived here long enough to watch the college girls grow up and have children. I'd watched as sushi bars and cafes nudged out repair shops and thrift stores. The street punks and anarchists of a decade ago had graduated into full-fledged panhandlers and addicts. I was surrounded by stores full of bullshit for out-of-towners and condos locals couldnt afford. I had no friends and two hundred nodding acquaintances. There wasn't any air left in this town. I wiped my hands on my jeans and closed my eyes and asked The Dog a question, a question hundreds of people had asked her over the past year and a half. Joking, cajoling tourists speaking in stupid baby-talk voices, trying to wake the beast, trying to make their companions laugh. Would you like to go for a walk? I whispered. Just my luck. Just my goddamned luck. I stood transfixed for the next half hour as she opened her terrible, boogery eye. In this sense, the cabinet chief announced the Executive Branch will send a high-level commission composed of Ministers Edmer Trujillo (Transport-Communications), Zulema Tomas (Health), and Paola Bustamante (Development and Social Inclusion) to Cusco and Apurimac regions with the purpose of guiding the talks. , but also to turn it into a truly important conversation on the development we seek for the mining project's whole influence area," he expressed. "It is our wish, not only to resume dialogue but also to turn it into a truly important conversation on the development we seek for the mining project's whole influence area," he expressed. We are paving the way towards dialogue ()," the Prime Minister added. Likewise, Del Solar indicated talks were affected by the extortive behavior of the Chavez Sotelo brothers legal advisors of the Fuerabamba community who have been detained by judicial order, as they allegedly encouraged the protesters not to give in, so they could make money. Members of the Fuerabamba community (Apurimac region) have blocked a roadway corridor in Cusco region that is used by Las Bambas to transport its copper production to Matarani Port. It should be noted only the mining company's vehicles are forbidden to transit. Fuerabamba community demands Las Bambas to pay compensation for the use of the lands. (END) VVS/CCR/DTK/MVB Peruvian Prime Minister Salvador del Solar on Wednesday informed the Executive Branch has decided to double its support for dialogue in order to solve the conflict affecting Las Bambas mining project Published: 3/27/2019 YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Despite the brief period of commencing its activities the City of Smile Foundation has already provided nearly 250,000,000 drams in charity for treatment of children and young people with cancer and blood diseases. Now, the foundation seeks to increase cancer treatment services in Armenia to European standards. City of Smile has been launched by Anna Hakobyan, spouse of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Esther Demirchyan, Director of the foundation, told ARMENPRESS in an interview that they began their main activities from September of 2018. As of today we already have around 120 beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are children and young people up to 25 years of age who have cancer or blood diseases. On an average we support from 45-50 beneficiaries monthly. The treatment is long-term, therefore we dont conclude with a one-time assistance. Assistance is provided regarding all expenditures related to the treatment, Demirchyan said, adding that the foundation covers medication expenses, surgical intervention and diagnostics. The foundation also covers 4-time meals in hospitals. City of Smile also provides social-psychological services. Asked about the process of becoming a beneficiary, the director said usually it is the patients themselves who apply for support. The foundation is based at the Yolyan Hematology Center. She said City of Smile receives 2-3 new applications every day. If a child has cancer this doesnt mean it is the end. Treatment indicators in child cancer is high, 70-75%, she said. Demirchyan said their youngest beneficiaries are 6-8 months old babies. Speaking about donors, Demirchyan said the foundation is cooperating with restaurants and cafes, among others. Any restaurant or cafe can have one dish or drink named City of Smile, and the proceeds from it will be transferred to the foundation, she said. Currently, Yerevans Voskevaz Restaurant has a City of Smile salad in its menu, and the Garun cafe offers the City of Smile sandwich. Karas, a major fast food restaurant, is also cooperating and is donating 5% of proceeds from deliveries every Monday. The major SAS supermarkets are also donating proceeds from the City of Smile desserts. The foundation also has special donation boxes at supermarkets, where customers are able to make donations. Anyone who is even donating 10 drams through the donation boxes in the supermarkets and those who donate 10,000,000 drams are equal for us. City of Smile is also providing support to the hospitals that are in need of procuring new equipment. We want to reform the cancer treatment service, improve it and make it at least close to the European and American practice and be able to provide a package in terms of complex services that will include rather many components. That is why each donation matters for us, she said. According to her, there are around 100 major donors. City of Smile is also working to open a palliative service unit at the hematology center, which according to Demirchyan will most likely be inaugurated this year. Interview by Anna Grigoryan Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan STEPANAKERT, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. A 21-year-old soldier of the Artsakh Defense Army has died on March 26 after sustaining a fatal gunshot wound in circumstances that are yet to be determined, the Defense Ministry of Artsakh said in a news release. Ara Arakelyan, a conscripted serviceman, died on-duty around 18:40 Tuesday in a military base stationed in the north-eastern direction. The Ministry of Defense of Artsakh extended condolences to the family of the soldier. UPDATES: 11:12 - Investigators say a fellow soldier of the killed serviceman has been arrested amid the ongoing investigation. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. In accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, in the north-west of Seysulan village of the Martakert region, Artsakhs foreign ministry said in a press release. From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring will be conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Mihail Olaru (Moldova) and Personal Assistant to the CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain). The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh have expressed their readiness to assist in conducting the monitoring and to ensure the security of the OSCE Mission members. YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump will hold a meeting on April 2 at the White House with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the White House said. The sides will hold both a private meeting and an expanded-format meeting. Then on April 3-4, the NATO foreign ministerial council will hold a session in Washington D.C. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Armenia approved the bill on ratifying the interim agreement on forming a free trade zone between Iran and the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), reports Armenpress. The bill was approved during todays session. 118 MPs voted in favor of the bill, 1 voted against and 2 abstained. According to the agreement, the customs duties of several goods for export to Iran will decrease. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The 2019 state budgets revenues will be over-performed by at least 40 billion drams, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told lawmakers today in parliament. This is approximately 90 million dollars. This means state revenues in 2019 will be this much more than it was envisaged by the budget passed by parliament. This is an unprecedented occurrence for at least the past 9 years because for at least a quite long period of time we didnt have a situation when the budgets revenues were over-performed, left alone in such huge volumes, he said. He also elaborated what the government plans to do with the extra money. We intend to raise the salaries of military servicemen by 10% starting July 1 2019, and from September 1 the salaries of public school teachers will be raised by the same amount. I am talking about approximately 38,000 teachers. In addition, this year we plan to carry out various level of renovation of nearly 303 kilometers of roads, which is also an unprecedented indicator for the last 9 years, but we also hope and know that savings will happen during this process, he said, noting that the North-South Road Corridor construction isnt included in this figures. He said the government will allocate another 10 billion drams for implementing subvention programs. Speaking about the additional 40 billion drams in collected revenue, the PM said: This is first and foremost a result of the governments and the state revenue committees policy against the black market. And since I predict that concerns will be raised as to what extent can this negatively impact our economy, I would like to note that repressive methods werent at all used during this process, analytical, negotiations and dialogue methods are applied. He also mentioned cooperation between citizens and the government as the next important factor. I am happy to note that Armenian citizens are truly broadly reacting to the governments calls that they themselves also have things to do in combating shadow economy. Do you remember my calls that people must demand [payment bills] whenever they buy anything from anywhere, and I am happy to note that from May 2018 until now 65 million more payment bills have been printed than in the previous period. This is yet another proof that the society and the government are in a practical dialogue with one another and this dialogue is giving concrete results, he said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Minister of economic development and investments Tigran Khachatryan received the delegation led by UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Dmitry Mariyasin, the ministry told Armenpress. Dmitry Mariyasin proposed the minister to discuss the broad agenda of issues that are under the coordination of the ministry, by trying to find common approaches and communication ways. For this purpose he said it is necessary to hold regular meetings with the team of the ministry. Minister Khachatryan in his turn introduced the guests on the economic priorities of the governments five-year action plan, the long-term goals, as well as touched upon the prospective fields of the economy with greater development potential. At the meeting the activity directions of the Center developed by Armenias National-Innovative Center for Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the further use of Travelinsights tool launched yesterday were presented. Minister Khachatryan and the guests also discussed the cooperation opportunities in tourism. An agreement was reached to discuss separate sectoral programs through regular meetings, as well as get acquainted and discuss the development prospects of several provincial programs. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Major construction projects will be carried out in Armenia also by state programs, with significant construction growth having been recorded in January and February of 2019 already, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in parliament today. Very interesting processes have taken place in the construction sector. Weve had growth exceeding 20% in both January and February in the construction sector. On the other hand, serious growth is observed in the mortgage crediting sector. In January this year, mortgage crediting grew 77%, and 100% in February against last years same period. The portfolio volumes of mortgage loans grew 30%, in absolute figures 70 billion drams. This means that from May of last year until now citizens of Armenia have made nearly 150,000,000 dollars in transactions of acquiring apartments. This means that citizens of Armenia are demonstrating confidence towards their own future, he said, describing it as the best display of optimism for the future. And these figures allow us to say that Armenia is on the eve of a construction boom. He said this means that numerous jobs will be opened in this sector. The PM said these positive figures show the development dynamics. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is emphasizing that during the upcoming meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev views will be exchanged around the inclusion of Artsakh in the negotiations of the NK conflict settlement. The PM was speaking in parliament today when asked to comment on the matter by Prosperous Armenia party lawmaker Naira Zohrabyan. Yes, of course, this was the first emphasis in my remarks in Stepanakert, the PM said, referring to his speech at the Armenia-Artsakh joint Security Council session that took place recently in Stepanakert city. I said also during my press conference that I want us all to understand correctly because there are different interpretations both inside and outside Armenia. Strangely, there is an interpretation in Armenia also that this is a proposal on changing the negotiations format. This is not a proposal to change the negotiations format, and it cant be. Pashinyan added that he can predict the upcoming talks with Aliyev will take place within the framework of the earlier statements. What I have said during the Armenia-Artsakh joint Security Council sessions in Stepanakert is essentially the agenda with which we are heading to the negotiations, discussions, and basically this is the platform that we will rely on during the entire process of further negotiations, Pashinyan said. Asked again by Zohrabyan whether the upcoming meeting with Aliyev has an agenda, Pashinyan said that during the previous meetings with the Azerbaijani president he had expressed his stance that at least in the initial phase these meetings should not have a concrete agenda. There must be a broad circle of issues, and we must simply exchange ideas over various issues, Pashinyan said. The Armenian Prime Minister will meet the Azerbaijani President in Austria March 28-29. Co-chaired by Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President Bako Sahakyan of the Republic of Artsakh, on March 12 the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh held a joint session in Stepanakert. The agenda included the joint assessment of the current situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and the outline of the coordinated actions. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan delivered remarks before discussing the agenda items. Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan - Honorable President of the Artsakh Republic, Dear Colleagues, Let me welcome the joint session of the Security Councils of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, which is an unprecedented event in the history of our two Republics. This event is both symbolic and, at the very same time, has a specific meaning. I mean that the relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh have entered a qualitatively new stage. What other manifestations that may have in the near future is perhaps one of the most important topics of our discussion. Dear Colleagues, This is my first visit to the Republic of Artsakh following the parliamentary elections of December 9, 2018. I would like to emphasize that My Step Alliance received a strong mandate from the people of Armenia to raise the level of the involvement of Artsakh Republic in the peace process and take specific steps to that end. These goals were of paramount importance in the electoral program of My Step Alliance. The Government of the Republic of Armenia and me, as a prime minister, who has received a strong vote of confidence, will take consistent steps in this direction, and this issue will continue to be one of the most important points of our discussions with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. I would like to underscore that, for us, Artsakhs engagement in the negotiation process is not a whim or even a precondition, but a statement of the fact that Artsakhs engagement in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is of pivotal importance. This position reflects our respect not only for the people of Artsakh and its rights, but also all our partners involved in the negotiation process, because we are truly interested in achieving an exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict, and we believe in the negotiation process, the efficiency of which is a top priority for us, and as I have already mentioned, the issue related to the efficiency of the negotiation process is of pivotal importance. As a matter of fact, the current framework of the negotiations involves all concerned parties, except one. Azerbaijan is represented by President Aliyev who, by the way, also represents, as he says, the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh, because the representatives of that community participated in the presidential elections in Azerbaijan as citizens of that country and, therefore, gave the President of Azerbaijan the mandate to represent them. Thus, it can be said with confidence that the presence of Azerbaijans President at the negotiations table ensures the presence of those Azerbaijanis who used to live in Karabakh before the conflict. In the negotiation process, the Republic of Armenia is represented by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, who in this case acts as the representative of the people of the Republic of Armenia. Consequently, the citizens of Armenia are also represented in the negotiation process. The international community is represented in the negotiation process by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. All this, of course, is good and extremely important, and we highly appreciate the efforts made by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs toward the settlement of the conflict. But the main question is who represents the people of Artsakh, or as it is sometimes referred to, the Armenians of Karabakh in the negotiation process. The problem is that there is no representative who has the mandate, the legitimacy to represent the people of Artsakh in the negotiation process today, as nobody around the negotiation table has received the vote, the mandate of the people of Artsakh or, as some of our partners prefer to refer to, the Armenians of Karabakh. I have repeatedly stated that the Prime Minister of Armenia cannot have such a mandate as the people of Artsakh are not participating electoral processes in Armenia, they do not vote, therefore, the Prime Minister of Armenia is out of the circle of those who have the legitimacy to represent the people of Artsakh. This is not a matter of whims or a precondition but a matter of legitimacy, and the latter is a key factor in modern-day relations not only in terms of domestic policy, but also in terms of interstate and international relations. By the way, all those comments stating that the Republic of Armenia and the Prime Minister are thereby trying to shake off their share of responsibility and put the burden on the authorities or people of of Artsakh are baseless. To avoid any speculation, I consider it necessary to underscore that the Republic of Armenia has always been and will remain the number one guarantor of Artsakhs security and will continue to be actively involved in the peace process. The next most important question that needs to be answered is whether the Armenian government accepts the three principles and the six elements, proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs as a basis for the negotiation process. This is indeed the most important issue, but important clarifications are needed to answer to this question. What do these principles mean in practice, and who is entitled to interpret them? This is important as we consider unacceptable the way Azerbaijan interprets those principles. Of course, we can present our own interpretation of these principles, but there will be no use, because our objective is not the engagement in a verbal dispute, but the efficient negotiation process. Therefore, the negotiations should be based on statements which give no room for misinterpretations. But during the last ten years, the principles and elements proposed by the Co-Chairs, as I have already mentioned, have given rise to the most controversial interpretations, and thus the most important objective of the forthcoming negotiation process should be the clarification of the so-called 3 main principles and 6 elements, and we are open to such talks. The next important issue is to prepare peoples for peace. I consider it worth emphasizing that preparation of population for peace cannot be a separate issue of only one of the governments involved in the negotiations, and implies joint efforts. For example, preparation of the Azerbaijani population for peace should take place not only with the participation of authorities of Azerbaijan but of Armenia as well. It was with this very understanding that I voiced an unprecedented statement at the National Assembly of Armenia in autumn of 2018, stressing that any settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue should be equally acceptable to the people of Armenia, the people of Artsakh and the people of Azerbaijan. This was my contribution to preparing for peace not only the peoples of Armenia and Artsakh, but the people of Azerbaijan as well. Unfortunately, we dont see relevant statements, steps from the President of Azerbaijan.. Despite this, I am ready to continue the dialogue not only with the President of Azerbaijan, but also with the people of Azerbaijan, as I am convinced that the people of Azerbaijan is as peace loving, as people of Armenia, people of Artsakh. Thank you, dear colleagues. Now we can proceed to our meetings agenda, President Bako Sahakyan of the Republic of Artsakh - Honorable Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Dear Security Council session participants: We are going to have a first-ever joint discussion of priority issues of vital importance to our two Republics, that is, our Homeland. During this time, we have had several intermediate meetings at different levels, which led to the idea to hold a joint Security Council meeting. We have also highlighted the need to draft a national agenda, and I am more than convinced that todays joint session will help us develop such a national agenda. As it used to be during all these years, the tasks set out in the national agenda have remained unchanged. I am convinced that you all share my firm belief that the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh has been and will remain a priority issue for our homeland. At this joint session, we will also have an opportunity to discuss the ways of achieving that goal. We know that the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia has had several meetings during this period, and I asked Mr. Prime Minister to brief us on the outcome of those meetings and discussions. In turn, I will give details of my latest meeting with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. We talked about the situation at the Line of Contact and the negotiation process. Todays unprecedented joint session will give us an opportunity to address the problems faced in the economy, the developments in our public life, as well as to outline the next steps aimed at enhancing national security, strengthening and further developing our homeland. I welcome this initiative. I am convinced that our joint session will create favorable conditions for successful work in the aforementioned areas. Thank you. During the discussion that followed, the members of the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh dwelt on Artsakhs security system and reaffirmed that the defense capacity was at a high level. At the same time, both sides reiterated their support and commitment to the exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, based on the fundamental principles of international law, in particular the right of peoples to self-determination. They stressed that the security and the status of Artsakh were absolute priorities for the Armenian side. The speakers highlighted the need for shaping an atmosphere of peace and trust, reducing risks, developing appropriate incident prevention mechanisms and confidence building measures, as enshrined in the final document of Dushanbe and earlier in the framework of the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The government has recorded major success in the process of eradicating monopolies in Armenia. The share of a number of companies with a dominant position in the market has decreased, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the parliamentary debate of the report on the implementation process of the governments action plan, reports Armenpress. Monopolies should be eradicated in Armenia. And we at the political level have taken steps in order to have very concrete achievements in this area. During several months of 2018 the share of the largest sugar importing company in the market comprised 78% against the previous 95%. The share of the largest banana importing company was 30% against the previous 57%. The share of the largest fuel importing company comprised 29% compared to the previous 43%, and that of the diesel fuel 29% against the previous 51%. I consider these figures important not only from the perspective that the competitive situation has been improved, but also from the perspective that the competitive situation has not been improved by breaking the backbone of the previously operating companies, he said. Pashinyan noted that these companies continued normally operating, but at the same time a field was opened for other companies. The PM said this is the next key outcome of the government. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The planned flat taxation of revenues under the upcoming Tax Code seek to ensure high salaries for people with high qualifications, while the certain issue of social inequality as a result of flat taxation will be solved as a result of future reforms in the property tax sector, PM Nikol Pashinyan said in parliament during a Q&A with lawmakers. My Step Alliance MP Gevorg Papoyan said the planned increase in excise taxes under the planned reforms have caused problems for certain businessmen. He asked the PM to elaborate on his view regarding the taxation of carbonated drinks that are planned to be covered through excise taxation, as well as reforms in property taxes. Our governments action plan stipulates that we will encourage the policy of high salaries. We dont wanna struggle for someone to continue receiving 80 thousand drams salary, and for us to make them live good. There should not be cheap labor in Armenia. In Armenia there should be a highly qualified labor that is receiving high salaries. And we are reducing revenue taxes for high salaries in order to address this message. We want to become a technological country, but on the other hand we are taxing the technology sector salaries so much that no one will wanna invest. We must push people towards growing professional skills, he said. He said there is a false impression in Armenia as if highly remunerated employees are few in numbers. There is an impression as if we are chasing those who are getting high salaries and as if we want to present them to be a social polar, as if they are the wealthy. I would like to announce with all responsibility no one is rich or moreover wealthy by salary in Armenia. Pashinyan said the government intends to commence property tax reforms from January 1, 2020 simultaneously. He said it is related with the intention to introduce the flat taxation. We are changing the property tax system in a way that through property tax itself this social taxation fairness happens. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan has confirmed media reports on being threatened. Zeynalyan said he has been threatened online and that he has contacted law enforcement agencies. It is unpleasant for me that the investigations confidentially has been disclosed, I have reported a crime, this means that I have seen a threat in it. Let us maintain the investigations confidentially, because this leads to the violation of my right of respect towards my personal life, he said. Zeynalyan said he has provided the social media users information to investigators. The reason is the statement that I made during my previous briefing. It concerned the Azerbaijani border-crosser, he said, referring to citizen of Azerbaijan Eyvin Arif Oghlu Ibrahimov, currently detained in Armenia in suspicion of illegally crossing the state border. Zeynalyan said the threats were made in comments under an article on his statement published online on social media. According to unconfirmed media reports the suspect who made the death threats is a 35-year-old villager from Tavush province. Police have launched proceedings. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The principal of the #27 public school of Gyumri has been arrested in suspicion of bribery and misconduct amid an ongoing criminal investigation, the Investigative Committee said in a news release. Ministry of Education and Science officials have uncovered fraud in the paperwork of the school, whereby teachers have received salaries for classes which actually never took place. A local woman from Gyumri had also reported to law enforcement agencies that the school principal had demanded her to pay nearly 1,000,000 drams in a bribe to arrange her getting employed at the school. The school principal was arrested on March 26. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. NATO experts today visited the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) to assess the work of the military-medical faculty as part of the Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) to outline cooperation programs for 2019, YSMU said in a news release. YSMU Rector Armen Muradyan presented to the experts the directions of activities of the university and noted that they are ready to cooperate in all directions. NATO experts toured the military-medical faculty, viewed the educational programs and the work carried out with cadets. The NATO experts said they plan to continue cooperation with YSMU. As part of the cooperation, the academic staff will be trained and educational programs will be updated, new teaching methods will be applied and distance education will be under special focus. DEEP is carried out jointly with the Armenian defense ministry. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. A Russian-Armenian businessman has been found dead in an apartment in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to law enforcement agencies the businessmans death was caused by multiple stab wounds, the Armenian Embassy in Russia said in a statement. The embassy identified the victim as M. Sarajyan, a Russia-based ethnic Armenian entrepreneur. A criminal investigation is underway. The Armenian Investigative Committee representative in Russia maintains constant contact with Russian law enforcement agencies, the embassy said. Other details werent immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on March 27 received the delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, the Presidents Office told Armenpress. During the meeting the delegation members introduced their activity, main programs and upcoming actions. President Sarkissian said the international companies, which are members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, have contributed to the formation of new business culture and values during their activities. The President stated that the Chamber has a great potential and its right utilization will bring great benefits to Armenias economy, and the structure can play a more active role to promote Armenias business environment. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Liliane Maury Pasquier, currently in Armenia on an official trip, visited on March 27 the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan. She was accompanied by Ruben Rubinyan, chairman of the foreign relations committee of the Armenian parliament. At the memorial, Pasquier laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, the parliaments press service reported. The PACE president then toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and signed the honorary guest book. She said that genocides are being committed today also and that hatred, xenophobia and discrimination must be combated. They lead to crimes and are against human rights and dignity, she said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan In addition to the fact that limousine travel is very glamorous, it is also the most comfortable trip you can... Can the government translate the hype around the Investment Summit to actual investments? As the government is set to roll out the red carpet for international investors in Kathmandu for the Investment Summit, industry observers say the event will be a test for the KP Sharma Oli administrations ability to translate the hype into actual investments. YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today had a meeting with President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Liliane Maury Pasquier in the Armenian Parliament, the PMs Office told Armenpress. During the meeting PM Pashinyan said the Council of Europe and PACE are key partners for Armenia in the process of developing democracy and strengthening the civil society. According to Pashinyan, the political changes which launched last year were linked with these processes, they didnt contain any foreign involvement because democracy for the Armenian people is not a foreign political orientation, but an internal belief and value system. The Armenian government has a great agenda of democratic reforms, and the active cooperation with the European structures, including the CoE and PACE, plays a vital role for their effective implementation, the PM said and in this context attached importance to his upcoming visit to Strasbourg in April during which he will deliver remarks at the PACE spring session. The PACE President said she is happy to meet with the Prime Minister of Armenia and discuss cooperation related issues. She said PACE carefully followed and continues following the developments in Armenia and welcomes the peaceful implementation of political changes. The citizens of Armenia managed to reach democratic changes peacefully, and this is a very good achievement for Armenia, Liliane Maury Pasquier said. She also touched upon the results of the recent snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, stating that the fact that majority of the citizens trusted their vote to the political force led by the PM is a great support to the government for implementing its reform agenda. The PACE President assured that the CoE and PACE are ready to support Armenia in this process and stated that they are looking forward to welcome Pashinyan in Strasbourg in two weeks. The sides also discussed the prospects of deepening the bilateral partnership. Prime Minister Pashinyan said strengthening democracy, institutional development are a priority for the Armenian government and in this context the constant strengthening of political institutions, independence of judiciary, freedom of speech are included in the agenda. Liliane Maury Pasquier once again stated that the CoE and PACE are ready to assist the government in this process, including within the frames of the 2019-2022 Action Plan with Armenia. Pashinyan thanked the PACE President for the readiness and stated that Armenia is a full member of the CoE and PACE and is interested in developing the mutual partnership with the European structures aimed at raising democratic standards in the country as its citizens have gained that right, and the government will make all efforts to ensure it at best. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenia cannot extradite its citizen Meri Aghajanyan to Israel, Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan told reporters. Aghajanyan is wanted by Israel for fraud. According to the minister, the Constitution prohibits the extradition of Armenian citizens. We are currently carrying out works in direction of mutual recognition of court rulings. If such an opportunity happens, naturally the court ruling must be recognized. At this moment there cant be any talk about extradition. It is prohibited to extradite Armenian citizens to other countries, he said. On March 2, Armenian police arrested Meri Aghajanyan at Zvartnots airport. Aghajanyan is wanted by Israel for aggravated fraud. According to The Jerusalem Post, the woman once served as office manager for MK and former tourism minister Stas Meseznikov. Since Armenia and Israel do not have bilateral agreement on extradition, the issue is regulated within the European Convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal cases. According to Paragraph 2, Article 55, A citizen of the Republic of Armenia cannot be extradited to a foreign state, with the exception of cases envisaged by international treaties ratified by the Republic of Armenia. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. PM Nikol Pashinyan has presented details about the process of launching the construction of the Ninotsminda-Bavra road, a section of high importance for Armenians of Javakheti, Georgia. He stressed that Armenia and Georgia are currently discussing a broader circle of issues in terms of implementation of regional projects. Speaking in parliament today in response to a question from My Step Alliance MP Shirak Torosyan, Pashinyan said he discussed the issue with both the former and incumbent prime ministers of Georgia. The latest information that theyve given is that the process is in the stage of a tender, and as a result of it the construction of the road will be commenced. But now we are discussing a broader circle of issues because we attach great importance to the implementation of regional projects. And in the given context we are interested not only in the Ninotsminda-Bavra section, but also the Batumi-Bavra section, because in this case our North-South project is fully placed already 100% in its logic. In the given case our proposed logic is the following, for us to be able to approach the issue within the logic of the Batumi- Bandar Abbas line, he said. The PM added that Armenia and Georgia are succeeding in keeping their bilateral relations out of geopolitical affects, however when the sides are discussing more expanded programs geopolitics starts to show its presence more tangibly. And you know what kind of problems we can face, there is no secret in what sensitivities we have in this region between Batumi and Bandar Abbas. These are the kind of projects that arent implementable within a week, thats why we must always keep this topic in our agenda, and when at some point the international situation becomes more favorable, which we are certain of, we will implement this project, Pashinyan said. The Armenian PM said now they can think about the Batumi-Armenia logic. If we succeed in implementing this project, they say from Yerevan to Batumi the road will be the same as from Tbilisi to Batumi. I dont know about this, I havent validated it, but this will be very beneficial for both Armenia and Georgia. Both me and the Georgian prime minister have recorded this and will discuss these topics during our future contacts, Pashinyan said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Director of the National Security Service Artur Vanetsyan on March 27 received US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy, the NSS told Armenpress. NSS chief Vanetsyan congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office in Armenia and expressed hope that the Armenian-American mutual cooperation in the security field will further intensify and will record new achievements. Artur Vanetsyan highlighted the importance of joint fight with different US agencies against international terrorism, cyber-attacks, drug trafficking and etc. In her turn the new US Ambassador thanked for the reception and stated that the meeting and discussion with the NSS Director was very important for the American side on how the US and Armenia can cooperate in fighting corruption and other global challenges. At the end of the meeting the sides outlined the future cooperation directions and expressed hope that the meeting will give new impetus to the bilateral partnership. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan Kumga chief Tumun, Golen chief Ninkama Bomai, Karimui leader Inuabe Egaiano and Kamare chief Launa were tribal leaders who became some of the first elected leaders to embrace the white mens ways. Dinga leader Aina was known as an engineer supervising the building of airstrips and roads throughout Chimbu and the highlands. In the beginning tribal leaders were the first to embrace the new ideas. The leaders were made Luluai and Tultul and others became policemen, postal boys, translators and held other responsible positions serving the colonial administration all over the highlands and the coast. The common Chimbu traits of peace, love, friendship, giving and family were encouraged so travel and communication among the tribes became easier. KUNDIAWA - After the Europeans came to Chimbu their laws were introduced among the people and any old ways that were unacceptable to the general principles of humanity were forbidden. Lawyer Theodore Banda of the Wandike clan in Gembogl was the first highlander to graduate from university in 1972, while Michael Danga was the first Chimbu man to play for national Kumuls rugby league team in 1966. The great Iambakey Palma Okuk hailed from the Kamaneku tribe in Chimbu. Ignatius Kilage was the first ordained Catholic priest from mainland New Guinea in 1968 and was later remembered as Papua New Guineas first Ombudsman. Yauwe Wauwe carried cargo for Jim Taylor in the 1940s and was later appointed Luluai for his Komongu tribe. He was elected to the first and second House of Assembly representing Chuave and also served on the board of the Chimbu Coffee Society. In 1980 he was elected to the Chimbu Provincial Assembly and became its speaker in 1984. He died in 1986 and the Chuave Secondary High School is named after him. Early contemporary artists such as Mathias Kauage interpreted traditional Chimbu culture in their paintings and their work is exhibited in Australia, England and many other countries. In the 1970s, educated people, entrepreneurs, politicians and government bureaucrats were highly regarded as leaders and became famous. Rugby league personalities were looked upon as heroes. Some Chimbu men also became patrol officers and served with the Australians kiaps in the administration. The training of these Papua New Guineans as patrol officers was begun by the Department of Native Affairs in 1961 at Finschhafen. A number of Chimbu men who had completed schooling in the late 1950s and 1960s joined the colonial Administration as patrol officers. They included Joseph (Joe) Nombri, John Mua Nilkare, Kimin Poka, John Wawe, Jim Nombri, John Gigmai, Joe Kaugla, Joe Towa, Mathew Towa, Jerry Gerry, Philip Gore, Steven Kume, Otto Olmi, Peter Abba, John Ninkama, Alfred Poka, Philip Opri, John Koma and Joseph Mogna. It was Administration policy not to post Papua New Guinean patrol officers or police to their home districts to ensure there were no conflicts of interest. However, as Papua New Guineans, they had a particularly good knowledge of culture, geography and language that made them equal to the task and sometimes better than their Australian counterparts in stopping tribal fights, conducting peace ceremonies, supervising compensation and running elections and censuses. Papua New Guinean kiaps from other provinces served in Chimbu during this time. They included Jerry Nalau from Morobe, who succeeded Laurie Doolan as District Commissioner in 1973, Paru Kairi from Gulf, Joe Kekemo from Henganofi in Eastern Highlands, Jack Tagita from Milne Bay, Jeffrey Dia from Wabag, Luke Pena from Western Highlands, Caspir Angapi from Sepik, Gerson Amen from New Ireland and Bruno Garima from Bundi in Madang. Another milestone in the development of Chimbu was the commissioning of Radio Chimbu, Karai Blo Mambu. Iambakey Okuk as regional MP for Chimbu uttered the first words on air from the new station on 17 October 1973. Of the indigenous kiaps, Sir Joseph (Joe) Nombri Kt OBE MBE ISO in later years was to become a distinguished statesman knighted by the Queen. Due to the rule I described, Joe Nombri did not serve in Chimbu during his kiap days. He was born in September 1940 in Wagl village, Pari, near Kundiawa, the only child of Nombri of the Kamanuku tribe and Degbabo of the Kengaku tribe. In the mid-1950s Joe attended Gon School in Kundiawa and later went to Goroka High School and then to Sogeri High School in the early 1960s. One of his schoolmates was Michael Somare, who was to become the first chief minister and then prime minister of Papua New Guinea from 1975. Joe was received a scholarship to attend school in Australia, after which he trained at the Administrative College in Port Moresby graduating as a patrol officer. John Nilkare, who became a kiap two years after Joe, described him as the smartest indigenous patrol officer I had known, even smarter than the white kiaps. Joe served with distinction as a patrol officer in Western, Enga and East New Britain and travelled to many other parts of Papua New Guinea on his duties. He became the first indigenous district commissioner from the highlands, serving in Southern Highlands and, at independence, in Morobe. He was later appointed Public Service Commissioner and in 1981 was appointed ambassador to Japan where he served for over 11 years. In Japan he mastered the Japanese language and became a close friend of the Emperor. He also successfully negotiated K8 million in funding from the Japanese government to construct a provincial hospital in his home town of Kundiawa. In the mid-1960s, Joe had been a member of the famous Bully Beef Club which was the beginning of PNGs pre-eminent political party, Pangu, of which in 1967 he was the founding president. Another Chimbu, Joe Nombris cousin Iambakey Okuk, elected MP for Chimbu in 1972, played a key role in ensuring Michael Somares rise to eminence and in leading PNG to independence. Joe Nombri, Kiunga, 1969 Joes kiap mate Phil Fitzpatrick, who was based in Kiunga in the late 1960s, in an article on the popular PNG Attitude blog recalled a moment when they conspired together: Joe and I shared a house at Kiunga. We repainted the old kero fridge in Pangu Pati colours to upset the District Commissioner when he visited. Joe also liked to greet visiting dignitaries at the airport carrying a sign saying Open season on swans. This was a reference to the swanning around on fact-finding missions practiced by many senior public servants in the years immediately before independence. After he returned from Japan, Joe stood for the regional seat in 1992 but was unsuccessful. Late in his life, Joe battled throat cancer for many years. He went to Brisbane for specialist treatment but the cancer was too advanced. When Joe died in Port Moresby aged 70 in 2008, the hospital in Kundiawa was named the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Kundiawa General Hospital in memory of this most humble Chimbu leader. The late Tangil Okuk wrote of his uncle in his Facebook column after his death in 2008: PNG is surely in need of the likes of this humble servant. He gave everything and more and I personally have never heard him complain or utter grievances about the system and people who had let him down in his years after public service. Sir J always kept his dignity intact. He was a man mountain amongst others... This is an edited extract from Mathias Kins book, My Chimbu, available from Amazon AskMen Style Defined: Liven Up a Basic Black Coat How to Give Your Puffer Coat a Fresh Look The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Here at AskMen, we strive to bring you new and interesting content to help answer any questions you may have from sex and dating to health and fitness and food and booze. And this seventh installment of our new weekly series AskMen Style Defined is all about reimagining an otherwise simple outfit. RELATED: AskMen Style Defined Last Week: Business but Not as Usual New York City-based blogger Justin Livingston started his blog Scout Sixteen in 2009 as a personal passion project and creative outlet while working part time and going to school. In 2008 he landed his first job at Teen Vogue in the editorial department, and that was a big deal for the Mississippi native. But whereas some young fashion folks would have been moths to the Conde Nast flame, never wanting to leave, Livingston had other plans. After a few jumps [from job to job] in the years following [Teen Vogue], I started working in e-commerce doing social media management, he tells us. I had been working on my blog during this time, but solely as a creative outlet, and out of nowhere, it started to gain some serious traction. Then in 2015, he finally became untethered to a day job and began to fully focus on his once humble hobby, which allowed him to get more creative with his wardrobe workmanship. I've always been inspired by people I see on the street, he says about where he draws his inspiration from. I love seeing someone feeling themselves, feeling confident in what they're wearing. It's that confidence that encourages me to try out new styles that I wouldnt normally attempt. Livingston calls this weeks AskMen Style Defined look his take on classic with a twist. I'm all about trying out new trends and not limiting [myself] to any single style category, he explains. Even though I typically gravitate toward classic silhouettes, I like to add a dash of personality. He tells us he was looking for a playful vibe with a subtle dose color: I love that these striped Scotch & Soda pants give an otherwise generic outfit a playful upgrade. Paired with the standard issue black puffer coat most people have, these pants allow you to stand out in a crowd while still sticking to a fairly routine winter routine. The H&M puffer coat has also been a favorite in my arsenal because it offers the perfect balance of style and function, he adds. What is Livingston excited about for spring? He tells us: Aside from looking forward to the warm weather, I'm planning to infuse a lot of safari-esque elements to my spring wardrobe think structured hats, leather accents, and cropped cargo shorts in Earth tones. RELATED: AskMen Style Defined: Shake Off the Cold With This Warmed Up Spring Style Based on all the spring trends heading down the runway, it sounds like hes going to nail it. If you are looking for something to break up the monotony of the ubiquitous black puffer coat, we suggest trying something a little more daring, like a pair of bold striped pants. Items to shop inspired by Livingstons look: Budget: H&M Padded Jacket, $49.99 at hm.com LLBean Sunwashed Canvas Shirt, $44.95 at LLBean.com Zara Striped Suit Pants, $69.90 at Zara.com Oliver Cabell Low 1 Shoes, $178 at OliverCabell.com Baller: Balenciaga Down Jacket, $2,490 at Balenciaga.com Pilgrim Surf + Supply Fletcher Flannel Shirt, $210 at MrPorter.com Blake Striped Pleated Trousers, $225 at Scotch-Soda.com Saint Laurent SL/01 Leather Sneakers, $525 at MrPorter.com We think this fun take for the first still-cold days of spring is both fun and functional, but what do you think? What do you want to see? Do you have a look you like? Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and friend us on Facebook to share your best looks or tell us about someone we should check out. Tag us and use the hashtag #AskMenStyleDefined to get our attention. Or email us directly at [email protected] with AskMen Style Defined in the subject line. Maybe next week, well pick you! You Might Also Dig: AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. It was a conversation that changed the world. Dr Bronwyn King, an Australian radiation oncologist, was speaking with her super fund representative as she wanted to buy a house but wasnt sure how much money she had in her fund. The conversation was straightforward, a nice chat, as King described. But as she was getting ready to leave, she asked: By the way, was I supposed to tell you what to do with that money? No, no, no, you dont need to worry; its all taken care of, youre in the default option, the representative responded. Are you telling me Im currently investing in tobacco? It triggered a question: Does there mean there are no other options? Relating it now, King remembers how the superfund representative rolled his eyes as he said, Look theres one greenie option for people who have a problem with investing in mining, alcohol and tobacco. Dr Bronwyn King and her team launch the Tobacco Free Finance Pledge at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Image: Supplied King responded, Did you just say tobacco? Yes. Are you telling me Im currently investing in tobacco? she asked again, aghast. Oh, yes. Everyone. That was March 2010, and thats where the Tobacco Free Portfolios initiative began. Today, the combined assets of the Australian super funds that have implemented a tobacco-free investment policy is a staggering $1.3 trillion. Taking on big tobacco At the latest tally, Australia has got about $2.7 trillion dollars in superannuation and that makes that the fourth largest amount of superannuation of any country in the world, King told Yahoo Finance. That money has the power to really influence or change things. So we really need to think about which companies were investing in and which ones were not investing in. I had to learn a new language, and I had to do a lot of work to imagine what it was like to sit opposite me around the boardroom table and have the discussion from the other side. Tobacco Free Portfolios as the name suggests is a campaign celebrating, encouraging and uniting major investors who are considering or have removed tobacco firms from their portfolios. Story continues And the journey to Tobacco Free Portfolios was incredible. King had to learn how to bridge the gap between the financial services sector and the health sector on the issue, which meant learning about finance and critically finding people who would listen. I had to learn a new language, and I had to do a lot of work to imagine what it was like to sit opposite me around the boardroom table and have the discussion from the other side. She secretly hopes for an honorary degree in finance, she quips, as after all the learning she did she believes she deserves one. But it was a really important part of the process. I couldnt be taken seriously until I spoke the right language. The next challenge was finding leaders willing to take the leap. Initially, King found three super funds that had no-tobacco policies, Christian Super, Local Government Super and Australian Ethical. But thanks to a number of closed-door conversations, that number grew and grew. Theres a photo King loves of when Tobacco Free Portfolios hit that $1.3 trillion figure in Australia alone. It leaves a great legacy for the next generation, they feel very proud of the decision. There are around 60 people in it. The best part? The finance leaders not just in Australia but globally feel great about making this decision. It leaves a great legacy for the next generation, they feel very proud of the decision, King said. In the end, its something that they can look back on with great satisfaction knowing that theyve done the right thing. So I think thats what it took to get there. Tobacco Free Portfolios hits $1.3 trillion in assets under management. Image: Supplied It also took a determined strategy: dont talk to the tobacco firms, its not worth it. But when funds and leaders do make the decision to move away from funding tobacco, shout it from the rooftops. We work in good spirits behind the scenes, collaboratively, professionally, patiently for as long as it takes to help financial organisations land on tobacco free, she said. When they do, were the first to really, genuinely congratulate them and thank them for making such a great decision. That has been a strategy that has served us very well and has left us with a wonderful network of people who feel really passionately about this issue and who want to help us. So, whats next? Fast-forward to September 2018: King is launching the Tobacco Free Finance Pledge at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Its a pinch-me moment for King. The pledge is a partnership with three UN agencies and a collective of some of the worlds biggest financial organisations like BNP Paribas, AXA, Natixis and AMP Capital. And on the day of the launch, there were 94 Founding Signatories controlling more than US$6.5 trillion (A$9.11 trillion). For the first time ever the global finance sector was standing shoulder to shoulder with global health leaders and governments on the issue of tobacco. Thats never happened before, and Im very happy that it happened. US dollars, she emphasised. So that was a start. The pledge will be open to signatories for the next three years, with a series of events encouraging financial organisations around the world to sign up. Dr Bronwyn King meets with Malcolm Turnbull at the United Nations. Image: Supplied Just this week, a 44bn (A$69.5 billion) Finnish pension fund, Varma, made the pledge. Today, the pledge is what makes King the proudest. All of these incredible people were in the room, she said. For the first time ever the global finance sector was standing shoulder to shoulder with global health leaders and governments on the issue of tobacco. Thats never happened before, and Im very happy that it happened. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, property and tech news. (Adds Chinese Foreign Ministry comment) By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) - The United States sent Navy and Coast Guard ships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the U.S. military said, as part of an increase in the frequency of movement through the strategic waterway despite opposition from China. The voyage risks raising tensions with China further but will likely be viewed by self-ruled Taiwan as a sign of support from Washington amid growing friction between Taipei and Beijing. The two ships were identified as the Navy destroyer Curtis Wilbur and the Coast Guard cutter Bertholf, a U.S. military statement said. "The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the statement said. "The U.S. will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows," it added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing that China had already lodged "representations" with the United States, and that it had paid "close attention" to the U.S. ships. China urges the United States to "cautiously and appropriately handle the Taiwan issue to avoid harming Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan strait", Geng said. In Taipei, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said the ships had passed through the Taiwan Strait from the southwest and proceeded in a northerly direction. Taiwan's armed forces monitored their progress to "ensure regional stability and security of the coastal border region", the ministry said, adding nothing out of the ordinary was observed and there was no cause for alarm. Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom of navigation patrols. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, to China's anger, will stop over in Hawaii this week at the end of a tour of the Pacific. Story continues Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help provide the democratic island with the means to defend itself and is its main source of arms. The Pentagon says the United States has sold Taiwan more than $15 billion in weaponry since 2010. Beijing has been ramping up pressure to assert its sovereignty over the island, which it considers a wayward province of "one China" and sacred Chinese territory. China has repeatedly sent military aircraft and ships to circle Taiwan during drills in the past few years and worked to isolate the island internationally, whittling down its few remaining diplomatic allies. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency released a report earlier this year describing Taiwan as the "primary driver" for China's military modernization, which it said had made major advances in recent years. U.S. President Donald Trump has said trade negotiations with China were progressing and a final agreement "will probably happen," adding that his call for tariffs to remain on Chinese imported goods for some time did not mean talks were in trouble. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Yimou Lee in TAIPEI and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Sandra Maler and Michael Perry) Can you imagine announcing your pregnancy at work, only to later find out that eight of your coworkers are pregnant, too? The nurses at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME, sure can! MMC Registered Nurse Erin Grenier is the first of nine nurses on the Labor and Delivery floor expecting a baby between April and July of this year. "I guess I started a trend!" Grenier joked. The biggest advantage? "Everywhere we look, there's someone who's an expert!" said nurse Amanda Spear, who's due in early June. "It's really nice coming to work and seeing other people who are just as pregnant and watching their bellies pop and just talking about these experiences that we are going through together." These Labor and Delivery Nurses have been there for each other since the very beginning, making their coinciding pregnancies a major bonding experience. "After each one of us started to say, 'We're pregnant,' I think it was a happier announcement each time, and we're all there for each other," Grenier told WMTW. "After each one of us started to say, 'We're pregnant,' I think it was a happier announcement each time, and we're all there for each other." Nurse Samantha Giglio, who's due on June 12, also says having such a huge support system is constantly reassuring. "I think it's comforting knowing we're all in this together," she said. When you work at a hospital and many of your friends are nurses, I guess there's really no better place to be pregnant. The nurses even took a photo together, standing in order of their due dates. From left to right in the photo above are Registered Nurses Erin Grenier, Rachel Stellmach, Brittney Verville, Lonnie Soucie, Amanda Spear, Samantha Giglio, Nicole Goldberg, Nicole Barnes, and Holly Selby. While some of the nurses are second-time or even fourth-time moms, others are first-time moms. But working on the Labor and Delivery floor has prepared each of them for what to expect and how to be there for each other when the time comes. As for the coworkers' schedules, six of the nine nurses share the same weekend shift, but MMC has had plenty of time to prepare and has already planned to cover each shift. Story continues All nine nurses plan to be there for each other's births to show support, and they plan to take another group photo again in the Fall once their babies have been born. Until then, keep reading to check out their matching outfits and to find out when each nurse is due! Related: "Don't Drink the Water!" Says 1 of the 5 Pregnant Women Who Work in the Same Doctor's Office A sleepy village in the Alps has reacted with shock after the bullet-riddled body of a former French spy who had been linked to a plot to kill a Congolese opposition leader was found on the side of a local road. Daniel Forestier, 57, a former secret agent who had been living in the Alps for years, was found dead on March 21 on a remote lay-by outside the village of Ballaison, near Lake Geneva, on the French-Swiss border. Forestier, who was charged last year over a plot to murder exiled Congolese General Ferdinand Mbaou, had been shot five times, including in the head and heart, his lawyer Cedric Huissoud told AFP on Tuesday. The mysterious execution-style killing triggered speculation that Forestier had been targeted either because he knew too much, or because of a desire for revenge. "It's hard to believe that this murder bore no connection with his implication in the Mbaou affair," a source close to the investigation told AFP on condition of anonymity. News of the death surprised locals in the village of Lucinges, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the south of Ballaison, where Forestier, a father-of-two, had served on the local council. In an interview with the regional Dauphine Libere newspaper, Mayor Jean-Luc Soulat said he felt "a lot of sadness and shock". While Forestier's spy past was no secret -- he had used his own money to publish a semi-autobiographical novel entitled "Barbouze de la Republique" ("Spy for the Republic") -- Soulat said he had thrown himself into village life on arriving in Lucinges in 2002. Forestier first ran a local bar named "Escapade" and later served four years on the local council. His lawyer said he "led a clean-living, peaceful life" and had never had any brushes with the law before being charged in September over a plot to murder Mbaou, an arch-critic of Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Reacting to Forestier's murder, Mbaou, who has been living in France for most of the past 20 years, told AFP he was "saddened." "I hope that his death does not prevent justice being served, but I'm confident," he added, referring to the alleged plot to kill him. "He (Forestier) was not acting alone. There are other suspects." His lawyers said it highlighted the threat to the life of the Congolese politician, who has already survived one attempt on his life in France. "None of the protagonists in this affair are safe, starting with our client," they said in a statement. - Criticising Congo's president - In September, investigators charged Forestier and another former agent from France's external intelligence service (DGSE) Bruno Susini, with being part of a criminal conspiracy and possession of explosives in connection with a plot to murder Mbaou. Mbaou believes he was targeted for criticising one of Africa's longest-serving leaders from what he thought to be a safe distance. The 62-year-old general is known for his outspoken attacks on Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled the former French colony and oil-rich central African country of 4.5 million people for some 35 years. Mbaou fled Congo after his former boss, the country's first democratically-elected president Pascal Lissouba, was overthrown by Sassou Nguesso in 1997. In 2015, he was shot in the back as he was leaving his home in Bessancourt, north of Paris. No one was ever charged over that attack. - 'Bizarre affair' - Forestier, who is believed to have worked as a spy for 14 years, had denied any hand in the plot and launched an appeal against the charges. "My client always rejected these incredible allegations, which were based on an account from a single anonymous source," Forestier's lawyer Huissoud told AFP. "This affair was bizarre from the start," Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, the lawyer of Forestier's co-accused Susini, told AFP, adding that the two ex-spies had been "very worried about their safety" after some of their personal details -- including pictures of Forestier's home -- had been shared on social media. The probe into Forestier's killing is being led by the same anti-gang crime squad in the city of Lyon which was investigating him over the plot against Mbaou. burs-cb/adp/har French former spy Daniel Forestier and another ex-agent were charged last year in connection with a plot to murder exiled General Ferdinand Mbaou (pictured) Health care services in disarray due to lengthy bureaucratic process, officials say Health workers complain that several programmes of the health sector have been affected by the lengthy process created under the federal system. The only catch is the lottery is in the US. Its the fourth largest jackpot in US history, NBC 12 reports. Wagering company The Lottery Office, a subsidiary of Global Players Network Pty Ltd, is giving Aussies the chance to win the prize by offering entries into a number of overseas lotteries including Thursdays Powerball draw. Participants can find out more about buying tickets in the US Powerball jackpot through The Lottery Offices website. A customer purchases Powerball tickets for Thursdays draw in Methuen, Massachusetts. Source: AAP General manager Jaclyn Mundey told News Corp the company is licensed to operate our own lotteries just like Tatts are and is the only company in Australia with the business model. Were required to buy the matching ticket, thats what our license says, she told News Corp. Move to ban The Lottery Office in WA In June last year, the government passed legislation to ban gambling on overseas lotteries in Australia. Earlier this month, the Australian reported West Australias state government had made moves to ban The Lottery Office because it broke a state law in advertising an overseas lottery. But Ms Mundey told the paper The Lottery Office operates out of the Northern Territory and is therefore legal. In a statement, Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield said the aim was to protect small businesses including newsagents, pharmacies and pubs who operate long-standing, recreational betting services. It led to the withdrawal of 33 offshore wagering sites from Australian markets in 12 months, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Australians can enter the $1 billion Powerball draw in the US via The Lottery Office. Source: Getty Images (file pic) Newsagents express concerns about new ticketing model Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association chief executive Ben Kearney told News Corp hes seeking advice about The Lottery Office model and will speak with regulators. We do have initial concerns that the model could raise questions under some state and federal acts, he told News Corp. The $1 billion lottery will be drawn at 11.30am AEST. In other lottery news, a drought-stricken NSW farmer said an enormous weight was lifted off his shoulders when he won $200,000 in September last year. Story continues Last month a winner in Jamaica raised a few eyebrows when he wore a disguise to collect his winnings. He was concerned about being hounded for money or getting robbed. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. Embattled aviation giant Boeing pledged Wednesday to do all it can to prevent crashes like the two that killed nearly 350 people in recent months, as it unveiled a fix to the flight software of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft. Boeing gathered hundreds of pilots and reporters to unveil the changes to the MCAS stall prevention system, which has been implicated in the tragedies in Ethiopia and Indonesia, as part of a charm offensive to restore the company's reputation. "We are going to do everything to make sure that accidents like this don't happen again," Mike Sinnett, Boeing's vice president of product strategy, told reporters at a factory in Washington state. Meanwhile, across the country in the nation's capital, the head of the US air safety agency faced harsh questions from senators over its relationship with and oversight of Boeing. Dan Elwell, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, defended his agency but acknowledged that as systems become more complex, the FAA's "oversight approach needs to evolve." Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and other top officials were also on the hot seat on Capitol Hill. Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg was not called to the Senate hearing, but is expected to testify at a later date. Ahead of the tough questioning, the company launched a campaign to convince the flying public that it is addressing the issues with the 737 MAX, including a fix to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) implicated in the deadly crashes. At the company's massive factory in Renton, Washington, Boeing unveiled the software changes and offered reassurances. Sinnett said it will take only about an hour to install the updates and they can begin as soon as regulators authorize the changes, which were developed "after months of testing and hundreds of hours." - Authorization pending - The MCAS, which makes the aircraft dive in order to regain speed if it detects a stall or loss of airspeed, was developed specifically for the 737 MAX, which has a heavier engine than its predecessor, the 737 NG. Among the changes, the MCAS will no longer repeatedly make corrections when the pilot tries to regain control, and will be automatically disconnected in the event of disagreements between the two "angle of attack" (AOA) sensors, the company said. This is a major change because until the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy earlier this month, the MCAS was set to react to information from a single sensor and would repeatedly override pilot corrections. The initial investigation into the Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October found that one of the AOA sensors failed but continued to transmit erroneous information to the MCAS. Boeing also will install a warning feature -- at no cost --- called a "disagree light" to indicate to the pilot when the left and right AOA sensors are out of sync. The company also is revising pilot training, including for those already certified on the 737, to provide "enhanced understanding of the 737 MAX" flight system and crew procedures. US pilots complained after the Lion Air crash that they had not been fully briefed on the system. - 'Directly involved' - In Washington, US aviation regulators faced questions about how certification for the MAX was handled. Lawmakers also want to know why officials did not immediately ground the aircraft after an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashed shortly after takeoff near Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 people onboard. The delay has given rise to suspicions of a too-cozy relationship between regulators and the American plane maker, especially since Chinese and European authorities moved quickly to ban the planes as soon as similarities with the Lion Air crash were raised. The FAA -- which delegates some certification procedures to Boeing, including for parts of the MAX -- was "directly involved" in the safety review of the MCAS, Elwell said. "The certification process was detailed and thorough," but "time yields more data," he added. A Boeing official meanwhile said there was no need to revamp a regulatory process that has "continued to lead to safer and safer airplanes." At a separate hearing, Chao said she was "concerned about any allegations of coziness with any company," but noted that allowing Boeing to handle some of its own safety certifications was necessary because the FAA "can't do it on their own." She said she has ordered the Transportation Department's inspector general, Calvin Scovel, to investigate the MAX certification, and Scovel in turn noted various concerns with FAA inspectors and procedures. In his prepared testimony, he called on the agency to tighten oversight of companies that self-certify. But a Boeing official countered that wholesale changes were not needed, saying: "In general, the process has worked and continues to work, and we see no reason to overhaul the process." Boeing employees work on a 737 MAX jet at the company's factory in Renton, Washington -- the aviation giant has unveiled a fix to the software system of the jet, which has suffered two deadly crashes in recent months Boeing's vice president of product strategy, Mike Sinnett, presented the flight software fix for the company's embattled 737 MAX passenger jet Timeline of the history of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft since its certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2017 Southwest is one of the airlines that flies the now grounded 737 MAX aircraft Workers stand under the wing of a Boeing 737 MAX airplane at the company's factory in Renton, Washington Boeing 737 MAX deliveries and orders, per region and company Australian police on Wednesday said they had apprehended a British suspected drug offender, who tried to flee to Papua New Guinea on a jet ski. Border police said they received a tip-off that "a man, possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies, had been seen launching the jet ski" from a peninsula in the far northeast of the country. The suspect -- "a 57-year-old UK national who was subject to an outstanding warrant for drug-related charges in Western Australia" -- was caught on mudflats off an island just kilometres (miles) from the Papua New Guinea mainland. He had travelled roughly 150 kilometres (90 miles) across the Torres Strait. The man is currently awaiting extradition to West Australia. His jet ski was towed. "We have the ability to detect a range of border threats, including suspicious movements through the region," the Australian Border Force's Jo Crooks said. "Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again," she said. A British man wanted for drug-related charges was apprehended by border police British Prime Minister Theresa May will renew attempts to push through her Brexit plan Thursday, after she dramatically offered to quit to save her deal and MPs failed in their own bid to break the deadlock. At risk of losing control of the process of leaving the European Union, the leader announced late Wednesday she would resign if parliament finally backed her withdrawal agreement. The offer came just hours before the House of Commons took part in an unprecedented series of votes to seek an alternative plan -- but all eight proposals failed to find a majority, highlighting divisions among MPs. Brexit minister Steve Barclay said the outcome "strengthens our view that the deal our government has negotiated is the best option". MPs have twice rejected May's Brexit deal, both times by large majorities, prompting the leader to announce what is expected to be her final offer. "I know there is a desire for a new approach -- and new leadership -- in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that," she told a packed meeting of her Conservative MPs. "But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." There are signs of softening among her rebel MPs, with a number of Eurosceptics performing a U-turn including former foreign secretary Boris Johnson -- a likely contender to replace May -- who told fellow MPs on Wednesday he would support the deal. But her offer may not be enough to win round some hardliners, including a group of Conservatives reported to call themselves "The Spartans" who are still holding out -- as is the Democratic Unionist Party, the Northern Irish party which props up May's government. The DUP says the "backstop" plan in the deal to keep open the border with EU member Ireland after Brexit poses an "unacceptable threat" to the United Kingdom's political union. The opposition Labour and Scottish National parties are also against the deal. - 'Back me and sack me' - Britain's Daily Mail newspaper questioned whether her "sacrifice" would be in vain while the Guardian called her resignation offer "a stitch-up for a bad deal". The i newspaper summed up her offer with the headline "Back me and sack me," adding that she had ignited a Conservative Party leadership contest. May agreed with the EU last week to delay Brexit amid fears Britain was heading for a potentially catastrophic "no deal" exit on Friday. Downing Street has hopes of returning its deal to MPs for a third vote this week, but said it would only do this if it believed it would win. If her deal is passed by MPs, Brexit will happen on May 22 -- but if not, she must return to Brussels before April 12 to explain what happens next. Frustrated by May's refusal to change strategy, backbench MPs staged their own series of votes. MPs were asked to vote yes or no to eight options but there was no majority for any of them. A plan for a new customs union with the EU after Brexit came closest, defeated by a slim margin of 272 votes to 264, but May has repeatedly ruled out this option. A proposal to put May's deal, if agreed, to a "confirmatory" public vote also came close to passing, defeated by 295 to 268 votes -- a result that drew huge cheers in the Commons. Time has now been set aside on Monday for MPs to try and whittle down the most popular options -- however, the motions are not binding on May. British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to step down if MPs back her EU divorce deal Anti-Brexit protesters have rallied outside parliament as MPs debate the way forward Theresa May continued to defend her twice-rejected deal in parliament on Wednesday Profile of British Prime Minister Theresa May Venezuelans wavered between despair and rage Wednesday as they endured a third day of a near-nationwide blackout that has paralyzed their country -- the second such outage this month. "Food stocks are starting to rot. There's no water. The transport virtually doesn't work. There's no means of communication," said Nestor Carreno, who was forced to shutter his pizzeria in a formerly upscale district of Caracas. "I don't know how my family is doing. Insecurity is growing." A cacophony of saucepans being banged out of windows and car horns in the street has filled the capital since the start of the vast outage. Memories of the first, which began March 7 and lasted a week -- forcing citizens to seek water from rivers and sewage outflows as pumps came to a halt -- fed the anguish. Many residents stocked up on food and water. The government of President Nicolas Maduro, which blamed the blackouts on US "cybernetic" attacks and opposition "sabotage" and "terrorism," ordered the closure of public offices and schools, which he extended to Thurdsday. Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said a new power cut had plunged some parts of Caracas and other regions into the darkness once again, shortly after electricity had been restored. He said work was continuing to fix "equipment damaged by terrorism." The outage was affecting 21 of Venezuela's 23 states, according to social media users. The government has given no official information on its scale. Juan Guaido, the opposition leader whom the US and many of its allies recognize as the country's interim president over Maduro, called for a national protest on Saturday over "the lack of public services." "The light has gone, we can't remain passive actors," Guaido told supporters. He has rejected the government's allegations that the opposition was behind the latest blackout as "lies." - 'The worst you can live through' - Caracas resident Mildred Tejeras, 48, explained the daily hardships. "You don't know if you'll be able to get back home if you've gone out to look for something to eat or, now, power or water. We are living through the worst that you can live through in Venezuela," she said. Power cuts have become frequent in Venezuela over the past few years, underlining the long slide into crisis that the country, once South America's wealthiest, has experienced. But this month's blackouts were unprecedented in scale. Experts calculate they cost Venezuela's economy $200 million per day. In both cases, the government said they were caused by disruptions at the country's main power plant, the Guri hydroelectric dam on the Orinoco River in the south that supplies 80 percent of Venezuelans' power. - Russian troops - Outside of the anxiety and political exchanges over the blackout, the presence of Russian troops in Venezuela has made the climate more febrile. "It seems (Maduro's government) doesn't trust its own troops, because it is importing others... once again violating the constitution," Guaido said in the opposition-run congress on Tuesday. Under Venezuela's constitution, any foreign military mission in the country needs to be approved by the congress. Russia, Maduro's main ally and one of its biggest creditors along with China, sent 100 troops and 35 tons of military equipment aboard two flights to Caracas over the weekend. Moscow said it was done in "full respect for (Venezuela's) legal norms" and to head off what it described as a US-organized "coup." But US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly warned that "all options" were available to deal with Venezuela, said "Russia has to get out." He spoke at the White House with Guaido's wife, Fabiana Rosales, at his side. Trump said Maduro and his government "have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. They've got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity." "Other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have... All options are open," he added. For her part, Rosales told reporters that she denounced "the new wave of repression and persecution exacerbated by the regime." A woman holds a sign reading "Light for Venezuela" in Caracas during an opposition rally President Nicolas Maduro's government has ordered the closure of public offices and schools due to the blackout Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has rejected government claims of opposition involvement in the blackouts as "lies" Stores shuttered and streets were left deserted in blackout-hit Caracas US President Donald Trump meets with Guaido's wife Fabiana Rosales at the White House on March 27, 2019 Italian prosecutors have lifted a block on a boat that rescued 49 migrants off the Libyan coast and brought them to Italy in mid-March, the collective operating it announced Wednesday. "Happy to announce that the Mare Jonio is free," the Mediterranea collective of aid groups announced. Prosecutors in Agrigento, on the southern island of Sicily, had said the sequestration order on the boat had been lifted, it wrote online. Officials seized the vessel on March 19 as part of an investigation into illegal immigration filed against the ship's captain, Pietro Marrone and the mission chief Luca Casarini. Although a Libyan coastguard vessel was nearby when the migrants were rescued, the crew preferred to take the migrants to Italy, as their safety and wellbeing could not be guaranteed in Libya. Even though the Italian authorities had ordered them to stay away, the boat had to shelter from storms off the island of Lampedusa. Marrone and Casarini are still under investigation over that incident, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. The authorities seized the vessel for having ignored those instructions, and at that point the migrants were able to disembark, at least one of whom required medical attention. Over the past few weeks, there have been no aid vessels patrolling the Mediterranean, but the German group Sea-Eye has announced that its boat, the Alan Kurdi had set sail on Tuesday and would resupply at Majorca, Spain. The boat is named after the Syrian boy who was found drowned on a beach in Turkey in September 2015. Italian officials seized a migrant rescue vessel, similar to the one pictured January 2019, as part of an investigation into illegal immigration filed against the ship's captain, but the sequestration order has been lifted Chanting and swaying to the hypnotic rhythm of prayer until they reach a trance-like state, the group of dervishes then pierce their cheeks with long needles, without drawing blood or showing pain. Dozens of Sufi dervishes from the Kadiri order gathered in Gjakova, a city in western Kosovo, earlier this month to celebrate the centuries-old spring equinox festival of "Sultan Nevruz". Considered a mystical sect by fellow Muslims in Kosovo and Albania, the dervishes belong to an array of Islamic Sufi orders. Arranged in a circle inside their 'tekke' -- a small house of worship that bears little resemblance to a traditional mosque -- they move to the sound of drums and tambourines as they make their profession of faith. The crescendo of sound culminates in the piercings, which involves putting a long metal skewer into the mouth and pushing it out through the cheek. The believers do not feel pain because of the "passion that explodes like a volcano," explains Agron Juniku, a dervish leader from Tirana who joined the ritual with others from Albania. It is, he says, "a devotion to God, a challenge to yourself". Gjakova, which is known as Djakovica in Serbian, is one of the strongholds of the Balkan dervishes. But not all orders partake in the piercings, such as the larger community of Bektashi dervishes -- the fourth biggest religious community in Albania after Sunni Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Catholics. While 95 percent of Kosovo's 1.8 million inhabitants are Muslim, only a tiny fraction -- a few thousand -- are dervishes. At the height of the sping equinox festival, Kosovo's Kadiri dervishes put a metal skewer into their mouths and push it out through the cheek, showing no sign of pain These dervishes say they do not feel pain because of the "passion that explodes like a volcano," they say, an expression of pure love for God Considered a mystical sect by fellow Muslims in Kosovo and Albania, the dervishes are essentially followers of Sufism Before the piercing ritual, the needle is swirled around before being inserted into the cheek How bigand widespreadis the Chand party? Depends who you ask. It is not clear whether the Chand group has formed its own armylike the Maoists had during the insurgency daysbut many believe it has hundreds, if not thousands, of weapons in its possession. Lebanon said on Wednesday it wanted to follow the example of eastern EU states that have largely rejected refuging its own refugee crisis as a way of resolvs. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil sympathised with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia's refusal to accept refugee distribution quotas proposed by the EU in the wake of the 2015-16 migrant crisis, when more than a million people streamed into Europe, mostly from war-torn Syria. Populist eastern EU leaders including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Poland's powerbroker Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Czech President Milos Zeman, among others, blasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open door" policy on accepting migrants during that period. These countries "were acting in their national interest and decided that the redistribution of refugees among European countries is not in their national interest, although they faced EU sanctions for that," Bassil told reporters in Prague. "I would like this attitude to be an inspiration for Lebanon, because every state must make national interests its top priority and at this moment Lebanon's key national interest is the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland," he added. Lebanon says it is hosting 1.5 million Syrians -- around a quarter of its own population. Less than one million of them are registered with UN refugee agency the UNHCR. Most of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in insecurity and depend on international aid. The International Monetary Fund has said their presence has led to increased unemployment and a rise in poverty due to greater competition for jobs. The influx has also put strain on Lebanese water and electrical infrastructure. Lebanese government officials and politicians have ramped up calls for Syrians to return home, but the United Nations has consistently warned that conditions in the war-ravaged country are not suitable for such returns. "I would like Prague or Beirut to host a meeting, an initiative of countries seeking to plan and ensure the return of Syrian refugees to their country," said Bassil. "This would be immensely useful for both Lebanon and Syria and in general it would be the best solution to the human, humanitarian and political crisis we have right now and which could get worse in the future," he said. Lebanese Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil (left) said after meeting Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek in Prague that, like Eastern European states, his country had to put national interest first in dealing with migration Islamabad said Wednesday it had handed New Delhi "preliminary findings" over a major suicide attack in Kashmir claimed by Pakistan-based militants, adding it would now seek more evidence from India for its investigation into the bombing. Relations between the two nuclear-armed South Asian countries nose-dived after a suicide bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir last month killed 40 Indian security personnel and was later claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad. Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered cooperation in investigation if credible evidence was provided by India. "The Government of Pakistan has shared preliminary findings with the Government of India after examining the Indian report on Pulwama incident," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward," it said without giving further details including the nature of evidence sought. The information was shared with the Indian high commissioner, who was summoned to the foreign ministry for the purpose. Days after the Pulwama attack, New Delhi -- which has long accused Islamabad of harbouring militants who launch attacks on its soil -- demanded Pakistan take "credible and visible action". Soon after it launched a cross-border air raid on Pakistan that kicked off a quick succession of attacks and dogfights between the arch-rivals over the disputed Kashmir frontier that spurred fears of wider war erupting. Pakistani and Indian soldiers have continued to fire over the Line of Control -- the de-facto border dividing Kashmir, killing several civilians on both sides. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it. Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and offered cooperation in investigation if credible evidence was provided by India If Britain's political system fails to break its Brexit logjam, the country is faced with the prospect of crashing out of the European Union on April 12. Here are the main ways Britain would be affected: - Business planning - Around 80 percent of British companies judged themselves ready for a "no deal" exit, according to a Bank of England survey published on March 21, up from 50 percent in an equivalent January survey. However, it said many companies noted that the potential impact on tariffs, border frictions, exchange rate movements and recognition of certifications "were outside their control". In February, the government said just 40,000 of 240,000 businesses that trade only with EU nations had obtained the required customs clearance numbers. - Trade deals - Britain will default to "third country" status with the EU, with trade relations run on World Trade Organization rules. While the EU's average tariff rate for third countries is low ?- around 1.5 percent -- they are bigger in certain sectors: for cars, the rate is 10 percent. Britain will also lose access to markets covered by EU trade agreements, although it has managed to replicate some of these, including with Switzerland and Israel. It has also agreed with the United States, Australia and New Zealand to ensure mutual recognition of standards in many areas. - Border delays - The EU says it would immediately begin customs checks, food safety inspections and verification of EU standards at its border with Britain, leading to long delays at busy crossing points. Britain has moved to open up new routes and increase links from other ports to de-congest Dover. The government says it does not expect shortages of food, although there could be a reduction in choice of perishable goods, but MPs have expressed concern about "panic buying". - Northern Ireland - Britain says it would not immediately apply customs checks on the border with Ireland, to avoid raising tensions in the once conflict-ridden province of Northern Ireland. But the EU says it would insist on monitoring goods moving across what will become the bloc's external frontier, although it would try to make these the least intrusive possible. Britain has suggested it may have to reimpose direct rule over Northern Ireland to manage a "no deal" situation, as the devolved government in Belfast has been suspended since January 2017 in a row between the two power-sharing parties. - EU citizens rights - An estimated 3.5 million European citizens are living in Britain, and around one million Brits are settled elsewhere in the EU. Britain and many other member states have already offered to protect their rights, although their long-term status would have been more clearly defined in May's deal. British citizens travelling to the EU will be limited to 90-day stays and would immediately be subject to tighter passport checks. - Medicines - The British government has asked drug companies to stockpile six weeks supply of an estimated 7,000 prescription or pharmacy-only drugs that come from Europe. Ministers say the transportation of medicines will be prioritised and those with short shelf-lives, such as medical radioisotopes, could be flown in. - Financial services - Some stop-gap agreements have been reached on both sides including a one-year agreement to protect the derivatives market, which is based in London. Traders buy these complex but vital financial instruments to insure themselves against sudden interest or currency exchange rate swings. The EU derivatives market was notionally valued last year at 660 trillion euros ($750 trillion). - Planes and trains - The EU has agreed to allow flights from the UK into the other 27 member states to continue until March 2020, if London reciprocates, but airlines might not be able to make intra-EU connections. Another time-limited deal will allow trucks to keep carrying goods in and out of Britain, provided London gives reciprocal treatment to EU operators. The high-speed train link through the 50-kilometre (30-mile) Channel Tunnel running between Britain and France will be kept open for three months, as long as Britain adopts EU rail safety standards. burs-ar/dt/wai/rox European leaders last week said that if May's deal does not pass by March 29, Britain had until April 12 to "indicate a way forward" Selected EU and UK tariffs if Britain leaves the EU without a deal Britain says it would not immediately apply customs checks on the border with Ireland, to avoid raising tensions in the once conflict-ridden province of Northern Ireland The British government has asked drug companies to stockpile six weeks supply of an estimated 7,000 prescription or pharmacy-only drugs that come from Europe Foreign children on the school bus hijacked near Milan last week are to be awarded Italian nationality, far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday after a week-long debate. The dramatic police rescue of 51 children on the bus hijacked by their driver of Senegalese origin on March 20 has gripped Italy and rekindled debate about its citizenship laws. "If there are children who are not Italian citizens, we have studied this question and we will complete the process so that they can become Italian," Salvini said after meeting five of the children and some of the police who saved them in Rome. Salvini from the anti-immigrant Lega party stressed that the nationality would be awarded "without any variation in the law, since the law exists and works, we do not change it." Children of foreign parents who are born in Italy can only apply for citizenship when they reach 18. It is not known how many of the children are concerned, but 14-year-old Ramy, born in Italy to Egyptian parents, and 13-year-old Moroccan Adam played key roles by calling police during the hijacking. The driver doused the bus in petrol and said he would set it alight, taking what he thought was everyone's mobile phone and heading for Milan airport in what he said was a protest against Salvini's tough anti-migrant policies. As some Italians and Ramy suggested changes to the citizenship law, Salvini had earlier told the boy: "Get elected and then you can make the law." Salvini insisted that he himself had decided to give the children nationality, after his coalition partner from the Five Star Movement Luigi Di Maio said he had changed Salvini's mind. Salvini said that Ramy was "like my son". He also paid homage to a 13-year-old Italian boy who offered himself as a hostage while his friends were "in panic, crying and praying." "He is a young Italian so I can't even give him double-Italian nationality," Salvini said. "As a father myself, I said to him, 'Are you crazy?' And he told me: 'It was the right thing to do'. At 13... Hats off." Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (R) meets with five children who helped to save other children during the March 20, 2019 Milan bus attack, saying they deserve Italian nationality Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (R) chats with Ramy, one of the five children who helped to save other children during the March 20, 2019 Milan bus attack, whom Salvini says is "like my son" Seven political parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed proxy in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country's first election since a 2014 coup. A junta-aligned party and its main rival have both claimed the right to govern the country after Sunday's vote, prompting a political standoff. Questions over irregularities are swirling following invalidated ballots and accusations of skewed numbers. Pheu Thai, affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, joined forces with six other parties in a bid to halt military-backed factions from leading the country. "We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power," Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan told reporters. "Pro-democracy parties received the most trust and consensus by the people," she added, conceding that final results have not yet been released. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a 2014 putsch led by General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime ministerial candidate for the Phalang Pracharat Party. But Phalang Pracharat stunned the pro-democracy camp by winning the popular vote on Sunday with 7.6 million ballots, according to preliminary results. Its main rival Pheu Thai got 400,000 fewer votes, but is now aiming to take the majority of seats in the lower house with its newly-formed coalition. The seven-party bloc claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs, but with all official results yet to be confirmed the numbers are not ironclad. Pheu Thai is linked to Thaksin and his sister Yingluck, whose administration was ousted in the 2014 coup. Though Thaksin fled abroad in 2008 to avoid charges he says are politically motivated, he looms large over Thai politics. Earlier this week he told AFP that the election was rigged. Late Wednesday he said on Twitter that he was "glad for Thailand that the democratic side can gather the voices" for more than half of the seats. A clearer picture of the lower house could emerge as early as Friday when more comprehensive figures are expected to be released. But Pheu Thai still cannot elect a prime minister without commanding more than half -- or 376 -- of all 750 seats in the combined lower and upper houses. The balance of power is stacked in the junta's favour thanks to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to elect a prime minister. The coalition formed Wednesday does not include two other high-profile parties -- Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party -- which together have around 70 seats so far and whose allegiances are still up for grabs. Phalang Pracharat is expected to seek its own allied bloc. - 'People's mandate' - Sunday's election had been repeatedly delayed and was seen as a test for Thailand's tattered democracy, which has seen at least 12 coups since 1932. Phalang Pracharat did better than expected by clinching the most popular votes, and the junta-backed party dismissed the coalition's claim to be the democratic choice. "Please stop using 'democratic front' because in this election, no matter how many votes each party receives, everyone enters the election democratically," the party's secretary general Sontirat Sontijirawong told reporters. Its leader said the party was confident but was waiting to see how many seats it would get. A small protest was held outside its party headquarters Wednesday, led by activist Ekachai Hongkangwan who cautioned potential allies from joining forces with Phalang Pracharat. "I don't want any snakes to enter the party," he said, throwing reptile repellent on the ground for effect. Despite the coalition efforts to create a united front, it will be almost impossible for them to get the votes they need to elect a prime minister, said Aaron Connelly, Singapore-based research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They "seem to be laying down a marker, claiming the legitimacy to oppose the junta in the next parliament", he told AFP. Initial results have been plagued by controversy after the Election Commission unexpectedly said it would delay the final count. The head of Future Forward, a newly-formed party that targeted first-time millennial voters, urged a swift tally of votes across the country. "We are calling for the Election Commission to perform its duty in a free and fair manner," the party's telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said Wednesday after joining the coalition. burs-jv/joe/aph Pheu Thai party leaders Phumtham Wechayachai (L) and Sudarat Keyuraphan attend a press conference in Bangkok Seven anti-junta parties in Thailand formed a coalition vowing to thwart military rule after the country's first vote since 2014 A Sudanese court on Wednesday sentenced three protesters, including two female university students, to six months in jail for taking part in a banned demonstration earlier in the day, their lawyer said. The authorities have set up special emergency courts to investigate violations of a nationwide state of emergency imposed by President Omar al-Bashir on February 22 to end widespread demonstrations that erupted against his iron-fisted rule in December. As part of the state of emergency, Bashir has issued a slew of tough measures that include banning unauthorised rallies. The three protesters were sentenced by an emergency court in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, defence lawyer Enaam Atieg told AFP. They included two female students of Khartoum's Ahfad University for Women, and were arrested earlier in the day for participating in a protest in Omdurman, she added. "We will file an appeal for the three protesters tomorrow," she said. The Democratic Lawyers Alliance, a lawyers' group that is part of the protest movement confirmed the sentencing, which it slammed as an "aggressive punishment". Groups of protesters had staged a rally in Omdurman on Wednesday but were quickly dispersed by riot police, witnesses said. Bashir had initially announced that any violations to the state of emergency, especially participating in banned rallies, were punishable with a jail term of up to 10 years. But he later issued an order that the maximum jail term for such violations would be six months. On Sunday, six other protesters were each sentenced to six months in jail for violating the state of emergency. Protests initially erupted on December 19 in the central town of Atbara in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread. They swiftly escalated into nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to Bashir's three-decade rule. Protesters accuse his administration of mismanaging the economy, causing food prices to soar and creating shortages of fuel and foreign currency. Bashir has remained defiant, imposing the state of emergency after an initial crackdown failed to quell the protests. The veteran leader had initially declared a year-long state of emergency, but parliament cut it to six months. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51, including children and medics. Sudan's protests have sparked a government crackdown but President Omar al-Bashir has defied calls to step down Nepali currency is beautiful, but some say its time for a redesign Despite the fact that Nepali notes often show up on lists of the worlds most beautiful currencies, the aesthetic choices that led to the current look of the notes are ambiguous. A UK national wanted for drug-related offences in Western Australia has been intercepted by police and border force officers while attempting to flee the country on a jet ski. The 57-year-old was seen launching his vessel at Pundsand Bay on Cape York, in Far North Queensland, armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies. A joint operation between the Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) resulted in the fugitives arrest on Monday in the northern Torres Straits islands. He had been seen launching the jet ski at Pundsand Bay on Cape York, Far North Queensland. Source: Australian Border Force The bust came as a result of a cumulative effort from Queensland Police in Bamaga and community members who identified the mans travel path and his intention to purchase fuel to facilitate travel to Papua New Guinea. Through coordination with the Australian Border Operations Centre (ABOC) in Canberra, Maritime Border Command deployed Australian Border Force Cutter vessel, Roebuck Bay, to respond. Officers located the jet ski and the man on mudflats on the eastern side of Saibai Island, 148 km from where he set off, then detained the individual. The 57-year-old had allegedly taken a weapon as well as extra fuel and supplies on his journey. Source: Australian Border Force He was then transported to Thursday Island, an additional 140km away, where he was held by Queensland Police, pending his extradition to WA. His jet ski was towed back to Saibai island. The Australian Border Force credited the effectiveness of the collaborative joint agency approach in the Torres Strait. After being arrested, he was transported to Thursday Island where he was held by Queensland Police, pending his extradition to WA. Source: Australian Border Force This is a perfect example of local intelligence sharing, community support, ABOC coordination and our maritime capability, all working together to enable a quick and effective multi-agency response to a situation, ABF Commander Northern Command Jo Crooks said. An AFP spokesperson said the arrest of the man was a testament to the AFPs strong intelligence and policing partnerships. This arrest sends a strong message to would-be fugitives our reach across Australia is second to none and we will use all our contacts and relationships to find you and bring you before a court, the spokesperson said. Story continues Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn't abandoning his proposal to close more state prisons. Cuomo's office confirmed Tuesday that the plan to expedite the closure of up to three correctional facilities remains a budget priority for the governor. One of the governor's 30-day budget amendments requested authorization from the state Legislature to close more prisons by Sept. 1. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, which oversees 54 state prisons, would be tasked with determining which facilities should be shuttered. DOCCS would consider several factors, such as facility security level, programs available for inmates and potential reuse of the prisons. The state Division of Budget estimated that the prison closures would eliminate at least 1,200 beds and save the state more than $35 million. Cuomo's proposal didn't receive support from the state Legislature when the Assembly and Senate released their one-house budget resolutions this month. The state Senate Democrats' budget plan didn't dismiss the idea of closing more prisons, but explained that "meaningful advance notice of and justification for specifically identified prison closures is essential to thoughtful planning of such closures and for constructive reuse of facilities." Despite opposition from the state Legislature to expediting the closure of correctional facilities, Cuomo hopes it will be part of a final state budget agreement. Cuomo argues the prison closures are necessary because the inmate population is declining and the crime rate reached an all-time low in New York. As of February, the prison population was 46,973 down from 56,419 in 2011. It's the lowest inmate population in three decades. "Through 13 facility closures over the past eight years, (DOCCS) has successfully developed a comprehensive process for stakeholder engagement, including the facility staff, union representatives, local community members and elected officials," said Don Kaplan, a spokesman for the governor. "Our proposal would provide DOCCS with the authority to conduct this process, expedite the closures and deliver economic and social justice to New Yorkers." The governor's proposal has been criticized by the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union representing correctional officers across the state, and some state lawmakers. NYSCOPBA has said closing more prisons could lead to overcrowding in remaining facilities and increased violence against officers. State legislators are concerned that the potential closures could affect communities they represent. There are two state prisons in Cayuga County: Auburn Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison, and Cayuga Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in Moravia. State Sen. Bob Antonacci told The Citizen last week that he doesn't believe Auburn Correctional Facility, which is in his district, will be targeted for closure because it's a maximum security prison. The prisons in Auburn and Moravia are two of the largest employers in Cayuga County. Cuomo and state legislative leaders are in the process of negotiating an agreement on the 2019-20 state budget. The deadline for an on-time budget is Sunday, March 31. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Melissa Cartner may be the new director at Camp Y-Owasco, but she will be known around the grounds by her old camp name: "Kanga." Cartner said everyone at the camp picks a nickname for themselves. She chose that name when she began as a cabin counselor there in the summer of 2009 because she liked Kanga, the mother kangaroo character from "Winnie the Pooh." She said she often looked after others and played a motherly role for them when she was younger, whether it was for her siblings or her friends. "I like taking care of other people and making sure they're OK," Cartner said. The Auburn native began as director for the Owasco Lake camp, which is a part of the Auburn YMCA-WEIU, in December. It offers day camp and a resident camp for children who stay overnight. If you go Camp Y-Owasco offers day and residential camp programs for ages 6 to 15, with instruction in swimming, canoeing, sailing, archery, water-skiing, nature, kayaking, outdoor skills, arts and crafts, athletics and more. Residential camp starts June 26 and day camp starts July 1. Registration is now being accepted, and there is an early bird special through March 30. An open house will also be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at the camp, 4187 Sam Adams Lane, Niles. The open house is free and open to the public. For more information, including pricing, visit y-owasco.org or call (315) 253-5304. After her first year as a cabin counselor, Cartner continued in that role the following summer. She then became the co-leadership director for programs where campers can train to become leaders or counselors, acting in that role from 2011 to 2012. After graduating from Stony Brook University in Long Island in 2013 and taking on a different career path, Cartner reached out to Joe Murphy, who had been the director at Camp Y-Owasco from 2009 to 2014, about serving as a job reference for her. Murphy asked her if she was interested in working as program director for Camp Wood YMCA in Elmdale, Kansas, where he was the summer camp director at the time. Cartner said she thought Murphy was joking at first, but she ended up starting that summer and became an outdoor educator and events intern that fall. When Murphy left to take care of a sick parent, Cartner took over his spot from 2016 to 2018. Last year, she was approached about an opening for the camp director spot at Camp Y-Owasco. She couldn't pass up the opportunity, she said. "I love Camp Y-Owasco," Cartner said. "That's the place where I learned to love camping and the value of camping, and building confidence for both staff and campers." Murphy, who hired Cartner in 2009, said he recommended her for the director job at Camp Y-Owasco because he believes she will be able to serve as a mentor for both staff and students "keeping them open to learning, instead of just obeying you." Murphy added that he believes Cartner is genuine and trustworthy. "What she's showing you, that's real," Murphy said. "And that, to me, is worth so much more than anything." Cartner said that as far back as her early days at Camp Y-Owasco, she loved working with the campers and getting "wild and crazy, getting paint all over your face and singing at the top of your lungs" while still teaching children life skills, and serving as a role model. She said she believes camp activities allow children to learn valuable lessons outside of a classroom that building a fire can teach children patience, for instance, and rowing a boat can teach them teamwork and communication. In regards to acting as camp director, Cartner said she will be learning and observing to determine what can be made better. Even if something is already great, she continued, it can still be improved upon. She'd like to bring some old traditions back to the camp, such as singing at different times of the day. The camp has always focused on "fostering friendships and character development," she said, and she intends to continue that. Cartner said she enjoyed returning to the camp after so many years away. She noted the dining hall and one of the lodges had the exact smell she remembered. "A flood of all different kinds of emotions came back," she said. Even though there are a lot of things she has to take care of between now and June, Cartner said, she's looking forward to children repopulating the camp. "I wish summer camp could start tomorrow," she said. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. AUBURN Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo said a representative with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office acknowledged funding discrepancies between Auburn and other districts. Pirozzolo talked about the conversation during a district board of education meeting Tuesday night. Besides Pirozzolo, district business manager Lisa Green, board vice president Joe Sheppard, board member Ian Phillips and Auburn Teachers Association President Justin Herrling met with Dan Fuller, assistant secretary for education, in Albany earlier Tuesday. Pirozzolo said the group provided Fuller pieces of data such as the district's foundation aid per pupil compared to that of certain New York small-city school districts comparable to Auburn. Pirozzolo said that out of the other Cayuga County districts, Auburn received the smallest amount of foundation aid per pupil. Foundation aid is the base aid districts receive. Auburn has argued for years that it does not receive the aid it is due. The district also spoke to Fuller about cuts the district has made since 2007, such as the closing of West Middle School in 2011 and staff departures, Pirozzolo said. "What Mr. Fuller actually said is, 'I appreciate looking at this data. Looking at this data, there is an issue here and we're recognizing that there's an issue by looking at this data,'" Pirozzolo said. Pirozzolo said he thought the meeting went "very well" and thanked Phillips for setting it up. Pirozzolo said Fuller is "going to bring that information" to Jamie Frank, another assistant secretary for education in Cuomo's office. Pirozzolo said that while the governor's budget is expected soon, "I think we're on their radar." When Pirozzolo asked Herrling during the board meeting about the meeting with Fuller, he said he was happy to have been there. "I definitely got the feeling he understands we have an issue, so I don't know if he can do anything, but he's the one to do it, so let's hope," Herrling said. After the meeting, Pirozzolo said that while he has spoken with the governor's office over the phone, the meeting with Fuller was the district's first face-to-face sit down with someone from the governor's office since he became superintendent. "I'm hoping they look at it, whether it's a bill, or whether they look at how they're allocating the foundation aid or the new monies that (are) coming up on the table," Pirozzolo said, adding that he believes funds should be distributed based on need. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. AUBURN The Cayuga County Legislature Tuesday debated proposed legislation from the state that could allow some undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses, ultimately passing a resolution expressing opposition to the idea. The resolution came at the request of Cayuga County Clerk Sue Dwyer, who said that her staff would not have the proper training to verify applicant's documents, such as a foreign passport, the law proposed by state Sen. Luis Sepulveda, D-Bronx, would have them accept. That legislation, currently in committee in both the state Assembly and Senate, would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for standard, non-federal use driver's licenses. "We are in no way, shape or form trained to figure out if a document is valid," Dwyer said. Additionally, Dwyer, who leads the county DMV as clerk, told legislators that the proposed legislation would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a license with a more lax standard of verification than, say, U.S. citizens from Florida applying for a New York license, something she said was unfair, describing a license as "a privilege not a right." Dwyer also expressed concern about the existing process of applying for a driver's license, during which any applicants who answers yes to a question of citizenship is provided with documents to register to vote. However, Cayuga County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Katie Lacey, reached after the meeting, said the process does not automatically register applicants to vote, and both the local and state board of elections would verify voter registration forms. Additionally, Rebecca Fuentes, lead organizer with the Syracuse-based Workers' Center of CNY, which had several members in attendance Tuesday to speak in support of the state legislation for driver's licenses, says undocumented immigrants know it's a crime to vote illegally, and have no wish to do so. Legislators who opposed the measure, however, questioned the relevance of the resolution to county operations. Legislator Ryan Foley, D-Auburn, proposed an amendment that would remove almost all of the county resolution's text, which he said spoke to issues of more concern to the state and federal government. Instead, Foley's amendment would request any related bill passed by the state Legislature to required the state DMV to handle the verification process, as that spoke directly to concerns that affect the county's operations, he said. The amendment was defeated, with the original resolution passing along party lines with Democrats opposed and Republicans in favor. Legislature Chair Tucker Whitman, R-Sterling, as well as Legislators Keith Batman, D-Springport and Elane Daly, D-Auburn, were excused as absent. Prior to the vote, members of the Workers' Center, which advocates on behalf of immigrant workers, spoke in support of the state legislation, and offered to answer any concerns legislators had with it. County resident and center member Marty Fefer said they supported the bill in part for safety reasons. Rather than drive illegally, as many undocumented immigrants already do, providing them with a license would require they go through the same testing and certification process as anyone, he said. Rebecca Fuentes, the center's lead organizer, said that without licenses many undocumented workers, especially farm workers in Cayuga County, currently have to pay $20 to $30 for underground taxis to "go to Walmart to buy food their labor produces" or participate in the communities they're a part of. Fuentes also cited a report from the New York City-based Fiscal Policy Institute which estimated an additional $57 million in annual revenue and $26 million in one-time revenue to the state and county governments from fees for licenses for undocumented immigrants, as well as other economic benefits. During a break by the Legislature for an executive session, Fuentes and other member's of the Workers' Center met with Dwyer to discuss the issue, which both described as a productive meeting. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 One year after she became a national political figure by filing her lawsuit against Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels used a share of her newfound political capital by showing up at the Illinois state capitol last Friday to protest the states seven-year-old pole tax. Imposed in 2012, the law slaps a surcharge on all patrons of strip clubs, with the revenue supposedly going toward programs for aiding victims of sex crimes and reducing rates of sexual assault. But the law applies only to strip clubs that serve alcohol. If youre going to sell sex and alcohol, then bad things sometimes happen, said the bills sponsor, Democratic State Senator Toi Hutchinson, at the time. Im hopeful theyll work with me to take some of the stink off their name. In the version of the law that went into effect, for strip clubsor the companies that own themthe surcharge was dropped to $3 per patron from $5 in the original proposal, but companies could also opt to pay a flat fee calculated by their capacity and revenue. But two years later, the pole tax, which supporters claimed would bring about a million bucks per year into state coffers, was topping out just about $400,000 per year. Clearly, clubs were opting to pay the flat rate, which came to about $10,000 annually per club ownerbecause according to calculations by The Quad City Times, if they were paying the $3 per head rate, the clubs could be averaging just 10 customers per day, seven days per week. Daniels, in her appearance at the Illinois capitol in Springfield Friday, objected to the laws drawing a connection between sexual assault and stripping, according to an ABC 7 News account. "There is no evidence, whatsoever, linking strip clubs and strippers with rape, Daniels said in her brief speech. There is, however, lots of evidence linking clergy, and especially the Catholic Church to rape. Hutchinson, however, claimed that the law she sponsored was not trying to draw a direct connection, saying that the law does not assume that all strip club patrons are sexual abusersmaking an analogy with gambling casino patrons who are not all compulsive gamblers. But we do use the revenue from that to work on gambling cessation things and we use money from cigarettes sales to deal with Medicaid costs that have connected costs like that, Hutchinson said, quoted by Illinois News Network. The state senator added that she would be happy to have a conversation with anybody about whether or not thats an appropriate tax, especially if youre willing to join the conversation about how to fund these centers. In Fiscal Year 2018, the tax brought in $448,483, the states revenue department said. Thats down from the high of $532,271 in 2016. Photo By Showtime The Circus / Wikimedia Commons LOS ANGELESEveryone Deserves Sex Ed announced clinical therapist, educator and author Damon Holzum, LCSW, will train attendees of EDSEs upcoming 25-hour sex educator certification program, scheduled April 6-7 and 13-14 in Los Angeles. Holzum will facilitate discussion of sexual orientation and the diverse ways humans attract and connect with each other, giving budding educators a more confident and accurate understanding of the individuality of sexual identity. Educating and empowering people is my passion, whether its through writing, workshops, or one-on-one sessions, and working with EDSE is a great opportunity to help spark this passion in others, Holzum said. Sexual orientation and attraction can be complicatedeven intimidatingsubjects to explore, I look forward to helping EDSE attendees develop their vocabulary and expand their understanding of sexual identity as something individual and unique to each person. As a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, Holzum provides insight, support, and empowerment for individuals interested in or actively exploring alternative sexual practices and relationships encompassing polyamory, open, non-monogamy identities and more. For more than a decade, Damon has provided insight and services through individual and couples counseling, speaking, and public education. Through individual sessions, workshops, and interactive classes specializing in the de-stigmatization of all things intimate, Damon has provided sex-positive, trauma-informed services to diverse populations and communities. EDSE founder and lead educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, ACS, tapped Holzum to teach these portions of the certification because of his years of experience, interactive teaching style, and strong grasp of the subject matter. A California State-certified HIV counselor and a regular speaker at The Pleasure Chest, The Stockroom, and The Village at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Holzum utilizes his public platforms to educate, normalize, and celebrate all the ways we express our sexuality. Damon is a beloved speaker and teacher, especially at sex-positive events across the country, and I knew hed be a perfect fit for our sex educator certification, Hodder-Shipp said. Damon is known for his high-energy, interactive and compelling teaching style and he dedicates much of his work to embracing and normalizing sexual behaviors and identities that are often misunderstoodand even stigmatizedby service professionals. EDSE attendees will leave this training with a stronger, more accurate understanding of the word normal. Ideal for budding sex educators, health and social service workers, and anyone looking to bolster their sex ed knowledge, the EDSE certification program prepares attendees to have informed, inclusive and confident conversations about sex. Over the course of two weekends, EDSE attendees will learn key information about human sexuality, intimate health, consent, and communication skills and be trained to respond to sex-related questions in a concise, intersectional, and nonjudgmental manner. Attendees also will leave with new insight into their own sexualitya fun side effect of sex education training. The next EDSE certification will take place April 6-7 and 13-14 in Los Angeles. Individual certification is $995, and payment plans are available at request. To apply, fill out the form at EveryoneDeservesSexEd.com/certification/. An EDSE representative will review and be in contact within 48 hours of submission. During my time as a sex educator, and a sex blogger before that, there was one thing I noticed most people had in common: a lack of confidence in, and even a little fear about, talking about sex, Hodder-Shipp said. This insecurity has a dramatic trickle-down effect. It leaves professionals feeling unprepared for workplace dynamics, parents terrified of having the talk, and service providers caught off-guard during sensitive conversations with their clients. My goal with EDSE is give people access to the kind of professional and educational support so many of us have lacked throughout our personal and professional lives. More information about Hodder-Shipp can be found at https://www.annehodder.com/, or email her directly at [email protected]. The government didnt do its homework before the investment summit: Ram Sharan Mahat In an interview with the Post, former Finance Minister Mahat says some of the acts brought to attract foreign investment are questionable, and that the China-Nepal-India railway corridor would not have been on his immediate priority list. In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. If you appreciate what I write please make a donation. The Senate has overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 86 , which could make high-quality, affordable health care insurance available to tens of thousands of North Carolina residents lacking coverage.The bill enables the growth of Association Health Plans, designed for small businesses and individuals unable to afford insurance. The plans allow individuals and business owners to cluster under one plan as if they were a single employer. With increased size the associations can negotiate discounted insurance rates. The National Conference of State Legislatures issued a report showing small businesses pay between 8 and 18 percent more than large businesses for the same health plan.The plans face criticism from backers of the Affordable Care Act. They see AHPs as a political ploy to undermine the subsidy-reliant federal insurance law, even if AHPs make private insurance a better option for many independent contractors, entrepreneurs, and employees in small businesses.The Senate passed the Small Business Healthcare Act 38-8 without debate Thursday, March 14. Eleven Democrats voted with Republicans. The measure heads to the House.Sens. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell; Dan Bishop, R-Mecklenburg; Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth; and Chuck Edwards, R-Henderson, are primary sponsors of the bill, which modifies current laws and sections of the state insurance code to align with new federal guidelines.A 2018 U.S. Department of Labor rule change peeled away layers of insurance regulation hindering AHPs. Expansion of AHPs could enable up to 11 million workers nationwide to purchase lower-cost, higher-quality health insurance.Some research suggests the federal rule change makes it possible for 110,000 sole proprietors, self-employed workers, and small shop employees in North Carolina to join AHPs.North Carolina has five Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements, the state's name for AHPs. They incorporate 2,139 businesses employing 14,840 workers, and provide health coverage to 28,781 people, according to the N.C. Department of Insurance.Insurance Department attorney Bobby Croom said North Carolina businesses are showing heightened interest in creating AHPs since the federal rule change and President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order easing restrictions.An AHP can be a regional or multi-state operation. It can be self-insured, meaning the member employers assume payment risk for all medical claims, or they can be fully insured through a third-party insurance company.But opening the playing field to AHPs has become a donnybrook. The Trump administration rule change chips away at some of Obamacare's costliest, most restrictive provisions. Many Obamacare supporters and those who benefit from its heavily subsidized health insurance exchanges view Trump's rule as a political act rather than reform in the public interest, one expert says.says health care expert Kev Coleman. As AHPs become more popular, Obamacare supporters fear the government insurance program could collapse.Coleman, founder and president of Nashville, Tennessee-based AssociationHealthPlans.com, an online resource, said states have more than 1,000 rules governing AHPs. Some might trump the federal rule change and need to be changed.Krawiec said when the bill was introduced.Insurers worry about the financial stability of AHPs, and disruption they might cause to other insurance markets.Croom said North Carolina requires self-funded AHPs to be licensed. They are subject to department regulation similar to insurance companies. Fully insured AHPs are not licensed or regulated by the department, but the insurers who provide their member benefits are.Regulators and insurance companies urge a cautious approach to expanding AHPs, citing their checkered past.Croom said.Coleman thinks the state's experience with AHPs has led to better regulation, making the time ripe to expand them. He said modest estimates project enrollee premiums as high as $14 billion to $18 billion by 2022.Coleman says that experience should attract insurance companies, brokers, benefits consultants, third-party administrators, actuarial experts, and others to the emerging market. His research shows 28 AHPs recently opened in 13 states, and six more are poised to launch. Most of them were regional plans, and four out of five of those were sponsored by chambers of commerce.said Gary Salamido, acting president and chief operating officer of the N.C. Chamber, which supports growth of the alternative insurance plans. A job to be done Remittance is a short-term fix, we need to create work here Angur GC, officer charged with tampering evidence and torturing innocent man in Nirmala murder case, released on bail Angur GC, a former officer of the Nepal Police Central Investigation Bureau, who was charged with evidence tampering and torturing an innocent man to extract false confession in the Nirmala Pant rape and murder case, was released on bail by the Kanchanpur District Court on Wednesday. Communist Party of Nepal announces stir against crackdown The Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal has announced a series of protests in response to the governments decision of branding the group as a criminal outfit and arresting its cadres and leaders. Fueled by a mix of misguided cultural pressures and misaligned government incentives, much of our educational system has become geared toward college readiness, promoting a narrow, one-size-fits-all vision for vocational and educational destiny. As a result, we continue to see a widening skills gap in the economy at large, as well as a shrinking cultural imagination for what constitutes a good job or a meaningful career. Despite these growing problems, politicians seem increasingly set on cementing the status quo, whether by granting increased subsidies for student loans or making lavish promises of free college for all. Fortunately, schools at the local level are beginning to respond differently, aiming to empower their students with a truly diverse vocational vision while also changing the hearts and minds of those who continue to prefer the cultural consensus. In Virginias Henrico County Public Schools, for example, school officials recently kicked off an annual signing day tradition to celebrate students who will graduate high school with a job offer already in hand. Although the concept is typically applied to high-school athletes upon making their college commitments, Henrico County hopes the celebration helps expand their communitys perspective about work, education, and vocation. As NBCs TODAY reports: For their first signing day, Henrico County recognized 12 seniors as they signed letters of intent to work as machinists or apprentices with local and national companies such as Rolls-Royce in their aeronautical division, paving and construction firm Branscome Incorporated, Tolley Electric Corporation, and Howells Heating & Air. Over 5,000 students earn industry-based certifications in Henrico County each year, and those certifications represent training that could mean immediate employment for students following their high school graduation. According to Mac Beaton, director of Henrico County Public Schools Certified and Technical Education programwhich helps place the studentsparents represent a constant hurdle to their children seeing the full range of vocational possibilities. Were always trying to figure out how to address the skills gap when the general mentality of parents is I want my child to go to college,' he said in an interview with TODAY. One way to do this is to help them see the value of career and technical education. When you start talking data that affects parents pocketbooks, that gets their attention. As Beaton explains, many of these students will have stable starting salaries with benefitsnot to mention an absence of college debt. How many parents can say, My child has full health insurance, two weeks of paid vacation, and will be making $40,000 a year when they are graduating from high school? he asks. Ultimately, though, the most powerful aspects of such a trajectory have little to do with money or job stabilityto focus only on that would be to give way to the same errors we see with the existing college readiness cookie cutter. More importantly, such an approach helps students think bigger and more critically about their vocational prospects and what they are actually called and gifted to do with their lives. It equips young people with skills and pushes them to apply those skills toward actual human needsconnecting their calling not with self-indulgence but with service to others and thus to God. It reminds us that our vocational destiny is meant to be discovered a bit more mysteriously than we might thingi.e., by being prodded along our cultures college readiness assembly line. As we guide young people in understanding what vocational clarity actually looks like, these students and their school offer a powerful example of how we might broaden our perspectives and our celebrations. We have plenty to do to fix our educational predicament and expand our economic imaginations, whether through policy, educational entrepreneurship, or a deeper social and spiritual shift in our attitudes and expectations when it comes to work, education, and vocation. But celebrating ordinary work as a gift to a young person is a good place to start. Image: Henrico County Public Schools Maryland attorney Rashad James, who happens to be black, was packing up his things after a day at Harford County District Court when he says a sheriff's deputy detained him, thinking James was just pretending to be a lawyer. The deputy called the attorney by his client's name, and when James informed the deputy that he was in fact the attorney, the deputy didn't believe him. Even after Rashad showed him ID, the deputy did not believe him. The deputy then called his supervisor. According to WBALTV: After successfully getting an expungement for a client who was not there, a sheriff's deputy stopped him in the courtroom and began questioning if he was really a lawyer or impersonating one. "After the hearing, that's when I encountered the officer who incorrectly called me by the name of the client. I stated that I was not the client, that I was, in fact, the client's attorney," James said. The deputy then asked for identification, James says he showed his driver's license. The officer apparently wanted more verification since James didn't have his state bar card or business cards, which he is not required to carry. He had the officer call his supervisor. "If Mr. James were white, this would not have happened," said Chelsea Crawford, James' second attorney. And via News Channel 5 : An attorney representing James believes that if he was white, the officer would not have doubted that he was an attorney, would not have questioned his identity and would not have detained him after seeing his driver's license. "There is no plausible explanation other than racial bias," said Andrew D. Freeman of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, an attorney for James. The law firm refers to the incident as "lawyering while black" in a press release. In a statement, the Maryland Legal Aid says: "Maryland Legal Aid is incensed at the treatment of our colleague, Mr. Rashad James, an extremely talented and dedicated civil legal aid attorney, who under MLA's Community Lawyering Initiative, is tasked with navigating every stretch of this state to provide civil legal counsel and representation for Maryland's poorest and most vulnerable individuals and communities. That includes in Harford County, where this deeply disturbing incident unfolded. "We stand behind Rashad today, and behind others who have experienced racial profiling and discriminationa threat to their basic human and civil rightswith the objective to prevent an incident like this from ever happening again. Discrimination has no place in our society, especially not within the ranks of our judicial system, where the legal playing field is often already unleveled for citizens who cannot afford legal representation. "We would like to thank Andrew Freeman, Chelsea Crawford, and their team at Brown Goldstein & Levy, for representing Attorney James in this matter. We are hopeful that the Harford County Sheriff's Office will take the steps necessary to conduct an internal investigation into this incident and we look forward to a satisfactory outcome for all parties involved." The Harford County Sheriff's Office claims it's doing "a complete and thorough investigation" and that they "take all complaints seriously." In the meantime, James is now carrying his business cards with him, even though it's not a requirement for his fellow white attorneys. Image: by Gordon0084 Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link In El Paso, Texas, the U.S. Border Patrol has confirmed that it is holding asylum seekers in a "transitional" camp under the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry bridge. A photo was making the internet rounds yesterday, and it seemed impossible they'd be literally holding them in a tent under a bridge. But yes, that's what's happening in this image. "A photo obtained by ABC News shows what appears to be a couple hundred migrants in and around a tent set up under the bridge. A large fan is in front of the tent's entrance." Photos by Saul Saenz. A Border Patrol spokesman told ABC-7 the camp is meant to "keep the migrants out of the elements" while they are transported to another facility to be processed. The migrants are not being processed at the camp, the spokesman said. Inside the tent, migrants are given water, food and a medical evaluation. "More than half of the migrants are families and the majority are from Central America, meaning their asylum requests and credible fear interviews must be heard," ABC News reports. The facility in El Paso is reportedly at 395 percent capacity. Border Patrol told ABC news it expects to detain 95,000 individuals in March, up from 76,000 in February. [via] In a statement announcing the official ban, Facebook says the ideologies are "inherently hateful." Facebook announced today that it is officially banning white nationalist and white separatist content from the platform. But they've made similar announcements before about other forms of harmful and bogus content, such as illicit gun sales and misinformation about vaccines, and the net result was not much. Big announcements like this are easy to make. Following up with action, not so much. Motherboard had the scoop. Facebook also committed to trying to deprogram people who try to post white separatist and white nationalist content to the platform by presenting them with pop-up redirects. This is the industry-standard response among social media platforms to terrorist content from Al Qaeda, ISIS, and the like. This is great news. It's a long-overdue step by Facebook. It's a start. And it wouldn't have happened without the determined and dogged reporting by journalists including Joseph Cox and Jason Koebler and team at Motherboard. Here are a few tweets from the Motherboard reporters with highlights: this comes after months of reporting by @josephfcox and me about Facebook's internal content moderation policies and a backlash from civil rights groups after we learned that Facebook banned "white supremacy" but not "white nationalism" or "white separatism" Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) March 27, 2019 Facebook now says there is no difference between the three, bringing it in line with the dominant perspective of civil rights experts. Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) March 27, 2019 Facebook will also begin trying to deprogram people who try to post white supremacist/nationalist content with pop up redirects: pic.twitter.com/RRSUjfUgnA Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) March 27, 2019 The company is also going to begin using the same behind-the-scenes tools it uses to surface and remove ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other terrorist-related content for white supremacist-related content Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) March 27, 2019 Here's an excerpt: The new policy, which will be officially implemented next week, highlights the malleable nature of Facebook's policies, which govern the speech of more than 2 billion users worldwide. And Facebook still has to effectively enforce the policies if it is really going to diminish hate speech on its platform. The policy will apply to both Facebook and Instagram. Last year, a Motherboard investigation found that, though Facebook banned "white supremacy" on its platform, it explicitly allowed "white nationalism" and "white separatism." After backlash from civil rights groups and historians who say there is no difference between the ideologies, Facebook has decided to ban all three, two members of Facebook's content policy team said. "We've had conversations with more than 20 members of civil society, academics, in some cases these were civil rights organizations, experts in race relations from around the world," Brian Fishman, policy director of counterterrorism at Facebook, told us in a phone call. "We decided that the overlap between white nationalism, [white] separatism, and white supremacy is so extensive we really can't make a meaningful distinction between them. And that's because the language and the rhetoric that is used and the ideology that it represents overlaps to a degree that it is not a meaningful distinction." Specifically, Facebook will now ban content that includes explicit praise, support, or representation of white nationalism or separatism. Phrases such as "I am a proud white nationalist" and "Immigration is tearing this country apart; white separatism is the only answer" will now be banned, according to the company. Implicit and coded white nationalism and white separatism will not be banned immediately, in part because the company said it's harder to detect and remove. The decision was formally made at Facebook's Content Standards Forum on Tuesday, a meeting that includes representatives from a range of different Facebook departments in which content moderation policies are discussed and ultimately adopted. Fishman told Motherboard that Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was involved in the formulation of the new policy, though roughly three dozen Facebook employees worked on it. Go read the whole piece. Reuters also has reporting out today on the story. An important note from @beccalew: Check in on Facebook's maintenance of these new policies limiting contagion of violent ideology. After Facebook said it'd ban vaccine misinformation earlier this month, anti-vaxx content is still recommended everywhere.https://t.co/LqPUowvlYs pic.twitter.com/e5HtGClJIU Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 27, 2019 "The authenticity of the following anonymous op-ed has been verified by Medium's editorial staff." A person identifying themselves as an anonymous Uber employee has written an essay that's getting a lot of attention today on Medium.com. If that's true, and I have no reason to doubt it this one's gonna hurt. Excerpt: I am an Uber employee and I support the drivers' strikes. The strikes called on Monday by Rideshare Drivers United (RDU) in Southern California and Gig Workers Rising in San Francisco are a sign of the deep frustration many ride-share drivers feel and which, amid ongoing conversations with colleagues, it is clear many internal Uber employees share about the treatment of those workers that provide the services at the core of our business. As an employee at the world's leading ride-share company, I see firsthand not only the often meager earnings of our drivers, but also the exploitative labor practices imposed on a systemically disempowered workforce. I, therefore, stand with the striking drivers in calling for the implementation of RDU's Drivers' Bill of Rights. While ride-share executives continue to receive vast remuneration packages, and internal employees look forward to an IPO windfall at both Uber and Lyft, my sympathetic colleagues and I will not remain silent as drivers are squeezed in order to shore up initial offerings to investors. Our drivers are the backbone of the platform. Without them as these courageous strikes have demonstrated our business would come to a standstill. For this reason, we will not stand by as those that work at the heart of our business are attacked and exploited. We demand that all of our drivers are fairly remunerated, that they gain greater transparency about how their earnings are calculated, that they are guaranteed greater protections, and that their collective voice is heard in the boardroom. As tech workers, we share more in common with the drivers that support the platform than the company executives that spend millions ensuring that ride-share companies, and others in the so-called gig economy, can continue to bend the law and exploit workers. We, therefore, reject the two-tiered division of labor that denies drivers the basic workers' rights afforded to internal employees and call for the full implementation of the Dynamex decision in California. We call on all tech workers to support the actions of ride-share drivers in their mission for fair pay, dignity, and respect and we demand the immediate reversal of the pay cut imposed on drivers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. It's always sort of baffling when security breaches reveal that a company has stored millions of users' passwords in unencrypted form, or put their data on an insecure cloud drive, or transmitted it between the users' devices and the company's servers without encryption, or left an API wide open, or some other elementary error: how does anyone in this day and age deploy something so insecure? A new study conducted by University of Bonn researchers gives an inkling: front-line developers working as freelancers default to incredibly insecure practices unless their clients know enough to demand better ones. The researchers hired 43 freelance Java programmers through Freelancer.com and asked them to develop a registration system for an imaginary social network the researchers claimed to be starting. Half the devs were paid 100 and half were paid 200 for the job; half of each of the two pay-groups were given explicit instructions to use secure password storage and half were left to their own devices. Though this yielded small sample sizes, the effect was large enough to bear deeper scrutiny: 15 of the 18 who were not given password security instructions stored passwords in plaintext; 3 of the group who were instructed to store passwords securely also stored passwords in plaintext. Moreover, even the programmers who encrypted the passwords used insecure methods to do so: 31 of the programmers used insecure methods like Base64 encoding (!), MD5, SHA-1, etc while only 12 used secure methods like bcrypt and PBKDF2. The programmers also overwhelmingly failed to implement basic security practices like salting their hashes. And 17 out of 43 copy-pasted their code from random websites (alas, these copy-pasters didn't consult something useful like OWASP's password security guidelines). The low-pay and high-pay groups performed at about the same level. The whole study is pretty depressing, suggesting that basic security awareness is incredibly low among programmers, and that all the things that might correct for this like good example code that has high search-rank are also lacking. "Of the 18 participants who received the additional security request, 3 decided to use Base64 and argued, for example: '[I] encrypted it so the clear password is not visible' and 'It is very tough to decrypt'," researcher said highlighting that some study participants didn't know the basic difference between an encryption algorithm and a function that just jumbles characters around. Furthermore, only 15 of the 43 developers chose to implement salting, a process through which the encrypted password stored inside an application's database is made harder to crack with the addition of a random data factor. The study also found that 17 of the 43 developers copied their code from internet sites, suggesting that the freelancers didn't have the necessary skills to develop a secure system from scratch, and chose to use code that might be outdated or even riddled with bugs. Paying developers higher rates didn't help considerably, researchers said. "If you want, I can store the encrypted password."A Password-Storage Field Study with Freelance Developers [Alena Naiakshina, Eva Gerlitz, Emanuel von Zezschwitz and Matthew Smith/University of Bonn] Study shows programmers will take the easy way out and not implement proper password security [Catalin Cimpanu/Zero Day] (via Schneier) Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. News / National by Staff reporter THE European Union (EU) says the post July 30, 2018 poll killings and this year's deadly fuel riots had harmed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's efforts to win the powerful bloc's support, as well as his quest to mend Zimbabwe's broken relationship of the past two decades with the West, the Daily News reported.However, the EU adds, it will continue to engage in dialogue with Mnangagwa and his government - with the hope of helping Zimbabwe and its people to overcome the country's escalating political and economic crises.In an address to journalists in Harare on Monday, EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, Timo Olkkonen, said the bloc had been appalled by the human rights violations in the country which had been attributed to security forces after the July 30, 2018 national elections and the fuel riots of early this year."It has to be said that those were setbacks and in our perception of respecting human rights and the rule of law you can't shy away from that. These are issues that we need to discuss indeed with the government. So, they have an influence to an extent that while many hoped we could have engaged perhaps concentrate our energy on other issues such as economic co-operation, trade and investment it shows that these issues about human rights need to be addressed and discussed," he said.This comes after the EU recently gave Mnangagwa and his colleagues in Zanu-PF a stay of execution, when it decided against slapping them with further sanctions in the aftermath of the August 2018 killings and January's deadly riots, which were sparked by fuel price hikes.In this year's riots, police and soldiers engaged in running battles with protesters who flooded the streets of Harare, Bulawayo and other towns - to demonstrate against the steep fuel price hikes which had been announced by Mnangagwa ahead of his tour of Eastern Europe.The Zanu-PF leader, who was feted like a king when he replaced ousted former president Robert Mugabe in November 2017, initially lifted the mood of crisis-weary Zimbabweans who were hopeful at the time that he would turn around the country's sunken fortunes.However, the post-July 30, 2018 election shootings - which left at least six civilians dead when the military used live ammunition to quell an ugly demonstration in Harare's central business district (CBD), and the dozens of deaths which occurred during this year's fuel riots, as well as the subsequent vicious clampdown of dissenting voices - have dampened expectations that Mnangagwa will lift Zimbabwe's lot anytime soon.Political analysts have also said human rights breaches blamed on security forces have dented the president's international image significantly, in addition to harming his chances of getting financial support from Western countries.During the January protests, property worth millions of dollars was also destroyed and looted in the mayhem, after tens of thousands of workers heeded the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions' three-day strike call.At the same time, security forces unleashed a brutal crackdown against the protesters, the opposition and civil society leaders - in a move which received wide condemnation in the country and around the world.Rights groups also reported other allegations of human rights abuses by security forces - including galling reports that soldiers had raped women and girls during their much-condemned crackdown against innocent civilians.Olkkonen said after the January mayhem, he had reached out to various interlocutors in the government, to convey the EU's concerns about the need to stop the "violations".He said despite these "setbacks" in their relationship with Mnangagwa and his government, the EU was still committed to the re-engagement efforts aimed at unlocking aid and financial support for Harare.Last month, Mnangagwa and his under pressure administration were spared more pain by the EU which decided against extending sanctions despite a proposal by its Parliament which wanted punitive measures against the 76 year-old Zanu-PF leader and many of his key lieutenants.However, the EU also warned then that although it had not taken its Parliament's recommendations, for now, it would not hesitate to slap him and his key allies with sanctions if there were further human rights breaches in the country."This decision was taken in light of our objective to encourage the rule of law as set out in Zimbabwe's Constitution. We have seen a crackdown against demonstrators in January and the disproportionate use of force by the authorities, that called into question this commitment."The key question is to understand whether the old system has been dismantled or it remains in place under a different leadership."All decisions on listings, including new listings, can be swiftly adopted if the situation requires it. We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to adjust our decision," EU spokesperson Federica Mogherini, said then.Zimbabwe is in the middle of a huge economic crisis which sparked the January riots.A severe drought and the recent horrendous destruction of key infrastructure and homes by Cyclone Idai - mostly in Manicaland - have left Mnangagwa and his government with even more social, political and financial stress.Mnangagwa has said that he remains committed to ending Zimbabwe's decades of isolation by Western governments, by pushing ahead with his re-engagements efforts despite the alleged excesses by security forces.His government has since hired a top American reputation management firm - to spruce up Zimbabwe's international image and to lobby President Donald Trump's government in a bid to improve frosty relations between Harare and Washington.This comes after a disappointed Trump renewed America's targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe for another year earlier this month - accusing Mnangagwa and his government of not doing enough to improve Harare's democratic credentials since Mugabe fell from power in November 2017.The public relations company which has been contracted by Zimbabwe, Ballard Partners, is headed by prominent Washington lobbyist Brian Ballard - who is also said to be a top fundraiser for Trump's political campaigns.According to the details of the contract between Harare and Ballard Partners, which was signed last month by Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo, the government will pay the American firm a whopping US$500 000 a year for its services. Opinion / Columnist The fake meeting of the Ndebeles and President Mnangagwa dented our struggle against oppression. You can't just arrange a prompt meeting with a person who obviously has no plans of helping you, whose leadership is of a chair painted with human blood, whose reign is that of terror and murder, who has refused to punish people that cold bloodely murdered unarmed innocent civilians and continues to allow that to happen. You want to call Mnangagwa a good listener to what.What has he listened to and did what after listening to prove that he is a good listener. Listening is alright but there should be actions after listening. What are his actions after listening?Those organizations that attended prove to me that they represented none of the Ndebele views. The contributions by his Highness Chief Veze Maduna Mafu about what needs to be done and how on the Gukurahundi issue, are the deal we should be pushing for and not to agree to work with his meant to be suppressive in objectivity peace and reconciliation commission, assembled by his CIOs.President Mnangagwa still keeps his so-called peace and reconciliation commission which is serving no purpose but that he is having his cake and eating it. He has been told to go international with this but no he doesn't want, why? How can you investigate yourself? He was in government when Ndebeles were being killed by the Gukurahundi and he called then cockroaches that needed wiping out. I've not seen one good characteristic of a leader in him later alone a good one. The arrest of the journalist and CITE director Zenzele Ndebele was a big statement of his intentions. He means bad.Zenzele Ndebele has a good analytic sense on issues. He was probably not born or just born when Gukurahundi happened but he has managed to do a good job on the information about it. Emmerson Mnangagwa does not like his kind.They had nothing against Ndebele but just that he should not be in the meeting because they knew that he would cut the content to threads. When Robert Mugabe was ousted from power some of us celebrated that with a big question in our minds, why Emmerson Mnangagwa for replacement. Which Mnangagwa did these pretenders meet then, and for what? President Mnangagwa does exactly the opposite of what he says. His nickname 'Garwe' tells the story.Please let us not be self-destructive and pathetically submissive to our oppression.Clement Moyo (Mr)+263 712 708 284/778 662 090clemenmoyo@gmail.com Banksy Brexit mural in Dover, Kent: A man chips away at the EU flag. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/PA Images Fewer Europeans are looking for work in the UK because of Brexit, according to figures released on Wednesday. Jobs site Monster found the number of EU workers actively searching for jobs in the UK has dropped by 12.6% year-on-year since the 2016 EU referendum. Overall, searches have decreased by nearly a third (31%) over the past three years. Since the vote to leave the EU, UK organisations have seen the biggest decrease in interest from Romanian job seekers, with traffic dropping by 53%. Portuguese and Italian job seeking in the UK has decreased almost as much, by 48% and 46% respectively. READ MORE: UK sets out plans for visas for non-EU migrant farm workers post-Brexit Denmark (42.9%), Greece (41.7%), Belgium (41.5%), Spain (41.%), France (40.8%), Netherlands (34.4%) and Slovenia (33%) follow closely behind, showing the impact Brexit is having on attracting foreign talent to the UK. However, Monster data has also shown an increased interest from job seekers across a number of countries, with Ireland (19%), Hungary (16%) and Poland (14%) leading the way. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show net migration from the EU has plummeted to its lowest level in almost a decade. Less EU workers in the UK could mean trouble for Britain, which is already facing a huge skills shortage crisis, Monster said. READ MORE: London construction firms rely heavily on EU workers, figures show Lou Goodman, marketing director for the UK & Ireland at Monster, said: While the proportion of international traffic from outside the EU has increased, a fall in active searches from EU Countries in the wake of the 2016 referendum could leave UK businesses unable to fill critical skilled roles, and things could get even more challenging. With the Brexit deadline now delayed, there is a huge amount of uncertainty on what, if any, deal the UK is going to leave the EU with. One thing that does seem certain is that we will likely end up with controlled movement of EU workers, further restricting the supply of labour. Story continues Goodman added that employers will have to step up their recruitment game and focus on targeting passive job seekers who are not actively looking. READ MORE: EU heads agree to tighten rules on cheap migrant workers She said: Traditional methods of pursuing active jobs seekers are no longer enough, with 51% of all candidates now wanting to be found rather than search for jobs themselves. Photo credit: Christian von Koenigsegg From Road & Track The Koenigsegg family doesn't own a Koenigsegg. Every car the company made gets sold, including the development prototypes. This means that while at the moment, Halldora von Koenigsegg drives a Volvo XC90 and a Porsche 911 Targa, Christian von Koenigsegg gets around in a Tesla Model S P85, with a Model 3 being on the way. Yet some eight months ago, he was reunited with his 1992 Mazda MX-5. Halldora's family is from Iceland, and she and Christian met during their studies in Brussels around 27 years ago. Back then, Christian had hair, which presumably got blown by the wind in his black Mazda Miata. Photo credit: Christian von Koenigsegg The couple sold the car ages ago, but luckily for Christian, last year, one of his employees decided to visit a car show, on the island of Oland in the Baltic Sea. Here's what Christian told me about his recent Miata adventures: My first MX-5 has been back in my hands for about eight months. Our transport manager went to a car show on a Swedish island called Oland, and there was this black Mazda MX-5 that said it used to be Christian von Koenigseggs car. So, he called me up and I spoke to the owner. I overpaid a little bit to get it back, but now I can enjoy it on warm summer days! Its in great condition, and its actually as enjoyable as I remembered to drive! Remember what Gordon Murray said about the Lotus Elan in connection with the McLaren F1's development? Well, Koenigsegg knows what he was on about: This is a thing about Koenigsegg cars as well. People recognize them mostly for their power, but in many ways, thats not our main priority. I mean, we prioritize much more that they supposed to be fun and exciting to drive. But that all is overshadowed by the crazy power we also makeyet I think the MX-5 is a good example on how you can have fun with a car with almost no power. And its an important lesson to always have in the back of your head when you develop super powerful cars. Photo credit: Koenigsegg Now, Christian von Koenigsegg just needs to find time to get his Miata out of winter storage. Sweden has been sunny lately... ('You Might Also Like',) By David Lawder and Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chief executives from American steel producers urged lawmakers to maintain strong U.S. tariffs on the metal on Wednesday to protect their industry, as Senate efforts to rein in President Donald Trump's tariff powers gained steam. The CEOs of top U.S. steelmakers Nucor Corp, United States Steel Corp, ArcelorMittal SA and Commercial Metals Co told the Congressional Steel Caucus that the "Section 232" steel tariffs were just starting to allow their industry to recover from damage caused by years of dumped imports and needed to be kept in place long-term. Trump imposed the 25-percent global tariffs on steel imports a year ago to protect the industry from imports, citing national security grounds under a Cold War-era trade law. The move drew retaliation by countries including China, Canada, Mexico, Turkey and the European Union. Little has been done to reduce excess steel production capacity in China that U.S. producers blame for most of the industry's woes, and without the tariffs, unfairly traded imports would flood back into the U.S. market, the executives said. "Now is not the time to blink," U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt told the lawmakers at a hearing on Wednesday. "Section 232 must continue to be applied to all countries, especially the largest import sources, whether that's a tariff or a hard quota. Even our best allies can be conduits for foreign steel from China or elsewhere." Canada and Mexico are trying to negotiate a plan to lift U.S. metals tariffs from their products. The Trump administration is demanding quotas to limit import volumes in lieu of tariffs, but Canada and Mexico are resisting. Earlier this week, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer made little headway in a meeting to resolve the issue, a Canadian official told Reuters. "There was not a meeting of the minds," the official said. "That of course is an opportunity for the minister to reflect and think about what our next steps are." One issue in the negotiations is addressing U.S. concerns about how to prevent Chinese steel from entering the United States duty-free from Canada and Mexico. The Canadian official said Ottawa was willing to work with U.S. authorities to block such imports, but added that Washington had not yet presented convincing evidence that steel was being trans-shipped through Canada. Canada and Mexico have retaliated against the U.S. steel tariffs with their own tariffs on U.S. beef, pork and other agricultural products, raising the ire of farm-state lawmakers. Several Republican U.S. senators are combining forces on legislation to limit Trump's ability to impose tariffs under Section 232 of the Cold War-era Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who represents the farming state of Iowa, on Tuesday said he would lead the effort aimed at restoring Congress' constitutional authority over trade matters. His plan calls for Section 232 tariffs to be limited to a defined period of time unless extended by Congress. United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard told the steel caucus lawmakers that Canada should be exempted from the Section 232 tariffs because of the high level of cross-border integration and common ownership in the industry. His union represents about 9,000 Canadian steel workers and 50,000 at U.S. mills. But Representative Mike Bost, a Republican whose district saw U.S. Steel restart two blast furnaces and rehire 800 workers at its Granite City, Illinois mill last year, made clear that he was focused on rebuilding steelmaking capacity in the United States, not Canada. "I want to let you know that the focus of this committee should be our U.S. workers," Bost said. The steel executives also called on the lawmakers to boost U.S. demand for steel by passing a significant infrastructure investment package this year. "Please let this year be the time to stop talking and start investing," said ArcelorMittal USA President John Brett. (Reporting by David Lawder and Alexandra Alper, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) Road sign warning of a risk ahead Since the start of 2019, oil has rallied sharply to see the North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) trading at around US$60 a barrel and up by a stunning 30% for the year to date. The international Brent price has made similar gains to be trading at over US$67 per barrel. While this has been a boon for many energy stocks, Frontera Energy Corp. (TSX:FEC) has failed to rally, losing 12% over the same period. This is because the market remains unconvinced that the driller, which emerged from the bankruptcy of Pacific Exploration and Production preciously known as Pacific Rubiales is capable of unlocking value for investors. Why is it failing to perform? Not only is Fronteras past weighing on its stock, but ongoing concerns regarding its assets and operational issues are also impacting sentiment toward the driller. Key among these is that 2018 production declined by almost 7% year over year to 71,032 barrels daily, although that was within Fronteras 2018 guidance of 70,000 to 72,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily. The drivers of this sharp decline in oil and natural gas output were operational issues including greater than expected production declines and temporary regulatory restrictions at Fronteras Colombian Guatiquia, La Creciente and Casimena blocks. A community blockade also forced Frontera to shutter operations at its Cubiro block located in Colombias Llanos Basin. While those issues are typical of the risks faced by many drillers globally, they do appear to have been only temporary in nature. Another factor weighing on Fronteras stock has been its inability to capitalize on being able to access Brent pricing and generate solid operating netbacks. This is an important measure of operational profitability, and for 2018 the driller announced a netback of US$25.98, which while 14% greater than 2017 was lower than its peers operating in Colombia. Parex Resources and Gran Tierra Energy, which are also operating in South Americas third largest oil producing nation, reported 2018 netbacks of US$41.44 and US$33.51, respectively. This is considerably higher than Fronteras netback, indicating that their oil acreage is higher quality and possesses greater profitability. The low margins generated by Fronteras developed producing oil acreage can be attributed to substantially higher production and transportation expenses. Story continues Disappointingly for 2019, the driller expects its oil production to average 65,000 to 70,000 barrels daily, which at its upper end represents a 1.5% decline compared to 2018. It is also forecast that Fronteras 2019 production as well as transportation expenses will remain the same as 2018. When coupled with Brent expected to average US$65 per barrel over the course of the year, which is lower than the US$71.69 for 2018, Fronteras earnings 2019 will fall. That doesnt bode well for its market value, particularly when the operational issues experienced during 2018 are considered. Is Frontera a worthwhile investment? It should be noted, however, that Fronteras net proven and probable oil reserves of 155 million barrels are valued at US$2.5 billion after tax and the application of a 10% discount rate in accordance with industry methodology. After deducing Fronteras debt, they have a net present value of around $34 per share, which is more than double the drillers market value, indicating considerable upside available to investors. Nonetheless, given that only around a fifth of Fronteras proven and probable reserves are proved developed and producing, there is no guarantee that the undeveloped proportion can be successfully and economically recovered. That risk is magnified by the operational issues that have impacted Fronteras production. Despite the drillers solid balance sheet, considerable exploration upside which has been enhanced by it acquiring interests in offshore Guyana as well as onshore Ecuador and ability to access premium Brent pricing Frontera remains a risky play on higher oil. More reading Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India had joined the U.S., Russia and China in an elite group of nations that have the capability to target satellites. In a televised address to the nation, Modi said India fired a missile to knock down one of its own satellites in low Earth orbit, calling the capability crucial for national security. India has today established its name as a space power, Modi said. Our scientists used an anti-satellite missile to bring down a live satellite, 300 kilometers away in space. The shoot-down involved an interceptor from Indias ballistic missile defense program, showcasing the countrys rising confidence in the technology. Indias current missiles are mostly intended for confrontations with China and Pakistan, its foes in one and three wars, respectively. The test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris, Indias Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the Earth within weeks. Modis address comes just weeks ahead of general elections to determine whether hell serve a second term as prime minister. Voting will take place in seven phases between April 11 and May 19, with results to be announced on May 23. Indias Election Commission said it has asked a committee of officers to examine Modis address to determine if it violated rules that bar policy announcements before elections. Nationalist Fervor This address is an indication that Mr. Modi possibly is not very sure of the election campaign going completely his way, said Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst who has written a Modi biography, adding he may have violated the election code of conduct. Its an attempt to bolster nationalist fervor by another means, Mukhopadhyay said, after realizing the patriotic mood generated by tensions between India and Pakistan was not sufficient to continue until the end of elections. Story continues Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated dramatically when India launched airstrikes on Feb. 26 to attack what the government said was a terrorist training camp inside Pakistan. The government in Islamabad retaliated the next day, shooting down an Indian jet. Indias initial airstrikes were in response to a suicide bombing in Kashmir that killed 40 paramilitary troops. This is significant. India can now take out Chinese communication systems, for instance, said Bharat Karnad, Delhi-based security expert at the Centre for Policy Research. The PM is going to derive whatever political benefits he can in election season -- why would he give up the chance? In 2007, China first used a ballistic missile to destroy its own old weather satellite orbiting 535 miles (861 km) above Earth, while Russia has been testing a missile that could be used to strike and destroy a satellite or ballistic missile. Indias space and missile programs -- along with its economic growth of more than 7 percent and a bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council -- is a major part of the countrys efforts to build up its defense capabilities and establish itself as a world power. --With assistance from Anurag Kotoky, N. C. Bipindra and Vrishti Beniwal. To contact the reporters on this story: Bibhudatta Pradhan in New Delhi at bpradhan@bloomberg.net;Archana Chaudhary in New Delhi at achaudhary2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ruth Pollard at rpollard2@bloomberg.net, Abhay Singh For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Oil pipes in an oil field Tensions in the Latin American nation of Venezuela have ratcheted up to levels not seen since Chavezs leftist Bolivarian revolution swept him into power in 1999. Recognition of Juan Guaido, the President of the opposition, dominated the National Assembly internationally because Venezuelas legitimate interim ruler has thrown the nation into turmoil causing the social, economic and political crisis to deepen. It has also brought the spotlight back on Venezuelas deeply-troubled oil industry, the only economic resource that can generate desperately needed hard-income that the country possesses at this time. This was predicted to be a boon for Canadian oil sands operators like Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE)(NYSE:CVE) because it would trigger a shortfall of heavy crude imports from Venezuela, which Canadian oil sands were expected to fill. Is a military option viable? While Trump has stated that all options, including a military response, are on the table the deployment of U.S. armed forces to topple Maduro appears unlikely. Not only are many of Venezuelas neighbours, including U.S. arch ally Colombia, opposed to such a move, it would reignite regional tensions relating to the long history of U.S Imperialism in Latin America. Russia has also doubled its efforts to support Maduro, while China has offered support and the rationale for this is simple; it helps to protect the billions in loans that both nations have provided to prop up his regime. It also provides Putin with an opportunity to extend Russian national influence into a region long considered as exclusively a U.S. zone of influence. Even though the toppling of Maduro appears a long way off now that Moscow is providing greater support, the situation has caused a shortage of heavy crude for U.S. refiners. Venezuelas oil output is declining According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) there has been a sharp decline in the volume of Venezuelan oil imports, which for December 2018 at 201,700 barrels were 7% lower than a year earlier. That figure is expected to plunge even lower during 2019 because of the impact of the latest round of U.S. sanctions against Venezuela imposed in January 2019 and deteriorating production in the oil rich Latin American nation. Story continues According to Reuters, this has forced U.S. refiners to source heavier crude from the Gulf of Mexico to replace that lost because of the crisis in Venezuela. It was also anticipated that it would be a boon for Canadas energy patch, with many U.S. mid-west refineries solely configured to process heavy crude which is produced by Canadas oil sands. Theres a catch, however. Despite easing in recent weeks, Edmontons mandatory oil cuts has caused the price differential between heavy oil benchmark Western Canadian Select (WCS) and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) to narrow substantially. Since hitting a record low in November 2018, WCS prices have recovered to be almost US$50 a barrel, which is around four times higher. This sees the discount to WTI being a mere US$9 a barrel, which is challenging the economics of crude by rail. Already, integrated energy major Imperial Oil has wound down rail shipments. When this is combined with narrower margins for U.S. refiners because of the far shallower discount applied to WCS against WTI and the difficulty of cost effectively shipping Canadian crude to U.S. refining markets due to a lack of pipeline exit capacity, the appeal of buying Canadian crude has waned. Many refiners including Valero Energy, therefore elected to source their feedstock from the Gulf of Mexico rather than Canada. While the production cuts have succeeded in bolstering prices for bitumen and other forms of heavy oil they havent allowed Canadian producers to expand market share as anticipated. What does it mean for the oil sands? There are very real concerns that the issues impacting Canadian heavy crude could see U.S. refiners source heavier forms of oil domestically, as they have already to replace the feedstock lost because of the crisis in Venezuela. This along with the failure to address the fundamental issue of a lack of pipeline capacity, means that WCS prices could drop sharply once Edmonton removes the cuts. That would be a bad outcome for those oil sands producers like Cenovus, which can only refine a small proportion of the heavy crude they produce. According to its 2018 results, Cenovus can only refine around half the heavy oil that it produces, making it dependent upon U.S. refining markets and the price of WCS for its operations to be profitable. For the aforementioned reasons, there is every likelihood that its earnings will be under pressure once Edmonton ends the production cuts. More reading Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 Far from clear blue skies Little has been done to make the investment climate more attractive to investors Commuters heading to work in Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Reuters Irelands leading think tank on Wednesday cut its standard forecast for Irish economic growth in 2019 to 3.8%, and warned that the countrys economy would grow by just 1.2% in the event of a disorderly no-deal Brexit. The new forecasts mean that the growth of Irelands economy is expected to be dented by nearly 75% if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal. The think tank, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), had previously said that such a scenario would halve economic growth. The lower expected pace of growth in 2019 can be generally explained by a slowdown observed in the global and European economies since the end of last year, the ESRI said in a statement. It also said that it expected the Irish economy to grow by 3.2% in 2020 in a normal scenario, and by 2.4% if there is a no-deal Brexit. The think tank said that there were persistent uncertainties with respect to the form of the UKs withdrawal from the EU, and that its most severe predictions were reserved for what it called a disorderly no-deal situation. The results of the ESRIs analysis suggest that employment levels would be 3.4% lower than if the UK stayed within the bloc. A disorderly no-deal scenario would involve additional disruption to trade in the short-run compared to what it considers to be the standard impact of a no-deal situation, the think tank said. The new study estimates the impact of Brexit on the Irish economy by looking at the impact on trade. This was done by attempting to predict the impact of the UKs tariff and non-tariff measures, but also included the potentially positive impact of foreign direct investment diversion to Ireland from the UK. Ultimately, while the [foreign direct investment] effect is expected to have a positive effect on Ireland, the positive impact is outweighed by the negative trade effect, the ESRI said. By Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria's army appeared certain to secure the end of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika 20-year rule after winning over his key allies but the managed exit plan was rejected by protesters demanding the overthrow of the entire political elite. The shift by several pillars of the establishment on Wednesday was a clear signal that the 82-year-old president - who has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013 - has little to no chance of staying in power for much longer in the North African country, an oil and gas producer. The army's powerful chief of staff, Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, told officers in a speech broadcast on Tuesday that the solution to the crisis would be the departure of the president on health grounds. Salah called on Algeria's constitutional council to rule whether Bouteflika was fit for office. Such a ruling would have to be ratified by a two-thirds majority of members in the two houses of parliament. In the heaviest blow to the ailing leader, the ruling FLN party said it backed the army's bid to have the constitutional council declare him unfit for office. "We announce our support for the initiative as a start to a constitutional plan that will allow us to protect our country from dangers," the party said in a statement. That move came after Algeria's biggest union and a powerful party that is part of the ruling coalition announced they would back the military's approach. The army has been patiently waiting for the right moment to intervene. Now that the generals have emptied Bouteflika's inner circle, they are well positioned to play their traditional role of kingmaker in any transition. The military will face resistance from the leaders of mass demonstrations fueled by anger over alleged corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement who said the plan still did not go far enough. "Protests will continue... Algerians' demands include a change of the political system," Mustapha Bouchachi, a lawyer and activist, told Reuters. "The implementation of Article 102 (the part of the constitution that covers declaring a president unfit for office) means that the symbols of the system will oversee the transition period and organize presidential elections," he said. Even if both sides dig in, no Algerians want to risk returning to the dark days of the 1990s, when the army's cancellation of elections that Islamists were poised to win triggered a civil war that killed 200,000 people. Back then, Islamists had marched in the streets chanting "no laws, no constitution but Allah" under the watchful eye of the military. No women had taken part and the men were bearded, in sharp contrast to the protests which erupted five weeks ago. These demonstrations have been peaceful, with people singing, laughing and taking selfies as they wave banners calling for peaceful political change. Some even bring lunch to the demonstrations. The military has stayed in its barracks. The army chief has warned he will not tolerate chaos, but he also praised Algerians for pursuing "noble aims". Protesters have repeatedly said they would reject any orchestrated succession in politics and want a transition which will lead to a government by consensus, but there are no signs they will resort to violence to reach their goals. "We want a real democracy, not a facade of a democracy," said postal worker Zakaria Jaziri 26. State bank employee Djamel Hadidi, 37, said: "We welcome the army's initiative but we do not want Bouteflika's men to govern us until the next election." HIGH STAKES Under Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days after Bouteflika's departure. Even if Bouteflika quits, there is no obvious replacement who could be acceptable to all. For years, rumors have swirled about potential successors, but no single credible candidate has emerged with the backing of the political and security establishment who is not at least 70. Facing the biggest challenge to his rule, Bouteflika reversed a plan to seek a fifth term, postponed elections and promised to introduce greater freedoms. But he stopped short of stepping down, infuriating Algerians who want to do away with veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, military officers and business tycoons who have dominated for decades. "Is there a risk of radicalization or confrontation if demonstrators reject the army approach? This is a hypothesis that cannot be totally excluded," said Louisa Dris, professor of political science at Algiers University. Western powers will want to see a smooth succession. Algeria is a member of OPEC and top gas supplier to Europe, though so far oil and gas output appears unaffected by the unrest, an International Energy Agency official said on Tuesday. Algeria is seen by Western states as a counter-terrorism partner, a military force in North Africa and a diplomatic player in efforts to resolve crises in Mali and Libya. (Additional reporting by Abdelaziz Boumzar; Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean, Gareth Jones) In Tyler Berglund's home, heavy metal imagery reigns supreme from the embossed 666 plaques resting above a doorway in the kitchen, to the scores of life-sized Lord of the Rings weapons lining the walls. This might not be a home where you would initially expect to find people who would sponsor a family of Syrian refugees coming to Canada, fleeing persecution in search of a better life. But that's exactly what Berglund who owns Hamilton's heavy metal mainstay The Doors Pub is doing, alongside a group of family and friends. Most refugee sponsors tend to be older, and part of faith-based institutions. That's a far cry from this group of atheists in their 30s, who are covered in tattoos and live and breathe extreme metal. "The reaction we get from 100 per cent of the organizations we deal with is, 'Really? You?'" Berglund said. "But I was just moved to contribute because of the luxuries we have in Canada." The group was first matched with a family with the help of the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program in June of last year. Gol Bahar Muslim Hamo was fleeing Syria alongside her husband, Dalil, and their two children: 8-year-old Noursin and 7-year-old Brojista. The family needed to escape ISIS militants fighting to establish an Islamist state near Aleppo, Muslim Hamo said through a translator. "I didn't want to lose my daughters," she said. "We were terrified. We heard horrific stories and [stories of] women kidnapped." First Lebanon, then Canada The family first left Syria in 2012 for Lebanon, where they spent years in a refugee camp. It was tough, especially for their children. There was no chance for a real education, she said. So when the chance came through the United Nations to come to Canada, they jumped at it. But they did so with a lot of uncertainty, not even knowing the identities of their sponsors. Adam Carter/CBC When the family stepped off a plane in Ontario and saw Berglund and his co-sponsors his sister Julia, as well as Shannon Collins, Caleb Collins, Jamie Mallory and Cheyenne Griffin relief washed over them. Story continues "I felt like I had someone. Like I was safe," Muslim Hamo said. During an interview at Berglund's central Hamilton home, both the Muslim Hamo family and their sponsors gushed about how amazing their experience has been. It's a somewhat unlikely match for a family coming from a predominantly devout Muslim country and steadfast fans of a musical genre so often steeped in satanic themes. Adam Carter/CBC Muslim Hamo, for her part, says her sponsor's love of heavy metal never once caused any sort of rift. "It didn't create any barrier," she said, adding that she never once thought "I don't want this in my life," despite some dark imagery. "They were open minded about everything," Berglund said. The sponsorship group really got a kick out of Muslim Hamo liking a Facebook video Berglund once posted of Dimmu Borgir; a symphonic black metal band best known for songs like Progenies of the Great Apocalypse or a cover of Twisted Sister's Burn in Hell. "There's potential for metal heads and for punk rockers to get involved in this," Berglund said of sponsorship. "There is compassion for these issues here. "In angry music, there is a lot of veiled kindness and standing up to oppression." A growing Syrian community Metal is a music genre that has its problems too, with small sects of white supremacist bands and fans, and a historical culture of sexism. Berglund says he has gotten some negative reactions over refugee sponsorships from "a--holes," but on the whole, most are very supportive. "I've even managed to change a few minds of bigoted people," he said. "It's not like it's a choice for these people coming here," his sister Julia added. "They're fleeing violence and war." Many of those fleeing have settled in Hamilton in recent years. According to Wesley Urban Ministries, between December 2015 and December 2016, Wesley welcomed 1,654 refugees to Hamilton, with 1,338 of those coming from Syria. In 2016 to 2017, there were 595 government-assisted refugees who settled in Hamilton, Wesley says, and 432 last year. Most refugees still come from Syria, Wesley says, but also from places like Somalia, Congo, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Iraq and Palestine. "I work with so many Syrians," said Rola Chatah, who works as an interpreter in the city. "There's a big community here in Hamilton." Submitted by the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program Now, the Muslim Hamo family is getting itself established in Hamilton. The kids are in school, learning English (and whenever they can, spending lots of time chasing Berglund's cats). Both parents are taking English courses as well, and preparing to welcome a new baby. With one family getting on its feet, Berglund and his co-sponsors are now preparing to sponsor a second family a burgeoning tradition they hope can continue for many years. "I would describe this in two ways," Berglund said. "The first way is it's the most metal thing I've ever done, and then more specifically, to people who aren't in the metal community, I'd say it's the most meaningful thing I've ever done." adam.carter@cbc.ca Three researchers, two of them Canadian, have won the world's top award in computer science for developing the ability of computers to learn like humans, by imitating the human brain and how it functions using networks of "neurons." That allows computers to acquire new skills by looking at lots of examples and finding and recognizing patterns, as humans do. Machine learning based on "deep learning" and "neural networks" has led to the development of artificial intelligence that now powers everyday web and smartphone applications from voice, image and facial recognition to language translation. It's increasingly being used in more complicated tasks like generating art, creating text and diagnosing cancer from images. The Turing Award is described by the Association for Computing Machinery, which hands out the annual award, as the "Nobel Prize of Computing" and worth $1 million US. The association announced Wednesday that the 2018 award goes to: Yoshua Bengio, professor at the Universite de Montreal and scientific director of Mila, Quebec's Artificial Intelligence Institute. Geoffrey Hinton, emeritus professor at the University of Toronto, vice-president and engineer fellow at Google, and chief scientific advisor at the Vector Institute. Yann LeCun, professor at New York University and vice-president and chief AI scientist for Facebook, who did his postdoctoral work at Hinton's University of Toronto lab and then worked with Bengio at Bell Labs. The Turing Award is named after British mathematician, computer scientist and Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing. It has been sponsored by Google since 2014, but the company said it's not involved with the selection committee, which honours "lasting contributions to the field of computer science." 'It's not actually flaky' "Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society," said ACM President Cherri M. Pancake. "The growth of and interest in AI is due, in no small part, to the recent advances in deep learning for which Bengio, Hinton and LeCun laid the foundation." Story continues Bengio said he was amazed to hear he had won. "I think I'm still carried by the energy of that news. Of course, it's great for me, but it's great for Canada, it's great for the area of research which is getting this recognition," he said, adding that the award will help attract students, investments and research funding in the areas of neural networks and deep learning. Hinton said he was very pleased to hear he had won the award "because for a long time, neural networks were regarded as flaky in computer science. This was an acceptance that it's not actually flaky." Universite de Montreal/Google/Facebook While the first computers in the 1940s were designed with human neurons in mind, researchers in the 1960s showed that simple neural networks had very significant limitations, Hinton said. Meanwhile, the slow computers at that time could do "more interesting things" if you programmed them to do exactly as they were told instead of asking them to learn on their own. Despite that, he, Bengio and LeCun worked on neural networks in the 1980s and 1990s and had some early successes. In the 1990s, Bengio and LeCun got AI to recognize handwritten numbers on cheques. Training vs. programming But it wasn't until computer scientists started putting together larger datasets to train computers, and processing speeds got significantly faster, that the technology really started to take off. In 2012, Hinton and his students used a deep learning system to beat out hand-programmed computers in an image recognition competition called ImageNet. "It was so much better than other systems that initially people who were evaluating our system thought must have made a mistake," Hinton recalled. "The trick with our system was everything was learned." Noah Berger/Associated Press Hinton said that since around 2010, it has actually been better to train computers by using the approach you would use with humans by giving them examples. "And they just sort of get it after awhile. You can tell them the rules, but it tends to work better to just show them examples," he said. "Now if you want a computer to do something complicated, such as telling whether some blob in an x-ray might be cancer, you're much better to train it to do it than to program it to do it." Hinton said the research on machine learning also suggests that the way humans learn isn't through logic and reasoning: "What we're learning is far more like massive analogy making." Bengio describes the type of learning neural networks display as "a form of intuition." AI based on deep learning has led to computers that do more than just identify things. One of the areas that Bengio has focused on is Generative Adversarial Networks, where computers show they have learned something by coming up with a completely new example. "People thought, 'Oh, AI will never have creativity. It's a uniquely human thing,'" Bengio said. "But actually, we are seeing that it is possible to make progress towards creativity." So far, computers are not as creative as humans, because their understanding of the world is not even as good as a two-year-olds, he added. Neverthless, a painting created with this kind of technology last fall sold for $432,500 US in a Christie's auction, 45 times higher than anticipated. Concerns about misuse And it's already raising concerns. Earlier this year, OpenAI, the creator of an AI text generator called GPT-2, said they would not release the tool because it could write authentic-sounding prose that could fool humans, and could be used for the mass production of disinformation. When asked about the incident and whether he had such concerns, he said: "Eventually, but I'm not sure we have reached that stage. So maybe there's a little bit of marketing going on here." Universite de Montreal However, he acknowledged that with AI being deployed and applied in so many places, scientists and companies now have to be more careful about how it's going to be used; people and governments are paying attention to whether applications are socially acceptable and ethical. In the meantime, even the researchers themselves are astonished by the speed at which AI based on deep learning is advancing and being applied. Both Hinton and Bengio say are especially surprised by how much translation between different languages has improved in the past two years. They thought it would take many more years for computers to reach this level of competence at translation. Bengio said the rapid spread and adoption of deep learning is partly due to the creation of free, publicly available "software libraries" for others to use. "It means that people with very little training and very little understanding of what is under the hood can use these libraries and apply them in many many ways," he said. "It's really democratizing access to that science." He said he believes he, Hinton, LeCun and other academics in the field "have influenced the industrial world with some of the cultural traits of academia" such as greater openness and sharing. He added, "That is helping the progress of science." By Silvio Castellanos MADRID (Reuters) - A new film starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson takes a fresh angle on the bloody tale of outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde, focusing instead on the two detectives who ended the lovers' criminal rampage across the United States. In "The Highwaymen", directed by John Lee Hancock, Costner plays former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, one of a posse of officers who shot the pair dead in a dawn ambush in Louisiana in 1934. Harrelson plays his partner Maney Gault. "We've chosen this one story about Bonnie and Clyde, and rather than tell their story, we've told the story of the men who hunted them down and risked their lives to bring a murder spree in America to an end," Costner told Reuters. The 1967 move "Bonnie & Clyde" starred Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the gangster pair believed to have murdered 13 people, robbed banks, and staged kidnaps and car thefts. But the new flick takes a very different path, Costner said in Madrid during a promotional tour. "They were made heroic in the 1967 movie and that's too bad. But that's how it was made. The men that chased (them) were just average men doing their job," the veteran U.S. actor said. "The Highwaymen" will premiere on streaming service Netflix on March 29. Asked whether movies that go straight to streaming services have the same cache as those released in cinemas, Costner noted that film and television producers were increasingly experimenting with releasing their work online. With their high-quality long-form programs, Netflix and others are raising the bar for traditional TV production, he said. "Television didn't (have) a very big hold over me until you started having extended stories," he added. (Reporting by Silvio Castellanos; Writing by Isla Binnie; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) By Foo Yun Chee STRASBOURG (Reuters) - EU nations will be required to share data on 5G cybersecurity risks and produce measures to tackle them by the end of the year, the European Commission said on Tuesday, shunning U.S. calls to ban China's Huawei Technologies across the bloc. The aim is to use tools available under existing security rules plus cross-border cooperation, the bloc's executive body said, leaving it to individual EU countries to decide whether they want to ban any company on national security grounds. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Portugal are all preparing to auction 5G licenses this year while six other countries will do so next year. The European Union move came despite U.S. pressure to boycott Huawei, citing fears of China using the company's equipment for espionage. Huawei has strongly rejected the allegations and launched a lawsuit against the U.S. government. The EU provided additional detail on the plans first reported by Reuters on March 22, with European digital chief Andrus Ansip saying that the measures announced on Tuesday aimed to address concerns about foreign governments using companies for espionage. Last week French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe was wakening up to potential Chinese dominance in the region. Ansip said that 5G technology would transform the economy and society, but that this cannot happen without full security built in. "It is therefore essential that 5G infrastructures in the EU are resilient and fully secure from technical or legal backdoors," Ansip said in a statement. RISK ASSESSMENT EU countries have until the end of June to assess cybersecurity risks related to 5G, leading to a bloc-wide assessment by Oct. 1. Using this, EU countries would then have to agree measures to mitigate risks by the end of the year. Such measures could include certification requirements and tests of products or suppliers regarded as potential security risks. The bloc will decide by Oct. 1, 2020, whether to take further action. The EU has already passed a new law to give permanent status to the EU Cybersecurity Agency and to guide on cybersecurity certification. Huawei described the EU's approach as objective and proportionate. Its comments were echoed by telecoms lobby group GSMA, which includes 300 operators worldwide, while the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association emphasized the importance of a fact-based and harmonized policy. Deutsche Telekom, meanwhile, said it is open to exchanging data with other operators to improve network security as the industry moves towards super-fast 5G technology. Large telecoms operators, which view 5G as the next big moneyspinner, oppose a Huawei ban, saying that such a move could set back 5G deployment by years. World No.1 telecoms equipment maker Huawei, which competes with Sweden's Ericsson and Finnish company Nokia, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and U.S.-led allegations that its equipment could be used for spying. Australia and New Zealand have stopped operators using Huawei equipment in their 5G networks. But in a separate boost for Huawei on Tuesday, it was announced that Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, plans to roll out a commercial 5G mobile network by June, partly using Huawei technology. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Philip Blenkinsop and David Goodman) Indigenous leaders from Canada and Alaska told U.S. legislators on Tuesday that oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) would devastate caribou, and amount to "cultural genocide." The Gwich'in representatives were testifying before a U.S. congressional subcommittee, which is considering a bill that would nix any development in the Alaska refuge. "I am here today to testify that this development on [Alaska's] coastal plain amounts to the cultural genocide of the entire Gwich'in nation," said Dana Tizya-Tramm, chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Crow, Yukon, in his testimony. "If you drill in this sacred place, it will destroy the caribou, and therefore destroy the Gwich'in." ANWR's oil and gas potential has been talked about for decades, but in 2017 the Trump administration passed a sweeping tax bill that included a provision to open the coastal plain to development. The proposed Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act would effectively repeal that part. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Associated Press Bernadette Demientieff of the Gwich'in Steeering Committee also testified on Tuesday. Her organization represents Indigenous communities in Alaska, Yukon and the N.W.T. who have long argued that protecting ANWR is vital to the survival of the Porcupine caribou herd. The herd's calving grounds lie within the refuge. "We are caribou people," Demientieff said, describing how Gwich'in have relied on the herd throughout their history. "The ancestral homeland of the Gwich'in and the migratory route of the Porcupine caribou herd are identical ... protecting the coastal plain is protecting our identity and human rights." Tizya-Tramm said it's especially important to preserve the caribou calving grounds now, as the environment around them evolves. CBC "Protected lands will give animals the chance to survive the changing climate in our lands," he said. Story continues "The herd is the sustenance of our very being mind, body and spirit." 'Sustain this national treasure' The area has been considered off-limits for development for nearly 60 years. In 1960, President Dwight Eisenhower set aside 3.6 million hectares of the Arctic coastal plain "for the purpose of preserving unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values." When ANWR was established in 1980, the legislation added that one of its purposes was to "conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity including the Porcupine caribou herd." The bill now before the subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources calls on Congress to "sustain this national treasure," and also "honor and respect the human rights of the Gwich'in." Speaking at Tuesday's hearing, subcommittee chair Alan Lowenthal, a Democratic congressman from New York who took over as chair after the mid-term elections, described the inclusion of ANWR in the 2017 tax bill as rushed and unnecessary. "It was barely even thought about," he said. "There is absolutely no need to open the ANWR to oil and gas drilling. "I think we should all be able to agree that decisions about the future of the Arctic refuge should be made thoughtfully, carefully, and with an understanding that this is a one-way street oil and gas development, particularly on the tundra in the Arctic, is irreversible." The hearing was heated at times, with Republican Congressman Don Young of Alaska a long-time supporter of development in ANWR appearing at one point to challenge another congressman to a fist fight. CBC "If you want to argue, I'll argue with you later Alright? We'll take care of that later," he said, shaking a clenched fist. Young said that the committee should hear from more Inupiat representatives who live on Alaska's north slope and support development, not "foreigners." "I want to believe the people not the Gwich'in, because they're not the people. They're 400 miles away. I'm talking about the Inuits that live there. That's their land. It's always been their land. "Save the culture of the people, not those that are foreigners or are living away from the area." Government ban unconstitutional, says Nepal Bar Association Around two weeks after the governments decision to ban the activities of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal, Nepal Bar Association, an umbrella body of lawyers, has termed the ban unconstitutional. By Sanjeev Miglani and Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India shot down one of its own satellites in low-Earth orbit with a ground-to-space missile on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, hailing his country's first test of such weaponry as a breakthrough establishing it as a military space power. India would only be the fourth country to have used such an anti-satellite weapon after the United States, Russia and China, said Modi, who heads into general elections next month. "Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometers away in space, in low-Earth orbit," Modi said in a television broadcast. "India has made an unprecedented achievement today," he added, speaking in Hindi. "India registered its name as a space power." Anti-satellite weapons permit attacks on enemy satellites, blinding them or disrupting communications, as well as providing a technology base to intercept ballistic missiles. Such capabilities have raised fears of the weaponization of space and setting off a race between rivals. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan warned that the use of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons like the one India tested on Wednesday pose the risk of making a "mess" in space, noting the debris fields that can be left behind. He said the United States was still studying the Indian test. In Washington, a senior U.S. military official told lawmakers that the United States was tracking about 270 different objects in the debris field from Wednesday's impact, a number that would likely grow as the fragments spread out. Lieutenant General David Thompson, vice commander of U.S. Air Force Space Command, added that the International Space Station was not at risk at this point. China's foreign ministry said it hoped all countries "can earnestly protect lasting peace and tranquillity in space." Russia declined to make any immediate comment. India's neighbor and arch-rival, Pakistan, said space is the "common heritage of mankind, and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena." Tensions flared last month between the nuclear-armed foes after a militant attack in the disputed region of Kashmir. India has had a space program for years, providing Earth-imaging satellites and launch capabilities as a cheaper alternative to Western space services. It sent a low-cost probe to Mars in 2014 and plans its first manned space mission by 2022. India also launched a lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, in 2008 that included an orbiter and an impact probe. The latest test, conducted from an island off India's east coast, was aimed at protecting the country's assets in space against foreign attacks, the government said. A ballistic missile defence interceptor produced by the government's Defence Research and Development Organisation was used to shoot down the satellite, the foreign ministry said. "The capability achieved ... provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long-range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles," it said in a statement. The three-minute test in the low-Earth orbit ensured there was no debris in space and the remnants would "decay and fall back on to the Earth within weeks," the ministry added. But Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey said the risk of fragments hitting other objects in space remained. "One of the big risks of a hit-to-kill ASAT (anti-satellite weapon) is that it shatters the target, leaving a cloud of lethal debris that threatens other satellites. In an extreme scenario, there is even a risk of 'collisional cascading' in which one breakup triggers others in a chain reaction." "While tests can be arranged to minimize this risk, any operational use of such a system in war poses a real threat to all satellites in orbit at similar altitude." China destroyed a satellite in 2007, creating the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation. China's test spurred India to develop its anti-satellite capability, said Ajay Lele, a senior fellow of the government-funded Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi. Indian defence scientists had sought political approval for live tests but successive governments had baulked, fearing international condemnation, an Indian defence official said. Brahma Chellaney, a security expert at New Delhi's Centre of Policy Research, said the United States, Russia and China were pursuing anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. "Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, India's successful 'kill' with an ASAT weapon is significant." A spokeswoman for the U.S. mission in Geneva, which handles disarmament issues, had no immediate comment on the Indian test. UNITED STATES A PIONEER The United States ran the first anti-satellite test in 1959, when satellites were rare and new. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the Soviet Union tested a weapon that would be launched into orbit, approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. In 1985 the United States tested the ASM-135, launched from an F-15 fighter, destroying a U.S. satellite called Solwind P78-1. There were no tests for more than 20 years, until China entered the anti-satellite arena in 2007. The following year, the United States used a ship-launched SM-3 missile to destroy a defunct spy satellite in Operation Burnt Frost. Modi's Hindu nationalist-led government has taken a strong position on national security, launching air strikes last month on a suspected militant camp in Pakistan that spurred retaliatory raids. Although he faces criticism for failing to deliver on high economic growth and create jobs, a hawkish position on security should help Modi at the ballot box, pollsters say. The leader of the main opposition Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, congratulated defence scientists but took a dig at Modi for the announcement on a day that commemorates theatricals. "I would also like to wish the prime minister a very happy World Theatre Day," Gandhi said. School children held flags in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad celebrating the test. A concern for India is that China could help its old ally Pakistan neutralize any advantage. "Pakistan and China have a very deep strategic kind of partnership. So some kind of sharing of capabilities can't be ignored," Uday Bhaskar, director of the Society for Policy Studies, another Delhi think-tank, said. (Additional reporting by Gerry Doyle in SINGAPORE, Zeba Siddiqui in NEW DELHI, Ben Blanchard in BEIJING, James Mackenzie in ISLAMABAD, Polina Nikolskaya in MOSCOW, Stephanie Nebehay in GENEVA, Phil Stewart in MIAMI and Idrees Ali in WASHINGTON; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, William Maclean and James Dalgleish) By Nerijus Adomaitis OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian aluminum maker Norsk Hydro may have lost more than $40 million in the week that followed a cyber attack that paralyzed parts of its operations, and a full recovery of IT systems will take weeks or more, the company said. Norsk Hydro had to halt some of its production on March 19 and switch other units to manual operation after hackers blocked its systems with ransomware. While Hydro's primary metals business and most other units were able to carry on production with workarounds and manual solutions, one of its main production units struggled to recover, company executives told a news conference on Tuesday. On a preliminary basis, the financial impact during the first week was estimated at between 300 million and 350 million Norwegian crowns ($35 million-$41 million). "Hydro has a solid cyber risk insurance policy with recognized insurers, with global insurer AIG as lead," the company said. "The insurance has a ceiling," Chief Financial Officer Eivind Kallevik told the news conference. He declined to be more specific regarding the policy's cap. Hydro meanwhile is still trying to get affected businesses back up to speed. "In the most affected business area, Extruded Solutions, production is now at 70-80 percent, except for the Building Systems business unit, where operations remain almost at a standstill," Hydro said. The company said it hoped to see "a reasonable level of production and shipments" from building systems by the end of the week. The company's extrusion business transform aluminum ingots into components for carmakers, builders and other industries. Hydro has said it will not pay hackers to unlock its files, preferring instead to restore them from backup servers. "The company has now entered the recovery phase following the attack, gradually restoring IT systems in a safe and secure manner to ensure progress toward normal business while limiting the impact for people, operations, customers, suppliers and other partners," Hydro said in a statement. Kallevik said at the news conference that a full recovery of all systems would take "weeks or longer". Norsk Hydro's shares were down 1.9 percent on Tuesday, lagging a 0.5 percent rise in Norway's benchmark stock index. (Writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche and Jane Merriman) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday blocked a bipartisan resolution calling for the release of Robert Muellers full report, according to Axios, CNN and NBC News. McConnell, an ally of President Donald Trumps who has nonetheless been critical of him at times, reportedly urged caution before trying to rush out the release of potentially sensitive material. Its not unreasonable to give the special counsel and the Justice Department just a little time to complete their review in a professional and responsible manner, McConnell said on the Senate floor, according to CNN. Were likely dealing here with potential other prosecutions, classified information, damaging peoples reputation, McConnell continued. Theres no evidence that the attorney general is not going to produce as much information as possible for all of us, and thats why I objected. I think its a reasonable thing to do. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in turn, said McConnells hesitancy was in contrast to even the president. Schumer noted that his resolution, which he moved to pass without a roll call vote on Monday night, per NBC, had already unanimously passed the House. According to NBC, the nonbinding resolution, if approved, would not force the reports release only express Congress position on the matter. This language was good enough for every Republican in the Senate as well as every Democrat, Schumer said in the Senate, according to CNN. The president himself says it should be released. Its hard to understand why the majority leader should stand alone with objections no one else found to be reasonable or sustainable and oppose this resolution. The report should be made public and the Senate should resolve that it should be. Mueller, who has been investigating any possible coordination and links between Trump and Russian officials (and related matters) since May 2017, concluded his investigation last week. Story continues According to a brief summary of his findings released by Attorney General William Barr, Mueller did not find evidence of conspiracy or coordination between the president and Russia. On the question of whether Trump obstructed justice into his investigation, however, Mueller did not make a determination expressly noting that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Barr has said he will work with Mueller and other officials in determining what parts of the report cannot be released, including information connected to underlying grand jury proceedings, but said that he will be releasing additional information. Democratic lawmakers have called for the releases full report. Asked Monday how he felt about the possible release, Trump told reporters: Its up to the attorney general, but it wouldnt bother me at all. 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. . ..Conservativewoman.co.uk..27 March '19..THE people of Gaza have had enough. They are tired of having their homes, schools and hospitals used as launch pads for Hamass endless war against Israel, and tired of subsisting in abject poverty while their leaders live in luxury.Since seizing power from Fatah in 2007, Hamas has controlled the Gaza strip. It uses Gazans as human shields in its attempts to destroy Israel and turn it into another Islamist state. Hamas leaders are millionaires, grown rich on stealing from their own people billions of pounds in donations from the UN and Western governments.Two weeks ago Gaza residents took to the streets shouting the slogan We want to live. Their protests were ignited by Hamass planned tax increases which will increase hardship for most Palestinians already dealing with exorbitant living costs, poverty, high unemployment rates and poor infrastructure. The protesters put the blame for their plight solely on Hamas. In response, Hamas security forces beat and arrested dozens of demonstrators, including students and human right activists, and in some instances used live fire on them.According to reports by the Fatah media, Hamas targeted 17 journalists during the protests and arrested seven. Several were beaten and had their phones confiscated. Hamas is also suspected of breaking the fingers of a Palestinian writer and beating him so badly that he had to be hospitalised.Almost a week later (19 March) the BBC finally decided to report on the uprising against Hamas . Trying her best to blame Israel and downplay Hamas culpability, the reporter, at 20.30 minutes in, describes Hamas as widely seen as a terrorist group. But Hamas is not seen as a terrorist group, it is a terrorist group. Independence House in Hyannis and locations throughout the Cape is set to install powerful Silent Witness Initiative displays in Orleans, Chatham, and Harwich in April to highlight the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence. Contributed Photo Organization Marking 40th Year In the state of Massachusetts almost one in three women has experienced rape, physical violence, and stalking by a partner. Nearly 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men have been the victims of non-rape sexual assault. In 2008 domestic violence was declared a public health emergency in the state. These facts, courtesy of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, are sobering. Independence House in Hyannis and on Cape Cod has been working to change that, marking its 40th anniversary this year. The non-profit kicked off its anniversary year with an awareness campaign for teens in February and hosted several events in March honoring Women's History Month. In April the organization will begin installing displays across the area highlighting those whose lives have been impacted by domestic and sexual violence. Part of the Silent Witness Initiative, the displays feature life-sized cutout silhouettes of men, women, and children. Traditionally, the cutouts represented women whose lives ended as the result of domestic violence. But according to Independence House Executive Director Lysetta Hurge-Putnam, the Cape-wide displays will include stories of abuse and of survival from abuse. The displays throughout our 40th year will be somewhat like the Clothesline Project in that they're telling a story, Hurge-Putnam said. This year we're filling them out with a little more information and particular experiences. The Clothesline Project originated in Hyannis in 1990 as a means of shining a light on the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence. It involves T-shirts created by survivors of or in honor of victims of domestic and sexual violence that are hung on clotheslines as part of a public display. The displays really are to increase awareness and get people talking more throughout the community, said Hurge-Putnam. To get people more engaged, learning how they can become involved. It's really about bringing about cultural change, social change. To have everyone realize they can do something. They can intervene. Everyone can play a part in trying to prevent acts of aggression, sexual violence and domestic violence. One of the earliest displays is slated to go up in Orleans on April 2 near Snow Library, with Chatham set to follow on April 26 at Kate Gould Park, and Harwich on May 10 at Brooks Park, each pending permission from the respective towns. Hurge-Putnam said a crucial piece of the campaign is making people aware that Independence House can help. We always want to be completely engaged with all of the communities we serve on Cape Cod so that anyone that needs to use our resources and services is aware that we're here, she said. We also want to take the opportunity to share our knowledge and our skills across the Cape. Independence House provides help and resources on many levels, including a 24-hour hotline, individual and group counseling, childcare, legal assistance, medical and police advocacy, and a number of programs regarding domestic and sexual violence. We provide counseling for children, a teen website and chat line, we go to the hospital with someone who has been sexually assaulted and provide support and advocacy for them while they're there, Hurge-Putnam said. It's soup to nuts, but it is specific to each individual. It's not like we have a one size fits all. For example, a person who is 65 might have a different need than a person who is 25. We work across the lifespan. While the common misconception is that Independence House is strictly for women, it also provides assistance to men that have been the victims of domestic and sexual violence, Hurge-Putnam said. What's not as well known is that we do work with men that have experienced sexual assault, she said. That's another thing we hope to get the word out about. All of the services offered by Independence House are free. According to the Independence House website (independencehouse.org), the organization spent 5,139 hours providing domestic violence services and 1,177 providing sexual violence services during the last fiscal year. They also spent 1,978 hours assisting with restraining and harassment orders, and served a total of 9,373 clients. Hurge-Putnam noted that the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment helped put that issue and the issue of sexual violence in the spotlight and resulted in an uptick in calls to Independence House, as well as increased awareness. We know that more people are aware, Hurge-Putnam said. I feel like people are more likely to come in for services openly these days than they were. While there has been an overall reduction in the rates of domestic violence nationally, she noted that specific communities, such as people with disabilities, LGBTQ, minorities, and immigrants, are still fraught with incidences of domestic and sexual violence. Those are the communities in which we really need to be involved because those folks don't always reach out and know that there are services available, Hurge-Putnam said. It is her hope that when people take the time to look at each of the displays, they do more than nod and keep walking. We hope that they are able to understand and feel some empathy for what survivors go through, she said. To really drive home how prevalent both of these issues are. These are significant problems for one in four women and one in five men in our country. Somewhere beyond the sea Somewhere waiting for me Its far beyond the stars Its near beyond the moon I know without a doubt My heart will be leading me there soon. Beyond the Sea was a big hit for Bobby Darin in 1959. The lyrics were by Jack Lawrence and the music was from a 1945 French song La Mer written by Charles Trenet. Fishing, boat building and intercoastal commerce weighed heavily in Chatham in the 18th and 19th centuries. So many captains of clipper ships came from Chatham. It is therefore significant that Chatham was the home of F. Spaulding Dunbar, an iconic naval architect of the 20th century. Originally from Mansfield, Dunbar summered in Chatham with his parents each year. While in Chatham, Spaulding spent much of his time in boats or around boats. A brilliant student, he graduated from high school at 15. After a year of prep school, he entered MIT at 16. Four years later, he was one of the youngest graduates. His first jobs were as crew on a steamship and next on a 217-foot clipper. He learned a great deal about ships and sailing and piloting in those early positions. He then signed on with a naval architect in Boston. The job was short-lived as the firm went bankrupt in the Great Depression. While at the Boston firm, Spaulding was assigned as the overseer in the construction of a 52-foot ketch. As the ketch neared completion, Spaulding married Doris Earle and settled in Chatham. Their home, which is at the base of Eliphamets Lane, was designed by Spaulding and was built like a boat with many nautical features inside and out. The boat yard went together piece by piece. The large framed building had been a hanger from the Chatham Naval Air Station in Chathamport. The Air Station was primarily a blimp base and was active from 1917 to 1922. The hanger was moved and reconstructed in 1936, and later a quonset hut and a marine railway were installed. Spaulding Dunbars main focus was on designing boats, so as time went on, more and more of the boatyards day-to-day decisions fell to Doris. And design he did. Spaulding was one of the founders of the Stage Harbor Yacht Club and the club needed a class of small sloops for instruction and racing. His first design was the Corsair. Twenty feet long with lots of sail, the Corsair was often hard to keep upright. The current commodore of Stage Harbor Yacht Club, Drew Carlson, owns Corsair #2, one of the surviving Corsairs. It is beautifully restored and sleek and fast, but only sailors with skills like Drew can handle such a craft. Next was the 15.5-foot Catabout. The Catabout was easy to sail and proved very popular. Many of this handsome class still can be found in Chatham waters. The Catabout and the 17-foot Whistler were the mainstays of the Stage Harbor fleet until fiberglass hulls became popular in the '60s. John Hutchinson, who lives on Silverleaf Avenue, owns Whistler #6. Another Dunbar design was the 24.5-foot Monomoy which was Spaulding Dunbars alternative to the Wianno Senior. Orleans Selectman Alan McClennen has restored one of the very few Monomoys that were built and he continues to sail it in Pleasant Bay. The Monomoy is a beautifully-designed sailboat. World War II caused many changes for Dunbar. He was invited to work on the design of a boat that would become the PT boat. The Navy needed a boat with high speed that could travel in shallow waters. The PT boat was used extensively in World War II, particularly in the Pacific. It was an important boat for the U.S. Navy. At the same time, the Quimby plywood company in Maine was developing a marine plywood that could be used for powerboats. Utilizing that plywood, Spaulding designed the Bristol line of boats. The smaller Bristols came in 13-, 16- and 19-foot lengths with the 16-footer being the most popular. The 16-foot Bristol was a big seller and a great number of them could be found in Stage Harbor and Pleasant Bay. Spaulding also designed a 22-foot bass boat for Bristol. The story is that he traded the design for the Bristol for his own 22-footer. The Surf Bird was fast and beautiful, and Spaulding was often seen heading out to Nantucket Sound in the Surf Bird. Perhaps the most famous Dunbar design was the Ocean Pearl, which was built for fellow Mill Pond resident Seward Johnson. The Ocean Pearl was actually the second boat Spaulding designed for Mr. Johnson. The first, Sea Goose, was 43 feet long and drew only three feet. The very small draft was due to the use of twin centerboards as opposed to a keel. It was a radical idea for cruising boats at the time. The Sea Goose proved to be a wonderful sailboat and Spaulding and Seward sailed it successfully from Maine to Cuba. The Ocean Pearl was 62.5 feet and was built in the Netherlands with extensive use of teak and the finest hardware. One of the most unique of Dunbars boats was his own 26-foot ketch, Little Dipper. It was beautiful and fast and encompassed most of his design features developed over a lifetime. Spaulding and Doris had three children. The oldest, Bart lives in Newport, R.I. and owns and manages Bowen's Wharf. He and his wife, Lisa Lewis, are very involved in civic affairs and charity in Newport. Each summer, Bart and some Chatham friends sail off to Europe in Silver Apple, which was also designed by his father. Bart and the Silver Apple have sailed all over Europe and the Mediterranean. Barts sister, Fran, lives in California. Fran left Chatham in 2006 after many years here. She told me a great story about sailing across the Atlantic, being in the middle of the ocean and climbing the mast and jumping into the ocean as the sailboat continued on. There was a long rope attached to the stern and she would grab it and pull herself back to the boat and then do it again. Few of us have ever had such an adventure. The youngest child was Dede who died in 2007. I benefitted from a lot of help on this article and I owe thanks to Wayne Gould, who loaned me his copy of Wooden Boat from 2001 which had a lengthy article on Spaulding Dunbar. Also thanks to Bart and Fran Dunbar and to Alan McClennen, Drew Carlson and John Hutchinson. In 2013, the Atwood House honored the achievements of Spaulding Dunbar with an exhibit entitled Wood, Water and Wind, the Genius of Chathams F. Spaulding Dunbar. His boats were beautiful and his designs revolutionary. Dunbar died in 1991 at 85, and he was honored by a flotilla of boats that scattered his ashes in Nantucket Sound. His legacy goes on somewhere Beyond the Sea as his boats continue to ply the waters of Chatham and Cape Cod. Wednesday, I had a tumor removed from above my right eye. It's more than likely a lipoma, but was sent in for testing to verify the diagnosis. It was an... 1 day ago Kathmandu airport runway restoration to begin Monday The runway at Tribhuvan International Airport is being renovated in a Rs3.78-billion project scheduled to be completed on June 30. Photo - Questions and Responses 2 Reverend Dr Rowland Croucher the Pastors Pastor of 45 years says these Q&R series is an attempt to face the 50 top questions people ask to challenge clergy, counsellors and other Christian leaders. There will probably be five of these volumes, each one dealing with 10-12 key issues. From the Introduction: 'Notice I do not claim to be omniscient, so 'truth' can be differently discerned from person to person (depending often, I cynically add, upon who had got hold of them when they were impressionable.' The first volume, published last year, explains the rationale for this strategic series: 'Our title is 'Questions & Responses' not 'Questions & Answers'. There's a reason for that. Individuals can posit 'answers' to many questions that they might have figured out for themselves; but others have travelled a different route that led to different answers.' Q&R 1 dealt with Big Issues like: WWJD ('What would Jesus Do?'), Abuse and violence, Mavericks: what shall we do with today's prophets?, How to Know the Lord (social justice), Pharisees Ancient & Modern, Why most do - but some don't - believe in the existence of God. Billy Graham: Life, Ministry and Legacy, Is Gandhi in Heaven? (Christianity and other religions, Dealing with Grief. Q&R 2: Ananias & Sapphira, John Stott, Three seminars for church leaders: What Does a Healthy Church Look Like? , Happiness and joy are not the same, Archbishop Oscar Romero, Spiritual Direction: an idea whose time has come (again), Money money money... And more... Special price: $20 per volume posted ($5 of which is donated to International Needs Australia to educate girls in Uganda). Google Coventry Press to purchase copies online. Or email me: (rcroucher@gmail.com) for a simple way to pay online. Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html Photo - Southern Aurora 'The Southern Aurora' was the title of Mark Tronson, the Footplate Padre's 1989 book. It detailed everything about this iconic express sleeper train which travelled overnight between Melbourne and Sydney, in each direction, seven nights a week, from the sixties to the eighties. One of the chapters entitled 'Old Time Drivers' tells of the earliest Salaried Drivers of the diesel Southern Aurora who had pedigrees from the grand days of steam. These 'classic' train drivers were only known by their surnames; they were distinguished gentlemen who were recognised in the community. They always wore white shirts and neck ties when on the diesel locomotive (on steam trains they would wear a sweat rag as a scarf around their necks). One of the very first drivers to take charge of the Southern Aurora was Mr Butler, an engineman based in Goulburn. Not even the District Locomotive Engineer (DLE) would call him by his first name, and the fireman was never allowed to have a cuppa from Mr Butler's billy. During the very first time Mr Butler took the Southern Aurora out, the guard foolishly climbed into the cabin only to be told he wasn't invited on the locomotive - he was to speak to Mr Butler from ground level. When the Locomotive Inspector asked the fireman to request permission to come aboard, Mr Butler said nothing for a long fifteen seconds and then grunted his approval and returned to what he was doing. Another of these old time drivers from Goulburn was Mr Brown. His bearing was such that a fireman was not permitted to walk alongside him, only ever behind him. He would never condescend to do any part of the fireman's work even when working steam, when it often took the fireman three trips to collect the necessary items to get a steam engine fired up. Steam engines didn't have speedometers; drivers drove to time where the driver's watch was the critical component. Accelerating and braking was done by timing from landmarks alongside the railway line. Diesels, however, had these new fangled instruments which these drivers considered to be agents of the devil, which took all the skill out of driving trains. When driving a diesel, Mr Brown would cover the speedometer with a large rag. Photo - Sunlander Passengers comments Passengers on the Southern Aurora would inevitably make comments to railway authorities about the delicacy and smoothness of the ride when Mr Brown was driving; once there were twenty such reports on the one trip. Certainly, Mr Brown was a railway legend in his lifetime, equivalent to any movie star of the golden era. Gentlemanliness and attention to doing their job as well as possible were customs he and Mr Butler had kept as they progressed from the age of steam to Salaried Drivers of diesel. There are many ways to develop good customs in your everyday Christian life says the Footplate Padre; for example 'daily bible reading', 'prayer' and 'Christian service'. If possible, you can show a positive example to your children and grandchildren by observing these customs. Photo - Overland Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html Photo - Sam Gillespie, Chair of the Brains Trust The annual young writers Brains Trust meeting chaired by Sydneys Sam Gillespie this year will be on Saturday 4 May in Melbourne. The Brains Trust have been meeting for some years as a consultancy body to the young writers program, focused mainly on the nature of the internal mechanisations of Press Service International. The young writer program has been functioning since 2009 as a ministry within Press Service International and Christian Today, a program now with 105 young writers from Australia, New Zealand and with numerous internationals. The internationals come from England, Canada, USA, China, South Africa, Mozambique, India, Nigeria, Cambodia, Pakistan, Vietnam and the West Indies. They make up 16 young writers 18-30 years in Week 1. Then there are 7 in the Over 31s in Week 5. 2018 The Brains Trust last year (2018) focused on the lack of response to the editorial notes in the Thursday weekly young writer memo. A redirection was determined to replace the editorial notes to the list of published articles each week. This has been very well received as the weekly young writer memo is now combined with the prayer and financial supporters E-Blast. This came about as the Australian young writers discussed a range of such issues at the Christchurch conference in September. One of these issues was that one particular young writer spoke at length - not wanting too many Emails therefore being combined - (the weekly Thursday memo and the E-Blast) has worked well. The same person did not want to receive the daily PSI of the days young writers published - did not see supporting fellow writers are being important - rather only receiving the Thursday weekly memo. At the Christchurch conference, the question was asked, who read Daniel Jangs astonishing article of being arrested in Turkey with a mission team. Only 4 raised their hands. It was obviously evident - they were frightfully keen on having their own international column published and read - but took no responsibility of reading each others articles, nor did they take into account those in the team who took up voluntary roles as a coordinator / editor / photo selector. In other words, they wanted the privileges of an international column but no part in the community and the responsibilities this involves. Photo - Capt., Peter Brookshaw, 2018 Over 31s Basil Sellers Winner is part of the Brains Trust Rancour This was followed by a couple of months of rancour - those young writers who were writing only for themselves - ignoring all those who developed the program behind the scenes which see all the young people published. In effect, these young people wanted nothing more than a airport shuttle - transferring their article from their desk to Christian Today. One might imagine that went down like a lead balloon. Moreover others decided they only wanted one email a month, then others this and that. The young writer program is still working their way through this as its become a nightmare each day figuring out who gets this or that email and others only wanted this or that information . it proved to be a drama. A simple solution would be those specific people pressing a delete button. My workload quadrupled. It has made my tasks quite horrible, as it changes each day. In my view it contributed to my blackout late last year. Photo - Cartia Moore, young writer video producer May 4 This upcoming 4 May Brains Trust discussions will also include the two new video producers Cartia Moore (Sunshine Coast) who presents a video every couple of months on PSI matters, and Amy Manners (Adelaide) who features the newsy bits. One success story though has been the Weebly updating the CV sites of each young writer. Mr Basil Sellers AM expressed his astonishment that I had been doing this fine data base work for so many years. Josh Hinds the web master of the PSI site has issued every young writer their own code so as to update their own CV sites with their articles. This plan to have the young writers upload their own CV sites along with an explanation sheet by Brent Van Mourik and a DVD by Cartia Moore issued last November has been sparingly engaged which was issued again in late January. It is also advantageous to the editor of Christian Times. China who is going to the CV sites to ascertain which articles to republish. The Brains Trust has a lot on its plate come Saturday 4 May. Photo - Amy Manners, young writer video producer Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html The current calendar "Himalaya 2012" motto is a journey to Mustang". The financing of the projects of the Himalayas Help Freiburg e.V. Michael Chabon pursues this goal as well. is carried out primarily through the sales of an annual calendar, which brings closer to the lives of people in the Himalayan regions, or the beauty of the highest mountains of the Earth with different themes. The current calendar "Himalaya 2012" motto is a journey to Mustang". Mustang, or briefly on Nepali Lo, lies at an altitude of more than 2,500 m and extends over an area of 2,563 square kilometres - and is thereby roughly as big as the Saarland. The capital Lo Manthang with the medieval Royal Palace and important Buddhist monasteries from the 15th century is only a day's ride away from the Tibetan border at 3.790 m. Mustang was an independent Kingdom until 2008. Only with the proclamation of the Republic Nepal the monarchy was abolished, but only on paper. Jigme Palbar BISTA, the 25th representative of Lo dynasty, is considered still the king", with all the rights and powers. In the 70 years that opened just a few tourists Kingdom of foreign Besuchern-still have a good opportunity to meet the King himself at an audience. About 6,000 people live in Mustang, operate cattle breeding, agriculture, KleinhandeI and live for generations with their environment, as well as traditionally the customs of their ancestors. Their country is characterized by the Kali Gendaki. He is one of four major rivers in Nepal, is the deepest Canyon in the world between the mountain ranges of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna and was once one of the most important routes for the salt trade between Tibet and India. Many castles and fortresses along the caravan route today recall this time. More information about projects and about the work of the Himalayas help Freiburg e.V. can be found under. Here, the catalogue can be ordered. Description Himalayan help Freiburg e.V. The Himalayan help Freiburg e.V. in Freiburg was founded in 2006. The purpose of the Association is the tangible and intangible support of needy people in the Himalayan regions of Nepal. To do this, promotes the Himalayan help Freiburg e.V. in particular projects in the context of education. The Club uses to carry out its projects nationally recognized in Nepal, an NGO (non-governmental organization, i.e., a non-governmental organization that is geared not-for profit, by the authorities is neither organized nor dependent) or other bodies, which has a similar task of public interest in the implementation of the measures as aid person. Partial financial inclusion The North Eastern Region truly remains a laggard in the entire economic reform process Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Speaker Qasim Ibrahim The Peoples Majlis 80 Medhuziyaarai Magu, Male 20080, Maldives March 27, 2019 Via admin@majlis.gov.mv Dear Speaker Qasim Ibrahim, We at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent press freedom advocacy organization, are writing to urge you to strengthen press freedom and commit to pursuing justice and ending impunity by calling for a vote on the bill to grant investigative powers to the presidential commission on enforced disappearances and murders. A broad coalition of civil society members and the families of those involved have called for this vote and we write to offer our support for those efforts. CPJ was heartened to see an improving press freedom environment in the Maldives during our mission to the capital last month and we believe it can improve even further if this commission is able to successfully carry out its mission. The commission was announced on the first day of President Ibrahim Solihs administration and the bill, proposed by the government in November, would grant that commission investigative powers. Recently, you have raised concerns about the constitutionality of the bill, though in December you said there were no legal obstacles because it had been cleared by the counsel-general. This bill represents an essential step in the pursuit of justice for crimes committed against journalists in the Maldives, yet three previous attempts at holding a vote on the bill could not take place due to a lack of quorum. The Maldives cannot achieve its goals of a democratic and just society if impunity reigns in cases of religiously motivated attacks targeting writers. According to the commissions chair, Husnu Al Suood, the attempted assassination of Ismail Khilath Rasheed (also known as Hilath), the murder of Afrasheem Ali, the abduction of Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla, and the murder of Yameen Rasheed were all connected and orchestrated by a religious militant group that had gang connections. If the government had taken action against Hilaths attackers, Suood said the subsequent attacks could have been prevented. Prosecuting and holding the perpetrators accountable is imperative to preventing any future attacks and lifting the climate of fear for writers. Given the lack of due process and the documented police negligence and judicial interference in the aforementioned cases, it is crucial that the parliament approves investigative powers for the commission for it to be able to carry out its mission in an efficient and effective way. As a democratically elected representative of the people of the Maldives, you owe it to your constituents to allow a vote on the bill. We urge you to bring the bill back onto the agenda and to hold a vote prior to the upcoming parliamentary elections. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Steven Butler Asia Program Coordinator Committee to Protect Journalists Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Bangkok, March 25, 2019 The Supreme Court of Myanmar will hear an appeal by the lawyers of jailed Reuters news agency reporters Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone on March 26, according to a statement from Reuters seen by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The reporters are each serving seven-year sentences under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act for allegedly possessing and disseminating secret information sensitive to national security; they were originally sentenced on September 3, 2018, and have been in jail since December 12, 2017, according to CPJ reporting. Myanmar still has a chance to right the wrong committed against jailed Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. We urge the Supreme Court to come down on the right side of justice by reversing their convictions and setting them free. In January, Myanmars High Court in Yangon rejected an appeal by the reporters and upheld their sentences, paving the way for an appeal at the supreme court, as CPJ and Reuters covered at the time. As CPJ reported in January, the reporters lawyers argued that the lower court wrongly placed the burden of proof on the defendants, that the state prosecutors failed to prove any criminal wrongdoing, and that the reporters were set up by police who planted supposedly secret documents on them after a December 2017 meeting. At the time of their initial arrests, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were investigating a massacre of Rohingya men and boys by security forces in Myanmars western Rakhine State; their reporting was published in Reuters on February 8, and led to seven soldiers being sentenced to prison for their involvement in the killings. Momentous Week for Crypto Has Japan Buzzing Japans cryptocurrency enthusiasts are jubilant following what the countrys media has termed a momentous few days for crypto-business. Source: iStock/ xavierarnau Akio Kikuchi, a cryptocurrency and blockchain technology consultant based in Fukuyama, told Cryptonews.com, The importance of this week just cant be understated. Yahoo, Rakuten, SBI and so on are very big companies who until now have just been talking about and planning their crypto-activities. Now we are going to see some action. Other big Japanese companies are hoping to follow. The mainstream media concurs. In an editorial published earlier this week, Nikkei stated that the FSAs fintech policing should be firm, but flexible, and that recent developments were bound to benefit customers. FXCoin called the developments amazing and momentous for the cryptocurrency industry. Sankei, meanwhile, stated that Japan has taken the [international] lead when it comes to developing cryptocurrency regulations. Tokyo is hoping to convince the international community of the importance of developing sound cryptocurrency regulations when the G20 convenes in Osaka in June. Japan is the third-largest economy in the world. Why crypto enthusiasts are so jubilant this week? 1. Rakuten, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world, was awarded a cryptocurrency exchange operating permit from the regulatory Financial Services Agency (FSA). The company last year bought out an existing platform named Everybodys Bitcoin for around USD 2.5 million, and has been waiting for FSA approval after rebranding the company Rakuten Wallet. Rakuten says it is hoping to begin trading as early as next week after restructuring the [exchanges] management system, formulating a business improvement plan and strengthening internal control systems, in line with an FSA business improvement order issued to Everybodys Bitcoin last year. 2. And the positive news kept rolling in. Yahoo Japan will also be making its crypto exchange debut in the coming weeks. The company last year bought a 40% stake in the FSA-licensed Bit Arg exchange, which has now been renamed Taotao. The exchange has announced that it has now begun accepting accounts, and will be open for business in May. 3. Money Partners Group, a foreign exchange trading platform, has struck a deal with the second largest securities brokerage in Japan, Daiwa Securities. The duo hope to launch blockchain technology-related operations, including an exchange subsidy, reports Asahi. 4. Meanwhile, internet platform OKWave has resolved third-party ownership issues with LastRoots, the operator of another FSA-approved exchange. The companies first announced an initial partnership deal in January this year. OKWave also hopes to open an exchange in Malaysia, per a LastRoots statement. 5. And a Tokyo-based company named DeCurret has become the first of the year to receive a new operating permit from the FSA. DeCurret stated that it will begin trading in five cryptocurrencies beginning in April, and has begun opening accounts as of today. 6. Earlier this week, the SBI Group one of Asias biggest financial organizations stated that it will begin producing mining hardware with an unnamed American partner. The company has also recently opened an FSA-licensed exchange of its own. Russias Richest Person Becomes Unexpected Hope For Local Crypto Scene While Russian lawmakers can't agree on the crypto regulation and keep postponing decisions, MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC and its billionaire chief Vladimir Potanin became a new hope that the regulation might be more friendly. At least, for Potanin's projects. Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Potanin. Potanin is talking with lawmakers and the central bank of the country to create further framework for regulating digital platforms, Bloomberg reported, adding that the tycoon is seeking to expand the list of entities that can run digital platforms. The current draft of the law on digital financial assets includes banks and exchanges, only. The next hearing on that has been postponed until April and the billionaire hopes that the law will pass this summer, according to the report. Potanin pursues his own interests with these changes as he's reportedly investing up to USD 6 million into several crypto projects. It includes issuing tokens for trading palladium and, possibly, other metals, a digital platform for transactions within the company between its own divisions, and a digital platform for intellectual property. MMC Norilsk Nickel, which is the worlds top palladium producer, is already in talks with Swiss authorities about issuing tokens and may start the digital platform by year-end, Potanin told Bloomberg. Meanwhile, the digital platform for transactions within the company would allow Russias central bank to use one company to test regulating blockchain-type systems without affecting the wider economy, it added. As previously reported, as relations with the West are not very good, Russias wealthy are desperately trying to find a way to safeguard their funds that does not involve oil or foreign real estate, with the 2008 global financial crisis denting the wallets of many of the old-guard oligarchs. Many of the countrys billionaires have decided they need to act sooner rather than later. This has all led many of Russias mega-rich to turn to the brave new world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Meanwhile, in January this year, senior Russian politicians have spoken out in support of cryptocurrencies hinting that they may have a place in the countrys economy in the years to come. However, region-wide crypto-regulations look to be forthcoming in Russia and its European and Central Asian ally states, as the Eurasian Economic Union was told to form union-wide regulation for the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries. 1. Yes. Patrol cars in the lot and armed officers inside would deter would-be criminals. 2. Yes. Police should announce their plans and be highly visible during store hours. 3. No. The citys police officers have other obligations. More private security is the answer. 4. No. Perhaps, but installing more surveillance cameras would be a better deterrent. 5. Unsure. More police might help, but it could also stretch KPDs resources too thin. Vote View Results President Ram Nath Kovind has been honoured with Croatias highest civilian award the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav. The Indian President was honoured during his visit to Croatia to strengthen the bilateral ties. Croatias highest civilian award the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav is awarded to heads of state for their important contribution towards the development of state relations between Croatia and their respective countries. President Kovind is the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Croatia. Croatia Croatia is located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and its capital is Zagreb. Croatia was constituent of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia On 25 June 1991. Croatia is a republic governed under a parliamentary system is a member of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe, NATO, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Union for the Mediterranean. Wisconsin native. "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."--GKC "Liberalism is the modern and morbid habit of always sacrificing the normal to the abnormal" --G K Chesterton "The only objective of Liberty is Life" --G K Chesterton "A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling Eden Hazardhas paid tribute to Chelsea's supporters, despite being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.Hazard has shone again for Chelsea this season as they have enjoyed an up-and-down first campaign under Maurizio Sarri.But the Belgium international continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid, who are looking to fill the void left by Cristiano RonaldoReports in Spainon Tuesday claimed Zinedine Zidane is keeping tabs on Hazard, who nevertheless insisted: 'Personally, when I go on to the pitch I play for the fans.'As players we are lucky to have the Chelsea fans because they travel everywhere and always show great support.'The 28-year-old was speaking after joining players from around Europe in a star-studded advert for Hyundai.Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Memphis Depay, Edin Dzeko and Willian also feature in the #ForTheFans video, which shows players helping supporters from across Europe get to and from games.Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou is also part of the advert, in which players play the roles of taxi drivers, baristas and photographers.Eighteen players took part in the filming, with Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Lyon, Hertha Berlin and Roma all represented. Tamil Nadu: Rising sea levels to affect water table along Chennais shoreline by K. Lakshmi March 27,2019 | Source: The Hindu The fragile water table in the citys coastal areas, particularly along East Coast Road, is under threat of severe seawater intrusion due to anticipated rise in sea levels in the next few decades, according to a study by the Department of Geology, Anna University. There is a rise in sea level by 2mm every year based on a report by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The increasing sea level would also force the water table along the coastline to move upwards. But it would slowly replace the freshwater at the bottom of the aquifer. The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, has forecast the impact of sea level rise on the coastal aquifer in the coming years, till 2100. L. Elango, Professor, Geology Department, Anna University, said given the rate of increase in sea level, the water table would witness an incursion of sea water to the extent of 2-3mm every year. The volume of fresh water would gradually reduce in the coastal areas due to climate change-induced sea level rise. Rapid urbanisation and indiscriminate drawal have already led to salt water intrusion in areas from the Adyar river to Palavakkam. Residents are heavily dependent on other resources, including private water tankers. Submerging of land The sea would also be moving closer to the land by 0.5 m every year because of the increase in sea level. We would lose 1.5 sq. km of land along the coastline by 2100, particularly in Thiruvanmiyur and Palavakkam, as the beach there is flat, he said. The water table along ECR is fragile as it is surrounded by the sea, the Adyar river, the Buckingham canal and the backwaters of Muttukadu. It is imperative to change the land-use pattern along the shoreline to tackle the impact of climate change. Areas closer to the coast must also adopt water conservation measures to sustain groundwater, notes the study. Only minimal groundwater extraction through open wells must be allowed and water pumped in localities along the shoreline must be replenished through rainwater harvesting. Large residential complexes must adopt other measures like permeable pavements. World News: The World Seafood Congress will take place in Penang in September 2019 March 27,2019 | Source: WSC A special session is dedicated to women in the seafood industry. Papers and presentations are expected on the following subjects: * Role of women in seafood industry/fisheries * Gender specific constraints * Solutions for equitable place for both genders This represents a great opportunity to spread your voice/ knowledge. Note that beside the papers' presentations there will be a special interactive session where participants will be invited to share their ideas/ hope/ projects on the specific topic of women in the industry. WSC is a mixed and very interesting event, where academics meet with business people. World News: Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction started at New York from 25-March to 5 April 2019 March 27,2019 | Source: ENB The second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) opened on Monday, March 25, 2019. Delegates heard general statements before discussing Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs), based on the Presidents Aid to Negotiations. Opening IGC President Rena Lee (Singapore) opened the session, inviting participants to observe a moment of silence to mark the passing of Amb. Virachai Plasai, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN and other recent tragedies. Lee urged delegates to build on the excellent start at ICG-1, highlighting that 2019 marks UNCLOS 25th anniversary. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, drew attention to relevant developments in different fora, including the: - work on Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); forthcoming global assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services by the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES); and - forthcoming report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). General Statements Many delegations welcomed the Presidents Aid, noting that it provided a sound basis for discussions. Palestine, for the G-77/CHINA, stressed the need for the elaboration of a zero draft of an ILBI for consideration by IGC-3. Algeria, for the African Group, highlighted the importance of balanced progress on all package elements. Belize, for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), underlined the need for an ILBI to consider the capacity of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to contribute and benefit from conservation and sustainable use of BBNJ. The EU echoed calls for a viable framework for conservation and sustainable use of BBNJ, and suggested that IGC-2 concentrate on processes and mechanisms to deliver treaty functions. Nauru, for the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), called for the ILBI to include the role of traditional knowledge (TK) and indigenous peoples in the conservation and sustainable use of BBNJ. Barbados, for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), proposed identifying areas of convergence to ensure a more concise text. Fiji, for the PACIFIC SIDS (P-SIDS), noted that the Presidents Aid could contain more options related to the reversal of the effects of climate change. Chile, for Like-Minded Latin America Countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay) called on all delegations to provide the rationale for specific approaches during IGC-2, with a view to move onto a zero draft at IGC-3. Stressing the need for a universal agreement to promote full implementation, Colombia, on behalf of El Salvador, Eritrea, Iran, and Turkey, reiterated that their participation does not affect their legal status as non-parties to UNCLOS, calling for this position to be reflected as a non-optional text in the Presidents Aid. Thailand prioritized the common heritage of humankind (CHM) as the underlying principle, and, with Paraguay, for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), highlighted the importance of instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversitys (CBD) Nagoya Protocol and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) for MGRs in the Area. Turkey said the ILBI should be consistent with relevant CBD decisions on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and MGRs. Myanmar called for the ILBI to complement existing treaties and frameworks and to respect UNCLOS principles on freedom of navigation and CHM; and, with Morocco, underscored the sovereign rights of adjacent coastal states. Iceland ILBIs decision-making process. Drawing attention to marine litter, Ecuador proposed that MGR exploitation should consider the effects on ocean dynamics. PIF drew attention to the challenges presented by ocean plastics, with Indonesia noting that transboundary issues, such as pollution, are becoming an increasing concern. Guatemala cautioned that without capacity building and transfer of marine technology, states would not be in a position to implement the future instrument in a balanced way. The Holy See identified five legal gaps in the process: a foundational gap; a jurisdictional gap; a legal applicability gap; an economic gap; and a gap between the notions of CHM and the freedom of the high seas. Iran emphasized that all countries should benefit from BBNJ and that a new ILBI should not undermine existing instruments. Bangladesh expressed support for the inclusion of both monetary and non-monetary benefit-sharing mechanisms. Eritrea stressed that a new treaty should be future-proof, addressing challenges related to climate change and technological advancement. China called for: a balance between conservation and sustainable use; a fair agreement, taking into account the common interests of humankind; and universal participation in the ILBI to enhance implementation. Norway prioritized a regime that is: functional, pragmatic, and promotes innovation and cost effectiveness in relation to MGRs; establishes procedures and promotes transparency, openness, and accountability for ABMTs; establishes principles and procedures to streamline how states can implement EIAs; and establishes a more efficient system for CB&TT. The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) called for the Presidents Aid to acknowledge the connectivity of TK and its holders to marine species, and further called for elaborating capacity building, and, with MALI, transfer of marine technology. Canada noted BBNJ issues cannot be resolved in isolation, noting the need for appropriate solutions, conservation tools, mitigation activities, and collaboration to meet common objectives. The Republic of Korea cautioned against premature consensus building, preferring to build on progress from previous sessions. JAPAN noted that the Presidents Aid reflects differences in the interpretation of UNCLOS and underlined the need to seek a mutually satisfactory way to move forward, preferring not to spend too much time on details but rather focus on substantive issues aimed at bringing parties together. The US underlined the need for an agreement that meets the legitimate interests of all states, adding that the only way to achieve a strong, broadly supported agreement is to negotiate text in a meeting format conducive to this. For more information please visit: https://www.un.org/bbnj/content/second-substantive-session A part of the 11th Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, by Iran Human Right (IHR), deals with the execution of Women, Juveniles and foreign citizens in the country. Read the full report here (pdf) Juvenile executions: Trends and legislative reforms The new Islamic Penal Code (IPC) adopted in 2013 explicitly defines the age of criminal responsibility for children as the age of maturity under sharia law, meaning that girls over 9 lunar years of age and boys over 15 lunar years of age are eligible for execution if convicted of crimes against God (such as apostasy) or retribution crimes (such as intentional murder). In February 2018, noting a surge in the number of juvenile offenders being executed in Iran, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein urged Iran to abide by international law and immediately halt all executions of people sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were under eighteen. He said that No other State comes even remotely close to the total number of juveniles who have been executed in Iran over the past couple of decades.[1] Iran remains one of the few countries sentencing juveniles to death and it executes more juvenile offenders than any other country in the world. In violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which Iran has ratified, the Iranian authorities executed at least 6 juvenile offenders in 2018, 1 juvenile execution more than in 2017. According to IHRs reports, at least 61 juvenile offenders have been executed between 2008 and 2018 in Iran. Amnesty International recently reported the execution of 85 juvenile offenders between 2005 and 2018.[2] According to the same report, at least 80 juvenile offenders are on death row in Iranian prisons. However, the actual number is significantly higher as there is no information about juvenile offenders in many Iranian prisons. The international pressure on Irans execution of juvenile offenders increased during the 2000-decade. As a consequence of the criticism from the international community and the internal civil society, Iran made changes regarding juvenile offenders in the Islamic Penal Code (IPC). However, these changes have not led to a decrease in the number of juvenile executions. The new Islamic Penal Code (IPC) adopted in 2013 explicitly defines the age of criminal responsibility for children as the age of maturity under sharia law, meaning that girls over 9 lunar years of age and boys over 15 lunar years of age are eligible for execution if convicted of crimes against God (such as apostasy) or retribution crimes (such as intentional murder).[3] Article 91 of the IPC says that juvenile offenders under the age of 18 who commit hodoud or qisas offences may not be sentenced to death if the judge determines the offender lacked adequate mental maturity and the ability to reason based on forensic evidence.[4] This article allows judges to assess a juvenile offenders mental maturity at the time of the offence and, potentially, to impose an alternative punishment to the death penalty on the basis of the outcome. In 2014, Irans Supreme Court confirmed that all juvenile offenders on death row could apply for a retrial. However, Article 91 is vaguely worded and inconsistently and arbitrarily applied. In the period of 2016-2018, IHR has identified 17 identified five cases where the death sentences of juvenile offenders were converted based on Article 91. In the same period, at least 16 juvenile offenders were executed according to IHR reports, and several are in danger of execution. It seems that Article 91 has not led to a decrease in the number of juvenile executions. The Iranian authorities must change the law, unconditionally removing all death sentences for all offences committed under 18 years of age. The UN Special Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran states in his report regarding Article 91: Building upon the amendment, the Special Rapporteur calls upon the Government to introduce a further amendment, which affirming the lack of mental development of a juvenile, absolutely prohibits the execution of persons who were under the age of 18 years of age at the time of their offence.[5] Some facts about juvenile executions in 2018: - 6 were executed (1 more than in 2017) - 2 girls were among those executed- both child brides charged with murdering their husbands - 5 juveniles had their death sentences converted based on Article 91 Juvenile offenders executed in 2018 Amir Hossein Pourjafar Amir Hossein Pourjafar, who was charged with rape and murder when he was less than 16 years old, was executed at Rajai Shahr Prison on January 4, 2018. Amir Hossein Pourjafars lawyer had previously told an official medium, Amir Hossein was born on December 17, 1999; so technically he wasnt even 16 at the time of murder, i.e. on April 11, 2016. The Criminal Court of Tehran issued the death sentence of Amir Hossain Pourjafar based on an assessment by the forensics which stated that the defendant was mentally mature at the time of crime and he was aware of the nature of the crime and the consequences of his action.[6] Ali Kazemi Ali Kazemi, a juvenile offender who committed a murder at age 15, was hanged on January 30, 2018, at Bushehr Central Prison.[7] The murder was reportedly committed 7 years ago and Ali Kazemi was 22 at the time of the execution. Ali Kazemi was hanged in Bushehr Central Prison (Southern Iran). Mahboubeh Mofidi Mahboubeh Mofidi, nicknamed Newly Bride by Iranian media at the time of her arrest, was accused of killing her husband at the age of 17.[8] Mahbubeh Mofidi was charged with poisoning her husband with the help of her brother-in-law (victims brother) on December 17, 2013, a month after their marriage ceremony. The juvenile offender was arrested a few months after the murder when the result of forensic toxicology was issued. Prosecutor of Noshahr had said in an interview with the official media: The woman was arrested, and she confessed to the murder with the help of one of her relatives. She said that she fell in love with her brother-in-law after her marriage and they finally decided to get married. The Prosecutor continued, The victims brother carried out the plan and provided aluminium phosphide in capsules, and his wife made him take the pills which resulted in his death. One of Mahboubeh Mofidis relatives on condition of anonymity told IHR that Mahbubeh was the victim of fratricide. She was deceived by her husband and married him, but his evil brother tricked her after the marriage so that he could kill his brother. Mahbubeh didnt know what exactly was inside the capsules and trusted her brother-in-law.[9] Abolfazl Chazani Sharahi Abolfazl Chazani Sharahi, a juvenile offender charged with murder at the age of 15, was executed on June 27 at Qom Central Prison in Iran.[10] Abolfazl Chazani Sharahi, son of Asghar, was born on January 19, 1999, and he was only 15 at the time of the crime. Abolfazl was examined by a forensic physician at the request of his public defender on July 20, 2014. According to the report, The defendant, 15 years and 5 months old, committed murder in the winter last year and he is mentally mature and understands the nature of his action (murder).An Iranian newspaper confirmed his execution 43 days after the sentence was carried out.[11] The United Nations High Commissioner for Human rights had strongly condemned this execution [12] Zeinab Sekanvand Zeinab was 17 years old when she was arrested in 2012. Charged for the murdering of her husband. She was executed on October 2, 2018, at Urmia prison.[13] The Iranian media outlets have not reported the execution so far. Zeinab was born on June 22, 1994, and was arrested on March 1, 2012, for the murder of her husband. She was sentenced to death by branch 2 of Urmia's criminal court. Her death sentence was confirmed by branch 8 of Iran's Supreme Court. Zeinab was reportedly married to a man when she was 15 years old and, according to sources close to her, she was abused by her husband. IHR has obtained parts of the text of Zeinab's court verdict. According to the document, Zeinab was physically abused by her husband and she filed a complaint with Iranian authorities. However, Iranian authorities reportedly did not follow up on her complaint. Zeinab Sekaanvand spent the first 2 years of her imprisonment in Khoy Prison (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran). However, when she was sentenced to death, she was transferred to the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison. She was scheduled to be executed in October 2016 but her death sentence was postponed. Women According to reports gathered by IHR, at least 5 women were executed in 2019 in Iran. Only 2 of the executions were announced by official sources. All of the 5 women executed in 2018 had been sentenced to death on murder charges. The surname of one of the women has not been revealed, despite the fact that the execution was officially announced. Some facts about the women executed in 2018: - 5 executions but only 2 announced by the authorities - 2 of them were juvenile offenders - All were sentenced to death for murder charges - At least 3 were charged with murdering their husbands- 2 were child brides Ethnic minorities The 2018 and all the previous reports indicate that the ethnic minorities, especially Kurds and Baluchis are over-represented in the death penalty statistics. An exact differentiation of the executions based on ethnicity is not possible for several reasons. Usually, people who are executed in the ethnic regions come from these regions. However, the executions of people who belong to different ethnic groups are not implemented exclusively in their respective regions. Moreover, information about those executed doesn't always include their ethnicity. However, a look at the number of people in different ethnic regions shows that the number of executions in areas such as West Azerbaijan (where most of the Kurdish prisoners are held) and Baluchestan is higher than the average (See geographical distribution and number of executions per capita). In addition, prisons in the ethnic regions of Iran have a high percentage of unannounced or secret executions As in the last 4 years, most of the executions conducted in the ethnic regions of Iran in 2018 were not announced by official Iranian media. Specifically, 27 of the 50 executions IHR has managed to confirm in the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and Baluchestan, were not announced by official Iranian sources. On the other hand, the absolute majority of all executions for political affiliation belong to the ethnic groups, particularly the Kurds (see the section about Moharebeh, page xx). An overview of the IHR reports between 2010 and 2018 shows that among the 118 people who have been executed for affiliation with banned political and militant groups, there were 65 Kurds (55%), 29 Baluchis (25%) and 15 Arabs (13%). It is important to notice that most of those executed among the ethnic groups were Sunni Muslims. There are several reasons for the over representation of ethnic groups among those executed. More opposition among people against the authorities leading to increased need of the authorities to use violence and create fear, presence of militant groups in these areas making it easier for the authorities to issue death sentences under the pretext of fighting terrorism, there is less visibility from the media and rights groups on the situation in certain ethnic regions. Besides poverty, poor socio-economic situation and the lawlessness and arbitrariness present in the Iranian Judiciary are even more serious in the ethnic regions. In 2018, IHR received reports about possible execution of several Ahwazi Arab prisoners in the prison of Ahwaz. Further investigations confirmed that at least four prisoners were killed, but could not confirm whether these prisoners were executed or were killed under torture. Therefore, these four prisoners have not been included in the present report.[14] Foreign citizens In 2018, IHR reported about the executions of 16 foreign citizens. Most of them being Afghan citizens. The actual number is higher than reported here. Following protests by the Afghan civil society and some parliamentarians in 2012-2013, Iranian authorities often dont announce the execution of Afghans. The same is probably true for other foreign citizens as the issue can raise international sensitivity. In 2016, 3 Turkish citizens were executed for drug-related charges. None of the executions were announced and despite knowing about the cases, the Turkish government didnt show any public reactions to the executions. It is not known to what extent the death row foreign citizens in Iran receive consular support from their respective authorities. Some facts about the foreign citizens who were executed in 2018 in Iran: - 16 executions were reported - 14 Afghan citizens were among the reported executions - 1 Pakistani citizen executed - 1 Iraqi citizen was among those executed - All reported executions were based on murder charges According to IHRs estimates, the number of foreign citizens, especially Afghans and Pakistanis executed are much higher than reported here. IHR is investigating about the number of foreign citizens on the death row in Iran. This issue will be addressed further in a future report. See the full report here for the footnotes. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde The most recent execution was that of a Syrian man who was put to death on March 13 for smuggling amphetamine pills Saudi Arabia, with 43 people already executed in the desert kingdom, is on its way to set the record for most number of beheadings and crucifixions this year. Reports state that the kingdom's execution rate in the first three months of this year has surpassed the rate of executions of the first three months of the past few years. The most recent execution was recorded of a Syrian man who was put to death on March 13 for smuggling amphetamine pills, according to Daily Mail. Reports state that if the present rate of execution continues, at least 172 people will have been put to death by the end of the year. In the last three months this year, 21 people have been beheaded for drug offenses, while the rest have been persecuted for other crimes which carry the death penalty too, including treason, renouncing Islam, adultery, murder, burglary, rape, espionage, homosexuality and terrorism. Although there has been a noted upward trend in the number of executions since 2000, Saudi Arabia is still in third place after China and Iran. Iraq and Pakistan come at 4th and 5th place in the list. The list was compiled by multiple human rights groups like Death Penalty Worldwide, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Although reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia has executed more than 600 individuals since 2014, with the majority of those condemned being foreign nationals, the Middle Eastern country trails behind China and Iran in number of executions, a 2017 Amnesty International report revealed. As for China, the organization did not offer a number, instead indicating that "it is estimated that China executes more than the rest of the world together." According to the figures released by watchdog organization Reprieve, in December, the number of executions in Saudi Arabia doubled under the new ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who came to power in June 2017. The figures state that the number of executions between June 2017 and March 2018 was 133, compared to just 67 in the preceding eight months before he was installed. Almost half of the people executed were reportedly poor migrants from South Asia who had been coerced into smuggling drugs. "These are typically poor migrant workers, coerced into smuggling drugs in their intestines," said Reprieve. The organization said that there had been nearly 700 executions in Saudi Arabia since 2014, 13 killings per month on average. At least 47 people were killed in one day across 12 different provinces of the kingdom in January 2016 after being convicted of terrorism offenses, in the country's largest mass execution since 1980. Saudi Arabia, in October last year, beheaded an Indonesian maid Tuti Tursilawati, without letting her family or Indonesian authorities know about the execution. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde The tapes featuring Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and 3 of his accused co-conspirators were made between April and October 2001, prosecutors say. Military prosecutors say they have tapes of telephone calls between the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, and 3 of his accused co-conspirators talking in code about the plot months before it took place, a defense lawyer disclosed on Monday. The lawyer, Jay Connell, revealed the existence of the tapes as part of a protest over plans to use them as evidence at the death penalty trial of the alleged conspirators. More than 17 1/2 years after the attacks in which 19 hijackers commandeered 4 commercial airplanes and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people there is still no date set for the trial in the proceedings at Guantanamo Bay. Prosecutors gave defense lawyers the original audio and transcripts of their translation on Sept. 30, 2016, Mr. Connell said, and made clear they planned to use them at trial. Defense lawyers sought to investigate their origins and later discovered that the original trial judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, had issued a secret order preventing them from knowing about the phone call collection system or asking questions about it. Mr. Connell, who is representing Mr. Mohammeds nephew, Ammar al-Baluchi, said that prosecutors secretly obtained a ruling in August 2018 from Colonel Pohl forbidding defense lawyers from learning how the phone calls were collected or investigating that question. The phone calls in at least two languages were made between April and October 2001. Mr. Connell said the restriction on investigating the origins of the tapes violated a defendants basic right to challenge the evidence being used against him. He argued in court on Monday that the evidence should be suppressed or that the case should be dismissed. He said the constraints the defense faces regarding the tapes violate the Sixth Amendment, which sets out the rights of defendants in a trial. The military trial judges have yet to decide, however, which aspects of the Constitution apply at the military commissions, the war court established by President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks. A prosecutor, Clayton Trivett, responded that defense lawyers would be allowed to question an F.B.I. linguist who compared samples of the voices of the defendants to the voices on the tapes to confirm they were Mr. Mohammed, Mr. al-Baluchi and 2 other alleged plotters. Mr. Trivett said defense lawyers would be allowed to question an F.B.I. analyst who decoded the conversation. The only restriction, he said, is on defense lawyers trying to investigate how the United States government got those calls, something prosecutors persuaded the judge would endanger national security. Colonel Pohl had said prosecutors could describe the evidence as having been acquired from telephone calls from between April and October 2001 that were later determined to pertain to the planned attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Terry McDermott, co-author of The Hunt for KSM, said his research found that United States satellites randomly scooped up calls between Mr. Mohammed and an alleged deputy, Ramzi bin al-Shibh. The N.S.A. intercepted calls but didnt listen to them or translate them until after 9/11, he said. Afterward, they went through this stuff and found out what it was. Mr. Trivett did not disclose how or when the F.B.I. got voice samples of the accused plotters. Mr. Connell questioned in court whether they were recorded during the years that Mr. Mohammed and the other the defendants were held in the C.I.A.s secret prison system. Mr. Trivett announced that the samples were not from the C.I.A. black sites where the five alleged plotters were held before they were brought to Guantanamo for trial in 2006. This week a new military judge, Col. Keith Parrella of the Marines, is hearing lawyers and prosecutors argue in the 34th round of pretrial hearings since the 5 men were arraigned in 2012. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "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 Tom Udall and Jose Serrano Yesterday, Congressman Jose Serrano (D-NY) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) both announced they would be retiring next year at the end of their current terms. Both have been excellent members of Congress and both have strong "A" grades from ProgressivePunch. Serrano, who has described himself as being "to the left of the left," was first elected in 1990, bucking the corrupt Bronx Democratic machine. In 2008, when every single member of Congress from New York City voted to bail out the banksters, Serrano was the one "no" vote. Criticized by his colleagues-- who he embarrassed-- he shot back that he couldn't see showering taxpayer money on the millionaires and billionaires whose greed and avarice caused the financial collapse. His south Bronx district-- which goes from Port Morris and Mott Haven up to the Bronx Zoo and Belmont-- is poorest congressional district in the whole country. Ethnically, it is 66.1% Hispanic, 28.1% Black and 2.3% White. It is also one of the bluest districts. Serrano was never reelected with less than 92% of the vote-- despite the Machine trying to oust him-- and Democrats always fare well there. In 2008, Obama beat McCain 95-5%. The voters like what Obama did and in 2012 they rewarded him a 96.7% to 3.0% win. Hillary trounced Trump-- 93.8% to 4.9%. The PVI is D+44, the best in the whole country. The last Republican presidential candidate to win the district was Calvin Coolidge in 1924; they were smart enough to have learned their lesson. NY-15 has been a haven for immigrants from Latin America, who have, in recent years, turned around the deterioration and put the area on a forward path. In a press release, he said he is "living with Parkinsons disease. After my diagnosis, I initially planned to continue my work representing the people of the South Bronx far into the future- a responsibility that brings me great joy. Although this disease has not affected my work in Congress, over the last few months Ive come to the realization that Parkinsons will eventually take a toll, and that I cannot predict its rate of advancement. Because of this uncertainty, I do not intend to seek re-election in 2020. I do intend to serve the remainder of my term in the 116th Congress." I plan to spend the rest of the 116th Congress fighting for the progressive values that I learned in the South Bronx. I will use my role as Chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee to fight for climate change research, a fairer justice system, and an accurate 2020 Census count. There is still a lot of work to be done to stop the harmful policies of the Trump Administration, and I am proud to help lead in that effort as an Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman. As I start to take stock of my career, I am extremely proud of the work we did to revitalize the Bronx River, to bring billions of federal dollars to our borough, to expand access to the ballot for language minorities, to increase STEM resources for minority students, to end the bombing of Vieques, to make our immigration policies fairer and our foreign policies better, to provide legal services for the poor, and to push for a fair and accurate Census. I always tried to speak for those who are marginalized in our society-- to give them a voice and a vote here in Washington. Together, we fought to empower our community by seeking social justice and speaking truth to power. I pledge to my constituents that I will be here fighting for you until my last day in office and beyond. I am grateful to all my colleagues for their dedication to our community, and for the years we spent working together on so many important issues. To my constituents-- it has been the honor of my life to serve you. To have gone from Mayaguez, to Mill Brook Houses, to the New York State Assembly, to the halls of Congress is truly the American Dream. I am honored to have had your trust over the years. There should be a tough primary fight in this district (which borders on AOC's district). Serrano's son, also Jose Serrano, is a state senator but the only declared candidate so far is City Councilman Ritchie Torres (photo on the right), the first Bronx elected official from the LGBTQ community, who was gearing up to primary Serrano. I guarantee there will be more candidates tossing their hats into the ring. On the Senate side, Tom Udall has been the most progressive of New Mexico politicians in Congress since being elected to the House in 1998 and then the Senate in 2008. New Mexico has been trending blue in the past couple of decades. When I was growing up, Republicans kept winning presidential elections there. After the Barry Goldwater debacle in 1964, Republicans kept winning-- Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Bush I. Because of a relatively big vote for independent Ross Perot in 1992 (165), Bill Clinton beat Bush. Clinton won again in 1996 and it's been all blue since then, with the except of Bush II in 2004. Even Hillary managed to squeak out a plurality-- 48.26% to 40.04%. Both senators are Democrats. All three House seats are held by Democrats, even the red-leaning one. Democrats have majorities in the state House (47-23) and state Senate (26-16) and control all 6 statewide offices-- governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state auditor and commissioner of public lands. Hector Balderas is extremely popular-- generally the state's top vote getter. This may scare Cheri Bustos but he was first elected to the state House by defeating a conservative, anti-Choice/pro-gun Democrat (Benji Regensberg) in a primary. The Beltway insider candidate is Ben Ray Lujan . It would be awesome to see him give up his House seat and then get beaten by Balderas. The Republicans will probably put some crackpot up who will get around 40%. When I first ran for Senate, I promised that I would give my all for the people of New Mexico. And I reminded myself that this Senate seat is not my seat. It is New Mexicos seat. I was proud to serve as New Mexicos Attorney General, then in the U.S. House, and now two terms as your senator. Im confident that we could run a strong campaign next year to earn a third term, because of all the work you and I have done together, along with my wife, Jill, and my incredibly dedicated staff. But the worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent. Thats why Im announcing today that I wont be seeking re-election next year. Too bad it wasn't some of the ones who do believe the office belongs to them-- fossils who plan to die in office like Feinstein (85), McTurtle (77), Grassley (85), Shelby (84) and Inhofe (84). Some distributors cannot even cover the cost of imports. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa Some petroleum distributors are grumbling about getting only 50 percent of demand after Vietnams biggest refinery halted production early 2019. They are saying that the shortage, which has lasted nearly two weeks now, is a result of the Nghi Son Refinery experiencing technical issues and temporarily stopping production earlier this year. On Tuesday, many petrol stations belonging to the Military Petroleum Corporation began hanging signs saying they are no longer selling RON95, one of the two main types of petrol used in Vietnam. The stations now pump E5 RON92 instead, a variant that contains biofuel. "We have run out of RON95 since March 22," said a representative of one of the petrol stations who did not want to be named. "Many customers, especially car drivers, want this type of petrol but we dont have it," she told VnExpress. The shortage has also resulted in a sharp decline in revenues, she added. The owner of a chain of petrol stations in Hanois Thuong Tin District said they have been having trouble getting the RON95 petrol from distributors over the last 10 days. "I have had to call 3 to 4 traders a day just to get enough to sell for the next day," he said. Down south, the owner of a business in HCMC also said that he had been placing increasing orders of RON95, but distributors were unable to meet them. After the Nghi Son refinery closed, distributors had to source more from Dung Quat, Vietnams only other refinery, in order to maintain supply, and import the rest. However, Dung Quat only supplies 40 percent of the domestic market, while the supply of imported petrol, mainly from South Korea, was also unstable with several refineries halting production for maintenance at this time of the year. Nguyen Van Tiu, director of a petroleum company in the northern province of Hoa Binh, said that the gross margin for RON95 had fallen from VND1,000 (4.3 cents) per litre to only VND450 (1.9 cents) this year. With such minimal profit, some distributors cannot even cover the cost of imports, he said. A petroleum industry expert said that because distributors are required to set up large provisional funds based on the amount of petrol they import/sell, businesses deliberately limit their supply. The leader of a major petroleum distributor in the south confirmed that his companys price stabilization fund was VND300 million ($12,944) in debit, so they had to use company capital to make up the difference. It has been importing at high prices and selling them at capped prices, he said. Another executive of a petroleum company in the south also commented that businesses can only source petrol from South Korea at the moment, given its 10 percent tax rate (due to a free-trade agreement). "The state has to calculate carefully. Relying on South Korea while domestic production is unstable will be very risky for the domestic market," he said. Still sufficient While businesses are worried about the ongoing shortage, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has maintained in a statement that "supply is still sufficient". In case of shortage, enterprises will seek reasonable import sources to ensure sufficient supply for the domestic market, the ministry has said. "Enterprises are committed to ensuring continuous and uninterrupted supply for the petroleum distribution system," the ministry said. Vietnam imported 1.09 million tonnes of fuel worth $616 million in the first 2 months of this year, down 50.5 percent in volume and 56.7 percent in value from the same time last year, according to the General Statistics Office. Thai conglomerate Siam Cement Group is the sole operator of the Long Son Petrochemical complex in southern Vietnam. Photo by Reuters Vietnam is considering giving fresh permission to Thai conglomerate Siam Cement Group for a long-delayed giant petrochemical complex. The government has recently ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to "quickly" appraise the Long Son Petrochemical (LSP) complex project and report within this month. At $5.4 billion, LSP will be Vietnams first integrated petrochemical project. To be built in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, 100 kilometers to the southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, it will have a capacity of 1.6 million tons of olefins a year. Olefins are high-density synthetic fibers. Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG chairman and CEO, told Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a meeting last month that his company would complete the project in time and begin commercial operations in 2023. LSP was conceived as a joint venture between SCG, the state-run PetroVietnam and Qatar Petroleum in 2008. Due to the global recession, the project stalled, and the Qatari partner withdrew in 2015 with SCG buying its stake in 2017. Last year SCG also bought PetroVietnams 29 percent stake to become the sole owner. Permission for the project had been given to PetroVietnam, but following its pullout, SCG needs to get fresh approval. Last August SCG obtained loans of $3.2 billion from a syndicate of six banks for the project. The delay has taken the estimated cost up from $4.5 billion to $5.4 billion but SCG still believes it is a "very competitive price when compared to other projects globally." The construction of the plant is set to create 20,000 jobs. SCG has been investing in Vietnam since 1992 in many sectors such as cement, construction materials, packaging, and petrochemicals. Its revenues in the country were almost VND31 trillion ($1.33 billion) last year after rising by 20 percent from 2017. How nature is falling victim to human desires is the theme of an ongoing exhibition in Saigon. "The irony is that much of the resulting subject matter here is toxic and destructive," The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in Saigon says to introduce its Machine is Nature exhibition. On display are photographs and moving images by 14 local and foreign artists under four themes: matters, manipulations, mechascapes (mechanic landscape), and ruminations. Saigon art exhibition examines impact of technology on nature, humans Machine is nature: musing of technology havoc using technology (unedited) One of the works in Nelly Nguyen's Food Lab series. Video courtesy of Nelly Nguyen. The manipulations section has photos by Nelly Nguyen, a freelance photographer in Saigon, of an imagined laboratory scene showing foods being manipulated, which took her months of preparation and 24 hours for each picture. While acknowledging technology has helped mankind meet the increasing demand for food, she challenges viewers to ponder about the intervention of science in the food industry. Saigon art exhibition examines impact of technology on nature, humans Machine is nature One of the works in Nelly Nguyen's Food Lab series. Video courtesy of Nelly Nguyen. "Or is it an experiment where we humans are imposing upon ourselves and are eventually manipulated by it?" Nelly asked VnExpress International rhetorically. One of the works in Quang Lam's Leaf Novel series. Photo courtesy of Quang Lam Vietnamese-French photographer Quang Lam, 51, told VnExress International: "Leaves of a tree become leaves of a novel, meaning a writer or a poet is getting inspiration by admiring nature to create their story. "A typewriter [is a symbol of] the development of the printing industry, which contributed to the diffusion of ideas through books, newspapers." In some countries there are regulations about the minimum green space required in any construction, he said, adding while it seems there is no emphasis in Vietnam on planting trees or developing green spaces for walkers. One of the works in Voshida Truong's Irreversible series. Photo courtesy of Voshida Truong. The angst about greenless urbanization is also apparent in Voshida Truongs works in the ruminations section. One afternoon on a bridge in District 2, he shows a juxtaposition of a hazy Saigon and another taken at night. "Its blurriness indicates pollution and the smog that covers cities in general," he said. One of the works in Voshida Truong's Irreversible series. Photo courtesy of Voshida Truong. The youngest artist, 24 at the exhibition ruminates on how the human mind is obsessed with the permanent impacts of manmade changes and the inability to return to the beginning, which he thinks a universal anxiety. One of the works in Hoang The Nhiem's Turbine series. Photo courtesy of Hoang The Nhiem. If Quang laments the dearth of vegetation in cities, Hoang The Nhiem, 59, depicts their decay in the ruminations section. He places the stump and roots of a dead cork tree as the centerpiece of a work. "The old cork forest gave land for human habitats and nature brought them food. Machines destroyed the cork forest to bring electricity. Both were used to serve humans." Taken at the Bac Lieu Wind Farm, Vietnams biggest, the bleak image of the dead stump communicates Nhiem's hope for a harmonious relationship between nature and industrialization. One of the works in Nguyen Xuan Khanh's Titan Sand series. Photo courtesy of Nguyen Xuan Khanh. Unlike other artists who are driven by social issues, Nguyen Xuan Khanh, 71, took this picture after being influenced by the late Mario Giacomelli of Italy. The artist said he embraces Giacomellias vision of "Le blanc, c'est le neant et le noir ce sont les cicatrices" (White is nothingness and black are scars). The man in the picture, ostensibly a resident of a nearby fishing village, has a fishing net over his shoulders. The photographer did not find out his name. The photo was taken at the Titan Mining Factory in Binh Dinh Province, 635 km northeast of Saigon. Titanium mining and processing started in Vietnam in 1990 and the industry has seen a constant expansion ever since. Vietnam is one of the five largest titanium producers in the world. Machine is Nature goes on until April 21. The abbot of a pagoda in northern Vietnam has been suspended for practices "bringing the Sangha into disrepute". Thich Truc Thai Minh will be temporarily suspended from all his current positions, including abbot of the Ba Vang Pagoda in Quang Ninh Province and deputy head of the communications and information department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). The practice of exorcism and other activities at the Ba Vang Pagoda in Uong Bi Town of Quang Ninh Province go against Buddhist philosophy, and abbot Minh and the pagoda have "damaged the reputation of the Sangha," VBS officials said at a meeting Tuesday. Thich Truc Thai Minh has been the pagodas head monk since 2007. The Ba Vang Pagoda has been organizing three sessions every month for exorcism and lectures on vengeful spirits. The events, often attended by thousands of people, have been held for several years, local reports said. Followers needed to pay between one million to several hundred million dong ($45-$13,500) for monks to conduct rituals that would drive their bad karma away. The rituals had been performed for years at the Ba Vang Pagoda, but they attracted adverse attention last week after Pham Thi Yen, head of a Buddhist group formed under the auspices of the pagoda, made a controversial statement at one of her lectures. She said that a young Vietnamese woman who was raped and killed in a northern province last month had suffered the fate because of evil deeds done in previous lives. The suspension of Thich Truc Thai Minh is temporary and the final decision will be made at the coming conference of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sanghas council, but it is possible that he will resign from all current positions, local reports have said. Yen, meanwhile, has been fined VND5 million ($215) by authorities of Uong Bi Town. Exorcisms are good Earlier, defending the activities of the pagoda, the monk said spirits are real and exorcisms are good for people. "Vengeful spirits follow people often. They make us and our children sick and incite discord within families. We have exorcisms to drive them out." He has also said that the pagoda never forces anyone to perform rituals, only encourages them. These are all done voluntarily, he said. He has denied reports about the pagoda making billions of dong per year, adding that all the money given to the pagoda was spent on furnishing, painting statues, crafting bells and "doing good." Some Buddhists have supported the monk, saying they have had illnesses cured and conflicts resolved because of the pagodas activities. Buddhism is the most popular religion in Vietnam, with nearly 45 million followers, according to Vietnam Buddhist Sangha which is registered with the government. Six boys in Vietnam arrested for gang rape of schoolgirl A 10th grade girl from Nguyen Huu Than High School in Quang Tri Province was allegedly gang raped by six local boys. Photo by Ha Thuong Police in the central Quang Tri Province have arrested six schoolboys for allegedly gang-raping a schoolgirl. Trieu Phong District police said the boys are from two high schools and the girl is in 10th grade at Nguyen Huu Than High School. None of them has been identified because they are all minors. Authorities said the boys had planned the heinous act and so plied the girl with alcohol and got her drunk. The police swung into action after district authorities received a complaint on Monday from the victims family saying the girls body bore signs of abuse after she attended a birthday party last Sunday with the six boys. At around 9 p.m. that day the family heard a noise outside their house and ran out to find the victim lying unconscious on the ground and no one else in the vicinity. Her family rushed her to hospital with scratches on her neck and face and low blood pressure. Doctors confirmed she had been sexually abused. She was discharged on Monday night after recovering from injuries. Police said three other schoolboys and another young man from the province are also under investigation for the rape, but they are not put under custody. Heavy traffic outside Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa Minister of Transport has instructed consultants to Long Thanh Airport to design a dedicated route to Tan Son Nhat Airport that would bypass the city. At a meeting Thursday to review Long Thanh Airport's progress, Minister Nguyen Van The asked the consultants to consider its feasibility. Le Do Muoi, deputy head of the ministry's Transport and Development Strategy Institute, said there is already a plan to build a light rail route between HCMC's Thu Thiem Ward and the new airport being built in neighboring Dong Nai Province. The consulting agencies have called for immediate investment in construction of Cat Lai Bridge, Dong Nai's Highway 25 and Belt Road 3 to boost connectivity between Long Thanh Airport and the rest of the province and the Mekong Delta. "If these projects are completed on schedule before 2025 then they would well connect the southeastern and southwest regions with Long Thanh Airport," Muoi said. The consultants also agreed to submit a proposal from the Transport Engineering Design Inc. (TEDI), which is building a 40-kilometer (25-mile) road that would run along Dong Nai's Provincial Highway 25C and into a planned monorail in HCMC. They expressed concern that a light rail would be the optimal solution, but its construction would be complex and time-consuming and so unlikely to be ready before Long Thanh Airport's planned opening in 2025. Minister The therefore instructed them to study construction of a road, or even an exclusive route, for vehicles going between the two airports. "70-80 percent of foreign visitors will be traveling from one airport to the other. We need to have a dedicated route for these passengers. Foreign visitors would not be able to use buses and urban railways as this would be difficult even for domestic passengers." The minister emphasized the fact this dedicated route must be separated from normal roads, be off-limits to other vehicles to prevent congestion and avoid downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Long Thanh Airport, 40 kilometers east of HCMC, will be built in three phases over three decades with an estimated cost of VND336.63 trillion ($16.03 billion). The first is scheduled for completion in 2025, when it can handle 25 million passengers a year. The next two phases will run from 2030 to 2035 and from 2040 to 2050. Experts have warned that the cost of the countrys largest airport could double every five years. The airport is expected to ease the pressure on the countrys largest existing airport, HCMCs Tan Son Nhat. Once completed, Long Thanh will have an annual capacity of 100 million passengers and five million tons of cargo. A response team from Hanoi's animal health department cleans up a pigsty during an African swine fever drill in March 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnam is trying to develop a vaccine against African swine fever, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said Tuesday. "The disease has existed for nearly a century but the world has yet to develop a vaccine [for it]. To ensure the stable development of Vietnams farming sector in the long run, the Ministries of Agriculture, Science and Technology and Health are researching to produce a vaccine." But it is not possible to prevent the epidemic immediately in Vietnam and long-term plan is required for that, he said. A national steering committee to prevent the diseases spread has been set up with 11 ministries and departments in it, and it will devise solutions to protect the countrys pigs and encourage people not to stop consuming pork. The country is also developing a biological safety model in which the raising and distribution of cattle are done within a closed system, Cuong said. African swine fever has spread to 440 communes in 21 cities and provinces, including the capital Hanoi and the port city of Hai Phong, with around 65,000 infected pigs culled so far. The viral disease infects all pig species through bodily fluids such as blood and mucus, causing hemorrhagic fever. There is currently no cure for it. However, humans are unaffected. Twenty countries and territories have reported outbreaks of the disease since 2017 and over one million pigs have been put down, according to the World Organization for Animal Health. Vietnam is the third country in Asia to be hit by the disease after China and Mongolia. The tone of Future Forward's campaign, led by scion of the Thai Summit auto-parts group Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit was in stark contrast to more staid rivals, engaging in what amounted to a conversation with his fans over Twitter and rallies. Photo by AFP Dynamised by a telegenic billionaire, staffed by trendy graduates and powered by the millennial vote, Future Forward (FFP) has emerged as a new force in Thai politics. It carries a mission to restructure an unequal economy and take an axe to the army's influence. At FFP's headquarters in Bangkok the euphoria was barely concealed as early results from Sunday's election showed it on track to 30 lower house seats, with a proportional party list system likely to reward their five million-plus ballots with dozens more. If the results play out -- and the menace of legal troubles fades for Future Forward -- it will be Thailand's third largest party, barely a year after being formed. Its agenda is radical; re-writing the constitution to excise the military from politics, slashing the defence budget, ending conscription and addressing Thailand's chasmic inequality. And its 40-year-old figurehead, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, scion of the Thai Summit auto-parts group, says he is in it for the long haul. "The party was not formed just to run in this election," he told AFP, asserting "our end game" is to help Thailand return to a democracy. "Our agenda is the public agenda... we are here because we want to push for genuine change." Thanathorn knocks back a mug of water handed to him by a young aide, wearing a Future Forward t-shirt and brogues -- without socks -- like several other staffers. Despite his vast wealth, which he put in a blind trust before the polls, Thanathorn's pull comes from a mix of corruscating takedowns of the ruling junta and a deft common touch. The tone of his campaign was in stark contrast to more staid rivals, engaging in what amounted to a conversation with his fans over Twitter and rallies. At headquarters there is a notable absence of the deferent "wais" of respect among the junior staff -- and none of the hushed reverence normally associated with corridors of Thai power. Instead, aides buzz around laptops scribbling totals from constituencies, wide-eyed at the party's unexpected momentum. Some just recently graduated, reflecting the hitherto untapped demographic of millions of millennials. Many were first time voters, wearied by Thailand's carousel of coups and short-lived governments and a political stage populated by ageing generals and grandstanding politicians who refuse to exit. "The new division is between the people who support the military regime and the people who oppose the military regime," Thanathorn added. 'We will be relentless' Their policy platform is more far-reaching than Pheu Thai, which is on course to be the largest lower house party despite being several million votes down on the last election in 2011. It is still linked to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a divisive 69-year-old who lives in self-exile but still plays the political game from overseas. Future Forward scooped up seats across the country, in part aided in their quest for proportional party list seats by the dissolution of the Shinawatra-linked Thai Raksa Chart party. It was taken out by a court just weeks before the election for running a princess as candidate for premier. "People voted strategically," said Napisa Waitoolkiat, political scientist from Naresuan University. For the pro-democracy camp "why not vote for somebody new?", she added. With a firm bridgehead established, Future Forward says they are ready to join an anti-junta government. But Thanathorn, for now, insists he will not run for premier. Equally, party officials say they are ready to menace the military from opposition, where their youth and progressive agenda are likely to cast the generals and bureaucrats from junta-allied Phalang Pracharat in a bad light. "FFP is definitely the new force of Thai politics," said 20-year-old student Chayata Sripanich, who voted for the party. It has given Thais "a new lens on things... that politics and elections are to be discussed with policies and agendas rather than focusing purely on politicians," she added. But Thai politics is also a treacherous space, especially for newcomers with big ideas. Party leaders including Thanathorn have already been targeted with legal cases over petty alleged misdemeanours that can result in political bans for individuals and whole parties. With the junta and big business in its sights, Future Forward is also likely to make powerful enemies. But Thanathorn is confident his narrative of a country in need of structural surgery will take root. And he is unequivocal that they are entering Thailand's bear-pit politics with teeth bared. "We will work relentlessly, continuously," he says. The American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation awarded a $35,000 grant to the City of Port Aransas to help fund the restoration of the Joan & Scott Holt Paradise Pond. An honorary check was presented to City of Port Aransas officials at Paradise Pond Monday. Paradise Pond, a freshwater wetland located on approximately two acres, is a natural stop for migratory birds along their journey down the Gulf Coast. Saltwater surge and high winds from Hurricane Harvey killed many of the trees at this critical, migration stop-over site. "The AEP Foundation focuses on three key areas that we believe have the potential of making a lasting impact in the lives of those who are reached by our corporate contributions," Judith E. Talavera, AEP Texas president and chief operating officer, said. "These areas are educational programs, particularly those with a focus on STEM; healthcare services; and finally, environmental stewardship. "The AEP Foundation chooses to support the Joan & Scott Holt Paradise Pond Restoration Project because of the site's critical role in the ecosystem of this area. By helping to fund the restoration and expansion of this freshwater wetland, we have the privilege of continuing the work to rebuild our community after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey." Itziar Prats holds a wooden butterfly, which was sent to her by a stranger in tribute to the victims of gender violence. Andrea Comas (EL PAIS) On September 25, 2018, Ricardo Carrascosa murdered his two daughters, aged two and six, in Castellon, a province in the eastern Spanish region of Valencia. After he killed them, he threw himself out of the window. On that day, Itziar Prats, the 43-year-old mother of the two children, was woken up at 6am by a phone call from the police. They told her to come downstairs because they believed her ex-husband had committed suicide. Prats, still in pajamas, went outside with her mother and was asked to identify the body. I reported him, and they told me that nothing would happen and now my daughters are no longer here Itziar Prats, 43, mother of the two girls They brought me to where he was to confirm that it was him. No one else could do it because he didnt have any family there. [...] No one had any keys, and we had to call the firemen to open the door. [...] They told me to call out to see if girls would open the door because they knew my voice and would answer. The firemen banged down the door. [...] They didnt let me through, so I stayed in the hall. I heard the medic saying Dont let her through, dont let her through! and thats when I realized that my girls were gone. I dont know if I fainted, but the next thing I remember is being on the floor, supported by a policeman who took me out of there. Six months after the tragic event, Prats is seated on a park bench in central Madrid. After cremating the bodies of her two daughters, Nerea and Martina, and giving away most of their things, she moved back to the capital to live with her parents. She meets regularly with a psychiatrist and a psychologist. I gave everything away. I didnt want to hold onto things which would only make me suffer, she explains. Prats regularly looks at pictures and videos of her two daughters in order to not forget their faces. Prats and Carrascosa married in 2009, two years after moving to Castellon where he worked as a tile maker and she as a teacher in a center for minors. The couple lived far from their respective families Prats family were in Madrid and Carrascosas in Villanueva del Arzobispo, a city in southern Spain. Prats decided to divorce him in 2017. It was if he didnt have a family. It was all about him. He complained that I didnt pay attention to him and that I dedicated too much time to the girls, she says. A drawing done by Nerea's classmates in memory of the two girls. The message reads: No to violence. According to Prats, Carrascosa threatened to kill the girls multiple times. Her first complaint was filed on February 23, 2018, months after she started the divorce proceedings. That day the two were seated at a cafe in their neighborhood trying to figure out Carracosas visiting hours with the girls. Prats had custody of their daughters while Carracosa had limited access and had to pay 200 a month for each girl in child support. Youve ruined my life, he said to Prats, warning her that she too would lose everything. Carrascosa later left with the girls because it was his weekend to be with them. Prats was scared and went to the Womens Center, which had been helping her since the beginning of the divorce process. They told me that nothing would happen, that men say things but dont do them. But I still went to the police station to report him. She told police officers of Carrascosas violent moments, and his anger when he drank or when he broke things in the house. After giving her statement, including details of the death threats made against the girls, her situation was classified as low risk. The threats made against my daughters were not included in the [police] questionnaire. And of course, how are you going to measure something that is not registered? The police questionnaire, which determines the level of risk faced by gender violence victims, has been in use since 2007. Since then, it has undergone four modifications. The most recent one, which came into effect this year on March 13, includes specific instructions to assess the risk of murder to women and their children a threat that had not previously been taken into account. For the 27 minors murdered before the protocol was introduced, including Nerea and Martina, the change came too late. When Prats went to the police on February 23, she was not asked any questions about the risk that Carrascosa would murder his daughters, as she had warned. Prats left the police station at dawn after being told she would be notified when officers were going to arrest her ex-husband. They told me to wait because they would first get the girls and then call me, she says. She received no calls over the weekend. They didnt think the risk was big enough to take action Itziar Prats, 43, mother of the two girls On Saturday, the day after filing the complaint, Prats approached the police court. They told me as a police court they did not have the power to handle the situation. I went home and waited. On Sunday my mother, who came from Madrid, picked up the girls. Carrascosa was not arrested until Monday afternoon, three days after Prats filed the report. The police never informed her. Officers took Carrascosas statement and let him go. Alongside the photos of her daughter, Prats saved recorded phone calls with her ex-husband in which he insulted and threatened her. She gave both the recordings and their transcriptions to the judge, who did not view them as relevant. I reported him, and they told me that nothing would happen and now my daughters are no longer here, says Prats. They didnt think the risk was big enough to take action. When asked why she thought no measure was taken, she explains, The judge thought that I hadnt sufficiently explained my fear or why I had gone to live 200 meters away from him. He didnt ask me why I had done it or what I was scared of. I was never asked anything. Only if I confirmed the complaint. Prats explains she moved near to him "because I couldnt find another apartment and I worked next door and the daycare center and school were nearby. His threats were not against me, they were against them. - Did someone examine your daughters? - No, no one examined my daughters or Ricardo or me. They didnt believe me. - Did they ever review you before the Forensic Assessment Unit? [a court service conducted by specialists to help with cases] - No. They didnt ask for information from the Womens Center even though they knew I was receiving treatment there. They didnt ask for anything. The case was dropped in May. The prosecutor and the judge ruled that there was no serious threat and a lawyer recommended that Prats withdraw her complaint. I dont think they considered many things, they didnt care about what I told them. They dont realize that theyre working with people. They do not care. Small gestures After the tragic murder on September 25, Prats is trying to rebuild her life. Im doing better now. I try not to stay home. I get up, I get dressed and I go out. Its necessary, she says as she walks toward a coffee shop in Madrid. She goes to the gym and is studying, even though its very hard for her to concentrate. She likes to go on walks with her friends and family, and is very grateful for the support she receives from people back in Castellon. Ive had support from people who dont even know me. They have found out [about the murder] and contacted me. They each try to put in their grain of sand so that I am better and this [case] is visible. The butterflies that Prats and her mother make in memory of the victims of gender violence. While she is comforted by the support, she prefers to remain anonymous, which is why she asks not to appear in photographs. We are all capable of making a small gesture which drives change, she says. A stranger once sent Prats a wooden butterfly in memory of the victims of gender violence, which she hopes will be sent to more places around the world to raise awareness. Since then, Prats mother has been weaving butterflies and her father has been fighting to make sure that this does not happen again. English version by Asia London Palomba. By Shamim Nateebwa. Civil society activists led by SEATINI have asked government to terminate the agreement to construct the international specialized hospital of Uganda at Lubowa or they drag them to court. This is after Parliament approved a Shs 1.3 trillion loan to a private investor to finance its construction. The specialised hospital, which will be constructed under a joint partnership between FINASI/ROKO Construction Limited, will focus on the treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that have been forcing Ugandans to seek expensive treatment abroad. Addressing journalists the SEATINI program officer Africa Kiiza says the contract should be terminated because it is not transparent and the figures vary. Meanwhile the Uganda debt network Researcher Michael Mugisa expressed government will not be able to settle the debt since government is heavily indebted. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Pedro Martin Gonzalez Castillo (Getty) A letter sent to Spains King Felipe VI by the president of Mexico, seeking an apology for abuses committed during the Spanish conquest 500 years ago, has triggered numerous political reactions. Spains Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that he deeply laments the request by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and that, obviously, Spain is not going to offer such an extemporaneous apology. He is very much right to demand an apology from the king for the abuses of the conquest Unidas Podemos spokesperson Ione Belarra Just like we are not going to ask the French Republic to apologize for what Napoleons soldiers did when they invaded Spain. Or like the French are not going to ask the Italians to beg forgiveness for Julius Caesars conquest of Gaul, he added. Spanish political parties are divided over the issue. While the right-of-center Popular Party (PP), Ciudadanos and far-right party Vox criticized the letter, the leftist group Unidas Podemos defended the request. Borrell said he had spoken with his Mexican counterpart, and that we will do everything possible to ensure that relations between our people and governments are not damaged by this unfortunate initiative. In a video posted on Twitter, the Mexican president said that the apology should be for violations of what are today known as human rights: there were killings, impositions... the so-called Conquest was waged with the sword and the cross. On Tuesday, Lopez Obrador said at a news conference that his intention was to spark a debate on the events of the conquest. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Hernan Cortes arrival in modern-day Yucatan. This is a matter of will and awareness. Regardless of ones position, this opens up the possibility of a review of our history Mexican President Lopez Obrador We want to see if it is possible to create a joint group to create a narrative of what happened, and from that starting point, with humility, accept our own mistakes, apologize and reach mutual reconciliation, said the Mexican president. The leftist leader denied that his letter could risk hurting bilateral relations: This is a matter of will and awareness. Regardless of ones position, this opens up the possibility of a review of our history. Lopez Obrador said he will not attend the events celebrating the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the city of Veracruz on April 22 unless there is a reconciliation agreement with Spain. I cannot participate in a celebration as head of the Mexican state until this matter is resolved. The Spanish government, headed by the Socialist Party (PSOE), has already issued a statement firmly rejecting the request. On Tuesday, the leader of the conservative PP, Pablo Casado, nevertheless criticized the government and the leftist friend of [PM] Pedro Sanchez. What he [Lopez Obrador] said is a veritable affront to Spain. I will not tolerate it, said Casado, who will be competing with Sanchez for votes at the upcoming general election of April 28. I dont believe in Spains black legend. Not in the one that was drafted centuries ago, and not in the one that the complex-ridden left is now trying to draft. We are one of the most important nations in the history of humanity. We are one of the most important nations in the history of humanity Popular Party leader Pablo Casado Casado also said that unlike what happened with other empires, the Spaniards who went to the Americas ended up having families there and mixing with the local populations. Spaniards went there and ended the power of tribes that were murdering their own neighbors cruelly and viciously. Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera said the letter is an intolerable offense to the Spanish people. That is how populism works: by falsifying history and seeking confrontation. Vox leader Santiago Abascal said that Lopez Obrador, imbued with a sense of indigenist socialism, fails to understand that by asking Spain for reparation he is actually insulting Mexico. But Spains leftist coalition Unidas Podemos defended the Mexican president. He is very much right to demand an apology from the king for the abuses of the conquest, said Ione Belarra, the groups deputy parliamentary speaker. If Unidas Podemos reaches power, she said, it will start a process for the recovery of democratic and colonial memory that provides redress to the victims. English version by Susana Urra. The North Korean embassy in Madrid. Uly Martin The Spanish judge investigating an attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid last month has issued international arrest warrants against two of the assailants, police and judicial sources have confirmed to EL PAIS. Judge Jose de la Mata, of Spains High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, is charging them with six crimes, including unlawful detention, violent robbery and criminal association. Hong Chang left in a rental car hired to the name of one Oswaldo Trump At least some of the 10 individuals who broke into the North Korean embassy in Madrid on February 22, assaulting personnel and taking audiovisual material with them, immediately fled to the United States via Portugal, the court investigation shows. The US State Department deputy spokesman, Robert Palladino, said on Tuesday that the government of the United States had nothing to do with the break-in. After EL PAIS revealed that at least two of the assailants had been identified and had ties with the CIA, The Washington Post published an article ruling out the agencys involvement and pointing at a small North Korean dissident group called Cheollima Civil Defense or Free Joseon, which had not claimed responsibility for the attack at that time. (On Tuesday, this group issued a statement claiming responsibility but denying the use of force.) The main goal of the break-in, according to the judges report, was to convince the embassys commercial attache, Yun Sok So, to defect. But this offer was not viable if there wasnt a government standing ready to offer him asylum. Judge Jose de la Mata is charging the assailants with six crimes, including unlawful detention, violent robbery and criminal association De la Mata has lifted the seal on the investigation, which shows that the intruders fled Spain right after taking the audiovisual material from the embassy. After splitting up into four groups, they traveled to Lisbon, where at least one of them their alleged leader, Adrian Hong Chang boarded a plane for Newark, New Jersey, which landed at 2pm local time on February 23. Five days after the break-in, Hong Chang contacted the FBI to provide information about the incident. According to the investigation, Hong Chang is a US resident who holds Mexican citizenship. Six hours before the attack on the embassy, he purchased tactical and combat equipment, including large knives, handgun replicas and handcuffs. Four other members of the group, including a South Korean national named Woo Ram Lee and a US citizen named Sam Ryu, spent over 600 at a local hardware store on a large purchase that included pliers, duct tape, shears and a telescopic ladder. At 4.34pm on February 22, the group leader rang the doorbell of the embassy, located in Madrids upscale Aravaca district, and asked to see the commercial attache, Yun Sok So, whom he had already met two weeks earlier after posing as an entrepreneur with offices in the United Arab Emirates and Canada who was interested in investing in North Korea. According to the judges report, while Hong Chang was waiting for the attache to arrive, he let his nine aides inside the building, and they began violently hitting embassy staff members, whom they restrained with handcuffs and cable ties. The commercial attache was beaten and taken by force to one of the bathrooms, according to the court papers. As he was resisting, the intruders handcuffed him and covered his head with a bag, and pointed what looked like firearms at his neck. The assailants also broke open the door of the room where the attaches wife and son had taken refuge. The commercial attache was beaten and taken by force to one of the bathrooms, according to the court papers The wife of another staff member also hid inside a locked room, and was able to jump out the window and run for help, according to the judges reconstruction of events. A passerby who saw her called the police, and when officers showed up at the embassy, they were greeted at the door by Hong Chang himself, posing as a North Korean diplomat, who assured them that nothing was amiss. Eight of the intruders left the compound at around 9.40pm, taking computers, pen drives, hard drives and a cellphone with them. They drove off on embassy vehicles that were later abandoned in different parts of Madrid and Pozuelo de Alarcon, with the keys in the ignition. Hong Chang and an aide left later out the back door, in a rental car that they had hired through an app to the name of one Oswaldo Trump. Staff members were left inside the embassy in handcuffs. Investigators also found that Hong Chang contacted the Madrid hotel where he had been staying, and asked them to send his luggage straight to the US as he had to leave urgently for Paris and would not be able to return for it. In fact, Hong Chang was boarding a plane for Newark, New Jersey. Spanish police lost track of him after February 27, when he contacted the FBI to provide information about the incident and hand over the audiovisual material allegedly obtained at the embassy. English version by Susana Urra. Tourists in downtown Madrid. LUIS SEVILLANO More information The battle against vacation rentals spreads beyond Madrid The Madrid city council has approved a special plan regulating holiday rentals that will foreseeably shut down over 10,000 apartments currently used for short-term tourist stays. The new regulations stipulate, among other things, that apartments used as holiday rentals inside residential buildings in the city center must have a separate access area from the one used by regular residents. Guests will not be able to use the same building entrance or elevators. The three rings affected by the new rules. In practice, this means that 95% of these apartments will be unable to obtain the required license for this kind of activity, according to city officials. Opposition groups in the council said the plan will have an economic and legal impact on an entire sector, and will likely lead to challenges in court. Manuel, the owner of a tourist apartment and member of an association named Madrid Aloja, was present at the council vote, and says that he and other owners like himself will take legal action to defend their activities. The popular platform Airbnb has described the new regulations as not very clear, unfair and containing disproportionate restrictions. The 90-day rule The new rules target properties that are used as holiday rentals for more than 90 days out of the year, at which point they are considered to be engaging in commercial activities that require a license. The restrictions affect an area that has been divided into three rings covering the historical city center as well districts such as Moncloa-Aravaca, Arganzuela, Latina, Usera and Carabanchel. The city councilor for sustainable urban development, Jose Manuel Calvo, said that these rules are necessary because massive tourism does not bring added value to cities, rather on the contrary, it degrades them. Mayor Manuela Carmena at the council session. Kike Para In the neighborhood of Sol, there are two tourists for every resident. In the Cortes neighborhood, the ratio is 1.3 tourists for every resident. This is whats known as touristification, he added. The Socialist Party (PSOE), which voted in favor of the initiative, said there are over 15,000 properties operating as tourist accommodation in Madrid, and that more than 10% of them are located in the downtown Centro district. The Popular Party (PP), which voted against, placed that figure at 10,467 based on existing regional registers of licensed holiday rentals. But city officials refuse to give out any numbers because this activity is not regulated, noted Calvo. At the very least, 9,944 registered properties would be unable to adapt to the regulations, leaving 524 in operation. But the PSOE notes that the real figure is higher if the unregistered properties are taken into account. Mercedes Gonzalez, a PSOE councilor, said there is an urgent need for regulation to prevent the city center from becoming a tourist theme park ruled by the law of the jungle. This is a first step, necessary to start walking towards a different kind of city where residents can live in peace, she said, adding that the boom in holiday rentals has a clear impact on the real estate market, where the price of rent has been rising at an annual rate of 8%. Gonzalez also cited friction between residents, gentrification and a change in the commercial fabric of neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the PP and Ciudadanos (Citizens), both of whom voted against the plan, said that they want to regulate the sector but in a different way. Mayor Manuela Carmena [of the leftist Ahora Madrid party] wants to evict an economic sector, the holiday rental sector, said the PPs municipal spokesman, Jose Luis Martinez Almeida. He said that demanding an independent entrance area is just another way of banning this activity from downtown Madrid, and also noted that in any case, there is a for-profit use from day one, not from day 91. The city has a team of 22 inspectors who have examined 11,936 homes in 502 buildings. Of these, 1,729 (14,48%) were being used as holiday rentals. While municipal authorities do not have the power to issue fines, they can initiate individual proceedings that could end in the closure of the unlicensed business activity. English version by Susana Urra. Criminal charges have been brought against a number of Crimean residents implicated in the alignment with the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization, the regional branch of the Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on Wednesday. "In furtherance of the criminal investigation, homes of followers of the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami international terrorist organization banned in Russia are being searched on March 27, 2019," the statement said. According to it, the searches are being carried out by the FSB, the Interior Ministry, and the Russian National Guard. The number of suspects is not specified. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 23 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded, the press centre of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported. "As a result of the attacks, one soldier of the JFO has been injured," the JFO staff said in its update on Facebook on Wednesday morning. In the action zone of the operational-tactical grouping Vostok (East) and Sever (North), Russian occupation forces opened fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, anti-tank missile systems, weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Ukrainian positions were under attacks in Vodiane Avdiyivka, Lebedynske, Maryinka, Verkhniotoretske, Novotroyitske, Krasnohorivka, Kamianka, Butivka coal mine, Mykolayivka, Chermalyk, Krymske, Novoluhanske, Khutir Vilny, Novozvanivka, Katerynivka, and Troyitske. According to intelligence reports, one invader has been killed and another two have been wounded on Tuesday. "Since Wednesday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report says. Rock musician, public figure Svyatoslav Vakarchuk has called on Ukrainian citizens to vote responsibly in the presidential elections of Ukraine, not "for fun" and reminded that freedom is not an adventure. "The election of the president of Ukraine is not funny for me. Thousands of our compatriots, including young people, gave their lives and are giving them right now so that you and I can freely choose. Remember this. Vote responsibly! We don't vote to have fun!" Vakarchuk wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday. Yuriy Lutsenko, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, has said that on Wednesday criminal case will be opened on illegal border crossing in connection with the trip of MP, presidential candidate Yuriy Boiko and leader of the Ukrainian Choice The Right of the People movement, representative of the Opposition Platform - For Life Viktor Medvedchuk to Russia. "Dear Mr. Prime Minister, dear Mr. Interior Minister, with your permission, I will inform you that today criminal case will be opened on illegal border crossing. But the question is not only for aerial services, but also for the Border Guard Service, which let these persons pass the border contrary to the established procedure. However, the case will be opened and the corresponding reaction will not take long," the prosecutor general said, speaking at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, responding to the relevant comments of Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has asked the State Aviation Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guards Service of Ukraine and other agencies to check where Ukrainian legislation was violated when presidential candidate Yuriy Boiko and Leader of the public movement Ukrainian Choice People's Right, a member of the Za Zhyttia (For Life) party, Viktor Medvedchuk flew to Russia. An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that at a government meeting on Wednesday, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov expressed dissatisfaction with the way Boiko and Medvedchuk were able to fly to Russia, with which Ukraine does not have air traffic, and return without hindrance. "Why did it happen that despite the law of Ukraine, violating the sanctions banning flights from the Russian Federation, we had the Kyiv Zhuliany - Moscow and Moscow - Kyiv Zhuliany flights of Boiko and Medvedchuk? We know what negotiations they held in Moscow anti-Ukrainian. I want to know which of the Ukrainian officials made such a decision to violate the Ukrainian law and create such comfort for people who negotiated in Moscow with [Russian] Prime Minister [Dmitry] Medvedev," Avakov said. In response to this appeal, Groysman instructed the State Aviation Service and border guards to check where Ukrainian legislation was violated and by whom it was violated. "I, based on your words [Avakov's], would ask the State Aviation Service, border guards, UkSATSE [Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise] on behalf of the government to check who acted and within what boundaries, where violation of the law of Ukraine was recorded, with relevant notification of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," the prime minister said. Ukraine should lead comprehensive talks with the Russian Federation, involving international partners, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has said. "Can there be bilateral formats of the negotiation? Of course, they can we are a sovereign, independent state. But will Ukraine's position be weaker if we go without the support of our international partners? Obviously, it will be weaker," he said, answering a question whether he admits the bilateral format of negotiations with Russia in the event of his victory in the presidential election in an interview with Ukrainian television channels, aired on Wednesday. On Wednesday, March 28, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference of public initiative Vyborcha Rada UA entitled "Let's Make Conscious Choice!" where the experts will present the results of the evaluation of the election programs of presidential candidates and comment on the course of the election campaign. Participants include: law expert, Board Chairman of the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform, lecturer at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Ihor Koliushko; Doctor of Philosophy, Head of Department at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevhen Bystrytsky; Professor of Political Science at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Scientific Director of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation Oleksiy Haran; journalist, chief editor of the Detector Media ezine Natalya Ligacheva; Doctor of Economics, Board Chairman of the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting Ihor Burakovsky (8/5a Reitarska Street). Press accreditation by phone +38 098 053 60 13, by e-mail shulimovstas@gmail.com (Stanislav Shulimov), phone +38 067 722 09 61 and e-mail dan23477780@gmail.com (Danylo Metelsky). By Ritah Kemigisa. The ruling NRM has been asked to ensure internal democracy prevails in its own party if they to govern the country well. The JEEMA party president Asuman Basalirwa says NRM cannot manage the country on democratic principles if it cannot serve as an example to other. Basalirwa adds that the move by the party caucus to endorse Museveni for 2021 presidency was a miscalculated move since its sets a bad precedent for democracy in Uganda. Basalirwa meanwhile says Museveni as a true statesman should have not welcomed the Mps endorsement which suggested that he rules Uganda in 2021 and beyond. Diplomats, who met with Zelensky, expressed no fears, received answers to all their questions head of Zelensky's campaign HQ KYIV. March 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) - All foreign diplomats who met with the presidential candidate of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky did not express any concerns and received answers to all their questions, Ivan Bakanov, the head of the election headquarters of Volodymyr Zelensky has said. "I was present at all meetings of Volodymyr Oleksandrovych [Zelensky] with diplomats, and I saw no fear on their part. All the questions they asked were accordingly answered. None of the diplomats present expressed antipathy or non-acceptance toward Volodymyr Oleksandrovych's answers," he said a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday. In turn, coordinator of Ze!Team Oleksandr Korniyenko noted that in the article published by Reuters agency on March 26 entitled "Unpredictable election makes Ukraine's friends wary," there is no reference to specific diplomats. "It is not clear what diplomats: an ambassador of one of the countries, an ambassador of another country ...," he said. Iranian social media users are accusing their leaders of being out of touch after several politicians displayed glib reactions to massive floods that inundated much of the country last week, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. The floods, which affected 28 of Irans 31 provinces, began during the Noruz Persian New Year celebrations March 21. Days after the worst had passed, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani was the first high-ranking official to visit the devastation, making a trip to the flooded areas in his native province Mazandaran, as well as Golestan, where several towns are submerged. Videos on social media show him walking among a circle of aides and bodyguards. A woman approaches and complains that she has lost everything and has nothing to eat. Larijani says: "Thank God that you are unhurt," and continues without looking at the woman. Another tweeted video of the same interaction shows a cleric who tells the woman angrily not to approach Larijani, a member of the opposite sex. Hundreds of Twitter users have lashed out at Larijani for his unsympathetic behavior, concluding that such scenes reveal the deep divide between the Islamic Republics officials and the people. In another video, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari walks in shallow waters with a smile on his face with his bodyguards and plays in the flood water. A Twitter user says jokingly that this "intelligent move by Jafari has stemmed the tide of the flood. Also, there are several jokes and sarcastic comments about Vice-President Es'haq Jahangiri spending the night in his comfortable office and telling the people outside to be mindful of the flood. Many asked what can they do when the mighty Islamic Republic itself is incapable of helping its citizens. Another Twitter user complained of officials and celebrities proudly displaying wet trousers on social media to show they had helped in the flood-hit areas, even though they were in places where the water had already subsided. Many others harshly criticized officials for not predicting and warning people about the floods. Many asked why roads in the city of Shiraz, where hundreds of cars were swept away by the water, killing 19 according to official figures, were not closed to traffic before the floods hit. Many called Islamic Republics spending on morality police tasked with keeping the sexes separate absurd when there was apparently no money for an early warning system to save lives in the event of a natural disaster. Many social media users observed that residents, often themselves victims of the floods, rushed to help others, while the military did very little, even after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei ordered them to come the peoples aid. In Shiraz, home owners, mechanics, restaurant owners, and other businesses offered free services to the thousands of stranded tourists who had come to the city for the New Years festivities. One of the main targets for criticism on social media is a rail line constructed by the IRGC in the flood-stricken city of Aq Qala in the north without any bridge to allow flood water to pass through and pour into the Caspian Sea. IRGC forces were forced to detonate explosives to create an outlet for the water, ruining the rail line in the process. But instead of draining properly, the explosions that destroyed the railway diverted water to the nearby town of Gomishan, causing it to flood. Meanwhile, many social media users criticized President Hassan Rouhani for his failure to visit the flood-hit areas sooner, and for sending his Intelligence Minister to survey the damage rather than the Roads and Transportation Minister or Energy Minister, whose authority has more bearing on the problem. Iran International, a private TV news channel broadcasting in Persian to Iran and based in London did not breach any rules, the British regulator Ofcom has ruled. The channel was accused of breaking the broadcasting code by interviewing the spokesman for the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz, Yacoub Hor al-Tostani, who defended a terror attack last September in Ahvaz. The group is a separatist movement, which also claimed responsibility for the attack during a military parade, which killed two dozen people. Irans ambassador to the U.K. and others lodged a complaint to the media regulator and after a long investigation Ofcom has ruled that Iran International did not breach any rules. Irans ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad tweeted March 26 that Ofcoms decision will be further pursued by our countrys embassy, since the watchdog looked at the totality of Iran Internationals coverage and did not take the live interview as the basis of its decision. The Ofcom decision says that the channel provided strong overall context to the interview to justify the potentially high level of offence that al-Tostanis remarks could have caused. Ofcom further noted that the presenter of the program clearly challenged his views and emphasized the violent nature of the attack during the interview. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 27, Trend reports. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 Trend: The Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson, in accordance with its mandate, plans to conduct the next ceasefire monitoring on the line of contact (LOC) on March 28 in the direction of the Terter district, Trend reports referring to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. The Personal Representative's field assistants Ognjen Jovic and Ghenadie Petrica will carry out the monitoring on the territory of Azerbaijan. The Personal Representative's field assistants Mihail Olaru and Simon Tiller will carry out the monitoring on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan occupied and controlled by the armed forces of Armenia. 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 27 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev expressed condolences to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani. "I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and destruction as a result of a natural disaster that hit your country. On the occasion of this tragedy, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Iran, and wish those injured the swiftest possible recovery. May those killed rest in peace!" Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Samir Ali - Trend: Azerbaijan is doing everything necessary for its army, deputy defense minister, head of the Main Department on Personnel, Lieutenant General Karim Valiyev said, Trend reports March 27. He noted that along with the strengthening of the material and technical base of the army, the social package of various benefits applied to military personnel and the amount of allowance paid to them is being expanded. The issues of accommodation, medical support for military personnel, their families, including families of martyrs, are being solved, he said. Over the past 3-4 years, more than 80 percent of military towns and bases have been rebuilt and overhauled, and now they meet modern requirements. Valiyev added that the military arsenal of the Azerbaijani army is being updated, and the latest military equipment and weapons are bought from the technologically advanced countries. The presence of modern weapons is an important indicator, but skills, professionalism and patriotism are just as important, he said. The Azerbaijani army by over 70 percent consists of professional soldiers. The April battles of 2016 and the operation in Gunnut settlement in May 2018 proved our actions right. On April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions and settlements of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire by the Armenian Armed Forces. As a result of the shelling of Azerbaijans settlements located along the line of contact, civilians were killed, including two children. Numerous public and private facilities, including civil infrastructure, were severely damaged as a result of the attack. Azerbaijan responded with an armed offensive, which resulted in four days of fighting, as the country liberated several important strategic spots previously occupied by Armenian Armed Forces. As many as 30 tanks, up to 15 armored guns and fortifications belonging to the Armenians were destroyed, 320 Armenian soldiers were killed and more than 500 servicemen of the enemy were wounded during the clashes. As a result of the successful counteroffensive, more than 2,000 hectares of territory were liberated from the Armenian occupation. As a result of successful actions in May 2018, the village of Gunnut of the Sharur district and the strategic heights of Khunut (2,065 meters), Gyzylgaya (1,683 meters), and Mehridag (1,869 meters), located around the village, came under the control of Azerbaijani units. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 Trend: Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) and Confidence Capital Ltd. (UK) will jointly conduct SOCAR IV International Caspian and Central Asia Downstream Forum on Trading, Logistics, Refining and Petrochemicals dedicated to 96th anniversary of National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. It will be held on April 22-25, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. As a major event in the Caspian oil calendar, the Forum aims at analyzing the latest trends in trade and sales of hydrocarbon resources of the Caspian and the Central Asian regions. It serves as a unique platform for acquisition of detailed information of the oil, gas and petrochemical product market in the region, and the related export markets, routes and trade flows. The event participants include managers and experts of state structures, ministries and enterprises, SOCAR, transnational petroleum companies involved in oil extraction, refinery and trade, transport companies, and enterprises developing new technologies. In addition to the plenary sessions, the delegates can participate in the program of technical trips and visit SOCAR Carbamide Plant and SOCAR Polymer Plant in Sumgait, which were recently put in service, as well as long operating Sangachal Terminal. Each year the Forum is attended by over 300 delegates comprising the representatives of major oil and gas companies, refineries, trading firms, ports, terminals, banks and analytical agencies. Nearly 230 managers and specialists from 30 countries participated in the event in 2018. Registration for the participation in SOCAR IV International Forum is open at the site http://socarforum.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: In January-February 2019, Azerbaijan imported almost 500 tons of tobacco products worth $10 million from Georgia, reads a foreign trade report of the National Statistics Office of Georgia, Trend reports. Imports of tobacco products increased over the period by 48.5 percent, and by 43.6 percent in value terms. In the first two months alone, Georgia exported tobacco products worth $17.6 million, and 56.2 percent of these products were exported to Azerbaijan. In January-February 2019, exports from Georgia to Azerbaijan increased by 25.2 percent compared to the same period last year and amounted to $58.4 million (9.5 percent of total Georgian exports value). Georgia mainly exports cars, medicines, cattle and tobacco products to Azerbaijan. ---- Follow the author on Twitter: @Israfilbekova Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: In April at the meeting of the International Development Association (IDA) the amount that Azerbaijan will allocate as a donor country to assist poor nations will be announced, the World Banks (WB) Regional Director for the South Caucasus Mercy Tembon, said in an exclusive interview with Trend. The regional director expressed gratitude and appreciation to Azerbaijan for willingness to help poor countries. Speaking of Azerbaijans shares increase in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which are the members of the World Bank Group, Tembon said that Azerbaijan has already given its consent and signed all necessary documents. "The most important issue was to reach an agreement and obtain Azerbaijans consent. We have achieved that. But we still do not know how much the country will increase its shares. This is a long process that can take about ten years," Tembon stressed. Azerbaijan joined the World Bank Group in 1992. During this period, the bank allocated loans for the implementation of over 50 projects in the country worth over $3 billion. Seven more projects worth about $1.5 billion are being implemented. Besides the loans, WB allocated 45 grants to Azerbaijan totaling $41.586 million in 1995-2014. ---- Follow the author on Twitter: @Israfilbekova By Moses Kyeyune. Traders operating at the disputed Qualicel Building will continue to bear their pain and nightmares after three ministers failed to show up for the House sitting in which their fate was to be sealed. The traders running retail and whole sale businesses at Qualicel Building, Nabukera have this evening assembled in the public gallery to receive the House position on the unresolved ownership of their landlord. To their dismay, neither the attorney general Mr William Byaruhanga nor the minister of security Gen Eli Tumwiine was present to sooth their wounds. The Minister of State for Planning, the only minister at the front bench at the time of the debate, announced the news to Parliament. The traders claim that city tycoon Drake Lubega directed them to pay rent arrears of up to five months, yet they have been paying rent to the family of the late Charles Muhangi, who until his death early this year, was their known landlord. They also claim suffering security threats at the hand of gangs hired by conflicting landlords, with no hope for justice. Their concerns were presented by the area MP Mohammad Nsereko. Related Stories MP asks Kampala traders not to pay rent Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Mar. 27 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The delegation of the State Water Management Committee of Turkmenistan plans to discuss issues of cooperation in introducing modern water-use technologies during the visit to Japan, Trend reports referring to the committee. A series of meetings will be held with the leadership of a number of government agencies and large Japanese corporations, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, companies, and financial and banking institutions. It is expected that the creation of water reserves in Turkmenistan and the increase in the capacity of the Lebap Regions Garashsyzlyk reservoir which are bound to improve the water supply of the countrys crops will be among the points of discussion during meetings. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan and uses water resources coming in accordance with agreed quotas from four trans-boundary rivers, namely the Amu Darya, Tejen, Atrek and Murgab rivers. Turkmenistan is affected by the problem of the ecology of the Aral Sea, which is most noticeable in the countrys northern Dashoguz Region, where problems have arisen with the provision of drinking water, the fight against salinization of cultivation lands, land degradation and desertification. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: The US Labor Department made the final decision on the withdrawal of Uzbek cotton from the list of Executive Order No. 13126, a presidential act prohibiting government procurement in the US of goods manufactured using forced child labor, Trend reports with reference to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington. An open public discussion of this issue began at the end of July last year. American agencies analyzed the views of human rights organizations - the international coalition Cotton Campaign and the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF), as well as official comments submitted by the diplomatic mission of Uzbekistan in Washington. Commenting on the arguments of the Cotton Campaign Coalition about the premature adoption of such decision, the US Department of Labor pointed out the singularity of cases of child labor, increasing the effectiveness of ongoing investigations and prosecuting offenders. The decision also notes that a hotline of the state labor inspectorate, legal clinics in the regions of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, as well as the presidents public reception offices appeared in Uzbekistan, allowing detecting cases of violation of the rights of workers and responding to them. After a careful study of the comments received and the information available, the departments determined that the use of forced child labor in cotton harvesting in Uzbekistan was significantly reduced to single incidents. As a result, these products no longer meet the conditions necessary for assignment to the list of the Executive Order, The US Labor Department noted. The decision of The US government to exclude cotton from this list allows any US government agency to purchase this product without requiring its certification (that the goods were produced without the use of child and forced labor). --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Uzbekistan and the UAE will be engaged in the modernization of the infrastructure of Samarkand, Trend reports via Uzbek media. As part of official visit to the United Arab Emirates, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held talks with the Vice-President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum on March 26. The Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, warmly welcoming the head of Uzbekistan, noted the satisfaction with the agreements reached between the countries in Abu Dhabi on March 25. The ruler of Emirate of Dubai emphasized his interest in strengthening multifaceted ties with Uzbekistan that have entered a new stage of development. In his turn, Mirziyoyev expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and support for promising joint projects, noted the readiness of Uzbekistan to build up friendship relations with the United Arab Emirates and Dubai in particular. "In the course of a confidential conversation, ways of further expanding practical cooperation and exchange of experience in a number of areas, establishing new contacts at various levels were discussed," the press service of the President of Uzbekistan noted. After the negotiations, the ceremony of exchange of signed documents took place. These include an agreement on the creation of a joint investment company, agreements on infrastructure modernization in Samarkand and organization of a modern agro cluster and bilateral documents on cooperation in the field of agriculture and logistics. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: During the first 11 months of the previous Iranian year (March 21, 2018-march 20, 2019), Iran's exports to Azerbaijan amounted to $371 million, en.trend.az reports referring to Iran Trade Promotion Organization (TPO). According to the TPO, Iran's exports to Azerbaijan reached 758,000 tons during the reported period. During the reported period, exports to Azerbaijan amounted to 0.9 percent of Iran's total exports in terms of value. Compared to the same period of the preceding Iranian year (March 21, 2017-March 20, 2018), Iran's exports to Azerbaijan increased by 33 percent both in terms of value and weight. Azerbaijan ranked 12 among the export destinations of Iranian goods. Meanwhile, Iran's exports to Russia amounted to $246 million in terms of value and 429,000 tons in terms of weight. Compared to the same period of the preceding Iranian year (March 21, 2017-March 20, 2018), Iran's exports to Russia increased by 6 percent in terms of value and Russia ranked 16th among the export destinations of Iranian goods. Iran's exports to Turkey, during the reported period, amounted to $2.173 billion in terms of value and Turkey ranked 5th among the export destinations of Iranian goods. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: The third regional forum with the participation of entrepreneurs from Azerbaijan's Tovuz, Gazakh and Aghstafa districts will be held in Aghstafa city with the organizational support of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers') Organizations of Azerbaijan (NCEOA) in early April, Acting Secretary General of the NCEOA Kristina Mammadova told Trend. She noted that a presentation for entrepreneurs will be demonstrated at the event, within which they will receive extensive information on the results of the reforms carried out, on the upcoming innovations reflected in the legislation, etc. "Networking between entrepreneurs representing these three districts will be held simultaneously," she said. The National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers') Organizations of Azerbaijan was established on March 5, 1999 in Baku and passed the official state registration. The NCEOA unites over 1000 business entities, including 35 associations and unions of socio-economic profile. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: During the first 11 months of the previous Iranian year (March 21, 2018 - March 20, 2019), Iran's imports of goods from China reached $9.3 billion, Trend reports referring to Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of the country. According to the TPO reports, during the reported period, Iran's imports from the UAE, Turkey, India and Germany amounted to $5.91 billion, $2.26 billion, $2.21 billion and $2.17 billion, respectively. These top five countries accounted for 57 percent of Iran's total imports during the reported period. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Azerbaijan is in a unique geographic position on the New Silk Road, Bruce Pannier, expert on Central Asia, told Trend. "Azerbaijan is in a unique geographic position, as it is with many of the new trade routes. Railways from China run through Kazakhstan to Kazakhstans Caspian ports, and possibly to Turkmenistans Caspian port at Turkmenbashi city, where goods can be loaded onto ships to Azerbaijan and sent by rail through the Caucasus to Turkey. These goods could also be loaded onto ships at Georgias Black Sea ports and sent across to the Romanian or Bulgarian ports for transport further into Europe. Goods from Europe and Turkey can ship goods eastward along the same route," he said. Pannier believes that in all cases, these goods transit through Azerbaijan, meaning there will be fees paid to Azerbaijan for railway use and loading and unloading on the Azerbaijani Caspian coast. "The amount of revenue the route would bring to Azerbaijan will vary of course, depending on traffic, but there will always be something being shipped by this route so there will always a revenue flow into Azerbaijani state coffers," noted the expert. He went on to add that shipping goods using only railways (from China through Russia and on to Europe) would be quicker and probably cheaper, but China has stressed BRI includes maritime routes, which ensures Azerbaijani ports will never be left out. "Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are depending on this and we can see that from those countries decision to improve their Caspian Sea ports, specifically with an eye toward trade between the West and China as part of BRI. And there is also the North-South railway connecting Iran and Russia through Azerbaijan. Some of that cargo might be unloaded in Azerbaijan and head west toward Turkey and the Black Sea," said Pannier. The New Silk Road, or Belt and Road Initiative, is an ambitious project to greatly enhance trade routes; road, rail, and sea, he said, adding that if successful, this estimated $1 trillion network would connect dozens of countries around the globe. "Many of the worlds less-wealthy countries are included and for countries such as these the BRI offers needed opportunities to export their goods, and Chinese financial institutions have been loaning large amounts of money to help these countries connect to the network. These loans have proven a mixed blessing. While it allows poorer nations to build roads, railways and ports they could not afford to build themselves, some of these countries are discovering they will be hard pressed to repay these loans," said the expert. However, he believes that any country involved stands to gain something from being connected to this trade network. "It will help bring some countries out of relative isolation. Other countries stand to benefit from transit fees. And most countries are upgrading existing facilities or construction entirely new facilities for BRI, which helps them modernize their ability to export and import generally, even outside of BRI. So BRI it good, so long as you dont fall deeply in debt," the expert concluded. Azerbaijan became a signatory to the Belt and Road Energy Partnership Declaration in October 2018. The document emphasized that the Belt and Road Initiative will provide new opportunities for the international cooperation as an open and inclusive platform. By signing the Declaration, the signatory countries have also expressed their support for Building the Belt and Road Energy Partnership. One Belt, One Road initiative was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Azerbaijan expressed its support to the initiative when the country signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Encouragement of the Establishment of Silk Way Economic Belt in 2015. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: A favorable business environment has been created in Azerbaijan and it is easy to invest in the country, Azerbaijani Minister of Taxes Mikayil Jabbarov said on the John Batchelor Show of the famous American host John Batchelor. The minister noted that Azerbaijan significantly improved its position in the latest Doing Business 2019 report and ranked 25th, entering the top ten major reformers. Jabbarov spoke about the tax reforms carried out in late 2018. In particular, it was decided to reduce the tax burden on small and medium-sized businesses and, thus, to ensure the development of the non-oil economy, he said. During the interview, the minister stressed that agriculture as a whole is exempt from taxes, which also helps to ensure the competitiveness of agricultural products when exported. "We try to support economic growth through tax policy, because just like tax policy ensures economic development, the level of a country's economic development has an important influence on tax policy," Jabbarov said. Speaking about the economy of Azerbaijan, the minister noted that development is observed not only in the capital, but also in the regions of the republic. "Since 2004, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the State Program on the socio-economic development of regions has been implemented in the country. Because one of the main challenges we face is to ensure equal growth, so that it is not limited to the capital only," the tax minister said. Noting that the implementation of the fourth State Program on the Socio-Economic Development of Regions has recently begun, the minister added that over the years of implementation of these programs, tens of billions of manats have been invested in the country's regions, over 3,000 schools, more than 600 hospitals and tens of thousands of kilometers of roads have been built. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Hasanli_Azad Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Spanish company "Risen Energy Spain" will enter the renewable energy market in Kazakhstan, Trend reports with reference to JSC Kazakh Invest. The Spanish company participated in the Kazakh-Spanish road show, held from 19 to 20 March in Madrid. Some 100 companies attended the event, which was organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Spain and JSC Kazakh Invest with the support of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The Kazakhstan Solar Energy Association signed a memorandum of cooperation with a Spanish company about the readiness of a Spanish company to share best practices and knowledge in the field of renewable energy. In return, the Kazakh side will also assist Spanish investors in launching projects in Kazakhstan. There are 42 Spanish enterprises operating in Kazakhstan as of September 1, 2018. Foreign trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Spain last year amounted to $2 billion. Exports from Kazakhstan to Spain for the same period stood at $1.7 billion, imports - $179.4 million. For the period from 2005 to the 3rd quarter of 2018, the gross inflow of direct investment from Spain to Kazakhstan amounted to $207 million. Risen Energy Spain is a subsidiary of Risen Energy Co., Ltd, one of the largest manufacturers of equipment for the solar energy industry in the world. With the participation of Risen Energy Spain S.L.U, projects have already been launched in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia and Africa. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Tehran, Iran, March 27 Trend: A member of Iran Parliament's energy commission Ghasem Saedi has discussed the country's oil and petrochemical sales policies and its violations in an interview with Trend. "The parliament energy commission is following the current and future oil and energy policies. We're informed about previous methods, so the future planning will be done with consideration of past practices," he said. Saedi said that the president, head of the parliament's energy committee and a representative from energy committee alongside some individuals from oil, foreign, interior and energy ministries are informed about the possible violations in the mentioned field. Speaking about the sale of oil to legal entities, he said that the oil ministry occasionally offers to sell oil to such, for $50 a barrel, and keep the rest of the sale revenues. The oil ministry chooses the minimum price, and sometimes they find consumers that buy each barrel for $100. The rest depends on the market and individual communication. Referring to the oil offering problems at the the energy exchange he said that the exchange is a filter, the price is defined by the exchange, it sells oil directly. Responding to a question about why the customers do not buy oil through the exchange, Saedi said that one of the ways to sell oil is to evade sanctions at the exchange but it's not the main solution, as Iran deals oil on the coasts of some countries as well. "The oil that is located near India is being sold to the private or public Indian companies, so the sanctions can not affect the sale, and we receive cash. We can't close all the ways and sell oil through exchange," he explained. There are existing problems with the transactions that Iran is trying to tackle. "The US has influence everywhere in the world and many ships are sanctioned and their insurances have been canceled . If we reveal the name of our buyers and sellers, it would make things difficult," he said. "The Americans are wondering how these vessels ship oil even under surveillance. These are confidential ways to sell oil. Some of these methods are unknown to the parliament," said Saedi. He noted that the parliament's responsibility is to monitor and how the country's major source of income is made. By Abubaker Kirunda. A 25-year old Woman has been chased from the village for stealing 1 kilogram of sugar from a shop. Agnes Kawuma was found guilty of stealing this sugar from a shop belonging to a one God. She was found guilty by the Buwekula village LC1 Court in Mafubira sub-county-Jinja presided over by the chairperson Jamwa Waiswa. The LC members and other residents accused the culprit of being a perpetual thief. Kawuma pleaded guilty before the LC Court wondering what had gone wrong with her because she finds herself stealing peoples items. She asked for forgiveness but the court and residents declined to forgive her and instead wrote a letter instructing her to go back to her Wanyange village in Mafubira sub-county in Jinja. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: BP has established a $100 million fund for projects that will deliver new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in its Upstream oil and gas operations, Trend reports citing a message from the company. Reportedly, the Upstream Carbon Fund will be in addition to the $500 million that BP invests in low carbon activities each year, including investment in venturing activities and into its significant alternative energy business. The company said that in April 2018, BP set clear, near-term and specific targets aimed at reducing its emissions and advancing the energy transition, including achieving 3.5 million tons of sustainable GHG emissions reductions across the BP Group from 2016 to 2025 and targeting a methane intensity of 0.2 percent. In the year since, BPs total direct GHG emissions fell by 1.7 million tons CO2 equivalent, despite a 3 percent growth in Upstream oil and gas production on the same basis. By the end of 2018, BP had generated 2.5 million tons of sustainable GHG emissions reductions throughout its businesses since 2016. BPs methane intensity for 2018 was 0.2 percent in line with the target, said the message. BPs targets for reductions in operational emissions are part of its reduce-improve-create, or RIC, approach to the energy transition, which also aims to improve its products to allow customers to reduce their emissions and to create and grow new low carbon businesses, the company said. The projects that are awarded funding will help to deliver the further emissions reductions necessary to achieve the RIC targets, according to the message. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: The Azerbaijan-made solar panels will be supplied to Germany, Nizami Asgarov, chief technologist of the Azerbaijani company Azguntex, told Trend March 27. He noted that modernization work is underway at the companys plant. After the modernization, new technologies will be applied at the plant, the products will be of higher quality and will meet international standards, he added. He noted that after completion of the plants modernization, solar panels will be supplied to Germany, Turkey, Iran, the UAE, and Georgia. Earlier, the companys plant produced panels with a capacity of 250 watts. After modernization, their power will grow to 300-330 watts. The Azguntex plant opened in April 2012. The lifetime of the produced solar panels is 30-40 years. Azerbaijan is taking serious steps to develop alternative energy. To this end, negotiations are underway with foreign companies and investors, including companies from China, the UAE, the US and the EU. Most of Azerbaijan's potential in this sector comes from the solar energy and this potential is estimated at 5,000 megawatts. Wind power accounts for 4,500 megawatts, biomass for 1,500 megawatts, geothermal energy for 800 megawatts, and small hydropower plants for 350 megawatts. The potential of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan exceeds 25,300 megawatts, which will allow generating 62.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) plans to make investments in various types of real estate in a number of developed countries in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific region, the Fund told Trend. As SOFAZ noted, its investments priorities depend on tendencies in the world economy, which are studied before approving the Investment Policy. The Funds investment policy saw new changes in late 2018, which resulted in the share of gold to rise from 5 percent to 10 percent in portfolio. SOFAZ will continue to make investments in accordance with the investment policy, making investments in fixed income financial instruments and the instruments of the short-term capital market, stocks, real estate and gold, said SOFAZ. The Fund said that fixed income financial instruments and instruments of the short-term capital market, as before, have the significant share in SOFAZ portfolio. In accordance with the Funds asset management rules, SOFAZ invests in debt bonds of countries, government agencies, international financial organizations, commercial and other organizations with an investment grade credit rating. After conducting another comprehensive analysis of the markets of abovementioned instruments, which included the assessment of many factors affecting the risk level and profitability of this type of assets, the strategy for 2019 was approved. It does not envisage any substantial changes in connection with investments in fixed income instruments and instruments of the short-term capital market, but depending on the macroeconomic situation, various types of tactical actions can be carried out in the portfolio , subject to the observance of the Rules on the management of the assets of the Fund, noted SOFAZ. As the Fund noted, the strategy of SOFAZ regarding investment in stocks is to passively invest in world indices, both through direct investment and with the help of external managers. The maximum weight of shares in the SOFAZ investment portfolio, as it was in 2018, will be 25 percent. SOFAZ also invests in shares of mutual funds, and in accordance with the strategy approved for 2019, it is planned to continue investing in mutual funds of North America and Europe. Regarding real estate investments, we would like to bring to the attention that after studying the general state of the world real estate market, as well as the latest trends and innovations in this sphere, the SOFAZ investment strategy for 2019 was approved. In accordance with the real estate strategy, SOFAZ plans to invest in various types of real estate in a number of developed countries in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region through direct, joint and equity investments, said SOFAZ. SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million. Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for the construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems. The main goals of the State Oil Fund include accumulation of resources and placement of assets abroad in order to minimize the negative effect to the economy, prevention of "Dutch disease" to some extent, promotion of resource accumulation for future generations and support of current social and economic processes in Azerbaijan. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 27 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Turkmen Joint-Stock Commercial Bank Rysgal is working to become a member of the international payment system MasterCard, Trend reports with reference to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper. In addition, in the near future, the bank plans to launch a payment system for purchases using QR codes. The banks license was issued in 2011. The introduction of such services as internet banking and mobile banking by commercial banks of Turkmenistan, along with significant increase in the number of plastic cards, ATMs and terminals, allows creating optimal conditions for further breakthrough in the digitalization process, the report said. It is also reported that the Turkmen parliament is preparing laws on the payment system, contributions and mortgage. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 27 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The delegation of Turkmenistan will take part in the Central Asia Climate Change Conference to be held on the initiative of the World Bank (WB) April 3-4 in Tashkent, Trend reports with reference to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper. The event will bring together about 200 specialists from state agencies of Central Asian countries and will be held with the support of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and Uzgidromet Center of Meteorological Service. The agenda includes an exchange of views on trends in climatic changes, their impact on natural ecosystems, environment and public health. The event participants will discuss a set of measures to minimize the negative effects of climate change and adaptation measures, the report said. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan and uses water resources coming in accordance with agreed quotas from four trans-boundary rivers, namely the Amu Darya, Tejen, Atrek and Murgab rivers. Turkmenistan is affected by the problem of the ecology of the Aral Sea, which is most noticeable in the countrys northern Dashoguz Region, where problems have arisen with the provision of drinking water, the fight against salinization of cultivation lands, land degradation and desertification. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 27 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: From March 31 to April 6, employees of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan will participate in the OSCE seminar on strengthening the capacity of the country's border guard service, Trend reports referring to Belarus Embassy in Turkmenistan. The event will be held on the basis of the Belarus Border Guard Institute, located in Minsk. The support is provided by the State Border Committee of Belarus and the OSCE Center in Turkmenistan. Similar events have been held in Belarus as well. "The organization of the current seminar for Turkmen colleagues was a continuation of the systemic cooperation established between the border services of the two countries," a source at the embassy said. Turkmenistan shares land borders with Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and maritime borders with Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Iran. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 27 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A meeting of the Council of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of Governments will be held in Turkmenistans capital Ashgabat on May 31, Trend reports referring to the CIS Executive Committee. It is expected that a discussion of a draft for an intergovernmental program of innovative cooperation for the period up to 2030 will be held in a broad format. Turkmenistan chairs the CIS this year. The priority objectives within the concept of Turkmenistans CIS chairmanship in 2019 are strengthening trust among states, supporting stability and security, strengthening political and diplomatic interaction, increasing the level of cooperation of the CIS with international organizations (including the UN and the OSCE), creating conditions for enhancing trade economic cooperation, and integration into global economic relations. In 2012, Turkmenistan already chaired the CIS and held about 30 events in this regard. Referring to its status of permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan decided to participate in the CIS structure as an associate member in 2005. In 1999, Turkmenistan withdrew from the Agreement on visa-free regime with all CIS countries. Turkmenistan ranks second among the CIS countries in terms of natural gas reserves after Russia. The main buyer of Turkmen fuel is China. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAO) has set a deadline to 5 airline companies using Fokker 100 airplanes to have the airplanes inspected by March 28, said Reza Jafarzadeh, head of public relations office of CAO, Trend reports referring to the CAOs website. According to Jafarzadeh, taking into account the cases of the landing gear of Fokker 100 aircrafts malfunctioning and not being extended during landing, the CAO has decided to eliminate the malfunctioning and carry out inspections. Jafarzadeh added that the companies should carry out inspections in accordance with the decision within the specified period. "Airline companies using Fokker 100 aircraft are Iran Air, Aseman, Qeshm Air, Kish Air, and Karun," he said. Last week, due to a malfunction which prevented the landing gear from being extended, two Fokker 100 passenger jets were forced to make emergency landings in Iran. Tehran,Iran ,March 27 Trend: Khuzestan Governor Gholamreza Shariati has announced that if the water level in Dez and Karun rivers rises it is possible that the water outflow would increases and causes inundation in Ahvaz coast park and other regions. Half of Iran's provinces are challenged by the flood and inundation, the incident started in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces and spread through Lorestan, Fars and Khuzestan provinces. Warning has been issued in other provinces over possible flood but there is no preventing effort in the region. There has been warning over flood in Khuzestan Province, last night a disaster management session held at the province. Gholamreza Shariati ,Khuzestan Governor has discussed the efforts to tackle flood in an interview with Trend. " Khuzestan disaster management agency have held a meeting days ago to implement necessary measures to avoid flood problems in the province.", he said. "The necessary cooperation with officials of road, water and power organizations have been made to prevent unfortunate events in the province.", he added. Referring to the implemented measures in rise of water outflow from Karkheh dam he said, "The downstream of Karkheh dam has been visited to increase the dam's outflow from 550 cubic meters per second." "The necessary decision over increase of water outflow from Karkheh dam has been taken and the contractors are working to create the conditions to increase the level of outflow from the dam." Referring to latest situation of Karun river he said," there have been problems in this water area at Dezful province, the water and power organization in Khuzestan seeks to manage the issues with help of the military and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. There have been decisions made in Shoaybiyeh district at Shushtar County to prevent flood." He noted, "By cooperation with all forces in Khuzestan we try to be ready for possible floods.", he added. "The officials and managers of all organizations in the province are ready to avoid problems in the whole province.", he added. He noted a managing committee would be formed for each drainage basin," The committees would locate in each county to manage the situation and contact the disaster management organization." Referring to recent situation of Arvandkenar he said," The necessary measures have been taken to solve the problems in this district and the necessary machineries have been sent to the region for help." "There was no flood near Arvandkenar and the current situation was a big ebb and we are making all the efforts to control the situation.", he said. He indicated, "If the water level of Dez and Karun rivers would rise, it's possible that the outflow would increase and lead to inundation in Ahvaz cost park and other regions." "We are making all the efforts to avoid damages and reduce the emergency situation as far as we can, it depend on volume of water but we have appointed a fluid management in the province to reduce problems.", he added. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27 By Azer Ahmadbayli Trend: No pain, no gain. Damascus's sluggish reaction to Washington's recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights predetermines the reaction and further attitude of other Arab countries to this issue. The response of Turkey, Iran, Russia and a number of other countries to the decision of President Trump has been more clear and consistent. Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu blasted some Arab countries for their silence on President Trumps decision to recognize Israels sovereignty over occupied Golan Heights, Anadolu Agency reports. He said even the European Union is reacting but some Arab countries are unable to raise their voice due to fear of the US and Israel, Middle East Monitor wrote. I dont believe thats because of their fear of the US and Israel but because of their indifference to the issue as a result of the land owners indifference. One can justify the position of Damascus by the fact that the country is weakened by the civil war and is not capable of any decisive moves now. But that would be half-true or even untrue, because for 52 years Syrian authorities have never tried to retake the Golan from Israel, since the 6-day war of 1967. Representatives of the Syrian opposition believe that the Syrian regime has never been interested in the return of the Golan Heights. Naji Mustafa, a spokesman for the opposite National Liberation Front, told Anadolu Agency that the Syrian regime is using the Golan Heights problem to "suppress any potential uprisings in the country." He also believes that Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, in due time secretly sold that piece of land to Israel. According to him, the regime of Bashar al-Assad has never tried to politically defend the problem of the Golan on international scene and has not taken any action against Israel. "The Assad regime never wanted to return the Golan," he said. "Rather, he used the problem as an 'external threat' against his people." Some time ago, President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and now he has recognized Israels sovereignty over Golan Heights. Tomorrow, who knows, he can do the same towards the West bank. Arabs should be grateful to Mr. Trump for his efforts to wake them up and revive the once-existing Arab unity. But it seems that the Arabs are unable to pass this exam. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemns the decision of US President Donald Trump to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the OIC told Trend. As stated by the organization, this decision is a flagrant violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the UN, particularly the UN Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 497 (1981). "The OIC calls on all countries of the world to respect decisions based on international law and not to take any measures and actions against the territorial integrity of Syria," as stated by the OIC. On March 25, 2019, Trump signed a declaration recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After the signing of the document recognizing the Golan Heights as a part of Israel by the US President Donald Trump, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said that the position of the UN on this issue remains unchanged. Dujarric stated during a briefing that it is clear to the UN Secretary-General that the status of Golan has not changed, and that the UNs policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council". US President Donald Trump signed Monday a proclamation formally recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The document, which has been widely regarded as way of propelling Netanyahu's re-election bid ahead of the 9 April parliamentary elections in Israel, has already been condemned by Iran, Russia, Syria, Turkey and other countries. Major US allies such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom have also refused to back the country's U-turn in its policy toward the Golan, as it goes against a UN Security Council resolution. Damascus requested Tuesday that the UN Security Council hold an urgent meeting on the issue of the Golan Heights, AFP reported Tuesday, citing a letter seen by journalists. Syrian Information Minister Imad Sara told Sputnik earlier on Tuesday that Trump's proclamation demonstrated the ineffectiveness of international law. "In the long-term prospect, Trump's action confirms that international legitimacy no longer exists. International law was killed with Trump's pen as well, when he signed off on violence against the Golan", Sara said. The minister stressed that Damascus would not give up its right regain control of all territories belonging to Syria, and the Golan Heights was no exception. The Golan Heights were seized by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. Fourteen years later, the Israeli parliament unilaterally proclaimed sovereignty over the territory. On 17 December 1981, the UN Security Council declared Israel's actions as "null and void and without international legal effect". In 2018, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution urging Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from the area after the country organized local elections there on 30 October. The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to publicly denounce U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights, Trend reported referring to state news agency SANA. Trump's decision denies the rights of the Syrians in the Golan Heights which were protected by the international law and turns a blind eye to the "flagrant violations" of the human rights committed by the Israelis against the legitimate residents of Golan Heights, the ministry said. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move. Recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has been a recent demand by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move came months after the Trump administration moved the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The former president of Interpol, Meng Hongwei, has been removed from all of his official positions and is expected to face legal prosecution for serious disciplinary violations, the anti-corruption watchdog of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said in a statement, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "Upon investigation, Meng Hongwei has zero awareness of the partys principle and organisational mentality. He failed to report his personal affairs in accordance with regulations and refused to carry out the decisions from the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. He abused the power from his public position and wasted the nations assets to satisfy a lavish family lifestyle", the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in the statement on its official website. The CCDI also accused Meng of abusing the power from his position to seek special rights and private interests for his wife and take bribes in exchange for favours for others. Meng has been expelled from the CCP and his case handed to the prosecutors office to prepare for formal legal charges, the statement said. Last October, his wife, Grace Meng, reported to French authorities that her husband, who was serving as the president of Interpol at the time, went missing after travelling to China. Interpol, the global police coordination organisation based in France, said in a subsequent statement that Meng had resigned as the president of the organisation. During press interviews last year, Grace spoke out against the secretive nature of Chinas anti-corruption campaign and called on Chinese authorities to release more details on the whereabouts and condition of her husband. Afghanistan has recalled its ambassador from Pakistan over reported remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that suggested Kabul should set up an interim government, calling the comments "irresponsible", Trend reports citing Reuters. Khan told Pakistani journalists on Monday that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials since the militant group refuses to speak to the current government, according to comments published in The Express Tribune. The Afghan government was a hurdle in (the) peace process that was insisting that Taliban should talk to it, Khan was quoted as saying. He also said he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Taliban leaders because of objections by the Afghan government. Afghanistan summoned Pakistan's deputy ambassador to discuss the "irresponsible" remarks by Khan, foreign affairs ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi said in a series of tweets on Tuesday. The Afghan government deemed Khan's statements as "an obvious example of Pakistan's interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan," Ahmadi said. An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 struck off Japan's Miyazaki Prefecture, on the southeast coast of Kyushu Island, on Wednesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the temblor, which occurred at 9:11 a.m. local time, was centered in the Hyuga-nada Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean that lies off the eastern shore of Kyushu Island, to the southwest of the island of Honshu, off the south coast of Japan. The JMA did not issue a tsunami warning following the offshore quake. The quake's epicenter, specifically, was located at a latitude of 32.2 degrees north and a longitude of 132.2 degrees east, and occurred at a depth described by the JMA as "very shallow." The earthquake logged 3 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale which peaks at 7 in some areas of Miyazaki, Kumamoto and Oita prefectures, the JMA said. There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries as a result of the quake. Japan's nuclear watchdog has not issued any warnings about irregularities or abnormalities at nuclear power plants located in regions affected by the quake. Algerians waited on Wednesday for a decision by the constitutional council on whether ailing President Bouteflika is fit for office, after the top army officer called for his removal in a bid to defuse mass protests, Trend reports referring Reuters. Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, addressing officers in a speech broadcast on Tuesday, said the solution to the biggest political crisis since the army canceled elections in 1992 would be the exit of the president on health grounds. The position taken by the powerful army chief of staff was a clear signal that the president - who has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013 - will not survive the protests which have threatened to topple the ruling elite. The political turmoil has highlighted growing public discontent with the allegations of corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement that have tarnished Bouteflikas 20-year rule. This is a default solution following the failure of the negotiations on the departure of the President. It moves away from the democratic transition and approaches a framed succession, said Hasni Abidi, a Swiss-based Algerian who heads a think tank. That approach may break a deadlock for now. Protesters are pushing for an overhaul of the powerful establishment entrenched in power since independence from France in 1962, and the old guard hopes it can put forward a candidate approved by the army. For years, rumors have swirled about potential successors, but no single credible candidate has emerged with the backing of the military, the political and security establishment who is not at least 70. KYODO NEWS - Mar 27, 2019 - 13:58 | All, Feature, Japan The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association on Wednesday urged the government to allow them to abolish costly AM radio by 2028 amid falling revenues. Many broadcasters are struggling to maintain both AM and FM radio services. "Resolving the overlapping investment for AM and FM radio services is essential," an official of the association said in a meeting held by the communications ministry. The association also called on the government to take measures to conduct an experiment to stop broadcasting AM radio in some areas in around 2023. [Fairfax Media/Getty/Kyodo] If the government approves the necessary legal change, FM complementary broadcasting, currently used for fringe areas of AM radio and as a disaster countermeasure, could be standardized as FM radio while AM radio services are terminated in most areas of Japan. Although FM radio can be broadcast with simple facilities, it does not have the range of AM radio. If FM radio becomes the main radio service, broadcasters will need to install a lot of relay stations and some listeners may have to buy new radios. Since there are areas where AM radio is seen as more efficient, the association also asked the government to allow them to maintain parallel use in some areas. One communication expert who attended the meeting said it is important to allow people to listen to radios as usual even in times of disaster. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will decide on the system revision based on discussion of the panel. Kabul: Afghanistan has recalled its ambassador from Pakistan over reported remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that suggested Kabul should set up an interim government, calling the comments "irresponsible." Khan told Pakistani journalists on Monday that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials since the terrorist group refuses to speak to the current government, according to comments published in The Express Tribune. also read Till elections over in India, tensions between the two countries will remain high: Imran Khan Khan is quoted as saying The Afghan government was a hurdle in (the) peace process that was insisting that Taliban should talk to it,. He also said he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Taliban leaders because of objections by the Afghan government. Afghanistan summoned Pakistan`s deputy ambassador to discuss the "irresponsible" remarks by Khan, said foreign affairs ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi in a series of tweets on Tuesday. Here it is to be noted that the Afghan government deemed Khan`s statements as Ahmadi said "an obvious example of Pakistan`s interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan,". The row marks the third time in just over a month that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Pakistan over comments related to peace talks, illustrating the flaring tensions between the two neighbours at a sensitive time. also read Nawaz Sharif gets bail from Pakistan SC, but not allowed to leave the country To be noted that US and Taliban officials have held recurring talks to end the 17-year war, but the Taliban considers the Afghan government led by President Ashraf Ghani as illegitimate. Ghani`s mandate expires in May, and pressure is mounting on him to step down before the next presidential election, scheduled for Sept. 28. Ghani has rejected the idea of an interim government. New Delhi: On Tuesday, official sources said Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan last month and returned to India two days later, has gone back to his squadron in Srinagar though he is on a four-week sick leave. They said Varthaman preferred to stay with his squadron in Srinagar than going to his family home in Chennai while on leave. The IAF pilot went on leave around 12 days ago after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing after his return from Pakistan. Here it is to be noted that Varthaman could have gone to his family home in Chennai to spend time with his parents. But he chose to go to Srinagar where his squadron is based," the sources said. After his four-week sick leave period, a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top brass decide whether he can return to fighter cockpit as desired by him. He was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit. also read Suchitra Krishnamoorthi bracketed prostitutes, Renuka Shahane stood up for prostitutes However, it is worth mentioning here that Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan. After he was captured, Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. also read chowkidar chor nahi, chowkidar pure hai: Rajnath Singh takes dig on opposition The Export-Import Bank of Korea head office in Seoul / Yonhap By Jhoo Dong-chan The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) said Wednesday that it supported CJ Logistics' Singapore's operation by offering a payment guarantee for its corporate bond issuance. The state-run lender said that it and the Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF) jointly helped CJ Logistics' overseas body in Singapore issue 56 billion won ($49.3 million) worth of five-year corporate bonds. This is the first cooperation between the two organizations to support the bond issuance of a Korean company abroad. "This will be a new financing model to help domestic firms' operations abroad," said an Eximbank official. "The Eximbank will continuously utilize its global networks, including the one with the CGIF, to diversify its financing methods to support Korean companies' operations abroad." Thanks to the two agencies' guarantee, CJ Logistics managed to issue its corporate bond through its overseas body for the first time. Established in November 2010 by the ten members of the ASEAN together with Korea, China, Japan and the Asian Development Bank, the CGIF is a multinational financial organization for promoting economic development, stability and resilience of financial markets in the region by providing credit guarantees for local currency denominated bonds issued by investment grade companies. The Eximbank owns a 14.2 percent stake in the CGIF. Export-Import Bank of Korea CEO Eun Sung-soo People with and without cancer are more likely, over time, to use a more potent form of medical marijuana with increasingly higher amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a new study shows. In a report publishing in the Journal of Palliative Medicine on March 26, researchers say that cancer patients were more likely to favor forms of medical marijuana with higher amounts of THC, which relieves cancer symptoms and the side effects of cancer treatment, including chronic pain, weight loss, and nausea. By contrast, marijuana formulations higher in cannabidiol (CBD), which has been shown to reduce seizures and inflammation in other studies, were more popular among non-cancer patients, including those with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, say the study authors. Cancer patients were also more likely to prefer taking oil droplets containing medical marijuana under the tongue than "vaping". "Although there is growing patient interest in medical cannabis, there is a scarcity of solid evidence about the benefits, risks, and patterns of use of marijuana products in various disease settings," says study lead investigator Arum Kim, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and rehabilitation medicine at NYU School of Medicine and director of the supportive oncology program at its Perlmutter Cancer Center. "Such information is important for delivering the best care." Since 1996, 31 states, including New York in 2014, have legalized medical marijuana. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 11,590 men and women in New York, of whom 1,990 (17.2 percent of the total patient cohort) were cancer patients who purchased and used cannabis products from Columbia Care LLC., a dispensary licensed in New York State, between January 2016 and December 2017. The researchers caution that their data did not include the type of cancer the purchasers had, how much of what they bought was used, or whether marijuana was used for symptoms unrelated to the cancer. Nevertheless, the patterns of use among cancer patients were distinctly different from those of non-cancer patients. Specifically, the study found that cancer and non-cancer patients used different dosages of cannabis formulations with dramatically different THC:CBD ratios. The two most common formulations contained THC and CBD, but one had twenty times more THC than CBD, whereas the other had the opposite ratio. Over the two years of the study, the research team found that all types of patients increased their THC dose by approximately 0.20 milligrams per week. "Our study provides valuable new information about how cancer patients are using marijuana," says study senior investigator Benjamin Han, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine and population health at NYU School of Medicine. "In the absence of strong clinical research data for medical marijuana, identifying patterns of use offers some sense of how to guide patients who come in with questions for using medical marijuana, and what may or may not help them." Researchers say they next plan to get more detailed information about how medical marijuana affects patient response to therapy and functional status at different stages of their disease, as well as the risks and side effects of treatment. Furthermore, the profiles of other cannabinoids besides THC and CBD in medical marijuana products warrant further research, according to the study authors. ### Along with Kim and Han, another co-author from NYU School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Center, which funded the study, was Zujun Li, MD. Other study authors include Christopher Kaufmann, PhD, MHS, at University of California San Diego; and Roxanne Ko, BA, BS, at the University of Hawaii. Professor Sandra Myrna Diaz from Argentina has been awarded the Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science, an international research prize jointly awarded by the Royal Norwegian Society of Science and Letters (DKNVS) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The award recognizes her biodiversity research, encompassing the diversity of all living organisms. The award winner receives NOK 1 million and a medal and diploma. The prize will be awarded during NTNU's The Big Challenge science and music festival in Trondheim on June 17. "This is a wonderful surprise indeed. I feel deeply honoured," says Professor Diaz. Diaz is a well-known figure in the academic community and was a member of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Diaz has also received numerous other awards. "Sandra Diaz is a world-leading scientist in developing new interdisciplinary approaches that have helped us understand in a much deeper sense how humans not only benefit from nature, but also how human impacts shape the ecology and evolution of the living world," says Professor Thomas Elmqvist at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and member of the Scientific Committee for the Gunnerus Award. "Understanding and managing these processes are the core of sustainable development and Professor Diaz's outstanding scientific contributions to deepen our understanding of sustainability are, and will continue to be, of profound importance." Diaz is one of the most influential researchers in the development of theories and an understanding of biodiversity and the role it plays in sustainable development, perhaps especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. Diaz is among the one per cent most cited researchers in her area of study. Among her various professional roles, she is a professor at the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina and a senior researcher at the Argentine Research Council CONICET. Diaz specializes in biodiversity, ecosystem ecology and the role of plants, including how they are related to global environmental changes. In particular, she has provided key knowledge of plant ecology and biological diversity and how these are linked to land use and global change, for example. Among her findings is that the particular combination of different organisms in an ecosystem, and the role they play, can tell us more about the ecosystem's functioning and benefits than just the number of species can. Professor Diaz has recently contributed significantly to furthering an interdisciplinary approach to biodiversity, including collaboration with social scientists. Collaborative efforts with ecologists include building an international database of tens of thousands of plant species. Diaz has led many research projects throughout the world. She founded and directs the research network Nucleus DiverSus for Research on Diversity and Sustainability, which carries out leading interdisciplinary research at the international level on sustainable development, ecosystems and biodiversity related to various socially relevant issues. Earlier this year, the journal Nature ranked Diaz as one of five researchers to watch. She co-leads the Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and has made important contributions to the design of the platform. IPBES consists of hundreds of researchers from all over the world. Their task is to provide objective advice on biodiversity and ecosystems to politicians and other decision-makers. It is difficult to overestimate her international role, and she stood out early as a clear contender to receive the 2019 Gunnerus Award. According to Ida Bull, DKNVS president, a prize for sustainability research aligns well with the science society's traditions, where research on nature has been a key focus from the 18th century on. "In our time, this research is more vital than ever. This year's prize winner has contributed significant knowledge of plant ecology and how plants' development interacts with global environmental change. Her research is promoting essential collaboration between ecologists and social scientists," she says. NTNU's Rector Gunnar Bovim says the university contributes to the Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science because sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of our time. "The prize winner has made important contributions to securing the future of our planet for generations to come. In this, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the young people who are so heavily involved in environmental issues in our time." The jury's decision was unanimous, but one of the jury members abstained in the final round for reasons of impartiality. ### (San Antonio, March 25, 2019) -- Banglin Chen, Ph.D., a highly prolific chemistry researcher at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has been awarded the distinguished Humboldt Research Award. The award recognizes a researcher's entire achievements to date and is granted to academics whose fundamental discoveries, new theories and insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline, and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future. Chen, the Dean's Distinguished Chair Professor of Chemistry, arrived at UTSA in 2009 and credits the warm weather, tenure position and a beautiful city of San Antonio as convincing his family to make the move. He was born in Zhejiang, China and studied in China and Singapore. He also worked with researchers Omar M. Yaghi at the University of Michigan, Stephen Lee at Cornell University and Andrew W. Maverick at Louisiana State University as a postdoctoral fellow (2000-2003) before joining the faculty at UT-Pan American in 2003. Since arriving at UTSA, Chen has won a series of recognitions for his research. In 2011, he was ranked as one of the top 100 chemists over the past decade based on his citation impact factor. Each year, from 2014 to 2018, he was chosen as a highly cited researcher by Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics. He was also spotlighted in The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014-2018 by Thomson Reuters and is on the 2016 List of Most Cited Researchers in Materials Science and Engineering by Elsevier Scopus Data. As a Humboldt recipient, Chen will visit several institutions in Germany this summer to initiate long-term collaborations with scientists in the nation, particularly Stefan Kaskel, whom he has known for 10 years. Kaskel, who is based at Technische Universitat Dresden, nominated Chen for the Humboldt Award and will serve as his Humboldt host professor. Each morning, Chen awakes with excitement to work with his students at UTSA and make new discoveries. "UTSA has given us the freedom and environment to fully develop our ongoing research, particularly through the Welch research grant," he said. "My colleagues, administrative staff and research officials, particularly Mary Riedel and Neal A. Guentzel, are very friendly and supportive." Chen's work on gas storage, gas separation, photonics, sensing and heterogeneous catalysis has been published over 40,000 times in close to 300 peer-reviewed articles and books with citations. His work has been published in Science, Nature Materials, Nature Energy, Advanced Materials, Energy and Environmental Science and other top journals. The chemist's current research goal is to develop membranes and to commercialize materials for large scale gas separations. For example, a material termed UTSA-280 [Ca(C4O4)(H2O)]xH2O can be straightforwardly synthesized at a large scale in water from sodium squarate and Ca(NO3)28*4H2O. This material is very stable in the air and under water moisture. It shows highly selective sieving separation for ethylene/ethane. "Metal-organic frameworks are very promising materials for gas storage and gas separation at a lower energy and economic cost," said Chen. Michael Doyle, the Rita and John Feik Distinguished University Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, has mentored Chen during their time together at UTSA. "The importance of metal-organic frameworks is likely to be recognized by a Nobel Prize in the near future, and Professor Chen will be one of those in the pool of scientists who are the leaders in the development of this important technology," said Doyle. "His contributions are recognized nationally and internationally, and they bring a heightened visibility to the role taken by UTSA in advancing science and technology." When Chen and Kaskel collaborate this summer, they will examine flexible metal-organic frameworks for gas separation and storage and for energy transformation. In a nutshell, Chen's goal is to discover some basic chemistry and materials that can benefit society. ### Description The Fair Media Council, one of the most successful media watchdog organizations in the country, invites the Long Island community to the 2019 Folio Awards. The Folio Awards celebrates and honors quality news stories. This years event will feature a conversation with Eleanor Clift of MSNBC and The Daily Beast and will honor radio icon Ed Ingles with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Tickets, tables, and ads may be purchased at www.fairmediacouncil.org. Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions and Services Authority (ADSSSA) delivers smart government services on one digital platform to streamline and enrich customer experience Highly secure Cloud Platform leverages VMware Enterprise PKS for running microservices-based modern applications PALO ALTO, Calif. and ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VMware, Inc. (VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, and Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions and Services Authority (ADSSSA) have announced a collaboration which will see ADSSSA leverage a range of VMware solutions. This includes digital solutions to support Abu Dhabis unified government services platform, TAMM, and provide the latest innovative and advanced technologies to streamline and enrich the experience of citizens and enable next-generation government services with TAMM, which will be a qualitative shift in the way government services are delivered to all people in the emirate. Aligned with Abu Dhabi Development Accelerators Programme Ghadan 21, this cooperation reflects ADSSSAs keenness to adopt a forward-looking vision for improving government performance and delivering government services that exceed citizens expectations. ADSSSA, the authority that oversees the development of Abu Dhabis smart government services, is consolidating over 1,600 government services into 80 end-to-end journeys. These include Building/Buying A Home, Getting Medical Treatment and Establishing a New Business. So far four of the journeys are live, with all 80 planned to come online within three years. ADSSSA is using VMware solutions to help foster an organizational DevOps culture, which aims to enable staff to act as application developers in building and testing new services quickly and reliably. ADSSSA is implementing the TAMM journeys as microservices running on VMware Enterprise PKS, a production-grade Kubernetes solution that runs on ADSSSAs VMware vSphere-based private cloud. Story continues VMware and Pivotal Software, Inc. co-developed VMware Enterprise PKS to enable organizations to more effectively build and run modern applications. A comprehensive solution, VMware Enterprise PKS significantly simplifies the deployment and management of Kubernetes clusters with critical production capabilities such as full lifecycle management, high availability, health check and self-healing, and rolling upgrades. VMware Enterprise PKS includes VMware NSX-T for advanced container networking such as automating the implementation of network policies, network object creation, network isolation, and micro-segmentation for security. It also includes Harbor, an advanced container registry, and supports multi-cloud deployment on vSphere-based clouds as well as public clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure. VMware Enterprise PKS is designed to integrate with other VMware products, which enables ADSSSA to leverage its existing investments and skillsets in those products to manage Kubernetes workloads. The integration of VMware Enterprise PKS and the VMware vRealize cloud management platform provides customers with Kubernetes cluster management, broad visibility into the performance, capacity and health of VMware Enterprise PKS, and deeper insight into the container platform at the cluster, pod, namespace and container level. Additionally, VMware vRealize Network Insight helps deliver successful outcomes for customers by enabling them to confidently manage and scale NSX deployments with VMware Enterprise PKS. H.E. Dr. Rauda Al Saadi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions & Services Authority (ADSSSA), said: This fruitful and constructive cooperation with VMware reflects the ambitions of the Authority to enrich customer experience by adopting a range of innovative technologies and digital solutions that are proactive, fast and efficient. By simplifying government services on one digital platform we are helping customers in the emirate from all segments - citizens, residents, visitors and investors - to use an integrated series of government services at a single point of contact without the need to visit different government departments or websites, thereby saving time and effort, and enhancing government performance efficiency. With VMwares government expertise and advanced technological solutions, we can easily share data across government agencies, more securely launch and deliver new government services and run our services much more efficiently, she added. Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a global leader in government digital transformation, with VMware solutions enabling government services to be more intuitive and efficient for citizens, as well as being available at any time on any mobile device. Our more secure cloud platform allows the Abu Dhabi government to easily scale, and frees up IT staff to develop new and innovative services to meet future government needs, said Jean Pierre Brulard, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA, VMware. About VMware VMware software powers the worlds complex digital infrastructure. The companys cloud, networking and security, and digital workspace offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to over 500,000 customers globally, aided by an ecosystem of 75,000 partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to being a force for good, from its breakthrough innovations to its global impact. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html. VMware, vSphere, NSX, NSX-T, Harbor, vRealize, and Network Insight are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions. This article may contain hyperlinks to non-VMware websites that are created and maintained by third parties who are solely responsible for the content on such websites. In an effort to boost tourism numbers, Brazil has announced plans to lift visa requirements for citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and Japan beginning this summer. Effective June 17, traveling to Brazil will be a lot easier for the aforementioned countries. The visa-free access will be valid for stays of 90 days and extendable for another 90 days under certain conditions. The move is aimed at bolstering international tourist arrivals and filling empty hotel rooms which were originally built to accommodate visitors during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It's hoped the relaxed visa rules will increase tourist traffic with each country by up to 25 percent. The new measure builds on last year's creation of an e-visa platform, which allows travelers to apply for visas online. Brazil's tourism office says they saw a 35 percent increase in visa applications following the implementation of the e-visa platform, from 169,910 visas issued in 2017 to 229,767 issued last year. The US, Canada, Australia and Japan are described as "strategic" markets for the development of tourism in Brazil. "This is one of the most important achievements of the Brazilian tourism industry in the last 15 years and we are confident that it will be extremely beneficial to the country," said Minister of Tourism Marcelo Alvaro Antonio in a statement. "This decision of the Brazilian government proves that we are living a new moment and that tourism is being seen as a vector of economic and social growth of the entire nation." Visitors arriving before June 17 will be required to obtain an e-visa. Progress 2019 takes a look at some of the people, places and things that make Angelina County such a great place to live. (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled twice in a long-running patent battle between Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. What happened on Tuesday: In the first case, an ITC judge found that Apple infringed a Qualcomm power-saving patent and said she would recommend an import ban on some older models of the iPhone. In the second ruling, which came after the market closed, the full commission ruled against Qualcomm. That was a final decision in a separate, earlier case about a different patent. What you need to know: Neither side won. But Apple dodged a real headache with the second decision. The company avoids an import ban that would have affected a broad range of iPhones, including the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the discontinued iPhone X. Theres less impact from the first ruling. It just covers the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. A final decision from the full commission on the judges recommendation wont be made until the third quarter. Even if its upheld, Apple is likely to discontinue those iPhone models soon. These ITC rulings probably wont bring Apple any closer to the negotiating table to work out a settlement with Qualcomm. Other Qualcomm-Apple cases are still churning slowly forward.The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has agreed to review the validity of the Qualcomm patent based on an Apple challenge and will issue a decision in about a year. The ITC will issue its final decision well before then. The next big fight will be in San Diego in April. There, Apple and its contract manufacturers will argue that Qualcomm violated its obligation to license industry-standard patents on fair and reasonable terms. Qualcomm will argue that the manufacturers breached their contractual promises to pay royalties.An antitrust trial brought by the Federal Trade Commission against Qualcomm becomes more important now. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh is scheduled to rule on this soon. Company responses: Story continues Apple: "Were pleased the ITC has found Qualcomms latest patent claims invalid, its another important step to making sure American companies are able to compete fairly in the marketplace. Qualcomm is using these cases to distract from having to answer for the real issues, their monopolistic business practices. They are being investigated by governments around the world for their behavior and we look forward to detailing the many ways theyre harming consumers and stifling innovation when we present our case in San Diego next month.Qualcomms General Counsel Don Rosenberg on the earlier ruling: We appreciate Judge McNamaras recognition of Apples infringement of our hardware patent and that she will be recommending an import ban and cease and desist order. The company declined to comment on the second decision. Analyst reactions: "No court has actually kept iPhones from hitting the U.S. Its not to say it wont happen, but I think it would be difficult," said Shannon Cross of Cross Research. "In these cases, these are also the older phones, which Apple is using to push to more people at lower price points, so a ban would go against what Apple has been pushing." "Theyll continue to litigate until something happens in the courtroom which seems to foreshadow a result that one side or another cant tolerate," said Doug Cawley, a patent lawyer at McKool Smith PC, who has represented clients in suits against Apple and Qualcomm. "Both companies may look at the expenditures, which are easily in the hundreds of millions in attorneys fees and say maybe we would be better off finding a resolution here."The fact that an import ban is still hanging over Apple "gives Qualcomm some settlement leverage over Apple," said Tamlin Bason, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. --With assistance from Ian King. To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Gurman in San Francisco at mgurman1@bloomberg.net;Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net, Alistair Barr For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is under intense pressure to lift Berlins arms-export ban on Saudi Arabia. Photo: Reuter/Eva Plevier French envoy to Germany Anne-Marie Descotes warned, in an essay entitled From German-free to mutual trust, that Berlins strict, complicated arms-export rules are hampering defence cooperation between the two countries. Descotes said that Berlins rules on arms exports, and lengthy waiting times for licences, were untenable and are forcing many companies to adopt German-free strategies, by not using German-made parts in their weapons. Companies, she said, have to make long-term investment decisions, and face much legal uncertainly. She also warned that export authorisation for even the smallest German components can take over a year, causing defence companies to get hit with fines for defaulting on deliveries or losing contracts altogether. Quoting German chancellor Angela Merkels statement on European Unity the times when we could completely rely on others are over, Descotes wrote that realistic export possibilities on the basis of clear and predictable rules are an essential prerequisite for the survival of our European defence industry. The essay, published on the Federal Academy for Security Policy website, comes at a time when France, the UK, and other EU countries, are putting pressure on Germany to lift its embargo on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, implemented after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. German-made parts are essential to many weapons systems, and Berlin has been broadly criticised for hampering weapons development and European weapons sales with its insistence that no German parts at all can be used in weapons that will be sold to Saudi. Airbus CEO Tom Enders last month accused Germany of showing a kind of moral superelevation, on the issue of exports, and that this would damage joint defence projects. He told Reuters that one option for the future would be for Airbus to make German-free weapons, noting: It has been driving us crazy at Airbus for years that when there is even just a tiny German part involved in, for example, helicopters, the German side gives itself the right to, for example, block the sale of a French helicopter. The government in Berlin is considering extending the Saudi arms embargo beyond the end of March, but the debate is splitting the coalition government, as the Social Democrat partners want to extend it to October. FILE PHOTO: The logo of BP is seen at a petrol station in Kloten, Switzerland October 3, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann By David French and Collin Eaton (Reuters) - BP's plan to sell its interest in a half-million acres (202,340 hectares) of land in Wyoming dotted with 2,000 oil and gas wells has been put on ice. Over 4 feet (1.3 metres) of snow fell this winter in the Wamsutter field in south-central Wyoming - more than double the usual average - and that buried anything a prospective buyer would be able to see to evaluate the land. BP, as a result, is postponing selling the acreage for several months, according to documents sent to bidders this month and reviewed by Reuters. Even without massive accumulations of snow, oil acreage has been tough to divest this year because of volatile markets and caution from lenders. BP is focussing on new holdings in West Texas's Permian region, and wants to unload land worth about $3 billion (2.3 billion) in Oklahoma, Colorado, East Texas and Wyoming. The sales plans are part of a programme designed to raise about $10 billion in the next two years. While BP is in various stages of the sale process in several states, the company told potential buyers that it could not show them the Wamsutter field in the Northern Greater Green River Basin of Wyoming, according to a letter obtained by Reuters. The letter includes pictures of workers in hard hats, next to snowdrifts taller than they are, and snow enveloping drilling equipment. The National Weather Service is predicting another storm will bring several inches of snow to the area Thursday. BP says it is unsure when it will put the acreage on the market but hopes to make a deal by the end of the year. It blamed the holdup on "significant operational problems" that have caused a "reduction in production volumes" from the field. "BP's current focus is the safe and efficient return of the wells and surface facilities to production; therefore, the divestiture process has been delayed," a BP acquisitions manager said in the letter. Wyoming currently produces 261,000 barrels of oil a day, its most in 27 years. BP, which is the largest operator in the Wamsutter field, declined to comment. (Reporting By David J. French in New York and Collin Eaton in Houston, additional reporting and writing by Jessica Resnick-Ault in New York) By Clare Jim HONG KONG (Reuters) - China Evergrande Group wants to be a big player in the electric vehicle industry because of its potential huge market size worth trillions of yuan, matching the big scale of its real estate business, its chairman said on Tuesday. The country's third-largest property developer by total sales is aggressively expanding into the automotive sector as it searches for new growth drives amid a slowdown in the Chinese property market. Chairman Hui Ka Yan made the latest comments about Evergrande's new energy vehicle (NEV) ambitions at a conference on earnings where he also said the company had completed its diversification plans, and would not go into new sectors in the next five years. Other than property and NEVs, the property developer is also in tourism and health industries. Evergrande had also diversified into dairy, cooking oil and mineral water businesses, but disposed of them in 2016. "We had to do a large amount of R&D and exploring in the process of diversification, and then we realized the sales of these businesses were a few billion yuan, disproportionate to the 600 billion yuan sales our property business is making today," Hui said. "That's why the industry we invest in has to be big." The company has to build the world's top NEV production line to make the business work, and hence the series of acquisitions so far, he added. FIRST EV Evergrande's subsidiary, Evergrande Health, has made several deals in the sector since last year, including acquiring a stake in electric vehicle developer Faraday Future. Last week, the company said it would start producing its first electric vehicles in June as part of a goal to become the world's largest NEV company within the next three to five years. In the high-tech sector, the developer's investments include supercomputers, surgical robotics, unpiloted aircraft and health engineering. Evergrande reported a 93.3 percent jump in 2018 core profit earlier on Tuesday to 78.32 billion yuan ($11.67 billion), the highest amongst its peers in the country, thanks to an increase in properties delivered and slashed costs. Story continues The company's total borrowings at end-December slightly rebounded from the end of June, despite the company's vow to deleverage. Chief Financial Officer Pan Darong attributed the rise to investments in NEVs, but added he expected the debt ratio would decline to an industry average soon. Also on Tuesday, Vanke, the country's No.2 property developer by total sales, told an earnings conference the new businesses it diversified into were not expected to be as profitable as property. It also said the age of general housing shortage had ended and China was facing the challenge of a declining infant population trend. ($1 = 6.7129 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Clare Jim; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ FILE PHOTO: Rajat Gupta, a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Procter & Gamble board member, arrives at Manhattan Federal Court in New York, June 4, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Burton/File Photo By Martin Howell NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Rajat Gupta, one of the most prominent members of the global financial elite until he was convicted of insider trading in 2012, has revealed he was kept in solitary confinement for weeks during his incarceration in an American federal prison. Gupta, who ran the global management consultants McKinsey for nine years and was on the board of investment bank Goldman Sachs, said he was twice placed in a "special housing unit" a euphemism for solitary confinement - at the Devens Correctional Facility in Ayer, Massachusetts. The first time was only for a week but the second time he had to spend seven weeks there. And after that, Gupta said, he was transferred to a higher security federal prison on an adjoining site because prison officers decided he wasn't suitable for a camp-type lockup because of his "poor living skills". There he joined more violent offenders for the final eight months of his time in jail. Altogether, he was locked up for 19 months before being released in January 2016. India-born Gupta, now 70, disclosed his ordeal in his autobiography, Mind Without Fear, which was published this week, and in an interview with Reuters in New Delhi. A representative of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on Gupta's claims. Gupta said when he was taken to the special housing unit the first time, he was handcuffed, strip-searched, given a special orange uniform to wear, called "the bad guy" by prison officers, lost access to almost all his possessions (such as a music player), and denied almost all access to visitors. On the second occasion, his visitation rights were taken away for 60 days more than the whole length of the solitary confinement. Gupta said the first episode of solitary occurred because he bent down to tie his shoe lace just as the prison officer did one of the daily stand-up counts of prisoners. The second because he had created a pillow for his sore back by sewing together two towels and thus created an unauthorised object regarded as contraband. HINDU HOLY BOOK Story continues Exercise during those weeks in solitary consisted of walking around a cage thirty feet by 10 feet once a day. There was also the chance of a few muttered greetings to other inmates walking the cage. "I followed the rules as best I could, but I didn't walk around like a repentant criminal. I felt more like a political prisoner," Gupta says in the book of his relatively harsh treatment. He says it was only by persuading guards not to take away his copy of the ancient Hindu holy book, the Bhagavad Gita, with its teachings on ethical dilemmas and the path to salvation, that helped keep him sane. Gupta, who was found guilty by a New York jury of providing boardroom secrets he learned at Goldman to hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, still insists he is innocent of the charges under which he was convicted. Rajaratnam was locked up in the same higher security prison as Gupta after being convicted of securities fraud and conspiracy and the two met and even played cards and chess together there. Gupta said his father was a political prisoner during India's fight for independence from colonial ruler Britain. Ashwini Gupta was locked up repeatedly, beaten in jail until his flesh split open and lost one of his lungs to tuberculosis after being put in the same cell as an infected prisoner, according to Rajat Gupta. "In many ways our situations could not have been more different he was jailed for a noble cause and a high-minded ideal; I was jailed for alleged personal gain, for a fabricated white collar-crime and, at most, a careless mistake." He said he thinks his father "would have been proud of the way I behaved in prison". But was Gupta himself too proud? And did this make his sentence tougher than it might have been? "Perhaps," he acknowledges. He said that he never heard his father "express a hint of bitterness or resentment towards the British" and Gupta said he was determined to be free of anger towards those whose actions had led to his imprisonment. In his book, though, Gupta very much divides the world into individuals and organizations who supported him through his roughest days, and those who acted against his interests or simply stopped taking his phone calls. There were plenty on both sides of the ledger. (Reporting by Martin Howell; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Stephen Kalin RIYADH (Reuters) - The influence of Saudi Arabia's Bin Laden family on its eponymous construction business has been curtailed in a restructuring that follows an anti-corruption crackdown by Riyadh, a document seen by Reuters shows. Saudi businessman Khalid Nahas has been named chairman of the newly-established Binladin Group Global Holding Company, which is 36.22 percent owned by Istidama, a finance ministry subsidiary, and 63.78 percent by Binladin Company for Development and Commercial Investment. Only two Bin Laden brothers, Saad and Abdullah, are represented on the new nine-person board, the document from the kingdom's commerce ministry reveals, in a break from the family's exclusive control over its earlier company, Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). The stake owned by Istidama reflects the ownership relinquished by brothers Bakr, Saleh and Saad last year after they were arrested in the corruption purge led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. SBG, which for decades built Saudi Arabia's roads, mosques and palaces, is crucial to ambitious new plans for major tourism and infrastructure projects. It is not connected to Osama, one of the younger brothers in the family. Other board members of the new entity include senior Saudi businessmen with experience at some of the kingdom's most successful companies such as state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco, petrochemical producer Saudi Basic Industries Corp, and property developer Jabal Omar Development Co. Two sources familiar with the matter also told Reuters that SBG's chief financial officer, Klaus Froelich, had resigned following the restructuring. The former Morgan Stanley banker was hired in 2016 to help the firm overcome a crisis sparked by the collapse of a construction crane in Mecca's Grand Mosque. Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan told Reuters in December that SBG would soon have a "normal board" with family members and representatives of government ownership after a five-member committee restructured its governance. That committee was led by Abdulrehman al-Harkan, a former chief executive of Riyadh-based developer Dar Al Arkan, who is not on the new company's board. Jadaan left open the possibility that the Binladin company could eventually be listed on the stock market. Reuters reported in September that SBG had ended up on a collision course with the government after chairman Bakr Binladin and his shareholder brothers resisted earlier pressure to list. Saleh and Saad Bin Laden were released last year under the anti-corruption campaign, which netted princes and ministers, shattered investor confidence and was decried by critics as a shakedown and power play. Bakr was temporarily released in January but sources say he later returned to detention. (Additional reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh and Marwa Rashad; Editing by Alexander Smith and Mark Potter) (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. is attacking a Belgian court order forcing it to stop tracking local users surfing habits, including those of millions who arent signed up to the social network. The U.S. tech giant will come face to face with the Belgian data protection authority in a Brussels appeals court for a two-day hearing starting on Wednesday. The company will challenge the 2018 court order and the threat of a daily fine of 250,000 euros ($281,625) should it fail to comply. Armed with new powers since the introduction of stronger European Union data protection rules, Belgiums privacy watchdog argues Facebook still violates the fundamental rights of millions of residents of Belgium. The Brussels Court of First Instance in February 2018 ruled that Facebook doesnt provide people with enough information about how and why it collects data on their web use, or what it does with the information. Facebook then uses that information to profile your surfing behavior and uses that profile to show you targeted advertising, such as advertising about products and services from commercial companies, messages from political parties, etc, the Belgian regulator said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. Facebook is facing increasing scrutiny in Europe as privacy authorities are looking to increase the level of fines they issue under the EUs new General Data Protection Regulation, which allow penalties as large as 4 percent of a companys annual revenue. Antitrust regulators too have been probing the social network with Germanys Federal Cartel Office last month ordering Facebook to overhaul how it tracks its users internet browsing and smartphone apps in the first case to combine privacy with competition enforcement. Belgiums data protection authority last year won the courts backing for its attack against Facebooks use of cookies, social plug-ins -- the "like" or "share" buttons -- and tracking technologies that are invisible to the naked eye to collect data on peoples behavior during their visits to other sites. Story continues Facebook understands that people want more information and control over the data Facebook receives from other websites and apps that use our services, the company said in a statement. Thats why we are developing Clear History, that will let you to see the websites and apps that send us information when you use them, disconnect this information from your account, and turn off our ability to store it associated with your account going forward, it said. We have also made a number of changes to help people understand how our tools work and explain the choices they have, including through our privacy updates. Facebook last year after the ruling said it had worked hard to help people understand how we use cookies to keep Facebook secure and show them relevant content and that the cookies and that the tracking technologies it uses "are industry standard." (Updates with Facebook response in seventh paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Stephanie Bodoni in Luxembourg at sbodoni@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net, Peter Chapman, Nate Lanxon For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Fifty women who describe themselves as survivors of sex trafficking on the now-defunct Backpage.com web portal accuse Salesforce.com Inc. of profiting off each ad. The women sued Salesforce Tuesday in San Francisco state court, claiming billionaire Marc Benioffs company knowingly supported Backpage by providing customized database tools to market and remarket prostitutes to pimps, johns and traffickers who had been underusing its trafficking services. Salesforce knew the scourge of sex trafficking because it sought publicity for trying to stop it," according to the complaint. But at the same time, this publicly traded company was, in actuality, among the vilest of rogue companies, concerned only with their bottom line." Salesforce said it takes the allegations seriously, but declined to comment on the lawsuit. We are deeply committed to the ethical and humane use of our products," a Salesforce spokeswoman said in a statement. This isnt the first time that Salesforce has sparked controversy because of its decision to do business with a particular customer. In June, more than 650 Salesforce employees signed a letter asking Benioff to reconsider a contract with U.S. Customs and Border Protection because of the Trump administrations immigration policies at the time, including one that separated families apprehended crossing the border from Mexico. Benioff refused to cancel the deal, arguing that Salesforces software wasnt being used to perpetrate controversial policies. Backpage.com CEO Pleads Guilty After Sex Site Permanently Shut The 50 women who filed Tuesdays complaint, each identified only as Jane Doe, were sold for sex across the U.S., including in the San Francisco Bay Area, Cincinnati and Baltimore, according to the complaint. They allege the services provided by Salesforce to Backpage contributed to their being raped and abused. Starting in 2013, when Backpages growth stalled, Salesforce took on the web portal as a client and provided tools to help manage its trafficker and pimp database, resulting in Backpages resurgence, according to the complaint. The lawsuit includes an order form billed to Backpage thats dated in December 2016. Story continues Salesforce, led by politically active Benioff, has frequently touted itself as a force for good through its tools and dedication to corporate philanthropy. The company is helping to sponsor an anti-human-trafficking event in April, and its nonprofit arm spotlighted groups that worked on the front lines of the issue in 2017. The chief executive officer of Backpage pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges in three states three days after the site was permanently closed in April 2018. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that Carl Ferrer had agreed to cooperate with prosecutors against a pair of co-conspirators and controlling shareholders. Ferrer faces a prison sentence of up to five years. Salesforce has grown rapidly over the past 20 years and generated $13 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2019. The company accomplished that feat through efforts to make its tools appealing to a broad array of organizations, from small startups to the worlds largest corporations. Shares of San Francisco-based Salesforce slipped 1.2 percent to $157.47 at 9:55 a.m. in New York on Wednesday. The case is Jane Does #1 through #50 v. Salesforce Inc., CGC-19-574770, California Superior Court, San Francisco. (Updates with share price in penultimate paragraph.) To contact the reporters on this story: Kartikay Mehrotra in San Francisco at kmehrotra2@bloomberg.net;Nico Grant in San Francisco at ngrant20@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Elizabeth Wollman at ewollman@bloomberg.net, ;Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Peter Blumberg For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Integrity Initiative leaks: 10mn in UK govt funding for network of NGOs to co ALADIN * weird wizard1* User ID: 493119 03-27-2019 08:50 AM Posts: 5,423 Post: #1 Integrity Initiative leaks: 10mn in UK govt funding for network of NGOs to co Advertisement A seventh batch of Integrity Initiative leaks has been dumped by hackers, revealing British government plans to build an umbrella network of organizations across Europe focused exclusively on countering Russian disinformation.' Hackers, claiming to be linked to the Anonymous collective, have been dumping batches of Integrity Initiative (II) documents online since November 2018, gradually uncovering a major UK government-funded project which secretly conducted Europe-wide anti-Russia influence campaigns while posing as a simple disinformation-fighting charity. Earlier leaks led the II to make their public Twitter account temporarily private and to completely wipe their website pending an "investigation" into the situation. NGOs under umbrella of government grants The latest batch reveals a UK-funded program called the EXPOSE Network, which aimed to "upskill" existing counter-disinformation organizations by offering grants and training, while their activities would then be coordinated with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to "ensure effectiveness." Organizations named in the proposal for the project included the UK-based Bellingcat, the Prague-based European Values think tank, and the Digital Forensic Research Lab (a project of the arms-manufacturer-funded Atlantic Council). The hackers claim it was these groups and a couple of others which were among the "most eager" to receive nearly 10 million ($13.2 million) in potential government funding, which would be dished out over three years between the summer of 2018 and March 2021. Andy Pryce, the FCOs head of counter-disinformation and media development, met with two consortia, one of which is known as the ZINC network (and includes Bellingcat and DFRL), in August 2018 concerning their involvement in the EXPOSE Network. The documents, however, are just proposals, and Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins has maintained previously on Twitter that his organization has not received FCO funding. https://www.rt.com/uk/454844-integrity-i...e-network/ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a ma s k on their nose and mouth ... Integrity Initiative leaks: 10mn in UK govt funding for network of NGOs to combat RussiaA seventh batch of Integrity Initiative leaks has been dumped by hackers, revealing British government plans to build an umbrella network of organizations across Europe focused exclusively on countering Russian disinformation.'Hackers, claiming to be linked to the Anonymous collective, have been dumping batches of Integrity Initiative (II) documents online since November 2018, gradually uncovering a major UK government-funded project which secretly conducted Europe-wide anti-Russia influence campaigns while posing as a simple disinformation-fighting charity. Earlier leaks led the II to make their public Twitter account temporarily private and to completely wipe their website pending an "investigation" into the situation.NGOs under umbrella of government grantsThe latest batch reveals a UK-funded program called the EXPOSE Network, which aimed to "upskill" existing counter-disinformation organizations by offering grants and training, while their activities would then be coordinated with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to "ensure effectiveness."Organizations named in the proposal for the project included the UK-based Bellingcat, the Prague-based European Values think tank, and the Digital Forensic Research Lab (a project of the arms-manufacturer-funded Atlantic Council). The hackers claim it was these groups and a couple of others which were among the "most eager" to receive nearly 10 million ($13.2 million) in potential government funding, which would be dished out over three years between the summer of 2018 and March 2021.Andy Pryce, the FCOs head of counter-disinformation and media development, met with two consortia, one of which is known as the ZINC network (and includes Bellingcat and DFRL), in August 2018 concerning their involvement in the EXPOSE Network. The documents, however, are just proposals, and Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins has maintained previously on Twitter that his organization has not received FCO funding. Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Five men have been jailed for a total of 120 years for a failed attempt to smuggle cocaine with a street value of 112m in the UK. (PA) Five men have been jailed for a total of 120 years after trying to import cocaine with a street value of over 100 million into the UK hidden in a yacht. The 1.4 tonnes of the Class A drug worth 112 million was concealed in the SY Nomad, which was intercepted by the authorities off the Cornish coast in August last year. UK nationals Nigel Clark, 64, and Dean Waters, 59, Estonian Richard Must, 49, Dutchman Raymond Dijkstra, 27, and Latvian Voldermars Gailis, 21, were all jailed at Bristol Crown Court for their roles in the conspiracy. Clark and Waters were each jailed for 28 years, Must was locked up for 30 years, Dijkstra was given an 18-year prison sentence and Gailis sentenced to 16 years imprisonment. Passing sentence, Judge Martin Picton said the conspiracy was an exercise in international drug smuggling of the highest order. Nigel Clark, one of five men who have been jailed for a total of 120 years after trying to import cocaine with a street value of 112m into the UK. (PA) Raymond Dijkstra one of five men who have been jailed after trying to import cocaine with a street value of over 112m into the UK. (PA) Richard Must, one of five men been jailed for a total of 120 years for a failed attempt to smuggle cocaine with a street value of 112m into the UK. (PA) He said: The only reason that the principal offenders in this case Nigel Clark, Dean Waters and Richard Must expended so much time, energy and money in seeking to bring about this audacious plan was in the hope of securing simply enormous profits. But for the intervention of the National Crime Agency and the Border Force, it would have flooded the drug market in this country, contributing by so doing to the appalling social harm that the prevalence of cheap Class A drugs represents. This is criminality of truly staggering proportions. The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cocaine while a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will take place later. Dean Waters, one of five men been jailed for a total of 120 years for a failed attempt to smuggle cocaine with a street value of 112m into the UK. (PA) Voldemars Gailis, one of f ive men jailed for a total of 120 years for a failed attempt to smuggle cocaine with a street value of 112m into the UK. (PA) Clark, of no fixed address; Waters, of Estepona, Spain; and Dijkstra, of Holland, were convicted by a jury of conspiring to import cocaine and conspiring to conceal cocaine within a ship following a five-week trial. Must, of Estonia, and Gailis, of Latvia, had earlier pleaded guilty to the same charges. The court heard the 60ft yacht had left Suriname, just south of Venezuela, at the beginning of August heading for the UK when it was intercepted. Story continues The vessel was escorted into Newlyn Harbour in Cornwall and the three men on board skipper Must and crew Gailis and Dijkstra were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking offences. Five men have been jailed for a total of 120 years for a failed attempt to smuggle cocaine with a street value of 112m in the UK. (PA) The authorities then searched the boat and within an hour they discovered more than 1,400 kilo blocks of cocaine hidden inside locked storage containers on the vessel. The estimated wholesale of this amount of cocaine was 44,896,000, with an approximate street value of 112 million. Read more from Yahoo News UK: New device could force cars in the EU could be forced to stick to speed limits Jack Shepherd to return to UK to fight conviction Millionaires son kills friend in McLaren supercar crash Clark and Waters were arrested later that day by National Crime Agency officers who had been observing their activity over a period of two days. The authorities believe Waters, who had purchased a rigid inflatable boat, and Clark planned to meet the yacht at sea and transfer the drugs. Ty Surgeon, senior investigating officer for the NCA, said: This was an audacious plan to bring cocaine worth 112 million to the UK by boat, and it was only thwarted through law enforcement and partner agencies working together, sharing intelligence and conducting operational activity to stop it. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK (Adds comments from GE and lawyer; adds required court approval) By Jonathan Stempel March 26 (Reuters) - General Electric Co on Tuesday reached a $49 million settlement to end a long-running lawsuit over its relationship with Thomas Petters, the Minnesota businessman serving a 50-year prison term for running a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. The settlement between GE and a trustee for two bankrupt Florida investment funds known as Palm Beach Finance, who was seeking $651 million, was filed with the federal bankruptcy court in West Palm Beach, Florida. Court approval is required. GE denied liability in agreeing to settle claims related to its General Electric Capital unit, one of Petters' lenders. A spokeswoman, Jennifer Erickson, declined to comment. The accord removes a financial overhang for Boston-based GE, which is trying to cut costs while projecting lower 2019 cash flow and profitability from its core industrial operations. Petters, 61, was convicted in December 2009 on 20 counts including fraud and money laundering, over what prosecutors called a $3.65 billion fraud. Prosecutors said Petters bilked investors who thought he was using their money to buy consumer electronics from wholesalers and resell them to big-box retailers such as Costco Wholesale Corp and Walmart Inc's Sam's Club. Federal authorities raided Petters' offices in September 2008 and criminally charged him that December, the same month Bernard Madoff was charged over his own Ponzi scheme. Barry Mukamal, the trustee for the Palm Beach Finance funds, said GE Capital knew as early as 2000 about Petters' fraud, but kept quiet to ensure Petters would keep paying its fees. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Paul Hyman in June 2017 refused to dismiss the lawsuit, which accused GE Capital of conspiring to commit fraud. GE had argued that only the trustee overseeing Petters' bankrupt companies could bring the conspiracy claim. Hyman had previously dismissed eight other claims in the September 2012 lawsuit. The Palm Beach Finance funds filed for bankruptcy in November 2009. Michael Budwick, a lawyer for Mukamal, said the failure of three of Petters' other lenders to recover anything from GE on similar "copycat" claims was a factor in deciding to settle, along with the death of a key witness. Story continues "Victims of Ponzi schemes should realize they can be successful pursuing recoveries against companies they consider financially responsible," Budwick, a partner at Meland Russin & Budwick, said in an interview. Mukamal in 2015 reached a separate $16 million settlement with Bank of Montreal, whose Milwaukee-based unit Marshall & Ilsley also worked with Petters. The case is In re: Palm Beach Finance Partners LP et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida, No. 09-bk-36379. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Phil Berlowitz, Susan Thomas, Richard Chang and Dan Grebler) Berlin (AFP) - Germany's paediatricians association Wednesday demanded mandatory childhood vaccinations against measles and a range of other diseases in a debate kicked off by the health minister. "Children have a right to be immunised against potentially deadly diseases, the law must come," said BVKJ president Thomas Fischbach ahead of government talks on the issue next week. Health Minister Jens Spahn this week urged compulsory vaccinations in kindergartens and schools against measles, a deadly disease that still flares every year in Germany. The BVKJ backed the call but also demanded mandatory vaccinations against rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, mumps and chickenpox. Measles is more contagious than tuberculosis or Ebola but can be prevented with a vaccine that costs cents. The World Health Organization has reported that cases worldwide soared nearly 50 percent in 2018, killing around 136,000 people. The resurgence of the disease in some countries has been linked to medically baseless claims linking the measles vaccine to autism, which have been spread in part on social media by the so-called "anti-vax" movement. Fischbach stressed that "many claims made by vaccination opponents have been scientifically refuted long ago". "For example, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations cannot trigger autism -- even if such misinformation still circulates on social media," he said in a statement. "Vaccination opponents, with their scare tactics about side effects, with their conspiracy theories and their rejection of science-based facts, have fought a losing battle." Although most parents already favour immunisations, the BVKJ said, coverage is sometimes patchy and many children miss the second jabs needed to make them effective. "We need immunisation coverage of over 95 percent to really eradicate diseases," they said. "We need a rule under which non-vaccinated parents get immunised too when they bring in their children." Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Investing in stocks inevitably means buying into some companies that perform poorly. But the long term shareholders of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (NYSE:PEI) have had an unfortunate run in the last three years. Unfortunately, they have held through a 71% decline in the share price in that time. And over the last year the share price fell 36%, so we doubt many shareholders are delighted. Unfortunately the share price momentum is still quite negative, with prices down 8.5% in thirty days. Check out our latest analysis for Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust isnt currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth. In the last three years Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust saw its revenue shrink by 6.7% per year. That is not a good result. Having said that the 34% annualized share price decline highlights the risk of investing in unprofitable companies. Were generally averse to companies with declining revenues, but were not alone in that. Theres no more than a snowballs chance in hell that share price will head back to its old highs, in the short term. Depicted in the graphic below, youll see revenue and earnings over time. If you want more detail, you can click on the chart itself. NYSE:PEI Income Statement, March 25th 2019 You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, it has a TSR of -63% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And theres no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! Story continues A Different Perspective While the broader market gained around 7.9% in the last year, Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust shareholders lost 29% (even including dividends). Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Regrettably, last years performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 14% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. Before forming an opinion on Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust you might want to consider the cold hard cash it pays as a dividend. This free chart tracks its dividend over time. But note: Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. 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. Most investors have more than one goal -- retirement, college, a home down payment, and, more and more often, covering health care costs. While there are various ways to tackle that last one, many investors overlook this tax-free health savings accounts for those ever-growing out-of-pocket expenses, with unused assets available for retirement as well. How do HSAs look in today's market? "If you are in good health, this is an excellent vehicle for long-term investing," says Ed Snyder, a planner with Oaktree Financial Advisors in Carmel, Indiana. "If you are in bad health, this is an account that allows you to save money on your health care expenses because you can pay for them with pre-tax dollars. The HSA is simply the best kind of account going today." As the name says, health savings accounts, made possible by a law passed in 2003, are investments designed for paying medical costs. Contributions are deducted from taxable income, much like money put into a 401(k), and investors can typically choose cash or funds. Contributions and investment gains are not taxed on withdrawal if used for approved medical expenses. [See: 10 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2019.] Unlike the flexible spending accounts, which require that contributions be spent in the calendar year, HSA assets can remain in the account to grow for years. And after the account owner reaches 65, assets can be withdrawn without penalty and used for anything, though income tax will be due, just like with 401(k) withdrawals. But there are catches. To be eligible, one must have health insurance with an annual deductible of at least $1,350 for an individual or $2,700 for a family. For 2019, annual contribution limits are $3,500 for an individual account, $7,000 for a family account, plus $1,000 for an account holder 55 or older during the year. (Note that contributions for 2018 can be made through April 15, 2019, as with individual retirement accounts.) Proceeds can be used for most out-of pocket medical expenses such as co-payments, co-insurance -- almost anything not paid by the health plan, though not the policy premiums. Check the details in IRS Publication 969. Story continues "HSAs truly are one of the best deals out there," says Brad Nelson, president and founder of Lyon Park Advisors in Rossville, Indiana. "The health savings account is such a good deal that it's much easier to identify who would not be ideal than who would. Here are three that are not good candidates: You don't have access to a high-deductible health plan, you're just scraping by, you have 100 percent free health care for life and plan to work until you're 70 and are wealthy." Obviously, an HSA is not needed if you have health care insurance at work and buying a high-deductible policy makes no sense. Also, once you enroll in Medicare you cannot open a new HSA, though an existing one can be used for insurance to supplement Medicare coverage. (President Donald Trump has proposed allowing Medicare enrollees to open HSAs.) Len Hayduchok, CEO of Dedicated Financial Services in Hamilton, New Jersey, points out that a high-deductible health care policy makes the most sense for a person healthy enough to avoid often having to actually pay those deductibles. Since an HSA must be paired with a high-deductible policy, it is not an option for a person likely to have high expenses year after year. The investor is better off paying higher premiums for low-deductible health coverage. If an HSA makes sense, choose a provider that offers the types of investments you want. Some have more options than others. [See: 7 Best Investments to Make With Your HSA.] "For money you expect to use for health expenses in the next couple years, I would put them in a money market or other fixed-income choice in the HSA," Snyder says. "For longer-term money, I would diversify it across asset classes, with most of it in stock investments. This is the money you want to grow to be used 10 or 20 years or more down the road. This would be much the same strategy I would use in a retirement account." Jeffrey Eglow, chief investment officer for Guardian Wealth Advisory in Boca Raton, Florida, says he urges clients to put the maximum allowed into the HSA. "One of the advantages of having an HSA is that you can invest the funds through a self-directed investment account, so you can invest depending upon your own risk tolerance," Eglow says, describing accounts that allow virtually any type of holding. "I would advise our clients to not speculate in this account, invest in good quality companies and watch the assets grow." Once the HSA is up and running, investors are wise to leave the funds to grow, even if that means using other money to pay medical expenses in the short run, says Craig Keohan, chief revenue officer of HealthSavings Administrators, an HSA provider based in Richmond, Virginia. "Savvy accountholders understand HSAs are about capitalizing on the long-term value of these accounts as investment vehicles for retirement health care costs," Keohan says. "Rather than spending their HSA dollars on current medical expenses, they invest their funds and let them grow over time to become medical -- and retirement -- nest eggs." Investors can also enhance HSA growth by waiting for years to reimburse themselves for medical expenses paid out of other funds, Keohan says. [See: How to Invest in Real Estate Without Buying Property.] "There is no time limit on when accountholders must reimburse themselves for qualified medical expenses," he says. "By paying for health care costs out of pocket and keeping track of the receipts, accountholders can invest their full HSA balance and watch it grow for years or even decades. Then, they can reimburse themselves tax-free for their past medical expenses and spend those reimbursed funds on whatever they choose -- expenses, a boat, anything they wish." As mentioned, you have through April 15 to fund an HSA for 2018. But choosing a high-deductible health plan and an appropriate HSA to go with it can take some time. Experts urge investors to look out for high fees and to seek a plan with a wide range of investing options suitable for future needs as well as current ones. More From US News & World Report Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 26, 2019) - The oil and gas capital of Canada is now a hub for the greening of the Caribbean and South Pacific. Two major projects have been awarded to Calgary-based Archer Cleantech Inc. ("Archer" or the "Company"), an international project generator in the green energy space with projects in various stages of development, not only in Jamaica and American Samoa but in California, Uganda, Mexico, Guam and Alberta as well. Archer is technology agnostic in putting together projects in wind, solar, geothermal, waste-to-energy and battery storage. Renewable energy is an essential part of today's energy mix and is poised to become the major source of new energy supply in this century. Global investment in renewable generation reached $265 billion in 2015, double the $130 billion investment in new fossil fuel generation in the same year. It's a rare occurrence when a Calgary-based energy executive is on international TV talking about "clean energy." Known as the oil and gas capital of Canada, Calgary is now positioned to be not just an oil and gas leader but also a hub for broader-based "energy" companies including wind, solar and battery. This is reflected in the Calgary Economic Development slogan which states: "Be Part of the Energy." In an episode of "Biz 1 on 1," now available for viewing on the Biz 1 on 1 and BizTV websites (http://www.biz1on1.tv/interview/season-2-episode-5/ and http://www.biztv.com/) and airing in May on Amazon Prime Video Direct in the U.K. and U.S., Archer CEO Paul Blaha and Founder/President Ron Loudon tell the story of how a leading international wind, solar and battery storage project developer is growing out of a tiny office on the Red Mile in Calgary. A former Bay Street investment banker who "went West, young man" to seek his fortune in the oil and gas business, Blaha instead was recruited by iconic Alberta energy entrepreneur Ron Southern and, in the 2000s, developed energy projects valued at over $3 billion for Atco. Little did Blaha know this experience in major project development was preparing him to meet Ron Loudon, a Kelowna-based entrepreneur who made a fortune and retired at an early age to travel the world. He has returned to Vancouver to pursue a passion for clean energy. Story continues "I became very interested in conscious-minded business, and I've always been concerned about the environment," explains Loudon. "Jamaica, for example, is losing its tourism partly because they're not paying attention to what everyone is concerned about, which is looking after the environment. Environmental stewardship is in the mainstream consciousness now." Archer has recently landed a project to cut power costs in half for hospitals in Jamaica through a combination of solar power and retrofitting obsolete infrastructure. The Company is also moving forward with a large wind, solar and battery storage project in American Samoa that will significantly impact that country's overall percentage of clean energy while cutting the per-kilowatt-hour cost by as much as two-thirds. An early stage company that is moving from three years of development into the execution stage, Archer is being managed on a day-to-day basis by a high-powered team led by Blaha. "We are a smaller company in an industry that has big players," explains Blaha. "What's advantageous about that is that we can take our ideas and put them into play much more quickly because we are nimble and more flexible. A lot of the big players don't want to be in the front end of the business. That's our sweet spot. What we do better than anyone else is de-risk the projects." Archer is also leading the development project to build one of the world's largest battery storage facilities in California, where the state is committed to closing nuclear plants but is already experiencing brownouts. "It's going to be a very significant solution in a very exciting market," said Blaha. Archer has also created its own wholly owned finance subsidiary and expects to launch an initial $500 million Green Bond Fund later this year. For more information, contact: Dave Ashby, Investor Relations: 250-878-7333 dave.ashby@archercleantech.com Corporate Logo To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43662 (Bloomberg) -- Line Corp. and Mercari Inc. are joining forces on mobile payments as Japans internet companies race to dominate cashless transactions in the worlds No. 3 economy. The operator of Japans most popular messaging platform and the used-goods online marketplace app will let users shop and pay for purchases at stores that accept each others systems starting early this summer, they told reporters in Tokyo Wednesday. They also launched an alliance to welcome other mobile payment providers. After years of inactivity, mobile payments competition is heating up in Japan. Line and Mercari are teaming up to face powerful rivals: e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc. runs its own bank, has a credit card with more than 15 million customers and is building a mobile-phone network. PayPay, backed by SoftBank Group Corp., Yahoo Japan Corp. and Indias Paytm, sparked a shopping frenzy in December by giving users 10 billion yen ($90 million) in rebates on purchases. The teaming up of Mercari and Line makes perfect sense and should help reduce infrastructure and promotion costs, Amir Anvarzadeh, a market strategist at Asymmetric Advisors Pte, said in a note to clients. Those who dominate e-commerce and messaging platforms have a good shot at carving the mobile payment market. With Rakuten also heavily involved in financial services and soon to get into mobile segment with an aggressive pricing plan, its chances are good to be among the top two in Japan, which will include Line/Mercari. While Rakuten and Line had an early start in payments, Mercari is a latecomer and none of their rivals have managed to secure an insurmountable lead. Two of the countrys biggest convenience store chains -- Lawson and Family Mart -- already accept most competing payment methods, on top of an assortment of e-money and transit cards. The same is true for fast-food operator Matsuya Foods, electronics store Bic Camera and pharmacy chain Tomods. Internet companies have also turned to discounts and giveaways to lure users. PayPay is running its second rebate campaign, while Rakuten customers can earn 40-times the points awarded on purchases. All three leading players offer users a chance to get back as much 20 percent from purchase amounts. Story continues The way we have been pursuing cashless payments has put a strain on the merchants and confused consumers, Line Pay Chief Operating Officer Hisahiro Chofuku said at the briefing. We want to simplify things. Line has bet that partnerships with financial institutions will help it get ahead of the competition. The company plans to introduce Line Securities equities trading with the countrys biggest brokerage, Nomura Holdings Inc., this year, provided it receives the necessary permits. And a banking offering in partnership with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. could become available as early as fall 2020. In November, the internet company announced an alliance with Chinas Tencent Holdings Ltd. and its WeChat Pay, targeting Chinese visitors to Japan. Line and Mercaris payments operations will remain separate, and they will continue with their own marketing, customer service and fee collection from stores. Mercaris Merpay is accepted at 1.35 million locations around the country, including 900,000 stores using NTT Docomo Inc.s iD contactless payments service, while Line Pay is available at 1.33 million outlets. The companies didnt discuss the extent of their overlap. When pursuing new merchants, we would like to avoid doubling up, said Naoki Aoyagi, the head of Merpay operations. (Updates with analysts and company comments from the fourth paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at palpeyev@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, Robert Fenner For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A Japanese court has delivered a 'not guilty' verdict against an individual accused of developing Coinhive, a cryptojacking malware. | Source: Shutterstock Cryptojackers of the world, pack your bags and head to Japan! This seems to be the message a Japanese court delivered after a man who illegally operated cryptojacking software on his website was acquitted, Japanese publication The Mainichi. According to the Yokohama District Court, handing punishment to the 31-year-old who works as a website designer is excessive. The man had been indicted for embedding the Coinhive cryptojacking software on his website without explicitly informing visitors that their computing resources would be used in mining cryptocurrency. Additionally, the court also ruled that Coinhive did not qualify as a computer virus. In his ruling, Presiding Judge Toshihiro Homma argued that the mans action of embedding Coinhive on his website between October and November in 2017 was not socially intolerable. However, the judge said the malware impacted users though to a minor degree. Prosecutors had sought a $900 fine. Abuse of Service Leads to Coinhive Calling it a Day Though the court ruled in his favor, the 31-year old can now no longer use Coinhive as it announced it was shutting down operations in late February. If the 31-year old managed to mine any Monero he will have to withdraw by April 30. The in-browser miner attributed its decision to constant abuse by malicious actors. While Coinhive has become popular with cryptojackers, its initial mission was to serve as an alternative source of revenue to ads. Read the full story on CCN.com. A bull reversal would be confirmed if bitcoin closes March at levels above $4,190, price charts suggest. While leading cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase and Binance feverishly add new tokens, smaller exchanges serving emerging markets are pivoting toward retail applications of the lightning networkas bitcoin scaling solution. The latest is Singapore-based exchange Zebpay, which now offers lightning wallet options for users who want to send lightning-enabled payments to external wallets. Bitcoin users can cash out their crypto directly to make a nearly instant payment to any lightning-friendly wallet. For now, Zebpay will enable this feature by handling all the channels to recipients on the back-end. Huobis US Arm Launches Institutional Group for OTC Crypto Trading aNext comes allowing people to create invoices,a Zebpay CEO Ajeet Khurana told CoinDesk. aGiving them greater control over channel management, state management, recovery, routing. All of this is done by us. We will keep releasing more functionality so that users can actually take control of how they are doing things.a This stands in stark contrast to the broader industry norm, which often considers lightning too experimental for retail users.A Representatives from larger platforms like Coinbase, BitMex, Kraken and OKEx all told CoinDesk they wonat incorporate lightning in the near future. In contrast to the above-mentioned platforms, Khurana said Zebpay has a smaller monthly user base of a afew hundred thousanda a which could still make the companyas new lightning wallet one of the more widely used options on the market (BlueWallet, by comparison, has seen 20,000 downloads to date). Demand for the product may also benefit from the fact that nearly a million Indian Zebpay accounts holders canat cash out in fiat due to an unclear regulatory landscape that discourages Indian banks from cooperating with crypto companies. Bitcoin Again Rebounds From Strong Price Support aI cannot imagine greater pain for an organization,a Khurana said, referring to the choice to shut down the Indian fiat-crypto exchange and shift Zebpayas focus to other markets and services. He described this shift as basically having to astart overa again. Yet despite these challenges, Khurana remains bullish on the global bitcoin industry. Story continues aIt is very, very exciting,a Khurana said, adding: aWe are still in the early stages, of [lightning] implementation. But as far as capabilities are concerned, that question of whether bitcoin can actually support the volume of transactions that would emerge from a global monetary system, that [question] has now effectively been put away.a Lightning now is part of the exchanges strategic plan for expanding beyond simple exchange services. This wallet functionality is the first step. Khurana told CoinDesk he is also interested in offering a variety of lightning-enabled services in the future, such as payment processing. This may prove to be especially important since Khurana said the vast majority of Zebpay users at in-person events have indicated they adidnat have exposure to other asset classesa like stocks or real estate. Global use cases Although Zebpay may lead the way for Indian bitcoin users who are learning about lightning, it isnt the first exchange to prove lightning integration can prove commercially viable. The Chile-based bitcoin exchange Buda,A a small exchange facilitating roughly $200,000 in daily transaction volume from around 1,500 monthly users, enabled this same payment feature last October. Buda software engineer Alejandro EcheverrAa told CoinDesk 100 customers have used this lightning feature so far and, from integration to channel management, the additional cost to the exchange has been less than $5,000. Much like Zebpayas Indian users, Budaas users in Colombia often find that banks wonat allow them to purchase bitcoin or interact with crypto companies. Plus, Venezuelan expats in Peru, Chile and Colombia may all need to send bitcoin without relying on Venezuelan banks. Lightning wallets make these transactions much cheaper than regular bitcoin transactions, helping users overcome liquidity issues. aSome users used Bitrefill to send money to Venezuelan mobile accounts, to top off their family cell phones,a Buda co-founder AgustAn Feuerhake told CoinDesk. aItas a lot easier if you have your bitcoin on an exchange than running your own [lightning] node or opening channels.a Feuerhake went on to say his exchange will add both mobile lightning options and the ability to receive payments within the next few months, followed by an experimental roll-out of merchant payment processing services later this year for small businesses such as hairdressers. aMost of the users are more concerned with making [bitcoin payments] fast and easy,a Feuerhake said. aWe received interest from large merchants. But we will start with smaller businesses with a simpler view of accounting.a Both Khurana and Feuerhake agreed that the current crypto industry is oversaturated with exchange options. From their perspective, companies that are able to offer services, such as mobile wallets, institutional custody and payment processing, will succeed in the long-run. aWho among the exchanges will remain competitive?a Khurana asked. aI think these are going to be the ones that innovate.a Ajeet Khurana image via Zebpay Related Stories Post: #14 RE: Christchurch attacker links to Identitarian Movement The shooter is a member of the Masonic Forum in Canberra, so he is a Freemason. So are the snr CHCH cops. Every head of police in NZ has been a Freemason. The heads of the NZ military are all Freemasons. The heads of the NZ Intelligence services are Freemasons. The heads of the NZ courts and snr judges are Freemasons. The NZ Leader is a member of The Order of The Eastern Star, female Freemasons. Does everyone understand now? The Freemason shooter kills 50. The Freemason cops didn't turn up on time and helped the two other shooters get away. They then threatened anyone who shared video of the other shooters with 10 years in jail. The Freemason PM says the Freemason Intel services knew nothing but don't worry the Freemason courts will handle it. She also starts an Inquiry, headed by a Freemason. Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)otherwise known as MI6located at 85 Albert Embankment in Vauxhall, a south western part of central London and after leaving, saw Tarrant traveling about 5 kilometers (a little over 3 miles) to Temple--London EC4Y 7BB where he entered Temple Church (built by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters in 1185 The shooter is clearly an MI6 CIA operative. Everyone who goes in and out of MI6 has their photo taken by foreign intelligence services. Have done since the 1950's. Do you know how much they are begging to put the Photo out in the public? Not quite time yet. The cops in CHCH have been taking people away in the night. Threatening them because they were eyewitness to the other people assisting the shooter. Telling them 10 years in jail if they talk. They can't cover this up. People in pubs are talking about openly. They are discovering how many Freemasons there are in NZ and why they hold all the top positions in NZ. They are not happy about it either. Someone is also telling them how the Law works. Here is his cheat sheet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ignorance of The Law is no defense in Western Courts of Law. Everyone knows it. Yet none of us are supplied the complete set of rules and Mechanism of Law. How could this possibly be Fair? Well everyone has the right to a Lawyer..but how do you know if your lawyer is following the rules if they are not supplied to you? How can a good Lawyer get people off over another also qualified Lawyer on the same charges if the Law system is Fair and Honest? What kind of Fair and Honest system expects you to follow their rules yet does not supply them as standard? In most Western Nations Common Law Rights are upheld. In the Queens Coronation she swears to Uphold Common Law Rights. Common Law Rights cannot be altered or changed in any way. Your government makes Commercial Law, which requires a contract over people which they enter of their own free will to be legally binding. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So simple even people with half a brain can get it. Believe me they are not happy about it either. You can cover-up some things, but not the Law when questioned because it is in use all the time. You can't make it go away for a while so everyone forgets about it. Lower level Freemasons are not happy about being betrayed by the upper ranked ones either because their ass is on the line as a result. The longer they take to sort the more likely they will be forcibly expelled from NZ. People will see them as traitors to society. That is not accepted in NZ. Meals are prepared by employees of LSG Group, Lufthansa's airline catering division, at the LSG headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany FILE PHOTO: Meals are prepared by employees of LSG Group, Lufthansa's airline catering division, at the LSG headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, November 11, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach By Arno Schuetze FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa is looking to merge the European operations of its catering unit LSG with a peer as it struggles with low margins in a competitive market on the continent, people close to the matter said. Lufthansa has provided information to potential bidders and has asked them to make offers for the business in early April, the people said, adding that Lufthansa was not interested in a deal with private equity. Austria's Do&Co and Switzerland's Gategroup are expected to make offers for the European LSG operations, the people said, adding that given its low profitability and low expected value even medium-sized Do&Co could do a deal without a partner. Lufthansa reiterated that it was considering options for LSG, while Gategroup declined to comment and Do&Co was not immediately available for comment. While Lufthansa is currently focused on finding a solution for its European operations, a deal for its international business could follow at a later stage, the people said. The catering business is challenged by a large number of locations it serves, high staff costs and exposure to currency exchange rates, Lufthansa's Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said recently. Lufthansa's LSG group saw adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization rise 39 percent to 181 million euros last year on flat revenues of 3.2 billion euros. It employs 35,500 staff. The bulk of profits came from the international business, the sources said. Lufthansa does not provide a regional split of the figures. The figures were helped by lower restructuring costs. Do&Co, backed by gastronomy entrepreneur Attila Dogudan, has a market capitalization of 735 million euros. It serves customers at 60 airlines including Lufthansas Austrian unit and its core catering business posted 61 million in 2018 EBITDA on sales of 574 million. Gategroup is owned by Chinese conglomerate HNA, whose current financial strains may dissuade the company from doing a major cash deal, people familiar with the matter have said in the past. Story continues After a failed 2018 listing of Gategroup, Temasek and RRJ Capital subscribed to a five-year mandatory exchangeable bond which upon conversion will account for up to 49 percent of its share capital. Morgan Stanley is helping Lufthansa in finding a buyer for parts or all of LSG, sources told Reuters in 2018. (Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach; Editing by Tassilo Hummel/Keith Weir) (Bloomberg) -- Online mattress retailer Casper Sleep Inc. is the latest startup to join the unicorn club. The company plans to announce Wednesday it has raised a fresh $100 million in funding at a $1.1 billion valuation. Casper said the cash infusion will fuel its international expansion and the growth of its physical retail stores. Investors in the round include Target Corp., New Enterprise Associates and Norwest Venture Partners, as well as new backers including Dani Reiss, the chief executive officer of Canada Goose Holdings Inc. and Gordon Segal, co-founder and former chairman of Crate & Barrel. The new funding brings Caspers total money raised to $340 million. Founded five years ago, the company started by selling mattresses directly to consumers online. It has since expanded into pillows, bedding and sleep accessories, with the goal of becoming the worlds first "end-to-end sleep company." Casper said it surpassed $400 million in revenue last year. The startup has also added new independent board directors including Reiss and Karen Katz, Under Armour Inc. board member and former CEO of Neiman Marcus Group Inc., which she sits on the board of as well. The company operates in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, Switzerland and Austria. CEO Philip Krim said that its next big international market will be Asia. With the addition of new investors and board members, Krim said the company has the expertise to enter those markets. Canada Goose recently expanded into China, and Under Armour has a significant Asia business. In China, Krim said "the Casper brand will resonate really well around trends like wellness and urbanization." Casper is part of a growing class of startups in areas from mattresses to eyeglasses that are selling directly to consumers -- mostly online, as well as in a growing number of physical stores. Casper is investing in a slew of brick-and-mortar stores across the country to drive sales. It currently has 23 retail locations, and plans to multiply that number this year. Story continues Despite the capital-intensive nature of physical locations, Krim said the stores increase brand awareness, reduce customer acquisition costs and drive more online sales. "Normally you open a store, have to build presence, then the store loses money and eventually pays back after many years," Krim said. "We have such a productive digital business that were profitable on day one of opening a store." The online mattress industry has grown more competitive with retailers like Purple Innovation Inc. and Tuft & Needle. Casper and its online rivals have damaged traditional players like Mattress Firm Inc., which plans to close hundreds of stores. Casper declined to comment on reports that the company is seeking to hire IPO underwriters. "In my mind theres only one path forward for us, and thats to build a very large standalone generational brand," Krim said. To contact the reporter on this story: Selina Wang in San Francisco at swang533@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Kate and Gerry McCann. (Joe Giddens/Pool via AP) Moderators behind the official Madeleine McCann Facebook page have put out a post warning against nasty comments following Netflixs documentary on the case. The post reads, As a reminder, all posts are hidden until they are approved. If you make a nasty comment, your post will be deleted and you will be banned. This is a place of hope. We will not tolerate negativity towards Madeleine, her family or anyone else on this page. This month, Netflix released an eight-part documentary called The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The series interviewed a range of people involved in the case, but received mixed reception and was accused of attempting to profit off of the growing interest in the True Crime genre. As a reminder, all posts are hidden until they are approved. If you make a nasty comment, your post will be deleted and Posted by Official Find Madeleine Campaign on Saturday, March 23, 2019 Both parents refused to participate in the documentary saying in a statement they believed the documentary could hinder the investigation. Read more: Fund to find Madeleine McCann receives cash boost We are aware that Netflix are planning to screen a documentary in March 2019 about Madeleines disappearance, they told the BBC. The production company told us that they were making the documentary and asked us to participate. We did not see and still do not see how this programme will help the search for Madeleine and, particularly given there is an active police investigation, it could potentially hinder it. Madeleines disappearance from a hotel in Portugal in May 2007 sparked an international investigation that continues to this day. At one point, the girls parents were under suspicion from authorities, although this was later lifted, their case, and Madeleines parents, remain popular targets for conspiracy theorists. The official Facebook page for the search has posted numerous posts following the release of the documentary asking for empathy. Followers and supporters have commented on these in solidarity. Story continues Saw the Netflix documentary and my heart goes out to the parents. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday that billionaire Carlos Slim, the country's richest man, has told him he aims to retire during his administration, and has committed to helping the economy in the process. Slim, who for a time was listed by Forbes as the world's richest man, has long been a dominant figure in the Mexican economy. However, the president's announcement was at odds with the businessman's typically low-key approach to public life. "He wants to end his business life helping economic growth and public welfare during this government," Lopez Obrador told a regular morning news conference. "That's what he offered me. He wants to retire and he wants to do it in this government." Arturo Elias, a spokesman and son-in-law of the 79-year-old Slim, later issued a brief statement on Twitter. "Slim remarked to the president that the two have almost six years of intense work (ahead) for the country, the president due to his electoral mandate, and (Slim) due to his age," Elias said. Day-to-day management of Slim's business empire, which ranges from telecommunications and construction to retail and banking, is in the hands of his sons and sons-in-law, though he is widely held to maintain a powerful influence over decisions. The leftist Lopez Obrador took office in December and has cancelled a partly-built $13 billion new Mexico City airport in which Slim and his family had major interests. He did not specify when Slim told him he wanted to retire. Lopez Obrador, who worked with Slim to redevelop parts of Mexico City when he was mayor of the capital between 2000 and 2005, argued that the airport was tainted by corruption and being built in an area that was geologically unsuitable. The cancellation angered business leaders and the government spent its first few weeks paying off investors in the project. The president said he planned to meet Slim soon to discuss plans for investment in Mexico. He did not go into detail. Slim's companies include telecoms giant America Movil and bank Grupo Financiero Inbursa. By law, Mexican presidents can serve only a single six-year term. Lopez Obrador's term is due to end in 2024. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Susan Thomas and Dan Grebler) (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. said that it has taken control of 99 web sites used by a malicious group connected to Iranian hackers who attacked targets including government agencies and businesses in order to steal confidential information. The group, which Microsoft refers to as Phosphorus, but is also known as APT 35, Charming Kitten, and Ajax Security Team, used spear-phishing attacks launched from web sites made to look like they belong to companies like Microsoft and Yahoo, according to the post. The attacks convince users to click on a link containing malicious software or make the user believe their accounts have been compromised and then ask them to re-enter security credentials, which are then stolen by the group. Court documents unsealed Wednesday detail the work Microsofts Digital Crimes Unit has done to fend off the group, including a case filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., that resulted in an order last week enabling Microsoft to take control of the sites. Microsoft says it has been tracking this group since 2013 and that it frequently targets government and business entities as well as journalists and advocacy groups that work on Middle East issues. Microsofts Digital Crimes Unit, and its other security entities, work to derail an array of security threats, including similar action against the group Strontium, linked to the Russian military, and actions to protect elections in the U.S. and Europe. Once it took control of the sites, Microsoft said it redirected traffic to a security repository it runs in order to learn more about the groups activities. That information will be used in Microsofts security products to better protect customers. The company also said it has worked closely with other technology companies, especially Yahoo, on this case. Facebook Inc. said yesterday that it has removed hundreds of pages, groups and accounts connected to Iran for impersonating political groups and media organizations in an attempt to influence political thought in countries around the world. Story continues To contact the author of this story: Dina Bass in Seattle at dbass2@bloomberg.net For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The supercar was destroyed in the crash, which claimed the life of a female passenger (Picture: Central European News) A man has crashed a 257,000 supercar at 186mph, killing his teenage female friend who was a passenger. German media reported that the driver of the bright green McLaren 650S was the son of a millionaire from Essen. The car crashed on the A52 motorway near the German city in North Rhine-Westphalia, killing the 18-year-old female passenger. She died after being thrown from the vehicle into nearby trees. The car crashed near the German city of Essen (Picture: Central European News) An investigation is being carried out into what caused the crash (Picture: Central European News) The 23-year-old driver, identified in German media as Lars, reportedly told police he had been driving at 186mph. The car crashed through a barrier after the driver lost control while driving in the outside lane, it was reported. Read more Who will be the next PM? These are the favourites to replace Theresa May Shopworker stabbed to death as six people knifed overnight across London Miracle postman died for 21 minutes and came back to life on his way to the morgue A police spokesman said: For as yet unconfirmed reasons, the young man lost control of the car at the Essen-Kettwig junction, veered to the right and smashed through the crash barrier. The driver was taken to hospital suffering from shock, local media said. The police spokesman said: The cause of the accident may have been down to high speed or an overtaking manoeuvre. We also cannot rule out the possibility that the car had a technical problem. The car crashed through a barrier (Picture: Central European News) The car was reportedly travelling at 186mph (Picture: Central European News) Emergency services at the scene of the crash (Picture: Central European News) The wreckage is currently being investigated to determine whether the vehicle was in a safe driving condition. The police spokesman said: A preliminary investigation was initiated on suspicion of negligent homicide. According to investigators, the impact was so great that the victims seat belt was ripped off and she was catapulted into some nearby trees. The supercar was reportedly register in the name of the drivers father. Many motorways in Germany do not have speed limits, but it is unclear if this was the case here. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK FILE PHOTO: Migrating starlings fly at dusk past electricity pylons silhouetted by the sunset of a clear autumn evening in the Kent countryside, in Graveney, Britain, October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo By Susanna Twidale LONDON (Reuters) - National Grid, which runs Britain's energy systems, said on Tuesday that electricity and gas flows from continental Europe would continue as normal even under a no-deal Brexit as it has made preparations for all scenarios. "We anticipate no additional operability challenges for this summer as a result of the UK's planned exit from the EU," National Grid said in its Summer Outlook, covering the period from April to October. Britain imports around 5-6 percent of its electricity via interconnectors with continental Europe. "Should the UK leave the EU with no deal, cross-border trading of energy would take place outside of the (EU) single market framework, i.e. under World Trade Organisation rules for the majority of countries," National Grid said. There are no tariffs on electricity or gas shipments between the EU and other WTO members. Nearly three years after Britain voted to leave the EU, and three days before it was supposed to leave the bloc, it remains unclear how, when or even if Brexit will take place. Britain also imports more than half of its gas via pipelines from continental Europe and Norway and through shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from countries such as Russia, the United States and Qatar. LNG is more widely available on the world market as Russia and the United States have been ramping up deliveries. National Grid said it expects higher deliveries of LNG than last summer and that it expects there will be sufficient gas supply to meet demand. It also said it would be able to meet electricity demand. It forecast gas demand during the summer period will total 36.1 billion cubic metres, almost 6 percent higher than summer gas demand in 2018, once weather related adjustments were made. Electricity demand in Britain is expected to peak at 33.7 gigawatts (GW) this summer while the minimum summer electricity demand is forecast at 17.9 GW. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale, editing by Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton) Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 New rainfall record set in New Zealand with 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) in 48 hours ALADIN * weird wizard1* User ID: 493119 03-27-2019 05:55 PM Posts: 5,423 Post: #1 New rainfall record set in New Zealand with 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) in 48 hours Advertisement The atmospheric river event affecting New Zealand over the past 3 days has set the country's new 48-hour rainfall record. The storm caused major infrastructural damage, including destroyed Waiho Bridge in South Island's Westland District. At least one person has died during the event. Cropp waterfall recorded 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) of rain in 48 hours to March 27, setting the country's new 48-hr rainfall record. This is 176% of average annual rainfall in Christchurch, 147% in Dunedin, 97% in Hamilton and Auckland, 91% in Tauranga and 89% in Wellington. Extremely heavy rain caused a rapid rise of West Coast rivers to near-record levels. The Haast River at Roaring Billy, for example, recorded a water level of 7.423 m (24.35 feet), making it its 2nd highest water level at the station since 1968 (the highest was 7.580 m / 24.86 feet) recorded in 1978. In less than 48 hours, this location has recorded 548 mm (21.57 inches) of rain, or nearly 10% of its yearly normal. The Waiho Bridge was destroyed by the rising and rough floodwaters of the Waiho River near Franz Josef on March 26, forcing authorities to declare a State of Emergency for the Westland District. The river was running as high as 7.6 m (24.93 feet). According to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), hours of torrential flood waters carrying large amounts of rock and material downstream battered the bridge's support piers until it collapsed. However, one of the residents said he warned authorities three days before the collapse that the northern end of the bridge's abutment was missing rocks and needed strengthening. https://watchers.news/2019/03/27/new-zea...arch-2019/ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a ma s k on their nose and mouth ... New rainfall record set in New Zealand with 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) in 48 hoursThe atmospheric river event affecting New Zealand over the past 3 days has set the country's new 48-hour rainfall record. The storm caused major infrastructural damage, including destroyed Waiho Bridge in South Island's Westland District. At least one person has died during the event.Cropp waterfall recorded 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) of rain in 48 hours to March 27, setting the country's new 48-hr rainfall record. This is 176% of average annual rainfall in Christchurch, 147% in Dunedin, 97% in Hamilton and Auckland, 91% in Tauranga and 89% in Wellington.Extremely heavy rain caused a rapid rise of West Coast rivers to near-record levels. The Haast River at Roaring Billy, for example, recorded a water level of 7.423 m (24.35 feet), making it its 2nd highest water level at the station since 1968 (the highest was 7.580 m / 24.86 feet) recorded in 1978. In less than 48 hours, this location has recorded 548 mm (21.57 inches) of rain, or nearly 10% of its yearly normal.The Waiho Bridge was destroyed by the rising and rough floodwaters of the Waiho River near Franz Josef on March 26, forcing authorities to declare a State of Emergency for the Westland District. The river was running as high as 7.6 m (24.93 feet).According to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), hours of torrential flood waters carrying large amounts of rock and material downstream battered the bridge's support piers until it collapsed. However, one of the residents said he warned authorities three days before the collapse that the northern end of the bridge's abutment was missing rocks and needed strengthening. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 495131 03-27-2019 05:57 PM Post: #2 RE: New rainfall record set in New Zealand with 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) in 48 hours Gods tears trying to drown them for betraying freedom seasnake Registered User User ID: 67904 03-27-2019 06:00 PM Posts: 19,324 Post: #3 RE: New rainfall record set in New Zealand with 1 086 mm (42.7 inches) in 48 hours weather manipulation, just saying Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread A Pakistani crime ring that extorted a partial Bitcoin ransom has been busted. All the news of a stand-off between Pakistan and India has shrouded earlier reports of an IT professor who was kidnapped and held for 20 million rupees. Shahid Naseer was kidnapped March 19th, according to a local media outlet. Faisal Yousuf, a student of Naseers, is named as the primary suspect. Police Involved in Plot to Extort Over 60 BTC Three police officials were involved with the ransom. One of them worked in a higher office, managing telephones for the citys Deputy Commissioner. His name is Mazhar Abbas. He was arrested March 23rd. Two other police officials, both guards of a high court judge, were also arrested Mohsin Abbas and Mohammad Arif. A Lahore man called Mohammad Tahir is allegedly a Bitcoin money exchanger in the area. Together with Abdul Rauf, he is accused of helping the kidnappers have an outlet for the Bitcoin ransom they were demanding. The kidnappers apparently placed a green license plate on a rental car while executing the kidnapping. Green license plates signify two types of official in Pakistan. Naseers family paid out 2.5 million rupees worth of Bitcoin in an effort to bring him home. Police told Dawn, a local media outlet, that this is how they caught the kidnappers, using digital technology. Victims Family Makes Down Payment, Police Crack The Case 2.5 million rupees will buy you about 9 BTC at current prices. Read the full story on CCN.com. Many migrants have crossed the border in the hopes of seeking asylum in the US (Picture: PA) The Pentagon has authorised the transfer of $1 billion (758 million) to build a new wall along the US-Mexico border. In a significant victory for US president Donald Trump, the money will be distributed to army engineers to plan and build a 57-mile stretch of pedestrian fencing, roads and lighting along the border. Building the wall was a major promise of Mr Trumps presidential election campaign, but he has met opposition to the plan from Congress. He declared a national emergency last month in an effort to fund the controversial wall without congressional approval. US president Donald Trumps controversial border wall project has been allocated funding by the Pentagon (Picture: PA) Last week, the Pentagon gave Congress a list that included $12.8 billion (9.7 billion) of construction projects for which it said funds could be redirected for construction along the border. Acting secretary of defence Patrick Shanahan said in a memo to secretary of homeland security Kirstjen Nielsen that the Department of Defence had the authority to support counter-narcotics activities near international boundaries. Read more Who will be the next PM? These are the favourites to replace Theresa May Shopworker stabbed to death as six people knifed overnight across London Miracle postman died for 21 minutes and came back to life on his way to the morgue Mr Shanahan authorised the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing the project that would involve building 57 miles of 18fthigh fencing, constructing and improving roads, and installing lighting within the Yuma and El Paso sections of the border. Mr Trump says the situation at the border is a crisis and says the wall is needed to prevent criminals getting into the US, but critics say he has concocted the border emergency. Democrats have complained that the Pentagon did not seek permission from relevant committees before telling Congress about the funding. Building the wall was one of Mr Trumps most oft-repeated campaign promises, though he claimed the money would come from Mexico, not American taxpayers. Mr Trumps emergency declaration drew unanimous opposition from congressional Democrats and opposition from some Republicans, especially in the Senate, where politicians objected that he was abusing presidential powers. Story continues Protesters took to the streets after Donald Trump declared a national emergency to seek funding for a wall at the US-Mexico border (Picture: PA) It has been a good week for Mr Trump after Attorney General William Barr said special counsel Robert Mueller had ended his two-year investigation without evidence of collusion by his 2016 campaign with the Russian government. Democrats were hoping to use the border emergency battle in upcoming campaigns, both to symbolise Mr Trumps harsh immigration stance and claim he was hurting congressional districts around the country. Last week, the Pentagon sent politicians a list of hundreds of military construction projects that might be cut to pay for barrier work. Though the list was tentative, Democrats were asserting that Republican politicians were endangering local bases to pay for the wall. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK (Bloomberg) -- Qualcomm Inc. fell and Apple Inc. rose Wednesday as whipsawed investors tried to interpret conflicting decisions in the long-running dispute between the companies over patent royalties. Qualcomm was down as much as 2.9 percent in New York trading, the day after shares rose on a preliminary victory in one of two cases at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington. Apple was up more than 1 percent after it escaped an import ban on the second of those cases. The mixed rulings mean that the path to ultimate resolution between Qualcomm and Apple is probably not getting any smoother, James Faucette, an analyst with Morgan Stanley, said in a note to clients. He described them as lurching towards a reconciliation. The two trade cases were among dozens that span the globe with much of the focus on the ones pending in the U.S., Germany and China. While Qualcomm had been hoping for a clear victory that would give it leverage in technology-licensing negotiations, analysts said the news was less clear. Its going to play out over these small bumps in the road, these small roller coaster rides, country-by-country, unfortunately, Gene Munster, a managing partner of venture capital firm Loup Ventures, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. The company lawyers leading the legal battles -- Qualcomms General Counsel Don Rosenberg and Apples head of litigation Noreen Krall -- are both veterans of these types of fights. Qualcomm has been battling regulators around the world over its business model, and Krall spearheaded Apples strategy in the biggest patent battle of the modern technology world, its seven-year fight with Samsung Electronics Co. Both companies are known for being aggressive in litigation, not missing any legal argument and having deep pockets to pay lawyers, said Doug Cawley, a patent lawyer with McKool Smith whos represented clients going up against each of them. Theyll continue to litigate until something happens in the courtroom which seems to foreshadow a result that one side or another cant tolerate, Cawley said. Story continues Investors on Tuesday were buoyed by a mid-day decision that an ITC judge had found that Apple had infringed a Qualcomm power-saving patent and said she would recommend an import ban on certain iPhone models with Intel Corp. modem chips. The administrative law judge is not the final say-so, however, as Qualcomm found out later in the day. A different judge had found that Apple infringed a separate battery-saving patent, only to have the full commission announce after Tuesdays market close that it had invalidated the patent in that case. Qualcomm said it would ask the commission to reconsider its decision, though such requests are rarely granted. Apple had argued that, even if a patent violation is found at the trade agency, it was not in the nations best interest to block phones with Intel modems. Intel, which Apple turned to after its falling out over royalties with Qualcomm, is the only other U.S.-based maker of modem chips that will be critical in the next generation of telecommunications, Apple argued. Trade groups that support Apples position and were watching the case closely said the question over how to protect U.S. supremacy in fifth-generation communications will be argued anew in the case still pending at the agency. The judge in the case that was decided by the commission had recommended there be no import ban. A competitive market for broadband chipsets is crucial to a diverse and thriving mobile ecosystem, ACT/The App Association said in a statement, citing the impacts on national security. Qualcomm, which leads the field ahead of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co., said it needs to be fairly compensated for its research to keep its lead. The innovations we contribute to the iPhone extend well beyond a single component, Rosenberg said in a statement. The judges recommendation, along with recent infringement rulings in other U.S. and foreign courts, affirm the value of our technologies. Apple said Qualcomm is using the cases to distract from having to answer for the real issues, their monopolistic business practices. Stifling Innovation They are being investigated by governments around the world for their behavior and we look forward to detailing the many ways theyre harming consumers and stifling innovation when we present our case in San Diego next month, Apple said. In that case, to be heard in San Diego, Apple and its contract manufacturers say that Qualcomm violates its pledge to license patents on standardized technology, while Qualcomm accuses them of breaching contractual obligations for pay for use of the inventions. Meanwhile, they also are awaiting a decision from a federal judge in San Francisco, who is considering a U.S. Federal Trade Commission complaint that accuses Qualcomm of misusing its patents to extract unfairly high royalties. While each side is spending whats likely in the hundreds of millions in legal fees, Qualcomm is losing billions in royalty fees from Apples contractors. Even if Qualcomm only gets half of what it wants, it would amount to about $1 billion in annual revenue, said Matthew Ramsey, an analyst with Cowen. He said he expects further posturing and possible settlement before the April trial in San Diego. Apple is likely to wait until there is a greater demand for 5G phones, Morgan Stanleys Faucette said. Apple may be willing to bide its time, leaving those that are looking for fullresolution during 2019 potentially disappointed, he said. --With assistance from Ian King, Mark Gurman and Kamaron Leach. To contact the reporter on this story: Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - The Russian military contingent that arrived in Venezuela over the weekend are believed to be special forces, including "cybersecurity personnel," a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was still assessing the Russian deployment, which Washington has called a "reckless escalation" of the situation in Venezuela. Two Russian air force planes landed outside Caracas on Saturday carrying nearly 100 Russian troops, according to local media reports. (Reporting by Leslie Adler) Over 100 ATMs at Security Service branches across three states to be managed by Cardtronics under a long-term ATM Managed Service Agreement HOUSTON, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Security Service Federal Credit Union, one of the top 10 credit unions in the U.S. and the largest in Texas, has partnered with Cardtronics to manage its entire ATM footprint of nearly 120 ATMs spread across Texas, Colorado and Utah. Cardtronics will acquire Security Services entire ATM fleet, replacing many with units that offer the latest technology while delivering an enhanced user interface, increased security measures and improved overall experience. The ATM channel is a critical touchpoint for Security Service members, but managing our own ATM fleet in a way that could consistently provide the experience our members deserve was becoming increasingly expensive, said Jay Winslow, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Security Service Federal Credit Union. By partnering with Cardtronics, a recognized leader in the ATM industry, we are able to put more focus on our members while letting the experts ensure we are providing the best possible ATM service and best member experience. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Security Service Federal Credit Union was founded in 1956 to serve members of the U.S. Air Force Security Service Command. The credit union today provides financial services to approximately 774,000 members and operates a wide range of ATM devices, including exterior drive-up and through-the-wall machines. Under its ATM Managed Services Agreement, Cardtronics will own and fully operate each of these ATMs, including providing cash management and delivery, ATM maintenance and updates, transaction processing, monitoring and all other services required to maintain the highest possible ATM availability, compliance and security. At Cardtronics, our entire focus is on operating a superior ATM network and delivering a world-class ATM experience. Our scale and expertise in operating ATM networks will directly help Security Service improve both the efficiency of its network and service experience to members, commented Brian Bailey, Cardtronics EVP and Managing Director, North America. By partnering with Cardtronics, Security Service is able to focus its human and financial resources into building services and products that deliver a differentiated member experience, without the expense of staying current with the constant progression of new ATM technologies, including software, security and new functionality. Cardtronics will deliver a superior experience for Security Service members while the credit union positions itself for efficient growth. Story continues About Security Service Federal Credit Union Security Service Federal Credit Union offers competitive, affordable financial products and services designed to meet the needs of its members. Security Service is an industry-leading financial institution with locations in Texas, Colorado and Utah. The credit union is among the top credit unions in the nation. Security Service strives to be Americas best credit union and provides the true benefits of credit union membership with financial services of the highest quality and value. Learn more at www.ssfcu.org or call 1-800-52-SSFCU. About Cardtronics (CATM) Cardtronics is the trusted leader in financial self-service, enabling cash transactions at approximately 227,000 ATMs across 10 countries in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Leveraging our unmatched scale, expertise and innovation, top-tier merchants and businesses of all sizes use our ATM solutions to drive growth, in-store traffic, and retail transactions. Financial services providers rely on Cardtronics to deliver superior service at their own ATMs, on Cardtronics ATMs where they place their brand, and through Cardtronics' Allpoint Network, the worlds largest surcharge-free ATM network. As champions of cash, Cardtronics converts digital currency into physical cash, driving payments choice for businesses and consumers alike. Contact Information: Media Relations Susannah Moore Griffin Corporate Communications Manager 832-308-4392 sgriffin@cardtronics.com Investor Relations Brad Conrad EVP Treasurer 832-308-4975 ir@cardtronics.com Cardtronics is a registered trademark of Cardtronics plc and its subsidiaries All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Consultancy Is Expanding Its Board in Order to Meet the Demand of Global Organizations That Require Deep Vertical Expertise as It Relates to Cultural Shifts & Potential Disruptions NEW YORK, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- sparks & honey , the technology-led cultural consultancy, announced today that Indra Nooyi, Former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, has joined its Advisory Board effective as of February 2019. The sparks & honey Advisory Board is a one-of-a-kind brain trust with specialized expertise across more than 54 industries. The company is expanding its Board to better serve the growing needs of clients and the questions that keep C-suite executives awake at night: from helping to crystallize corporate purpose, to informing strategies for business transformation to solving global challenges. Im delighted to be a part of sparks & honeys Advisory Board, joining a group of respected leaders and experts from around the world, said Indra Nooyi. I have seen firsthand the power of the organization in developing provocative and thoughtful strategies, future-focused thought leadership and unique insights that can truly drive business transformation. Consistently ranked among the world's most powerful women, including among the top three on Fortunes Most Powerful Women list every year from 2006 through 2017, Nooyi previously served as CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018, directing the companys global strategy for more than a decade and leading its restructuring. Before joining PepsiCo in 1994, Mrs. Nooyi held top management positions at Asea Brown Boveri, Motorola and The Boston Consulting Group. She currently serves on the boards of various organizations including the World Economic Forum. We are honored to have Indra join our Board. This brain trust is an integral part of our proprietary system, which helps us to get even smarter about the world around us. Bringing on a talent and change maker like Indra is a powerful moment for us she embodies the unique blend of experience, expertise and forward-thinking that makes our Board so invaluable, said Terry Young, CEO of sparks & honey. Story continues sparks & honeys growing business and unparalleled cultural intelligence is fueled by a unique blend of human and machine. Over the last six years, sparks & honey has evolved its core business, which uses its proprietary cultural intelligence system, Q, to fuel its consulting services for Fortune 500 brands, startups, and public-sector organizations. Tapping into the intellect and niche expertise of its Advisory Board is a big part of that proprietary system. In addition to Indra, sparks & honey has welcomed several other impressive Board members recently, including: Rory Tahari, co-founder of State of Mind Partners, a strategic branding firm that advises both the disruptors and the disrupted, and invests in business models that are reimagining how the fashion industry goes to market with a focus on cutting edge technologies like 3d printing and robotic sewing. A seasoned fashion entrepreneur, Rory spent over twenty years as CMO and President at Elie Tahari, growing that label into a global brand. Jonathan Jackson, a 2019 Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society focusing on the emergence of Black media and influence of Black culture in the digital age. He is a co-founder and former head of Corporate Brand at Blavity Inc. Alisa Miller, Executive Chairman of PRI/PRX, and named by Fast Company as a Most Influential Woman in Technology. She is a ground-breaking C-level leader and board member specializing in media, marketing, engagement and education/EdTech. She has a global track record of leading organizational transformations and for creating leading-edge initiatives to reach and engage millions of people across diverse customer bases and numerous products. Cheryl Burgess, CEO of Blue Focus Marketing, co-author of Amazon best-selling business book, The Social Employee, and consultant and speaker on customer and employee experience through employee advocacy, integrated marketing, content marketing, and e-learning solutions. Sanjay Purohit, who brings 30 years of global experience in strategy and consulting from his time at the helm of one of the worlds most prestigious tech firms, Infosys. Now, he is building scalable solutions and infrastructure for societies of the future. He has worked with the World Economic Forum in developing global scenarios for 2025. About sparks & honey: sparks & honey is a technology-led cultural consultancy that helps global organizations understand and take advantage of accelerating change. Leveraging a unique suite of proprietary tools, algorithms and a global network of human scouts, including its brain trust of distinguished Board members, sparks & honey identifies emerging cultural trends and industry shifts, helping organizations stay ahead of the curve in a disruption-prone world. Recognized by Deloitte Insights for its industry defining business practices the company was the focus of a case study in March 2018 - sparks & honey is a part of the DAS Group of Companies. About the DAS Group of Companies The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) ( www.omnicomgroup.com ), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries. Jack Shepherd caused the death of Charlotte Brown in December 2015. Source: PA Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd will return to the UK to begin serving his prison sentence after a judge ruled he must be extradited from Georgia. A court in Tbilisi approved Britains extradition request today after Shepherd said he wishes to take part in an appeal against his conviction over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown. He had been on a first date with Ms Brown when his speedboat overturned, plunging her into the icy waters of the River Thames, and fled the UK while facing trial at the Old Bailey. Jack Shepherd is taken into a courtroom in Georgia. Source: PA In his absence, the 31-year-old was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in jail, but he has been granted permission to appeal the conviction. After months in hiding in the capital, Tbilisi, he handed himself into police and was jailed for three months. His lawyer in Georgia, Tariel Kakabadze, told the Press Association: He is not fighting extradition. No date has been set yet for Shepherds appeal hearing. The family of Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, have fought a battle for justice following her death in December 2015. Charlotte Browns family arrives at the Old Bailey. Source: PA Charlottes father Graham Brown said the extradition brings the family a bit closer to winning justice for Ms Brown. When Shepherd does come back, hopefully he will start showing some remorse and accept responsibility for his part, Mr Brown told ITV News. Were hoping that he wont follow through with his appeal, which causes the family more anguish, but I guess that could be a forlorn hope. Shepherd, a web designer originally from Exeter, has been detained in a Tbilisi prison after he handed himself in to the authorities last month. Prosecutor Naniko Zazunashvili said: He knew the boat was not in good working order and knew Charlotte Brown had no skills to control the boat and he let her control the boat. While being on board the boat Jack Shepherd took obligation to take care of Charlotte Brown, but this obligation was violated. Ahead of the latest court hearing, Mr Kakabadze had estimated that Shepherd could return to the UK as early as this week. Swedbank sign is seen on the local headquarters building in Tallinn, Estonia March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - An internal Swedbank report identified major breaches of anti-money laundering obligations involving its business in Estonia, Swedish public broadcaster SVT said on Tuesday after having seen a copy of the document. Swedbank, which is the subject of a joint investigation by Swedish and Baltic regulators, said the draft report cited by SVT had been included in a wider external investigation which it announced last week and had been made available to authorities. The Swedish bank conducted a review of its Estonian branch after a scandal at Danske Bank's Estonian branch which was used to funnel some 200 billion euros ($227 billion) of suspicious payments between 2007 and 2015. "Major breaches of AML (anti-money laundering) obligations identified in Swedbank Estonia," SVT quoted the English summary of the report, written by the former deputy chief of Norway's economic crimes authority, Erling Grimstad, as saying. SVT said the report identified a number of failings including accepting customers posing a high risk of money laundering "despite the lack of information regarding beneficial owners, corporate structure, source of funds and the real nature and purpose of the business relationship". A significant number of the HRNR (high-risk, non-resident)customers should never have been onboarded," the report said. Swedbank also failed to report suspicious transactions and activities, the report said. Swedbank said in a statement on Tuesday it was continuing to conduct a deeper analysis of the information and working with external partners and authorities in investigating the money laundering allegations. Shares in the bank were up 0.7 percent at 1412 GMT. Swedish Television reported allegations last month that 50 clients transferred at least 40 billion Swedish crowns ($4.3 billion) between Baltics accounts at Swedbank and Danske Bank between 2007 and 2015. Swedbank said last week it would continue to strengthen its anti money-laundering capabilities, saying it had flagged some 3,800 suspicious transactions to local authorities in the Baltics in 2017 and 2018, while business dealings with 886 non-resident customers had been terminated in the region. Story continues The Swedbank board has also backed its chief executive Birgitte Bonnesen, who was chief audit executive at Swedbank between 2009 and 2011, a job which included overseeing the bank's anti-money laundering policy. Bonnesen then moved on to run the lender's Baltic operations until 2014. Swedish pension fund manager Alecta, which as a roughly 5 percent stake in Swedbank, said on Tuesday it was not satisfied with the board's handling of the money-laundering investigation and called on it to increase transparency as soon as possible. Alecta said the board needed strengthening and that the nomination committee had put forward Karin Hermansson, a former chief executive of the Swedish Securities Dealers Association, as an extra member of the board. "Trust in the bank is damaged and therefore the nomination committee has now begun work on strengthening the board," Alecta chief executive Magnus Billing said in a statement. (Reporting by Simon Johnson, Johan Ahlander, Esha Vaish and Anna Ringstrom; Editing by Alexander Smith and Jane Merriman) (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he met Wednesday with Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai to discuss the U.S. military amid an extended political furor over the tech giants efforts in China. The meeting didnt appear on Trumps official schedule. Pichai planned a meeting Wednesday in Washington with General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a person familiar with the matter. Google extended the invitation after Dunford criticized the search giants artificial intelligence work in China, which he said indirectly benefits the military. Trump said in a subsequent tweet that he and Pichai also discussed political fairness and various things that Google can do for our country. Meeting ended very well. We were pleased to have productive conversations with the president about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government, a Google spokeswoman said in a statement. Pichais Wednesday meeting capped off a two-day visit in Washington, where he and Googles new policy chief, Karan Bhatia, met with other administration officials and congressional leaders, according to a person familiar with the meetings. This person asked not to be identified discussing private matters. Googles strained relationship with the military began last year. The company inked a deal in late 2017 to provide artificial intelligence and cloud software for Project Maven, a Defense Department program to analyze drone footage. But the contract spurred a startling, widespread backlash inside Google, where a group of employees opposed the deal, citing political and ethical concerns. Last June, Alphabet Inc.s Google announced it wouldnt renew the contract. The company also released a set of principles laying out that its AI tools would not be used for deadly weapons, but didnt rule out working with the U.S. military. Story continues Googles conflict with the Pentagon escalated later in the year. Reports surfaced that Google was working on a search service in China. The company had pulled its search engine and most commercial products from China in 2010, but it continued to pursue the worlds largest market -- expanding initiatives around mobile computing and AI. Those efforts prompted a strong rebuttal from lawmakers. Trump and Republican lawmakers have also complained that tech companies, including Google, discriminate against those with conservative views. When Pichai testified before Congress in December, the executive was grilled about potential bias as well as Googles work in China. Pichai said the company had no plans to launch a search service in China, but stopped short of ruling it out in the future. Pichai, who took over as CEO in 2015, is a company veteran, but a political novice. The hearing before a House committee in December was his first testimony in front of Washington lawmakers. He and Larry Page, CEO of Google parent Alphabet, declined an earlier invitation with executives from Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. to appear at congressional hearings on election interference and misinformation. (Updates with details of Pichais DC trip in fifth paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, ;Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack, Molly Schuetz For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Triggered by the continued decline in the value of lira, Turkeys banking regulator stated that it will conduct an inquiry into JPMorgan JPM. Turkey's Banking Regulation and Supervision Board alleged that the bank provided misleading and manipulative investment advice, which stimulated a run on the lira. Supposedly, the regulator received a number of complaints against a research report that JPMorgan gave to clients. The regulator mentioned that the report caused volatility in the financial markets and loss of reputation and value especially for the banks of our country. As a result, the lira fell more than 5% on Friday while Turkey's primary stock exchange declined 3.45%. Notably, the board promised to undertake necessary administrative and legal proceedings against JPMorgan. In fact, the board said that it would look into operations of other banks as well. The economic and financial condition of Turkey has not been great over the past few years. The country has been facing currency issues of late. In fact, per president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, foreign entities are responsible for the current financial condition of Turkey. He frequently blames foreign powers for stimulating the currency crisis in the country and recently accused unnamed actors in the financial sector for trying to instigate a run on the lira. He stated, We all know who you are, we all know what you are all doing. You should know that after the elections, we will make you to pay a heavy price. You would not be able to exploit this nation. You would not be able to cheat this nation. However, many economists differ from him. They feel that it is the rule of law, and a lack of confidence in the economy and not foreign actors that are responsible for the current turmoil in the nation. JPMorgans concerns are not restricted to this. It has been facing other issues as well. Yesterday, the bank reported that it plans to move roughly 300 investment banking employees from the London office to other hubs in the European Union (EU) in case of a no-deal Brexit. It asked employees working in areas such as sales and risk to sign new contracts for relocating. Britains exit from EU is now scheduled on May 22 if Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed withdrawal agreement receives approval from the parliament. Otherwise, Britain may offer new exit plan until Apr 12 or decide to leave without a deal. Apart from JPMorgan, several financial institutions are preparing for Brexit. In February 2019, Barclays BCS revealed plans to shift some equity and credit derivative sales jobs to Paris as it revamps operations ahead of Brexit. Likewise, Bank of America BAC and HSBC Holdings HSBC began relocating jobs to Paris. JPMorgans shares have lost 7.5% in the past 12 months compared with the industrys decline of 10.3%. Story continues Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Bank of America Corporation (BAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Barclays PLC (BCS) : Free Stock Analysis Report HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is slated to meet on Wednesday at the White House with Fabiana Rosales, a Venezuelan activist who is the wife of opposition leader Juan Guaido, a White House official said on Tuesday. Pence is expected to reiterate U.S. backing for Guaido in the meeting with Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist who is considered Venezuela's first lady by supporters. Guaido invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency in January, arguing President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) (Adds analyst quote, background) By Alexander Cornwell and Saeed Azhar DUBAI, March 25 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc is set to offer over $3 billion to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters, in a deal that will strengthen its operations in the Middle East. The deal, which a third source said could be unveiled during the early part of this week, comes ahead of Uber's planned initial public offering that may value the firm at $120 billion. Careem, founded in 2012, has a larger presence in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, and Turkey operating in 98 cities there compared to Uber's roughly 23 locations. "An Uber-Careem merger underscores the huge potential of car-hailing in the Middle East, but also the centrality of winning policy battles," said Sam Blatteis, CEO at The MENA Catalysts. Uber will pay $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes, which will be convertible into Uber shares at a price equal to $55 per share, Bloomberg https://bloom.bg/2OqVtpm had earlier reported, citing a term-sheet. Careem declined comment while Uber did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters to comment. Careem was estimated to be valued at $2 billion as of October. Uber has been seeking to expand as it faces global competition in its core ride-hailing business that operates across 70 countries. Rivlas include Lyft Inc. Careem, which says it has 33 million registered users, was founded by Mudassir Sheikha and Magnus Olsson before being joined by Abdulla Elyas. Sheikha and Olsson worked together at McKinsey. Careem acquired delivery services company Enwani, co-founded by Elyas, in 2014. Careem's investors include German car maker Daimler and China's largest ride-hailing company DiDi Chuxing. It would be the second major acquisition of a Middle East technology company after Amazon bought Souq in 2017. Like Uber, Careem has expanded beyond its core ride-hailing business and last year launched a delivery service. It also offers digital payment services. Story continues Uber's business also includes bike and scooter rentals, freight hauling and food delivery. Uber's revenue last year was $11.3 billion, while its gross bookings from rides were $50 billion. But the company lost $3.3 billion, excluding gains from the sale of its overseas business units in Russia and Southeast Asia. Careem does not disclose it financials. The IPOs of Lyft and Uber represent a watershed for Silicon Valley's technology unicorns, which for years have snubbed the stock market in favor of raising capital privately, with investors happy to back their frothy valuations. (additional reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh in Dubai and Mekhla Raina in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Dubai Editing by Leslie Adler, Lisa Shumaker and Keith Weir) Britain's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox speaks during a signing of a trade continuity agreement with the Pacific Islands, as the government seeks a Brexit solution, in London, Britain March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Monday reached an a deal with Iceland and Norway to allow trade to continue unchanged if it leaves the European Union without a deal, trade secretary Liam Fox said. Britain is seeking to replicate around 40 EU bilateral trade deals ahead of its exit from the bloc. With just 11 days until Britain is due in law to leave the bloc, the government has yet to win parliament's backing for its Brexit deal with Brussels. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will seek a delay to Brexit at a meeting of EU leaders this week but any extension has to be agreed unanimously. If Britain leaves without a deal, existing bilateral trade agreements will cease to apply. "We have just reached agreement with Iceland and Norway to ensure continued access for British businesses to the European Economic Area should we leave the EU without a deal," Fox said in a statement. "This is one of the largest trade agreements we are party to as a result of our membership of the EU." The agreement has been initialled and, subject to final legal checks, will be formally signed next week, his department said. Continued trade with the other EEA member Liechtenstein and Switzerland, which is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the EU's single market, is covered by an agreement already signed in February. (The story corrects to make clear Switzerland is not an EEA member) (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) First Latin American Approval of Crysvita, the only Treatment that Targets the Underlying Cause of this Rare, Hereditary, Lifelong Disease NOVATO, Calif., March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (RARE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel products for serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, today announced that Brazils National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has approved Crysvita (burosumab) for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients one year of age and older. This approval of Crysvita offers patients in Brazil the first treatment option that targets the underlying cause of XLH, and also marks the first Crysvita approval in Latin America, said Eduardo Thompson, Senior Vice President and Regional Head, Latin America at Ultragenyx. Crysvita is now approved in three key regions of the world including North America, Europe, and now the first country in Latin America, all in just over a year. Crysvita is also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and by Health Canada for the treatment of XLH in adult and pediatric patients one year of age and older, and has received European conditional marketing authorization for the treatment of XLH with radiographic evidence of bone disease in children 1 year of age and older and adolescents with growing skeletons. About X-Linked Hypophosphatemia (XLH) XLH is a rare, hereditary, progressive and lifelong skeletal disorder characterized by renal phosphate wasting caused by excess FGF23 production. It affects both children and adults. In children, XLH causes rickets that leads to lower-extremity deformity, delayed growth and decreased height. Adults with XLH have an increased risk of fractures. About Crysvita Crysvita is a recombinant fully human monoclonal IgG1 antibody, discovered by Kyowa Hakko Kirin, against the phosphaturic hormone fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 is a hormone that reduces serum levels of phosphorus and active vitamin D by regulating phosphate excretion and active vitamin D production by the kidney. Phosphate wasting in XLH is caused by excessive levels and activity of FGF23. Crysvita is designed to bind to and thereby inhibit the biological activity of FGF23. By blocking excess FGF23 in patients, Crysvita is intended to increase phosphate reabsorption from the kidney and increase the production of vitamin D, which enhances intestinal absorption of phosphate and calcium. Story continues Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Kyowa Kirin International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin, and Ultragenyx have been collaborating in the development and commercialization of Crysvita globally, based on the collaboration and license agreement between Kyowa Hakko Kirin and Ultragenyx. INDICATION (IN THE U.S) Crysvita is indicated for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Crysvita should not be taken if: An oral phosphate supplement and a specific form of vitamin D supplement are taken Phosphorus levels from a blood sample are within or above the normal range for age Kidney problems are present What is the most important information to know about Crysvita? Some patients developed allergic reactions (rash and hives) while taking Crysvita. Doctors will monitor for symptoms of an allergic reaction while Crysvita is taken. High levels of phosphorus in the blood have been reported in some patients taking Crysvita. This may be related to a risk of high calcium levels in the kidneys. Doctors will collect samples to monitor levels. Administration of Crysvita may result in reactions at the injection site, such as hives, reddening of the skin, rash, swelling, bruising, pain, severe itching of the skin, and collection of blood outside of a blood vessel (hematoma). What are the possible side effects of Crysvita? The most common adverse reactions seen in children with XLH: Headache Injection site reaction Vomiting Fever Pain in arms and legs Decreased vitamin D levels Rash Toothache Muscle pain Tooth infection Dizziness The most common adverse reactions seen in adults with XLH: Back pain Headache Tooth infection Restless leg syndrome Decreased vitamin D levels Dizziness Constipation Phosphorus levels increased in the blood Narrowing of the spaces within the spine is common in adults with XLH and pressure on the spinal cord has been reported in adults taking Crysvita. It is not known if taking Crysvita worsens the narrowing of the spaces within the spine or the pressure on the spinal cord. Before taking Crysvita, doctors should be informed about all medical conditions, including if: Pregnant, thinks one may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. There is not enough experience to know if Crysvita may harm an unborn baby. Report pregnancies to the Kyowa Kirin, Inc. Adverse Event reporting line at 1-888-756-8657. Breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. There is not enough experience to know if Crysvita passes into breast milk. Women should talk with their doctors about the best way to feed their babies while taking Crysvita. While taking Crysvita, doctors should be informed if one experiences: An allergic reaction such as rash or hives A rash, swelling, bruising or other reaction at the injection site New or worsening restless leg syndrome These are not all the possible side effects of Crysvita. Doctors should be contacted for medical advice about side effects. Side effects may be reported to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . Side effects may also be reported to Kyowa Kirin, Inc. at 1-888-756-8657. Please see full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information. About Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. Ultragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing to patients novel products for the treatment of serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. The company has built a diverse portfolio of approved therapies and product candidates aimed at addressing diseases with high unmet medical need and clear biology for treatment, for which there are no approved therapies. The company is led by a management team experienced in the development and commercialization of rare disease therapeutics. Ultragenyxs strategy is predicated upon time and cost-efficient drug development, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies to patients with the utmost urgency. For more information on Ultragenyx, please visit the Company's website at www.ultragenyx.com. Contact Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. Investors & Media Danielle Keatley +1-415-475-6876 By Christian Plumb SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Vale SA, the world's largest iron ore miner, is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday but those results now look like ancient history as the company grapples with fallout from a second deadly dam burst in less than four years. The collapse of the tailings dam at Brumadinho, which killed an estimated 300 people two months ago, is expected to dominate the discussion when Vale executives take questions from analysts on Thursday. "The market's main focus when looking at the quarterly numbers will be any update on the current situation - anything on production, any clarification about the suspended mines and dams as well as anything about movement toward negotiating a global settlement," said Karel Luketic, head of equity research at brokerage XP. On Tuesday, Vale reported an 8.2 percent rise in quarterly iron ore production, bringing full-year 2018 output to 384.64 million tonnes, slightly below its annual target. In the weeks following the Brumadinho disaster, Vale has been forced to slash iron ore output at many of its oldest mines, with an annualized impact of about 93 million tonnes, the company said. The Brumadinho dam burst at the end of January unleashed a torrent of the muddy detritus, devastating the mine's facilities and a nearby hamlet. First responders have confirmed 214 deaths from the disaster, with another 91 still missing. Investors will also seek clarity on the company's leadership after Chief Executive Fabio Schvartsman stepped down under pressure from prosecutors in a move Vale called temporary. Schvartsman was replaced by Eduardo Bartolomeo, previously director of base metals, who is expected to negotiate a global settlement with Brazilian authorities. Vale has reached preliminary agreements to compensate Brumadinho residents and victims' families and is in talks with environmental regulators about cleaning up a nearby river. A spokeswoman for the miner declined to comment on a report in financial daily Valor Economico that a final accord would also include corporate conduct measures to prevent another disaster. Story continues Vale and BHP Group Ltd last June signed a similar deal with prosecutors and state governments settling a 20 billion reais lawsuit related to a dam burst at their Samarco joint venture that killed 19 people in 2015. For all of 2018, Vale is expected to report net income of $7.2 billion, according to a mean of estimates by analysts polled by Refinitiv, up from $7.02 billion the year before. (Additional reporting by Marta Nogeira; Editing by Andrea Ricci) Vietnam is reportedly getting its first cryptocurrency exchange but its legality is in question. | Source: Shutterstock Kronn Ventures AG, a Switzerland-based blockchain firm, is going to launch a cryptocurrency exchange in Vietnam. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Linh Thanh Group, a Vietnam-based distribution company, for the establishment of the countrys first crypto trading platform. The two further agreed to create a cryptocurrency for their exchange, without revealing how it would serve the platform. Working together with Kronn Ventures would lead to a world-class cryptocurrency exchange. Kronn is known widely as a leader in blockchain technology in Switzerland. It is also collaborating with Kings College in London for the AI research facility collaborations, an official from Linh Thanh said in a press statement. The event marked Kronns growing presence in the Vietnamese cryptocurrency market. The Zug company earlier formed a coalition of five developing countries Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam to build a blockchain-based international wiring system. Legal Roadblocks The Kronn announcement followed the State Securities Commission of Vietnams (SSC) ban on cryptocurrency-related activities. The securities watchdog issued a circular in July last year, ordering industries to not partake in any issuance, transaction or brokerage activities related to cryptocurrencies. The order came in response to a written directive issued by Vietnams prime minister office. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the central bank, some ministries, and law enforcement agencies to oversee activities related to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. In January 2018, Vietnamese media reported that the government had separately asked the Ministry of Justice to submit a crypto review by the end of the month. In response, the ministry submitted their review report in November 2018, proposing three different legal directions: lax crypto laws, a complete prohibition, or legalization under strict conditions. By then, the Vietnamese lawmakers were deciding to create a legal framework for cryptocurrencies. Read the full story on CCN.com. (Bloomberg) -- Online furniture retailer Wayfair Inc. will open a physical store in its home state this year, the latest e-commerce company looking to impress customers with showrooms and displays rather than just websites and Facebook posts. The store, scheduled to open later this year in Natick, Massachusetts, will bring the Wayfair brand to life in an engaging format to delight customers with convenience and ease, the Boston-based company said Tuesday. People will be able to buy products in the store or order them for delivery to their homes. Online retailers have increasingly recognized that a lack of physical stores is constraining growth. The move by Wayfair is another example of a phenomenon dubbed clicks to bricks. In-store purchases represented 87 percent of the $250 billion U.S. shoppers spent on furniture and home goods last year, according to Wayfair. The company said its new store will include designers to help people make choices. Online retail giant Amazon.com Inc. purchased Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion in 2017, after 10 years of trying to lure grocery shoppers online showed few results. Eyewear retailer Warby Parker Retail Inc., mattress seller Casper Sleep Inc. and clothing retailer Bonobos Inc. have all opened stores that give customers an opportunity to see and try merchandise before buying. The furniture industry is especially tricky for e-commerce given the high cost of shipping large, heavy items to peoples homes. Amazon, which sells mostly small goods, has built specialized warehouses for bigger items. High delivery costs are weighing on the entire industry as customers grow to expect free shipping, said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar Investment Service. Shipping used to be a revenue center because you could encourage shoppers to add things to their carts to get free shipping, but thats not the case anymore, she said. E-commerce just isnt as profitable as stores. Wayfair has a discount outlet at its Kentucky warehouse and the company said it plans to open four temporary pop up locations this summer. Story continues To contact the reporter on this story: Spencer Soper in Seattle at ssoper@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack, Robin Ajello For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Photo: Reuters The gender pay gap is closing but women earn just 84p to every 1 a man is paid, according to by Glassdoor Economic Research. The research arm of the major global jobs website analysed the pay gaps for eight countries United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore and crunched data from more than half a million salary reports shared on Glassdoor by employees over the past three years. In its report, entitled Progress on the Gender Pay Gap: 2019, while significant pay gaps remain between men and women, the UK, US, France and Australia, have shown closing the gulf between the salaries of men and women from three years ago. Table: Glassdoor Economic Research In the UK the unadjusted gender pay gap just comparing men and womens salaries is at 17.9%, equating to women earning, on average, 82p for every 1 men earn. This represents a 5% shrink in the unadjusted pay gap from 2016. In places like the US and Germany show the gulf is over 20%. Germany was the only country that didnt report an improvement in closing the gender pay gap Table: Glassdoor Economic Research Over the past three years, company leaders, politicians, celebrities and more have called for an end to the gender pay gap. Glassdoors comprehensive study put those words to the test to reveal that slight progress has been made to close the gap, said Glassdoor chief economist Dr. Andrew Chamberlain. Though a promising sign, it should not detract from the larger fact that significant pay gaps remain around the world, even after controlling for workplace and job factors. When adjusting the pay gap accounting for age, experience, education job titles there is still a gap across the board. This means that even if someone has the same experience, education, and doing the same job, men still earn more than women. Chart: Glassdoor Economic Research When researchers looked at different characteristics for an adjusted pay gap, they found there was a another gap that was termed as unexplained. For example, they say only 61% of the overall UK pay gap can be explained, while 39% of the overall pay gap cannot be explained by any factors observable in the data. This means the unexplained pay gap could be attributed to factors such as workplace bias (whether intentional or not), negotiation gaps between men and women and/or other unobserved worker characteristics, said researchers. European leaders welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. Photo: Reuters/Philippe Wojazer Multilateralism, rivalry, and Chinas huge Silk Road infrastructure project were the key themes at a meeting between Chinese and European leaders in Paris on Tuesday. Chinese president Xi Jinping, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker acknowledged that the competition and rivalry between China and the EU could be healthy, but emphasised the need for equal access to each others markets. At a press conference following the meeting, Macron said the group had very fruitful discussions about climate change, multilateral trade, trust, and how the EU can play a role in Chinas One Belt One Road infrastructure project in Europe. China will certainly continue in its reforms and openness, Xi said at the press conference. For 40 years, China has been walking the path which made reform possible we will continue moving forward, and continue being open. Chinas ambitious Silk Road sea-and-land infrastructure project is currently stoking concern in Europe, especially in the wake of Italys recent announcement that it has signed a deal with Beijing to take part. Italy is the first G7 nation to join the project, which will see Beijing invest 7bn (6bn, $7.9bn) into Italian ports. Regarding the One Belt One Road initiative, it is a major project and as Europeans we want to play a role, but there needs to be reciprocity and it is still a little difficult to find how this reciprocity will function, Merkel said. She said multilateralism always starts with good bilateral relations, adding that the European leaders had discussed the ideas of cooperation and rivalry with Xi. Juncker stressed during Tuesdays press conference that European companies must find the same access to Chinese markets, as Chinese companies have access to Europe. He added that it was important that the Silk Road initiative should benefit European citizens too. Gunther Ottinger, European commissioner for budget and human resources, has urged the EU to veto Italys deal with Beijing. He said the body should take into account EU and national interests and have the ability to veto Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Europe in the future. Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. teamed up with airport operator Daa International of Ireland for the upgrade, expansion, operations and maintenance of the Bohol-Panglao Airport and Laguindingan Airport. Daa International is the global airport operations management subsidiary of Irelands Dublin Airport Authority with more than 75 years experience in airport management ownership and development. Its principal activities include airport management and development growth, routes development, international travel retail and associated aviation services. We are very excited to be working in the Philippines and in particular, with Aboitiz. Our team strives to build and continually improve successful operations in the airports in which we operate for the benefit of the passenger and client, Daa International said. The Philippines represents a new environment with great potential and promise for Daa International. It fits perfectly with our model and long-term strategy of sharing international and regional airport management and operational expertise. We will be working with Aboitiz in building sustainability and unlocking value for these airports and their surrounding environs, the Irish company said. Daa International operates Irelands main gateway Dublin Airport which accommodates about 31 million passengers and the award-winning Cork Airport, a regional airport which can accommodate 2.3 million passengerssimilar to the Philippines own regional airports. More than 85 million passengers travel through the companys airports worldwide including Terminal 5 in Riyadh and several other investments across Europe. The European operator boasts of an untarnished record in various airport activities from project design, execution and operations to retail. Under the deal, Daa International will review and optimize the airports O&M plans, define and document processes, train personnel, support the airports long-term development and assist in the implementation of the innovative concepts of connected and green airports.We are pleased to work with the reputable Daa International for both the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport. Our robust management and execution track record combined with Daa Internationals global perspective and technical expertise will ensure the transformation of these two airports into world-class regional gateways that we can truly be proud of, Aboitiz InfraCapital chief operating officer Cosette Canilao said. Aboitiz InfraCapital was granted the original proponent status for its unsolicited offers to upgrade, expand, operate, and maintain the Bohol-Panglao International Airport in Bohol province and Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental province. Passenger traffic at Laguindingan Airport exceeded the airports design capacity of 1.6 million passengers per year from the time the airport began operations in 2013, based on statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. In 2018, two million passengers passed through the airport. The Bohol-Panglao International Airport is bracing for similar congestion level. According to airport consultant ICF, tourism in Bohol grew at an impressive annual rate of 25.2 percent from 2011 to 2017 and 30 percent from 2016 to 2017, reaching an estimated 1.3 million tourists. Panglao is the most popular tourist destination in Bohol, welcoming 704,000 tourists in 2017. Aboitiz InfraCapital said the proposed improvements to the Bohol-Panglao International and Laguindingan airports would result in efficient passenger flow within the airport terminals, a better retail and dining experience and increased flight destinations with reduced congestion at the terminals. ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has granted bail for six weeks to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had been sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption. Sharif, 69, will be free to get treatment anywhere in Pakistan but will not be allowed to leave the country, a three-judge panel ruled on March 26. The three-time former prime minister has been suffering from a heart condition and kidney problems. Last month, the Islamabad High Court rejected Sharif's bail appeal, saying that he was already being treated at a hospital. That decision was later challenged in the Supreme Court. Sharif was removed from office in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him from serving. In December, an anticorruption court sentenced him to seven years in prison on a charge of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income. Sharif was also handed a 10-year prison sentence in July over the purchase of luxury apartments in London. However, he was released on bail in September. The appeal process in both cases is under way. Sharif has denied any wrongdoing and says the charges against him are politically motivated. With reporting by dpa and Reuters For most of the 20th century, Afghanistan was regarded as a global backwater. Geographic isolation in the Asian heartland amid major powers had left the mountainous country with no prospects of playing a regional or global role. It was argued that because of its status as a poor and landlocked country, it must always remain in the stranglehold of superpowers. In the 21st century, though, that perspective is changing. Afghanistans strategic location at the heart of Asia is helping transform regional economies from being dependent on aid to reliant on trade. Kabul is also leading the way in materializing the idea of connectivity with a string of trade and diplomatic initiatives. These are not new ideas, but Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has repackaged the countrys strategic location in a way that no Afghan leader before him could. He is harnessing regional connectivity projects to boost economic cooperation and opportunities for a post-peace Afghanistan, and at the core of his regional diplomacy and economic projects he plans to encourage incentivized peace for the region and the world. Known as Afghanistans theorist-in-chief because of his academic background, Ghani has set out to test his own theories about transforming failed states into practice in his country. Along this path, he has overcome monumental challenges. Power-sharing in the national unity government threw a wrench into Ghanis fast-tracked economic and security plans. Earlier in his tenure, he went out on a limb to embrace Pakistan but backtracked after Islamabad showed reluctance. His initiatives to rein in political and economic mafias were met with fierce resistance from the countrys nouveau riche, who have mostly made money in the aftermath of the U.S. military invasion following 9/11. The cornerstone of this strategy is to use Afghanistans location as its main asset. Our country is the only land bridge between South and Central Asia. Regional power transmission lines, gas pipelines, and railway and highway projects -- such as the Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan India (TAPI) gas pipeline and (Central Asia South Asia) CASA 1000 -- are in the implementation phase with tangible outcomes. These projects will fulfill South Asias energy needs and bring vital revenues. Afghanistan is opening up to its Western neighbors in unprecedented ways. Just recently, the government of Afghanistan signed an unremitting Treaty on Strategic Partnership with Turkmenistan, including cooperation on trade, economy, culture, education, and security, among other subjects. The level of annual trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan has reached $350 million, and a joint chamber of commerce has been opened in Kabul. The two countries signed 15 cooperation agreements including one to prevent drug trafficking. They have agreed to raise bilateral trade volume to $1 billion, are constructing the MazarHerat railway, and are developing a 500KV transmission line in the central Afghan province of Baghlan. The latest breakthrough in Afghanistans regional connectivity with its Western neighbors was the revitalization of the ancient Lapis Lazuli route in December. This route connects Afghanistan with Europe through Central Asia and the Caucasus. Afghanistans first set of cargo trucks arrived in Turkey within two weeks of Lapis Lazulis inauguration. Afghanistans previously untapped resources like pine nuts, pistachio, pomegranate, and saffron are now hitting the world markets. The route will also help find new markets for Afghan products such as handwoven rugs. Ghani views information and communication technologies (ICT) as critical to Afghanistans long-term economic security. This month, he signed an ICT agreement with Azerbaijan to enhance cooperation in telecommunications and cybersecurity and promote investments in joint ventures. Azerbaijan presented him with the Nizami Ganjavi International Award to acknowledge his leadership in connecting the region. Before Ghani assumed office, Afghanistan heavily relied on Pakistan for the largest part of its imports. This gave Pakistan a great advantage over landlocked Afghanistan, and Islamabad repeatedly blocked routes to pressure the Afghan government. This is why diversifying trade routes became one of Ghanis top priorities to counterpoise trade with Pakistan. One way to reduce dependence on Pakistan was operationalizing the Chabahar port in southeastern Iran, which allows Afghanistan to bypass Pakistan and trade directly with India and the Gulf nations. Chabahar was overshadowed by the U.S.-Iran political upheaval as the United States unleashed economic sanctions on Iran last year. But it was Ghanis diplomacy, in collaboration with India, that convinced the United States to exempt Chabahar from its sanctions. In the past four years, Afghanistans trade with Pakistan dropped 42 percent. By contrast, imports from Central Asia increased 96 percent. During the same period, Afghan exports have increased 45 percent. Afghanistans exports rose to $1 billion last year. By launching the air corridor between India and Afghanistan, bilateral trade could reach $2 billion by 2020. With the operationalization of Chabahar to the fullest extent India could well become Afghanistans largest trading partner. Kabul, however, is keen on normalizing and enhancing trade relations with Pakistan, which Islamabad badly needs. We are laying the infrastructure for transferring energy from Central Asia to South Asia. This will prove a gamechanger in meeting the growing energy needs of Pakistan. We have always sought cooperation with Pakistan, but our neighbor has yet to reciprocate our gestures and goodwill. Kabul also hopes to tap the vast opportunities offered by one of its other neighbors, China. Beijing has already become a major trading partner for Afghanistan. Our annual trade volume has risen to $900 million. Asia is transforming into a continental economy, and Afghanistan is the main square of this continent. That is the one of the main reasons that archrivals like China and India are coming together to cooperate in Afghanistan. Ghanis self-reliance agenda requires continuity. Afghanistans partners must endorse his roadmap to peace. The battleground for empires is gradually transforming into a venue for economic exchange that will reduce conflicts for routes and resources and set Afghanistan and the region on a path to development to compete with the developed world and contribute to the global economy. Ghanis approach also bodes well for the international community. For decades, Western allies have been fixated on short-term and donor-driven priorities. They now have an opportunity to help build lasting peace, economic prosperity, and regional stability by supporting Ghanis regional connectivity initiatives. Samim Arif is a deputy spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. These views are the author's alone and do not represent those of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Yes, I found a better job Yes, but I'm still looking for a new job Yes, I retired Yes, I started my own business No, I like my current job No, but I'm currently looking for a new job Vote View Results City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has covered statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. Filinvest Development Corp., the holding company of the Gotianun family, said Wednesday consolidated net income climbed 31 percent in 2018 to P13.4 billion from a year ago, boosted by the strong performance of the property and power generation businesses. FDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the bulk of the groups gross revenues came from the property unit, which accounted for 43 percent. It was followed by banking which contributed 41 percent. The groups power generation operations accounted for 13 percent of revenues and the sugar business contributed the balance of 3 percent. Our investments, not only in power but also in property, banking and infrastructure are now being reflected in our healthy year-end net income, FDC chairman Jonathan Gotianun said. FDC said income from the property business under Filinvest Land Inc. reached P8.8 billion, driven mainly by the 27-percent growth in the recurring income portfolio. Banking subsidiary EastWest Bank delivered solid results, ending the year with a net income of P4.5 billion. The groups power business posted a net income of P1.2 billion, contributing 16 percent of total net income as energy sales from the FDC Misamis power plant increased 24 percent in 2018. FDC Utilities Inc. operates the largest operating baseload power plant in Mindanao with a capacity of 405 megawatts. FDCUI teamed up with Engie, one of the worlds largest power generation and distribution firms, in 2018 to establish Filinvest-Engie Renewable Energy Enterprise Inc., a joint venture providing solar energy solutions in the Philippines.Free signed up three solar roof panel projects with a total of 5.4 MW. Engie also teamed up with the group in establishing the Philippines largest district cooling system with up to 12,000 tons refrigerant supplying FLIs business process outsourcing complex. The Filinvest groups entry into airports, hospitality and logistic parks marks the start of a new phase for FDC, as we kick off our involvement in tourism and infrastructure, said FDC president and chief executive Josephine Gotianun-Yap. This adds another layer of diversity to our income mix while also complementing investments in the region, she said. FDC together with FLI is currently developing the 201-hectare Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City in Pampanga province. The group also has a provisional license from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. for a casino integrated resort in Filinvest Mimosa+. FDC budgeted $200 million for the project which includes a casino, lifestyle mall, five-star hotel and events venue. FDC intends to engage a third-party casino operator to manage casino operations. FDC is the lead consortium member with a 42.5-percent stake in the recently incorporated Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. which will fulfill the 25-year agreement to develop commercial assets, operate and maintain project facilities and fit-out the new terminal in Clark International Airport. The conglomerate joined forces with JG Summit, Changi Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. for the Clark International Airport project. Joe Barrera, Ph.D., is the former director of the Ethnic Studies Program at UCCS, and a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. After three hours of debate Monday, the Colorado Springs City Council backed away from requiring shops that sell tobacco products to get licen Trelora, a flat-fee based real estate brokerage headquartered in Denver, recently announced its expansion into the greater Colorado Springs area, including the Tri-Lakes. Pictured: Trelora CEO Brady Miller, a graduate of Lewis-Palmer High School. Courtesy photo The town of Monument may be relatively small, but the booming El Paso County exurb atop the Palmer Divide between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs certainly isn't sleepy. Its population has nearly quadrupled over the past two decades, to some 7,400 residents. And its local politics can be as explosive as its growth. TRI-LAKES GUIDE The bear dances here: The Stube caters to both cuisine and community MPCala Holdings Inc. on Wednesday broke ground on the P12-billion Cavite segment of the Cavite Laguna Expressway Project. We are pleased that our project is moving as it should and jobs are being generated. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, we would like to add value to our presence, not just in terms of bringing solutions to the traffic congestion but as a source of livelihood for the provinces of Cavite and Laguna, MPCala president and general manager Roberto Bontia said. The construction of the Laguna segment is now in full swing, employing up to 1,200 personnel. We expect to additionally employ close to 1,300 site and office personnel as construction progresses for the Cavite Segment, Bontia said. He said the construction of the Cavite side was expected to be completed by 2022, while operations and maintenance would last until 2050. MPCala tapped Leighton Holdings of Australia to build the Cavite side and local contractor DMCI Consunji Inc. to construct the Laguna segment. The Cavite segment comprises 27 kilometers of the 45-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway. The construction of the Laguna segment is on-going.The Cavite segment starts from Kawit, Cavite and traverses the Imus Open Canal, Governors Drive, Dasmarinas, Aguinaldo Highway and Silang which will connect to the Laguna segment from Sta. Rosa exiting to Mamplasan, Binan Laguna towards South Luzon Expressway. Upon completion, Calax is expected to cut travel time from 2.5 hours to less than 45minutes and help decongest about 50,000 cars. The DPWH team and the Build, Build, Build team are truly making the Public-Private Partnership work with ease as we witness another milestone for Calax, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said. With the Laguna segment well underway and substantially completed by July of this year, we will simultaneously push for the Cavite segment to meet Laguna in a timely manner, completing the project by 2022, Villar said. Calax is a part of the network of toll roads which the MPTC is constructing and developing. It will connect to Manila-Cavite Expressway and the C5-South Link which will make transfers from Laguna, Cavite, Las Pinas, Paranaque and CP Garcia Ave. seamless. MPTCs portfolio also includes the recently opened Harbor Link Segment 10 and NLEx-SCTEx Connector in Metro Manila and Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in the Visayas. EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote: Hi sanzee313, Most Business Schools don't actually 'require' access to your Official Score Report on the first day after the application deadline ends. Since Admissions Committees often take weeks (or even months) to decide who to invite to School, as long as you have your application in before the deadline and you've taken the GMAT before the deadline, you will probably be fine. In some cases, Schools will even accept a 'late' GMAT Score (after the deadline has passed) as long as the rest of your application is in on time. If you think that you might face such an issue with your applications, then you should contact each School directly and ask for the Schools policy on such issues. Before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals: Studies: 1) How long have you studied? How many hours do you typically study each week? 2) What study materials have you used so far? 3) On what dates did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)? Goals: 4) What is your overall goal score? 5) What Schools are you planning to apply to? GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Posted from my mobile device Hi ,I really appreciate you clearly answered my question, so I had been studying a bit of English from GMAT club 700 level for all 3 sections , I won't say my accuracy is very high for them , but for the easier level questions i feel it's high.Coming to quants, I had don't the concepts and questions from the book , but it's not enough ,I find the 600 level questions here hard and time consuming.I have not given any mocks cats yet and I have my exam on December mid , to aim for round 2 .Can you please tell me what approach I should use.Regards,Sanzee Grand Old Partisan lauds Ruth Hanna McCormick, born in Cleveland this day of 1880. Her father, Marc Hanna, and first husband, Joseph Medill McCormick, became U.S. Senators. She was a prominent suffragist and organizer of Republican Women's clubs. In 1918, Ruth McCormick chaired the Republican Women's National Executive Committee. Six years later, she was elected the state GOP's first National Committeewoman. In 1928, this social reformer won a U.S. House of Representatives seat. She told the press: "The first and most important thing that I want to drive home is this: I haven't gone into this as a woman. I am a politician. I have been a political worker for more years than most of the men in the party today." Rather than run for re-election, she campaigned unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. Her second husband was a former Republican Congressman from New Mexico. She was delegate to the 1936 and 1944 Republican National Conventions. She co-managed Thomas Dewey's bid for the 1940 presidential nomination. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ATXFxs1dR10 Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. " " This woman probably thinks the cookie is a lot sweeter than the man does, thanks to taste dominance. George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images Some women are pretty confident they have better taste than men when it comes to a lot of things, including fashion and decorating. But when it comes to the physical sense of taste, there's actually scientific evidence the female sex is superior. In studies, women were found to be better at determining the differences in tastes and even better at describing how things taste. Women are also more likely than men to be supertasters [source: Bartoshuk et al]. This detail isn't lost on experts in taste testing. When the Nofima Sensory Laboratory in Norway recruits "super sensors" for its research, it's always all women who make it through to the final selection process [source: Korneliussen]. Advertisement Taste dominance isn't just limited to adult females, though. Studies have found that girls also have a more acute sense of taste than boys. A recent Danish study assessed the senses of taste of secondary and primary school children by evaluating their food preferences and their abilities to differentiate between sweet and sour tastes. In the end, it was determined that the girls were better at recognizing tastes than the boys. The study concluded that boys needed food to be at least 10 percent more sour or 20 percent sweeter to achieve the same taste-detection levels as the girls [source: University of Copenhagen]. A fascinating aside, however, is that the boys in the study preferred sweeter and more extreme flavors than did the girls. So what is it that makes girls and women have a better sense of taste? There's still plenty of research being conducted on the topic, but the most basic answer is one that science has already discovered: Women typically have more taste areas (fungiform papillae) and taste buds on their tongues than men [source: Bartoshuk et al]. It's suspected that, from an evolutionary standpoint, women's tasting tools are more developed because the female sex has a more important role in protecting offspring both during and after pregnancy. This may be why women also tend to have a stronger sense of smell than men. " " Two students hug in front of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed on Feb. 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Two surviving students committed suicide within a few days of each other in March 2019. Joe Raedle/Getty Images The soldier coming home. The teen who escapes a mass shooting at her school. The office worker who doesn't get laid off. The loyal caretaker sitting by his mother's deathbed. The driver who walks away from a fatal, multi-car accident. Devastating trauma happens to most us all, sooner or later. To an unfortunate number of us, that trauma is amplified by an emotion that, in many cases, seems entirely out of place. It's called survivor guilt, a subset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And it can last for months, years, even an entire lifetime after the initial event. "Survivor guilt can happen in people even after a year, even after a few years," says Dr. Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Waco, Texas. "Grieving is something that is different for everyone. You cannot put a time frame on grieving." Advertisement Pain, Grief and Survivor Guilt The recent suicides of three people connected with two notorious school shootings in the U.S. known in sad shorthand now simply as Sandy Hook and Parkland have brought new attention to the pain suffered by those who survive but still are affected by trauma. Dorothy R. Novick, a pediatrician in Philadelphia, explains in The Washington Post: [S]tories such as these remind us that trauma has far-reaching and devastating effects. It reminds us that the victims are not only the deceased but also the survivors. And not only the deceased and the survivors, but also each member of their families. And not only each member of their families but also every person who loves each member of their families. And so on. Those survivors often deal with crippling feelings of guilt. They may exhibit symptoms; becoming irritable, depressed, anxious, and fearful. They may suffer from a lack of sleep and nightmares, and can be crushed under a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. "The fear is enormous," Shah says. "The fear doesn't go away." According to Shah, survivor guilt is separated into three different categories: The first type is that in which a person who survives a potentially deadly trauma wonders: Why am I alive? The second, and what Shah calls the most prevalent, occurs when survivors feel guilty for not doing something at the time of the trauma that may have changed the outcome of the event. Tackling a gunman, for example. Holding a child back from school that day. Braking sooner to avoid an accident. Working harder so the company doesn't have to lay off people. Changing up a care program. The third is a feeling some have that in order to save themselves from the immediate trauma, they left others behind. Survivor guilt, as a medical concept, has been around since the 1960s and was associated with those who survived the Holocaust. At one time, the term was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the main tool that mental health practitioners use to diagnose and treat mental illness. In the most recent DSM, survivor guilt was wrapped into the general heading of PTSDs, and is effectively placed under a related condition called "acute stress disorder." From the latest DSM: Acute stress disorder occurs in reaction to a traumatic event, just as PTSD does, and the symptoms are similar. However, the symptoms occur between three days and one month after the event. People with acute stress disorder may relive the trauma, have flashbacks or nightmares and may feel numb or detached from themselves. These symptoms cause major distress and cause problems in their daily lives. About half of people with acute stress disorder go on to have PTSD. Whatever the classification, survivor guilt is identifiable by health professionals and others and is widespread. According to the DSM, some 13 to 21 percent of car accident survivors develop acute stress disorder. And between 20 and 50 percent of survivors of assault, rape and mass shootings suffer from some sort of survivor guilt or acute stress disorder. Shah says that some studies say that top figure may be as high as 60 percent of survivors of life-threatening events experience some form of survivor guilt. Advertisement Surviving Survivor Guilt The National Institute for Mental Health says, to be diagnosed with PTSD (again: survivor guilt is considered a form of PTSD), adults must have all of these for at least a month: A re-experiencing symptom (a flashback to the event, a bad dream or bad thoughts) An avoidance symptom (staying away from reminders or thoughts of the event) At least two arousal/reactivity symptoms (being startled, angry, sleepless or on edge) At least two cognition and mood symptoms (feelings of guilt or blame, negative thoughts, trouble remembering details about the event, loss of interest in enjoyable events) To treat those with survivor guilt, Shah says, it's first critical to recognize the symptoms: the irritability, the lack of sleep, the depression, the anxiousness, the fear. "First of all, you need to be aware that you're suffering from survivor guilt, or your family or friends need to recognize it," Shah says. "You try to tell the person that you're not alone in this." Allowing time to grieve is important, Shah says. And you can't put a timeframe on that. "You need to grieve in a way you would like to grieve," he says. That said, taking the guilt and the grief and using them in a positive fashion educating people, say, or advocating for change is something that many find helpful, Shah says. Getting back to a normal routine as soon as possible can help with the healing. It's important, too, to assess whether guilt and grief is affecting the ability to function in the everyday world. If it is, that's time for professional help, which can involve psychotherapy and medications. How long can a person feel guilty or suffer through grief before looking for help? "The point is not related to timeframe," Shah says. "It's related to your function and capability." There is a danger, as with the recent suicides of a Sandy Hook parent and two Parkland students, that those grappling with survivor guilt may find the struggle too much to bear. It is trauma beget from trauma. "Please keep a watch on them, especially during those milestones [anniversaries of the event, birthdays, etc.] and if you see something ... that is the time to get them attention," Shah says. "You can save them." Learn more about survivor guilt in "Survivor Guilt: How to Survive It" by Braden Daniels. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING More than 45,000 Americans died by suicide in 2017, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. But many more, some suffering with mental illnesses like PTSD and survivor guilt, attempt suicide unsuccessfully. In 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.3 million Americans survived a suicide attempt. If you or someone you know is in crisis, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is at 800-273-TALK (8255), or you can use the National Suicide Prevention Hotline chat here. Travel tax exemption for seniors okayed posted March 27, 2019 at 10:00 pm by Maricel Cruz March 27, 2019 at 10:00 pm A panel in the House of Representatives has approved a bill granting tax exemptions to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The House Committee on Tourism, chaired by Rep. Corazon Nunez-Malanyaon of Davao Oriental, recommended for plenary approval House Bill 7964 or the proposed Tax-Free Travel for Senior Citizens and PWDs Act. The bill is principally authored by Rep. Greg Gasataya of Bacolod City. Gasataya expressed optimism that the bill's enactment will improve the lives of senior citizens and PWDs.Those who have less in life should have more in law. While there are existing benefits for Senior Citizens and PWDs provided by law, the State can further develop policies that would induce a more satisfactory life for them, said Gasataya, vice chairman of the House committee on technical and higher education. These individuals, he said, are the most likely to require special medical intervention that may be better acquired in other countries. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. " " Pope, whose statue is pictured here, was a medicine man who led the revolt against Spanish colonists. Chris Maddaloni/Roll Call/Getty Images The story of the settlement of the American West is very rarely told as one of Native American triumph. American Indian tribes battled for their lives as colonists lied to them, seized their land and erased or distorted their group identities. But on an episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class, hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey examine the story of how, for a period, Native American tribes were able to dismantle an oppressive system by rising against colonial powers in a remarkable way. Advertisement First, let's establish that when we say "Pueblo Revolt," we're taking a non-native approach to Native American identity. Spanish colonists used the term "pueblo" to denote basically any indigenous person in the Southwest U.S. who lived in an established community dominated by houses called pueblos. In fact, there were many different groups of native peoples who had their own governments, customs and even languages. When the Spanish began settling in earnest in present-day New Mexico at the turn of the 16th century, they conquered the pueblo peoples through religious missionary conversion and destruction of the communities' centers and religious relics. They also brought with them disease much of the pueblo population was destroyed by illness and epidemics from contact with colonists. " " Pope began plotting the rebellion in Taos Pueblo, seen here. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images As the destruction of religious practices combined with other disasters, including a long drought that caused famine, many pueblo peoples began to feel that their prohibition from practicing their faith was causing them serious harm. Pueblo leaders began agitating for a return to their faith, and in 1675, 47 religious figures in the pueblo communities were sentenced to slavery or executed for "sorcery" and rebellion. One of those leaders, Pope, was released from prison but started organizing up and down the Rio Grande Valley to plan a coordinated revolt. That's no small task: Villages were spread over hundreds of miles, and the variety of languages made communication difficult. But Pope had a plan. Each village was given a knotted rope, with instructions to undo one knot a day. On the last day, in August of 1680, they would rise up against the oppressive Spanish colonists and missionaries. And the uprising worked the surviving Spaniards fled. But there's a lot more to the story than just a clever start. Holly and Tracy explain how the indigenous peoples took on the colonists ... and stayed free of them for years. Tune into this episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class to learn more about this fascinating history of the American West. Now That's Cool Just because we know the pueblo peoples successfully revolted doesn't mean we know the full story. The event was largely recorded by the Spanish, due to a lack of written communication in pueblo cultures. While we know 401 Spaniards died in the Pueblo Rebellion, we have no idea how many casualties the Native Americans suffered. " " In the wake of World War II, scientists tested nuclear weapons in the hopes of using them for more peaceful, civilian purposes. Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS Around 9 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets was flying a plane named after his mom high above the Japanese island of Honshu. A few seconds past 9:15, the Enola Gay released its payload, and Tibbets put his plane into a tight 159-degree turn to escape the shockwaves he knew would be coming [source: Terkel]. Far down below him, a man named Tsutomu Yamaguchi was just arriving in downtown Hiroshima on his way to a meeting. An engineer for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Yamaguchi was in town on a business trip. As he stepped off the tram, a white light filled his vision. Two miles (3 kilometers) away, an atomic bomb known as "Little Boy" had just detonated, instantly killing 80,000 people [source: McCurry]. Temporarily blinded, left eardrum destroyed, the top half of his body horribly burned, Yamaguchi made his way down the street. As he walked he passed the real "walking dead" people burned so badly, flesh was hanging off them. Eventually, he found an air raid shelter where he spent the night [source: McNeil]. Advertisement The next morning Yamaguchi was determined to get out of the city and managed to board a train back to his hometown. His hometown happened to be a city called Nagasaki. Two days later, Yamaguchi was at his workplace telling his boss about his harrowing near-death experience in Hiroshima when a familiar white light flooded the room. Once again he was 2 miles (3 kilometers) from Ground Zero where a second atom bomb called "Fat Man" had found its target. 70,000 people died that day. Somehow, Yamaguchi wasn't one of them [source: McNeil]. After years of recovery, Yamaguchi returned to work as an engineer, dying in 2010 at the age of 93. Despite his remarkable longevity, the world's only officially recognized double nuclear bomb survivor was plagued by painful health problems all his life. His children also say they believe the illnesses they suffer are related to their father's double-radiation exposure [source: McNeil]. People have called Yamaguchi "lucky," but that's definitely a "glass-half-full" assessment. Was he incredibly lucky to survive two nuclear blasts? Or incredibly unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time twice? One way or another, Yamaguchi witnessed two of the most nightmarish events in human history. The people responsible for dropping those bombs, from the pilot of the Enola Gay to President Truman who gave the order, always maintained they had no regrets [source: Terkel]. But there's a reason nuclear bombs have never been used since Nagasaki. Actually, there are lots of reasons. But one of the most powerful is the sheer inhuman magnitude of the devastation they can wreak. Since 1945 no nation has been able to bring itself to unleash that degree of destruction on the world. But humanity has also never had so much power at its disposal, and in the wake of World War II, some wondered whether nuclear weapons could be used for peaceful, civilian purposes. It was with that thought in mind that some of the scientists who helped develop the bomb began suggesting to government officials that there might be ways to deploy nukes without blowing anybody up. It seemed at the time that atomic weapons could provide enormous explosive power for relatively little cost. In other words, you could literally get a lot of bang for your buck. But enthusiasm isn't enough by itself. It took one of the biggest international crises of the 20th century to bring Operation Plowshare into being in 1958 [source: OSTI]. The Hope College Donia Organ Concert series will feature Nicole Simental, who is assistant director of music and principal organist at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The public is invited. Admission is free. Simental will open with Etude No. 4 Tierces, by David Briggs, and Variations on Est-ce Mars, by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. She will then play Prelude and Fugue, in E Minor, by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Lullaby from Suite No. 2, by Calvin Hampton. Simental will continue with Sonata IV, Op. 65, in B-flat Major, by Felix Mendelssohn, and Mediation: Love Unknown, by Francis Jackson. Closing the concert, she will perform Andante Sostenuto, from Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70, by Charles-Marie Widor, and Symphony No. 2, Op. 20, by Louis Vierne. For the past several years, Simental has held many posts as a church musician and university accompanist across the country. She was the accompanist for the Womens Chorale and Opera Music Theater Program at Wheaton College. During her tenure at the University of Notre Dame, she was the graduate assistant to the Notre Dame Liturgical and Womens Choirs. In 2016, She won the Immanuel Lutheran Organ Scholar Award; was the co-winner at the First Sursa American Organ Competition at Ball State University; and was awarded first prize at the IV International Goedicke Organ Competition at the Moscow Conservatory in Moscow, Russia. Most recently, in 2018 she was a Boston Bach Prizewinner at the Boston Bach International Organ Competition. Simental received her masters degree in sacred music from the University of Notre Dame and Bachelor of Music degree from Wheaton College, and completed additional studies at Oberlin College. She is a candidate for the Doctorate of Music in organ performance at Indiana University. The concert has been made possible through the generous support of the colleges Tom Donia Memorial Organ Fund. The fund was created in 1990 by family and friends of Tom Donia, a 1971 Hope graduate who died in 1990. The director of communications for the American Red Cross, Donia had a life-long interest in music. The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets. Rank-and-file employees of Duty Free Philippines Corp. on Wednesday filed a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman to seek the resolution of their two-year-old plunder, graft and administrative complaints against top officials of the state-owned retail firm. In a motion for early resolution, the complainants invoked Section 16, Article 3 of the 1987 Constitution guaranteeing the rights of all persons to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative bodies. Alexander Sablan, Nestor Zabala, Eric Oracion, Carlito Ardales, Nilo Duarte and Joaquin Vibal, stock keepers under the logistics division; Ernesto Mangalindan and Francis Daco, store personnel, Romeo Silva Jr. and Rizalino Santos, merchandising assistants, urged the Ombudsman to swiftly act its investigation, saying respondent DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala resorted to retaliatory acts against them. The March 16, 2017 accused Angala and ex-COO Lorenzo Formoso of profiting from their positions by maintaining the manpower contracts with DFP Services Inc., a private company, wherein Angala was the president and Formoso was then an incorporator and director. The complainants said both officials refused to comply with the Supreme Court decision in DFP vs DFPEA issued on Dec. 7, 1998 giving them and other similarly-situated contractual employees regular status as direct hires of Duty Free Philippines (DFP, later DFPC) dating back to 1997. According to the complaint, as a result of the SC ruling, former DFP general manager Faustino Salud issued a notice of termination on Nov. 25, 1999 directing DFPSI to account for the funds intended for employees benefits paid by the DFP to the private manpower firm.DFPSI shelled out the employees retirement fund of P29.83 million as of Jan. 11, 2001. The complainants claimed the management issued appointment papers to make it appear that their service as government personnel only started on Jan. 1, 2016. Despite their rendering services for over 20 years, they said they were deprived of their due compensation and benefits. Moreover, they said DFPSI profited from the continuing deal with DFPC by passing on its tax liabilities to the government firm amounting to P120.25 million representing value-added tax assessed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 1989 to 1996. A new focus exhibition opening at the Hope College Kruizenga Art Museum on Tuesday, April 9, will showcase etchings by Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn. The public is invited. Admission is free. This year marks the 350th anniversary of the death of Rembrandt. Born in 1606 in the city of Leiden, Rembrandt began training as an artist at age 14. In 1632 he moved to Amsterdam and quickly gained fame there for his portraits, biblical and mythological scenes, and scenes of everyday life. Numerous tragedies would mark his life, including the loss of three children in infancy, and the premature death of his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh. Though an excellent artist whose work fetched high prices, Rembrandt was a poor manager of money. He declared bankruptcy in 1656 and for the last 13 years of his life he eked out a living on minor commissions and fees from students. Upon his death in 1669, he was buried as a pauper in an unmarked grave. Printmaking was an important part of Rembrandts practice, allowing the artist to express himself creatively in ways different from drawing or painting. By re-working and re-printing his plates, Rembrandt was able to experiment with various techniques and materials using the same image, thus creating multiple states of many of his prints. The number of different print states continued to grow after Rembrandts death as his original plates were re-worked and re-printed by other artists and publishers. Rembrandts prints are therefore typically identified both by the date of the original composition, and by the date a particular impression was created. Rembrandt Etchings will include impressions of 13 etchings by Rembrandt. The prints that will be on display in the exhibition all depict biblical subjects and were created by Rembrandt between 1632 and 1655. Rembrandt was a man of strong faith, and he clearly took inspiration from the Bible as he navigated the challenges of his life, said Charles Mason, who is the director and the Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga Curator of the Kruizenga Art Museum. Approximately one quarter of Rembrandts etchings depict stories from the Bible. All of the prints in the Rembrandt Etchings exhibition were recently donated to the permanent collection of the Kruizenga Art Museum. The exhibition will continue through Saturday, June 1. Admission to the Kruizenga Art Museum is always free. Public visiting hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please check the museums website or social media for additional information about special programs and events related to Rembrandt Etchings. The museum functions as an educational resource for Hope College and the greater West Michigan community. The museum features two public galleries as well as a classroom and climate-controlled storage space for its 4,500-object permanent collection. It is named in honor of a leadership gift from Dr. Richard and the late Margaret Kruizenga of Holland, both of whom graduated from Hope in 1952. The Kruizenga Art Museum is located at 271 Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets. The Raising of Lazarus Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) 1632; this impression late 17th-early 18th century Etching and drypoint The Sarah and Grace Collection, 2018.8.6 Christ Before Pilate Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) 1636; this impression 17th-18th century Etching, engraving and drypoint The Sarah and Grace Collection, 2018.8.2 Christ Healing the Sick (The Hundred Guilder Print) Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) Ca. 1649; this impression early 18th century Etching, engraving and drypoint The Sarah and Grace Collection, 2018.8.13 The key is to let nature lead the way, says Jean-Eric Paquet, the European Commission's Director General for Research and Innovation 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. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ An engine of a Philippine Air Force cargo plane bound for the hotly-contested frontier of the West Philippine Sea, caught fire while taxing for takeoff at Clark Air Base Wednesday morning. All 122 people, including seven crewmen on board, successfully evacuated with no injuries minutes after the incident involving an Air Force C130 cargo aircraft. Philippine Air Force spokesman Maj. Aristides Galang said the C130 plane under the 220th Airlift Wing with registry No. 4726 was preparing for takeoff at the Clark Air Base when its left engine caught fire, forcing the pilot to abort the flight. Galang said the cargo plane was carrying students taking Master of National Security Administration courses at the National Defense College of the Philippines bound for the largest Philippine-held Pagasa Island in Palawan. I think they will be visiting the Spratly Island as part of the curriculum of the NDCP, Galang said. Reports said the MNSA students will be briefed on the present situation on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) including the security environment at the Pagasa Island which is also being claimed by Beijing.China has virtually converted all floating shoals, reefs and islets situation in the hotly-contested South China Sea as military garrisons which have threatened freedom of navigation to all ocean-going vessels. Galang could not ascertain the cause of the fire prompting ranking technical Air Force officials to suspend all C130 flights pending the result of the investigation of the incident. At this point, we could not really guess the cause and what triggered the fire. As of now, we are conducting investigation, Galang said. As a safety procedure, all C130 planes will undergo rigid inspection to determine its airworthiness before they are allowed to operate. Jonathan De La Cruz remembers learning to play the trumpet in a Pentecostal church in Mexico. De La Cruz, who grew up in Eagle Pass, Texas, said his family crossed the Rio Grande by bridge multiple times per week in order to attend services at their church. "My first lesson at church was, aPlay a note while the band is playing and if it sounds bad, just change it,'" De La Cruz said. "I was playing without the worry of messing up because I wasn't introduced to that idea." De La Cruz played the trumpet in church from seventh grade through high school. He said his skills dramatically increased through this experience. "In this church you play every kind of music imaginable," De La Cruz said. You play funk; you play rock, rap, reggae, tejano, salsa, bachata, anything you can think of. I had to learn how to play all those styles." De La Cruz went on to join his high school band where he was invited to join the band director in a professional tejano music group. De La Cruz said his first travelling gig with this band was both exciting and terrifying since he was only 15 and had never left home before. "We got into this huge bus that the band owned," De La Cruz said. "We played in the middle of nowhere Texas at an event center that didn't have an air conditioner and didn't have toilets. That's what I remember; that's where I started." After high school De La Cruz went to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where he studied music education and played in the marching band. After graduation, De La Cruz was invited to play a high-profile gig at the Selena Festival with Chris PArez, the famous guitarist and husband of the late Selena Quintanilla. "I had never played at such a high level with such high-level musicians," De La Cruz said. "We could literally go to the back, open up a new case of a speaker, guitars or wireless mics and just take them. It was like, awow,' this a real big gig." In 2016 De La Cruz was accepted into a master's program at the Jacob's School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. De La Cruz was excited because he was selected to be in the top jazz performance band at IU, but when he arrived in Bloomington something happened that was not so exciting. "I couldn't play," De La Cruz said. "I had played in so many ensembles at the same time that I wasn't taking care of the muscles of my lips." Under the guidance of IU music professor Pat Harbison, De La Cruz began using a new mouthpiece for his trumpet. In order to adjust to the new mouthpiece, De La Cruz had to change his embouchure, the way he held the trumpet to his lips. De La Cruz said the transition was a grueling process. Jonathan De La Cruz practices at the Jacobs School (Photo: Kathleen Clark-Perez, WFIU) "The transition looks minimal, but if you change the position of where the mouthpiece lays on your lips, it adds a completely new layer of skin," De La Cruz said. "It feels like you're blowing into the wall at the beginning. It was one of those where you want to throw your horn at the wall every single day; it was one of those where you feel like you failed." De La Cruz met with Harbison for six hours per week to practice playing notes with the new mouthpiece. De La Cruz said it was difficult in the beginning to even play just one note. "I had been able to play for such a long time and I had this huge successes in my career at an early age and then I couldn't play anymore," De La Cruz said. "The atmosphere was just relearning everything from how I thought musically, how I thought about myself, how I perceived people, how I carried myself, everything." Although the new mouthpiece required De La Cruz to change his embouchure, Harbison said he is typically wary of telling students they need to make an embouchure change. "It tends to make somebody sort of hyper aware or self-conscious when they play," Harbison said. "I kept saying, aI don't want you to think of this as a revolution' because embouchure changes usually mean destroying the existing structure and rebuilding and I didn't want to do that." Harbison said De La Cruz is very thoughtful and had to work through his tendency to overthink his transition to a new mouthpiece. "Even if you intellectually believe you are on your way to a better thing, there's that identity crisis that happens when you sort of have one foot in one boat and one foot in the other boat," Harbison said. "I watched an enormous amount of personal growth; sometimes you go through a painful experience of some kind and you discover things about yourself that turn into life skills. You learn something about yourself that is bigger than the experience of changing the position of the mouthpiece on your mouth when you are playing." Harbison said the results of De La Cruz's transition are fantastic and De La Cruz agrees. "I've made some huge strides," De La Cruz said. "Sometimes it feels like I struggle so much to play and I want to quit and some days everything works and I sound great and I am excited for my career." The new financial penalties from the Treasury Department seek to disrupt that network, targeted 25 different individuals and groups in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the Islamic Republic of Iran itself. Any assets belonging to these entities that are currently held in American banks will be frozen, and those banks will be blocked from conducting any further transaction with the designated persons and businesses. Additionally, according to Voice of America News, the efforts could also result in the Treasury blacklisting any foreign entities that continue to engage in such transactions after the measures go into effect. In this way, the US government could be seen as sending another message to European partners about the seriousness of the White Houses declared intention to exert maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic by isolating it to the greatest possible extent in international markets. Already, references to that goal have led to the withdrawal from Iran of would-be financial and business partners. In some cases, out of an abundance of caution, these businesses have reportedly disengaged to a greater extent than was actually required according to the US sanctions. On the other hand, much of the European political establishment has been working to signal its ongoing disapproval of the re-imposition of US sanctions that were suspended under the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2016. Last May, approximately sixteen months after taking office, US President Donald Trump announced his governments withdrawal from the agreement, citing Irans violation of its spirit through activities such ballistic missile tests. This set the stage for renewed sanctions, but the European signatories the United Kingdom, Germany, and France have stood alongside China, Russia, and to a lesser extent Iran, in voicing commitment to the deals ongoing implementation. This finally led, last month, to the launch of a special payment mechanism for evading US sanctions, called the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, or INSTEX. But in contrast to the IRGC-led scheme that has come under fire from the Treasury, INSTEX is not intended to laundering Western currency but rather to facilitate transactions through a system that is roughly analogous to barter. Also unlike the IRGC scheme, INSTEX has not actually become operational. In commenting upon the new sanctions measures, US officials have indicated that roughly a billion dollars are believed to have already passed through the designated network of front companies and into the hands of Irans hardline paramilitary institution. According to informed sources such as the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the IRGC already controls the majority of Irans gross domestic product, by way of its established front companies and its close partnerships with the hardline establishment in both the government and the private sector. This situation reportedly allows the IRGC to channel a substantial portion of the Iranian nations wealth into paramilitary activities including the development of foreign militant proxies. These have proliferated in Iraq and Syria against the backdrops of civil war and conflicts against Sunni militants of the Islamic State group. And as those proxies have grown, they have drawn numerous comparisons to the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah. Tehrans financing of this group and of global terrorism in general was prominently highlighted in the US governments explanation of the newly-imposed sanctions on supporters of the IRGC. At the same time, Irans status as the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism appears to be a major factor preventing the actual implementation of the INSTEX system. The European Union has established that as a prerequisite for that implementation, the Islamic Republic must come into compliance with the anti-money laundering standards of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force. But hardline Iranian officials have staunchly opposed this compliance, specifically citing their concern about the likely effect on Hezbollah. In February, Tehran surpassed a pre-set deadline for this compliance, but was then granted an extension until June. It remains uncertain whether legislative efforts will prevail over hardline clerical authorities including the supreme leader, who wields near-total power over all policy matters in the theocratic nation. Furthermore, the US Treasurys references to one billion dollars worth of IRGC-laundered money underscores the fact that terrorist financing and defiance of FATF standards are very much ongoing. Many informed observers are deeply skeptical about the prospect of Tehran turning away from its commitment to these sorts of activities. Indeed, many see the clerical regime going in exactly the opposite direction. For instance, Adam Ereli, a former US State Department employee, published an editorial at UPI on Tuesday that described the regimes tilt to the right and its effects on domestic human rights trends and the nations international profile. That article mentions the crackdown on widespread anti-government protests over the previous year, as well as the more recent appointment of noted human rights violator Ebrahim Raisi as head of the Iranian judiciary, and the passage of a new 33-year sentence on the political prisoner and human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. All of these things have yielded global headlines and calls to action, though not all of the associated advocacy has risen to the level of urging support for the Iranian Resistance, as in the case of the Ereli article. Even the ongoing imposition of sanctions by the comparatively assertive Trump administration has proven unsatisfying to some of the most committed opponents of the Iranian regime. Underlining that fact, NBC News issued a report on Sunday that said there is division both within the administration and among its allies about the extent to which the US ought to squeeze Iran in the short term. The report identified a handful of concerns that seem to be holding pragmatic officials back from the rapid implementation of the declared strategy of maximum pressure. Among these are the perceived dangers of a spike in oil prices, backlash from the government of China, and the validation of Iranian propaganda in the form of sanctions that do not provide adequate exceptions for humanitarian goods. In light of these concerns, it is widely expected that waivers for at least some of Irans eight largest oil importers will be extended before their expiration in May. But high-profile figures including former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Texas Senator Ted Cruz have flatly rejected pragmatic concerns, according to One American News Network, and have publicly insisting that all waivers should be halted and that maximum pressure should be adopted immediately. Even if this recommendation gains sufficient traction to overcome the more cautious elements within the White House, it will be difficult for these and other advocates of maximum pressure to convince European partners to sign on. On the other hand, European policies toward the Islamic Republic have been gradually drifting in the direction of greater assertiveness in recent months, as when the entire European Union adopted sanctions on the Iranian intelligence service in connection with planned terror attacks on Western soil. The perceived danger of such plots will no doubt intensify if Irans aforementioned tilt to the right continues and is more widely recognize in the days ahead. And this is arguably a likely outcome, considering that prominent Iranian officials have been less than shy about recently promoting even more conservative foreign policy views than what has been in the mainstream of Iranian politics since the implementation of the nuclear deal. That deal stood virtually alone as a point of compromise between Iran and the international community, and now the Iranian supreme leader, the IRGC, and their allies appear poised to reject it in favor of more open antagonism of the US, Europe, and other declared enemies of the Islamic Republic. This was the message of Supreme Leader Khameneis speech to supporters last week, on the occasion of the Iranian New Year holiday Nowruz, according to Patrick Clawson of the Washington Institute. Clawson explains that the greater part of Khameneis speech was squarely focused on stoking resentment toward Western powers, blaming them for domestic problems including the countrys worsening economic crisis, and portraying them as a monolith with no meaningful difference between the US and Europe. And although the supreme leader took no explicit position on the future of the JCPOA, he did repeat hardline talking points about the supposed untrustworthiness of Western interlocutors, thereby underlining his own previous rejection of the very concept of negotiation on the world stage. On one hand, Khameneis Nowruz remarks may provide advance justification for foreign policy initiatives that include the continued promotion of anti-Western terrorism via Hezbollah and other proxies. And that perception was arguably backed up on Tuesday by the report that Iran had publicly committed to expanding its influence over Lebanon, in express defiance of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos demand for separation of the two countries during his recent tour of the Middle East. On the other hand, Clawson suggested that Khameneis speech also implied certain predictions about the future of Iranian-Western relations, and more specifically about the joint American and European reactions to Tehrans implicit resistance to compromise or reform. The picture he painted had no light on the horizon indeed, little if any grounds for hope at all, Clawson noted. If that is the state of his thinking then the Trump administration has had considerable success convincing Khamenei that the pressure will continue, and that Iran cannot count on outlasting U.S. hostility. The Commission on Elections on Wednesday received an assurance of cooperation from the Department of Health that it would take down all DOH posters with pictures of candidates running for national and local positions for the May 13 2019 local elections. The Comelec earlier asked the DOH to remove all Malasakit Center posters bearing the name of former Special Assistant to the President and senatorial bet Christopher Bong Go. Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said that they already sent notices to all candidates to remove illegal posters, including posters in Malasakit centers government hospitals. A Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop housing all concerned government agencies to make it easier and faster for poor and disadvantaged patients to avail themselves of medical and financial assistance from the government. In his letter, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has assured the Comelec that all of its health personnel would comply with the campaign rules set by the poll body. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said that the DOH issued a memorandum dated March 25, 2019, reiterating to all DOH officials and employees the policy against visual displays and campaign paraphernalia in all DOH Centers for Health Development, Medical Centers and other Public Buildings. With this, Secretary Duque has assured the Comelec that all officials and employees will comply with all relevant Comelec Rules and Regulations in relation to the May 13, 2019 national and local elections, Jimenez said. Jimenez said that under the Omnibus Election Code, the use of public funds, equipment, facilities that are owned or controlled by the government for an election campaign or any partisan political activity is prohibited. If found guilty, a violation can be considered an election offense. Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines on Wednesday reminded candidates not to pay permit to campaign fees to the New Peoples Army. In a joint statement, the DILG and ULAP reminded aspirants in the May 13 midterm polls that financing the NPA and their terror activities will make them criminally and administratively liable under our laws. The candidates have also been advised to immediately report to the authorities the extortion activities of the NPA, the armed group of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which is listed as terrorist organization by the United States and European Union. The government exhausted all efforts in resuming the peace talks but with their continued perpetration of criminal activities including extortion, clearly they have shown that their agenda is fueled by selfish interest and the goal of overthrowing our democratic government and way of life, the statement read.We likewise enjoin the Filipino people to be vigilant and to cooperate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to safeguard our communities from the opportunism of these terrorists and their front organizations, it added. In a press briefing on Tuesday, DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said supporting the CPP-NPA through extortion money is not helping the governments efforts to fight terrorism. Inuulit po namin, [We would say it again] being a supporter of terrorism makes you complicit and liable under the laws of the land. The current administrations resolve in extinguishing terrorism in the country is resolute and we intend to sustain that, Malaya said. We will follow through on the President's directives. In fact, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano himself recently said that the NPA will be wiped out in the next two years, he added. Ano earlier directed the PNP to monitor the 346 national and local government officials who have been included in the DILG watchlist for allegedly providing financial support to the CPP-NPA through extortion money and permit to campaign fees. Malaya emphasized that the DILG will not hesitate to file administrative and criminal charges against politicians who will be proven to be in cahoots with the NPA. We will not hesitate to file criminal and admin cases against politicians who will support terrorism. And we will expose your names to the public, Malaya said. For his part, ULAP secretary-general Danilo Dayanghirang conveyed support for the DILGs campaign against terrorism and violence. We are in unison with President Rodrigo Duterte and Secretary Ano in denouncing this extortion scheme of the NPA, said Dayanghirang, national chairperson of the Philippine Councilors League. As far as ULAP is concerned, we will just follow the directive from the DILG and the Commission on Elections [Comelec] against the proliferation of terrorism and in curtailing this extortion scheme of the NPA, he added. ULAP is an umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units and locally-elected government officials. - Arjo Atayde was interviewed by the media while promoting a movie - He was asked several questions about Maine Mendoza - One of the topics discussed was about the rumor that Maines work ethic has been affected by her love life PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Arjo Atayde answered several questions recently about actress Maine Mendoza, who he is exclusively dating. KAMI learned that the interview took place as he was promoting the movie Stranded. One of the questions asked was about the rumor that Maine is absent from the GMA-7 program Eat Bulaga from time to time because she is spending more time with Arjo. The Kapamilya actor denied the rumor, saying that he does not care about what the bashers are saying about him and Maine. He also denied that he and Maines status has already moved on from exclusively dating into being an official couple. As for his family, Arjo said that his loved ones support his decision to date Maine. He also thanked the people who are supporting their relationship, especially those who call themselves ArMaine fans. Here is the video of Arjos interview uploaded by Pelikula Mania: PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! KAMI previously reported about Maine Mendoza & Arjo Ataydes epic dates in New York & at Star City. Maine Mendoza, or Nicomaine Dei Capili Mendoza in real life, is a Filipina actress, host, comedienne, and entrepreneur, born on March 3, 1995. She was hailed as the most googled female personality in the Philippines in 2015 and the most tweeted Filipino celebrity in the world in 2017. The Kapuso star is currently dating Arjo Atayde, an actor from the Kapamilya network. This caused some fans of Alden Richards to hate on her and Arjo. POPULAR: Read more news about baby Arjo Atayde! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! PAY ATTENTION: The 25 Wealthiest Families In The United States Revealed Tricky Questions: What Is The Tagalog Of Lighthouse? We're back on the streets of Metro Manila to ask tough and tricky questions to ordinary citizens! And as expected, their answers are out of this world! Check out all of our exciting videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph New York, NYTu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, is thrilled to announce the results of its sixth annual for new authors of color. This year, Monica Zepeda has won the New Visions Award for her manuscript, Boys of the Beast . Michelle Jones Coles manuscript Woke received the New Visions Award Honor. New Visions Award 4th Annual Ms. Single Mom Empowerment Forum Returns to Long Beach Marriott on April 13 Robbie N. Butler, Speak UP Empowerment Foundation, Inc. Founder and Author (LOS ANGELES) Speak UP Empowerment Foundation is pleased to announce the 4th Annual Ms Single Mom Empowerment Forum returns to Southern California on April 13, 2019 in collaboration with Sullivan International and Long Beach Community Improvement League. The free event, designed to empower the success of So Cal single moms, takes place at the Long Beach Marriott Grand Ballroom (4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, CA 90815) from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Attendees can register for FREE by visiting speakupempowermentfoundation.org and registration by April 4th will guarantee the attendees meal service. Ms. Single Mom Empowerment Forum is a fun-filled day of information, resources and education designed specifically for single mothers striving to create a bright future for themselves and their families. The event will feature expert speakers, mentor matching opportunities, local vendors, free childcare, gift bags, a pampering center and presentation of the 2019 Community Empowerment Leader Awards. Continental breakfast will be provided at 9:45 a.m. and the program is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. The programs morning panel of expert speakers will focus on Family and Social Concerns followed by lunch; and beginning at 12:30 p.m. the afternoon panel will emphasize the steps of Business Development and Financial Literacy. Speak UP Empowerment Foundation, Inc. Founder and Author, Robbie N. Butler shared, We are diligently moving forward to make this remarkable community celebration the best and expect to service more than 200 women. Our program format will continue to offer a wonderful day filled with encouragement, enlightenment and empowerment for all in attendance. The informative panels will highlight topics such as entrepreneurship, homeownership, financial literacy and higher education, mental health, and domestic violence. The robust panel of expert speakers includes Vivian Malauulu, Trustee of LBCC, Melissa Guy of Asset Media Group, Crystal Mozell of Champions for Progress, Kim Morrow of Urban Philanthropy, Kelli Dillon of Positive Results Corp., Melissa Dumas of U Help You and Valencia Marlowe of Marlowe Realty. ADVERTISEMENT For more information on this special event or to register, visitspeakupempowermentfoundation.org. Watch a special invitational video from the Founder here, or view more information and highlights from past events on YouTube. Congressmember Antonio Delgado Joins in Introducing Bill to Preserve Affordable Care Act Protections for People with Pre-Existing Conditions WASHINGTON, DC With the Administration joining a lawsuit to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act including its protections for those with pre-existing conditions, Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) joined as an original cosponsor in introducing the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019. Delgados action today follows his second in-district work period, where he focused on health care, touring health facilities across the district and speaking at the opening of a new Planned Parenthood facility. People across my district are clamoring for better health care services its why I focused my second in-district work period on health care access and affordability. Instead of rolling back progress we have made and yanking out health care from under the very people who need it most, we need to move towards universal health care, lowering folks health care costs, and providing better care, Delgado said. In the face of an Administration that seems dead-set on undermining the Affordable Care Act and jeopardizing health care for those with pre-existing conditions, Im glad to join with my colleagues today to shore up protections for these folks. The Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019 protects and expands affordable health care options in a number of ways, such as: Ensuring that Affordable Care Act marketplace plans cannot discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions. Expanding subsidies so more middle-class families can receive the support they need to afford health insurance. Expanding state and federal outreach efforts so people know what health insurance plans are available to them. Eliminating junk insurance plans that dont cover essential health benefits like maternity care and substance use disorder treatment. Promoting the health and safety of NY-19 families is a key priority for Delgado. Delgado is a cosponsor of two bills that put patients first not drug companies by empowering the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate the price of prescription drugs bought through Medicare. He has also elevated the need for investments in rural broadband, which help not only individuals and businesses, but also tele-health programs across the district. ADVERTISEMENT Congresswoman Robin Kelly Introduces Legislation to Expand Access to Lower Cost Generic Drugs Congresswoman Robin Kelly, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and member of the Health subcommittee on Energy and Commerce, has introduced the Orange Book Transparency Act (H.R. 1503) to increase access to lower cost generic drugs and bolster competition within the generic drug marketplace to help reduce drug costs. The Orange Book is an important tool for the development and prescribing of generic drugs. Doctors and pharmacists use the Orange Book for information on the approval and availability of generic drugs. Likewise, generic companies use the Orange Book to make critical R&D decisions. Experts, medical professional and advocates have been suggesting Orange Book improvements for many years. The Orange Book Transparency Act would: Clarify the types of patents listed in the Orange Book; Require a list of applicable exclusivities for listed drugs; Require sponsors to promptly submit a patent withdrawal or removal to the FDA for patents found to be invalid; and Empower the FDA to: Add additional patents, if necessary, to the Orange Book, Promptly remove patents from the Orange Book which are found to be invalid, and Reconsider the types of patents listed in the Orange Book within one year of enactment. The legislation would also clarify that device patents are not to be listed in the Orange Book but should still be shared with the FDA to prevent efforts to delay generic drug competition based on the delivery mechanism. ADVERTISEMENT At todays health subcommittee hearing on reducing barriers to competition in the pharmaceutical marketplace, Congresswoman Kelly questioned witnesses on lowering drug prices and the importance of increasing Orange Book transparency. The text of the bill can be found here. Maxine Waters Says Deutsche Bank has Begun Providing Records of its Dealings with Donald Trump The chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee said Tuesday that Deutsche Bank has begun providing records of its dealings with Donald Trump for the panels probe into the presidents finances. Rep. Maxine (D-Calif.) said Tuesday that Deutsche Bank has begun cooperating with an investigation into its extensive history with Trump who borrowed millions of dollars from the bank over several decades. When asked Tuesday at the Capitol if Deutsche Bank had started to hand over records of it financial relationship with Trump, Waters replied, Yes. ADVERTISEMENT The chairwoman also said she was satisfied with Deutsche Banks cooperation with the probe and that the Financial Services panel is looking into everything regarding Trumps dealings with the bank. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 In a recently issued report, Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus found that California's sanctuary state law, the California Values Act, has been effective in limiting deportations of immigrants. This finding is just one of many in the first ever detailed report evaluating the impact of the California "sanctuary" law, which went into effect in January 2018. Titled "Turning the Golden State into a Sanctuary State: Report on the Impact and Implementation of the California Values Act (SB 54) in California" and developed in partnership with the University of Oxford Centre for Criminology, Border Criminologies, and the ICE Out of CA coalition, the report looks at what has happened since then-Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 54 into law in October 2017. It also makes a series of recommendations to fulfill the goals of SB 54. KJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/03/turning-the-golden-state-into-a-sanctuary-state-report-on-the-impact-and-implementation-of-the-calif.html Wednesday, March 27, 2019 The Louisiana Supreme Court rejected an actual period of suspension as unduly harsh for an attorney's failure to promptly pay a third party from settlement proceeds. In recommending an actual period of suspension, both the hearing committee and the disciplinary board emphasized the knowing and intentional nature of respondents misconduct and the fact that she had been offered diversion in 2004 for similar misconduct. However, based on our review of the record, we find this sanction is unduly harsh. At the time she settled her fathers personal injury case, respondent was experiencing significant personal and emotional problems attributable to a high-risk pregnancy. These issues appear to have contributed significantly to her negligence in failing to timely pay the medical provider. We see no evidence in the record that respondents misconduct was the result of a dishonest or selfish motive or a failure to learn from past mistakes. Indeed, had it not been for the complications of her pregnancy, we believe respondent would not have failed to timely remit the clinics funds. The attorney represented her father in a personal injury matter and agreed to pay a chiropractic clinic out of settlement proceeds. The case settled and the attorney disbursed proceeds to her father and waived her own attorneys fees and costs. She arranged a reduction of the bill but only if it was paid off in 30 days. It wasn't. On August 6, 2014, respondent sent the clinic a cashiers check in the amount of $4,000. On August 12, 2014, the clinic notified respondent that there was still a balance due of $901 and that, if the balance was not paid, it would follow through with contacting the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. Respondent informed the clinic that she would pay the $901 on August 29, 2014. However, the clinic still had not received the payment on September 11, 2014. That day and the next, the clinic contacted respondent about the balance. On September 17, 2014, respondent gave the clinic her debit card information in order to make the payment, but the charge was declined by the credit card company because it exceeded respondents daily limit for debit card transactions. On September 30, 2014, the clinic filed a disciplinary complaint against respondent; the ODC received this complaint in its office on October 3, 2014. Also on October 3, 2014, the clinic successfully charged $700 to respondents debit card. On November 11, 2014, the clinic successfully charged the remaining $201 to respondents debit card. Her explanation in 2010, respondent commenced employment with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), where she remains employed as an Attorney IV. She also maintains a small private practice... Regarding the payment to the clinic, respondent testified that she transferred the $4,000 from her trust account to her operating account because she had no checks for her trust account. She never purchased checks for the trust account because she did not have enough clients to justify the cost of the checks. She issued a $4,000 check from her operating account to the clinic soon after receiving the settlement funds, but the clinic never received the check. She did not send the clinic another $4,000 check until August 2014. Respondent also admitted that the $4,000 owed to the clinic was withdrawn from her operating account at some point before she issued the August 2014 check. In approximately March 2014, she withdrew the funds as cash so she could get a cashiers check for the clinic but then inadvertently used the cash to pay her own personal expenses. Respondent further testified that she learned she was pregnant in February 2014. She had previously suffered multiple miscarriages, and the pregnancy was high-risk due to her age and other health complications. Respondents activity was limited and her physician recommended bed rest, but she had to return to work at the DCFS because she is the sole bread winner for her family. Her pregnancy was so overwhelming that she let other matters drop. Respondent expressed remorse for her misconduct and stated that, under normal circumstances, she would not have failed to promptly pay the clinic, but her priority at the time was keeping her baby alive. Before the hearing committee (findings linked here). The committee determined that respondent knowingly and intentionally violated duties owed to her client and the public. She caused no actual injury of any significance, but the clinic was inconvenienced. And the board the board recommended respondent be suspended from the practice of law for one year and one day, with nine months deferred, followed by a two-year period of probation with the condition that respondent complete Trust Accounting School and obtain checks for her trust account. The court In light of the substantial mitigating factors present, the negligent nature of respondents conduct, the lack of any actual harm, and the fact that respondent made all but $201 in restitution before she had knowledge of the disciplinary complaint against her, we will reject the boards recommendation. We will suspend respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day, fully deferred, subject to a two year period of supervised probation with...conditions [set forth in the opinion]. One condition is to get trust account checks. This former bar prosecutor applauds this result. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/03/the-louisiana-supreme-court-imposed-a-year-and-a-day-suspension-the-attorney-represented-her-father-in-a-personal-injury-mat.html Chinese President Xi Jinping is continuing his visit to Europe with the second day of a state visit to France. On Tuesday, French President Emanuel Macron invited German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker to discuss world trade with Xi. They met in Paris at Frances presidential palace. The EU is Chinas biggest trade partner. During his European trip, Xi has stressed the importance of what he calls win-win economic cooperation with European countries. On Monday, Chinese and French officials signed business contracts worth an estimated $40 billion. That included a deal to buy 300 Airbus passenger jets. Airbus is Europes major aerospace company. The deal, valued at $34 billion, equals Chinas 2017 order for 300 passenger planes from the American company Boeing. Xi called on France and China to deepen cooperation in nuclear energy, aerospace and other traditional industries. Macron said that France is willing to cooperate with China on its Belt and Road Initiative, known as the BRI, for financing development. The BRI provides financing for bridges, railways, roads, ports and other infrastructure linking China with the rest of the world. On Tuesday, Macron, Xi and Merkel said they want to make reforms to the world trade system, which has increasingly been marked by trade disputes. Both the United States and Europe have criticized China for enjoying relatively free trade with its World Trade Organization partners while placing barriers to foreign investment at home. Xi expressed a willingness to continue long-promised economic reforms sought by Western countries. We will continue to stay on the path of reform the Chinese president said in Paris. Macron and the other European leaders stressed cooperation and the need to give all sides something through trade and compromise, often called multilateralism. Their meeting took place as the United States continues difficult negotiations with China over trade. The U.S. and its EU allies want China to reduce barriers and protect intellectual property rights. The U.S. has angered its European trading partners and China by placing import taxes on products like steel and aluminum and threatening other measures. In a joint statement, Xi and Macron called on each other to work together to support a rules-based international order. Germanys Merkel noted the importance of having all sides involved. There cant be multilateralism without the United States, she noted. On Saturday, China expanded ties with one of Europes largest economies, Italy. Officials of the two countries signed an agreement that made Italy the first major European country to join the BRI. The document was agreed to during Xis visit to Rome while meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Im Mario Ritter Jr. Mario Ritter Jr. wrote this story for VOA Learning English from AP, Reuters and AFP reports. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story intellectual property n. something such as an idea, invention or process that comes from a persons mind infrastructure n. the system of public works, such as roads, railways and ports in an area We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. An increasing number of pregnant women in the United States choose to work with a doula. A doula is not an official nurse or doctor, but a professional who is trained to help ease a mothers mind and body during birth. The great majority of doulas are women, says CAPPA, one of the leading groups that train doulas internationally. CAPPA is also one of the supporters of World Doula Week, which is celebrated each year from March 22 to 28. But there are some male doulas in the United States. Their involvement in childbirth is part of a growing movement in the U.S. to welcome men as caregivers for mothers and new babies. Now we are met with open arms Doula training organizations like CAPPA and DONA International do not record how many men complete their training programs. CAPPA says a few. DONA International says a handful. Brian Salmon has been a doula for more than 10 years. He says he has seen a change related to men attending childbirth. Where we were once met with hesitation and resistance, now were met with open arms. Salmon lives and works in San Antonio, Texas. He says he understands that childbirth has traditionally been an experience women share. When he first starting coming to the hospital with pregnant women he worked for, the medical staff and other doulas did not always want him there. He thinks they worried he was taking away some of the power that women can feel as mothers and caregivers. But now, he says, he has a friendly, positive relationship with the hospital workers. Its a cool thing to see some other energy in the room thats different, he says. Salmon says he can also show fathers how to support a woman giving birth. He teaches men to give massages and help the mother with exercises to ease pain, among other things. My job is to make it Mom and her partner interacting so they have an experience that they look back and remember as what a strong team they were. What do women say? Of course, not all women feel at ease talking about childbirth with men or having one present while giving birth. Nancy Goodman is a doula in Washington, D.C. She notes that childbirth is a very personal, intense experience. If a woman would not feel at ease having a male doctor, for example, she also would probably not want to have a male doula. Tatjana Sanluis says she had to think about it before agreeing to a male doula. But doula Adam Miramon helped at the birth of her baby last year in Washington, D.C. Sanluis says her husband met Miramon at a professional event while she was pregnant. The two men had a friendly conversation. Sanluis says she trusts her husbands feelings about people. When she met Miramon, she liked him, too. The couple decided to work with him as their doula. Sanluis says she is glad they did. Her feeling of comfort around him was more important than whether he was a man or a woman. Miramon, her doula, says most people reach a similar opinion. He says his clients are thankful for his knowledge, skill and attention. And, he says, he can use some of his so-called male privilege to make sure they have all the support they need. Informing fathers In another part of the country, a father is working on a different method for including men in childbirth. Yale Nogin lives and works in the southeastern city of Atlanta, Georgia. He was trained as a chiropractor -- a doctor who helps people feel better by moving bones in the spine. Today, Nogin is raising his four children and leading classes to help prepare other men for fatherhood. Nogin says he urges his students to hire a doula to help the family during childbirth. But he adds that, with or without a doula, fathers can earn their partners' trust and respect by educating themselves and learning new skills. Nogin believes he is giving men information they rarely get anywhere else. He says few men have been taught how to be good husbands and fathers. And, he says, most childbirth classes are led by women and directed toward women. I do think that more men want to grow. I think again it comes down to resources and, you know, being taught by a male. A lot of them go to the birth classes and theyre not comfortable talking to a woman about these kind of topics. Doula Nancy Goodman agrees that it is important to involve fathers during childbirth. She says that a woman giving birth will usually feel most at ease and happy if she sees the face and hears the voice of someone she loves. For that reason, Goodman says, having the father nearby is often a good idea especially if he is well-informed. Im Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story hesitation - n. nervousness or uncertainty massage - n. rubbing or pressing someone's body in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain interact - v. to talk or do things with other people privilege - n. a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others spine - n. the row of connected bones down the middle of the back: backbone hire - v. to use or get the services of (someone) to do a particular job comfortable - n. feeling relaxed and happy : not worried or troubled topic - n. someone or something that people talk or write about: subject Particularly during my sojourns in South Africa, it may not be possible for me to perform the moderation function speedily. I regret the necessity of moderation but it has been rendered inevitable by the behaviour of a particular commentator whose contributions will always and without exception be rejected. No correspondence will be entered into regarding moderation decisions. Readers are invited to comment on blog posts. All comments require to be pre-moderated by me, and I shall reject all (a) that are not related to the Lockerbie disaster or (b) that fail to meet my -- perhaps idiosyncratic -- standards of courtesy towards other contributors. Comments will not be rejected simply because I disagree with them or because I, or other contributors, find them irritating. But comments will be rejected if they distort or misrepresent the evidence; are defamatory; or if they risk embroiling me, as publisher, in defamation proceedings. I am perfectly relaxed about being sued in respect of material which I personally have posted -- but not in respect of material that others wish to post as comments and which, in any case, I often strongly disagree with. Australias prime minister yesterday accused an influential minor political party of trying to sell Australias gun laws to the highest bidders by asking the U.S. gun lobby for donations. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was responding to an Al Jazeera documentary that reported One Nation party officials Steve Dickson and James Ashby flew to the United States for meetings with pro-gun interests including the National Rifle Association and political donors Koch Industries in September last year seeking money to undermine Australian gun laws. Dickson and Ashby later told reporters that they had not secured any U.S. money. They also said they had been quoted by Al Jazeera out of context and often after drinking. The trip took place weeks before the Australian Parliament banned foreign political donations with laws that took effect Jan. 1. Morrison said the revelations were reasons why Australians should not vote for One Nation at general elections due in May. We have reports that One Nation officials basically sought to sell Australias gun laws to the highest bidders to a foreign buyer and I find that abhorrent, Morrison said. Morrison said his government had made laws to criminalize taking foreign political donations so foreign lobbyists cannot seek to influence our politics. Opposition leader Bill Shorten, whom opinion polls suggest will be prime minister after the election, accused One Nation of a betrayal of the Australian political system. The idea of One National political party operatives going to the United States, seeking millions of dollars, promising to water- down gun law protection in Australia that was absolutely horrifying, Shorten said. The Al Jazeera documentary used secret recordings made by a journalist posing as gun lobbyist Rodger Muller with a hidden camera. One Nation, an anti-Muslim party that had four senators after 2016 election but has been left with two after defections, said in a statement that all party members have always complied with the law. One Nation also suggested the Qatar-owned Al Jazeera had breached new laws that prohibit covert foreign interference in Australian politics. The party said it had had complained to Australias main domestic security agency and police due to concerns of foreign interference into Australian politics in the lead up to the imminent federal election. Al Jazeera are a state owned propaganda arm of the Qatari government that supports Islamic extremist groups and are not a legitimate media organization, the statement said. One Nation was invited by Rodger Muller, who has now been outed as a foreign agent working for Al Jazeera to meet with the NRA, American business leaders and attend the Congressional Sportsmens Dinner in Washington, the statement said. The NRA did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Ashby, who is party leader Pauline Hansons chief of staff, is recorded saying that the party would own both the Australian Senate and House of Representatives with a USD20 million donation from the U.S. gun lobby. This means the party would hold the balance of power in both chambers and influence a governments legislative agenda. Ashby also warned that if such a donation became public, it would rock the boat. He told reporters yesterday that the U.S. trip had been a fact- finding mission to learn campaign tactics. These conversations with the NRA were to look at nothing more than their techniques. This was not about sourcing money from the NRA. This was about sourcing technology, sourcing an understanding of how they operate, but never was it about seeking $20 million dollars from the NRA, Ashby told reporters. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP China will scale back subsidies on electric vehicles as the industry develops and costs go down, trying to encourage local manufacturers to rely on innovation rather than government assistance to spur sales. The subsidy for pure battery electric cars with a driving range of 400 kilometers and above will be cut by half, to 25,000 yuan per vehicle from 50,000 yuan, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement on its website yesterday. To qualify for any subsidy, electric cars need to have a range of at least 250 kilometers, compared with 150 kilometers previously, it said. The government had previously said it will scale back the subsidies and phase them out completely after 2020, though it hadnt given details. While financial support for purchases has fueled the rapid growth of Chinas electric-car industry, there are also concerns that automakers have become overly reliant on them at the expense of developing new technologies and better vehicles. The move aims to support high-quality development of a new- energy automobile industry, the ministry said. The finance ministry also urged local governments to remove subsidies on purchases of electric vehicles, including buses and trucks, after a three-month grace period starting yesterday. Subsidies have been key to making plug- in hybrids and EVs of companies such as BYD Co., backed by Warren Buffett, more affordable to Chinese consumers and helping the country surpass the U.S. as the worlds biggest market for such vehicles in 2015. On top of what the federal government spends, Chinese cities and provinces separately offer incentives to make electric cars more appealing in a country where automakers from Volkswagen AG to Ford Motor Co. are planning to increase EV offerings. Bloomberg Airbus SE secured a USD35 billion jet deal from China during a state visit by President Xi Jinping to the French capital, dealing a fresh blow to Boeing Co. as it grapples with the grounding of its best-selling jet. The mammoth order consists of 290 A320-series narrow-body planes and 10 A350 wide-bodies, Toulouse-based Airbus said after the transaction was announced in Paris yesterday. The deals value is almost double that touted by French President Emmanuel Macron in January 2018 during a trip to Beijing. The Airbus coup comes while Boeings own 737 Max narrow- body the chief global rival to the A320 has been idled following two fatal crashes in five months. The U.S. planemaker is also struggling with the fallout from a China-U.S. trade war thats seen sales to the Asian nation dry up, just as Airbus bolsters its position with an offer to expand production facilities in Tianjin. China has become the worlds most important aviation market as its fast-growing middle class spurs demand for travel. The country has traditionally sought to keep a balance between the two western planemakers as it seeks to jumpstart manufacturing on its own soil, but Chicago-based Boeings order prospects have been complicated by the trade clash. I would see this as part of broader trade discussions, said Rob Stallard at Vertical Research Partners. For the Chinese to put tariffs on Boeing aircraft would be nuclear, but you can send messages in other ways. This tells the Americans that you have got to play nice if you want us to reciprocate. Macron originally put the value of a likely order at $18 billion. A firm order failed to materialize last year despite a second French state visit in June and a delegation of top Airbus executives in September. The deal announced in Paris will include both Neo for new engine option and so-called classic or CEO versions of the A319, A320 and A321, though the majority will be A320neos and A321neos, according to officials. China typically orders planes in large batches and allocates them to airlines later. The latest A320neo model has a list price of $110.6 million and the A350-900 sells for $317.4 million before discounts. Airbuss incoming chief executive officer, Guillaume Faury, said at the press conference that construction of the A320s will take place both in Tianjin and Europe, adding that the deal is a sign of the confidence from China. Macron called the transaction an excellent signal. China will need 7,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft in the next two decades, representing almost 20 percent of total global demand, according to Airbus estimates. The purchase provides a boost for Faury who takes over from Tom Enders in April. Airbus sales have had one of the slowest starts in the past decade, with the planemaker registering 103 cancellations and just four new orders in the first two months. Separately, China is looking at excluding Boeings troubled 737 Max jet from a list of American exports it would buy as part of a trade deal with the U.S., people familiar with the matter have said. Airbus shares fell 0.5 percent in Paris yesterday, while Boeing climbed 2.3 percent in New York. Benjamin Katz, Gregory Viscusi & Helene Fouquet, Bloomberg The Boao Forum for Asia that started this week provides a yardstick to measure Chinas progress in implementing President Xi Jinpings promises to open the nations economy more to outsiders, at a time when thats of critical importance in negotiations with the U.S. Last years pledges to liberalize the financial sector are being carried out, similar measures are underway in the auto industry, and the nation has overhauled its foreign investment law amid intense criticism of its handling of intellectual property and business practices. Those efforts havent been successful so far in warding off Donald Trumps ire, though negotiators are back in Beijing this week in further efforts to hammer out a deal to end the trade war between the two rivals. Premier Li Keqiang is expected to travel to the tropical island to address the forum tomorrow and may give further hints of opening-up measures or policies to cushion the slowdown in the worlds second- largest economy. Li will be speaking to a much less high-powered crowd than last year, when at least six heads of state and government, the heads of the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund all gathered to hear Xis address. Heres what Chinas government has done to implement what it promised at 2018s Boao Forum: Financial Market Opening Xi and central bank governor Yi Gang last year detailed an historic opening-up of the financial sector. Foreign banks, insurers and securities companies are now allowed to hold majority stakes in their subsidiaries in China. However, the take-up by foreign companies has been slow. UBS Group AG took control of its subsidiary and American Express Co. won approval to build a bank-card network in China. Mastercard Inc. is seeking a share of the payments market. Many other companies though are taking a wait-and-see approach. The reaction to increased access to the domestic stock market has been similar. The daily amount of mainland stocks that can be traded across the two stock links with the outside world was quadrupled to USD15.5 billion from May 1 last year. But trading rarely hit the quota even at the old level, and the increase in access hasnt led to an uptick in use. Car Market Liberalization With Chinas car market now the largest in the world, Xis promise to allow foreign manufacturers to hold majority stakes in their subsidiaries in China was seen as a boon for carmakers in both Europe and the U.S. However, only Germanys BMW AG has moved to take over its joint venture, with the other companies continuing with the current structure. The problems in the domestic market, where sales dropped last year and rumors are swirling that some state-owned car companies will merge, may explain part of the caution. Foreign Investment As part of efforts to answer critics of Chinas lax protection of intellectual property and protected markets, China recently passed a new law on foreign investment which banned forced transfers of technology and opens up more of the economy to outside companies. The law, which comes into effect next year, is in addition to the shrinking list of sectors from which foreign companies are banned. However, there was a lack of detail in the law passed last week, and representatives of foreign companies were unimpressed with it. How it will be implemented in practice and whether it will really lead to a more open economy remains to be seen. State-Owned Enterprises During the forum last year, the government promised to further overhaul its bloated state enterprises and push for more mergers in sectors such as power and coal, which are plagued by zombie firms, bankruptcy and debt defaults. However, so far, little more has happened on that front. Hainan Boao is in the province of Hainan, which is looking to attract investment and tourism, including through becoming a free-trade zone and allowing horse-racing. It was reported in January that the islands government will submit guidelines to develop horse-racing projects, but the progress is going slower than many may have expected last year. While some hotels started quietly preparing for the legalization of gambling in 2018, there has been nothing announced from the government and no visible progress. Bloomberg Chief Executive (CE) Chui Sai On is preparing for his third and final visit to Portugal as Macaus top official in May, TDM Radio Macau reported. During the visit, which is expected to take place in mid-May, Chui will have meetings with the President of Portuguese Republic, Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, Antonio Costa. According to the same report, the visit includes a trip to city of Porto, where Chui will be honored with the Keys of the City, the highest award of Porto, with the purpose of distinguishing people that, by their prestige and their action, have elevated the name of the city and country to a higher level in the world. The last time Chui visited Portugal was back in 2016 when he participated, by invitation of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in the Joint Portugal-Macau Commission to discuss issues regarding the furthering of the cooperation between China and Portuguese- speaking countries as well as the Belt & Road initiative. The final dates for the visit are expected to be known in a few days. RM Chinas former internet censor, who once held high-profile meetings with industry leaders such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on corruption charges Tuesday. The Intermediate Peoples Court in the eastern city of Ningbo said Lu Wei had confessed to accepting USD4.6 million in bribes. It said he expressed remorse and vowed not to appeal his sentence. Lu helped lead the ruling Communist Partys tightening of controls over domestic cyberspace and championed Beijings stance that governments have a right to filter and censor internet access. China has 700 million people online, but authorities impose heavy controls on political content and sites related to gambling and pornography. Social media sites such as Facebook and Google also are blocked. In its ruling, the Ningbo court said Lu had abused his authority in various positions, including as a deputy propaganda minister and as head of a government internet security advisory body, accepting gifts in return for favors. Lu took a hard line in demanding tough security checks on imported foreign tech products and censoring foreign internet companies and social networks like Facebook in the name of preserving social stability. He worked his way up the ranks of Chinas official Xinhua News Agency from a reporting job in the southern city of Guilin in the early 1990s to become the agencys vice president from 2004 to 2011. He was vice mayor of Beijing from 2011 to 2013. A report by the government broadcaster CCTV gave few details. But earlier reports said Lu also had had engaged in factionalism and selectively enforced the partys strategic arrangements on internet work. President Xi Jinping has carried out a wide-ranging crackdown on corruption that observers say is calculated to strengthen party control while bringing down potential challengers to his authority. One of the officials and military leaders ensnared in the anti-graft campaign was the former president of Interpol, Meng Hongwei, who vanished after traveling to China from France, where the global anti-crime body is headquartered. The government says Meng is under investigation for graft and possible other crimes. There are heavy suspicions he had fallen out of political favor with Xi. Lus sentencing also comes as China is locked in a trade war with the U.S. and competition over leadership in next-generation 5-G internet technology. The U.S. has sought to block usage of equipment from Chinese internet giant Huawei, saying its links to the Chinese government and military pose a security threat. AP The 2019 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (2019MIECF) will launch its Greenovation Zone, designed specifically for innovative green technologies and projects. Kicking off tomorrow, the exhibition will be themed Promoting Ecological Civilization and Green Development, and will have some 500 exhibitors from nearly 20 regions and countries. At a press conference held yesterday, the organizers, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and the Environmental Protection Bureau, announced that the new zone will accommodate exchange activities to make the application and exchange of green innovative technologies mainstream. The three-day exhibition will feature Green Forum again, which will hold a total of eight sessions commencing tomorrow. Irene Lau, acting president of IPIM, recalled that in the past 11 events, the exhibition resulted in nearly 5,000 successful matching sessions, while 320 letters of intent and projects have been signed through MIECF. According to Sam Lei, executive director of IPIM, some 70 to 80 percent of those involved were local businesses. For those signed agreements, proposals or projects, looking at statistics, we know that 70 percent have been executed or implemented, Lei told the press. Lei also announced that the budget for this year is MOP25 million, citing the additional booths for Portuguese-speaking countries and the Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, Michael Liebreich, founder of New Energy Finance, was invited to 2019MIECF as the keynote speaker, along with some 70 speakers to share their insights on different topics, including ways toward ecological civilization, developing green energy, urban water treatment, and green finance. The forum, under the theme New Opportunities in the Eco Bay Area Creating Green Energy Cities, focuses on the development of green energy and green finance in the Greater Bay Area and Portuguese-speaking countries. On Friday, the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Session will invite members of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Delegation to Portugal and Luxembourg to share their experience and findings, as arranged by the SAR government. There will also be a roundtable discussion on creating green values through ecological civilization presented by Pan-Pearl River Delta Region eco-corporate pioneers. The development status of environmental protections in mainland China will also be introduced then. Meanwhile, the Greater Bay Area Eco-Products and Solutions Pavilion will be expanded, showcasing the products and services of eco-enterprises from Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Foshan and Zhongshan. The Green Building Area will demonstrate and highlight green building techniques and products, allowing the construction industry to find suitable professional partners. On the internationally-watched topic of green finance innovation, the forum has arranged a Green Finance Networking event to promote exchanges on green investment projects. A promotional session on Local Green Products will also be held, where representatives of environmental protection associations from Macau will introduce government officials to exhibiting association members and their products and services. Yesterday, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has prepared to launch hearings on whether or not Wynn Resorts is suitable to hold a casino license in the state, reports Calvin Ayre. The process has faced a series of delays as Wynn Resorts, along with founder and former CEO Steve Wynn, have introduced legal measures designed to prevent the release of certain details regarding the sexual misconduct allegations against the executive. When Wynn Resorts was awarded the license in 2013, it was viewed by the MGC as a legitimate contender and Steve Wynn was deemed a highly ethical individual and a perfectionist who is passionate about everything he does. When news broke in early 2018 regarding Steve Wynns sexual improprieties, his reputation was put on the line. Wynn Resorts has already admitted that certain high-ranking individuals at the organization were aware of Steve Wynns actions, yet they did nothing to stop him. Those individuals are no longer with the company, as Wynn Resorts stated recently, and the MGC is calling into question both Steve Wynns activities and those of the company. The commission could ultimately decide to fine Wynn Resorts or revoke the license it was given for the Boston-area casino, Encore Boston Harbor. Wynn Resorts has pushed forward with Encore, which is expected to open June 23. It is already taking reservations, but a decision by the MGC to revoke the license could bring everything to a grinding halt. It would force thousands of workers out of their jobs and lead to possibly millions of dollars in lost tax revenue. Because of the potential damage that could befall the area by a license revocation, most analysts predict that Wynn Resorts will retain its concession, but be forced to pay a fine. Nevada gambling regulators announced a settlement with Wynn Resorts in late January. The settlement does not revoke or limit Wynn Resorts gambling license in the worlds second-largest gambling center, but requires the company to pay a fine. The amount will be set by the Nevada Gaming Commission, but it wasnt immediately clear when that could occur. In Macau, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau did not open its own investigation into Wynn Resorts but said last year that it was seeking more information from local subsidiary Wynn Macau. The local arm of the Wynn casino empire said it would fully cooperate with any requests from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. DB Nissan Motor Co. paid tuition for all four of ousted chairman Carlos Ghosns children when they attended Stanford University between 2004 and 2015, according to people familiar with the matter. The perk was part of Ghosns employment contract from 1999, when he was hired as chief executive officer of the Japanese carmaker, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the information isnt public. The benefit, which isnt common among top executives, would have been worth at least USD601,000, according to fee schedules published by Stanford during the years his children were enrolled. In a statement, Nissan declined to comment on the details of executive compensation packages. Ghosns lawyer in Paris, Jean-Yves Le Borgne, declined to comment, while a spokesman for Stanford in California didnt respond to requests for comment. Ghosn, 65, has been charged in Japan with under-reporting his income by tens of millions of dollars at Nissan and misusing company funds. He has denied wrongdoing and is awaiting trial on bail after spending 108 days in a Tokyo prison. The Stanford tuition adds to a list of lavish extras Ghosn enjoyed as the head of Nissan and its alliance partners Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., including luxury residences on four continents and a wedding party at the Chateau of Versailles. Highly Unusual While no such payments are alleged in Ghosns case, its highly unusual that Nissan would pay his kids university fees, according to Robin Ferracone, chief executive of Farient Advisors, an executive-compensation consulting firm based in New York City and Los Angeles. Typically you only see tuition reimbursements as part of expatriate assignments, and those are for kids below university age, Ferracone said. Nissans official filings in Japan and the U.S., where its shares trade as American depositary receipts, didnt include any information about Ghosns benefits. Under U.S. law, executives benefits are treated as taxable compensation, and U.S. public companies must report them to investors. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has opened an investigation into whether Yokohama-based Nissan accurately disclosed executive compensation. Nissan has said it is cooperating. Luxury Homes In Japan, companies are required to disclose compensation for highly paid executives in their financial reports but arent required to spell out the benefits they receive. Nissan has said that Ghosn, besides collecting salaries totaling $16.9 million in 2017 from Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi, received $8.9 million in compensation from a Dutch joint venture, Nissan-Mitsubishi BV, without approval from either company. Two other Dutch-based ventures financed by the alliance are under scrutiny for buying and renovating luxury homes for Ghosn in Beirut and Rio de Janeiro, and for subsidizing an extended weekend at Rios Carnival celebration last year for Ghosn, his wife, and eight other couples. Separately, Renault found that Ghosn received a personal benefit of $57,000 for his Marie-Antoinette-themed wedding party at Versailles in 2016 after Renault made a charitable donation to the chateau. Ghosn has said hell reimburse the expense. The Renault-Nissan alliance also made philanthropic donations to a private high school near Paris attended by at least two of Ghosns children and to a debutante ball where two of his daughters were presented to society. Ania Nussbaum & Carol Matlack, AP Chief Executive Chui Sai On met with the Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Zhang Shuofu, and the Mayor of Guangzhou, Wen Guohui, while they were all on a visit to Beijing for the China Development Forum 2019 on March 24. The aim of the meeting with the Guangzhou officials was to seize, on a mutual basis, opportunities arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macau Greater Bay Area, and to enhance cooperation and exchange between the two cities. During the meeting, Chui said that Macau-Guangzhou cooperation had always been a focus for Macau, as the city works to participate in regional collaboration. Chui also expressed that it was hoped that Macau and Guangzhou would continue strengthening their cooperation against the backdrop of new opportunities arising from the Greater Bay Area, especially cooperation in technology and innovation, as well as enhancing cooperation in tourism, trade, cultural and youth affairs matters, thereby building on existing foundations. Chui stressed that Macau and Guangzhou would enjoy a bright future in terms of cooperation in multiple areas. The Chief Executive emphasized the importance of cooperation between Macau and Guangzhou regarding youth development. Zhang said Guangzhou would follow the plan outlined by the Central Peoples Government, in order to seize the opportunities arising from development of the Greater Bay Area, and would spare no effort in providing support and services for the development of the Macau SAR. Guangzhou is also planning to create favorable conditions for young Macau people interested in engaging in the development of the Greater Bay Area, offering them fresh opportunities for establishing businesses, gaining employment, studying or pursuing practical training in Guangzhou. JZ Speakers at yesterdays seminar regarding 26 years of the Basic Law indicated that Macaus prosperity stems, in particular, from the citys concept of loving the country and loving the people of Macau. Luo Weijian, a law professor from the University of Macau, remarked that compared to Macau, Hong Kong does an inferior job in protecting national security, practicing the central governments overall jurisdiction over the SARs and stopping activities which violate the constitution of the government. The main reason is that the strength of Love the Country, Love Hong Kong still does not have an obvious dominating position in Hong Kong, said Luo. In the professors opinion, Love the Country, Love Macau is the basis of One Country, Two Systems, which has been advantageous in Macaus internal administration. Executive dominance, the governments right to make law proposals and the governments exclusive right to propose budgets are being exercised in Macau through cooperation between the government and the Love the Country, Love Macau strength within the Legislative Assembly [] which is exactly what Hong Kong is lacking. Regardless of national security legislation, Chief Executive [CE] elections, restriction of civil referendum, including the recent establishment of the Municipal Affairs Bureau [IAM], were all faced with different kinds of opinions. But, in the end, they were all passed, said Luo. It is all because the Love the Country, Love Macau strength is the dominating power. That is why the government could pass all these bills. In addition to Luo, Ieong Wan Chong, former member of the Macau SAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress and current honorary advisor at the Macau Polytechnic University, also expressed that Macau can be the bridge connecting Chinas socialism to capitalism. In the new era of One Country, Two Systems, socialism and capitalism are connected in Macau, which is absolutely a sign of the constitution [being fulfilled], said Ieong. Most capitalist countries are developed countries, and developed countries have many fields worth learning from, said Ieong, before adding that Macau is taking advantage of the One Country, Two Systems policy. In addition, he remarked that the Macau SARs positive image has been widely accepted and endorsed by the Chinese and the world. Ieong also commented on the fifth Macau CE election. In a few months, the election of the fifth CE will be held. Based on the experience of previous elections, we are absolutely confident in this one, said Ieong. He criticized the fact that during some of the previous elections, the election committee was not created lawfully, which is a big violation of the constitution. This time, the loophole has been covered up, and I believe the new Chief Executive will lead Macau into a new era, said Ieong. House Democrats pressed the Justice Department to provide the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller even as Republicans gleefully called for them to move on from the Russia investigation . President Donald Trump accused those responsible for launching Muellers probe of treasonous things against our country and said they certainly will be looked into. Trump said the release of Muellers full report wouldnt bother me at all, and Democrats quickly put that statement to the test, demanding that his administration hand over the entire document and not just Sundays four-page summary from Attorney General William Barr. Six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote to Barr that his summary is not sufficient and asked to have Muellers full report by April 2. They also want to begin receiving the underlying evidence the same day. The information is urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution, they wrote, implying that the information would be subpoenaed if it is not turned over by the deadline. Barr said in his letter to Congress that Mueller did not find that Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election knocking down arguments from Democrats who have long claimed there was evidence of such collusion. But he also said Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out evidence on both sides of the question and stating that while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Absent a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in and decided there wasnt sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. Democrats said Barrs judgment is not the final word. All Im interested in is them releasing the full report, the full Mueller report, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Despite Muellers refusal to exonerate Trump, his spokesmen and leading congressional Republicans all claimed total vindication for the president. Questioned by reporters, Trump said he welcomed Muellers results but complained he had been abused by the investigation occurring at all and taking too long. We can never let this happen to another president again, he said. There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country. Those people will certainly be looked at. Ive been looking at them for a long time. And Im saying, why havent they been looked at? They lied to Congress. Many of them you know who they are. He didnt name names, but Trump has railed against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimizing his presidency. He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed Sen. John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI. The investigation began months before the FBI saw the dossier and the FBI already had a copy by the time McCain turned it in. Trump signaled yesterday that he also faults the media, tweeting that For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party! He said the The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE. On Monday, after a series of evening strategy meetings, Democrats vowed to continue their multiple investigations into Trump, perhaps with shifted focus. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who has become a focus of Republicans post-Mueller ire, said he is circumspect about how much more we will be able to find on issues that he thoroughly investigated, but said Muellers conclusion would not affect his own committees counterintelligence probes. There may be other corrupt meetings between the Trump campaign and the Russians, there may be other profound financial conflicts of interest that are not mentioned in the Mueller report, and there may be unanswered questions even within what he did examine, Schiff said. Democrats signaled that they will curtail some public focus, at least, from their investigations of Trump and try to keep attention on their policy goals. Pelosi was scheduled to hold a news conference yesterday on health care legislation, Democrats top campaign issue. Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a member of Democratic leadership, said he has been encouraging colleagues to talk about those policy issues like health care and infrastructure. We need to talk about the work we are doing on these really important economic issues that matter in peoples lives, Cicilline said. Were doing the work, but we need to be more effective about sharing that and not just responding to questions about corruption and Muellers investigation. Democrats seem less likely to engage in the impeachment talk that has been amplified on Pelosis left flank. Pelosi has tried to scuttle that talk by saying shes not for impeachment, for now. But Muellers report hasnt dissuaded some of Trumps fiercest critics among the new Democratic lawmakers who helped flip the House from Republican control. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is still planning to introduce her resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to investigate grounds for Trumps impeachment. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers called for Congress to move on. This is done with, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. It is time for the country to move forward. At the same time, however, Republicans followed Trumps lead in looking into how the investigation began. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham promised to unpack the other side of the story of the Russia investigation, including the actions of the Justice Department. The South Carolina Republican also had a warning for Trump, saying that if Trump used his pardon power to help those who were ensnared by Muellers investigation, it would not play well. Among those Mueller charged during the course of his investigation were the presidents former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering. Mary Clare Jalonick, Washington, AP An exhibition highlighting cooperation between Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for African industrial development has opened at the Vienna International Centre Monday. The exhibition showcases UNIDO and Japan cooperation on the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) first held in October 1993, and on the implementation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA 3), UNIDO said in a press release. A series of panels address the Government of Japans efforts on human security in relation to an array of UNIDO projects benefitting the most vulnerable groups by fostering human security and post-crisis rehabilitation. Others show the UNIDO-Japan multi-dimensional approach to a transition towards a sustainable energy future by fostering sustainable energy solutions and developing climate resilient industries for Africa. At the exhibitions opening ceremony, UNIDO Deputy Director General, Hiroshi Kuniyoshi, underlined the solid and trusted partnership between Japan and UNIDO to reduce poverty, and enhance inclusiveness while safeguarding the environment. Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Mitsuru Kitano, on his part expressed hope that this exhibition will spark discussions on the strengthening of Africas ownership and international partnership. Africas industrial development is our common goal, and common future, he said. Over the last five years, Japan has provided US$13m to fund 18 projects in various African countries in the field of human security and the humanitarian-development nexus. In the area of renewable energy, two important projects are being funded with US$25m. Last year, to reinforce the UNIDO Secretariats capacity to focus on Africa and IDDA3, Japan made a new contribution of US$1.1m, the press release said. Changes in the laws against sex-offenders in Georgia By Inga Kakulia According to the new law, the punishment for sexual harassment will become stricter. The update is a part of the undergoing improvement of the legislation within the Systematic Update of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.The main goal of the new law is to prevent such crimes at an early stage and to have the offenders on permanent control, even after they have served their time in jail.According to the update, the sexual harassment of a minor will now equal a life sentence. Meanwhile, the court retains the power to deprive the sexual offender of multiple rights. Including but not limited to working at educational and child care establishments or the right to be nearby them, as well as the right to live together with a minor.Within the update comes the database of all registered sex offenders.According to the 2018 national research of violence against women, discrimination and mistreatment of women still have strong roots within the community.According to the recent UN research, 20% of women said theyve experienced some sort of sexual harassment, while 2.7% of them, aged 15 to 64 said that they had experienced sexual harassment coming from someone other than their partner.The new law reinforces the general shift in the outlook of the society regarding this topic. The UN research showed that the number of people who consider that sexual harassment or domestic abuse should be solved within the family has reduced by half since 2009.While the new laws are definitely a step in the right direction, there is still a lot to be done about the actual execution and practice of the said laws. It is too early to tell whether or not the update will be successful.Its important to discuss the context of the change and look at some of the most prominent cases of sexual harassment in the recent Georgian history that prompted the government to apply such changes.One of the prominent cases is from 2016. 22-year-old Salome Zandukeli was raped and sought legal action immediately. Her story depicts the acts of pure indifference and disregards coming from everyone starting from the people around her all the way to the police workers. They failed to effectively respond to her complaints because of her looks.Unfortunately, women in Georgia rarely report a sexual assault due to the stigma that surrounds it. The unprofessional and prejudiced attitudes towards rape victims affect the likelihood of them reporting the case. It is a common belief within the Georgian community that its better to keep silent about these topics and experiences because they can cause great damage to ones reputation. These are the challenges women today face when trying to seek help and hold the offenders accountable for their actions.According to the Minister Deputy of Internal Affairs, Natia Mezvrishvili, the increase of reported cases points to the shift in the attitudes of the society towards the issue. More and more Teenagers, teachers, and psychologists report the cases, which is a good tendency said Mezvrishvili. It means that society has raised its awareness regarding the problem.The suggested database of registered sex offenders will make sure to monitor the behavior of convicts after they have served their time.The changes in the law and the attention to the situation came after the statistics were made public. The number of reported sexual harassment or violence cases has increased in the last year. While some attribute the increase to the lessened stigma or more willingness from the victims to speak up, others believe that the number of sexual assaults has increased in general. Even though, these claims arent backed by any substantial evidence. The fact is the number of reported rape/sexual harassment cases have gone from 56 in 2017 to 98 in 2018.Even as the opinions on rape and womanhood shift in society, there are still multiple challenges and barriers for women dealing with sexual harassment. Most importantly on the administrative level. People responsible for taking action against predators take the offenders side, refuse to listen to the victims and dont take all the necessary action to ensure the safety and justice for these women.Also, the issue of femicide is as relevant as ever. Womens rights activists are working hard to ensure that femicide (gender-based hate crime against women) is classified as a separate offense from homicide. In order to combat violence, there are various organizations dedicated to covering the cases of violence against women. One of the organizations is called Femicide and is financed by the European Union. The organization seeks to uncover and publish all the stories of these cases to raise awareness and highlight the hostile environment in Georgia.Another dimension of the said problem is sexual harassment in the workplace. One of the characteristics of a patriarchal society is that men with authority often tend to abuse their power to harass and force their female coworkers into engaging in sexual relations with them.The case that Tatia Samkharadze brought against a public figure Shalva Ramishvili in 2016, marked the first precedent in Georgian juridical history when the perpetrator was found guilty of workplace sexual harassment.This is an issue that isnt exclusive to Georgia, but some of the traditions and the religious background of the country contributes to the more prominent misogyny and disregard for womens rights.One of the recent developments in preventing violence against women is the added feature to the national emergency hotline. With the support of the UN Women and EU, the Emergency and Operative Response Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will now have a new section in their app directed towards domestic violence. It will help interested individuals to easily find information about different types of domestic violence. As well as what to do if they or someone they know are experiencing domestic violence. The app also provides extensive information about state services available for victims of violence: shelters, crisis centers, and a hotline.In 2018, there were 116 convicts guilty of sexual harassment against minors. In order to combat that, Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a program in February dedicated to the reintegration of victims of sexual harassment and rape into their community. The program provides psychological support for the victims and the witnesses of sexual abuse.The progress has been made on bureaucratic and juridical levels. But there is still a long way to go for Georgia. There are multiple foundations and organizations currently dedicating their time to raising awareness and encouraging young women to speak up and take control of their lives. Even though today, it is easier to get support in case of rape or sexual harassment, some women arent fortunate enough to be born into families and communities that will help them in this case. This is why the new update to the Emergency Center and all the work done by organizations aimed at protecting women is important. It has to be made sure that these changes dont just stay surface level but bring about actual change for women that have to deal with gender-based hostility on an everyday basis. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Exercise helps to prevent the degradation of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London. The researchers show for the first time how mechanical forces experienced by cells in joints during exercise prevent cartilage degradation by suppressing the action of inflammatory molecules which cause osteoarthritis. The study, published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, demonstrates the benefits of exercise on the tissues that form our joints and how this is down to tiny hair-like structures called primary cilia found on living cells. During exercise the cartilage in joints such as the hip and knee is squashed. This mechanical distortion is detected by the living cells in the cartilage which then block the action of inflammatory molecules associated with conditions such as arthritis. The researchers show that this anti-inflammatory effect of physical activity is caused by activation of a particular protein, called HDAC6, which triggers changes in the proteins that form primary cilia. Pharmaceutical drugs that blocked HDAC6 activation prevented the anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity, whilst other drug treatments were able to mimic the benefits of exercise. Changes in length of the primary cilia, which are only a few 1000th of a millimetre, provided a biomarker of the level of inflammation. Cilia got longer during inflammation, but treatments that prevented this elongation successfully prevented inflammation. Mr Su Fu, Ph.D. student at Queen Mary University of London and study author, said: "We have known for some time that healthy exercise is good for younow we know the process through which exercise prevents cartilage degradation." Professor Martin Knight, lead researcher of the study added: "These findings may also explain the anti-inflammatory effects of normal blood flow in arteries which is important for preventing arterial disease such as atherosclerosis and aneurism." The researchers hope that these findings will help in the search for treatments for arthritis which affects over three million people in the UK causing stiff and painful joints. The researchers suggest the results may lead to a whole new therapeutic approach known as mechano-medicine in which drugs simulate the effect of mechanical forces to prevent the damaging effects of inflammation and treat conditions such as arthritis. Explore further Common mental health drug could be used to treat arthritis More information: Su Fu (MD) et al, Mechanical loading inhibits cartilage inflammatory signalling via an HDAC6 and IFT-dependent mechanism regulating primary cilia elongation, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2019). Su Fu (MD) et al, Mechanical loading inhibits cartilage inflammatory signalling via an HDAC6 and IFT-dependent mechanism regulating primary cilia elongation,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2019.03.003 A young girl walks on the dirty water in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) The first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, Mozambican authorities announced on Wednesday, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions. The five cholera cases were confirmed in Munhava, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the hard-hit port city , the national director of medical assistance, Ussene Isse, told reporters. The city of some 500,000 people is still struggling to provide clean water and sanitation after Cyclone Idai roared in on March 14. "You know, cholera is an epidemic situation. When you have one case, you expect to have more cases in the community," Isse said. Cholera is a major concern for cyclone survivors now living in crowded camps, schools, churches and any land exposed by the still-draining flood waters. The disease is spread by contaminated food and water, causes acute diarrhea and can kill within hours if not treated with oral rehydration solution or intravenous fluids in severe cases. The World Health Organization has warned of a "second disaster" if waterborne diseases like cholera spread in the devastated region. On Tuesday it said 900,000 oral cholera vaccines were expected to arrive later this week. The cyclone has killed more than 460 people in Mozambique and left 1.8 million people in need of urgent help. President Filipe Nyusi last week estimated that 1,000 people had been killed. The toll could be higher as floodwaters drain away and reveal more bodies, some emergency responders have said. The actual number of dead may never be known. A woman carrying a baby on her back jumps as she tries to avoid stepping on the dirty water in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Health workers were opening clinics across Beira, the center of relief operations for the region. Some people in the city have resorted to drinking stagnant water by the side of the road, increasing the chances of diarrhea, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said. Other people are drinking from contaminated wells. The aid group said it has seen hundreds of cases of acute watery diarrhea in the past few days. A man sleeps under a tree on the beach in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) "The scale of extreme damage will likely lead to a dramatic increase of waterborne diseases, skin infections, respiratory tract infections and malaria in the coming days and weeks," said Gert Verdonck, the group's emergency coordinator in Beira. Hurried efforts continued to restore running water to Beira. The United Nations children's agency said parts of the city's water supply system were working again, with "water running in 60 percent of the pipes." The government also was operating water trucks. Relief operations continued to explore ways to deliver aid to the city that remains largely reachable only by air and sea. More challenging was reaching rural communities, some of them still without contact with the outside world. Children play on a tree that fell when Cyclone Idai struck in Beira, Mozambique,Wednesday, March, 27, 2019. Mozambiquan authorities say the first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone ravaged city of Beira, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) More humanitarian actors arrived as the United Nations urges the international community to fund a $282 million emergency appeal for the next three months. The U.N. refugee agency announced that its first aid flight had landed in the capital, Maputo, with plans to immediately transport the tents, mosquito nets and other items to Beira. Two other flights are planned for Zimbabwe and Malawi this week. The death toll in Mozambique is now at least 468, with 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 dead in Malawi. A child fetches dirty water from a channel in Beira, Mozambique,Wednesday, March, 27, 2019. Mozambiquan authorities say the first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone ravaged city of Beira, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) A health worker inspects a babys' feet before entering a cholera treatment center in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March, 27, 2019. Mozambiquan authorities say the first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone ravaged city of Beira, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) A young man play soccer on the beach in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) School books hang on a clothes line to dry after getting wet from the cyclone, in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Health workers spray peoples' feet before entering a cholera treatment center in Beira, Mozambique,Wednesday, March, 27, 2019. Mozambiquan authorities say the first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone ravaged city of Beira, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) A cargo plane takes off after offloading aid at the airport in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A young boy wearing a mask with his friend pushes a wheel attached to a stick in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A young boy wearing a mask pushes a wheel in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A young girl hangs clothes on a clothes line under dirty water in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Young men play soccer at the beach in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Young boys pushes their wheels in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Workers restores a damaged roof in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A man restores a damaged roof in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A young girl stands against the wall in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A man tries to avoid stepping in the dirty water as he passes a damaged house in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A man constructs a roof as he rebuilds his house in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Young men play soccer on the beach in Beira, Mozambique, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces a "second disaster" from cholera and other diseases, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday, while relief operations pressed into rural areas where an unknown number of people remain without aid more than 10 days after the storm. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Explore further Up to 500,000 displaced by southern Africa cyclone 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A coronal section of cerebral cortex in the rTg4510 transgenic mouse showing mutant tau (red), sumolyated cells (green), and the nuclear stain Hoechst (b). Credit: Gabriel Luna and Israel Hernandez, Kosik Lab, Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara In a great stride toward finding an effective treatment for early-stage neurodegenerative diseases, UC Santa Barbara neurobiologist Kenneth S. Kosik and collaborators have uncovered a "druggable" mechanism of pathological tau protein aggregation. For the millions of people at risk for frontotemporal dementia and a host of other such conditions including Alzheimer's, this could signal a shift toward significant management of symptoms or outright prevention of some of our most devastating diseases. "We're super excited about this," said Kosik, the UCSB Harriman Professor of Neuroscience and co-director of the campus's Neuroscience Research Institute. While there is much more work to be done, promising evidence for this treatable mechanism is mounting and the stage is set for future investigations. In the wake of the recent halting of clinical trials for Aducanumab, a drug that once looked to be a promising Alzheimer's treatment, this development signals a ray of hope. The team's paper, "A Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitor that Targets Rhes Reduces Tau Pathology in Mice with Tauopathy," is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Tau, a protein found primarily in neurons, is typically a somewhat innocuous, very soluble protein that stabilizes microtubules in the axonthe part of the neuron that conducts signal to other neurons. "People think of it as the ties on railroad tracks holding the microtubule tracks together," Kosik said. However, when soluble, stable tau misfoldssometimes the result of a mutation of the gene that expresses itthe resulting protein becomes insoluble and tangled, gumming up the works inside the neuron as a neurofibrillary tangle. In one of several neurodegenerative diseases caused by tau, frontotemporal dementia, the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are impaired, resulting in problems with emotion, behavior and decision-making. "Patients do not initially show very many, if any memory problems in this condition," Kosik said. "They tend to show more psychiatric problems, often with impulsive personalities in which they show inappropriate behaviors." Other forms in this group of conditions affect language and motor skills. By taking skin cell samples from a few individuals who harbor tau mutations and converting them in vitro into stem cells, and then into neurons, the researchers found that three genes were consistently disregulated in those with tau mutations, one of which was of particular interest: RASD2a gene expressed primarily in the brain that belongs in a family that catalyzes energy-producing molecules (GTPases) and which has been studied extensively. Tau neuron illustration. Credit: Kenneth S. Kosik "People had already talked about this gene as possibly involved in Huntington's disease, which is another neurodegenerative disease," Kosik said. RASD2 and its more famous cousin RAS (studied heavily in cancer research) are considered "druggable," Kosik explained. "There are drugs or potential drugs or small molecules that are out there that could affect the levels of this gene," he said. From failed cancer drug to potential dementia treatment If you're a neuroscientist interested in tau mutations and cures for the conditions they create, you know you're in for a long game. The nature of these diseasesgenetic and neurologicalmeans that advanced studies must be highly controlled and are often extremely difficult and expensive to come by and any drugs developed must be both effective and relatively nontoxic. Such has been the case for Kosik and the paper's lead author, postdoctoral researcher Israel Hernandez, who have for years been studying tau tangles and the protein coding genes that could contribute to or counteract tau misfolding. Kosik, Hernandez and their colleagues' combination of expertise and curiosity led them to examine a GTPase called Rhes, which is encoded by the gene RASD2 and has been shown to play a role in the development of Huntington's disease. However, it wasn't Rhes's catalytic activity that piqued their interest. "We quickly realized the obvious function of the Rhes proteinits enzyme activitywas not critical to what we were looking for," Kosik said. "What we ended up focusing on was the fact that this protein and all members of its family are attached to the cell membrane in a very interesting way," he continued. Like its cousins in the Ras superfamily, Rhes is a signaling protein that does its work on the cell surface, where, Kosik explained, it is attached to the inner membrane by a small carbon chaina farnesyl groupthrough a process called farnesylation. A coronal section mosaic showing the lateral hippocampus and cortex in the rTg4510 transgenic mouse. Here, mutant tau is showing using anti-PHF1 labeling (red) and anti-rhes labeling (green). Credit: Gabriel Luna and Israel Hernandez, Kosik Lab, Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara "There's an enzyme called farnesyl transferase that takes this protein, Rhes, and attaches it to the membrane, and we decided to focus on that reaction," Kosik said. "It was a bit of a jump to go in the direction." This attachment has been the target of a couple decades and millions of dollars of cancer research under the assumption that if the Ras protein connection to the cell membrane could be interrupted, so would the signals that cause unregulated growth of tumor cells and other cancer behaviors. "It turns out the drugs in this category, called farnesyltransferase inhibitors, have been tested in humans. They're safe," Kosik said. "But, they did not work in cancer." In mice models with frontotemporal dementia, however, it seems they do. And the results are dramatic. Using the drug Lonafarnib, the researchers treated mice who at 10 weeks were erraticrunning around in circles or completely apatheticand by 20 weeks they were sniffing around their cage or nest building and doing other normal mouse behaviors. Scans revealed the arrest of brain tissue deterioration and inflammation. Most dramatic: The once-insoluble neurofibrillary tangles were greatly reduced, and in some areas including the hippocampusthe memory part of the brainwere nearly completely gone. "The drug is very interesting," Kosik said, "It seems to have a selective effect on only the forms of tau that are predisposed to forming the neurofibrillary tangles." To prove the drug was targeting the farnsylated Rhes protein, the scientists introduced into the brains of other mouse models an inhibitory RNA gene that specifically suppresses the production of Rhes. And the results completely replicated the effects of the drug. "This makes us begin to think that although indeed the drug is a general farnesyl transferase inhibitor, one way it's actually working is by specifically targeting the farnesylation of Rhes," Kosik said. "And, fortunately, the other farnesyl inhibitions that it's also doing are not toxic." Treatment with lonafarnib prevented behavioral abnormalities such as obsessive circling in mouse models of frontotemporal dementia (rTg4510). Credit: I. Hernandez et al., Science Translational Medicine (2019) On the cusp The publication of this paper represents a milestone in the researchers' years-long effort to gain ground on the uphill battle that is tauopathic neurodegeneration. As if grueling research wasn't enough, along the way they have had to search the globe to get the sign-off from a team member who was literally heading uphillat Mt. Everest. Hernandez, meanwhile, celebrated the birth of his first child on the day the paper was accepted. But the race isn't over yet. Now the stage is set for human trials, with a few volunteers at risk for the disease. And perhaps further down the road, the team is considering a population with frontotemporal dementia in Colombia where Kosik has conducted similar studies in Alzheimer's disease. "We wouldn't even necessarily do an efficacy study right away," Kosik said. "We have to just first show that the drug is getting into the human brain and affecting the target." But even that early stage may be in limbo, as the makers of Lonafarnib, currently in trials for the drug as a treatment for progeria, are reluctant to involve their product in new trials before they get their approvals. Kosik and his team are pondering their options as they contemplate a potential long-awaited solution to a group of heartbreakingand wallet-drainingneurodegenerative diseases. "It's a big challenge," Kosik said. "I'm working on that." Explore further Scientists make headway in understanding Alzheimer's disease More information: I. Hernandez el al., "A farnesyltransferase inhibitor activates lysosomes and reduces tau pathology in mice with tauopathy," Science Translational Medicine (2019). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine I. Hernandez el al., "A farnesyltransferase inhibitor activates lysosomes and reduces tau pathology in mice with tauopathy,"(2019). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aat3005 (HealthDay)Women with dense breasts who get mammograms must be told of their higher risk for breast cancer under new rules proposed Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA would also tighten its regulation of mammogram facilities, giving the agency the power to notify patients if problems are found at a center so that repeat mammograms can be done at another certified center. "The steps we are announcing today are intended to modernize breast cancer screening and help empower patients with more information when they are considering important decisions regarding their breast health care," FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said during a Wednesday morning media briefing. Not only is dense breast tissue a risk factor for breast cancer, but mammograms can be difficult to interpret because dense tissue can obscure signs of breast cancer, Dr. Amy Abernethy, principal deputy commissioner at the FDA, explained during the briefing. "For women with dense breasts, they should talk with their health care provider about their high breast density and how it relates to breast cancer risk and their individual situation," Abernethy said. "Given that more than half of women over the age of 40 in the United States have dense breasts, helping to ensure patient access to information about the impact that breast density and other factors can have on the risk for developing breast cancer is an important part of a comprehensive breast health strategy." However, one breast cancer expert noted that many women are already being informed about their breast density. "The FDA's proposed amendment is in keeping with the 37 states and District of Columbia, which currently require that patients be informed about breast density," said Dr. Laurie Margolies, section chief of breast imaging at Mount Sinai Health System, in New York City. "Mammography has been proven to save lives," Margolies added. "Supplemental screening finds additional cancers in women with negative mammograms. Hopefully, the FDA regulations will mandate [insurance company] payment for supplemental screening so those women who want the extra screening can avail themselves of it." Another breast cancer expert welcomed the proposed rules. "Mammography is regulated by the federal government as it should be, and the fact that new guidelines and standards are being asked for is a very good thing in my opinion. It is probably overdue," said Dr. Alice Police, Westchester regional director of breast surgery at Northwell Health Cancer Institute, in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. "Improvements in technology have made mammography better, and no patient should be stuck with inferior equipment or techniques," Police said. The new rules mark the first time in more than 20 years that the FDA has proposed changes to key regulations for mammography facilities. Another proposed rule meant to provide more information to health care providers would add three additional categories for the assessments of mammograms, including one called "known biopsy proven malignancy," which would alert health care providers about cases where cancer being evaluated by mammogram for treatment is already known and identified. Under the proposed changes, patients and health care providers would also be given more detailed information about the mammography facility they use, the FDA said. Proposed changes meant to update mammography quality standards and better enable the FDA to enforce regulations and take action against violators include giving the agency the power to "directly notify patients and their health care professionals, should facilities be unwilling or unable to do so, that mammography at a facility did not meet quality standards and that reevaluation or repeat of the mammogram at another certified facility may be needed." The proposed changes are available online at www.regulations.gov for public comment for 90 days after publication. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in American women and the second leading cause of death. About 12.4 percent of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. It said that in 2018, more than 260,000 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,920 women died of the disease. More information: The U.S. Office on Women's Health has more about The U.S. Office on Women's Health has more about mammography Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Minerva (in green) regulates how T-antigen (in yellow) is added to macrophages (in pink) in fruit flies. Credit: Daria Siekhaus Cancers that display a specific combination of sugars called T-antigens are more likely to spread through the body and kill a patient. However, scientists do not understand what regulates the appearance of T-antigen in cancer cells, the set of proteins modified with T-antigen, and the roles the T-antigen and the modified proteins play during metastasis. A new study by Daria Siekhaus and her group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), including first authors Katarina Valoskova and Julia Biebl, has identified a new gene in the fruit fly Drosophila that is required for regulating the addition of T-antigen onto a subset of proteins in immune cells. As the gene mutation causes immune cells to adhere in the fly's head, the team called the new gene Minerva, after the Roman goddess of wisdom who burst from her father Jupiter's head. The study, published today in eLife, is a first step toward understanding new ways in which sugar modifications may be involved in metastasis. The fruit fly as an engine for discovery Cancer cells metastasize by leaving their initial tumor site and squeezing between other cells to enter blood vessels, which they use as highways to zoom through the body. The metastasizing cells again squeeze between other cells to leave the blood vessels and enter tissues to form metastases. T-antigen, a combination of specific sugars, is detected on proteins on metastasizing human cancer cells, but is not normally found in most adult tissues. As immune cells in the fly, called macrophages, also carry T-antigens and squeeze through other cells to enter tissues, Daria Siekhaus and her group decided to use the fly and its immune cells as a model to study how the appearance of T-antigen on proteins is regulated and which proteins are affected by this. "The fruit fly is the best place to identify new pathways, as it is fast to do complex genetic experiments in the fly. Here again, we used the fly as an initial discovery engine for a problem that is also pertinent to us humans," Daria Siekhaus explains. Initially, the team cast a wide net to identify potential genes. "We looked through the gene database for flies to find a gene that is active at the right time and in the right place: a gene that is active in macrophages when T-antigen is added, and that works in the Golgi apparatus, where sugars like the T-antigen are added to proteins before they get transported to the cell surface." Once the group had found such a candidate gene, known then only by the placeholder "CG8602," they tested its role in the appearance of the T-antigen. When CG8602 is mutated, the researchers found that the level of T-antigen on the macrophages is reduced. The macrophages also do not, as they usually do, exit the head region of the fly embryo and enter other tissues. In keeping with the traditions of the Drosophila field in which genes are named in some evocative way that refers to the changes seen when the gene is mutated, the group called the gene "Minerva," after the Roman goddess of wisdom. According to Ancient Roman myths, Minerva's pregnant mother turned into a fly and was swallowed by her father Jupiter. After her birth, Minerva was initially trapped in Jupiter's head until she burst out in full battle armor. Vertebrate orthologs relevant for cancer The researchers investigated which proteins Minerva affects T-antigen on. By collaborating with Sergey Vakhrushev and Henrik Clausen at the University of Copenhagen, the group had access to a mass-spectrometry technique that let them find which proteins carry the T-antigen sugars when Minerva is present but show reduced levels when Minerva is mutated. They thus identified a set of proteins which need Minerva to display T-antigen. The large majority of the proteins identified that have a version in vertebrates, a so-called ortholog, are involved in cancer. "Nine of the proteins we found have an ortholog in humans, six of these are linked to cancer in some way. This is intriguing!", Siekhaus says. When the scientists put back the vertebrate ortholog of Minerva, MFSD1, into flies that did not have Minerva anymore, the otherwise stuck macrophages left the head and showed restored levels of T-antigen. This suggests an exciting possibility, Siekhaus adds: "This argues that the function of Minerva is maintained in vertebrates, and that the ortholog of Minerva in vertebrates, MFSD1, could be involved in regulating sugars and metastasis. We are now looking at vertebrate cancer models to see whether and how MFSD1 regulates the migration and invasion of cancer cells." Explore further New methods for understanding the immune system and how to boost it More information: Katarina Valoskova et al. A conserved major facilitator superfamily member orchestrates a subset of O-glycosylation to aid macrophage tissue invasion, eLife (2019). Journal information: eLife Katarina Valoskova et al. A conserved major facilitator superfamily member orchestrates a subset of O-glycosylation to aid macrophage tissue invasion,(2019). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.41801 Machakos governor Alfred Mutua has joined in on the never-ending debate on corruption, Speaking on Monday, Mutua stated that most politicians are spending their time politicking and stealing, saying this is the reason Kenyans are dying of hunger and why there is little money in circulation. He pointed a finger at those with a tendency of claiming that their tribes are being targeted during this war on corruption. Mutua further urged the president to get serious in this war, and to start giving names instead of using figurative speeches. He was referring to Uhurus latest speech on the topic in Namibia, where he said that he would not spare his brother, friend or closest political ally. The governor was speaking during a drought mitigation exercise in his county. Together with MCA for Mumbuni North, Hon. Paul Museku, and his Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Urbanus Musyoka, Mutua distributed free seeds to farmers at Ivumbuni village. The seed distribution project is part of his agricultural program for food security, with the ultimate goal of getting Machakos out of the list of counties that rely on donor food aid every drought season. The governor revealed that his government has made other interventions, including providing subsidized fertilizers, tilling tractors for every ward, sinking and equipping boreholes, providing quality extension services to the farmers, distribution of day old chicks and a green house program. Over 40 tonnes of green grams and beans will be distributed across the 8 sub counties, targeting the less privileged. Medicinal cannabis for the Tourette syndrome trial. Credit: University of Sydney A pioneering clinical trial investigating medicinal cannabis as a potential treatment for people living with Tourette syndrome will be conducted by Wesley Medical Research, with the cannabis supply facilitated by Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney. The trial is the first of its kind in Australia and will take place at Wesley Medical Research in Brisbane led by Chief Investigator and neuropsychiatrist Dr. Philip Mosley. Participants will complete two periods of treatment with either a medicinal cannabis drug or a placebo, with both investigators and participants unaware of treatment status until the end of the trial. "There is already early evidence to support the successful treatment of Tourette syndrome with cannabinoids," said Professor Iain McGregor, Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative. "This clinical trial could have a major impact and greatly improve the lives of those living with Tourette syndrome." "Given the public interest in therapeutic use of cannabis, it's important to conduct rigorous and methodologically-sound research," Dr. Mosley said. "The purpose of this clinical trial is to investigate whether medicinal cannabis is a potential therapy for people with Tourette syndrome." About Tourette syndrome Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that develops in childhood and is characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations (known as tics), which may be painful, embarrassing and functionally impairing. There is currently no known cure for Tourette syndrome. Treatment aims to help control tics that inhibit everyday functioning, however current medication has been known to produce negative side effects such as weight gain, sleepiness and depression. Living with Tourette syndrome Chris Wright is the first participant in the trial. Chris developed Tourette syndrome in childhood and despite medication, his condition has persisted. Some people with Tourette syndrome experience side-effects to existing therapies including fatigue and weight gain. At 31, Chris is working full-time in a customer service position in Brisbane and spends his day trying to regulate his tics. "Any reprieve would be very welcome. It is getting to the point where I don't know what to do, it feels as though it all gets too much sometimes," said Chris. Participants in the clinical trial at Wesley Medical Research will complete two six-week "crossover" periods of treatment with active drug or placebo, with both participants and investigators unaware of treatment status until the trial is complete. "Tourette syndrome has really been a blow to my confidence ... my life in general, I often spend my days off sleeping and recovering just to do it all again," Chris said. The trial drugs Medicinal cannabis, developed to pharmaceutical standards, contains a mixture of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) two active ingredients derived from the cannabis plant. In collaboration with the Lambert Initiative, Bod Australia Limited will be supplying the pharmaceutical grade cannabis extract to be used in the trial. The trial will examine the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids on tic frequency as well as the psychiatric and cognitive symptoms associated with Tourette syndrome. "Our focus is to give people like Chris these opportunities to improve their quality of life. We offer hope and answers through medical research. We are fortunate to have dedicated frontline clinicians like Dr. Mosley leading this important work and donors who continue to support this valuable work," said Dr. Jennifer Schafer, Senior Clinical Trials Manager. Explore further Researchers find clue to cause of tics in Tourette syndrome Credit: Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) led by Dr. Montse Olive have described in Nature Communications a new muscular disease caused by a mutation in the myoglobin gene. The study was led by Prof. Nigel Laing and researchers from the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden). Myoglobin, the protein that gives muscles their red colour, has as its main function the transportation and intracellular storage of oxygen, acting as an oxygen reservoir when there are low levels (hypoxia) or a total lack thereof (anoxia). It also acts as scavenger of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species, avoiding cell damage due to oxidative stress. "This is the first time that a disease caused by a mutation in the myoglobin gene has been identified," says Montse Olive, doctor at the Bellvitge University Hospital, responsible for the muscular disease area and researcher of the Human Molecular Genetics group of the Genes, Disease and Therapy at IDIBELL. "We have identified the same mutation in several members of 6 unrelated European families, all of whom had the same symptoms and showed very characteristic lesionscalled sarcoplasmic bodiesin muscle biopsies." Myoglobinopathy, the name that has been proposed for the new disease, manifests between the fourth and fifth decade of life. It causes a progressive weakness of the axial and limb muscles, and in more advanced stages, affects the respiratory musculature and the heart. The infrared microscopy of the MIRAS beamline at the synchrotron, which is able to characterize the chemical composition and structure of proteins, allowed the researchers to demonstrate the presence of oxidized lipids in the damaged muscle cells. "We have observed that sarcoplasmic bodies correspond to oxidized lipids and misfolded proteins," says Nuria Benseny, a postdoctoral researcher at the ALBA synchrotron. Finally, researchers from the universities of Modena and Vienna identified an alteration in the biochemical and thermodynamic properties of the mutated myoglobin, including an alteration in the oxygen-binding capacity that contributes to the formation of the lipid and protein aggregates that are found in the muscles of the patients. This discovery has allowed the diagnosis for some patients after many years, and will allow researchers to focus on finding a cure for this disease. Explore further Discovery points to innovative new way to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy More information: Montse Olive et al. Myoglobinopathy is an adult-onset autosomal dominant myopathy with characteristic sarcoplasmic inclusions, Nature Communications (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09111-2 , Journal information: Nature Communications Montse Olive et al. Myoglobinopathy is an adult-onset autosomal dominant myopathy with characteristic sarcoplasmic inclusions,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09111-2 , www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09111-2 There is insufficient evidence to underpin the use of tumour markers to detect the recurrence of testicular cancer in patients who have undergone surgery for an initial tumour, finds research from Oxford University published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology. The incidence of testicular cancer is increasing, with 7 in 100,000 men diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK, most of whom are aged under 35. While testicular cancer is highly curable with over 98% of men living for more than 10 years, the number of relatively young survivors means that ongoing surveillance for recurrent disease is particularly important. To assess the performance of biomarkers in diagnostic tests for testicular tumours, researchers funded by the NIHR Community Healthcare MedTech and IVD Cooperative systematically reviewed data from more than 1200 patients collected by nine different research studies. These studies assessed three biomarkers blood -fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) that are currently cited in European guidelines for surveillance for testicular cancer recurrence. The results of the included studies were mixed. While two of the markers (AFP and HCG) showed some diagnostic potential, many recurrent tumours would be missed using these markers alone. The study highlights the importance of using diagnostic strategies that also incorporate clinical examination and imaging, rather than over-relying on biomarker results. Lead author, Dr. Brian Nicholson, a clinical researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, said: "There's a lot of debate about how to make sure patients are followed up safely after a treatment for cancer to make sure that cancer is detected as soon as possible if it comes back. Important questions include what tests to do, how often they should be taken, and importantly for us whether they could safely be done in general practice. "What this review tells us is that there is great uncertainty over the current best use of blood tests when following up patients who have survived testicular cancer, so it would be difficult to give GPs clear guidance. There are many patients being followed up right now in the UK and abroad we should find smart ways to combine their data to inform best practice." Dr. Thomas Fanshawe, a senior medical statistician at the University of Oxford, said: "This review demonstrates how difficult it can be to perform rigorous evaluations of diagnostic biomarkers. Although not intended as a replacement for clinical experience, our results suggest there is more work to be done to decide how tumour markers can be best used in surveillance strategies for detecting recurrent disease." Many of the studies included in the review were small, and some studies concentrated on just one tumour type, which makes the results difficult to generalise. The researchers report that there is little evidence to support the threshold values currently used to signify whether a biomarker is elevated above the normal range. For these reasons, the review authors assessed the quality of several of the studies as low. Explore further Testicular cancer a bigger threat to young men More information: Nicholson BD, Jones NR, Protheroe A, Joseph J, Roberts NW, Van den Bruel A, Fanshawe TR. The diagnostic performance of current tumor markers in surveillance for recurrent testicular cancer: a diagnostic test accuracy systematic review. Cancer Epidemiology 2019; 59: 15-21. Nicholson BD, Jones NR, Protheroe A, Joseph J, Roberts NW, Van den Bruel A, Fanshawe TR. The diagnostic performance of current tumor markers in surveillance for recurrent testicular cancer: a diagnostic test accuracy systematic review.2019; 59: 15-21. www.sciencedirect.com/science/ ii/S1877782118301346 Research from the WVU Headache Center highlights the scarcity of specialized care that some people with migraine face. Rural populations are at a particular disadvantage. West Virginia has just half of the neurologists it needs--and even fewer headache specialists. Credit: WVU West Virginia is short on neurologists. According to David Watson, who directs the West Virginia University Headache Center, the state has just half of the neurologists it needs. This scarcity can cause problems for people with migraine whose primary physicians aren't trained or equipped to treator even diagnosetheir more complicated cases. A recent study Watson conducted with Umer Najib, the director of WVU's Headache Medicine Fellowship Program, and Melissa Moore, a neurology resident in the WVU School of Medicine, explored how the healthcare system underserves people with migraine in rural areas. Their findingspublished in the February issue of Current Pain and Headache Reportsimplicate a lack of practicing headache specialists. Just how severe is the shortage? "Migraine affects 12 percent of the population," said Watson, who also chairs the Department of Neurology. "In West Virginia, that's around 200,000 people. Of that 200,000, about 20,000 have chronic migraine, and that is the group of people we're trying to get in for specialty careas well as people who have difficult-to-manage episodic migraine. There's no way that 20,000 people can all be seen by a neurologist, much less the few certified headache specialists in the state." In fact, the shortage of headache specialists is a nationwide problem. Watson and his collaborators found that for every physician that the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties has certified in headache medicine, there are 8,000 people with migraine. Geography alone can make seeking care especially difficult for rural people with migraine. When Watson and his team considered all patients seen in the WVU Headache Center over a month, they discovered the average patient traveled 70 miles, one way, to get there. The most far-flung patient in their sample traveled 235 miles. That's a four-hour drive. "Someone from, say, New York City is a subway ride away from a neurologist or headache specialist," Watson said, "whereas people in the southern coalfields of West Virginia have a long way to get to a neurologist at alland certainly to headache specialty care." The researchers learned that migraine's economic impact tends to be compounded in low-income areas. That's pertinent to rural counties, where poverty proliferates. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, 85 percent of the "persistently poor" counties in the United States are nonmetro. A review of the scientific literature showed Watson and his colleagues that migraine was most prevalent in households with an annual income of less than $35,000. They also found that people younger than 65 were more likely to have migraines if they were on Medicaid (26 percent) or had no insurance (17 percent) than if they had private insurance (15 percent). Although people in poverty are at a higher risk of migraine, they may have a harder time affording the migraine treatment they need. "It's not infrequent that patients tell me they struggle to come see us because of the gas mileage. Or, they don't drive, so they have to get a friend to bring them," Watson said. He's working to reduce the distanceand the related travel expensethat people with migraine in West Virginia face when they seek specialized care. "We used to do a really good job of training neurologists in West Virginia who then stayed in West Virginia. We have not been as good at that over the past 10 or 20 years, and a lot of the neurologists that we trained in West Virginia are getting close to retirement age," Watson said. "One of my goals as chair of the department is to reverse thatto start finding ways to keep more of our people and get them to go into some of the smaller towns that need a neurologist." An avenue he is pursuing is broadening the WVU Department of Family Medicine's Rural Scholars Program to encompass neurology. The programwhich already comprises pediatrics and internal medicinemakes it possible for medical residents to do rotations in rural West Virginia. He's also considering expanding the Department of Neurology's residency program to include rotations at satellite clinics across the state. "I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and I had a really nice life growing up there," he said. "I think some people might decide that would be the kind of life they want, but they've got to get exposure to it first." On a larger scale, Watson is in the "very early stages" of working with the U.S. legislature to help immigrant neurologists find positions in West Virginia. "We have this shortage of physicians in neurology, and it's not like we're preventing U.S. citizens from taking these jobs," he said. "There are a significant number of international medical grads who come here to do their neurology residency, and then their choice is either to find a position that will grant them a waiver to their visa requirements or to go back home for two years." Like all other states, West Virginia is allotted 30 visa waivers, but they're divided among all of the hospitals in the state and all of the specialties, which leaves few for neurologistsand even fewer for headache specialists. "Thirty's just not near enough to solve the problem," Watson said. "The reality is, yes, it would be great to put a neurologist in every small town, but every small town probably can't support a neurologist. But if you have a neurologist in every third or fourth small town, that would be helpful." So would more neurologists who practiced in Morgantown but diagnosed and treated rural patients through telemedicine or satellite clinics. "My goal," Watson said, "is that no one with migraine would ever have to leave the state for care." Explore further IHC: united states has shortage of headache specialists More information: Umer Najib et al, Unique Considerations for Special Populations in Episodic Migraine: the Underserved, Current Pain and Headache Reports (2019). Umer Najib et al, Unique Considerations for Special Populations in Episodic Migraine: the Underserved,(2019). DOI: 10.1007/s11916-019-0749-1 Smart wrist-worn device created at KTU BEI is compact and non-invasive technology to monitor the health of heart. Credit: Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) Although smart wristbands are popular fashion gadgets for monitoring heart rate and physical activity, they are usually not sophisticated enough to provide specific and accurate information about potential health problems of the wearer. Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania researchers are developing a smart wrist-worn device for monitoring of atrial fibrillation a condition, which if left untreated can lead to serious health complications and even death. According to the data provided by the US government, atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. Approximately 9 percent of people aged 65 years or older have atrial fibrillation; it is estimated that due to the rapidly aging society, the prevalence of the disease in the global population will increase 3-fold in the next 30 years. At the beginning of arrhythmia development, the episodes are usually short and self-terminating thus may remain unnoticed. If untreated, atrial fibrillation can contribute to the development of serious complications, such as brain stroke. "Atrial fibrillation can often develop after a heart attack, thus these patients need certain medical care and attention to prevent from serious health complications. However, after leaving the hospital their health check-ups are only episodic. Non-invasive, compact wearable devices, which are providing continuous monitoring is an attractive solution for monitoring the health status of such high-risk groups," says Vaidotas Marozas, the Director of KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute (BEI). The team of KTU BEI researchers, led by Dr. Marozas is developing a multisensory system, i.e. the wrist-worn device for atrial fibrillation monitoring. Two types of modalities are being used in the device photoplethysmographic (PPG) for continuous monitoring and electrocardiographic (ECG) for the acquisition of a control signal. When the PPG sensor registers the heart activity akin to atrial fibrillation, the device vibrates mildly, asking the patient to touch the device with the other hand in order to register a short ECG signal. The quality of vital signals acquired in real life is worse than those recorded under clinical conditions. Therefore, continuous monitoring or the remote observation of patients is only made possible through high-quality data. According to Dr. Marozas, one of the main challenges in the development of the wearable monitoring systems is advanced signal processing solutions which would separate useful information from the "noise" i.e. motion artefacts and other types of arrhythmia. The biomedical engineers of KTU are working together with the international team of physicians and health scientists from Kaunas University of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Lund University, and industrial designers from Vilnius Academy of Arts. "We are focusing on developing technologies, which are needed for the public and contemporary medicine. For example, due to the prevalence of this condition, every person older than 65 should be checked for atrial fibrillation. However, relying on the short-term clinical ECG, the arrhythmia can be detected only if the condition is chronic. What if the episodes are occurring only occasionally? Then our technology is very useful," explains Dr. Marozas. He assures that despite complicated technology and sophisticated algorithms the smart wrist-worn device is very easy to use. It is aimed at seniors people, who are especially self-conscious when using technologies and smart devices. At the moment, the team is working on adding additional functions to the technology, such as implementing the algorithm of monitoring the heart's response to physical load. Slow heart's adaptation to physical load is related to increased mortality rate and risk of cardiovascular disease, therefore monitoring of this parameter could be valuable for people of all ages. Explore further Gene therapy with implanted LED device automatically corrects heart rhythm disorder Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, speaks on the Senate floor during the 2017 session. FLORIDA SENATE Senate Democrats have unanimously decided to take a caucus position against SB 168, a bill by Sarasota Republican Sen. Joe Gruters to address so-called sanctuary cities. The decision was announced after an emergency meeting during Wednesdays floor session, according to a press release from the Florida Senate Democratic Office. The legislation, which has moved through committees with split votes along party lines, creates rules relating to federal immigration enforcement by prohibiting sanctuary policies and requiring state and local law enforcement to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill also would give whistleblower status to officers who report undocumented immigrants detained in local jails on unrelated charges. Under this bill, local law enforcement would be required to honor federal law enforcements request for an immigration detainer, meaning a request that another law enforcement agency detain a person based on probable cause to believe that the person is a removable alien under federal immigration law. The bill would essentially make the request a requirement. We opposed this bill at its first hearing. And we will continue to oppose this bill as it moves through the process, said Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville. The vote of the Caucus signals our unwavering commitment to the protection of immigrants in this state, and a repudiation of the scapegoating of immigrants in this country. Sen. Annette Taddeo said she and fellow Miami Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez pushed for a caucus position, something she doesnt take lightly. Wed rather each Senator vote, but Im heartened by the fact that it was unanimous, she said. Taking a caucus position is not something we do often, and we do not take it lightly. Were united on this issue. Activists and leaders across the state have spoken out against the bill both at the Capitol and in their communities. Speaking on Spanish-language radio station Actualidad Radio 1040 AM, Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told interviewers he would rather be thrown out of the police department than forced to comply with the proposed law. He said he didnt think he could sleep at night if he had to spend time addressing a victims immigration status. The truth is Id prefer not to have this job if I have to ask fellow officers to go check where someone came from before helping them, he said. Kara Gross, the ACLUs Florida legislative counsel, said last week that the bill will disproportionately affect people who are not dangerous because those who are detained in jail not prison have not yet been convicted of a crime. The bill also applies to people who are being released from jail, meaning they are likely not considered dangerous enough to be held without bail. There are lots of reasons people, and often disproportionately people of color and immigrants or perceived immigrants, end up in jail for non-violent minor offenses, Gross said. Driving without a license, driving with a suspended license, underage drinking, graffiti, possession of small amounts of marijuana they havent been convicted of anything at all, let alone a violent offense. The bill has been referred to the Rules committee for its last stop before the floor, but has not yet been put on the committee's agenda. Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. A Community Newsblog written by Community Members Middletown's a big place, with a lot going on. We need your help to keep your neighbors informed. Come write or just give us a tip on your news, sports, arts, politics or events at - middletowneye@gmail.com Help us to make the Middletown Eye the third eye people open every morning! " " Most online businesses do have lower startup costs, but it can depend on the kind of business you're starting. Big Cheese Photo/ThinkStock Most people assume that online businesses have lower startup costs, but is this really true? Often, yes but it depends on the kind of business you're starting. An artist with an Etsy shop should have lower startup costs than a jeweler looking to open a boutique at the local mall. On the other hand, a guy who wants to open a physical watch repair shop might have lower startup costs than an online entrepreneur trying to launch the world's next great technology. The Wall Street Journal, in a 2010 article called "Start-Ups on a Shoestring," introduced three low-cost Internet startup success stories. One story featured Kael Robinson, who started her online business, Live Worldly, LLC, with only $40. During a vacation to Argentina in 2007, Robinson noticed that everyone seemed to be wearing a simple woven "wish" bracelet. The idea was, you'd make a wish while tying on your bracelet and by the time the bracelet disintegrated, your wish would come true. Recently laid off from her public-relations job, Robinson had some time on her hands. She bought 100 woven wish bracelets wholesale for $40, and through word of mouth sold them for $2.50 each. By 2008, Robinson had earned enough to launch her business online with a sophisticated, professionally designed marketplace. By 2009, Live Worldly had expanded its catalog to include jewelry and apparel from all over the globe, and was selling its products online and in more than 500 shops worldwide [source: Debaise]. Advertisement By contrast, Webvan, a doomed online grocery-delivery service launched in the Internet's early days, is a prime example of an online company with unnecessarily high startup costs. Whereas Live Worldly started small, ensured there was a market for its products before launching and scaled up slowly, Webvan raised millions of dollars in venture capital on the unproven promise that it could deliver upmarket goods for mass-market prices, built its own infrastructure from scratch and launched services in 10 cities before its spectacular flameout. Online businesses often can have lower startup costs than brick-and-mortar businesses, but even online startups can require substantial investment. Website development costs can range from nothing to more than $5,000 for a simple informational site to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a customized online marketplace. Fast Company estimates that a new business owner might reasonably expect to pay close to $200,000 over six months to develop an online marketplace from scratch [source: Chowdhury]. Cash-conscious startups will want to explore templated e-commerce solutions like Shopify or Magento, as these platforms are less expensive than developing an online marketplace from scratch. In addition to one-time costs, such as setting up your website and designing basic marketing materials, you'll also want to budget for fixed expenses like rent, utilities and website maintenance, as well as variable expenses, like shipping or sales commissions. The U.S. Small Business Administration can help you estimate startup costs, and if you click over to the next page, we've put together a collection of resources that will help you gauge the real costs of starting an Internet business. The Japanese government plans to have its top spokesperson announce the name for the era of the nation's new emperor next Monday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is to make the announcement after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet endorses the new era name. This will be followed by comments from Abe. There are no set rules in regard to disclosing the name of a new era. But the government appears to be following the procedures for the era change in 1989, when then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Keizo Obuchi made the announcement. Suga also customarily discloses decisions made by the cabinet as government spokesperson. Obuchi read out comments on the era name by then-Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita. But this time, Abe appears set to release his comments on his own. The change apparently seeks to make clear what Abe hopes the new era will be like. Meanwhile, the government is making final adjustments to name nine members to the panel that will be shown candidate names prior to the cabinet endorsement. They include Nobel Prize laureate and Kyoto University professor Shinya Yamanaka. Two are women. Three are members of the media. The government earlier appointed multiple scholars to propose names for the new era. Japan ushers in the new era on May 1 when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the throne. Emperor Akihito is to abdicate on April 30, bringing the Heisei era to a close. The name of the new era will be announced one month before it begins. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Tips for Building Stubborn Calves Written by Team MD 27 March 2019 Tips for Building Stubborn Calves Want Big Calves? Train for Muscle Growth The calves are a troublesome body part for most bodybuilders, some of whom look like light bulbs with huge upper bodies, and notably smaller calves. This calf-building primer is a collection of science-based principles for muscle growth that can be applied to build those stubborn calves. Here are five training tips, backed by research, to grow great calves. Train Calves First When you see a bodybuilder who is lacking calves, they always seem to train them after a major muscle group such as chest or back. Researchers in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported that exercise order has a definite impact on muscle growth. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups. One group began performing large muscle group exercises and progressed to small muscle group exercises (LG-SM), whereas another group started with small muscle group exercises and advanced to large muscle group exercises (SM-LG). The exercise order for LG-SM was bench press, machine lat pull-down, triceps extension and biceps curl. The order for the SM-LG was biceps curl, triceps extension, lat pull-down and bench press. At the end of 12 weeks, both training groups demonstrated greater strength improvements than the control group, but only bench press strength increased in the LG-SM group, compared to the SM-LG. Triceps muscle volume increased in the SM-LG group. Based on this study, the muscle group you train first is going to get the most gain in strength and muscle mass, compared to the muscle group you train last. So if you want bigger calves, train them first. Spineti J, de Salles BF, et al. Influence of exercise order on maximum strength and muscle volume in nonlinear periodized resistance training. J Strength Cond Res, Nov;24(11):2962-9. Use A Full Range of Motion Guys in the gym love to load up the calf machine and do quarter-reps and half-reps. Arnold used to train barefoot so he could get a full range of motion for better calves. So how important is range of motion for maximum muscle growth? Researchers from Italy examined the effect of range of motion at different loads on electromyographic (EMG) activity during the military press. Six experienced lifters performed three sets of 10 reps, each one with a different range of motion (ROM): the first set had a final elbow angle of 90 degrees (R1); the second set had an angle of 135 degrees (R2); and the last set had a final elbow angle of 180 degrees (R3). The 90-degree angle was a partial rep, the 135-degree angle was an incomplete or almost locked-out position, and the 180-degree angle was a full range of motion from the bottom all the way until the arms were locked out. Not surprisingly, the execution of a complete ROM elicited the greatest deltoid EMG activity, together with the trapezius, showing their synergic activation. During the partial-elbow ROM, there was a decrease of deltoid EMG activity, together with a parallel decrease of the trapezius activity which suggests you not perform the military press with partial-elbow ROM. The intermediate ROM (R2), where the elbow did not completely lock out, did not reduce EMG activity of the deltoid, but significantly reduced electrical activity of the upper traps. Based on this study, using partial or intermediate reps is not going to fully activate the deltoids and trapezius muscle like doing a full range of motion. The same can be said about calf raises if you are not using a full range of motion, you are not fully activating the muscle. The days of having a guy sit on the calf machine and doing stinky reps are over. Lighten the weight and use a full range of motion. You may want to consider taking off your shoes to get a better range of motion. Paoli A, Marcolin G and Petrone N. Influence of different ranges of motion on selective recruitment of shoulder muscles in the sitting military press: an electromyographic study. J Strength Cond Res Jun;24(6):1578-83. High Reps Increase Protein Signaling in Muscle Tom Platz used to recommend regular sets of 100 reps to stimulate muscle growth. If you are going to perform 100 rep sets, you are going to have to reduce the amount of weight you are using severely. No more throwing a bunch of 45s on the top of the calf raise machine with the pin at the bottom of the rack. Based on research, you are going to get better increases in muscle growth with lighter weight. Researchers reported that when subjects trained at 30 percent of one-repetition maximum (1RM) and 90 percent of 1RM, both training protocols stimulated muscle protein synthesis but shockingly, training with the lighter weight and more reps and volume led to greater increases in protein synthesis than training heavier. Specifically, the 30 percent of 1RM to failure protocol induced similar increases in muscle protein synthesis as the 90 percent of 1RM to failure protocol at four hours post-exercise but this response was only sustained at 24 hours in the 30 percent of 1RM group. This means that high volume produced sustained increases in protein synthesis above and beyond the high-intensity protocol.In the past, most researchers speculated that muscle protein synthesis was entirely weight or load dependent. Another interesting finding was that genes for muscle hypertrophy (i.e., the expression of MyoD mRNA, which is associated with satellite cell activation) tended to be greater than the value at rest at 24 hours post-exercise in the 30 percent of 1RM protocol. In conclusion, the researchers demonstrated that low-load, high-volume resistance exercise has a potent stimulatory effect on anabolic-signaling molecules, MyoD and myogenin mRNA expression, and muscle protein synthesis. Burd NA, West DW, et al. Low-load high volume resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis more than high-load low volume resistance exercise in young men. PLoS One, 9;5(8):e12033. High Volume for Muscle Growth Many bodybuilders will perform 30-plus sets for chest, yet perform about five sets of calves and call it a day. You need to crank of the volume of exercise in order to get those diamond calves to stick out. In an article published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers suggested that a greater volume of resistance exercise turns on signaling proteins for increased protein synthesis. Resistance exercise causes the acute increase in several mediators of protein synthesis, in particular mTOR, p70S6 kinase (p70S6k) and the ribosomal protein S6, which are thought to regulate muscle protein synthesis. Moreover, previous research reported that increased p70S6k following an initial bout of resistance training is closely correlated with the increase in human skeletal muscle mass after a few months of continuous training. Researchers from Greece performed muscle biopsies on subjects before exercise, on an empty stomach. After the biopsies, subjects were broken into three groups to perform one set of 6RM, three sets of 6RM, or five sets of 6RM. Immediately after exercise, the subjects had another muscle biopsy taken to examine the changes from pre- to post-exercise. At the end of the study, two key regulators of protein synthesis, p70S6 kinase (p70S6k) and the ribosomal protein S6, were increased acutely after exercise to an extent that depended on exercise volume. The group that performed five sets of exercise had greater increases in molecular responses of protein related to muscle hypertrophy. This was a rare study that acutely looked at the molecular events associated with performing more sets. Furthermore, it seems that molecular proteins enhancing muscle hypertrophy are responsive to the number of contractions performed, which may lead to enhanced muscle mass following high-volume exercise. Based on this study, to get those calves growing, you need to perform just as many sets as any other muscle group such as chest or back. Terzis G, Spengos K, et al. The degree of p70S6k and S6 phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle in response to resistance exercise depends on the training volume. Eur J Appl Physiol, published online. Donkey Calf Raises Are King Arnold was a big advocate of donkey calf raises for increasing muscle growth of the calves. Perhaps youve seen the classic black-and-white photo of Dave Draper on Arnolds back, while Arnold is doing donkey calf raises. The donkey calf raise machine, which you can rarely find in gyms these days, is one of the best machines for blasting calves. In a study of electrical activation of the calf muscle in response to different exercise, the donkey calf raise turned out to be the king of exercises for working the calves. EMG Activity of Different Calf Machines Donkey Calf Raises 80% Standing One-leg Calf Raises 79% Standing Two-leg Calf Raises 68% Seated Calf Raises 61% Bompa T. Periodization - 4th Edition: Theory and Methodology of Training. Copyright 1999. DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON THE MD FORUM READ MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS IN OUR TRAINING SECTION If youre buying a home for the first time, heres a likely the question youre going to ask your lender immediately after your offer gets accepted: What happens next? Even though theres a good chance you probably covered some of the things to expect during your initial application process, theres no way to go over everything that happens or even remember it all for that matter. However, its not because you didnt take notes or have a solid memory or have Google to assist you. Its because there are simply a ton of things that need to be harmonized between all the third parties involved who are helping you get the keys to your new home. As an example, when your offer gets accepted, youre typically on the phone contacting family and friends to share the exciting news. Its no longer a secret, youre officially buying your first home and youre overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions at this point. But, perhaps unknowingly, this starts the train of third parties who directly or indirectly become a part of your journey to the finish line. Its human nature to have an opinion, offer support or even advice, and thats exactly what your family and friends should do when they hear your news. In turn, this is also one of the reasons why you cant fully prepare for what happens after your offer gets accepted as its nearly impossible to predict all the reactions youll receive from your big announcement. Think about it whos going to be the preferred friend or family member to take the lead on helping you plan your house warming party? Alright, thats just the beginning. It has only been the start of your first full day into your escrow period and you still have an entire 20 days left. Yes, thats correct. A 21-day escrow period is pretty much the new normal, despite the previous widely used fast timeline of 30 days. Although there are plenty of valid reasons for needing a short contract time frame, Im just not sure if they all outweigh waiting another nine days to allow the purchase transaction process to unfold in a more relaxed manner. Anyhow, over the next three weeks, youll need to quickly strategize on when to give notice to your current landlord, work with your Realtor on scheduling movers, circle back with the service professionals who provided the reports on your home and get together with your lender on your loan details. For instance, your lender needs to collect information from the escrow officer, coordinate your appraisal order, help you with any home insurance inquiries, finish up your loan approval with the underwriter, lock your rate when market conditions are most favorable and carefully navigate around anything that might pop-up along the way. Whether this successfully takes place in 30 days or a speedy 21 days, I applaud all the hard-working third parties who continuously work together in the housing industry to make this happen for you. Chris Salese can be reached at chris@delsurmortgage.com or 707-363-4439. He is a licensed California mortgage lender (LO NMLS #254469 CA-DBO #254469 Corp NMLS #1850 Equal Housing Opportunity. Napa Valley Museum Yountville presents its Second Annual Tartan Day Whisky Tasting at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the CIA at Copia in Napa. Whisky expert James Forbes will present whisky and food pairings. Participants will first tour the pop-up version of our France is a Feast exhibit at 6; then the tasting of five whiskies and food pairing starts at 6:30 p.m. As last years sold-out Tartan Day tasting, and Novembers sold-out exploration of Splurge Worthy Whiskies proved, single malt whiskies are popular. Forbes is the creator of the Dramophone Whisky app (bearshead.com) and Chieftain of Scotlands popular Lonach Highland Gathering & Games (lonach.org). Tickets are $50 for museum members; $65 for non-members; and $75 at the door. The Napa Valley Museum Yountville is located at 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville, and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 to 4 pm. For more information, call 707-944-0500, email info@napavalleymuseum.org, or visit napavalleymuseum.org. The next time youre a few days late returning a book to the St. Helena Public Library, your absent-mindedness wont cost you a cent. The St. Helena City Council approved a set of policies Tuesday that eliminates overdue fines on all materials, eliminates interlibrary loan fees, and allows nonprofits to use the librarys meeting room for free. Overdue fines had never been effective in motivating borrowers to return materials on time, and processing the fines required significant staff time, Library Director Chris Kreiden told the council. At 25 cents per day per item, the library collected a little over $6,000 in overdue fines in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Each fine transaction, no matter the amount, cost the city approximately $2.25 in staff time to collect the money, write a receipt, balance the librarys cash register every day, and take other steps to comply with the citys cash handling procedures. Fines also present a barrier to library use because some low-income families avoid coming to the library when they know they will be asked to pay a fine, Kreiden said. Checkout periods will remain unchanged, and patrons will incur a replacement charge and a $10 processing fee if materials are not returned or renewed within 14 days of their due date. However, if the item is returned in good condition, those fees will be waived. Kreiden noted that other California libraries have eliminated overdue fees recently, including Berkeley, San Diego and Contra Costa County. The library will continue to charge 10 cents per page for printing and copying and $25 per hour for groups other than nonprofits to use the meeting room. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two weeks ago, the Gallo family opened the newly restored, historic Louis M. Martini Winery in St. Helena. The restoration work took 10 years, although the planning took even longer than that. During a preview reception held March 13, Howard Backen of Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects thanked both the Martini and Gallo families for allowing a 10-year period. He called it a labor of love, adding he enjoyed every minute of it. Putting the two families together, Backen said, was amazing. Backens partner, John Taft, said the firm was able to preserve the history of a Napa Valley icon. Louis M. Martini built the winery in 1933 after paying $3,000 for 10 acres just south of St. Helena. Martini had arrived in the Napa Valley a year earlier and passed on the opportunity to buy Greystone Cellars (now the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone) for $55,000, preferring not to pay a penalty for impressive architecture, said Joseph Gallo, chief executive officer of E&J Gallo Winery. Instead, Martini designed and built his cinder block cellar winery and bought three carloads of reinforcing steel at a good price, Gallo said. He got the roof from a dog racing track in Southern California. Work began in June 1933 and by harvest, the winery was ready to crush grapes, Gallo added. Taft praised the historic, 86-year-old building, calling it an amazing structure that is an incredibly efficient open warehouse and cellar that is still in use today for production. The large open space was passively air-conditioned with a highly insulated structure with walls of stone on both sides, Taft said. The architects job was to transform the winery, opening it up and welcoming guests, while preserving its historic nature. Howard Backens vision celebrates the historic 1933 winery building and seeks to preserve its unique structural elements, said Matt Gallo, vice president of Coastal Operations. During the renovation, Backen removed the non-historic additions made throughout the buildings lifetime and meticulously restored it to its original form. The architects moved the main entry out front, facing the highway; brought in numerous 85-year-old olive trees for the outside entry atrium; used 30-foot high glass walls to separate the spaces inside and showcase the barrel room; and kept the historic materials and elements, including terra cotta wall tiles, steel and concrete, while adding warm oak. Taft said, Our intent in opening the exterior walls was to draw you into the building, but also to draw you back out into the landscape from within. The transplanted olive trees add light and softness to the site as well as bringing the landscape back into the building, he added. The building includes a demonstration dining room and an underground cellar with private wine libraries. Outside is the restored Martini Park, featuring a sycamore grove with tables, private cabanas and a culinary pavilion. Winery bought in 2002 The Gallo wine family bought the Martini property in 2002 and Joseph Gallo said since the purchase We always had in mind to invest in the facilities and market the brand as we thought Mr. Martini would have approved. We began by focusing on the production side of the business and spared no expense to upgrade the production facilities as well as to buy the best grapes and hire the best winemakers we could find to make a world-class product. He said they went through various iterations as to how to improve the visitors center, but we were never quite satisfied with the various proposals. Eventually, though, Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects were hired and after many meetings and iterations, Gallo said, We came to the final decision the results of which you will see today. He added, I want to thank the Martini family, in particular Carolyn and Mike Martini, for their ongoing support and approval of this project. Matt Gallo told the crowd that they are the first to experience the new, restored winery, adding, We cant wait to open the doors, later this month (March 29) to the public. We look forward to having this property available for the barrel auction at this years Auction Napa Valley. So without further words, we want everyone to enjoy their visit today, enjoy a glass of wine, enjoy a walk around, enjoy the effort that our family and Howard and John have put into this. It is really a pleasure to have you all here and being part of the opening. A surprise for Matt Gallo At the end of his talk as the crowd was drifting away, David Stoneberg, editor of the St. Helena Star, presented Gallo with an historic Louis M. Martini bottle, California Selection, Golden Anniversary Dry Sherry. It was undated. Gallo and Stoneberg posed for photos and then took the bottle downstairs to the wine vault and placed it next to a Martini wine from 1947. The Martini Dry Sherry was one of four bottles and the only one with its label still attached that was placed in a time capsule in 1988, the 125th anniversary of the Napa Valley Register, which owns the St. Helena Star. The time capsule, a steel safe with a combination lock, was dug up on Aug. 2, 2017 at the Registers former Second Street site in Napa. The site is now home to Register Square, a residential, retail and commercial development. The newspaper moved to Soscol Avenue nearly three years ago, after selling its property. The safe was opened in October 2017 before a crowd of curious employees. Inside were only four wine bottles and a wine glass commemorating the Registers 125th birthday. Moisture had destroyed the rest of the materials buried in the steel safe and turned them into a layer of black char and decomposed wood. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The St. Helena City Council awarded $190,000 in grants to 20 local nonprofits on Tuesday, the largest amount since the city launched the grant program in 2016. Grant requests exceeded the citys budget for the program by $65,840, so some groups received less than theyd requested. Applications for the 2019-2020 fiscal year were evaluated based on how the proposed programs and services aligned with the citys mission statement and City Council goals. Each applicant received at least some city money except for the Lincoln Theater, which had requested $10,000 for St. Helena Live: Performing Arts in the Community & Schools. This years awards were split between Programmatic Grants ($140,000) and Community Enrichment Grants ($50,000): Programmatic Grants Boys & Girls Club for teen center services: $30,000 ($30,000 requested) Rianda House for senior center wellness and enrichment programs: $30,000 ($30,000 requested) UpValley Family Centers for Community Connections Program and immigration assistance: $30,000 ($30,000 requested) Our Town St. Helena for organizational development and assistance to Marietta HOA: $25,000 ($30,000 requested) St. Helena Little League for uniforms and equipment: $10,000 ($10,000 requested) Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) for community preparedness events: $5,300 ($9,948 requested) Collabria Care for UpValley Village fee waiver program: $6,000 ($6,000 requested) St. Helena Farmers Market for Market Match Program: $2,500 ($6,400 requested) California Federation of Women for the Junior Womens 5th Grade Spelling Bee and community Christmas family adoption: $1,200 ($1,200 requested) Community Enrichment Grants Friends of the Cameo for Arts in April 2020: $10,000 ($10,000 requested) Nimbus Arts for a free community festival and event art activities: $6,000 ($10,000 requested) Boys & Girls Club for Power Hour homework assistance program: $5,000 ($10,000 requested) Saint Helena Community Band for yearly performances: $5,000 ($10,000 requested) St. Helena Historical Society for History a la Carte project, didactic panels/storyboards and Traveling Trunks Museum: $5,000 ($10,000 requested) Robert Louis Stevenson Museum for gallery and exhibition improvement project: $5,000 ($10,000 requested) NapaShakes for NapaShakes On Screen in St. Helena: $4,500 ($9,500 requested) St. Helena Choral Society for annual A Capella Festival: $3,000 ($7,300 requested) Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) for community response table-top exercise: $2,500 ($7,389 requested) Music in the Vineyards for community outreach: $2,500 ($5,103 requested) St. Helena Kiwanis Foundation for scholarships: $1,500 ($3,000 requested) Other action The council gave Pizzeria Tra Vigne a $13,333 credit on its water and sewer account after the restaurant experienced a major water leak in September and October. The restaurant had requested a credit of $20,000, the full amount of the excess water and sewer charges for the two-month period. Since St. Helena didnt have a leak adjustment program for commercial customers, the council created one before considering the restaurants request. After some discussion, the council agreed to credit the restaurant for two-thirds of the overage. The council voted 3-2 to deny an appeal involving a sewer bill for a triplex on Grayson Avenue. The propertys water bills had been incorrectly charged under single-family rates instead of multi-family. The city corrected the error last October and backbilled property owner Caroline Sjostedt Davis $3,552.68, which was the difference between the billed amount and the correct amount for the previous three years. Davis asked the council for relief so that she wouldnt have to pass on the extra charges to her three tenants. Instead the council upheld the backbilling with the understanding that the charges could be spread out over the next three years. Mayor Geoff Ellsworth and Councilmembers Paul Dohring and David Knudsen voted to deny the appeal, with Knudsen noting that other customers whod been faced with the same situation had paid the full amount. Councilmembers Anna Chouteau and Mary Koberstein voted in the minority. The council approved a $50,000 contract amendment with Kosmont Companies to analyze a potential Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, continue its analysis of the City Hall site, help with a Request For Proposals/Request For Qualifications process, and provide real estate advisory services. The amendment increases Kosmonts contract from $75,000 to $125,000. The council appointed Susan Kenward and Rebekah Weeman to the Parks & Recreation Commission. Mayor Geoff Ellsworth announced a May 4 City of St. Helena Spring Cleaning Day. Ellsworth said people could volunteer to clean up parks, paint hydrants and curbs, and work on other fix-it projects, followed by a community celebration featuring food trucks. If we all go out there together I think we can do a lot in one day, Ellsworth said. The council approved an ordinance creating a temporary use permit system for pop-up stores, restaurants and museums. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With a history dating more 1,000 years, Scotch whisky is as integral to Scotlands identity as the bagpipe, thistle and tartan plaid. So it is fitting that the Napa Valley Museum Yountvilles second annual celebration of Tartan Day on April 6 will again focus on single malt Scotch. For the first time, this exploration of food and whisky pairings takes place in downtown Napa, at the CIA at Copia, where the museum has just opened its first touring pop-up exhibition: France is a Feast: the Photographic Journey of Paul & Julia Child. The fact that Julia Child was of part Scottish descent is a happy coincidence, says museum Executive Director Laura Rafaty. We are so proud to be launching our first touring exhibition, and thrilled to be part of the downtown Napa scene. We thought that bringing our very popular series of whisky tastings to CIA at Copia for Tartan Day would be the perfect way to bring it all together. According to Alex Prudhomme, Julia Childs My Life in France co-author (and husband Paul Childs great-nephew), who also wrote the text for the museums exhibit: Julias paternal grandfather, John McWilliams, was descended from tall, thrifty Scottish Presbyterians who settled in Illinois. He followed the Gold Rush in 1849, and prospered. An estimated 11 million people in the U.S. claim Scottish or Scots-Irish descent, making them this countrys 8th largest ethnic group, and a number of these Scots call the Napa Valley home. James Forbes of St Helena became one of the original Domainiacs working at Domaine Chandon in 1977. Originally from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, he has lived in the valley for more 25 years, but retains close ties with his homeland and is chieftain of Scotlands popular Lonach Highland Gathering & Games. As a Scotch whisky expert, he created the Dramophone Whisky app and again will be curating the museums whisky tasting on April 6, having curated last years sold-out Tartan Day and November tastings. Our recent long rainy season puts me in mind of Scotland, and this whisky weather provides the perfect environment for enjoying a dram by the fire. says Forbes. The Lonach Highland & Friendly Society has been preserving and celebrating Highland dress and culture for almost 200 years, so it is good to see that mission spread to America, even if only for one day in April. Lonachs most public face is our Highland Games, which is always on the fourth Saturday in August, and is the only games with a march of over 200 Highlanders in full regalia. Needless to say, there is a certain amount of Highland hospitality involved. Scots in the Napa Valley are associated with wine as well as with whisky. Robert Louis Stevenson was an early Napa Valley visitor, who predicted in the 1870s that the smack of California earth will linger on the palates of our grandchildren a prediction born out by wineries like Stewart Cellars, whose owners celebrate their heritage with Tartan Red Cabernets and Stewart clan colors. The winery in Yountville was founded by the Stewart family in 2000 with many nods to their Scottish heritage, including the architecture, interior decor, and thistle logo. Its Tartan Red Blend, made with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, features the Stewart clans hunting tartan on the bottle label. Rex Stults of Napa Valley Vintners, with wife Gillian, who is a native of Scotland, has hosted a Burns Supper annually since 1995, at wineries or with wine industry friends like Monticello winemaker Chris Corley. St. Helenas Brasswood Estate restaurant and winery is home to local nonprofit NapaShakes annual Burns Night Supper in January, which features a bagpiper, Ceilidh band, toasts to Scotlands Bard Robert Burns and, of course, lots of haggis, wine and whisky. Says Brasswood General Manager Marcus Marquez, With family ties to a Scottish heritage, co-owner and winemaker Stacia Dowdell and her team love to welcome NapaShakes to Brasswood as their home base for this event. For years, chef (and Irishman) Bob Hurley hosted a popular Burns Supper at his restaurant in Yountville, but he has since joined forces with the NapaShakes clan, turning up in traditional tartan attire. Calistogan Colin MacPhail of VINFABULA Partners, who enjoys spending Tartan Day with son Campbell, jokes that the reputation of the Scots proved useful for job interviews: I got my first job in the Napa Valley wine industry, with no experience, by declaring but Scots have a natural affinity with all alcohol. My potential employer and owner of the winery sighed, Well, BS is a big part of the wine business and you certainly have that, Ill give you an interview. Being Scottish in the wine industry has been a great asset ... when you are Scottish, people have very low expectations of your abilities in wine and food, so its easier to overdeliver. My last job in Scotland was working as a current affairs journalist and producer for the BBC. Twenty-three years and many vinous adventures have taken me full circle, as I now consult for wineries on their brand stories and how to more effectively, and profitably, tell them. This is the museums third whisky tasting. According to Rafaty, these tastings, along with a Miminashi Sake tasting and the annual Top Drink festival, are among the museums most popular events, bringing new visitors to the museum who then stay and enjoy the art. Our first Tartan Day tasting in 2018 quickly sold out, and was held within the France is a Feast exhibit. We learned from James Forbes about Scottish terroir how the land and climate of various regions of Scotland affect the taste of the whiskies. This was followed by an equally popular exploration in November of expensive Splurge Worthy whiskies, where we sampled Scotch costing $300 a bottle. That event was sponsored by Scotlands Duncan Taylor, and by Napas Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits, which features a wide selection of single malt Scotch in its First Street Napa location. The April 6 tasting at the CIA at Copia, which includes a tour of the France is a Feast exhibit, will feature a curated selection of five whiskies, plus five paired food tastings. It is aimed both at whisky novices and those who have attended prior tastings or who enjoy whisky at cocktail hour and after dinner, yet who arent certain how to pair it with food. Scotch Whisky is the perfect natural accompaniment to many of the foods that wine has trouble with, said Forbes. It is always fun to watch that moment of revelation when you introduce local food and wine experts to a pairing they had never considered before. With Scotland having a major moment in popular culture, and television shows like Outlander driving U.S. tourists to Scotland in record numbers, Tartan Day provides an opportunity for Napa Valley residents and visitors to enjoy a wee dram and to experience wearing the tartan and/or kilt. Kilt-wearing wannabes with questions about proper attire can always reach out to the experts at William Glen & Son in San Francisco, a leading Bay Area purveyor of tartans and full Highland regalia. Kilts and tartan fabrics are definitely optional at our whisky tastings, says Rafaty. The important thing to bring is an open mind, because the tastings and pairings James Forbes puts together are always informative and surprising. Many former whisky skeptics emerge from our tastings as converted whisky true believers. National Tartan Day on April 6 commemorates the day in 1320 when the Scots signed the Declaration of Arbroath, formally declaring their independence from England. The American Declaration of Independence was modeled on the Scots declaration; almost half of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent. The U.S. Senate Resolution on National Tartan Day was passed on March 20, 1998, designating National Tartan Day as a day for all Americans, particularly those of Scottish descent, to recognize Scottish Americans and their achievements and contributions to the United States. Tartan Day parades occur in major cities such as New York on or around April 6, featuring bagpipe bands and participants dressed in kilts with tartan patterns representing their clans. Author and musician James Twyman will be at Copperfields Books in Napa on April 3 for an event at 6 p.m. His new novel Giovanni and the Camino of St. Francis is about finding the courage to open your heart to heal the wounds of your past. Anna, an Italian immigrant living in Portland, was shunned from her hometown of Assisi at age 16. She vowed that she would never return to the family who cast her away. But one day while browsing a bookstore, a walking guide to the Camino of St. Francis falls and knocks her on the head. Reluctantly, she answers the call to return to Italy. Arriving in La Verna, Anna meets a young stranger named Giovanni. As the two begin walking in the footsteps of the humble St. Francis, she finds her heart softening as she listens to Giovannis parables and opens up to the miracles surrounding them. Twyman is the author of 16 books, including the New York Times bestseller, The Moses Code. Known as the Peace Troubadour, Twyman has been invited by world leaders and peace organizations to perform in countries like Iraq, Croatia, Bosnia and South Africa. During many of these trips, he drew millions of people together to pray for peace during worldwide peace meditations. He has also produced and/or directed seven feature films, including award-winners Indigo and Redwood Highway, and has produced 12 CDs, including the I AM Wishes Fulfilled Meditation (with Dr. Wayne Dyer), which was a #1 Billboard bestseller. He is the founder of The Seminary of Spiritual Peacemaking, which has ordained more than 600 ministers from around the world. He lives in Ajijic, Mexico and is the director of the Namaste Lake Chapala spiritual community. State Controller Betty Yee is "gravely concerned" that problems with the state's accounting software could undermine California's credit worthiness, she wrote in a recent letter to legislators. Efforts to tie a new computer program into the state's legacy systems have delayed monthly cash reports and are threatening the accuracy of the state's annual financial report, which is typically published at the end of April, Yee wrote. If the annual report is inaccurate, it could negatively affect the state's credit rating, which influences borrowing costs for spending on things like infrastructure projects. The computer program, called Fi$Cal, has cost the state more than $900 million and has repeatedly been delayed since its 2005 launch. Yee, echoing a January recommendation from the state auditor, said more delays are needed. "We need to pause and direct resources to making Fi$Cal work as it was intended to work," she wrote. "Continuing to push ahead by adding features that do not work or bringing more departments into the troubled system will cost taxpayers exponentially more in the long run." Yee addressed the state Senate and Assembly budget committees in her March 18 letter. Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, a member of the Assembly's budget committee, said Yee's letter should add new urgency to the state's efforts to improve its use of technology. "It's amazing to me," Patterson said. "We are the fifth-largest economy on the planet, we're almost 20 years into the 21st century, we're the home of Silicon Valley and we have such a fouled up accounting system that it jeopardizes our credit rating." Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, who sits on the Senate budget committee, said the state should consider closer scrutiny of the third-party vendors tasked with implementing most of its new technology. "It's just getting to be too much of a common thing, whether it's Fi$Cal or the DMV or name the department," Moorlach said. Yee sent a follow-up letter March 22 clarifying that while she is concerned about the state's reporting abilities with the new program, she has "no concern about the state's cash position or overall fiscal health." Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. From the dark shroud covering the front of Napas Gordon building, its hard to tell whats happening inside this historic downtown property. The answer: a lot. Property owner Zapolski Real Estate has gutted the interior of the structure at 1130 First St. A series of 18-inch by 18-inch steel columns will be inserted throughout the brick walls as part of an earthquake retrofit. After that, the entire structure 20,000 square feet of space will be renovated from top to bottom to accommodate future restaurant, retail and office tenants. The entire project is estimated to cost $12 million-$15 million, said Andrew Mazotti, director at Zapolski Real Estate. Normally, such an expense wouldnt work financially, he said. But its something we feel passionate about. A partnership including a Todd Zapolski company bought the building in 2013 from George and Jacqueline Altamura. Zapolski then announced plans to begin a complete renovation and earthquake retrofit of the 1930s-era structure, noteworthy for its glazed terra cotta siding and cast-molded floral detailing. Its a jewel, said Zapolski at the time. Its an iconic piece of downtown and we want to get it back in service. The plan is to fold it into First Street Napa, the adacent open-air center owned and managed by Zapolski Real Estate, LLC and Trademark Property Company. Archer Napa hotel is the anchor of that complex, which has seen a steady addition of new tenants including Lululemon, Toy B Ville toy store, Overland Sheepskin Co., Makers Market, Lush, Kalifornia Jean Bar, Compass and State & First and Napastak, among others. On Tuesday afternoon, Mazotti and Zapolski gave a tour of the work so far to a small group including Mayor Jill Techel and Napa City Councilmember Liz Alessio. Zapolski explained that before the interior was demolished, some of the building was a mystery. It was hard to know what was behind all of this, he said. Until we ripped everything off, we werent sure how bad it was. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the front part of the building facing First Street was completed in 1929 and the section in back along Coombs Street Plaza completed in 1935. From the outside, the Gordon Building will retain its historical look, Zapolski said. The two-story building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It is named for businessman Samuel Gordon, a developer who owned downtown real estate. During Tuesdays tour, Mazotti said that a few bits of the past were found inside the building, including 1940s-era test print newspaper sheets from the Sacramento Union, an old camera, a few binders of Playboy magazines from the 1960s to the 1980s and vintage computers. Napanet was once a tenant. The building renovation could be done as soon as October, said Mazotti. Tenants could move in as early as the first quarter of 2020. Zapolski noted that the building is also located within the downtown Napa Opportunity Zone. A little-noted provision of the new tax law allows investors to avoid paying taxes on all or part of their capital gains from investments in areas designated as Opportunity Zones. The goal is to spur development in traditionally overlooked areas. Zapolski said hes hoping that designation will draw both investors and business owners whod like to take advantage of the tax breaks. Its enough to get peoples attention, he said. The demolition of the interior has uncovered old flooring, brick, archways, moldings and other finishes including a hanging pendant chandelier. Zapolski said he plans to preserve as much of that as possible. When leasing historic properties, tenants like such authentic touches, he said. The more funky, the better. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Sacramento preschool teacher and her 2-year-old would be homeless without financial support. A 27-year-old woman lives with two roommates in West Sacramento despite having a full-time job. A 71-year old woman says without help she couldnt afford rent in the city on the less-than $1,000 per month she receives from Social Security. The three women all met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday for a roundtable discussion of rising rents and the struggle to find affordable housing in Sacramento. I wanted to highlight this issue, but not through the lens of a politician whose residence is the governors mansion, said Newsom, who recently bought a $3.7 million home in Fair Oaks. I am the last person to preach on this topic. I think however, you are uniquely positioned, so thats why Im grateful you took the time to be here. Megan Colbert said she was homeless while pregnant with her 2 1/2 -year-old son and lived at a shelter. Now, the single mom receives assistance from a Sacramento program for young homeless mothers called Waking the Village so she can afford to live in the city, where she works as an infant and preschool teacher. I was struggling, Collbert said. I lived in Sacramento all my life, and I want to be a part of this community, adding that she wouldnt be able to live in the area without help. Sarah Dillingham, 71, said without subsidized housing, she wouldnt even be able to afford to put down a deposit for an apartment, let alone pay rent every month. Taylor Desmangles, 27, said she and her roommates cant afford to live separately, but lucked out when they found a three-bedroom apartment in West Sacramento. Its relatively affordable for them, but she said their rent just went up $150 to $1700 per month. The Democratic governor said hes working with the Legislature to provide protections for renters like the women he spoke with Tuesday. He said hes open to considering rent caps, subsidies for renters and more legal protections against eviction. Liberal Democrats in the Legislature have introduced bills to carry out those policies, but Newsom declined to endorse any specific proposals until his negotiations with lawmakers are further along. Newsom has proposed spending $1.75 billion to encourage cities and counties to build more housing. Hes in the middle of budget negotiations with the Legislature, but said the next budget will include an unprecedented amount of money for housing. Despite criticism from fellow Democrats in the Legislature, he also said he wont back down on his plan to restrict road repair funding from communities that dont work hard enough to build more housing. He said hes spending hundreds of millions to help communities plan for new housing so they wont have an excuse not to step up construction. Its too big of a crisis for me to roll over, he said. Ill take the hits, but Im going to do my best to get this over the edge. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In one swoop, a mid-sized Larkspur wine company is carving out a sizeable corner of Napa wine, acquiring a pair of weighty wineries and a swath of vineyards. Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners announced on Wednesday its purchase of Markham Vineyards and TEXTBOOK, adding the two Napa names to a portfolio of Sonoma, Oregon and New Zealand wines in separate purchases. Neither winerys sale price was disclosed. The purchases included an internal acquisition from Distinguished Vineyards parent company, Kirin Brewery Company of Japan, for the brick-and-mortar winery and vineyards of Markham, and the purchase of the TEXTBOOK brand from Scenic Root Winegrowers, the company of TEXTBOOK founders Jonathan and Susan Pey. Formed in 2008 and based in Marin County, Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners is the U.S. arm of Australia beverage company Lion, another subsidiary of Kirin. Known for its pioneering of high-end Merlot since 1980, Markham Vineyards Napa roots trace to more than a century earlier when Bordeaux immigrant Jean Laurent built the original winery building, which was included in the sale to Distinguished Vineyards. Operating as Markham Vineyards since 1978, the winery sold to Kirin subsidiary the Mercian Corporation in 1988. Though trading hands between subsidiaries, the transaction was structured as an acquisition, said Steve Myers, managing director of Distinguished Vineyards. Myers said Wednesday that the purchase was an opportunity for us to better collaborate with our two North American wine businesses. The sale also includes Markhams 350 acres of vineyards across the Oak Knoll, Yountville and Calistoga sub-appellations, and the winerys inventory. David Flanary and Kimberlee Nicholls will stay on as Markhams president and winemaker, respectively. Senior adviser and former president Bryan Del Bondio will also continue at Markham, carrying on a 41-year career that began as the winerys first employee. The purchase not only adds the pair of sound Napa assets to the companys portfolio, but also rounds out its mix of sparkling wines, Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays with Markhams Merlot and the acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon from TEXTBOOK. Founded in 2004, Jonathan and Susan Peys TEXTBOOK brand has caught the eyes of critics and consumers alike, evinced by a 40 percent jump in sales last year and distribution among 46 states and six countries, records show. Under Distinguished Vineyards, and by extension the distribution network of Kirin, TEXTBOOK can now make its way to all 50 states, all provinces in Canada and eight countries, Myers said. Jonathan Pey will continue making TEXTBOOKs wines post-acquisition, alongside consulting winemaker Scott Peterson. In a press release Wednesday, Pey said, I am very excited to partner with the Distinguished Vineyards team, many of whom Ive worked with before TEXTBOOK has found a great home with Distinguished Vineyards. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. HELENA The next time youre a few days late returning a book to the St. Helena Public Library, your absent-mindedness wont cost you a cent. The St. Helena City Council approved a set of policies Tuesday that eliminates overdue fines on all materials, eliminates interlibrary loan fees, and allows nonprofits to use the librarys meeting room for free. Overdue fines had never been effective in motivating borrowers to return materials on time, and processing the fines required significant staff time, Library Director Chris Kreiden told the council. At 25 cents per day per item, the library collected a little over $6,000 in overdue fines in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Each fine transaction, no matter the amount, cost the city $2.25 in staff time to collect the money, write a receipt, balance the librarys cash register every day, and take other steps to comply with the citys cash handling procedures. Fines also present a barrier to library use because some low-income families avoid coming to the library when they know they will be asked to pay a fine, Kreiden said. Checkout periods will remain unchanged, and patrons will incur a replacement charge and a $10 processing fee if materials are not returned or renewed within 14 days of their due date. However, if the item is returned in good condition, those fees will be waived. Kreiden noted that other California libraries have eliminated overdue fees recently, including Berkeley, San Diego and Contra Costa County. The Napa County Library charges adults 25 cents a day for overdue materials. Items qualify for up to two 21-day automatic renewals if they are not on hold. Overdue materials checked out by children and young adults do not accrue fines. The St. Helena library, which is not part of the Napa County Library, will continue to charge 10 cents per page for printing and copying and $25 per hour for groups other than nonprofits to use the meeting room. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Anyone who had been holding out hope that the completion of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller would signal the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency has had a pretty rough 24 hours. The banner headline for Mondays print edition of The Washington Post sums it up: Mueller finds no conspiracy. While the full reportunreleasedmay not be as friendly to the Trump administration as Attorney General William Barrs four-page summary, Donald Trump seems to have survived Muellers report. For all the time and money spent on the investigation, it ultimately failed. Or so it seemed to some Americans convinced that members of the Trump campaign and administration, right to the very top, committed crimes and impeachable offenses. But the Mueller investigation was far from a failure. It only looks that way because we are so wedded to viewing alleged political wrongdoing through the lens of Watergate. Seen through the lens of another scandal, the Iran-Contra affair, the Mueller investigation looks very different: It produced impressive documentation of malfeasance, including numerous indictments. In both instances, an irreproachable special prosecutor assiduously documented evidence of lawbreaking throughout a presidents inner circle, sent people to prison and left a detailed, damning record for history. And while Ronald Reagan and his vice president George H.W. Bush escaped indictmentsjust as Trump seems to have escaped a finding that he obstructed justicevery few people think the Iran-Contra report vindicated Reagan. To summarize: Over the past two years, Mueller sorted through the complex story of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Not only did he conclude that a foreign power indeed interfered in the race, Mueller also secured indictments against 34 people, including six members of the Trump campaign for both financial and election-related crimes, with charges ranging from conspiracy to obstruction to making false statements to witness tampering. Everyone within U.S. jurisdiction, who was indicted by Mueller, has been found guilty or has pleaded guilty except for Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone, who is awaiting trial. (Mueller also charged 26 Russians with crimes including conspiracy to defraud the United States and aggravated identity theft; they remain at large.) Compare that to the nearly seven-year investigation1986 to 1993of special counsel Lawrence Walsh into Iran-Contra, a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the Reagan administration that involved millions of dollars in arms sales to Iran, a country then under an international arms embargo; in exchange, Iran released seven U.S. hostages. A chunk of the proceeds was then diverted to the Contra, right-wing rebels working to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. That part was illegal, too: Congress had explicitly banned any aid to the Contra rebels in laws passed between 1982 and 1985. Yet as complex as the operation was, and as hard as those involved stonewalled and obstructed the investigationdown to destroying evidenceWalsh managed to piece together the sprawling international plot. He secured indictments against 14 people, including the secretary of defense, Caspar Weinberger; two national security advisers, Robert McFarlane and John Poindexter; and the assistant secretary of state, Elliott Abrams, on charges including conspiracy, obstruction and perjury. Eleven of the 14 were convicted. Reagan and Bush were heavily implicated in the investigation, though Walsh opted not to indict them (in part because Bush failed to hand over evidence, and in part because Department of Justice guidelines advise that a sitting president cannot be indicted). Reagan constructed an artifice of plausible deniability. In a 1990 deposition, he said I cant remember or I dont recall 88 times. But Americans didnt believe these denialsonly 14 percent said they thought Reagan knew nothing about the illegal arms deal. So Walsh, it is true, did not bring down a president; nor did he bring charges against a president. And then, as now, partisans complained that Walsh was engaged in an expensive witch hunt. Its also the case that voters did not hold these charges against the Republicans, at least not at first. Reagan finished his second term with the highest approval ratings of any post-World War II president. Bush was elected president, and, in brazen pardons in his final days in office, Bush wiped the record clean for six of those indicted, including Weinberger (who was awaiting trial), and McFarlane and Abrams (who had both been convicted). But while executive maneuvering overturned Walshs convictions, it could not erase his findings. After the pardons, Walsh published a book about the investigations called Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, in which he argued that the Bush pardons had been the final act in a criminal conspiracy that spanned two administrations. Through his report, and also through that book, he ensured that Americans would be able to learn the details of what was, at the time, the gravest political scandal of the modern era. We dont know whether Trump will survive the many scandals of his administration; the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York is investigating Trumps business dealings, among other matters. It does seem likely the president will survive the Mueller report. But thats not the best measure of a special counsels work. Just as Walsh exposed the corruption and lawlessness within the Reagan and Bush administrations, Mueller has demonstrated that Trumps campaign was riddled with Russian contacts and criminality. What Congress and, ultimately, voters decide to do with that information will determine Trumps fate. But thanks to Muellers work, the historical record will reflect the foreign interference and mercenary corruption at the heart of the 2016 election. Thats an achievement not to be dismissed lightly, even if the investigation didnt end in the definitive fashion many on the left were expecting. Nicole Hemmer is an assistant professor at the University of Virginias Miler Center and author of Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics. She wrote this for The Washington Post. Iran ready to exchange electricity with neighboring countries Armenia takes part in tank exercises in southern Russia Azerbaijani FM says the only way to avoid tensions is to start the process of demarcation Peskov says US aggressive rhetoric does not contribute to detente in relations Russia US tornado leaves 79 people killed 133 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Armenia ICRC representatives visit Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan UK urges allies to seek alternatives to Russia natural gas 168.am: Armenia ex-police chief hospitalized NBC: US holds back additional military aid to Ukraine to avoid tension Person, 26, found dead in Armenia water pit Criminal case launched into killing of Armenia soldier Man found dead in Yerevan At least 2 killed from tornado in Arkansas Investigative Committee: Staff left combat positions and fled as a result of which adversary invaded Armenia territory Jill Biden comments on talks about US President's mental fitness Poland PM issues ultimatum to Russia 30 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Media: Islamic State takes responsibility for 2 blasts in Kabul France presidential candidate Eric Zemmour to visit Armenia US to sell 18mn barrels of oil from its strategic reserve Famous Armenia singer declared wanted Bright Armenia Party leader: ECtHR obliges Azerbaijan to pay 30,000 to Badalyan as moral damage compensation Psaki: US seeks diplomacy in context of situation between Russia and Ukraine 290 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Biden believes leaders of all other countries would like to be in his place Armenia PM: Internal patriots do not calm down because their foreign partners do not consider the mission over Peskov: Russia concerned about NATO military equipment transfer via Greece port Esplanade of Armenia opens in Paris Armenia soldier dies, 2 others wounded Newspaper: Bill that pampers Armenia banks to have very serious consequences Newspaper: What to expect from Armenia parliament special session next week? Boris Johnson threatened with resignation due to parties during pandemic Kopirkin: Russia is ready to make all efforts to contribute to normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations Armenia MFA: '3+3' platform needs to refrain from duplicating formats with mandate to settle conflicts RT: US may build facilities in Georgia and Armenia to support its 'defense activities' Armenia 2nd President: We will continue the struggle, all the phony cases will be crushed MFA: Armenia calls on Azerbaijan to refrain from provocative rhetoric 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 The UK government does not intend to back the online petition against Brexit, despite the fact that over 5.8 million supporters, Daily Mail reported. The Government acknowledges the considerable number of people who have signed this petition. However, close to three-quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected. This Government wrote to every household prior to the referendum, promising that the outcome of the referendum would be implemented. 17.4 million people then voted to leave the European Union, providing the biggest democratic mandate for any course of action ever directed at UK Government. British people cast their votes once again in the 2017 General Election, where over 80% of those who voted, voted for parties including the opposition who committed in their manifestos to upholding the result of the referendum, the statement said. The UK Parliament will discuss the petition on Monday, April 1. As of the morning of March 27, almost 6 million Britons signed the petition, despite the fact that 100 thousand signatures were enough for discussion in parliament. Meanwhile, on March 27, the House of Commons will vote on alternative ways for Brexit WASHINGTON, DC Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) made a powerful pro-peace case for lifting outdated and counter-productive U.S. travel and communication restrictions on the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in a candid video chat with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). During the interview with ANCA Government Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian, Rep. Pallone cited the common obstacles members of Congress face when considering a trip to Artsakh. First of all you can't use any U.S. vehicles or transportation to go to Artsakh, but beyond that, they [U.S. State Department] constantly tell you it's not safe; there's going to be consequences; you're going to be put on the Azerbaijan blacklist, explained Rep. Pallone. They essentially try to scare people from going - and obviously, if they are trying to scare me and other Members of Congress, that's certainly going to discourage private individuals and businesses as well. Rep. Pallone argued for passage of his Artsakh Travel and Communication Resolution (H.Res.190), introduced earlier in March with the full backing of the ANCA. It makes no sense to have this travel and communications restriction because we should try to have as much contact as possible with the people there so that there is an understanding of what the people of Artsakh and the government face, Rep. Pallone told Karakashian. Artsakh is a functioning democracy, a market economy - very much like the United States and the rest of the West. I want people to know that. And, if it's going to be successful, there has to be not only political cooperation but economic cooperation. None of that [economic and political cooperation] is helpful if you have a restriction on communications and travel. A Congressional letter, spearheaded by Rep. Pallone and the Congressional Armenian Caucus, addressed to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations leadership advocating for expanded Republic of Artsakh and Armenia assistance, currently has 32 signatories - a number that will likely increase later this week. Congressman Pallone, who has traveled to Artsakh more often than any other U.S. legislator during his years in Congress, told Karakashian that he looks forward to his next trip. I always want to go back I want to settle the dispute with Azerbaijan and have it [Artsakh] continue as an independent nation - or perhaps if they voted in a referendum, become part of Armenia. But, to remain Armenian, which is the ultimate goal, and to be recognized as such - either as a Republic or as a part of Armenia. But beyond that - I just love the culture. I just love everything Armenian - and Artsakh is sort of the epitome of Armenian, whether it's the pottery or the rugs or the culture in general." Rep. Pallone thanked Karakashian and the ANCA for all you do for Armenia and U.S.-Armenia relations. Anna Hakobyan, wife of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and chairperson of the boards of trustees of the My Step and City of Smile charitable foundations, will leave for the United States on 1 April, as reported the official website of Anna Hakobyan, according to NEWS.am. During the visit, Anna Hakobyan will be accompanied by Executive Director of the My Step Charitable Foundation Hovhannes Ghazaryan and Executive Director of the City of Smile Charitable Foundation Esther Demirtchyan. Anna Hakobyan is also scheduled to visit the Library of the US Congress and meet with congresswomen. Anna Hakobyan will also have a meeting at the Carnegie Foundation on the sidelines of the Women for Peace campaign and will participate in the event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles. During the visit, Anna Hakobyan will also take part in several charity dinners and have bilateral meetings during which she will present the programs and activities of the two charitable foundations. Anna Hakobyan will also visit the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis where a memorandum will be signed between the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, the Childrens Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Armenia and the City of Smile Charitable Foundation. The bill on changes in the structure of the government is already in the final stage of development and will be sent to the National Assembly soon. This is what Armenias Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan told journalists on 27 March. Journalists asked if the government would accept Bright Armenia Partys version of changes to the structure of the government. Avinyan said the following in response: The National Assemblys relevant committee will consider the package of changes, and the package will be considered during a session. Our colleagues of the Bright Armenia Party will have all the opportunities to present their recommendations. When asked if the government is determined to have its version of the amendments adopted or if it is ready to make changes, the Deputy PM said the following: We hope we dont leave the impression of a government with dogmas or a government guided by axiomatic principles. We are open to al discussions and logical proposals. In regard to the conversion of the Police and the National Security Service into ministries, he said he was not certain that the Police and the National Security Service can operate effectively as ministries. Will they be developing policies, or is the government trying to solve the issue of parliamentary oversight over their activities? For instance, the Director of the National Security Service participated in the session of the Standing Committee on Defense and Security of the National Assembly, and this was unprecedented. So, the National Assembly de facto has leverages for oversight. According to the draft amendments to the structure of the government, the number of ministries will be reduced, while the National Security Service and the Police will remain as separate bodies. There will also be a Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs under the subordination of the Prime Minister. Bright Armenia Party recommends having 14 ministries, including a Ministry of National Security, as well as joining the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Police to create the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The political party also recommends maintaining the positions of three deputy Prime Ministers, reserving the function of dealing with the Diaspora and repatriation to one of them. Armenias state apparatus can be slashed even more than is proposed in the current bill on the structure of the government. This is what Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as he answered questions from MPs during a discussion on the report on the activities of the government in 2018 on 27 March. Pashinyan particularly explained the idea of merging the Ministry of Agriculture with the Ministry of Economy. If agricultural products are not going to be exported, we cant achieve development of the agrarian sector, the Prime Minister said. According to him, the Ministry of Economic Development will deal with the development of a policy on exports of agricultural products. As far as other agricultural programs are concerned, the Prime Minister believes these programs concern the financial sector more and are also linked to banking in which the government has practically no participation. All the ministries are important. However, if you ask me, I would reduce the number of ministries and the bodies adjunct to them even more, the Prime Minister declared. Story Highlights Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainians (65%) are dissatisfied with their standard of living Half (50%) say their standard of living is getting worse A record 31% say they want to move to another country permanently WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Regardless of the outcome in Ukraine's presidential election this weekend, Ukraine's next leader will continue to face high expectations from residents who are waiting for them to complete the reforms they were promised after the Euromaidan revolution. Among these are continuing economic reforms that enabled the country to crawl out of a deep recession in 2015 and ensuring that this economic growth reaches more Ukrainian households. Fewer than three in 10 residents (29%) last year said they are satisfied with their current standard of living, and half (50%) said it is getting worse. While this marks an improvement since the height of the country's near economic collapse, these numbers still lag behind the regional averages for former Soviet Union states. Ukrainians Still Struggling With the Basics A variety of factors are behind this enduring level of dissatisfaction, including the persistent problems that many Ukrainians have with meeting their families' basic needs. Nearly four in 10 adults in Ukraine report not having enough money for food (38%) or shelter (38%), while almost half (47%) say they are dissatisfied with the availability of good, affordable housing in their city. More Ukrainians Looking to Leave Low wages, combined with a lack of employment options, have also led some Ukrainians to look abroad in search of new opportunities. A recent article in The Washington Post finds that one in 10 Ukrainians, nearly 5 million people, are currently working outside of their country's borders. These workers provided remittances back into Ukraine that are expected to amount to nearly 12% of the country's GDP this year. While some of this movement is cyclical, with workers returning home at regular intervals, a growing number of residents are looking to move out of Ukraine for good. A record-high 31% of Ukrainians report that they would like to move to another country permanently, a rise of 12 percentage points since 2014. Signs of Hope Amid the disenchantment, there is some cause for optimism, including an uptick in life evaluation scores. When asked to rate their life today on a 0 to 10 scale, the average score for Ukrainian adults was 4.75 in 2018; this is among the lowest in the region and below the regional average for post-Soviet states. However, it is a strong improvement over the 4.03 average in 2015. Bottom Line The enduring and widespread economic and social problems in Ukraine have played a major role in pulling the life evaluations of its residents to the some of the lowest levels seen among the former Soviet states. Upon assuming office this summer, the newly anointed president will need to address issues that have plagued citizens for decades, while also working to combat new problems, including repeated cyberattacks and an increased propaganda campaign by neighboring Russia. Julie Ray contributed to this article. For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. Already a wife and young mother when she started law school at the University of Miami in the early 1990s, Tanya Brinkley knew her journey to becoming lawyer would be filled with challenges most other law students never face. Each day, she would bring her 3-year-old daughter with her to campus, dropping the toddler off at Canterbury Preschool and then dashing off to class at Miami Law. Today, Brinkley looks back on those days with fondness, crediting UM with nurturing and supporting her in the pursuit of her dreams. On Wednesday, Brinkleys dreams continued to be fulfilled when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her and fellow School of Law alumna Michelle Alvarez Barakat to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court. UM executive vice president for academic affairs and provost Jeffrey Duerk with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Both will serve with integrity, DeSantis, who was introduced by UM Provost Jeffrey Duerk, said at a midday press conference held in the Kislak Center at the Universitys Richter Library. Being able to sit down and talk with them, I was confident that they have the integrity, the intellect, but also the appreciation of the important role judges play and the limited role judges play. They both demonstrate an appreciation for the separation of powers that is very important. Originally from Miami Beach, Barakat, 47, has served on the Miami-Dade County Court since 2013. She earned her undergraduate degree from UM in 1995 and her J.D. from the School of Law in 1998. She fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Eric Hendon to the Third District Court of Appeal. The 52-year-old Brinkley is a native of Philadelphia. She earned a finance degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1991, going on to graduate from UMs School of Law in 1995. She fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Bronwyn Miller to the Third District Court of Appeal. At Wednesdays press conference, both Barakat and Brinkley said they were looking forward to taking on their new roles. Its most meaningful that my family is here with me today to share in this moment, said Brinkley. She credited UM law professor Donald M. Jones for helping her understand the responsibilities that went along with being a law student and for instilling in her the importance of time management. Confident and smart is how Jones remembers Brinkley, who was a student in his constitutional law, criminal procedure, and employment discrimination classes. She had that special ability to relate with other students, and it was always clear to me that she would play a leadership role in the community, said Jones. Whatever project she took on, it turned to gold. Laurence Rose, a professor emeritus at the School of Law, recalled Barakat and Brinkley as extremely bright and talented students. They were very understanding and knowledgeable about litigation and the courtroom in an era when we see a number of judges getting on the bench who do not have a background in the courtroom, said Rose, who instructed the two in his litigation skills course. Its a pleasure to see these two become circuit court judges. They understand the system and what its supposed to do. Both are highly ethical and understanding of the rights of individuals and entities, and both are pretty good trial lawyers. Barakats mother, Maria Alvarez, who came to Miami from Cuba in 1962, said her daughter was always a good student. Her grandfather, who was a judge in Cuba, had a big influence on her, said Alvarez. With a mother, sister and daughter who are also lawyers, Brinkley is part of a family of legal eagles. Many of those family members attended Wednesdays press conference, including Brinkleys mother, Barbara Walker, an NYU law graduate who recalled her daughter as being outspoken and always having strong viewpoints. No one deserves this more, Walker said of Brinkleys appointment. Software major Adobe on Tuesday announced the global availability of "Adobe Experience Platform" for customer experience management (CXM). Stitching together data from across the enterprise, the platform enables real-time customer profiles leveraging Adobe Sensei, the company's artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology. To help enterprises deliver personalised experiences in real-time, the Adobe Experience Platform activates content based on these customer profiles, the San Jose, California-headquartered company said at its annual summit here. "Solving today's data challenges require a cloud-based, hyper-scale architecture with a rich data pipeline and real-time customer profile powered by AI and ML," said Abhay Parasnis, Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer, Adobe. "Adobe Experience Platform is purpose-built for capturing, processing and actioning data in real-time, enabling enterprises to deliver rich and relevant experiences to their customers," Parasnis said. Every enterprise today is struggling to handle the explosion of data, which is being driven by rich customer experiences, multiple devices and IoT. These companies are spending massive amounts of time and resources trying to build their own infrastructure to manage and sort the data. Adobe said it is offering Adobe Experience Platform to bring together all data sources from across the enterprise and rationalise the data for real-time actionability. Some of the world's largest brands, including 3M, Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl's, Marriott, Sony PlayStation and Verizon Wireless, are already using Adobe Experience Platform in beta. At the Adobe Summit 2019, the company announced its partnership with US-based cloud computing firm ServiceNow to accelerate customer experience management across enterprises. Adobe on Tuesday also announced an extension of its partnership with Microsoft and a new integration with LinkedIn Marketing Solutions that will accelerate account-based experiences (ABX) through new marketing solution integrations. "Orchestrating the engagement of multiple individuals in a complex marketing and sales journey is at the heart of account-based experiences and what B2B (business-to-business) marketers do day in and out," said Steve Lucas, Senior Vice-President, Digital Experience Business at Adobe. "With these new account- based capabilities, marketing and sales teams will have increased alignment around the people and accounts they are engaging, and new ways to measure that business impact," Lucas said. With over 5,500 employees, India is the second largest establishment for Adobe and over a third of the company's overall R&D happens out of the India labs. Read More News: Big budget films set to clash in 2020 Southern Illinois students to compete in regional science fair at SIU by Tim Crosby CARBONDALE, Ill. Southern Illinois University Carbondale next week will host students from around the region for the annual Illinois Junior Academy of Science Region 8 Science Fair. Hundreds to compete This year, officials expect about 400 junior high and high school students to participate in the event, which is set for Tuesday in the Student Center ballrooms. Judging is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with all projects open to public viewing from 1 to 4 p.m. Officials will present awards beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Neckers room 240. Multiple, diverse categories There are 18 project categories, ranging from aerospace to behavioral science, health and zoology. More than 150 SIU faculty and graduate students volunteer their time to act as judges. Many academic departments and campus units also sponsor student and school awards totaling several thousand dollars. Only those registered with IJAS are allowed to compete. There is a $75 to $100 registration fee to become a member of the state organization. Projects to advance to state competition Judges will select about 60 projects to advance to the state competition, also held at SIU this year, in early May. (Adds deployment of U.N. team, more details on attack, U.N. figures) By Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO, March 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations has dispatched human rights experts to central Mali to investigate a weekend massacre of at least 157 villagers seen as one of the worst acts of bloodshed in a country beset by ethnic violence. The attack, in which women and children were burned in their homes by gunmen, escalated a conflict between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders that killed hundreds of civilians in 2018 and is spreading across the Sahel, the arid region between the Sahara desert to the north and Africa's savannas to the south. "A team of 10 human rights specialists, a child protection agent and two MINUSMA investigators have been deployed to the Mopti region to conduct a special investigation into Saturday's terrible events," U.N. mission spokesman Olivier Salgado tweeted on Wednesday. MINUSMA refers to the U.N. mission in Mali. International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said this week that the crimes could fall under ICC jurisdiction and that a delegation would be sent to Mali. A U.N. Security Council mission was already visiting the West African state to seek solutions to ethnic violence when the massacre occurred. An official from a nearby town said on Saturday that armed men dressed as Dogon hunters assaulted villages populated by Fulani herders. The Dogon suspect the Fulani of harboring Islamist militants, charges the Fulani deny. The attack came less than a week after an Islamist assault on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region. That attack was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate. In a statement on Tuesday, MINUSMA said a Dogon village in the region was also attacked on the night of the Fulani massacre, leaving at least four people dead. Tacit outsourcing of the fight against jihadists to vigilante groups with scores to settle has unleashed ethnic strife across the Sahel. In neighboring Burkina Faso at the end of December, ethnic Mossi militia killed dozens of Fulani in revenge for the killing of a village chief by jihadists. Story continues U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Tuesday that 219 people had been killed by anti-jihadist vigilante groups in Mali since the start of this year. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita responded to the attack on the Fulanis by disbanding an anti-jihadist vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou, whose Dogon fighters are suspected of being behind the massacre. The group has denied its members were involved and rejected the government's dissolution. (Writing by Edward McAllister and Sofia Christensen Editing by Mark Heinrich) * Violence eases after late-night attacks * Schools reopen on both sides of border * Latest escalation began on Monday * Egypt trying to cement calm (Adds Hamas leader visiting bombed office) By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller GAZA/JERUSALEM, March 27 (Reuters) - The leader of the militant Islamist group Hamas viewed the rubble of his bombed office in Gaza on Wednesday, appearing in public as an uneasy calm took hold after two days of cross-border Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli air strikes. But while violence eased amid Egyptian mediation, Israeli forces along the Gaza frontier and militants in the Hamas-run Palestinian enclave were on hair-trigger footing. No deaths have been reported in Gaza and Israel since the latest clashes erupted on Monday. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile interceptors have destroyed some Palestinian rockets and militants in Gaza vacated facilities hit in the air strikes. In the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, however, a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli troops during clashes with stone-throwers, an ambulance service official said, identifying the victim as a volunteer wearing a paramedic uniform. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Towns in southern Israel reopened classrooms and schools were also operating in Gaza, where streets were filled with traffic. Hamas's top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, emerged from a secret location to see what was left of his wrecked office, targeted by an Israeli air strike on Monday. "The occupation," he said, referring to Israel, "should not be under the illusion it can break the will of our people." A senior Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, retorted: "Haniyeh should find himself a new office before he starts sounding off." Even if the crisis subsides, it could shadow Israel's April 9 election, in which right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has campaigned on a tough security platform. Story continues Security is a major issue for Netanyahu, in power for a decade and beset by corruption allegations that he denies. He is facing his strongest electoral challenge from a centrist coalition led by a former general. ANNIVERSARY NEARS Seven Israelis were injured in Monday's initial rocket attack that hit the village of Mishmeret, 120 km (75 miles) north of Gaza. Twelve Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli strikes, Gaza health officials said. After a daylight lull on Tuesday, Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli strikes resumed after dark, but only briefly. The latest escalation is the biggest since November between Israel and Hamas, which fought three wars between 2008 and 2014 and have come to the brink of a fourth several times since. In the 2014 Gaza war, more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, were killed in seven weeks of fighting. Sixty-six Israeli soldiers and seven civilians in Israel were killed. This week's fighting comes ahead of the first anniversary on March 30 of the start of weekly Gaza protests at the frontier. The protests' organizing committee said it was preparing for a one-million-person march to mark the anniversary on Saturday at five locations along the frontier with Israel. Some 200 Gazans have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli fire in the past year. One Israeli soldier was killed. Israel says its use of lethal force is meant to stop attempts to breach the border and launch attack on its troops and civilians. The protesters are demanding the right to return to lands Palestinians fled or were forced to leave in Israel during fighting that accompanied its founding in 1948. Egypt was expected to pursue further truce talks on Wednesday, said a Palestinian official involved in the efforts. U.N. Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council on Tuesday he had been working with Egypt to secure a ceasefire and that a fragile calm had taken hold. In further violence in the West Bank on Wednesday, about 150 Palestinian students threw firebombs and rocks at Israeli soldiers, who responded with tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets, a day after an Israeli raid on Birzeit university. Three protesters were wounded by rubber bullets, ambulance crews said. There were no reports of Israeli casualties. The Israeli military said it arrested 11 Palestinians in the West Bank overnight suspected of what it termed terrorist activities, but gave no specifics. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Maayan Lubell and Gareth Jones) * Viking Ocean Cruises accepts findings * Sister ships have been inspected (Adds comment from cruise operator) OSLO, March 27 (Reuters) - The engines of a luxury cruise ship that narrowly escaped disaster during a storm off Norway on Saturday failed because of relatively low levels of lubricating oil in the engines, the Norwegian Maritime Authority said on Wednesday. The Viking Sky, with almost 1,400 passengers and crew aboard, sent out a mayday signal on Saturday as it drifted in rough waters in the Norwegian Sea to within 100 meters of land. All four engines had failed, but crew managed to restart one of the engines just in time. "Our conclusion is that the engine failure was directly caused by low oil pressure," the Norwegian Maritime Authority said in a statement. "The level of lubricating oil in the tanks was within set limits, however relatively low, when the vessel started to cross Hustadvika," it added, referring to the stretch of water where the incident happened. The heavy seas probably caused movements in the tanks so large that the supply to the lubricating oil pumps stopped, the regulator said. This triggered an alarm indicating a low level of lubricating oil, which in turn caused an automatic shutdown of the engines. Rescue services airlifted 479 people, hoisting them one-by-one onto helicopters, before the weather subsided on Sunday and a tow could begin. Built in 2017, the ship belongs to Viking Ocean Cruises, part of the Viking Cruises group. It acknowledged the probe's findings in full, it said on Wednesday. "We have inspected the levels on all our sister ships and are now revising our procedures to ensure that this issue could not be repeated," Viking Ocean Cruises was quoted as saying in the statement by the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Earlier on Wednesday, the Viking Sky left the port of Molde, where it had been anchored since Sunday, for repairs at a shipyard in Kristiansund, some 70 km (43.5 miles) away. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; Editing by Toby Chopra) Morocco and Spain have inked this week an agreement aimed at enhancing further their judicial cooperation, while protecting freedoms and respecting human rights principles. The agreement, signed in Rabat by public prosecutor at the court of cassation, Mohamed Abdennabaoui, and Spanish Attorney General, Maria Jose Segarra Crespo, the terms for the exchange of experiences and expertise in the fight against crime and the sharing of information on extradition. It also aims to strengthen the powers of the Public Prosecutors Office of the two countries, in addition to sharing information on laws and special measures to combat crime, said Abdennabaoui. For her part, Maria Jose Segarra praised Moroccos judicial experience, noting that this agreement confirms the cooperation ties and mutual trust shared by the two institutions seeking a better understanding of Moroccan and Spanish judicial systems. * Army chief wants Bouteflika out on health grounds * Plan backed by main ruling parties, big union * Protesters reject managed exit, army involvement * Fears of further turmoil in gas, oil producer (Adds ruling party decision) By Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed ALGIERS, March 27 (Reuters) - Algeria's army appeared certain to secure the end of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika 20-year rule after winning over his key allies but the managed exit plan was rejected by protesters demanding the overthrow of the entire political elite. The shift by several pillars of the establishment on Wednesday was a clear signal that the 82-year-old president - who has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013 - has little to no chance of staying in power for much longer in the North African country, an oil and gas producer. The army's powerful chief of staff, Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, told officers in a speech broadcast on Tuesday that the solution to the crisis would be the departure of the president on health grounds. Salah called on Algeria's constitutional council to rule whether Bouteflika was fit for office. Such a ruling would have to be ratified by a two-thirds majority of members in the two houses of parliament. In the heaviest blow to the ailing leader, the ruling FLN party said it backed the army's bid to have the constitutional council declare him unfit for office. "We announce our support for the initiative as a start to a constitutional plan that will allow us to protect our country from dangers," the party said in a statement. That move came after Algeria's biggest union and a powerful party that is part of the ruling coalition announced they would back the military's approach. The army has been patiently waiting for the right moment to intervene. Now that the generals have emptied Bouteflika's inner circle, they are well positioned to play their traditional role of kingmaker in any transition. Story continues The military will face resistance from the leaders of mass demonstrations fueled by anger over alleged corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement who said the plan still did not go far enough. "Protests will continue... Algerians' demands include a change of the political system," Mustapha Bouchachi, a lawyer and activist, told Reuters. "The implementation of Article 102 (the part of the constitution that covers declaring a president unfit for office) means that the symbols of the system will oversee the transition period and organize presidential elections," he said. Even if both sides dig in, no Algerians want to risk returning to the dark days of the 1990s, when the army's cancellation of elections that Islamists were poised to win triggered a civil war that killed 200,000 people. Back then, Islamists had marched in the streets chanting "no laws, no constitution but Allah" under the watchful eye of the military. No women had taken part and the men were bearded, in sharp contrast to the protests which erupted five weeks ago. These demonstrations have been peaceful, with people singing, laughing and taking selfies as they wave banners calling for peaceful political change. Some even bring lunch to the demonstrations. The military has stayed in its barracks. The army chief has warned he will not tolerate chaos, but he also praised Algerians for pursuing "noble aims." Protesters have repeatedly said they would reject any orchestrated succession in politics and want a transition which will lead to a government by consensus, but there are no signs they will resort to violence to reach their goals. "We want a real democracy, not a facade of a democracy," said postal worker Zakaria Jaziri 26. State bank employee Djamel Hadidi, 37, said: "We welcome the army's initiative but we do not want Bouteflika's men to govern us until the next election." HIGH STAKES Under Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days after Bouteflika's departure. Even if Bouteflika quits, there is no obvious replacement who could be acceptable to all. For years, rumors have swirled about potential successors, but no single credible candidate has emerged with the backing of the political and security establishment who is not at least 70. Facing the biggest challenge to his rule, Bouteflika reversed a plan to seek a fifth term, postponed elections and promised to introduce greater freedoms. But he stopped short of stepping down, infuriating Algerians who want to do away with veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, military officers and business tycoons who have dominated for decades. "Is there a risk of radicalisation or confrontation if demonstrators reject the army approach? This is a hypothesis that cannot be totally excluded," said Louisa Dris, professor of political science at Algiers University. Western powers will want to see a smooth succession. Algeria is a member of OPEC and top gas supplier to Europe, though so far oil and gas output appears unaffected by the unrest, an International Energy Agency official said on Tuesday. Algeria is seen by Western states as a counter-terrorism partner, a military force in North Africa and a diplomatic player in efforts to resolve crises in Mali and Libya. (Additional reporting by Abdelaziz Boumzar; Writing by Michael Georgy, Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean, Gareth Jones) * Spanish court names suspects in embassy break in * Secretive Cheollima Civil Defense group says it is legitimate government of N.Korea * Group says "outing" members puts lives at risk * Leading figure in raid is longtime activist - analysts (Adds statement from Free Joseon lawyer) By Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL, March 27 (Reuters) - A shadowy group seeking to overthrow North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been thrust into the international spotlight after a Spanish court investigating a break-in at North Korea's embassy in Madrid named apparent members as suspects. Cheollima Civil Defense, also known as Free Joseon, first went public in 2017, when it said it was protecting the family of Kim Jong Un's half brother Kim Jong Nam, who was murdered in a Malaysian airport. Spanish authorities unsealed court documents on Tuesday accusing at least 10 individuals of storming into the embassy, restraining and beating some staff members and holding them hostage for hours before fleeing with stolen computers and hard drives. Such an action would be one of the most militant operations ever carried out by activists opposed to North Korea's government. "Parties seeking to 'out' those in Madrid have painted a target on the backs of those seeking only to protect others," Cheollima Civil Defense said in a website post, apparently acknowledging for the first time its involvement in the raid. "They have chosen to side with Pyongyang's criminal, totalitarian rulers over their victims." It disputed police allegations that weapons or violence were used in the break-in. Lee Wolosky, an American attorney who represents Free Joseon, said in a statement that the Spanish court "purported to reach conclusions without any input from representatives" of the group. "There are a number of statements attributed to the judge in media reports that do not accurately reflect what happened in Madrid," he continued, without elaborating. "It was, in any event, highly irresponsible to disclose publicly the names of people who are working in opposition to a brutal regime that routinely and summarily executes its enemies." Story continues Of the 10 suspects, the documents listed the names and birth dates of seven, including citizens of Mexico, the United States, and South Korea. All but one are under 30 years old. The identification of at least some of the individuals in the group may have undermined their cause and perhaps endangered their lives, analysts and activists said. "It was too risky," said one South Korean human rights activist who previously worked with one of the suspects. "Now that their identities are known, they won't be able to carry out activities as before." NORTH KOREA ACTIVIST The Mexican national named by Spanish authorities as one of the embassy raid's leaders, Adrian Hong, is a longtime activist who helped found the refugee aid organization Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), and later led an organization preparing for an "imminent, dramatic change" in the country, analysts said. Spanish court documents said Hong played a leading role in the break-in, and that after fleeing to the United States he contacted the FBI to offer information that had been stolen. Hong could not be reached for immediate comment. Hong was among several LiNK activists who were arrested and deported from China in late 2006 as they were trying to help a party of North Korean refugees escape. In a statement on Tuesday, LiNK said Hong had not been involved in any way with the group for more than 10 years and LiNK had no information on his current activities. Hong told a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates in 2011 that the Arab Spring uprisings then unfolding were "a dress rehearsal for North Korea." Kang Cheol-hwan, a defector and founder of the North Korea Strategy Centre in Seoul, said Hong went so far as to travel to Libya to research the aftermath of Muammar Gaddafi's ouster. FREE JOSEON Cheollima Civil Defense takes its name from a winged horse commonly featured in East Asian mythology. Free Joseon, meanwhile, references the last Korean dynasty, and a name that North Korea still often uses to refer to itself. On its website, the group used soaring language to declare itself the "a provisional government" of Free Joseon as "the sole legitimate representative of the Korean people of the north." The website also began to sell "post-liberation blockchain visas" that can be bought with cryptocurrency, and on March 11 it claimed responsibility for defacing the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur. North Korea has not publicly commented on the Madrid break-in, nor filed a complaint with Spanish police. The group's brazen actions led some to speculate that there could be serious dissent against Kim Jong Un taking shape. But other analysts were more skeptical, and say there are lingering questions over possible ties to foreign intelligence agencies. "I'm still inclined to believe there was some professional involvement, because taking over a foreign mission is not an easy operation," said Korea Risk Group director Andrei Lankov. "They took computers and hard disks, but if you don't have highly specialized capabilities for breaking the codes, it's probably not going to be useful to anyone but major intelligence agencies." Cheollima Civil Defense said on Tuesday that no governments were involved or were aware of the embassy operation beforehand. It said it had shared "certain information of enormous potential value" with the FBI at the agency's request, but that agreements of confidentiality "appear to have been broken." The U.S. State department said on Tuesday the U.S. government was not involved in the raid. (Reporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin; Jonathan Landay contributed from Washington; Editing by Alex Richardson and Jonathan Oatis) (Adds quote from Justices Breyer and Gorsuch, plaintiff's attorney, and background on case, paragraphs 13-16, 19-21) By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday expressed skepticism toward the wide latitude courts give federal agencies to interpret their own regulations in a case that could bolster President Donald Trump's push toward curbing agency power. The case, involving a Vietnam War veteran's fight with the Department of Veterans Affairs over retroactive disability benefits, focuses on whether the high court should overrule its own precedents dating back to 1945 that call for judges to defer to administrative agencies' views on what their own regulations mean. Ridding judges of a duty to defer could undercut agencies' ability to issue certain informal policies and rules. During an hour of arguments, the court's 5-4 conservative majority seemed more willing to limit such judicial deference - as suggested by U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, the Trump administration's top Supreme Court lawyer - rather than eliminate it entirely. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh told Francisco that under the legal doctrine known as "Auer deference," judges must sometimes side with an agency even when they feel it has made the wrong call on a regulation. "Doesn't that trouble you?" Kavanaugh asked. Liberal justices said judicial deference is important because agencies often have technical expertise that judges do not possess. Retired U.S. Marine James Kisor, 75, challenged a lower court's ruling that deferred to an interpretation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, of its regulations in denying his disability benefits arising from battle-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In his appeal, Kisor said the justices should get rid of Auer deference as courts are best equipped to resolve the meaning of regulations. Story continues Paring back the authority of federal agencies - which can control regulation in many critical areas including energy, climate change and the workplace - has been a key goal of many business and conservative groups, which complain about what they call the "administrative state." These critics have said judicial deference has allowed agencies to accumulate power by enabling them to issue vague or burdensome regulations and then enforce them according to the policy preferences of unelected administrators. The Trump administration has pursued an aggressive policy of scaling back government regulations including on environmental protections, financial services and other industries. 'IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS' Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer questioned Kisor's lawyer, Paul Hughes, on whether the "possibly millions" of interpretations involving intricate matters that agencies make would have to go through a long, complex process of rulemaking that involves notifying and accepting public comment. That process "provides important safeguards for the regulated public," Hughes replied. Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, a fierce critic of agency deference, said people affected by regulations, including veterans and immigrants subject to deportation proceedings, deserve an independent judge to decide what the law means in their cases. "That seems to me a significant promise, especially to the least and most vulnerable among us, like the immigrant, like the veteran, who may not be the most popular or able to capture an agency the way many regulated entities can today," Gorsuch said. Auer deference refers to a 1997 Supreme Court ruling in the case Auer v. Robbins, which extended a 1945 precedent in the case Bowles v. Seminole Rock & Sand Co that had accepted an agency's take unless it was plainly wrong or inconsistent with the regulation. Kisor, who served during the Vietnam War installing field telephone networks, participated in a 1965 battle in which several of his fellow soldiers were killed. The VA granted him disability benefits for PTSD in 2006, but refused to pay Kisor retroactively going back to 1983, when he was first denied benefits. At that time, he had not been diagnosed with PTSD. The case hinges on the VA's interpretation of records of an individual's military service it considers "relevant" in order to reconsider a denied claim. The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 2017 applied Auer deference to side with the VA over Kisor. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham) (Adds Rosales to visit Melania Trump in Palm Beach on Thursday) By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, will meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the White House on Wednesday and first lady Melania Trump in Florida on Thursday, White House officials said. The high-profile meetings are aimed at demonstrating U.S. backing for Guaido, the head of Venezuela's national assembly, who in January invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency, arguing that President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. "The United States is determined to support Interim President Guaidos leadership as he champions freedom and the restoration of democracy for the Venezuelan people," a White House official said in a statement about Pence's meeting with Rosales. Most Latin American and Western countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader. Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the country's military, says Guaido is a puppet of the United States. Melania Trump will meet with Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist who is considered Venezuela's first lady by supporters, at the Trumps' private Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday, a spokeswoman for the first lady said. Rosales, who told Reuters before her trip that her family and friends have been stalked and threatened, is also expected to visit New York City and Miami during her U.S. trip. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Editing by James Dalgleish and Tom Brown) BINGHAMTON, N.Y. Columbine. Newtown. Fort Hood. Aurora. Charleston. Virginia Tech. Mass shooting locations read off with chilling familiarity. Missing and almost forgotten among the communities that have suffered through the bloodshed, is Binghamton. What factors may have led many to forget the ACA shooting Not that the community wants to be solely identified by its own active shooter at an immigrant center that claimed the life of 13 victims 10 years ago. But with each subsequent mass shooting, it seems the shocking incident at the American Civic Association that gripped this community in fear and mourning on a rainy and chilly Friday morning fades further from the nation's collective memory, creating a double tragedy for the innocent, many of whom were foreign nationals in an English class. American Civic Association shooting: Here's the impact it left March 25: 'We've lost so many': Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland shooting survivors struggle with suicide, guilt "The narrative of the story did not resonate with the mainstream," said Angie Chuang, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder, who has studied the media reaction to Binghamton's mass murder. "It was very much a perception of immigrants killing other immigrants." Eleven of the 13 victims were from distant locales China, Haiti and Iraq among them. Many of the mourning kin were out of reach for media interviews in the days after the shooting. Days after the scene was wiped clean, so was the searing impact of what was then one of the deadliest mass shootings in America at least, in the eyes of the nation. "I know a lot was said, maybe because they were immigrants, people didnt care as much," said Dr. Jeffrey King, son of Roberta "Bobbie" King, the beloved teacher who was targeted in the English as second language class. "Im not so sure about that. I think it got diluted down as well because all of a sudden (mass shootings) were happening every several months almost, a couple a year." Story continues The American Civic Association became a place of remembrance in the days following the massacre on Front Street in Binghamton on April 3, 2009. The American Civic Association killings were the seventh deadliest shooting in U.S. history at the time, the same as Columbine High School. Today, it remains the 13th deadliest mass shooting. Each time a mass shooting occurs, media and politicians tick off a list of previous deadly killings, using shorthand like "Parkland" and "Aurora" to represent the horrors that occurred there. Binghamton is nearly always left off that list. The slight has mostly gone unnoticed beyond Binghamton, with one notable exception: Four years ago, The Boston Globe ran a front-page story headlined, "The deadliest mass shooting everyone forgot." "In response to the shootings in San Bernardino, the New York Times published a historic op-ed titled End The Gun Epidemic In America on its front page. It referenced, among others, the mass shootings in Colorado, Oregon and Charleston. It made no mention of Binghamton. Neither did editorials on gun violence in the Washington Post, L.A. Times and other major outlets," the Boston Globe writer observed. Kris Gilbert and Susan McAnanama, both of Binghamton, bow their heads in remembrance of the shooting victims during a peace vigi at Confluence Park in Binghamton. Memories last long in Binghamton. The lives lost still bring a collective sting to longtime residents and relatives. At first, we started to realize, a few years out, after more and more shootings, all these articles were (saying) Oh, Columbine then Virginia Tech and Fort Hood and all this and were like, Wow, where are we?,' " King said. "We were one of the largest massacres at the time, you know 13 people killed and others injured. And it actually really was very insulting, I mean, I was furious." Barely 24 hours after shots rang out on April 3, 2009, at the American Civic Association, a horde of national media descended onto Binghamton to cover one of the nation's most deadly mass shootings. How the news may have influenced what's remembered Angela Leach, the president of the American Civic Association, speaks at a news conference on April 4, 2009, in Binghamton, N.Y. The man who police say killed 13 people in a shooting rampage at an immigrant community center was depressed and angry over losing his job and about his poor English skills, officials said Saturday. National television networks and media outlets sprang into action, dispatching crews to bring news of the latest shooting tragedy to their viewers and readers. All the biggies were there: ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN. Today Show reporters set up a temporary canopy just across the street from the immigrant center to update its audience on the latest developments on the morning after the shooting. Random residents were plucked off the street for reaction. A crush of media attended the day-after news conference at City Hall, where then-Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan spoke about the tragedy and Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski described the ugly scene. March 19: Jacinda Ardern leads New Zealand in aftermath of killings police say could have been worse Within a few days, the media gaggle dispersed, moving on to other stories. Out of the spotlight, Binghamton's hurt became just one of several. "The bigger issue is that outside the Central New York area, Binghamton was never a high news draw," said Jaclyn Schildkraut, assistant professor of public justice at the State University of New York at Oswego, who studies mass shootings. For America, the killings had become all too commonplace. The media's mass shooting drill was well-oiled. In the 10 years prior, there had been 13 mass shootings Columbine and Virginia Tech among them across the nation, claiming the lives of 116 and injuring 105. If Binghamton didn't become eclipsed because of its size, then why? Since Binghamton, there have been 26 more active shooter incidents in America. The death toll, 281; injured 243. Several of those locations stand out, too: Tuscon, San Bernardino, Orlando, Fort Hood, Newtown, and Charleston. Binghamton has become little more than a footnote. "These were poor immigrants in a poor town that had a Rust Belt vibe," said Chuang, trying to explain why the memory of Binghamton's tragedy has faded. "These were people that were affected they've dealt with hardship before." Once the immediacy of the tragedy fades, so does the collective attention of the American public. "It's very easy for society to turn a blind eye because it's not their community," Schildkraut said. After a decade, Zikuski is at a loss to explain how the American Civic Association seemingly became forgotten in the national conversation of mass shootings. When looking at other shootings, back to Columbine, its not as though Binghamton became eclipsed because of its size or even the number of victims. Do I agree with that? Yes, I do, it is sort of like the forgotten massacre, Zikuski said. Not that we want to be known for this this is one of the most tragic things thats happened in this community. Zikuski said he hopes the fact that the American Civic Association involved an immigrant population didnt push it out of the national spotlight. But, he said, thats seemingly the most obvious explanation. But perhaps more important than being ranked among the nations mass shootings is being known for how the community healed, he said. I think this community took it hard, so I certainly dont think it was any less tragic because of who got shot, Zikuski said. Nobody wants to be known for what happened here, but they dont want it forgotten. People want people to know this community pulled together. Contributing: Anthony Borrelli, Maggie Gilroy and Natasha Vaughn, (Binghamton, N.Y._ Press & Sun-Bulletin. Follow Jeff Platsky on Twitter: @JeffPlatsky Editors note: Though the identity of the man who killed 13 people at the American Civic Association in 2009 is public record and has been widely circulated, the Press & Sun-Bulletin has chosen not to include his name or likeness here. This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: 13 were murdered in Binghamton, NY, in 2009. Why has the world forgotten? Climate change is already a major campaign issue for the many Democrats running to replace President Donald Trump in 2020. But while some candidates have expressed support for the ambitious Green New Deal or pledged to reject fossil fuel money, others have called the legislation unachievable or left the door open to Big Oil. The environmental group 350 Action on Wednesday released a candidate scorecard known as the 2020 Climate Test to assess presidential hopefuls on three major metrics: support for a Green New Deal, opposition to new fossil fuel development and refusal to accept money from energy companies. (Trump is the only Republican listed, as no other members of his party have announced a bid to unseat him. He failed all three tests.) Were making it clear where 2020 candidates land on the policies and practices essential to any meaningful attempt at addressing the climate crisis, May Boeve, 350 Actions executive director, said in a statement. Bold climate action that strengthens our economy and communities is not only what most Americans want its also the reasonable and responsible way forward. Recent polls show the issue is growing as a national concern. A Gallup poll this month found that a majority of Americans identify as concerned believers who are highly worried about climate change and believe it will pose a serious threat in their lifetimes. Other polling suggests public concern about climate change has increased since Trump took office and moved to unravel many landmark environmental policies and withdraw the country from the Paris climate deal. Julian NoiseCat, a policy analyst at 350 Action, said the group is working to dispel any idea that climate action is unpopular or a fringe issue. The impacts of climate change are upon us. Full stop, NoiseCat told HuffPost in an email. All the data shows that Americans are increasingly concerned about climate change and looking to new leaders for meaningful action. Candidates who inspire the public about the promise of a green economy and the imperative to take-on the fossil fuel corporations polluting our planet and our democracy are going to stand out. (NoiseCat was formerly a fellow at HuffPost.) Story continues Despite public sentiment, Trump and his administration have maintained a firm anti-environment agenda. The president regularly mocks the idea of climate change on Twitter, and the White House is planning to set up a panel devoted to challenging the science behind the phenomenon that includes an avowed climate skeptic. But on the Democratic side, 2020 candidates have for the most part indicated support for environmental policies, though some appear more willing to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation than others. Heres how the Democratic field pans out so far, per 350 Actions scorecard. The standouts. Three candidates have made firm climate-forward commitments, issuing their support for the Green New Deal, vowing to keep fossil fuels in the ground and banning donations from Big Oil. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) Theyre getting there. Four candidates have supported two of 350 Actions three benchmarks. Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.) Supports a Green New Deal and keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) Supports keeping fossil fuels in the ground and ending donations from the energy industry. Gov. Jay Inslee (Wash.) Supports a Green New Deal and ending donations from the energy industry. Andrew Yang Supports a Green New Deal and ending donations from the energy industry. We need to know more. Five candidates have expressed firm pro-environment views, but we need to know more about their positions. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (South Bend, Ind.) Supports the Green New Deal. Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro Supports the Green New Deal. Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) Supports the Green New Deal. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) Supports the Green New Deal. Former Rep. Beto ORourke (Texas) Supports the Green New Deal. Not doing so hot. Two candidates have failed all three of 350 Actions tests, attacking the Green New Deal or making no firm pledges to work against fossil fuel companies. Former Rep. John Delaney (Md.) Does not support the Green New Deal. Former Gov. John Hickenlooper (Colo.) Does not support the Green New Deal. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Photo credit: Michael Simari - Car and Driver From Car and Driver The new A35 sedan will be Mercedes-AMG's cheapest and least powerful model. It has a turbocharged inline-four with 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a variable all-wheel-drive system. An even more powerful AMG version of the A-class is coming later in the year. When the Europe-only Mercedes-AMG A35 hatchback debuted last fall, we told you that Americans would soon be getting the model in sedan form. It turns out soon meant about six months, but no matterthe U.S.-bound A35 sedan has now been revealed ahead of its in-person debut at the New York auto show next month, and as we expected, it's basically identical to its hatchback sibling. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and the Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. The engine has been heavily modified by AMG, and it puts out 302 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque between 3000 and 4000 rpm. Mercedes quotes a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.7 seconds. That's 1.4 seconds quicker than the time C/D got for an all-wheel-drive A220 sedan with 188 horses and 221 lb-ft, and about a second slower than what we achieved in a 375-hp CLA45. In a break from other AMG models, a controllable exhaust system is standard, not optional. Photo credit: Michael Simari - Car and Driver The dual-clutch transmission is an AMG-specific unit that has been tuned for fast shifts and "very responsive acceleration in all speed ranges," and the A35 has launch control as standard. The 4Matic all-wheel-drive system's variable torque distribution ranges from 100 percent at the front wheels to a 50/50 front-to-rear split; this is controlled electromechanically, with the split being influenced by speed, acceleration, selected gear, steering angle, and individual wheel speed, among other factors. There are five driving modes; of them, the Sport+ and Slippery modes are new to the AMG. Sport+, as the name implies, increases responsiveness for maximum performance, while Slippery is for enhanced stability, implementing a flat torque curve, smoother responses, and reduced power. The A35 has a different suspension setup than the regular A-class with optional adjustable dampers, a specially tuned variable-ratio steering rack, and larger vented disc brakes (four-piston calipers with 13.8-inch discs in front, single-piston calipers with 13.0-inch discs in back). It also gets the AMG Dynamics system that debuted on the updated C63, which is an enhanced stability control and brake-based torque-vectoring system that works in conjunction with the driving modes. Story continues Photo credit: Michael Simari - Car and Driver The A35 gets typical AMG styling enhancements including a twin-bar grille, a front bumper with larger openings, a rear lip spoiler, and a deep rear diffuser with a round exhaust tip at each side. The dual screens on the dashboard have an AMG-specific Supersport mode. An available AMG steering wheel has touchscreen buttons for controlling features such as driving modes, and buyers can choose to litter the interior with red trim piecesincluding seatbelts. An optional AMG Aerodynamics package consists of a larger front splitter, small front canards, a bigger trunk spoiler, and some additional trim on the rear bumper; Mercedes says this pack actually increases downforce and high-speed handling. Among other options are a Night package that blacks out the exterior trim, 19-inch wheels in place of the standard 18s, and performance bucket seats. Photo credit: Mercedes-AMG AMG CEO Tobias Moers says the A35 will appeal to new kinds of customers and serve as "an entry point into the world of AMG." Pricing hasn't been announced, but we expect the A35 will start at around $45,000, splitting the difference between the standard A220 and the existing AMG CLA45. The A35 sedan will be quickly followed by a CLA35yes, there will be nearly identical AMG versions of the A-class and the CLAas well as a GLA35 once the next-gen version of the standard GLA debuts. The existence of these new lower-tier four-cylinder compact AMGs leaves room for the upcoming A45, CLA45, and GLA45 to get even crazier: The range-topping A45 S will get over 415 horsepower from a 2.0-liter turbo four and an advanced all-wheel-drive system with a rear-drive Drift mode. You Might Also Like The Mueller report, or what is known of it so far, removes the worst-case scenarios that had been hanging over President Donald Trumps head. But it does not fully exonerate him. Nor does it answer many of the questions Americans still have about the conduct of their president and Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Here are five of them: 1) If there was no conspiracy, why did President Donald Trump try so desperately to vilify special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation? Mueller, a former FBI director and senior Justice Department official, is a fair-minded law enforcement professional not apt to rush to conclusions or overplay his hand. And presumably Trump knew that Mueller would find little if any criminal collusion. Yet Trump repeatedly denounced Mueller, calling him weak and characterizing his probe as a witch hunt. One explanation is that Trump was afraid that Mueller would go further than he did on the obstruction of justice argument, or that the special counsel might uncover troubling Russia-related behavior not directly related to the election. Another is simply that Trump was trying to "work the refs" and discredit any adverse findings in advance. No one, of course, likes to be investigated, particularly if the implication is that a foreign adversary helped him win the presidency. In any event, Trump went from trashing the investigation as recently as last week to allowing on Monday that Mueller had acted honorably. Members of the protest group Herndon Reston Indivisible outside the White House on March 25, 2019. 2) If there was no conspiracy, why did so many Trump aides lie to prosecutors or lawmakers? Six Trump aides pleaded guilty or were indicted when a little honesty could have saved them much grief. Perhaps the best explanation here is simply that Trump's campaign attracted an array of shady operators, some of whom do not appear to be the sharpest knives in the drawer. Many might have lied simply because they were selected primarily for their loyalty to Trump rather than their competence, and they regarded lying to protect him as a primary responsibility. Story continues By many accounts, Trump's 2016 presidential campaign was a shambolic operation that might have been too inept to pull off a sophisticated criminal conspiracy even if it wanted to. 3) Why was Trump not subpoenaed? The president and his lawyers answered questions in writing, but Trump was never compelled to testify in person, under oath. The question of whether a sitting president can be subpoenaed has never been resolved by courts. This is in part because past presidents including Ulysses Grant, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have obviated the need by voluntarily testifying. But Trump declined to play by the rules set by his predecessors. The Supreme Court, in its 1997 ruling in Clinton v. Jones, suggested that presidents may be subject to subpoenas. The absence of Trump's testimony is a curious omission and a possible road map for future presidents hoping to skirt the law. We'd like to know more about Mueller's reasoning for this decision. 4) Why did Attorney General William Barr insert himself into the obstruction of justice question? Last June, Barr wrote a memo arguing that Trumps behavior regarding ousted FBI chief James Comey asking Comey to be a loyal partisan and then firing him when he refused didn't constitute obstruction. That memo, seen by some critics as an inappropriate job application for a second stint as attorney general, comes into play now. Barrs letter summarizing Muellers report was dismissive of the obstruction case. It is understandable that Mueller would take a pass on the obstruction question, as it presented constitutional complexities above the purview of a special counsel. Even so, it's not clear why Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, himself an actor in the Comey firing, felt compelled to quickly resolve the obstruction question in Trump's favor. 5) Why is Trump so solicitous of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin? Russia is indisputably a hostile nation that annexes neighbors, opposes U.S. interests, and undermines the spread of democracy. Also indisputable, and contained in the Mueller report, is that its agents worked tirelessly to interfere with the 2016 election and influence it in Trumps favor. Yet last year Trump stood next to the Russian leader in Helsinki and said he believed Putin instead of U.S. law enforcement officials. Trump has also had multiple meetings with Putin for which there is no official record. Maybe Trump simply likes people who support him. Or maybe his inexplicable affinity for Putin has to do with money, such as the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project that Trump was pursuing well into 2016. These aren't the only questions hanging in the air. Among the others: How personally was Putin involved in the election interference? How close did the Mueller team come to finding collusion? Why did Trump's campaign manager share political polling data with a Russian associate? The best ways to answer these lingering questions are to make the full report public, and to have Mueller and Barr testify before Congress about the decisions they made along the way. -- By Dan Carney for the Editorial Board USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. If you can't see this reader poll, please refresh your page. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 5 lingering questions about Mueller report summary By Mircely Guanipa and Deisy Buitrago PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's main oil export port of Jose and four crude upgraders have been unable to resume operations following a power blackout on Monday, according to industry workers and a union leader close to the facilities. The most recent oil shipment for export, on the carrier Dragon chartered by Russia's Rosneft, left Jose, which is owned by state-run PDVSA, on March 24, according to Refinitiv Eikon vessel-tracking data and PDVSA's trade documents. "There is no electricity, everything is paralyzed," oil workers' union leader Jose Bodas told Reuters on Tuesday. The blackout, Venezuela's second major power outage in a month, left streets mostly empty in the capital Caracas as school and work were canceled. President Nicolas Maduro's government again blamed the outage on an "attack," amid a power struggle with the opposition and tensions with the United States. Local experts and electrical engineers told Reuters both the current outage and a prolonged blackout that began March 7 were caused by years of underinvestment and lack of maintenance. Several electricity transmission lines were affected this time, halting power at PDVSA's oilfields, upgraders and terminals, according to one of the sources. The total effect of the outage on the company's operations is unclear. Neither PDVSA nor Venezuela's oil ministry immediately responded to requests for comment. PDVSA's four crude upgraders in the Orinoco Belt, capable of converting up to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of extra heavy oil into exportable crude grades, are operated along with Chevron from the U.S., Norway's Equinor, France's Total and Rosneft. "We tried to restart operations last night, but for now only emergency staff are working there," an upgrader worker said. The Petropiar upgrader, part-owned by Chevron, and the Petromonagas facility, in which Rosneft has a minority stake, could not fully restart since the March 7 blackout, three sources said. Petrocedeno, part-owned by Total and Equinor, and Petrosanfelix, which is fully-owned by PDVSA, halted operations after the blackout on Monday. Representatives for Chevron, Rosneft, Total and Equinor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Another source said workers would attempt to restart the upgraders overnight or on Wednesday. The nearby Puerto La Cruz was operating on its own generating capacity, an industry source said. The March 7 blackout also interrupted oil exports at Jose, the lifeblood of OPEC member Venezuela's economy, eroding total export volumes and causing delays in loading and discharging oil. Another PDVSA worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the port had been evacuated around 2 p.m. local time on Monday. (Reporting by Mircely Guanipa and Marianna Parraga, writing by Luc Cohen; editing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool) South Africas Minerals Council on Tuesday warned that electricity price increases by state-owned power utility Eskom will lead to over 90,000 job losses in South Africas gold and platinum mining industries over the next three years. Earlier this year, South Africas National Energy Regulator said that Eskom could hike tariffs by 9.41 percent in 2019, 8.10 percent in 2020 and 5.2 percent in 2021. According to the council, as many as 90,222 jobs would be at risk solely because of the electricity tariff increases. The council added that 71 percent of all gold mines and 65 percent of platinum mines were loss-making or marginal by the end of 2018. The power price hike would make the situation even worse. According to Reuters, gold miner Sibanye-Stillwater said in February that it planned to cut nearly 6,000 jobs in a restructuring of its gold-mining operations. Gold Fields said last year it could slash 1,100 jobs, and Impala Platinum plans to cut its workforce by a third. As a reminder, South Africa has struggled with power supply issues in recent years, as an increasing number of regions are being connected to the national grid without a parallel increase in the number of power plants needed to generate electricity to accommodate this increase. By Sudip Kar-Gupta PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus shares rose on Tuesday after the European planemaker won a deal worth tens of billions of dollars to sell 300 aircraft to China. Airbus was up 2.7 percent by 1208 GMT, with the stock having risen nearly 40 percent so far in 2019. French officials said the deal was worth some 30 billion euros (25.6 billion pounds) at catalogue prices. Planemakers usually grant significant discounts. The Chinese order was announced late on Monday, coinciding with a visit to Europe by Chinese President Xi Jinping and matching a China record held by U.S. rival Boeing. Investment bank Citigroup kept its "buy" rating on Airbus. "We do not have details of the delivery schedule of this order, but China has been taking about 20-25 percent of Airbus production per year and given the A320 family is sold out at announced production rates out to 2024/25, we believe this increases the probability of Airbus moving to a production rate of 70 per month," wrote Citigroup. That positive view was echoed by Morgan Stanley, which kept an "overweight" rating on Airbus shares. "Clearly finalisation of this order is a positive for Airbus, and continues to underpin strong order book coverage and rising production rates in narrowbody," Morgan Stanley said. The larger-than-expected order, which matches an order for 300 Boeing planes when U.S. Donald Trump visited Beijing in 2017, follows a year-long vacuum of purchases in which China failed to place significant orders amid global trade tensions. It also comes as the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX has left uncertainty over Boeing's immediate hopes for a major jet order as the result of any warming of U.S.-China trade ties. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Leigh Thomas and Jane Merriman) The Daily Beast NBCSaturday Night Live returned from a four-week hiatus this week with a holiday message from Kate McKinnons Dr. Anthony Fauci.Do people still think Im sexy or are we done with that? Fauci began. With COVID cases on the rise, people still have a lot of questions: Is it safe to travel? Can I still use this as an excuse to get out of stuff? I would like to never work again.To answer those queries, Fauci presented a series of increasingly absurd scenarios that began with basic situations li WASHINGTON A Republican member of Congress quoted Adolf Hitler on the House floor in an attempt to blast Democrats over the results of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible conspiracy with the Trump presidential campaign. Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks read from Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in an attempt to bash Democrats and the media, alleging they had pushed a "big lie" to smear Trump during the investigation. "A big lie is a political propaganda technique made famous by Germany's national socialist German Worker's Party," Brooks said Monday. "For more than two years, socialist Democrats and their fake news media allies, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Washington Post and countless others, have perpetrated the biggest political lie, con, scam and fraud in American history." Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox Brooks railed against Democrats, citing from a four-page letter Attorney General William Barr sent to members of Congress on Sunday. The letter summarized the conclusions of Mueller's lengthy investigation and explained that Mueller did not find conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign. Mueller could not determine whether President Donald Trump attempted to obstruct justice by impeding the investigation, according to the letter. The poster collection of Utah's Mike Lee: Senator uses Star Wars posters, image of Reagan riding a dinosaur to blast Green New Deal After reviewing the evidence, Barr determined no criminal charges would be filed against the president. Brooks railed against Democrats for pushing the Russian conspiracy for years and the media for helping give them a voice. He called for Democrats and the media to apologize for the "fraud and scam committed" but said he recognized that some would be more likely to "double down and propagate even more big lies because doubling down is essential to big lie theory." Story continues "In that vein, I quote from another socialist who mastered big lie propaganda to a maximum and deadly effect," Brooks said before starting to read Hitler's words on the House floor. He started, "In the big lie, there is always a certain force of credibility because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus, in the primitive simplicity of their minds, they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie." 'A complete and total exoneration': Mueller report: Criminal investigation moves to political realm as Barr summarizes for Congress Opinion: 5 lingering questions about Mueller report summary "Who is this big lie master? That quote was in 1925 by a member of Germany's National Socialist German Workers Party," he said. "That's right. Germany's Socialist Party, more commonly known as the Nazis. The author was socialist Adolf Hitler in his book, 'Mein Kampf.'" Brooks' emphasis on socialism in Germany appeared to be an attempt to link socialism with the Democratic Party even though Nazis were not, in fact, socialists. They, along with Hitler, were fascists, essentially the opposite of socialists. Hitler was the leader of the Nazi Party that initiated World War II and was central in the death of millions during the Holocaust. While on the House floor, Brooks also called on Americans to reject "America's socialists and their fake news media allies" or "succumb to the danger that lurks and horrific damage that results." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks reads from Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' while bashing Democrats, media DUBAI, March 27 (Reuters) - The leader of Algeria's ruling coalition partner RND party, Ahmed Ouyahia, urged President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign, the group said on Wednesday. "The Democratic National Rally recommends the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika according to the fourth paragraph of the article 102 of the constitution," a statement from the party said. Algeria's powerful army chief of staff called on Tuesday for a constitutional move against Bouteflika, signaling an end to his 20-year rule. (Reporting By Algeria Newsroom, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi) A jury heard that Mark Jones owned a special wedding edition of Mein Kampf (Picture: Getty) A man accused of being a member of a neo-Nazi terror group owned a special wedding edition of Mein Kampf, a court has heard. Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court heard that Mark Jones told other extremists he had paid a lot for the copy of Adolf Hitlers autobiography, which featured a Nazi party application form. Jones, 24, and his 22-year-old partner Alice Cutter, both of Mulhalls Mill, Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, deny being members of the group National Action, which was outlawed by the Government in December 2016. Their trial heard that Jones claimed he had the book during a discussion on an online chat group in February 2017. Writing under the username Grandaddy Terror, he posted: 50 for a book. F*** me. What are you actually getting for 50? I paid a lot for an original wedding edition of Mein Kampf with nsdap application form in the back but thats a rarity. I would not pay that much for normal books. Jones and his partner are on trial at Birmingham Crown Court (Picture: PA) Jurors were also shown a picture recovered by police in September 2017 of a masked man alleged to be Jones holding a copy of Mein Kampf. Other messages from the group chat were read to the court, which included posts allegedly from Cutter telling a wheelchair-user to get back in the sea where you belong. READ MORE Irishman in Britain claims he received a note on way home from Brexit march stating: You lost, get over it McDonalds to introduce AI drive-thru menus that tailor to individual customers This elderly dog with separation anxiety has his own mannequin when his owner is out A series of messages allegedly written by the 22-year-old, who is said to have entered National Actions Miss Hitler contest, said: I discovered my least favourite demographic. Uppity retards. Alongside Jones and Cutter, Garry Jack, 23, from Heathland Avenue, Shard End, Birmingham, and 18-year-old Connor Scothern, of Bagnall Avenue, Nottingham, also deny belonging to National Action between December 2016 and September 2017. Story continues The trial continues. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Surgeons from China and Italy claimed that two studies published Wednesday add evidence to their ability to treat "irreversible" spinal-cord injuries and a related controversial aspiration to perform the worlds first human head transplant. Xiaoping Ren and Sergio Canavero said the new work they published in a scientific journal showed that monkeys and dogs were able to walk again after their spinal cords were "fully transected" during surgery and then put back together again. The neurosurgeons described the results as medically "unprecedented." The highly experimental procedures took place at Harbin Medical University in China. Both studies were supported by video evidence and published in Surgical Neurology International, a peer-reviewed medical journal based in the United States. Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox Canavero, who is based in Turin, Italy, and has a reputation in the global medical community as something of a sensationalist, said that for too long neurological surgeons have "stuck to the view that a severed spinal cord cannot be mended in any way, a mantra uncritically repeated over and over." He said that the two new papers published Wednesday, plus a previous study published last year in Surgery, a separate peer-reviewed medical journal based in the United States, "completely reject this view." In an email exchange from Harbin in northern China, Xiaoping said the findings were proof that human trials should be initiated and he noted that while this particular "grand achievement" took place in China, he was open to doing it "anywhere in the world." Still, even if the alleged advance it involves applying a polyethylene glycol substance, or PEG, "to mend" severed or injured spinal cords withstands further scrutiny and is ultimately capable of helping patients with spinal cord injuries and paralysis it is likely to be met with skepticism. That's partly because of the two researchers' past claims that they want to use the technique with PEG as a basis for human head transplants. Story continues While the researchers have tested head transplants, with some success, on small animals including mice and dogs, it's a concept that raises raises profound ethical, psychological and surgical questions. It also calls to mind Mary Shelleys 1831 novel Frankenstein, about a scientist who creates a creature from body parts. "The Americans did not understand," Canavero told USA TODAY two years ago as he announced that he would soon perform the worlds first human head transplant in China because medical communities in the United States and Europe would not permit him to do it there. From space exploration to climate-change science, China has indicated it intends to lead, not follow, the U.S. in all the major scientific and technological frontiers over the coming decades. More: Italian doctor says world's first human head transplant 'imminent' Canavero estimated the procedure would cost up to $100 million and involve several dozen surgeons and specialists. He said the donor would be the healthy body of a brain-dead patient matched for build with a recipient's disease-free head. The researcher said he would simultaneously sever the spinal cords of the donor and recipient with a diamond blade. To protect the recipient's brain from immediate death before it is attached to the body, it would be cooled to a state of deep hypothermia. Michael Sarr, a former surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and editor of the journal Surgery, told USA TODAY in 2017 that Canavero's procedure was radical. Doctors "have always been taught that when you cut a nerve, the 'downstream side,' the part that takes a signal and conducts it to somewhere else, dies," he said. "The 'upstream side,' the part that generates the signal, dies back a little a millimeter or two and eventually regrows. As long as that 'downstream' channel is still there, it can regrow through that channel, but only for a length of about a foot." This is why, he said, if you amputate your wrist and then re-implant it and line the nerves up well, you can recover function in your hand. But if your arm gets amputated at the shoulder, it won't be re-implanted because it will never lead to a functional hand. "What Canavero (would) do differently is bathe the ends of the nerves in a solution that stabilizes the membranes and put them back together," Sarr said. "The nerves will be fused, but won't regrow. And he will do this not in the peripheral nerves such as you find in the arm, but in the spinal cord, where there's multiple types of nerve channels." Most medical experts say the procedure would be a long shot, but even if the operation works, the biggest obstacle may not be the science itself. "There are too many risks at this point to go ahead with it," Assya Pascalev, a biomedical ethicist at Howard University in Washington, D.C., said in 2017. "The first heart transplant, hand transplant, facial transplant: all were met with serious reservations. There are also regulatory concerns. China does not have the same ethical standards and requirements that the United States and Europe have." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Head transplant doctors Xiaoping Ren and Sergio Canavero claim spinal cord progress Apple trotted out a parade of Hollywood stars to unveil its Apple TV+ subscription service on Monday in Cupertino, Calif., including Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Steve Carell, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and JJ Abrams. It still wasnt enough to impress everyone. A number of analysts are sounding skeptical notes on Apples ability to sell subscriptions to a new TV service when Apple has no successful track record with creating original television. Apple reportedly spent $1 billion on original content in 2018 (compared to Netflixs $12 billion) and has more than 20 original shows in the works with the aforementioned stars, plus M. Night Shyamalan, Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Ewan McGregor, Viola Davis, and Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney (Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia). But Apples two original shows it has tried so far, both in 2017, were not hits. Planet of the Apps, a tech competition show judged by Jessica Alba, Gwyneth Paltrow, Will.i.am, and Gary Vaynerchuk, was canceled after 10 episodes. Carpool Karaoke: The Series, a spin-off of the popular recurring segments from The Late Late Show with James Corden (without Corden), got two seasons but was widely panned by critics. Apple did not disclose how much Apple TV+ will cost the consensus expects it to undercut Netflixs $12.99 entry price tag. Jefferies Group, in a research note on Tuesday, said it will have to be a lot cheaper than Netflix to get much traction, especially in an era when consumers may already feel over-subscribed to digital subscriptions. We see limited pricing power given the small content library at launch, Jefferies analysts write. And if Apple is playing the long game here it could pressure financials for years. How much can they charge?... It would likely be substantially below Netflix ($12.99) and Disney+ (TBA), formidable competition with deep libraries. Nomura, in a note, points out that if the price is $10 per month, it would take 8 million subscriptions to achieve $1 billion in sales, and thus, We assume profitability will be low. Story continues Apple CEO Tim Cook (L), Oprah Winfrey (C) and Steven Spielberg stand for a photo before an event launching Apple TV+ at Apple headquarters on March 25, 2019, in Cupertino, Calif. (NOAH BERGER/AFP/Getty Images) On the other hand, while all the focus and buzz may be around Apples forthcoming originals, the Apple TV Channels section is separate from Apple TV+ and will be a host for other content providers like Amazon Prime, HBO, Showtime, Hulu, CBS All Access, and Starz. (Netflix will not be included, making Netflix vs Apple the second marquee battle in the streaming wars, along with Netflix vs Disney.) But Jefferies points out, This is just a new way to package the same business Apple already does today. Indeed, the Apple TV physical device, much like the Roku box, has long been a host for the apps of other streaming content providers. The new part is Apple charging a subscription fee, so the onus is on Apple to add value. In other words, it cannot just be a host. Across the board, analyst notes that came out on Tuesday cited disappointment over Apple not sharing the subscription price, and disappointment that the service will not launch until fall. Bank of America wrote, Given some of these services are not available until the fall, it is surprising that Apple chose to schedule this event in March. One month before the March 25 Apple event, analysts at KeyBanc were pessimistic, writing that Apples video strategy was likely to remain uninspiring... sub-scale, years behind key competitors, and lacking in meaningful differentiation. Now that the event has happened, KeyBanc is still bearish. There are two possible paths for Apple TV+ with consumers, KeyBanc writes in a new research note: Either Apple will be able to aggregate enough long-tail content to drive significant subscription volume, or the lack of marquee content will fail to attract subscribers and Apple's services will remain modest in impact to both Apple and the broader industries. At the moment, we believe the latter is more likely in each of the service areas Apple announced today. Wells Fargo, in a note, concluded similarly: Apples push into original content leaves us/investors with more questions than answers. Daniel Roberts is a senior writer at Yahoo Finance and closely covers streaming tech. Follow him on Twitter at @readDanwrite. Read more: When will American TV viewers hit peak streaming? Disney says streaming is now its number one priority Apples video strategy will remain uninspiring says KeyBanc Why Netflix will keep winning in 2019 Schneider Electric has unveiled its Kenya-made Villaya Emergency, a containerized mobile solar microgrid solution designed to be easy to use in any humanitarian emergency. The kit manufactured in Kenya is a system that generates at least 10-kilowatt peak electricity enough to power a village, health center or individual / group areas in refugee camps. The entire solution can be fitted in a standard shipping container for fast, easy transport or worldwide relocation, the company said in a statement. According to Schneider Electric executives, Villaya Emergency emerged as a concept from the discussions between UNHCR experts and managers of Schneider Electrics Access to Energy program. Olivier Jacquet, who is in charge of the Emergencies, Refugees and Conflicts team at Schneider Electric explained that the new products main benefit is easy installation in less than half an hour after delivery. The photovoltaic panels are ready to install, mounted on wheels, pre-cabled and placed on a mobile system called EXOrac, Jacquet explained. Weve made sure the system can operate in extreme heat and can be installed or dismantled as needed without any damage, Jacquet said. Kenya is home to over 230,000 refugees, mostly Somalians who fled across the border following the outbreak of civil war in 1991. Tens of thousands of refugees returned to Somalia under a repatriation package. However, many encountered drought, hunger and dire conditions in a country where five million lack enough food and where African and Somali forces are still fighting Al-Qaeda-aligned Shabaab militants. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Dutch and Australian government officials have met their Russian counterparts to discuss who is responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Wednesday. All 298 people aboard were killed when the aircraft, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. About two-thirds of the dead were Dutch. "The first trilateral meeting has recently taken place," Blok told reporters in Sydney. "We cannot go into the content of the process because confidentiality is vital here, but I can say this - we remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability." In May 2018, the two governments said they would hold Russia responsible after investigators traced the "Buk" missile system they said had been used to bring it down to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, based in Russia's western city of Kursk. At the time, President Vladimir Putin responded that the airliner had not been brought down by a Russian missile. Australia has said it will seek unspecified financial damages for families of its 38 citizens killed. (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Cars could have in-built speed limits by 2022. Photo: Rui Vieira/PA Archive/PA Images The cost of car insurance could fall if plans to install speed limit devices in every car get the go-ahead in the UK, according to insurance firms. All carmakers could be forced to include speed-limiting technology in vehicles sold in Europe from 2022, under proposals provisionally agreed by the EU this week. The UK government has suggested it is likely to enforce the measures in Britain despite leaving the EU, as Brussels drew up the plans to meet standards set by an arm of the United Nations. Motor insurers support measures aimed at improving road safety, a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers told Yahoo Finance UK. Any steps that can be shown to make our roads safer, reducing road crashes and insurance claims, can be reflected in the cost of motor insurance. READ MORE: Volkswagen plans Amazon partnership to boost productivity EU officials believe speed-reduction systems and other new safety measures could save 25,000 lives over the next two decades. The technology is known as intelligent speed assistance, and varies from systems that simply warn drivers when they exceed limits to ones that automatically cap speed. The systems typically use GPS or sign recognition technology to update the driver on the speed limit in their current location. Intelligent speed assistance systems are expected to give drivers feedback when the speed limit is exceeded rather than limiting the speed, much like satellite navigation does now, a spokesperson for the UKs department for transport told the BBC. We continuously work with partners across the globe to improve the safety standards of all vehicles. These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK. Other features carmakers may be forced to install include black boxes to record accident data, warnings when drivers appear distracted, and systems to detect cyclists and pedestrians. Lane-keeping assistance, advanced emergency braking, and higher standards for seat belts are also set to be introduced. Story continues Mike Hawes, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief executive, said: Industry innovation and consumer appetite is already driving adoption, and many new cars are fitted with intelligent speed limiters and other new safety features such as autonomous emergency braking as standard. READ MORE: The jobs at highest risk from automation The EU is keen to increase public trust in automated cars, as well as improve safety, which could help a wider transition to more automated driving in the future. The new advanced safety features will help drivers get gradually used to the new driving assistance. Increasing degrees of automation offer significant potential to compensate for human errors, the European Commission said in statement. EU commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska said the reforms could have as much impact as the introduction of seatbelts. Many of the new features already exist, in particular in highend vehicles. Now we raise the safety level across the board, and pave the way for connected and automated mobility of the future, Bienkowska said. The plans still have to be approved by the European parliament and council, and may face resistance from some drivers. The European Commission itself cited a 2004 survey which showed just a quarter of European drivers believed it was very useful to have a device that restrained them from driving too fast. Washington (AFP) - The amount is just a drop in the ocean of US federal money, but the Trump administration's proposal to eliminate $18 million in funding for the Special Olympics drew furious and extended backlash Wednesday from critics. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was grilled by lawmakers over a proposed 10-percent reduction -- $7 billion -- in the government's 2020 overall education budget, with Democrats slamming the cuts to Special Olympics as particularly callous. "We had to make some difficult decisions with this budget," DeVos told a House appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. "Let me just say that I think Special Olympics is an awesome organization, one that is well supported by the philanthropic sector." When DeVos acknowledged she did not know how many American children would be affected by the cuts, House Democrat Mark Pocan provided the figure: 272,000. The Special Olympics, founded by president John F Kennedy's sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, has grown into a global movement, providing competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The organization is largely funded by corporate and private donations. The US funds had been earmarked for Special Olympics education programs at 6,500 schools, where activities have shown to increase inclusion and reduce bullying. As part of Trump's effort to reduce the growing budget deficit, his administration is also proposing cuts to some after-school grants and a $13 million drop in contributions to Gallaudet University, a federally chartered school for the deaf. Democratic congresswoman Barbara Lee called the Special Olympics cuts "appalling." "I still can't understand why you would go after disabled children in your budget," she told DeVos. Democratic presidential hopefuls also weighed in, with Senator Amy Klobuchar calling the proposal "an affront to our values" and Senator Bernie Sanders saying it was "unbelievable" that Trump would slash education spending after passing massive tax breaks for the wealthy. Story continues Congressman Joe Kennedy III, grand-nephew of Kennedy Shriver, signalled it was unlikely that the Democrat-led House of Representatives would approve the cuts. "This. Will. Never. Happen," he tweeted. With the outcry growing, DeVos on Wednesday insisted the Department of Education remains "focused every day on raising expectations and improving outcomes for infants and toddlers, children and youth with disabilities." Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver expressed disappointment with the proposal, saying the organization does critical work in schools to help educate youths "about the importance of an inclusive mindset to the future of the country." "If the federal government has a role to support that, it ought to be investing in kids with special needs," he said. The latest Special Olympics World Games were held last week in Abu Dhabi. EXCLUSIVE: This story is adapted from The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty, which will be published April 2 by Twelve Books. Author Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, spent hours interviewing the former first lady during the final six months of Bush's life and was given access to her personal diaries spanning decades. Barbara Bush blamed Donald Trump for her heart attack. It wasnt technically a heart attack, though she called it that. It was a crisis in her long battle with congestive heart failure and chronic pulmonary disease that hit her like a sledgehammer one day in June 2016. An ambulance was called to take her to the hospital. The two former presidents who had been at home with her that day, her husband and her oldest son, trailed in a car driven by the Secret Service. The tumultuous presidential campaign in general and Trumps ridicule of son Jeb Bush in particular had riled her. Angst, she told me. Afterward, Jeb, whose presidential campaign was already history, urged her to let it go, to focus on herself and have faith in the country. Theres just a lot of angst among those distressed by President Trumps leadership, Jeb Bush told me, using the same word that his mother had used. So I think one of the solutions is dont watch it; dont obsess. Jeb said, Mom, dont worry about things you cant do anything about, Barbara Bush recalled. Hes right. Just do good, make life better for someone else. How did she think things were going in the USA in the Age of Trump? "I'm trying not to think about it," she said in an interview as the first anniversary of Trump's election approached. "We're a strong country, and I think it will all work out. Even so, she was dismayed by the nations divisions and by the direction of the party she had worked for, and for so long. Did she still consider herself a Republican? In an interview with me in October 2017, she answered that question yes. When I asked her again four months later, in February 2018, she said, "I'd probably say no today." Story continues That was a stunning acknowledgment. Barbara Bush had been one of the most recognizable faces of the Republican Party through two presidencies. She was the matriarch of one of the GOPs leading families. But after Trumps rise, she saw it as a party she could not continue to support, a party she no longer recognized even as one of her grandsons, George P. Bush, was on the ballot as a Republican running for re-election as Texas land commissioner. Her comment reflected the aftershocks of the earthquake that was the 2016 election. Barbara Bush: 'Still in love with the man I married 72 years ago' Reluctant for another race Barbara Bush was reluctant for Jeb to run in 2016, but not because she thought he wasn't up to the job. He had been the serious son. When he and George W. were young adults, nearly everyone viewed Jeb as more likely to be a president. But she had seen how brutal presidential campaigns and the presidency could be. Her husband lost his bid for a second term, a crushing defeat. Her oldest son left the White House excoriated for pursuing a costly war in Iraq. Jeb would inherit all their baggage, all their enemies, she warned. She sensed a dyspeptic mood in the country, a weariness with the political establishment that would disrupt his path. Eventually, she campaigned for him. He asked because he was in trouble; he had lost the opening Iowa caucuses and was struggling for traction in New Hampshire. She agreed not only because she would do just about anything for her family but also because she was alarmed by Trump, the rival who was coming on strong for the nomination. She recorded an ad, sitting on a dark set, speaking straight to the camera. Barbara Bush jokes with her son, Republican presidential She returned to New Hampshire, the state that had rescued the elder George Bushs presidential prospects in 1988, to campaign once again. This time, she was 90 years old and using a walker. She pushed it through a New Hampshire snowstorm as she went from event to diner to interview. I love my son, and I know that America needs him, she said in an interview on "CBS This Morning" three days before the primary, sitting side by side with him. Hes honest, dependable, loyal, relatively funny, good-looking she elbowed him good-naturedly but funny. Hes got the same values that America seems to have lost. Hes almost too polite. I dont advise him, but if I gave him advice, I would say, Why dont you interrupt like the other people do? And he does not brag like some people we know. She refused to say Trumps name, but there was no mistaking whom she meant. Im not getting into a spitting match with him, she said. He can spit further than I can. Anchor Norah ODonnell noted that Trump had ridiculed Jeb Bush for deploying his mother in the campaign. Just watched Jebs ad where he desperately needed mommy to help him, Trump tweeted. Jebmom cannot help you with ISIS, the Chinese or with Putin. Putin endorsed him, for heavens sake, Barbara Bush erupted. Putin the killer! Putin the worst! He endorsed Trump! Thats an endorsement you dont want. Trump won the New Hampshire primary. Jeb Bush finished a disappointing fourth. When he did no better in the South Carolina primary 11 days later, he decided to end his campaign. He called his mother. I just want to let you know Im heading home, he told her. I love you, she said. Nothing more. The real symbol of greed Barbara Bushs negative opinion of Trump dated back decades. "The real symbol of greed in the 80s, she wrote in her diary in January 1990. She had just read a news story about Trump addressing a Los Angeles charity gala, an awards dinner for Merv Griffin hosted by the American Friends of the Hebrew University and attended by Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Trump had needled the former president for the high-priced speeches he delivered in Japan. I see President and Mrs. Reagan in the audience. Did you have to pay them $2 million? A month later, she saved news clippings to show a friend about Trumps separation from his first wife, Ivana. Their divorce would be finalized in 1992. She noted that Ivanas allies said the $25 million settlement in the prenuptial agreement she signed wasnt enough. The Trumps are a new word, both of them, she wrote. Trump now means Greed, selfishness and ugly. So sad. Trump had made a weird overture to George Bush in 1988, when Bush was poised to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. In his biography of George Bush, "Destiny and Power," historian Jon Meacham reported that Trump told campaign strategist Lee Atwater that he was available to be Bushs running mate. Writing in his diary, Bush dismissed the idea as strange and unbelievable. More than a quarter-century later, Barbara Bush couldnt quite imagine that Trump was going to win the White House on his own. I dont understand why people are for him, she said in one interview. In another, she expressed astonishment that women could support him. George Bush ended up voting for Hillary Clinton, the first time in his life that he had cast a ballot for a Democrat for president. Barbara Bush wrote in Jebs name on the last day of early voting. I could not vote for Trump or Clinton, she wrote in her diary. Barbara Bushs original judgment, made three and a half years earlier, seemed prescient. There are other people out there that are very qualified, and weve had enough Bushes, Bush declared on NBCs "Today" show in April 2013, amid speculation about whether Jeb was going to run. The country apparently did feel there had been enough Bushes, and enough Clintons, in high office. Jeb Bush lost the Republican nomination. Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination but lost the general election, trailing Trump in the Electoral College, though she carried the popular vote. I think people didnt want anybody who was in office, Barbara Bush told me. I think they wanted a whole new world. The morning after the election, George H.W. Bush, honoring the traditions of the office, called the president-elect to offer his congratulations. Trump was very nice, Barbara Bush wrote in her diary. He said that George was a great president and he admired us both. He said Jeb was strong and a great man. He is trying ... at this moment ... to be conciliatory. He says he wants to represent all the people. Two weeks later, she wrote a warm letter to Melania Trump, who faced intense speculation about whether and when she would move to Washington from New York. Bush urged her to do whatever was best for her and to protect her son, Barron. She knew the White House could be a lonely place, especially for a child. She gave her some advice, the same advice she volunteered to Clinton in 1992, when the Clintons were preparing to move into the White House with an only child. Dear Mrs. Trump, The world thought I was writing this note to Bill Clinton. I am glad that I am not. I wanted to welcome you to the First Ladies very exclusive club. My children were older and there fore I did not have the problems you do. Whatever you decide to do is your business and yours alone. Living in the White House is a joy and their only job is to make you happy. If you decide to stay in NYC that will be fine also. When you come to the White House let your son bring a friend. That is my unasked for advice. God Bless you, Barbara Bush Bush also wrote a personal note to Karen Pence on the Christmas card she sent her and her husband, Vice Presidentelect Mike Pence, soon after the election. I really wanted to write you earlier to tell you how much fun I had as the wife of the VP, she told her. It is a lovely house. Sitting in the living room of that lovely house, Karen Pence showed me the card, even the envelope saved. She had first visited the house and met Bush in 1988, when Mike Pence was making a bid for Congress and the second lady hosted a reception for the spouses of GOP challengers. A photo of that meeting was in a frame, sitting on the grand piano. At the time, Bush had advised her to move to Washington if her husband won the election. (He didnt win that time, but he did later, and Karen Pence took her advice.) 'Horror that Trump had won' Those werent the letters Bush had expected to write after the 2016 election. She had drafted a funny congratulatory letter to send to Bill Clinton assuming that he would take over the role of presidential spouse. It said, Welcome to the First Ladies Club, she told me. We cant wait to initiate you. She never mailed it. I woke up and discovered, to my horror, that Trump had won. She didnt hide her horror from those close to her. After Trump was elected, a friend in Kennebunkport gave her a Trump countdown clock as a joke. The red, white, and blue digital clock displayed how many days, hours, minutes and seconds remained in Trumps term. She parked it on the side table in her bedroom, next to the chair she would sit in to needlepoint or watch television. She liked the countdown clock so much that when the Bushes returned to Houston that October, she brought it with her. It sat on her bedside table, where she could see it every day. It was there to the day she died. Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, has covered the past 10 presidential elections and interviewed the past nine presidents. The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty, is her first book. Here's information about how to pre-order and the book tour. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barbara Bush: Did she still consider herself a Republican? 'I'd probably say no today.' The late Barbara Bush blamed Donald Trump for her heart attack, her biography released next week is expected to claim. The former first lady is thought to have said the presidents taunting of her son, Jeb, during the 2016 US election campaign had given her angst. Bush, who died in 2018 aged 92, told her biographer Susan Page she blamed Mr Trumps attacks for a sudden decline in her health in June 2016. Writing in USA Today, Ms Page said the Bush family matriarch described the incident in interviews as a heart attack, although her sickness had actually been caused by complications from congestive heart failure and chronic pulmonary disease. It wasnt technically a heart attack, though she called it that, Ms Page said. It was a crisis in her long battle with congestive heart failure and chronic pulmonary disease that hit her like a sledgehammer one day in June 2016. An ambulance was called to take her to the hospital. The two former presidents who had been at home with her that day, her husband and her oldest son, trailed in a car driven by the Secret Service. The tumultuous presidential campaign in general and Trumps ridicule of son Jeb Bush in particular had riled her. Also detailed in the new book, titled The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty, is the revelation the former first lady said in her final days she no longer considered herself a Republican. Her declaration, made in February 2018 just two months before her death, would come as a shocking admission from one of the most well-known GOP faces of recent decades. Bush, wife to the 41st US president George HW Bush and mother of the 43rd, George W, was also said to have been dismayed by Americas direction of travel under the Trump administration. Im trying not to think about it, she told her biographer in late 2017. Were a strong country, and I think it will all work out. Mr Trump had paid tribute to Bush at the time of her death, praising her as a wonderful, wonderful person and a titan in American life. Her presence and character were engraved into Americas identity. Her strength and toughness really embodied the spirit of our country, the president said. Cash is the lifeblood of any business. It offers the flexibility to make decisions, the means to make potential investments and the fuel to run its growth engine. In fact, it holds the key to a companys existence, development and success and indicates its true financial health. Before investing in the right stocks, one must go beyond profit numbers and look at a companys efficiency in generating cash flows. Because even a profitable business can succumb to failure if its cash flow is uneven and eventually, file for bankruptcy. However, one can effectively judge a companys resilience by looking at its efficiency in generating cash flows. This is because cash not only shields it from market mayhem, but also indicates that profits are being channelized in the right direction. To find this efficiency, one needs to consider a companys net cash flow figure. While in any business cash moves in and out, it is net cash flow that explains how much money a company is actually generating. If a company is experiencing a positive cash flow then it denotes an increase in its liquid assets, which gives it the means to meet debt obligations, shell out for expenses, reinvest in business, endure downturns and finally return wealth to shareholders. On the other hand, a negative cash flow indicates a decline in the companys liquidity, which in turn lowers its flexibility to support these moves. However, having a positive cash flow merely does not secure a companys future growth. To ride on the growth curve, a company must have its cash flow increasing because that indicates managements efficiency in regulating its cash movements and less dependency on outside financing for running its business. Therefore, keep yourself abreast with the following screen to bet on stocks with rising cash flows. Screening Parameters: To find stocks that have seen increasing cash flow over time, we ran the screen for those whose cash flow in the latest reported quarter was at least equal to or greater than the 5-year average cash flow per common share. This implies a positive trend and increasing cash over a period of time. In addition to this we chose: Zacks Rank 1: No matter whether market conditions are good or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) have a proven history of outperformance. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Average Broker Rating 1: This indicates that brokers are also highly hopeful about the companys future performance. Current Price greater than or equal to $5: This sieves out low-priced stocks. VGM Score of B or better: This score is also of great assistance in selecting stocks. Importantly, this scoring system helps in picking winning stocks in their individual industry categories. Here are five out of the 12 stocks that qualified the screening: Israel-based Kamada Ltd. KMDA develops, produces and markets specialty plasma-derived protein therapeutics. The stock flaunts a VGM Score of A. Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2019 earnings moved 34.3% north to 47 cents, in the last 60 days. Santa Cruz, CA-based Plantronics Inc. PLT is a global leader in audio communications for businesses and consumers, which enable people to communicate simply. It flaunts a VGM Score of A. The companys expected earnings growth for fiscal 2019 is nearly 34.1%. The stock has witnessed positive estimate revisions, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2019 earnings surging 78.3%, over the last 60 days, to $4.76. Domiciled in St. George, UT, SkyWest, Inc. SKYW is the holding company for SkyWest Airlines and an aircraft leasing company. SkyWest provides commercial air service in cities throughout North America. The stock has a VGM Score of A. The companys expected earnings growth for the current year is 9.06%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has been revised 5.1% upward, in 60 days time. Fremont, CA-headquartered SYNNEX Corporation SNX is a business process services company, offering a wide-range of distribution, logistics and integration services to the technology industry. The company also offers outsourced services dedicated to customer engagement to a wide array of enterprises. The stock has a VGM Score of A. The companys projected earnings growth for fiscal 2019 is 8.45%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2019 earnings per share climbed 1.2%, over the last 90 days. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. WD, based in Bethesda, MD, is a commercial real estate finance company in the United States, offering a broad range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. The stock has a VGM Score of B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2019 earnings moved 4.2% upward in two months time. Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and back-testing software. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today. Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) : Free Stock Analysis Report Plantronics, Inc. (PLT) : Free Stock Analysis Report SYNNEX Corporation (SNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (WD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Kamada Ltd. (KMDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Betsy DeVos was grilled on Capitol Hill this week over her attempts to eliminate federal funding for the Special Olympics nearly a year after it was reported she donated a portion of her salary to a disability nonprofit. The US Secretary of Education has drawn controversy for proposing a 2020 budget which includes a $17.6m (13.3m) cut to the Special Olympics, a programme that allows disabled athletes to train and compete annually in what is the largest event of its kind globally. The proposed cut would effectively eliminate the entirety of the federal governments funding for the Special Olympics. Ms DeVos is also proposing a 10 per cent cut to the total budget for the Department of Education. We had to make some difficult decisions, she said on Tuesday, speaking before the House Appropriations subcommittee on education. As secretary of education, Ms DeVos received $199,700 (150,674) in income last year. According to Elizabeth Hill, a spokesperson for the department, the entirety of that pay was donated to four organisations. Those included the Special Olympics, a faith-based mentoring program, a group providing free eye exams and glasses across low-income communities and an organisation promoting girls entry into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM. Multiple lawmakers confronted Ms DeVos over a slate of cuts she has proposed that would disproportionately impact disabled Americans, from scrapping millions of dollars going towards programmes supporting blind children to a reported 26 per cent slash in state grants for special education. I still cant understand why you would go after disabled children, Democrat Barbara Lee said to Ms DeVos during the subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. Its appalling, she added. Democrat Mark Pocan also demanded answers from Ms DeVos on Tuesday about the Education Departments cuts towards programmes for the disabled, including the Special Olympics. Story continues What is it that we have a problem with, with children who are in special education? he said, adding that two of his nephews have autism. Ms DeVos said she was holding the funding at a level amount and in the context of a budget proposal that is a 10 per cent reduction. She also said the Special Olympics was an awesome organisation, and was well supported by the philanthropic sector. Former vice president Joe Biden apologized Tuesday for presiding over Justice Clarence Thomass 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing and condemned the white mans culture that he believes led a group of white lawmakers to aggressively press Anita Hill on the specifics of her sexual assault allegation against the nominee. To this day I regret I couldnt come up with a way to give her the kind of hearing she deserved, he said Tuesday night at a New York City event celebrating students who fight sexual assault on college campuses. I wish I could have done something. Biden, who chaired the Judiciary Committee during the Thomas confirmation hearings, has been confronted with a rash of criticism over his handling of the hearings since he began to explore a run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. During his speech, Biden argued that the hearings during which Hill faced aggressive and sometimes derisive questioning from, in Bidens words, a bunch of white guys, were broadly reflective of the American system of jurisprudence, which he believes unfairly advantages white men at the expense of other demographics. Its an English jurisprudential culture, a white mans culture. Its got to change, he said. The former Vice President devoted a significant part of his remarks to condemning violence against women, particularly that which happens on college campuses, by drawing on his own experience as a fraternity member in college. No man has a right to lay a hand on a woman, no matter what shes wearing, she does, who she is, unless its in self-defense. Never, he said Tuesday. If you see a brother taking an inebriated co-ed up the stairs at a fraternity house and you dont go and stop it, youre a damn coward, he added. You dont deserve to be called a man. More from National Review Pending the effective start of the African Lion 2019, the Moroccan-US yearly military drills, scheduled for April 1, units of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the US Army have deployed in the region of Tata in Southern Morocco, a field hospital that will provide medical care to the local population. As in the previous African lion editions, the drills feature humanitarian actions, like this military field hospital where medical services (consultations, surgery operations, drugs supply) are provided, free of charge, to the populations of the region of Tata by medical teams made up of doctors and nurses of the Royal Armed Forces and the US Army. This years Morocco-US sponsored exercise is taking place in the region of Agadir, Tifnit, Tan-Tan, Tata and Ben Guerir, with the participation of thousands of military personnel. The annual exercise involves various types of training including command, maneuvering, peace-keeping and aerial refueling. The drills also include training on counter-terrorism operations, land and air exercises as well as a tactical simulation. In addition to Morocco and the USA, military units and observers from Canada, Spain, Great Britain, Senegal, and Tunisia, are taking part in the African lion 2019, held from March 16 to April 7. The annual African Lion exercise intends to enhance U.S., African partner nations, western partner nations, and regional organizations capabilities and interoperability to contain regional instability, conduct peace operations, counter violent extremist organizations (VEOs), maintain cross-border security, and counter transnational threats. Toronto's Financial District at Sunset (view from the CN Tower) (Getty Images) Veritas Investment Research is expanding its bear-case against Canadas Big Six banks, slapping a sell rating on shares of Bank Of Montreal (BMO.TO), the only exception to analyst Nigel DSouza previous downgrades on the major lenders. Earlier this month, DSouza warned of a significant price correction in 2019 and 2020 as rising credit losses and slowing economic growth weigh on the banks. BMOs commercial lending focus in Canada, robust U.S. commercial operations, and potential for improved efficiency saved it from being downgraded to sell with Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM.TO), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO), National Bank of Canada (NA.TO), and Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO). Although we hold a favourable view of BMOs underlying fundamentals, we note that its current valuation is above its historical premium relative to peers and expect shares to come under pressure as the sector multiple contracts over the coming quarters, DSouza wrote in a research note to clients. Financial services has been a rewarding theme for investors in 2019. The S&P/TSX Capped Financial Index has gained over 10 per cent year-to-date. BMO shares have climbed about 17 per cent since hitting a recent low on Christmas Eve. The Toronto-listed stock fell 0.34 per cent to $100.73 at 2:53 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Subscribe today DSouza conducted a 30-year analysis of the financial services sector and found being overweight the banks was a winning strategy about nine-out-of-10 years per decade. Underperforming years had one obvious thing common he said, elevated or rising credit losses. The debt-service ratio for households this year, we expect to match or exceed the peak debt-service ratio for 2008. Mortgage interest costs are going up at the fastest rate since 2008 as well, he said in a previous interview with Yahoo Finance Canada. Historically, if the debt-servicing ratio, the total amount of principal interest payments by household relative to income is going up, then typically credit losses for the Big Six banks also go up. Story continues He notes that economic data for Canada is currently running at a rate below the base-case assumptions used by the Big Six banks to model performing loan losses. Veritas expects performing loan losses to build materially through 2019 as banks revise their performing credit loss models amid a backdrop of weaker economic conditions. If there are credit risk concerns, and it is coupled with slow economic growth, that is what happened in 2015-2016, and the multiple for the sector contracted by 30 per cent. The bank space itself could face a significant contraction, DSouza told Yahoo Finance Canada on March 12. We expect it to contract meaningfully over the next 12 months. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. A Southwest Boeing 737, similar to the one pictured, made an emergency landing in Orlando on Tuesday - AFP ABoeing 737 Max 8 has made an emergency landing in Orlando. The plane, operated by Southwest airlines, was being transported from Orlando to Victorville, California, for grounding when the engine malfunctioned. Only two people - the pilot and co-pilot - were on board, and the plane landed safely. The 737 Max was grounded in the US on March 13 after the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10, which killed all 189 people on board. That was the second fatal crash involving the airplane. Indonesian officials examine the wreckage of the fated Lion Air plane On October 29 a Lion Air plane crashed in Indonesia, again killing all on board. Investigators believe there were similarities in the malfunction which caused both planes to crash, and governments around the world ordered their grounding in response. In the US, airlines are currently allowed to shuttle the planes from one place to another, but cannot carry passengers. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) said it was investigating Tuesday's emergency landing, which happened shortly after take off. They said it appears the emergency was not related to anti-stall software suspected in the two fatal crashes. Boeing proposed software changes to its embattled 737 Max aircraft Wednesday and mandated more pilot training, moves it hopes will allay concerns about the jetliner's safety and get it back in the air. The changes previewed at the company's Renton, Washington, facilities focus on a flight-control system designed to keep the plane's nose from pitching up, which figured in one crash and is suspected of playing a role in a second. Boeing is under pressure as flight cancellations mount because of grounded jets, and it faces scrutiny from Congress. FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell testified before a Senate panel Wednesday on the agency's decision to keep Max 8s in the air as other countries grounded them after an Ethiopian Airlines crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet this month in which 157 people died. More: FAA chief defends safety certification process of Boeing 737 Max 8 planes involved in two crashes Indonesia's Garuda Airlines canceled its order because of loss of confidence in the 737 Max. "We're working with customers and regulators around the world to restore faith in our industry and also to reaffirm our commitment to safety and to earning the trust of the flying public," said Mike Sinnett, Boeing vice president for product strategy and development. The changes will be made to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which was meant to automatically take over if a plane's nose suddenly rose in a way that could lead to stalling. A possible flaw in the system was blamed in the Lion Air crash of a 737 Max 8 over the Java Sea late last year that killed 189, and it's being investigated in the Ethiopian Airlines crash involving the same model of jet. More: Grounded Southwest Boeing 737 Max 8 makes emergency landing on way to storage facility Now, the MCAS will compare readings from two sensors that monitor for the plane's forward angle. If the sensors disagree by 5.5 degrees, the MCAS won't activate. A warning light, previously an option, will alert pilots, Boeing said. Story continues The changes will make it easier for pilots to override the system and fly the plane themselves. If they pull back on the wheel, the system won't counteract them. Before the Lion Air crash, pilots tried multiple times to use the controls to push the plane's nose down or disable the system, but the system kept initiating again. The MCAS will no longer keep turning itself on. It will turn on only once if the sensors find the plane's angle of attack is too extreme. Boeing plans to mandate more training in the difference between the Max and other versions of the 737, including understanding of the MCAS. It would be in addition to the 21 days of training required to fly 737s. The changes to training have been "provisionally approved" by the Federal Aviation Administration, and the software improvements need to be reviewed, Boeing said. It is yet to be seen whether they are deemed significant enough to get the plane flying again. More: These 30 companies, including Boeing, get the most money from the federal government This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boeing to fix flight-control system on 737 Max aircraft, revise pilot training Boeing reveals proposed updates to 737 MAX amid scrutiny of automated safety system originally appeared on abcnews.go.com After two crashes of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in five months raised questions around the world about the safety of the world's best selling commercial airplane, Boeing revealed updates to a scrutinized automated safety system in the new model on Wednesday while defending the original design, saying the software updates would make the design "more robust." In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, Boeing said the highly anticipated changes would most importantly prompt the aircraft to utilize two sensors instead of just one to engage the MCAS, or Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, designed to compensate for larger engines placed further forward on the wings of the MAX model, a new generation of the Boeing 737. Such a malfunction is believed to have been at play in the Lion Air crash after a sensor was poorly maintained. That accident killed 189 people on board. The system is designed to automatically drop the nose of the aircraft if sensors mounted on the nose of the aircraft detect the plane potentially entering a stall, a dangerous situation for an aircraft at low altitude. Under the proposed updates, which need FAA approval before they are offered to the airlines, if the two sensors judge a difference of more than 5 degrees between the two of them, the MCAS is disabled for the remainder of the flight. (MORE: Ethiopian Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane 'black box' data now in international hands) Additionally, the updates will limit the safety system to only push the nose of the plane down once per improper angle of attack sensed by the aircraft. The pilots will also be able to override the automatic inputs with the control column. Mike Sinnett, VP of product strategy for Boeing, reiterated that in the event of an MCAS malfunction, MAX pilots have always been able to disable the system with a switch under their thumb or by manually trimming the aircraft through the trim wheel. Story continues PHOTO: 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, March 10, 2019. (Tiksa Negeri/Reuters) "The 737 is a safe airplane," Sinnett said. "The 737 family is a safe airplane family. The 737 MAX builds on that tremendous history of safety that we've seen for the last almost 50 years." Federal aviation officials expect the software update -- which was designed by Boeing based off findings from October's Lion Air crash in Indonesia -- will be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in the coming days. (MORE: Lion Air pilots battled doomed jet's computerized safety system, black box shows) After the software update is approved, it would take about a day to deploy and an hour to upgrade each aircraft. Boeing will also provide training for pilots on the changes that a Boeing official told reporters on Wednesday would consist of only a half hour of computer training with no time in the simulator necessary, allowing for quick implementation for the airlines. PHOTO: FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell, and Department of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel, arrive for a Senate Transportation subcommittee hearing on commercial airline safety, on Capitol Hill, March 27, 2019, in Washington. (Andrew Harnik/AP) The United States Federal Aviation Administration was among the last in the world to ground Boeing 737 MAX passenger flights after regulators around the world one-by-one banned the aircraft from their airspace shortly after the Ethiopian Airlines crash. On March 13, when the FAA said it received more robust satellite data showing similarities in the flight path, the agency grounded the aircraft. But public outcry had already reached a fever pitch, with some accusing the airline of going too far to defend the American aircraft manufacturer. In a hearing in front of a Senate subcommittee on aviation safety in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell defended that decision saying his agency was the first to make a decision on the grounding with refined data. "We may have been -- I think someone said -- the last country to ground the aircraft, but the United States and Canada were the first countries to ground the aircraft with data for cause and purpose," Elwell said. "And that's important because when you ground a fleet of aircraft for a reason, a definable reason, then you have something by which to un-ground them when you've mitigated that or you've solved it or you've found that link." Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., went after Elwell regarding Boeing charging extra for certain safety features on their aircraft. "From my perspective, safety should never be a la carte, safety should never be optional, safety should always be mandatory," Markey said. Markey repeatedly pressed Elwell on whether the FAA should stop airplane manufactures from offering some safety features as options as opposed to built-in requirements, relating these features to seat belts and airbags in cars. Elwell responded that all "safety-critical" features are already mandatory. "Senator Markey I will tell you that if there is any manufacturer that sells a safety-critical part a la carte we will not permit it," Elwell said. It remains unclear what caused the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, which killed 157 people, but investigators have revealed that data from the black boxes reflect similarities between the two crashes. Every time something happens we learn from it, a Boeing official said, on the condition of anonymity. We do not know the ultimate cause of the accidents. MCAS is just one independent link in the chain. We can make that more robust. As tragic as this is and these two accidents are terribly tragic, and we understand the gravity of that we do learn from it, Boeing said. Embattled aviation giant Boeing pledged Wednesday to do all it can to prevent crashes like two that killed nearly 350 people in recent months, as it unveiled a fix to the flight software of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft. Boeing gathered hundreds of pilots and reporters to unveil the changes to the MCAS stall prevention system, which has been implicated in the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, as part of a charm offensive to restore the company's reputation. "We are going to do everything to make sure that accidents like this don't happen again," Mike Sinnett, Boeing's vice president of product strategy, told reporters at a factory in Washington state. In the nation's capital, the head of the US air safety agency faced harsh questions from senators over its relationship with and oversight of Boeing. Dan Elwell, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, defended his agency but acknowledged that, as systems become more complex, the FAA's "oversight approach needs to evolve." Ahead of the tough questioning, the company launched a campaign to convince the flying public that it is addressing the issues with the 737 MAX, including a fix to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) implicated in the deadly crashes. Boeing unveiled the software changes -- which Sinnett said were developed "after months of testing and hundreds of hours" -- at the company's massive factory in Renton, Washington, and offered reassurances. - Authorization pending - The MCAS, which lowers the aircraft's nose if it detects a stall or loss of airspeed, was developed specifically for the 737 MAX, which has heavier engines than its predecessor. Among the changes, the MCAS will no longer repeatedly make corrections when the pilot tries to regain control, and will automatically disconnect in the event of disagreements between the two "angle of attack" (AOA) sensors, the company said. Story continues The initial investigation into the October Lion Air crash in Indonesia, which killed all 189 people on board, found that one of the AOA sensors failed but continued to transmit erroneous information to the MCAS. Boeing also will install a warning feature -- at no cost --- called a "disagree light" to indicate to the pilot when the left and right AOA sensors are out of sync. The company also is revising pilot training, including for those already certified on the 737, to provide "enhanced understanding of the 737 MAX" flight system and crew procedures. US pilots complained after the Lion Air crash that they had not been fully briefed on the system. - 'Directly involved' - But despite the revisions, in Washington, Elwell seemed to cast doubt on the MCAS as the culprit, saying that data collected from 57,000 flights in the US since the MAX was introduced in 2017 showed not a single report of an MCAS malfunction. And the kind of flaw it could create is something "pilots are trained from day one" how to handle, he said. He faced questions about how certification for the MAX was handled and why he did not immediately ground the aircraft after an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashed shortly after takeoff near Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 people onboard. The delay has given rise to suspicions of a too-cozy relationship between regulators and the American aircraft manufacturer. Despite being the last country to ground the Boeing 737 MAX fleet this month, the United States, and Canada, "were the first countries to ground the plane with data for cause and purpose," Elwell told a Senate committee. The decision came after data showing the flight track were "refined" and together with information from the crash site showed "it was very similar to Lion Air and there was very possibly a link between the two flights." He called the FAA "the gold standard" for aviation safety around the globe, and denied the agency was lax in reviews of the new systems in the MAX, even though certification of some elements, including the MCAS, were eventually delegated to Boeing. Even so, the FAA was "directly involved" in the safety review of the MCAS, Elwell said. "The certification process was detailed and thorough." At a separate hearing, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said she was "concerned about any allegations of coziness with any company," but noted that allowing Boeing to handle some of its own safety certifications was necessary because the FAA "can't do it on their own." She said she has ordered the Transportation Department's inspector general, Calvin Scovel, to investigate the MAX certification, and Scovel in turn noted various concerns with FAA inspectors and procedures. But a Boeing official countered that wholesale changes were not needed, saying: "In general, the process has worked." SAO PAULO, March 27 (Reuters) - Brazil's lower house of Congress has approved a measure to give itself more power over the budget, a move that could make it harder for President Jair Bolsonaro to push through controversial changes to the nation's public pension system. The measure, which takes decision-making power over the budget away from the president and gives additional power to Congress, was approved nearly unanimously late on Tuesday, and will now go to Brazil's Senate for consideration. It also reduces the leverage of the Bolsonaro administration to get its pension reform plan through a resistant legislative branch. While the vast majority of the budget already cannot be adjusted unilaterally by the executive branch, the measure passed on Tuesday, if confirmed by the Senate, makes the president's control over discretionary spending even smaller. The measure appeared to take the Bolsonaro's administration by surprise. Shortly before the vote, Onyx Lorenzoni, Bolsonaro's chief of staff, said the measure "still" did not worry the government. (Reporting by Camila Moreira Writing by Gram Slattery Editing by Paul Simao) LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William will visit New Zealand next month to honor the 50 victims of the mass shooting at mosques two weeks ago, his office said on Wednesday. William, the Duke of Cambridge, will make the trip on behalf of his 92-year-old grandmother Queen Elizabeth, New Zealand's head of state, following a request from its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "The Duke will meet with those affected by the attack and will pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that the people of New Zealand have displayed in recent weeks," Kensington Palace said in a statement. William and other senior royals have already spoken of their horror at the March 15 attack on two mosques in Christchurch for which a suspected white supremacist has been charged with murder. "This senseless attack is an affront to the people of Christchurch and New Zealand, and the broader Muslim community. It is a horrifying assault on a way of life that embodies decency, community, and friendship," William said. "We know that from this devastation and deep mourning, the people of New Zealand will unite to show that such evil can never defeat compassion and tolerance." (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison) A British Airways plane flew by mistake from London to Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf in Germany on Monday. Passengers only found out about the mishap when the pilot said the plane was coming in to land in Edinburgh, which is around 500 miles (800 kilometres) from Dusseldorf. After the crew realised the mistake, the plane was refuelled and flown to Dusseldorf, landing in Germany with a delay of more than three and a half hours. "We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed," a spokesman said. Twitter user Son Tran, who said he was on the plane, said: "While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery". Another passenger, Sophie Cooke, told the BBC that the wait in Edinburgh "became very frustrating". "The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," Cooke said. South Africa: SA, Ghana to deepen trade relations Local companies on an Outward Trade and Investment Mission (OTIM) underway in Ghana will today participate in the Ghana-South Africa Trade and Investment seminar and a business-to business meeting aimed at growing trade between the two countries. The Deputy President of the Ghana-South Africa Business Chamber, Opeibea Omaboe, said the business fraternity in the West African country is looking forward to engaging their South African counterparts. All the hundred members of our chamber, who comprise businesspeople from Ghana and South Africa operating across all sectors of the Ghanaian economy, are looking forward to interacting with the business delegation from South Africa, Omaboe said ahead of Wednesdays engagement. Funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), 30 local companies are partaking in the OTIM through the departments Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme. The mission to Ghana got underway on Monday. The chamber was established in 2008 specifically for the purpose of promoting more interaction amongst businesspeople from the two countries with the aim of increasing trade and investment. The Ghana-South Africa Business Chamber has collaborated with the South African High Commission in Ghana to host the seminar, which will be followed by business-to-business meetings. Omaboe said while the chamber is contributing positively to the growth of trade and investment between the two nations, there is room for improvement. There is always a room for improvement and there is an abundance of opportunities in both economies that businesspeople can work together and take advantage of. For instance, the Ghanaian governments new One District One Factory economic strategy is providing unlimited opportunities for strategic partnerships and collaborations amongst our companies to derive mutual benefits from the industrialisation process of Ghana, she said. Trade between South Africa and Ghana has increased considerably from almost R4 billion in 2014 to R13 billion in 2018. In respect of direct investments, a total of over 180 projects by South African companies in Ghana have been recorded between 2006 and 2017, with an investment value of over US $770 billion. The mission will conclude on Saturday. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Betsy DeVos at an executive-order signing event in the White House, on March 21, 2019. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images In her budget proposal for 2020, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos moved to cut all federal funding for the Special Olympics, the program that provides opportunities for disabled athletes to compete and train year-round. The proposed $17.6 million cut to the Special Olympics comes as a small but very public example of the Trump administrations slashing of the Education Department budget. The administration intends to cut around $8.5 billion, or about 12 percent, of the current budget although a budget request can be more of a wish list than an actionable plan. We had to make some difficult decisions, DeVos said in front of the House Appropriations subcommittee on education. As the Detroit Free Press explains, DeVoss 2020 plan calls for eliminating billions in grants to improve student achievement by reducing class sizes and funding professional development for teachers as well as cutting funds dedicated to increasing the use of technology in schools and improving school conditions. In addition, the budget would cut special-education grants to states by 26 percent, and take funding away from programs benefiting deaf and blind students. In their stead, DeVos proposed that the ED fund her pet policy of charter schools to the tune of $60 million, and establish a massive tax credit for companies that donate to scholarship funds for private schools. The $5 billion tax credit called Education Freedom Scholarships allows individuals and corporate donors to give to organizations that provide private-school scholarships; in exchange for their gifts, the donors would receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Like many charter programs DeVos has vouched for in the past, the donation system would hurt public schools by pulling funding away from them and shooing it toward privately run institutions. DeVoss appearance in front of the education subcommittee this week was the first time she had appeared in the House since Democrats gained control of the chamber in the 2018 midterms. It was probably DeVoss roughest string of public statements since her appointment hearings in 2017, when she said that guns might have a place in rural schools to protect [students] from potential grizzlies. I still cant understand why you would go after disabled children in your budget, Representative Barbara Lee told DeVos. Its appalling. The chair of the subcommittee, Rosa DeLauro, asked, How can you support this budget? I mean that genuinely. After addressing a report released this week from the Network for Public Education, which stated that the federal government has spent nearly $1 billion on charter schools that never opened or were forced to close because of mismanagement, Representative Mark Pocan asked DeVos about the plan to eliminate Special Olympics funding: Pocan: Do you know how many kids are going to be affected by that cut? DeVos: We had to make some difficult decisions with this budget, she answered. I dont know the number of kids. Pocan: Its 272,000 kids. DeVos added that she thinks the Special Olympics is an awesome organization, but already well-supported by the philanthropic sector, including a quarter of DeVoss $199,700 salary, which she donated to the nonprofit last year. According to the Special Olympics 2017 financial statement, the organization received around 10 percent of its funding from federal grants. This isnt the first time DeVos has proposed a complete drop of federal funding for the Special Olympics she has attempted to cut the program from every budget of the Trump administration. In a 2017 profile of the secretary of Education, New Yorks Lisa Miller wrote that, on Valentines Day of that year, DeVos spoke at a dinner where Special Olympics athletes met with their representatives in Congress. DeVos called the organization an important program that promotes leadership and empowers students to be agents of change, and stayed around after her speech to visit with the athletes and their families. But a month later, come budget time, Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver said that they were given no advance notice that we were going to be eliminated from the presidents budget. After two years of attempting to cut their federal funding, at least the Special Olympics had a guess it was coming this year. By Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) - British lawmakers wrested control of the parliamentary agenda from the government for a day in a highly unusual bid to find a way through the Brexit impasse after Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal was rejected again. Lawmakers will now vote on a range of Brexit options on Wednesday, giving parliament a chance to indicate whether it can agree on a deal with closer ties to Brussels - and then try to push the government in that direction. Nearly three years after the 2016 EU membership referendum, and four days before Britain was supposed to leave the bloc, it remains still unclear how, when or even if Brexit will take place, with parliament and the nation still bitterly divided. The vote underlined the extent to which May has lost authority over her own lawmakers and ministers, though she said the government would not be bound by the results of the so-called indicative votes. "The government will continue to call for realism - any options considered must be deliverable in negotiations with the EU," said a spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European Union. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay had said on Sunday that if parliament took control of the Brexit process, a snap election - which the main opposition Labour party would be likely to back - could be the consequence. May too has made clear that she would not implement a proposal that ran counter to her election manifesto, which promised a clean break with the EU. THIRD VOTE ON MAY'S DEAL? But while lawmakers may struggle to turn Wednesday's indicative votes into law, if they do reach some kind of a consensus, it would pile pressure on a prime minister who has accused parliament of having no more viable solution than her deal. Monday's vote was put forward by Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker in May's Conservative Party. The prime minister had earlier admitted that the deal she had agreed with the EU after two years of talks still did not have enough support to pass. May has not ruled out bringing back her deal for a third time this week. Thursday would be the most likely day. The Sun newspaper reported that she had suggested on Sunday that she could resign if that persuaded enough doubters in her party to back her deal. Some of her lawmakers have already publicly urged her to go. Parliament backed Letwin's proposal more clearly than had been expected, by 329 votes to 302, helped by three junior ministers who resigned in order to defy the government line. "The amendment ... upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future," the Brexit department spokesman said. Sterling rose slightly after the votes but the gains were muted with traders little wiser about when, how and even if Britain will exit the European Union. "No government could give a blank check to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," May said before the vote. "So I cannot commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this house." SNAP ELECTION? Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn raised the prospect of putting any proposal supported by lawmakers back to the people. "This House must also consider whether any deal should be put to the people for a confirmatory vote," he told parliament after the votes. Last week, the EU agreed to delay Britain's original March 29 departure date because of the deadlock. Now, it will leave the EU on May 22 if May's deal is approved this week. If not, it will have until April 12 to outline its plans. European Council President Donald Tusk said last week that all Brexit options were still open for Britain until April 12, including a deal, a departure with no deal, a long extension - or even revoking Article 50 and remaining in the EU. May's deal was defeated in parliament by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15. To get her deal passed, May must win over at least 75 MPs who voted against her on March 12 - dozens of rebels in her Conservative Party, some opposition Labour Party MPs and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government but has rejected her deal so far. Earlier, May's divided cabinet of senior ministers had met to discuss a way forward. Some reports said ministers had "war-gamed" a national election. "I think we're going to end up with a general election before the end of this year, probably in the summer," Conservative lawmaker Andrew Bridgen, who supports Brexit, told Sky News. (Additional reporting by Kate Holton, William Schomberg, David Milliken, Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; Editing by David Clarke and Kevin Liffey) London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will renew attempts to push through her Brexit plan Thursday, after she dramatically offered to quit to save her deal and MPs failed in their own bid to break the deadlock. At risk of losing control of the process of leaving the European Union, the leader announced late Wednesday she would resign if parliament finally backed her withdrawal agreement. The offer came just hours before the House of Commons took part in an unprecedented series of votes to seek an alternative plan -- but all eight proposals failed to find a majority, highlighting divisions among MPs. Brexit minister Steve Barclay said the outcome "strengthens our view that the deal our government has negotiated is the best option". MPs have twice rejected May's Brexit deal, both times by large majorities, prompting the leader to announce what is expected to be her final offer. "I know there is a desire for a new approach -- and new leadership -- in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that," she told a packed meeting of her Conservative MPs. "But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." There are signs of softening among her rebel MPs, with a number of Eurosceptics performing a U-turn including former foreign secretary Boris Johnson -- a likely contender to replace May -- who told fellow MPs on Wednesday he would support the deal. But her offer may not be enough to win round some hardliners, including a group of Conservatives reported to call themselves "The Spartans" who are still holding out -- as is the Democratic Unionist Party, the Northern Irish party which props up May's government. The DUP says the "backstop" plan in the deal to keep open the border with EU member Ireland after Brexit poses an "unacceptable threat" to the United Kingdom's political union. Story continues The opposition Labour and Scottish National parties are also against the deal. - 'Back me and sack me' - Britain's Daily Mail newspaper questioned whether her "sacrifice" would be in vain while the Guardian called her resignation offer "a stitch-up for a bad deal". The i newspaper summed up her offer with the headline "Back me and sack me," adding that she had ignited a Conservative Party leadership contest. May agreed with the EU last week to delay Brexit amid fears Britain was heading for a potentially catastrophic "no deal" exit on Friday. Downing Street has hopes of returning its deal to MPs for a third vote this week, but said it would only do this if it believed it would win. If her deal is passed by MPs, Brexit will happen on May 22 -- but if not, she must return to Brussels before April 12 to explain what happens next. Frustrated by May's refusal to change strategy, backbench MPs staged their own series of votes. MPs were asked to vote yes or no to eight options but there was no majority for any of them. A plan for a new customs union with the EU after Brexit came closest, defeated by a slim margin of 272 votes to 264, but May has repeatedly ruled out this option. A proposal to put May's deal, if agreed, to a "confirmatory" public vote also came close to passing, defeated by 295 to 268 votes -- a result that drew huge cheers in the Commons. Time has now been set aside on Monday for MPs to try and whittle down the most popular options -- however, the motions are not binding on May. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Chen Hsong Holdings Limited (HKG:57). What Is Insider Buying? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' See our latest analysis for Chen Hsong Holdings The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Chen Hsong Holdings While no particular insider transaction stood out, we can still look at the overall trading. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! SEHK:57 Recent Insider Trading, March 27th 2019 If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insider Ownership of Chen Hsong Holdings Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Chen Hsong Holdings insiders own 8.0% of the company, worth about HK$143m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. What Might The Insider Transactions At Chen Hsong Holdings Tell Us? Story continues It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Chen Hsong Holdings shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. It would be great to see more insider buying, but overall it seems like Chen Hsong Holdings insiders are reasonably well aligned (owning significant chunk of the company's shares) and optimistic for the future. Along with insider transactions, I recommend checking if Chen Hsong Holdings is growing revenue. This free chart of historic revenue and earnings should make that easy. 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. Calithera Biosciences, Inc.CALA initiated a phase I/II open-label study of the glutaminase inhibitor, telaglenastat (CB-839) in combination with Pfizers PFE poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, talazoparib, also known as Talzenna, in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. Telaglenastat is an investigational, novel glutaminase inhibitor, specifically designed to block glutamine consumption in tumor cells. The phase I/II study (NCT03875313) will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination in patients with locally advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) that are refractory or intolerant to standard therapies. Shares of the company have dipped 7.1% in the past year compared with the industrys decline of 13.5%. In October 2018, Calithera entered into a collaboration agreement with Pfizer to evaluate telaglenastat in two studies. The first study is a combination of telaglenastat and Talzenna, and the second one is a combination of telaglenastat and palbociclib, also known as Ibrance. As part of this agreement, Pfizer will provide Ibrance and Talzenna along with financial support. Calithera Biosciences, Inc. Price Calithera Biosciences, Inc. Price | Calithera Biosciences, Inc. Quote Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Calithera is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock currently. Some better-ranked stocks worth considering are AstraZeneca Plc. AZN and Roche Holding AG RHHBY, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. AstraZenecas earnings per share estimates have increased from $1.74 to $1.79 for 2019 and from $2.14 to $2.20 for 2020 in the past 60 days. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in all the trailing four quarters, with average of 106.40%. Roches earnings per share estimates have increased from $2.31 to $2.35 for 2019 and from $2.34 to $2.37 for 2020 over the past 90 days. Story continues Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Calithera Biosciences, Inc. (CALA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research What happened? Theresa May cast the most significant doubt on her future as prime minister during tense exchanges with MPs today. Mrs May came under a barrage of criticism over her handling of Brexit during PMQs. And, perhaps most significantly, she noticeably dodged an accusation that she was about to quit in order to get her deal passed. Ticking clock Many believe Mrs May has weeks at most before she quits, with others believing she could confirm her date of departure within days. During PMQs, the SNPs Ian Blackford said: Yet again another Tory prime minister is willing to ride off into the sunset and saddle us with a crisis in the UK. Mrs Mays response was hardly a statement of intent that she planned to stay, replying: It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered. Also today Sir Graham Brady, who represents backbench Tories, was seen entering 10 Downing Street with many expecting him to urge her to confirm a departure date as early as tomorrow. This is being demanded by some MPs as their price for backing her twice-defeated Withdrawal Agreement if she brings it back to Parliament later this week. Strong words Many Tories are now openly calling for her to go. Former minister Tim Loughton said today: Its become inevitable. Her position has become untenable. The leadership is not there. Read more Theresa Mays resignation is the final card she can play (The Independent) Top Tories tell Theresa May that time is up (Evening Standard) May dodges question on whether shes about to quit (Yahoo News UK) Why Im glad I left Brexit Britain (The Guardian) How long do you think Mrs May will last as PM? Have your say below: Cardi B confirms drugging and robbing men A Grammy Award-winning rapper has addressed a three-year-old video in which she claimed to have drugged and robbed men during her time as a stripper. Cardi B said she was not proud of her actions, but she did what she had to do to survive. The 26-year-old claimed she made the choices she did because she had very limited options at the time. I never claim to be perfect or come from a perfect world with a perfect past, she said. Read the full story here (Sky News) Story continues UK pressuring EU to stick to daylight saving The British government is pressuring the EU to continue to observe daylight saving time. The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to end seasonal clock changes in 2021. EU countries would be able to decide whether they want to stay permanently in summer time or winter time. But the UK does not believe there is any case for changing the current arrangements, a government spokesperson said. Read the full story here (Yahoo Finance UK) Metropolitan Police have released footage of a woman pushing another woman towards a moving bus after a verbal exchange. The shocking footage shows the victim, who was in her 60s, almost get run over by the bus after her attacker threw her into the road after the pair had a heated exchange in a nearby Tesco in Pimlico, south London. Read the full story here (Sky News) 98 New figures reveal the life expectancy between those living in the richest and poorest parts of England has widened further. There was a drop of almost 100 days in life expectancy at birth among women in the most deprived areas between 2012 to 2014 and 2015 to 2017. By contrast, the figure for women in the least deprived parts rose by 84 days. For men the gap in life expectancy increased by around 0.3 years. Ben Humberstone of the Office of National Statistics said: Our wider analysis of mortality shows that life expectancy in the UK has stopped improving at the rate that was expected before 2011. Read the full story here (Bloomberg) CHICAGO The stunning decision by prosecutors to drop all charges against Empire actor Jussie Smollett for staging an attack made to look like a hate crime is another smudge for a city whose reputation has been tarnished by violent crime and questionable police practices. The Cook County States Attorneys Office announcement Tuesday that effectively clears Smollett, who earlier this month was indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false report, seemed to come out of the blue. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that neither he nor his detectives were given any forewarning about the prosecutors move. Nor were any witnesses who helped police and prosecutors with their investigation a courtesy typically offered by prosecutors to citizens assisting a case, said police department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Media who have been covering the ongoing saga of Smollett learned from the actors legal team that he was headed to court for an emergency hearing shortly before the proceedings were set to begin. They chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system, said an angry Johnson, who learned that the States Attorneys office was dropping the charges against Smollett while he was attending a police officer graduation and promotion ceremony. The States Attorneys office said dropping the charges did not amount to the office exonerating Smollett. As part of the deal, Smollett agreed to forfeit $10,000 bond that he posted after being charged to the city of Chicago. After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case, Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the States Attorneys Office, said in a statement. Prosecutors were effectively making the case that in a city with no shortage of serious crime, pursuing Smollett wasnt worth the effort. Story continues Indeed, Chicago has had one of the highest per capita homicide rates among major U.S. cities in recent years. Police have recovered more than 1,800 illegally possessed weapons off the citys streets already this year. The states crime lab is so overwhelmed that it has a backlog of more than 5,000 cases including hundreds of Chicago homicide cases that are awaiting DNA testing, Illinois State Police officials testified Monday. Smollett cleared: Charges dropped against 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett; Chicago mayor, police outraged Text lobbying: After Michelle Obama's former aide's urging, prosecutor pushed for FBI to investigate Smollett More: Taraji P. Henson is 'happy' for Jussie Smollett: 'Thank God the truth prevailed' The citys 13,000-officer police department has also been beset by no shortage of scandal. A federal judge in January approved an agreement, known as a consent decree, between the State of Illinois and City of Chicago that will require the Chicago police to undertake dozens of reforms. The department has spent more than $700 million since 2010 on settlements and legal fees related to lawsuits alleging police brutality. In October, a Chicago Police Officer was found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery for the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald, an incident that led to street protests and national outrage. In brief comments to reporters, Smollett maintained he "had been truthful and consistent" with police throughout the investigation. One of his attorneys, Patricia Brown Holmes, criticized police for trying the case in the press. Frank Chapman, co-chairman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, called the decision by prosecutors to drop the charges further proof of corrupt policing in the city. This is just another example of the Chicago Police Department doing what they do, Chapman said. Meanwhile, police brass and Mayor Rahm Emanuel were seething with outrage after learning of prosecutors' decision. Emanuel claimed the decision created the appearance of a two-tier justice system. This sends a clear message if youre in a position of influence and power youll get treated one way and other people will get treated another way, Emanuel said. This is wrong. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, right, and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson appear at a news conference in Chicago, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, after prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, abandoning the case barely five weeks after he was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago. The mayor and police chief blasted the decision and stood by the investigation that concluded Smollett staged a hoax. The allegations by Smollett, who is black and gay, garnered national attention. He reported to police early on Jan. 29 that he had been attacked by two men who yelled homophobic and racists slurs at him, while they beat him near his apartment in the city's tony Steeterville neighborhood. Smollett also told police the attackers yelled, This is MAGA country, a reference to President Trumps 2016 campaign slogan, during the assault. Police dedicated dozens of officers and detectives to the case, and for weeks called Smollett a victim of a vicious attack. They eventually arrested two brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, who worked on the set of Empire with Smollett. Initially, police considered the brothers to be suspects. But the siblings, on the cusp of being charged, told investigators that they had been paid $3,500 by Smollett to stage the attack. The brothers said Smollett, who was unhappy with his salary, wanted to use the incident to boost his profile, according to Johnson and prosecutors. Police said that the brothers account was bolstered by bank records, surveillance video, rideshare receipts, and other evidence. Rev. Marshall Hatch, a Chicago pastor who ministers in one of the citys most violent neighborhoods, didnt disagree with Emanuels contention that Smollett case reeks of inequity. But Hatch, who leads New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago's West Garfield Park neighborhood, said in an interview he was having a hard time swallowing Emanuels and Johnsons outrage over the matter. The way that people in my neighborhood have been looking at this whole Smollett case from the beginning is by noticing the glaring differences in the way police extend resources on certain crimes in certain neighborhoods, while not on others, said Hatch, who has been a frequent critic of Emanuel. We have a very low murder closure rate in this city. So, when people see this kind of attention and expense that police and the State's Attorney put into this case, it just reinforces the sense that the police and criminal justice works for everybody else, but it doesnt work for us. I am having a hard time caring about Jussie Smollett or whether or not he was let off easy, Hatch added. In the eight weeks since Smollett reported being attacked, there have been no shortage of twists and turns in the case. Rep. Bobby Rush, a Democrat who represents a Chicago-area district, called on FBI director Christopher Wray to open "an immediate and sweeping civil rights investigation into the racist and homophobic attack" on the actor and Democratic presidential hopefuls, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, expressed concern for Smollett. And as the investigation plugged along and before Smollett was charged there were signs of tension between the actor and investigators. On Feb. 12, police raised concerns that heavily-redacted phone records provided by Smollett to authorities did not meet the burden of a criminal investigation. Earlier this month, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx released a series of texts and emails detailing messages she exchanged with an unnamed Smollett family member and a high-profile Chicago attorney, Tina Tchen, who asked Foxx to press for Johnson to send the case to the FBI. (Tchen was the chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama when her husband was in the White House.) The messages were exchanged from Feb. 1 to Feb. 13, when police were still identifying Smollett as the victim of a crime. Foxx decided to recuse herself from the investigation prior to Smollett being charged, because of her interactions with Smollett's family. She tapped her first deputy, Joseph Magats, to oversee the case. The announcement to drop charges came just one week before the citys mayoral election, pitting Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot. The two are vying to become the citys first black woman to hold the office. Foxx served as Preckwinkle chief of staff before she was elected in 2016 to serve as the countys top prosecutor. Preckwinkle was measured in her response to the decision. Im not a lawyer and Im not the states attorney, Preckwinkle said. I think its really important that the states attorney be allowed to provide a fuller explanation as time goes on. Lightfoot urged prosecutors to provide further explanation about their decision. The states attorney, First Deputy Magats, has to come forward and provide a much more fulsome explanation, so people have confidence that nothing untoward happened, that they were really calling balls and strikes Lightfoot said. If theres an issue with evidence, put it out there and talk about it. Kevin Graham, president of Chicagos Fraternal Order of Police, said Tuesday he would ask the Justice Department to investigate the States Attorneys Office's handling of the case. I dont think justice was done here today, Graham said. Contributing: Jayme Deerwester This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago's image is muddied by crime and inequity. The Jussie Smollett case doesn't help Besancon (France) (AFP) - French investigators will travel to Chile next month to question a man suspected of killing his Japanese ex-girlfriend who went missing from her university residence in France in 2016, a prosecutor told AFP on Wednesday. Nicolas Zepeda is the sole suspect in the disappearance of Narumi Kurosaki, 21, who went missing in the eastern French city of Besancon on the night of December 4, 2016, after having dinner with her 28-year-old ex. Her body has not yet been found, despite extensive searches of a nearby forested area. Authorities in France believe she was suffocated by Zepeda in a jealous rage. He has denied any hand in her disappearance. Besancon's public prosecutor Etienne Manteaux told AFP that Chilean authorities had agreed to allow a French team of investigators to travel to Chile to question the teaching assistant, who left France shortly after Kurosaki's disappearance. Manteaux said the team would travel to Chile "during the second half of April". Kurosaki and Zepeda met in Japan and started a relationship but later split. She was last seen dining with him in a restaurant a short drive from Besancon, a town in the foothills of the Alps mountains. He has admitted going to her university residence afterwards and claims the pair had consensual sex. Fellow students said they heard terrified cries and banging noises in the residence on that night but no traces of blood were found in her room. Chilean authorities have so far declined to serve an international warrant issued by France for his arrest. Manteaux said they had however agreed to let French investigators be present when Zepeda is questioned by a Chilean prosecutor, and that they will also be allowed to ask questions. Manteaux added that he was hoping to convince the Chileans that the evidence against Zepeda was strong enough to bring charges against him, paving the way for France to file a request for his extradition. Manteaux told a news conference in November that Zepeda had bought five litres of flammable liquid and matches at a supermarket days before Kurosaki disappeared and that his hire car was returned covered in mud. Beijing (AFP) - China has expelled former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei from the Communist Party and dismissed him from his official positions, the country's graft watchdog announced Wednesday. Meng, who served as the vice minister of public security, vanished in September last year during a visit to China from France, and was later accused of accepting bribes. "Meng Hongwei has no party principles ... does not report personal matters in accordance with regulations ... and refuses to implement the decision of the Party Central Committee," the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement. Meng had used state assets to support his family's lavish lifestyle while abusing his position to get his wife employment, the watchdog said, adding that he "illegally accepted huge amounts of property from others". "Meng Hongwei seriously violated the party's political discipline and political rules ... seriously tarnished the party's image, seriously damaged national interest ... and should be seriously dealt with," the CCDI said. The case has been handed over to the state prosecutor's office, and his "illegal income" has been confiscated, it added. - Long career - Meng, the first Chinese head of Interpol, had risen through the ranks of the country's feared security apparatus. He had a 14-year career overseeing various top public security bureaux in China, including the country's armed police force. As vice security minister, Meng has been entrusted with a number of sensitive portfolios, including the country's counter-terrorism division, and was in charge of the response to violence in China's fractious northwestern region of Xinjiang. Upon his 2016 election to the Interpol presidency, there were concerns by rights groups that Beijing could use the organisation to round up Chinese dissidents overseas. But day-to-day operations are overseen by the Interpol secretary general, though Meng presided over the organisation's General Assembly and Executive Committee meetings, where key discussions around Interpol's general policies and international cooperation take place. Story continues Shortly after his disappearance last year, Beijing informed the international police organisation that Meng had resigned as president, and that he had been charged with accepting bribes. - Anti-graft drive - News of Meng's sacking comes just a day after the country's former head of internet censorship, Lu Wei, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for bribery. Meng and Lu are part of a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign, which critics say has served as a way to remove the leader's political enemies. In October, the country's public security bureau linked Meng's detention to a broader initiative to "completely remove the pernicious influence" of Zhou Yongkang, a former security tsar who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for bribery, abuse of power and leaking state secrets. Meng was appointed vice security minister by Zhou in 2004. More than one million officials have been punished so far during Xi's six-year tenure. Meng's wife Grace last week urged French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss her husband's case with Xi during the Chinese president's official visit to Paris. In her written appeal, Meng demanded that her husband be allowed to receive visits from his lawyers. Since her husband's arrest, she has remained in Lyon -- where Interpol's headquarters is based -- under French police protection. She has also applied for asylum in France and said she fears for her life and that of her twin sons. Photo: Grindr When I think about the dangers of online dating, a few things immediately spring to mind: getting catfished. Getting murdered. Getting nothing but matches with incredibly strange and boring and self-centered people until you decide youd rather spend your days alone surrounded by 16 houseplants. What I dont think of, however, is U.S. national security which is apparently being threatened by Grindr and its Chinese owner Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd. The company had been preparing for an IPO, but Reuters reports it will now be looking for an outright buyer instead. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has informed Kunlun that its ownership of West Hollywood, California-based Grindr constitutes a national security risk, sources told Reuters. Kunlun purchased Grindr, the worlds largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, in 2018. The app reported 3.8 million daily users that same year. Like all dating apps, users grant access to sensitive information, including location. But unlike heterosexually oriented apps, Grindrs information is even more sensitive, considering the inclusion of details like HIV status and the dangers LGBTQ people face worldwide. Previously, a developer was able to use the apps API to allow users to view unread messages, email addresses, deleted photos, and even location data about other Grindr users who had blocked them. Its this same information that likely concerns CFIUS (specifics regarding the investigation have not been released). The United States has been increasingly scrutinizing app developers over the safety of personal data they handle, especially if some of it involves U.S. military or intelligence personnel, Reuters also reports. In the past two years, CFIUS has blocked two app-related sales of MoneyGram International Inc. and mobile marketing firm AppLovin to Chinese companies over securities concerns. Earlier this year, Grindr shut down INTO, an online LGBTQ magazine it owned. Six weeks earlier, the site reported that Grindrs president, Scott Chen, had posted homophobic statements on Facebook. Some think marriage is between a man and a woman. I think so, too, but its a personal matter, he wrote. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Examining Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s (NYSE:CMG) past track record of performance is an insightful exercise for investors. It allows us to reflect on whether or not the company has met or exceed expectations, which is a great indicator for future performance. Today I will assess CMG's latest performance announced on 31 December 2018 and compare these figures to its longer term trend and industry movements. See our latest analysis for Chipotle Mexican Grill How Did CMG's Recent Performance Stack Up Against Its Past? CMG's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of US$177m has increased by 0.2% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of -25%, indicating the rate at which CMG is growing has accelerated. What's the driver of this growth? Well, lets take a look at if it is merely owing to industry tailwinds, or if Chipotle Mexican Grill has seen some company-specific growth. NYSE:CMG Income Statement, March 27th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Chipotle Mexican Grill has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 12% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 7.3% exceeds the US Hospitality industry of 7.0%, indicating Chipotle Mexican Grill has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Chipotle Mexican Grills debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 32% to 20%. What does this mean? Chipotle Mexican Grill's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Recent positive growth isn't always indicative of a continued optimistic outlook. There could be factors that are influencing the entire industry thus the high industry growth rate over the same period of time. I suggest you continue to research Chipotle Mexican Grill to get a better picture of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for CMGs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CMGs outlook. Financial Health: Are CMGs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) Suddenly the climate is hot on Capitol Hill. A day after the Senate blocked consideration of the Green New Deal, lawmakers from both parties were still talking about climate change. House Democrats pushed a plan to keep the U.S. in a global climate agreement, while Senate Democrats formed a special climate committee to match one in the House. Republicans, meanwhile, continued to mock the Green New Deal as a step toward socialism and pushed for a House vote similar to the one in the Senate. The GOP launched a House Energy Action Team, or HEAT, to push an "all-of-the-above" approach to energy and counteract what they called the "radical" and economically devastating Green New Deal. "Now everyone's talking about climate change," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said at one of three separate news conferences Wednesday on the issue. While no Democrats supported the Green New Deal in a Senate test vote forced by Republicans Tuesday, the sheer volume of discussion made clear the plan has struck a nerve as both parties seek to use it to their advantage in the 2020 elections. "Democrats are on offense" about climate change, Schumer said as he announced a Democrat-only committee on climate. "We're feeling really good about where we're moving." Results in the Senate showed otherwise, Republicans said. Senators voted 57-0 against a procedural motion to take up the nonbinding resolution, which calls for the U.S. to shift away from fossil fuels such as oil and coal and replace them with renewable sources such as wind and solar power. Again and again, GOP lawmakers noted that no Democrat supported the motion, even as all 53 Republicans opposed it. Three Democrats Doug Jones of Alabama, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined Republicans to oppose the plan, as did independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats. Story continues Instead, 43 Democrats including Schumer and Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, the bill's lead sponsor voted "present." Democrats called the vote scheduled by GOP leaders a "sham" and said it carried its own political risk by mocking an issue climate change that a growing number of Americans care deeply about. "All across the country, people young and old are mobilized, organized and galvanized to take action now on climate change," Markey said. Republicans dismissed the plan as a government takeover of the economy that could bankrupt the nation with an unrealistic goal of obtaining net-zero carbon emissions within 10 years. "We are not going to be successful at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and lowering our carbon emissions through virtue signaling," said Sen Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. "And that is all the Green New Deal boils down to: lofty goals and aspirations with no concrete plan or concern as to feasibility." Voters "see through this Republican disgrace here in our Capitol," Markey countered. "They know that Democrats are the party of climate action, and Republicans are the party of climate denial." But Republicans said Democrats were denying them a vote on the Green New Deal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has rejected calls to schedule a vote on the plan and has given no timetable when or if it will reach the House floor. "Even Speaker Pelosi doesn't want a vote" on the Green New Deal, "because she herself recognizes it's too radical," said Georgia Rep. Jody Hice, a member of the GOP energy team who has vowed to force a floor vote on the climate plan. Hice dared freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and other Green New Deal supporters to show "political courage" and agree to a recorded vote. "When a leftist bill is too radical even for Barack Obama, you know it must be bad policy," said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who created the GOP energy team. Scalise was referring to comments by former President Barack Obama at a meeting with freshman Democrats this week, where he warned them to think about how their "bold" ideas will work and how they will be paid for. Schumer and other Democrats insisted they were winning, citing polls showing that a clear majority of Americans support action on climate change. A December NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe action is needed to combat climate change, and a record 45 percent say the problem is serious enough to demand immediate action. A growing number of Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, now say they believe climate change is real and that humans play a role in it. Republicans don't agree with Democrats on possible solutions, a fact Schumer cited in forming the Democratic climate panel, which will be led by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. "We won't wait for Republicans to highlight this issue, with the urgency it requires," Schumer said. In the House, Pelosi and other Democrats introduced a bill to ensure the U.S. honors its commitments under the landmark Paris climate agreement, which President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2017. "Despite what President Trump has said, America cannot and will not retreat" on climate change, said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., chairwoman of a House select committee on climate. The bill "is just the start" of action needed on climate, Castor said, but unlike the Green New Deal, it has the potential to win Republican support. "There are many ideas, including this one, that are consistent with the urgency and ambition that the Green New Deal underscores," she said. So special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report was finally released. And Attorney General William Barr summarized it for the nation. The bottom line: Mueller found that there was no collusion between President Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. So what does that mean? For some, according to late-night comic Stephen Colbert, it means that the folks who may have speculated in the wrong direction owe the president an apology. And Colbert issues one. It's probably not one the president wants to hear. Comic Jimmy Kimmel compares the possibility of collusion between the president and Russia to the college admissions scandal. And James Corden has a few ideas about who would play William Barr in the movie version of this entire mess. "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert After you watch our favorite jokes from last night's late-night lineup, vote for yours in the poll below. Follow Eileen Rivers on Twitter @msdc14. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colbert apologizes for Trump's 'terrible' presidency in Best of Late Night Lyon (AFP) - The political science college founded by France's Marion Marechal, a scion of the Le Pen dynasty who has been tipped as a future leader of the far right, was vandalised on Tuesday night, the school said. The facade of the Institute for Social, Economic and Political Science in the city of Lyon was splashed with black paint, windows had been smashed and there were signs of an attempted break-in, an AFP photographer noted on Wednesday. In a statement, the college blamed the "far left". Marechal, a 29-year-old former MP, in a tweet blamed the "enemies of knowledge" and said the vandals had attacked freedom of education. An anti-fascism group on Wednesday circulated an anonymous statement claiming responsibility for the attack on Facebook. The statement said the attack was in response to "all racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic acts" as well as the "deadly anti-migration policies and the recent Christchurch attack" on two mosques in New Zealand. Marechal is the granddaughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the anti-migrant National Front party (now known as the National Rally), and the niece of its current leader Marine Le Pen. A popular figure on the hard right and far right, she stepped back from politics in 2017 after serving a single term in parliament. Some observers expect her to make a return to politics in the future, possibly to succeed her aunt at the head of a right-wing alliance. A widely publicised appearance at a major conservative political conference in Washington last year fed speculation about her intentions. Marechal stopped referring to herself as Marechal-Le Pen last year in an apparent bid to distance herself from the tainted Le Pen brand. Her privately-owned college, which promotes conservative teaching on subjects including "cultural identity", began taking in students in September 2018. WASHINGTON Congressional Democrats are furious about the Pentagons decision on Monday to transfer $1 billion from military personnel funding to build President Donald Trumps wall along the border. The fact that the Defense Department is reallocating money without congressional approval constitutes a dollar-for-dollar theft from other readiness needs of our Armed Forces, reads a Monday letter by Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Marine Corps will be forced to cancel or significantly reduce participation in training exercises and cut back on maintenance spending on combat equipment, warned Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. There are obviously more pressing issues with readiness and modernization that these funds could and more importantly should go to, he said in a statement. Smith even publicly released a Tuesday letter to the Defense Department saying that his committee was denying the Pentagons request to reallocate the money. So did Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.), chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense. What? Can House chairmen prevent the Pentagon from spending $1 billion on Trumps wall? The short answer is no. While Congress has the power constitutionally to decide how much money federal agencies get and what they spend it on, lawmakers have routinely granted the Defense Department some flexibility to transfer funds. They cant dictate how the Pentagon spends its money after its been appropriated. The letters from Smith and Visclosky are more like statements of disapproval to the Pentagon. But Smith and Visclosky, who are currently working on the Defense Departments fiscal 2020 spending bill, are uniquely positioned to use that bill to strip the Pentagon of its ability to move money around. And theyre hinting that theyre prepared to do it. If the Defense Department is transferring $1 billion without the consent of Congress the first time its ever happened, per a Smith aide then Congress can take away its transfer authority altogether. Story continues Getting rid of that transfer authority or sharply limiting it is certainly on the table, the aide said. Hi Pentagon. You probably shouldn't piss off Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.), the chairman of the subcommittee that funds your budget. (Photo: Ryan Kelly via Getty Images) The House is aiming to pass the Defense spending bill in June. Ahead of his subcommittees markup of the bill, Visclosky is making it clear hes pissed about the Pentagon bypassing Congress to spend money on Trumps wall. With this unilateral action, the historic and unprecedented comity that has existed between the Committee and the Department has been breached, he said in a statement. This unprecedented action will clearly be a consideration as the Committee disposes the entirety of the Departments budget request, including its current transfer authority. Of course, if House Democrats do strip the Pentagon of this authority, their Defense spending bill would still have to clear the Republican-controlled Senate. Thats not going to happen, said Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. A Defense Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about the House potentially stripping the Pentagon of its transfer authority, for the first time in decades, as recourse for reallocating money for Trumps wall. Instead, the spokesperson emailed a statement about Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan authorizing the transfer of $1 billion. These funds will be used to support [the Department of Homeland Securitys] request to build 57 miles of 18-foot-high pedestrian fencing, constructing and improving roads, and installing lighting within the Yuma and El Paso Sectors of the border in support of the February 15 national emergency declaration on the southern border of the United States, the spokesperson said. Igor Bobic contributed reporting. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Jan Wolfe (Reuters) - Lawmakers seeking Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report are likely to face a protracted legal battle that will turn on President Donald Trump's right to keep communications with his advisers private, legal and political experts said. On Sunday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr sent a summary to lawmakers saying the Mueller investigation found Trump's 2016 presidential campaign did not conspire with Russia. But the probe left unresolved the question of whether Trump engaged in obstruction of justice, setting out "evidence on both sides of the question." Barr concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring an obstruction case against Trump, prompting Democratic lawmakers to call for the release of the full report and the underlying evidence Mueller relied on. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, said on CNN on Sunday he would try to negotiate with the Justice Department to obtain the full report, but that the committee would issue subpoenas and litigate if needed. Other Democrats, including candidates vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, have called for release of the full report. The Justice Department has not said whether it will release Mueller's full report, but Barr has said he will be as transparent as possible. Ross Garber, a lawyer in Washington focusing on political investigations, said Congress would have a difficult time persuading judges to release materials marked as classified or privileged by the executive branch, and that even a successful challenge could take years. "Congress faces substantial legal and procedural hurdles in any effort to get these materials," Garber said. Barr is required by law to keep secret information obtained from grand jury proceedings. This would not apply to information obtained from Trump advisers and other witnesses who agreed to sit down voluntarily with Mueller. Barr could also keep parts of the report under wraps by invoking a Justice Department policy against disparaging individuals who have not been charged with crimes. The most contentious fight will likely be over any materials the White House tries to shield from public view by claiming executive privilege, a legal doctrine generally used to keep conversations between the president and advisers private. The doctrine is rooted in the idea that the president should be able to receive candid advice on policy matters. If Barr withholds information based on executive privilege or Justice Department policy, Democrats could bring a lawsuit seeking to force disclosure. But it could be months before the Democrat-led House is even in a position to sue, legal experts said. Lawmakers would first need to make a formal demand for the report by invoking their subpoena power. If Barr refused to release it, Democrats would then vote to hold him in contempt of Congress, experts said. Congress would then sue to enforce its contempt finding. Legal experts said that, while executive privilege has been recognized by the Supreme Court, it must be narrowly asserted and balanced against Congress' need for information to fulfill its duty of oversight over the executive branch. Garber said an executive privilege claim would be particularly strong if it were invoked to keep private the nature of Trump's private conversations with close advisers, like former White House lawyer Don McGahn, who sat for interviews with Mueller's team. Those sorts of communications are exactly what the privilege is intended to keep private, Garber said. But Mitchel Sollenberger, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, said courts would be sympathetic to arguments by lawmakers that they need more information about the Mueller investigation to do their job. In 2012, Republican lawmakers sued Democratic President Barack Obamas attorney general, Eric Holder, to obtain documents over a federal law enforcement operation targeting gun traffickers, code-named Fast and Furious. The litigation dragged on for six years before ending in a settlement that called for the production of documents after Obama and Holder had already left office. John Marston, a former federal prosecutor in Washington now at law firm Foley Hoag, said it would be in the best interests of both Democratic lawmakers and the public to compromise with Barr and avoid a protracted court fight. "I'm sure there are many ways to structure access to a significant amount of this information," Marston said. "Negotiating and finding a common agreement on access to the materials would help us all move past this." (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan Oatis) Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Every investor in China New Higher Education Group Limited (HKG:2001) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.' With a market capitalization of HK$5.0b, China New Higher Education Group is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about 2001. Check out our latest analysis for China New Higher Education Group SEHK:2001 Ownership Summary, March 27th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About China New Higher Education Group? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. We can see that China New Higher Education Group does have institutional investors; and they hold 19% of the stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of China New Higher Education Group, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too. SEHK:2001 Income Statement, March 27th 2019 We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in China New Higher Education Group. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Story continues Insider Ownership Of China New Higher Education Group The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in China New Higher Education Group Limited. Insiders have a HK$1.7b stake in this HK$5.0b business. It is great to see insiders so invested in the business. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership The general public, with a 19% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Private Equity Ownership With a stake of 6.8%, private equity firms could influence the 2001 board. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public. Private Company Ownership Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 20%, of the company's shares. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. 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 are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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. Actor Jussie Smollett leaves court after charges were dropped. Photo: Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images A day after all the charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped by Chicago prosecutors, there are plenty of unanswered questions surrounding the case. The Chicago Police Departments complete investigative file, which was posted Wednesday by the website CWB Chicago, might answer some of them. Despite the dismissal of the charges Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that Smollett is guilty of orchestrating a fake racist and anti-gay attack on himself. This is a whitewash of justice, Emanuel said. Where is the accountability in the system? You cannot have, because of a persons position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else. The prosecutor who dropped the case said he believes Smollett lied to the police, but the charges were dropped just like they are in thousands of other cases. We believe he did what he was charged with doing, said Joe Magats, the first assistant states attorney in Cook County. This was not an exoneration. To say he was exonerated by us or anyone else is not true. Mike Gorenstein, marijuana firm Cronos Group's founder and CEO, speaks during an interview in New York, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Cronos Group Inc. (CRON.TO) shares have nearly doubled since the announcement of a $2.4 billion equity investment by tobacco giant Altria Group Inc. (MO) in December. Now, mounting losses in the first full quarter of recreational sales have analysts questioning the companys $4.4 billion valuation. Before the opening bell on Tuesday, Cronos reported a net loss of $11.6 million during the three month period ended Dec. 31, compared to a profit of $2.1 million one year earlier. Revenue more than tripled, but operating expenses ballooned more than 300 per cent year-over-year. Like many of its cannabis peers, management outlined challenges related to Canadas new recreational market, with chief executive officer Mike Gorenstein noting a pretty big shortage situation. But unlike its chief rivals, the Toronto-based producer did not disclose how much pot it sold in the adult-use category since legalization on Oct. 17. Canaccord Genuity analyst Matt Bottomley downgraded Cronos shares to sell from hold following Tuesdays financial results, while maintaining his $17 price target. We are lowering our recommendation to sell primarily on valuation, he wrote in a note to clients. We believe CRONs valuation was somewhat stretched at Altrias investment price of $16.25. Toronto-listed Cronos shares fell 10.31 per cent to $24.27 at 12:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Bottomley said the stock trades at a significant premium to leading-edge cannabis players, noting the companys recreational sales fell well behind its large-cap peers in its first full quarter of legalized sales in Canada. Subscribe today GMP Securities analyst Martin Landry maintained his hold rating on Cronos on Wednesday, trimming a dollar off his previous $24 target price. He points to a weaker-than-expected average selling price per gram equivalent of $5.39 as the main driver of the top-line end EBITDA miss. We are left wondering why investors hang on, he wrote in a research note on Wednesday. In our view, investors expect CRON to enter into the U.S. market for hemp-derived CBD products . . . However, one can make a strong case that such a scenario appears already priced into the stock given Cronos valuation at 35x 2020 sales, 3x higher than peers. Story continues Landry lowered his revenue estimates for the first and second quarter of 2019, citing inventory constraints that could challenge the companys ability to boost sales. Cronos reported $10.6 million worth of inventory as of Dec. 31, 2018, versus $14.2 as of Sept. 30, 2019. Only $1.6 million of the companys inventories at year end was finished and ready to ship, indicating that packaging and processing is Cronos current bottleneck, he wrote. Management indicated during the call that improvements were needed in downstream packaging operations to support the companys expected growth. Both analysts agree that Cronos has a valuable partner in Altria. The company said it will look to the maker of Virginia-based maker of Marlboro cigarettes for talent, research and development, and expertise in pre-rolled products. Landry said Altria could also help alleviate the current automation bottleneck at Cronos, provide access to sizeable U.S. distribution, and help the company forge new partnerships. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange DragonEx has fallen victim to hackers this week with customer funds being siphoned out of the platform. According to an announcement on DragonExs official Telegram channel, hackers stole and transferred crypto assets from the exchange to several wallets. No information in regards to the value of the stolen assets has been released, although DragonEx confirmed that part of the assets were retrieved. The announcement stated: Part of the assets were retrieved back, and we will do our best to retrieve back the rest of the stolen assets. Several judicial administrations were informed about this cybercrime case including Estonia, Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and were assisting police with their investigations. DragonEx took the platform offline on Monday when the hack was first noticed. The company then provided an update claiming that maintenance was still ongoing before finally revealing that a malicious hack had taken place. The updates have all been routed from DragonExs Telegram channel, with its Twitter page currently being temporarily restricted. A few guys asked about DragonEx funds. As always, @binance will freeze any identify-able stolen funds. Here is a snippet of a chart produced by our internal big-date risk mgnt system yesterday. Not much funds have came to Binance this time around. Hackers learn. Stay #SAFU. pic.twitter.com/9NYfn8zMj6 CZ Binance (@cz_binance) March 27, 2019 The announcement continued: We have encountered attacks from hackers and our users crypto assets and DragonExs crypto assets are both stolen. International police are investigating. Please wait for following announcements about the situation. Story continues DragonEx is reportedly asking for assistance in finding the hackers, with a number of USD Tether wallet addresses being accused of facilitating the theft. This case is the latest in a long line of cryptocurrency exchange hacks over the past few months. New Zealand-based Cryptopia saw a loss of more than $12 million when hackers accessed its cold wallets, while Japanese exchange CoinCheck lost close to an astonishing $500 million before having to manually refund customers. This coupled with BitWises recent report on fake cryptocurrency exchange volume demonstrates a vital need for regulation, with safeguarding investors taking absolute priority. For more news, guides, and cryptocurrency analysis, click here. The post Cryptocurrency exchange DragonEx hacked as customer funds remain missing appeared first on Coin Rivet. By Rachel Savage BELFAST, March 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Hidden away up several flights of stairs in the center of Belfast, Northern Ireland, teenagers, many of them with shocks of red, blue and rainbow hair, relaxed and joked with one another. At the LGBT+ youth group, run by charity Cara-Friend, they felt themselves to be among friends, free to be themselves. But outside, the young people said they don't always feel welcome in a place where many politicians make homophobic comments and same-sex marriage is still banned, despite being legalized in the rest of the United Kingdom in 2013. "Gay marriage isn't even a thing here," said Ash, a 16-year-old who identifies as non-binary and pansexual. "It makes me feel sub-human, like we're not really as important as other people." Northern Ireland is governed separately from the rest of the United Kingdom on many issues, a legacy of the domestic conflict between "republican" and "unionist" groups over whether to unite with the Republic of Ireland to the south. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), one of the most socially conservative in Europe, has repeatedly blocked gay marriage, despite support for it from more than two-thirds of Northern Irish adults, according to a 2015 poll by Ipsos MORI. That year, the Northern Ireland Assembly voted to legalize same-sex weddings, but the DUP blocked it using a veto intended to protect minority rights. The British government has refused to impose gay marriage on the region, which had a population of 1.9 million in 2017, with ministers in London stating it is a matter for Northern Ireland's politicians to decide. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has had no functioning government for over two years, after a power-sharing agreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein, the main republican party, collapsed. Gay marriage is one of the issues keeping the two sides apart, with Sinn Fein for and the DUP against. Story continues In Britain's parliament, the Conservative party government is propped up by the DUP. This has led to accusations that the UK government is favoring the DUP position on issues such as same-sex marriage and Brexit to keep its majority. "We seem to pick the worst politicians," said Kristian Nairn, who played Hodor in the hit TV series "Game of Thrones." "They only seem to come out of the woodwork when it's time to criticize a minority. I say, 'piss off.'" Nairn, who is himself gay, said it was "crazy" same-sex marriage was not yet legal, in an interview at the Union Street Bar in Belfast's small gay district, where he used to work, often dressed as a drag queen called Revvlon. Last year, two legal challenges to the same-sex marriage ban were heard in Northern Ireland's Court of Appeal, the region's highest appeals court, after being rejected by its High Court. The judgements are expected in the next few months, but activists said they will appeal them to the United Kingdom's Supreme Court if same-sex marriage isn't legalized. They also expect Northern Ireland's attorney general to appeal if the ruling goes the other way. "The Government is proud to have introduced same sex marriage in England and Wales and hopes that this can be extended to Northern Ireland in the future," a government spokeswoman said in emailed comments. She declined to comment on whether it would appeal a court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. Protestant-majority Northern Ireland and the mainly Catholic Republic of Ireland have long been among the most socially conservative places in Western Europe. But gay marriage is now legal in the south of Ireland, after a referendum in 2015. Until 10 years ago, no Northern Irish party supported LGBT+ rights, Jeffrey Dudgeon, a Belfast city councilor for the Ulster Unionist Party told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview in the imposing Victorian-era City Hall. "Every time it's been a struggle and it's again because of devolution," said Dudgeon, one of the plaintiffs in a 1981 European Court of Human Rights case that legalized gay sex in Northern Ireland, 14 years after the rest of the United Kingdom. In recent years, LGBT+ rights have become a dividing issue in Northern Irish politics. Sinn Fein now supports LGBT+ rights, despite its Catholic heritage. Its politicians first put forward a same-sex marriage motion in Northern Ireland's assembly in 2012. "Same-sex marriage and LGBT rights have become this new culture war," said John Nagle, a University of Aberdeen academic who has studied attitudes towards LGBT+ rights in Northern Ireland. "The DUP believe that Sinn Fein are appropriating same-sex marriage as an issue so that Irish nationalists can push through more minority rights policies," he said. "Both parties are defining themselves in opposition over this." A 2015 survey found less than a third of DUP supporters are for legalizing gay marriage, compared with more than three-quarters of Sinn Fein voters. Party affiliation was a stronger predictor of views than being Protestant or Catholic. "It's actually more about ethnic nationalism, rather than religion," Nagle said. Sinn Fein and the DUP, which was founded by Ian Paisley, a minister with the evangelical Free Presbyterian Church, did not respond to requests for comment. "We are in danger of undermining a basic building block of society to meet the demands of a tiny minority," said Jim Wells, who resigned as health minister in 2015 after saying children of same-sex parents were more likely to be abused. Wells, a DUP politician who denied being homophobic, expects his party will continue to use its veto against same-sex marriage when Northern Ireland's parliament does return, he said in emailed comments. The fact that many unionists want to both remain part of the United Kingdom, under its laws, and reject same-sex marriage, which is legal in the rest of the country, is not lost on Northern Ireland's LGBT+ community. "If you're so keen to be part of a bigger country, why don't you adopt the laws?" said Nairn, emphasizing he was not partisan or religious. "It's a bit hypocritical, in my opinion." Homophobia and transphobia are still rife in Northern Irish schools. Almost half of LGBT+ pupils reported being bullied for their sexuality or gender identity in a 2016 government survey. Two-thirds said they didn't feel welcomed and valued by their school. "Our community knows that marriage equality is not the magic silver bullet that's going to fix everything," said Gavin Boyd, the policy and advocacy manager of The Rainbow Project, an LGBT+ rights charity. But, activists said, it would help with all other issues. Suicide rates were lower among LGBT+ teenagers in U.S. states that introduced same-sex marriage before it was legalized nationwide, for example, according to a 2017 study. While members of Northern Ireland's LGBT+ community continue to fight for equality, some want to acknowledge the progress the small, still-divided region has made. In 1978, Paisley, the hard line Protestant unionist, led a 'Save Ulster From Sodomy' campaign, collecting 70,000 signatures for a petition against decriminalizing same-sex relations. For Dudgeon, his victory is still sweet. "We won, that's the joy of it," he said. "We've come a long way and we've got to recognize that." (Reporting by Rachel Savage @rachelmsavage; Editing by Jason Fields. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - Five cases of cholera have been confirmed in Mozambique following the cyclone that ravaged the country killing at least 468 people, a government health official said on Wednesday. Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique on March 15, unleashing hurricane-force winds and heavy rains that flooded much of the centre of the country and then battered eastern Zimbabwe and Malawi. "We have five cases of cholera which have been confirmed. This is in Beira and the area around," the health official, Ussein Isse, told journalists, referring to the city which bore the brunt of the cyclone's force. UN humanitarian aid chief Mark Lowcock has appealed for $282 million (250 million euros) of relief aid over the next three months for Mozambique. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said roughly 3,125 square kilometres (1,200 square miles) of land had been swamped. Nearly three million people across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe have been affected according to the WFP and 500,000 displaced. Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - Five cases of cholera have been confirmed in Mozambique following the cyclone that ravaged the country killing at least 468 people, a government health official said Wednesday. Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique on March 15, unleashing hurricane-force winds and heavy rains that flooded much of the centre of the poor southern African country and then battered eastern Zimbabwe and Malawi. The Red Cross has previously warned of a "ticking bomb of disease" and called for the deployment of medicines and health professionals to avert a full-blown health disaster. "We have five cases of cholera which have been confirmed. This is in Beira and the area around," the health official, Ussein Isse, told journalists, referring to the port city that bore the brunt of the cyclone's force. Cholera, a waterborne disease that thrives in conditions of poor hygiene, causes acute diarrhoea that can prove fatal if untreated. "We were expecting cholera cases and we were prepared for this. We have put all the measures in place to try to mitigate the spread of cholera as much as we can," said Emma Batey, a coordinator at the COSACA emergency aid consortium. Stagnant water, decomposing bodies and lack of sanitation in overcrowded shelters in Mozambique could create breeding grounds for typhus and malaria in addition to cholera, experts say. COSACA said further heavy rains "would complicate the situation". "There will be more cases because cholera is epidemic. When you have one case you can expect more. We are implementing preventive measures to limit the impact," Isse said. In Beira's morgue, 90 percent of those killed by the cyclone and its aftermath had been identified and collected by their families. "We've had a lot of work in the past week, it's been very hard," said morgue official Manuel Girimoyo, who added that around 50 bodies remained unidentified. Story continues UN humanitarian aid chief Mark Lowcock has appealed for $282 million (250 million euros) of relief aid over the next three months for Mozambique. The Uns World Food Programme (WAP) said roughly 3,125 square kilometres (1,200 square miles) of land had been swamped. About 400,000 hectares of crops primarily maize -- were washed away just weeks before the main AprilMay harvest, it said. - 'Bringing help to families' - Nearly three million people across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe have been affected, according to the WFP, and 500,000 displaced. More than 700 people have been killed in Mozambique and Zimbabwe and hundreds are missing, according to an AFP toll compiled from figures provided by governments and UN agencies. The International Organisation for Migration has said that Cyclone Idai and its aftermath "could rank as the worst disaster to hit the region in decades". "In Beira city... they have five cases of malaria and 100 cases of diarrhoea. Soon we'll have more updates, but they are still receiving other (patients)," Isse said. "So they are taking precautions of isolating those who have diarrhoea... so it cannot spread." A long line of women in bright dresses waited under the baking sun in Estaquinha, 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Beira, to receive emergency supplies from South African NGO Gift of the Givers on Tuesday. Environment Minister Celso Correia said around 170,000 people were living in government relief camps but stressed that conditions were improving. "Most of them already have doctors there and clean water and other means of assistance. The situation is getting better," he said alongside Isse at the media briefing. "The biggest challenge remains bringing help to families." Roads made impassable by floodwaters and debris are gradually being unblocked. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Health experts continue to be troubled by the increase in the U.S. of Candida auris, a potentially deadly yeast infection that appears to spread more like a bacterial infection than a fungus. C. auris is "an urgent threat" for several reasons, according to a commentary from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention experts published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "It's highly drug-resistantthe level of resistance is higher than we see for almost any yeast disease in humans," says CDC epidemiologist Snigdha Vallabhaneni, M.D., M.PH., the lead author of the new commentary. "It causes invasive infections, not just something on the skin or a vaginal yeast infection. This has a very high mortality, and it's hard to treat, which is concerning. The most alarming thing is how readily it spreads among a vulnerable population in healthcare settings: hospitals, skilled nursing facilities like those that have patients on ventilators or feeding tubes living on this kind of life support for months or years." In some cases, usually in people who are already quite ill, C. auris can cause a widespread, or invasive, bloodstream infection. Whats more, invasive Candida bloodstream infections are becoming increasingly unresponsive to the most commonly used antifungal medications. As of late May, the CDC says, 685 confirmed cases and another 30 probable cases of C. auris have been reported in the U.S., across 12 states. The majority were in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, typically in people who were already extremely ill and hospitalized or in long-term care facilities. While the number of total cases in the U.S. is still small, its more than double the 243 from approximately a year earlier. Between 2013 and 2016, there were only 13 known cases in the U.S. (The infection is thought to have first been seen in Japan in 2009 and has since appeared in about 15 countries.) Story continues Around the world, some 60 percent of people who contracted C. auris have died. In the U.S., the CDC says, more than 30 percent of those with C. auris have died, but its unclear whether the deaths were the direct result of the fungal infection or an underlying health problem. Many of the people who have died had serious illnesses. Compounding the problem is that C. auris can move from one person to another in hospitals, unlike other yeast infections. It can live on contaminated objects such as bed rails, chairs, catheters, and other equipment, and on the hands of healthcare providers. C. auris acts more like a type of bacteria called a nosocomial bacteria, which sticks to surfaces, so it can spread from patient to patient or from a healthcare provider to a patient, says Cornelius Clancy, M.D., director of the mycology program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. That makes it hard to get rid of, even in hospitals that have excellent infection-control methods. Currently, its unclear whats behind the rise in C. auris. But a changing climate may be contributing, allowing the fungus to thrive in the human body, according to recent research from scientists in the U.S. and the Netherlands, published in mBio, a journal from the American Society for Microbiology. The researchers say C. auris may be the first invasive fungal infections to be able to adapt to temperatures as high as those inside the body, but may not be the last. It's important to remember this, however: C. auris is not going to be something that will affect a healthy person, or even a sick person who may be temporarily in the hospital," says Vallabhaneni. While scientists work to understand more about how C. auris spreads and how best to prevent, diagnose, and treat it, heres what you need to know if someone you love is at risk. Who Is at Risk? If youre generally healthy, theres no current cause for concern. We havent seen [C. auris] in the general community. Its mainly a hospital-acquired infection, says Peter Pappas, M.D., a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama and spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Thus far, this infection, like other invasive yeasts, has struck only the sickest of the sickpeople who are in and out of ICUs and also have central lines or immune-system-lowering conditions such as diabetes, says Tom Chiller, M.D., chief of the CDCs mycotic diseases branch and a co-author of the new commentary. Those at higher risk for C. auris include people in intensive care units for an extended period of time, such as transplant recipients or cancer patients on intravenous antibiotics, as well as those who've been hospitalized often, have already had multidrug-resistant infections, or have been prescribed multiple courses of very broad-spectrum antibiotics. These antibiotics, notably carpabenems, may change the microbiome of the skin, making it a more hospitable place for the fungus to grow. We think disruption of the microbiome probably sets up the right environment for C. auris to take over the skin flora, says Vallabhaneni. A prior hospitalizationeven overnightin a country where C. auris has been seen, or being in a skilled nursing facility and having a device like a central line (for medication administration), ventilator, or feeding tube also increases the risk. All those devices that enter your body put you at risk for all sorts of infections, including Candida auris, says Vallabhaneni. 5 Protective Steps If someone you love or care for is in a hospital, nursing home, or physical rehabilitation facility: 1. Wash your hands well whenever you enter his or her room. One of the best ways to prevent the spread of dangerous germs like C. auris in healthcare settings is simply good hand hygiene, Chiller says. The patient should also wash his or her hands regularly and well. 2. Speak up if others arent washing their hands correctly. (Healthcare providers do this less than half the time, according to the CDC.) You may need to remind nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals to scrub up not only when they come into the room but also after handling a patients open wound, blood, or bodily fluidsor even touching his or her skin. Anyone who is wearing medical gloves and removes them should still wash his or her hands. 3. Ask whether any patients in the facility have C. auris. If so, Chiller says, find out whether additional precautionary measures have been put in place. Infected patients should be in a single room, those who come in contact with them should wear gowns and gloves, and healthcare providers should use disposable patient-care equipment for them (such as some blood pressure cuffs) when possible. 4. Make sure the hospital is cleaning properly. Theres no research yet available on the best disinfectant for C. auris, but the CDC recommends the use of an Environmental Protection Agency-registered hospital-grade disinfectant thats effective against Clostridium difficile spores. These tend to be the strongest disinfectants currently available, Chiller says. 5. If the person is put on IV antibiotics in the ICU, ask whether its really necessary. Antibiotic therapy, specifically IV antibiotics, is a significant risk factor [for any invasive candida], both the number of different antibiotics and the length of therapy, says David Denning, M.D., a professor of infectious diseases in global health at the University Hospital of South Manchester in the U.K. 6. Make sure doctors are aware of the person's travel history, especially about any healthcare he or she obtained. "People who travel and get healthcare abroad could be at risk for multidrug-resistant organisms like C. auris," says Vallabhaneni. Diagnosis and Treatment Challenges People who develop C. auris are often already very ill, so it may be difficult to distinguish its symptoms from those of other medical conditions. The most common signs are fever and chills that dont improve after antibiotic treatment for suspected bacterial infections, Chiller says. If you notice this, bring it to the attention of a health professional on site. Blood tests are usually used to diagnose invasive candida infections. When C. auris is suspected, hospital staff members should use a special laboratory test with a technology called matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF). If the test is positive for the fungal infection, the CDC says that treatment with a class of antifungals known as echocandins is usually effective. In some cases, people may need to be given high doses of several antifungal drugs. The CDC is aware of a small number of cases in the U.S. that are resistant to all the current antifungal medications. Its very uncommon, but we have seen it, and thats what were ultimately concerned aboutlimited treatment options, says Vallabhaneni. Thats why were trying to increase awareness, to have clinicians be aware of and help with early detection. Early detection, she says, is key. Because C. auris develops resistance quickly, its important for anyone with this fungal infection to be monitored to see whether treatment is working and to have follow-up cultures. And because C. auris can live on the skin and other body sites after treatment, continue protective practicessuch as ensuring that healthcare workers wear gowns and glovesuntil a doctor determines that its appropriate to stop them. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2019, Consumer Reports, Inc. DAKAR (Reuters) - The death toll from Saturday's attack by unknown gunmen on villagers in central Mali has risen to 157, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, confirming it as one of the worst recent atrocities in a country beset by ethnic violence. The attack took place as a U.N. Security Council mission was visiting the West African gold-producing country to seek solutions to violence that has killed hundreds of civilians last year and is spreading across West Africa's Sahel region. An official from a nearby town said on Saturday that armed men, dressed as traditional Donzo hunters, attacked villages populated by rival Fulani herders, many of whom they suspect of harbouring Islamist extremists - charges the Fulani deny. The attack came less than a week after a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region. That attack was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate. "The official death toll is 157," said government spokesman Amadou Kotia. Officials on Saturday said that about 134 had been killed, though they expected that number to rise. Jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have exploited ethnic rivalries such as those between Fulani and Donzo in Mali and its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years to boost recruitment and render vast swathes of territory virtually ungovernable. French forces intervened in Mali, a former French colony, in 2013 to push back a jihadist advance from the desert north but the militants have since regrouped and expanded their presence into central Mali and the neighbouring countries. Some 4,500 French troops remain based in the wider Sahel, most of them in Mali. The United States also has hundreds of troops in the region. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Sandra Maler) By Amanda Becker WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's presidential campaign on Wednesday released her tax returns for the years 2007 through 2018, offering the most comprehensive look to date at the finances of a 2020 White House candidate's finances, as she called on her rivals to do the same. Gillibrand reported about $218,000 in income for the tax year 2018, including $167,634 from her Senate salary and $50,000 from a book deal that was reported as business income, the tax filing shows. Gillibrand's husband, who in previous years had worked as a financial consultant, reported no income in 2018. The New York senator paid $29,170 in federal taxes - an effective tax rate of 13.6 percent - and an additional $12,523 in state taxes, according to the 2018 return. "I want voters to know that I'm beholden to no one, that my values are not for sale and that I'm working only for you," Gillibrand said in a video released by her campaign. "Join me in calling on every presidential candidate to disclose their taxes, this is what transparency and accountability is all about." Gillibrand's release of tax filings is a contrast with President Donald Trump, who was the first modern U.S. president not to release his tax returns to the public. Gillibrand, who formally joined the presidential race on March 17, gave a fiery speech on Sunday in which she called Trump a "coward" who "is tearing apart the moral fabric of this country." The release of her tax documents indicates Gillibrand, 52, likely will make transparency a theme of her campaign. She is trying to build momentum among a group of more than 15 announced and potential candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, including five other senators and former Vice President Joe Biden, who is expected to join the race soon. Gillibrand, along with other candidates such as Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, is trying to position herself as a progressive in race, with many making anti-corruption efforts and getting big money out of politics central to their campaigns. Warren previously released her tax returns for 2007 through 2017 but not her 2018 filing, which is not due to the Internal Revenue Service until April 15. Sanders, who released one annual tax filing during his 2016 presidential primary campaign, said last month that he will soon release more filings but they "will bore you to death." After taking control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 elections, Democrats passed a bill that would require presidential candidates to release their tax returns. It has not been voted on by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. (Reporting By Amanda Becker; Editing by Bill Trott) By John Whitesides WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Elizabeth Warren took aim on Wednesday at agricultural conglomerates, promising her administration would break up big agribusiness mergers that she said have hurt family farmers. Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts and a fierce Wall Street critic, released a broad plan that she said would make it easier for small farmers to survive in the face of growing corporate consolidation in the rural economy. She singled out several big agriculture corporations, naming Tyson Food Inc, Bayer-Monsanto and Dow-DuPont, and said the Bayer-Monsanto merger should not have been approved. Under her plan, regulators would review "anti-competitive" agricultural mergers and break up integrated businesses that control many different levels of the farming chain and markets. "We can make better policy choices and we can begin by leveling the playing field for America's family farmers," Warren wrote in a Medium blog post outlining her proposal. Warren released the plan ahead of a campaign trip to Iowa, a farm state that kicks off the Democratic presidential nominating contest in February 2020. During her visit, she will participate in a Democratic policy forum on rural issues as the party searches for ways to reverse Republican President Donald Trump's crushing win over Democrat Hillary Clinton in rural areas in 2016. Earlier this month, Warren also proposed breaking up big tech companies such as Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc to promote competition in the technology sector. She has made her populist economic message the heart of her campaign in a growing Democratic field of contenders, arguing the economy is rigged for corporations and the wealthy. "Bad decisions in Washington have consistently favored the interests of multinational corporations and big business lobbyists over the interests of family farmers," Warren said in her agricultural proposal. "Mergers mean that farmers have fewer and fewer choices for buying and selling, while vertical integration has meant that big agribusinesses face less competition throughout the chain and thus capture more and more of the profits," she said. Warren's plan also would end "contract farming" by conglomerates, create a national right-to-repair law that allows farmers to repair their own equipment or take it to a mechanic of their choice instead of an authorized agent, and establish country-of-origin rules to require beef and pork producers to label where their livestock was raised and slaughtered. (Editing by Susan Thomas) Senator Kamala Harris Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images Senator Kamala Harris is proposing to increase teacher pay by $315 billion over a decade through federal matching funds, which would raise the average teacher salary by 23 percent. News reports are framing this plan as a way to appeal to teachers themselves, which it certainly does. But the particular cleverness of this idea is that it simultaneously appeals to education reformers. For decades, discrimination against women in the workforce created an invisible subsidy for education: teaching was one of the few careers available for college-educated women, which supplied a talented workforce at artificially low wages. Teacher salaries have remained low even as education lost its quasi-monopoly on female labor. The 2008 recession led to massive state budget cutbacks, further suppressing teacher pay. Recently a wave of strikes has drawn attention to shockingly low wages for educators. The teacher strikes have highlighted a left-wing trend in Democratic education politics. Teacher unions tend to oppose reforms, especially charter schools, and their growing militancy has thrown reformers in the party on the defensive. Democrats these days dont have a lot of enthusiasm for challenging teachers unions, and theyve started to abandon the Obama-era centrist consensus, notes Dylan Scott. But education reformers dont oppose Harriss plan. They support it. Arne Duncan, Obamas first education secretary and a prominent reform enthusiast, waxed enthusiastic. Catherine Brown, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (and co-author of The Progressive Case for Charter Schools) consulted with Harris on her proposal. The most contentious (and possibly most important) premise of education reform is that the quality of teachers varies enormously, and is highly consequential. The least effective teachers do the most harm to low-income students, because their parents have fewer resources to overcome the harm of having a bad teacher. And tenure protections make it extremely hard for traditional public schools to remove chronically ineffective teachers from the classroom. The role of unions in protecting ineffective teachers is the bitterest flashpoint between them and reformers. But fixing teacher pay is far from the only item on the reform agenda, nor is it the only idea reformers support to improve teacher quality. Reformers also support increasing teacher pay. Pro-reform analysts have argued before that low pay discourages talented college graduates from entering the teaching profession and harms student outcomes. Higher pay and greater accountability go hand in hand; theres not much value for a school in being able to fire an ineffective teacher if its salaries are so low that it couldnt hire a better one. Harris frames her argument as rectifying the injustice of teachers getting less than they deserve which appeals to teachers, and happens to be true. But she also endorses multibillion-dollar investment in evidence-based programs that elevate the teaching profession, half of which would be devoted to finding ways to bring more minorities into the teaching profession. Research has found that African-American students, especially boys, are much less likely to drop out when they have a black teacher. Smart politicians find ways to straddle divides within their coalition. Sometimes that requires ambiguity or incoherence. But Harriss plan to increase teacher pay hits a perfect sweet spot: It appeals to opposing constituencies within the party and gives her a leg up on other candidates, who will wish they thought of the idea first and will probably wind up following her lead. A National Review editorial makes the case that Harriss plan is not only a suboptimal use of public resources, but actually corrupt. Dozens of academic studies over the years have failed to establish any consistent link between changes to teachers pay and students educational outcomes, the editorial asserts, failing to cite a single one. (Two studies finding the opposite are linked above.) NR also fails to explain even in theoretical terms why increasing teacher pay would have no effect on the quality of college graduates entering this field. It seems intuitive that raising teacher salaries might draw more talent into the profession. If theres a reason price signals have zero effect in this market, NR does not share it. In place of any such case, NR offers lots of angry muttering about unions, inner cities, and other groups Republicans loathe. There is nothing quite as fine to the worst kind of politician as buying an election with someone elses money, the editorial asserts. That a candidate who proposes to increase teacher pay is National Reviews idea of the worst kind of politician tells us a lot about the political moment were living in. This post has been updated. Washington (AFP) - US lawmakers may be insisting on the release of Robert Mueller's entire report, but senior Democrats warn that fixating on investigations of President Donald Trump could alienate voters in 2020. Trump, claiming vindication after his recently installed Attorney General Bill Barr concluded that the report shows Trump did not collude with Russia regarding the 2016 US election, has said he welcomes the report's publication. Several Republicans have followed his lead. But Democrats, aware that nothing quite fires up their base like a denunciation of the deeply controversial Trump, were left performing a delicate dance as they prepare to wage campaigns to oust him from the White House. Several of the Democratic presidential hopefuls demanded the release of the full findings and mulled their next steps, but they and their allies warned of potential overreach. "How 2020 candidates communicate with voters is up to them, but generally speaking none of them seem to see Mueller and Russia as a winner," said Senator Brian Schatz, six of whose Democratic Senate colleagues are running for president. "We have to do our oversight job, but that doesn't mean we're campaigning on this issue," he told AFP. "We're campaigning on health care and economics and climate action." Senator Amy Klobuchar, a moderate contender for the nomination, concurred, telling CBS on Monday that while it is imperative for lawmakers and the American public to see the published Mueller report before charting a path forward, "2020 is going to be very focused on economic issues." "So guess what? We can do two things at once: ensure the law is followed, and make sure we're focusing on an optimistic economic agenda for this country." Dark horse candidate Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, went further, saying on MSNBC that "it would be a mistake for Democrats to think that the way for the Trump presidency to end is by way of investigation." Story continues - 'Learn from our mistakes' - Trump is unquestionably riding high. He claims credit for a robust economy and has trumpeted the recent defeat of the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria. Barr's determination that there was no evidence of collusion was a boost to Trump's re-election prospects, and the unburdened president will be free to knock his Democratic rivals when he holds a campaign rally Thursday in Michigan. While the prospects for Trump's impeachment have receded, many Democrats say their questions have just begun. They have seized on one line of Mueller's text, quoted in Barr's summarizing letter to Congress, that "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." They also note that Mueller's report declined to conclude whether Trump obstructed justice, although according to Barr, it sets out evidence "on both sides of the question." Zac Petkanas, a 2016 Hillary Clinton aide who is now a Democratic strategist, said that determining how to act on that evidence "should be a question of Congress to decide on what to do, not Donald Trump's hand-picked attorney general." The investigation has ended, he said, "but we don't know what Robert Mueller has said, and until that fact comes to light, this will dog this White House until Donald Trump is no longer there." The Democratic chairs of six House committees, including panels on the judiciary, oversight and finance, wrote to Barr demanding that the full report be delivered to Congress by April 2, along with the underlying evidence and documents. They also plan to press on with their probe of Trump through existing congressional investigations. While Democrats are hardly saying collectively that it's time to move on, many are acknowledging the need to stay laser focused on pocketbook issues during the upcoming election, much as Democrats did in the 2018 midterms when they won back the House of Representatives. "I didn't run any ads about Mueller or about the investigation, seldom got asked about it," said Senator Tim Kaine, who handily won re-election in Virginia last year. "People want to talk about health care." Some Republicans, aware of a potentially overzealous effort by Democrats to pursue a deep dive on the Russia investigation or even push for Trump's impeachment, pointed to the cautionary tale from 20 years ago, when their party, accused of waging a partisan political war, lost House seats during the debate over impeaching Bill Clinton. Senator Lindsey Graham, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, offered simple advice to Democrats: "Learn from our mistakes." WASHINGTON House Democrats are pushing to gain access to President Donald Trump's finances and asked a tax firm for documents stemming back 10 years. The request came from House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who asked for copies of Trump's financial documents stemming from 2009 to 2019 from tax firm Mazars USA. The request follows testimony from Trump's former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who alleged that the president had inflated and deflated his worth. The request was revealed Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who sent a letter Wednesday to the firm that questioned Cummings' request and accused him of exceeding his authority. "As we understand the focus of the Chairman's request, he is seeking information and material about President Trump's personal finances going back ten years in time well before the president was even a candidate for federal office," the two Republicans write. "His inquiry does not appear to have a valid legislative purpose and instead seems to seek information to embarrass a private individual." More: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to Congress: 'We will protect the president' if tax returns are requested More: 'It's not a question of just sending a letter:' Democrats move slowly on demand for Trump's tax returns Cummings' request was made last week before special counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. The results, which were summarized by Attorney General William Barr in a four-page letter, found that the Trump campaign did not conspire with Russia during the election. Separately, Barr also wrote in the letter to Congress on Sunday that evidence collected was not sufficient to prove Trump committed a crime by obstructing the probe. Since Barr's letter, Republicans have called on Democrats to stop investigating the president, saying Mueller's findings should be the end of various investigations that have clouded Trump's first two years in office. Story continues Cummings dismissed concerns from his Republican colleagues on the committee, telling reporters on Capitol Hill that they "complain about everything." "They complain about everything I do," Cummings said. "They complain about every single thing I do. And that should be expected. But were just seeking the truth thats all." In a statement later, Cummings accused Jordan and Meadows of encouraging the tax firm from cooperating with the request. "I suppose it is no longer a surprise that Republicans on the Oversight Committee are now opposed to oversight itselfespecially since a Republican entered the White House," Cummings said. "If they had their way, the Committee would just close up shop for the next two years, but that is not what the American people elected us to do." In his request, Cummings asked Mazars' CEO Victor Wahba for all financial documents relating to Trump's wealth that was in the firm's possession, any audits done, all communications with Trump and those representing him, along with internal communications related to any concerns over Trump's finances. More: 'I am not protecting Mr. Trump anymore.' Michael Cohen ties the president to ongoing criminal probes The company was noted in documents Cohen gave to the committee before his February appearance, where he offered Congress a damning portrait of his former boss, saying the president encouraged him to lie to Congress and the public for Trump's protection. During his appearance, Cohen cast Trump as a "racist," a "con man" and a "cheat." Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested he would protect Trumps privacy if he receives a request from House Democrats for Trumps tax returns. At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, Mnuchin was asked whether he would meet a request for Trumps past tax returns. Chairman Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., is expected to formally ask for those as Democrats seek to shed light on Trumps financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest. We will examine the request and we will follow the law and we will protect the president as we would protect any taxpayer regarding their right to privacy, Mnuchin said. Neal is one of only three congressional officials authorized under a rarely used 1924 law to make a written request for anyones tax returns to the Treasury secretary. The law says the Treasury chief shall furnish the requested material to members of the committee for them to examine behind closed doors. But Mnuchin did not specifically say he would turn them over. Contributing: Eliza Collins and Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democrats request 10 years of Trump's finances from tax firm By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - State laws requiring women with dense breasts to be told about the benefits of following up a mammogram with further tests are associated with higher rates of additional screening and more diagnoses for breast cancer, a U.S. study finds. Laws that only require women to be told they have dense breasts, without any further information, don't seem to make a difference in extra screenings or cancers detected, the study team reports in American Journal of Public Health. Roughly half of U.S. women in their 40s and 50s have dense breast tissue, which increases their risk of breast cancer and makes it harder to detect tumors with mammography. Several states require healthcare providers to send notification letters to women whose mammograms show dense breast tissue. Some states also require that these higher-risk women be advised to get screened with ultrasound or MRI, which can better detect tumors in dense breast tissue. A new proposal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, announced March 27, would require all mammography facilities in the U.S. to include breast density information in letters to patients. The FDA says it is proposing "specific language that would explain how breast density can influence the accuracy of mammography," but the agency's announcement does not say the letters must advise about further testing options. For the current study, researchers examined data on screening and cancer diagnoses for more than 1.4 million women ages 40 to 59 in nine states with dense breast notification laws and 25 states without these laws. "We found that dense breast notification laws were associated with small increases in cancer detection," said lead study author Susan Busch of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut. "This effect was only found in states with laws that included language about the benefits of supplemental testing," Busch said by email. "We did not have enough follow-up data to take the next step and determine whether dense breast notification laws were associated with reduced breast cancer mortality." The goal of mammograms is to detect tumors before they can be felt in a physical breast exam, catching cancer sooner when it's easier to treat. Ideally, this should mean fewer women are diagnosed when tumors are more advanced. It's not clear from the current study to what extent dense breast notification laws might lead to so-called over-diagnosis, which can cause women to undergo needless testing or treatments for relatively harmless tumors; it's also not clear how many lives might be saved by catching aggressive cancers sooner when they're easier to treat. Very few women in the study got recommended ultrasounds after screening mammograms found dense breast tissue, even though insurance covers these tests, the researchers note. Women with dense breasts should continue to get mammograms and should also speak to their doctor to determine what screening plan is best for them, advised Dr. Catherine Tuite, chief of breast radiology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. "Mammography is still the gold standard for the detection of breast cancer, even for women with dense breasts, and multiple studies have proven that detection of cancers by mammography reduces the risk of death due to breast cancer for women starting at age 40," Tuite, who wasn't involved in the study, said by email. "Women diagnosed with breast cancer who participate in screening mammography are less likely to die from breast cancer than those who do not," Tuite added. "Supplemental screening tests such as screening whole breast ultrasound, MRI or MBI are not a substitute for mammography because there are still some cancers and precancerous changes that will show on a mammogram better than on other tests." SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2V6ww4I American Journal of Public Health, online March 21, 2019. Riyadh (AFP) - Nearly two years after the collapse of the construction giant Saudi Oger rendered thousands jobless, Lebanese worker Mohammed remains stranded in limbo in Riyadh -- and desperate to avoid arrest. The demise in 2017 of the once-mighty company owned by the family of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri forced thousands of its expatriate workers to exit the kingdom without months of unpaid wages and end-of-service benefits. But many like 60-year-old Mohammed, who worked for the company for 35 years, are still stuck in Saudi Arabia. The expiration of Mohammed's residence permit makes his presence in Saudi Arabia illegal, but he is also legally barred from leaving due to an outstanding bank loan taken while he was employed. So Mohammed is left in a bewildering limbo, barely scraping by on the kindness of strangers and cut off from his family in Lebanon. "I am a prisoner," he told AFP at the Riyadh apartment of another former Saudi Oger employee from Lebanon in a similar predicament. "When I want to go outside, I choose a time when there are no (police) roadblocks so that I am not detained," he added. Saudi Arabia, home to some 10 million expats, is in the midst of an intensifying crackdown on illegal workers that has seen hundreds of thousands expelled over the past two years. There appears to be no recourse for the two stranded workers, who requested that their real names be withheld. Without a valid residency, the two men are not allowed to legally find work and repay their debt. And until the debts are repaid, they cannot get an exit visa, a mandatory authorisation to leave the kingdom. According to court documents seen by AFP, Saudi Oger still owes Mohammed more than $100,000 in unpaid wages -- more than double his outstanding bank loan used partly to pay for his children's education. - 'Where is justice?' - The impasse spotlights Saudi Arabia's long-criticised sponsorship system, which binds workers to their Saudi employers. Story continues It is unclear exactly how many of the company's nearly 40,000 former workers remain in the kingdom. Company officials and the Saudi labour ministry have not responded to repeated requests for comment. "Employees took car loans, housing loans -- they are not allowed to leave until they repay, in line with the kingdom's regulation," said Wissam Saab, a 48-year-old former employee, who left the kingdom after being bailed out by relatives. "No one is helping," he told AFP from Beirut. The testimonies encapsulate the human cost of the labour-intensive construction sector's slowdown amid low oil prices, causing turmoil in the lives of millions of workers and leading to the demise of what was once one of the kingdom's biggest builders. Former Saudi Oger workers - from France to Lebanon, India and the Philippines - are still awaiting salary arrears despite repeated management assurances. Many distressed employees regularly post screenshots of owed invoices on social media, pleading with their governments to intervene. "Where is Saudi Arabia? Where is justice? Where is humanity?" workers chanted at a protest in front of the Saudi embassy in Beirut. "We are asking for our rights, not charity." Multiple workers said some colleagues have died of life-threatening illnesses as their health insurance -- once covered by the company - expired. "They were deported as dead bodies from the kingdom," Chahnaz Ghayad, who offers legal counsel to Oger workers in Beirut, told AFP. - 'Fighting hopelessness' - A job at Saudi Oger, which reaped billions for Hariri and helped establish his family as a dominant force in Lebanese politics, was once billed as a ticket to a secure future. The mega-contractor, which shut up shop in July 2017 after nearly four decades in operation, built grandiose complexes including Riyadh's palatial Ritz-Carlton hotel and the all-women Princess Noura University. But trouble for the company -- heavily reliant on the Saudi state for contracts -- started much earlier as the world's top energy exporter tightened spending following a collapse in oil prices in mid-2014. The company's former employees, however, pin much of the blame on Hariri's personal and political ties with the kingdom's leadership, apparently helping him to escape stringent penalties over non-payment of wages. Last year, the kingdom established a committee to handle the restructuring of the undisclosed debt owed by Saudi Oger, but its current status remains unclear. The company reportedly owed at least $3.5 billion. "The fact that this firm, and the Hariri family, have a political relationship with the government clearly complicates matters," Karen Young, from the American Enterprise Institute, told AFP. "The fact that Saudi Oger has been in a restructuring process by a government committee, even as it was due outstanding payments by the government, is also distinct from how other failing firms have been treated by the state." Its former workers, meanwhile, are girding for an indefinite wait. "Fighting hopelessness all alone," reads a graffiti outside the abandoned residential quarters for its workers in Riyadh. By Phil Stewart MIAMI (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Wednesday he would push ahead with plans to transfer $1 billion to help fund President Donald Trump's wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, even as he acknowledged a likely backlash from Congress. Democratic Representative Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said on Tuesday that the panel did not approve the proposed shift in Pentagon expenditure. Any decision to go ahead anyway could prompt Congress to create new restrictions that could impact the Pentagon in the future. Asked whether his plan was to move ahead regardless, Shanahan said: "Yes, it is." "There are going to be consequences. I understand the position of the committees. I also have a standing legal order from the commander-in-chief," he said. Congress could attempt to cut off the Pentagon's authority to reprogram funds, something Smith hinted at during the hearing. Asked whether he expected Smith to follow through, Shanahan said: "I would expect that to happen." Still, the Pentagon insists it has the authority to shift the $1 billion. The House failed on Tuesday to override Trump's first veto of the "national emergency" he declared last month to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall that Congress has not funded. Smith told the hearing that Trump's proposed $750 billion defense budget would not pass as it was proposed. That budget included $100 billion in a "slush fund" meant to fund ongoing wars but which the Pentagon intends to use to boost the amount of money it has available to avoid budget caps. Shanahan said losing the ability to reprogram funds could present problems for Pentagon planners, who have to shift resources around to deal with natural disasters and other emergencies. "It's a very difficult situation and ... we're going to have to be artful to manage this," he said. "I don't think it's going to be easy. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sandra Maler) Seoul (AFP) - A shadowy group committed to overthrowing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed responsibility Wednesday for a raid on the reclusive nation's embassy in Madrid last month, saying it shared "information of enormous potential value" with the FBI. The incident had been shrouded in mystery, but a dissident organisation known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) said Wednesday it had orchestrated the raid to end illicit activities rampant in North Korea's foreign missions. The claim comes after a Spanish court named Adrian Hong Chang, of Mexican nationality, as being the leader of the group -- the first official account of the incident, which came days before the summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi. Previous media reports said a group of men burst into the diplomatic mission and roughed up employees before making off with documents and computers. According to investigating judge Jose de la Mata, two of the assailants took the embassy's commercial attache to an underground room and urged him to defect, which he refused. CCD denied using any violence, saying in a statement on its website: "We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten. "Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used. All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution." The group -- which offers to assist people attempting to defect from North Korea -- emerged in 2017 when it posted an online video of the son of the North Korean leader's assassinated brother, saying it had guaranteed his safety. Last month the group declared itself a government-in-exile for the North called "Free Joseon", using an old name for Korea. It said the raid had no links to the Hanoi summit -- which ended abruptly with no agreement -- and that no other governments were involved until after the event. "The organization shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality," the statement added. Story continues Speculation over the identity and motive of the assailants had swirled in the media, with Spanish daily El Pais suggesting links to the CIA. According to an El Pais report, Spain had asked for clarification from the CIA but the US spy agency denied any involvement. Spanish authorities said the response was "not very convincing," adding that the CIA acted "in probable co-operation" with South Korean intelligence services. Seoul's unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, declined to comment. Little is known about CCD and it is unclear who is behind the organisation -- although some have speculated it has links to South Korea's spy agency. It is named after a mythical winged horse. In the past, the group has said it responded to urgent requests for protection from "compatriots" and has thanked countries including the Netherlands, China and the United States for their help. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! If you own shares in Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (NYSE:OPY) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Volatility is considered to be a measure of risk in modern finance theory. Investors may think of volatility as falling into two main categories. The first type is company specific volatility. Investors use diversification across uncorrelated stocks to reduce this kind of price volatility across the portfolio. The second type is the broader market volatility, which you cannot diversify away, since it arises from macroeconomic factors which directly affects all the stocks on the market. Some stocks mimic the volatility of the market quite closely, while others demonstrate muted, exagerrated or uncorrelated price movements. Some investors use beta as a measure of how much a certain stock is impacted by market risk (volatility). While we should keep in mind that Warren Buffett has cautioned that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk', beta is still a useful factor to consider. To make good use of it you must first know that the beta of the overall market is one. A stock with a beta greater than one is more sensitive to broader market movements than a stock with a beta of less than one. View our latest analysis for Oppenheimer Holdings What OPY's beta value tells investors Zooming in on Oppenheimer Holdings, we see it has a five year beta of 1.14. This is above 1, so historically its share price has been influenced by the broader volatility of the stock market. If this beta value holds true in the future, Oppenheimer Holdings shares are likely to rise more than the market when the market is going up, but fall faster when the market is going down. Share price volatility is well worth considering, but most long term investors consider the history of revenue and earnings growth to be more important. Take a look at how Oppenheimer Holdings fares in that regard, below. Story continues NYSE:OPY Income Statement, March 27th 2019 Does OPY's size influence the expected beta? Oppenheimer Holdings is a rather small company. It has a market capitalisation of US$340m, which means it is probably under the radar of most investors. It has a relatively high beta, suggesting it is fairly actively traded for a company of its size. Because it takes less capital to move the share price of a small company like this, when a stock this size is actively traded it is quite often more sensitive to market volatility than similar large companies. What this means for you: Since Oppenheimer Holdings tends to moves up when the market is going up, and down when it's going down, potential investors may wish to reflect on the overall market, when considering the stock. This article aims to educate investors about beta values, but it's well worth looking at important company-specific fundamentals such as Oppenheimer Holdingss financial health and performance track record. I urge you to continue your research by taking a look at the following: Financial Health: Are OPYs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Past Track Record: Has OPY been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of OPY's historicals for more clarity. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. 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. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Examining Trex Company, Inc.'s (NYSE:TREX) past track record of performance is a useful exercise for investors. It allows us to reflect on whether the company has met or exceed expectations, which is a powerful signal for future performance. Below, I will assess TREX's latest performance announced on 31 December 2018 and weight these figures against its longer term trend and industry movements. View our latest analysis for Trex Company Were TREX's earnings stronger than its past performances and the industry? TREX's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of US$135m has jumped 41% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of 29%, indicating the rate at which TREX is growing has accelerated. How has it been able to do this? Let's take a look at if it is merely attributable to an industry uplift, or if Trex Company has seen some company-specific growth. NYSE:TREX Income Statement, March 27th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Trex Company has invested its equity funds well leading to a 39% return on equity (ROE), above the sensible minimum of 20%. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 29% exceeds the US Building industry of 9.3%, indicating Trex Company has used its assets more efficiently. However, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Trex Companys debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 51% to 47%. What does this mean? Trex Company's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Positive growth and profitability are what investors like to see in a companys track record, but how do we properly assess sustainability? I recommend you continue to research Trex Company to get a better picture of the stock by looking at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for TREXs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for TREXs outlook. Financial Health: Are TREXs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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. To listen to the Trump administration right now, you would think that Robert Mueller has exonerated the president, found Hillary Clinton and the liberal media guilty of treason, and definitively proven once and for all that Donald Trumps inauguration crowd really was the largest in world history. Indeed, the initial rollout of Muellers conclusions has been a public relations triumph for the president, mainly because it was in the hands of Trumps hand-picked attorney general, William Barr. In the four-page letter which Barr delivered to Congress, less than 100 words are quoted directly from Muellers report. But while these words certainly tell us something, they hide much more than they reveal. And Barrs decision to exonerate Trump on the charge of obstruction of justice something Mueller himself declined to do likewise raises a suite of questions about his reasoning and motives. As might be expected, the presidents defenders are ready to declare the case closed on that basis. Trump himself is reported to be out for revenge and plans to call for the resignation of journalists who he says led a witch hunt against him. More disturbingly, some commentators outside the Trump bubble appear to share the presidents fury at the media. In a much-shared piece, the writer Matt Taibbi has even described the Russia story as this generations WMD, alleging a pattern of errors and exaggerations which could destroy the reputation of the media forever. Such reasoning is absurd. To start with the obvious, the conclusion that Trump has been exonerated is premature. Mueller did not establish that Trump campaign officials colluded or coordinated with Russia, which is a legal term meaning he failed to find admissible evidence proving it beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a very high bar, and was always going to be. It is certainly far lower than the bar for impeachment or damning an administration in the eyes of reasonable public opinion. The fact Mueller failed to bring charges does not mean he failed to find evidence of highly disturbing conduct, and until we have the full report we wont know what that evidence is. Story continues In the other main strand of his investigation, Mueller explicitly did not exonerate the president of the charge of obstruction of justice. The evidence he considers in reaching this conclusion includes, according to Barrs letter, matters which have not yet been the subject of public reporting. Especially given Barrs own quaint legal views on obstruction of justice, his decision to clear Trump of this charge is grossly insufficient. Again, we need to see the evidence. As well as being premature, the conclusion that the Mueller probe really was a witch hunt after all represents a disturbing surrender to the Trumpian worldview. In the last three years, Trump and his hand-picked senior aides have engaged in a pattern of behavior which was at once sinister and baffling. They said I love it when offered Russian government assistance in the election. They shared polling data with a man connected to Russian intelligence. They pursued a business deal in Moscow at the same time they were running for election. They openly called for a hostile power to intervene in the election. They echoed that hostile powers propaganda and cozied up to the Kremlin in a manner which was completely contrary to their domestic political interests and the national interests of the United States. Throughout it all, they lied about what they were doing as easily as they breathed. At the same time, they and their surrogates even as their lies were uncovered attacked the very idea that they ought to be subject to the rule of law. They lied to the investigators about their lies. They called federal agents executing lawful warrants stormtroopers. The president himself fired or tried to fire those who would not be loyal to him over what he called this Russia thing, and then admitted doing so. At the same time, a Republican-controlled Congress made a mockery of its constitutional duty of oversight, refusing to carry out meaningful investigations of the administration. To suggest that the critics of Trump ought to have ignored or downplayed this behavior without precedent in the modern presidency is absurd. And to suggest they now ought to issue a mea culpa based on a short letter by Trumps attorney general is so absurd that it beggars explanation. Worst of all, any sudden rush to condemn those who pointed out the foregoing facts, in the media and outside of it, plays squarely into Trumps hands. He has attempted all along to move the goalposts so that anything short of outright criminality was meaningless. And he has weathered the many revelations of actual criminality or corrupt and immoral behavior which fell short of being criminal because the revelations came in dribs and drabs and were quickly pushed from the news cycle by his mendacious attacks on his enemies. The bottom line is this: even if the Mueller report contained only the facts that are publicly known so far, it would have been grounds for impeachment in saner political times. And it likely contains much more. Given this, the administrations continued attacks on the media for reporting what we all saw with our own eyes is designed to obfuscate what is already known and inoculate the public against what is to come. It would behoove true defenders of the rule of law and a free press not to make their job any easier. Trump is very confident about replacing Obamacare, but wont say why or how. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images The Trump administrations surprise decision to back a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act in its entirety has clearly freaked out the presidents Republican advisers and allies. As Axios reports, dissenters include the two most relevant Cabinet secretaries (Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Attorney General Bill Barr), House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, and an assortment of GOP senators. Theyre all gobsmacked about Trumps willingness to take their party back down the rabbit hole of Obamacare at a time when the law is more popular than ever, and mystified by the timing: McCarthy told Trump over the phone that the decision made no sense especially after Democrats killed Republicans in the midterms in part over the issue of pre-existing conditions, according to two sources familiar with their recent conversation. As Bloombergs Sahil Kapur points out health care was the top issue for 2018 midterm voters, and voters who cared most about health care favored Democrats over Republicans by more than 50 percentage points. While some insiders are blaming White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and a few others of engineering this politically obtuse move, its pretty clear Trump himself has bought into it: Several Republican senators told Axios they were surprised Trump spent most of the Senate GOP lunch on Tuesday on health care. Trump led with health care and went back to it several times during the meeting. Hes clearly very passionate about it, Sen. John Kennedy said. It was one of few times at these things the president spoke more than the senators. Aside from the folly of bringing up Obamacare again at a time when Republicans have spent months changing the subject to alleged Democratic extremism in the form of Medicare for All, theres the nagging question of what, exactly, Republicans would do if the dog caught the bus and Obamacare disappeared. Now Trump has chosen to reassure the nation on that front: New from President Trump on health care: "If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, we'll have a plan that is far better than Obamacare," he says in the Oval Office per pooler @toddgillman Note-there is NO Republican replacement plan at this time. Karen Travers (@karentravers) March 27, 2019 So what does Trump have in mind? A reasonably good guess would be the Obamacare replacement plan thats in his recently released fiscal year 2020 budget as described by health-care policy wizard Sarah Kliff: Repealing Obamacare and replacing it with Graham-Cassidy. Those who followed the Obamacare repeal debate closely will certainly remember the replacement proposal from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). As Ive written previously, this plan would allow insurers to discriminate against those with preexisting conditions and significantly cut insurance subsidies for low- and middle-income Americans. In case youve forgotten, Graham-Cassidy was the last-gasp, final Obamacare replacement proposal congressional Republicans considered in 2017 before throwing in the towel and moving on to their tax cut legislation. As Kliff notes, it would have liberated insurers to discriminate against those with preexisting conditions the very issue on which Democrats successfully bludgeoned Republicans during the 2018 midterms and would have taken a fateful step toward shifting costs for low-income health-care coverage to the states via a combination of Obamacare block grants and Medicaid per capita spending caps. An analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine labeled Graham-Cassidy the most harmful ACA repeal bill yet. And the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities described the impact on health insurance as dire: Because CBO was asked to analyze Cassidy-Graham so rapidly, it was unable to estimate the magnitude of its effects on coverage but concluded the bill would cause millions to become uninsured. Drawing on CBO analyses of earlier bills, independent analysts at the Brookings Institution estimated last year that a version of Cassidy-Graham would cause about 21 million people to lose coverage in the years when its block grant was in full effect. If thats what Trump has in mind, its not likely to strike many people as far better than Obamacare. And it will not, of course, be enacted; even if Republicans can finally get over the hump with an Obamacare replacement plan in the Senate, the Democratic-controlled House wont enact it. And for that matter, its unlikely the U.S. Supreme Court, even with its conservative majority, is going to embrace the much-derided theory by which Texas district court judge Reed OConnor struck down the Affordable Care Act. So if this whole thing is largely hypothetical, why oh why is Donald Trump going so far out of his way to draw attention to it and express his joy over a bad legal decision and an even worse proposal to implement it, all at the worst possible time? Thats hard to say. And for all anybody actually knows, Trumps plan for an Obamacare replacement is: Well figure that out manana. But it will be great. The Dow Jones bounded into Wednesday's trading session as Boeing faces even more controversy. Meanwhile, a booming bitcoin price has eclipsed $4,000. | Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images / AFP By CCN.com: The Dow whipsawed into the US trading session on Wednesday, shaking off a weak futures performance and more bearish news for Boeing to rise nearly 100 points, only to suddenly swing back into the red just half an hour later. The bitcoin price also made a strong entry, surging past the $4,000 mark to hit its highest level in nearly a week. Dow Dives after Strong Open As of 10:04 am ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had lost 41.46 points. The index fell to 25,632.27 after surging past 25,750 shortly after the bell rang on Wednesday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also reversed early gains to post declines, with the former dropping 0.15 percent and the latter losing 0.12 percent. dow jones industrial average, djia The Dow swung lower on Wednesday after surging nearly 100 points at the open. | Source: Yahoo Finance On Tuesday, the Dow salvaged a 140.9 point rally after an afternoon stumble threatened to wipe away its gains. The index ended the session at 25,657.73 for a 0.55 percent increase. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also made strides, climbing 0.72 percent to 2,818.46 and 0.71 percent to 7,691.52, respectively. Boeing Tailspin Places Further Pressure on Dow This morning, the Dow could face pressure from Boeing, its largest index component. On Tuesday afternoon, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 made an emergency landing in Florida after pilots encountered a performance issue with one of the engines shortly after takeoff, according to CNN. While the Federal Aviation Administration claims the issue is unrelated to the automated stall system failure thats believed to have caused the tragic Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes that collectively killed 346 people, the incident adds to the controversy surrounding the 737 MAX 8. Read the full story on CCN.com. Oslo (AFP) - What would happen if a cruise liner suddenly found itself without power in the middle of the Arctic? After narrowly averting a maritime disaster, Norway is mulling the safety of cruise ships in the Far North. Thanks to well-trained professionals and a good dose of luck, the 1,373 people on board the Viking Sky, the ship that suffered engine failure in stormy seas on Saturday, escaped the experience with just a harrowing tale to tell. The incident led to a spectacular air rescue operation: almost 500 passengers were winched off the ship by helicopters fighting strong winds, some in the dark. The vessel, which came close to being swept onto perilous reefs with a potentially catastrophic human and environmental toll, was finally able to make its way to a nearby port, after getting three of its engines running. The engines are believed to have failed due to low oil pressure, maritime authorities said on Wednesday. "Most of the people on board the Viking Sky would have died if the ship had run aground, because of the extreme weather conditions, the ship's movements, a severe list, and a slow evacuation," said two professors from the University of Trondheim's department of marine technology. "What would the consequences have been if this had happened in Finnmark, or near Svalbard?," Ingrid Bouwer Utne and Jan Erik Vinnem wrote in financial daily Dagens Naeringsliv. Finnmark is the northernmost county in mainland Norway, while Svalbard (also known as Spitzberg) is an archipelago located about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the North Pole. Both regions are hugely popular in the cruise industry because of their pristine and exotic wilderness, the Northern Lights and polar bears -- but they are poorly equipped for a rescue mission. - Exclude the biggest? - Six helicopters were able to be quickly dispatched to evacuate the Viking Sky, as it found itself relatively close to an area with offshore oil installations. Story continues Svalbard and Finnmark meanwhile each have just two rescue helicopters. In difficult conditions like those that prevailed last weekend and that prevented a sea rescue, how would hundreds or thousands of passengers be evacuated from a ship in distress? In 2017, Svalbard registered 30 cruiseship dockings and 45,000 passengers, not including so-called exploration cruises with smaller vessels. "We were lucky the Viking Sky didn't run aground," Erik Joachimsen, head of the professional association Cruise Northern Norway & Svalbard, told AFP. "But you can't always count on luck." The Norwegian Hurtigruten cruise company, which promotes itself as more environmental than the big cruise ships that run on heavy fuel oil, has called for size limits on ships navigating in remote and ecologically sensitive waters. "The giant cruiseliners with thousands of passengers and heavy fuel oil pose a major environmental risk," managing director Daniel Skjeldam said. "Gigantic cruise ships are not advisable everywhere," he said, insisting on the environmental aspect, which would also have the advantage of eliminating some competitors. - Regulate or ban ? - "This summer, similar cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers will sail in Arctic waters and in other vulnerable regions, far from search and rescue facilities," lamented Sian Prior, an advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance campaign. "In addition to the risk to lives, most of these vessels will be powered by oil-based fuels including heavy fuel oil, which pose a grave risk to the Arctic environment, and to the livelihoods of local indigenous people," she said. A heavy fuel oil spill would be "likely to take from months to years to be completely cleaned up." Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg admitted Wednesday there were limits to what authorities could do in the event of a disaster. "It's absolutely correct that in the Far North, we would have been faced with much bigger challenges... We don't have the capacity right now to handle this kind of situation," she said. "The question will always be whether it's best to have large resources up north in case it happens, or whether we should look into other rules," she told parliament. The International Maritime Organisation adopted a Polar Code in 2017 for ships operating in polar regions, requiring shipowners to meet a number of security and environmental standards. But Norway, together with other countries bordering the Arctic, is also considering regulating navigation in the region. The two University of Trondheim professors advocate a swift solution: "If we're not able to take sufficient measures, should we really allow cruiseships in these zones?" Two goldfish were discovered in a bag tied to a seat after a bus driver returned to the Edgeware Road depot, in Cricklewood, last Wednesday. (SWNS) Staff were left stunned after finding two abandoned goldfish on a London bus. The fish were found by the driver after the bus returned to the depot in Edgware Road, Cricklewood last Wednesday. The pair were handed over to the lost and found department who called the RSPCA. Collection officer Mariam Adwan said: The bus driver must have thought there was something fishy going on when they spotted the bag of water with two goldfish inside left on a seat. red phone booth with colored flowers and red bus, england, great britain, london I dont suppose the two hitchhikers had their bus pass with them but thankfully the driver did spot them and handed them into the lost and found department at the depot. The fish were in an okay condition but were in need of food and oxygen when they were collected. We dont know, at this stage, if the fish had been left behind accidentally or if they were purposefully dumped on the bus but it serves as a timely reminder that fish can be misunderstood pets. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Mans mistake leads to double lottery jackpot Using the term cyclists dehumanises them researchers claim Housing developer accused of segregating children They are sometimes seen as an easy pet to keep, often decided on the spur of the moment in a pet shop, or as a prize at the fairground, but they are actually quite challenging pets to care for. They cant show their feelings as clearly as mammals do so meeting their complex biological, environmental and behavioural needs takes a great deal of preparation, investment, time and care. More than some people realise. The fish were taken to RSPCA Putney Animal Hospital to be rehomed. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK The FAA says an emergency on a Southwest Airlines flight, involving a Boeing 737 Max 8 that was being ferried to California, was not related to the recent deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. (Photo: Ralph Freso via Getty Images) A Southwest Airlines flight on the same type of Boeing aircraft that crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia made an emergency landing after it took off in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday. Southwest flight 8701, operated on a Boeing 737 Max 8, declared an emergency after it reported engine problems while departing from Orlando International Airport at 2:50 p.m. Eastern, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump issued an emergency order to ground all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in the U.S. after one of the planes, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, crashed shortly after takeoff and left 157 people dead. Less than four months earlier, 189 people died when a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia. A spokesman for the FAA told HuffPost that the engine-related emergency on Tuesdays Southwest flight was unrelated to the recent crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. While all 737 Max 8 planes are grounded under Trumps executive order, the Southwest flight was able to take off because the plane was being ferried to a location in Victorville, California, to be stored. There were no passengers on board. Airlines often park planes that require long-term storage in the desert or drier areas to protect them from bad weather or humidity. After analyzing the Ethiopian Airlines flights recovered black box, the Ethiopian Transport Ministry said the crash had clear similarities with the Lion Air flight. As part of their probe into what caused the deadly crash, Indonesian investigators have focused on the Boeing 737 Max 8s new anti-stall technology, which automatically points the aircrafts nose downward if it senses the plane is stalling. The FAA said in a statement that the Southwest flight returned to the Orlando airport and landed safely. The agency is currently investigating the cause of the engine problem. Related Coverage FAA Resists Calls To Ground Boeing 737 Max 8 After Ethiopian Airlines Crash Story continues Trump Issues Emergency Order To Ground Boeing 737 Max 8 Planes Ethiopian Airlines Black Boxes Show Clear Similarities With Lion Air Crash: Official Pilots Of Doomed Boeing 737 Had 40 Seconds To Fix Error, Test Suggests Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Istanbul (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday it was time to rename Istanbul's landmark Hagia Sophia as a mosque, saying that it had been a "very big mistake" to convert it into a museum. "Hagia Sophia will not be called a museum. It will be taken out of that status. We will call Hagia Sophia a mosque," Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview. "Those who come to Hagia Sophia will visit Hagia Sophia mosque," he said. The former church and mosque, now a museum, often sparks tensions between Christians and Muslims over Islamic activities held there, including the reading of verses from the Koran or collective prayers. Its secular status allows believers of all faiths to meditate, reflect or simply enjoy the astonishing architecture of a building dating back to the sixth century. Erdogan is campaigning for votes for his Justice and Development Party (AKP) ahead of municipal elections on March 31. The Turkish leader said the plan would be discussed after the elections. "We think the time has come to take such a step given there is a demand" from the Turkish people, he said. Such a move is likely to cause anger among Christians and raise tensions between historic foes Turkey and Greece, both NATO members. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited the Hagia Sophia in February. Asked about the criticism, Erdogan said: "There are attacks targeting Al-Aqsa mosque," referring to the compound in Jerusalem known to Jews as the Temple Mount. "Those who remain silent on this cannot dare to give advise to us on (Hagia Sophia)," he added. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) The European Union is moving to require cars and trucks to have technology that would deter speeding as well as data recorders to document the circumstances of accidents. Those are among the safety features included in a provisional agreement announced Wednesday by the EU's executive commission. The package would force vehicles to have so-called intelligent speed assistance, which recognizes speed limits using mapping systems and help drivers observe them by restricting engine power. The driver can override the system by pushing harder on the gas pedal. Earlier versions of the measure envisioned a system that could not be overridden, but that was changed. The onboard data recorder would further deter speeding by registering the car's speed. "Every year 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads," said Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European Commissioner responsible for internal market and industry. "We can and must act to change this." The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-country EU, said that the features would be required on all vehicles on European roads from 2022. The other safety features would include systems to warn drivers if they seem drowsy and against distractions such as smartphone use. Cameras and sensors would be required to avoid accidents while backing up and to help keep a car in a lane. For cars and vans, the deal requires advanced emergency braking, which can detect obstacles and push the brake pedal if the driver does not responds in time. And another system would help bus and truck drivers avoid hitting cyclists in their so-called blind spots. Although properly adjusted mirrors should allow truck drivers to see to the side, Germany's transport ministry has pushed for the measure to reduce deaths of cyclists and pedestrians. Much of the technology already exists and is available on more expensive cars. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association welcomed the EU's agreement but said vehicle technology needed to be supplemented with better road infrastructure and measures to encourage safer driver behavior. Story continues "This challenging piece of legislation will no doubt be instrumental in further improving road safety - something all auto makers are fully committed to," said ACEA Secretary General Erik Jonnaert. "At the same time vehicle technology alone will not be sufficient. For maximum effect, policy makers must now push for a fully integrated approach to road safety; combining vehicle technology with better road infrastructure and safer driver behavior." The association warned in December that intelligent speed assistance should be introduced only gradually. It said the technology was hampered by too many false readings due to out-of-date maps and poor sign visibility. The measures announced Wednesday were agreed on in negotiations between European national governments, the commission, and the European parliament. The provision political agreement is subject to formal approval by the European parliament and EU leaders. Brussels (AFP) - The EU said Wednesday it will suspend ship patrols that have rescued tens of thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean and brought them to Italy, amid deep resistance by populist-led Rome. The rescues were part of the EU's Operation Sophia which diplomats have decided to extend by six months beyond its March 31 expiry date, but without new ship deployments, the bloc announced. Instead, the operation will rely on air missions and close coordination with Libya despite the political chaos that has scarred the country since 2011. "Member states have decided to extend the mandate of Operation Sophia for six months with a temporary suspension of its naval assets while member states continue working on a solution related to disembarkation," said EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic. However, Sophia "is a maritime operation and it is clear that without naval resources, it will not be able to carry out its mandate effectively," she added. Since its launch in 2015, after a series of tragic shipwrecks, the mission has claimed the arrest of some 150 traffickers, and rescued 45,000 people. But the election of a far right-populist government in Rome last year changed the fate of the mission, with authorities taking a much harsher stance towards rescued migrants heading for Italian shores. Italy's anger effectively put an end to rescue operations through Sophia a year ago, even as the EU credited the mission with having stopped smugglers taking migrants on dangerous sea crossings. Sources told AFP the decision split the EU's 28 member states, with several countries wondering whether Sophia -- now a naval mission without a navy -- should be halted. - 'Damage control' - Efforts to reform Operation Sophia in the long term have beached on the broader question of how to reform the EU's so-called Dublin asylum rules, which stipulate that the country of first arrival must process asylum seekers. Story continues Under the stewardship of far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, Rome has insisted it should not have to carry the burden of dealing with migrants rescued at sea. The stance has seen Salvini gain in popularity ahead of EU elections set for May. "Rationality went out of the window a long time ago," an EU diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. "This is damage control in the hope that once election season is over we might actually come to our senses," the source added. Over the years, Europe has added new functions to the mission, which also trains the Libyan coastguard and controls the enforcement of a UN arms embargo on Libya, and illegal oil trafficking. EU cooperation with Libya has been credited with sharply reducing the number of migrants arriving from North Africa and the Middle East from a 2015 peak when Europe faced its worst migration crisis since World War II. Activists however decry rampant human rights abuses against migrants in Libya as they await passage to Europe and urge the EU to not outsource the problem to Tripoli. For the moment, two ships patrol the central Mediterranean as part of Operation Sophia: Spain's "Rayo" and Italy's "Luigi Rizzo", which are supported by air assets from Spain, Italy, Poland and Luxembourg. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Five European countries that sit on the UN Security Council on Tuesday rejected US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize the Golan as Israeli territory and voiced concern the move could have broad consequences. Belgium, Britain, France, Germany and Poland insisted that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. "We do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them to be part of the territory of the state of Israel," Belgian Ambassador Marc Pesteen de Buytswerve told reporters. "We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences," he said, flanked by the ambassadors of the four other countries. Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. On Monday, Trump signed a proclamation in which the United States recognized the strategic plateau as Israeli territory, breaking with decades of US policy. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israels security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. Russia and China spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians. The council is scheduled to discuss the US move on Wednesday when it meets to discuss the future of the peacekeeping force deployed on the Golan, known as UNDOF. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia sent home nearly two-thirds of some 30,000 North Koreans working there during 2018 and China repatriated more than half of those employed there but did not specify a figure, according to unpublished reports by Moscow and Beijing to the United Nations Security Council. The one-page reports, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, were submitted to the council's North Korea sanctions committee in compliance with a 2017 resolution that demanded the repatriation of all North Korean workers by the end of this year to stop them earning foreign currency for leader Kim Jong Un's government. The United States has said it believed Pyongyang was earning more than $500 million a year from nearly 100,000 workers abroad, of which some 80,000 were in China and 30,000 in Russia. The U.N. Security Council has steadily toughened sanctions on North Korea since 2006 to choke off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim have met twice in the past year in a bid to negotiate denuclearization. The December 2017 U.N. resolution required countries to report to the sanctions committee this month on all North Korean workers repatriated during 2018 "including an explanation of why less than half of such" workers were repatriated if applicable. Russia reported that in 2018 the number of North Koreans "with valid work permits in the Russian Federation decreased from 30,023 to 11,490 persons." Key North Korean ally China said it had repatriated "more than half of the total DPRK nationals earning income." "China will continue earnestly implementing its international obligations, carry out the repatriation work in an orderly manner and complete the repatriation on time," wrote China's Mission to the United Nations, adding it did not want the report to be made public. The United Arab Emirates told the Security Council committee it had sent home more than half of the North Koreans earning money in the country during 2018, repatriating 823 people. It did not say how many North Koreans were still in the country. Poland reported that in December 2017, 451 North Koreans were working there and that number had dropped to 37 by the end of last year. Some of those 37 might have already left Poland by crossing the European Union's external border in another country, it added. In 2015, Marzuki Darusman, a U.N. human rights investigator, said the North Koreans abroad worked mainly in mining, logging, textile and construction. The reports submitted by Russia and China to the sanctions committee did not specify what industries had employed the North Koreans. New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a 2017 report that "the treatment of North Korean workers overseas falls short of international labor standards, with no right to freedom of association or expression, control by minders who limit freedom of movement and access to information from the outside world, long working hours and no right to refuse overtime." North Korea has said its laborers were working abroad legally and were not mistreated or forced to go. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Michael Perry and Jeffrey Benkoe) By Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Two days after an election that was meant to restore democratic rule and stability, Thailand has plunged deeper into uncertainty thanks to a complex parliamentary system that critics say the military junta devised to trip up its rivals. The Election Commission has been accused of incompetence and even complicity in cheating in Sunday's poll, and it might take another six weeks to publish official results for the 500-seat lower house. The commission on Monday announced the winners of 350 seats of the House of Representatives but the remainder will not be announced until May 9. Until then, it will be unclear whether the next government will be formed by the party that wants junta leader and former military chief Prayuth Chan-ocha to stay on as prime minister or the "democratic front" led by the party ousted in a 2014 coup. WHY ARE THE FULL RESULTS TAKING SO LONG? Partly because of complex election rules written by supporters of the junta three years ago, and partly because the Election Commission has yet to finalize a full count. Most parties in fact estimate their rough share of the seats from partial results and both sides have begun negotiating to put together a coalition on that basis. Prayuth's party probably has enough votes to keep him on as prime minister, but it needs coalition partners in the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, to form a stable government. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO WIN THE ELECTION? Officially, the magic number for choosing the next prime minister is 376 votes - a majority of a combined vote between the 500-seat House of Representatives and the 250-seat Senate. But the challenge of getting to 376 votes is different for the two camps. Because the Senate is appointed entirely by the junta, Prayuth's party needs only about 126 House seats, either on its own or with coalition partners. But the "democratic front" of parties led by loyalists of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra need to win 376 of the 500 House seats to choose the prime minister because it cannot count on many, or even any, Senate votes. CONSTITUENCY SEATS VS PARTY SEATS Only 350 seats in the House of Representatives are directly elected "constituency seats" where the candidate with the most votes wins the district in a first-past-the-post system. The winners of those seats were announced on Monday. The pro-Thaksin opposition Pheu Thai party won 137 House seats while the pro-junta Palang Pracharat party, which wants to keep Prayuth in power, won 97 seats. The non-aligned Bhumjaithai party, which has officially aligned with neither camp, won 39 seats. The Democrat party, which said it won't side with Pheu Thai, won 33 seats. A new progressive party, Future Forward, won 30 seats. It would be part of an anti-junta democratic front. Other parties won 14 seats. PARTY SEATS The remaining 150 "party seats" in the lower house are allocated under a complicated formula based on the total number of votes cast and each party's share of the nationwide vote. The formula divides the total number of votes cast nationwide by the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. So, if 40 million people were to vote, the "value" of one House seat would be 80,000 votes. The formula effectively caps the number of seats any one party can gain. If a party has already reached or is close to its limit in constituency seats, it cannot get any more party seats. The exact allocation of party seats won't be known until the Election Commission releases unofficial results, which are expected on Friday. That will show total votes cast and the parties' share of them. However, the definitive numbers won't be released until May 9, when the official results are published. That said, partial results up to 94 percent released on Sunday night offer clues. Because Pheu Thai already has 137 constituency seats, it may well have exceeded its seats "cap" and therefore will be unlikely to get any party seats. But Palang Pracharat has only 97 constituency seats, and since it was also leading the national popular vote, it is likely to gain 15-25 more party seats. Adding the seats together would put Palang Pracharat very close to the 126 seats it needs to vote Prayuth in as prime minister, which is why many assume the junta leader will stay on. SO WHO GETS TO FORM A GOVERNMENT? Technically either side would need just more than 250 seats, or half of the 500-member lower house, to form the next government. However, the "democratic front" would need 376 seats in the House to first get one of the prime ministerial candidates from its side approved, since it could not rely on members of the junta-appointed Senate to endorse its candidates. Palang Pracharat, assuming all Senate members vote in line, will be close to the 126 seats needed to get Prayuth to stay on. However, it will need coalition partners able to rely on more than 250 seats in the House to form a stable coalition government. (Writing by Kay Johnson. Editing by John Chalmers and Jon Boyle) Kellyanne Conway before the start of a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, on March 19, 2019. Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Trump could hardly contain his glee after Attorney General William Barrs summary of the Mueller report provided him with a complete and total exoneration. (It didnt, although the immediate political victory surrounding the Barr summary could be described as such.) Around four in the morning on Tuesday, Trump expanded on his depiction of the press as the enemy of the people, lending the moniker to the entire mainstream media for the first time. And at a closed-door lunch with Senate Republicans, Trump reportedly told the lawmakers that people love it when you attack the press. According to a report from the New York Times, the presidents aides are also feeling the victory glow. In the White House driveway on Monday, counselor Kellyanne Conway smiled with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders after returning from an appearance on Fox News. Were colluding, Conway told reporters. Passing in the WH driveway. @KellyannePolls after @FoxNews interview and @PressSec on the way to @FoxNews interview, meet at press gaggle site. They hug and with arms around one another, Conway jokes, "we're colluding." pic.twitter.com/uSJlIelE5X Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 25, 2019 Conway also told the Times that the same people who were wrong about the 2016 election were wrong again and that moving on might take a minute. On Monday, Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted a celebratory picture of Trump surrounded by his lawyers, before promptly deleting the post from Instagram. Also on Monday, Rudy Giuliani and the presidents campaign manager Brad Parscale drew a crowd to the Trump International Hotel, less than a mile from the White House. We feel totally and completely vindicated, Harlan Hill, a campaign advisory board member who took a picture with Giuliani, told the Times. The mood from the pundit class to friends of mine that work in the White House is over-the-moon ecstasy. On Twitter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders shared a March Madness bracket filled with journalists including New Yorks Jonathan Chait who had pursued the Mueller report for what it was: an inquiry into whether or not the sitting president of the United States conspired with a foreign power to win an election. Mueller Madness! Which of the angry and hysterical @realDonaldTrump haters got it most embarrassingly wrong? #YouDecide pic.twitter.com/IkzUesDdub Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 26, 2019 Though the winning feeling is currently surging, its unclear how long it could last. From one angle, it will linger as long as Trump is president, as its clear he intends to take the no collusion slogan into the 2020 election. From another, the political if not legal vindication of the Mueller report summary hasnt changed Trumps approval ratings, and Democratic messaging in the primary has not depended upon the Russia investigation to inspire early donors. Then theres the worry that Trump will overreach on his victory lap, a concern that Joe Lockhart, President Clintons press secretary at the time of his impeachment, expressed to the Times. Lockhart compared the current messaging from the White House to the historically embarrassing Mission Accomplished banner George Bush unfurled two months after invading Iraq for the second time: Right now it can only go one way, which is bad for them. WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration told a U.S. Senate panel would need an additional 10,000 employees that would cost $1.8 billion if it were to assume all responsibilities for aircraft certification. Some lawmakers have questioned the FAA's decades-old practice of delegating a significant amount of the work for certifying airplanes to manufacturers, including Boeing Co , which is under scrutiny after two crashes of its 737 MAX plane within five months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told the Senate Wednesday that it would require a dramatic boost in its staffing and budget to handle those duties. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Grant McCool) (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it has removed more accounts from Iran, Russia, Macedonia and Kosovo, citing what it described as "coordinated inauthentic behavior." A total of 2,632 pages, groups, and accounts were removed from Facebook and Instagram for operations linked to the above mentioned countries, the social media platform said. 513 of those accounts were tied to Iran, while 1,907 were linked to Russia, Facebook said. The accounts tied to Russia were largely removed for spam with a small portion of those engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior, according to the statement. Facebook also said the pages and accounts were removed for their behavior and not content. The social media platform has recently been cracking down on such accounts in many countries after coming under fire in the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations. The company had also removed certain accounts tied to Iran earlier in January. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Shreejay Sinha) (Reuters) - The father of one of the children killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was found dead of an apparent suicide on Monday morning at his office in Newtown, Connecticut, police said. Jeremy Richman, 49, was the father of Avielle Richman, one of 20 children, all 6 or 7 years old, killed along with six adult staff members by a man with a semi-automatic rifle at the school in Newtown. It stands as one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Richman's body was found shortly after 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) at his office, police said. "The death appears to be a suicide, but police will not disclose the method or any other details of the death, only to state the death does not appear to be suspicious," the Newtown Police Department said in a statement. Connecticut's Chief Medical Examiner's office is expected to confirm the cause of death later on Monday, police said. After his daughter's murder, Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel, created a foundation in her name that focuses on preventing violence by funding research on mental health and increasing access to treatment. Richman, who was a neuropharmacologist, had written in a mission statement published on the Avielle Foundation's website that his daughter's death had left him "infinitely heart broken." In a statement, the foundation said that while its staff and directors were "crushed to pieces" at Richman's death, it would continue its work of supporting research into brain abnormalities and promoting brain health. "Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need," the foundation said. U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes, who represents a congressional district that includes Newtown, said in a statement she was struck by how "optimistic" Richman had seemed about his foundation's work at a recent meeting. "These tragedies show that the trauma of gun violence extends far beyond the initial tragedy," her statement said. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called Richman a "good friend, a dedicated father, an esteemed researcher." (Reporting by Jonathan Allen and Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Paul Simao and Bill Berkrot) SALEM, Ore. (AP) Located in an apartment in a primarily Hispanic town in Oregon, a clandestine lab churned out thousands of fake Social Security cards, drivers' licenses and immigration documents that were sold around the United States for years. The operation, revealed for the first time Tuesday in a federal court document, showed that a syndicate based in Oaxaca, Mexico, operated the forged-document factory in Woodburn, a town of 24,000 in an agricultural region a half-hour's drive from Portland. Employers, including farms, nurseries and wineries, routinely employ people who are in the United States illegally but who can produce a Social Security card or work visa. Many agricultural employers say it's not their responsibility and that they lack the expertise to determine if the documents are genuine. The arrest on Sept. 21, 2017, of Miguel Merecias-Lopez in a fast-food restaurant parking lot in Woodburn reveals how, in many cases, such documents are produced. Merecias-Lopez pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Portland to conspiracy to produce false identification documents and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He had gone to the parking lot to sell more than a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of meth, prosecutors said. Homeland Security Investigations had already been looking at the syndicate they called the "Fraud Doc Ring" before the arrest, said Kevin Sonoff, spokesman for the United States Attorney's Office in Portland. After Merecias-Lopez was arrested, investigators went to his apartment and found computers, scanners, laminators, cameras and a high-resolution printer. "The fraud ring operated in Woodburn for more than a decade and produced over 10,000 fraudulent documents that they distributed in Woodburn or mailed to customers around the United States," U.S. Attorney Billy Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Sax said in the plea agreement posted Tuesday in court documents. Previous detailed court documents remain under seal. Story continues The Fraud Doc Ring communicated with customers using Facebook, email, Snapchat and in person, the plea deal states. Customers emailed, texted or mailed the ring digital passport-style photos for insertion into the fake ID cards, or visited a clandestine photography lab in Woodburn where their photos were taken, the plea agreement says. Customers paid electronically through PayPal, through the mail or in person. In the apartment, agents found dozens of security images and seals used in legitimate identification documents. They also found stored digital photos of more than 4,000 customers. The Fraud Doc Ring produced a wide array of documents, including drivers' licenses for over 25 different states, Social Security cards, lawful permanent resident cards, U.S. and Mexican birth certificates and marriage licenses. There is a huge market for such documents. Immigrants working illegally in this country accounted for about 46 percent of America's roughly 800,000 crop farmworkers in recent years, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Agriculture. Many more work in the nation's hospitality, service and construction industries. Merecias-Lopez's attorney, Brian Walker, did not immediately respond to emailed and phone messages requesting comment. Merecias-Lopez said in his petition to plead guilty that he has a 10th-grade education, and that he understands that conviction can lead to imprisonment and deportation. Merecias-Lopez, 24, moved to Woodburn from Oaxaca in January 2017, long after the fraud ring began operating. He is responsible for creating at least 300 fraudulent U.S. government documents, according to the plea agreement. Government prosecutors and Walker are jointly recommending a low sentence. For the false documents conviction, he faces a maximum 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine. The drug conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison with a 10 year mandatory minimum sentence and a $10 million fine. Sonoff said no other arrests have been made and that the current criminal inquiry focuses only on Merecias-Lopez and his co-conspirators, not on their customers. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18. ___ Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky MOSCOW (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co's Russian joint venture Ford Sollers will close two assembly plants and an engine factory in Russia, exiting the country's passenger vehicle market, resulting in charges of about $450 million to $500 million. The move is part of a restructuring that will see Russia's Sollers assume control of the venture, which is currently led by the U.S. automaker, the companies said in a statement on Wednesday. Industry sources told Reuters this month that Ford was considering closing Russian plants as it was reviewing operations in unprofitable regions. The No. 2 U.S. carmaker said the closures would lead to "significant" job losses, along with the closure of assembly plants in Naberezhnye Chelny and St. Petersburg, and an engine plant in Elabuga. The restructuring follows similar actions in South America and Europe as Ford works to return to profitability in money-losing markets. Ford also has been negotiating to expand a commercial vehicle and pickup truck alliance with Germany's Volkswagen AG, with investors focused on potential partnerships around the development of electric and self-driving vehicles. Those talks also include working together regionally, including possible plant consolidation. A Ford spokeswoman said the talks are continuing. A restructured Ford Sollers will focus on commercial vehicles, while passenger vehicle production will cease by the end of June, the companies said. "The new Ford Sollers structure supports Ford's global redesign strategy to expand our leadership in commercial vehicles and to grow the business in Europe in those market segments that offer better returns on invested capital," Steven Armstrong, president of Ford of Europe, said in the statement. Ford was the first international carmaker to launch vehicle assembly in Russia, opening a plant in St Petersburg in 2002. In 2011, it set up a joint venture with Sollers in which Ford and Sollers each hold a 50 percent stake, but Ford has controlled the business since buying up preferred shares. Under the new structure, Sollers will take a 51 percent controlling interest. Story continues Sales of new cars in Russia are expected to rise 3.6 percent this year, marking a slowdown from last year, according to an estimate from the Association of European Businesses lobby group. "The Russian passenger vehicle market has been under significant pressure in recent years, with recovery slower than expected and a shift to lower priced passenger vehicle segments," Ford said, adding that resulted in underused plants. Ford said it expects pretax special item charges of $450 million to $500 million, most of which will be recorded this year and are part of the previously announced $11 billion charge that Ford said it would take to globally restructure its business. (Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov in Moscow and Ben Klayman in Detroit; Writing by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Mark Potter and Paul Simao) India's troubled Jet Airways said Monday that founder Naresh Goyal has stepped down as chairman and left the company board as part of a rescue plan. Jet, which has debts of more than $1 billion, said in a statement that its creditors would inject up to $218 million of "immediate funding support" into the airline. The Mumbai-based carrier, which until recently was India's second biggest airline, has been forced to ground three-quarters of its 119-aircraft fleet. This is because it was unable to pay aircraft lessors. Its pilots have also complained of delays in receiving their salaries. Thousands of customers have been stranded in recent weeks after their flights were in some cases abruptly cancelled. Jet employs more than 20,000 people. A collapse would deal a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pragmatic pro-business reputation ahead of elections starting on April 11. India's air passenger numbers have rocketed six-fold over the past decade with its middle class taking advantage of better connectivity and cheaper flights. The country's aviation sector is projected to become the world's third-largest by 2025. But like other carriers Jet has been badly hit by fluctuating global crude prices and a weak rupee, as well as fierce competition from budget rivals. Alarm bells for Jet first rang in August when it failed to report its quarterly earnings or pay its staff, including pilots, on time. It later reported a loss of $85 million. By Michel Rose and John Irish PARIS, March 25 (Reuters) - France and China will sign trade deals worth billions of euros on Monday during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping but Paris will also take the opportunity to push back against Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure intiative. President Emmanuel Macron wants to forge a united European front to confront Beijing's advances. After he and Xi meet later on Monday, the two will hold further talks on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker, heads of the EU exective. Xi arrived in France after visiting Italy, the first Western power to endorse China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative as Rome tries to revive its struggling economy. The Belt and Road Initiative plan, championed by Xi, aims to link China by sea and land with Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, through an infrastructure network on the lines of the old Silk Road. France says Silk Road cooperation must work in both directions. An official in Macron's office said signigicant progress was expected in terms of opening up the Chinese market for some farm goods, especially poultry. French officials have also expressed the hope that a multi-billion dollar deal for China to buy dozens of Airbus planes could be finalized. In a column in Le Figaro published on Sunday, Xi made clear he wanted Paris to cooperate in the Belt and Road project, calling for more trade and investment in sectors ranging from nuclear energy, aeronautics and agriculture. "French investors are welcome to share development opportunities in China. I also hope that Chinese companies can do better in France and make a greater contribution to its economic and social development," he wrote. French officials describe China as a both a challenge and partner, saying France must remain especially vigilant over any Chinese attempts to appropriate foreign technology for its own means. Story continues The EU is already weighing a more defensive strategy on China, spurred by Beijing's slowness in opening up its economy, Chinese takeovers in critical sectors, and a feeling in European capitals that Beijing has not stood up for free trade. "An awakening was necessary," Macron said in Brussels on Friday. "For many years we had an uncoordinated approach and China took advantage of our divisions." As part of efforts to push that approach, Macron will host Merkel and Juncker on Tuesday to meet with Xi to move away from a purely bilateral approach to ties. "Macron is not happy to see China win so many prizes in Rome, so he has invented a bizarre European format by inviting Merkel and Juncker as a counterbalance to show that he is the driving force behind European integration," said one Paris-based Asian diplomat. ($1 = 0.8833 euros) (Additional reporting by Marine Pennetier and Richard Lough; Editing by Angus MacSwan) French yellow vest demonstrations have hit its economy. Photo: Reuters/Christian Hartmann Consumer confidence is at a seven-month high in France in the latest sign its economy has begun to rebound as the yellow vest movement loses steam. Households are increasingly optimistic about their personal finances and spending power, according to official data from French statistics body INSEE. INSEE also predicted earlier this month that the Eurozones second largest economy would record stronger growth in the first half the year, thanks to higher incomes and a gradual rise in business confidence. The figures suggest French business is beginning to recover from the huge unrest that has gripped the country since last November, when the yellow vest protests began. READ MORE: No-deal Brexit could wipe 70% off Irish growth Some stores in central Paris are still putting up wooden boards to prevent their windows from being smashed. More than 40,000 protestors took part in the 19th week of nationwide demonstrations in a row last weekend. Retail was hit badly in what should have been peak season in the run-up to Christmas, with many protests turning violent, as well as significant vandalism and looting. Protesters first took to the streets in November 2018 wearing gilets jaunes or high-visibility jackets to protests against fuel tax rises. The movement quickly grew and has even spread across the world, becoming a wider backlash against president Emmanuel Macrons government. But the movement has begun to flag this year, with numbers falling at protests, controversy over anti-Semitism, and the president caving in to some of their demands. Macron announced plans in December for more than 10bn (8.5bn) of funding to improve the incomes of Frances lowest-paid workers and pensioners. A payroll tax for unemployment insurance was scrapped, leaving workers with more money in their pockets. Violence linked to the protests also appears to have dropped, despite a flare-up earlier this month in Paris. READ MORE: Inside Argentinas yellow vest movement as French protests spread Story continues INSEEs measure of consumer confidence rose one point to 96 in February, its highest since last August and up significantly from 87 last December, shortly after the anti-government protests began. The figures are based on a monthly survey of 2000 households, analysing opinions on their personal finances, work, savings, and spending power. Frances economy may be showing signs of recovery, but official figures suggest the protests have still taken a heavy toll. INSEE estimated that the economy would have grown 0.4% in the last three months of 2018 without the demonstrations, rather than the near-flatlining it actually recorded of 0.1%. It has also lowered its most recent growth forecast for this year to 1.4%, down from 1.7%. Warren is the rare urban Democrat with an actual agriculture agenda. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren is not doing particularly well in early polls of the 2020 Democratic presidential contest, typically bumping along in fifth place with support in the single digits. But she continues to demonstrate that nobodys going to beat her in sheer heft of policy proposals. In advance of a rural issues forum this weekend in Storm Lake, Iowa, Warren released a proposal applying her general principle of aggressive antitrust enforcement and regulation to Big Ag corporations, as reported by the Des Moines Register: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is taking aim at some of the nations largest agribusiness companies, such as Tyson and Bayer-Monsanto, continuing her campaigns assault on corporate consolidation. The Democratic presidential candidates plan, released exclusively to the Des Moines Register before it was unveiled Wednesday, would address consolidation in the agribusiness industry, un-rig the rules she says favor its largest players, and elevate the interests of family farmers. In her own description of her plan, Warren attacks both horizontal and vertical integration in the agribusiness sector: The result of mergers and expansions is immense market power. The top four meat processing companies have 53% market share. The three big chicken companies have 90% market share. The two biggest seed companies, Monsanto and DuPont, had 71% of the corn seed market in 2015 before Monsanto merged with Bayer and DuPont merged with Dow. According to conservative estimates, the newly merged Bayer-Monsanto by itself will control more than 37 percent of the U.S. vegetable seed market overall, and will control more than half of the market for some vegetables. Mergers mean that farmers have fewer and fewer choices for buying and selling, while vertical integration has meant that big agribusinesses face less competition throughout the chain and thus capture more and more of the profits. The result is that farmers are getting a record-low amount of every dollar Americans spend on food, food prices arent going down, and agribusiness CEOs and other corporate executives are raking it in. The CEO of the Chinese group that owns Smithfield a massive meat processing company made $291 million in 2017 alone. The senator is promising to reverse anti-competitive mergers in agribusiness including the recent Bayer-Monsanto merger and break up vertically integrated corporate arrangements, while fighting corporate contracts and other restrictive practices burdening family farms. This is a risky approach for Warren, since the companies she is going after are major employers in Iowa and major players politically. But as one economist (and former Democratic congressional candidate) told the Register, its also refreshing for a Democratic presidential candidate to offer Farm Belt voters something relevant: People are so happy in rural Iowa to see a Democrat talking farm and ag policy, who knows what the price per bushel is, who knows their pain, [Austin] Frerick said. Because Democrats just lack a vision for agriculture right now. Other than uttering pieties about family farming and ritualistically endorsing ethanol subsidies, urban Democrats generally havent had a lot to say when campaigning in the Farm Belt. The last Democratic presidential nominee from Warrens state, Michael Dukakis, famously drew horse-laughs for suggesting that Iowa corn farmers consider switching to more up-market crops like Belgian endive. Going back further, Bobby Kennedy admitted while barnstorming in Nebraska in 1968 that his main contribution to the farm economy was his large familys breakfast consumption. So Warren is again breaking new ground with policy specifics. Its the sort of thing that might earn her some dedicated Iowa volunteers willing to round up friends and neighbors to caucus for her on a bitterly cold February night next year. But we dont know yet if other candidates charisma or perceived electability or Republican Pocohontas taunts will matter more. BERLIN, March 27 (Reuters) - Germany's junior coalition party is prepared to allow some arms exports to Saudi Arabia, a softening of its position which may defuse a row with its conservative partners in power, RND media reported on Wednesday. Such a move by the Social Democrats (SPD) would also ease concerns in Britain and France that Germany's current ban on arms exports to the kingdom, imposed after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, may threaten joint tank, combat jet and drone development. Citing government sources, the RND group of newspapers reported that Germany's security council would decide whether to extend the ban, due to expire at the end of March, on Wednesday. The discussion would include what to do about joint European arms projects that have been approved but can no longer be delivered due to the moratorium. RND said it had information showing the SPD was prepared to pull back from a blanket ban and allow such joint projects to go ahead, provided that no more than 20 percent of the components involved came from Germany. Some in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives are pushing for a higher proportion of German components, it reported. The council will also discuss the assessment of the situation in Yemen because in their coalition deal, the parties had agreed not to deliver arms to countries that are involved in the conflict there. That includes Saudi Arabia. Last week the SPD said it wanted to extend the freeze but many conservatives argue a continued ban hurts Germany's commercial reputation and could jeopardize projects such as the development of a Franco-German combat jet and other arms deals. The freeze has also put a question mark over billions of euros of military orders, including a 10 billion pound ($13.2 billion) deal to sell 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Riyadh that would be led by Britain's BAE Systems. ($1 = 0.7577 pounds) (Reporting by Madeline Chambers Editing by Andrew Heavens) British pop star Myleene Klass is among the original crop of UK reality stars who went on to become influencers. Klass, a classically trained musician, shot to fame in 2001 through the British TV talent series Popstars as a member of the pop group HearSay. We didnt realise the power we had, as influencers at the time, Klass said during a special live-recorded episode of Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded, at the Verizon Media and IAB UK luncheon event held during Advertising Week Europe. The new video show from Yahoo Finance UK launches on April 3 and delves into the stories of pioneering women across business, tech, academia and the creative industries. The band members soon came to understand how their celebrity could drive sales for brands, Klass said. She revealed that the most money she made from HearSay wasnt from record sales but the deely bopper headgear the group sold on the merchandise stands on their tours. Since the early days of HearSay, Klass has gone on to work with a number of brands, from British Airways, to Marks & Spencer, Birds Eye and Mothercare. She is also a published author and broadcaster, currently hosting the Saturday morning show on Smooth Radio. Klass tends to have long relationships with the brands she is associated with. Her partnership with Mothercare where she currently designs the exclusive My K Clothing by Myleene Klass range has run for more than 13 years, for example. Part of the reason, Klass suggested, is that while she may not have tens of millions of social media followers like other well-known influencers, she does have a very high conversion rate for the products shes promoting. Take her work with Marks & Spencer. Klass said in one ad she was the only cast member that wasnt a supermodel I had to stand on a box for most of the adverts and the clothes she wore drove the most sales. If something wasnt selling, they put it on little old me, Klass added. Story continues Klass said another key to the longevity of her brand partnerships is that she is hands-on and only takes up offers that she feels she can genuinely endorse. I challenge you in the six years I was working with Littlewoods and the five years I was with Mark & Spencer to find me in a public outfit that isnt from that brand, Klass said. I lived, I breathed it. I wanted to understand how it washed, how it moved, how it felt, wearing it on the school run, down to the red carpet. Klass said she wore a 70 dress standing next to Prince Charles, a 40 dress alongside Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and interviewed actor George Clooney in a 30 Breton top. I actually enjoyed bucking the trend as opposed to wearing thousands of pounds worth of gown that actually have no impact or no relation to my customers, Klass said. The next episode of Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded will be available here on April 3. Our guest is Eileen Burbidge MBE, partner a Passion Capital, chair of Tech Nation and non-executive director at Dixons Carphone. President Trump didnt spell it out, but theres a sound rationale for Americas recognizing the Golan Heights as a permanent part of Israel. Syria has been an unhappy political experiment. It never secured for its multiethnic population freedom, prosperity, or domestic tranquility. Aided by Iran and Russia, the Bashar al-Assad regime has just won a long civil war through mass murder of its own civilians (including by use of prohibited chemical weapons) and by imposing on other countries millions of desperate, impoverished refugees. Under the circumstances, there is no compelling reason for local or world powers to remain committed to reassembling Syria as it existed before the civil war. As a rule, preserving borders is a good thing, a contribution to peace and stability. But not always. Syrias borders have spawned resentment and belligerence among the countrys leaders, who have never respected the lines. They have continually used their military forces or terrorist proxies to violate the sovereignty of Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. In light of the disastrous domestic and international history, it is reasonable to ask, What border changes might better serve the interests of Syrias people, neighboring states, and the world in general? Detaching the Golan Heights is a sensible part of the answer. When Syria someday, with new leadership, seeks to reestablish official relations with the United States, it will now have to do so on the understanding that Israeli retention of the Golan is a closed issue. Syrias new leadership would not then be asked to humiliate itself by ceding the territory but only to recognize that President Assad lost it permanently as one of the many consequences of the civil war. Syrians know that the Assad regime prosecuted that war with brutality and is responsible for the awful results. These include hundreds of thousands of dead Syrian civilians, more than 6 million internally displaced people, and approximately 5 million international refugees. An additional result now is that the U.S. government will never again pressure Israel to come down from the Heights. Story continues Why is the Golan strategic, and how did Israel take it over? Rising like a steep, 3,000-foot wall from the northern and eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights look down onto all of northern Israel to the Mediterranean. Enemy artillery on the Golan could bombard those fertile Israeli lowlands with precision. In Israels early years, as in the pre-state era, Syrian gunners on the Heights often targeted Israeli farmers in the Galilee and Lake Hula areas. In 1967, in alliance with Egypt and Jordan, Syria threatened to plunge down from the Golan Heights to strangle and overrun Israel. Skill, courage and luck allowed Israel to conquer the Heights. For the past 52 years, it has retained control, reducing the dangers of war. Only once, in 1973, did Syria try to win the Golan back by force. The number of non-Israelis living there under Israeli rule is small (approximately 20,000). Syrias borders do not have deep roots in religion, culture, or history. They reflect nothing profounder than the interests of France and Britain at a moment in the early 20th century. In the Middle East, some countries, such as Egypt and Persia, have long histories as independent powers. Syria is not one of them. Like most of the Middle East, it was a region of the Turkish Empire for 400 years until British forces conquered it in 191718 during World War I. The name Syria, like Palestine and Mesopotamia, was an ancient but indefinite geographical term. Until the 1920 postWorld War I peace conference, there had never been a nation called Syria. That conference awarded France the mandate to administer Syria until self-government could be achieved. At the same time, Britain received a similar mandate for Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and another for Palestine (now Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and Jordan). At that time, no borders for these mandate territories had yet been drawn. To protect local Christians, France carved out of western Syria a new country, Lebanon. British officials bent Syrias southern border so that the Jewish settlement of Metulla would be within Palestine. In 1923, an Anglo-French commission formally drew the SyriaPalestine border. This was the body that allocated the Golan Heights entirely to Syria, though an earlier agreement had put the Heights partially in Palestine. The worlds powers created the Syrian state and fixed its borders a century ago after the Turkish Empires wartime collapse produced a major political vacuum in the Middle East. Syrias 201119 civil war, another major upheaval, similarly obliges world leaders to help shape the region in the interests of peace and stability. President Trump announced his new Golan policy without finesse, without customary preliminaries, and by tweet. And the timing invited his critics to dismiss the whole matter as a mere political favor for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But the new policy has merit. More from National Review By Paresh Dave and Sarah Marsh SAN FRANCISCO/HAVANA (Reuters) - Alphabet Incs Google plans to announce a memorandum of understanding with Cuban telecoms monopoly ETECSA on Thursday to explore ways of improving connectivity on the Communist-run island, a person familiar with matter told Reuters. While relations between the United States and Cuba have nosedived of late, the old Cold War foes seem able to agree on the need to increase internet access in what has long been one of the Western world's least connected nations. While President Donald Trump has tightened the decades-old U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, he has not eliminated an exception to it established by his predecessor Barack Obama, which allows U.S. telecommunications companies to provide services to Cuba, such as setting up fiber-optic cable. U.S. tech behemoth Google has been working to expand its business in Cuba for years although the source said the agreement was not a commitment from the firm to build anything. The Cuban government had been set to hold a news conference in Havana with Google on Tuesday but then rescheduled it for Thursday. Neither Google officials working on Cuba projects nor the government replied to requests for comment. Whether because of a lack of cash, the U.S. embargo or concerns about the flow of information, the internet in Cuba was largely only available to the public at tourist hotels until 2013. But the government has since made boosting connectivity a priority, introducing cybercafes and outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots, slowly starting to hook up homes to the Web and last December introducing mobile internet. Still, Cubans complain the connection is slow and expensive and coverage is spotty. The cash-strapped government has acknowledged it needs to build up the infrastructure. Google already took advantage of the Obama-era thaw in U.S.-Cuban relations, which have since frozen over once more, to set up a small pilot display center in Havana and signed a deal in 2016 granting internet users quicker access to its branded content. Former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel twice last year, first in June in Havana and then at a meeting with other technology executives in New York in September. (Reporting by Paresh Dave in San Francisco and Sarah Marsh in Havana; Editing by Tom Brown) By Paresh Dave SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google said on Tuesday it was launching a global advisory council to consider ethical issues around artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The council, which is slated to publish a report at the end of 2019, includes technology experts, digital ethicists, and people with public policy backgrounds, Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president for global affairs, said at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology conference. The group is meant to provide recommendations for Google and other companies and researchers working in areas such as facial recognition software, a form of automation that has prompted concerns about racial bias and other limitations. "We want to have the most informed and thoughtful conversations we can," Walker said on stage at the MIT Technology Review event in San Francisco. "We want to sit down with the council and see what agenda they want to set." Google already has its own internal AI principles, which, among other provisions, bars the California-based tech firm from using AI to develop weapons. The eight-member Advanced Technology External Advisory Council includes Joanna Bryson, an associate professor in computing at the University of Bath; William J. Burns, a former U.S. deputy secretary of state, and Dyan Gibbens, chief executive of Houston-based drone startup Trumbull, according to a Google blog post. The council will meet four times, beginning in April, the blog post said. (Reporting by Paresh Dave; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Rosalba O'Brien) WASHINGTON (AP) "Damning evidence" of collusion with Russia. "More than circumstantial." A scandal of a size "beyond Watergate." For two years, Rep. Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, seemed to be on every talk and late-night show sounding ominous warnings about what special counsel Robert Mueller might find on President Donald Trump. The California Democrat got the president's attention a fact confirmed when Trump turned the congressman's name into a foul schoolyard taunt. "Wow, Mr. President, that's a good one," Schiff tweeted back. But Mueller found no coordination or conspiracy involving Trump, his campaign and the Russian government, the Justice Department said Sunday. That sparked furious GOP calls for Schiff to resign from the committee or Congress as the Trump administration went on the offensive, recriminations in mind, with the 2020 elections nearing. "There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country," Trump said Monday in the Oval Office, without elaborating. "Those people will certainly be looked at." Whatever kind of examination the president has in mind for "those people," Schiff appears to be the top of the list. Schiff, a lawyer who has served in Congress since 2001, ranged far and frequently across the media landscape in interviews about the Mueller investigation. In his sober, mild-mannered style, Schiff at times came close to sounding like he believed Trump had broken the law, Republicans said. More than any other example, Republicans on Monday pointed to a March, 2017 appearance on MSNBC in which Schiff said "there is more than circumstantial evidence now" of a relationship between Russia and Trump's associates. In December of that year, Schiff said on CNN: "The Russians offered help, the campaign accepted help. The Russians gave help and the president made full use of that help. That is pretty damning, whether it is proof beyond a reasonable doubt of conspiracy or not." Story continues And in May of last year, Schiff said on ABC that the Russian trolling of Democratic National Committee emails is "like Watergate in the sense that you had a break in at the Democratic headquarters, in this case a virtual one, not a physical break in, and you had a president as part of a cover up," he said. Schiff said later that the Russia investigation is "a size and scope probably beyond Watergate." Schiff was defiant on Monday, repeating his assertion that evidence of collusion is in "plain sight." He said he accepts Mueller's conclusion that he could not prove a criminal conspiracy with Russia, but said his committee's investigative work will go on. "For whatever reason over the last year and a half, the president has viewed me as a threat," he told The Associated Press. "His allies in Congress have likewise come to his assistance in attacking me. It comes with the job, and I take it as a sign of effectiveness that they feel the need to go after me." Schiff is far from the only Democrat to use provocative rhetoric about Trump and his campaign. But it was his words that were getting the most attention from Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee, which featured Schiff prominently on lists of Democrats who had publicly suggested a link between Trump and his 2016 campaign, and Russia. "Now we find out that none of that is true," House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California told The Associated Press. "He should first apologize to the American public and he should step back from the chairmanship." Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway went further. "This man leads the Intelligence Committee in the House," Conway said on Fox News Channel. "He ought to resign today." There was no sign of that happening. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the calls to remove Schiff were "absolutely ridiculous." She consulted with Schiff and other committee leaders over the weekend as Attorney General William Barr notified Congress of Mueller's report and summarized the details. Barr wrote that Mueller did not find collusion. On obstruction, the Mueller report laid out evidence but did not make a finding implicating Trump or exonerating him. That move effectively punted the obstruction question to Congress, where Democrats control the House and Republicans run the Senate. A Pelosi aide said Schiff was being attacked because he's done "an outstanding job." "Democrats aren't going to be intimidated by the White House or Congressional Republicans," spokeswoman Ashley Etienne said. "We're not going to be distracted from securing the release of the full Mueller report and the underlying evidence, and we will continue to pursue legitimate oversight because that's what the Constitution requires. Others, including the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, had harsh words for Schiff, but he appeared ready to forge ahead with an investigation into the Trump Organization. Schiff, for example, wants to lead a public hearing featuring Felix Sater, a Soviet emigre who befriended Trump in the 2000s and helped push the Trump Tower Moscow project during the 2016 presidential campaign. "It's over," McCarthy said. "When are they going to take an answer for an answer? There's no more rocks to be overturned." ___ Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. __ Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman Grand jury impaneled by Mueller still involved in 'robust ongoing grand jury investigation' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A federal grand jury impaneled by special counsel Robert Mueller is still conducting a "robust ongoing" investigation -- even after his team has concluded its work and disbanded -- a federal prosecutor testified Wednesday during a court hearing about a subpoena dispute with an unnamed, foreign-owned company. The disclosure was made during an effort by media organizations to persuade the court to identify the foreign firm that has, thus far, refused to honor the subpoena issued by the Mueller team. And it has added a new mystery to the already confounding dispute -- why would the grand jury handling the Mueller case still be in the throes of a robust investigation if the special counsels work has concluded? "I think it's certainly surprising and newsworthy that this investigation is continuing robustly," said Katie Townsend, the legal director for The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the organization that went to court seeking more information about the case. PHOTO: Special Counsel Robert Mueller is pictured on March 24, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images, FILE) Last week, Mueller delivered his highly anticipated final report to the Attorney General Bill Barr, which had signaled the end of the probe into the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. At the time, the special counsels office said unresolved matters stemming from the 22-month long probe would be overseen by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, D.C. (MORE: Mueller report per Attorney General William Barr: Trump campaign did not conspire with Russia during 2016 election) During much of the span of the probe, a grand jury has been empaneled inside the federal courthouse in D.C. to hear sworn testimony from some of the approximately 500 witnesses, the special counsel's office interviewed as part of its broader effort to unwind Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 election. By law, most federal grand juries are impaneled for 18-month terms. That term was set to expire in January but has been extended. Typically such extensions cover an additional six months -- though at the time the judge did not specify how much longer they would meet. Story continues (MORE: Judge extends Mueller grand jury) The revelation that the panelists were still in the midst of a robust investigation came as part of the government's objection to reveal the identity of a witness challenging a subpoena to appear before the Mueller's grand jury. The witness, an unnamed company owned by an unidentified foreign government (known as Country A in court documents), has moved to avoid complying with a grand jury subpoena because it would require the Corporation to violate Country As domestic law, according to a court filing issued by an appeals court in December. The Reporters Committee, a First Amendment watchdog group, filed a motion to unseal the case and reveal the identity of the foreign company argued on Wednesday that the public deserves more transparency in this case now that the special counsel's investigation has concluded. Judge Beryl Howell said that depends on whether there's still an ongoing grand jury investigation, and asked the government whether that's the case. Assistant District Attorney David Goodhand replied, "It is continuing robustly." (MORE: New York prosecutors seek records from Trump inauguration committee: Sources) Townsend, the attorney seeking the records, told ABC News she was not sure what to make of the disclosure. "I would anticipate that because the special counsel's office is now closed, this portion of the investigation has been handed off to the U.S. Attorney's Office in D.C, but beyond that, I don't know," she said. The judge did acknowledge public interest in this case and ordered the release of additional briefs and transcripts in the case, but stopped short of making decision on whether the identity of the company needs to be shielded. The judge is expected to issue a memorandum on the company's identity soon, and the government has been given 30 days to redact additional documents to be disclosed. Townsend said even if the judge rules against revealing the identity of the company now, the Reporters Committee will have another chance to request disclosure once the grand jury investigation is over. "The identity of the company is integral to the public's understanding of this matter," Townsend said. Special counsel spokesman Peter Carr declined to comment on this matter, but confirmed that the D.C. U.S. attorney is continuing this work now that the investigation is complete. Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court had declined to hear the mystery foreign company's appeal to fight against the subpoena, leaving a December ruling in place requiring the company submit to the request from prosecutors. The company is legally obligated to comply with no further appeals and is currently being assessed $50,000 per day in contempt charges. A Republican senator has told Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that the true solution to climate change is to fall in love, get married, and have some kids. As the Senate voted against a measure sponsored by Ms Ocasio-Cortez and others that sought to push the US towards the use of renewable energy, Republican Mike Lee said their plan the so-called Green New Deal was ridiculous. During a speech that he illustrated with pictures and posters of dinosaurs, cartoon characters, babies and Aquaman, the senator from Utah claimed he was treating Ms Ocasio-Cortezs proposal with the seriousness it deserves. Unfortunately, fear is unavoidable when debating the substance of the resolution before this body today that is climate change, socialism, and the Green New Deal, Mr Lee said. Unlike some of my colleagues, I am not immediately afraid of what carbon emissions, unaddressed, might do to our environment, in the near-term future, or our civilisation or our planet in the next few years. Unlike others, I am not immediately afraid of what the Green New Deal would do to our economy and our government. After all, this isnt going to pass. Mr Lee, a staunch conservative, also tweeted a photograph of his presentation. The solution to climate change is not this unserious resolution, but the serious business of human flourishing the solution to so many of our problems, at all times and in all places: fall in love, get married, and have some kids, he wrote. The 29-year-old New York congresswoman, known for her progressive policies and high media profile despite only taking her seat in January, quickly hit back. GOP Senators are using their Congressional allowances to print Aquaman posters for themselves to argue that a #GreenNewDeal saving our nation from climate change is a waste of money https://t.co/iMNY0dJmCy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 26, 2019 GOP Senators are using their congressional allowances to print Aquaman posters for themselves to argue that a #GreenNewDeal saving our nation from climate change is a waste of money, she tweeted. Story continues She added: Like many other women + working people, I occasionally suffer from impostor syndrome: those small moments, especially on hard days, where you wonder if the haters are right. But then they do things like this to clear it right up. If this guy can be senator, you can do anything. The Green New Deal likely to emerge as one of the Democrats main talking points as they seek to take control of the White House in 2020. Many of the partys leading candidates seeking the nomination have backed the measure. Senators voted 57-0 against a procedural motion to take up the nonbinding resolution. Four Democrats joined all 53 Senate Republicans in opposing the motion to take up the plan, the Associated Press reported. Forty-three Democrats voted present to protest the GOPs action. Democrats accused Republicans of quashing debate by blocking public hearings and expert testimony about the consequences of inaction on climate change. The US Senate defeated a motion to take up the Green New Deal, the non-binding proposal spearheaded by progressive Democratic lawmakers to radically reduce greenhouse gases and try to lessen social inequity. Republican leaders in the Senate had scheduled Tuesdays vote in an effort to turn the proposal into a wedge issue in the 2020 elections, hoping to force Democrats on the record about their support or opposition for a proposal that is popular among the Democratic base but has been criticized by many conservatives. Democrats called the efforts by the Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell a sham, and 43 of them voted present rather than casting an up-or-down vote. Lawmakers ultimately voted 57-0 against the proposal. Three Democrats and independent senator Angus King of Maine ultimately joined all 53 Republicans in opposing the plan. Related: Hundreds of young protesters confront McConnell over Green New Deal The Green New Deal aims to virtually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and calls for the US to shift away from fossil fuels such as oil and coal. It also urges national healthcare coverage and job guarantees, high-quality education and affordable housing, as well as upgrading all existing buildings in the United States to be energy-efficient. The proposal has broad support among Democratic activists, and all six of the 2020 presidential contenders serving in the Senate have signed on as cosponsors, putting it at the forefront of the partys sprawling primary race. Republicans say the plan would devastate the economy and lead to a huge tax increase. They call it more evidence of the creep of socialism in the Democratic party, along with Medicare for All and a sweeping elections reform package that would allow public financing of congressional campaigns. McConnell said the proposal might sound like a neat idea in places like San Francisco or New York but would result in communities across the country being absolutely crushed. He argued the deal would kill off entire domestic industries and eliminate millions of jobs. Story continues Donald Trump also weighed in against the plan, which the White House called job crushing. At a luncheon with Senate Republicans, Trump urged lawmakers to keep the Green New Deal alive as an issue to use against Democrats. Mike Lee, a Republican senator from Utah, called the Green New Deal ridiculous and displayed pictures of dinosaurs, cartoon characters and babies as he derided the plan. He said he was treating it with the seriousness it deserves. Related: White House climate change panel to include man who touted emissions Democrats derided the GOP moves and said they carried their own political risk by mocking an issue climate change that a growing number of Americans care deeply about. Climate change, they said, is deadly serious, citing floods in the midwest, wildfires in the west and hurricanes in the south. Climate change is not a joke, said Ed Markey, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts and the resolutions lead Senate author. Mocking it is shameful. The GOPs climate delaying is costing us lives [and is] destroying communities, congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the plans sponsor in the House, tweeted. The GOPs climate delaying is costing us lives + destroying communities. Iowa, Nebraska & many in the Midwest are catastrophically flooded right now, in one of the 1st major climate change disasters of 2019. A #GreenNewDeal urges us to pursue a plan on the scale of the problem. https://t.co/dWXe44hxWX Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 26, 2019 Ocasio-Cortez also said she had encouraged fellow Democrats to vote present, and questioned Republicans reluctance to schedule major hearings on the effects of climate change. Separately, speaking at a hearing of the House financial services committee on Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez sharply criticized the suggestion that concerns about the environment were elitist and condemned past inaction. You want to tell people that their concern and their desire for clean air and clean water is elitist? Tell that to the kids of the South Bronx, which are suffering from the highest rates of child asthma in the country, she said. This is about our lives, and this should not be partisan, she added. Science should not be partisan. By Tuesday evening, the clip of her comments had been shared thousands of times. Watch every second of this... @AOC is so incredibly spot on. pic.twitter.com/ESP4dC5TTo Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 27, 2019 The New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, one of a half-dozen senators seeking the Democratic nomination for president, said Republicans treat climate change as a game and said Democrats will not fall for this stunt. Slowing climate change should be our nations moonshot in the 21st century, Gillibrand argued. We dont know if we can get to net-zero carbon emissions in 10 years, but why not try? she said at a rally before the Senate vote. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Ashleigh Walters doesnt just bleed orange and blue; she lives by what she learned at Auburn University every single day. In fact, she and her husband, Andrew, a fellow Auburn alum, believe so strongly in the line from the Auburn Creed I can only count on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work that they saved a business from failing and transformed its culture with new leadership. The former Ashleigh Adsit said she always wanted to be a math and science teacher, but her mother encouraged her to consider engineering after receiving a flyer from North Carolina State and Bowater, the paper mill where her father worked in the tiny Tennessee town of Riceville. After a meeting and a plant tour, Ashleigh strongly considered a career in manufacturing. I always tell people, You cannot tell me its not cool that a pine tree gets turned into toilet paper, she said. Ashleigh was raised in a tradition of hard work and perseverance. Her fathers job as a back tender at the mill made him the breadwinner for a family of five. It made sense then for Ashleigh to attend a college where family and hard work were the culture Auburn University with a strong engineering program the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. A chemical engineering major on the Plains, Ashleigh was a part of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, or TAPPI, Paper Express Team and Cupola Engineering Society, as well as Sigma Kappa sorority. Ashleigh and Andrew met as freshmen in 1998 and graduated and married in 2002. Andrews degree is in mechanical engineering. Andrew, who grew up in his fathers business, Onex, an industrial furnace service company in Erie, Pennsylvania, started the southern division of the company. Ashleigh joined the family business in 2003 as a technical salesperson for the pulp and paper industry. It didnt take long for both Walters to work their separate ways up in the company. They took note as Onex changed and diversified as industry needs fluctuated. In 2013, Ashleigh, a stay-at-home mom raising the couples young boys, Jackson and Carson, received an offer from her father-in-law to help lead the company out of potentially dire financial straits. It may not have been the right time, but she recalled turning to her roots in work, hard work and agreed to take on the challenge. After running and growing the business for five years, the couple purchased Onex from the senior Walters. Onex currently services both the inside (refractory or insulating lining) and outside (combustion system) of an industrial furnace. It is unique as a company as normally two separate contractors are necessary for these jobs. Onex also designs and builds brand new furnaces for the forge and heat treatment industries. Ashleigh is president, handling all the business operations, while Andrew is vice president. Andrew and I are partners in life and business. At work, he is the innovative one and I am his project manager, overseeing the details, Ashleigh explained. At home, the roles are reversed. I love to design with industrial elements and Andrew brings my visions to life. Ashleigh is proud Onex is a woman-owned business and is determined to encourage more women to join the manufacturing industry. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates only 29 percent of manufacturing workers were women in 2016. While addressing the national summit for Women in Manufacturing, she stated, Because we understand and work in the industries that many women would never consider for their career, we need to share our perspective and raise awareness. I truly believe manufacturing desperately needs passionate leaders. I also feel that women are particularly well suited to lead the kinds of changes needed. And I hope I might help to inspire women, who have not thought about manufacturing as a career, to consider this great opportunity. In Erie, Ashleigh is quite involved in community outreach, including educating students on the careers available in manufacturing and serving on boards for the local manufacturing extension program, the Northwest Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center and the Western Pennsylvania chapter of Women in Manufacturing. She credits much of her success to her family and an Auburn education. I can solve any problem because Auburn instills good problem solving skills in their engineering students, said Ashleigh. I use these skills every day to access the current situation, define a target condition and then work through multiple steps to reach the goal. And then theres the Auburn Creed. We live by it, Ashleigh stressed. We know we can only count on what we earn. We work hard using our resources wisely to build a company that values the strengths of our employees and leverages those strengths to make our clients production processes more efficient and reliable. We believe in education so we make sure our employees have training opportunities to strengthen their skills and broaden their horizons. We also educate ourselves on the latest technology trends to make our clients facilities operate better. Onex employees have not only embraced the companys new leadership, but they follow the Auburn Creed as well. Ashleigh said employees recently designed a shirt with tools of their trade and the words, I Believe in Work. Hard Work. By Isla Binnie MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish judge plans to request the extradition from the United States of members of a group he suspects of forcing their way into the North Korean embassy in Madrid and trying to persuade an official there to defect, a judicial source said on Tuesday. The judge believes a group of 10 intruders identified themselves during the assault as human rights campaigners, according to a Spanish High Court document. The group's leader contacted the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) a few days later to pass on information about the raid, the document said. A judicial source told Reuters the judge believes all the identified suspects went to the United States after the raid and that he would request their extradition to Spain, where they could face up to 28 years in prison. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the U.S. government was not involved in the raid, which Spanish High Court documents said involved a Mexican citizen who is a U.S. resident and a U.S. citizen, as well as South Korean citizens. "The United States government had nothing to do with this," Palladino told a regular news briefing, stressing that the United States called for the protection of all embassies. He referred questions about the investigation to Spanish authorities. The State Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment about the extradition request. The FBI said in a statement it was "our standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation", adding that the agency had a strong working relationship with Spanish law enforcement partners. Spain's Interior Ministry had previously said police were investigating an incident at the embassy on Feb. 22 but gave no details, except to say that a North Korean citizen had been injured and that no one had filed a complaint. A Mexican citizen who is a U.S. resident, identified as Adrian Hong Chang, led the group, the Spanish High Court said in the document, based on the investigation of the incident. The Adrian Hong Chang named by the court is a longtime activist who helped co-found the refugee aid organization Liberty in North Korea (LINK), and later led an organization preparing for an "imminent, dramatic change" in North Korea, according to NK News, a website that monitors North Korea. He has usually gone by Adrian Hong in his professional affiliations and in op-eds about North Korea penned for numerous American publications. LINK said Hong was a co-founder as a college student but had not been involved with the organization for more that 10 years. The court identified the U.S. citizen as Sam Ryu. The group stole computers, hard disks and pen drives, it said. It was not clear how the court knew that Hong had contacted the FBI. Three of the intruders took an embassy official into the basement and encouraged him to defect from North Korea. They identified themselves as members of a group which campaigned for the "liberation of North Korea", the document said. A dissident organization called Cheollima Civil Defense acknowledged on its website late on Tuesday that it was behind the incident but said it was not an attack and that the group had been invited into the embassy. Cheollima, also known as Free Joseon, said no one was gagged or beaten and that no governments were involved. It said identifying individuals involved would "aid and abet the regime in Pyongyang". It did not acknowledge any of the names in the court documents. FAKE GUNS, BALACLAVA MASKS The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Cheollima Civil Defense had carried out the raid. The paper quoted unidentified sources as saying last week that the group shared information about the raid with the FBI. A source familiar with official U.S. government reporting on the incident said that, while they were not 100 percent positive, U.S. government experts found it plausible that Cheollima Civil Defense carried out the raid. The source did not want to be otherwise identified. The Spanish court document gave a detailed account of the intruders' movements before as well as during the intrusion, including their stay in a hotel and purchases of knives, balaclava masks and fake guns. There was no immediate comment on the matter from South Korea's Foreign Ministry. Spain's Interior Ministry and Mexico's foreign ministry declined to comment. The embassy raid occurred shortly before the Feb. 27-28 summit in Hanoi between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Mexican, Hong Chang, said he carried out the raid voluntarily and did not identify his companions, the court document said. Sung-Yoon Lee, a North Korea expert at Tufts University in the United States, said he was shocked that the names should have been revealed in the Spanish documents. He said this could put the lives of members of the group - including a U.S. citizen, a U.S. resident and citizens of a close ally, South Korea - at risk from North Korean reprisals. "It seemed clear to me that the FBI had initially taken the position that the intel assets the group had retrieved at the embassy warranted the protection of the identities of the group," he said. "That the Spanish government has not redacted the names of the persons implicated is also quite shocking," he said. "Observing this extraordinary situation unfold, who in the future would collaborate with the United States government were they ever to come into possession of high-value intelligence on North Korea obtained illegally? Lee said. The FBI declined to comment when asked about the risk of North Korean reprisals. According to the court document, the group kept embassy staff tied up for several hours and then searched the premises for arms before leaving, at which point they separated into four groups and headed to Portugal. Hong Chang then flew from Lisbon to New York. In Spain, the High Court has the power to investigate criminal offences, after which formal accusations are launched. (Additional reporting by Belen Carreno, Andres Gonzalez and Sabela Ojea in Madrid, David Brunnstrom and Mark Hosenball in Washington and Josh Smith, Hyonhee Shin and Joyce Lee in Seoul, editing by Axel Bugge, Gareth Jones, James Dalgleish and Michael Perry) Could hangovers soon become a thing of the past? [Photo: Getty] Hangovers will soon be nothing but a distant headache with news that a synthetic alcohol could be available to purchase in the next five years. Professor David Nutt, director of the neuropsychopharmacology unit at Imperial College London, has created alcosynth, a faux booze branded as Alcarelle. READ MORE: Alcoholic still water has landed Nutt worked alongside partner David Orren on the revolutionary product after losing his job as the UK governments chief drug adviser for claiming that ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol. The aim of the product is to provide the socially relaxing qualities associated with drinking but minus the dreaded hangover and potential health risks involved with being inebriated. We may finally be able to bid farewell to the painful office hangover [Photo: Getty] How does it work? Nutt was studying the effects of alcohol on the Gaba system (a class of receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid) when he noted that alcosynth can identify the receptors which induce tipsiness while avoiding those that give adverse side effects such as headaches. READ MORE: Can you cure a hangover? We know where in the brain alcohol has its good effects and bad effects, and what particular receptors mediate that Gaba, glutamate, and other ones such as serotonin and dopamine, Nutt explained. The effects of alcohol are complicated but you can target the parts of the brain you want to target. The aim of the synthetic booze is to give drinkers the choice of whether to feel the full effects at a party or to choose a drink which will allow you to have lunch with co-workers without getting drunk. READ MORE: Why you should never put vodka in the freezer So far, Alcarelle has only been tested by Nutt and fellow researchers so will need to undergo safety testing before it can be sold. But the team hope to work in collaboration with food scientists over the next five years in order to have the molecule regulated as a food ingredient. This will prove that the product does not produce toxicity like alcohol, Nutt explains. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Mason Warwick, pictured here with his mum, Kelly. (Facebook) A schoolboy has taken his own life after suffering at the hands of bullies, according to family friends. Mason Warwick was taken to hospital from his home in Brighton on Thursday night but couldnt be saved, according to the Sun. Police are not treating his death as suspicious and a cause of death hasnt been confirmed. A GoFundMe page launched to help Masons heartbroken family claims he took his own life after being bullied. Mason Warwick, 12, reportedly took his own life after suffering at the hands of bullies. He was found dead in his family home on Thursday. (GoFundMe) A family friend wrote: As most of you know this beautiful little boy Mason took his own life on Thursday night due to nasty bullies. He was such a loving caring young man with a heart of gold. His parents are struggling with the loss off their little prince as you can imagine and would love anyone to help raise a bit of money to help them at this sad time. Money wont bring that precious boy home but will help the family a little. Rip Mason. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Mans mistake leads to double lottery jackpot Thieves target high-end Fleet Street jewellers amid half-marathon Housing developer accused of segregating children Tributes have flooded in for Mason as the news of his tragic death spread. His mum Kelly and dad Daniel said: He was our amazing special angel. While another family member added: He was the loveliest sweetest boy. He was happy-go-lucky, really polite, and loved by everybody. You couldnt ask for a better kid. Varndean School, in Brighton, where 12-year-old Mason Warwick was in Year 8. (Google Maps) William Deighan, headteacher at Varndean High School, where Mason was in Year 8, said: This is devastating news. The death of a child reminds us just how precious our children are and it will be very important to hold and support them in the next few days and weeks. Our focus as a school at the moment is on supporting the family, our students and staff at this exceptionally difficult time. If you are struggling with your mental health, or need to talk, call Samaritans at any time on 116 123. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK By Michael Erman and Tamara Mathias (Reuters) - U.S. health insurer Centene Corp on Wednesday said it would buy smaller rival WellCare Health Plans Inc for $15.27 billion in stock and cash, in a move to bulk up its government-backed Medicare and Medicaid businesses while reducing exposure to Obamacare healthcare exchanges. Shares of WellCare jumped 9.8 percent to $253.98. Centene shares fell about 7.5 percent to 50.71. The announcement comes days after the Trump administration stepped up its opposition to former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said it believes the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare, violated the U.S. Constitution and that the law should be struck down. Centene relies on its Obamacare business for about 40 percent of its earnings, making it among the most vulnerable companies should the law be overturned, according to SVB Leerink analyst Ana Gupte. The combined company will have 22 million members, up from around 14 million for Centene at the end of 2018. "The more we can grow in this area, the better the recipients are, the better for the investors ... And there are other very large competitors out there," Centene Chief Executive Michael Neidorff said on a conference call. Neidorff will remain CEO of the combined company. It will have a Medicaid business in 22 states, covering more than 11 million lives, according to Jefferies data. That represents a more than 50 percent increase for Centene. Since the beginning of 2014, when Obamacare's Medicaid expansion began taking effect on a significant scale, shares of both companies have surged. Centene's shares are up around 272 percent, while WellCare shares rose around 228 percent. The two companies Medicaid businesses currently have significant overlap in Illinois, Florida, Georgia and Missouri, according to Jefferies. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2020, the companies said. They forecast around $500 million in cost savings from the deal in the second year after it closes. The deal, including debt, was valued at $17.3 billion. The offer price of $305.39 per share represents a premium of about 32 percent to WellCare's closing price on Tuesday. Under its terms, WellCare shareholders will get 3.38 shares of Centene common stock and $120 for each WellCare share, giving them about 29 percent ownership of the new company. Centene's planned acquisition of WellCare continues a wave of consolidation in U.S. healthcare, coming after two large health insurers combined with the two largest U.S. pharmacy benefit managers in deals that closed last year. In those deals, CVS Health Corp bought Aetna Inc for $69 billion, while Cigna Corp acquired Express Scripts Holding Co for $54 billion. (Reporting by Tamara Mathias in Bengaluru and Michael Erman in New York; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Bill Berkrot) Nice (France) (AFP) - A French pilot hailed for bravery during a hijacking drama targeting Jews on an Air France flight in 1976 has died aged 95, his son told AFP on Wednesday. Michel Bacos died in the southern city of Nice, where he had been living since 2006, their son Eric told AFP. Bacos was flying from Tel Aviv to Paris on June 27, 1976, when Palestinian and German radicals hijacked the aircraft, which was flown to Entebbe in Uganda. The former French Resistance fighter earned France's highest award, the Legion d'Honneur, for refusing to leave the plane and ordering his crew to remain with Jewish passengers who were separated from non-Jews. "By courageously refusing to give into anti-Semitism and barbarism he honoured France," Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi wrote in a tribute, hailing Bacos as "a hero" and sending condolences to his widow Rosemary and their three sons. The hijackers boarded the flight during a stopover in Athens and demanded it change course. After a refuelling stop in Moamer Kadhafi's Libya, the plane headed to Uganda, then ruled by brutal dictator Idi Amin. The hostages were freed after six days by Israeli commandos, who launched a raid that has since been re-told in multiple documentaries and films as one of the most audacious special-forces operations in history. The commandos freed all but four of the 105 hostages, shooting dead all the kidnappers and several Ugandan troops in the process. The only Israeli soldier killed in Operation Thunderbolt was Yonatan Netanyahu, the elder brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. - Gun to his neck - In an interview with Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper in 2016, Bacos said that as he flew the plane a German hijacker "sat behind me with his gun pointed at my head. "Every time I tried to look in a different direction, he pressed the barrel of his gun against my neck." On arrival in Uganda, the hijackers separated passengers with Jewish names from the rest. Story continues "I told the Palestinians and the Germans: 'I'm responsible for all of the passengers and demand to be able to see all of them -- be they Israeli or not -- at any given moment.' I insisted, and the Germans agreed." "As a former officer in the Free French Forces, I couldn't imagine leaving behind not even a single passenger." Two weeks after the hijacking, Bacos was back at work and asked to fly to Israel "to see if I were still afraid." That flight, he said, "went without a hitch." Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! 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, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Hill & Smith Holdings PLC (LON:HILS). Hill & Smith Holdings has a ROE of 16%, based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.16. View our latest analysis for Hill & Smith Holdings How Do You Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Hill & Smith Holdings: 16% = UK47m UK293m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets. What Does ROE Signify? Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does Hill & Smith Holdings Have A Good Return On Equity? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Hill & Smith Holdings has a better ROE than the average (11%) in the Metals and Mining industry. Story continues LSE:HILS Past Revenue and Net Income, March 27th 2019 That's what I like to see. In my book, a high ROE almost always warrants a closer look. For example, I often check if insiders have been buying shares . How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the use of debt will improve the returns, but will not change the equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Hill & Smith Holdings's Debt And Its 16% ROE Although Hill & Smith Holdings does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.58 is still low. Its very respectable ROE, combined with only modest debt, suggests the business is in good shape. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. 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 when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company. Of course Hill & Smith Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE 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. Piers Morgan argued that viewing homosexuality as a sin is inherently homophobic Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan has hit out at a guest on the morning show for arguing that parents should be able to fight against LGBTQ+ lessons being taught in schools. Journalist Dilly Hussain appeared on GMB today and said that parents should be able to take their children out of LGBTQ+ lessons if they go against their religious beliefs and that shouldnt be seen as homophobia. This comes after The Outsider programme, which aims to promote LGBTQ+ and racial equality, has proved unfavourable with some parents in Birmingham, who have protested outside two primary schools. Read more: Piers Morgan gets revenge on anti-Brexit protestor by shouting at him with a megaphone Journalist @DillyHussain88 says parents have the right to fight against LGBT school lessons that go against their beliefs and it shouldnt be seen as homophobia. pic.twitter.com/3IMPoaw9UY Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 27, 2019 Hussain argued that parents were angry about their children being sexualised, and that they are being denied their rights to decide what their kids are taught in schools. I think its a symptomatic issue of a wider problem, which is the increasing sexualisation of children in wider society, and the encroachment by the state in the rights of parents, he said. Its not just an issue of same sex relations, its any type of sexual relations and gender identity that children are being exposed to. The reason why parents have resorted to petitions and protests in Birmingham has been a lack of consultation. However, Morgan argued that the reason Muslim parents were protesting was because they are against homosexuality. Hussain argued that viewing homosexuality as a sin is a theological and religious standpoint So mosques in this country dont say that homosexuality is a sin? That is homophobia, said Morgan. Story continues Denying that the belief is inherently homophobic, Hussain replied: Its a theological and religious standpoint. Its not inciting violence or hatred. Read more: Piers Morgan blasts transgender row journalist to be more respectful on Twitter He added: Do we not live in a society that we ardently disagree about fundamental issues about man, life and the universe? Does that mean that we hate the people we disagree with? Of course not. House Democrats proposed a bill Wednesday that would prevent President Trump from pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, as he announced he would in July 2017. The Climate Action Now Act would require the president to propose a plan for keeping the U.S. in accord with the Paris deals emission-reduction goals, which were agreed to by President Obama in 2015. It would also prohibit the administration from using federal funds to pull out of the deal, as Trump has promised to do in November 2020, the moment it becomes legally possible. The Paris deal requires the U.S. to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and 26 to 28 percent by 2025, as defined by 2005 pollution levels. Introducing the Climate Action Now Act, Speaker Nancy Pelosi called climate change the existential threat of our generation, of our time, a crisis manifested in natural disasters of epic proportions. This is about jobs, Pelosi said. Its about good-paying green jobs. Its about public health, clean air, and clean water for our children. Its about defending our national security. Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, chairwoman of the House Select Committee on Climate Crisis, sponsored the five-page proposal. The more radical Green New Deal, sponsored by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey, has not received the support of Democratic leadership, even as it has excited the progressive base and earned the support of several prominent contenders for the partys 2020 presidential nomination. Pelosi herself has mocked the proposal, which on Tuesday was rejected by the Senate rejected in a procedural vote. More from National Review The developers of the housing complex have been accused of segregating children (Henley Homes) Residents of a south London housing complex have accused developers of segregating children after those from social housing homes were blocked from a communal playground. The 149-flat development on Lollard Street in Kennington has been split into two separate parts 36 social housing properties at Wren Mews and private owners at the Baylis Old School Estate. Wren Mews residents say that the communal play area can only be enjoyed by those living in private homes, according to the BBC. Louise Whitley, a private owner whose children are friends with youngsters from Wren Mews, told the Guardian: Theyre segregating the children. Housing Secretary James Brokenshire tweeted his thoughts on the claims (Twitter) We bought a flat here because it was marketed as family-friendly. But now our childrens friends look down from their windows and cant come and join us. We want them to be given back the access that was shown in the original plans. Read more from Yahoo News UK: MPs set to vote on alternative Brexit plans Five men jailed after failed attempt to smuggle cocaine worth 112m Walker uncovers treasure washed up from sunken pirate ship Developers Henley Homes say walls and hedges that enclose the play area marks the border between the two separate developments. But Lambeth Councils cabinet member for planning, Matthew Bennett, described the segregation as completely unacceptable and not in the original planning application. He said access to the playground had been changed by the management company and the council had written to Henley Homes as a matter of urgency. This is a moment for Government to take action and ensure adequate play and recreation space for *all* children in new developments, reflecting the measures already being put in place by @MayorofLondon https://t.co/HBRLhCe1tS Nicky Gavron AM (@nickygavron) March 26, 2019 Housing Secretary James Brokenshire tweeted: Kids being excluded from enjoying a play area on the same development because they live in social housing is outrageous. Story continues Nicky Gavron, chair of the London Assembly planning committee, added: This is a moment for Government to take action and ensure adequate play and recreation space for *all* children in new developments. Henley Homes said the development was two neighbouring estates with Warwick Estates managing the private part and Guinness Partnership the social housing side. A spokeswoman said the issue was a matter for those bodies and residents to discuss amongst themselves and agree a way forward. Guinness Partnership said: We would be delighted if our customers children could access play areas on the rest of the development. Warwick Estates declined to comment. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India successfully tested an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi criticised Modi for taking the credit of the achievement of space scientists. The Congress chief congratulated DRDO and wished PM Modi a "Happy World Theatre Day". "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day," tweeted Rahul Gandhi. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 His statement came after the Prime Minister, in his address to the nation, said that India had successfully shot down a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite 300 kilometres from the planet. After successfully completing the operation, India has become an elite space power. "Till now, 3 countries of the world- America, Russia, & China had this achievement. India is the 4th country to have achieved this feat," said PM Modi. Calling it "Mission Shakti", the PM said it is an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement. Also Read: LIVE updates: India has shot down a low earth orbit satellite; now a space superpower, says PM Modi The Congress party claimed that the anti-satellite system mission was started by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) under the leadership of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It congratulated the DRDO scientists, government and ISRO for the success. We congratulate @isro@DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1962 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud through its achievements. - Congress (@INCIndia) March 27, 2019 "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT programme which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," tweeted Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader. Soon after the PM's announcement, the reactions started pouring in from across the political spectrum. Also Read: Lok Sabha election 2019: Urmila Matondkar joins Congress, meets Rahul Gandhi "We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy," said DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy. Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat said, "If today you want to have the deterrence capability in case adversaries, that means nation across the world, want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them." Also Read: Thank god, it's not demonetisation! Twitteratis breathe sigh of relief after PM Modi's announcement Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Ilhan Omar has hit back at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he rebuked her comments about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. The freshman Democrat responded to a line from the prime ministers speech at an event held by the lobbying group in which he appeared to rebuke her statement that stirred controversy and forced an anti-Semitism resolution in the US House of Representatives. This from a man facing indictments for bribery and other crimes in three separate public corruption affairs, the congresswoman wrote in a tweet, referring to Netanyahu. Next! she added. Her tweet arrived after Netanyahu delivered remarks at the groups annual policy conference via live satellite that condemned her past comments without mentioning the Democrat by name. Take it from this Benjamin, he began, Its not about the Benjamins. Ms Omar criticised AIPAC in a series of tweets last month, writing, Its all about the Benjamins baby. Asked on Twitter who she thought was paying members of Congress to support Israel, the lawmaker responded, AIPAC! That sparked House Speaker Nancy Pelosis first public rebuke of a freshman lawmaker who had helped flip the House from Republican control and is part of a record number of women in Congress. This from a man facing indictments for bribery and other crimes in three separate public corruption affairs. Next! https://t.co/BX6qLpISKx Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 26, 2019 Congresswoman Omars use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israels supporters is deeply offensive, Ms Pelosi said in a statement issued by her office and signed by other Democratic leaders after a bipartisan backlash against the Minnesota Democrat. We condemn these remarks, and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologise for these hurtful comments. Story continues Republicans have called on Democrats to strip Ms Omar of her seat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, but Chairman Eliot Engel stopped just short of that. He said in a statement that he expects his committee members to discuss policies on merits. And though he did not name Ms Omar, he left little doubt that his statement was a response to her tweets. Its shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of Jewish money, Mr Engel said. Donald Trump also said the freshman congresswoman should be ashamed of herself for the tweets. I think it was a terrible statement, and I dont think her apology was adequate, he said. Asked what she should have said, Mr Trump replied: She knows what to say. The Associated Press contributed to this report JAKARTA, March 27 (Reuters) - Indonesian police on Wednesday arrested nine men suspected of trafficking Komodo dragons, the largest living species of lizard, as well as other endangered birds and wild cats destined for use in traditional medicines. An environment ministry official said it was the first time he had heard of the trafficking of Komodo dragons, which are only found in the wild in eastern Indonesia, and have become a tourist attraction. The men detained in the city of Surabaya told police they had sold more than 40 Komodo dragons for 500 million rupiah ($35,000) each, said Rofiq Ripto Himawan, a police commissioner in East Java. "These animals are sold for traditional medicine. Komodo dragons could be used to make an antibiotic," Himawan said by telephone, explaining that they were usually sent abroad to Asian buyers. Police seized five Komodo dragons along with other animals mostly originating from eastern Indonesia, including pangolins, a wild cat and birds, such as cockatoos. Police were working with vets and conservation and wildlife agencies to ensure the animals are cared for, Himawan added. Environment ministry official Wiratno, who uses only one name, also said traffickers were using new tactics by turning to social media to advertise animals. Indonesian law prescribes jail for up to ten years and a fine for trafficking endangered animals. Despite the penalties, the trade is still widespread across parts of the Indonesian archipelago. ($1=14,190 rupiah) (Reporting by Jessica Damiana; Writing by Tabita Diela; Editing by Ed Davies and Clarence Fernandez) Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! The big shareholder groups in Helvetia Holding AG (VTX:HELN) have power over the company. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. Companies that used to be publicly owned tend to have lower insider ownership. With a market capitalization of CHF6.0b, Helvetia Holding is rather large. We'd expect to see institutional investors on the register. Companies of this size are usually well known to retail investors, too. In the chart below below, we can see that institutions own shares in the company. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about HELN. Check out our latest analysis for Helvetia Holding SWX:HELN Ownership Summary, March 27th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Helvetia Holding? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. Helvetia Holding already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own 24% of the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Helvetia Holding's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. SWX:HELN Income Statement, March 27th 2019 Hedge funds don't have many shares in Helvetia Holding. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too. Insider Ownership Of Helvetia Holding Story continues The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. Our information suggests that Helvetia Holding AG insiders own under 1% of the company. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. Keep in mind that it's a big company, and the insiders own CHF10m worth of shares. The absolute value might be more important than the proportional share. Arguably, recent buying and selling is just as important to consider. You can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership With a 42% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over HELN. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders. Private Company Ownership It seems that Private Companies own 34%, of the HELN stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Helvetia Holding better, we need to consider many other factors. Many find it useful to take an in depth look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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. Former industry clients of David Bernhardt, the acting secretary of the Interior Department and a longtime fossil fuel lobbyist, have enjoyed what appears to be privileged access to high-ranking political appointees at the federal agency. More than a dozen ex-clients have arranged at least 70 scheduled meetings with top Interior officials since President Donald Trump took office, according to data the corporate watchdog group Documented compiled. Oil and natural gas corporations that Bernhardt once represented accounted for the vast majority of those meetings, though the acting chief is barred from dealing with them directly due to ethics rules. Under David Bernhardt, there seems to be few barriers between the oil, gas, and mining lobby, and the people regulating them, said Jesse Coleman, a senior investigator with Documented. As these records demonstrate, the public servants of the [Department of the Interior] are devoting their time to the private interests that used to pay Bernhardts salary. Although not necessarily violations of federal ethics rules, the meetings are likely to serve as additional fodder for critics concerned that Bernhardt is maintaining close ties to special interests. Conservation groups have labeled the acting agency chief the ultimate D.C. swamp creature and a walking conflict of interest. Bernhardt served on the Trump administrations transition team and was sworn in as Interiors deputy secretary in August 2017. President Donald Trump recently nominated Bernhardt to replace ousted agency chief Ryan Zinke, who resigned earlier this year under a cloud of ethics scandals. Prior to his current stint at Interior, Bernhardt worked for eight years at the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, where he lobbied on behalf of oil, gas, mining and agricultural interests. Bernhardt is scheduled to go before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing Thursday, when he is expected to face tough questions about his personal conduct and ties to the industries hes now tasked with regulating. Ethics rules prohibit political appointees in the executive branch from participating in certain matters involving former employers or clients for two years. Story continues Bernhardt has played a key behind-the-scenes role in many of the Trump administrations regulatory rollbacks and is among several Interior Department officials who have been accused of violating Trumps ethics pledge. Four conservation groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Bernhardt and the Bureau of Land Management over the agencys recent decision to weaken protections for the greater sage grouse, a ground-dwelling game bird. The rollback allows for increased economic development, in particular oil and gas production, in several Western states. In this July 26, 2018 file photo, then- U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, foreground, and Jack Gerard, American Petroleum Institute president and chief executive officer, head up to speak during the annual state of Colorado energy luncheon sponsored by the Colorado Petroleum council in Denver. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) Documenteds analysis includes in-person and phone meetings that took place both before and after Bernhardts confirmation. The list includes at least nine meetings Interior officials held with representatives of Bernhardts former lobbying firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; 11 with the National Ocean Industries Association, an offshore oil and gas trade association; nine with the Oklahoma-based trade group U.S. Oil and Gas Association; and six with Independent Petroleum Association of America, the influential trade group for the oil and gas industry. At a minimum, the list demonstrates the breadth of Bernhardts potential conflicts of interest, and shows how entrenched the Acting Secretary was in the industries that he now regulates, Brendan Fischer, director of the D.C.-based nonpartisan nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, told HuffPost in an email. Fischer added that he expects Bernhardt is savvy enough to facilitate that access without violating the letter of the ethics rules. Interior spokeswoman Faith Vander Voort said Bernhardt plays no role in setting up such meetings. Asked, as an example, if Bernhardt would have been briefed after a specific phone call in August 2017 between a former client and Bernhardts deputy, Todd Willens, Vander Voort replied no. Of the dozens of meetings on the list, Bernhardt participated in just one: a sit-down in October 2017 with representatives of Trout Unlimited and the National Audubon Society to discuss Colorado River issues. Also present at the meeting was Tim Stewart, a founding partner of Bennett Consulting Group and the vice president of one of Bernhardts former clients, the U.S. Oil and Gas Association. Stewart told HuffPost that the meeting focused specifically on a pilot conservation program and that the group did not discuss the controversial water storage project that Cadiz Inc., another of Bernhardts former clients, proposed in the California desert. Interiors ethics office reviewed and signed off on the meeting, according to Vander Voort. Ethics determined none of the meeting attendees or their organizations were on his recusal list, she said. Since Stewart wasnt there to represent the U.S. Oil and Gas Association, it is likely that the provision of the Trump ethics pledge pertaining to former employers doesnt apply, Fischer told HuffPost. But given his long list of potential conflicts of interest Bernhardt carries around a card listing former clients he is barred from participating in decisions about, The Washington Post reported in November Fischer said it seems that Bernhardt should have recused from this meeting to avoid the appearance that his former lobbying client is getting privileged access. Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting reported this month on a private meeting of oil industry executives in June 2017, where two executives of the Independent Petroleum Association of America boasted about their access to Bernhardt. We know him very well, and we have direct access to him, have conversations with him about issues ranging from federal land access to endangered species, to a lot of issues, Dan Naatz, IPAAs political director, told the group, according to a recording of the event obtained by Reveal. Vander Voort told Reveal that Bernhardt has had no communication with the two IPAA executives. Bernhardts deputy, Todd Willens, is among several Interior staffers that have met with IPAA. The perception that Bernhardts former industry clients are getting preferential treatment is flat out wrong, said Stewart, a longtime registered lobbyist. I represent a number of clients from across the spectrum of natural resource issues, he said. I can say without a doubt that the meeting scheduling process at the Department of the Interior is the same for everyone, no matter who wants the meeting or who is asking for it. This story has been updated with details about a lawsuit filed Wednesday. Related... For Ryan Zinke And His Team At Interior, Ethics Pledges Are Tough Trump To Nominate David Bernhardt As Permanent Interior Secretary New Watchdog Complaint Outlines Pattern Of Ethical Misconduct At Interior Department Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Tehran (AFP) - President Hassan Rouhani travelled to flood-hit zones of Iran for the first time Wednesday after nine days of heavy rains that have inundated most of the country and killed 43 people. The authorities have been struggling to cope with flooding after extreme rainfall which at times has been equivalent to half of the average annual levels within 24 hours. The disaster, which one government minister blamed on climate change, struck in the middle of Iranian New Year break, with many relief workers on leave and millions of holidaymakers on the roads. "When suddenly 25 out of 31, and on some days all provinces are struck (by flooding), this may be an unprecedented phenomenon," Rouhani said in Tehran, quoted by the government's website. Rouhani then flew to the northeastern province of Golestan, one of the areas where the floods first struck on March 19 and have since killed at least 10 people, according to the latest official figures. Speaking at a crisis meeting in Golestan aired live on state television, Rouhani responded to criticsm he was slow to visit the disaster-hit zone. "I had planned to come in the first days, but ultimately due to considerations it was decided the first vice-president would travel here," he said. The deluge spread rapidly from the north to the west and south of the country on March 25 before hitting the centre of Iran as the weather front moved eastwards. "In some regions, rainfall within 24 hours equalled that of the prior 10 months," said Mahmoodreza Peiravi, secretary general of Iran's Red Crescent Society. "If you take the number and ferocity of the floods into account, the death toll was thankfully not that high," he said, while warning it could rise in coming days. "The floods struck during the holidays and many vacationers on road trips were affected by it," Peiravi told AFP. "It is possible that some vacationers might have been carried off by the floods and no one is yet aware of it," he warned. Story continues - Day of mourning - A day of mourning has been declared for Thursday in the southern city of Shiraz, the worst-hit area where the flooding claimed the lives of 19 people and injured more than 100. The latest toll included six people who drowned when a boat full of rescuers and victims overturned in the northeastern Gomishan region in Golestan province. "Another body has been found but we have not yet recovered it," the area's emergency services head Alireza Kamalgharibi said, adding that search and rescue operations would continue as it was unclear how many people had been on board the boat. Another four people were killed in the western provinces of Kogiluyeh-Va-Boyerahmad and Lorestan, said Morteza Salimi, head of the Iranian Red Crescent's search and rescue organisation. One death was also reported in each of Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Semnan provinces. "More than 43,000 people were rescued and nearly 27,000 were provided with emergency accommodation," Salimi said, quoted by Tasnim news agency, adding rescue operations had been carried out in 30 provinces. Officials estimate the flooding caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to homes, farms and infrastructure. The skies have mostly cleared up for now but Iran's meteorological service has warned of more heavy showers from Saturday. Such a widespread flood threat is unprecedented in arid Iran, which until 2018 was dealing with decades of drought. "Climate change is forcing itself on our country," Energy Minister Reza Ardekanian, who is in charge of dams and water supply, said on Monday. "These unprecedented floods in our country are because of climate change worldwide," he added. If I may be so bold as to try to lure your attention away from Trump and Mueller for a moment, consider Jamie Dimons lament, delivered a few days before Mueller delivered his report. Related: Trump looks good for 2020, experts say, because 'economy is so damn strong' Dimon is the chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, and wrongdoing by him and the CEOs of other big corporations is more responsible for Trumps election than anything Russia dreamed of, as Ill explain. A big chunk of [Americans] have been left behind, Dimon said, unveiling a new $350m program to train workers for the jobs of the future. Forty percent of Americans make less than $15 an hour, 40% cant afford a $400 bill, whether its medical or fixing their car; 15% of Americans make minimum wages, 70,000 die from opioids. All true, but $350m over five years isnt even a drop in the ocean of Americans who have been left behind. Nor is it a large sum for JP Morgan, Americas biggest bank, whose profits last year alone amounted to $35bn. The annual budget of the US Department of Education is $70bn. Dimons own compensation package was $31m last year, and his reported net worth is $1.3bn. Besides running JP Morgan, Dimon also chairs the Business Roundtable, composed of the CEOs of Americas largest corporations, whose 2018 profits broke all records. Due to vast amounts they spend lobbying and donating to politicians, these CEOs also have more influence over what happens in Washington than any other group of people. They were instrumental in gaining passage of the Trump tax cuts, which they predicted would generate a wave of corporate investment and boost wages. Instead, the tax cuts generated a tsunami of stock buybacks (more than $910bn last year, an all-time high) that boosted their own pay and the stock prices of their companies, but have done little for average workers. The Business Roundtables motto More than Leaders. Leadership suggests some higher purpose than making the rich richer, but CEOs like Dimon say their hands are tied. Their responsibility is to their shareholders. Story continues But why, exactly? If Dimon and the others were serious about helping most American workers whose real wages have been going nowhere for decades and job security is dwindling they could use their outsized political influence to push for laws requiring CEOs to consider all their stakeholders, not just shareholders. Rather than make it harder for workers to unionize, they could fight to make it easier, and to give workers larger voice in management decisions and a greater share of the profits. The 80s brought Wall Street 'greed is good', Ronald Reagans market fundamentalism, union-busting, and corporate money in politics Rather than reflexively seek tax cuts, they could push to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans like themselves, so thered be more school funding to prepare American kids for the jobs of the future. They could seek a higher minimum wage, a larger Earned Income Tax Credit, universal healthcare, and other measures to make left-behind Americans more secure. If this sounds far-fetched, thats only because weve come such a long way from the era of the 1950s to the 1970s when the heads of big American businesses viewed themselves as corporate statesmen and lobbied for measures to improve the wellbeing of all Americans. Those CEOs supported civil rights, argued that unions serve the common good, urged stronger environmental protections, and even backed campaign finance reform. But then came the 1980s corporate raiders, Wall Street greed is good manipulators, Ronald Reagans market fundamentalism, union-busting, and a gusher of corporate money into politics. Since then, most Americans have come to believe the system is rigged in favor of big corporations and the Street, and theyre right. But nothing is stopping Dimon and other major CEOs from putting an end to the rigging. Related: The welcome sight of banks rowing back on executive pensions | Nils Pratley They could reduce the need for candidates to raise funds from corporate Pacs and the wealthy by supporting the House Democrats first bill, HR1, providing public financing for campaigns backed by small donors. They could push for stricter limits on the revolving door between industry and government, and laws requiring full disclosure of the sources of all campaign funding. Why shouldnt Dimon and other CEOs be in the vanguard seeking a constitutional amendment to limit lobbying and campaign spending? The answer is: nothing is stopping them except their own parched, self-serving notion of leadership as maximizing profits and shareholder value. Yet as heads of institutions with the greatest influence over American politics, they also have a duty to the common good and are uniquely positioned to advance it. For 40 years, CEOs of Americas largest corporations and Wall Street banks have abdicated this responsibility. We are now living with the consequences. Jamie Dimon and the Business Roundtable can see those consequences as well as anyone. Rather than announce token jobs programs, theyd be better served seeking to increase the economic and political power of left-behind Americans many of whom will otherwise continue to vote for demagogues who only make them feel powerful. By Tina Bellon (Reuters) - A New Jersey jury on Wednesday cleared Johnson & Johnson of liability in a lawsuit brought by a man who said that asbestos in the company's talcum powder products caused his mesothelioma. The jury delivered its unanimous verdict in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Brunswick, just miles from J&J's headquarters, in the case of plaintiff Ricardo Rimondi. J&J, which faces some 13,000 talc-related lawsuits nationwide, denies that its talc causes cancer, saying numerous studies and tests by regulators worldwide have shown its talc to be safe and asbestos-free. J&J in a statement said the company's track record in the talc litigation underscored "the decades of clinical evidence and scientific studies by medical experts around the world" supporting the safety of Johnson's Baby Powder. J&J shares, which had been down slightly, turned positive after the verdict was announced and closed up 13 cents at $138.70. Lawyers for the 58-year old Rimondi could not immediately be reached for comment. Rimondi in 2016 was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a type of cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure. He and his wife sued J&J in 2017. They alleged that Rimondi's lifetime exposure to Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, another powder product containing talc sold by J&J in the past, caused his disease. The jury returned its verdict in favor of the company after just half an hour of deliberations, according to a livestream of the proceedings by Courtroom View Network. The healthcare conglomerate to date has faced 12 trials by plaintiffs claiming asbestos in talc caused their mesothelioma. J&J has now been cleared of liability in four trials, with another five resulting in hung juries and mistrials. Three juries have found J&J liable, awarding a total of $172 million in damages. J&J is appealing those verdicts. The majority of the 13,000 talc lawsuits against the company involve ovarian cancer claims. Juries in those cases have hit the company with verdicts as high as $4.69 billion. Story continues Some of the ovarian cancer verdicts have been overturned on appeal on technical legal grounds, while the company's other appeals are still pending. "It remains true that of all the talc-related verdicts against Johnson & Johnson that have been through the appeals process, every one has been overturned," the company said in its statement on Wednesday. Plaintiffs' lawyers have more recently focused on arguing that asbestos contamination in talc caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Reuters in December published a report detailing that the company knew that the talc in its raw and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos from the 1970s into the early 2000s - test results the company did not disclose to regulators or consumers. J&J denies the findings of the Reuters report, which it describes as inaccurate and misleading. In emphasizing the safety of its baby powder, the company says that repeated tests of the powder never found asbestos and that it has cooperated fully and openly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulators. (Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Noeleen Walder) San Francisco (AFP) - "Monsanto knew" its weedkiller Roundup was carcinogenic yet sold it anyway, the lawyer for an American retiree said on the last day of a trial to determine the agriculture giant's culpability for his cancer. The company's attorney meanwhile denied the allegations and accused Monsanto's critics of concocting a conspiracy, as arguments drew to a close and the jury began its deliberations midday on Tuesday. The same San Francisco jury previously found that a quarter century exposure to Roundup, whose principal ingredient is controversial chemical glyphosate, was a "substantial factor" in giving 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In phase two of the trial, they must determine whether Monsanto is liable and if so, assess damages. "This company for the last 40 years manipulated science, manipulated public opinion," Hardeman's lawyer Jennifer Moore said. Despite numerous studies, "they kept selling Roundup and making money off it because that's the bottom line for Monsanto," she added of the company, which was bought last year by Germany's Bayer. "Nothing has stopped this company... your job is to say 'No more, it stops today,'" she urged the jurors. The charges were denied by Monsanto's lawyer Brian Stekloff, who said of Hardeman's team: "They're asking to believe that those employees at Monsanto wake up in the morning eat breakfast with their family, drive to Monsanto in St Louis every day and say, 'Guess what, we're going to go into a conspiracy to cause cancer!'" He insisted Monsanto had "acted reasonably, based on the science" and performed extensive testing over 40 years on Roundup. Stekloff denied Monsanto had ignored, manipulated or hidden studies that countered its findings, as had been alleged over the course of the trial. And he underscored that between 1970 and 2012, the years in which Hardeman used the weedkiller, "no regulatory agencies, no health organizations" said Roundup caused cancer. Story continues The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified glyphosate as a "probable carcinogen" in 2015. But other major agencies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) or the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not followed suit. The stakes are high for Bayer, which bought Monsanto for $63 billion but could face giant compensation bills toward the plaintiff and also punitive damages. Beyond this trial, Bayer faces some 11,200 similar cases in the US alone. "This case will encourage... other potential plaintiffs and their counsel to sue," Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond told AFP, adding: "If Bayer loses this trial and a few more, it will need to seriously consider settlement." In August, Monsanto lost a case to a school groundskeeper suffering from terminal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, who had sued the company over the glyphosate weedkillers Roundup and Ranger Pro. Monsanto was initially ordered to pay $289 million to Johnson, before the damages were reduced to $78.5 million Bayer has filed an appeal. PM Narendra Modi will begin his campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections from tomorrow. He will hold his first event in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP leader Ram Madhav said. Earlier today, PM Modi announced that India has successfully tested its Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile under Mission Shakti. Following this, BJP and Congress have been blaming each other out of trying to usurp the credit for the project. In a tweet today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi praised DRDO for successfully testing its A-SAT missile and mocked PM Modi in the same tweet. Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the project to develop A-SAT missile began during the UPA regime. Shortly after, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held a press conference to denounce the claims made by Congress. He referred to media reports which claimed that the scientists were denied permission during the UPA regime to go ahead with the project. ALSO READ:LIVE updates: India has shot down a low earth orbit satellite; now a space superpower, says PM Modi Meanwhile, Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar has joined Congress ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections today. For more details from India's political arena, follow BusinessToday.In LIVE blog: 08:55 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) MP AP Jithender Reddy joins BJP. Delhi: Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) MP AP Jithender Reddy joins BJP in presence of BJP President Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/uAlFkfJO6j ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 08:41 pm: The Election Commission of India has said that the matter related to Prime Minister's address to the nation today afternoon has been brought to its notice. The ECI has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct. Election Commission: Matter related to address of the Prime Minister to the Nation on electronic media today afternoon has been brought to the notice of ECI.The Commission has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 07:40 pm: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has said that she will definitely contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections if the party asks her. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on being asked if she will contest in #LokSabhaElections2019: I've not decided yet; If my party asks me to contest, I will definitely contest. My wish is to work for the party. pic.twitter.com/r7oQlLa1qN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2019 06:56 pm: Biju Janata Dal has released another list of nine candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Odisha: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) releases another list of candidates for #LokSabhaElection2019; Pinaki Mishra to contest from Puri parliamentary constituency. pic.twitter.com/6sz8yMK4Ye ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 06:30 pm: The CPI (Marxist) has written to the Election Commission of India over PM Modi's address to the nation on Mission Shakti ASAT missile programme. In its letter, the party has said that the Prime Minister's announcement is in violation of the model code of conduct imposed in view of the Lok Sabha election, as he is a candidate himself. 06:18 pm: BSP chief Mayawati has criticised Congress' minimum income guarantee scheme NYAY, calling it a bluff. She also took a dig at the BJP, saying that the ruling party does not have exclusive rights to polls bluffs and promises. 06:14 pm: The All India Trinamool Congress has launched its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party has promised an investigation in demonetisation and revival of the Planning Commission if the party comes back to power. 05:53 pm: The Bombay High Court will hear the plea againt the release of PM Narendra Modi's biopic on March 29. Bombay High Court to hear plea against the release of the film 'PM Narendra Modi' on 29 March 2019. pic.twitter.com/4eyQFZl59z ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 05:50 pm: The Election Commission has issued orders to remove pictures of PM Narendra Modi from railway tickets. 04:55 pm: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said that she will approach the Election Commission over the politicisation of ASAT test firing. She said that the success of the programme is to the credit of the scientists and its their prerogative to announce it. WB CM on #MissionShakti: It's a political announcement, scientists should have announced it, it's their credit. Only one satellite was destroyed, that wasn't necessary, it was lying there since long, it's the prerogative of scientists, when to do it. We will complain to the EC. pic.twitter.com/4WKRXivX1y ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:49 pm: BJP president Amit Shah responded to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over this 'World Theatre Day' remark targeting PM Narendra Modi. Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers - drama Success of scientists - drama Masquerading as leaders, all that The Dynasty has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. https://t.co/vXYFLWO7MN Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 04:45 pm: Congess party will increase the representation of OBCs and will more chances to people from the community to become MPs and MLAs, party chief Rahul Gandhi said during a national convention of AICC OBC wing. 04:42 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked what was the need for PM Narendra Modi to take credit for Mission Shakti ASAT programme when model code of conduct is place before 2019 Lok Sabha elections. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee on #MissionShakti: What was the need for Modi at the time of election to violate the model code of conduct to take the credit? Does he work there? Is he going to space? pic.twitter.com/WIy9iPglRk ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:36 pm: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman raised questions on the news portal which Congress approached to publish its sting operation. Sitharaman said this was the same website which had telecasted Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM live back in January. Accusing the Congress of conspiring to defame BJP, the Defence Minister said that BJP is taking legal advice to take the individuals and institutions involved in such activities to court. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: I would like to state here, BJP is taking legal advice. We're taking every possible advice so that institutions & individuals who are part of this conspiracy to defame BJP, we will take them to the court. We will take action on them legally pic.twitter.com/eTzA0bWzA1 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:00 pm: PM Narendra Modi will kick off the political campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections from tomorrow. He will visit Jammu and Kashmir on the first day of his campaign. 03:30 pm: The Election Commission of India has issued a notice to the makers of PM Narendra Modi's biopic. 03:15 pm: BJP fields Giriraj Singh from Begusarai. Announcing the development, BJP president Amit Shah said that the party will solve all the issues he has reported. Amit Shah: Shri Giriraj Singh will contest Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai. Party organization will solve all the issues he told me about. I wish him for the elections. (file pics) pic.twitter.com/6quGUFxfZe ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:58 pm: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley denounced claims by Congress that the A-SAT programme began under the UPA government. He said that the programme was initiated in 2014 after getting the approval of PM Narendra Modi. FM Arun Jaitley on #MissionShakti: The process started in 2014 after the PM gave the permission, it's a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars. pic.twitter.com/gEWdpVXWuz ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:58 pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the DRDO on the success of Mission Shakti and mocked PM Modi in the same tweet. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 02:40 pm: Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the A-SAT programme began during the UPA regime. Ahmed Patel,Congress: The UPA government had initiated the #ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. #MissionShakti (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mEo2XU8yTd ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:30 pm: Urmila Matondkar was inducted into Congress by party chief Rahul Gandhi. Jussie Smollett briefly addressed reporters at a Tuesday press conference following the dismissal of charges against him by Illinois prosecutors, stating that he told the truth about the hate crime police had accused him of staging. Ive been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one, the Empire actor said. He added, I would not be my mothers son if I was capable of doing what I was accused of. The Cook County States Attorneys Office issued a statement obtained by PEOPLE reading: After reviewing all the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case. The states attorneys office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs inquiry on whether prosecutors believe Smollett staged the attack. The Chicago Police Department had no comment. Smolletts attorney Patricia Brown Holmes said Smollett agreed to voluntarily forfeit his bond and cited his record for community service. There is no deal,' she said. The state dismissed the charges. On Jan. 29 the black and openly gay actor said he was assaulted by two mask-clad men as he stepped out for a bite to eat around 2 a.m. in his Chicago neighborhood on one of the coldest nights of the year. Smollett told police that as he was assaulted, the two men hurled racist and homophobic insults at him, and slipped a rope around a neck that Smollett still was wearing when later interviewed by police. After a police investigation, Smollett was accused of staging the attack and was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct. Holmes said Smolletts version of events was true, and said the two brothers who were acquaintances of the actor, Abimbola Abel and Olabinjo Ola Osundairo, attacked him. But she added, We dont want to try them in the press any more than we wanted to get tried in the press. Algiers (AFP) - The coalition ally of Algeria's ruling party called Wednesday for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign, piling pressure on the ailing leader after the army chief demanded he be declared unfit. In a statement signed by its leader, recently sacked prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia, the National Rally for Democracy (RND) said it "recommends the resignation of the president... with the aim of smoothing the period of transition." There have been weeks of mass protests demanding Bouteflika step down since he announced he was standing for a fifth term of office with the support of both his National Liberation Front and the RND. Ouyahia is a longtime supporter of Bouteflika and served as his prime minister three times since 2003 before being sacrificed on March 11 in a vain bid to calm the intensifying street protests. Bouteflika, now 82, has been in power since 1999. He was weakened by a stroke in 2013 which affected his mobility and speech, and in rare recent public appearances he was in a wheelchair. The president has spent prolonged periods receiving treatment in hospitals in Europe and day-to-day affairs have been left largely to shadowy power brokers. The prospect of another five years of being ruled by a powerless figleaf president sparked the eruption of mass protests on February 22 that have escalated with each successive week. The president's announcement on March 11 that he was withdrawing his candidacy and would rule on an interim basis only while fresh elections were organised under a new constitution failed to calm public anger. Key regime figures have since broken ranks with Bouteflika one by one in a bid to retain their hold on power. On Tuesday, armed forces chief of staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who was appointed by Bouteflika in 2004, said the president should either resign or be declared medically unfit to govern by parliament using its constitutional powers. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) The Latest on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey (all times local): 4:35 p.m. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says he's disappointed but "not defeated" after legislation to legalize recreational marijuana failed to get enough votes to pass the Legislature. Murphy spoke Monday alongside legislative leaders, just hours after the state Senate postponed a vote because it didn't have enough support. Murphy cast the delayed vote as a bump in the road on the way toward making New Jersey the 11th state to legalize recreational weed. The bill stalled despite Democratic control of state government and highlighted the difficulty Murphy and leaders faced in persuading people to support legalization. Murphy says he'll continue to push for the legislation, but the timing of a vote is unclear. ___ 12:55 p.m. New Jersey's Senate president says there are not enough votes to pass a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. The vote in that chamber has been postponed. Senate President Steve Sweeney said Monday that he remains committed to passing the law and will continue to work to do just that. Leaders and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy back the measure, but some lawmakers were hesitant. A vote was also scheduled in the state Assembly Monday, and it was not clear how that was affected. If the bill passes, New Jersey would join the District of Columbia and 10 other states. The bill calls for a tax of $42 per ounce, sets up a five-member regulator commission and would offer expedited expungements to people with marijuana-related offenses. ___ 10:15 a.m. A vote to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey is hours away, but the governor and legislative leaders are still courting lawmakers. The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly have scheduled votes Monday on the legislation backed by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, but its passage is far from certain. Murphy said last week he's been trying to persuade hesitant lawmakers to back the bill but still doesn't have the votes needed. Story continues Murphy says if the bill fails or falls short, he'd continue to try to persuade people. But it's unclear when another vote could take place. New Jersey would join the District of Columbia and 10 other states if the measure succeeds. The bill calls for a tax of $42 per ounce, sets up a five-member regulator commission and would offer expedited expungements to people with marijuana-related offenses. Prague (AFP) - Lebanon said on Wednesday it wanted to follow the example of eastern EU states that have largely rejected refuging its own refugee crisis as a way of resolvs. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil sympathised with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia's refusal to accept refugee distribution quotas proposed by the EU in the wake of the 2015-16 migrant crisis, when more than a million people streamed into Europe, mostly from war-torn Syria. Populist eastern EU leaders including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Poland's powerbroker Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Czech President Milos Zeman, among others, blasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open door" policy on accepting migrants during that period. These countries "were acting in their national interest and decided that the redistribution of refugees among European countries is not in their national interest, although they faced EU sanctions for that," Bassil told reporters in Prague. "I would like this attitude to be an inspiration for Lebanon, because every state must make national interests its top priority and at this moment Lebanon's key national interest is the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland," he added. Lebanon says it is hosting 1.5 million Syrians -- around a quarter of its own population. Less than one million of them are registered with UN refugee agency the UNHCR. Most of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in insecurity and depend on international aid. The International Monetary Fund has said their presence has led to increased unemployment and a rise in poverty due to greater competition for jobs. The influx has also put strain on Lebanese water and electrical infrastructure. Lebanese government officials and politicians have ramped up calls for Syrians to return home, but the United Nations has consistently warned that conditions in the war-ravaged country are not suitable for such returns. "I would like Prague or Beirut to host a meeting, an initiative of countries seeking to plan and ensure the return of Syrian refugees to their country," said Bassil. "This would be immensely useful for both Lebanon and Syria and in general it would be the best solution to the human, humanitarian and political crisis we have right now and which could get worse in the future," he said. Vilnius (AFP) - A Lithuanian court on Wednesday convicted a former Soviet defence minister and dozens of other Russian citizens in absentia of war crimes over Moscow's deadly 1991 crackdown on the Baltic state's independence movement. Ex-minister Dmitry Yazov, now 94, was sentenced to 10 years in prison over the assault, which killed 14 civilians and wounded over 700 in January 1991. Sixty-six other defendants, who were senior officials in the military, communist party and the KGB security police, received sentences ranging from four to 14 years. Russia and Belarus have refused to extradite suspects. Moscow also rejected a Lithuanian request to question ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and had dubbed the trial "illegal". Only two of the accused both Russian citizens and former Soviet military officials heard the verdict in a packed courtroom in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Russian citizen Yuri Mel, a former tank officer in custody in Lithuania since 2014 when he was detained at border checkpoint, was sentenced to seven years behind bars. A Vilnius resident and former Soviet munitions officer Gennady Ivanov was sentenced to four years. The verdict is not final and is subject to appeal. A Russian embassy spokesman told AFP on Wednesday that Moscow would comment after the verdict will be read in full. Most of the convicts are Russian citizens while several hold Belarussian and Ukrainian passports. The court was expected to announce the motives behind the sentences on Wednesday afternoon. - 'Historic day' - The January 13, 1991 assault on key buildings shielded by tens of thousands of peaceful independence supporters was part of failed Kremlin efforts to bring Lithuania to heel after its March 1990 secession from the Soviet Union. Ever since Lithuania finally won recognition from Moscow as an independent state in September 1991, it has sought justice for victims of the crackdown. While several Lithuanian Soviet-era officials have been convicted, other suspects have remained out of reach in Russia and Belarus. Story continues "This is a historic day for Lithuania and the whole international community," Robertas Povilaitis, whose father was killed during the assault, told reporters in the courtroom. He also slammed the Russian leadership and Gorbachev for demonstrating they "did not want to contribute to justice and answer very important questions". Ties between Russia and Lithuania, a nation of 2.8 million, have been rocky since independence, and notably since the Baltic state joined the European Union and NATO in 2004. Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) - Luxury watchmakers have joined the list of businesses implementing Brexit contingency plans by stockpiling inventory in Britain before it leaves the EU, industry leaders said. Brands are seeking to guard against "practical problems" that may emerge, including new customs procedures or import backlogs following Brexit, the head of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, Jean-Daniel Pasche, told AFP at the Baselworld watch fair, which wrapped up this week. Statistics released by the federation this month showed that imports to Britain were up 58 percent in February, on top of a 24 percent increase in January. Oris, a luxury watchmaker that opened a store in London's Mayfair area last year, said it does not normally keep inventory in Britain, preferring to ship pieces to retailers to fill specific orders. But Oris chief executive Rolf Studer said the company had boosted its British stocks. "Nobody really knows what will happen, so we took precautions," he told AFP. Non-EU member Switzerland and Britain have already signed a pact to preserve future trade relations, including provisions to ensure trade continuity if the UK leaves the bloc without a divorce deal. That bilateral agreement should ensure that watches imported directly to Britain by plane face no new restrictions, Pasche noted. But any goods travelling by road will have to pass through the EU and could therefore be held up by long queues at the British border, he said. Aside from possible import delays, Pasche highlighted another reason why watchmakers want to ensure that London retailers are well-stocked. If the British pound loses value, that could trigger a post-Brexit buying spree, with high-end shoppers notably in London seeking to benefit from favourable exchange rates, he said. When the pound's value fell after Britons voted to leave the European Union in 2016, luxury watch retailers saw a surge in sales among tourists, especially from Asia. Story continues The chief executive of iconic watchmaker Hublot, Ricardo Guadalupe, told AFP that his company has also increased its British-based inventory, describing London as "the locomotive" for the watch business. - Yellow vest effect - Watch firms said the importance of limiting disruptions in London has become all the more vital because of setbacks in Paris caused by the "yellow vest" protesters who have staged weekly demonstrations around France since mid-November. Hublot's shop at Place Vendome in central Paris has remained closed on Saturdays as demonstrators have taken to the streets over the falling spending-power of the working poor. Guadalupe noted that traffic in Paris shops has "fallen drastically" amid the demonstrations. Earlier this month, 91 shops including luxury outlets Bulgari were damaged, burned or looted on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue. Bulgari's managing director Jean-Christophe Babin said in Basel that the company's employees on the Champs-Elysees had faced "permanent insecurity." "For our teams, it is extremely stressful," he said. There are concerns that tourism numbers to France could fall because of the protests, which began over fuel taxes but then snowballed into a revolt against the governing style and policies of President Emmanuel Macron. Because luxury watch sales are heavily dependent on tourist traffic, most analysts expect watch imports to France to fall sharply over the course of the year. Calling all soon-to-be newlyweds, these are the top 10 wedding trends of 2019 [Photo: Getty] In the Instagram age, weddings are no longer planned solely to please the happy couple as the big day needs to be in keeping with the grid. According to a new report by global fashion search platform Lyst, the average nuptials is becoming increasingly influenced by social media with wedding hashtags getting an estimated 10 times more engagement than heavily-documented holidays. READ MORE: The best budget high street wedding dresses So it comes as no surprise to learn that brides have reached peak personal brand with the average length of an engagement now sitting patiently at 13.6 months giving couples longer to save and plan. After all, approximately 23% of brides are now splurging on two wedding dresses while guests are willing 26% more on their outfit than two years ago. So what exactly can we expect soon-to-be newlyweds and their guests to blow their budget on this year? Wedding dresses with pockets Last year, a refreshingly dare-we-say-it practical trend emerged from the red carpet with actress Gemma Chan stashing cookies in her Oscars Valentino gown. Actress Gemma Chan managed to sneak cookies into the 2019 Oscars thanks to her pocketed Valentino dress [Photo: Getty] The news coincided with bride Eve Paterson from Cambridge, who went viral after sharing a photograph of her and her bridesmaids with their hands in specifically designed pockets. My friend got married last month and her dress and the bridesmaids dresses ALL HAD POCKETS. And yes, we did use them for storing snacks, thank you for asking. pic.twitter.com/3fRWtmJS2F Nell Goddard (@alianoree) January 23, 2019 With an increasing number of us requiring storage space for everything from mid-aisle snacks to our iPhone, search for gowns with pockets has shot up by 83% in the last six months. Wedding blazers Most likely a trend driven by wedding guests, blazers have grown in popularity over the last three months with search up by 57% according to Lyst. Story continues Swedish giant & Other Stories led the high street trend while French fashion house Jacquemus is the go-to for those willing to splash out. The alternative wedding day According to Lyst, modern is one of the most popular search terms associated with weddings, as soon-to-be newlyweds hope to create a unique day for everyone to remember. This means theres been an increase in themed nuptials with guests dressing in everything from Game of Thrones attire to Disney-themed frocks. READ MORE: Is it ever acceptable to wear white to a wedding? Male engagement rings A growing number of soon-to-be newlyweds are eschewing tradition with male engagement rings soaring in popularity. Ed Sheeran soon graced the headlines after being spotted wearing a band before wedding girlfriend Cherry Seaborn. Search is reportedly up by 66% year-on-year, suggesting it could well soon be the norm. Personalised wedding trainers The Veja-clad street style set is behind our newfound love of trainers with athleisure sported by the fashion elite. Now, it seems the trend has infiltrated the registry office with searches for white personalised trainers at an all time high were talking about a 61% year-on-year spike. The white bridal suit Who said you needed a dress to say I do? The bridal suit is quickly garnering momentum with high street staple Whistles recently introducing a white co-ord to its wedding line. The millennial pink formal dress We blame Villanelles killer wardrobe for our obsession with that Molly Goddard dress. Hot pink frocks are on the rise with a 45% year-on-year increase in search. Were more obsessed with millennial pink than ever before thanks to BBC1 cat-and-mouse thriller Killing Eve [Photo: Sid Gentle Films/Robert Viglasky] Interestingly, search for Goddards cult dresses shot up by 24% after Killing Eve graced the small screen. The social media-worthy headpiece In a not-so-surprising turn of events, brides are looking to the past for inspiration this year with a 94% increase in search for vintage headpieces. Our bet is that influencers are to blame with the 90s headband and childhood barrette dominating Fashion Week. READ MORE: How to choose the perfect engagement ring Sustainable wedding dresses Sustainability has been drilled into every fashion devotees brain this year with a change in our shopping habits finally impacting the bridal market. So far, there has been an applause-worthy 93% increase in views of pre-owned wedding gowns with a 42% combined increase in search for vintage and second-hand year-on-year. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the nation at 11:45am today. The Prime Minister said his address to the nation could be heard on radio, watched on television and social media. In a tweet, the PM said, "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media. Follow the BusinessToday.In LIVE blog for updates: 3:00pm: Simulation of the ASAT. 2:59pm: A deterrent of this sort should be known to all persons concerned, and there is no person better than the PM of a nation to declare such a deterrent, Jaitley said regarding criticism over PM Modi announcing successful testing of A-SAT missile in an address to the nation. 2:55pm: After making a mistake over Balakot and Pulwama, this is another chance for the opposition to stand in solidarity with the country and our scientists, Jaitley said. 2:52pm: Aurn Jaitley reiterated that India does not intend to target any country with this technology. This will help us maintain peace in the region, he further said. 2:50pm: The technology is completely indigenous, Arun Jaitley said. 2:48pm: The work on A-SAT missile had not begun under UPA government. Our scientists had the desire and the capability to develop anti-satellite missile since long, but they were not given clearance from the erstwhile Indian government, Jaitley said. All the work under this project has been done after 2014 after PM Modi gave permission, he further added. FM Arun Jaitley on #MissionShakti: The process started in 2014 after the PM gave the permission, it's a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars. pic.twitter.com/gEWdpVXWuz ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 2:44pm: Arun Jaitley is addressing a press conference after the testing of A-SAT missile, turning down claims by Congress leaders that the work on the technology began during the UPA's regime. 2:37pm: Congress had initiated the ASAT programme, which has reached fruition today, Congress leader Ahmed Patel said. Ahmed Patel,Congress: The UPA government had initiated the #ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. #MissionShakti (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mEo2XU8yTd ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 2:30pm: President Ram Nath Kovind congratulated the team behind Mission Shakti over the successful testing of Anti-Satellite Missile, and called it a watershed moment in the history of India. Testing of the Anti-Satellite Missile demonstrates India's scientific prowess and commitment to harnessing space technology for the security and empowerment of our people, the President of India said in a tweet. #MissionShakti represents a watershed moment for India. Testing of the Anti-Satellite Missile demonstrates India's scientific prowess and commitment to harnessing space technology for the security and empowerment of our people. My congratulations to all concerned #PresidentKovind President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 27, 2019 2:26pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated DRDO on successfully testing the Anti-Satellite Missile in a tweet, and mocked PM Modi in the same post. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 2:10pm: Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat on ASAT: If today you want to have the deterrence capability in case adversaries, that means nation across the world, want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them. 2:00pm: Amit Shah thanks PM Modi for Mission Shakti. It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts. - Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 1:55pm: Smriti Irani calls it a defining moment for the nation. A defining moment for our Nation!#MissionShakti is a hallmark of our scientific aptitude & commitment to national security. Congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, our scientists & citizens as India joins the power league of Nations having Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. - Chowkidar Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 27, 2019 1:53pm: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also joins in to congratulate ISRO and PMO. Bahut Badhai @isro, Bahut Badhai @PMOIndia, Aaj Antariksh me Desh ne Ek Bahut Badi, Bemisaal Kaamyaabi Hasil Kii Hai. Desh kii Antariksh Karyakram Kii Safalta Hai, Sabkii Mehnat Hai Ye. https://t.co/eAaOv6vU54 - Sumitra Mahajan (@S_MahajanLS) March 27, 2019 1:49pm: As per government sources, the satellite which was hit today was a micro satellite launched by the ISRO on January 24 this year, mentions a report in ANI. 1:45pm: Congress said: ISRO set up in 1958 under Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first government agency to begin defence research and development. It has played a pivotal role in equipping our defence forces with the latest technological developments. In April 1975, the country waited with bated breath as ISRO launched its first satellite - Aryabhata - and thus began our journey into the final frontier. 1:40pm: Congress congratulated the DRDO scientists, government and ISRO for the success. We congratulate @isro@DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1962 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud through its achievements. - Congress (@INCIndia) March 27, 2019 1:35pm: "We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy," said DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy. 1:30pm: "It's another historic day for every Indian to be proud of. My heartiest congratulations to the scientists at DRDO for making us a part of the distinguished league of space powers," said Gautam Adani. 1:26pm: MEA on A-SAT: Test isn't directed against any country. India's space capabilities don't threaten any country nor are they directed against anyone. At the same time, government is committed to ensuring country's national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies. The capability achieved through the anti-satellite missile test provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles. 1:23pm: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Mission Shakti: It's a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister. 1:21pm: Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes to Twitter to congratulate the DRDO scientists and PM Modi. Under the able leadership of PM @narendramodi, team @DRDO_India has achieved a remarkable & historic feat. I am feeling proud that #MissionShakti has been successfully conducted making India, the only 4th nation with capability to destroy low orbit satellite using A-SAT missile. - Chowkidar Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) March 27, 2019 1:18pm: "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," said Congress MP Ahmed Patel. 1:15pm: The Defence Minister has also congratulated the DRDO scientists. 1:10pm: Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu also congratulated the scientists. Compliment our Scientists on their successful launch of anti-satellite missile. We, as a nation, are proud of our Scientists. #MissionShakti#ASAT - VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 27, 2019 1:07pm: Akhilesh Yadav criticises the PM for diverting attention from unemployement and rural crisis. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground - #Unemployment#RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity - by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro - this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. - Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019 1:05pm: "The successful execution of MissionShakti is a proud, powerful, historical moment for us. Under the visionary leadership of PM Modi ji, today we have become a formidable space power with proven Anti-Satellite Missile capability Many congrats DRDO and all Indians!," said Rajyavardhan Rathore. 1:04pm: Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat, speaking about anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, "This is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities." 1:02pm: Suresh Prabhu congratulates DRDO scientists for this feat. Massive Space Leap for India. Kudos to #DRDO scientists for this huge technological advancement. Arrival of #India as #Space Super Power... India only 4th Country after #US, #Russia and #China to acquire anti-satellite missile capability. #MissionShaktihttps://t.co/CSieCB1JxO - Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) March 27, 2019 1:00pm: "India's successful 'kill' with an ASAT weapon is significant," says author Brahma Chellaney. Space wars are not just Hollywood fiction. The US, Russia and China continue to pursue anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, India's successful "kill" with an ASAT weapon is significant. - Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) March 27, 2019 12:57pm: Former diplomat KC Singh asks if BJP is so desperate to change narrative from economic issues. So nation put on tenterhooks by PM for this? Is BJP that desperate to change narrative from economic issues. India has had this capability. Q is should we be doing it at this stage. India has been in the lead to stop proliferation of arms race in outer space. https://t.co/QuQQAb72TA - K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) March 27, 2019 12:50pm: The technology to develop ASAT missile was available since 2012 but no sanction was given. Last test was by China, which invited worldwide condemnation. 12:48pm: "Congratulations to all the scientists for carrying out Mission Shakti successfully. India is moving fast towards becoming a world leader, and under PM Modi's leadership, it is on its way to not only become a 'super economic power', but also a 'super science power'," said Nitin Gadkari. 12:45pm: ASAT missile will give new strength to India's space programme. I assure international community that our capability won't be used against anyone but is purely India's defence initiative for its security. We're against arms raised in space. This test won't breach any international law or treaties: PM Modi. 12:43pm: MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony: PM Modi tweeted. 12:42pm: "MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of India's outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme," the PM tweeted. 12:41pm: "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of MissionShakti," tweeted PM Modi. 12:40pm: "Till now, 3 countries of the world- America, Russia, & China had this achievement. India is the 4th country to have achieved this feat," says PM Modi. 12:38pm: After successfully completing the operation, India has become an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, PM Modi said. 12:37pm: PM Modi: 'Mission Shakti' is an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement. 12:35pm: Nitin Gadkari congratulates the Modi government for the feat. 12:33pm: Today's feat does not violate any international law or deal; a strong India is needed for the peace and security of this region: PM Modi. 12:30pm: Within 3 minutes, India destroyed a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite 300 km away through an Anti-Satellite Missile; it needed very precise expertise of technology : PM Modi. 12:28pm: "Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc," he says. 12:26pm: 'Mission Shakti' operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch: PM Modi 12:25pm: India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit: PM Modi. 12:21pm: Address begins. 12:18pm: PM Narendra Modi's address to the nation to begin in approximately 8 minutes: ANI 12:15pm: The address comes a month after the Balakot strike. 12:11pm: The address is likely to be about the nation's security, sources told India Today. 12:09pm: The address has come after a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meet on Wednesday morning in Delhi. 12:07pm: Omar Abdullah joins in on the speculation. He's declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying - Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 27, 2019 12:02pm: PM Modi has not started the address, even though he tweeted he would start by 12:00pm. 11:46am: The Prime Minister announced demonetisation in a similar surprise message. Social media is abuzz with discussions on what this message could be. 11:44am: The Prime Minister tweeted about the address. The technology will roll out across the US in 2019 before heading to other countries later. McDonalds has bought an AI machine-learning company that will automatically change its drive-thru menu panels depending on factors such as weather, time, restaurant traffic and trends. The technology means that it could suggest McFlurry ice cream products on hot days, or show what is popular at that particular restaurant at the moment. It can also come up with instant suggestions based on what the customer has already ordered. McDonalds is acquiring Israeli startup Dynamic Yield for a reported 300 million dollars (227 million) after a trial in some US restaurants last year. The technology will roll out across the US in 2019 before heading to other countries later. Technology is a critical element of our Velocity Growth Plan, enhancing the experience for our customers by providing greater convenience on their terms, said Steve Easterbrook, president and chief executive of McDonalds. With this acquisition, were expanding both our ability to increase the role technology and data will play in our future and the speed with which well be able to implement our vision of creating more personalised experiences for our customers. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Mans mistake leads to double lottery jackpot Using the term cyclists dehumanises them researchers claim Housing developer accused of segregating children The restaurant chain is also working on implementing the same system into its self-order kiosks and ordering app. Easterbrook indicated that the system could be used to recognise a customers licence plate as they approach, adjusting the menu to show products based on their previous purchases. The technology will roll out across the US in 2019 before heading to other countries later. We will be very sensitive as we learn, as we go forward, Mr Easterbrook said in an interview with Wired. The global giant is planning to roll out the technology to drive-thru restaurants in the US in 2019, before expanding to other top international markets. Dynamic Yield, which has worked with the likes of Ikea, Office and William Hill, will remain a standalone company upon completion of the deal. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday there had been an "overreaction" to his request that Spain and the pope apologize for the conquest of the Americas. The leftist leader reopened a 500-year-old wound Monday when he announced he had sent letters to King Felipe VI of Spain and Pope Francis urging them to apologize for the abuses of the conquest and colonialism. His remarks triggered a flurry of resentful responses in Spain, where the government said it "firmly rejects" the idea. The Vatican indicated it considered the matter closed, pointing to a series of apologies by various popes over the years, including two by Francis. "I think there was an overreaction. There was a lot of exaggeration, which also shows the issue is still there beneath the surface," Lopez Obrador, 65, told a press conference. "There is also a good side to starting this controversy, because it makes us review our past," he said. He repeated that he is not seeking a "confrontation" with Spain. "But we do believe ... it would be proper to offer an apology to the indigenous peoples (of the Americas), because abuses were undoubtedly committed," he said. With the help of horses, swords, guns and smallpox -- all unknown in the New World at the time -- Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived in the land now known as Mexico in 1519, leading an army of several hundred men to defeat the Aztec empire. It was the start of 300 years of Spanish rule over Mexico. Modern Mexico has a complicated relationship with that past. The nation is the product of "mestizaje," the mixture of the Old and New Worlds. But it is also a history tainted by violence, rape and oppression. The reaction in Mexico has been less strong than in Spain. Many questioned why Lopez Obrador, who took office on December 1, was not focusing on more pressing problems, such as the rampant crime and corruption he campaigned against. On social media, jokes went viral asking whether the president would also demand the United States give back California and the other territory Mexico lost after an 1848 war, or repay France for the baked goods that triggered the "Pastry War," an 1832 conflict started by a French baker's accusation that Mexican officers had looted his shop. Two weeks after a "bomb cyclone" storm pummeled a large swath of the Midwest with heavy snow, drenching rains and historic flooding, farms remain under water and Superfund waste sites inaccessible. And more snow and rain are on the way. Millions of acres of farmland were underwater or threatened by flooding in Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. In South Dakota, a Native American reservation as big as Delaware and Rhode Island combined was battling swamped roads and broken water lines overwhelmed by flooding creeks and rivers. "Thankful to the SD National Guard, tribal leadership, and volunteers who are working hard to help people in need," Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted after visiting the Pine Ridge Reservation. Almost 8,000 of the 20,000 people who live on the reservation have had water supplies disrupted, the tribe said. Three people who suffered medical problems died before ambulances slowed by floodwaters could get to them, the tribe said. This is going to have a devastating effect on us," reservation President Julian Bear Runner said. In Missouri, Langston farmer Richard Oswald told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch his 160- acre farm is so besieged by water that he evacuated. He doesn't expect to return for a couple of weeks. Im no youngster, Oswald says. Im 69 years old. Ive lived here all my life. And Ive never seen weather like this. Flood water covers Highway 59 near Craig, Missouri on March 22, 2019. The Environmental Protection Agency said at least eight contaminated sites in three states affected by the flooding remain inaccessible. Spokesman Ben Washburn said two sites had "real impacts that required action" the Nebraska Ordnance Plant in Mead, 45 miles west of Omaha, and the Conservation Chemical Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. At the Nebraska site, a groundwater treatment system and wells were shut down for two days. Flooding at the Kansas City plant required an increase in the pumping rate of the groundwater treatment system, Washburn said. Story continues Washburn added that no releases of hazardous contaminants have been detected. A half-dozen other sites are dealing with standing water or are as yet inaccessible, Washburn said. As floodwaters recede and more areas can be reached safely, the EPA will determine whether action is necessary, he said. Parts of Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota can expect significantly more precipitation over the next couple of days, in many areas starting as rain before colder air sweeps in and changes it to snow, AccuWeather says. "Some of this new snow and remaining older snow from the winter eventually will melt and join the high water levels along the Missouri River in the coming days and weeks," Sosnowski said. Rain and thunderstorms along the southeastern flank of the storm will add to the flooding trouble across the region, meteorologist Renee Duff said. The news was not all bad. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that people should be on guard for localized flooding but that the state is prepared for any catastrophic flooding. I dont want anybody to let their guard down, (but) when it comes to the actual boots on the ground and the organization, very confident, Walz said. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Two weeks after 'bomb cyclone': Midwest farms, Superfund sites still underwater San Francisco (AFP) - Monsanto has been ordered to pay some $80 million to an American retiree who blames his cancer on the agribusiness giant's weedkiller Roundup, in a case that could influence the outcome of thousands more like it. A San Francisco jury Wednesday found the firm, which is owned by Bayer, had been "negligent by not using reasonable care" to warn of the risks of its product, ordering it to pay Edwin Hardeman $75 million in punitive damages, a little over $5 million in compensation and $200,000 for medical expenses. It was the second stinging legal verdict for Monsanto in recent months after it lost a case to a California school groundskeeper suffering from terminal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and was ordered to pay out tens of millions of dollars. The jury also found that Roundup's design was defective and that the product lacked sufficient warnings of potential risk. The same jury had previously found in an earlier part of the trial that a quarter century exposure to Roundup, whose principal ingredient is controversial chemical glyphosate, was a "substantial factor" in giving the 70-year-old Hardeman non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The decision also marks a major setback for Bayer, which purchased Monsanto in June 2018 for $63 billion. - 'No impact on future cases' - In Frankfurt Thursday, Bayer's share price fell 1.14 percent to 55.69 euros by 0830 GMT -- extending losses as Bayer has seen its market value shrink by 46 percent since it bought Monsanto. The company, which is facing thousands more similar lawsuits in the United States, said it would appeal the verdict even though it sympathized with Hardeman's plight. "We are disappointed with the jury's decision, but this verdict does not change the weight of over four decades of extensive science and the conclusions of regulators worldwide that support the safety of our glyphosate-based herbicides and that they are not carcinogenic," Bayer said in a statement. Story continues "The verdict in this trial has no impact on future cases and trials, as each one has its own factual and legal circumstances." Hardeman's attorneys, who cheered and hugged their client as the verdict was announced, described the decision by the six-member jury as historic and said it sends a clear message to Monsanto that it needs to change its business practices. "It is clear from Monsanto's actions that it does not care whether Roundup causes cancer, focusing instead on manipulating public opinion and undermining anyone who raises genuine and legitimate concerns about Roundup," attorneys Aimee Wagstaff and Jennifer Moore said in a statement. "It speaks volumes that not one Monsanto employee, past or present, came live to trial to defend Roundup's safety or Monsanto's actions." - 'Back against the wall' - The case is one of more than 11,200 similar cases in the US alone involving Roundup. Last August, Monsanto lost a case to a California school groundskeeper suffering from terminal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, who had sued the company over the glyphosate weedkillers Roundup and Ranger Pro. Monsanto was initially ordered to pay $289 million to Dewayne Johnson, before the damages were reduced to $78.5 million. Bayer has also filed an appeal in that case. Monsanto has consistently denied that the weedkiller causes cancer and challenged findings by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), which classified glyphosate as a "probable carcinogen" in 2015. But other major agencies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) or the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not followed suit. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, told AFP that Hardeman's case was "important as a bellwether, which means it helps predict how future cases will be decided." Tobias said the verdict "bodes well" for plaintiffs in the thousands of other cases filed against Monsanto, and was "likely to encourage plaintiffs and their counsel to be more vigorous in pursuing their cases and will lead more potential plaintiffs to file suit." The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organisation, cheered Wednesday's verdict. "Clearly, the testimony that informed the jury's decision was Bayer-Monsanto hiding Roundup's carcinogenic properties, manipulating the science and cozying-up with EPA so it would not have to warn consumers of its dangerous product," said the group's president Ken Cook. "This verdict puts Bayer's back firmly up against the wall as the cost of litigation mounts and its stock price gets pummeled once again," he added. Rabat (AFP) - Ahead of Pope Francis arriving in Morocco, the country's small and diverse Catholic community gathered excitedly at Rabat's cathedral to get their hands on tickets to see the pontiff. "We're lucky! The pope is coming to Africa, it will bring together communities from all walks of life in a Muslim country. It's extraordinary," said Ernould Kumba, 27, originally from Congo-Brazzaville. On the first Sunday of Lent, a tight crowd gathered around the cathedral nave including tourists, foreign retirees, and a majority of parishioners from sub-Saharan Africa. The pope's arrival on Saturday has been hailed as a "unique opportunity" by Rabat's archbishop, Cristobal Lopez Romero, who said it demonstrates that "we value more that which unites us than that which divides us". "You come from all peoples and all countries," the Spanish archbishop told churchgoers, rolling off a list of those who were due to be baptised. Reflecting the diversity of the parish, there was a reading in Portuguese before the Lord's Prayer in Arabic. Around 30,000 to 35,000 Catholics live in Morocco, a tenth of the number before the North African country gained independence in 1956. Back then there were more than 200 Catholic churches, while now just 44 remain, which are supported by Morocco's migrant communities. The first wave of arrivals from sub-Saharan Africa came in the 1990s, with students on university grants, followed by those over the past decade who are seeking to reach Europe. "They breathe new life, I've never seen a church so young, with an average age of 30 to 35", said Father Daniel Nourissat, who leads the Rabat parish. Lizzie, a 20-year-old Ivorian, said she wasn't previously a strong believer but "everything" changed when she came to study in Morocco. "It's not easy, here, and faith is a great support," she said. The sentiment was echoed by Jean-Baptiste, a fellow Ivorian, who said many parishioners attend church to "create a fraternity". Story continues - A 'degree of freedom' - The pope's two-day visit follows an invitation by King Mohammed VI, as part of the "development of inter-religious dialogue" according to Moroccan authorities. The king describes himself as the "commander of the faithful" and Islam is the state religion, although the constitution guarantees "to all the freedom to practise their faith". It is, however, a criminal offence to try to proselytise or "rock the faith of a Muslim or to convert him to another religion", punishable with from six months to three years in prison. "It's true that compared to other Arab countries we have a degree of freedom," said Mohamed, a Moroccan who converted to Catholicism in 2016. The 70-year-old said he was "convinced by the preachings of Father Rachid," a Christian convert and presenter on Egyptian satellite channel Al Hayat TV. "It's not always easy, but I don't hide" visits to the cathedral, Mohamed said proudly. With Christianity a sensitive subject, the Rabat parish avoids putting its flock in the spotlight. "Some Muslims pretend that we don't have the same God and that we will end up in hell," said Cyrvine, a 24-year-old Congolese student who sings in the choir. "But the pope's visit will be an opportunity to unite communities and religions," she added, impatient for the pontiff's arrival. Britain lurched from crisis to crisis on Wednesday night as the Prime Minister and politicians from all parties failed to agree on how to move forward with Brexit. On yet another remarkable night in the House of Commons, Theresa May vowed to fall on her sword if MPs back her Withdrawal Agreement. However, within a couple of hours, the DUP had thrown her attempt back in her face, insisting there is no chance they will support her divorce deal. The PM is reliant on their support as well as hard Brexiteers within her own party to secure a majority on her agreement. Later, MPs embarked on a series of so-called indicative votes to see if they could agree on a way forward. But, as predicted, not a single of the eight options achieved a majority although the prospect of a second referendum gained more backing from MPs than any other option. Why was Theresa Mays night so bad (again)? In a last-ditch effort to win backing for her deal, Mrs May offered to quit as Prime Minister. In a move that she hoped would appeal to Brexiteers, including the influential Eurosceptic ERG, the PM told a private meeting of backbenchers: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to secure a smooth and orderly Brexit. Theresa May has said she will resign if her Brexit deal goes through Parliament (Getty) She said: I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. The move had appeared to work, with some reports suggesting it had resulted in a change of heart by big hitters including Boris Johnson. Arlene Foster said the DUP would not support Theresa Mays deal (Picture: PA) But Mrs Mays hopes were dashed when the DUP said it would not support her deal. DUP leader Arlene Foster said the party was unable to support the Withdrawal Agreement while it poses a threat to the integrity of the UK and necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured. Read more: How the newspapers see Theresa Mays Commons defeat Theresa May has bottled it says Boris Johnson These are the favourites to replace Theresa May Story continues The news also threatens Mrs Mays hope for support from the ERG, whose chair Jacob Rees-Mogg had signalled he would back the deal if the DUP abstained. When asked about the possibility of abstaining, the DUPs Nigel Dodds told one journalist: The DUP do not abstain on the Union. Where does that leave Theresa May? If Mrs Mays deal passes, a Tory leadership election would start on May 22, with her staying in place until a new leader is decided which could be as early as June or as late as September, depending on how the contest plays out. Two MPs tipped to enter the Tory leadership race took to Twitter to pay tribute to the PM: Prime Minister gave a dignified and honest speech at the 1922. She cares deeply about our country and is a patriot. People must now support the deal and move us forward. Liz Truss (@trussliz) March 27, 2019 Dignity, honesty & bravery from the PM tonight. We must maintain trust in our democracy and deliver Brexit. I urge all MPs to back the Deal so we can fulfil our promise to the British people Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) March 27, 2019 Justice Secretary David Gauke said Theresa May made a very touching, moving speech as she pledged to step down. Asked about a forthcoming Tory leadership contest, he told the BBC: I think just at the moment theres quite enough for MPs to be focusing on on Brexit, so I think really its what we should all be focusing on. But Anna Soubry, who has quit the Tories to join The Independent Group, branded her former colleagues willingness to back the deal purely in order to get ride of Mrs May as exceptionally shabby. I think its an exceptionally shabby, appalling piece of behaviour of my former colleagues who are now going to vote apparently for her purely and simply to get rid of the Prime Minister @Anna_Soubry to @cathynewman on #Trexit pic.twitter.com/wbaBPAfUvN Hayley Barlow (@Hayley_Barlow) March 27, 2019 Indicative Votes results What happened with the indicative votes? MPs had seized control of the House of Commons agenda to force votes on alternatives to Mrs Mays plan including a call for a public vote on any deal and a demand for Parliament to choose between no-deal and no-Brexit if the UK gets within two days of crashing out. But perhaps unsurprisingly, not one of the eight options achieved a majority, including Labours alternative Brexit plan featuring a permanent customs union with a UK say on trade deals and close alignment with the single market. The prospect of a second referendum gained more backing from MPs than any other option, prompting The Independent Group spokesman Chuka Umunna to say its all to play for. Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also pointed out that despite not obtaining a majority, the plan for a confirmatory public vote received more votes than the Prime Ministers Brexit plan. What do we know this evening: in a vote of the @HouseofCommons on resolving the #Brexit chaos, holding a #PeoplesVote commanded the most support! more than the PMs deal, Labours alternative deal, no deal, the Common market 2.0 or the others. Its all to play for! Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) March 27, 2019 Public vote gets biggest vote 268 in favour and crucially gets more support than PMs Deal last time (242) Now Monday becomes key moment to attach #peoplesvote to any deal that gets more support Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) March 27, 2019 Ahead of the announcement of the results, MPs voted in favour of regulations linked to moving the date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU from March 29 to May 22 if a deal is approved by March 29, or to April 12 if no deal is approved. What about MV3? Mrs May must table a motion for a third meaningful vote (MV3) on her deal by the end of Wednesday if it is to be debated on Thursday. If it comes any later, she would have to ask the Commons to sit on Friday March 29 initially marked out for Brexit day and currently listed as a non-sitting day. However, she will also need to persuade Speaker John Bercow that it is not a simple re-run of an earlier vote. Mrs Mays official spokesman said: If we are able to hold and win a vote this week, we would then be able to leave the EU in less than two months time with a deal, which the Prime Minister firmly believes is what the public wants. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK In a curious twist in the ongoing saga of Singh brothers' missing billions, an NRI film producer Sheetal Vinod Talwar has approached the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai alleging he has been threatened with life after his lawyers pursued repayment of $1.25 million paid supposedly towards Radha Soami Satsang chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon's treatment abroad. "I was coaxed into parting with $1.25 million towards Gurinder Singh Dhillon's treatment and allied expenses in 2015. Dhillon spoke to me twice to help with funds," Talwar told BusinessToday.In in a written response. Money was given to Hong Kong-based company Mega Brave Limited run by RSSB's Lakhi Samtani & Manoj Sabnani. This is the second criminal complaint against the Baba and RSSB associates. Earlier, on Feb 5, Malvinder Singh had approached the Economic Offences Wing in Delhi accusing Baba Dhillon of threatening through lawyer Ferida Chopra that Malvinder would be eliminated. Malvinder had sought payment of Rs 8,742 crore towards money loaned to firms owned by Dhillon, his family and RSSB associates. Dhillon did not respond to a detailed email seeking response to Talwar's allegations. Sources close to Shivinder have called the allegations "false" and "rubbish". Talwar though is a National Film Award winning International film producer and angel investor. His first feature film 'Dharm' was acknowledged with the National Film Award. It premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Talwar has produced films such as 'Rann' starring Amitabh Bachchan, 'Mausam' with Shahid Kapoor, 'Rakta Charitra' starring Surya. Among international films, he produced 'The Joneses' starring Demi Moore, the Martin Freeman starrer 'The Eichmann Show', 'Romans' starring Orlando Bloom. During Sunil Godhwani's tenure at Religare, Talwar launched India's first SEBI-registered film fund - Vistaar Religare. In his complaint before the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai on 20 November, 2018, Talwar has alleged that in 2015, Sunil Godhwani and RSSB's Sharan Bhojwani introduced him to directors of a Hong Kong based company Mega Brave Limited-Lakhi Samtani & Manoj Sabnani. He was told Samtani and Sabnani were intimately connected to RSSB. When they found him reluctant to lend, Talwar says Dhillon spoke to him to assure that the money repayment should not be a problem as the borrowers were "extremely wealthy in their own right and it was only because of some immediate restrictions and his health that they were unable to transfer the said amount of $1.25 million". The complaint filed by Talwar's lawyers Probus Legal alleges Dhillon "took advantage of Mr Talwar's faith and respect towards him and lured him into parting with such a huge amount of money". The petition says despite the fact that "the said advance was a short term loan, our client (Talwar) did not receive any money". In his complaint before EOW, Talwar annexed an email he wrote to RSSB's Sharan Bhojwani on March 20, 2017, detailing the threatening call: "I am shocked at the turn of events. About 30 mins ago I got a call from a Delhi no. threatening me with dire consequences if I pursued the legal option at Hong Kong. I and my family at Delhi were threatened with physical harm if I did anything that troubled Babaji." "I was told that Sunny (Sunil Godhwani) and Babaji could not make the payments as it (Religare) had hit the LERMS limit. And that I would be reimbursed when the fiscal began. The requests came from Sunil Godhwani, Sharan Bhojwani and Shivinder. However, I have not been paid the full amount till date inspite of repeated reminders. I have received life threats on phone when my lawyers pursued the balance payments," Talwar told BusinessToday.In in a written response. "My various emails/calls reminding them about repayment fell into deaf ears and were ignored. This forced me to approach the EOW and take appropriate legal action", Talwar adds in his response to BusinessToday.In. By Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Attorney General William Barr sent lawmakers a summary of the key findings in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, members of President Donald Trump's legal team were gathered in an office near the U.S. Capitol. They soon had reason to celebrate on Sunday, perhaps helped by a pivotal strategic decision. Mueller had spent 22 months investigating whether Trump or his aides conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, interviewing 500 witnesses. The Republican president's lawyers made sure he was not among them. The strategy paid off, insulating Trump from the legal jeopardy presented by a sit-down interview with the special counsel's team - an interview that Trump had said publicly he wanted to do. There was even a tentative date for the interview - Jan. 27, 2018 - though one of Trump's lawyers told Reuters he never intended to make the president available to Mueller. And Mueller never issued a subpoena demanding testimony. On Sunday, Trump's lead attorneys - Jay Sekulow, Rudy Giuliani and husband-and-wife team Jane and Martin Raskin - were huddled at a conference table with their computers open, awaiting Barr's summary. When it finally popped up online, they were jubilant. Mueller had found no evidence of conspiracy with Russia, Barr said. The attorney general also concluded there was insufficient evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice by trying to impede the inquiry - an issue the special counsel had left unresolved. The findings provided Trump a big political victory after an investigation that had cast a long shadow over his presidency. Giuliani threw his arm around Sekulow, as Sekulow told Reuters on Tuesday. Sekulow said he told the others, "This is absolutely fantastic." Giuliani told Reuters minutes after Barr issued the findings: "It's better than I expected." Trump's legal team successfully rebuffed Mueller's repeated efforts to get a sit-down interview with Trump and avoided the president being subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury. They agreed instead to have Trump provide written responses, which he did in November. Story continues The stakes were high. Some of the lawyers had worried that if Trump had submitted to the interview, it could expose him to claims that he lied to the FBI, or made "false statements," in legal terms. Giuliani publicly called an interview a "perjury trap," especially if Mueller went beyond asking Trump about collusion and strayed into other matters. Trump is frequently called out for misstating facts or simply making things up. For the past year, Trump's lawyers pursued a two-pronged approach that relied on public attacks by Giuliani on Mueller's "witch hunt" on cable TV news alongside backroom negotiations with Mueller's team led by the Raskins, according to two sources familiar with the strategy who spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment for this story. 'WE WEREN'T GOING THERE' When Mueller began his work in May 2017, Trump's legal team initially decided that cooperation was the quickest way to end the probe, according to Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer who handled the inquiry for the presidency at the time. More than 20 White House staff members were made available for special counsel interviews, and the administration handed over more than 20,000 documents. A burning question was whether Trump himself would agree to be interviewed. Despite the tentative date being set, Trump's legal advisers were split. Attorney John Dowd, who at the time represented Trump personally in the inquiry, worried that an interview would be too risky. "We're not going to go in there and make a mistake," said Dowd, a pugnacious ex-Marine, recalling how he pushed back against Trump being interviewed even though the president had expressed willingness. Dowd said he talked to Mueller's team "about what they had done to Flynn and Papadopoulos." Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and a former Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, both ended up pleading guilty to lying to the FBI after submitting to special counsel interviews. "We weren't going there," Dowd said in an interview. Dowd said Mueller told him he wanted to discuss 16 areas in the interview, a scope viewed as too expansive. In agreeing to the tentative interview date, Trump's lawyers had been seeking to draw out Mueller to find out what he already knew, Dowd said. "We wanted to know what was really on their mind. They played it close to the vest. Our purpose was: the more meetings we had, the more we learned. That was the purpose of keeping the talking going," Dowd said, adding that he never intended to make Trump available for an interview. PROTECTING THE PRESIDENT After the interview was canceled, it was apparent, according to Cobb, that the process would drag on. "Once there was a decision by the president's lawyers in January 2018 not to proceed with an interview at that time - but to keep the possibility open - it was clear this would take some time," Cobb said. The lawyers also faced the daily prospect of a subpoena from Mueller to force Trump to testify. If it came, their plan was to ask a judge to quash the subpoena, expecting the legal fight to reach the Supreme Court. It never came. "We were prepared from the outset in the event of a subpoena to challenge it," Sekulow said. "We felt confident the law was clearly on our side." Although not all experts agree, the legal team's view was that a president cannot be compelled to testify unless the information could not be obtained from other sources and the circumstances were extraordinary. By the spring of 2018, it appeared Trump had two options: either sit for an interview or be subpoenaed. By that point, Trump's team had been reshuffled. Dowd resigned in March. The Raskins and Giuliani came on board in April. Cobb was replaced in the White House by Emmet Flood in May. Sekulow was the only key member remaining throughout. The new legal team pressed Mueller to show them that the investigation had reached a stage that would justify sitting down with the president, a source familiar with the negotiations said. "Are you in a position where you have evidence of a crime?" the source said the team asked Mueller. The Trump legal team argued that because the special counsel had amassed a wealth of information through interviews with White House staffers and others close to the president, Mueller had not reached the high bar necessary for a sit-down interview with Trump. "By providing all the witnesses from the White House and the documentation from the White House and the presidential election committee, my view from the outset was the predicate had not been reached to demand an interview with the president," Sekulow said. "I never thought we should modify from that." The team stuck to that position through the autumn of 2018 while negotiating the deal in which Trump would answer written questions only on a limited subject - potential collusion with Russia before the 2016 election - not open-ended queries that potentially could have spilled into his businesses, finances or other matters. CRITICAL MOMENT Mueller's agreement to submit a list of questions was a critical moment. The special counsel never stopped asking for the interview, the source said, but when Mueller acquiesced to answers in writing, it was a game-changer. "It went from being constantly, 'Are they going to decide to issue a subpoena?' to, 'We're doing some written questions,'" the source said. Trump's lawyers would not entertain questions on the issue of whether Trump had tried to obstruct justice when he fired former FBI director James Comey, then overseeing the Russia probe, and frequently assailed Attorney General Jeff Sessions publicly for not ending the inquiry. The legal team did not think a president could be found guilty of obstruction of justice for firing someone whom he had appointed in the first place to work for the administration. "That was off the table," and negotiations with Mueller continued on answering questions on Russia's interference in the election, the source familiar with the matter said. "At the end of the day, the strategy worked. No interview. No grand jury subpoena," the source added. Trump signed his answers to Mueller on Nov. 20 before leaving Washington to celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "We answered every question they asked that was legitimately pre-election and focused on Russia," Giuliani told Reuters at the time. "Nothing post-election." Mueller's team had pressed during the negotiations for an opportunity to pose follow-up questions to Trump, possibly in person, Giuliani said. But ultimately the special counsel agreed to accept just the written answers with no conditions and no follow-ups, Giuliani added. By the end of last year, Trump's lawyers had little interaction with Mueller's team. Asked about the team's strategy, Sekulow said, "I guess it worked. The plane landed successfully." (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Ross Colvin and Will Dunham) As many as 84 per cent of Americans want Robert Muellers report into Russian election interference and the actions of Donald Trump made public, according to a new poll. As Democrats, and some Republicans, urged the depart of justice for the entirety of the special counsels investigation to be released, a poll found the vast majority of Americans agreed with them. The Quinnipiac poll released on Tuesday, suggested up to 84 per cent of people want the report made available. Even among Republicans, the percentage who support making public the details of the two-year investigation, was as high as 75 per cent. The poll also found 55 per cent of people believed Mr Mueller had conducted a fair investigation, while 26 per cent felt it was not fair. Over the weekend, attorney general William Barr sent to Congress a summary of Mr Muellers investigation into Moscows alleged interference and accusations it had been assisted by members of the Trump campaign. In his report, Mr Mueller said he found no evidence of a direct link between what he said were Moscows efforts and the Trump campaign. On the issue of whether the president had obstructed efforts to investigate possible collusion, he set out the case for and against in regard to several incidents. Yet he determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement. In turn, Mr Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, decided the presidents actions did not constitute a crime. Democrats have been calling for Mr Barr to make public the entire report. Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed scepticism about Mr Barrs summary of the findings, saying it was designed to frame the message before the information was available. Congressman Jamie Raskin said: I havent seen the Mueller report. Ive seen the Barr report. And Im not going to base anything on the Barr report. The president is saying hes been completely and totally exonerated by the report. The one sentence weve seen from the report says this is not an exoneration of the president. Story continues Many Democrats claim Mr Barr is conflicted because of his views - expressed in a memo to the administration before becoming attorney general that the president cannot be charged with obstruction since he oversees the Justice Department. You cant move forward on a four-page memo, said congresswoman Karen Bass told the Associated Press. Its hard for me to accept that as an objective opinion. Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, told The Hill: We want to know more, say voters who have read the bullet points and believe the Mueller investigation was fair, but would like to read it in full. But was it a witch hunt? That remains the stuff of dinner table discussion. Philadelphias Temple University is urging its students and faculty to get mumps vaccinations amid an outbreak that has likely sickened more than 100 people over two months. As of Tuesday, the citys Department of Public Health said there were 105 cases of mumps associated with Temples outbreak. Of those cases, 18 have been confirmed and 87 were probable. Six of those cases were outside of Philadelphia, the department said. The school first announced the outbreak at the end of February, just before spring break, with four confirmed cases of the disease. A line of mostly students waits to enter a vaccination clinic on Wednesday amid a mumps outbreak on the Temple University campus in Philadelphia. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) I think we have a handle on it, but were expecting a third wave, Marky Denys, the universitys student health director, told CBS Philly. Mumps is a viral infection that spreads through infected saliva. An infected person can spread it simply by sneezing or coughing around other people, or by sharing utensils or cups with another person, according to the Mayo Clinics website. The university is offering free vaccines to its students and faculty at walk-in clinics this week. Today at Mitten Hall, Student and Employee Health Services will be offering a walk-in clinic at which the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine will be available. Details: https://t.co/qzcbCDL0IE Temple University (@TempleUniv) March 27, 2019 Because of the nature of mumps it can take up to three weeks for someone who was exposed to become symptomatic we realize that the outbreak will continue for a while longer, but hope that these clinics help bring it to a close, James Garrow, a spokesman with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said in a statement. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Though it does not guarantee protection, those who are vaccinated generally experience milder symptoms of the disease if its contracted. A higher number of vaccinated people also helps limits the size, duration and spread of outbreaks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Story continues People walk on the Temple University campus in Philadelphia on Friday. Philadelphia health officials say scores of people have contracted mumps at the school. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) There is no treatment for mumps, and it can cause long-term health problems. Before there was a vaccine, mumps was the leading cause in the U.S. for viral encephalitis (infection of the brain) and sudden deafness, the CDCs website says. In some cases, public health officials may recommend two or three doses of the vaccine depending on a persons risk of contracting the disease, according to both the CDC and the Mayo Clinic. A study of a recent mumps outbreak on a college campus showed that students who received a third dose of MMR vaccine had a much lower risk of contracting the disease, the Mayo Clinics website says. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Related Coverage Mumps Confirmed In 7 Detainees At Houston ICE Facility More Than 2,000 Migrants In ICE Detention Centers Quarantined For Disease Outbreaks Also on HuffPost This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Donald Tusk has once again risked the wrath of Brexiteers by coming out in support of people who want to delay Brexit and those who want to stop it altogether. The European Council president urged the European Parliament to be open to a long extension, if the UK wishes to rethink its strategy and demanded those against Brexit to be represented. He said: You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a peoples vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union. Donald Tusk has tweeted a defence of the people calling for Brexit to be cancelled (Getty) Appeal to EP: You should be open to a long extension, if the UK wishes to rethink its strategy. 6 million people signed the petition, 1 million marched. They may not feel sufficiently represented by UK Parliament but they must feel represented by you. Because they are Europeans. Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 27, 2019 They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by their UK Parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber because they are Europeans. Mr Tusk has now pinned a tweet of his quote to the top of his Twitter page. His comments come on the day MPs take part in a series of votes in changing the course of Brexit. Read more: Government rejects Brexit petition MPs set to vote on alternative Brexit plans Jacob Rees-Mogg hints he will back Theresa Mays Brexit deal European Parliaments Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted that the votes would be the start of a cross-party co-operation to break the deadlock. He added: A majority to break the #Brexit deadlock will never have the support of the so-called hard Brexiters. The only thing that counts for them is to seize power inside the Tory party. This is not in the national interest of the country. We are open to change the Political Declaration. First of all, by turning it into a more binding agreement between the EU and the UK. Secondly, by creating a deeper and broader relationship in the interest of both Britain and the European Union. Story continues The key dates to come in the Article 50 process (PA) A majority to break the #Brexit deadlock will never have the support of the so-called hard brexiters. The only thing that counts for them is to seize power inside the Tory party. This is not in the national interest of the country. Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) March 27, 2019 The seed for Britains return to the European Union was planted last weekend by marching in London & nearly six million signing the article 50 petition.We need a deep EU-UK relationship that one day, Im pretty sure, will lead Britain back into the family of European nations. Theresa May is still hoping her Brexit deal will pass on a third try and could bring it back to the Commons this week amid signs growing numbers of Tory rebels are now ready to back it, a senior Cabinet minister has said. Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom said there was a real possibility there would be sufficient support for the Government to stage a third meaningful vote, either on Thursday or Friday. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets of London on Saturday demanding a halt to Brexit (Getty) Theresa May faces increasing pressure to quit to get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament (Getty) She said ministers were continuing to talk to MPs including those in the DUP, who prop up the Government at Westminster and whose votes may be crucial in determining the outcome. Securing a meaningful vote this week would mean the Government had met the deadline set by the EU for an extension of the Article 50 withdrawal process to May 22 to allow it to complete the preparations for leaving. Otherwise the Prime Minister will have to come forward with an alternative approach by April 12, which would involve either a lengthy delay or Britain leaving with no deal at all. Her comments came as a number of leading Conservative Brexiteers including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson signalled they were ready to fall into line amid fears Brexit could be lost altogether if it does not get through. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Washington (AFP) - North Korean military activities are incompatible with denuclearization, which the United States is demanding as a condition for lifting sanctions, the commander of US forces in South Korea said Wednesday. "Despite a reduction in tensions along the demilitarized zone and a cessation of strategic provocations coupled with public statements of intent to denuclearize, little to no verifiable change has occurred to North Korea's military capabilities," General Robert Abrams testified to lawmakers. "These capabilities continue to hold the United States, South Korea and our regional allies at risk." Abrams said he believed it necessary to maintain a "postured and ready force to deter any possible aggressive actions." Asked about signs of military activity reported in news outlets -- triggering fear North Korea is preparing missile or rocket tests -- the general said he could not comment in open session. "Their activity that we have observed is inconsistent with denuclearization," said Abrams. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met at an unprecedented summit last June in Singapore, after which Kim agreed to work toward denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But since then negotiations to turn that vague pledge into something concrete have failed to yield progress, and a second meeting between the two men in February in Vietnam ended abruptly and without agreement. Trump has been criticized for lending legitimacy to the North Korean dictator, whose regime has an atrocious human rights record. "Just landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," he tweeted after Singapore. "There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience." The United States says it will not accept a gradual denuclearization of North Korea but rather wants it to be swift and total, in exchange for lifting sanctions. Nasa must return people to the moon within five years "by any means necessary", Mike Pence has said. The US vice president called on the space agency to accelerate its efforts to get people back to our neighbour, aiming for the lunar south pole, in a major speech. Talking to a meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama, he said Nasa rockets and lunar landers will be replaced by private craft, if required. He said: "It's time to redouble our effort. It can happen, but it will not happen unless we increase the pace." The earliest possible landing on the moon by Nasa is not until 2028, Mr Pence said, acknowledging that talent - and money - will be necessary to achieve this sooner. Mr Pence warned that if Nasa cannot put astronauts on the moon by 2024, "we need to change the organisation, not the mission". He said the US space agency must transform into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organisation, and must adopt an "all-hands-on-deck approach". Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine assured Mr Pence that Nasa will do everything possible to meet the deadline. However, some outside experts were sceptical of the new timeline. Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian centre for astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said: "I will be astonished if this happens." He noted that a lunar lander still needs to be designed, built and tested. "That is a hard challenge on a five-year time scale even without political budget infighting," he said. This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Since Apollo astronauts last walked on the moon in 1972, no country has made a serious attempt to send humans back to the lunar surface. For decades, Nasa has switched focus back and forth from the moon to Mars, a victim of changing presidential administrations. More recently, former president Barack Obama targeted Mars as astronauts' next big destination, while his successor at the White House, Donald Trump, has favoured the moon. Story continues In order to get astronauts on the moon by 2024, Mr Bridenstine said the space agency's new megarocket will be needed, but its development and pace will need to be faster. Two weeks ago, he said Nasa was considering using private rockets instead to launch its new Orion capsule around the moon without a crew on a test flight next year. However, he expressed confidence that the SLS, or Space Launch System, would be ready for the job. He also stressed the need for an outpost with astronauts near the moon to serve as a stepping-off point for lunar landings. It took just eight years for Nasa to accomplish everything to put astronauts on the moon in July 1969. It is unacceptable, Mr Pence said, that SLS delays and cost overruns point to a 2028 target date - nearly two decades after the SLS programme began. The vice president instructed Nasa to aim to land on the moon's south pole, where considerable amounts of ice could be used for drinking and making rocket fuel. The US vice president declared: "The exploration of the heavens in this still new century will go forward with or without the United States. But Americans don't do second place. Americans lead, and so we will." Planetary scientist Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute, said 2024 is a feasible target - provided the accelerated effort is funded properly and commercial space systems are fully embraced. However, former Nasa official Scott Hubbard said the five-year time limit seems "awfully short to me", given the lack of national security incentives like the ones that existed during Apollo and the Cold War race to beat the Soviets to the moon. Washington (AFP) - NASA responded to accusations of sexism Wednesday over its decision to cancel a planned historic spacewalk by two women astronauts due to a lack of well-fitting spacesuits. On Monday, the US space agency announced that Christina Koch will perform tasks in space Friday with fellow American Nick Hague -- rather than with Anne McClain as originally planned. Had Koch and McClain done their spacewalk together, it would have been the first ever by two women astronauts -- out of more than 200 spacewalks since 1998. Only one medium-sized spacesuit is currently available aboard the International Space Station -- where Koch and McClain are staying with four American, Canadian and Russian men. But both women recently realized they needed the medium size. Space fans and feminists alike denounced the decision to cancel the all-women spacewalk, seeing implicit sexism in traditionally male-dominated NASA's failure to be adequately prepared for both women to venture out into space together. "Make another suit," former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Twitter. Julie Cohen, director and producer of the "RBG" documentary on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, added: "C'mon NASA...? We can send a man to the moon, but we can't assemble two lady-sized spacesuits? #SpaceWalk." The spacesuits aboard the ISS are in fact assemblies of several parts put together as best adapted to each astronaut's body. Two hard upper torso parts in each of the three available spacesuit sizes are currently held at the ISS: medium, large and extra large. But only one medium and one extra-large hard upper torso parts are currently operational. The others are spare parts that require a 12-hour assembly, according to NASA. "Twelve additional hours of crew time would mean delaying the date of the spacewalk, which would be difficult with the station's schedule for cargo vehicles and adding additional stress to the crew's schedule," said NASA spokeswoman Brandi Dean. Story continues She also stressed that "the original pairing was not intentionally planned to bring about the first all-female spacewalk, it was just the way it worked out." McClain herself sought to exonerate NASA. "This decision was based on my recommendation," she tweeted. "Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first." Washington (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that he was ready to order further action in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip after airstrikes in response to rocket fire. "I can tell you we are prepared to do a lot more. We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state," Netanyahu told the US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC by video link from the Jewish state's defense headquarters. Netanyahu cut short his visit to Washington to handle the response after a rare rocket strike landed near Tel Aviv, injuring seven Israelis, just two weeks ahead of elections. Israel hit back with air strikes including on the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, with an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire failing to take hold. Before returning home, Netanyahu enjoyed a key pre-election boost when he met Monday with President Donald Trump who proclaimed that the United States considered the Golan Heights -- captured by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 -- to belong to the Jewish state. Pointing to Jewish historical roots in the Golan, Netanyahu told AIPAC: "Israel holds the high ground and we shall never, ever give it up." Netanyahu again hailed Trump -- who in 2017 fulfilled another long-held Israeli ambition by moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to disputed Jerusalem. But Netanyahu, without criticizing Trump, also denounced anti-Semites around the world including those who "march through the streets of Charlottesville." White supremacists rallied in the Virginia city in 2017 where they chanted slogans against Jews and an assailant killed a counter-protester, with Trump facing criticism for saying the neo-Nazi crowd included "very fine people." Netanyahu is facing a stiff election challenge from centrist former military chief Benny Gantz, who brought the American Jewish audience to its feet Monday with promises of an inclusive Israel. Netanyahu's pre-election dealings with the far-right Jewish Power party, which calls for the forcible expulsion of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs, has triggered condemnation even from AIPAC and other staunchly pro-Israel US groups. Story continues Netanyahu cast a moderate image for himself at AIPAC, saying that both Israel and the United States "love freedom and democracy." "We don't judge people by the color of their skin, their religion or their sexual orientation," Netanyahu said. "I'm proud of Israel's vibrant democracy where no one -- no one -- is a second-class citizen. All of Israel's citizens are first-class citizens," he said. By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department and FBI have yet to notify key congressional committees and leaders of any plan to brief them in detail on the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, five congressional officials said on Tuesday. Attorney General William Barr on Sunday delivered to Congress his summary of Mueller's confidential report on a 22-month investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Barr said Mueller concluded there was no collusion between President Donald Trump's campaign team and Moscow. Mueller did not decide one way or the other on whether Trump was guilty of obstruction of justice, but Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there was not enough evidence to charge the president. It marked a political victory for Trump but Democrats are suspicious over Barr's handling of the issue of obstruction and are demanding he give them a full copy of Mueller's report by next week. They also want him and the FBI to brief them on the findings. The five congressional officials and one law enforcement source said none of the intelligence or judiciary committees in the House of Representatives and Senate had been notified yet of any plans for briefings. The "Gang of Eight" -- Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress and top members of its intelligence committees -- are usually the first lawmakers to be briefed on sensitive intelligence and law enforcement matters but they have not been told of any briefing plans either, the sources said. The Justice Department has said Barr and Mueller's team are working "expeditiously" to determine what parts of the report may be released. Their review would ensure that secret grand jury material and information pertaining to other cases that Mueller has referred to federal prosecutors is not publicly disclosed. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Additional reporting by Sarah Lynch; Editing by Tom Brown) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday slammed the previous UPA government of not giving scientists approval to develop the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". Terming Opposition's criticism as "clerical objections", FM Jaitley said, "Opposition needs lessons in country's security." Speaking at a media briefing at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, FM Jaitley said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now build an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its approval. His comments came after the Congress party claimed that the anti-satellite system mission was started by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) under the leadership of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Also Read: India tests anti-satellite missile: Rahul Gandhi mocks PM Modi by wishing him 'Happy World Theatre Day' "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he reportedly said, referring to the air strikes on terrorist training camps in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack. Congress President Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Modi for taking credit of the achievement of space scientists. "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day," tweeted Rahul Gandhi. "We congratulate @isro @DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1962 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud through its achievements," the Congress party had tweeted. Also Read: LIVE updates: India has shot down a low earth orbit satellite; now a space superpower, says PM Modi Earlier today, the Prime Minister, in his address to the nation, said that India had successfully shot down a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite 300 kilometres from the planet. After successfully completing the operation, India has become an elite space power. Till now, only three countries of the world- America, Russia and China had achieved this feat. (With inputs from PTI) Edited by Chitranjan Kumar DUBLIN (Reuters) - Northern Ireland must be treated differently from the rest of the United Kingdom immediately after a no-deal Brexit if a hard border on the island of Ireland is to be avoided, Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday. Varadkar said British commentators had misrepresented Ireland's position in recent days by saying Dublin had accepted a hard border could be avoided using technology around the border if Britain crashes out without a deal. "Let there be no doubt in this house or in Westminster that when I talk about special arrangements I mean treating Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the United Kingdom and it is the UK's proposal to do exactly that," Varadkar told the Irish parliament. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Toby Chopra) TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "it's not about the Benjamins" as he hit back on Tuesday against any suggestion that U.S. politicians are paid to support Israel. A tweet in February by Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, a freshman legislator from Minnesota, was widely seen as echoing an anti-Semitic slur that Jews influence governments through money. "It's all about the Benjamins baby," Omar wrote, using a slang term for $100 bills. She subsequently apologized, saying she was grateful for "Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history" of anti-Semitic references. Netanyahu, addressing a Washington convention of the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC, said via satellite from Tel Aviv: "Some people will just never get it. They'll never understand why the vast majority of Americans - Jews and non-Jews alike - support Israel." He did not mention Omar by name. "Take it from this Benjamin: it's not about the Benjamins," Netanyahu said. "The reason the people of America support Israel is not because they want our money, it's because they share our values." A few hours later, Omar responded on Twitter: "This from a man facing indictments for bribery and other crimes in three separate public corruption affairs. Next!" The Israeli attorney-general said on Feb. 28 that he intends to indict Netanyahu on corruption charges in three cases. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing. In another tweet, Omar said: "White supremacist violence is on the rise globally. Right-wing extremists killed more people in the US in 2018 than any year since 1995. Anti-Semitic violence accounted for 58% of religious hate crimes. Yet the topic Netanyahu chose to focus on was me." Netanyahu had been due to address AIPAC in person, but returned to Israel on Tuesday, two days ahead of schedule, after a rocket attack from Gaza wounded seven people in a village near Tel Aviv. His speech touched on numerous issues, including Gaza and Iran, before referencing Omar's February tweet. (Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Yesterday morning, NR editor in chief Rich Lowry spoke with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro to members of the NRPLUS group on a private conference call. The pair discussed the Mueller report, the media, and the 2020 Democratic primary. Rich and Ben started the call by discussing the biggest story of the week: Special Counsel Robert Muellers conclusion that President Donald Trump did not collude with Russia. Ben said that the Left has been just waiting for this report, which they believed would explain away the truth that their presidential candidate was the worst in American history and lost fair and square to the second-worst candidate in American history. They couldnt ask the reasonable questions, but had to jump to the extreme that Trump was a foreign agent. Now, Ben explained, the left-wing media are covering themselves and the obvious narrative theyve been pushing by saying that theyre just publishing the news. Rich moved from this into the wider theme of the medias latest failures Smollett, Kavanaugh, Covington, and the collusion and asked what unites them all. Ben suggested that it demonstrates that narrative outpaces evidence; when evidence arises, it is reshaped to fit an already existing narrative. Why not just wait until all the evidence comes out first, then make a statement? If we cant do that, Ben said, theres no way to have a civil conversation anymore. Next, the hosts discussed the latest news about Empire actor Jussie Smollett. Last month, Smollett claimed he was attacked by two white men supportive of President Trump and angry at Smolletts criticisms of the president. He called it a hate crime, but after an investigation, the Chicago police charged him with 16 felonies. Hours before the call, he was mysteriously cleared of all charges. Bens response? What a crazy absurdity. Ben suggested that the Cook County prosecutors, in their decision to drop charges, instead of calling Smollett a liar called the Chicago police liars. Not only is that wrong on its face, but wouldnt the Cook prosecutors want to prevent fake hate crimes from happening? Story continues Ben and Rich then turned to Bens new book, The Right Side of History, which came out a few days ago. Ben explained that his book asks two questions: 1. Why do we live in such a great world? and 2. Why are we attempting to tear apart that world? His argument, in sum, is that we have forgotten the roots of western civilization, which includes the enlightenment but also goes far beyond it. As Ben sees it, we have completely discarded Judeo-Christian values and reason. How are we to build an ethics, science, or even a reasonable conversation on the absence of either of these? Instead of continuing to advance, we are reverting to the pagan world, where people aimlessly bob like corks and group in tribes to survive. After a few more minutes of conversation about Bens book, the hosts turned to questions from NRPLUS users, who were participating via the Facebook page and the plus@nationalreview.com email. One user asked who Ben predicts will be the Democratic nominee for president. While Ben admitted it wasnt early enough to make a solid prediction, he suggested Bernie Sanders or Kamala Harris were the likely choices. He isnt confident in Joe Bidens chances, however, given that Biden is an old-school Democrat and a twice-failed presidential nominee. As for vice presidents, Ben guessed that Stacy Abrams or a Beto ORourke-type candidate would be useful (though he doesnt believe the VP pick matters in the long run). A recording of the call is above. Thank you to those who joined us, and we look forward to seeing you all for the next one. More from National Review Democrats in the US House of Representatives have unveiled major legislation to rescue the Affordable Care Act as Donald Trumps White House administration seeks to eliminate the bill in its entirety. The move follows new filings in a case pending before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals titled Texas v the United States, in which a trial court judge previously sided with the administration in voiding the law during a December ruling. The White House has now taken their calls to crush the legislation commonly referred to as Obamacare a step further, saying every piece of the bill should be removed from law, from protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, to subsidies for a range of Americans seeking insurance. The Democrat bill being unveiled on Tuesday would make more middle-class people eligible for subsidised health insurance, while increasing aid for those with lower incomes who already qualify. And it would fix a longstanding affordability problem for some consumers, known as the family glitch. It also would block Mr Trumps administration from loosening Obamacare rules through waivers that allow states to undermine protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions or to scale back so-called essential benefits like coverage for mental health and addiction treatment. The bill will get a vote in the House, but as a package it has no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate. However, some elements have bipartisan support and may make it into law. Mr Trump was elected into office promising to repeal and replace his predecessors health law but was unable to do so, even with a Congress fully under Republican control. The president remains committed to overturning Obamacare, but with the House in Democratic hands his last hope seems to be a court challenge to the law by Texas and other Republican-led states, now before a federal appeals panel. The White Houses efforts to completely revoke the health care bill could prove risky in the upcoming 2020 elections. Scrapping the law was a longtime campaign vow that helped sail Mr Trump to victory in 2016, although Obamacare has only grown more popular in the years since. Millions of people continue to benefit from the bill's taxpayer-subsidized private insurance plans, but enrolment is slowly declining and experts fear stagnation. Story continues His administration said in its most recent appellate court filing in the case that the entire law should be struck down as unconstitutional, a bolder position than it previously held. Its rare for the Justice Department to decline to defend a federal law. The Associated Press contributed to this report Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A Palestinian volunteer medic was killed by Israeli forces during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said. Sajid Muzher, 17, was killed in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem in the southern West Bank, the ministry said. He was shot by Israeli forces while volunteering as a medic, a ministry spokesman told AFP. The Israeli army did not comment on the death but said troops were responding to a "violent riot". In a statement, Palestinian health minister Jawad Awad said the "occupation's killing of a volunteer medic by shooting him in the stomach is a war crime." The Palestinian Medical Relief Society confirmed he was working with them, saying in a statement he was shot while trying to treat a person wounded in clashes. Israeli forces frequently enter West Bank refugee camps to carry out arrests or other operations, often sparking clashes with residents. The army released a video showing a man put down his jacket and hurl stones at soldiers. But, contacted by AFP, the military could not confirm it was the medic. In an earlier statement, the army said that during "operational activity in Dheisheh Refugee Camp, southwest of Bethlehem, a violent riot was instigated." "Dozens of rioters hurled blocks and firebombs at the troops, who responded with riot dispersal means." It said it had received a report regarding an injured Palestinian, without further details. The World Health Organization "strongly condemned" the killing in a statement, saying the man was killed while providing care to the injured. "We are saddened by this tragic loss. Health workers provide critical care and save lives. Their protection must be ensured," said Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the WHO office for the West Bank and Gaza. Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch country director, told AFP that if confirmed the death "would mark at least the fourth clearly identifiable Palestinian medic gunned down by Israeli forces in the last year." "Routine unlawful killings by Israeli forces and full impunity in Israel highlight the need for the International Criminal Court to open a formal probe into serious crimes committed in Palestine," he said. By Paulina Duran SYDNEY (Reuters) - Payments group Worldpay said on Wednesday it was expanding its business in Australia and New Zealand, a new heavyweight disruptor vying for the business of the established payment networks and banks servicing most local firms. The payment technology giant will open two offices in Australia as it seeks to benefit from rapid growth in the country's almost $30 billion e-commerce industry, Worldpay General Manager of Global eCommerce for Asia Pacific, Phil Pomford, said. "We see growth opportunities to come into a market where there is rising employment, great population growth, and where the shift into the e-commerce and mobile commerce is significant," Pomford told Reuters in a telephone interview. It will first target businesses in the online retail, travel, digital content and online gaming industries. Worldpay is a major player in card and alternative payments globally, and particularly in Britain. It was this month acquired by Fidelity National Information Services Inc in the biggest deal to date in the fast-growing electronic payments industry, valuing the company at $43 billion. In Australia, the Ohio-based company already provides services for a number of digital-centric businesses such as travel websites Lonely Planet and Webjet, and online social gaming company Virtual Gaming World. "[With the new offices] we will be better able to attract new customers and service them going forward," Pomford said. Worldpay competes against established credit card payment providers such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, merchant payment services issued by Australian banks, as well as with Dutch tech competitor Adyen. It processes over 40 billion transactions annually through more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies, according to its website. The company has also been granted a new payments license in New Zealand, Pomford said. (Reporting by Paulina Duran; Editing by David Evans) MELBOURNE, Fla. Americans should put new boot prints on the moon within five years, the Trump administration said Tuesday, attempting to harness the space race urgency that drove Apollo astronauts to the lunar surface 50 years ago this summer. Calling on NASA to achieve that goal by any means necessary, Vice President Mike Pence sought to unveil an inspiring exploration vision and also put current NASA programs on notice that their slow progress is unacceptable. If NASA is not currently capable of landing Americans on the moon in five years, we need to change the organization, not the mission, he told the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama. Previous plans aimed to plant another U.S. flag on the moon by 2028, after spending several years visiting a small space station called the Gateway in orbit around Earths closest natural satellite. Pences more ambitious direction came two weeks after the administration requested a slight cut to NASAs current $21.5 billion budget, raising obvious questions about how the moon landing program can be accelerated without an infusion of money. Space policy expert and historian John Logsdon said the new goal could euphemistically be called challenging. We don't have a landing vehicle, no elements of the proposed Gateway have been launched, and the choice of launch vehicle for such a mission has not been made, said Logsdon, a professor emeritus at George Washington University. I will be very interested in seeing how Pence's policy goal is translated into an executable and affordable plan. More: Here's why NASA scrubbed the first all-female spacewalk The five-year plan also comes as the administration fumes over more delays to NASAs 322-foot Space Launch System rocket, which Pence said was "plagued by bureaucratic inertia." The $10 billion rocket was supposed to launch an Orion capsule on an uncrewed test flight by next summer but might not be ready to fly before 2021. Story continues NASA recently studied whether commercial heavy-lift rockets could launch the capsule on its mission instead. But NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Tuesday told Pence that will not be possible on the current timeline and budget, and he was confident the SLS could get back on track. That was cause for applause from an audience drawn largely from NASAs nearby Marshall Space Flight Center, which is responsible for developing the SLS along with lead contractor Boeing. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who heads the Senate Committee on Appropriations, remains an influential backer of the monster" rocket. But Pence repeated the threat that NASA would seek alternatives if the SLS, which has faced criticism since its inception, failed to stay on schedule. If our current contractors cant meet this objective, then well find ones that will, he said. If commercial rockets are the only way to get astronauts to the moon in the next five years, then commercial rockets it will be. Dale Thomas, a former deputy director of NASAs Constellation moon program, which the Obama administration canceled in 2010, said the local audience felt encouraged, not threatened. They heard strong support for NASA and a promise to provide longer-term budgets and to ease contracting rules that have proved a killer for past programs. We all know that getting back to the moon in five years is very possible, said Thomas, an engineering professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. There are no big technology hurdles we have yet to solve. The thing is how NASA has to do business. Pence called on NASA to attack the new mission with "urgency," insisting there is a new space race to beat other nations to the moon and maintain American leadership. However, Logsdon said that China is not planning a human lunar landing until after 2030, and Russia's space program is in weak shape. If achieved, a 2024 moon landing would deliver an exploration triumph just before the end of Trump's presidency, should he win a second term. National Space Council members and panelists discussed a need for the nation to accept more risk and a willingness to "fail smarter" along the way. But astronauts and independent safety advisers are sure to scrutinize any hint of a rush that creates undue schedule pressure, a factor in two shuttle disasters. "I think our community is up for it," former astronaut Sandra Magnus told Pence. "I think it will be challenging. We want to make sure that were doing it safely as well." Follow James Dean on Twitter: @flatoday_jdean This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Pence calls on NASA to land astronauts on moon by 2024 The Pentagon has authorised army engineers to begin construction of additional fencing on the US-Mexico border, diverting an initial $1bn after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to bypass Congress on the matter. The army would begin planning and building 57 miles of 18-foot-high fencing in Yuma, Arizona, and El Paso, Texas, according to a statement by acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan. Mr Trump declared the emergency on 15 February after Congress refused his request for $5.7bn (4.4bn). The emergency allows him to divert up to $3.6bn (2.75bn) from other military construction projects. The Pentagon said the money would support the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. The funding would also go towards installing lighting and constructing roads. Mr Shanahan said the engineers focus would be on blocking drug-smuggling corridors. In a letter to Mr Shanahan, Democrat senators complained that the Pentagon had not brought the funding request to the appropriate congressional committees, according to CNN. We strongly object to both the substance of the funding transfer, and to the department implementing the transfer without seeking the approval of the congressional defence committees and in violation of provisions in the defence appropriation itself, the letter read. Building the wall was one of Mr Trumps most prominent campaign promises, though he claimed the money would come from Mexico, not American taxpayers. It comes as a vote was scheduled for Tuesday in the House of Representatives which will likely uphold Mr Trumps declaration of emergency, in spite of the objections of the majority of congressmen and women. With the unanimous support of Democrats and some Republicans, a resolutions was passed by Congress which struck down the emergency but was vetoed by the president. To override a presidential veto, the House would require a super-majority of two thirds, something it is expected to fall well short of in a vote on Tuesday. Story continues The president will be fine in the House, said minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, adding: The veto will not be overridden. Democrats are hoping to use the border emergency battle in upcoming campaigns, both to symbolise Trumps harsh immigration stance and claim he is hurting congressional districts around the country. Last week the Pentagon sent congressional leaders a list of hundreds of military construction projects that might be cut to pay for barrier work. Though the list was tentative, Democrats were asserting that Republican politicians were endangering local bases to pay for the wall. Additional reporting by agencies WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense shifted $1 billion to plan and build a 57-mile section of "pedestrian fencing", roads and lighting along the border between the United States and Mexico, the Pentagon chief said on Monday. Last week, the Pentagon gave Congress a list that included $12.8 billion of construction projects for which it said funds could be redirected for construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency last month in a bid to fund his promised border wall without congressional approval. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said in a memo to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen that the Department of Defense had the authority to support counter-narcotics activities near international boundaries. Shanahan authorized the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing the project that would involve building 57 miles of 18-foot-high fencing, constructing and improving roads, and installing lighting within the Yuma and El Paso sections of the U.S.-Mexico border. (Reporting by Mike Stone; Editing by Paul Tait) Donald Trumps emergency declaration over the US border with Mexico remained in force after the House failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to overturn the presidents veto. The House voted 248-181 on Tuesday to override Trumps veto, the first of his presidency. Democrats succeeded in attracting 14 Republicans to join them in the effort, but still fell 38 votes short of their target. The result was seized upon as yet another victory by Trump, who is already on a high after the special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. In a tweet, the president pronounced the vote to be a BIG WIN and repeated his caricature of the Democrats as the part of open borders, drugs and crime. Thank you to the House Republicans for sticking together and the BIG WIN today on the Border. Todays vote simply reaffirms Congressional Democrats are the party of Open Borders, Drugs and Crime! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2019 The two Democrats who wrote the resolution to override Trumps veto, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and Joaquin Castro, a congressman from Texas, denounced the emergency declaration as a dangerous action that violated the exclusive responsibility of Congress to set budgets. In a joint statement, they vowed to carry on striving to restore our constitutional system of balance of powers. Trump resorted to the highly contentious move of triggering a national emergency declaration in February, following a five-week government shutdown over funding for the presidents much-vaunted border wall. The move provoked a rare display of disapproval towards the president from Republicans in both the House and Senate, who joined Democrats to pass a resolution that would have ended the national emergency, until the president vetoed the measure. Story continues One of the Democrats main concerns was that Trump would use the national emergency to siphon off money from the military to pay for his wall. The first signs of that scenario materializing emerged on Monday night when the Department of Defense announced it had redirected $1bn in funding to allow some construction to go ahead. Democrats immediately warned the reallocation of resources would worsen existing substantial shortfalls in defense spending. Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, said the $1bn would go towards 57 miles of 18ft-high fencing and other measures along the border, CNN reported. Sign up for the US morning briefing In a letter to the homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, Shanahan said he had authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to commence planning and construction of the wall near the Yuma and El Paso sections of the border, according to CNN. Related: America pays for the wall: thieves mock Trump by stealing border razor wire In a letter to Shanahan, a group of Democratic senators who sit on subcommittees on defense and military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies accused the Department of Homeland Security of allowing political interference and pet projects to come ahead of many near-term, critical readiness issues facing our military. We strongly object to both the substance of the funding transfer, and to the Department implementing the transfer without seeking the approval of the congressional defense committees and in violation of provisions in the defense appropriation itself, the senators, including Tammy Baldwin, Dianne Feinstein and Richard Durbin, wrote. The $1bn reprogramming that the department is implementing without congressional approval constitutes a dollar-for-dollar theft from other readiness needs of our Armed Forces. Shares of defence companies surged in afternoon deals on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India entered into a select group of space powers that have the capability to target satellites. Reacting to the news, shares of defence sector stocks such as Hindustan Aeronautics and Bharat Dynamics gained between 6-7 per cent on the local bourses. The Prime Minister, in his address to the nation, said that India successfully shoot down a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite 300 kilometres from the planet through an anti-satellite weapon, A-SAT. "Till now, 3 countries of the world- America, Russia, & China had this achievement. India is the 4th country to have achieved this feat," said PM Modi. Following the announcement, shares of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) spiked as much as 7.25 per cent to Rs 775 in intra-day trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Paring some of early losses, shares of the company settled at Rs 739.20, up 2.30 per cent, against previous closing price of Rs 722.55. According to data available with exchange, as much as 14,000 shares changed hand over the counter today as compared to two-week average of 5,370 shares. On the National Stock Exchange, the stocks of the company ended 2.98 per cent higher at Rs 743.50 apiece. It touched an intra-day high and low of Rs 777 and Rs 722, respectively. The share price of Bharat Dynamics jumped 6.26 per cent to touch an intra-day high of Rs 300, against previous close level of Rs 282.30 on the BSE. The scrip closed trade at Rs 284, up 0.60 per cent. Dhananjay Sinha, head-Institutional Research, Economist and Strategy at Emkay Global Financial Services said, "A higher probability of the current party coming back to power is something the market wants to play. The idea is that the rebound that we saw in 2014 (after Modi was elected) would replay. We'll have to see whether the same story can play with effectiveness." Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: Jet Airways shares rise 5% after airline plans to fly 40 more aircraft Washington (AFP) - At just 37, Pete Buttigieg has deployed to Afghanistan, graduated from Harvard, learned seven languages and serves as mayor of a Midwestern American city. Now the Millennial Renaissance man is seeking to become the first openly gay president of the United States -- and the youngest -- a longshot 2020 prospect whose odds appear to improve by the week. When he began exploring a challenge to Donald Trump, few people outside his home city of South Bend, Indiana knew who the fresh-faced Democrat was, much less how to pronounce his name. (It's "BOOT-edge-edge," he says.) Today he has catapulted into contention for his party's nomination, suddenly omnipresent despite not yet officially declaring his candidacy. And he's blazing his own path, with a balance of calm and confidence, problem solving and intellectual ambition that has impressed at campaign stops in early voting states like Iowa and South Carolina. The Buttigieg buzz has mushroomed quickly. "This is something real, this is not flash," former Iowa Democratic Party chair Sue Dvorsky told AFP, as she highlighted his mayoral successes and his astute discussion of issues. He draws sharp contrasts with Trump on multiple fronts including age, government experience, military service, campaign style, and "intellectual curiosity," she added. "Every single thing about him is in diametric opposition" to the president, she said. Buttigieg is relishing his breakout moment, fuelled by a star turn headlining a recent town hall that saw his national profile skyrocket. Bookish and smart, he refutes the charge that he's too young and inexperienced to compete in the diverse Democratic field, or against Trump himself. "I have more years of government experience under my belt than the president... and more military experience than anybody to walk into that office on day one since George H.W. Bush," he said at the event, broadcast by CNN. Story continues "So I get that I'm the young guy in the conversation, but I would say experience is what qualifies me to have a seat at this table." In Iowa, Buttigieg surged from one percent support to 11 percent and third place in Emerson Polling's survey released Sunday, behind former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders and ahead of more prominent candidates like senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren. He has proved he can raise all-important campaign donations, pulling in $600,000 in the 24 hours after his town hall. - 'Mayor Pete' - The man many people call "Mayor Pete" grew up in South Bend, a once thriving city whose economy imploded when auto giants like Studebaker closed their factories in the 1950s and 60s. The community has clawed its way back, and solution-oriented Buttigieg has been credited with revitalizing its downtown. In 2016, as Hillary Clinton battled Trump, Buttigieg noticed a "fatal lack of enthusiasm" among working-class voters in the heartland when it came to the Democratic message. This cycle, his party must re-engage with disaffected Midwesterners who supported Trump, he said. "Our whole message was 'Don't vote for him, because he's terrible.' And even though he is, that's not a message," warned Buttigieg on "The Breakfast Club" radio show in New York. "I hate to say it, but he could absolutely win again if we aren't smart about this." As mayor, Buttigieg worked -- and sometimes clashed -- with Indiana's then-governor Mike Pence, a religious conservative who is now vice president. He leveled withering criticism at his fellow Hoosier at the town hall. "How could he allow himself to become the cheerleader of the porn-star presidency?" Buttigieg said. "Is it that he stopped believing in scripture when he started believing in Donald Trump?" Buttigieg supports health care expansion to all Americans, initially through allowing people to buy into the federal Medicare program. He believes in strong labor unions and opposes Trump's ban on transgender people serving in the military. He wants the Electoral College scrapped, arguing it is undemocratic, and has suggested expanding the US Supreme Court to 15 justices. The former Rhodes Scholar came out as gay while running for re-election -- and won with 80 percent of the vote. He is married to husband Chasten Glezman, a teacher. As a lieutenant in the US Navy Reserves, Mayor Pete paused his official duties while serving seven months in Afghanistan as a counterintelligence officer. He has positioned himself as a post-Trump unifier, and made a light-hearted offer to strike a "peace deal" between the LGBT community and Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain which courted controversy over its conservative leanings. "I do not approve of their politics, but I kind of approve of their chicken," Buttigieg quipped on the radio. "Maybe, if nothing else, I can build that bridge." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday denounced China's "shameful hypocrisy" over its treatment of Muslims as he met a former prisoner and relatives who recounted abuses as part of Beijing's widespread detention of its Uighur minority. "China must release all those arbitrarily detained and end its repression," Pompeo tweeted. "The world cannot afford China's shameful hypocrisy toward Muslims. On one hand, China abuses more than a million Muslims at home, but on the other it protects violent Islamic terrorist groups from sanctions at the UN," he said. Pompeo was referring to China's efforts at the United Nations to prevent the blacklisting of Islamist extremist Masood Azhar, based in Beijing ally Pakistan. Azhar's group Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility over a deadly attack last month on Indian troops in Kashmir that triggered military skirmishes. The top US diplomat met Tuesday with Mihrigul Tursun, a Uighur who has spoken publicly in the United States about what she said was widespread torture in China's prisons for the minority group. She has said she was separated from her children and detained in a cramped cell with 60 other women, suffering electrocution and beatings during round-the-clock interrogations. The State Department said that Pompeo also met with three other Uighurs whose relatives are held by China, which according to a UN report has detained a massive one million Uighurs as it seeks forcibly to integrate the minority group. Pompeo, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said that "certainly" at least hundreds of thousands of Uighurs had been detained. "We're working to convince the Chinese that this practice is abhorrent and ought to be stopped," Pompeo said. According to the State Department as well as international human rights groups, China has confiscated Korans from Uighurs and forced them to drink alcohol and eat pork, which are forbidden by Islam. "It's one of the most serious human rights problems in the world today," State Department official Michael Kozak said of the Uighurs' detention as he presented the latest annual human rights report. China denies the accounts of mass detention, saying it is running educational training centers as part of a fight against Islamic extremism in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. Washington (AFP) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested Wednesday that an upcoming US peace plan would break with longstanding understandings on issues such as Jerusalem and Israeli settlements, saying the old approach had failed. President Donald Trump's administration is expected to present an outline of a Middle East peace plan shortly after Israel's April 9 election, although the Palestinian Authority has rejected US mediation over Trump's landmark recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "I'm very confident that what was tried before failed and I'm optimistic that what we're doing will give us a better likelihood that we'll achieve the outcomes that would be better for both the people of Israel and the Palestinian people as well," Pompeo said as he testified before Congress. Pompeo repeatedly demurred when the committee's Democratic chairwoman, Nita Lowey, asked him if the Trump administration stood by the decades-old US position in support of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Pompeo said the United States wanted to "broaden the debate," when asked if a peace deal would focus as in the past on establishing borders, mutual recognition and the status of Jerusalem, Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Palestinian refugees. "Those are the parameters that were largely at hand in the discussions before and they led us where we are today -- no resolution," Pompeo said. The US plan will be "grounded in the facts on the ground and a realistic assessment of what would get us a good outcome," he said. The Trump administration has rallied behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the veteran right-winger faces a tough election. Since taking office, Trump has moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, closed the Palestinians' office in Washington, pulled the United States from UN bodies accused of anti-Israel bias and cut off funding for the UN agency that provides schooling and other services to Palestinian refugees. Story continues Representative David Price, a Democrat, questioned the approach, sarcastically asking Pompeo if the Palestinians should feel "grateful." "This is the path forward, you're confident, to totally marginalize and alienate the Palestinian side?" Price said. Speaking this week before the US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, the US ambassador in Jerusalem, David Friedman, said Trump was pushing a peace plan because it would meet Israel's goals. Friedman said the Trump administration understood that Israel faced an "existential threat" if Israel gave up security control of the West Bank. "Can we leave this to an administration that may not understand that in the Middle East, peace comes through strength, not just through words on a paper?" he asked. London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May's announcement that she will step down if parliament approves her Brexit deal fires the starting gun on the race to replace her. Here is a list of potential contenders to take over as Conservative party leader and therefore prime minister: - Sajid Javid - A former investment banker and the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, the 49-year-old Javid is the face of a modern, multi-cultural and meritocratic Britain. On the economically liberal wing of the Conservative Party, Javid voted for Britain to stay in the EU in 2016. Since being appointed interior minister in April 2018, he has earned respect for his handling of a scandal over the treatment of the children of Caribbean immigrants, known as the Windrush generation. However, he was recently criticised in liberal circles for stripping a teenage mother who ran away to join the Islamic State group of her British nationality. - Jeremy Hunt - The foreign minister supported remaining in the EU but has been highly critical of what he calls the "arrogant" approach taken by Brussels. A former businessman who speaks fluent Japanese, the 52-year-old is a resilient politician, having headed up the National Health Service for six years during a funding crisis. He replaced Johnson as Britain's chief diplomat. Softly spoken and measured, Hunt is calm under fire and has gradually seen his power and influence in cabinet rise. - Boris Johnson - A former mayor of London, "Boris" or "BoJo", was a key figure in the 2016 Brexit campaign but failed in his bid to become prime minister in the aftermath as ally Michael Gove withdrew his support at the last minute. May appointed Johnson as foreign minister but he quickly drew attention for all the wrong reasons, including a series of diplomatic gaffes. He became increasingly uncomfortable with the government's Brexit strategy before resigning in July. Charismatic and popular with grassroots Conservatives, the 54-year-old has also earned plenty of enemies within the party for his behaviour. Story continues He separated from his second wife in September and has a new girlfriend. He has recently lost weight and trimmed back his trademark mop of blond hair. - Michael Gove - Brexit campaigner Gove initially supported Johnson's leadership bid in 2016 but at the last minute announced his own intention to run, causing both men to lose out to May. "Whatever charisma is, I don't have it," he admitted in the race in which he came third. After a year in the political wilderness, he was appointed environment minister in June 2017 and has stayed in the headlines with a series of eco-friendly policy announcements. Equally active in his previous justice and education briefs, he is a minister who likes to see through radical new policies. Following a series of resignations, the cerebral 51-year-old is now undeniably the leading eurosceptic in government. - David Lidington - May's de facto deputy prime minister is a powerful insider who has overseen some of the most important talks with parliament leaders in an effort to get the Brexit deal through. Lidington is a Brexit proponent who is well-respected for his diplomatic skills. He is seen as a consensus-builder who emerged as possible interim replacement for May who could see through the current crisis and then give way to a permanent leader once a new Brexit is set in place. The 62-year-old played down the speculation on Sunday. "I don't think that I've any wish to take over from the PM," he told reporters. - Outsiders - Amber Rudd, 55, the work and pensions secretary, is an ardent Remainer inside the cabinet. May made Rudd her successor as interior minister but she was forced to resign over the Windrush scandal. Jacob Rees-Mogg, 49, leads the backbench Conservative eurosceptics and is therefore a highly influential figure. Exceptionally straight-laced, he is an unlikely social media phenomenon. He has indicated support for Johnson. Andrea Leadsom, 55, came second to May in the 2016 contest to replace David Cameron. She is the leader of the House of Commons -- responsible for bringing government business before the chamber -- and is a staunch Brexiteer. Others include international development minister Penny Mordaunt, former Brexit secretary David Davis, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and finance minister Philip Hammond. LONDON (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday inspected damage caused by flash floods in northern Iran and promised compensation to all those affected as the nationwide death toll reached 30. Rouhani, accused by critics of mishandling the crisis, took several ministers with him to Golestan Province, whose governor was dismissed on Saturday amid public outrage over his absence from work. He had been abroad when the disaster hit. At least 30 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds suffered injuries in the floods, officials said on Wednesday. "We will rebuild Golestan just as it was before, and we will stand by your side," Tasnim news agency quoted Rouhani as telling a gathering of villagers. In a country more accustomed to drought, Rouhani said the floods, caused by torrential rain, had affected 25 of Iran's 31 provinces and that the scale of the disaster had overwhelmed emergency services in some areas. "The government will use all means and will compensate all those who have sustained damages to their houses, businesses and farms," Rouhani was quoted as saying by state media. TARDY RESPONSE? Rouhani's hardline rivals have accused the government of doing too little, too late. The head of the judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, said on Tuesday that officials who mishandled the disaster and caused the death of civilians could face prosecution. The damage caused by the floods has focused attention on shortcomings in Iranian infrastructure. In the city of Shiraz, where 18 people died, officials said the floods occurred because an old waterway designed to syphon off excess water had been blocked by other construction. The Revolutionary Guards had to blow up parts of a railway in northern Iran to facilitate the removal of water because there was no drainage channel under the raised structure. The state meteorological organisation has also faced criticism, including from Rouhani, for inaccurate weather forecasts and its late warning of flooding. Story continues At a meeting of a government crisis group in Mazandaran Province in northern Iran, Rouhani took the opportunity to attack the United States for its sanctions against Tehran. "The Americans and the Zionists were hopeful that this flood triggers a fight in the country, Rouhani said. "But the Iranian nation sent a message to the enemies that we are powerful." The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that unilateral U.S. sanctions could affect its capabilities to deliver support to Iran. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced and thousands are being housed in emergency shelters provided by the government, state media said. Iran is celebrating the Nowruz new year holidays, a time when many families travel around the country, but rock falls and mudslides have blocked many roads and police asked people to avoid unnecessary journeys. However, National Iranian Gas Company said its pipeline network had not been affected by the floods. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Nelson Acosta HAVANA, March 27 (Reuters) - His wife may have had some initial reservations about Cuban cuisine, but Prince Charles was so enchanted that he asked for some black bean croquettes to take away with him at a tasting session during the British royals' historic trip to Communist-run Cuba. The heir to the British throne and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, also ground sugar cane for juice and prepared mojitos on Wednesday in one of the private restaurants that have flourished in Havana since Cuba started opening up its economy to free enterprise. Their three-day trip to Cuba was tacked onto their Caribbean tour of former and current British territories at the request of the UK government. The visit underscores warming relations between Britain and Cuba, even as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to isolate the Cuban government. "The prince took some (croquettes) to eat on the plane and I gave him the recipe because he said it was one of the things that he had most enjoyed in Cuba," said Sahily Romero, 44, the owner of the restaurant Paladar Rita y Champagne. Hers was one of several restaurants that contributed to the buffet held on the couple's last day in Cuba, showcasing dishes from Cuban cuisine that blends native, European, African and Caribbean flavors. Classic Cuban dishes include "ropa vieja" (literally, 'old clothes') or shredded meat and "moros y cristianos," a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards and used to designate rice and black beans. But the restaurant owners also used those to inspire more modern fusion dishes - like the black bean croquettes. "It was very emblematic that the prince prepared his own 'guarapo' juice, grinding sugar cane," said Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who works for the state tourism agency Paradiso. "We feel proud." Story continues Camilla made headlines ahead of the visit, reportedly saying she was not so sure about Cuban food, prompting the British embassy to organize the event. Many Cubans feel their country has lost much of its culinary heritage due to food shortages resulting from central planning and financial restrictions, and uniformity in a state-run economy. Cuba started opening up its economy to free enterprise in the 1990s, following the fall of benefactor the Soviet Union, which some say has led to an improvement in restaurant menus. Private restaurants are now flourishing in Havana, although their owners complain about not being able to access wholesale markets or officially import. Many bring ingredients in their suitcases from trips abroad or hire others to do so. After the tasting, Charles visited Cuba's biotech hub and met with scientists conducting joint research with UK institutions, while Camilla visited Cuba's national equestrian center. The royal couple then departed to the last stop on their Caribbean tour, the Cayman Islands. (Reporting by Nelson Acosta; writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) In just a matter of weeks, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan will welcome their first child together. Unfortunately, the royal couple likely wont be bringing their son or daughter immediately home to their new residence, Frogmore Cottage. Vanity Fair reports that while Harry and Meghan have the keys to their new home in hand already, a palace aide says the extensive renovations to the property wont be complete for a couple of weekscreating a race between their move-in date and their due date. The historic home in Windsor, England, was a gift to the couple from Harrys grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. It is where Harry and Meghan posed for their official engagement portraits in December 2017. After their May 2018 wedding and luncheon at nearby Windsor Castle, they held an intimate evening party at Frogmore House, the main building on the same grounds as their new home. The Sun reports that the cottage was previously divided into five units, and that turning it into a single-family home fit for a growing family of royalty will cost roughly 3 million (nearly $4 million). Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Frogmore House, Frogmore Estate, Windsor, UK, home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex Photo: Graham Prentice / Alamy Stock Photo The features Harry and Meghan are reportedly adding to their new home include a yoga studio (Meghan is an avid yogi, and her mother, Doria Ragland, teaches yoga in Los Angeles), a modern kitchen designed by the duchess, a guest wing, soundproof walls to block out the noise of planes flying in and out of nearby Heathrow Airport, and, of course, a state-of-the-art nursery where the seventh heir in line to the British throne will eventually sleep. During a visit to the British town of Birkenhead in January, Meghan told well-wishers that she and Harry had elected to keep the babys sex a surprise, and it has been reported that the childs nursery will be decorated in a gender-neutral white-and-gray color scheme using vegan paint. Former Soho House designer Vicky Charles is rumored to be decorating the home. As they wait for the project to be finished, Harry and Meghan remain in their rented farmhouse in the Cotswoldsand theyre not too worried about the holdup. Given the scale of the project, a three- or four-week delay isn't too bad, a source tells The Sun. The couple are pleased with how it's all going. Doha (AFP) - Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Wednesday his country had become "stronger" since the start of a Gulf diplomatic crisis almost two years ago, as he formally opened the country's national museum. He made the comment during a speech at a glittering ceremony in Doha to open the estimated $434 million building, with guests including Kuwaiti and British royals, film star Johnny Depp, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni, Jose Mourinho and Victoria Beckham. "Qatar has become much stronger since June 2017," said the emir. "The citizens have defended the dignity and the truth, with the consequences of strengthening the country." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 over accusations it supports terrorism and is seeking closer ties with Saudi Arabia's regional rival, Iran. Qatar rejects all the charges and says the dispute is an attack on its sovereignty. The enormous 52,000-square metre National Museum of Qatar is located on Doha's waterfront Corniche. It tells the story of Qatar's Bedouin past and colonial times to its energy-rich present, reflecting on the country's wealth and ambitions. French architect Jean Nouvel, who designed the museum in the shape of a desert rose, said it would become "an icon". Sheikha Al-Mayassa Al-Thani, chair of Qatar Museums and a member of the royal family, said the blockade had not delayed the museum's opening date. "The blockade hasn't affected us one bit," she told AFP during a preview tour of the museum. "We are very proud and happy and, in fact, all the people are welcome to this museum and we remain open to the rest of the world," she said. "We are more than proud of this achievement." SEBI on Wednesday exempted the government from making an open offer for the shareholders of Punjab National Bank but directed reduction in non-public shareholding in the lender post capital infusion. In February, Punjab National Bank filed an application on behalf of the central government seeking exemption from open offer requirement under takeover regulations. After capital infusion in lieu of preferential allotment of over 80.2 crore shares, the government's stake in the bank would rise by 5.19 per cent to 75.41 per cent. Under the SEBI norms, entities are required to make an open offer in case their shareholding goes beyond a certain threshold. Against this backdrop, the bank sought SEBI's exemption from the open offer requirement for the government. According to SEBI, there would be no change in control of the bank pursuant to the proposed acquisition as the change would only be in the quantum of shares held by the government. "The infusion of additional capital by the proposed acquirer/ Government of India is stated to enable the target company (Punjab National Bank) to meet the stipulated capital adequacy norms. "Accordingly, I am of the considered view that exemption as sought for in the application made by the target company, be granted to the proposed acquirer/ GOI...," SEBI Whole Time Member G Mahalingam said in an order on Wednesday. The exemption has been given subject to certain conditions, including that the bank reduces the non-public shareholding from 75.41 per cent after the capital infusion. Listed companies are required to have at least 25 per cent public shareholding. Hence, the regulator has directed reducing the non-public shareholding to the within a specified time. ALSO READ:Bombay HC seeks I-T Dept's reply on plea against auction of Nirav Modi's paintings ALSO READ:Nirav Modi case: Delhi Court summons 11 top PNB officials on RBI's complaint * U.S. China and Russia have tested such anti-satellite weapons * Modi takes tough national security posture with eye to polls * Weapon allows for attacks on enemy satellites (Adds graphic for Mission Shakti) By Sanjeev Miglani and Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI, March 27 (Reuters) - India shot down one of its satellites in space with an anti-satellite missile on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, hailing the country's first test of such technology as a major breakthrough that establishes it as a space power. India would only be the fourth country to have used such an anti-satellite weapon after the United States, Russia and China, said Modi, who heads into general elections next month. "Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometers away in space, in low-earth orbit," Modi said in a television broadcast. "India has made an unprecedented achievement today," he added, speaking in Hindi. "India registered its name as a space power." Anti-satellite weapons permit attacks on enemy satellites, blinding them or disrupting communications, as well as providing a technology base to intercept ballistic missiles. Such capabilities have raised fears of the weaponisation of space and setting off a race between rivals. After the news, China's foreign ministry said it hoped all countries "can earnestly protect lasting peace and tranquility in space." The United States and Russia both declined to make any immediate comment. India's neighbor and arch-rival Pakistan said space is the "common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena." Tension flared last month between the nuclear-armed foes after a militant attack in the disputed region of Kashmir. Separately, Pakistan announced on Wednesday it had studied an Indian government report into the Kashmir incident and summoned India's High Commissioner to Islamabad to share the conclusions, adding that it was seeking further information and was acting in the interest of regional peace and security. Story continues India has had a space program for years, making earth imaging satellites and launch capabilities as a cheaper alternative to Western programs. It sent a low-cost probe to Mars in 2014 and plans its first manned space mission by 2022. The latest test, conducted from an island off its east coast, was aimed at protecting India's assets in space against foreign attacks, the government said. A ballistic missile defense interceptor produced by the government's Defence Research and Development Organisation was used to shoot down the satellite, the foreign ministry said. "The capability achieved...provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long-range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles," it said in a statement. The three-minute test in the lower atmosphere ensured there was no debris in space and the remnants would "decay and fall back on to the earth within weeks," the ministry added. But Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey said the risk of debris hitting other objects in space remained. "One of the big risks of a hit-to-kill ASAT (anti satellite weapon) is that it shatters the target, leaving a cloud of lethal debris that threatens other satellites. In an extreme scenario, there is even a risk of 'collisional cascading' in which one breakup triggers others in a chain reaction." "While tests can be arranged to minimize this risk, any operational use of such a system in war poses a real threat to all satellites in orbit at similar altitude." China destroyed a satellite in 2007, creating the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation. China's test spurred India to develop its anti-satellite capability, said Ajay Lele, a senior fellow of the government-funded Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi. Indian defense scientists had sought political approval for live tests but successive governments had balked, fearing international condemnation, an Indian defense official said. Brahma Chellaney, a security expert at New Delhi's Centre of Policy Research, said the United States, Russia and China were pursuing anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. "Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, India's successful 'kill' with an ASAT weapon is significant." A spokeswoman for the U.S. mission in Geneva, which handles disarmament issues, had no immediate comment on the Indian test. UNITED STATES A PIONEER The United States ran the first anti-satellite test in 1959, when satellites themselves were rare and new. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the Soviet Union tested a weapon that would be launched into orbit, approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. In 1985 the United States tested the ASM-135, launched from an F-15 fighter, destroying a U.S. satellite called Solwind P78-1. There were no tests for more than 20 years, until China entered the anti-satellite arena in 2007. The following year, the United States used a ship-launched SM-3 missile to destroy a defunct spy satellite in Operation Burnt Frost. Modi's Hindu nationalist-led government has taken a strong position on national security, launching air strikes last month on a suspected militant camp in Pakistan that spurred retaliatory raids. Although he faces criticism for failing to deliver on high economic growth and create jobs, a hawkish position on security should help Modi at the ballot box, pollsters say. The leader of the main opposition Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, congratulated defense scientists but took a dig at Modi for the announcement on a day that commemorates theatricals. "I would also like to wish the prime minister a very happy World Theatre Day," Gandhi said. School children held flags in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad celebrating the test. A concern for India is that China could help its old ally Pakistan neutralize any advantage. "Pakistan and China have a very deep strategic kind of partnership. So some kind of sharing of capabilities can't be ignored," Uday Bhaskar, director of the Society for Policy Studies, another Delhi think-tank, said. (Additional reporting by Gerry Doyle in SINGAPORE, Zeba Siddiqui in NEW DELHI, Ben Blanchard in BEIJING, James Mackenzie in ISLAMABAD, Polina Nikolskaya in MOSCOW and Stephanie Nebehay in GENEVAWriting by Sanjeev MiglaniEditing by Robert Birsel and Clarence Fernandez, William Maclean) A Republican congressman has been condemned after he quote from Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf to accuse Democrats of lying about Robert Muellers Trump-Russia probe. Speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives, Mo Brooks claimed Democrats and the media were guilty of pushing a big lie over the conclusions of the special counsel. For more than two years, socialist Democrats and their fake news media allies CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, Washington Post and countless others - have perpetrated the biggest political lie, con, scam and fraud in American history, said Mr Brooks, from Alabama, saying accusations the president colluded with Moscow were nothing but a big lie. Reading from a translation of Mein Kampf, he said: In that vein, I quote from another socialist who mastered 'big lie' propaganda to maximum, and deadly, effect. Quote, 'In the big lie, there is always a certain force of credibility because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus, in the primitive simplicity of their minds, they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie. He added: Who is this big lie master socialist Adolf Hitler. The Washington Post pointed out the expression coined by Hitler was used to claim Jews used their unqualified capacity for falsehood to blame a top German military commander for the countrys losses in World War I. He said that a lie could be so large, it defied disbelief. The newspaper wrote: It was unclear if Brooks grasped that by levelling charges of the big lie, he had inverted his own analogy, making Democrats the equivalent of interwar German and Austrian Jews. The comments by Mr Brooks, a five-time congressman from Alabamas fifth congressional district, were quickly condemned. Its unconscionable for a member of Congress to demonise an opposing party by claiming it's comparable to Nazism, said the Anti-Defamation League, a US-based Jewish group that fights anti-Semitism. Story continues The vicious Nazi regime was responsible for the murder of 6 million Jews and millions more. This is dangerous and Mo Brooks must apologise. The Post said Mr Brooks, who in 2017 failed to secure the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he joined Mr Trumps cabinet, has yet to respond to the criticism of his comments. Washington (AFP) - For the third time in a week, US Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a measure calling for special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian election interference to be publicly released. Amid the squabble over the timing and scope of the release, a senior Republican senator assured that Attorney General Bill Barr will release the special counsel's findings in a matter of "weeks, not months." The Republican-led upper chamber has faced mounting pressure to align with a measure from the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives that seeks swift release of the full report to Congress and the American people. Senate Democrat Diane Feinstein took to the Senate floor asking for unanimous consent to pass the non-binding resolution, which cleared the House in mid-March by 420 to 0. "The fact is that a four-page summary can not possibly illuminate what this thorough of an investigation uncovered," said Feinstein, referring to Barr's summary description of the report. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected, stressing the need for Mueller and Barr to review the report and determine what can be publicly released and what must be redacted. "I think we should be consistent in letting the special counsel actually finish his work, and not just when we think it may be politically advantageous to one side of the other for him to do so," he said. Mueller and his team spent 22 months investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 US election, and possible connections between team Trump and Moscow. While he found there was conclusive evidence that Russia influenced the vote, Barr in his summary cleared Trump and his team of any collusion with Russia regarding election interference. Two previous efforts by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to advance the House measure were also blocked, actions the top Democrat denounced on the Senate floor Wednesday. "When we read reports that Barr only wants to release a summary, and Leader McConnell is unsupportive of transparency, something doesn't smell right," Schumer said. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham meanwhile said he met with Barr Monday and the attorney general laid out a path for reviewing the report with Mueller and releasing it. "He's going to do all that in weeks, not months, he's going to turn it over to the committee, then I think he'll come to the Senate, hopefully some time in April" to testify, Graham told Fox News. Blockchain technology has been touted as a solution for a variety of industries since its rise into the mainstream over the past decade, but land ownership is not one of them according to new research. Tim Robustelli of New America, a non-partisan think tank, said that blockchain technology is poorly understood by governments and that it is not a solution to the worlds biggest problems, contrary to popular belief. Theres a general notion that blockchain is a magic bullet that can save the rainforest or solve world hunger thats not true, he said at a World Bank conference in Washington DC this week, via Reuters. It cannot, for example, make up for sloppy or incomplete data collection, he said, before claiming that using blockchain for land records would be a huge bureaucratic and logistical task. Blockchain technology is, in simple terms, an immutable ledger that tracks and verifies data and transactions. Blockchain can work, but only under specific conditions, to solve specific problems. Not a magic bullet! @NewAmericaFPR Tim Robustelli explains. pic.twitter.com/CVevT14j9G Yuliya Neyman Panfil (@yneyman) March 26, 2019 Aanchal Anand of World Bank said the lack of adoption from governments alludes to a tendency of expecting too much from the technology. Tech can look big and flashy, and like it can solve all our problems but the Big Mac burger never matches up to the one in the ad, she said. Theres a lot of other pieces to the puzzle, like cultural barriers to improve access to land. And if you dont have any data, what information are you going to put into your analytics? For more news, guides, and cryptocurrency analysis, click here. The post Research claims poorly understood blockchain technology cannot solve land rights issue appeared first on Coin Rivet. Researchers claim using the term cyclist dehumanises bike riders and leads to an increased number of acts of aggression towards them. Stock image. Experts have called for the word cyclist to be banned because they claim it dehumanises people who ride bikes. Researchers at Queensland University of Technology and Monash University, made the findings in a new study which links the dehumanisation of cyclists and deliberate acts of aggression directed towards them. Professor Narelle Haworth said the study, which questioned 442 people in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, found 55% of non-cyclists rated cyclists as not completely human. Prof Haworth believes scrapping the term in favour of people who ride bikes could reduce the number of acts of aggression involving cyclists. Queensland University of Technology researchers believe if we refer to cyclists as people on bikes they are less likely to be treated with aggression. Stock image. (PA) Speaking to Daily Mail Australia she said: If we used the term people on bikes, instead of cyclists, were giving a term that is more human-like and less like a species. We need to spread the idea that those people [cyclists] could be any of us. There is need to grow a culture of mutual respect for people on bikes. Professor Haworth said banning the word cyclists wasnt the only solution to change the negative attitudes towards them. She added: Infrastructure is paramount. The best thing would be not to have to share the road. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Mans mistake leads to double lottery jackpot Thieves target high-end Fleet Street jewellers amid half-marathon Housing developer accused of segregating children One in five drivers admitted to researchers that they intentionally block cyclists. Stock image. The study found that one in five drivers deliberately blocked cyclists on roads, while one in ten admitted to using their car to cut off a cyclist. Participants across different states in Australia completed an online survey for the study. A dehumanisation trait scale was part of the survey, which included statements such as I feel like cyclists are mechanic and I feel like cyclists arent sophisticated. For each statement, participants were given an option to agree, disagree or remain neutral on a scale. Participants were also asked about their behaviour towards cyclists, with some admitting they had shouted and thrown things at cyclists. Stop Brexit petition is the most signed petition in UK history. The Stop Brexit online campaign with more than 5.8 million signatures has shown how people power can swell support for one particular issue. Petitions let the public voice their collective feelings to government on certain subjects and hopefully enact change. If any petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government must respond. If it reaches 100,000, it will be considered for debate in Parliament. So with the Revoke Article 50 campaign getting a Government response this week, which other UK petitions gained the most support and did any make a difference? Undated photo of a remain protester demonstrating their allegiance with headwear in Westminster. (Source: PA) Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU Opened: 20 February 2019 Signatures: 5,870,760 (still open) Did it result in action? This petition made headlines around the UK for being the most signed in history. At one point there were about 2,000 people signing a minute, which caused the website to crash repeatedly. The Government responded on 26 March, saying: This Government will not revoke Article 50. Parliament is due to debate this on 1 April. European Union flag at Berlaymont building of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. (Source: Getty) EU Referendum Rules triggering a 2nd EU Referendum Opened: 25 May 2016 Signatures: 4,150,262 Did it result in action? The petition called for a second referendum, asking the government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum. It was responded to on 8 July 2016, with the government saying: The European Union Referendum Act received Royal Assent in December 2015, receiving overwhelming support from Parliament. The Act did not set a threshold for the result or for minimum turnout. Two weeks ago MPs voted against holding a second Brexit referendum by a majority of 249 votes. President Donald Trump is flown as a protest on 13 July 2018 against his visit, in Parliament Square in London. Source: AP Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the United Kingdom Opened: 9 November 2016 Signatures: 1,863,708 Did it result in action? While Downing Street did confirm that Theresa May would not be withdrawing her invitation to the US president because it remained substantially in the national interest, Trump himself told Mrs May he did not want to go ahead with a state visit to Britain until the British public supported him coming. Story continues When he finally did arrive in July 2018, it caused national outrage and protests, including the flying of the Trump Baby blimp. Close-up medical syringe with a vaccine. (Source: Getty) Give the Meningitis B vaccine to ALL children, not just newborn babies Opened: 14 September 2015 Signatures: 823,349 Did it result in action? Although debated on 25 April 2015, the Government did not change the age of infants receiving vaccinations to 11, as the petition called for. Shamima Begum (center) leaving the UK with two other girls to join ISIS in 2015. (Source: AP) Ban all ISIS members from returning to UK Opened: 6 November 2018 Signatures: 593,457 (still open) Did it result in action? Particularly topical due to recent news coverage of Shamima Begum, it was debated in Parliament on 18 March 2019, and Government responded saying: British citizenship can be removed if it does not render the individual stateless. Any risk posed by those who return from Syria will be managed and they may be investigated for criminal offences. U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from the media on 26 March in Washington, DC. (Source: PA) Block Donald Trump from UK entry Opened: 8 December 2015 Signatures: 586,930 Did it result in action? Government responded on 29 December 2015 saying: The Government has a policy of not routinely commenting on individual immigration or exclusion cases. The PM arrives at Westminster as she faces a no confidence vote after her Brexit deal was rejected. (Source: Reuters) Leave the EU without a deal in March 2019 Opened: 17 October 2018 Signatures: 580,945 (still open) Did it result in action? A debate was held on 14 January 2019 and Government said: The deal that we have reached with the EU is the right one for the United Kingdom. Leaving without a deal would risk uncertainty for the economy, for business and for citizens. Calais, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France, Europe Stop all immigration and close the UK borders until ISIS is defeated Opened: 9 September 2015 Signatures: 463,501 Did it result in action? The Petitions Committee decided not to debate this petition and the Government released a statement saying: The UK government has no intention of closing Britains borders, as this would create more problems than it would solve. The UK remains open for business for legitimate travellers and trade whilst operating its borders securely to protect the public from the threat of terrorism. Silhouette of refugees with luggage walking in a row. (Source: Getty) Accept more asylum seekers and increase support for refugee migrants in the UK Opened: 13 August 2015 Signatures: 450,287 Did it result in action? Parliament debated this topic on 8 September 2015 and the next day, Government responded saying: The UK has a proud history of providing refuge to those in genuine need of protection. To support this commitment, the Prime Minister has announced that the Government will expand the existing Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme to resettle around 20,000 Syrians in need of protection during this Parliament. Jeremy Hunt arrives at Downing Street to attend the weekly Cabinet Meeting. (Source: PA) Consider a vote of No Confidence in Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary Opened: 11 February 2016 Signatures: 339,925 Did it result in action? Government responded on 17 March 2016 saying: The latest staff survey showed NHS staff engagement is at a 5 year high. We will continue to invest in and support NHS staff to help deliver safe, high quality patient care every day of the week. The Petitions Committee decided not to debate the subject. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO) is a true Dividend Rock Star. Its yield of 5.3% makes it one of the market's top dividend payer. In the past ten years, Rio Tinto Group has also grown its dividend from $1.17 to $3.03. Below, I have outlined more attractive dividend aspects for Rio Tinto Group for income investors who may be interested in new dividend stocks for their portfolio. View our latest analysis for Rio Tinto Group What Is A Dividend Rock Star? It is a stock that pays a consistent, reliable and competitive dividend over a long period of time, and is expected to continue to pay in the same manner many years to come. More specifically: Its annual yield is among the top 25% of dividend payers It consistently pays out dividend without missing a payment or significantly cutting payout Its has increased its dividend per share amount over the past It can afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings It is able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future High Yield And Dependable Rio Tinto Group currently yields 5.3%, which is on the low-side for Metals and Mining stocks. But the real reason Rio Tinto Group stands out is because it has a proven track record of continuously paying out this level of dividends, from earnings, to shareholders and can be expected to continue paying in the future. This is a highly desirable trait for a stock holding if you're investor who wants a robust cash inflow from your portfolio over a long period of time. LSE:RIO Historical Dividend Yield, March 27th 2019 If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock you're eyeing out is reliable in its payments. In the case of RIO it has increased its DPS from $1.17 to $3.03 in the past 10 years. It has also been paying out dividend consistently during this time, as you'd expect for a company increasing its dividend levels. This is an impressive feat, which makes RIO a true dividend rockstar. Story continues The current trailing twelve-month payout ratio for the stock is 37%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Going forward, analysts expect RIO's payout to increase to 63% of its earnings. Assuming a constant share price, this equates to a dividend yield of 5.5%. However, EPS is forecasted to fall to $5.46 in the upcoming year. Therefore, although payout is expected to increase, the fall in earnings may not equate to higher dividend income. If you want to dive deeper into the sustainability of a certain payout ratio, you may wish to consider the cash flow of the business. Cash flow is important because companies with strong cash flow can usually sustain higher payout ratios. Next Steps: Investors of Rio Tinto Group can continue to expect strong dividends from the stock. With its favorable dividend characteristics, if high income generation is still the goal for your portfolio, then Rio Tinto Group is one worth keeping around. However, given this is purely a dividend analysis, I urge potential investors to try and get a good understanding of the underlying business and its fundamentals before deciding on an investment. There are three relevant aspects you should further research: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for RIOs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for RIOs outlook. Valuation: What is RIO worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it's not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether RIO is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there strong dividend payers with better fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. 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. Punters have predicted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will call their baby Diana after Harrys late mother, following a flurry of bets on the newborn being a girl. Betfair spokesperson Katie Baylis tells Yahoo Style UK: Diana has been the big favourite since Meghan announced she was expecting and weve slashed the odds on the name to 3/1 in the last few days. Next is Grace at 8/1, while Arthur, James and Edward, all very traditional names are the 14/1 favourites if the child is a boy. So whats in a name? Diana would be a tribute to Harrys mother who tragically died in a car accident in Paris in 1997. Its also one of Princess Charlottes middle names. Meghan and Harry at WE Day. [Photo: PA] Princess Diana, pictured in 1995. [Photo: PA] Grace Kelly is the name of the former American actress, who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Like Meghan, she retired from acting to take up royal duties. Victoria and Alice are also 14/1 favourites, if the couple have a girl. The Queen is a great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Princess Alice was her second daughter. The Duke of Edinburghs mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg. READ MORE: Where will Meghan and Harrys baby live? If the royal baby is a boy, Arthur, James and Edward all have royal connotations. Pippa and husband James Matthews named their first child Arthur [Photo: PA] Arthur is the name of the legendary, mythical king, derived from 5th century folklore. Prince William and his son Prince Louis also have Arthur as one of their middle names and Kates sister Pippa Middleton named it her firstborn. King James has been the name of many monarchs throughout history, while Edward was the name of the Queens uncle and is also that of her youngest son. Harry and Meghan may be less likely to choose Edward though, as he abdicated from the throne in 1936 so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Simferopol (AFP) - Russian authorities in annexed Crimea raided the homes of Muslim Tatars Wednesday and detained at least 20 people suspected of belonging to a banned Islamist group ahead of this week's presidential vote in Ukraine. Supporters decried the latest act of "intimidation" against members of the ethnic group, most of whom oppose Russia's annexation, and said the raids were among the largest in recent years. Washington said it was "extremely concerned" by the arrests. Most Crimean Tatars have refused to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship and some are planning to vote in the first round of Sunday's presidential poll. In a statement, Russia's FSB security service said it had searched the homes of suspected members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir group. "Twenty of its rank-and-file members and leaders have been detained," the FSB said after conducting raids with police and other law enforcement agencies. Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation) seeks to re-establish a Caliphate -- a pan-Islamic state based on Islamic rule harking back to medieval times -- and has been banned in Russia since 2003. The FSB accused members of the organisation of seeking to promote "an ideology based on terrorism" and recruit other Crimean Tatars. The security service claimed it had seized materials proving individuals' links to the banned group. Lawyer Emil Kurbedinov said 23 people had been detained in large-scale raids that involved hundreds of FSB officers and other law enforcement agents. "This is one of the largest acts of intimidation in Crimea in the last five years," Kurbedinov told AFP. He said those detained included activists who fought for the rights of "Crimean political prisoners". Another lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said at least 25 homes across the peninsula had been raided, adding that defence attorneys were not allowed to oversee the searches. Crimean Tatars are a Muslim community indigenous to the Black Sea peninsula. Story continues Under Joseph Stalin's rule, they were sent into exile to Uzbekistan and the Urals and only returned around the fall of the USSR. Most Crimean Tatars opposed Moscow's annexation of the peninsula in 2014 and subsequently Russian authorities have cracked down on the community, banning their assembly and television channel as well as detaining and jailing dozens of activists. - 'Deportation into Russian jails' - Nariman Jelyal, first deputy chairman of the Mejlis, the Tatars' banned assembly, linked the latest raids to the upcoming Ukrainian presidential elections, along with other factors. He called the raids "the start of the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars into Russian prisons". "We are extremely concerned by Russia's raids and massive intimidation today targeting Crimean Tatars," the US embassy in Kiev said. "We call on the Russian government to cease its unjust arrests, detentions, searches, and persecution of Crimean Tatars, activists, and journalists." The Ukrainian foreign ministry denounced the arrests and called on the international community to ramp up its pressure on Russia. "We don't rule out that today's events may become the start of a new wave of legal proceedings against the Crimean Tatars," the ministry said in a statement. Amnesty International also condemned the raids. "Russian authorities will resort to any means to suppress dissent, real or imaginary," Oksana Pokalchuk, head of the watchdog's Ukraine office said in a statement. Moscow (AFP) - A Russian court on Wednesday ruled that a widely-condemned China-backed project to bottle water from Lake Baikal illegally received the go-ahead from authorities. The plant currently under construction to bottle the waters of the world's largest lake has proved highly controversial, exacerbated by popular fears of a Chinese "land-grab" in Siberia. A judge at a district court in the Siberian city of Irkutsk ruled that the official permit for the plant's construction was "illegal", TASS state news agency reported from the courtroom. Judge Natalya Isakova said that the permission was issued on the basis of a positive environmental impact report, which she also ruled was "illegal." The ruling came after a petition against the plant on Change.org gathered more than a million signatures. The water "will be shipped to China," the petition said, warning that the facility would block local access to the lake and "inflict irreparable damage" to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Russian company behind the project, AkvaSib, will appeal the court ruling, its chief engineer Vladislav Gerkovenko told TASS, insisting: "we are building the plant legally." The plant's financial backing comes from a company called "Baikal Lake" based in China's Daqing. The plant was initially welcomed by the Irkutsk authorities in 2017, when they gave the $21-million project priority status. The court case came after prosecutors contested the positive conclusions of an environmental impact report issued in 2016 by Russia's state environmental watchdog. Prosecutors said it did not take into account the plant's impact on wetlands that are a feeding ground for rare birds during migration seasons. Irkutsk region governor Sergei Levchenko, who initially backed the plant, this month argued that the plant's site is "environmentally protected land on all sides." "I think this is insurmountable. I don't see the potential for bottling water there," he said. While Chinese tourists flock to Lake Baikal, some locals argue that this does not benefit the local community because their tours are run by Chinese companies. Samsung unveiled its tenth anniversary Galaxy smartphones only recently but rumour mills are clunking into action already for the company's next flagship - Galaxy Note 10. Samsung's Galaxy S10 series of smartphones were well received and the expectations are sky high with the next instalment of the Galaxy Note device. However, according to the South Korean publication ETNews, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10 may not have any buttons this time, not even for Bixby. Also Read: Samsung launches Galaxy Fold: All you need to know about the foldable smartphone Samsung is planning to replace the physical buttons with gestures and some sensors. So, there could be a gesture for increasing and decreasing the volume, another for power functions like switching the phone on/off. Company could also go for side-squeeze gestures to call on specific functions like the ones employed by Google on its Pixel devices. More recently, Vivo's concept phone Apex had showcased a buttonless and portless design at the Mobile World Congress (MWC). Even the charging on the Vivo phone was handled by the rear-mounted magnetic connector which was also used for data transfer. According to the ETNews, Samsung is expected to test the buttonless features on its A-series phones first to gain insights on usability and test the overall user experience. Samsung A-series smartphones could also come with force-touch gestures initially. In addition, ETNews has also reported that the Infinity-O hole may soon be a part of smartphone history and would be replaced by the under-screen invisible camera. Also Read: Samsung unveils S10, S10 Plus, a cheaper S10e and Galaxy S10 5G; here're the details Meanwhile, as far as the specifications are concerned, the Galaxy Note 10 could come with a Dynamic AMOLED screen that's a bit larger than the one on the Galaxy S10+, which measures 6.4 inches diagonally. It'll probably have the triple-lens camera from the Galaxy S10+ on the back, or perhaps the quadruple-lens camera from the Galaxy S10 5G. Around front, it'll likely have a hole-punch screen with a dual-lens selfie camera in the corner. Galaxy Note 10 is all set to debut in the month of August and more leaks are expected in the coming months. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: WhatsApp Dark Mode revealed for Android, everything you need to know Also Read: Samsung unveils S10, S10 Plus, a cheaper S10e and Galaxy S10 5G; here're the details Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi state oil giant Aramco said Wednesday it is buying a 70 percent stake in petrochemicals behemoth SABIC, in a deal worth $69.1 billion. "Saudi Aramco today announced the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire a 70% majority stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, in a private transaction for... $69.1 billion," Aramco said in a statement. Saudi Arabia had sought to raise billions of dollars through a historic Aramco public offer to diversify its oil-dependent economy, but the plan has suffered a series of delays. Observers see the acquisition of a controlling stake in SABIC as a complex alternative to raise much-needed cash for the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the kingdom's top sovereign wealth fund. "This is a win-win-win transaction and a transformational deal for three of Saudi Arabia's most important economic entities," PIF managing director Yasir al-Rumayyan said in the Aramco statement. "It will unlock significant capital for PIF's continued long-term investment strategy, underpinning sectoral and revenue diversification for Saudi Arabia." SABIC, Saudi Arabia's largest publicly listed company, is said to have a market capitalisation of around $100 billion -- the same amount the kingdom had sought to raise from Aramco's IPO. The PIF, which hopes to control more than $2 trillion by 2030, is involved in a host of big-ticket global investments, buying a stake in Uber and pumping cash into a planned $500 billion mega city in the kingdom's northwest. It seeks cash to finance an ambitious reform programme envisaged by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to wean the economy off its reliance on oil. Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi state oil giant Aramco said Wednesday it is buying a majority stake in petrochemicals behemoth SABIC for $69.1 billion, a deal that gives the crown prince's ambitious reform programme a massive cash boost. The 70-percent stake purchase effectively merges the kingdom's two largest companies, handing its top sovereign wealth fund around the same amount it had expected from a much-delayed Aramco IPO. The deal, mooted last year, lends Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greater fiscal flexibility to pursue his "Vision 2030" reforms agenda after journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder and a sweeping crackdown against dissent left many investors spooked. "Saudi Aramco today announced the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire a 70 percent majority stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, in a private transaction for... $69.1 billion," Aramco said in a statement. The company did not say how it would finance the deal, one of the biggest in the global industry. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih hailed it as a "historic deal", saying the biggest winner from the transaction was the national economy. Saudi Arabia had sought to raise billions of dollars through a historic Aramco public offer to diversify the economy of the world's largest oil exporter and create jobs, but the plan has suffered a series of delays. Observers see the acquisition of a controlling stake in SABIC as a complex alternative to boost the coffers of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is leading efforts to transform the petro-state to a tech-focused economy. Saudi officials said the state-owned enterprises would benefit from the synergy. "This is a win-win-win transaction and a transformational deal for three of Saudi Arabia's most important economic entities," PIF managing director Yasir al-Rumayyan said in the Aramco statement. Story continues "It will unlock significant capital for PIF's continued long-term investment strategy, underpinning sectoral and revenue diversification for Saudi Arabia." - 'Influx of cash' - SABIC, Saudi Arabia's largest publicly listed non-oil company, is said to have a market capitalisation of around $100 billion -- the same amount the kingdom had sought to raise from Aramco's IPO. "Aramco is the Saudi entity best positioned to receive favourable financing, so this deal is the most efficient way for the PIF to obtain an influx of cash," Ellen Wald, author of the book Saudi Inc., told AFP. "It is an alternative to the Aramco IPO in the short-term because it gives the PIF some of the cash it was looking for. We may still see a publicly traded Aramco in the future." The plan to float around five percent of the oil giant -- expected to be the world's largest stock sale -- forms the cornerstone of a reform programme envisaged by Prince Mohammed to wean the economy off its reliance on oil. But Aramco executives have repeatedly cited unfavourable market conditions to push back the IPO, initially planned for 2018. Government officials, however, insist that they remain committed to the IPO despite regulatory hurdles and that it will go ahead by 2021. The PIF, which observers say follows a "spend to grow" strategy, seeks to boost its treasure chest to finance a slew of non-oil investments. Aiming to control more than $2 trillion by 2030, the PIF is involved in a host of big-ticket global investments -- from buying a stake in ride-hailing app Uber to pumping cash into a planned $500 billion mega city called NEOM in the kingdom's northwest. By Stephen Kalin RIYADH (Reuters) - Prominent women activists on trial in Saudi Arabia told a court on Wednesday they had been subjected to torture during more than nine months of detention, sources familiar with the matter said, in a case that has sharpened Western criticism of the kingdom. The hearing, in which the women face charges related to human rights work and contacts with foreign journalists and diplomats, has drawn global attention after last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Those on trial include rights campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, university professor Hatoon al-Fassi, blogger Eman al-Nafjan and academic Aziza al-Yousef, who is in her 60s. Sitting near their families inside Riyadh's criminal court, some of the women described to a three-judge panel the mistreatment they had experienced, the sources said. At least three of the women, including Hathloul, were held in solitary confinement for months and subjected to abuse including electric shocks, flogging, and sexual assault, rights groups have said. Hathloul's siblings allege that Saud al-Qahtani, a top adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was present during some of the torture sessions and threatened to rape and kill her. The Saudi public prosecutor has said his office investigated the allegations and concluded they were false. Reuters has been unable to reach Qahtani since he was fired in October over the Khashoggi murder. "He's the one who should be in court today, not my sister," Walid al-Hathloul told CNN after Wednesday's session. Loujain asked for another month to respond to the charges after being granted only two hours with a lawyer to prepare, Walid added. There was no immediate response from the court. The health of another woman, Nouf Abdelaziz, has deteriorated recently, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST reported this week, though the reason was unclear. One source said she had not appeared in court. Story continues Western diplomats and media, including Reuters, were denied entry to the hearing and escorted from the building, despite petitioning to attend amid global scrutiny of the case. Three dozen countries, including all 28 EU members, Canada and Australia, have called on Riyadh to free the activists. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his U.S. counterpart both raised the issue during recent visits to the kingdom. Nine prominent U.S. senators wrote a public letter last week asking King Salman to immediately release of prisoners held on "dubious charges related to their activism", citing many of the women currently on trial. It remains to be seen if Riyadh will bend to international pressure - with the women possibly receiving acquittals or pardons - or pursue harsh sentences in a case critics say has revealed the limits of the crown prince's promises to modernise Saudi Arabia. SENDING A MESSAGE Some of the charges against the women fall under part of the kingdom's cybercrime law stipulating jail sentences of up to five years, according to rights groups. Those against Hathloul include communicating with 15 to 20 foreign journalists in Saudi Arabia, attempting to apply for a job at the United Nations, and attending digital privacy training, her brother has said. The public prosecutor said last May that some of the women, along with several men, had been arrested on suspicion of harming Saudi interests and offering support to hostile elements abroad. State-backed media labelled some of them as traitors and "agents of embassies", irritating Western allies. The detentions happened weeks before a ban on women driving cars in the conservative kingdom was lifted under efforts to relax social rules and boost the economy. Activists and diplomats have speculated that may have been meant as a message to activists not to push demands out of sync with the government's own agenda, but the crown prince has denied that, accusing the women of working for Qatari and Iranian intelligence. Dozens of other activists, intellectuals and clerics have been arrested separately in the past two years in an apparent bid to stamp out possible opposition. The crown prince has courted the West to support ambitious economic and social reforms, but his reputation was tarnished when Saudi agents killed Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate, sparking an international furore. (Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Catherine Evans) Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi women activists detained for almost a year offered their defence at an emotionally charged hearing on Wednesday, saying they had suffered torture and sexual harassment during interrogation, courtroom witnesses said. Eleven women responded to charges that rights groups say include contact with international media and human rights groups, in the second hearing of a high-profile trial that foreign reporters and diplomats are barred from attending. Some of them wept and hugged each other and their family members gathered before a three-judge panel in Riyadh's criminal court as they accused interrogators of electrocuting, flogging and groping them in detention, two people with access to the trial told AFP. The government strongly denies the women were tortured. The women, including prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul, blogger Eman al-Nafjan and university professor Hatoon al-Fassi, were detained last summer in a sweeping crackdown on campaigners just before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female motorists. Some of the women have appealed for bail, family members told AFP. The women were accused of links with foreign intelligence agencies, while state-backed media branded them traitors and "agents of embassies". The charge sheets, however, make no mention of contact with foreign spies, rights groups including Human Rights Watch say. The trial has intensified scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights record following global outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder by Saudi agents last October. The women were initially expected to appear in a court set up to handle terrorism-related cases. But trial was shifted to the criminal court at the last minute, without any explanation, after months of Western criticism. That has triggered speculation the trial could pave the way for the women's release after the crackdown sparked international criticism against Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler. Some detainees, including activist Loujain, were recently made to sign letters in prison requesting a royal pardon from King Salman, family members told AFP. Rome (AFP) - Foreign children on the school bus hijacked near Milan last week are to be awarded Italian nationality, far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday after a week-long debate. The dramatic police rescue of 51 children on the bus hijacked by their driver of Senegalese origin on March 20 has gripped Italy and rekindled debate about its citizenship laws. "If there are children who are not Italian citizens, we have studied this question and we will complete the process so that they can become Italian," Salvini said after meeting five of the children and some of the police who saved them in Rome. Salvini from the anti-immigrant Lega party stressed that the nationality would be awarded "without any variation in the law, since the law exists and works, we do not change it." Children of foreign parents who are born in Italy can only apply for citizenship when they reach 18. It is not known how many of the children are concerned, but 14-year-old Ramy, born in Italy to Egyptian parents, and 13-year-old Moroccan Adam played key roles by calling police during the hijacking. The driver doused the bus in petrol and said he would set it alight, taking what he thought was everyone's mobile phone and heading for Milan airport in what he said was a protest against Salvini's tough anti-migrant policies. As some Italians and Ramy suggested changes to the citizenship law, Salvini had earlier told the boy: "Get elected and then you can make the law." Salvini insisted that he himself had decided to give the children nationality, after his coalition partner from the Five Star Movement Luigi Di Maio said he had changed Salvini's mind. Salvini said that Ramy was "like my son". He also paid homage to a 13-year-old Italian boy who offered himself as a hostage while his friends were "in panic, crying and praying." "He is a young Italian so I can't even give him double-Italian nationality," Salvini said. "As a father myself, I said to him, 'Are you crazy?' And he told me: 'It was the right thing to do'. At 13... Hats off." Bamako (AFP) - Six people have been killed in attacks on villages of the Dogon ethnic community in central Mali, local officials and a security source said as the UN mission called for an end to the "spiral of violence" afflicting the region. The attacks followed a deadly raid on Saturday in the village of Ogassogou, home to the Fulani herding community, near the town of Mopti. Some 160 people died in the assault, local officials and security sources said. A militia from the Dogon ethnic group -- a hunting and farming community with a long history of tension with the Fulani over access to land -- is suspected to have carried out Saturday's raid. "This spiral of violence must cease immediately," the UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said in a statement. A local councillor in the area, Oumar Diallo, said the Dogon village of Ouadou was "attacked by armed men". "Houses were burnt, the provisional death toll is four dead. In another village around Bankass, two women were also killed," he told AFP. A Malian security source confirmed the death toll, as did MINUSMA, which said the attack occurred on the night of Monday to Tuesday and added that "several houses were torched, cattle were stolen". The UN rights office in Geneva said earlier Tuesday it had sent a team of investigators to the region. Saturday's raid was the deadliest attack in Mali since the 2013 French-led military intervention that drove back jihadist groups who had taken control of the north of the country. Jihadist raids remain a persistent threat, and in the centre of the country, an ethnic mosaic, the attacks have had a bloody impact on groups with a history of rivalry. The Fulani have been accused of supporting a jihadist preacher, Amadou Koufa, who rose to prominence in central Mali four years ago. So-called self-defence groups have emerged in the Dogon community in the declared role of providing protection against the insurgents. But these militias have also used their status to attack the Fulani. Violence between the Fulani and Dogon and between the Fulani and Bambara ethnic group claimed some 500 civilian lives last year, according to UN figures. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 has made an emergency landing in Florida after suffering what officials described as an engine-related problem. The plane, the same model of which has been grounded around the world following two crashes that appeared to indicate problems with a new anti-stall system, was not carrying passengers when it was forced to make the emergency landing at Orlando International Airport. Rather, two pilots were flying the plane to Victorville, California, where it was to have been stored. Instead, they were obliged to return to Orlando at around 3pm on Tuesday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 8701, a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, declared an emergency after the aircraft experienced a reported engine problem while departing from Orlando International Airport in Florida about 2.50pm today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. The aircraft returned and landed safely in Orlando. No passengers were aboard the aircraft, which was being ferried to Victorville, Calif., for storage. The FAA is investigating. A Boeing spokesman said it the company was aware of the incident and supporting our customers. Southwest Airlines said its pilots reported a performance issue with one of the engines shortly after takeoff. The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport, it said. The FAA joined regulators around the world earlier this month in grounding the planes, produced in Seattle, following two crashes Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and last Octobers crash of a Lion Air flight. The Ethiopian Airlines crash earlier this month resulted in the deaths of all 157 passengers on board. In Indonesia, 189 people lost their lives. Investigators said the two downing had clear similarities. They are currently investigating the recently-introduced manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system (MCAS), which is designed to stop planes form stalling on take off. Barcelona (AFP) - Spanish public prosecutors said Wednesday they have filed a criminal lawsuit against Catalan president Quim Torra for disobedience after he ignored orders to remove pro-independence symbols from regional public buildings. Torra is accused of "repeatedly" ignoring petitions from Spain's electoral board to take down all pro-independence symbols from Catalan regional government buildings ahead of a snap general election on April 28. A high court in Catalonia will now have to decide whether or not it accepts the complaint. If Torra, who says the issue is one of free speech, is convicted of disobedience he could be dismissed and barred from holding public office. Since Torra's government was sworn in in June 2018 a large banner has hung on its Barcelona headquarters featuring a yellow ribbon -- a symbol of protest against the imprisonment and trial of separatist leaders for their role in a failed attempt to declare independence in 2017 -- along with the message, "Free political prisoners and exiles". After ignoring two deadlines imposed by the board, the Catalan government finally decided to remove the yellow ribbon on Thursday. Workers covered the original banner with another with the exact same message. But the yellow ribbon has been replaced with a white one with a diagonal red stripe -- still a subtle nod to separatism as it was used in the past by a grassroots pro-independence group. Then on Friday workers removed that banner before regional Catalan police arrived to enforce the electoral board's order. Torra called the electoral board's decision "unfair" and said he planned to file a complant against the body. Spot These 10 Financial Scams Before They Ruin Your Retirement It's a sad fact that when you're older, con artists put a target on your back. That's because seniors are more likely to have substantial savings, own their homes and have excellent credit. Many were raised to be polite and trusting. Retirees also may be lonely or experiencing cognitive decline. Scammers smell opportunity -- and cheat older Americans out of a staggering $36.5 billion each year, a 2015 study from True Life Financial found. Don't become a victim. Here's what you need to know about 10 of the most common senior financial scams -- and how to fight back. Don't become a victim. Here's what you need to know about 10 of the most common senior financial scams -- and how to fight back. 1. Medicare scams robertindiana / Shutterstock Fraudsters prey on Medicare beneficiaries. Fraudsters love manipulating the Medicare system. Posing as representatives of the government health care program, they may call or email older people to fish for personal information that they can use to commit identity theft. Other scammers set up mobile units at fairs and churches and offer "free" screenings or exams. They obtain your Medicare information, submit bills for the services, pocket the money and skip town. When its time to see your doctor for your annual exam or screenings, Medicare will deny your claim and say you've already had your covered services during the year. 2. Prescription drug schemes Yuriy Golub / Shutterstock Counterfeit drugs are a dangerous scourge. When seniors search the internet for affordable prescriptions, they wander right into an online bazaar offering counterfeit drugs for all manner of ailments, including heart problems, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's. It's a booming marketplace: Federal agents now pursue four times as many investigations into bogus medications each year as they did in the 1990s, the National Council on Aging says. At best, counterfeit products wont do anything at all for you. At worst, they could put your health or even your life at risk. Phony treatments have been known to contain paint, antifreeze or other harmful substances. Story continues Obtain medicines only from doctors, or from sources they approve. 3. Natural disaster scams Martin Haas / Shutterstock Tornadoes and other disasters bring out the scammers. Almost immediately after a devastating tornado, flood or other natural disaster, fraudsters go to work to take advantage of sympathetic seniors and other kind strangers who want to help. You may be inundated with calls from bogus charities in the days following a disaster. Never give out your credit card number or other sensitive financial information to people who contact you out of the blue. If youd really like to provide assistance, contact a reputable charity. Pick up the phone to call in with your donation, or give money on the official website. 4. Bereavement rip-offs ESB Professional / Shutterstock Con artists try to exploit grieving widows and widowers. Some lowlifes target mourners. Scammers comb the obituaries for the names of survivors. Then, they call or show up at funerals to exploit relatives by claiming the deceased owed them money. Grieving seniors also can be preyed upon by disreputable funeral homes aggressively selling unnecessary services. For example, hucksters might imply that a pricey casket is necessary even for a cremation which is not true in any state. When you lose someone and need to make arrangements, take a friend along with you to visit funeral homes. And ask to see detailed price lists, because facilities are required to give those upon request. 5. Telemarketing scams SpeedKingz / Shutterstock Never provide your personal financial information to someone you don't know. Telemarketing calls aren't just annoying, but they also can be scammy especially when an elderly person answers. Con artists convince seniors that they represent charities. They collect good-faith deposits to track down large sums of money their victims are supposedly owed. They'll trick a retiree into wiring funds by claiming a family member is in the hospital and needs money. Dont fall for threats, aggressive sales pitches or offers that sound too good to be true. And never provide personal or financial information to someone who calls you. The Federal Communications Commission recommends that if you have caller ID and dont recognize a number, dont answer. Anyone who really knows you will leave a message. 6. Internet fraud Motortion Films / Shutterstock Several online rip-offs target seniors. Cyber thieves use realistic pop-ups to warn you that your computer has been compromised. If you click, youll be urged to purchase fake anti-virus software. Also beware of what are called phishing emails, which look just like alerts from your bank, credit card company, energy provider or favorite online retailer. Most phishing emails ask you to follow a link and update your account information for the scammers. Or, you may get emails that appear to be from the IRS demanding back taxes. Phishing emails tend to look alarming. Misspelled words, capital letters and excessive use of punctuation are common. Simply delete them. You can pinpoint the source of a link by hovering your mouse arrow over it without clicking on it. If its phony, it will contain an unfamiliar name or look like gobbledygook. Just trash the email. 7. Sweepstakes and lottery scams Tennessee Witney / Shutterstock Prize scams can make you a loser. These rip-offs target seniors by phone or through the mail. You might receive a call announcing that youve won a large sum of money or some other prize. All you have to do is provide personal information and a credit card number to claim it. Or, a legitimate-looking check shows up in your mailbox with a notice that youve won a big prize. So, you deposit the check and think about how you'll use the money once it clears. Meanwhile, you get a congratulatory phone call from the scammer, asking for credit card information to pay taxes or fees on your prize. And in a few days, the check bounces. No legitimate contest operates that way. 8. Granny scams Boba Vignjevic / Shutterstock That troubling call may not really be from your granddaughter. Scammers know theres a good chance their elderly targets are grandparents. The call goes something like this: Hi, Grandma. Guess who this is. Anna? Yes. Can you send money to Western Union? Im behind on my rent. Please dont tell Mom and Dad. Theyll be so mad that I bothered you. This scheme has been around a while, but the Federal Trade Commission says a new twist has seniors increasingly mailing large amounts of cash typically around $9,000 to people claiming to be their grandkids. The FTC says don't act on emotion but try to call the grandchild on your own. Or, see if you can check out the story with someone else in the family, not necessarily "Mom and Dad." 9. Investment fraud goodluz / Shutterstock Before you invest any money, do your homework. Con men and women know that seniors want to grow their retirement savings. They usually call or send unsolicited emails pitching stocks they say have phenomenal returns. Before you invest in anything, verify the information you were given by checking the companys financial statements. You can call your state securities regulator, or check the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website. "Remember that a fraudster does not want you to think too much about the investment because you might figure out the scam," the SEC says, on its website. 10. Homeowner scams sirtravelalot / Shutterstock Fraudsters try to pounce on older homeowners. Scam artists know that many older people own a very valuable asset: their own homes. Don't fall prey to swindlers looking to capitalize on the substantial investment you've made to put that roof over your head. Be wary of anyone who pressures you to get a reverse mortgage and stands to benefit if you do. Watch out for home repair outfits that contact you directly and offer to arrange financing, and be careful when supposed county assessors offer to reassess your property for a sizable fee. Report fraud when it happens. Usa.gov has a list of scams broken down by category, with links or phone numbers so you can notify the proper agency. Stay safe! COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lanka's president distanced himself on Wednesday from the government's recent co-sponsorship of a resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council giving the island nation two more years to fulfil its commitment to investigate alleged abuses during its civil war. Highlighting factionalism within the government, President Maithripala Siriena said in a speech that the country's U.N. representative gave Sri Lanka's consent to the resolution without his knowledge or that of the foreign minister. He said the action resulted from "wrong decisions by sections of the government," a reference to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, with whom he has had a falling out. "The president is responsible for the foreign affairs of the country, not anyone else," Sirisena said. "I protest and totally reject the document signed behind by back. I see this as a betrayal of the security forces of the country, as a betrayal of the government of Sri Lanka and the people of Sri Lanka." Sri Lankan security forces in 2009 defeated Tamil Tiger rebels who had fought to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils. The U.N. initially estimated the death toll from 26 years of fighting to be about 100,000 but a U.N. experts' panel later said some 45,000 ethnic Tamils may have been killed in the last months of the fighting alone. Government troops and the Tamil Tigers were both accused of grave human rights violations, which prompted local and international calls for investigations. Sirisena's predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who oversaw the military victory, resisted calls for investigations for many years. Sirisena, who was his health minister, defected and allied with Wickremesinghe and successfully contested the presidential election in 2015 promising to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses, take measures to heal the wounds from the conflict and share political power with the Tamil minority. Story continues Months after his election, Sirisena's government co-sponsored a U.S.-led resolution in which it agreed to investigate abuses and prosecute perpetrators. Among the most contentious issues was the government's agreement to investigate rights abuses in its own courts with the participation of foreign prosecutors and judges. In 2017 another resolution extended the time by two more years. However, with Rajapaksa regrouping and rallying majority Buddhist Sinhalese opinion against actions against the security forces, Sirisena took a hard line. A spat with Wickremesinghe came into open last October, when Sirisena suddenly sacked him and appointed Rajapaksa as prime minister, hoping to form an alliance with him again. A subsequent seven-week political crisis crippled the country and ended with a Supreme Court ruling that forced Sirisena to reinstate Wickremesinghe. In a speech in Geneva last week, Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana said the establishment of hybrid courts with local and foreign judges would violate Sri Lanka's Constitution. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! After looking at Straumann Holding AG's (VTX:STMN) latest earnings announcement (31 December 2018), I found it useful to revisit the company's performance in the past couple of years and assess this against the most recent figures. As a long-term investor I tend to focus on earnings trend, rather than a single number at one point in time. Also, comparing it against an industry benchmark to understand whether it outperformed, or is simply riding an industry wave, is a crucial aspect. Below is a brief commentary on my key takeaways. See our latest analysis for Straumann Holding Despite a decline, did STMN underperform the long-term trend and the industry? STMN's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of CHF273m has declined by -2.4% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 23%, indicating the rate at which STMN is growing has slowed down. What could be happening here? Well, lets take a look at whats occurring with margins and whether the whole industry is facing the same headwind. SWX:STMN Income Statement, March 27th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Straumann Holding has invested its equity funds well leading to a 23% return on equity (ROE), above the sensible minimum of 20%. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 15% exceeds the CH Medical Equipment industry of 13%, indicating Straumann Holding has used its assets more efficiently. And finally, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Straumann Holdings debt level, has increased over the past 3 years from 21% to 22%. This correlates with a decrease in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio declining from 32% to 17% over the past 5 years. What does this mean? Though Straumann Holding's past data is helpful, it is only one aspect of my investment thesis. Companies that are profitable, but have capricious earnings, can have many factors affecting its business. I recommend you continue to research Straumann Holding to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for STMNs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for STMNs outlook. Financial Health: Are STMNs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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. Khartoum (AFP) - A Sudanese court on Wednesday sentenced three protesters, including two female university students, to six months in jail for taking part in a banned demonstration earlier in the day, their lawyer said. The authorities have set up special emergency courts to investigate violations of a nationwide state of emergency imposed by President Omar al-Bashir on February 22 to end widespread demonstrations that erupted against his iron-fisted rule in December. As part of the state of emergency, Bashir has issued a slew of tough measures that include banning unauthorised rallies. The three protesters were sentenced by an emergency court in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, defence lawyer Enaam Atieg told AFP. They included two female students of Khartoum's Ahfad University for Women, and were arrested earlier in the day for participating in a protest in Omdurman, she added. "We will file an appeal for the three protesters tomorrow," she said. The Democratic Lawyers Alliance, a lawyers' group that is part of the protest movement confirmed the sentencing, which it slammed as an "aggressive punishment". Groups of protesters had staged a rally in Omdurman on Wednesday but were quickly dispersed by riot police, witnesses said. Bashir had initially announced that any violations to the state of emergency, especially participating in banned rallies, were punishable with a jail term of up to 10 years. But he later issued an order that the maximum jail term for such violations would be six months. On Sunday, six other protesters were each sentenced to six months in jail for violating the state of emergency. Protests initially erupted on December 19 in the central town of Atbara in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread. They swiftly escalated into nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to Bashir's three-decade rule. Protesters accuse his administration of mismanaging the economy, causing food prices to soar and creating shortages of fuel and foreign currency. Story continues Bashir has remained defiant, imposing the state of emergency after an initial crackdown failed to quell the protests. The veteran leader had initially declared a year-long state of emergency, but parliament cut it to six months. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence, but Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51, including children and medics. The Supreme Court considered slashing federal agencies' power Wednesday, a cause long sought by conservatives. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court appeared hesitant Wednesday to give big business and the conservative legal establishment something they have long sought: a major reduction in the power of federal agencies. Despite its new, more conservative majority, the court did not appear likely to overrule its precedent allowing agencies, rather than judges, to interpret ambiguous regulations. Additional limits on that power, however, appeared likely and were endorsed by the Trump administration. The case is important because federal agencies bureaucrats who aren't elected in the eyes of their opponents make decisions all the time about regulations on the environment, the workplace, food and drugs, and other matters affecting millions of Americans. Challengers want that power left to federal judges. "There are hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of interpretive regulations," Associate Justice Stephen Breyer said. He cited an example of a Food and Drug Administration regulation concerning "a single new active moiety, which consists of a previously approved moiety, joined by a non-ester covalent bond to a lysine group." "Do you know how much I know about that?" Breyer asked Paul Hughes, the lawyer urging the court to reduce agencies' regulatory power. The specific case being argued was a challenge to the Department of Veterans Affairs' refusal to pay retroactive disability benefits to a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War with post-traumatic stress disorder. But it represented a stalking horse for a much bigger change in administrative law. More: Trump ramps up effort to prevent veteran suicides with executive order creating task force For the past 20 years, few high court decisions have been challenged as often as Auer v. Robbins, the 1997 ruling that upheld federal agencies' right to make reasonable interpretations of their own ambiguous regulations. That decision was written by then-Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, who over the following decades grew to despise it. He once told his friend and colleague Associate Justice Clarence Thomas that Auer was "one of the worst opinions in the history of this country." Story continues "Nino," Thomas has said in recounting the story, "you wrote it." When the court last refused to hear a case that might have toppled it, Thomas nevertheless warned in dissent that "the doctrine is on its last gasp." More: President Trump bets big on Supreme Court to uphold controversial policies after lower court losses On Wednesday, the usually taciturn Thomas left it to Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch to make the most impassioned attack on agency powers. Gorsuch argued that judges, not agencies, are best suited to deciding disputes over ambiguous regulations. "Every private party before us says their interests in stability would be better served by eliminating this rule altogether," Gorsuch said. "And it's not just the Chamber of Commerce. It's the Farm Bureau. It's the national lawyers engaged with the immigration system every day... It's the veterans before us, the American Legion, the lawyers who represent veterans every day." Under Chief Justice John Roberts, the court does not overrule itself often about once a year, considerably less than in the past. But in its last term, it struck down a 1977 decision that allowed public employee unions to collect fees from non-members and a 1992 ruling that allowed retailers to sell goods tax-free beyond state borders. The court also tends to avoid major decisions if other branches of government can step in. That was a factor Tuesday when several justices questioned whether they should for the first time declare partisan gerrymandering unconstitutional, since voters in several states have been pushing and passing ballot initiatives to take map-making away from state legislatures. The same hesitance could be in play in this case. Legislation was introduced in Congress Wednesday that would transfer power away from federal agencies and give it to judges. The House passed a similar bill in 2017. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court appears wary of taking on federal agencies over regulations Bilawal Bhutto launched train march PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Tuesday launched a train march dubbed Caravan-i-Bhutto from Karachi to Larkana in connection with the 40th death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. According to PPP Sindh president Nisar Khuhro, the march is part of the PPPs attempts at launching a mass contact campaign with a power show on ZABs death anniversary. The partys chairman will travel from Karachi to Larkana, making brief stopovers along the way at Rohri, Sukkur and Habib Kot, where he will address workers, Khuhro said earlier this week. In Larkana, a public meeting will take place in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto where all arrangements have been made to facilitate participants. Bilawal and party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, along with other central and provincial leaders, will address the gathering. PPP chairman says NAB was formed to help run selected governments Bilawal, at a stop in Landhi, criticized his political opponents, saying that the ruling regime doesnt tolerate the opposition and its criticism. He alleged that police force was used against party workers in Punjab, adding that PPP candidates were not allowed to run their election campaigns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He alleged that the worst-ever rigging in history took place in the 2018 General Election. He said that late former premier and party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sacrificed his life, but did not take a U-turn. On April 4, it is the 40th death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. I am travelling from Karachi to Larkana and hope all of you will also reach Garhi Khudha Baksh, he said. We will give the world a message that Bhutto is still alive and present for democracy. Bilawal said that Bhutto sacrificed his life, but the late former premier did not take a U-turn. The remark was an obvious hit at Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has in the past said that taking a U-turn to reach ones objective was the hallmark of great leadership. Similar remarks followed during a stop in Hyderabad. Whatever they could not achieve through rigging, they have now set out to achieve it through NAB. We do not object to accountability. We believe that when fair accountability takes place, democracy is further strengthened. But we do not accept political vengeance and political engineering under the guise of accountability, said Bilawal. Upon reaching Kotri Station, the PPP chairman alleged that the rulers of the country were conspiring through NAB , adding that the anti-graft body was formed to help run selected governments. We have seen Zias dictatorship, we are not scared of this government, he said. Bilawal later paid a tribute to late party founder by reciting a poem in his honour. In a statement, former president Zardari thanked those who welcomed his son. The people are Bilawal Bhuttos political heirs, Zardari said. Damascus (AFP) - Syria said Wednesday that Israel had attacked targets just north of the city of Aleppo and that its defences had shot down several missiles. "Army air defences repels an Israeli air aggression that targeted a number of industrial sites in Sheikh Najjar industrial zone, north-east of Aleppo, and downed a number of the hostile missiles," the official SANA news agency said, citing an unnamed military source. A number of residents of Aleppo city told AFP that the attack led to a power cut in the whole city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli bombardment hit "ammunition stores belonging to Iranian forces and allied groups, and caused huge explosions." If confirmed, this would be the first attack on Syrian territory since US President Donald Trump signed Monday a proclamation recognising Israel's 1981 annexation of the strategic Golan Heights plateau which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Earlier this year in January, Israel targeted a number of Iranian installations in the country, hours after intercepting a rocket fired from Syrian territory. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 21 people, mostly Iranians, were killed in those attacks. Israel insists that it has the right to continue to target positions in Syria held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. In May 2018, Israeli strikes killed 27 pro-regime fighters including 11 Iranians in strikes on dozens of Iranian targets inside Syria. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan. In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolution by a permanent member-state." The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. - 'Crucial turning point' - The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, a key Syrian ally, called for resistance against the US decision. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land -- and for Palestinians to achieve their "legitimate rights" -- was "resistance, resistance, and resistance." He described Trump's move as "a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict." Trump's decision "deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace", he said in a televised address. He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syria's membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis. Story continues Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump's decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washington's closest allies -- Britain and France -- joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israel's security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. China and Russia spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a US ally in the region. By Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - A shadowy group seeking to overthrow North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been thrust into the international spotlight after a Spanish court investigating a break-in at North Korea's embassy in Madrid named apparent members as suspects. Cheollima Civil Defense, also known as Free Joseon, first went public in 2017, when it said it was protecting the family of Kim Jong Un's half brother Kim Jong Nam, who was murdered in a Malaysian airport. Spanish authorities unsealed court documents on Tuesday accusing at least 10 individuals of storming into the embassy, restraining and beating some staff members and holding them hostage for hours before fleeing with stolen computers and hard drives. Such an action would be one of the most militant operations ever carried out by activists opposed to North Korea's government. "Parties seeking to 'out' those in Madrid have painted a target on the backs of those seeking only to protect others," Cheollima Civil Defense said in a website post, apparently acknowledging for the first time its involvement in the raid. "They have chosen to side with Pyongyang's criminal, totalitarian rulers over their victims." It disputed police allegations that weapons or violence were used in the break-in. Lee Wolosky, an American attorney who represents Free Joseon, said in a statement that the Spanish court "purported to reach conclusions without any input from representatives" of the group. "There are a number of statements attributed to the judge in media reports that do not accurately reflect what happened in Madrid," he continued, without elaborating. "It was, in any event, highly irresponsible to disclose publicly the names of people who are working in opposition to a brutal regime that routinely and summarily executes its enemies." Of the 10 suspects, the documents listed the names and birth dates of seven, including citizens of Mexico, the United States, and South Korea. All but one are under 30 years old. The identification of at least some of the individuals in the group may have undermined their cause and perhaps endangered their lives, analysts and activists said. "It was too risky," said one South Korean human rights activist who previously worked with one of the suspects. "Now that their identities are known, they won't be able to carry out activities as before." NORTH KOREA ACTIVIST The Mexican national named by Spanish authorities as one of the embassy raid's leaders, Adrian Hong, is a longtime activist who helped found the refugee aid organization Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), and later led an organization preparing for an "imminent, dramatic change" in the country, analysts said. Spanish court documents said Hong played a leading role in the break-in, and that after fleeing to the United States he contacted the FBI to offer information that had been stolen. Hong could not be reached for immediate comment. Hong was among several LiNK activists who were arrested and deported from China in late 2006 as they were trying to help a party of North Korean refugees escape. In a statement on Tuesday, LiNK said Hong had not been involved in any way with the group for more than 10 years and LiNK had no information on his current activities. Hong told a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates in 2011 that the Arab Spring uprisings then unfolding were "a dress rehearsal for North Korea". Kang Cheol-hwan, a defector and founder of the North Korea Strategy Centre in Seoul, said Hong went so far as to travel to Libya to research the aftermath of Muammar Gaddafi's ouster. FREE JOSEON Cheollima Civil Defense takes its name from a winged horse commonly featured in East Asian mythology. Free Joseon, meanwhile, references the last Korean dynasty, and a name that North Korea still often uses to refer to itself. On its website, the group used soaring language to declare itself the "a provisional government" of Free Joseon as "the sole legitimate representative of the Korean people of the north." The website also began to sell "post-liberation blockchain visas" that can be bought with cryptocurrency, and on March 11 it claimed responsibility for defacing the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur. North Korea has not publicly commented on the Madrid break-in, nor filed a complaint with Spanish police. The group's brazen actions led some to speculate that there could be serious dissent against Kim Jong Un taking shape. But other analysts were more skeptical, and say there are lingering questions over possible ties to foreign intelligence agencies. "I'm still inclined to believe there was some professional involvement, because taking over a foreign mission is not an easy operation," said Korea Risk Group director Andrei Lankov. "They took computers and hard disks, but if you don't have highly specialized capabilities for breaking the codes, it's probably not going to be useful to anyone but major intelligence agencies." Cheollima Civil Defense said on Tuesday that no governments were involved or were aware of the embassy operation beforehand. It said it had shared "certain information of enormous potential value" with the FBI at the agency's request, but that agreements of confidentiality "appear to have been broken". The U.S. State department said on Tuesday the U.S. government was not involved in the raid. (Reporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin; Jonathan Landay contributed from Washington; Editing by Alex Richardson and Jonathan Oatis) The rest of us may hate it, but tax season is the time of year cybercriminals absolutely love. When youre a criminal looking to separate consumers from their money, IRS-induced panic is second to none as a motivator for getting people to pay up. While the IRS has been doing a great job lately of educating the public about these threats (and it recently kicked off its latest Dirty Dozen tax time scams to watch out for), cybercriminals are nothing if not creative. They are constantly evolving their tactics and tricks to catch unwary consumers off-guard. Here are several tricks consumers need to watch out for during and after the tax season. Tax ransomware Criminals make a lot of money from ransomware, so theyre constantly looking for new schemes they can use to snag victims. H&R Block Inc. tax associate Diane Frankel, right, prepares taxes for Diana Horton in New York, U.S., on Friday, March 2, 2012. (Photo: Scott Eells/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Tax season is a great time for this because people are more inclined to open an email attachment if it pertains to their tax filing. A common scam is to send a fake email that claims to be from an employer, or the employers accounting or HR firm, with an attached W2 or W4 form. Similarly, a hacker may spoof the IRS or a state taxing authority to send you an urgent notice via email. Ultimately, the scammer will try to get you to open the attachment or click on the embedded link. Either method can execute the ransomware payload, which will then encrypt your computer until you pay the ransom. Combo attacks The average person is more wary of phishing emails these days, so criminals are upping the ante by combining this with another means of contact usually a phone call, but occasionally it may be a text message too. Criminals often use phone banks to carry out sophisticated frauds. The caller is likely to sound highly professional and will be able to create the impression of representing a legitimate government agency or company. In a combo attack, the caller will lay the groundwork for an upcoming phishing email, perhaps promising to send a document or link that is urgent for your case. Story continues People are far more likely to open a malicious email if theyve been contacted ahead of time. Impersonator websites Fake websites are another common tactic used around tax time. Typically, these spoofed sites are created for the sole purpose of tricking people who have been targeted with a phishing email. For instance, an email that claims to be from the IRS will contain an embedded link that redirects the consumer to a web page which looks exactly like a real IRS website. If your deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. (Photo: Getty Images) However, criminal hackers may also set up fake websites to ensnare consumers who are doing specific types of Google searches. These may be websites which offer extremely cheap tax return services, or money back guarantees on the return. They may also offer IRS remediation services. The ultimate goal of a fake site is to steal your personal information or credit card number. Keep in mind, there are plenty of non-malicious websites which also run these types of promotions, but any business that is offering a too-good-to-true offer is best to steer clear of either way. Ghost tax return preparers Anytime you use a professional tax return service, the tax preparer is supposed to include a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on the paperwork you submit to the IRS. Any return that doesnt include this number is considered by the IRS to be self-filed. That means you, and you alone, are responsible for any mistakes. Ghost preparers wont include the PTIN on the tax return they provide you with. The reason for this is quite simple: Theyre either not licensed to do this type of work or they are engaging in fraud. Without the PTIN, the tax return cant be traced back to them. A ghost preparer will take advantage of consumers in several ways. It may be as simple as charging for a service which they arent qualified to perform and therefore it may contain numerous mistakes that will get the tax payer in hot water with the IRS. Make sure your tax preparer is legit. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) However, they could also be more devious, by deliberating falsifying income or deductions in order to convince the client she will get a bigger refund from the IRS and perhaps base the service fee on this amount. They could also require that IRS refunds be routed to their company bank account before being issued to the client which means they could steal the refund outright. In addition to being overcharged or bilked out of a refund, the bigger issue for consumers is that they could be accused by the IRS of submitting a fraudulent tax return. Cryptocurrency scams Given all the buzz about cryptocurrency, its no wonder that criminals are now using it in new scams targeting consumers. Cyber crooks routinely troll through public crypto forums and social media networks to identify account holders, or they may buy lists in the Dark Web taken from prior breaches. They then contact the person via phone, email or social media and claim that they are guilty of tax fraud, or otherwise in violation of the law, because of their crypto holdings, and they must pay a fine immediately to avoid prosecution. However, they may also call regular consumers, who dont own any crypto, and demand they pay a tax penalty with Bitcoin, Monero, Dash or other altcoins, in order to process it immediately. This may seem like an obvious con, but when you consider that a growing number of businesses are accepting Bitcoin transactions, and even the state of Ohio now accepts tax payments using Bitcoin, its easier than you think to get tricked by it, especially when the caller is threatening arrest or asset seizure for failure to comply. The data breach con Scammers are also using your personal information against you. Think about all of the companies and government agencies which have suffered data breaches in the last six or seven years. Much of that data is now circulating in the Dark Web and available for purchase on identity theft forums. Scammers will buy this data and use it to make themselves appear legitimate when they contact you by phone or email. After all, when a criminal calls you using a spoofed IRS phone number, and can tell you the last four digits of your Social Security Number, or email address, or home address, or account password, its not hard to see how some people may be duped into believing its the real thing. How to stay safe As you can see, there are many tricks scammers will use to steal your money during tax time. The good news, however, is that it is fairly easy to avoid them. This Feb. 13, 2019, shows multiple forms printed from the Internal Revenue Service web page that are used for 2018 U.S. federal tax returns in Zelienople, Pa. (Photo: AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) The best advice is to simply not respond directly to unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages or social media messages. Understand that the IRSs preferred means of communication is snail mail. They will never ask for personal information via email. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the IRS, do not provide any personal or financial information until you know you are talking to a real IRS official. The only way to know for sure is by visiting IRS.gov and calling the agency at its listed phone numbers. Additionally, be sure to take basic security measures to protect your information. Make sure your computer is up to date with the latest software and has robust antivirus with anti-phishing support installed. Never use an unencrypted WiFi network. Change your passwords, and make sure to use lengthy combinations of letters (including upper and lower case), numbers and special symbols. Dont share tax return information with your accountant, employer, family or anyone else via unencrypted email. READ MORE: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and reddit. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) says the Federal Aviation Administration should have acted faster to ground Boeings 737 Max jets after a fatal crash in Ethiopia. The FAA was one of the last regulatory bodies across the world to ground this fleet. I think that raises concerns, Cruz told Yahoo Finance in an interview ahead of a Senate subcommittee hearing on Wednesday examining the crash in Ethiopia and one in Indonesia last October. Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt, and the Department of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel will testify before the aviation subcommittee, which Cruz chairs. Lawmakers will likely ask the witnesses about the decision to ground the 737 Max jets. Cruz said his goal is to find out what caused the crashes and determine how future crashes can be prevented. He also wants to examine the regulatory process that led to the FAAs approval of the 737 Max jets. There have been multiple reports about how Boeing was intimately involved in the approval of the 737 Maxes. And I expect the committee to be asking the FAA about is it ceding too much responsibility to a private party with financial interest rather than carrying out its own responsibility to ensure the safety of the flying public, said Cruz. UNITED STATES - MARCH 26: Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao arrives for the Senate Appropriations Committee Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the proposed Transportation Department budget for FY2020 on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Lawmakers and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao have asked the DOT inspector general to audit the approval process for the 737 Max jets. The Department of Transportation has also announced a special committee to review the FAAs aircraft approval process. Cronyism in Washington Boeing and the FAA have come under scrutiny in the aftermath of the two deadly 737 Max crashes and critics have raised concerns about the relationship between Boeing and Washington. Cruz told Yahoo Finance the thinks there is some validity to those concerns. I have long been concerned about cronyism in Washington, said Cruz. Both parties have a tendency to get in bed with lobbyists and big business. I hope that's not what happened here. This hearing is designed to really learn the facts. To find out what occurred here. But the interest and incentives of Boeing are different than the interest incentives of the flying public. Story continues Cruz told Yahoo Finance he also wants to know why more training was not required and why manuals may not have had the necessary information for pilots. I understand the financial incentive of Boeing not to want to require more training. That makes it more expensive. They're trying to sell a product, but at the end of the day, those financial incentives should not be enough to satisfy regulators who have a responsibility that if you're changing fundamentally the way the plane flies, then you need to have the proper training and equipment, Cruz said. Cruz said he expects the next step will be hearing from industry stakeholders. He wants to address indications that airlines in the U.S. may have been providing more rigorous pilot training than airlines in other countries potentially including Ethiopia and Indonesia. The Senator from Texas told Yahoo Finance he thinks the Boeing CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, should be called in to testify before Congress. I'm certainly going to urge that we do that, said Cruz. Jessica Smith is a reporter for Yahoo Finance based in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @JessicaASmith8. Rep. Ryan on GM tweets: Trump is a 'distraction Democratic lawmakers move to close 'horrible loophole' in tax code Lawmakers grill Wells Fargo CEO about scandals By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Schools reopened in southern Israel and traffic clogged Gaza's streets on Wednesday in signs of a pullback from the most serious escalation of cross-border fighting in months. But while violence eased amid Egyptian mediation, Israeli forces and Palestinian militants were on hair-trigger footing, with rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli air strikes in the enclave briefly resuming late on Tuesday after a day-long lull. Despite dozens of rocket launchings and Israeli attacks, no deaths have been reported. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile interceptors have destroyed some of the rockets and Palestinian militants vacated facilities targeted in the air strikes. Towns in southern Israel, where rocket-warning sirens have disrupted daily life since the current round of fighting began on Monday, reopened classrooms. In Gaza, schools were also operating and cars filled the streets. The Gaza frontier remained tense, however, with Israeli troops and tanks deployed along the border. Both Israel and Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group made clear that attacks by the other side would not be tolerated. Even if the crisis subsides, it could shadow Israel's April 9 election, in which right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has campaigned on a tough security platform. TENSIONS BUILDING The latest fighting has added to tensions that were already building ahead of the first anniversary on March 30 of the start of weekly Gaza protests at the border. Some 200 Gazans have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli fire during those protests, and one Israeli soldier has been killed. Israel says its use of lethal force is meant to stop attempts to breach the border and launch attack on its troops and civilians. The protesters are demanding the right to return to lands Palestinians fled or were forced to leave in Israel during fighting that accompanied its founding in 1948. Story continues Seven Israelis were injured in Monday's initial rocket attack that hit the village of Mishmeret, 120 km (75 miles) north of Gaza. No other casualties in Israel have been reported. Twelve Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli strikes, Gaza health officials said. Egypt was expected to pursue further truce talks on Wednesday, said a Palestinian official involved in the efforts. U.N. Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council on Tuesday he had been working with Egypt to secure a ceasefire and that a fragile calm had taken hold. Security is a major issue for Netanyahu, in power for a decade and beset by corruption allegations that he denies. He is facing his strongest electoral challenge from a centrist coalition led by a former general. In Dheisha refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli troops during clashes with stone-throwers, an ambulance service official said, identifying him as a volunteer wearing a paramedic uniform. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Maayan Lubell and Gareth Jones) By Erwin Seba and Collin Eaton HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas officials on Tuesday sued owners of a Houston area petrochemical storage facility over a fire last week, alleging violations of environmental laws and seeking damages to cover response costs for the disaster that burned for days, releasing chemicals into the air and waterways. The county and state jointly filed suit in a county court against Mitsui & Co's Intercontinental Terminals Co (ITC). The suit seeks reimbursement for emergency responders, temporary air and water monitoring systems, and health care workers. An auditor will determine costs, officials said. "We have been working with state and federal partners to hold ITC responsible for the damages," Harris County Chief Executive Lina Hidalgo said on Tuesday at a hearing where local residents pushed for a response to the disaster that sent tons of carbon monoxide into the air and chemicals into waterways. Schools were closed and visits to area hospitals and clinics spiked. Federal and state officials were already investigating the company as emergency workers pumped fuels from 11 damaged or destroyed tanks that spilled fuels out of the site. The fire began March 17 and spread among rows of giant tanks that can hold up to 80,000 barrels of fuel. An ITC executive declined to comment on the lawsuit, and defended the company's handling of the disaster. "ITC and our ERT (emergency response team) responded immediately and we called both CIMA (an industry mutual aid group) and surrounding municipalities for additional firefighting resources," said ITC Senior Vice President Brent Weber. "Right now, we're just focused on the recovery effort." SHIP TRAFFIC DISRUPTED The spill of fuels, water and fire suppressant foam from the site halted traffic on a stretch of the Houston Ship Channel connecting Houston to the Gulf of Mexico. Restrictions on travel near the ITC site forced at least two refineries to curb production this week. The disruptions sent U.S. fuel prices higher and cut crude exports. Story continues A tanker containing oil was inbound Wednesday to Royal Dutch Shell Plc's Deer Park refinery adjacent to the ITC terminal, according to the Houston Pilots, whose members guide ships in and out of the channel. Shell faced a potential shutdown if it did not get crude by the weekend, people familiar with operations said. Three tankers also were moving to other plants along the channel, said JJ Plunkett, port agent. The U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday lessened travel restrictions on a portion of the channel nearest the ITC terminal, but there were still dozens of ships waiting for permission to pass either way. [nL1N21E1J0] Last week, schools in Houston suburbs were closed for several days after air quality monitors detected elevated levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical that was contained in ITC tanks that burned. More than 1,100 local, state and federal workers and contractors working at the site and waterways have removed 16,000 barrels of a fuel-and-water mix from the ship channel and another 33,000 barrels from ITCs grounds, said Adam Adams of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Until these people find themselves placed in jail, you're not going to see what needs to be done to keep these communities protected," said County Commissioner Steve Radack at a hearing where officials approved the lawsuit. HEALTH PROBLEMS, MARKET IMPACT More than 1,000 people visited a county health clinic last week, many with symptoms related to "respiratory issues, headaches, skin irritation and nausea," Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of the county's public health department, said in an interview. Air monitors in the area detected a spike in benzene levels last week, but they were "were not high enough, long enough" to cause long-term health effects, he said. The county is continuing to monitor air quality levels, he said. U.S. conventional gasoline in the Gulf Coast on Tuesday rose to 1.75 cents per gallon above futures, the highest since Feb. 15. U.S. crude exports last week fell 506,000 bpd, government figures showed, a decline blamed in part on shipping curbs. (Reporting by Collin Eaton and Erwin Seba; writing by Gary McWilliams; editing by David Gregorio) Washington (AFP) - The 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island power plant, the worst in US history, claimed no lives but provoked an outcry over the country's nuclear electricity program. Caused by mechanical, design and human errors, the partial meltdown registered a five on the International Nuclear Event Scale that peaks at seven, the rate given to the Chernobyl (1989) and Fukushima (2011) disasters. Here is a rundown of what happened on March 28, 1979 at one of the two reactors at the Three Mile Island Generating Station in eastern Pennsylvania. - Early morning alert - An alert was declared at 4:00 am after a fairly minor malfunction in the water reactor's cooling system that was linked to a filter. Authorities quickly emphasized there had been no radioactive leaks. The reactor in question, TMI-2, automatically shut down. However engineers did not know that a pilot-operated relief valve remained open, allowing coolant to escape. A high pressure back-up system immediately pumped water back into the reactor. However technicians feared that too much pressure would build up and reduced the flow of water. - Partial meltdown - As sufficient cooling was prevented, the reactor core heated up; water evaporation exposed the fuel core and temperatures climbed even higher. The reactor remained intact, though a subsequent investigation determined that about 45 percent of its core had suffered a meltdown. Radioactive material called corium flowed to the bottom of the reactor core, where it was contained, which averted disaster. Engineers finally realized they had to restore the high pressure flow of water. They were able to gradually vent built-up radioactive gases to waste tanks. Some radioactivity, however, escaped into the atmosphere through a system of filters that officials insisted retained the most dangerous elements. - Five days of fear - Uncertainty and fear reigned for five days before the situation was declared under control. Story continues During that time residents were told to stay indoors with windows closed. More than 100 pregnant women and young children who lived close to the power plant were evacuated to a covered skating rink. President Jimmy Carter, who had studied nuclear engineering, visited the site on April 1 to reassure the public. It was not until April 27 that a natural convection circulation of coolant was reestablished, according to a World Nuclear Association account of the accident. - Panic, thousands flee - The accident caused major panic, fed by confusion and poor communication between state authorities, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the media. More than 140,000 people fled during a two-day exodus that rendered any official evacuation plans useless. With the exception of four plant employees, the NRC determined that millions of locals had only been exposed to about the same amount of radioactivity they would absorb during a routine chest X-ray. - Costly aftermath - The clean-up operation lasted until 1993 and cost an estimated $973 million. The 900 megawatt reactor, designed to provide 900,000 homes with electricity, was scrapped. Although no one died and no immediate injuries were linked to the incident, no new nuclear power plants have been built in the United States since then. Lille (France) (AFP) - US actress Uma Thurman said the #MeToo movement is transforming Hollywood for the better but warned that it shouldn't be used to "crush people's creativity". The star of "Pulp Fiction" and the "Kill Bill" movies, whose actress daughter Maya Hawke will appear in Quentin Tarantino's new film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", said the movement is a "long overdue correction" to the treatment of women in the film industry. "I am so happy about it especially as I have a 20-year-old daughter who has decided to give her life to film, television and the theatre," she said. But the actress, who is starring in a new Netflix show "Chambers", which premiered Wednesday at the Series Mania festival in the northern French city of Lille, warned against a slip into puritanism. "In a certain way I don't want this to crush people's creativity," she told reporters. - 'Don't want to get arrested' - "It would still be nice to fall in love with your leading man and not get arrested," Thurman added, referring to her marriage to fellow actor Ethan Hawke, who she met on "Gattaca" in 1997. Thurman, 48, had earlier married English star Gary Oldman after meeting him on the set of "State of Grace". "I think we are moving from a very ignorant place to a better, more creative place that is based on respect," the actress said. She said the #MeToo effect was "definitely producing a better working environment for women. There were so many situations where you could not have been in a worse working environment -- I take that back, actually you probably could -- but you had to survive that kind of stuff. It is definitely safer," she said. "I get 12 shades of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) just watching myself now," she joked, after looking at a showreel of her earlier work. Story continues Thurman -- who plays a grieving mother in the new Netflix supernatural horror series which will start streaming next month -- said #MeToo has "already made a difference" to the kind of roles being written for women. "There are lots more real parts (around) and you don't just sit around talking about men, although I admit I talk about men all the time," she added. - Von Trier is 'real artist' - The depressingly ironic thing, she said, "it seems to me that before Women's Lib there were often better roles for women in Betty Davis" films and the like than there were in recent years. Thurman, who made her big screen debut as Venus in Terry Gilliam's "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" when she was just 16, said working with Tarantino had been her career high so far. "I truly feel blessed having worked with him. He is such a genius." But she also defended the controversial Danish auteur Lars von Trier, whose latest shocker, "The House That Jack Built", was seen as giving the finger to the #MeToo movement. Thurman, who played the first victim of its woman-hating serial killer, admitted that it could be difficult working with the director, having also starred in his notorious 2013 movie, "Nymphomaniac". "I think he is funny. His material is tough, and it was tough for me to do, but he is a real artist. I respect him," she said. COAS visited NDU The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release that the participants of the 4th Pakistan-UK Stabilization Conference were addressed by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa while he visited the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad on Tuesday. COAS interacted with the participants and stressed on the internal and external security situation of the country. He expressed his vision to maintain peace within Pakistan and the region. The COAS stated that Pakistan is determined to achieve a stable, peaceful and normalized Pakistan. He also emphasized on the prospects of geopolitical environment, security challenges and CPEC towards economic development of the region. Later on, a meeting was held between COAS and Lieutenant General Patrick Sanders, Commander UK Field Army at NDU. The meeting included the discussion regarding the regional security issues and matters of professional interest. (The 26 March story corrects paragraphs 1 & 2 to reflect forecast of 2.3 pct sales growth to 451,000 vehicles in 2019, not 0.9 pct sales growth to 445,000 vehicles as company had originally reported) SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Co expects its sales in South America and the Caribbean to rise 0.9 percent in 2019 compared with last year, Celso Simomura, vice president of Toyota's Brazil operation, said on Tuesday. He said Toyota expected to sell 445,000 vehicles across the region in 2019, up from 441,000 in 2018. Simomura added that growth had been higher in recent years, with 5.2 percent sales growth in 2018, and 6.9 percent growth in 2017, but did not give a reason for the slowdown. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Leslie Adler) By Joey Roulette (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced on Tuesday an accelerated goal of putting Americans back on the moon within five years "by any means necessary," and NASA's top official immediately embraced the challenge. Pence, chairing a meeting of the National Space Council at NASA's Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, borrowed from the vocabulary of the Cold War era in declaring, "We're in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s." Setting such an ambitious goal - one likely to cost tens of billions of dollars - comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from U.S. soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. The drive to reach the moon reflects President Donald Trump's desire to champion a bold new national objective as he mounts a re-election bid, while also seeking to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China. NASA had previously aimed to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the year 2028, after first putting a "Gateway" station in orbit around the moon by 2024. The U.S. Apollo program, NASA's forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earth's natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon between 1969 and 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted "soft" landings on the moon - the former Soviet Union and China - but those were with unmanned robot vehicles. ECHOES OF ARMSTRONG "It's time for the next giant leap," Pence said, alluding to the famed words spoken by astronaut Neil Armstrong upon becoming the first man to step onto the moon in 1969. "That next giant leap is to return American astronauts to the moon within the next five years by any means necessary, and to establish a permanent presence on the moon and prepare to put American astronauts on Mars," Pence said. He added, "In order to accomplish this, NASA must transform itself into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organization." Pence's remarks caused some initial confusion over whether a "return" to the moon necessarily meant landing astronauts on the moon or putting them into lunar orbit by 2024. But NASA officials later clarified a moon landing within five years was, indeed, the stated objective. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a Twitter post: "Challenge accepted. Now let's get to work." Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee two weeks ago, Bridenstine said NASA was about two years away from launching its next big rocket and capsule vehicle - the Space Launch System, or SLS, designed to carry crews and cargo beyond Earth orbit. Boeing Co. is the primary contractor for the SLS rocket engines. Bridenstine said NASA was considering moving forward with a less powerful commercial rocket, perhaps a vehicle built by SpaceX or the Boeing-Lockheed Martin partnership United Launch Alliance, to get an uncrewed capsule into space by 2020. After Tuesday's announcement, Bridenstine said he was sure NASA could achieve a successful SLS flight by next year. In November, NASA named nine U.S. companies, including Lockheed Martin Corp, that would compete for funding under the space agency's renewed private-public partnership for developing technology to explore the lunar surface. NASA has already set its sights on the moon's south pole, a region believed to hold enough recoverable ice water for use in synthesizing additional rocket fuel. NASA also sees the moon as a way station en route to an eventual manned mission to Mars, which Bridenstine has said might be accomplished by the mid-2030s. (Reporting by Joey Roulette in Orlando, Florida; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Sandra Maler) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he met with the chief executive of Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday and discussed "political fairness" and the company's business in China. "He stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military," Trump said on Twitter of his meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai. "Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well!," Trump said. "We were pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "We are not working with the Chinese military. We are working with the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, in many areas including cybersecurity, recruiting and healthcare. The top U.S. general, Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee hearing earlier this month that the Chinese military was benefiting from the work Google was doing in China. Pichai has said Google has invested in China for years and plans to continue to do so. In a tweet last week, Trump accused social media platforms Facebook, Google's YouTube and Twitter of favoring his Democratic opponents over him and his fellow Republicans and said he would look into the issue. (Reporting by Eric Beech and David Shepardson; editing by Mohammad Zargham and Phil Berlowitz) President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Google CEO Sundar Pichai, whom he'd previously accused of indirectly boosting China's military, has reassured him that he is "totally committed" to US security. "Just met with @sundarpichai, President of @Google, who is obviously doing quite well," Trump tweeted after a White House meeting. "He stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military." Earlier this month Trump complained that Google's business activities in China were "helping China and their military." There was also criticism from General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told Congress "the work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefiting" China's armed forces. America's top military officer has also urged US tech giants to step up work on next generation 5G wireless technology so that US markets are not reliant on Chinese innovators, like leading telecom firm Huawei. Dominating 5G is "in our national interest," the general said. The US government though has deep suspicions that Huawei's technology would potentially open the doors to Chinese government penetration of US communications. A Google spokesperson said Pichai had "productive conversations" with Trump about "investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government." Fox News host Tucker Carlson has a theory for why charges were dropped against Empire actor Jussie Smollett, which he discussed on his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, on Tuesday. While chatting with Kevin Graham, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, Carlson called the whole situation a travesty. It looks to us from outside Chicago looking in that this was just a pure political deal. Somebody called somebody else, everybody here's connected, Carlson said. Smollett knows people, he knows the Obamas, he knows Kamala Harris, and he somehow pulled strings to get out underneath these charges. Graham agreed with Carlson, calling the decision a disgrace to the police officers that worked on the case. And some viewers on Twitter, including actor James Woods, agreed as well. @TuckerCarlson gets it right again. He is incredibly insightful. Don Gutierrez (@don_gutierrez) March 27, 2019 Smollett your a piece of trash for fueling hate in this country and you have no remorse for your selfish evil actions. You are one unique pathetic individual and so are those who helped dig you out of your hole! Joe Carpentier (@jdcarp2000) March 27, 2019 @TuckerCarlson I feel every thing you have said about smollett is correct. Why are we not looking for the individuals that really attacked him. Rmullins (@Rmullins8) March 27, 2019 Well presented @TuckerCarlson This has the Obamas written all over it Joe (@Darrawee) March 27, 2019 But others were quick to refute Carlsons claims, drawing comparisons to President Trump and, of course, dropping in some sarcasm as well. Story continues You are amplifying a controversial statement with no context. Please stop doing that. Anne Ward (@AnneCW) March 27, 2019 So Tucker Carlson says Jussie Smollett is privileged and above the law. Um im confused isnt this the same as Trump. Amy Leonard (@AmyLeon73536457) March 27, 2019 And Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy , they all helped. Devin Nunes Illegal Ferret (@MimsyYamaguchi) March 27, 2019 Carlson went on to say that he thinks Smollett is above the law and questioned where the accountability in the legal system is.Smollett isn't getting off because he is innocent. He is not an innocent, Carlson said. He is something better than innocent. He's famous.Tucker Carlson Tonight airs weeknights at 8 p.m. on Fox News.Check out what happened when Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized some NYU teachers: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or leave your comments below. Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyles newsletter. Istanbul (AFP) - Here are key dates in Turkey since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) -- on course to win Sunday's local elections -- took power in 2002. - Win in first vote - In its first election bid and just a year after it is founded, the Islamic-rooted AKP scores a crushing victory in November 2002 polls, winning 363 of 550 seats in parliament. The win ends years of political instability in the country but sets off alarm bells in the army-backed secular establishment. AKP co-founder Erdogan is party leader and becomes prime minister in March 2003. - EU accession talks - From 2002 to 2004 Ankara adopts a broad range of democratic reforms, including allowing Kurdish-language broadcasts on public television and abolishing the death penalty. This means that in October 2005 it can begin talks with the European Union (EU) on joining the body. The process later stalls, however, amid rows over rights and the rule of law. - AKP president - In August 2007 lawmakers elect as president Abdullah Gul who founded the AKP with Erdogan. It is the first time an Islamist candidate is named to the highest office, raising concern among the opposition and army generals who vow to defend the secular order. - Anti-Erdogan protests - In May 2013 security forces crack down on demonstrators who staged a rally against government plans to redevelop a park near Istanbul's Taksim square. The protest quickly grows into nationwide demonstrations against Erdogan -- accused of an authoritarian and Islamist drift -- but peter out after a month. Erdogan is elected president in August 2014 with 52 percent of a vote held for the first time by universal suffrage. The AKP wins legislative elections in June 2015 but loses its overall parliamentary majority. Four months later, it wins back its majority in a new vote. - Kurdish rebellion resumes - In July 2015 the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) breaks a unilateral ceasefire with the Turkish army and fighting resumes in an insurgency that has left more than 40,000 people dead since 1984. Story continues The country becomes the target of attacks attributed to Kurdish militants or the Islamic State (IS) group, fighting across the border in Syria. - Failed coup, then purges - Renegade soldiers attempt a coup in July 2016 but it is swiftly crushed, leaving around 250 dead on both sides, not including the plotters. Erdogan blames the uprising on exiled US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his movement. In an unprecedented crackdown, around 55,000 people are arrested and more than 140,000 fired or suspended from their jobs. The government imposes control over the army whose political influence ebbs. - Making up with Moscow - In August 2016 Erdogan cements relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of the main allies of the Syrian regime battling opposition rebels and IS jihadists since 2011. Their meeting restores trust after Turkey shot down a Russian jet over the Syrian-Turkish border in late 2015. Two weeks later Turkey launches a major military operation in northern Syria, driving IS fighters from several cities. Turkey also targets Kurdish militia groups in Syria which it considers allies of PKK militants. - Erdogan re-elected - In June 2018 Erdogan wins sweeping new powers in a decisive victory at presidential polls, taking 52.6 percent of the vote and scuppering predictions that his popularity was on the wane. His AKP also holds on to its overall majority in parliament, albeit only with the help of a pact with nationalist allies. Erdogan implements a new system agreed in a 2017 referendum that dispenses with the prime minister post, replacing the parliamentary set-up with an executive presidency and giving him the power to appoint cabinet ministers. Pakistan briefed delegation of FATF The Pakistani authorities on Tuesday briefed a delegation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on laws against money laundering and its regulations in Islamabad. The FATF delegation is currently in Pakistan to evaluate the measures taken to curb terror financing and money laundering in the country. The visiting delegation also presented its report on the state of money laundering and terror financing in the country at its review meeting. According to sources in the Finance Ministry, Pakistan put up a stringent defence on FATFs Asia Pacific report. Sources said that Pakistan would soon share the record of transactions of unprofitable entities with the FATF. The visiting team was also informed about loans taken by Pakistan from monetary institutions. The Pakistani officials also briefed the FATF team on actions against fake bank accounts and distrustful transactions through illegal channels. Pakistan assured the FATF delegation of halting registration of suspicious firms to curb money laundering practices. The FATF had placed Pakistan on a money laundering grey list early in 2018 but given it time to take action against further downgrade. Since June 2018, when Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF to strengthen its anti money laundering/combating financing of terrorism regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies, Pakistan has taken steps towards improving the regime, including by operationalising the integrated database for its currency declaration regime, the body said in a statement. In order to qualify for a de-listing, the FATF has urged that Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday accused US President Donald Trump of resorting to "bully boy" tactics over a disputed move to proclaim that the Golan Heights -- captured from Syria in 1967 -- belong to Israel. "Unfortunately, Trump is behaving like a bully boy," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview. "He did the same on Jerusalem." On Monday, Trump signed a proclamation recognising Israel's 1981 annexation of the strategic plateau, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel's move has not been recognised internationally, and three UN Security Council resolutions have called for it to withdraw from the territory. "How can you do this despite the United Nations?" Erdogan said. "What are you doing? Being at the helm of a state like the US does not give you such a right." The Turkish leader added: "America has preferred to escalate tensions rather than contribute to peace." Last December, Trump went against decades of practice by formally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday it was assessing two Superfund sites in Nebraska and Missouri that were affected by recent flooding. The Nebraska Ordnance Plant in Mead and the Conservation Chemical Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri, are being monitored, the agency said in a statement, adding that "no releases of hazardous contaminants caused by flooding at these sites have been identified." (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) By Chris Prentice and David Lawder NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. labor officials on Tuesday pressed lawmakers to strengthen enforcement of the provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) intended to protect workers, the latest sign the trade deal could face hurdles to passage in the Democrat-led House of Representatives. Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was one of President Donald Trump's campaign promises and part of his broader push for better terms of trade for the United States. He has said bad deals cost millions of U.S. jobs. Republican House members who met with Trump at the White House on Tuesday afternoon said they would work hard to pass the new agreement, calling it a better deal for U.S. workers than the 25-year-old NAFTA. "Our farmers and our manufacturers and tech companies tell us that it's crucial that we come together and pass this new agreement and get it to the president's desk this summer," said Representative Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. The Trump administration is lobbying to persuade Congress to ratify USMCA this year. But representatives from some of the largest and most influential U.S. unions told members of the House Ways and Means trade subcommittee the reworked trade pact does not go far enough to ensure improvement of wages and working conditions, especially for Mexican workers. "All the NAFTA renegotiation efforts in the world will not create U.S. jobs, raise U.S. wages or reduce the U.S. trade deficit if the new rules do not include clear, strong and effective labor rules that require Mexico to abandon its low wage policy," said Celeste Drake of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. In late 2018, the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada signed the deal to replace NAFTA, but it has yet to be reviewed and ratified by Congress. Trade among the three countries totals more than $1 trillion. Story continues Democrats, who took control of the House of Representatives in January, have traditionally been skeptical of free trade agreements and sympathetic to labor groups. Their support is essential to USMCA's passage. USMCA requires its three signatories to maintain labor laws in line with international standards, and to enforce them. But critics have called the agreement's enforcement mechanism insufficient, saying it will still allow weak unions and resulting low wages in Mexico, while failing to stanch the flight of U.S. factories to lower-cost Mexico. NAFTA, launched in 1994, put labor provisions in an unenforceable addendum to the agreement, allowing Mexican wages to stagnate despite a flood of factory investment from U.S. companies. "The (USMCA) labor chapter is an improvement. The problem is the enforceability mechanism," said Shane Larson, a director with the Communications Workers of America, advocating for reopening the agreement. Autoworkers, too, are concerned about the new agreement, despite provisions aimed at requiring more vehicle value content produced in North America and in high-wage areas in the United States and Canada. USMCA "takes some positive steps but doesn't measure up to being able to make more good-paying jobs now and going forward," said Josh Nassar, legislative director of the United Auto Workers union. NAFTA led to decades of lost jobs for U.S. autoworkers, who watched factories close as manufacturers moved production to Mexico. House Democrats have greeted USMCA coolly, telling U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer earlier this month about concerns over labor enforcement and provisions that could lock in higher drug prices. "This agreement is a continuation of the assault on the American middle class," Brian Higgins, a Democratic representative from New York, said at Tuesday's hearing. (Reporting by Chris Prentice in New York and David Lawder and Jeff Mason in Washington; editing by Simon Webb, Steve Orlofsky and Tom Brown) By Lesley Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress rejected President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets as dangerous to national security on Wednesday, setting the stage for a budget battle with the White House. Representative Eliot Engel, Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump's proposal was "dead" as soon as it arrived in Congress, during the second of two House of Representatives hearings where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took questions from lawmakers for some seven hours. "This budget ... signals to the world that the Trump foreign policy is one of disengagement," Engel said. The senior Republican on the House subcommittee that oversees State Department spending, Hal Rogers, described the budget plan at an earlier hearing as "woefully inadequate" to cover the administration's foreign policy and security goals. The proposal slashes the State Department and aid budget by about $11 billion to $40 billion, he said. "Given what the world looks like right now, this approach seems detached from reality," Rogers said, citing the need for U.S. leadership in a world with millions of displaced people, more countries facing instability and rising tensions. Democratic Representative Nita Lowey, who chairs the full Appropriations Committee, also rejected the "draconian" cuts. "I am astonished that three years into his administration, the president still does not appreciate the merits of sustained investments in diplomacy and development," she said. In written remarks before the hearings, Pompeo said the budget sought to double funds for countering China's increased aggression, and strengthen systems to target Russia's growing threats to the United States and Western world. "China is proactively applying its power and exerting its influence in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond," Pompeo said, adding: "This budget prioritizes countering Russian malign influence in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, and further strengthens the Department's own systems against malign actors." Pompeo said resources would also fund work to reach a deal with North Korea on curbing its nuclear program and push back against Iran's role in Iraq, Yemen and Syria. He said the budget also requested new authority to support a democratic transition in Venezuela, including transferring up to $500 million to foreign assistance accounts. 'EMBARRASSING AND DANGEROUS' Trump's proposal calls for spending more U.S. taxpayer money on the military and a U.S.-Mexico border wall, while overhauling social safety-net programs in a budget plan likely to die in Congress but live on in his 2020 re-election campaign. Democratic Representative Lois Frankel called Trump's budget proposal "embarrassing and dangerous." Pompeo came under repeated questioning to explain the administration's policy toward Saudi Arabia, from lawmakers concerned about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, as well as the imprisonment and abuse of women's rights activists. He insisted repeatedly that human rights were a top Trump administration priority, and said efforts were under way "across the government" to investigate what happened and hold accountable anyone responsible, even the highest Saudi officials. Several Democrats sharply criticized an expanded anti-abortion policy Pompeo outlined on Tuesday, which cuts funding to groups that support abortion rights. "Your budget and action is devastating to the health of women around the world," Frankel said. "Your administration is abortion obsessed," she said. Republicans said they backed the policy and several praised Pompeo for his stance. Pompeo was reluctant to detail the administration's plan and timeline for releasing an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan developed by White House advisers Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. He said the proposed plan sought to tackle areas of a Middle East conflict that previous U.S. administrations failed to resolve. "Our vision will demonstrate our commitment that we want Palestinians to have a better life as well," Pompeo said, adding he hoped the Palestinians would view the United States as a "fair arbiter." Pompeo was pressed by Democrat Barbara Lee about proposed cuts in funding to African countries. She said Trump sought cuts of 56 percent to Ghana, 33 percent to Ethiopia, 14 percent to Mozambique, 44 percent to South Sudan, and 71 percent to South Africa, mostly in global health funding. "This is after a well-documented track record of controversial statements from the president identifying certain countries as 's-hole' countries, and quite frankly, attitudes toward the continent in general," said Lee. Pompeo pushed back at the criticism, saying the gist of the question was "in my judgment fundamentally unsound." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Susan Thomas and Peter Cooney) UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Wednesday, at the request of Syria, over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move the U.N. Security Council declared "null and void and without international legal effect." In a letter to the 15-member Security Council requesting a meeting, Syria described the U.S. decision as a "flagrant violation" of Security Council resolutions. Trump, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking over his shoulder during a visit to Washington, on Monday signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. The European members of the council - France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland - said on Tuesday they did not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and raised concerns about "broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi said it was an impediment to peace. Iran echoed the comments, describing Trump's decision as unprecedented in this century. The Security Council deployed a peacekeeping force in 1974 - known as the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) - to monitor a ceasefire between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights. There are more than 880 U.N. troops on the ground. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and France stepped up a push for the United Nations Security Council to blacklist the head of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on Wednesday after China prevented an earlier move two weeks ago. The United States circulated a resolution - drafted with British and French support - to the 15-member council that would designate JeM leader Masood Azhar, subjecting him to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze, diplomats said. JeM said it was responsible for a Feb. 14 attack that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police, making it the deadliest in Kashmir during a 30-year-long insurgency, increased tensions between Pakistan and India. The nuclear-armed neighbors both said they had shot down each other's fighter jets last month. The United States, Britain and France initially asked the Security Council's Islamic State and al Qaeda sanctions committee, which operates by consensus, to blacklist Azhar. However, China prevented the move. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that China had conducted a "comprehensive and thorough evaluation" but still needed more time to consider the proposal. China had previously prevented the committee from sanctioning Azhar in 2016 and 2017. Instead of consensus, a resolution only needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by China, Russia, the United States, France or Britain to pass. It was not immediately clear when the draft resolution to designate Azhar could be put to a vote. The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the draft text. JeM is a primarily anti-India group that forged ties with al Qaeda and was blacklisted by the U.N. Security Council in 2001. In December 2001, Jaish fighters, along with members of another Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, attacked India's parliament, which almost led to a fourth war between the two countries. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday expressed skepticism toward the wide latitude courts give federal agencies to interpret their own regulations in a case that could bolster the Trump administration's push toward curbing agency power. The case, involving a Vietnam War veteran's fight with the Department of Veterans Affairs over retroactive disability benefits, focuses on whether the high court should overrule its own precedents dating back to 1945 that call for judges to defer to administrative agencies' views on what their own regulations mean. The court's 5-4 conservative majority seemed more willing to limit such judicial deference - as suggested by U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, the Trump administration's top Supreme Court lawyer - rather than eliminate it entirely. Retired U.S. Marine named James Kisor, 75, challenged a lower court's ruling that deferred to an interpretation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, of its regulations in denying his disability benefits arising from battle-related post-traumatic stress disorder. In his appeal, Kisor asked the justices to overturn a legal doctrine known as "Auer deference," saying it lets agencies promote their favored policies rather than offer sound legal judgments, and that courts are best equipped to resolve the meaning of regulations. Paring back the authority of federal agencies - which can control regulation in many critical areas including energy, climate change and the workplace - has been a key goal of many business and conservative groups, which complain about what they call the "administrative state." (Reporting by Andrew Chung) * Lawmakers say they can end Brexit impasse * Indicative votes due to be held on Wednesday * Government insists May's plan only option on table * Health minister says talk of new PM is a distraction By William Schomberg and David Milliken LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) - British lawmakers called on Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday to heed whatever alternative Brexit strategy they can settle on after they attempted to break the impasse by grabbing control of the process in parliament. The government insisted the deal May agreed with the European Union in November after more than two years of negotiation remained the only way forward for taking Britain out of the bloc. That deal has been voted down twice in parliament. May hopes lawmakers who want an abrupt no-deal Brexit will now fall in behind her or risk seeing a long delay which could end up with Britain remaining closer to the EU or not leaving at all. In the latest twist in Britain's Brexit drama, lawmakers on Monday wrested control of parliamentary time in order to vote on a range of Brexit options on Wednesday. Three junior ministers resigned in order to defy the government line. May responded by saying her government would not be bound by the results of the so-called indicative votes. But lawmakers said the government should listen. "If parliament is able to come up with a way forward, the question is whether the government is prepared to compromise," Hilary Benn, an opposition lawmaker who chairs a parliament committee on Brexit, said. Benn conceded that the government could ignore the indicative votes and press on with May's plan. "That is indeed possible, but it is not an argument for not trying because we are in a complete mess. The government is in chaos," he said. Possible options to be considered include May's deal, a no-deal Brexit, another referendum, revoking the Article 50 divorce process, a free trade agreement with a customs union, and staying in the EU's single market. Story continues Steve Brine, a lawmaker from May's Conservative Party who quit as a junior health minister on Monday, said parliament might be able to break the deadlock. "The bottom line is that something has got to change," he said. "We are stuck in this maddening impasse where we go round and round in circles, something has to move us forward. The House of Commons is not going to come up with something completely crazy." "PLAYING WITH FIRE" Health Minister Matt Hancock said May's deal remained the only option on the table and ousting the prime minister would not help resolve the impasse. May has not ruled out bringing back her deal for a third time this week, possibly on Thursday. The Sun newspaper said May had suggested she could resign if that persuaded enough doubters in her party to back her deal. "Changing the party leader doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the arithmetic in parliament and also it would be a huge distraction," Hancock said. Last week, the EU agreed to delay Britain's original March 29 departure date because of the deadlock. Now, it will leave the EU on May 22 if May's deal is approved this week. If not, it will have until April 12 to outline its plans. Former Conservative minister Michael Heseltine said ignoring parliament would be dangerous for May. "I think she is playing with fire when she says she is not going to take any notice of what the House of Commons says," he told BBC radio. "There is no doubt at all that public opinion is moving, quite significantly now, appalled at what has happened and the events that we see and apprehensive of the fact that we haven't even begun to negotiate the real deal." Nearly three years after Britons voted 52-48 percent to leave in the 2016 EU membership referendum, and three days before Britain was supposed to leave the bloc, the outlook for Brexit remains up in the air. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Sunday if parliament took control of the Brexit process, a snap election, which the main opposition Labour Party would likely back, could follow. (Additional reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Janet Lawrence) The Representative Council is the governing body of Caritas Internationalis, which now includes new members from the Philippines, South Korea, Mongolia and Nepal, who will work with its new president Benedict Alo D'Rozario. Manila (AsiaNews) The National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines, the main humanitarian agency of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) since 1966, has joined the Representative Council (RepCo) of Caritas Internationalis. For the next four years, the Filipino agency will represent Asia in the RepCo along with Caritas Korea. The decision was taken at the regional conference of Caritas Asia, which includes 24 countries, held in Bangkok (Thailand) on 21-22 March. On that occasion, Benedict Alo DRozario from Bangladesh was elected as the organisations president, the first time a lay person will fill the role. The national branches of Caritas from the Philippines, South Korea, Mongolia and Nepal are new members of the Regional Commission and will support DRozario in his work of coordination. Card Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, archbishop of Manila, chairs the RepCo, which is the governing body of Caritas Internationalis and picks one of the seven members of its Board of Directors. The president of Caritas Internationalis and his two deputies elected every four years by the General Assembly together with the general secretary and treasurer are members ex officio, while the Holy See appoints three other members. Together with Fr Paul Choo from South Korea, RepCo includes Fr Edwin A. Gariguez (pictured), executive secretary of NASSA/Caritas Philippines. At home, the 56-year-old priest is known for his commitment to environmental protection. The clergyman hails from Quezon (Luzon Island). In 2012 he received the Goldman Environmental Prize for speaking out on behalf of indigenous communities against large-scale mining projects. Shehbaz Sharif name removed from ECL The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the government to remove Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharifs name from the Exit Control List (ECL). A two-member bench, led by Justice Malik Shahzad, announced the verdict. During the hearing, the court asked National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) counsel if any inquiry against Shehbaz pertaining to ownership of assets beyond known sources of income was ongoing. The counsel replied that an inquiry in this regard was launched on Oct 23, 2018. He added that suspicious transactions were detected from Shehbazs bank account. The counsel for Sharif argued in court that his client appeared before the NAB whenever summoned, yet his name was still on the no-fly list. Sharifs counsel cited the example of Ayyan Alis case in which the court had ordered removal of her name from the ECL. He said that that the government put his clients name on the no-fly list after a court of law had accepted his plea for bail. He added that NAB authorities were making a mockery [of laws]. He argued that Sharif used to go abroad and return during the inquiry and investigation. In October, last year, NAB had launched an investigation against Sharif to detect his illegal assets. By Pavel Polityuk KIEV (Reuters) - The bodyguards were nervous, fingers poised over the triggers of their automatic weapons, as Ukraine's president inspected the site of a rocket attack from separatist territory which had killed 10 people that day, one of many visits to the front line. "His security detail fill their boots with sweat whenever he goes," said Iryna Gerashchenko, deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and an ally of President Petro Poroshenko. Visits to attack sites like the one in 2015 have helped secure Poroshenko's reputation as a robust defender of Ukrainian statehood against Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 as well as supporting the separatists in the east. But Poroshenko, a multi-millionaire businessman, has not shaken off allegations he puts business before matters of state. Corruption allegations have tainted his entourage, reforms have been fitful and price rises have eaten into living standards. Ukrainians voting in a presidential election on Sunday must decide whether Poroshenko's resolute defense of their nation overrides these other considerations. (For a graphic on 'Ukraine presidential election' click, https://tmsnrt.rs/2EEQ22R) "His greatest weakness is that he values money over everything else," said Mustafa Nayyem, a former member of Poroshenko's faction in parliament. The presidency responded by saying Poroshenko had demonstrated his priorities by his actions, shoring up the army, ratifying an association agreement with the European Union and breaking Russia's hold over gas supplies and Ukraine's church. "This is the most pro-European president in Ukrainian history," it said. "And no one in power has achieved such results. It is clear that this causes an increase in malice from his opponents and leads them to make unfounded statements." Poroshenko's main challenger is Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian whose ridiculing of Ukraine's pervasive corruption appeals to voters fed up with politics-as-usual. Zelenskiy leads Poroshenko in most opinion polls, which suggest the president will face him in a second round run-off in April. RETREAT HALTED Poroshenko's man-of-action credentials propelled him to power back in 2014. A confectionary magnate sometimes referred to as "the Chocolate King", he had held ministerial posts in successive governments. When protests broke out against pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich, he stood on top of a bulldozer with a bullhorn to try to prevent violence between police and protesters. Elected president in May 2014, he faced a country in chaos. Separatists, backed by Russia, controlled a swathe of territory in the east and Ukraine's security forces were dysfunctional. Arms stores had been looted and some units could not reach the fighting because they had no spare parts for their vehicles. Under Poroshenko the army, backed by volunteer militias, pushed the separatists out of several towns and contained them. The military was re-equipped and morale lifted. Poroshenko is frequently seen dressed in camouflage fatigues visiting front-line units. With some deft diplomacy, Poroshenko persuaded Washington to maintain its backing for Kiev and not ease up on sanctions on Russia, even after President Donald Trump came to power promising a detente with Moscow. Kiev's association agreement with the European Union in 2017 allowed visa-free travel for Ukrainians and locked their country into the Western orbit, and billions of dollars in loans from the International Monetary Fund stabilized the volatile economy. In exchange for the loans his government had to implement reforms, one of which, a hike in retail gas prices, has caused widespread anger. Ukraine's gas still partially comes from Russia, but since Ukraine receives it via the EU, it is now harder for Moscow to turn off the taps in any financial dispute as it previously did. And this year's granting of autonomy for the Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church from Russia by the spiritual head of Orthodox Christians worldwide was a political coup for Poroshenko. BLURRED LINES Campaigning for president back in 2014, Poroshenko was explicit about what he would do with his confectionary business if elected: "I will sell." Five years later, he has not sold, leaving him vulnerable to accusations that his administration -- like others before it -- is blurring the line between Ukraine's interests and the financial interests of powerful oligarchs. One of his close associates stepped aside from a senior government role late last month pending a corruption investigation involving his son. Both father and son deny the allegations, of involvement in smuggling military equipment from Russia and selling it to local armed forces at inflated prices. A law criminalizing illicit enrichment was thrown out in February, sparking sharp criticism, especially from the United States. Poroshenko has denied he or his friends were enriching themselves, and urged patience on anti-corruption measures. "If you sow potatoes and dig them up straight away, you'll get nothing," he said two years into his presidency. "We've taken the first steps, we've sown." (Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Philippa Fletcher) The US special envoy for North Korea is visiting Beijing to coordinate policies with China, officials said Tuesday, a month after the failure of a denuclearisation summit. Stephen Biegun, Washington's North Korea envoy, is here to "continue US-China coordination on policies related to North Korea", a US embassy spokesman told AFP, declining to share more details. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing that Beijing "has always maintained close communication and coordination with the relevant parties on the general affairs of the Korean Peninsula." Biegun's visit to the Chinese capital overlaps with the arrival of a high-ranking North Korean, who was greeted by Chinese government officials and Pyongyang's envoy to Beijing on Tuesday, reported South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Yonhap, citing diplomatic sources, said the visiting official is believed to be Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the North's ruling Workers' Party, who was making a stopover in Beijing en route to Laos. Geng said he had no information about Ri's reported stopover. It was not clear whether the visits by the US and North Korean officials were related. Biegun's trip comes after US President Donald Trump abruptly cut short the February 27-28 summit in Vietnam with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un amid fundamental differences between the two sides over dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme. The summit, the leaders' second in under a year, broke up without even a joint statement, and each sought to blame the other's intransigence for the deadlock. Both sides pledged to continue talking, but no new meetings have been scheduled. In mid-March, Biegun said Washington's goal was the complete denuclearisation of North Korea by the end of Trump's first term, and that it would not settle for incremental disarmament. "We will not lift these sanctions until NK (North Korea) completes the process of denuclearisation," he said. Story continues But on Friday Trump abruptly announced the cancellation of new sanctions on North Korea imposed by the US treasury. China has played diplomatic wingman to North Korea -- even loaning Kim an Air China jet to travel to his landmark first meeting with Trump in Singapore last year -- as Beijing is intent on keeping Pyongyang within its sphere of influence. The North acts as a buffer state, keeping the 28,500 US troops in South Korea far from China's borders. In January, Beijing hosted Kim for the fourth time prior to his Hanoi summit with Trump -- visits that have become something of a ritual, with Kim briefing Chinese President Xi Jinping before and after his meetings with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is being squeezed internationally as the United States pressures key multilateral bodies to boot out his "illegitimate" representatives. To publicly underline America's position and its support of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim leader, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed Guaido's wife, Fabiana Rosales de Guaido, to the White House. Trump boasted Maduro and his regime "have got plenty of pressure right now," adding: "Other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have." But at home Maduro has dug in, determined to stay in charge of his now impoverished oil-producing country of 30 million people. The beleaguered socialist leader has been boosted by overt support from main ally Russia, which last weekend deployed 100 troops and military equipment Venezuela. Moscow says it is working to prevent a US-backed "coup." China, too, is sticking by Maduro, challenging the US diplomatic push. The moves have escalated the crisis in Venezuela into a geopolitical one. - 'Illegitimate regime' - After Guaido declared January 23 he was constitutionally the interim president on the argument that fraudulent elections last year left Maduro illegitimate, the United States and its allies in Latin America and Europe endorsed him. Since then, the US has rejected Maduro's envoys in international forums. This week, Maduro's representative was replaced by Guaido's pick in the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce, according to Paraguay, which had turned to that body's arbitration section to adjudicate a $300-million case involving Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA. A switch also took place in the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where the US holds 30 percent of voting power. The Washington-based bank was supposed to hold its annual meeting in China this week, but that was scrapped after Beijing refused to grant a visa to Guaido's representative. Story continues A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman complained that "sensitive political issues" had overshadowed IDB talks on financial cooperation. More importantly, the World Trade Organization on Tuesday was forced to suspend its regular dispute settlement body (DSB) as the Maduro-appointed delegation was trying to get the WTO to rule against US sanctions. "Because the Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela, Maduros representatives are not the legitimate representatives of a WTO Member. Therefore, neither the agenda item nor the panel request would legitimately be before the DSB," a US official said in a statement. "The US position toward the representatives of the illegitimate Maduro regime at the WTO reflect and reinforce the foreign policy of the United States ... to recognize Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela," the official said. The unusual occurrence means WTO dispute settlement procedures could potentially be blocked, closing off a crucial arbitration avenue for other countries with trade disagreements. Further Venezuela-related friction on other international bodies could yet emerge. Last month, at the UN Disarmament Conference in Geneva, the US ambassador objected to Maduro's representative being present, saying: "The Maduro regime is illegitimate, having stolen an election from the Venezuelan people." And US-aligned South American countries last week launched a new regional bloc, the Forum for the Progress of South America (Prosur), to replace UNASUR, a largely defunct organization co-created in 2008 by late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. Also, the United States and its allies are in the process of handing over Venezuela's diplomatic missions on their soil to Guaido's envoys. - 'Russia has to get out' - But with Russia and China both holding permanent UN Security Council seats and influential roles in other forums, it was unclear how far Washington's campaign against Maduro's representatives can go. The US has run up against the limits of its diplomatic muscle several times, most notably in attempts to persuade other countries to adopt policies seen favoring Israel over the Palestinians. Trump has also adopted an "America First" stance with less regard for multilateral institutions. While Maduro has certainly become more internationally isolated, he can still count on backing not just from Russia and China but also from Iran, Nicaragua, Cuba, Bolivia and Turkey. But it was Moscow's support for Maduro that caught Trump's ire on Wednesday. "Russia has to get out," he said, alongside Guaido's wife. Vice President Mike Pence, who was also at the meeting in the White House, said Maduro "is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power." He added: "We call on Russia today to cease all support of the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido, stand with nations across this hemisphere and across the world until freedom is restored." UNITED NATIONS (AP) The United States is seeking to put the head of a Pakistan-based militant group blamed by India for a Feb. 14 suicide attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers in Kashmir on the U.N. sanctions blacklist. A draft resolution circulated to Security Council members Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press would impose a travel ban and freeze the assets of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. It would also condemn "in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing" in the Indian-held portion of Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 40 paramilitary soldiers and the wounding of dozens of others. The draft resolution says a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack, which raised tensions between India and Pakistan and led to an Indian retaliatory airstrike inside Pakistan. It underlines the need "to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice." The Security Council added Jaish-e-Mohammed to the U.N. sanctions blacklist in October 2001 for its association with al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. The draft resolution's annex says Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Azhar is associated with the Islamic State extremist group or al-Qaida for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating" or "supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material" or supporting acts of Jaish-e-Mohammed. According to a statement attached to the draft, Azhar founded Jaish-e-Mohammed after his release from prison in India in 1999 in exchange for 155 hostages held on an Indian Airlines flight that had been hijacked in Kandahar, Afghanistan. It said Azhar previously headed the extremist group Harakat al Mujahadin, but most of its members joined Jaish-e-Mohammed under his leadership. It noted that a recruitment poster in 2008 from the militant group called for volunteers to join the fight against Western forces in Afghanistan. Travelers are voicing concerns over cruise-ship safety after a Viking Cruises ship ran into engine trouble and rocky seas this weekend, resulting in a mayday call and dramatic rescue off the western coast of Norway. After seeing footage of the Viking Sky listing to one side and passengers being ferried off the ship via helicopter, would-be cruise customers are saying they may cancel their upcoming trips on Viking or other line's ships. "Why I wont be going on a cruise...like, ever," one user wrote, quote-tweeting video from one of the ship's passengers. "I am going on a cruise next month might cancel that now," another user wrote. One person went even further: "Let me go ahead and cancel my cruise (right now)," he wrote. Chris Cross of Denham Springs, Louisiana is taking a wait-and-see approach. The 61-year-old, who has previously taken Viking cruises, says he has three more scheduled "for now." He told USA TODAY, "I want to see what the investigation finds out. We know they shouldn't have gone out in that weather, but, I want to know the thought process before making up my mind." Cruising has good safety record overall Despite the Viking Sky incident, cruising is one of the safest ways to travel, according to the trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Citing a 2017 study, CLIA says that although the cruise industry's capacity has grown by 48 percent, the overall number of operational incidents has declined by 38 percent. Story continues "A cruise holiday is one of the safest forms of travel, and the safety of passengers and crew is the top priority of cruise lines," said CLIA spokesperson Sarah Kennedy in a statement to USA TODAY. She noted the average ship undergoes dozens of safety inspections each year. "Cruise ships are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions at sea, and, whenever possible, seek to avoid bad weather." Cruising has steadily been gaining in popularity, especially with American travelers. CLIA projects 30 million passengers to take cruises in 2019, up from 17.8 million in 2009, according to the group's 2019 trend report. The majority of passengers, 11.9 million, come from the U.S., a number almost five times that of any other country. Many customers still trust Viking Gracie Ziegler, who took a Viking cruise from Stockholm to Bergen, Norway, last summer, says she would travel with them again. "While we were watching the news unfold we talked about it," the marketing director from Fayetteville, Arkansas, told USA TODAY. "Viking takes care of everything, and we would trust them to do it again." Andrew Spriggs, 29-year-old a tax accountant from Houston who sailed on the Viking Sky in November, told USA TODAY he expects the company will be "hyper-vigilant in the future," adding that they will likely "be working harder to win back customer support, which will probably lead to them going above and beyond for at least the near future." Other previous Viking customers came to the cruise line's defense on Twitter. "I never want to end up on a Dateline special, which is in part why I always said Id never go on a cruise," 38-year-old Holly LeCapitaine of Green Bay, Wisconsin, wrote on Twitter. "But when the opportunity arose to hit up the Mediterranean in November, I was like yesss! We were on the Viking Sun and Im pretty glad this was not #myvikingstory." She told USA TODAY: "I would absolutely go on another Viking cruise in a hot second. I wouldnt have changed a single thing and feel like this is just one of those freakish things that can unfortunately happen." And an eight-time customer wrote she "(remains) a huge Viking fan": "Was on sister ship almost 3 years ago. It also had engine problem near end of cruise, but we were never in danger. I remain a huge Viking fan. Been on 8 cruises." Was on sister ship almost 3 years ago. It also had engine problem near end of cruise, but we were never in danger. I remain a huge Viking fan. Been on 8 cruises. https://t.co/W3sRRcQwnL Jo Mannies (@jmannies) March 24, 2019 What happened on the Viking Sky? The Viking Sky left the northern city of Tromsoe, Norway, carrying more than 1,300 people and was headed to the southern city of Stavanger when it suffered engine trouble Saturday and began drifting toward the rocky coast. After encountering rough waters and high winds, the Viking Sky issued a mayday call. Authorities airlifted 479 passengers off the ship by helicopter, and then the ship limped into the nearby port of Molde with the aid of a towboat the following day. On Monday, Norwegian authorities began investigating why the Viking ship was sailing after a weather warning had been issued. The probe will delve into ship operations, a technical study of why the engines failed and a review of how the rescue was handled, said Kurt Olsen, an acting director for Norway's Accident Investigations Board. Hospital officials have said one person is in critical condition, and eight others were still hospitalized Monday morning, according to the Associated Press. One passenger likened the harrowing experience to the Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Carolyn Savikas of Pennsylvania described the terror aboard the Viking Sky to Norway's VG newspaper, saying she heard a "terrible crash," after which the ship rocked, and water raced in. "We were in the restaurant when a really huge wave came and shattered a door and flooded the entire restaurant," she said. "All I saw were bones, arms, water and tables. It was like the Titanic just like the pictures you have seen from the Titanic." Viking's next sailing, which had been set for Wednesday, has been canceled. Contributing: John Bacon and The Associated Press. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After Viking cruise ship rescue, passengers concerned about cruising safety Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen, at the annual news conference in Wolfsburg, Germany March 12, 2019. Photo: Reuters/File Photo Volkswagen and Amazon are exploring a strategic partnership to boost the German carmakers productivity. Germanys Suddeutsche Zeitung first reported on Wednesday that the worlds largest carmaker and the online retail giant are in discussions about creating an industry cloud, in which Amazon would help network VWs plants and warehouses. Volkswagen and Amazon confirmed the partnership in a press release, saying that In future, the Volkswagen Industrial Cloud will combine the data of all machines, plants and systems from all 122 facilities of the Volkswagen Group. In the long term, it said, the global supply chain of the VW with more than 30,000 locations of over 1,500 suppliers and partner companies could also be integrated using Amazon Web Services technology. VW chief executive Herbert Diess has said he plans to increase productivity rates by one-third across all its plants by 2025. The Wolfsburg-based carmaker has emerged from its emissions-cheating scandal determined to take the lead in the electric car age. It plans to produce 22 million electric cars in the next 10 years, but warned that e-car production will mean huge job cuts. READ MORE: Volkswagen says making electric cars will lead to job cuts This year, VW announced it would partner with Ford to develop AI driving systems. In March it said it will invest 1bn into a battery research consortium, the so-called European Battery Union. The carmaker is also branching into energy, with its new Elli startup, which will develop charging and energy storage solutions. While Amazon is best known for its online shopping platform, the company is also one of the leaders in cloud-computing solutions for businesses. VW reportedly wants to exploit this computing power to hit its own efficiency goals. Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan issued a broad defense of her industry on Monday, writing that journalists should be proud of their coverage of the Trump-Russia story. The column came just one day after Attorney General William Barr said the Mueller report did not find evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. American citizens would have been far worse off if skilled reporters hadnt dug into the connections between Trumps associates up to and including his son Don Jr. and Russians. That reporting has not been invalidated, Sullivan wrote. Its important to acknowledge the value of the serious journalism because theres a real risk that news organizations will take the edges off their coverage of this subject now. In her piece, Sullivan also broadly dismissed conservative and other critics of the reporting. Also Read: Rudy Giuliani Calls on CNN to Apologize for Trump-Russia Coverage (Video) [Trumps] media echo chamber led by Fox News Channels Sean Hannity is calling for the heads of journalists whose work Hannity couldnt begin to emulate even if given 100 years, Sullivan said. As for the rest of the harsh criticism thats being leveled at journalists who dug into the connections between Trump, as candidate and president, and Russia, its largely misguided. The Sullivan critique did not stop the president or his allies from celebrating the news of Barrs findings, which broadly suggests that no additional indictments of Trump, his family or inner circle will be forthcoming. Also Read: That Time Fox News' Andrew Napolitano Said President Trump Might Have Already Been Indicted (Video) The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, Barr wrote, while also noting that the Special Counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.' Story continues Among conservative Trump boosters, Fox News led the charge Monday and Tuesday. This morning we wake up and the media doesnt just have a little egg on its face, they have a whole omelette, Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said Monday morning. That was followed by Sean Hannity in primetime who called out Rachel Maddow by name saying she had mislead her audience about the Russia collusions story. Hannity demanded contrition. [Rachel Maddow] has profited from these lies to her audience on a spectacular level. Frankly, she and her so-called colleagues, so-called mainstream media, so-called journalists they should be embarrassed tonight, he said. They should feel humiliated tonight. They should be apologizing tonight to the American people. Read original story Washington Post Media Columnist Says Journalists Should Be Proud of Russia Coverage At TheWrap Zalmay Khalilzad to tour Islamabad-Kabul WASHINGTON: Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy for Afghanistan, began a fresh tour that will take him to Islamabad and Kabul, besides other capitals in the region, for a new round of talks with the Taliban, the State Department said on Tuesday. Mr Khalilzad will also visit Belgium, Britain, Jordan and Uzbekistan as he seeks global support for a peace deal. The trip is scheduled to run through April 10. The envoy met representatives from China, Russia and the European Union last week. The State Department did not confirm Mr Khalilzad would hold fresh talks with the Taliban, but said he would stop in Qatar, the usual location for negotiations with the militants. Khalilzads trip is part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that brings all Afghan parties together in inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations, the State Department said. The British Royal Family's history dates back centuries and things can get a little complicated along the line. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are getting ready to welcome the latest arrival to the firm, but where does the baby fit within the family tree? The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh head up the family as they are Harry's grandparents, they will be great-grandparents to his child. The little one will be their eighth great-grandchild. Harry's father Prince Charles will welcome his fourth grandchild when he or she arrives. He's already a grandpa to older son William and his wife Kate's three children, George, five, Charlotte, three, and 11-month-old Louis. Charles' wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will be a step-grandmother. The royal baby will have plenty of playmates in the form of cousins - George, Charlotte and Louis. Meghan and Harry are set to move to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, but their office will be based in London, which means plenty of play dates for the youngest royals. And then that means that William and Kate will be the child's uncle and aunt. The Cambridges already have a nephew on Kate's side of the family - Pippa Middleton gave birth to her and James Matthews' first child Arthur in October 2018. Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, who lives in the US, will be the baby's maternal grandmother. Thomas Markle, who is divorced from Doria, will be the baby's maternal grandfather but he and Meghan have not spoken since the royal wedding last year. For all the latest news, photos and exclusive updates from the British Royal Family as they happen, click here. The Royal Family have plenty of residences around the country from Balmoral to Windsor to choose from, but where will Meghan and Harry's baby live when he or she arrives this spring? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently reside at the two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage, within the grounds of Kensington Palace. It's the location of where Harry proposed to Meghan, while they were cooking roast kitchen. But now the couple are preparing for their big move to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, ahead of the birth. The Grade II listed building has been converted from staff accommodation to a 10-bedroom home for Harry and Meghan and their newborn. The renovations are set to cost a reported 3million, covered by the Sovereign Grant (funded by the taxpayer) while the couple will pay for the furnishings and decor. The new abode will allow them some privacy as they settle into their life as new parents. Similarly when Prince George was born, Kate and William resided at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, to be away from the spotlight. Their move comes as the Sussexes formally split from their joint household office with the Cambridges at Kensington Palace. Their new household will be based at Buckingham Palace and Hillary Clinton's former advisor Sara Latham will head up their communications. For all the latest news, photos and exclusive updates from the British Royal Family as they happen, click here. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE:ACCO) is a company with exceptional fundamental characteristics. Upon building up an investment case for a stock, we should look at various aspects. In the case of ACCO, it is a company that has been able to sustain great financial health, trading at an attractive share price. In the following section, I expand a bit more on these key aspects. For those interested in understanding where the figures come from and want to see the analysis, read the full report on ACCO Brands here. Very undervalued with adequate balance sheet ACCO is financially robust, with ample cash on hand and short-term investments to meet upcoming liabilities. This suggests prudent control over cash and cost by management, which is an important determinant of the companys health. ACCO appears to have made good use of debt, producing operating cash levels of 0.22x total debt in the prior year. This is a strong indication that debt is reasonably met with cash generated. ACCO's share price is trading at below its true value, meaning that the market sentiment for the stock is currently bearish. According to my intrinsic value of the stock, which is driven by analyst consensus forecast of ACCO's earnings, investors now have the opportunity to buy into the stock to reap capital gains. Also, relative to the rest of its peers with similar levels of earnings, ACCO's share price is trading below the group's average. This bolsters the proposition that ACCO's price is currently discounted. NYSE:ACCO Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 27th 2019 Next Steps: For ACCO Brands, there are three key aspects you should further examine: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for ACCOs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for ACCOs outlook. Historical Performance: What has ACCO's returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of ACCO? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! 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 Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to move to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, ahead of their babys birth, expected in April. The Grade II listed house has been undergoing extensive renovations since the beginning of the year in order to transform it from staff accommodation to a modern 10-bedroom family home for Meghan, Harry and their newborn. The couple have reportedly called in the interior designer of Soho House, Vicky Charles, to help decorate their new home. The refurbishment of the property is set to cost a reported 3million, covered by the Sovereign Grant (funded by the taxpayer) while the couple will pay for the furnishings and decor. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Canada House [Photo: PA] The new abode will allow them some privacy as they settle into their life as new parents. Similarly, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent time at their Norfolk home Anmer Hall, when George and Charlotte were born. The cottage, located on the Frogmore Estate in Windsor, was built in 1801 at the direction of Queen Charlotte. READ MORE: What surname will Harry and Meghans royal baby have? When the announcement about their move was made, Kensington Palace said: Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate. Harry and Meghan had their wedding reception at the nearby Frogmore House [Photo: PA] The duke and duchess were married at St Georges Chapel in Windsor and had their reception at the nearby Frogmore House on the estate. Since 2017, Harry and Meghan have lived in Nottingham Cottage, a two-bedroom house in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London. Its where the prince proposed to the former actress in November 2017, as they cooked roast chicken and is just a stones throw away from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges home at Apartment 1A. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will now have their own royal household, based at Buckingham Palace, formally splitting from their joint household with the Cambridges at Kensington Palace. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin appeals court on Wednesday reinstated laws Republicans passed during a lame-duck session to weaken the Democratic governor and attorney general, but the statutes remain blocked because of a ruling in a separate case. Republicans passed the legislation in December after Democrat Tony Evers defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Josh Kaul defeated Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel in the November midterm elections. The laws were designed to weaken Evers and Kaul and guarantee Republicans could defend in court GOP-backed statutes that Evers and Kaul don't support. Multiple liberal-leaning groups have challenged the laws in separate lawsuits. Last week Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess blocked the statutes, finding lawmakers convened illegally when they passed them. The 3rd District Court of Appeals essentially wiped out that ruling Wednesday by granting a GOP request for a stay. The court said Niess underestimated Republicans' chances for success on appeal as well as the harm that blocking potentially valid legislation can cause. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos issued a joint statement Wednesday praising the decision, saying the rule of law has prevailed. Evers issued a statement saying he's confident the lame-duck laws will ultimately fall. But on Tuesday another Dane County judge, Frank Remington, invalidated portions of the laws that directly affect Evers and Kaul on different grounds in a separate lawsuit. That ruling stands despite the appeals court's stay, which means those provisions remain unenforceable. The laws prohibit Evers from withdrawing from lawsuits without legislative approval, a move designed to prevent him from fulfilling a campaign pledge to pull Wisconsin out of a multistate lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act. The laws prevent Kaul from settling lawsuits without legislative approval and require him to deposit settlement awards in the state general fund rather than in state Department of Justice accounts. Story continues The measures also force state agencies to review publications explaining how they interpret state law by July or else take the documents down, allow lawmakers to suspend agency regulations multiple times and grant the Legislature the right to intervene in lawsuits with its own attorneys rather than use Kaul's DOJ lawyers. Before the laws were enacted the Legislature had to ask a judge for permission to intervene. Republicans also confirmed 82 of Walker's appointments during the lame-duck session. Niess' ruling blocking the legislation stems from a lawsuit a coalition of liberal-leaning groups filed. They allege that the laws were passed during an illegal extraordinary session. Extraordinary sessions are previously unscheduled floor periods called by the majority party. The groups contend the Legislature can meet only according to dates it adopts the beginning of each biennium or at the call of the governor. Empowered by the Niess' ruling, Evers has asked Kaul to pull the state out of the Affordable Care Act lawsuit and has rescinded all 82 Walker appointments. The Republicans' attorney, Misha Tseytlin, said in an email Wednesday evening that he believes the stay means all the appointess now have their jobs back. Jeffrey Mandell, an attorney for the coalition, said the groups are disappointed with the stay but remain confident they'll defeat a Republican appeal. He didn't respond to a follow-up email asking about the appointees' status. Remington's ruling, meanwhile, is part of a separate lawsuit brought by a group of unions. They allege the laws violate the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. Remington issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday blocking legislative approval for withdrawing from and settling lawsuits, the publication review and multiple suspensions of agency rules. He let stand language granting legislators the right to intervene in actions, however. Republicans have said they plan to appeal that ruling. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos issued a joint statement Wednesday praising the stay, saying the rule of law has prevailed. "A judge should not violate the Legislature's basic ability to convene when its duly elected members call a session day," they said. The WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFJ) was launched on 06/16/2006, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs category of the market. What Are Smart Beta ETFs? The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market. A good option for investors who believe in market efficiency, market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns. There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies. By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such. This area offers many different investment choices, such as simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies; however, not all of these strategies can deliver superior results. Fund Sponsor & Index Because the fund has amassed over $670.08 M, this makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs. DFJ is managed by Wisdomtree. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index. WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index measures the performance of dividend-paying small capitalization companies in Japan. After the 300 largest companies have been removed from the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index, the remaining companies are chosen for inclusion in the Index. Companies are weighted in the Index based on annual cash dividends paid. Cost & Other Expenses Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same. Story continues With one of the more expensive products in the space, this ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.58%. It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.77%. Sector Exposure and Top Holdings While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis. Taking into account individual holdings, Sankyo Co Ltd accounts for about 0.81% of the fund's total assets, followed by Matsui Securities Co Ltd and Dic Corp. DFJ's top 10 holdings account for about 6.01% of its total assets under management. Performance and Risk The ETF has added about 7.28% so far this year and is down about -10.83% in the last one year (as of 03/27/2019). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $60.90 and $82.84. The ETF has a beta of 0.69 and standard deviation of 13.75% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 813 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk. Alternatives WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well. JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP) tracks MORNINGSTAR JAPAN TRGT MRKT EXPOSURE ID and the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) tracks MSCI Japan Index. JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF has $3.38 B in assets, iShares MSCI Japan ETF has $13.39 B. BBJP has an expense ratio of 0.19% and EWJ charges 0.47%. Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs. Bottom Line To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFJ): ETF Research Reports iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ): ETF Research Reports JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Beirut (AFP) - A world court would offer a much-needed mechanism to address the Islamic State group's horrendous crimes but the path to its creation is fraught with obstacles, experts said. Syrian Kurds who spearheaded the battle that finished off the IS "caliphate" last week called Monday for an international tribunal to try suspected jihadists. "The call... is really a call for help by the authorities in northeast Syria," said Nadim Houry, from the New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch. "They have been abandoned by the international community to deal with the aftermath of IS." The Syrian Democratic Forces have waged the US-led coalition's ground battle against IS for years but are getting little help to handle the thousands of suspected jihadists now filling their jails. They and their relatives hail from more than 50 countries, most of which have refused to take them back. The jihadists' once sprawling proto-state was off-limits for years and while the scope and brutality of their crimes is beyond doubt, a detailed and verified account of events is lacking. An international tribunal run by specialised judges would help answer the pressing questions of who, why and how to move towards some form of closure, jurists said. Joel Hubrecht, from the Paris-based Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, argued that only such a court could match the impact of crimes "that scarred the entire world in its humanity". The gradual military reconquest of IS territory has so far unearthed mass graves estimated to contain at least 12,000 bodies in Iraq and 5,000 in Syria, according to a UN inquiry. - 'Selective justice'? - The group is also accused of mass rape, of perpetrating deadly attacks on several continents and of genocide against the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq. The global nature of IS's crimes justifies large-scale trials for its bosses, comparable to those organised in Nuremberg for Nazi leaders, Hubrecht said. Story continues "Such a collective endeavour would bring a much more potent justice response than when it is delivered locally," he said. Harvard academic Andras Riedlmayer also noted that "all of humankind has been deprived of its memory by these wanton attacks on its patrimony". IS has been accused of destroying countless pre-Islamic artefacts, including in the Syrian UNESCO-listed site of Palmyra and Mosul museum in Iraq. Riedlmayer agreed that an international tribunal would provide a good alternative to justice systems in Iraq and Syria that lack resources and independence. The trials that have already taken place for IS crimes in Iraq have been condemned by rights groups as failing to meet international standards. "In a 15-minute hearing, there is no time for hearing what happened. Victims are not heard," Nadim Houry said. "They cannot ask questions to IS suspects, they cannot ask 'What happened to our loved ones?'" But Houry raised the critical issue of "selective justice", arguing that a court would lack in credibility if it was perceived as tackling only certain perpetrators and not others. The eight-year-old conflict in Syria has left more than 370,000 people dead. Almost a third are civilians and most were not killed by IS. - Huge challenges - HRW has documented deadly rights violations perpetrated by all sides: the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, rebel groups, and the US-led coalition, as well as IS jihadists. "Are we going to tell the victims we are only going to look at IS perpetrators? When you start distinguishing between victims, you don't help reconciliation, you create a new conflict," Houry said. The principle of a world court lacks the state support it needs at the moment. China and Syrian regime ally Russia have repeatedly blocked the International Criminal Court in The Hague from probing the Syrian conflict. Even the United States, a key ally of Syria's Kurds, on Monday rejected a special court as an immediate option. If it did receive backing, the practicalities of setting it up in northeastern Syria would bring more almost insurmountable challenges. The Kurdish authorities there are not internationally recognised. Ensuring witness protection would be challenging in a war-torn country where the residents of a same town sometimes killed each other. Clive Stafford-Smith, head of legal aid charity Reprieve, said the international community could however support the Kurds to set up a local court to respect international standards. But any solution will take time -- to define judicial procedures, and train judges and lawyers. Even then, who to prosecute will be an issue, and many jihadist leaders are dead or on the run. Even if a special tribunal was set up, Hubrecht said, "it would take several years" before the first verdicts. SAN FRANCISCO Facebook is banning explicit praise, support or representation of white nationalism and white separatism on Facebook and Instagram, including phrases such as "I am a proud white nationalist," following deadly attacks at two New Zealand mosques and a backlash from black history scholars and civil rights groups. "Over the past three months, our conversations with members of civil society and academics who are experts in race relations around the world have confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups," Facebook said in a blog post Wednesday. Users searching for white nationalism and separatism will be directed to resources that help people leave hate groups starting next week, the company said. Explicit expressions of support for white supremacy are not permitted on Facebook. The decision to extend that ban to white nationalism and separatism addresses one of Facebook's most controversial content moderation policies that control the speech of more than 2 billion users around the globe. The social media company had previously defended the practice, saying it consulted researchers and academic experts in crafting a policy drawing a line between white supremacy and the belief that races should be separated. In training documents obtained by Vice's Motherboard last year, Facebook said white nationalism doesnt seem to be always associated with racism (at least not explicitly). That position provoked a strong reaction from civil rights groups. "By attempting to distinguish white supremacy from white nationalism and white separatism, Facebook ignores centuries of history, legal precedent, and expert scholarship that all establish that white nationalism and white separatism are white supremacy," the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law wrote Facebook in September. Facebook's policy reversal marks a major step toward reckoning with the vast amount of white nationalist content that continues to fester on social media services. Story continues With a growing number of populist movements gaining hold around the globe, technology companies have been reluctant to ban white nationalist content, wary of charges of censorship. White nationalism hurtled back into the spotlight after a gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 people. In a 74-page manifesto, he described himself as an "ordinary white man" whose goal was to "crush immigration and deport those invaders already living on our soil" and "ensure the existence of our people, and a future for white children." He livestreamed the attack on Facebook. "This is something that has been in the works for some time, but following the horrific attacks in New Zealand is more important than ever," Facebook said in a statement. Implicit or coded expressions of white nationalism and white separatism will not be banned right away as those are harder to detect, Facebook told Motherboard. Rashad Robinson, president of the civil rights group Color of Change, called on other tech companies "to act urgently to stem the growth of white nationalist ideologies, which find space on platforms to spread the violent ideas and rhetoric that inspired the tragic attacks witnessed in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh and now Christchurch." The House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing in early April on the rise of white nationalism. Researchers say that rise in attacks by white supremacists and anti-government extremists is being fueled by growing political polarization, anti-immigrant sentiment and the ease with which proponents can spread their beliefs over the internet. A 2016 study from George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism in D.C. found that white nationalists had seen their followers grow by more than 600 percent since 2012, outperforming the Islamic State in nearly every metric, from follower counts to tweets per day. More: New Zealand mosque shootings: Are social media companies unwitting accomplices? More: California mosque arson suspect left graffiti about New Zealand attack, police say More: New Zealand debates free speech after ban of accused mosque shooter's manifesto In a tense political climate, hate speech how to define it and how to root it out has become a priority for Facebook, Twitter and Google's YouTube. Facebook has taken steps to curb hate speech on its platforms using a combination of computer algorithms and thousands of moderators trained to scrub posts that violate the company's rules. After a 2017 white supremacist rally turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia, Facebook wrestled with how to police white supremacy on its platform, according to the documents leaked to Motherboard. Facebook stopped short of a policy prohibiting white nationalist or separatist content after expressing concern that such a ban would extend to black separatist groups, the Zionist movement and the Basque separatist movement. After an outcry from civil rights groups, Facebook told Motherboard in September it was reviewing its policy on white nationalism and separatism. Facebook said Wednesday it had considered "broader concepts of nationalism and separatism things like American pride and Basque separatism, which are an important part of people's identity." Content relating to separatist and nationalist movements such as the Basque separatist movement in France and Spain will still be allowed on Facebook. "Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism," the company said. Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said Facebook's new policy is a "step forward in the fight against white supremacist movements," But, she said, much work remains to be done. "Putting in place the correct policy is a start, but Facebook also needs to enforce those policies consistently, provide meaningful transparency around any AI techniques used to address this problem, and adequately retrain its personnel. Without proper implementation, policies will prove to be just empty words, and white supremacy will continue to proliferate across its platform, she said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After New Zealand mosque shootings and civil rights backlash, Facebook bans white nationalism, separatism Burundi has released three schoolgirls who were detained over accusation of scribbling on President Pierre Nkurunzizas picture in textbooks which led to international outcry. The three girls were the last still being held from a group of seven children arrested earlier February in Kirundo province, in Burundis northeast some 200 kilometers from the commercial capital Bujumbura. All were accused of insulting Nkurunziza by defacing his image. A regional court in Kirundo had decided last Wednesday to proceed with a full trial against the three. But Aimee Kanyana, the Minister for Justice, told state broadcaster RTNB that the girls had been given provisional release. Future cases would result in prosecutions, she said. She added: We call on parents to strengthen the education of their children. We remind children that they have to respect authorities, that the age of criminal responsibility is 15.Next time, justice will clamp down on such behaviours. The arrest of the schoolgirls resulted in an online campaign, with users using the social media hashtag #freeourgirls to post pictures of the President defaced with clown wigs, twirly moustaches, pointy ears and bloody fangs. With so many real crimes being committed in Burundi, its tragic that children are the ones being prosecuted for harmless scribbles, Human Rights Watch Central Africa Director, Lewis Mudge, wrote. Members of the ruling partys youth wing have killed, arbitrarily arrested, abducted, beaten, raped, and intimidated real and perceived political opponents with impunity, Mudge wrote last week. Authorities should focus on holding perpetrators of serious rights violations to account instead of jailing school children for doodles. Burundi denies that its ruling party carries out systematic human rights violations. Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005. His decision to stand for a third term in 2015 was called illegal by the opposition, triggering protests and a failed coup. In 2016, 11 children were jailed on accusations of defacing photos of Nkurunziza in a textbook, and more than 300 students at a school in the capitals Ruziba neighbourhood were expelled. Early this month, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet said Burundi had forced the UN to close its local human rights office after 23 years. In 2016, Burundi stopped cooperating with the UN human rights office in Burundi after UN-commissioned report accused the government and its supporters of committing crimes against humanity. KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW Audio Attachment: Azaam Baajour, brother of the Lebanese business, Mahran Mustapha Baajour who was reportedly held for months, has confirmed that his brother was indeed abducted when he arrived at the Kotoka International Airport. According to him, the brother was picked up by some uniformed officials wielding guns. "Per the driver who was supposed to pick him up, four cars stopped them with guns and uniforms and took them to a place not known," he said in an interview on Citi Eyewitness News, Tuesday. He further disclosed that his brother has been admitted at the hospital because of the trauma he went through at the hands of those who abducted him in Ghana. Mahran Baajour Mahran Mustapha Baajour, according to the Minority in Parliament who released a statement on his abduction, is a Lebanese businessman who reportedly arrived in Ghana from Lebanon on a business visit on December 13, 2018. However, upon his arrival, he was not seen or heard from again until his surreptitious release on Monday. According to Azaam, Mahran arrived in Lebanon on Monday, 25th March; adding, "its very difficult to understand what happened to him, because hes a businessman and travels to different countries. It surprises us what happened to him in Ghana". Click audio above to listen to Azaam. Minority's Initial statement The Minority, in their first statement, had indicated that "immediately after arriving at the Kotoka International Airport on December 13, 2018, Mahran Mustapha Baajour and his two Ghanaian hosts who welcomed him at the airport were arrested at the precincts of the airport just when they were about departing in their Toyota salon vehicle with registration number GN 6126 - 15 by persons claiming to be operatives of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). After all three were kept in detention for six days in violation of Ghanaian law, our understanding is that Mahran's two hosts, one Razak Abdul and another were then released as free men while Mahran was kept in detention. This is the reason Mahran's family and officials from his country are having a hard time believing denials and claims of innocence by Ghanaian Government officials they have contacted Government's rebuttal However, government in a reply denied that the businessman had been abducted in the country describing the minority's claims as "false, unfounded and holding no truth". "credible checks conducted at the National Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration affirm beyond a doubt that no such person had arrived at the Kotoka International Airport, contrary to the palpably false accounts given by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs..." the statement which was signed by Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, John Ntim Fordjour added. Minority second statement But the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in a post on his facebook page, swiftly fired back accusing the ruling government of attempting to 'cover up their shame', adding that 'the earlier they admit their mistake, the better'. "The Minority in Parliament has become aware of an ignominious and undignified statement by a member of the Majority side of the Committee on Foreign Affairs seeking in a most pathetic effort to deny the obvious abduction and disappearance of Mahran Mustapha Baajour, a Lebanese businessman who arrived in Ghana on 13th December, 2018. "We note that the desperate statement which lacked any modicum of morality and truth was signed by Rev. John Ntim Fordjour. One wonders if our Honourable colleague, a Reverend Minister still believes in the sacrosanct John 8:32 - "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." "For the avoidance of doubt, the Minority in Parliament firmly stands by all the facts as presented in our release of 24th March, 2019 as they remain the incontrovertible and unimpeachable truth," the post added. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 An International Trade Commission judge on Tuesday ruled that Apple violated a Qualcomm chipmaker patent and said she will recommend banning imports of some iPhone models. I will be recommending that a limited exclusion order together with a cease and desist order, both with certification provisions, issue against Apple, ITC administrative law judge MaryJoan McNamara wrote in a ruling. Details later (AFP) KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW Home | News | General | I will not approach election petition tribunal - Yobe PDP governorship candidate Amb. Iliya Damagum, Yobe governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, March 26, said he would not challenge the results of the election at the petition tribunal. Iliya told newsmen in Damagum after a PDP stakeholders meeting which reviewed the outcome of the governorship election that he had accepted the election of MaiMala Buni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the next governor of the state. There may be areas and issues that bedeviled the elections, but a winner has emerged and that has been announced. READ ALSO: Melaye, PDP senators kick as APC backs Lawan for 9th NASS Senate president We have no option but to accept it as the will of God and move forward, he said. Iliya said that he had already congratulated the governor-elect on his victory. I have congratulated MaiMala, the governor-elect and called on him to look at Yobe as his entire constituency, knowing that God has given him this opportunity, he said. He urged the governor-elect to use the mandate for the good of the people of the state irrespective of their political differences. Iliya commended his supporters and politicians in the state for conducting themselves peacefully during and after the elections. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Legit.ng had previously reported that the former national secretary of APC, Mai Mala Buni, was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of Saturdays governorship election in Yobe state. Professor Abubakar Musa Gundiri, INECs returning officer for the governorship election who made the declaration said Buni of APC emerged winner having scored the highest votes. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! 2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak - on Legit TV: [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | FIRS chairman lists benefit of VAT to Nigerians - Babatunde Fowler said there was no plan to increase VAT as being ruoured - The FIRS chairman explained that VAT is meant to help the needy - Fowler also identified essential goods that VAT are not included The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, says Value Added Tax (VAT) is a consumption tax designed to support the poor and not to create hardship for them. FIRS Spokesman, Wahab Gbadamosi, said on Tuesday in a statement that Fowler made the clarification in Lagos at the maiden Nigeria Tax Outlook (NTO) Stakeholders Roundtable Series organised by Nigeria Taxpayer Hub. READ ALSO: Melaye, PDP senators kick as APC backs Lawan for 9th NASS Senate president I was at a programme at the Senate. I was talking about projection in 2019 for the VAT. And I was asked a question about what my personal views were about the VAT and some people got it a bit wrong. Let me clarify some things. I understand that some people misunderstand what the VAT is. VAT is a consumption tax. If you dont have money to purchase certain categories of goods and services and you dont consume them, then VAT is not your problem. The VAT is used to assist the needy. VAT provides support for the needy, not a hardship on them, 85 per cent of VAT collected is shared among states for them to provide free education, free health services, provide basic amenities among others. We can see what the Federal Government is doing with the tax money. Look at the rail system, the Abuja-Kaduna rail is completed. VAT contributed to Lagos-Ibadan expressway, education system, the school feeding program among others. If at the state level, your government cannot justify the taxes you pay to them, you have the right to vote them out in the next four years, Fowler said. Fowler was also quoted as saying that VAT was charged on consumption and capacity to consume. When you dont consume certain categories of goods and services, you are not liable to pay VAT charges on those items. VAT is not charged on all medical and pharmaceutical products. It is not charged on basic food items. It is not charged on books and educational materials. It is not charged on baby products, fertilizers, locally produced agricultural and veterinary medicine. VAT is not charged on farming machinery and farming transportation equipment. Other products that have not VAT charges are all exports, plant machinery and goods imported for use in Export Processing Zones and free trade zone, provided that 100 per cent production of such company is for export. Other services exempted from VAT are medical services, services rendered by Community Banks, Peoples Bank and Mortgage Institutions, plays and performances conducted by educational institutions as part of learning and all exported services are exempted from VAT, he said. Fowler explained that the revenue generated from VAT was channeled towards assisting the poor by providing basic amenities that were needed in the society. The chairman said that if countries like United Arab Emirate (UAE), Saudi Arabia which were rich in oil resources would be laying emphasis on taxation, then Nigeria should also emulate them. According to him, Nigerias economy is only picking up in recent times because former administrations over-looked tax reforms and depended on the mineral resources. Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on Thursday, March 21, said the proposed VAT rate increment was unfriendly to the manufacturing sector. The director-general of the association, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, made the remarks in Lagos, in spite of the rebuttal from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on the issue, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. I Quit My Accounting Job to Start Making Shoes | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Breaking: Following court order, INEC suspends issuance of certificate of return to Zamfara governor-elect, lawmakers The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the issuance of certificate of return to the Zamfara governor-elect and members of the state House of Assembly The issuance of certificate of the return was scheduled for Wednesday, March 27. READ ALSO: Breaking: APC rejects new Adamawa governorship supplementary election date Following the a court order however nullifying the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the electoral body said it was suspending the scheduled process. Legit.ng had reported that the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto, led by Justice Tom Yakubu, set aside the judgment of a Zamfara High Court on the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. The exercise produced the partys candidates for governorship, national and state Assembly elections, NAN reports. The chairman of the Senate committee on petroleum (downstream), Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, hailed the judgement of the Court of Appeal which set aside the ruling of the Zamfara state high court on the All Progressives Congress (APC)s primaries tussle. Reacting to the Court of Appeals decision on Monday, Senator Marafa, who was one of the governorship aspirants in the state, said the judgement has shown that truth would always prevail over falsehood, saying he and his other colleagues in the race were vindicated. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said: I have always believed that the Zamfara state high court ruling was nothing but a black market judgement that can never stand legal scrutiny. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better. 2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| - on Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Coalition of 28 political parties rejects Tambuwals victory, gives reason A coalition of 28 political parties in Sokoto state on Tuesday, March 26, rejected the victory of Governor Aminu Tambuwal at the governorship election in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, March 24, declared Tambuwal winner of the election after Saturdays supplementary polls with a narrow margin of 342 votes. The chief collation/returning officer, Prof. Fatima Mukhtar, said that Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured the highest votes of 512, 002, defeating his close rival Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu of APC, who polled 511, 660 votes. READ ALSO: Melaye, PDP senators kick as APC backs Lawan for 9th NASS Senate president Addressing a news conference in Sokoto, the coalition leader, Alhaji Musa Aliyu of the Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), rejected the declaration. Aliyu, the NEPP governorship candidate in Sokoto state, said that the process was flawed with irregularities and characterised by acts of violence which contravened the nations electoral laws and the constitution. Our decision was rightly informed by the glaring fact that the elections were hugely marred by myriad of flaws, which had rendered the result of the polls null, void and unacceptable. We observed that the elections were characterised by massive vote-buying, intimidation, non use of card reader machines as well as the duplication of voting in polling units where the polls were earlier conducted. The coalition, therefore, deemed it necessary to unravel these infraction on the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, as well as INECs Electoral Guidelines. We are also in total and formidable support of All Progressives Congress (APC) action to seek legal redress, he said. He appealed to supporters and the entire people of the state to remain calm and law abiding, while we patiently await the outcome of the litigation on the polls. Some of the delegates at the conference included Mujjitaba Aminu of MPN, Muhammad Shehu of GPN, Lawali Haliru of UPP, Dan-Ali Kasarawa of LP and Bello Ibrahim of DPP. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Tambuwal promised to run an all inclusive and "cabal-free government," while thanking the people of the state for re-electing him. Speaking with journalists on Monday, March 26, after he was declared winner of the Sokoto governorship election, the former speaker said his government will be run by the spirit of renewed confidence the people of Sokoto repose in him. He attributed his victory to "God's work," adding that all fences will be mended to facilitate development to the seat of caliphate state. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Protect your vote to make it count - PDP Guber Candidate | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Breaking: Supreme Court justice emerges as new Emir of Lafia - Lafia has a selected a new emir following the death of the former ruler - A justice of the Supreme Court, Sidi Bage, was selected by four out of the five members of the college of selectors - Bage and Musa Mustapha-Agwai, son of the late emir, had contested for the position Alhaji Sidi Bage, Justice of the Supreme Court, has emerged as the 17th Emir of Lafia Emirate following the demise of Alhaji Mustapha Agwai I on January 10. Haruna Osegba, the Nasarawa state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs announced the selection of the emir on Tuesday, March 26, in Lafia following the state traditional council meeting. Osegba said the new emir was selected by the emirates college of selector, ratified by the state traditional council and approved by Gov. Umaru Al-Makura. READ ALSO: Breaking: INEC fixes March 28 for Adamawa supplementary election He said the selection of the new emir was in line with legal notice 12 of 1986, section 31 stipulating the rotation of the stool between the two royal houses. Osegba explained that Bage and Musa Mustapha-Agwai, son of the late emir contested for the position. Bage was however selected by four out of the five members of the college of selectors. Bage was born on June 22, 1956, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, attended the Dunoma Primary School Lafia from 1963 to 1969, attended the Government Secondary School Lafia from 1970 to 1974. He was admitted into the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, for a Diploma Programme in Law between 1975 to 1977, obtained same at Credit Level and later got his L.L.B. Hon degree in 1980. He graduated with Second Class Lower Division, proceeded to the Nigerian Law School Lagos in 1980 and was called into the Nigerian Bar in 1981. Bage worked as a Legal Officer, Ground Training Group, Nigerian Air Force Base Kaduna (NYSC) 1981 to 1982, and Appointed Magistrate Grade II Plateau State Judiciary 1982. He was Promoted Magistrate Grade I 1984, Promoted Senior Magistrate Grade II 1986, Appointed Chief Magistrate II F.C.T Judiciary 1989, Promoted Chief Magistrate I. 1990 and was promoted as Deputy Chief Registrar FCT Judiciary 1991. He was again, Promoted Substantive Chief Registrar, FCT High Court January, 1992, elevated to the High Court Bench as a Judge Nov. 9, 1992, elevated Justice Court of Appeal Dec. 10, 2007, and Appointed Justice of the Supreme Court on Dec. 5, 2016. Similarly, Al-Makura also approved the selection of Alhaji Isa Abubakar Umar as the Emir of Awe following the death of the late emir. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Osegba noted that the new emir of Awe was unanimously selected by the four surviving kingmakers of the emirate. Also selected is Mr Umar Dodo as the new Osu Kadarko a third class tradition ruler in Keana local government area. The Osu Kadarko stool became vacant following the death of Mr Fabian Orogu on Jan. 12, 2018. Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sadness over the news of the passing of the emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isah Mustapha Agwai I. The president, in a statement on Thursday, January 10, by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, extended heartfelt commiserations to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on the demise of the emir. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Emir Sanusi blasts Nigerian leadership | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | To know why Nigeria is without direction, look at our politicians' attitudes - Gani Adams - Iba Gani Adams, the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, has said Nigerians politicians are the reasons for the country's mess - The Yoruba leader said the nation's politicians are hypocrites and do not have genuine love for the nation - Adams also stressed the need to build a better future not just for ourselves but for generations yet unborn Iba Gani Adams, the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland and also the leader of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), has blamed Nigerian politicians for the countrys problems. The Yoruba leader condemned the hypocrisy of Nigerians politicians and their lack of love for the country, while expressing disappointment in the way the they paraded themselves during the 2019 general elections, The Independent reports. READ ALSO: N1.3trn looted funds: Magu lied to Nigerians - Jonathan reacts to allegation He said this at on Tuesday, March 26, at the 2019 edition of Eledumare Festival, while adding that when democracy started in 1999, people believed in it and took the risk because many were tired of military rule. He said: The long years of the military was our poor past and all that we wanted then was democracy. But sadly, our democracy today is gradually becoming a different thing entirely. Politicians have become our nemesis. Gani Adamns also added that the countrys institutions are all weak and there is no care for the masses in any way. He said: Nothing exemplifies the utter chaos, the seemingly irreversible entropy that has percolated the very being of the entity called Nigeria over the years than the attitudes of our politicians. Our politicians lose focus so easily and they turn Nigeria into a directionless country. If you want to know why Nigeria has never worked, why Nigeria is a higgledy-piggledy scrapyard of unadulterated confusion, just take a look at the attitudes of our politicians, especially, before, during and after the just-concluded general elections. Their attitudes present a perfect picture of what a democracy should never be. They illustrate the absolute befuddlement that Nigeria has descended into. It is sad that after 20 years of an uninterrupted democracy, our political class is yet to learn its lessons that the voice of the people is the voice of God. The leader of the OPC said there is a strong need to build a future not just for ourselves for those who are still unborn. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Gani Adams condemned the use of military personnel to monitor the forthcoming general elections. In a statement signed by Kehinde Aderemi, the special assistant on media to the Yoruba leader, he said that the use of military in elections is not logical and only a means to undermine the countrys democracy. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) --> Legit.ng: We have upgraded to serve you better! Cartoon Comedy: When Politicians Die, They Go To Hell... | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Acting IGP Adamu reveals why police are ineffective - Acting IGP, Mohammed Adamu, has revealed why Nigerian police are ineffective - Adamu said the major challenge to the police force has been the lack of adequate funds - The police boss noted that for the force to be neutral in the performance of its duties, it should obtain its funding requirements from constitutionally recognised sources Mohammed Adamu, the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), has explained why the police are not efficient as they should be in Nigeria. The Nation reports that Adamu spoke before the House committee on police affairs on Tuesday, March 26, while defending the Forces 2019 budget proposal, as well as reflecting on the performance and challenges experienced with the implementation of the 2018 appropriation. Legit.ng gathered that he said he was always confronted with the issue of inadequate funding as the lead agency of government responsible for protection of life and property. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said: The Nigeria Police Force which I command today, is a pivotal organ of government and the lead agency in internal security with a strength of 301,737 personnel (made up of police, traffic wardens and civilian staff) as at January, 15 2019. It is stationed across the federation (the Force Headquarters, 12 zones, 37 states including the FCT, 224 area commands, 1,401 divisions, 1,759 police stations and 3,846 police posts). This strength and spread are not static but continue to grow side by side with overall national growth and development. Unfortunately, these growth and development have over the years, not received commensurate funding. The police boss said the police were expected to live up to the billing to ensure internal security which will attract investments, promote trade, industry and commerce for socio-economic development and growth. Adamu said that Nigeria is a large country with a huge population and policing a nation, adding that, as large and diverse as Nigeria requires enormous funding. He also told the lawmakers that for the force to maintain neutrality and avoid compromises in the performance of its statutory duties, it should obtain its funding requirements from constitutionally recognied sources. Presently, the police depends on the government for the provision of funds for its day to day operations. ''However, the annual budgetary allocation to the Force especially with regards to capital and overhead costs do not reflect the enormous size, scope of responsibility and actual needs of the Force. Arising from the limitations of funding occasioned by the budgetary constraint, most of the requirements that would enable the Force perform are never met. He noted that as against a capital budget estimate Of N342.9billion proposed for the 2018 fiscal year, the Force was given an appropriation of N25.2bn. Adamu said despite the increasing security challenges it has to contend with, the funds given the Force are grossly inadequate. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the House of Representatives committee on police affairs said it was worrisome that the Nigeria police force was not well-funded despite the security challenges the nation is faced with. READ ALSO: 2 arrested over murder of psychiatric health officer in Enugu It was reported that members of the committee who condemned the act, said it was high time that the Police trust fund bill currently before the Senate was passed and transmitted for presidential assent. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better. Are Nigerian Policemen the worst in the world? | - on Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Nigerias power sector in a very poor state - Transcorp CEO laments - The president/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Valentine Ozigbo, decried Nigeria's poor power supply - Ozigbo said other African countries enjoy better power supply - The Transcorp boss also said Nigerians are over charged for power consumption The president/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Valentine Ozigbo, has lamented the poor state of the Nigerian power sector, saying that 84.8 million Nigerians do not have access to electric power. Vanguard reports that Ozigbo said the poor state of power in Nigeria is a far cry from what is obtainable in other African oil-producing states. Legit.ng gathers that Ozigbo stated this at the fact behind the figures presentation of Transcorp Hotels held at the Lagos Floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). READ ALSO: N1.3trn looted funds: Magu lied to Nigerians - Jonathan reacts to allegation He said that presently 14,134 MW of Nigerias power requirement is met through self-generation. His words: With an electric rate of 45%, Nigeria is largely reliant on self-generation. An estimated 41% of Nigerian businesses generate their own power to augment the limited grid supply. At N78/kWh Nigerians overpay significantly for each unit of off-grid power consumption which is twice higher than the Grid at N32 /kWh and three times higher than the next most expensive African country, Zambia. Ozigbo emphasized that investment in energy is a key pillar in driving growth under Nigerias Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) and development projects recommended will increase demand on Nigerias energy supply. Making comments on the companys financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2018, he said: We delivered an exemplary result of 9.4% growth in Profit After Tax (PAT). In fact our revenue grew by 30% to N104.2 billion from N80.3 billion in 2017; Gross profit up by 32% to N48.3 billion from N36.4 billion in 2017; Operating profit grew by 33% to N34.6 billion from N26.0 billion in 2017, Profit Before Tax (PBT) grew by 82% to N22.4 billion from N12.3 billion in 2017 while Profit After Tax (PAT) appreciated by 94% to N20.6 billion from N10.6 billion in 2017. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously previously reported that the minister of power, housing, and works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, alleged said that it is not the problem and faults of the federal government if power failure problem in country still persists. The former governor of Lagos state also attributed the persistently unstable electricity to the privatisation of power sector by past administration. He said: "There are problems without a doubt and we must deal with them. But let me remind you, all of the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power have been sold by the last administration before I came. And so if you dont have power, it is not the governments problem. Let us be honest. The people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution are now privately owned companies. I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the minister of communication that you go to. Let us be very clear. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Fashola EXCLUSIVE Interview: How Nigeria Can Have Uninterrupted Power Supply | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Men cannot be trusted, I dont need a man to make me happy - Popular actress says as she talks about marriage - Ghanaian actress Vicky Zugah has revealed that she is okay being a single lady - The actress expressed that it is not every woman that was born to get married - Zugah noted that she would rather be single than get married and be miserable A Ghanaian actress has revealed how she feels about marriage. The popular actress Vicky Zugah who shared her opinion on marriage on a Facebook live video, had expressed that not every woman was born to marry. The young lady had explained that she is okay with living a single life. She added that marriage is not a priority if you are not with the right person. Zugah further noted that not every woman is born to marry. The lady explained that some women have a good career and all they want is to focus on it and travel around the world. READ ALSO: Stop asking God for money, he is not Central bank - Korede Bello She said: "Happiness comes from within and not from a marriage or your spouse. Not every woman is born to marry. Some women want to have a good career and travel around and be happy." In the live video that aired on Sunday, March 23, the actress expressed that there is pressure everywhere on women to get married. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Zugah said: "The pressure is everywhere and its not funny anymore. Some women wont marry because they havent found the right person and that is what I want people to understand. The actress stated that she would rather be single than be married and unhappy. I would rather be single than to be married and be miserable. Looking at the divorce rate out there, I think I am okay being single right now. READ ALSO: Pointers To A Healthy Relationship We All Should Know About It could be assumed that the actress is of this opinion due to what she has experienced from men she dated in the past. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group In the video, the mother of two noted that men cannot be trusted, adding that they only behave nicely in the beginning. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that power couple, 2baba and Annie Idibia, recently celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary. The lovebirds took to social media to share sweet words about each other. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Top 5 Nigerian couples proving love does exist in this world - on Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General The Shaanxi Mining Company Ghana Limited, located at Talensi in the Upper East Region has been fined $40,000 after it was found culpable in an explosion that claimed 16 lives near its concession. The sanctions were slapped on the company after investigations conducted by the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission found the company liable for various infractions that resulted in the accident at its mining enclave. The company has been fined $10,000 for storing explosives underground without the approval of the Chief Inspector of Mines, a development that is in clear violation of regulations 163 of LI 2177. In addition, Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited has been fined $10,000 each for failing to ensure that the safety code for blasting was approved by the Chief Inspector of Mines and not recording blasting that was undertaken on January 22, 2019 in the shift boss logbook, respectively. The company was further fined $10,000 for appointing a supervisor who could not communicate to his patrol team in the language they understood in line with Regulations 56(3) of L.I 2182. More sanctions The Minister of Land and Natural Resources, Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, who announced these sanctions at a press conference in Accra Tuesday March 26, said Yenyeya and Pubeortaaba mining groups had also been jointly fined $10,000 for not having blast time notices in the Gbane community. Mr Asomah-Cheremmeh also directed that Mr Asibi Seidu, the foreman at the centre of the blast should be dismissed immediately for abandoning his post without permission He also directed that a known miner in the Gbane community, Mr Kwasi Appiah should be sanctioned severely for allowing his dug pit in his compound to be used by illegal miners to access the underground workings of Yenyeya and Pubortaaba leading to the fatalities. In addition, Mr Emmanuel Osman and Akurugu Vanga who conducted blasting on Level two on January 22, 2019 shall be suspended for three months without pay for failure to conduct proper risk assessment prior to the blasting in breach of Regulation175 of L.I 2177, he said. Key findings Throwing some lights on the findings of the investigations by the Minerals Commission, Mnr Asomah-Cheremeh said the explosives used in blasting on January 22, 2019 that led to the accident had not been recorded in Shaanxi Mining Ghana explosives record book. In addition, he said the companys safe work procedure for blasting had not been endorsed by the Inspector of Mines as required by law. In addition, the companys blast men did not conduct risk assessment prior to the blasting while the foreman who was to supervise the blasting operations underground due to the absence of the substantive shift boss left the crew unceremoniously, he said. Among other things, the investigations revealed that Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited, Yenyeya and Pubortaaba mining groups did not have blasting time notices posted in the Gbane community. Adequate warnings were not given before the blast went off, in clear breach of Regulation 193(e) of L.I 2177. There was also inadequate pre-blast inspection since some of the illegal miners were allegedly hiding underground but the inspection team did not detect their presence, he said. Directives As part of the recommendations by the investigators, Mr Asomah-Cheremeh gave a one-month ultimatum to the owners of Yenyeya and Pubotaaba mining groups to appoint competent persons to oversee the activities of the support service company, Shaanxi Ghana Mining Limited. He also directed that all illegal mining pits in the Gbane community that link the underground workings of Yenyeya and Pubortaaba should closed immediately to forestall any future occurrence of an accident. All prospecting companies namely Cassius Mining, Savannah Mining Ghana Limited, Shanxi Mining and Mineral Processing Resources Ghana Limited, who were all given portfolios of the Gbane-Datoko de-blocked small scale mining areas should be given a maximum of six months to complete all negotiations on transfer of licenses or any mining interests of small-scale miners, he added. He also directed that no small scale mining concession should be allowed to be within large scale mining concessions. Mr Asomah-Cheremeh also asked Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited to immediately employ additional shift bosses and mine captains to supervise the activities of the company latest by April 30, this year. Background On January 23, 2019, Some 16 miners died after an explosion within the mining concession of Chinese company, Shaanxi Mining Ltd in the Upper East Region. The tragedy happened at dawn while workers of the company based in the Talensi district blasted explosives in an effort to mine. The mining concession belonged to Shaanxi Mining Company, but the illegal miners tried to enter it through a different route. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Home | News | General | My wife and I are not divorced, hopefully everything will work out good - IK Ogbonna says - Nollywood actor and model, IK Ogbonna has opened up about the state of things in his marriage Colombian lady, Sonia - According to the actor, they are not divorced as his wife is currently living in Europe with their son - He admitted that they were not as they used to but expressed hope about things working out Recall a while ago, Legit.ng reported the news of how the marriage of Nollywood actor, IK Ogbonna and his Colombian wife, Sonia, reportedly crashed. This was fueled by her cryptic messages, yanking off her wedding band and the fact that she took off his name on her Instagram page. Following this, there were speculations that the two had gotten a divorce. Well, IK Ogbonna has come to clear the air and he is stating clearly that he is not divorced. In the interview with Hip TV, he revealed that they were not divorced. According to him, Sonia is currently living in Europe with their son where she is trying to combine her business and school. He followed the revelation with: "Hopefully, things will work out good." READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) Watch video below: PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App He also spoke about his friendship with his friend and fellow actor, Alex Ekubo who he described as a 'blood' brother who is is always there for him, no matter the situation. Watch video below: PAY ATTENTION: Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid This interview makes it the second time he is opening up about the situation of things in his marriage. The actor had earlier opened up about the issue to media personality, Daddy Freeze. Chatting with the leader of Free the Sheeple Movement recently, IK stated that 'no marriage is perfect.' He went further to address the problem he has with his wife. HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Street GIST: Biggest Cause of Misunderstanding in Relationship | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Buhari has no plan to islamise Nigeria - Osinbajo - Yemi Osinbajo has debunked rumours making rounds that President Buhari is planing o Islamize Nigeria - Osinbajo explained that the president is committed to ensure there is religious freedom in the country - According to the vice president, its unfortunate that the religion which is supposed to help all the citizens live in harmony has become source of division among them Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday, March 26, dismissed rumours which claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government wanted to Islamise Nigeria. Daily Sun reports that Osinbajo said the government will not support anything that would promote religious freedom; as key to peaceful co-existence among its citizens. Pastor Oluseyi Malomo, state house chaplain, stated that on behalf of the vice president, during the 2019 Religious Liberty Partnership Consultation, in Abuja. READ ALSO: Ndume opposes Lawans adoption as Senate president Malomo said: The commitment of this government is to ensure there is religious freedom in the nation, no matter how hard it is. We are committed to that cause and must do all that is possible to get that done. Its unfortunate that the religion which is supposed to help all of us live in harmony has become source of division for us. We must collectively resist that and support those things, religious or otherwise, that strengthens our peaceful co-existence. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates He added that the perception that policies and programmes of Buharis administration escalated religious crisis in some parts of Nigeria was wrong and should be corrected through mass advocacy in religious and social places. Former chairman, Nigeria Human Right Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu, who was the guest speaker, expressed worry that faith is being politicised in Nigeria. He said freedom of worship, which is one of the constitutional rights of an individual, is not easily ascertained in some parts of the country because most of the killings are politically and religiously motivated. Recall that Legit.ng reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo attended an interdenominational service of praise and thanksgiving at their hometown, Ikenne in Ogun state. The service, held at Obafemi Awolowo Square, Ikenne, commenced with a praise and worship session with songs rendered by Buki Bekes while Osinbajo and Dolapo swayed harmoniously. Addressing the congregation, Osinbajo said it was Gods mercy that made him and his crew come out unhurt from the crashed helicopter. A helicopter carrying Yemi and his entourage had crashlanded in Kabba, Kogi, on February 2. The vice president rendered his favorite Yoruba song Oke Oke la nlo and some other songs while the congregation sang along. INEC announces Buhari as 2019 election winner, Nigerians react | Legit TV: [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Youre one of the cornerstones of Nigerias democracy - President Buhari to Tinubu - President Muhammadu Buhari felicitated with Bola Tinubu on his birthday - The president applauded Tinubu for what he has done for the country' democracy - Buhari described the APC chairman as a pillar of democracy President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as he celebrates his 67th birthday. In a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, on Wednesday, March 27, the president described the All Progressives Congress leader as a strong democratic pillar. READ ALSO: APC reveals 1 condition to participate in Adamawa supplementary election President Buhari recalled Tinubus political struggle in 1993 and applauded him for not pursuing personal gain. The statement reads: President Muhammadu Buhari sends warm felicitations to the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 67th birthday, March 29th, 2019, describing him as one of the strong pillars of Nigerias democracy. President Buhari joins the APC family in celebrating the Asiwaju of Lagos, who is also the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, for his selflessness in serving his country, and making life better for many. The President recalls some of the sacrifices of the party chieftain to include standing up against injustice in 1993 when the June 12 elections were annulled, which led to his going on political exile for many years, and a protracted legal battle with the Federal Government when funds for Lagos were withheld. President Buhari affirms that Asiwajus uncompromising posture in the face of injustice and refusal to follow the path of least resistance for personal gains stand him out today as a rare breed and one of the cornerstones of Nigerias democracy, especially with his track record of persistence, consistency and effective leadership. As the father of modern Lagos State, the President commends the visionary and inclusive leadership style that the Asiwaju provided for the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria for eight years, laying the foundation for a modern and technologically driven city, and ensuring that every successive leader in the state sticks with the masterplan of a greater Lagos. President Buhari rejoices with family members, friends, political and business associates of the Jagaban on this auspicious milestone, which is further brightened with the many successes recorded at the recently concluded polls by his strong leadership. The President believes the best years of the APC National Leader are still ahead, praying that the almighty God will grant him longer life, good health and more wisdom to keep serving the country he loves so much. Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Centre for Reform Education Initiative (CREI), has congratulated the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as he clocks 67 years. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates The former Lagos governor was born on March 29, 1952 and would celebrating his birthday on Friday, March 29. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Nigerians set 2nd term agenda for President Buhari | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Yvonne Nelson appears in UK newspaper over latest photo with daughter - Yvonne Nelson has appeared on the front page of a UK newspaper - This follows a recent photo she took with her daughter at a beach near Grimsby Ghanaian actress Yvonne Nelson has been featured in a United Kingdom newspaper over her latest photo with her daughter, Ryn Robert. It will be recalled that Nelson recently shared a mother and daughter photo as they stepped out in style. In the photo shared by Legit.ng, the mother and daughter were spotted rocking a similar fashion style. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) While Yvonne wore a black and white pullover over a pair of black jeans. Ryn, in a similar style, wore a shiny pink jacket over a blue pair of jeans. PAY ATTENTION: Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid The photo was taken at the Cleethorpes Beach, a seaside resort near the town of Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. Seen by the Grimsby Telegraph, a local newspaper in the area, as good promotion for the beach, featured Nelson's photo on the front page of its Friday, March 22, 2019 edition. The story was captioned: "Ghanaian celebrity with five million followers endorses resort on Instagram." READ ALSO: For better for worse is unscriptural and a curse - Bishop David Oyedepo An excited Nelson shared screenshots of the newspaper's publication on her daughter's Instagram page with the caption: ".He he he he ... mum and I on the front page of my dads hometowns newspaper." PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App This is not the first time a photo of the toddler has gained traction. In February 2019, a photo of Ryn giving a heartwarming smile as she tried to take her first steps got similar positive reactions on social media. Born in October 2017, Ryn's father is known as Jamie Roberts, a professional photographer. HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Linda Ikeji: Why I'm Pregnant But Not Married | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Social media users show up for young graduate whose parents could not attend his convocation ceremony A young man took to social media to ask if someone wanted to come to his graduation because his family could not make it, and Twitter users responses gave us goosebumps. Social media is a platform that comes with advantages and disadvantages, a particular Twitter user however experienced the good side of the platform, as hundreds of users showed up to offer him support. The young man, who has been identified by his Twitter handle @Perzarho, invited tweeps to his graduation day. "Anyone who would like to attend my graduation ceremony on 25th April Tshwane University of Technology TB Hall...My fam is not coming," he wrote. READ ALSO: 12 Times Celebs Flaunted Their Mindblowing Wealth on Instagram His post was met with an overwhelming response as social media users offered to be there for him on his special day and others even gave him money and their services. Senzo Siphesihle Mabena, who goes by the Twitter handle @senzo_XX, commented: "I'm doing photography at TUT Arts campus. I can bring my cam and capture you for free fam." PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app It was gathered someone on Twitter gave money to help the new graduate's mother attend his graduation. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group The post and responses inspired other social media users, who were left speechless by the kindness of the online community. The graduate took to social media to share a photo of himself on his big day and he thanked everyone that offered to help him. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously gathered the report of a Nigerian man who had taken to social media to narrate how he had reduced the exam score of a student from 70 to 69. According to him, he did this because he does not want the young man giving testimonies of how hard he prayed or how brilliant he was. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Who should be held responsible for exam malpractice? Student, teacher or parents? | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Nine pregnant labour unit nurses who work together are expected to deliver on same day (photo) Nine female nurses at a US hospital are nothing but thrilled whenever they remember they will deliver their kids around the same time. The labour unit nurses who are heavily pregnant all work at Maine Medical Center and are expected to welcome their bundles of joy soon. In a touching photo shared by CNN, the nine beauties flaunted their baby bumps as they plastered wide smiles on their faces. The happiest days for them were when they all found out they were pregnant and would most likely give birth at the same time. The labour unit nurses who are heavily pregnant all work at Maine Medical Center and are expected to welcome their bundles of joy soon. Photo: Maine Medical Center READ ALSO: Woman reportedly gives birth to twin babies with different fathers I think it was a happier kind of announcement each time, and we are all there for each other," nurse Erin," Grenier said. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Other hospital staff joined in on the merry moment and shared the delightful news on Facebook. Legit.ng understands the pregnant buddies are grateful they each have a shoulder to lean on and a tiny community of nine mothers to be. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group It is really nice coming to work and seeing other people who are just as pregnant watching their bellies pop and just talking about these experiences that we are going through together, Amanda Spear said. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a woman named, Alore Khadijat, was delivered of a set of quadruplet after being called barren for years by people. She had four boys all at once and her story changed for the better. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better My Husband Ran Away When He Heard I Had Quadruplets - on Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | 70-year-old Kenyan man living in America appeals to well-meaning people for help to return home - William Mwangi Kagwima travelled to the United States in 1998 in search of greener pastures - He was a hardworking Kenyan and life was going well until 2018 when he lost his eyesight - With his eyesight gone, Mwangi was not able to continue with work and eventually exhausted his savings A Kenyan man who has been working and living in the US for over two decades has sent out an emotional appeal for help to enable him return home in Nyandarua county. William Mwangi Kagwima who traveled to America in 1998 is suffering in the foreign land, some 13,713 kilometers away from his birthplace in Kenya, and he is now desperately appealing to well-wishers to come to his rescue. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria William Mwangi Kagwima, 70, has been staying in the United States since 1998. He lost his eyesight in 2018 and ever since life has not been easy. Photo: Mwakilishi. READ ALSO: Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Other Celebrities Who Have Crashed Normal People's Weddings Mwangi's plight came to light after a section of Kenyans living in the diaspora decided to create a Whatsapp group in efforts to help the 70-year-old fly back home. The same message was shared on Diaspora Messenger, a platform where people from the East African Community (EAC) living in the diaspora can find news and information on what is going on in the region. According to Diaspora Messenger, Mwangi who reportedly stays in Worcester MA city is no longer able to continue with his life in America after he developed vision problems and lost eyesight in 2018. Without eyesight, he was forced to stop working and this means taking care of his bills also became a challenge. Just like every other immigrant, he worked hard until last year when he started losing his eyesight and could not work anymore. He has endured severe hardship and has exhausted his savings. He is requesting the community to send him back home to his family, the Diaspora Messenger's notice read. Mwangi shared his predicaments in America via a video posted on social media. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (formerly NAIJ.com) The man from Nyandarua further disclosed he was taking medicines prescribed by eye specialists in the US but he did not recover his sight. As of the 2010 census, there were an estimated 92,638 Kenyan citizens living in America. Additional, 30,000 Kenyans are said to be living in the US without authorisation according to Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at Pew Research Centre based in Washington DC. Meanwhile Legit.ng previously reported that National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently received an additional 326 Nigerians from Libya. Alhaji Idris Muhammed, coordinator, Lagos territorial office of NEMA, who confirmed the development to newsmen on Friday, March 1, in Lagos, said the returnees were received in two batches. HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Street Gist: Are Nigerians truly willing to relocate to Canada? | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Fire guts National productivity centre, Abuja office Emerging reports by Daily Trust have claimed that fire on Wednesday, March 27, gutted office of the National Productivity Centre (NPC). The cause of the fire outbreak has not been disclosed by the management of the NPC. The office is located at Cape Town Street, Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja, Federal Capital territory. Recall that less than 24 hours after fire outbreak at Otedola Bridge, Lagos, claimed nine lives; with four injured and 54 vehicles burnt another fire accident occurred at along Minna-Suleja Road, Niger state, involving a truck and a fuel tanker. READ ALSO: APC reveals 1 condition to participate in Adamawa supplementary election Fine people were on Friday, June 29, confirmed injured in the head-on collision between the fuel tanker and the trailer. The spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Bisi Kazeem, who confirmed the incident, said the victims have been taken to the hospital. Legit.ng previously reported that fire burned down seven classrooms in Badawa secondary school in Nasarawa local government of Kano state. The incident was confirmed by the spokesman of the Kano state police command, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, in a text message on Monday morning, March 25, saying no life was lost. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The police spokesman said the fire was caused by electricity sparks from one of the laboratories in the school. He said the incident started around 1:30am. House on the Rock in Abuja goes up in flames | Legit TV: [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | World | Africa | 'Zimbabwe invented State Capture and SA refined it,' says Tendai Biti Zimbabwean opposition MP and constitutional lawyer Tendai Biti told a Durban audience on Tuesday night that his country had invented state capture and South Africans had merely refined it. "I come from a country called Zimbabwe, in respect of which for 39 years, power has been monopolised by a political party called Zanu-PF, on which decision making has been based on the desire and agenda for power retention and the desire and agenda for personal aggrandisement. "That which you call state capture, we invented it in Zimbabwe, you just refined it," said Biti, to laughter from the crowd. The former Zimbabwean unity government finance minister was speaking at the Hilton Hotel during the launch of the book Democracy Works Rewiring Politics to Africa's Advantage, hosted by the Xubera Institute for Research and Development, Brenthurst Foundation and Pan MacMillan South Africa. Biti, Brenthurst Foundation director Greg Mills, former president and CEO of the Washington DC-based Newseum Jeffrey Herbst, and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo authored the book. Herbst was not at the launch, but former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - who wrote the forward - joined the other authors at the Hilton. Also on the panel of speakers was leader of South African political party Women Forward, Nana Ngobese-Nxumalo, who is the granddaughter of Nobel peace laureate Chief Albert Luthuli. Biti said that while writing the book, the connection between sustainability, development and democracy was made clear. "Here in the southern African region, the superiority of that narrative should be so self-evident." He said that almost four decades after independence, 75% of Zimbabweans lived on USD1.25 per day. "In fact, the majority are living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than 35 US cents a day, which is equivalent to R5." He said that 39 years after independence, only 30% of Zimbabweans had access to clean water. This was thanks to "the exclusion of consent, monopolisation of power and the denial of political space and denial of the right to choose". It was easy as a South African to "adopt whinging and whining" and forget where citizens had come from and what was there before - apartheid, exclusion and lack of consent, Biti said. "Some of you don't know what is north of the Limpopo and some of us live north of the Limpopo. Democracy is key, the capacity to choose is key." He said the democracy Zimbabwe "craved", and which the book spoke of, was more than an election day every five years. "Democracy must be substantive, it must be more than mere mascara and lipstick. That is why the issue of making a democracy with economic development is key. The issue of ensuring that that democracy actually uplifts the ordinary citizen from poverty is key. "Democracy must be guaranteed and safeguarded by a number of things, the first one is a good constitution. Here in South Africa, you have a decent constitution, one which recognises the citizen," he said. There could be no democracy without the citizen, civil society, change, powerful trade unions and an independent judiciary, said Biti. "Where I come from, the judiciary is an extension of the ruling party." Corruption was a threat to democracy, he said, as it was a tax that was paid by citizens. It was a fundamental issue that had to be addressed when focusing on the sustainability of democracy. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Home | World | Africa | Zapu fights for seized properties The Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu has reacted angrily to claims that its properties which were seized by government during the early 1980s now officially belong to the ruling Zanu-PF. This comes as a former stalwart in the military wing of Zapu, the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (Zipra) - retired colonel Tshinga Dube - has said that the unity accord which ended hostilities between-PF Zapu and Zanu-PF meant that the former could no longer make any claims about the disputed properties. The President Emmerson Mnangagwa led government has also declared it will not return Zapu properties confiscated before the advent of the 1980s Gukurahundi genocide in Matabeleland and the Midlands. Former guerrillas of Zipra, the armed wing of Zapu, say the government grabbed more than 20 Zapu properties countrywide, among them farms and buildings. These include Magnet House in Bulawayo, which now houses the Central Intelligence Organisation offices. Last year, Zapu officials petitioned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to release government's grip on the properties, but there has been no movement on the government side. Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi this week told the Zimbabwe Independent the properties now belonged to government. "First of all, let me state that I have personally not seen any petition to the effect of demanding any Zapu properties. Yes, I have heard and read that some people claim to have petitioned my office and that of the president over those said properties," Ziyambi said. "Secondly, we come to legal issues covering such an issue. Legally speaking, there is no party called Zapu. Which one is the one you are talking about? The Zapu which existed prior to 1987 joined hands with Zanu-PF to become one party. "It goes without saying, therefore, that any property that belonged to either party before that Unity Accord of 1987 automatically belongs to Zanu-PF." Dumiso Dabengwa, a former Zanu-PF politburo member, is the leader of the revived Zapu. Dabengwa was the Zipra intelligence supremo during the liberation war. Ziyambi said in the event that there were persons who felt hard done by the declaration, they were free to approach the courts to compel the government to release the properties. In his opinion, such an effort would hit a dead end as the courts would dismiss the applications, he added. "No one can motivate such an issue even in courts of law because they will lose such a case. The only party that can say anything with regards to these so-called properties is Zanu-PF because they are the legal owners of those properties following the 1987 Unity Accord," he said. Zapu's petition read in part: "Mr President, following your inaugural speech at the National Sports Stadium, in which you spoke so glowingly of a new dispensation and a new era, where rights of every citizen are respected and promoted, we write to remind you of a major violation of our rights as Zapu and Zipra by the government of Zimbabwe, which you now lead. "The actions by government on Zapu and Zipra, especially around the above matter, infringes on equality and belonging to the country as bona fide and equal citizens. "We have been making calls for this overdue process, albeit on deaf ears. In anticipation and trust that you will walk the talk on your promise to respect and promote people's rights, we hope to receive from your government what duly belongs to us." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa PRESIDENT NANA Akufo-Addo has arrived home from his days trip to Malta. The President landed Wednesday morning, DGN Online gathered. His trip to Malta which was at the invitation of the Malteses President, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, saw five bilateral deals being signed by Ghana and Malta. Notable among the deals are a visa waiver, an air service agreement that would see the national airline of Malta flying directly to Ghana. Addressing a Ghana-Malta Business Forum, on Tuesday, 26th March, 2019, at Valletta, Malta, President Akufo-Addo stated that Ghana, ladies and gentlemen, is ready for business, and I am happy that Maltese companies have already made investments to the tune of some $19 million in our country. He told the gathering that there are several projects in Ghana, in the areas of water, housing, transport, industry, manufacturing, agriculture, petroleum and gas, the exploitation of our mineral wealth of bauxite, iron ore and gold, amongst others, which are being structured to attract private sector investment and financing. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Zimbabweans reacted with anger on social media after a video and pictures emerged showing Zanu-PF vehicles and supporters handling aid donated to survivors of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Manicaland Province. In the pictures, Zanu-PF supporters dressed in party regalia are seen sorting donated kits, and a video which has gone viral shows a helicopter from the European Union delivering food and other critical supplies to Chimanimani, while in the background nearly a dozen marked and unmarked Zanu-PF trucks load up on mainly food items, destination unknown. Former vice president Joice Mujuru, who now leads the National People's Party, said political parties should play no role in food distribution. "Cyclone relief aid must be distributed to everyone affected by the floods. Distribution must be done by NGOs or even the church not by politicians. It's a time to be coming together not further outcry," Mujuru tweeted. Human rights lawyer Alex Magaisa said "politicisation of aid for survivors of Cyclone Idai is deplorable but old habits die hard." "Zanu-PF is simply behaving true to character. Shamelessly taking advantage of a tragedy to accumulate political capital," Magaisa said. Please tell the world what is happening here! pic.twitter.com/sujXqd6ApU Dr Nkululeko Sibanda (@DrNkuSibanda) March 26, 2019 Survivors of the cyclone which the government says killed at least 179 people, with over 300 missing, have told reporters that food was only being given to Zanu-PF supporters, which forced Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa to issue a denial."The cyclone affected everyone and so no-one is being left out in relief aid distribution. Everything is being co-ordinated in a transparent manner and accountability is our hallmark," Mutsvangwa is quoted as saying in state-run Chronicle newspaper on Wednesday. Former MDC Senator David Coltart has called for an urgent investigation. "This partisan and illegal activity must stop. I'm reliably told that the food contained in these cars has not been donated by Zanu-PF but taken from supplies given by aid agencies and the Zimbabwean public. This needs an urgent investigation," he said on Twitter. Local Government Minister July Moyo, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Environment Disaster Prevention and Management, told a news conference Tuesday that political party vehicles should not be used in relief aid distribution, even as he tried to find an excuse for the Zanu-PF supporters. "What could have happened is that Zanu-PF youths offered to carry the food in the party-branded vehicles, leading some to assume that the food had been grabbed by Zanu-PF for distribution to its supporters," Moyo said. He added: "Going forward, we have said nobody should be carrying food in their party cars. They should use the normal channel we have created." TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Highlights Todays highgrade gold intersections from Ndongo East include: 8.3m @ 11.3 g/t Au from 75.7m in NDDD059 5.2m @ 4.5 g/t Au from 60m in NDDD061 6.3m @ 2.8 g/t Au from 58.2m in NDDD058 Previous highgrade gold intersections from Ndongo East included: 14m @ 7.0 g/t Au from 69m in NDDD046* 9m @ 23.3 g/t Au from 60m in NDRC248* 7m @ 4.4 g/t Au from 14m in NDRC216* 6m @ 12.6 g/t Au from 2m in NDRC275* 3m @ 29.3 g/t Au from 45m in NDDD036* *Refer to press releases dated 16 July 2018, 29 August 2018 and 23 January 2019 on Ndongo East Drilling has encountered multiple intercepts of nearsurface mineralisation; Drilling is ongoing and will continue to evaluate the open strike and depth extension of the Ndongo East mineralised system; Additional parallel mineralised structures striking NESW remain to be evaluated by drilling and provide high priority drill targets; Infill auger drilling and geophysical surveys to commence in April over the Ndongo East deposit and its southern extension ~7km strike length to define the scope and scale of this structurally controlled mineralisation shear system. Cardinal Resources Limited (ASX/TSX: CDV) (Cardinal or the Company) is pleased to announce further intersections of highgrade, shallow gold mineralisation at the Ndongo East deposit. Importantly, the Ndongo Prospecting License is located only 24km north of the Companys Namdini Gold Project for which Cardinal declared a Maiden Probable Ore Reserve of 4.76Moz on the 18 September 2018 (Figure 1). On 16 July and 29 August 2018, as well as on 23 January 2019, Cardinal reported numerous intersections of highgrade gold at its Ndongo East deposit within the Ndongo Prospecting License and has now intersected further highgrade gold during a recently completed diamond drilling program. The Company plans to steadily ramp up exploration at Ndongo East after evaluating further drill core and assay results which determine the strike and depth extents of the mineralised system as well as the structural components of the various lithological units. Story continues Cardinals Chief Executive Officer / Managing Director, Archie Koimtsidis stated: These latest shallow high-grade results have further enhanced our confidence in the Ndongo East gold deposit and how it is evolving. The Ndongo East discovery is particularly encouraging with the strike length of 450m, comprising higher grade, shallow gold mineralisation still open along strike and at depth (Figures 2, 3 and 4). Beyond this initial mineralised zone, a further 750m of gold mineralisation has been intersected along strike towards the south west. The Ndongo East prospect lies within a larger target area of ~7km in length that has yet to be fully explored. Planning is underway for a Gradient Array IP survey and auger soil drilling programme which will commence in April to evaluate this larger area which could generate further drill targets. Figure 1 accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3e862f98-60bc-43cd-8d3e-967800429dd6 Ndongo Prospecting License The Ndongo Prospecting License covers an area of 295 km2 and is considered highly prospective for the discovery of economic gold mineralisation associated with the prolific Nangodi Shear Zone, a splay fault off the main regionalscale BoleBolgatanga Shear. Elsewhere, the Nangodi Shear Zone is spatially related to no fewer than four gold discoveries, including the Companys Namdini Gold Project with a 4.76Moz Probable Reserve, the Shaanxi Gold Mine, the historic Nangodi Gold Mine and the 2.1 Moz Youga Gold Mine in Burkina Faso, adjacent to the Ghanaian border. In addition, there are numerous historic shallow artisanal workings along many parts of this shear zone ~15 to 25 km north of the Namdini Gold Project (Figure 1). Ndongo East Prospect The Ndongo East Prospect is located within NESW trending Birimian metavolcanics and metasediments. Gold mineralisation is developed mostly along dioritegranodiorite contact zones where competency contrasts create brittle fracturing allowing the ingress and precipitation of gold mineralising fluids (Figures 2, 3 and 4). The mineralised horizons contain variable chloritesilicacarbonatesericite alteration with sulphides (mainly pyrite with very minor arsenopyrite). Occasional visible gold grains and blebs have been observed in the core. The gold mineralisation at Ndongo East is confined to specific gold bearing altered shear zones of pyrite-silica-ankerite carbonate dipping NW. Initial drilling indicates two orientations to this mineralisation, namely a steeply plunging NW orientation and a shallower W-SW dipping orientation. The current diamond drilling is designed to step out in small increments from the initial high-grade section line (E-E, Figure 2) to ensure that the mineralised structures are understood before embarking on a wider spaced drill campaign along strike. A marker horizon comprising a very narrow, thinly bedded, black pyritic mudstone has been observed to occur at the base of the mineralised intersections within the metavolcanics (Figures 3 and 4). This marks a hiatus (pause) in the continuation of volcanic activity in the area. Although this marker horizon is unrelated to mineralisation within the metavolcanics, it will be a very useful marker as more shallow diamond drilling is done further along strike as it can be used to define the base of this shallow mineralisation. Previously announced drilling intersected highergrade mineralised structures concentrated in the northern portion of the shear zone with coincident goldinsoil and geophysical targets defined to a strike length 450m NE-SW (Figure 2). Subsequent RC drilling along fence lines further to the southwest along strike and at depth to test for mineralisation has proven encouraging with further highgrade intercepts within the mineralised structures. This indicates that the mineralised system is open along a NESW strike and at depth with multiple mineralised intersections. The furthest drill fence to the southwest intersected 2m at 27.0 g/t Au from 10m downhole in NDRC247 which suggests a strike potential up to 1.2km of mineralised structures. (refer to Cardinals ASX/TSX Press Release 29 August 2018 Cardinal Extends Ndongo East Discovery Strike Length). Follow up systematic shallow diamond drilling is continuing at Ndongo East at short intervals along strike to extend the continuity of the high-grade mineralised zones. These additional drill holes will determine the strike and depth extents of the mineralised system and will evaluate the structural components of the various lithological units. Figure 2 accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9b609551-5299-475e-a578-2fdcc9c03bca Drill Section E1-E1 (Figure 3) comprises drill holes NDDD058 and NDDD059. These two drill holes have intersected shallow gold mineralised haloes between 8m to 16m wide with very encouraging grades. Figure 3 accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03d10e05-c2a7-4598-acea-7a5d7277db86 Drill Section E-1-E-1 (Figure 4) presently comprises drill holes NDDD060 and NDDD061. These two drill holes have intersected shallow gold mineralised haloes between 5m to 7m wide with very encouraging grades. Figure 4 accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2157ef4-1f20-4ea0-85e7-f16f2a18984a ABOUT CARDINAL Cardinal Resources Limited (ASX/TSX: CDV) is a West African goldfocused exploration and development Company that holds interests in tenements within Ghana, West Africa. The Company is focused on the development of the Namdini Project with a Maiden Ore Reserve of 4.76Moz and is now advancing the feasibility study. Exploration programmes are also underway at the Companys Bolgatanga (Northern Ghana) and Subranum (Southern Ghana) Projects. Cardinal confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in its announcement of the Maiden Ore Reserve of 18 September 2018. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning this estimate continue to apply and have not materially changed. For further information contact: Archie Koimtsidis Alec Rowlands CEO / MD IR / Corp Dev Cardinal Resources Limited Cardinal Resources Limited P: +61 8 6558 0573 P: +1 647 256 1922 Andrew Rowell Peta Baldwin Cannings Purple Cannings Purple E: arowell@canningspurple.com.au E: pbaldwin@canningspurple.com.au P: +61 400 466 226 P: +61 455 081 008 Competent Persons / Qualified Persons Statement The information in this press release is based on information prepared by Mr. Paul Abbott, a full-time employee of Cardinal Resources, who is a member of the Geological Society of South Africa. Mr. Abbott has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The information in this press release has been compiled and reviewed by Mr. Richard Bray, a Registered Professional Geologist with the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Mr. Ekow Taylor, a Chartered Professional Geologist with the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr. Bray and Mr. Taylor have more than five years experience relevant to the styles of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which is being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and as a Qualified Person as defined by the NI43-101 instrument. Mr. Bray and Mr. Taylor are full-time employees of Cardinal and hold equity securities in the Company. Mr. Bray and Mr. Taylor have consented to the inclusion of the matters in this report based on the information in the form and context in which it appears. Disclaimer This ASX / TSX press release has been prepared by Cardinal Resources Limited (ABN:56 147 325 620) (Cardinal or the Company). Neither the ASX or the TSX, nor their regulation service providers accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release contains summary information about Cardinal, its subsidiaries and their activities, which is current as at the date of this press release. The information in this press release is of a general nature and does not purport to be complete nor does it contain all the information, which a prospective investor may require in evaluating a possible investment in Cardinal. By its very nature exploration for minerals is a highrisk business and is not suitable for certain investors. Cardinals securities are speculative. Potential investors should consult their stockbroker or financial advisor. There are a number of risks, both specific to Cardinal and of a general nature which may affect the future operating and financial performance of Cardinal and the value of an investment in Cardinal including but not limited to economic conditions, stock market fluctuations, gold price movements, regional infrastructure constraints, timing of approvals from relevant authorities, regulatory risks, operational risks and reliance on key personnel and foreign currency fluctuations. Except for statutory liability which cannot be excluded and subject to applicable law, each of Cardinals officers, employees and advisors expressly disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the material contained in this press release and excludes all liability whatsoever (including in negligence) for any loss or damage which may be suffered by any person as a consequence of any information in this Announcement or any error or omission here from. Except as required by applicable law, the Company is under no obligation to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in this press release or any other information made available to a person nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information. Recipients of this press release should make their own independent assessment and determination as to the Companys prospects, its business, assets and liabilities as well as the matters covered in this press release. Forwardlooking statements Certain statements contained in this press release, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Cardinal and its projects may also include statements which are forwardlooking statements that may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, anticipated timing of the feasibility study (FS) on the Namdini project, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. These forward looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Cardinal, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forwardlooking statements. Cardinal disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances or results or otherwise after todays date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than required by the Corporations Act and ASX and TSX Listing Rules. The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements. All forwardlooking statements made in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. SCHEDULE 1 NDONGO LICENSE AREA DRILL RESULTS Hole ID Depth (m) Dip () Azimuth () Grid_ID mEast mNorth mRL NDDD049 60.36 -60 119 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,159 1,201,886 220 NDDD050 110.9 -60 122 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,110 1,201,915 220 NDDD051 50.4 -60 120 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,229 1,201,975 219 NDDD052 79.46 -60 122 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,141 1,201,905 220 NDDD053 24.39 -60 118 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,201 1,201,860 220 NDDD054 81.4 -60 121 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,187 1,202,003 220 NDDD055 29.24 -60 122 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,134 1,201,772 219 NDDD056 23.09 -60 119 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,156 1,201,802 219 NDDD057 72.23 -60 122 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,092 1,201,800 219 NDDD058 74.55 -60 119 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,180 1,201,959 219 NDDD059 88.96 -60 122 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,158 1,201,977 219 NDDD060 68.4 -60 116 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,171 1,201,935 219 NDDD061 90.08 -59 117 UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North 758,144 1,201,957 219 Table 1: MetaData Listing of Drill Holes Hole_ID mFrom mTo mWidth Au g/t NDDD049 43 47 4 1.8 NDDD050 98 100 2 1.7 NDDD051 32 34 2 3.9 NDDD052 18.6 20 1.4 1.2 NDDD052 65.3 70.5 5.2 0.9 NDDD054 2 6 4 2 NDDD054 38 39 1 0.5 NDDD054 57 58 1 1 NDDD054 72 75.3 3.3 3.1 NDDD056 7.25 12 4.75 3.2 NDDD057 56.5 57.5 1 1.8 NDDD058 48.2 64.5 16.3 1.6 NDDD058 58.2 64.5 6.3 2.8 NDDD059 69 71 2 0.6 NDDD059 75.7 84 8.3 11.3 NDDD060 60 65.2 5.2 4.5 NDDD061 76.7 83.7 7 1.7 Table 2: Summary of Individual Intercepts Notes: Samples are analysed for Au (SGS Lab FAA505 method) which is a 50g fire assay fusion with AAS instrument finish. Grid coordinates are in WGS84 Zone 30 North. The intercepts were calculated, using a greater than 0.5 g/t Au cutoff, which approximates the cutoff for Reasonable Prospects of Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) as per the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code) 2012 and the Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) 2010 guidelines, and internal dilution of no more than 3m at <0.5g/t Au. APPENDIX 1 JORC CODE 2012 EDITION TABLE 1 REPORTING OF EXPLORATION RESULTS Section 1 Sampling Technique and Data Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Reverse Circulation (RC) drill samples are collected by using downhole sampling hammers with nominal 127 to 140mm diameters. Samples are collected through a cyclone and immediately weighed to determine recoveries; the entire sample is then split by a threetier riffle splitter. Two samples (~2.53.0 kg) are collected, one for the laboratory, the other a duplicate stored at the Bolgatanga sample shed. Diamond sampling is by halfcore samples of HQ core size. Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. Sampling is guided by Cardinal Resources protocols and Quality Control procedures as per industry standard. To ensure representative sampling: 1m RC samples are collected from a cyclone, passing them through a 3tier riffle splitter, and taking duplicate samples every 20th sample. 1m length HQ core samples are taken through the various lithological units. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases, more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. The determination of mineralisation is based on observed alterations and lithological differences. RC samples are crushed to 2mm, then a <1kg split sample is pulverised via LM2 Ring Pulveriser to a nominal 85% passing 75m. Diamond drill samples are crushed to 2mm, and a <1kg split sample is then pulverised via LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75m. A 200g subsample is taken from the pulverised material for analysis. A 50g charge weight is fused with litharge based flux, cupelled and the prill dissolved in aqua regia. The gold tenor is then determined by AAS. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, openhole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, facesampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.). Reverse circulation drilling uses sampling hammer of nominal 127 to 140mm diameter. Diamond core drilling is completed with core size of HQ with a standard tube. Triple tube is used in saprolite at the tops of the hole. Core is orientated using digital Reflex ACT II RD orientation tool. Drill holes are inclined at 45 to 60 angles for optimal zone intersection. All drill collars are surveyed using Trimble R8 RTK GPS with downhole surveying every 30m using Reflex digital surveying instruments. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Diamond core recovery is logged and captured into the database. The Method of recording chip and core sample recoveries was to enter the relevant data on a handheld Motion F5te Tablet PC using a set of standard templates supplied by Maxwell Geoservices, Perth (Maxwell). Reverse circulation sampling is good. RC chips are logged, weighed and captured to the database. RC sample recoveries are assessed by weighing 1m samples from the cyclone on a scale in the field and comparing with the theoretical volume contained in a 1m x 140mm diameter hole to calculate an estimated percentage sample recovery. Core recovered from each drill run is measured and compared with the drill run length drilled to calculate an estimated percentage core recovery. For core drilling overall recoveries are excellent, weighted average recovery greater than 98%. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Measures taken include the use of bigger HQ core size diamond drilling to maximise recovery, having a geologist onsite to examine core and core metres marked and orientated to check against the drillers blocks and ensuring that all core loss is taken into account. At the reverse circulation rig, sampling systems are routinely cleaned to minimise the opportunity for contamination and drilling methods are focused on sample quality. The measures taken to maximize RC sample recovery are through a cyclone and a 3tier riffle splitter. Each 1m sample is passed twice through the splitter before sampling to ensure maximum homogenisation of each sample and to collect an unbiased representative sample to be assayed. The reverse circulation rigs have auxiliary compressors and boosters to help maintain dry samples. Where wet samples are encountered, the reverse circulation drilling is discontinued. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. No relationship is seen to exist between sample recovery and grade, and no sample bias has occurred due to preferential loss/gain of any fine/coarse material due to the acceptable sample recoveries obtained by the drilling methods employed. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. All drill holes are fully logged. The lithology, alteration and geotechnical characteristics of core are logged directly to a digital format on a Field Toughbook laptop logging system following procedures and using Cardinal geologic codes. Data is imported into Cardinals central database after validation in LogChief. All geological logging is to a level of detail to support future Mineral Resource estimation. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography. Logging is both quantitative and qualitative. Both RC chips in trays and HQ core are photographed both in dry and wet form. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. All drill holes are logged in full and to the total length of each drill hole. Subsampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. Orientation of core is completed for all diamond holes and all are marked prior to sampling. Longitudinally cut half core samples are produced using a Core Saw with diamond impregnated blades. Samples are weighed and recorded. If noncore, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry. RC samples are split using a threetier riffle splitter. The majority of RC samples are dry. On occasions that wet samples are encountered, they are dried prior to splitting with a riffle splitter. For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. RC drill samples are sorted and dried in an oven for 8 hours and weighed. They are then crushed to 2mm using a RSD Boyd crusher and a <1.0kg split is taken. The reject sample is retained in the original bag and stored. The split is pulverised in a LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75m and a 200g subsample is used for analysis. Drill core samples are sorted, dried at 105C for 4 hours and weighed. Samples are crushed to a nominal 2mm and then split to <1.0kg. The reject sample is retained in the original bag and stored. The split is pulverised in a LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75%m and approximately 200g subsample of the pulverised material is used for assay. All preparation equipment is flushed with barren material prior to commencement of the job. Quality control procedures adopted for all subsampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. Cardinal Resources has protocols that cover the sample preparation at the laboratories and the collection and assessment of data to ensure that accurate steps are used in producing representative samples for the analytical process. Key performance indices include: Contamination index of 95% (that is at least 95% of blanks pass); failures can only be attributed to probable minor laboratory contamination. Crushed Size index of 95% passing 2 mm (1:50 sample screened). Grind Size index of 85% passing 75 microns (minimum 1:50 sample screened). Check Samples returning at worst 20% precision at 90th percentile and bias of 5% or better. Crusher and pulveriser are flushed with barren material at the start of every batch. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/secondhalf sampling. Measures taken to ensure that the RC sampling is representative of the insitu material collected are to take field duplicate samples every 20th sample. Approximately 3kg samples from the splitter are retained from each sample and stored at the companys secured premises for possible reassay. Measures taken to ensure that the core sampling is representative is to sample half core at 1m intervals irrespective of lithologies due to the similarities in grade of the main lithologies. Results of field duplicates for RC samples and Check Samples for both RC and DD samples are all evaluated to ensure that the results of each assay batch are acceptable. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Sample sizes are considered appropriate to the grain size. Quality of Assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. All samples are analysed for gold by lead collection fire assay of a 50g charge with AAS finish; the assay charge is fused with the lithargebased flux, cupelled and prill dissolved in aqua regia and gold tenor determined by flame AAS. The analytical method is considered appropriate for the mineralisation style and is of industry standards. The quality of the Fire Assaying and laboratory procedures are considered to be entirely appropriate for the rock samples submitted. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. No handheld geophysical tools are used. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. Sample preparation checks for pulp fineness are carried out by the laboratory as part of their internal procedures to ensure the grind size of 85% passing 75m is being attained. Laboratories QAQC involves the use of internal lab standards using certified reference material (CRM) and blanks. Cardinals QAQC protocol is considered industry standard with CRMs submitted on a regular basis with routine samples. The CRMs having a range of values and blanks are inserted in the ratio of 1:20. Duplicates are taken at the riffle splitter every 20th sample. No duplicate samples are taken from core samples. Pulps are submitted to a secondary laboratory for checks on accuracy and precision of the primary laboratory. Coarse rejects are submitted back to the primary laboratory to assess the adequacy of the subsampling process. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. Significant intersections have been verified by alternative company personnel. The use of twinned holes. None of the drill holes in this report are twinned. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. Primary data are captured on field tough book laptops using LogChief Software. The software has validation routines and data is then imported onto a secure central database. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. The primary data is always kept and is never replaced by adjusted or interpreted data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. RC drill hole collar coordinates are surveyed using handheld Garmin GPSmap 64s GPS within 3m accuracy. All drill collars are accurately surveyed using Trimble R8 RTK GPS system within 10mm of accuracy (X, Y, Z). Coordinates are based on three control stations established at Namdini by Sahara Mining Services. Downhole survey on RC drill holes is completed by using Reflex EzShot survey instrument at regular 30 m intervals. Specification of the grid system used. Coordinate and azimuth are reported in UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North. Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Topographic control at Ndongo was supplied by Southern Geoscience Consultants (Perth) using satellite imagery. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of exploration results. The RC drilling was carried out on variably spaced fence lines (30m to 775m apart) with hole spacing of 50m along lines testing mineralisation to a vertical depth of approximately 200m and covering a strike length of 1.25km. The DD drilling was carried out on a spacing of 50m to 100m along fence lines testing mineralisation to a vertical depth of approximately 100m and to confirm the mineralisation intersected by the previous RC drilling. Some step out diamond drilling at 12.5m spacing from the initial high-grade section lines was carried out to ensure that the mineralised structures plunges are understood before embarking on a wider spaced drill campaign along strike. Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. Exploration is at the early stage, and as such drill data spacing and distribution are insufficient to establish geological and grade continuity that are appropriate for reporting Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether sample compositing has been applied. No sample compositing has been applied. Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. Drillholes are orientated to achieve intersection angles as close to perpendicular to the mineralisation as practicable based on ground magnetic modelling data and previous RC drilling. Some sampling bias may occur. Systematic geological mapping and structural information from the current diamond drilling are required to determine the true orientation of dips and structures of the mineralisation. If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. No significant orientationbased sampling bias is known at this time. Sample security he measures taken to ensure sample security. An independent Ghanaian security contractor is used to ensure sample security. The drilling contractor is accountable for drill core and RC chip production at the drill site. Final delivery from the drill site to the laydown area within the core yard is managed by Cardinal. The core yard technicians, field technicians and Geologists ensure the core and chips are logged, prepared and stored under security until collected for delivery to the laboratory. At the time of sample collection, a signoff process between Cardinal and the laboratory delivery truck driver ensures that samples and paperwork correspond. The samples are then transported to the laboratory where they are receipted against the dispatch documents. The assay laboratories are responsible for the samples from the time of collection from Cardinal until final results are returned and checked by Cardinal Geologists. Sample pulps and coarse rejects are retained by the laboratories and are shipped back to Cardinal after final results are returned where they are stored under security. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Sampling techniques are of industry standards. Data is audited by Maxwell Geoservices (Perth), who have not made any other recommendations. Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in section 1 will also apply to this section where relevant) THE SUPREME Court (SC) has awarded a cost of GHc 6,000.00 against embattled businessman, Alfred Agesi Woyome, in the GHc 51. 2 million judgment debt case. This was after a three-member panel of judges presided over by Justice Julius Ansah dismissed an application for review filed by lawyers for Woyome to overturn the decision of a single judge. Woyomes application for review was challenging the decision of Justice A.A Benin. Justice Benin had overruled an objection by Woyomes lawyer that the case against his client should have commenced from the High Court to afford them the opportunity to appeal in case it goes against them. But the review panel in a unanimous decision, dismissed the applications. Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, had in the past prayed the court to award cost in favour of the state against individuals and lawyers who come before it with frivolous applications to serve as deterrent. Mr. Dame subsequently prayed the court to award cost of GHc10,000.00 against Mr. Woyome having lost the application. Stephen Sowah Charway who held the brief of Osafo Buabeng, Counsel for Woyome, prayed the court to disregard the prayer for the award of cost as he believed Mr. Woyome was exercising his constitutional right in the matter. When reminded that his client acting on his constitutional right cannot be grounds to dismiss the award of cost, Mr. Charway told the court his client will offer GHc1,000.00. Justice Yeboah however, awarded a cost of GHc 6000.00 against Woyome. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Don't let anyone tell you that a good public shaming doesn't work lmao Edit: I still have to side eye anyone, especially somebody who isn't rich, who puts any Kartrashian on a pedestal. Edited at 2019-03-27 02:51 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link So many young women look up to them, inspires to be them. We took a step forward as a society and then a million jumps back. Reply Parent Thread Link one of the you tubers i hate watch, who is like FIFTY, keeps going on recently about how much she loves her good american jeans. it is not a good look. Reply Parent Thread Link Imagine getting excited over walmart quality clothes designed by a kardashian. Embarrassing. Reply Parent Thread Link All of these are tragic... Reply Thread Link Good for her tbh. Kaelynn, not Khloe. Now I wonder if her name is really Kaelynn or if she put the K there to be like the Klan. Reply Thread Link Or you could just lower the prices of your shitty clothes... Reply Thread Link lmao fuck off Reply Thread Link I had no idea what her clothes looked like. Reply Thread Link they look a lot like clothes Reply Parent Thread Link Are you familiar with context clues? They're super helpful. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was actually expecting them to look better since I know she stole some of the designs from Instagram boutiques. This stuff is as fugly as The Kardashian Kollection was. Reply Parent Thread Link I hope Kaelynn is happy! Reply Thread Link what can you possibly adore khloe kardashian for Reply Thread Link Sadly, the negative things spread like wild fire. I was so honored this young woman spent her hard earned money on GA, I was sending her GA out of pure gratitude/appreciation as soon as I saw her tweet. I was surprising her. Never did I think my tweet would be taken so negatively Khloe (@khloekardashian) March 26, 2019 Yes, I'm sure you were going to send her the clothes all along and it had nothing to do with the bad press your tweet got. She's so dumb. Reply Thread Link she's so stupid. Reply Parent Thread Link There is no way she was sending her clothes before everyone turned on her but okay. Haha Reply Parent Thread Link Khlocaine Reply Parent Thread Link my initial thought "Cocaine doesn't deserve this" When I'm defending drugs, wow. Reply Parent Thread Link She's so fake. Fake as her plastic surgery Reply Parent Thread Link tbh I believe her. I can believe that she lacked the self-awareness and thought it would be cute to pretend she was just going to reply with that tweet and then 'surprise' the fan with the clothes. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i WaS sUrPriSiNg HeR Reply Parent Thread Link lmao girl stop lying Reply Parent Thread Link They really cant stop lying. Reply Parent Thread Link Hmhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Reply Parent Thread Link how was she going to surprise her? guess her size? guess her address? i just Reply Parent Thread Link those pants with those holes on them are ugly. why is that trend back? i thought it died in the 90s. Reply Thread Link I like jeans with holes but those white ones are not cute. Reply Parent Thread Link i dislike white jeans in general but idg why the 'rips' are so ROUND. they look like the jean version of this: Reply Parent Thread Link Everything looks like someone's old clothes that they tried to repurpose watching shitty tutorials. Reply Parent Thread Link lemme get on this RIGHT quick, you're a genius! Reply Parent Thread Link lmaoooo guaranteed to succeed Reply Parent Thread Link Fucking BRILLIANT Reply Parent Thread Link she literally plugged the brand of her clothes lol smh Reply Thread Link I have tried 2 damn times already to write a reply. Her working 20 hours to afford some damn jeans that she didn't need should not have received the attention it did. There are people working X amount of hours to afford basic necessities and are still struggling. That needs attention because no one is going to send them bags of money for appreciation of their hard work. Reply Thread Link This, call me when they're redistributing the millions they've made off of harming women. Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly! This whole thing is absurd. Reply Parent Thread Link she was working 20 hours a week for those? dddd k Reply Thread Link Spend that hard worked money on something legit, like... Reply Parent Thread Link Ikr. But it's her money. Reply Parent Thread Link Although nuclear is often touted as an ultra-efficient and therefore affordable as well as clean alternative to fossil fuels, some states are beginning to discover that this is not necessarily the case as their local governments pour more and more money into nuclear plant subsidies only to see the nuclear industry come back with palms outstretched again and again. One such state is Connecticut, where local news source the Connecticut Mirror just published a direct-to-the-point op-ed aptly titled Nuclear plants will require ever-increasing subsidies. The author Joel Gordes, a Connecticut-based energy and environmental strategist, argues that since the very beginning of nuclear energy in their country, when the argument for the resource was that nuclear energy was dirt cheap, nuclear has been deceptively pricey and getting pricier all the time. Please consider, Gordes implores the reader, the very basic fact that we have gone from nuclear technology sold in the 70s on the basis of being too cheap to meter to one where they have been begging and receiving for what amounts to yet more subsidies. Even with the too cheap to meter claim, in its heyday the nuclear industry was the recipient of huge amounts of subsidy in numerous forms. Gordes goes on to finish his denunciation of his states nuclear policy by imploring the government to rethink their history handouts: With that, I suggest our leaders and regulators very carefully consider any actions contemplated to further subsidize this technology since that might add to its eventual stranded cost that will hold up newer, lower cost decentralized, modular and more secure options. Even more important is that aging plants may, themselves, present an existential danger to the citizens of the state. Related: Albertas Price-Correcting Plan Backfires Meanwhile, energy insiders in Illinois are singing a similar tune. Chicago-based nuclear electric power generation company Exelon won ratepayer-funded subsidies for two nuclear plants in its home state just three years ago, and now its back in Springfield to ask for similar monetary support for other cash-strapped nuclear plants that have not yet had the benefit of a bailout. The bill will be voted on by the State of Illinois House Public Utilities Committee this week. While Exelon is lobbying hard for more government support, however, it is receiving a fair amount of scrutiny and backlash. Just this month Monitoring Analytics released a bombshell report with the surprising findings that all five of Exelons nuclear plants in Northern Illinois are not in dire financial distress, but are in fact profitable, and are projected to continue to be so through 2021--by conservative estimates. According to the Monitoring Analytics report, Exelon's five Illinois-based nuclear plants will see a total estimated profit of approximately $472 million this year alone. Whats more, each individual plant will turn its own profit. Even in 2021, when it is anticipated that revenue will begin to decline, altogether the plants are still projected to earn a profit of $228 million--much lower, to be sure, but still a far cry from bankruptcy. The report has thrown doubt upon Exelons stance that the subsidy bill up for vote this week, which would legislate a very complex matter with massive consequences for Illinois power industry and energy market, is a matter of both urgency and necessity. Related: Sources: Saudis Admit They Want $70 Oil From Exelons point of view, positive profit margins notwithstanding, the nuclear industry needs help, and they are no exception. Exelon executives use the fact that neither their Morris, Illinois-based plant nor most of the Byron station near Rockford could clear the 2021-22 capacity auction as evidence for their financial need. In a Securities & Exchange Commission filing this year, Exelon claimed that these two plants as well as the Will County-based Braidwood station could be contenders for "early retirement" in light of their deteriorating financial circumstances. Exelons search for ratepayer-funded subsidies is not just limited to Illinois. They have appealed to the State of Pennsylvania as well, underscoring the fact that while nuclear subsidies may operate on a state by state basis, it is far from an isolated issue. With nuclear becoming more and more of a buzzed about energy alternative in the wake of the Green New Deal and innumerable op-eds lavishing praises on the energy-efficient fuel source, nuclear subsidies will have to become a bigger part of the conversation as well. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: US sanctions on Irans oil sector and the waivers of said sanctions are causing rifts among the US administrationpitting the National Security Council and the US State Department against each other as the deadline for waiver extensions draws near. US President Donald Trump is caught in the middle of the now-public squabble, as anonymous sources familiar with the debate disclosed the infighting to the media, according to Bloomberg. Many others, too, have publicly decried the extension waivers or the sanctions, including oil-dependent economies that have long relied on Irans oil such as India, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, and otherssome of which enjoy peaceful relations with the United States. President Trump campaigned heavily on scrapping the nuclear deal with Iran, and made good on that promise in May 2018. A few short months later, he announced that the United States would levy sanctions on Iran in a move that while somewhat predictable, shocked oil markets nonetheless. Prices rose on the announcement, but later fell when Trump announced in November that the United States would grant some of Irans most oil-thirsty customers waivers to continue purchasing specific amounts of oil from Iran. The US administration granted said waivers after finding itself in quite the pickle, weighing the pros and cons of being tough on Iran, appearing tough on Iran, keeping a lid on oil prices, and keeping the peace with the likes of India, Japan, South Korea, and other US allies who would find it hard indeed to comply with zero oil purchases from Iran. When Trump announced the sanctions, many were expecting him to stick to his hardline approach, and were unhappy with his decision to offer waivers to so many countrieseight in totaland oil prices plummeted as the market predicted global inventories would no longer be drawn down as quickly as they had planned. Related: A Perfect Coup Is Unfolding In Algeria The issue with sanctions on Venezuela and Venezuelas already-declining oil production added another level of complexity to the oil markets and to the decision about just how much of a hardline approach is too much, and how much is not enough. This complexity is precisely why we are seeing divisions now, with another decision soon to be made on extending those waivers. According to the sources, the group taking a hardline approach favoring no more waivers includes the National Security CouncilJohn Bolton specifically. Other hardliners include presidential advisor Larry Kudlow, and Republican Senator Ted Cruz. Their argument is that Iran is not being squeezed tightly enough, and that it may be able to withstand the incomplete nature of the US sanctions, and that as a result, it may be unmotivated to make concessions to forge a new nuclear deal. The opposing group is made up of the US State Department led by Mike Pompeo, who is in favor of treading more carefully with US allies who will feel the pinch if the waivers are not extended. Waivers or no, Iran has seen a drop off in its oil production, despite the Iranian governments insistence that the US sanctions would have little effect on its oil industry. Using OPECs data from secondary sources, we can see that Irans oil production has dipped by more than 1 million bpd since the re-imposition of the sanctions, even with the waivers granted to some of Irans largest customers. Related: Venezuelas Oil Production In Jeopardy After New Blackout Canceling the existing waiversthe move toward zero exportswould shave off a great deal more. The US has engaged in some chest-puffing with regards to zero exports out of Iran, but sober-minded individuals should see the folly in the likelihood of that absolute term, wisdom aside. Chances are that the reality of whats to come will be found in some middle ground, with Trump axing or reducing some waiver limits while keeping others. When oil markets react to the decisionwhatever it isit will be, similar to last time, short-term. With more oil barrels out of the mix, especially with Venezuelas exports dwindling as well, oil prices will likely spike. Fears will be quickly assuaged, however, as Saudi Arabia and the rest of OPEC, and even non-OPEC members, have the capacity to restore oil production well beyond current levels, which is an artificially reduced level designed to shave barrels off what it sees as an oversupplied market. This perceived oversupply will drive Trumps decision in the coming days. The current round of waivers expires in May, and prices are expected to remain volatile at least until then. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The ongoing unrest in one of North Africas largest oil and gas producers Algeria is reaching boiling point. After weeks of protests from the opposition, aimed at blocking the possible re-election of long-time president Bouteflika, there still doesnt seem to be a resolution within reach. Even after the sudden withdrawal by Bouteflika from new elections, demonstrations continued. Opposition and some regime insiders still feel that the old guard is clinging to power. The Algerian army, however, has stepped into the fray, urging the removal of the current president. Algerian army chief of staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah suddenly stated that Abdelaziz Bouteflika should be deemed unfit to rule. The latter was greeted by support of opposition parties and European analysts. The end to the old guard and Bouteflika clan seems to be near. Officially, the Algerian army has been stepping in to support the legitimate demands of the hundreds of thousands of protesters flocking the streets lately. Optimism is growing and Western media is already suggesting the possibility of a new Arab Spring movement. The reality of Algerias political upheaval, however, is that it is less Arab Spring 2.0 and more Cairo 2.0, with the re-emergence of the army as the real power broker. Since the Algerian Revolt against France, the North African country has been ruled by a bipartisan system based on a political party, coming from the Algerian independency groups, and the newly formed Algerian army. This system has endured a multitude of changes and crises, and got almost obliterated during the brief rule of the Islamists after their election victory in the 1990s. Soon after this Islamist victory, the Algerian army with support of the old guard, took over and reinstated their own rule. The current situation looks almost the same, with one big difference. Algerian military strategists seem to have been reading all reports and analysis pieces written during and after the Arab Spring developments in Egypt. Cairos long-time ruling elite, headed by president Husni Mubarak, had outlived its time. Democratic and religious opposition combined their forces and removed Mubarak from power. At the same time, the Egyptian army stayed in their barracks, not interfering at all, despite the fact that Mubaraks rule was built with the support of the army. After the removal of Mubarak, and the electoral victory of the Muslim Brotherhood, the army put in place its own strategy to regain its grip on the fractured country. Within 2 years, Egypts minister of defense and general Sissi took over, with a huge mandate from the Egyptian public. Related: IMO2020: Can We Expect Extreme Price Shocks? When looking at Algeria, the same structures and strategies seem to be unfolding. An old president, supported by a corrupt and undemocratic political party, is heading for the abyss. Algerias economy is struggling at the same time, even though the country holds vast oil, gas and mineral resources. Mismanagement and clientism, combined with paternalistic political views, have brought the country to its knees. Europes former 2nd largest gas supplier is even struggling to keep its gas and LNG exports in place, despite its reserves being immense. The time is rife for change, looking at the political disorder and economic crisis scenarios. The opposition feels that there is a chance for change. However, this may not be a change to their own liking, but a re-emergence of military rule, with official political support. By acting currently on the behalf of the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, the armed forces, including the security services, can play the same role as the Egyptian armed forces played several years ago. The medias opinion that the army current move can be seen as supporting the people is most probably a misperception. The North African country is facing the Egyptian scenario without realizing it. The movement for change, currently being supported by the Algerian armed forces, is not going to increase democracy or change the rules of engagement. The army has analyzed the situation and has come to the conclusion that it needs to enter the void left by Bouteflika. The armed forces, which have always been a prominent force in the countrys domestic politics are reinventing themselves and a new generation of military politicians is being groomed. Without any doubt, Bouteflika will be removed, either by the National Assembly or forcefully by the army in the next couple of days/weeks. With a grand gesture, General Salah will hand over the powers to the president of the Algerian Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, who will take over as interim president. The latter however will know that he has been given the position due to action of the military forces. If the Cairo 2.0 scenario plays out, no real changes in the power structure in the country will be made. From a Western point of view, increased powers for the army are always bad, at least in the eyes of the media and politicians. Looking at the current state of the country, a power vacuum will bring no good at all. The economic crisis, combined with a fledgling oil and gas sector, needs some hard and strict changes the coming months. The Algerian opposition is not able to do this, as all crucial economic sectors are still in the hands of the ruling party structures. The army move is already seen as the perfect coup, as there is no viable opposition in place to take over when given the chance. Related: Texas Needs 11,000 More Miles Of Pipelines At the same time, Algerias neighbors are on edge. Algierss main rival Morocco will aim to keep a very low profile, and make sure not to stir up a possible regional conflict, such as the one in Western Sahara. Others are very worried about instability as Algeria is an important party in neighboring Libya, which is still struggling to get its act together. The super-powers US and Russia also have a lot at stake. Certain pundits in Washington will see a possible new opportunity for a rapprochement with Algeria, as Bouteflika has been leaning towards Russia. Washingtons dream could, however, be a fata morgana, as Moscow has been on the ground since the 1960s. Putins Mediterranean strategy, after getting a stronghold in Syria again, entails full military cooperation (army and navy) with Algeria. And after a short break in the 1990s, Russia, once again has a full grip on the North African country, supplying it with high-tech arms while entering its oil and gas sectors too. Russian officials even have stated that around 50% of total arms exports to Africa go to Algeria. At the same time, Moscow and Algiers are both worried about US-NATO operations in and around Central Africa or Libya. Moscows current analysis for sure will be that a military move in the country is not going to threaten its influence at all. Europe, as always, is waiting for things to happen without showing any pro-active strategies. Algeria is close to the soft belly of Europe, and is potentially an entry point for migrants to the continent, but Brussels and NATO have so far kept quiet. At the same time, European based agencies such as the IEA in Paris publish reports that say that Algerias oil and gas production and exports are not yet threatened at all. The latter is in stark contrast to reports that US oil major ExxonMobils talks with Algeria stalled last week due to the unrest. At present there has been no real threat made by any party to Algerias oil and gas fields or exports, but when the heat is on Europes energy supplies could be squeezed. A possible counter-reaction by either Bouteflika supporters or disillusioned protesters can be expected. Algerias only life-source is oil and gas, so an eye should be kept on it. Growing instability in the country also will have its detrimental effects on Western Libya and the regions of Mauritania/Western Sahara and Central Africa. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Venezuelas largest oil-exporting terminal Jose is not working after a power outage that happened on Monday. Reuters reports the port has yet to resume normal operations, noting the last vessel to leave Jose did so on Sunday, bound for Russia. There is no electricity, everything is paralyzed, a workers union leader told Reuters. School and work in Caracas were cancelled following the blackout, which was the second for the country in four weeks. The first one was severe: it plunged the country into chaos and darkness, with no water supply in many parts of Venezuela. The Maduro government blamed the outage on a U.S. cyberattack while the opposition-dominated National Assembly decreed a suspension of oil exports to Cuba as the oil could be used better at home. Like the first blackout, the second one shut down not just the Jose oil port but also crude oil upgraders that process heavy crude at the field into light crude. According to Reuters sources, this second outage, like the first one, was the result of years of neglect and underinvestment. This time, the outage affected several transmission lines, the sources said. PDVSA, Venezuelas battered state oil company, operates a total of four bitumen upgraders in the Orinoco Belt where most of its crude oil reserves are concentrated. It does so via joint ventures with Rosneft, Equinor, Total, and Chevron. The four facilities together have a capacity of 700,000 bpd of the extra heavy Venezuelan crude. Restoring normal operation at the port of Jose is essential for PDVSA, whose production has fallen sharply since January when the U.S. slapped a new round of sanctions on Venezuela. Despite the fall, it needs to keep shipping crude to China and Russia under a set of loan deals that require it to repay the funds supplied by these two countries in oil. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: What a difference just a few years can make. After more than a decade of uncertainty for Egypts natural gas sector, leading even to importing LNG for years, Cairo is heading to a much brighter gas future. Two weeks ago, Egypt re-joined the ranks of global LNG exporters when its state gas company EGAS tendered to sell four cargoes of LNG for loading in April from the Idku liquefaction plant on the Mediterranean coast. Bloomberg said the tender marked a revitalizing of its gas industry, where sagging domestic production forced it to halt most exports of LNG in 2014. Around the same time period, LNG producers, especially Qatar and Australia, looked to Egypt to help soak up extra production as well as cargoes not linked to off-take agreements. Moreover, Egypt was seen as a bright new spot for LNG producers to sign new supply deals as the ongoing LNG supply overhang gathered momentum. Mid-year goals Cairo recently said the Idku facility would be operating at full capacity by mid-year on the back of an ongoing surge in local gas production. However, Egypts second LNG plant remains offline, pending resolution of a financial dispute with the operators relating to the earlier breach of the governments gas supply commitments. In addition to the four cargoes commissioned by EGAS for April, another four and three cargoes are being marketed for May and June respectively. The offer is the largest since the countrys two liquefaction plants at Idku and Damietta were gradually taken offline in the early years of the decade. February exports were around 390 mcm, with Turkey emerging as the main buyer. These initial tenders are viewed as a means for EGAS to test the market before embarking on term contracts. Egypt began importing LNG in 2015 and received its last cargo in September 2018. In the last quarter of 2018, the country regained its position of self-sufficiency, according to several reports. This rapid turnaround was made possible due to the discovery and rapid exploitation of the offshore Zohr field. First discovered in August 2015, the field began producing in December 2017. Production reached 12.2 bcm in 2018 and, as of late January, was running at around 56.6 mcm per day. It is expected to reach 76 mcm per day by the end of 2019. Related: Venezuelas Oil Production In Jeopardy After New Blackout A presentation from Eni two weeks ago said the field should ramp up to 580,000 boepd (92.8 mcm per day). Progress at Zohr has been backed up by other gas fields as well. British oil major BP commissioned the second phase of the companys West Nile Delta (WND) project in February, raising output by around 19.8 mcm per day. The Idku plant, owned through a joint venture between Shell, Malaysias Petronas, Frances Total, and several Egyptian owned firms, has 7.2 million tons per annum (mtpa) of liquefaction capacity and is located about 50 km east of Alexandria. Speaking in an interview in mid-March, Egyptian Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Molla said Idkus backers aimed to reach full throughput capacity of 32 mcm per day by the end of June, from around 22.7 mcm per day at present. Moreover, the supply outlook for Egypt continues to improve. New gas synergies Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that the companies, Delek Drilling, Noble Energy, and Ratio Oil Exploration, developing Israels largest natural gas field are in discussions to increase the amount of supply to Egypt beyond the $15 billion deal inked last year. The potential in the Egyptian market is endless, Chief Executive Officer Yossi Abu said. Were going to clear up a lot of question marks in the coming months, once we start flowing gas through the EMG pipeline, which will transport gas to Egypt, he added. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: An oil terminal in tiny oil-rich Gabon has been shuttered following a union strike action on Tuesday, according to union statements carried by Reuters, in a move that may further sour foreign oil companies on its current offshore oil licensing round. The strike at VAALCO Energys terminal, which took offline 14,000 barrels per day, is expected to last five days, according to ONEP, the union responsible for organizing the workers strike. ONEP has organized other strikes in Gabons oil sector as recently as December, over six workers who were fired from French Total. This time around, the strike has been called over the issue of annual leave for its represented workers. Gabon, which lies on the Atlantic Coast in Central Africa, though small, is a member of OPEC. Gabon first became a full member of the organization back in 1975, but terminated its membership in 1995. On July 1, 2016, Gabon re-joined the OPEC group of the oil exporting nations. Gabons oil production stands at 203,000 bpd as of OPECs latest Monthly Oil Market Reporta marked decline from the days of 300,000+ bpd decades ago. Still, Gabon is Africas fifth largest oil producer. Oil accounts for 80 percent of all Gabonese exports, 45 percent of Gabons GDP, and 60 percent of its fiscal revenue in recent years, according to the World Bank. It remains a vital component of Gabons economy. Gabon has substantial oil reserves, but efforts to attract foreign investments have been slow going, mired by regulatory uncertainties, stiff corporation taxes, and political instability, and it has moved its closing date twice for the current offshore licensing round, which is now set to end in September versus the original closing date of April. A failed coup in January may have further spooked foreign oil companies that may otherwise be interested in its lucrative oil industry. ONEP said that todays strike may be extended beyond the promised five days if its demands go unanswered. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: 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... " " Jodi Arias, seen here testifying in the murder trial of her boyfriend Travis Alexander, later sued her attorney for breach of attorney-client privilege. Youtube screen capture Mesa, Arizona, June 9, 2008: Travis Alexander had been radio silent for days and his friends were getting worried. When they gathered at his house, his roommate Zack Billings said that he was out of town. But it was those friends Alexander was supposed to be out of town with. So, Billings located a key to Alexander's bedroom and entered. Stepping over puddles of blood, he made his way past the bed and down the hall to the bathroom. On the floor of the shower Billings found Alexander's body [source: McDonell-Parry]. The coroner later determined that Alexander has been shot in the head a .25 caliber shell casing was found near his body. He'd also been stabbed somewhere between 27 and 29 times and his throat had been cut. A bloody palm print on the wall was found to contain DNA from both Alexander and his sometimes-girlfriend Jodi Arias. On June 15, the police tracked down Arias in California and extradited her to Arizona for prosecution [source: McDonell-Parry]. Advertisement The story was a media sensation and Arias was cast as a cold-blooded killer who committed pre-meditated murder. Arias didn't help her case by giving three different accounts of what had happened, and going into explicit detail about the couple's sex life. In the end, she testified that she was the victim of domestic abuse and that she killed Alexander in self-defense. The jury disagreed and found her guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. She was sentenced to life without parole [source: McDonell-Parry]. But the story didn't end there, because in October 2017, one of Arias' defense lawyers, a man named L. Kirk Nurmi, published a tell-all book about the trial. In the book he disclosed client confidences about Arias and her case, including information that was excluded from her trial, plus his personal views on her guilt. Arias responded by suing Nurmi for violating attorney-client privilege, alleging that her attorney had exploited her story for his own personal gain and revealing in his book a strange hatred for his client and an even more peculiar obsession with the sexual elements of the case [source: Frankel]. In this article, we'll explore the evolution of attorney-client privilege, when and how it's applied in the legal system, and what the future holds for this most basic of legal standards. The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has expressed concern about the proliferation of telecom masts in the country. According to him, monitoring by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission to check the level of radiation has become a problem due to lack of monitoring equipment. He said currently there are about 12,000 telecom masts scattered around the country but the available monitoring equipment of the commission can only monitor just a little over 100 of such masts. He said the ministry and for that matter the commission would have to find a way of acquiring more of such radiation monitoring equipment and has therefore decided to engage the telecom companies on how both parties could raise more funds to acquire more of such monitoring equipment. He indicated that it has become necessary to check these radiation levels and because of the fact that the commission does not have the means to acquire more of these pieces of equipment to check the rest of the 12,000 masts whether their radiation level is high or low. He disclosed that the radiation from these masts could pose health problems if they emitted high level of radiations which could be the cause of some kinds of cancer. The minister made the revelation when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament yesterday with officials of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission to respond to queries raised in the 2016 Auditor-Generals report being considered by the committee. The minister indicated that electricity pylons also generate a lot of radiation and so living or staying under such electricity pylons could be very dangerous. A member of the committee and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Pampram, Sam George, wanted to find out from the minister whether the ministry cannot get access to a new technology that helps to minimize or completely eradicate the emission of radiation from these telecom masts but the minister said there is not a technology like that in the world. According to him, electromagnetic waves which allow the transmission of calls and receipt of calls engender radiation and therefore if there is any technology which can eradicate radiation from telecom masts then it means no calls could be made or received. But the NDC MP insisted that there was such technology but the minister staunchly refuted the claim, stressing that no such technology existed. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video " " Cyclists ride past a sign from law enforcement agencies seeking information on the Oct. 31, 2017 terror attack in New York City. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images When the news of another public or mass murder in the U.S. breaks an almost daily occurrence it seems people are forced to stumble their way through a series of inescapable emotions. The psychological stages go something like this: Shock, revulsion, fear, curiosity, anxiety, anger, numbness. and, finally (much like the well-known stages of grief), depression and perhaps acceptance. Advertisement Somewhere along that arc, too increasingly more toward the beginning, it seems comes an inevitable question: Was it terrorism? In an era of crazed gunmen, suicide bombers and madmen behind the wheel, that question is way more easily asked than answered. That's partly because the legal definition of the word terrorism is as murky and toxic as the minds of the people who carry it out. "Every terrorism textbook and every terrorism class begins with the definition problem," says Jane Cramer, Ph.D. a professor of political science at the University of Oregon. Cramer holds a doctorate in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Most people have to be satisfied with no definition." The Merriam-Webster-izing of the term terrorism has become so tricky in fact, so fraught with politics and legal pitfalls that, even after decades of trying, the United Nations can't come to an agreement on what constitutes terrorism or what a terrorist looks like. That's not all that surprising, maybe, considering that what one nation calls a cowardly and despicable act, another might term a patriotic or holy duty. At least within the borders of the United States, the definition seems a little less troublesome. Several federal laws and regulations list some variation of the terms, but the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines it as "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." Still, even among Americans, it's not that easy. When 21-year-old Dylann Roof killed nine members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015 it was immediately considered by most as a hate crime and a terroristic act. (Roof is an avowed white supremacist; his victims all were black.) Then-FBI director James Comey, though, would not use the T-word. "Terrorism is violence done or threatened," Comey said in a press conference three days after the shooting, "in order to try to influence a public body or citizen, so it's more of a political act ... again, based on what I know ... I don't see it as a political act." That failure to immediately flag people like Roof (or even Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock who killed 58 and wounded another 500-plus Oct. 1, 2017) as terrorists rankles those who see the issue often falling along racial and religious lines. When Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, a 29-year-old native of Uzbekistan, for one example, killed eight people in New York City this past October 31, 2017, by plowing a rented truck into pedestrians and bikers on a bike path, the FBI slapped federal terrorism charges on him less than two days later. President Donald Trump didn't wait nearly as long. He labeled it a terrorist attack that day, tweeting: "My thoughts, condolences and prayers to the victims and families of the New York City terrorist attack. God and your country are with you!" " " People gather in front of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina to attend the first service after a white supremacist shot and killed nine on June 21, 2015. The incident was not considered terrorism. Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Officially tagging acts like these as terrorism (or not) is rarely done without thought toward the legal and moral implications. No terrorism charges were filed against Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009, even though Hasan told investigators he shot the soldiers because they were "going against the Islamic Empire," according to the New York Times. The reasoning: The Army could more easily and swiftly try him on charges of murder and attempted murder without the hassle of proving he was a terrorist. Hassan is now in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, awaiting execution after being convicted of 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. Without designating Hassan a terrorist, though, his victims can't get combat-related benefits or receive Purple Hearts because the attack was considered workplace violence and not combat, the Times says. The labeling of terrorists (or not labeling them) isn't a particularly new phenomenon. More than 30 years ago, then-president Ronald Reagan pushed a foreign policy that included financial backing for "freedom fighters" in Nicaragua, the so-called "Contras;" others accused the U.S. of state-backed terrorism. Many other presidents and heads of state all over the world have taken similar steps in the name of national interest. The objection to calling someone a terrorist lies largely with the word itself terrorism. It is a term reserved for the worst of the worst. For many Americans, it seems to be saved for those from outside our borders who aim to kill innocent Americans. "It's a loaded term. It's meant to make somebody evil," Cramer says. "When everybody, after this last incident, notices that Trump wouldn't use 'terrorism' after Charlottesville [where a white supremacist killed counter-protester Heather Heyer Aug. 12, 2017] and uses it immediately after New York ... It was like, 'Wow, we only use it for Muslim or dark-skinned people.' That's why this is coming up all the time. It's loaded." It's probably not surprising that many politicians not just the president use "terror" as a way to influence minds and gain votes. The defeat of the terrorist Islamic State was a big issue in the 2016 election. Immigration reform has also been tied to keeping terrorists from our shores. "That's why politicians use [the word] but academics try not to. They're trying to win supporters and make sides," Cramer says. "Academics are trying to analyze things. That's the difference." Whatever the perils or problems in defining the term, whatever the way it's used by various groups, however the legal system decides to employ it, the threat of terrorism is something we encounter every day. In our schools. In our airports. In almost every aspect of our lives. All that's proof of one enduring, unfortunate fact: Even if we disagree on what terrorism is, we know it's out there. Now That's Interesting Terrorism on American soil, whether defined as domestic (the Oklahoma City bombing, say) or international (the 9/11 attacks), has been going on for decades, if not centuries. Native Americans were wiped out in large numbers by European settlers. Africans brought to America in slavery were routinely killed with no repercussions for the murderers. And in the 1830s, the governor of Missouri enacted the Mormon Extinction Order, which called for exactly what the name implies. " " Despite studies that show otherwise, many students still believe in the efficacy of late-night cramming for exams. PeopleImages/Getty Images Here's a familiar scenario. It's the day before a big calculus exam, and you haven't studied for whatever reason (short on time, too many other exams packed into the same day, etc.). Around 10 p.m., you finally sit down to review the calculus materials. Six hours later, you catch a short "nap" before rushing to school. You take the exam, and it seems to go fine. Although it wasn't your best effort, you pass and promise not to repeat the cycle when it's time for your next one. This is what's known as cramming. And while students, parents and educators have long known it's not ideal, in desperate circumstances, it works to some degree. And by some degree, we mean it might save your GPA. But cramming doesn't provide long-term learning, according to Dr. Robert A. Bjork, distinguished research professor in the department of psychology at UCLA where he focuses on how we learn versus how we think we learn. (Spoiler: We are usually wrong.) "[Cramming] can have pretty dramatic effects on the exam," Bjork says. "It will work in the sense of performance on an exam administered right at the end of cramming. [Students] get an impression that it really works, but it just works on the short term. It's accompanied with a dramatic forgetting rate after that." This is especially problematic when one lesson provides foundational information for the next, like in a math or language class. Forgetting most of what you learned is not the only downside to cramming. Researchers have found that losing sleep while pulling an all-nighter also leads to residual academic problems for days after the cramming session. You can imagine the negative effects of an ongoing cycle of procrastination and cramming. Advertisement Spaced-out Learning More than a century of research shows that if you study something twice, retention goes up, Bjork explains. Studying and then waiting before you study more produces even better long-term memory. This is called the spacing effect. "It's often something students don't understand," Bjork says. Rather than reviewing material right away, students benefit from spacing out their study sessions. There are many arguments about why spacing works better for long-term retention. One relates to encoding. When a student studies something from a book and reviews it immediately, the student will encode the information in the same way, Bjork explains. However, the more ways students can encode information, the better they will understand it and the longer they will know it. This means that even studying the same material in two locations can help them encode it in different ways; therefore they learn it more successfully. Another idea is that the harder it is for our brain to recall something, the more powerful the effects of that recall will be for long-term learning. For example, if you are at a meeting and encounter someone new, you might recall their name immediately, which probably won't help you remember it the next day. However, if you need to recall the person's name an hour into the meeting and do so, you'll have a better chance of remembering it a day or a week later because you had to put in effort to recall it. A third reason why spacing works is that people pay less attention to the second presentation of material they have just seen because the information is already familiar. When the material is spaced out, it's no longer as familiar, so people pay more attention. Dr. Will Thalheimer, founder of Work-Learning Research, which focuses on research-based innovations in learning evaluations, explains that when it comes to learning, presenting material more than once is beneficial, but doing it over time is even better and "facilitates long-term remembering." And while spacing may slow the learning process because you'll be studying for more than one evening, it significantly reduces forgetting. However, many students continue to opt for cramming and believe in its efficacy. A 2009 study by UCLA's Dr. Nate Kornell found that spacing was more effective than cramming for 90 percent of the participants; just 6 percent of those who crammed learned more than those who studied using the spacing effect. In three experiments, researchers tested spacing against cramming, yet despite the findings in favor of spacing, participants believed that the cramming style was more effective. Advertisement Mixing It Up If the spacing effect sounds like a lot of waiting around to review material, recent studies have shown the positive effects of mixing up different material while studying. This concept, called interleaving, consists of working on or studying one skill for a short period of time, then switching to another one, then maybe a third, then back to the first. A 2015 study tested interleaving in nine middle school classrooms teaching algebra and geometry. A day after the lesson for the unit was complete, the students trained with interleaving scored 25 percent better than students who received standard instruction. A month later, the interleaving group was up 76 percent. This is great news. Studying for an exam or completing a big project doesn't need to feel so daunting, and interleaving has benefits for writing, too. Rather than trying to block out two hours to study for a math test, study math for 30 minutes before you move to French and then work on an essay. Go back to math later. "That produces substantially longer and better retention," Bjork says. "It has a lot of implications that we are exploring." There is a message here for teachers as well as students. Instead of teaching a topic in a block and going to the next topic, teachers can spend a short time on a topic, go on to others then return to the earlier topics. "There is a lot to learn about how to learn," says Bjork. "People's intuitions are not the best guide." Now That's Interesting A 2012 UCLA study from professor of psychiatry Andrew J. Fuligni and UCLA graduate student Cari Gillen-O'Neel found that staying up and foregoing sleep to study is actually counterproductive. No matter how much a student studies daily, if they sacrifice sleep in order to study more, they're likely to have more academic problems not less the next day. PEOPLE are talking about...* HOW THE LAPU-LAPU PROSECUTOR'S DILEMMA MAY BE SOLVED. (1) The teenage suspect will be surrendered by the mother to DSWD for protective custody, thus eliminating the need PEOPLE are talking about... * HOW THE LAPU-LAPU PROSECUTOR'S DILEMMA MAY BE SOLVED. (1) The teenage suspect will be surrendered by the mother to DSWD for protective custody, thus eliminating the need for the prosecutor to rescind his order. (2) The prosecutor will find "probable cause" for the trial of the suspect to proceed. President Duterte created the dilemma by announcing in public he had called the prosecutor and ordered him to reverse his ruling, an embarrassment to the prosecutor and the justice protocol. The president's wish could've been quietly relayed or sent through the justice secretary. 4 arrested, 2 at large THE GANG RAPE IN ARGAO, CEBU -- publicized Wednesday (March 27) with the arrest of four of six men who had forced sex with an eight-year-old, Grade 2 girl, in Argao, Cebu -- may compete with the savage killing of 16-year-old Christine Silawan in Lapu-Lapu City. Consider: * The multiple rape was committed with the participation and allegedly on the behest of an uncle, 48, who, when he was finished, shared her with five other friends who one after another molested the girl; * The mother knew about the uncle's continual abuse since the girl was Grade 1 but had not gone beyond advising her not to do it again and keep away from him. The girl reported the early abuse to her Grade 1 teacher, who relayed it to the mother. After the gang rape, she reported it to her Grade 2 teacher, who this time went to the police, leading to the arrest of four of six suspects. Details of the scandal in Argao that were told over dyMF (Bombo) radio by the police women-and-children desk officer were as graphic as could be. Bong Go for president? BONG GO, NOT SARA 'DIGONG'S CHOICE.' Ellen Tordesillas, veteran journalist, offers this theory, which she attributes to a "political analyst-friend," that President Duterte prefers Bong Go, his long-time "go-for" aide, to his daughter Sara. What we've been saying and hearing is that Davao City mayor Duterte-Carpio is being groomed as Digong's successor. She has been all over the country selling her Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial bets and herself as presidential wannabe in 2022. What has not occurred to the public is that Digong is thinking of Bong Go instead. Well, Go is also crisscrossing the Philippines in his bid for the Senate. And if he'd land as No. 1 (over Grace Poe) in the Magic 12, he could be "viable" for the next presidential race. Or so the speculation runs. Story continues Basis for the theory: Digong and her daughter are at odds on political principles and moves, someone he cannot control. Still, it's interesting and new, compared to the Sara yarn. Ellen's column was posted at verafiles.org Wednesday (March 27).) Evasco's complaint 'SABOTAGING' BY FOOD IN BOHOL. There are all kinds of dirty tricks during this campaign but you may not have heard about this one. Candidate for Bohol governor Jun Evasco, the president's known friend and ally, complains that his rival "sabotaged" the visit of Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign manager Sara Carpio-Duterte by having the caterer include in food packs doled out to supporters perishable kinds, such as "afretada" and "pansit." Evasco apologized on dyLA radio although it was not disclosed if anybody complained of food poisoning. Would the wrong food drive away one's supporters? Evasco's competition allegedly went through the trouble of mixing his food packs with perishable material. It must have worked in the past. *** Tell us about it. [paseares1@gmail.com] A HK$4.93 billion (US$628 million) mega deal announced by Cathay Pacific Airways on Wednesday to acquire low-cost carrier HK Express faces shareholder opposition, with the majority owner signalling he will launch legal action. Hong Kongs biggest airline has indicated it faces a challenge from a single player, understood to be HK Express chairman Zhong Guosong, who is resisting selling the stake he controls. The citys flagship carrier which includes its namesake long-haul airline and regional firm Cathay Dragon will put up HK$2.25 billion in cash and has pledged to repay HK$2.68 billion of debt held by HK Express in the form of promissory notes. The deal will underscore its position as Hong Kongs dominant airline group. It has promised not to change HK Express low-cost business model, which pulled in 4.1 million passengers last year, and said the budget carrier would continue to operate as a stand-alone airline. The sale will mean about half of airline seats for sale at Hong Kong International Airport will be offered by Cathay and its enlarged portfolio of carriers, which together will control 45 per cent of the runway slots in the city, according to the CAPA Centre for Aviation. The deal is unlikely to face major regulatory hurdles, according to analysts. Cathay CEO Rupert Hogg told staff a lot needs to be done between now until the completion of the transaction. The Post exclusively reported on Monday night that Cathay had successfully concluded talks to buy HK Express. In a stock exchange filing on Wednesday morning, Cathay said: Completion is conditional upon certain conditions being fulfilled, including clearances required from relevant competition authorities. The transaction is expected to be good for the travelling public, good for the Hong Kong hub and good for the Cathay group Cathay Pacific Airways Three of Hong Kongs four airlines will be controlled by Cathay under the arrangement. But overcoming opposition from Zhong could prove the biggest obstacle, the airline indicated. Story continues A firm of solicitors acting for a shareholder of an intermediate holding company of HKE [HK Express] has written to the company indicating an intention to contest the sellers entry into an agreement for the transaction, the filing said. David Yu, a finance professor at New York University Shanghai, said the resistance could indeed impact the acquisition. The chairmans opposition could cause delays or even potentially scuttle the deal if the timeline becomes too lengthened, as well as possibly result in adjustments to some of the terms offered, he said. Daniel Wong Kwok-tung, a Hong Kong solicitor, said Zhong would need strong justifications for blocking the deal if the issue went to court. He would need to show why this is not in the interest of the company, Wong stressed. Cathay said the deal would be positive for customers. The transaction is expected to be good for the travelling public, good for the Hong Kong hub, the airline said. [The] respective businesses and business models are largely complementary. It went on to say the deal represents an attractive and practical way for the Cathay group to support the long-term development and growth of our aviation business and to enhance the competitiveness of the Hong Kong hub during a time of intense regional competition. Hong Kongs Transport and Housing Bureau said it had taken note of the deal and invited Cathay and HK Express to provide information. HKE, as a designated airline of Hong Kong, shall ensure their continued compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements after the acquisition comes into effect, a government spokeswoman said. The deal is another route for Cathay into the Asia-Pacific regions booming market for low-cost flights. Facing competitive pressures from rivals, namely mainland Chinese companies and Middle Eastern airlines, Cathay was late jumping into the sector, executives have acknowledged. The region is expected to see four billion flyers by 2037 almost half of the worldwide market. Experts said Hong Kongs competition watchdog did not have a remit to adjudicate on consolidation in the aviation sector. Its counterparts in Japan and Korea would likely scrutinise but eventually approve the deal. This merger will make the Cathay Pacific Group a dominant player in Hong Kong, said Jae Woon Lee, an expert in aviation and competition law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. But they are still competing with foreign airlines in foreign markets ... Cathay wont be a dominant player in the international market. The change of ownership and operator will also require the approval of the citys air licensing body, the Air Transport Licensing Authority, which would not let the deal through without conditions, according to Dr Law Cheung-kwok, director of policy at the universitys Aviation Policy and Research Centre. I think [the authority] may consider or introduce clauses into its approval, such as Cathay keeping HK Express a low-cost carrier for five years at least. Law said the government had good intentions to establish more local airlines, but had failed. Dragonair was taken over by Cathay in 2006 and became Cathay Dragon, while Oasis Hong Kong collapsed in 2008, and Jetstar Hong Kong was refused permission to fly in 2015. Hong Kong Airlines currently faces an uncertain future as it attempts to restructure to stave off financial difficulties. It is now the only carrier in the city not acquired by Cathay. The fellow HNA-backed airline could benefit from the sale of its sister low-cost unit HK Express by securing funds for the restructuring. It follows previous attempts by HNA at selling a majority stake in the airline to raise the necessary funds to inject into the carrier. HNA is shedding US$50 billion in assets that were snapped up in a buying binge which has caused financial turmoil at the Chinese conglomerate. The instability has spread to its various businesses, including those in Hong Kong. Jefferies Financial Group analyst Andrew Lee said: I think Cathay has looked into [the competition and regulatory hurdles]. For them to announce a deal and 100 per cent ownership, price, etc, they have probably looked into this regulatory issue, in my view. A source familiar with the deal said one of the first major tasks for Cathay would be to decide on the top team at the budget carrier, with most executives who came from Hainan Airlines or the corporate parent HNA set to leave. According to the filing, HK Express recorded HK$141 million in losses last year after achieving a net profit of HK$57 million in 2017. Cathay Pacific Group generated a profit of HK$2.03 billion in 2018, halting two years of back-to-back losses. The transaction is expected to be complete on or before December 31, 2019, Cathay said. The budget carrier will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay. More from South China Morning Post: This article Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airways to pay HK$4.93 billion to buy budget carrier HK Express first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is validating the alleged involvement of 11 female and 20 male television and movie personalities in the illegal drug trade.PDEA Director Aaron Aquino said THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is validating the alleged involvement of 11 female and 20 male television and movie personalities in the illegal drug trade. PDEA Director Aaron Aquino said of the 31 celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs, three are veterans in the industry, while the rest are in their 20s. He said the celebrities are more into party drugs, like ecstasy. Aquino refused to name the celebrities, but said some of them are television hosts or artists whom fans look up to. We cant disclose the list to the public without undergoing some process of validation, he said. Sila pa mismo ang tinutularan ng ating mga kabataan pero kung umorder ng ecstasy, 200 piraso (The youth look up to them, but they order 200 pieces of ecstasy), he added. Aquino was referring to two "high-profile" celebrities earlier linked to John Steve Pasion, who was considered one of the biggest party drug suppliers in Metro Manila. PDEA also did not name the celebrities, but said they always appear on TV. The PDEA said based on its investigation and the exchange of text messages between Pasion and the two celebrities, they order as much as 200 tablets of ecstasy for "personal use." Pasion was killed in anti-drug operation recently. (SunStar Philippines) PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Aaron Aquino disagreed with President Rodrigo Duterte's statement that the countrys illegal drug problem has worsened despite the governments PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Aaron Aquino disagreed with President Rodrigo Duterte's statement that the countrys illegal drug problem has worsened despite the governments crackdown on drugs. Of course, no. Kung makikita mo on our number of (drug surrenderers) number of (drug) seizures. Malaki ang nakukuha natin drugs, worth billions of pesos, he said in a television interview. Aquino was referring to the billions of pesos worth of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and in other areas recently. He said intercepting large amounts of illegal drugs before it made rounds in the streets nationwide is a good indication that the government is winning on its war on drugs. Ang tingin ko lang that will be the first impression of the President. Dati narinig ng Presidente, sachet. Next million. Now billion na. Kahit ako nabibigla ako as director general, he said. It is good now (that) we are able to intercept this big volumes of illegal drugs and the good thing we are having a good and open communication with international counterparts, he added. In a speech in Davao City over the weekend, Duterte said the illegal drug problem has worsened despite the relentless effort of the government to end it and make the country drug-free. But if you tinker with drugs and if you continue to feed our children with drugs and trafficking... Things have worsened. My policemen are on the brink of surrendering, he said. In the end, we will be like Mexico. We will be controlled by drug cartels. The Sinaloa has already entered the country and that is why drugs are being thrown in the Pacific. The same is happening in the West, he added. Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said the PNP agreed with Duterte's statement. "Sumasang-ayon tayo sa assessment ng Pangulo na nag-worsen talaga ang drug situation in the sense na yung mga international drug syndicates ay patuloy pa rin niyuyurakan ang ating mga batas, patuloy pa rin sila nagpapasok ng large volume ng illegal drugs, Banac said. Story continues This can be seen with the recent recovery at the Manila International Container Port at doon sa buy-bust operation sa Alabang. Napakarami po niyan at maging yung recovery ng cocaine sa eastern seaboard ng bansa, he added. Expounding Banacs statement, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said the countrys law enforcement is still challenged by their lack of capabilities and equipment to further boost their war on drugs. He also cited the lack of death penalty in the country against illegal drug peddlers, which made them unafraid to continue illegal transactions in the country. But Albayalde said they will not surrender in their crackdown on illegal drugs, stressing Duterte made the statement only out of frustration. Parang its not actually surrendering na parang ayaw na ng PNP. It's some sort of frustration na bakit despite our effort, yung campaign on anti-illegal drugs sabi nga nya it's relentless deadly and all and still ganun pa rin, he said. Our peace and order is improving. It has improved a lot for the past three years. Yung frustration there is despite of this effort nakikita natin ganyan pa rin volume ng pasok sa drugs sa ating bansa, he added. (SunStar Philippines) PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Aaron Aquino said Wednesday, March 27, that they had investigated a certain Michael Yang, but they have not established yet if it was President Rodrigo PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Aaron Aquino said Wednesday, March 27, that they had investigated a certain Michael Yang, but they have not established yet if it was President Rodrigo Dutertes former economic adviser who was implicated by a dismissed police official in the illegal drug trade. "We tried to check kung meron bang Michael Yang sa NDIS namin, and I was able to get one sa NDIS namin, sa National Drug Information System namin it's actually a PDEA watch list, not validated list. Nakita ko roon may isang Michael Yang nakalagay 'alleged drug pusher' operating in Sual, Pangasinan. The report was in 2004," he said. Aquino said they conducted an investigation on the said Michael Yang in Pangasinan but lost track, as he is no longer traceable after leaving his rented apartment in the area. "Hanggang ngayon, nahihirapan kami. Kahit yung mga neighboring areas hindi makapagbigay ng tamang assessment (Until now, we have difficulty locating him. Even the neighboring areas cannot provide a correct assessment)," he said. On Sunday, March 24, former Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto, who held a key position in the Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-illegal drugs group,, exposed several documents linking Yang to the illegal drug trade. READ: Dismissed cop tags 2 Chinese nationals close to Duterte as drug lords Acierto, who was ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman over the missing AK-47 assault rifles that allegedly ended in the hands of communist rebels, was among the police officials included in Dutertes drugs watchlist. On Monday, March 25, he also released a drug matrix identifying Yang as the facilitator of the illegal entry of illegal drugs into the country through the help of some corrupt officials of the Bureau of Customs. Based on the drug matrix, Yang is a member of Johnson Chua drug group led by a certain Johnson Co, who was from mainland China. Acierto said Yang is receiving P50,000 from each kilogram of shabu they will successfully smuggle into the country. Story continues He said it was among the documents he submitted to former PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, Aquino, and Police Deputy Director General Camilo Cascolan. He said copies of the report were also sent to PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, Senator Richard Gordon, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, and former special assistant to the president Christopher Bong Go, hoping that it will reach Duterte to serve as warning. "It's about the operations in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro allegedly linking Michael Yang. Ang sabi niya (Acierto) sa akin, 'Sir, puwede bang ipaabot mo 'yan sa Palasyo?' So I did that. Pumunta ako sa Palasyo," Aquino said. He added that he relayed Aciertos message to Go and he believed that it was received by the President, as he made a statement clearing Yang from illegal drugs transaction. In a speech on Tuesday, Duterte cleared anew Yang from Aciertos accusations. In another interview with Albayalde on Wednesday, he said they will continue validating Aciertos claim despite Dutertes statement. The President did not stop us or did not tell us to stop our validation. There is no harm in validating. Wala naman masama doon sa mag-validate ka to boost the statement of the President and even the ambassador of China kung talagang wala naman sila kinalaman, he said. And as I have said yesterday, as of this time, wala kaming information whatsoever that Michael Yang is involved in any illegal activity particularly on illegal drugs, he added. (SunStar Philippines) (L-R) Hungarian Minister for Agriculture Dr. Istvan Nagy and Philippine Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol after signing a Memorandum of Understanding MANILA, Philippines The Philippine government through the Department of Agriculture (DA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in agriculture with Hungary. The MOU was signed by Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol and Hungarys Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Istvan Nagy in a bilateral meeting on Wednesday (March 27). The two countries agreed to form a joint working group that will monitor the implementation of the MOU which will focus on reinforcement of positive engagements between the two countries Ministries of Agriculture as well as improvement of trade in agriculture. Both sides agreed that the Philippines will export high value products, fishery products, fresh mango, fishmeal, copra meal and abaca, among others. Hungary, meanwhile, is planning to increase its export of poultry meat products to the Philippines. Earlier this month, Secretary Pinol said the agency is eyeing opportunities to bring the countrys agriculture products, particularly the Philippine copra, into the European Union (EU) market. Marje Pelayo The post PH to export coconut products to Hungary appeared first on UNTV News. The head of South Korea's flag carrier Korean Air -- whose family have been embroiled in multiple scandals including one involving a "nut rage" tantrum -- lost his board seat after shareholders voted against extending his term as director, the airline said Wednesday. Cho Yang-ho, who is currently on trial for corruption, failed to secure a required two-thirds majority, becoming the first controlling shareholder of a South Korean conglomerate to be forced off the board. The super-wealthy owners of chaebols -- the sprawling conglomerates that dominate the world's 11th-largest economy -- are no strangers to controversy, but a string of high-profile scandals have vaulted the Cho family to notoriety in South Korea, even sparking protests by their employees. The 70-year-old tycoon is the chairman of the Hanjin Group, which used to own the now-bankrupt Hanjin Shipping line. Cho controls around 30 percent of Korean Air through its parent company Hanjin Kal. But the National Pension Service, the airline's second-biggest shareholder, had said Tuesday it will oppose Cho's re-election, citing his records of "undermining corporate value and infringing upon shareholder rights". "It is correct that he has lost his seat as the director of the board," a Korean Air spokeswoman told AFP. The vote had put "slight brakes" on Cho's management of the airliner, she said, but stressed that he still had control over the company. "He maintains his post as the chairman and is the biggest shareholder of Korean Air so he will continue participating in the management," she added. But analysts say that without a seat on the board, Cho will not be able to wield power over key management issues such as appointing directors and CEOs. Shares of Korean Air closed up 2.47 percent on Wednesday. - Criminal probes - The Cho family has been under scrutiny in recent years after being embroiled in multiple criminal probes over charges ranging from assault, embezzlement and smuggling luxury goods. Cho is on trial for embezzling more than 20 billion won and unfairly awarding contracts to companies controlled by his family members. His two daughters, who held management positions at Korean Air, previously became viral sensations for temper tantrums dubbed the "nut rage" and "water rage" scandals, forcing Cho to issue a public apology and remove them from their posts. "Korean Air has suffered tremendously under Chairman Cho Yang-ho's imperial-style management since the 'nut rage' incident," Yonhap cited lawmaker Chae I-bae as saying at Wednesday's general shareholder meeting. Chae was referring to an incident involving the elder daughter Cho Hyun-ah, who made global headlines in 2014 for kicking a cabin crew chief off a Korean Air plane after she was served macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl. She later served a short prison sentence. Last year, her younger sister Cho Hyun-min was accused of throwing a drink into an advertising agency manager's face in a fit of rage during a business meeting. She was not indicted as the victim did not want to press charges. Their mother, Lee Myung-hee, has been questioned by police several times in connection with allegations of assault against her employees including cursing, kicking, slapping and even throwing a pair of scissors. Cho himself received a suspended jail sentence for tax evasion in 2000 and is awaiting a separate trial for using 30 billion won of company funds to renovate his house. THE mother of the 17-year-old suspect in the killing of Christine Lee Silawan agreed to surrender her son for security purposes following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to re-arrest him.Duterte, THE mother of the 17-year-old suspect in the killing of Christine Lee Silawan agreed to surrender her son for security purposes following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to re-arrest him. Duterte, in a speech delivered in South Cotabato Tuesday, March 26, said he already instructed the Lapu-Lapu City prosecutor to reverse its ruling favoring the 17-year-old suspect. The suspect was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel at his house in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City on March 16. He, however, was released from the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on March 23, since the NBI arrested him without a warrant. Duterte said though that the arrest could be considered under "hot pursuit" operation. "Ang hot pursuit can be applied ngayon kasi modern time. (The rule of hot pursuit arrest can be applied now since it's a modern time). How can you make continuous support? Paano kung sumakay ng eroplano, naiwan ang pulis (What if they ride a plane and the cop cannot go)?" he said. Following Duterte's order, fiscal Ruso Zaragoza of the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office personally went to the suspect's house and asked the mother to surrender her son. The mother said she will return his son to the homecare center of the DSWD to ensure his security. (Gregy Magdadaro of Superbalita Cebu/Ruth Abbey Gita/LMY/SunStar Philippines) A Vice President of the Council of African Political Parties (CAPP), Samuel Koku Sitsofe Anyidoho has posited it is only a Mindset Transformation, that will unlock the potential of Africa to create wealth. Koku Anyidoho made the point when addressing the well-attended on-going 2019 Economic Forum under the auspices of CAPP, taking place in the Tunisian Touristique City of, Hamamat. According to Koku Anyidoho, Africa is sitting on limitless wealth yet we continue to wallow in poverty because of the blocked mindset that has locked up our ability to exponentially transform our collective existence. Making the point further, Koku Anyidoho said that Africa does not need geographical transformation: what we need, is, a hurried but calculated mindset transformation. If we do not walk into the era of positive disruptive thinking which will grant us the mindset transformation we need to tap into the array of wealth that Creation has bestowed on our beloved Continent; then we are heading for perpetual doom. Koku Anyidoho, differentiated wealth from money; and said that money is only a medium of exchange and it is time that African Political Parties fixed their attention on wealth creation for the benefit of nations instead of staying glued to a slave-induced poverty mentality of monetary entrapment. Africa has a destiny and we must not allow our destiny to be derailed by selling our wealth for money, Koku Anyidoho said. The CAPP Vice President, who is also the President of CAPP West Africa, did not hide his deep worry about the current political trends on the continent and expressed his concern about a rising generation that may not have the patience to countenance the lethargic policies of the current crop of political actors. Under the auspices of CAPP, the Economic Forum seeks to create the necessary platforms that will trigger the synergy between African Political Parties and business conglomerates for the benefit of the Continent. Among others, the new General Secretary of the CAPP Secretariat, Dr. Faysal Hassan Ibrahim, and the Chairman of CAPPs Economic Council, Omar Belkhaira, also took turns to address the Forum and stressed on the urgent need for a new wave of speedy engagements between African Political Parties and businesses for the betterment of the living standards of the People of Africa. Koku Anyidoho in a hearty handshake with the new General Secretary of CAPP; Dr. Faysal Hassan Ibrahim. Koku Anyidoho was elected Vice President of the Council of African Political Parties in 2017 for a four-year term and continues to remain a great ambassador for Ghana as far as his participation in CAPPs activities are concerned. Countries participating in the 2019 Economic Forum, include, Ghana, Zambia, Rwanda, Chad, Somalia, Libya, Republic of Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Morocco, and the host country, Tunisia. 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 After spending the winter months hibernating inside a fridge at a rescue centre in Belarus, a group of bats awaken and are released into the wild. To ensure a good winter's sleep, each bat was tucked up inside a cloth bag by volunteers at the centre, then hung up inside an ordinary domestic fridge -- giving them just the right amount of moisture and cold. The Kozhanopolis centre, which is located in Minsk, takes in bats that are found by members of the public after struggling to find a safe place to hibernate. "In winter, bats fall into a very deep sleep and for hibernation, they need fairly cold and moist environments," says the centre's head, Alexei Shpak. "They fly into people's balconies, into apartment block entrances, ventilation shafts, cellars and so on. Sometimes people just find them on the ground in the snow." The right conditions for a bat to hibernate are temperatures between zero and five degrees Celsius (32 to 42 Fahrenheit) and moisture levels of more than 50 percent, and the bat shelter has found an easy way of providing these. "That's exactly what a fridge does. Just the most ordinary fridge," says Shpak. The centre only has one fridge but it has enough space for the 32 bats the spent the winter hung up in bags. Some of the bats at the centre are "old-timers" who have been sleeping in the fridge since mid-December, he says. The bats are two different types found across Europe: parti-coloured bats and serotine bats. The centre has no state funding but has premises provided by a state educational facility and equipment paid for by crowd-funding. With the arrival of spring and as outside temperatures rise above 10 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit), Shpak and the three other volunteers at the centre carefully remove the bats from their cloth bags so that they wake up naturally. - Hand-fed with grubs - "When they sense a higher temperature, their body temperature starts going up a little bit and they wake up," Shpak says. The black bats stretch their wings as they get a weigh-in to check they are healthy. They are hand-fed with grubs and given a drink of water through pipettes to bring up their strength. In the evening, a procession of interested locals follow Shpak and the volunteers to a city park where they gently coax the bats onto trees, from where they will return to their previous haunts. Those watching talk about their prejudices about bats and how seeing them released back into the wild has changed their feelings. Anna, a school teacher who came with her small daughter, smiles as she talks about getting close to the bats. "They're so ugly, really, but when you pick them up, they're very pleasant to touch, so small and furry. And you realise this is a kind of miracle." Several anti-junta parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed party in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country's first vote since a 2014 coup. Thai politics are deadlocked after Sunday's vote, with two main rival parties claiming the right to govern amid allegations of ballot irregularities and the full official results yet to be released. Seven anti-junta parties, led by the Pheu Thai Party, said they would join forces, claiming to win enough parliamentary seats to form a government and sideline military-backed allies led by the Phalang Pracharat Party. "We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power," Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan said at a press conference Wednesday announcing the coalition. The bloc of seven -- which includes the youth-focused Future Forward Party that did surprisingly well in the elections -- claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs. "It is a complete process of setting up a government," said Future Forward's telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. Pheu Thai has won every election since 2001 and is affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin's sister Yingluck was herself ousted in the 2014 putsch, and is also living in self-exile. The newly-formed coalition said it wanted to usher in an era of pro-democracy politics following Sunday's vote. "We will cooperate with parties that are at this press conference today no matter what obstacles ahead... we are ready to stop the regime from holding on to power," Thanathorn told reporters. The military-backed Phalang Pracharat, led by junta chief and prime ministerial candidate Prayut Chan-O-Cha, won the popular vote with 7.6 million ballots in its favour -- 400,000 more votes than Pheu Thai. Phalang Pracharat has also said it expects to secure more than half of all seats in the lower house. The balance of power is stacked in favour of the junta due to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to vote in a prime minister. The Election Commission has unexpectedly delayed releasing official results, and questions are now swirling over election irregularities, with an election monitor saying the tabulation was "deeply flawed". Nearly two million invalidated ballots, weak polling oversight and bungling by election authorities may have wildly skewed initial numbers. TOMORROW, the New Peoples Army (NPA) will be 50 years old. Fifty years. And the rebellion that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has been waging has no end in sight yet. The CPP itself will be 51 years old this December. For those who are still active in the so-called national democratic revolution (NDR) that the CPP is waging, and for those who at one time or another believed in the NDR principles or even in the communist ideas that the CPP espouses but are already on the outside looking in, there will always be things to celebrate or to even be poignant about on this day. Somewhere in the countrysides of the country or even in some underground posts in the urban areas, people are gathered for an hour or two of singing revolutionary songs, viewing revolutionary dances and even holding memorials for those who died in the struggle. Victories, no matter how insignificant to the government, will be celebrated. The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP and is mostly composed of peasants and workers hoping for a better deal from a society that consider their interests as mere afterthought. The promise of finally having a government that gives primacy to interests of the peasants and workers is what keeps the NPA, once derisively described by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos as ragtag, going. The main players in the founding of the NPA are old, many are probably dead or are no longer fighters in the strict sense of the word. The NPA tradition is now being represented by a young corps composed of fighters who were born a decade or two after its founding. I dont even know what has happened to the once beloved Ka Dante years after he, as Bernabe Buscayno, went into cooperativism after he was released from detention by the Cory Aquino government. The CPPs main ideologue, Jose Ma. Sison, aka Amado Guerrero, has been holed up for far too long in Europe, which is apt considering his age. But he, as CPPs founding chairman, and the other party leaders at that time, will always be remembered for that moment 50 years ago when a party without an army linked up with an army without a party to form the NPA. The daring move, apparently strengthened by the belief in the righteousness of their cause, was admirable considering the odds they were up against then. I dont know how the current generation of red fighters are conducting the so-called protracted peoples war now. But knowing the tradition, I am not yet prepared to call them a terrorist group. Call them idealists if you will, if the term refers to a group that is not pragmatic in its pursuit of its goals. Idealists are not always terrorists. What happens when a guerilla gets too old to fight? The teenagers who composed the first NPA units and have survived are senior citizens now. They most probably are the grandfathers sitting on the bamboo benches of their yards reminiscing about the old days. For them, the idea that the struggle they are waging is protracted might have become all too real now. Credit: CC0 Public Domain When the Arctic warmed after the ice age 10,000 years ago, it created perfect conditions for drought. According to new research led by a University of Wyoming scientist, similar changes could be in store today because a warming Arctic weakens the temperature difference between the tropics and the poles. This, in turn, results in less precipitation, weaker cyclones and weaker mid-latitude westerly wind flowa recipe for prolonged drought. The temperature difference between the tropics and the poles drives a lot of weather. When those opposite temperatures are wider, the result is more precipitation, stronger cyclones and more robust wind flow. However, due to the Arctic ice melting and warming up the poles, those disparate temperatures are becoming closer. "Our analysis shows that, when the Arctic is warmer, the jet stream and other wind patterns tend to be weaker," says Bryan Shuman, a UW professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. "The temperature difference in the Arctic and the tropics is less steep. The change brings less precipitation to the mid-latitudes." Shuman is a co-author of a new study that is highlighted in a paper, titled "Mid-Latitude Net Precipitation Decreased With Arctic Warming During the Holocene," published today (March 27) online in Nature, an international weekly science journal. The print version of the article will be published April 4. Researchers from Northern Arizona University; Universite Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-In-Neuve, Belgium; the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, Va.; and Cornell University also contributed to the paper. "The Nature paper takes a global approach and relates the history of severe dry periods of temperature changes. Importantly, when temperatures have changed in similar ways to today (warming of the Arctic), the mid-latitudesparticularly places like Wyoming and other parts of central North Americadried out," Shuman explains. "Climate models anticipate similar changes in the future." Currently, the northern high latitudes are warming at rates that are double the global average. This will decrease the equator-to-pole temperature gradient to values comparable with the early to middle Holocene Period, according to the paper. Shuman says his research contribution, using geological evidence, was helping to estimate how dry conditions have been in the past 10,000 years. His research included three water bodies in Wyoming: Lake of the Woods, located above Dubois; Little Windy Hill Pond in the Snowy Range; and Rainbow Lake in the Beartooth Mountains. "Lakes are these natural recorders of wet and dry conditions," Shuman says. "When lakes rise or lower, it leaves geological evidence behind." The researchers' Holocene temperature analysis included 236 records from 219 sites. During the past 10,000 years, many of the lakes studied were lower earlier in history than today, Shuman says. "Wyoming had several thousand years where a number of lakes dried up, and sand dunes were active where they now have vegetation," Shuman says. "Expanding to the East Coast, it is a wet landscape today. But 10,000 years ago, the East Coast was nearly as dry as the Great Plains." The research group looked at the evolution of the tropic-to-pole temperature difference from three time periods: 100 years ago, 2,000 years ago and 10,000 years ago. For the last 100 years, many atmospheric records facilitated the analysis but, for the past 2,000 years or 10,000 years, there were fewer records available. Tree rings can help to expand studies to measure temperatures over the past 2,000 years, but lake deposits, cave deposits and glacier ice were studied to record prior temperatures and precipitation. "This information creates a test for climate models," Shuman says. "If you want to use a computer to make a forecast of the future, then it's useful to test that computer's ability to make a forecast for some other time period. The geological evidence provides an excellent test." Explore further Research connects dots among ocean dynamics, drought and forests More information: Cody C. Routson et al, Mid-latitude net precipitation decreased with Arctic warming during the Holocene, Nature (2019). Journal information: Nature Cody C. Routson et al, Mid-latitude net precipitation decreased with Arctic warming during the Holocene,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1060-3 Alpioniscus species. Credit: ESAM. Fincke In the absolute darkness of caves, rare creatures have returned to living in water to survive. Astronauts looking for life in the underworld during the CAVES training courses discovered a new species of crustaceans that have completed an evolutionary full circle from water to land, and back to water again. Just under one centimetre long, these animals belong to the suborder of terrestrial isopods, commonly known as woodlice. Most crustaceans such as shrimps and lobsters live in water while woodlice are the only group that has fully adapted to life on land. In returning to aquatic life, these blind and colourless creatures are a step ahead of their fellow species. Scientists have called it Alpioniscus Sideralis, from the latin word for stellar, as a tribute to the astronauts who found them. The surprising discovery adds a piece to the complex puzzle of subterranean ecosystems. Life manages to constantly adapt to extreme habitats with no sunlight, seasonal changes and scarce food. The discovery The Italian island of Sardinia is a biodiversity hotspot in Europe. It has many species, most of which are unique to the area. The cave fauna on the island is no exception. However, finding new cave species is a difficult job. Life often hides underneath stones and in cracks, wander on wet walls or seep out of the rocks through stalactites. Credit: ESAF. Sauro It was during the 2012 CAVES expedition when astronauts joining the underground training noticed some interesting-looking crustaceans in a small pond. "I asked the astronauts to take some specimens. When we analysed them under the microscope we quickly understood that they were an extraordinary type of aquatic species," says Paolo Marcia, a zoologist from the University of Sassari responsible for the CAVES biology experiments. The search continued throughout subsequent editions of CAVES. All in all, astronauts from Europe, Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan and China have helped describe the new species. The results have been published by the scientific journal ZooKeys. Cave wonderland. Credit: ESAV. Crobu Passion for life Too young to remember, but certainly not indifferent to the world around him, Paolo started a vast collection of fossils, insects and rocks at the age of three. Later on, he was fascinated by a picture of a blind insect that sparked an interest that lead him to know the scientific names of most animals. "My dream was to describe these little creatures," says Paolo. As of today, he has discovered dozens of new species, including spiders, beetles and worms. One type of blind spider now has his name: Centromerus Marciaii. During CAVES, astronauts and scientists run a programme to study terrestrial and aquatic fauna. "Finding new species is not only crucial to understand these habitats, but also to protect them," points out Paolo. Alpioniscus Sideralis. Credit: University of SassariP. Marcia Besides its scientific value, the course keeps to its main goal: to train astronauts in alien worlds and situations on Earth for future space exploration. "I would like to think that when humans land on Mars and explore its caves, this experience will help them to look for other species knowing that life has few limits and can develop in the most inhospitable places," adds Paolo. Placing bait. Credit: ESAV. Crobu Explore further Astronauts bring back new life Artist's impression of a supermassive black hole. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Italian astronomers have conducted an X-ray analysis of the accreting supermassive black hole in the broad line radio galaxy PKS 2251+11 as part of a study aimed at investigating the galaxy's nuclear environment. The new research, presented in a paper published March 15 on arXiv.org, could improve the understanding of active galactic nuclei. Radio galaxies, which have active galactic nuclei (AGN), emit huge levels of radio waves from their central cores. Black holes at the center of these galaxies are accreting gas and dust, generating high-energy jets visible in radio wavelengths, which accelerate electrically charged particles to high velocities. In AGNs, the accreting material is reprocessed by the surrounding nuclear environment, so that these objects are observable at all wavelengths, from radio to gamma-rays. However, the structure of the nuclear environment still baffles scientists, and more studies, especially in the X-ray wavelength, are required in order resolve any uncertainties regarding this subject. Such observations could be a powerful tool for the investigation of the accretion-ejection physics in the neighborhood of supermassive black holes in AGNs. Broad-line radio galaxies (BLRGs), like PKS 2251+11 at a redshift of approximately 0.33, are excellent targets for high-quality X-ray observations due to the fact that they have the highest X-ray fluxes in the radio-loud population of AGNs. Therefore, high X-ray luminosity and the relative proximity of PKS 2251+11 make it an ideal candidate for a detailed analysis of the accretion regions in radio galaxies. So a group of astronomers led by Samuele Ronchini of Gran Sasso Science Institute in Italy has used ESA's XMM-Newton space telescope to conduct spectral and timing analysis of PKS 2251+11 in the X-ray band in order to get more insight into the structure, kinematics and physical state of the nuclear environment in this galaxy. "Through the X-ray analysis of an observation performed with the XMM-Newton observatory, we have obtained novel information about the geometry, the kinematics and the physical state of the regions surrounding the accreting SMBH [supermassive black hole] at the center of the BLRG PKS 2251+11," the astronomers wrote in the paper. The observations found that the X-ray source in PKS 2251+11 is partially covered by the ionized absorbing medium. This absorber is most likely clumpy and could be composed by distinct clouds with a covering factor of around 90 percent. The distance of the absorbing medium from the supermassive black hole was estimated to be around 0.33 light years, however, it cannot be excluded that the absorber is located much farther, in the zone of the dusty torus. The researchers also detected an iron K-alpha emission line at 6.4 keV. The intensity of this emission showcases variability on timescales of hours. The scientists added that besides this feature, no other spectral parameters exhibit significant variability during the observational campaign. In concluding remarks, the authors of the paper noted that many questions remain about PKS 2251+11, like the origin of its jet. This is mainly due to the lack of information regarding the state of the very innermost disk and the spin of the galaxy's SMBH. However, the researchers note that the X-ray properties indicate that PKS 2251+11 does not differ significantly from the non-jetted AGNs. Explore further Bright X-ray galactic nuclei More information: Samuele Ronchini et al. X-ray analysis of the accreting supermassive black hole in the radio galaxy PKS 2251+11. arXiv:1903.06611 [astro-ph.HE]. Samuele Ronchini et al. X-ray analysis of the accreting supermassive black hole in the radio galaxy PKS 2251+11. arXiv:1903.06611 [astro-ph.HE]. arxiv.org/abs/1903.06611 2019 Science X Network Hong Kong Express is the city's sole budget carrier Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said on Wednesday it will buy budget airline HK Express for more than US$600 million as it moves to counter competition from the increasing number of low-cost carriers in the region. The move is its first foray into the budget sector and will leave Cathay controlling three of the four airlines at one of Asia's busiest airports at a time of huge growth in the region's air industry. It comes weeks after the carrier said it had swung back into the black in 2018 following two years of losses and will help ease concerns after an embarrassing data breach that dented the firm's reputation and could prove costly. "HK Express captures a unique market segment," Cathay said in a statement. "This represents an attractive and practical way for the Cathay Group to support the long-term development and growth of our aviation business and to enhance the competitiveness of the Hong Kong hub during a time of intense regional competition." Cathay will stump up HK$4.93 billion (US$628.15 million) for the airline in a deal that is expected to be completed by December, according to a filing announcement. The firm said it will continue to operate HK Express as a "standalone airline using the low-cost carrier business model". "The transaction is expected to generate synergies as the businesses and business models of Cathay Pacific and HKE are largely complementary," it added. Cathay shares rose almost three percent after the announcement but later retreated to end the day almost 2.5 percent lower at HK$13.34. HK Express is the city's sole budget carriera sector that premium-focused Cathay has struggled to compete against despite rivals such as Singapore Airlines making inroads years ago. 'Goodbye to its worst time' But analyst Dickie Wong of Kingston Securities said it is now rectifying its "shortcoming". "I think Cathay has said goodbye to its worst time when it lost money from fuel-hedging contracts, faced an unclear business outlook and competition with budget airlines," he added. Wong said the falling share price was "just a normal pullback after a recent gain". HK Express is owned by HNA Group, a struggling Chinese conglomerate that has been looking to lower its debt pile. The group also owns Hong Kong Airlines, another Cathay competitor that has found itself in financial difficulties in recent months. HK Express flies to several regional cities including in Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Thailand and Vietnam. Cathay has been overhauling its business after posting its first losses for eight years in 2016, firing more than 600 workers and paring overseas offices and crew stations as it faces stiff competition from budget rivals in China. It has also added international routes and better on-board services in a bid to compete with well-heeled Middle Eastern long-distance carriers. The overhaul appears to have paid off. Earlier this month Cathay Pacific announced a net profit of HK$2.35 billion last year, ending two successive annual losses. However, chairman John Slosar raised concerns about the strength of the US dollar, geopolitical uncertainty and global trade tensions, which he said could dampen passenger and cargo demand in the coming year. It is also potentially facing a big bill after admitting in October to a massive data breach five months after hackers made off with the information of 9.4 million customers, including some passport numbers and credit card details. UK-based law firm SPG Law has already launched a group action against the carrier over the breach to help customers seek compensation. Explore further Cathay Pacific to cut emissions with switch to biofuel 2019 AFP The yellow-tailed oriole is among the resident Colombian bird species. Credit: University of Delaware Coffee grown under a tree canopy is promoted as good habitat for birds, but recent University of Delaware research shows that some of these coffee farms may not be as friendly to our feathered friends as advertised. Working with geographer Robert Rice of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC), University of Delaware Professor of Entomology Doug Tallamy and former UD graduate student Desiree Narango studied canopy tree preference of birds in shade-coffee farms with a particular focus on the implications for migratory birds that spend the winter in neotropical coffee farms. The research was published in the journal Biotropica. Americans drink a lot of coffee64 percent of those aged 18 or over had at least one cup per day. That's more than 150 million people in the U.S. and we all know one cup is a light day for many of our friends and family. This incredible demand for coffee means a lot of land in tropical zones is used to grow coffee beans in neotropical countries like Colombia and Nicaragua (where the UD study took place). Across central and South America, land converted to coffee agriculture occupies more than five million hectares of what was once prime overwintering natural habitat for migratory birds. "Coffee grows right at the altitude that most of our neo-tropical migratory birds are spending the winter, particularly species that are losing one to two percent of their population every year like the cerulean warbler, Canada warbler and wood thrush," said Tallamy. "A lot of this land has been leveled for coffee farms." Then UD undergraduate now alumna Kerry Snyder observes birds on a coffee farm. Credit: University of Delaware In these and other countries in the tropical zone, forests are being cut down and turned into ecological deserts at an alarming rate. In traditional coffee agriculture, farmers clear-cut an area, remove all trees, and plant coffee plants in direct sun. In that case, the cultivated area provides almost no habitat for species of birds and insects. An alternative method for growing coffee is shade-grown coffee. The beans are grown in the shade of a mature tree canopy, which can also provide ecosystem services for the farmer (like shade) as well as habitat for local wildlife. "Sun coffee produces more yield, but is not as sustainable," said Narango, who now works for Advanced Science Research Center at City University of New York and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "Shade-coffee farms can produce just as high quality coffee beans as the direct sun approach and with added benefits for people and wildlife. First, it's more comfortable for the workers. Second, the tree canopy protects the coffee. Third, it provides critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife." Important to note, the insects that are attracted to these trees (and attract the birds to forage) do not pose a threat to coffee plants because they don't feed on them. Most coffee farms are still sun-grown. Fortunately, some farmers have gone to the shade-coffee route. They can earn a Bird Friendly coffee certification from the Smithsonian through a combination of foliage cover, tree height and biodiversity to provide quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. SMBC has advocated the use of shade trees in coffee systems since the 1990s, when Smithsonian staff discovered the habitat quality of such systems in southern Mexico. But, until now, no one asked an overlooked question. Which types of trees are bird friendly? Tallamy's short answer: Non-native, exotic trees do little to nothing for birds and the insects they feast on, but certain native plants do wonders. Former UD graduate student Desiree Narango now works for Advanced Science Research Center at City University of New York and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Credit: University of Delaware "The research all started here in Delaware when we realized how different plants are in producing food that drives bird populations," said Tallamy, who conducted previous research with Narango and SMBC on non-native plants on bird populations. The Smithsonian's Rice added, "We had yet to understand which trees actually provide the better food resources in terms of insects for birds. Doug Tallamy has researched the association of tree species and the insects that make a living on them in the U.S. After talking with Doug, we thought that investigating that association within the shade-coffee systems would yield valuable insight as to which trees are the most beneficial for birds. Diverse, native trees act very much like local forest and do so with the economic advantage of having coffee produced beneath the shade canopy." The researchers quantified bird foraging activity on 22 tree species in two coffee farms. Specifically, they used timed observations to determine tree preferences, foraging bird abundance, foraging time and species richness of birds using each canopy tree species. Results indicate that birds do not forage randomly, and instead exhibit preferences for particular native tree species, especially legumes. The UD-Smithsonian findings indicate that coffee farms can serve as habitat refuge for wildlife, evidence that agroforestry land can be improved for birds of conservation concern by prioritizing canopy tree species that not only help birds, but also farm productivity. "Farmers often select tree species that are beneficial to them and produce other products to sell in addition to coffee," said Narango. "Some farms might prioritize walnut trees because they produce lumber or mango trees to produce fruit. There are so many choices. The goal of this project was to get more information to help farmers make that decision." A native leguminuous canopy tree on a coffee farm can help farmers, coffee drinkers, birds and insects. Credit: University of Delaware In an effort to get dual crops out of the land, eucalyptus trees are another popular choice as they are a great source of lumber. But these trees are native to Australia, not central and South America. And these non-natives trees don't jive with local insects in these critical migratory bird zones. "A very common scenario on these farms is to have eucalyptus, pine, mango and citrus," Tallamy said. "All of these are non-native trees that support few insectscritical food for birdsor not nearly enough insects to make a difference. If you have a substantial amount of land with non-native plants, we're not helping the birds at all. Biodiversity-wise, it's a real scourge." So farms with these non-native trees would not get certified as bird friendly, but are still growing shade-coffee. "The public reads shade-coffee and thinks it's automatically bird friendly. That's not necessarily the case," said Tallamy. "But the growers don't know. It's not that they are trying to pull a fast one. They think insects are everywhere. They don't know that the type of plant matters, so of course they use the plant that produces the highest amount of income. We can now correct that misinformation." Then UD undergraduate now alumna Kerry Snyder and Professor of Entomology Doug Tallamy stand in front of a central American coffee farm. Credit: University of Delaware Attracting birds could also serve as a boon to coffee production because birds attracted to the canopy trees can also protect the coffee crop by providing pest control. The plants that tended to be highly preferred, native legumes, also simultaneously provide nitrogen to the coffee crops increasing production. "The preferred tree species for birds' foraging tended to be native, which makes sense from an evolutionary point of view," Rice said. "Insects have co-evolved with native trees over millennia, so our findings that birds preferred the native species, while not surprising, is clearly confirming. Our challenge for future studies will be to determine which trees are providing the greatest diversity and abundance of insects." SMBC's long-term relationship with coffee producers throughout Latin America positioned the researchers well to help find the countries and regions within countries to conduct this research. With funding from the Disney Conservation Fund, Rice found local collaborators in Colombia and Nicaragua. The study points strongly to the recently publicized topic of global insect decline. When host plants are provided, coffee farms can support lots of butterfly diversity like the banded peacock butterfly in Nicaragua. Credit: University of Delaware "The decline is not new. What's new is that the public is beginning to recognize it. People are writing about it. They write about climate change, pesticides, and habitat loss, but they aren't being specific enough," Tallamy said. "The fact that humans are taking away the plants that allow insects to thrive and replacing them with plants that do not is something that has not been mentioned in any articles. Habitat is not just a location to live; it's the food that you eat. Insects need particular plants. Taking those plants away is, in my opinion, a major cause of insect decline, which is what we are going to study next." Undergraduate research opportunity Wildlife ecology and conservation major Kerry Snyder, who graduated in 2015, is also a co-author on the research paper. As a UD junior, she began working on undergraduate research with Tallamy and formed her honors thesis around the topic. Nymphalid butterfly caterpillars found on a Nicaraguan coffee farm provide food for birds. Credit: University of Delaware "Research gave me an opportunity to travel abroad and learn how environmental problems affect farmers in Central America. In addition to the technical experience the work gave me, set me up well for my assignment in the Peace Corps," said Snyder, who studied for two summer sessions under Tallamy and works for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. "Doing research allowed me to connect what I was learning in the classroom with real environmental conservation issues and allowed me to learn about the importance of coffee certification programs. It would have been impossible to take a class that would have taught me everything I learned through this experience." She was able to secure funding from the Delaware Environmental Institute's Environmental Scholar Program to cover travel expenses. UD is known for a high number of undergraduate research opportunities compared to other universities. Explore further Researchers show how coffee growers can optimize profits, sustainably More information: Canopy tree preference by insectivorous birds in shadecoffee farms: Implications for migratory bird conservation, Biotropica (2019). Journal information: Biotropica Canopy tree preference by insectivorous birds in shadecoffee farms: Implications for migratory bird conservation,(2019). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/btp.12642 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, and hybrid offspring are fertile. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich biologists now show that the two forms have remained distinct largely owing to the dominant role of plumage color in mate choice. Crows have divided Europe between them. Western Europe is the realm of the soot-black carrion crow, while the eastern half of the continent is home to the hooded crow, with its grayish black plumage. The boundary between the two populationsor more precisely, the hybrid zone where the two meetis only 20 to 50 km wide, and in Germany, it essentially follows the course of the River Elbe. This is the only stretch of territory in which both of these species are found and successfully mate with each other. The plumage of the fertile offspring of these pairings is intermediate in color between those of their parents. The sharp demarcation between the two populations, however, clearly indicates that gene flow across the hybrid zone is restricted, which implies that hybrids are at a selective disadvantage. "Defining speciation as the buildup of reproductive isolation, carrion crows and hooded crows are in the process of speciation," says LMU evolutionary biologist Jochen Wolf. He and his research team have now analyzed the genetic basis for the division of European crows into two populations. Indeed, the results of the study demonstrate that the old saying "birds of a feather flock together" really does apply in this instance: The only genes that differ significantly between the two variants are those involved in determining the color of the plumage. This suggests that each form preferentially mates with partners of the same color as themselves. The new findings appear in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. Europe's crows once formed a single population. This is thought to have been broken up repeatedly during the last glacial maxima over the last tens to hundreds of thousand years ago, during which the crows retreated from Central Europe to milder refuges in Spain and the Balkans. At the end of the last Ice Age, they returned to their old haunts. But they had changed during the period of their isolation. "Most probably, a mutation had arisen in the easterly population, which endowed its carriers with a lighter colored, gray plumage," says Wolf. Then carrion and hooded crows came into contact once again and formed a narrow hybrid zone. However, the genetic mechanisms responsible for maintaining the distinction between the two populations have remained unclear. In order to identify these mechanisms, Wolf and his colleagues first sequenced the genomes of both carrion crows and hooded crows. "We found that the genomes of both forms are almost identical, and that the few genetic loci that differentiate gray from black crows are likely to be involved in determining the color of their plumage," Wolf says. "We have now carried out a more detailed analysis and determined the degree of genetic mixing between the two populations. Using a technique known as admixture mapping, we pinned down the genetic basis of their divergence." To do so, his team examined the variant loci in the genomes of more than 400 birdsfrom within the hybrid zone and from the regions in which one or other of the two forms is endemic. In this way, it was possible to identify the genes responsible for the difference in coloration between hooded and carrion crows. "The distinction can largely be explained by variation in just two genetic factors. In addition, we showed that these two loci interact with each other," Wolf explains. In other words, these two factors together determine the color of the plumage. Further analyses confirmed that the rest of the genome can be freely exchanged between the two populationsand is common to carrion crows in Western Europe and the hooded crows in the eastern half of the continent. "Only two major effect genes which together encode the feather color differ sharply on either side of the hybrid zonethe gray alleles are not found to the west of the zone and the black allele is absent in the eastern region," says Wolf. "That's a very strong indication that there is rigorous selection on the basis of color." According to the authors of the study, these findings convincingly show that the hybrid zone along the Elbe represents an example of early-stage speciation followed upon secondary contact between the two emerging species. The classical biological definition of species, which is based on the concept of reproductive isolation, i.e. on the premise that the hybrid offspring of crosses between 'true' species are sterile, obviously does not apply in this case. Nevertheless, gene flow is locally restricted in the genome, because each form preferentially mates with individuals of the same color. This means that hybrids with an intermediate color are less likely to reproduce. But the two populations are not yet fully isolated genetically from each other, since hybridization still occurs. "We are now using a mathematical model to work out the level of hybridization in the hybrid zone as it now stands," says Wolf. "The initial indications suggest that it is very low, on the order of a few percentage points." Explore further The genes tell crows to choose partners that look alike More information: Ulrich Knief et al. Epistatic mutations under divergent selection govern phenotypic variation in the crow hybrid zone, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2019). Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Ulrich Knief et al. Epistatic mutations under divergent selection govern phenotypic variation in the crow hybrid zone,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0847-9 A portrait of the night sky taken from Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile showing the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (upper and center left, respectively) with the Blanco 4-m telescope (lower right). The Blanco hosts the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which was used to obtain the SMASH survey images of the Magellanic Clouds used by the Local Group Cluster Search. Inset images zoom in on three star-forming regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud as seen in SMASH survey images, showing strong emission from hot gas that surrounds newborn young massive stars. Credit: Anja von der Linden / Stony Brook University; Inset: SMASH survey Caught in a cosmic dance, our nearest neighbor galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, are cartwheeling and circling each other as they fall toward our galaxy, the Milky Way. The gravitational interaction between the Clouds sparks cosmic fireworksbursts of star formation as new clusters of stars flame on. How many and what kind of star clusters have been born this way over the history of the Clouds? A new project, the Local Group Cluster Search, invites citizen scientists to help find out! Our Nearest Galactic Neighbors Close enough to see with the naked eye when viewed from the southern hemisphere, the Magellanic Clouds have interacted in multiple close encounters over the past 2 billion years. During the encounters, gravitational forces push and pull on gas in the Clouds, sparking the formation of many new star clusters"families" of hundreds to millions of starseach formed from a single cloud of gas and dust. These clusters are useful to astronomers because they can be age-dated with great precision and used to reconstruct a historical record of star formation. By counting the number of clusters as a function of age, astronomers can back out the birthrate of clusters and chart the interaction history of the Clouds. A new citizen science project, the Local Group Cluster Search, aims to do just that by coupling new, high-quality images of the Magellanic Clouds with a proven technique to find star clusters. SMASHingly Good Images The Local Group Cluster Search uses images from a new survey, the "Survey of the Magellanic Stellar History" (or SMASH for short). A gallery of Magellanic Clouds star clusters, as seen in images from the SMASH survey. Star clusters span a wide range in size and brightness which vary depending on the age and mass of the cluster. Credit: L.C. Johnson / Northwestern University In contrast to the earliest studies of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds, which used images captured on glass photographic plates, SMASH was carried out using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), a 570-megapixel digital camera on the Blanco 4-m telescope at National Science Foundation's (NSF) Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Using DECam, astronomers obtained images that not only cover the full extent of the two galaxies but also are more sensitive to faint stars than any previous wide-field optical survey of the Clouds. Explaining the challenge of surveying the Clouds, David Nidever, an astronomer at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and Montana State University who leads the SMASH survey, said, "The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are huge on the sky, covering more than 100 square degreesan area larger than 500 full Moons!" While it would take tens of thousands of tiled images from the Hubble Space Telescope's largest camera to image the full sky area of the Clouds, DECam surveyed the main bodies of both Clouds with its immense field of view in fewer than 50 images. Human Eye Still the Best! Hosted by the Zooniverse online citizen science platform, the Local Group Cluster Search asks volunteers to examine small portions of the SMASH images and identify star clusters by eye. Citizen science searches are a great way to catalog clusters, even in today's age of machine learning and artificial intelligence, because the human brain is highly skilled at pattern recognition. Cliff Johnson, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University who leads the citizen science project, said, "While computer-based methods continue to improve, the varying backgrounds and appearance of star clusters in images of nearby galaxies make cluster identification difficult to automate. Algorithmic cluster searches have trouble eliminating false detections due to chance groupings of stars, while human-classified catalogs provide a reliable sample of clusters down to very faint brightness levels." A screenshot of the Local Group Cluster Search website interface, showing three star clusters correctly identified. When citizen scientists visit the project page, hosted by the Zooniverse, they are asked to mark the locations of star clusters on images. Credit: L.C. Johnson / Northwestern University Building on Past Success Volunteer-led star cluster identification has a proven track record of success. In the earlier "Andromeda Project," citizen scientists identified 2,753 star clusters in the Andromeda galaxy. The results revealed that cluster formation varies with galactic environment. Through the Local Group Cluster Search, citizen scientists also recently completed a study of the Triangulum galaxy, identifying thousands of star clusters. With cluster censuses of Andromeda and Triangulum complete, the search now turns to the Magellanic Clouds, the only nearby galaxies yet to be searched by citizen scientists. What will the search reveal about the interaction history of our closest neighbors? Stay tuned! Join the search by visiting the project website at clustersearch.org . A blog post on the cluster search in the Triangulum galaxy is available here: clustersearch.wordpress.com/20 collection-complete/ Explore further Magellanic clouds duo may have been a trio The citizens of Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regional members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) commiserate with the bereaved families of the Kintampo tragic accident victims for their losses. In a statement copied to peacefmonline.com said; BAPAC is solidly behind the National Road Safety Commission in its effort to pragmatically deal with the carnage on our roads. They have therefore recommended some measures to help solve road accident which includes Installing Speed Cameras on our Highways to track over-speeding drivers. Read full statements below; PRESS STATEMENT OF THE BONO, BONO-EAST AND AHAFO PATRIOTIC CAUCUS (BAPAC) ON THE RECENT ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN GHANA Citizens of Bono, Bono-East and Ahafo Regions who are Members of the New Patriotic Party resident in Accra (BAPAC) wish to extend their condolences to the Families and Loved ones of the victims of the road carnage on the Kintampo-Techiman Road and that of the Central Region. As we mourn the dead, BAPAC wishes to state that more effective measures need to implemented to drastically reduce the avoidable deaths on our Ghanaian Roads. As a Nation, we should not always wait until precious lives are lost before action is taken. BAPAC is solidly behind the National Road Safety Commission in its effort to pragmatically deal with the carnage on our roads. BAPAC recommends the following measures among others: 1. Intensifying Education on Road Safety 2. Overhaul the system of the issuance of Driving Licenses to ensure that only those who qualify to receive Licenses get them. 3. Installing Speed Cameras on our Highways to track oversleeping drivers. 4. Ensuring severe punishment for reckless driving 5. Ensuring that long distance vehicles ply our roads with two drivers at a time to ensure that overtired drivers could take some rest whilst other take over. 6. Ensuring that all Commercial Vehicles have more than one Exit Door. This is to ensure easy and faster exit of passengers in case of emergencies. 7. Adequate Budgetary Allocation is given to the National Road Safety Commission and other Road Safety Institutions to facilitate the implementation of planned road safety measures. Enough is enough of Road Traffic Accidents in Ghana. We should walk our talk by taking appropriate actions. Human lives are too precious to be lost the way we continue to witness on our Roads. Dr Yao Yeboah National Chairman of BAPAC Tel 0243-581014 Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected] 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 Credit: Australian National University A new study has found two critically endangered bird species feared to be near extinction on King Island in the Bass Strait are not only still alive, but their populations may be larger than previously thought. Lead researcher from The Australian National University (ANU) Dr. Matthew Webb says very little is known about the King Island scrubtit and brown thornbill. Previous attempts to study the species have been hindered by the challenging, leech-infested terrain on King Island. "Every sighting provides us with critical information to improve management approaches," Dr. Webb said. "I am excited because our new methods revealed that thornbill and scrubtit populations are larger than previously thought." The rare brownish birds are about the size of a ping pong ball, making them even more difficult to spot in the dense, swamp forests. Scientists from ANU teamed up with Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management (Cradle Coast NRM), BirdLife Australia, Tasmanian Government and the Cradle Coast Authority, to conduct the first large-scale survey of the island's swamps and forests for the tiny birds. The scientists looked for birds across the island, conducting more than 600 bird surveys over a three-week period. Using a new survey method developed to target the birds, the researchers were able to gather detailed information about where both species live on the island. Credit: Australian National University "Across the island, we found scrubtits at more than 60 different sites, and thornbills at more than 20 sites. We even detected brown thornbills on private land away from the only previously known population," Dr. Webb said. The expansion of the known range of the brown thornbill is a breakthrough, as it had been assumed the birds were confined to one forest patch. The number of sites where the species were detected has provided hope that populations of both species are larger than previously thought. "We are very excited to hear that thornbills occur in more than one place" said Anna Wind, Coastal Coordinator, Cradle Coast NRM. "This survey has been instrumental in identifying new and existing populations of these threatened birds. We can now work with landowners to protect and enhance habitat to preserve these important species." It is hoped that the new methods developed by the team can be expanded to find more birds elsewhere on the island. "These birds are part of King Island's unique natural heritage, and we are thrilled we've discovered a new, efficient way to find them," said Dr. Jenny Lau from BirdLife Australia. "In June, the King Island community will host a workshop to plan for these birds' recovery and the results of this survey will ensure conservation efforts can be targeted at the right places." Tasmanian Environment Minister Elise Archer has welcomed the discoveries. "We are delighted to have funded such important research and I look forward to receiving the full report in the coming months." Explore further Possible Oahu populations offer new hope for Hawaiian seabirds Left: Schematics of two kinds of DC cloaking. a) Conventional cloaking and b) remote cloaking. Right: The schematic of the transformation applied. (a) Meshes for the virtual space with background media. (b) Meshes for the physical space after defined multi-folded transformation. (c) The schematic of the transformation from the conventional square cloak to the remote cloak. Credit: Light: Science & Applications, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0141-2 The ability to hide an arbitrary object with a cloak at a distance from the object is a unique task in photonics research, although the phenomenon is yet to be realized in practice. In a recent study now published in Light: Science & Applications, Tianhang Chen and co-workers at the Key laboratory of Micro-Nano Electronics and Smart Systems, and the State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation in China proposed the first experimental realization of a remote cloaking device. The device can make any object located at a specific distance invisible using a direct current (DC) frequency. They included a negative resistor network with active elements to achieve remote function of the DC cloak. Based on the network, Chen et al. were able to remotely generate a hidden region using the cloak, without distorting currents far from the cloaked region, so that the object could continue to interact with its environment. The work showed that any object in the hidden region was invisible to a DC detector and the cloak did not require prior knowledge of the object allowing it to hide an arbitrary object. The scientists showed the superiority of the remote cloaking device for potential future applications in medical or geologic research. Transformation optics can be used to engineer a cloak that guides electromagnetic waves to bypass the cloaked region without any disturbance. Previous research on cloaks and illusion devices involved enclosing the device, preventing its interaction with the external environment, as well. To solve this problem, scientists proposed a remote cloak that could hide an object from a distance, based on the concept of an 'anti-object,' where scattering of the hidden object was cancelled by the 'anti-object.' The results were obtained at a distance, while the hidden object kept space continuity with the background environment. However, this 'anti-object' cloak was only designed for a hidden object with known dimensions or parameters, therefore, small changes in object size, shape and its position deteriorated the exact restoration of the incident field. The 'anti-object' cannot therefore hide arbitrary objects as a conventional cloak can. Simulated potential distribution with currents flowing from a point source in three different cases. a) A homogeneous and isotropic background only, b) a circular insulator as a hidden object, and c) a hidden object with a remote cloak. d) The electric potential on the line y = x 0.45(m). The purple circles and the orange dashed line represent the cloaking and background cases, respectively, while the red line is for the case of the object only. Credit: Light: Science & Applications, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0141-2 To overcome this limitation, scientists previously proposed a multifold transformation optics method to design remote cloaking to hide objects of arbitrary shapes. Yet, such designs required double-negative materials that are very difficult to realize. As a result, remotely hiding arbitrary objects is still at a conceptual stage and remains to be experimentally demonstrated. In the present study, Chen et al. proposed the first experimental realization of a remote cloaking device to hide an arbitrary object with a cloak using direct current frequency. They designed the remote DC cloaking device with multi-folded transformation optics and realized a negative resistor network with active elements to play an important role to implement remote function of the DC cloak. The cloak could remotely generate a hidden region without distorting the current. The scientists showed how different objects in the hidden region were invisible. In the experimental setup, Chen et al. compared two kinds of cloaking; including a closed, conventional cloak and remote cloaking at DC frequency. A remote cloak could be constructed with one element or with several elements, and the study used two elements as an example. The scientists first transformed the free space into a square cloak, followed by a second transformation to fold the square cloak to open it. The hidden region in the present work still retained space continuity with the background environment, while completely insulated from outside current fields, enabling any arbitrary static object in the hidden region to freely move inside the region while remaining invisible. The phenomenon reported by Chen et al. differed completely from previous DC cloaks, where the cloak performance depended on the shape and conductivity of the hidden object. Simulated equipotential line patterns under different hidden objects or positions. The center object with a square insulator, b circular conductor, and c when the source is placed at a different location. Credit: Light: Science & Applications, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0141-2 The scientists performed simulations of the cloak with the finite element method analysis using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The simulated current flowed from the point source through the cloak. Chen et al. used a steady current-source at the top right corner of the simulation and simulated the potential distribution where current flowed from a point source in three different scenarios. To verify the object-independent performance of the cloak, Chen et al. tested two additional hidden objects; a square insulator and a circular conductor. They measured the electric potential compared with the cases of the background and object alone, for excellent agreement between the two; indicating that the cloaking performance was independent of the size and shape of the object. Left: Schematic of the effective negative media (resistor). a) Ideal negative resistor. b) Equivalent negative resistor by applying the impedance match module. c) Simplified two-source module. Right: The circuit design of negative media at direct current frequency. (a) The schematic of the voltage-follower based bleeder circuit array. (b) The fabricated PCB (printed circuit board) sub circuit with 31 legs of equivalent negative resistors. Credit: Light: Science & Applications, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0141-2. To demonstrate the omnidirectional effect of the remote cloak, Chen et al simulated the steady current-source in a different position relative to the cloak, and the cloaking device still worked as expected. However, they showed that when the distance between the cloak and the object increased, the cloak involved more negative parameters. Accordingly, the computational complexity and memory consumption also increased in the simulation. In total, the simulations generated in the study provided an example to verify the concept of the remote cloak. To experimentally demonstrate the concept, Chen et al. designed and fabricated the remote cloak sample. The cloak required anisotropic and negative conductivity to realize the complex media. The scientists used "mesh-based" transformation optics to design anisotropic conductivity, while using a negative medium with active elements to design negative conductivity. They observed that the DC negative conductivity material provided potential 'rise' when the current traversed the material. At DC frequency, the resistor and source could be combined and simplified to a single source with a power supply. To practically realize such effective negative media, the scientists provided the required electric potential with a voltage follower. To practically implement the experiments, they applied four circuit boards to fulfill the negative resistors. a) Experiment set-up. bd) The measured potential distributions in experiments when currents flow from a point source through the remote cloak with three different objects: b circular insulator, c) circular conductor (perfect electrical conductor, PEC), and d) square insulator. e) The measured electric potential on the line y = x(m) compared with a no-object background. The circle, triangle, and square dashed lines are for the three cloaking cases, respectively. Credit: Light: Science & Applications, doi: 10.1038/s41377-019-0141-2. To verify the device performance, the scientists fabricated the whole circuit board at a size of 60 x 60 cm and achieved the required electric conductivity with surface mounted device (SMD) resistors. They then designed the negative media, cloaked object and boundary matching with independent circuit boards separated from the main board for ease of replacement. The scientists measured the results for three different hidden objects, including a circular conductor and square insulator. In the results, the equipotential lines appeared "round" as if nothing was there, to indicate the experimental design worked appropriately in practice. The outcome was possible since the experimental setup cancelled the distortion caused by the different hidden objects to indicate good cloaking functionality. The outcome was further strengthened when Chen et al. analyzed the electric potential decay from the source for the three experiments, where the results agreed well with the no-object background. The performance of the proposed remote cloak was independent of the object. In this way, Chen et al. experimentally demonstrated a remote cloak that worked for arbitrary objects at a distance using DC frequency for the first time. Since the electronic components they used were DC static elements, the cloak was much more stable than those engineered with high frequencies. Most importantly, the cloak was able to guide electric currents around a hidden object with the help of active elements as the object maintained physical connection to its environment. For instance, such arbitrary objects can be buried underground with a cloaking device deployed on the object at a distance for its invisibility under geologic current sensors for applications in geologic research. In addition, the cloak can have potential applications in medicine to prevent interference to devices implanted in vivo. Explore further One size cloaks all 2019 Science X Network Then Attorney-General Nicola Roxon and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek after the High Court rejected the legal challenge by tobacco companies to plain packaging laws, August 15, 2012. Credit: LUKAS COCH/AAP Australia scored a victory over the tobacco giant Philip Morris in the High Court in 2012. The court held that Australia's plain cigarette packaging laws were legal and did not constitute an unjust confiscation of trademarks and intellectual property. Philip Morris had to pay all of Australia's costs. If it had been an Australian company, that's where it would have ended. But because of a once obscure but increasingly common class of provisions in international treaties known as an ISDS (remember that name) it tried again. ISDS actions are costly ISDS or investor-state dispute settlement clauses give to foreign companies rights unavailable to local companies. They get to claim billions in compensation through an extraterritorial tribunal if they believe their rights have been infringed on even after losing in Australia's highest court. Philip Morris, a US company, moved ownership of its Australian operations to Hong Kong to take advantage of ISDS in an Australia-Hong Kong investment treaty. The case made headlines around the world, in part because it scared other countries out of following Australia's plain packaging law and being on the hook for massive compensation and legal fees if they lost. In December 2015 Australia won, completely. The tribunal decided said that Philip Morris was not a Hong Kong company and had moved ownership of its Australian operations to Hong Kong in order to take advantage of the ISDS provision. And that's where things rested until late last month when a half a decade later a freedom of information request revealed how much Australia's win cost it. Australia's external legal fees and arbitration costs amounted to almost A$24 million. It is likely to have had to bear substantial internal costs in the departments of health, attorney generals and foreign affairs and trade on top of the A$24 million. Even though Philip Morris had its case thrown out on the grounds that it was an abuse of process, it will only have to pay half of Australia's costs. even if you win There are now 942 known ISDS cases, with increasing numbers against health and environment laws, including laws to address climate change. Australia's tobacco plain packaging laws were recommended by the World Health Organisation and designed to reduce the numbers of young people becoming new smokers. Research showed that young people were attracted to the glamorous images on the packaging, and that plain packaging could reduce the attraction. The tobacco plain packaging law was passed with bipartisan support in 2011. The tobacco companies responded with a barrage of strategies to obstruct the law. They claimed billions of dollars of compensation in the High Court, and helped other governments take a dispute with Australia in the World Trade Organisation. Australia versus Philip Morris. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) February 2015. And they are secretive Until now the loss in the tribunal set up under ISDS provisions has been a secret. It was blacked out in the publication of the original costs decision in 2017. ISDS tribunals have notoriously lower standards of transparency than national courts but costs figures have been published in other ISDS cases. The refusal to reveal them was a new low in secrecy. Community organisations argued that taxpayers had the right to know. The first FOI case to reveal the costs, launched by Senator Nick Xenophon and continued by Senator Rex Patrick, resulted in the Australian government releasing internal government figures in 2018 which showed invoices for external legal costs of A$39 million. The government later claimed the A$39 million covered the ISDS case, the earlier High Court challenge and the World Trade Organisation case. It refused to reveal the specific ISDS legal costs and what percentage of the total costs had been awarded to Australia. The most recent FOI case on the ISDS costs, launched in 2017 by a legal publication, took another two years to reveal in February that the costs were almost $A24 million but Australian taxpayers were awarded only half of this. This decision reinforces the case against ISDS provisions. Australia could afford to defend the case, but A$12 million is still a loss to taxpayers that could have been spent on health or other community services. Other countries are phasing them out It is a cost poorer countries simply cannot afford. Uruguay was only able to defend its tobacco regulation against a Philip Morris ISDS case because the Bloomberg Foundation funded its legal costs. Faced with increasing numbers of ISDS cases, India, South Africa and Indonesia have cancelled ISDS arrangements without negative impacts on investment. The EU is excluding ISDS from its current deals, including the EU Australia FTA now being negotiated, but is pursuing longer-term but equally controversial proposals for a multilateral investment court. The US and Canada have excluded ISDS from the revised North America Free Trade Agreement. On Tuesday this week Australia and Hong Kong signed a free trade agreement and a new investment agreement, that will continue to include ISDS. The government claims that it has more safeguards for changes to public health laws than the old one that it replaces. It specifically excludes tobacco regulation and regulation relating to Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Gene Technology regulator. But the need for those specific exceptions suggests that the general safeguards for public interest regulations are ineffective. They wouldn't prevent cases being brought against Australia over energy or climate change regulations or changes in industrial relations laws. Australia should exclude ISDS from current trade negotiations, and remove it from existing agreements. The Coalition government still supports ISDS, but Labor has pledged to outlaw it and remove it from the deals we have, as have the Greens and Centre Alliance. It will take continued community pressure to ensure that actually happens if the government changes in the coming election. Explore further Fossil fuel era is ending, but the lawsuits are just beginning This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. In this May 15, 2013 file photo a traffic sign indicating a speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph) is pictured at the highway A59 close to Troisdorf, Germany. European Union officials have struck a provisional political deal to require new safety features on autos that would include technology to keep cars within legal speed limits. So-called intelligent speed assistance recognizes the prevailing speed laws on a stretch of road using mapping systems and limits engine power to help the driver avoid speeding. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP, file) The European Union is moving to require cars and trucks to have technology that would deter speeding as well as data recorders to document the circumstances of accidents. Those are among the safety features included in a provisional agreement announced Wednesday by the EU's executive commission. The package would force vehicles to have so-called intelligent speed assistance, which recognizes speed limits using mapping systems and help drivers observe them by restricting engine power. The driver can override the system by pushing harder on the gas pedal. Earlier versions of the measure envisioned a system that could not be overridden, but that was changed. The onboard data recorder would further deter speeding by registering the car's speed. "Every year 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads," said Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European Commissioner responsible for internal market and industry. "We can and must act to change this." The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-country EU, said that the features would be required on all vehicles on European roads from 2022. The other safety features would include systems to warn drivers if they seem drowsy and against distractions such as smartphone use. Cameras and sensors would be required to avoid accidents while backing up and to help keep a car in a lane. For cars and vans, the deal requires advanced emergency braking, which can detect obstacles and push the brake pedal if the driver does not responds in time. And another system would help bus and truck drivers avoid hitting cyclists in their so-called blind spots. Although properly adjusted mirrors should allow truck drivers to see to the side, Germany's transport ministry has pushed for the measure to reduce deaths of cyclists and pedestrians. Much of the technology already exists and is available on more expensive cars. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association welcomed the EU's agreement but said vehicle technology needed to be supplemented with better road infrastructure and measures to encourage safer driver behavior. "This challenging piece of legislation will no doubt be instrumental in further improving road safety - something all auto makers are fully committed to," said ACEA Secretary General Erik Jonnaert. "At the same time vehicle technology alone will not be sufficient. For maximum effect, policy makers must now push for a fully integrated approach to road safety; combining vehicle technology with better road infrastructure and safer driver behavior." The association warned in December that intelligent speed assistance should be introduced only gradually. It said the technology was hampered by too many false readings due to out-of-date maps and poor sign visibility. The measures announced Wednesday were agreed on in negotiations between European national governments, the commission, and the European parliament. The provision political agreement is subject to formal approval by the European parliament and EU leaders. Explore further EU officials approve speed limit technology for autos 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Before dawn on March 24, 1989, Dan Lawn stepped off of a small boat and onto the boarding ladder dangling from the side of the grounded Exxon Valdez oil tanker. As he made the crossover, he peered down into the water of Prince William Sound, and saw, in the glare of the lights, an ugly spectacle he would never forget. "There was a 3-foot wave of oil boiling out from under the ship, recalls Lawn, who was then a Valdez-based Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation employee helping to watchdog the oil industry. "You couldn't do anything to stop it." Lawn was one of the first responders to reach the 986-footlong Exxon Valdez after it went off course and punctured its hull on Bligh Reef in a debacle that marked its 30th anniversary Sunday. Lawn spent a long day on board assessing the damage as oil gushed out. There would be no quick and coordinated spill response to slow the spread. Some 11 million gallons of crude would leak out of the Exxon Valdez in what was then the largest oil spill in U.S. history, and one that Lawn had long warned could happen. Eventually, the oil would foul parts of 1,300 miles of coastline, killing marine life ranging from microscopic planktons to orcas in an accident that would change how the maritime oil transportation industry does business in Alaska, and to a lesser extent, elsewhere in the world. Today, due to changes to U.S. law and international regulations, all oil tankers traversing the oceans are double-hulled, unlike the more breech-prone single hull of the Exxon Valdez. This significantly reduces but does not eliminate the risk of spills, as was demonstrated last year when a double-hulled Iranian tanker exploded and leaked fuel oil after crashing into a freighter in the South China Sea. In Washington state, the Legislature overhauled oil-spill laws in the years after the Exxon Valdez. The state is a regional refining hub, with more than 9.45 billion gallons of petroleum products traveling over water annually. The lawmakers' actions enabled the state Department of Ecology to strengthen prevention and response efforts. All barges carrying oilas well as oil tankersmust have double bottoms. Another requirement is for a rescue tug to be stationed at Neah Bay to respond to vessels in distress. The volume of oil that tankers carry through Washington waters could increase dramatically in the years ahead. That's because Canada is poised to approve a tripling of capacity in the TransMountain Pipeline so that bitumen processed from interior oil sands can be exported from British Columbia to global markets. The threat of massive spills does not only come from tankers. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion that killed 11 workers led to an oil spill of 168 million gallonsdwarfing the amount released by the Exxon Valdez. "If there is a single lesson we have learned, it's that we have to do everything possible to prevent all sorts of scenarios that could lead to a catastrophic spill," said Rick Steiner, a marine conservationist whoat the time of the Exxon Valdez spillwas employed by the University of Alaska in the Prince William Sound community of Cordova. Before the Exxon Valdez, Steiner and Lawn were outspoken critics of the Alaska oil industry's preparation for a potential spill by the tankers that ferried Alaska North Slope crude to refiners in Washington and elsewhere in the United States. Steiner networked with Prince William Sound fishermen who believed the oil industry had reneged on safety measures, and a disaster was all but inevitable. He pushed, unsuccessfully, for the creation of a citizen oversight council to prod the oil industry to ramp up safety measures. It was founded after the spill. Meanwhile, Lawn sounded the alarm within the ranks of the state Department of Environmental Conservation. He said the equipment outlined in a response plan by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, an oil industry consortium, was not readily available. Even if it could be accessed, it would fall far short of what was needed. "The managers were told that, but they didn't want to hear it," said Lawn, who is now retired and divides his time between Kirkland, Washington, and Valdez, a Prince William Sound town where tankers load up with oil that arrives through the trans-Alaska pipeline. When the accident happened, there was far too little response equipment, and some of it was buried in snow. For three days, relatively calm weather prevailed. The oil lay thick around the vessel, offering a crucial window of time for action. Then came a storm that scattered the oil, splattering coastlines to the west and south. For four years, crews embarked on a $2.1 billion cleanup that left behind crude that still can be detected on some stretches of the Prince William Sound shoreline. Up to 10,000 workers were employed in the cleanup, and 1,000 boats. One line of an attack was using hot water on the beaches, but that was stopped when it was found to cook marine life, do more harm than good, according to research cited by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. Amid the oil slicks in the water, killer whales surfaced to breathe. Among a resident pod of 36 whales in the area, 14 had disappeared by 1990, according to the Trustee Council. Over the long term, a transient whale pod that also frequented Prince William Sound fared the worst. Before the spill, the pod had 22 whales. Since then, the pod has declined to seven whales, and there have been no new calves born Craig Matkin, a researcher for the nonprofit Gulf Watch Alaska, has monitored the whales since 1984. He said the transient whales, which eat seals, were probably the most heavily affected by the spill because they not only breathed the fumes and oil, but also ate oiled prey. That pod appears doomed. "I give them maybe a 2 percent chance (of survival). It is so sad," Matkin said. Three decades after the spill, Alyeska and the oil companiesunder pressure from the state of Alaskahave greatly expanded measures to prevent spills. Two escort tugs, for example, accompany every oil laden tanker that motors through Prince William Sound. If needed, they can steer the tanker, counter any unwanted move or take it under tow. If oil should escape a tanker, Alyeska has more than 40 miles of boom, compared with five in 1989. Alyeska has 140 skimmers, compared with 13 back then, and the newer models operate much more efficiently, capturing less water. The capacity to store cleaned up oil with barges or other floating equipment is more than 50 times greater than at the time of the spill. "The technology has changed immensely," said Andres Morales, Alyeska's director of emergency preparedness. "And there are about 300 people dedicated to preventing and responding to spills." Still, the Prince Williams Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, the oversight group set up after the spill, continues to have concerns, which include a continued "response gap." Studies funded through the council found it "still is not possible to effectively clean up an oil spill during the strong winds and waves in which tankers are allowed to transport oil," according to a council statement. In Washington, a network of contractors trains to respond to spills under response plans that have been approved by state regulators. The biggest tanker vessels must have redundant operating systems, as well as tugboat escorts once they come in from the ocean to the trans-boundary waters of the U.S. and Canada in the Salish Sea. The Legislature is considering ESHB 1578 to extend the protection of an escort tug to smaller vessels carrying oil through the Rosario Strait from Canada to Washington refineries at Cherry Point and Tacoma, including tug-pulled barges. The bill would also authorize research toward eventually providing the same protection for the Haro Strait, a crucial summer feeding area for the southern residents orcas pod, which are struggling and listed under the federal Endangered Species Act and would be further imperiled by an oil spill. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, have practiced drills to try to herd orca whales away from oil in the event of a spill by banging on pipes underwater, making loud noise. Other ideas include hazing the whales with seal bombsunderwater explosivesand helicopters. Canada's regulations on oil spills are not as strict as those in the U.S., said Dale Jensen, program manager at the Washington State Department of Ecology's office of spills response and preparedness. "We have never felt that Canada has been comparable to our capability on the Washington side," Jensen said. Conditions put on the TransMountain pipeline expansion project by Canada's National Energy Board to improve spill safety are impressive, Jensen said, "but none of those build outs will happen without the expansion being approved." "That is sort of disappointing to me; I would rather, regardless of whether approved or not, that they would make the investment to have the highest level of response." Explore further Groups: EPA has dragged heels on oil dispersant rules 2019 The Seattle Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The bald eagle is America's symbol, but 70 years ago it was nearly extinct. Once numbering as many as half a million, the population in the lower 48 states had been reduced to fewer than 1,000 by pesticides, hunting and destruction of habitat. Under the Endangered Species Act, bald eagles made a comeback. There are now some 70,000 across North America, including every state but Hawaii. That's the definition of success in recovery of an endangered species. But it's not one that the Interior Department wants to follow for another treasured American creature: the gray wolf. The federal government once promoted eradication of wolves, an effort that came close to happening. But after gaining protected status in 1973, they, too, rebounded. There are now about 6,000 in nine states. From the point of view of the Trump administrationand the Obama administration before itthat's good enough. These iconic predators once numbered in the millions and inhabited virtually the entire area of the lower 48. Today they exist in just a tenth of their historic range. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to remove them from the list of creatures deemed endangered or threatened. The change, which has already happened in much of the West, would mean loss of protection in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, which now have nearly 4,000 wolves. These states then could allow hunting, as all three did when wolves were temporarily delisted in 2012. Some 1,500 were killed. The same federal policy would apply in Washington, Oregon and California. Gray wolves effectively would be limited to where they are now present, rather than be allowed to spread beyond that range. Remember the bald eagles? Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told National Geographic, "We didn't declare them to be recovered until they were found in every state." Even afterward, hunting of the birds was not allowed. Wolves could easily expand their territory in the absence of human predation, but some people prefer to keep their numbers down and their range tightly restricted. Farmers and ranchers regard them as a threat to livestock. There are also hunters who love the idea of killing wolves as trophies. Most other Midwesterners, we'd bet, would prefer to avoid this unnecessary carnage. Taking away their federal protection in the Midwest is bound to mean a lot of slaughtered wolves. In Montana, 315 were killed in the hunting and trapping season that ended March 15. That's more than a third of the state's previous wolf population. The Midwest once had lots of wolves, and eventually lost nearly all of them. Bringing them back has been a major achievement. But we're not alone in thinking this part of the country would benefit from having more of these beastswhich Midwesterners have been known to travel to Yellowstone or Glacier National Park in hopes of glimpsing. Closer to home, some tourists trek to the wolflands of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin hoping for a photographor just a few howls. Allowing the wolves to expand their range and population would strengthen our tenuous connection to our wild past. Delisting them, however, would mean premature deathby exterminationfor a lot of wolves. It would also be a big loss for people. 2019 Chicago Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Scientists at the University of Sheffield and University of Turku are looking at ways to boost captive populations of Asian elephants without relying on taking them from the wild. Almost a third of Asian elephants are in captivity in countries like India, Myanmar and Thailand, mainly being used in the timber industry to drag logs or for tourism. Sustaining wild populations is the conservation priority but, with so many individuals in captivity, maintaining sustainable captive populations with high welfare standards is also important for the future of the species. The sustainability of these elephant populations has always relied on the capture of their wild counterparts, but now they are a protected species their future is uncertain. In a joint research study, the University of Sheffield and the University of Turku, in Finland, working alongside The Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), investigated how trends in elephant capture from the wild influenced birth, death and population growth in 3,500 working elephants over 54 years. Using birth and death rates from years where wild-capture was reduced the scientists assessed the outlook for captive elephants and found that the population is vulnerable to decline. The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that immediate population declines may be reduced if survival in juvenile elephants is improved. This could involve improving welfare standards during the training period, as the elephants are separated from their mothers and trained for work around the age of four, which can be stressful for them, and identifying pregnant females earlier and improving their welfare so they can provide for and bond with their calf. John Jackson, Ph.D. researcher from the University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences and lead author of the paper, said: "Our model suggests we may see declines in captive elephants for up to 50 years so we must now work to ensure that the captive population is sustainable. With so many Asian elephants in captivity, we must safeguard both captive and wild elephant populations and the people living and working alongside them for the future of the species. "One hopeful result is that we may see improvements in population growth if we are able to improve the survival of young elephants by just 10 per cent. This shows we can really make a difference by improving welfare for these vulnerable individuals in captivity." He added: "Many of us have the opportunity to visit captive elephants used in tourism, particularly in Southeast Asia. We all have our part to play to ensure that the welfare of captive elephants is improved and this may have a positive effect on Asian elephants globally." Professor Virpi Lummaa, from the University of Turku, who led the research, said: "The dependence of captive elephant populations on capture from the wild in the past is truly alarming. The problem with elephants is that they take so long to grow and reproduce and have very complex social lives, making them vulnerable to population declines when disturbed." The University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences is a leading department for whole organism biology, with the UK's highest concentration of animal and plant researchers. It is among the top five animal and plant research centres in the country for research excellence, according to the last Research Excellence Framework in 2014. Animal and plant scientists at Sheffield study in locations from the Polar Regions to the tropics, at scales from within cells up to entire ecosystems. Their research aims both to understand the fundamental processes that drive biological systems and to solve pressing environmental problems. Explore further Capturing elephants from the wild shortens their lives More information: John Jackson et al. Long-term trends in wild-capture and population dynamics point to an uncertain future for captive elephants, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B John Jackson et al. Long-term trends in wild-capture and population dynamics point to an uncertain future for captive elephants,(2019). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2810 Credit: ESA/Belspo produced by VITO A Proba-V view of the internationally protected, volcanic archipelago of the Galapagos and its surrounding marine reserve. This island chain is renowned for its many endemic species that were studied by Charles Darwin, directly contributing to his famous theory of evolution by means of natural selection. In 1535, the Spaniard Tomas de Berlanga, fourth bishop of Panama, first visited these islands by chance when he was sailing to Peru. On the maps of Mercator and Ortelius, famous geographers, the islands were named Insulae de los Galopegos or Islands of the Tortoises after the giant tortoises found there. This false colour composition highlights vegetation in red on the flanks of several volcanoes, in particular Wolf, Darwin, Alcedo, Santo Tomas and Cerro Azul volcanoes on Isla Isabella, the largest island. Launched on 7 May 2013, Proba-V is a miniaturised ESA satellite tasked with a full-scale mission: to map land cover and vegetation growth across the entire planet every two days. Its main camera's continent-spanning 2250 km swath width collects light in the blue, red, near-infrared and mid-infrared wavebands at a 300 m pixel size, down to 100 m in its central field of view. VITO Remote Sensing in Belgium processes and then distributes Proba-V data to users worldwide. An online image gallery highlights some of the mission's most striking images so far, including views of storms, fires and deforestation. This 100 m spatial resolution image was acquired on 27 February 2017. An ashy mining bee (Andrena cineraria) one of the species believed to be on the increase. Credit: Ed Phillips/Shutterstock Many species of flower-visiting insect are in trouble in Britain, according to a new report from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) near Oxford, which drew on almost 750,000 observations of insects between 1980 and 2013. The study used population records of 353 wild bee and hoverfly species over large areas of Great Britain to show that one third of these pollinating species declined in range during this time. Most of these losses were in species that were already relatively rare. Some big losers were the red-shanked carder bee, the smooth-gastered furrow bee and the large shaggy bee, all of which had vanished from around half of their previous locations in 1980. However, the same report also found that other species of bee and hoverfly, about 10% of the total, actually increased. Some of these, like the ashy mining bee and the lobe-spurred furrow bee, are pollinators of field crops like oilseed rape. These two species increased their ranges five-fold during the same period, suggesting that crop-specialist species are thriving at the expense of most others. The other winners were actually invaders. The ivy bee most often seen on the plant of the same name only colonised mainland Britain in 2001 and the range over which it can be found has been expanding by 16% every year since. Despite what may appear to be a mixed bag, the overall diversity of British pollinator species has fallen steadily since 1980. Why do we need insects? A red-shanked carder bee (Bombus ruderarius) a species which has declined significantly since 1980. Credit: Rasbak/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA The new study underlines the already alarming downward trend in insect numbers seen in several other studies conducted in the UK, Germany and Central America. In February 2019, a report claimed that current rates of decline might lead to "the extinction of 40% of the world's insect species over the next few decades". This almost apocalyptic claim was rapidly taken up by the world's press and attracted much attention. Even if that story was exaggerated, it is pretty clear that something is wrong in the state of nature. Massive losses of insects are so serious because insects are essential components in almost every ecosystem. It's their job to eat plants which convert the energy of sunlight into biomass the foundation of most terrestrial food webs. In turn, these herbivorous insects are eaten by carnivorous insects, which are themselves eventually eaten by larger insect-eating animals. If insects are in trouble, then so is everything else in that ecosystem as serious losses in insect biodiversity threaten all kinds of wildlife. Wild bee and hoverfly species are globally important in fertilising flowering plants by transferring pollen between them, causing them to set seed. Without them, seed production in many wild flowers is reduced and plant populations decline. With fewer flowers to visit and less nectar and pollen to gather, pollinator numbers decline even further in a vicious cycle. It's not only wild plants that are affected, but also agricultural crops. Strawberries, apples and oilseed rape are just three of many crops that benefit from pollination by bees and other insects. Production of seeds for planting is also dependent on insects. Without "ecological services" like insect pollination, some of these crops could no longer be grown. The annual value of insect pollinators for the UK alone has been estimated at 603m). Globally, pollination adds USD$153 billion to the economy each year. A male ivy bee (Colletes hederae) now more prevalent in the UK than at any time since 2001. Credit: Charles J Sharp/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA Why have some species increased? The new report notes that among those pollinating insects whose ranges have expanded, species associated with field crops are well represented. This could be because measures have been taken to encourage them such as planting wildflowers, which provide pollen when crops are not in flower. Alternatively, it may simply be that some species are more tolerant of the progressive intensification of farming practices than others. Superficially, the increases in crop pollinators seem encouraging, but it may not be good news. Loss of pollinator diversity decreases crops yields, and this may be more important than insect numbers. Decreased pollinator diversity may leave insect populations more vulnerable to viral diseases that spread readily among social insects. Such viruses interact with widely-used pesticides and are known to adversely affect both honey bees and bumblebees. Broadly speaking, biodiversity losses in farmland habitats are likely due to increases in the efficiency of farming. Farmers seek to grow the greatest crop yields on the area of land that's available to them. This ensures that agriculture captures more and more of the sun's energy, converting it into human food. As farming efficiency increases, less space and fewer resources are left for anything other than human food crops. The recent study shows that a few crop-specialist pollinators have increased while the majority have not, which shows that fewer plants and animals are thriving in ecosystems which are increasingly dominated by agriculture. There's a trade-off between wild nature and farming efficiency and it seems that we have to decide how much wild nature we want. Modern farmland, like this rape seed field, often has very few plant species, which is bad news for insect diversity. Credit: Mike Mareen/Shutterstock Explore further Widespread losses of pollinating insects in Britain This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Mykola Holyutyak/Shutterstock Humans will always make the final decision on whether armed robots can shoot, according to a statement by the US Department of Defense. Their clarification comes amid fears about a new advanced targeting system, known as ATLAS, that will use artificial intelligence in combat vehicles to target and execute threats. While the public may feel uneasy about so-called "killer robots", the concept is nothing new machine-gun wielding "SWORDS" robots were deployed in Iraq as early as 2007. Our relationship with military robots goes back even further than that. This is because when people say "robot," they can mean any technology with some form of "autonomous" element that allows it to perform a task without the need for direct human intervention. These technologies have existed for a very long time. During World War II, the proximity fuse was developed to explode artillery shells at a predetermined distance from their target. This made the shells far more effective than they would otherwise have been by augmenting human decision making and, in some cases, taking the human out of the loop completely. So the question is not so much whether we should use autonomous weapon systems in battle we already use them, and they take many forms. Rather, we should focus on how we use them, why we use them, and what form if any human intervention should take. The birth of cybernetics My research explores the philosophy of human-machine relations, with a particular focus on military ethics, and the way we distinguish between humans and machines. During World War II, mathematician Norbert Wiener laid the groundwork of cybernetics the study of the interface between humans, animals and machines in his work on the control of anti-aircraft fire. By studying the deviations between an aircraft's predicted motion, and its actual motion, Wiener and his colleague Julian Bigelow came up with the concept of the "feedback loop," where deviations could be fed back into the system in order to correct further predictions. Autonomous targeting systems originated with innovations in anti-aircraft weaponry during World War II. Credit: Zef Art/Shutterstock Wiener's theory therefore went far beyond mere augmentation, for cybernetic technology could be used to pre-empt human decisions removing the fallible human from the loop, in order to make better, quicker decisions and make weapons systems more effective. In the years since World War II, the computer has emerged to sit alongside cybernetic theory to form a central pillar of military thinking, from the laser-guided "smart bombs" of the Vietnam era to cruise missiles and Reaper drones. It's no longer enough to merely augment the human warrior as it was in the early days. The next phase is to remove the human completely "maximising" military outcomes while minimising the political cost associated with the loss of allied lives. This has led to the widespread use of military drones by the US and its allies. While these missions are highly controversial, in political terms they have proved to be preferable by far to the public outcry caused by military deaths. The human machine One of the most contentious issues relating to drone warfare is the role of the drone pilot or "operator." Like all personnel, these operators are bound by their employers to "do a good job." However, the terms of success are far from clear. As philosopher and cultural critic Laurie Calhoun observes: "The business of UCAV [drone] operators is to kill." In this way, their task is not so much to make a human decision, but rather to do the job that they are employed to do. If the computer tells them to kill, is there really any reason why they shouldn't? A modern military drone. Credit: Alex LMX/Shutterstock A similar argument can be made with respect to the modern soldier. From GPS navigation to video uplinks, soldiers carry numerous devices that tie them into a vast network that monitors and controls them at every turn. This leads to an ethical conundrum. If the purpose of the soldier is to follow orders to the letter with cameras used to ensure compliance then why do we bother with human soldiers at all? After all, machines are far more efficient than human beings and don't suffer from fatigue and stress in the same way as a human does. If soldiers are expected to behave in a programmatic, robotic fashion anyway, then what's the point in shedding unnecessary allied blood? The answer, here, is that the human serves as an alibi or form of "ethical cover" for what is in reality, an almost wholly mechanical, robotic act. Just as the drone operator's job is to oversee the computer-controlled drone, so the human's role in the Department of Defense's new ATLAS system is merely to act as ethical cover in case things go wrong. While Predator and Reaper drones may stand at the forefront of the public imagination about military autonomy and "killer robots," these innovations are in themselves nothing new. They are merely the latest in a long line of developments that go back many decades. While it may comfort some readers to imagine that machine autonomy will always be subordinate to human decision making, this really does miss the point. Autonomous systems have long been embedded in the military and we should prepare ourselves for the consequences. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, has claimed that Christians are responsible for the increase in corruption menace in the country. He criticized some Ghanaians, particularly religious leaders and politicians whose actions he said has become the bane of Ghanas problems. Speaking at a gathering in Kumasi, Apostle Nyamekye said it was unfortunate that some pastors spend enough time preaching not about the word of God but material things they possess, while some chiefs have also made it a practice to sell one parcel of land to 10 people, describing these acts as disgraceful. According to him, it is wrong to always blame only politicians for corruption, noting many directors of institutions who are Christians and leaders of their churches are perpetrators of corruption. He said it is regrettable when 70 per cent of Ghanas population said to be Christians yet corruption is on the ascendency in the country, making Christians dominate in corruption in the country. He said amidst the strategies adopted by successive governments, Ghana still lags behind and ranks poorly in the fight against the age-old canker corruption. Apostle Nyamekye has thus called for a complete change of mindset to free the system of corruption and selfishness. Source: kasapafmonline 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 A shadow of Milica Kesler, curator and archivist is cast onto a poster of Nikola Tesla at the Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. A private culture society in Serbia has made public two letters written by Serb-American inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group has told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A culture society in Serbia made public this month two letters that they say were written by late 19th- and early 20th-century inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. Dated Dec. 28, 1934 and Jan. 12, 1935, the letters were sent to the Yugoslav consul in the United States at the time, Radoje Jankovic. "This is the first time that public has full and free access to this documentation," said Viktor Lazic, from Adligat. He explained that the letters had been known to exist but could not be traced for around 20 years. Written in Cyrillic alphabet, the letters refer to Tesla's relations with another prominent scientist of Serb origin, Mihajlo Pupin, Lazic said. Tesla is best known for developing the alternating current that helped safely distribute electricity at great distances, including from the hydro-electric plant at Niagara Falls in the mid-1890s. He experimented with X-ray and radio technology, working in rivalry with Thomas Edison. Car manufacturer Tesla is named after him. An ethnic Serb born in 1856 in the Austrian Empire in present-day Croatia, Tesla spent most of his life abroad, working in Budapest and Paris before emigrating to the U.S. in 1884. Viktor Lazic from Adligat group displays two letters written by 19th century inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. A private culture society in Serbia has made public two letters written by Serb-American inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group has told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) In Belgrade, the Tesla Museum honors the scientist's legacy, including a vast array of personal items, tens of thousands of documents and awards. Curator Milica Kesler said the museum's archives include the drafts of the recently-publicized letters. "The only difference is that they (drafts) were written in pencil" and contain Tesla's remarks and notes, Kesler said. Milica Kesler, curator and archivist walks at Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. A private culture society in Serbia has made public two letters written by Serb-American inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group has told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Milica Kesler, curator and archivist, shows concepts of Tesla's letters at Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. Tesla Museum holds the scientist's personal legacy, including a vast array of personal items, tens of thousands of documents and awards. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Viktor Lazic from Adligat group holds two letters written by 19th century inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. Written in Cyrillic alphabet, the letters refer to Tesla's relations with another prominent scientist of Serb origin, Mihajlo Pupin. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Viktor Lazic from Adligat group displays two letters written by 19th century inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. A private culture society in Serbia has made public two letters written by Serb-American inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group has told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Milica Kesler, curator and archivist opens an archive storage at Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 7, 2019. A private culture society in Serbia has made public two letters written by Serb-American inventor and electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla. The Adligat group has told The Associated Press they recently obtained the letters from a collector and verified their authenticity with multiple sources. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Explore further Serbs protest moving of famous inventor's ashes 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A "hot Saturn" passes in front of its host star in this illustration. Astronomers who study stars used "starquakes" to characterize the star, which provided critical information about the planet. Credit: Gabriel Perez Diaz, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias Astronomers who study stars are providing a valuable assist to the planet-hunting astronomers pursuing the primary objective of NASA's new TESS Mission. In fact, asteroseismologistsstellar astronomers who study seismic waves (or "starquakes") in stars that appear as changes in brightnessoften provide critical information for finding the properties of newly discovered planets. This teamwork enabled the discovery and characterization of the first planet identified by TESS for which the oscillations of its host star can be measured. The planetTOI 197.01 (TOI is short for "TESS Object of Interest") - is described as a "hot Saturn" in a recently accepted scientific paper. That's because the planet is about the same size as Saturn and is also very close to its star, completing an orbit in just 14 days, and therefore very hot. The Astronomical Journal will publish the paper written by an international team of 141 astronomers. Daniel Huber, an assistant astronomer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Institute for Astronomy, is the lead author of the paper. Steve Kawaler, a professor of physics and astronomy; and Miles Lucas, an undergraduate student, are co-authors from Iowa State University. "This is the first bucketful of water from the firehose of data we're getting from TESS," Kawaler said. TESSthe Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, led by astrophysicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technologylaunched from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on April 18, 2018. The spacecraft's primary mission is to find exoplanets, planets beyond our solar system. The spacecraft's four cameras are taking nearly month-long looks at 26 vertical strips of the skyfirst over the southern hemisphere and then over the northern. After two years, TESS will have scanned 85 percent of the sky. Astronomers (and their computers) sort through the images, looking for transits, the tiny dips in a star's light caused by an orbiting planet passing in front of it. NASA's Kepler Missiona predecessor to TESSlooked for planets in the same way, but scanned a narrow slice of the Milky Way galaxy and focused on distant stars. TESS is targeting bright, nearby stars, allowing astronomers to follow up on its discoveries using other space and ground observations to further study and characterize stars and planets. In another paper recently published online by The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, astronomers from the TESS Asteroseismic Science Consortium (TASC) identified a target list of sun-like oscillating stars (many that are similar to our future sun) to be studied using TESS dataa list featuring 25,000 stars. Kawalerwho witnessed the launch of Kepler in 2009, and was in Florida for the launch of TESS (but a last-minute delay meant he had to miss liftoff to return to Ames to teach) - is on the seven-member TASC Board. The group is led by Jrgen Christensen-Dalsgaard of Aarhus University in Denmark. TASC astronomers use asteroseismic modeling to determine a host star's radius, mass and age. That data can be combined with other observations and measurements to determine the properties of orbiting planets. In the case of host star TOI-197, the asteroseismolgists used its oscillations to determine it's about 5 billion years old and is a little heavier and larger than the sun. They also determined that planet TOI-197.01 is a gas planet with a radius about nine times the Earth's, making it roughly the size of Saturn. It's also 1/13th the density of Earth and about 60 times the mass of Earth. Those findings say a lot about the TESS work ahead: "TOI-197 provides a first glimpse at the strong potential of TESS to characterize exoplanets using asteroseismology," the astronomers wrote in their paper. Kawaler is expecting that the flood of data coming from TESS will also contain some scientific surprises. "The thing that's exciting is that TESS is the only game in town for a while and the data are so good that we're planning to try to do science we hadn't thought about," Kawaler said. "Maybe we can also look at the very faint starsthe white dwarfsthat are my first love and represent the future of our sun and solar system." Explore further The hunt is on for closest Earth-like planets A supernova is born when the burnt out stellar core collapses, releasing a shockwave, which speeds toward the outer layers of the star. Most of the energy released in a supernova is emitted as neutrinos, nearly massless subatomic particles that react rarely with ordinary matter. Credit: Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics On Feb. 24, 1987, light from a supernova that exploded 168,000 years ago in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighbor of the Milky Way, reached Earth. Astronomers Ian Shelton and Oscar Duhalde at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile first reported the supernova, called SN 1987A (or simply 87A), which was one of the brightest in nearly four centuries. A supernova such as 87A occurs when a star many times larger than our sun runs out of fuel in its core. At this point, the core is made of iron, and its fate hinges on the battle between two forces: Gravity tries to collapse it while electrons effectively repel each other, thanks to the Pauli exclusion principle, a quantum-mechanical effect. For a while, equilibrium is maintained, but the mass of the iron core keeps increasing, because of nuclear burning in the shell above it. Eventually, the core mass reaches a critical value called the Chandrasekhar limit, and the relentless pull of gravity wins. The core collapses on itself in near free fall, and a shockwave forms around it. Heated by the energy of escaping neutrinos, the shockwave ejects the outer layers of the star in a catastrophic blast that can briefly shine more brightly than entire galaxies. After losing its energy to neutrino emission, the core finally settles into what is known as a neutron star, effectively a giant nucleus made primarily of neutrons. By the time Duhalde and Shelton saw light from 87A, three neutrino detectors around the world had already picked up evidence of the supernova. Most of the energy released in a supernova is emitted as neutrinos, nearly massless subatomic particles that react rarely with ordinary matter. Because they are so weakly interacting, neutrinos can slip out of the envelope of a collapsing supernova hours before particles of light, which ride the explosion's shockwave, are ejected. Neutrinos produced by 87A arrived on Earth just before the light from the explosion did. Irvine-Michigan-Brookhaven (IMB), a neutrino observatory in Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie, detected eight neutrino events. Baksan Neutrino Observatory in Russia detected five more, and Kamiokande II, a neutrino detector deep underground in a Japanese mine, saw 11. It was the first time that neutrinos from a supernova had been detected although the neutrino scientists didn't realize it until after Duhalde and Shelton announced their observation. They found the neutrino events in their data only when they looked for them upon hearing the news about the supernova. Something incredible waiting to be known? More than 30 years later, scientists are building the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), hosted by Fermilab. Its 70,000-ton liquid-argon detector will be located almost a mile underground at Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, waiting for another burst of supernova neutrinos to arrive. The discovery would portend a new exploding star somewhere in the Milky Way. Kate Scholberg, a particle physicist at Duke University, says supernova neutrinos could teach us a lot about supernovae and particle physics if we detect them the next time an event like 87A occurs. That's because the neutrinos carry information about the supernova with them as they travel across space. The signals the neutrinos make in particle detectors like DUNE would allow physicists to draw conclusions about the conditions in which the neutrinos were made and provide evidence for the fate of the exploding star. "You can actually see the processes that are happening in real time as the neutron star is being born," said Scholberg, who studies neutrinos as part of DUNE. These processes could point to new physics. For example, if exotic particles are produced in a supernova, traces of their existence would be apparent in the signal made by the neutrinos. That's because physicists can calculate the total energy produced by a supernova, and they can estimate how much of it was emitted as neutrinos from the measurement. If the total energy detected doesn't add up to the total expected, it could hint at new particles being produced. "The detection of a supernova in 1987 from Kamiokande was, to me, one of the most impressive detections for particle physics," said Ines Gil Botella, a scientist at Spain's Center for Energy, Environment and Technology, or CIEMAT, and one of the leads on DUNE's supernova search. "It opened a way to understanding the universe through particles other than photons. This new multimessenger era of astrophysics really started with the detection of supernova neutrinos." The DUNE dimension While detectors captured only 24 of the neutrinos emitted from 87A, hundreds of peer-reviewed papers were published as a result of the discovery and subsequent research. When DUNE is completed, it could see far more neutrinos and contribute to a similar and entirely novel flurry of research. "DUNE has several capabilities that are truly unique among all large neutrino detectors when it comes to studies of supernova neutrinos," said Steven Gardiner, a Fermilab scientist who works on simulating what occurs when a supernova neutrino enters a detector. Once complete, the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, hosted by Fermilab, will be waiting for a burst of supernova neutrinos to arrive. If scientists pick up the signal of neutrinos fleeing the supernova, DUNE researchers could be alerted and take advantage of a rare opportunity to study an exploding star. Credit: Fermilab DUNE is different from Cherenkov detectors such as Kamiokande in several ways, including that it uses liquid argon instead of water as the target medium. Liquid-argon detectors spot neutrinos when they collide with argon nuclei. Argon's nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons that are arranged in various energy states. When a neutrino collides with an argon nucleus, a proton or neutron in a lower energy state can be elevated to a higher energy state and lead to the emission of particles from the argon nucleus via its de-excitation. Some of these particles can be observed by the detector. "When the nucleus de-excites, a few different things can happen," Gardiner said. "The nucleus can emit gamma rays, neutrons, protons or heavier nuclear fragments. You can potentially see gamma rays in liquid argon, because they'll scatter electrons in the argon, and you'll see little blips that come from them." Cherenkov detectors, which look primarily for electron antineutrinos striking bare protons, can't reconstruct gamma rays with as much detail as liquid-argon detectors can. Because of the complicated nature of the energy reconstruction, it's quite a challenge to reconstruct supernova neutrino events in a liquid-argon detector. Gardiner is currently building computer simulations that can model the various signatures that can occur when a neutrino interacts with the liquid argon in DUNE. "The difficulty is, because you have so many argon excited states available, you have all sorts of different signatures that could be produced in your detector," he said. "And you have to deal with that level of complexity to fully reconstruct the energy from a neutrino collision." Then there's the challenge of teasing out the signal from the noise. Supernova neutrinos carry far less energy than, say, neutrinos produced by a particle accelerator, so the signals they produce in the argon are weaker. Unearthing these low-energy interactions requires both a sensitive detector and a knowledge of the interaction's various signatures. "High-energy neutrinos are easier to detect, and their interactions are well-known. We know how they behave," Gil Botella said. "But at these low, supernova-neutrino energies, the interactions with argon are not very well-known. We don't have much experimental data to say what happens when a low-energy neutrino interacts with argon." And scientists at the world's other neutrino projects are looking to change that, planning experiments that would paint a clearer picture of low-energy neutrinos. "Studying neutrinos is a tricky business, and we have more work to do, but DUNE's technological capabilities make those challenges far more tractable," Gardiner said. "The physics payoffs will be huge. If we're going to tackle these questions, DUNE is a good way to do it." Oscillation station DUNE could also help inform our understanding of neutrino oscillation in a way that other detectors cannot. In Cherenkov detectors, the signal is produced mostly by electron antineutrinos interacting with water molecules. Conversely, liquid argon also samples electron neutrinos from the supernova's ejecta. "We need both electron neutrinos and antineutrinos to disentangle oscillation scenarios," said Alex Friedland, a particle physicist and senior staff scientist at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. DUNE, because it will be the only detector that can see electron neutrinos, adds a missing piece to that puzzle. Neutrinos oscillate between three flavors (electron, muon or tau) as they move through space. Physicists have studied neutrino oscillations in neutrinos produced in the sun, in Earth's atmosphere, from nuclear reactors and in high-energy particle beams created by particle accelerators. But they haven't been able to study them in supernovae, where the number of neutrinos produced is simply off the charts compared to other sources. A supernovas shockwave ejects the outer layers of the star in a catastrophic blast that can briefly shine more brightly than entire galaxies. Credit: NASA "This is the ultimate intensity frontier," Friedland said. "Nature does it for us, so we just have to take advantage of that. The supernova is a laboratory on the other side of the galaxy. It carries out experiments, and we 'just' have to build the detector and make a measurement. Of course, it's useful to keep in mind that this measurement 'just' happens to be one of the most challenging tasks that DUNE, the most advanced neutrino detector ever built, will undertake." Neutrino oscillation typically describes a single particle changing flavors, but under the right circumstancessuch as in a collapsing supernovamany neutrinos can oscillate collectively. "Collective oscillation means that you have neutrinos that go through the background of other neutrinos, and a flavor state of a given neutrino knows about what all the other neutrinos that it passes are doing in terms of flavor," Friedland said. With enough neutrino signals which a detector such as the giant DUNE could amass physicists can reconstruct the energy spectrum of the electron neutrinos arriving at Earth. This spectrum can have striking features imprinted on it by collective oscillations of neutrinos inside the supernova. With that information, they can see how the neutrinos evolved collectively in the dying star. The information can give them clues about what happened to the star itself, as well. The neutrino density is so high in a core-collapse supernova like 87A that it affects how the star explodes. The shockwave of the explosion is propelled by what physicists call the neutrino-driven wind. Other core-collapse events might not produce a supernova that we can see easily from Earth, but we'll know they occurred when the neutrino detectors register a burst. "When a star collapses into a black hole, you likely don't get any fireworks," Scholberg explained. "The observers might see nothing, or just see a star wink out. Those kinds of events would be seen brightly in neutrinos." Once the DUNE detectors are in place, they'll be used to take measurements of neutrinos coming from Fermilab accelerators and wait patiently for a supernova to explode. This happens in our galaxy on average once every 30 to 50 years. "That's the drawback of the supernova neutrino world; we're always waiting," Scholberg said. "You better not miss anything." When it does occur, a core-collapse supernova will be a major event that will affect multiple fields of research, including particle physics and astrophysics. "It's so impressive: Supernovae produce a huge number of neutrinos, they travel such a long distance, and you get a signal directly from something that's kiloparsecs away," Gil Botella said. "It's really amazing to get access to information inside a star like that. It's the connection with the objects in the universethe unknown of the universe." Members of the public can sign up to receive alerts from the SuperNova Early Warning System (SNEWS). The automated system currently includes seven neutrino experiments in Canada, China, Italy, Japan and at the South Pole. When neutrinos produced in a supernova reach Earth, SNEWS will send out email alerts to announce their arrival, which would captivate the research community. "Once the supernova happens, you can forget about everything else that we were thinking about," Friedland said. "The world of science will be talking about that for at least a year or more." Credit: CC0 Public Domain Nitrogen is of fundamental importance for life on Earth. Depending on the forms and compounds in which it occurs, it can promote life, but also limit it. In addition, some nitrogen compounds, such as nitrous oxide, are extremely effective greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is therefore important to understand the formation processes of various nitrogen compounds in nature and the factors that influence these processes. Researchers at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have now succeeded for the first time in directly detecting an oceanic process that is fundamental to the nitrogen cycle, the so-called nitrification, by measuring the short-lived compound hydroxylamine. "This detection is otherwise only possible with very complex analyses in special onshore laboratories. With the new method, we were able to carry out the measurements on board," explains marine chemist Dr. Frederike Korth from GEOMAR. She is the lead author of the study, which has now been published in the international journal Geophysical Research Letters. Hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH) is a compound of nitrogen with hydrogen and oxygen that decomposes very quickly if oxygen is present. "This is why there have been no measurements of hydroxylamine from the oceans so far," explains Prof. Dr. Hermann Bange from GEOMAR, head of the working group and co-author of the new study. However, the chemists from Kiel, who are specialized in measurements in the ocean, were able to determine dissolved hydroxylamine in water samples from numerous stations during several expeditions of the German research vessels MARIA S. MERIAN and METEOR to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. "The compound can be a precursor of nitrous oxide in the nitrogen cycle, but only in the transformation process of nitrification," explains Korth. A comparison of nitrous oxide and hydroxylamine concentrations in ocean water therefore provides a relatively quick and simple indication of the occurrence of this process. The method used was already known in theory, but there were still problems with chemical interferences. "For our study, we have now -for the first time- found a reliable way to determine hydroxylamine concentrations in seawater on board," says Professor Bange. With this new method, there is now a comparatively simple and quick way to determine where nitrification takes place in the oceanand ultimately where nitrous oxide can form in the ocean as a result of this process. "Of course, many more measurements are necessary in order to make global statements. But the simpler the analyses are, the more likely it is that we will receive the large amounts of data we need to assemble further pieces in the puzzle of the nitrogen cycle," emphasises Professor Bange. Explore further New method measures rare traces of a volatile gas More information: Frederike Korth et al, Hydroxylamine as a Potential Indicator of Nitrification in the Open Ocean, Geophysical Research Letters (2019). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Frederike Korth et al, Hydroxylamine as a Potential Indicator of Nitrification in the Open Ocean,(2019). DOI: 10.1029/2018GL080466 UD Associate Professor Rodrigo Vargas, seen here at the St. Jones Reserve in Delaware, has worked extensively on research related to the carbon cycle. Credit: University of Delaware University of Delaware associate professor Rodrigo Vargas and more than 200 experts from the United States, Canada and Mexico recently unveiled Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2), a state-of-the-art assessment of carbon cycle science across North America and its connection with climate and society. Carbon is essential to the molecular makeup of all living things on Earth, playing a pivotal role in regulating global climate. Commissioned by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the 878-page report applies to climate and carbon research as well as management practices on our continent and around the world. This study is the second of its kind, building off of the 2007 First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR). From an overview of the carbon cycle to consequences and ways forward, SOCCR2 analyzes the carbon cycle from 2004 to 2013. "Moving to SOCCR2, we have much more information on both carbon dioxide and methane compared to when the first study was released [in 2007]," Vargas said. The most recent report is broken down into 19 chapters. Vargas was recruited to co-lead a critical chapterThe North American Carbon Budgetwith his research collaborator Daniel Hayes, assistant professor at the University of Maine. The pair was already working on a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant focusing on carbon dynamics across North America, so this new effort was a natural research step. In collaboration with other nine scientists, they synthesized findings of the atmosphere, land, inland waters and coastal ocean (chapters 8 to 16). "It's called a budget because you need a balance of how much carbon is going out and how much is going in," said Vargas. "We account for carbon in a similar way that you would for your bank account budget. You have gains and losses. At the end, what is your budgetpositive or negative? In your bank account, you would investigate deeper and see 'where is my spending' and 'what are the sources.' We can do the same in a carbon budget." There is a stock of how much carbon exists on Earth. Then a flux occurs. This term refers to the amount of carbon exchanged between the planet's carbon poolsocean, atmosphere, land and living things. Carbon could be lost from the land to the atmosphere (via combustion of fossil fuels or terrestrial respiration processes), pulled down from the atmosphere to the land (a gain via plant photosynthesis), or a lateral movement takes place (as carbon transported from land to the coastal ocean). The net gain or loss determines the net carbon balance. "Between 2004 and 2013, North America was a source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere," added Vargas. "We had a net loss of carbon, contributing about 1,000 teragrams per year to the atmosphere." One teragram is equivalent to 1,000,000,000 kilograms or about 2,205,000,000 pounds. If an African elephant weighs about 12,000 pounds, then 1,000 teragrams are equivalent to 183,750 elephants. These fluxes come from a variety of sourcesfossil fuels, wood products, land ecosystems, inland waters, tidal wetlands, estuaries and coastal oceans. As Vargas and Hayes explain in their SOCCR2 chapter, fossil fuel emissions were far and away the largest carbon source to the atmosphere from 2004 to 2013 on the continent. Interestingly, 43 percent of these emissions were offset by natural carbon sinksnatural systems that suck up and store carbon dioxide from the atmospherelike North American land and the adjacent coastal ocean. "The net uptake of terrestrial ecosystems is nearly 960 teragrams of carbon per year, while the net uptake of coastal waters is 177 teragrams, but more research is needed to increase the confidence of these estimates," Vargas said. Comparing other continents, the North American proportion to the global total is decreasing as other countries like China have increased their carbon emissions. "We had high confidence on the estimates of fossil fuel emissions, wood harvest and emissions from wood products," Vargas said. "On the other hand, there is low confidence on the estimates of lateral fluxes from land ecosystems to inland waters and from tidal wetlands to estuaries." "Researchers have been thinking a lot about the vertical exchange of carbon between land and aquatic environments with the atmosphere," said Vargas, who has a National Science Foundation CAREER grant to study carbon dynamics in tidal wetlandsa critical interface between land and ocean. "But there is also a transfer of mass from land ecosystems to inland waters, from tidal waters to estuaries. And these lateral fluxes had one of the highest levels of uncertainty in the study." About SOCCR2 Written by more than 200 scientists from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2) provides an up-to-date assessment of scientific knowledge of the North American carbon cycle. This comprehensive report addresses North American carbon fluxes, sources, and sinks across atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial systems, as well as relevant perspectives from scientific observations and modeling, decision support, carbon management, and social sciences. The report presents key findings and actionable information on the observed status and trends within the North American carbon cycle, as influenced by natural and human-induced factors. These findings are based on multidisciplinary research that includes experimental, observational, and modeling studies from the last decade. "This report is not intended to prescribe policy. It's not an opinion. It is a summary of scientific information that is available at this time," said Vargas. The U.S. Global Change Research Program is made up with 13 agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DOD) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In addition to the specific chapters on ecosystems, the report studies the human impact on the carbon cycle, including the physical driversenergy systems and agricultureand social issues like tribal lands. The report also looks forward at potential consequences of future climate change. SOCCR2 is a complement to the National Climate Assessment, which assesses the science of climate change and variability and its impacts across the United Statesnow and throughout the current century. Explore further Wetland experts explain role of vital carbon sinks carbon cycle in new report Girl in front of computer looking stressed. Credit: pixabay Researchers show that how well parents or guardians support millennials' psychological needs prior to their transition to college is an important predictor of their psychological well-being as they adapt to college life. A new study published in The Journal of Social Psychology has assessed the role of parental relationships in mitigating millennials' worry prior to college transition by meeting their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. The research discovered that millennials who perceive their parental relationships as supportive of their psychological needs are less likely to worry and adjust better to the transition to college, whereas parenting that feels over involved and controlling predicts less need satisfaction, higher levels of worry and poor psychological well-being. "Millennial college students are experiencing poorer psychological health than any other previous generation," explained Mr Nathaniel Greene from the University of Missouri, who led the study. "An early indication of student's well-being is their initial worry about college," he continued, "but understanding what factors might mitigate worry prior to millennials' transition into college is limited in current research." Specifically, the researchers focused on whether worry, including guilt over academically succeeding family members, could be moderated through the student's parental relationship. "Millennials have a uniquely close and communicative relationship with their parents," explained Dr. Carrie Veronica Smith, who contributed to the study, "so we used the well-established 'Self-Determination Theory' to test if worry would be lower for students who perceive their parental relationships meet their three basic psychological needs: the need to be in control of one's actions (autonomy), the need to feel capable and effective (competence) and the need to feel close and connected to others (relatedness)," she continued. 355 students were surveyed during their two-day orientation visits to a public university in the southeast United States in the summer before their freshman year. Measurements of the participants' demographics, family achievement guilt, basic need satisfaction in the parental relationship, parental bonding and student worry were collected, and the data was subjected to statistical analyses to determine if higher levels of need satisfaction in the parental relationship were related to lower levels of worry and achievement guilt and if these outcomes would differ for first- and continuing-generation students. Millennials who felt that their parents support their psychological needs reported less worry about their transition to college and lower family achievement guilt. But of the three basic psychological needs, autonomy was the most significant predictor of worry, suggesting that millennials' need to feel in control of their actions may be the most important need in combatting concerns about college. Meanwhile, millennials who felt their parents were over involved and controlling reported less need satisfaction and higher levels of worry and achievement guilt. "We were surprised to see these results were true for both first- and continuing-generation students because past research has shown first-generation students likely suffer more from family achievement guilt and feelings of disconnection," explained Mr Greene. "But our results nicely highlight the universal importance of these basic needs," he continued. Overall, the study identifies the importance of psychological need satisfaction in the parental relationship in offsetting millennials' worries about college and relating to their psychological well-being. "Parents, peers and educators should support millennial students' basic needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness both before and after the transition to college, as they are essential to their overall psychological health" advised Mr Greene. More information: The Journal of Social Psychology , DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2019.1570905 An automated wheelchair with an exoskeleton arm is designed to help people with varying forms of disability carry out daily tasks independently. Credit: AIDE, Universidad Miguel Hernandez Next-generation wheelchairs could incorporate brain-controlled robotic arms and rentable add-on motors in order to help people with disabilities more easily carry out daily tasks or get around a city. Professor Nicolas Garcia-Aracil from the Universidad Miguel Hernandez (UMH) in Elche, Spain, has developed an automated wheelchair with an exoskeleton robotic arm to use at home, as part of a project called AIDE. It uses artificial intelligence to extract relevant information from the user, such as their behaviour, intentions and emotional state, and also analyses its environmental surroundings, he says. The system, which is based on an arm exoskeleton attached to a robotised wheelchair, is designed to help people living with various degrees and forms of disabilities carry out daily functions such as eating, drinking, and washing up, on their own and at home. While the user sits in the wheelchair, they wear the robotised arm to help them grasp objects and bring them closeor as the whole system is connected to the home automation system they can ask the wheelchair to move in a specific direction or go into a particular room. Its mechanical wheels are made to move in narrow spaces, ideal for home-use, and the system can control the environment remotely for example, switching lights on and off, using the television or making and answering phone calls. What's more, it can anticipate the person's needs. "We can train artificially intelligent algorithms to predict what the user wants to do," said Prof. Garcia-Aracil. "Maybe the user is in the kitchen and wants a drink. The system provides their options (on a monitor) so they can control the exoskeleton to raise the glass and drink." Multimodal system The technology isn't simple. As well as the exoskeleton robotic arm attached to the robotic wheelchair, the chair has a small monitor and uses various sensors, including two cameras to recognise the environment, voice control, eye-tracking glasses to recognise objects, and sensors that capture brain activity, eye movements and signals from muscles. Depending on each person's needs and disabilities, the multiple devices are used accordingly. For example, someone with a severe disability such as a cervical spinal cord injury, who wouldn't otherwise be able to use voice control, could use the brain activity and eye movement sensors combined. The user wears a cap on their head, filled with electrodes, to record the brain's activity which controls the exoskeleton hand's movement, explains Prof. Garcia-Aracil. So when the user sees themself closing their hand onto an object for example, the exoskeleton arm actually does it for them. This technology is called brain-neural-computer interaction (BNCI), where brainas well as muscleactivity can be recorded and used to interact with an electronic device. But the system can sometimes make mistakes so there is an abort signal, says Prof. Garcia-Aracil. "We use the horizontal movement of the eye, so when you move your eyes to the right you trigger an action, but when you move your eyes to the left you abort that action," he explains. The AIDE prototype was successfully tested last year by 17 people with disabilities including acquired brain injury (ABI), multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal cord injury (SCI), at the Cedar Foundation in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Its use was also demonstrated at UMH in Elche, with the user asking to be taken to the cafeteria, then asking for a drink, and drinking it with the help of the exoskeletal arm. Now more work needs to be carried out to make the system easier to use, cheaper and ready for the market, says Prof. Garcia-Aracil. But it's not just new high-tech wheelchairs that can increase the functionality for users. Researchers on the FreeWheel project are developing a way of adding motorised units to existing wheelchairs to improve their utility in urban areas. "Different settings have different challenges," said project coordinator Ilaria Schiavi at IRIS SRL in Torino, Italy. For example, someone with a wheelchair may struggle to go uphill or downhill without any physical assistance whilst outdoors. But this system could allow people using wheelchairs to have an automated wheelchair experience regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors, she says. Rentable The motorised units would attach to manual wheelchairs people already have in order to help them move around more easily and independently, Schiavi explains. These could either be rented for short periods of time and tailored according to the locationan indoor or outdoor environmentor bought, in which case would be completely personalised to the individual. The researchers are also developing an app for the user which would include services such as ordering a bespoke device to connect the wheelchair and the unit, booking the unit, controlling it, and planning a journey within urban areas for shopping or sightseeing. "You have mobility apps that allow you to book cars, for example. Our app will allow the owner of a wheelchair to firstly subscribe to the service, which would include buying a customised interface to use between their own wheelchair and the motorising unit they have booked," said Schiavi. "A simple customised interface will allow wheelchair users to motorise their exact device, as it is used by them, at a reasonable cost." Customisation is made possible through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, she says. AM technologies build 3-D objects by adding materials, such as metal or plastic, layer-by-layer. Schiavi and her colleagues are exploring various uses for the motorised units and next year, the team plans to test this system with mobility-impaired people in both Greece and Italy. They hope that, once developed, they will be made available like city bicycles in public spaces such as tourist attractions or shopping centres. Explore further Augmented wheelchair effort shows admirable regard for independence An engineer presents a demonstration and discusses careers in science with youth at a residential treatment facility. Credit: The STEM Community Alliance Program Bring science to people where they are. That's the driving philosophy that propels U biology professor Nalini Nadkarni to stretch the possibilities of science communication and bring the beauty of science to people and places that others have overlooked. Building public trust in science is about more than just providing information and improving science literacy, she says. It's about building relationships between scientists and communities that are founded on shared values. It's called the "Ambassador Model", and Nadkarni now has the data to say that the approach works, at relatively low cost and with high effectiveness. In two recent studies, one published today in BioScience and another published in 2018 in Science Communication, Nadkarni and her colleagues present evidence-based conclusions about the effectiveness of science engagement in two programs: The INSPIRE program, which brings science lectures to prisons, and the STEM Ambassador Program, which trains scientists to engage members of the public in discussions about science. "Our goal is to help people realize that all citizens are interested in, capable of understanding and full of wonder at science, if it is presented in places and ways that are accessible to them," Nadkarni says. A corps of science ambassadors In the past, the thought went that science and society could be bridged by researchers simply conveying facts to improve science literacy, a one-way communication approach termed the "deficit model". Communication researchers theorize that a better approach is to consider how people build relationships and enter into productive dialogues. Nadkarni's STEM Ambassador Program puts these ideas into practice by training scientists to both present the processes of science and to facilitate activities that promote the two-way exchange of ideas, perspectives and experiences with members of the public. "Just as the U.S. Foreign Service trains ambassadors to represent their home country and build positive relationships abroad," the STEM Ambassadors homepage says, "scientists can represent their 'home country' of science to engage as 'STEM Ambassadors.'" A geologist builds watershed models with youth at a summer camp. Credit: The STEM Ambassador Program Launched in 2016, the STEM Ambassador Program (STEMAP) is funded with a $1.3 million grant by the National Science Foundation. Each year, STEMAP, based at the U with Nadkarni as its director, trains cohorts of scientists in the Ambassador Model and helps them develop and implement public engagement of science activities. Since the program began, STEMAP has trained more than 65 scientists in the Ambassador Model. Here's how it works, step by step: Scientists first take a close look at themselves and distill their research, personal interests, hobbies and experiences to brainstorm novel connections with a particular community or "focal group". They learn about the focal group and build relationships by carrying out an "immersion event". in which they visit group gathering spaces and meet with group representatives. They then apply what they learn to design engagement activities that align with the group's shared interests, values and practices. They present activities for feedback and ultimately carry out the activities in the focal group's venue. Finally, scientists reflect on their efforts and evaluate outcomes. Engagement activities have been as varied as the scientists and focal groups who've participated in the program. One ambassador, a microbiologist with an interest in fermentation, served as a co-chef at a local fermentation cooking class and showed participants the microscopic organisms responsible for turning cabbage into sauerkraut. A hydrologist turned her field expedition to Greenland into a book for the children of Kulusuk, a Greenlandic village near her field site. An engineer shared his research to develop more efficient air quality monitoring devices with citizens at a community council meeting and invited them to participate in an air-quality monitoring project. A mathematician accompanied a group of at-risk youth on a ski trip, and explained the geometry of moving skis to maximize friction. The assessment of STEMAP's effectiveness shows strong results. Ninety-seven percent of ambassadors highly valued their participation in the program. More than half went on to plan and carry out additional engagement activities. The effect on activity participants was also dramatic. Eighty percent said they'd engage in similar events in the future. Seventy-six percent said they were more interested in seeking out scientific information after meeting with an ambassador. And two-thirds said they more strongly considered themselves as someone who can understand and do science. An ecologist shares her work with inmates in the Salt Lake County Jail. Credit: Jana Cunningham, University of Utah INSPIRE-ing the incarcerated Since 2003, Nadkarni has applied the principles of the Ambassador Model in multifaceted efforts to bring the power of science into the lives of the incarcerated. In 2013, she launched the Initiative to Bring Science Programs to the Incarcerated program, or INSPIRE, in which University of Utah faculty and graduate students present monthly lectures to inmates at the Utah State Prison, the Salt Lake County Jail and five juvenile detention centers in Salt Lake Valley. Topics have ranged from the genetics of pigeon feathers to mathematical modeling of the common cold. "Our premise is that all people have interest in science, and incarcerated adults and juveniles would probably be no different," Nadkarni says. And interest has been highinmates have requested additional lectures, Nadkarni says, and researchers have mentioned feeling that their participation has real impact. But to expand such an approach around the country and catch the attention of correctional institutions and researchers alike, Nadkarni and colleagues would need to publish evidence-based results of INSPIRE's impact in the scientific literature. And for that, they would need data. "Without evaluation, we could not publish our findings in the peer-reviewed literature," she says, "which is necessary if we are to have this work accepted as evidence-based and therefore of interest to other scientists and other corrections institutions." With the cooperation of prison staff, Nadkarni and colleague Jeremy Morris surveyed inmates before and after they attended monthly science lectures to assess their knowledge of the science topic as well as their attitudes toward science and math. They also surveyed jail and prison staff and general inmate populations to compare inmates' attitudes toward science with the general population. The results offered a surprising glimpse into the science-readiness of inmates. For Nadkarni and her fellow INSPIRE presenters, it was no surprise that inmates displayed a high interest in science (up to 92 percent expressed interest) and an eagerness to learneven higher than prison and jail staff, who were considered a proxy for the general population. "They are also interested in meeting with and talking to scientists, and do so with respect," Nadkarni says. "Their comments and questions indicate that even though many of them have poor formal educational background in science, many have been able to gain knowledge of science and maintain a curiosity about science from other sources." The positive impacts of the lecture seriesgreater science content knowledge, improved attitudes about science and scientists, and increased likelihood of communicating science they have learned with otherswere similar to those of formal prison education programs, but required much less of the scientist-instructors. Based on this past success, INSPIRE is now providing lectures and workshops at youth detention centers as well. Other studies have shown that prison education programs can lower inmates' chances of returning after release and raise their chances of gaining employment. It's a model worth sharing. "We can now bring this to academic and corrections administrators as 'evidence-based best practices' with far greater impact than we have been able to muster with only anecdotal or subjective information," Nadkarni says. Continuing engagement Both studies show that achieving the goals of science communicationincreased positive views of science, content knowledge and a desire to share with othersare attainable at relatively low cost and in populations that are much more receptive and interested than many might have thought. And by reaching out to such a wide diversity of groups, both the STEMAP and INSPIRE programs have shown that no one need be considered unreachable by and unengageable with science. After all, Nadkarni writes, there are 6.5 million scientists among the 325 million people in the United States. If every scientist talked about science with just one new person every week, they could reach every single Americanin just one year. Explore further Jail cell science More information: Nalini M Nadkarni et al, Beyond the Deficit Model: The Ambassador Approach to Public Engagement, BioScience (2019). Nalini M Nadkarni et al, Beyond the Deficit Model: The Ambassador Approach to Public Engagement,(2019). DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz018 Nalini M. Nadkarni et al. Baseline Attitudes and Impacts of Informal Science Education Lectures on Content Knowledge and Value of Science Among Incarcerated Populations, Science Communication (2018). DOI: 10.1177/1075547018806909 Journal information: BioScience Massachusetts State Geologist Stephen Mabee and colleagues recently annoucned that newly digitized surficial geology maps of the entire state are available online now. They provide details of what Mabee calls the 'kitty litter' mix of glacial tills, various sands and gravels on the earth's surface. Credit: USGS/MassGIS Anyone who digs in the earth needs a geologic map, says State Geologist Stephen Mabee at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and now he and colleagues have finished a federal-state collaboration that began 81 years ago to create the first complete set of 189 surficial geologic maps of Massachusetts in 7.5-minute quadrangles, the same useful scale as the topographical maps used by hikers. Civil engineers, geotechnology firms, state, county and town planners, transportation engineers, geologists, developers, "anyone who disturbs the ground for any project needs this resource," Mabee says, "because running into an unexpected obstacle can cost tens of thousands, even millions of dollars. That's the benefit of this information now publicly available. It's been estimated that the benefit-to-cost ratio of such maps is 34/1, so every dollar spent on mapping saves the taxpayer $34." The newly digitized maps available online this month provide details of what Mabee calls the "kitty litter" mix of glacial tills, various sands and gravels on the earth's surface. The uniform, portable maps use a unique standard color for each geologic material, with legends and supporting notes, and are "not just more accurate, but more convenient," he adds. "You can use GIS to overlay them with any number of layers of other information for all kinds of spatial analyses." "These are very detailed for a statewide map," he says. Another plus is that the maps are in a layered vector format, which means that the superimposed geologic units will be shown in the correct place on the Earth's surface. The senior lecturer in geosciences collaborated with research geologists Janet and Byron Stone and Mary DiGiacomo-Cohen at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in East Hartford, Conn. and others at the Massachusetts Bureau of Geographic Information (MassGIS) to resurrect this project that was begun in 1938. It was abandoned for many years, with roughly half the maps published on paper, when the USGS reorganized in 1978. Mabee recalls, "I became the state geologist in 2002 and the first thing I did was tell the USGS 'let's get started again.' All it took was someone to say we need to finish the job. There was once a great partnership between USGS and the state and I'm really glad to have helped to revive it. This is a huge accomplishment and one of my main goals when I started." At its peak, the project had been pumping out up to 18 quadrangles per decade, Mabee says, and by 1980 the Massachusetts Department of Public Works and USGS partners had mapped the entire state but only 105 maps were published on paper, a little more than half of what would be needed to cover the state. "We saw the last few maps published in the 1980s, then nothing," he notes. When Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1972 and Superfund legislation in 1980, plus other environmental regulations, many environmental and consulting groups urgently needed surficial geologic maps but couldn't find them, Mabee says. "For 20 years we had almost nothing, and what we had was only on paper. I had worked in consulting, so I knew the frustration." With the project revived in 2002 and supported by the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, MassGIS scanned all the paper maps on hand, while "squads" of Mabee's UMass Amherst geosciences students hand-traced every map and created digital versions. The USGS professionals used old field notes to fill in gaps, digitized all the unpublished maps, matching all areas where different materials met, and added legends and definitions. "They had to match the work done by people in the 1940s to what was produced by the next generation in the 1970s for all 189 quads," he adds. "It was a huge undertaking, and finally, 17 years later, we got it done. People have been screaming for this data that once was all on paper, and now it's all digital and online." Explore further First ever digital geologic map of Alaska published Students Larissa Ogora and Jeremy Ricketts testing the waters of the Conoy Creek in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The two are a part of a group studying the impact of stream restorations on the Chesapeake Bay, the worlds largest estuary and a major fishery and ecological resource. Credit: Penn State Harrisburg When it comes to improving the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, one Penn State Harrisburg researcher suggests taking the long view. As a geologist, Jennifer Sliko, assistant teaching professor of earth and geosciences in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, is used to studying the earth in the context of thousands of years. But for the Bay, she's only currently talking about decades. Sliko and colleague Shirley Clark, professor of environmental engineering, are leading a group of undergraduate and graduate students to study the impact of stream restorations on the Bay, the world's largest estuary and a major fishery and ecological resource. The Bay has been plagued by poor water quality that has devastated the area's ecosystem. Pennsylvania has some 86,000 miles of streams, many of which lead to the Bay. Sliko said that to fix the Bay, the general idea has been to fix the streams dumping water into it. One way to do that is through stream restoration activities such as stabilizing stream banks or creating wetlands. These measures help the species living in and around a stream, reduce stream bank erosion and improve water quality. "The driving questions behind our research is asking if stream restorations, which are pretty costly, are actually cleaning the water that goes down to the Bay, and are we utilizing our efforts in the best possible manner to restore the stream effectively in the long term," Sliko said. She explained that while these restoration practices have been tested on a short term scale, like 10 years, she and her students are looking at whether or not the restoration will be effective "in 30, 40, or 50 years down the road." "We are looking at different restorations and comparing their effectiveness, and also the age of the restorationsomething that is often overlooked," Sliko said. During summer 2018, Sliko, Clark, and their studentsElizabeth Bell, Larissa Ogora, Jeremy Ricketts, Sarah Ryan and Rachel Smolinskistudied several streams primarily in the Susquehanna River Watershed, close to the college campus and also in Lancaster County. This coming summer, Sliko plans to expand the research to more streams. Credit: Penn State Harrisburg In one stream that was restored about 20 years ago, the group found a drop in water quality and they are trying to determine what can be done to make sure the restoration is sustainable for the long term. "This restoration has been in place since the 1990s, and water quality improvement has tapered off a bit. It is possible that land use has changed, so maybe people in the surrounding area are not adhering to some of more rigorous environmental standards," Sliko said. "That amplifies the need for our research; we have to look at these things longitudinally, not just once." The project was largely funded through the Penn State College of Engineering's Multi-Campus Research Experience for Undergraduates Students (MCREU) program, allowing the group to collaborate with faculty and use labs at University Park. In the field, they do some analysis in the stream, and then bring water samples back to the labs for further testing. "We look at different parameters of stream health, such as dissolved oxygen, PH, turbidity (cloudiness of the water), salinity," Ryan, an environmental pollution control graduate student, said. At the Penn State Harrisburg lab, they test the nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. The undergraduate students also do lab work at University Park, where they test for different types of metals, nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. "Since we don't have the ability to look at numerous heavy metals here at the college, we took advantage of the REU collaboration," Sliko said. "It was a good opportunity for the students to be exposed to resources on campus and at University Park and there is potential for future collaborations, as well." Rachel Smolinski and Elizabeth Bell examine sediment samples from the creek. Credit: Penn State Harrisburg The consensus of the group is that the there is value in broad restorations that reconnect the stream to its floodplainthe area of land adjacent to a stream or river. The more you create a natural connection of the stream to the land, the better the stream performs, according to Sliko. "These broad restorations are the most effective," Sliko said. "However, you must also look at the land-use policies in the watershed and the external factors, such as whether you have a sewage plant dumping into a stream or a farmer discharging nutrient-rich water. The policies that regulate what gets dumped into the streams could play a more important role than the stream restorations themselves." Sliko added that broad restorations are also beneficial because they provide a storage place for flood water. "The more you pave, put down buildings or streets or parking lots, water cannot soak into the ground. It flows over ground, dumps into a stream and creates more flooding," she said. "Broad restorations, while more expensive, are more effective in reducing flooding." A community effort One of the streams the group tested is located at the Masonic Village retirement community a few miles from campus in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. In 2008, in conjunction with several local organizations, the village completed a broad riparian restoration of a portion of the Conoy Creek located along its property. The project removed centuries of nutrient-laden sediments and restored 3,200 feet of the creek's floodplain, including the reconstruction of the wetland environment that existed between 300 and 5,000 years ago. Clark, who is collaborating with Sliko on the research project, explained, "A long time ago, this area didn't flood that much because we weren't building so close to the creek. The residents are thrilled with the restoration because it allows nature to slow down the water, let's some of it soak into the soil, replenish the ground water, and even, with this wide bank of trees and bushes, it takes a lot more energy to push water through, so it slows the water down and the flood wave gets lower and lower until eventually it is back in the banks." In the field, the researchers do some analysis in the stream, and then bring water samples back to the labs for further testing. Credit: Penn State Harrisburg At Conoy Creek, the group collected samples and conducted their tests upstream and downstream of the restoration. They are trying to determine if the water quality improves, or at least stays the same. They collected water samples for lab analysis, did bacterial analysis, and collected sediment; they also measured for dissolved oxygen, another indicator of water health. Sliko said that future research involves looking at insects that live in the water as another indication of stream health. "It's the start of a great project," Smolinski, an environmental pollution control graduate student, added. "We looked at six streams and it makes us a little more curious about more streams and if there are other things we can learn." Ogora, a civil engineering senior, said that she was fascinated by the results. "You would think that the stream had been fixed by the restoration, and the water would be improved," said Ogora. "This research answered the first question, but opened up so many others." Explore further Study looks at best way to bring healthy streams back after development After spending six months hiding in Hong Kong, they have now found shelter in a third country. So far they changed 15 hiding places and were also hosted by a nun. The fear of being captured, repatriated and killed. Their story is a source of "hope" for other women victims of repression and abuse. Male guardianship under the spotlight. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations. We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women". This is what two young Saudi women (Rawan and Reem their fictional names) tell Reuters after having fled the country to escape family violence and possible death for abandoning the Islamic faith. For over six months the two sisters aged 18 and 20 have lived in Hong Kong, hoping for a visa for Australia. During this time they changed 15 houses, were also received by a nun and a center for abused women, to escape from the Riyadh intelligence forces and their families trying to repatriate them. The operators of an NGO that followed their story confirm that, last week, the two young women left the governorate for a third country - kept hidden for security reasons - where they will be able to rebuild their lives. Now "I am safe and well". Before leaving, from the 22nd floor of a Hong Kong hotel room they told their personal story, in the hope that it could be an example and give courage to women victims of violence in the Wahhabi kingdom. In their story, the two girls have words of harsh criticism for the controversial law on male guardianship, according to which every woman must receive the consent of a man - father, husband, brother or son if widows - even just to work, study or receive medical care. "Women are like slaves," says the older sister, whose dream is to become a writer one day. "I just want to stop and feel safe, to know that I have rights and I count for something. Just living a normal life, discovering myself ... now I am the master of my life! ". Their story recalls in many respects that of 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, whom the UN granted refugee status as well as finding shelter and refuge - after days barricaded in a hotel in Bangkok's international airport - in Canada. The two sisters for a long time feared capture and repatriation to Saudi Arabia, where - most likely - they would face very harsh violence, if not death for apostasy. Their only desire today is to look at a "beautiful, shining future", far from a society and a family that they call "repressive". The escape dates back to last September, during a holiday to Sri Lanka, followed by months of fears and timid hopes in Hong Kong, the penultimate stage to Australia considered at first the final destination of their journey to freedom. At the end of the interview, the two sisters tell of having followed the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed last October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A dark story, behind which there would be direct responsibilities of the leadership of Riyadh and the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (Mbs). "I told my sister: I'm glad I left. This is the country we abandoned," says the eldest of the two, who considers the novel by George Orwell 1984 among her favorites," It's a science fiction book - she concludes - but what it tells is all true in Saudi Arabia ". The Saudi consulate in the governorate declined to comment on the story. The deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Otokunor has said the National Peace Council has agreed to mediate the meeting intended to formulate ideas towards the disbandment of vigilante groups. According to him, the NDC never trusted the ruling New Patriotic Party [NPP] so opted for the Peace Council which they have agreed to mediate the meeting. They are very happy to mediate the process, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. The National Peace Council has received reports and invitation to mediate the planned meeting between the two political parties as suggested by President Akufo-Addo when he delivered his State of the Nation Address. The NDC in its latest letter to the NPP proposed that the National Peace Council be appointed as the mediator for the meeting. In a letter signed by the partys National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and addressed to President Akufo-Addo, he argued that such a meeting due to recurrent mistrust and suspicion between the two parties should have a credible national mediator. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash 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 What do televisions and space exploration have in common? No, we're not talking about a cheesy physics joke; rather, this is the story of an often-overlooked piece of equipment that deserves a place in the annals of telecommunication history. Some would argue that the traveling-wave tube (TWT) has not received the recognition it deserves when it comes to the history of space travel and communicationsuntil now. A group of researchers based at the Aix-Marseille Universite in France has published a review looking into the history of TWTs, recently published in The European Physical Journal H. This is the first time a paper aimed at the general public has described the vital role of this technology in various areas of development. The team collected and read hundreds of papers on the history and evolution of the traveling-wave tube. First introduced in the 1950s, a TWT is a relatively simple piece of equipment used for transmitting data across long distances, including the vast expanses of space. A TWT is made up of three partsan electron gun that produces the beam; a slow wave structure made up of a series of magnets, through which the beam travels; and a collector that limits the amount of energy lost in the process. The paper describes how the TWT was pivotal to the development of the television in the 1950s, and to the space programme in the 1960s. But it is just as relevant today. "Traveling-wave tubes are still frequently used in space telecommunication and for deep-space missions," says Damien Minenna, a Ph.D. student who worked on the paper. For example, the NASA probe New Horizons recently sent images of Kuiper belt objects, the most distant images from Earth ever taken by a spacecraft, and they were transmitted using a TWT. In Minenna's own research, he uses TWTs to study chaos in plasmas. He hopes the review article will help others understand, and appreciate, the importance and history of the traveling-wave tube. Explore further Drag reduction and relaminarization of wall-turbulence by traveling wave control More information: Damien F. G. Minenna et al, The traveling-wave tube in the history of telecommunication, The European Physical Journal H (2019). Damien F. G. Minenna et al, The traveling-wave tube in the history of telecommunication,(2019). DOI: 10.1140/epjh/e2018-90023-1 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Replanting urban environments with native flora could be a cost effective way to improve public health because it will help 'rewild' the environmental and human microbiota, University of Adelaide researchers say. In a new paper, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers say that humans thought of as 'holobionts', a symbiosis of host and microorganisms reliant on ecosystem health and biodiversity for optimal health outcomes and more specifically, urban populations, are in dire need of more natural habitat to address chronic disease rates. In an effort to stem rising global rates of non-communicable diseases like asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and allergies which have been linked to less diverse human microbiomes, researchers suggest restoration of urban microbial biodiversity through rewilding could help address chronic health problems. Lead author Jacob Mills, from The Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide, said that evidence is pointing towards humans needing healthy, natural, and microbially-rich environments to properly develop as healthy holobionts. "We are more than human, cell-for-cell we are 57% microbial, we're walking ecosystems. Our symbiotic microbial partners, or our 'Old Friends' as they're known, come from our mother and wider habitat when we're young. These microorganisms play vital roles in our health, particularly our immune training and regulation,'' he said. "One cause for the rapid increase of non-communicable diseases in urban populations is thought to be a decrease in biodiversity, including microbial diversity, of human habitat through urbanisation. "As it stands with current urban designs, people are poorly exposed to their 'Old Friends' and partially because of this we have decreased our health status through improper immune training and regulation. Most microbes are actually beneficial or neutral, only rarely do they cause disease." Researchers suggest that restoring native plant communities to urban areas could provide generational health benefits and result in huge savings for health care sectors they estimate that if urban restoration can reduce health costs by 5% then the European Union could save 230-to-280 million per year on inflammatory bowel disease alone. "Restoring plant communities provides habitat for animals and changes soil, water, and air conditions, all of which impact on the environmental microbiota, generating a more natural microbial community,'' Mr Mills said. "Biodiversity restoration could be a cheap health care intervention with the possibility of enormous savings for health care sectors which can be spent in other areas of need. It also comes with co-benefits like urban heat-island mitigation, pollution capture, and species conservation which makes it a no-regrets intervention." Explore further Native marsupial helping revive urban bushland in Perth's north More information: Jacob G. Mills et al. Relating Urban Biodiversity to Human Health With the 'Holobiont' Concept, Frontiers in Microbiology (2019). Frontiers in Microbiology (2019). Jacob G. Mills et al. Relating Urban Biodiversity to Human Health With the 'Holobiont' Concept,(2019). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00550 Jacob G. Mills et al. Relating Urban Biodiversity to Human Health With the 'Holobiont' Concept,(2019). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00550 Credit: NASA / JHU APL / STEVE GRIBBEN Two tough, resilient NASA spacecraft have been orbiting Earth for the past six and a half years, flying repeatedly through a hazardous zone of charged particles known as the Van Allen radiation belts. The twin Van Allen Probes have confirmed scientific theories and revealed new structures, compositions, and processes at work in these dynamic regions. In February, the Van Allen Probes mission operations team at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratorywhere the probes were designed and builtbegan a series of orbit descent maneuvers that will position the satellites for an eventual re-entry into Earth's atmosphere in approximately 15 years. "At the new altitude, aerodynamic drag will bring down the satellites and eventually burn them up in the upper atmosphere," said Nelli Mosavi, project manager for the Van Allen Probes at APL. "Our mission is to obtain great science data and also to ensure that we prevent more space debris so the next generations have the opportunity to explore space as well." Originally designated as a two-year mission because no one believed that a spacecraft could survive longer in the harsh radiation belts that surround Earth, these rugged spacecraft have operated without incident since 2012 and continue to enable groundbreaking discoveries about the Van Allen belts. "The spacecraft and instruments have given us incredible insight into spacecraft operations in a high-radiation environment," Mosavi said. "Everyone on the mission feels a real sense of pride and accomplishment in the work we've done and the science we've provided to the worldeven as we begin the de-orbiting maneuvers." Credit: JHU Applied Physics Lab A harsh environment Earth's radiation belts are made up of energized particlesprotons and electronstrapped in eternal orbit around the planet. "We know that other planets in our solar system with magnetic fields have radiation belts," said Sasha Ukhorskiy, a project scientist at APL. "We can assume that other bodies throughout the universe do too. By studying the belts and the physics associated with them here at Earth, and using our world as a natural laboratory, we can learn about how these structures function around other objects in the universe with magnetic fields." The magnetic field surrounding Earth creates a bubble known as the magnetosphere, which protects the planet from plasma blasts sent out by the sun. But it also serves to capture particles and can eventually settle these high-energy particle populations into radiation belts around Earth. A complex chain of processes occurs in this near-Earth environment, acting like a giant particle accelerator and speeding some particles up to nearly the speed of lightmore than 670 million miles an hour. These highly energized particles in the radiation belts can pose a number of hazards to space operations, as they can damage sensitive electronics. During solar storms, conditions worsen, and the belts can swell in size, threatening nearby spacecraft. The Van Allen Probes travel through the inner region of the Earth's geomagnetic field, where charged particles spend their time bouncing between the 'mirror points' in the Earth's magnetic field, forming radiation belts. Credit: JHU APL "Our magnetic field does a pretty good job of shielding us from these solar blasts," said David Sibeck, a mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "But some of their energy penetrates deep into the Earth's field and, through a variety of mechanisms, powers up the radiation belts. When that happens, spacecraft in the belts had better look out: Trouble lies ahead in the form of short circuits, disrupted computer memory, and instrument failure." The Van Allen Probes were designed and built to be resilient in this extreme environmentand even their builders were surprised by their ability to withstand such harsh conditions. "Over the past six and a half years, the Van Allen Probes have completed three full circuits around the magnetosphere, and measured more than 100 geomagnetic storms," Ukhorskiy said. "The Van Allen Probes verified and quantified previously suggested theories, discovered new mechanisms that can sculpt near-Earth energetic particle populations, and used uniquely capable instruments to unveil unexpected features that were all but invisible to previous sensors." The information on particles and waves delivered by the Van Allen Probes has proved to be a treasure trove for space physics research. Findings and observations include multiple belt structures, including a third belt observed shortly after launch; definitive answers about particle acceleration processes; and the discovery of a nearly impenetrable barrier region that prevents the fastest and most energetic electrons from reaching Earth. "The data from the Van Allen Probes has led to more than 560 articles published in peer-reviewed science journals since the launch of the mission," Ukhorskiy said. "Most of these articles are led by authors not directly affiliated with the mission's science teams. And the publication rate has steadily grown since the mission launch; every four days, a new article is published in an international peer-reviewed journal." In late 2010, engineers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory prepare to place Van Allen Probes spacecraft "B" in a thermal-vacuum chamber, where the propulsion system would be tested to ensure it could stand up to the range of hot, cold, and airless conditions of outer space. Credit: NASA / JHU APL / Ed Whitman Built to survive Since their launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on Aug. 30, 2012, the twin Van Allen Probes have delivered to scientists an unprecedented look into the makeup and processes within the belts. The probesknown as spacecraft A and Bwere the first spacecraft designed to spend years operating within and studying the radiation belts, a region that most spacecraft missions avoid because of the damage hazards of the environment. "Designing the spacecraft and instruments to withstand a very harsh radiation environment was the toughest challenge for Van Allen Probes during design and development," said Rick Fitzgerald, who served as the mission's project manager at APL from 2007 to 2012. "Radiation can cause damage to electronics, leading to erratic behavior or outright failure. We lowered the risk of failure through a rigorous design review process, careful selection of electronics parts, and extensive parts and materials testing." To protect the spacecrafts' sensitive electronics, the team added shields around the instruments to prevent the accumulation of electrical charges. "All integrated circuits were designed to survive in the belts, and the spacecraft has a fault management and autonomy system, which mitigates the effects of the environment by resetting electronics in response to single event effects," said APL's Kristin Fretz, mission system engineer from 2013 to 2018. The design has been up to the challenge. "We have had very few momentary errors or 'upsets' of our electronics on orbit, and no electronics box failures to date," Fitzgerald said. "This is the true validation of all the hard work put into the design and test program prior to launch." Chart shows how the spacecraft orbits will shrink over time. Credit: JHU APL The longevity and resilience of the spacecraft and instruments mean that not only are they still delivering high volumes of data to Earth, they are also teaching spacecraft engineers about operations in the belts. "The Van Allen Probes have essentially become a live test facility for understanding how electronics and materials can survive harsh radiation," Fitzgerald said. "The six and a half years on orbit provide new data to be used in the models that determine how to manufacture, how to select, and how to predict performance of parts and materials on orbit." Final maneuvers The spacecraft continue to operate optimally, and propellant supplies are plentiful. However, NASA regulations require the controlled de-orbit and removal from orbit of all spacecraft after a period of 25 years from the end of the mission. To meet this requirement, the Van Allen Probes team in 2017 began planning how to lower the spacecraft into orbits that would eventually decay and lead to the re-entry through the atmosphere, safely disintegrating them. "If we didn't do these maneuvers, the Van Allen Probes would continue orbiting for hundreds or thousands of years, presenting a potential problem to future satellite activities," said APL's Justin Atchison, Van Allen Probes mission designer. To lower the spacecraft, the mission operations team has to perform the maneuvers at a very specific point in the orbit and at a certain time of year, and must perform the operation in stages, rather than one long engine burn. "We need to maneuver when the satellites are at their highest orbit point away from the Earth, or what's known as apogee," Atchison said. "Ideally, we'd do all of the orbit change in a single maneuver on a single day. However, we're limited by the capability of the thrusters, which are typically only used for very small maneuvers to slightly adjust the orbit or the pointing. So we have to divide the maneuver up into smaller segments to achieve the goal." The team has been rehearsing and practicing the orbit-lowering campaign and is ready to begin this new stage of the mission's life. "The Van Allen Probes mission has done a tremendous job in characterizing the radiation belts and providing us with the comprehensive information needed to deduce what is going on in them," Sibeck said. "More than six years of nonstop excitement and discoveries that provide us with the information needed to ensure that spacecraft can survive in some of the harshest environments known to humanity. In fact, the very survival of these spacecraft and all their instruments, virtually unscathed, after all these years is an accomplishment and a lesson learned on how to design spacecraft." Explore further Van Allen probes begin final phase of exploration in Earth's radiation belts 'These inventions give us the tools to create treatments and cures for a host of conditions that have few, if any, effective treatments today,' said Chad Cowan, whose Harvard lab's innovations have been licensed to Sana. Credit: Mary Todd Bergman, Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Protecting transplanted cells from immune attack is a serious challenge. As with any organ transplant, cell lines derived from stem cells are sometimes rejected. Innovations by Harvard University researchers are now enabling a new company to develop a solution that may work in cell therapies for any patient with any disease. Harvard's Office of Technology Development (OTD) has executed a license agreement with Sana Biotechnology, a recently launched company co-founded by Harvard faculty that is focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines for patients. Harvard's foundational technology consists of methods for producing hypoimmunogenic stem cells that can be differentiated into any cell type and then transplanted into a patient without triggering immune rejection. Sana was launched in January 2019 with operations in Seattle, WA; Cambridge, MA; and South San Francisco, CA. The company's founding venture capital firms include ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Pioneering, and F-Prime Capital. "We are excited to have placed this important technology with Sana, a startup which has assembled a world-class team to advance the development of allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cell therapies," said Vivian Berlin, Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships, in Harvard OTD. "The company's leadership, vision, and focus on scaled solutions give us confidence that this groundbreaking technology can be developed and deployed to the fullest extent possible for patients." The hypoimmunogenic stem cells are derived from human pluripotent stem cells that have been genetically engineered to appear benign to, effectively hiding from, the immune system. To achieve this outcome, the inventors modified the cells' genomes to reduce the activity of genes that produce proteins that can provoke the transplant recipient's immune system, and to increase the activity of genes that produce tolerogenic factors that signal "friend" not "foe." Sana intends to create hypoimmunogenic pluripotent stem cells and use them as the starting material to develop novel cell therapies. Under appropriate conditions, these engineered stem cells can be differentiated, at significant scale, into various types of cells a patient needs to replace missing or damaged cells in the body. It has been shown in the field that stem cells can be turned into, for example, cardiomyocytes (heart muscle), endothelial cells (blood vessels), hepatocytes (liver cells), or pancreatic beta cells (cells that produce insulin). "Overcoming the immune-rejection barrier is essential for making stem cell-derived therapies broadly accessible," said Chad Cowan, Ph.D., whose laboratory in Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (SCRB) developed the licensed innovations. "These inventions give us the tools to create treatments and cures for a host of conditions that have few, if any, effective treatments today." In addition to the Cowan Lab's platform technology, which is exclusively licensed to Sana within the field of therapeutics, the license agreement grants Sana non-exclusive access to Harvard technology for performing high-efficiency, ex vivo genome editing. Cowan is a co-founder of Sana and the company's Chief Scientific Officer. Richard Mulligan, the Mallinckrodt Professor of Genetics, Emeritus, at Harvard Medical School, is also a co-founder. "Harvard's research enterprise is a uniquely powerful engine for biomedical discovery and startup formation," said Isaac T. Kohlberg, Harvard's Chief Technology Development Officer and Senior Associate Provost. "Through focused business development efforts, we're fortunate to have connected with a team of entrepreneurs and investors who share our researchers' vision to transform the state of medical care beyond conventional pharmaceuticals. By licensing this cell therapy platform to Sana, we're leveraging the expertise and resources of a dedicated business team to ensure Harvard's innovations bring the greatest benefit to patients in need." The Cowan Lab's research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (DK097768) and was developed further through funding from Harvard's Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. "The Harvard research team, with the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator, has developed and validated this technology to an advanced stage, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to push it forward," said Steve Harr, MD, President and CEO of Sana. "Sana is focused on engineering cells as medicines for patients, both reprogramming cells in the body to fix function and making cells outside the body that physicians can utilize to replace missing or damaged cells in the body. Harvard's technology is an important piece in making our vision a reality." Cowan, formerly a faculty member in Harvard SCRB, is currently Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Prof. Cowan is also a faculty member of Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Provided by Harvard University Participants in the 2018 Girls Learning Electrical Engineering (GLEE) camp don their lab coats and googles. As part of this study, underrepresented students will receive scholarships to these University Illinois summer camps. Credit: University of Illinois College of Engineering As schools explore ways to encourage more underrepresented students to consider STEM fields, a team from the University of Illinois believes school counselors and year-round experiences are two of the keys. The team will use a 3-year, $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to build a program in middle schools and high schools across the state of Illinois and study its results. "We believe that school counselors are gatekeepers for opportunity," said Lynford Goddard, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and a co-principal investigator on the project. "They interact with the entire student body about what classes to take. They can advocate with underrepresented groups to enroll in advanced math and science classes as well as take advantage of outside activities to enrich their experiences in STEM." The proposal is a collaboration between co-PIs Goddard; Lara Hebert, outreach coordinator for the College of Engineering; and Luisa Rosu, a research associate with the Illinois Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Initiative at the U of I. Irfran Ahmad, the Executive Director for the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, serves as the industry liaison. In addition to emphasizing the role of the school counselor, the team also believes it's important for students to have year-round STEM experiences. That is why one of the three pillars of the program is to sponsor STEM clubs, which provide engineering design, project- based experiences at the schools, and encourage a diverse group of students to participate. Another pillar is the development of IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and access) teams, which will include the school counselor, a teacher, and a third stakeholder at the school dedicated to supporting students at each site. The third pillar will be providing scholarships for underrepresented middle school and high school students to attend Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) camps offered by the U of I's College of Engineering. Ultimately, if their study of this work shows the model is effective, they hope to expand the project with private funding beyond the three years of the NSF grant. If successful, the model can also be shared beyond Illinois. "We are continually committed to increasing diversity and opening up opportunities for underrepresented students, particularly from the State of Illinois" said Rashid Bashir, Dean of the College of Engineering. "This project reiterates that commitment." Like many schools, the University of Illinois College of Engineering is making strides when it comes to its diversity numbers (the number of women and underrepresented students are up 60 percent since 2013), but in order to make more significant progress in admissions and job placement, grassroots efforts need to increase diversity in the pool of students applying. "We have to increase the applicant pool just to be able to say we have a chance," Goddard said. "There is also a lot of theory about critical mass and the idea that when 20-30 percent of the classroom is of an underrepresented group, that a person from that group coming into that environment will not feel as isolated. It's about building an inclusive community and a sense of belonging." Over the course of three years, the team will partner with 24 schools20 high schools and four middle schools that feed into one of the 20 high schools. Each year a cohort of eight schools will enter the program, starting this summer. They are targeting schools in Chicago, East St. Louis, and locally, and there are several schools interested. Partnering with the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, the group will provide a 10-day, comprehensive summer institute to equip teams with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and resources to act as effective STEM advocates and learn the technical material the teams are going to study. Lorenzo Baber, an associate professor in the School of Education at Iowa State University and a former Illinois faculty member, will provide educational research on self-efficacy (an individuals' belief they can achieve their goals). They will encourage a network where the schools can communicate with each other about best practices. Representatives from Chip Energy and Henneman Engineering will talk with counselors about industry needs. Other partners in the project include the Education for Employment (EFE) program, National Instruments, and the University of Illinois Extension. "We want the schools to understand what sorts of policies and professional practices influence opportunities for students and reflect on strategies they are currently using to address these issues," Goddard said. "Are there normal operating principles that prevent this from being successful? Our goal is to figure out the synergistic effects of year-round programming that creates an atmosphere conducive to getting students into the STEM." Provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Patapaa has finally revealed why he dumped his Swedru-based girlfriend, Patapezzy for a white woman in an interview with SVTV in Germany. Patapaa is currently trending on the internet after his video of kissing and smooching a white woman believed to be his girlfriend popped up on social media and as a result of that, his Swedru-based girlfriend, Patapezzy has been admitted to the hospital. Patapezzy collapsed and rushed to the hospital after watching the video of Patapaa busily kissing and smooching his white girlfriend. In a video, Patapezzy was seen crying like a baby after watching Patapaas love chopping video. Patapaa on why he dumped his Swedru-based girlfriend for a white woman responded that he will clear the air on the issue after he arrives in Ghana. Watch the interview below. Source: Ghanacelebrities.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 Arnold Ventures (formerly the Laura and John Arnold Foundation) has been a leading supporter of criminal justice reform since 2011. Under the leadership of James Cadogan, vice president of criminal justice, the organization recently launched the National Partnership for Pretrial Justice, a community of practice involving more than two dozen Arnold Ventures grantees working to eliminate unnecessary and unjust detention practices, with new investments totaling $39 million. Cadogan joined the organization after serving as the inaugural director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and as a counselor to the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he helped design comprehensive federal reentry reforms; served as a lead staffer on an initiative to reduce the use of solitary confinement at the Federal Bureau of Prisons; developed national community policing initiatives; and supported access to justice programs. PND asked Cadogan about the initiative's goals, the emerging field of pretrial justice reform, and the role of pretrial justice reform in advancing racial equity. Philanthropy News Digest: Your organization is on record as saying "money bail obscures legally required risk analyses, traps people in jail, and contributes to unconscionable racial and economic disparities in our justice system." How does the cash bail system exacerbate the mass incarceration of people of color? And how central to the National Partnership for Pretrial Justice is the goal of advancing racial and economic equity? James Cadogan: A fundamental principle of our justice system is the presumption of innocence: the idea that, when accused of a crime, you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But across the country right now there are hundreds of thousands of people sitting in jail who haven't been convicted of any crime, nearly half a million at any given moment. They haven't even been tried. That's because of our current system of money bail. Generally, after an individual is arrested they go before a judge who reads the charges and sets bail an amount of money that the arrestee must pay in order to be set free. If you can pay that money, you go free; if you can't afford it, you go to jail. In other words, the size of your bank account determines your freedom. Simply put: that is unjust. To avoid jail, those who can't afford to pay the bail amount directly might turn to a bail bondsman who can post the amount with the court while charging the individual a fee, often 10 percent of the bail amount. But if bail is set at $2,000, many people are equally unable to afford the $200 fee a bondsman would charge as the $2,000 bail imposed by the court. The money bail system discriminates against the poor and people of color are disproportionately poor. Research has also shown that people of color are treated more harshly within the money bail system: for example, African-American men on average receive 35 percent higher bail amounts than white men who are arrested for the exact same crime. PND: Arnold Ventures, formerly the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, has supported pretrial justice reform since 2011 support that has included efforts to increase transparency around and the use of validated, evidence-based risk assessments in judges' decisions to release or detain defendants. Beyond strengthening implementation of the Public Safety Assessment which was created from a database of more than 1.5 million cases in over three hundred jurisdictions what is the partnership planning to do to reduce "unnecessary and unjust detention"? JC: Pretrial detention rates are driven by a number of decisions and processes under the control of judges, prosecutors, public defenders, court administrators, and other system actors and stakeholders. The National Partnership intentionally connects and elevates partners with different types of expertise for example, research, policy development, or litigation and supports them in taking on projects that span a range of pretrial justice challenges such as evaluating the impact of bail practices, working to expand the use of prosecutorial diversion that moves people out of the criminal just system, or undertaking advocacy related to the impossible caseloads many public defenders face. Pretrial justice practices and operations vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so the breadth of the work we support to reduce unjust pretrial detention is important: National Partnership initiatives span four hundred counties across thirty-five states. At this pivotal time in the pretrial justice reform movement, it's important to understand that even though experts nationwide may have different approaches and don't agree on everything, they're all committed to the same end goal: reducing our unconscionable rates of pretrial detention. By supporting a diversity of efforts, we can help harness that momentum in a variety of places and spaces across the country and give ourselves the best chance of bringing about lasting policy change in pretrial justice. That's where see the biggest value of the partnership. I'm not on Facebook and do not post to Medium. Twitter has suspended me. I don't know why. mscriver@3rivers.net COMMENTS WELCOME unless they are anonymous. In her new book, Wild Sea: A History of the Southern Ocean, Joy McCann reveals the secrets of elusive Southern, or Antarctic, Ocean, weaving together sea captains journals, whalers log books, explorers letters, scientific research, and ancient beliefs with her own travels there while researching the book. We sent McCann a few questions recently to learn more about her motivations for writing the book . First , just where is the Southern, or Antarctic, Ocean? This might seem a straightforward question of geography, but you explain in the book that the exact borders have actually been contested since the early twentieth century. The simple answer is that the Southern Ocean flows completely around the Antarctic continent in the high southern latitudes, uninterrupted by any landmass. Unlike the Arctic region, where ocean is surrounded by land, the Antarctic region comprises land surrounded by ocean and encircled by twenty tiny sub-Antarctic island groups. It is the worlds only circumpolar ocean, and it was formally recognized as the worlds fifth major ocean in 2000 because of its distinctive physical and biological characteristics. As I discuss in Wild Sea, however, the question of Southern Ocean geography is complicated. The northern limits of the ocean are indistinct because its waters merge with those of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. It was this lack of any terrestrial boundary that gave rise to international disagreement over the course of the twentieth century about just where to draw the line! I allude to this contested northern boundary in the Prelude to Wild Sea, noting that it is a difficult ocean to pin down . . . a fluid boundary that defies the neat lines of a cartographer (p. ix). My notes to the Prelude briefly chart the history of the IHOs attempts to create a uniform system of nautical maps and charts, beginning with the first edition of the Limits of Oceans and Seas in 1928. This is the map that accompanied that first edition, showing the Southern Ocean flowing between Antarctica and the southernmost coastlines of South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. NOAA Central Library Historical Collections The IHO revised the boundary southward in 1938, then in 1953 the Southern Ocean was omitted all together because of the difficulty of drawing a line in the ocean. Member nations were invited to draw their own northern limits and, in the absence of any international agreement, the 1953 version remains current. From a scientific perspective, however, the northern limits of the Southern Ocean are now widely recognized as a transition zone between the cool, fresh, nutrient-rich sub-Antarctic waters to the south and the warm, salty, nutrient-poor subtropical waters to the north, roughly along the line of latitude 40 degrees South. For readers who may be interested to learn more, my blog post provides further explanation of this history, together with IHO maps that illustrate the shifting boundaries of the Southern Ocean. Within a century, popular and scientific perceptions of the Antarctic Ocean have changed dramatically. Can you tell us a little more about this? In Wild Sea I discuss how perceptions of the Southern Ocean changed over time and in different cultural contexts. The most profound shifts occurred in Western thinking during the twentieth century, reflecting changes in how the ocean environment was understood and valued. The Southern Ocean whaling industry, for example, began in the early nineteenth century with shore-based whaling stations operated by small, privately-funded companies. By the mid-1920s, steam-powered factory ships had largely replaced catcher boats and shore-based whaling operations. This new style of pelagic whaling was highly efficient and lucrative. It was also catastrophic for the larger whale species of the Southern Ocean. I cite some statistics in Chapter 6 to illustrate the impact of industrialized whaling in the region. Over a period of seventeen years, the number of whales killed annually increased from 8448 in the 19201 season to 46,039 in 19378. In the 19301 season alone, the total whale catch included a record 29,400 blue whales, the largest creature to have ever lived on Earth. With the dramatic decline in whale numbers threatening the sustainability of the southern whaling industry, the British government instigated a series of research expeditions in the waters around South Georgia between 1925 and 1951, known collectively as the Discovery Investigations. The aim of the program was to study and gather information about whale biology and behavior in order to better manage whale numbers, and to ensure a future for the southern whaling industry. Interestingly, the research was paid for by a levy imposed on whalers, revealing the close alliance at that time between scientific and commercial interests. Even then, however, there were voices calling for restraint and warning of the extermination of whole species if indiscriminate harvesting was allowed to continue. In 1931, twenty-two whaling nations agreed to the first international regulatory agreement on whaling activities, following by the creation of the United Nations International Whaling Commission in 1946 and the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in 1948. By the time South Georgias last shore-based stations ceased operations in 1965, it was abundantly clear that there were too few large whales remaining in the Southern Ocean for the whaling industry to remain commercially viable. The last whaling operations ceased in Australia and elsewhere during the 1970s in the face of widespread anti-whaling sentiment and declining markets for whale products, and in 1982 the International Whaling Commission introduced a commercial whaling moratorium which remains in place today. Antarctic krill (Euphausia supberba), reproduced in Wild Sea with the kind permission of David Tipling. The story does not end there. Indeed, it was the Discovery Investigations research on Antarctic krill, the main food source for southern baleen whales, that led to one of the most important shifts in perception: that the Southern Ocean was not an inexhaustible resource but a fragile ecosystem, not simply a habitat for individual species, but an interconnected whole in which changes affecting one species could be expected to impact on other species, as well as on their physical environment . You mention in the book that the Antarctic Ocean and continent are considered to be a barometer of global warming. Indeed, Antarctica was in the news again recently when scientists discovered a cavity growing within a glacier two-thirds the size of Manhattan. Could you talk a little more about what makes the region such a useful barometer? During your travels, what was some of the most compelling evidence you saw for climate change? When we talk about the impact of climate change in Antarctica, the discussion invariably turns to the implications of the melting polar ice caps for rising sea levels. That is certainly one of the most important measures of global warming in the Antarctic region, but in Wild Sea I focus on ways that the ocean itself is signaling the changes occurring in its depths. According to recent research, more than 90% of excess heat in the atmosphere generated by global warming is absorbed by our oceans. Some 60% of the world ocean is found in the southern hemisphere, making this region a key area of research for scientists studying the role of oceans in climate change. The Southern Ocean has become an area of particular interest because of growing appreciation of its distinctive role in the storage and transport of heat, freshwater and carbon dioxide throughout the worlds oceans. In fact its been described as the lungs of the planet because of its vast surface and prolific plant and animal life. I recently discovered a stunning demonstration of how Southern Ocean circulation works, in the form of an animation produced by the Australian National University. Changes occurring in the Southern Oceans currents and sea ice affect global climate, although the extreme physical conditions in this region have tended to inhibit observations that enable scientists to closely monitor these changes. During the 2007 International Polar Year, an international multi-disciplinary research program involving scientists from eighteen nations set about building a more complete picture of this circumpolar ocean environment and understanding how the Southern Ocean is likely to respond to and drive global climate change. Such projects have continued to gain momentum, and I discuss a few of these in Wild Sea. Interested readers can also learn more about current work in the region through websites such as the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centres The Southern Ocean in a Changing Climate project. One of the reasons I wrote Wild Sea was because I wanted to capture some of the stories of this mysterious and remote ocean, not just through the history of exploration and science, but through the interweaving of its human and natural histories. I think that we need stories that can reconnect us with this little known part of the planet, not just as an ecosystem but because we humans rely on it for its invisible but powerful currents and winds, and the great seasonal heartbeat of its ice, and the role that it plays in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When I voyaged into the Southern Ocean in late 2017, I witnessed the profound changeover that occurs as the ocean and islands and creatures prepare for the brief summer season. I saw glaciers crashing into the ocean, although I did not know whether this was a seasonal phenomenon or a sign of something more sinister. Nevertheless, one of the ideas that struck me was the way in which everything about the Southern Ocean is interconnected, so I chose to finish Wild Sea with the following observation written during that voyage. Perhaps the greatest gift of the Southern Ocean is a sense of connection: catching a leopard seals eye, marvelling at a swarm of krill, hearing the triumphant cacophony of king penguins in breeding season, absorbing the unearthly blue of an iceberg, admiring the majesty of the blue whale and being left speechless by the extraordinary power and pureness of purpose in the flight of the wandering albatross. This book has distilled the Southern Ocean to its core elements. It may not be possible to feel a sense of belonging in this vast, complex, fluid environment, but it seems that we can have a sense of connection with ocean and wind and ice and the myriad of living things. Ultimately, we are all caught within the Southern Oceans embrace . One of the problems you talk a lot about is that weve become disengaged from the Antarctic Ocean, seeing it as a remote scientific laboratory or a space for industry. Most of the narratives come from the nineteenth century. You cite Amitav Ghoshs The Great Derangement, which challenged readers to consider why contemporary literary fiction has for the most part failed to engage with climate change. Can you suggest any books for readers that engage with this environment successfully? There are many fiction writers over the past century who have found inspiration in the extreme environment of the Antarctic continent. However, I have found surprisingly few that focus on the surrounding oceanapart from the iconic whales and penguins that is! Some contemporary Australian writers have used the remote coastlines and islands of southern Australia as the setting for their stories, with the Southern Ocean providing the backdrop for a human-centred narrative. Kim Scotts That Deadman Dance (2010) is one such story. It is set on the southern coast of Western Australia west of the Nullarbor and is concerned with early interactions between European sealers and whalers and the Aboriginal Noongar people. The Tasmanian writer, Favel Parrett, drew inspiration for her novel When the Night Comes (2014) from her southern voyage aboard the Australian Antarctic research vessel Nella Dan. Elizabeth Leane of the University of Tasmania has written extensively about literary engagement with Antarctica, and she has also compiled a wonderful bibliography, Representations of Antarctica, as a resource for those interested in imaginative representatives of the Antarctic region. In my current research about Australians in Antarctica too, I have come across a vast collection of childrens books published between 1800 and 2001, including many set in Antarctica. I am still exploring these but it seems that Antarctic exploration, wildlife and science became an especially popular theme in childrens literature from at least the mid-twentieth century. Finally, I have to mention Rachel Carsons The Sea Around Us (1951) which, whilst not literary fiction nor indeed about the Southern Ocean in particular, is a compelling reminder of just why the ocean environment is so important to us. Carson, who is perhaps best known for her book Silent Spring about the dangers of pesticides, was an American marine biologist who also wrote a series of books about the sea. The Sea Around Us is the best known of these, and I think it is still one of the most evocative and relevant books ever written literary or otherwise about the wonders of the marine environment and its vulnerability to human activities. I would be delighted to hear from any readers who know of particular books that engage with the Southern Ocean either fiction or literary non-fiction . Finally , because its womens history month, did you come across any achievements by women in the region? Absolutely! As with so many histories of polar exploration and science, the narratives were largely constructed by men and celebrated mens achievements. This is particularly the case in the so-called heroic age of Antarctic exploration, broadly spanning the period from the earliest southern polar expeditions in the late nineteenth century to the end of World War One. Whilst I acknowledge the significance of these stories, I was also keen to find sources that revealed womens voices and experiences. Membership of these early expeditions of exploration, survey and science tended to be exclusively male, so women were usually only mentioned in the sources in relation to their domestic roles as wives and mothers of the male explorers. I did find some literature concerning some of the earliest known women to voyage to Antarctica, although it is not an area that I chose to focus on in my narrative because of the emphasis on polar exploration rather than on the Southern Ocean. It was not really until the mid-twentieth century, with the shift in focus from exploration to science, that women began to appear in the sources and I was able to bring their stories into the narrative. For example, I begin my chapter on Wind with the story of British biologist, Mary Gillham who was one of the first four women scientists to voyage south with an Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition in 1959. Gillham, together with Hope Macpherson, Susan Ingham and Isobel Bennett, were bound for Macquarie Island, a small sub-Antarctic island about midway between New Zealand and Antarctica where Australia established a research base in 1948. I wrote about Gillhams experiences and observations, both as a way of acknowledging the work of these pioneering women, and to give some insights into their experiences and observations of the Southern Ocean environment. Women began to feature more prominently in the history of Antarctic and Southern Ocean science in the years after World War Two. The American geologist and oceanographic cartographer, Marie Tharp, and marine biologist, Rachel Carson, were amongst those who helped to redefine our understanding of the ocean environment although, it must be said, their work focused on the world ocean rather than the Southern Ocean in particular. Nevertheless, I see them as an important part of the mid-twentieth century Southern Ocean story, and the beginning of a period when increasing numbers of women became involved in voyaging and working in the southern polar region. There are now a number of projects that document and celebrate womens achievements in Antarctic and Southern Ocean science, including OceanWatch Australias tribute, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Researchs promotion of Women in Antarctic science, and Homeward Bounds global collaboration of women in science. There is clearly much more to say about this aspect of womens history, and I hope to write an article about it later this year. Father Alfred Kunz once pointed out that in every famous depiction of the crucifixion, the Blessed Virgin Mary is looking not down at the ground, but up at the cross, offering herself along with her son. In that moment, she has realized that although God cannot will evil, he has a reason to permit it: Only by suffering can human beings become part of the sacrifice of Jesus. Kunz likely would have viewed his own death similarly. The only way to be made one with God, he once said, was this: I totally surrender. I totally accept with resignation everything that happens to me or that others do to me as if it came from God. In 1998, within a month of Kunzs murder, investigators got a tip about a tattoo artist named Len Snowden. Another suspect in the case, a waitress named Mora Smith, told Detective Wayne Honer that Snowden a frequent customer at the diner where she worked had been harassing her. She said she informed Kunz, who was something of a father figure to her, and the priest ordered Snowden to back off. That certainly could have led to a fight, some in the sheriffs department theorized, and perhaps a murder. Smith provided one other piece of information: After Kunzs death, Snowden didnt show up at the diner for nine days, she said. When he finally did come back, his skin was pasty and he had cuts on his face. She asked him what happened, but he didnt want to talk about it. Snowdens past didnt do anything to ease detectives suspicions. Raised in foster care in Virginia, he moved as an adult to North Carolina, where he was convicted of several misdemeanors. After that, Snowden literally ran off and joined the circus. He mostly took care of horses, but once filled in for an injured trapeze artist, he later told the Waunakee Tribune. Snowden married a showgirl, but it didnt last. He ended up in Wisconsin, doing his best to raise their daughter, Lori, on his own. When Lori was a teenager, he turned himself in to police after having sexual contact with one of her friends a 16- or 17-year-old during a sleepover, police said. That led to a misdemeanor charge and probation. After he broke his back unloading a truck, Snowdens days of full-time work ended. He played in a band, took on minor construction jobs, nursed wounded wildlife and perfected his tattooing skills. In 1993, when Snowdens daughter was 19, she died after driving her car into the rock wall at the end of Lone Rock Bridge, which spanned the Wisconsin River. It made Snowden angry when authorities said Lori had taken her own life. He told anyone who would listen it was an accident his daughter may have been high when she lost her way on the poorly marked road, but she would never kill herself. When Lori died, something changed inside her father. I spent 20 years raising that girl, trying to impress the world that I could be a good parent, he told the Waunakee newspaper in the weeks after her death. Now Ive quit trying to impress people. Twenty years after Father Alfred Kunz's murder, Catholics gathered to pray for his soul. A few days before detectives showed up at Snowdens house to question him about Kunzs murder, hed gone to eat at Brians Diner. Smith, who was waiting tables, mentioned shed given the cops his name, according to Honer. As a result, Honer and his partner lost the element of surprise. Snowden was calm, Honer recalled, with pat answers to every question. He denied killing Kunz, saying he was home the night of the murder. He insisted his friend and landlord, Donna OMalley, would vouch for him. When the cops asked Snowden whether he carried a knife, he said yes. From a holder designed for a much larger blade, Honer said, Snowden pulled out a red Swiss Army knife with a tiny screwdriver, a corkscrew and a bunch of other tools attached. It was nothing like the knife Smith and other witnesses had described him as carrying around town: a folding buck knife that would have fit perfectly into the leather sheath on his belt. As for OMalley, she was not eager to speak with police. Honer wouldnt back down, so she hired a lawyer and came to the station. She confirmed his alibi, but she also described Snowden's buck knife the same way Smith and the others had. Honer says he showed her the Swiss Army knife hed confiscated from Snowden, and she said shed never seen him with it. A few minutes after OMalley left the station, the squad room phone rang. It was the witness on the line. Shed been mistaken, OMalley told Honers partner. The red Swiss Army knife did belong to Snowden, she said, and shed never seen him carry any other blade. Honer put off retirement for a year to try and make the case, but it came to nothing. Detective Kevin Hughes had convinced department commanders Brian Jackson was the killer, Honer said, so they were reluctant to spend time and money going after Snowden. In 2006, with the case still unsolved, David Mahoney was elected sheriff. He came to believe the investigation had been marred by tunnel vision police were so focused on Jackson, they had lost sight of the possibility that someone else could have committed the crime. A few years into Mahoneys tenure, Detective Dawn Johnson and her partner took another crack at Snowden. In the middle of the interrogation, Johnson and her partner recalled, Snowden abruptly ran from the room. From the bathroom, they heard him throwing up. The detectives came up with two possible reasons for that. Perhaps he was sick. Or maybe it was a sign of a guilty conscience. Before the detectives left, they convinced Snowden to turn over a buck knife and a DNA sample. There was no blood on the knife, and Snowdens DNA didnt match anything found at the crime scene. In an interview last fall, Snowden told the Journal Sentinel he had nothing to do with Kunzs murder. Heres his account: Snowden met Kunz only once or twice, at a restaurant owned by OMalley, who has since died. She stayed upstairs, and he lived downstairs, where he also ran a tattoo shop. Snowden once asked Kunz if he could come to St. Michaels cemetery and poke around with his metal detector, and the priest said yes. Thats the only time Snowden ever went to the church. He never went inside, and Kunz wasnt even there that day. He met Smith when he inked a large floral tattoo onto her back. They had a brief fling, but he didnt want to run away with her. She gave him an uneasy feeling, so he ended the relationship. Kunz would have no reason to tell him to leave Smith alone, and the priest never did. The night of the murder was a busy one at the tattoo shop. Snowden worked on five clients whose names he can no longer remember. OMalley was upstairs the whole time. She told police as much, but Snowden says they didnt believe her because she had a problem with alcohol. They said she easily could have been blackout drunk that night. Snowden says OMalley did drink a lot, but he never saw her in that condition. Snowden never showed up at Brians Diner with a scraped-up face. He cant figure out why Smith or anyone at the sheriffs department would peg him as the killer. At first, he cooperated with the police. After a while, though, the detectives behavior turned into harassment, he said. They always kept saying you're not a suspect, but we're trying to eliminate you as a suspect, Snowden recalled. And pardon my French I told the cop that was talking to me at the time, I said, You're so full of it I can smell you a mile away. I can become very arrogant if I have to. And they were making my life miserable as hell, and I didnt like it. So he and OMalley both stopped answering questions. She hired a lawyer, and the two of them met with him together. The police ended up confiscating three knives: An old one he used to dig up treasure when his metal detector pinged, a Swiss Army knife that cost $85 and a pricey buck knife he got from OMalley long after the murder. He never got them back. 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 The UK continues to make steady progress towards gender equality in the workforce, rising from 14th to 13th place in this years Women in Work Index. However, deeper analysis into regional female employment prospects reveals that this progress has not been distributed equally across the UK. When we constructed the Women in Work Index for each region of the UK, we found that Scotland, the South West and Wales take the top three positions, with Northern Ireland following closely in fourth place. Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands rank at the bottom. What is driving this disparity and what are the implications for improving gender equality in the workplace across the UK? We find a positive correlation between long-term economic growth and improvements on the Index. However, it is possible that the direction of causation runs either way: economic growth may generate economic opportunities that then provide more job opportunities for women. Conversely, the fact that more women are in work increases the production capacity of each region, which grows the regional economy. Existing studies support the latter hypothesis: Luci (2009) finds that evidence for economic growth boosting job opportunities for women is mixed, while Klasen (1999) suggests that economic growth is the result of the growth in economic production capacity as more women enter the workforce. This suggests that growth-enhancing policies are - on their own - unlikely to be sufficient to tackle regional disparities in gender equality. Our analysis suggests that the structure of the regional economy plays a key role in determining womens employment prospects. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland outperform almost all English regions, and this is likely to be due to these regions having a higher concentration of public sector employment. Using ONS data for 2018 we find a positive correlation between regional Index score and the share of workforce employment in the public sector, estimated as the share of workforce employment in public administration, education and health services. The South West has the strongest performance of the English regions which is probably driven by the above average size of the hospitality sector in this region. The public sector and hospitality sector are both characterised by more balanced gender representation at all levels than most industries and therefore, smaller gender pay gaps (see our research). As a result these regions tend to perform better on indicators of womens employment prospects. On the other hand, Yorkshire and the Humber and the East and West Midlands perform less well on the Index. All three regions have a relatively large share of traditionally male-dominated sectors such as manufacturing. We find a negative correlation between regional Index score and the share of workforce employment in manufacturing (ONS 2018 data). The outlier to this trend is London, whose middling performance on the Index is likely the result of the dominance of financial services in the region. Financial services is another traditionally male-dominated sector which is characterised by quite large pay gaps. This is partly due to the high share of discretionary pay - such as bonuses - that tend to favour men. The importance of the mix of regional economic activity as a determinant of womens employment prospects suggests that regional approach is needed to promote gender equality in the workforce. For regions that struggle with large pay gaps, initiatives could focus on encouraging diversity in leadership positions or a greater drive for transparency in discretionary pay. Regions with low female full-time employment rates may benefit more from policies to support women who work full-time, for example by making affordable childcare more widely available. As the devolved nations - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - have control over more policy levers, they may also have more policy flexibility such as in areas like childcare. For example, Scotlands National Advisory Council on Women and Girls have recently proposed a number of recommendations to improve gender equality in the region, including offering up to 50 hours of free childcare a week and two months of paid paternity leave. Businesses also have a role to play in identifying the source of gender disparity in their organisations and developing policies to address these issues. Clear outcomes, targets and accountability are key to ensuring business initiatives drive effective change. While tackling gender-inequality in the labour market is a challenge that will take time to solve, the gains at stake for the UK and all its regions are clear. Closing the gender pay gap would increase female earnings by 92 billion, while increasing female employment rates to match Swedens would boost GDP by 178 billion. To read more about our research, go to our website at pwc.co.uk/womeninwork. The EU Google says the EU requires a notice of cookie use (by Google) and says they have posted a notice. I don't see it. If cookies bother you, go elsewhere. If the EU bothers you, emigrate. If you live outside the EU, don't go there. WeChat has set an aggressive target for its e-wallet, WeChat Pay, to be the leading mobile payment solution in Malaysia by 2023. To achieve this, the company is now looking to further expand its merchant base in the country. Since its rollout in August last year, WeChat Pay MY (as the local e-wallet is known) has been growing organically with little marketing efforts unlike other major e-wallets in Malaysia. Instead, it has been focusing on the grassroots level and acquiring merchants at a steady pace. Today, commonly-visited retailers such as KK Mart and Starbucks accept WeChat Pay MY. However, WeChat is looking beyond retailers as partner merchants to support WeChat Pay MY. The company wants mobile payments to be a ubiquitous payment method, and that means being able to even use it at a mamak restaurant. WeChat has recently signed on with the Syed Bistro chain to support WeChat Pay MY. Customers can make an order from the app, pay for the items, and have their orders delivered to their tables. Further down the road, WeChat also aims to support local pasar malam and roadside stall vendors to accept the e-wallet. WeChat also demonstrated how its e-wallet could facilitate a seamless payment experience for users. At a recent event in Kuala Lumpur, WeChat revealed prototype vending machines that supports e-wallet payment. Another concept was to enable users to purchase petrol with the e-wallet through a mini-kiosk by selecting a petrol station and amount of fuel they wish to purchase. Once they arrive at the kiosk, a camera will instantly detect the car plate to activate the pump and refuel based on the amount paid for. As Malaysias adoption of mobile payment solutions continue to grow, we can expect to see more exciting new innovations from the likes of WeChat Pay MY and other e-wallet players in the country. 0 0 votes Article Rating SHARE At one point a few years ago, Chinas then-chief internet regulator, Lu Wei, was so powerful that Time magazine felt justified in listing him as one of the most influential people in the world in 2015. But when the powerful fall, they fall hard. This week, Lu Wei, the former head of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption after having been found guilty of taking bribes by the Ningbo People's Intermediate Court in the eastern province of Zhejiang, as reported by the official Xinhua Agency. Wei has been convicted for accepting some 32 million yuan ($4.6 million) from companies and individuals seeking help with regulatory issues and promoting their businesses online. In October, he pleaded guilty to corruption charges after being accused of abusing his power in various government posts for over a decade and a half, including with the CAC. The 14-year prison sentence was considered lenient because, according to the court, Lu confessed his crimes and expressed repentance. How powerful was he, exactly? He was the internet king of China, and the cleaner of everything digital. So, it was through him that the government blocked foreign media platforms and censored anything considered to be a threat to stability--including Googles main search engine. He was also responsible for basically policing the internet, including regulations on instant-messaging applications and user profiles, management of online comments and conducting official inquiries into tech companies. In other words, Lu was a high-level propaganda official in charge of the CAC since its formation in 2014. That put him in charge of 800 million users and all the tech companies involved. Related: Turkey Blames The West For Pre-Election Lira Volatility But in June 2016, things went sour and he was abruptly removed from his position in what would end up being the first high-ranking corruption target since Xi took over the head of the Chinese Communist Party. He was summarily expelled from the Party and accused of disloyalty, duplicity and a total lack of self-control, including accusations that he traded power for sex. According to the court, Wei received illicit assets from government units and individuals worth more than $5 million between 2002 and 2017--all of which has been confiscated. Lu accepted the verdict and launched no appeal, assuming an air of repentance. I have made serious, unforgivable mistakes in politics, finance, work, and life, and totally abandoned the basic principles and the bottom line of a Communist Party member, wrote Lu in his confession letter in honor of Chinas reform and opening up last November. All of this brings his earlier comments as internet king into clearer view, when he parroted the Party line in the past, saying: Indeed, we do not welcome those that make money off China, occupy Chinas market, even as they slander Chinas people. These kinds of websites I definitely will not allow in my house. By David Craggen for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Suffolk County DA produces remarkable new prosecutorial polices memo | Main | "Regulating Mass Prosecution" March 27, 2019 Noticing Gov Newsom's not-so-progressive approach to parole so far The Los Angeles Times has this notable new piece which reports on the notable reality that it seems only the serious offenders sent by juries to California's death row are getting grace from California's new governor. The piece, headlined "Newsom seeks to halt parole for some murderers and serious offenders. What does that signal?," includes these passages: Trenton Veches liked to suck on the toes of young boys and has spent the last 16 years in prison because of it. A jury convicted him in 2003 at age 32 in a case that shook Newport Beach, where he was a supervisor in the citys youth recreation program. He was tried on multiple counts of child molestation and sentenced to two concurrent life terms after being caught in the act by a co-worker. Last week despite an attempt by Gov. Gavin Newsom to stop it Veches won parole. Veches impending release is one of 33 cases in which Newsom, since taking office, has attempted to stop a serious offender from receiving parole, according to documents provided by the governors office. Parole hearings usually take place in front of a two-person panel. The governor cant revoke these paroles but can ask the states 15-member Board of Parole Hearings to review them. Newsom also has stopped 46 paroles for murderers, a different process that allows him to act unilaterally through executive powers. Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for Newsom, said, Each case that comes before the governor is evaluated on its own merits and receives careful review and consideration. The interventions mark a steep increase from those undertaken by former Gov. Jerry Brown and are a departure from the progressive criminal justice reform stance that Newsom has championed, including his recent moratorium on the death penalty. In 2018, the parole board reviewed seven cases at Browns request and Brown reversed 28 paroles for murderers, a steady decline from his peak of 133 reversals in 2014. Newsom has more than quadrupled requests for reviews of serious offenders in three months in office and is on pace to match Browns peak year of reversals for murder cases. Newsoms spike in parole interventions has some wondering whether he is trying to keep more serious offenders in prison or just taking a cautious approach to a dicey issue. The governors reversal rate [on paroles] has dramatically increased over Brown, said Charles Carbone, Veches attorney and a specialist in parole hearings. The question now becomes: Is it a matter of a new policy? Newsoms active role in opposing releases might point to a growing political problem for him within the states parole system: rising numbers of offenders eligible for release because of criminal justice reforms, including Proposition 57, a measure championed by Brown. More so than any of his predecessors, Californias new governor likely will be responsible for overseeing tough decisions on whether certain sex offenders and criminals with multiple felonies should be freed. California holds between 4,000 to 5,300 parole hearings each year, according to a recent legislative report. Next year, that is expected to jump to 7,200 and rise again to 8,300 the following year changes wrought by Proposition 57 alone could add up to 4,000 new hearings, according to Michael Romano, head of the Three Strikes Project at Stanford Law School. There are currently 34,136 California inmates serving life sentences with the possibility of parole, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. There is an incredible backlog and bottleneck, Romano said.... While some governors, such as Gray Davis, took a hard line on parole, Brown and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger allowed an increase in releases, said Keith Wattley, executive director of an Oakland legal nonprofit that specializes in prisoners rights. Brown dramatically decreased the number of both reversed murder paroles and non-murder cases flagged by the governors office during his terms. Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College, said Newsom is keenly aware of the potential for political danger after his controversial decision to halt executions. Many criticized Newsom for ignoring the will of California voters, who rejected a ballot measure to abolish the death penalty and approved another to speed up executions in 2016. The thing that keeps governors awake at night is the prospect that a bad person will be let out and go on to commit heinous crimes and the governor will be held responsible, Pitney said. After the death penalty reprieves, he is very sensitive to that risk and does not want to be the next Michael Dukakis.... Newsoms efforts to prevent the release of criminals poses little downside, Pitney said. I think he can make a case that hes being consistent: We should be careful of releasing prisoners and careful about the punishments we impose, Pitney said. Romano said some of the interventions might be leftovers from Browns time in office and are too few in number to judge. Wattley, head of the nonprofit that specializes in prisoners rights, agreed it was too early to know how alarmed to be, but the possibility of parole raised by Brown gave inmates hope and created an incentive for rehabilitation. Newsoms interventions, if ongoing, could undo that, he said. Wattley said paroling serious offenders is necessary to decrease the number of people incarcerated, a key component of criminal justice reform. You cant do that unless you find a pathway home for people convicted of serious or violent crimes, he said. Sex offenders in particular are politically perilous candidates for parole. Proposition 57 backers promised it wouldnt free sex offenders, and state prison officials wrote rules for its implementation that excluded them. But a state court ruled last year that the wording of Proposition 57 didnt give leeway for a blanket prohibition, particularly for inmates with past sex offenses currently incarcerated on other charges. Fifteen of the cases Newsom has flagged for reconsideration involve inmates with current or past sex offenses, according to the CDCR. Sonya Shah, executive director of a Bay Area nonprofit that works with sex offenders, said sex crimes are left out of criminal justice reform and often lumped together in public perception despite encompassing a spectrum of harms to victims. We are not willing to have the nuance with sexual crime, Shah said. The way [sex offenders] are painted, they are monsters. March 27, 2019 at 09:29 AM | Permalink Comments Professor, It is interesting that the LAT authors sought comment from two notable inmate attorneys, a pair of academics (one of who is notorious for his views on getting inmates out of prison and an advocate for sex offenders. While they did quote a family member of a crime victim, they failed to seek out the thoughts of prosecutors or victims' rights advocates. Some other viewpoints would have assisted in a better discussion of this issue. Most notably, there might have been a discussion of the number of times that Governor Newsom has accepted the decisions of the Board of Parole Hearings to parole an inmate convicted of a violent crime. The prosecutors who work in the parole field have been very pleasantly surprised by the Governor's willingness to question some of the decisions of the Board of Parole Hearings. Something which stands in stark contrast to his predecessor, who only seemed to reverse BPH when it came to notorious homicides or DV homicides. While we still disagree with his refusal to follow the law on the death penalty, we have hope that our views won't be treated with disdain by the new Governor. Again, as opposed to his predecessor... As to the central point of the article, I am amazed how the term "progressive" is being bandied about. Is it somehow unprogressive to reverse a BPH decision and say they failed to pay sufficient attention to an inmate's lack of insight as to his/her violent crime? On the other hand, why is letting inmates who have committed violent crimes out of prison somehow considered progressive? P.S. The Governor of California only has the power to unilaterally reverse/modify the decision of BPH as to inmates convicted of murder. if a parole grant is reversed, the inmate then gets a new lifer parole hearing in a year. In non-homicide cases the Governor can only request that the entire Board review the decision. See Cal. Penal Code sections 3041.1 & 3041.2. In fact, at their March meeting, BPH agreed with the Governor and scheduled rescission hearings for six non-homicide inmates. In another 10, BPH voted to affirm the panels' decision. One might ask, which would be considered the "progressive" decision? Posted by: Cal. Prosecutor | Mar 27, 2019 12:46:10 PM Fair points, Cal. Prosecutor. I generally think progressives want fewer people incarcerated --- indeed, some want to abolish prisons altogether (https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/15/abolish-prisons-is-the-new-abolish-ice-219361) --- and so I associate the decision to keep people in prison with being "not-so-progressive." That said, "progressive" is a loose label and can certainly be in the eye of the beholder. Would you call the execution moratorium "progressive"? Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 27, 2019 3:10:21 PM I hope you will permit the observation that your Q should be asked of someone like Kermit Alexander or Marc Klaas https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/saunders/article/Kermit-Alexander-s-life-sentence-6630535.php Posted by: Cal. Prosecutor | Mar 27, 2019 4:16:07 PM Kermit Alexander and Marc Klaas are both encouraged to engage here to provide their answers. But you seemed to have a feel for how the term "progressive" should be bandied about, Cal. Prosecutor. Ergo, while we await word from Kermit Alexander and Marc Klaas, I am still interested in hearing whether you would call the execution moratorium "progressive." Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 27, 2019 5:55:10 PM There are all sorts of sex offenders, a case by case is the only fair & just way to determine the extent of guilt on non-violent sex "crimes". Take the case of the elementary school boy that kissed a girl and was put on the sex offender list (only incompetence would do this). Children learn by example and must be taught right from wrong (socially). This sex offender list would be mighty long if the real sex offenders were on it. It has ruined many a good persons life. Posted by: LC in Texas | Mar 29, 2019 9:08:49 PM I enjoyed reading this discussion representing varying viewpoints, but feel that some key and very relevant issues are omitted. I believe that California is one of only 4 or 5 states who give the Governor the power to overrule the State Parole Board. Why should a political figure have that power? Should we not have sufficient confidence in our Parole Board to allow their decisions to be final? Further, the parole hearing lasts on average about 3 hours and allows the commissioners to see the inmate, to ask difficult questions of the inmate, and to determine if the inmate has been rehabilitated and is ready to be discharged. What does the Governor base his decision on? How often is the Governor's decision a political one? Should we be determining an inmate's freedom based on political considerations? Few people in California know that the Governor has this power. Nobody I have spoken to agrees that this makes good sense. What a high percentage of Californians do believe is that prison is for rehabilitation and that people deserve to be forgiven for their mistakes. Isn't the Parole Board being asked to evaluate the person sitting in front of them to determine if that person is rehabilitated and likely to succeed on the outside? Certainly the crime(s) that were committed need to be taken into account, but how the inmate has changed, who that person is today, and how likely the person is to ever commit a crime after being discharged is what an overwhelming majority of Californians want the Parole Board and the Governor to evaluate in making this important decision about a person's freedom. I have met a good number of inmates in my visits to San Quentin and I can say that most of them were very different from the young men who did something very dumb when they were an impressionable and immature 22 year-old. In almost all cases, these guys were ready to return to society after serving 15 or 25 or 35 years. Yet the very cautious Parole Board was not willing to release them. This is wrong. I believe we need considerably more than 15 commissioners on the Parole Board so that we can significantly increase the number of inmates being discharged. And California needs to increase spending on mental health services in prison and outside, as well as reentry services. I am a Wealth Manager who is concerned about the waste of lives, resources, and money that the present prison system encompasses. There are better ways to run prisons for far less money and California should be exploring those ways. As a money manager, does this more logical, fiscally responsible, and humane approach make me a progressive? Malcolm Posted by: Malcolm Gissen | Apr 23, 2019 3:24:09 PM I am a former lifer who served 27 years, I was incarcerated at the age if 16 and know both sides of this debate very well having only been out for a month and a half. It took a lot of hard work, growth, maturity, insight, remorse, empathy,and an understanding of the ripple effect that my poor choices had on all the victims I created, only through that understanding, and the ability to articulate that to the parole board was I found to pose no threat to society and I'm grateful to the commissioners for seeing the man I am today and for Govenor Newsom for allowing my release. There are thousands like me who regret the poor choices they made 20, 30 or maybe even more years ago, and I say because in our efforts to rehabilitate we learn that we didn't make mistakes we made choices and how important cognative restructuring is to the process and those who do that work deserve a fair non bias non politically motivated decision, however there are those that are just bad people who are apathetic to the harms they have caused and don't necessarily deserve that chance. I'm grateful that I have been given a second chance Posted by: Frank DeLeo | May 12, 2019 10:47:53 PM Can you tell me where I can write to gov. Newsom.my mother recently had a parole hearing thanks to Jerry brown her parole ws granted but there is a 120day period then 30 period for the gov to grant or overturn.i need this overturned!!! She was a lifer til brown commuted her sentence. Posted by: Marie witkin | Jun 27, 2019 11:39:47 PM I think Newsoms reversing paroles as disgusting. If you get parole there should never be any question of it being reversed Posted by: Thomas Hamilton | Jun 3, 2020 3:43:23 AM Post a comment * GMR Infra to cut debt by 40 pct after deal * GMR Infra to retain control with 54 pct stake * GMR Airports to be demerged, listed * PE investors in GMR Airports get exit option (Adds details of deal, updates shares) By Promit Mukherjee March 27 (Reuters) - GMR Infrastructure said https://bit.ly/2UbRphT a consortium of Tata Group, an affiliate of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, and SSG Capital Management will invest 80 billion rupees ($1.16 billion) in GMR Airports Ltd, which operates India's biggest airport in New Delhi. The deal will help the company cut its debt and also provide an exit for private equity investors such as Macquarie, Standard Chartered PLC and JM Financial Ltd from the company's airports business, it said on Wednesday. GMR Infra's airports business - under which it manages airports in New Delhi and south Indian city of Hyderabad - is the cash cow of the group with over two-thirds of revenue and half the profit coming from the business. After the deal, the company's net debt will fall to 120 billion rupees, from 200 billion rupees in December 2018, while GMR Airports' debt will halve to 10 billion rupees. Under the terms of the deal, GMR Infrastructure will hold a 54 percent stake in GMR Airports and keep management control, while Tatas will hold about 20 percent, GIC 15 percent and SSG nearly 10 percent. BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING After the deal, which will take 2-3 months to complete, the debt-laden infrastructure company will go to its board for approval to "restructure and demerge" the airports business which will lead to its listing on stock exchanges, a company executive said. "Airport is not an infrastructure play. It is a consumer play. We want to give minority investors exposure to pure play airport business also," said Sushil Kumar Modi, Group CFO for strategic finance. The company plans to create two different verticals under GMR Infrastructure - one that will be formed with the demerger of airports business and the other with remaining businesses of roads, power, its coal mining assets in Indonesia and its industrial land holdings, Modi said. Story continues "Both the verticals will operate as separate listed companies in future and help unlock value in each," said Saurabh Chawla, Executive Director (Finance & Strategy), GMR Infrastructure. Over the next few years, the New Delhi-headquartered company will also look at monetising the road assets, industrial land and the coal mines. The demerger and restructuring of the company depends on getting requisite board approvals, which will be sought "very soon", Modi said. Private equity investors in GMR Airports that had long been looking to cash out will now have a chance to exit the business in less than 12 months. GMR Infrastructure said it would start talks with the investors "very soon". Shares of GMR Infrastructure climbed 9.8 percent to touch a near 7-month high on news of the deal. They gave up most of the gains to end 0.3 percent higher in a Mumbai market that lost 0.3 percent. ($1 = 68.8800 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Promit Mukherjee in Mumbai and Chandini Monnappa in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by and Chris Thomas; Editing by Shreejay Sinha) BOGOTA (Reuters) - Global coffee growers are being forced into poverty by low international prices for the crop, farmers' representatives said at an international conference, warning the future of the industry is at risk. Coffee futures are near a 13-year bottom, trading as low as 93.45 cents per pound on Wednesday far below the cost of production in most countries. In a statement on Tuesday from Nairobi, Kenya, where the International Coffee Organization is conducting a biannual meeting, the World Coffee Producers Forum said New York market prices are "allowing the impoverishment of producers." "The current economic sustainability crisis of coffee producers needs to be addressed immediately before it becomes a humanitarian crisis," read the statement, signed by producer associations from Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, India, Vietnam, Central America as well as across Africa. Futures have been weighed down by excess supplies, particularly from Brazil, the world's biggest and most efficient producer of arabica. The country last year produced a near-record arabica crop and is widely expected to produce another huge crop in the 2019-20 harvest year, despite it being an off-year in the biennial production cycle. The price environment has accelerated momentum to find pricing alternatives. In January, a new platform for specialty coffee was launched in the hopes of eventually delinking fine beans from the futures price. Colombia's growers' federation has suggested that high-quality producers untether their prices from the New York market, though traders were uncertain about the feasibility of the effort. "An approach based on the principle of co-responsibility and total transparency must be implemented to ensure that all the links of the value chain are profitable and healthy," the statement added. "Coffee farmers from all over the world have been reaching out for years to the rest of the value chain hoping for a collective, constructive and realistic approach to secure the economic sustainability of producers. The response - unfortunately - has been very weak." Story continues Desperation among growers is such that some are switching to illegal crops to make ends meet, a phenomenon already on display in Peru, whose federation said some growers have abandoned their crop to grow coca, the main ingredient in cocaine. A survey from Rabobank earlier this month pegged Brazilian 2019-20 arabica output at about 38 million bags, which would be the largest for cyclical off-year. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota and Ayenat Mersie in New York; editing by Helen Murphy and G Crosse) SINGAPORE (Mar 27): Customers can now look forward to booking their holidays flight tickets, hotels and travel insurance on the soon-to-be-launched DBS Travel Marketplace, on a single integrated platform. This came about as DBS Bank and Singapore Airlines (SIA) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance digital capabilities across various digital platforms, enabling a seamless banking and travel customer experience for travellers. According to the MOU, both parties will introduce flight booking and merchandising capabilities on DBS platforms, a DBS-SIA Rewards Programme on KrisPay, and the expansion of payment options for SIA customers using PayNow, via Application Program Interfaces (API) technology. This initiative is in line with SIAs efforts to enhance digital capabilities company-wide, and DBS objective to make payments simple and hassle-free for customers through building integrated digital ecosystems. This collaboration is also expected to allow KrisFlyer members to instantly convert DBS points into KrisPay miles via the KrisPay app, as part of the DBS-SIA Rewards Programme. The miles can be used for retail purchases at KrisPay partners nationwide. Alternatively, the KrisPay miles can be converted into KrisFlyer miles instantly within seven days of accrual. In addition, by including PayNow as a payment mode, SIA can offer its passengers the flexibility and convenience to pay for their flights from their bank accounts using PayNow, and issue tickets instantly once the payment is done. The initiatives will be gradually rolled out this year, beginning with the DBS Travel Marketplace, with the full range of updates expected to be available by end-2019. Mak Swee Wah, executive vice president commercial of SIA says, The partnership will provide great benefits to both our companies, given our shared aim to be a digital leader in our respective industries, with enhanced customer benefits through new flight booking, merchandising and reward programme ties. Shee Tse Koon, DBS Singapore country manager says, Singaporeans are among the most well-travelled in the world with over 10.3 million overseas trips made in 2018 alone. Through this partnership, we would be able to elevate the consumer travel experience by offering extensive travel and retail options for travellers to choose from and customise their journeys right at the start. HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 27 March 2019 - TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. (TYO: 7921), one of two only companies in the whole of Japanspecialising in financial disclosure advisory, has invested in TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte. Ltd. which houses the rebranded Elite Asia brands (previously known as Elite Translations and Elite Interpreters) and the technology startup, AISA Digital Pte. Ltd. The company's first-ever investment inSoutheast Asia shows its conviction in the growth of the East Asian and theSoutheast Asian regions. "Ourinvestment in TRANSLASIA Holdings attests to our confidence in this region andour commitment to drive growth and expansion in East Asia and Southeast Asia.We see enormous potential in the Southeast Asian market and Singapore is aformidable gateway to that. We expect the growth of e-Commerce in this regionto be immense and TRANSLASIA Holdings is strategically positioned to takeadvantage of this with its unique expertise in this region, its strengths, andits technological innovations," comments Ryusuke Okada, Director and ManagingExecutive Officer, TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. and Chairman, TRANSLASIA HoldingsPte. Ltd. Thefragmented nature of Asia has many businesses perplexed on how to successfullyenter, grow, and succeed in this region. Businesses have to grapple withcomplex challenges like geographical and infrastructural disparity, culturaldiversity, and language differences. Yet, its phenomenal growth rates andmassive potential cannot be ignored by any business looking to succeed andthrive in the global economy. A Google--Temasek study projected that theInternet economy of Southeast Asia alone is set to exceed USD 240 billion ingross merchandise value (GMV) by 2025, having already reached USD 72 billion in2018.1 Thisis where AISA Digital can play a significant role. ______________________________________ 1 e-Conomy2018 by Google and Temasek AISADigital - Building for Now, Driving for the Future Story continues Poisedto serve online businesses and e-Commerce portals, AISA Digital will launch its very first end-to-endintegrated localisation solution in March 2019 to companies who want to scaletheir businesses across Southeast Asia. The solution is powered by a hybridmodel of AI technologies, a cloud-based localisation platform, and amarketplace solution for ASEAN linguists residing across Southeast Asia. Andthe result is the amalgamation of human and artificial intelligence to yieldfaster, good quality, and cheaper localisation services to translate digitalcontents or e-Commerce products toASEAN languages. "Thisinnovation arm of TRANSLASIA empowers companies with massive localisationcapabilities so that businesses can triumph over language barriers andoutperform competitors in this immensely fragmented region," iterates Hong YinYin, CEO, TRANSLASIA Holdings. "We assist them to capitalise on the burgeoningdigital economy and to be future-ready. Because the future is Asia." EliteAsia - From Service Provider to Solution Partner Thelaunch of TRANSLASIA also marks the rebranding of Elite Translations and EliteInterpreters to Elite Asia. Established since 2006 and headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong and Malaysia, the company has evolved into aregional powerhouse that helps businesses navigate effortlessly across Asianborders through innovative language services and solutions powered bytechnology and people. Furthermore, Elite Asia will be liaising with TAKARAPRINTING CO., LTD. to serve clients in Japan. Therebranding entails a paradigm shift in Elite Asia's business model with aheavier investment in technology and a refocus on innovation. The company'ssolutions are aggregates of an uncompromising approach to address clients' needs,partnering them at a deeper level and going beyond just being a serviceprovider. LIT Asia2019 - Expanding Businesses in Asia Theinaugural LITAsiaeventunfolded on March 26, 2019, 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM at CHIJMES Hall, Singapore. Thehalf-day immersive event brought together media professionals, executives,customers, key partners, regional digital powerhouses, and in-house teams to learn fromexperts and get new ideas on how to navigate effectively and enhanceexperiences in the fragmented Southeast Asia region. Attendees acquiredinsights on how to expand successfully into the rest of Asia, overcomeglobalisation barriers, and develop meaningful connections with your customersusing the newest language technology. TRANSLASIAHoldings Pte. Ltd., which houses the Elite Asia and AISA Digital brands, helpsbusinesses overcome linguistic and cultural barriers and is the bridge tocommunication so businesses can understand their needs in new businessenvironments. With TRANSLASIA, doing business in Asia feels like doing businessat home. ABOUT TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. is the industry leaderproviding financial disclosure support to listed companies in Japan as well asIPO-related services in local and overseas markets. It produces and sellsprinted materials related to the financial instruments & exchange act, thecompany law, and investor relations related information. It also operates inthe production and handling of legal and IR-related advertisements. Inaddition, it provides translation services for disclosure and IR-relateddocuments. Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the companywas founded on June 15, 1952 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ABOUT TRANSLASIA HOLDINGS PTE. LTD. TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte.Ltd.comprises of a group of companies that provides suites of language and culturalservices and advisory to help business excel in new host countries. Itsinnovative solutions, powered by technology and people, enable businesses toconnect across East Asia and Southeast Asia with one voice. With TAKARAPRINTING CO., LTD. as its major shareholder, TRANSLASIA helps businesses takeflight across Asia by committing to the core values of clarity, transparency,collaboration, trustworthiness, and conviction. ABOUT ELITE ASIA PTE. LTD. Elite Asia enables businesses to marketand communicate effectively across Asian markets, and to overcome businesscomplexities brought on by cultural and linguistic barriers. Since itsinauguration in 2006, this regional powerhouse has helped businesses navigateeffortlessly across East Asia and Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singaporewith offices in Malaysia, Hong Kong, the company serves multinational companiesand regional firms through innovative language solutions powered by technologyand people, and by communicating with clarity, expressing within culturalcontext, and speaking with conviction. ABOUT AISA DIGITAL PTE. LTD. AISA Digital Pte. Ltd. supports e-Commerce anddigital businesses with artificial intelligence capabilities that enablemassive localisation in Asian languages. AISA assists companies to actualisedigital transformation and capitalise on digital economies. Powered by a hybridmodel of AI technologies, cloud-based localisation technology, and a robustmarketplace solution for ASEAN linguists living across the Southeast Asia, AISAdelivers massive contextual translation in major ASEAN languages at high speedand at a fraction of the cost. Korean Air and Delta Air Lines apologized to a family after their son, who has a serious peanut allergy, were stranded with his little brother in a foreign country. Rakesh and Prajakta Patels 15 and 16-year-old sons were traveling alone from Atlanta, Georgia, to Manila, Philippines (where their father is temporarily located for work) after visiting their elderly grandfather in the hospital. The boys were booked on a Delta flight to Seoul, South Korea, with a Korean Air connection to Manila. (The two are partner airlines). The Patels eldest son has a serious allergy to peanuts and all tree nuts. As pro travelers, they all carry multiple Epi-Pens (portable devices that inject life-saving epinephrine in the event of anaphylactic shock), communicate with the flight crews and wipe down their seats for peanut dust. But this was the boys first flight without their parents. We only fly Delta because they have been so accommodating with my sons allergies, Prajakta, 41, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. But the connecting flight was new, so we were nervous. The teens had a smooth flight on the 14-hour Delta leg. But in Seoul, the Korean Air flight attendant allegedly said that peanuts would be served, after a gate agent said otherwise, moments beforehand. According to Prajakta, her sons were told they could either endure the flight with peanuts or leave the plane. The gate agent came on the plane and told my sons to get off, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. One of my kids was shaking theyre alone in a different country. Where were they supposed to go? She says the agent tugged on her sons shirt to encourage him to move. Back in the gate area, the teens offered to sit in the back of the aircraft with the older one wearing a mask. Prajakta says her sons started walking back toward the plane but the agent nudged one of her boys with his elbow, closed the gate door, and said, Now its closed. The boys called their parents in Atlanta. We were frantically calling Delta to help us figure it out, Prajakta tells Yahoo Lifestyle. They said the boys could fly a different carrier, but we didnt know their nut policy, so they flew Delta back to Atlanta. Story continues A week later, the boys are in school and the family filed a complaint with Korean Air, requesting refunds for the flights. Korean Air tells Yahoo Lifestyle in a statement: Korean Air is aware that peanut and food allergies are an industry issue and no airline can guarantee a food allergy-free environment. But we are reviewing ways to deal with this issue in a safe and feasible way. We totally understand the risks faced by passengers with nut and food allergies and will certainly try to accommodate them better in the future. Korean Air sincerely apologizes to Mr. and Mrs. Patel and their sons. Customer service is a mainstay of the Delta and Korean Air partnership and we regret that the Patels experience did not reflect our common values. We are reviewing this incident and will strive to create a better customer experience. And Delta tells Yahoo Lifestyle, Were sorry for this familys ordeal, and we are working with our partner Korean Air to examine the processes surrounding this incident. We will use our findings to create a consistent experience for customers flying Delta and our partner airlines. Flying with peanut allergies isnt foolproof, Prajakta tells Yahoo Lifestyle, but she wants airlines to improve employee education. It takes a village to spread awareness. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. In February 2018, the news broke that the Autohub Groupthe company that has brands like Rolls-Royce, Lotus, and MINI under its corporate umbrella in the Philippineswas appointed as the exclusive selling agent for Pagani Automobili, the manufacturer of iconic bespoke hypercars like the Pagani Zonda and Pagani Huayra. To formally announce the partnership just over a year after, the Authohub Group officially flew in the man behind the famed brand, its Founder and President, Horacio Pagani. We first met him back in 2015 at Shanghai China, then we visited Pagani in Modena, Italy in November 2015, then in HongkongMacau 2018 for the Macau Grand Prix, said Autohub Group President Willy Tee Ten. Hes a really humble guy considering what he did for Pagani and to the whole automobile industry. And now hes finally here. Im looking forward to seeing Paganis in the Philippine roads very soon. Pagani Zonda Paganis brief visit to the Philippineshe flew in on the night of March 25 and flies out today, March 27is auspicious as it is in the wake of the brands 20th anniversary. Thats because on March 11 at the 1999 Geneva International Motor Show, Pagani Automobili debuted its first-ever carand its first-ever commercial releasein the Zonda C12. Now, even at 20 years old, the Zonda remains one of the most iconic cars ever made, and in the recently-concluded 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, Pagani presented the completely restored chassis of the very first Zonda ever made. The Zonda ended its production run in 2017, but Paganis follow-upand currentoffering in the Huayra has found just as much success and is likewise a celebrated piece of hypercar history. According to Pagani Global Sales Manager Alberto Giovanelli, the company only produces up to 40 cars a yearonly 139 Zondas were ever made, including the one-offs, he told select members of the media, which included CARMUDI PHILIPPINESto maintain its exclusivity, with each one priced at EUR2 million (nearly PHP119 million before taxes and duties), and thats before the various customization options come in. As for the delivery time once an order is placed? It supposedly takes about a year. The post Autohub Formally Announces Pagani Distributorship with Horacio Paganis PH Visit appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Born soon after Brazil's 1964 coup, Sueli Alves is too young to recall the horrors of a military takeover that led to the murder and disappearance of hundreds. Her generation came of age in the dictatorship that followed, however, and she knows well the stories of chaos and carnage -- dismissing plans for a 55th anniversary celebration as a "disgrace." President Jair Bolsonaro, an unabashed admirer of Brazil's former dictators, caused a stir this week when he ordered "appropriate commemorations" marking the March 31 overthrow of President Joao Goulart. "I think he should be ashamed to ask this country, which suffered so much, to commemorate what happened," Alves, a 53-year-old office worker in Rio de Janeiro, told AFP. "Bolsonaro is a disgrace for this country. The people who voted for him should be full of regret." Bolsonaro's order to the military has been widely criticized, with the attorney general's office on Wednesday calling on personnel to "abstain" from paying tribute to a regime that committed "serious human rights violations." The far-right leader, whose approval rating plunged in March after a series of political scandals marred his first three months in office, has received little support outside his own ultraconservative Social Liberal Party (PSL) for his controversial idea. PSL congresswoman Joice Hasselmann tweeted that celebrating the anniversary was a way "to take back the true narrative" of history. "To me it's fantastic," fellow PSL federal lawmaker Heitor Freire told AFP. "Brazil should celebrate March 31, the date that Brazil was on the point of turning into a communist country. We could have been like Venezuela or North Korea." - Was it a coup? - Bolsonaro, a former paratrooper, is the first Brazilian president since democracy was restored in 1985 to publicly exalt the military dictatorship -- though he argues its rise to power was not a "coup." Since taking office, he has had fond words for military dictators in 1970s and 80s Latin America, such as Paraguayan Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989) and Chile's Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). Scholars, however, dismissed his and others attempts to legitimize the 1964 overthrow and the decades of military rule that followed. "This always falls in the camp of folklore, the ridiculous, because the scientific evidence is indisputable," said Carlos Fico, a history professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who was human rights minister during ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso's 1995-2002 administration, agrees. "There is no doubt that 1964 was a military coup with civilian help in the name of the fight against communism," said Pinheiro. - 'Silence' - At least 434 people were killed or disappeared in Brazil, far fewer than the 30,000 deaths in Argentina and more than 3,200 in Chile during their respective periods of right-wing military rule. But unlike its South American neighbors, Brazil has not prosecuted military officials for regime-era crimes under a 1979 amnesty law, ratified in 2010. This has contributed to Brazil's lack of a "traumatic memory" of that period -- and a distorted perception of what happened, Fico said. "There are actually people who think that in those times there was patriotism, that the military was honest" despite historical evidence to the contrary, he said. Opposition to the celebrations among ordinary citizens is growing, with calls on social media for street protests against the military dictatorship and to remember its victims. "It shouldn't be celebrated in any way," security guard Victor Firmo told AFP. Even younger members of Brazil's armed forces disapprove, according to Fico -- a view local media reports suggest is shared by several military figures in Bolsonaro's government. "I talk a lot with senior officials -- military who are not generals," said Fico. "They don't like the idea of this type of celebration. They feel uncomfortable with the empirical evidence, they prefer silence." Daniel Craig as James Bond (Credit: Eon) Filming of Bond 25 said to be under the working title Eclipse is now kicking off in Norway. Bond news site MI6-HQ reports that the production is set to shoot at Nittedal, on a frozen lake 18 miles north of Oslo. Its thought that time is of the essence to film the sequence, as soon the lake will begin to thaw as spring approaches. Read more: Has the Bond 25 working title been leaked? Eon, the producers of the Bond film, have hired the company Truenorth to coordinate the shoot, with purpose-built structures already being erected. Also spotted was signage closing down the local area, preventing access to the lake. But in reports that appeared in The Sun earlier this month, environmental campaigners are concerned that the buildings, which are said to be being constructed in order to be blown up, could be detrimental to local wildlife. An insider told the newspaper: Norways environmental policies are deemed to be among the best worldwide and natives are hugely sensitive to the issues caused by the high budget set. Read more: Danny Boyle reveals why he quit Bond 25 Trekkers who hike and ski in the area are understandably appalled by areas of the nature being cleared of snow. But officials have claimed that all traces of the filming will be gone by spring. MI6-HQ also reported earlier this month that the scene being filmed will also involve low-flying helicopters, which has also caused concern from The Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation. True Detective director Cary Fukunaga is behind the camera for this 25th movie in the Bond series, with Daniel Craig making his last appearance as 007. Its due for release in April, 2020. Adultery and gay sex in Brunei will be subject to death by stoning from next week, authorities said, under a strict Sharia law that has been on hold for four years amid heavy criticism. Rights groups reacted in horror Wednesday to the latest hardline move from the resource-rich nation on Borneo, which practises a stricter brand of Islam than its neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia. The tiny sultanate will implement the harsh new penal code -- which also prescribes amputation of a hand and foot for theft -- next Wednesday. Homosexuality is already illegal in Brunei but it will now become a capital offence. The law only applies to Muslims. The new penalty for theft is amputation of the right hand for a first offence, and the left foot for a second offence. Amnesty International Wednesday urged Brunei to "immediately halt" implementing the new penalties. "To legalise such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself," Brunei researcher Rachel Chhoa-Howard said in a statement. "Some of the potential 'offences' should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender." A notice on Brunei's Attorney General's Chambers dated December 29 last year said the provisions will take effect on April 3. Brunei first announced the measures in 2013 but implementation has been delayed as officials worked out the practical details and in the teeth of opposition by rights groups. However, a spokesman for the Brunei religious affairs ministry Wednesday said only that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was expected to make an announcement on April 3 regarding the implementation of the new Sharia laws. "Only after the event we will know regarding the date of the implementation of the new laws," he told AFP Wednesday. "In terms of readiness, at the moment we are prepared to enforce the amputation of the hand for stealing only. That is all." Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch warned that implementation of the law "will quickly drive the country towards human rights pariah status in the eyes of foreign investors, tourists, and international agencies". He added: "If this ill-considered plan goes forward, there is every reason to believe the global boycott Brunei movement will re-start." Robertson said Brunei will become the only country in Southeast Asia to punish gay sex with death if it pushes through with the law. Under a shift towards hardline Islamic law, Brunei in 2015 banned excessive Christmas celebrations for fear that Muslims could be led astray. Brunei's Sultan is no stranger to controversy at home -- the monarchy was deeply embarrassed by a family feud with his brother Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. Court battles and investigations revealed salacious details of Jefri's un-Islamic jetset lifestyle, including claims of a high-priced harem of foreign women and a luxury yacht he owned called "Tits". The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet automobiles and parts in the Philippines, held its annual Chevrolet National Skillsfest last March 2, 2019 at Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati, with 34 participants from the 27 Chevrolet dealerships nationwide. The Chevrolet National Skillsfest is a testament to the bowtie brands commitment in delivering the best ownership experience and support for Chevy customers through its comprehensive owner benefit programChevrolet Complete Care. Sales Consultants, Group Retail Managers, General Sales Managers, Service Advisors, Service Technicians, and Parts Consultants went through a three-part assessment to test their knowledge, skills, and technical abilities in Chevrolet products and services. The sales methodology included a six-point walk around station to further test the product knowledge and ability to adapt to real-life scenarios such as product and sales demonstration until delivery to the customer, featuring the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Colorado High Country Storm, and Spark vehicles. In the aftersales methodology, multiple stations gauge various competencies in inspecting engine system and chassis system components, diagnostic abilities, and correct usage of tools. Role-play evaluations examined consulting skills, excellence in customer reception, and familiarity in multipoint inspection. At the end of the rigorous tests and challenges, the following were recognized and awarded as the winners and finalists in their respective fields in no particular order: SALES CONSULTANTS: Maribel Pilapil Chevrolet Batangas Bob Ello Chevrolet Commonwealth Loreto Baranda Chevrolet Makati GROUP RETAIL MANAGERS: Ramilo Timpad Chevrolet Cagayan de Oro Rex Impuesto Chevrolet Makati GENERAL SALES MANAGERS: Detmar Pfleider Chevrolet Bacolod Stepfanie Wong Chevrolet Iloilo Roex Pestano Chevrolet Makati SERVICE ADVISORS: Jenalene Rodriguez Chevrolet Pasig Candice Christine Aquino Chevrolet North Edsa Omar Manalang Chevrolet Tarlac SERVICE TECHNICIANS: Story continues Alminio Lagahit Chevrolet Cebu Carlo Manalo Chevrolet Greenhills Jovanie Camara Chevrolet Makati PARTS CONSULTANTS: Rony Boy Santelices Chevrolet Greenhills Jenelyn Dabuco Chevrolet Cebu Aminah Manimtim Chevrolet Sta. Rosa The champions for this years Chevrolet National Skillsfest will be announced in the upcoming Chevrolet Grandmasters in May. To learn more about Chevrolet products and services in the Philippines, log on to www.chevrolet.com.ph, like the Chevrolet Philippines Facebook page, or follow the Chevrolet Philippines Instagram page. The post Chevrolet PH Holds Gear Up! Chevrolet National Skillsfest 2019 appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Tuaspring Integrated Water & Power Project, Singapore (Source: Hyflux) By Denise Wee (Bloomberg) Embattled Singapore water treatment company Hyflux Ltd.s survival is looking shakier as disagreements with its rescuer deepen. Hyflux said in a filing that it disputes certain assertions by SM Investments, the consortium of Indonesian businessmen that had agreed last year to take a majority stake in the firm. At the same time, SM Investments is disagreeing with some terms of the restructuring plan put forward by Hyflux, the filing shows. The disputes heighten the drama of the catastrophic slump of the once-vaunted water and power company. The case involves some 34,000 retail investors who stand to lose almost everything, and a desalination and power plant that cost S$1.1 billion and was heralded as one of the national taps for Singapore. The cash-strapped company, founded by Olivia Lum, faces mounting pressure as mom and pop investors organize a protest in the city-state this weekend. Trouble with the rescuer started bubbling up earlier this month when the Indonesian consortium SM Investments threatened to walk away from the debt restructuring agreement. The consortium had said a default notice served by Singapores Public Utilities Board on Hyfluxs Tuaspring desalination and power plant on March 5 constitutes an event that undermined a debt plan and it may abandon the deal if the default isnt remedied by April 1. SM Investments is also disputing a payout to creditors under the agreement and has asserted that it does not agree to the terms of the schemes proposed, in particular, the commercial term that an aggregate cash amount of S$272 million will be used to fully settle the financial obligations in the restructuring agreement, Hyflux said in a filing to the Singapore Exchange dated Tuesday. Hyflux disputed the Indonesia consortiums assertion that actions taken by the Public Utilities Board constitute events that would allow the group to walk away from the agreement. It said it has received a further notice from the investor dated March 25, that another so-called prescribed occurrence has taken place, which Hyflux is also refuting. Story continues A successful debt restructuring at the Singapore water treatment company is looking increasingly remote and challenges are mounting, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. said in a credit research note on Wednesday. Hyflux said that its view is that the investor group is obliged to honor its commitment to invest under the restructuring agreement and the group has not stated that it will resile from the restructuring agreement. If the investors seek to wrongfully terminate the restructuring agreement, the terms allow the company to lay claim to a S$38.9 million deposit, Hyflux said in the filing. The company said it will hold meetings with creditors on April 5 and April 8 as scheduled. 2019 Bloomberg L.P Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday there had been an "overreaction" to his request that Spain and the pope apologize for the conquest of the Americas. The leftist leader reopened a 500-year-old wound Monday when he announced he had sent letters to King Felipe VI of Spain and Pope Francis urging them to apologize for the abuses of the conquest and colonialism. His remarks triggered a flurry of resentful responses in Spain, where the government said it "firmly rejects" the idea. The Vatican indicated it considered the matter closed, pointing to a series of apologies by various popes over the years, including two by Francis. "I think there was an overreaction. There was a lot of exaggeration, which also shows the issue is still there beneath the surface," Lopez Obrador, 65, told a press conference. "There is also a good side to starting this controversy, because it makes us review our past," he said. He repeated that he is not seeking a "confrontation" with Spain. "But we do believe ... it would be proper to offer an apology to the indigenous peoples (of the Americas), because abuses were undoubtedly committed," he said. With the help of horses, swords, guns and smallpox -- all unknown in the New World at the time -- Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived in the land now known as Mexico in 1519, leading an army of several hundred men to defeat the Aztec empire. It was the start of 300 years of Spanish rule over Mexico. Modern Mexico has a complicated relationship with that past. The nation is the product of "mestizaje," the mixture of the Old and New Worlds. But it is also a history tainted by violence, rape and oppression. The reaction in Mexico has been less strong than in Spain. Many questioned why Lopez Obrador, who took office on December 1, was not focusing on more pressing problems, such as the rampant crime and corruption he campaigned against. On social media, jokes went viral asking whether the president would also demand the United States give back California and the other territory Mexico lost after an 1848 war, or repay France for the baked goods that triggered the "Pastry War," an 1832 conflict started by a French baker's accusation that Mexican officers had looted his shop. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is eyeing to remove all bus terminals along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) by June. The Metro Manila Council (MMC), MMDAs policy-making body, approved the resolution prohibiting the issuance of business permits to all public utility bus terminals and operators and other public utility vehicles along EDSA during its meeting held Tuesday at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City. Our direction is to remove all bus terminals along EDSA and relocate them in the outskirts of the metro to minimize traffic congestion, MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said during the meeting. He said the regulation is in line with President Rodrigo Dutertes directive to close down all bus terminals along the major thoroughfare. MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Jojo Garcia, meanwhile, said the removal of bus terminals will improve traffic flow along EDSA as provincial buses would no longer be allowed to enter Metro Manila to load and unload passengers. The agency will recommend the closure of bus terminals by April in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. We shall conduct a dry run after the Holy Week in April so as to prepare the operators and also the commuters, Garcia said. Several terminals are being constructed for provincial buses originating from south and north of Metro Manila, including a terminal in Valenzuela City and one in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The post MMDA to Remove All Bus Terminals on EDSA by June appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. People look on as they wait for food aid in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Guara Guara village, near Beira People look on as they wait for food aid in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Guara Guara village, near Beira, Mozambique, March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko By Emma Rumney and Stephen Eisenhammer BEIRA, Mozambique (Reuters) - Dozens of fragile patients poured into a clinic in the wrecked Mozambican port city of Beira on Wednesday, as the government said it had confirmed the first five cases of cholera in the wake of deadly Cyclone Idai. Thousands of people were trapped for more than a week in submerged villages without access to clean water after the cyclone smashed into Mozambique on March 14, causing catastrophic flooding. Relief efforts have increasingly focused on containing outbreaks of waterborne and infectious diseases. In Munhava in central Beira, doctors and nurses at a newly set up treatment centre said they are treating around 140 patients a day for diarrhoea. Many of the patients arrive too weak to walk. A Reuters reporter saw two men carrying an unconscious woman from a rickshaw into the clinic, trying to cover her naked body with a sheet. Inside, those too ill to sit lay on concrete benches attached to intravenous drips. Mothers were perched on plastic chairs in the courtyard, trying to get their children to drink rehydration salts from green cups. "He won't take it," said Marisa Salgado, 22, holding her boy, aged 1-1/2, who stared with glazed eyes. It was the second time she had been to the clinic this week, Salgado said. Her child's diarrhoea returned as soon as she got home, despite the chlorine solution nurses gave her to purify their water. "I'm scared. I don't know what to do," she said. Cholera is endemic to Mozambique, which has had regular outbreaks over the past five years. About 2,000 people were infected in the last outbreak, which ended in February 2018, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). But the scale of the damage to Beira's water and sanitation infrastructure coupled with its dense population have raised fears that an epidemic now would be difficult to put down. Ussene Isse, national director of medical assistance at the Health Ministry, said he expected cholera to spread beyond the five cases confirmed as of Wednesday morning. Story continues "When you have one case, you have to expect more cases in the community," he told reporters. Health workers are battling 2,700 cases of acute diarrhoea, which could be a symptom of cholera, Isse added. Health workers apply the same treatment for acute diarrhoea or cholera, with severe cases requiring rapid rehydration through intravenous fluids. Such diseases are another threat in the aftermath of Idai, which tore through Mozambique and into neighbouring Zimbabwe and Malawi, killing more than 700 people and displacing hundreds of thousands of others. Cholera is spread by faeces in sewage-contaminated water or food, and outbreaks can develop quickly in a humanitarian crisis where sanitation systems are disrupted. It can kill within hours if left untreated. CHILDREN DYING Lin Lovue, 27, said he had rushed his son to the clinic late on Tuesday after a day of diarrhoea. Within an hour of getting there, the child died. "The biggest challenge is organisation," said a coordinator at the clinic who did not want to be named. "The health system was completely broken after the storm and we have to re-establish capacity fast." Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which runs the emergency centre at Munhava, has set up two others in Beira and is providing consultations via mobile clinics in several neighbourhoods. Outside the clinic, two medics dressed in blue overalls lifted the body of a 1-year-old child wrapped in a white bag on to the back of an open-top truck. The father laid his child down on a bamboo mat as someone wrote the baby's name on a wooden cross. The WHO is sending 900,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine to affected areas from a global stockpile. The shipment is expected to arrive in Mozambique later this week. For now families, like that of Nelson Vasco, are being given a chlorine solution to purify their water. Three of Vasco's children were discharged on Wednesday after recovering from severe diarrhoea. Vasco and his wife and mother carried the frail children on their backs as they walked through the mud to reach their two-room house in Goto, a poor community in central Beira. Their home lost its roof in the storm and although Vasco managed to salvage some of the metal sheeting, the rain still comes in. But the biggest danger right now is the water from the mains supply. Like most in this community of mud-brick homes, the family do not have running water, instead buying it from a neighbour who does. But they now worry it has been contaminated. The death toll in Mozambique from Cyclone Idai has risen to 468, Mozambican disaster management official Augusta Maita said. That takes the total number of deaths in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi to 707 people, with many more missing. (Additional reporting by Manuel Mucari in Maputo and Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by Alexander Winning and Joe Bavier; Editing by Louise Heavens, Janet Lawrence and Frances Kerry) Lawmakers critical of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday called for a probe into a fired police official's allegations that one of the leader's ex-advisers was involved in the narcotics trade. Duterte's signature policy is an internationally-condemned crackdown on drugs that has killed thousands, and the claim has led opponents to question his intentions. "If you really hate illegal drugs, drug users and pushers, prove it now Mr. Duterte and... investigate," said Senator Leila De Lima, who is behind bars on charges she says are politically motivated. The allegations surfaced this week after ex-police colonel Eduardo Acierto told reporters he alerted his superiors in 2017 to warn Duterte about the adviser. But instead of acknowledgement of the warning, Acierto said he found himself facing accusations of involvement in the drug trade. Duterte and other top officials have fiercely refuted the drug allegation, saying the former adviser -- a Chinese businessman -- has no narcotics ties and Acierto is a disgraced cop with an agenda. Acierto was fired last year over 2015 criminal charges alleging he was among police who illegally issued licences for guns that ended up in the hands of communist rebels. Acierto told journalists his work revealed that the ex-economic adviser to Duterte was involved in a clandestine methamphetamines laboratory that authorities raided in the southern city of Davao in 2004. The businessman was "mainly responsible in facilitating the importation and transshipment" of the illegal drugs, according to Acierto who also presented to reporters photos of Duterte with the ex-adviser and another Chinese man he accused of drug links. "I discovered that our president, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, is always in the company of two people with serious involvement in illegal drugs," Acierto said. Within a year of filing the report about the adviser, the ex-officer said he was accused of helping a large shipment of methamphetamine enter the country. He said he now lives in hiding and fears for his life. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency head Aaron Aquino said on Monday he received the report but he and the national police chief cleared the businessman of drug links. - 'A glaring irony' - On Tuesday, Duterte said he has known the former adviser -- a Chinese national -- since 1999. He owns retail businesses in the president's hometown of Davao. "What if I ask the military and the police: why is this son of a whore still alive," Duterte said in a speech late Tuesday, referring to the ex-officer who he also branded "corrupt". On Wednesday, opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan told AFP he backed calls for an investigation into Acierto's allegations. "There are several troubling questions needing answers," he said. "A Chinese national and presidential adviser with very close ties to (the presidential palace) being linked to the drug trade is a very serious matter." Opposition congressman Gary Alejano also said Acierto's allegations put into question Duterte's anti-drug stance. "This is a glaring irony," he added. Police say they have killed 5,281 drug suspects or dealers who fought back against arrest as part of the campaign Duterte launched shortly after taking power in mid-2016. Right groups say the number is at least triple that and could amount to crimes against humanity. Seven political parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed proxy in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country's first election since a 2014 coup. A junta-aligned party and its main rival have both claimed the right to govern the country after Sunday's vote, prompting a political standoff. Questions over irregularities are swirling following invalidated ballots and accusations of skewed numbers. Pheu Thai, affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, joined forces with six other parties in a bid to halt military-backed factions from leading the country. "We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power," Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan told reporters. "Pro-democracy parties received the most trust and consensus by the people," she added, conceding that final results have not yet been released. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a 2014 putsch led by General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime ministerial candidate for the Phalang Pracharat Party. But Phalang Pracharat stunned the pro-democracy camp by winning the popular vote on Sunday with 7.6 million ballots, according to preliminary results. Its main rival Pheu Thai got 400,000 fewer votes, but is now aiming to take the majority of seats in the lower house with its newly-formed coalition. The seven-party bloc claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs, but with all official results yet to be confirmed the numbers are not ironclad. Pheu Thai is linked to Thaksin and his sister Yingluck, whose administration was ousted in the 2014 coup. Though Thaksin fled abroad in 2008 to avoid charges he says are politically motivated, he looms large over Thai politics. Earlier this week he told AFP that the election was rigged. Late Wednesday he said on Twitter that he was "glad for Thailand that the democratic side can gather the voices" for more than half of the seats. A clearer picture of the lower house could emerge as early as Friday when more comprehensive figures are expected to be released. But Pheu Thai still cannot elect a prime minister without commanding more than half -- or 376 -- of all 750 seats in the combined lower and upper houses. The balance of power is stacked in the junta's favour thanks to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to elect a prime minister. The coalition formed Wednesday does not include two other high-profile parties -- Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party -- which together have around 70 seats so far and whose allegiances are still up for grabs. Phalang Pracharat is expected to seek its own allied bloc. - 'People's mandate' - Sunday's election had been repeatedly delayed and was seen as a test for Thailand's tattered democracy, which has seen at least 12 coups since 1932. Phalang Pracharat did better than expected by clinching the most popular votes, and the junta-backed party dismissed the coalition's claim to be the democratic choice. "Please stop using 'democratic front' because in this election, no matter how many votes each party receives, everyone enters the election democratically," the party's secretary general Sontirat Sontijirawong told reporters. Its leader said the party was confident but was waiting to see how many seats it would get. A small protest was held outside its party headquarters Wednesday, led by activist Ekachai Hongkangwan who cautioned potential allies from joining forces with Phalang Pracharat. "I don't want any snakes to enter the party," he said, throwing reptile repellent on the ground for effect. Despite the coalition efforts to create a united front, it will be almost impossible for them to get the votes they need to elect a prime minister, said Aaron Connelly, Singapore-based research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They "seem to be laying down a marker, claiming the legitimacy to oppose the junta in the next parliament", he told AFP. Initial results have been plagued by controversy after the Election Commission unexpectedly said it would delay the final count. The head of Future Forward, a newly-formed party that targeted first-time millennial voters, urged a swift tally of votes across the country. "We are calling for the Election Commission to perform its duty in a free and fair manner," the party's telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said Wednesday after joining the coalition. burs-jv/joe/aph By Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May offered on Wednesday to quit in a bid to get her European Union divorce deal passed, but the Northern Irish party crucial to getting the agreement through parliament were unmoved and said they would reject it again. If the Democratic Unionist Party had swung behind May, it might have convinced many eurosceptic rebels within May's Conservative party to back her deal, but the DUP's move made it highly unlikely it would get through at a third attempt. The DUP's decision now puts pressure on parliament to come up with a plan to prevent a "no-deal" Brexit on April 12, the new deadline set by Brussels last week. "We will not be supporting the government if they table a fresh meaningful vote," the DUP said in a statement. Deputy party leader Nigel Dodds made clear in a tweet that this meant they would be voting against. May's departure would not alter the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, but it could give Conservative eurosceptics who have opposed it a greater say in negotiating the terms of Britain's future relationship with the EU. "I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party," May told a meeting of Conservative lawmakers (MPs). "I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that." May's gesture is the latest dramatic turn in the United Kingdom's three-year Brexit crisis, but it still remains uncertain how, when or even whether it will leave the EU. If May does go, she will become the fourth Conservative prime minister in a row to have fallen foul of divisions over Europe within her centuries-old party, following David Cameron, John Major and Margaret Thatcher. The government is expected to bring May's agreement back to parliament on Friday, but speaker John Bercow repeated his warning that he would not allow a third vote unless the motion had changed substantially since its last defeat. Story continues Many Conservative rebels who want a cleaner break from the EU had made clear they would only consider supporting her agreement if May, who voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, gave a firm commitment to resign. NOT ENOUGH VOTES? May, who voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, had already promised to step down before the next election, due in 2022, but by offering to go sooner hoped to increase the chances of her Brexit deal passing. May's deal, defeated in parliament by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15, means Britain would leave the EU single market and customs union as well as EU political bodies. But it requires some EU rules to apply unless ways can be found in the future to ensure no border posts need to be rebuilt between British-ruled Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Many Conservative rebels and the DUP object to this so-called Irish backstop, saying it risks binding Britain to the EU for years. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who heads the ERG group of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers, said he would reluctantly vote for May's agreement but only if the DUP backed it or abstained. An ERG spokesman said after the group held a meeting: "there is no way enough votes are coming out of that room to put the (Withdrawal Agreement) through". To succeed, May needs at least 75 lawmakers to come over to her side. If May's deal did pass, her office said there would be a contest to replace her after May 22 to provide new leadership for the next stage of Brexit. Boris Johnson, former foreign minister, prominent eurosceptic and potential leadership candidate, was among those to have now swung round behind May's deal, the Times reported. INDICATIVE VOTES While May was addressing her lawmakers, MPs in the main chamber debated eight Brexit options ranging from leaving abruptly with no deal to revoking the divorce or holding a new referendum. Lawmakers had voted on Monday to grab control of the Brexit process for a day in a bid to break the impasse. Several options would see much closer alignment with the EU than May envisages, including staying in the single market or a customs union. In the "indicative vote", MPs were able to support as many proposals as they wished. None of the proposals produced a majority, but the narrowest defeat, by just eight votes, was for a proposal to keep Britain in a permanent customs union with the EU. Oliver Letwin, a 62-year-old Conservative former cabinet minister who led parliament's unusual power grab, said it was disappointing that no option had immediately produced a majority, but that this had been expected, and that parliament could try again to find that majority next Monday. Britain was originally due to leave the EU on March 29 but last week the EU granted a postponement until April 12. The uncertainty around Britain's most significant political and economic move since World War Two has left allies and investors aghast. Supporters of Brexit say that, while the divorce might bring short-term instability, in the longer term it will allow the United Kingdom to thrive. Opponents say it will leave Britain poorer and weaker, cut off from its main trade partners. Most voters think the negotiation has been handled badly and there may now be a slight majority for staying in the EU, recent polls suggest. Many Conservative MPs say May herself has caused the chaos over Brexit by not negotiating harder with the EU. "It was inevitable and I just feel she's made the right decision. She has actually read the mood of the party, which was a surprise," said Conservative lawmaker Pauline Latham. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; additional reporting by Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, William Schomberg, Elisabeth O'Leary, Costa Pitas, Alistair Smout, Andy Bruce, David Milliken and James Davey; Editing by David Clarke and Kevin Liffey) Turkey on Wednesday accused US President Donald Trump of resorting to "bully boy" tactics over a disputed move to proclaim that the Golan Heights -- captured from Syria in 1967 -- belong to Israel. "Unfortunately, Trump is behaving like a bully boy," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview. "He did the same on Jerusalem." On Monday, Trump signed a proclamation recognising Israel's 1981 annexation of the strategic plateau, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel's move has not been recognised internationally, and three UN Security Council resolutions have called for it to withdraw from the territory. "How can you do this despite the United Nations?" Erdogan said. "What are you doing? Being at the helm of a state like the US does not give you such a right." The Turkish leader added: "America has preferred to escalate tensions rather than contribute to peace." Last December, Trump went against decades of practice by formally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa poses with a bucket of fried chicken during her interaction with Filipino orphans in her visit to the countrys fast food chain Jollibee, along with other Miss Universe winners on 7 December, 2017, in suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines. (AP file photo) Expect to see two more Jollibee outlets in Singapore soon at Woodlands MRT station and Waterway Point in Punggol. The Philippine fast-food giant popular for its fried chicken on Wednesday (27 March) announced that they were looking to hire full-time and part-time positions for the two stores on its Singapore Facebook page, but did not state when they would be opened. The listed jobs include service and kitchen crew as well as managerial roles. The company also added that it is looking to hire positions for its existing stores. Jollibee has six stores in Singapore: two at Lucky Plaza, and one each in Paya Lebar, Changi, Novena and Jurong East. Its first store in Singapore located on the sixth floor of Lucky Plaza was opened in March 2013. In a 2017 interview with The Straits Times, Dennis Flores, Jollibees president and head of international business, said that the Manila-based company would open at least 15 more outlets in Singapore in the next five years. Follow Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore on Facebook. More stories: K-pop mega stars to congregate in Singapore once more for Hallyu Pop Fest 2019 Keep calm and carry on crafting: Meet Singapores newest crafters 6 hot new Western casual restaurants to dine in Singapore in March 2019 The motorised fibreglass boat in which two man allegedly tried to enter illegally into Singapore (PHOTO: Singapore Police Force) The Police Coast Guard (PCG) arrested a 20-year-old Bangladeshi man and a 46-year-old Malaysian man on Monday (25 March) for unlawful entry into Singapore. PCG said in a media statement on Tuesday that during a joint operation with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, it detected an unnumbered fibreglass boat at the sea off Punggol Barat at about 7.40pm on Monday. The boat then entered Singapore territorial waters and sped towards the shore of Punggol Barat. A person was seen jumping off the boat and swimming towards the shore. Boatman refused to stop despite repeated warnings The boat then left the location, and the boatman refused to stop his boat despite the PCGs repeated verbal and visual warnings through firing of flares. PCG intercepted the boat and arrested the 46-year-old boatman. The 20-year-old man who swam to the shore was subsequently arrested at the fencing along the coastline of Punggol Barat. The motorised fibreglass boat and cash amounting to RM$3,734 (S$1,239) were seized. Preliminary investigations found that the Malaysian boatman had picked up the Bangladeshi man from the shoreline of Johor Baru. Both men were arrested for entering Singapore unlawfully under the Immigration Act, Chapter 133. The boatman is also being investigated for engaging in the business or trade of conveying illegal immigrant to Singapore under Section 57(1)(c) of the Immigration Act, Chapter 133. Up to 6 months jail for illegal entry Any person found guilty of illegal entry into Singapore is liable for up to six months jail and at least three strokes of the cane. Anyone who engages in the business or trade of conveying illegal immigrants to Singapore can be jailed between two and five years, and caned with no fewer than three strokes. PCG commander, senior assistant commissioner Cheang Keng Keong, said, PCG does not tolerate any illegal activities in the Singapore waters. PCG will continue to work closely with other agencies to safeguard our waters and sea borders against crime and security threats, including unauthorised entry into and departure from Singapore. Story continues Other Singapore stories: President Halimah Yacob commends Team Singapore athletes performances in 2018 New cycling path networks in Woodlands, Toa Payoh, Choa Chua Kang by 2024 Man who filmed women in Tampines toilet last Christmas jailed 12 weeks Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen vowed Wednesday to ensure the island's defense as she warned of lessons from Hong Kong, saying Beijing will not allow freedoms in territories it controls. Tsai was speaking as she made a transit stop in Hawaii during a tour of three Pacific island nations that are among the dwindling allies that recognize Taipei rather than communist China. Beijing, which considers the self-ruling democratic island a province awaiting reunification, protested to the United States for allowing the stopover by Tsai, who similarly transited through Los Angeles and Houston last year. In remarks delivered from Hawaii by video to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, Tsai accused China of stepping up efforts to "alter the status quo" and to "undermine our democratic institutions." "China's actions have underscored the need for Taiwan to increase our self-defense and deterrence capabilities," she said. "To be clear, we seek peace, not hostility. But we must be capable of defending our freedom, democracy and way of life," she said. Tsai, whose Democratic Progressive Party emphasizes Taiwan's separate identity, warned that the island should heed lessons from Hong Kong, where Beijing has tightened its grip against dissent, including banning a pro-independence party. China guaranteed rights including freedom of expression under its "one nation, two systems" principle -- also proposed in the past for Taiwan -- when it assumed control of the former British colony in 1997. "The Hong Kong example is deeply concerning. It is a good case study for Taiwan," Tsai said. "It reflects that democracy is inherently incompatible with the Chinese regime, especially the CCP system," she said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "Hong Kong is a reminder that all politicians in Taiwan, regardless of political party, should carefully avoid falling into a trap laid by China, which includes economic incentives and other promises but ultimately is to the same destination," she said. Tsai voiced gratitude to the US Congress on the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, which required Washington to provide the island with the means of self-defense even as the United States switched recognition to Beijing. The United States said Wednesday a UN peacekeeping mission deployed in the Golan Heights should remain in place despite its decision to recognize Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau. The 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was dispatched to a buffer zone between Israel and Syria in the Golan in 1974, tasked with monitoring a ceasefire. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize the Golan as Israeli territory prompted speculation that Washington would seek to end the UNDOF mission when its mandate comes up for renewal in June. "This announcement does not affect the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, nor do we believe it undermines UNDOF's mandate in any way," US diplomat Rodney Hunter told a Security Council meeting on the Golan. "UNDOF continues to have a vital role to play in preserving stability between Israel and Syria, most importantly by ensuring that the area of separation is a buffer zone free from any military presence or activities other than those of UNDOF," he added. The council met at Syria's request to discuss the US decision, which Damascus said was a "flagrant violation" of UN resolutions. Three Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. The US diplomat argued that the decision would bolster Israel's security and "can contribute to the stability of the entire Middle East" by keeping Syria and its Iranian ally in check. Washington's European allies have said they continue to view the Golan as Israeli-occupied territory and will not follow in Trump's footsteps. Trump's decision is viewed with concern by the Europeans who say it legitimizes the use of force to seize land -- a stance that could have an impact in opposing Russia's annexation of Crimea. The council was not expected to release a statement criticizing the US decision following the meeting as this would require consensus among all 15 council members including the United States. (Photo: Unsplash) An insurance company in Singapore is offering a free single-trip MRT ticket to commuters willing to do 20 squats in 40 seconds. The Prudential Singapore campaign encourages Singaporeans to stay healthy. The #DOsquatschallenge is available to commuters at Tampines MRT Station until Wednesday (3 April) before it moves to City Hall MRT Station. Would you do subject yourself to doing 20 squats in public in order to get a free MRT ride? Have your say in our poll and leave a comment below. Related: MRT commuters can get free train rides if they can do 20 squats within 40 seconds Photo credit: CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images From Esquire The Senator Professor Warren Policy Shop and Idea Factory continues to operate at full capacity. First, a little something-something from the Des Moines Register: Warren has not shied away from confronting those affected by her policies, delivering them directly to those industries' doorsteps. Just as she announced her plan to break apart the nation's largest tech companies before heading to one of the industry's largest gatherings, Warren is announcing her plan to take on corporate agriculture days before traveling to Iowa to speak at a rural issues forum. The companies she names in her plan - Tyson, Dow-DuPont and Bayer-Monsanto - are some of the key players in Iowa's economy. In the Medium post, Warren argues small farmers are unable to get ahead "because bad decisions in Washington have consistently favored the interests of multinational corporations and big business lobbyists" over their own. "Iowa feels this very directly," Warren said during a recent interview with the Register in which she discussed the ways monopolies and near-monopolies are "fundamentally changing our economy." "The number of purchasers of soybeans or hogs has shrunk dramatically," she said. "The number of seed providers has shrunk dramatically, and the diversity of the seeds (offered) has shrunk. Concentration in those industries has put a real squeeze on small- and medium-sized farms in Iowa." The temptation will be great for people to hang the deadly Wonk label on her, an especially painful tag for a woman. But to do so is to ignore the fundamental theme that all of these proposals have in common: a multi-front attack on the monopoly power as an enemy of the poor and middle class, as well as a source of the perversion of our democratic institutions, from elections to the politicians those elections produce. This is simply monopoly agriculture's turn as the bullseye, and she's slotting in the masters of that universe in the place of Google and Amazon, whom she targeted last week. Story continues Warren's proposal names Tyson - which employs more than 9,000 people in Iowa - in calling for the breakup of companies that have started to control nearly all aspects of farming, including feeding, slaughtering and transporting. The Department of Justice has not revised its guidelines on these types of vertical mergers in 35 years, Warren notes. "Chicken farmers have gotten locked into a 'contract farming' system in which they take on huge risks - loading up on debts to build and upgrade facilities - while remaining wholly dependent on Tyson for everything from receiving chicks to buying feed to selling the grown broilers," she wrote. Photo credit: Barry Chin/Globe Staff - Getty Images In addition, as part of the anti-corruption element of this overall message, Warren announced that she was taking aim at one plutocrat in particular. From the Washington Post: Warren has just introduced in the Senate a sweeping measure called the Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act, which requires the president, vice president and their close family members to divest in all financial interests that create conflicts of interest and place them in a blind trust. The bill would also bar presidential appointees from participating in matters involving the presidents financial interests and would require the president and major-party presidential nominees to release three years of tax returns. Corruption has always been the central stain of this presidency, Warren said in a statement emailed to me. This bill would force President Trump to fully divest from the same Trump properties and assets that special interests have spent two-plus years patronizing to try and curry favor with this administration - all while lining the Presidents pockets. I admit, having watched a lot of presidential campaigns and how they are presented by much of the elite political media, I understand that it's possible that these now weekly doses of healthy fresh green vegetables from the Warren campaign can be run through the alchemical trivialization of campaign journalism as some kind of drawback. It was clear even from the Barr press release that Robert Mueller was tossing a lot of what comes next into the lap of the Congress, and here is a member of the Senate minority, and a presidential candidate, taking Mueller up on that. There is no point in being gun-shy on this stuff. Corruption, after all, remains a central stain on this presidency*. Also its central fact and its central animating energy. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: Domino's France From Cosmopolitan Dominos has gone in an unexpected direction with its latest release, and TBH, Im not sure how to feel. Although its not exactly clear when the product officially launched, evidence of the Hot Dog Pizza-yes, you read that right-first surfaced earlier this month. So...yep. Its happening. Dominos has launched two new limited-edition items: a hot dogstuffed calzone and a hot dogtopped pizza. For those of you who are just as horrified as, well, me, you can relax. The menu additions arent hitting U.S. stores. If youre down to try the very clearly American-inspired dish, youll have to head over to France. According to Brand Eating, the CalZ Hot Dog is filled with mozzarella, sliced hot dog, and yellow mustard. The Hot Dog Pizza is not only topped with the sausage-style meat, but its also stuffed in the crust. Oh, did you think we were done? Yeah, no, they didnt stop there either-Dominos France also introduced a Burger Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, beef meatballs, onions, pickles, tomatoes, and a drizzle of burger sauce...whatever that is. If hot-dog and burger pizzas are your thing, live your truth. Just know I will not be making any Parisian travel plans until its gone. ('You Might Also Like',) Images by The Substation and author. In the future, no one will have the time to romanticise food. This is an unexpectedly poignant line for a chef to utter at a media tasting. It frames the rest of my experience for the evening, and also explains why I am cautiously emptying an A5-sized plastic sachet of carrot cake mush into my mouth through a slit in the packet, terrified that Ill accidentally stain my white shirt. I would prefer a straw to slurp it with, but apparently, this is too inefficient. So the caveman method it is. Within minutes, I manage to demolish the sachetarguably one-tenth of the time I would have taken to finish regular carrot cake. In fact, the time I saved is precisely the basis for this multidisciplinary collaboration between visual artist Debbie Ding and chef Ming Tan. When Id accepted the media invite for SAD: The Last Meal, I was intrigued by the email that said everything but told me nothing. It described, In the near future, the food that is available for our consumption has changed, but a longing for the taste of home always remains. What is this instinct towards nostalgia, or a desire to return to the past, which transforms itself into an anxiety of progress? Am I stupid? Is this English? What does any of it mean??? This is what the dining experience actually is: a recreation of four hawker dishes, specifically chicken rice, carrot cake, laksa, and tau huay. While each dish retains its original flavour, its form is altered to mirror a dystopian future. In this imagined future, Singaporeans prioritise extreme efficiency, extreme practicality, and extreme health; no one has any reason to enjoy food the way we do now. In other words, when food is merely consumed for functional reasons, would it still need to look, feel, and taste the same? And if the answer is no, why should the appearance of hawker food affect how we consider its place in our culture? I doubt SAD: The Last Meal set out to answer these questions. But after baulking at the plastic sachet I had to slurp carrot cake from, all I want is answers. Story continues This is chicken rice. It comprises all the garlic flavouring of normal chicken rice, except it resembles a yam cake. A dash of chilli powder and black sauce on the side complete the cube-shaped dish. According to Ming, Its 100% vegan and made out of mushroom-based microprotein, which is a substitute for chicken. But most importantly, its neither messy nor inconvenient. It takes me all of five minutes to devour the disha mere fraction of the time taken to savour my usual plate of chicken rice. Those with better hand-eye coordination could probably even eat this on the go. Perfect for a time-starved future. Laksa takes the form of Rice Krispies. The laksa flavouring is released upon contact with hot water thats used to dissolve the Rice Krispies. If I hadnt known that laksa involves noodles, I would call this one of the best laksas Ive tasted. But according to Ming, he didnt set out to create hawker dishes that tasted good, only dishes that tasted familiar. This form of laksa was designed for a future where we dont have access to noodles anymore, yet still hope to enjoy an authentic laksa flavour. We round off the evening with a healthy and nutrition-packed serving of tau huay. Its made from brown rice, grounded whole soybeans, soybean husk, and drizzled with brown sugar. Were told this constitutes the full amount of fibre an adult should consume in a day. Ming estimates that if this version of tau huay were mass produced, each small cup would cost an exorbitant $14, because there are no artificial flavourings used. This is enough to give anyone pause. In advocating for healthy living, we often forget that a lot of health and wellness advice typically excludes a sizeable demographic. Specifically, if youre from a lower income background, you probably wouldnt be able to afford embracing a fitness routine or consuming health supplements regularly. Much less $14 non-tau huay. As if the dishes alone dont provide enough food for thought, Debbie Dings video concepts further accentuate the jarring experience. Playing on a TV in the background are accompanying ASMR videos of the cooking process for each hawker dish. For chicken rice, for example, these sounds include the clacking of bowl against plate, the smooth swoosh of a cucumber being sliced, and the gentle bounce of sharp knife against chicken skin. The audio-visual additions reinforce the disorientation of being confronted with familiar foods in alien forms: a cube of chicken rice, carrot cake in a plastic sachet, laksa without noodles, and an exceedingly health-conscious version of tau huay. When you are overseas, you want to make something that makes you feel at home. Yet theres the resulting anxiety from how you expect the food to be versus how it turns out. I wanted to recapture this anxiety, she explains. Debbie and Ming have chosen these well-loved hawker staples precisely because theyre contentious dishes that most people dont appreciate being meddled with. Yet by presenting the possibility of a nearly implausible future that no longer appreciates hawker culture like we do now, SAD: The Last Meal deftly romanticises our existing hawker culture in order to critique this exact fetishisation. From our UNESCO nomination to the social media campaign #OurHawkerCulture, Singaporeans tend to excessively hype up hawker culture, distracting from the root of the problem: poor policy support. For instance, last months Budget speech announced that the foreign worker quota for the service sector would be cut from 40% to 35%. This doesnt just do a disservice to the F&B industryespecially hawkerswho are highly reliant on foreign labour. It also shows a myopic understanding from the government of the industrys needs and constraints. So we can continue to count on our obsession with nostalgia or feel-good campaigns to support our hawkers. But all of it remains empty rhetoric, at least until we realise we also need policies that respect hawkers as business owners, allowing them to make better livings. In the end, policies shape culture, and culture affects all of us on a personal level. That is to say, everything personal is political, even the most seemingly inconsequential bits, such as the importance of eating carrot cake from a plate and not a plastic sachet. Perhaps especially those. SAD: The Last Meal happens on 29 and 30 March at The Substation Gallery. There are two sessions per day: 7 PM and 9 PM. Experience it yourself by booking your spot here. The post This is What Food Will Look Like When Singapores Hawker Culture Finally Dies appeared first on RICE. Making sushi shouldnt be this hard or if were being completely honest, awkward but whats a bit of cringe around the edges when it comes to matters of the heart? Its the day after Valentines Day, and a group of men all Singaporean and women all Japanese are crowded around an island counter at WeWorks Beach Centre premises, doing their level best to roll makizushi with bamboo mats. The kawaii factor of would-be couples fumbling with nori, rice and avocado slices should theoretically be pretty high, though the guy we saw horrify his partner by licking his fingers then used them to spread rice on his seaweed sheet put that to the test. Photo: Coconuts Media The idea was two-person teams, one man with one woman, though a slight female deficit on this first effort by matchmaking agency Destini IS meant a couple of women ended up making sushi with two male partners. The event was the first of what the new company promised will be numerous chances for members to make the acquaintance of Japanese women looking for Singaporean love and vice versa and given the degree of bashful blokes on hand, its a service that many might find attractive. Destination Destini True love does not come cheap, of course, no matter what your mom tells you. Destini ISs packages start at S$288 (as a special launch price), and thats just the enrollment fee not counting the continued monthly charges, and the successful match-making fee, which would require S$1,888 to be coughed up if you truly hit it off with someone. And thats the affordable package. A premium membership involves nearly S$3,000 just to enroll, but Destini IS assured us that its all worth it. Being a card-carrying member means invites to exclusive parties, events and seminars, self-improvement courses, and access to a database of about 60,000 registered members (both sexes). Full disclosure: The 60,000-membership base includes registrants from its Japanese partner IBJ, which has been around a whole lot longer. Story continues Photo: Destini IS Ever since Destini IS went public with its plans back in January (something covered widely by local media), the reception by Singaporean men have been huge, a public relations spokesman for the agency said. Huge, of course, is relative. While declining to reveal how many people have actually signed up so far, he said the company had received more than 200 inquiries from interested local dudes, and that a better-than-decent percentage had made the leap. A lot of them actually signed up on the spot, the spokesman said. They know what they want and are ready to pay for it. The same applies to the odd 1,000 or so female Japanese members whove expressed their desire for a cross-cultural relationship. Singapore being a favored destination for work and play among the Japanese, it was only natural for Destini to connect the dots, he explained. Through the years, Singapore has built up a very good reputation and image for itself, so much so that now, Japanese girls looking to get out of Japan would pick Singapore as a destination. Inside and out Photo: Coconuts Media Last months sushi-making session was just one part of a broader launch event, which saw about a dozen interested candidates, including a few Japanese women who flew in especially for the event, gather in a WeWork conference room for the pitch by the matchmaking agencys creators Hitomi Endo and Hiromi Kiuchi. After a brief PowerPoint presentation detailing membership perks, we jumped straight into the professional makeover portion of the days event, billed as one of the key perks of a Destini IS membership. Photo: Coconuts Media To showcase a success story, they trotted out a Singaporean dude who had already undergone a makeover by the agency a bit earlier, then been schlubbed back up a bit for effect. After being dressed drably enough to serve as our before example, he was shuffled out of the room, only to return 15 minutes later sans glasses, wearing different clothes, and sporting a bit of hair product. Its a case study of how Singaporean men can learn how to improve their fashion sense, organizers explained, complete with a color-matching diagnosis. But more importantly, they say, its the inside that counts, which is why Destini also provides lessons on simple self-care, making conversation confidently, workout routines, and even meal planning. Photo: Coconuts Media Being more than a little familiar with Singapores Japanophile legions (notice were not using the term weeaboo we go to the Toy, Games & Comic Convention ourselves, yknow), Id argue some of the above tips might prove welcome. Rolling with it Photo: Coconuts Media The Singaporean men present for the centerpiece sushi-making session were fairly uniform young Chinese men with the odd exception (one looked to be in his 40s; another was a Sikh who spoke impressively fluent Japanese). Awkward moments were not in short supply. A somewhat gangly gentleman who appeared to be the oldest in the room struggled to make his sushi roll with his assigned Japanese partner, who looked as if shed rather have been eating poorly cut blowfish than attempting to banter. There was a tall, attractive, annoyingly self-confident dude one who obviously didnt need the help of a dating agency charming his way through the assembly of Japanese women, making it extra hard for the beta males who we couldnt help but root for a bit. As if to prove our point, several of the blokes appeared overly timid in their interactions with the women, who were thankfully friendly enough to pick up the slack necessary to get everyone through the mingling/sushi-making session in one piece. The abundance of Asahi probably didnt hurt things either. Photo: Coconuts Media One of the prospective members we spoke with, who asked to remain anonymous, wasnt shy about expressing his feelings when it comes to the differences between Singaporean and Japanese ladies. I have good impressions of Japanese women their manners, the way they present themselves. Its very different from Singaporean girls, he said. So far so good. In Singapore, we have a lot of strong women. Not that Im against it, but I would love my future girlfriend or wife to be less aggressive. Its fine if theyre strong women who believe in their own rights I just prefer if they could tone it down a little bit. Hes entitled to his own opinion, but yikes. Those preconceived notions about Japanese women, we quickly discovered, were more or less the polar opposite of what we heard from the events female attendees, most of whom were considerably more mature and self-assured than their male counterparts. All the single ladies Photo: Coconuts Media As we spoke to the women, it quickly became apparent these were strong, career-minded individuals. In other words, the kind of assertive women that would have quickly disabused our unnamed Singaporean of some of his more retrograde fantasies. Of course, many of them had their own mental pictures of Singaporean men that dont necessarily jibe with reality. Yuka from Kanagawa believes that Singaporean males are tender, kind, and have soft atmospheres. I asked if she has met a lot of Singaporean men. She had not. Photo: Coconuts Media Aya, 37, from Fukuoka, however, had considerably more experience with local guys given that she has been working in Singapore for six years. In fact, she left her previous job in the hopes of staying here for good. And shes currently looking for love. There are so many Japanese men in Singapore, but theyre very Japanese. I feel Singaporeans are more open-minded, and gentler to ladies when compared to Japanese guys, she said. Further probing revealed that Ayas compatriots werent feeling particularly fulfilled in Japanese society, and consider Singapore a superior place to live. According to them, more and more Japanese women are seeking to emigrate to escape the trappings of what they see as a deeply male-centered society. Nowadays, Japanese woman want to pursue higher education and better careers, but Japanese men would still prefer us to stay at home, offered Yuka. Thats not simply an opinion. For decades, Japan has lagged behind the rest of the developed world in terms of women in the workforce, enough so that Prime Minister Shinzo Abes announcement of a push to change that reality seemed like a breakthrough to many. In Japanese culture, the male is superior, Aya said bluntly. I was surprised when I came to Singapore to find that men here treat women more equally. I really dont mind living here all my life, she added, pointing out that the huge presence of Japanese stores, brands, and restaurants here mean its not that drastic a change anyway. Ai, a 27-year-old from Osaka, is even more familiar with the local culture she went to primary school here before moving back home which explained her fluent Singlish. She said if her VISA status doesnt work out here, she hopes to da bao (pack for takeaway) a Singaporean man for Japan. Photo: Coconuts Media When asked why she prefers Singaporeans, Ai remarked that blokes here tend to feel more comfortable expressing their love more than their Japanese counterparts. Like her fellow countrywomen, she used the word gentle to describe her Singaporean ex-boyfriend, and agreed that Japanese society is holding its women back. Men still think theyre better than women, Ai sighed, adding that there hasnt been much improvement in terms of gender equality back home. In Singapore, its easier to express our opinions. We wouldnt have to be like robots and just do what were told, she said, before flirtatiously asking if I was looking for anyone to go out with that day. In a parallel universe where I wasnt the happily married man that I am, I could definitely see giving a little cross-cultural dating a shot. Either way, it was flattering. Then again, Im all about the kawaii atmosphere. This article, The Japanese women ditching their traditional society for Singaporean men, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! Photo credit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix - Getty Images From Esquire In a time when Hollywood is attempting to rectify its rocky past with more diverse representation, Jordan Peele is leading the charge. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 40-year-old director of Get Out and Us sat down with a group of students at the Upright Citizen's Brigade to discuss the Hollywood landscape and his role as a filmmaker. But when it comes to casting, he said, "I dont see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I dont like white dudes, but I've seen that movie." The director and producer, who is currently celebrating the highest-grossing first weekend for an original horror film, has carved out a powerful role for himself in Hollywood. Peele's projects are proving that both horror film and black leads are profitable for theaters in an increasingly bleak time for the movie theater industry. "The way I look at it, I get to cast black people in my movies," Peele said, in reference to his casting choices. "I feel fortunate to be in this position where I can say to Universal, 'I want to make a $20 million horror movie with a black family.' And they say yes." Though Peele's contributions have helped progress the industry, there is still a huge deficit in on-screen representation. According to a study from UCLA, minority-leads made up a total of 13.9 percent of top movies in 2016. For reference, minority-Americans make up about 40 percent of the population. For over an hour, Peele took questions from the group, adding that his big plan as he was making his way through the industry was to become a producer, noting "these producers are making these decisions about art and comedy and they don't know anything about art and comedy." And if an opening weekend of more than $70 million is any indication, it looks like Peele is off to a damn good start. ('You Might Also Like',) Neve Campbell will soon be seen in 'Hot Air' with Steve Coogan, set to hit North American cinemas on June 20 The Canadian actress, famous for her role in "Scream," will star in a drug-trafficking drama named "Castle in the Ground." The movie follows the story of a young man lost after the death of his mother as he develops a friendship with his female neighbor. Filming is currently taking place in Canada. The cult actress from the "Scream" movie franchise returns to the big screen in a drama named "Castle in the Ground," according to the American press. Neve Campbell stars opposite Tom Cullen ("Knightfall"), Keir Gilchrist ("Atypical"), Alex Wolff ("Patriots Day") and Imogen Poots ("Green Room") under the direction of Joey Klein, director of 2016's "The Other Half." While no release date has been set, filming has already begun in Sudbury, Canada. The story follows a young man who, after the premature death of his mother, becomes friends with his charismatic but visibly disturbed female neighbor. This new friendship leads the young man into the depths of a world of violence and opioid-trafficking at the center of their small town. Neve Campbell recently featured in the blockbuster movie "Skyscraper," released in 2018, where she starred opposite Dwayne Johnson. Before his appearance in the cult series "Downton Abbey" where he played Anthony Gillingham, Tom Cullen had appeared in an episode of "Black Mirror" in 2011. The actor reprises his role as Landry in the second series of "Knightfall." Keir Gilchrist, known for playing in "United States of Tara" alongside Brie Larson and Toni Collette, has played the lead role in the Netflix series "Atypical" since 2017. Odette in Singapore has taken top honours, succeeding four-time winner Gaggan in the No.1 spot. Serving Asian-inspired modern French cuisine, chef Julien Royer's Odette claims the coveted titles of The Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and The Best Restaurant in Singapore. The 2019 list features 10 new restaurants, including a debut entry from Malaysia (Dewakan, No.46) and a new restaurant in the Philippines (Toyo Eatery, No.43). Host destination Macao counts Jade Dragon, rising eight places to No.27, and Wing Lei Palace debuting at No.36. Individual Country Awards Japan Japan leads the 2019 list with 12 entries while Den (No.3) earns the title of The Best Restaurant in Japan for a second consecutive year. Den's chef, Zaiyu Hasegawa, was also named the 2019 recipient of the Chefs' Choice Award, sponsored by Estrella Damm, the only award voted for by the chefs of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list to recognise a peer making a positive impact on the restaurant scene. Thailand After holding the No.1 spot for four consecutive years, Gaggan in Bangkok moves to No.2 while retaining the title of The Best Restaurant in Thailand. Entering the list at No.16, Gaa in Bangkok claims the Highest New Entry Award while the restaurant's executive chef, Garima Arora, is named elit Vodka Asia's Best Female Chef 2019. Among the remaining six Thailand entries, Sorn, specialising in Southern Thai cuisine, is a new entry at No.48. Singapore Singapore claims seven entries on the list, including newcomer Nouri making a bow at No.39 and longtime favourites, Burnt Ends and Jaan rising to No.10 and No.32 respectively. Greater China Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (No.6) in Shanghai is named The Best Restaurant in China. Hong Kong counts nine restaurants, including first-time entries Vea (No.34) and Seventh Son (No.44). Soaring 25 places to No.15, modern French bistro Belon is crowned with this year's Highest Climber Award. Story continues Ascending 11 places to No.7, Mume in Taipei clinches the title of The Best Restaurant in Taiwan, besting two-time winner, Raw (No.30). Regional Locavore (No.42) in Bali holds the title of The Best Restaurant in Indonesia and wins the Sustainable Restaurant Award in Asia, presented to the restaurant with the highest environmental and social responsibility rating, as determined by audit partner Food Made Good. Indian Accent (No. 17) returns as The Best Restaurant in India for a fifth successive year. Ministry of Crab in Colombo (No.35) is named The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka for a fourth time while Toyo Eatery, the 2018 recipient of the Miele One To Watch Award, enters the list at No.43, claiming the honour of The Best Restaurant in the Philippines. Popular Seoul restaurant Mingles (No.13) retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Korea. Other award winners announced include: Asia's Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Valrhona: Fabrizio Fiorani from Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo Italian chef Fabrizio Fiorani developed his pastry skills in the kitchens of such acclaimed restaurants as La Pergola in his native Rome. His desserts seamlessly complement chef Luca Fantin's contemporary Italian tasting menu. Art of Hospitality Award: 8 Otto e Mezzo Bombana 8 Otto e Mezzo Bombana's outstanding hospitality, led by General Manager Marino Braccu, creates a highly refined but warm atmosphere in which diners can enjoy Chef Bombana's creations. Other award recipients include JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan, earning the Miele One To Watch Award and celebrated chef Seiji Yamamoto, of Nihonryori RyuGin in Japan, who is the inaugural winner of the American Express Icon Award. An illegally-built 57-million-euro ($64 million) Tuscan-style palatial property in southern France has been ordered demolished in a long-running judicial battle between a French property developer and his multi-millionaire British neighbours. The property, Chateau Diter, named after its owner and builder, Frenchman Patrick Diter, overlooks Grasse, near the French Riviera, and comprises some 3,000 square metres (32,000 square feet) of marbled rooms, giant fireplaces, and antique columns imported from Italy. It also boasts two helicopter pads, according to the My Private Villas website. Public prosecutor Pierre-Jean Gaury described the property as a "crazy, pharaonic project, totally unlawfully and illegally built" over the course of several years starting in 2005. An appeals court in the city of Aix-en-Provence on Monday confirmed the order that many of the buildings constructed since 2005 be destroyed within 18 months. Failure to comply so will result in fines of 500 euros a day. Diter was also ordered to pay his neighbours 450,000 euros in damages, but an earlier imposed six-month suspended jail sentence was waived on appeal. Diter had earlier acknowledged making "mistakes" in carrying out wave after wave of expansion to the farmhouse on the large property he acquired in 1999. He later sold off part of the estate to a London-based British couple, Stephen and Caroline Butt. Stephen Butt operates Silchester Partners, an asset management company, and was described by the Sunday Times newspaper as one of the richest fund managers in England. Over 10 years, he and his wife filed a series of complaints over what they called their neighbour's "building frenzy" and the disturbance caused when the property is let out for large-scale weddings and film shoots. The property notably featured as 'Villa Carmella' in the first season of 'Riviera', a TV thriller first broadcast by Sky Atlantic. Story continues One TV critic in Britain described the series, which stars Bourne films actor Julia Stiles, as featuring "morally ambiguous characters, complex relationships and 'audacious' excess". Diter, a property developer, had offered to demolish some of his constructions, including a swimming pool, a helipad, and a road built in protected woodland. "At first it was just a family home (...) I went too far," he told the court. He acknowledged renting the property out about five times a year for Russian and Indian weddings, but the Butts alleged the celebrations -- charged a going rate of 50,000 euros a night -- were far more frequent. They were awarded 450,000 euros in damages. The British couple themselves rent out their own property, Domaine St. Jacques de Couloubrier. On the palmerparker.com website it goes for between 14,000 (16,300 euros) and 20,000 pounds a week. Photo credit: Courtesy From Esquire Ginger ale was always there for you. When you were home sick with stomach flu in middle school, Scooby Doo reruns playing on the TV, wet rag dripping on your forehead, that can of ginger ale on your bedside table was the one thing sitting between you and intestinal hell. When you were hungover on the Sunday morning after your 21st birthday, those tiny sips of Seagrams welcomed you to adulthood. And on a bumpy flight in the middle of the night, as the seatbelt light flashed in a thunderstorm, that plastic cup of Canada Dry on ice quelled thoughts of impending doom. Ginger ale, which has been drunk around the globe for centuries, may not have scientifically proven benefits for stomach health. There's a consensus on the positive effects of ginger for intestines, but, according to the Atlantics comprehensive study of the topic, the jurys still out on whether ginger ale itself can provide anything aside from a good ol placebo surge in the brain. Nevertheless, were seeing a wave of healthy ginger ales hit soda aisles, as the wellness craze continues to bleed into every possible industry. Whereas back in the day, a fizzy glass of Schweppes on the rocks, no questions asked, was good enough for a scrambled tummy, the bougie brands of 2019 are putting an emphasis on buzz words like organic, unfiltered, and, as expected, gluten-free. (Did ginger ale ever have gluten?) These products may be "healthier," but not all of us want to get a spicy, organic ginger throat-punch every time we take a sip of ginger ale. For folks like me who have dealt with sensitive stomachs our entire lives, an aggressively flavored drink is the opposite of soothing. However, with all the chemical terrors of high-fructose corn syrup and god knows what else the big soda brands are putting in our soft drinks these days, perhaps a little wholesome, home-grown fizz is better. Ginger ale, for me, has been about as reliable for settling my anxious gut as an Alka-Seltzer tablet or sip of Pepto Bismol. A good Canada Dry burp goes a long waydespite the lack of real scientific proof. Feeling intimidated by these fancy new interlopers, I decided to put taste to the test and sample 10 ginger ales I found around New York to see if any of these trendy brands could froth up to the bubbly peaks of classic Canada Dry. Here they are, ranked from worst to best. Story continues 10. Brooklyn Crafted Photo credit: Courtesy In last place is an artisanal, glass-bottle ginger ale that offers variations including Sugar Free, Extra Spicy, Lemon Lime, and even Mango. Manufactured and distributed by Brooklyn Food & Beverage, this ginger ale has a super sweet taste and off-white color. For a soda that places such an emphasis on its ginger kick, Brooklyn Crafted is nowhere near as gingery as I hoped. Ugh, pass. Shop Now 9. Cape Cod Ginger Photo credit: Courtesy This one is so bare-bones Im not sure were even able to call it a ginger ale! With a no-frills label that looks like it was made on Powerpoint by a bearded dad enjoying his golden years in New England, this ginger drink comes in a teeny 12 fl. oz. bottle and has only 14 grams of sugar, which is less than half of most of these sodas. An almost-medicinal quality is very noticeable, as is a vegetable taste. The ginger bite in this bright yellow drink is ferocious, which is exactly how an organic ginger drink should taste; if youre drinking ginger ale for the nutritional benefits, it should taste like ginger, not sugar. Ill probably start taking spoonfuls of this one before bed each night, but it won't go down easy. Shop Now 8. Bruce Cost Unfiltered Photo credit: Courtesy Bruce Cost seems to be the ginger ale of choice for Brooklyn's overpriced bagel spots and gentrified coffee shops. It bills itself as unfiltered and made with fresh ginger and organic cane sugar, even going as far as to say, right on the label, that it is a proud descendant of the original soft drink," whatever the hell that means. The ingredient list boldly proclaims the simplicity of its recipe: carbonated water, organic cane sugar, 100-percent fresh ginger, and citric acid. The sugar content? Written in a teenier font, it says 37 grams. Thats four grams more than a same size bottle of Sprite. Sure, its raw cane sugar, and theres no high fructose corn syrup, but lest we forget, ginger ale is still soda, folks. Bruce Cost tastes a lot like Brooklyn Craftedso much so, that it made me wonder how the two are able to coexist on the same shelves of yoga studios and avocado dispensaries across the borough. Turns out both are owned by Brooklyn Food & Beverage. I give em three fizzy bubbles out of five. Shop Now 7. Reeds Photo credit: Courtesy Reeds is a relatively new brand with a Jamaican-inspired flavor. The company, which has been around since 1987, says that it revived a centuries-old recipe for ginger beer. And thats exactly what its best known forginger beer, not ginger ale. But, as a leading purveyor of ginger beverages, candies, and all sorts of ginger-related goodies, I had to try its take on the ginger ale recipe. Coming in a bright green twist-off bottle with the words All Natural Jamaican Style emblazoned right above the logo, this ginger ale has a funky taste that is probably the most unique of the entire pack. Its twangy and dark with a definite ginger beer feel, so close to its Jamaican roots that you have to wonder: If youre going to stray this far from ginger ale, why not just drink a ginger beer instead? Shop Now 6. Polar Photo credit: Courtesy Though certainly a legacy brand, this supermarket mainstay is not quite as beloved as the other old-school ginger ales. An American soft drink company thats been brewing bubbles since 1882 in New England, Polar touts a well-balanced ginger ale. It has the same syrupy-sweetness of Canada Dry, but it fizzes in your throat, sending that refreshing carbonation right up your sinuses and into your nose (I love that). Youve probably seen Polar in the seltzer aisle with its recognizable one-liter bottle. Polar makes all sorts of sodas, fizzy waters, and soft drinks, and Im not sure if it's due to marketing or lack of mainstream advertising, but Im almost always reaching for Polar seltzers before Polar ginger ale. Maybe I should change that. Its ginger ale is actually really good. Shop Now 5. Seagrams Photo credit: Courtesy You cant talk about ginger ale without talking about Seagrams. The bold-tasting bubbly drink has a familiarity element that puts it right up there with its old-timey competitors. Schweppes, Canada Dry, and Seagrams are undeniably the Big Three companies of the classic ginger ale era, but Seagrams is special because the brand also happens to make something that goes very well with ginger ale: whiskey! Though its probably more fun to order a 7 and 7 (which is made with 7 Up, not ginger ale), Seagrams 7 Crown whiskey goes wonderfully with its ginger-infused counterpart. If youre a boozer who wants to take it easy for the night, make Seagrams your ginger ale of choice; youve already been drinking the brands whiskey for years at bars, business meetings, and too many family holiday parties to count. Shop Now 4. Blue Sky Photo credit: Courtesy Hailing from New Mexico, Blue Sky has been around since 1971, putting its emphasis on real and authentic flavors. The ginger kick is very punchy. Though its probably not something youd want to reach for if youve just endured a stomach flu, Blue Sky is definitely a refreshing soda. The drink leaves a cool, distinctive after-taste in your throat, which is just noticeable enough to keep you coming back. Shop Now 3. Schweppes Photo credit: Courtesy Like Canada Dry and Seagrams, Schweppes is a crown jewel of the carbonated ginger beverage kingdom, and happens to be one of Coca-Cola Great Britains oldest brands. Though its color is nearly indistinguishable from Canada Dry, Schweppes is a little less fizzy with a more muted taste. But for a rumbling stomach, or that one night of the week youre skipping the beers, a crisp, old-school ginger-ale like Schweppes really hits the spot. One fun tidbit about Schweppes: Back in the Mad Men era of advertising, the brand invented its own make-believe county known as Schweppshire. It had its own coat of arms and language, and was featured in an advert campaign that ran for over a decade. There was also Schweppsylvania and an enduring tagline: What you need is Schwepperverscence. God, the 1950s sound insane. Shop Now 2. Fever-Tree Photo credit: Courtesy Fever-Tree seems to be the carbonated mixer of choice for mixologists these days. Youve probably seen the tiny bottles sitting on the bar at high-end gastropubs. Its ginger ale is quite good. With an almost golden color, its just as syrupy as the OG brands but still has that new-age ginger kick. The companys website says it uses a unique blend of three of the worlds finest naturally sourced gingersa ginger from India, a ginger from the Ivory Coast, and another from Nigeriaand spring water to achieve its strikingly complex taste. Its no wonder Fever-Tree complements so many cocktails. With a distinguishable flavor that is good in its own right, its not so strong or gingery as to get in the way of a nice whiskey or rum. I may just add a bit of bourbon to it myself. Shop Now 1. Canada Dry Photo credit: Courtesy This century-old ginger ale is a household name and personal favorite of mine. Everyone can recall that fizzy sensation of gulping a Canada Dry, with its sweet, elegantly balanced flavor rush that coats the back of your throat and covers your tongue in tiny pin-prick bubbles. Canada Dry was created in 1904 and was a popular mixer during Prohibition. The official website site says it is often called the champagne of sodas, which I think is hilarious. People wondered for years whether there was actually any ginger in Canada Dry, so much so that a New York woman and real-life Seinfeld character named Julie Fletcher filed a lawsuit because she couldnt find ginger on the ingredients list. The class-action suit became a big news story, eventually resulting in a $11.2 million settlement. The funniest part? If you bought Canada Dry between January 1, 2013 and December 19, 2018, you are entitled to some reparations. To me, it doesnt matter if theres any actual ginger in Canada Dry or not. The Champagne of Soda, which I will now be exclusively referring to it as, doesnt advertise itself as some sort of miracle cure-all. If you want actual ginger, go to the organic grocery store. Leave Canada Dry alone. Shop Now You Might Also Like Actors Winston Duke, from left, Lupita Nyongo and director Jordan Peele pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film Us in London, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Since its release last week, Jordan Peeles latest film Us has spawned numerous theories and thought pieces, as viewers attempt to unpick the notoriously cryptic directors doppelganger horror and its twist ending. Reddit has been overwhelmed with posts about the film, but as noted by Vulture, one theory has proved popular. If you havent seen Us yet, spoilers follow. Reddit user hoopsterben theorized in /r/FanTheories that the character of Jason, played by Evan Alex and his tethered double Pluto, switch places like Lupita Nyongos Adelaide and her tethered Red. Read more: Us: All the Easter eggs, references and hidden meanings For context; the film darkly ends with the revelation that when Adelaide and Red first met in 1986, they switched places. The haunting smile she gives her son in the car as they drive away from what the family think are the evil doubles is believed to be a sign that he too is a swapped tethered. Hoopsterben presented his evidence to Reddit, 1. He forgot the magic trick. He didnt actually forget the magic trick, he learned it successfully and burnt half of his face off in the process, though his tethered only has a slight memory of him learning the trick. 2.While at the beach instead of building sand castles he was building tunnels, weird right 3. When both of the boys are in danger, the moms realize this had happened and each of them focus on their child. You can see in her eyes how sad she is when he burns alive. You can read the theory here, along with other users responses. Whether you believe the Jason theory or not, its hard to deny the draw of Us over the weekend, the film brought $70 million just in North America, giving it the second biggest opening of the year. Put simply, Jordan Peele is a genius, said Jim Orr, Universals president of domestic distribution. Photo credit: Francesco Lagnese From House Beautiful One week each April and October, the basement of the First United Methodist Church in High Point, North Carolina, is bustling with designers, bloggers, and editors from New York, Los Angeles, and across the United States, Europe, and Asia, eating homemade turkey chili and pimento cheese sandwiches at folding plastic tables. This somewhat unlikely colliding of worlds is Parson's Table, a sort of pop-up restaurant run by entrepreneurial churchgoers-and one of the many quirky, beloved traditions of High Point Market, the biggest event that you may have never heard of. So What Is High Point? High Point, for most of the year, is a modestly sized city in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, whose approximately 100,000 population (108,629 as of the 2014 census) is comprised largely of students, faculty, and staff at the tony private High Point University. Twice a year, though, the city nearly doubles in size, attracting more than 80,000 visitors as it plays host to High Point Furniture Market, the largest furniture trade fair in the world and a biannual showcase of the region's most historic industry. The biannual event draws in an estimated $140 million in revenue for the city between hotel reservations, dining, transportation, and more. The First United Methodist Church congregation isn't the only group to smartly make an unconventional business out of the market: Dozens of food trucks and pop-up vendors head to the city for market, and the city's (and neighboring towns') fire department hires itself out as drivers for fairgoers-after all, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone knows the fastest routes around the city better. How Did it Become So Huge? High Point's niche industry comes, as most do, thanks to a combination of geographical and cultural factors. The city, situated amid forestland that offered a healthy supply of timber, saw its first surge of furniture-making in the 17th century, when English makers settled there and continued their craft in a new homeland. During the Reconstruction era, burgeoning manufacturers benefited from cheap labor, which only increased with the completion of the Southern Railway by the late 19th century, an advancement that also enabled for easy export of the region's products. Story continues In 1909, the High Point Furniture Exposition Company and the Furniture Manufacturers Exposition Company joined forces to put on a new trade show, and the Southern Furniture Market was born. The event's history after that generally follows the course of American history at large: A standstill during World War I, a postwar boom, success in the 1920s followed by a devastating lull after the 1929 Crash, then the added blow of World War II and, subsequently, an even larger postwar boom. The market has continued to fluctuate since then (with a notable dip following the 2008 recession), but, nevertheless, High Point has remained the world's largest furniture market for decades. Just How Big Is it? The city comprises some 12 million square feet of showroom. Yes, million. These hold everything from carpets to canopy beds-and, truly, everything in between. In the Suites at Market Square, one of High Point's main buildings, dozens of antique and vintage vendors also offer a more aged alternative to the newness rolling out each season. Though High Point's designation as a furniture capital stems largely from the manufacturing done in and around its city limits, by now its exhibitors hail from far and wide, with companies from all over the globe renting or operating space in the city to show at each market. Photo credit: Francesco Lagnese Even in our ever-globalized world, though, there's still plenty of manufacturing going on within a short distance of the city. Heritage brands like Hickory Chair and Century Furniture as well as younger companies like Mitchell Gold Bob Williams and Lee Industries make their furniture in factories in the area, some over a hundred years old. In recent years, new businesses have recognized the area's expertise in manufacturing by setting up shop there: Even though it doesn't show at the market, startup furniture brand Maiden Home, for example, makes its direct-to-consumer furniture in 3rd- and 4th-generation family factories in the region. Photo credit: Logan Bryan for Maiden Home Why Have I Never Heard of it? If you're not a professional designer-or even, possibly, if you are-chances are high you wouldn't know about the market unless you were either a fanatic furniture enthusiast or lived in the area. That's because, despite its large size, the market is open exclusively to the trade-that is, only licensed interior designers or retail buyers can enter the hundreds of showroom spaces throughout the city and its many convention centers (with the exception of selected events, which may be open to the public at the discretion of their hosts). What Happens There the Rest of the Year? In the off season, High Point becomes somewhat of a ghost town-12 million square feet of showroom space is a lot of empty space when those showrooms are closed. But, recent innovations in the city are striving to bridge that gap: Plant Seven, a coworking and event space-meets-business incubator is looking to attract young businesses and entice them to work in the area year-round. Meanwhile, up the road, work at the factories will keep humming along, churning out your next sofa or armchair. And now you know where it comes from. Follow House Beautiful on Instagram. ('You Might Also Like',) Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2019: Governments plan to keep the National Army under the preview of the Prime Minister bags strong exceptions from different quarters. Not only the opposition parties including the main opposition Nepali Congress but also the concerned security experts have termed the governments plan as an authoritarian ambition of the incumbent government. The government has prepared a draft bill that allows the Prime Minister to independently mobilize Nepal Army through cabinet decision in the case of a national emergency. The draft bill contradicts not only with the existing constitutional provision but also violates the fundamental principle regarding the mobilization of the national army. Section 6(3) of the bill has provisioned that the council chairperson shall recommend to the government to mobilize the army in case of a serious national emergency or when any delay in army mobilization would cause such an emergency and a meeting of the Security Council is not immediately possible. As Security Councils chairperson is the prime minister, he or she will automatically be able to mobilize the Nepal Army. Such a provision of the bill was dragged into controversies as it is brought curtailing the role, responsibility and rights of the National Security Council while mobilizing the Nepal Army. As per the existing provisions, Nepal Army can only be mobilized through recommendation of the National Security Council which, also requires to be endorsed through the cabinet before receiving the final nod from the president. Though the bill envisages that councils meeting would not possible to hold in case of emergence, the critics have found ill- intention in this point. The government has prepared the Security Council bill as a series of bringing the national institutions under the Prime Minister. The critics have been saying that the incumbent government led by Nepal Communist Party (NC) is not only becoming arrogant due to the comfortable majority in the parliament but kept ambitions to impose dictatorship by infringing the constitution provisions and spirit of separation of power. Prime Minister KP Oli has already brought several offices including the Money Laundering Investigation Department, Inland Revenue Department and National Investigation Department under the PMO Since he come into power. Issuing a statement, the main opposition Nepali Congress has condemned the act and activities of the incumbent government including the Security Council bill. The government is moving against of the direction affecting the values and spirit of the democratic constitution, reads the statement. In a separate note, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Bal Krishna Khad also challenged the government to be ready to face the severe consequence if the bill was not revised. The Nepali Congress will not allow endorsing the controversial bill from the federal parliament, Khand said. Similarly, Naya Shakti Coordinator Baburam Bhattarai has also criticized the government for the controversial provision of the bill. Bhattrai, who is also the former prime Minister, has alleged that the government would have made such a plan to consolidate power by bringing several institutions under the Prime Minister to clear ways for a coup. As the constitution has envisioned a separate federal law to define the duties and responsibilities of the Security Council, the government has for the first time drafted the bill for the Security Council. The bill only authorizes the Security Council to seek information, records or suggestions from the central and provincial governments about issues of national interest, security and defense. As per the proposed bill, the Security Council can only recommend criteria for the use and coordination of assistance from a foreign army during national disasters, recommend to the government about bilateral or multilateral assistance to Nepal Army, and draft policy related to weapons and armaments needed for the security bodies. The Green New Deal debate is in part about the absence of details Posted on 27 March 2019 by Guest Author This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bud Ward The ambitious, and some would say wholly unrealistic and impractical, Green New Deal (GND) pending as a non-binding sense of the Senate resolution deserves credit for having raised the visibility of the clearly urgent climate change issue, not only across Washington, D.C., but across the U.S. overall. Thats an important and critically valuable first step, given that the issue has been all but deep-sixed by the abject undercutting of it by the Trump administration. Commentary So much has climate change moved toward, if not actually on to, the center stage that some savants can realistically foresee its becoming a full-fledged issue in the 2020 presidential and congressional elections. That would be in stark contrast to the 2016 presidential campaign, during which climate change went virtually ignored throughout the primary season and the general election. An issue, yes. But perhaps also a wedge issue, with the GND and its amateurish flawed introduction having set the table and given the President and those steadfastly rejecting climate science a ready target for their trumped-up ire a gift of irresistible talking points, as a New York Times September 24 editorial called it. Beyond bestowing on the climate change issue the air of seriousness and urgency that scientists clearly warn it demands, GND and the pro- and con-brouhaha surrounding it provide a real service in putting forth what one of its original cosponsors described as, in effect, an RFP a request for proposals. Those many widely and wildly rejecting the climate change elements of the GND keep in mind, the resolution as written ventures also into critical issues well beyond climate change track pretty closely with those who for too long refused to acknowledge the overwhelming body of scientific evidence on the climate. Thats a familiar pattern: First challenge the evidence and then, when that approach becomes unsustainable, challenge the proposed cures. Funny how that happens. There may too be other ways in which the history on these kinds of issues appears bound to repeat itself. The last time a sense of the Senate climate resolution was considered on the floor was in 1997. Who can forget the Byrd-Hagel resolution, passed 95-0 in rejecting the then-administrations efforts to move forward on the Kyoto Protocol? Or, more importantly, forget the lessons to be drawn from that experience? Led by the then-senators from West Virginia and Nebraska, that effort expressed the Senates opposition to proceeding with binding greenhouse gas emissions initiatives for developed countries (read U.S.) unless developing countries (read China, Russia, India) did the same. It became an albatross, a lead weight, for years to come, hobbling three administrations in their efforts to take action, and becoming a weapon of choice for those wanting to douse any climate change anxieties. Columbia University adjunct law visiting scholar Susan Biniaz, of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, wrote in January that By its terms, the Byrd-Hagel Resolution applied not only to the Kyoto Protocol but also to any subsequent climate agreement. It helps to keep in mind that such historical comparisons are seldom perfect fits. Its fair to acknowledge that there are both similarities and dissimilarities between the then of Byrd-Hagel and the now of Markey-Ocasio Cortez, the lead Senate and House sponsors. But think about it. That nonbinding single-chamber congressional vote more than two decades ago is unlikely to have slipped from the memory of, lets say, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), whose coal-focused steadfast opposition to advancing climate actions is part of his DNA. One can fairly wonder if and to what extent the newer and younger breed of senators and representatives also carry the torch, or the scars, left by that Byrd-Hagel vote. In addressing a wide and critically important range of social and economic issues higher education for all Americans, pay inequities, job guarantees, secure retirements, housing the sweeping GND (remember its only an RFP) likely is written to enlist some supporters whose motivations arent primarily the sustainability of a livable planet. And it may do so. At the same time, of course, it runs the risk of weighing down a proposal for which a plan for attacking global warming might have proved a sufficient burden on its own. There are of course, and as always, devils theories that might apply. Perhaps the canny McConnell, in proposing a full Senate floor vote, is laying a trap, one he hopes will drive a wedge not only among some 2020 congressional candidates defending, or seeking, seats in red or pro-coal states, but also among the would-be Democratic presidential candidates. There are early signs that one or both may be happening. Perhaps the initial apparent coolness to the GND resolution by the likes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) and leading Senate office holders think Dianne Feinstein (also D-Ca) are such indicators. And add to that the apparent early hesitancy from would-be leading Democratic presidential candidates Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) and as-yet unannounced Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). In its lengthy February 24 editorial somewhat reservedly, somewhat fully, endorsing the Green New Deal, The New York Times chose as a headline Whats Green? Whats New? Whats the Deal? That seemed pretty much on-target, echoing the thoughts of many who want, deeply want, some solution to the challenging risks that climate change presents. The Timess sub-headline under that headline: A dream? Maybe. But its better than the climate nightmare were living. True. No argument there. But is that really where the bar should be set? Isnt it just too low? What if the ambitious, and some will say unreachable, goals set in the GND inadvertently end up harming prospects for progress in futile pursuit of what some may see as perfection? Possible? Yes. But once more, look back to history for context. What if John F. Kennedy in that inaugural address had thrown out the challenge to get half-way to the Moon? Thats likely what we would have accomplished, rather than the full-blown societal mobilization, as experts say the climate challenge now demands. Its crazy. Its complex. Its so far at this point from being an actual legislative proposal, let alone a bill or a law, that GND may best be judged a success if it succeeds only by the measure of a simple formula: GND = RFP. All good ideas welcome, and those rejecting the GND as a whole or its individual climate-related components, must be asked to answer: If not this, then what? Its their turn now. This article originally appeared in Vulture. Every decade gets the Ralph Bellamy it deserves. In the 90s, snarky Greg Kinnear habitually lost the girl to Hanksian nice guys. In the aughts, clean-cut James Marsden found himself overshadowed by sensitive brooders like Ryan Gosling and Wolverine. Recently, a new face of romantic failure has emerged: Australian actor Jason Clarke, whos managed to carve out a healthy sideline playing some of the most disappointing husbands in contemporary cinema. Clarkes presence is almost a walking spoiler alert at this point: If our heroine is married to him in the first act, by the end of the third you can almost guarantee that shell wind up having sex with another man. Advertisement In a strange turn of events, this phase of Clarkes career has also coincided in a worldwide interest in cuckoldry. Cuck has become one of the defining political insults of our era, and if Pornhub is to be believed, its an increasingly popular sexual fetish for many men. Its a timely kink for our current anxieties around masculinity: The cuck has assembled some of the outward trappings of successby definition hes got a wife, and theres usually a house, some kids, and a carbut theres a sense that he hasnt properly earned these advantages, that theres a better, stronger male who might deserve them more. Voluntary cuck play allows these men to play out a fantasy of debasement, without giving up the status they enjoy in their day-to-day lives. (No surprise that theres often a racial element to the kink.) How do these anxieties play out in Clarkes filmography? With the release of The Aftermath, a new film about Keira Knightley cheating on Clarke with Alexander Skarsgard, I decided to throw myself a small Jason Clarke cuckold film festival to find out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First impressions are everything in Hollywood, and Clarkes early American roles pegged the type hed go on to refine over the course of his career. His physique was rugged and masculine, but his features, those large cheekbones that dwarf his narrow eyes, suggested a certain weariness, even defeat. He was rarely the heroinstead he played doomed henchmen, corrupt politicians, Feds who werent above getting their hands dirty. I havent yet determined the first time the actor was cuckolded onscreen, but it was happening as early as 2006, in the first season of Showtimes Brotherhood, where his wife slept with the mailman. In 2013 Clarke landed the part of one of literatures most famous cucks, the hapless George Wilson in Baz Luhrmanns adaptation of The Great Gatsby. As the physical embodiment of working-class despair, Clarkes soot-ridden auto mechanic cant provide the glitzy life that his wife Myrtle (Isla Fisher) dreams of, so she takes up with the wealthy Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton), who delights in flaunting the affair in front of the oblivious Wilson. In many ways this was the UrJason Clarke roleWilson doesnt know a lot, but he knows on some level that he isnt enough for his wife, and its that bone-deep sense of inferiority that spurs his shocking act of violence at the end. (With that violence set in motion by a fatal car accident, Gatsby also introduced the trend of vehicular distress, which is oddly prominent in Clarkes filmography.) Advertisement Advertisement After Gatsby, Clarke tried his hand at a few franchises, popping up in a Planet of the Apes and a Terminator, and he wouldnt again be cuckolded onscreen until the little-seen romantic thriller All I See Is You. He plays James, the doting husband of Gina, who is both blind and played by Blake Lively, which should give you a good idea of what happens next: Gina gets surgery to restore her sight, which fills her with a renewed sense of joie de vivre and sexual exploration. James, too, sees his wifes horizons expanding beyond what hes able to provideYoure not how I imagined, she tells himand his response is first to turn inward in guilt and shame, then strike back with lies and manipulation. Hes simultaneously repulsed by and obsessed with the idea of Gina sleeping with someone more handsome and virile, which of course means that once their relationship breaks down, she has a torrid nooner with a friendly dog owner, who apparently has a very large penis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the end of All I See Is You, James is pretty obviously a horrible husband, and I dont think there were too many crying eyes in the theater when he eventually drives headfirst into a tractor-trailer. Henry McAllan, Clarkes character in Mudbound, is slightly more subtle in his terribleness. Hes an engineer in Depression-era Mississippi who gives his wife Laura (Carey Mulligan) only three weeks notice that hes decided to move the family to a rural farm. There, their lives become entwined with those of the local black sharecroppers, the Jacksons. Henrys ineffectual as a farmer and a businessman, and he overcompensates by lording it over his tenants, to the dismay of the slightly more tolerant Laura. After one fight, he stops having sex with her. (I hadnt always enjoyed Henrys lovemaking, but it made me feel like a true wife, she says in voice-over.) Once Henrys charming brother, Jamie (Garrett Hedlund), comes back after World War II, its over for him. Before you can say seventh commandment, Laura is finding comfort in the arms of her brother-in-law, with Henry none the wiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mudbound was a critically acclaimed film beloved for its grand scope and nuanced character work. Januarys Serenity was basically the opposite of that. But they do have one thing in common, and by now you can probably guess what it is. In this steamy sunshine noir, Matthew McConaughey is a fisherman visited by a femme fatale from his past (Anne Hathaway), who promises him boatloads of money if hell throw her husband (yep, its Clarke) overboard. The movie eventually goes off in another, completely bonkers direction, but before it does, these star-crossed lovers have a brief, bizarre moment of coitus on a yacht. You dont feel bad: Instead of an impotent loser who cant quite be the alpha he wants, Clarke here plays an incredibly hammy villain who lacks any sort of redeeming characteristics. Almost as if well, I wont spoil it for you. Advertisement Advertisement Now, I dont want to suggest that Jason Clarke gets cuckolded in every single movie, because thats just not true. Sometimes, as in last years Chappaquiddick, he merely plays an inept failson whose wife does not cheat on him onscreen. (Though given that hes Ted Kennedy in 1969, a car accident once again plays a pivotal role.) First Man, too, resists the trend. When Clarkes astronaut Ed White shows up with a pretty blonde wife in tow, its tempting to imagine whats about to go down, considering our heros played by Ryan Gosling, the bane of movie husbands everywhere. But no! This time Gosling is the emotionally closed-off loner; Clarke gets to be a warm, supportive presence, like a human St. Bernard. If you remember NASA history, you know what happens to Whitemore vehicles in distressbut at least he is spared the indignity of being a cuck. Advertisement Watch enough Jason Clarke movies, and the postwar romance The Aftermath feels so familiar that its almost creepy. As in All I See Is You, where hes got a low sperm count, and Mudbound, where his wife suffers a miscarriage, fatherhood is a fraught subject here, too: Clarke and Knightleys son died during the Blitz, and in his grief hes withdrawn emotionally from the marriage and has thrown himself into the job of rebuilding Germany. All three films feature a musical instrument that symbolizes Clarkes wifes hopes and dreams, and they all include a scene where the wife tries desperately to rekindle things in the marital bed, only for Clarkes characters issues to get in the way. (A handy get-out-of-judgment-free card for the subsequent infidelity.) And of course, theres a nearby hunk who seems the more appealing partner in every respectin this case, Herr Lubert (Skarsgard), a kindly widower who knows all about art and architecture and definitely did not support the Nazis, no sir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while The Aftermath is not the most original movie, it does flip the script in one respect. No, not the cuckolding: As the trailer promises, Keira Knightley does indeed get to sample the pleasures of Alexander Skarsgards flesh. But the film also lets Clarkes doofus husband be idealistic and heroic, too, and he even gets an action sequence. (It starts with Nazis shooting up his car, of course.) By the end, the movies come around to his view on how to treat the defeated Germans. Hes not the best partner in the world, but when Knightleys character makes a fateful decision about her marriagea decision inspired, like much in the film, by Brief Encounteryou understand why she does it. Advertisement So thats seven films, five of which include Jason Clarkes wife having sex with another man. If you need help following, I had our photo team create a handy visual aid to Clarkes recent filmography: Advertisement Advertisement Interestingly enough, few of these films showcase a cuck in the modern sense of the word. The closest is All I See Is You, where James seems to be getting off on his own insecurity; were he a less-terrible person, he and Gina might have eventually found a type of polyamory that worked for them. But usually, Clarkes husbands are just old-school schmucks, second-string alpha males that find themselves bedeviled by a world that is no longer under their thumb, as my colleague Emily Yoshida once put it. It takes guts to play a character like that, over and over and over again. As a casting director once told me about Kyle Chandler in Carol, another mid-century cuckold, there arent many actors out there comfortable taking that kind of unglamorous supporting role. So heres to you, Jason Clarke, and I wish you a long and loving onscreen marriage in your next film, Pet Sematary. See also: Lets Talk About the Bonkers Twist in Serenity Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 548 with Willa Paskin, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner with the audio player below. Get More Culture Gabfest Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to the Culture Gabfest Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. On Slate Plus, the hosts debate why and when (if ever) its worth deliberately spoiling a movie for yourself. Go to Slate.com/cultureplus to learn more about Slate Plus and join today. This week, Dana, Julia, and Slate TV critic Willa Paskin discuss Jordan Peeles Us, its cinematic and allegorical Easter eggs, and what it all means. Next, they take on Shrill, a Hulu series based on Lindy Wests memoir of the same name. West made a name for herself with her irreverent, unapologetic writing, so why is her fictional analog so anodyne? Finally, the critics are joined by Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer, the author of Dreyers English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, to talk about how Twitter helped him find his voice, the books reception so far, and why semicolons are criminally underused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Links to some of the things we discussed this week: Decoder Ring: Truck Nutz by Willa Paskin in Slate Jordan Peeles Us Get Out Spoiler Specials: Us by K. Austin Collins and Dana Stevens in Slate Us Is More Mysterious Than Get Outand More Terrifying for It by Dana Stevens in Slate Slate Day 2019 Shrill starring Aidy Bryant Lindy Wests Shrill Shrill Has Radical Things to Say About Being Fat in America by Willa Paskin in Slate Hello, I Am Fat by Lindy West in the Stranger Shrill is Fine by Andrea Long Chu in Paper View Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk Benjamin Dreyers Dreyers English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style Marjorie E. Skillin and Robert M. Gays Words into Type Endorsements Julia: Tavi Gevinsons Instagram Willa: Tessa Hadleys Late in the Day Dana: Summer Brennans High Heel Outro: Wild Slide by Jules Gaia This podcast was produced by Benjamin Frisch. Our production assistant is Alex Barasch. Feel free to email us at culturefest@slate.com or interact with us at @SlateCultFest on Twitter. You can follow all of Slates culture coverage by signing up for our newsletter and liking our Facebook page. And come to our Slate Plus Anniversary Party on April 3rd! A new biography of Barbara Bush reveals that the former first lady blamed Donald Trump and the angst he caused for what she called her heart attacka medical episode caused by congestive heart failure and chronic pulmonary diseaseduring the presidential campaign in which Trump frequently mocked her son Jeb, according to excerpts adapted and published Wednesday by USA Today. The upcoming biography, The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty, also reveals that Bush said in the months before she died that she did not consider herself a member of todays Republican Party. Advertisement Bush had told author Susan Page in October 2017 that she still considered herself a Republican, but when Page asked again in February 2018, she answered, Id probably say no today. According to USA Today, her dismay with Trumps presidency was so strong she kept a Trump countdown clock a friend gifted her jokingly that displayed the number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until Trumps term expired: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She parked it on the side table in her bedroom, next to the chair she would sit in to needlepoint or watch television. She liked the countdown clock so much that when the Bushes returned to Houston that October, she brought it with her. It sat on her bedside table, where she could see it every day. It was there to the day she died. According to USA Today, her disdain for Trump dated back to the 1980s. In a diary entry from 1990, she wrote that Trump was the real symbol of greed. Later, after his public divorce with Ivana Trump finalized in 1992, she wrote, Trump now means Greed, selfishness and ugly. So sad. Bush, who died in April, just a few months before her husband, said George H.W. Bush voted for Hillary Clinton in the election. She told Page that, rather than vote for Clinton, she wrote her son Jebs name on the ballot. Elizabeth Warrens head start has not yet amounted to much. Nearly three months after she was the first big name to enter the 2020 Democratic race, the Massachusetts senator is being outpolled and out-raised by a number of rivals across the political spectrum. This despite her churning out one detailed progressive policy proposal after another and staking out bold stances on issues like reparations and the Electoral College. Liberals have found someone to blame for standing in Warrens way: Bernie Sanders. Advertisement Theres no substantive reason [for Sanders] to run this time around with Warren in the field, but instead of helping his ideological twin become the first female president, hes centering himself, Alexis Grenell lamented in the Daily Beast last week. Writing in Vox, Matthew Yglesias stopped short of saying the independent senator from Vermont should drop out but did suggest the primary field wouldnt be noticeably worse off if Sanders and the rest of the men running abandoned it. Warren is obviously not identical to Bernie Sanders but offers a broadly similar leftist critique of the U.S. economy and a parallel practical promise to break somewhat with Democratic establishment personnel in executive branch appointments, he wrote. Moira Donegan struck a similar note in the Guardian when assessing the two senators positions shortly after Sanders jumped in last month. Why would Democratic voters choose Sanders when Warren is running? she wrote. The two are not ideologically identical, but the differences between their major policy stances, on regulation of financial services and the need to extend the welfare state, are relatively minor, especially compared to the rest of the field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impulse to compare rather than contrast Warren with Sanders in this way is a natural one. The two economic populists are indeed closer to each other on the ideological spectrum than they are to anyone else in the race. And as Donegan points out, the socialist-capitalist binary that is often used by Sanders fans to sort the two can feel like a post-hoc rationalization from those seeking a politically acceptable reason to vote for a man and not for a womanthose who would vote for this man, and perhaps not any woman, no matter what. Second-choice polling, as limited as it is, offers evidence of that: A plurality of her supporters name him as their second choice, and yet his fans are about two times less likely to select her as their fallback than they are to pick Joe Biden, a man who is synonymous with the status quo and not yet even in the race. That is truly maddening for progressives like myself who see the deck as still stacked against women and candidates of color, in the general election and the Democratic primary. Advertisement And yet downplaying the ideological differences between Sanders and Warren strikes me as unfair to the former, who has clear reasons to be in the race beyond self-glorification, and unhelpful to the latter, who should be celebrated for offering the most robust and substantive policy platform of anyone running for president. Theres not just room in the 2020 Democratic field for both a blow-up-the-system democratic socialist and reform-it-from-the-inside capitalist to the bone. Theres a real need for both. Advertisement Lets start with Sanders. While the Democratic field has adopted many of his once-radical positions, theres no guarantee theyll keep them were he to depart the race. Even with him running, for example, Warren and other progressive candidates have begun to inch away from his signature Medicare for all proposal despite signing onto the idea previously. Warren, for one, still supports the effort but is also open to incremental steps that preserve some form of private insurance. Sanders, meanwhile, is uninterested in any half steps on the way to a single-payer system, a position he made clear Wednesday when he pointedly withheld his support from a symbolic effort by House Democrats to expand Obamacare. Likewise, as his fans at Jacobin point out, Sanders offers a distinct theory of change, one that relies on bottom-up, movement-based politics. Unlike another white dude I can think of, then, Sanders had a good reason to jump in and has a good reason to stay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren, meanwhile, is far more than just Bernie-light, as some of her critics on the left derisively regard heran impression her supporters risk feeding by blurring the lines between them. Warren is not as far left as Sanders in terms of economic orientation, but she never claimed to be. The former law professor and consumer advocate has already proved she can both believe in the power of the market and still be serious about crafting and enforcing the rules needed to make it fairer and more equitable. Shes pasted a target on everything from Big Tech to Big Agriculture. And while both Sanders and Warren are clear about their visions of the future, Warren to date has provided a far more specific road map of exactly how to get to hers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider the bounty of unique proposals she has already put forward: She wants to give workers the power to elect at least 40 percent of the individual board members at large corporations; to break up Amazon, Facebook, and Google; to fight consolidation in the agriculture industry beginning with the merger of Bayer AG and Monsanto; to prevent ex-lawmakers and Cabinet members from lobbying on behalf of corporations; to provide universal child care via a federal system for funding locally run child care providers; to address Americas housing crisis by taking on segregation, redlining, and restrictive zoning; and to institute an annual wealth tax on fortunes larger than $50 million. Add to that her past record on gun control, her present embrace of a Ta-Nehisi Coatesstyle view of reparations, and a potential future where shes the first female president in our nations two-and-a-half-century history, and Warren supporters shouldnt be content to claim shes as progressive as Sanders when they could argue shes more progressive than him. Advertisement Advertisement How much that assessment resonates with voters will depend on how much they prioritize economic policy above all else. It also depends on the related question of whether a man who identifies as a socialist or a woman who calls herself a capitalist would fare better against Donald Trump in an election of existential importance. But thats why primaries exist. There very well may come a point in the nominating contest when it makes sense strategically for either Sanders or Warren to drop out to allow the other to consolidate support against a more moderate rival, which is to say any other rival. But for now, the race is richer with both of them in it. Theyre two different messengers with similar messages, just not the same one. Most Americans agree that partisan gerrymandering is a scourge to democracy. But is it one that citizens can fix themselves? Thats the theory floated by Justice Neil Gorsuch during oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Tuesday over two major gerrymandering cases. One of the arguments that weve heard is that the court must act because nobody else can, Gorsuch said. But is that true, given that some states have already provided for remedies in this area through citizen initiatives and at the ballot box? Given that fact, why should the federal courts step in when theres a lot of movement in this area already? Advertisement As Talking Points Memos Tierney Sneed has observed, Gorsuchs question effectively weaponizes redistricting reform as an argument against federal court intervention. His solutionlet the people solve the problemis absurd for at least two reasons: The court may well strike down independent redistricting commissions, and even if it doesnt, at least 24 states bar citizens from circumventing the legislature to enact gerrymander reform. In response to this problem, Paul Clement, the conservative attorney defending gerrymanderers, pointed on Wednesday to H.R. 1, the Democratic measure that would compel each state to adopt an independent redistricting commission. But as Clement hinted, there is a good chance that the Supreme Court would also strike down this central provision of H.R. 1. The upshot is that without the support of the federal judiciary, millions of Americans will be powerless to stop partisan redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Independent commissions like those in Arizona and California are the gold standard of gerrymander reform. Citizens in both states adopted these commissions via ballot initiative, since legislators had little appetite to surrender their redistricting authority. These commissions prevent Republicans and Democrats from exercising undue influence over congressional maps and maximize the number of competitive districts in the states. But in Arizona, disgruntled legislators tried to reassert their power to gerrymander, filing a lawsuit alleging that the commission violates the Constitutions elections clause. This provision states that the times, places and manner of holding congressional elections shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof, though Congress can make or alter such regulations. By a 54 vote, the Supreme Court upheld Arizonas commission, ruling that the legislature can encompass the legislative power exercised by the people through initiative or referendum. Justice Anthony Kennedy joined the liberals, and the conservative justices wrote searing dissents. Now that Kennedy has been replaced by the more conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, it is entirely possible that the Supreme Court could reverse that decision and invalidate these commissions. If it does, the two states that adopted fully independent redistricting commissions in 2018, Michigan and Colorado, will see their reforms overturned by courts. Depending on how broadly the court rules, at least six other states redistricting processeswhich limit legislative input over district linescould fall too. Advertisement The Supreme Court could invalidate the anti-gerrymandering provision of H.R. 1. So Gorsuchs solution may only be temporary. But worse, it doesnt help residents of 24 states with no ability to sidestep their legislatures to enact gerrymander reform at the ballot box, as Gorsuch suggested. Thats where H.R. 1 might come in. A key plank of the bill, which already passed the House of Representatives along party lines, would direct every state to adopt an independent redistricting commission. Clement cited this law as proof that Congress is the solution here. H.R. 1, Clement insisted, certainly shows that Congress is able to take action in this particular area. Advertisement Advertisement Thats true in theory, even though the bill has no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate. But Clement added a caveat. H.R. 1, he said, was an effort to essentially force states to have bipartisan commissions. Now, query whether thats constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Waitwhat? Remember, the elections clause states that Congress can make or alter such regulations regarding the manner of congressional elections. So why cant Congress compel states to adopt independent redistricting commissions? The probable answer, as a white paper by Pack the Courts points out, is that this requirement could be struck down under the Supreme Courts anti-commandeering doctrine. Under that principle, Congress cant force state legislators to adopt or enforce a federal law. SCOTUS could easily cite the amorphous and ambiguous doctrine to justify invalidating the anti-gerrymandering provision of H.R. 1 on constitutional grounds. Advertisement Advertisement Clement, who served as solicitor general under George W. Bush, is the premier conservative advocate at the Supreme Court. He has argued dozens of cases that further GOP goals, attacking Obamacare while defending voter suppression, anti-immigrant laws, and corporate exploitation of workers. Notably, Clement represented the Arizona Legislature in its attempt to destroy its own independent redistricting commission. His legal views are frequently adopted by five justices on the Supreme Court. When he questions the constitutionality of a law, a majority of the court listens. And his implication that a major part of H.R. 1 might not pass constitutional muster all but broadcasts an immediate challenge if that bill were to ever become law. That means there is a fair chance that the Supreme Court will not only strike down state-level gerrymander reforms but also block congressional efforts to rein in partisan gerrymandering. (Such a decision would be wildly unpopular: A poll by YouGov Blue, commissioned by Pack the Courts, found that just 18.1 percent of voters think independent redistricting commissions are unconstitutional.) It would be a brutal one-two punch if SCOTUS refused to police partisan gerrymandering and then refused to let Americans halt it through the democratic process. That is the darkest timeline, but it is also an entirely plausible one. Gorsuchs alternatives are a red herring. The courts must place limits on partisan gerrymandering because it might not let the people do it themselves. A county in upstate New York announced a state of emergency Tuesday and a ban on unvaccinated minors being in public places in an effort to combat a crippling measles outbreak. The ban in Rockland County, a suburb 40 miles from Manhattan, goes into effect at midnight Tuesday and is scheduled to last for 30 days, as county officials take extreme measures to curb an outbreak that has resulted in 153 confirmed measles cases in the last five months. The prohibition on unvaccinated minors in schools, churches, malls, and other outdoor spaces is aimed at protecting vulnerable kids from the highly contagious disease and at motivating parents to get their children the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Health officials say more than 82 percent of the measles patients in the county of 300,000 had not received any of the vaccine. Parents that disobey the ban will face a misdemeanor charge that could bring with it a $500 fine or up to six months in jail. The restrictiveness of the ban is due to how easily transmissible the virus is. Measles can remain in the air for up to two hours where an infected person breathed such that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pegs the infection rate as high as 90 percent for nonimmunized people who come into close contact with an infected person. Rockland County is home to ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, which have low vaccination penetration, which contributed to the low rate of vaccination in the county. A Republican in the Pennsylvania Statehouse is facing criticism from House Democrats after she prayed for Gods forgiveness before the states first Muslim female representative was sworn in on Monday, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reported. State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz gave a nearly two-minute opening prayer before Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, a Democrat, joined the Legislature after winning a special election. In the prayer, according to the Capital-Star, Borowicz said Jesus 13 times, quoted from a chapter of the Bible asking Gods followers to turn from their wicked ways, asked explicitly for Gods forgiveness for having forgotten you, God, in our country, called Jesus our only hope, and praised President Donald Trump for his support of Israel. Advertisement As she gave the invocation, other members of the Legislature became visibly uncomfortable, and Democratic Rep. Margo Davidson yelled objection near the end of the prayer, according to the Capital-Star. House Speaker Mike Turzai can be seen in video of the moment placing his hand on Borowiczs arm. She then quickly finished the prayer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of House Democrats later spoke out against the prayer, and Johnson-Harrell, the new Muslim legislator, called for the General Assembly to censure Borowicz. It blatantly represented the Islamophobia that exists among some leadersleaders that are supposed to represent the people, said Johnson-Harrell. I came to the Capitol to help build bipartisanship and collaborations regardless of race or religion to enhance the quality of life for everyone in the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said he was horrified by Borowiczs prayer and told reporters this is not the religion I grew up in. The House minority leader took to the House floor to condemn the prayer. Never have we started out with a prayer that divides us, Rep. Frank Dermody said. House Minority Whip Jordan Harris put out a statement: What we do not need is to see prayer and religion twisted to intimidate, discourage or subtly degrade any Pennsylvanian. Advertisement Advertisement But Borowicz, according to a local reporter, stood by her actions. Thats how I pray every day, she said. Oh no, I dont apologize ever for praying. According to the Capital-Star, the Pennsylvania House opens each legislative session with a prayer. After a federal judge ruled last year that agnostics, atheists, and humanists must be allowed to deliver invocations, the House replaced prayers by guest chaplains with invocations by legislators. On Monday, after the outcry, Turzai called on state lawmakers to deliver an interfaith prayer when giving an invocation. Wed ask that you craft a prayer that is respectful of all religious belief, he said. Over the past two years, the liberal hopes that Robert Mueller would singlehandedly KonMari the republic metastasized. So did the memes. He was shirtless and muscled, cross-armed in a tie and stretch pants. Patricia Arquette shouted her thanks to him at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Spike Lee wore a T-shirt asking God to protect him. He got fan clubs. Candles. Halos. Expectations soared. Mueller wouldnt just shine a light on whatever happened leading up to the 2016 election. Hed lasso up the criminals and gruffly read them their Miranda rights. Hed save the embattled settlers like the U.S. cavalry does in an American Western and restore sense to the nation. Hed be the first Google result for American hero. Hed restore the rule of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, this did not happen. Mueller issued a report whose contents are still unknown, save for a curious summary penned by Attorney General William Barr. This much seems clear, however: Mueller did not pronounce on the criminality of the presidents activities anddespite issuing dozens of indictments and eliciting several guilty pleas among those in the presidents inner circledid not clinch the case for the president himself. The most die-hard members of Muellers fan club are stunned, disappointed, and at sea. And America, which has never taken agnosticism in criminal matters well, is now lurching through an epistemological vacuum that is producing unexpected alliances. Those on the far right and Russia skeptics on the far left, for example, are united in sounding an I told you so alarm over the apparent fact that Mueller did not establish a conspiracy between President Donald Trump and Russia. The former claims this exonerates Trump, the latter feels that it indicts journalism. What both seem to share with the legions of crushed Muellerites is a craving for certainty. And an intensely felt commitment to their set of expected outcomes. Advertisement Advertisement Maybe this is inevitable. Maybe its even warranted. Instability makes people cling to their prophet of choice. Much will be written in the aftermath of this report about the high-profile media personalities whose main gig has been Russia prophecy, as it should. Conspiracy theories need to be called out. So do the sources that make those theories plausible and disseminate them. But theres more than one way to be wrong. Total cynicism, the blanket attitude that institutions will simply never provide accurate information, feels different from healthy skepticism. I dont personally believe, for instance, that those lamenting the decline of sound journalistic practice, basing their admonishments on a biased summary of a report whose contents we still dont know, are on especially solid ground. Relying heavily on William Barrs letter while mocking Muellerites for trusting a former FBI director seems like doubling down differently on the same mistake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Every weekday, Slate's copy editors round up the stories you should read. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Im also not sure what follows if everyone actually embraces the cynicism that too easily passes for political sophistication nowwhich assumes that everyone is lying all the time. Trump isnt; he tells the truth sometimes. Thats what makes evaluating him tricky. The same is true of the FBI: The institution that has lied about matters of some importance has also told the truth about others. The same might even be true of Barr! The everyone lies filter doesnt work. Not even Trump can sustain that his lying media is always lying. The man never stops complaining about how hes covered, but he quoted MSNBC to claim hed been exonerated. (He hasnt.) I get why those on the far left want to crow about how the mainstream media got the Russia story wrong. I still dont know whether theyre right, though, for an obvious reason: We dont know whats in the report. The Muellerites may have been credulous and overenthusiastic. But their willingness to believe that something would incontrovertibly prove this administrations pattern of wrongdoing is pretty understandable. There was always a rational basis for the suffocatingly patriotic fantasy that Mueller wouldthrough our functioning legal systemrescue America. Its idealism, to be sure, and a kind of idealism which only those who have been cushioned from systemic abuse can muster. (There are communities who know all too well how justice actually works in this country.) But it still stems from faith in the nation, faith that hasnt fully succumbed, a disillusionment with America that is incomplete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was always a rational basis for the suffocatingly patriotic fantasy that Mueller would rescue America. Mock them for that if you like: A lot of people gambled their credibility on the credibility of institutions and people who were supposed to be impartial, and they thought this would work in their favor. As of right now, they appear to have been wrongat least in their rush to paint Mueller as some kind of crusader for American justice. Plenty of liberals were privately proud of putting their faith in a Republican investigator under the rationale that this is what you do when you still believe in your troubled countrys waning institutions: You assume there is still, even in these hyper-partisan times, a way forward that can sieve clarifying facts out of the ambient mudslinging. As Americas institutions have falteredmany have turned out to be so norm-driven they havent been able to cope with a shameless buffoonMueller felt to many like a principle of probity and institutional resilience. The Mueller memes look ridiculous now, but its hard to blame the meme-makers for believing in him, or for trusting the many former intelligence officials who went on television to hint at things they knew but couldnt say. We also, and I cannot repeat this enough, dont know what Mueller actually found! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liberals arent alone in imagining a savior figure and perpetuating him through silly memes; whats more interesting, perhaps, is how differently the fantasies of salvation manifest in different political camps. As images of, say, Muellers face photoshopped onto Beyonce in Lemonade proliferated on the liberal side, what many reflected was a need for an omniscient arbiter who would legitimize the findings of an imperiled system. Muellers military record features prominently in these comparisons. Hes shown laughing at Trump as the president says no one can see his taxes, or as a dad about to discipline (read: beat) his disobedient child. These are distasteful fantasies of surveillance and abuse, but theyre quite American, and the underpinnings are weirdly consistent: Theyre about catching wrongdoers. The liberal fantasy was that Mueller would embody the democratic function of the institution. Its Superman turning the criminal over to the cops; his superpower exists to bolster existing norms and practices. The staggering number of Trump-as-Christ memes suggests that the conservative fantasy is a little different. In that analogy, there is no civic institution Trump responds to, no democratic principle the savior figure necessarily upholds. Advertisement Were awash in superheroes these days, and the liberal pipe dream that Mueller would save America is built on a questionable foundation, certainly, but one we should recognize since its one of our more powerful comic myths. The idea was that a superhero would think America so great that hed serve itusually by turning the bad guys over to a legal system his powers entirely and obviously transcend. Subsequent superhero stories have rightly questioned that overenthusiastic premise. Superheroes are a proud and unreasonable American institution; it makes sense for America to resort to them in emergencies, even and especially when the savior fantasy contains the seeds of un-democracy or defeat. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will soon leave the Justice Department that he joined as a newly minted lawyer nearly 30 years ago. He is, by all accounts, a skillful attorney who spearheaded a number of successful public corruption prosecutions and won widespread respect from members of both parties en route. But as is often the case, he will be remembered best for the worst moments of his career: his letter providing a cover story for the firing of FBI Director James Comey; his baffling failure to recuse himself from the special counsels probe into possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump; and his wingman role in Attorney General William Barrs bid to make Trumps obstruction issues melt away. Advertisement Before he became the Justice Departments second-in-command under Trump, Rosensteins long tenure at the department looked like a public service success story. He joined the Justice Department at age 25, fresh from a D.C. Circuit clerkship and just one year out of Harvard Law School. President George W. Bush named him U.S. attorney for Maryland in 2005, and President Barack Obama asked him to remain at that post, making Rosenstein the only Bush-appointed U.S. attorney whom Obama retained. Though a registered Republican, he won the admiration of Marylands U.S. senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, both of whom are Democrats. When Trump nominated him as deputy attorney general, Cardin said that Rosenstein has demonstrated throughout his long career the highest standards of professionalism. Van Hollen praised him as a top-notch lawyer with a record and reputation of serving justice. At a time when virtually everyone in American political life was associated either with Team Red or Team Blue, Rosenstein appeared to be one of the few figures with bipartisan bona fides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But over the past two yearsand especially in the past weekthis success story has turned into a cautionary tale. Rosensteins refusal to recuse himself from the special counsels obstruction of justice probenotwithstanding a conflict of interest so blatant as to be almost blindinghas done irreparable damage to his own reputation and perhaps to the department that until now has been his only professional home. It is difficult to understand how Rosenstein ended up in such a compromised position. Perhaps he will one day write a reflective memoiras his two nemeses, Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, already have. Until then, we can reconstruct the timeline easily enough, but we can only speculate as to Rosensteins motives at each step of the way. Advertisement The saga starts in early May 2017, just days after Rosenstein was confirmed as deputy attorney general by a 946 Senate vote. Trump reportedly wanted to fire Comey over the FBI directors handling of the Russia investigation, but Rosenstein and White House counsel Don McGahn urged a different tack. Rosenstein drafted a letter recommending that Trump terminate Comey for the FBI chiefs mishandling of the Hillary Clinton email inquiry. It was perhaps a plausible cover storyif only Trump could stick to the script. Rosensteins conflict was even more direct than Sessions. Why did Rosenstein willingly supply a guise for what was, at bottom, an effort by the president to impede the FBIs inquiry into Trumps own campaign? No doubt Rosenstein believed he was doing the right thing: By pushing the email cover story, he was potentially saving the presidentand the countryfrom a constitutional crisis unlike any since the Saturday Night Massacre of October 1973. And Rosenstein probably thought that Comeys mismanagement of the email matter was indeed a fireable offense: Comeys disregard for Justice Department protocol likely would have grated on Rosenstein, who was known around the department as a by-the-book guy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So Rosenstein wrote a three-page letter laying out the case against Comey and recommending his terminationa letter that Attorney General Jeff Sessions soon endorsed and President Donald Trump did too. The letter lent a veneer of legitimacy to Trumps firing of Comeya move that, when its true motives were laid bare, looked to many like a textbook example of obstruction of justice. Perhaps it did not occur to Rosenstein that others would see his letter as the primary element in a not-so-elaborate cover-up, and that Rosenstein might be making himself an accessory to a crime. Advertisement Advertisement It did, however, occur to others that Rosenstein should recuse himself from his departments inquiry into whether Trump committed obstruction of justice, given that Rosenstein was now at least a fact witness and at worst a witting accomplice. In May 2017, I called for Rosensteins recusal in Slate, as several others did elsewhere. I didnt know thenthough the Washington Post has since revealedthat McCabe, who became the FBIs acting director after Comeys exit, also told Rosenstein in a closed-door meeting around the same time that the deputy attorney general should step aside. Advertisement The argument for recusal was, and remains, straightforward. A regulation adopted by the Justice Department in 1983 states that, as a general rule, no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution. Thats the regulation that Sessions cited when he recused himself from the Russia probe. As Sessions, who served as an informal adviser to Trump during the 2016 presidential race, put it, department employees should not participate in investigations of a campaign if they have served as a campaign adviser. Advertisement Advertisement Rosensteins conflict was even more direct than Sessions. In Rosensteins case, the person substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation was Rosenstein himself. And while the regulation on its face applies only to employees rather than departmental officers, Sessions sensibly interpreted the regulation as applying up the chain of command, evidently on the view that the Justice Departments top brass should abide by the same ethical standards as the rank and file. Advertisement The 1983 regulation allows an exception for cases in which the employees supervisor determines that the conflict will not have the effect of rendering the employees service less than fully impartial and would not create an appearance of a conflict of interest likely to affect the public perception of the integrity of the investigation. Setting aside whether Rosenstein could be fully impartial, it is quite clear that his participation created the appearance of a conflict. How could it not? Rosenstein, it bears repeating, was overseeing an investigation into whether Trump had obstructed justice by (among other actions) firing Comey to stop the Russia investigation and then hiding his true motive behind a cover story that Rosenstein himself had supplied. Moreover, the only supervisor who could bless Rosensteins continued participation under the 1983 regulation was Sessions, who had promised he would stay away from the Russia inquiry. Sessions would later take personal responsibility for his subordinates nonrecusal, though that only makes matters worse: The incurably conflicted Rosenstein remained in charge of the Russia probe because the incurably conflicted Sessions said he should. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How could Rosenstein have rationalized his decision not to recuse? One possibility is that Rosensteins reputation for personal probity prevented him from recognizing the reality of the situation. Rosenstein may have believed so strongly in his own honesty and professionalismand that belief had been reinforced so many times by the praise of those around him throughout his long and successful tenure as U.S. attorney in Marylandthat Rosenstein could not imagine how others would see things differently in this instance. If so, Rosensteins error might not have been so different from Comeys misjudgments during the Clinton email investigation, when the FBI chief with a record for fair-mindedness failed to anticipate how others would interpret the longtime registered Republicans tongue-lashing of the Democratic presidential nominee four months before the general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another possibility is that Rosenstein came to believe in his own indispensability. If he stepped aside, then oversight of the Russia probe would have fallen to Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, a highly qualified lawyer and former law professor, but one who lacked Rosensteins prosecutorial record and who was much more closely linked to Republican Party politics than Rosenstein was. After Brand left the Justice Department in February 2018, the next in line was Solicitor General Noel Francisco, whose expansive view of executive power led some to fear that he would curtail or shut down the investigation. Advertisement Of course, we can never know how things might have played out if Rosenstein had stepped aside. But we can now see how damaging his decision to stay on turned out to be. Advertisement Rosenstein, to be sure, deserves credit for invoking the Justice Departments special counsel rulesadopted in 1999 after Congress let the independent counsel statute lapseand then naming Robert Mueller to lead the Russia inquiry. Mueller was the special counsel straight out of central castingall the more perfect for the part because of his camera-shyness. He had served with distinction in Senate-confirmed posts under each of the past four presidentstwo Republicans and two Democratsand was arguably the best director that the FBI has ever had. How could Rosenstein have rationalized his decision not to recuse? But while the decision to appoint Mueller was brilliant, it was also obvious. Even with the caveat that hindsight is 20/20, it is hard to imagine that Brand would not have thought to do the same. And even if she had chosen someone elsesay, Dana Boente, the well-regarded U.S. attorney in northern Virginiathe investigation might not have suffered significantly if at all. Advertisement Rosensteins special counsel appointment was astute in another way: It linked the fortunes of the deputy attorney general, who at the time was little known beyond Maryland, to those of Mueller, who was widely revered and sometimes worshipped. Supporters of the special counsel were understandably reluctant to highlight Rosensteins nonrecusal, lest it cast doubt on the legitimacy of an investigation that was already under presidential assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosenstein, for his part, promised that if anything that I did winds up being relevant to [Muellers] investigation, then if theres a need from me to recuse, I will. But the promise turned out to be an empty one. Ultimately, the decision of whether to prosecute the president fell to Rosenstein and his now boss, Attorney General William Barr. And Rosensteins actions were highly relevant to the nonprosecution decision, because they speak to whether and why Trump tried to intervene in the FBIs Russia probe. Advertisement If Trump fired Comey as part of an effort to shield his first national security adviser Michael Flynn from criminal liability and to hide from the American people the full extent of Russias election interventions on his behalf, then the obstruction case against the president would be strong. If those were Trumps motives, then Rosenstein wasor allowed himself to beused for subterfuge. Could Rosenstein be fully impartialas department regulations demandwhen deciding, in effect, whether Rosenstein was an accessory to obstruction? No humannot even a human with Rosensteins reputation for integritycould call that shot straight. Defenders of Rosenstein might argue that if he had recused himself, the decision of whether to prosecute the president would have fallen to Barr alone, and there is no reason to believe that Barr would have come down differently if Rosenstein were out of the room. True enough. But note that Barrs letter to Congress Sunday summarizing the special counsels conclusionsa letter that uses the first-person singular everywhere elseshifts to the first-person plural when it reaches the question of obstruction (Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded, our determination, our judgment). Barr no doubt knew that his own credibility on the obstruction issue was compromised by the letter he wrote to Rosenstein and Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel last June assailing the special counsel. As in the Comey firing, Rosenstein played the useful role of providing political cover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time, though, Rosensteins signoff is unlikely to provide shade. In part that is because Democrats and independents who so far have spared the Rodas a headline in Politico put itno longer feel the need to tiptoe around the uncomfortable fact of Rosensteins conflict, now that the much-feared firing of Mueller ceases to be a salient concern. In part it is because the polarization of Washington and the toxicity of Trump make it virtually impossible for anyone in this administration to maintain the bipartisan respect that Rosenstein built up during his Maryland years. But it is also in large part Rosensteins own fault. The deputy attorney general said, in effect: Trust me. I will recuse myself if and when I need to. But then he needed toand yet he did not step aside. For Rosenstein himself, the reputational hit from his nonrecusal may put him out of the running for the federal appellate judgeship to which he once aspired. But quite a few D.C. law firms are likely to seek his private sector servicesand will happily pay him a salary in the seven figures. For the Justice Department that Rosenstein now leaves, though, the damage may be longer-lasting. The Russia probe was, among other things, a test of whether the department could conduct and conclude an impartial investigation of a sitting president by following its own special counsel rules. While it is too early to reach a final verdict on that question, the serious conflict of interest affecting the man who oversaw that inquiry casts a continuing shadow over the enterprise. All this almost certainly would have surprised Rosenstein if he had known it at the outset. By remaining in charge of the Russia investigation, he probably believed he was protecting the interests of the institution in which he had loyally served for most of his life. But the road to institutional decay is often paved with good intentions. Indeed, if Rosenstein had not been so persuaded of the purity of his motives, one wonders whether he might have been able to understand the damage he would do. Still dealing with the fallout of two deadly crashes in the past six months, and serious questions about the safety of its 737 Max aircraft, things got a shade bleaker for Boeing Tuesday when a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 was forced to make an emergency landing in Orlando shortly after takeoff. The flight had a two-person flight crew but did not have any passengers aboard because the line of Boeing planes have not yet been cleared to fly again by the FAA. The plane was in the air in order to be relocated to southern California where it was to be stored until the engineering issues on the 737 Max planes are resolved. Advertisement Southwest Flight 8701 departed from Orlando International Airport at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, but was forced to return minutes later after pilots reported an engine problem. The Crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport. The flight was scheduled to fly to Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, Calif., for short-term storage, Southwest said in a statement. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 will be moved to our Orlando maintenance facility for a review. The engine problem is thought to be unrelated to the planes automatic anti-stall system currently under investigation after the crash of Lion Air Flight 610 shortly after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed just over two weeks ago. At the time of the grounding, Southwest had 34 of the 70 Boeing 737 Max jets in operation in the U.S. Get More Whistlestop Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to Whistlestop Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. Listen to Whistlestop via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode of Whistlestop travels to Dec. 23, 1783, when the commander in chief of the Continental Army sat before the president of the Confederation Congress and prepared to step away from the job. Whistlestop is Slates podcast about presidential history. Hosted by Political Gabfest host John Dickerson, each installment will revisit memorable moments from Americas presidential carnival. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/whistlestopplus. Email: whistlestop@slate.com. Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research by Brian Rosenwald and Elizabeth Hinson. British Prime Minister Theresa May has just offered to resign so that something she never wanted in the first place can be accomplished, somewhat less late than originally planned. Its not quite the sort of heroic self-sacrifice that best-picture nominees are made of, but it may be the only choice she has left. May told Tory MPs on Wednesday that she would stand down as prime minister if they approved the EU withdrawal agreement that she negotiated with European leaders but that Parliament has already rejected twice by staggering margins. Now that the government has all but taken the prospect of a no-deal Brexit off the table, some Tory Brexiteers, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the hard-line European Research Group, and former Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who once called Mays agreement a suicide vest, have softened on the deal, preferring it to Brexit not happening at all. Mays resignation pledge sweetens the deal, as many of these hard-liners have lost faith in her leadership and dont want her at the helm during the next phase of Brexit negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Whats that you say? Theres a next phase? Isnt this over if they agree to Mays deal? LOL, no. Under Mays deal, once Britain leaves the EU, it begins a transition period that will last at least until the end of 2020 but probably longer, during which the current trade relationship between Britain and the EU would remain in place and a future trade relationship would be negotiated. This is going to go on for a while.) Skeptics noted that May gave no timetable for her resignation, and one Labour Party politician said Tories should ask for her agreement to be written in blood. A new leadership contest would likely begin sometime in May, and a new PM could be in place by this summer. Advertisement Advertisement That assumes the deal even passes Parliament this time, which is still far from a sure thing. Mays resignation offer will convince some Conservative skepticsthough its unclear how manybut may still not be enough to convince her coalition partners in the Democratic Unionist Party. The Northern Irelandbased party remains deeply opposed to the Irish backstop provision in Mays deal, which they fear could create an economic border between their region and the rest of the United Kingdom.* Advertisement Its also not guaranteed that a third vote will even be allowed to happen. The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, warned again Wednesday that he would not allow another vote on Mays deal unless substantive changes were made to it, citing a procedural convention dating back to 1604. Advertisement In the meantime, Parliament will be holding a series of indicative votes on amendments proposing alternative Brexit scenarios, ranging from no deal, to the Labour Partys soft Brexit plan to keep Britain in a customs union with Europe, to a new public referendum on any Brexit plan chosen. These arent binding and would likely come into play only if May still fails to get her deal across the finish line. Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through London last weekend calling for a Peoples Vote on whether to keep pursuing Brexit at all. What it all adds up to is that its increasingly unclear when Britain will actually decide on a Brexit planthe original March 29 deadline is all but deador who will be leading the country when it happens. Greetings, Future Tensers, Last week, we published The Arisen, the latest installment of our Future Tense Fiction series. In it, author Louisa Hall imagines a world where facts have taken precedent over emotion to a point where many in society choose to receive a memory chip that removes feelings that would inevitably lead to rash and unhelpful decisions. But what happens to love, truth, and fiction? In his response essay to the story, Arizona State University librarian Jim ODonnell writes about how facts get createdand how much they reflect the sometimes-flawed human purposes for which we rely on them. Advertisement Elsewhere on Future Tense, weve been exploring the latest conflicts heating up over social media. Aaron Mak covers the Justice Departments dubious new defense of President Donald Trumps Twitter blocks. Genelle Belmas examines the shaky legal standing of Rep. Devin Nunes lawsuit against Twitter and several anonymous parody accounts for defamation. And Bryan Jones argues that Attorney General William Barrs letter summarizing the Mueller report does tell us one significant thing that everyone can agree on: that Russia wont stop trying to interfere in U.S. elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other things we read while blocking the secret trackers in our emails: Pivot to privacy: April Glaser argues that Facebooks latest data mishandling scandal is particularly gross because it shows the company was careless with info from some of its most disadvantaged users. Advertisement Advertisement Gender gap: Stephen Harrison tells us about the Wikipedia rule making it difficult for users to create entries for lesser-known but still-important women from history. Office space: Why not appoint an algorithm to a corporate board? Tracking tags: How a little-noticed data-driven policing program caused punishment for graffiti to skyrocket in San Diego. GDPR-versary: Josephine Wolff looks at the successes and failures of the EUs data privacy law in the year since it went into effect. One-stop shop: Will Oremus writes about how Apples latest foray into subscription-based services and transactions is raising a few eyebrows. Going dark: Tamara Evdokimova covers the EU copyright law thats provoked massive online protests, including the 24-hour shutdown of German Wikipedia. To Bachs true music style, Anthony Nguyen For Future Tense Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Justice Department attorneys representing President Donald Trump said in a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday that the president personally blocks people on his @realDonaldTrump Twitter account. Trumps lawyers disclosed this to argue that Trump uses the platforms blocking feature in a personal capacityas opposed to a governmental oneand thus is not violating his critics free speech rights. Last year, the Knight First Amendment Institute sued the president on behalf of seven people whom he had blocked on Twitter. The plaintiffs contended that Trumps account is a public forum through which constituents can direct political speech at an elected official, and that the Trump is violating the First Amendment when he blocks users from engaging with his tweets because of their viewpoints. During the trial, Justice Department lawyers surprisingly admitted that Trump blocked some users because they criticized the President or his policies, which bolstered the case that such behavior amounts to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald ultimately agreed and ruled last May that the @realDonaldTrump account was illegally blocking other users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Trump lawyers resulting appeal, they maintain that he is not wielding the power of the government when he blocks people, but is rather making a personal decision. The three-judge panel reportedly treated that argument with skepticism, asking whether Trump was making an official pronouncement when he tweeted his decision to revoke sanctions on North Korea. (The president also notably announced the transgender military ban on Twitter.) Jennifer Utrecht, a DOJ attorney, responded that Trump is acting in an official capacity when he tweets, but then added that hes acting in a personal one when he blocks people. A judge followed up and asked whether Trump had been entering the blocks himself, or if his aides did it. Utrecht confirmed that it was Trump. Advertisement There is at least one other person besides the president who has access to the @realDonaldTrump account: the White Houses social media director, Dan Scavino. Scavino has said in the past that he occasionally posts from the account, converting dictations from Trump into tweets. It can at times be difficult to discern who sent which tweet, though the New York Times reports that Scavinos tend to be more anodyne. In the initial court filings, the plaintiffs also seemed unsure whether Scavino and other aides were blocking critics on the account on Trumps behalf. Utrechts statements suggest they werent. This is one of the first cases addressing social media blocking by government officials. The only other time that a judge has found the practice to be unconstitutional was in 2017, when a Virginia court ruled that the chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Phyllis Randall, was not allowed to block a critic from her Facebook page for 12 hours and delete an unfavorable comment hed posted there. Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now... 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. Reservoir supplies water to southern part of central Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide Almost 400 visitors attended a guided tour of the Malinec water reservoir as part of an open day. The event was organised by the Slovak Water Management Enterprise on the occasion of World Water Day. Read also: Read also: Low water levels in Domasa reveal the remains of flooded houses Read more Visitors saw what it's like to operate the reservoir and also went inside to have a look. They were especially attracted to the entrance 50 metres below the head of the dam. Our water reservoir supplies the drinking water of the entire southern part of central Slovakia, said Jozef Zilik, head of administration of the Upper Ipel river basin, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Rich on inflows The overall volume of the reservoir is 25 million of cubic metres of water. The waterworks take about three millions of cubic metres of water per year. If needed, the volume of supplied water can be higher. The water reservoir in Malinec was built between 1989 and 1994. The settlement of Hamor and surrounding villages like Hrozinovo, Chmelna, Stavica have ceased to exist. The water reservoir itself is created through its own water reservoir at the upper current of the Ipel. The interesting thing is that the Ipel River has all 12 inflows in the cadastre of Malinec from the right bank. The Chocholna and Smolna inflows are so ample that they are almost as big as the river itself. That was the main factor when deciding where to build the water reservoir. The Caribbean island of 11 million people is short of the commodity. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The Slovak financial group Proxenta will establish the first Cuban-Slovak joint venture. Along with Confiteria Caibarien they will focus on the production of sweets, the Hospodarske Noviny daily reported. The Slovak firm will be the ninth food company to invest in the Cuban market, after Heineken and Nestle. "There will be several other talks held this week, after which the contract on the future contract will be signed," said Pavol Kozik, founder of Proxenta, as quoted by Hospodarske Noviny. Subsequently, all the ministers will sign it at the April meeting, he added. Read also: Read also: Fico visits Cuba with head of parliamentary committee Read more More Slovak firms will invest in Cuba Once the Cuban government signs the contract, Proxenta will set up the joint venture. It will be in charge of the construction of a factory to manufacture sweets. Cuba lacks this commodity. However, the company wanted to invest in wine exports in the first place. In addition, there are other firms from Slovakia that want to invest in Cuba. "In the case of the Slovak capital, negotiations are going to create five joint ventures," said the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as quoted by Hospodarske Noviny. Four companies should make an investment in the energy sector and one firm in the food market. Cuba opens up to foreign investments Cuba, which often struggles with food shortages and energy crises, is prepared to undergo its transformation so as not to end up like Venezuela, economic analysts claimed. "Within 10 years, the market should open even more," said Petr Bohacek of the Czech Association for International Affairs, as quoted by Hospodarske Noviny. Proxenta made a good decion to create the joint venture since such firms have a higher chance of surviving in the Cuban market, Bohacek added. Production costs are relatively low, including a cheap labour force, which attract international companies. On the other hand, the government oversees everything, including the wages and selection of employees for firms, as Hospodarske Noviny wrote. Slovakia's Foreign Affairs Ministry's state secretary sees a link between the famous novel and the UK's departure from the EU. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The negotiations over the Brexit deal have started to resemble the Lord of the Rings saga, said Frantisek Ruzicka, state secretary for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, responding to the questions of journalists over the latest developments in the departure of the United Kingdom from the EU. We must wait and see how the voting in Westminster turns out, he added. Although the Brexit deal has been on the table for roughly four months, the British parliament has not agreed to support British PM Theresa May's deal yet. Ruzicka also said that Brexit would not, for now, impact on the preparations for the next EU programming period. The Brexit saga is becoming so big that it resembles the Lord of the Rings, or rather the Lady of the Rings, Ruzicka told journalists, as quoted by the SITA newswire. As he pointed out, there are several options for Brexit, ranging from a no-deal Brexit to no Brexit at all. In addition, on April 1, the House of Commons will have to discuss the petition signed by 5.7 million Brits who oppose Brexit but MPs will not be obliged to vote on it, as reported by SITA. Slovak priorities on the table Read also: Read also: Police recommend pre-Brexit registration to British citizens Read more The EU is also discussing its next financial framework. If the UK decides to leave after the European Parliament elections or to remain part of the EU, the negotiations on the financial framework will be affected, Ruzicka claimed. If the UK asks for an extension beyond the date of the EP elections, it means that UK representatives will be also have to be elected, he added, as quoted by SITA. This would result in a long extension one year, two years or maybe an infinite number. As Ruzicka stressed, the negotiations are currently going smoothly. Everything that is of priority to Slovakia is still on the table. In some areas, there has been an agreement reached with the EP, but 120 other areas are still sensitive, SITA wrote. Slovak towns will take part in the environmental event again. The campaign is moving online as well. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. The Earth Hours starts at 20:30 on March 30, 2019 in Slovakia. (Source: WWF Danube) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The date: Saturday, March 30, 2019. The time: 20:30. Dozens of companies, as well as 20 landmarks across Slovakia, will turn off their lights on this day and at this time to raise awareness of environmental protection. The Earth Hour brings together those who are aware of the importance of protecting our planet and of their power to change things, said Miroslava Plassmann, head of WWF Slovakia, as quoted in a press release. Bratislava Castle, the Presidential Palace, Bojnice Castle, Spis Castle, Trencin Castle, Nitra Castle, Stara Lubovna Castle, and the tower in Banska Bystrica will all go dark on March 30, on the very same day when Slovakia will hold the second round of the presidential election. Other organisations can still join in too. Light pollution is a problem Read also: Read also: Will Slovakia become greener? The government has approved a new strategy Read more Slovakia has participated in the event since 2011 when the Slovak Astronomical Society (SAS) decided to coordinate the event. One of the main reasons is that light pollution has become a big issue for the work of astronomers. The number of environmental problems, such as air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change, rises every year, said Jaroslav Merc of SAS, as quoted in the press release. However, these problems impact everyone, not just astronomers, he added. #MojaHodinaZeme WWF Slovakia, which is launching an online campaign, joined the initiative in 2016. We invite everyone to turn off their social media for an hour, said Plassmann, as quoted in the press release. Before people turn off their devices for one hour, they are invited to post at 20:29 a black picture on Facebook and Instagram with hashtags #MojaHodinaZeme (#MyEarthHour) and #Connect2Earth to help save the planet. In a city with a dining scene that has been dominated by restaurants, bars, and coffee shops opening in huge developments, El Tesoro offers an alternative. The taqueria-cafe combo sits in an unassuming little building on Arkwright Avenue, an unassuming little street in Atlantas Edgewood neighborhood. What El Tesoro lacks in glitz and PR buzz, it makes up for with espresso beverages that complement comida de Mexico. Co-owner Alan Raines has operated a nearby rental property for nearly two decades, and he says hes been eyeing the building that El Tesoro calls home for years. He took the plunge in 2018, convincing the buildings landlord his business idea would be a good fit. These days, the typical new Atlanta restaurant boasts an address that is marketed as right off the BeltLine, a public works project that is in the process of converting miles of abandoned railroad tracks into a walking trail. The East Side portion of the trail was the first to open, and it has spurred an explosion of mixed-use projects popping up all over this part of town. Dining has been the anchor for most of these developments, but with high rent prices leaving little opportunity to gamble on innovation or outside-the-box thinking in the kitchen, these establishments, more often than not, offer style over substance, Instagram-worthy dining rooms, and forgettable food. Raines has taken inspiration from his business and pleasures and poured it into El Tesoro. On the dining side of things, he wants to serve dishes that might be found at roadside restaurants he encountered during his travels in Mexico. Cristina Lugo Soto, a native of Guerrero, runs a kitchen that turns out breakfast tacos, burritos, tamales, and mulitas for breakfast and lunch. The coffee menu features a variety of Counter Culture beans because Raines had positive interactions with the Durham, North Carolina, outfit during his time selling packaging to roasteries. Clover James, an eight-year veteran of Java Monkey a few miles away in Decatur, oversees the beverage service, experimenting with new drinks on a daily basis. Yes, there are cortados and lattes, but there are also horchatas and Mexican hot chocolates. I wanted to do Mexican flavors, James tells Sprudge. And so the cafe de olla is orange and brown sugar and cinnamon. We do a cinnamon simple syrup instead of a hazelnut or caramel. El Tesoros design, like its location, does not lean into modern trends. Raines describes it as pharmacy or apothecary-turned-taco stand. Upon entering, patrons are greeted by a bright yellow wall with dark-wood shelves displaying assorted tchotchkes. A speckled marble counter displays pastries and fruit for sale, and there is a La Marzocco FB80 espresso machine cradling a rainbow of colorful cups, mugs, and saucers. On one side of the seating area are more yellow paint and black-and-white photos. Opposite that is a cinderblock wall decorated with old layers of faded paint and a big, bold El Tesoro logo. Dinner service is in the works, as is a full bar. But, no matter how the business evolves, breakfast tacos and espresso will be key components. Arkwright Avenue is a cut-through between larger thoroughfares and Interstate 20, and Raines estimates 200 to 300 cars pass by his front door each morning. The morning clientele is built in. Theres not much room for commercial growth at this location. Only a few buildings sit in the area, housing a dog boutique, an auto shop, and a currently vacant storefront. The remaining neighbors are residential. So while the rest of Atlanta is swallowed by development, El Tesoro may continue to be a treasure for coffee drinkers and diners wary of the overblown hype that comes with BeltLine-adjacent restaurants. Chris Fuhrmeister is a freelance journalist based in Atlanta whose work has appeared previously in Eater. This is Chris Fuhrmeisters first feature for Sprudge. Drinking coffee can provide a quick jolt of energy, this much we all know. But new research shows that coffee is also an effective medium for absorbing energy, specifically from the sun. Scientists have found a way to use coffee to harness solar power, and it may be a game changer. According to Phys.org, current methods for converting solar rays into usable energy involve the indirect absorption of sunlight, where the efficiency is generally limited as a result of major convective heat losses into the surrounding environment. One potentially advantageous alternative is direct absorption using a liquid as both solar energy absorber and heat carrier, which has the benefit over indirect absorption of less convective and radiative heat losses, meaning a more efficient collection of energy. And as you may have guessed, the liquid, in this case, is coffee. Using the caffeinated cure-all, a group of researchers led by Matteo Alberghini at the Departments of Energy, Applied Science, and Technology and the National Institute of Optics in Italy created a colloid from distilled water, Arabica coffee, glycerol, and copper sulfate. And because they are Italian, the coffee was made with a Moka Pot, though the article states they chose that particular brew method was for the consistency and in order to make students coffee, which allows for increased caffeine suspension in water. After testing the coffee colloid, the researchers found it showed competitive optical and thermal properties for direct solar absorption and that it performed similarly to the traditional indirect absorption technique. To be honest, I cant really understand 99% of what is going on here. If it wasnt taught in high school Chemistry class 15 years ago, I dont stand a chance of getting it; my Chemistry knowledge peaks out at hydrogen bonds, and even then I only know that they are the reason you can slightly overfill your coffee cup without it spilling. But while the inner-workings of the science are a mystery to me, what is clear is that using coffee in this way offers an inexpensive, environmentally friendly way of harnessing non-fossil fuel energy. For those more science-minded, more information on how the colloid was made and how it was tested can be found on Phys.org. Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge. There are many types of intelligence tests and also much debate over what the intelligence tests really show. Learn about the founders of the intelligence quotient, or IQ tests, how different the tests work, and why controversy remains about the accuracy of IQ testing results. Throughout the history of psychology, tools have been developed to measure people's intelligence, and for a variety of sometimes nefarious purposes. Explore the history of intelligence testing and the controversies surrounding it, such as the evolution of the eugenics movement that targeted immigrants in the early 20th century. Alfred Binet's theory is responsible for developing the first reliable test of intelligence. Explore Alfred Binet's theory, his background, the creation of an intelligence test, the use of age-appropriate scales and the definition of mental age. Alfred Binet designed the first intelligence test to identify students who needed extra support. Explore Binet's theories on intelligence, then discover his impact on intelligence testing in education. Charles Spearman was an experimental psychologist who was interested in intelligence. Read about Spearman's background, his g factor theory and how Spearman's work continues to influence the field of psychology today. Psychological assessments are tests that analyze a person's abilities or personality. Explore some common types of assessments used in psychology, including projective tests, inventories, and aptitude tests. Sir Francis Galton was an important figure in the scientific community and made significant contributions to anthropology, psychology, and statistics. Discover Galton's work in measuring intelligence, eugenics, and fingerprints. The ethics of care is a feminist theory focused on concepts such as, responsibilities, compassion, and relationships. Learn the thoughts of Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings on this theory, with attention to the private sphere and comparison to the ethics of justice. There are many pros and cons when it comes to being a counselor. Explore common motivators for becoming a counselor as well as the personal qualities and specific skills most effective counselors have. Learn about Ainsworth's Strange Situation Experiment. Become familiar with the eight episodes of the Strange Situation procedure. Explore what the Strange Situation Experiment measured. Study Bowlby and Ainsworth's attachment style theories. Robert Sternberg is an American psychologist and professor who's best known for his theory on intelligence and creativity. Learn about Sternberg's views on intelligence and information processing, and explore the three parts of intelligence according to his theory, including analytical, creative, and practical intelligence. Standardization makes everything the same for all who participate, and norms are the results acquired from a sample of people who represent the whole. Explore intelligence testing, standardization, and norms of psychological tests. In this lesson, you'll learn about the Thematic Apperception Test: what it is, its purpose, how it has evolved, how it is administered and scored, and its major criticisms as a personality assessment tool. Aversion therapy is used to address bad habits or behaviors by associating these behaviors with discomfort. Dive deep into the definition and critiques of aversion therapy and see an example of how this therapy can work to thwart unwanted behaviors. Learn about imprinting in psychology and learning. Discover imprinting in animals, signs of imprinting, and how sexual imprinting may influence speciation. Psychotherapy is a form of treatment for patients suffering from psychological or mental health issues that affect their ability to function. Learn the definition and types of psychotherapy, and review some of the most common approaches to psychotherapy. Cultural Bias in Testing: Examples & Definition Cultural bias in testing occurs when the test scores of people from one group are significantly different due to cultural differences. Learn the definition of cultural bias in testing and take a look at some examples of cultural bias. Latent Learning Examples & Significance | What is Latent Learning? Learn the latent learning definition and meaning. See a latent learning example and find out how latent learning compares to other types of learning. Group Intelligence Tests: Types, Examples & Uses At one time, intelligence tests were all individually administered. This lesson looks at why there has been a change to group intelligence test administration, how the tests have evolved, and what some of the tests cover. University of Nevada, Las Vegas The University of Nevada, Las Vegas offers students an MBA program that can be completed on either a part-time or full-time basis. Students who enroll in this program can either complete the requirements to obtain a general MBA degree or they can decide to pursue one of three concentrations within the program: management, finance, or marketing. Students who would like to study the management option have further opportunity to specialize their studies according to their interests and career goals, as the school provides additional emphasis areas in fields like health care management and human resources management, among others. Regardless of the option that students choose, all enrolled students must complete the required 18 credits of core curriculum courses in addition to 21 credits of electives and a 3-credit-hour capstone course in strategic management. The school also offers several joint degree programs that would allow students to pursue an MBA while also pursuing a JD, DDM, or Master of Science in areas like hotel administration or management information systems. DeVry University Another option for students seeking an MBA program in Las Vegas is the program offered at the Henderson Las Vegas campus of DeVry University. Students who decide to enroll in this program can complete coursework on campus, online, or through a combination of both of these options. This program's required curriculum is comprised of 10 total courses that students can complete on a full- or part-time basis according to their schedules. These courses cover topics like corporate finance, business economics, and strategic marketing. Within the MBA program, students also have the opportunity to select from 11 concentration area options, including health services, finance, and project management, and complete three additional courses in this area to further specialize their degree. University of Phoenix Students may also be interested in the MBA program that is offered by the University of Phoenix, which they can complete either online or by attending in-person courses at the school's Las Vegas location. In this program, students are required to complete 36 total credits, or 12 courses, in order to fulfill the requirements for the general MBA program. Students who are interested in pursuing a concentration within the program can select from five options: marketing, project management, human resource management, accounting, or business and health administration. MBA programs with concentrations require the completion of 48 to 58 total credit hours and typically take two years to complete, while the general program can be completed in 18 months. Each course in the University of Phoenix's MBA program is designed to be completed in six weeks and students are able to take only one course at a time, allowing them to continue working and maintain a flexible schedule. Roseman University of Health Sciences Another option for students located just outside of Las Vegas in Henderson is the MBA program at Roseman University of Health Sciences. In this program, students are required to complete a total of 39 credit hours, the majority of which are required core curriculum courses. Students also are able to select one elective course according to their interests and must also complete a capstone course. Some topics covered by the required curriculum include marketing, arbitration, business ethics, and managerial accounting. Students who enroll in this program full-time, which entails attending courses during the day, can complete the program in as few as nine months. A small number of countries have agreed to take back Islamic State fighters, but the majority are refusing to accept them writes Al-Araby al-Jadeed. The United States said it was not looking at an international court to try Islamic State militants and urged countries to repatriate them, just hours after Syrias Kurds proposed a tribunal. Two days after the United States announced the complete defeat of the Islamic State group, the Kurdish force that holds some 9,000 foreign jihadists and their relatives 6,500 of them children voiced regret at the lack of response to US-led calls on Western nations to bring back their citizens for trial. The Syrian Kurdish administration said that a better idea would be to set up an international tribunal in northeastern Syria to prosecute the fighters also known as IS, who at their zenith imposed a brutal interpretation of Islam on millions of people across Iraq and Syria and carried out widespread beheadings and sexual assaults. But James Jeffrey, the US special representative on Syria policy, voiced little interest when asked about the proposal, saying: Were not looking at that now. The priority is to pressure countries to take back their own citizens who may or may not have committed crimes, Jeffrey told reporters in Washington. If they put the effort into it, they can deal with it, he said. Repatriation is a sensitive issue for Western nations such as France and Britain, which have experienced attacks by homegrown extremists and have little interest in seeing more return. Britain has gone so far as to strip Islamic State proponents of citizenship. In the most high-profile US case, the United States last month said that Hoda Muthana, a young woman from Alabama who joined the Islamic State group, was not a citizen due to her fathers former diplomatic status. Last month, British authorities caused a stir after stripping 19-year-old Shamima Begum of her citizenship despite having a new-born baby. Begum, who ran away from home to join IS when she was 15, had been holed up along with thousands of other women and children that had fled Baghouz, in the al-Hol camp. Begums child was confirmed dead by Kurdish officials in Syria just days after she was stripped of her citizenship. The UK said it would not have been able to repatriate the baby of IS member Shamima Begum citing safety concerns. We have to think about the safety of the British officials that I would send into that warzone, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC just a day after the baby was confirmed dead. Earlier this month, France repatriated five young children whose parents belonged to the Islamic State group in Syria, noting it would not take back adult IS members, but children would be considered for a return to France on a case-by-case basis. On Sunday, President Donald Trump welcomed the formal defeat of the Islamic State group in Syria, but said the US will continue to remain vigilant against radical Islamic terrorists. Trump stunned allies in December when he ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 US troops from Syria, although faced with internal criticism he agreed to a limited presence. Jeffrey said that forces had begun to withdraw in December but declined to specify exact plans, saying US troops will stay in very limited numbers in northeastern Syria and at the al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition. The forces will continue our clearing operations and stability operations against ISIS for a period of time not to be determined at this point, he said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State militant group. Some IS militants are still present in eastern Syrias Badia desert and hideouts, with the US fearing that the group could launch a guerrilla insurgency. Analysts have warned remnants of the group have hidden among the local population, and could launch bomb attacks. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Syrian National Coalition have emphasised the unity of the Syrian territory and the international laws that govern the Syrian Golan. President of the Syrian National Coalition, Abdurrahman Mustafa, warned of the repercussions of the USs recognition of the Syrian Golan as part of the Israeli entity, stressing that it is an occupied Syrian land. Speaking to the Anadolu news agency, President Mustafa said, We always emphasize the unity and integrity of the Syrian territory and that the Golan is a part of Syria that is occupied by the Israeli occupation. International resolutions are clear in this regard. President Mustafa pointed out that the latest statements from the US about the Golan, constituted a violation of international resolutions. The Syrian people want to preserve the Syrian land and we will maintain sovereignty of all Syrian territory. President Mustafa stressed that the US position, will not contribute to security, peace and stability in the region as he warned that chaos will continue. Reneging on this position is very necessary as it violates international law. President Mustafas remarks came in response to US President Donald Trumps signing on the decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Zionist entity over the entire Golan, which has been occupied since 1967. Trumps decision was met with widespread condemnation and rejection by many countries and the United Nations. These included the British Foreign Ministry, the Turkish Foreign Minister, a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, the European Union, Arab countries, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The three Russian servicemen were reportedly returning from an aid delivery, when they were ambushed by terrorists and killed reports SANA. The Russian Defense Ministry have announced that three Russian military servicemen were killed in Syria during a shootout with terrorists in late February. According to the Ministry, at the end of February, three Russian military servicemen, who were returning by car after delivering humanitarian aid to one of the towns in Deir ez-Zor province, were caught in a militant ambush. After a shootout the Russian military servicemen went missing, the Defense Ministry said. Work to discover the whereabouts of the Russian troops continued around the clock along with the Syrian security forces, the Ministry added. As a result of the special measures, the militants responsible for the attack on the servicemens vehicle have been identified and the deaths of three Russian servicemen have been confirmed, the statement read. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an armed group of 30 terrorists involved in the attack on the Russian servicemen in Syria have been eliminated. The Federal Republic of Russia participates in the war against terrorism at the request of the Syrian Government and its support has contributed to inflicting heavy losses upon terrorist organizations. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Walid al-Muallem, has described the US President as a 'pirate' and said that he cannot change anything on the ground writes The Syria Times. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Walid al-Muallem, said that the decision by US President Donald Trump will not affect the situation of the occupied Syrian Golan and that the Golan is protected by its people, the Syrian Arab people and our armed forces. In response to a question on the impact of Trumps decision on the Occupied Syrian Golan, Muallem said, The American decision will only affect the isolation of America. The Golan is immune, due to the high national spirit of the residents of the Golan and a series of international resolutions that represent international legitimacy. The occupied Golan is also fortified with our people and its steadfastness and our valiant armed forces, therefore, this decision will have no affect at all, Muallem told Syrian TV in a telephone call on Monday. As for the position of Trump and its consequences on the region, Muallem explained that no one can predict what this pirate is doing, he and his administration have proved that they are a destabilizing factor for international stability and a factor of domination over the international community. He started with Jerusalem, but in the Golan he will not be able to do anything, the land belongs to its people and nobody, no matter how many years have passed, can change this reality. During its session on Tuesday, the Peoples Assembly denounced the declaration by US President Donald Trump on the occupied Syrian Golan. Speaker of the Peoples Assembly, Hammoudeh Sabbagh, said Trumps irresponsible declaration proves that the US administration is continuing its blind absolute support for the Israeli occupation, and that Trump is trying to realize Netanyahus dreams. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. On the eighth anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution, opposition politician Michel Kilo says that a failure to unite, led to the failure of the revolution writes Ana Press. The Syrian opposition politician Michel Kilo said that the biggest mistakes the political opposition made were that it worked as an opposition and never developed into a leadership that could turn the Syrian uprising into a revolution. Speaking to Ana Press on the sidelines of the eight anniversary of the Syrian revolution, Kilo said that the revolution lacked plans and programs and that it did not have united political and military forces in terms of organization and struggle, and that it had allowed a sectarian project to displace or compete with a program of civil freedom and democracy, and neglected independent national decision-making. Regarding the constitutional committee, Kilo said that it was not a secondary or marginal issue, as the constitution would lay out the map of the state and define its model. Therefore, the coming conflict around the Syrian constitution would be decisive regarding whether the Assad regime remains or goes, and that we should be fully aware that the constitution is a very important step in deciding the revolutions fate. Asked whether we are facing Assads renewal after the opposition failed to find an alternative for Assad, Kilo said that the people who had offered a million martyrsas he put itand had stood fast for eight years would never be satisfied with Assad and his regime, and no one would be able to rehabilitate Assad or stick with him, and that he would go eventually. Regarding the fate of the area east of the Euphrates, which is being pulled by both America and Turkey, with Russia watching, the Syrian politician said that the area was underand would remain underAmerican influence, and that Russia and Iran would not interfere in it, but that it would be a center of Turkish-Kurdish gravity that would allow all political parties to interfere there. Regarding the future of relations between the Assad regime and the Kurds, the Syrian opposition figure said that the Kurdish issue was originally part of the Syrian national democratic issue and that it should have been settled within the framework of the revolution. However the coalition had fallen short and given space for Assad to intervene, especially after the PYD took control of the rebellion and put forward a regional Kurdish project with no relation to Syria or its revolution and became open to the regime, which has not given them anything. He said that the Iranian-Russian conflict in Syria would explode faster than any Syrians expect, and that Russia will be forced to change its stance on the Syrian people and their interests. Kilo closed by directing a word to the Syrian people, saying, Your revolution changed a great deal of things and undermined the oppressive and corrupt Assad regime. We must continue the revolution until we reach our aims and achieve our rights, toward a free country and a united people. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Assad forces targeted a school in the village of al-Sheikh Idriss, east of Idleb, killing two and wounding five others reports Hurriya Press. On Tuesday, Assads forces struck a school in the village of al-Sheikh Idriss, east of Idleb, with heavy artillery, killing and wounding students. Hurriya Presss correspondent in Idleb said that according to the preliminary death toll, two children were killed when Assads forces stationed in the Abou al-Dahour area struck a school compound in the village during class hours. The attack also wounded five others. The correspondent added that the artillery bombardment was focused on the main school square, while students were there, and that Civil Defense teams headed directly to the site of the bombardment to transport dead and wounded to medical centers. Idleb province and the Hama countryside have, since the start of this year, been subjected to bombardments by Assads forces, which have killed hundreds of civilians, according to the Civil Defense teams documentation, as well as displacing many residents in the targeted areas. Assads forces and the militias supporting them have disobeyed the demilitarized zone agreement on a daily basis, despite Turkish observation points being deployed on the front lines with the regime in the Aleppo, Idleb and Hama countrysides, with the buffer zone subjected to systematic and heavy bombardment. Turkey reached a deal with Russia on Sept. 17, 2018, that covered the establishment of the demilitarized zone between the opposition and regime-controlled areas in Idleb, in addition to pulling heavy weapons out of the agreed-upon area. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Lest you think this outrageous claim was made by the fevered brain of a lone Jew-hater, this same vicious lie was spread by one of the leaders of the Womens March, Bob Bland, who shared a post blaming the American Jewish Establishment for the New Zealand mosque massacres. Bland later apologized: Womens March Leader Bob Bland Apologizes (Sort Of) After Sharing Post Blaming American Jewish Establishment For Mosque Shooting Via Daily Wire. On Saturday, at a rally for the victims of the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand, where 50 people were murdered at a mosque, a well-known mosque leader accused Jews of being responsible for the massacre. At the rally in Aucklands Aotea Square, Ahmed Bhamji, chairman of the Mount Roskill Masjid E Umar, which is associated with The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, stated of the shooter who targeted the victims, I really want to say one thing today. Do you think this guy was alone? I want to ask you, where did he get the funding from? I will not mince words. I stand here and I say I have very, very strong suspicion that there is some group behind him and I am not afraid to say I feel that Mossad is behind this. An onlooker shouted, Its the truth! Israel is behind this. Thats right! According to Newshub, Bhamji also said the gunman was funded by Zionist business.. The first mainstream New Zealand news agency to suggest that Israel was connected to the Christchurch massacre was Stuff irresponsibly sharing an Associated Press article with a provocative headline Christchurch mosque attacks: Alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant visited Israel in 2016. It is in paragraph six that we learn Also in late 2016, Tarrant visited Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, where he stopped by historic battle sites, before travelling in Western Europe in 2017. Yet the headline would suggest Israel is somehow special and there is comment from unnamed Israeli officials but no other nations officials are sought for comment. Samsung is on a roll with their A series. Now joining the A series is the Samsung Galaxy A70 which features the Snapdragon 677 chipset, the Infinity-U display and an impressive 4500mAh battery capacity. The Samsung Galaxy A70 comes with some pretty decent tech specs which include 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage which is expandable via a microSD card upto 512GB. The 4500mAh battery capacity supports 25W fast charging, something the Samsung Galaxy S series (bar the Galaxy S10 5G) lacks, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It comes with a Super AMOLED 6.7 inch display and comes in a triple SIM tray. A rear triple camera setup can be found in the back which consists of 32MP + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (depth) sensors. The selfie camera hidden in the Infinity-U notch is also 32MP. As for the design, the smartphone comes in 4 different colours which are Coral, Blue, Black and White. No pricing or release date has been announced but Samsung did confirm that they will be revealing more information at the A Galaxy Event next month on the 10th of April. Were guessing that this device may be priced under RM2000 but our guess is as good as yours. Well be updating the price and availability of the device when it is announced on TechNave.com so make sure you stay tuned! This undated photo provided by Mila shows Yoshua Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal and scientific director at the Artificial Intelligence Institute in Quebec. Bengio was among a trio of computer scientists whose insights and persistence were rewarded Wednesday, March 26, 2019, with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where AI has become part of its DNA. (Maryse Boyce/Mila via AP) Computers have become so smart during the past 20 years that people don't think twice about chatting with digital assistants like Alexa and Siri or seeing their friends automatically tagged in Facebook pictures. But making those quantum leaps from science fiction to reality required hard work from computer scientists like Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun. The trio tapped into their own brainpower to make it possible for machines to learn like humans, a breakthrough now commonly known as "artificial intelligence," or AI. Their insights and persistence were rewarded Wednesday with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where AI has become part of its DNA. The award marks the latest recognition of the instrumental role that artificial intelligence will likely play in redefining the relationship between humanity and technology in the decades ahead. "Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society," said Cherri Pancake, president of the Association for Computing Machinery, the group behind the Turing Award. This undated photo provided by Google shows Geoffrey Hinton, vice president and engineering fellow at Google and emeritus professor at the University of Toronto. Hinton was among a trio of computer scientists whose insights and persistence were rewarded Wednesday, March 26, 2019, with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where artificial intelligence has become part of its DNA. (Daniel Ehrenworth/Google via AP) Although they have known each other for than 30 years, Bengio, Hinton and LeCun have mostly worked separately on technology known as neural networks. These are the electronic engines that power tasks such as facial and speech recognition, areas where computers have made enormous strides over the past decade. Such neural networks also are a critical component of robotic systems that are automating a wide range of other human activity, including driving. Their belief in the power of neural networks was once mocked by their peers, Hinton said. No more. He now works at Google as a vice president and senior fellow while LeCun is chief AI scientist at Facebook. Bengio remains immersed in academia as a University of Montreal professor in addition to serving as scientific director at the Artificial Intelligence Institute in Quebec. "For a long time, people thought what the three of us were doing was nonsense," Hinton said in an interview with The Associated Press. "They thought we were very misguided and what we were doing was a very surprising thing for apparently intelligent people to waste their time on. My message to young researchers is, don't be put off if everyone tells you what are doing is silly." Now, some people are worried that the results of the researchers' efforts might spiral out of control. This March 10, 2017, photo provided by Facebook shows Yann LeCun, a professor at New York University and chief artificial intelligence scientist at Facebook. LeCun was among a trio of computer scientists whose insights and persistence were rewarded Wednesday, March 26, 2019, with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where AI has become part of its DNA. (Facebook via AP) While the AI revolution is raising hopes that computers will make most people's lives more convenient and enjoyable, it's also stoking fears that humanity eventually will be living at the mercy of machines. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun share some of those concernsespecially the doomsday scenarios that envision AI technology developed into weapons systems that wipe out humanity. But they are far more optimistic about the other prospects of AIempowering computers to deliver more accurate warnings about floods and earthquakes, for instance, or detecting health risks, such as cancer and heart attacks, far earlier than human doctors. "One thing is very clear, the techniques that we developed can be used for an enormous amount of good affecting hundreds of millions of people," Hinton said. Explore further 'Godfather' of deep learning is reimagining AI 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. In 2018, 37-year-old Dr. Nguyen Thi Hiep was given the Women in Science International Rising Talents 2018 Award by LOreal - UNESCO Fund thanks to her research Smart Gel to Heal Wounds. Dr. Hiep is the second female in Vietnam to be honored with this award in the last 20 years. The idea to invent a special type of gel for fast healing of wounds has been sown in her mind since young, as she once experienced the painful feeling of a large cut yet could not do anything to improve it except for travelling a long way to hospital to stick the wound. She at that time wished there would be something to stick the cut immediately. Another moment that inspires her research is the time she witness the tragic death of a farmer due to too much blood loss after crashing into a tractor. The burning wish of creating an aid to stop the blood flow in serious wounds urged her to passionately pursue her study. After more than 10 years, in 2017, Dr. Hiep was able to invent a new kind of smart gel to stop bleeding, kill bacteria, and reduce the generate new tissues. This first-aid tool is particularly useful for those living far away from hospitals. Explaining the operation method of this gel, Dr. Hiep said that the bio-gel is made from hyaluronic acid a natural protein, and chitosan complex molecules found in chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans. The gel also includes other components like silver and Nano curcumin (a chemical commonly found in turmeric). This complex powder can be dissolved at once in water and then used to stick onto wounds. If the injured person shows signal of too much bleeding, this substance can be used to stop the flow. The gel aims at residents in remote areas like farmers, fishermen, people working in islands and on mountains. Dr. Hieps success is a milestone in the field of tissue generation and the regenerative medicine branch in Vietnam, promoting the development of novel treatments using bio-materials. As shared by Dr. Hiep, the largest obstacle in her research was the financial issue. However, she did not passively wait until obtaining modern equipment or full human resources to carry out her study. In 2012, she came back to Vietnam after 6 years learning in South Korea, and began her research while trying to seek sufficient financial aid. At first, she and her team had to borrow many devices from universities. She even used the money earned from her international articles, salary, and awards to maintain the work. She now enters the next stage in her research, after being successful in experimenting the gel on animals. She wants to use this special gel to inject into articulatio genus and regenerate stem cells as well as tissues for cancer patients. Dr. Hiep shared that since chitosan resource is so rich in Vietnam thanks to a great quantity of shrimps and crustaceans, the estimated price of this gel will be very competitive. She wishes to commercialize her invention and offer a new cheap methods of wound treatment to the poor. She also expressed her wish to seek partners from both the government and interesting units to launch her product to the domestic market, contributing to fostering the development of medical technology in the country and reducing medical cost to patients. According to Professor Dr. Vo Van Toi from the International University, the smart gel of Dr. Nguyen Thi Hiep makes good use of domestic materials, and thus becoming very economical to the Vietnamese as well as people in developing nations. Dr. Huynh Chan Khon from the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the International University also positively commented on Dr. Hieps invention, saying that it is especially effective for injured people in remote areas who cannot reach timely medical helps. By MANH HOA Translated by Tuan Lu 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. Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring View the latest news, buy/sell ratings, SEC filings and insider transactions for your stocks. Compare your portfolio performance to leading indices and get personalized stock ideas based on your portfolio. Stock Ideas and Recommendations Get daily stock ideas top-performing Wall Street analysts. Get short term trading ideas from the MarketBeat Idea Engine. View which stocks are hot on social media with MarketBeat's trending stocks report. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 27, 2019 2019/03/27 At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Beibut Bakirovich Atamkulov of the Republic of Kazakhstan will pay an official visit to China from March 28 to 29. Q: Yesterday, Chinese customs announced that they've suspended canola imports from a second Canadian company. Is this part of a wider trade dispute and will it have any effect on the broader China-Canada relations which have already strained after Meng Wanzhou's arrest and continued detention of two Canadian citizens in China? A: China's General Administration of Customs has issued a notice on halting imports of canola seeds from the Canadian company you mentioned. I want to stress that the Chinese side has taken these precautionary quarantine measures to ensure safety. These measures are scientifically-sound and reasonable that comply with the relevant Chinese laws and regulations and international practices. The competent department in China has notified the Canadian side of the issue regarding Canada's canola seeds exports to China and remains in communication with the Canadian side on technical matters. As for China-Canada relations, we hope that the Canadian side could work with us to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. The Canadian side should take some concrete measures to correct its previous mistakes. Follow-up: Do you have any updates on Richardson International, the first one that got suspended earlier this month? A: China has suspended importing canola seeds from this company. That is all I know. Q: As we have noted, during President Xi's visit to France, a global governance forum was co-hosted by China and France, which was attended by President Xi, President Macron of France, Chancellor Merkel of Germany and President Juncker of the European Commission. An event like this is not commonly seen during Chinese leaders' visit to a foreign country, especially when you consider Chancellor Merkel specifically traveled to France for it. I wonder what is China's consideration behind this special arrangement? A: The recently-concluded European visit by President Xi was a success injecting new impetus into China-Europe relations. The global governance forum co-hosted by China and France during this visit was closely followed by the international community. China has released relevant information, which you may look up for if you are interested. Our two countries, by hosting this event and inviting German and EU leaders to attend, aim to uphold multilateralism in jointly advancing global governance and, on this basis, address global challenges and promote world peace and development. With rising instability and uncertainties worldwide, China and Europe, as two important forces, share broad common position on and mutual interests in upholding an international system with the UN at its core and the basic norms governing international relations, promoting free trade, and fostering an open world economy. During President Xi's visit, China and France issued a joint statement on upholding multilateralism and improving global governance. Before that, similar voices had been heard from China, the EU and many European countries. It speaks volumes about how China and Europe, as major facilitators of and participants in globalization and multipolarization, carry out their historical mission and make proactive efforts under the new circumstances. Europe is China's comprehensive strategic partner and an indispensable force worldwide. Guided by our vision on global governance of "consultation and contribution for shared benefits", China will work with Europe in practicing multilateralism, adding greater stability and certainty to the world and injecting more positive energy and impetus into international cooperation. Q: Could you give us more details on the visit of Kazakhstan Foreign Minister? Is this visit connected with the recent changes in that country? A: This is Foreign Minister Atamkulov's first official visit to China after taking office last December. During this visit, he will have meetings with Chinese leaders and have talks with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations, important high-level exchanges within this year, the Belt and Road cooperation and other issues of mutual interests. As China-Kazakhstan relationship continues to deliver high-quality performance, it serves our common interests and is our common aspiration to increase mutual support and deepen win-win cooperation. Major political agenda was adopted just recently in Kazakhstan, which was closely followed by the international community. Foreign Minister Atamkulov's visit reflects the importance attached by the Kazakh government to developing our bilateral relations. China hopes this visit can help implement the important consensus reached by our leaders and advance the bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields. Q: I have a couple of questions about New Zealand Prime Minister Adern's upcoming visit to Beijing. First of all, I want to ask what China hopes to achieve from meetings and talks with the prime minister? Second, the visit was originally scheduled for seven days but now is only going to be one day. Will that cause any issues or problems in the scheduling? Finally, as the relationship between New Zealand and China has been tense recently, do you think her visit will change that? A: I announced New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern's visit the day before yesterday. This will be Prime Minister Ardern's first visit to China after taking office. During the visit, leaders of the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-New Zealand relations and other issues of mutual interest. We believe that her visit will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and mutual trust, expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and lending impetus to the development of the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership. I would like to emphasize again here that China-New Zealand relations have long been a step ahead of relations between China and other developed western countries, setting many records along the way. Strengthening exchange and cooperation not only serves the fundamental interests of the peoples of China and New Zealand, but is also conducive to peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. China stands ready to work with New Zealand to deepen mutual trust and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, to realize the sound and steady development of our comprehensive strategic partnership. As to your question on the shortening of the visit from seven days to one day, Prime Minister Ardern has offered her explanation that the rescheduling had to be made in light of the Christchurch shooting. China and New Zealand have been in thorough communication regarding this and have made proper arrangements accordingly. Q: A quick follow-up. Could you clarify what the main topic of discussion will be? There has been some speculation that there might be discussion about Huawei or 5G, considering that certain government ministries in New Zealand have warned against that. Could you clarify that they will talk about that? A: As I said, leaders of the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-New Zealand relations and other issues of mutual interest. Various aspects of bilateral relations, such as political exchanges, economic cooperation and people-to-people and cultural interactions, I believe, will all be on the agenda. Q: Do you have any updates on the visit of the US Special Representative for North Korea Biegun here? A: As I said earlier, important information will be released in a timely manner. Dex Frier, a senior at Johnson High School in Georgia, said his school wouldnt let him run for prom king because hes transgender. Friers friend put together a petition to stand with him and lobby the school to make prom more inclusive and on March 23, they succeeded. Frier was named one of two Royal Knight seniors at the prom, according to their petition. (Via: Dex Frier) This plan was one of compromise on both sides, and we would like to thank administration, both at the school and county level, for listening and welcoming our concernsand most importantly, implementing a plan to address them, Sam Corbett, Friers friend who created the petition, said in an update. The Hall County School Districts Superintendent denies anyone was ever removed from prom court. Photographer Tommy Brown at his exhibition Neil Swanson wrote in the Comments the other day: Fifty years of shooting in formats from 35mm to 8x10, 22 years of making my living with a camera and what do I miss? Prints. I just dont print or pay someone else to. Its not a photo till its a print, and yet Ive got no idea what to do with dozens of boxes of prints I did make and nobody ever sees. But I miss prints. I know what Neil means. I realize it anew every time I get to see great photography in the form of great big beautiful prints. The weekend before last I went to visit my old friends Scott and Marlene in their beautiful hilltop home in Manlius, a suburb (exurb?) of Syracuse. Together the three of us made the drive to Utica, New York, to see the Tommy Brown show at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica. Marlene and Tommy were friends in college at Colgate University in Hamilton; he later studied photography at Yale. The exhibit consisted of dozens of prints, about the size you see abovesome larger, some smallerlining the four walls of a generously large oblong gallery space. Neat and clean, and eminently viewable even at the artist's lecture, which is what we were attending. There was a nice-sized crowd. The show was primarily a pleasure to see, by which I mean good to look at. An odd thing to say, maybe, but the pleasure of seeing is something some curators forget or ignore these days. The show was curated by Mary Murray, whose title is Department Head, Curatorial and Exhibitions, and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. She and her staff did an outstanding job. The show amounted to a "themed retrospective," a phrase I don't think is actually a thing. What I mean is that the pictures all related to one theme"Upstate," meaning they were all taken here in rural upstate New Yorkbut were drawn from all periods of Tommy's life, from early B&W "street style" rural portraits of people taken on Tri-X, to a more social documentary style later on, and finally to quieter, more lyrical scenic views and details. So while it's only one area of Tommy Brown's shooting, you could trace clear demarcations in his evolution as a photographer and the changes in his visual style and subject-matter concerns. A nice window through which it was easy to sense a deep and longstanding involvement with the practice of making pictures. Tommy Brown, Dead End, 2014 I liked it all, but personally I was fondest of the social documentary style pictures such as "Dead End" and "Joseph" (below). Tommy himself is genial and warm, straightforward and unpretentious. He shoots all in one exposure, with 50mm lenses or the equivalent, gets the cropping right in the camera, and doesn't make his own prints. It's difficult to convey here the presence the prints have on the wall. As we know, most pictures are not printed these days, but prints like these would change anyone's mind. Given how beautiful inkjet prints from digital files can be, it's a shame we don't see more of them in the culture at large. Curator Mary Murray (left) observing the gallery talk from the back of the room I was pleased to find out that Tommy has been a TOP reader for some time. Which I guess is something I should have known, as he told me he emailed me some time back. I'm ashamed to say that thousands of faceless names pass by my eyes every year and I can't keep them all sorted in memory. They say as you get older your brain shrinks, so that's the excuse I'm going to go with. But it was very nice to get such a warm and friendly greeting from a "fan." Tommy Brown, Joseph, in the gallery I'm a fan of his right back. I've only lived Upstate for three years and a bit, but I could feel the place in Tommy's photosits quiet beauty, the shabby and worn aspects of old things weathering through time, its quiet little corners, the casual quirkiness of some of the local denizens. Brown is a photographer who doesn't play tricks and doesn't mess with viewers' headshe's just a gentle, compassionate, forthright observer of the deeper qualities of the places and people he's loved. It's not the height of fashion, but it's what I happen to want most from photography, for one. And it's enough. Especially presented like this, prints on the wall. You can see more of his work at his website. Scott and Marlene at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute The exhibit is up till April 7th. Nothing is close to anything else Upstate, and nothing Upstate is close to all that many people, but hopefully this post has given you a little taste of the show. Big thanks to my friends Scott and Marlene for making the weekend possible. If I could get to a show this fine every weekend of my life, I'd do it. Always good to see friends, and prints. Mike Original contents copyright 2019 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. Want to help? (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.) Featured Comments from: Michael Perini: "I love this post and I love Mr.Brown's work. I have been at this for a long time, and you are completely correct about how beautiful modern pigment inkjet prints can be. It is almost hard for me to believe that given the relative ease with which stunning prints can be made (good color prints have always been hard) that printing is declining. I've been using an Epson P5000 with the 10-color 11-ink HDX ink set, along with the Image Print RIP, and I am astonished at the relative ease with which it can print images that I struggled to print well on the Epson 4000. I tend to make two sizes of prints, most 6x9" for the pictures that look better small, and 16x24 for those that benefit from a larger print. Thanks." Animesh Ray: "'Dead End,' 2014, is a wonderful photothe glow off the slightly wet dead end street, the woman in wheelchair almost heading towards the glow, the blue overcast sky, and young woman separated from the other by a faint smartphone lightso very nostalgic and sad simultaneously. The print promises to be a classic." Neil Swanson: "Since I made that comment I've been looking at printers. My Epson 2200 is gone. I like the P800 though do I really need a 17" wide printer? I do like the far larger ink cartridges than the P600 offers. I'm sure either printer would surpass what my 2200 did. Still, just looking even though there is another rebate going on the P800. I wish I were closer to Upstate NY. 'Dead End,' love that one." Rod S.: "Re 'It's difficult to convey here the presence the prints have on the wall': Yes, it's easy to say, as we often do, that prints in a portfolio or on a wall 'are more real,' but it's hard to nail down why that makes them look better and more convincing than images on a screen. "Here's a clue, I think. I've come to regret having spent twenty years shooting 35mm transparencies and being satisfied with projecting the slides onto a screen. I simply went along with the advice and advertising repeated in the big magazines. "Those projected images were really wonderful; they were huge, bright and sharp. They were affective and became a very real part of my life. But, quietly, something bothered me. The images seemed to live only in inadequately short bursts. The visual spirit was momentarily freed from its containment, then, suddenly, abruptly, it was gone, stuffed back in the tiny slide, invisible. "Digital images on an electronic screen are similar in this respect to 35mm images projected to a screen, with even less physical presence. "My feelings for the physical presence of a real print as an artifact grew from going to exhibitions, something that my work locations had previously prevented. In more recent years, photographing architecture with 4x5 cameras and having my photographs printed and exhibited has totally changed my practice and understanding of photography. My second exhibition finished at a local gallery here in Sydney just two nights ago. Having the 30 photographs printed onto heavy cotton art paper was a thrill. "So, as a foreigner, it's very interesting to see a glimpse of someone else's exhibition from so far away, and the marvelous way it is being presented. Congratulations, Tommy." Theres a lot of people running for President. According to the Federal Elections Commission, 631candidates have filed documents. Here are the top five on the list. President Donald J. Trump has raised $67,548,285 as of Dec. 31, 2018. Trumps nearest competitor, in terms of campaign finance, is John Delaney with $6,145,779. Delaney formally served in the U.S. Congress, representing Marylands sixth district. He described himself as a problem solverover the weekend during a campaign stop in Twin Falls, Idaho. Delaney, 55, said he comes from a blue collar family and appears to be positioning for a moderate and centrist campaign. President Donald J. Trump Delaney is a Democrat as are Andrew Yang ($659,578), Hart Cunningham ($338,684) and Julian Castro ($220,387) - the next three on the FECs filing list. John Delaney Yang, 44, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, has attracted attention with a proposal for basic income that he calls a Freedom Dividend. Andrew Yang The Freedom Dividend would help immediately - $1,000 a month per adult would go very far in rural areas, Yang tweeted on March 24. It would make paying local property taxes and school costs more affordable and enable people and communities to make better transitions. Hart Cunningham Yang argues sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes under the law. Who you love and how you love is up to you, Yang said. The law should recognize and protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans individuals. Ive been pro-gay marriage; why should straight people have all the fun? People are people and love is beautiful. Julian Castro Cunningham, a Peter Drucker follower, is described as a businessman, philanthropist and entrepreneur who founded three tech companies. Castro is the former U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration and was mayor of San Antonio, Texas from 2009-2014. Other Democrats still considering a presidential campaign include former Vice President Joe Biden, former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-15). LGBT Field Notes: South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg campaigned inSouth Carolina over the weekend. The small Southern state has traditionally played an early role in the party primaries and Buttigieg was warmly welcomed by Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steve Benjamin, a fellow Christian. Earlier in the week, during an appearance on MSNBCs Morning Joe program, Buttigieg said it was time to reclaim faith as a theme. I think the time has come for more of a religious left to emerge in our country, that lets people know that theyre not alone when they look at faith and think that it teaches us to reach out to others, to humble ourselves, to take care of the immigrant, and the prisoner, and frankly, the sex worker, Buttigieg said. Literally, Jesus spends his time with sex workers, among others. Lepers. And here we have this totally warped idea of what Christianity ought to be like when it comes into the public sphere thats mostly about exclusion. Which is the last thing that I imbibe when I take in scripture in church. Check out our related story on... 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. LIGO team member Alena Ananyeva is seen at LIGO Livingston Observatory installing new baffles on part of the LIGO instrument that controls stray light. These upgrades were made in preparation for Advanced LIGO's third observing run. Image credit: LIGO/Caltech/MIT/Matt Heintze The National Science Foundation's LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) is set to resume its hunt for gravitational waves -- ripples in space and time -- on April 1, after receiving a series of upgrades to its lasers, mirrors, and other components. LIGO -- which consists of twin detectors located in Washington and Louisiana -- now has a combined increase in sensitivity of about 40 percent over its last run, which means that it can survey an even larger volume of space than before for powerful, wave-making events, such as the collisions of black holes. Joining the search will be Virgo, the European-based gravitational-wave detector, located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Italy, which has almost doubled its sensitivity since its last run and is also starting up April 1. "For this third observational run, we achieved significantly greater improvements to the detectors' sensitivity than we did for the last run," says Peter Fritschel, LIGO's chief detector scientist at MIT. "And with LIGO and Virgo observing together for the next year, we will surely detect many more gravitational waves from the types of sources we've seen so far. We're eager to see new events too, such as a merger of a black hole and a neutron star." In 2015, after LIGO began observing for the first time in an upgraded program called Advanced LIGO, it soon made history by making the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The ripples traveled to Earth from a pair of colliding black holes located 1.3 billion light-years away. For this discovery, three of LIGO's key players -- Caltech's Barry C. Barish, the Ronald and Maxine Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus, and Kip S. Thorne, the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus, along with MIT's Rainer Weiss, professor of physics, emeritus -- were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. Since then, the LIGO-Virgo detector network has uncovered nine additional black hole mergers and one explosive smashup of two neutron stars. That event, dubbed GW170817, generated not just gravitational waves but light, which was observed by dozens of telescopes in space and on the ground. "With our three detectors now operational at a significantly improved sensitivity, the global LIGO-Virgo detector network will allow more precise triangulation of the sources of gravitational waves," says Jo van den Brand of Nikhef (the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics) and VU University Amsterdam, who is the spokesperson for the Virgo collaboration. "This will be an important step toward our quest for multi-messenger astronomy." Now, with the start of the next joint LIGO-Virgo run, the observatories are poised to detect an even greater number of black hole mergers and other extreme events, such as additional neutron-neutron star mergers or a yet-to-be-seen black hole-neutron star merger. One of the metrics the team uses for measuring increases in sensitivity is to calculate how far out they can detect neutron-neutron star mergers. In the next run, LIGO will be able to see those events out to an average of 550 million light-years away, or more than 190 million light-years farther out than before. A key to achieving this sensitivity involves lasers. Each LIGO installation consists of two long arms that form an L shaped interferometer. Laser beams are shot from the corner of the "L" and bounced off mirrors before traveling back down the arms and recombining. When gravitational waves pass by, they stretch and squeeze space itself, making imperceptibly tiny changes to the distance the laser beams travel and thereby affecting how they recombine. For this next run, the laser power has been doubled to more precisely measure these distance changes, thereby increasing the detectors' sensitivity to gravitational waves. Other upgrades were made to LIGO's mirrors at both locations, with a total of five of eight mirrors being swapped out for better-performing versions. "We had to break the fibers holding the mirrors and very carefully take out the optics and replace them," says Calum Torrie, LIGO's mechanical-optical engineering head at Caltech. "It was an enormous engineering undertaking." This next run also includes upgrades designed to reduce levels of quantum noise. Quantum noise occurs due to random fluctuations of photons, which can lead to uncertainty in the measurements and can mask faint gravitational-wave signals. By employing a technique called "squeezing," initially developed for gravitational-wave detectors at the Australian National University, and matured and routinely used since 2010 at the GEO600 detector, researchers can shift the uncertainty in the photons around, making their amplitudes less certain and their phases, or timing, more certain. The timing of photons is what is crucial for LIGO's ability to detect gravitational waves. Torrie says that the LIGO team has spent months commissioning all of these new systems, making sure everything is aligned and working correctly. "One of the things that is satisfying to us engineers is knowing that all of our upgrades mean that LIGO can now see farther into space to find the most extreme events in our universe." LIGO is funded by NSF and operated by Caltech and MIT, which conceived of LIGO and led the Initial and Advanced LIGO projects. Financial support for the Advanced LIGO project was led by the NSF with Germany (Max Planck Society), the U.K. (Science and Technology Facilities Council) and Australia (Australian Research Council-OzGrav) making significant commitments and contributions to the project. Nearly 1,300 scientists from around the world participate in the effort through the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, which includes the GEO Collaboration. A list of additional partners is available at https://my.ligo.org/census.php. The Virgo Collaboration is currently composed of approximately 350 scientists, engineers, and technicians from about 70 institutes from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) hosts the Virgo detector near Pisa in Italy, and is funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France, the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy, and Nikhef in the Netherlands. A list of the Virgo Collaboration members can be found at http://public.virgo-gw.eu/the-virgo-collaboration. More information is available on the Virgo website at http://www.virgo-gw.eu. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. On Tuesday morning, the police presented an overview of crime in the Grand Duchy in 2018. General crime rose by 1.5% in 2018, predominantly consisting of break-ins and theft. At 61%, theft remains the most common infraction. In the last year, there were around 1,500 residential break-ins. Pascal Peters, the central director of the police, attributed the increase to a number of burglaries controlled and managed by crime groups abroad. One of the individuals arrested by the police confirmed this information. As Peters explained, patrols in Luxembourg are unable to deter such internationally-organised burglaries. Instead, to put an end to these break-ins, the Grand Duchy must work with its neighbours. As for infractions against others rather than property infractions, three people were killed in Luxembourg last year. However, the number of physical violence and injury cases relating dropped to 2,600. Down from 2,690 in 2017, and 3,187 a few years prior in 2014. Luxembourg's newest European election party, Volt Letzebuerg, has amassed the 250 signatures required to present its list of candidates. In a speedy party change, RTL sources reveal that former CSV councillor Christopher Lilyblad, who left the party on Saturday, has found a new political affiliation. Sources reveal that Lilyblad will be joining five other Volt candidates for the European elections. Lilyblad, who founded his own consulting firm after being the director of the Cercle de Cooperatioun, is meant to take over an alderman role in Betzdorf in 2020. With the addition of Lilyblad, RTL's sources confirm that Volt Letzebuerghas a complete list of six candidates. The other candidates include the former rector of the University of Luxembourg Rolf Tarrach, and Volt Letzebuerg president George Penn. The pan-European Volt party was founded in Austria in 2017 and bases itself on the Amsterdam declaration, which aims to rebuild Europe and create a sustainable European community. Volt's goal is to have at least 25 MEPs from seven different countries in order to create a European Parliament faction. It looks like at least 10 parties or movements will present candidates in the Grand Duchy for the European elections. Complete lists must be submitted to the district court by Wednesday evening. The Chamber of Deputies held a vote on Wednesday afternoon about a new bank holiday. Eight days after the meeting in the labour commission, a vote was held in the Chamber of Deputies to adopt the bill that will establish the Europe Day (9 May) and increase the statutory holidays from 25 days to 26 days. The legislation was unanimously passed in Luxembourg's Parliament. Europe Day celebrates the creation of the European Union, a new public holiday. The motion is expected to pass, and Minister of Labour Dan Kersch has already confirmed the change, but it remains divisive. The HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes) sector has expressed concern over the increased costs brought about by the additional holiday and increase in minimum wage. Another issue up for debate this Wednesday afternoon is the Google Project in Bissen, specifically in terms of its environmental impact. The CSV requested the topical debate slot. Meghan Mahowald, known professionally as MEGG, said she hopes to make the event an annual tradition, with proceeds going to a different local foundation every year. On Tuesday, MPS discussed three draft bills directly related to the lack of clarity surrounding the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU and the potential of a no-deal exit. MPs predominantly discussed legislation that works in the interest of British citizens residing in Luxembourg. The first draft bill discussed concerns those Britons currently receiving disability allowance or Revis (social inclusion allowance) from the Luxembourgish state prior to 30 March. The legislation will ensure that these claimants are guaranteed continued benefits. The next draft bill covers British citizens currently working as Luxembourgish civil servants. The legislation concerns around 45 individuals, the majority of whom work in education. If the UK leaves the EU without an agreement, then these public employees will still retain their rights. The final Brexit-related draft bill discussed on Tuesday focuses on the stability and continuing functioning of the financial sector. As the draft bill rapporteur Andre Bauler (Democratic Party) explained, the legislation will allow the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF - the commission charged with regulating the financial sector) to extend contracts of British financial institutes based in Luxembourg. The legislation will allow these contracts to be extended to a maximum of 21 months. Minister of Finance Pierre Gramegna explained that the draft bill would target three aspects: it would stabilise finances, protect the credibility of Luxembourg's financial sector, and protect depositors. The importance of this legislation is due to Luxembourg's position as having the second-most significant funds industry in the world. As a result, Gramegna stressed, clients must be protected. The three pieces of legislation passed in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday remain legislative texts that may not even enter into effect. Here, the Luxembourgish state must also await results from the British Houses of Parliament and government. Mina joins Digne in the treatment room Tuesday, 26 March, 2019 The defender was substituted just before half-time during his country's 2-1 friendly defeat to South Korea in Seoul and, like Lucas Digne, is doubtful for Saturday's trip to West Ham. Digne strained a thigh muscle in training with the France team over the weekend and missed the 4-0 win over Iceland. Everton's medical team will assess Mina's problem at Finch Farm tomorrow before offering an official prognosis but preliminary reports suggest that he could be sidelined until the middle of next month. Mina has been in and out of contention during his first season in England, missing the first few weeks of the campaign with a foot injury and then spending a couple more months out after picking up a knock against Millwall in the FA Cup in January. About these ads The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations. For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered. This is separate from my speaking fee. If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event. Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up. Strengthening the connect with its strong user base, Samsung India today announced that it has partnered with Indus App Bazaar to empower its users to discover and access their favourite mobile applications in 12 Indian languages. The announcement comes at a time when the industry is witnessing exponential increase in app downloads from smaller towns and cities across India. There is a marked increase in the penetration of smartphones and mobile application downloads across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. We studied this trend in key markets and partnered with Indus App Bazaar to address the growing demand for vernacular applications. The partnership will enable our valued customers to access their favorite apps on Galaxy Apps Store in 12 Indian languages in addition to English. With this, we are certain that our customers across the country will find the Galaxy App Store even more useful and user-friendly, said Sanjay Razdan, Senior Director, Services Management, Samsung India. Samsungs latest Make for India offering will help millions of Indians navigate through an exhaustive catalogue of apps on the Galaxy Apps Store, in their vernacular language. Galaxy Apps Store is available in English and Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, Assamese, Punjabi, Kannada, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Marathi. Galaxy Apps Store now empowers users to download a host of free applications, without having to sign in, making the experience seamless and hassle-free. We understand that there is a growing demand among mobile users to communicate in their local language. The new Galaxy Apps Store is a big step in that direction. We also realized that the mandatory sign in on the Apps store is an extra step and have completely removed this requirement for free downloadable apps. Coupled with the revamped user experience and the enormous catalogue of apps available on Galaxy Apps Store, we are sure that our Galaxy users will cherish the new experience and will fall in love with it,Razdan added. Galaxy Apps Store provides a strong personalized recommendation engine delivering users the option to download the apps that would best serve their needs. Galaxy Apps will have special sections for highlighting all Indian innovations to Samsung smartphone users, which is in line with the Government of Indias Startup India initiative. Droves of filling stations in Hanoi have temporarily ceased selling RON95 gasoline, blaming insufficient supply, despite the trade ministry insisting that there is no imbalance between supply and demand for the petrol. At a filling station operated by military-owned Military Petrochemical JSC (MIPEC) in Hanoi, all RON95 fuel dispensers had been replaced with E5/RON92 petrol as of Tuesday. Were out of RON95 gas, a printed notice posted on one of the gas pumps reads. The halt in RON95 sales has caused our revenue to plummet by 40-50 percent, an accountant for the gas station told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Demand for the fuel is huge, and many customers who pulled up at our station left after learning that we no longer sell RON95 gas, the accountant said. Many other filling stations operated by MIPEC and other petrol companies in Hanoi also announced this week that they had stopped selling RON95 gas due to an undersupply. Notably, MIPEC is one of Vietnams major wholesale petrol importers responsible for supplying other gasoline retailers in the country. RON95 denotes an octane rating of 95 according to the Research Octane Rating (RON) system, which is determined by running the fuel in a test engine with a variable compression ratio under controlled conditions. In Vietnam, RON95 gasoline is preferred by consumers to the biofuel E5, a mix of 95 percent RON92 petrol and five percent ethanol. Do Thang Hai, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, admitted during a government meeting on Tuesday that some domestic petrol companies are struggling to access fuel supply partly due to a technical issue that has caused the Nghi Son Refinery in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa to shut down temporarily. The ministry has requested that the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) increase petrol imports from foreign suppliers and even accept high tax rates of over 20 percent to ensure domestic demands are met. More inspections will be conducted to prevent gas sellers from deliberately stockpiling fuel or selling substandard products, Tran Duy Dong, director of the ministrys Domestic Market Department, told Tuoi Tre. Dong stressed that Vietnam does not suffer from a fuel shortage. The incident at the Nghi Son Refinery only lasted a few days, and the supply of gas is expected to return to normal by March 28, he said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Plummeting demand for pork in Vietnam, which resulted from an African swine fever (AFS) epidemic that has hit more than a dozen northern provinces and cities, has caused domestic pig farming to suffer from a daily loss of US$4.3 million, industry insiders say. The highly contagious disease, which is incurable in pigs but harmless to humans, has spread rapidly across northern and north-central Vietnam since the first outbreaks were recorded in early February. As of Tuesday, AFS has been found in 21 northern and north-central Vietnamese provinces and cities, including Hanoi, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. A national steering committee on AFS prevention was also formed on Monday to seek coordination from 11 ministries and government agencies in squelching the spreading disease. Although AFS has so far been limited to northern and north-central Vietnam, the impact of news coverage of the disease has caused pork consumption to plummet nationwide, including in southern provinces and cities. For the past week, trading of pork at Ho Chi Minh Citys biggest wholesale markets has dropped to an all-year low. On Monday evening, only 190 metric tons of pork was traded at the Binh Dien Market in District 8, the largest wet market in the southern metropolis, a drop of 35 percent compared to regular sales, according to the market's management authority. Similarly, the number of live pigs traded at the Hoc Mon Market in the namesake district in Ho Chi Minh City dropped by 1,000-1,200 to around 3,600-3,900 animals nightly, compared to the pre-epidemic period. The plunge shows no sign of leveling out any time soon, according to market representatives. A animal health warranty officer sprays disinfectant at a truck transporting live pigs to Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Many companies and schools across Vietnam have already stopped using pork in preparing meals for their employees and students, despite government efforts to reassure citizens that pigs sold on the market are safe for consumption. Lackluster demand has also forced Vietnamese pig farms to sell their live animals at much lower prices than before. Kieu Minh Luc, deputy director of CP, a major livestock company, said Vietnam typically consumed 10,000 metric tons of pork on a daily basis before the AFS outbreaks, citing the agriculture ministrys statistics. The disease has led domestic consumption to fall by 50 percent, he said. With pork prices dropping by VND10,000 ($0.43) per kilogram, the local swine industry is already losing VND100 billion ($4.3 million) on a daily basis. Consumers boycott of pork has had a much bigger impact on the domestic pig farming industry than AFS itself, Luc said, as the economic cost of destroying over 20,000 infected pigs has only amounted to roughly VND100 billion so far. Swine that are not sold will cost more to feed and run a higher risk of catching diseases, Luc said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Six high school students have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old girl in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Tri, as police are verifying the involvement of four other individuals. Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Minh, chief of police in Trieu Phong District, Quang Tri, confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that officers had apprehended and initiated legal proceedings against the schoolboys. Minh added that as many as ten individuals were involved in the case, but only these six schoolboys are being held for investigation, as officers continue to clarify the involvement of the other four, including three male students and an 18-year-old man. The victim is N.T.B.P., 16, a tenth grader of Nguyen Huu Thuan High School in Trieu Phong District. The nine schoolboys are students of Nguyen Huu Thuan and another high school in the locality. Leaders of both schools have been asked to submit their reports to the provincial Department of Education and Training. According to preliminary information, P. attended a birthday party of a friend at a local eatery on the evening of March 24. At around 9:00 pm the same day, the girl was taken home unconscious by her friends, before her family members took her to a local clinic. Doctors at the facility later discovered signs indicating that she had been sexually assaulted, and the case was reported to police officers. P. was transferred to the Quang Tri General Hospital and was discharged the following night. The victim has yet to provide any comment. In their statements, the schoolboys confessed that they had deliberately tricked the girl into drinking alcohol until she was drunk, before taking turns to rape her. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! At least seven people were killed after a passenger bus crashed into a funeral procession in the northern Vietnamese province of Vinh Phuc, about 67 kilometers north of Hanoi, on early Wednesday morning. The accident happened at an intersection along National Highway 2C in Trung Nguyen Commune, Yen Lac District, Vinh Phuc at around 5:00 am, according to initial information from the National Committee for Traffic Safety. The intersection along National Highway 2C, where the accident occurred. Photo: Van Hai / Tuoi Tre The passenger bus, which was traveling from the northern province of Dien Bien to Vinh Phucs Lap Thach City, hit a group of people who were part of a funeral procession, causing four of them to die on the spot. Three others succumbed to their serious injuries at the hospital, while another person is still being treated. Some of the victims bodies the street. Photo: Van Hai / Tuoi Tre Several other victims also suffered minor scratches. The bus had some cracks on its windshield following the accident. The Vinh Phuc police department, in coordination with its transport counterpart, is probing the cause of the crash. Local residents gather at the crash site. Photo: Van Hai / Tuoi Tre Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, who is head of the national traffic safety committee, has extended his condolences to the families of the victims . According to news website VnExpress, it was foggy at the time of the incident. The passenger bus had its windshield fractured following the crash. Photo: Van Hai / Tuoi Tre A map detailing the location where the accident happened Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Yet, someone who was at that dinner claims Clapper doesn't know Strzok. : In a Dec. 12, 2016, text reviewed by Fox News, Page wrote to McCabe: "Btw, [Director of National Intelligence James] Clapper told Pete that he was meeting with [CIA Director John] Brennan and Cohen for dinner tonight. Just FYSA [for your situational awareness]." Newly obtained text messages between former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe and bureau lawyer Lisa Page reveal a high-level meeting among senior intelligence officials was held weeks before President Trumps inauguration during a critical period for the Russia probe . Clapper is a proven, congenital liar in my opinion. His denial that NSA was spying on Americans is the best known example. Now there may be a new example. Fox News' Catherine Herridge reported this week that Clapper was talking with Peter Strzok in December 2016 : Here is the bottomline up front--When the tale of the plot to destroy Donald Trump's candidacy and Presidency is told, Jim Clapper will be proven as a key player in the conspiracy. Clapper was not a passive observer. I am told by friends who had direct dealings with Clapper during his tenure as the Director of National Intelligence that he was helping coordinate the activities of the CIA, the NSA and the FBI in the collection and dissemination of information on Trump and his associates. Asked for comment, a former government official characterized the dinner as a routine monthly sit-down held to discuss ongoing intelligence issues, adding that its impossible to recall what was discussed. The former official said the bottom line is that Clapper does not know Peter Strzok beyond possibly receiving a briefing from him years ago, and he certainly never kept him in the loop about anything. The source also said Clapper does not know Strzok on a personal level, and has had no professional relationship with him. According to the text message sent by Lisa Page to Andy McCabe, the Dinner meeting on 12 December was attended by only three people--Clapper, Brennan and Dave Cohen. Herridge's source comments on what was discussed and not discussed. That means that one of those three gents is her unnamed source. It is a lie to claim that Clapper does not "know Strzok on a personal level, and has had no professional relationship with him." There is documentary evidence, i.e. the Strzok/Page text messages, showing at that Clapper and Strzok were interacting in August and September 2016. The first mention of contact between Strzok and Clapper is in August 2016 (Saturday the 20th to be precise). Strzok informs Page: Sorry 1 have 20 minutes to get my shit together for dni. Shouldn't take that log. Let me pull data, should take 10 minutes. Good side effect of briefing this a million times. On 5 September 2016, Strzok writes to Page: Gotta figure that out tomorrow. Insider threat perhaps. Maybe Electoral shenanigans. I'm between Clapper and Evanina and another person or two "Clapper" refers to Jim Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence. "Evanina" is William R. Evanina, "the Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, an organization he has led since June 2, 2014. He serves as the head of Counterintelligence (CI) for the U.S. Government and as the principal CI and security advisor to the Director of National Intelligence." Important to note that Evanina spent most of his government career working at the FBI. He and Peter Strzok almost certainly had a prior professional relationship. Then there is a text from 15 September 2016, Page tells Strzok: Honestly, l thought it was weird that he would let you brief clapper before he got a recent update... Strzok briefing Clapper does constitute a "professional relationship." Right? In a recent serendipitous conversation with an old friend ( who is still engaged with the intel community) I asked the following question--Was Peter Strzok briefing Clapper in July 2016? The answer from my friend was, "Yes." To claim that Strzok and Clapper had no contact is ludicrous. We were told by Washington Post reporters in September 2016 that Clapper was coordinating the counter intel project on Russian interference in the Presidential election: U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies are investigating what they see as a broad covert Russian operation in the United States to sow public distrust in the upcoming presidential election and in U.S. political institutions, intelligence and congressional officials said. The aim is to understand the scope and intent of the Russian campaign, which incorporates cyber-tools to hack systems used in the political process, enhancing Russias ability to spread disinformation. The effort to better understand Russias covert influence operations is being coordinated by James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence. This is something of concern for the DNI, said Charles Allen, a former longtime CIA officer who has been briefed on some of these issues. It is being addressed. Peter Strzok by virtue of his position as the Deputy Director in the FBI's Counter Intelligence Division most certainly should have been known to Clapper and talking to him and his staff on a regular basis. The conspiracy against Donald Trump, in my opinion, originated with British intelligence and persons connected with the Clinton Campaign. The provocation/dangle of George Papodopolous was the result of electronic intercepts by GCHQ targeting people working on the Trump campaign. The collection effort generated hundreds of highly classified "SIGINT" messages that were disseminated in the U.S. intelligence community. Those messages led to the unmasking of more than 100 Americans whose names appeared in those reports. And this "intel" dump from the Brits became the predicate for launching a counter intelligence investigation of Donald Trump and his campaign. I do not believe that Strzok was part of the original conspiracy. In fact, Strzok, who is not very bright, could also be considered a dupe. He accepted the British intel at face value and then was reinforced in his beliefs by the lies of MI6 officer Christopher Steele. That said, Strzok was an important cog in the anti-Trump conspiracy machine and he was in regular contact with Jim Clapper. When the investigation of this mess is completed I believe Jim Clapper will emerge as a puppet master in pulling FBI strings and putting Trump under a cloud. Canon India has further strengthened its consumer connect in North India with the opening of its new Authorized Service Franchise (ASF) Level III in Ludhiana. The launch will enable the organization to further reach out to its customers across Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, offering them a multitude of premium value added services. The ASF Level III facility will be the go-to-place for any camera related service required by Canon users. Known for its vast service outreach, the imaging marvel currently operates five ASF Level III centers across Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Indore, Pune and Ludhiana. Canon India also owns and operates six Master Service Centre (MSC) presently in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Cochin and Kolkata. Equipped with state of the art facility and equipment, MSC can repair all types of DSLRs, Mirror less cameras, Lenses, Camera accessories, Digital Camera/Digital Video Camcorder, Network Surveillance Cameras and Projectors. Canon has also launched its third PIXMA Zone in India, unveiling a new destination for inkjet printers in Ludhiana. Designed and conceptualized to exhibit the entire range of Canon Inkjet technology and its features, the PIXMA Concept store is aimed to familiarize the consumers with all categories of Inkjet printers, cartridges and photo media according to their usage and needs. The product display for home, professional and office use would include product series like MG series, MAXIFY, G series, TS series, E series, professional portable printer and Pro-series printers. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO, Canon India said, At Canon, customer delight is not just a tagline for us, it is a philosophy which we abide by, leading to a strong bond with our customers. We truly believe that happy and satisfied customers contribute immensely towards the growth journey of a brand and our two decade old legacy in the country stands testament to the same. Along with providing world class products and solutions, it has been our constant endeavor to come closer to our customers through our robust service support. North region has been one of our key focus markets and the launch of our ASF Level III center and PIXMA Zone in Ludhiana will be a step further to fortify our connect with our customer community. We foresee this launch to be yet another milestone in our journey of customer delight, enabling us to penetrate into the widest geographies in the country. The ASF Level III is equipped with trained engineers and technicians to cater to customer queries. From basic hand tools to high precision robotic tools, the facility boasts of advanced technology to calibrate customers units with unmatched quality, adhering to Canon service standards. This centre also works on high end camera models of EOS Series including 77D, 80D, 6D, 7D, 5D and M Series. Prolific US producer Brad Falchuk has signed a major deal with Netflix. The deal with his company Teley-Vision is for four years and worth eight figures. So far he has collaborated with Ryan Murphy on 9-1-1, Pose, American Horror Story and American Crime Story. His other credits include Glee, Nip / Tuck, and Scream Queens. Both are also working together on the upcoming Netflix series The Politician. His deal with FOX expires in June. Source: Variety In a surprising twist in the US, Chicago prosecutors have dropped all charges against Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who had been accused of staging a fake hate crime. Cook County States Attorneys office issued a brief statement but did not say that Smollett had been exonerated. After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case, the prosecutors office said. Smollett has undertaken 16 hours of volunteer work and will forfeit a $10,000 bond payment, but Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, appearing with local police, told media the deal was a Whitewash of Justice. Id like to remind everybody a grand jury indicted this individual based on only a piece of the evidence that the police had collected in that period of time. So a grand jury actually brought the charges, Mayor Emanuel said. From top to bottom this is not on the level, Emanuel said. This sends an unambiguous message that there is no accountability, and that is wrong. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said My personal opinion is that you all know where I stand in this. Do I think justice was served? No. I think this city is still owed an apology. Appearing outside court, Smollett thanked his supporters and claimed vindication. I would not be my mothers son if I was capable of one drop of what Ive been accused of, he said. Representatives for 20th Century FOX Television, said of its Empire star, Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified on his behalf that all charges against him have been dismissed. Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx had earlier said she would recuse herself from the case, after having a conversation with a Smollett family member early in the investigation. Source: Variety, Hollywood Reporter Deborah Mailman has been appointed to the Screen Australia Board for a term of 3 years. She becomes only the second Indigenous Australian to ever serve on the Board. Mailman is one of Australias most highly respected actors with credits including Radiance, Rabbit Proof Fence, The Sapphires, Mystery Road, Redfern Now, Mabo, Offspring, The Secret Life Of Us and Little J and Big Cuz. In 2017 she received the Order of Australia Medal for Services to the Arts and as a role model for Indigenous performers. 2018 was such an wonderful milestone for Australias Indigenous screen creators as we celebrated 25 years of being in control of our stories, and without doubt Screen Australia has been a constant collaborator, partner and of course investor, said Mailman. It is essential all Australians see themselves on screen and we are able to hear our stories told in our voice, from our unique perspective. I am excited to be joining the Screen Australia Board at this time when the industry is energised and the demand for our work both locally and abroad is growing. Screen Australias eight member Board, includes five women. Michael Hawkins, Claudia Karvan and Richard King have also been reappointed for three years. Former Dateline executive producer Peter Charley has detailed how he orchestrated two undercover reporters into the National Rifle Association of America for the Al Jazeera documentary How to Sell a Massacre. Charley created the fake pro-gun group Gun Rights Australia, and appointed Rodger Muller as its founder & president. Writing for ABC he wrote: It all started in 2015 with a ride to the airport. I was driving from Washington DC to make a flight overseas when I heard a report on the radio of yet another mass shooting in America. As details of the killings were being broadcast, I happened to be driving through Fairfax, Virginia, right past the headquarters of the National Rifle Association of America. I glanced at the building and wondered, What are they saying in there about what Im hearing out here? The NRAs public reaction on a massacre tend to follow a pattern: stay quiet for as long as possible and then, if the media persists, attack them as anti-gun activists, even silent enablers of the tragedy. So, I decided to find a way to get into the organisation to hear for myself what Americas most powerful gun lobby group says behind closed doors about such events. Mullers mission was to befriend officials within the NRA by expressing concern about Australias laws being too strict, using concealed cameras and microphones to record unguarded discussions. In the process he filmed meetings between One Nation chief of staff, James Ashby, and Steve Dickson, One Nations Queensland leader with NRA organisers. Charley also hired a second undercover reporter Diana Armata*, who presented herself as Mullers communications director. She constructed and maintained the Gun Rights Australia website and helped build a layered back-story for Mr Muller which involved a series of videos filmed in Australia and the US in which he called for a sensible debate about the roll-back of the post-Port Arthur laws. You can read more here. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has since criticised the documentary as a hit piece and referred it to ASIO. James Ashby and Steve Dickson have blamed their discussions as being on the sauce. Part 2 of How to Sell a Massacre screens 8pm Thursday on ABC. * not her real name. A documentary project about male erotic entertainers on tour has won the annual pitching competition Pitch Australiana held recently at the Australian International Documentary Conference. Director Isaac Elliott from the Northern Territory and producer Lucy Knox (no relation!) from Victoria, will receive $50,000 in production funding for their documentary short Burlesque Blokes to screen through VICEs global digital network and on SBS VICELAND. Burlesque Blokes strips back the world of male entertainers; introducing the men behind the fantasy and the women who attend. It explores both the gruelling schedules and how the performers navigate consent in-the-moment with female participants. Burlesque Blokes looks at the personal toll their work has on their relationships, self-image and the financial realities of working in one of the only industries where in their experience, male performers are paid far less than their female counterparts. Director Isaac Elliott and producer Lucy Knox said: We are really excited to work with VICE and Screen Australia and are grateful to be given the opportunity to add a new chapter to the Australiana series. Burlesque Blokes opens the curtains on an often misunderstood industry, delving into the lives of a group of male burlesque performers as they take their stage show from Melbourne to regional Australia. Were excited to explore this world and the gender politics tied to it, while telling an entertaining story full of heart, hard work and an abundance of washboard abs. Pitching a project live in front of a panel of representatives from VICE, Screen Australia, and the documentary community in a public forum at a major documentary conference is no easy feat, said Head of Documentary at Screen Australia Bernadine Lim. Isaac Elliott and Lucy Knox really seized this opportunity and presented an insightful documentary that opens a door into a divisive profession revealing the unique challenges faced by those working within it. I congratulate all those who pitched in the forum and look forward to seeing this project on VICE later this year. Katy Roberts, Head of Video at VICE Australia said, There was an incredibly strong set of finalists pitching at AIDC this year, so credit to them all they made the decision difficult. Were particularly excited about Isaac and Lucys winning documentary pitch, and know it will throw a unique and dynamic lens onto the ongoing Australiana series. Thanks to Screen Australia and AIDC for partnering with us again to make this possible. Jussie Smollett is now free from sixteen felony counts after allegedly staging a hate crime in January, according to a CNN report. The incident took place late January. Before the controversial incident, he received a hate mail after his work on January 22, with the word MAGA on the envelope. On January 29, the Chicago Police Department opens an investigation after Smollett reports being attacked. He described it as two people approaching him at 2 in the morning yelling racial and homophobic slurs before making him pass out with an unknown substance and after that, wrapping a noose around his neck. The Verdict The hate crime that caused such a commotion turned the victim into a suspect in a matter of days. After the accusation of Smollett being the perpetrator of the whole incident, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson wasted no time in grilling the Empire star on national television. However, in a shocking turn of events, The Cook County State's Attorney's Office dropped all charges, leaving Chicago PD and other officials unhappy of the verdict. On the other side, Empire show writers and 20th Fox Television can now breathe, tweeting their support and standing by Smollett's side. The prosecutors released a statement as to why they dropped the charges. In summary, it was because Smollett was not only willing to do community service but also forfeit a $10,000 bond. He also has no history of a felony prior to the incident and is not seen as a danger to society. In need of an apology Understandably, Chicago PD and other city officials are not satisfied with the prosecutor's verdict. Johnson expressed his belief that the city owes them an apology. In a joint press conference, he and Mayor Rahm Emanuel criticized Smollett and the prosecutor's office on the outcome of the case. Johnson states that he believed the investigation they made was conducted fairly. For Johnson, it was Smollett who staged the hate crime, and that's that. Meanwhile, Mayor Emanuel claimed it was a whitewash of justice and believed that a secret deal was made. Moving forward According to CNN, Smollett has denied all accusations of brokering a deal with the prosecutor's office in order to be free of all charges. In his speech, he thanked his loved ones, the people of Chicago and the rest of the world for their outpouring support throughout his trial. He, the cast and writers of Empire and Fox, are now eager to leave all of this behind and concentrate on the show. Peaking after Friday prayers, streets across Algeria have been flooded with protesters demanding change in recent weeks. They are demanding an end to the 20-year rule of president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has now pledged not entirely convincingly to stand down. Whether genuine change will now come remains to be seen. But what is most notable about this mass hirak (the Arabic word for movement) is both its distrust of any politician who seeks to speak on behalf of the protesters and its rejection of violence. The importance of these two factors is grounded in the long struggle the nation has faced. Algerians, although determined and hopeful, are well acquainted with the dangers of striving for a change of this magnitude. Their shared past offers many lessons about nation building, many of which came at a heavy price. Experts are divided over the definition of a nation, but many agree that two factors are important. On one hand, a collective memory serves as a record of the triumphs and failures from which the nation derives its lessons. On the other, imagination helps to instil a deep bond between the nations different members and cultivate an enveloping sense of community. Both of these factors have played a role in Algerias ongoing quest for nationhood. Independence Algeria won its independence from France in 1962 after a seven-year war that left more than a million dead. In Algeria, the memory of the martyrs is both a source of grief over the magnitude of the loss, and a source of pride, over the willingness of some to sacrifice everything for the nations freedom. The FLN (Front de Liberation Nationale) played a significant role in steering the country towards independence. But the war, and the role the FLN played in it, became a means for the party to legitimise its rule for decades afterwards, and a narrative behind which it could obscure its numerous failures. The economic crisis of the 1980s played a major role in forcing the state to move from a single party system, which had allowed the FLN to monopolise power, towards a multi-party system. And the people took the chance to express their desire for radical change. Story continues The FIS (Front Islamique du Salut), an Islamist party, took advantage of the situation, grew in popularity and in 1991 looked like it would defeat the FLN in the elections. But the Algerian army intervened, claiming it was protecting the nation from the dangers of FIS ideology, and blocked the electoral process. The FIS took extreme measures, a militarised wing was formed, and the country was plunged into chaos and civil war during a period known as Algerias Black Decade. Around 200,000 people lost their lives. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, whose recent bid for a fifth term (despite ongoing illness) sparked the current hirak, was elected for the first time in 1999. His Civil Concord law, followed by the 2005 Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, which came during his second term in power, helped end the civil war. But this achievement yet again became a way to legitimise his rule for years afterwards. No Arab Spring Memories of the Black Decade also became a shackle, long hindering any widespread opposition. When the Arab Spring swept the wider region from 2011, fears of a return to the bloodshed of the civil war prevented many Algerians from seeking change which might trigger violence. Indeed, on February 28 this year, in an address to parliament, former prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia tried to use the Arab Spring to caution the Algerian people against turning the nation into another Syria. But the peaceful protests that followed have sent a clear reply: this is not Syria. Change through non-violent means is possible. Algerians are well aware of their own past. And they dont want to replicate the bloodshed Tunisia had to endure, the military seizure of power in Egypt, the unstable situation in Libya, or the devastation of Syria. The nations previous experiences, especially those of the Black Decade and the fatal manipulation of extremist ideology which sought to snuff out the diverse nature of Algerian society, are reminders of how a spark of change can easily, and often bloodily, be extinguished. But Algerians also believe in the possibility of a different future, one that brings to fruition a nation imagined by them. The hirak is the peoples expression of this, one removed from the interference of politicians or foreign governments. In a letter addressed to the people, Bouteflika has now declared that he will not run for a fifth term. But he has also cancelled the upcoming elections and extended his current term. He has promised to oversee a peaceful transition to a new republic, but Algerians have rejected this and plan to continue the non-violent hirak. Remembering their past while striving for a better future, they are determined to translate their ideals into a new state. The struggle goes on but its medium remains silmiya (peaceful). This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation Abdelbaqi Ghorab is on a full scholarship provided by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The coalition ally of Algeria's ruling party has called on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign, piling pressure on the ailing leader after the army chief demanded he be declared unfit on ... This comes as Algerians await a decision from the country's constitutional council on whether Bouteflika is indeed unable to carry out his presidential duties.In a statement signed by the leader of the National Rally for Democracy, recently sacked prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia said the party "recommends the resignation of the president... with the aim of smoothing the period of transition."Algeria has seen weeks of mass protests demanding Bouteflika step down since he announced he was standing for a fifth term of office with the support of both his National Liberation Front and the RND.Ouyahia is a longtime supporter of Bouteflika and served as his prime minister three times since 2003 before being sacrificed on March 11th in a bid to calm intensifying street protests.Twenty years in power82-year-old Bouteflika has been in power since 1999, but was weakened by a stroke in 2013 which affected his mobility and speech. He has spent prolonged periods receiving treatment in hospitals in Europe and day-to-day affairs have been left largely to power brokers within his entourage.The prospect of another five years of being ruled by a powerless president sparked mass protests on February 22nd that have escalated with each successive week.The president's announcement on March 11th that he was withdrawing his candidacy and would rule on an interim basis only while fresh elections were organised under a new constitution failed to calm public anger.Unfit to governOn Tuesday, armed forces chief of staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who was appointed by Bouteflika in 2004, said the president should either resign or be declared medically unfit to govern by parliament using its constitutional powers.Addressing officers in a broadcast, Salah said the solution to the biggest political crisis since the army cancelled elections in 1992 would be the exit of the president on health grounds.For years, rumours have circulated about potential successors to Bouteflika, but no single credible candidate has emerged with the backing of the military, the political and security establishment who is not at least 70.Caretaker administration?The next formal step is for the constitutional council to formally rule on Bouteflika's fitness for office. The body has not said when it might reach its decision. Any ruling that he is not fit to govern would have to be ratified by members of parliament's lower and upper house by a two-thirds majority.Based on Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days in the nation of more than 40 million people.The last time the army stepped in during a crisis was in 1992, when the generals cancelled an election that Islamists were poised to win.That move triggered a civil war that killed an estimated 200,000 people.The military remains highly sensitive to any signs of instability and Salah has warned he will not allow the demonstrations to lead to chaos. The coalition ally of Algeria's ruling party has called on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign, piling pressure on the ailing leader after the army chief demanded he be declared unfit on ... This comes as Algerians await a decision from the country's constitutional council on whether Bouteflika is indeed unable to carry out his presidential duties. In a statement signed by the leader of the National Rally for Democracy, recently sacked prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia said the party "recommends the resignation of the president... with the aim of smoothing the period of transition." Algeria has seen weeks of mass protests demanding Bouteflika step down since he announced he was standing for a fifth term of office with the support of both his National Liberation Front and the RND. Ouyahia is a longtime supporter of Bouteflika and served as his prime minister three times since 2003 before being sacrificed on March 11th in a bid to calm intensifying street protests. Twenty years in power 82-year-old Bouteflika has been in power since 1999, but was weakened by a stroke in 2013 which affected his mobility and speech. He has spent prolonged periods receiving treatment in hospitals in Europe and day-to-day affairs have been left largely to power brokers within his entourage. The prospect of another five years of being ruled by a powerless president sparked mass protests on February 22nd that have escalated with each successive week. The president's announcement on March 11th that he was withdrawing his candidacy and would rule on an interim basis only while fresh elections were organised under a new constitution failed to calm public anger. Unfit to govern On Tuesday, armed forces chief of staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who was appointed by Bouteflika in 2004, said the president should either resign or be declared medically unfit to govern by parliament using its constitutional powers. Addressing officers in a broadcast, Salah said the solution to the biggest political crisis since the army cancelled elections in 1992 would be the exit of the president on health grounds. Story continues For years, rumours have circulated about potential successors to Bouteflika, but no single credible candidate has emerged with the backing of the military, the political and security establishment who is not at least 70. Caretaker administration? The next formal step is for the constitutional council to formally rule on Bouteflika's fitness for office. The body has not said when it might reach its decision. Any ruling that he is not fit to govern would have to be ratified by members of parliament's lower and upper house by a two-thirds majority. Based on Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days in the nation of more than 40 million people. The last time the army stepped in during a crisis was in 1992, when the generals cancelled an election that Islamists were poised to win. That move triggered a civil war that killed an estimated 200,000 people. The military remains highly sensitive to any signs of instability and Salah has warned he will not allow the demonstrations to lead to chaos. A British man has been stopped by police after allegedly trying to flee Australia on a jet ski. The man set off from Cape York in northern Queensland on Monday, apparently hoping to reach Papua New Guinea - a distance of just over 90 miles. Police say he is wanted over drugs offences in Western Australia. Officers were tipped off about a man "possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies" launching a jet ski from the peninsula. Various agencies chased the man and his jet ski across the Torres Strait and stopped them just a few miles short of Papua New Guinea. The man, 57, was not publicly identified but was taken by police back as far as Thursday Island off the Queensland coast. He was held there pending his extradition to Western Australia. Jo Crooks, of the Australian Border Force, said: "We have the ability to detect a range of border threats, including suspicious movements through the region. "Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again." A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police added: "This arrest sends a strong message to would-be fugitives - our reach across Australia is second to none and we will use all our contacts and relationships to find you and bring you before a court." The Irish Government has promised to call out British ministers if legislation addressing Northern Irelands decades of violence is unfair or unbalanced. Deputy premier Simon Coveney said the political debate at Westminster about the Troubles was one-sided. The British Government is preparing legislation to investigate thousands of unresolved killings during the 30-year conflict. Really appreciated the visit to Belfast and Dublin of @ChrisMurphyCT we are fortunate to have such a well informed and influential friend of Ireland and advocate for the Good Friday Agreement in Washington. https://t.co/Cc7iIfnGrP Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 23, 2019 Mr Coveney said: Legacy is complicated and difficult, and in some way the debate is somewhat one-sided. That poses huge dangers and creates real concerns amongst the nationalist community, in particular because of the lack of a voice to create balance in that debate in Westminster. Whatever way you describe it, there is not a balanced debate on this issue. The Secretary of State (Karen Bradley) faces real challenges in ensuring that we have legislation that is fully balanced and fair, and takes into account the sides equally in terms of the balance of that legislation. Mr Coveney addressed a debate on Northern Ireland in Irelands upper house, the Seanad, in Dublin on Wednesday. The British Government has consulted on proposals to create a team of independent detectives to review old cases for new criminal prosecution opportunities. A separate body would seek fresh information about killings to deliver answers for victims families where no prosecution is possible. Story continues An oral history archive would allow those affected to tell their stories and a body promoting reconciliation would also begin work. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes (House of Commons/PA) Some MPs have pressed for a statute of limitations exempting retired soldiers from prosecution for crimes committed in Northern Ireland. It represents an amnesty neither the British nor Irish governments accept should be allowed. Prosecutors recently said they would pursue one former soldier for murder over two Bloody Sunday killings in Londonderry early in the conflict in 1972. Northern Ireland Secretary Ms Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes. She later apologised. This afternoon, Tanaiste @simoncoveney delivered opening remarks during Seanad statements on dealing with the past in Northern Ireland Read the remarks in full https://t.co/J4r7UESMhx pic.twitter.com/Sc2ktnqeZN Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) March 27, 2019 Mr Coveney said: She knows that she made a real mistake but now she wants to move on in a balanced and fair way. I think Karen Bradley is a good person and I can work with her, so if the legislation moves in the wrong direction we will call that out, we have an obligation to do that. The 2014 Stormont House Agreement between the main political parties in Belfast plus the British and Irish governments originally proposed the legacy institutions. Political disagreement in Northern Ireland and the collapse of devolved power-sharing delayed its implementation. The Northern Irish unionists said they would not support Theresa May if she tabled another meaningful vote in Parliament. The DUP has again rejected the Prime Ministers proposed Brexit deal as posing an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the UK. The Northern Irish unionists confirmed they would not support Theresa May if she tabled another meaningful vote in Parliament. The partys 10 MPs have been propping up the Tory administration, and their view on Brexit has been key to the Governments prospects of securing agreement. They claimed her solution would trap Northern Ireland in the Irish border backstop insurance policy contained within the draft Withdrawal Agreement. The Democratic Unionists said: The backstop if operational has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain. The backstop would keep Northern Ireland aligned with the rest of the EU on trade regulations to prevent the imposition of a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. Any divergence in the rules between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK could lead to internal boundaries equivalent to a border in the Irish Sea, backstop critics fear. The backstop is a major plank of the Irish Governments strategy and would only be implemented if a better solution was not found during transition negotiations on long-term arrangements after an orderly Brexit. The DUP do not abstain on the Union. https://t.co/l4oSPj75V2 Nigel Dodds (@NigelDoddsDUP) March 27, 2019 The DUP said its recent discussions with the Government had been good. Story continues It added: However, given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured between the Government and the European Union, and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote. The party said the terms of departure from the EU should ensure the integrity of the UK. In our view the current Withdrawal Agreement does not do so and the backstop, which we warned this Government against from its first inception, poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and will inevitably limit the United Kingdoms ability to negotiate on the type of future relationship with the EU. Asked about the pressure on the DUP to back the deal, Arlene Foster told Sky News it was not a case of rescuing Brexit. We very much want to see Brexit happening, we believe in Brexit, we believe in the opportunities that are there post-Brexit. We wish we were able to spend more time talking about the global opportunities that we believe are there for the nation post-Brexit. But instead we have become bogged down in a process, but that process has a Withdrawal Agreement with a backstop that will cause damage to the UK, and for us that is the critical point. She pinned the blame on Mrs May, because the premier agreed to the backstop with the EU in December 2017. The DUP leader added: The most important issue for me, for the Democratic Unionist Party, for our 10 MPs, is the preservation of the union. The partys deputy leader Nigel Dodds, replying to a journalist asking if they might abstain on Mrs Mays deal, said: The DUP do not abstain on the Union. Todays French papers are full of news from Algeria, where it looks as if ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika might finally be forced to stand aside. Bouteflika gets the boot reads Liberations irreverent headline.The army wants to push the president aside, is how financial paper Les Echos sums up the situation.Le Figaro says the military top brass have given in to popular pressure for the removal of the ailing leader. But the conservative daily also notes a fear among protestors that those who pull the strings of the far-from-transparent Algerian system are still capable of retaking control by brute force. Le Monde reports that Bouteflika appears to have lost the support, not only of the army, but also of the RND or National Democratic Rally, his principal bastion on the political front. Yesterday, General Ahmed Gaid Salah, chief of the Algerian armed forces, said it was time for the president to go.This morning the National Democratic Rally followed suit with its own recommendation that Bouteflika should step down. The ruling FLN or National Liberation Front has already distanced itself from the president.Is what appears to be happening really happening?So far, the whole affair is being handled with strict respect for the constitution. Let no one whisper the words coup detat! As Ahmed Gaid Salah was careful to point out on Tuesday, article 102 of the Algerian constitution allows for the destitution of the president if he becomes physically or mentally incapable of fulfilling his duties.However, in Les Echos, the author and analyst Mohamed Sifaoui says evoking article 102 is simply a manoeuvre by the regime.Sifaoui goes even further in claiming that the latest army move against the president was actually orchestrated with the full approval of Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his brothers. The practical point is to return power to the army, which installed Bouteflika in 1999, and make sure that the popular revolution does nothing to shake the system. So, who does run the show in Algeria?In an editorial, Le Figaro says the army has been all-powerful since independence. The right-wing Paris paper suggests that the military have made their move against the president now to ensure that the situation remains within their control. But the various clans which have, so far, shared the real power and wealth of the north African nation, will also have their word to say. Not to mention the unpredictable reaction of the crowds in the street.Algeria faces a leap into the unknown, according to Le Figaro.The people want real change, not a reshuffleThe Algerian writer Kamel Daoud tells Le Figaro that its too early to pronounce on the motives of the army generals. But he also says that the people who have been protesting against Bouteflika over recent weeks want real change, not just a shuffle of the seats at the top table.Part of the problem is that the political opposition is very weak in Algeria, the inevitable result of decades of dictatorship. Kamel Daoud has been surprised by the rapidity of events. A couple of weeks ago, he would have said an army stance against the president was simply not possible. Now he thinks theres real hope for serious change, simply because the voice of the people has been heard by the shadowy men in the star chamber of Algerian power.But Daoud says he remains afraid. Algerian could still go down the bloody road which ruined Libya and Syria, or the only slightly less dangerous track which saw Egypt taken over by an army chief of staff hastily re-painted as a civilian president.Not forgetting the religious elementAnd no one in Algeria will have forgotten the civil war which followed the cancellation of the 1990 parliamentary elections after it became clear that the Islamic Salvation Front was likely to win an overall majority.Kamel Daoud says religious fundamentalism remains a risk for Algeria.The islamists have plenty of money, popular support, and a very efficient network. They are also adept at pirating revolutionary movements.The only positive note is that the solid fundamentalist bloc forged during the civil war has since splintered into ten or more independent groups. And Kamel Daoud suggests that the horrors perpetrated in the name of Islam during the civil war will act as a sort of security device. No one will risk a return to those dark days and nights.Not willingly in any case. Todays French papers are full of news from Algeria, where it looks as if ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika might finally be forced to stand aside. Bouteflika gets the boot reads Liberations irreverent headline. The army wants to push the president aside, is how financial paper Les Echos sums up the situation. Le Figaro says the military top brass have given in to popular pressure for the removal of the ailing leader. But the conservative daily also notes a fear among protestors that those who pull the strings of the far-from-transparent Algerian system are still capable of retaking control by brute force. Le Monde reports that Bouteflika appears to have lost the support, not only of the army, but also of the RND or National Democratic Rally, his principal bastion on the political front. Yesterday, General Ahmed Gaid Salah, chief of the Algerian armed forces, said it was time for the president to go. This morning the National Democratic Rally followed suit with its own recommendation that Bouteflika should step down. The ruling FLN or National Liberation Front has already distanced itself from the president. Is what appears to be happening really happening? So far, the whole affair is being handled with strict respect for the constitution. Let no one whisper the words coup detat! As Ahmed Gaid Salah was careful to point out on Tuesday, article 102 of the Algerian constitution allows for the destitution of the president if he becomes physically or mentally incapable of fulfilling his duties. However, in Les Echos, the author and analyst Mohamed Sifaoui says evoking article 102 is simply a manoeuvre by the regime. Sifaoui goes even further in claiming that the latest army move against the president was actually orchestrated with the full approval of Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his brothers. The practical point is to return power to the army, which installed Bouteflika in 1999, and make sure that the popular revolution does nothing to shake the system. Story continues So, who does run the show in Algeria? In an editorial, Le Figaro says the army has been all-powerful since independence. The right-wing Paris paper suggests that the military have made their move against the president now to ensure that the situation remains within their control. But the various clans which have, so far, shared the real power and wealth of the north African nation, will also have their word to say. Not to mention the unpredictable reaction of the crowds in the street. Algeria faces a leap into the unknown, according to Le Figaro. The people want real change, not a reshuffle The Algerian writer Kamel Daoud tells Le Figaro that its too early to pronounce on the motives of the army generals. But he also says that the people who have been protesting against Bouteflika over recent weeks want real change, not just a shuffle of the seats at the top table. Part of the problem is that the political opposition is very weak in Algeria, the inevitable result of decades of dictatorship. Kamel Daoud has been surprised by the rapidity of events. A couple of weeks ago, he would have said an army stance against the president was simply not possible. Now he thinks theres real hope for serious change, simply because the voice of the people has been heard by the shadowy men in the star chamber of Algerian power. But Daoud says he remains afraid. Algerian could still go down the bloody road which ruined Libya and Syria, or the only slightly less dangerous track which saw Egypt taken over by an army chief of staff hastily re-painted as a civilian president. Not forgetting the religious element And no one in Algeria will have forgotten the civil war which followed the cancellation of the 1990 parliamentary elections after it became clear that the Islamic Salvation Front was likely to win an overall majority. Kamel Daoud says religious fundamentalism remains a risk for Algeria. The islamists have plenty of money, popular support, and a very efficient network. They are also adept at pirating revolutionary movements. The only positive note is that the solid fundamentalist bloc forged during the civil war has since splintered into ten or more independent groups. And Kamel Daoud suggests that the horrors perpetrated in the name of Islam during the civil war will act as a sort of security device. No one will risk a return to those dark days and nights. Not willingly in any case. By Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - British lawmakers wrested control of the Brexit process from the government on Wednesday in order to try to find a majority for an alternative way forward that could break the parliamentary deadlock over Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed deal. They will hold so-called indicative votes on a variety of possible Brexit outcomes. Below is how the process will work: WHAT OPTIONS WILL BE VOTED ON? Speaker John Bercow has selected eight Brexit options to be put to a vote, from a list of 16 proposals put forward by lawmakers. They are: B) No deal - proposer John Baron Leave the EU on April 12 without a deal. D) Common Market 2.0 - Nick Boles An enhanced Norway-style deal which would include membership of the EU's single market as well as a customs arrangement with the EU. H) EFTA and EEA - George Eustice Remain a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and reapply to join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). J) Customs union - Kenneth Clarke A Brexit deal which must include, as a minimum, a commitment to negotiate a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs Union with the EU. K) Labours alternative plan - Jeremy Corbyn Opposition Labour Party plan for a close economic relationship with the EU including a comprehensive customs union and close alignment with the Single Market. L) Revocation to avoid no deal - Joanna Cherry Revoking Article 50 if parliament does not consent to leaving without a deal. M) Confirmatory public vote - Margaret Beckett Confirmatory referendum to approve Brexit deal before it is ratified by parliament O) Contingent preferential arrangements - Marcus Fysh A managed 'no-deal' process in the event an exit agreement with the EU is not reached. (For details of each: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmagenda/ob190327.htm#20190327-18) HOW WILL LAWMAKERS VOTE? The options selected by the Speaker will be printed on a green ballot paper and lawmakers will be asked to vote "aye" or "no" to each of them. They will be able to vote for as many of the proposals as they wish. Story continues Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, who led the process to seize control from the government, told parliament on Monday that lawmakers would have to be willing to support more than one option in order to find a majority. "We will all have to seek compromise. We almost know that if we all vote for our first preference, we will never get to a majority solution," he said. "I do not believe there is a majority in favour of the first preferences of any person in this House." WHAT TIME WILL THE RESULT BE ANNOUNCED? The debate is due to end at 1900 GMT and lawmakers will then be given 30 minutes to record their votes. The Speaker said he would announce the results as soon as they were ready but this would not be before parliament has finished debating secondary legislation on changing the date of Brexit in law. That is due to run until 2100 GMT. The result could show no majority for any option, a majority for several options or even a majority for all options. WILL THIS BE THE END OF IT? Letwin told parliament he viewed Wednesday's votes as the first stage in a process. Lawmakers will take control of parliamentary business again on Monday, April 1 when they will likely vote on a further narrowed-down list of options. DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE RESULT? The votes are not binding on the government. May said on Monday she could not commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held, as parliament might vote for something which was not negotiable with the EU, or which contradicted her party's 2017 election promises. Letwin said that if parliament succeeded in finding a majority for a way forward, he hoped the government would accept that outcome but if it did not, then lawmakers would bring forward legislation seeking to force it to do so. HAVE INDICATIVE VOTES HAPPENED BEFORE? Yes. In 2003, lawmakers were given seven different options for proposed reform of parliament's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, but no options garnered a majority. (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) Kenya plans heros welcome for million-dollar Global Teachers laureate.Kenya is planning a heros welcome for a prodigal monk who made history on Sunday by becoming the first African to win the best teacher in the world prize worth one million dollars.Peter Tabichi is a Mathematics and Physics lecturer at the overcrowded Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village, Nakuru County.He was already a human saint in his country after deciding to give away 80 per cent of his pay to support his pupils too poor to afford uniforms or books.A member of the Catholic religious order founded by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century, Tabichi reportedly beat nine other contestants to win the Varkey Foundations competition which attracted over 10,000 applicants from 179 countries around the world.Organizers announced that Peter Tabichi emerged victorious as a result of his pioneering experiment of integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) into 80 per cent of his lessons, along with science quizzes, low-cost apparatus and peer-to-peer learning.Rita Damary is a correspondent with Kenyas Star newspaper in Nakuru and one of the journalists covering the story making headlines in all the Kenyan media outlets.She told RFI that wild celebrations erupted in the remote Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School and Pwani Village after news of the award reached the community.Damary says the people of the remote district are mobilizing to welcome Tabichi when he returns from Dubai.Aged just 36, Peter Tabichi said he was just trying his luck when applying for theWhile accepting the prize at the Dubai ceremony on Sunday, the monk admitted he was there because of what his students have achieved. This prize gives them a chance and tells the world that they can do anything", he noted.Peter Tabichi also explained that as a teacher who works on the front line, he had seen the promise of its young people their curiosity, talent, their intelligence and their belief"."Africa's young people will no longer be held back by low expectations. Africa will produce scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world. "Girls will be a huge part of this story," he added.Speculation is rife in Kenya about what Peter Tabichi plans to do with his prize money.The Kenya Star's correspondent in Nakuru reports that the people of Pwani want him to spend the money on more classrooms and recreational facilities for the school and to acquire buses for the children of Keriko some of who trek up to 10 kms every day to go to school. Kenya plans heros welcome for million-dollar Global Teachers laureate. Kenya is planning a heros welcome for a prodigal monk who made history on Sunday by becoming the first African to win the best teacher in the world prize worth one million dollars. Peter Tabichi is a Mathematics and Physics lecturer at the overcrowded Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village, Nakuru County. He was already a human saint in his country after deciding to give away 80 per cent of his pay to support his pupils too poor to afford uniforms or books. A member of the Catholic religious order founded by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century, Tabichi reportedly beat nine other contestants to win the Varkey Foundations competition which attracted over 10,000 applicants from 179 countries around the world. Organizers announced that Peter Tabichi emerged victorious as a result of his pioneering experiment of integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) into 80 per cent of his lessons, along with science quizzes, low-cost apparatus and peer-to-peer learning. Rita Damary is a correspondent with Kenyas Star newspaper in Nakuru and one of the journalists covering the story making headlines in all the Kenyan media outlets. She told RFI that wild celebrations erupted in the remote Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School and Pwani Village after news of the award reached the community. Damary says the people of the remote district are mobilizing to welcome Tabichi when he returns from Dubai. Aged just 36, Peter Tabichi said he was just trying his luck when applying for theWhile accepting the prize at the Dubai ceremony on Sunday, the monk admitted he was there because of what his students have achieved. This prize gives them a chance and tells the world that they can do anything", he noted. Peter Tabichi also explained that as a teacher who works on the front line, he had seen the promise of its young people their curiosity, talent, their intelligence and their belief". Story continues "Africa's young people will no longer be held back by low expectations. Africa will produce scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world. "Girls will be a huge part of this story," he added. Speculation is rife in Kenya about what Peter Tabichi plans to do with his prize money. The Kenya Star's correspondent in Nakuru reports that the people of Pwani want him to spend the money on more classrooms and recreational facilities for the school and to acquire buses for the children of Keriko some of who trek up to 10 kms every day to go to school. An air strike killed seven people at a charity-supported hospital on Tuesday as Yemenis rallied to show support for the Houthi movement on the fourth anniversary of a war that has killed thousands and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. The Iran-aligned Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and Yemen's largest populated areas since 2014 when they ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.The United Nations is pushing ahead with tough talks with the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government to find a political solution to the conflict.A missile struck a gas station near the entrance to a rural hospital 60 miles (100 km) from the city of Saada in the northwestern part of the country at 9:30 a.m. local time, killing seven people, including four children, Save the Children said in a statement.The strike killed a health worker and the person's two children, said Save the Children, which said it supports the hospital.Two more children and a security guard were among the other dead, and eight people were wounded, the group said.In the capital Sanaa, men, women and children marched waving the red, white and black national colours, and chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against the Houthis, and the United States which backs it.They also blamed U.S. ally Israel for destroying the country.Massive speakers played "America and Israel, death and mutilation to you" and "five or fifty years, we will face the criminal coalition".Reuters witnesses said tens of thousands of people, including supporters of the Houthis' Ansarullah group, had gathered in Sabeen Square in central Sanaa since the early hours of Tuesday morning."This is a message to the world, that at the start of the fifth year (of the war), Yemenis will be stronger ..., a message that the Yemeni resistance will be even greater," said Mohammed Haidarah, a protester.Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed Saudi Arabia and its allies for rejecting peace.The coalition accuses Iran of supplying the Houthis with arms, including drones and missiles. Iran and the Houthis deny the accusations."On the eve of the war's shameful fifth year, a reminder that it's not too late to stop the nightmare that this war has become," Zarif said on Twitter.Yemeni flagMany people taking part in the rally painted their faces in the colours of the Yemeni flag and others danced holding assault rifles and traditional daggers as Houthi leaders cheered the crowd from the main podium.Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, denounced the U.S. decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights."It is a recognition from someone who does not own to someone who does not deserve," he told the crowd.Tens of thousands of people have died in the war pitting the Houthis against the Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in Yemen in 2015 to restore Hadi's government to power.The war has displaced over two million people and driven the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country to the verge of famine.Both sides agreed at U.N.-sponsored talks in December to a truce and troop withdrawal from the port city of Hodeidah, which has become a focus of the war, and an exchange of prisoners.The ceasefire has broadly held, although sporadic clashes continued as the United Nations struggled to implement the withdrawal of troops, a confidence-building measure meant to clear the way for a broader peace settlement after four years of war.However, violence has escalated in other areas since the U.N. peace process started.(REUTERS) An air strike killed seven people at a charity-supported hospital on Tuesday as Yemenis rallied to show support for the Houthi movement on the fourth anniversary of a war that has killed thousands and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. The Iran-aligned Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and Yemen's largest populated areas since 2014 when they ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The United Nations is pushing ahead with tough talks with the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government to find a political solution to the conflict. A missile struck a gas station near the entrance to a rural hospital 60 miles (100 km) from the city of Saada in the northwestern part of the country at 9:30 a.m. local time, killing seven people, including four children, Save the Children said in a statement. The strike killed a health worker and the person's two children, said Save the Children, which said it supports the hospital. Two more children and a security guard were among the other dead, and eight people were wounded, the group said. In the capital Sanaa, men, women and children marched waving the red, white and black national colours, and chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against the Houthis, and the United States which backs it. They also blamed U.S. ally Israel for destroying the country. Massive speakers played "America and Israel, death and mutilation to you" and "five or fifty years, we will face the criminal coalition". Reuters witnesses said tens of thousands of people, including supporters of the Houthis' Ansarullah group, had gathered in Sabeen Square in central Sanaa since the early hours of Tuesday morning. "This is a message to the world, that at the start of the fifth year (of the war), Yemenis will be stronger ..., a message that the Yemeni resistance will be even greater," said Mohammed Haidarah, a protester. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed Saudi Arabia and its allies for rejecting peace. Story continues The coalition accuses Iran of supplying the Houthis with arms, including drones and missiles. Iran and the Houthis deny the accusations. "On the eve of the war's shameful fifth year, a reminder that it's not too late to stop the nightmare that this war has become," Zarif said on Twitter. Yemeni flag Many people taking part in the rally painted their faces in the colours of the Yemeni flag and others danced holding assault rifles and traditional daggers as Houthi leaders cheered the crowd from the main podium. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, denounced the U.S. decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights. "It is a recognition from someone who does not own to someone who does not deserve," he told the crowd. Tens of thousands of people have died in the war pitting the Houthis against the Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in Yemen in 2015 to restore Hadi's government to power. The war has displaced over two million people and driven the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country to the verge of famine. Both sides agreed at U.N.-sponsored talks in December to a truce and troop withdrawal from the port city of Hodeidah, which has become a focus of the war, and an exchange of prisoners. The ceasefire has broadly held, although sporadic clashes continued as the United Nations struggled to implement the withdrawal of troops, a confidence-building measure meant to clear the way for a broader peace settlement after four years of war. However, violence has escalated in other areas since the U.N. peace process started. (REUTERS) MPs did not give majority backing to any of the eight Brexit alternatives put forward on the first day of the indicative vote process. The Commons did vote to change the exit date for the UKs withdrawal from the EU but did not support any of the eight proposals put forward as indicative votes. It came after Prime Minister Theresa May told Conservative MPs she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations. Mrs May told the 1922 Committee: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. Heres the latest from Westminster: 10.55pm Anne Marie Morris, Conservative MP for Newton Abbot, said she voted against each of the eight options except for the option to leave without a deal. She accused the PM of having, frankly, the audacity to agree to an extension without going through the usual protocols of taking it to Parliament first. She said: What Im absolutely convinced about is her deal is the only way of guaranteeing that we dont get Brexit. The reality is after whats happened tonight, I think shes going to be thinking long and hard about that deal because, frankly, it looks to me as if its dead. 10.47pm Jeremy Corbyn leaves the Houses of Parliament after his motion was rejected (Victoria Jones/PA) 10.42pm How MPs rejected all eight amendments: 10.41pm The Speaker reiterated his stance that a significant change would have to be made to allow a third meaningful vote to take place. He can readily extrapolate from what I have said before, he said. On that occasion I indicated that it seemed to me there was a matter not just of precise wording but of thrust what was the essential thrust of the proposition that was being put, had it changed or had it not? I invoked evidence in support of the propriety of the second vote on March 12 of the publication of documents consequent on discussions that took place with the EU. Story continues Mr Bercow suggested he was open to persuasion on whether the current circumstances had changed enough to allow a third meaningful vote. Referring to the EU documents in the second vote, he said: Those were examples, it seemed to me, of facts, of evidence and of circumstances that were relevant. I note the opinion that the situation has in some way now changed. One has to look at the specifics and if people come with specifics, then the specifics are considered. 10.31pm The Independent Group MP Mike Gapes asked speaker John Bercow: Have you had any intimation given the two huge defeats for the Prime Minister following her discussions with her Parliamentary colleagues earlier this afternoon, that the Prime Minister will be coming before the House in the next few days to announce her resignation? Mr Bercow responded: I certainly have received no such indication at all. The Prime Minister was here today and the Prime Minister, to be fair, has been a most assiduous attender in the chamber in making statements to the House and responding to questions. I have received no such indication. Im aware of media reports but I myself would not have been present at any meetings that took place earlier for very obvious reasons. 10.29pm (PA Graphics) 10.24pm Raising a further point of order relating to the meaningful vote, Tory Sir Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales) said he thought there was an inconsistency in the Speakers ruling. Mr Bercow replied: The process for which the House opted was and is a discreet process, the first of its kind, indeed the novelty to some people welcome, to others unwelcome, of the process was the subject of much comment earlier in our proceedings. I believe it is a process and the House decided earlier that it should be pursued over a two-day period. In those circumstances with a specific balloting procedure set in train, I do not think that it falls into the category that (he) has described. Labours Angela Eagle (Wallasey) noted the results for a customs union and confirmatory ballot proposals, adding Mr Barclay has argued that the Government motion which failed by 230 at its first attempt and by 149 at its second attempt should somehow take precedence. Dont you, Mr Speaker, think that this is rather an odd interpretation of the results that weve had so far? Mr Bercow replied: Well, interpretations vary. 10.18pm Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said politicians could face a massive backlash from voters in the wake of the indicative votes in the Commons. No majority for anything in Parliament, but there is a majority in the country to leave the EU. Our politicians must stop trying to undo our vote or face a massive backlash from voters. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 27, 2019 10.17pm The Independent Group spokesman Chuka Umunna said its all to play for after the motion for a confirmatory public vote on Brexit received the most votes of any option. What do we know this evening: in a vote of the @HouseofCommons on resolving the #Brexit chaos, holding a #PeoplesVote commanded the most support! more than the PMs deal, Labours alternative deal, no deal, the Common market 2.0 or the others. Its all to play for! Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) March 27, 2019 10.15pm John Bercow revealed all motions had been defeated: 10.13pm Tory Brexiteer Julian Lewis (New Forest East) said, if he were an unofficial prime minister, he would resign, to loud cheers from MPs. He said: Is there any way I can point out to what might be a bemused wider world that people were not having to choose between these different eight options, they were able to vote for or against each and every one of them, and they voted against all of them. If I were an unofficial backbench prime minister I would resign at this point, not seek to repeat such an exercise in abject failure. 10.11pm (PA Graphics) 10.09pm Pro-EU Tory Nick Boles said he hoped to persuade his colleagues ahead of the next series of votes after MPs rejected his Brexit alternative of Common market 2.0 on Wednesday. Pleased to find that more Conservatives voted for Common Market 2.0 than for either the Customs Union or the Second Referendum. I hope to persuade more colleagues to back it on Monday. Nick Boles MP (@NickBoles) March 27, 2019 10.05pm SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called for a general election to end the impasse after the indicative votes. Mr Blackford said: This is a very serious moment for all of us and we have to reflect that this House of Commons has tried to find a way through the Brexit crisis over the last few months and we have failed. We need to reflect on the fact that when the Government talks about bringing their deal back, there are two occasions where the Government got 202 and 242 votes. That deal should be dead. And indeed the peoples vote got 268 votes tonight. I know we didnt win but we got more votes for the peoples vote than the Government got for its proposition. I think it is becoming increasingly clear that this House cant find a way forward. This Government, this Prime Minister, has failed to provide leadership. The only thing we should now be doing is going back to the people of the United Kingdom in a general election to end this impasse. 10.02pm Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable said the centre of gravity had become clearer following Wednesdays votes. As anticipated, the Commons has not produced an absolutely clear way forward, but it is clearer where the centre of gravity now is. Whichever Brexit option the government pursues, it must be put to the public in a confirmatory vote. #indicativevotes Vince Cable (@vincecable) March 27, 2019 9.58pm Raising a point of order, Sir Oliver said: It is, of course, a very great disappointment that the House has not chosen to find a majority for any proposition, however those of us who put this proposal forward as a way of proceeding predicted that we would not this evening reach a majority, and indeed for that very reason put forward a business of the House motion designed to allow the House to reconsider these matters on Monday. To shouts of no, he added: And if on Monday the House is able to reach a majority view, I think that would be in the interests of our constituents, but I personally continue to harbour the hope that (MPs) will see fit to vote in favour of a Government motion between now and close of play on Friday. Which would obviate the necessity for a further set of votes on Monday. 9.55pm Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said, with no majority for any of the options, MPs should now back Mrs Mays deal in the national interest. He said: The results of the process this House has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the Government has negotiated is the best option. If you believe in delivering on the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then its necessary to back the Withdrawal Agreement if we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end. Its for that reason that I call on all members from across this House in the national interest to back the Prime Ministers deal. 9.50pm Green Party leader Caroline Lucas pointed out that despite not obtaining a majority, the plan for a confirmatory public vote received more votes than the Prime Ministers Brexit plan. Public vote gets biggest vote 268 in favour and crucially gets more support than PMs Deal last time (242)Now Monday becomes key moment to attach #peoplesvote to any deal that gets more support Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) March 27, 2019 9.49pm Speaker John Bercow announced the results as follows for the indicative votes procedure: Motion B) No deal defeated by 400 votes to 160, majority 240. Motion D) Common market 2.0 defeated by 283 votes to 188, majority 95. Motion H) Efta and EEA defeated by 377 votes to 65, majority 312. Motion J) Customs union defeated by 272 votes to 264, majority eight. Motion K) Labours alternative plan defeated by 307 votes to 237, majority 70. Motion L) Revocation to avoid no-deal defeated by 293 votes to 184, majority 109. Motion M) Confirmatory public vote defeated by 295 voted to 268, majority 27. Motion O) Contingent preferential arrangements defeated by 422 votes to 139, majority 283. 9.40pm MPs have given no majority to any of the eight Brexit alternatives considered on day one of the indicative vote process. 9.35pm MPs announcing that they have voted in favour of regulations linked to changing the exit date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU (House of Commons/PA) 9.29pm (PA Graphics) 9.21pm Speaker John Bercow suspended the sitting of the Commons until the results of the indicative votes are available. 9.19pm MPs have voted in favour of regulations linked to changing the exit date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU from March 29 by 441 votes to 105, majority 336. 9.06pm Tory Sir John Redwood (Wokingham) said the mood outside parliament was overwhelming that we should get on with it. He said: We do not want this House sidelined or presumed upon. This House should decide when we leave the EU and it shouldnt have been settled in that way. Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) said millions of voters expected to leave the EU on March 29 and this debate for them comes as a very great disappointment because this order cancels exit day for the 29th March. He said: History will mark this day as the moment that this House decided to start to turn against the decision to leave the EU and against the mandate upon which most MPs in this House were elected. Commenting on the Prime Ministers future, Labours Angela Eagle (Wallasey) said: So now we have, whilst the countrys future is still in the air and not decided, the horrible, self-regarding spectacle of the next runners and riders in the Conservative Party to see who will inherit the poisoned chalice that the Tory psychodrama of Brexit has injected into the body politic in this country. So I believe that the ministers SI today is an inevitable consequence of creating a false cliff-edge which was put there for blackmail purposes. 8.59pm DUP leader Arlene Foster said the Brexit deal would endanger the union of the United Kingdom as she made clear her party could still not support Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement. She told Sky News: What we cant agree to is something that threatens the union, that has a strategic risk to the union. For us in the Democratic Unionist Party, the union will always come first and that has been the issue right from the beginning of all of this. 8.50pm 8.49pm The DUP has said it will not support the Government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured. 8.38pm Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage asked the European Parliament if they really wanted him to return. 8.26pm Amer Rudd believes the deal may now be passed. 8.25pm Melanie Onn has quit as shadow housing minister after Labour MPs were whipped to back a call for any Brexit deal in this parliament to be put to a public vote. The Great Grimbsy MP has been a vocal opponent of a second referendum. 8.23pm Labours shadow Brexit minister Matthew Pennycook said: An extension to the Article 50 process until at least April 12 will now happen as a matter of international law and, as the minister said, it is now binding in international law. Mr Pennycook added: No-one, including those who have no problem with an extension, expected that this Government would fail so miserably that an extension of any kind would be required. He said failing to approve the regulation would only achieve immense legal confusion. Tory MP Sir William Cash (Stone) said: It is quite clear that the law officers must be consulted in good time before the Government is committed to critical decisions involving legal considerations. Sir William said he did not believe the Prime Minister had done so and asked whether this meant she had misled the House. He said: Did the Prime Minister consult the law officers as a matter of fact? I asked her and she refused twice to tell me. The inference is she did not. Is this not misleading the House? That is a question which worries me intensely. 8.13pm Tory Sir Bill Cash describes the Brexit indicative votes as a parliamentary bag of Liquorice Allsorts. I quite like Liquorice Allsorts, remarks one Labour MP. Richard Wheeler (@richard_kaputt) March 27, 2019 8.08pm Labour MP Angela Eagle (Wallasey) asked if Brexiteers wanted to abolish the monarchy, based on their objections to the royal prerogative being used in Brexit negotiations. She said: Could you advise me whether what members opposite are actually objecting to is the use of the royal prerogative, and the logic which allows us to sign up to international treaties using that power? The logic of what theyre actually arguing is we should get rid of the Queen. Speaker John Bercow said: Its not for me to offer an exegesis of what individuals might think about our constitutional arrangements including the use or otherwise of the royal prerogative. 8.05pm Mr Walker appealed to MPs to back a statutory instrument approving the Article 50 extension, signed up to by the UK and the 27 EU member states, to reflect international law. But Tory Brexiteers including Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) made their objections to the Commons being asked to rubber-stamp international law clear. Mr Jenkin said: This is exactly the kind of decision-making and law-making that people voted against in the referendum. However, Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon (North Down) said MPs needed to face up to reality. She said: It is signed, it is not going to be unsigned, the deal is done we need to get behind the deal and move on. 8.03pm Starting a debate on the statutory instrument to delay Brexit beyond March 29, Brexit minister Robin Walker said: I do of course regret the necessity of having to bring forward this instrument and would prefer that we were leaving the EU with a deal at the end of this week. I have voted on two occasions for that outcome but I know that the House has not. He added: Parliament then voted by 412 to 202 to approve a motion to seek to extend Article 50. An extension has therefore been agreed with the EU and the Government is now committed to implementing it in domestic law. Intervening, Tory Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford) asked: Does this SI now have the effect that the commencement order would have had, so in other words, if we approve the SI and we have not approved the meaningful vote, would we then leave at 11pm on 11th April without the need for a separate commencement order? Mr Walker replied: A commencement order would have to be laid before the point at which we left, whatever that leaving date was. He added: This SI does not set the date at which we leave the EU, this SI reflects the date that is agreed in international law. He went on: Should the House approve the negotiated withdrawal agreement this week, the extension would last until 22nd May, if the House did not approve the withdrawal agreement the extension will last until 12th April. 7.50pm Justice Secretary David Gauke said Theresa May made a very touching, moving speech as she pledged to step down. Asked about a forthcoming Tory leadership contest, he told the BBC: I think just at the moment theres quite enough for MPs to be focusing on on Brexit, so I think really its what we should all be focusing on. He added: What I hope is as a consequence of the process were going through at the moment, as a consequence of the Prime Minister making it clear that she will be around for phase one but not phase two of the negotiations, that the House of Commons can rally around her proposals. 7.46pm Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Theresa Mays decision to step down should her deal pass shows dignity, honesty and bravery. Dignity, honesty & bravery from the PM tonight. We must maintain trust in our democracy and deliver Brexit. I urge all MPs to back the Deal so we can fulfil our promise to the British people Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) March 27, 2019 7.40pm Brexit protests outside Parliament this evening (Victoria Jones/PA) 7.29pm Nigel Farage criticised Theresa Mays deal. Even if Mrs May goes, it is a bad treaty that will give us years of acrimony. A modern day versailles. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 27, 2019 7.28pm Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the ERG, said the indicative votes set a very bad constitutional precedent. He said MPs should have instead opted for a vote of no confidence and let the public have a general election. He told the BBC: This is constitutionally absurd that people who have voted to take control of proceedings in the house basically dont have any confidence in the Government but dont have the courage to say so in a formal vote and they are doing it in an under-the-table fashion. It makes a minority Government extraordinarily difficult and it doesnt make the governance of this country any better, Mr Rees-Mogg added. Mr Rees-Mogg added that he preferred leaving without a deal but backed the Prime Minister after that was ruled out. He said: I think a considerable amount depends on the DUP and what it decides to do. I wont abandon the DUP because I think they are the champions of the union of the United Kingdom, which is a very important part of Conservative philosophy and thinking. The deal has a good chance of getting through if the DUP back it or abstain, he said. 7.26pm Labour MP Owen Smith, a leading supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign for a second EU referendum, said: It is an appalling insult to the British people that the governing party thinks it can treat the future of the country as a pawn in a Conservative Party leadership contest. They are playing with the jobs and livelihoods of millions of people up and down the land. But for them it is all about one job and which of their over-privileged, yet under-achieving, colleagues gets to walk across the threshold of Number 10. Let me warn my colleagues on the opposition benches none of us would ever be forgiven if we helped to pass a broken Brexit deal that gave a right-wing Brextremist the power to tear up workers rights, to open up the NHS to US competition or to make climate change denial a cornerstone of policy. Mrs Mays desperate announcement made in a backroom of Westminster to Tory MPs and not to the country makes the case for a Peoples Vote on any Brexit deal all but unanswerable. To instead vote for a bad Brexit deal and trust the promises of a Prime Minister who has already announced her resignation, and who is all but certain to be replaced by someone from the hard anti-European right, isnt just foolish but reckless. 7.25pm And it begins! Just witnessed some conservatives arguing and swearing at each other. I went to start recording and someone split them up. pic.twitter.com/396WeROISH (((Dawn Butler MP))) (@DawnButlerBrent) March 27, 2019 7.12pm Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said Theresa Mays address to the 1922 Committee was very personal. He told the BBC: Whilst the Prime Minister has given her indication tonight as to her long-term position, ultimately we have to deal with the here and now which she was so clear on, on getting behind the deal, making Brexit happen, get the vote through this place and move on for the country. 7.07pm Boris Johnson left a meeting of the European Research Group without commenting on his U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Theresa Mays deal wrapped a suicide vest around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. 7.02pm Tory MP Robert Halfon (Harlow) said leaving the political union but keeping close economic ties would be the way forward. Mr Halfon said: I do believe Parliament and politicians are becoming toxic. The 17 million people who voted to leave think that the establishment is against them, too busy playing party politics, determined to stop Brexit. So I would not do anything, and I mean anything, that I believe would undermine the decision of the people that voted to leave. I want a strong Brexit, I want a workers Brexit and I want a Brexit that unifies our country. How do we achieve this? We achieve it through common market 2.0, we achieve it through membership of the European Free Trade Area. The Independent Group MP Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) said: We now know that honourable members opposite who, on previous occasions, have voted against the Prime Ministers deal not once but twice are now, guess what? Not only changing their minds. They too will enjoy the privilege of changing their vote to support the Prime Minister. What a profound irony and, some would say, a disgrace, verging on hypocrisy. Honourable and right honourable members expect and will enjoy the right to change their minds and vote, and not allow the people of this country the same right. 7.01pm Our indicative vote and how I am casting it(Will I get arrested for tweeting this?) pic.twitter.com/6Z316UgMgY Michael Fabricant (@Mike_Fabricant) March 27, 2019 7pm Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told Sky News: The main point about the meeting was for the Prime Minister to set out why she believes and we all believe, well most of us that we need to vote for the withdrawal agreement, to deliver on the outcome of the referendum and to do it in a way that we have a deal that supports the country and the economy. We have made those arguments so many times but Im hopeful that the speech she made to the 1922 today will have helped persuade some colleagues of the need to vote for the deal because otherwise the alternatives they will like even less, and I think that message went over. She said nobody had the discourtesy to push the Prime Minister on when she will step down. There was a real feeling of support for the Prime Minister and urgency about wanting to get beyond this, to get back to our domestic policies, Ms Rudd said. 6.59pm And the polls are open in Parliament's historic indicative votes on Brexit I'm voting for #PeoplesVote and #RevokeArticle50 I'll leave others to their unicorns pic.twitter.com/FindCQzsaZ Jo Swinson (@joswinson) March 27, 2019 6.59pm Speaker John Bercow has suspended the sitting of the House of Commons for 30 minutes to enable voting on the Brexit deal alternatives. 6.54pm MP Sir Alan Duncan praised the Prime Ministers fortitude. I dont care what her critics say about my view I have massive admiration for Theresa Mays fortitude and sense of duty. How has she managed to go through every day taking so much flak from less decent people? Sir Alan Duncan MP (@AlanDuncanMP) March 27, 2019 6.53pm George Freeman, the Prime Ministers former policy adviser, said she had done the right thing in announcing her decision to stand down. It was a very sad moment. She has devoted her life to public service, he told the BBC. She with tears not far from her eyes said: Tonight this is a moment I promised I would deliver the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. I have made many mistakes. I am only human. I beg you, colleagues, vote for the Withdrawal Agreement and I will go. There was silence in the room and it was incredibly sad. Mr Freeman said her speech to the 1922 Committee was followed by a series of interventions from very hardline Brexiteers all saying Prime Minister, thank you, I will now vote for this deal. He added: She is falling on her sword, putting country before party and career, and is asking them to do the same. You could hear a pin drop in that room. 6.50pm Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: It was inevitable that at some point the Prime Minister would have to go. Now, we need a change of approach from the Conservative Party rather than just a change in leader. Any Brexit deal is a bad choice for Scotland. Thats why we are campaigning for a Peoples Vote and an exit from Brexit. Nicola Sturgeon doesnt seem to have learned anything from Brexit. She should see that breaking up a political union inevitably leads to chaos and confusion. 6.48pm Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer raised a question on Boris Johnsons reported shift. I wonder what it is about the pending Tory leadership contest that made Boris change his mind? https://t.co/DVapaypZLm Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 27, 2019 6.40pm Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the PMs pledge to step down shows the Brexit negotiations have been about party management. Theresa Mays pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest. A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 27, 2019 6.37pm 6.36pm Chancellor Philip Hammond praised the Prime Minister. @theresa_may has demonstrated once again that she puts getting an orderly Brexit done ahead of everything else. Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) March 27, 2019 Conservative MP Conor Burns appeared to suggest Boris Johnson would now be voting for Mrs Mays deal. @BorisJohnson absolutely right telling MPs that palpable risk of losing Brexit altogether with the chance of change in the next phase means we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement. Conor Burns MP (@ConorBurnsUK) March 27, 2019 6.32pm Tory MP Andrew Percy, who backs Theresa Mays deal, said the way she had been forced out was unforgivable. I am slightly irritated and probably even more irritated now that the price of supporting what I think is a good deal, bringing this to a conclusion, is all based around personality rather than based around principle, and I think that is unforgivable, he told the BBC. The Prime Minister has done her duty. She has had all sorts of things thrown at her, a lot of it very unfair. I am sorry it has come down to personalities. Steve Brine, who quit as a health minister to vote for the indicative votes, said: There was no whooping and hollering. No-one takes any great pleasure in what happened. There is a lot of respect for the Prime Minister. She was very honest tonight. As ever with Theresa May, she is absolutely country first. 6.30pm Tory MP George Freeman said the PMs speech had been extraordinarily moving. Extraordinarily moving speech at the #1922 tonight as the PM apologised for being human, begged Conservative MPs to help her honour her pledge in 2016 to deliver an orderly Brexit, in return for her pledge to stand down when its done. Huge respect & a tide of ERG MPs switching. George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) March 27, 2019 6.25pm Theresa May to resign: Who could be the next Tory leader? 6.17pm Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the Houses of Parliament after announcing she will not remain in post for the next phase of Brexit negotiations (Victoria Jones/PA) 6.16pm Tory MP Anne Marie Morris, a member of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, said Mrs Mays announcement would not be enough to persuade her to back her deal. I am deeply frustrated. It is not going to do the country any good. While most of us feel she is not the right person to lead this country, she is only going to go if her deal passes, she told the BBC Radio 4 PM programme. My concern is that too many people will see the prize of Theresa going as enough to sway things. I am certainly voting against this deal. 6.15pm Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: Brexit is not about Theresa Mays future, it is about all our futures and nothing the Prime Minister says about her position changes the fact that her deal is a profoundly bad one. For Scotland, this raises the prospect of being shackled to a disastrous Brexit driven by a Tory party lurching even further to the right, with a Brexiteer PM in charge further reinforcing the case for our country taking its future into its own hands. 6.13pm Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said Theresa May had been dignified and honest. Prime Minister gave a dignified and honest speech at the 1922. She cares deeply about our country and is a patriot. People must now support the deal and move us forward. Liz Truss (@trussliz) March 27, 2019 6.10pm Back in the Commons, Tory MP Nicky Morgan said she would vote for the Prime Ministers withdrawal agreement if and when it came back to the House. She stressed the need for compromise, saying MPs should be voting for what they could countenance not their preferred option, adding: If we stay in our silos and our trenches we will as a House not find a way through this. She spoke of her support for Common Market 2.0, adding there are alternative arrangements that can be secured to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. Labours Yvette Cooper said the thoughtful and considered debate was the one that we should have been having two years ago. Constituents she said were feeling deeply frustrated and let down. Speaking in favour of the customs union amendment, she added: Its also something I think can be the basis of finding consensus and building agreement. She said: Unless clear consensus can be built, the public consent or public vote will be needed through a General Election or referendum otherwise it will not last. 6.08pm Labour MP David Lammy reiterated calls for a new referendum. It is right that Theresa May goes, but this just raised the stakes even higher. The choice the country now faces is stark: a future relationship negotiated by a hard right PM chosen by Tory activists, or Remaining in the EU. The public must get to decide #PutItToThePeople https://t.co/5D3AMJCRfX David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 27, 2019 6.06pm 6.05pm Conservative former minister Stephen Crabb tweeted: Given the crap over the last few days PM spoke with remarkable dignity at 1922 mtg. Perhaps time now for ERG to consider disbanding. Time to get back to being one Conservative Party with one leader, one chief whip etc. 6.03pm Theresa May told the 1922 Committee meeting: This has been a testing time for our country and our party. Were nearly there. Were almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. 6pm Labours Peter Kyle, whose amendment proposing a confirmatory referendum will be voted on by MPs tonight, said the situation was sickening. MPs owe it to future generations to vote on the deal with them in mind, not based on whether the PM will be in office a few days fewer. Its unimaginable that people are gambling with our economy in the hope it helps their chances of a promotion. Its sickening Peter Kyle MP (@peterkyle) March 27, 2019 But Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Theresa May was driven by a sense of duty and public service. PM is driven by a sense of duty and public service. Her decision today reflects again her putting the national interest ahead of personal interest. She remains determined to secure our departure from the EU on an orderly basis and will have my full support in doing so. David Mundell (@DavidMundellDCT) March 27, 2019 Conservative MP Nicholas Soames also praised the Prime Minister. Commanding brave Speech by @theresa_may at the 1922 Committee. Party rowed inbehind her #FridayBigDay Nicholas Soames (@NSoames) March 27, 2019 5.56pm Mrs May told the 1922 Committee: I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I wont I hear what you are saying. But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. She added: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit. 5.47pm Prime Minister Theresa May has told Conservative MPs she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. There was applause and more banging of tables as the PM left the meeting. The Atlas cedar, a species that covers 134,000 hectares of land in Morocco and is already threatened by climate change, is a common target of illegal logging. But activists are now using social media to document the destruction of the trees, which they say highlights the lack of resources needed to preserve the Atlas ecosystem. The photos of uprooted trees and jagged stumps are a stark reminder of the illegal trade of the Atlas cedar, a species native to the mountains of the same name that span the northern edge of Morocco, and whose timber commands high prices on the market. Our team came across several videos showing felled cedar trees in Tounfit, in the Middle Atlas mountain range in central Morocco. It's a lucrative industry, with cedar wood going for 1,200 per cubic metre"Environmental activist Mohammed Attaoui hopes to use his videos of the destruction of these trees to denounce the illegal logging industry.> I used Facebook Live to show people how easy it is to find felled trees in the Tounfit cedar grove. I even came across stumps just a few metres from the park ranger station. > > > Morocco hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2016, but we have thousand-year-old trees that are being chopped down right here. Why is this illegal trade still going on?Illegal logging is a major threat to the Atlas cedar, which has already suffered from the drought brought on by climate change. In 2013, it was added to the red list of threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.> It's a lucrative industry, with cedar wood going for 1,200 per cubic metre. The trees are as tall as buildings, sometimes reaching up to 40 metres high. The money you could get cutting down a few trees would be astronomical.The global illegal logging trade is valued at between $30 billion and $100 billion annually (or between 27 and 89 billion), according to a 2012 report by Interpol and the United Nations Environment Programme. "There aren't enough park rangers"Attaoui says he was assaulted by illegal loggers who threw rocks at him as he was filming. These types of clashes frequently occur, says a park ranger in the Middle Atlas who did not want to be identified. He added that rangers usually have few resources at their disposal.> Crimes are committed every day in the Middle Atlas mountain range. The park rangers are in a tough situation: there aren't very many of us and we are poorly paid, usually around 400 euros a month when you first start out. We also don't have enough cars and petrol. I'm responsible for a section of the forest and I don't even have a car to carry out patrols! I can't fight the illegal loggers, who are much better equipped than us: they have more cars, more chainsaws, and they have lookout men as well. A video, filmed by an unknown individual, of illegally felled cedar trees that was circulated on social media. We need to keep illegal loggers out of the forestSamir Abderrafi, director of the Association for Life and Earth Science Teachers in Morocco, an environmental protection group, says the region's economy must also be further developed in order to successfully combat illegal logging.> It's clearly important to be tougher on people who loot the forest and destroy the Atlas cedars, but what's really needed is a way to keep them out of the forest. Protecting the forest is the least of their worries because many of them are just trying to survive. There are high rates of unemployment in the area and selling cedar wood illegally is a significant source of revenue. These people need stable jobs, perhaps something in forest management, for example.> > Illegal logging is just one example of the pressure placed by humans on the cedar ecosystem. Overgrazing is another issue. In the past, herdsmen would migrate from the cedar forests to the plains between seasons. At some point, they began settling down in one location, meaning that their sheep grazed constantly on the same patch of land, which leads to soil degradation.> > We also think that if local children had better access to education, they could leave the region and go work in the city, which would reduce the pressure on the forests.> > The Middle Atlas plays an important role in the ecosystem. It is known as Moroccos water tower because the trees help the water flow into water tables. We need to work with people to help them see cedars as a part of our national heritage that should be preserved, not as goods to be exploited.The Moroccan High Commissionner for water, forests and anti-desertification did not respond to a request for comment. This story was written by Pierre Hamdi. US vice president Mike Pence has called for American astronauts to return to the moon within five years. Mr Pence is calling for an accelerated pace by the US space agency Nasa towards the goal of putting Americans on the lunar south pole. He said Nasa needs to achieve this outcome by any means necessary. Speaking at a meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama, he said Nasa rockets and lunar landers will be replaced by private craft, if required. He said: Its time to redouble our effort. It can happen, but it will not happen unless we increase the pace. The earliest possible landing on the moon by Nasa is not until 2028, Mr Pence said, acknowledging that talent and money will be necessary to achieve this sooner. Apollo 15 Lunar Module Pilot James B Irwin salutes while standing on the surface of the moon on July 30 1971 (Nasa/AP) Mr Pence warned that if Nasa cannot put astronauts on the moon by 2024, we need to change the organisation, not the mission. He said the US space agency must transform into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organisation, and must adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach. Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine assured Mr Pence that Nasa will do everything possible to meet the deadline. However, some outside experts were sceptical of the new timeline. Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian centre for astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said: I will be astonished if this happens. He noted that a lunar lander still needs to be designed, built and tested. Today, I spoke at the National Space Council where we discussed the need to accelerate our return to the Moon. We will be taking actions to accomplish this and I know @NASA is ready for the challenge of moving forward to the Moon, this time to stay. https://t.co/DnEoMhZ8Cr pic.twitter.com/UmaKLcw0j9 Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) March 26, 2019 That is a hard challenge on a five-year time scale even without political budget infighting, he said. Story continues This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Since Apollo astronauts last walked on the moon in 1972, no country has made a serious attempt to send humans back to the lunar surface. For decades, Nasa has switched focus back and forth from the moon to Mars, a victim of changing presidential administrations. More recently, former president Barack Obama targeted Mars as astronauts next big destination, while his successor at the White House, Donald Trump, has favoured the moon. In order to get astronauts on the moon by 2024, Mr Bridenstine said the space agencys new megarocket will be needed, but its development and pace will need to be faster. We will go forward to the Moon with world-class propulsion systems, and unparalleled spacecraft precision. @NASA_technology drives exploration and we are dedicated to build a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. Join us as we forge ahead: https://t.co/YRW8uOvfZ9 pic.twitter.com/os7HMSbiZQ NASA (@NASA) March 26, 2019 Two weeks ago, he said Nasa was considering using private rockets instead to launch its new Orion capsule around the moon without a crew on a test flight next year. However, he expressed confidence that the SLS, or Space Launch System, would be ready for the job. He also stressed the need for an outpost with astronauts near the moon to serve as a stepping-off point for lunar landings. It took just eight years for Nasa to accomplish everything to put astronauts on the moon in July 1969. It is unacceptable, Mr Pence said, that SLS delays and cost overruns point to a 2028 target date nearly two decades after the SLS programme began. The vice president instructed Nasa to aim to land on the moons south pole, where considerable amounts of ice could be used for drinking and making rocket fuel. The US vice president declared: The exploration of the heavens in this still new century will go forward with or without the United States. But Americans dont do second place. Americans lead, and so we will. Planetary scientist Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute, said 2024 is a feasible target provided the accelerated effort is funded properly and commercial space systems are fully embraced. However, former Nasa official Scott Hubbard said the five-year time limit seems awfully short to me, given the lack of national security incentives like the ones that existed during Apollo and the Cold War race to beat the Soviets to the moon. Footage of Pope Francis shunning attempts of people greeting him to kiss his papal ring has gone viral on Twitter, with many debating the tradition, and the potential meaning of the pontiffs apparent reluctance to follow it. The viral clip was from a Mass in Loreto, Italy, on March 25. Full coverage broadcast by Vatican News on March 26 gives a different context, however. It shows the pope standing in a receiving line for about 13 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, the pope is seen letting several dozen people kiss his ring. He then changes his behavior, favoring a more simple greeting. It is unclear why the pope stopped accepting the gesture. Reuters quoted an aide as saying, sometimes he likes it, sometimes he does not. Credit: Vatican News via Storyful France on Monday launched a national campaign to encourage the wine-loving French to cut down on their drinking after a study showed that a quarter of them over-consume. But many still feel that a nice meal cant be enjoyed without a good wine. France has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Europe, with the country trailing behind only Estonia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic in the quantities of alcohol it drinks, according to the World Health Organization. This drinking culture largely attributed to wine, which represents 58 percent of Frances total alcohol consumption on Monday prompted the public health agency and the National Institute of Cancer (INCa) to launch a national campaign, with recommendations for the maximum daily intake of alcohol.For your health, alcohol should be limited to a maximum of two glasses per day, and not every day either, they wrote, a limit that 24 percent of French adults regularly surpass. Alcohol is the second-biggest cause for preventable deaths in France after tobacco, killing some 41,000 people each year.Thats about 10.5 million adults who drink too much. In any case they drink in proportions that increase the risks to their health, including cancers, high blood pressure, cerebral hemorrhage, and cardiovascular diseases, Viet Nguyen-Thanh, head of the public health agencys addition unit, told FRANCE 24.Previously, the daily limit had been set at two glasses per day for women and three glasses per day for men.Nguyen-Thanh said that Frances age-old culture of wine-making is partly to blame.Its part of French history. The fact that France is a wine manufacturer has certainly played a role when it comes to the French and their relationship to wine.Frances historic relationship with alcohol is a complicated one. The first-ever campaign to try to get the French to reduce their alcohol consumption was orchestrated by then-prime minister Pierre Mendes France in the mid-1950s. That campaign encouraged the French to drink less than a litre of alcohol per meal. In 1956, France also banned the serving of alcohol to children under the age of 14 in the school canteens. Prior to that, school children had the right to drink half a litre of wine, cider or beer with their meals. It was only in 1981 that France implemented a total alcohol ban in the countrys schools.Swimming in wineForty-year-old Caroline from Paris, who did not want to give her real name, said that she grew up literally swimming in wine.In my family, our meals together have always been extremely important, and there has always been wine on the table.Like many other French people, she had her first taste of wine when she was around 12, but she didn't develop a real taste for it until she was in her mid-20s. The legal drinking age in France is 18.Wine is so much part of the culture, she said. I remember that we would go and visit wine producers while we were on family vacations, for example. It was a thing, and we would always have good bottles of wine at home.Caroline, who now has three children of her own, said that for the past few years, she has developed the habit of drinking every day.A nice meal just cant be enjoyed without a good wine, she said. Since the start of the year, however, she has limited her daily intake to about two glasses of wine, down from a half-bottle.Ive tried to install alcohol-free days on Mondays and Tuesdays, but when Monday comes around, and youre tired from your day at work and after picking up the kids from school, and its time for dinner, I feel I kind of deserve that glass. Its a way for me to unwind.Give France a breakFrances Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume unleashed a torrent of criticism earlier this year when he suggested that wine isnt like other alcohols and rarely the cause of binge drinking among French youth.Alcohol addiction is a real problem, notably among young people with binge drinking and so on, Guillaume said, blaming the problem rather on hard liquor and mixers.Its a real problem but Ive never seen, to my knowledge unfortunately, perhaps a youngster leaving a nightclub drunk because they drank Cotes-du-Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage or Costieres-de-Nimes.French President Emmanuel Macron similarly found himself in hot water after telling journalists last year that personally, I drink wine at lunch and dinner. He also announced that he had no plans to tighten the laws on alcohol advertising during his presidency, saying that those calling for such should give France a break.As part of the national campaign to reduce alcohol consumption, the public health agency has developed an online alcometre, where users can calculate the potential risks linked to their individual alcohol consumption. France on Monday launched a national campaign to encourage the wine-loving French to cut down on their drinking after a study showed that a quarter of them over-consume. But many still feel that a nice meal cant be enjoyed without a good wine. France has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Europe, with the country trailing behind only Estonia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic in the quantities of alcohol it drinks, according to the World Health Organization. This drinking culture largely attributed to wine, which represents 58 percent of Frances total alcohol consumption on Monday prompted the public health agency and the National Institute of Cancer (INCa) to launch a national campaign, with recommendations for the maximum daily intake of alcohol. For your health, alcohol should be limited to a maximum of two glasses per day, and not every day either, they wrote, a limit that 24 percent of French adults regularly surpass. Alcohol is the second-biggest cause for preventable deaths in France after tobacco, killing some 41,000 people each year. Thats about 10.5 million adults who drink too much. In any case they drink in proportions that increase the risks to their health, including cancers, high blood pressure, cerebral hemorrhage, and cardiovascular diseases, Viet Nguyen-Thanh, head of the public health agencys addition unit, told FRANCE 24. Previously, the daily limit had been set at two glasses per day for women and three glasses per day for men. Nguyen-Thanh said that Frances age-old culture of wine-making is partly to blame. Its part of French history. The fact that France is a wine manufacturer has certainly played a role when it comes to the French and their relationship to wine. Frances historic relationship with alcohol is a complicated one. The first-ever campaign to try to get the French to reduce their alcohol consumption was orchestrated by then-prime minister Pierre Mendes France in the mid-1950s. That campaign encouraged the French to drink less than a litre of alcohol per meal. Story continues In 1956, France also banned the serving of alcohol to children under the age of 14 in the school canteens. Prior to that, school children had the right to drink half a litre of wine, cider or beer with their meals. It was only in 1981 that France implemented a total alcohol ban in the countrys schools. Swimming in wine Forty-year-old Caroline from Paris, who did not want to give her real name, said that she grew up literally swimming in wine. In my family, our meals together have always been extremely important, and there has always been wine on the table. Like many other French people, she had her first taste of wine when she was around 12, but she didn't develop a real taste for it until she was in her mid-20s. The legal drinking age in France is 18. Wine is so much part of the culture, she said. I remember that we would go and visit wine producers while we were on family vacations, for example. It was a thing, and we would always have good bottles of wine at home. Caroline, who now has three children of her own, said that for the past few years, she has developed the habit of drinking every day. A nice meal just cant be enjoyed without a good wine, she said. Since the start of the year, however, she has limited her daily intake to about two glasses of wine, down from a half-bottle. Ive tried to install alcohol-free days on Mondays and Tuesdays, but when Monday comes around, and youre tired from your day at work and after picking up the kids from school, and its time for dinner, I feel I kind of deserve that glass. Its a way for me to unwind. Give France a break Frances Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume unleashed a torrent of criticism earlier this year when he suggested that wine isnt like other alcohols and rarely the cause of binge drinking among French youth. Alcohol addiction is a real problem, notably among young people with binge drinking and so on, Guillaume said, blaming the problem rather on hard liquor and mixers. Its a real problem but Ive never seen, to my knowledge unfortunately, perhaps a youngster leaving a nightclub drunk because they drank Cotes-du-Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage or Costieres-de-Nimes. French President Emmanuel Macron similarly found himself in hot water after telling journalists last year that personally, I drink wine at lunch and dinner. He also announced that he had no plans to tighten the laws on alcohol advertising during his presidency, saying that those calling for such should give France a break. As part of the national campaign to reduce alcohol consumption, the public health agency has developed an online alcometre, where users can calculate the potential risks linked to their individual alcohol consumption. A group representing ethnic Roma called on French authorities for protection on Wednesday after several communities were targeted by vigilante attacks sparked by rumours of attempted ... We are calling today on the interior ministry [...] for immediate protection by way of round-the-clock police presence, Anina Ciuciu, a lawyer and spokesperson for The Voice of Roma group, told French media.She blamed the rumours on a revival of the medieval stereotype of Roma in which gypsies are likened to thieves and child-catchers.After rumours spread on social media, some 50 people armed with sticks and knives set upon a shantytown home to some 150 Roma from Romania in the Paris suburb of Bobigny on Monday evening, setting fire to parked vans.Roma people were also reportedly chased in the nearby suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, seeking refuge in a supermarket.Police arrested 20 people on Tuesday, in response to the attacks.On Wednesday, eleven people remained in custody, with three to appear in court to face charges of voluntary aggression. A minor was to appear in a juvenile court.Rumours spread on social mediaPrior to the attacks, false rumours spread on the messaging application Snapchat and social network Facebook via posts in which users claimed children or family members had been approached or abducted by strangers driving a white van.Police said there were no reports of kidnappings and urged not to rely the claims, reminding users that under French law, spreading a false rumour could be punished with fives of 45,000 to 135,000 euros.Such rumours have been surfacing for months, with police in Versailles west of Paris issuing a warning in December and a gang in Colombes attacking two people earlier this month.Government spokesperson Benjamin Griveaux said the attacks showed the absolute need to fight fake news.Spreading such rumours in a highly organised and viral way on social media results in violence [and] the stigmatisation of a community, he said. A group representing ethnic Roma called on French authorities for protection on Wednesday after several communities were targeted by vigilante attacks sparked by rumours of attempted ... We are calling today on the interior ministry [...] for immediate protection by way of round-the-clock police presence, Anina Ciuciu, a lawyer and spokesperson for The Voice of Roma group, told French media. She blamed the rumours on a revival of the medieval stereotype of Roma in which gypsies are likened to thieves and child-catchers. After rumours spread on social media, some 50 people armed with sticks and knives set upon a shantytown home to some 150 Roma from Romania in the Paris suburb of Bobigny on Monday evening, setting fire to parked vans. Roma people were also reportedly chased in the nearby suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, seeking refuge in a supermarket. Police arrested 20 people on Tuesday, in response to the attacks. On Wednesday, eleven people remained in custody, with three to appear in court to face charges of voluntary aggression. A minor was to appear in a juvenile court. Rumours spread on social media Prior to the attacks, false rumours spread on the messaging application Snapchat and social network Facebook via posts in which users claimed children or family members had been approached or abducted by strangers driving a white van. Police said there were no reports of kidnappings and urged not to rely the claims, reminding users that under French law, spreading a false rumour could be punished with fives of 45,000 to 135,000 euros. Such rumours have been surfacing for months, with police in Versailles west of Paris issuing a warning in December and a gang in Colombes attacking two people earlier this month. Government spokesperson Benjamin Griveaux said the attacks showed the absolute need to fight fake news. Spreading such rumours in a highly organised and viral way on social media results in violence [and] the stigmatisation of a community, he said. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Trump sees Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu off from the White House in Washington FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold up a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights as Netanyahu exits the White House from the West Wing in Washington, U.S. March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo By Maher Chmaytelli DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights united Washington's Gulf Arab allies and regional foe Iran in condemnation on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait criticised Monday's move to recognise Israel's 1981 annexation and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi said it was an impediment to peace. Iran echoed the comments, describing Trump's decision as unprecedented this century. "No one could imagine that a person in America comes and gives land of a nation to another occupying country, against international laws and conventions," President Hassan Rouhani was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. Trump, with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking over his shoulder during a visit to Washington, signed a proclamation on Monday officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed it in 1981, in a move the U.N. Security Council declared unlawful. "It will have significant negative effects on the peace process in the Middle East and the security and stability of the region," said a statement on Saudi state news agency SPA. It described the declaration as a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and of international law. Trump's special adviser Jared Kushner visited the Gulf Arab region last month to seek support on the economic portion of a long-awaited peace proposal for the Middle East. Gulf Arab states host U.S. troops and are important for Washington's regional defence policy. Qatar, which has been at loggerheads with other Gulf states over its policies, joined them in rejecting Trump's move and called on Israel to end its occupation of the Golan Heights and comply with international resolutions. Story continues Lebanon said the decision contravened international law. "The world is witnessing a black day," Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Twitter during a visit to Russia (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London, Mohamed El-Sherif in Cairo, Ghaida Ghantous in Beirut, Writing by Sylvia Westall, Editing by William Maclean and Ed Osmond) By Catarina Demony LISBON (Reuters) - Hundreds of firefighters were battling a cluster of wildfires in northern Portugal on Tuesday, with strong winds and unexpected high temperatures making it tougher for authorities to put out the flames. With no rain in sight and temperatures above usual for this time of year, reaching 28 degrees Celsius in some regions on Monday, Portugal has been on high alert for wildfires since the beginning of the week. The weather conditions resemble those that caused a devastating wildfire in the central town of Pedrogao Grande in June 2017, killing 64 people and injuring more than 250. The fire was the worst disaster in modern Portuguese history. Usually, crews are on alert for wildfires from May but on Tuesday evening there were already eight active fires across the country, mostly in the north. The fires have flared earlier as temperatures have risen. The most aggressive wildfire has been raging in the municipality of Oliveira de Azemeis since the early hours, with 450 firefighters on the ground battling four active fronts. "We have a very serious problem to solve because the fire has got a new front as a result of strong winds," said Joaquim Ferreira, head of the local Civil Protection department, quoted by Portuguese news agency Lusa. "The fire is becoming very large and intense." Firefighters will work overnight to try to extinguish the wildfire but strong winds are likely to hinder the operation. The temperature in the northern river city of Porto, near the coast, but not far from the fire, was around 20C on Tuesday, compared with a March average of 12C. "This meteorological scenario means an increase in the fire risk index from Monday until Wednesday with favourable conditions for the rapid spread of fires throughout the mainland, with high to very high levels," the Civil Protection said on its website. In the district of Esposende, also in northern Portugal, a wildfire on Tuesday forced authorities to evacuate two schools due to high levels of smoke. Two main roads in the district were also shut. Story continues Around 75 firefighters battled the wildfire in Esposense, which started on Tuesday morning, but has since been put out. A fire in Vila Nova de Gaia, near Porto, edged close to people's homes, but that was brought under control. (Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Axel Bugge and Alison Williams) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday the United States was responding positively to Taipei's requests for new arms sales to bolster its defences in the face of growing pressure from China. Speaking during a stopover in Hawaii at the end of a Pacific tour, Tsai told Washington's Heritage Foundation think tank via videolink that Taiwan had submitted new requests to the United States for M-1 Abrams tanks and F-16B fighter jets. These, she said, "would greatly enhance our land and air capabilities, strengthen military morale and show to the world the U.S. commitment to Taiwans defence." The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help provide it with the means to defend itself and is its main source of arms. On Sunday, Washington sent Navy and Coast Guard ships through the narrow strait separating the island from the mainland, part of an increase in the frequency of U.S. movement through the strategic waterway to show support for Taipei. Tsai said mounting pressure from China for Taiwan to accept a "one country, two systems model" and its attempts to alter the cross-straits status quo underscored the need for Taiwan to "increase our self defence and deterrence capabilities." "Fortunately ... Taiwan does not stand alone," she said. "The United States' commitment to Taiwan is stronger than ever." Tsai said she felt the process of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan had become less politicized, adding: "We are able to have frank discussions with the U.S. on the right equipment for Taiwans defence and the U.S. is responding positively to our request." She said big-ticket defence items would be managed though a special budget and Taiwan's regular defence budget would "increase based on challenges coming across the strait." Tsai's Pacific tour has come amid heightened tension between Taipei and Beijing, which has stepped up diplomatic and military pressure to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan. Story continues China suspects Tsai and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party of pushing for the island's formal independence. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in January that Beijing reserved the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control, but would strive to achieve peaceful "reunification." PRESSURE Beijing has regularly sent military aircraft and ships to circle the island on drills in the past few years and has heaped pressure on Taiwan internationally, including whittling by down its few remaining diplomatic allies. Tsai stressed that Taiwan sought positive relations with Beijing, but China needed to talk without preconditions. She said developments in Hong Kong were not encouraging. "One country, two systems will become just one country," she said. "The two systems do not seem to be respected that much. So I think the experience of Hong Kong teaches the Taiwanese a lot." Tsai said earlier this month that Taiwan has sent a request to the United States to buy an unspecified number of F-16s, a move that could add another irritant to Beijing-Washington ties. Last week, U.S. China hawk Peter Navarro, director of the White House's Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, wrote in the New York Times that Taiwan may soon buy 108 M-1 tanks. Tsai, who faces re-election in January, has repeatedly called for international support to defend Taiwan's democracy in the face of China's renewed threats. Her Hawaii stopover, a customary practice for Taiwanese presidents, has drawn criticism from Beijing. This week, Republican and Democratic U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation seeking to boost Taiwan ties, which among other things would direct the Pentagon to make efforts to include Taiwan in military training exercises and expresses congressional support for regular U.S. arms sales. Tsai visited three diplomatic allies in the Pacific, part of an effort to prevent Taiwan's 17 remaining allies from switching allegiance to China. Four of the six Pacific island nations aligned with Taiwan have elections this year. On Monday, Nauru's parliament passed a resolution supporting Taiwan's democracy and opposing Beijing's "one-China" policy after Tsai made a speech there. She also visited Palau and the Marshall Islands during her eight-day trip in which she offered support to the agriculture sectors of the island nations. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Editing by James Dalgleish) The duke will represent the Queen on the trip which will take place in late April. The Duke of Cambridge is to visit New Zealand on behalf of the Queen to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack. The trip in late April will be made at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand. William will meet with those affected by the attack and pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that the people of New Zealand have displayed in recent weeks, Kensington Palace said. The duke visited New Zealand following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011, and William and the Duchess of Cambridge carried out a tour of New Zealand in 2014, taking nine-month-old Prince George with them. The Duke of Cambridge will visit New Zealand on behalf of The Queen to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack. The visit in late April will be made at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/rFPlDo8dmJ Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 27, 2019 The monarch, who is Queen of New Zealand, and other senior royals sent heartfelt messages of condolence following the shootings at two mosques. The Queen said she and the Duke and Edinburgh had been saddened by the appalling events which left 50 people dead. The Prince of Wales showed solidarity with New Zealanders, saying: This appalling atrocity is an assault on all of us who cherish religious freedom, tolerance, compassion and community. And in a joint message, William, Kate and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: We have all been fortunate to spend time in Christchurch and have felt the warm, open-hearted and generous spirit that is core to its remarkable people. No person should ever have to fear attending a sacred place of worship. Harry and heavily-pregnant Meghan told New Zealanders we are with you as they signed a book of condolence at New Zealand House in London last week. The programme and exact date of Williams visit will be announced in due course, Kensington Palace said. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on April 5. Photo credit: Karwai Tang - Getty Images From Good Housekeeping Former Strictly Come Dancing star Gemma Atkinson has brushed off the "pregnancy police" after completing an emotional mountain hike. The actress and her partner professional dancer Gorka Marquez announced that they were expecting their first child together in February. Gemma recently posted a picture of herself having just climbed Mount Teide in Spain, and was quick to silence any of her social media followers who might disapprove of her actions while expecting. The former Emmerdale star explained that the hike which held a special significance for Gemma involved different forms of transport and wasn't an uphill walk, reassuring fans that they have nothing to worry about. "Last week me and Gorks climbed Mount Teide (it's a drive, cable car and flat walk before the pregnancy police start on me) I haven't been here since my dad passed away," she wrote. "We used to come every year and do the hike so it was bitter sweet, but I know he somehow helped drag me up there." Photo credit: @gorka_marquez - Instagram Gemma announced that she was pregnant last month by posting an adorable picture of her dogs, saying that they will be "amazing big brothers" to the baby. The pair met and ultimately became an item when Gemma was partnered up with Gorka's pal, Strictly pro Aljaz Skorjanec, on the BBC show in 2017, and have been sharing details about their romantic relationship on social media ever since. In December last year, the couple moved in together in Manchester, with Gemma promising that she would teach her other half the Mancunian lingo. Story continues For advice on exercising during pregnancy, visit the NHS website. ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: kelvinjay - Getty Images From Prima When it comes to living in an environment that makes us happy, Winchester is the place to be. The historic Hampshire city has topped the Royal Mail UK Happiness Index, which has identified the happiest places across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales from a survey carried out earlier in 2019. The research measured eight factors linked to happiness: reported personal well-being life expectancy earnings inequality carbon emissions crime deprivation access to health services The high score of Winchester, which offers both city life and proximity to the surrounding countryside, was largely driven by the local authoritys high earnings, a high reported sense of well-being from residents and low levels of deprivation. But it wasn't the only area in the south east to perform well. Photo credit: Photography Aubrey Stoll - Getty Images Five other local authorities from the region ranked in the top ten, with Babergh, a rural area in Suffolk, placed in second thanks to its low carbon emissions and good access to health services. In Scotland, East Renfrewshire topped the list. The council area scores in the 90th percentile across all local authorities in the UK for earnings, pushing it up amongst local authorities in the country. Photo credit: Charles Hawes - Getty Images Monmouthshire took first place in Wales, with the highest life expectancy, earnings and low levels of crime and deprivation. In Ireland, all top five local authorities were found to have a 'very similar overall index'. The outer suburbs of Belfast, Lisburn and Castlereagh were named the most cheerful, thanks to low level of carbon emissions and good access to health services. See the full rankings from the Royal Mail's UK index below: England Winchester Babergh Rushcliffe Chiltern Ribble Valley Waverley Forest Heath Surrey Heath Elmbridge Epsom and Ewell Scotland East Renfrewshire East Dunbartonshire Aberdeenshire Stirling Scottish Borders Midlothian East Lothian Highland South Ayrshire Shetland Islands Wales Monmouthshire Vale of Glamorgan Ceredigion Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire Bridgend Neath Port Talbot Cardiff Torfaen Powys Northern Ireland Story continues Lisburn and Castlereagh Newry, Mourne and Down Causeway Coast and Glens Ards and North Down Mid Ulster ('You Might Also Like',) Huawei rotating Chairman Eric Xu (Yahoo Finance Canada) SHENZHEN, CHINA Huawei Technologies Co. says the ongoing effort by the United States to convince other countries to ban it from participating in the deployment of 5G is not based on facts, but that the company will not waste resources trying to change the governments mind. Speaking to four Canadian reporters during a roundtable at the Chinese technology giants headquarters in Shenzhen, China on Tuesday, Eric Xu, one of the companys three rotating chairman, fired back at the United States government, saying its decision to ban the company is not evidence-based and that U.S. officials may not fully understand the threat of cyber security. Whats going on is not based on facts and evidence at all. It is attacking Huawei from a political perspective, Xu said through a translator during the wide-ranging roundtable discussion, which lasted more than 90 minutes. In that case, it is not possible for us to gain that trust back, and we dont not have this expectation on our part. Therefore, I would say it is a waste of our resources if we spend time and effort working on that. The rotating chairmans statement comes as the U.S. government continues its campaign to convince countries around the world to join them and ban the use of the Chinese telecommunication companys technology in the deployment of 5G wireless networks. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that the U.S. would not be able to share information with countries using Huawei technology, citing to cyber security risks. So far, the sustained pressure from the U.S. has been met with resistance around the world. According to a Reuters report citing four people familiar with the matter, the European Commission will ignore U.S. calls to ban Huawei when it introduces a recommendation related to 5G networks this week. Subscribe today On Tuesday, Xu pointed to Germanys approach to 5G technology as a fair one that manages to address cyber security concerns while maintaining a level playing field. (Germany opted to not explicitly ban Huawei from participating in its deployment of 5G technology.) Story continues We think concerns around cyber security, real concerns about cyber security, are legitimate Singling out Huawei in this case will not address cyber security concerns, Xu said. I would doubt whether those government officials in the United States who have been lobbying around truly understand or can figure out what does cyber security really mean. I think its quite challenging for them. Huawei has also been at the heart of strained relationships between Canada and China since the companys chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in December on behalf of U.S. authorities for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. With Canada and China relations deteriorated, and Huaweis reputation in North America suffering, the telecommunications company has tried to improve its image by inviting journalists to its headquarters in China to interview key executives who have been notoriously reclusive in the past. Tuesdays interview touched upon a range of topics, including Meng Wanzhous arrest, the Chinese governments potential interference in company operations, and Huaweis various partnerships with telecommunications companies and universities in Canada. Xu said that, like the companys founder Ren Zhenfei, he sees Canada, Huawei and China as victims in this situation. When asked about why Huawei should be trusted, given the charges against the company and ongoing warnings from the U.S., Xu reiterated that decisions related to cyber security should be based on facts. Trust is something that develops and evolves, as society and as the world develops. But trust must be based on evidence and facts, Xu said. It should not be based on suspicions, assumptions, or the identity of the country or region of any company. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Us was released in UK theatres on Friday, and fans are already discussing the terrifying film from Get Out director Jordan Peele. The story follows a holidaying family as they are faced with their evil twins doppelganger versions of themselves who dress in identical red jumpsuits and first appear by standing silently in the family's driveway before terrorising their counterparts, who have no choice but to fight back. The film has been a huge hit with viewers, but many people were left scratching their heads at the ending. Warning spoilers for the ending of Us are ahead, along with a full explanation of just what it all meant us-little-girl The ending of Us saw the main character, Lupita Nyong'o's Adelaide, follow the shadow version of herself into an underground lair in order to rescue her son, Jason. During an exchange between the pair, we learn that Adelaide's shadow, Red, and she indeed met when she was a young girl. However, it is then revealed that the shadow-version actually attacked the human-version of Adelaide and chained her in the underground lair where the 'Tethered' live, while taking her place in the real world. As such, the hero we had been following throughout the film was actually one of the Tethered herself, and Red had been the real version of them both all along. us-jason The final scene of the horror shows Adelaide's son, Jason, look at his mother before placing his mask back over himself, strongly hinting that he has learned the truth about her after hearing her murder Red in the underground lair. Fans were delighted with the twist, with one writing: "The plot twist at the end still got me questioning life," while another added: "Movie was amazing!! Great follow up film!! Movie not for the weak minded. Great Horror movie with good twist! Def will have you on the edge of your seat!" Loading the player... READ: Stranger Things season three trailer is FINALLY here watch! Other fans admitted that they saw the surprise ending coming and indeed, there are plenty of hints throughout the film that Adelaide might not be quite as she seems. The most obvious was from a flashback during a therapy session from when she was a little girl, where she overhears her mother crying and saying she just wants her little girl back. Of course, she couldn't have known that her daughter had been taken away and replaced with a changeling who didn't know how to speak properly or act in the real world. It was also hinted when Red was the only member of the Tethered who could actually speak, even though her voice was rusty from lack of use over the years. In another scene, eagle-eyed viewers were quick to spot that Adelaide struggled to click along to the rhythm of a song, hinting that something might not be quite right with her character. READ: The first look at Outlander season five is here! Since moving to Paris, my style has evolved. Ive grown older and wiser in the past six years, but Ive also been exposed to what I consider (sorry, London) to be a more discerning taste level. Stylerather than trendsis more of a way of life here, probably owing to the fact that its also home to the worlds oldest and largest fashion houses. As Coco Chanel once said, Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening, and this certainly rings true in Paris. Fortunately, thanks to friends, Instagram, the streets of Paris and fashion weeks, Im now privy to a plethora of new French brands I cant wait to get my mitts on each season. Naturally, there are always a few that stand out a little more than others, and Id like to share the creme de la creme with you today. So here are the top French brands I expect to see the Parisian fashion pack reaching for in 2019myself included! 1. ROWEN ROSE On Marissa Cox: Rowen Rose Art Deco Dress (1848); Topshop Strippy Heeled Sandals (45); Maria Black earrings At only 22, Parisian-born Emma Rowen Rose has managed to adorn herself with the kind of astute sense of style and sophistication that would take most women years to defineand its reflected in her eponymous brand. Shes created a collection of elegant dresses, two-pieces and coats that have already become popular with street style regulars. With her finger firmly on the pulse, her pieces come in an array of bright 90s-inspired jewel tones and silhouettes with exaggerated shoulders, puffed sleeves and draped fabric. And even if the colours are perhaps a little brash for some Parisiennes, the trousers, for example, work perfectly with a cream knit, as do her other colourful separates. Rowen Rose Art Deco Dress (1848) Rowen Rose Tiered Art Deco Silk Dress (2022) Rowen Rose Draped Feather-Trimmed Art Deco Crepe Dress (2106) Story continues 2. JACQUEMUS On Marissa Cox: Jacquemus bag and shoes; Vince dress and jumper; Alighieri necklace Unless youve been living under a rock, you surely will have heard of Jacquemus. Motivated by the untimely death of his mother, Simon Porte Jacquemus launched his label nine years ago when he was just 20. It has become one of the most interesting, artistic and commercially viable brands to have come out of France in the past decade, with a legion of both celebrity and high profile fashion insiders being known super-fans. So much so that it feels wrong to write about French brands without mentioning Jacquemus, even if its not exactly new. For S/S 19, he has given a new lease of life to the iconic French basket bag by rendering it in a raffia-fringed twist and altering the silhouettes ever so slightly. Expect to see these pieces all over Instagram come summer. Jacquemus Le Baci Woven Basket Bag (438) Jacquemus Capri Heels (545) Jacquemus Le Chapeau Riviera (158) 3. ROUJE On Marissa Cox: Rouje top, jeans and sandals; Jacquemus bag It seems apt to follow Jacquemus with Rouje, the brand created by Pariss modern-day Jane Birkin and French It girl, Jeanne Damas, as Simon and Jeanne are best friends. When I think of the archetypal Parisian of today, Damas immediately springs to mind, so its no surprise Rouje has become synonymous with French style. Elegant with just the right amount of sex appeal, Rouje perfectly inhabits the effortless, je ne sais quoi Parisian attitude were all trying to master. Wear Rouje and you immediately feel like a French girl. I love this seasons updated colour palette of creams, lilacs, greens and peach. Whats more is that Damas creates highly wearable, everyday pieces that look great on everyone. Rouje Gegene Vest (117) Rouje Bastille Jean (113) Rouje Liz Sandals (191) 4. ELLEME On Marissa Cox: Tibi jacket; Elleme bag; Citizens of Humanity Charlotte Jeans (203); Vince cardigan; Le Specs Outta Love Sunglasses (40) If you follow the big names in fashion on Instagram (think Caro Daur, Linda Tol and Xenia Overdose), you might have noticed a very chic shearling bag popping up on their feeds these past few months. Ellemes Baozi bag has been worn by almost anyone whos anyone. The brand was born in Paris to a Canadian-Chinese couple who have made the French capital their home. They opened their first store in the heart of Le Marais, and the name even derives from the third person conjugation of aimer (elle aime means she loves). You cant get more French than that! I particularly love the brands leather-trimmed raffia update for spring, which looks just as good with jeans as it will with slip dresses when the temperature rises. Elleme Raisin Bag (338) Elleme Baozi Jute (295) Elleme Knot Bag (295) 5. OTHER NEW FRENCH BRANDS TO NOTE On Marissa Cox: Rowen Rose trousers; Arket jumper; Topshop Strippy Heeled Sandals (45) Okay, so I found it tough to whittle it down to just four key brands, and I have a few more notable names Im keen to see and wear more this year. The first one is Coperni, which was launched (and re-launched) by former Courreges creative directors Sebastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant. The two cleverly harnessed Instagram to create a game for their launch during fashion week called #copernizemylife. Keep an eye on their thong sandals. Also, Marine Serre: She cut her teeth at Balenciaga and won the LVMH Prize in 2017. Oh, and she launched her second collection last season to rave reviews from the entire industry. She harks back to her former tennis-playing days by using technical and sportswear fabrics to create futuristic yet elegant pieces. SHOP MORE PICKS FROM LESSER-KNOWN FRENCH BRANDS The Frankie Shop Straight Cut Mandarin Collar Sand Dress (182) Stee Neo Bag (589) Michel Vivien Square Sandals (445) Marine Serre Crescent Moon-Print Long-Sleeved T-Shirt (175) Medecine Douce Samos Earrings (160) La Redoute Cotton Chunky Knit Buttoned Cardigan (45) Sezane Jude Trousers (90) Amelie Pichard BB Mules (221) Musier Paris Victoria Skirt (95) Dont forget to keep up with Marissas latest looks and news at @ruerodier. Read More from Who What Wear A close up of the grenade from the Schiedam, a ship captured by pirates and in turn the Royal Navy but sank in the late 1680s off the Cornish coast. (SWNS) A walker has uncovered his own piece of pirate treasure after a relic from a shipwreck washed up at low tide. The Schiedam was a former merchant ship which was captured by pirates, and later sank off the Cornish coast in storm in 1684. She sank at Dollar Cove, a cove near Helston, Cornwall, and the spot where the wreckage came to rest has recently being exposed by a freak low tide. Robert Felce went out to the scene and to his shock he found a grenade from the shipwreck. After more than 330 years in the sea, the grenade was embedded inside an encrusted mass of sediment and pebbles, which are attracted to metal objects in seawater. Robert Felce discovered a grenade from the Schiedam, a ship captured by pirates and in turn the Royal Navy but sank in the late 1680s off the Cornish coast. (SWNS) Robert, from Mullion, Cornwall, knew what to look for as in previous years he has found two similar grenades from the same wreck. He said: I found my third grenade on Dollar Cove at low tide. The tide had an influence on the find in that that week was some of the lowest spring tides of the year and it is possible to get out that bit further to examine areas not usually visible. The storms and winds have brought lots of changes to Dollar Cove with there being far more rock than sand there now. Read more from Yahoo News UK: New device could force cars in the EU could be forced to stick to speed limits Jack Shepherd to return to UK to fight conviction Millionaires son kills friend in McLaren supercar crash The Schiedam was a former Dutch merchant ship. She was captured by Barbary pirates in 1683 and then seized by the British. The Schiedam was then used as a transport ship by the Royal Navy and was packed with arms and ammunition from a failed British colony in Morocco. Split up from the convoy returning home, she found herself trapped in Mounts Bay and ran aground during a storm on April 4, 1684. Last November David Gibbins, of Cornwall Maritime Archaeology, shared stunning pictures and video of the wreck site. The site was rediscovered by David and his colleague Mark Milburn two years ago but this is the first time the site has been so extensively revealed. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK 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. There is always a market for biographies by Celebrities. When the author happens to be none other than former First Lady Michelle Obama, such a Book will always be in demand. That is what prompted Penguin Random House to secure the contract for Becoming. The book is the biography of a woman who came from humble beginnings and went on to occupy a place of honor in the White House as First Lady. It released in 31 languages simultaneously in mid-November last year and has set a record with the sale of books going beyond the 10m mark. It can claim to be the most successful memoir in modern publishing history. The Guardian reports that after leaving the White House, the Obamas have been busy. They struck a deal for penning their memoirs with a reputable publishing house and Michelle already has hers published. The Obamas have also made a deal with Netflix to produce TV series and films. Barack Obama was the US President for two terms and has plenty to share with his fans who will now be waiting for his memoir. He was an international leader and will have plenty of topics to write about. Michelle Obama's memoir sells more than 10m copies https://t.co/SmZ5innvHR The Guardian (@guardian) March 26, 2019 Michelle Obama and her book tours In order to promote her book, Michelle Obama undertook global tours. That helped her reach out to her readers and interact with them at a personal level. One of her first such tours abroad was in December to the Royal Festival Hall in London. The event's tickets sold out in minutes. She will return on April 14 to the same city and the venue will be at The O2. This has a capacity of 20,000 and usually hosts concerts by global pop stars. She has also toured other countries in Europe apart from the US and Canada. Discuss this news on Eunomia Michelle Obamas memoirs on track to be most successful ever https://t.co/RViO6wH7wA Financial Times (@FT) March 26, 2019 Becoming is undoubtedly a modern-day bestseller, but will have to wait to compete with the lifetime performance of "The Diary of Anne Frank." The Guardian says it was a book published the 1950s and is estimated to have sold more than three times more copies compared to Michelles book. What the book is about According to BBC, Penguin Random House published Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming. It is on its way to make history as the most popular autobiography to date. The book narrates her personal experiences at different stages in her life and covers her childhood days, her work, her motherhood, bringing up the children and the time she spent in The White House. The book has a universal appeal because it depicts life as she saw it from close quarters, including experiencing a miscarriage and going in for in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive her children. One morning last April, hundreds of fliers appeared around campus, posted at eye-level for students to see them. At bus stops, on the walls of classrooms, and in bathroom stalls, an ominous drawing of campus was visible with a simple call to action on top: Solve the VT Hunt. Claim its prize. In 2018, two students banded together in secret to craft a series of elaborate puzzles, each one building on the last. The students created a total of 13 puzzles woven throughout Virginia Techs campus. They challenged students to complete the first VT Hunt, and ultimately, hundreds of students answered the call. Only a few finished, receiving a small trophy and esteem from the creators. Now, after another year of preparation, the hunt is returning in early April. But the date is a surprise. VT Hunt was imagined by Jamie Simon 18, an alumnus of the College of Engineering. As a senior, I had felt like it was something Virginia Tech needed, said Simon. It seemed like there was a niche for it. There are a lot of engineers and problem-solvers, but there werent enough random challenges built into campus. Simon and a friend spent a few months designing the hunt. They hid boxes around campus, put clues in obscure places, such as underneath lamp posts, and even partnered with professors. The puzzles culminated on the small island in the middle of the Duck Pond. Students took upward of three weeks to complete the first hunt. Examples of the hunt riddles included a glow-in-the-dark puzzle in a drainage tunnel, a message depicted in sign language, and a clue that could be given only after Roger Chang, an instructor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, received 25 cans of donations to a food bank. This year, a secret team of seven riddle designers have created a hunt meant to last at least a month. More than a dozen puzzles are planned, such as riddles involving robots. This is something that adds spice to campus, said Simon. Last year, two people did everything, but it affected hundreds. It makes peoples lives more interesting. Want to join the hunt? Look out for campus fliers announcing the start date. Written by Brendan Coffey We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit LAKELAND, Fla. On November 2, 2018, The Working Artists Studio Gallery unveiled a the Un-Murals project which aimed to to promote quality works of Street Art in Lakeland and enhance the value of three urban areas, Downtown, Midtown and Dixieland. The project was funded by the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency, the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, the Citrus Connection (the mass transit service), and a number of private individual and corporate donors. Overall, 65 works of art were created by 43 professional artists and 22 student or emerging artists from the local area. The artwork was installed as tapestries in the target urban areas and the exhibit is expected to run through January 2020. That is, the remaining exhibit will run through January 2020 because one image has been removed after complaints it was satanic. The artwork taken down from the project is a seven-by-nine foot (~2.5m by ~3m) painting called The Fall of Dionysus by artist Aaron Corbitt. The artwork was part of a series of five paintings depicting different Greek deities including Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. The full series had been installed at the south side of a building at 401 S. Florida Avenue in the Downtown section of Lakeland. Google captured the painting in December 2018. The artwork faced a parking lot. Despite its discrete placement it still attracted the attention of a concerned citizen, and ultimately Mayor Bill Mutz according to Kevin Cook, Director of communications for the City of Lakeland. The Lakeland Ledger reported that Lakeland resident Joel Vann criticized the image in a Facebook post, The best I could interpret from looking at it, was that it seemed confusing, dark and satanic like to me, Vann wrote in response to Corbitts Facebook post. In my opinion, you have many great pieces that are suitable for a public space however this particular piece is too subjective [and] made for a gallery, not the busiest street in Lakeland. Subsequently Corbitt reported on March 23, 2019 on his Facebook site that the painting had been removed. He wrote It is with a heavy heart that Ive discovered my tapestry painting the fall of Dionysus must be taken down due to complaints that it is satanic. I would like to publicly apologize for anyone who is offended by this piece, and also to state that never in my career would I intentionally insult or offend a religion or culture with my artwork. Corbitt described that the painting was far from satanic. Rather, he said This painting was forged from love. The intention behind the painting was a depiction of his personal struggle with alcohol abuse. My intentions for this painting were strictly personal, dealing only with my abuse with alcohol that led me to a downward spiral that almost cost me everything, my friends, my family, my beautiful dear wife, and ultimately my own life. Corbitt added his understanding of the modern issues inferred from the myths around Dionysus. He suggests that, In todays society the Dionysus myth is illuminated as manly, tough, courageous, but alcohol abuse is anything but that. This painting was salvation for me, the emotional impact was almost devastating to relive all the horror Ive put myself and others through. Corbitts apology was met with quick responses of support on Facebook. Followers of the post condemned censorship and noted that he need not apologize for his artwork. Mutliple individuals wrote versions of NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR A PIECE OF ART. Corbitt was also praised for his vision and his work against his personal demons. Even local clergy chimed in as shocked at the decision. One pastor of a Christian congregation, Mr. Timothy Sizemore, wrote, Good grief! I am a pastor of a Christian congregation in Lakeland, Florida and this artwork looks fantastic. And now that I understand the story behind it I find it more impressive. In moments like these, I am embarrassed to identify as Christian. If you ever want to come to our church to display your art and talk about how you channelled [sic] your life experience into your art, feel free to contact me at Beacon Hill Fellowship. Corbitt added that, Anger cannot cleanse anger, or ignorance and says he was also concerned that leaving the image up would result in vandalism. It was a choice between leaving it up and waiting for it to get vann-dalized [sic], as was threatened by the detractors, or hang it somewhere else. I am a full time artist, gotta pick and choose my battles carefully! Although the tapestry was removed, it is not homeless. It is owned by Mr. David Collins of The Working Artist Studio/Gallery, the organization that sponsored the Un-Murals project. Bringing you the news is expensive. We invite you to join our Sustainers Circle at a level comfortable for you. Every bit helps. Oblique Land, designed by Salon Alper Derinbogaz, is an imaginative set of mobile structures accompanying and facilitating a theatrical performance. The design is a part of the performance titled Let the Right One In", which is currently displayed at the Zorlu PSM in Turkey. Alper Derinbogaz is lead designer of Oblique Land, and founded the practice based on a co-creative state of mind. The name of the practice is with reference to the French term 'Salon', meaning a gathering space for emerging ideas and criticism. Alper Derinbogaz is a member of World Architecture Community. Play and Script "Let the Right One In" is a theatrical adaptation that is based on a book by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Lindqvists story was adapted to cinema by the director Tomas Alfredson who takes the story not like a vampire horror but rather puts emphasis on the relationships, emotions and weaknesses of the main characters, Oskar and Ellie. Image courtesy of Salon Alper Derinbogaz. We were excited to receive an invitation from the DOT Theater team for designing the stage of Let the Right One In play, the theatrical adaptation of Jack Throne. As soon as we read the script, the idea of creating a dialogue between the space and performance emerged. Within the given limits of the stage we were free to reinterpret the architecture of the play," says Salon Alper Derinbogaz, describing their project. In the story, the main characters Oskar, a 12-year-old school boy, and Ellie, a young girl become friends. Ellie has recently moved into the town with a man who we think is her father or a lover who has grown old while she remains being young. We find out that this man helps Ellie for her constant needs. The Concept-Topography As A Storyteller "We approached this performative challenge as an architectural production that explores its own context. The dimension of the stage, the view and the placement of the audience were the parameters that guided the design process. We pushed the limits of the spatial borders and redefined the expansion of the stage," says Salon Alper Derinbogaz. Image courtesy of Salon Alper Derinbogaz. When the three modular parts of the topography unify, Oblique Land provides a smooth arrival until the peak point. These are the special moments that also imply the times when Oskar and Ellie complete each other. Image Orhan Koluksa "The steel structure transforms itself into a topography that represents not only the different spatial experiences but also the emotions and the differences of the play characters. Oblique Land is not only a stage design but rather an architectural experience that works both in horizontal and vertical spatial dimensions. The topography is in flux," says Alper Derinbogaz. Structural Design The design intends to reinterpret the theater's stagnant stage repertoire and to articulate it as a dynamic landscape rather than a background. Oblique Land is a dynamic landscape and consists of 19 different modules. These modules standing on a mesh structure, reinforced with bolted joints can be interconnected and separated from scene to scene according to the specific moments of the play. The direction of Murat Daltaban was based on the flexibility that has been possible with this modulation as well as its exploration. Daltaban used the inclined surfaces for various type of spatial narration, such as a frozen pond, a facade or interiors in order to strengthen the feeling of the space at certain moments. Therefore the structure and the narration have an intimate contact throughout the play, beyond visible. The floor of the Oblique Land is broken in half with the pool at the center that means in total there are three different parts. In addition to being modular, the two modules can also rotate around their static hinges. When the rhythm of the narration change as a result of the characters interaction, Oblique Land begins to move and rotate and we actors play along this architectural movement. Salon Alper Derinbogaz Salon Alper Derinbogaz is an international design practice based in Istanbul and Los Angeles and they develop projects within architecture, art, product design, interior design, urbanism, research and development. We care about setting contemporary tectonics, re-thinking architecture as carefully curated ideas and moments. The spaces emerge from different aspects, scales and moments that surround them. Every involvement is an intervention. Hence comprehending the existing, expanding its merits and deficiencies architecture leads to redefine the living environment and fabricate novel, intensified experiences within them," says Salon Alper Derinbogaz. "The new tools help us to rethink the borders between design and technology, art and architecture, physical space and users. We refine and create new hybrids out of the processes. Within this principle, our practice focuses on the activity of iterating from the physical outcome of research processes and discovering new ways of intervening to the environment, says Salon Alper Derinbogaz. Alper Derinbogaz Recognized as ''an emerging and influential architect'', Alper Derinbogaz investigates the possibilities of physical environment through the potential relationships between space and time. His design approach mostly relies on the importance of re-evaluating the context and intensifying it through interventions in multiple scales. Thus, his design varies in scale from the museums to installations, intending to uncover and question the essential elements of the given site and the theme. Video courtesy of Salon Alper Derinbogaz Alper Derinbogaz has gained many recognitions, awards and honours internationally including German Design Award in 2018, Good Design Award in 2018, World Architecture Award in 2017, Plan Award for Innovative Architecture in 2015, YAP Program of MOMA shortlist and A+ Architizer Award 2015. And he represented Turkey in the 14th Venice Biennial International Architecture Exhibition in its debut year of the Pavilion of Turkey in 2014. Three of his built works, Gate, Panorama and Augmented Structures were included in the Best Architecture of the Year Selection, and received the Arkitera Young Architect Award in 2011. He graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 2005. He received the Fulbright Scholarship for his master degree in Architecture and Urbanism Department at the University of California, Los Angeles by completing his degree with the UCLA Graduate Award. Derinbogaz also leads his architectural design studio at the Istanbul Technical University as a senior lecturer. Project Facts Project name: Oblique Land Location: Istanbul, Turkey Date: 2019 Client: Zorlu Performance Arts Center Design: Alper Derinbogaz Design and Fabrication Team: Egemen Onur Kaya, Cem Ustun, Ece Avc, Bahadr Kantarc Project status: Completed Category: Exhibition/Art Structural Designer: Alfa Celik, Balkar Engineering Lighting Design: Cem Ylmazer Director: Murat Daltaban Collaborations: DOT Theater/ Zorlu PSM Top image courtesy of Orhan Koluksa. All following images courtesy of Emre Gokmenoglu, unless mentioned otherwise. > via Salon Alper Derinbogaz Robert Sapolsky in Foreign Affairs: He never stood a chance. His first mistake was looking for food alone; perhaps things would have turned out differently if hed been with someone else. The second, bigger mistake was wandering too far up the valley into a dangerous wooded area. This was where he risked running into the Others, the ones from the ridge above the valley. At first, there were two of them, and he tried to fight, but another four crept up behind him and he was surrounded. They left him there to bleed to death and later returned to mutilate his body. Eventually, nearly 20 such killings took place, until there was no one left, and the Others took over the whole valley. The protagonists in this tale of blood and conquest, first told by the primatologist John Mitani, are not people; they are chimpanzees in a national park in Uganda. Over the course of a decade, the male chimps in one group systematically killed every neighboring male, kidnapped the surviving females, and expanded their territory. Similar attacks occur in chimp populations elsewhere; a 2014 studyfound that chimps are about 30 times as likely to kill a chimp from a neighboring group as to kill one of their own. On average, eight males gang up on the victim. If such is the violent reality of life as an ape, is it at all surprising that humans, who share more than 98 percent of their DNA with chimps, also divide the world into us and them and go to war over these categories? More here. Oakland Art Month has it allfrom contemporary art galleries and eclectic studios to a wide array of dance, music, film, and cultural events. Returning for its second year this May, Art Month will showcase a plethora of events, performances, and shows that spotlight The Town's cultural and creative diversity. This year's theme: Belonging. "People's sense of belonging is tied to their ability to lead meaningful lives, to be connected to the place they live in and the people they live among, and to feel a part of something larger than themselves," according to the City of Oakland's Cultural Development Plan. Here's a preview of some of the special events taking place during Oakland Art Month, a can't-miss celebration of the arts. The Art Route at Oakland Art Month Oakland is home to more than 50 art galleries that showcase both traditional and contemporary fine art as well as experimental works from up-and-coming local talent. Take to Art Route Oakland during the first two weekends of May for a chance to win prizes and shopping credits toward art purchases. The grand prize includes a weekend stay in Oakland and a $1,500 spree at a participating Oakland gallery. Enriching Festivals at Oakland Art Month Make your way to KONO for the May 3rd First Fridays Festival (5pm to 9pm)an extraordinary street showcase of visual and performing artists. Head to the Oakland waterfront on Saturday, May 11th for the annual Jack London Square Art & Wine Festival. Savor tastings from more than 40 California wineries while enjoying small bites, live music, various vendors, and much more. The following weekend, May 17-19, you'll experience an authentic taste of Mediterranean culture and tradition at the Oakland Greek Festival. The celebration includes homemade delicacies, crafts, and lively Greek music and dancing. The festival takes place at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in the Oakland Hills. Future Culture Summit at Oakland Art Month On Saturday, May 11th (12:30pm to 4:30 pm), the first annual Future Culture Summit will be held at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. Using the frame of Method Sampling, which involves borrowing of other rationales and reframing them within one's own system thereby rendering a brand new system, the Summit features speakers who are leaders in their field. They will explore how we can create a future culture that can replace the old ideas/stories that are no longer working in the modern world. The Summit is broken down into three themes: What can we believe in? What do we consume? What do we create? // For the latest Oakland Art Month information and updates, go to oaklandartmonth.com. Semifinal bound: SDSU knocks off Villanova to advance in FCS playoffs Jackrabbits outscore Wildcats 21-0 in second half to pick up 11th win Indah, a 5-year-old female Komodo dragon, is the newest resident of the ABQ BioPark Zoo, which has been without a Komodo dragon since January, when 18-year-old male Sunny died from age-related kidney problems. Indah was hatched at the Los Angels Zoo, but came to Albuquerque in late February via the Phoenix Zoo. She was initially in quarantine and is now available for visitors to see in her indoor enclosure inside the Reptile House, said Joshua Davis, senior reptile and amphibian keeper. She is a little shy right now, but is starting to come out of her shell, so its exciting to have the opportunity to watch her develop and grow in the years to come, he said. And she will grow. Indah currently stretches 4 feet long from her snout to the tip of her tail and weighs about 20 pounds, but a large, fully grown female can reach 7 feet long and 150 pounds, Davis said. By comparison, a large fully grown male can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh about 200 pounds. They can live from 20 years to 30 years, both in the wild and in captivity. Plans are in the works to bring a male Komodo dragon to the zoo, so that they may breed to propagate the Komodo dragon lineage, Davis said. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Komodo dragon as a threatened species that is still vulnerable to extinction, he said. The largest species of lizard in the world, Komodo dragons are native to a handful of islands in southeastern Indonesia, the best known of them being Komodo, Rinca and Padar islands. Those and 26 smaller islands are part of Komodo National Park, where the lizards are protected by the Indonesian government. Within the national park, they have been able to thrive without too much human interference, Davis said. The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are about 6,000 Komodo dragons in the wild. Carnivorous and opportunistic, Komodo dragons are ambush predators, but they also eat the carrion killed by other animals. With their razor-sharp serrated teeth, which are constantly being replaced, they can take a really big chunk out of their prey, which then bleeds to death or dies from shock. Scientists have identified about 50 bacterial strains in the saliva of Komodo dragons, which also makes their bites highly septic. Prey that is not killed immediately soon dies from bacterial infection. Newer research indicates that Komodo dragons may also deliver venom when they bite, Davis said. The Albuquerque Journal recently published a series on some of the shortcomings of health care in New Mexico (read Feeling the Pain at ABQJournal.com) in hopes of getting the governor to inject some new cash to fix the system. The series depicted a range of issues from a shortage of doctors across the state to medical appointment favoritism for patient donations and even provider complaints about difficulties in navigating electronic health care systems, a universal issue across the global medical industry. Many of us agree with the need for increased funding and welcome additional monies from Albuquerque. We also want to reassure patients deserving of better health care in New Mexico that there are many initiatives, from deployment of telemedicine outreach to new physician residency programs, innovations in behavioral health care to treat addiction and even state-of-the-art EHR systems that are being implemented. We also live here and want healthier lives. In McKinley County, one of the most financially challenged counties in New Mexico, we help residents kick addiction and re-enter the community by providing food, clothing, shelter and jobs for the homeless at our Behavioral Health Treatment Center. We have treated more than 200 addicts since 2015, and our staff offers outreach every Saturday to those in need. We are now in the throes of using one of the states first behavioral health care apps to automate the treatment of these patients so we can make a meaningful impact among the regions 22,000 who suffer from addiction, dementia and other behavioral health diseases. In terms of EHR innovation, we implemented health information technology in pursuit of cost savings and used innovative software to integrate our EHR systems, which saved resources and created new points of revenue. This enabled us to purchase tools like advanced pediatric medical devices to test our youngest family members for vision and hearing ability so their parents no longer needed to drive to Albuquerque for the same tests. At the same time, we are launching a telemedicine program enabling outlying residents to be seen by mobile health care physicians connected by satellite to the internet to extend our outreach to patients who cant visit the hospital for various reasons. But we also believe it is important for hospitals to be tied to the communities they serve, so we launched the Community Work Service Program to help Gallup maintain public buildings, and even partnered with the police department to prevent crime in a section of the town hit with a rash of break-ins by removing overgrown vegetation in arroyos. The program comprises former addicts who serve in this effort on their way to landing new jobs and returning to Gallup as model citizens who have kicked their habit. Some have even won awards in community competitions, such as being selected for art awards among the top 20 from the 1,191 entries made at Gallups 97th Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. Our other hospital community partnerships include a Bikes-For-Tots campaign for the Boys and Girls Club in which the hospital helps fix broken bikes. We have also launched a partnership with the Gallup Chamber of Commerce and police department with an awareness campaign in the winter to help prevent alcoholics from freezing to death on our streets. We did this by posting flyers in area businesses promoting county metro dispatch numbers for transportation to the citys detox center. So, yes, hospitals can use more funds from the state, but residents should not think for one moment that our focus is not on them and that New Mexicos health care is not itself healthy as we move forward with innovative healing and soulful compassion. David Conejo is president of the N.M. Rural Hospital Network and a member of the board of the N.M. Hospital Association. My nightmare was not that President Donald Trump would be exonerated by special counsel Robert Mueller, but that instead hed be accused of colluding with the Russians to win the 2016 presidential election. That would set the Democrats on the meandering path to impeachment and, by so doing, vindicate the Trumpian fantasy that the deep state was mounting a coup. There is a better way to get rid of Trump: Beat him soundly for re-election. The urgent need is to repudiate Trump. The need is for the American people to reverse their decision of November 2016, which raised to the presidency a man of fetid personal and political ethics, who has not a whisper of the truth within him, and yet has taken command of the Republican Party so much so that when he sullied the name of the dead John McCain, all but a few Republicans said nothing in reprimand. This was the pornography of silence utterly without socially redeeming value. And yet the Democratic Party, a mob of the unready, has set off to alienate the vast middle of the American electorate. It talks of socialism, as if the voters are clamoring for the government to take over General Motors. It suggests breaking up mega-companies, such as Amazon, as if its customers feel abused by low prices and shazam-fast delivery. (Note: Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) The Democratic Party has candidates who endorse universal Medicare without acknowledging its cost or what it would do to private insurance. It has candidates who support reparations for the descendants of slaves a morally correct impracticality and, I would imagine, a hard sell in the sad areas of the country that Trump carried. Try making the argument to an out-of-work coal miner. The party has candidates such as Beto ORourke, a cross between James Dean and Archie Andrews, whose idea of leading is merely to listen. Does he have something to say? If not, why is he running? If the campaign is such a hardship on his kids, he ought to just stay home. ORourke would rewrite Marc Antony: Friends, Romans, countrymen, let me listen to you. The partys huge potential candidate is Joe Biden. But he is the American equivalent of Brexit: always on the verge, nearly always happening just another couple of days. Some family matters to tend to. You understand. Give em a hug, Joe. But wheres the fire? Not, it seems, in Bidens belly. Where is the candidate who yearns to run right at Trump? Where is the candidate who can refuse the special pleading of some special group and appeal to all Americans? We can get to reparations or socialism or the threat of Amazon or even the dubious worth of the Electoral College some other time. Right now, the issue is Trump. He needs to lose. He needs to be repudiated, and so do the Republicans who support him. Robert Dallek begins a section of his superb biography of John F. Kennedy, An Unfinished Life, with three quotes. The first is Theodore Roosevelts famous one about the bully pulpit. Trump uses his to belittle his critics and spread misinformation. The second quote is Franklin D. Roosevelts: The presidency is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership. Who can claim Trump as a moral leader? Not even the infinitely adaptable Sen. Lindsey Graham can say that. And the third quote is Harry S. Trumans: On my desk I have a motto which says The buck stops here. With Trump, the buck never stops. He is forever blaming others for his own shortcomings. Taken together, the three quotes encapsulate the obligations and responsibilities of the modern presidency. Trump whiffs all three. By all means, House Democrats should continue to hold Trump accountable. But some of these investigations seem less than momentous: Does anyone really care if Jared Kushner was entitled to his security clearance? Let him have it. Correction: Let him keep it. At the same time, Attorney General William Barr needs to explain how he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there was not sufficient evidence to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Clearly, this could have gone the other way. But history will judge these as details. What matters is that a morally squalid man has won the White House and taken over the Republican Party. He needs to lose, to lose so clearly and affirmatively that lies about Election Day shenanigans and the corrosive evil of the deep state will be asphyxiated and America restored to decency. Theres been collusion, all right the one between Trump and his enablers. Its the only one that matters. Email cohenr@washpost.com. 2019, Washington Post Writers Group. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal More than three years after the fatal shooting of Albuquerque police officer Daniel Webster, the man accused in his death is finally going before a jury. Opening statements in the first-degree murder case against 38-year-old Davon Lymon are expected to begin this afternoon after attorneys spent Tuesday evaluating dozens of potential jurors. The trial is scheduled to last up to four weeks. Lymon has already been convicted in both state and federal court of possessing the .40-caliber Taurus pistol authorities say was used in the shooting, which took place outside a Walgreens at Central and Eubank SE. Many of the allegations in the case were revealed in a 2016 trial that resulted in that federal conviction. Webster, a decorated Army veteran who had been an Albuquerque Police Department officer for eight years, stopped a motorcycle that authorities say was carrying Lymon and a female passenger. The shooting, and the moments leading up to it, were recorded on Websters lapel camera. Soon after stopping the motorcycle, the officer told the driver to put his hands behind his back. The driver complained that he was in pain and cried out repeatedly before shots rang out. Webster, 47, was hit in the stomach, chest and jaw. He died eight days later. Witnesses in the federal case said a police dog later found Lymon hiding in the backyard of a nearby home, a set of handcuffs hanging from his left wrist. Gary Mitchell, one of the attorneys representing Lymon, said Tuesday that this has never been a first-degree murder case. Police have a right to use a certain amount of force in certain conditions. But they dont have a right to be unreasonable. They dont have a right to scare you to death. And they dont have a right to take actions that would make a reasonable person think theyre going to kill them or hurt them, Mitchell said. Thats our position in this case, that they did, and that he defended himself. Possible impostor The identity of the woman who was with Lymon that night has been in dispute. Savannah Garcia testified in 2016 that she accompanied Lymon or Tigger, as she called him as he delivered drugs on Oct. 21, 2015. She said the two were on their way to Walgreens to buy cigarettes when an officer pulled them over. When he went to go handcuff Davon, he shot him, Garcia testified. Tigger shot the officer in the neck. On Tuesday, state District Judge Neil Candelaria, who is presiding over the trial, issued a warrant for Garcias arrest, because she is considered a material witness in the case. But in 2017, Lymons former defense team suggested Garcia could be an impostor, and that the woman on the motorcycle that night was actually Tiana Lozoya. Those Law Office of the Public Defender attorneys were ultimately removed from the case in part because of a conflict of interest involving Garcia. Lymons current attorneys included Lozoya on a witness list filed last month. Long sentence If convicted of all counts, Lymon faces life in prison without the possibility of parole plus several more years in prison. He is already serving a 38-year sentence for various federal crimes. The case has received extensive media attention, and in an attempt to find a jury, attorneys sent questionnaires to 355 people ahead of jury selection, according to a District Court spokesman. The Carl C. Anderson Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation has awarded St. Felix Pantry in Rio Rancho $20,000 to help the organization buy a new food truck. Manuel Casias, spokesman for St. Felix Pantry, said in a news release that the pantry is in need of a slightly newer used truck to replace two older food trucks that are need of constant repairs. The primary use of the new truck will be for our mobile food pantry that visits various food deserts throughout Sandoval County, Casias said. As of today, we are now providing food to over 400 households in Cuba, Jemez and Pena Blanca. Casias said the pantry still needs an additional $8,500 before it can reach its goal of buying the new truck. St. Felix Pantry provides food, clothing, household items and referral services to people in need. For more information about the nonprofit, call 505-270-1366 or email mcasias@stfelixpantry.org. We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A bill that would allow beer and wine to be delivered with food orders to homes and hotel rooms is awaiting final approval from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, four years after a similar proposal was vetoed by New Mexicos former governor. This years measure, Senate Bill 494, was overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature during the just-completed 60-day session. It would allow for only a limited amount of booze no more than two six-packs of beer or two bottles of wine to be delivered by licensed vendors and would require alcohol server training for those making deliveries. The thought is that it would make it less likely for someone who has already had a few glasses of wine to go out (driving) to get another bottle, said Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, the bills sponsor. In addition to possibly reducing drunken-driving incidents, backers say, the proposed law could also help New Mexicos tourism industry. Justin Greene, the founder of Dashing Delivery, a Santa Fe-based food delivery service, said at least 22 other states have similar laws on their books. He said the New Mexico proposal has been modified and improved over the past several years, by adding a provision that would use mobile technology to verify a buyers identity and location, along with other changes. Technology has come a long way in four years, Greene told the Journal. After vetoing the 2015 bill, then-Gov. Susana Martinez wrote in her veto message that years proposal lacked public safety safeguards, including ways to ensure beer and wine was not delivered to minors or already intoxicated individuals. Under both this years legislation and the 2015 version, any beer or wine delivery order hard liquor drinks are excluded from the bill would have to be accompanied by at least a $20 food order. Beer and wine could be delivered only to houses or hotel rooms. Deliveries to public places and other types of businesses would be prohibited. New Mexico cities and counties would have to authorize beer and wine deliveries in their jurisdictions, meaning some locations could remain off-limits. If youre a dry city in eastern New Mexico, you can stay a dry city, said Greene, who has been a driving force behind the legislation. But despite winning approval in the House and Senate this year with only a combined 12 no votes, theres no guarantee this years bill will be signed into law by Lujan Grisham. Ortiz y Pino said Tuesday that he has been told that officials in the state Alcohol and Gaming Division have concerns that the legislation could create new de facto beer and wine suppliers, though he said that was not the intent of the bills backers. Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who took office in January, has until April 5 to decide whether to sign or veto the measure along with roughly 240 other bills. If the bill is not acted upon by that deadline, it is automatically vetoed. The Governors Office did not respond Tuesday to questions about the legislation. Albuquerque native Carl Minzner took an unusual path to becoming one of the top scholars in the U.S. about Chinese politics and government. Minzner shared his journey after returning to his hometown for a speaking engagement about his book End of an Era: How Chinas Authoritarian Revival is Undermining Its Rise. That first step to becoming an expert on Chinese government and an author began when he was a kindergarten teacher in Taiwan in 1994. After spending a year in Taiwan, you sort of get sucked in, Minzner said. I wanted to understand more not only about Taiwan but the mainland. You get led progressively in step by step. The Albuquerque Academy graduate moved to the mainland the next year to study Chinese in Yunnan province. Minzner said he lived in China for about four or five years and goes back every summer to spend months at a time. He said he has several contacts that he keeps in touch with. I got involved in China during the reform era and started seeing some dramatic changes, Minzner said. You get sucked in and it becomes part of your life. It has become so much part of his life that hes been interviewed by National Public Radio and the New York Times about changes in Chinas government. His book End of An Era, which he said took four years to write, has been reviewed by the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. Minzner, now a professor of law at Fordham University in New York, spoke on Monday to the World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, where he gave an overview of the book. The basic thrust of the book is that the reform era post 1978, what people have come to think of as modern China, is ending, Minzner said The period of 30-40 years was marked by three factors: rapid economic growth, a certain degree of ideological openness to the outside world and relatively political stability where it seemed to be forming institutions. It is starting to come undone. The economy is slowing. Ideologically, Chinas closing up. He said its an important issue that Americans need to be aware of. In the reform era, China was under a collective leadership and had presidential term limits. That is no longer the case under current President Xi Jinping. Once you start to see the getting rid of norms like presidential succession and there comes a rise of cult personality, it really makes you wonder what comes next, Minzner said. When he lived in China during the reform era, he said there was some openness in civil society that allowed for things such as academic and religious expression. He said there was a hope that it would continue. Looking outward, there is an increasing nationalistic tone that the leadership is taking that has resonance among people in Chinese society that there could be clashes over strategic and economic areas, Minzner said. In the past two years, Minzner said, there have been relocation, education camps for Muslims in northwest China. We havent seen anything like that since 1978, Minzner said. This is an extreme repression measure being taken that really looks like the resuscitation of practices we thought were dead and buried. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The military retirement ceremony at Kirtland Air Force Base had just about everything one would expect for a hero leaving the service. The commanding officers were there. The retiree was presented with a badge and certificates from President Donald Trump and the chief staff sergeant of the Air Force. The retirees peers were there. But the retirement ceremony at Hardin Field on Tuesday afternoon wasnt for an airman. It was for a 9-year-old German Shepherd named Boris. Col. Ted Brueker, 377th Security Forces Group commander, told those attending that a retirement ceremony for a military working dog may seem odd. But the honoree was no ordinary dog. Brueker said Boris, who began as a military working dog at Kirtland in August 2011 after being born in the Netherlands, had more than 85 drug finds. Thats more than 10 a year, Brueker said. Thats pretty significant. Former handler Staff Sgt. Austin Clark said Boris loved hunting drugs. He loved marijuana. But I dont think hes going to be smelling it anymore, Clark said. Clark was his handler for 17 of the drug finds during their two years together. Some dogs take off like a shot when theyre searching for drugs or narcotics, based on their training, Brueker said. We think the secret to his success is that hes always been deliberate and methodical in his approach. Senior Airman Pablo Gonzalez said Boris has been responsible for stopping 48 security breaches at the base. He also deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. Boris worked eight years straight. Thats a lot longer than most dogs work, especially with the heat illnesses he had, said Senior Airman Shane Black, his last handler. Boris will be living with Clark now that hes retired. Boris is retiring because of health reasons. Black said Boris had mouth cancer and fully recovered from it. But Boris suffered from heat-related illnesses, which began to affect his work. His endurance has been definitely compromised, Brueker said. Finally, his kidneys are just wearing out. Its time to let him just enjoy the years hes got left. Hes earned it. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal It was a wild ride. Thats one way to describe what 25 children experienced last fall when, authorities say, their school bus driver picked them up after having a few too many. Although he made all his stops, 49-year-old Duane Skeet swerved from side to side of the highway, hit a tree and almost flipped the bus in western New Mexico. At times, children were thrown back and forth inside of the bus, although none suffered bodily harm, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. Skeets bus route covered approximately twenty-five miles with eight stops at which children were dropped off, fortunately without injury. Tuesday morning, Skeet pleaded guilty to felony child abuse. He faces up to three years in prison. Authorities say the incident occurred on Sept. 24 when Skeet was employed as a school bus driver on the Navajo Nation in Chi Chil Tah, which is 30 miles south of Gallup. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Skeet drank three beers and took allergy pills before reporting to work at Chi Chil Tah Jones Ranch School. Agents say the children, ages 5 to 12, were waiting outside the school when Skeet showed up late. He drove off without closing the school bus doors. A concerned driver called the school principal after seeing the bus swerve off the highway and back on again. The principal called the McKinley County Sheriffs Office before going to look for the bus, to no avail. According to the complaint, it wasnt long before the school began receiving numerous calls from parents whose children had been dropped off by Skeet. They were terrified and crying, they ran off the bus to safety, an agent wrote. Agents say the children told their parents Skeet was driving drunk, almost drove off a bridge, sideswiped trees and hit an embankment all while the kids were crying and screaming for help. The glass doors on the buses were shattered, and tree branches littered the inside of the bus, agents say. When students noticed that Skeet appeared to be falling asleep, some of the kids asked him if he was OK. He said, Yes, an agent wrote. One mother jumped into her car and caught up to Skeet at his last stop, the complaint says. She confronted him and took the key out of the ignition as the remaining three children on board ran off the bus. When authorities arrived, Skeet smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and was swaying. A breath test showed his blood alcohol level was well above the Navajo Nations presumed level of intoxication. Skeet told agents he drank three tall cans of Coors Light and took allergy pills that morning but went to work because we are short on bus drivers, so I had to do it. Skeet told agents he was ashamed, terrible, horrified and had difficulties in his personal life. Asked how the alcohol may have affected his decision-making, Skeet dug a little deeper. I dont know what took me down that route, were all different, we believe in different things, according to my belief, it was set for me to go down that route, Skeet told agents. No matter what, no matter how strong he is, hes going to end up in that Editors note: This story was updated to correct the byline. LAS CRUCES A former associate superintendent in the Las Cruces Public Schools is the latest ex-district official to accuse Superintendent Greg Ewing of discrimination and retaliation. Elizabeth Marrufo, who oversaw the districts Human Resources Department before Ewing promoted her to chief strategy officer, named Ewing and the school district in a lawsuit, filed March 19 in district court. Marrufo claims that shortly after Ewing started on the job at the end of 2016, he became angry and promoted her out of the human resources position after she raised legal concerns about a plan to fire certain employees. She says she was reassigned and, weeks later, placed on administrative leave until her contract expired in 2017. Marrufo is seeking back pay and damages under the Whistleblower Protection Act and the New Mexico Human Rights Act for age discrimination. Marrufo was 60 years old at the time, and her complaint says she had worked for the district for more than 30 years. Allegations of discrimination and retaliatory action also figure in a pending lawsuit brought in 2018 by Lillian Duran, a former Head Start educational facilitator whose contract expired and was not renewed in 2017. Additionally, Jo Galvan, a former communications director for the district, initiated a complaint to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions in 2018, alleging the district placed her on administrative leave after she questioned Ewing over a response to a lawful document request under the Inspection of Public Records Act. FARMINGTON Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation that opens the lottery scholarship to students attending tribal colleges in New Mexico. Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 407 on March 14. The bill broadens the eligibility of students who receive the scholarship to include those pursuing higher education at a tribal college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Students will be eligible to receive $1,020 each semester. The criteria to qualify includes being a full-time student who graduated from a public or accredited private high school in the state. The student also has to successfully complete their first semester with a 2.5 GPA or higher. There are four tribal colleges in the state, the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint and Dine College, which operates campuses in Shiprock and Crownpoint. The fourth tribal college Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque stated it will not participate in the scholarship program due to being operated and funded by the Bureau of Indian Education, according to the fiscal impact report for the legislation. The new law goes into effect on July 1. The president of a tribal college located in northwest New Mexico applauded state legislators and the governors decision, citing it increases opportunities for students. By making college more accessible, this scholarship is not just making a difference in the lives of students who qualify, but also in the economy of the Navajo Nation and state, Dine College President Charles Monty Roessel said. State Sen. Benny Shendo Jr., D-Bernalillo, McKinley, Rio Arriba, San Juan and Sandoval, sponsored the bill. It passed the Senate on Feb. 26 and the House of Representatives backed the measure on March 10. There are 25 public colleges and universities in the state that qualify to receive legislative lottery scholarship fund as of February, according to the New Mexico Lottery website. A similar proposal by state Rep. Eliseo Alcon, D-Cibola and McKinley, passed the House but failed to reach the full Senate before the legislative session ended on March 16. Noel Lyn Smith covers the Navajo Nation for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4636 or by email at nsmith@daily-times.com. 2019 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. FARMINGTON An eight-page report released by the Environmental Defense Fund states oil and natural gas companies waste more than a billion cubic feet of natural gas extracted from Navajo Nation lands each year, leading to a loss of $3.4 million of profits and $850,000 of royalties. Its still not something that every member of the community is aware of, said Carol Davis, coordinator and director for Dine CARE. Dine CARE was one of several environmental advocacy groups that signed onto the report. Other groups include Grand Canyon Trust and Native American Voters Alliance. Davis said she hopes the report helps build awareness, especially among tribal leaders. But New Mexico Oil and Gas Association spokesman Robert McEntyre said the environmental advocacy group is presenting misleading information in an attempt to get laws passed. The way that EDF chooses to mischaracterize these issues are blatantly misleading and false, he said. The report states this waste of natural gas through venting and flaring causes 13,000 tons of methane to be emitted annually, 65 percent higher than the national average. Jon Goldstein, director of regulatory and legislative affairs for Environmental Defense Fund, said the Navajo Nation has more methane emissions than the San Juan Basin at large. These numbers were based on analyzing data the Environmental Defense Fund collected from wells in New Mexico as well as the Western Regional Air Partnership data. I think the size and scale of the problem is definitely eye opening, Goldstein said. Goldstein admits that the organization hopes the report brings about change in Navajo Nation, including increased regulation by Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency. Navajo Nation EPA did not respond to requests for comment. Amber Raimondo, energy program director for Grand Canyon Trust, also expressed hope that the report leads to change. With information can come action, she said. She said emissions could be reduced by regular inspection of well sites to repair leaks and restrictions on venting and flaring. McEntyre said venting and flaring are necessary activities and not a waste of gas. He said venting is typically done when pressure builds up at the wellhead and must be relieved for safety reasons. Meanwhile, flaring is most common on new construction. McEntyre said flaring also relieves pressure. He said venting and flaring are not only necessary for oil and gas, but are also allowed by federal and state regulations. Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com. 2019 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A three-state sale of federally-owned land to the oil and gas industry was scheduled for September, records show, with a public scoping period starting next month. And it could open up more land in southeast New Mexico to drilling. The U.S. Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) September lease sale was announced last week, with public scoping a period of time that allows the public to comment on the proposed parcels running from April 1 to April 12. The sale itself was tentatively scheduled for Sept. 5, read a BLM news release. It features parcels of land proposed by the industry in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. There 17 parcels nominated, accounting for 4,980 acres of federal mineral rights. Most were in southeast New Mexico, where oil and gas boomed in the Permian and Delaware basins. Three parcels were offered in Eddy County, with nine in Lea County and one each in McKinley and Chaves counties. One parcel each was nominated in Coal and Major counties in Oklahoma, and one more was nominated in Greelye County, Kansas. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended, require the BLM to promote exploration and development of federal minerals, read the release. Providing an opportunity for individuals and/or companies to lease identified federal mineral estate through a competitive lease sale process also meets the Department of the Interiors goal of strengthening Americas energy independence. The sales announcement follows a March 22 order from U.S. Department of the Interior, adjusting how it evaluates federal land made available for sale to consider outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing. The order issued March 21 by Acting Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt calls on the BLM to appoint a lead staff member to work on prioritizing recreational access to federal land in all ongoing resource management plans. The BLM was also tasked with coordinating with other federal, state or local agencies to ensure outdoor recreation is preserved during oil and gas leasing, while studying a leases impact on public recreational access. This order emphasizes the core principles of being a good neighbor to all of the Departments neighbors whether they are federal, state, county or local landowners, read the order. This order ensures that recreational public access in an important value now and into the future as the Bureau of Land Management makes decisions involving the disposal or exchange of public lands. Such a philosophy of encouraging outdoor recreation was also embraced by the State of New Mexico during its recent 60-day legislative session that ended last week. Senate Bill 462 was singed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to establish the New Mexico Division of Outdoor Recreation, while appropriating $1.5 million from the State General Fund to support the Division. The bill also created a grant program to help New Mexico children engage with outdoor activities on state parks, trust land and other public lands and water ways. New Mexico has the greatest outdoor opportunities in the West and creating a focused office will attract new businesses and boost existing opportunities across the state, said Lujan Grisham. When we create a focused office to both attract new businesses and boost existing concerns, we will plant our flag alongside Colorado, Montana, Utah and others. And indeed, we have the potential to surpass them. Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter. 2019 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Police say a truck hit and killed a woman in a crosswalk across from Inez Elementary School on Wednesday morning. School staffers said the incident was non-school related. Police are calling it a homicide. Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, did not identify the woman. He said her death is under investigation. Around 7:40 a.m., officers were called to the intersection in front of the school, Indian School and Pennsylvania NE. It came out as a report of a crash with injuries, Gallegos said. Medical personnel arrived out here first and found a female who was badly injured in the crosswalk across from the school. He said rescue crews were unable to save the woman, and she died at the scene. Gallegos said the vehicle that hit the woman fled, and police are looking for a white 1990s pickup truck that has dual rear wheels. Its all under investigation, Gallegos said. There were witnesses were interviewing right now. Were trying to get that completed and get as much information as we can. He said the truck detectives are looking for might have a distinctive aerodynamic feature on it and may be carrying construction equipment. In a letter to parents, Inez Elementary Principal Casey Reid-Kadlec sought to reassure them. Student safety was never an issue, and this incident wasnt in any way related to the Inez Elementary School, the letter says. For that reason, Reid-Kadlec said the school could not give any other details on what happened and offered the help of school counselors for those children in need. We did our best to keep the students away from the scene, but some may have been frightened by the commotion, she wrote. You may want to give your child an opportunity to talk about what happened. One of the most helpful things you can do is simply listen. Journal staff writer Matthew Reisen contributed to this report. Tips: Police ask anyone with information about the case to call 242-COPS. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal EL PASO The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection visited this stretch of border, where he said Wednesday that the record number of migrant families and children arriving on their own has overwhelmed his agencys ability to respond. That breaking point has arrived this week at the border, CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said. CBP is facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our Southwest border, and nowhere has that crisis manifested more acutely than here in El Paso, he said. The El Paso sector includes all of New Mexico. Sunland Park, just across the state line from El Paso, is also a busy crossing point for migrant families and unaccompanied minors who approach Border Patrol agents and ask for asylum. We had over 1,000 apprehensions in this one sector alone on Monday, McAleenan said. There are nearly 3,500 migrants in custody in the El Paso sector in facilities designed for far fewer, he said. Borderwide as of Wednesday morning there were 13,400 migrants in CBP custody. McAleenan said 6,000 is considered a crisis. Under the Paso del Norte International Bridge, near where the commissioner held his news conference, hundreds of migrants waited in tents at a makeshift processing center behind a chain-link fence topped with razor wire. A small group of protesters gathered nearby and chanted You are not alone on a megaphone in Spanish. Some of the migrants cheered in response. Others looked bewildered. McAleenan announced a series of measures to deal with the crisis, including reassigning 750 CBP officers posted at legal ports of entry such as Santa Teresa to help the Border Patrol in El Paso and other areas where agents are overwhelmed by the number of families arriving daily. McAleenan acknowledged that would lead to longer lines and delays at ports of entry for legal trade and travel. There will be impacts to traffic at the border. There will be a slowdown in the processing of trade, there will be wait-time increases in our pedestrian and passenger vehicle lanes. We know that we have Semana Santa, Holy Week, approaching, but this is required to help us manage this operational crisis, he said. Holy Week, which starts on April 14 this year, is a busy travel season, and border crossings spike as tourists from Mexico visit the U.S. on vacation or to spend time with relatives. Immigrant advocates blame the Trump administration for creating the crisis by telling asylum seekers at ports of entry that their names must go on a list and they must wait in Mexico. In the El Paso area, CBP allows a few dozen of those asylum seekers a day to cross into the U.S. and file asylum claims. If you allowed family-by-family to cross as they arrived at the ports of entries, you wouldnt have this crisis of hundreds of them crossing between ports of entry, Fernando Garcia, director of the Border Network for Human Rights, told a news conference in El Paso. McAleenan blamed the crisis in part on the backlog of asylum cases. The increase in family units is a direct response to the vulnerabilities in our legal framework where migrants and smugglers know that they will be released and allowed to stay in the U.S. indefinitely, pending immigration proceedings that could be many years out, McAleenan said. But last week, the Department of Homeland Security said it was expanding the Migrant Protection Protocols to El Paso and would begin sending asylum-seekers to Mexico to wait until a judge in the U.S. decides their claim. The policy, originally called remain in Mexico, is in effect in Tijuana and Mexicali on the California border. It is not clear whether any asylum seekers in the El Paso area have been sent to Mexico yet. During his visit to El Paso, McAleenan did not mention that policy, which would address his concern about families being allowed to wait in the U.S. for their court proceedings. The three family detention facilities are nearly always at capacity and a court ruling prohibits holding children in detention for more than 20 days. McAleenan said ideally asylum cases would be decided by an immigration court judge within two months and during that time families would remain in a detention facility. If they dont have a valid claim, theyll be repatriated. If they do, theyll be released with certainty they have asylum, he said. McAleenan called on Congress to take action to restore integrity to our immigration system and alleviate the crisis. With continued inaction by Congress its going to continue to put people at risk: the vulnerable migrants on the journey, in Mexico, as they cross our border in increasingly hot weather and our own personnel and unfortunately children in our custody, he said. Jackie White, Cabinet secretary for New Mexico Homeland Security and Emergency Management, also visited the border Wednesday and listened closely to the CBP commissioners comments. I was happy to hear that they (CBP) are now identifying that there is a humanitarian crisis, White said. Thats something our governor has been talking about since she came into office and even before that. White reiterated concerns about asylum seekers at the ports of entry being denied immediate entrance, encouraging them to cross the border elsewhere, including remote regions of New Mexico. Wed like to see that process be fixed, she said. Were also asking for help at the state level, federal funding, so we can address these issues once we have folks coming into New Mexico. And White expressed concern about the reassignment of CBP officers from legal border crossings such as Santa Teresa. Theres an economic impact to that, as well, she said. We know we have a lot of commerce coming across the border that needs to be able to move. 8 hours on the border by Albuquerque Journal on Exposure Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexico will join 17 other states that allow qualified residents to register to vote and cast a ballot in the same day, under legislation signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The first-term Democratic governor, who signed the same-day voting bill into law during a private ceremony in her office, said the measure could boost New Mexico voter turnout and registration levels. More than 55 percent of registered voters or roughly 701,000 cast ballots in last years general election, but turnout has been lower than that in some previous statewide elections. This is a victory for democracy, Lujan Grisham said. We should always actively seek out measures that will facilitate inclusion in our great American experiment. For decades, state law has set a voter registration deadline of four weeks before a state primary or general election. But the legislation signed Wednesday will allow voters to register and vote on Election Day, starting in the 2022 election cycle. The Election Day voter registration option will not be available for the 2020 election cycle, although voters will be allowed to register on the Saturday before both the primary and general elections scheduled to be held that year. The measure, Senate Bill 672, passed the House and Senate during the final week of this years 60-day session. It won unanimous backing from Democratic lawmakers but was opposed by nearly all Republicans. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat who pushed for the legislation, described it as a game-changer for New Mexico. Its simply easier for New Mexicans to fit voting into their busy lives when they can register and vote on the same day, and now they can, Toulouse Oliver said in a statement. To take part in same-day voting, New Mexico voters will have to show proof of their identity and residence, by showing a drivers license or other form of ID. Also, voters will not be able to change their party affiliation when registering or updating their registration before a primary election. Some GOP lawmakers have expressed concern that same-day voter registration could open the door to voter fraud and possibly lead to other unintended consequences. We cant even clean up the system we have now, said Rep. Kelly Fajardo, R-Los Lunas, who added that she recently heard from a constituent who said several people listed her mobile home as their address on absentee ballot requests. Meanwhile, the new law also provides for automated voter registration by putting into law existing procedures that give New Mexicans the opportunity to register to vote at state Motor Vehicle Division field offices. New Mexicans who receive Medicaid, food stamps or other benefits through the state Human Services Department are also given the chance to register to vote, and the Secretary of States Office recently began allowing qualified state residents to register to vote online. Lujan Grisham also signed roughly 20 other bills into law on Wednesday, including a measure that prohibits New Mexico cities and counties from enacting and enforcing local right-to-work ordinances. Ten counties along with the village of Ruidoso have enacted local ordinances on the issue, despite a January 2018 opinion from Attorney General Hector Balderas that such ordinances would likely be struck down if challenged in court. At least one of the ordinances, passed by Sandoval County, is already the subject of a lawsuit. The governor has until April 5 to act on the remaining 220 or so bills passed during the final days of this years session, which ended March 16. Anyone in New Mexico and beyond can now access detailed information on emissions from state oil and gas operations by clicking on an online map. The Environment Department launched the new tracking tool this week as a public resource on its homepage. The map can help state agencies, environmentalists, industry and the general public gain a better picture of impacts from industry operations on air quality, while building baseline data as the government works to create new statewide regulations to control emissions, said Environment Secretary James Kenney. Someone in Farmington can open the map and search for a small well within a half mile from their house, Kenney said. It will show when the well was first drilled, when it started producing, whether its an oil or gas well, and who owns it. It offers a well-by-well profile. It also offers snapshots on methane emissions from individual sources and regionally by tracking the release of volatile organic compounds and other air pollutants, said Air Quality Bureau Chief Liz Bisbey-Kuehn. Methane is emitted alongside VOCs. We posted data on VOCs emitted on an annual basis and used that to predict methane emissions, Bisbey-Kuehn said. The map currently includes oil and gas production sites and tank batteries. Well be updating it to include compressor stations, gas plants, refineries and other infrastructure, and with further enhancements, well be able to address whether sites are achieving emission limits. The map is a first step toward complying with a January executive order by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for the Environment and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources departments to jointly develop a new regulatory framework to reduce methane emissions. Lujan Grisham campaigned on a promise to impose state controls on methane given the federal governments efforts to roll back emission rules established under former President Barack Obama. The cabinet secretaries are now preparing a public process to gather information. We want a robust process with the public fully engaged, Kenney said. Under the state Oil and Gas Act, the EMNRD regulates waste from operations, in this case, the loss of natural gas from leaking, venting and flaring. Environmental organizations estimate New Mexico loses $240 million in natural gas annually, costing the state about $27 million per year in foregone revenue. The oil and gas industry disputes that figure and has said that it already has been reducing methane emissions on its own. Under the Air Quality Act, the Environment Department oversees ozone pollution, which is caused by VOCs, Kenney said. Reducing those pollutants will improve air quality while also lowering methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. EMNRD will look at the issue through the lens of waste, Kenney said. Well look at it through the VOC lens. Together well form a strategy to comply with the executive order. The board of New Mexicos health insurance exchange created through the Affordable Care Act, unanimously named Jeffery Bustamante as interim CEO at a special meeting Tuesday evening. Bustamante is currently the organizations director of policy and research. He replaces Cheryl Gardner, whose two-year employment contract ends March 31 and was not extended by the board at a regular meeting last week. Gardner has been placed on paid administrative leave for the remainder of her contract, beWellnm spokesman Tom Garrity confirmed. At the meeting Tuesday, Board Chairman Dr. J.R. Damron asked Vice Chair David Shaw to name an executive search committee to find a new CEO. The members of that committee are Teresa Gomez, Brandon Fryar, Dr. J. Deane Waldman and Dr. David P. Leachman, according to a beWellnm news release. Dr. Martin Hickey will serve as the chairman. In the release, the boards actions were described as providing a swift and smooth transition of operations. Gardner has not responded to a request for comment. The states exchange has had four leaders in the six years since its creation in 2013. Mike Nunez of the New Mexico Health Insurance Alliance was interim CEO until 2014, when he was replaced by Amy Dowd, who was executive director of Idahos exchange. In 2016, Dowd left for a position with Molina Healthcare, after which the exchanges then-director of communications and outreach, Linda Weeden, served as interim CEO. Gardner, previously the executive director of Arkansas exchange, replaced Weeden in 2017. WASHINGTON Buoyed by word that the special counsel didnt find collusion with Russia, President Donald Trump is voicing new interest in policymaking, including a fresh effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. But Trump has few detailed policy proposals to back up his words, suggesting hes as focused on highlighting issues that appeal to his political base as actually enacting legislation. Trump stressed his desire to revive his failed effort to kill the Affordable Care Act on Wednesday, a pivot to health care that both broadens and complicates the administrations agenda. Many in the GOP remain skeptical that Trump can notch many policy wins in the divided Congress. Speaking of a new health care proposal still unproposed Trump promised on Wednesday that were coming up with plans and his GOP was the party of great health care. His administration this week surprised many when it asked a federal appeals court to strike down President Barack Obamas entire 2010 health care law, breaking with what had been a more modest effort to undo only parts of the act. The change in course by the Justice Department, backed by the White House, was encouraged by acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, a longtime Obamacare critic, said two people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The idea was quickly embraced by Trump, the officials said. Trump, who met with aides to discuss the decision Monday, saw it as a way to deliver on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the law, as well as put pressure on congressional Republicans to act. While aides expressed concern about a policy path forward and many Republicans on Capitol Hill were reluctant to revisit such a thorny topic after repeals spectacular failure in Congress in 2017 Trump happily discussed his plans to make the GOP the party of health care. Left unsaid was that Republicans couldnt tackle health care when they had unified control of Washington, and the prospects in divided government are even bleaker. Instead, aides said, Trumps rhetoric largely amounted to a recognition of the political significance of the issue to his re-election prospects. His failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act constitutes a broken promise to his base. Aside from this return to health care, the White House is pursuing a limited legislative agenda, with reining in prescription drug prices and passage of a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico as its priorities. Some allies are optimistic about the idea of a shift to policy. South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham encouraged Trump over the weekend to get back to governing to capitalize on good will generated by the end of special counsel Robert Muellers probe. But health care has not been atop the GOP priority list in the House or Senate. In fact, many Republicans were downright alarmed, preferring to put the focus on Democrats interest in Medicare for All, an idea the GOP has sought to brand as socialism. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy phoned Trump to express his frustration with the administrations course reversal, warning that it made little political sense after the GOPs losses in the 2018 midterm elections, according to people familiar with the call. They spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions. Trumps White House had already been supportive in the lawsuit brought by Republican state attorneys general to challenge the laws requirement that insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions and certain essential health benefits, such as pregnancy. But the administration faced a deadline to stake out the extent of its request to undo the law after a Texas federal judge ruled that the entire Affordable Care Act had been invalidated. The administration decision appeared rushed to some. Such a major change typically would involve considerable planning and discussion at the Department of Health and Human Services but that didnt happen, said a person familiar with the decision-making process. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The suit appears destined for the Supreme Court, which could find itself issuing another election-year opinion on the issue. The court has upheld much of the law previously, and should it be undone in its entirety, about 20 million Americans who have insurance under the law could be left in the lurch, a political and policy reality the White House has yet to prepare for, aides acknowledged. Trump on Wednesday described the lawsuit as phase one. If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, we will have a plan that is far better than Obamacare, he promised. On another health care issue, the administrations efforts to push the poor toward self-sufficiency were dealt a blow Wednesday when a federal judge ruled that Medicaid work requirements undermined the programs mission of providing health care for the needy. APs VoteCast survey of more than 115,000 voters in the 2018 midterm elections found that health care was identified as the most important issue by 26 percent of voters, including nearly 4 in 10 of those who voted for a Democratic House candidate. Overall the issue was a potent one for Democrats, for whom those concerned most by health care voted by a 3 to 1 margin. A GOP senators lunch on Wednesday brought little, if any, discussion of a new health care push, according to those familiar with the private session. Sen. Collins of Maine, who has pressed her colleagues to stabilize Obamas health care law, said she was vehemently opposed to invalidating the entire law, urging the administration to work with Congress to make changes. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Obamacare should be struck down with vengeance and furious anger. But he added I dont think we should kill it until we have a replacement. On other policy issues, Republicans have been exploring ways to reach across the aisle to make progress on reducing the cost of prescription drugs. White House staffers have been holding meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis staff, but aides cautioned the talks were still in their infancy. Trump has also been reaching out lawmakers directly to talk policy. He spoke to Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., about a number of policy issues Tuesday night, said a person familiar with the conversation who was not authorized to speak publicly. Another issue Trump has talked about is infrastructure, raising it recently during a luncheon with Pelosi. But the White House has not planned to put out a proposal of its own, waiting to see what can develop on Capitol Hill. Discussions between the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and the White House continue. Why are the issues now attracting Trumps attention? What is the number one issue still out there? Its jobs. The number two issue? Health care, said White House ally Rep. Mark Meadows. And if we ignore both of those areas, and hope that the 2020 elections will be better somehow, without addressing real problems? Then were making a mistake. ___ Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Alan Fram contributed to this report. Updated 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 6, 2019 - The Orland Police Department is actively searching for the suspect in the robbing of The Redding Bank of Commerce on Walker St. in Orland. The bank was robbed on March 26, 2019. Orland Police served a search warrant on Saturday at a home in Willows with the help of the Glenn County Sheriff's Office. They said they were looking for 52-year-old Kenneth Stephen Meza because they believe he may be connected to the bank robbery. Orland police said Meza is also wanted on a parole hold. This means he has been out on parole, but his parole officer has issued a warrant to have him brought in. Orland police said Meza has not been seen since the robbery occurred on Tuesday. They believe Meza may be traveling in a white 2018 Toyota Tacoma with license plate number 58461M2. Law enforcement officials are requesting the public's help on this case. Orland police are requesting that if you see Meza or the Toyota Tacoma, please call their dispatch number at (530) 934-6341. (The previous article about the bank robbery is located right after these photos of Meza and the truck they believe he is driving) --- UPDATE 8:50 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 - Orland police are still searching for a suspect they said robbed the Redding Bank of Commerce on Tuesday. Authorities released surveillance photos of the suspect. Orland police say the man walked in around 3 a.m. on Tuesday and handed the teller a note demanding money. No weapon was seen. Orland police say the suspect was last seen running north on 4th Street. --- UPDATE 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - The Orland Police Department has released new information about the robbery suspect's description. Authorities said that the suspect is described as a 6-foot, Hispanic male adult wearing a grey sweatshirt and a dark grey ball cap. They said the suspect fled the scene of the bank is on the loose. His vehicle is described as a light brown 4-door Jeep Wrangler with either personalized license plates or the new dealer paper plate. Anyone with information is asked to call the Orland Police Department at (530) 865-1616. --- ORLAND, Calif. - Authorities are responding to a reported robbery at the Orland branch of the Redding Bank of Commerce. The robbery happened after 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the branch located on 328 Walker St, Orland. Officers are currently at the scene. We are working to gather more information. Stay with Action News Now for the latest updates as they become available. PARADISE, Calif. - The Paradise Irrigation District is holding a community meeting Tuesday night at the Paradise Alliance Church. They will discuss the current status of the water system as well as the next steps towards recovery. The long term recovery task force will be on hand. That includes officials from the Paradise Irrigation District and Cal OES. Scientists will also be available to answer specific questions regarding the contamination and health effects. The team plans to discuss what has been done already to the water system, what needs to be done and what those next steps will be. As of last month, 40 percent of the tested service lines show signs of organic chemical contamination. District Manager Kevin Phillips said it would take two and a half years to complete the entire process of clearing the pipes throughout town. And that's a factor that causes some neighbors like Wally Schmidt, to not want to rebuild. "Just the delay I mean was the main thing from my point of view I'm old enough that I don't have decades to enjoy this the water is huge issue and the deeper they get into researching it looks like the bigger deal it really is so I have a burden about that," Schmidt said. Schmidt said there is a petition people are signing to get the attention of state representative help for funding. And almost 1,600 community members are already on board. The community meeting is from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Paradise Alliance Church off of Clark Road. CHICO, Calif. -- People who live in Chico weighed-in at the city council chambers on a plan to put FEMA trailers in a Hegan Lane business. Several people who live around the Hegan lane property told Action News Now they don't support the trailers if traffic and safety concerns are not addressed first. Originally the modeling was set for 48 mobile units and at this meeting that was increased to 82 units. City manager Mark Orme said the general services administration will negotiate the land lease and then FEMA will come in and work on what needs to be done on this site. A lease is in place for 12 months with a six-month extension, according to Orme. We spoke with several homeowners who live near where the trailers would be placed on Hegan Lane and they told us some of their concerns. "I think our major concern is absolute safety with railroad tracks at one end and active schedules. Often there are drop-offs at the depot, could be on the tracks for 20 minutes. Don't get me wrong, we have good intentions. My children work in Paradise and lost their jobs, we feel very bad, but we don't think solving one problem and creating an even bigger one is really the solution," said Jan Larsen, a neighbor who lives near where the trailers would be placed. "There has to be some safety issue. There has to be somebody to tell us an evacuation plan. We don't want something to happen like what has happened up in Paradise and of course it would not be that gigantic, but it could still happen for people in that area and there are a lot of people who work in that area," said Barbara Joronen, a neighbor who lives near where the trailers would be placed. In terms of who gets to live in the trailers, FEMA representatives said that they would be focusing on people who are already living in Chico first. Orme said this would be the last public engagement from the city unless there are changes that need to be made to the trailers. For now, FEMA will be taking over any sort of public outreach. FEMA did not say when they will officially start placing trailers on the Hegan Lane property. AUBURN, Calif. - Placer County Public Health is investigating three cases of the measles in one family, in connection to recently-reported cases in the North State. This brings the total of reported measles cases up to six in California. The county has identified one location where others may have been exposed. Members and guests who were at the Auburn Racquet and Fitness Club on March 18 between 7 - 9 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. Anyone who thinks they may be affected is urged to call the Placer County Public Health Division immediately at (530) 889-7183. Below are the locations and times in the North State where people may have been exposed to the measles. Investigation underway into shooting death of Camp Pendelton marine The Navy is investigating the shooting death of Camp Pendelton Marine Lance Corporal Riley Schultz. Officials say he was found with a gunshot wound to the head at around 4 a.m. Tuesday. No further details have been released. Comcast service has been restored to most structures in Camp Fire burn scar Comcast said service has been restored to most structures that were left standing after the Camp Fire. They also said customers can expect much faster service since crews were, for the most part, starting from scratch, they were able to use the latest technology. Chico stabbing suspect enters plea Wednesday A Chico man suspected of stabbing two people on Nord Avenue will enter his plea Wednesday. Police say James Jacobs stabbed two people before barricading himself inside a woman's garage. The stabbing happened on March 5. Orland police searching for suspected bank robber Orland police are searching for a suspected bank robber. They say around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, a man walked into a bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. Orland police say the suspect was last seen running north on 4th Street Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office searching for missing person The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office has issued a missing person alert. The sheriff's office said Benjamin Butler was last seen early in the morning on Feb. 25 in McCloud. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at (530) 841-2900. Shasta Regional Medical Center hosts walk-in Wednesday hiring event Wednesday, the Shasta Regional Medical Center will be hosting their walk-in Wednesday hiring event. At 10 a.m., registered nurses looking for a job can walk in with a resume for an interview. Community members sign petition to assist with state water project Nearly 1,600 community members have signed a petition to get state funding to assist with a water project. This is after the Paradise Irrigation District's manager said 40 percent of the tested service pipes have organic chemical contamination. Pollard was appointed to the JCVI by a panel chaired the governments head of immunisation, Dr David Salisbury. Shortly afterwards Dr Salisbury retired and became chair of the Jenner Vaccine Foundation, a funding body for Oxford Vaccine Group, on which he sits with Prof Polllard and Dr Norman Begg , Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer of GSK Biologicals. Dr Norman Begg was formerly attached to the Public Health Service Laboratory and was the co-author with Dr Salisbury of the Department of Health guide to vaccination, the Green Book 1996 , prior to departing to join one of the fore-runner companies to GSK (not clear whether Glaxo Wellcome or SmithKline Beecham) at the beginning of 2000 as Director of Medical Affairs , without there apparently being any gap between appointments. Among the funders of the Jenner Vaccine Foundation are the Wellcome Trust (which sold its pharmaceutical interests to Glaxo in 1995), the UK Medical Research Council, the UK Department of Health, the European Commission, the US National Institutes of Health, The Foundation for National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Prof Pollard was appointed chair of the JCVI in 2013 and at his second meeting in February 2014 chaired a discussion which led to the recommendation of Bexsero Meningitis B vaccine to the schedule, a product of which he was also lead developer as director of Oxford Vaccine Group: previously the committee had refused to recommend the vaccine despite political pressure. This event was followed within weeks by the transfer of the Novartis vaccine division which manufactured Bexsero - to GlaxoSmithKline and a huge up-swing in the products sale potential . An Oxford University website features an appeal by Prof Andrew Pollard who has often appeared in our columns calling for compulsory vaccination, quoting from a report in the Guardian newspaper which followed three weeks after the newspapers egregious and deceitful editorial on the subject. However, both web-feature and newspaper report failed to mention a rather important detail: Prof Pollard heads the United Kingdom body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which recommends vaccines for the schedule, and a 2009 act of Parliament (though itself of dubious legality) already places a responsibility on the Secretary of State for Health (ie an elected parliamentarian and member of the government) to follow the advice of the committee . This means that if the UK Parliament did legislate to make vaccines compulsory, Prof Pollard himself would have effective dictatorial powers over citizens telling them which vaccines they and their children must have. Recently, under Andrew Pollards chairmanship the JCVI succeeded in adding Hepatitis B to the infant schedule as part of GSK's controversial Infanrix Hexa multivac which the Oxford Vaccine Group helped develop. When he was lobbying to have the Hep B vaccine on the infant schedule in 2007 Pollard made the following disclosure: Competing interests: AJP conducts clinical trials on behalf of Oxford University, sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, Novartis Vaccines, Sanofi Pasteur, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, and Wyeth Vaccines and has received funds from vaccine manufacturers to attend scientific meetings. The University of Oxford has received unrestricted grants for educational meetings organised by AJP. Industry sourced honorariums for lecturing or writing are paid directly to an independent charity or an educational/administrative fund held by the department of paediatrics, University of Oxford. And he is also presently named in a complaint to the European Ombudsman against the European Medicines Agency by Nordic Cochrane. Pollards featured statements in the Guardian and the Oxford University website are: Immunisation is something that many people think of as personal, but it is actually part of being in a society. Our children really have a right to be protected from this entirely preventable disease. And: We know that this is a very dangerous disease for young childrenThere have been deaths in Europe in the last year because of drops in coverage in various countries. The problem is here - disregarding the rhetoric is not that anyone wants children to suffer or die from infectious diseases, it is one of transparency, it is one of whether vaccines are as safe and effective as Pollard wants people to believe, and it is question of manning up to it and admitting fallibility when things go wrong. In the case of measles he might also admit that on his home territory despite the alleged baleful influence of Andrew Wakefield - there have only been three deaths from contracting measles in the UK since 1992. Around 13 million people will have died in the interim, so the risk is probably as low as it gets. If the system was about either being humane or scientific it would listen to families, not use the media to trash them and the law to tread them underfoot. What is being replicated in this aggressive vaccine ethos are the worst principles of subjugation to a social ideology that history has ever witnessed: if it was science all the manipulation, bullying and denial would not be necessary. John Stone is UK Editor for Age of Autism. By John Stone The intervention of the British Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock (pictured) to censor social media sites follows on similar calls by the Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, and the Head of UK National Health Service, Simon Stevens. According to the BBC report: Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock wants new legislation to force social media companies to remove content promoting false information about vaccines. He said the government is working with internet companies to identify misleading material on jabs, including Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR). Artificial intelligence programmes could root out bad science. It seems very unlikely that Hancock understands anything about vaccine data at all, or that he can have been very well advised. As we have seen Dame Sally did poorly when challenged in recent months to make good her claim that we know the MMR vaccine "is safe". The MMR arrived in the UK in 1988, without any significant safety data - no double-blind placebo controlled trials, or anything so exotic - and two brands had to be removed from the market four years after introduction, precipitately by the manufacturers and not by the British government (whose advisers looked blankly on). When these people talk about misinformation or fake news what they are perhaps really worried about is data sharing: information about what goes on on government committees, what is in the published studies, even what is in the Package Information Leaflets (PILs), which they will not show you. Anything might be more informative than the director of the Vaccine Confidence Project whose BBC television interview we recently excerpted: Well, I think the main thing is there most incredibly extensive safety around vaccines - the processes that go around vaccines, the reasons there is quite a while between when vaccines are developed and when children actually get them is because the system has become more and more and more robust around safety. Frankly, partly because of the public cry for this, but it has always been that way from a safety perspective because the government frankly is accountable and if it is recommending and requiring in some senses these vaccines in some senses it is not in the interest of the governments or the producer to be recommending something which is going to cause any damage.. Yesterday, Ed Day, the County Executive of Rockland County, New York, declared a state of emergency and ordered that no minors under the age of 18 who are not vaccinated with the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine (MMR) are allowed in public spaces for the next thirty days beginning this morning at midnight. Violation of the order is a Class B misdemeanor punishable with up to 6 months in jail. Public places include schools, businesses, public transportation, houses of worship, and other indoor spaces. Unvaccinated minors are allowed to remain in private homes, private vehicles and outdoor spaces. Day stated at a press conference yesterday that this is perhaps the first time in American history where any healthy person has been excluded from public places based on their vaccine status. Since last November there have been a reported 153 cases of measles in Rockland County. Yesterday, Kevin McKay, an investigator with the Rockland County Department of Public Health stated in an interview with John Gilmore of the Autism Action Network that there are currently 4 known active cases of measles in Rockland County. Rockland County is a suburb of New York City with a population of 328,000. This unprecedented move is a direct threat to anyone in the United States who has a religious or secular exemption from vaccine mandates. Normally we would not encourage people outside of a jurisdiction where an event is happening to get involved, but this is an action of national significance. Regardless of where you live please make the following calls. Please click on the Take Action Link above to send a message to Ed Day, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, and NY Health Commissioner Zucker stating your opposition to the ban. Before you take action if you value the news, information, and advocacy brought to you by the Autism Action Network please support our work here: https://grouprev.com/ autismactionnetwork2019 Please call County Executive Day and Rockland County Health Commissioner: Rockland County Executive Ed Day, (845) 638-5122 Rockland County Commissioner of Health Patricia Schnabel, (845) 364-2512 Comment on Days Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ edwin.j.day1/ Tweet Day at @rocklandgov and @ElectEdDay (his 2018 campaign site) Please call the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker and ask them to override Day's declaration. Cuomo has not ruled out a run for President in 2020, so non-New Yorkers please call. Governor Andrew Cuomo, (518) 474-8390 Commissioner Howard Zucker, (518) 474-2011 The target for this move is children who have religious exemptions from vaccine mandates. Rockland County has a large Hasidic Jewish population where religious reasons contrary to vaccination are common. The majority of cases have been in the Hasidic community. According to statements made yesterday by Day the vaccination uptake rate at public schools is very high. In fact the Clarkstown School District, one of the largest in the county, is notorious for not allowing any religious exemptions despite the legal right to do so in New York. The claim was also made that the vaccination rate among children country wide with the MMR is 72% indicating that the majority of religious exemptions are among the private, mostly Jewish, schools. Despite the obvious concentration in the Hasidic community Day referred on his Facebook to people who have religious exemptions as "mentally nebulous" and followers of "expert teachings of Hollywood actors" and referred to Jenny McCarthy and Robert DeNiro in yesterday's press conference. Day recently drew a great deal of attention to his Irish Catholic roots around St. Patrick's Day but he is obviously unaware that the Roman Catholic Church, Day's church, has serious moral reservations with vaccines made from aborted fetal tissue like the MMR. In a 2005 document written under the direction of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict 16, the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life stated, "Therefore, doctors and fathers of families have a duty to take recourse to alternative vaccines (if they exist), putting pressure on the political authorities and health systems so that other vaccines without moral problems become available. They should take recourse, if necessary, to the use of conscientious objection with regard to the use of vaccines produced by means of cell lines of aborted human foetal origin." The declaration does not include adults who do not have immunity, estimated at 7%, nor children not vaccinated for medical reason even though they could still be potential carriers. Day claimed that more than 17,000 MMR vaccines have been given since November. The MMR is a live virus vaccine; therefore recently vaccinated people can infect other people with the measles. If the people getting measles are ill with the strain in the MMR, that would indicate that they were infected by a shedding person. Parents of children with an IEPs please be aware that your child's school is still required to provide the services called for in the IEP, regardless if the child is in school or not. Please call your school today to determine how the school will provide the federally mandated IEP services. Despite the number of religious exemptions in the Hasidic community, or perhaps in part because of them, Rockland was declared the "Healthiest County in New York." in statewide survey released on March 19. Please share this message with friends and family, and please share on social networks (while you still can.) The state of South Carolina and the federal government, representing the U.S. Department of Energy, intend to schedule a meeting to discuss settling a $200 million Savannah River Site plutonium-related lawsuit. The meeting will likely be set up within the "next few weeks," according to a March 26 status update from the federal government. Both parties have agreed U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Margaret M. Sweeney should continue pausing the overarching lawsuit another 60 days was requested while a potential settlement is worked out. South Carolina's legal team on Jan. 30 submitted a list of potential negotiation terms, according to the March 26 update, which was not jointly filed. The federal government responded to South Carolina's list the same day the status update was submitted to the court. Neither the terms nor response were provided in the court records. S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson in January 2018 spearheaded a lawsuit against the federal government after the DOE failed to remove plutonium from the state in a timely manner. Federal law required beginning Jan. 1, 2016 the DOE to pay the Palmetto State $1 million for each day, up to 100 days per year, the department failed to process weapons-grade plutonium via the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility or more generally remove it from the state. South Carolina's legal team initially demanded the $100 million from 2016. But an amended request for $200 million, representing 2016 and 2017, was soon filed after. The National Nuclear Security Administration shipped a half-metric ton of weapons-usable plutonium from SRS to the Nevada National Security Site prior to November 2018, according to a declaration made in a separate plutonium-related case. The NNSA is actively working to get another half-metric ton out of South Carolina before 2020, spokespeople for the semiautonomous DOE agency have said. The NNSA terminated the over-budget MOX project on Oct. 10, 2018. The protracted government shutdown at the start of this year interfered with settlement negotiations and planning, according to court records. After weeks of mounting protests in Algeria, with hundreds of thousands gathering to call upon ailing 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to relinquish office, there are further signs of the presidents inner circle deserting him. The armys chief of staff, Gen. Ahmed Gaed Salah backed by a key part of the countrys ruling coalition, the National Rally for Democracy, and the General Union of Algerian Workers has echoed protesters demands for the president to step aside, proposing a managed process that would see power ceded to a senior member of the countrys political establishment. But protesters buoyed by the apparent groundswell of support for their cause have dismissed the compromise measure from the countrys ruling elite as little more than a tactical olive branch intended to maintain power within the close political circle that has formed around the infirm president. Speaking on television, Salah told viewers, We must find a way out of this crisis immediately, within the constitutional framework." For the army, at least, that constitutional framework appears to be invoking Article 102 of the Algerian Constitution, declaring Bouteflika unfit for office and for power to be transferred to a caretaker power. However, protest leaders have been scornful of the move. Opposition leader Sofiane Djilali, president of the Jil Jadid party, dismissed the offer and was quoted as saying, "Neither the opposition nor the people will accept this operation. The whole system has to go." Djilalis comments found ready echoes upon the street, as protesters tired of almost 30 years of economic and political stagnation voiced their rejection of the offer. Of course I will still protest until our demands come true, a spokesperson for one of the leading protest groups No to the Fifth Term, No to the Perpetuation of Corruption told Al-Monitor, adding that any decision on Bouteflikas fitness for office should have been taken at the time of his devastating stroke in 2013 and not now. For the protest group, the latest call from Salah was not so much a reflection of the popular will as a cynical gambit to retain the armys influence in government. The army must hand power to the people, they said. Others seized upon the generals comments as a de facto admission of the armys longstanding control on government. His comments were revealing, protester Khalil Che told Al-Monitor, as now he will be facing his responsibility because now many people will know that Gaid Salah is the real government." Since 1962 [the date of Algerias independence], the military [has been] the real power that makes the decisions, Khalil said. The mood among many of the millions who have flooded Algerias streets over the previous five weekends similarly appeared as defiant as ever. The system must go. There is no point for it [to resist], Belkacem Abidi, 25, told Reuters as he gathered with around 6,000 others mostly students in central Algiers following Salahs intervention. If the army maintains its plans to invoke Article 102, it risks setting itself on a collision course with the protesters, whose determination to wrest the system from political insiders who have coalesced around the president appear only matched by their numbers and level of support. According to the constitution, Article 102 allows for Algerias constitutional council to declare the presidency vacant if the incumbent is too sick to exercise the functions of office. The council must then appeal to parliament to also declare him unfit. The leader of the upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would then take over in a caretaker capacity for 45 days. However, what power Bensalah would have or what his ability would be to enact genuine reform remains unclear. Protests will continue. Algerians demands include a change of the political system, lawyer and activist Mustapha Bouchachi told Reuters. The implementation of Article 102 means that the symbols of the system will oversee the transition period and organize presidential elections, Bouchachi added. Recent weeks have seen the defection of many of Algerias leading parties and politicians from the side of the government to that of the protesters. On Sunday, the presidents own National Liberation Front backtracked on its support for the incumbents suggestion for a "national dialogue conference" intended to oversee major constitutional reform, with spokesman Hocine Khaldoun telling the private Dzair TV network the conference would "not solve the problem." "Honestly, we are going to revise our position on the conference," Khaldoun added, saying that the "conference will not solve the issue because participants will not be elected." Algerias popular protests have grown in numbers since initial demonstrations against Bouteflikas proposed fifth run for office broke out in Bordj Bou Arreridj, about 125 miles from the capital, on Feb. 13. Fueled by a series of apparent government climbdowns including rescinding the presidents fifth bid for power their numbers have since swollen as Algerians from all strata of society have flooded the countrys cities to demand the departure of the countrys paraplegic leader. Algerias protests have been greeted with some apprehension by neighboring countries that typically look to the North African state as either a partner in counterterrorism or a significant source of hydrocarbons, though thus far exports have remained unaffected. Within Algeria itself, the pressure from the street appears unrelenting. The No to the Fifth Term protest group said the end was within sight. Victory is not that far," the group's spokesperson told Al-Monitor, adding, We must continue our pressure on unconstitutional individuals and the military establishment. President Donald Trumps fight to secure funding for the southern border with Mexico could jeopardize funding for key US bases that support operations in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a Pentagon list released this month. As the White House considers what has been termed the cost plus 50 plan to charge US allies in Germany and Japan for basing American troops, the Defense Department released a list of projects that could be defunded to finance $3.6 billion of border wall, a key Trump campaign pledge that congressional Democrats arent interested in paying for. Funding for a $26.3 million fleet maintenance facility in Bahrain, home to the US Navys 5th Fleet, and nearly $513 million worth of construction in Germany to support Marines, fighter pilots and special operations forces in Africa are among $4.3 billion in projects eligible to be cut. Also on the chopping block is a $14.3 million project at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, from where the United States has run many of its counter-Islamic State strike missions in Syria. I cant find a case where we put so much overseas basing on the line, said Rick Berger, a former Senate staffer who is now a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank. I think allies are keeping quiet right now particularly after cost plus 50 because they dont want to be a target of the president. While US allies in the Middle East and North Africa have stayed quiet, the battle over wall funding has already raised significant concerns inside the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., wrote a letter to Pentagon Comptroller David Norquist rejecting the departments request to reprogram $1 billion in counter-narcotics funding to build 57 miles of wall along the southern border. In internal Pentagon memos obtained by the Los Angeles Times, US Marine Corps Commandant Robert Neller said troop deployments to the border had forced the cancellation of some training exercises. Some Middle East-related projects included on the list, such as upgrades to al-Udeid air base in Qatar and al-Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates, appear to be safe according to the Pentagons own criteria, which exclude projects with projected award dates in the current fiscal year. Al-Udeid, home to 11,000 US troops, is a major hub for US military operations in the Middle East and provides a command center for troops and a home base for intelligence beamed in from places ranging from Egypt to Afghanistan. If the Pentagon adds to the list of projects on the chopping block, analysts say, already shaken allies will be truly rattled. If this step to remove some of the [military construction] is the first in a succession, thats when I start to worry, said Melissa Dalton, a former Pentagon official who is now a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. If its a one-off thing it may be possible for DoD [Department of Defense] to kind of frame that in a way that there is this sort of give and take in US priorities at the moment. As the White House and Congress have battled over possible funding for the border wall, Russia and China, the United States two biggest rivals, have sought to extend their military footprint throughout the region. China has set up a base near US troops in Djibouti that could give the Chinese reach into the Red Sea, and Russia recently struck a deal to allow military overflight and landing rights in Egypt. Cairo receives $1.3 billion in US military aid each year. The wall fight has also impacted the acting defense secretarys dialogue with allies. During a visit to Washington last week, French Defense Minister Florence Parly appeared to publicly question Americas commitment to NATO, declaring, Its Article 5, not Article F-35, a play on words referring to the alliances mutual self-defense clause and the newest US-made jet. Parly also said she was unable to get clarity on US policy in Syria. Threats to cut military construction abroad to fund Trumps wall has done little to reassure US allies. Our [military] construction expenditures abroad are a big way of how we do burden sharing, said Berger. Do you want to pick a school in Germany or the vehicle maintenance facility? There are no good choices that dont cut really deep. CAIRO Egyptian and Libyan security authorities have agreed to coordinate Egyptian laborers' entry to Libya by opening offices in the border cities of Sallum, Egypt, and Masaed, Libya. The agreement comes in anticipation of Libya's reconstruction in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution, years of civil war and the resulting chaos that opened the door to the Islamic State (IS) in 2015. Under the agreement signed March 17, Egyptian laborers will undergo security clearance by Egyptian agencies (which were not identified) affiliated with the police or army. Then in Libya, the Interior Ministry of the interim government will be responsible for security clearances for workers to enter that country. On March 7, the Libyan-Egyptian Joint Economic Chamber organized its second economic forum in Alexandria to discuss ways to overcome obstacles to trade and peoples movement between the countries. The forum underlined the need to work on returning Egyptian laborers to Libya and to extend invitations to some Egyptian businessmen and companies to visit. During his speech at the forum, Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce head Ahmed al-Wakil called for allowing the return to Libya of a vast number of more than 2 million Egyptians who had worked there before the 2011 revolution, many of whom returned to Egypt because of the political and security instability in Libya. Egypt had completely banned travel to Libya since February 2015 because of the danger. But as security improved, parliament member Mahdi al-Umda called in January for reopening the Sallum land crossing to Egyptian laborers. The new agreement is a good move in that direction, said Mohammad Fathi al-Sherif, a researcher at the media center of the Arab League's Permanent Mission of Libya. The agreement has security and organizational aspects, and this is a key preliminary step for the return of Egyptian labor to Libya," he told Al-Monitor. "Both countries have the political willingness to make it work. Haitham Saad al-Din, a spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Labor, told Al-Monitor by phone that the agreement involves the countries' security forces, and that the civilian part of the Egyptian government has nothing to do with the pact. He emphasized, however, that a stable security situation in Libya is key to the return of Egyptian laborers. Ayman Zuhri, head of the Egyptian Society for Migration Studies and a migration professor at the American University of Cairo, told Al-Monitor, Egyptian labor is the best option for the Libyan market, given the countries' geographic proximity. Besides, skilled and junior Egyptian labor is available at low wages, compared with labor from other countries. He added, Egyptian workers are the primary candidates for the Libyan market currently. The number of Egyptian laborers is expected to return to pre-2011 figures, when there were around 1.7 million in Libya." He estimated the current number at 300,000 at most, while saying official figures are lacking and some workers cross illegally. Libyan Minister of Work and Rehabilitation Al-Mahdi al-Amen told the Egyptian Al-Akhbar newspaper in April that Egyptian laborers will have priority over those of other nationalities in the coming Libyan reconstruction because of their professional capacities and skills, which were evident in Libya before 2011. Khaled al-Shafei, director of the Capital Center for Economic Studies and Research, told Al-Monitor, Egyptian companies specializing in construction have experience in such reconstruction. They will play a major role in the coming phase, alongside the expected rise in [general] demand for Egyptian labor that is widely welcomed in the Libyan market. Shafei said the labor coordination agreement is essential and "will definitely have a positive impact on the national economy because it will add to the hard currency of the Egyptian Central Bank. According to the Egyptian Central Bank, overall remittances of Egyptian laborers abroad rose in 2018 to $25.5 billion, up 3.1% from 2017. The remittances are the largest source of hard currency in the Egyptian economy. Mohammad Abou Yassine, who worked in Libya from 2012 until 2016, told Al-Monitor, I worked in construction in Benghazi city. Unfortunately, I didn't continue my work there, since I was injured on the job and had to return to Egypt. I didn't have medical insurance in Libya because I crossed the border illegally. He added, Many Egyptian young people want to travel to Libya for work, since opportunities are available for them there and they have priority over others in the Libyan market. Job opportunities in Egypt are scarce. Mohammad Ali, an Egyptian in his 20s with a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Cairo, is waiting for his chance to work in Libya, but he insists on using the proper channels. He told Al-Monitor, I want to work in Libya legally, and I want a good job opportunity. I choose Libya because it is close to Egypt. Ali said that the security situation in Libya has improved and that there would be better than life in Egypt without work. The agreement is important, he said, because it reopens the door to legal travel to Libya after years of travel bans and illegal smuggling. Mahmoud al-Lahouni, who is currently unemployed, told Al-Monitor by phone, I worked in Libya from 2008 until 2011, when I returned to Egypt after the deterioration of the security situation. I am currently getting ready to travel again to Libya, amid the relatively improving security situation. He added, There aren't enough jobs available in Egypt. Libya is a good option, and I'm getting ready with some friends to travel there." GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Coming just days before a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel erupted into an exchange of missiles between the two sides, a Hamas crackdown on peaceful protesters in Gaza has drawn the condemnation of other factions and human rights groups. Hamas, however, says the Palestinian Authority (PA) and President Mahmoud Abbas instigated the protests as a political ploy. Palestinians have taken to the streets under the slogan We want to live, protesting price hikes and the dire living conditions in the Gaza Strip. Hamas security forces cracked down on demonstrators soon after the protests began March 14, arresting hundreds of protesters and using violence to disperse the gatherings. Several human rights activists and journalists were arrested; their phones and cameras were confiscated. In light of the deteriorating security situation in the Gaza Strip, Hamas security services temporarily released March 25 all citizens arrested during their participation in the peaceful protests against the movements rule. However, the security services forced them to sign pledges that they will remain under house arrest and avoid use of social media, knowing that their personal computers and phones remain in the custody of the security services. The director of the Gaza-based office of the Independent Commission for Human Rights and the head of the commissions complaints department were beaten March 16 as they were documenting the crackdown on protesters in Deir al-Balah town in central Gaza Strip. Local human rights organizations condemned the violence and suppression, stressing that the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and political participation are guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and cannot be violated under any pretext. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov on March 17 also strongly condemned the arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against demonstrators, including women and children. Hamas has accused the PA of orchestrating the demonstrations, although demonstrators have stated they are only calling for better living conditions, with no political motivation. Hamas called on its supporters March 16 to take to the street and demand the ousting of Abbas, in what some observers said was a bid to offset the popular movement. In a March 19 statement, Hamas expressed regret over any damage that might have been caused to the demonstrators. It urged human rights groups to continue working and stated that Palestinians have the right to express themselves peacefully. Still, the security forces continue trying to disperse the demonstrations. About 10 Palestinian factions met March 16 in the Gaza Strip to affirm their support for the just demands called for in the demonstrations, which they described as peaceful. They rejected all forms of repression and the violent crackdown on freedoms and rights. The factions also demanded that Hamas and Gaza officials withdraw security forces and gunmen from the streets and public squares, release the arrested protesters and hold accountable those who attacked the demonstrators. The factions further said that the crisis gripping the Gaza Strip is the result of the Israeli blockade and the Palestinian division, and has been further exacerbated by the PA's punitive measures and additional taxes imposed by Hamas. Hamas recently increased taxes on cigarettes, which are seen as a primary source of income for the government. At the beginning of the year, Hamas also imposed new taxes on imported goods that have alternatives in the Gazan market. Hamas said the taxes are designed to protect local products. The Gaza-based Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) has called on the Ministry of Finance in Gaza to reverse the additional taxes, which have weighed heavily on the cash-strapped people suffering under the siege and punitive measures. The [peaceful] demonstrations are a result of the difficult economic situation the people of Gaza are living in and the neglect of the officials, who are preoccupied with their political differences, Momen al-Natour, one of the organizers of the We want to live demonstrations, told Al-Monitor before he was arrested by Hamas on March 21. Natour explained that mainly young people from the Gaza Strip called on people over social media to take part in weekly peaceful protests across all governorates, demanding job opportunities, noting that the repression they faced early on in the demonstrations pushed them to continue protesting. What started out as peaceful demands on social media could turn into full-blown calls for strikes, mass disobedience and sit-ins, he said, adding that the movements will continue. We don't follow any political party," Natour said. "Our demands are strictly social, aiming for better living conditions and ways to solve unemployment, which currently stands at 53% in the Gaza Strip, and to reverse the decision to slash salaries of the employees in Gaza. Hamas and the PA are blaming one another for the demonstrations. Hamas says the dire economic conditions are the result of the PAs policies on the Gaza Strip, while the PA claims the situation has resulted from Hamas mismanagement of the coastal strip. Natour noted that the protesters are only calling for better living conditions and social justice not the overthrow of Hamas or Abbas. Natour added that security forces broke into his house and confiscated the phones of his parents, who received a notice March 16 telling their son to surrender to Hamas' internal security branch, which he said he will not do. He is still hiding for fear of getting arrested. According to Natour, everyone arrested was tortured, humiliated and accused of collaborating with Israel and the PA. Some of those arrested were released after signing a document pledging not to take part in the demonstrations, but a large number of protesters remain in detention. We are well aware that we can't topple Hamas rule, which has a strong military wing that helped the security forces to disperse the demonstrations. We are only calling for a decent life," he said. For its part, Hamas police said demonstrations were dispersed because the organizers hadn't obtained permission. According to Natour, Palestinian law doesn't require peaceful protesters to get permission. This is a partisan police fight to protect Hamas, not the people. We hope that the government will absorb the situation instead of confronting it with violence, he concluded. Political analyst Tala Okal told Al-Monitor that the demonstrations are not surprising, given the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip and the crises that affect people. He explained that Hamas tried to avoid this popular explosion by launching the Great Return March last year. A year later, the Great Return March has not achieved its objectives, leaving the people in even more despair, which made it only normal to break their silence and call for their basic human rights, Okal said. He stressed that it is not right for the Hamas government to claim that the demonstrations are politically motivated to defend its mismanagement of the coastal enclave. They ought to take the right measures to decrease taxes and create job opportunities, he said. Hamas must know that the repressive security measures will lead to more violence and ultimately the collapse of its rule. They also need to consider this: The people who sacrificed more than 250 martyrs and more than 30,000 wounded in the Great Return March are ready to pay [with] their freedom as a price to improve economic and living conditions, he said. Samir Zaqout, deputy director of the Gaza-based Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor that the police claim that the demonstrations did not have a permit is baseless and that this is their right according to Palestinian law. Zaqout explained that these demonstrations should not be dispersed unless there were attacks on public property, and even if that were the case, the dispersal should have been done properly, not by beating and arresting protesters and storming their homes without warrants. Journalists were also banned from covering the developments and their equipment was confiscated. The public prosecutor in Gaza must act immediately to stop these serious human rights abuses. Hamas violent acts should not be forgiven just because it is upholding the resistance, Zaqout said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came under fire while testifying on Capitol Hill today over the Donald Trump administrations transfer of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. The Energy Department, lawmakers revealed, has issued at least six authorizations for Saudi Arabia under Section 810 of the Atomic Energy Act, which allows US companies to provide nuclear technology or technical assistance to foreign countries. The Energy Department has refused to disclose to lawmakers which companies have received the authorizations and what technology they may have transferred to Riyadh. In an email to Congress seen by Al-Monitor, an Energy Department official noted that each company has requested that the Trump administration not publicly release the documentation. We do inform a company that they have the right to request their authorization be withheld from public release if the nature of the authorization could cause them competitive harm or potentially provide insight into their proprietary information, the official wrote. This is not unexpected given that [Saudi Arabia] is a new market that US companies are exploring. A House aide told Al-Monitor that while the Barack Obama administration also issued 810 authorizations for the Saudis, those were publicly disclosed. Why it matters: Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., accused the Trump administration of using the authorizations as an end run around the law in an effort to achieve a policy to provide nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia before they enter into agreements for no reprocessing and no enrichment. Sherman asked Pompeo to provide Congress with the six 810 authorizations by the middle of next month. Pompeo would not commit to doing so. The Saudis have indicated they want civil nuclear power, Pompeo said, and weve been working to make sure they do so. Assistant Secretary of State for Nonproliferation Chris Ford has previously said that the State Department would also have some nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Bypassing Congress: Another part of the Atomic Energy Act Section 123 requires a formal agreement to transfer US civil nuclear technology to another country. Under that section, Congress can vote down any agreement. Whistleblowers have told the House Oversight Committee that former Trump administration officials had tried to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia without such an agreement. IP3 International, the consulting firm that lobbied the White House on the plan, convened a meeting with Trump and nuclear developers earlier this year. A Saudi nuclear deal? Sherman and a bipartisan group of lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern over Saudi Arabias refusal to agree to an agreement that would preclude it from enriching uranium and reprocessing plutonium on its soil precursors to a potential nuclear weapons program. Last year Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., called on the Trump administration to revoke all 810 agreements with Riyadh and suspend civil nuclear negotiations. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that Riyadh would pursue a nuclear weapons program if Iran does. Whats next? Before issuing 810 authorizations, the Energy Department must consult with the State Department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce. So if Pompeo doesnt disclose the details of the authorizations, Congress can always try its luck with another agency. Sherman and Markey have also introduced legislation requiring Congress to affirmatively sign off on any Saudi nuclear deal. Know more: Read congressional correspondent Bryant Harris review of how White House officials worked with IP3 International to draft a plan that would give Riyadh nuclear technology without congressional buy-in. -Bryant Harris 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. As dramatic videos of deadly floods leaving behind destroyed vehicles and other damage circulate on Iranian social media networks, ordinary Iranians are doing what they can to help the affected citizens, including travelers whose Nowruz holidays have been unexpectedly disrupted. A 10-minute flash flood in the city of Shiraz, perhaps the most popular tourist destination in the country's south, killed at least 18 and injured scores more on March 25. Many of the victims are said to have been visitors. Now, locals in the birthplace of classical Iranian literature are inviting panicked holidaymakers to their homes, offering unconditional stay and food. "All services will be offered for free until the harsh weather dies down," one placard held by a volunteer in Shiraz read. Some even offer free body repairs for cars damaged in the downpours. Several local hotels and restaurants have joined the spontaneous campaign, dubbed "My Guest." Similar public initiatives are underway to deliver badly needed assistance to those hardest hit in the northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran. The aid is flowing in the form of cash donations as well as basic supplies collected from communities across Iran, including those still recovering from a devastating 2017 earthquake in the country's west. The government of President Hassan Rouhani has been under immense pressure for its perceived failure to handle the disaster. The president himself is under fire for staying away from the flood-hit areas. Seven days following the heavy rains, he has now traveled to the northern areas to oversee the relief operations. The government has already promised 7.1 trillion rials ($169 million) in compensation to affected households. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also established a strong presence. The force's commander, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, was seen visiting inundated neighborhoods in the countrys north half-submerged in floodwaters. While both the government and the IRGC have stepped in, some Iranians are interpreting the promises of more relief as publicity stunts meant to burnish their status and rooted in political rivalry between moderates and hard-liners. An initial investigation into the deadly disaster in Shiraz has now pointed to negligence as the main cause of the deaths. According to a report by a crisis management team, one of the old watercourses in the city had been blocked by local authorities, probably for urban planning purposes, leading to the destructive overflow. Meanwhile, the governor of Fars province noted that warnings had been issued two weeks before the disaster. But some social media users argue that all roads leading to the site of the flash floods should have been blocked. "How where you unable to block people but managed to fully cordon off the tomb of Cyprus the Great on his commemoration day?" one person tweeted. Every year, Iranian nationalists organize the Cyrus Day ceremony on Oct. 29 to remember the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. But in recent years the plans have been hindered by a security clampdown by the Islamic Republic, which deems such activities pro-monarchist. Coverage of the massive flooding included more from Iran's ancient history. The iconic Persepolis monument, 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Shiraz, reportedly remained unscathed amid the flooding. According to local officials, underground canals built by ancient Persians to avert flooding protected the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The news prompted praise from many Iranians, who drew comparisons between the current government's handling of such crises with that of their forefathers. Yet despite the trauma, the floods have not produced only sad news. Pictures went viral of a smiling young couple who had planned their wedding in Golestan province for March 28. They decided to hold the ceremony earlier. Instead of a grand hall, the bride and the groom wed before the other displaced in a temporary accommodation center. A short video of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking on a runway March 25 as he prepared to return to Israel from Washington highlights the concern he felt about losing control of his election campaign. Journalists tailed Netanyahu as he walked with his wife Sara toward the stairs to his plane, eager to get an update or a comment on Israels military strike in Gaza. The problem for Netanyahu was that earlier that day, a rocket fired from Gaza had hit a home in Mishmeret, a village in the center of Israel, striking fear among every Israeli. Netanyahu was frustrated that he had to cut his festive visit to Washington short. He raged at the journalists that from his perspective, they had not given sufficient coverage to President Donald Trumps announcement recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. People will settle the score with you for not giving it more than a minute of coverage, Netanyahu warned. But historically, this was huge. It was only after the reporters pleaded with him that he agreed to make some general comments about Gaza. Up to that point, Netanyahus election campaign had met all its objectives despite the various criminal investigations into his dealings. He had prepared for the election for about a year. Netanyahu was convinced that the investigations would end with his indictment, so he primed his supporters accordingly, claiming that the various law enforcement agencies were conspiring to build a case against him. He even went so far as to try to delegitimize the country's police commissioner and the attorney general, both of whom he had appointed. The strategy worked. After Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced on Feb. 28 that he was considering indicting the prime minister for bribery, fraud and violation of trust, Netanyahu barely took a hit in the polls. He believed that his campaign was in control of the situation, while the rival Blue and White party was declining in popularity due to problems with its campaign strategy. At that exact moment, however, anything that could go wrong for Netanyahu actually did. The number two member of Blue and White, Yair Lapid, took control of his partys campaign around mid-March and for the first time managed to attach a label of corruption that stuck to Netanyahu because of the German submarine deal (though it should be noted that Netanyahu has not been investigated or indicated in that case). An orchestrated campaign insinuating that Netanyahu had sold out the countrys security succeeded in doing what Mandelblit's threat of an indictment did not. The verbal campaign by Blue and White's leaders linked the enormous personal profit that Netanyahu earned from holding shares in a steel company, which had an indirect connection to the submarine provider, to the submarine investigation, Case 3000. The combination of greed and harming state security did exactly what it was intended to do force Netanyahu to switch from offense to defense. For a while, things looked so bad that voters began abandoning the Likud. A few days ago, official polls showed the Blue and White gathering momentum, and the Likud getting weaker. Netanyahu's own polls also pointed to a problem. After four years of boycotting Israeli media outlets deemed insufficiently right wing, Netanyahu decided to sit for an interview with Channel 12 News. In doing so, Netanyahu sought to stop the ominous trend in the polls and prevent his party from growing even weaker. His spokespeople informed Channel 12's news editors of Netanyahu's desire to be interviewed only half an hour before the prime minister surprised everyone by showing up at the studio. The March 23 interview made for fascinating television. The interviewers showed no mercy, pummeling Netanyahu with penetrating questions. There were no softballs. They refused to let him off easy. Netanyahu actually seemed tense. He was not at his best when questioned by the journalist Keren Marciano. Nevertheless, the episode ended with Netanyahu shoring up his base and halting the Likud's downward slide. In the interview, Netanyahu showed his supporters that he would fight to defend his reputation. He even announced that he would file a libel suit against the Blue and White leadership for what he called their blood libel against him regarding the submarine scandal. Netanyahu is yet to follow through, but his bluster has succeeded. It was important for Netanyahu to put the submarine scandal behind him before leaving for Washington on March 24. He wanted to indulge in the election gift that Trump was about to give him without the submarine scandal dogging him to the White House. The visit to Washington had been planned for months. The historic US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, with a stopover at AIPACs annual conference to deliver a speech, was supposed to be one of the highlights of Netanyahus campaign. Then came the morning of March 25. Just a few hours before Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with his buddy Trump, a single rocket from Gaza ruined his election celebration in Washington. From that moment on, American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights was relegated to the inside of the newspapers. All television news covered was the escalation from Gaza, and Netanyahu, who is also defense minister, spent many long hours in Washington on the phone to Israel. He had to decline Trump's festive state dinner and forego his speech to AIPAC. Forced instead to return to Israel, he was fuming and bitter. Just two weeks before the April 9 election, Gaza is, once again, stuck like a bone in Netanyahus craw. Mr. Security had done everything he could in the last year to contain an escalation in the south and avoid a large-scale military campaign. Now he finds himself under siege from the right, led by the chairman of the New Right, Naftali Bennett, and the chairman of Yisrael Beitenu, Avigdor Liberman. Both are attacking him mercilessly for adhering to what they consider to be lax policy toward Hamas and Gaza. Fine, they also want to get elected, and their poll numbers are hardly promising, and some of their supporters are in the Likud camp. Netanyahu is worried that another entanglement in Gaza could reshuffle the deck but not in his favor. Since Netanyahu is also defense minister, there is no one to share the criticism being aimed at him. As Israels most experienced campaigner, he was the first to realize that whatever has happened in the election campaign until now is no longer relevant. Its a whole new ball game, and his reaction to events in Gaza will undoubtedly determine the electoral outcome. The days leading up to April 9 could be lethal to Netanyahus image as Mr. Security, particularly now that he is facing off against a powerful party, Blue and White, led by generals. It all looks too good to be true, a Likud minister requesting confidentiality told Al-Monitor 10 days ago in response to Netanyahus high standing in the polls. Even he never imagined that so much could start to go wrong. It's unusual for senior politicians to speak in absolutes. They normally qualify their statements, leaving themselves an escape in case circumstances change. But what happened in the industrial Jordanian city of Zarqa, where King Abdullah II met with local leaders March 21, was an exception. Speaking on the issue of Jerusalem, the king did not mince words. I will never change my position toward Jerusalem in my life, he said, adding, All my people are with me. His statement came nine days after the Jordanian monarch had visited Washington and met with President Donald Trump's team. Press speculation focused on a clear increase in political pressure on Jordan to acquiesce to Washington and its plans to publicly introduce its deal of the century shortly after the Israeli elections on April 9. The United States is desperate for Arab support for its plans in light of the boycott by the Palestinian leadership of the US administration since December 2017, when Trump announced plans to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It was not long before the kings seriousness was tested. On March 24, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila told the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington that she was pleased to announce that I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government that I run will move our embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel. The following day, King Abdullah was due to travel to the Romanian capital Bucharest for a series of meetings. The Royal Court announced March 25 that the king had decided to cancel the visit to Romania, scheduled for March 25, in solidarity with Jerusalem. According to the press release, the visit to Romania, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, had been planned to include meetings with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and parliament leaders. The king was also expected to participate in the international counterterrorism Aqaba meetings to be hosted by Romania in partnership with Jordan. The Jordanian and Romanian governments had also been due to sign a trade agreement, two memoranda of understanding and a cooperation program. A Jordanian-Romanian business forum had been planned with the participation of private sector representatives from the two countries. The king's decision quickly produced wide acclaim from Palestinians and Jordanians. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the Jordanian monarch March 25 to thank him for his support. Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLOs Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor that the kings move was courageous, saying, This is a position of courage and integrity. It is also consistent with his responsibility for the holy sites in Jerusalem. Ashrawi also noted that there is a need for more leaders like him who dont just pay lip service to justice but who act in a bold and principled manner. Support for the king also came from Palestinian activists. Fatah's spokesman for international affairs, Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad, called the decision historic: His Majesty King Abdullahs decision to cancel his trip to Romania reflects the true and historical commitment of the Hashemite family and Kingdom of Jordan to stand and support the protection of the Islamic and Christian Holy sites in Jerusalem and the international law and resolutions that deny the Israeli claims to complete authority over occupied East Jerusalem, Abu Zayyad told Al-Monitor. Jordans professional unions issued a joint statement in support of the king. Leading members of parliament also chimed in during the March 25 parliamentary session to support the message that the kings move represented. Wafa Bani Mustafa, a longstanding member of the Jordanian Parliament, told Arab News March 25 that the kings decision is an important message to all those countries that are trying to follow the isolationist decisions of the United States. Wasfi Kailani, the director of the Royal Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa, told Al-Monitor that the move by the new European Union member is very worrisome. The Romanian move is risky for both regional peace and Jordanian safeguarding of Jerusalems Holy Sites. According to the Romanian Constitution, the president must approve foreign-policy decisions. Iohannis rejected the suggestion, calling his prime minister ignorant of foreign policy issues. The words of Jordans monarch as well Romanias president appear to have forced the prime minister to backtrack from her previous statement. I said that we must complete all constitutional steps first. I haven't said I will relocate the embassy. I said we must observe the constitution, Dancila told Romanian Television March 25. King Abdullah has shown courage and principled commitment in regard to the issue of Jerusalem, his public statements and policy decisions in sync. The message they send to the world, especially the Trump administration, is that one of the most moderate and pro-US Arab leaders will not budge on the issue of Jerusalem. ISTANBUL Kurdish politicians have called on prisoners to stop taking their own lives after a spate of suicides and an ongoing hunger strike while the Turkish government refuses to meet their demands. Hundreds or thousands of inmates, depending on the source, are refusing solid food to pressure Turkey to improve imprisonment conditions for Abdullah Ocalan, the 70-year-old founder of the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) who is serving a life sentence for treason and has not been allowed to meet with lawyers for several years. Four protesters have killed themselves in Turkish prisons since March 16 and a fifth died of his wounds after setting himself on fire in Germany, the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) said in an emailed statement. None of the suicide victims were on the hunger strike, the HDP said. Three of the Turkish prisoners were women in their 20s. We defend life and sustaining life, not death. Regardless of the reason, we do not think its right to end ones own life, Pervin Buldan, the joint chairwoman of the HDP, said on Tuesday after meeting figures from other pro-Kurdish parties in Diyarbakir, Turkeys biggest Kurdish city. We are openly calling on everyone to prevent these kind of acts from continuing. Buldan also urged the Turkish government to respond to the prisoners demands and allow Ocalan visitation. International human rights law on the treatment of prisoners says friends and family must be allowed to visit prisoners. The European Unions foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said this month she was monitoring the hunger strike and called on Turkey ensure the protesters safety. In January, authorities allowed Ocalan to see his brother Mehmet, who was also permitted to visit him in September 2016. Both times, Mehmet reported Ocalan was in good health. Aside from Mehmet, Ocalan has had no contact with the outside world since April 2015. Reviled by most Turks for unleashing violence that has plagued the southeast, Ocalan is considered by some Kurds a hero of a resistance movement and has continued to wield his clout from the island penitentiary where he has been held since 1999. In 2012, he successfully called an end to a 68-day hunger strike by Kurdish prisoners. But he has been isolated after his efforts to negotiate a settlement between the PKK and the government failed. The PKK, which took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984, is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. More than 40,000 people have died in one of the worlds longest-running and deadliest insurgencies. The prison protest, which entered its 140th day on Wednesday, is led by Leyla Guven, an HDP lawmaker who started her hunger strike on Nov. 7 and has said she will continue until Ocalan is allowed regular meetings with family members and lawyers. Guven, 55, is consuming sugar, salt, water and vitamins to prolong her life and was moved to house arrest in January as her health deteriorated. She told Reuters that she was prepared to face death. The HDP says 7,000 people are taking part in the hunger strike, while news reports put the figure far lower at about 250. Three HDP parliamentarians have joined the action, as have supporters in France, Canada, Britain and Iraqi Kurdistan, according to the HDP. Guven was jailed in January 2018 and faces up to 31 years in prison on charges stemming from social media posts critical of the Turkish militarys incursion into the Syrian province of Afrin to wrest control of the area bordering Turkey from US-allied Syrian Kurdish militia the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which is linked to the PKK. Another 10 HDP lawmakers are in prison on terrorism-related charges, including the partys former chairman Selahattin Demirtas, part of a broader crackdown that has jailed thousands of HDP activists in the wake of the failed peace talks. The government tapped Demirtas, Buldan and other HDP parliamentarians in 2013 to hammer out a cease-fire with Ocalan and PKK fighters based in the mountains of northern Iraq. The end of that process in 2015 unleashed the worst violence in two decades, killing nearly 3,000 people before relative calm was restored in 2017. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is campaigning for his party in a March 31 municipal election, now equates the HDP with the PKK. The HDP, parliaments second-biggest opposition party, denies it has direct links with the militants and has called on the PKK to abandon violence and the government to negotiate a resolution to the conflict. The HDP has said it will back other opposition candidates in major Western cities to thwart the ruling party, and its base has the potential to swing the vote in cities like Istanbul, home to about 1.5 million Kurdish voters. Erdogan warned this week he could dismiss as many as 300 city council members upon election for their suspected links to the PKK. He sacked almost all of the HDPs 102 mayors elected in the predominantly Kurdish southeast in the last local election in 2014. This week, pro-government news outlets published the names, photographs and personal information of candidates accused of such ties. Yildaray Ogur, a columnist at the conservative Karar newspaper, said the list appeared to be culled from intelligence archives, some dating back a half-century, and pointed out all of the candidates had already passed background checks required to run in the election. On Wednesday, Erdogan accused the HDP of manipulating Kurdish voters and sowing division by campaigning only in southeastern Turkeys Kurdish areas. Who are you to tell my Kurdish brothers that you [control] their will? Have you mortgaged them? Lets give them an Ottoman slap on Sunday, he told a campaign rally in the northwest town of Duzce. If you love Kurdistan so much, theres a Kurdistan in northern Iraq. Get out, do whatever you want there. But you will not divide this nation, he said. In a separate development, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday that an airstrike in northern Iraq last week neutralized senior rebel leader Riza Altun and three other militants. CNN Turk reported that Altun, whom it described as the PKKs so-called foreign minister, was seriously wounded in the strike carried out by an unmanned aerial vehicle acting on Turkish intelligence. Correction: March 28, 2019. Al-Monitor incorrectly stated that the politicians called for the end of the hunger strike. They called for the end of the suicide protests. CAIRO, Egypt American comedian George Carlins famous quote Its the quiet ones you gotta watch may well be applied to Netflix success in Egypt. The streaming service quietly entered Egypt in the beginning of 2016 and now, three years later, it is popular among not only subscribers but also Egyptian producers. Currently, the service streams more than a dozen Egyptian films and TV series. The first Egyptian show on Netflix was "Grand Hotel," a popular love and intrigue series that portrays Egypt in the 1950s. Netflix re-baptized the 2016 run of 30 episodes as Secret of the Nile and streamed it in April 2018. It was the first in a long line of series and films. In time for the last Ramadan, the peak period for television in Egypt and overall Middle East, Netflix signed on half a dozen Arab films and series, including Egyptian American director Ahmed Ahmeds award-winning film Just Like Us. In the spring of 2019, more popular TV series have found their way to the streaming service. They range from "Tayea," a family saga of love and revenge that revolves around a doctor from Upper Egypt, to comedy series "Khalsena B Sheyaka" and many others. A source from Netflix independent and local acquisitions section told Al-Monitor that Netflix is engaged in talks on additional series that will be aired in Ramadan 2019, most notably the crime series "Kalabsh" ("Handcuffs") and dramas "Valentino" and "Lams Aktaf." Netflix also aims to produce an original Egyptian series in 2019 and is currently working with several producers of youth drama, said the source who requested anonymity. Netflix already produced its first Arabic-language original series earlier this year. Jinn" is a Jordanian youth drama series directed by Elan and Rajeev Dassani and written by Bassel Ghandour. Speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, a source at Beelink Broadcasting and Media Production said that Netflix joining the Egyptian market as a buyer creates new opportunities for producers, particularly considering that the Ramadan series market is getting smaller. No more than a dozen series are expected to be screened over Ramadan 2019, the lowest figure since 2004. Industry sources say that TV channels also pay considerably less for them compared to three years ago. However, the source at Beelink warned that if Netflix prioritizes producing original content in Egypt rather than buying existing series from local producers, it may have a negative impact for the local film sector, which lacks Netflixs huge financial resources. Freelance critic and cinema writer Mahmoud Kassem told Al-Monitor that Netflix, with its strong reputation and budget, could well gain a monopoly in the Egyptian market if it decides to dive into production. Maintaining that there is no local company capable of producing films and series to international standards, he said, Which of the Egyptian stars or directors would choose local companies when there is a Netflix offer on the table? Who among the audience will pass a star-studded Netflix production to watch a local series on a modest Egyptian satellite channel? Screenwriter and critic Mohammad Adly told Al-Monitor that Netflix does not insist on exclusivity or first-to-show rights when it buys a series, so Egyptian satellite channels could continue to air these productions. Rather, Netflix enables successful series at home to be shown to international audience by translating them, such as Spains "Casa de Papel," he said. Explaining that Netflix offers financial opportunities to production houses that are able to sell their productions to satellite channels and Netflix at the same time, Adly said that the international streaming service will enable local actors to attain international fame. According to Adly, local production companies who want to work with Netflix should focus on creating authentic content that reflects the particularities of Egypt, rather than copying international movies. For example, the series and films now streamed by Netflix, such as Tayea and Nesr el Saeed ("The Eagle of El Seed"), revolve around life in Upper Egypt. Adly said he hopes Netflix will have a positive impact on competition in the country. There are many Egyptian producers who are able to compete with international ones. Competing with Netflix will encourage them to show what they can do, he said. He noted that as an international network, Netflix will have the freedom to go for unconventional scripts that many local producers dare not take on. The Donald Trump administrations recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has given Hezbollah and the "resistance" camp an unexpected gift, delivering a setback to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos goal of isolating Hezbollah within Lebanon during his visit to the country last week. The US decision on the Golan was rejected by US allies throughout the region, including across the political spectrum in Lebanon. Lebanese President Michel Aoun told Pompeo that Hezbollah is a Lebanese party with popular support. House Speaker Nabih Berri said that Hezbollah is a Lebanese party represented at the parliament and the government. Its resistance and that of the Lebanese people are the result of the continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory." Even Prime Minister Saad Hariri, an all-time-rival of Hezbollah in Lebanese politics, didnt react positively to Pompeos notion. He insisted that the country is facing a difficult economic situation and theres a need to be in touch with political factions, including Hezbollah, to maintain the national peace, according to one of Hariris advisers, Ghatas Khouri, who commented briefly to Lebanese daily Annahar. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil sought to strike the right diplomatic balance in his remarks with Pompeo, saying that Hezbollah is a political party," and its representatives are "elected by the Lebanese people." He continued, "As such, we do not want our relations with the USA to be impacted or influenced by this, and we want to work together in order to solve all these problems, including the issue of Hezbollah " In fact, Trumps decision on the Golan played into the hands of Iran and Hezbollah, giving them a pretext to their continuous effort to build a solid presence in southern Syria, mainly on the borders with Israel. Hezbollahs chief Hassan Nasrallah described the US move in a March 26 speech as a crucial and decisive event in the Arab-Israeli struggle, noting that condemnation statements are no longer enough. He stressed that the only way to regain Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian occupied lands from Israel is the resistance. Nasrallah also pointed out that the real goal of Pompeos visit was to incite the Lebanese against each other. He said that Washington has its eye on a civil war in Lebanon, adding that Pompeos problem with Hezbollah is that it was among those who fought and overthrew the US project in Syria. Hezbollah, he said, stands as an obstacle to the United States' forthcoming peace plan, often referred to in the Arabic media as the deal of the century. The United States does not care about Lebanons interest or the interest of a certain Lebanese party," he warned. "Its only concern is Israel, and any bet made on the United States is a bad bet. Nasrallah said the strong rhetoric Pompeo used against Hezbollah during his visit to Beirut was a source of pride for the party, which has long been labeled a terrorist organization by Washington. We are happy that Pompeo considers Hezbollah his problem. This does not frighten us, but rather makes us happy. We are happy that the Trump administration is angry with us. In our ideology, the US administration is the Great Satan, Nasrallah said in a televised speech devoted mainly to responding to the US officials visit. When the Great Satan is pleased with us, this means there is a problem in our position. Pompeos remarks about Hezbollah enhanced our belief that we are in the right position. To Nasrallah, this is another way to say he was right to defy US policies in the region. The message here is not to allies of Washington as much as it is to the Arab street, which is once again receiving a message from the Trump administration that the United States is withdrawing from its role as a peace mediator and positioning itself on the opposite side of international resolutions. This is the second message of its kind in less than two years from Washington, after the December 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The latter was anticipated in the Arab world as a killer of the two-state solution, while the one on the Golan is a final declaration that the peace process leading to a two-state solution has come to an end. Since Trumps arrival in the White House in 2016, the term deal of the century has been one of the most debated issues in the Arab world. The decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights have put US allies in the region in the hot seat, as Arab and Muslim citizens question the merits of their governments supporting a "peace plan" that opposes UN resolutions. The Arab capitals, which have objected to the US decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan, may now have to reconsider their stance on the forthcoming peace plan. By contrast, the position of Hezbollah, and its patron Iran, in steadfast opposition to all US initiatives, has the apparent advantage of being on the side public opinion. The Golan announcement was also part of the discussions between Russias President Vladimir Putin and his Lebanese counterpart Aoun during their meeting in Moscow on March 26. Putin welcomed Aoun as our traditional longtime partner in the region and a representative of the Christian community. Aoun thanked Putin for his defense of Christian minorities in the Levant, while lamenting the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, adding that this is certainly a source of serious concern for the countries that are in the direct vicinity of Israel. We hope a settlement to this problem will be found in the near future. The Saudis are quietly watching developments in Algeria with great concern that the Arab Spring is coming back. They are worried about the implications of an increasingly incapacitated, elderly leader being ousted by popular demonstrations and demands for a more open political system both anathemas to the Saudi absolute monarchy. The kingdom was terrified by the Arab Spring in 2011 and offered Tunisias ousted president exile; hes still there. It sent troops into Bahrain to stop the reform movement against the king; they are still there. The Saudis were horrified by the removal of Hosni Mubarak and spent a small fortune to help the army take power. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had been the Egyptian defense attache in Riyadh. He was the kingdoms man, and he still is. At home, King Abdullah spent $130 billion to buy off potential unrest. He drew down Saudi reserves to raise salaries, build homes and improve the quality of life. It worked. Algeria is the largest Arab country in size and has the largest defense budget in Africa. It has successfully defeated al-Qaeda in the Maghreb at its home in Algeria, just as the Saudis have defeated al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula inside Saudi Arabia. In 1992, when the Algerian army seized power after Islamists won parliamentary elections, the Saudis weighed in with the George H.W. Bush administration to back the army. The army takeover led to a decade of gruesome civil war in Algeria, a cathartic event that probably helped keep Algeria relatively quiet in 2011. Despite the differences between a Wahhabi absolute monarchy and the socialist government of a Peoples Democratic Republic, the Saudis are glad to have a fellow police state in the Maghreb. Former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef had a palace in Algiers where he liked to rest. His successor, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (commonly referred to by his initials, MBS), visited Algiers in December, but President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was too ill to receive him personally. The Saudis have little capability to help the Algerian leadership, known as Le Pouvoir, hold on to power. Their reserves are much drawn down from 2011. MBS is the epitome of a ruthless dictator that the Algerian people are protesting against. His visit was widely denounced by Algerians. The Saudis probably will press the Donald Trump administration to back an army takeover, but the United States has little influence in Algeria. The Algerian army has long maintained a distance from the Americans. The crisis in Algeria may be encouraging a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Morocco two old allies who have had some tensions recently. Moroccan King Mohammed VI pointedly refused to meet with MBS last year after the premeditated murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and MBS did not visit Morocco on the same visit that took him to Algeria. Morocco announced its withdrawal from the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which is MBSs signature foreign policy program this winter. But the two kings had a phone call this week to patch up the differences. The official readout stressed that the two kingdoms are brothers and any differences are minor. No doubt both Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and King Mohammed VI are worrying about the future stability of Algeria. In some ways, Saudi Arabia is better prepared to handle any domestic unrest today than eight years ago. MBS has instituted a reign of terror unprecedented in the modern history of the kingdom. Khashoggi's murder is only the tip of the iceberg of repression. Nayef is still under house arrest almost two years after his sacking, and the internet is closely surveilled by the state. But in other ways, the kingdom is less prepared and more vulnerable. Reserves are much less and oil income is down. The detentions of many prominent citizens including royal family members has created divisions in the Saudi establishment that were not there in 2011. The Saudi leadership is eager to not take any chances. If Bouteflika goes, they hope the army keeps power. Turkeys much-threatened military operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates River in Syria remains unlikely for the foreseeable future due to political and military obstacles. Ankara is determined, however, to keep the heat on the American-backed Kurdish group which the Turkish government says is a terrorist organization and continues to insist that the option for a military operation remains on the agenda. The belief in Turkish government circles is that this threat is helping limit support for Kurdish political aspirations because it has shown that plans that exclude Ankara will have undesirable consequences for the region. Ankara also thinks that, politically speaking, the situation in northern Syria has been developing to the YPGs disadvantage since President Donald Trump announced in December that American forces would be withdrawn from Syria. Washington has backpedaled on this decision since then, and all indications are that the US military will remain in Syria for the foreseeable future, even if this is merely a symbolic presence. Turkish officials are, nevertheless, aware that Trump pulled the psychological rug from under the Syrian Kurds by showing them that they cannot rely on the United States in the long run with any sense of certainty. Paul Iddon, a commentator for the Kurdish daily Rudaw, said, Today the Syrian Kurds find themselves increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place with no desirable options available to them going forward. This has forced the Syrian Kurdish groups to seek a negotiated settlement with Damascus from a much weaker position. Turkish officials have also noted that Damascus is unwilling to accept the YPGs demands for a negotiated settlement, especially now that the group faces an uncertain future. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in January that Turkey would not like to see the Assad regime move into areas evacuated by US forces because Damascus could go on to cooperate with the YPG against Turkey. Damascus support for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the 1980s and 1990s continues to color Ankaras outlook on this matter. However, Ankara may be moderating its position, given the hard-line opposition Damascus is taking against any form of self-administration by the Syrian Kurds. Turkish officials are aware that Damascus has always opposed the political aspirations of its Kurds in the past, even as it was supporting the PKKs separatist campaign in Turkey. A source close to the Turkish government who wished to remain anonymous due to his sensitive position believes Turkeys threat of an operation east of the Euphrates has altered the equation for the YPG and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD). They know Ankara is serious because it has already mounted two operations in Syria that were not prevented by the Americans or the Russians, even if they disapproved of them, the source told Al-Monitor. This has shaken their trust in the Americans and Russians, he added. He was referring to Turkeys Euphrates Shield Operation, launched in 2016, and the Olive Branch operation, launched in early 2018. Meanwhile, President Bashar al-Assad has been using the Turkish threat and Syrian Kurds' shaken confidence in the United States against the YPG. We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you. The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, Assad said during a televised address in February. Nobody will protect you except your state. If you do not prepare yourselves to defend your country, you will be nothing but slaves to (Turkey), he added. The YPGs demands are unlikely to be accepted by Damascus in the best of times. In his interview with Al-Monitors Amberin Zaman, Mazlum Kobane, the commander of the YPG-led and American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), listed two non-negotiable demands. One is that our autonomous administrations here be preserved and accorded legal status. The second is that the SDF be preserved. The security of the territory east of the Euphrates River should be left to the SDF. These are our red lines, Kobane said. Syrian Defense Minister Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub spelled the regimes position March 18 when he said the SDF would be dealt with in one of two ways. Ayoub, who spoke in Damascus after a meeting with the Iranian and Iraqi chiefs of general staff, listed these as national reconciliation or the liberation of the areas that they control through force. He was backed by Irans chief of staff, Gen. Mohammad Baqeri, who said their talks in Damascus had discussed ways in which areas in Syria still outside of government control could be recovered. Ankara recently announced joint military operations with Tehran against the PKK positions along the border. This announcement, however, has not yet been confirmed by Tehran. This signals greater cooperation between Ankara and Tehran against Kurdish aspirations in the near future. Iran is also cool to the idea of any Kurdish autonomy in Syria and opposes the SDF. Put another way, there is an emerging convergence of interests on the Kurdish question between Ankara, Tehran and Damascus. The only thing preventing this from developing into a full-blown alliance between the three countries is the continuing antipathy felt for Assad by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who considers the Syrian leader to be one of his regional archenemies. Many Turkish voices have, nevertheless, been arguing for some time that it is in Ankaras interest to enter into meaningful dialogue with Damascus. Turkey is already maintaining low-level talks with the Syrian regime through its intelligence service MIT, but many believe this is not enough to meet the growing challenges facing Ankara. Ismet Ozcelik, from the nationalist daily Aydinlik, pointed to the changing geopolitics of the eastern Mediterranean as a result of the strong presence Russia has secured for itself in the region; the US backing for Turkeys principal rivals Greece, Cyprus and Israel; and Trumps blind support for Israeli expansionism. Turkey has to urgently strengthen its own alliances. It has to act together with Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. The most urgent thing is to cooperate with Damascus, Ozcelik wrote. Deniz Zeyrek, a columnist for the opposition daily Sozcu, said Turkeys strong opposition to Trumps decision to recognize Israeli jurisdiction over the Golan could be a catalyst for normalized ties between Ankara and Damascus. The [Syrian] civil war has to end if Syria is to take effective steps over the Golan Heights, and for important regional countries like Turkey to stand by it in opposing Israel. This, in turn, requires acknowledging Syrias territorial integrity and recognizing its existing government, Zeyrek wrote. Turkey has no problem in acknowledging Syrias territorial integrity since this is a central tenet of Turkey's Syria policy. Turkey is also building its opposition to Syrian Kurdish political aspirations on this point. Zeyrek argued that Turkey is being pushed into a position where it will have to choose between two enemies, the YPG or Assad. Given developments on the ground, the Assad regime could emerge as the lesser of two evils for Ankara. Meanwhile, there is continuing anger in Ankara over Washingtons support for the YPG, and American equivocations on promises to Turkey about ending the presence of the YPG in Manbij, a Syrian city near the Turkish border. Ankara is, nevertheless, aware that the YPG is not totally pleased with Washington because it is not getting the full political support it wants from the American side against Turkey. Washington clearly is shying away from risking a full collapse of its already difficult ties with Ankara, because it still relies on these ties for its broader strategic interests in the region. The disappointment was evident in Kobanes remarks to Al-Monitor, too. Those remarks also showed that the only thing that will strengthen the YPGs hand today is a clear decision by the United States to stay in Syria for the long haul in order to check Iranian ambitions. Even if that happens though, it is not evident that this will guarantee autonomy for Syrian Kurds, given that America ultimately is out to secure its own interests over and above the interests of the Kurds; this is something that has been proved time and again in the past. Every Turkish child who lived through the '70s and '80s at some point was given a small bowl and sent to the nearest neighbor to ask for a few spoons of yogurt. It was a time when people still made yogurt at home. This simple process would be one of the first chemistry experiments most Turkish kids performed, especially girls: add fresh warm milk to the starter culture borrowed from the neighbor, find a warm place for the mixture to rest and be patient. Today's healthy-eating craze is putting yogurt back on the table. In Turkey, this means a comeback for homemade yogurt, with new recipes being shared and a growing market for sophisticated yogurt machines. Yogurt, rich in calcium and protein, is one white food that your doctor would likely recommend. Turks claim yogurt as their own, on the grounds that the name comes from the Turkish verb yogurmak, meaning kneading or curdling. The bacterial fermentation required allowed nomads in Central Asia to make use of milk over the course of a much longer period. Also of note, the fermentation process causes the lactose level of the milk to significantly decrease, making yogurt an alternative source of calcium for people with lactose intolerance. Either thick or slightly watered down, a pot of yoghurt can always be found in an Anatolian kitchen. The creamy substance is made from the milk of various animals among them water buffalo, yaks, camels, lambs and goats but cows milk is the most popular version in Turkey. Yogurt has a prominent place in Turkish rituals, particularly those involving health and well-being. If you feel dizzy on a warm day, a cold glass of salty ayran yogurt diluted with water or kefir, a fermented milk is supposed to perk you up. If you eat something that doesn't agree with you, youll be offered a bowl of plain yogurt to settle your digestive system. Yogurt has also been used for centuries to counter morning sickness and bloating and to soothe sunburn. Yogurt even occupies a place amid Turkish proverbs. No one would admit that their yogurt is sour indicates that auto-criticism has little place in Turkish culture. Each hero has his own way of eating yogurt is equivalent to there's more than one way to skin a cat. If an unmarried female is capable of making sweet yogurt, it is a sure sign that she will find love and peace with a husband, because after all, sweet of hand, sweet of tongue, suggesting the charm a woman has with words. Given the Turkish affinity for yogurt, it seems only natural that many villages and towns still celebrate with yogurt festivals in spring, when sheep are milked after the birth of their lambs. Traditionally the first milk collected is made into yogurt as a toast to the healthy development of the lambs. What is commonly known in the West as Greek yogurt is called suzme yogurt in Turkey. It is nothing more than drained yogurt. Once the whey is drained off, what remains thickens, acquiring a resemblance to cream cheese. Suzme yogurt awaits visitors at a Turkish tavern, meyhane (literally house of drinks), as the base of numerous mezes, appetizers, haydari being the most popular, or on its own flavored with some herbs and olive oil. Suzme yogurt is also the main ingredient in one of Turkeys staple soups, tarhana. Though there are regional differences, the most basic tarhana consists of dried suzme yogurt mixed with a grain (though some prefer bulgur or chickpeas) or only with yeast and flour, but in either case also with various spices and vegetables. The fun part is rolling this doughy mixture between your hands as it dries in the sun on its way to turning into powder. When it's done, the supply will get the family through the winter months. Alternatively, when suzme yogurt is left to dry in cheesecloth, it becomes kurut, dried yogurt chunks, which are also found in Afghan and Central Asian cuisine. These disk- or ball-shaped kurut pieces are quite versatile. Kids enjoy snacking on the salty dried yogurt, and because it melts nicely, it can be grated on homemade Turkish pasta (eriste). In addition, like tarhana, it can be turned into hot soup. In classic Anatolian cooking, yogurt typically takes the place that cream might hold in other cuisines. Unlike cream, yogurt curdles at high temperatures, so cooks slowly temper yogurt into the hot dish. Surprisingly, one doesn't even taste the yogurt in these deliciously creamy soups. There are hundreds of different yogurt soup recipes. Yayla (high plateau) soup is the one most commonly found at Levantine restaurants in the United States. Robyn Eckhardt, a food journalist and author of Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cultures of Turkey, spoke with Al-Monitor about yogurt. Its impossible to overstate the importance of yogurt in Turkish cuisine, Eckhardt asserted. Yogurt can be a stand-alone dish, perhaps with a drizzle of honey or pekmez [grape molasses], an accompaniment to other dishes at almost every meal, a main or minor ingredient in dishes like soup, baked savory dishes, meze, cakes and breads. Eckhardt additionally remarked, Thanks to terroir and the animal of milks origin, not all yogurts in Turkey are created equal. The yogurt in Sivas evinces a super sour note. In Van, extra-long-strained [suzme] yogurt of sheep and/or goat milk is the base of a cacik [watered-down yogurt with garlic and cucumber] thats stiff as putty and studded with a mixture of herbs. My personal favorite is Black Sea yogurt especially of Kastamonu province made sour-sweet from cows milk and so thick it might be mistaken for butter." Isli yogurt, burnt or smoked yogurt from Denizli province, has gained popularity due to its caramelized flavor. Hande Bozdogan, the author of Street Foods of Turkey and founder of the Istanbul Culinary Institute, pointed out perhaps the one thing Anatolians dont do with yogurt: mix it with fruit and eat it for breakfast, like Americans and European do. Yogurt can, however, be a part of breakfast in Turkey. In the dish called cilbir, yogurt is mixed with crushed fresh garlic and salt and poured over poached eggs. Thus yogurt's ubiquity extends beyond its commonly known use as a condiment placed alongside all types of dishes, such as manti (mini raviolis), stuffed vegetables and Iskender kebab. Yogurt can also be used to marinate meat. In fact, it's the secret flavor enhancer in some kebab recipes. Ali Nazik, a kebab from Gaziantep province, utilizes suzme yogurt as a transitioning taste, mixing it with smoked eggplant puree to create the base for the meat. It should come as no surprise that yogurt is also used to bake savory pastries, like borek, cookies and sweet cakes. I doubt youd find a home anywhere in Turkey that isnt stocking some yogurt, Eckhardt said. It is perhaps the most universal pantry staple in a country with widely varying regional cuisines. Alabamas tech sector contributed more than $13 billion to the states economy last year, as tech firms added almost 1,900 workers. Thats according to an analysis by CompTIA, the leading technology industry association. The states net tech employment grew by an estimated 1,888 jobs in 2018, a 1.3 percent increase over over the previous year. Overall, Alabama has more than 147,000 tech workers, and has added more than 10,000 jobs in that area since 2010. Telescoping down to the local level, Birmingham-Hoover has 31,814 tech jobs, ranking it 41st among American metro areas. Those numbers only look to improve. Alabama saw a 57 percent increase in the number of job postings in the field of emerging technology, which includes everything from artificial intelligence to virtual and augmented reality and block chain. And tech employment is expected to grow by almost 7 percent by 2026, according to the analysis. The findings attest to a tech labor market that will remain tight as employers balance short-term needs with an eye towards the future, Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA, said. Where did most of the growth come? Software and web developer jobs swelled by 3.7 percent, followed by computer support specialists, at 3.1 percent. Network architects, administrators and support specialists grew by 1 percent. The median tech occupation wage is $77,956, which is 109 percent higher than the median wage for all occupations in the state. The full report, with complete national, state and metropolitan level data, is available here. A U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center will open next Monday, April 1, to serve businesses affected by the March 3 tornadoes. SBA representatives there will provide information about disaster loans, answer questions and assist in completing SBA applications. The center will be at Southern Union State Community College, Technical Building 1, first floor, Classroom 5, 301 Lake Condy Rd. in Opelika. It will be open weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on weekends. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application through the SBAs secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362, Or send an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is May 6, while the deadline to return economic injury applications is Dec. 5. For the first time in 12 years, no Alabama chefs or restaurants are among the finalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards. Three chefs from the state -- David Bancroft of Acre in Auburn, Bill Briand of Fishers Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina in Orange Beach and Timothy Hontzas of Johnnys Restaurant in Homewood -- were among the 20 semifinalists for best chef in the South announced last month, but none was among the five finalists announced today in Houston. Also, The Atomic Lounge in Birmingham was a semifinalist for the second year in a row for outstanding bar program, but it was not among the finalists announced this morning. Bancroft and Briand have been James Beard semifinalists for four years in a row, and Hontzas has been a semifinalist three straight years. This years finalists for best chef in the South are: Vishwesh Bhatt of Snackbar in Oxford, Miss.; Jose Enrique of Jose Enrique in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus of Coquette in New Orleans; Slade Rushing of Brennans in New Orleans; and Isaac Toups of Toups Meatery in New Orleans. Named in honor of the late chef and cookbook author who elevated American cuisine, the James Beard Awards are often called the Oscars of the food world. Alabama has been a regular at the James Beard Foundation Awards since 2008, when chef Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham was a finalist for the outstanding chef in America. For 10 consecutive years after that, from 2009 until 2018, Highlands Bar and Grill was a finalist for the countrys outstanding restaurant before finally winning that award last year. During that streak, Highlands pastry chef Dolester Miles was a finalist for the countrys outstanding pastry chef for three years in a row before she, too, won a James Beard Award last year. Previous winners are not eligible to win a James Beard Award again in the same category. Other James Beard Award winners from Alabama include Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, best chef South, 2012; The Bright Star, Bessemer, Americas Classic winner, 2010; and Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, best chef Southeast, 2001. For a complete list of all of this years restaurant and chef finalists, go here. The church that has been a disaster relief headquarters since March 3, and where President Donald Trump visited and signed Bibles on March 8, will turn over most of its tornado relief efforts to the Lee County EMA today. The disaster relief center at Providence Baptist Church near Beauregard will shut down after today. It has been the focal point for gathering and distributing assistance to victims of the March 3 tornado that killed 23 people and destroyed dozens of homes. The church is rounding up all its relief supplies and turning them over to Lee County Emergency Management Agency, which will operate from 309 Williamson Avenue. Were wrapping up, said Tonya Knight, a volunteer coordinator at Providence Baptist Church. Thank you for all the love, support, helping hands, prayers and donations. On Tuesday, volunteers including 17 youth on spring break from Hoover and Shelby County schools were sorting clothes into boxes to be packed and moved. Support has poured in from all over the state, and all over the nation. In the middle of absolute tragedy, everyone has rallied together, Knight said. Its awesome to watch God work. The church will no longer accept donations of clothing or other items. It will still accept donations of gift cards or checks send to Providence Disaster Relief, an account separate from the church budget that assists tornado victims, in care of Providence Baptist Church, 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika, AL 36804. Riverchase United Methodist Church in Hoover sent a youth group to help on their spring break. Lindsay Woodard, 11, of Berry Middle School, and Audrey Richardson, 14, of Oak Mountain High School, were among those sorting and packing clothes and other items on Tuesday. I thought it would be nice to help out, Lindsay said. It brings me joy knowing I can help other people doing simple tasks, Audrey said. Weve been sorting through all the donations that come in, getting things to a permanent facility, said Scott Barnes, director of student ministries for Riverchase United Methodist. Barnes said that when he was a student at Auburn University, he went to Tuscaloosa to do relief work after the 2011 tornado. Its really hard to understand until you see the devastation, Barnes said. When something like this happens, its our job as a church to do something about it. Sometimes these things are forgotten after a few weeks, and other tragedies happen, but for the people in this community, their lives are never going to be the same. Many of the national disaster relief organizations that had been in Lee County left this week. Eight Days of Hope, a Christian organization based in Tupelo, Miss., still had crews out cleaning up debris in the tornado path on Tuesday. Were trying to be the hands and feet of Christ, said volunteer Donald Milan, of Seaford, Delaware, who has been in Lee County since March 7. He said hell leave at the end of this week to work in Nebraska to help flood victims. At the time Ruhama Baptist Church closed in 2001, it was the longest continuously operating church in Birmingham. But for dozens of former members, yesteryear lives on in their memories. I can name all the Sunday School teachers all the way through, said George Hayes, who joined the cradle roll three days after his birth in July 1933. They just made such a memorable impression on me. Former Ruhama members gathered on Wednesday for a reunion at Sherrys Cafe in Trussville on the 200th anniversary of the founding of Ruhama Baptist Church on March 27, 1819. We just couldnt let the day go by without recognition, said Claude Hurtt, who was born into the church in 1947 and left in 1998 to become a missionary to South America. Were here to celebrate and be thankful. They gathered to reminisce and share stories about people they remembered. Many were baptized, learned their faith, met future mates and married in the church. It was a wonderful way to grow up we have that in mind as the ideal church environment to grow up in, said Catherine Allen, a former executive for the Womans Missionary Union and author of The New Lottie Moon Story, a biography of the famous Southern Baptist missionary Lottie Moon. Founded by pioneer settlers, Ruhama Baptist held its first meeting in a log cabin in 1819 and stayed with the same four-block area of East Lake. Before the Civil War, slaves worshipped in the church with their owners. After the war, Ruhama helped found Mt. Zion Baptist Church for the newly freed black members. The church had its good days and bad. It moved into a new building in 1926 that came with a hefty mortgage and the church nearly defaulted during the Depression. Some anonymous lady in East Lake came to the rescue, said Catherine Allen, who joined Ruhama in 1949 at age 7. The church had its heyday in the 1950s when Howard College was in East Lake, before it moved to Homewood and became Samford University. It had a very strategic location next door to Howard College, said Lee Allen, who joined the church after marrying Catherine and was the author of the 175th anniversary history of the church. In its heyday, they had more than 2,000 people in the training union on Sunday nights. As a campus church for 70 years, Ruhama was the worship home for many of the colleges faculty, students and administrators. It was incredible to show up there with all the college faculty and students, Catherine Allen said. But attendance on Sunday mornings dwindled over the decades, from 1,500 down to 75. Ruhama finally couldnt overcome its hard times. Ruhama sold its building at 7901 Second Ave. South in East Lake to Bishop Jose Perrys Greater Emmanuel Temple Holiness Church, which has continued holding worship services in the 1,400-seat sanctuary. Ruhama held annual reunions in the old building, with the blessing of the new congregation, until the older members simply couldnt make it into the building with steep steps that was not designed for handicapped access, Catherine Allen said. So many people passed through Ruhama that there are alumni all over, she said. Anywhere you go, you find them. So many people passed through. John Paul White will perform an acoustic set live at Oz Music in Tuscaloosa tonight starting at 6 p.m. The only way to get a ticket to this event is to pre-order his new album, The Hurting Kind, which will be released April 12. The store will have copies of the CD for $10.99 and copies of the LP for $17.99. White will also release a deluxe version of the LP the day after the regular release for Record Store Day 2019. Oz will have limited quantities of it and is not allowed to pre-order them due to RSD rules, so if you purchase the regular LP version and want to upgrade to the RSD version, you can simply bring your unopened copy back on RSD and pay the marginal difference. Purchase the album online, or visit Oz today to pay in person and gain access to tonights show. Oz is located at 506 14th Street in Tuscaloosa. A Grammy-winner for his work with The Civil Wars, White has also enjoyed a successful solo career with the albums The Long Goodbye and 2016s Beulah. He now lives in Florence, where he founded and co-owns Single Lock Records. Tonights show begins an exciting week of music in Tuscaloosa, culminating with Saturdays free concert at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater for the citys Bicentennial Bash featuring Jason Isbell, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Moon Taxi, The Commodores and The Blind Boys of Alabama. Huntsville police are investigating four Tuesday shootings, including one at a northside gas station, where a 41-year-old man was killed. James Edwin Jones died at Huntsville Hospital after being shot at Fuel City on U.S. 72 near Mastin Lake Road, according to police. Officers found Jones suffering gunshot wounds inside a crashed vehicle near the gas station shortly after 10 p.m. Jones wife was trying to drive him to the hospital when the crash happened, Johnson said. Police have said Jones wife isnt a suspect. Further details about the case havent been released. Johnson said the offender is unknown. Jones is one of at least six people who have been killed by gunfire so far this year in Huntsville. The deadly incident is one of four shootings that Huntsville officers investigated on Tuesday. Johnson said at this time there is no evidence to show the shootings are related. The long night for police began around 3 p.m. with a call about shots fired on Chalet Circle on the northwest side of town. In that case, two men are charged with firing at each other during an argument about money, Johnson said. No injuries were reported. Around 5 p.m., officers were called to investigate a shooting that sent an 18-year-old woman to the hospital. It happened at an apartment complex on Binford Drive Southwest. Johnson said the woman was shot during a fight with a 16-year-old suspect. Its unclear whether the suspect has been charged with a crime. Officers were called at 11 p.m. to investigate a report of a 34-year-old man being shot in the chest on Bonnell Drive Northwest. The man told police he was there to retrieve his personal property during an ongoing dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Another man at the scene shot the 34-year-old, according to police. Johnson said investigations into each incident are ongoing. Updated Thursday March 28, 2019 at 11:21 a.m. to correct the number of homicides in Huntsville so far this year. Huntsville police initially considered a seventh case to be within their jurisdiction. Police now say that killing happened in neighboring Madison. The first piece of the CityCentre development in downtown Huntsville is now open for business. The AC Hotel by Marriott the first in Alabama announced Tuesday that it was now welcoming guests at its location at Williams Avenue and Monroe Street. The hotel has 120 rooms over six levels and has blended itself into the Rocket City by adopting some historic neighborhood names. The facility's three meeting rooms are named for former Huntsville mills: Lincoln, Lowe and Merrimack. Together the three rooms have been tabbed The Gallery at Big Spring Park an event space for more than 200 guests that overlooks the downtown park by the same name and, according to the hotel, is "perfect for wedding receptions." Later this year, the hotel will open The Veranda the second-floor terrace bar overlooking the park and adjacent to the event space. Developed by Doradus Partners in partnership with RCP Companies, the hotel was the 10th signed U.S. location for AC Hotels, a global joint venture with Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalan. We are delighted to introduce the AC Hotels brand to the Rocket City, Srinath Yedla, President and CEO of Yedla Management Company, which will manage the property, said in the announcement. AC Hotel Huntsville Downtown remains true to the brands philosophy and centers on a frictionless experience for on-the-go guests. The AC Hotel is part of a hotel boom ongoing in downtown Huntsville. Three other hotels have been announced in the vicinity of the Von Braun Center but have not yet started construction. A second hotel is also planned for the CityCentre development, according to Huntsville city officials. That announcement could come later this year. This is an opinion column. Lucille Sherman set out to answer a question: Were midwives filling the gaps in rural healthcare, where hospitals can be an hour or more away and OB/GYNs arent available to deliver babies? Sherman is a national reporter with Gatehouse Media, which owns about 150 newspapers across the country, including the Tuscaloosa News, and she was particularly interested in Alabama, which legalized midwifery again last year and recently issued licenses to at least five midwives. Sherman wanted to make sure her reporting was accurate and her information current, so she submitted what should have been a simple public information request to the Alabama State Board of Midwifery. She asked for the current data, including crucially the mailing addresses of licensed midwives. (Its hard to know whether midwives are filling the gaps in rural healthcare if you dont know where they work.) And thats where her adventure in Alabamas banal bureaucracy began. Bettie Carmack, a lawyer with the Alabama Attorney Generals Office, sent Sherman a form to fill out. Request forms for public records are not unusual, but this one was of a kind Id never seen before, nor had Sherman and her editors. First, the form required a $10 per hour research fee, with a minimum charge of $10, no matter if the research took an hour or five minutes. This happens a lot. Second, it required a minimum $50 per hour legal review fee, with a minimum charge of $50, no matter if the legal review took five minutes. Sherman was looking at $60 with no clear limit for how high those fees could go. Could it be $100? Maybe. Or $5,000? Who knows? In a 1998 opinion, then-Attorney General Bill Pryor said this very thing demanding legal fees from the public for reviewing public records requests was illegal. But hey, today hes only a federal judge on the 11th Circuit and on every Republican presidents short list for the United States Supreme Court, so what does he know? But heres where the stupidity of Alabama bureaucracy reached a new level: Before Sherman could know the price was for these documents, the form required her to agree to pay for this pig in a poke. Theres more. You ever been asked to waive your homestead and personal property exemptions just to get a public record? Me neither. Yet here we are. https://t.co/s0OwShPprm Emily Le Coz (@emily_lecoz) March 25, 2019 And not only did Sherman have to agree to pay an unknown price, but she also had to waive rights to things like her homestead exemption if she refused to pay because if she didnt pay, they promised to sue her in a venue of their choosing. Jim Pewitt, a Birmingham attorney with almost 30 years experience in media law and open records cases said that was a new one to him. You add the fees to this business with waiving your rights to your the homestead exemptions, and it begins to look very quickly like youre trying to dissuade a public records request, he said. Finally, Carmack informed Sherman that, even if she consented to all that hullabaloo, the state would not give her the mailing addresses of the midwives the very thing Sherman needed in the first place. In Alabama, if a public official refuses to release public information to you, that official is supposed to be able to cite an exemption from the Open Records Act. Sherman asked Carmack to cite the exemption, but Carmack a lawyer in the state office thats supposed to enforce Alabama law refused. She told me you can file a lawsuit if you want addresses, Sherman said. I wrote Carmack to find out who the heck came up with this form. I did, she wrote back. I then wrote to Carmack to give her an opportunity to answer a long list of questions for this column. She declined to do so. To understand how completely arbitrary and inane Carmacks obstinance is, consider this: Sherman submitted a nearly identical request to the Alabama Board of Nursing for the names and addresses of certified nurse midwives. She got that information from that state agency for free no resistance, no silly form, no pig-headed state lawyer digging in her heels. Its a ridiculously easy ask, Shermans editor, Emily Le Coz, told me. For them to throw that much resistance and red tape in our way is concerning. But in Alabama, access to public records has little to do with law and everything to do with the whims of one capricious bureaucrat over another. Heres the thing Ill record on tape so, with a little help, I can keep saying it even after Im dead: Public records are the only tools the public has to hold its public officials accountable. And when public officials are keeping those records from you the law be damned they arent serving your interests. Only theirs. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. Want access to the best analysis and in-depth reporting about Alabama each week? Sign up for the weekly Reckon Report newsletter and follow Reckon on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Whitmire on Twitter and Facebook, too. And Instagram. While states across the South push to pass heartbeat bills, banning abortion after six weeks, Alabama legislators next week may get a bill seeking an outright ban on abortions as soon as conception can be proved. Eric Johnston, an attorney and member of Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, helped draft the bill on the outright ban. He said one or more legislators will propose the bill next week banning abortion outright, without any rape or incest caveats. The bill would make it a crime to perform or aid a person in getting an abortion, he said. Johnston did not provide a copy of the bill to AL.com. Mississippi this month enacted a law banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. Georgia and Tennessee both have similar bills pending in their legislatures. Weve never introduced a bill [in Alabama] that would outlaw abortion because it didnt seem a reasonable thing to do, Johnston said. But then Alabama voters in November approved Amendment 2, which states an unborn child has rights under Alabama law. For the first time in 46 years theres a reasonable belief that Roe v. Wade could be reversed. That right now is the time, Johnston said. The heartbeat" bills in the other states ban abortions at the detection of a fetal heartbeat, usually at around six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Johnstons bill would ban abortions at the first detection of conception - as early as two weeks. The first heartbeat bill was introduced in Ohio in 2011, but failed to get signed into law. North Dakota was the first state to succeed in passing a bill banning abortions at the detection of a fetal heartbeat in 2013, but the bill was struck down in federal court. Since then, dozens similar heartbeat bills have been proposed. In the last month, at least three fetal heartbeat bills have been proposed in the South, including Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed the heartbeat bill into law on March 21. Many Alabama patients travel to abortion clinics in Mississippi and Georgia for care. Johnston said Alabama Pro-Life Coalition had no reason to introduce a six-week ban because they are using the existing definition in the Alabama homicide statute that would recognize a life at the point of detectable conception. Our bill is two weeks, Johnston said. When you can prove the woman is pregnant. A man and woman can have sex and you can take her straight into a clinic and determine an egg and sperm came together. Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU in Alabama, said they would fight any abortion ban that came before the legislature. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood challenged an abortion requirement in 2013 that would have mandated abortion providers in Alabama have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Marshall said the suit ended up costing taxpayers $1.7 million in legal fees. Marshall said abortion ban bills are doomed to fail as long as Roe. v. Wade is still law of the land. If you place this in the entire context of the last several years, there has been repeated attacks throughout the South to come up with ways to restrict access to abortion and to that extent sure I understand folks being nervous about the prospects, Marshall said. So far all of the attempts have been unsuccessful and have been enjoined by the federal courts and will continue to be enjoined the federal courts. Johnston said he doesnt know who will sponsor the bill, but estimated it would be filed in the legislature next Tuesday. A north Alabama man who was already facing an attempted murder charge is now accused of assaulting a woman with a croquet mallet, authorities said. Mauricia Corbett, a 37-year-old from Madison, is charged with second-degree assault, a felony thats punishable by up to 10 years in prison, records show. Corbett is accused along with two other suspects of attacking a woman with a croquet mallet, said Limestone County sheriffs spokesman Stephen Young. The woman suffered multiple fractures and lacerations to her face, Young said. The woman told investigators the assault happened March 17 on Hatchett Road East. She was taken for treatment at Huntsville Hospital. Young said the investigation is ongoing and two other suspects are expected to be arrested. At the time of the assault, Corbett was out of jail on bail in connection with a shooting that sent a different woman to the hospital last year. In that case, Corbett was indicted on charges of attempted murder and assault. Deputies said he shot his girlfriend with birdshot at their home on Hatchett Road. The woman ran to a Mapco station for help. Because Corbett was out on bail at the time of the assault, authorities said, he is now jailed without bond. In a move that surprised the education community and parents alike, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, this month fast-tracked a bill aimed at eliminating the Common Core standards in Alabama. But Alabama is not breaking new ground. Six states have already reversed course, yanking the federal standards. AL.com thought it might be useful to look at the states that officially repealed the Common Core, the set of federal benchmarks initially adopted by 45 states beginning in 2010. In most places, the results look a lot like what was there already. Indiana was the first to drop Common Core. The standards that were ultimately adopted in 2014 werent much different from Common Core, according to media coverage at the time. Then-Gov. Mike Pence supported the changes over objections from anti-Common Core critics. "I trust our teachers and professors and business leaders who worked in good faith to craft standards that will serve to guide our schools and challenge our students," Pence wrote in an editorial for an Indiana news organization. New standards went into effect in Indiana in 2014-15 school year. Missouri Following conservative backlash and concern over lack of public input into the standards in 2014, the state replaced the standards in math and English in 2016. Common Core opponents said the English standards were not much different from Common Core, and one state board member questioned whether the math standards were rigorous enough. Missouri's state education department said the new English standards included more emphasis on research and that math standards were reorganized in Kindergarten through second grade. Oklahoma repealed Common Core was repealed in 2014, and the state adopted new standards in 2016. Oklahomas standards were judged to be lacking in two separate expert analyses in 2017 and 2018, but no changes have been made. State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister defended the standards after Achieve, a national expert on education standards, issued a report in 2016 criticizing the standards just prior to adoption. "In both content areas the standards fail to serve students, teachers or parents well," the report read. I am proud of the new standards we have developed as a state, Hofmeister countered in this 2016 reporting from Tulsa World. These are Oklahoma standards, written by scores of Oklahoma educators and subject content experts, and endorsed by our local school districts and our states institutions of higher education. South Carolina repealed Common Core math and English in 2015 and put new standards into schools during the 2015-16 school year. Education Week reported that the states Education Oversight Committee found the new standards were 89 percent aligned with Common Core and 92 percent aligned in English. As in other states, Common Core critics didn't think the rewrite went far enough, Education Week reported. Tennessee repealed the Common Core in 2015, adopted new standards in 2016 after an 18-month review. After passage, Chalkbeat reported that the executive director of Tennessees Board of Education said, The Common Core standards were our starting point, but the revisions we have made our significant, and significant enough that we consider them new standards. The formatting is different. Weve dropped standards, weve added standards, weve made changes to existing standards. In 2017, Chalkbeat reported that teachers found some changes, but not many. It was the third time standards had changed in eight years, according to Chalkbeat. The new standards landed in classrooms beginning with the 2017-18 school year. Kentucky passed a law in 2017 technically repealing the Common Core standards, but in action created a six-year cycle for reviewing standards. On March 24, the Kentucky State Board of Education adopted new standards in math and English. No analysis could be found of how new standards compare to Common Core. Elsewhere: Five states---Alaska, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia---never adopted the Common Core in math, and four---the same five minus Minnesota---never adopted the Common Core in English. Efforts in 2019: In Alabama, the repeal effort last week passed in the Senate by a vote of 23-7, with most Republicans supporting it and most Democrats voting no. That move came a few weeks after Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis signed an executive order requiring the state's department of education also chart a course away from Common Core. The Tampa Bay Times reported that new standards should be ready for review by the fall. The National Conference of State Legislatures senior analyst Dan Thatcher told AL.com that bills calling for repeal of Common Core have also been filed in state legislatures in six other states---Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York and West Virginia---during the current session. He said that, despite such recent efforts, its been relatively quiet on the Common Core front since 2016. He said that allegations of federal overreach drove the first round of political action against Common Core. Bills calling for repeal of Common Core have been filed in state legislatures in six other states---Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York and West Virginia---during 2019 sessions, NCSL told AL.com. NCSL tracks state legislation and said the highest number of bills filed in state legislatures to revoke Common Core was in 2015, when 49 bills were filed. Thatcher said multiple bills could have been filed in each state, so the number doesn't correlate with states. 2011 3 bills 2012 4 bills 2013 18 bills 2014 41 bills 2015 49 bills 2016 35 bills 2017 29 bills Renaming and re-branding: NCSL also found that by 2017, 31 states, including Alabama, had re-branded or tweaked the standards, and the scope of changes ranged from hardly any to bigger changes. A 2017 analysis of nine states, including Alabama, that revised Common Core---rather than repealing it outright---found that about a quarter of the standards in math and in English were changed. Few standards were deleted. In 2013, Alabama backed away from the Common Core and re-branded the standards that were already in place. Alabama's standards in math and English were reviewed three years in a row: 2014, 2015, and 2016. Few changes were made, and it was Alabama educators and citizens who reviewed the changes and made final recommendations. After Mississippis standards were tweaked and renamed in 2016, Mississippi press reported state Sen. Angela Hill, R-Picayune, said, I think that the whole process was just to placate the complainers. It was just basically symbolic more than a substantive move. Everybody just broke out clapping we were so excited, United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said late Tuesday in Huntsville. He was talking about the moment key space boosters learned of the Trump administrations goal of landing astronauts on the moon in 2024. It was just what we thought the country needed, Bruno said. Bruno is a member of the Users Advisory Council of the National Space Council, which heard the administrations plan about an hour before Vice President Mike Pence made it public at a space council session. Meeting the goal will require faster movement from NASA and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. NASA had told the Trump administration recently it didnt think it would have the Space Launch System rocket ready for a test launch in 2020. Now, the agency is tasked with doing just that. But one of the key players in deciding Americas space future, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, weighed in late Tuesday with a comment that signaled his support for Marshall hasnt changed. "I was proud to hear that the vice president and the National Space Council acknowledged the important role Huntsville plays in our nation's space program in returning humans to the moon and eventually reaching Mars, Shelby said. I look forward to continuing to work with NASA and my colleagues to achieve this goal as soon as possible." The users advisory group has been suggesting a firm deadline to Pence as a way of galvanizing the plan and focusing the players, Bruno said. I was not necessarily expecting five years from today, he said after the meeting, so that was pretty exciting when he said that. The users group includes space CEOs such as ULAs Bruno and SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, astronauts including moonwalkers Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmidt and political leaders like Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. ULA was one of the options NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine considered for launching NASAs Orion capsule next year in a test flight to the moon to keep the space program on schedule. Bridenstine told Congress March 13 that there will be a role for companies like ULA and SpaceX in future American space exploration. NASA is doing studies on its next moon mission as we speak, Bruno said, and it is asking commercial companies for data on their capabilities. Theyre not asking us yet to propose our answer. Theyre doing these studies themselves, he said. Whenever they arrive at the obvious right answer, well be thrilled to do whatever they need us to do, Bruno said. If youre asking if Ive got capacity, yes, we do, Bruno said Tuesday. Ive got the Western Hemispheres biggest rocket factory right up the road in Decatur, Ala. I have capacity there, I have a great workforce, I still launching off two coasts with pads that are becoming modernized. Were ready. Pences announcement of the goal of returning to the moon comes after China landed a rover on the lunar surface in January. The Chinese plan to establish a lunar base and begin extracting natural resources, and that was likely a factor in the administrations acceleration of Americas own return to the moon. You have given us a charge today, and it is right on time, Bridenstine said after Pence issued the challenge. You have my full commitment to achieving that. Bridenstine called the challenge fantastic and said his agency is up to the task. Well do it, agreed a Huntsville aerospace executive leaving the meeting who did not want to be identified. Thats what we needed. NASA employees at Marshall reportedly gave Bridenstine a standing ovation when he met with them in closed session Tuesday to talk about his congressional testimony and the agencys future, an agency spokeswoman said. It had nothing to do with the people here. Theyre amazing, NASA spokeswoman Bettina Inclan said of Bridenstines vow to Congress to launch Orion on commercial rockets if necessary. But NASA now appears to be the administrations preferred answer if it can move faster. Launching the SLS next year and getting to the moon in five years are the goals. With deepest respect to NASA, Pence said in Huntsville, its time to step up, redouble efforts and accelerate SLS to meet this objective. If you love coffee or maybe just like following directions, a new coffee shop headed to Huntsville may be your thing. Just Love Coffee Cafe will open its first Alabama location at the under-construction Times Plaza on Memorial Parkway at the former site of The Huntsville Times, according to an announcement Tuesday by Crunkleton Commercial Real Estate. The coffee shop is the latest of a series of recently-announced restaurant tenants for the development -- preceded by Stone Age Korean Steakhouse, Bad Daddys Burger Bar and SuperChix. Just Love Coffee Cafe opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 2011 and soon expanded to Nashville and Brentwood. The franchise will have 15 locations across the country by the end of the year, according to the announcement. The 2,200 square feet Huntsville shop will open later this year. Just Love Coffee is a place where people can come together to experience specialty coffee and food in a comfortable, inviting atmosphere, Travis Duehring, owner of the Huntsville location, said in the announcement. My wife, Dawn, and I have been a part of the Huntsville/Madison community for 19 years, and we wanted to put a business in place that would make an impact locally while providing unique menu options and the highest level of customer service. The coffee shop will serve more than coffee. "The menu will include waffle-iron-based items like its breakfast sliders, sausage, egg & cheese biscuits, and the guest favorite womelet, all prepared by being pressed in a waffle iron," the announcement said. "Even lunch will offer chicken quesadillas, quinoa-veggie wraps and classic grilled cheese sandwiches all prepared in the same manner. There is also a dessert menu that includes Nannas cinnamon rolls, fruity pebbles & cream waffles, Christie cookie cookie waffles and much more. "In terms of coffee, the cafe will serve drip coffee, cold brew, nitro, frappes, teas, espresso-based beverages and signature lattes, such as the coco loco, cha-cha, and white chocolate tiramisu. Several milk and sweetener substitutes will be available." The coffee shop also has a devotion to charities. Within 10 years, we have been able to create an easy-to-use, turn-key fundraising platform, Rob Webb, CEO and founder of the restaurant. In the first year of business, Just Love Coffee was able to donate just under $100,000 to families who were seeking adoption. Since then, the brand has expanded its outreach to aid in other causes both local and international. Weve helped bring clean water systems to Ethiopia, assisted orphanages in Africa and provided funding to benefit children with Autism. We seek partners and operators who share our passion for giving back, and we know Travis and Dawn will help uphold our high standards of service. A 28-year-old man who twice escaped the Coosa County Jail has been indicted on eight felony charges in federal court. Shane Anthony Vernon, of Kellyton, is charged in the Middle District of Alabama with one count of kidnapping, two counts of carjacking, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. said Wednesday. All of the crimes are alleged to have been committed in Elmore County in November 2017. Vernon in October 2017 was being processed into the Coosa County county jail on felony charges when he forcibly removed his restraints and ran from the facility, said Coosa County Sheriff Terry Wilson. He was recaptured just before daybreak the following day and was charged with unlawful imprisonment, first-degree robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and second-degree escape. Vernon escaped from the lockup a second time on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017. He was recaptured two days later in Georgia. The sheriff said while Vernon was on the run the second time, he broke into a Rockford home, tied up the homeowners, and stole their Ford Fusion. He dumped that car in a wooded area in Elmore County. The following evening, Elmore County sheriffs authorities said the escapee again broke into a home -- this time in Wetumpka -- and sat in a chair while waiting for the homeowner to arrive. When the victim arrived home from work, he was kidnapped. The kidnapping victim was released early the following morning and his stolen car found not far away. On that Tuesday night, Vernon was recaptured without incident in DeKalb County, Ga. He was charged by state authorities with multiple crimes. The initial review of evidence led authorities to believe that a door was left unsecured, which allowed Vernon to escape from the Coosa County Jail. However, Wilson later said, an in-depth investigation of the jail camera system showed that to be false. The corrections officers on duty verified that the door securing Vernon was secure prior to letting him out to use the phone. Shortly after verifying the door was secure, an electronic malfunction occurred in the door lock control panel. That caused the door to the isolation corridor to become unsecure while Vernon was using the inmate phone. The malfunction was observed to happen at least three times during a six-hour period. The sheriff said only two officers were working at the time and both actively handling 911 dispatch calls when Vernon escaped. He said the faulty control panel, the unsecure attic, and the lack of personnel to run the dispatch center will soon be addressed with the Coosa County Commission. Franklin said if convicted of all federal charges, Vernon faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. There is no parole in the federal system. The Coosa County and Elmore County sheriff offices, as well as the FBI, investigated the cases against Vernon. A 52-year-old west Alabama man has been convicted in the attempted sexual abuse of a young girl. A Hale County jury late Tuesday night convicted David Sanders, of Sawyerville, said District Attorney Michael Jackson. The crime happened in 2015, Jackson said, when a 7-year-old girl went to her aunts house to use the bathroom. Sanders undressed her and tried to sexually abuse her. A rape kit was done, and semen was found. The girls father walked into the room and stopped Sanders before he could do more to his daughter, Jackson said. The police were called to the home. The jury deliberated less than two hours before convicting Sanders. Hale County Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and will sentence Sanders at a later date. An Alabama teen was killed Tuesday morning in the Florida Panhandle when he fell from a pickup truck and was then run over by another motorist. The Florida Highway Patrol identified the victim as 15-year-old Kaden Johnson, who lived in Pell City. FHP Sgt. Cary Hurst said Kaden was riding in the back of a pickup truck that was driven by 19-year-old Allion Orlando Hogan of Sylacauga. They were traveling southbound on U.S. 331 and crossing the Clyde B. Wells Bridge over the Choctawhatchee Bay. Shortly after 5:30 a.m., Kaden, apparently riding alone in the truck bed, fell out of the vehicle. He was then struck by the driver of a BMW who was behind the truck. Hogan did not know Kaden had fallen out of the truck and had been hit, Hurst said. When Hogan got to their destination, he realized Kaden was no longer in the truck bed and went to the Walton County Sheriffs Office to file a missing persons report. That was about 9:30 a.m., and investigators soon realized the person they were reporting missing was likely the victim struck and killed on the bridge. Hurst said the investigation is ongoing by the FHPs Traffic Homicide Unit out of Pensacola. No charges have been filed. A Jefferson County sheriffs deputy was booked into his own jail Wednesday after he was arrested on state child porn charges. Deputy Phillip Humphries, a 56-year-old Trussville resident - is charged with possession of obscene material, according to the sheriffs office. Capt. David Agee said the investigation was done by the Alabama Attorney Generals Office. Jefferson county supervisors had been advised of the investigation beforehand. Humphries turned in his resignation after learning of the investigation. Humphries was booked into the county jail at 2:19 p.m. and released at 3:04 p.m. on a $15,000 bond. Humphries was hired on April 4, 1989. Additional details have not yet been made available. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office takes part in the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case against Humphries. The ICAC team focuses on those who possess and distribute child pornography and those who sexually exploit children in other ways using the internet. Attorney General Steve Marshall said Humphries was arrested today by AG agents with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office. If convicted, Humphries faces a penalty of one to 10 years for possession of child pornography, which is a class C felony. International defense contractor BAE Systems says it will expand its Huntsville operations to between 300 and 400 employees to support its Army customers at Redstone Arsenal. The company has a small workforce of about 30 people in Huntsville now, Vice President Paul Markwardt said. But it is building a larger facility in Cummings Research Park scheduled to open early in 2020. Were on a hiring spree, Markwardt said in an interview Wednesday at the companys booth at the Association of the U.S. Armys Global Force Symposium & Exhibition. Weve hired a lot of very, very talented people already that are making a difference with our business, Markwardt said. Were looking to hire more, and Huntsville is a great place to attract talent to. Markwardt said BAE Systems is growing in Huntsville to support critical Army programs based in the city. Those include missile, aircraft and munitions programs, he said. BAE Systems, a British-based company, is the third-largest defense company in the world after Lockheed Martin and Boeing, Markwardt said. The company was formed in 1999 with the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems. It grew in 2000 with the purchase of numerous divisions of Lockheed Martin. We have a global presence, Markwardt said, but half the companys operations are in America and critical customers are in Huntsville. We have a precision-guided munitions business, were on the THAAD program, so missile defense is nearby, and we also do aircraft protection, he said. The types of products that were bringing down here are hardware with extensive software and some really leading-edge technology," Markwardt said. That includes "machine learning technology for our products to make them adaptable, especially in the aircraft protection side. The new building will be 84,000 square feet with half in light-manufacturing space and half research and development and engineering space. The companys property also has room for other buildings, he said. Were really looking forward to growth, Markwardt said, and so we have the opportunity to have an even larger facility if our growth is larger than expected. Markwardt said Americas peer adversaries Russia and China continue to develop advanced technologies. We really have to focus over the next several years of making sure we can continue to have our leading edge in technology over our peer adversaries," he said, "because theyve caught up. America and its allies have been focused on Iraq and Afghanistan for the past 15 years, Markwardt said. In that time, Russia and China have advanced their technology. What youre seeing in the budgets now and the work thats going on in the Department of Defense is really focusing on the more sophisticated solutions, Markwardt said. A long-running legal dispute over a proposed Buddhist meditation center in Mobile appears to be near the end of one round in federal court -- and probably at the beginning of another. "She has spent over $300,000," attorney John Lawler said of his client, Sivaport Nimityongskul. "The city, on my humble estimate, has spent half a million Is it reasonable for the city to be involved in this kind of carrying on?" Several years ago, the Thai Meditation Center of Alabama Inc. filed suit against the city and its Planning Commission, which had denied an application to build on Eloong Drive near Dog River. Early phases of the dispute involved neighbors' complaints about zoning issues and possible traffic problems, but the conflict grew to include charges that the city was holding the Buddhist center to one standard while allowing other religion-affiliated organizations much more latitude to build churches, schools and other facilities. That suit, filed in June 2016 by Nimityongskul and others, involved a complaint in U.S. District Court against the City of Mobile, its Planning Commission and the City Council. The Planning Commission and the City Council have since been dismissed as parties; a decision in favor of the city appears to be at hand following a bench trial last week -- though theres a twist. The court record, as of Tuesday afternoon, shows that a bench trial before District Judge Terry F. Moorer concluded on Friday, March 22. While the record doesn't explicitly state a verdict, it shows that Moorer asked attorneys representing the city to submit proposed findings of fact to the court by March 29. It's hard to interpret that any other way than that Moorer has found in favor of the city and will use a summary submitted by it as the basis for his ruling. However, on Tuesday Lawler filed a motion asking "for permission to submit suggested findings of fact and conclusions of law for inclusion in the court's final judgment" and requesting that the court delay entry of its final judgment for 60 days. Douglas Anderson, lead attorney on the team representing the city, was nonplussed. "It is a little unusual for the losing party to prepare a proposed ruling," he said. Anderson said the situation was clear enough: "The judge stated that he was finding on behalf of the city," he said. Following that, he said, it should be a routine and fairly brisk step for Moorer to approve a summary of findings and legal conclusions prepared by the defense, since those arguments had prevailed. Anderson said he didn't anticipate Lawler's motion would have much impact on that process. Anderson also said that while he didn't have a ready summary of how much his firm had billed the city, Lawler's estimate wasn't unreasonable. Lawler said he hoped his motion would have two results: that it would lead the court to "include these findings, and that it might change its mind." Its really more than that, its the story of what happened to this poor woman, he said. "It's been a real, real travesty," he said. He maintained that the city had aggressively challenged the center's religious basis in a way it had never done with other institutions, and that Nimityongskul had been more than willing to address traffic concerns if those were, in fact, the root of neighbors' objections. If we do have to go forward, were going to appeal, Lawler said. I think well win, on appeal. Anderson said an appeal would not come as a surprise. Voting rights advocates say thousands of Alabama citizens have regained the ability to vote since the law was changed in 2017, but the state could be doing more to speed the process. In May 2017 Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Definition of Moral Turpitude Act. Prior to that, almost all felonies were considered crimes of moral turpitude under state law, which meant convictions cost people the right to vote. The act greatly reduced the number of felonies so classified, meaning that in many cases, people with convictions in their past could simply register to vote and take part in the next election. However representatives of the Alabama Voting Rights Project said Wednesday in Mobile that in some cases that word has been slow to get out. Weve been on the ground for the past nine months, said Ellen Boettcher, a representative for the Alabama Voting Rights Project. In that time, the group has been active in about half Alabamas 67 counties and has helped about 2,000 people restore their right to vote. While its a huge success, we still have a long way to go. The Alabama Voting Rights Project is a collaboration between the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Campaign Legal Center. Boettcher said it works with a wide variety of partner organizations, providing support and training for local voter-registration efforts. "The state definitely could do a little more to educate people on their voting rights," she said. She suggested the state could send out letters to all those affected by the 2017 law change. Among those speaking on behalf of the program was Rodney Lofton, 49, who said he'd never voted in his life before last November. As a young man, serving in the Navy after high school, he hadn't bothered to exercise the right, he said. Later in life, drug charges cost him the right, and he remained unable to vote long after cleaning up his life. Advocates such as County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood said that keeping people cut off from a basic right of citizenship, long after they've served their sentences, undercuts efforts to re-integrate them into productive society. Lofton said the feeling he had in November was far more than symbolic. "I was proud of myself because it made me feel like part of something, you know," he said. "I felt like part of society again." Ann Brown, managing attorney of Legal Services Alabama, said her organization can assist with the restoration of voting rights and expungement of criminal records. She said her organization has helped more than 1,000 people re-establish their rights since 2017. People can find out more by calling 866-456-4995 or visiting www.legalservicesalabama.org. Boettcher said that the project maintains a website, www.alabamavotingrights.com, where anyone can confirm their voting status and learn what steps they need to take in order to get their rights restored. In many cases, she said, all people have to do is register. A doubling in the number of gun Mobile County gun permit holders within the past eight years is also leading to a surge in gun thefts from unlocked vehicles. The numbers are staggering: Approximately 1,200 guns were stolen from vehicles in Mobile during 2018, according to James Barber, the citys executive director of public safety. Of those, 80 percent were taken from unlocked cars and trucks. Those same guns are turning up following tragedies. In particular, a stolen gun taken from an unlocked vehicle was used in the Jan. 20 slaying of Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder. Epidemic, Barber calls it. The Mobile City Council is exploring options, and a proposal could soon itself be in the middle of the divisive gun control debate that often pits police chiefs and sheriffs against gun rights advocates in Montgomery. The council is scheduled to vote in two weeks on a resolution urging legislative action so cities the size of Mobile can adopt reasonable regulations to prevent firearm thefts from unlocked vehicles. Barber described regulation as administrative sanctions, such as suspending or revoking someones gun permit if their weapon is stolen from a vehicle and used in a crime. State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, has met with Barber and Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran already in looking for solutions. She said she hasnt had an opportunity to discuss statewide legislation with lawmakers in Birmingham, Montgomery and elsewhere that may be facing similar problems. Were looking at ways we can perhaps make gun owners more responsible, said Drummond, adding that lawmakers do not want to further victimize those who lost guns to thieves. Drummond and Barber, though, expressed frustrations with public service campaigns encouraging gun owners to lock up their firearms, or remove them from vehicles. Barber said that the problems with gun thefts have not gone down since Tuders death. Mobile police report that 63 guns have been stolen from vehicles since Jan. 20. Rather than criminalize a gun owner, said Barber. We should allow the sheriffs of the state to be able to suspend or revoke a permit to carry if (the gun owner) is reckless. Political difficulties But some council members warned about the brushback Mobile could face in Montgomery, where gun advocacy groups like BamaCarry are influential among Republican lawmakers. I dont want this to be a broad thing that comes back where we can start regulating gun ownership, Councilman John Williams said. I believe in responsible gun ownership and I dont want to make a broad comment that everyone killed in our city had a stolen pistol used on them. Councilwoman Gina Gregory said that Mobile advocated building a coalition of support with other Alabama cities. She said the city could align itself with powerful statewide interests including the Association of Chiefs of Police and the Sheriffs Association. The heat has to be turned up for anything to happen, said Gregory. We are here at the grassroots level and starting with us is the best way to go. Eddie Fulmer, president of BamaCarry, opposes Mobiles proposal and said the Legislature preempts gun law changes throughout the state just for reasons like this. Wed be against them doing that because mainly what you would have is the Legislature allowing cities and counties to make laws, and youd have a patchwork of laws, said Fulmer, whose group pushes in support of loosening gun ownership and possession restrictions. It wouldnt make any sense. Drummond said that any kind of proposal is likely to be a delicate political dance between regulating gun rights and addressing a serious concern in Mobile. We are wanting to do something to make gun owners more responsible so we can save lives, she said. But we have not come up with the mechanism. We all have talked and are continuing to talk on what we can do. Contrary legislation Drummond and Barber, though, both said they do not support efforts in Montgomery to further loosen gun restrictions. A proposal to end the requirement for a permit to carry concealed handguns in Alabama has, once again, resurfaced in the Legislature. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, would give a gun owner the right to choose whether they want to purchase a permit or not from a county sheriffs office. Permits are required to possess guns in other states. Alabama has reciprocal agreements with about half of the states, including all of its neighbors. Allen, in a statement, said he was unaware of what Mobile was pursuing. As far as Im concerned, the problem is with the criminal stealing a gun that is lawfully possessed by a gun owner, he said. The law abiding citizen shouldnt become a victim. Fulmer said that he believes gun owners will still purchase permits in Alabama, largely because a permit is required to possess a pistol and to transport it out-of-state. Police and sheriffs have long opposed the measure, which was passed in the Alabama Senate in 2017, but has died in the House. Barber said the legislation is contrary to what Mobile is pushing. We need to continue to raise public awareness, we need to get gun owners to be responsible with gun ownership at the same time of defending their Second Amendment rights to possess a gun legally, said Barber. But we need a long-term solution to this problem. Despite all of the publicity from Officer Tuders death, we have not seen a difference. That is frustrating to us but we continue to push the public service announcements. This story was updated to include a Mobile police report that 63 guns have been stolen from vehicles since Jan. 20. It was also updated to include a comment from state Sen. Gerald Allen. On Tuesday, the steeple was still on the ground. But this weekend -- after it is raised into place and a few other last-minute jobs are completed -- Mobiles Hindu community will celebrate the consecration of the first temple it can call its own. Raising the Shikhara, as the spire is known in this context, will be one of several last big symbolic steps in the Gulf Coast Hindu Societys long quest to build a home for itself. Hindu temples are not thick on the ground along the central Gulf Coast. Saty Putcha, one of the leaders in the movement to build one in Mobile, said that local adherents of the faith started out meeting in each other's homes in the 1980s, then used a variety of community halls. If they wanted to worship in an actual temple, he said, that meant a trip to New Orleans or Jackson, Miss., or north of Montgomery or even Atlanta. Conversely, he said, once the Mobile temple is open it may well become a hub for visitors from the Gulfport or Pensacola areas. That meant that on Tuesday, a certain amount of pressure was on to wrap up a lot of finishing touches. Nondenominational Christian pastor David Baker, who had a lead role in construction as a partner in Baker & Tillman Construction LLC, was very much on the scene. From left -- Anna Putcha, builder David Baker and Saty Putcha stand in the main hall of the building about to be consecrated as Mobile's first Hindu temple. Hes an important man here, said Putchas wife, Anna Putcha. "He's the most important," said Baker, pointing skyward. "I'm just a servant." Putcha said that the local Hindu community has grown slowly but steadily over the years. In the beginning, he said, it was motivated by the needs of its young. "The idea was to make sure our children didnt forget the culture we come from," he said. "We want them integrated into this society, but at the same time to know their roots." Over the years, those specific children have grown and some have moved away. But other waves of immigrants have come along, with children of their own. Putcha said that in the '80s many were, like him, professionals who'd come to the United States as students and opted to stay. After 2000, he said, work in the Information Technology field drew many new arrivals. And others have come because of economic opportunity in the lodging and retail industries. It makes for a certain diversity within the community, he said. It wasnt until about 2015 that the push to build a temple got serious, he said. The congregation bought about seven acres of land off McFarland Road in the Dawes area. Then leaders had plans drawn up to help make the vision more real and started the process of raising several hundred thousand dollars. "We built it debt-free, with no loans," he said. As is many a modern house of worship, the basic structure is a metal-framed building with a structure not much different than a warehouse or commercial building. The challenge is to make it feel like something different, and that's where Baker and Stephen Tillman came in. The main hall of the 5,000-square-foot structure gives little sense of the utilitarian bones underneath. Baker credited his partner, Stephen Tillman, with artfully framing in the beams and other elements. Putcha credits his wife with putting her foot down. "She didn't want to see any metal," he said. Putcha said his community has no qualms about raising its public profile by constructing a temple. Lower Alabama has been welcoming, he said. "We never felt we were out of place," he said. The relationship with Baker seems to epitomize that spirit. Baker's religious activities include his own prison ministry, Crimson Cross Ministries, but he's had no qualms about building for a very different faith. "We both believe in the same God," said Baker. "Our religions are a little different." "There's only one God, right?" replied Putcha. "You're foolish if you think you have all the answers and can judge," said Baker. Saty Putcha, right, is a leader of the Hindu community that has worked to build its first temple in the Mobile area. David Baker, left, is the builder, and Christian pastor, who's had a key role in building it. When Baker and his workers have finished many, many last-minute finishing jobs, and Putcha and his fellow organizers have concluded their preparations, three days of ceremony will begin on Friday. The formal process is called the Gruha Pravesha and Harihara Parvara Pranaprathishta Mahotsavam. Putcha describes that as a grand inauguration and consecration process. "It basically purifies the place," he said. "The ground and the building." Ceremonies begin midafternoon Friday and run throughout the day on Saturday before concluding around noon on Sunday. Then, he said, the temple will be officially open for business. Or as he puts it in his program notes: "At the beginning of the ceremony we see only stone or metal, but at the end we see God." The temple will give Hindus in the area a place to gather for prayer, but also for classes. It will give them the ability to host guest speakers and other visitors, and to celebrate festivals such as Holi and Diwali. At first, he said, it'll receive part-time guidance from a priest based elsewhere, probably in Jackson. But in time, he said, it may drive growth that allows the local community to support its own full-time priest. The building is one thing, he said, but we have to get the participation. An atheist group from Wisconsin has implicitly or directly threatened to sue more than 40 Alabama school systems, local governments, and elected officials during recent years over what they claim are violations of the constitutions ban on the establishment of religion. The organization, called the Freedom from Religion Foundation, is often successful. Many give in after calculating potential attorney fees and the uncertain outcome of drawn out lawsuits. But perhaps its time Alabamians recall our state motto and Dare Defend Our Rights by standing up to some of the more frivolous of these challenges. A review of the FFRFs news release archives reveals that while some of their complaints are reasonable, many are simply ridiculous. For instance, Gov. Kay Ivey posted a video on social media in 2017 wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and adding, May your days ahead be filled with the light of God and his abundant grace. The FFRF said it was an overly religious homily and sent a threatening letter saying the governor broke the law. The Houston County Sheriffs Office had to remove Blessed are the Peacemakers from the side of its cars after the FFRF objected to the well-known and harmless quote because it was taken from the Book of Matthew. We support whats written on the stickers and we support the spirit of it, the county administrator said in 2015 . But unfortunately, from a legal perspective, we could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and still likely lose. Eric Johnston, president of the Southeast Law Institute in Birmingham, explained that most local government attorneys simply arent prepared to handle such lawsuits. Most of them have little or no experience in constitutional establishment clause/free exercise cases, Johnston explained. In order to defend themselves, most would need to hire outside counsel at high rates. Add the possibility of having to pay the FFRFs legal bills if they prevailed, and suddenly that strongly worded letter starts looking a lot like a very expensive bill. And thats how our freedoms die a dollar at a time. But school boards and local governments who are facing such threats should also take into account these three considerations: #1: Our leaders were elected to protect our rights. Our constitution doesnt just prohibit the establishment of religion; it also forbids actions that will prohibit the free exercise thereof. The people, individually, cannot defend against these lawsuits. They depend upon their elected officials to act, and many would likely support pushing back against the more baseless of the FFRFs complaints. #2: Were not alone. The FFRF isnt the only group out there with lawyers experienced in First Amendment issues. There are many organizations that provide support to those whose religious freedoms are under attack. The Southeast Law Institute , the Alliance Defending Freedom , the Landmark Legal Foundation , and the Alabama Policy Institute are just a few. #3: The odds are in our favor. A review of the FFRFs most recent public tax documents show that while it wrote 1,561 letters complaining about alleged establishment clause violations nationwide in 2017, it reported just 22 actual lawsuits either won or pending only 1.4 percent of their complaints. Furthermore, the foundation reported that 308 complaints were resolved without a lawsuit only 19.7 percent of their complaints. So, nearly 80 percent of their complaints may have gone absolutely nowhere (except perhaps in the trashcan). My feeling has always been they were more threats than reality due to not only funding issues, but the availability of qualified lawyers to bring their lawsuits, Johnston said. When lawsuits need to be filed in faraway places, it is difficult to find qualified legal counsel. Though many of the FFRFs charges of establishment clause violations are unjustified, we should be mindful of their motivation. Reading through their letters, one gets a sense that theres an awful lot of hurt there, even resentment. Their language speaks of being excluded, left out, made to feel apart from the group, and a sense of wanting to protect young unbelievers from overzealous bullies. There is also a need to ensure that our public services and institutions dont become arms of any particular religion, and there are those among us who would indeed use their positions of public trust to advance their personal faith. We must guard against those tendencies. But we also have a common culture in this nation, especially in Alabama, and certainly in many of its smaller communities. Central to our culture is a Judeo-Christian heritage thats often, and without harm, reflected in many of the traditions that buttress our public gatherings and official symbols. To completely ban these traditions and symbols from the public square doesnt separate church from state as much as it separates citizens from culture. Thats not good. There are bullies on both sides of this issue, actually, pushing and shoving us around, either wanting to make people feel like outcasts or wanting to burn our traditions to the ground. The reasonable among us must stand against these bullies. Both of them. And the best way to deal with bullies is to push back. Indian wrongly accused of and jailed for involvement in 2006 Mumbai train attacks now campaigns for falsely convicted. Mumbai, India In a two-room house in Amrut Nagar, a neighbourhood in eastern Mumbai, 40-year-old Wahid Bin Mohammad Sheikh sits on the floor looking at his ailing mother, lying on the bed. She is not keeping well since my arrest, said Sheikh, who was arrested on September 29, 2006, by Maharashtra police in India in connection with the Mumbai train attack. A series of train blasts on July 11, 2006, which lasted 11 minutes, left 188 people dead and over 800 injured. The incident shook the country. Four months after the incident, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police named 30 people involved in the bombings. Thirteen were arrested including Wahid Sheikh and the remaining 17, mostly Pakistani nationals, were declared as having absconded. Sheikh was accused of being a member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and using his house for harbouring fighters from Pakistan who went on to plant bombs on the citys local trains. We all were shocked when police arrested us and declared us terrorists, Sheikh said. We couldnt even hire lawyers to defend the charges because in such cases, lawyers in Mumbai would charge huge money. Their families and relatives approached Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, a Muslim civil rights group, for legal aid. Nine years after the arrests, a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act Court (MOCAO) in September 2015 convicted 12 of 13 suspects. The judge handed the death penalty to five and life imprisonment for seven others. This policy of targeting a particular community has to be stopped because it's not good for the country. Wahid Bin Mohammad Sheikh, former suspect Sheikh was the only person to be acquitted in the case. I spent nine years of my life in jail despite being innocent. My father died due to shock in 2007, my mother isnt well today, he said, all because of the fake charges by police. He claimed that police tortured him to confess the charges. I suffered all three degrees of torture that the police use to force false confessions out of people, he said. Electric shocks were given in my private parts and nipples. I would be asked to lie down on a table, my hands and legs would be tied, and then water was poured forcibly into my mouth. I would feel like as if Im drowning in the sea. The police [are] creating terrorists. The police force people to take arms against the state. At the time of his arrest, Sheikh had worked as a teacher at a private school and was pursuing his PhD in Urdu from the University of Mumbai. I wanted to become a university professor, said the father of four. But the label of a terrorist was attached to my name. Sheikhs mother Sajida, right, said she prayed for her sons release [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera] His ailing mother, Sajida, said that she was finally happy. I was praying for his release all the time that was the only thing I could have done for my sons release, she said. While in Mumbais Arthur Road Jail, Sheikh wrote a 400-page book titled Begunaah Qaidi, or Innocent Prisoner. The book, which took 10 months to complete and is written in Urdu, was published in 2017. Sheikh claims that a jail superintendent had at first attempted to stop him from writing. My trial ended in 2014 and the judgment was written a year later, so I collected all the documents and started [writing] the book. Before I walked out of jail, I had completed it, he said. My book is not an autobiography. Its a guidebook for other innocent prisoners fighting such cases. This is a book that talks about the police state, how innocent Muslims are falsely implicated in terror cases, how false witnesses are presented and how we were made to sign the confession statements. In jail, Sheikh also completed a Masters degree in English, a diploma in journalism and began a law degree programme which he completed last year. Group calls for compensation On October 2, 2016, Sheikh was among 15 people who gave evidence before a peoples tribunal organised by Innocence Network, an Indian collective which campaigns for people who have been wrongfully prosecuted in terrorism cases. The tribunal released its report in December that year calling for Indian officials responsible for wrongful arrests and prosecution to be held accountable. The report also said that the government should be made to pay compensation for wrongful convictions. I wasnt given any compensation by the government for my nine years, Sheikh said. But fortunately I got my job back. The school administration was kind enough that they offered me a job when I walked free, otherwise its very challenging for a person released from any terror-related case to get a job. Sheikh is now campaigning for the release of 12 men convicted in the case. He visits universities and colleges across India, attends events and creates awareness. Im convinced that they all are innocent and I will continue to campaign for their release. I will help their families in every possible way, be it monetarily or by campaigning for them, he said. This policy of targeting a particular community has to be stopped because its not good for the country. Ukraine is on the verge of yet another revolt. This time, however, Ukrainians will not take their anger out onto the streets in another revolution; rather, it looks like they are getting ready to quietly rebel against the political elite and their corruption in the polling booths, as they vote for the next president on March 31. The ballot is a whopper, with the names of record-breaking 39 candidates on it. Even better, the leader in the race is the most unlikely candidate of them all: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a comedian with no political experience or governance expertise. Days before the vote, Zelenskyy is leading in the polls between eight and 15 percent ahead of the runner-up, incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. The two are likely to meet in a runoff vote, which will take place on April 21. Zelenskyys most famous role is in a TV series called Servant of the People. He plays a poor, honest teacher who becomes president by chance. The comedian likes to say he shares the values of his character. And just like in his TV series, Zelenskyy took Ukraines politics by storm. He was propelled to the very top by a popular TV channel owned by one of Ukraines top oligarchs, Igor Kolomoisky, who currently lives between Switzerland and Israel. The channel gives ample airtime to both Zelenskyy, the candidate, and Zelenskyy, the actor. The actor even gets to shine in a whole raft of TV programmes and documentaries on the eve of the election, when campaigning is banned by law. Both Kolomoisky and Zelenskyy deny a political connection, despite the fact that the oligarchs lawyer is part of the comedians election campaign team, and his guard is accompanying him on the campaign trail. Pollsters say Zelenskyys popularity is the result of the high name recognition he enjoys, and Ukrainians deep disappointment and disillusionment with their ruling elite. Voters are ready for a new face, even when they know it belongs to a man who has next to no competence in politics. Deep disillusionment A recent Gallup survey showed that Ukraine holds the world record in low trust in the government for the second year straight: Just nine percent have confidence in it, way below the regional median for former Soviet states of 48 percent, and the global average of 56 percent. This is the price the political elite is paying for failing to live up to the promises of Ukraines 2013 Revolution of Dignity for economic growth, rule of law, transparency and higher standards of living. More than five years on, unemployment and underemployment have pushed an estimated 3.2 million Ukrainians (about one in 10 adults) to seek work abroad on a permanent basis, while many others take up temporary jobs outside the country every year. Poverty rates are high, and so is inequality. A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report found that some 60 percent of Ukrainians were living below the poverty line in 2016, as Ukraine remains one of the poorest nations in Europe. Meanwhile, its oligarchs continue to grow richer; in 2018 local media reported that the combined wealth of the countrys 100 richest people has jumped by 43 percent to $37bn in just one year. Competitive Ukrainian business has also taken a hit. In my worst nightmares I couldnt imagine this is where we would be now, Yevgeniy Utkin, an entrepreneur and pioneer of the IT industry in Ukraine, told me recently. He is not upset because his IT business has been raided a few times by masked law enforcement agents, searching for proof of financial crimes (and not making any charges afterwards) a common occurrence in todays Ukraine which has come to be known as maski show. Nor is he upset about the loss of most of his Russian assets after Moscow annexed Crimea and started the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Like many others in the business sector, Utkin has simply lost hope over time. He told me of one incident in particular that made him disillusioned early on. In the summer of 2014, soon after Poroshenko was inaugurated, Utkin approached him with an idea for a hi-tech solution for army radio communications. He was referred to a senior administration official and fellow multimillionaire, who was more interested in inviting Utkin to join him on a yachting trip to Sardinia. Utkin gasped and declined. Just a few weeks later, in August, one of the fiercest battles of the war took place in the eastern Ukrainian city of Ilovaisk. At least 366 Ukrainian soldiers died, 429 were injured and hundreds captured in an ambush. There were many factors that led to this tragedy, including a significant presence of Russian troops, the government later found. But Utkin was struck by the major role that poor communication played in this tragedy, and it was exactly the problem he had wanted to fix. Broken promises Poroshenko surfed into the presidency on the wave of revolution and war, and on the promise of change. He said he would end the war within days, come after the mighty oligarchs and personally oversee the fight against corruption. Four years later, Poroshenko had to apologise for making a hasty and arrogant declaration about ending the war He had much more leverage to fulfil his other promises fighting oligarchy and corruption, but did equally poorly on both of them. Oligarchs still control massive areas of the economy: energy, agriculture, media and access to state-owned monopolies and natural resources. They are difficult to rein in because the rule of law is hard to come by in Ukraine. The European Business Association, which conducts a regular survey of CEOs to gauge Ukraines investment climate, found that 78 percent of its respondents were critically dissatisfied with the level of corruption in the country, 74 percent distrusted the judiciary, and 65 percent complained about the shadow economy Less than a month ago, a series of journalistic investigations revealed that Oleh Hladkovsky, deputy head of the National Security and Defense Council and Poroshenkos friend and former business partner, and his son, were allegedly involved in corruption related to defence procurement deals. In the aftermath of the scandal, the Ukrainian president vouched to make corrupt officials bring back every kopeck they had stolen with their teeth. That is terribly unlikely given that Ukraines judicial reform is failing. In a recent illustration of this spectacular failure, a special commission in charge of appointing judges to the High Court of Ukraine gave positions to a number of judges with questionable track records, including some who have let dozens of drink-and-drive offenders walk free, are holding two passports (which is illegal in Ukraine), and have covered up for other corrupt judges among other things. At the same time, Ukrainian judge Pavlo Parkhomenko, who has accumulated much recognition domestically and internationally for his human rights work, was the sole candidate to be rejected. Pressure for change from outside To be completely fair, there has been some change in Ukraine since 2013. Its gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.3 percent last year, the highest level since 2011. The Ukrainian banking sector was mostly cleaned up, with over 100 suspect banks closed and the National Bank completely reformed. The state-owned gas holding Naftogaz underwent a near-miraculous transformation and went from a net loss of 18 billion hryvnia ($2.2bn at the time) in 2013 to a record profit of 39.4 billion hryvnia ($1.5bn) in 2017. A national electronic procurement system Prozorro was launched to ensure that all public money is spent efficiently and transparently. It has saved an estimated $2.76bn in less than five years and won scores of international awards for innovation and excellence. Significant reforms have started in the healthcare and education sectors, too. And most importantly, for the average Ukrainian, the country now has a visa-free regime with its European Union neighbours. But most of these reforms were made possible by pressure mounted by the Ukrainian civil society (which has very much been supported by the West) and international donors and partners, such as the United States, the European Union, Canada and others. Each of these reforms also took a kamikaze-style leader, typically hailing from outside the existing system, who temporarily came in from the business sector or other walks of life to push through a specific cause. After accomplishing the task, many of them left or were pushed out; others are lasting it out until the election, and still, others were sabotaged, and their efforts often reversed by the more politically shrewd players who fill senior government offices. Thus, over the years, Ukraines political elite has proven in a multitude of ways that on its own it is incapable to bring about change of the scale and depth expected by its electorate. In one episode of Servant of the People, Zelenskyys character tells the parliament that the society has changed, and its no longer going to wait and forgive. He then goes on to shoot all the parliament members with an automatic weapon. The Ukrainian society has indeed changed and it clearly doesnt want to wait and forgive any more. On March 31, it will most likely shoot down its failed political elite through the ballot box. Afterwards, what shape or form its growing anger will take is anyones guess. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Mayor says several people also wounded after two female suicide bombers detonate explosives and gunmen attack civilians. At least 10 people have been killed in a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers and gunmen on a town in eastern Niger, according to the local mayor. The attack took place late on Tuesday in NGuigmi, which lies in the north of the Diffa region, near Lake Chad, an area that bore the brunt of cross-border infiltration by the Nigerian-based armed group. Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen then attacked civilians, Abba Kaya Issa, the mayor of NGuigmi, told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. We have a provisional toll of 10 dead plus the two suicide bombers, along with seven or eight wounded, he said, blaming Boko Haram elements for the assault. 190322154007633 One of the suicide bombers blew herself up in the courtyard of a policemans home, which is located inside the police barracks, and the second triggered her explosives belt between the town hall, the police barracks and the prefecture, added Kaya, referring to the office of the state representative. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. A local resident said several houses had been burned and wounded children in the police camp had been taken to the local hospital. Another NGuigmi inhabitant said armed Boko Haram attacked the district of Dileram, killing civilians and torching homes. Some 30,000 people have been killed and two million displaced since Boko Haram launched its armed campaign in northeastern Nigeria in 2009. The fighting has since spilled over to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Eight people were killed on Thursday in the village of Karidi, in the Diffa region in southeastern Niger, and 14 died in four attacks on Saturday. Fourteen soldiers have been killed since February 16. The army says it killed more than 200 terrorists in the region at the end of last year, as well as 33 others on March 12. By Azernews By Leman Mammadova Star Refinery will export $500 million worth products per year, Mesut ?lter, Director General of Star Refinery, said, Trend reports citing Turkish media. He pointed out that currently, all test works are complete at the refinery. At the moment, Star refinery is operating actively and will reach its full capacity in a short time, said ?lter. He went on to add that for the remaining part of the year, the refinery will process 7.5-8 million tons of oil, while in 2020, it will process 10 million tons of oil with its full capacity. Ilter said that when Star refinery reaches its full capacity, it will fully meet the raw materials needs of Petkim. The Director General noted that 42 million tons of liquid fuel products are consumed annually in Turkey, adding that SOCAR Turkey's ( subsidiary of Azerbaijani state oil company-SOCAR) investments are aimed precisely at reducing the dependence of the Turkish market on imports. Ilter underlined that company plans to increase the annual production of diesel fuel to 5 million tons, which will bring a revival in the petrochemical sector of Turkey. Last year, 24 million tons of diesel fuel was consumed in Turkey, 60 percent of which was imported. The figure will be reduced to 40 percent, after STAR Refinery will produce diesel fuel of 5 million tons. This reduction will affect the import of other fuels. Thus, only 60 percent of aviation fuel consumption will be provided by the new airport in Istanbul after its full commissioning. The annual consumption of aviation fuel in Turkey is 5.3 million tons, 90 percent of which is provided by local production, and after the STAR plant reaches its full production capacity, the import figure will be reduced to zero, he said. Ilter also noted that SOCAR has already made $15 billion out of $19.5 billion worth investments in Turkey. These investments are important steps towards ensuring Turkeys energy supply security, he added. STAR Oil Refinery will supply Petkim with raw materials. STAR Oil Refinery, which was built to improve Petkim's value chain, will make a significant contribution to the diversification of the company's pro vice assets as a project that holds an important place in the new strategic development course of SOCAR. The plant will produce 5 million tons of diesel fuel, 1.5 million tons of naphtha, 1.6 million tons of aircraft fuel, 1 million tons of xylene / reformat, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), oil coke and sulfur per year. The total investment of the project is $ 6.3 billion, of which 90 percent has been already invested. By the end of 2021, Star's total capacity will be increased. In the end, the investment will total $7 billion. STAR has the first investment incentive granted by Turkey. Star Oil Refinery that is the first Turkey-specific Industrial Zone opened in October 2018. Star has already launched the sale of its first products this year. By selling 1.303 tons of naphtha produced at STAR refinery to Petkim, SOCAR Turkey Energy completed the integration of the refinery and the petrochemical complex. Opposition leaders say generals call for Bouteflika to be declared unfit to rule is a manoeuvre to preserve old guard. Algiers, Algeria A breakaway faction within Algerias ruling party has backed the army chiefs call for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to rule the country, even as several opposition parties and protesters denounced the powerful generals remarks as an attempt to stifle their movement. Following weeks of youth-led anti-Bouteflika protests, Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah on Tuesday suggested that the Constitutional Council invoke Article 102, which could lead to Bouteflikas impeachment on health grounds. We call upon all National Liberation Front (FLN) activists to support General Gaid Salahs proposal, a group of dissident politicians within the party said in a statement on Wednesday. 190326144555792 The announcement came shortly after former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia called on 82-year-old Bouteflika, who has been confined to a wheelchair since 2013, to leave office. Ouyahia said in a statement he recommended the resignation of the president in order to facilitate the transition period within the framework of the constitution. The former prime ministers National Rally for Democracy party is a member of the ruling coalition, which is dominated by the FLN. Ouyahia also urged for the swift formation of a new cabinet. His comments stood in sharp contrast to earlier remarks before being replaced in a cabinet reshuffle on March 11 by Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui, when he had warned of looming chaos and descent into civil conflict if the anti-government rallies persisted. Meanwhile, Abdelmadjid Sidi Said, the head of the influential General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) and a staunch Bouteflika supporter, also withdrew his backing for Bouteflika, endorsing the armys call for his dismissal. The UGTA welcomes and acknowledges the call of Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah to the application of Article 102 of the Constitution, Sidi Said said in a statement on Wednesday, the latest blow to Bouteflikas hotly contested leadership. Article 102 According to Article 102, the constitutional council is allowed to investigate the health of a president, after which it could proceed to declare the persons incapacity to carry out their duties. A joint session of both lower and upper houses of parliament must then verify the findings, with two-thirds of the legislature required to validate the decision. The head of the upper house is then called upon to govern as caretaker president for a period of 45 days. If Bouteflika is still deemed unfit to resume his duties, the Senates president has three months to organise a new presidential election. 190305111758425 To resolve the crisis right now, the implementation of Article 102 is necessary and is the only guarantee to maintain a peaceful political situation, Salah, the army chief and a confidant of Bouteflika, said in a televised address on Tuesday. It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of this crisis that responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which respects and adheres to the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state, he added. Bypassing the will of the people But Salahs call was rejected by several major opposition leaders, who have backed the anti-government uprising, as well as protesters. It is too late to enforce Article 102. This should have been done years ago, and not one month before the end of the presidents fourth term, Mustapha Bouchachi, a prominent lawyer, told Al Jazeera. Earlier this month, Bouteflika postponed elections set for April 18 and said he would remain in power until a new constitution was adopted, a move that effectively extended his current term. The Algerian people wont accept that Abdelkader Bensalah, the president of the Senate, who has played a significant role in the corrupted system over the past decade and is, among others, responsible of electoral fraud, to take over from Abdelaziz Bouteflika and oversee the transition, said Bouchachi. The lawyer, who has built a reputation as an indefatigable human rights defender over the years, added that Algerians wanted to do away with the symbols of the old guard. None of them should have a word to say about the future of Algeria, he said, calling for the formation of a government of national unity to assist in the transition period. Only independent figures, who have never been in power, should be appointed. Meanwhile, members of Algerias Workers Party (PT) announced on Wednesday their collective resignation from parliament, in the first such act since the political crisis began on February 22. We will not give credit to what appears to be strategy to bypass peoples will, Ramdane Tazibt, a former PT member of parliament, told Al Jazeera while warning against the armys dangerous intervention in politics. Gaid Salahs decision only aims at rescuing the system, by pushing Bouteflika out of the power and handing it over to [Senate President] Bensalah Before any presidential election, we must first discuss the nature of the new regime we want to live in. Speaking at a press conference in Algiers, on Wednesday, Mohcine Belabbas, head of the liberal Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) party, accused the army chief of overstepping his role. He does not have the right to call for the Constitution to use the Article 102 [] This is a political manoeuvre of a faction within the regime, Belabbas said. The RCD called for the dissolution of both houses and the constitutional council; the establishment of a collegial presidency to oversee the transition, and the formation of a government of national salvation to manage the states day-to-day affairs. According to Belabbas, the members of the collegial presidency must be under 60 years old and should be elected by independent trade unions, such as the judiciary body and the high education institution. They will be in charge of initiating talks with various social groups. Brazils federal prosecutors office on Tuesday said it was opposed to far-right President Jair Bolsonaros plan to allow the armed forces to officially commemorate the 55th anniversary of Brazils military coup this weekend. Bolsonaro, a former army captain who waxes nostalgic for the 1964-1985 dictatorship, on Monday asked Brazils Ministry of Defence to organise due commemorations on March 31, the day historians say marks the coup that began the dictatorship, which supporters call a military government. Some Brazilian conservatives and members of Brazils military view March 31 as the day they liberated the country from the threat of communist usurpation, but many other Brazilians view it as a dark period that resulted in human rights abuses, disappearances and the murder of political activists. The coup detat of 1964 was a violent and undemocratic rupture of the constitutional order, the citizens rights defenders office, which is part of the federal prosecutors office, said in a statement. If repeated in the present times, the conduct of the military and civilian forces that promoted the coup would be characterised as a crime against the constitutional order and the democratic state. Speaking with reporters on Monday, Bolsonaros spokesman confirmed the president planned to allow the military to commemorate on Sunday the beginning of the countrys 1964-1985 dictatorship. Sunday will be the first time since 2011 that the military will officially commemorate the date. Despite Bolsonaros move, no public displays by the military are expected, although events may take place behind closed doors in Brazils barracks. Still, several civil groups announced that they were organising protests throughout the country in response. {articleGUID} Former President Dilma Rousseff, a one-time leftist guerrilla who was imprisoned and tortured during the regime, ordered the military to halt commemorations when she took office. Arrests and torture This means that [Bolsonaro] thinks the dictatorship against opponents, against political dissidents, is not a dictatorship, Rosa Cardoso, a lawyer who coordinated Brazils national truth commission, told the Associated Press. That the illegitimate use of force is not violence when imposed on those who have different beliefs, that torture is not torture but a fair and justified treatment. In 2014, the truth commission concluded that at least 434 people were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship. Among indigenous communities, the death toll rose sharply, according to the report. It is estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 people were illegally arrested and tortured, the prosecutors office said. Bolsonaros discourse shows a deep ignorance and lack of acknowledgement of a doctrine that is internationally accepted, Cardoso said. During Bolsonaros 28 years in Congress, he repeatedly expressed support and admiration for the dictatorship. {articleGUID} During last years election, that position angered and shocked many Brazilians while seducing others who think of the dictatorship as a time of low crime and general order. Bolsonaros promise to crack down on crime, one of the biggest challenges in Latin Americas largest nation, appealed to many voters and helped propel him to victory. I feel as if the torture has returned The far-right leader has said the dictatorship should have gone farther in killing communists who threatened Brazil. On Monday, government spokesman Otavio Rego Barros said during a press conference that the president does not believe March 31, 1964, was a coup. I never thought I would hear this, Alvaro Caldas, a former guerrilla fighter who was jailed, kidnapped and tortured under military rule, told The Associated Press from his Rio de Janeiro apartment in Copacabana. I feel as if the torture has returned, and can return, Caldas, now a 78-year-old retired journalist, said while looking at an old photo of himself with two puffy, black eyes. The photo, he said, was taken in 1983, when he said the military kidnapped him and interrogated him for about a week before releasing him. This is what Bolsonaro wants to celebrate, the humiliation of the human being, he said. Another fighter and torture victim, Crimeia Alice Schmidt de Almeida, deplored the lack of military convictions for human rights abuses. {articleGUID} We have no one in custody, or at least condemned, de Almeida, who was sent to a torture centre in Sao Paulo in 1972 when she was eight months pregnant, told the AP. A few retired members of the military have been charged with crimes, but an amnesty law has prevented most prosecutions linked to abuses under the dictatorship from leading to convictions. Barros, the government spokesman, did not give any details about the kind of events that might be held for the March 31 commemorations. The Defence Ministry said the presidential decision consisted mostly in including the March 31 date on the militarys agenda, along with a text that could be read in military facilities. But it is up to each facility to decide what to do. The Southeast military command in Sao Paulo, for instance, has said it will form ranks on March 28 in relation to the 1964 the democratic revolution. Far-right party sought up to $20m from pro-gun groups in the United States, undercover Al Jazeera investigation reveals. Sydney, Australia An official from Australias far-right One Nation party offered to influence the countrys democracy as part of a bid to secure political funding from Koch Industries, a United States energy giant, an Al Jazeera investigation has found. The offer was revealed in the second episode of Al Jazeeras three-year investigation into the US and Australian gun lobbies, titled How to sell a massacre. Secretly filmed footage, obtained by Al Jazeera, shows Steve Dickson, One Nations leader in the Australian state of Queensland, meeting with Catherine Haggett, director of Federal Affairs at Koch Industries, in Washington, the US capital, in September of last year. Dickson told Haggett: What you can do to help us and its going to get down to money at the end of the day we can change the voting system in our country, the way people operate, if weve got the money to do it. The meeting at Koch Industries was just one among a series of meetings in Washington in which One Nation officials sought up to $20m in political funding from pro-gun groups. Dickson was accompanied by James Ashby, the One Nation partys chief of staff. 190325111828105 Rodger Muller, an undercover reporter from Al Jazeeras Investigative Unit, posed as a pro-gun campaigner and used concealed cameras to track Dickson and Ashby during their US visit. In meetings with powerful gun lobby groups, Muller filmed the pair vowing to soften Australias strict gun laws, which were imposed following a mass shooting that killed 35 people in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur in 1996. Catherine Haggett from Koch Industries speaks to the One Nation delegation [Al Jazeera] Port Arthur killings Dickson and Ashbys party, officially called Pauline Hansons One Nation, pushes a pro-gun and anti-immigration agenda. Its leader, Senator Pauline Hanson, made global headlines in 2017 when she wore a veil that covered her face at the countrys parliament to protest against Muslim immigration into Australia. In a secretly filmed conversation, Hanson was also recorded suggesting that the official account of the Port Arthur killings might be incorrect. The shooting was the deadliest in Australias history. The gunman, Martin Bryant, pleaded guilty and was given 35 life sentences without the possibility of parole. An MP said it would actually take a massacre in Tasmania to change the gun laws in Australia, Hanson told Al Jazeeras undercover reporter. Those shots, they were precision shots. Check the number out a lot of questions there. 190325120818734 The Port Arthur killings led to the passage of Australias National Firearms Agreement (NFA), which places strict controls on automatic and semiautomatic rifles and shotguns. Since then, Australia has had no mass shootings where the attackers did not know at least some of their victims. The USs National Rifle Association (NRA) has denounced Australias gun laws as not the definition of common sense. One Nation has proposed minor changes to the NFA as part of its platform for the upcoming Australian elections, set to take place in May. But the party has not disclosed to Australian voters its discussions with the NRA, in which Dickson, who is also a senate candidate in the poll, described the Pacific countrys firearms laws as poison and vowed to kill them. James Ashby (left) and Steve Dickson (right) at a meeting with Koch Industries [Al Jazeera] In fact, it was an NRA official who connected the One Nation officials to Koch Industries. The energy giants massive political donations helped put Donald Trump in office in the 2016 US presidential election. If we dont change things, people are going to be looking at Australia and go well, its okay for them to go down the path of not having guns. Its like poison. It will poison us all unless we stop it, Dickson told Brandi Graham, a senior NRA lobbyist. Graham lauded the plan, saying: I think that it would be very beneficial if you are all able to take steps in the right direction because the biggest argument we always get from folks is Well, look at Australia. Dickson asked for Grahams help with other meetings in Washington, saying One Nation wanted to meet people that you may be aware of that have similar interests to us, people interested in stopping this infection spreading. He added: We lack, probably, two things: we lack money, we lack people on the ground. Offering to reach out to Koch Industries, Graham replied: Clearly, I think if you can talk about the effect of your gun policy and some of the other issues that affect them, you never know, they might be willing to help out in some way. Gun to the governments head Dickson and Ashby told Al Jazeeras undercover reporter that they hoped to secure up to $20m from the US gun lobby, a move they believed would secure their success in the upcoming elections. Ashby said: We would win potentially the balance of power if we took two seats in the lower house. And you know what? I reckon we could do that with $2m. If you had $20m, you would own the lower house and the upper house. Dickson likened the balance of power to holding a gun to the head of the Australian government. The thing you need to understand about the balance of power is You know about the headlock and the 9mm to the back of the head? Thats where it sits. You know, once you say we want something, we will get it. Because without it, they wont get any legislation through, he said. During an interview with Sky News Australia on Tuesday, Ashby denied seeking foreign funds to influence the nations laws. There is no way that we were out to change gun laws in this country. At no point was that ever, ever on the table, he said. But in a secretly filmed conversation with Al Jazeeras undercover reporter, Dickson and Ashby proposed a gradual approach to softening gun laws in Australia. Its like Vegemite. You dont put a f***ing bundle of the s*** on the toast. A light smear first. Get them used to the flavour, Ashby said. They likened the strategy to taking bread from a loaf, one slice at a time. Then we can get another piece of bread and end up with the whole loaf, said Dickson. There is no evidence that Koch Industries or any other group approached by One Nation provided any donations. US crew declared an emergency performance issue after taking off and returned to the airport safely. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max made a safe emergency landing in Orlando, Florida, after experiencing an engine problem, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The crew declared an emergency after taking off from Orlando International Airport on Tuesday and returned to the airport safely. No passengers were on board as the aircraft was being ferried to Victorville, California, where Southwest is storing the aeroplane because of a nationwide commercial flight ban. The 737 Max was grounded in the United States on March 13 after a deadly crash involving a Max in Ethiopia on March 10. It was the second fatal crash involving the plane model in the past five months. US airlines are allowed to shuttle the planes but cannot carry passengers. The FAA said its investigating but the emergency was not related to anti-stall software that is suspected as a cause of the two fatal crashes, including one last year involving a plane from Indonesia. Airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell said one of the airports three runways was shut down for cleaning after the landing. She said it was standard procedure to check a runway for debris after an emergency landing. It wasnt clear if any parts actually fell off the plane. Performance issue Southwest said the planes pilots reported a performance issue with an engine shortly after taking off for the California airport, where it was flying to be in short-term storage. The Max 8 jet was to be moved to Southwests Orlando maintenance facility to be checked, a company statement said. An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya, killing all 157 people on board earlier this month. 190319004904940 The Ethiopian tragedy came after a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia in October 2018, killing all 189 people on board. Tuesdays development comes as the American manufacturer Boeing struggles to cope with the fallout from the two crashes, which have cast a spotlight on the safety certification process and shaken confidence in a plane that is crucial to its future plans. The Boeing 737 Max is the fastest-selling aircraft in the companys history with roughly 370 delivered so far and some 4,700 more on order. Some airlines have said they are reevaluating existing orders of the 737 Max in the wake of the deadly crashes. A Chilean court has ordered the countrys Roman Catholic Church to pay compensation to victims in a sex abuse case against influential former priest Fernando Karadima. A unanimous ruling issued on Wednesday requires the Church to pay 100 million pesos ($146,000) for moral damages to each of his three victims. Juan Carlos Cruz, Jose Andres Murillo and James Hamilton, who accuse Karadima of sexually abusing them three decades ago, had sued the Church for allegedly covering up Karadimas abuses for years. Once a parish priest in El Bosque, an upmarket, conservative neighbourhood of the Chilean capital, Santiago, Karadima was defrocked by Pope Francis in September. He has always denied accusations that he sexually abused the three men when they were boys. The appeals courts decision is the first to order Chiles powerful Catholic Church to pay damages and comes amid an ongoing clerical sex abuse scandal engulfing the deeply religious Andean country. The case could pave the way for a flood of civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages from the Catholic Church in Chile and beyond. The decision may still be appealed to Chiles Supreme Court. In a post on Twitter following the announcement, Cruz said he was happy with the decision, which he felt would help all those who had experienced the horror of sexual abuse. Cruz added that he, Hamilton and Murillo will hold a press conference at 17:00 local time (20:00 GMT). Unprecedented investigation Karadima, now 88, lives in a nursing home in Santiago. Due to the statute of limitations on sexual crimes under Chilean law, he was never charged by civilian authorities. He was, however, found guilty of sexual abuse in a Vatican investigation in 2011, which meant that he remained a priest but could no longer administer in public. His case is one of an increasing number of civil suits against clergymen Chile, where allegations of abuse and cover-ups have dogged the Catholic Church for years. In the last year, an unprecedented investigation has ramped up efforts to identify victims and perpetrators, with more than 100 clergymen being placed under investigation by state authorities. It is the largest clerical sex abuse probe in Latin American history and spans all of Chiles 15 mainland regions. On Saturday, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago and the highest-ranking member of Chiles Catholic Church. Ezzati was accused of covering up abuse but denies all wrongdoing. Last year, the scandal saw a mass resignation by Chiles bishops and later prompted Pope Francis to apologise to the churchs followers worldwide. Chiles sex abuse scandal is part of a global crisis, which has cast a shadow over the moral authority of the Catholic Church. On Wednesday, the Catholic Church in Quebec, Canada opened a probe into sexual abuse of children by clergy spanning seven decades. Wanzhen Lu, who was abducted this weekend, was found on Tuesday night with minor injuries. Canadian police say a Chinese student who was abducted in the Toronto area has been found. According to Constable Andy Pattenden with York Regional Police, Wanzhen Lu showed up at a house looking for help in whats called cottage country in Ontario on Tuesday night, approximately 200km from where he was taken, according to CBC news. He has minor injuries and was treated in hospital. Lus family members arrived in Canada from China on Monday and were traumatised by their sons kidnapping, Pattenden told CBC. Lu, who also goes by the name Peter, was shocked multiple times in a violent kidnapping on Saturday in the underground parking garage of his condominium north of Toronto, authorities said. Police say the 22-year-old had parked his car and was walking with a friend towards the elevator of his condominium when a minivan came up behind him. Investigators say three men jumped out, grabbed Lu, shocked him multiple times with a stun gun and dragged him into the van. Police said they have found the van allegedly used to kidnap him on Monday. Police arrested a 35-year-old man on Tuesday but later released him. Police are looking for four suspects. 190326025214903 Investigators hope with Lus help they will be able to figure out what happened between the time of his abduction and his return, CBC reported. Theres a lot that we need to learn now. Mr Lu is going to be the best source of info. Investigators are working on every lead, Pattenden told reporters. Alaa Abdel Fattah was sentenced to five years for allegedly organising a protest and assaulting a police officer. After five years in prison, Alaa Abdel Fattah, a high-profile Egyptian blogger and rights activist, is due to be released from prison on Wednesday, his family said. His sister Mona Seif, a prominent human rights activist herself who founded the No to Military Rule movement, tweeted that the family was still waiting for the release process to begin. We hope it goes smoothly without any unnecessary delays and detours that only serve to put him through even more stressful times, she posted. Abdel Fattah was arrested in November 2013 and eventually sentenced to five years in prison in a trial that lasted over a year. He was charged with organising an illegal protest against military trials and assaulting a police officer. The court discounted evidence, including mobile phone records, which showed that Abdel Fattah was not at the scene of the protest. His release from the notorious Tora prison will not bring him complete freedom. As part of his parole period, Abdel Fattah would have to spend the night at a local police station for the next five years and will be under police surveillance during that time. Arrests and jail time The software developer, who co-founded the blog Manalaa with his wife Manal, won the Special Reporters Without Borders Award in Deutsche Welles Best of Blogs competition in 2005. He is a big supporter of initiatives that endorse citizen journalism and spearheaded Egypts blogging movement. He is also a vocal proponent of freedom of expression and the promotion of free speech. The couple has a son, Khaled, who was born in 2011 and named after Khaled Said, whose death in police custody in the summer of 2010 stoked anger among protesters in the run-up to the Egyptian uprising in January 2011. Abdel Fattah has been imprisoned several times before, under the rule of every Egyptian head of state during his lifetime. Under the Hosni Mubarak government in 2006, the then 22-year old was arrested for taking part in a peaceful protest that called for political reforms and democracy and spent 45 days in jail. After the overthrow of Mubarak in 2011, the country was placed under the interim rule of Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF), of which Abdel Fattah was a vocal critic. He was arrested by SCAF for participating in what became known as the Maspero protests, in which 27 demonstrators were killed by military forces. Days after former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was overthrown by a military coup in July 2013, Abdel Fattah and 10 other defendants were acquitted in a trial that had accused them of inciting protests against Morsi. According to human rights organisations, there are more than 60,000 political prisoners in Egypt who are often subjected to solitary confinement, torture, prolonged pre-trial detention and enforced disappearances. Allegations of electoral fraud have rapidly spread on social media where trending terms include CheatingElection19. A group of international election observers has criticised vote-counting in Thailands first election since a 2014 military coup. Thailands vote on Sunday was heavily tilted to benefit a party close to the ruling generals, one Asian election monitor said, denouncing a messy ballot-counting process that created mistrust. Persistent confusion about results days after the vote has diminished hopes the first vote in five years would end nearly 15 years of political turmoil in Southeast Asias second-largest economy. Official results are not due for weeks, but an opposition democratic front said it has attracted enough coalition partners to form a government, while a pro-army party also declared victory and said it would not accept anyone but military government leader Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister. The Bangkok-based Asian Network for Free Elections stopped short on Tuesday of declaring outright fraud in the election. The environment at large is heavily tilted to benefit the military junta, Amael Vier, an official of the civil society group, told a news briefing. A lot of people still express distrust towards the electoral process. CheatingElection19 Thailands Election Commission was not immediately available for comment. It has previously declined to comment on accusations of cheating. Allegations of electoral fraud have rapidly spread on social media in Thailand, where trending terms on Twitter include ECBusted and CheatingElection19. Another monitor group, We Watch, said it sent 4,000 observers to 72 provinces. It released a statement noting it had many doubts related to the transparency of the vote count. With only partial results reported, the party backing military government leader Prayuth has said it was gathering coalition partners to form a government. But the main opposition Pheu Thai party loyal to overthrown former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has alleged irregularities and is considering legal challenges, while also saying it is putting together a coalition government. What next? It could be days or even weeks before it is clear whether either has won enough seats to form a stable government. A fuller picture could emerge on Friday when the commission releases vote tallies for each constituency, used to determine the allocation of party seats in a complex formula. 190306060145059 Pheu Thais secretary-general, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the party had secured more than 250 seats, or half the House, entitling it to form a majority government. Prayuth, meanwhile, spoke to the media on Tuesday for the first time since the election, though he refused to take any questions. He said he was not yet trying to form a new government and instead would focus on his work as prime minister and military government regime leader until there was a new government legally under the constitution. Prayuth said everything was going as mandated by the new charter, which he noted had been approved in a referendum. Try to respect the peoples voice, he said. Thats all. Since 2004, Thailand has been rocked by street protests organised by both opponents and supporters of Thaksin, occasionally spilling into violence. Parties linked to Thaksin have won every election since 2001, but the populist telecoms billionaire was thrown out by the army in 2006, and a government led by his sister was overthrown in 2014. Operation Sophia to continue for six months but will only provide aerial surveillance, support for Libyan coastguard. The European Union has announced it will suspend maritime patrols that have rescued thousands of refugees and asylum seekers attempting the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. The decision on Wednesday followed deep resistance from Italy, where the anti-migrant government said it would no longer receive those rescued at sea. Instead, the new agreement on Operation Sophia, the EU mission to reduce people-smuggling in the Mediterranean, will rely on extended air patrols and close coordination with Libya, the main point of departure by sea for refugees and migrants seeking to cross from North Africa to Europe. Sophias mandate was due to expire on Sunday but will now continue for another six months with the same aim of deterring human traffickers in the Mediterranean, according to the new deal. Member States have decided to extend the mandate of Operation Sophia for six months with a temporary suspension of its naval assets while member states continue working on a solution related to disembarkation, said Maja Kocijancic, EU spokeswoman. However, Sophia is a maritime operation and it is clear that without naval resources, it will not be able to carry out its mandate effectively, she added. Since its launch in 2015, after a series of tragic shipwrecks, the mission has claimed the arrest of some 150 traffickers, and rescued 45,000 people. The rescues are not part of the missions mandate, but an obligation by international law. Over the years, Europe has added new functions to the mission, including training the Libyan coastguard and controlling the enforcement of a United Nations arms embargo on Libya, and illegal oil trafficking. Judith Sunderland, associate director at Human Rights Watch, described the EUs suspension of naval patrols as a formal abdication of any semblance of responsibility for rescue in the Mediterranean. Operation Sophia will now only provide aerial surveillance and support for the Libyan coastguard. That means more interceptions by Libyan forces and return of women, men and children to nightmarish conditions and treatment in Libya, she said in a post on Twitter. Whatever you thought about Operation #Sophia, this development illustrates starkly the willingness of EU governments to do anything to avoid responsibility for refugees and migrants, and their readiness to condemn women, men and children to abuse in Libya 7/7 Judith Sunderland (@sunderland_jude) March 27, 2019 No refugee or migrant has been rescued by Sophia since July 2018, according to Matteo Villa, of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Wednesdays decision simply removes a smokescreen, he said in a post on Twitter, blaming Italy for the move. SEARCH AND RESCUE AT SEA. Treating Operation #Sophia as an ongoing naval operation until March 31st is misleading. Decision by simply removes a smokescreen: NO migrant has been saved by Sophia after July 2018, perfectly in line with requests. pic.twitter.com/hLTQZd9jMF Matteo Villa (@emmevilla) March 27, 2019 During the 2015 refugee crisis, more than one million refugees and migrants made it to Europe. In 2018, sea arrivals dropped to 141,500 people, according to figures by the UN. Meanwhile, nearly 2,300 people perished in the Mediterranean last year. Sophias fate changed after the election of Italys far right-populist government last year, when authorities began taking a much harsher stance towards rescued people, most of whom are fleeing wars and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. Under the stewardship of far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, Rome insists it should not have to carry the burden of dealing with people rescued at sea, and has blocked non-government organisations from disembarking rescued people in Italian ports. The Italian government has also opposed a renewal of Sophias mandate unless other EU member states agreed to take in more arrivals, but no other countries from the 28-member bloc came forward. Diplomats told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday that while countries including Spain, France and Germany signalled they were not willing to host more rescued people, EU governments did want the mission to continue because they felt it had been effective in dissuading people-smugglers. Some Democrats want a Green New Deal that Republicans strongly oppose. Here are 5 key issues the deal seeks to tackle. The US Senate on Tuesday defeated a proposal to take up the Green New Deal in a vote Democrats called a sham and a stunt. Senators voted 57-0 against proceeding with debate on the proposal, which seeks to combat climate change. Forty-three Democrats voted present to protest against the vote. Three Democrats, as well as an independent senator, joined all 53 Republicans to vote against the procedural motion. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled the vote to attempt to force Democrats to take a stand on the proposal before the 2020 presidential elections. Republicans contend the plan may sound like a neat idea for larger cities, but would kill entire domestic industries and jobs by basically outlawing the only sources of energy that working-class and middle-class families can actually afford. But Democrats criticised Tuesdays vote and Republican comments surrounding it, saying climate change is not a joke. Ed Markey, the Green New Deals main sponsor in the Senate, said mocking climate change is shameful. And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the main author in the House, accused Senate Republicans of costing us lives [and] destroying communities by delaying debate on the bill. I wish it didnt have to cost so much, but Im going to turn 30 this year, and the entire 30 years of my life we did not make substantial investments to prepare our entire country for what we knew was coming so now its coming all up at the end, Ocasio-Cortez said during a committee hearing on Tuesday. We have the choice to lower the cost now because I can tell you the cost of pursuing a Green New Deal will be far less than the cost of not passing it. So what does the Green New Deal outline for the US to solve the climate crisis? Here are the five key areas the deal seeks to address: 1. Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions Stating that human activity is the dominant cause of observed climate change, the resolution seeks to halt the adverse effect of global warming and rising sea levels. The Green New Deal cites UN and US government findings the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees C by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Fourth National Climate Assessment by the US Global Change Research Programme. The Green New Deal warns of catastrophic consequences if average temperatures continue to increase, including intensifying heat waves, worsening wildfires, increasing mass migration and environmental instability, lowering annual economic output and causing major damage to coastal real estate. The resolution declares that the United States, which is responsible for a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions, should take a leading role in reducing emissions through economic transformation. {articleGUID} The crux of the initiative is that the federal government bears the responsibility to transition the economy towards carbon neutrality, which is the state of having no carbon footprint. By definition, this would necessitate dramatically fewer carbon dioxide emissions and vastly more carbon removal, through storage or sequestration. Critics deride the plan as unrealistic, arguing that to fulfil 100 percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources is not feasible. 2. Creation of new jobs The Green New Deal states that the construction of such a post-carbon economy would create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity. It also states the context of declining US life expectancy and deepening income inequality, proposing a new industrial mobilisation on a scale not seen since World War II and the New Deal era. Like the original deal conceived as a government solution to protect the American people from the ill effects of capitalism, the proposal would be a grand social contract for the 21st century. The bold proposal touches on wide-ranging issues that go far beyond climate, from the wealth gap to the gender and racial divides. But the inclusion of these topics hints at some of the possible albeit politically far-fetched funding mechanisms for the outsized programme: a 70-percent income tax on the highest earners or a new ultra-millionaire wealth tax. A more free market-oriented approach would instead favour carbon pricing or a carbon emissions tax on fuels such as coal and petrol. Irrespective of the governmental funding source, the plans rhetorical value rests in how it forcefully highlights, the inadequate resources for public sector workers to confront the challenges of climate change at local, State, and Federal levels. {articleGUID} It is thought that much of the investment would also come from the private sector, which tax credits, research grants, and other government incentives could facilitate. Proponents argue new jobs would likely emerge from the shift to renewable energy sources as demand for manufacturing and installing the technology to harness alternative types of power and upgrading smart electric grids will be high. Existing industries, from chemicals to cement, would also require massive labour inputs to incorporate cleaner production workflows. 3. Transport and infrastructure As part of a larger infrastructure renewal, the Green New Deal also seeks to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector as much as is technologically feasible. This would be accomplished with a revitalised emphasis on zero-emissions vehicles, enhanced urban mass transit, and high-speed rail. At present, the economic sector contributing the most to US greenhouse gas emissions is transport, at 29 percent having reached a nine-year high in 2017. At the same time, emissions from electricity generation, 28 percent, and the industrial sector, 22 percent, have decreased in recent decades, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agricultural, nine percent, commercial, seven percent, and residential, five percent, sectors are also significant emitters. One of the main projects cited in the resolution focuses on improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings and designing new structures to meet higher standards. 4. Clean air, good water, healthy food Among the many aspects of a sustainable environment highlighted by the Green New Deal, the most notable are clean air, good water, healthy food, and access to nature. Sustainable farming and better land-use practices that improve the food system are key in the deal, as well as to restoring and protecting habitats. {articleGUID} The diverse array of Green New Deal components would likely be enacted by different pieces of legislation over several years, like the New Deal itself. In many ways, the initial resolution from last month was a request for proposals that merely defined the scope of action. Strategically, supporters aim to integrate the climate bills with other pillars of US economic policy, at a time when over one-third of young Americans say climate change is a factor in deciding whether to have children. Some of the resulting job creation would be in emergency management, building resilience against climate-related disasters. The government would also champion efforts to mitigate and manage the long-term effects of global warming. 5. Pollution The last of the five goals in the Green New Deal covers pollution, from hazardous waste site cleanup to environmental fortifications in vulnerable neighbourhoods and regions. The deal strives to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historical oppression of indigenous peoples, communities of colour, migrant communities, deindustrialised communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth. What do critics say about the deal? The Green New Deal contains enormous costs, and many conservatives believe that raising taxes to pay for the initiative will drive down economic growth, send wealth overseas and fail to generate as much revenue as needed. Opponents suggest that a programme to combat climate change to the tune of one trillion dollars a year would compete for funding with other proposed big-ticket projects, such as Medicare For All, student-loan forgiveness, and free public college tuition. Other critics have contended that in the so-called tax the rich model, it would be middle-class taxpayers who would ultimately foot much of the bill. {articleGUID} Moreover, improved US efforts do not guarantee compliance by other countries, and opponents have argued that US products would not be able to compete with countries that do not attempt to limit their carbon emissions. However, the border tax adjustment a global, punitive tariff on imports based on their carbon footprint is one proposed way to account for this free-rider problem. By Trend President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev expressed condolences to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani. "I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and destruction as a result of a natural disaster that hit your country. On the occasion of this tragedy, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Iran, and wish those injured the swiftest possible recovery. May those killed rest in peace!" A new report says human traffickers tortured Rohingya and others before burying them in mass graves. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Almost four years after the grisly discovery in Malaysia of 139 graves of Rohingya and Bangladeshis believed to be victims of human trafficking, authorities in the country have not prosecuted any Malaysians for the deaths, according to a new report by rights groups. Released on Wednesday by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and Fortify Rights, the joint report said it had found reasonable grounds to believe that a human-trafficking syndicate committed crimes against humanity in Malaysia and Thailand against Rohingya men, women, and children from 2012 to 2015. The Sold Like Fish report documents how Malaysian authorities destroyed a human-trafficking campsite in Wang Kelian, in the northern state of Perlis, the day after its discovery in January 2015 in a move that potentially diminished evidence that could have aided a police investigation. In May 2015, Malaysian police said they had found 139 graves, some containing more than one body, around dozens of camps scattered along the border in Perlis. The discovery was preceded by the finding of a mass grave containing more than 30 bodies in a forested area in Thailand, near the Malaysian border, on April 30, 2015. 170831065142812 In 2017, Thailand convicted 62 defendants, including nine Thai government officials, for crimes related to the trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshis to Malaysia via Thailand. In contrast, since 2015, Malaysian courts convicted only four foreign persons of trafficking-related offences connected to the mass graves discovered in Wang Kelian, the groups report said. According to SUHAKAM Commissioner Jerald Joseph, Malaysian police did not pursue further investigations as it requires the extradition of several people from Thailand. Malaysian police could not move forward as they need seven people in Thailand to be extradited that was the answer they [police] gave us the last two years, Joseph told a press conference in Malaysias capital, Kuala Lumpur, adding that he did not know who those seven people were. Asked whether any Malaysians would be prosecuted in the near future, Joseph said: I think the day has to arrive, it is around the corner. There is no way death camps on Malaysian soil can happen without local connivance or cooperation by some individuals or some officer of the network, said Joseph. Some captives were kept in cages while at the camp [File: Joshua Paul/AP Photo] Massive loss of life In January, Malaysias new government set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the Wang Kelian tragedy. The groups welcomed the RCIs establishment as a step in the right direction to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure appropriate reparations for those affected and called for further investigations to determine the extent of responsibility and involvement of Malaysian authorities in the trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshis from 2012 to 2015. Matthew Smith, CEO of Fortify Rights [Al Jazeera] The groups report also highlighted how a criminal syndicate a group of individuals or organisations working together for criminal interests deceived Rohingya refugees to board ships bound for Thailand and Malaysia and then abused them. Traffickers piled hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees into repurposed fishing vessels and deprived them of adequate food, water and space, committing torture and, in some cases, rape at sea. Traffickers murdered captives and many committed suicide at sea, the groups said. The report documents how, once onshore, members of the syndicate held victims in conditions of enslavement in remote camps along the Malaysia-Thailand border, including in Wang Kelian, demanding upwards of $2,000 for their release. Traffickers denied their captives access to adequate food, water and space, resulting in death, illness and injury including paralysis, particularly among those unable to pay money. Traffickers from Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia tortured Rohingya captives with pipes, bats, clubs, belts, wires, tasers, nails, threats and intimidation, and other means, the groups said. Several NGO workers are reportedly missing following the attack, which took place amid ongoing instability in Haiti. Chiles ambassador to Haiti has been attacked by armed men in a Haitian village during a visit to a clean water initiative. Patricio Utreras was visiting a project run by Fundacion America Solidaria, a clean water NGO, on Wednesday alongside his wife and a number of NGO workers when five unknown men armed with AK-47s descended on the delegation. La Tercera, a Chilean newspaper, reported that the gunmen arrived at Boutin, a village about 19km from the capital, Port-au-Prince, in a white Ford at around midday (16:00 GMT) and opened fire on the group. Chilean police assigned to protect Utreras used their service weapons to repel the assault, forcing the attackers to flee, according to a statement from the Chilean foreign ministry. Authorities are reportedly investigating the attack, which has no apparent motive. Conflicting reports emerged regarding fatalities and injuries, with Chiles foreign ministry saying a Fundacion America Solidaria worker had been killed, and the group itself assuring volunteers families that everyone is fine. Para las familias de nuestros voluntarios que estan en Haiti queremos informarles que todos se encuentran bien. Mas informacion en el comunicado oficial: https://t.co/vmtUzmxjwG America Solidaria CL (@americasolidari) March 27, 2019 TRANSLATION: For the families of our volunteers in Haiti we want to inform you that everyone is fine. More information in the official communication: Various Chilean media were also reporting that one of the attackers had been killed. Utreras driver suffered a bullet wound to his wrist, the ministry said, adding that all those involved in the incident were taken to a health centre to be evaluated. Fundacion America Solidaria said in a statement that one of its drivers, Frantz Eliancin, was missing, and that along with Utreras driver one of its team members had also suffered a minor injury. The statement also listed Andy Blaise, an engineer with Proyecto Universal, an organisation that deals with infrastructure and agricultural problems, and Abner Cejuste, a member of Haitis National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation as missing. Haitian officials did not immediately comment on the attack. Fundacion America Solidaria said that all Chilean, Colombian and Mexican volunteers in Haiti are completely safe, providing a list of volunteers that attended the event, which included Haitians. The delegation was visiting the Wash project, an initiative that builds a system to ensure access to drinking water and improve sanitary conditions in the community. Earlier that day, the Haitian branch of Fundacion America Solidaria posted photos of the site on Twitter, saying the project would benefit some 3,500 people. https://twitter.com/ASolidariaHaiti/status/1110611817267712000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw TRANSLATION: We are moving ahead with the construction of the drinking water system in Boutin that will benefit around 3,500 people in the community of Croix-des-Bouquets. Wednesdays attack comes amid a deteriorating security situation in Haiti, which has seen weeks of deadly protests. In February, the Chilean embassy in Haiti advised Chilean nationals to postpone trips to the Caribbean island. Non-binding votes to take place as support slowly grows for Prime Minister Theresa Mays EU withdrawal agreement. London, United Kingdom Just two days before the original Brexit deadline of March 29, the British parliament will attempt to break the impasse on Wednesday by voting on alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa Mays twice-rejected divorce deal. Whats happening and why? MPs voted on Monday to temporarily seize control over the Brexit process from Mays government. As a result, the House of Commons will hold so-called indicative votes and explore if there is support for alternatives to the prime ministers deal, which has twice been voted down by large majorities since the beginning of the year. The European Union has given the United Kingdom until April 12 to pass Mays deal or come up with alternative proposals. If Mays deal is passed, the UK will leave the EU on May 22. If it isnt and no alternative is agreed, the UK could still crash out of the EU without a deal on April 12. If it stays on past that date, it will be required to hold European Parliament elections in May, a scenario the government wants to avoid. The prime minister hopes to put her deal to parliament for a third time this week, but has admitted there is still not enough support for it. The process has been instigated by a cross-party group of MPs, some of whom have resigned from the government in order to vote for the amendment on Monday. What will MPs vote on? Sixteen options were submitted by MPs on Tuesday evening, and it will be up to the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, to select the ones to be voted on at 3pm UK time today. The vote itself will take place at 7pm UK time, and results are expected around 8:30pm. MPs will be able to vote on more than one option. These include a permanent customs union, the Labour Partys alternative plan, revoking Article 50 to prevent Brexit entirely, a second referendum, leaving with no deal on April 12, and a Norway plus option that would continue free movement. Are todays votes decisive? May does not have to do what the MPs vote for the ballot is not binding. While Wednesdays votes might fail to indicate a clear majority for any of the proposed options, they could narrow the spectrum. The Labour Party, which officially supports a second referendum, may not throw its full support behind it until a different deal to put to the public. A million people marched through London on Saturday to ask for a second Brexit vote. Meanwhile, the British press reported the EU was preparing to grant a year-long extension if the UK decided to ask for a long delay for a general election or a referendum. But nothing is set in stone. Whats next? Another series of votes is likely to be held on Monday. Before that, however, May is expected to hold another vote on her deal. A number of Conservative MPs who previously rejected her withdrawal agreement, including the influential chair of the European Research Group (ERG) of Brexiter MPs, Jacob Rees-Mogg, have now said they are ready to support it, fearing other soft Brexit options or no Brexit at all. There is increasing speculation that Conservative MPs will back the deal on the condition that May sets a date for her resignation. Reporting by Ylenia Gostoli in London James Alex Fields Jr pleads guilty to federal hate crimes stemming from the deadly 2017 rally in Charlottesville. A man convicted on state murder charges in a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Virginia pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal hate crime charges in a case that stirred racial tensions across the United States. Under a plea agreement, James Alex Fields Jr, of Ohio, pleaded guilty to 29 of 30 federal charges stemming from the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017. He did not plead guilty to one count that carried a potential death penalty. Fields appeared stoic, with his hands folded in front of him for much of the hearing. He did not speak, except to repeatedly respond yes, sir when US District Judge Michael Urbanski asked him if he was pleading guilty knowingly and voluntarily. Urbanski scheduled federal sentencing for July 3. Fields faces a life sentence. Fields, 21, was convicted in December of first-degree murder and other state charges for killing anti-racism activist Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of others. A jury found that Fields intentionally plowed his car into a crowd of people protesting against the white nationalists. Earlier in the day, Fields was photographed marching with Vanguard America, a neo-Nazi group, during the rally. Throughout the day, rally participants clashed with community members, anti-racists and anti-fascists across the city. James Alex Fields Jr, left, holds a black shield in Charlottesville, where a white supremacist rally took place in 2017 [File: Alan Goffinski/AP Photo] Unite the Right, called to oppose Charlottesvilles decision to remove a Confederate statue, was the largest white nationalist rally in the US in recent times. The rally brought out thousands of supporters of the alt-right, a loosely-knit coalition of white supremacists, white nationalists and neo-Nazis. President Donald Trump sparked a national uproar when he blamed the violence at the rally on both sides, a statement critics saw as a refusal to condemn racism. 181207221122049 Prosecutors said that during his state trial, Fields who described himself on social media as an admirer of Adolf Hitler drove his car directly into a crowd of counterprotesters because he was angry after witnessing earlier clashes between the two groups. The jury rejected a claim by Fieldss lawyers that he acted in self-defence because he feared for his life after witnessing the earlier violence. More than 30 people were hurt in the car attack. Some who received life-altering injuries described them in anguished detail during the state trial. Jurors in Fieldss state trial recommended a life sentence plus 419 years, although a judge still has to decide on the punishment. Sentencing in the state case is scheduled for July 15. A counterprotester holds a photo of Heather Heyer at a Free Speech rally in Boston [File: Michael Dwyer/AP Photo] Following the August 2017 rally, far-right participants from across the country faced legal backlash, with a slew of civil suits against the organisers. 170814093145904 Heyer was among 18 people killed by white supremacists in the US in 2017, according to the Anti-Defamation League. White nationalist, neo-Nazi and far-right groups that took to the streets in Charlottesville saw permits for subsequent public events pulled or denied, while hosting services, social media outlets and tech companies cracked down on far-right individuals and groups. Earlier this month, the FBI released its annual hate crimes report for 2017. It says that hate crimes grew for the third consecutive year, increasing by 17 percent. The UN is struggling to reach those cut off after the disaster that killed many and left more homeless. The UN says it needs nearly $300m in aid over the next three months to help Mozambiques 1.7 million cyclone victims. It is harvest season in central Mozambique, but there are no crops left to gather. And worse, few have homes to live in. Al Jazeeras Tony Birtley travelled to Barada, where one community that has been cut off for 12 days. Cache of firearms found at Christchurch mans home, and he later dies from a stab wound after police surrounded his car. New Zealand police launched a high-priority investigation on Wednesday to find out whether a man who died after an early morning standoff with officers had links to the mosque attacks that killed 50 people. Police raided the 54-year-old mans home on Tuesday night and found a cache of firearms after receiving a tip-off from the public about suspicious behaviour, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a statement. A high priority investigation is under way to determine whether or not the deceased man posed a threat to the community, said Bush. They stopped the man in his car just outside the city of Christchurch and began negotiations that lasted for about three hours. Police eventually approached the vehicle and found the man critically injured with a stab wound that soon claimed his life. They did not explain how he got the wound but a knife was located in the vehicle. There were no firearms in the car, however, which was also cleared by explosives experts. Any involvement? With Christchurch on alert after New Zealands gun mass shootings less than two weeks ago, police said they would also look for any links to the mosque attacks. At this time there is no evidence to suggest this person had any involvement in the attacks of March 15, however, this forms an important part of the investigation, said a statement. Christchurch will host a national memorial for the attack victims on Friday and police have urged the public to remain vigilant. Wednesdays police investigation comes as New Zealands intelligence minister said he was allowing spy agencies to carry out intrusive activities following the gun rampage. The government this week ordered a judicial inquiry into whether the South Pacific nations intelligence services could have prevented the attack amid criticism the white supremacist gunman went unnoticed as they were too focussed on the Muslim community. I have given authority to the agencies to do intrusive activities under warrant, said Andrew Little, the minister responsible for intelligence services. Little told Radio New Zealand that spies typically monitor 30-40 people, but that number had now increased although he was unwilling to reveal by how much. Social network extends ban on hate speech to prohibit promotion and support of white nationalism and white separatism. Facebook has banned praise, support and representation of white nationalism and white separatism on its social media platforms, including Instagram, in a move that comes in the wake of a massacre at two mosques in New Zealand earlier this month. The implementation of the new policy will begin next week, the United States-based internet giant said in a statement on Wednesday. Its clear that these concepts are deeply linked to organised hate groups and have no place on our services, a company statement said. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday she welcomed Facebooks decision. Arguably these categories should always fall within the community guidelines of hate speech, but nevertheless its positive the clarification has now been made in the wake of the attack in Christchurch, she said at a press conference. Facebook policies already banned posts endorsing white supremacy as part of the companys prohibition against spewing hate at people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity and religion. The ban had not applied to expressions of white nationalism, Facebook said, because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism or political independence such as American pride or Basque separatism. Will not tolerate But conversations with civil rights groups and academics in recent months led Facebook to conclude that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups, the statement said. Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism, Facebook said. Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a Washington-based legal advocacy group, welcomed the move. This is long overdue as the country continues to deal with the grip of hate and the increase in violent white supremacy, she said. We need the tech sector to do its part to combat these efforts. Though Facebook did not tie the announcement to any specific event and said it had been working on the change for three months, the statement came less than two weeks after the company received widespread criticism related to the mosque shootings in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. The shooting suspect was able to broadcast the massacre on live video on Facebook, and at least 50 Muslim worshippers were killed in the gun assaults. Australian-born Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old suspected white supremacist, has been charged with one murder following the attack and is likely to face more charges. Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, said Facebooks new ban could limit the spread of white nationalist rhetoric, but he doubted it would rid the world of the ideology. Well see if they are able to enforce this, Potok was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. There are thousands of white nationalist posts on Facebook every day. They werent able to stop the Christchurch video, so it will be challenging to do this. Emboldened The New Zealand killings demonstrated the global reach of a white nationalist movement that preaches an imagined European ideal, rejects immigration and shares often vicious threats over the internet. Some analysts say it is a cohesive movement bound together online that stretches across Europe into Russia and has a wide following in the US and Canada. They say it poses as much of an international threat as violence inspired by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS) and they add that the threat is even greater in the US, where white nationalist attacks have outpaced those by other groups for years. According to some researchers, white nationalists have been emboldened by the rise of politicians espousing traditionalist views and a tough line on immigration from Marine Le Pen in France and Viktor Orban in Hungary to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Facebook said it would also start connecting people who search for terms associated with white supremacy to an organisation called Life After Hate, which is focused on helping people leave hate groups. Sajed Muzher, 18, was shot in the abdomen by Israeli forces while treating injured protesters in Dheisheh refugee camp. Israeli forces shot and killed an 18-year-old Palestinian medic after the army raided a refugee camp in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Sajid Muzher was shot in the abdomen and later died on the operating table at the Beit Jala Hospital, Palestinian medical sources said. The sources added that the young man was killed when Israeli soldiers opened fire while he was wearing a medics vest trying to save the injured protesters in the Dheisheh refugee camp. Witnesses pointed out that the Israeli soldiers were deployed in large numbers in the alleys and streets of the camp, with snipers positioned on rooftops amid the shooting. Palestinian Authority Health Minister Jawad Awwad condemned the killing, noting that the teen served as volunteer medic and that he was shot while trying to help others. Awwad said the occupations killing of a volunteer medic by shooting him in the stomach is a war crime. Three other Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. Israeli forces frequently raid refugee camps to carry out arrests or other operations, often sparking clashes with residents. Three Palestinians from the camp, Mohammed Rizq Hamash, Mahmoud Walid al-Lahham, and Issa Maali, were arrested after Israeli soldiers raided and searched the homes of their relatives. There was no response from the army. The US secretary of state says the US continues to work to identify those behind the killing and hold them accountable. Washington, DC US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the US will continue to work to identify those responsible for the murder of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi and hold them accountable. Pompeo was confronted by Congressman Gerry Connolly about Khashoggis murder during a congressional hearing. Connelly is a Virginia Democrat in whose district Khashoggi resided. Khashoggi was killed on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After offering several contradictory statements, the Saudi kingdom confirmed Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate, but denied the killing was ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite reports that the CIA concluded that the kingdoms de facto leader was behind the murder. Is there ever a time when we are, as a principle, going to say You know what, we are not going to do business as normal and we are going to hold them accountable,' Connolly demanded. Pompeo said he was aware of the details of Khashoggis murder at the time of his meeting with the crown prince and that he raised US concerns about it with him at the time. The Trump administration has sanctioned 17 Saudis in connection with the killing, he said. 190314194833532 President Trump has made it very clear. We will continue to work to identify those responsible for Mr Khashoggis murder and hold them accountable. I stand by that today, Pompeo said, adding under questioning that would apply to anyone no matter how high up in the Saudi government. Pompeo was appearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee to present the Trump administrations budget which calls for a 23 percent reduction in 2020 funding for the State Department. Dodges questions on Middle East peace plan On Wednesday, Pompeo also appeared before the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee which provides funding for US international aid including $3.3bn for Israel. The secretary of state recently returned from a trip to Kuwait, Lebanon and Israel. 190325153937336 During that hearing, Pompeo declined to answer questions about the Trump administrations efforts to develop a peace proposal for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Given the demographics of the West Bank and Gaza, and given Israels long-standing Democratic principles, wouldnt you agree that a two-state solution is the best way for most people, for both people to co-exist peacefully and with dignity? Congresswoman Nita Lowey, chair of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, asked Pompeo. You will permit me to demur again, Pompeo said. You will see the administrations vision and then ultimately it will be the decision of the peoples of those two lands about how it is they will come together and what the contours of that will look like. Pompeo in a March 20 meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel called for a candid dialogue about peace in the region. US President Donald Trump met Netanyahu at the White House on Monday where the US president recognised Israeli control of the Golan Heights, Syrian territory seized in the 1967 Six Day War. The move prompted condemnation from Arab nations. 190326195955681 Lowey told Pompeo she has concerns regarding the direction of the policy of this administration. Pompeo later told members of Congress that Trumps decision on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights was the right thing to do. We believe this increases the likelihood that we get a resolution between Israel and the Palestinians, Pompeo said. He added that the move would help the peace process by bringing clarity and certainty about the US position on a complex situation. Palestinians cut off ties with the US after Trump unilaterally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the US embassy to the city. Trump cut off funds for United Nations aid to Gaza and international assistance to the West Bank, and ordered the closure of a Palestinian representative office in Washington, DC. The contours of any agreement of have historically focused on borders, settlements, Jerusalem, refugees and mutual recognition. Are these still the parameters around which you believe the two sides would return to the negotiating table? Lowey asked Pompeo. Those are the parameters that were largely at hand in the discussions before and that led to where we are today, no resolution, Pompeo said. We are hoping we can actually broaden the aperture, that we can broaden this debate to reach the goal, founded on the facts on the ground and a realistic assessment of what would get us a good outcome, he added. We have some ideas that are new and fresh and different and we hope that those will appeal not only to the Israelis and the Palestinians but to the larger set of threats that have prevented conflict from being resolved over the past few years and decades. 190320190424580 Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, travelled to the Middle East in February to promote the economic portion of the administrations plan involving investment in the besieged Gaza Strip. Asked when the Trump administration plan would be forthcoming, Pompeo was unable to offer a timeframe. I am not trying to evade. I dont know precisely when and how we will present this. We have been working on it a while. We want to make sure we have as complete and as effective, as good as we know how to do. We get there we will unveil it, Pompeo said. The new museum aims to showcase Qatari history through a series of permanent exhibits. Doha, Qatar The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) is set to open its doors to the public on Thursday. Designed by Jean Nouvel, the Pritzker Prize-winning French architect, the multifaceted structure resembling a giant desert rose sits across from the bustling Doha Corniche, the main waterfront promenade in the Qatari capital. The futuristic, sand-coloured structure, located near Dohas airport highway, is likely to be among the first buildings visitors will spot when arriving in the city. Culture connects people, and with this new museum we believe we had created an exceptional platform for dialogue, said Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the head of the Qatar Museums Authority. The 52,000 square-metre building had previously been slated to open more than two years ago, but the inauguration was delayed while the museums management team reviewed the accessibility of the building. We decided we wanted to make this a very accessible museum, Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al Thani, director of NMoQ, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday. We were determined to make this an engaging and encouraging museum. Desert Rose The museum is designed as a free-form space, in a way that does not include doors, and is meant to offer visitors a fluid experience as they move through time, space and themes. Nouvel, who also designed Abu Dhabis Louvre, said the building is a symbol of Qatars culture and tradition. This is not just an open exhibition space, Nouvel said at a press briefing in Doha. This is a building with various dimensions high and low ceilings a combination that is expressive and unique in the world, he said. Nouvel said his team had to meet enormous challenges to construct a building with great curved disks, intersections, and cantilevered angles. These are the kinds of shapes made by a desert rose, a flower-like formation that occurs in the Gulf region. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani tours the museum [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] The spatial structure has allowed for a loop of 11 galleries to flow while telling the story of Qatars history, from its Bedouin past to the present day. A spiral-like walkway is surrounded by the petals of the rose, which act as the walls within the internal structure. On these walls, videos of Qatari nationals play on a loop, giving visitors a chance to listen to testimonies and watch authentic footage depicting key stages of life in the country such as pearl divers at work, women weaving and the process of traditional coffee-making. We have created galleries full of movement, sound, and colour in order to engage our public fully, with their senses and emotions as well as their intellects, Sheikha Amna said. She said that in the projects early stages, museum staff held workshops with elderly community members, scholars, and dhow makers, to understand what stories should be told and how. We wanted to turn this story, this narrative, into an experience, she said. Extremely proud In addition to oral history films, produced by Doha Film Institute, the galleries include archival photographs, maps, texts and digital learning stations. From life in the desert, to life on the coast the final gallery of the 1.5km walkway showcases Qatars modern achievements under the countrys current emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Other Qatar-related works have been contributed by international artists, including a piece by Iraqi sculptor Ahmed al-Bahrani called the Flag of Glory. The sculpture, which shows hands united in holding up the flag of Qatar, is displayed in the museums courtyard. It took me about seven months to complete the Flag of Glory, al-Bahrani told Al Jazeera. It represents Qatars National Day celebrations, he said, adding he is extremely proud to have contributed to the project. Other works and exhibitions from Qatar and elsewhere will be showcased in the future, Sheikha Amna said. Dubais GDP at constant prices achieved a growth rate of 1.94 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017 with a value added of Dh398.129 billion ($108 billion), said a report released by Dubai Statistics Center (DSC). Arif Al Muhairi, executive director of DSC, stated that the competitiveness of Dubais markets and the efficiency of its economy have stimulated the demand and reflected positively on the productivity of its various economic sectors and pushed the wheels of economy growth to reach nearly 2 per cent. He added: The improvement in the performance of all economic activities clearly features the extent of flexibility of Dubais economy, this flexibility and constructive economic policies played a key role in achieving such a balanced economic performance and growth while considering the current slow economic conditions dominating the global economy. Al Muhairi revealed that GDP growth in 2018 was largely driven by the performance of the trade activities which grew by 1.3 per cent compared to 2017, it contributed by 18.1 per cent of the total growth achieved in 2018 and by 30 per cent of the total growth achieved during the second half of 2018. The real estate activity also grew by 7 per cent in 2018 and contributed by nearly 25 per cent to the total economy growth achieved. The moderate rental rates in Dubai boosted the demand on renting the real estate units considerably, he added. As for the other sectors contributions, Al Muhairi stated that the transport and storage sector accounted for 13 per cent of the GDP growth during 2018, as a result to the sector's growth by 2.1 per cent. He pointed out that the transport and storage sector plays a vital role in Dubais economy given that it is highly related to all economic sectors, as it supports various economic activities by providing the transport and logistics services to all. In addition to its close connection with tourism sector, the passenger traffic at Dubai airports grew in 2018 at a rate of 1 per cent compared to 2017, with a total number of 90 million passengers, which positively impact the transport and storage sector. Accommodation and food services (Hotels and Restaurants) raised by 4.5 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017, driving overall economic growth by 11.5 per cent. Data show that hotel and hotel apartments reservations grew by 3.2 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017. The promotions offered by the hotels attracted visitors and motivated them to spend longer days there. On another level, financial and insurance sectors grew by 0.6 per cent during 2018 contribute to the overall economic growth by 3.3 per cent. According to Data released by the Central Bank of UAE the Total credit of all banks operating in UAE increased by 4.8 per cent to reach nearly Dh1.6 trillion by end of 2018. Based on the analysis of credit for residents by economic activity, it was clear that 22 per cent of this credit was for personal and consumption purposes and this contributed in increasing demand for goods and services. On the other hand, it was found that 21 per cent of total residents credit was allocated for activities related to construction and real estate sector, while trading activities accounted for 10 per cent of Total Credit for residents. The data of the Central Bank of UAE also show that the Total Deposit of all banks operating in UAE achieved a growth rate of 7.4 per cent for residents and 11 per cent for non-residents out of which corporate deposits accounted for 39 per cent while individuals deposits accounted for 25 per cent of Total Deposits. These Deposits show the banks capabilities to respond to demand on credit, and in enhancing the economic development by providing financing for all activities and purposes. Al Muhairi also revealed that the government sector achieved a growth rate by 1.4 per cent in 2018 accounting for 3.6 per cent of the total growth achieved in Dubais economy. The preliminary data demonstrated that the government spending in 2018 on infrastructure projects went up by 32 per cent compared to 2017. Government spending on infrastructure affected the growth in the construction sector, which grew by 4.5 per cent in 2018, and contributed by 14.5 per cent to total economic growth of Dubai. Al Muhairi concluded that the government investment in infrastructure projects proves that the government is moving forward in developing and enhancing Dubais infrastructure which plays a strategic role in supporting the economic development and providing a supporting and stimulating environment for business sector to flourish. TradeArabia News Service Nearly a dozen womens rights activists in Saudi Arabia have appeared before a three-judge panel to face charges related to their human rights work and contacts with foreign journalists and diplomats in a case that has drawn international attention. The women, including rights campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, university professor Hatoon al-Fassi and blogger Eman al-Nafjan, were expected to respond to charges on Wednesday, including some that rights groups say fall under an article of the kingdoms cybercrime law stipulating jail sentences of up to five years. Foreign diplomats and media were denied entry to the hearing and escorted from the building, according to Reuters news agency. 190315065133298 Three dozen countries, including all 28 European Union member states, Canada and Australia, have called on Saudi Arabia to free the activists. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both raised the issue during recent visits to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Nine prominent US senators wrote a public letter last week asking King Salman for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoners held on dubious charges related to their activism, citing many of the women currently on trial. It remains to be seen if Riyadh will bend to international pressure with the women possibly receiving acquittals or pardons or pursue harsh sentences in a case critics say has revealed the limits of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans promises to modernise Saudi Arabia. The activists were arrested weeks before a ban on women driving cars in the conservative kingdom was lifted last June under efforts to relax social rules and boost the economy. Dozens of other activists, intellectuals and Muslim scholars have been arrested separately in the past two years in an apparent bid to stamp out possible opposition. Prince Mohammed has courted the West to support ambitious economic and social reforms, but his reputation was tarnished when Saudi agents killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October at the kingdoms Istanbul consulate, sparking an international furore. Sending a message The charges against al-Hathloul include communicating with 15 to 20 foreign journalists in Saudi Arabia, attempting to apply for a job at the United Nations, and attending digital privacy training, her brother told members of the US Congress this month. The Saudi public prosecutor said last May that the women, along with several men, had been arrested on suspicion of harming Saudi interests and offering support to hostile elements abroad. State-backed media labeled some of them as traitors and agents of embassies, irritating Western allies. 190314092049635 Activists and diplomats have speculated that may have been meant as a message to activists not to push demands out of sync with the governments own agenda, but Prince Prince Mohammed has denied that, accusing the women of working for Qatari and Iranian intelligence. Rights groups say some of the women have been held in solitary confinement and subjected to mistreatment and torture, including electric shocks, flogging and sexual assault. Saudi officials have denied those allegations. Concern after Italy vows to keep tanker allegedly hijacked by rescued refugees and migrants out of territorial waters. An aid group has warned of a desperate and dangerous situation in the Mediterranean Sea after authorities in Italy vowed to close their ports to a ship reportedly hijacked by rescued refugees and migrants. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Matteo Salvini, Italys far-right interior minister, identified the ship as Elhiblu 1 and said the crew had rescued some 120 people in Libyan waters. Salvini said the tanker initially headed back to Tripoli, Libyas capital, but six nautical miles (11.1km) from the port it suddenly changed course heading north. On Wednesday evening, it was halfway between the Libyan coast and Malta, he added. Salvini, who has been at the centre of several international stand-offs over his refusal to let refugee rescue ships dock in Italy, said it was too early to tell if the ship was being directed towards Malta or Italys Lampedusa island. Vowing not to let the ship dock in Italy, Matteo said: These are not migrants in distress, they are pirates. They will only see Italy through a telescope. A Maltese military official, who was not authorised to speak to reporters and requested anonymity, told local media that Malta would not also allow the ship to enter the countrys waters. We received reports of a pirated ship heading towards Malta or Lampedusa (off Sicily) and were monitoring the situation, a Maltese coastguard spokesman told the AFP news agency. There was no immediate word on the condition of El Hiblu 1s crew. Other information about the reported hijacking was unavailable or difficult to confirm while the vessel remained at sea. In a Twitter post, Doctors Without Borders described the situation as desperate and dangerous, saying it highlighted the broken system at sea and the despair of vulnerable people. Mediterranea Saving Humans, a private group that operates a rescue ship and monitors how governments treat migrants, urged compassion for the people on board and said it hoped European countries would act in the name of fundamental rights, remembering that we are dealing with human beings fleeing hell. The United Nations says refugees and migrants in chaos-wracked Libya face trafficking, kidnap, torture and rape. However, following Italys increasingly tough anti-migrant stance, boats that pick up refugees and migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean increasingly return them to Libya. Boatloads of rescued migrants have in recent months refused to disembark in Libya, prompting the authorities there to use force. Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday, the European Union announced it would suspend maritime patrols that have rescued thousands of refugees and asylum seekers in the Mediterranean, following deep resistance from Rome. Instead, the new agreement on Operation Sophia, the EU mission to reduce people-smuggling in the Mediterranean, will rely on extended air patrols and close coordination with Libya. Human Rights Watch criticised the decision as a formal abdication by the EU of any semblance of responsibility for rescue in the Mediterranean. Operation Sophia will now only provide aerial surveillance and support for the Libyan coastguard. That means more interceptions by Libyan forces and return of women, men and children to nightmarish conditions and treatment in Libya, said Judith Sunderland, associate director for Europe at the rights group. Syria says the US decision to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli territory contravenes international law. Syria is calling on the United Nations Security Council to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday in which the United States recognised Israels annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions recognising the Golan as Israeli-occupied territory. Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and continues to occupy roughly two-thirds of the wider Golan Heights region as a direct result of the conflict. In 1981, Israel formally annexed the territory, in a move unanimously rejected at the time by the UN Security Council. 190325153937336 In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Councils resolution by a permanent member-state. The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. Crucial turning point The head of the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah, a key Syrian ally, called for resistance against the US decision. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land and for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate rights was resistance, resistance, and resistance. He described Trumps move as a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. 190326110207566 Trumps decision deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace, he said in a televised address. He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syrias membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis. Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trumps decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washingtons closest allies Britain and France joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilising presence of Iran in the region, said Cohen. 190326183052848 There can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israels security needs in the Golan Heights, he added. China and Russia spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a US ally in the region. Vote outcome remains shrouded in mystery with unofficial results delayed and growing allegations of election fraud. Seven Thai parties said on Wednesday that they formed a democratic front after a disputed election, claiming the opposition won a majority in the lower house of parliament, and the right to try and form a government. However, the coalition will likely fall short of electing a prime minister, which requires a combined vote with the upper house of parliament, the Senate, which is entirely appointed by the ruling generals that in 2014 overthrew an elected Pheu Thai party government. The outcome of the election remains shrouded in doubt with unofficial results delayed until at least Friday and allegations of vote-buying and irregularities in the counting of ballots. We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power, Pheu Thais prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan said at a press conference announcing the coalition. The Election Commission appointed by the ruling military governments hand-picked legislature delayed the release of a full preliminary vote count on election night and then again on Monday. The commission has now said it will release its final preliminary results on Friday. Partial results still indicate that the pro-army Palang Pracharat party would have enough votes to keep military government leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister. But an opposition alliance majority in the lower house, the House of Representatives, could lead to deadlock. Numbers still moving Sudarat said with the other parties, the opposition alliance would win at least 255 lower house seats, based on calculations drawn from partial results. Although right now numbers are still moving, were certain we will have at least 255 seats among ourselves, Sudarat said, adding Pheu Thai was also in talks with other parties. We declare the democratic front who opposes military rule commands the majority in the House. Pheu Thais secretary-general, Phumtham Wechayachai, told reporters the democratic front now includes Future Forward party, Pheu Chart, Prachachart, Seri Ruam Thai, Thai People Power and New Economy. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 40, and his Future Forward party attracted the attention of the estimated seven million first-time voters frustrated at the countrys 15 years of political division. But he was charged with a cybercrime prior to the vote and his own future remains unclear. We will cooperate with parties that are at this press conference today no matter what obstacles ahead We are ready to stop the regime from holding on to power, Thanathorn said. 190306060145059 Pro-military advantage The pro-military Palang Pracharat party, which has won 97 lower house seats, has also claimed the right to form the next government because of its lead on Pheu Thai in the popular votes. The vote for prime minister will likely take place sometime in May and give Palang Pracharaths candidate, the current military government leader Prayuth, a considerable advantage. Al Jazeeras Scott Heidler, reporting from Bangkok, said a clearer picture will emerge on Friday when preliminary results from the various elections across the country are released. But he added: The official results wont come out until May 9 at the very latest so a lot can happen between now and then. The Election Commission has unexpectedly delayed releasing official results, and questions are now swirling over election irregularities with an election monitor saying the tabulation was deeply flawed. Nearly two million invalidated ballots, weak polling oversight, and bungling by election authorities may have wildly skewed initial numbers. The March 1959 Tibetan revolt was brutally put down with estimates of tens of thousands killed by Chinese troops. Dharamshala, India A new generation of Tibetans born in exile are questioning the leaderships direction in the struggle against Chinese rule six decades after Beijing crushed an uprising for independence. Chinese soldiers invaded Tibet also known as the roof of the World in 1950. Lobsang Yonden, 77, recalled how troops in the capital, Lhasa, demanded that Tibetans leave their homes after taking over the city. By dawn March 21, the Peoples Liberation Army had already put their flag on Potalas palace and everyone in Lhasa was called out to the streets where they captured us, Yonden, who was arrested alongside his father 60 years ago, recently told Al Jazeera. The March 1959 revolt was brutally put down with estimates of tens of thousands of people killed by Chinese troops. As one of the few Tibetans handling weapons during the uprising, Yondens father was disappeared while he was given a 10-year prison sentence at the age of 16. Shortly after his release, Yonden was charged with subversive activities when he wrote a letter demanding Tibets freedom and was imprisoned again between 1972 and 1973. I was beaten so badly that I didnt want to live any more. I used to bang my head to the walls and confess that I was guilty. I even asked them to kill me to put an end to that misery. Only then they stopped torturing me, said Yonden, exiled since 1984 in Dharamshala, the northern Indian city at the foothills of the Himalayas and home of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Tibets government in-exile. Lobsang Yonden was arrested at 16 and tortured by the Chinese authorities [Angel Martinez/Al Jazeera] Change of strategy? Two decades after the Dalai Lama escaped from Chinese authorities in 1959 and settled in Dharamshala, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism outlined his middle way approach autonomy within China instead of outright independence. This then became the official stance of the CTA. I was against it [middle way]. But I changed my mind when I went to America and I discussed it with Chinese people, Lobsang Sangay, the current head of the CTA, told Al Jazeera. Following the Dalai Lamas resignation of his political leadership in 2011, the Harvard law graduate Sangay was elected sikyong, or regent, of the Tibetan authority. The approach is a brilliant strategy as it doesnt compromise the territorial integrity of China, to which almost all countries agree. It gives us space so that we can advocate for our cause, he said. The shift fostered recognition from the international community and softened Chinas iron-fist approach in Tibet, allowing locals such as Yonden to seek refuge outside the region. Umay-Lam [middle way] is the reason why Im alive, but the situation inside Tibet has worsened, said Yonden, although he said he still supports the policy. After Dalai Lamas resignation in 2011, Lobsang Sangay was elected sikyong, or regent, of the Central Tibetan Administration [Angel Martinez/Al Jazeera] Human rights groups and activists say ethnic Tibetans face widespread restrictions under Chinese rule. Last year, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) said conditions were fast deteriorating in Tibet, regarded as one the least-free regions in the world. Since 2009, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has recorded 155 self-immolations related to Chinas abuses, including arbitrary arrests and torture. As its rule tightens in Tibet, Chinas global economic power hampers any attempt to bring justice to the region. Under pressure, India also prohibited last years Tibetan rally in New Delhi in order to improve bilateral relations with China. In February, Beijing banned travellers from entering Tibet until April as local protests commemorating the Tibetan uprising were expected. The ban follows Chinas announcement that it would let more foreign visits in Tibet and reduce paperwork after US signed the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, intended to put pressure so journalists have access to report from the highly restricted region. In December last year, Washington also included the Tibetan plateau as part of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, its new policy for the Indo-Pacific region. This is great because that means the Tibet issue is no more a human rights issue. It is not an item only but part of a larger strategy, said Sangay. The 60th anniversary of the uprising was commemorated in northern Indian town of Dharamshala [Angel Martinez/Al Jazeera] Other alternatives But as conditions worsen, a disenchanted new generation of Tibetan has emerged. Its frustrating because there are no results and the international community is only bound by their economic ties with China. Its time to explore other alternatives, said Tenzin Pelyoun, 29, a social worker born in Shillong in northeastern India. Demands for a different approach arent new as the 30,000-member Tibetan Youth Congress has advocated for independence from China since 1970. However, some young exiles born and raised in India are questioning if its time again to press for independence. Umay-lam has been the official approach for 40 years. Im not saying [independence] is better, but we should acknowledge it and accommodate it in the system. Thats why we need political parties in our democracy, said Tenzin Sangmo, 30, from Ladakh in northwestern India. But Sangay argued traditional party-based democracy wasnt the way forward to preserve unity. Were a small community of 150,000 members in India and abroad so we dont need party-like political structures to convey our message, he said. This is a democratic freedom movement, but a freedom movement nonetheless. If you bring parties, often party interests prevail. Some young exiles born and raised in India are questioning if its time again to press for independence [Angel Martinez/Al Jazeera] Greater democracy? Sangmo, a local journalist, said political diversity will only make the struggle more vibrant and engaging as opposed to weak. Following her conversations with Tibetan protesters during a demonstration two weeks ago in Dharamshala, she could see many werent individually thinking for themselves. Over 100 of them said they support umay-lam because of the Dalai Lama. But the shocking part is that they say theyd change their mind if Dalai Lama does, Sangmo told Al Jazeera. She said it distresses her to appear to be going against the establishment, but now is the time for change. Everyone is somehow responsible for this situation. Our political freedom is compromised by our religious faith, she said, before highlighting another dilemma shadowing the Tibetan cause. I dont really know what would happen when Dalai Lama passes away. Court says American sailors injured in the 2000 al-Qaeda bombing cannot collect $314.7m damages from Sudan government. The Supreme Court in the United States prevented American sailors injured in the deadly 2000 al-Qaeda bombing of the navy destroyer USS Cole from collecting $314.7m in damages from the government of Sudan for its alleged role in the attack. In a 8-1 ruling, the justices on Tuesday overturned a lower courts decision that had allowed the sailors to collect the damages from certain banks that held Sudanese assets. The decision represented a major victory for Sudan, which denies that it provided any support to al-Qaeda for the attack in Yemen. Sudan was backed by President Donald Trumps administration in the case. In the ruling, the justices agreed with Sudan that the lawsuit had not been properly initiated in violation of US law because the claims were delivered in 2010 to the African countrys embassy in Washington rather than to its minister of foreign affairs in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Sudan is pleased with the decision, Christopher Curran, who represented Sudans government in the case, said. No one disputes that the sailors on the Cole were the victims of a brutal terrorist attack. But Sudan vehemently disputes any culpability in that attack, and is determined to clear its name. Kannon Shanmugam, a lawyer for the sailors, expressed disappointment. The fight for justice for the Cole victims and their families continues, Shanmugam said. A lower court had levied damages by default because Sudan did not defend itself against allegations that it had given support to the armed group. The October 12, 2000 attack killed 17 sailors and wounded more than three dozen others when two men in a small boat detonated explosives alongside the navy-guided missile destroyer as it was refuelling in the southern port of Aden in Yemen, blasting a gaping hole in its hull. The vessel was repaired and later returned to full active duty. Fifteen of the injured sailors and three of their spouses sued Sudans government in 2010 in Washington. At issue was whether mailing the lawsuit to Sudans embassy violated the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a US law governing when foreign governments may be sued in US courts. Writing for the courts majority, conservative Justice Samuel Alito said that other countries foreign ministers must be reached where they normally work, not a far flung outpost that the minister may at most occasionally visit. US president makes demand while hosting Fabiana Rosales, wife of opposition leader Juan Guaido, at the White House. US President Donald Trump has called on Russia to pull its troops from Venezuela and warned all options were open to making that happen. The arrival of two Russian air force planes carrying nearly 100 Russian troops outside Caracas on Saturday has escalated the political crisis in Venezuela. Russia and China have backed President Nicolas Maduro, while the United States and most Western countries support opposition leader Juan Guaido. In January, Guaido invoked the constitution to declare himself interim president, arguing Maduros 2018 re-election was illegitimate. The US government says the Russian troops include special forces and cybersecurity personnel. Theyve got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. Theyve got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity, Trump said. Other than military, you cant get any more pressure than they have All options are open, he added. Russia has bilateral relations and agreements with Venezuela, which it plans to honour, Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said, in response to Trumps comments. Its not up to US to decide actions and fate of other countries. Its only up to the people of Venezuela and its only legitimate President Nicolas Maduro, Polyanskiy said on Twitter. Its not up to US to decide actions and fate of other countries. Its only up to the people of #Venezuela and its only legitimate president Nicolas #Maduro. We have bilateral relations and agreements with this country which we will honor. #HandsOffVenezuela #YankeeGoHome https://t.co/5uNMZu5EH1 Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) March 27, 2019 Maduro also said a high-profile Venezuelan-Russian intergovernmental meeting will be held in April, adding the sides plan to sign nearly 20 agreements in the spheres of economy, energy, trade and education. The president also announced that Caracas awaits another delivery of humanitarian aid from Moscow. On February 22, the Latin American country received 7.5 tonnes of humanitarian cargo from Russia, including medicine, medical equipment and consumables. Break up our morale Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the countrys military, has said Guaido is a puppet of the United States. Trump hosted Guaidos wife, Fabiana Rosales, who is a journalist and opposition activist, at the White House on Wednesday. Rosales told Trump that Guaido was attacked on Tuesday, though she did not provide details. I fear for my husbands life, she said. She was accompanied by the wife and sister of Roberto Marrero, Guaidos chief of staff, who was arrested and detained last week. #AHORA | Fabiana Rosales cuenta en reunion con el presidente Donald Trump como el regimen de Nicolas Maduro ha intentado intimidar a su esposo a traves de detenciones a sus allegados https://t.co/fcFbGKyUWQ pic.twitter.com/zyybrznYOj NTN24 (@NTN24) March 27, 2019 Earlier at the White House, Rosales met Vice President Mike Pence and told him power outages and food shortages were hurting children in her country. They are trying to break our morale. They want to submerge us in eternal darkness. But let me tell you that there is light, and the light is here, Rosales told Pence. She is slated to meet US first lady Melania Trump in Palm Beach on Thursday on a quick stop in south Florida, home to the largest community of Venezuelan exiles in the United States. Rosales is also slated to meet politicians on Capitol Hill and members of the Venezuelan diaspora at a prominent Washington think-tank. Pence praised Rosales for being courageous. Our message very simply is: Were with you, Pence said Ongoing electricity outages Meanwhile, the country is experiencing its second major blackout, which has left the streets of Caracas mostly empty, and residents wondering how long power would be out amid a deepening economic crisis. Maduro said an attack on its electrical system caused the blackout that first hit on Monday. The outage closed businesses, paralysed the countrys main oil export terminal, and stranded commuters. Intermittent service has long affected Venezuelas largely rural interior, but residents of Caracas fear the increasing blackouts in the capital mean that unreliable power is becoming the new normal for them, too. I hope that now with these blackouts in Caracas they can do something, that everyone reacts, said Maria Melendez, a seamstress in the western city of Punto Fijo who said she has had to replace damaged appliances during previous blackouts. They used to say that Caracas is Caracas, and everywhere else is weeds and snakes. Now, Caracas will also be weeds and snakes if we continue like this. Half a million security personnel and thousands of observers on duty on Sunday to oversee elections, officials say. Istanbul, Turkey As Turkey prepares for Sundays local elections, ensuring a free and fair vote is foremost in the minds of many across the country. Ballots across all 81 provinces will decide local officials, from neighbourhood and village representatives all the way up to the mayors of metropolitan municipalities in charge of massive budgets. While in many countries local polls are seen as lesser contests to general or presidential elections, in Turkey, they are a crucial barometer for the ruling party and can see vast resources reallocated as control of major cities shifts. The last local elections in 2014 saw a turnout of nearly 90 percent. This years campaign has largely focused on Ankara and Istanbul the countrys capital and commercial hub respectively with speculation mounting that they could fall to opposition mayors after a quarter of a century under the sway of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its political predecessors. The elections, which will be the last nationwide polls before joint presidential and parliamentary elections due in 2023, are being held as the country faces an economic crisis that has tested support for the AK Party. 190212114234461 The pressure has seen President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who began his mainstream political career as mayor of Istanbul in 1994, ramp up his rhetoric during an unforgiving schedule of rallies and TV appearances. In particular, the president has sought to portray the main opposition alliance as being aligned with the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), which in turn Erdogan accuses of backing the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), labelled a terrorist organisation in Turkey and the West. Ballot box protection Amid this febrile atmosphere, 57 million voters will head to polling stations on Sunday. To safeguard the process, thousands of volunteers from political parties and independent monitoring groups will be on hand to oversee the counts. Its an important duty to safeguard our democracy, said Baris, an election volunteer from Ankara. We want to protect the ballot boxes to prevent what happened in the last local election. The 2014 poll in Ankara was marred by claims of vote-rigging as Mansur Yavas, who is standing again for the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) in the capital, was narrowly defeated by AK Party incumbent Melih Gokcek. Erdogan addressed AK Party and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) supporters during a rally for the upcoming local elections, in Istanbul [Umit Bektas/Reuters] The result was contested in the courts as street protests erupted and the evening became part of Turkish political folklore when the energy minister famously claimed power cuts that disrupted the count were caused by a cat. Election monitoring by party members, NGO activists and international observers is crucial to deter and identify irregularities such as stuffed boxes and discarded ballots, said Lisel Hintz, an assistant professor in international relations at Johns Hopkins University. Domestic groups such as Oy ve Otesi [Vote and Beyond] also serve important deterrent and monitoring roles. Ahead of the vote, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu pledged that more than half a million security personnel would be on duty on Sunday, including nearly 7,000 in districts where the PKK was seen as a threat to fair elections. Turkey is one of the leading countries in the world and is high on the list in terms of holding an election and election safety, he said. However, the presence of security forces at polling stations has itself been viewed with suspicion by some voters, given the links being drawn between the opposition and the PKK by Erdogan and other government figures. Role of media In the run-up to the vote, the role of the media in the campaign has been a major issue, as it is during all Turkish elections. With the vast majority of TV channels and newspapers linked to the AK Party, the opposition struggles to get its voice heard. According to the left-wing Sozcu newspaper, state broadcaster TRT gave 50 hours of positive coverage to Erdogan while CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu received less than 12 hours, more than half of it negative. The campaign has also been characterised by the targeting of opposition figures. A prosecutor has opened a case against Yavas, whom opinion polls put ahead of his AK Party rival Mehmet Ozhaseki, over a decade-old dispute from when he worked as a lawyer, and on Monday, Interior Minister Soylu said 231 opposition candidates were under investigation for links to groups considered terrorist organisations. Announcing the completion of preparation for the election, Sadi Guven, head of the Supreme Electoral Council, called for a large turnout. This is the way to establish democracy, he said. I hope the election results will be good for our country and our people. I hope for safe and sound elections. However, the labelling of opponents as terrorists, control of the media and the institutionalisation of powers brought in under a now-lifted state of emergency, mean, according to Hintz, that it is safe to say even before the polls open that Sundays elections will be neither free nor fair. Labour Party leaders are demanding answers after reports in British media that UK special forces had been involved in battles with Yemens Houthi rebels. According to an article in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, British soldiers have been involved in firefights with, and been wounded by, Houthi rebels in Yemen and have been involved in providing support to Saudi-funded militias that use child soldiers. The official line from the UK government has been, We are not party to the conflict, but now the opposition Labour Party wants clarification on the UKs role in the conflict. The government has not dismissed the allegations of the presence of British troops in Yemen outright. Al Jazeeras Charlie Angela reports from London. Future of British prime minister left hanging as MPs to vote on various Brexit proposals. British MPs are preparing to vote on a range of alternative Brexit options on Wednesday after parliament moved to take control of the process of the UK leaving the EU. Its a major defeat for Prime Minister Theresa May, who is still hoping to get her Brexit withdrawal deal through parliament this week. Thats despite them rejecting her proposals twice in the past. Al Jazeeras Rory Challands reports from London. The total foreign currency assets held by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) increased to Dh359 billion ($97.7 billion) by the end of February, a growth of 3.2 percent from Dh348 billion in the preceding month, a media report said. Current account balances and deposits with foreign banks strengthened to Dh289.76 billion against Dh278.86 billion in the month before, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing CBUAE figures. The foreign assets exclude CBUAE Reserve Tranche Position and Special Drawing Rights holdings with the International Monetary Fund. Other foreign assets increased from Dh13.15 billion in January to Dh14 billion by the end of February, while foreign securities decreased to Dh55.23 billion from Dh55.97 billion in January. MPs vote against eight alternative Brexit plans after prime minister pledges to step down if parliament passes her deal. Britains prime minister has said she will step down if her Brexit deal is approved by Parliament, as legislators rejected a series of alternative approaches to the agreement negotiated by Theresa May with the European Union. In a meeting with legislators from her Conservative party on Wednesday, May said she would quit if her twice-defeated divorce deal passes at a third vote, which the government hopes to hold later this week. We need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit, the prime minister said, according to a statement released by her office. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. It is the first time the embattled leader has acknowledged she is prepared to resign in order to secure the votes for her Brexit deal to pass. The prime minister did not set a date for her departure, but a leadership contest is likely to take place after May 22, her office said. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I wont stand in the way of that, May said. Later on Wednesday, MPs voted on eight possible alternative approaches to the prime ministers Brexit deal, but none of the options won majority support. A motion which called for a confirmatory public vote to approve a Brexit deal was backed by 268 MPs, while 295 legislators voted against it. A plan to stay in a customs union with the EU after Brexit received 264 votes in favour, while 272 MPs voted against it. The opposition Labour partys plan, calling for a customs union and close alignment with the EUs single market was defeated by 307-237. The legislator behind Wednesdays indicative votes said he was disappointed parliamentarians had failed to find a majority for the alternative approaches to Brexit. It is of course a very great disappointment that the House (of Commons) has not chosen to find a majority for any proposition, Oliver Letwin said, adding it was what he had expected to happen. If on Monday the House is able to reach a majority view I think that would be in the interests of our constituents. Signs of support for Mays deal 190326112730567 Britain was due to leave the EU on March 29 but has been granted a delay until April 12, after Parliament overwhelmingly rejected Mays agreement on two occasions. If Parliament votes to approve her deal before April 12, the country will be granted an extension until May 22 to leave the European bloc. Several MPs who previously voted against the deal have suggested they could now support it, if May produces a timetable for her resignation, allowing a new leader to take over negotiations over Britains future relationship with the EU. Speaking after Mays announcement, Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Brexiteer in the Conservative party, said he would back the prime ministers deal if the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) that props up the government abstains on the issue. Rees-Mogg had previously said he would vote for the deal if the DUP also joins him in voting for Mays divorce deal with the EU. If the DUP abstained I would feel entitled to back it, he told reporters. If the DUP was still against it I would not feel able to back it. However, the Northern Irish party later said it would not support Mays deal and rejected media reports that it might abstain. We will not be supporting the government if they table a fresh meaningful vote, the party said in a statement. Reporting from London, Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan said the prime ministers pledge to step down appeared to have won over some legislators who had previously rejected her agreement. It seems that the sands are shifting, he said. There are several Brexiteer Tory MPs who now appear more willing to support the prime ministers deal than they previously were. That said, there is a hard core of the European Research Group (ERG), these really purist Brexiteers, who are still not budging. There is an estimate of around 30 of those MPs who are standing firm that they wont vote for the prime ministers deal under any circumstances. 190324212814472 The prime minister did not set a date for her departure, but a leadership contest is likely to take place after May 22, her office said in a statement to Conservative Party legislators. The timetable would be set by the party and May would remain as prime minister until her successor was elected, it said, according to the Reuters news agency. This is about providing new leadership for phase 2 (of the negotiations to leave the EU), but we have to get through phase 1 first and leave, the statement said. Tom Hamilton, associate director at MHP Communications, told Al Jazeera that the shape of Brexit could change significantly under a new prime minister. If Tory MPs are prepared to back the deal, I think it tells us a couple of things. It tells us that Tory MPs never had that principled of an objection to the deal in the first place, if they are prepared to back it in return for getting a new prime minister. Secondly, it tells us that they think that a new prime minister might give them what they want compared to what Theresa May might have. Not about public interest Britains main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prime ministers offer to step down showed her Brexit talks were about party management, not the public interest. Mays pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that, her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest, he said on Twitter. A change of government cant be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the deal was so bad that the prime minister has to promise to resign to get it through, adding that Mays promise would make an already bad project even worse. Ukraine to choose its sixth president from a record number of candidates. More than 35 million people are eligible to vote in Ukraines presidential election on March 31 the first electoral test for President Petro Poroshenko since he came to power in 2014 on a wave of pro-Western protests. However, several million of the voters in the Russian-annexed Crimea and the rebel-held parts of east Ukraine are unable or unwilling to cast their ballots. The central election commission has registered a record 44 candidates, although some of them later dropped out, leaving 39 on the ballot. According to opinion polls, three hopefuls stand a chance to become the war-torn countrys sixth president. They are: Poroshenko, a billionaire with a chocolate empire who is also known as the Chocolate King; opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, once a natural-gas magnate who has the nickname Gas Princess; and a comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has no political experience. Main contenders In a country riddled by corruption and torn apart by armed conflict, the majority of Ukrainians appear to be tired of mainstream politicians and have propelled the comic, Zelensky, to the top of the polls. The 41-year-old, who is best known for playing the lead in the political comedy, Servant of the People, has about 25 percent of the voters support well ahead of Poroshenko (almost 17 percent) and Tymoshenko (more than 18 percent). According to the non-governmental polling organisation Rating Group, the majority of Zelenskys supporters are young people between 18 to 25 years old and live mostly in the Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine, the southern and eastern regions. Poroshenko, 53, who was elected with almost 55 percent of votes in 2014, seems to have failed to rally his electorate despite his efforts to be seen as a passionate fighter for the countrys territorial unity as well as the champion of Ukraines dream of integration with the European Union and NATO. Over the last five years, he has reinforced the Ukrainian army that is battling the Moscow-backed rebels in Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Poroshenko also ratified the Association Agreement with the European Union, the document that enabled Ukrainians to trade with and travel to Europe without restrictions. 190107201448662 The incumbent president also secured the independence of Ukraines Orthodox Church from its Russian counterpart. But he failed to rid the country of corruption or recover the money stolen from Ukraines coffers during the years that former President Viktor Yanukovich ruled the country. Ukrainians blame Poroshenko for the lack of reforms and the deterioration of living standards since 2014. He will face another heavyweight, Tymoshenko, for the second time in the presidential race. Tymoshenko, who served twice as prime minister under different presidents in 2005 and 2007, was defeated in the 2014 presidential race by Poroshenko but has a higher chance of winning this time around. The 58-year-old is well known for her fiery rhetoric she was a leader of the pro-Western 2004-2005 Orange Revolution and is popular with older voters as she promises a threefold increase in pensions. Tymoshenko also promised Ukrainians she would track down money stolen over the years from the countrys coffers during the rule of Yanukovich who was overthrown through deadly protests in 2014. She has spent more than two years in prison under Yanukovich on corruption charges that she said were politically motivated. Election preparations More than 967 registered international observers will monitor the vote on March 31, according to the election commission. If none of the candidates secures 50 percent of the vote, a second round of voting will take place on April 21. Ukraines SBU security service has reinforced the countrys defences against cyberattacks ahead of the vote. It held joint EU-Ukraine cybersecurity drills this month. The SBU has said that several Russian cyber attacks against the central election commission had recently taken place and more were expected. The Ukrainian Election Task Force, a group set up with the help of US think-tank the Atlantic Council to expose foreign interference attempts, said Russians might also target critical infrastructure such as power grids, telephone networks or airports. Ukraines ties with Russia were broken with the removal of Moscow-backed Yanukovich, which prompted the annexation of Crimea and Russias support of the rebels who seized parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. The conflict has killed at least 13,000 people. The UN describes Venezuelas refugee exodus as the worst crisis in Latin America. Al Jazeera met some who have fled. The political and economic turmoil in Venezuela has created what the UN is calling Latin Americas worst ever refugee crisis. Of the three million people who have fled in recent years, one million have left for neighbouring Colombia. That is where the UNs refugee agency has set up its first centre to receive Venezuelans escaping the crisis. Al Jazeeras Alessandro Rampietti reports from Maicao, Colombia. Austrias Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says there is a link between a far-right movement in his country and the suspect in an attack on two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in which 50 Muslims were shot dead. The suspect, a 28-year-old white supremacist identified as Australian-born Brenton Tarrant, donated 1,500 euros ($1,700) to the anti-immigration Identitarian Movement in Austria (IBOe) in early 2018, according to prosecutors. On Monday, the home of Identitarian Movement spokesman Martin Sellner in Austrias capital, Vienna, was searched as part of an investigation into possible links to the suspect. It has been confirmed that there is a financial link between the man who perpetrated the attack in New Zealand and the Identitarian Movement in Austria, Kurz told reporters following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He also said the link would be investigated thoroughly and that he had talked to interior and justice ministers about dissolving the far-right Identitarian Movement. Both ministries will mobilise all their means against this movement, he added. In a video published on YouTube, Sellner denied having any link with the suspect beyond receiving the donation and having sent back a routine thank-you email. Im not a member of a terrorist organisation. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him, Sellner said. Austrias intelligence body also said the suspect visited Austria last November. Kurz stressed that any kind of violent racism would not be tolerated in Austria, adding that perpetrators would be dealt with according to the law. There is no tolerance for dangerous ideologies, no matter what political corner they belong to, the conservative leader told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Vienna. Since late 2017, Austria has been governed by a coalition of Kurzs centre-right Peoples Party (OeVP) and the far-right, anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPOe). What is the Identitarian Movement? The Identitarian Movement is known for its anti-migrant and anti-Muslim stance. It has branches in several Western countries. It campaigns against immigration and warns against what it calls the Great Replacement of local populations by non-Western and Muslim migrants. 181208155503837 The Christchurch attacker, who on March 15 entered the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in the New Zealand city and shot worshippers in cold blood, including four children, also titled his manifesto The Great Replacement. In July last year, Sellner and 16 other IBOe members were found not guilty of charges of criminal association and hate speech. Two of the accused were, however, found guilty on lesser charges over anti-immigration stunts by the groups members, including storming a university lecture hall during a refugee policy talk in 2016. In March last year, British authorities denied Sellner entry to the UK, saying his presence would not have been conducive to the public good. Rescued after 22 hours, five-month-old Sonish became a symbol of hope, but what became of his family in the year since? The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo is part of Chinas green initiatives but there are concerns about its effect. The UAE's GDP is set to expand 3.5 per cent this year against 2.8 per cent in 2018, thanks to a stimulus package worth Dh50 billion ($13.6 billion) announced last year along with measures for the ease of doing business, a top official said. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs, was speaking while chairing the first quarterly Consultative Council meeting in 2019, reported state news agency Wam. Dubai Customs has recently hit a record by scoring 97.49 per cent on Smart Dubais Happiness Meter. Musabih said Dubais non-oil trade maintained its levels against a backdrop of economic turmoil and global conflicts and the vague British position on Brexit. Europe is one of Dubais main partners and together they make up 19 per cent of the total trade business, he said. Commenting on the steps Dubai Customs has taken to facilitate trade and ease the burden of companies and traders, Musabih said: "We have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Free Zones Council to help with the implementation of the Virtual Stock Guarantee initiative. The new facility was developed by Dubai Customs to support re-export activity from free zones to external markets within the Dubai Customs efforts to help the emirate maintain a leading position and turn into a world economic capital. This initiative is the first of its kind in the world." 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. The consultative council members had a number of suggestions including one from the Dubai Computer Group, DCG, of establishing a mobile phone assembly factory in Dubai, with members also discussing means to strengthen the activity of re-exporting electronics. Nassim Saeed Al Mehairi, senior manager, Statistics and Studies Section, briefed the members on Dubai latest trade figures of 2018. Dubai trade has grown 72 per cent between 2009 and 2018, with 44 per cent growth in trade volume. China maintained its position as Dubais biggest trading partner in 2018 with Dh139 billion worth of trade. India came in second with Dh116 billion, followed by the USA in third place with Dh81 billion. Saudi Arabia continued to be Dubais largest Arab trade partner and its fourth largest global trade partner with Dh55 billion, followed by Switzerland in fifth place with Dh49 billion. Robert Mueller is done. Trump-Russia collusion is dead, but the war on the Trump presidency rages on. As many congressional Democrats and their lackeys in the left-wing media continue to pursue their foolish dream of removing President Trump from office, its important to remember that swing-district Democrats -- whose victories gave control of the U.S. House to their party -- won their elections not by promising to impeach President Trump. In other words, all those Democratic Party chairs now promising endless investigations of the President are only in the position to do so because their swing-state comrades laid off the impeachment chatter. Or, as John Lawrence of The Hill put it the day after the Mueller report summary was released: Democrats did not win the majority on a promise to relentlessly pursue Trump; they won because candidates for Republican seats persuaded voters, long before the Mueller report was issued, that they could be trusted to address tough issues like health care, immigration, campaign finance reform, and integrity in government. If Democrats hope to retain those seats -- and a majority -- in 2020, they will have to demonstrate that the voters confidence was not misplaced. They assuredly will not retain the hard-won majority if they are perceived as single-mindedly heading down the impeachment, or even the Mueller-Barr, rabbit hole. Again, not only did swing-district Democrats avoid or downplay talk of impeachment, they also frequently spoke of waiting on the Mueller report -- as well as relying upon Muellers report -- before deciding on whether impeachment of President Trump was indeed called for. Lets review their own words. In September of 2018, the Washington Free Beacon reported, Gil Cisneros (CA-39) and Katie Porter (CA-45), have generally said they support the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, and that decisions on impeachment should wait for a conclusion and report by Mueller and his team. Lucy McBath (GA-6) said she would not call for impeaching Trump unless there was a bad report from Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation of possible Russian influence on the 2016 presidential campaigns. Reporting on Haley Stevens (MI-11) just three weeks prior to the 2018 midterms, the Detroit News declared, Stevens takes a wait-and-see approach on possible impeachment hearings for Trump, saying that conversation depends on the outcome of special counsel Robert Muellers inquiry. We need to see the Mueller investigation through, Stevens said. I believe we need to put the country first and certainly treat anything along those lines very seriously. In May of 2018, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram asked 22 Texas Democrats running for U.S. Congress whether they would vote to impeach President Trump. Two Democrats -- Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and Colin Allred -- flipped seats in Texas. When asked about impeachment, Fletcher declared, Congress must ensure that [Muellers] investigation is completed, and that if President Trump has committed impeachable offenses must be prepared to bring the charge. Allred added, We need to make sure the Mueller probe is protected and that its able to reach its conclusion. Reporting on Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) last year, ABC News noted, Wexton was also cautious when discussing Trump and possible impeachment. A former prosecutor, she said she wants special counsel Robert Mueller to continue his work and that we need to follow the facts and we cant rush to judgment. A week before the 2018 election, New Jerseys Mikie Sherrill joined her New Jersey swing-district colleagues in calling for restraint on impeachment. She declared, Congress should support Special Counsel Robert Muller's investigation and allow him to finish his work. And so on. (I chronicle 2018 swing-district Democrats on Trump, Mueller, and impeachment here.) Democrats flipped dozens of GOP-held seats because they painted themselves as rational, nonhyperpartisan candidates who would follow the facts -- especially on impeachment. Now that Muellers report has further revealed the Trump-Russia-collusion farce for what it really was, these Democrats must be held accountable to their words. Furthermore, ever since the Mueller investigation began, there was a bipartisan chorus of politicians telling us that the Mueller investigation should be protected and that Mueller must be allowed to complete his work. Of course, to a great extent this was because so many liberals and #NeverTrumpers were convinced that the end of the Mueller investigation would spell the end of the Trump administration. Whether or not they felt that the Mueller investigation would be the ultimate undoing of President Trump, many Democrats put all of their impeachment eggs in the Mueller investigation basket. Leon Panetta -- defense secretary and CIA director under Barack Obama and chief of staff to Bill Clinton -- summed up this position well. Two months prior to the 2018 midterms, ABC News reported Panetta saying, I think the most important thing that the Democrats could do is to allow Bob Mueller to complete his work. Panetta continued, I think Bob Muellers work will ultimately determine whether or not there are going to be additional steps taken against the president and they ought not to get ahead of that report because that will be the key to determining what happens. Now that the collusion narrative has finally officially collapsed, impeachment-obsessed Democrats must look elsewhere to satisfy their anti-Trump hate. Of course, as they chase this political unicorn, they only reinforce the notion that the Mueller investigation was never really about Russian collusion at all, but rather just a convenient means of undoing the results of the 2016 presidential election. In other words -- as the actions of congressional Democrats prove -- it seems that the Mueller investigation was little more than a witch-hunt all along. Trevor Grant Thomas At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason. www.trevorgrantthomas.com Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com The Mueller report came back after almost two years of work and millions of dollars of reactionary political efforts aimed at removing an American president. The results are devastating to the NeverTrump community. They were galvanized over the fantasy theme of President Trump colluding with the government of Russia to prevent secretary of state Clinton from becoming president. The pathological behavior of our epistemological communities is the latest escalation in our intellectual culture adapting itself to ever more Jacobin techniques of propaganda. We must recognize and resist this intellectual culture. This epistemological poisoning is killing America. My colleague Dr. Robert Denton and I documented this problem in our 2017 book The Social Fragmentation and Decline of American Democracy. We highlight the corrosive social forces tearing us apart. We nonetheless conclude that a recovery is possible. For this better world to come about, we must become more fully aware of the depth and causes of our epistemological poisoning. Our journalists, academics, movie stars, and federal government agencies are locked in a reactionary anti-American methodology that is killing our nation. The simple fact that U.S. life expectancy has declined for three years in a row without serious concern by our cultural elite is a passive endorsement of the attack on red-state America. America ought to be celebrating a serious political success presently: the defeat of ISIS. We cannot celebrate this success among our intellectual elite because it contradicts an important narrative: President Trump caused the deaths of more than 50 Muslim worshipers in New Zealand. Yet millions of Muslim lives have been saved by ending the sovereignty of ISIS after more than 50,000 Muslims were savagely murdered by Islamic supremacist Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The supremacist allies of ISIS in Nigeria, Somalia, and the Philippines are continuing to kill Christians and anyone who differs from their beliefs by the hundreds. The American public needs to defend itself against the false charge of "Islamophobia" raised against those who publicly criticize this media spectatorship surrounding the false narrative of American President Trump causing the killings in New Zealand. The rise of ISIS is tied to the pathological habits of our intellectual culture. Beginning in 2004, our media overlords demanded a premature withdrawal from Iraq because there never were "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq. Though this is demonstrably false, President Obama was largely elected on this pathological premise so that tens of thousands of Muslims could be more effectively killed by Islamic supremacists across the world. The U.S. released Baghdadi from prison by abandoning Iraq prematurely. We militarily defeated ISIS by re-entering the nation our intellectual culture demanded we leave in 2006. We cannot defeat our media masters until we turn their abuse of language against them. Our intellectual overlords are Islamophobic. They do not care if Muslims are killed by Islamic extremists like Al Shabaab and Boko Haram. They will not credit Republican presidents fighting these Islamic supremacists groups who primarily kill Muslims. The antiRepublican president narrative of 2004 killed hundreds of American troops and thousands of innocent Iraqis as our intellectual culture worked to create another "Vietnam" narrative. President Trump himself derides Iraq as one of the worst decisions ever made while escalating the U.S. troop presence in Iraq to defeat ISIS. Trump's contradictory daily behavior acts like a buzzsaw against an intellectual culture aiming to deconstruct America with Alinsky-styled rhetorical tools. At home, roughly 200 to 300 Americans are dying each day from the deformities of health care wrought by the Affordable Care Act, but we are not allowed to challenge these partisan premises because it is a signature achievement of a president our intellectual culture reveres for his efforts to "transform" us. The dismantling of the ACA will likely begin to allow free markets to serve Americans better, but we must as a wise public resist the Jonathan Grubers who intellectually abuse us and lie to us in order to get the Platonic order of their own utopian fantasies. All of these statist fantasies should have been demonstrable in state experiments such as Bernie Sanders's Vermont and Jerry Brown's California. Yet these smaller-scale experiments do not work, and our intellectual culture is well aware of this. The current crop of more than a dozen presidential aspirants have a near uniform affection for "Medicare for all" that would dramatically expand the public-sector control of health care and accelerate the more than 10 million enrollments "achieved" under the ACA. In an intellectually honest culture, the disastrous decline of U.S. life expectancy would easily discredit such a pathological proposal. That is not the case because our pundit class does not analyze the defects of the ACA in relation to the positive results of free markets. The analysis proceeds from a neo-Marxist view of "capitalist versus socialist." Intellectuals pretend to be pleasantly mystified that so many people under 30 appreciate socialism. This is because the reactionary professoriate indoctrinates students about "capitalism" and its immoral ends. Were any other institutions so committed to such a narrow ideological agenda, they would lose their tax-exempt status, but not America's colleges and universities. Professor Jason Hill's "We Have Overcome" is an ideal rejoinder by one professor willing to talk honestly about what is being done to young people on our campuses. The two-year obsession with proving that President Trump colluded with Vladimir Putin to corrupt a presidential election is a testament to the stubborn pathology that holds our intellectual culture to its deconstructive mission aimed at the American soul. The American public must resist by employing the same rhetorical warrants against this intellectual juggernaut that were used to build this epistemological nightmare. Our intellectual overlords are racist, sexist, and Islamophobic not the public. President Trump did not incite the ecological white supremacist who committed the atrocious murders of Muslims. The extravagant intellectual fantasy themes carried out by our official interpreters are a threat here at home and abroad. Dr. Ben Voth is an associate professor of corporate communication and public affairs and director of speech and debate at Southern Methodist University. He is author of three academic books on how societies engage in deception to harm human individuals. Nancy Pelosi is the most popular Democrat among Democrats, owing to her perceived capacity to fight and win against President Trump, particularly over the border wall issue. Seriously, one poll showed her ranked as number one, more popular than any of the Democrats running for president. Remember this? Via GIPHY. Her record, actually, is one of miserable failure. She did achieve a government shutdown for more than a month in her bid to halt a desperately needed border wall as the migrant surge sends tens of thousands of unvetted illegal aliens into the country with as many as five million on the way. What she paid for to achieve it was not just the flooding of the U.S. border with foreign nationals, or the suffering of the Democrats' own constituency, the government bureaucrats whose paychecks were delayed, but also turning down an offer to regularize the immigration status of thousands of DREAMers. Legalizing the DREAMers would have been an actual victory for her, and she threw it away in her kitchen-sink bid to halt Trump's wall. File under "stupid." As Democrats cheered that, Trump then did what he said he would do, which was declare a national emergency at the border. He had solid grounds for it, given that Congress has expressly given the president this authority (and President Obama used that authority on 12 occasions without a problem). What that led to was $12 billion in funds for the border, not the piddly $5 billion Trump asked Congress for. File under "even stupider." Now we're at strike three: Nancy Pelosi's bid to congressionally forbid the construction of a wall, which Trump vetoed and Pelosi attempted to override it in Congress. That move went down like a World War I fighter jet, smoke trailing behind it, as the override failed. Here's the Washington Times on the matter: House lawmakers failed Tuesday in their bid to overturn President Trump's first veto, effectively upholding his declaration of a border emergency and leaving him with a free hand to build more of his border wall. Democrats cast the vote as a test of patriotism, saying Congress needed to stand up to a tyrannical president overstepping his emergency powers. But they didn't come close to winning enough Republicans to garner the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto. The 248-181 vote fell far short as Republicans brushed aside Democrats' rhetorical challenge and said the border situation was every bit the crisis that Mr. Trump described. "Border security used to be a bipartisan issue," said Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee. "The president's declaration is only necessary because Congress can't reach a deal to secure our country." Fail, fail, and fail again. Pelosi says she's going to keep trying, living up to Hillary Clinton's "she persisted" motto. How'd that work out for Hillary Clinton? Lemming-like, Pelosi intends to find out. Just don't call it a record of success for Democrats in Congress under this vaunted leader. Why is she still so popular with Democrats? The only thing it looks like now is that they are all in for #losing. Winning's a Trump thing, and they want no part of it. Image credit: Screen grab from shareable Giphy video The Jussie Smollett case is a reminder of just how powerful elites can be. Jussie was part of the elite and got off scot-free for filing a false hate crime charge. It was no small matter it was a 16-count felony charge in an airtight case that all of a sudden was dropped. He was off the hook. And good luck to the Chicago cops who will now have a slew of such cases on their hands, with each new miscreant demanding the same treatment. It comes as the scandal of rich leftist parents bribing their way into elite universities for admissions spots for their less than academically stellar children is put forward for us. It also comes as the leftist monolith at Silicon Valley's social network giants censor conservatives while permitting all sorts of terrorists and glory-seekers to fester and recruit, after which they insist they're just neutral platforms. It also comes as thousands of foreign nationals bust into our country illegally to take a place at the front of the line for meritless asylum claims and several free years of earnings in the States, ahead of those patiently waiting to come here legally. These same people also escape charges for crimes based on their "undocumented" status, get scholarships and free rides other students don't get, take tax credit refunds they never paid into, and steal identities without consequence. With this group, there's a chain of unequal treatments. It also comes as millions of inner-city children get shortchanged on education as city money goes missing or redirected to politically useful things, union employees become millionaires, and nobody ever gets fired for bad performance in longstanding blue-city monoliths. There are always calls for more funds, never for performance-based outcomes. It also comes as Hollywood elites hector us on global warming while heating up multiple mansions and flying around in CO2-spewing private jets to do it. One set of laws for them, another set for us. It's all over. Now we have the case of Jussie Smollett, let off with 16 dropped felonies and a completely expunged and sealed record. That follows his filing a false police report of a hate crime, smearing conservatives, and then leading the city of Chicago on a wild goose chase, expending thousands in city resources, a crime that would send other people to prison. Smollett had the right politics and the right political machine and don't think Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, and Kim Foxx knew it. What the case shows is that we do have a ruling class, and that ruling class is socialist. It's not at all different, actually, from what we see in other long-festering socialist societies, in fact. Chicago is a longtime socialist city government, and Smollett is a member of its elite. The nexus is that it's the work of the socialist left, which, as a matter of fact, has been ensconced in power for quite a long time. The same people who claim to stand up for the little guy against the dreaded conservatives, the giant corporations, some big thing somewhere, are amazingly exposed as a Soviet-style nomenklatura whose elites live lives of impunity. It's not a bug, but a feature of all socialist systems to see this phenomenon. In the Brezhnev-era Soviet Union, the children of the Kremlin elites were always let off for the crimes committed, while Russians committing the same sorts of transgressions drunk driving, thievery, mismanagement of funds were packed off to the Gulag. China has the same nomenklatura setup within its crony socialist system its "princelings" are largely immune to any obligation to follow laws, unless they're caught up in a power struggle. The law itself is irrelevant at their levels. Don't forget today's Venezuela, of course, where the president dines out on steak in Turkey while the locals literally starve. If you're in the elites there, you eat well. If you're not, you lose 24 pounds a year, based on your inability to access dollars, or, for that matter, even work for money that can buy things. And don't forget that the Castro family in Cuba, those socialist champions of the little guys who so entranced Michael Moore, are billionaires. Yet strangely, we see socialism recrudescing in the personae of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Ilhan Omar. Socialism is all about equality, they say; socialism is all about standing up for the little guy. And these people are no longer raving lunatics on street corners, the Smollett case demonstrates that these people already have real power. Socialism is always characterized by the formation of politically connected elites, and those elites are always above the law. There are no exceptions to this; we see it in the crummiest socialist hellholes, the grandest socialist countries, and in the U.S. blue cities run by socialists. Every socialist system has its winners and losers; they're just not the winners and losers whom socialists advertise. One can only hope that as election 2020 comes upon us, and the socialist Kultursmog runs thick, with every Democratic presidential candidate calling for more of it, that this is what is going to come to mind for voters. Image credit: Jussie Smollett, Dominic D, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. On most nights, during the 1930s, the airwaves over North America were dominated by a single radio station called WLW. Transmitting at a power of half million watts, it was the most powerful, legally-operating, radio station in the world. So much energy was pumped through the atmosphere that street lights in the neighborhood flickered and radio receivers rattled in tune with the modulation peaks. One gas station near the eight-hundred-foot-tall transmitting tower outside Cincinnati, Ohio, just couldnt turn off the lights. There are many stories from that period about people hearing broadcasts from barbed wire fences, rain gutters, bedsprings, water faucets, and radiators. Whether or not you want to believe these stories is up to you, but radio wavesespecially a strong onecan actually do many of these things. The presence of the station in the air could indeed be physically felt. WLWs 813-foot antenna in Mason, Ohio. Photo credit: John R Stengel/Flickr WLW was started by radio broadcasting pioneer and radio equipment manufacturer, Powel Crosley Jr, in 1922. Crosley was a visionary and a brilliant man who involved himself in all manner of products and activities. He was the one who added shelves to refrigerator doors and push buttons to car radios. He brought disc brakes to American cars and the first compact car to American consumers. Crosley entered the radio manufacturing business with the intention of making radios affordable to the masses. The first receivers he made was priced at only $7 a piece; equivalent models from other manufacturers sold at over a hundred dollars. Soon Crosley became the leading manufacturer of inexpensive sets, and the largest radio manufacturer in the world within four years. Crosleys foray into radio broadcasting was the next natural step. WLW made its debut with a modest 50-watts transmitter, but Crosley had bigger visions. His ultimate goal was to create a super-power broadcasting station that could reach the entire nation. It took only six months for the station to multiply its power by ten. As technology developed, particularly that of higher power tubes, Crosley applied for and was granted several power increases over the next six years. By 1927, WLW occupied one of the choicest frequenciesthe 700 kHz clear channelwhich was protected from interference from other stations to ensure cross-country or even cross-continent radio service, with minimum static. In October 1928, WLW received a major boost in powernow transmitting at 50 kilowatts. It was only the fourth US station to be operating at this power level, and the first one to do so at a regular schedule. Soon WLW began calling itself The Nations Station. A 50 kilowatts signal is already loud enough to be heard over half the country, but Crosley still was not satisfied. In 1932, he applied for a license to transmit at 500 kW and was granted. The Federal Radio Commission (now the Federal Communications Commission) wanted to find out how much radio service the listener might gain by boosting the broadcasting power. Crosley hired three major electronics companyRCA, General Electric, and Westinghouseto build a colossal transmitter that occupied several buildings and looked like a power plant with rows of transformers, five-foot-tall water-cooled amplifying tubes, and large DC generators. It even had its own cooling pond. The transmitter was coupled with a new antenna800-foot tall and shaped like a diamond. For a very brief period, it was one of the world's tallest structures. Seeing the potential of high-power transmission, fifteen competing stations filed for 500 kW but none were authorized. They cried foul and turned up the legal heat on both the WLW and the FRC. Every six months Crosleys lawyers pleaded and argued with the FRC for yet another 6-month extension of the experimental authorization. Unbelievably, this went on for five years, until the US Senate forbade any station from transmitting at power greater than 50 kW. Crosley fought the decision in court, but after a year, having exhausted all appeals, had to shut down the amplifiers. During the five-year period of super-power transmission, the WLW produced hundreds of hours of program including the earliest soap operas. It launched the careers of many radio stars, including Ma Perkins, Andy Williams, Rosemary and Betty Clooney, Red Skelton, and Fats Waller. Briefly, during the Second World War, WLWs high-power transmitters were switched on again for war transmission. The broadcasts from Ohio could be heard as far away as South America and Europe. After the end of the war, Crosley sold WLW to the Aviation Corporation, having lost the interest in radio broadcast after his transmission power was restricted. WLW is currently owned by iHeartMedia. It continues to broadcast at 700 KHz with a power of 50 kW from the diamond-shaped Blaw-Knox radio tower in Cincinnati. Surgeons at Burjeel Hospital, a premier healthcare facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE have performed a rare and complicated back surgery, done for the first time in the UAE. The patient came to Professor Amr El Shawarbi, consultant neurosurgeon and medical director of Neurosciences (VPS), complaining of chronic low back pain. She had already had a bilateral knee replacement surgery, but was not responding to conservative medical treatment. Her pain was getting more and more severe, and she was unable to live a normal life. Prof Amr knew that a conventional procedure would not help the patient. He and his team needed to be more innovative with the solution. A regular surgical procedure would involve going into the patient through the back, which was not possible in this case. So Prof Amr performed an Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion surgery, wherein the surgery was performed from the side. This kind of procedure is not only unusual, but also extremely rare. The reason for this is the complicated nature of the procedure. The surgeon has to be very precise and careful as the point of entry is unusual. Once the discs were removed, and the scoliotic angulation was readjusted, Prof Amr combined it with a posterior minimally invasive fusion. This kind of surgery has never been done in the UAE. At Burjeel, we are constantly striving to provide state-of-the-art treatment options to our patients, and this is just one example of that, said Prof Amr. In addition to alleviating the patients problem, this kind of surgery is also faster than conventional procedures it takes about an hour and a half. The incision is also very small, therefore recovery is faster. Although the advantages are many, the procedure is rarely opted for, as it requires great expertise and experience. Prof Amr El Shawarbi has years of experience under his belt, having come to the UAE from Germany. Over the years, he has been credited with developing skull-based surgery, complex spine surgery, establishing the first stroke program, paediatric neurosurgery, and Neuromodulation. He was also the president of the Emirates Neuroscience Society, the president of the Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society, and is currently the vice president of The World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. TradeArabia News Service The European Union on Tuesday moved forward with the controversial copyright law thats been sparking fierce debates for some time now, voting to enact the Copyright Directive that it claims will benefit all citizens of the political bloc while still ensuring sensible usage rights to others. The latter part largely refers to memes, i.e. the long-running meme about the EU killing memes, based on the original wording of the legislation. Lawsuit bases. Lawsuit bases everywhere. Advertisement That isnt to say all usage of someone elses work thats considered commonplace in the scope of todays Internet usage will be able to proceed as usual under the new law. Perhaps the most polarizing trait of the legislation is that it holds websites and platforms liable for all of the content theyre hosting, including the one thats been uploaded by their users. While the aforementioned exception of memes also extends to GIFs, experts warn about the practical inability of any single service with a large number of users to police third-party content that ends up on its servers in real time. The EU doesnt care, with its officials repeatedly saying as much. Killing small businesses under the pretense of saving small businesses Advertisement While polarizing lawmaking is hardly a new sight in any part of the world, whats remarkable about the EUs Copyright Directive is how much what its authors are claiming is the spirit of the law is at odds to how critics expect the legislation to proceed. For years, Brussels argued that by forcing the likes of Google and Facebook to pay for news, they will ensure small (media) businesses get a fair share of the traffic generated by their hard work, whereas those very same businesses are opposing the initiative, criticizing the EU lawmakers for being either idealistically naive or maliciously dishonest. Namely, despite their tens of billions of dollars in profits posted on an annual basis, Internet giants such as Google have no intention of paying for any news and will simply be omitting that type of content from their feeds, search results, and other aggregators moving forward, hence stopping the flow of traffic theyve been able to count on until now. The Copyright Directive does contain a provision that specifically allows for excerpts from news article to be shared with no payments being required, so long as that type of content is readily available via hyperlinks accompanying the snippets. The issue that remains is how much gray area the EU left for interpreting the rules and the industry consensus is that Google and co. will be aggressively avoiding any semblance of violations so as to let someone else be made an example of until the precedent is set for how the legislation is enforced. Advertisement The EUs social media communications are now hence full of criticism from both individuals and companies alike, with Brussels being accused of killing innovation and indirectly benefitting big publishers, the kind of media businesses most likely to already have content agreements in place with what are without a doubt todays Internet gatekeepers, antitrust concerns notwithstanding. Lingering uncertainty Whats left is a lot of uncertainty and fear that the Internet as we know it might be coming to an end, Advertisement The harshly criticized text of the directive now has to receive approval from the Council of the European Union, following the green light given to it by the European Parliament this week and some two and a half years after the initiative was introduced, baffling countless organizations, experts, and advocacy groups. Just in case you thought Google managed to put a lid on its operations and wont have to deal with bizarrely early leaks of its products any longer, over half a dozen new images of the Pixel 3a line just appeared online, originating from Russia. The source of the images at hand appears to be the very same one that ended up with several units from a stolen batch of Pixel 3 prototypes last summer, also months ahead of their official announcements. The manner wherein the device at hand was obtained isnt clear but this is said to be the Pixel 3a, a handset previously referred to as the Pixel 3 Lite, code-named Sargo. As previously reported, the overall look of the device appears to be nearly identical to that of the Pixel 3 XL flagship debuted late last year, with the most obvious exception being the lack of a dual-camera setup (and the notch housing it) on the front. Advertisement Besides the white variant of the Pixel 3a revealed in the latest leak, Google is also working on a regular black model, as well as one with an Iris finish. How that third version actually looks like is unclear as its existence only came to light now, with German outlet Winfuture reporting that the color in question will certainly be part of the upcoming lineup, citing product documentation obtained from third-party retailers. The usage of the term iris isnt unprecedented in the mobile space and is frequently encountered with gradient smartphone colors combining shades of blue and violet. The base Pixel 3a configuration will offer 64GB of flash storage and 4GB of RAM, according to previous claims from industry insiders, as well as todays report. The model will retail at 449, which translates to approximately $504, as per the same German source. Advertisement The information at hand cannot be verified for obvious reasons but the fact that the documents cited by the source contain references to SKU (stock keeping unit) numbers from Google make them appear more legitimate than many previous leaks concerning Googles upcoming series of Android smartphones. The Pixel 3a range has been the subject of dozens of rumors and sightings in recent months; industry insiders started talking about it late last year, even before Googles flagship models were released. The Sargo device seen here is said to feature a 5.6-inch display, whereas the Pixel 3a XL internally code-named Bonito is expected to launch with a 6-inch screen. Why exactly is Google now looking at the mid-range segment is a mystery; this price bracket has never been more competitive, with its profit margins currently racing toward those usually associated with the entry-level sector where theres barely any money to be made for companies not pushing millions of units every product generation. Advertisement The fact that Alphabets subsidiary also appears to be valuing its hardware brand as highly as those from established manufacturers like Samsung and Apple wont help it compete in the value game either; even $500 is a lot to pay for a 2019 phone with an FHD+ (2,220 x 1,080) display, Qualcomms Snapdragon 670, 4GB of RAM, and a 12-megapixel rear camera, as well as an 8-megapixel front one. The Pixel 3a is also expected to be quite unremarkable in the battery department a 3,000mAh cell is said to be fueling the handset. Google should be unveiling its first Pixel-branded Android mid-rangers later this spring. Not all that glitters is gold Samsungs latest flagship phones come in three sizes, each with varying prices and specs. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ feature almost identical specs between the two, making them the most even-keeled Galaxy models since Samsung started making more than one flagship model. As is usual with Samsung devices, the Galaxy S10 family is on the cutting edge of design, specs, and overall tech. Some of these ideas can even be considered bleeding-edge in many respects. Theres certainly something to be said about a $1,000 phone that pushes the envelope for expected specs and experience, and the Galaxy S10 family surely fulfills this thought in many ways. Disclaimer: Android Headlines reviews are designed to cover both the good and the bad perspectives of all new phones. Weve designed this approach to better serve readers who want to find out the best and worst part of a product without the finer details getting lost in the mix. This bad review focuses on things that might be considered to be negative for the Galaxy S10 family of phones. If you are specifically interested in the positives that set the Galaxy S10 family apart from the pack check out our full good review. Advertisement While the design and screen are certainly spectacular, whats not so impressive are the random accidental touches that I found myself making on the phone. Nearly bezel-less phones arent anything new at this point but theres something about Samsungs design here that makes it difficult to hold without accidentally touching something, particularly on that bottom section where the chin is almost non-existent. Then there are the camera cutouts in the display, which are sure to be a polarizing decision. Some folks have said theyd prefer a notch over an off-center cut-out, and while this seems to be a minority opinion, there are plenty of legitimate reasons for this stance. Advertisement In terms of design, having the notch on the top-right is a bit off-putting, if for no other reason than that its asymmetrical. The camera cutout takes the place of the clock, which has been pushed to the left side of the screen and shifts all other icons closer to the middle of the screen as well. It also makes selfies off-center when holding the phone straight, which can be awkward for some situations. Advertisement Another consideration is the handling of videos when in full-screen. Rather than not allowing the cut-out to invade the screen space, Samsung seems content with allowing this atrocity to ruin whatever positives the gorgeous display could bring along. This is a horrible decision, to say the least, and is incredibly distracting from the overall experience of watching videos on this phone. Oddly enough, theres no traditional proximity sensor on the phone or even an ultrasonic one. Instead, Samsung placed the proximity sensor behind a small transparent portion of the display, located in the status bar just above the battery percentage sign which will blink when the phone is in use. Advertisement The problem with this design is that its not always active, as proximity sensors have been since the inception of large touchscreen smartphones, and can sometimes cause issues when inside of a pocket where itll touch skin through clothes and wake up. This can cause all sorts of problems and already has a fair number of users highly irritated at the decision. New Software, Old Problems Multitasking has the distinct promise of being something truly special with the Galaxy S10, but the out-of-the-box experience has some real frustrations to deal with first. First up is Samsungs home screen launcher, which feels dated the moment you start using it. Sure, its got the swipe-up to open the app drawer gesture enabled by default, but the modernization stops there. The app drawer is a random collection of icons by default and, probably more annoyingly, stuffs tons of apps into oddly categorized folders within the app drawer making things very difficult to find. Why are less than half the Google apps in a Google folder while the others are randomly sprawled out? Alphabetical sorting will help the random icons, but youll still need to take things out of folders manually, and the overall design is far from user friendly or efficient. Advertisement Secondly is the default Overview/Recents screen, which partially adopts Googles huge design change in Android 9 Pie, forcing users to go back in time to when we had oversized cards that scrolled horizontally. Its very difficult to multi-task with this view style, as you cannot see more than one or two apps at a time, and many of the extra actions are hidden within the app icon on top of each card tile, making it difficult to find actions like multi-window or floating window. Advertisement Worse yet is the fact that Samsung left the row of icons at the bottom, which randomly changes based on AI algorithms that detect which apps it thinks you might use. Without any names of the apps and without any consistency, this bottom bar is more of an irritation than something helpful when switching between multiple apps. One UI is mostly a great step forward for Samsung, but its got a few goofy bits that will certainly leave some scratching their heads. While many of One UIs design changes revolve around bringing things lower on the screen for one-handed use, volume control is still mysteriously all the way up top. There arent many UI changes in Pie that have been universally praised, but the volume control panel was definitely one of them and is something Samsung should have gone with. Advertisement Samsung introduced a brilliant and beautiful Infinity Wallpaper concept with the Galaxy S8 but, as we saw with the Galaxy Note9, seems to have been completely abandoned by Samsung. This is a travesty, to say the least, and really takes away significant beauty from something as simple as unlocking the phone. There are also a few quirks that need to be fixed out of the box, and plenty of inconsistencies that simply cannot be fixed. The always-on display features a music playback widget that can be swiped to, but this disables the persistent lock screen music controls. In practice, this means that pausing music hides music controls on the lock screen, forcing you to swipe over to the music controls on the always-on screen instead of just waking and tapping the play button on the dedicated widget. Thankfully, turning off the music face widget on the always-on screen fixes this issue. Buzzwords that Buzzsaw the Experience Despite having a 3.5mm audio jack on the phone, the sound output leaves a bit to be desired. When compared to the LG G7 ThinQ or V40 ThinQ, its pretty surprising to find how much of the sound is seemingly missing from playback. Using a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter fixes the audio quality issues, making it a rather curious problem to have. Youll also find that a bigger battery doesnt necessarily mean multi-day battery life, rather just an insurance policy for getting through a full day without issue. Reverse wireless charging is also not quite the dream that some might have imagined, as it delivers too low of a voltage for charging anything other than accessories like wireless headphones, making it useless for the vast majority of people. Bixby is still the default virtual assistant, primarily called up by pressing the dedicated key on the left side of the phone. While Bixby has improved considerably since its inception 2 years ago, theres still no proper way to fully change out this virtual assistant. The first Galaxy S10 update introduced a way to launch Bixby by double-tapping the dedicated hardware key on the side, but you cant map it to Google Assistant, and cannot really turn Bixby off completely. This is a big difference from other manufacturers that provide an assistant button on the side of its phones, as those manufacturers almost all allow you to set a default assistant without hassle. As it stands, the only true way to switch this out for your favorite Bixby alternative is by downloading yet another app from the Google Play Store. The new in-glass fingerprint scanner isnt good at all, despite using completely different tech than other companies that have in-glass scanners. Its far slower and less accurate than the previous generation of dedicated fingerprint scanners and is very difficult to use without the screen turned on, as its essentially impossible to tell exactly where the scanner is on a completely dark display. As far as in-glass fingerprint scanners go, this is certainly one of the worst performers on the market. It isnt quite as bad as the scanner Samsung shipped with the Galaxy S5, but its definitely the worst one since then. Samsung allegedly plans to fix this through software but it remains to be seen how effective this will be. The worst part about having a fingerprint scanner thats less than stellar is the fact that theres no real alternative for anyone looking to have a convenient unlock method thats also secure. Face unlock is available but is easily the most insecure thing youll find, as it can be easily unlocked with a simple picture. Smarter Camera, Dumber Design Samsungs new camera software is mostly a step forward, offering tons of great ways to help suggest better shots or automatically adjust the picture via AI-based algorithms, but the UI itself is yet another step back from last year. Samsungs backward trend with camera UIs now extends to decoupling the photo and video modes, forcing users to change between dedicated photo and video modes and wait for each to load. Previous Galaxy designs had both a record and shutter button, allowing for instant photo or video capture the moment the camera launched. Now youll need to swipe and wait for the mode to load before being able to take a photo or video. The swipe-based UI is also a continued step back, something that began with the Galaxy S9 last year and continues to get worse with age. Swiping anywhere on the screen will cause an action to happen, making it far too easy to accidentally do something, especially when the entire phone is essentially a screen. This sort of design is clearly made to make things easier but, in practice, makes the experience more frustrating than just having a dedicated button. Having a swipe action and a button for toggling between the front and rear cameras is simply silly, and swiping anywhere on the viewfinder to switch modes makes it too easy to mistakenly swap modes while just trying to adjust brightness or focus. Although every other major manufacturer has delivered a compelling way to take low light shots with new software smart, Samsung has yet to debut a dedicated night mode. Samsung introduced Scene Detection in last years camera software but this inconsistent automated detection is the only way to get brighter low light photos. This new mode, called Bright Night, cannot be manually toggled and doesnt provide the quality improvement in lower light that we expect from a phone in this price range. In fact, there were plenty of times where the phone wouldnt enable the mode when it clearly should have, resulting in darker photos than need be. Its clear this mode was not ready for primetime and seems rushed to meet user demand for better low light shots. Samsungs noise reduction can still use some work, as its often times too aggressive in reducing noise, even in well-lit conditions, resulting in loss of fine details when zoomed in. This mainly seems to occur on the ultra-wide-angle camera, which has smaller pixels than the other two cameras and often has to raise ISO to bring in more light. A handful of odd quality limitations still exist as well. The new Super Steady mode can only be used up to 1080p resolution and can only be used on the main camera. Likewise, recording at 4K 60FPS is limited to the main rear camera as well, giving no option to select the telephoto or ultra-wide-angle cameras at this resolution with high frame rate. Check out the gallery to see head-to-head comparisons between the Samsung Galaxy S10, LG V40 ThinQ, Google Pixel 3, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, HONOR View20, and the Samsung Galaxy Note9. History Tends to Repeat Itself For quite some time now, Samsung has held the image of a company that makes terrific hardware but continually struggles with software excellence. While One UI is a huge step in the right direction, theres no downplaying the amount of bloatware and superlative additions that are installed out of the box, especially if youre buying the phone from a carrier like Verizon. Samsung has also made some rather curious decisions regarding hardware this time around. While a notch was heavily marketed against, Samsung is somehow OK with a nearly identically-sized chunk taken out of the screen in the form of a cutout. It also seems to have rushed the concept of an in-glass fingerprint scanner just to be the first to have an ultrasonic one, yet its clearly not a good fingerprint scanner in any sense of the word. Then, of course, is the camera which has yet to receive a proper night mode while every other major manufacturer has already jumped on this bandwagon months ago. Sure, the automatic scene detection may choose a bright night setting under certain lighting conditions, but its wildly inconsistent in the scenes that it utilizes this mode in, and the quality itself is nothing to write home about. Weve seen Samsung make many of these mistakes in the past, particularly with the fingerprint reader, and its more than a disappointment to see the company essentially going back on its marketing campaigns against the notch in favor of whats really no different than a notch in a different form. Buy Samsung Galaxy S10 Dark mode / theme is currently available in a ton of applications, but WhatsApp is not one of them. Well, according to a new report by WABetaInfo, that will change soon, as it seems like dark mode is coming to WhatsApp. The source actually managed to dig up traces of dark mode in WhatsApp Beta 2.19.82, even though the feature is not yet available in that version of the app. In version 2.19.47, WhatsApp actually redesigned all settings in the app, and theres a good reason for that, the company wanted to make everything compatible with the upcoming Dark Mode option. Dark Mode has been implemented in the beta app, but it is not yet available, you cant activate it from the app, WABetaInfo managed to do it, somehow, and the source actually shared some screenshots of WhatsApps dark mode, which you can check out in the gallery down below. Advertisement It seems like WhatsApps dark mode will not exactly be as OLED-friendly as expected, as this seems to be a dark, dark gray color, not pitch black one, but some people prefer that. In fact, it is possible that the company will give us a choice, to choose between pitch black dark mode, and what you can see in the provided screenshots. That is not as likely, but we can always hope. We are still not sure when will dark mode become available in a stable version of the app, as it is still under development. As mentioned earlier, it is not yet available in a beta build either, so chances are it will hit the beta version first, and then move to the stable one, so dont expect it to come knockin in a couple of days or anything of the sort. Dark mode everything Advertisement Many well-known applications have received dark mode in the last couple of months, and the fact that Google started pushing it to its own applications only made a number of other developers do the same. With Android 9 Pie, Google introduced its next-gen Material Design, which made the companys apps whiter than ever, as Google removed the colored top-bar in all apps that received the new design. In order to counter that, the company had opted to offer users a dark mode as well, just in case they dont prefer completely white-colored applications. Dark mode arrived on a number of Google-made apps, including YouTube, (Android) Messages, Google Phone, Google Contacts, and so on. Dark mode is also on the way for the Google Chrome, it is currently available via Chrome Canary, but it is expected to make way to the final build in the near future. Gmail is also expected to get the dark mode sometime in the future, even though Google didnt really confirm anything regarding that. Advertisement It is also worth noting that (Facebook) Messenger received the dark mode on Android not long ago, so its not surprising that dark mode is coming to WhatsApp as well, Facebook is the owner of both of those apps after all. All in all, if you like your apps to be dark, you have plenty to look forward to. UAE-based GP Global has announced ambitious plans to strengthen its international bunkering business with the addition of new supporting infrastructure, and hiring experienced industry professionals at key offices including Dubai and Singapore. With the goal of expanding the groups marine fuel business while getting ready to supply IMO 2020 compliant fuel to their customers, GP Global is leveraging their international network to ramp up its bunkering business and gear up to meet the International Maritime Organizations global 0.5 per cent fuel sulphur content. Key bunkering activities that GP Global will be focusing on include plans to increase the number of barges to boost the groups capacity to up to 100 KTPM, said a statement from the company. The group has already increased its time chartered fleet in the ARA market by three barges, giving them seven barges in total, with one of them being a specialist barge focusing on 0.86 gasoil market, it said. GP Global has also restarted its trucking business to cover fuel oil and marine gas oil in major ports in the UAE, increasing the groups market share by drawing on its assets of owning trucks and utilising tanks at the Hamriyah Terminal. Group Director Prerit Goel said: "GP Global is committed to providing bunker customers globally with compliant fuel for regulatory changes by IMO in 2020. We are prepared to offer 0.5 per cent Low Sulphur Fuel oil (LSFO) from April to our customers in major ports and at physical delivery points of Rotterdam/ARA, Fujairah and Singapore." These can help our customers plan their voyage economics and fuel compatibility for 2020 and beyond. We shall extend the availability of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) to other smaller ports where we are physical suppliers by Q4 2019 in preparation for the regulatory changes in January 2020, stated Goel. "In addition to above, our fuel delivery systems at all ports shall include high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) and marine gas oil (MGO) meeting the changing needs of our customers as we go into 2020. We are also gearing up to provide specific lubricant solutions in the major ports conforming with the changes in fuel specs over the course of a vessels voyage," he added. The company, he stated, was a global bunker supplier with operations in Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and the Far East with bunker trading offices in Rotterdam (Netherlands), London (UK), Geneva (Switzerland), Dubai (UAE), India, Singapore and Seoul (South Korea). "We are currently exploring to enter the bunker market in America and expect to supply 5 million metric tonnes of bunkers to customers globally in 2020," he added. Additionally, GP Global has announced four key appointments in Singapore namely Steve Goh, Jason Kong, Rohan Bhatia and Aaron Hong, all bunker traders. The new appointees have a proven track record in maintaining a high performing trading book. Each brings different areas of expertise to the table, Bhatia having spent the bulk of his career working European markets, Hong with experience in physical bunker operations in South East Asia, Kong a blue chip account managing specialist, and Goh with a solid reputation of integrity and reliability amongst suppliers in the region, added the statement. The team joins existing employees Nishmit Chowta and Eric Toh to form a six strong desk in Singapore, it said. In other key appointments, David Matthews has joined the London office as bunker trader, West of Suez, while Thanasis Baxevanis and David Rowland have joined the trading desk in Dubai for marine lubricants and bunker trading respectively. Two new gasoil traders, Marco Van Drom and Barbara Ammelrooij, have also joined the Rotterdam office to focus on niche gasoil business in North West Europe along with the development of greener products in line with our companys CSR programme to Go Green. The new appointments brings GP Globals bunker trader team to a total of 50, it said. With the global marine lubricants market expected to reach $9.32 billion by 2025, a focus area of growth for the company too, GP Global is looking to add more lubricant traders to its trader portfolio, it stated.-TradeArabia News Service Posted on: March 27, 2019 8:13 AM The five Christian denominations closely associated with the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) are taking part in a private consultation and public events this week to discuss how to take the document further. The JDDJ was originally agreed by the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation in 1999. The significant ecumenical text has been described as resolving the doctrinal dispute at the heart of the Reformation; and has since been adopted or affirmed by the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Methodist Council and the Anglican Consultative Council. The ACC welcomed and affirmed the substance of the JDDJ at its meeting in Lusaka in April 2016. In October 2017, on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented a signed copy of the ACC resolution to the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, Dr Martin Junge; and the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Bishop Brian Farrell, during a service in Westminster Abbey, which was also attended by the General Secretaries of the World Methodist Council, Ivan Abrahams and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Dr Chris Ferguson. This weeks meeting was agreed in June last year, after representatives of the five Christian denominations or communions met in Rome to discuss the implications of the Joint Declaration. We have now five signatories of this ecumenical declaration, LWFs Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations, Kaisamari Hintikka, said after the Rome meeting. We feel we are called to ask together what kind of spiritual and ecclesiastical consequences the JDDJ might have for our churches. We are witnessing momentum in our shared ecumenical journey. This consultation is meant to appreciate and to use that gift, which calls us to healing the wounds in the body of Christ. This consultation will be the beginning of a process that aims to respond to the aspirations of the people in the pews. We want to offer our churches recommendations in order to grow in communion. The Anglican Communions Director for Unity, Faith and Order, Canon Dr John Gibaut, was at the Rome Meeting. If the JDDJ is the key that help us unlock the core doctrinal issue from the Reformation, and the Anglican Communion, the World Methodist Council, along with the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church now laid claim together to this common key, the possibilities of opening new doors of ecumenical growth and cooperation are vast, he told ACNS after the meeting. This weeks consultation and public events are taking place at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, in the US. This 1999 document expresses a shared understanding on the nature of salvation as being by Gods grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and addresses fundamental issues that have divided Christians for centuries, the University said in a statement. The goal of the ecumenical consultation at Notre Dame is to provide recommendations for how the Christian communities that have adopted the Joint Declaration can demonstrate deeper communion with each other. An ecumenical prayer service took place last night (Tuesday) in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The service, which included music from the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, was attended by the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, as well as Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Dr Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation; Dr Jong Chun Park, President of the World Methodist Council, and Chris Ferguson, General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Tomorrow (Thursday), at 5 pm EDT (9 pm GMT), senior representatives from the five denominations will take part in a public panel discussion on the theme From Conflict to Communion: The Future of Christians Together in the World Notre Dames commitment to ecumenism is an essential dimension of our character as a Catholic university, the Universitys Vice President for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs, Gerry Olinger CSC, said. We share in Jesus prayer for unity, and we seek to build a culture of encounter which leads to greater understanding, collaboration and love. Notre Dame strongly agrees with Pope Francis when he says that ecumenism is not optional. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 52F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 46F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. The officials of Fujairah Municipality and the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands have signed an agreement in connection with the northern emirate's Sustainable Industrial Development Project - Phase Two. The deal is aimed at implementing a sustainable industrial development plan for Fujairah. The MoU was signed by Mohammed Saif Al Afkham, director-general of the Fujairah Municipality, and Ahmed Aboutaleb, mayor of Rotterdam, in the presence of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, Speaking at the signing cermony, Sheikh Hamad said Fujairah was providing all necessary facilities for the investors to support their activities, especially in the energy and environmental sustainability sectors. Lauding Aboutaleb for the deal, the Fujairah ruler said he was confident that the visit would reinforce the cooperation and friendship between the UAE and the Netherlands. Later, they discussed on ways to boost co-operation in various fields and also create economic and investment partnerships.-TradeArabia News Service The mastermind of the sedition thesis, the head of the judicial police of Spains Guardia Civil in Catalonia, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Baena, gave evidence before the Supreme Court this Tuesday. At the very start of his cross examination he revealed that the National Courts Prosecutor had ordered the Guardia Civil, acting as judicial police, to probe the independence movement as early as November 2015 following the Catalan Parliaments vote to break away from Spain on 9 November, which was subsequently overturned by the Constitutional Court on 2 December. Most of the defence teams zeroed in on this point to show that a "general case against the independence movement" was already being built. Baena repeatedly evaded the defences questions until the presiding judge eventually came to his aid. Manuel Marchena declared that the initial phases of the investigation were of no relevance to the trial. He assured Jordi Sanchez's lawyer, Ana Bernaola, that "that the evaluation of events pertaining to the initial phases of the investigation has no bearing". The Lieutenant Colonel gradually recounted the prosecutions version of events which is essentially based on his reports during the cross examination when asked about members of the public demonstrating against the police operation in Catalonia ahead of the 1 October referendum. He declared that the protests began when the first witnesses were called to give evidence at the Guardia Civil headquarters in the spring and summer of 2017, but that the "turning point" came with the macro-operation of 20 September. "The protests grew in size and the atmosphere was clearly insurrectional in nature", Baena declared, which is why he went to Catalonias Ministry of the Economy with a detachment of Guardia Civil riot officers. In response to the prosecutor, he highlighted the fact that 20 September exceeded the "predicted level of danger" since civil organisations werent expected to "call on the public" to hold a demonstration outside the building. However, in response to a question from the lawyer Andreu Van den Eynde, Baena admitted that throughout this "insurrectionary period" the independence leaders did not send "any messages calling people to act in a violent manner". On the contrary, he pointed out that, in his personal opinion, the independence movement "has made civility and pacifism its byword in innumerable demonstrations". Responding to the lawyer Ana Bernaola, he justified the fact that no arrests were made during any of the protests by stating that it was in order to "avoid greater problems". Baena described the events in Catalonia from 19 September to 28 October 2017, when direct rule was imposed, as an "insurrectionary period". In his opinion, every member of the Guardia Civil, National Police and Mossos d'Esquadra "felt as if they were facing a ticking time bomb". "Every officer with any experience in security matters was well aware that the slightest incident could trigger an uncontrollable escalation, though fortunately it didnt happen", Baena declared. However, during the cross examination the Lieutenant Colonel threw off prosecutor Consuelo Madrigal when he pointed out that the use of force was not necessary during the 20 September protest outside the ministrys HQ, in spite of what he described as an "insurrectionary atmosphere", since his officers "physical well-being" was not "seriously threatened". "I had a court order authorizing the police to use force in the event that any of my officers were physically harmed. However, there was no need to give such an order [...] since no one gained access to the ministry", Baena declared. BarcelonaOn the twenty-second day of the trial, the international observers believe that the Prosecutor's Office is deliberately equating the exercise of fundamental rights with the crime of sedition. A statement released by International Trial Watch (ITW) this Tuesday referring to the sixth week of the trial cites the example of the testimonies given by Guardia Civil officers who were responsible for the arrests on 20 September and the 1 October operation. According to ITW, "The public prosecutor questions the witnesses in such a way as to suggest that gathering to sing and shout, or showing disapproval of the polices actions are tantamount to evidence of sedition". The international observers feel that the prosecution's attitude which is tolerated by presiding judge Manuel Marchena "may have repercussions beyond the trial", since it may "discourage" demonstrations in what it refers to as a "chilling effect" (discouraging others from exercising their fundamental rights as a response to the threat of punishment or a penalty). The ITWs report on the sixth week of the trial was signed by Ernesto Moreau, Vice President of the American Association of Jurists, and Alejandro Forero, Professor in the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology at the University of Barcelona. According to the report, the only positive aspect of Manuel Marchenas performance is that he has continued to prevent the prosecutors from asking leading questions. Meanwhile, there are eight points which ITW considers worthy of further investigation. Besides the prosecutor's office attempt to criminalize the right to protest, the international observers criticize Marchena for refusing to allow video footage relating to 20 September and 1 October in order to contradict the version of events given by of certain witnesses. They also criticise Marchena for allowing certain questions to stray beyond the evidence included in the pre-trial documents, thus hampering the defences preparations for cross-examining the witnesses. According to ITW, the fact that the judge does not allow any line of questioning which deviates from areas which were proposed by the party who called the witness, is also potentially detrimental to the defendants. The lengthy sessions, the lack of information regarding the complete timetable for the trial and the fact that the events in question are simultaneously being investigated by three courts (the Supreme Court, the National Court and Barcelonas Court of Instruction number 13) are some of the other issues which the observers regard as illogical. Ajman Media City Free Zone (AMC FZ) has launched the first of its kind Media Lab which will serve as a learning and development hub for entrepreneurs, business owners and the UAE youth and future leaders alike. Since the launch of AMC FZ, we have strived to be at the forefront of innovation and the Media Lab is part of our vision and social responsibility towards business and UAE community. We are committed to give back to the community and the nation through the activities and resources, said Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, chairman of AMC FZ. The lab is designed to serve as a hub of knowledge exchange, professional development, training, partnerships, mentorship, as well as offer a co-working space which bring the dynamic and active community together. The Media lab enables us to make a significant contribution to the UAE entrepreneurial culture and support our valued stakeholders including UAE youth, our customers, and academic/learning institutions. Sheikh Abdul added: The lab is designed as a unique hub for knowledge exchange and collaboration among the entrepreneurial community and a platform for new ideas, learning and developing young leaders. Some of the key activities include collaboration with leading academic and learning institutions, creating a pool of leading academic and industry experts as mentors and offer world-class mentoring and learning opportunities for the entrepreneurs as well as young students from the community. The lab will bring the world-class mentors, industry experts in the field of new media, entrepreneurial and business skills for the benefit of UAE youth and students. Our aim is to engage young people more effectively and give them an interactive and fully connected learning space where they can interact with the mentors and experts, identify new ideas and tools, and apply new skills to advance their careers, he noted. AMCFZ is committed to developing and promoting entrepreneurship culture for our stakeholders, students and professionals. The lab offers state of the art facilities for training and learning, a dedicated co-working space and meeting spaces in a fully connect digital and modern environment. It will perfectly meet the requirements of modern business owners, industry experts, media students and young entrepreneurs, he concluded. The lab facilities include: Training and learning activities Dedicated co-working space to benefit from the synergy and social interaction with a group of like-minded professionals. A fully connect digital and modern environment and aesthetically designed meeting rooms and lounge areas. Fully equipped Sound and Movie editing studios. TradeArabia News Service Protests against the Israeli governments policies toward the West Bank and Gaza have become almost routine outside (and occasionally inside) Batshevas performances abroad. But why target a dance company? What does Batsheva have to do with Israels geopolitical conflicts? Brian Schaefer wonders if that isnt like protesting Trumps policies at a U.S. companys tour dates. Dance Magazine The jazz bands of the United States military services have long histories of impressive achievement. There are high levels of musicianship in the big jazz bands of the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. Now and then, Rifftides samples performances by these service bands. Frequently, established name musicians from civilian life join them in concert as featured soloists. Lets see and hear the veteran Los Angeles trombonist Andy Martin with the US Air Forces Airmen Of Note. In this 2012 concert in Washington, DC, Martin is preceded in solos by Airmen Of Note trombonist Ben Patterson and trumpeter Dave McDonald. Martins closing cadenza includes notes so high they may have been illegal. Andy Martin with the Airmen Of Note. To find Airmen Of Note albums, click here. 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. UAE-based Omniyat Group said the construction work on the debut property of global ultra-luxury hospitality brand Dorchester Collection in the Middle East is well on schedule, with works expected to be completed by end of 2020. The project was first launched by the company at its exquisite gala dinner held under the DIFC gates in March last year, said a statement from the company. For this bespoke project, both Omniyat and Dorchester Collection are working with some of the biggest names in the architecture and design sector, including Foster and Partners and Gilles & Boissier. The highly anticipated development includes a residential component comprising 39 exclusive signature apartments expected to be ready for invite only viewing later this year. In addition to the construction of its first property in the region, Dorchester Collection will also manage One at Palm Jumeirah, Omniyats ultra-luxurious residential tower located on Palm Jumeirah and home to the most expensive penthouse in Dubai, sold for Dh102 million. Omaniyat CEO and Executive Chairman Mahdi Amjad said: "This partnership with Dorchester Collection has been a monumental milestone for Omniyat. Our curated partnership with world renowned designers and architects will showcase a signature experience that combines great hospitality with exceptional design in Dubais most prestigious address on the banks of Dubai Canal." "This project is a testament to our commitment in bringing the best in class to Dubais ever-expanding Skyline," he stated. Dorchester Collections debut in the UAE property will join the companys portfolio of world-famous hotels in locations including London, Rome, Beverly Hills and Paris, said it top official. "We are delighted with the construction progress of our first hotel in the UAE," remarked CEO Christopher Cowdray. "We look forward to welcoming it to Dorchester Collection's collection of landmark hotels and bringing our world-famous standards of hospitality, care and attention to detail to guests from across the region and beyond," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The ratings agency Moody's has confirmed the Baa3 issuer ratings of PFC and REC. The ratings of the two companies were put under review on December 13, 2018, following the announcement that PFC will acquire the government's stake in REC. New Delhi: Global rating agency Moody's on Wednesday confirmed Baa3 ratings and retained stable outlook of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and ural Electrification Corporation (REC) Ltd on the expectation the deal between the two companies will conclude soon. Last week, state-owned PFC had said it will acquire the entire 52.63 per cent shares of the government in REC for Rs 14,500 crore by the month-end. The rating agency has confirmed the Baa3 issuer ratings of PFC and REC. "With all necessary approvals in place, we expect this transaction to conclude in the near term, possibly before the end of March 2019," Moody's said in a note. The ratings of the two companies were put under review on December 13, 2018, following the announcement that PFC will acquire the government's stake in REC. The acquisition will weaken PFC's capital levels as it is buying the government's stake in REC without raising any equity. It, however, said the internal capital generation during the next two years will help to partially rebuild the company's capital. The expectation of sufficient profitability to allow for some rebuilding of capital is based on the assumption that PFC and REC have now classified the bulk of their stressed loans as stage 3 loans. While some increase in coverage levels may be required, profitability will remain a key credit strength for the two companies, it said. "As the resolutions of some of the stressed loans come through, it will boost profitability as the proportion of interest-earning assets will increase," it said. The report said PFC's strategic importance to the government will further increase upon completion of the acquisition, as the combined entity will become the biggest non-bank finance entity in which the government holds a controlling stake. The rating agency said it continues to build in a high level of extraordinary support from the government, leading to the confirmation of the PFC's final rating at Baa3 by incorporating a three-notch uplift to its Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA). While REC will no longer be directly owned by the government, the government will continue to exercise control over it through PFC, it said. "It remains strategically important to the power sector and its role in implementing key central government policy initiatives in the power sector will remain unchanged. "We expect REC will continue to receive extraordinary government support when needed, although such support will flow through its parent PFC," the report said. The appellate tribunal had directed to list the matter on April 29 for next hearing. MCA had said that the impleadment of the additional respondents, including Usha Ananthasubramanian, was essential because they all are necessary and proper parties. New Delhi: Former Punjab National Bank (PNB) managing director and CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian has approached the NCLAT against the NCLT Mumbai-bench order, which made her a respondent in the PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case. A two-member bench headed by Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya issued notice to the Ministry of the Corporate Affairs over her plea. Earlier on January 31, 2019, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had made her a party in the ongoing matter of PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case by accepting the Centre's request to implead her. The appellate tribunal had directed to list the matter on April 29 for next hearing. In its application before the Mumbai NCLT, the MCA had said that the impleadment of the additional respondents, including Usha Ananthasubramanian, was essential because they all are necessary and proper parties. The 28-year-old actor said, he is trying to understand himself better by connecting to his heritage. New York: British-Indian actor Dev Patel has revealed he is tired of being criticised for "stealing" roles from "real" Indian actors. The 28-year-old actor, who was born in London to parents from Gujarat, India, said he is trying to understand himself better by connecting to his heritage. "I get flak sometimes because people will say, 'Why aren't they giving these roles to a real Indian?' I wonder, What does that even mean? The only way I can converse with my grandparents is in Gujarati. Does that make me real enough? Or am I only allowed to witness the moments of prejudice and racism going through airports? Is that the only bit that I'm allowed of the culture? "The truth is I'm trying to understand myself better and my heritage, to figure things out, in the movie choices I make. That's been the greatest thing for me in going to India repeatedly," Patel told San Francisco Chronicle. The "Lion" star previously confessed he "reconnected" with his Indian roots when he starred in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire". In 2016, he later said that he could never really fit in as the locals "could smell the foreigner on me". Rahul also said PM Modi promised to transfer Rs 15 lakh to every bank account but did not keep promise. Rahul went on to say that his party consulted all big economists, without telling anyone, without giving any speeches on Nyay. (Photo: File) Jaipur: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said his party consulted "big economists" including former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan before it came up with the idea of minimum guaranteed income to the poorest 20 per cent households in the country. Addressing a meeting of his party workers at the Ramlila ground here, Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to transfer Rs 15 lakh to every bank account but did not keep the promise. "We thought it was a good idea...Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts. But the promise was not fulfilled by Modi. We started our work six months back to make such a thing reality," he said. He went on to say that his party consulted "all big economists, without telling anyone, without giving any speeches" on the Nyuntam Aay Yojana or Nyay. "We were engaged in this work for six months. Take the list of all big economists of the world, we consulted them...Raghuram Rajan...one by one," he said. "First thing, we came to know was that there should be a minimum income line. We calculated and the result was that the minimum income line should be Rs 12,000 per month," he said. He attacked the BJP, saying it wants a Congress-free India but the Congress will fight it with love and defeat it. "Ek baar tukka lag gaya 2014 mein, wo alag baat hai (By chance they won in 2014. That was a fluke). Look at Indian history. Whoever spreads hate loses and one who spreads love wins," he said. Gandhi said his party will fulfil the promise of minimum guaranteed income to the poor. On Monday, Gandhi had announced in New Delhi that Rs 72,000 per year will be given as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if his party is voted to power in Lok Sabha polls, and asserted it will be the "final assault" on poverty. Gandhi had said 20 per cent or five crore families belonging to the poorest category with monthly income less than Rs 12,000 would come under the scheme. On Tuesday, he said that if his party comes to power, young entrepreneurs will not require any permission for first three years for running a business, unlike under the Modi government, which he alleged, mandates various permissions and bribe is demanded for granting them. "Just start your business and after three years, take whatever permission is required," he said. Gandhi said truth is the weapon for Congress workers. India has now became the 4th such nation to develop such capability after USA, Russia and China. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had joined the elite club of space powers by shooting down a low-earth orbit satellite with an anti-satellite missile (ASAT). In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today something all of us should be proud of. We are not just capable to defend on land, water and air, but now also in spa-ce. I congratulate all scientists who have made this possible and made India a mu-ch stronger nation, the Prime Min-ister said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on televisi-on, radio and social media to announce the success of what he called Mission Shakti. Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 km away in space, in low-earth orbit. India has made an unprecedented achievement today. India registered its name as a space power, Mr Modi said in his address, and asserted that the action was not directed against any country and that the satellite was a predetermined target. The ASAT missile test, conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisat-ion (DRDO) from the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha, gives India the rare capability to cause havoc to an enemy country by disrupting its telecom network, Internet services, GPS crucial for navigation of ships in seas, financial system and radars. It also gives India the ability to destroy spy satellites and disrupt an enemy nations capability to launch missiles and drone attacks on the country by blinding them. Moreover, it will provide deterrence against any attempt by any nation to hit Indian satellites in space through long-range missiles. The entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power. It will make India stron-ger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony, Mr Modi said, and added India is the fourth country to have tested such an anti-satellite weapon after the United States, Russia and China. The test provides the technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles crucial for Indias security as it is surrounded by two hostile nuclear states Pakistan and China which have well-developed missile systems. China had demonstrated this capability first time in 2007 and India needed to create a deterrent to save its growing space assets. It was also important for India to conduct the test soon, as there is a fear that the United Nations may ban such tests and India would have been out of the club of nations which have such technologies. A DRDO-developed ballistic missile defence (BMD) interceptor missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in low-earth orbit in a hit to kill mode. The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. Tracking data from range sensors has confirmed that the mission met all its objectives, said DRDO. DRDO chairman G. Satheesh Reddy said the clearance for the anti-satellite missile project was given over two years back. India has had the capability to destroy satellites since 2012 when it conducted the first test of the inter-continental ballistic missile Agni-5 with a range of over 5,000 km. Wednesdays test required an extremely high degree of precision and technical capability as the missile had to hit the satellite which was moving at a very high speed. India said the test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks, DRDO said. This is important as in the past China was criticised for creating space debris when it had tested anti-satellite missile as it threatened satellites of other countries moving in their orbits. Through this test India, is not in violation of any international law or treaty. India said it has no intention of entering an arms race in outer space. We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. We are against the weaponisation of outer space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets, said the government. It said India supported UNGA resolution 69/32 on no first placement of weapons on outer space. The Prime Minister had advertised his address to the nation on Twitter, calling it an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media, he said, setting off speculation across the country on what the topic was likely to be. Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security had met at the PMs residence. The Opposition parties crtiticised the announcement that came a fortnight before the start of the general election. Some parties have appealed to the Election Commission to examine any possible violation of the model code of conduct that is in force. The commission has set up a committee of officers to examine the matter immediately. Earlier, EC sources had indicated that announcements related to security matters would not violate the code. The last time that Prime Minister Modi had addressed the nation so suddenly was on November 8, 2016, when he announced demonetisation. He had also addressed the nation on December 31 that year as the 50-day deadline to deposit or exchange the scrapped notes came to an end. The ED officer will carry the latest charge sheet filed by the agency against Modis wife and the recent attachments made by it in the case. New Delhi: A joint CBI-Enforcement Directorate (ED) team will soon leave for London to assist local authorities in the extradition case of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi whose bail plea will come for hearing before a court there on Friday. According to sources a Joint Director-level officer each from the CBI and the ED have been deputed to leave for London Wednesday with relevant documents pertaining to the case. The ED officer will carry the latest charge sheet filed by the agency against Modis wife and the recent attachments made by it in the case. The Indian officials will meet various officers of that country, including those from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and brief them about the charges and fresh evidence against Modi, his family and others in connection with the case. The 48-year-old diamantaire is accused of swindling over 2 billion USD from state-run Punjab National Bank in collusion with his uncle Mehul Choksi. He was spotted living in an upscale locality in London by a newspaper based in the UK. Nirav Modi was later arrested on the basis of the extradition request of India and a Red Corner notice (RCN) issued against him on the request of the CBI last year. He was produced before the Westminster Magistrates Court last week, wherein he contested his extradition to India. District judge Marie Mallon denied bail to Nirav and remanded him in custody till March 29, saying there was substantial grounds to believe that he would fail to surrender if granted bail. UK home secretary Sajid Javid had certified Indias extradition request for the fugitive diamantaire earlier this month, triggering the legal process. Following this, no meetings of the party could be conducted in Gandhi Bhawan due to the scarcity of seating arrangements. Congress lawmaker Abdul Sattar took away about 300 chairs from the Gandhi Bhawan. (Photo: ANI) Aurangabad: Congress lawmaker Abdul Sattar took away about 300 chairs from the Gandhi Bhawan (party office) here on Tuesday after he was denied a ticket for contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Following this, no meetings of the party could be conducted in Gandhi Bhawan due to the scarcity of seating arrangements. Chairs had to be brought in from the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Congress (ABKC) office. "Today we got to know that someone has taken chairs from the Gandhi Bhawan and hence there were no seating arrangements here so we brought these chairs from the ABKC office so that meetings can go seamlessly," Mohammed Usmani, ABKC chief told media. The seven-phased Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19. Maharashtra will go to polls in the first four phases, beginning April 11. Results of the polls will be declared on May 23. The Congress has sharply reacted to the merger. Legislators Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar gave a letter to merge the MGP legislature party with the BJP to officiating Goa Assembly Speaker Michael Lobo at 1:45 am. (Photo: ANI) Panaji: Two of the three MGP MLAs in Goa early Wednesday merged their party's legislative wing with the BJP, which now has 14 legislators in the 40-member state assembly. Legislators Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar gave a letter to merge the MGP legislature party with the BJP to officiating Goa Assembly Speaker Michael Lobo at 1:45 am. However, Sudin Dhavalikar, the third Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA, has not signed the letter. While Ajgaonkar is tourism minister, Dhavalikar is a deputy chief minister in the BJP-led state government in Goa. As two out of the three MLAs have merged the legislative wing, they are saved from inviting anti-defection law, which makes it mandatory that two-third of the strength should agree for the merger. The legislators broke away from the MGP and formed a group, MGP (two) on Tuesday. They have now merged the legislative unit with the BJP. Lobo confirmed that he received the letter at 1:45 am from both the MLAs for merging their legislature party with the BJP. The signature of Dhavalikar is not there in the letter, he said. The mid-night political drama has increased the strength of the BJP from 12 to 14 in the 40-member House, bringing them on par with opposition Congress which has an equal number of MLAs on the floor. The MGP is an alliance partner of the BJP in Goa since 2012. Pawaskar said the resolution to split from the MGP and create another faction was taken by him and Ajgaonkar at 5 pm Tuesday. "After adopting the resolution, we approached Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with the letter, who instructed us to submit it to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo," he told PTI. The letter was finally handed over to Lobo at 1:45 am Wednesday, Pawaskar said. The decision to split the legislature party and merge it with the BJP was taken "in the interest of the people", the MLA said. "People from my constituency wanted that I should join BJP. We were also resigned to the fact that we could not take the MGP forward in the state," Pawaskar said. He claimed that he would get a ministerial berth in the Pramod Sawant-led Cabinet. Sawant is expected to drop Dhavalikar from the Cabinet later Wednesday, a senior official from the Chief Minister's Office said. Dhavalikar is likely to be replaced by Pawaskar. MGP is an ally of the BJP in the Pramod Sawant government with all the three MLAs supporting him along with legislators from Goa Forward Party and Independents. Sawant, who faced floor test last week after the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, was supported by 20 MLAs as against 15 from the opposition. The political development came, hours after MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar, had threatened to withdraw from Sawant-led government citing conspiracy. Speaking to PTI, he on Tuesday alleged that one of his party's officer-bearers was "made to issue a letter" to the governor and speaker declaring authority over the entire legislative affairs of the outfit. Dipak Dhavalikar said the MGP central committee would meet on Wednesday afternoon to chalk out its future course of action, which, he claimed, can decide the fate of the state government. Congress has sharply reacted to the merger. "BJP has proved that it is a threat to all its allies," Congress's Goa chief spokesman Sunil Kawthankar said. "This is a clear indication to all NDA partners all over the country just before Lok Sabha election that any partnership with BJP will be detrimental to the existence of their own party," he added. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for, she told reporters. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Actor Urmila Matondkar Wednesday joined the Congress after meeting party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. The Bollywood actor is speculated to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency. Matondkar said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. She said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. "Today is a significant day for me as I have formally entered politics. My life has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi from the days of my childhood," she also said. Matondkar also lauded the leadership of Gandhi. She said he is the one who takes everyone along and such a leader is required in today's times. Surjewala said the actor met Gandhi and expressed her solidarity in the Congress ideals and principles. "She has been an inspiration for the youth on how with your hard work, commitment and talent, she has won the hearts of many and achieved a lot," Surjewala said. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Milind Deora and his predecessor Sanjay Nirupam were also present during her joining and both welcomed her into the party fold. d wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. Slovakia's ice church uniqueness draws a lot of tourists and is a hotspot for destination weddings. Sculptors flock to the Slovak Tatra mountain hamlet of Hrebienok every winter to build an ice version of a famous church. (Photo: AFP) Rome: A young nun breathes deeply as she peers up at a statue of an angel bathed in softly coloured light streaming through a church, and as she exhales, you can see her breath. Instead of wood or bricks and mortar, this chilly house of worship perched among the snowy peaks of Slovakia's High Tatra Mountains has been built from massive crystal-clear blocks of ice. "It's so good for your soul; it provides you with tranquillity," she whispers. "All of nature is inside and around this temple," she adds, gazing at the surrounding alpine vistas. Englishman Martin, who declined to give his surname, describes it as a "beautiful, religious place, so peaceful and calm". Since 2013, ice sculptors have flocked to the Slovak Tatra mountain hamlet of Hrebienok every winter to build a Tatra Ice Temple, or scaled-down replica of a famous church using only crystal-clear ice blocks. This year, it's an 11 metre (36-foot) tall version of the 16th-century Vatican basilica, complete with the imposing two half-circle wings of Bernini's colonnade. A quarter of a million tourists last year took the short funicular ride up the mountain to see the ice replica of Barcelona's soaring and intricate Sagrada Familia. A team of 16 sculptors from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Wales and the United States worked 12 hours a day for a month to create this year's ice temple. On Sundays, the venue vibrates with the sounds of sacred music concerts. "I'm glad to see people crossing themselves and praying inside," says Slovak chief sculptor Adam Bakos. The interior boasts sculptures modelled on the works of Italian masters side-by-side with those of chamois, marmots and other wildlife native to the High Tatras. "I gave them a free hand with the decoration, so each artist added their signature style to the sculptures," Bakos said. Slovak-Greek artist Achilleas Sdoukos designed and produced stained-glass decorations incorporated into the temple's icy walls. With an unusually warm winter threatening to melt details on their sculpture, Bakos and his team covered it with a geodesic dome, measuring 25 metres in diameter. They also installed refrigeration units to ensure a bone-chilling minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) to keep the ice solid. "Cold wind was blowing in our faces from the AC (air conditioning) all day long. "It was like a chopper ride in January. "Once we were done, I didn't even want to open the freezer at home anymore," he jokes. More than 15 carpenters helped sculptors with the demanding task of stacking the ice blocks, each weighing 125 kilogrammes (275 pounds). "It took us more time to stack the blocks than to carve them," Bakos said. "Ice is also an extremely fragile material, you must be very gentle with it or details tend to fall off. We used only water to glue the pieces together," he said. Visiting the ice temple is free. It is funded by the Tatra tourism organisation, the transport and construction ministry and other partners. Only cold air and water are used to maintain the ice church. "It is not only that visitors touch the walls of the temple, they also breathe out warm air and come in sipping hot tea," Kromka said. When winter is over, the ice structure is smashed to pieces, the cooling system switched off and the ice carried outside to melt on the ground. Open annually from November until late April, the ice temple is also becoming a hotspot for destination weddings. She is also convinced that ice temple weddings lead to long, lucky unions. "Thanks to that huge amount of ice, I believe that marriages entered into here will be preserved and last forever." TCN News The womens leadership summit, 2019 scheduled for 3 days from 26th March to 28th March that began yesterday at the Aligarh Muslim University was disrupted by the male students. Around 40 to 50 male students created a commotion shouting slogans and holding placards that read Arfa Go back . And they even stopped Arfa Khanum from speaking at the summit. Support TwoCircles When the women students tried to stop them they got more agitated and used foul language and then began tearing down the posters and burning the banners. Arfa Khanum is one of the distinguished speakers invited for the summit along with other women leaders like Arundhati Roy, Teesta Setalvad, Vrinda Grover among others. The reason cited by the students for causing the commotion and disrupting an event that was first of its kind, organized by the undergraduate women students of the university in the Kennedy Complex, is a tweet by reputed journalist of The Wire Arfa Khanum. She has in her tweet, greeted Holi quoting Bulle Shah, the Sufi poet of Punjab. Here is her tweet: But many women students feel the tweet is only a pretext to disturb the summit, the real reason is that the ego of the male students has been hurt because the summit was very well organized and drew a lot of praise from many participants and faculty. Also that the summit was organized in the main section of the University campus and was star studded without any corporate sponsorship which might have sparked a sense of jealousy. The male students also demanded that the women students hold the summit in the womens college campus which also in a way meant that they felt their space was invaded. They even dismantled the canopy thus forcing the summit to be carried out in the womens section of the University. No one from the administration of the University intervened to stop this chaos. And it is alleged that the group of students led by the vice president of the AMU students union had the backing of the AMU administration. The women students complained to the administration of the University but no action has been taken yet. Meanwhile the Leadership Summit has been moved to the womens college campus of the AMU where it is in progress for the 2nd day . Trump signed a directive in February to start the process of creating a new branch of the military dedicated to handling threats in space. Proponents of Trumps plan have said it would make the Pentagon more efficient and lead to real reform of a national security area where the United States faces threats from Russia and China. (Photo:AP) The chairman of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee strongly criticised President Donald Trumps plans for a new Space Force on Monday, setting the stage for a battle over one of Trumps favourite initiatives. Trump signed a directive in February to start the process of creating a new branch of the military dedicated to handling threats in space, which has become an applause line at the Republican presidents campaign rallies. Legislation to create the branch requires congressional approval. Proponents of Trumps plan have said it would make the Pentagon more efficient and lead to real reform of a national security area where the United States faces threats from Russia and China. But Adam Smith, the Armed Services panels Democratic chairman, said Trumps proposal would create a top-heavy bureaucracy, including two new four-star generals and a new Air Force undersecretary. He also said it requested an almost unlimited seven-year funding transfer authority that seeks to change existing laws without a detailed plan or analysis. I hoped that President Trump and DoD (Department of Defense) would exercise careful consideration and develop a realistic path forward, Smith said in a statement. However, the details of the Space Force proposal sent to Congress by the president are highly problematic. Smith said he would look at other potential legislative options regarding the Space Force. Representatives for the Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The European Commission on Tuesday ignored US calls to ban Huawei across the bloc. EU countries will have to assess the cybersecurity risks by June. Deutsche Telekom is open to exchanging data with other operators to improve network security as the industry moves towards super-fast 5G technology, the head of its European business said on Tuesday. Telecoms network security has become a hot political issue after the United States alleged that equipment supplied by Chinas Huawei could be used by Beijing for spying and urged allies to shun the company. Huawei strongly rejects the allegations. The European Commission on Tuesday ignored US calls to ban Huawei across the bloc, saying that EU nations would instead be required to share data on 5G cybersecurity risks and produce measures to tackle them by the end of the year. EU countries will have to assess the cybersecurity risks by June. That will then form the basis for an EU-wide assessment, ultimately leading to certification standards and tests of products or suppliers considered to pose risks. There is nothing more important for our industry than ensuring the security of the networks we operate in, said Srini Gopalan at the launch of a 5G pioneer network in the Austrian capital of Vienna. The German companys T-Mobile Austria is one of three major telecoms operators in the Alpine country. We would like to do everything productive and positive to enhance that. The telecoms industry sees 5G as the next big moneyspinner, with its promise to link up everything from vehicles to household devices. Austria, an EU laggard for fast broadband connections, wants to become a 5G pioneer in Europe. It is among the first EU countries to auction 5G licenses and aims to have 5G services available on main traffic routes by the end of 2023, with virtually nationwide coverage by the end of 2025. Austrias flagship telecoms group A1 has picked Nokia as its partner for building 5G mobile networks. Deutsche Telekom currently relies on several suppliers, including Huawei, for its network equipment and is reviewing its procurement strategy after Washingtons allegations. We have today multiple vendors including Huawei, Nokia and Ericsson in our networks, Gopalan said. When I said we are reviewing our procurement - what we are reviewing is the mix of that. Deutsche Telekom said it would invest 1 billion euros (USD 1.1 billion) by 2021 to build its 5G network in Austria and went live on Tuesday with 25 next-generation mobile network transmission stations across the country. The third major mobile telecoms provider in Austria, Chinese group Hutchisons Drei Austria, on Tuesday said it would work with Chinese equipment maker ZTE Corp in the first phase of 5G network expansion, which will mainly speed up data services in densely populated areas. For the next phase, which will provide the data rates needed for self-driving cars, Drei Austria will issue a tender, for which Huawei could apply, Chief Executive Jan Trionow said. Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan was a strong proponent of the United Nations resolution on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space. Islamabad: Pakistan said on Wednesday that it was against the militarisation of outer space, hours after Indias announcement of shooting down a live satellite with a missile - a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena, Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement. He said Pakistan was a strong proponent of the United Nations resolution on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space. Boasting of such capabilities (to destroy satellite) is reminiscent of Don Quixotes tilting against windmills, he said, referring to Indias test. We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space, Faisal said, without naming any country. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. University of Houston Health 2 Building A joint initiative between the University of Houston (UH) and Lone Star Circle of Care (LSCC) will enhance access to quality health care services in Houston. A community-based Federally Qualified Health Center at the University of Houston will open on Monday, April 1, 2019 to provide high-quality, comprehensive primary and behavioral health care services to South Central Houston residents. Located in the Health 2 Building, temporary home of the new UH College of Medicine, the center amplifies LSCCs and UHs commitment to health integration, improved health outcomes and improved quality of life in underserved communities including the Third Ward. The need for accessible and affordable primary and behavioral health care services is substantial in South Central Houston. Data suggests area residents experience higher percentages of chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension than the Greater Houston population. Access to a health care home is the first step in addressing health disparities to prevent, treat, and manage physical and behavioral health-related conditions. Lone Star Circle of Care at the University of Houston will have family medicine, pediatric, and behavioral health teams ready to serve. LSCC is excited to advance a model of care at the University of Houston that combines our Federally Qualified Health Centers innovation and expertise with underserved populations with the academic and clinical acumen of an innovative powerhouse like the University of Houston, said Rhonda Mundhenk, CEO of LSCC. Furthermore, partnering with the University of Houston on campus allows student learners to engage firsthand in improving the health of the Third Ward while training in an advanced clinical environment, and to directly engage in reducing health inequalities in the community where the University sits. Lone Star Circle of Care at the University of Houston joins a network of LSCC clinics known for high-quality, integrated care in which physical and behavioral health needs are met simultaneously within one clinical system. Patients are co-managed by LSCCs medical and behavioral health providers through shared electronic health records. This integrated care approach is the foundation of the UH College of Medicine, focused on preparing more primary care physicians to address a nationwide shortage. Faculty from the medical school and other health related disciplines will work as clinicians in the new health center where primary and behavioral health providers will be housed within the same location to foster coordinated patient-centered care. Working with an established Federally Qualified Health Center like Lone Star Circle of Care will allow for federal reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid and will charge on a sliding scale for patients without insurance, ultimately helping more people receive care. This aligns perfectly with our mission to impact the health of the region, said Dr. Stephen J. Spann, vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the UH College of Medicine. This center also offers a valuable teaching opportunity for medical, nursing, social work, pharmacy, clinical psychology, optometry and even law students to observe a new kind of care under supervision of trained, licensed practitioners. Lone Star Circle of Care at the University of Houston is located in the Health 2 Building, 4849 Calhoun Road, Suite 1001A, Houston, Texas 77204-6066. To schedule an appointment, new patients may call 1-877-800-5722. Most insurances and public programs are accepted. For patients with no insurance, a sliding fee scale based on household income and size is available. For those who qualify, LSCC can assist with enrollment in Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace, SNAP and other programs. A public ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house, including members of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, LSCC, UH and dignitary and community leaders will be announced at a later date. Founded in 2001 in Georgetown, Texas, Lone Star Circle of Care (LSCC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center providing exceptional and accessible patient centered healthcare for our Texas neighbors. LSCC currently serves more than 85,000 patients, providing adults, seniors, and children with primary care, womens health and OB/GYN, psychiatry and behavioral health, general dentistry, optometry and pharmacy services. LSCC is a registered 501(c)3 Texas nonprofit corporation. For more information visit www.lonestarcares.org The appointment comes shortly after the firm further built up its real estate team in Brisbane with the appointment of Judd Last as partner. He adds to Piper Alderman more than 10 years experience in bet-the-company litigation. He has a particular focus on complex, multi-party, multi-jurisdictional disputes and has extensive experience in litigating in a broad range of sectors, which include financial services, energy and resource, construction, insolvency, and class action, Piper Alderman said. A seasoned trial lawyer both in Australia and beyond, del Gallego has appeared before the Supreme Court of Western Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Federal Court of Australia, and the High Court of Australia, as well as the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the BVI, and St Lucia. After litigating away from my home jurisdiction for seven years, the decision to return to the firm where it all began for me was an easy one, del Gallego said. I am delighted to be joining the partnership and to work alongside the firms excellent practitioners, many of whom I was fortunate enough to have been mentored by as a junior lawyer. He said Piper Alderman is doing brilliant work, has developed important relationships with key clients in Sydneys burgeoning litigation market. He will be working closely with partners Florian Ammer, Anne Freeman, Gordon Grieve, and Simon Morris on complex representative proceedings, funded litigation, and international disputes. Holding Redlich tapped its leadership team, as well as its property and real estate, construction and infrastructure, and environment and sustainability practices, to help raise money on Monday night to help people in need. The national firm raised $28,000 for the 2019 CEO CookOff, which will benefit food security-focused charity OzHarvest, through donations from the firms clients, friends, and staff, as well as from staff-led fundraising initiatives. More than 200 CEOs and industry leaders joined forces with 50 professional chefs for the annual event. The group prepared and served meals for 1,400 people in need and raised $2,680,536 to setting a record for the event. NVH First things first, what sort of firepower does the Sonata pack? The next-generation engine family called Smartstream Powertrain borrows the nomenclature from the 1.6 CRDi that Hyundai introduced in Europe on the mid-cycle refresh of the i30. The Sonata, however, relies on the 1.6-liter T-GDI and the 2.5-liter GDI outside of South Korea.In the automakers domestic market, South Korea-spec models will be offered with two versions of the 2.0-liter GDI. One of them develops 158 horsepower while the hybridized option is rated at 144 horsepower. The 1.6 and 2.5, on the other hand, are good for 180 horsepower and 190 horsepower, with torque rated at 194 pound-feet and 180 pound-feet, respectively.Hyundai hasnt confirmed if the 2.5 GDI is part of the Theta III family . First-drive reviews of the Sonata, however, suggest the four-cylinder engine is a reworked version of the 2.4 GDI from the Theta II family. Even more curiously, Hyundai hasnt confirmed the Sonata Hybrid for the U.S. market, at least not for the time being.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we can all agree the Sonata is more interesting than the preceding generation both inside and out. Improvedcomplements more driving-assist features than ever before, as well as high-tech systems such as the Digital Key.Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, Safety Exit Assist, Surroudn View Monitor, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, Remote Smart Parking Assist, theres a lot to like about the eighth-generation Sonata. A 12.3-inch digital instrment cluster and 10-3-inch touchscreen are two more highlights, complemented by a 12-speaker Bose Premium sound system with Centerpoint and Surround Stage technologies.With third-generation vehicle platform, Hyundai refers to reduced weight, improved fuel efficiency, and stronger durability. The lower center of gravity also promises superior handling in the twisties. Starting with the new Sonata model, Hyundai will gradually expand the use of the new platform in order to provide joy of driving and comfort to the customers, declared Fayez Abdul Rahman, vice president of the Architecture Group. CFRP First things first, why hasnt BMW decided on the future of the i3? That might have something to do with the materials used for the electric hatchback, which include expensive stuff such as carbon fiber. Theres also the matter of electric vehicle technology, which isnt on par with the Bavarian automakers ambitions for the iX3 and beyond. Manager Magazine understands from Klaus Frohlich the i2 would use more conventional materials such as high-strength steel and aluminum, bringing the price down in comparison to. The publication also gives 2024 as the year when the i2 will roll out, costing less than 30,000 euros.Let that sink in for a minute. Thats $33,755 at the current exchange rate. If were to compare the potential pricing to the Nissan Leaf, the BMW would cost much less (36,800 in Germany, $29,990 in the United States before the $7,500 federal tax credit). Given this information, theres no denying that Manager Magazine and Klaus Frohlich are wishful thinking.Given the lack of information in regard to the i2, a publication going by the name of Suddeutsche Zeitung understands that BMW and Daimler are holding talks over a common platform. Or more! The next decade will be all-important for electric vehicles, and if BMW plans to cut development costs of the i2 with the help of Mercedes-Benz, then were guessing this is the reason for the mystery surrounding the sub-i3 model.BMW and Daimler recently decided to merge their car sharing services , but their collaboration goes further than that. Components such as belt retractors are also co-developed by the German automakers.Last, but certainly not least, Manager Magazine expects BMW to forego the tall profile of the i3 in favor or a lower, sloping roofline. Could this translate to a sedan or coupe? Only time will tell. SUV Lets start with electrification. The Fiesta Hybrid and Focus Hybrid are the culprits of this category, combining the 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo with a belt-driven integrated starter/generator. Both models are mild hybrids, and Ford isnt the only automaker playing hooky with the nomenclature of electrified models.Take Bentley as a prime example with the Bentayga Hybrid and Lincoln with the Aviator Hybrid. Both are plug-in hybrids despite what their exterior badging, and we cant help but blame marketing for this mess-up. Oh, and lets not forget the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid thats a plug-in hybrid with Toyota know-how from the Prius Prime.As far as commercial vehicles are concerned, Go Further in the Netherlands is the venue where Ford will announce mild-hybrid powertrains for the Transit and Tourneo. The two-tonne van, Transit Custom, and Tourneo Custome with eight and nine seats are the models in question.news? Opinions are polarized at best, but Ford is believed to use Go Further to reveal the all-new Kuga . Known as the Escape in the United States, the compact crossover will switch to the C2 vehicle architecture of the 2019 Focus. The Lincoln equivalent called Corsair will debut in April at the New York Auto Show as the replacement for the MKC.A small UV could premiere or be teased at the event too, but dont get your hopes up for a replacement for the EcoSport. The subcompact crossover has a few more years to prove itself, and the newcomer could join the EcoSport at the Craiova plant in Romania.As far as segment is concerned, the yet-unnamed model (could be called Puma) would slot between the EcoSport and Kuga. Thats subcompact-ish in the same sense as the Volkswagen T-Roc, bridging the gap between the T-Cross and Tiguan in the German automakers lineup. Even the British public has concerns related to Brexit and the automotive industry, but in the long run, Honda prepares to streamline operations as much as possible. On a yearly basis, the South Marston site churns out 150,000 vehicles out of a worldwide total of 5.3 million.The restructuring will see the Civic Hatchback switch over to North America. Production of the Civic Sedan at Honda Turkiye A.S., on the other hand, will stop in 2021 too. The automaker is open to constructive dialogue with the Turkish stalkeholders, be we wouldnt keep out hopes up for a miracle. After all, the Kocaeli Province-based manufacturing plant has an output of 38,000 cars per year, too few to justify the costs.Turning out attention back to the United Kingdom, its understood that BMW is interested in Swindon. Taking the factory from Honda would help the German automakers production output from a regional standpoint, but theres also the matter of export. Portsmouth is 85 miles away from the plant, and the United States is not that far either by container ship. The Guardian , citing a source with knowledge of the matter, reports that theres been some interest for some time in Swindon. British media and European reports put the X1 at the forefront of the deal, a compact crossover that shares much of its underpinnings with the MINI Countryman.On the other hand, the Unite trade union and the government are understood to be focusing their lobbying efforts on persuading Honda to U-turn on its decision. When asked about the mystery at hand, a spokesman from BMW replied that there are currently no plans for additional plant locations in the UK.A no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the British automotive sector, but nevertheless, BMW has a lot of time to decide whats what by 2021, and so does Honda. Together with this announcement, Horacio Pagani himself set foot in Manila for the very first time. The founder is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first ever model the Zonda C12 after launching it at the 1999 Geneva International Motor Show. During his time in Manila, Pagani told his personal story as well as how Pagani Automobili came to be, giving us an idea as to why their vehicles cost a whole lot more than your "run-of-the-mill" supercar. Pagani Automobili is possibly one of the most highly coveted hypercar brands in the world. Only a handful of their cars are built each year, and not everyone is lucky enough to see one in the metal, let alone have the opportunity of owning one. Soon, however, we might get to see Paganis on Philippine streets. The Autohub Group has announced that they are now officially the Exclusive Selling Agent of Pagani in the country. Born in Argentina, Horacio Pagani developed an interest in engineering, cars, and design at a very young age. After honing his craftsmanship in Argentina, he met fellow Argentine, Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who helped start off his career in Italy. Later on, he was hired by Lamborghini but only did menial jobs at the start, slowly making his way up the ladder and eventually becoming a lead designer. Pagani is known for styling the Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition, but he is also one of the first in the company to dwell into the use of carbon fiber. However, Lamborghini was reluctant to invest in an autoclave to make carbon fiber parts at the time; so Horacio ended up buying his own. Eventually, he left Lamborghini to make carbon fiber parts. Horacio founded Pagani Automobili in 1992, and building his very own supercar took him seven years of studies and development. He wanted to make it stand out among the rest of the vehicles at the time by using carbon fiber and the most advanced technology available, which he successfully did. With regard to styling, Pagani himself stated that the Zonda is inspired by a lot of things such as a Patek Philippe watch and that of a womans body when viewing the car from the top. To this day, the Zonda continues to be one of the most iconic hypercars ever built even after its production run has ended. Its successor, the Huayra, enjoys the same success as the Zonda and builds on its predecessor's ideology by using the latest technology and carbon fiber composites available. Speaking with Alberto Giovanelli, Pagani Global Sales Manager, only 40 cars are built yearly with each one having a starting price of around EUR 2 million (Apx. Php 118,400,000). Unlike other limited-number hypercar makers, Pagani also crash tests their vehicles and meets all requirements (i.e. emissions) similar to other automakers be it for Europe or the U.S. market. Each car is still hand built to this day, as a testament to the very first Zonda built and styled by Horacio Pagani. The journey has been long and difficult, but as we can see, Horacio and his brand, and name, have persisted and persevered throughout the decades. Some people say that there is no true price for fine craftsmanship, but if there is anything that could command a price, Pagani and his hypercars definitely could. The question now is this: Do you think that the story of Pagani is worth it to buy one of his handcrafted hypercars at over PhP 100,000,000? That's something we'll leave to you. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed the growing convergence between Beijing and the European Union on global issues from climate change to trade. At a meeting in Paris between Xi, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, the leaders declared their desire to work together. As Daily Mail writes in the article European leaders demand win-win relationship with China, "of course there are differences and competition, but it's positive competition," Xi told a joint press conference. "We are advancing together. We shouldn't let suspicions lead us to be constantly looking backwards." European and Chinese leaders have both faced challenges from US President Donald Trump's America-first nationalism and his attacks on international agreements covering global warming, trade or Iran's nuclear programme. In a joint statement issued at the end of Xi's three-day trip to France, the Chinese leader and Macron both committed to working together to promote a rules-based international order. "France and China consider that in the current context, committing to multilateralism is the best way of promoting international cooperation at a time when risks and common challenges are multiplying," they said. Merkel sounded a note of caution about how much the EU and China could achieve on their own, however. "There can't be multilateralism without the United States," she said. 'Assertive' EU? This month, the European Commission labelled China a "systemic rival" and presented a 10-point plan proposing a more assertive relationship with Beijing, which Macron welcomed as a belated awakening. Among other risks, the commission warned about the distorting effects of Chinese subsidies to its industrial groups, and European firms being forced to transfer technology to their Chinese subsidiaries. Juncker felt compelled to start his public comments at the joint press conference in Paris by saying: "I am a friend of China." But Merkel too raised the vexed issue of "reciprocity" in terms of trade and investments, meaning China should offer more opportunities to European firms in its domestic market and in Chinese-funded projects abroad. Europe wants pledges from China that its vast "Belt and Road" project -- huge investments in rail and road infrastructure in countries from Asia to Europe, also known as the new "Silk Road"-- will be carried out in partnership with the EU. The initiative is a "very important project" and "we, Europeans, want to play a role," Merkel said at the joint press conference. "That must lead to reciprocity and we're having a bit of trouble in finding it," Merkel added. EU Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger warned in a newspaper interview over the weekend that infrastructure in the EU "of strategic importance like power networks, high speed rail lines or harbours are no longer in European but in Chinese hands". Another point of contention is the use of telecom giant Huawei's next generation 5G mobile technology, which was not raised by the leaders on Tuesday. The United States has warned European allies that Huawei could use its 5G technology as a "backdoor" for spying. Mutual respect Macron's decision to invite Merkel and Juncker to talks with Xi underlined his desire to see all EU member states adopt a common approach to relations with Beijing. The move came ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels on April 9. Macron urged his Chinese counterpart to "respect the unity of the European Union" on Tuesday, underlining concerns that Beijing was seeking to divide members. On the first leg of his five-day Europe trip, Xi visited Italy, which became the first G7 state to sign up to the "Belt and Road" initiative. Xi stressed on Monday that "a united and prosperous Europe fits in with our vision of a multipolar world". "China will always back European integration and its development," he added in a statement to the press. In partnership with companies including TruTrak, JPI and Avidyne, BendixKing introduced a number of new products at the 2019 Aircraft Electronics Association convention in Palm Springs, California. In this podcast, BendixKing Vice President of Marketing and Product Management Stphane Fymat told AVweb more about the companys partnerships along with its new autopilots, engine monitors and navigators. An exuberant President Trump is considering attending the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, which he boycotted the last two years. The state of play: Nothing has been decided yet, but we're hearing Trump hasn't said no to speaking at the April 27 dinner. Yesterday's post-Mueller trip to Capitol Hill was being called a "victory lap" and this could be his next stop. But it also isn't clear how serious he is about going. Historian Ron Chernow is the featured speaker. The association isn't having an entertainer this year. It goes without saying: It could be awkward for both sides. After Attorney General Bill Barr's account of the Mueller report, Trump has amped up his attacks on the media, tweeting: "The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE. For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party!" Flashback: Michelle Wolf's vulgar anti-Trump jokes draw intense criticism The ambassadors of France, Germany and the U.K. delivered a harsh rebuke of the Trump administration's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights at two separate meetings at the White House and State Department yesterday, three European diplomats briefed on the diplomatic demarche told me. Details: After issuing public statements that raised concerns about Trump's decision, the three European ambassadors met at the White House on Tuesday with Victoria Coates, the National Security Council's senior director for the Middle East. They had another meeting at the State Department with David Satterfield, acting assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs. European sources told me the meetings were difficult and ended unresolved, with both sides agreeing to disagree. Behind the scenes: The sources said the French, British and German envoys told Coates and Satterfield that Trump's recognition of the Golan was a violation of international law and UN resolutions and that it legitimizes taking over land by force. The White House and State Department officials stressed that Trump's move was necessary for Israel's security, due to Iranian entrenchment in Syria. They said that the peace process between Israel and Syria has been frozen for years and that Israel will never pull out of the Golan Heights for security reasons. It was time to recognize reality, the U.S. officials said. The three ambassadors asked for clarifications regarding the Trump administration's position on the work of UNDOF, the peacekeeping team of UN observers in the Golan. The U.S. was the one who pushed the resolution that founded the UN force together with Russia in 1974. That stated that the Golan was a Syrian occupied territory. According to the European diplomats, Coates and Satterfield said the Trump administration was satisfied with UNDOF and wanted it to continue its work in the Golan despite Trump's decision. They added that Israel held the same view. The big picture: The three European ambassadors told the White House and State Department officials that Trump's move could legitimize the Russian annexation of Crimea. The U.S. officials answered that the Golan and Crimea were totally different cases. They said the Golan was captured by Israel during a war that was forced upon it, while Russia was not in a state of war with Ukraine when it invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014. The European Union on Wednesday issued a statement saying it was the unanimous position of all 28 member states not to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The State Department and the White House did not provide comment. The Federal Reserve waded unambiguously into the conversation about climate change this week, as the San Francisco Fed produced a report detailing the potential financial, economic and monetary policy implications of global warming. Why it matters: In addition to the effects climate change has on businesses, such as "infrastructure damage, agricultural losses and commodity price spikes caused by droughts, floods, and hurricanes," Glenn Rudebusch, a senior policy adviser and executive vice president at the San Francisco Fed, argues climate change is becoming increasingly relevant for monetary policy. "Climate-related financial risks could affect the economy through elevated credit spreads, greater precautionary saving, and, in the extreme, a financial crisis." "With regard to financial stability, many central banks have acknowledged the importance of accounting for the increasing financial risks from climate change .... These risks include potential loan losses at banks resulting from the business interruptions and bankruptcies caused by storms, droughts, wildfires, and other extreme events." Why you'll hear about this again: Earlier this year, all 4 of the still-living former Fed chairs joined nearly 30 Nobel economists and all but 1 former chair of the White House's Council of Economic Advisers in signing a statement of support for a carbon-tax policy one that has been gaining support from Big Oil companies, environmental groups and others across the political spectrum. But this week's paper was the first clear indication in an official Fed release that the central bank is watching and preparing for the potential of major financial disruptions from climate change. Our thought bubble, from Axios Science Editor Andrew Freedman: A key trend in the scientific literature during the past few years has been the increased recognition that global warming constitutes a major economic threat nationally and worldwide. Climate impacts are already costing nations billions in the form of extreme weather events and coastal adaptation costs for sea level rise, and these will rise more steeply in coming years. The bottom line: "For the Fed, the volatility induced by climate change and the efforts to adapt to new conditions and to limit or mitigate climate change are also increasingly relevant considerations," Rudebusch writes. "Moreover, economists, including those at central banks, can contribute much more to the research on climate change hazards and the appropriate response of central banks." Go deeper: Where the alarming economic damage stat in last year's climate report came from Some candidates havent even formally announced their decision to run yet, but President Trump's re-election campaign is already gathering ammunition to use against his opponents and mapping out the regions where he is weakest. Between the lines: The Democratic campaigns are getting all the attention right now, but the Trump team is following them closely, sending trackers and watching all of the candidates for liberal base-pleasing proposals like packing the Supreme Court that they can use to make the eventual nominee look extreme. Details: The Republican National Committee, which is taking the lead on opposition research ahead of 2020 in coordination with the campaign, has been funding a network of trackers in all the early states. It's already out filming Democratic candidates, trying to catch their mistakes especially in smaller, more rural settings away from the eyes of the national media. We started gathering research on 2020 candidates in spring of 2018, Mike Reed, the RNCs deputy chief of staff for communications, told me. on 2020 candidates in spring of 2018, Mike Reed, the RNCs deputy chief of staff for communications, told me. The RNC is going to make whoever the nominee is radioactive well before they get the nomination, a former campaign official told Axios. Thats Trumps strategy. Stay at 45-46% [in the polls] and just make the other guy radioactive. And the campaign plans to highlight the Democratic candidates' far-left proposals in a way that that would "look poorly on the entire Democratic brand, a Trump 2020 campaign adviser said such as court packing, abolishing the electoral college and reparations. "Even Bernie's not for reparations, the source added. The campaign is also zeroing in on which states they need to go after the hardest, which will ultimately depend on which Democrat becomes the frontrunner. The issue for Trump last time was, frankly, he spoke to working class voters and Hillary didnt So if you take that out of the equation, something like getting 60 thousand votes in Michigan becomes a lot harder, the former campaign official said. A Republican operative close to the campaign told Axios the team is most worried about Michigan and Wisconsin states where they think it will be hard to replicate their 2016 win. The campaign is less worried about Pennsylvania, the source said, given that Clinton campaigned heavily across the state and won just about as many votes in Philly as she could get, but Trump still came out on top. about Pennsylvania, the source said, given that Clinton campaigned heavily across the state and won just about as many votes in Philly as she could get, but Trump still came out on top. They arent too concerned about Ohio, Florida or Georgia either. "We sent Trump there to campaign hard for the 2018 governors' races as a testing ground, the source said. Each state had really strong Dem candidates who garnered a lot of voter energy, but the Republicans, who werent the strongest candidates, still won. Kayleigh McEnany, press secretary for the Trump campaign, gave us this statement: "We plan to win where the President won before, and expand the map even further. There are a number of states where President Trump nearly won and we intend to focus a lot of attention there. A federal judge struck down Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas, saying they contradict Medicaid's legally defined purpose as a health care program. Why it matters: Approving Medicaid work requirements is the most significant change the Trump administration has made so far in health policy, and the new rules have already shrunk Medicaid enrollment by 18,000 people in Arkansas alone. But they may not last. Venezuelan security forces detained Roberto Marrero, a lawyer and key aide to opposition leader Juan Guaido, on Thursday morning after raiding his home, per the AP. The big picture: The U.S. has warned Maduro and the Venezuelan government to not take action against Guaido, who is supported by over 50 countries in his bid to be Venezuela's president and is also being investigated by Venezuelan prosectors for an alleged attack on the country's power grid. Maduro, backed by allies Russia and Cuba, says Guaido is part of a U.S. plan to overthrow his government. What's happening: Marrero's detainment was reported by neighboring lawmaker Sergio Vergara, who said that his home was also raided. Guaido tweeted on Thursday morning: "We do not know his whereabouts. He must be released immediately." Go deeper: Inside Trump's Venezuela pivot Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga tells Axios that after an attack over the weekend that left 160 dead, one-third of them children, the government will seek to convince militias in the country's unstable center that they must disarm or have their weapons taken by force. The backdrop: Saturday's attack targeted Fulani Muslims, a group of semi-nomadic herders. After the massacre, Maiga announced that a Dogon militia group would be disbanded. Some members of the Dogon ethnic group have taken up arms against the Fulani, whom they claim have been radicalized by jihadist groups. The UN Human Rights Commission says "entire Fulani communities and we are talking about millions of people are being painted as violent extremists simply because they are Muslim." It called on the government to "break this circle of impunity." Maiga told me that "previously the Dogon people had a right to defend their own culture, their own villages," which he suggested some had abused by arming themselves and conducting patrols. "Just a few days ago they made a statement that they're going to start going out and cleaning up the central region of Mali. Just after that the killings come in. So there might be a link. The message we want to send is to tell anybody, any type of association that might have the same idea to say, 'This is not your role. It's the role of the government to protect citizens and not militias.'" Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared after the attack that Mali was in a state of war. I asked Maiga whom that war was against, given the violence in Mali is coming from so many sides. "First of all, it's a war against terrorism," he said. "Not against anybody else, against terrorism. What we don't understand is that these groups have been living together for ages, several hundreds of years, and they've never been in conflict before now. So the feeling that we have is that the terrorists are manipulating [the situation] to put communities against each other." At the root of the violence is human suffering. Mali ranks among one of the poorest countries in the world, and basic services like schooling and clean drinking water are often lacking. I asked Maiga if the government had the capacity to both restore security and establish those services. He said the government had plans to tackle both issues simultaneously, but "this region has escaped the control of the government," because "terrorists in the north have migrated down to the south" and are "causing trouble." Both al-Qaeda and ISIS are active in Mali. "Between Islamic State and al-Qaeda there is of course competition, but they have the same objective: to subvert the state," Maiga said. He added that al-Qaeda poses a bigger threat to the state. Mali has received significant international support in its security challenges. The UN peacekeeping mission there is considered the most dangerous in the world. France has a military presence, as does the U.S. While in Washington, Maiga planned to meet with National Security Adviser John Bolton, as well as officials from the State Department and Pentagon in hopes of extending and strengthening security cooperation. Note: This interview was conducted via an interpreter, so quotes might not be exact. Microsoft announced Wednesday it had last week taken possession of 99 web domains used by a hacker group known as Charming Kitten, which has been linked to the government of Iran. The big picture: Microsoft has waged one of the most effective and most intriguing defensive campaigns against nation-led hacking teams challenging their right to use look-alike phishing web domains in civil court. Details: The current haul of websites includes domains like "outlook-verify[.]net," which Microsoft claims Charming Kitten used to send phishing emails to victims. Using the fake sites, the group either tricks users into entering their account credentials by notifying them of a false security risk or sends links, often appearing to be from friends, that will download malware. "Our work to track [Charming Kitten] over multiple years and observe its activity enabled us to build a decisive legal case and execute last weeks action with confidence we could have significant impact on the groups infrastructure," Tom Burt, corporate vice president of customer security and trust wrote on Microsoft's official blog. Microsoft is best known for taking Russian hackers to court to gain control of their phishing domains. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense has reported that a serviceman Ellez Ellezov was killed in the shelling in the Fizuli sector of the front yesterday. According to the report, units of Armenian Armed Forces have staged provocations in different sectors of the front in Karabakh and Azerbaijan's state border with Armenia in the course of the day on March 26. The Armenian Defense Ministry, in turn, said it prevented the alleged attempt of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to carry out engineering work on the same day. The Armenian Defense Ministry claims that after "having warned the Armenian side", the Azerbaijani military opened fire on Armenian positions . The message is undoubtedly curious, given the specifics of the Armenian-Azerbaijani front line, where no one gives a warning before firing. It's interesting that after a long period of calm on the front line, the escalation comes days prior to the meeting of Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev under the patronage of the OSCE Minsk Group in Vienna. It is noteworthy that on March 20, Armenia's Ministry of Defense reported that an Armenian soldier was wounded by the Azerbaijani side on February 18. That is, the Armenian side was silent for a long time for some unknown reason, but one month after the incident and on the eve of the summit meeting, it decided to make public the information about its soldier's injury. The information was published by the Razm-info agency, controlled by the Armenian military, which allegedly requested the Ministry of Defense. From bad to worse. According to the specified information, the soldier "was wounded in the right cheek, a fragment wound in the form of scratches not causing harm to health." That is, in fact it was just a scratch. Thus, on March 20, nine days before the negotiations at the highest level in Vienna, Armenia's Ministry of Defense spreads information about a scratch allegedly received by an Armenian soldier (name is not specified) a month ago on the line of contact (place is not specified). After that, just three days before the Austria meeting, the Azerbaijani soldier was mortally wounded by the Armenian armed forces. This development comes as the international community has rejected the Armenian leadership's demands to change the format of the negotiations and include the representatives of 'NKR' as an equal party. After the talks held between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan in late September last year in Dushanbe, there was a period of calm in the conflict zone until the last days. That is, the Armenian side would not even have the opportunity at the upcoming meeting in Vienna to complain about "Azerbaijan's militaristic rhetoric" (Baku has been very restrained in its statements in recent months) and the need to take measures to "strengthen the ceasefire regime" (this question Ilham Aliyev "closed" by effectively reaching an agreement with Pashinyan in Dushanbe). That has a led to a situation in which it's difficult for the Armenian side to delay the conflict settlement process without risking serious image and diplomatic losses. In such a situation, the controlled aggravation of the situation on the front line before the round of talks in Vienna fully fits the logic of Yerevans actions. Thus, Armenian diplomacy, having failed to change the negotiation format, may try to put the "measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime" back on the negotiating agenda as a precondition for the further development of the negotiation process. It's as much expected maneuver, as it is primitive. It is unlikely to allow the Armenian side to win much time, but it would be enough to thwart the Vienna meeting and win a few months more. The price of these few months would be a further deterioration in Yerevan's negotiating positions. Obviously, Nikol Pashinyan is not used to playing thoughtful and long-term diplomatic game, and it works in favor of much more experienced negotiator Aliyev. The State Department said Tuesday the U.S. had "nothing to do" with a commando-style break-in at North Korea's Embassy in Madrid, after a Spanish judge said the raid leader contacted the FBI soon afterward. Driving the news: Judge Jose de la Mata Adrian said the U.S.-based alleged gang leader contacted the FBI in New York "5 days after the assault" on the embassy to offer data stolen in the raid. The armed intruders seek the "liberation of North Korea" and had tried unsuccessfully to persuade an embassy official to defect, Adrian said. They "beat their occupants, until they managed to reduce them and put shackles and flanges to immobilize them." Why it matters: These are the first details to emerge of the February 22 incident, after the Spanish High Court judge lifted a secret decree on the investigation. The judge outlines in his summary an escape trail to the U.S. after the incident, which happened days before President Trump met with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un at a summit in Hanoi. Details: Adrian said 2 American citizens were among the 10 intruders, including Adrian Hong Chang, the Mexican-born leader. Chang contacted the FBI after returning to the U.S. from Spain to "provide information regarding the incident at the embassy, as well as the audiovisual material allegedly obtained," the judge said. Adrian did not identify the group involved, but Cheollima Civil Defense, a group that seeks to overthrow Kim's regime, said in a statement later Tuesday it had entered the embassy by invitation. What they're saying: CCD denied its members were armed and rejected that they had gagged or beaten anyone. "There were no other governments involved with or aware of our activity until after the event," it said. "The organization shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality. This information was shared voluntarily and on their request, not our own." The group said the Hanoi summit had "no relation to this operation." The other side: State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino told a press briefing "the United States government had nothing to do with this" and the U.S. would "always call for the protection of embassies belonging to any diplomatic mission throughout the world." He directed further questions to Spain, citing the ongoing investigation. The FBI declined to comment on the report. President Trumps transgender military ban will go into effect on April 12 as planned after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted a request by the government to dissolve one remaining injunction that temporarily blocked the implementation of the policy. Details: The new rule largely prohibits transgender troops and new military recruits from transitioning to another sex, and will also likely allow the military to discharge transgender people in need of hormone treatment or surgery. While all 4 injunctions against the policy have been lifted, the courts have not ruled on the underlying merits of the cases. Go deeper: Defense Department's new transgender policy outlines harsh limits for troops The Pentagon sent two ships through the Taiwan Strait Sunday, as the Trump administration steps up naval activities in the region despite opposition from China. The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The U.S. will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows." U.S. military statement Why it matters: China regards the self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province and the USS Curtis Wilbur and U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf ships' passage through the strait that divides Taiwan from the Chinese mainland comes as Washington holds key trade talks with Beijing. The backdrop: It's the 5th time in 6 months that United States warships have made the voyage, according to Stars and Stripes . The action could be seen as a show of support for Taiwan. China has previously expressed anger at such moves. In March, 2018, the U.S. signed the Taiwan Travel Act, encouraging "visits between officials of the United States and Taiwan at all levels," and sent 2 senior officials to the island nation. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian claimed to be delivering on his repeated pledges to carry out an economic revolution in Armenia as he presented the first results of his governments policies to the parliament on Wednesday. Addressing lawmakers, Pashinian cited official statistics that show continuing economic growth and rising tax revenue. He also said that the government is successfully creating a level playing field for all businesses, easing regulations and breaking up economic monopolies that thrived under the countrys former leadership. This means that our model of economic development and economic revolution is working, he declared in a long speech. I am convinced that it will work even better. Pashinian said it is radically different from the old model which he claimed was based on kickbacks paid by most major investors to senior government officials in return for tax evasion. He said this alone disproves critics claims that the new government has done little to improve the socioeconomic situation in Armenia since taking office last May. The Armenian economy grew by 5.2 percent last year, down from 7.5 percent reported by the countrys Statistical Committee (Armstat) in 2017. Preliminary Armstat data released this week indicates that this growth continued unabated in the first two months of this year. Pashinian singled out a nearly 22 percent increase in construction recorded by the government agency in January-February. He also touted a sharp rise in mortgage lending which he portrayed as proof of Armenians confidence in their own future. These indicators allow us to presume that Armenia is on the verge of a construction boom, he said. Pashinian also stressed the importance of double-digit gains in domestic trade and other services. But he did not mention a more than 11 percent drop in Armenian exports registered in January-February. The premier downplayed the fact that Armenian industrial output rose by less than 2 percent year on year in the two-month period. He blamed the modest figure on the closure in 2018 of two large mining enterprises. They both should resume their operations in the near future, he said. Pashinian further pledged that as a result of its ongoing efforts to tackle tax fraud the government will collect considerably more taxes than are envisaged by the 2019 state budget. He said the additional tax revenue of at least 40 billion drams ($82 million) will allow it to raise the salaries of schoolteachers and military personnel by 10 percent and repair more than 300 kilometers of roads. In another attempt to limit Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians sweeping powers, a major opposition party put forward on Wednesday a bill that would turn Armenias police and National Security Service (NSS) into government ministries accountable to the parliament. The bill drafted by the Bright Armenia Party (LHK) also calls for merging the State Revenue Committee (SRC), which comprises the national tax and customs services, with the Finance Ministry. The police, the NSS and the SRC were directly controlled by Armenias presidents under the previous, presidential system of government. Former President Serzh Sarkisian made sure that they will be subordinate to the prime minister when he enacted controversial constitutional changes that turned Armenia into a parliamentary republic. Sarkisian planned to stay in power as prime minister after serving out his second presidential term in April 2018. Pashinian, Edmon Marukian and other leaders of the now defunct Yelk alliance accused him of introducing a super prime-ministerial system of government with the aim of maintaining a tight grip on power. Pashinian has been reluctant to change that system since he swept to power in last springs velvet revolution. His stance prompted criticism late last year from the LHK, which is headed by Marukian. Marukian again recalled Pashinians past support for curbing the prime ministers executive powers as he presented the LHK bill to the press. We all stood at that time for bringing the police, the NSS and the SRC back into the government structure, he said. All these agencies would thus fall under parliamentary oversight. There would no longer be government bodies [directly] subordinate to the prime minister, Marukian said of the bill, arguing that that would be consistent with the parliamentary system. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian indicated that the government remains opposed to the proposed change. The chief of the NSS and the chief of the police are not political positions, he said. Their holders are individuals who come from the [law-enforcement] system. They may be appointed by the prime minister but they represent that system. A separate bill on the new structure of the Armenian government approved by Pashinians cabinet on March 7 would not change the current status of the three important agencies and would instead cut the number of government ministries from 17 to 12. In Avinians words, the bill will soon be submitted to the parliament for approval. Pashinians My Step bloc controls 88 seats in the National Assembly, compared with 18 seats held by the LHK. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 27, Trend reports. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend In April at the meeting of the International Development Association (IDA) the amount that Azerbaijan will allocate as a donor country to assist poor nations will be announced, the World Banks (WB) Regional Director for the South Caucasus Mercy Tembon, said in an exclusive interview with Trend. The regional director expressed gratitude and appreciation to Azerbaijan for willingness to help poor countries. Speaking of Azerbaijans shares increase in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which are the members of the World Bank Group, Tembon said that Azerbaijan has already given its consent and signed all necessary documents. "The most important issue was to reach an agreement and obtain Azerbaijans consent. We have achieved that. But we still do not know how much the country will increase its shares. This is a long process that can take about ten years," Tembon stressed. Azerbaijan joined the World Bank Group in 1992. During this period, the bank allocated loans for the implementation of over 50 projects in the country worth over $3 billion. Seven more projects worth about $1.5 billion are being implemented. Besides the loans, WB allocated 45 grants to Azerbaijan totaling $41.586 million in 1995-2014. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Promotion of Azerbaijani products at the leading international exhibitions brings positive outcomes by increasing country's export potential. With the support of the Ministry of Economy and the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), 10 Azerbaijani wine and other alcoholic beverages companies presented their products at the "Made in Azerbaijan" single stand at Prowein 2019 international exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Azerbaijani wines are welcomed by exhibitors and companies, discussions were held on export. As a result of the discussions, Absheron Wine Company has already reached a preliminary agreement on exporting its products to Germany. Moreover, Naiqin Co-Tovuz Baltiya and Aspi Agro companies held talks on export its products to Germany, France and the Netherlands, while Sharg Ulduzu and Agro-Azerinvest to Norway, Germany and China. The event which took place on March 17-19 was attended by the visitors from 133 countries. More than 60 countries presented their products at the exhibition. The next International Wine Exhibition Prowein will be held on 15-17 March, 2020 in Dusseldorf. Prowein is the world's leading trade fair for wine and spirits, the largest industry meeting for professionals from viticulture, production, trade and gastronomy. ProWein - International Fair of Wine and Alcoholic Beverages is held annually, since 1994. One of the elements that made a significant contribution to the success of the ProWein exhibition was and remains the program of international tastings. The tremendous importance of this open tasting area is underlined by the results of a survey of visitors - about 90 percent of all specialists report year after year that they use the tasting area as an important tool for guiding and preparing for decision making. The introduction of local products of Azerbaijan to international markets is boosting the non-oil sector of the economy and strengthens business ties with foreign countries. Launched in 2016, the Made in Azerbaijan brand envisages a large-scale promotion of local non-oil products in foreign markets. Azerbaijan is organizing a number of export missions to promote national products under the Made in Azerbaijan brand. Export missions are a supporting measure to identify opportunities for accessing new markets, strengthen local product positions in existing markets and provide these markets with new products. Promotion of export-oriented local products under the Made in Azerbaijan brand in a wider geographic area also helps to attract foreign investment. The export of non-oil products will stimulate the expansion of the production of these products and will further strengthen the non-oil sector's share in the structure of the GDP. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Baku will host the next edition of Francophonie Weeks, the event uniting people speaking French. The days of French language will be held in Azerbaijan's capital from March 30 to April 15, Trend Life reported. The embassies of France, Belgium, Costa Rica, Greece, Hungary, Morocco, Mexico, Moldova, Romania, Switzerland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia in Azerbaijan, as well as the European Union will join the festival. A number of events will be organized as part of Francophonie Weeks. The Embassy of Switzerland invites you to enjoy the concerts of Swiss musicians in Baku and Sumgait cities. The duo Marc Aymon and Ephraim Salzman will give a concert at the International Mugham Center on March 30. On April 1, the Swiss musicians will perform in Sumgait State Drama Theatres hall. The event will be organized in cooperation with Sumgayit City Executive Authority. The project "Oh beautiful summer! Les chansons eternelles" performed by Swiss singer and guitarist Marc Aymon and accompanied by the drummer (percussion) Ephraim Salzman, showcases Swiss heritage songs in a folk and modern way. The musical duo gained a great success during 2018 concerts not only in Switzerland but also during their concerts given abroad. Marc Aymon was born in 1982 in Sion, Switzerland. He is a passionate singer of travels and art. He is the author of four discs: "The astronaut," "An almond tree in winter", "Marc Aymon" and "Of a single mouth". His songs have traveled to South America, Iran, the United States, Africa and the entire French-speaking world. He has given numerous concerts and participated in several prestigious festivals, including the Paleo Festival in Nyon. Ephraim Salzmann was born in 1975 in Naters, Switzerland. He lives and works since childhood with and around music. For more than 20 years, he has played on the world stage in Valais, Switzerland and Germany. The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970. Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 88 member states and governments (61 members and 27 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations member states and account for a population of over 900 million people, including 300 million French speakers. IOF organises political activities and actions of multilateral cooperation that benefit French-speaking populations. Its actions respect cultural and linguistic diversity and serve to promote the French language, peace and sustainable development. Overall, the days of French language and culture are annual spring event in Azerbaijan that brings French-speaking people together. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend On March 26, during the day, units of the Armenian armed forces have resorted to provocations in various directions of the front, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 26, Trend reports. A serviceman of the Azerbaijan Army Ellezov Ellez Aleddin was killed as a result of the shelling by the enemy of the positions of our units on the Fizuli direction of the front this evening, said the ministry. The leadership of the Ministry of Defense expresses its deep condolences to the family and relatives of the shehid (martyr)! "At the same time, the Armenian media has spread information about the alleged attempt of the Azerbaijani side to propel forward its positions by carrying out engineering work on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. We officially declare that the spread information is untrue and another provocation of the Armenian side, as well as it aims to aggravate the situation at the front. As a result of decisive and adequate actions undertaken by the units of the Azerbaijan Army, the enemys firing positions were suppressed and its further provocations were stopped. Currently, the units of the Azerbaijan Army fully control the situation on the front line, reads the statement of the Defense Ministry. 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 he United States and Turkey working on a People's Protection Units (YPG)-free zone near the Turkish-Syrian border, and coalition forces left in the country following U.S. withdrawal will not take part in the safe zone, U.S. envoy for Syria James Jeffrey said Monday. Daily Sabah reports in its article US, Turkey working on YPG-free zone near Turkish-Syrian border that speaking at a briefing at the State Department, Jeffrey said the U.S. recognizes Turkey's concerns about the threat posed by the PKK terrorists from their headquarters in Mount Qandil and that they do not want to see a second Qandil in Syria. "We're working with Turkey to have a safe zone of some length along the Turkish border where there would be no YPG forces because Turkey feels very nervous about the YPG and their ties to the PKK. We understand that President [Donald] Trump has made that clear to President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan," he said. Jeffrey noted that they are working on options that will address such concerns while also ensuring that it will not pose a threat to coalition partners dominated by the YPG, recognized by Turkey as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union. Formed in 1978, the PKK terrorist group has been fighting the Turkish government for an independent state. Its terror campaign has caused the deaths of more than 40,000 people. The PKK resumed its decades-old campaign in July 2015 after a three-year cease-fire collapsed. Since then more than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives in PKK attacks. Turkey has repeatedly criticized the U.S. for delivering weapons and military equipment to PKK's Syrian affiliate the YPG and its decision to perform joint patrols with the terrorist group. Ankara has long told Washington that the YPG is no different from the PKK and partnering with one terrorist group to fight another is unacceptable. To date, the U.S. has sent a total of 4,700 heavy weapons and armored vehicles to the YPG. The YPG was the focus of Turkey's cross-border counterterrorism operation Operation Olive Branch earlier this year, in Afrin, Syria, near Turkey's southern border. By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has viewed conditions created at Bakmil station of Baku Metro after major overhaul. Chairman of Baku Metro Closed Joint Stock Company Zaur Huseynov informed the head of state of the work carried out here. The reconstruction work started in August, 2017. Commissioned in 1970, Bakmil has been operating as a station since 1979. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Gas has been provided for the first time to the village of Galajig, located in the Ismayilli region of Azerbaijan, Trend reports referring to the public relations department of Azerigaz. Representatives of the executive power of the district and the local populace took part in the event held on this occasion. It was noted that 655 houses have been provided with gas in the village. The locals were greatly delighted with the extension of a gas line to the village. The villagers who spoke at the event expressed gratitude to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for this. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Star Refinery will export $500 million worth products per year, Mesut Ilter, Director General of Star Refinery, said, Trend reports citing Turkish media. He pointed out that currently, all test works are complete at the refinery. At the moment, Star refinery is operating actively and will reach its full capacity in a short time, said Ilter. He went on to add that for the remaining part of the year, the refinery will process 7.5-8 million tons of oil, while in 2020, it will process 10 million tons of oil with its full capacity. Ilter said that when Star refinery reaches its full capacity, it will fully meet the raw materials needs of Petkim. The Director General noted that 42 million tons of liquid fuel products are consumed annually in Turkey, adding that SOCAR Turkey's ( subsidiary of Azerbaijani state oil company-SOCAR) investments are aimed precisely at reducing the dependence of the Turkish market on imports. Ilter underlined that company plans to increase the annual production of diesel fuel to 5 million tons, which will bring a revival in the petrochemical sector of Turkey. Last year, 24 million tons of diesel fuel was consumed in Turkey, 60 percent of which was imported. The figure will be reduced to 40 percent, after STAR Refinery will produce diesel fuel of 5 million tons. This reduction will affect the import of other fuels. Thus, only 60 percent of aviation fuel consumption will be provided by the new airport in Istanbul after its full commissioning. The annual consumption of aviation fuel in Turkey is 5.3 million tons, 90 percent of which is provided by local production, and after the STAR plant reaches its full production capacity, the import figure will be reduced to zero, he said. Ilter also noted that SOCAR has already made $15 billion out of $19.5 billion worth investments in Turkey. These investments are important steps towards ensuring Turkeys energy supply security, he added. STAR Oil Refinery will supply Petkim with raw materials. STAR Oil Refinery, which was built to improve Petkim's value chain, will make a significant contribution to the diversification of the company's pro vice assets as a project that holds an important place in the new strategic development course of SOCAR. The plant will produce 5 million tons of diesel fuel, 1.5 million tons of naphtha, 1.6 million tons of aircraft fuel, 1 million tons of xylene / reformat, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), oil coke and sulfur per year. The total investment of the project is $ 6.3 billion, of which 90 percent has been already invested. By the end of 2021, Star's total capacity will be increased. In the end, the investment will total $7 billion. STAR has the first investment incentive granted by Turkey. Star Oil Refinery that is the first Turkey-specific Industrial Zone opened in October 2018. Star has already launched the sale of its first products this year. By selling 1.303 tons of naphtha produced at STAR refinery to Petkim, SOCAR Turkey Energy completed the integration of the refinery and the petrochemical complex. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkmen Joint-Stock Commercial Bank Rysgal is working to become a member of the international payment system MasterCard, Trend reports with reference to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper. In addition, in the near future, the bank plans to launch a payment system for purchases using QR codes. The banks license was issued in 2011. The introduction of such services as internet banking and mobile banking by commercial banks of Turkmenistan, along with significant increase in the number of plastic cards, ATMs and terminals, allows creating optimal conditions for further breakthrough in the digitalization process, the report said. It is also reported that the Turkmen parliament is preparing laws on the payment system, contributions and mortgage. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A member of Iran Parliament's energy commission Ghasem Saedi has discussed the country's oil and petrochemical sales policies and its violations in an interview with Trend. "The parliament energy commission is following the current and future oil and energy policies. We're informed about previous methods, so the future planning will be done with consideration of past practices," he said. Saedi said that the president, head of the parliament's energy committee and a representative from energy committee alongside some individuals from oil, foreign, interior and energy ministries are informed about the possible violations in the mentioned field. Speaking about the sale of oil to legal entities, he said that the oil ministry occasionally offers to sell oil to such, for $50 a barrel, and keep the rest of the sale revenues. The oil ministry chooses the minimum price, and sometimes they find consumers that buy each barrel for $100. The rest depends on the market and individual communication. Referring to the oil offering problems at the the energy exchange he said that the exchange is a filter, the price is defined by the exchange, it sells oil directly. Responding to a question about why the customers do not buy oil through the exchange, Saedi said that one of the ways to sell oil is to evade sanctions at the exchange but it's not the main solution, as Iran deals oil on the coasts of some countries as well. "The oil that is located near India is being sold to the private or public Indian companies, so the sanctions can not affect the sale, and we receive cash. We can't close all the ways and sell oil through exchange," he explained. There are existing problems with the transactions that Iran is trying to tackle. "The US has influence everywhere in the world and many ships are sanctioned and their insurances have been canceled . If we reveal the name of our buyers and sellers, it would make things difficult," he said. "The Americans are wondering how these vessels ship oil even under surveillance. These are confidential ways to sell oil. Some of these methods are unknown to the parliament," said Saedi. He noted that the parliament's responsibility is to monitor and how the country's major source of income is made. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran's Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Reza Rahmani has announced the recent flood has damaged more than 1,500 production units in Aq Qala County, Golestan Province and 300 production units in cities of Mazandaran Province, while Aq Qala Industrial Park went down under the water. Reza Rahmani said that Aq Qala Industrial Park is completely under the water, while part of Sari 2 Industrial Park is also under the water and transportation in these areas is not possible. Accessing to Aq Qala Industrial Park with its 215 industrial units is only possible via boat, he said, Trend reports citing ILNA. "Some of the people in Golestan were carpet weavers and the recent flood have damaged 10,000 carpet producing units in Bandar Turkman, Gomishan and Aq Qala counties, he added. He noted that the country's provinces and economic activists are sending their aids to Golestan Province. The officials are present at the region and provide services to the people." "The government meeting in Wednesday will decide on how to compensate the flood damages of industrial and production units, he added. At least 18 people were killed and around 100 others were wounded in flash floods in Iran's southern province of Fars. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 26 March 2019: With more than 1,700 projects worth USD 1 trillion, Chinas ambitious One Belt, One Road Initiative aims to positively impact 4.4 billion people, or 65 percent of the worlds population that equals to about 40 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP). Spanning across to 70 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, the One Belt, One Road Initiative has been allocated over $340bn in construction contracts secured by Chinese companies. These statistics were released in conjunction with the upcoming Annual Investment Meeting which will be held from 8th to 10th April in Dubai focusing on Mapping the Future of FDI: Enriching World Economies through Digital Globalization. This year, the forum will put a spotlight on Chinas ambitious One Belt, One Road Initiative through a full-day special forum, which will be held on the second day of the event. It will provide participating high-ranking Chinese officials with an international platform to present the plans for the One Belt, One Road Initiative and to strengthen investor confidence on the same. In addition, the workshop will brief the business community worldwide with various investment opportunities running around the mega project. The Belt and Road Initiative will pave the way for a stronger trade ties within Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Targeted to be completed by 2049, the landmark project will bring about inclusive growth, spur unprecedented development, and enhance cooperation, trade, and investment worldwide. AIM is founded based on these objectives too, thereby prompting us at the organizing committee to host this special event this year to keep with our commitment to highlight investment opportunities around the world under the support of respective governments, said Dawood Al Shezawi, CEO of Annual Investment Organizing Committee. During the forum, renowned keynote speakers will tackle various fundamental aspects of the project. There will be four sessions which will focus on infrastructure development, new technologies, renewable energy, and agriculture and food security. While One Belt One Road Initiative will be a key topic at the upcoming Annual Investment Meeting, the premier international foreign direct investment (FDI)-focused platform will also offer high-ranking policy makers, business leaders, regional and international investors, successful entrepreneurs, leading academics, and celebrated financial experts an opportunity to discuss best practices and economic issues of global importance. By Trend The meeting of Turkish and Russian foreign ministers - Mevlut Cavusoglu and Sergey Lavrov will be held March 29, Trend reports via the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The meeting will be held in Turkeys Antalya city. Antalya will host a meeting of the Russian-Turkish strategic planning group, and plans for bilateral cooperation for 2019-2020 will also be discussed as part of this meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The delegation of Turkmenistan will take part in the Central Asia Climate Change Conference to be held on the initiative of the World Bank (WB) April 3-4 in Tashkent, Trend reports with reference to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper. The event will bring together about 200 specialists from state agencies of Central Asian countries and will be held with the support of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and Uzgidromet Center of Meteorological Service. The agenda includes an exchange of views on trends in climatic changes, their impact on natural ecosystems, environment and public health. The event participants will discuss a set of measures to minimize the negative effects of climate change and adaptation measures, the report said. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan and uses water resources coming in accordance with agreed quotas from four trans-boundary rivers, namely the Amu Darya, Tejen, Atrek and Murgab rivers. Turkmenistan is affected by the problem of the ecology of the Aral Sea, which is most noticeable in the countrys northern Dashoguz Region, where problems have arisen with the provision of drinking water, the fight against salinization of cultivation lands, land degradation and desertification. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Tourist trips from Russia to Azerbaijan increased by 2 percent in 2018, according to the data of the analytical agency TurStat. The agency presented a rating of countries visited by Russian tourists in 2018, analysing the statistics of outbound tourist trips from the Russian Federation. So, according to the statistics, Azerbaijan ranked 17th among foreign countries preferred by Russian tourists. The number of tours from Russia to Azerbaijan increased by 2 percent to 748,000 in 2018. The list of top ten foreign countries, popular among the Russian tourists last year by the number of outbound tourist trips from Russia, includes Turkey (5,719,000 trips), Abkhazia (4,496,000), Finland (3,361,000), Kazakhstan (2,955,000), Ukraine (2,290,000), China (2,018,000), Estonia (1,798,000), Germany (1,297,000), Georgia (1,233,000 (+ 23 percent) and Thailand (1,173,000). The increase of flow is not by chance. This is facilitated by various popular events held in Azerbaijan, for example, Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Zhara festival and the Gabala Music Festival. Therefore, successful holding of events of international significance in Azerbaijan has a positive impact on the number of tourists arriving in the country. As an example, by 2023, it is planned to increase the incoming tourist flow to Azerbaijan to four million people thanks to the "Grand Prix of Azerbaijan" races of the Formula 1 series which to be held in Baku on 26-28 April 2019 and attracts greater interest rather than previous ones. It is also worth mentioning the magnificent beaches, which are no worse than Turkish or Italian, but much closer and always on the spotlight of Russian tourists. And soon their number will be increased - the country has adopted a plan for the development of beach tourism until 2020. For those who enjoy a relaxing holiday, the miraculous Azerbaijani health resorts will also be a popular choice: what is Naftalan oil is known all over the world. And of course, it should be noted separately that the Russian tourist in Azerbaijan will be even more comfortable than any other. After all, our countries maintained close and friendly relations throughout the history. There are many Russian speakers in Azerbaijan, so the problem of communication is absent as such. Azerbaijan is among the developing countries in the field of tourism, occupying the 39th place among 148 countries in terms of global competitiveness in tourism. The successful holding of such great events has turned Azerbaijan into a country recognizable by everyone in the world, and a country that many foreigners wish to visit as soon as possible. Moreover, simplification of visa regime also plays a major role in the development of tourism in Azerbaijan. Currently, citizens of a number of countries get visas right at the Azerbaijani airports, while other tourists can visit the country by getting online tourist visas. In 2018, 2,849,600 tourists from 196 countries arrived in Azerbaijan, showing a 5.7 percent increase compared to 2017. Further, touching upon the recent statistics, 364,200 foreigners and stateless persons from 152 countries of the world arrived in Azerbaijan in January-February of this year, which is 3.3 percent more compared to the same period last year. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Alarm bells are ringing over Italy's involvement in Beijing's infrastructure project. EU Commissioner Gunther Oettinger thinks an EU veto over future Chinese deals in Europe could protect the continent. Deutsche Welle reports in its article Chinese investments in Europe: German EU commissioner floats EU veto right that the EU's budget commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, proposed on Sunday giving the bloc the right to deny Chinese-funded infrastructure deals in Europe if they don't serve the EU's common interests. The call came a day after Italy signed on to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious infrastructure project that has raised concerns in many EU capitals. Oettinger told Germany's Funke Media group that EU leaders should consider an EU veto to block future Chinese-funded infrastructure projects or a requirement that projects first get the consent of the European Commission. EU member states are sometimes not adequately taking into account national and European interests. In "Italy and other European countries, infrastructure of strategic importance like power networks, rapid rail lines or harbors are no longer in European but in Chinese hands." Oettinger's remarks followed criticism from German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas of Italy's infrastructure deal with China. "Countries that believe they can do clever business with the Chinese will wonder when they suddenly wake up in dependency," he said in an interview with Germany's Welt Am Sonntag newspaper. Lucrative offers in the short term will soon leave a bitter aftertaste, he added. It's a sweeping infrastructure program that has seen Beijing make major investments in ports, roads, airports and railroads in Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. Since it began in 2013, the initiative has been marred by complaints that it leaves partner countries with huge debts and, as a result, beholden to Beijing. Rome officially joined the initiative on Saturday, becoming the first G7 nation to do so. The deal includes Beijing's 7 billion investment in the strategic Italian ports of Genoa and Trieste. Several other deals in the energy, steel and gas pipeline sectors were also inked. Italy's not alone in Europe: Poland, Greece, Portugal and Hungary have also signed bilateral deals with China. Talks between Vladimir Putin and Lebanese President Michel Aoun were held in Kremlin yesterday. During the meeting, presidents discussed the fact that the United Statess recognzed the Golan Heights as part of Israel, which undermines all foundations and rules of the UN and international law. "For the second time in history, we celebrate when the state simply takes away occupied territories in this region. Of course, this is very disturbing and of particular concern to those countries that are in close proximity to Israel. We hope that solution and resolution to this problem will be found soon," Aoun said. Leading researcher at the Arab and Islamic Studies Center of the Oriental Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Alexey Sarabiev, discussed situation in the region in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza. - How will recognition of Golan Hights as part of Israel by US President Donald Trump affect situation in the region? - This issue is one among many of scandalous decision made by Trump along with decision to transfer American Embassy to Jerusalem. Territorial issues always hurt local residents. In addition, this is the territory on which Syrians counted on, and which almost returned to Syria in 2001-2001. At that time, negotiations were underway and they were quite successful. Observers even said that this was basically a resolved issue. American intervention in Iraq led, among other things, to suspension of negotiations. Now, if despite all previous decisions and common sense a violent territorial changes will occur under pressure from an overseas power, it will cause unpredictable reaction. - How will situation in Syria unfold in the future? - I hope that it will change based on the plan that was developed by Russia, Turkey and Iran. We're doing everything to achieve this so that situation unfolds according to most favorable scenario. We hope that situation with enclave of militants, which is concentrated in the Idlib area, will be gradually resolved. After all, those are people with weapons that are not ready to give up. Transition process must be carried out in accordance with decisions of the first Geneva Conference, and some steps by Americans, such as recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, only sow discord. Americans likely didn't abandon their plan to cultivate opposition that won't give up. It's possible that train such forces in the remote "Er-Ruban" refugee camp in Syria. Previously they wanted to implement these plans in Syria, train militants of the Free Syrian Army. These plans have failed, but now people who are completely dependent on Americans in the Er-Ruban camp can be trained in the way Americans want. Americans use soft power, supply weapons and provide training for soldiers and officers. For example, Lebanese soldiers regularly in the United States. Up to 32 thousand soldiers of the Lebanese army, most likely officers, were trained in the United States. That's how pro-Western force works. Basically, it's difficult to predict what will happen in Syria, since it remains a scene of clash of interests between world powers, including regional powers. - Didn't the United States announce their plans to leave Syria? - No one is going anywhere. No one stopped interfering in Syria's affairs. Let me remind you that the phrase "religious fundamentalism" originated in America in the early 1920s. America is a very religious country. We can also take cultural-mystical aspect into consideration (the Middle East is the heart of earthly civilization, birthplace of world religions, heart of the Earth), so it's difficult to imagine that Americans will leave. And if we take geostrategic, military, strategic, and economic aspects into account, no one will leave Syria. Definitely. Most likely, pressure will only increase. John Cox can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter: @TheThirdGraf. Sign up at Bakersfield.com for free newsletters about local business. The Armenian Parliament approved the bill on ratifying the interim agreement on forming a free trade zone between Iran and the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The bill was approved during todays session: 118 MPs voted in favor of the bill, 1 voted against and 2 abstained. Armenia's Deputy Economic Development and Investments Minister Albert Babayan said during the meeting that the agreement would raise exports of Armenian goods to Iran. "Armenia could also become a transit country for exports of Iranian products to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union," RIA Novosti cited him as saying. The year 1979 is one most San Antonians never forget. It was the year the city made national headlines for multiple tragedies. On April 27, Ira Attebury opened fire from inside his mobile home on a festive crowd gathered to watch Fiesta's Battle of Flowers Parade at the intersection of Broadway and East Grayson Street. Two people were killed and 51 injured. Turkey conducted an operation to eliminate Riza Altun, a senior figure close to the PKK terror group's acting leader Cemil Bayk. After Altuns location was established, the Turkish Air Force delivered a precision strike on a house where the terrorist was hiding. The operation was jointly carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in northern Iraq's Qandil mountains, Anadolu Agency reported. A man accused in the February beating death of a Port Acres woman was indicted Wednesday by a Jefferson County grand jury. Daniel Shackleford, 34, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Aletha Gonzalez. He reportedly called police about 4:30 p.m. February 24 and said he found Gonzalez, 34, down with a television on top of her at a home on Birch Street, according to a probable cause affidavit. Her injuries, the document said, were consistent with an assault. An autopsy confirmed her cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. The suspect was interviewed on March 7 and admitted that a verbal argument between the two turned physical, Police said the two were romantically involved. Syria has requested a UN Security Council emergency meeting after the United States recognized Israels sovereignty over Golan Heights, according to diplomatic sources. France, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, will appoint the date of the meeting soon, AFP reported. On March 25, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation formally recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Earlier, Russia and Syria as well as key European states, such as Germany and France, voiced their opposition to such unilateral actions. The Golan Heights, which had belonged to Syria since 1944, was captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1981, the Israeli parliament passed a law unilaterally declaring sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The UN Security Council declared the annexation null and void in its Resolution 497 on December 17, 1981. Orange County may have a new judge today. The County Commissioners are expected to meet in a closed session to deliberate the appointment of a new county judge to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Judge Dean Crooks. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. Crooks resigned in mid-March noting an inability to keep debate about a possible second Chevron Phillips plant in the county -- and its potential for creating as many as 500 full-time jobs -- from turning "argumentative and ugly." Crooks was appointed interim judge nearly a year ago to fill Brint Carlton's unexpired term. Carlton announced his resignation after he lost to Crooks in the Republican primary. The Beaumont Enterprise will have a reporter at the meeting. Check back for more information. The city of Port Arthur will reopen its search for a city manager following a split vote and heated debate Tuesday night on the City Council, which had been expected to announce a permanent replacement for its long-serving interim manager. Councilwoman Charlotte Moses made the motion, which passed on a 4-to-3 vote. Council members Harold Doucet Sr., Raymond Scott Jr. and Kaprina Richardson Frank, who ultimately voted against the motion, made their position clear before the vote was taken. They expressed frustration that the council would put a procedure to select a city manager in place and then decide not to follow it at the last minute. If you reduce the list to four names, why are we coming today and saying we need to start another search? Why are you asking to start another search after you went through your whole process where you ranked all your candidates and that was the candidate that came out on top? Doucet said. He also asked what the other council members thought would happen differently after reopening the search. The city started a search in January for a city manager to fill a spot thats been open for more than a year after the previous manager resigned. The City Council interviewed four finalists, from among 18 applicants, in late February. Scott said he didnt think the council would have made this decision if the candidate other members wanted had risen to the top. No council member said which candidate was ranked at the top, but Scott referred to a male candidate. The finalists included two men and two women. During a recess Tuesday, Scott said the council used a point system to rank the candidates. >> Related: PA council grills city manager candidates Frank asked what caused the council members to determine the process shouldnt be followed. None of the council members who supported reopening the search explained what they thought would be different in a new search. But Moses said she didnt think two more months to be sure the city chose the right candidate is too much to ask for to attempt to break a cycle of city manager turnover. This is about the city of Port Arthur, she said. Mayor Derrick Freeman said interim City Manager Harvey Robinson has agreed to stay with the city for a few more months. He also noted that when a city manager who isnt a good fit leaves the city, theyre paid hundreds of thousands of dollars that could instead be used for city repairs. As a result, he said, he doesnt see a problem with being sure that a candidate is the right one for the city. >> Related: Port Arthur city manager resigns So these decisions that were making here today, its not political. Its not personal, he said. Its about our inheritance, everybodys inheritance in this room, that we call the city of Port Arthur. Freeman also said any candidates who applied for the position this time could resubmit their application. The four finalists most recently or currently work in Flint, Michigan; OFallon, Missouri; and Floresville; while Hani Tohme is the citys Director of Public Services. Its unclear if the city will follow the same process during the new search or what sort of timeline the council will follow. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned U.S. President Donald Trump decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. "Whose lands are you giving to Israel, Trump?" Erdogan said, stressing that those lands "are Syrian soil according to the U.N," but the U.S. is attempting to give this territory to Israel. "You do not have jurisdiction or a right like that," Hurriyet Daily cited him as saying. The Turkish leader said the U.S. move on the Golan Heights is not recognized by the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Russia or China. U.S. President Donald Trump signed a decree on Monday at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The decree formalized Trump's statement on March 21 saying it was time for the United States "to fully recognize" Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. Ukrainian political space is completely divided, Fedor Lukyanov, Russian expert and chief editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine, said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza. He noted that all of this division is of technical nature and is somewhat assiciated with certain figures themselves, not their programs. That's why, according to expert, it's impossible to give reliable forecast. All the time this campaign is going on I have one forecast, which is basically based only on my fortune telling - I believe that Petro Poroshenko will once again become president of Ukraine. But there's no certainty, he said. On the other hand, expert expressed confidence that Vladimir Zelensky won't become president. "Of course, his takeoff itself reflects deep frustration of the public with all other figures and faces. But the man who doesn't have experience and suddenly tries to become leader of the state despite all possible consequences simply cannot win the elections. But I don't want to make any predictions, he noted. Georgia will take over the chairmanship of Council of Europes (CoE) Committee of Ministers for a six-month term from November 2019 to May 2020, Georgias First Vice Parliament Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili said. The chairmanship will be passed from France to Georgia at a meeting in mid-November 2019 at the CoEs Strasbourg headquarters. Agenda.ge reported. Chugoshvili said that a number of high-ranking officials from the CoE member states will be visiting Georgia this year, including the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). She also announced that Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze will travel to Strasbourg to address the PACE spring session on April 10. Georgia became a member of the Council of Europe on April 27, 1999. Not long ago, corporations seeking tax abatement in Jefferson County for major projects faced discussion and negotiation from elected officials. That approach seems to have ended, as shown by the generous abatement terms quickly approved by Jefferson County commissioners for the $5.6 billion Port Arthur LNG project. The commissioners went all the way, approving 10 years of abatement at 100 percent for Sempra Energy. There was apparently no consideration for lesser terms, such as five years for a sliding percentage of abatement. Again, agreements like that were once common in the county. The reason is that in Jefferson County, and across the country, corporations seem to feel they hold all the cards. They know that if they pit one region against another in a bidding war for tax abatement, the years and percentages available to them will rapidly increase. The state of Louisiana, for example, will offer 10 years and 100 percent for many major projects, almost automatically. As Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick put it, Were not just in competition with other states, were in competition with other countries. Maybe if tomorrow Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama werent offering tax abatements, wed look at changing it. The flip side of this debate played out recently in Orange County, where former county judge Dean Crooks was hesitant to offer Chevron Phillips maximum abatement for a proposed $6 billion ethylene project. Crooks was forced out, and the remaining commissioners made it clear to the company that the 500 jobs from that expansion would be very welcome in Orange County. County residents and business owners watching all this undoubtedly have mixed emotions. They, too, like the permanent and construction jobs these projects bring, but they dont receive tax abatement for their property. They pay full value, and they remember when abatement was an incentive, designed to lure companies here, not a routine part of any big agreement. The only real way to control this process would be with state or federal legislation that limited tax abatement to something like 5 years maximum. In Texas, the provision of the tax code that allows abatement by local governments will expire in September. Yet legislators know that any limits they put in place will not be matched in states like Louisiana and Mississippi. A federal standard would solve that problem, but nothing like that is being discussed in Congress. So for the near future, taxpayers in Southeast Texas will probably see more abatement deals like this. The jobs will come right away, but the tax payments will be delayed. Its not the worst arrangement, but it could be better. Drug Enforcement Administration agents visited four pain clinics associated with Sujata Gutti, MD, and Sai Gutti, MD, March 25, according to WYMT. Three insights: 1. The four clinics in Pikeville, Ky., Belfry, Ky., Harold, Ky., and Whitesburg, Ky., closed for the day. 2. The reason for the DEA's visit was unclear. 3. A clinic employee denied any wrongdoing in a phone call with WYMT. The employee said it was a standard investigation and that the clinics were scheduled to reopen March 26. The Rochester City Council unanimously approved the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center's Highland Hospital's proposed $70 million expansion, City Newspaper reports. What you should know: 1. Highland is adding four stories to its three-story surgery center. 2. The new addition will allow Highland to convert 60 semi-private rooms to fully private rooms. 3. Highland Park neighborhood residents had concerns about Highland Hospital's vertical expansion, but the hospital worked with the residents to reach a compromise on a maximum height of 155 feet. 4. Highland Park Neighborhood Association member Michael Thompson said, "People were concerned that the hospital would just overrun the neighborhood at some point. And I think they understand that." South Africa: DMR to study mining royalties report The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) says it will study the 2018 Mining Royalties Research Report, which highlights the complexities and challenges facing South Africas mining industry. The department will study the report and the issues it highlights, consider where it enhances our commitment to eradicate corruption and how it should respond to the challenges, said the department. This follows the release of the report by Corruption Watch on Tuesday. The report by the non-profit organisation highlights the challenges and complexities in the management and distribution of mining royalties to people living in mine-affected communities, the majority of whom remain without any tangible benefits. The department welcomed the report in so far as it investigates flaws and maladministration and causes thereof in our regional offices in the provinces of Limpopo and the North West. One of the Ministers top priorities upon assuming office was to address concerns from stakeholders regarding corruption and allegations thereof. Among the initiatives he took was to institute an audit investigation into the regional offices of the department in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West, said the department. It added that an inspector found to have misused Section 54 of the Mine Health and Safety Act in return for bribes has since been dismissed. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Mineral Resources continues to pay attention to allegations within the department and in the industry. The department said it was encouraged by Corruption Watchs decision to undertake the study, which looked into two unique systems of community royalties administration, namely the Lebowa Trust in Limpopo, and the development accounts in the North West by the Bakwena ba Mogopa community. Corruption Watch bemoaned the plunder of mining royalties, saying it may be the most appalling tale of corruption and maladministration. Government, working with different sectors of society, has the responsibility to eradicate corruption and ensure that we achieve our goal to grow South Africa. To this end, we are encouraged by Corruption Watch to have undertaken this study. We appreciate them having invited the department to participate in the official release of the report, said the department. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A source familiar with Russias aerospace industry recently informed state newspaper RIA Novosti that NASA has provided Russian space agency Roscosmos with an updated planning schedule for International Space Station (ISS) operations, including a preliminary target for SpaceXs first Crew Dragon launch with astronauts aboard. According to RIAs source, NASA informed Roscosmos that the agency was tentatively planning for the launch of SpaceXs Demonstration Mission 2 (DM-2) as early as July 25th, with the spacecraft departing the ISS, reentering the atmosphere, and safely returning astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to Earth on August 5th. In a bizarre turn of events, Russian news agency TASS published a separate article barely 12 hours later, in which once again an anonymous space agency source told the outlet that the [DM-2] launch of Crew Dragon is likely to be postponed to November. For the time being, the reality likely stands somewhere in the middle. While its hard not to jump to conclusions about the oddity of two wholly contradictory reports arising from similar sources in similar articles just half a day apart, its just as likely that the near-simultaneous publishing of both TASS and RIA stories is mainly a coincidence. At the same time, truth can be found in both comments made by the anonymous source(s), while they also offer a sort of best-case and worst-case scenario for the first crewed launch of SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft. RIA began the series on March 22nd with a brief news blurb featuring one substantive quote from the aforementioned space industry source. The American side informed the Russian side that the launch of the [first crewed launch of] Dragon-2to the ISSis scheduled for July 25. The docking with the station is scheduled [to occur around one day later]. The separation from the ISS and return to Earth is expected on August 5, the agencys source said. Put in a slightly different way, NASA informed Roscosmos that it had begun to loosely plan for the launch of SpaceXs DM-2 no earlier than (NET) late July, much like NASA and SpaceX publicly announced that Crew Dragons DM-1 launch debut was scheduled NET January 17th as of early December 2018. DM-1s actual debut wound up occurring on March 2nd, a delay of approximately six weeks. The cause(s) behind the discrepancy between NASAs first serious planning date and the actual launch remains unknown but its safe to say that things took quite a bit longer than expected even after Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 were technically go for launch. Although NASA and SpaceX now have the luxury of a vast cache of flight data and the practical experience derived from conducting Crew Dragons first and nearly flawless orbital launch and ISS rendezvous, Crew Dragons DM-2 mission remains an entirely different animal. Aside from requiring a number of significant hardware changes and introducing the visceral pressure of real human lives hanging in the balance, DM-2 will be a major first for the NASA after having spent the better part of eight years unable to launch its own astronauts into orbit. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko commented on U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks on Brazils potential NATO membership. He said that they are not conducive to easing tensions throughout the world, "NATO members should be given credit for their ambitions," Grushko said at the conference titled 'OSCE: Prospects for Pan-European and Eurasian Security and Cooperation'. He recalled that Trump recently suggested "expanding the alliances area of responsibility" to South America, admitting that Brazil, a BRICS member-country, could join NATO. "It is not quite clear whether he read the Washington Treaty, which specifies who can become the alliances member," TASS cited the diplomat as saying. According to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, the policy of "achieving unilateral advantages aimed at rebuilding the current multipolar world in accordance with last centurys patterns, is extremely viable." Grushko concluded that these statements are not conducive to defusing the confrontational atmosphere. In New Jersey, a father and son team pleaded guilty to defrauding investors who thought they were purchasing shares of an ASC, based on a press release from the New Jersey attorney general's office. Five things to know: 1. The two men, George Bussanich Sr. and George Bussanich Jr., paid $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities in 2014 for their involvement in a scheme to defraud ASC investors. The settlement includes $4 million in investor restitution. They then defrauded several of the same investors again. 2. The state is also seeking prison time for both men, as well as probation for Wilma Bussanich, George Bussanich Jr.'s mother, who pleaded guilty to third-degree money laundering. 3. From May 2009 to July 2013, both George Baussanich Sr. and George Baussanich Jr., pleaded guilty to misleading 26 investors about purchasing unregistered investment notes in Metropolitan Ambulatory Surgical Center, which was actually just a holding company controlled by the two men. The men made dividend payments from initial principle funds and then diverted money to personal purchases, including homes and several luxury cars. 4. In 2014, the two men were barred from the New Jersey securities industry and controlling or acting as officers or directors of entities selling securities. However, the men began asking for investments in a second fake company a month after their barring. Fifteen of the 26 investors they initially defrauded also invested in the second fake company, with the total investments topping $3 million. 5. Under their plea agreements, George Bussanich Sr., faces 10 years in prison while George Bussanich Jr. faces eight years in prison. More articles on surgery centers: Florida hospital closes ASC due to lack of specialists; may reopen in the fall: 4 key notes 6 trends and observations in ASC M&A 3 keys to a successful ASC model One of the Midwest's largest orthopedic surgery centers is enrolled in a clinical study testing Zimmer Biomet's physical therapy app, according to Columbus CEO. What you should know: 1. Joint Implant Surgeons in New Albany (Ohio) is enrolled in the clinical study's first phase, which will assess the usability and mechanical features of Zimmer Biomet's Mymobility app. The technology is designed to prepare patients for joint replacement surgery and guide their rehabilitation. 2. Joint Implant Surgeons could enroll up to 1,000 patients in the study. Knee and hip replacement candidates who have an iPhone 6 or later versions are eligible to participate. 3. Patients enrolled receive an Apple Watch to be worn for one year and paired with Zimmer's Mymobility app, which automatically sends data to the surgeon's dashboard. 4. Surgeons and healthcare team members can send patients therapy and education reminders through the app. Mymobility also collects preoperative and postoperative data, such as heart rate, walking patterns and physical ability. This information could help physicians personalize treatment and rehabilitation plans. 5. Nine U.S. practices are enrolled in the study, which could involve up to 10,000 participants. The next phase of the study will compare outcomes using the app versus traditional physical therapy. The city council of Rochester, N.Y., has voted to approve Highland Hospital's rezoning application to allow a $70 million expansion, according to the Rochester City Newspaper. The hospital needed the rezoning approval to add four stories to its three-story surgery center. The expansion also will allow Highland to convert 60 semiprivate rooms to fully private ones. Though residents of the surrounding neighborhood approve of the additional four stories, some expressed concern about the maximum height that would be allowed for future expansion. "People were concerned that the hospital would just overrun the neighborhood at some point," Michael Thompson, a member of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, told the newspaper. More articles on facilities management: Minnesota hospital expansion to connect clinic, create one campus University Hospitals plans $200M expansion for Ahuja Medical Center Cleveland Clinic's new hospital details emerge California lawmakers have introduced legislation to protect patients from surprise ER medical bills, according to local television station KSBY. The legislation aims to address situations where emergency patients are taken by ambulance to hospitals that are not in their insurer network, leaving them with medical bills significantly higher than what they expect. Under the bill, California hospitals would be prohibited from charging emergency room patients above their regular copay or deductible, regardless of whether the hospital is in the insurance company's network, according to the report. The bill would require a healthcare service plan or insurer to pay an in-network hospital for emergency services rendered to a patient based on a formula and an out-of-network hospital "to bill, collect and make refunds in a specified manner." The bill also provides a dispute resolution procedure if needed. The bill, introduced by San Francisco Assemblyman David Chui and state Sen. Scott Weiner, must be reviewed in committee. If passed, it would take effect in 2020. More articles on healthcare finance: Highmark Health reports record revenue: 8 things to know NYC Health + Hospitals financial update: 7 takeaways Nonprofit hospitals will stabilize this year, Fitch predicts Georgia nonprofit hospitals could face new disclosure requirements after the state Senate Finance Committee passed a Medicaid funding bill, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The bill reportedly includes provisions requiring nonprofit hospitals to post detailed financial statements, patient revenue details and the location and price of their owned land. Nonprofit hospitals would also have to disclose the amount of money they have in the bank, as well as salaries and fringe benefits of their 10 highest-paid administrators. Information from questionnaires and audits of programs would also be required, according to the Journal-Constitution. The disclosure requirements, part of House Bill 321, reportedly came as a surprise to some lawmakers but sparked little discussion. A lobbyist for the Georgia Hospital Association told the Journal-Constitution that the group was examining the provisions. More articles on healthcare finance: Highmark Health reports record revenue: 8 things to know NYC Health + Hospitals financial update: 7 takeaways Nonprofit hospitals will stabilize this year, Fitch predicts Horton (Kan.) Community Hospital closed March 12, but it has begun the process of reopening, according to local TV station WIBW. The 25-bed critical access hospital shut down after months of financial troubles. The hospital, owned by an affiliate of Kansas City, Mo.-based EmpowerHMS, was nearly 30 days behind on payroll when it closed. Horton Community Hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy two days after it closed, and a trustee was appointed to oversee the hospital's operations. The hospital began the first phase of reopening on March 25, when a few employees came in to answer phones and retrieve medical records. However, it may be several months before the facility fully reopens. "It's not going to be a very fast process," Richard Brown, MD, chief of staff at Horton Community Hospital, told WIBW. "In fact, when I talked to the trustee, I said, 'Are we just a few weeks from getting things up and running?' and he said, 'Probably longer.' So I anticipate weeks, if not a few months, at least." More articles on healthcare finance: Hospitals in Missouri, Oklahoma file for bankruptcy Insufficient reimbursement hindering chronic care management, survey finds Nicklaus Children's Hospital to freeze wages, lay off staff Ellwood City (Pa.) Medical Center CEO Beverly Annarumo said unpaid accounts are the root cause of disruptions to payroll at the hospital, according to the Ellwood City Ledger. Since August, hospital employees have reported 15 incidents of paychecks being delayed or receiving minimum wage for their hours worked. In a discussion with concerned citizens on social media, Ms. Annarumo said the payroll issues are due to delayed payments from insurance companies, according to the report. She said insurers owe the hospital roughly $9 million. "This is a collective total of money owed for services we have provided, resources we used to provide care for patients in need that we now have to fight the insurance companies for. It's a travesty that should not be occurring," she said. The hospital, owned and managed by Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Americore Health, is the subject of federal and state investigations because of the payroll problems. Access the full Ellwood City Ledger article here. More articles on healthcare finance: New York hospital patients plagued by billing errors Georgia nonprofit hospitals could face new financial transparency rules California lawmakers propose law to end surprise ER bills The National Institutes of Health awarded a five-year $11.4 million to Kansas City-based University of Kansas Medical Center to establish a precision medicine center. Andrew Godwin, PhD, deputy director of the University of Kansas Cancer Center, will lead the project, which will support four core facilities: quantitative omics, biobanking and biomarker validation, biomedical engineering and patient and community engagement. "Precision medicine has the potential to change the landscape of how we provide care," UKMC Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Simari, MD, said in a news release. "Receiving a grant of this size is remarkable and will enable our researchers to develop tailored treatments for all types of diseases." United Parcel Service is using drones to transport medical supplies to Raleigh, N.C.-based WakeMed Health and Hospitals, CNBC reports. UPS will use Matternet's drones to deliver medical samples weighing up to 5 pounds to WakeMed facilities. The drone can travel a distance of 12.5 miles, according to the report. The program will start with "numerous planned daily revenue flights at the WakeMed Raleigh campus," a UPS spokesperson told CNBC. It is an expansion of a test initiative that began in August and is supervised by North Carolina's transportation department and the Federal Aviation Administration. UPS recently announced plans for its vaccine delivery project, which will dispatch nurses to vaccinate adults in their homes. The Justice Department's decision to support a Texas judge's ruling that called for the entire ACA to be struck down has sparked concern from the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals. American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack called the decision "misguided." "The position is unprecedented and unsupported by the law or the facts. Millions of Americans would lose the coverage they have relied on for years. We have made too much progress in coverage and access to care for patients to go backward," Mr. Pollack said in a news release. "If courts were to adopt the DOJ position, Medicaid expansion would be reversed and protections for people with chronic and preexisting conditions would cease to exist," he added. Federation of American Hospitals President and CEO Chip Kahn also spoke out against the Trump administration's ACA decision. The decision "is unfortunate but not unexpected considering their long-held views on the health law," Mr. Kahn said in a news release. He added: "Millions of Americans depend on the ACA to access healthcare and rely on the insurance protections afforded in the law. We continue to believe the district court judge got it wrong and trust that this decision will be overturned in the appeals process." Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed condolences to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over floods in the republic, the Azerbaijani presidential press service reported. "I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and destruction as a result of a natural disaster that hit your country," Ilham Aliyev noted. "On the occasion of this tragedy, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Iran, and wish those injured the swiftest possible recovery. May those killed rest in peace!" President Aliyev said. Flash floods in Iran have killed and injured dozens people. Flood warnings have been issued in almost all provinces, including the capital Tehran, due to torrential rain in a country more accustomed to drought. Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of San Diego-based Scripps Health, sent a memo to his staff March 26 recognizing women leaders, including those who laid the groundwork for the health system. The memo, obtained by Becker's Hospital Review, was addressed to Scripps staff and physicians. It honored several of the hospital's female leaders, including founders Ellen Browning Scripps and Mother Mary Michael Cummings. In his memo, Mr. Gorder wrote: "Women leaders excel in every part of Scripps, from the supervisory level to our outstanding physicians to the Scripps Health Board of Trustees. While other companies struggle to fill leadership roles with women, Scripps women leaders represent the majority of our 15,000 employees, as well as the thousands of women in San Diego who are the primary healthcare decision-makers for their families." Mr. Gorder said six of Scripps' 15 board members are women, with five of them chairing board committees and one being the board chair. "From day one, Scripps has welcomed women to be part of our mission and our leadership. Whether they lead from the boardroom, a hospital office or a patient care unit, women are a vitally important part of our past and our present. I think Miss Ellen and Mother Mary Michael would like that." More articles on leadership and management: 3 board members resign from U of Maryland Medical System, 4 others on leave of absence: 5 things to know Wisconsin hospital lays off CEO amid affiliation 50 Northwestern Memorial Hospital employees fired for accessing Jussie Smollett's records Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's proposal to shut down the state's only medical school program by withdrawing about $3 million in funding faced pushback during a recent state Senate finance committee hearing, according to CBS-affiliated television station KTVA. Alaska participates in the University of Washington School of Medicine's WWAMI medical education program. WWAMI is an acronym for the states served by the UW: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Through WWAMI, the university's medical students can access all four years of medical training at locations in participating states. Suzanne Allen, MD, vice dean for academic, rural and regional affairs for the University of Washington School of Medicine, said Alaska educates about 80 medical students each year through the program and told the finance panel that the WWAMI program is a good way for Alaska to address its need for new physicians, according to the report. "We know that there is a shortage of physicians across the state, across the country," she told KTVA after the hearing. "Alaska is no different, there is a real need for primary care physicians. So when we just look at the benefits of the WWAMI program, we focus on training people to work in primary care in rural areas." The plan to withdraw funding for Alaskas participation in the program is part of the governor's budget revealed last month for fiscal year 2020. At the time, the governor's budget team wrote that the medical school program "has not proven effective at meeting the demand for new physicians, despite a significant state investment over the years. Diminishing returns of this program are not sustainable in the current fiscal environment." But Dr. Allen argues the UW partnership makes more financial sense than building a medical school in Alaska. She also said the program provides faculty and staff jobs as well as new physicians. The committee will continue to review the governor's budget, according to KTVA. Workers at Sacramento-based University of California Davis Medical Center want to join the Committee of Interns and Residents, a unit of the Service Employees International Union, according to The Sacramento Bee. A majority of the roughly 800 medical residents, interns and fellows at the hospital will ask the California Public Employment Relations Board to certify the union to negotiate for them, according to the report. The workers, who signed up to authorize the committee to represent them in bargaining, say they want a more powerful voice. "Right now, residents have no say in what goes into their contract," Lauren Jansen, MD, a third-year resident in family medicine at the medical center , told the Bee. "Things change year to year. Nothing feels secure, but once we have a union involved, we'll be able to lock in our current benefits and can only go up from there." Medical center officials did not immediately return the publication's call seeking comment. Unionization efforts come after medical interns, residents and fellows at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center walked off the job for 15 minutes March 19 to protest for higher pay. The Committee of Interns and Residents represents more than 15,000 house staff, including residents, fellows and interns practicing at UCLA and UC San Francisco medical facilities. More articles on human capital and risk: Michigan nurses ratify first labor deal wth Munson Medical Center NYC nurses postpone April 2 strike U of California workers to strike March 20, Bernie Sanders to attend Two former Detroit Medical Center cardiologists filed a lawsuit March 25 against the hospital and its parent company, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, according to the Detroit Free Press. Six things to know: 1. Amir Kaki, MD, and Mahir Elder, MD, who were fired from DMC in October for unspecified conduct violations, filed the lawsuit. They allege multiple DMC patients have died in recent years due to cutting costs and physician incompetence, according to the Detroit Free Press. 2. One incident noted in the lawsuit involved a DMC patient who died in early 2018. Administrators had removed a blood-testing lab from a cardiac catheterization unit to cut costs, and the patient died because it took hours to report his high blood potassium levels to the cardiac team, the lawsuit alleges. 3. The lawsuit also alleges a DMC patient suffered complications and bled to death in 2015 after physicians mistreated his pulmonary embolism. 4. Drs. Kaki and Elder claim they were fired for raising concerns about quality of care and patient safety. 5. In a statement issued to the Detroit Free Press, Detroit Medical Center said: "We do not comment on pending litigation. As we've said previously, we asked Drs. Elder and Kaki to step down from their administrative leadership roles in the DMC cardiovascular service line in October 2018 due to violations of our standards of conduct. Any suggestion that these leadership transitions were made for reasons other than violations of our standards of conduct is false." 6. The physicians are seeking reinstatement, back pay and unspecified damages, according to the report. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: DOJ supports striking entire ACA: 5 things to know 8 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements MedStar will pay $35M to settle kickback allegations The Department of Justice has filed a complaint against Wheeling (W.Va.) Hospital, the hospital's CEO and business consulting group R & V Associates. The Justice Department filed the complaint after joining a whistleblower lawsuit against the hospital in December. A former executive vice president of Wheeling Hospital originally brought the lawsuit in December 2017. The lawsuit alleges R & V and Wheeling Hospital CEO Ronald Violi caused the hospital to violate the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute. The Justice Department specifically alleges the hospital violated the statutes by basing compensation for certain physicians on the volume or value of their referrals to the hospital. The Justice Department further alleges certain physicians received compensation above fair market value. In a statement to WTOV, hospital officials said they will defend against the allegations. "As we have said before, the allegations in this lawsuit are simply not true and an unfair attack on our hospital, our values and our dedicated physicians who partner with us to provide care to our community," a hospital spokesperson told WTOV. "We stand by our physicians and will aggressively defend against these baseless and unsubstantiated claims, while remaining fully committed to providing world-class care to the citizens of Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley every day." Earlier this month, the hospital filed a federal lawsuit against Louis Longo, the former executive vice president who filed the whistleblower lawsuit. The hospital is suing Mr. Longo for breach of fiduciary duty and abuse of process. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Physicians sue Tenet, Detroit Medical Center, allege cost-cutting led to patient deaths DOJ supports striking entire ACA: 5 things to know MedStar will pay $35M to settle kickback allegations Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas agreed to pay a $75,000 settlement after a deaf job applicant accused the health insurer of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the Dallas Morning News. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which accused BCBS of Texas of violating the ADA, said the insurer settled the lawsuit March 20. The commission filed the lawsuit after BCBS of Texas declined to settle the case outside of court. The lawsuit accused BCBS of Texas of not accommodating a deaf applicant who claimed the insurer's online application was inaccessible. According to the allegations, the insurer stopped communicating with the applicant after accommodations were requested, according to the Dallas Morning News. Blue Cross did not immediately respond to the publication's request for comment. Louisiana officials will strike a deal with a Gilead Sciences subsidiary to supply hepatitis C medication under a Netflix-style payment model, according to STAT. Under the model, Asegua Therapeutics will supply hepatitis C treatments to the state Medicaid program and Department of Corrections in return for subscription-based payments. The state will pay a fixed dollar amount for unlimited access to the medication for five years. A finalized contract is expected June 1. Asegua, the Gilead unit, will provide Louisiana with an authorized generic version of Epclusa, its top-selling hepatitis C treatment. The pricing model aims to limit the amount the state pays for hepatitis C treatments, while also treating more individuals. The Louisiana Health Department hopes to treat more than 10,000 people by the end of 2020 and keep the total spending on hepatitis C drugs to $35 million or less, the collective amount Medicaid and the Louisiana Department of Corrections spent in fiscal year 2018. The state began exploring a subscription-based model in response to budget concerns. The Netflix-style model is being explored in other countries. Australia is working its way through a five-year agreement in which several drugmakers were paid a lump sum of $766 million for an unlimited volume of hepatitis C drugs. The deal was signed in 2015. Using the Netflix-style payment model for purchasing hepatitis C drugs is expected to lower patient costs in Australia by 85 percent. Purdue Pharma and its billionaire family owners have made headlines this year as states and cities work through lawsuits claiming the OxyContin maker fueled the U.S. opioid crisis. Most recently, the OxyContin maker agreed to pay more than $200 million to resolve the first of more than 1,600 of those lawsuits. Below is a timeline of newsworthy stories about Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family leading up to the landmark settlement: Jan. 15. A revised court filing released by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy reveals more about Purdue Pharma and the role of its former president Richard Sackler, MD. The new lawsuit claims the OxyContin maker and Dr. Sackler knew OxyContin was being abused, but still pushed sales to physicians and tried to blame patients for becoming addicted. The revised court filing also sheds light on the relationships Purdue Pharma formed. The drugmaker formed relationships with two Boston-based organizations Massachusetts General Hospital and Tufts University School of Medicine to boost prescription rates and generate goodwill toward opioids as painkillers, the filing states. Jan. 18. Tufts University announces it will conduct an internal review of its ties to Purdue Pharma after court filings emerged suggesting the maker of OxyContin sought a partnership with the Boston medical school to raise prescription rates for opioids. Jan. 28. A Massachusetts judge orders the full release of a lawsuit claiming Purdue Pharma fueled the opioid crisis. Previous versions of the complaint contained several redacted sections. The judge rules that the lawsuit should have been released in full to the public. The unredacted version may shed light on some of the marketing decisions by Purdue Pharma and how much money its executives made. Feb. 20. The Wall Street Journal reports that two more organizations The New York Academy of Sciences and Columbia University, both in New York City will review their financial ties to Purdue Pharma Feb. 21. A 2015 deposition of Dr. Sackler gets released. New details of the Sackler family's alleged involvement in boosting opioid prescriptions emerge. A chain of emails reveals Dr. Sackler embraced a plan to conceal OxyContin's strength in an effort to boost prescriptions and sales. In 1997, about a year after Purdue Pharma launched OxyContin, Purdue Pharma's head of sales, Michael Friedman, told Dr. Sackler that he didn't want to correct a misconception that OxyContin, made from oxycodone, was weaker than morphine because that misconception was increasing prescription rates and sales. March 4. Reports surface that Purdue Pharma is considering filing for bankruptcy to protect the company from significant liabilities that may arise from thousands of lawsuits. March 8. A hedge fund ousts the billionaire Sackler family. Citing the Sackler's ties to opioids, Hildene Capital Management told several investment entities of the Sackler family that it was no longer comfortable managing their money. March 13. The FDA grants fast track designation to an emergency opioid overdose antidote manufactured by Purdue Pharma. The opioid overdose antidote, nalmefene hydrochloride injection, has a longer duration than naloxone, the drug now used to reverse opioid overdoses. March 14. Purdue Pharma's president and CEO, Craig Landau, confirms that a bankruptcy filing is on the table as lawsuits alleging the drugmaker fueled the nation's opioid crisis pile up. March 19. The National Portrait Gallery in London announces it turned down a $1.3 million pledge from a charitable organization overseen by some members of the Sackler family. March 21. The House Oversight Committee asks Purdue Pharma to hand over several documents that may help uncover more about the Sacklers. March 25. Tufts University hires Donald Stern, a former U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, to investigate its ties to Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers. The university had already begun an internal review. March 25. The Sackler Trust, run by members of the Sackler family, announces it will suspend all new philanthropic giving amid claims that the family played a role in fueling the U.S. opioid crisis. March 25. The Oklahoma Supreme Court rules Purdue Pharma cannot delay the trial in Oklahoma. The trial is set to start in May. March 26. Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family settle Oklahoma's lawsuit for $270 million. The settlement resolves Oklahoma's claims that the company helped fuel the opioid epidemic and comes just two months before the trial against Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals was scheduled to start. Purdue Pharma and the billionaire Sackler family agreed to pay hundreds of millions to resolve the first of more than 1,600 lawsuits accusing the OxyContin maker of fueling the opioid crisis. The landmark deal could lay the groundwork for the resolution of the remaining litigation, according to The Wall Street Journal. The drugmaker and its owners agreed to pay $270 million to settle the lawsuit brought against them in Oklahoma. The majority of the money will fund a national opioid addiction center in the state. The deal allows Purdue Pharma to sidestep a May trial, the first trial scheduled among the opioid cases. The trial could have exposed the company to damaging testimony and a jury verdict. It also allows Purdue Pharma, which was considering bankruptcy, to avoid filing for bankruptcy for now. Purdue Pharma now can focus on the rest of the lawsuits filed by more than 35 states and hundreds of municipalities. The Oklahoma deal could speed up those settlement talks, Elizabeth Burch, a law professor at the University of Georgia, told the WSJ: "It's got to set off a feeding frenzy. There's blood in the water now." The next trials are set to begin in Ohio in the fall, also the likely time for more settlements or even a bankruptcy filing, according to the report. The FDA is taking several steps to help combat medical device shortages after a major medical device sterilization facility closed. Nine things to know: 1. Earlier this year the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an order to stop contract sterilizer Sterigenics from sterilizing medical products using ethylene oxide. 2. The FDA noted that another contract sterilizer in Grand Rapids, Mich., Viant, also announced that its facility will close later this year after the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality found some quality issues. When asked about the reason for the closure Viant said its sterilization unit was not part of its core business. 3. Both facilities use ethylene oxide gas to sterilize products, ranging from wound dressings to stents and even kits used in routine hospital procedures. However, the environmental effect of using the gas is affecting manufacturer's ability to use the process. 4. Sterigenics uses the ethylene oxide sterilization process on 594 types of devices, while Viant uses the process on 46 types of devices. 5. Medical device manufacturers rely on these sterilization services. 6. To help prevent potential medical device shortages that may arise from the closure of the facility, the FDA is working directly with manufacturers to better understand the devices that were affected and any potential effects of the closures on device distribution to end users, including healthcare facilities and patients. 7. The FDA is encouraging device manufacturers to consider alternative contract sterilizers. 8. The FDA created a website that will serve as a resource on ethylene oxide sterilization and actions taken by the agency. A device shortages mailbox has been created so that any user, patient or organization can notify the FDA if they anticipate a shortage. 9. "Early awareness of a potential shortage enables us to be proactive and develop a plan to mitigate its effects on patient care," the FDA said. As many as 25 people have been killed as a result of the flooding in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Head of the Relief and Rescue Organization of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Morteza Salimi told ISNA yesterday that flooding killed 23 people. Today he reported already 25 victims. On Tuesday, the authorities sent out emergency warnings to the public on mobile phones as state television aired safety tips, including on how to leave cars stuck in floods. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a message of condolence and urged officials to speed up relief efforts and compensation for victims of the floods, which the authorities described as unprecedented. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, in turn, said that authorities need to invest all in their power in repairing the damage. "All our efforts at this juncture should be directed at restoring the situation to normal in the afflicted provinces," PressTV cited him as saying. Orthofix allegedly persuaded employees to break their contracts with DePuy Synthes, damaging the latter's ability to conduct business in Texas and Alabama, according to a lawsuit filed Feb. 14. 1. DePuy filed a lawsuit alleging its competitor, Orthofix, improperly converted Dothan-based Southeast Alabama Medical Center which had been a "longtime" Depuy customer "worth millions of dollars" into an Orthofix client. 2. Orthofix allegedly did so by hiring former DePuy sales consultants Thomas Wells and Michael Sewell and gleaning confidential information from them. Both Mr. Wells and Mr. Sewell had signed noncompete clauses in their contracts. "It is difficult, if not impossible, to convert business within a large account like SEAMC overnight without customer relationships, goodwill, specialized training and confidential information to do so, which Orthofix lacked about DePuy Synthes' business within this account," the lawsuit states. 3. Orthofix also allegedly recruited Scott Mackey and Miranda Middleton in November 2017, despite knowing they were bound by confidentiality and non-compete contracts with DePuy. Mr. Mackey, who was a sales consultant, and Ms. Middleton, who was an associate sales consultant, are named as defendants in the lawsuit. They both worked with Longview (Texas) Regional Medical Center, a key DePuy client. 4. Mr. Mackey and Ms. Middleton both resigned Dec. 14, 2017, about one month after visiting Orthofix's headquarters with some of DePuy's surgeon customers. DePuy alleged the visit was intended to prepare the DePuy clients to transition their business to Orthofix after Mr. Mackey and Ms. Middleton resigned. 5. DePuy Synthes is seeking compensatory, incidental and consequential damages, as well as compensation for legal costs and interest. DePuy also wants Orthofix to forfeit all gains or profits resulting from interactions with the four former DePuy employees in question. "As a result of Orthofix's improper and tortious activities, DePuy Synthes is suffering immediate and irreparable harm in the form of lost profits, lost customers, lost customer relationships and other injuries," the lawsuit states. CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings program significantly understates complication risks for patients who undergo total joint arthroplasty at hospitals that perform relatively few TJAs, according to a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Five things to know: 1. CMS launched the star ratings in July 2016 as part of an effort to promote value-based care. The program includes 57 performance measures in seven categories, encompassing mortality, patient safety, hospital readmission, effectiveness and timeliness of care and other factors in hospitalization. Hospitals can receive an overall rating between one and five stars. 2. While hospitals that perform a high volume of a particular procedure usually have better outcomes than low procedure-volume facilities, the star system does not include measures for hospitals that perform fewer than 25 but more than zero procedures over a three-year period. 3. The Hospital for Special Surgery researchers assessed four measures: complications and readmissions for TJA, and mortality and readmissions for coronary artery bypass grafting, for which high-volume hospitals tend to perform better than low-volume hospitals. The study authors used three methods to estimate values for the missing low-volume facilities from the public CMS database. 4. For three of the four measures, including the estimates did not affect overall ratings, suggesting that the star ratings do not reflect the volume-outcome relationship for those measures. 5. For complications after TJA, nearly 40 percent of hospitals had their score change once the estimates of the low-volume data were added to the model. Of those, roughly a third gained a star or more while two-thirds lost a star or more. "Overall, although low-volume hospitals were more often hurt than helped after imputation [of the missing, low-volume outcome measures] higher-volume hospitals were also more often hurt than helped," the study authors wrote. "As health-care incentives move toward value-based programs in which higher quality is rewarded financially, defining quality in relative terms may very well prevent some providers with high absolute quality scores, but lower relative quality scores, from achieving those rewards," the HSS researchers wrote. This overemphasizing of differences, in turn, could engender counterproductive competition by discouraging hospitals from sharing best practices and collaborating." The spinal robotics market is growing, with more companies releasing robots and more surgeons training on the technology. Learn more about value-based care in spine at the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + The Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference, June 13-15 in Chicago. Click here to learn more and register. For more information about exhibitor and sponsor opportunities, contact Maura Jodoin at mjodoin@beckershealthcare.com. Here are 15 updates on the robotic spine field and thoughts from surgeons about the future. 1. The global spinal robotics market is expected to reach $320 million by 2026, up from $75 million in 2017, according to a Transparency Market Research report. From 2017 to 2026, the market is expected to expand at a 17.5 percent compound annual growth rate. 2. North America is expected to lead the spinal robotics market due to a high demand for spine surgery, however there are a limited number of professionals trained in the technology. The Transparency Market Research report noted Medtronic, with Mazor Robotics, and Zimmer Biomet hold around 80 percent market share. 3. Mazor Surgical Technologies was established in 2001 and became Mazor Robotics in 2010. The company received a CE mark for its first product, SpineAssist, in 2004 and made it the first commercially available mechanical guidance system for spine surgery when it launched. The company then released the Renaissance Guidance System in 2011 and collaborated with Medtronic to develop Mazor X, launched in July 2016. 4. Medtronic placed a purchase order for 15 Mazor Robotics' Mazor X systems in August 2016, as part of its $20 million investment in the company. The Mazor X technology expands on the company's robotic guidance technology to include analytical tools, multiple-source data, precision guidance, optical tracking, intra-op verification and connectivity technologies. In November 2018, Medtronic fully merged with Mazor in a $1.64 billion transaction. 5. ASCs are now installing spinal robotic systems, including Mazor's Renaissance system. GNS Surgery Center in Athens, Ga., a United Surgical Partners International affiliate, installed the Renaissance system in June 2018; Johnstown, Colo.-based Arete Surgical Center and Pensacola, Fla.-based Baptist Medical Park Surgery Center also installed the systems last year. 6. Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer Biomet acquired Montpellier, France-based Medtech in October 2016. Medtech's original product, ROSA Brain, offers surgeons robotic guidance and preplanning with brain surgery. Based on a preoperative plan, the robot drives the arm along planned trajectories, allowing the surgeon to implement the planned intervention. The company received FDA clearance for Rosa One Spine earlier this month. 7. Audubon, Pa.-based Globus Medical presented its Excelsius GPS investigational robotics system at the North American Spine Society meeting, held in Boston from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29, 2016. The system features non-patient bedside docking and an optical tracking system. The company received the CE mark for the system in January 2017. "We are starting to see the promise of robotics come to fruition as the technology is being adopted enthusiastically with good early clinical results," said Globus Medical CEO David Demski during the second quarter 2018 earnings call, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha. "A significant number of procedures using ExcelsiusGPS have been performed by surgeons who have not used Globus implants before and we are seeing exceptional growth in the number of accounts utilizing the technology." 8. NuVaisve plans to reveal a new robotics spine surgery platform later this year called Pulse. The fully integrated robotic offering is in development and expected to have application for all spinal surgeries, not just complex or low-acuity cases. "Pulse is a foundational component of our end-to-end solution to not only enable predictable clinical and economic outcomes, but also pull through innovative procedural solutions to create market stickiness and increase the cost of disruption of switching to another provider," said Chris Barry, CEO of NuVasive, during the company's 2018 earnings call in February 2019, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha. "By integrating many disparate technologies in a single platform, we're executing on an application system environment that addresses current gaps in the market and is applicable in 100 percent of spine cases." 9. A study presented at the Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Annual Forum 2016 compared the surgical outcomes for 403 robotic-guided spine surgeries with 224 fluoroscopic-guided procedures and 78 freehand procedures. The complication rates for the techniques were: Robotic guidance: 4 percent Fluoroscopic guidance: 5.4 percent Freehand: 12.8 percent "This retrospective analysis demonstrated that use of robotic guidance MIS can significantly reduce surgical complications and revision surgeries when compared to fluoro-guided MIS in the hands of experienced MIS surgeons," concluded the study authors. 10. Peter Vikas, MD, penned an article titled "Future of Robotics in Spine Surgery" in the April 1, 2018 issue of Spine. He noted that market trends and increased training could push health systems to purchase robotic technology for spine surgery. "Less-trained spine surgeons are expected to do more and more, especially in physician-based settings. Robotics could allow for increased safety even with increased complexity of surgery, bringing such cases into the capability of less experienced surgeons," he wrote. https://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/FullText/2018/04011/Future_of_Robotics_in_Spine_Surgery.19.aspx He also mentioned researchers are developing robots to perform automated simple procedures, including wound closing. 11. In the December 2018 issue of Spine, researchers published a literature review of robotic technology. Thirty-two articles included in the review showed intrapedicular accuracy in screw placement for the robotic group was comparable, and in some cases superior, to the freehand group. Subsequent complication rates were similar and radiation exposure varied between studies. As the number of robotic cases ascended, radiation exposure decreased. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29672420 12. In January, Reston-based Virginia Spine Institute's Director of Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity Christopher Good, MD, led a team that performed the first surgery using the Mazor X Stealth Edition. Three predictions on robotics in spine: 13. Frank Shen, MD. University of Virginia Health System (Charlottesville): I think that over the next five to 10 years spine surgery will start to incorporate technologies from multiple emerging fields including robotics, advanced imaging techniques, wireless and smart technologies, and nano-engineering just to name a few. We are seeing the application of those technologies in our practices already. Currently, our institution is already utilizing robot-guided technologies to increase the accuracy and precision of what we do in the operating room. In addition, we have been using real-time virtual imaging obtained from intraoperative 3D scans to develop virtual surgical plans and executing the plan intraoperatively. The use of wireless and 'smart technologies' will allow instruments, and likely implants, to communicate with one another seamlessly and in real-time, and will soon become commonplace. 14. Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center (Las Vegas): Minimally invasive techniques, navigation and robotic-assisted spine surgery will continue to evolve and improve over the next several years with expanding indications, shorter learning curve and improved patient safety and operative efficiency. As the need for spine surgery remains high and will likely increase with aging population, minimally invasive procedures will provide safer care with less complications and quicker recovery. Navigation and robotic technology will make it easier for more spine surgeons to adapt to minimally invasive techniques. 15. Michael Goldsmith, MD. The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (Bethesda, Md.): Robotics and biologics will have the biggest impact on the field of spine surgery five years from now. We have advanced image guidance technology that is extremely useful in both simple and complex spinal procedures and provides a high level of accuracy and safety. In addition, our field has exciting robotic technology from companies such as Globus and Mazor, but this is still in its infancy. The technology is rapidly advancing to extend its indications across the field of spine surgery and improve its speed and accuracy. In addition, biologics will [have] a major impact on how the field of spine surgery looks in five years, both from an improved fusion perspective and a motion preservation perspective through regeneration and maintenance of normal anatomy. DUP MEP Diane Dodds has rejected any notion that her party is not on the side of Northern Ireland businesses. The DUP's firm rejection of the backstop provision in Theresa May's withdrawal text remains at odds with the majority view within Northern Ireland's business community. A poll of members by Manufacturing NI in December showed 93% endorsing the agreement. Business bodies have continued to be outspoken over the potential impact of a no-deal scenario on the economy, with Danske Bank chief executive, Kevin Kingston, recently describing a no-deal Brexit as the biggest risk to the Northern Ireland economy in a generation. Meanwhile, DUP MP Sammy Wilson argued this week that the Prime Minister's deal would be worse than no deal. But speaking in Strasbourg yesterday, Ms Dodds said: "I don't believe we're not on businesses' side. We want Northern Ireland's economy to grow and we want to grow jobs and employment opportunities for our young people." She said the party is disappointed with the way the withdrawal agreement is being presented and negotiated by the Government. "Flexibility on the European Union side, negotiating some of the finer points, could help enormously," she said. Ms Dodds also described the proposed 30,000 salary threshold for skilled workers moving to the UK after Brexit - contained in a report by the Migration Advisory Committee - as "ludicrous for Northern Ireland quite frankly". "In Northern Ireland, even some highly-skilled people are not earning 30,000, so it's way too high." The DUP MEP added that any future harmonisation of taxes across the EU would likely prevent Northern Ireland reducing its corporation tax rate, if it remains in the Single Market. It comes as a Department for the Economy report concluded this week that dropping corporation tax to 12.5% would more than recompense for any economic impact from Brexit. The report found a backstop scenario for Northern Ireland, i.e. keeping it within the Single Market, with the rest of the UK outside, would represent the best case advantage for attracting foreign direct investment. Meanwhile, UUP MEP Jim Nicholson said while he understands the fears of businesses and farmers in Northern Ireland, he doesn't agree with them on the withdrawal agreement. The European Parliament veteran, who backed Remain during the 2016 referendum, repeated his opposition to the backstop. "People have to look after what's in their best interests. We, as politicians, not only have to look after their best interests, we also have to look after our responsibility to keep the union together. "I can understand where they come from. I heard many of their concerns before the referendum. "Those concerns haven't changed after the referendum. As we sit now, some of them, with the greatest respect, did react to a lot of pressure from Government and probably encouragement from Government. But that's their business and they have to represent their people the best they can. I can understand it, but can't agree with it." Northern Ireland would be less attractive for foreign direct investment (FDI) if it left the EU single market, a report has claimed. The report, published by the Department for the Economy, says the region would experience a reduction of FDI-related job creation in any of the currently considered Brexit outcomes. However, it would become more attractive to FDI and generate new jobs if it remained in the single market for goods and services, and the UK left. The 47-page report also found that lowering the corporate tax rate to 12.5% would compensate for the negative effects of Brexit. It concluded that the most damaging post-Brexit outcome would be a no-deal scenario, with a reduction of 3% per year in the number of FDI projects from 2019 to 2030, and a 3.6% cut in FDI-related new jobs. Economist Dr Esmond Birnie of Ulster University said the report had not considered other factors relevant to FDI location, including the province's relatively low productivity and low labour costs. What does Brexit mean for Ireland? A difficult question to answer as we are yet to discover what Brexit even means for Britain. There is the reputed 'Brexit dividend' in jobs and investment, but after 20 years of improving relations, Brexit has seen a rise of not-entirely compatible nationalisms. What does this mean for the large numbers of Britons living in or moving to Ireland in the face of the schism with Europe? It is a pressing issue, with passport applications from Great Britain almost doubling from 46,229 in 2015 to 80,752 last year, to add to the 103,113 UK nationals resident in Ireland, as of 2016. Read More Meanwhile, figures released by Ernst & Young last week showed that Dublin "remains the most popular choice for financial services firms to relocate post-Brexit with 28 firms having committed". EY also reported that 7,000 financial services jobs are likely to leave London for Europe. How many of those jobs are headed for Dublin is unclear. Jan Smullen, head of HR for EY Ireland, says they "haven't seen a huge uptake in interest specifically related to Brexit". It does seem increasingly likely, however, that for Ireland, Brexit means Brexiles. Many of these nationals, having left Britain, feel a sense of estrangement from a political and social landscape they see as redrawn. For Welsh architect Richard Bonney, it means Irish citizenship. "Getting an Irish passport is my little bit of a stand against the whole Brexit thing," he says. Expand Close Davina Saint lives in the Republic / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Davina Saint lives in the Republic "I'm a very proud Welshman, but I feel more of an affinity to Europe now than to Britain. And I don't say that lightly," says Bonney (41), who is originally from Neath and who met his wife, Olivia, in London and moved to Ireland with her. They have two children, Rhys and Lilly. Bonney, who studied in Sheffield, fears that Brexit represents a resurgent English nationalism. He also understands the leave impulse. "The South Wales coalfields had a strong leave vote. My family back home are Leavers. "People say things weren't as good as 20 years ago. They voted leave because they felt they had nothing to lose. That's what Remainers didn't appreciate," he adds. "When I was back in Wales for a rugby match, I took my wife down the Valleys and there were blue EU flags everywhere - new libraries, new community centres. The Valleys benefit a huge amount from structural funding. It's just people didn't realise it. "During the referendum, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales weren't mentioned. All the boys in the Welsh society feel that Brexit is about English nationalism. I find the whole thing quite poisonous. There's a few people who have recently moved over and they're devastated." Immigration into Ireland from the UK isn't a new phenomenon. Back in 2002, the UK community numbered 103,476, climbing to 112,548 in 2006 and remaining relatively unchanged in 2011, before falling by roughly a tenth. According to the last Census, the UK community in Ireland is older than most other groups; 57% are over 45, 41% have an Irish partner and 62% own their own home. While these statistics point to a well integrated, settled community, they have benefited from both the EU and the Common Travel Area (CTA). Expand Close Clear message: a lorry passes a poster calling for No Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clear message: a lorry passes a poster calling for No Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland Some fear this ease of movement will suffer some attrition. "We moved to Ireland because my husband got a job here, and then I got a job," says Davina Saint, a banking solicitor living in Dublin. Before she left Britain, Saint had lived in London and Oxford. "Before that, we'd been living in South Africa, and everything was so difficult with work permits and visas," she says. "Then we came here and it was just all 'Europe'. It was seamless and easy as both myself and my husband had British passports. "Then last week, I got a letter from my insurance company saying I'm listed with a British driver's licence and they couldn't say what would happen after March 29, so I had to get an Irish driver's licence. "Suddenly, I'm in a scenario where I've always assumed that I'd always be able to stay here in Ireland and it would always be the same. Now that assumption is challenged for me." There is more than paperwork to the changing Anglo-Irish dynamic of course. Recent months have seen a hardening of rhetoric, with senior Tories exposing either staggering arrogance or cynical dog whistles. In December, BBC political editor Nicholas Watt reported a 'Tory grandee' told him: "We simply cannot allow the Irish to treat us like this. "This simply cannot stand. The Irish really should know their place." Expand Close Tory MP Priti Patel PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tory MP Priti Patel Many Irish in Britain, particularly those living in England, have expressed exasperation at such commentary and Tory outbursts, including those of Priti Patel, Jacob Rees-Mogg and, most recently, MEP Daniel Hannan's lampooned treatise on Fianna Fail, provoked fury and anguish in equal measure. Of course, the Irish moral authority was blunted somewhat by Sinn Fein walking behind a "England Get Out of Ireland" St Patrick's Day banner, (albeit in New York) last weekend. For others, the tone of the debate in the Republic raises concerns, and one academic says the conversation could benefit from less heat. "For British people living in the Republic of Ireland, one thing I notice is how strident and morally superior a lot of the commentary has become," notes Dr Bill Kissane, associate professor of Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics. Dr Kissane, who is Irish and undertook his undergraduate and Masters at Trinity, adds: "There's no critical thinking about what has produced this in the first place and what is going wrong with European integration. "And what about the Irish attitude to European integration? It's not so long ago that we had a very deep economic crisis and the European Union was seen as one of the bad guys and it's all been forgotten. "We use the term Brexit, Brexit meaning Britain leaving the European Union, but what's the difference between Britain, England and the United Kingdom? "I think what's happening here is that English nationalism is reasserting itself and Britain, as a concept, is under a lot of pressure. "So for people who moved to Ireland, I don't know how all this will play out. There is the Common Travel Area, which I suppose will remain. "They are the second biggest minority in the Irish Republic [after the Polish]. Their rights will be respected and they will remain here - it's quite an old population profile. But one can't assume that just because people leave England and move to Ireland, they're indifferent to national pride." Brexit has become something of a lightning rod, Dr Kissane believes, for those seeking to project a new kind of Irish nationalism. "The European Project has allowed people to express Irish nationalism in a new way. In the past, Irish nationalism was the North or it was the GAA or it was the Irish language, but now people can be quite progressive and they can still be Irish nationalists by criticising Brexit." The British in Ireland say this frustration with Brexit is entirely understandable. Dr John McGilp (68) is a professor of Physics, originally from Langbank in Scotland's Renfrewshire - which voted 64.8pc to Remain. He moved to Ireland in September 1977 to take up a lectureship at Trinity and has been here ever since. He married an Irish woman and they have two children. "I've had no experience in Ireland of any anti-British sentiment. A lot of people think Brexit is stupid. It was a decision taken in the UK, but I still think it entitles Irish people to have a view on it." Despite having lived here for almost 40 years by the time of the UK referendum, McGilp only decided to apply for his passport after the Brexit vote and was made a citizen in April 2017. "I never considered Irish citizenship before, mainly because I found nationalism was less important as the EU developed. Then Brexit happened and I thought, this sounds really bad. "So I had two problems after the result: Do I feel Irish or Scottish? The answer is I'm both. The test was when I wanted Ireland to beat Scotland in the rugby last year. The cultures are not dissimilar, which helps. Scottish people have a similar view on life as Irish people. You can tell that from the Brexit vote." Scotland voted 62pc to Remain. "I've been following the way the British press has been treating Europe for 30 years. Most politicians, even Irish politicians, will use Europe as an excuse for unpopular changes," adds McGilp. "And when people are doing badly, they look for someone to blame. The effect is they've given a voice to a small minority who are very antagonistic to anybody who's not English." Some say the relationship between the Irish and English is more complicated. Laura is a 45-year-old civil servant from the south of England, who has lived in Ireland for 20 years. "I've lived here nearly half my life, but Ireland is a dramatically different place to the UK. Dublin, for example, is a much more distinctively European city. Most UK people would have no notion. They think it's like Scotland or Wales." Laura says there are a minority from whom she gets a reaction. "I'd say one in every 40 or 50 I meet, consistently over 20 years, visibly recoils at my accent." (Fleabag rather than Downton Abbey.) "Every time it happens, I'm shocked - because I've had it from the youngest to the oldest. And it's that from-the-mother's-breast hatred of the English, that hasn't particularly changed in 20 years." Laura describes the reaction as 'visceral' and though not angry, she looks forward to hearing more accents like hers on the street. "You hear every accent except mine," she says. This is almost certainly set to be the case as large London-based institutions move their centres. "Some companies will probably seek to retain high-potential, high-performance individuals, where professional skills are not freely available in the market," says EY's Jan Smullen. Remote working, or commuting Monday-to-Friday, might be available to some, she says, on an assignment-by-assignment basis. Housing is another matter. "At a junior level, things like rental prices in Dublin can be prohibitive. If you're more high-end in terms of salary, it may not be such a consideration," she says. "Dublin gets rated very highly in terms of quality of life, environment and socialising." Now, for Ireland, it's a case of policy and preparation, says Dr Kissane. "In terms of integrating people, three things matter - education, which isn't too bad, healthcare, which is a disaster compared to [the UK] and housing, which is also very problematic. "Less than 10 years ago, people would have been saying that Irish attitudes towards the UK were fundamentally changing as a consequence of the Queen's visit, that there was some kind of tangible reconciliation, but I personally think that the emotions that are rooted in the past of conflict are actually deeper, haven't gone away and they can be re-ignited if the political process works to that end." Richard Bonney says that he doesn't feel any less welcome after Brexit, in fact, he probably feels more so. "I think it did make me feel I wasn't British anymore. I'm a proud Welshman. I've got the language. I almost felt, 'Has my time in Ireland changed me'? "Even when I go back, I've felt as I've moved on. I feel now more Irish than I almost do Welsh sometimes. Brexit killed my Britishness. But it hasn't killed my Welshness." Secretary of State Karen Bradley's go-ahead for a 350m City Deal to rejuvenate Belfast has been welcomed. Mrs Bradley also said she was continuing to work on a deal for Londonderry. She signed the Heads of Terms for the deal alongside the Belfast City Regional Deal partners and the Civil Service yesterday. It will see the Government invest 350m into Belfast over the next 15 years. It is proposed that this figure will be matched by the Executive once the devolved institutions are restored. The City Deal will be further bolstered by co-investment of upwards of 150m from Belfast Region City Deal partners, and investment by the private sector is anticipated to bring the total investment package to over 1bn. It is hoped the deal will see the delivery of more than 20 projects to help create up to 20,000 new jobs. DUP MP Nigel Dodds welcomed the announcement. "The confidence-and-supply agreement ensured the Government's commitment towards delivering City Deals in Northern Ireland," he said. "This City Deal will make a real difference to people right across the six council areas which have worked together on the proposal. "This can be a transformative package, with the potential to create up to 20,000 jobs. That has always been our approach through the confidence-and-supply process, to deliver for everyone in Northern Ireland. "We will continue working to secure more City Deals for every part of Northern Ireland." Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen said: "This is great news for Belfast and indeed for Northern Ireland as a whole. "This level of investment will be a major boost to economic development and create much-needed jobs. I congratulate all those who have worked so hard to bring this to fruition." SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon said: "This City Deal will go a long way to creating jobs and changing our region's economic fortunes." She said the party will continue to push for a City Deal for Londonderry to ensure communities in the north west are treated fairly. "Northern Ireland can only truly prosper if all parts of it are enabled to prosper," she added. The programme is intended to help grow the region's business strengths in life and health sciences, ICT, digital and creative industries and advanced manufacturing. It will also support digital development and tourism-led regeneration across the region, through infrastructure developments and investment in skills to connect people to jobs and services. Mrs Bradley said she was delighted to get the deal over the line. "I'm also engaging closely with the Chancellor to secure a financial announcement for the Derry-Londonderry region City Deal and help unlock the huge potential that Derry-Londonderry has to offer," the Secretary of State said. "The UK Government is committed to developing a comprehensive and ambitious set of City Deals across Northern Ireland and delivering a stronger economy that works for everyone." Belfast Lord Mayor Deidre Hargey said the signing of the deal marked a "significant milestone in our journey towards substantial investment in inclusive regional regeneration". "It's testament to the power of collaboration and partnership and we look forward to progressing plans with our wide range of partners, including our colleagues working to deliver a programme of investment for Derry-Londonderry and the north west region," the Sinn Fein councillor said. Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied media reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly handed over to President Vladimir Putin some plan regarding the resolution of the ongoing conflict in Syria. "I cannot confirm this information," the Kremlin spokesman said. "In this case details must be apparently clarified to establish what plan we are talking about here and what Netanyahu meant when he spoke about it," TASS cited Peskov as saying. He also said that the Israeli side did not hand over to Moscow documents of this kind during Netanyahus official visit to Russia in February. Times of Israel daily reported earlier citing its unnamed high-ranking source that the plan on the Syrian conflict settlement was handed over to U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Putin. Police said the arrest was linked to raids in Belfast last week. A 33-year-old man has been arrested as part of the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Task Force crackdown on the East Belfast UVF. The 33-year-old was arrested in the Lisburn area on Wednesday and held on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. He has been charged and will appear in court on April 18. The arrest is connected to a significant search and arrest operation against the criminal activities of the East Belfast UVF. Eleven people were arrested after raids in the Greater Belfast, Ards and Comber areas on Friday morning. The searches resulted in the seizure of 15,000 of suspected Class A drugs, a number of high value vehicles, high end jewellery, clothing and accessories and a significant quantity of cash. Nine men were subsequently charged. The brother of a Syrian man stabbed to death in Belfast has paid a dignified tribute to his youngest sibling, who had escaped war in the Middle East to make a better life in Northern Ireland. Hazem Ahmed Ghreir was just 30 when Callin Wilson, a young man of 18 at the time with a disturbing past and a mental disorder, stabbed him in the heart on the Dublin Road on June 4, 2017. Read More Mr Ghreir had confronted him in what the judge called "a public spirited way", when he saw Wilson tampering with bikes. After the killer was sentenced to nine years in prison yesterday, Rami Ghreir (35) spoke movingly outside court about how proud his little brother had made his family. Just 20 minutes before his death, Rami said Hazem had called their mother in Turkey to proudly tell her he had a new job. "Hazem was my youngest brother. He was a very good person, hard working. When he came here he was very happy after running from my country and that war," he said. "We thought we could have a good life here. He went to Belfast Met to get English classes and he passed." Hazem had also gained a fork lift licence and was working as a fast food delivery driver at the time of his murder. "When he started work... anywhere he went he made friends," he said. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Hazem Ahmed Ghrier Callin Wilson Photopress Belfast / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hazem Ahmed Ghrier Speaking with emotion, he referred to the shocking and brutal murder of his brother as when "that happened". "I'm sad he's not here, I miss him every day. He was my youngest brother and we spent so much time together especially for that dangerous trip when we came here." Mr Ghrier said his family, who are now based in Turkey, are very upset. "They (thought) we could get a good life here... and he did," he said. "He passed every class he went to. "I'm very sad because he didn't meet my family after two years here. He missed my family, every day he would be speaking with them. "Before that accident happened, 20 minutes before he spoke with my mum (to say) 'I got the job'. "Every time he did something here he would call my father, 'Dad I passed this class'. "I didn't think for any moment it would be a dangerous situation here. "We believed here was a safe country but that happened." Mr Ghrier also thanked the PSNI and the judge for helping the family get justice. Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery said: "My thoughts today are with Hazem's parents who live in Turkey and also his brother Rami, who he lived with in Carrickfergus after travelling to Northern Ireland together to build a new life. "His murder was pointless and we still don't fully understand what motivated Mr Wilson to kill him. He has shown little remorse." Mr Montgomery said he suspected "this public spirited Syrian man" was trying to prevent a crime when he was killed. He said Wilson's actions showed "an abhorrent lack of respect of the life of another human being". In her sentencing remarks, Judge Patricia Smyth said that after reading a victim impact report written by Rami Ghreir, it provided a picture of the deceased as being a "kind, generous person who overcame enormous adversity in search of a new life in Northern Ireland". "He was magnetic with people, industrious and determined to succeed whatever obstacles life placed in front of him," she said. The judge said that after reading the statement, it was clear "the loss of a beloved son and brother has deeply affected his family, and their grief is raw". A 20-year-old who stabbed a man through the heart as he intervened to stop him tampering with a bicycle in Belfast city centre has been handed a minimum nine year-year jail sentence for the murder. Callin Wilson showed no emotion when Judge Patricia Smyth told him "there is no question that you pose a significant danger to others". Hazem Ahmed Ghreir - who made Northern Ireland his home after fleeing war-torn Syria in 2015 with his brother Rami - died from a single stab wound to the heart. Belfast Crown Court heard that while Wilson has given numerous and differing accounts of what occurred on the evening of June 4, 2017, it seemed likely Mr Ghreir (30) saw him engaging in "inappropriate behaviour" such as tampering with a bicycle. Hazem thought we could have a good life here. Brother Rami Addressing Wilson, Judge Smyth said: "In a public-spirited way, he sought to intervene, running towards you and taking hold of your shoulder. "You were observed removing your right hand from the pocket of your hooded top and making a sharp movement towards Mr Ghreir's chest. It is the prosecution case that this is the point at which you stabbed him. "Mr Ghreir was able to follow you and restrain you for a period before he collapsed." Thanking the police, Hazems brother Rami described him as charismatic and spoke of how he hoped to life his life in Northern Ireland. Hazem was my youngest brother," he said. "He was kind, generous, hard working, well-educated and he made friends wherever he went - people were drawn to him like a magnet. Hazem thought we could have a good life here. It was hard being away from our family and Hazem missed our parents but he kept smiling everyday and looked forward to talking to them. I am so sad Hazem is not here and its hard without him, especially after spending every day with him. My parents are very upset but they are thankful to the investigation team for everything they have done. Hazems brave actions have tragically cost him his life. Police The fatal incident occurred close to the Dublin Road, and on the evening in question, Mr Ghreir was working as a delivery driver for a fast-food restaurant. His murder was pointless and we still dont fully understand what motivated Mr Wilson to kill him. He has shown little remorse," said Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery after the sentencing. Callin Wilson, who was unemployed and living in Belfast at the time, was tampering with a bicycle at the back of a hotel in the area when he was disturbed by Hazem. I suspect this public spirited Syrian man was trying to prevent a crime from taking place when he was stabbed in the chest with a knife. As Hazem lay on the ground dying, Callin Wilson then rifled through his pockets and stole his mobile phone before fleeing the scene." To stab someone in the chest for no obvious reason and then steal their belongings as they lie dying in the street is something that most of us will find hard to comprehend. Callin Wilsons actions display an abhorrent lack of respect for the life of another human being and today I welcome that someone who is assessed as dangerous has been put behind bars. Hazems brave actions have tragically cost him his life. He was originally from Syria and he moved to Northern Ireland hoping for a better life where he could feel safe. Sadly, it was in Northern Ireland that his life was cruelly cut short by a single stab wound to the heart. He was a much loved son and brother, and while nothing will ease their pain and suffering, I hope todays sentencing brings them some degree of comfort that this dangerous man is now behind bars. I suspect this public spirited Syrian man was trying to prevent a crime. Police After stabbing Mr Ghreir, Wilson initially walked away but returned and put Mr Ghreir in the recovery position using his feet. He again left the scene, but returned and after rifling through Mr Ghrier's pockets he stole his iPhone. While Mr Ghreir was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a single stab wound to his chest at 11.15pm, Wilson walked to a nearby Tesco Express. He was arrested leaving the store, telling police "I didn't do anything". Also found on him was a blood-stained knife. During Tuesday's sentencing, it emerged that Wilson has a mental disorder branded as "complex" by Judge Smyth. She said there was "clear evidence" that Wilson displayed signs of this as far back as infancy, and revealed he was referred to child and adolescent mental health services back in 2010. Also noted by Judge Smyth were concerns about Wilson's opportunistic behaviour, cruelty to animals and inappropriate sexual behaviour, as well as "concerning incidents in school" including trying to put a wire round a female teacher's neck. Expand Close Victim Hazem Ahmed Ghreir Photopress Belfast / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Victim Hazem Ahmed Ghreir Questions need to be asked how the safety net deemed necessary to protect both you and innocent members of the community failed to emerge. Judge Patricia Smyth Wilson, the Judge said, also had a fascination with knifes and an unhealthy interest in TV programmes depicting crime scenes. At the time of the murder, Wilson was living - without any assistance or supervision and aged 18 - at Flax Foyer in Belfast, which is accommodation for homeless young people. Citing Wilson's long-standing mental condition, concerns expressed by the medical profession and the fact he was not under any care of service in June 2017, Judge Smyth said: "Questions need to be asked how the safety net deemed necessary to protect both you and innocent members of the community failed to emerge, so that tragedies like this do not happen in the future." Wilson was told he will serve a minimum term of nine years before he is considered eligible for release by the Paroles Commission. If and when he is released, he will serve the rest of his life sentence on licence. He was also handed a concurrent 12-month sentence for both possessing and making indecent images of children. The charges relate to 426 images of children, mostly teenage boys, which were found on his laptop when his accommodation was searched by police after the murder. The Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry concluded there should be compensation ranging from 7,500 to 100,000. A legal challenge to the ongoing failure to compensate survivors of historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland will be determined within weeks, a High Court judge pledged today. Mr Justice McCloskey indicated there can be no further delays in proceedings aimed to compelling the Secretary of State to implement a major inquiry's recommendations. He confirmed that a two-day hearing will go ahead next week, with a verdict to be delivered immediately after the Easter recess. "The time has come to bite the bullet and hear the case," he said. The challenge has been brought by one victim, referred to as JR80, on behalf of those molested in children's homes. In 2017 the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry concluded there should be a public apology to all who suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse between 1922 to 1995, and compensation ranging from 7,500 to 100,000. Inquiry chairman Sir Anthony Hart has since made repeated pleas to politicians to act on his recommendations and provide the financial, social and educational support as a matter of urgency. With no functioning Assembly at Stormont, legal action is being taken in a bid to have the Secretary of State and Executive Office ordered to take immediate steps to implement the redress scheme. The HIA recommendations have also been the subject of a consultation process, and draft legislation drawn up. Amid the ongoing uncertainty Dr Andrew Murrison MP, chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, has written to Secretary of State Karen Bradley suggesting laws necessary to implement those recommendation should be brought through Westminster. In court today Mr Justice McCloskey acknowledged the possibility of future developments. However, he pointed out that the case was now a year old. The judge also noted the HIA redress scheme had proposed financially compensating victims before the end of 2017. "That recommendation was made over two years ago and those recommendations have not been activated," he said. After listing the case for hearing he added: "The court will be giving judgment immediately following the Easter vacation." Outside court Margaret McGuckin of Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (SAVIA) claimed: "The government still believes that we are second class citizens. "Survivors and victims are not a priority in their eyes." Solicitor Claire McKeegan, representing JR80, stressed the urgency of the case. "Everyone is aware that victims and survivors still suffer and cannot move on in their life until this matter is properly resolved," she said. "Some will never get to see a resolution therefore the urgency is palpable." Ms McKeegan added: "Given the ongoing vacuum in governance it is important that this matter clarifies who currently has the responsibility to take decisions. "The lack of government in Northern Ireland is not a justification for delay, nor is the current piecemeal approach to governance coming from Westminster." A Co Down fisherman who was left shaken after discovering human remains in his net has returned to sea with his crew. Alan Carson made the shocking discovery while his vessel was trawling waters just south of the Isle of Man in the early hours of yesterday morning. It is understood he was just over 24 hours into a five-day prawn fishing trip when he reported the incident to the Northern Ireland Coastguard and returned to Portavogie. Harbour master Eddie Robinson was alerted to the disturbing find which left six crew members stranded. "I got a call from the Coastguard to say that there had been an incident at sea and everybody had been brought ashore," he said. "The crew were not allowed on the boat at that point because it was regarded as a crime scene. "It was a real shock to the system for everyone, they were all badly shaken up by it." The fishermen were taken to the NI Fishery Harbour Authority's rest room facilities. The harbour remained sealed off until 2pm while police examined the fishing vessel. Traffic was also diverted from the area as the public were instructed to stay away. However last night Mr Robinson said all the skippers have since returned to sea. "He (Alan) felt that if he stayed at home he would just sit there thinking about it," he said. "The crew members live on the boat so there is nowhere for them to go they're all away back out. They just want to move on as soon as possible." The vessel may have been trawling fishing waters in the Irish Sea for a number of hours before the body was found in the nets. An investigation will help determine the exact location where the body was picked up which may assist in revealing where it came from. The PSNI said efforts are underway to establish the identity of the deceased and cause of death. An Orangeman and former MP who faced a disciplinary hearing after attending a murdered Catholic PSNI officer's funeral says he would welcome debate on allowing local Orange Order members to enter Catholic Churches. Former UUP leader Tom Elliott spoke out after The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland moved to allow its members to attend Catholic places of worship for the first time in its history. Read More In 2011, Mr Elliott and his former party colleague Danny Kennedy attended the funeral mass of murdered police officer Ronan Kerr. They were subject to a complaint by a Belfast lodge, but were later cleared. It is understood that the rules of the Orange Order state that a member must "avoid countenancing (by his presence or otherwise) any act or ceremony of Roman Catholic or other non-Reformed Worship". Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph yesterday, Mr Elliott said that he would welcome a debate on opening up the issue to members. "There's some interpretation around it. Some people say, is it only attendance (at Catholic services), or is it participation? There are a lot of queries around that," he stated. "To be fair, I don't know if anybody has ever been found guilty through the Orange of that. "I think the reality is that for the Orange to do it locally there needs to be a discussion and a debate around that. "If the Orange were to bring that forward, I would welcome such a debate or discussion on it. "That's what organisations are for - discussions and debate." When asked if such a rule should be upheld by the Orange Order in 2019, Mr Elliott said he felt the stipulation "probably means different things to different people". "I imagine that to some people it's purely around a religious aspect of it and theological aspect of it, whereas others it might just be around Protestants and Roman Catholics. "I think people maybe read too much into the whole issue around it. It's a personal choice to me, and that's what I think it should be to everyone else." When asked about his experience following his attendance at Mr Kerr's funeral, Mr Elliott said that the Orange Order "had to deal with a complaint in principal". "I've no difficulty with how the Orange Order in general managed it," he continued. "For those individuals who made the complaint, probably I would believe that they should show more compassion, but that was a decision for them and that is the decision they took. "That's their right to do so, I don't think you can necessarily blame the Orange for it." When asked if he would attend any future wedding or funeral of a Catholic friend despite his Orange Order membership, Mr Elliott said he believed that this would be a "personal choice for everyone". "I would decide that at the time," he said. A Grand Lodge spokesman said: "This is a matter for the Grand Lodge of Scotland. We have no further comment to make." Orange Order member Simon Hamilton attended the funeral of former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the Long Tower Chapel in Londonderry in 2017 but faced no sanction. In 2016, senior Orangeman Mervyn Gibson has said he would like to see its members allowed to attend Catholic Mass without the threat of discipline. A teenage girl found dead in a car outside Belfast City Hospital will be laid to rest on Saturday after a private committal service, it has been confirmed. The death of Tara Wright, from the Dromore area of Co Down, is believed to be connected to a single-vehicle crash on the Ballygowan Road in Castlereagh in the early hours of Sunday. Police investigating her death believe she was injured in the collision involving a silver Mercedes before being conveyed to the grounds of the city centre hospital in a grey MG car. Her devastated parents said 17-year-old Tara, who worked in a call centre in Newry, was a "vibrant soul with a zest for life that could bring joy to all around her". In a death notice posted online yesterday, her family said they want her funeral service to remain private. "Dearly loved daughter of Michael and Tracey, much loved sister of Charles, Alistair and Anna," the notice read. "Tara was adored and cherished by her whole family, she will be missed greatly and remembered forever." It also said: "All friends and family are welcome at the house on Friday between 2pm and 7pm", but added that "the house and committal service will be strictly private on Saturday for family only." In a statement released to the media on Monday, Tara's parents Michael and Tracey said that she was a "vibrant soul with a zest for life". "Tara was a kind, funny, charismatic, bright young girl with her whole life ahead of her and we can't believe that we now have to say goodbye to her," the statement read. "Tara will be missed immeasurably not only by us, but her entire family, especially her brothers and sister Charles, Alistair and Anna, who will never forget the love they had for her and the love she had for them." Four men - aged 20, 21, 28 and 30 - were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident but they were subsequently bailed pending further police inquiries. Police believe Miss Wright was involved in a crash in which a Mercedes car left the Ballygowan Road and ended up in the undergrowth. The vehicle was found on its roof near the roundabout at Ballygowan Road close to the Manse Road junction, around eight miles from the hospital. Around 25 minutes later, Ms Wright was found in a grey MG car in the hospital grounds by ambulance service personnel, who tried to resuscitate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The PSNI initially said the teenager had been found on the ground next to the MG car but CCTV footage examined by police has established that Ms Wright was inside the vehicle when ambulance staff arrived. The man who was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after being found injured after the crash is in a critical but stable condition. PSNI inspector Nigel Henry has appealed for anyone "who witnessed either the silver Mercedes or grey MG" to contact the police as they may be able to help them with their enquiries. "We also believe that a grey coloured MG vehicle conveyed Tara to the area of Belfast City Hospital therefore we are also appealing to anyone who witnessed this vehicle between the Ballygowan Road and the hospital to contact police," he said. "I would also urge anyone who may have dashcam footage of either vehicle taken in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact us." The results of a post mortem into Miss Wright's death have yet to be released. Police have revealed there was 619 people in the queue or car park at the Greenvale Hotel for its St Patrick's night disco which ended in a a crush which killed three teenagers. So far 267 people have been full interviewed by the PSNI's major investigation team with more interviews scheduled over the coming days. We are very aware that this continues to be an extremely traumatic time for all of those who were at the Greenvale Hotel and witnessed the terrible events of that night," Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray in an update on the investigation on Wednesday. Lauren Bullock (17) from Donaghmore, Morgan Barnard (17) and Connor Currie (16), both from Dungannon, died following the crush at the Greenvale Hotel as crowds of young people waited to gain entry to the venue on St Patrick's Day. Greenvale Hotel owner Michael McElhatton and a 40-year-old man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the incident have been released on police bail. Chief constable George Hamilton has also called in the Police Ombudsman to investigate the initial police response. The first officers on the scene after a 999 call withdrew only to re-engage when the first ambulance crew arrived. Police said it was in the public interest the facts of their actions were established and examined. Police have also agreed with prosecutors that those that may have been underage will not face investigation in a bid to encourage more people to come forward. Detectives have also visited schools to speak with children as part of their investigation. "We have taken considerable steps to make it as easy as possible for them to provide their statements to police," Mr Murray said. Over 100 people attended the dedicated room at Burnavon Arts Centre and spoke to officers who are specially trained in interviewing young people. This facility has now closed and instead we are speaking to students at their respective schools. We are working closely with the local principals to accommodate this. As part of our investigation we have utilised the Major Incident Public Portal to allow people to upload mobile phone footage and images of the evening. We have been downloading mobile phone footage from people at the scene by using one of our Cyber Support Vehicles in Cookstown. It is still really important for anyone who has not yet contacted us to please come forward and work with police to help build an accurate picture of what happened that night. I would again reassure anyone with concerns, the focus of our investigation is not the age of people who were at the event it is about trying to find answers for the families of the three teenagers who tragically died. Simon Coveney has promised to call out British ministers if legislation addressing Northern Irelands decades of violence is unfair or unbalanced (Niall Carson/PA) The Irish Government has promised to call out British ministers if legislation addressing Northern Irelands decades of violence is unfair or unbalanced. Deputy premier Simon Coveney said the political debate at Westminster about the Troubles was one-sided. The British Government is preparing legislation to investigate thousands of unresolved killings during the 30-year conflict. Really appreciated the visit to Belfast and Dublin of @ChrisMurphyCT - we are fortunate to have such a well informed and influential friend of Ireland and advocate for the Good Friday Agreement in Washington. https://t.co/Cc7iIfnGrP Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 23, 2019 Mr Coveney said: Legacy is complicated and difficult, and in some way the debate is somewhat one-sided. That poses huge dangers and creates real concerns amongst the nationalist community, in particular because of the lack of a voice to create balance in that debate in Westminster. Whatever way you describe it, there is not a balanced debate on this issue. The Secretary of State (Karen Bradley) faces real challenges in ensuring that we have legislation that is fully balanced and fair, and takes into account the sides equally in terms of the balance of that legislation. Mr Coveney addressed a debate on Northern Ireland in Irelands upper house, the Seanad, in Dublin on Wednesday. The British Government has consulted on proposals to create a team of independent detectives to review old cases for new criminal prosecution opportunities. A separate body would seek fresh information about killings to deliver answers for victims families where no prosecution is possible. An oral history archive would allow those affected to tell their stories and a body promoting reconciliation would also begin work. Expand Close Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes (House of Commons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes (House of Commons/PA) Some MPs have pressed for a statute of limitations exempting retired soldiers from prosecution for crimes committed in Northern Ireland. It represents an amnesty neither the British nor Irish governments accept should be allowed. Prosecutors recently said they would pursue one former soldier for murder over two Bloody Sunday killings in Londonderry early in the conflict in 1972. Northern Ireland Secretary Ms Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes. She later apologised. This afternoon, Tanaiste @simoncoveney delivered opening remarks during Seanad statements on dealing with the past in Northern Ireland Read the remarks in full https://t.co/J4r7UESMhx pic.twitter.com/Sc2ktnqeZN Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) March 27, 2019 Mr Coveney said: She knows that she made a real mistake but now she wants to move on in a balanced and fair way. I think Karen Bradley is a good person and I can work with her, so if the legislation moves in the wrong direction we will call that out, we have an obligation to do that. The 2014 Stormont House Agreement between the main political parties in Belfast plus the British and Irish governments originally proposed the legacy institutions. Political disagreement in Northern Ireland and the collapse of devolved power-sharing delayed its implementation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on March 29, according to Turkey's Foreign Ministry. It was noted that the meeting will be held in Antalya. Antalya will host a meeting of the Russian-Turkish strategic planning group, plans for bilateral cooperation for 2019-2020 will also be discussed as part of this meeting. While Mr Ghreir was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a single stab wound to his chest at 11.15pm, Wilson walked to a nearby Tesco Express The man convicted of murdering a fast-food delivery driver in Belfast city centre had once tried to put a wire around a teacher's neck while at school and was linked to animal cruelty, Belfast Crown Court heard yesterday. Callin Wilson (20) was yesterday told he will serve a minimum sentence of nine years in jail for the murder of Hazem Ahmed Ghreir in 2017. Read More Wilson showed no emotion as Judge Patricia Smyth told him "there is no question that you pose a significant danger to others". The court heard Mr Ghreir - who made Northern Ireland his home after fleeing war-torn Syria in 2015 with his brother, Rami - died from a single stab wound to the heart. While Wilson has given numerous and differing accounts of what occurred on the evening of June 4, 2017, it seemed likely Mr Ghreir (30) saw him engaging in "inappropriate behaviour" such as tampering with a bicycle. Addressing Wilson, Judge Smyth said: "In a public-spirited way, he sought to intervene, running towards you and taking hold of your shoulder. "You were observed removing your right hand from the pocket of your hooded top and making a sharp movement towards Mr Ghreir's chest. It is the prosecution case that this is the point at which you stabbed him. "Mr Ghreir was able to follow you and restrain you for a period before he collapsed." The fatal incident occurred close to the Dublin Road, and on the evening in question, Mr Ghreir was working as a delivery driver for a fast-food restaurant. After stabbing Mr Ghreir, Wilson walked away, but returned and put Mr Ghreir in the recovery position using his feet. He again left the scene, but returned and, after rifling through Mr Ghrier's pockets, stole his iPhone. While Mr Ghreir was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a single stab wound to his chest at 11.15pm, Wilson walked to a nearby Tesco Express. He was arrested leaving the store, and told police: "I didn't do anything." Also found on him was a blood-stained knife. During yesterday's sentencing, it emerged that Wilson has a mental disorder branded as "complex" by Judge Smyth. She said there was "clear evidence" that Wilson displayed signs of this as far back as infancy, and revealed he was referred to child and adolescent mental health services back in 2010. Also noted by Judge Smyth were concerns about Wilson's opportunistic behaviour, cruelty to animals and inappropriate sexual behaviour, as well as "concerning incidents in school", including trying to put a wire round a female teacher's neck. Wilson, the Judge said, had a fascination with knives and an unhealthy interest in TV programmes depicting crime scenes. At the time of the murder, Wilson was living - without any assistance or supervision and aged 18 - at Flax Foyer in Belfast, which is accommodation for homeless young people. Judge Smyth cited Wilson's mental condition, concerns expressed by the medical profession and the fact he was not under any care of service in 2017. She said: "Questions need to be asked how the safety net deemed necessary to protect both you and innocent members of the community failed to emerge." Wilson was told he will serve a minimum term of nine years before he is considered eligible for release by the Paroles Commission. If and when he is released, he will serve the rest of his life sentence on licence. He was also handed a concurrent 12-month sentence for both possessing and making indecent images of children. The charges relate to 426 images of children, mostly teenage boys, which were found on his laptop when his accommodation was searched by police after the murder. Prosecutors have failed in a High Court challenge to bail being granted to a man charged with murdering Belfast community worker Ian Ogle. Glenn Rainey, 32, is to released from custody because he was not notified about the planned appeal inside a legally-required two-hour period. Mr Justice McAlinden ruled today: "It cannot be said due diligence was used, or that the failure to serve the notice within the time was due to circumstances outside the control of the prosecution." Mr Ogle, 45, died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times by up to five men shortly after praying with a pastor near his Cluan Place home in east Belfast on January 27. Police have linked the killing to a long-running feud between the victim's family and others in the area. Rainey, of McArthur Court in the city, is the second man to be charged with the murder. He is allegedly linked by CCTV evidence which police assert shows him, with his face masked by a scarf, walking away from the scene minutes after the fatal attack. Rainey was arrested at Manchester Airport earlier this month after arriving on a flight back from Thailand. During his first court appearance bail was refused due to the risk he may attempt to abscond. At that stage it was claimed he had no onward flight to Belfast booked, casting doubt on submissions that he was returning home to clear his name. Expand Close Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home But defence lawyers secured a new hearing at Belfast Magistrates' Court last Thursday based on a change of circumstances. Barrister Sean Devine, instructed by Bannon Crawford Solicitors, said documents were available to show Rainey was actually booked on a further flight back from Manchester. A Deputy District Judge granted bail under strict conditions, including a requirement for the accused to surrender his passport and remain in Northern Ireland. Rainey was also excluded from part of east Belfast, and ordered to abide by a curfew and electronic tagging. However, he remained in custody at that stage as the Public Prosecution confirmed its intention to appeal the decision. The High Court heard that notice was served on him in prison 11 minutes outside a two-hour window following the initial decision to grant bail. Defence lawyers claimed there was no jurisdiction to hear the appeal due to this failure. Mr Justice McAlinden accepted that the delay was "modest". But referring to the contents of a prison officer's statement, the judge stressed that a prosecuting authority delegating an important function to others must provide clear guidance to ensure no mistakes. "The provision of clear written instructions emphasising the mandatory nature of the requirement to serve the notice within two hours would have demonstrated the exercise of due diligence, and any failure to comply with instructions would have been outside the control of the prosecution. "I conclude that there was a failure to serve written notice within the two hour period. The appeal is therefore disposed of." ends DUP MEP Diane Dodds has said that her party cannot back Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal due to the threat it would cause to the Union. Mrs Dodds was speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday morning. Her comments come after European Research Group chair Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be willing to back Mrs May's deal if the DUP would also support it. Mr Rees-Mogg said that while he was still not a fan of the deal, it was the only option on the table to deliver Brexit. Sources have suggested that former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is also considering a u-turn and backing the PM's deal. Read More However the DUP have dashed hopes that Mrs May's deal could be passed with the party's support as the Government prepares for a third meaningful vote. The party's Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson has said that he would prefer a one-year delay over Mrs May's deal. Expand Close Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to the House of Commons (House of Commons/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to the House of Commons (House of Commons/PA) Mrs Dodds said that the DUP wanted to leave the EU, but that the proposed deal would "endanger the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK". It is not a price that we as Unionists are willing to pay. Diane Dodds, DUP MEP The DUP has long been opposed to Mrs May's Brexit deal due to the controversial Irish border backstop. Their opposition has effectively deadlocked the Brexit process. The party have said that the deal would create a trade border in the Irish Sea and could leave the UK or Northern Ireland tied to the EU indefinitely. "After two years of negotiation our Prime Minister has concluded a draft withdrawal agreement that has twice suffered historic defeats in the House of Commons," Mrs Dodds told the European Parliament. "A draft withdrawal agreement that would see Northern Ireland leaving on different terms to the rest of the United Kingdom under the backstop. An agreement from which the Attorney General advises that there is no legal right of withdrawal. "The DUP wants to leave the European Union in an orderly fashion but this deal will endanger the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK." Meanwhile Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said the Good Friday Agreement will continue to apply in all Brexit scenarios. He was speaking about the potential impact of a no-deal on Northern Ireland on Wednesday morning. Northern Ireland's longest-serving MEP Jim Nicholson has said he's preparing for life outside politics after 30 years in the European Parliament. However both DUP MEP Diane Dodds and Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson said they're intent on remaining in politics once they relinquish their seats. All three were speaking in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday as the countdown to Brexit nears its end. A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over whether the UK will be compelled to take part in EU elections in May. But with little stomach in London for such an outcome, Northern Ireland's three MEPs are living hour to hour, preparing for their own exit from Europe. Mrs Dodds hinted yesterday she will seek to represent the DUP in some other capacity outside the EU, while Sinn Fein's Ms Anderson has already held a conversation with Mary Lou McDonald about a potential party role in Europe. But after 30 years as an Ulster Unionist MEP, Mr Nicholson is looking ahead to political retirement. Ruling out taking on another elected role, he said: "To be perfectly honest I think that's long enough to be getting on a plane on a Monday morning and doing the job I've been doing. "I'm looking forward to going back home to get to know all my neighbours and people I used to know many years ago and to get to know my grandchildren and my family better. "I've no doubt I'll need a while to get the system used to life outside politics, because it has been my life now for a long time." First elected in 1989, Mr Nicholson has many fond memories. He added: "My time here with John Hume and Ian Paisley was probably the best time, because the three of us had great co-operation together. "All in the best interest of Northern Ireland PLC." He said the highlight was perhaps in 1994 when the trio sat down with European Commission president Jacques Delors to establish peace funding for Northern Ireland. "That has since brought 2bn extra to Northern Ireland from that time. I have always found that in all my time here for Europe to be extremely sympathetic, supportive and helpful to Northern Ireland," he said. "They were always very wise not to get involved in the internecine difficulties of Northern Ireland." Mrs Dodds spoke of her privilege of being an MEP for a decade. "Although I voted to leave, I've had a huge experience here, both in terms of working for Northern Ireland and also personally. Meeting such a variety of people from such a huge number of member states can only open your life and open your sense of the possibilities of life that are out there," she said. Commenting on her future beyond the European Parliament, Mrs Dodds, whose husband Nigel is the DUP's leader in the House of Commons, said: "I have been a member of the DUP since I was at Queen's University. I think probably politics is part of me. In our house there's very little ability to get away from politics. I'm going to have a little bit of time out for a short period." Asked on whether she could contest a future general election, she said: "At the moment there's no general election and at this moment there are no vacancies. Who knows? Let's just wait and see." Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson said yesterday she remains open to another elected position or using her experience to advise the party's team of European MEPs. "I don't really differentiate between elected and unelected activism," she said. "I believe I'm still capable of being an elected activist if something became available. "But if it wasn't, and I was an unelected activist, I would apply myself equally as hard." She said such an unelected role could see her remain in Brussels in an advisory capacity. "There have been a couple of conversations between myself and uachtaran Shinn Fein (Sinn Fein president). "Both of us concluded that we're not going to pursue this until we know what's happening. Because she may have a view that if we're going into a European election and go through a process of selection and I come out the other end, then I need to be able to focus. "So I could be coming back here, but I could go elsewhere. But wherever I am, I'm going to be active, I'm going to be eager. "I'm driven a lot by this process and trying to do the right thing by people." More than 600 people gathered outside a hotel disco before a crush in which three teenagers died, police said (Liam McBurney/PA). More than 600 people gathered outside a hotel disco before a crush in which three teenagers died, police said. Almost half have been interviewed by detectives probing the Saint Patricks Day tragedy in Co Tyrone. Schoolchildren Morgan Barnard, 17, Lauren Bullock, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died after people were trodden under foot near the entrance to the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on March 17. If you have been affected or impacted by the recent tragic incident in Cookstown, HSC organisations are offering drop in sessions for professional advice and support for children, young people and adults. @SouthernHSCT @WesternHSCTrust @NHSCTrust @Ed_Authority @PoliceServiceNI pic.twitter.com/18xyBP6WWX Health and Social Care Board (@HSCBoard) March 27, 2019 Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective chief superintendent Raymond Murray said: By yesterday evening, detectives involved in the investigation had identified 619 people who were in the queue or car park on the evening of March 17th. He said 267 of those have been fully interviewed using appropriately trained detectives. He added: We will be continuing to interview others over the next few days. We are very aware that this continues to be an extremely traumatic time for all of those who were at the Greenvale Hotel and witnessed the terrible events of that night. We have taken considerable steps to make it as easy as possible for them to provide their statements to police. Over 100 people attended a dedicated room at Burnavon Arts Centre in Cookstown and spoke to officers who are specially trained in interviewing young people. Police are speaking to students at their schools. Investigators have used a major incident public portal to allow people to upload mobile phone footage and images of the evening. We are investigating the initial police response to reports about an incident at Cookstowns Greenvale Hotel on St Patricks Night, when three young people tragically died. Contact us on witnessappeal@policeombudsman.org if you saw police at the hotel that night. Police Ombudsman NI (@PONIPressOffice) March 26, 2019 They have been downloading mobile phone footage from people at the scene using a cyber support vehicle in Cookstown. Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire is to examine how police responded when the first emergency call was made at around 9.30pm. The head of Irelands Catholic church, Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, said the deaths had created a valley of tears as back-to-back funerals were held for the three youngsters last week. Detectives appealed for anyone else with information to come forward. Samantha Gallagher said she considered driving to England to get her MOT test A motorist has said long MOT waiting times in Northern Ireland means she is considering travelling to England to get her car checked before her certificate expires. Samantha Gallagher, who's in her 40s and from Comber, Co Down, tried to book a test yesterday morning but was told she would have to wait at least a month. Her MOT is due to expire on April 13 and she said the wait would leave her stranded. She has a barber shop business to run in Donaghadee and twin 18-year-old boys Louis and Taylor to care for as they both have autism. She added that the current system was a farce. "I don't see myself as having left it to the last minute," she told the Belfast Telegraph. "Last year I managed to get an appointment within two weeks, but obviously something has gone wrong if all the centres are booked up for over a month." The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said multiple reminders are sent to drivers in advance to book their test early. They are also contacting Ms Gallagher to help her arrange a new appointment. She added: "I've no idea how I'm going to get around. "I can't afford the taxis. "I don't mind walking but doing it every day to get two buses to work is a joke. "I'm not alone in this, I've been to the garage who look after my car and they said they've been inundated with customers in the same situation. "In England, you can go to any garage and have an MOT done while you wait. "But we have this system where you have a choice of seven or eight centres but you have to wait a month, it's a farce. "I don't need this stress. "I need to work, get the twins around and do the shopping." She added: "I'm actually at the point where I think it would be easier to go over to England and have it done." The DfI said: "The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) advises customers to book their vehicle test (MoT) as soon as they get a reminder notice which is sent seven weeks before the current certificate expires. "This will avoid the test certificate expiring before the next scheduled vehicle test is due. "If the test appointment still hasn't been booked within three weeks of the test certificate expiring another reminder notice is issued." As waiting times vary between test centres, the DfI said booking as early as possible would give customers a greater choices of locations, dates and times - especially around busy holiday periods. "The DVA is attempting to contact the customer so they can assist her with an appointment in advance of the vehicle test certificate expiring," it said. Earlier this month, a UK wide survey from Co-op Insurance said millions of drivers suffer stress every year when taking their vehicle for MOT. Out of 2,001 drivers, some 59% said they found the test stressful, while a fifth called the process "a hassle and too much effort" and the same amount said they struggled to find time to take their car to a garage. Police officers who responded to the hotel disco crush that killed three teenagers are to face investigation after it emerged they initially withdrew from the scene. Chief Constable George Hamilton has referred the actions of the officers to the Police Ombudsman. Three young people - Lauren Bullock (17), Connor Currie (16) and Morgan Barnard (17) - died following a crush near the entrance to the hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick's night. Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire is to examine how police responded when the first emergency call was made at around 9.30pm and will determine whether the response was appropriate. A spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with the families who have been so tragically bereaved." Expand Close Connor Currie (16) Photopress / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Connor Currie (16) Explaining the referral to the Ombudsman, Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said "it is right and proper that the actions of all those involved are considered". Describing the ongoing case as "active and wide-ranging", he explained that the first officers on the scene decided to withdraw after making an initial assessment. When the first ambulance arrived police then moved forward in support of the emergency medical personnel. "The timing and nature of police actions during this period require further investigation to fully establish the facts," Mr Martin insisted. "The Chief Constable has therefore decided that the initial police response should be subject to independent scrutiny and it is in the public interest to refer the circumstances and the nature of the actions of the first officers arriving at the scene to the Police Ombudsman." The families of the victims have been informed of the referral, he added. "The confidence of the families and the confidence of the communities we serve are at the forefront of our minds in our decision to refer this matter to the Police Ombudsman," Mr Martin said. "We will work with the Ombudsman to support whatever action he undertakes and would ask that people do not speculate or prejudge the outcome of the Ombudsman's investigation." The Police Ombudsman's Office issued an appeal for witnesses. "Our investigators have now begun gathering information about the initial sequence of events, and have appealed for witnesses to contact them," the spokesman said. "They are keen to hear from anyone who saw police in the area of the Greenvale Hotel on St Patrick's evening, March 17. Expand Close Seventeen-year-old Lauren Bullock Photopress / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Seventeen-year-old Lauren Bullock "Our investigators can be contacted by email at the following address: witnessappeal@policeombudsman.org." Mid-Ulster MP Francie Molloy welcomed the Police Ombudsman's investigation and said the families of the teenagers have a "right to expect a full, thorough and comprehensive investigation". "Families must have confidence in this investigative process and therefore the intervention of the Police Ombudsman is to be welcomed," he said. Meanwhile, the Police Ombudsman's Office has said the PSNI's controversial handling of the arrest and subsequent "de-arrest" of Greenvale owner Michael McElhatton over a suspected drugs offence "will not form part" of its investigation. Mr McElhatton, who was released on bail last week on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to the three teenagers' deaths, had been arrested last Wednesday on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply. Two hours after the media was notified of the arrest, police revealed the 52-year-old had been "de-arrested" following forensic tests of a white powder seized from his home ruled out drugs. Another man, aged 40, was also questioned on suspicion of manslaughter and released on bail pending further inquiries. Mr McElhatton accused the PSNI of trying to "blacken" his name after his de-arrest for the drugs offence, prompting Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray to defend the actions of investigating officers. Speaking last Thursday, Mr Murray said releasing news of the arrest showed the PSNI's transparency in action, and if there had been a delay in the PSNI issuing the initial media update, officers would have been facing questions on why they were holding back information. It has since emerged that politicians were invited to view an image of the white substance in question that same day at a PSNI station. It was reported yesterday that the offer was turned down by SDLP councillor Denise Mullen, who told the Irish News that she was informed by the PSNI that other politicians had accepted the invite. The amount of Armenia's foreign national debt does not pose a threat to the country, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the National Assembly, as he presented the 2018 activity report of the government. According to him, all annual payments are already calculated within the framework of state budget planning. "There is no risk - moreover, a threat - to Armenia. The prices of apartments will increase, budget revenues will grow," News.am cited the PM as saying. "This year we will collect at least 40 billion drams ($82 million). And our economic activity indices show that the revenues will grow," Pashinyan noted, adding that the fight against corruption will contribute to the reduction of shadow economy and the growth in revenues. "Risks certainly exist, but they are linked to the global situation and crises," Pashinyan concluded. Stroke patients will have better outcomes under new proposals to reshape their care, according to the British Medical Association (BMA). However, concerns have been expressed for patients in the west of Northern Ireland. The Department of Health has announced plans to create specialised Hyperacute Stroke Units, offering 24/7 access to faster diagnosis and cutting-edge treatments. Currently, there are eight acute hospitals routinely providing Thrombolysis to stroke patients, but the Department has opened a public consultation on six potential new models of care, with potential networks ranging from three Hyperacute Stroke Units to five. It says the new network of Hyperacute stroke units will ensure that patients have access to the best possible care in regional centres of excellence no matter where they live or what time they are admitted. Dr Tom Black, BMA NI council chair, said the new proposals will improve access. He said: "We welcome these proposals from the Department to create specialised units for stroke services. "It is vital that patients are able to access the most clinically appropriate service whenever they need it and the planned reorganisation of services should ensure that this happens. "We know that for patients it may be worrying that services seem to be reducing. In reality, by reorganising services in this way, it improves access to treatment and ultimately means better outcomes." SDLP health spokesman and Foyle MLA, Mark H Durkan, said the medical evidence supporting the proposal is irrefutable. He said: "Whatever option or model is decided upon in terms of location of Hyperacute Units - and that is where media and public interest will be focused at this stage - we must not lose sight of the importance of aftercare and rehabilitation." However, Ulster Unionist MLA, Rosemary Barton, said that under three of the six proposals, the South West Acute Hospital would be left without any stroke unit, something she finds unacceptable. Ms Barton said "These proposals include a Hyperacute Stroke Unit at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), but only in three of the six options, and in one of these three options, the SWAH unit is removed over a period of time. "This trend towards centralisation ignores the fact that delays in reaching hospitals can contribute to preventable deaths, because of factors including time, distance and the conditions of some of our road network. "Any suggestion to close the Stroke Unit at the South West Acute Hospital, with no consideration given to the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, is ill-thought and completely unacceptable." The DUP has confirmed it will not support the Prime Minister if she tables another meaningful vote on her withdrawal agreement in parliament and crucially, it will not be abstaining as has been mooted. Focus has been on the DUP and how it will move after Theresa May pledged to stand down as Prime Minister if her deal gets the support needed to pass in the Commons. A number of Brexiteers have announced they will back the Prime Minister in the wake of her vow. Prominent Brexiteer and chair of the influential ERG group of Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be guided on how the DUP acted. He said if the party abstained the deal could get the support required. However, Nigel Dodds tweeted: "The DUP do not abstain on the union". In a statement on Wednesday evening the DUP said good discussions had taken place with the government with progress made on domestic legislation. "All concerned recognise the need to ensure that as we leave the European Union the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is maintained. "However, given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured between the Government and the European Union, and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote." The necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured. The statement continued: "The backstop if operational has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain. "We want to secure the United Kingdoms departure from, and our future relationship with, the European Union on terms that accord with our key objectives to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom. "In our view the current withdrawal agreement does not do so and the backstop, which we warned this Government against from its first inception, poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and will inevitably limit the United Kingdoms ability to negotiate on the type of future relationship with the EU." Campaigners warned of an increase in attacks on sex workers (Yui Mok/PA) Crime against sex workers has almost doubled in the two years since new laws were implemented, campaigners have said. Ireland adopted the Nordic Model on March 27 2017, criminalising the purchase of sex, not the selling of sex, which the Government says is aimed at tackling trafficking and protecting vulnerable people in prostitution. Sex worker organisations have railed against the change since it was implemented, saying the new laws make workers more vulnerable. Brothel-keeping laws have proved especially contentious as many workers (the majority of whom are women) would prefer to work in a shared property with a friend for safety reasons, however this practice would amount to a brothel under law, and see those involved arrested. Statistics from UglyMugs.ie, an app where sex workers can confidentially report incidents of abuse and crime, state that since the law came into force, the number of incidents of abuse and crime being reported in the Republic of Ireland has greatly increased. The number of sex workers using UglyMugs.ie has remained steady at between 6,000 and 7,000 per year. The number of incidents reported from 2015-2017 was 4,278. Since the law change, from 2017-2019, incidents rose to 10,076. According to the report, crime has increased 90% whereas violent crime specifically has increased 92%. Kate McGrew, sex worker and director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says the new laws have created a buyers market, putting workers at risk. The purchasers of sex hold the power, this is in direct opposition to what we were told was the intention of the law, she said. Sex workers are not decriminalised. The penalties of sex workers sharing premises together, also known as brothel keeping, has doubled since the introduction of the new Sexual Offences Bill in 2017. Sex workers are now forced to work in isolation, which puts them at further risk of violence and exploitation. Since the law has been introduced many more sex workers have been arrested than clients. We want sex work decriminalised so that the power gets put back in the hands of the worker. A Department of Justice spokesman: The purpose of these offences is to target the demand for prostitution. At the same time, the Act changed the law in relation to the sale of sexual services so that it is not an offence to engage in sexual activity for payment. There was a broad coalition of different groups in favour of the legislative change, many of which were involved in advocacy for womens rights. Any person who has been the subject of a violent crime is encouraged to report it to An Garda Siochana. Any group with evidence of such crimes should make its information available to An Garda Siochana. A Gardai spokeswoman said: An Garda Siochana do not comment on stats done by apps. It could be 20 years before Dublins MetroLink rail line needs upgrading, transport chiefs have said. The National Transport Authority (NTA) said the metro will terminate at Charlemont, north of Ranelagh, where it meets the Luas Green line. It had originally been due to run from Swords to Sandyford. With 20 minutes travel time from city center to Dublin Airport and 25 minutes from City Centre to Swords @MetroLink_ie will have 15 new Metro Stations interconnecting all transport services. pic.twitter.com/jarO642nIf Transport for Ireland (@TFIupdates) March 26, 2019 An NTA statement said: It is projected that the number of people seeking to travel on the Green line in future years will exceed the carrying capacity of the Luas system, requiring an upgrade. However, that upgrade is not expected to be needed for some time perhaps 20 years or so. The route will stop at Charlemont to avoid disruption to the Green line. 3,000 car spaces at Estuary Park & Ride all part of @MetroLink_ie planned to commence passenger service in 2027 #TFTupdates pic.twitter.com/Huqm3ci4CL Transport for Ireland (@TFIupdates) March 26, 2019 The NTA added: The plan we are publishing today is to develop the section from Swords to Charlemont with an interchange from Metro to Luas at Charlemont for passengers. The required tunnel-boring works to allow the future connection to the existing Luas line will be completed as part of this current phase. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he would be open to running the MetroLink to UCD and Sandyford. EU agencies are looking at the use of technology to electronically track goods belonging to 'trusted traders' crossing the border, it has been learned. However, this will not resolve the question of how to monitor animals. The movement of animals across the border is the biggest area of concern for the EU ahead of a no-deal scenario. Officials believe arrangements can be put in place for tracking ordinary goods brought into the Republic from Northern Ireland to help avoid a hard border. Sources say EU agencies are looking at a version of 'maximum facilitation', which was once derided by the Irish government and EU as "magical thinking". The 'max fac' system involves the use of technology to electronically track goods belonging to 'trusted traders'. But it will not resolve the question of how to monitor livestock and food produce. The all-island economy is reliant on the ability of farmers to transport animals and products without interruption. However, the only way of avoiding some form of border checks for the agri-sector will be if Northern Ireland continues to operate under EU rules. "Customs is the one area where max fac could work - but the big problem is animals. Agriculture is the trickiest part and there's no solution at the minute except the backstop," said a source familiar with the no-deal preparations in Brussels. The Irish Farmers Association says thousands of animals and huge volumes of agricultural produce, worth more than 2bn, move over and back across the border for processing every year. Ministers discussed the impact of Brexit on agriculture at yesterday's Cabinet meeting. Talks have already taken place with the EU about emergency funding for the sector, but an amount has not yet been agreed. The Cabinet was told no-deal preparations must now be the "priority" for all departments. They also heard that "high level discussions" are taking place about what will happen at the border if a disorderly Brexit occurs on April 12. In the Dail, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar accused opposition politicians of engaging in "conspiracies theories" when they questioned the detail of these engagements. Mr Varadkar confirmed talks have taken place with the European Commission "on exploring what contingencies could exist". "We have made no preparations for a hard border, and no preparations for physical infrastructure, checks or customs controls. Even in the event of no deal, we believe the United Kingdom continues to have obligations under the Good Friday Agreement," Mr Varadkar said. Hundreds of retired ESB workers have held another protest calling for a pension increase. Members of the ESB Retired Staff Association (ESBRSA) gathered outside Leinster House in Dublin as part of their campaign to secure a pension increase. They have vowed to hold further protests until their dispute with ESB over the 10-year freeze in pension increases is resolved. They have accused ESB and the trustees of the defined benefit pension scheme of refusing to engage with them. Delighted to meet with and support former ESB Kerry employees who have not had an increase to their pensions for ten years its time for company to engage and treat with fairness and dignity #ESB pic.twitter.com/G9ZMCaPJqo John Brassil (@BrassilJohnTD) March 27, 2019 Tony Collins, the National Executive chairman, also called for a right of representation. He added that most ESB pensioners do not have a state pension. Theres a simple solution the Industrial Relations Act can be amended to include pensioners and workers, he told the crowd. He said this should be redefined to include disputes that may arise after retirement. Some 300 pensioners took part in the protest, which also included a number of Fianna Fail TDs. In 2010, an agreement was made between the unions and ESB employees that ESB would no longer fund any deficit in the pension fund, which affects more than 9,000 pensioners. We need the company to step up to the plate and take responsibility for thisTony Collins Mr Collins said the ESB pensioners are bound by these terms, despite not having had any input or vote on the agreement. He added: We have had a pension freeze for 10 years. We handed in a letter to ESB a month ago and have not received a response and they have not engaged with us on any of our issues. They pledged to hold further protests in the coming weeks and months. We need the right to representation, its a basic right, Mr Collins added. What we need is action now. We believe the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has a major influence on pay policy and pension. The Government are 95% owners of ESB. I believe the (Finance) Minister has a major role in this. He also accused Minister for Employment and Social Protection Regina Doherty of failing to respond to previous correspondence. The pensioners outlined their issues in a letter given to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Donohoe and Ms Doherty today. Mr Collins added: We need the company to step up to the plate and take responsibility for this. We are looking for proper decision makers and for them to sit down with our group to talk about our issues. No matter how much they try to hide behind the trustees, they (ESB) have a responsibility. A spokeswoman for the Department for Employment Affairs and Social Protection said that issues surrounding the ESB pension scheme are an operational matter for the management of ESB. In a statement, the department said: With regard to representation for pensioners, measures were introduced by this department in 2015 to facilitate engagement between the trustees of a pension scheme and groups representing the interests of pensioners and deferred scheme members in relation to the restructuring of scheme benefits. In relation to trustees representing pensioner interests, current legislation does not specifically provide that member trustees must include at least one or more members from each scheme membership cohort, namely, active, deferred and pensioners. However, it does provide an opportunity for membership from each cohort and such members may avail of the opportunity to become scheme trustees or nominate others to act on their behalf. Trustees have a fiduciary duty and are required to act in the best interests of all scheme members, not just the cohort from which they are drawn. A jury has found an alleged IRA member guilty of raping two teenage boys at a republican safe house two decades ago. The man (45) had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to charges of sexual assaulting and anally raping two boys in Co Louth on dates in the early 1990s and in 2001. On the sixth day of the trial, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on a total of six counts of sexual assault and two counts of anal rape relating to the two complainants. The jury also returned verdicts of not guilty on one count of sexual assault and of anal rape relating to one of the complainants alleged to have occurred in 2001 when the complainant was aged in his 20s. The jury had been deliberating for over nine hours before reaching their verdict. During the trial Patrick Gageby SC, prosecuting, told the jury that the two complainants lived in a large home owned by a dedicated republican and that it began to be used as a safe house. The first complainant testified that he lived in the house in Louth in the 1980s and 1990s where IRA volunteers would be brought to during the night and stay for a few days or weeks. He said the accused man first came to stay in the house around 1991 or 1992. He became part of the family and the complainant said he looked up to him as a big brother figure. He said that the accused began to abuse him when he was 13 or 14 years old. He said he woke up to find the accused masturbating his penis on four occasions and sucking his penis twice. The man said that he went camping with the accused in a nearby field and that he fell asleep in the tent after becoming intoxicated. He woke up to find his head pushed down and the accused had his penis inside his anus, he said. He rejected what was put to him by John Fitzgerald SC, defending, that he had been in a relationship with the accused and had engaged in consensual sexual activity on the night in 2001 he alleged he was raped a second time. He was aged in his 20s by this time. The second complainant testified that the house he lived in as a teenager was used to house people on their way to missions across the border. He said on the night he turned 17 he went camping with his older brother and the accused. He said he woke up to discover the accused groping his penis and scrotum. The man said a couple of weeks later he woke up one night to find the accused pushing his face into the pillow and forcing his penis into his anus. He said he struggled and managed to get the accused off him after 30 seconds. He said that when he tried to leave the room the accused stopped him and said that if he informed anyone of what had happened then he would be found on a border road. The complainant said that when it came to that organisation there was no way to take that other than as a threat. In direct evidence the accused said he stayed at the house about half a dozen times for up to two nights on each occasion in the early 1990s while working a casual job. He denied sexually abusing the boys. Detective Garda Seamus Nolan told Mr Fitzgerald that gardai had no intelligence that the accused was involved in any paramilitary organisation until the complainants came forward with their allegations and that the accused had never been arrested for any alleged subversive activities. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded the accused in custody and adjourned sentence to April 29, next. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has described the latest figures on homelessness as hugely disappointing (Brian Lawless/PA) The number of homeless people has reached more than 10,000 for the first time, new figures have revealed. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy described the increase in the figures as hugely disappointing. A total of 10,264 people were in emergency accommodation in February, according to official statistics from the Department of Housing. The figures included 6,840 adults and more than 3,700 children. Despite the increase in the overall homeless figure, Mr Murphy claimed the Governments attempts to improve the housing supply were working. Our plans to fix the supply of both social and private housing are working and this is borne out by the most recent build figures, he said. The latest RTB report also shows rent falling at the end of 2018. And yet still we see more people entering emergency accommodation. He said he was in constant contact with local authorities to work with them to help move families out of emergency accommodation and into sustainable housing solutions. He said: As well as the increased supply of social housing, HAP will continue to play a vital role in providing families with a place to live until supply catches up. We will continue to work with families to demonstrate the benefits of this scheme over emergency accommodation. Labour party housing spokeswoman Jan OSullivan said the latest figures showed that Fine Gaels housing policy had failed. She called for emergency legislation to be introduced to halt evictions and cap rents. These figures are just another reminder of how unfit for purpose Rebuilding Ireland has become, she said. A further 160 children without a home is unacceptable. Ms OSullivan said the Government was able to push through emergency laws on fishing in a week but had not taken the time to tackle this national crisis. The last two months have shown that the Government is not on top of this, and the problem is getting worse, she said. There appears to be no end in sight, and three years into this government the volume of social housing that is needed has not been delivered, nor is there any sign of it coming. Mr Murphy said further reforms to the rental sector, aimed at creating new protections for the most vulnerable in our housing sector, including longer notice periods, would be coming before cabinet in the coming days and details will be published next week. But Ms OSullivan said the ministers planned new protections were too little too late and would be some time becoming law. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the government was not planning a quadruple increase in carbon taxes (Brian Lawless/PA) The Taoiseach has denied a four-fold increase in carbon tax rates is being planned by the Government in a bid to tackle climate change Leo Varadkar told the Dail that climate action was needed but such a hefty increase was not being considered. There is an absolutely no prospect of a carbon tax increase of that scale or anything remotely approaching it being proposed by this Government in the next budget, he said. If there is an increase in the carbon tax, it is my strong view that the money should be ring-fenced, and given back to people in the form of increases in fuel allowance to protect those who are least well-off, in the form of increased tax credits, in the form of a dividend model, he said. He made the remarks in response Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who maintained penalising families was not the way to fight climate change. Expand Close Mary Lou McDonald (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary Lou McDonald (Brian Lawless/PA) She said Sinn Fein would not support any carbon tax increase that did not protect low and medium-income families. Loading another layer of cost and tax on ordinary people is not going to change behaviour and yet you seem intent on pursing this course of action, she said. Unless you put in place measures to give families alternatives, a carbon tax is just a punitive one and must absolutely be opposed. Mr Varadkar said climate action was required as Ireland was well behind meeting emissions targets and needed to catch up. Carbon tax will not solve the problem of climate change but we wont solve the problem of climate change without carbon tax, he said. It is and has to be part of the solution. He added that the point of a carbon tax is that it is done in a way that would nudge people and corporations to change their behaviour. Russian President Vladimir Putin will depart to Bishkek on Wednesday evening, Russian president's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. "He will depart to Bishkek on Wednesday evening, where his state visit will begin on Thursday," the spokesman said. In addition, Peskov noted that the President has a number of internal working events scheduled during the day. Some of the 500 ambulance staff from the Psychiatric Nurses Association, who are staging a 10-hour strike, take part in a picket outside an ambulance station on Dublins Davitt Road in a dispute over union recognition (Niall Carson/PA Wire) The Government will not intervene in strike action by ambulance service workers, the Taoiseach has said. Solidarity TD Mick Barry called on the Government in the Dail on Wednesday to instruct the Department of Health to sit down with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and resolve the dispute. But while Leo Varadkar said he was committed to continue to improve the national ambulance service, he said he would not be getting involved. More than 500 ambulance workers are set to hold two further days of strike action next month over union recognition. The paramedics and emergency medical technicians have chosen the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) trade union to represent them but the HSE has refused to recognise the union, saying it already recognises a number of unions for ambulance staff. Mr Barry said the first ambulance service strike in the history of the state was happening on the Taoiseachs watch. This is an industrial relations dispute. It'll be resolved in the normal way and, as is always the case with industrial relations disputes, there won't be interference from ministers.Leo Varadkar The Solidarity TD said ambulance workers were lifesavers and their concerns deserved to be addressed. They deserve to be treated with respect but they are not being treated with respect by the HSE and the ambulance service, he said. The HSE refused to negotiate with the union chosen by more than 500 workers to represent them. But Mr Varadkar described the dispute as principally an inter-union issue and said that there were already a number of unions which represented the majority of ambulance staff, paramedics and others. We know from so many other workplaces that its much better to have staff represented by one union or maybe two, rather than have six, seven or eight competing unions, competing with each other. He added: This is an industrial relations dispute. Itll be resolved in the normal way and, as is always the case with industrial relations disputes, there wont be interference from ministers. But Mr Barry said it was up to the workers, not the Taoiseach or the HSE, to decide which union they want to represent them. It comes as around 200 ambulance personnel took part in a protest outside Leinster House. Peter Hughes, general secretary of PNA, said that around 500 workers want to have union representation, but this was being denied by the HSE. The workers are very frustrated because there are a lot of issues that they need addressed, whether it be personal issues or collective issues. These are not being addressed and they are not being given a voice, he said. He said that members were not being consulted about issues, such as changes to rosters. People should be entitled to be represented by the union of their choice for individual issues and collective issues, he added. The workers would prefer not having to take strike action, they are dedicated professional personnel, and they want this to be resolved. We have referred this matter on to the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) and that is the State mechanism for dispute resolution and yet the HSE are refusing to engage with us. All engagement throughout this has been done through the HSEs legal firm and I think we would have to question how tax payers money is being spent in that way. Our political parties are gearing up for the council elections on May 2 with posters already adorning lampposts and candidates hitting the campaign trail. But the party machines could well remain in operation for another three weeks after that because a European election may be on the cards. The DUP yesterday stated loud and clear that a year-long delay to Brexit - which would necessitate that EU election - is preferable to the Prime Minister's deal and the controversial backstop which the party insists threatens the Union. However staunch Brexiteers Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell et al may be, there is no contest if they have to choose between leaving the EU and protecting the Union - the latter will always win hands-down. Read More There was wild speculation last week that the DUP could be brought around to supporting the Withdrawal Agreement if it was bunged a few million more for Northern Ireland with the scrapping of air passenger duty and perhaps a big new road thrown in. Those observers have confused the party's confidence-and-supply agreement with its Brexit stance. Here was Mr Wilson on Sky News yesterday: "We did not sign up to a confidence-and-supply agreement which would see Northern Ireland detached from the rest of the UK. That was never part of the deal and that's now where we've wandered towards because of the way in which the Prime Minister has conducted her negotiations. "I don't think anyone would expect us - simply because we're in a confidence-and-supply arrangement with them - to sign up to our own death warrant constitutionally." But while Theresa May has little chance of winning over the DUP, a softening of tone from some hardline Tory Eurosceptics is keeping her deal on life support. With MPs beginning to vote today on alternatives to the Withdrawal Agreement, there is a growing fear among Conservative Leave backbenchers that they could end up with no Brexit whatsoever or the softest of soft ones. Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that the Prime Minister's deal "is better than not leaving at all". Comments from Boris Johnson last night indicate that if Mrs May announces she will step down soon, he might support her deal. If the vast majority of the ERG is scared into reluctantly backing the Withdrawal Agreement, along with enough Labour Brexiteers, there is a chance it could just scrape through the Commons on the third attempt. But the Prime Minister so far hasn't made her own luck and the odds remain against her. Prime Minister Theresa May has offered to step down (House of Commons/PA) MPs did not give majority backing to any of the eight Brexit alternatives put forward on the first day of the indicative vote process. The Commons did vote to change the exit date for the UKs withdrawal from the EU but did not support any of the eight proposals put forward as indicative votes. It came after Prime Minister Theresa May told Conservative MPs she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations. Mrs May told the 1922 Committee: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. Heres the latest from Westminster: 10.55pm Anne Marie Morris, Conservative MP for Newton Abbot, said she voted against each of the eight options except for the option to leave without a deal. She accused the PM of having, frankly, the audacity to agree to an extension without going through the usual protocols of taking it to Parliament first. She said: What Im absolutely convinced about is her deal is the only way of guaranteeing that we dont get Brexit. The reality is after whats happened tonight, I think shes going to be thinking long and hard about that deal because, frankly, it looks to me as if its dead. 10.47pm Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn leaves the Houses of Parliament after his motion was rejected (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Corbyn leaves the Houses of Parliament after his motion was rejected (Victoria Jones/PA) 10.42pm How MPs rejected all eight amendments: 10.41pm The Speaker reiterated his stance that a significant change would have to be made to allow a third meaningful vote to take place. He can readily extrapolate from what I have said before, he said. On that occasion I indicated that it seemed to me there was a matter not just of precise wording but of thrust what was the essential thrust of the proposition that was being put, had it changed or had it not? I invoked evidence in support of the propriety of the second vote on March 12 of the publication of documents consequent on discussions that took place with the EU. Mr Bercow suggested he was open to persuasion on whether the current circumstances had changed enough to allow a third meaningful vote. Referring to the EU documents in the second vote, he said: Those were examples, it seemed to me, of facts, of evidence and of circumstances that were relevant. I note the opinion that the situation has in some way now changed. One has to look at the specifics and if people come with specifics, then the specifics are considered. 10.31pm The Independent Group MP Mike Gapes asked speaker John Bercow: Have you had any intimation given the two huge defeats for the Prime Minister following her discussions with her Parliamentary colleagues earlier this afternoon, that the Prime Minister will be coming before the House in the next few days to announce her resignation? Mr Bercow responded: I certainly have received no such indication at all. The Prime Minister was here today and the Prime Minister, to be fair, has been a most assiduous attender in the chamber in making statements to the House and responding to questions. I have received no such indication. Im aware of media reports but I myself would not have been present at any meetings that took place earlier for very obvious reasons. 10.29pm Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) 10.24pm Raising a further point of order relating to the meaningful vote, Tory Sir Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales) said he thought there was an inconsistency in the Speakers ruling. Mr Bercow replied: The process for which the House opted was and is a discreet process, the first of its kind, indeed the novelty to some people welcome, to others unwelcome, of the process was the subject of much comment earlier in our proceedings. I believe it is a process and the House decided earlier that it should be pursued over a two-day period. In those circumstances with a specific balloting procedure set in train, I do not think that it falls into the category that (he) has described. Labours Angela Eagle (Wallasey) noted the results for a customs union and confirmatory ballot proposals, adding Mr Barclay has argued that the Government motion which failed by 230 at its first attempt and by 149 at its second attempt should somehow take precedence. Dont you, Mr Speaker, think that this is rather an odd interpretation of the results that weve had so far? Mr Bercow replied: Well, interpretations vary. 10.18pm Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said politicians could face a massive backlash from voters in the wake of the indicative votes in the Commons. No majority for anything in Parliament, but there is a majority in the country to leave the EU. Our politicians must stop trying to undo our vote or face a massive backlash from voters. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 27, 2019 10.17pm The Independent Group spokesman Chuka Umunna said its all to play for after the motion for a confirmatory public vote on Brexit received the most votes of any option. What do we know this evening: in a vote of the @HouseofCommons on resolving the #Brexit chaos, holding a #PeoplesVote commanded the most support! - more than the PMs deal, Labours alternative deal, no deal, the Common market 2.0 or the others. Its all to play for! ChukaUmunna (@ChukaUmunna) March 27, 2019 10.15pm John Bercow revealed all motions had been defeated: 10.13pm Tory Brexiteer Julian Lewis (New Forest East) said, if he were an unofficial prime minister, he would resign, to loud cheers from MPs. He said: Is there any way I can point out to what might be a bemused wider world that people were not having to choose between these different eight options, they were able to vote for or against each and every one of them, and they voted against all of them. If I were an unofficial backbench prime minister I would resign at this point, not seek to repeat such an exercise in abject failure. 10.11pm Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) 10.09pm Pro-EU Tory Nick Boles said he hoped to persuade his colleagues ahead of the next series of votes after MPs rejected his Brexit alternative of Common market 2.0 on Wednesday. Pleased to find that more Conservatives voted for Common Market 2.0 than for either the Customs Union or the Second Referendum. I hope to persuade more colleagues to back it on Monday. Nick Boles (@NickBoles) March 27, 2019 10.05pm SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called for a general election to end the impasse after the indicative votes. Mr Blackford said: This is a very serious moment for all of us and we have to reflect that this House of Commons has tried to find a way through the Brexit crisis over the last few months and we have failed. We need to reflect on the fact that when the Government talks about bringing their deal back, there are two occasions where the Government got 202 and 242 votes. That deal should be dead. And indeed the peoples vote got 268 votes tonight. I know we didnt win but we got more votes for the peoples vote than the Government got for its proposition. I think it is becoming increasingly clear that this House cant find a way forward. This Government, this Prime Minister, has failed to provide leadership. The only thing we should now be doing is going back to the people of the United Kingdom in a general election to end this impasse. 10.02pm Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable said the centre of gravity had become clearer following Wednesdays votes. As anticipated, the Commons has not produced an absolutely clear way forward, but it is clearer where the centre of gravity now is. Whichever Brexit option the government pursues, it must be put to the public in a confirmatory vote. #indicativevotes Vince Cable (@vincecable) March 27, 2019 9.58pm Raising a point of order, Sir Oliver said: It is, of course, a very great disappointment that the House has not chosen to find a majority for any proposition, however those of us who put this proposal forward as a way of proceeding predicted that we would not this evening reach a majority, and indeed for that very reason put forward a business of the House motion designed to allow the House to reconsider these matters on Monday. To shouts of no, he added: And if on Monday the House is able to reach a majority view, I think that would be in the interests of our constituents, but I personally continue to harbour the hope that (MPs) will see fit to vote in favour of a Government motion between now and close of play on Friday. Which would obviate the necessity for a further set of votes on Monday. 9.55pm Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said, with no majority for any of the options, MPs should now back Mrs Mays deal in the national interest. He said: The results of the process this House has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the Government has negotiated is the best option. If you believe in delivering on the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then its necessary to back the Withdrawal Agreement if we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end. Its for that reason that I call on all members from across this House in the national interest to back the Prime Ministers deal. 9.50pm Green Party leader Caroline Lucas pointed out that despite not obtaining a majority, the plan for a confirmatory public vote received more votes than the Prime Ministers Brexit plan. Public vote gets biggest vote - 268 in favour - and crucially gets more support than PMs Deal last time (242) Now Monday becomes key moment to attach #peoplesvote to any deal that gets more support Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) March 27, 2019 9.49pm Speaker John Bercow announced the results as follows for the indicative votes procedure: Motion B) No deal defeated by 400 votes to 160, majority 240. Motion D) Common market 2.0 defeated by 283 votes to 188, majority 95. Motion H) Efta and EEA defeated by 377 votes to 65, majority 312. Motion J) Customs union defeated by 272 votes to 264, majority eight. Motion K) Labours alternative plan defeated by 307 votes to 237, majority 70. Motion L) Revocation to avoid no-deal defeated by 293 votes to 184, majority 109. Motion M) Confirmatory public vote defeated by 295 voted to 268, majority 27. Motion O) Contingent preferential arrangements defeated by 422 votes to 139, majority 283. 9.40pm MPs have given no majority to any of the eight Brexit alternatives considered on day one of the indicative vote process. 9.35pm Expand Close MPs announcing that they have voted in favour of regulations linked to changing the exit date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU (House of Commons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp MPs announcing that they have voted in favour of regulations linked to changing the exit date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU (House of Commons/PA) 9.29pm Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) 9.21pm Speaker John Bercow suspended the sitting of the Commons until the results of the indicative votes are available. 9.19pm MPs have voted in favour of regulations linked to changing the exit date of the UKs withdrawal from the EU from March 29 by 441 votes to 105, majority 336. 9.06pm Tory Sir John Redwood (Wokingham) said the mood outside parliament was overwhelming that we should get on with it. He said: We do not want this House sidelined or presumed upon. This House should decide when we leave the EU and it shouldnt have been settled in that way. Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) said millions of voters expected to leave the EU on March 29 and this debate for them comes as a very great disappointment because this order cancels exit day for the 29th March. He said: History will mark this day as the moment that this House decided to start to turn against the decision to leave the EU and against the mandate upon which most MPs in this House were elected. Commenting on the Prime Ministers future, Labours Angela Eagle (Wallasey) said: So now we have, whilst the countrys future is still in the air and not decided, the horrible, self-regarding spectacle of the next runners and riders in the Conservative Party to see who will inherit the poisoned chalice that the Tory psychodrama of Brexit has injected into the body politic in this country. So I believe that the ministers SI today is an inevitable consequence of creating a false cliff-edge which was put there for blackmail purposes. 8.59pm DUP leader Arlene Foster said the Brexit deal would endanger the union of the United Kingdom as she made clear her party could still not support Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement. She told Sky News: What we cant agree to is something that threatens the union, that has a strategic risk to the union. For us in the Democratic Unionist Party, the union will always come first and that has been the issue right from the beginning of all of this. 8.50pm 8.49pm The DUP has said it will not support the Government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured. 8.38pm Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage asked the European Parliament if they really wanted him to return. 8.26pm Amer Rudd believes the deal may now be passed. 8.25pm Melanie Onn has quit as shadow housing minister after Labour MPs were whipped to back a call for any Brexit deal in this parliament to be put to a public vote. The Great Grimbsy MP has been a vocal opponent of a second referendum. 8.23pm Labours shadow Brexit minister Matthew Pennycook said: An extension to the Article 50 process until at least April 12 will now happen as a matter of international law and, as the minister said, it is now binding in international law. Mr Pennycook added: No-one, including those who have no problem with an extension, expected that this Government would fail so miserably that an extension of any kind would be required. He said failing to approve the regulation would only achieve immense legal confusion. Tory MP Sir William Cash (Stone) said: It is quite clear that the law officers must be consulted in good time before the Government is committed to critical decisions involving legal considerations. Sir William said he did not believe the Prime Minister had done so and asked whether this meant she had misled the House. He said: Did the Prime Minister consult the law officers as a matter of fact? I asked her and she refused twice to tell me. The inference is she did not. Is this not misleading the House? That is a question which worries me intensely. 8.13pm Tory Sir Bill Cash describes the Brexit indicative votes as a parliamentary bag of Liquorice Allsorts. I quite like Liquorice Allsorts, remarks one Labour MP. Richard Wheeler (@richard_kaputt) March 27, 2019 8.08pm Labour MP Angela Eagle (Wallasey) asked if Brexiteers wanted to abolish the monarchy, based on their objections to the royal prerogative being used in Brexit negotiations. She said: Could you advise me whether what members opposite are actually objecting to is the use of the royal prerogative, and the logic which allows us to sign up to international treaties using that power? The logic of what theyre actually arguing is we should get rid of the Queen. Speaker John Bercow said: Its not for me to offer an exegesis of what individuals might think about our constitutional arrangements including the use or otherwise of the royal prerogative. 8.05pm Mr Walker appealed to MPs to back a statutory instrument approving the Article 50 extension, signed up to by the UK and the 27 EU member states, to reflect international law. But Tory Brexiteers including Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) made their objections to the Commons being asked to rubber-stamp international law clear. Mr Jenkin said: This is exactly the kind of decision-making and law-making that people voted against in the referendum. However, Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon (North Down) said MPs needed to face up to reality. She said: It is signed, it is not going to be unsigned, the deal is done we need to get behind the deal and move on. 8.03pm Starting a debate on the statutory instrument to delay Brexit beyond March 29, Brexit minister Robin Walker said: I do of course regret the necessity of having to bring forward this instrument and would prefer that we were leaving the EU with a deal at the end of this week. I have voted on two occasions for that outcome but I know that the House has not. He added: Parliament then voted by 412 to 202 to approve a motion to seek to extend Article 50. An extension has therefore been agreed with the EU and the Government is now committed to implementing it in domestic law. Intervening, Tory Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford) asked: Does this SI now have the effect that the commencement order would have had, so in other words, if we approve the SI and we have not approved the meaningful vote, would we then leave at 11pm on 11th April without the need for a separate commencement order? Mr Walker replied: A commencement order would have to be laid before the point at which we left, whatever that leaving date was. He added: This SI does not set the date at which we leave the EU, this SI reflects the date that is agreed in international law. He went on: Should the House approve the negotiated withdrawal agreement this week, the extension would last until 22nd May, if the House did not approve the withdrawal agreement the extension will last until 12th April. 7.50pm Justice Secretary David Gauke said Theresa May made a very touching, moving speech as she pledged to step down. Asked about a forthcoming Tory leadership contest, he told the BBC: I think just at the moment theres quite enough for MPs to be focusing on on Brexit, so I think really its what we should all be focusing on. He added: What I hope is as a consequence of the process were going through at the moment, as a consequence of the Prime Minister making it clear that she will be around for phase one but not phase two of the negotiations, that the House of Commons can rally around her proposals. 7.46pm Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Theresa Mays decision to step down should her deal pass shows dignity, honesty and bravery. Dignity, honesty & bravery from the PM tonight. We must maintain trust in our democracy and deliver Brexit. I urge all MPs to back the Deal so we can fulfil our promise to the British people Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) March 27, 2019 7.40pm Expand Close Brexit protests outside Parliament this evening (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brexit protests outside Parliament this evening (Victoria Jones/PA) 7.29pm Nigel Farage criticised Theresa Mays deal. Even if Mrs May goes, it is a bad treaty that will give us years of acrimony. A modern day versailles. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 27, 2019 7.28pm Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the ERG, said the indicative votes set a very bad constitutional precedent. He said MPs should have instead opted for a vote of no confidence and let the public have a general election. He told the BBC: This is constitutionally absurd that people who have voted to take control of proceedings in the house basically dont have any confidence in the Government but dont have the courage to say so in a formal vote and they are doing it in an under-the-table fashion. It makes a minority Government extraordinarily difficult and it doesnt make the governance of this country any better, Mr Rees-Mogg added. Mr Rees-Mogg added that he preferred leaving without a deal but backed the Prime Minister after that was ruled out. He said: I think a considerable amount depends on the DUP and what it decides to do. I wont abandon the DUP because I think they are the champions of the union of the United Kingdom, which is a very important part of Conservative philosophy and thinking. The deal has a good chance of getting through if the DUP back it or abstain, he said. 7.26pm Labour MP Owen Smith, a leading supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign for a second EU referendum, said: It is an appalling insult to the British people that the governing party thinks it can treat the future of the country as a pawn in a Conservative Party leadership contest. They are playing with the jobs and livelihoods of millions of people up and down the land. But for them it is all about one job and which of their over-privileged, yet under-achieving, colleagues gets to walk across the threshold of Number 10. Let me warn my colleagues on the opposition benches none of us would ever be forgiven if we helped to pass a broken Brexit deal that gave a right-wing Brextremist the power to tear up workers rights, to open up the NHS to US competition or to make climate change denial a cornerstone of policy. Mrs Mays desperate announcement made in a backroom of Westminster to Tory MPs and not to the country makes the case for a Peoples Vote on any Brexit deal all but unanswerable. To instead vote for a bad Brexit deal and trust the promises of a Prime Minister who has already announced her resignation, and who is all but certain to be replaced by someone from the hard anti-European right, isnt just foolish but reckless. 7.25pm And it begins! Just witnessed some conservatives arguing and swearing at each other. I went to start recording and someone split them up. pic.twitter.com/396WeROISH Dawn Butler MP (@DawnButlerBrent) March 27, 2019 7.12pm Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said Theresa Mays address to the 1922 Committee was very personal. He told the BBC: Whilst the Prime Minister has given her indication tonight as to her long-term position, ultimately we have to deal with the here and now which she was so clear on, on getting behind the deal, making Brexit happen, get the vote through this place and move on for the country. 7.07pm Boris Johnson left a meeting of the European Research Group without commenting on his U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Theresa Mays deal wrapped a suicide vest around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. 7.02pm Tory MP Robert Halfon (Harlow) said leaving the political union but keeping close economic ties would be the way forward. Mr Halfon said: I do believe Parliament and politicians are becoming toxic. The 17 million people who voted to leave think that the establishment is against them, too busy playing party politics, determined to stop Brexit. So I would not do anything, and I mean anything, that I believe would undermine the decision of the people that voted to leave. I want a strong Brexit, I want a workers Brexit and I want a Brexit that unifies our country. How do we achieve this? We achieve it through common market 2.0, we achieve it through membership of the European Free Trade Area. The Independent Group MP Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) said: We now know that honourable members opposite who, on previous occasions, have voted against the Prime Ministers deal not once but twice are now, guess what? Not only changing their minds. They too will enjoy the privilege of changing their vote to support the Prime Minister. What a profound irony and, some would say, a disgrace, verging on hypocrisy. Honourable and right honourable members expect and will enjoy the right to change their minds and vote, and not allow the people of this country the same right. 7.01pm Our indicative vote and how I am casting it...... (Will I get arrested for tweeting this?) pic.twitter.com/6Z316UgMgY Michael Fabricant (@Mike_Fabricant) March 27, 2019 7pm Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told Sky News: The main point about the meeting was for the Prime Minister to set out why she believes and we all believe, well most of us that we need to vote for the withdrawal agreement, to deliver on the outcome of the referendum and to do it in a way that we have a deal that supports the country and the economy. We have made those arguments so many times but Im hopeful that the speech she made to the 1922 today will have helped persuade some colleagues of the need to vote for the deal because otherwise the alternatives they will like even less, and I think that message went over. She said nobody had the discourtesy to push the Prime Minister on when she will step down. There was a real feeling of support for the Prime Minister and urgency about wanting to get beyond this, to get back to our domestic policies, Ms Rudd said. 6.59pm And the polls are open in Parliament's historic indicative votes on Brexit... I'm voting for #PeoplesVote and #RevokeArticle50 - I'll leave others to their unicorns pic.twitter.com/FindCQzsaZ Jo Swinson (@joswinson) March 27, 2019 6.59pm Speaker John Bercow has suspended the sitting of the House of Commons for 30 minutes to enable voting on the Brexit deal alternatives. 6.54pm MP Sir Alan Duncan praised the Prime Ministers fortitude. I dont care what her critics say about my view - I have massive admiration for Theresa Mays fortitude and sense of duty. How has she managed to go through every day taking so much flak from less decent people? Sir Alan Duncan (@SirAlanDuncan) March 27, 2019 6.53pm George Freeman, the Prime Ministers former policy adviser, said she had done the right thing in announcing her decision to stand down. It was a very sad moment. She has devoted her life to public service, he told the BBC. She with tears not far from her eyes said: Tonight this is a moment I promised I would deliver the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. I have made many mistakes. I am only human. I beg you, colleagues, vote for the Withdrawal Agreement and I will go. There was silence in the room and it was incredibly sad. Mr Freeman said her speech to the 1922 Committee was followed by a series of interventions from very hardline Brexiteers all saying Prime Minister, thank you, I will now vote for this deal. He added: She is falling on her sword, putting country before party and career, and is asking them to do the same. You could hear a pin drop in that room. 6.50pm Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: It was inevitable that at some point the Prime Minister would have to go. Now, we need a change of approach from the Conservative Party rather than just a change in leader. Any Brexit deal is a bad choice for Scotland. Thats why we are campaigning for a Peoples Vote and an exit from Brexit. Nicola Sturgeon doesnt seem to have learned anything from Brexit. She should see that breaking up a political union inevitably leads to chaos and confusion. 6.48pm Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer raised a question on Boris Johnsons reported shift. I wonder what it is about the pending Tory leadership contest that made Boris change his mind? https://t.co/DVapaypZLm Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 27, 2019 6.40pm Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the PMs pledge to step down shows the Brexit negotiations have been about party management. Theresa Mays pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest. A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 27, 2019 6.37pm 6.36pm Chancellor Philip Hammond praised the Prime Minister. @theresa_may has demonstrated once again that she puts getting an orderly Brexit done ahead of everything else. Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) March 27, 2019 Conservative MP Conor Burns appeared to suggest Boris Johnson would now be voting for Mrs Mays deal. @BorisJohnson absolutely right telling MPs that palpable risk of losing Brexit altogether with the chance of change in the next phase means we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement. Conor Burns (@ConorBurnsUK) March 27, 2019 6.32pm Tory MP Andrew Percy, who backs Theresa Mays deal, said the way she had been forced out was unforgivable. I am slightly irritated and probably even more irritated now that the price of supporting what I think is a good deal, bringing this to a conclusion, is all based around personality rather than based around principle, and I think that is unforgivable, he told the BBC. The Prime Minister has done her duty. She has had all sorts of things thrown at her, a lot of it very unfair. I am sorry it has come down to personalities. Steve Brine, who quit as a health minister to vote for the indicative votes, said: There was no whooping and hollering. No-one takes any great pleasure in what happened. There is a lot of respect for the Prime Minister. She was very honest tonight. As ever with Theresa May, she is absolutely country first. 6.30pm Tory MP George Freeman said the PMs speech had been extraordinarily moving. Extraordinarily moving speech at the #1922 tonight as the PM apologised for being human, begged Conservative MPs to help her honour her pledge in 2016 to deliver an orderly Brexit, in return for her pledge to stand down when its done. Huge respect & a tide of ERG MPs switching. George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) March 27, 2019 6.25pm Theresa May to resign: Who could be the next Tory leader? 6.17pm Expand Close Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the Houses of Parliament after announcing she will not remain in post for the next phase of Brexit negotiations (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the Houses of Parliament after announcing she will not remain in post for the next phase of Brexit negotiations (Victoria Jones/PA) 6.16pm Tory MP Anne Marie Morris, a member of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, said Mrs Mays announcement would not be enough to persuade her to back her deal. I am deeply frustrated. It is not going to do the country any good. While most of us feel she is not the right person to lead this country, she is only going to go if her deal passes, she told the BBC Radio 4 PM programme. My concern is that too many people will see the prize of Theresa going as enough to sway things. I am certainly voting against this deal. 6.15pm Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: Brexit is not about Theresa Mays future, it is about all our futures and nothing the Prime Minister says about her position changes the fact that her deal is a profoundly bad one. For Scotland, this raises the prospect of being shackled to a disastrous Brexit driven by a Tory party lurching even further to the right, with a Brexiteer PM in charge further reinforcing the case for our country taking its future into its own hands. 6.13pm Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said Theresa May had been dignified and honest. Prime Minister gave a dignified and honest speech at the 1922. She cares deeply about our country and is a patriot. People must now support the deal and move us forward. Liz Truss (@trussliz) March 27, 2019 6.10pm Back in the Commons, Tory MP Nicky Morgan said she would vote for the Prime Ministers withdrawal agreement if and when it came back to the House. She stressed the need for compromise, saying MPs should be voting for what they could countenance not their preferred option, adding: If we stay in our silos and our trenches we will as a House not find a way through this. She spoke of her support for Common Market 2.0, adding there are alternative arrangements that can be secured to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. Labours Yvette Cooper said the thoughtful and considered debate was the one that we should have been having two years ago. Constituents she said were feeling deeply frustrated and let down. Speaking in favour of the customs union amendment, she added: Its also something I think can be the basis of finding consensus and building agreement. She said: Unless clear consensus can be built, the public consent or public vote will be needed through a General Election or referendum otherwise it will not last. 6.08pm Labour MP David Lammy reiterated calls for a new referendum. It is right that Theresa May goes, but this just raised the stakes even higher. The choice the country now faces is stark: a future relationship negotiated by a hard right PM chosen by Tory activists, or Remaining in the EU. The public must get to decide #PutItToThePeople https://t.co/5D3AMJCRfX David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 27, 2019 6.06pm 6.05pm Conservative former minister Stephen Crabb tweeted: Given the crap over the last few days PM spoke with remarkable dignity at 1922 mtg. Perhaps time now for ERG to consider disbanding. Time to get back to being one Conservative Party with one leader, one chief whip etc. 6.03pm Theresa May told the 1922 Committee meeting: This has been a testing time for our country and our party. Were nearly there. Were almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. 6pm Labours Peter Kyle, whose amendment proposing a confirmatory referendum will be voted on by MPs tonight, said the situation was sickening. MPs owe it to future generations to vote on the deal with them in mind, not based on whether the PM will be in office a few days fewer. Its unimaginable that people are gambling with our economy in the hope it helps their chances of a promotion. Its sickening Peter Kyle MP (@peterkyle) March 27, 2019 But Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Theresa May was driven by a sense of duty and public service. PM is driven by a sense of duty and public service. Her decision today reflects again her putting the national interest ahead of personal interest. She remains determined to secure our departure from the EU on an orderly basis and will have my full support in doing so. David Mundell MP (@DavidMundellDCT) March 27, 2019 Conservative MP Nicholas Soames also praised the Prime Minister. Commanding brave Speech by @theresa_may at the 1922 Committee. Party rowed inbehind her #FridayBigDay Nicholas Soames (@NSoames) March 27, 2019 5.56pm Mrs May told the 1922 Committee: I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I wont I hear what you are saying. But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. She added: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit. 5.47pm Prime Minister Theresa May has told Conservative MPs she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. There was applause and more banging of tables as the PM left the meeting. Brussels must be open to a long extension of Britains withdrawal negotiations if the UK decides to adopt a new approach to Brexit, the president of the European Council has said. Donald Tusk warned that any attempt to stop Britain taking part in upcoming European Parliament elections which the EU regards as necessary if the departure date is to be delayed beyond May 22 would be a betrayal of those who marched in London last weekend or signed the petition to halt Brexit. But Brexit Party MEP Nigel Farage warned the Parliament that if the UK was forced to take part in the May 23-26 polls, it would return large numbers of Leave MEPs including him to Brussels. Meanwhile, the European Parliaments Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said that the EU would be ready to negotiate a deeper and broader future relationship with the UK if this was the outcome favoured by MPs taking part in indicative votes on withdrawal options in Westminster. He said that Saturdays march, which organisers said was attended by more than one million people, and the petition of more than 5.8 million signatures to revoke Article 50, represented the seed of an eventual UK return to the EU. Expand Close European Council president Donald Tusk addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Council president Donald Tusk addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA Images) Speaking to MEPs in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk urged the European Parliament to be open to a long extension, if the UK wishes to rethink its strategy. He criticised MEPs who told him that possible UK participation in European elections would be harmful or inconvenient. Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable, said Mr Tusk. You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a Peoples Vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union. They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by their UK Parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber because they are Europeans. The seed for Britains return to the European Union was planted last weekend by marching in London & nearly six million signing the article 50 petition.We need a deep EU-UK relationship that one day, Im pretty sure, will lead Britain back into the family of European nations. pic.twitter.com/Tsvc8Udrok Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) March 27, 2019 But former Ukip leader Mr Farage told MEPs: The one thing that is inevitable is that we are headed for an Article 50 extension. You should ask yourselves: Do you really want that? Do you really want Brexit to utterly dominate the next couple of years of your business to the exclusion of your many other ambitions? Do you really want the UK to contest the European elections, to send back a very large number of Leave MEPs, just at a time when you are fighting populism as you see it across the continent? And, to cries of No from some MEPs and Yes from others, he asked: Do you really want me back in this place? EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier replied: Mr Farage, no-one in Brussels is trying to steal Brexit from you, no-one is trying to undo the vote of the British people. It is not Brussels that decided that the UK would leave the EU. You were the ones who made that choice and you are the ones who have to take your responsibility and face up to the consequences of that decision. No-one else. Appeal to EP: You should be open to a long extension, if the UK wishes to rethink its strategy. 6 million people signed the petition, 1 million marched. They may not feel sufficiently represented by UK Parliament but they must feel represented by you. Because they are Europeans. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) March 27, 2019 Mr Verhofstadt said that he hoped the indicative votes procedure taking place in London marked the start of a cross-party co-operation to break the deadlock, following repeated votes against Theresa Mays deal. A majority to break the Brexit deadlock will never have the support of the so-called hard Brexiters, said the former Belgian prime minister. The only thing that counts for them is to seize power inside the Tory Party. This is not in the national interest of the country. He said MEPs were open to revising the Political Declaration on the future framework for EU/UK trade and security relations, agreed last November alongside Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement. It would be possible to change it to make it a more binding agreement between the EU and the UK envisaging a deeper and broader relationship in the interest of both Britain and the European Union, he said. Mr Verhofstadt added: The seed for Britains return to the European Union was planted last weekend by marching in London and nearly six million signing the Article 50 petition. Expand Close An estimated one million people marched in London (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An estimated one million people marched in London (Yui Mok/PA) We need a deep EU-UK relationship that one day, Im pretty sure, will lead Britain back into the family of European nations. DUP MEP Diane Dodds told the Parliament that endangering the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom was not a price the Northern Irish party is willing to pay to ratify Mrs Mays agreement. Mrs Dodds said the proposed Withdrawal Agreement would see Northern Ireland leaving on different terms to the rest of the United Kingdom under the backstop. And she added: The DUP wants to leave the European Union in an orderly fashion but this deal will endanger the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK. It is not a price that we as Unionists are willing to pay. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker voiced uncertainty about how the Brexit process will turn out. If I were to compare Great Britain to a sphinx, the sphinx would be an open book by comparison, he told MEPs. And lets see how that book speaks over the next week or so. The Duchess of Cornwall has promised to send her food writer son Tom Parker Bowles to Cuba after initially expressing doubts about the countrys cuisine. Camilla and the Prince of Wales were left impressed with produce they tried in Havana at an event showcasing some of the best dishes from the Communist country. Before the couples historic visit to Cuba, the duchess suggested, during a visit to the Supreme Court in London, that the countrys cooking was not one of the aspects of the tour she was most looking forward to. Expand Close The Duchess of Cornwalls son Tom Parker-Bowles is a noted food critic (Matt Cardy/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Cornwalls son Tom Parker-Bowles is a noted food critic (Matt Cardy/PA) The food showcase was staged at Habanera, a paladar, or private restaurant, in Havana, after the duchess comments. When Camilla stopped at a display of artisan breads and cheeses she said Can I taste a bit of this? picking up a piece of cheese made with ginger. Ive never had cheese with ginger in it, she said. Very good. After trying another cheese, she said: They are very very good, the best. I might send Tom here to write about the food. The Prince and The Duchess arrive at a paladar, part of the increasingly popular selection of private restaurants in Cuba. #RoyalVisitCuba TRH try some Cuban dishes, including moro y cristianos, rice made with black beans, and local cheeses. pic.twitter.com/PRUL3fghTu The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 27, 2019 Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of the countrys president Miguel Diaz-Canel, told her that the country organised an international festival of its top chefs. We want Cuban cuisine to be recognised as our cultural heritage, she added. Ariel Causa, a director of Alamesa a company which promotes the Cuban restaurant industry, said the countrys cuisine had a poor reputation overseas until recently. Mr Causa, who showed Charles around the food displays, added: They thought it was bland, that it was lacking imagination, he said. Just pork, rice and beans, salad. He said the event was set up after the duchess made her remarks: The embassy contacted us to help organise this. They promised that we could help bring a whole different perception about it. This is not about Cuban cuisine. It is about the impression the Duchess of Cornwall will have about our country. And we are very proud of our country. I take it as a challenge. We love challenges. He added: Somebody called us. They said, We need people to help us create an event in order to show how beautiful Cuban cuisine can be. Nicola Sturgeon met some of the young people who took part in recent climate change strikes (Jane Barlow/PA) Nicola Sturgeon has met with youngsters who took part in school strikes to demand action on climate change. The First Minister, who previously tweeted in support of the action, spoke to some of the campaigners involved, environment minister Mairi Gougeon confirmed. The talks between the FM and the students focused on concerns over the environment and what action the Scottish Government is taking, the minister added. Speaking about the young protesters, Ms Gougeon said: It is only right they push us to take strong action and we take the time to listen to that. First Minister @NicolaSturgeon met with Celeste, Iola, Hector, Charlotte and @HollyWildChild who joined by Skype. They discussed the Scottish Governments climate change ambitions and what further action could be taken #YouthStrike4Climate #fridaysforfuture #ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/pbOY9VRhLV First Minister (@ScotGovFM) March 27, 2019 She told MSPs: The First Minister met with some of the students to discuss their concerns and to discuss the actions we are taking. She added that the climate change was such an important issue she was not surprised the pressure for action weve seen, particularly recently and particularly from our young people. Ms Gougeon spoke after Green MSP Alison Johnstone praised the young Scots who had been involved in the climate change protests. The most recent day of action saw events take place in 19 towns and cities across Scotland, from Peebles to Ullapool. Ms Johnstone said: We estimate that some 5,000 young people attended the protests in Glasgow and Edinburgh alone. They were acting in sync with school strikers in over 100 other countries, one of the largest youth movements we have seen in recent times. Green MSPs had joined the protesters and listened to their concerns, she added. Expand Close Green MSP Alison Johnstone with party co-convener Patrick Harvie. (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Green MSP Alison Johnstone with party co-convener Patrick Harvie. (Jane Barlow/PA) Ms Johnstone said: I fully support the strikers aims and stand in solidarity with them. It is unacceptable that our young people should have to sacrifice their school days to urge that the adults in charge do the right thing for the people on the planet. It has been the inaction of governments over the past 20 years that has brought them to this point and we cant let it continue. Ms Gougeon insisted the Scottish Government absolutely recognises the urgency of the global climate challenge. Legislation currently being considered by Holyrood would see Scotland have the toughest climate change legislation of anywhere in the world, the minister added. She stated: The Bill contains the most ambitious statutory target of any country in the world for 2020, 2030, and 2040, and will mean Scotland is carbon neutral by 2050. The Government has rejected a petition calling for Brexit to be stopped, which has gathered more than 5.75 million signatures. The petition is due to be debated by MPs on April 1, after smashing the 100,000 threshold for consideration and becoming the best-supported proposal in the history of the House of Commons and Governments e-petitions website. Revoking Article 50 would break the promises made by Government to the British people Rejecting the oft-repeated claim that EU withdrawal is the will of the people, it calls for the revocation of the Article 50 letter informing the European Council of the UKs intention to leave. The Article 50 letter can be withdrawn by the UK unilaterally, without the need for EU agreement, leaving Britain free to continue as a member on its current terms. Millions received a tone-deaf email from the government today Youre receiving this email because you signed the petition #RevokeArticle50 ...will not revoke Article 50 ...Governments firm policy not to revoke Article 50... ...Revoking Article 50 would break the promises... Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) March 26, 2019 But in its official response to the petition, the Department for Exiting the EU said: It remains the Governments firm policy not to revoke Article 50. We will honour the outcome of the 2016 referendum and work to deliver an exit which benefits everyone, whether they voted to Leave or to Remain. Revoking Article 50, and thereby remaining in the European Union, would undermine both our democracy and the trust that millions of voters have placed in Government. The Government acknowledges the considerable number of people who have signed this petition. However, close to three-quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected. This Government wrote to every household prior to the referendum, promising that the outcome of the referendum would be implemented. 17.4 million people then voted to leave the European Union, providing the biggest democratic mandate for any course of action ever directed at UK Government. British people cast their votes once again in the 2017 General Election, where over 80% of those who voted, voted for parties including the opposition who committed in their manifestos to upholding the result of the referendum. This Government stands by this commitment. Revoking Article 50 would break the promises made by Government to the British people, disrespect the clear instruction from a democratic vote, and in turn, reduce confidence in our democracy. As the Prime Minister has said, failing to deliver Brexit would cause potentially irreparable damage to public trust, and it is imperative that people can trust their Government to respect their votes and deliver the best outcome for them. Westminster Hall debate on Monday on the 5.7m strong revoke Article 50 petition https://t.co/D3uGTa4HtO Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) March 26, 2019 The petition will be debated by MPs in the Commons secondary chamber Westminster Hall. A Government minister will be required to respond to the petition, but there will be no vote on the action it demands. MPs will also debate a petition calling for a second EU referendum, which has received more than 120,000 signatures, and another signed by more than 140,000 demanding that the UK leave with or without a deal on March 29. The driver was uninjured in the incident which left the road closed for several hours (Ian West/PA) Two horses have died after being struck by a car on a busy road in Ayrshire. The animals escaped from their field by the A77 between Fenwick and Kilmarnock, around 5.25am on Wednesday. A car struck both horses who died from their injuries. The driver was uninjured in the incident, which left the road closed for several hours. *UPDATE*07:08#A77 #M77 northbound J8 Fenwick - the road is CLOSED from the Meicklewood Interchange due to serious RTC. Police on scene. Diversion route is busy and slow with google maps reporting a travel time of 39 mins#Kilmarnock pic.twitter.com/eGTZnM8Wy1 Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) March 27, 2019 A police spokeswoman said: Police were called around 5.25am on Wednesday morning to the A77 northbound at J8 after a car struck two horses that had got loose from their field. Ambulance attended and checked over the driver of the car who was badly shaken, but not injured. Both horses died from their injuries. East Ayrshire Police tweeted the road had reopened shortly before 9am. Theresa May has said she is ready to make way for a new Conservative leader and Prime Minister to take Britain through the second phase of Brexit negotiations. But how could that happen? Thursday March 28 or Friday March 29 Mrs May is expected to bring her Withdrawal Agreement back to the House of Commons for a third meaningful vote. If it passes, this automatically triggers an extension to the Brexit process to May 22, when the UK would leave with a deal. The EU has said it is ready to start negotiating a future trade and security relationship as soon as the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration have been ratified in Westminster, so the second phase of talks could be said to start as soon as MPs approve the deal, making an immediate resignation possible. Monday April 1 MPs will debate their favoured Brexit options in a second round of indicative votes in the Commons. If the deal has been passed, this cannot affect the Withdrawal Agreement, but it could exert a powerful influence on the kind of future relationship pursued by Mrs Mays successor. Friday April 12 If Mrs Mays deal has not passed, the UK must seek a further extension to negotiations or leave without a deal. If the UK leaves with no Withdrawal Agreement, talks are likely to start soon on a trade and security deal between what will remain important partners and close neighbours. Mrs May can be expected to make way for a new prime minister to lead those negotiations. But if no deal has been reached, it is possible that the EU would be willing to offer a lengthy extension to discussions under Article 50, potentially to the end of 2019 or even beyond. Under the terms of her offer, it is possible Mrs May would consider that she should stay on to oversee this process, though she could expect to meet stiff opposition from some of her own MPs. April-May Once the Withdrawal Agreement is passed, the Government needs to rush an implementation bill through Parliament, along with other legislation needed to ensure a smooth departure. It is unclear whether Mrs May would delay her resignation until this process is complete and the UK formally leaves on May 22. It would be possible for her to declare she is stepping down, but to remain in post during the contest to select a successor. If she remains in office until May 25, she will overtake Gordon Browns tenure of two years and 319 days in office to become the 35th longest-serving PM in British history. If she lasts until May 26, she outstrips the Duke of Wellington and another 28 days to June 23 will take her past Neville Chamberlain. The process of picking a new leader requires Conservative MPs to whittle down contenders to a shortlist of two, who then go forward to a final vote by members in the country. Precise rules for the contest are a matter for the 1922 Committee executive, led by chairman Sir Graham Brady. A wide field of candidates is expected, with Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Amber Rudd and Dominic Raab among those thought to be mulling their prospects. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Candidates who secure the required nominations would be subjected to a series of secret ballots of MPs, with one eliminated on each round until only two remain. This process could be completed within a fortnight or so of the contest being declared. The next stage would be expected to take around six weeks, as the remaining two contenders campaign for support in a postal ballot involving around 125,000 members around the country. June-July If Mrs May were to pass her Withdrawal Agreement by the end of this week and declare her resignation immediately afterwards, a new leader could therefore be in place as early as the first week of June. If she delayed until the formal date of Brexit on May 22, the process could be completed in mid-July. She is due to represent the UK at the annual G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28-29, which could be her last outing on the international stage before stepping down. Government of Kyrgyzstan approved the draft agreement between the Finance Ministries of Kyrgyzstan and Russia on provision of $30 million financial assistance to Kyrgyzstan, Aki Press reports. These funds will be used to support Kyrgyzstan's budget, Aki Press notes. Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the influential European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers has said he will support the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement - if the DUP abstains, Sky News has reported. It comes after Theresa May indicated she would step down as Prime Minister if her deal passed in order for a new leader to take responsibility of the second phase of negotiations with the EU on the future trading agreement. The MP has been an ardent opponent of the withdrawal agreement, however recently he has been signalling a possible change in direction. And writing in the Daily Mail on Wednesday Mr Rees-Mogg apologised for changing his mind on the deal, saying those who negotiated it are guilty of a "failure of statesmanship". Read More In a BBC Radio 4 interview he said he would be guided by whatever the DUP does as they were the "guardians of the union". Boris Johnson has also reportedly indicated he will back the Prime Minister. DUP sources say the party has not dropped its opposition to the Prime Ministers Brexit deal. PMs come & go they say but the trade & constitutional issues involved in the deal & the backstop live on Mark Devenport (@markdevenport) March 27, 2019 The DUP, however, has only said it will not support the deal unless there is change to the withdrawal agreement. There was speculation the party would be making a statement on Wednesday evening. However, the party has told the Belfast Telegraph there is no statement scheduled. A source told the BBC the DUP's opposition to the deal remained the same. "PMs come and go," the source told the BBC's Mark Devenport, "but the trade and constitutional issues involved in the deal and the backstop live on." DUP sources told the Belfast Telegraph the party was still engaged in talks with the government. However, it's thought without the DUP and even if the party did abstain, there would still not be enough support in the Commons for Theresa May to get her deal passed. MPs are to take part in a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday to indicate what type of Brexit MPs prefer. Theresa May has said she will stand down as Prime Minister before the next phase of Brexit negotiations. The Prime Minister did not name a date for her departure from 10 Downing Street, but her announcement sets the stage for a Conservative leadership election within the coming weeks or months. Her offer to resign came in response to calls from a number of her backbenchers for her to promise to quit in return for their help in pushing her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament. But her chances of success were dealt a possibly fatal blow as the Democratic Unionist Party announced it would not support the Government if it brought the deal back for a third meaningful vote. In a statement hours after Mrs Mays dramatic announcement, the DUP said the controversial backstop arrangement for the Irish border poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. The partys Westminster leader Nigel Dodds left no doubt that this meant the DUPs 10 MPs voting against the deal, tweeting: The DUP do not abstain on the Union. The Northern Irish partys decision will be highly influential on Leave-backing Tory MPs who had been considering falling in line behind the PM. European Research Group chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be guided by the DUP as guardians of the Union of the United Kingdom. Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson signalled he is likely to swing behind the PM, with close ally Conor Burns tweeting that the former foreign secretary is telling Leave-backing MPs that we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of thatTheresa May Mr Johnson left a meeting of the ERG without commenting on his apparent U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Mrs Mays deal wrapped a suicide vest around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. Despite Mr Johnsons shift, an ERG source at the meeting said there is no way enough votes are coming out of that room to put the Withdrawal Agreement through. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker told the meeting he was in a ferocious rage after the pantomime of Mrs Mays announcement and indicated he may yet resign the whip than be part of this, a source said. Mrs May spoke to the influential Tory 1922 Committee shortly before MPs were due to take part in indicative votes on a range of Brexit options in the House of Commons. She said she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership, telling the 1922 Committee: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. There was silence in the room and it was incredibly sadGeorge Freeman, Tory MP One MP who witnessed the address, George Freeman, said that the PM had tears not far from her eyes as she admitted: I have made many mistakes. I am only human. I beg you, colleagues, vote for the Withdrawal Agreement and I will go. Mr Freeman, a former policy aide to the PM who had called for her to name a date for her departure, told the BBC: There was silence in the room and it was incredibly sad. Downing Street has signalled that the PM is keeping open the possibility of tabling her Withdrawal Agreement for a third meaningful vote on Thursday or Friday, but would do so only if she felt there was a credible chance of it securing a majority. The deal must be passed by the end of the week if the UK is to benefit from the EUs offer of an automatic delay to Brexit to May 22. But Commons Speaker John Bercow infuriated ministers after reminding them of his ruling that there needed to be significant change to the deal if it was to be brought back to the Commons for a third time, after twice being defeated by wide margins. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mrs May told her MPs: I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I wont I hear what you are saying. But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. Mrs May acknowledged that it had been a testing time for the party and the country, but said: Were nearly there. Were almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. She added: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit. Earlier, Mrs May moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote on the indicative votes. But the Prime Minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the indicative votes, whips have indicated. Expand Close Theresa May clashed with Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit in the House of Commons (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May clashed with Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit in the House of Commons (PA) Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: Theresa Mays pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest. A change of government cant be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide. Childrens minister Maree Todd meets young people l-r Emily Wilson, Demi Burnett,Holly Henry,Childrens minister Maree Todd,Sonny Robertson and Edith Macdonald who were all involved in the new design of the baby box unveiled at the APS Group in Edinburgh (Andrew Milligan/PA) More than 80,000 baby boxes have been delivered since the scheme was launched, with 96% of expectant mothers receiving them. The boxes contain baby essentials such as clothing, toys, towels, thermometers and mats, and can also be used as a cot. Delivered to any expectant parents in Scotland who request one, the Scottish Government has announced that demand rose to 96% of eligible families in the third quarter of 2018, up from 85% when they were launched in August 2017. A voucher for a reusable cloth nappy and liners from Glasgow-based company Tots Bots has been added into the box, along with a new design on the outside featuring Scottish landmarks such as Ben Nevis, Glenfinnan Viaduct and Edinburgh Castle. As the latest figures revealed 80,873 boxes delivered, Childrens Minister Maree Todd welcomed the news as a huge vote of confidence in Scotlands baby box. Speaking at the APS distribution centre in Leith where the boxes are printed, filled and sent out to expectant parents, she said: We are committed to giving every child the best start in life, and we do this by ensuring that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a childs life through the Baby Box. 96% of expectant parents are requesting a Baby Box a big rise on the 85% since they were first launched. The new #BabyBox designed by a winning group of young people out of 100s of applicants, will be used across Scotland over the next two years! @MareeToddMSP says its been a magical thing youve been involved with as she thanks the young people for their work at @aps_group pic.twitter.com/7MBYctpNpP Young Scot (@YoungScot) March 27, 2019 The new design on the boxes was selected from hundreds of entries in a nationwide Young Scot competition celebrating the Year of Young People. The winning design was created by Demi Burnett, 12, from Banff Academy in Macduff, Edith Macdonald, 13, from the Community School of Auchterader in Gleneagles, Emily Wilson, 15, from St Lukes High School in Barrhead, Holly Henry, 16, from St Columbas in Kilmacolm and Sonny Robertson, 17, from Trinity Academy in Edinburgh. The group were given an award by Ms Todd, who said: This new design by children for children is impressive in its detail and creativity. Expand Close Childrens Minister Maree Todd with the new baby box design (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Childrens Minister Maree Todd with the new baby box design (Andrew Milligan/PA) Parents have also told us that they love personalising their Baby Box and as a result my favourite idea from the winning team is the free space left around the trunk of the tree on the lid to allow the family to add their newborns hand and foot print. It will touch the hearts of many parents that children from across the country have worked together, investing so much time and effort, into creating something truly special for their babies. Ive met many families who have treasured their Baby Box and I cant wait to see the new boxes in homes for years to come. Jackie Brock, CEO of Children in Scotland, added: Families will be really delighted with this addition to their babys welcome. Once the baby and their friends are old enough to colour it in, it will make a wonderful toy and memory in future years. Anti-Brexit protestors with an illuminated sign reading Let Us Vote outside the Houses of Parliament, London, on the day that MPs will be asked to consider a range of alternative Brexit options after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda to force a series of indicative votes. MPs will be asked to vote again on Brexit options on Monday after failing to agree on any of the eight choices presented to them. After a historic day at Westminster in which backbench MPs took control of the agenda from the Government, all the proposals put forward for indicative votes were rejected. The Speaker has announced the results for today's #IndicativeVotes: (B) - Ayes 160 Noes 400 (D) - Ayes 188 Noes 283 (H) - Ayes 65 Noes 377 (J) - Ayes 264 Noes 272 (K) - Ayes 237 Noes 307 (L) - Ayes 184 Noes 293 (M) - Ayes 268 Noes 295 (O) - Ayes 139 Noes 422 pic.twitter.com/z5jDqtMC11 UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) March 27, 2019 But the process indicated significant support for a second referendum and a customs union, which both secured more votes than Theresa Mays deal has managed. The call for a customs union was defeated by just eight votes, while the proposal to hold a referendum on a deal lost by 27. Well those indicative votes went really well. Another Sir Oliver Letwin masterclass. Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) March 27, 2019 Sir Oliver Letwin, the architect of the plan to seize control of the Commons timetable, said it was a very great disappointment that no option had secured a majority but MPs would be asked to vote again on April 1. If on Monday the House is able to reach a majority view, I think that would be in the interests of our constituents, he said. The results of Wednesdays votes were: No deal: defeated by 400 votes to 160, majority 240. Common market 2.0: defeated by 283 votes to 188, majority 95. Efta and EEA: defeated by 377 votes to 65, majority 312. Customs union defeated by 272 votes to 264, majority eight. Labours alternative plan defeated by 307 votes to 237, majority 70. Revocation to avoid no-deal defeated by 293 votes to 184, majority 109. Confirmatory public vote defeated by 295 voted to 268, majority 27. Contingent preferential arrangements defeated by 422 votes to 139, majority 283. Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, who backs the Peoples Vote campaign for another referendum, said: The majority of MPs and the British people do not want the Prime Ministers broken Brexit deal. Nor do either the public or Parliament back crashing out of the EU without a deal. Tonight has shown there is growing support for our compromise solution and that any new way forward will require enough time to be properly negotiated and scrutinised. When this Parliament has finally made a decision on what Brexit means, I am hopeful that a majority will emerge for any final proposal to be put to a vote, not only by MPs, but also by the people. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Mrs Mays deal had achieved 202 and then 242 votes when it was put to the Commons and that deal should be dead. It is clear that remaining in the EU is an option that is firmly on the table with a second EU referendum being the most popular option of all, and a substantial number of MPs recognising that revoking Article 50 is the right way to prevent a Brexit disaster, he said. Parliament has taken initial steps towards building consensus. In the coming days, we will continue cross-party discussions to find a way forward including whether proposals on the single market and customs union, which currently fall short, can be strengthened. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: As anticipated, the Commons has not produced an absolutely clear way forward, but it is clearer where the centre of gravity now is. What is essential is that whichever Brexit option the Government pursues, it is put to the public in a confirmatory referendum. But Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the Commons process demonstrates that there are no easy options and no simple way forward. The results of the process this House has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the Government has negotiated is the best option, he told MPs. It is the Governments firm wish to get the Withdrawal Agreement approved by this House, and I urge all members, no matter the view on what the future relationship should be, if you believe in delivering on the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then its necessary to back the Withdrawal Agreement. If we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end. Tory Brexiteer Simon Clarke dismissed the entire process: Well those indicative votes went really well. Another Sir Oliver Letwin masterclass. MPs will vote on eight Brexit options in indicative votes on Wednesday evening after they were selected by Speaker John Bercow. MPs have supported the arrangements for the indicative vote process by 331 votes to 287. Prime Minister Theresa May will allow Tory MPs a free vote in an attempt to prevent ministerial resignations. However, Mrs May and her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the "indicative votes", whips have indicated. Read More Labour MPs have been told to back a motion tabled by former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, which would require any Brexit deal passed during this Parliament to be confirmed in a public referendum before ratification. Jeremy Corbyn's party is also whipping its MPs to back its own alternative Brexit plan as well as a customs union proposal tabled by veteran Tory europhile Ken Clarke. Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn (House of Commons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Corbyn (House of Commons/PA) They are also being encouraged to back Nick Boles's "Common Market 2.0" proposal for single market membership and a close customs arrangement, which Mr Corbyn himself will support. Mrs May has said she will not regard the results of Wednesday's votes - and a follow-up session next Monday designed to find a consensus solution - as binding. The eight Brexit options MPs will be voting on are as follows: B) Leave the EU without a deal on April 12 - moved by Tory MP John Baron. D) Norway + model (remain in single market, customs arrangement, European free trade association) - moved by Tory MP Nick Boles H) Norway model without a customs union (EEA + EFTA) - moved by Tory MP George Eustice. J) Leave the EU with a UK-wide customs union - moved by Tory MP Ken Clarke. K) Permanent customs union, including alignment with single market on future EU rights and regulations - moved by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. L) Revoke Article 50 if no-deal Brexit is not explicitly approved by MPs a day before we are due to leave - moved by SNP MP Joanna Cherry. M) Any withdrawal agreement must be put to the public in a 'confirmatory' second referendum - moved by Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett. O) If no withdrawal agreement agreed, seek "standstill" agreement with the EU while negotiating trade deal - moved by Tory MP Marcus Fysh. The DUP has said it would rather see Brexit delayed by a year than support the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement. East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson's comments came as European Research Group (ERG) chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg indicated that he may back Theresa May's deal if faced with a choice between it and no Brexit. Read More MPs will today vote in a series of paper ballots in an attempt to establish what kind of Brexit has a chance of winning a parliamentary majority. Writing in The Telegraph yesterday, Mr Wilson said: "Even if we are forced into a one-year extension, we at least would have a say on the things which affect us during that time and would have the right to unilaterally decide to leave at the end of that one-year period through the simple decision of not applying for a further extension. "Surely this is a better strategy than volunteering to be locked into the prison of the withdrawal deal with the cell door key in the pocket of Michel Barnier?" The DUP MP said his party would not let "the Prime Minister or the Remainer horde in Parliament bully us into backing a toxic Brexit deal". Mr Rees-Moggs' remarks were the first sign of a potential split between the DUP and some of their ERG friends. Mr Wilson said: "There are some colleagues who I admire greatly and who have stood firmly with us in defending Northern Ireland who now take the view that the Withdrawal Agreement, even though it is a rotten deal, is better than losing Brexit. "To them I say that, if the deal goes through, we have lost our right to leave the EU." The DUP urged Tory Brexiteers to continue to "stand firm" against the Prime Minister's deal unless there were significant changes. DUP Strangford MP Jim Shannon said it was beginning to appear that the ERG were more focused on Brexit than the Union. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday that it looked as if some ERG members had changed their stance. "Disappointingly, from their point of view, some of those seem to have filtered away over the night," he said. "They've not all changed their opinion, but they maybe see Brexit as a greater issue than the Union. We see the Union as the big issue, as the priority and that's what we're focused upon." But former Brexit Secretary David Davis said Mrs May now had a "reasonable chance" of getting her deal through Parliament. He told the BBC: "It's not a good deal but the alternative is a complete cascade of chaos. "We are going to see proposals being put up that are all worse than her proposal. I think she's got a reasonable chance. She's got to get the DUP onside." MPs took the unprecedented step of voting to seize control of the House of Commons timetable on Monday, in an attempt to end the Brexit deadlock. They will today begin to vote on a series of alternative plans to Mrs May's deal and voting will continue next Monday. Today's voting will begin around 7pm with results expected at 9pm. Shortly before the voting, the Prime Minister will face Tory MPs at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee. There has been speculation that she could set a timetable for her departure from Downing Street in order to win support from Brexit hardliners for her deal. Motions for the indicative votes had to be tabled by the end of business last night. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow will select the options to be voted on today. Those options include a Labour Party motion outlining its plan for a close economic relationship with the EU. The plan involves a comprehensive customs union with a UK say on future trade deals; close alignment with the single market; matching new EU rights and protections; and participation in EU agencies and funding programmes. Common market 2.0 has been tabled by Tories Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Andrew Percy and Labour's Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson. It proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area. It allows continued participation in the single market and a "comprehensive customs arrangement" with the EU after Brexit, which would remain in place until the agreement of a wider trade deal which guarantees frictionless movement of goods and an open border in Ireland. A proposal for a confirmatory public vote will be tabled by former Foreign Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett with the backing of scores of MPs across the House. It would require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by Parliament before its ratification. Another option is a proposal to commit to negotiating a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU" in any Brexit deal. It will be tabled by veteran Tory Ken Clarke and is backed by Labour's Yvette Cooper and Hilary Benn and former Conservative ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Sarah Newton. Another cross-party proposal, the Malthouse Compromise Plan A, calls for Mrs May's Withdrawal Agreement to be implemented with the controversial backstop replaced by alternative arrangements. It is backed by both Leave and Remain Tory MPs including Nicky Morgan, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Damian Green, Steve Baker and Sir Graham Brady, as well as the DUP and Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey. Theresa May has moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote when the House of Commons passes its judgment on different Brexit options on Wednesday evening. But the Prime Minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the indicative votes, whips have indicated. Mrs May was warned she could face north of a dozen resignations if she tried to force ministers to toe her line when the Commons votes on eight options, ranging from no-deal to a second referendum, a customs union or revocation of the Article 50 letter triggering Brexit. Meanwhile, Labour MPs have been told to back a motion tabled by former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, which would require any Brexit deal passed during this Parliament to be confirmed in a public referendum before ratification. Jeremy Corbyns party is also whipping its MPs to back its own alternative Brexit plan as well as a customs union proposals tabled by veteran Tory europhile Ken Clarke. And they are being encouraged to back Nick Boless Common Market 2.0 proposal for single market membership and a close customs arrangement, which Mr Corbyn himself will support. Depending on the approval of today's Business of the House motion, here are the 16 #Brexit options the Speaker will be selecting from for the #IndicativeVotes held later today. Read the full text of all the options here: https://t.co/UT3CUdEFq3 pic.twitter.com/Dp38rVoFXn UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) March 27, 2019 Speaker John Bercow selected just eight out of the 16 Brexit options tabled by MPs for a vote, turning down proposals to demand a unilateral right to leave the Northern Irish backstop or to require automatic revocation of Article 50 if no deal is reached. He did not select the Malthouse Compromise Plan A drawn up by backbenchers from Leave and Remain wings of the Tory Party, which would have implemented Mrs Mays deal with the backstop replaced by alternative arrangements. Mrs May has said she will not regard the results of Wednesdays votes and a follow-up session next Monday designed to find a consensus solution as binding. But Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 5 Lives Emma Barnett that the Prime Minister would obviously have to be removed if she ignored a consensus emerging from the indicative votes process. Mrs May is likely to face calls from Tory MPs for her to name a date for her departure as a price for their support for her deal, when she addresses the backbench 1922 Committee before Wednesdays votes. Mr Bercow infuriated ministers after reminding them of his ruling there needed to be significant change to Mrs Mays Brexit deal if it was to be brought back to the Commons for a third meaningful vote. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said he was tabling a motion to enable the House to hold a vote on Friday which would otherwise be a non-sitting day if ministers believe they have the support to get it through. However, Mr Bercow warned he would not allow ministers to use procedural devices to circumvent his ruling, prompting a Government source to accuse him of making it up as he goes along. Securing a meaningful vote this week would mean the Government had met the deadline set by the EU for an extension of the Article 50 withdrawal process to May 22 to allow it to complete the preparations for leaving. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Otherwise the Prime Minister will have to come forward with an alternative approach by April 12, which would involve either a lengthy delay or Britain leaving with no deal at all. Her comments came as a number of leading Conservative Brexiteers signalled they were ready to fall into line amid fears Brexit could be lost altogether if it does not get through. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group, told Today: I think that we have got to the point where legally leaving is better than not leaving at all. Half a loaf is better than no bread. Expand Close Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned of a concerted attempt to stop Brexit (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned of a concerted attempt to stop Brexit (Dominic Lipinski/PA) He said his only condition for supporting the deal was that Mrs May wins round the DUP, who continue to hold out against the plan. I wont abandon the DUP because I think they are the guardians of the union of the United Kingdom, he said. His comments came after Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson hinted on Tuesday he might be ready to swing behind the deal. If we vote it down again, for the third time, there is now, I think, an appreciable risk that we will not leave at all, he told an audience of Daily Telegraph readers. But the former foreign secretary stressed he was not there yet and indicated a change at the top of the party may be required to win him over. If people like me are to support this deal then we need to see the proof that the second phase of negotiations will be different from the first, he said. Wednesdays votes are taking place after MPs seized control of the Commons agenda allowing them to consider a range of alternatives. In a highly unusual change to normal procedures, MPs will take part in a paper ballot voting Yes or No to each of the options selected by the Speaker. The Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom again warned the Government would not necessarily be bound by the outcome as some of the options were undeliverable. We will look very carefully at it but the reality is that it may not be negotiable and certainly not within the time frame, she said. The architect of the cross-party plan, Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, warned MPs could force the Government to act if it tried to ignore the results. Those who I am working with across the parties will move to legislate to mandate the Government if we can obtain majorities in the House of Commons and House of Lords for that to carry that forward, he told the Today programme. MSPs voted symbolically to call for a revocation of Article 50 if another referendum cannot be held (Andrew Milligan/PA) MSPs have backed a call to cancel Brexit in the event that another referendum cannot take place, in a largely symbolic vote. A motion lodged by Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie stated that the UK should revoke Article 50 in the absence of an extension allowing for a Peoples Vote to be held with the option of remaining in the EU. MSPs voted by 89 to 28 for Mr Harvies motion, with the Scottish Conservatives voting against. The Holyrood debate was held ahead of MPs voting on eight indicative Brexit votes at Westminster on Wednesday. The Speaker has provisionally selected these options for #IndicativeVotes: (B) #NoDeal (D) Common market 2.0 (H) EFTA and EEA (J) Customs Union (K) Labour's alternative plan (L) Revocation to avoid #NoDeal (M) Confirmatory public vote (O) Contingent preferential arrangements pic.twitter.com/xvXO4efsGg UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) March 27, 2019 Mr Harvie said: As yet, we dont know what the result will be tonight from the indicative vote process at Westminster, he said. We can be fairly sure that it wont result in a simple, sudden clarity, a sort of first-past-the-post, winner takes all, outcome. There will still be choices to make. There will still be uncertainty. There will still be the threat, the huge threat of social, economic and political damage from any form of Brexit, and there will still be those trying to push the country over the cliff edge to deliberately make this crisis even worse. Whether a withdrawal agreement is adopted or not, we must see an extension long enough to put it back to the people and if that doesnt happen, then we must cancel the crisis, revoke and move on. Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay described the political situation as a tragedy. He said: We see a Prime Minister in name only, alone, credibility in tatters. The worst holder of that political office since the last holder of that political office. Losing vote after vote, minister after minister, every shred of credibility she ever had, making the UK a laughing stock across the world. "Europe is our neighbourhood, or community, our family. We dont want to leave." @patrickharvie is opening the debate on the #PeoplesVote & #RevokeArticle50. Watch it live https://t.co/0JiaNs3P2l pic.twitter.com/irsQqWo5Mo Scottish Greens (@scottishgreens) March 27, 2019 Mr Findlay also reiterated his partys calls for a general election to be held A referendum with a remain option is of course the option we would like to see, he said. For many other reasons not least the impact of Universal Credit, not least the hostile environment on immigration, or the policies that see poverty and homelessness increase we also want to see a General Election to bring an end to this disastrous government. Scottish Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins meanwhile urged MPs to support Theresa Mays twice-defeated withdrawal agreement in order to respect the result of the 2016 vote and to avoid a no-deal. On these benches we believe that referendum results must be respected and delivered, not ignored and overlooked, said Mr Tomkins. When a parliament legislates to hand a question to the people directly, that means that parliament is not looking for an opinion, but asking for a decision. Whether we like it or not, the British people voted in June 2016 that the United Kingdom should leave the European Union. Second World War Spitfire pilot Warrant Officer John Henry Coates has been laid to rest at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Padua War Cemetery in Italy 70 years after he was killed (/PA) A Second World War Spitfire pilot has finally been laid to rest 70 years after his plane was shot down in Italy. Warrant Officer John Henry Coates known as Harry was killed when his aircraft crashed near the town of Cavarzere in March 1945. The wreckage remained undiscovered until 2017 and a subsequent excavation revealed human remains along with an RAF pilots wings and a warrant officer rank insignia. Research by the Ministry of Defences Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) found the only pilot of that rank missing over land was Harry Coates. Expand Close Supermarine Spitfires of 111 Squadron undergoing maintenance at Comiso, Sicily, in July 1943 Harry Coates was serving with 111 Squadron when he was killed (MoD/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supermarine Spitfires of 111 Squadron undergoing maintenance at Comiso, Sicily, in July 1943 Harry Coates was serving with 111 Squadron when he was killed (MoD/PA) Forensic testing on the remains were compared to a DNA profile from a member of Harrys family, while the remnants of the planes serial number PT410 were found to match his. On Wednesday, the pilot was buried with full military honours at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Padua War Cemetery, Italy, following a church service in the Cathedral of San Mauro in Cavarzere. Born in York, Harry had been working as a railway draughtsman before enlisting into the RAF in March 1941. He was just 24 years old when he died and had been on a mission targeting barges in the canal just north of Cavarzere in a bid to destroy the enemys supply chain. Expand Close Harry Coatess coffin was carried by personnel from RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire and buried with full military honours (MoD/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry Coatess coffin was carried by personnel from RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire and buried with full military honours (MoD/PA) According to historical records, his aircraft was hit by flak and exploded, with the wreckage strewn over a large area. Among the attendees at the funeral were Harrys niece Shelagh Coates, from Stamford in Lincolnshire, while the coffin was carried by personnel from RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. Ms Coates said: It is a great honour for us to finally put (Harry) to rest in the Padua War Cemetery today. Unfortunately, the find was too late for his youngest brother, my father, Frank who died in 2015 and his sister Betty, who died in 2016. But his burial has been attended by many of his relatives, from great-great nephews and nieces through to immediate nephews and nieces. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will hold consultations with his Venezuelan counterpart Felix Plasencia in Moscow on April 3, TASS reported citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. "Yes, we confirm that such consultations will be held in Moscow on April 3," a source in the ministry said answering a question on the issue. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelas Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez held talks in Moscow in early March. The parties discussed further coordination in the international arena, the situation in the Latin American country and joint projects in the energy sector, industry, agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry. A meeting of the Russian-Venezuelan intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation is expected to be held in April. Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street, London, for the House of commons to face Prime Ministers Questions. (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Theresa May has said she will not remain in post for the next phase of Brexit negotiations. The PMs offer to step down after her Withdrawal Agreement is passed came in response to calls from a number of her backbenchers for her to name the date of her departure in return for their help in pushing the deal through Parliament. Mrs May spoke to the influential Tory 1922 Committee shortly before MPs were due to take part in indicative votes on a range of Brexit options in the House of Commons. She said she will not stand in the way of the party having new leadership, telling the 1922: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. Earlier, Mrs May moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote on the indicative votes. But the Prime Minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the indicative votes, whips have indicated. The Prime Minister has told Conservative MPs she will quit if they back her withdrawal agreement, according to one member of her party. Theresa May addressed her party's 1922 Committee on Wednesday afternoon ahead of a series on votes in the Commons indicating what type of Brexit MPs prefer. Downing Street released a partial text of what the Prime Minister said. "I know the desire for a new approach - and new leadership - in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations - and I won't stand in the way of that," she said. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. "I know some people are worried that if you vote for the withdrawal agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two with the debate we need to have. I won't - I hear what you are saying. "But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit." She added: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. "I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty - to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit." Theresa Mays pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest. A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 27, 2019 Earlier, Mrs May moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote on the indicative votes. But the Prime Minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the "indicative votes", whips have indicated. It has been reported a potential Tory leadership contest would begin the day after leaving the EU. That would be May 22, if the third meaningful vote is passed. Theresa May will stay in her position until a new leader is appointed. On leaving the 1922 meeting Tory MP James Cartlidge said: "My recollection is that she said she would not remain in post for the next phase of the negotiations, the implication being that once the Withdrawal Agreement has passed, she would make way for someone else." Tory MP Simon Hart said the mood in the 1922 meeting was "respectful" as the PM set out her plan and she did not give a specific date for her departure. He said: "She was passionate about getting the deal through, passionate about keeping the party together and passionate about keeping the Government as the Government, passionate about keeping Jeremy Corbyn out of Number 10." Despite the nature of the meeting, Mr Hart joked that "neither the Chief Whip nor the PM were crying". There was applause and more banging of tables as the PM left the meeting - as is tradition. The European Parliament's Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt has said that he is "pretty sure" the UK will one day return to the European Union. Mr Verhofstadt made the comments in a tweet on Wednesday morning. The MEP hit out at hardline Tory Brexiteers who he said were only interested in taking power for themselves. His comments come as the House of Commons prepares to hold indicative votes in an attempt to find a Brexit solution which would be supported by the majority in Parliament. "After the negative votes of the last weeks, on Monday the House of Commons finally voted in favour of something: Mr Letwin's amendment. My hope? After more than two years, this is the start of a cross-party co-operation to break the deadlock," Mr Verhofstadt tweeted. "A majority to break the #Brexit deadlock will never have the support of the so-called hard brexiters. The only thing that counts for them is to seize power inside the Tory party. This is not in the national interest of the country." Read More Mr Verhofstadt said the EU was open to further changes in an attempt to reach a deal. Expand Close European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk (ec.europa.eu/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk (ec.europa.eu/PA) "We are open to change the Political Declaration. First of all, by turning it into a more binding agreement between the EU and the UK. Secondly, by creating a deeper and broader relationship in the interest of both Britain and the European Union," he said. "The seed for Britain's return to the European Union was planted last weekend by marching in London & nearly six million signing the article 50 petition. We need a deep EU-UK relationship that one day, I'm pretty sure, will lead Britain back into the family of European nations." Speaking in the European Parliament Verhofstadt attacked claims that the EU had tried to humiliate and punish the UK. He told the European Parliament: "You know what the problem is? The problem of the humiliation and punishment is because of the mess in the Tory Party - there is the humiliation of the British people." European Council president Donald Tusk urged the European Parliament to "be open to a long extension, if the UK wishes to rethink its strategy". Mr Tusk criticised MEPs who told him that possible UK participation in forthcoming elections to the European Parliament if Britain sought a longer extension to Article 50 would be "harmful or inconvenient". "Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable," he told the EU Parliament "You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union. "They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by their UK Parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber because they are Europeans." In his speech to the European Parliament, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said that he struggled to understand the UK's position. "If I were to compare Great Britain to a sphinx, the sphinx would be an open book by comparison," he said. "And let's see how that book speaks over the next week, or so." The suspect is accused of trying to flee to Papua New Guinea on a jet ski (Australian Federal Police/PA) A wanted British man has been arrested by police in Australia accused of trying to flee the country on a jet ski. Border police were tipped off that a man possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies had been seen launching the jet ski from the Cape York peninsula, in the northern-most part of Queensland. The suspect, a 57-year-old man wanted for alleged drugs offences in Western Australia, was arrested on mudflats just a few miles from Papua New Guinea. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) He had travelled nearly 90 miles across the Torres Strait. Police said the suspect was taken back to Thursday Island, where he was held pending extradition to Western Australia. Officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) were involved in the operation. Expand Close The man was arrested a few miles from Papua New Guinea (Australian Federal Police/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The man was arrested a few miles from Papua New Guinea (Australian Federal Police/PA) Jo Crooks, of the ABF, said: We have the ability to detect a range of border threats, including suspicious movements through the region. Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again. A spokesman for the AFP added: This arrest sends a strong message to would-be fugitives our reach across Australia is second to none and we will use all our contacts and relationships to find you and bring you before a court. Theresa Mays announcement to Conservative MPs that she is prepared to step down for the second phase of Brexit talks should her EU withdrawal deal pass has sparked speculation about who might replace her. The Prime Ministers decision to tell the 1922 Committee that she wont stand in the way of new leadership prompted leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg to say: The great joy of the Tory Party is it has so many talented people in it. Its like finding a fast bowler in Yorkshire. You just call and one appears. Heres a look at key names currently being floated to take the helm if Mrs May steps down. Michael Gove Expand Close The Environment Secretary said it was not the time to change the captain of the ship (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Environment Secretary said it was not the time to change the captain of the ship (Victoria Jones/PA) The Environment Secretary had a bruising experience in the last Tory leadership race but he is now seen as the favourite at 7-2 according to William Hill to replace Mrs May, largely due to his Brexiteer credentials. In June 2016, Mr Gove, who was campaign manager for Boris Johnsons drive to succeed David Cameron, withdrew his support on the morning Mr Johnson was due to declare and threw his own hat in the ring instead. He came third in the first round of voting, trailing behind ultimate winner Mrs May and Andrea Leadsom. Mr Gove, 51, was born in Edinburgh, studied English at Oxford and was a journalist before becoming an MP. He is married to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine. Despite speculation he could take the job, he told reporters on Sunday it was not the time to change the captain of the ship. David Lidington Expand Close David Lidington said I dont think that Ive any wish to take over from the PM (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Lidington said I dont think that Ive any wish to take over from the PM (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mrs Mays de facto deputy is seen by some as the natural caretaker prime minister but he has been clear he does not want the job. One thing that working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task, he said on Sunday. William Hill are offering odds of 6-1 for him to become Number 10s next occupant. The 62-year-old has been the MP for Aylesbury since 1992 and was minister of state for Europe from 2010 to 2016. He is married with four children. Boris Johnson Expand Close Boris Johnson was a key player in the 2017 Leave campaign (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris Johnson was a key player in the 2017 Leave campaign (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Prominent Brexiteer and former foreign secretary Mr Johnson has been a leading voice of opposition to Mrs Mays Brexit plan. The colourful Old Etonian was one of the key players in the 2017 Leave campaign and resigned from the Cabinet following the Chequers summit in July. He was heavily tipped as a successor to Mr Cameron but ruled himself out of the 2016 leadership contest after Mr Gove made a last-minute bid for the top job. Odds of him taking the helm have come in at 6-1, according to William Hill, but he is likely to have the backing of many pro-Leave members of the party. Jeremy Hunt Expand Close Jeremy Hunt chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Hunt chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, with odds of 10-1 at William Hill, was a prominent Remainer in the 2016 referendum. As health secretary, Mr Hunt fought a long battle with doctors over a new contract. The 52-year-old, who was first elected as MP for South West Surrey in 2005, was appointed Foreign Secretary in July following the resignation of Mr Johnson. He chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest and instead gave his full support to Mrs May, saying it was not the right time to put his hat in the ring. Mr Hunt made a public shift towards Euroscepticism after the referendum, which could win him allies in the Leave camp if he ran for the top job. Dominic Raab Expand Close Dominic Raab is thought to have ambitions of taking on the top job (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dominic Raab is thought to have ambitions of taking on the top job (Steve Parsons/PA) With odds at 12-1, Mr Raab is an outlier to take over from the Prime Minister but is thought to harbour ambitions for the role. Mr Raab, a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign, was appointed as Brexit secretary in July but resigned from the role in November, saying he could not support Mrs Mays eventual deal. In his resignation letter on November 15, he wrote: Ultimately, you deserve a Brexit Secretary who can make the case for the deal you are pursuing with conviction. I am only sorry, in good conscience, that I cannot. Mr Raab, 44, has been the MP for Esher and Walton since he was elected in 2010. Sajid Javid Expand Close Home Secretary Sajid Javid arrives in Downing Street (PA/Stefan Rousseau) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Home Secretary Sajid Javid arrives in Downing Street (PA/Stefan Rousseau) In a magazine interview in December, Mr Javid sought to signal his leadership ambitions by arguing that he wanted the Tories to be the party of social mobility. Javid, 49, backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver. He became the first home secretary from an ethnic minority background when he was appointed in April 2018. The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he was a managing director at Deutsche Bank before becoming MP from Bromsgrove in 2010. He is married with four children. Most of the main bookmakers are offering odds of 9-1 on Mr Javid as next Tory leader. Penny Mordaunt Expand Close International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt (PA/Stefan Rousseau) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt (PA/Stefan Rousseau) Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt is one of the Cabinets most prominent Brexiteers. She pledged her support for Andrea Leadsom in the 2016 Conservative leadership contest. Ms Mordaunt, 46, has been an MP for Portsmouth North since 2010 and is a Royal Navy reservist. In 2014, she appeared on reality TV show Splash! William Hill rate her at 33-1. David Davis Expand Close David Davis (PA/Stefan Rousseau) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Davis (PA/Stefan Rousseau) The original Brexit Secretary, David Davis plunged the Government into crisis after he resigned from the Cabinet in July last year over the Chequers deal, followed out the door by fellow Department for Exiting the EU minister Steve Baker. The long-term Leaver was a candidate for leadership in 2001, when he came fourth, and in 2005, when he came second to the former Prime Minister David Cameron. A former SAS reservist, Mr Davis, 70, has been the MP for Haltemprice and Howden since 1997. He is married with three children. He is also on odds of 33-1. Amber Rudd Expand Close Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (PA/Stefan Rousseau) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (PA/Stefan Rousseau) Amber Rudd made a return to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in November after her resignation as Home Secretary earlier this year following the Windrush scandal. The Remainer has said she wouldnt rule out a second referendum but has openly favoured a Norway Plus model, which involves staying in the European Economic Area. Ms Rudd, 55, became MP for Hastings and Rye in 2010. She had two children with her former husband, the writer and restaurant critic A A Gill, who died in 2016. William Hill currently have Ms Rudds chances at 20-1 Andrea Leadsom Expand Close Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom (PA/Stefan Rousseau) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom (PA/Stefan Rousseau) Leader of the Commons since June, Andrea Leadsom found herself at the centre of controversy in the 2016 leadership campaign when comments she made were interpreted as a claim that she would be a better PM than Mrs May because she was a mother. She has previously refused to rule out another leadership bid in the future. William Hill also rate her at 20-1. Mrs Leadsom, 55, is married with three children. She has been the MP for South Northamptonshire since 2010 and has held a number of Cabinet roles. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, centre, surrounded by officials, visits a local farm in the village of Slizhi (Andrei Stasevich/AP) The president of Belarus has fired three officials including a governor for keeping cows in poor conditions at a local farm. Video aired by state television showed Alexander Lukashenko, an avid farmer himself, scolding the managers and the governor on a visit to the farm in the northern Mogilev region on Tuesday. The cows were shown walking in the manure with mud caked on their bodies while Mr Lukashenko was telling off the officials who stood motionless. Expand Close Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko during a visit to a farm (Andrei Stasevich/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko during a visit to a farm (Andrei Stasevich/AP) The Belarusian president said that the cows were barely alive and the officials were sick for not noticing that. Do you think its OK? Are you sick? Mr Lukashenko told officials. Mr Lukashenko later instructed his chief of staff to look into the situation at the farm and fire everyone responsible. Expand Close Mr Lukashenko is himself a farmer (Maxim Guchek/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Lukashenko is himself a farmer (Maxim Guchek/AP) Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled the former Soviet nation for 24 years, often invites dignitaries and journalists to his farm where he has been seen digging potatoes and hand-scything. In August, Mr Lukashenko sacked several ministers and the prime minister following another regional visit, accusing them of a happy-go-lucky attitude at work. Geran Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, right and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian meet in Berlin (Kay Nietfeld/AP) Frances foreign minister has attended a meeting of Germanys cabinet, following up on a friendship treaty that the two European powers signed earlier this year. German foreign minister Heiko Maas said as he welcomed French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday he hoped the visit was setting in motion a long-lasting tradition. The two ministers are set to meet again in New York later this week, where Germany is coordinating its presidency of the UN security council in April with Frances presidency this month. Expand Close German chancellor Angela Merkel, centre, shows French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian his seat (Markus Schreiber/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp German chancellor Angela Merkel, centre, shows French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian his seat (Markus Schreiber/AP) France and Germany signed a pact in January renewing the decades-old friendship between two countries that have traditionally led European integration but also had frequent disagreements. It calls for a member of one countrys government to attend the others cabinet at least once per quarter. Michel Bacos, centre left, is reunited with his wife, 2nd left, and son at Orly Airport near Paris, France, as the 12-member crew of the hijacked Air France Airbus jetliner and 14 passengers returned home from Tel Aviv after a week-long stay at Entebbe Airport (AP) A French pilot who is remembered as a hero for his actions in the 1976 hijacking of an Air France plane to Ugandas Entebbe airport has died at the age of 95. Michel Bacos was awarded the Legion of Honour, Frances highest decoration, for refusing to leave the passengers after the plane was hijacked and grounded. Some 110 hostages were held in the airport terminal for nearly a week by seven pro-Palestinian hijackers before Israeli commandos freed them. Expand Close The control tower at Entebbe airport (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The control tower at Entebbe airport (PA) Nice mayor Christian Estrosi said in a statement that Mr Bacos died on Tuesday in the southern French city. By refusing with bravery to quit in the face of anti-Semitism and barbary, he honoured France, Mr Estrosi said. Four hostages were killed along with the terrorists. The Tel Aviv-Paris flight was hijacked on June 27 1976 by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a German radical group. The hijackers released 148 non-Israeli passengers after the plane landed in Uganda. Mr Bacos remained with the hostages despite offers of release. The seven pro-Palestinian hijackers held some 110 Jewish and Israeli hostages in the airport terminal for nearly a week before Israeli commandos led by Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israels current prime minister, freed them. I bow my head in his memory and salute Michel's heroismBenjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister The commandos flew over 2,500 miles from Israel to Uganda to attempt the daring operation. Yonatan Netanyahu was the sole Israeli military casualty in the raid on Entebbe. Three Israeli hostages were killed along with all seven of the hijackers. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Mr Bacos as the hero captain of the hijacked Air France flight on Twitter: I bow my head in his memory and salute Michels heroism. Benny Davidson, one of the former Israeli hostages, remembered Mr Bacos as a dear man and a great hero. Mr Davidson, who was 13 at the time of the hijacking, wrote on Facebook that Mr Bacos taught us a lesson in leadership, responsibility and exemplarity. Shepherd Malkhaz Kobauri, accused of brutally murdering the American family in Georgia in the summer of last year, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The jury delivered a guilty verdict yesterday, confirming that 19-year-old shepherd killed Ryan Smith, his wife Lora and their four-year-old son Caleb. The sentence was announced today, Agenda.ge reported. The Smith family went missing in early July 2018 and the familys friends appealed to the police for help. The bodies of Ryan and Lora Smith were found on July 7 in the Khada Gorge of Dusheti region. The jury unanimously said that Kobauri committed the crime. The U.S. Consul to Georgia Janet Reber said that the verdict and the sentence are fair and that the family of the Smith demanded such a verdict. A family stands outside their submerged huts near Beira, Mozambique (Tsvangirai Mukwazhi/AP) The first cases of cholera have been confirmed in Mozambiques cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, authorities have announced, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions. The five cholera cases were confirmed in Munhava, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the hard-hit port city, the national director of medical assistance, Ussene Isse, told reporters. The city of some 500,000 people is still struggling to provide clean water and sanitation after Cyclone Idai roared in on March 14. You know, cholera is an epidemic situation. Expand Close A young girl walks through flood waters near Beira, Mozambique (Themba Hadebe/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A young girl walks through flood waters near Beira, Mozambique (Themba Hadebe/AP) When you have one case, you expect to have more cases in the community, Mr Isse said. Cholera is a major concern for cyclone survivors now living in crowded camps, schools, churches and any land exposed by the still-draining flood waters. The disease is spread by contaminated food and water, causes acute diarrhoea and can kill within hours if not treated with oral rehydration solution or intravenous fluids in severe cases. Around 55 health facilities in #Mozambique are severely damaged. Essential equipment in the major hospital in #Sofala province, especially in surgical theatre and nursery were completely damaged and unable to receive patients during this crucial time #CycloneIdai pic.twitter.com/zgLZorxB7C OMS Mocambique (@OMSMocambique) March 27, 2019 The World Health Organisation has warned of a second disaster if waterborne diseases like cholera spread in the devastated region. On Tuesday it said 900,000 oral cholera vaccines were expected to arrive later this week. The cyclone has killed more than 460 people in Mozambique and left 1.8 million people in need of urgent help. Expand Close A cargo plane offloads aid (Tsvangirai Mukwazhi/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A cargo plane offloads aid (Tsvangirai Mukwazhi/AP) President Filipe Nyusi last week estimated that 1,000 people had been killed. The toll could be higher as floodwaters drain away and reveal more bodies, some emergency personnel have said. The actual number of dead may never be known. Health workers were opening clinics across Beira, the centre of relief operations for the region. Some people in the city have resorted to drinking stagnant water by the side of the road, increasing the chances of diarrhoea, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said. Other people are drinking from contaminated wells. The aid group said it has seen hundreds of cases of acute watery diarrhoea in the past few days. Expand Close Fishermen fish in a drainage canal in Beira Mozambique (Themba Hadebe/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fishermen fish in a drainage canal in Beira Mozambique (Themba Hadebe/AP) The scale of extreme damage will likely lead to a dramatic increase of waterborne diseases, skin infections, respiratory tract infections and malaria in the coming days and weeks, said Gert Verdonck, the groups emergency coordinator in Beira. Hurried efforts continued to restore running water to Beira. The United Nations childrens agency said parts of the citys water supply system were working again, with water running in 60% of the pipes. The government also was operating water lorries. There are 1m children affected by #CycloneIdai and subsequent floods in #Mozambique. The final numbers may be much higher. We are in a race against time to help and protect children like Helcio and baby Anderson. pic.twitter.com/t5KvFTPfT8 UNICEF (@UNICEF) March 25, 2019 Relief operations continued to explore ways to deliver aid to the city that remains largely reachable only by air and sea. More challenging was reaching rural communities, some of them still without contact with the outside world. More humanitarian actors arrived as the United Nations urges the international community to fund a 282 million US dollar emergency appeal for the next three months. The UN refugee agency announced that its first aid flight had landed in the capital, Maputo, with plans to immediately transport the tents, mosquito nets and other items to Beira. Two other flights are planned for Zimbabwe and Malawi this week. The death toll in Mozambique is now at least 468, with 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 dead in Malawi. Empire star Jussie Smolletts lawyer is trying to shift attention back to two brothers who told police they were paid by the actor to help stage a racist, anti-gay attack on him. After all 16 charges were dropped against Smollett following allegations he paid the men to stage an assault, his lawyer Patricia Brown Holmes said investigators should look into the role of Abimbola Abel Osundairo and Olabinjo Ola Osundairo, who are of Nigerian descent. Ms Holmes said: The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him. Expand Close All 16 charges against the actor were abruptly dropped (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp All 16 charges against the actor were abruptly dropped (AP) Authorities still believe Smollett concocted the attack in which he said two masked men beat him in Chicago on January 29. He also claimed they said: This is Maga country an apparent reference to US president Donald Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. Smollett, who is black and gay, also said the men doused him with a chemical and put a noose around his neck. Smollett also told a detective that at least one of the attackers was white, according to Chicago police. Cook County first assistant states attorney Joseph Magats told reporters that prosecutors dropped the case because Smollett forfeited a 10,000 dollar (7,600) bond payment and carried out community service. Expand Close Lawyer Gloria Schmidt said her two clients had been paid to stage the attack on Smollett to help his career (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lawyer Gloria Schmidt said her two clients had been paid to stage the attack on Smollett to help his career (AP) Mr Magats also said prosecutors needed to focus their time on violent crimes in Chicago. Authorities have said Smollett created the hoax because he was unhappy with his pay on the Fox show and wanted to promote his career. The Osundairo brothers told police that Smollett paid them 3,500 dollars (2,650) to help stage the attack. Smollett said the 3,500 dollars paid to the brothers was for fitness training. Prosecutors have said Smollett and Abel Osundairo, 25, became friends in 2017 and that Abel Osundairo was a stand-in for a character on Empire. Court documents said Olabinjo Osundairo, 27, also appeared as an extra in the show. The two brothers were initially drawn into the investigation after police released grainy images of two persons of interest in the area the night of the attack. Chicago police detained the brothers in mid-February at OHare International Airport after their return from Nigeria. They were questioned and their apartment in Chicago was searched. Expand Close The star claimed he was beaten and had a noose tied around his neck in Chicago (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The star claimed he was beaten and had a noose tied around his neck in Chicago (AP) Within days, police said the brothers were considered suspects in the attack. Then, the two men were abruptly released and were not charged with a crime. They testified before a grand jury, and soon afterwards Smollett was charged with filing a false report of the attack. The brothers attorney, Gloria Schmidt, said then that the brothers did not testify as part of any plea deal with prosecutors and that they were not granted any immunity from prosecution. Ms Schmidt said: The Osundairo brothers were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceeding in the Jussie Smollett case. In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, she said the brothers regretted their involvement. She said: It started by them having a relationship with Mr Smollett. Mr Smollett being in a position of power over them him being this celebrity person who could pull strings for them and help them in their career. They were thinking: Im going to help my friend. Hes asking for this.' However, Smolletts lawyer said the brothers had backed up the actors version of events. Ms Holmes claimed: The Osundairo brothers said more than once that the 3,500 dollar cheque they received was for exactly what Jussie said. They were his trainers. The wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has been welcomed at the White House as she rallies international support for the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence lavished praise on Fabiana Rosales who has emerged as a prominent figure in her husbands campaign to bring change to the crisis-wracked country. We are with Venezuela, the president said at the start of a meeting with Ms Rosales and other opposition figures. Expand Close Vice President Mike Pence welcomes Fabiana Rosales (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vice President Mike Pence welcomes Fabiana Rosales (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Whats happening there should not be happening. The United States was the first nation to recognise Mr Guaido as interim president, asserting that Mr Maduros re-election last year was illegitimate, and has stepped up sanctions and other diplomatic measures in hopes of forcing him to give up power. Expand Close Opposition leader Juan Guaido (Natacha Pisarenko/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Opposition leader Juan Guaido (Natacha Pisarenko/AP) Mr Trump said the Venezuelan people have been through unfathomable trials under Mr Maduro as food and medicine have become scarce, crime has soared and, more recently, blackouts have struck most of the country. An estimated three million people have fled, most to neighbouring countries but thousands to the US as well. Today, in Venezuela it is freedom or dictatorship, it is life or death, Ms Rosales said at the start of the meeting. It is the children who are paying the price. The United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and calls on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regimeMike Pence Mr Pence called on governments around the world to stop supporting the Maduro government, singling out Russia for its deployment of military forces to the country over the weekend. The United States views Russias arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and calls on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regime, the vice president said. Russias foreign ministry says it sent the personnel in accordance with the Venezuelan constitution and a bilateral agreement with the government there. Expand Close The dark skyline at dawn in Caracas, Venezuela which has been hit by power cuts (Natacha Pisarenko/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The dark skyline at dawn in Caracas, Venezuela which has been hit by power cuts (Natacha Pisarenko/AP) Among those at the White House meeting were the wife and sister of Roberto Marrero, a top aide to Mr Guaido who was taken from his home in the middle of the night by masked agents last week. The government says he was the ringleader of a plot to bring hitmen from Central America to Venezuela to carry out assassinations. Ms Rosales was scheduled to meet later with members of Congress and will speak at a conference with the ambassador recognised by the Trump administration. For the past two years politics here has collapsed, becoming like a forlorn museum exhibit, but now even politics in Britain is in serious meltdown. The authority of the prime minister has disappeared. Parliament is currently incapable of making any coherent decisions on Brexit, or suggesting any reasonable alternative to it. Party discipline no longer exists in either major party. Politics is in chaos, verging on the mother of all constitutional crises. Crashing out of the EU without a deal - irrational though that may be to all, save a few insane Brexiteers - looks likely to happen by running out of time. This imminent danger will only be avoided if Theresa May miraculously gets her deal through Parliament, or the government gets a much longer extension to Article 50. But any extension beyond May 24 will mean, under European law, the holding of European Parliamentary elections, which will create further political problems for both a divided Conservative and Labour party. It will also become an unofficial rerun of the referendum on Europe and create even more bitter division. In Northern Ireland, a European election will probably be another sectarian dogfight between the DUP and Sinn Fein, unless a pro-Remain coalition is formed and strongly backed by the business community. In those circumstances, two pro-Remain candidates could be returned from Northern Ireland. That result would be truly reflective of the pro-Remain referendum result here in June 2016. However, given May's loss of political authority within the Conservative party at Westminster, it has become increasingly possible that she will be deposed as PM by her own party. But the ditching of Theresa May as Prime Minister will solve nothing, because Theresa May is not the problem. The central problem is the failure within the two major parties, Conservative and Labour, to agree a consensus on the European Union, either within their respective parties, or outside their parties in Parliament itself. And this crisis in no small way has been exacerbated by the DUP's pivotal role in supporting the hard-line Brexiteers on the Tory back benches. The European Research Group led by Jacob Rees-Mogg has been in an enthusiastic alliance with the DUP holding the government to ransom. Instead of using their crucial power constructively, the DUP have together with ERG, brought the UK to the cliff edge. Therefore, there is a delicious irony in Sir Jeffrey Donaldson advocating that the Republic join the Commonwealth in the interests of peace and reconciliation, while he and his party at Westminster are leading the Brexiteer charge for Northern Ireland and Britain to get out of the greatest single process for peace and reconciliation, the European Union. If joining the Commonwealth has merit for the Republic, then logically there is similar merit for Britain and NI remaining within Europe, and thereby making this region all the better, both politically and economically. In fairness, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is about the only senior member of the DUP who tries to create some imaginative political space and develop better political relations both within Northern Ireland and outside, especially with the Republic. His recent reported tribute to John Hume, at a private film show, which highlighted Hume's attempts at building peace, was generous and heartfelt. The very fact that he accepted an invitation to speak at the Fine Gael conference in Wexford was heartening and reflective of his continuing confidence as a unionist to talk to southern politicians rather than ignore them. The idea of joining the Commonwealth should be seriously considered by nationalist politicians across the whole of Ireland. At the end of the day, it could be a confidence-building step for unionists, as a symbolic recognition of their Britishness. The Republic joining the Commonwealth undoubtedly has merits, particularly to ameliorate unionist fears, if a united Ireland were to become a reality. The Commonwealth itself has transformed over the past few decades and shed itself of the relics of British imperialism and it is a truly multinational organisation, albeit with the Queen at its head. It has even admitted Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony as a member. We are now on the cliff edge and looking at a dangerous freefall for both Britain and Ireland. In those circumstances all parties and politicians must shed their selfish political interests and work for the common good. It is never too late to take a different course of action. However, sometimes there comes a point in politics in which strong differences cannot be reconciled and an intense deadlock ensues. But the best way of ending this deadlock is to have a People's Vote with all the options on the ballot paper. One million people spontaneously demonstrating in the streets of London at the weekend got it right. Politicians must take note. The murder of Pat Finucane has been kept in the public eye by republicans The Ballymurphy massacre has been kept in the public eye by republicans Its a standing joke that nationalists in Northern Ireland are always harping on about the wrongs of history. It was satirised in TV sitcom Give My Head Peace when IRA leader Da calls a Press conference to explain why his daughter is marrying an RUC officer and begins by saying: To understand Emer and Billy, you have to go back 800 years... All stereotypes have some basis in truth and this ones no different; but despite occasional lapses when everyones had too much to drink and someone digs out a fiddle, Irish republicans have largely given up sentimentalising those hackneyed days of yore. If anything, its misty-eyed unionists who are far more guilty of it every Twelfth. What nationalists and republicans are much more adept at is weaponising the recent past. The merchandise on sale in the Sinn Fein online shop is almost all related to the Troubles, with a smattering of 1916 memorabilia to cash in on the recent centenary. Theres far more money to be made these days from the Hunger Strikers than the United Irishmen. Politically, a parallel sub-industry in Northern Ireland has also been cannily cultivated to push nationalist grievances to the forefront of public consciousness. Theres a lively network of grassroots groups performing this function, with generous funding on tap from the British and Irish governments, the EU, the United States, you name it. Unionists are, by and large, hopeless at doing the same thing. They talk about atrocities inflicted on their community like the IRAs 1987 Remembrance Sunday bombing in Enniskillen, but rarely in a consistent or sustained way. Theyre years behind republicans when it comes to keeping their own grievances at the top of the agenda and, when they try to do so, often pick causes which, however justified, dont excite the same public support. The well meaning campaign to get compensation from the Libyan government for victims of its arms shipments to the IRA is just one example. Of course, its easier for nationalists to get the ball rolling when it comes to the past because their complaints are largely with State forces, and the media and more established human rights organisations such as Amnesty International will always get behind campaigns of that nature. The most deadly threat to unionists came from the IRA, a clandestine gang which pretends to not even exist any more. Getting justice for its crimes is like trying to nail a cloud to the wall. Last month, after the Supreme Court ruled that an effective investigation had not been carried out into the 1989 murder of Finucane, the DUPs Sir Jeffrey Donaldson expressed frustration at the greater attention given to killings by security services rather than those carried out by terrorists, and insisted: We need to see a comprehensive and proportionate approach to the past. Since then, theres barely been a word from unionists to follow up on those good intentions. Legacy issues have dropped once more from the headlines as Brexit looms. Nationalists never forget to keep the pressure on, whatever else might be going on. When David Trimble resigned as First Minister in 2001 in protest at continued IRA activity, republicans even made sure at the subsequent talks at Weston Park in Staffordshire to win a review into Finucanes death, even if the subsequent Da Silva inquiry failed to satisfy the family. Sinn Fein rarely misses a trick. Thats why theres a Pat Finucane Centre, but no Edgar Graham Centre to commemorate the brutal murder of the Queens law professor. Thats why theres currently an inquest under way into the Ballymurphy massacre, but the circumstances behind so many IRA atrocities remain unprobed. Unionists may remember victims, but nationalism shrewdly prioritises its dead as a political stratagem. There are other reasons why unionists find the past problematic, as the recent decision to charge Soldier F with murder and attempted murder for his actions on Bloody Sunday showed. The outraged reaction of some public representatives to the decision exposed their discomfort with facing the complex horror of the Troubles. There cant be a hierarchy of innocent victims. The only people who should be further down any such scale are terrorists themselves, who are victims of nothing except the consequences of their own actions. Unionists dont seem to be able to fully embrace those who suffered and died on the other side. Nationalist organisations may be only paying lip service when they do so, but at least they recognise they must make a token effort to speak the language of even-handedness. As an ex-commissioner for Victims and Survivors, former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt was one of the few to tackle this ongoing story in the consistent way thats required; but he never had the power and influence that the DUP enjoys, and the gap which the dominant party has created on legacy issues has been left to others to fill, whether its amateurs such as Willie Frazer, founder of FAIR (Families Acting For Innocent Relatives), or fringe parties like the TUV, both of whom are, well, lets just say divisive and leave it at that. People can say Im a loony, Frazer once said, but, if it wasnt for FAIR, victims would not be an issue. He has a point. It was TUVs Jim Allister who did the running at Stormont on the Civil Service Special Advisers (Spad) Bill which was intended to block convicted terrorists from becoming highly-paid political advisers. If the DUP was that concerned about victims, the party should have been at the forefront of that campaign. Its negligence of the issue back then is why its so hard to take seriously its current stated concern for finally dealing with the past, especially when that was supposed to have happened already after the Fresh Start Agreement in 2015. Instead the renewed push for justice for victims never materialised. As former Police Ombudsman Nuala OLoan said: The people who most need a fresh start, those living with the legacy of the Troubles, have been forgotten yet again. Its about what senior unionists choose to prioritise. Secretary of State Karen Bradley has now further extended the deadline for the restoration of Stormont, but there has to be a suspicion that, in the unlikely event that agreement can be found on issues such as same-sex marriage or an Irish Language Act, legacy issues will once more be put on the back burner. Thats a choice which pro-Union politicians are making. The disproportionate weight given to nationalist rather than unionist victims of the Troubles is of their own making. Former Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto talks to a small group of Filipino and foreign correspondents during a clandestine news conference in Manila, March 24, 2019. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has defended a former economic adviser after a fired police official surfaced with documents alleging that the ex-aide was involved in the drug trade. The astounding claims by former Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto raised questions this week from critics of the Duterte administrations anti-narcotics campaign, which has left thousands of people dead since he took power in 2016, while lawmakers demanded a probe. Do not believe Acierto. I want to ask the military and the police why this son of a bitch is still alive, Duterte said. Aciertos allegations surfaced on Sunday when he met with a select group of journalists and presented what he said was a report he had submitted to his superiors two years ago. Acierto, a former deputy chief of the polices drug enforcement unit, told reporters that two Chinese nationals, including Michael Yang who served as the presidents economic adviser from January to December last year were drug operators with close ties with Duterte. But Duterte, during a speech in southern Koronadal city, defended Yang as a legitimate businessman who lives in Davao city, the presidents hometown in the Philippine south. In his meetings with Yang, the adviser had always been in the company of senior Chinese diplomats, according to Duterte. Would they allow Yang to be there if he was into drugs? the president said. He then turned the tables on Acierto. Duterte called him a corrupt official who had been dismissed from service over charges that he had procured automatic rifles that landed in the hands of communist rebels. The president labelled Acierto an idiot, saying he should have done further investigations and charged Yang and the other Chinese national of drug trafficking, if his report was to be believed. Why would I give importance to his report? Duterte said. Accuser claims life in danger Acierto, who was fired last year and has been in hiding for several months, said he gave an intelligence report to his superiors as early as December 2017 about Yangs alleged involvement. He claimed the report was largely ignored by then-national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, a known Duterte aide. If the president was really mad about illegal drugs, why did he not order them arrested? he told reporters, as he showed undated photographs of the two Chinese nationals mingling with Duterte. Because of his revelations, he said, an informant had told him that the drug syndicate had put a price on his head. This, Acierto said, forced him to divulge what he knew publicly. What I just did was to investigate key people behind the illegal drug trade. Now, its me whose life is in danger, Acierto said. I only wanted to inform them that two Chinese nationals who were always with the president have involvement in the drug trade. I thought then that the president probably did not know that, Acierto, a 27-year police veteran, said, If the president was really mad at drugs, why were they always with the president? In its Nov. 5, 2018 report, the Philippine-based news portal Rappler published copies of Yangs contracts as an economic adviser to the president, in which the Chinese citizen acknowledged that he was aware of the sensitivity of the information he may have access to. The first contract identified Yang by his Chinese name Yang Hong Ming and stated that he was being contracted as Economic Adviser to the President for the period January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018. The second contract gave Yang the same designation from July 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018. The contracts stipulated that Yang would provide advisory or consultative services to the President in such fields and under such conditions as the President may determine. Officials have not denied the authenticity of the documents. Duterte had earlier denied that Yang was hired as his economic adviser, but after the Rappler documents surfaced, the presidential palace confirmed the relationship. Acierto said he submitted a report to Dutertes office in December 2017 and to the police hierarchy five months later. There were no actions made on his report, and his employment was placed on a floating status, he said. It crossed my mind that maybe the president did not know that they were alleged drug lords, he emphasized, adding that even before Duterte became president Yang and another Chinese national were always part of Dutertes travelling party. Acierto also showed undated photographs of the two Chinese men with Bong Go, Dutertes chief aide. Acierto said the report was also submitted to Aaron Aquino, chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, who had confirmed receiving it and endorsing it to the presidents office. But on Wednesday, Aquino told reporters that Yang did not appear in the agencys list of wanted drug personalities. Calls for a public investigation Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, an opposition senatorial candidate in the Philippine legislative elections in mid-May, called for a full-blown investigation into the allegation. If theres really no truth to what hes saying, why does the president implicitly want to silence him? Diokno said, referring to Acierto. Sen. Leila de Lima, who has been in jail during the past two years on what she says are trumped-up drug-related charges, urged Acierto to make public the intelligence report he prepared. The intel report of Acierto, if publicized and verified, will raise questions as to Dutertes real involvement in the drug trade in the country, said de Lima, the countrys former rights commissioner, Another senator, Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, said Aciertos revelation deserved a thorough investigation. They should pursue the investigation because the one being involved occupies the highest position in the government, Lacson told reporters, referring to Duterte. This would be just to clear the air if Aciertos accusations have basis. I am not saying that his accusations are credible. I have seen the report even before the Senate hearing, he said. Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo denied that officials had ignored Aciertos report, claiming they were waiting for its validation. There is an allegation and let the allegation be processed, investigated and then if there is a validation, then the Palace will make a move, Panelo said, adding the president would personally kill Yang if it turned out he was into drug trafficking. 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. Right groups say thousands more have lost their lives, including deaths blamed by authorities on vigilantes. Joseph Jubelag and Mark Navales in Koronadal city, South Cotabato province, contributed to this report. Pheu Thai party leaders Phumtham Wechayachai (second from left), Sudarat Keyuraphan (center) and Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (right) attend a news conference in Bangkok, March 27, 2019. A group of Thai opposition parties formed a pro-democracy alliance Wednesday, claiming they had won a majority of the seats in Sundays parliamentary elections and had the right to replace the ruling military junta with a civilian government. But new parliamentary rules are in effect to favor the pro-junta party Palang Pracharat, even though it won fewer elected seats in Thailands first elections since a 2014 coup, analysts say. Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of Pheu Thai, the party affiliated with deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and leaders of six other parties told a news conference they believed they had won a combined 255 out of the 500 lower house seats up for grabs. Today we have no less than 255 seats from seven parties. We will move forward together ... We take it that we are the majority, Sudarat said. We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power, she said. Parties in the democratic front gained the most trust from the people. The new democratic front now includes the Future Forward, Pheu Chart, Prachachart, Seri Ruam Thai, Thai People Power and New Economy parties, Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary-general of Pheu Thai, told reporters. The junta-appointed Election Commission said Wednesday that the final preliminary results on the balloting would be released Friday. Incomplete and preliminary results so far show the military-backed Palang Pracharat appearing to have won the popular vote with 7.6 million ballots, while Pheu Thai won the most seats. Both parties claim the results indicate that they have mandates to form a new government. Bhumjaithai Party, another key vote-getter, has not yet aligned with either side. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, said he was joining forces with Pheu Thai and other parties to put an end to the juntas prolonging of power. The prime minister must come from the party with the most seats in the elections, he said. [We] support Sudarat as prime minister. Sudarat, 57, warned that a minority government by using the Senate will likely cause public turbulence. Any parties who want to form a minority coalition would lead the society to an impasse, she said. Sudarat was referring to the juntas earlier moves to use its absolute power by rewriting laws and commissioning a new constitution and electoral system. The charter, which was passed through a referendum in August 2016, stipulates that an unelected 250-member Senate appointed by the junta will join the 500 elected members of the lower house in choosing the prime minister. Prime Minister and junta chief Prayuth Chan-o-cha, a former general who led the 2014 coup that deposed Thaksins younger sister Yingluck, is the prime ministerial candidate of Palang Pracharat. Despite the seven-party blocks claim that it had captured a majority of the lower house seats, those numbers are still not confirmed. Observers said the alliance would face difficulty electing a premier as new rules require that 376 of all 750 seats in the combined lower and upper houses will be needed. Under the new rules, of the 500 House seats, 350 were elected on Sunday and another 150 so-called party-list seats were to be assigned based on overall results. Uttama Savanayana, leader of Palang Pracharat, told a separate news conference that his party would support Prayuth for prime minister and the party would find ideological allies in the lower house to form a government. Today the results are not final, he said. Whoever is talking about this issue must bear in mind that the results are not official. We dont want to disclose now whom weve approached, but weve talked to many parties, he said. Getting things under control Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the political science faculty at Ubon Ratchathani University, told BenarNews that if Palang Pracharat successfully established a government, the middle-class Thais might welcome Prayuth and the military could get things under control. If Pheu Thai can set up a government and everyone accepts it, it will be all right, he said. But there is a tendency that some groups will not accept them. He warned that if Pheu Thai Party and other members of the alliance decided to undertake moves to reform the military, officials in uniform could launch another coup. Since Thailands constitutional monarchy was created in 1932, the kingdom has experienced 18 military coups, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). On Tuesday, the Asian Network for Free Elections, which is known by its acronym ANFREL, slammed the tabulation and consolidation of ballots in Sundays vote as deeply flawed, although it said it didnt believe the issues affected overall polling results. Also on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said robust media coverage of the election and open debate of its merits represented positive signs for a return to a democratic government that reflects the will of the people. We stand with the Thai people in calling for the expeditious announcement of voting results and a fair and transparent investigation of any reported irregularities, the statement said. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has foiled the activities of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terror group (outlawed in Russia) and detained 20 of its members, the FSB Public Relations Center said. Twenty people from among its chieftains and ordinary members were detained by the Federal Security Service in cooperation with the Russian Interior Ministry and the Federal National Guard Troops Service. According to the Federal Security Service, members of the terror group "spread terrorist ideology among the peninsulas residents and recruited Crimean Muslims into its ranks," TASS reported. Large quantities of propaganda materials, communication and electronic data storage devices used by the group members were seized during their arrest. For Immediate Release, March 27, 2019 Contacts: Natasha Leger, Citizens for a Healthy Community, (970) 399-9700, natasha@chc4you.org Matt Reed, High Country Conservation Advocates, (866) 349-7104, matt@hccacb.org Peter Hart, Wilderness Workshop, (970) 963-3977, peter@wildernessworkshop.org Allison Melton, Center for Biological Diversity, (970) 309-2008, amelton@biologicaldiversity.org Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians, (303) 437-7663, jnichols@wildearthguardians.org Laura King, Western Environmental Law Center, (406) 204-4852, king@westernlaw.org Court Ruling: Feds Illegally Approved Colorado Gas Drilling in Elk Habitat Federal Agencies Failed to Adequately Consider Climate, Wildlife Impacts DENVER A federal judge ruled today that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service illegally approved two adjacent natural-gas drilling plans in western Colorado, finding that officials did not adequately analyze wildlife and climate impacts. In todays ruling U.S. District Judge Lewis T. Babcock faulted the two federal agencies for failing to account for downstream emissions from drilling and faulted BLM for failing to adequately address potential harm to mule deer and elk. The judge said the agency must clarify the area it used when analyzing potential harms to elk and mule deer habitat. "This is an important win for our public lands, the climate and the tenacity of the North Fork Valley community. Requiring the Bureau of Land Management to clearly and properly analyze all potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of this large-scale industrial oil and gas development project is absolutely critical to protecting the rare and irreplaceable ecosystem of the North Fork Valley and all those who rely on it, said Natasha Leger, executive director of Citizens for a Healthy Community. High Country Conservation Advocates is thrilled with the court's favorable ruling, said Matt Reed, public lands director at Crested Buttes High Country Conservation Advocates. The Bull Mountain area is home to important populations of elk and mule deer, iconic species increasingly under threat from surrounding oil and gas development. Ensuring that impacts from this project are considered, analyzed, and adequately addressed is critical to maintaining their long-term vitality in the Upper North Fork. In January 2018 Citizens for a Healthy Community, High Country Conservation Advocates, Wilderness Workshop, the Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians and the Western Environmental Law Center filed suit to challenge the 146-well Bull Mountain Master Development Plan and an adjacent 25-well project. For too long agencies have ignored their obligation to consider and disclose the climate-related impacts of burning oil and gas they lease on our public lands, said Peter Hart, staff attorney at Wilderness Workshop. "A slew of recent cases confirm that the law requires more. Public land managers must consider how their management of fossil fuels will affect our climate, and that information must be disclosed to the public prior to approving more development." This ruling is welcome news, said Laura King, attorney for the Western Environmental Law Center. It joins a string of favorable rulings on downstream climate effects, helping to ensure that the federal government shares with the public and considers the true climate effects of its fossil fuel extraction approvals. The Bull Mountain project is in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, which provides drinking and irrigation water to residents and farmers who supply the Western Slope and the Front Range with some of the states highest-quality produce, meats and wineries. This ruling is a victory for everyone who wants Colorados wildlife, watersheds and most spectacular landscapes protected, said Allison Melton, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Bureau of Land Management shouldnt be forcing our state to sacrifice healthy deer and elk populations for Trumps reckless drill-anywhere agenda. Its wonderful to see the court recognize that the BLM cant just ignore the significant harm to these animals that results from oil and gas development on public lands. In todays ruling the judge said the Forest Service and BLM acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner and violated NEPA by not taking a hard look at the foreseeable indirect effects resulting from the combustion of oil and gas in their environmental analyses. Background The Bull Mountain Master Development Plan is a large-scale drilling project for the North Fork of the Gunnison River watershed in Colorado, proposed by Texas-based SG Interests. The Master Development Plan calls for 146 new gas wells, four new waste water disposal wells, and associated infrastructure in the Bull Mountain Unit a nearly 20,000-acre area between Paonia Reservoir and McClure Pass, immediately adjacent to the Thompson Divide. This area is primarily private surface ownership with a majority of public minerals. The BLM approved the drilling project after preparing an environmental impact statement. The 25-well project is adjacent to the Bull Mountain project and involves the construction of 25 natural gas wells. The BLM and Forest Service approved the drilling project after preparing an environmental assessment to analyze the environmental impacts. Western Colorados North Fork Valley, roughly defined as the area around the three small towns of Crawford, Hotchkiss and Paonia, has been named Colorados Farm-to-Table Capital by Colorado Life Magazine and declared a certified creative district by former Gov. John Hickenlooper. Farmers across the valley produce much of Colorados apple, cherry and pear crops, and the states second largest grape and peach crops. The North Fork Valley is home to the highest concentration of organic farms in the state of Colorado and to the West Elks American Viticultural Area, a federally recognized wine-growing region. For Immediate Release, March 27, 2019 Contact: Jenny Loda, (510) 844-7100 x 336, jloda@biologicaldiversity.org Ban Sought on Commercial Wild Turtle Trapping in Maryland Unlimited Numbers of Snapping Turtles Can Currently Be Caught, Sold ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Maryland Department of Natural Resources today to end commercial collection of the states wild freshwater turtles. Under current Maryland law, turtle trappers can legally collect unlimited numbers of common snapping turtles to sell domestically or export for Asian food and medicinal markets. More than 70,000 wild common snapping turtles were trapped in Maryland between 2008 and 2016, according to reports submitted by holders of snapping turtle harvest permits. Todays petition asks the department to amend its rules to prohibit this unsustainable practice. The agency has 60 days to begin the rulemaking process or deny the petition with a written explanation. Turtle trappers shouldnt be allowed to profit off a practice that puts the states natural heritage at risk, said Jenny Loda, an attorney and biologist at the Center who works to protect vulnerable reptiles and amphibians around the country. Scientists know that even modest commercial trapping of freshwater turtles can lead to population crashes. For the sake of our native turtles, Maryland needs to rein in exploitative turtle trapping. In 2007 Maryland banned commercial collection of diamondback terrapins. Then, in 2008 and 2009, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources adopted regulations restricting trapping of common snapping turtles to tidal waters and setting a minimum size for turtles captured. While these were important steps, recent research from neighboring Virginia and elsewhere shows that current harvest regulations in Maryland are not likely to be sustainable for wild turtles. Until recently, Marylands regulations were similar to those in neighboring Virginia. But earlier this year, Virginia adopted new restrictions for commercial trapping of common snapping turtles in response to a multiyear study in the state that found its regulations were not sustainable. Scientists have repeatedly documented that freshwater turtles cannot sustain any significant level of wild collection without population declines. Commercial trapping is devastating to turtle populations that are already suffering from habitat loss, water pollution and vehicular collisions, said Loda. Maryland needs to take action now to keep its turtle populations from plummeting. Background Millions of turtles classified as wild-caught are exported from the United States every year to supply food and medicinal markets in Asia, where native turtle populations have already been depleted by soaring consumption. Because turtles bioaccumulate toxins from prey and burrow in contaminated sediment, turtle meat is often laced with mercury, PCBs and pesticides, posing a health risk. Adult turtles are also taken from the wild to breed hatchlings for the international pet trade. As part of a campaign to protect turtles in the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity has been petitioning states that allow unrestricted commercial turtle collection to improve their regulations. Last year, in response to Center petitions, the Missouri Department of Conservation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department banned commercial collection of their states wild freshwater turtles. Before that, in 2017, New York halted all commercial terrapin turtle harvesting and Iowa adopted new regulations setting closed seasons and possession limits for commercial turtle trappers. In 2012 Georgia approved state rules regulating the commercial collection of turtles, and Alabama completely banned commercial collection. And in 2009 Florida responded by banning almost all commercial collection of freshwater turtles from public and private waters. For Immediate Release, March 27, 2019 Contacts: David Steele, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, (520) 907-2620, davidss@simginc.com Randy Serraglio, Center for Biological Diversity, (520) 784-1504, rserraglio@biologicaldiversity.org Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, (602) 999-5790, sandy.bahf@sierraclub.org Roger Featherstone, Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, (520) 548-9302, roger@azminingreform.org Lawsuit Filed to Protect Arizona's Waters, Wildlife From Proposed Rosemont Mine TUCSON, Ariz. Four conservation groups filed a lawsuit in federal district court today to overturn a key permit for the controversial proposed Rosemont Copper Mine in southern Arizona. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issuance of a Clean Water Act permit for the mine, which would threaten critical water resources and wildlife habitat. In spite of reports from multiple government agencies that the proposed Rosemont Mine does not comply with federal law, the Army Corps of Engineers has chosen to grant the federal Clean Water Act 404 permit, said Gayle Hartmann, president of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. Because of this, we have no choice but to seek justice in federal court in support of our community, our health and our environment. We will move forward and present our case, reiterating the extensive damage this project will do to our water resources and our beautiful Santa Rita Mountains. Earlier this month the Corps reversed course from a 2016 determination and issued the final permit needed to start construction of the vast open-pit copper mine. Hudbay Minerals, Rosemonts Canadian owner, wants to blast a mile-wide, half-mile-deep open pit in the Santa Rita Mountains and pile toxic mine tailings and waste rock hundreds of feet high in the Davidson Canyon-Cienega Creek watershed, which replenishes Tucsons groundwater basin, a source for roughly 20 percent of Tucsons drinking water. More than 5,000 acres would be destroyed by the mine, including nearly 4,000 acres of public land that would be covered by the mines waste dumps, open pit, processing plant and infrastructure. The pit and waste dumps would remain as a permanent scar and environmental hazard on public land. The proposed Rosemont Mine would be a blight on the Santa Ritas and do serious harm to Outstanding Arizona Waters such as Davidson Canyon and Cienega Creek, said Sandy Bahr, chapter director for Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. The Corps has not considered the degree or scope of the impacts to wildlife, cultural resources, and other protected public lands in its decision, and it has not done its job to ensure that this project is in the publics interest. The Rosemont Mine would drain the regional aquifer that supports dozens of springs and streams in the area that are home to endangered fish, frogs, snakes, birds and plants. It would also destroy thousands of acres of federally protected jaguar critical habitat and sever a critically important wildlife corridor essential to the recovery of the northern jaguar population that spans the U.S.-Mexico border. The Corps outrageous flip-flop on the Rosemont Clean Water Act permit is politics at its worst and cannot be justified by science or law, said Randy Serraglio, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. This decision to betray southern Arizona and greenlight this disaster wont stand. Well fight for Tucsons water security and the jaguars, ocelots and other wildlife that call the Santa Ritas home. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has weighed in against the Rosemont proposal numerous times over a period of several years, saying that the project would violate water-quality standards and was not in the public interest. In July 2016 the Corps own scientists determined that the permit should be denied, yet the Trump administration reversed course and issued the permit anyway. There is no better example of the failure of our government to provide effective protections from the harms of mining than the proposed Rosemont Mine, said Roger Featherstone, director of the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. This project is bad for communities, devastating to wildlife, and should not be allowed to proceed. The groups are represented by the Western Mining Action Project, a public-interest law firm specializing in litigation on mining issues in the western states, and Marc Fink and Allison Melton of the Center for Biological Diversity. For Aran, turning to electronics to develop a system with unique capabilities came naturally: She earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and went on to a PhD in biomedical engineering and postdoctoral work in bioengineering. Researchers have found multiple applications for the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats) gene editing technology since it came into use by the scientific community. Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) Assistant Professor and University of California, Berkeley Visiting Scientist Kiana Aran is the first to combine the power of CRISPR's nucleic acid targeting with the ultra sensitivity of graphene, making it possible to digitally detect DNA without amplification. "The innovation is to bring the two together as a capture mechanism. Our system does not use amplification; instead, it relies on CRISPR's genome-searching capability and graphene's sensitivity," explains Aran, who led the multi-university research team responsible for the work described in the paper "CRISPR-Chip: A CRISPR-based Graphene-enhanced Field Effect Biosensor for Electronic Detection of Unamplified Target Genes," which was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on March 25. Aran's novel system immobilizes the CRISPR complexes on the surface of graphene-based transistors. These complexes search a genome to find their target sequence and, if the search is successful, bind to its DNA. This binding changes the conductivity of the graphene material in the transistor, which detects the change using a handheld reader developed by Aran's industry partner, San Diego-based Cardea Bio. "What Kiana does is an application we hadn't thought about beforethat no one thought about before. It shows the potential of a graphene biosensor that no one knew was even possible," says Brett Goldsmith, Cardea's chief technology officer and cofounder. "To detect DNA without amplification is so shocking, so futuristic. This will skip several generations of technology development." Aran and her research colleagues demonstrated the system's effectiveness by testing for the digital detection of DNA mutations in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that results in progressive muscle degeneration and shortened life expectancy. "We have shown that our system is sufficient for genetic mutation testing. Now we need to enhance the system to detect infections," says Aran. "We're also evaluating CRISPR-Chip for detection of single-point mutations." Aran notes that the system, which enables users to run a test in less than an hour, has potential applications beyond diagnostics. She explains that these include multiplexing capabilities to run hundreds or thousands of tests at the same time. Another potential application is for quality control purposes within companies that use CRISPR for therapeutics; the system could enable them to better evaluate the efficiency of the CRISPR technology. For Aran, turning to electronics to develop a system with unique capabilities came naturally: She earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and went on to a PhD in biomedical engineering and postdoctoral work in bioengineering. "I look at everything through the lens of electronics. It's important to think about electronic biosensors because that is where I believe biological analysis is heading," says Aran, who is now exploring avenues to commercialize the system. "My goal is to integrate fast-growing electronics technologies with modern biology not only to develop better diagnostic tools, but also to gain a better understanding of biological events using nanoscale electronics devices." Co-authors on the paper also include KGI's Reza Haijan, Sarah Balderston, Thanhtra Tran, Mandeep Sandhu and Mitre Athaiya, UC Berkeley's Tara Deboer, Jessy Etienne, and Noreen Wauford, Cardea Bio's Jolie Nokes and Brett Goldsmith, NanoSens Innovations' Regis Peytavi, and the University of Navarra's Jacobo Paredes. This work was primarily supported by Keck Graduate Institute Start-up funding to the Aran Lab, by the Rogers Family Foundation, and by an Open Philanthropy Research Gift. Veeda Clinical Research has successfully cleared 60 regulatory audits in the last 14 years including 19 USFDA Inspections of its facilities and clinical trial sites in last 24 months. Veeda Clinical Research Pvt. Ltd., a leading independent CRO has announced that its clinical (Shivalik, Ahmedabad) and Bioanalytical facilities (Insignia, Ahmedabad) have successfully completed the third inspection by NPRA (Malaysian Regulatory Agency). This was a routine study inspection by the NPRA to verify the compliance of the facilities and the studies with the principles of Good Clinical Practices and applicable Good Laboratory Principles. The inspection outcome confirmed Veeda's commitment to the highest Quality standards and compliance with the defined SOPs and regulatory guidelines. Veeda Clinical Research has successfully cleared 60 regulatory audits in the last 14 years including 19 USFDA Inspections of its facilities and clinical trial sites in last 24 months. With its focus on sustaining a strong Quality Culture that underscores its Quality Policy and robust Quality Management System, Veeda continues to steadfastly pursue its mission 'To Strive for Excellence in Quality and endeavour to become the partner of choice for our Sponsors and our Stakeholders'. Visas on arrival will be available to Georgian citizens arriving in Thailand starting April 14, 2019, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. It was noted that Georgian citizens will be able to spend up to 15 days in Thailand after receiving a visa on arrival at the border. Georgian and Thai citizens, owning diplomatic and official passport, as well as office-related passports, are already exempt from visa requirements as of March 14, 2019. The agreement was signed by the countries on September 26, 2018, Agenda.ge reported. An official delegation from Thailand is set to visit Georgia on March 31 April 2. The first round of consultations between Georgias and Thailands foreign ministries will be held during the visit. The parties will discuss prospects of further deepening relationships between the countries. The biggest gathering of sports journalists on the continent will take place in April in Ghana, when the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), hosts the 6th Edition of the International Association of Sports Press (AIPS) Africa Congress, in Accra, from April 2-6. Image source: Gallo/Getty. Expected to be sandwiched with expert presentations and discussions on contemporary issues on sports media, administration and hosting of big sports events, the congress comes on the heels of a successful women-centred seminar hosted by SWAG last year, in partnership with AIPS AFRICA.No fewer than 50 delegates from national sports journalists associations across the continent, as well as executive committee and honorary members of both AIPS and AIPS AFRICA are billed to attend this annual assembly according to a statement from the secretariat.Also expected to participate fully in these three days are officials of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Africa Games 2019, Africa Rugby Union and the continental and regional football bodies.The statement added that, the AIPS President Gianni Merlo, the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees in Africa (ANOCA) Mustapha Berraf, the Chairman of APO Group Nicolas Pompigne- Mognard, and the Power of Sports in AFRICA, and Rivers State Governor Barrister Nyesom Wike, are on cue to make their presence felt with unique messages.Tested resource persons from Ghana and outside have been earmarked to talk and provide fresh insights on such topics as: When Will Africa be ready to win the FIFA World Cup; How bold is Africas gold chase at Tokyo 2020?; Africa Games and the future; The New Sports Journalism in Africa finding the right mix. The winners of the 2019 Bar (Bartending Accolades and Recognition) Awards were recently announced at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The awards aim to celebrate the best in South Africa's cocktail industry - from the best bars and best brands to the best mixologists who have devoted countless hours to perfecting their craft. SA B.A.R Awards Cocktail Bar of the Year 2019 - Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen Loop Films SA B.A.R Awards Bartender of the Year 2019 - Travis Kuhn Loop Films The 2019 winners are: Nominations and judging for each category of the awards are managed by a pool of the biggest role-players in the F&B, hospitality and spirit industries.South Africa's current Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year, drinks consultant, owner of The Perfect Serve mobile bar service and Bar Awards founder, Travis Kuhn explains that the Bar Awards strive to acknowledge the brands and mixologists that make the SA cocktail industry a contender on the global stage. He says: The Bar Awards is a celebration of each and every person and brand in the industry who make meaningful contributions to the trade, but an even bigger congratulations must go to those who have stood out enough to receive special recognition as voted for by their peers.Outgoing 2018 winners Raymond Endean of Orphanage Cocktail Emporium, Denzel Heath of Mootee Bar and Julian Short of Sin + Tax agree that events like the Bar Awards stir up a healthy sense of competition, keep us motivated and hungry to be better and give us something to aspire to whilst Bradley Jacobs from Diageo adds that the acknowledgement of the awards in an industry we are passionate about and love so much, which we dedicate our lives to, is really something very special.Dino Batista from Molecular Bars said on the night: Add water to the ocean and all the ships rise.Cause Effect Cocktail KitchenSumaiyah Connolly and Travis KuhnAlecs Besier and Nkuli KhanyilePeter LebeseThe House of MachinesBascule Bar, Cape GraceMolecular BarsLeah van DeventerThe Polynesian Pearl DiverCassandra EichhoffDiageo World ClassThe Art of DuplicityBulleit BourbonCause Effect Cocktail KitchenCaitlin Hill (Remy Cointreau) and Jody Francis (Inverroche)Travis KuhnFor more information about the Bar Awards connect on Facebook and Instagram This job expired on 26 May 2019. Leigh Bremridge joins Jon Savage and Cath Grenfell's internet radio station Cape Town-based actress Leigh Bremridge will join Jon Savage and Cath Grenfell's new online radio station, The Eye. After spending two years studying drama in the UK, Bremridge returned to SA to obtain a speech and drama teaching diploma through Trinity College at the Cape Academy of Dramatic Art. Thereafter, she spent 12 years living in New York in the US. Since returning to South Africa at the end of 2005, she has been working as a professional actress. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has a new problem - the 'people's prime minister' expressed concern during the recent press conference that members of his own team may be plotting against him. According to the Armenian newspaper Irates, "Nikol Pashinyan is facing a serious problem - the need to prevent the 'conspiracy of three rooms'." It concerns the separatist movements in the new power structures. When Pashinyan explicitly said that "he knows where these three rooms, which were conspiring against him, are located," the journalists decided that it's about the representatives of the Kocharyan-Sargsyan clan. Then the first room is the people of Kocharyan, the second room is the people of Sargsyan, and the third is probably - the people of Armenia's President Armen Sargsyan. But there is another opinion: Pashinyan meant his like-minded people to whom he distributed responsible posts in power, and the press conference was organized to show the prime minister's unshakable position and the inability of any internal power conspiracies to shake it. Then the 'three rooms' is the team of the National Security Service head Arthur Vanetsyan, the people of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and Defense Ministry David Tonoyan. In particular, Tigran Avinyan is forming his own team, independent of Pashinyan, and organizing a stronger alliance with the opposition. Wishing to enter big politics, Arthur Vanetsyan is working with Vice Speaker of the Parliament Alain Simonyan. According to the newspaper's source, a preliminary scenario of a coup is already known: if Pashinyan is overthrown, then Vanetsyan will become prime minister, and Simonyan - head of the National Security Service. Nikol Pashinyan himself contributes to the strengthening of centrifugal processes in power, since he recently began to experience difficulties in making independent decisions. Certainly, the next shift scenarios are not yet realizable now, as society still believes in its 'revolutionary leader' - however, if the living standards of citizens do not change significantly in a year, Pashinyans ratings will go down, and then the path to conspiracies and coups will be opened. U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated U.S. Air Force General John Raymond to lead the U.S. Space Command, a new combatant command that will oversee the military's missions and war fighting in space. "Im proud to share with all of you that the president has announced his nominee to lead the new unified combatant command, the United States Space Command. Four-star Air Force General John Raymond will lead U.S. Space Command," Vice President Mike Pence told the National Space Council. As the Air Force's top space officer, Raymond was long-considered a favorite for the job. He is currently the commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, CNBC reported. If confirmed by the Senate for this newly established role, Raymond will run both U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION PR Newswire SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2019 SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Impetus Technologies, a big data software products and services company, will exhibit the latest in automated data warehouse transformation at the Strata Data Conference, the leading event for data industry visionaries held in San Francisco, Calif., March 25 28. Impetus will demonstrate their unique automation capabilities for transforming legacy EDW/ETL workloads to big dataeither on-premises or in the cloud at booth #1109. Attendees are encouraged to stop by the booth to learn more about the company's platform, discuss current data warehouse modernization and cloud migration trends with Impetus executives and receive demos of the product. Along with being an Impact sponsor of the event, Impetus will also co-host a session with Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management. The session "The New Frontier: Marsh's Data Voyage into the Public Cloud," will be introduced by Praveen Kankariya, CEO at Impetus Technologies, and will provide a deep dive into Marsh's pioneering journey to the public cloud as well as how the move to a cloud data warehouse has helped the company further unleash the business value of its data program. Complete session details are below: When: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 2:40 3:20pm Pacific Daylight Time Where: Hall 2003 - Moscone Center - 747 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94103Speaker: Stephen Dantu, head of big data capabilities at Marsh, will talk to attendees about the company's journey and how the shift has helped empower the organization with a variety of self-service utilities and further promote his vision of democratizing data "We're pleased to once again be sponsoring this year's Strata Data Conference, as well as showcase some of the innovative ways we're already helping some of today's largest businesses transform their data initiatives," said Praveen Kankariya, CEO at Impetus Technologies. "As more companies look to transform into truly data driven enterprises, finding the right partner to help navigate and future proof this journey is becoming more important, and we're excited to share our experience with all attendees." About Impetus Technologies Impetus Technologies is a software products and services company that exists to create powerful and intelligent enterprises through deep data awareness, data integration and advanced data analytics. Impetus products and services are designed to empower the real-time data driven enterprise to help clients compete and win in the modern world of digital transformation. Impetus is proud to partner with such Fortune 100 clients as American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Fannie Mae, McKesson, Toyota, United Airlines, Verizon and more. The company is headquartered in Los Gatos, California with international offices in India, Australia and Canada. To learn more, visit: www.impetus.com or write to: [email protected], and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/impetustech and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impetus. Media contact Brianna BruinsmaLEWIS for Impetus Technologies [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/impetus-technologies-to-showcase-ground-breaking-data-warehouse-transformation-capabilities-at-san-franciscos-strata-data-conference-300819094.html SOURCE Impetus Technologies Minnedosa is set to become the home of Manitobas first floating inflatable water park later this summer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Minnedosa is set to become the home of Manitobas first floating inflatable water park later this summer. A press release from the Minnedosa and Area Community Development Corp. said the Calgary-based Splish Splash Water Park is working to locate a 100-person floating inflatable water park on Minnedosa Lake, with a targeted opening date set for late June. "Its an inflatable water park, like a floating obstacle course out on the water," Splish Splash Water Park owner Gerry Champagne said in the release. "These parks are found in Canada and across the world, but there are none in the Prairies at this time. To be the first and only water park in the province is an incredible opportunity for both Splish Splash and for the community of Minnedosa." According to the press release, Champagne had first approached Travel Manitoba for help in finding suitable communities for a park and it was later presented to Minnedosas Economic Development Officer Chantelle Parrott. "Tourism is very important for our local economy, and the investment into our community is more than welcome," she said. "This leverages the lake and really complements our existing tourism offering. Its a fantastic way to draw people to town. Hopefully visitors will make the most of everything Minnedosa has to offer while theyre here." The Town of Minnedosa has authorized access to the beach, while the federal Department of Oceans and Fisheries completed an environmental assessment prior to authorizing the project itself. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation has also given final approval for the business to place the structure on the lake. The structure is set to be custom built and shipped from the U.K. in time for the summer opening. Champagne said the park will be open daily during the summer, with regular hours from June to Labour Day. Safety requirements, including mandatory life jackets and qualified lifeguards on duty, will also be enforced. Certified lifeguards are encouraged to apply for summer jobs as soon as possible. "Splish Splash Water Park will bring a unique and exciting attraction to Minnedosa for both locals and visitors alike," Champagne said. "Were looking forward to working with the Town of Minnedosa and hoping for a fantastic summer at the beach, having fun in the sun and making memories. Thats really what were doing here." The Brandon Sun A man caught shoplifting in August after he dropped a tote bag with his name written on it has been sentenced to one year of probation. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us A man caught shoplifting in August after he dropped a tote bag with his name written on it has been sentenced to one year of probation. On Aug. 18, police were called to the Real Canadian Superstore after loss prevention officers saw a man flee the store on foot with unpaid merchandise, Crown attorney Kaley Tschetter told the Brandon provincial court on Monday. The total amount of stolen items was worth approximately $28. Officers arrived and located a green tote bag with Doug Dunning written on it on the ground, Tschetter said. They attended to Dunnings home and he told the officers he knew it was coming and admitted to stealing food from Superstore because he was very hungry, Tschetter said. Dunning, 47, pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000. The Crown is recommending a fine and probation in the circumstances to remind Mr. Dunning there are alternatives when you are hungry. There are soup kitchens and other locations that can help people out if they are low on funds and in need of food, Tschetter said. Stealing is never the correct choice. Defence lawyer Andrew Synyshyn noted the theft wasnt an act of greed but of desperation, adding Dunning has been unemployed for some time. I regret what I did, Dunning told the court. Judge John Combs sentenced Dunning to one year probation and ordered him to pay Superstore restitution of $28.55. I can appreciate you may have committed this crime because you were hungry, but there are choices other than stealing, Combs said. You need to make sure those are the choices you make. The Brandon Sun While the main attraction at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair might be horse jumping, livestock shows and entertainers, fair food also adds to the atmosphere. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Smoked and Sauced owner Jayson McCallum (left) and chef Jeff Carlson, in front of their booth at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair on Tuesday. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun) While the main attraction at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair might be horse jumping, livestock shows and entertainers, fair food also adds to the atmosphere. Whether its fiddlesticks, popcorn, slushies, pulled pork or poutine, theres something for every appetite. Courtneys Cake Creations is on the upper level of the arena and features dozens of different desserts. Store owner Courtney Jacobson said she has been at the fair for the past six years and has something different to offer than other food booths. "I just find it a joy to be around. The kids love it because they come up and they get something that they dont normally get every day. Its just a treat." Smoked and Sauced chef Jeff Carlson spoons mac and cheese onto a Pac Mac sandwich. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun) Lots of kids want mini donuts or lemonade, she said, but Courtneys Cake Creations offers them cupcakes, cheesecakes, macarons and more. "Were a local business. Thats the thing were not a big franchise, everything is made in store and brought here in the morning so you cant get any fresher than that." For those looking for something more savoury, Smoked and Sauced is serving three different sandwiches: pulled pork, brisket and the Pac Mac mac and cheese on top of pulled pork. This is the first year Smoked and Sauced has been at the Winter Fair and people have been eager to try it, according to owner Jayson McCallum. He said he was approached by the Winter Fair specifically to set up a booth, which people were asking for. Courtney's Cake Creations owner Courtney Jacobson, with one of her ice cream sundae cupcakes. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun) "The organizers said people werent requesting barbecue food they were specifically requesting Smoked and Sauced." The restaurant usually serves from a food truck, but he said he built a new cart especially for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair to serve inside the Keystone Centre. "Literally the day we set it up was the last day I worked on it." He also plans to use the newly made cart to attend more indoor events, like the Winter Fair, and to hold fundraisers. "The community supported us really good and we wanted to support the community too, so were going to do some charity events and stuff like that. Thats our intention, here." McCallum said he thinks the appeal in fair food and Smoked and Sauced in particular is that its something "sloppy" that people cant make for themselves at home. The Pac Mac is especially messy and something he used to make for himself before customers also wanted a bite. Food trucks from Winnipeg also made the journey to Brandon for the weeklong event. The Poutine King owner Derek Collins said he travels with his food truck around Western Canada to attend all the big fairs, and that he creates new poutines every season. "We do a lot of the big fairs, which are always asking us to create new food. You have the standard fair food, but we always add a touch to the new food and its very popular every year to bring in something new just to intrigue the customer." This years creation is a Mr. General Taos poutine, which is topped with General Taos chicken, and Mrs. Pho poutine, which adds a Vietnamese flare to the dish with a fried egg, box chop and scallions. "Everybody is always looking for something new and thats what its about, always about creating new stuff to appeal to the customer." The Manitoba Royal Winter Fair runs until Saturday. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ After a game-changing election, New Mexico submitted a revamped plan to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act . And now, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her team are reviewing it. But meanwhile, the state is already taking steps to implement its new ESSA vision, even though it hasnt gotten the federal green light. And that move could put DeVos and her team in a tough spot. New Mexico recently told schools that were supposed to be implementing state-selected turnaround planswhich could include school closuresthat they could stand down, at least for a while. Instead, the state will work with districts to support those schools on things like family engagement and attendance. The decision puts New Mexico further in line with other states, most of which arent flagging schools for state intervention until three or four years from now. The shift does not mean that there are no consequences for underperformance, said Karen Trujillo, New Mexicos new secretary of education in a statement. With high levels of support must come high levels of accountability. The new states new governor, Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham, ran on making big revisions to the ESSA plan put in place by her predecessor, Susana Martinez, a Republican. Those included getting rid of teacher evaluation through test scores, an A through F system for grading schools, and PARCC tests. Lujan Grisham also wants to rework howand on what timetablethe state identifies low-performing schools for more dramatic interventions. But New Mexicos move seems to run counter to ESSA guidance, which was written by the Trump administration and published in November . That guidance says states seeking to tweak their ESSA plans must get the all-clear from the education department before they can implement changes. New Mexicos action could put DeVos and company in a bit of an awkward position. On the one hand, DeVos is a big fan of letting states and districts make their own decisions. On the other, by jumping the gun, New Mexico appears to be running afoul of the federal guidance. The Department has received New Mexicos amendment request and it is still under review, said department spokeswoman Elizabeth Hill. Our expectation of all states is that they will follow the guidelines issued in November of last year that clearly indicate that amendments must be approved prior to implementation. New Mexicos former secretary of education, Christopher Ruszkowski, who wrote the states original ESSA plan, said the feds should work to make sure states arent revising their plans without oversight. Since when can a state make a change to its federally approved plan without the United States Department of Education approving it, given the hundreds of millions of federal dollars and the years of stakeholder engagement that went into it, not just in New Mexico, but in states across the country? he said. Its one thing if a states academic indicators are trending down and state leadership wants to make changes, Ruszkowski said. But, he said, its a different story if achievement is on its way up. Where is the departments overiight in saying hey wait a minute? he asked. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . OTTAWA - Canada's small business operators say they are not ready for the carbon tax to kick in next week particularly since the federal government has still not told them how they will be compensated for the cost. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Canada's small business operators say they are not ready for the carbon tax to kick in next week particularly since the federal government has still not told them how they will be compensated for the cost. The federal carbon pricing backstop kicks in April 1 in the four provinces that didn't have their own carbon pricing system Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick. Nunavut and Yukon, both of which asked to use the federal system, will start on July 1. More than half a million businesses will be affected. Ottawa has promised to return all the funds collected in rebates to individuals, businesses, local governments and other organizations. The rebates for individuals are already flowing as tax returns get filed, but the promised program to help small and medium businesses hasn't been finalized. "These are rebates of some nature yet to be determined," said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Kelly also said "small firms are still very freaked out" by the coming carbon price, with a lot of unanswered questions about how it will work, who might get an exemption and what documents will be required to prove payment or exemptions. Operators are also wondering who is required to register with the Canada Revenue Agency to collect or apply the charge, and for whom registration is optional. "There is a dearth of information out there about how this is going to work," he said. "There's a whole bunch of technical questions and we've gone to the feds with these questions and they've come up short in terms of answers. Yet we're a week away from the tax being in place." The CFIB wants an assurance that businesses won't be hit with big fines if they make a mistake in the early days of the program. The tax is being applied starting at $20 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions produced, rising to $50 by 2022. It applies to 21 different input fuels and combustible materials used to produce energy, including gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, tires and asphalt shingles. The expectation is that at $20 a tonne, a tank of gas will cost about $2 more, and a monthly natural gas heating bill will go up $8. The tax will generally be applied early in the supply chain by a fuel distributor, and ultimately built into the price paid by the end user. It will be harder to gauge the impact on prices of consumer goods that will cost more to produce or transport as businesses pay the tax on their energy inputs. Kelly said businesses expect to shoulder the weight of about 50 per cent of the burden of the carbon price, but are only getting seven per cent of the rebates an imbalance he called "grossly inadequate." The assumption that businesses will be able to just increase prices to offset their costs is wrong, he added, noting that a majority of CFIB members say in order to remain competitive, they won't be able to pass along the burden to consumers. Ottawa is giving individuals cash rebates averaging between $248 and $598 per household, depending on sources and energy use. For businesses without big emissions, however, the rebates will be made to offset investments businesses make to cut their energy use or switch to greener sources. An estimated $155 million is to be made available in 2019-20 for businesses, and $1.5 billion over the next five years. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has said the final details of the business rebates were still being worked out. Last week's federal budget made mention of legislation to allow the funds to be transferred, but offered no specifics. A spokesman for the Canada Revenue Agency, which is administering the carbon price, said in a statement the agency is aware registering for the new fuel charge may cause some concern for many businesses. However, he said the CRA began informing the affected sectors last fall through a series of "fuel charge webinars" as well as in direct meetings with different industries. There are also documents available online to help and CRA staff can answer questions through any regional office, he said. Conservative environment critic Ed Fast said small businesses are "going to suffer the most" from the carbon price and are getting the least help. The Conservatives have promised to do away with the carbon price if they win the next federal election, scheduled for October. WINNIPEG - Dry weather and a slow melt so far have somewhat eased the flood potential in Manitoba, although it will be a few more weeks until the threat passes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler speaks to media in Winnipeg on Thursday, July 26, 2018. Dry weather and a slow melt so far has eased the flood potential in Manitoba a little bit, although it will be a few more weeks until the threat passes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Lambert WINNIPEG - Dry weather and a slow melt so far have somewhat eased the flood potential in Manitoba, although it will be a few more weeks until the threat passes. The provincial government says with average to unfavourable weather, the Red River should peak roughly at the same level as in 2009. Several communities in the Red River Valley had to close off some road access that year, and sections of roads, including the main highway between Winnipeg and the United States, were flooded for weeks. Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says water is expected to stay well below the top of ring dikes that protect towns and properties. He does warn that ice jams could develop and make for sudden flooding, but ice thickness has reduced in recent weeks due to warm weather. The Red is expected to crest at Emerson on the United States border some time between April 12 and April 23. Schuler said a combination of above-zero daytime highs and below-freezing overnight lows has helped reduce the snow pack slowly. "This kind of weather is perfect for us," the minister said Wednesday. "We've said what we really needed to do was to pray for warm days and freezing at night and ta-dah we got it. And so far so good. "It doesn't mean that things might not change in a week, and we do have some time before we see the peak coming." The government has issued tenders for contractors to be on standby in case ring dikes need to be closed. One obstacle the Progressive Conservative government has faced has been in the legislature. Independent member Steven Fletcher blocked the government last week from passing an interim supply bill legislation that lets the government start spending in the fiscal year that starts April 1 before its annual budget is formally adopted. The legislature is now on a break until Monday. Schuler said he hopes the bill can be passed that day so that the government can continue to operate. Even if the bill is somehow delayed further, flood work and any other needed spending will occur, he said. "We will use whatever measures necessary to protect Manitobans." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Jody Wilson-Raybould appears at the House of Commons Justice Committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. Wilson-Raybould plans to reveal more - in writing - about her accusation that she faced improper pressure to prevent the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Five stories in the news for Wednesday, March 27 ABDUCTED CHINESE STUDENT WANZHEN LU FOUND SAFE Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto on Saturday, has been found safe, and in good health. Police say the 22-year-old showed up at a residence in Gravenhurst, Ont., last night and asked the homeowner for help. Police didn't say how Lu got to the home 180 km north of Toronto, only that he was later treated in hospital for minor injuries. Meanwhile, the four suspects wanted in connection with Lu's abduction remain at large. LEAKS DENOUNCED AS SMEAR OF WILSON-RAYBOULD Leaked reports about a dispute between Justin Trudeau and former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould over a Supreme Court appointment drew condemnation from bar associations and MPs of all parties yesterday as the controversy surrounding the SNC-Lavalin affair raged on. Opposition MPs called the leaks an act of desperation meant to smear Wilson-Raybould and to justify the prime minister's decision to move her out of the justice portfolio in January a cabinet shuffle that touched off what's become a full-blown political crisis for the governing Liberals. SMALL BIZ NOT READY FOR CARBON PRICE Canada's small business operators say they aren't ready for the carbon tax to kick in next week particularly since Ottawa still hasn't told them how they'll be compensated for the cost. The federal carbon pricing backstop kicks in April 1 in the four provinces that didn't have their own carbon pricing system Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick. Nunavut and Yukon, both of which asked to use the federal system, will start on July 1. Ottawa has promised to return all the funds collected in rebates to individuals, businesses, local governments and other organizations. NDP'S 2019 FISCAL VOWS TO HINGE ON 'TAX GAP' According to the party's finance critic, the federal New Democrats' fiscal plan for the fall election will be shaped by estimates of how much money Ottawa loses out on each year to international tax-avoidance schemes. Peter Julian says the party will focus on Canada's so-called "tax gap" to show it can finance its big commitments such as affordable housing and universal pharmacare by cracking down on corporate tax avoidance, loopholes and offshore havens. The tax gap, which one estimate says could be above $40 billion annually, is the difference between the amount of tax revenue that should have been collected in a year and what was actually brought in. P.E.I. PREMIER CALLS ELECTION FOR APRIL 23 P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan called an early election last night, announcing an April 23 vote that polls suggest could produce Canada's first Green Party government. MacLauchlan's Liberal government didn't have to take voters to the polls until Oct. 7 under the province's fixed-date election provisions, but there was an apparent desire to avoid overlap with the federal election this fall. Despite a booming economy, polls suggest the Liberal party is likely facing a rough ride, with the Greens seen as a legitimate contender for power. ALSO IN THE NEWS: University of Toronto criminology Prof. Scot Wortley releases his report on the use of street checks and racial profiling by police in Halifax. Statistics Canada releases international merchandise trade figures and payroll employment, earnings and hours for January. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers remarks to supporters at a donor appreciation event in Toronto. Court appearance in Calgary for Sukhmander Singh, owner of trucking company involved in Humboldt Broncos crash. Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks about his new budget at an event hosted by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. B.C. Attorney General David Eby meets with Bill Blair, federal Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction to discuss money laundering in British Columbia. OTTAWA - Israel disagrees with Canada's stance towards the Golan Heights and the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal, but the country's envoy still believes the Trudeau government's broader Middle East policy is very supportive. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Israeli Ambassador to UNESCO Nimrod Barkan speaks to The Associated Press during a session of the UNESCO General Conference, in Paris, Friday Nov. 8, 2013. Israel disagrees with Canada's stance towards the Golan Heights and the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal, but the country's envoy believes the Trudeau government's broader Middle East policy is very supportive. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Jacques Brinon OTTAWA - Israel disagrees with Canada's stance towards the Golan Heights and the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal, but the country's envoy still believes the Trudeau government's broader Middle East policy is very supportive. Ambassador Nimrod Barkan said Canada-Israel relations are like a long-married couple: they may have disagreements, but they are still close. Barkan said evidence of the enduring bond is that Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will hold several high-profile events with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a two-day visit next week. The latest bump in the relationship came this week with President Donald Trump's surprise decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic patch of land separating Israel from Syria. Trump reversed a half century of U.S. foreign policy and left his country offside with the international community, including Canada, which regards the Golan Heights as Israeli-occupied territory. Canada affirmed its support for the international consensus on the Golan Heights this week, as it did for the Iran nuclear deal after the U.S withdrew from that last year another move the Israeli government applauded. "We're like a married couple in many respects. There are some issues where we disagree Golan Heights, JCPOA stuff like that but beyond that it's very close," Barkan said in an interview. Barkan used the acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action originally brokered in 2015 between Iran and the U.S., Germany, Britain, France, Russia, China and the European Union. Trump withdrew the U.S. in May 2018. Israel lobbied widely against the deal, including dispatching its top intelligence official to Ottawa last year. The top spy argued the deal was flawed and would not prevent Iran from using peaceful nuclear technology to develop a weapon. "It is still a point of disagreement," said Barkan, noting that Canada has helped ensure diligent inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency. "At the same time, Canada has a very strong sanctions regime on Iran," he said. "Overall, analytically, Canada sees Iran's behaviour in the region in the same way Israel sees it, both in Syria, in Lebanon, in Iraq and in issues that are non-geographic, such as missile testing and the question of long-range or immediate-range missiles." Barkan praised Canada's broader spending of billions of dollars to help Syrian refugees, stabilize Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq the latter which includes Canadian Armed Forces trainers. Israel wasn't surprised by Canada's statement on the Golan Heights, which the Jewish state captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, said Barkan. The statement from Global Affairs Canada said annexing territory by force is prohibited under international law, and that "any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order." "Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel. We stand with Israel and support Israel's right to live in peace and security with its neighbours." Barkan said the disagreement is fine, given "the second part of the statement" affirming friendship. "Canada has other considerations. The Ukraine I guess," Barkan said, declining to elaborate further. Trump's proclamation said the Golan Heights presented "unique circumstances," wording interpreted as addressing Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, which Canada and its Western allies regard as an illegal breach of Europe's borders by the Kremlin. The New Democrat's foreign affairs critic, Guy Caron, has urged the government to send a diplomatic note to the Trump administration condemning the decision. The Palestinian General Delegation to Ottawa welcomed the Canadian statement, saying it reflects a "strong commitment" to international law. Amnesty International called the new Golan Heights recognition "irresponsible, reckless and yet another example of the Trump Administration violating international law and consensus by condoning Israel's illegal annexation." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu viewed it as a "major achievement" in Israel's fight to protect itself from its enemies bent on using Syria as a staging ground, Barkan said. "We are witnessing the Iranian attempt to use the Golan Heights and the area around the Golan Heights together with Hezbollah ... in order to prepare for potential terrorist attacks against Israel," he said. "The Americans have bolstered our ability to meet the Iranian challenge." Barkan strongly dismissed suggestions that Trudeau's relationship with Netanyahu has waned in recent years, especially since he invited Trudeau to join a small group of international guests at his Jerusalem home following the 2016 funeral of former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres. He pointed to Rivlin's visit and the large amount of time he will spend with Trudeau, adding Rivlin would have stayed longer if his wife was not in intensive care following a lung transplant two weeks ago. Gov. Gen. Julie Payette will formally welcome Rivlin her counterpart for a visit that begins Sunday and ends Tuesday. Trudeau will host a lunch for Rivlin in Ottawa, hold a meeting in his Parliament Hill office and lay a wreath with him at the Holocaust Memorial in Ottawa. The two will also participate in an event with the Canadian Jewish community in Toronto. TORONTO - An Ontario man who was tried four times in the killing of a Hamilton nursing assistant is asking the province's highest court to overturn his murder conviction and put the case on hold indefinitely. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - An Ontario man who was tried four times in the killing of a Hamilton nursing assistant is asking the province's highest court to overturn his murder conviction and put the case on hold indefinitely. It's been nearly four decades since Diane Werendowicz was attacked on her way home from a night out with friends. The 23-year-old was dragged into a ravine, sexually assaulted, strangled and dumped in a creek. Robert Badgerow was arrested 17 years later and eventually convicted of first-degree murder, but the verdict was overturned on appeal. Jurors in his second and third trials were unable to reach a verdict. He was then granted a stay of proceedings but that was revoked by Ontario's Court of Appeal in 2014 after it found evidence about a 911 call had been improperly excluded from previous trials. Badgerow was tried a fourth time in 2016, this time including the 911 call evidence, and found guilty of first-degree murder. His lawyers now argue the judge made several mistakes in his instructions to the jury, including in his directions on how to weigh the evidence regarding the call. They say the court should grant Badgerow a stay of proceedings. "The state has now had the nearly unprecedented opportunity to try the appellant a fourth time for this offence, but has again failed to do so fairly," they say in documents filed ahead of a hearing on Thursday. "Thirty-seven years have passed since the events and 20 years since the appellant's arrest, over 10 of which he spent in custody. Numerous witnesses have died. Ordering a fifth trial in these circumstances would constitute an abuse of process." Court documents say Werendowicz had gone out for drinks with friends after work on June 19, 1981, and left the bar around midnight to walk home, which would have taken about 15 minutes. Her body was found by children playing in the area the evening of June 20, the documents say. A tire covered her head and shoulders but when it was lifted, investigators discovered she had been strangled, and the strap of her purse was around her neck. Forensic experts found semen on her genitals and her jeans, the documents say. The fly of her jeans was down when she was found, her blouse was unbuttoned and her underwear was found nearby. Badgerow was identified as a suspect in the late 1990s and his DNA matched the profile from the semen found on Werendowicz. He has maintained throughout his trials that he had consensual sex with Werendowicz in the back of his truck outside the bar the night she died and that someone else attacked her on her way home. In the appeal, his lawyers argue the judge gave unfair instructions to the jury regarding the 911 call, which was possibly placed by the killer and traced to a pay phone at a location near Badgerow's workplace. The call, made two days after Werendowicz's body was found, reported that she had been raped before she was killed and that she was strangled with her purse. "The trial judge's instruction misstated the evidence, misrepresented and then unduly emphasized the supposed reliability of the trace, and failed to mention the significant evidence casting doubt on the trace's accuracy," including the possibility of human error, they say. They allege the trial judge made several other mistakes, among them his instructions on the risks of voice identification from the 911 call. The judge's warnings were undermined by his invitation to use "common sense," rather than judicial instructions, in evaluating the evidence and in his failure to refer to specific details in the case they should examine with caution, the lawyers argue. "It was only after the DNA evidence led to his arrest that people began to come forward purporting to ID the appellant as the caller," they say. "This evidence was inherently less valuable as a result. The trial judge failed to highlight this critical point for the jury, despite a specific request from the defence that he do so." The defence also alleges the judge erred in his instructions on how to use a video of Badgerow from his first wedding in 1982. The judge acknowledged there was no evidence the video accurately captured Badgerow's voice but still told jurors they could compare it to the voice on the 911 call, which was "contradictory," defence lawyers argue. If a stay is not granted, they are asking for the court to order a fifth trial. OTTAWA - The federal New Democrats' fiscal plan for the fall election will be shaped by estimates of how much money Ottawa loses out on each year to international tax-avoidance schemes, the party's finance critic says. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - The federal New Democrats' fiscal plan for the fall election will be shaped by estimates of how much money Ottawa loses out on each year to international tax-avoidance schemes, the party's finance critic says. Peter Julian said the party intends to focus on Canada's so-called "tax gap" to show it can finance big campaign commitments in areas such as affordable housing and universal pharmacare by cracking down on corporate tax avoidance, loopholes and offshore havens. The tax gap, which one estimate said could be above $40 billion annually, is the difference between the amount of tax revenue that should have been collected in a year and what was actually brought in. Julian said to reinforce its fiscal plan, the NDP is counting on the findings of an upcoming report from the independent parliamentary budget officer on the size of the tax gap. "The whole issue of corporate taxation will be a stronger part of what we offer to Canadians, bolstered by the PBO report," Julian said in an interview. "You will hear us repeating what was found in the PBO report. Whether that number is $10 billion or $15 billion or $20 billion or higher... And we will be talking about the fair tax system as a foundation for making the kind of investments that will make a difference in people's lives." Details about the NDP's fiscal approach follow last week's release of the final federal budget before October's election. The budget from the governing Liberals fed political debate on whether or not federal governments should strive to return the books to balance as soon as possible. The document showed the Liberals are in no hurry. Their budget, which emphasized a need to continue making investments, projected annual deficits of almost $20 billion in each of the next two years and contained no timeline to balance the books. A few days after the budget's release, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer told a conference that a Tory government would bring books back to balance, but he didn't say when. The NDP has been less vocal about its pre-election fiscal vision thus far. In the 2015 election, the NDP vowed to make major investments and still balance the budget by raising corporate taxes and cutting off tax havens. Following the party's poor results at the ballot box, former leader Tom Mulcair later laid part of the blame on the fiscal commitment, which he said overshadowed the NDP's "social democratic economic vision." Julian declined to say whether the New Democrats will promise balanced books again in 2019 because NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will roll out of the party's plans over the coming months. The NDP will renew its focus on corporate tax fairness and he expects this time to be different. "I think what we needed in 2015 is what we'll have in 2019 which is the PBO report on the tax gap," Julian said. "In a sense, we're coming with far more evidence to support what we're saying about having to put in place a fair tax system." Other political parties have shown interest that the forthcoming tax gap report could be a source of new fiscal space for election promises, said Yves Giroux, the parliamentary budget officer. But Giroux warned any federal government would need to make considerable efforts before they can turn the tax gap estimate into a source of revenue. "We have to be somewhat prudent because even if we come up with an estimate that's high and I'm not saying it's the case it's only the beginning," Giroux said in an interview. He said after identifying how much money is escaping the public treasury, the Canada Revenue Agency "has to have the willingness to get that money." Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter An Ontario town has rejected a motion to open all its council meetings with an acknowledgment that the proceedings are taking place on lands held by Canada's Indigenous people. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (990 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An Ontario town has rejected a motion to open all its council meetings with an acknowledgment that the proceedings are taking place on lands held by Canada's Indigenous people. A councillor in the town of Richmond Hill, Ont., first tabled the idea at a meeting in February, only to encounter pushback from councillors and see the motion deferred to a later date. This week, when the motion came up for debate once again, dozens of residents of the town north of Toronto voiced support for the idea of showing respect to Indigenous people by acknowledging that they were the first occupiers of the land on which the town now stands. But another councillor tabled an amendment to the land acknowledgment motion, essentially scrapping it and replacing it with a proposal to offer training on Indigenous issues to city staff. That amendment passed, leaving local supporters shouting angrily at council members. Coun. David West, who tabled the original land acknowledgment motion, said Wednesday that the vote represented a shameful moment for the town. "I'm remarkably disappointed," West said in a telephone interview. "Sometimes governments are not the organizations that lead. Sometimes we lead the parade from behind, and this might be one of those cases. The people are leading us." West said land acknowledgments are becoming increasingly common, citing politicians at the federal, provincial and municipal level who open formal proceedings with such measures. He said the effort to acknowledge Indigenous territory is a direct offshoot of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the broader effort to make Canada reckon with its historical treatment of Indigenous people. The motion he put forward on Feb. 11 addressed the reasons behind his proposal. The statement West hoped to see read before all future council meetings included an acknowledgment that participants were gathered on the "traditional territories of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe peoples, whose presence here continues to this day." "We acknowledge this land and people because the first step to reconciliation is recognizing the existence of Indigenous people," the motion read. "A shared understanding of how our collective past brought us to where we are today will help us walk together into a better future." But deputy mayor Joe DiPaola voiced opposition to the motion, saying it put too much emphasis on one demographic. "I think we're treading down a course of political correctness that's going to be difficult to rein in," he said at the meeting. "There's no acknowledgment of the Portuguese, the Italian community, the Chinese community, the Iranian community all the groups that coexist here in harmony." The motion was deferred to March 25, at which point DiPaola rose to table an amendment. He proposed that West's motion be effectively replaced with a proposal to "provide education and training on the history of aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools," to town employees. West praised DiPaola's proposal, but objected to it standing as a substitute for a land acknowledgment. In the end DiPaola's amendment passed, bringing cries of "you should be ashamed" from members of the public attending the meeting. One Indigenous community, the Anishinabek Nation of northeastern Ontario, said on Twitter that it was sending an "education package" to the town council. "We just thought we would help out the mayor and council to learn about our history," the group said, declining to offer further comment on the Richmond Hill vote. The Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a collection of Indigenous communities in northwestern Ontario, previously spoke out about the importance of land acknowledgment. They did so when the Ontario Medical Association opted not to implement them during a 2018 vote. "The widely adopted practice recognizes our territories and the inherent and Treaty rights of Indigenous Peoples," Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler wrote to the association at the time. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario declined to comment on the Richmond Hill vote, but its website contains a guide for any local governments wishing to adopt what it describes as a growing trend. "Traditional land acknowledgment statements are increasingly being used in Canada by governments, schools, post-secondary institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other civil institutions as a practice of reconciliation aimed at recognizing the traditional or treaty territories of Indigenous peoples," the guide reads. TORONTO - Ontario's environmental commissioner issued dire warnings Wednesday about the "frightening" state of climate policy in the province as she delivered her office's last report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - Ontario's environmental commissioner issued dire warnings Wednesday about the "frightening" state of climate policy in the province as she delivered her office's last report. The Progressive Conservative government announced last fall that it was eliminating the office of the environmental commissioner and merging its functions with the auditor general. In delivering a report on energy conservation, Dianne Saxe said Ontario is heading in the wrong direction on the environment. "At a time when climate damage is accelerating, Ontario is turning away from the things that we know work," she said, describing the government's climate policy as "very inadequate, very frightening." "On the big things that will reduce our climate pollution, allow Canada to fulfil its role under the Paris agreement and show the poorer countries of the world that are suffering the greater damage that we are going to do our part, we are causing great damage." Saxe is critical of the government's cancellation of a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gases, as well as the cancellation of electricity conservation programs and a growth plan that she says increases urban sprawl and therefore reliance on transportation fuels. "I think that what we're doing in Ontario and what we may do in Canada this year puts the entire Paris Agreement at risk," she said, referring to the federal Conservatives' opposition to the upcoming carbon tax. "If the world can't hold together on the Paris Agreement we are toasted, roasted and grilled." The 2015 Paris Agreement sets a target of keeping average global temperatures from rising by more than 2 C, or 1.5 C if possible. Saxe was critical of the government's recent cancellation of a slew of electricity conservation programs, including rebates for energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment, discounts for buying energy-efficient products such as LED light bulbs, incentives for builders to improve energy performance in new residences, and refrigeration equipment upgrade incentives. Since 2007, Ontario has made valuable progress in conserving electricity and some progress in conserving natural gas, and without those programs the province would be emitting about six megatonnes more each year in carbon dioxide equivalents, she said. The government's environment plan doesn't even mention electricity conservation, Saxe said, and abandoning it would increase greenhouse gas emissions from electricity by about two megatonnes. Environment Minister Rod Phillips said his climate plan will produce a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the target set by the federal government, without a carbon tax which the province continues to rail against. Phillips said the plan focuses conservation efforts on natural gas instead of electricity. "We're adding conservation programs around areas that actually produce greenhouse gases, like natural gas production," he said. "The conservation programs related to electricity largely are affecting programs that come from our electricity grid, which because of nuclear power, because of renewables, because of hydro, doesn't produce a great deal of greenhouse gas." NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said reports and comments like the ones Wednesday from the environmental commissioner are why the government got rid of Saxe's office. "They don't want to hear what it takes and what's necessary to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets," she said. "Instead, they just want to continue along their merry way and not take seriously our responsibilities when it comes to climate change." Green party Leader Mike Schreiner called it a "tragic loss" to no longer have a standalone officer to report on facts and evidence that members of the legislature need to make sound policy decisions. Premier Doug Ford had promised that not a single job would be lost under his government, but Saxe said this move has meant 12 people are losing their jobs, including her. Ontario's climate plan will see the province spend $400 million over four years on a fund called the Ontario Carbon Trust, which aims to entice companies to invest in initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is also proposing making large industrial companies pay for pollution if they exceed certain emissions standards a system critics say is the same as the federal carbon tax the province has fought for months. Research has uncovered powerful evidence linking shrinking sea ice in the Arctic to snow and rain in central North America. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/3/2019 (991 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Ice is seen in Baffin Bay above the arctic circle from the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Louis S. St-Laurent Thursday, July 10, 2008. New research has uncovered powerful evidence linking sea ice in the Arctic to snow and rain across central North America. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Research has uncovered powerful evidence linking shrinking sea ice in the Arctic to snow and rain in central North America. A study published Wednesday in the journal Nature suggests that a long dry period about 8,000 years ago through the centre of the continent was influenced by disappearing sea ice the same mechanism that many climatologists believe is behind today's increasingly extreme weather. "We have really strong evidence there is a connection," said Cody Routson of Northern Arizona University. "Moving forward, this mechanism should be really important." Routson and his colleagues looked at a period between 2,000 and 10,000 years ago. Routson had long been interested in the fluctuations of local ancient climates and thought it was time to widen the scope. "I had this sense that there were other factors that were bigger." He decided to look at the temperature difference between the Arctic and the equator. That gap powers the jet stream, a high-altitude river of air that strongly influences the air, temperature and moisture circulation around the world. The team combined data from 219 sites around the world and used lake sediments and ice cores to develop large-scale temperature records going back millennia for the Arctic and mid-latitudes. They used materials such as fossilized tree pollen to do the same for precipitation. Researchers found the difference in temperature between the Arctic and the equator shrank sharply about 8,000 years ago, a change caused by the regular rotation of the Earth's orientation to the sun. The shrinkage corresponded to a significant drop in precipitation over an enormous section of the globe between 30 and 50 degrees latitude, which includes southern Canada. Rain and snowfall dropped between 11 and 29 per cent, the paper says. It could have been coincidence, so the team used computer models to see if one phenomenon caused the other. The only model that explained the mid-latitude drought was one that factored in the shrinking temperature difference between the Arctic and equator. "We're pretty confident," Routson said. His conclusions echo those of other climate scientists. The Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg has warned that the prairies from Manitoba to Alberta are likely to be drying out. Study after study has found grasslands could green up earlier and fade later, but would experience more drought in between. Researchers increasingly look to the jet stream to explain freakish weather from torrential rain to deadly heat waves as climate change again reduces the temperature difference between the equator and the rapidly shrinking ice cover of the Arctic. Routson said his work, which studies thousands of years at a time, doesn't necessarily support that of other scientists trying to link Arctic warming to specific events in the south. But its conclusions are related, he suggested. "It's difficult to bring the two time scales together, but the mechanisms are the same," he said. "What's happening over these long time scales is an accumulation of a lot of small events." Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960 Ryanair will not be affected by the Boeing 737 Max fallout in the short-term but may need to reassess medium-term plans, aviation analysts have said. The airline was due to take charge of its first 737 Max jet next month, as well as four more in May and June, while it has some 135 on order overall, with options on 75 more. However, the Boeing plane has been grounded worldwide since the 737 Max was involved in two fatal air crashes in five months, killing 346 in total. The Ethiopian Airlines crash this month prompted aviation authorities worldwide to ban the 737 Max, five months after a Lion Air crash off the coast of Indonesia, until they are satisfied Boeing has guaranteed the plane's safety. Norwegian Air International has already had to rearrange flights and planes to cover for its 18 grounded 737 Max planes at a cost of up to 1.5m a day, while US airline Southwest said the grounding of its 34 jets would cut 133m from its first-quarter earnings. Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said last week that the airline's plans remained unchanged, and that it was waiting on the outcome of the investigation. There was no comment available from Ryanair. Goodbody analyst Mark Simpson said Ryanair would not suffer any fallout from the 737 Max grounding this year, as it had plenty in reserve. "There is no impact this coming year as Ryanair will utilise its reserve capacity over the summer -- around 11 planes -- and possible delay lease returns. "Even if the grounding lasted into the winter, Ryanair then has around 60 planes laid up over the low winter season so would have plenty of cover. The issue is only a problem if the 737 Max 8 is deemed to be fundamentally flawed and issue lasts into 2020, which seems unlikely at this point in time," Mr Simpson said. Cantor Fitzgerald managing director Robin Byde said Ryanair's growth strategy may need to be reassessed in the medium-term following Boeing's crisis. "Our view is the main impact for Ryanair will be on its medium-term growth plans, which may now need to be reassessed. "More immediately, costs of maintenance may rise and cost of leasing to fill any capacity gaps may increase too. Unit costs may remain higher for longer with fewer super efficient Maxes joining the fleet. "Conversely, free cash may be stronger with lower capital expenditure. So, quite a few moving parts, of which the main one is a potential change to medium-term growth plans," Mr Byde said. According to Boeing, it had 5,012 orders for 737 Max planes from airlines all over the world. Some 376 of the planes have been delivered as of January this year. The order book is said to be worth more around 600bn. Norwegian, already feeling the squeeze following a spending splurge, has ordered 110 of the planes in total. It said last week that while it had no plans to abandon the aircraft, it would be demanding compensation from Boeing for the grounded aircraft. Passengers scheduled to fly from Cork and Shannon to the US east coast with Norwegian next week will now travel from Dublin Airport, the airline has said. Plans to convert a 1960s office block in one of Cork's most desirable residential areas into a 10m social housing scheme have been unveiled. Cork City Council has published a Part 8 planning application today seeking permission to adapt and extend the former Springville House in Blackrock, and then change its use to facilitate the development of 35 residential units within the fabric of the existing office building. The plans are open for public consultation until May 13. The prime 0.6-acre site on the city's Blackrock Rd, close to Ashton School and the South Link Rd. Homes in the area regularly fetch prices at the upper end of the market. The site contains the almost 17,600 sq ft former headquarters of Pettit Consulting Engineers, which was acquired by Mott McDonald in 2006. More recently it served as the offices of the ill-fated Cape Verde Development operation. The site was the subject of two residential planning applications in previous years - one for 29 apartments, seven townhouses and 40 parking spaces and another for 24 apartments, five townhouses and 41 parking spaces - both of which were appealed was granted, then appealed to An Bord Pleanala and subjected shot down. The site was offered for sale in 2017 and was acquired by developers MMD Construction, who will deliver the scheme under the terms of a project agreement with the local authority. In Part 8 published today, Cork City Council has sought permission for a change of use of Springville House from an existing multi-storey office building to a modern residential accommodation scheme. The development will consist of a four-floor over basement apartment building and two storey semi-detached houses. It will require an extension to the former office block to deliver 35 residential units to include: Four three-bedroom semi-detached two-storey houses One three-bedroom apartment 14 two-bedroom apartments 16 one-bedroom apartments It is proposed to maintain main access to the site through the Bulls Lane cul-de-sac. The city's head of housing, Brian Geaney, described the scheme as a novel approach, using an existing office building to deliver social housing. And if approved, he said it would be a significant addition to the city's housing stock in that part of the city. Update 12.55pm: Prayers have been offered at masses in Kildorrery, Co Cork for Marie Downey and her baby son Darragh who died in tragic circumstances at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH). The mother of three, who worked at Novartis Pharmaceutical Company, was found dead on the floor of her single room at CUMH on Monday morning. Her newborn son Darragh was found underneath his mother. He passed away at the hospital on Tuesday evening despite the best efforts of staff to save him. It is believed that Marie suffered some sort of medical incident on Monday morning whilst breastfeeding Darragh. She fell from the bed and the baby went underneath her. Fr Eamonn Kelleher, parish priest of Kildorrery, said that it was "an awful tragedy" for the parish and in particular for the people of Knockanevin where Ms Downey lived with her husband and family. "They are a very close community and take great care of each other...Everyone feels the Downey tragedy... They are gathering here every morning to pray for the Downeys and to pray for Marie and the little boy Darragh." They are being surrounded by support, but at the same time the whole community feels helpless. He said that it was his hope that the Downeys would have the strength to get through this unimaginable tragedy. "The community here will give them all the support," he said. "(Marie's) husband Kieran is from Knockanevin. Kieran's sister works in the local national school and Kieran and Marie's eldest boy is in that school too. It's a very close-knit community and there is immense respect for the Downeys. "I know the people there will, with great sensitivity, do everything they can." Fr Kelleher spoke of the loneliness of grief. He stated that unfortunately, grief is a burden one largely carries alone. "But they are in the prayers of all here and I know that there is very practical support too from the local community out in Knockanevin," he said. "The thing about grief is that there is so little you can do really. We are alone with it...There is terrible sadness that that cross is on the shoulders of Kieran and the Downey family. "People have a true Christian spirit and there is deep human affection. And that would be constant even when time goes by." Novartis Pharmaceutical in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork have issued a statement in relation to the death of their employee Marie, saying: "Marie Downey was a valued member of our team here at Novartis Ringaskiddy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marie's family and friends during this very difficult time. Marie will be fondly remembered here at Novartis Ringaskiddy." Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the death of mother and child. In a statement, South/South West Hospital Group offered their deepest condolences at their tragic loss. They said that "a full medical investigation was immediately initiated". Marie had been checked on by medical staff at 7am and she was doing well. However, when doctors returned an hour later they found mother and baby on the floor. They attempted to revive her but she was pronounced dead. Baby Darragh was in a critical condition and subsequently died on Tuesday evening. The death is being treated as a "tragic occurrence". Funeral arrangements will be made in the coming days and it is expected the pair will be laid to rest in their native parish. Marie Downey suffered from epilepsy. One of the lines of inquiry being explored is that she may have suffered a seizure whilst breast-feeding Darragh in her bed at the hospital. A post mortem was carried out on the late mother of three at CUH on yesterday. A post mortem will be carried out on baby Darragh tomorrow at the hospital. The death has caused widespread sadness and shock amongst the nursing and midwifery staff onsite. Marie is survived by her husband Kieran, her sons James and Sean and her parents Jim and Helen. Marie was formerly of Ballyagran, Co Limerick and it is understood she studied in Limerick before moving to Knockanevin, Sraharla, Co Cork. Newborn who was injured at Cork maternity hospital has died Earlier: The newborn baby that was injured at Cork University Maternity Hospital this week has died. On Monday, a mother was found dead on the floor of her hospital room with her newborn child underneath her. The newborn passed away shortly after 7pm last night despite efforts to stabilise his condition. A spokesperson for the South South West Hospital Group said: South South West Hospital Group wishes to confirm that a baby boy passed away at Cork University Maternity Hospital last evening. "The mother of the four day old infant died at the hospital on Monday morning. "As with all unexplained deaths a full medical investigation was immediately initiated. This investigation is currently underway at CUMH. The hospital expressed its sympathies with the family of the mother and baby saying that the priority now for the hospital is the well-being of their family. An investigation is underway into the incident which is being treated as a tragic incident. The 36-year-old mother - who has two other children - was discovered unresponsive on the floor of her hospital room on Monday morning. She was checked on early on Monday morning by staff who found no issues. However, she was later found lying on the floor with her child underneath her at around 8am. Digital Desk A consultant surgeon who claimed he was subjected to "a torrent of bullying, victimisation, intimidation and harassment" by the HSE has received undisclosed High Court damages and an unreserved apology. Professor Francis Oliver Cunninghan (71) claimed he was forced into early retirement when his work as one of the two most senior surgeons in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Co Meath, was severely curtailed under threat of suspension in 2006. He claimed this arose out of a series of reviews and investigations into his work into which he was repeatedly denied an input and where fair procedures and due process was "consistently disregarded". He claimed he was subjected to effective disciplinary procedures, in breach of his contract of employment, in most of the six reports/reviews into A&E services in Navan between 2005 and 2010. The first was the "Sector Healthcare Report" which made a number of adverse findings in relation to Prof Cunningham. He said he was given no opportunity to refute before its publication in the medical and national media and it undermined his position in Navan hospital. There followed another investigation arising out of discontent among some registrars in Navan which, after a long time, exonerated Prof Cunningham, he said. There was a further investigation of complaint into an anonymous letter which was also investigated by the Medical Council which found no prima facie case against him. Again, he said, he was not given an opportunity to respond to a report the HSE investigator issued about this. A Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) report -the Tanner/Murphy report - in 2006 of some 20 cases in Navan, which he said was not accurate or balanced, was done without him being contacted for his views. He said as a result of the RCSI report, he was given an ultimatum to either accept certain recommendations in relation to Navan or face suspension. He was told it was being done in the context of a serious risk to patient safety in Navan even though he said at no time was there any such risk as a result of his conduct. This resulted in a curtailment of his work in Navan from March 2006 and the restriction on his practice damaged his professional standing, he said. His income also suffered. A further report -the Capita Advisory Services Report- in to complaints against him also resulted in damage to him but was based on false and partial information, he said. Further restrictions on his practice followed with the closure of the unit at Navan and the cessation of all surgery under general anaesthesia. The last report -the Peyton Review- 2010 resulted in a recommendation that there were no clinical grounds for any continued suspension of non-emergency surgery in Navan. The review also said there were no negligent errors identified in relation to Prof Cunningham's practice. He said he was told he had to retrain,which at the age of 63, was not an option for him. He was forced to take early retirement with the consequent loss of face among his peers and the community, he said. He sought various orders and declarations, as well as damages, against the HSE in his High Court action initiated in 2014. Today Pat McCann SC with David Lennon BL told Mr Justice Charles Meenan the case had been settled and could be struck out with an apology read out by HSEcounsel Jerry Healy. The HSE said it unreservedly apologised to Prof Cunningham and his family for its failure to honour his rights in the context of those reports/reviews. Actions taken on foot of those reports in relation to him were withdrawn. The HSEacknowledged and regretted the suffering to Prof Cunningham, personally and professionally. It acknowledged he was a surgeon of the highest integrity and reputation and was discharging an undisclosed sum in damages and his legal costs. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has claimed Ireland will not drift into recession even if the United Kingdom crashes out of the European Union (EU). Responding to the warning from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which said 80,000 jobs would be at risk were the UK leave without a deal, Mr Varadkar said in any scenario Brexit will be bad for Ireland. He was responding during Leaders' Questions in the Dail. The ESRI report published this morning is a reminder of the very stark consequences that Brexit will have for Ireland and the Irish economy, he said. The Taoiseach said there is no such thing as a good Brexit for Ireland. It confirms again that a deal is better than no deal, and a managed no-deal situation would be better than a disorderly no-deal situation, he said. Despite the risks, Mr Varadkar said the report also shows that the economy will continue to grow. It will not be as fast as we anticipate it will grow in the event of a deal but it will continue to grow, he said. We will not go into recession, at least according to the ESRI. There will continue to be an increase in the number of jobs. There will be more jobs, just not as many extra jobs as we would have in the event of a deal. Incomes will continue to rise, just not as fast as they would rise in the event of a deal. Public finances would deteriorate, but not to the extent that we witnessed ten years ago. We would move from a small surplus into a small deficit, he said. Mr Varadkar said we should not underestimate how serious a no-deal Brexit could be for some very vulnerable sectors in our economy, especially the agri-food sector, tourism and small exporters whose only market is the UK. That is where we are most exposed and they will need the most support, should we end up in a no-deal scenario in a few weeks, he said. The Taoiseach hit out at Lisa Chambers, Fianna Fail's Brexit spokesperson who refused to rule out or at least refused to answer a question about whether Fianna Fail thinks we should be preparing for a physical border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin questioned the Taoiseach about reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron sought clarity on the Irish border issue, but the Taoiseach denied pressure was placed on Ireland. There were differences of opinion on which dates we should choose but there was no push-back at all against there being an extension and we as 27 stand behind the extensions we agreed last week, he said. Update 8.15pm Police in the North have concluded that 619 people were in the queue or car park on the night of the crush at a disco in Cookstown. Three teenagers were killed in the tragedy at the Greenvale Hotel on St Patrick's Day. The PSNI says 267 of the 619 have now been fully interviewed using trained detectives and that they will continue to interview others over the next few days. It says officers have been downloading mobile phone footage from people at the scene by using one of their cyber support vehicles in Cookstown. Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray. Photo: PA. An SDLP councillor has called for a senior detective to remove himself from an investigation into the hotel disco crush that killed three teenagers in Co Tyrone. Denise Mullen, Chair of the local Policing and Community Safety Partnership, said Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray should step aside after the owner of the hotel was arrested and then 'de-arrested' last week. Michael McElhatton, proprietor of the Greenvale Hotel, was arrested last Tuesday on suspicion of manslaughter after Morgan Barnard, 17, Lauren Bullock, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died following the crush near the entrance to the hotel in Cookstown on March 17. Connor Currie, Lauren Bullock and Morgan Barnard who lost their lives after the crush on St Patrick's Day. Mr McElhatton was further arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply but fast-track forensic analysis swiftly ruled out the possibility, police said. A PSNI statement said: "Detectives from PSNI's major investigation team investigating the deaths of three teenagers at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on Saint Patrick's Day have de-arrested a 52-year-old man, who was arrested earlier today on suspicion of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply." According to the Irish News, Ms Mullen made the call for Mr Murray to remove himself from the probe after he refused to apologise for the arrest. Ms Mullen is reported to have lodged a complaint with the Police Ombudsman yesterday about the treatment of Mr McElhatton and said Mr Murray, who is head of the PSNI's Serious Crime Branch, must now step aside. A spokesman for the ombudsman told the paper that while the issue is not something we are taking forward in terms of her complaint we are making further enquiries. At the time of publication, more than 4,700 people had signed a change.org petition appealing for people's support that 'Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray should resign'. Meanwhile, police officers who responded to the incident in Cookstown are to face investigation after it emerged they initially withdrew from the scene. The PSNI's Chief Constable George Hamilton referred the actions of the officers to the Police Ombudsman yesterday after it emerged they initially withdrew from the scene. Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said in a statement: Following their initial assessment, they made attempts to establish more detail and information about what was happening and subsequently withdrew to await further police support. The timing and nature of police actions during this period require further investigation to fully establish the facts." The Defence Forces saw a net gain of just three new members in 2017 despite an intensive recruitment campaign, the Dail has heard. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin hit out at the Government claiming there has been a "blind reliance" on "recruiting its way out of the crisis" as the Defence Forces continues to haemorrhage staff. Calling on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to address the issue of retention of Defence Forces staff, Mr Martin said: The low level of morale within the rank and file, the shabby manner in which they are treated, the gaps in middle management and the failure to retain and nurture specialist expertise within the forces all point to a failed policy of the Government and a Minister of State who, with the Government, is completely out of touch with the reality on the ground. But Mr Varadkar said more than 50 million is being invested in barracks, equipment, pensions and pay. The Taoiseach admitted that the turn-over rate of 8% is not acceptable and should be reduced to 5% to ensure healthy staffing levels are maintained. "While I acknowledge there is a problem with retention in the Defence Forces, recruitment is going well. There are record numbers in the classes being attested and graduating," said Mr Varadkar. He said there will be rolling recruitment rather than recruitment in phases as happened in the past and the Defence Forces would be allowing retired personnel to re-enter. But Mr Martin said the Government cannot simply recruit its way out of the crisis. "It must address the retention issues. Between January 1and December 31, 2017, for example, the significant recruitment drive by the Department of Defence and the associated burden on operational units and structures yielded a net increase of three personnel to the Defence Forces." He added: "Members are exiting the Defence Forces at all ranks, at a rate of between 40 and 50 per month. We learned last October that ships could not set sail because there were not enough crew members to manage them." Mr Varadkar said the public sector pay commission would expedite its report on pay, conditions and allowances and he expects to have it by mid-May. He said proposals that could improve the terms and conditions of the Defence Forces without having an impact across the public sector would be brought forward. Update: The father of a girl killed in a car crash has described Snapchat videos made just before the fatal accident as absolutely sickening. Hilary Murphy lost his 16-year-old daughter, Katie, two and a half years ago, when a car driven by Edward O'Shea, then aged 17, collided with a wall in Tramore, Co Waterford. O'Shea, now aged 19, from Magnh, Fenor, Co Waterford, received a 14-month prison sentence this week for careless driving and causing the death of Ms Murphy in a crash on October 5, 2016. Judge Eugene O'Kelly, who also disqualified O'Shea from driving for six years, said some young drivers treated the roads as some form of racetrack without any regard for their passengers or other road users. Mr Murphy said Katie, who was an extremely popular girl, was on Snapchat shortly before the crash but the videos were not shown to the jury because of the hearsay rule. Mr Murphy said the video showed Katie, saying to her friends that the car was being driven over the speed limit. Somebody in the front of the car said they were travelling at double the speed limit and laughed. Another video was from Katie's friend who said they were going to be killed in the car and the person in the front of the vehicle agreed. It is absolutely sickening, said Mr Murphy. He had not viewed the videos because they disappear after a number of hours as they are designed to do. Mr Murphy said gardai had travelled to California where they got a court order to get records from Snapchat but, unfortunately, they could not get evidence of what was said. Katie died as a result of severe head and chest injuries while two other passengers, Joseph Walsh, and Jessica Flynn suffered life-transforming injuries. Earlier, Mr Murphy, who was speaking on RTE radio, said he and his wife, Vivienne, went for a walk on the night their daughter was killed. We asked Katie would she come and she said she would but changed her mind because she wanted to finish some homework. When the couple were out O'Shea called to the house with one of Katie's friends and asked her to go to Tramore. We didn't even realise that she had left the house, said Mr Murphy. Mr Murphy said he got a call from a woman who lived about 50 yards from where the crash happened. She told him that Katie had been involved in an accident and he should go to the scene immediately. Mr Murphy said his family arrived at the scene at the same time to see Katie being taken out on a board through the back window of the car. The window had popped out with the impact and members of the fire brigade had cut off the roof of the car. I went over and had a look at Katie and pretty much realised that she was gone, said Mr Murphy. O'Shea was driving a high-powered, modified Toyota coupe registered in the name of his family's garage business Edward O'Shea's that was capable reaching speeds of over 240 km/h O'Shea had a provisional licence since the previous May but there was no qualified driver in the car with him. Mr Murphy has started a campaign called Odd Socks for Katie to encourage young people to tell dangerous drivers to stop and get out of the car. Having their parents come out and collect them was much better than having them arrive home in a hearse, he added. Earlier: Father of 16-year-old girl killed in road accident says life is 'unrecognisable' By Vivienne Clarke The father of a 16-year-old girl who was killed in a road accident has criticised the length of time it takes for such cases to come to court. Hilary Murphy told Newstalk Breakfast of the anguish and hardship his family had gone through in the two and a half years since his daughter Katie died in an accident when a car driven by Edward OShea, 19, was involved in an accident. On Tuesday, Edward OShea from Magnh, Fenor, Co Waterford, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for careless driving causing the death of Ms Murphy in a crash in October 2016. OShea pleaded guilty at Waterford Circuit Court in January to careless driving causing the death of Ms Murphy, who was from Ballinamona in Waterford, and careless driving causing serious harm to friends Joseph Walsh and Jessica Flynn. Family of the late Katie Murphy outside Waterford courthouse after Edward OShea was sentenced to 14 months in prison: Scott (Katies brother), Vivienne (mother) and Hilary (father) The pleas were not accepted by the State and he went on trial at the circuit court earlier this year on charges of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing serious harm, but was convicted by a jury of the careless driving causing death and serious harm charges. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison, concurrent, on each of the careless driving charges, by Judge OKelly on Tuesday and also banned from driving for six years. The judge also fined him 800 for driving on a learner permit without being accompanied by a qualified driver. We waited two and a half years to get to court. These cases should be dealt with as quickly as possible. In the judicial system everything moves at the pace they determine. Mr Murphy told of how his life is unrecognisable. Every morning I wake up and the first thing that comes to mind is that Katie is gone. He admitted that relationships within the family have suffered since Katies death and that he is relying on medication. The court case brought everything back so vividly. All the evidence in court, it was just horrible, absolutely horrible. When asked about the introduction of speed limiters in cars, Mr Murphy said that he thought they were a good idea. His advice to young drivers is behave yourself. Fianna Fail has urged the EU to "put its money where its mouth is" and reveal exactly how much emergency funding it will give to farmers at risk of being destroyed by a no-deal Brexit. The opposition party's agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue demanded the clarity before Wednesday night's House of Commons votes on all different Brexit options. Speaking to reporters just hours after Agriculture Minister Michael Creed announced further details on the Government's farmers Brexit loan scheme, Mr McConalogue said the help does not go far enough. Noting the fact the Government offer is a "loan" that will have to be repaid and not a grant, he said the onus is now on the EU to provide long-promised further funding "It definitely is," Mr McConalogue warned when asked if it is time for Brussels to put its money where its mouth is on the issue. There's two issues, there's the pressure the beef sector is under over the last number of months where farmers are losing money, and we need the EU to provide the assistance needed to make sure the beef farmers don't go under. "Following on from that, the introduction potentially of tariffs and a hard Brexit is also there, and we need more clarity from the Government and the European Commission on what supports are going to be in place, and the level of those supports, because farming and agriculture is operating in a vacuum at the moment. "Nobody would have thought that coming this close to D-day that we still wouldn't have any clarity from the Government on the supports available. "And it's simply unacceptable being told 'don't worry, it'll be alright on the night' when they need to know in advance how they can prepare and what supports will be available to them," the Fianna Fail agriculture spokesperson warned. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker have repeatedly said the EU will provide vital emergency funding to farmers if there is a no deal Brexit. However, despite multiple meetings at the highest levels of the Irish Government and the European Commission on the subject, and the in-depth involvement of EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan, no exact figure or funding details have been made public to date. Asked about the issue by reporters on Wednesday alongside Cork South West TD Margaret Murphy O'Mahony and Bobby Alyward, Fianna Fail TD Jackie Cahill said the reality is "farmers are struggling out there, some farmers are taking the decision to close the gate for the last time". A forensic anthropologist has told the Patrick Quirke murder trial that he identified human and animal bones and an animal's tooth found in the tank alongside Bobby Ryan's body. Dr Rene Gapert also told the court he was "doubtful" that a fracture of Mr Ryan's femur could have been caused by pieces of concrete falling onto it when gardai removed a slab covering the top of the tank. Dr Gapert was giving evidence in the trial of Patrick Quirke, 50, of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of part-time DJ Bobby Ryan. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013. The prosecution claims Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry (52). Dr Gapert told prosecution counsel Michael Bowman SC that he was asked in January this year to examine bones, nails and a tooth retrieved from the tank by gardai to establish if they were human or non-human remains. Patrick Quirke He was presented with two cylinders containing the fragments. Inside the first there were 49 bones, a tooth and one toe or finger nail that possibly belonged to a human. Of the 49 bones only one was human. The tooth was non-human. The human bone was the middle bone of a finger and most likely belonged to an adult. He couldn't identify the gender or age. The nail could have come from a finger or toe. The second cylinder contained 19 bones, eight of which were human and three possibly human finger or toe nails. The human bones consisted of different parts of the left and right hands. He identified bones from the tips of the thumbs, middle part of the hand and the tip of a toe, possibly from the left foot. In his overview and summary he said the bones were most likely from a single adult of undetermined age, gender or height. He saw no evidence of physical trauma and on examining what tissue was present he found that the person had died at least a year before the remains were found in the tank and possibly more than two years before. Under cross examination Dr Gapert told defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC that he was not requested to attend the scene in 2013 when Mr Ryan's body was found. He said he would have attended had he been requested and has attended scenes in the past. He previously helped identify victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, bodies found in Berlin dating back to World War II and at a house fire in Derrylin, Fermanagh in February 2018 that claimed the lives of four people. He said it is normal for forensic anthropologists, pathologists and police to work together to form a plan when recovering bodies. He agreed with Mr Staines that in the case of Bobby Ryan, where his body was found in a tank, he could see no reason why there would be time pressure on investigators to remove the body. Looking at a photograph of a fracture identified to Mr Ryan's femur - the upper bone in the leg, he said he was "doubtful" as to whether that could have been caused by pieces of concrete falling onto it when gardai used a digger to remove a concrete slab covering the top of the tank. He said the femur is the strongest bone in the body and without examining the debris that fell onto the body he could not say for certain if the pieces he saw were capable of causing the fracture. The trial continues in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women. The Government's plan to introduce directly elected mayors has been likened to the corrupt Mayor Joe Quimby in the popular cartoon series 'The Simpsons' in the Dail. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar faced questions from opposition TDs yesterday in the wake of an Read More: Shane Cassells, Fianna Fail TD for Westmeath hit out at the failure of the Government to hold an adequate information campaign to explain to the public what is involved. We are eight weeks away from polling day. If there is not at the very least a very basic understanding of the proposals, they are destined to fail, which would be disastrous for local democracy. Let us not give the people a Mayor Quimby solution; let us give them the first step to real reform, he blasted. Referencing the Irish Examiner report, he said: This week we have had reporting of Cabinet Ministers saying the proposal could lead to an over-concentration of control. There is currently an overconcentration of control; it has existed for 121 years in the Custom House. Even more concerning are the observations of the Attorney General, Mr. Seamus Woulfe, about the transfer of powers from the executive to the elected members and raising the flag about a loss of expertise, which, if reported correctly, are extremely worrying from the point of view of the suppression of the advancement of local democracy. We all know there is no loss of expertise or jobs; it is all about who is accountable to the public on policy, he said. He also observed that the plebiscite should be sent for further legal advice and indeed further policy consideration. Does the Taoiseach share the Attorney General's views in respect of directly elected mayors? What is the timeframe - if they are being sent out for further consideration - for the start of the information campaign the Taoiseach mentioned yesterday? Mr Cassells added. In response, Mr Varadkar the Government will not use any public money on advocating a "Yes" vote, but there will be an information campaign funded publicly. I might just explain the proposal in the simplest way possible. This is a real job. This will be a lord mayor for Cork and mayors for Waterford city and county, and Limerick city and county, if they want it, he said. We will see a transfer of power from the chief executive, formerly known as the county or city manager, to a directly elected mayor. It will be similar to the relationship that exists today in Departments between Ministers and their Secretaries-General. The mayor will propose the budget and the development plan. This is a real job with real clout for somebody who can lead their city regions forward. The powers to stay with the CEO are those that are most appropriately not dealt with by a politician: individual planning decisions, individual housing applications and human resources matters, he added. Mr Cassells asked what is the timeframe for the information campaign and Mr Varadkar responded by saying: I think it is next week or the following week. The Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, is doing it. Update: 2.15pm: HPV vaccine campaigner Laura Brennan has been remembered as "a selfless giver" who loved "the excitement of life" at a mass in celebration of her life in Co Clare today. The mass for the 26-year-old in Ennis Cathedral was led by Father Pat Malone who paid tribute to her tireless campaigning for the vaccine and the kindness she exuded in all aspects of her life. In his homily, Father Malone described the things Laura enjoyed doing:" We need to remember that Laura loved life, the excitement of life, the parties, the holidays, the concerts, the weekends away, time for personal pampering and of course high quality beauty products," he said. Laura was described as "a gift from God" to her friends, those she reached in advocating for the HPV vaccine and those who benefitted from her kindness. "Her personal goodness was evident all through her life and it was not unknown for her to reach out to a homeless person on the street, stopping to talk and check if it was tea or coffee that would satisfy the immediate need," Father Malone said. So the courage, the awareness of the needs of others and the willingness to get involved in doing good which enabled her to engage as an advocate for the HPV vaccine was in action all her life. Father Malone said "so many people in our country, and those in the health services, owe a huge debt of gratitude" to Laura for "so passionately [promoting] the call for womens healthcare in our country and indeed abroad". He described the "passion", "courage" and "bravery" she displayed when facing the challenges and adversity of her illness. She "threw herself into promoting the HPV vaccine" and "with courage and dignity she accepted what she could not change and focused on trying to prevent the same fate visiting other young women and men". "We see her great desire to help prevent what is preventable and in that task she was a selfless giver who spent her energy to the last so that others may be spared the ill health that she experienced," he said. "In this manner of selfless giving she demonstrated the greatest Christian value of all, that we do onto others and wish for others as we would for ourselves. Laura Brennan is testimony to a great truth that one person can make a difference. Father Malone praised Laura's family for the strength and care they showed throughout her two-year illness and for raising her to be kind. He said it is clear that Laura would ask those in attendance to be advocates of the vaccine and to encourage those eligible for it to receive it. "May her good work continue to bear fruit and may her gentle soul rest in peace." Update 1pm: HPV vaccine campaigner Laura Brennan was laid to rest earlier today. A mass of remembrance and celebration of her life is to take place in Ennis Cathedral shortly. Laura died last Wednesday after a battle with cervical cancer. The 26-year-old campaigned for the HPV vaccine since her diagnosis. Both the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and President Michael D Higgins will be represented by their Aide de Camp at the service. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar interrupted Dail business this afternoon to pay tribute to her. "As you know she died from cervical cancer but worked very closely with the health service to become a really powerful advocate for HPV vaccination," said Mr Varadkar. "Because of her we were able to increase the uptake again of HPV vaccination. "While sadly she has lost her life, I believe her actions will save the life of many people." We are all deeply saddened to learn of Laura Brennans death, and we send our deepest condolences to her family and friends. #ThankYouLaura for all you have done. https://t.co/iFpiQh7W6p pic.twitter.com/W8Rxd2aocv HSE Ireland (@HSELive) March 20, 2019 HPV vaccine campaigner Laura Brennan to be laid to rest Earlier: The funeral of HPV vaccine campaigner Laura Brennan will take place later today in Co Clare. The 26-year-old passed away in hospital last Wednesday after a battle with cervical cancer. Laura Brennan was diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 2B in December 2016. Since then she vigorously campaigned for the HPV vaccine. In a recent HSE video, Laura explained that it protected against HPV 16, which she was diagnosed with. Earlier this month, new figures showed a 20% increase in the HPV vaccine uptake in just over two years. Upon her passing last week, President Michael D Higgins and Health Minister Simon Harris were among those to pay tribute to Laura for her work in raising awareness of the vaccine. Her funeral service will take place later today in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Ennis, Co Clare at 1pm where large numbers are expected to attend and pay their respects. By Sonya McLean A man previously jailed for knocking down and killing two French tourists has been sentenced to three and half years in prison for driving at a garda while trying to escape arrest for burglary. John Cash (37) was jailed for eight years in 2008 after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of friends Martine Talon (54) and Martine Liotard (53) on the Kylemore Road in Dublin on May 16, 2007. The court heard during that sentence hearing, before the late Judge Katherine Delahunt, that Cash had drunk 14 cans of cider, a bottle of whiskey and taken Prozac tablets before driving the car. He had been banned for driving for 20 years the previous year after he was convicted of dangerous driving. Cash of North Circular Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at Aldi, Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown Lower and dangerous driving on December 3, 2017. He has 30 additional previous convictions which were all dealt with in the District Court and he was disqualified from driving at the time. Garda Barry O'Shea told Eoghan Cole BL, prosecuting, that he was alerted to the fact that a burglary was in progress at Aldi when he saw Cash outside the premises. Cash ran towards his own car when he spotted the patrol car. Gda O'Shea approached him and drew his baton. Cash revved the engine of his vehicle and the garda smashed the windscreen with the baton. Cash then drove the car directly at Gda O'Shea causing him to jump out of the way to avoid getting injured. He then drove into Gda O'Shea's patrol car, moving the vehicle out of his way, to facilitate his getaway. Judge Martin Nolan described it as a callous act. He said had Cash just burgled the premises and not driven at the garda he would have given a substantially less sentence. In his attempt to escape he put a garda in danger, Judge Nolan said before he commented that Cash had behaved in this way despite the fact that he had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of two people. He acknowledged that Cash co-operated with the garda investigation, made admissions and was remorseful for his behaviour. Judge Nolan accepted that Cash had a difficult mental history and addictions to both drugs and alcohol. He disqualified Cash from driving for four years and sentenced him to three and half years in prison. Gda O'Shea said a colleague later arrested Cash, following a brief chase, after the burglar lost control of his own vehicle while attempting to turn into nearby Palmerstown village. Cash said in interview that he had little recollection of the burglary but accepted he was at the premises and that he had driven his car in that manner. He said his role was to keep watch outside the premises and Gda O'Shea confirmed that CCTV footage from the store showed this was the case. He said Cash and an accomplice, who has never been caught, used a car jack and a hammer to smash a window in the shop before the other man entered the premises. David Staunton BL, defending said his client acknowledged that he was wrong and was very regretful. He said he had been out of prison since 2014 and submitted to the judge that he was not a person beyond reform. He is acutely aware of his behaviour and wishes to amend his ways, counsel submitted. Chaos descended in the House of Commons as MPs rejected all eight possible solutions to avoid a no deal Brexit. MPs did pass secondary legislation to delay the date of Brexit by a 336 majority, but all eight indicative vote options were defeated. The delay vote was carried by 441 yes votes to 105 no votes in the House of Commons and as a result, the UK is now on course to leave the EU on May 22 if MPs approve Mrs May's Brexit deal this week. If it is not approved, it is likely that they will leave without a deal on April 12. The Irish Government will deal with the British prime minister whoever they are, Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said. He said: The relationship is much bigger than personalities. He was speaking after British Prime Minister Theresa May offered to bring forward her resignation in order to get the Withdrawal Agreement passed through the House of Commons. Despite her bombshell offer and signs that hard Brexiteers were wavering, the DUP delivered a hammer blow after it said it will not support the Government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured. DUP leader Arlene Foster said the Brexit deal would endanger the union of the United Kingdom as she made clear her party could still not support Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement. What we cant agree to is something that threatens the union, that has a strategic risk to the union. For us in the DUP, the union will always come first and that has been the issue right from the beginning of all of this, she said. At a meeting of Tory MPs in Westminster, Mrs May made it clear she was willing to resign. I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach - and new leadership - in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations - and I wont stand in the way of that, she said. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party, Mrs May added. Mr Coveney said: Obviously this is about protecting Irish interests and Irish people throughout the Brexit process. I think what were experiencing tonight is an extraordinary new departure for parliamentary democracy in Britain, theres never really been anything like this before, he said. Broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan's application for an order directing Facebook to provide her with information identifying those who have placed allegedly defamatory adverts on the social media platform has been adjourned. Ms O'Callaghan claims she has been defamed and intends to seek damages, over a series of false and malicious adverts containing her image and name on Facebook and Instagram in May 2018. The Court heard she intends to bring proceedings against both Facebook, which owns Instagram, and the persons behind the adverts. Her lawyers don't know who is behind the adverts. As a result, she seeks a court order against Facebook Ireland Ltd requiring it to provide her and her legal team with information it allegedly has about those who paid for the adverts to be placed on the social media platforms. The matter was briefly mentioned before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds today. Paul O'Higgins SC for Ms O'Callaghan said there had been talks between the parties in regards to the motion, and there had been what counsel said was "a certain offer". While counsel said he hoped the matter ultimately would not trouble the court, the sides had yet to reach an agreement in regards to the motion. Counsel asked that the application for the motion be listed for hearing before Easter. In reply, Maurice Collins SC for Facebook Ireland said his side required time to prepare a sworn statement in response to Ms O'Callaghan's motion. Counsel said he was taking instructions in this case from the United States and the case had raised "very significant issues on a broad basis from my clients perspective". Ms Justice Reynolds, after making certain directions in the case, adjourned the matter to a date in April. Previously the High Court heard that the adverts at the centre of the action contain various misleading and defamatory headlines wrongly suggesting that Ms O'Callaghan has left her job with RTE's Prime Time. Ms O'Callaghan says she has "nothing to do" with the adverts, which are linked to offers for skin care products. She is most distressed at being associated against her will with what has been described as "a scam product," the court heard. She claims the adverts have exploited the trust placed in her by the Irish public and have damaged her good name and reputation. The paid for adverts, known as "targeted advertisements" appear on the newsfeeds if social media users and are designed to encourage the user to click on the adverts. Those who click on the adverts are offered various skin care products, which she says are falsely stated to be owned or endorsed by Ms O'Callaghan. The pages also wrongly state that she has left her position in RTE to focus on the promotion of the skincare range, it is alleged. It is also claimed that users who avail of an offer of free trials of the skin care products have reported that had money debited from their bank accounts which they did not authorise. Ms O'Callaghan intends to seek a permanent injunction restraining the publication of the adverts, as well as damages for malicious falsehood, unlawful appropriation of personality, various breaches of her constitutional rights and defamation. The Junior Sports Minister insists people are entitled to protest whatever way they choose and you cannot stop people smuggling tennis balls into stadiums. Brendan Griffin was responding to last night's demonstration at the Ireland match at the Aviva Stadium where fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch. The organisation which represents 1,300 social workers has told the Oireachtas its members often enter where others fear to tread - but the delayed release of inspection reports "rains further blows on perhaps already demoralised staff". The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) also told an Oireachtas committee on children and youth affairs that its members needed to be "acknowledged by society rather than being constantly blamed". The IASW was addressing the committee on the recruitment and retention of social workers which has been a persistent issue in recent years and acknowledged by the Child and Family Agency as a serious challenge. Aine McGuirk, IASW chair, said social workers operated in a high-risk environment "where there are no perfect solutions, and where their efforts are rarely recognised or acknowledged". "The work of Tusla is affected by shortages of staff, lack of experienced staff, complex and demanding caseloads, ever-increasing regulation, and greater public scrutiny," she said, and believed negative feedback, increased workload and lowering of morale sometimes discourage students from such a career path. Outlining the professional difficulties faced by members, she said: "Some communities have become very hostile places with higher risks associated with home visiting. "Violence as a solution has become more commonplace, and guns and other weaponry the tools of the drug dealer. Tusla Social workers deal with families in all these environments including areas that other services sometimes refuse to enter." Ms McGurk noted the ISAW saw "no evidence of a national recruitment campaign". As for inspections by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), she said: "The regulator is not present during actual social worker-client interactions and therefore they can only evaluate the written evidence of those pieces of practice. The release of reports into the public domain many months later when staff have worked hard to address concerns raised causes renewed attention from media and rains further blows on perhaps already demoralised staff. The Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA) also addressed the committee and said the shortfall of social workers was "acute" in some areas. It said possible solutions could include Tusla developing social work/allied health professionals in a combined role, a mentoring programme and part-time study options. The IASW put forward a string of recommendations, including increasing the number of places in all colleges offering courses, the streamlining of recruitment processes, temporary contracts directly with Tusla, better caseload management and better incentives, such as additional payment for those that stay in the sector. A Dublin takeaway owner has been accused of torching his sister and nieces cars during an arson attack and wielding a meat cleaver at a toddler. Phuong Nguyen, 40, with an address at Templeview Row, Clarehall, Dublin allegedly caused more than 50,000 worth of damage during the incident on Monday. He was refused bail when he appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Dublin District Court today. She acceded a request from defence solicitor Michael French to request medical treatment including a psychiatric assessment of Mr Nguyen. The solicitor said there could be a fitness to plead issue in relation to Vietnamese-born Nguyen who moved to Ireland with his family in 1979. His client was charged with arson of his niece Hanh Dangs two-year-old Ford Focus worth 22,000 and a 182-reg Nissan Qashqui belonging to his sister Bich Nguyen. Both vehicles were destroyed in the incident at Templeview Green, in Clarehall. He was further charged with criminal damage to a window of the Ford car, threats to kill Ms Dang and possessing a meat cleaver as a weapon in the course of a fight Detective Garda Niall Gibbs told the court the accused man replied, I say bullshit to that to one charge and had no reply to the other three. Opposing bail due to the seriousness of the case, he said gardai received a 999 call and found the accused on a grass area at 300 yards away from the scene. His sister allegedly made a statement that he was responsible for the damage. His niece Hanh Dang, the owner of the Ford Focus told gardai she was sitting in her car when the defendant approached and smashed the rear window in on top of her. She managed to escape but described the accused running at her with a really thick knife, like the knife they use in a butcher and shouting Im going to kill youse, Im fucking going to kill youse. The court heard Ms Dang described her uncle Phuong Nguyen as roaring and crazy. Her husband also described how he swung the cleaver at his wife and their two-year-old daughter before they got in the door of their house. Detective Garda Gibbs said it was likely the case would be sent to the Circuit Court with possible sentences of between 10 years and life. He said there was footage of the incident filmed on phones. He submitted that the man was a threat to witnesses and a possible flight risk. Mr French told the court his client had indicated he would be pleading not guilty. Detective Garda Gibs agreed that could mean Mr Nguyen could have to wait until 2022 before his trial starts. Pleading for bail, the solicitor said his client came to Ireland in 1979 with his family following the war in Vietnam. He had run a takeaway in his locality and would abide by bail conditions including an order not to contact witnesses directly or indirectly, Mr French said. Judge Carthy said the defendant had the presumption of innocence. However, she refused bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on April 3 next. Mr Nguyen spoke briefly during the bail hearing mention a DVD recording of his interview with gardai and once more at the end saying Bye bro to a relative in the public gallery. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has denied his Government is deliberately hiding its real no deal Brexit border plans, claiming the allegation is a "conspiracy theory". Mr Varadkar was forced to reject the allegation just days after EU leaders specifically discussed the need for a no deal border plan and as opposition parties warned "nothing is being clarified" on the issue. Armed gardai found four bags of explosives in the boot of a car and 18 detonators under the front passenger seat when they stopped the vehicle on the Naas Road, the Special Criminal Court has heard. The driver and owner of the car told gardai in his interviews that he knew nothing about the 150kg of explosives which were found in it, the three-judge court also heard. John Brock (46), with an address at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24 and John Roche (55), of Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8, have pleaded not guilty to possession of 57kg of homemade explosives, consisting of ammonium nitrate fuel mix, and thirty-eight 2.5kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives at Naas Road, Dublin 12, on April 13, 2016. Detective Sergeant Peter Whelan, attached to the Special Detective Unit (SDU), told prosecuting counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC that he had received information that members of the IRA may be in possession of explosives on the evening in question. As a result, he and his colleague Detective Garda William Skelly stopped a black Skoda Fabia car at a junction on the Naas Road at 7pm, the court heard. Det Sgt Whelan said he approached the front passenger door of the car and asked Mr Brock to get out of the vehicle before handcuffing him. The witness said he could see between 15 and 20 detonators sticking out from underneath the front passenger seat of the car. Four heavy duty plastic bags were in the boot of the car, he said, adding that two of them contained a powder mix which looked like homemade explosives. Det Gda William Skelly testified that he had his official firearm drawn when he opened the front door of the Skoda car and asked Mr Roche to get out and lie face down on the ground. Mr Roche was handcuffed and the car was searched, he said, adding that both men were arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. Detective Garda Deirdre Ryan, of the SDU, told prosecution counsel John Byrne BL that she was aware a search of the Skoda car had been conducted and a quantity of homemade and commercial explosives as well as detonators had been recovered from it. The witness said that after Mr Roche's arrest she interviewed him six times at Ballyfermot Garda Station. The court heard that gardai invoked Sections 18, 19 and 19(a) of the Criminal Justice Act in subsequent interviews and told the accused man that a court may draw inferences from his failure or refusal to account for certain matters. Det Gda Ryan asked Mr Roche to account for the presence of 18 expended detonators, 57kg of homemade explosives and thirty-eight 2.5kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives in his car, which he was driving on April 13. I know nothing about them, replied Mr Roche. Det Gda Ryan put it to the accused man that the explosives were found in his Skoda car. It's my car, I know nothing about them, he replied. The detective asked Mr Roche to account for his presence at Behans Quarry on Windmillhill in Rathcoole, Co Dublin at 6.59pm on April 13. Mr Roche said he was not there. Det Gda Ryan said that Mr Roche spoke to his solicitor before the provisions of Section 19a were invoked. When he returned from his consultation Mr Roche said he was not a member of the IRA and knew nothing about the items found in the car. He also declined to sign the memorandum of interview. The trial continues tomorrow in front of Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan. More than a million people are struggling to rebuild their lives in flood-affected parts of Mozambique, many of whom are in urgent need of assistance for the basics to survive. The response to the disaster caused by heavy flooding and Cyclone Idai will be simply enormous in scale as it wreaked havoc to the port city of Beira, home to some 500,000 people. Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) emergency teams have started medical response activities, and the humanitarian emergency medical organisation is scaling up with its emergency response systems fully activated. High winds and high waters have so far killed at least 447 people according to the Government and damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings - homes, schools, health centres and hospitals - across the area. Many families are left homeless and most communities are without reliable access to clean water or electricity. The cyclone has left a path of devastation with thousands of houses destroyed, which has left the community vulnerable and exposed to the elements, said Gert Verdonck, MSFs Emergency Coordinator in Beira. The supply chain has been broken, creating food, clean water and healthcare shortages. These levels of extreme damage will likely lead to a dramatic increase of waterborne diseases, skin infections, respiratory tract infections and malaria in the coming days and weeks. "Furthermore, the local health system with all its regular services, such as HIV treatment and maternal healthcare, has also been disrupted. The cyclone substantially damaged the citys water supply system, resulting in many people having no access to clean drinking water," Gert Verdonck added. "This means that they have no option but to drink from contaminated wells, some people even resorting to drinking the stagnant water by the side of the road. This of course results in an increase of patients suffering from diarrhoea. The MSF supported health centres have seen hundreds of patients with acute watery diarrhoea in the past few days." Beyond the first batch of emergency supplies, MSF has so far sent four chartered cargo flights with emergency essentials for the response from Belgium to Beira. At least three more chartered cargo flights are scheduled for this week, departing from Belgium, Dubai and France, and continued massive aerial freight supply mobilisation will continue in the following weeks. Given the results of several health assessments conducted in the last few days, during which MSF teams also assess the water and sanitation situation, the geographic scope of the response will expand beyond Beira town to several of the most-affected areas inland and to the south of Beira, in Manica and Sofala Provinces, including the hard-hit towns of Buzi and Dondo. Update: It has been confirmed that there are outbreaks of cholera in the Mozambique city of Beira. Given the sheer amount of water that passed through Beira during Cyclone Idai and the volume of damage caused, its not surprising that there are outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera in the city," Gert Verdonck, MSF Emergency Coordinator in Beira said. "MSF is already supporting the Ministry of Health to care for patients suspected of suffering from cholera in three health centres of Beira and has so far been treating more than 200 patients a day. In the coming days, we will work alongside the Ministry of Health to scale up as much as possible and provide support to more cholera treatment units as well as work to rehabilitate a larger cholera treatment centre. "We are also in discussion with the health ministry about supporting a large cholera vaccination campaign in the area." Medecins Sans Frontieres emergency teams are helping people affected by Cyclone Idai and flooding in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. To support MSFs emergency appeal, please visit msf.ie/cyclone Bayer AG lost a second trial over claims its Roundup weed killer causes cancer, increasing pressure on the company to spend billions of dollars to settle thousands of similar lawsuits. Edwin Hardeman, centre, and his wife Mary, left, hug attorneys Jennifer Moore, second from left, and Aimee Wagstaff Credit:AP A jury in San Francisco federal court awarded 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman from California a total of $80.3 million in damages. Mr Hardeman became ill after spraying the herbicide on his property for decades. The total is comprised of compensatory damages of $US5.3 million and punitive damages of $US75 million. The verdict follows a similar decision by a state court jury last year, and comes as a third trial over Roundup is under way in Oakland, California. "You can't keep trying case after case after case and keep losing and say, 'We're not going to settle," said Thomas G. Rohback, a trial lawyer at Axinn in New York. If Bayer continues to lose at trial, it "has to put the possibility of a settlement of these cases into the mix." When ugly concrete bollards started springing up across Melbourne in the wake of the 2017 Bourke Street attack, Nina Sanadzes first reaction was to make them prettier. Like so many Melburnians, she plastered them with colourful fabric to tone down their hardness - and in doing so gave the terrorists the middle finger. But I realised what I was doing was just prettifying them and making it kind of acceptable, the St Kilda artist said. Nina Sanadze juxtaposes a symbol of carefree Australia, the beach, with the contemporary manifestations of fear, bollards. Credit:Justin McManus These bollards [have] created a tension within the community in a visual way. One of two men accused of plotting to plant a bomb on a plane at Sydney Airport told police he walked into the airport with the bomb concealed inside a meat mincer, then saw children and thought: "Don't do it. Don't be stupid, don't do it." Khaled Mahmoud Khayat, 51, and his brother Mahmoud Khayat, 34, are on trial in the NSW Supreme Court after both pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiring to do an act in preparation/planning for a terrorist act. Accused: Khaled Khayat. They are accused of plotting to plant the bomb on an Etihad flight and separately to disperse lethal gas, in preparations that allegedly spanned the period from January 20, 2017, until their arrest on July 29, 2017. On Wednesday, a jury was played part of Khaled Khayat's lengthy police interview, in which he is asked thousands of questions at Burwood police station over the course of three days. Brisbane's LNP councillors don't believe it is possible for a mayoral candidate to run an election campaign on less than $200,000. They voted to remove any mention of mayoral election spending caps in a motion to endorse the Local Government Association of Queensland's "Hands off my Council" campaign on Tuesday. Election campaign spending caps were on the Brisbane City Council agenda on Tuesday. Credit:File The state government is proposing multiple reforms to local government legislation including changes to election campaigning laws and introducing compulsory preferential voting. In the council meeting, LNP councillor Krista Adams (Holland Park) moved the council endorse a list of the Local Government Association of Queensland's positions against the state government's proposed reforms. A father on the pick-up run who hit six children in the car park of a Queensland school on Wednesday is believed to have "touched the wrong pedal" while reversing. In addition to hitting six schoolchildren, seriously injuring three, the 42-year-old hit two other cars and a wall when he "accidentally accelerated", according to police. The scene at the Caboolture school was described as "chaos" by emergency services. Credit:Nine News Emergency services were called to the Australian Christian College on Cottrill Road in Caboolture about 3.10pm, just as school had finished for the day. "It was panic stations upon arrival, there was a lot of distressed students, a lot of distressed parents, no one knew what was going on, it was basically chaos," police officer Greg Price told Nine News. A motorcyclist has been rushed to hospital after being run over and dragged several metres by a truck in South Brisbane on Wednesday morning. A bang followed by the rider's screams were heard by people in a nearby office building just before 8.30am, at the intersection of Merivale and Peel streets. Witnesses said they saw the man caught under the truck and his face covered with blood. A motorcyclist is in a critical condition after a collision with a truck in South Bank on Wednesday morning. Credit:Joey Cooney/Brisbane Times Paramedics treated the man, aged in his 30s, for multiple injuries including to his abdomen and pelvis. One witness, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the flat-bed truck carrying construction equipment was turning left from Peel Street onto Merivale Street when the collision happened. Former gangland lawyer Nicola Gobbo became an informer when she set up her boyfriend in a failed undercover sting, the royal commission into Victoria Polices management of informers was told on Wednesday. The first day of the public inquiry heard Ms Gobbo first began talking to police when she was a law student in the 1990s, dobbing in her boyfriend then setting him up with an undercover operative who took a sample of drugs from him. Informer 3838 can now be identified as Nicola Gobbo. The sting was halted before it began after retired assistant commissioner Jack Blayney then a senior sergeant pulled the pin, describing Ms Gobbo as a loose cannon who was making her own arrangements and not liaising with investigators, the royal commission heard. Chris Winneke, QC, counsel assisting the commissioner, said Ms Gobbos first contact with police was in September 1993 when she was a law student at Melbourne University. Melbourne is adding 327 people a day as it draws residents from around the globe and around the state with new figures revealing the city's population swelling and on track to overtake Sydney within a decade. Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed the Greater Melbourne area added 119,421 residents through 2017-18, taking the city's total population to a record 5 million. It's the fourth successive year in which Melbourne has added more than 100,000 residents although last year's result was slightly down on the 125,424 who swelled the city in 2016-17. Melbourne reached 4.5 million residents in mid-2016 and has now added more than 460,000 people in three years. Over the same period, Sydney added 300,000 residents. Based on current growth rates, Melbourne will overtake Sydney as the nation's most populous city in 2026. The last time Melbourne was larger than Sydney was early last century. The last lower house seat in doubt from Saturday's NSW state election, East Hills, has gone to Liberal candidate Wendy Lindsay. Ms Lindsay had a winning lead of about 630 votes over the Labor candidate, barrister Cameron Murphy, on Wednesday afternoon. Winning smile: Wendy Lindsay has claimed victory in East Hills, taking the Coalition's tally to 48. Credit:Dean Sewell East Hills, in Sydney's south-west, was one of the most marginal electorates in NSW heading into the election and the Liberals are now projected to retain the seat by a narrow margin. Her victory lifts the Berejiklian government's seat count in the lower house of the NSW Parliament to 48, a majority of two. Labor won 36 seats, the Greens and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers each have three seats and there are three independents. Queensland asylum seekers will get help finding work and accessing public transport through a $3.5 million pledge. Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said $3.5 million in funding over two years would be provided to Communify Queensland a community support organisation offering multicultural programs and asylum seeker aid among other services through the state government's asylum seeker and refugee assistance program. Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has announced $3.5 million in funding for an organisation to support asylum seekers in Queensland. Credit:AAP Image/ Dave Hunt Support for asylum seekers and temporary protection visa holders would include emergency relief, such as Translink Go Cards or phone credit, case management and employment support services. Mr Hinchliffe said Queensland had a responsibility to support asylum seekers. "These much-needed funds will provide individual support for some of the most vulnerable people within our community who face extraordinary life challenges," he said. Loading "This includes medical transferees and refugees who have been granted a safe haven enterprise visa or temporary protection visa." Mr Hinchliffe said Communify had a proven track record in delivering similar programs and would have the support of like-minded agencies and organisations. "This funding will ensure asylum seekers and temporary protection visa holders can get the support they need to make a real difference to their lives," he said. Young people involved in a destructive riot at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre alleged staff threatened to transfer them into a unit with violent youths if they misbehaved. The allegations were raised in a report by the Queensland Ombudsman following an investigation into the management of young people at the BYDC between November 2016 and February 2017. The shirtless youths on the roof of the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre. Credit:Nine News Brisbane They included claims, unable to be substantiated by the ombudsman, that some staff "paid" some young detainees with soft drinks to assault other prisoners. On the afternoon of January 30, 2017, seven young people at the Wacol facility rioted on a veranda, using brooms and mops to intimidate staff and smash windows and light bulbs. A staff member was injured after being hit by glass from a smashed window. Liberal rising star Tim Wilson is set to come under attack from the Victorian union movement, which is buoyed by internal research indicating Labor could snatch his inner Melbourne seat. The Victorian Trades Hall Council is now set to widen its campaign to include the Goldstein electorate in addition to a slew of other Liberal-held seats. Goldstein MP Tim Wilson will be targeted by Victorian Trades Hall Council during the election campaign . Credit:Eamon Gallagher Mr Wilson holds Goldstein by a comfortable 12.7 per cent but research commissioned by Trades Hall has Labor ahead. Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari said voters in Goldstein did not like Scott Morrison as prime minister. One Nation's WA leader Colin Tincknell has delivered a stinging rebuke to two of the party's east coast officials who were caught on video appearing to seek donations from the National Rifle Association. Qatar-funded broadcaster al-Jazeera published a video on Tuesday showing Pauline Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby and One Nation's Queensland leader Steve Dickson in Washington discussing how a sum of $US10-$US20 million would enable the party to seize control of the Senate and "have the government by the balls". WA's One Nation leader Colin Tincknell with Pauline Hanson. Credit:Trevor Collens Mr Tincknell voiced his disappointment in the pair in an interview with Gareth Parker on 6PR's Mornings and said he expected Senator Hanson to make a strong statement about their conduct on Thursday. "The facts are that both Steve and James went about this completely wrong," he said. Latest News REIA urges first home buyers to secure place in FHLDS More than 4,000 places expected to come online before Christmas ANZ makes another rate hike New highest fixed among Big Four as 40pts added to 4 and 5 year rates Finsure co-founder and MD John Kolenda reveals how the group is turning data into a performance driver Only months ago, big data was enjoying its time in the limelight. After years of scholarly papers, seminars and tech advances the business world was finally coming to terms with the fact that not only is data everywhere but it has commercial value. However, big data has a severe limitation it is the story of what has already happened. To be truly successful in business today, the trick is to know what will happen next and predict the solution that outcome will demand. At Finsure, that isnt just the goal, it is the next breakthrough, and it is already a reality. Before the end of this calendar year, the aggregator famously built by brokers for brokers will roll out Infynity, its new, marketleading CRM that is set to redefine how and why brokers engage with their clients. The launch of Infynity is key to our plans for 2019. This new system is built on the basis of predicting customer behaviour before it happens, says Finsure Group co-founder and managing director John Kolenda. The other thing we are doing is integrating it with social media so the system will create a centralised area for all customer interactions. Its a really insightful system that we cant wait to roll out to our network. Infynity is just one element of how Finsure will support its brokers to ensure good customer outcomes are delivered. The award-winning aggregator enjoyed a seminal year in 2018, hitting a number of new milestones. Firstly, broker network numbers enjoyed a 20% year-on-year boost as Finsure recruited its 1,500th broker. The client base also grew to 60,000 customers under management, and in November the aggregation loan book reached record values of $34bn, an increase of 26% on the previous corresponding period. This followed 71.6% growth in revenue during the 201718 financial year. To top it all off, Finsure took the coveted first place in MPAs Brokers on Aggregators survey. But thats not to say it was a walk in the park. When it comes down to it, the aggregator that can maintain the strongest offering across all services will be the one that succeeds John Kolenda, co-founder and MD, Finsure Group While Finsure was proud to be a high achiever and receive many industry plaudits, we also focused on helping brokers deal with the increasingly complex and challenging regulatory and lending landscape, Kolenda says. The current lending market is the most complex I have experienced in more than 25 years in the industry. In Kolendas words, Finsure has dedicated a large amount of resources to broker education and training programs to ensure its network is ahead of the markets demanding regulatory changes in the post-Hayne environment. The debut of Infynity is just one of the support mechanisms that will be rolled out over the coming months, with Finsure pledging an additional focus on expanding its offering, activities and member value proposition, too. Our main goal in 2019 is to continue to grow our service offering but ensure it is done sustainably and without compromising the high levels of service we provide to our existing brokers, Kolenda says. Rising to the challenge When it comes to Finsures recent successes, its broker network, loan book and customer growth targets are only half the story. Dominating headlines in September last year, Finsure created a first-of-its-kind business model through its acquisition of Goldfields Money Limited an obvious highlight, Kolenda says. In the past, banks have typically acquired aggregators, but this is the first time a bank and an aggregator have merged. The two companies coming together will provide benefits to both brokers and customers, says Goldfields executive director and CEO, Simon Lyons. Unlike other mergers, this is a meeting of minds as much as might. Financial stability and scale aside, the merger has created what Kolenda and Lyons term Australias first truly scalable digital challenger bank, with a market-leading digital platform designed to give brokers and their customers greater choice. The resulting entity is focused on providing lending solutions via broker distribution, and it brings the proposition to the banking world at a time when the majors and regulators appear to be doing all they can to push third party distribution out of the equation. The idea is to combine Finsures 1,500-strong broker distribution network with a suite of world-class products, including home loans, personal loans, transaction accounts and deposits. Together were creating a new force in digital banking, Lyons says. The Finsure distribution network was one of the really attractive aspects when we were looking to merge. They provide a low-cost and scalable means of distributing our loans. We are perfectly positioned to manufacture products specifically for Finsure brokers that will allow them to provide lending solutions for their customers that they may not be able to get elsewhere. The debut of this new model fills a number of gaps in the market. For example, Finsure brokers can leverage one such product to borrow against their trail and invest in their business, with the terms of such a loan being tied to the individual brokers long-term performance with Finsure. Another opportunity involves plugging the gap in interest-only and investor loans. However, the real point of difference moves well beyond home loans to redefine banking itself. In this respect a partnership with blockchainbased solutions provider IvyKoin will commercialise the use of blockchain technology in banking to validate and legitimise digital currency without the need for the traditional banking framework. This is an area traditional banks have struggled with; however, its yet another example of how the new model will shake up the banking sector, Lyons explains. Embracing change New tools and business partners aside, there are many other challenges facing the industry, and in pledging to support its network through these, Finsure is actively evolving the role of the aggregator. When it comes down to it, the aggregator that can maintain the strongest offering across all services will be the one that succeeds in this market, Kolenda says, and his words ring true for brokers too. Diversification will take on new meaning and urgency over the coming 15 months, but it isnt just about brokers protecting their income and revenue streams; its about meeting direct demand from an always-connected market in which the consumer expects multiple solutions under one roof. This presents brokers with a great opportunity to enhance profitability, and should lead to them looking for a greater share of the wallet in cross-selling or referring other services such as insurance, wealth and investment, Kolenda says. Partnerships will also gain importance as the maturation of the online space increases the pressure on single-broker operators. In order to compete with the large internet lenders, brokers must depend on aggregators and third party providers, and must therefore select partners that support them in both competing and excelling. Following on from this, Kolenda advises that technology should be approached as an automation tool, with a view to freeing up the brokers time to explore new revenue opportunities. Use technology to your advantage, Kolenda says. Those brokers that embrace change, use technology to their advantage and sell a diversified suite of products will be the ones that come out on top. Latest News REIA urges first home buyers to secure place in FHLDS More than 4,000 places expected to come online before Christmas ANZ makes another rate hike New highest fixed among Big Four as 40pts added to 4 and 5 year rates According to an established mortgage broker in the investment property space, the royal commission media coverage and ensuing widespread broker support has provided the industry with a unique opening to demand a raise in compensation. Now that weve got Australians on our side, bipartisan support of the political parties, and the media behind us, this is the opportunity that we need to turn around and go to the banks and say, We deserve a pay raise. We are doing so much more for you anyway, said John Manciameli, founder of Slipstream. In the ten years since brokers saw a 30% cut in commissions following the global financial crisis, Manciameli explained that the industry has taken on additional duties more data entry, compliance work, forensic analysis on household income and expenses that call for an increase in compensation, not a further cut. Since then, the big four have recorded gigantic profits and its obvious that they do have the capacity to pay us, said Manciameli. Weve got the momentum to expand as an industry. We have to say, if you want more education into the broking industry, if you want better consumer outcomes, then invest in it. Give us 1.1% plus trail. Manciameli believes that Australians would largely support their brokers receiving a decent income and would be unbothered by the banks making less profit. He also stressed that allocating more towards compensation for brokers is investing in the health and future of the industry. If brokers are struggling with their current balance and arent bringing in enough money, theyre not going to attend events or seminars to learn how to improve, theyre going to focus on bringing in new business, Manciameli pointed out. Additionally, if mortgage broking isnt financially rewarding young professionals who dont have the data base or connections that older brokers have established are likely to gravitate towards other industries rather than start from scratch. So far, Manciameli has received overwhelming support while sharing his views on the topic, which he welcomes as he feels unification is crucial to instigating change. If we dont ask, we dont get. And if we dont ask in a unified voice, we get slammed, he said. Organising cooperation across an entire industry takes time, so Manciameli urges brokers to engage in this conversation now to be ready for the election and the ensuing regulatory developments. Yes, were all battle weary. Everyone is exhausted, he said, speaking to the last few weeks. But you quickly find energy if you are in a situation where you were facing another 30% pay cut, and now you have an opportunity to get a 30% pay raise instead. What a wonderful opportunity when the prime minister himself is talking about our little cottage industry. The time is right to reclaim what we lost 10 years ago and then some, he concluded. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Its a resurrection! Hundreds of Brooklynites filled the pews of a nearly 150-year-old historic Williamsburg Catholic Church on Sunday to celebrate Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio officially rededicating the house of worship after a year-long, much-needed renovation, according to the leader of the Diocese of Brooklyn. This is very exciting because this is a church that probably shouldve been closed because it was in such bad repair. So its a great joy to see a church being put back into service that can be very functional, said The Most Reverend Bishop DiMarzio of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located on N. 5th Street. Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located just down the road from the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, will now serve as the chief faith leader of both parishes according to Bishop DiMarzio, who appointed the monsignor to his new post. The highlights of the renovation include a new marble altar, a reconstructed ceiling and the return of a 100-year-old pipe organ that was originally brought to the Church in 1930. The mass, which celebrated the merger of the two houses of worship which went into effect nearly six months ago consisted of Bishop DiMarzio sprinkling the congregation with holy water, a reminder of the churchs baptism, followed by an anointing of the new altar. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC 72nd Precinct Sunset ParkWindsor Terrace Black and blue belt Five louts attacked a man on Sixth Avenue with sticks and belts on March 19, taking his phone during the assault. The victim told police the brutes had been following and cursing at him when they attacked near 55th Street at 12:30 am, whipping him with their belt and beating them with sticks they grabbed off the street. The man dropped his phone during the assault, and one of the crooks snagged it before all five men fled up 56th Street heading towards Seventh Avenue, cops said. Tool time A thief looted a 36th Street construction site on March 18, taking several pricey tools. The victim told police the crook snuck into the worksite between Third and Fourth avenues by busting through a wooden fence sometime after 6:30 pm, before helping himself to a cache of power tools and then fleeing the same way he came in. Carried off Some crook drove off with a mans 2008 Acadia he parked on Third Avenue on March 18. The victim told police he left his carry-all near 45th Street at 7 pm, and returned the next morning to find his car stolen. What were they smoking? Cops arrested a 17-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man for allegedly beating a man inside a Fourth Avenue smoke shop on March 25. The victim told police the suspects attacked him in the store between 59th and 60th streets at 3:30 am, punching him and whacking him with a soda bottle, and destroying a glass display case amid the assault. Police arrested both suspects that day on felony assault charges, cops said. Cash bag Somebody nabbed a brown paper bag containing $1,500 from inside a Third Avenue wholesaler on March 24. The victim told police she pulled out the cash bag at the register to pay for groceries at the store between 38th and 39th streets at 1:58 pm, but then decided to pay with her credit card and forgot the money at the counter. The woman realized her mistakes about 15 minutes later, and rushed back to find her cash stolen. Wet and wild Police cuffed two men for allegedly beating a man outside a Third Avenue bar amid an attempted robbery on March 24. The victim told police the suspects jumped him as he left the watering hole near 44th Street at 4:20 am, punching and kicking him in the body, before rifling through his pockets in a failed attempt to grab his stuff. Cops found the suspects drunk when they arrested them that day on felony attempted robbery charges, according to police. Colin Mixson 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 After two deadly crashes in five months, Boeing Co. is embarking on a campaign to restore confidence in the 737 Max so that its best-selling jet can return to the skies. In Renton, Washington, the company is gathering customers and news media Wednesday to walk through the details of a software update designed to help pilots more easily avert conditions that investigators have linked to an October disaster in Indonesia. 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 Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday approved the resolution plan for Jyoti Structures presented by the Resolution Professional on behalf of a group of investors led by Sharad Sanghi and others. In the last hearing, the tribunal had asked the RP to submit the revised plan wherein Sharad Sanghi led group of investors will pay Rs 3965 crore in 12 years as against the 15 year period sought by him in his previous bid. 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 India tested an anti-satellite weapon on Wednesday, saying the indigenously produced interceptor was used to destroy an object in orbit. Such a weapon allows for attacks on enemy satellites - blinding them or disrupting communications - as well as providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles. India, whose space program has developed launchers, satellites and probes to the moon and Mars, created the interceptor used in Wednesday's test domestically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a broadcast on television. PREVIOUS TESTS The United States performed the first ... On Wednesday morning, 300 kilometres above the Odisha coast, a ballistic missile defence interceptor developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) struck a satellite in a low earth orbit, smashing it into pieces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the success of the test, codenamed Mission Shakti, on television and Twitter. Declaring that there cannot be a greater moment of pride for any Indian, he said: In the journey of every nation, there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the anti-satellite (ASAT) missile. The Prime Minister said India had registered its name amongst the space superpowers. "So far, only three countries were in this club America, Russia and China. Now India has become the fourth country to develop this capability, he said. The tracking and interception capabilities that went into have been available with the for over a decade. It began developing these after Chinas successful ASAT test in 2007. On March 18, 2008, then chief, Dr VK Saraswat (now a NITI Aayog member), had briefed the media in New Delhi that intercepting an incoming missile fired from 2,000 kilometres away required the same technology needed for shooting down a satellite. Claiming that the already possessed that capability in 2008, Saraswat had said: We have built, as of now, ABM (anti-ballistic missile) systems with interceptors to engage 2,000 kilometre-class of targets. ALSO READ: IAF inducts Chinook helicopters as US muscles into Russia's copter monopoly On multiple occasions thereafter, Saraswat reiterated his claim. In February 2010, he had said: We already have the building blocks for ASAT weapons. We dont want to test a real ASAT weapon because it will lead to debris in space but can simulate a test on ground using an electronic satellite. Space remains a grey area without binding international treaties to govern the conduct of nations. However, there is a broad consensus that ASAT tests that involve physically destroying a satellite should be avoided, as it creates space debris, which endangers other satellites and space vehicles. Chinas 2007 ASAT test, which struck the target satellite at an altitude of over 1,000 kilometres, broke it up into more than 3,000 fragments, which still pose a hazard in space. Emphasising that India had behaved more responsibly, the MEA stated: The test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Whatever debris that is generated (sic) will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks. Modi, too, emphasised Indias responsible conduct. India has always been against the deployment of weapons in space and it has not deviated from that position. Todays test in no way violates any international law or treaty or understanding, he said. ALSO READ: Tejas set for three-way dogfight in Malaysia with Pak, Korean jets The defence ministry said: The test has demonstrated the nations capability to defend its assets in outer space. However, experts pointed out that did not test a defensive system that could shield Indian satellites from attack. Instead, it tested a retaliatory capability to shoot down enemy satellites. In wartime, the enemy may want to degrade our surveillance or communications capabilities, for example by taking down an Indian Navy satellite. Developing the capability to destroy enemy satellites would hopefully deter him, said Rakesh Sood, a former Indian diplomat who specialises in nuclear and space policies. Rajeshwari Rajagopalan, a space specialist with Observer Research Foundation, said that even though there was no international momentum for banning ASAT tests, New Delhi might have decided to conduct its tests now before any ban came into effect. Having been left on the wrong side of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, it played safe this time. The timing, however, is significant, just weeks before the general elections. With no ASAT test conducted over the last five years, there was no technical compulsion to do so at this time, only an electoral one, said Rajagopalan. ALSO READ: Indian Navy signs 10-year lease for third Russian nuclear-submarine The MEA statement, however, said the test was conducted because it was important to safeguard Indias growing space programme, including the Mangalyaan and Gaganyaan missions and Indias 102 spacecraft that were a critical backbone of Indias security, economic and social infrastructure. New Delhi has ratified the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits weapons of mass destruction in outer space, but not conventional weapons. India has participated in all sessions of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. New Delhi has supported UNGA resolution 69/32 on No First Placement of Weapons on Outer Space. In the Conference on Disarmament, India supports consideration of the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS). Mission Shakti: India shot down one of its satellites 300 km away in space with an anti-satellite missile, the country's first test of such technology Duration: The test, carried out by DRDO scientists, lasted three minutes and was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure there was no debris in space Significance: Anti-satellite weapon allows for attacks on enemy satellites blinding them or disrupting communications as well as providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles Select club: India is the only fourth country after the US, Russia and China to successfully develop and test anti-satellite weapon capabilities Early pioneer: The US performed the first anti-satellite test in 1959. China destroyed a satellite in 2007, creating the largest orbital debris cloud in history Are you worried about not being able to vote in Lok Sabha elections 2019 because you are on the move? Well, you're not the only one. India's 900 million voters are expected to take part in the worlds biggest democratic exercise, but, according to an analysis published by Business Standard, despite a mammoth number of voters, India is behind several countries when it comes to the number of people turning up to vote. India had a record voter turnout of 66.4 per cent in 2014. This is still lower than the global median of 68.03 per cent. There could be many reasons for this. One ... Type address separated by commas Your Email: More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes in the past five months in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed nearly 350 people. Investigators looking to uncover the causes must answer one of the biggest questions: Was the plane's software to blame? WHAT WE KNOW - Boeing has stopped delivery of all new MAX jets. Its shares have fallen 12 percent since the Ethiopian Airlines crash, wiping $28 billion from its market value. - Boeing maintains its new, fuel-efficient jets are safe, but supported the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ... Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao defended in a Senate hearing Wednesday the Federal Aviation Administrations decision to ground the Boeing 737 Max only after dozens of other regulators around the world already had, and the agencys delegation of new aircraft certification work to manufacturers. Chao said the FAA had no factual basis to ground the 737 Max until March 13, three days after a Boeing 737 Max crashed in Ethiopia and despite a wave of countries and airlines outside the U. 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 Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday hit out at former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for taking U-turn on Delhi statehood and said if full statehood to Delhi is not possible, then why she included this issue in her manifesto of 2015 assembly elections. "Sheila Dikshit in a press conference on Tuesday said that full statehood to Delhi is not possible nor it should be made an issue in the Lok Sabha elections. If full statehood to Delhi was not possible, then why did Dikshit in her statement of November 21, 2013 stated that due to Delhi not being a full state, there has been a problem of coordination between different agencies and such problems would have been resolved had Delhi been a full state," Rai said while addressing a press conference here. The Delhi Cabinet minister further attacked Congress on including Delhi statehood in their manifesto for assembly elections held in 2015 and not now. Rai said: "In the Congress manifesto in 2015, it was said that Delhi will be granted full statehood. I want to ask what is your helplessness that now you want to keep this issue out of your manifesto." The Cabinet minister further spoke on why full statehood for Delhi should be an election issue for Lok Sabha elections. "The way for Delhi statehood is through the parliament and not Delhi Assembly," he said. "We have passed a proposal in Delhi Assembly that the Central government keep whole NDMC area under their control and give power to Delhi government like other states. We have sent this proposal to the Centre," Rai said. AAP also released the list of its star campaigners which includes Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh, Bhagwant Mann, Sushil Gupta, MD Gupta, Satyendra Jain, Imran Hussain, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Rakhi Birla, Jarnail Singh, and Shenaz Hindustani. AAP has already announced its candidates for seven parliamentary seats in Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level security review meeting of senior army officials along with the representatives from civil administration and central armed police forces of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh was held by the Operation Group here on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the overall security situation in the regions of Upper Assam, South Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland. The Operation Group also discussed the ongoing preparations to ensure incident-free conduct of ensuing Parliament elections. During the meeting, officials from all the states analysed the possible security sensitivities and measures to enhance synergy between security forces operating in the region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Algeria's army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah has demanded the removal of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, saying the incapacitated 82-year-old leader should be declared unfit to rule, following weeks of violent demonstrations against him. Salah, in a televised address, said on Tuesday that he made the decision after considering the demands of the people. "We must adopt a solution that helps us out of this crisis. A solution that respects and adheres to the constitution so that it's a suitable one for all sides. This solution is stipulated in Article 102 of the Constitution," Salah was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying. Under Article 102 of the Algerian Constitution, the Constitutional Council could ask the Parliament to declare a President to be unfit to rule the country if he or she is unable to fully exercise his functions due to ill-health. Bouteflika has rarely made public appearances since suffering a stroke in 2013. If a two-thirds majority of the upper and lower houses of the Algerian Parliament approve the Council's decision, then chairman of the upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would take over as the interim president for about 45 days, according to Al-Jazeera. Earlier this month, mass protests against Bouteflika's previously planned fifth presidential run had rocked the African nation. However, Bouteflika later said that he would not seek a fifth term, adding that the presidential elections, previously scheduled for April 18, was postponed. Critics have asserted that the delay in the upcoming elections is a ploy by Bouteflika to further extend his 20-year-rule. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slamming the BJP, Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that its leaders staged a drama of attack on Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan's Balakot. "BJP government has changed three RBI Governors and they created drama of attack on Pakistan and claimed 300 people were killed, but no one got killed. Only some trees were damaged. Thank God, the (IAF) pilot returned back safely," Abdullah said while addressing a gathering here. "We have atomic bombs. Pakistan too has it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi does only drama to show country... India is not for only one religion, it is for all religions. We have more than 22 crore Muslims in our country," he added. Abdullah went on to allege that "Ram Madhav came with money and gave some supporters here to create RSS on Kashmir." The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and former Union Minister further advised Modi to follow former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's ideology to make "better relations with Pakistan". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday said the BJP terming the Congress' Nyunatam Aay Yojana (Nyay) scheme a bluff is true but added that the two parties are "birds of the same feather." "Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 as bluff is true. But is poll bluff & reneging of poll promises the sole domain of the BJP? In fact BJP & Congress party are both birds of the same feather in betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers & others," she tweeted. This comes two days after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley claimed Congress President Rahul Gandhi's Nyaya scheme, which provided income support of Rs 72,000 per annum to the poorest 20 per cent families of the country, was a "bluff announcement". "The amount promised by the Congress is less than two-thirds of the existing Direct Benefit Transfer under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress Party - a bluff announcement," Jaitley said in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack at the BJP for sidelining its two veteran leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi from the ensuing the Lok Sabha polls. "Development is asking: Those who have shown doors to Margdarshan Mandal are talking of what culture, trick and character. The fake morality of the BJP has been busted. Already, the youth were not voting for the BJP, now the elderly will also not vote for the party. The BJP is broken from inside," he wrote on Twitter. Both Advani and Joshi have also not made to the list of parliamentary candidates announced so far. Also, both have not made it to BJP's list of 40 leaders who will be campaigning for the party's candidates during the first two phases of general elections in Uttar Pradesh. Advani was replaced by BJP president Amit Shah from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency while Joshi was replaced by Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur parliamentary constituency. The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19 in seven phases. The polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases starting from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP's Election Committee Member Neeraj has been issued a show-cause notice by the Chief Electoral Officer of New Delhi for allegedly violating the Election Commission guidelines by allegedly sharing an audio-visual clip featuring Army personnel. Neeraj has been asked to submit a reply within three days on the same. "Neeraj, Election Committee member, BJP has been issued a show-cause notice for sharing the audio-visual ad titled, "Main Bhi Chowkidar Hun-song" on the social media without complying the directions of the committee," a statement released by the CEO's office said. "The certification committee had issued a certificate to Neeraj, Election Committee Member, BJP in respect of the said ad subject to exclusion of the clips depicting "army personnel"," the statement further said. Election Commission on March 10 had asked political parties to refrain from using pictures of defence personnel for their poll campaign. Seven phase elections in the country will begin on April 11 and commence on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan BJP vice-president Gyan Dev Ahuja said Congress president Rahul Gandhi is taking help at this "hour of need" from his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, just like Ravan sought Surpanakha's help in the Treta era. Addressing a public gathering at Munda in Alwar district on Tuesday, Ahuja said "According to Hindu mythology, the first era was Satyug in which Hiranakashyap took the help of his sister Holika after getting into trouble. In the Treta era, Ravana sought Surpanakha's help. Similarly, in Kalyug, Baba Rahul Gandhi is taking the assistance of his sister Priyanka in the hour of crisis. I don't need to say much but we all know what happened to Holika and Surpanakha." Continuing his tirade against the Congress, Ahuja claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created such a situation that Rahul and Priyanka are being forced to visit temples. "The family which was completely atheist is now becoming a believer for the sake of but the public will not fall for their tricks," he added. Rajasthan will go to polls on April 29 and May 6, while counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Washington The U.S. Supreme Court was sharply divided on Wednesday during oral arguments over when courts should defer to a federal agencys interpretation of its own ambiguous regulationsan issue that has arisen in education over such issues as transgender student rights and racial disparities in student discipline. The justices are weighing whether they should overrule two longstanding precedents that require courts to defer to agencies reasonable rules interpretations. The case has potentially wide impact as agencies including the U.S. Department of Education have increasingly exerted administrative power through informal guidance documents, which dont require cumbersome notice-and-comment periods as regulations promulgated under the Administrative Procedure Act do. The National School Boards Association joined a friend-of-the-court brie f along with other local government groups that call on the high court to overrule a 1997 decision known as Auer v. Robbins , which built on a 1945 decision, Bowles v. Seminole Rock & Sand Co. Both stand for the idea that courts should defer to agencies interpretation of their own ambiguous regulations as long as the interpretation is reasonable. Auer invites dramatic shifts in federal policy with each new administrationand tends to result in policies that lack the clarity and wisdom that public participation can engender, says the NSBA brief. The brief in the case, which involves a veterans issue, cites two of the more controversial interpretations put forth by the Education Department under President Barack Obamas administration. The Obama administration issued informal guidance in 2016 that asserted that discrimination and harassment based on gender identity and sex stereotypes were covered by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bars discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools. A federal appeals court ruled that the interpretation merited deference under Auer in the high-profile case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender high school student whose Virginia school board had enacted rules requiring students to use restrooms that corresponded to their birth gender. The Supreme Court granted review of that decision, but when the newly elected administration of President Donald Trump withdrew the guidance in 2017, the high court sent the Grimm case back to lower courts. The NSBA brief also cites the Obama administrations 2014 guidance stating that the Education Department would investigate racial disparities in school discipline, as well as the Trump administrations 2018 decision to rescind that guidance. It is not clear whether any states or localities were consulted before either the 2014 or 2018 guidance was issued, the NSBA brief says. Auer allows the federal government to run roughshod over states and localities, forcing them to fall in line or else lose vital federal funds, the brief continues. Worse still, it allows federal agenciesunelected and unaccountableto do so without so much as consulting the impacted parties. A Veterans Pursuit of Benefits The case now before the justices, Kisor v. Wilkie (No. 18-15), involves a military veterans challenge to a Department of Veterans Affairs interpretation of its regulations on benefits. James L. Kisor, who served as a Marine in the Vietnam War, sought benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder going back to 1983. The VA denied his claim based on its interpretation of the term relevant in one of its regulations, and a federal appeals court held that the interpretation deserved deference under Auer. The Education Department guidance examples did not come up during the March 27 oral arguments. Several justices expressed a fundamental disagreement about whether it was more democratic to have an unelected bureaucratic agency or a federal judge interpret a federal regulation. Justice Stephen G. Breyer cited a case in which a lower court granted Auer deference to the Food and Drug Administration for its interpretation of a particularly complex regulation involving chemical compounds. Do you know how much I know about that? Breyer said to Paul W. Hughes, the lawyer representing the veteran. What youre doing is saying, instead of paying attention to people who know about that, but rejecting it if its unreasonable, the judges should decide. This sounds like the greatest judicial power grab since Marbury v. Madison, Breyer said, referring to the courts 1803 decision when it asserted the power of judicial review of acts of Congress. (He quickly added that he agreed that Marbury was correctly decided.) Breyer said federal agencies arent very democratic, but there is some responsibility and there [is] one group of people who are still less democratic, and theyre called judges. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, citing the array of friend-of-the-court briefs from business and other groups calling for Auer to be overruled, said, Every private party before us says their interests in stability would be better served by eliminating this [Auer deference] rule altogether. The benefits of notice and comment are, among other things, people will know prospectively what rules govern them and not be sideswiped later by a bureaucracy, Gorsuch added. And experienced federal judges have the most expertise on what relevant evidence is, he said, not an agency. Gorsuch last year joined a procedural opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas that said deference under Seminole Rock and Auer was constitutionally suspect and on its last gasp. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. have also cast some doubt about Auer deference. Hughes said federal agencies have a very substantial role to play in policymaking, but Congress made the judgment that the way that that is done in a democratic way accountable to the population is through notice and comment rule-making, such that the regulated public can provide their views. U.S. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco, defending the VAs decision, argued for a nuanced position advanced in his brief , that Seminole Rock and Auer should not be overruled, but their scope should be narrowed. That brief calls for courts to take more steps before deferring to an agencys interpretation, such as making sure the guidance is not inconsistent with the agencys past interpretations, is sufficiently grounded in the agencys expertise, and represents the views of the agency itself and not merely low-level employees. Seminole Rock deference raises some problems in some applications, but its been on the books for decades, Francisco said during the arguments. It has significant practical benefits, [and] its practical problems can be addressed by reinforcing reasonable limitations on the doctrine. A decision in the case is expected by late June. One of the reasons I enjoy attending Willamette MBA is that the classes are small and each and every professor and staff member is actively involved in each students development. I grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia and moved to the U.S. as a Fulbright student last summer. For international students specifically, the small size of the cohort is great because we are able to get the most out of our experience living in the United States while still being exposed to many different cultures from around the globe. The International Graduate Students Association annual dinner is one way we experience other cultures in the program. On Saturday night, first-year, second-year, faculty, professors, and staff members came together with their families to enjoy playing games and eating home-cooked food from around the globe. Each person brought a different dish to the potluck for everyone to try. The dinner kicked off with some games including Twister, cornhole, and the cookie game, where one tries to get a cookie from your forehead to your mouth. People competed to win gift cards and everyone who brought food was entered into a raffle. Then was the best part--the food! We had food from all around the world, such as India, Georgia, France, Vietnam, and South Korea. There was even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich station. It was great to try foods from across the globe and experience others culture for an evening. Attendees wore traditional clothing from their cultures and the room was decorated with flags from countries international students are from. The IGSA dinner was a great way for students to share their culture and promote diversity at Willamette. It demonstrates Willamettes commitment to not just education in the classroom, but to the social aspect of being a student. Through events like this dinner, we dont just learn from professors, but from each other about other important areas in life--cooking, dancing, and having fun. Find yourself someone who looks at you the way Ranbir looks at Alia Bhatt. Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, who recently made his debut in the world of Instagram, has been sharing a lot of pictures from his 'Brahmastra' journey. The latest picture, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, is from the initial days of shooting of the much-anticipated film. In the picture, which features Ranbir in the background and Alia in the foreground, the duo seems to be brooding over something. "Tel Aviv, Israel. Beginning of 2018, and the beginning of many things. We were in Tel Aviv to prepare for our first shooting schedule with a very special member of our team, and it marked the beginning of Ranbir and Alia working together for the movie and getting to know each other. Brahmastra has come with a lot of travel, to find creative collaborations everywhere in the world. Something I hope will add greatly to the film eventually #brahmastra," Ayan wrote in the caption. The filmmaker has been using his Instagram account to share insights into the making of 'Brahmastra.' Earlier this month, Ayan in an Instagram post revealed that Ranbir was his first call after he came up with the idea of the science-fiction. Apart from Ranbir and Alia, the film also stars Mouni Roy and Tollywood actor Nagarjuna. 'Brahmastra' has been extensively shot in Bulgaria, New York, and Mumbai, among other places. 'Brahmastra' is first part of a sci-fi trilogy which has been created by Ayan. It is slated to release around Christmas this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Central Railway on Wednesday announced that it would run 50 summer special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers during summer between CST Mumbai and Lucknow and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Gorakhpur. According to an official release, a weekly special train (01019) will leave Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 11.05 hrs on every Thursday from April 11 to July 4 (13 trips) and will arrive Lucknow at 13.45 hrs next day. The Central Railway will also run Superfast weekly special Train (02108) from Lucknow on every Friday from April 12 to July 5 (13 trips) to CSMT Mumbai taking stops at Dadar, Kalyan, Igatpuri, Bhusaval, Itarsi, Bhopal, Jhansi, Orai and Kanpur. The other special trains including Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Gorakhpur Weekly specials (24 trips), train No. 01023 weekly special (12 trips) and train No. 01024 weekly (12 trips). The railway announced to shift the terminal train No. 12167/12168 LTT-Varanasi Superfast Express from Varanasi to Manduadih from March in both directions. There will be no change in the existing timings between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Varanasi. According to release, train No. 01475/01476 Pune-Gorakhpur summer special will also halt at Lucknow station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubbing the BJP and YSRCP as "husband and wife", Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is conspiring to destroy the state. Chief Minister Naidu also said that Prime Minister Modi was "chowkidar" for criminals. "The BJP and YSRCP are like husband and wife, but acting for outsiders. Why these masks? Modi, K Chandrasekhar Rao and Jaganmohan Reddy should come out openly if they have guts. We will show our mettle. K Chandrasekhar Rao is hatching conspiracies to destroy the state. Modi became 'chowkidar' for criminals," Naidu said during a roadshow in Nandyal on Tuesday. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Naidu further said, "Modi is taking revenge on minorities. If they want safety, Modi must be defeated. Jagan took votes of minorities in 2014, and joined hands with Modi." Making a poll promise for minorities, Naidu said, "We will stand by minorities. We will increase honorarium to imams from Rs 5000 to 10000 and for moujams from Rs 3000 to 6000. We set up Urdu varsity, built haz house, shaadi khanas. We will setup 25 residential schools for Muslim minorities." Talking at length about the development of Nandyal parliamentary constituency, Naidu said, "We will make Nandyal a separate district if you people let the TDP win with a huge majority. I will develop Nandyal as a smart city and will build an outer ring road. We will upgrade Agriculture College to university. We will make the city as seed capital." The Chief Minister also took the occasion to call out to SPY Reddy, who had severed ties with the TDP, after the party denied a ticket to his daughter. Naidu offered a MLC seat for Reddy's kin and urged him to support the TDP. Telangana will go to polls in a single phase for all 17 Lok Sabha seats at stake on April 11. Results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it will file a charge sheet against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar before April 1 in connection with the money laundering case against him. "Before April 1, we will file a charge sheet against Deepak Talwar for his role in causing loss to Indian Air carrier Air India by giving its profitable route to the private airlines," ED's counsel Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh told the division bench of the High Court comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel. The court was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by Talwar's counsels Vikram Choudhary and Tanseem Ahmad Mir alleging illegal detention of their client. This will be the first charge sheet against Talwar since he was extradited to India from Dubai. The bench refused to hear Talwar's prayer challenging certain sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, it will continue hearing in Talwar's petition challenging his detention under habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, especially to secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention. Following the arguments, the Delhi court bench posted the matter for hearing on April 4. Talwar, who was extradited to India from Dubai along with the businessman Rajeev Saxena on January 30, is currently under ED's custody. He has been accused of facilitating dispersal of profit making routes of Air India to private airlines using his contacts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Space scientists on Wednesday joined hands in hailing the success of 'Mission Shakti' and termed the historic feat as the demonstration of India's space power and political will. "We have mastered anti-satellite capability. We have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy," DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy told ANI. "Mission Shakti not only demonstrates the country's space power but also speaks volume about our political will," said former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Ravi Kumar Gupta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that anti-satellite (A-SAT) weapon has successfully destroyed a decommissioned Indian satellite on a low earth orbit (LEO), joining a group of three countries--US, Russia and China. "This is a great moment for us. India has become one of the four nations which have the capability of destroying an active satellite in the space and that too in a matter of minutes," Gupta told ANI. Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief G Madhavan Nair said: "I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Modi for having a political will to take such a decision and implement it within a short time." "When Chinese did this kind of experiment, there was a lot of uproar from the international community as they polluted the entire space but here we have taken a wise decision to have a satellite made by ISRO and demonstrated that we can kill live satellite using our own anti-satellite system," he said. Former DRDO chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswa said: "If today nations across the world want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them." "We use space only for the peaceful purpose and that is what Prime Minister Modi has been saying. This launch is not against any nation. It is basically to create technological capability in India," he said. Former ISRO Scientist Nambin Narayanan said: "It is a complex technology, which is difficult to achieve. We have the ability to destroy an enemy satellite. If you are powerful, then you have a status in the world whether you like it or not. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meng Hongwei, the former Interpol president, was on Wednesday expelled from the Communist Party of China after an investigation revealed that the 65-year-old was suspected of taking bribes and breaching disciplinary rules, the party's anti-corruption watchdog said. In a statement, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China's top anti-corruption agency and the highest internal-control institution of the Communist Party, said that an investigation into Meng was approved and he will be prosecuted for fraud, South China Morning Post reported. Meng, who also served as vice-minister for public security, disappeared last year during a visit to China from France and was later accused of accepting bribes. The CCDI accused Meng of misusing his position and power for personal gain, splurging state funds to finance his family's lifestyle and disregarding party principles. Meng was elected as the Interpol chief in November 2016, becoming the first Chinese official to hold the position. He resigned in October last year. Several human rights groups had voiced their concerns that China could use his position to pursue dissidents abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful test of India's first anti-satellite weapon--A-SAT--on Wednesday. Dr Saraswat, while talking to ANI, said: "If today nations across the world want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them. We use space only for peaceful purposes and that is what Prime Minister Modi has been saying. This launch is not against any nation. It is basically to create a technological capability in India." Anti-satellite weapons or A-SAT are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Although no A-SAT system has yet been utilised in warfare, a few nations have shot down their own (defunct) satellites to demonstrate their A-SAT capabilities in a show of force. Before India successfully tested A-SAT weapon, US, Russia, and China have demonstrated this capability successfully. Asked if the project could have been completed earlier, he said: "DRDO had made presentations in this regard during the regime of UPA--II as well to then Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. If the nod had been given at that point of time, we would have demonstrated this kind of capability earlier." In reply to a question, he said: "These discussions were held in the presence of all the concerned authorities. Unfortunately, we did not get the response to go ahead. Since there was no response from the government and no necessary financial resources were provided, we did not go ahead with the programme." "It was during the tenure of Manohar Parrikar as the Defence Minister of India that the proposal was put forth by Dr G Satheesh Reddy, current Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Security Advisor Ajit Doval shared the details with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The importance of such technology was highlighted to him. The Prime Minister showed the courage and vision to go ahead with the project," he said. Space scientists on Wednesday joined hands in hailing the success of 'Mission Shakti' and termed the historic feat as the demonstration of India's space power and political will. "We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy," DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy told ANI earlier in the day. "Mission Shakti not only demonstrates the country's space power but also speaks volume about our political will," said former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Ravi Kumar Gupta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that anti-satellite (A-SAT) weapon has successfully destroyed a decommissioned Indian satellite on a low earth orbit (LEO), joining a group of three countries--US, Russia and China. "This is a great moment for us. India has become one of the four nations which have the capability of destroying an active satellite in the space and that too in a matter of minutes," Gupta told ANI. Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief G Madhavan Nair said: "I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Modi for having a political will to take such a decision and implement it within a short time." "When Chinese did this kind of experiment, there was a lot of uproar from the international community as they polluted the entire space but here we have taken a wise decision to have a satellite made by ISRO and demonstrated that we can kill live satellite using our own anti-satellite system," he said. Former ISRO Scientist Nambin Narayanan said: "It is a complex technology, which is difficult to achieve. We have the ability to destroy an enemy satellite. If you are powerful, then you have a status in the world whether you like it or not. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Had I been the Prime Minister of India, I would have attacked Pakistan after the killing of 40 CRPF jawans in terror bombing in Pulwama, said senior SP leader Azam Khan here on Wednesday. "Had I been the Prime Minister of India, I would not have waited even for 40 seconds in ordering the attack (on Pakistan) after the suicide bombing without caring about its possible consequences," Khan told reporters at a press conference here. Forty CRPF jawans were killed after a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their convoy on Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on February 14. Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had claimed the responsibility for the deadly attack. Azam Khan is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh on the Samajwadi Party ticket. Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in seven phases, from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Buoyed by the successful testing of Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said The Prime Minister made this comment during an interaction through video-conference with the team of scientists and engineers involved in the development and testing of the Anti-Satellite weapons. "Congratulations to you all. Your hard work paid off," Prime Minister said. "If someone who does not think ill about anyone becomes powerless, then those who think ill will keep breeding evils. That is why someone who does not think ill for others must be powerful," Prime Minister told the scientists and engineers. He also termed the successful development of the weapon as an example of "Make-in-India". India on Wednesday announced successful testing of its anti-satellite missile by shooting down its own decommissioned satellite in the Low Earth Orbit. Making the announcement about the test, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India's feat is only for its own defence needs and not for use against any country. Prime Minister Modi also assured the international community that this test does not violate any international treaties or law and that India remains committed against the arms race in space. India has now entered the elite international club of four countries having such a capability. "India has successfully registered its name as a space power. Till now three countries of the world- America, Russia and China had this feat. India is the fourth country to have achieved this feat. There could be a no bigger moment of pride. A short while ago our scientists have shot-down a live satellite in low earth orbit (LEO) in space through an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile," Prime Minister Modi had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "I do not answer sheikhchillis (day-dreamers)," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said in response to a question on the minimum income guarantee scheme introduced by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. "No comments on Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. I do not answer 'sheikhchillis' (a person who does not understand the law of gravity)," Maneka told reporters here on Wednesday. When asked if Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance will pose a challenge for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi, who will contest the upcoming polls from Sultanpur, exuded confidence in the BJP's victory. "Every single election brings its own challenges. But in the last five years, the BJP has done a lot of work across the country. We will fight these elections as an organised army. I am sure that we will again emerge victorious," she added. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases, starting April 11. Counting of votes will be held on May 23. While Maneka will contest from Sultanpur, her son, Varun Gandhi, will contest from Pilibhit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opening ceremony for the sixth edition of Mitra Shakti VI, a 14-day joint training exercise by the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army, was held on Wednesday at the Diyatalawa Parade Ground here. The exercise, which is being conducted from March 26 to April 8, primarily focuses on training and equipping both the country's contingents to undertake joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in urban and rural environment under the United Nations flag. "The exercise provides an ideal platform for both contingents to share their operational experience and expertise while being instrumental in broadening interoperability and cooperation between the armies of India and Sri Lanka," an official statement outlined. The Indian Army contingent comprises of a company group from the Bihar regiment, while the Sri Lankan Army's First Gemunu Watch Battalion will be taking part in the exercise. Brigadier HPNK Jayapathirana, the General Officer Commanding 21 Division of Sri Lankan Army, was the chief guest for Wednesday's opening ceremony. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday promoted stronger trade ties between India and Croatia while addressing a joint business forum here during his official visit to the Balkan country. Amongst those present at the India-Croatia Business Forum were his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Croatian Chamber of Economy president Luka Burilovic. A large business delegation, comprising 30 Indian companies, accompanied Kovind as he became the first President of India to travel to Croatia. Addressing the forum, he underlined the strong commitment both India and Croatia have towards deepening economic linkages. "I had productive discussions yesterday with Madam President and with Prime Minister Plenkovic on how to take forward our multi-faceted bilateral ties. There is immense potential to expand trade and investment profile and establish innovation, research and start-up partnerships. Add to this, we have a rich trading past to encourage and inspire us!" Kovind said, highlighting the trade history shared between the two countries. "India is changing and changing fast...We invite Croatia to partner with us and take advantage of the opportunities that India presents," he stated. Kovind highlighted the scope for growth in trade ties between India and Croatia. "I am encouraged that bilateral trade has doubled during the last decade, and some investments have been made in both directions. However, you would admit that our bilateral trade and investment flows are still modest. For Croatia, the Indian growth story presents opportunities for two-way engagement in information technology, pharmaceuticals, digital economy, renewable energy, healthcare, infrastructure, defence and tourism sectors, just to name a few," he said. "We would like Croatia to collaborate with us in our flagship programmes - Make in India, Clean India, Start-up India and Digital India. We are also keen to learn from Croatia in the tourism and urban infrastructure sectors...Defence sector could be a vital area of cooperation between our two countries. Our defence requirements are huge and I invite Croatian companies to partner us in meeting our demands," the President added. The event was organised by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The President is currently on a three-country trip to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile from March 25 to April 4. His travel marks the first time that an Indian President has visited Croatia and Bolivia. He earlier held talks with his Croatian counterpart, following which four Memoranda of Understanding were signed between India and Croatia, in the fields of tourism, education, sports, to name a few. Kovind also interacted with the Indian diaspora in Croatia on Tuesday. He will now embark on the second leg of his tour to Latin America on March 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In view of the ensuing Lok Sabha General Elections, Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava on Wednesday held a meeting with police officers of Hisar Range and reviewed law and order, crime and other related matters of five districts. He also took stock of preparations made by local police, demand for police force, number of sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths and the action plan of police. While reviewing the district-wise arrangements, Yadava instructed the officers to completely curb the crime and criminal activities in their respective areas. Emphasising the strengthening of intelligence wing, the DGP also instructed them to intensely investigate in criminal cases like under Arms Act, NDPS Act so that involvement of others in such network could be unearthed and recurrence of crime could be prevented. He also instructed them to take stern action on those involved in racket of drug peddling. Calling upon the officers to discharge their duties with utmost dedication and honesty, Yadava said that Police should enhance their visibility on roads so that the common man and women can feel safe and secure. He asked them to closely monitor cases pertaining to crime against women and take immediate action on such complaints. Stressing on traffic management, he said that work should be done in a planned and effective manner to avoid traffic congestion. The meeting was attended among others by Inspector General of Police, Hisar Range, Amitabh Singh Dhillon, Superintendent of Police, Hisar, Shivcharan Atri, Superintendent of Police, Jind, Ashwin Shanvi, Superintendent of Police, Hansi, Virendra Vij, Superintendent of Police, Fatehabad, Vijay Pratap Singh, all Deputy Superintendents of Police and Inspectors of Hisar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said that a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi, gifted to Croatia to mark the 150 birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, will be unveiled here on October 2 this year. Kovind, who's currently on his official trip to Croatia, made this statement at the University of Zagreb on Wednesday. "This year, we are celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation. For him, knowledge and education were about understanding the oneness of humanity and about harnessing the power of truth. On October 2, his bust would be unveiled in your historic capital. I do hope you will join the celebrations to remember his legacy, and to imbibe his universal values," he told the gathering. The Indian President also advocated for a new age partnership between India and Croatia, which is anchored in economic synergies, geopolitical realities, technology, innovation, and fourth Industrial Revolution. "Our cultural connections are a matter of immense pride for us. On these strong foundations, we now have to build a new-age partnership, a partnership anchored in economic synergies, in geopolitical realities, in technology and innovation, in sustainability and the fourth Industrial Revolution, and in the strengths and priorities of the two countries," Kovind said. Before his address at the university, Kovind attended the India-Croatia Business Forum, along with his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. On Tuesday, both the leaders held talks following which four memoranda of understanding were signed between India and Croatia. The President is currently on a three-country trip to Croatia, Bolivia, and Chile from March 25 to April 4. He is the first Indian President to visit Croatia and Bolivia. He will now embark on the second leg of his tour to Latin America on March 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met the students who had appeared for School Service Commission (SSC) and are on a hunger strike for last 28 days. "On May 23rd after the election results are declared we will try to solve this issue. If your demands are valid then we will look into it," the chief minister said here. "The government is trying to solve your problem. As because the model code of conduct has been imposed so we cannot give you any commitment," she added. The chief minister directed the minister of the state Partha Chatterjee to solve the problem as early as possible. The students had appeared for exams in 2017 and alleged that when the merit list came, they did not get marks for the written exam, viva and interview but only ranks. The students have been demanding the government should fill up the vacancies for teachers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi on Wednesday accused the authorities of public sector lender Punjab Bank (PNB) of creating a "malicious" case against him and his company Gitanjali Diamonds. "Despite no tangible proof, the PNB authorities instigated by a panic-stricken Chairman, Sunil Mehta, created a malicious case against a high-profile target--Gitanjali Diamonds and its proprietor Mehul Choksi," a letter moved through Choksi's counsel Vijay and Ashul Agarwal said. The letter stated that Choksi had accumulated over Rs 8,000 crore through "ingenuity" and "hard work," which were confiscated by "falsely painting" him in the bad light. The letter, addressed to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), PNB and other banks, went on to claim that Indian authorities in an "unprecedented manner" raided his house and office without any evidence of wrongdoing. The letter also claimed that he was not a partner with any of the firms under scrutiny and added that "he had quit all these firms way back in 2000." "The basis of the raids was an old and dated Know Your Customer (KYC) document which had been submitted by him to the PNB as far back as 1995. Choksi had sought to correct the details of this KYC on several occasions but to no avail," the letter said. The letter repeatedly emphasised that the PNB officials ignored his requests and calls to save their skin and used his out of date KYC document as the basis of the investigation. "For PNB, it was obviously a desperate attempt to save their own skin by diverting attention away from the role of the bank and the cracks in their own system of not having updated all relevant information in their central server their central reporting system to the Reserve Bank of India," the letter said. It mentioned that Choksi had not only written to the PNB to correct the details of his KYC but also to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He had also made representations to the Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange in February 2018, the letter stated. His counsel said it will contest the "legality" of PNB notifying Choksi's other banks to freeze his bank accounts and seize his properties. This, the letter claimed, destroyed the businessman's Rs 12,000 crore business and tarnished the image of his brand in the eyes of the public. "The cruel, unwarranted and simultaneous raids across his homes and offices took place on false presumptions and in panic, Choksi's assets were confiscated, and his businesses brought to naught," it added. "For 25 years, we strove to create an Indian jewellery brand that would rival the best in the world, and in two weeks the company was destroyed by the bloody-mindedness of a cynical system," Choksi was quoted saying this in the letter. On March 22, Choksi moved a new application in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, stating his long history of heart ailments and a blood clot in the brain as a reason not to be able to appear before the court. Choksi's counsel Vijay and Ashul Agarwal submitted his detailed medical history citing his ailments constraining him from travelling and hence leading to his inability to return to India. This came two days after the extradition process against him began in Antigua. The matter is slated for hearing on April 9. Mehul Choksi and nephew Nirav Modi are key accused in Rs 13,000-crore Punjab Bank fraud case. They fled the country a year ago. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had violated the Model Code of Conduct with his announcement on India acquiring anti-satellite weapon capabilities. Terming the announcement as limitless drama, the chief minister said since Modi is not going to space there was no need for him to take credit. She also said the Trinamool Congress will approach the Election Commission to complain against the poll code violation. Addressing the media here, she said, "What was the need for Modi during the time of election to violate the model code of conduct and take the credit? Does he work there? Is he going to space?" Sharpening her attack she opined that the press conference regarding Mission Shakti should have been done by the DRDO, not the Prime Minister who has not addressed the media ever in his tenure. "Scientists should have announced it, it is their credit. Modi ji has never met the press otherwise in his tenure. We will go to the Election Commission to complain against this. Anyway, only one satellite was destroyed, that wasn't necessary as it was lying there since a long time and it is the prerogative of scientists to decide when they want to do it," Banerjee added. Her remarks came after the Prime Minister on Wednesday announced that India's anti-satellite weapon A-SAT has successfully destroyed a live satellite on a low earth orbit, joining a group of three countries - the US, Russia and China - with such capability. "India has entered its name as an elite space power. It is the fourth country to achieve this feat after the US, Russia and China. The 'Mission Shakti' operation was a difficult target to achieve, which was completed successfully within three minutes of the launch," he said in an address to the nation. The Prime Minister said India has enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, and navigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition leaders on Wednesday congratulated scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for Mission Shakti but also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking credit of the accomplishment. Congress president congratulated the scientists but took a satiric potshot at the PM. "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day" he posted on his official twitter handle. In a veiled attack at Rahul Gandhi Amit Shah tweeted saying, "The Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt. After spending a lifetime of humiliating our soldiers, Leaders of the Opposition have expanded their influence to ridiculing our scientists. Well done!" Echoing similar sentiments as Patel, Shashi Tharoor said, "Proud of our scientists who have continued the fine tradition of excellence in rocket & satellite technology on which India was launched by Nehruji. Glad to see @DRDO_India add one more achievement to a long list!" Attacking the Prime Minister, he tweeted, "Since there is no imminent ban, & the timing reeks purely of electoral point-scoring, while ignoring the strategic & diplomatic consequences of such a test, @PMOIndia has raised troubling questions for our security today. We are proud of our scientists; less so of our Govt." Meanwhile, Former DRDO chief VK Saraswat praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful test of India's first anti-satellite weapon--A-SAT. Dr Saraswat told ANI, "If today nations across the world want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them. We use space only for peaceful purposes and that is what Prime Minister Modi has been saying. This launch is not against any nation. It is basically to create a technological capability in India." Senior leader Ahmed Patel claimed that the program initiated under the UPA government had reached fruition. "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," Patel said on Twitter. However, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad opined that the Prime Minister, in particular, deserves praise for the success of the mission. "It is a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister," Prasad said. These remarks come after the Prime Minister on Wednesday announced that India's anti-satellite weapon A-SAT has successfully destroyed a live satellite on a low earth orbit, joining a group of three countries - the US, Russia and China - with such capability. "India has entered its name as an elite space power. It is the fourth country to achieve this feat after the US, Russia and China. The 'Mission Shakti' operation was a difficult target to achieve, which was completed successfully within three minutes of the launch," he said in an address to the nation. The Prime Minister said India has enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, and navigation. Anti-satellite weapons or A-SAT are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Although no A-SAT system has yet been utilised in warfare, a few nations have shot down their own (defunct) satellites to demonstrate their A-SAT capabilities in a show of force. Before India successfully tested A-SAT weapon, US, Russia, and China have demonstrated this capability successfully. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy a "big menace" for the country and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Addressing his party workers via teleconference, he said,"(Prime Minister)Modi is a big menace for the country. Same is Jagan for Andhra. Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana CM) and Jagan Mohan Reddy are hatching conspiracies as they are afraid of defeat." Naidu claimed that his "rivals" were taking revenge as they were not able to stop development in the state in the last five years. "KCR and Jagan Mohan Reddy are unable to digest the development in Andhra Pradesh in the past 5 years. As they cannot stop the development, they are indulging in wrong practices," he said Accusing the BJP of misusing and damaging institutions in the country, Naidu said: "BJP is a potential danger for the existence of institutions. This is a question of life and death for democracy." Commenting on the Vivekananda murder case, he claimed that conspiracies are being hatched to bury reality. "In Vivekananda murder case, conspiracies are being hatched to bury the reality as they are afraid that criminals will be exposed," he said. Calling Jagan an expert in "Guerilla form of war", he said, "Jagan's policy is hit and run. He is an expert in Guerilla kind of war. His bad habit is to hit from the back and run away." "Yesterday Jagan was not seen in the campaign. YSRCP's second leader, Vijaysai Reddy was also not seen. That means, they might be planning some conspiracy," Naidu said. The TDP chief urged party workers to "save" the state with "all their might" and prevent the imminent danger. Andhra Pradesh will go to polls on April 11, and counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Despite MoS Giriraj Singh's disappointment, BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday announced his candidature from Begusarai Lok constituency instead of his current Nawada constituency in Bihar. Shah said, "Mr @girirajsinghbjp will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai of Bihar. I have heard all his things and the organization will solve all his problems. I wish him good luck for the election". Giriraj had earlier said, "I am sad only because of Bihar BJP leadership. This decision (of fielding from Begusarai) was taken without taking me into confidence. My self-respect has been violated." "I was hoping to contest election from Begusarai in 1996 and 2014. However, the party leadership said Bhola Singh wants to contest from Begusarai. I was fielded from Nawada (then)," he told ANI. One of his rivals from Begusarai constituency will be former president of JNU Students' Union Kanhaiya Kumar who has been fielded by CPI. Kumar joined student through All India Students' Federation (AISF), which is the students wing of CPI. The parliamentary constituency of Begusarai, which was won by BJP in 2014 general elections, has been lying vacant after the death of MP Bhola Singh. The seat of Nawada has been conceded to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as part of the seat-sharing formula of NDA. Out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies, BJP and the Janata Dal (United) will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six would be fought by the LJP. Bihar will be witnessing polling in all seven phases, April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to de-escalate increasing diplomatic tensions, Pakistan on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments regarding Afghanistan were reported out of context in the media, according to Pakistan's Foreign Office. This comes a day after Afghanistan lodged a strong protest with Pakistan by summoning the country's Deputy Ambassador "with respect to the recent irresponsible remarks" by Khan. Following this, Afghanistan also recalled its ambassador from Pakistan "for further discussions on the matter." Quoting Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal, Geo News reported that Khan referred to Pakistan's model, where elections are held under an interim government. Faisal added that Khan's comments should not be "misinterpreted to imply interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs." The spokesperson further stated that the Pakistani Prime Minister had taken a "personal interest" in facilitating the political reconciliation process in Afghanistan, and wanted to promote peace in the nation. Khan recently remarked that an interim government should be put in place in Afghanistan to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban as the current government creates "obstruction", according to TOLOnews. Following this, Afghanistan's foreign ministry said: "Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its grave objection on Pakistani PM's recent reckless statements about the peace process and establishment of an interim government, deemed such statements an obvious example of Pakistan's interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan." Khan's remarks were met with strong criticism across political lines in Afghanistan. Slamming Khan's remarks, Afghanistan's former national security advisor Mohammad Haneef Atmar said: "Recent statement by Pakistani Prime Minister is interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs. The Afghan government derives its legitimacy from the Afghan people, but not from the leaders of regional countries who strive to meddle in our internal affairs and decide on the future of our government and our (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party has offered legal support to the recently-banned outfits of Jamaat-e-Islami (J-K) and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Addressing a gathering here on Tuesday, senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig said, "We are ready to offer Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front legal assistance, whether in Jammu and Kashmir High Court or Supreme court, provided they trust us." Last week, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had criticised the central government's decision to ban JKLF, which had kidnapped her sister Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989. "YasinMalik renounced violence as a way of resolving J & K issue a long time ago. He was treated as a stakeholder in a dialogue initiated by then PM (AtalBihari) Vajpayee ji. What will a ban on his organisation achieve? Detrimental steps like these will only turn Kash (sic) into an open-air prison," Mehbooba had tweeted on the day when the central government had banned JKLF. Centre had banned JKLF saying the outfit is actively engaged in inciting secessionism and illegal funneling funds for fomenting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. In February this year, the central government had also banned Jamat-e-Islami for a period of five years. Both the organisations were banned after being categorised as "an unlawful association under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Prevention Act 1967", by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The government has launched a crackdown against 'separatist' elements in the valley in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that Congress president Rahul Gandhi, during his recent visit to Somnath temple, sat like he was offering namaz (one of the five pillars of Islam). "It's the people of Gujarat who exposed Rahul Gandhi. He went to Somnath temple and sat there as if offering namaz. Temple priest had to scold him that this is a temple, sit cross-legged," Adityanath said at a public rally here on Tuesday. "Nakal mein bhi akal chahiye," he then quipped (presence of mind is required even to copy). He further claimed that the Congress' "new generation" visits temples only during elections, in an apparent reference to Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, ahead of the latter's visit to Ayodhya. "They (Rahul and Priyanka) go to temples only during elections. They do not have time to visit holy sites if elections are not around," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. At another public rally in the state, Adityanath claimed that the new scheme introduced by the Congress for the poor was nothing but a poll "gimmick". He also claimed that Congress, when in power, was "insensitive" towards the poor. The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19 in seven phases. The polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia and Venezuela will sign around 20 agreements on cooperation in different sectors including energy and education, said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday. "In April, a high-level working session on intergovernmental cooperation between Russia and Venezuela will take place. We will sign over 20 documents on cooperation in economy, trade, culture, energy and education," TASS quoted Maduro as saying. Interestingly, Maduro's remarks come a day after foreign media reported that two Russian military jets with 100 soldiers on board reached Caracas. While discussing on Russia and Venezuela relationships, Maduro asserted, "In April, a high-level working session on intergovernmental cooperation between Russia and Venezuela will take place. We will sign over 20 documents on cooperation in economy, trade, culture, energy and education.'' Taking jibe at US' humanitarian aid which he had claimed was "fake", Maduro thanked Russia for its "real humanitarian delivery". "Two weeks ago, a shipment measuring in tonnes arrived in Venezuela. Soon we expect another aid delivery, with medicine," he added. Last week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that Russia would send medicine "next week" to Venezuela, amid reports of strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow. According to Al Jazeera, the Maduro regime in February had blocked a convoy carrying humanitarian aid from entering into Venezuela via the border with Colombia. He also ordered the closure of Venezuela's border with Brazil "until further notice" amid a tense standoff with the US-backed Opposition leader, Juan Guaido, over allowing in humanitarian aid. The South American nation is crippled with a political and economic crisis since January after Guaido proclaimed himself as the President of the nation in January. While most European countries have recognised Guaido as the interim President, countries like Russia, China, Turkey, amongst others, have slammed foreign interference in Venezuela and shown support for Maduro. Maduro, who is the elected President of the nation, decried the events and accused the US of plotting a coup to overthrow him by supporting Guaido. He continues to hold on to his post despite calls by the international community for fresh elections. Amongst other sanctions, the US has previously proscribed Venezuela's state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA in a bid to stifle funding to the Maduro regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court against two service providers--Vodafone and Airtel--for not cooperating in the probe against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with Saradha chit fund case. The investigating agency claimed that the telecom majors were not providing "certain details" required for the investigation. This comes a day after a bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi described the status report submitted by the agency as "something very, very serious." The apex court has also sought a reply from Kumar on the status report within a stipulated period of 10 days. In the last hearing, the apex court had contended that it would determine the charges and counter-charges after hearing both the sides. Last month, the top court had asked the investigating agency to file an affidavit, giving details about its claim that Kumar had tampered with evidence in the chit fund scam, adding that it was not "satisfied" with the oral submissions made by Attorney General Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. On March 26, CBI moved an application seeking the initiation of contempt proceedings against various senior officials of West Bengal government, including the state's Director General of Police (DGP) and Kumar on the grounds of their alleged non-cooperation in its probe and destruction of evidence in the case. In its affidavit, CBI said that there is a "larger conspiracy between highly placed state authorities and the companies under investigation" in the scam. The affidavit also stated that the communication between CBI and state authorities which showed that there had been a "concerted effort to evade, avoid and to escape" the process of law and a conscious effort on part of the authorities to scuttle the investigation. The plea was filed after an unprecedented chain of events on February 3 when a CBI team was detained by Kolkata Police when they reached Kumar's residence. Later, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited his residence. The CBI officers were taken to a police station and released later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared the release of Ram Gopal Varma's upcoming directorial 'Lakshmi's NTR', the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has sought postponement of the film's release. In a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer of Andhra Pradesh, the TDP requested the poll official to postpone the film's screening until April 11, the day when Andhra Pradesh will go to polls. "The person who is producing this movie is Mr. Rakesh Reddy. He belongs to the YSRCP. It is an opposition party who is producing this movie which is directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The director Ram Gopal Varma announced the movie date on 29. 03. 2019 (Friday). On this date movie should not be released as it is mentioned in the Election code, any biopic movie should not be released. It is also told by the chief election commissioner Sunil Arora so I'm following in the rules of the election commission," the complaint read. The complainant went on to say that this the movie will cause fights and hamper security in the region. He also claimed that as this film is being produced by Rakesh Reddy, who is a member of the opposition party, it is against NTR, who founded the TDP. He further went onto claim that the film shows the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in a bad light and will lead to the party facing many consequences. [{c9883426-1947-4255-816a 1ba4c74e8d5f:intradmin/appeal1.jpg.jpg}][{32d20384-f08e-497f-a716-fea70e480536:intradmin/appeal2_27.jpg}] Election Commission (EC) officials will now hold a screening of the film in order to take a decision. 'Lakshmi's NTR' showcases the events in the later life of late NT Rama Rao, a legendary actor and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The biopic centres around NTR's second marriage to Lakshmi Parvathi, the TDP's landslide victory in the 1994 elections, the revolt and internal party coupled by NTR's son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu in August 1995 and NTR's death a few months later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's Pheu Thai Party, which was ousted in a 2014 coup by the military junta, on Wednesday announced that it formed a seven-party coalition, claiming that it won a majority of Lower House seats in the March 25 General elections. The Pheu Thai Party-led coalition claimed the right to form the government, saying it has got 255 seats in the 500-seat House of Representatives, pipping pro-military Palang Pracharath Party, The Straits Times reported. At a press conference here, leaders of Future Forward Party, Pheu Chart Party, Prachachart Party, Seri Ruam Thai Party and Thai People Power Party joined the Pheu Thai Party and signed a joint statement as a symbolic protest against the ruling junta. However, a seventh party, the New Economics Party, did not make it to the presser. However, the Pheu Thai Party said that the party had agreed to be a part of the alliance. While junta-backed Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha won the most votes in the polls, Pheu Thai Party bagged the highest number of Lower House seats winning 57, according to unofficial results. The Palang Pracharath Party garnered 97 seats, as per the unofficial results. The official results of the elections will not be out until May 9. The results, which is Thailand's first since the military took over by dislodging the Yingluck Shinawatra-led Pheu Thai Party in a coup in 2014, remains uncertain after the country's election commission postponed the announcement without any reason, leading to allegations of vote rigging. Voter turnout for the Thai House of Representatives elections stood at 65.96 per cent, while about 52 million people were registered to vote for the March 25 elections. Out of them, seven million people were first-time voters. There are 500 parliamentary seats - 350 constituency wards and 150 party list seats - for which elections were held after numerous delays. The 500 MPs and the 250 junta-appointed senators will each have a vote on who becomes the prime minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bowing down to pressure, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday (local time) announced that she will resign as the prime minister before the next phase of Brexit talks, reports Washington Post. This development came hours before the British Parliament is set to vote on the type of Brexit Britain will opt. British MPs on Monday defied Prime Minister Theresa May's government and voted in the favour of an amendment that gives them the power to control the country's Parliament. As many as 30 Conservative MPs have voted against Theresa May. Letwin Amendment has allowed the lawmakers to make a series of indicative votes on various alternative options-including Norway-style deal with the EU and no Brexit. Last week, at least one million people protested against May's handling of the Brexit process, demanding for a second referendum to be held. In 2016, over 50 per cent of the UK electorate voted to leave the EU, following which the British government triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning the country's process of its exit from the European bloc. The then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who supported continued membership to the EU, resigned, making way for May to take charge. The bloc agreed to extend Article 50 till May 22, provided the British Parliament supports the Withdrawal Deal next week when May holds a meaningful vote. If the Parliament rejects the deal again, the UK will be given an extension only till April 12, according to Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of Syrians gathered on Tuesday in different cities to protest against President Donald Trump's formal recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. According to Al Jazeera, marchers carrying Syrian and Palestinian flags protested against Trump. Trump's Monday order drew condemnation from various countries including China. Syria has called the move "blatant aggression". The leader of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah has also criticised the order. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Hassan Nasrallah described Trump's move as "a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict", which "deals a knockout punch" to peace in the region. Israel had formally annexed the territory in 1981 after capturing the region from Syria during the six-day war in 1967. The Israeli annexation has long been decried by the community which regards Golan Heights as an occupied territory and Israeli settlements in the region are illegal as per international law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US House of Representatives on Tuesday (local time) failed to override the first veto issued by President Donald Trump on a resolution blocking his national emergency declaration that sought to fund the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico bypassing the Congress. The final vote count stood at 248 to 181, falling short of the 290 votes or two-thirds majority that was required for the legislation to be passed. Notably, several Republicans backed the veto issued by Trump. Slamming the "lawless" emergency declaration by Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrat Senator from Texas Joaquin Castro outlined the future course of action the party would take after the vote, The Hill newspaper reported. "The President's lawless emergency declaration clearly violates the Congress's exclusive power of the purse, and the Congress will work through the appropriations and defence authorisation processes to terminate this dangerous action and restore our constitutional system of balance of powers," a joint statement issued by Pelosi and Castro read. "In six months, the Congress will have another opportunity to put a stop to this President's wrongdoing. We will continue to review all options to protect our Constitution and our Democracy from the President's assault," it added. Meanwhile, Trump hailed the "big win" and thanked his fellow Republicans for standing by his veto, while slamming the Democrats for not supporting his emergency declaration. "Thank you to the House Republicans for sticking together and the BIG WIN today on the Border. Today's vote simply reaffirms Congressional Democrats are the party of Open Borders, Drugs and Crime!" he wrote on Twitter. The failure of the House to overturn Trump's veto comes a day after the Pentagon notified the US Congress that it authorised the transfer of USD 1 billion for building a barricade along the US-Mexico border. On March 14, the Republican-controlled Senate voted to disapprove the emergency declaration by 59 votes to 41, in what was a sharp rebuke to Trump. The resolution was already passed in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives by 245 votes to 182 last month, with 13 Republicans supporting the Democrats. Minutes after the vote, Trump tweeted in capitals, "VETO!", an indication that he would reject the resolution. Subsequently, the US President issued his first veto rejecting as "dangerous" and "reckless" congressional resolution of his emergency declaration and asserted that Americans would be "put at risk" at the border with Mexico if the measure became a law. Trump vetoed the resolution of disapproval of his emergency declaration to get the wall funded and built along the US-Mexico border. On February 15, Trump had declared a national emergency to bypass the Congress and fulfill his long-pending demand of building the wall. Defending his move, the US President asserted that he had "no choice" but to use his emergency powers to stop illegal immigrants spreading crime and drugs. Since then, several Democrats have chided Trump, asserting that his move was in violation of the US Constitution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NAIF Reviewing Yangibana Project for Funding Possibilities Sydney, Mar 27, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals ( ASX:HAS ) is pleased to advise that the Australian Government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) has indicated it will further investigate the potential for NAIF to provide debt finance for the Yangibana Rare Earths Project ("Yangibana Project').- The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) is further investigating the potential to provide debt financing to the Yangibana Rare Earths Project.- NAIF's funding has potential to finance the majority of the Yangibana Project's infrastructure and related costs.- Hastings has commenced work in preparing the required formal Investment Proposal required as part of the next steps to progress due diligence by NAIF.IntroductionThe Yangibana Project involves the development of rare earths deposits rich in neodymium and praseodymium, elements vital to permanent magnets that provide many critical components of wide-ranging high-tech products, including electric vehicles, renewable energy wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. The development of this project is expected to bring benefits to the Gascoyne, Carnarvon and Meekatharra regions of northern Australia including through employment and business opportunities. For example, Hastings commitment to indigenous employment is documented in its native title agreement signed in November 2017.Hastings has commenced the process of preparing its Investment Proposal for NAIF's consideration and this represents a major milestone in Hastings engagement with NAIF and in potentially securing debt finance for the project. NAIF has not yet made any decision to offer debt finance and there is no certainty that an agreement will be reached between the parties.NAIF is a major initiative of the Australian Government. NAIF has access to a A$5 billion lending facility which can provide a range of loan concessions, to support infrastructure development that generates public benefit for Northern Australia. It also encourages and complements private sector investment to further that objective.NAIF's due diligence is under way and Hastings will continue to assist NAIF with further specific requirements to facilitate the process for seeking approval for providing debt finance to the Yangibana Project.Executive Chairman, Charles Lew commented: "The Shires of Upper Gascoyne and Carnarvon have had minimal economic development for many years. Getting the Yangibana project into production provides a real long-term opportunity for Hastings to work within and benefit these communities. Funding available through NAIF, if approved, would allow Hastings to push ahead with its stated goal of construction commencement in H2 2019. "About NAIFNAIF was established on 1 July 2016 by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016 (NAIF Act) and is a corporate Commonwealth entity. The objective of the NAIF Act is to provide financial assistance to the States of Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory for the construction of infrastructure to benefit northern Australia. The NAIF may approve loans to 30 June 2021 which total A$5 billion in aggregate (with loan tenors of up to the longest term of Commonwealth borrowings).About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. The United States on Tuesday (local time) imposed sanctions on the networks of companies and individual for transferring money to Iran's elite paramilitary Revolutionary Guards Corps force. "We are targeting a vast network of front companies and individuals located in Iran, Turkey, and the UAE to disrupt a scheme the Iranian regime has used to illicitly move more than a billion dollars in funds," Al Jazeera quoted US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as saying in a statement. In total 25 people and companies including Ansar Bank, Iranian Atlas Company have been blacklisted. In 2018, US President Donald Trump withdrew from Nuclear deal and imposed various sanctions against Iran, which had visible impacts over Tehran's economy. Trump had accused Iran of not "living up to the spirit of the deal" Trump while imposing the sanctions have also targeted IRGC, which is the country's most powerful security organisation, to keep overseas funding to it under check. The "toughest sanctions" on Iran which has punctured the country's economy. Tehran has seen its oil exports plunging and its currency losing more than half its value. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ten thousand smallholder farmers in Andhra Pradesh are set to benefit from the introduction of sustainable irrigation products and practices under a program offered by International Development Enterprises - India (IDEI) and supported with funding from the Walmart Foundation. Providing a grant of USD 750,000, the Walmart Foundation will help IDEI take its integrating smallholder farmers into market systems program to ten districts in the state. The program aims to introduce sustainable irrigation products and practices and create a complementary support ecosystem that will boost farm yields, reduce negative environmental impacts, and increase market access and smallholder farmer income. The program is expected to generate an additional USD 7.4 million in annual farming income in the state at the end of the project period, with individual gains of USD 400 per smallholder farmer household per year. Substantial water savings in agriculture are also anticipated, amounting to 33.4 million m3 of water saved for the state during the program. More than 62% of the population of Andhra Pradesh are dependent upon agriculture, and yet many farmers live in poverty and lack access to irrigation systems or other technologies to help them improve their productivity and income. Sustainable agricultural products with practices are the keystone of the IDEI program. It will target smallholder farming families with irrigation interventions and support for market-oriented development. Introducing sustainable irrigation will help smallholder farmers increase the planting and harvesting window, increase yields, and enable greater crop variety and productivity, unlocking new market opportunities. It will also generate cost savings and reduce negative environmental impact by curbing excess water and fossil fuel consumption. IDEI will also work to catalyse an ecosystem of entrepreneurs to provide access to affordable water-use productivity technologies and practices and for the maintenance and safety of these systems. These complementary activities can further enhance economic opportunities in the target regions of Andhra Pradesh. "Income poverty affects 1.3 billion people around the world and is a huge challenge. But simple solutions, like affordable modern irrigation, can make a massive difference. We have already helped more than 8 million people of farming families improve their output and standard of living, and we are determined to now doing the same for tens of thousands of smallholders in Andhra Pradesh," said Amitabha Sadangi, Chief Executive of IDEI. Angamuthu a smallholder farmer from Tamil Nadu installed a drip-type irrigation system. "Before we never had enough money for our subsistence, but now we have surplus money to educate our children because of increased yield with all the support rendered by IDEI promoted drip," he said. The IDEI grant is a part of the Walmart Foundation's commitment, announced in September 2018, to invest USD 25 million (approximately Rs 180 crores) in philanthropic initiatives to improve farmer livelihoods in India over the next five years. With this commitment, the Walmart Foundation is focused on empowering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to serve as sustainable intermediaries that can help smallholders grow their incomes and improve their livelihoods. It aims to support FPOs and their farmer members to develop sustainable farming practices, share best practices, add value to primary commodities, and improve access to financing and markets. Under this commitment, an almost USD 2 million grant to the International Crops Research Institute for the semi-arid tropics, was launched in Andhra Pradesh last year with the unveiling of a groundnut processing facility. "We are pleased to support organizations such as IDEI who have an expertise and a solid track record in strengthening farmers' agricultural skills. This approach helps to create sustainable livelihoods for farmers by increasing production and helps to preserve important natural resources for the future," said Karrie Denniston, Senior Director, Walmart Foundation. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top diplomats of South Korea and the United States are set to meet and hold talks in Washington DC on Friday (March 29), during which the topic of North Korea's denuclearisation is expected to figure. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo are scheduled to meet after the former attends a UN ministerial meeting on peacekeeping in New York on the same day, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. This will be the first meeting of the two foreign ministers after last month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, Vietnam, ended in a stalemate with no agreement reached. Despite the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit, Trump had maintained that the relationship with the elusive state continues to be "good". Ties between the US and North Korea have hit a roadblock over the ease of sanctions, where Pyongyang sought relief as a 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. On March 14, officials from South Korea and the US met in Washington DC and discussed ways to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, amid a layer of sanctions imposed on the communist country. The US-South Korea working group met for the first time after the Hanoi summit took place. The two sides "shared updates on efforts to achieve our shared goal of final, fully verified denuclearisation, including through the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions," US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino had said. They also "reaffirmed their commitment to continue regularly hosting these consultations and coordination as alliance partners," he had added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Headline indices of the Hong Kong share market closed higher on Wednesday, 27 March 2019, as bargain hunters stepped into market on hopes for more stimulus after weak industrial profit data after data showed the sharpest contraction in China's industrial profits since late 2011 in the January to February 2019 period. However, market gains were limited on concerns over the global economy while attention turns to the resumption of China-US trade talks this week. At closing bell, the Hang Seng Index advanced 161.34 points or 0.56% to 28,728.25. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index added 73.63 points or 0.66% to 11,305.36 Turnover increased to HK$93.3 billion from HK$88.3 billion on Tuesday. China's industrial profits tumbled 14% in the January to February period, extending a 1.9% decrease in December, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Factory-gate prices in automobile, oil refining, steel and chemical all declined in the two month period from a year ago, dropping between 0.4% and 2.5%, dragging on profits of these sectors, the statistics bureau said. The combined decrease in profit shaved the headline profit growth by 14.2%age points, it said. The government releases combined economic data for the months of January and February as the timing of the Lunar New Year holiday shifts every year. Stripping the impact of the Lunar New Year holidays, total profits came in largely the same as last year, said Zhu Hong, an economist with the statistics bureau. China's producer-price index edged up 0.1% in the first two months from a year earlier, official data showed. Blue chips were mixed. HSBC (00005) nudged down 0.1% to HK$63.85. Tencent (00700) put on 0.9% to HK$354.6. HKEX (00388) was also up 0.9% to HK$268.2. China Mobile (00941) softened 0.5% to HK$80.3. AIA (01299) gained 0.9% to HK$76.35. Shares of crude oil majors were higher after oil supply tightened due to the lower exports from Venezuela and falling crude inventory in the US, with CNOOC (00883) jumping 3.9% to HK$14.36. PetroChina (00857) rose 0.6% to HK$5.11. But Sinopec (00386) nudged down 0.2% to HK$6.3. Oilfield service providers saw strong buying orders. Honghua Group (00196) soared 6.5% to HK$0.66. Sinopec Kantons (00934) gained 3.7% to HK$3.66. China Oilfield Services (02883) shot up 3.5% to HK$8.1. Sinopec Oilfield Service (01033) gained 3.5% to HK$0.88. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stocks reversed intraday gains and hit intraday low in negative zone. At 14:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 67.83 points or 0.18% at 38,165.58. The Nifty 50 index was down 23.50 points or 0.2% at 11,459.75. Cement stocks saw mixed trend. Local indices drifted higher in early trade on buying demand in index pivotals. Key benchmark indices hovered near day's high in morning trade. Firmness prevailed on the bourses in mid-morning trade. Indices trimmed gains in early afternoon trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.74%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.34%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, turned negative from positive. On the BSE, 1138 shares rose and 1476 shares fell. A total of 161 shares were unchanged. Cement stocks saw mixed trend. ACC (up 1.53%), Ambuja Cements (up 0.73%) rose. UltraTech Cement (down 0.16%) and Shree Cement (down 0.32%) fell. Grasim Industries was off 0.64%. Grasim has exposure to the cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement. Tata Power Company rose 1.01% after the company said that MERC has approved 700 MW power purchase arrangement between distribution and generation business of Tata Power for the next five years. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 27 March 2019. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 27 March 2019, announced successful launch of the country's Anti Satellite Missile System (ASAT). India is the fourth country to achieve this feat. In an address to the Nation, PM announced that India struck down a live test satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) thus successfully testing its ASAT system. This operation is named as Mission Shakti. This system was developed by DRDO - the research wing of Indian Defence services. This test will now make India the fourth nation with anti satellite capability. Overseas, European stocks were trading lower, with investors unnerved over fears of a potential U.S. recession. Asian stocks were mixed after US stocks finished broadly higher on Wall Street. Brexit uncertainty continues to weigh on sentiment. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is set to address lawmakers of her own Conservative Party Wednesday. British lawmakers are due to hold a round of so-called indicative votes - essentially votes on what the course of Brexit should look like - later in the day. This comes after parliamentarians took control of the Brexit process from May's government. US stocks closed higher Tuesday as the energy and financial sectors buoyed the market, but main indexes came off their intraday highs on tepid housing and consumer-confidence data as well as lingering uncertainties over global growth and Brexit. US-China trade negotiations resumed, reigniting some optimism that the high-stakes dispute was coming to a close. Cabinet-level trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington were scheduled to kick off, with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin due in China later this week to help conclude long-running discussions between the world's two largest economies. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mindtree said its board has decided not to proceed with a buyback of equity shares of the company. Further, the board invited views from the directors on the unsolicited offer made by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for the equity shares of the company. After detailed deliberation and discussion, the board decided to immediately constitute the committee of independent directors (IDC) in the interest of all stakeholders to provide their reasoned recommendation in respect of the unsolicited offer by L&T for the consideration of the shareholders. All the independent directors will be members of the IDC, and the IDC has elected Apurva Purohit, lead independent director, as the chairperson of the IDC and spokesperson. The IDC will consider and evaluate all aspects of the unsolicited offer, taking into account all relevant facts, circumstances, data related to the company and industry and the interests of all stakeholders involved. This committee will discharge the legal obligations placed on the independent directors under the prevailing regulations with respect to providing reasoned recommendations on the unsolicited offer by L&T. This committee will be supported by independent legal and financial advisors to help it with its deliberations. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Wockhardt informed that Health Products Regulatory Authority, Ireland (HPRA) and UK MHRA carried out joint inspection of Shendra, Aurangabad facility of the company. HPRA granted GMP Certificate to the facility, which is valid for a period of three years upto 31 January 2022. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. In a separate announcement after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019, Wockhardt said that it incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Wockhardt Medicines (WML), with effect from 25 March 2019. The main objective of WML is pharmaceuticals business. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories announced appointment of Allan Grant Oberman as an additional director, categorized as independent, on the board of the company for a period of five years, effective 26 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Sheela Foam said its promoters will sell 42.33 lakh shares, or 8.68% equity, with an over-subscription option of another 9.75 lakh shares, or 2% equity. The floor price has been set at Rs 1100 per share. The offer for sale (OFS) will take place over two trading days. For non-retail investors on 27 March 2019 and for retail investors on 28 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Allahabad Bank said that its board approved raising upto Rs 4000 crore, including premium by way of issue, offer and allotment of new equity shares of the bank either by way of public issue, rights issue, qualified institutions placements (QIPs) or in combination thereof in one or more tranches in such a manner that the Government of India shall continue to hold not less than 52% of the paid-up equity capital of the bank. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Meghmani Organics announced that an accidental fire broke out at early morning hours on Tuesday, 26 March 2019, in one of the manufacturing section at its agrochemical manufacturing division situated at Dahej in Gujarat. The plant has three manufacturing sections supported by other sub-sections. Only one manufacturing section viz., Cypermthrin got affected due to fire. The company is ascertaining the loss and also investigating the cause of the fire. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NTPC has launched and priced an issue of 3.75% U. S. D 450,000,000 notes due 2024 on March 26, 2019. The Notes carry a coupon of 3.75 % per annum payable semi-annually. The Notes are expected to be settled by April 3, 2019. The Notes will mature on 03 April 2024 and all principal and interest payments will be made in U. S. Dollars. The net proceeds from issue of Notes will be applied to finance capital expenditure of ongoing and/or new power projects, coal mining projects, acquisition of power projects and renovation and modernisation of power stations of NTPC in accordance with applicable Reserve Bank of India's guidelines in relation to external commercial borrowings. Further, the use of proceeds will be for projects only in India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices hovered near day's high in morning trade. At 10:27 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 193.48 points or 0.51% at 38,426.89. The Nifty 50 index was up 49.95 points or 0.43% at 11,533.20. Local indices drifted higher in early trade on buying demand in index pivotals. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.93%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.66%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1254 shares rose and 730 shares fell. A total of 118 shares were unchanged. IndusInd Bank (up 4.21%), Yes Bank (up 3.8%), Vedanta (up 1.79%), State Bank of India (up 1.38%) and Bajaj Finance (up 1.1%) edged higher from the Sensex pack. M&M (down 0.34%), NTPC (down 0.29%) and ICICI Bank (down 0.14%) edged lower from the Sensex pack. Sheela Foam lost 4.26% to Rs 1,235. Sheela Foam said its promoters will sell 42.33 lakh shares, or 8.68% equity, with an over-subscription option of another 9.75 lakh shares, or 2% equity. The floor price has been set at Rs 1100 per share. The offer for sale (OFS) will take place over two trading days. For non-retail investors on 27 March 2019 and for retail investors on 28 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Meghmani Organics rose 1.42%. Meghmani Organics announced that an accidental fire broke out at early morning hours on Tuesday, 26 March 2019, in one of the manufacturing section at its agrochemical manufacturing division situated at Dahej in Gujarat. The plant has three manufacturing sections supported by other sub-sections. Only one manufacturing section viz., Cypermthrin got affected due to fire. The company is ascertaining the loss and also investigating the cause of the fire. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 26 March 2019. Overseas, Asian stocks were trading mixed after US stocks finished broadly higher on Wall Street. U.S. stocks closed higher Tuesday as the energy and financial sectors buoyed the market, but main indexes came off their intraday highs on tepid housing and consumer-confidence data as well as lingering uncertainties over global growth and Brexit. U.S.-China trade negotiations resumed, reigniting some optimism that the high-stakes dispute was coming to a close. Cabinet-level trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington were scheduled to kick off, with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin due in China later this week to help conclude long-running discussions between the world's two largest economies. Investors were also monitoring Brexit, after U.K. lawmakers decided late Monday to wrest control of the process of leaving the European Union away from Prime Minister Theresa May in a move that will prompt a series of votes this week aimed at easing legislative gridlock. A disorderly exit from the EU by Britain could unsettle global benchmarks. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fourteen people were killed and several others injured in a road accident early on Wednesday when a bus rammed onto a stationary truck in Machakos county in eastern Kenya. A police official said the commuter bus was speeding towards Nairobi when it hit the truck, killing 11 men, two women and a child on the spot at around 5 a.m, reported Xinhua news agency. An estimated 3,000 Kenyans die in road accidents annually despite concerted efforts by the state and the private sector to promote safety on the highways, according to the National Transport and Safety Authority of Kenya. --IANS pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two youth were injured on Wednesday in clashes with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. According to the police, the condition of the injured youth was stated to be stable. Both of them have been shifted to Srinagar's Bone and Joint Hospital for specialised treatment. According to reports, the two youth, identified as Suhail Bhat and Faizan Ahmed, were injured in Kuger village in Kulgam district during clashes with the security forces after a cordon and search operation was launched in the area by the security personnel. Gurinderpal Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kulgam, confirmed that the police have received reports that two youth sustained pellet injuries even as the locals claimed that the two sustained gunshot injuries. The police were investigating how the two youth got injured. --IANS sq/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three researchers have won the 2018 Turing Award, known as the "Nobel Prize of computing", for conceptual and engineering breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI). Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun were named the recipients of the award on Tuesday by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The award, which carries a $1 million prize, is named for Alan M. Turing, British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing. "Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society," said ACM President Cherri Pancake. "The growth of and interest in AI is due, in no small part, to the recent advances in deep learning for which Bengio, Hinton and LeCun laid the foundation," Pancake said. Bengio is Professor at the University of Montreal in Canada, Hinton is Vice-President and Engineering Fellow, Google and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, and LeCun is Professor at New York University and Vice-President and Chief AI Scientist at Facebook. Working independently and together, Hinton, LeCun and Bengio developed conceptual foundations for AI, identified surprising phenomena through experiments and contributed engineering advances that demonstrated the practical advantages of deep neural networks. In recent years, deep learning methods have been responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, robotics and other applications. While the use of artificial neural networks as a tool to help computers recognise patterns and simulate human intelligence had been introduced in the 1980s, by the early 2000s, LeCun, Hinton and Bengio were among a small group who remained committed to this approach. Though their efforts to rekindle the AI community's interest in neural networks were initially met with skepticism, their ideas recently resulted in major technological advances, and their methodology is now the dominant paradigm in the field. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun are scheduled to receive the award at ACM's annual awards banquet on June 15 in San Francisco, California. --IANS gb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inspired as he was by the cooking of his grandmother, it shouldn't be a surprise that French Chef Julien Royer, who was in India recently to unveil his magic, should be the co-owner in Singapore of a two-Michlen-star fine diner named after her. "My grandmother Odette is one of the greatest influences in my life. Watching my grandmother cook, I realized the kind of joy and love you can demonstrate through food. The kind of emotions that can be passed through food was the impetus for me to start cooking. "I wanted to tell stories through my food. People want comfort. Good food is always the best way to put a smile on your guest's face," Royner told IANS on the sidelines of the Masters of Marriott, a platform to exchange knowledge with a team of expert chefs, at which he served up a four-course repast. Royner, 35, also took the opportunity to detail his journey down the years. "My first venture into the kitchen was under the legendary Michel Bras in (French town) Laguiole who instilled in me a respect for the integrity and purity of each ingredient in every dish. "I then moved to Durtol (also in France), where I worked for Chef Bernard Andrieux who helped reinforce my reverence. I then traveled to London, where I was sous chef to Antonin Bonnet at Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant, The Greenhouse," Royer explained. Thereafter, he moved to Singapore in 2008 to take on the role of Chef de Cuisine at JAAN at Swissotel the Stamford, which received numerous accolades including 11th place on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2015 guide and 74 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2015 long list. "Then the opportunity to open Odette showed itself and the rest you can say is history," Royer said. How would he describe his singature dishes? "Rosemary smoked organic egg, heirloom beetroot variation and Kegani crab are some of my signature dishes. I featured these from the Odette menu at the dinner in Delhi," Royer said. Elaborating on the Delhi event, Royer said: "What I truly loved about Masters of Marriott is that it celebrates the pursuit of consistent innovation and excellence as well as global talent. With over 5,000 chefs across 200+ restaurants in India, it provides an extended arm of exposure to renowned international chefs." At the bottom line, Royer remains a purist. "As the dishes we serve at Odette are very much anchored by produce and tradition, we are not very influenced by trends in general. Focus on quality and purity of ingredients remains the driving force for us. At Odette, we have always intentionally gone against the stereotype of fine dining as stiff and unwelcoming while presenting the very best of produce in its purest form," Royer explained. (Vishnu Makhijani can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) --IANS vm/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Wednesday made its way into an elite club of "space super powers" as its anti-satellite missile A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit in just three minutes. So far only three countries - the US, Russia and China -- had this technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while announcing the feat said: "I assure the international community that our capability won't be used against anyone but is purely India's defence initiative for its security. We are against an arms race in space. This test won't breach any international law or treaties." The development, apart from highlighting India's prowess in space technology, also assumes significance in the context of Pakistan and China. India, certainly, won't like to be surprised by C4ISR-driven (Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) warfare. In July last year, Pakistan has launched the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1) and the Pakistan Technology Evaluation Satellite (PakTES-1A) from China's Jiuquan Satellite Centre. The PRSS-1 is the first optical remote sensing satellite sold to Pakistan by China. The 1,200 kg satellite will operate at an altitude of 640 kilometres. The Pakistan Foreign Office has officially said that PRSS-1 will enable the country "to meet its imagery requirements in the areas of land mapping, agriculture, urban and rural planning, environmental monitoring, natural disaster management and water resource management for socio-economic development". However, the satellite may have military applications as well. Notably, the carrier frequency of PRSS-1, that is 8.2 GHz, is part of the X-band region of the spectrum (which ranges from 8.0-12.0 GHz) which is usually used for communication with mobile platforms such as aircraft, ships, UAVs and ground forces. The Chinese interests also reflect in one of the stated objectives of the satellite deployment, that is, the PRSS-1 will also be used to provide remote sensing information for the Belt and Road region. According to an article in 'Gateway House', the PRSS-1 is also believed to carry two high-resolution payloads including a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) used for terrestrial and marine imagery and geospatial intelligence. The other is an electro-optical (EO) imaging system which has tactical C4ISR applications. Along with PRSS-1, Pakistan also launched PakTES-1A, which is a 285 kilogram satellite equipped with an optical payload and will operate at an altitude of 610 km. Reacting to India's announcement of its successful A-Sat missile launch, China on Wednesday said that it hoped that India would "earnestly" maintain peace and tranquility in the outer space. "We are aware of relevant reports and we hope that all countries will earnestly safeguard lasting peace and tranquility in the outer space," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. China had achieved this feat in 2007 by shooting its weather satellite. China is an emerging superpower in the outer space by launching scores of satellites as President Xi Jinping wants his country to surge ahead of the US and Russia. In 2013, China joined the US and Russia to "soft-land" on the moon. --IANS mak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As India successfully test fired its anti-satellite missile A-SAT, Pakistan on Wednesday said militarisation of space should be avoided. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal told the media: "Pakistan has been a strong proponent of prevention of arms race in outer space." "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena." He stressed the "need to address gaps in the international space laws" to ensure no one threatens peaceful activities and applications of space technologies for socio-economic development. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," he said, after India's A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite on low earth orbit. --IANS mag/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar military posts have been attacked by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine state, leaving casualties on both sides, the Defense Services said on Wednesday. In two incidents on Sunday and Monday, the military conducting security operation near Yaysoe Chaung and Kyiyapin villages in Yathedaung and Kyauktaw towns, were attacked by dozens of these ethnic insurgent members with small and heavy weapons. While Sunday's clash was carried out by a small group, on Monday a 150-strong Arakan Army mounted the attack that caused casualties on either side, Xinhua quoted the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services as saying. The attacks have been escalating since the beginning of March. --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) They are Bihar's seasoned politicians, popular faces, star campaigners and real vote catchers of their parties, who are not contesting the Lok Sabha polls. Prominent among these personalities are ruling JD-U president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, RJD leader and former chief minister Rabri Devi, LJP chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, as well as Congress leaders Madan Mohan Jha and Akhilesh Kumar Singh. Apart these, jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad figures in the party list of star campaigners, and party leaders are hopeful that Lalu will get bail from the apex court and can join the campaign. The former chief minister cannot contest the polls as he has been debarred by the court following conviction. All these star campaigners are not contesting the polls this time, but there are some exceptions. Grand Alliance ally, former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is contesting from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, RLSP chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni are both likely to contest. Besides,Chirag Paswan, son of Ram Vilas Paswan, who is also a star campaigner is likely to contest from the Jamui seat that he won in 2014. Chirag's LJP is partner of the NDA. Both Nitish and Sushil Modi have been working overtime with their party leaders to finalise the poll strategy to ensure the victory of the NDA candidates from all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.T he JD-U leaders have repeatedly claimed that Nitish is the brand and face of NDA in Bihar. Similarly Sushil Modi, who is locally known as 'Sumo', is leading the BJP campaign and regarded as one of the main faces of the party. JD-U leaders said Nitish Kumar has not contested elections since 2004. The last time Nitish contested the Lok Sabha elections wa from Nalanda in 2004. However, since the 2005 assembly elections, Nitish has not contested any election but has entered the state assembly through the Upper House by becoming a Member of Legislative Council. Sushil Kumar Modi has also not contested any elections since 2005. He is a legislator of the Bihar Legislative Council. According to sources in RJD, Lalu is actively monitoring party activities currently from his hospital room. "Laluji played an important role in finalisation of seat sharing of the Grand Alliance and also given tips to Tejashwi to focus on certain issues during the polls to consolidate the party social support base", a source said. Although Rabri Devi is not in the fray, she is also busy meeting party leaders and workers at her official residence here. She will join the campaigning soon, he added. State Congress president Madan Mohan Jha, Congress campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Singh Choudhary and JD-U state president Vashisht Narain Singh are also not in the fray this time. As per the NDA's seat-sharing formula, BJP and JD-U will contest 17 seats each, while 6 seats will be contested by the LJP. The Grand Alliance, last week, announced a seat-sharing pact in Bihar under which the RJD will contest 20 seats, the Congress 9, while smaller parties like Upendra Kushawaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party will contest 5 seats, and HAM as well as VIP will contest 3 seats each. --IANS ik/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), part of the ruling combine in Bihar, on Wednesday asked two senior party leaders who had filed nomination papers as Independent to pull out. BJP state vice-president Devesh Kumar in a letter asked former MP Putul Kumari and MLC Ashok Agrawal to withdraw their nomination papers that they had filed from Banka and Katihar Lok Sabha seats, respectively. The BJP warned both that if they don't withdraw their nomination papers, the party would take action against them. The party also asked them to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates. Putul, wife of former Janata Dal (United) MP and former Union Minister Digvijay Singh, filed her nomination papers from the Banka seat as Independent after the seat went to the JD-U under the NDA seat-sharing pact. According to BJP sources, Putul was keen to contest from Banka, a traditional seat of her late husband. Similarly, Ashok, a popular BJP leader in Katihar, filed nomination papers as Independent after the seat went to the JD-U under the NDA seat-sharing formula. --IANS ik/pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling the Pulwama attack an intelligence failure, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said, here on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no explanation for it and his party was instead busy inciting Hindu-Muslim tensions. Singh, Congress candidate from Bhopal, was addressing party representatives using Shakti app. "The Pulwama martyrs' families are asking why weren't they airlifted when the government had alert of an attack. The Prime Minister hasn't given them an answer. This is the biggest proof of an intelligence failure," he said. "The international media is asking questions, but the government has no reply. The only strategy the BJP has now is to create tension between the Hindus and Muslims," the former Chief Minister said. According to Singh, communal polarisation had been the BJP's strategy since 1990. In 1947 during Partition, the Bhopal Nawab stopped Muslims from leaving the country. The city saw its first riot in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. --IANS hindi/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Madhav on Wednesday said the party wants early elections to the state Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. "NC (National Conference) and PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) are happy contesting the Lok Sabha elections while BJP wants to have Assembly election in the state," he told the media here. "We have asked the election committee to hold Assembly elections in the state as early as possible. "Some candidates are shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' while others are calling their party men 'Mujahideen'. We demand FIR against NC's Akbar Lone and an answer from NC," Madhav said. Saying that the BJP pulled out of the ruling coalition with the PDP in the "national interest", he noted: "After we pulled out of the coalition, situation in Kashmir has improved." Madhav said BJP's stand on Article 370 and 35A continues to remain unchanged. Calling the pre-poll alliance between the NC and the Congress a drama, he said: "They have an alliance in Jammu, but they are fighting in Kashmir. They are trying various types of gimmicks against Modi and the BJP, let them do it." --IANS sq/mag/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will leave for London on Wednesday night to attend the extradition hearing of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi who was arrested in London last week in connection with the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank loan default case, officials said. The team includes Joint Director-level officers of the two agencies, said an official, adding that they would board a late night flight to London. According to the official, the team is carrying copies of the chargesheets which the CBI and the ED have filed against Nirav Modi, his wife Ami Modi -- a US national, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others, along with some other necessary documents. The ED is reportedly carrying the documents related to the Rs 147 crore property of Nirav Modi and his associate companies which the agency had attached on February 26 in connection with the PNB fraudulent case. The joint team will provide the papers to the local authorities in London and will assist them during the hearing of Nirav Modi's bail plea scheduled on Friday. The businessman, who had fraudulently obtained over Rs 13,500 crore from the PNB through letters of undertaking (LoU) and foreign letters of credit (FLC), was arrested in London on March 19 and was sent to police custody till March 29 after being denied bail. Fourteen months after he fled India, the 48-year-old businessman was arrested from Holborn on behalf of the Indian authorities and was produced before a judge at the Westminster Magistrates Court on March 20 which asked the Metropolitan Police to keep him under its custody due to his involvement in fraud of high value funds and access to means of escape. The Police made the arrest seven days after the Westminster Court issued an arrest warrant against Nirav Modi, who left India days before the scam came to light in January 2018. --IANS rak/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A mother has filed a $125 million lawsuit against the Weather Channel over her son's death in a car collision in Texas on March 28, 2017. Two of the channels' storm chasers, Kelley Williamson and Randall Yarnall, also died in the crash with 25-year-old Corbin Lee Jaeger, BBC reported. But the lawsuit blames the chasers, who allegedly broke traffic laws while live-streaming their pursuit. The suit alleges that Williamson and Yarnall, while streaming the chase online, drove through a stop sign at about 70 mph (113 kmph) and crashed into Jaeger's vehicle. The 25-year-old was working as a storm spotter for the National Weather Service. The suit says he was driving away from the storm and had right of way. Jaeger's mother, Karen Di Piazza, has now filed a suit in district court, BBC reported. According to the lawsuit, Williamson and Yarnall "had a history of reckless driving when storm chasing" - running stop signs and traffic lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and making "dangerous, illegal passes of other cars". Their failure to stop at the sign was their "fourth such traffic violation that day". Nevertheless, the lawsuit says, the Weather Channel allowed them to keep working despite warnings about their driving and watching the driving "during live video feeds of their storm chasing". --IANS mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China will prosecute former head of Interpol Meng Hongwei for allegedly taking bribes, China's Communist Party said on Wednesday. He was expelled from the party and stripped of all government positions, according to the party's watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the BBC reported. Meng's disappearance in September prompted international concern. He was reported missing by his wife during a trip back to China. The 65-year-old, who had been living in France, resigned as Interpol President after being detained by the Chinese authorities. In October, Chinese authorities said Meng was being investigated for suspected bribe-taking. --IANS pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran Congress leader Suresh Mishra on Wednesday urged the Election Commission (EC) to stop the release of "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic based on the life of the Prime Minister. The film is scheduled to be released on April 5. In a letter to the EC, Mishra said, "The release of the film during the Lok Sabha elections is a pre-planned strategy. The BJP is violating the model code of conduct by promoting the PM's story and trying to cash in on his reach." "The world's eyes are on India during elections. The release of the film at this time will be a mockery of our democracy," he said. Mishra also accused Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore of misusing his position to get the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance for the film and have it released during elections. The film is being promoted through posters, banners, TV, newspapers and magazines. As per the EC rules, expenses on these should be included in the election publicity funds, he wrote in the letter. --IANS arc/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All charges against Jussie Smollett, the actor who had been accused of staging a hate crime against himself, have been dropped. Smollett was back in Chicago court on Tuesday for what his representatives called an emergency appearance, reports hollywoodreporter.com. "All criminal charges against Jussie were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him," his lawyers said. "Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment," they added. Last month, police alleged that the 36-year-old "Empire" actor hired two acquaintances to attack him along a street here in January to promote his career and then filed a false police report. Shortly after the charges were dropped, Smollett said: "First of all, I want to thank my family, my friends, the incredible people of Chicago and all over the country and the world who have prayed for me, who have supported me, and who have showed me so much love." Now, Smollett wants to get back to work and move on with his life. "But make no mistakes, I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalised people everywhere." The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said: "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case." --IANS sug/mr/nn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As attention turns to issues for next year's election, the Democratic Party has failed in its bid to overturn President Donald Trump's emergency declaration. It has been unable to come up with the two-thirds majority in the House of Representative to nullify his veto of a Congressional resolution killing it. The vote came on Tuesday as both parties tried to move ahead from the Russian collusion fiasco, setting their sights on next year's elections with environment and healthcare as prime issues. A tactical game played out in the Senate when a resolution originally proposed by the Democratic Party on climate change failed with even its supporters refraining from voting for it to prevent Republicans from making political capital in next year's elections by citing some of its radical provisions unrelated to climate change. After having failed to get the Democrats to agree to fund his proposal for a wall on the Mexican border, Trump declared a state of emergency to empower him to divert funds for the project. Congress voted against the emergency, but Trump had vetoed it. The emergency faces legal challenges and courts will decide on it now. Trump and Democrats, both moved healthcare -- arguably the most divisive issue in the 2016 election -- centre stage. After his administration had in a turnaround asked a federal appeals court to strike down the affordable healthcare law, popularly known as Obamacare, Trump declared to reporters: "The Republican Party will soon become the party of health care". Trump who came to the US Capitol for a lunch with his party's legislators, reportedly told them that healthcare would be his priority now. During his campaign he had said that he would introduce a new and improved "beautiful" healthcare programme to replace Obamacare, but has not come up with an alternative. The affordable healthcare programme, considered the capstone of former President Barack Obama's presidency, extended subsidised health insurance for the poor while requiring everyone to get it from private insurers or pay a penalty. The penalty clause was unpopular with some of Trump's base and he championed its repeal, but now finds that its total repeal may end up affecting some of his supporters and the Democrats could take advantage of it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, unveiled her party's version of a new healthcare bill that will try to reduce insurance premiums and protect people with preexisting conditions. At a morale-boosting closed session with her party's Representatives after the inquiry into allegations that Trump collaborated with the Russians absolved him, Pelosi told them to move on to more substantive issues, according to Politico. "Be calm. Take a deep breath. Don't become like them. We have to handle this professionally, officially, patriotically, strategically," she reportedly told them. But not all are falling in. Representative Rashida Tlaib who had publicly used an obscenity directed against his mother while calling for Trump's impeachment was reportedly trying to collect signatures for the motion. The Democratic Party's national convention to formally select its presidential candidate and launch its full-fledged election campaign is only 15 months away and the leadership faces the task of keeping the party united and not have the left hijack its message. The Republicans, who control the Senate, see the potential to split them and tried to force the divisions within the Democratic Party to the fore by forcing the vote on the New Green Deal, which was originally proposed by party Representative Alexandria Oacasio-Cortes, who is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and backed by its leaders. The bill, ostensibly to fight climate change, was loaded with items on fighting income inequality, criticism of the wealthy, making up for "historic oppression" of "people of colour" and migrants, providing housing, and supporting family farming. Many party leaders signed on to it without reading the fine print, which initially included guaranteed payments for those "unwilling" to work. Forced to take a stand on it, none of the Democrats voted for it; 43 of them voted "present" and four joined the Republicans to vote against it. Although they had proposed it, Democrats got cold feet when they realised how it would be perceived by a large segment of voters -- did not move ahead with it. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel then moved it -- and also voted against it. The six Democratic Party senators who are running for the party's presidential nomination would face the wrath of the party's progressive wing by not voting for it -- but if they had, they would have to defend themselves against Republican taunts about being radicals. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS al/am/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After mentioning Kashmir separately along with India and a few other countries in a blog post, Facebook on Wednesday apologized for the "mistake". Reacting to an IANS story that said that Kashmir had been mentioned separately along with India in a violation of the country's territorial integrity, Facebook deleted the reference to Kashmir from the blog post. "We mistakenly included 'Kashmir' in our blog post when listing the countries and regions impacted by the Iranian network we disrupted for coordinated inauthentic behaviour," Facebook told IANS in a statement. "Kashmir was the subject of some of the content shared by this network, but it should not have been included in that list. We have corrected this in the blog post and we apologize for any confusion caused," the statement added. Facebook's Head of Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher, who had written the original blog post, also tweeted. "It was a mistake. Kashmir was a topic of some of the posts, but shouldn't have been in the list of impacted countries and regions. We've corrected -- apologies for the confusion." In his blog post on Tuesday, Gleicher mentioned Kashmir as a separate entity from India as Facebook announced that it removed thousands of fake Pages and accounts. Jammu and Kashmir is an Indian state and New Delhi views delinking it from India as a violation of its territorial integrity. "Today, we removed 513 Pages, Groups and accounts for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour as part of multiple networks tied to Iran," said Gleicher. "They operated in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kashmir, Kazakhstan or broadly across the Middle East and North Africa," he added. Facebook reportedly has over 300 million users in India, the highest in the world. Some of the axed Pages and accounts posted news stories on Indian as well as on the tension between India and Pakistan. "They posted news stories on current events and frequently repurposed and amplified content from Iranian state about topics including sanctions against Iran; tensions between India and Pakistan; conflicts in Syria and Yemen; terrorism; tensions between Israel and Palestine; Islamic religious issues; Indian politics; and the recent crisis in Venezuela," the blog post noted. Facebook said it removed a total of 2,632 Pages, Groups and accounts that were engaged in coordinated inauthentic behaviour from Iran, Russia, Macedonia and Kosovo on its platform, as well as on Instagram. With social becoming a hotbed of politics, the Election Commission is keeping a close watch on how these platforms are being used by political parties and their affiliates. The Election Commission earlier this month directed the social giant to delete two posts shared by a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA with Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's image. --IANS gb/na/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat Janchetna Party (GJP) on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) demanding ban on upcoming biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing violation of the model code of conduct. "PM Narendra Modi" is scheduled to be released on April 5. "The code of conduct is in force and it's the responsibility of the commission to implement it. If the commission is aware of the release date and has not acted upon it then it raises serious doubts about its apolitical, unbiased and neutral attitude," GJP President Divyesh Chavda said in the letter. Remarking that the EC would also be aware that film's release will have an influence on the voters, Chavda said if the ECI did not stop the film's release, "we will be forced to move the judiciary." Chavda said he would wait till March 30 and then "will move" the Gujarat High Court. Based in Surat, the GJP was formed in 2014. It fielded 30 candidates during the 2017 Assembly elections, all of whom lost. It has fielded seven candidates in Gujarat Lok Sabha seats. --IANS amit/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea challenging the Delhi government's decision instructing schools to prescribe only NCERT, SCERT and CBSE books. Justice C. Hari Shankar rejected the plea filed by Federation of Educational Publishers in India challenging Delhi government's circular instructed schools to prescribe only NCERT, SCERT and CBSE books. "It does appear piquant that the torch-bearers, for the supposed interests of the students, in this case, are neither the students, nor their parents, nor even the schools who would be required to comply with the impugned circular, but an association of private publishers of textbooks," the court said. "The challenge to the impugned stipulation, in the circular dated November 29, 2018 is, therefore, repelled," the court said. "This court endorses the mandate, reflected in the said stipulation, to the effect that, in respect of subjects, for which textbooks have been prescribed by the CBSE, and published by the NCERT/SCERT/CBSE, the said prescription shall scrupulously be followed by all schools subject to the control of the Directorate of (DoE)," the court said. "The syllabi and textbooks, prescribed by the CBSE, shall constitute the basis of imparting of education, as well as evaluation, of all schools students, from Classes I to X." On November 29, 2018, the Directorate of Education, Delhi Government issued a circular primarily addressing the concern of school children, in primary and secondary schools, having to carry school bags which were excessively heavy, thereby causing detriment to their health and wellbeing. The circular stipulated maximum weight of school bags to be carried by children in various classes from Class I to Class X. It also directed to follow the textbooks prescribed by the State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT), the National Council for Educational Research & Training (NCERT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE). The petitioner Federation of Educational Publishers in India said that circular was "arbitrary" and without any "scientific study". --IANS akk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he fears "another security incident" with India ahead of general elections in that country. "I'm still apprehensive before the (Indian) elections, I feel that something could happen," The News International quoted Khan as telling the Financial Times. "When Pulwama happened, I felt that Modi's government used that to build this war hysteria," he added, referring to the February 14 suicide bombing at Pulwama in Kashmir which killed 40 CRPF troopers. "The Indian public should realise that this is all for winning the election, it's nothing to do with the real issues of the sub-continent." Khan said that tensions were still high even after the Pulwama attack, claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group. India then bombed the JeM's biggest training camp in Pakistan, which retaliated the next day with bombing sorties. An Indian pilot was captured by Pakistan but released. --IANS pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the "achievements" of the NDA government, the BJP is upbeat on winning more seats than the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) combine in Karnataka in the 2019 general elections. Polling for the 28 parliamentary seats in the southern state will be held in two phases on April 18 and April 23, with 14 seats in each phase. Five seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and two for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) The vote count in all the constituencies is on May 23. "We are in a strong position to win at least 20 seats across the state this time, as majority of the people want Modi to continue as Prime Minister for the stability, growth and development the NDA government provided during the past 5 years," BJP state unit spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS. As a gateway to south India, Karnataka has been a harbinger of the right-wing party over the last 15 years and consolidated its presence in the coastal, northern and central regions of the across state, besides Bengaluru. After suffering a humiliating defeat in the May 2013 assembly elections due to a split, the party bounced back in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, winning 17 seats against 9 by the Congress and 2 by the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). Maintaining the momentum, the party won 104 of the 224 seats in the May 2018 assembly elections. But its government bowed out after 3 days on May 19, as it fell nine seats short of the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority in the lower house. The Congress had won 80 seats and the JD-S 36 in the house. As it lost the mandate at the hustings, the Congress entered into a post-poll alliance with the JD-S and formed a coalition government on May 23 after contesting against each other in the May 12 state elections. "Our seat-sharing has been decided on winnability and to prevent division of votes. We are confident of getting more on the basis of performance of our 9-month-old coalition government in the state," state Congress spokesman K.E. Radhakrishna told IANS. Unfazed by the prospects of facing joint candidates, the BJP is betting on the "lack of chemistry" between their cadres of the Congress and JD-S at the booth level and dearth of cadres in many constituencies across the state to woo the voters. Though the allies agreed to contest in the ratio of 20-8 seats, the JD-S gifted one more seat (Bangalore North) to the Congress, as it has no winnable candidate and lacks cadres and resources to take on the BJP's outgoing member and Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda from the constituency. "After much bravado, the JD-S agreed to contest from only 7 seats than 12 or 10 it had hard bargained for earlier with the Congress. It has fielded Pramod Madhwaraj, a former Congress minister, from Udupi against our sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje," Vamanacharya pointed out. The Congress gave tickets to 8 of the nine outgoing members, denying re-nomination to its Tumkur member S.P. Muddahanumegowda, as JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda opted to contest from there after fielding his other grandson, Prajwal, from his traditional Hassan seat. With the old Mysore region being a stronghold of the JD-S over the years, the regional outfit is contesting in four of the 14 seats in the first phase and in three in the second phase. To retain the Mandya seat, the JD-S fielded Nikhil, grand son of Deve Gowda and son of state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, against multi-lingual south Indian actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, contesting as an Independent with the support of the BJP. Karnataka is also the only southern state where the BJP came to power on its own in May 2008 after sharing power with the JD-S in 2006-07 in the state's first coalition government. "We don't have to or want to make the recent surgical air strike in Pakistan an issue to seek votes. The achievements of the BJP-led government and Modi's strong leadership are enough for the people to repose faith in our party," Vamanacharya explained. The BJP is also hoping to capitalise on the sympathy its traditional voters have for being denied an opportunity to form the government in the state by the Congress-JD-S, which formed a post-poll alliance to keep it out of power. On the other hand, the Congress and the JD-S, are fielding joint candidates to win more seats than they had (11) separately in the 2014 general elections in straight contests. After contesting against each other in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections over the last 30 years (since 1989-90), the warring parties came together when the May 2018 assembly elections threw up a hung house and formed the coalition government after the 3-day BJP government fell on May 19, 2018. "As our joint vote share is more than the BJP, we are in a better position to win more seats this time than our rivals and perform better than last time," Radhakrishna explained. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP's vote share was 43 per cent, while the Congress had 40.8 per cent and JD-S 11 per cent. The combined vote share of the allies was 51.8 per cent. (Fakir Balaji can be contacted at fakir.b@ians.in) --IANS fb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The declaration of freedom in several different countries from slavery and colonization is celebrated every year. The fourth of July sparks with fireworks in the USA and in other countries, other dates in relation are filled with a flag raising and an outcry for freedom. There are different political systems practiced in different parts of the world. But the most common and gives rights to the people is democracy -- A government for by people, for the people and of the people. This is the supposed idea behind the presidency, the House of Representatives and the whole group of political leaders in the United States. Yet, as Americans, were bounded by the constitution, held captive by policies and manhandled by the ones who swore to uphold our freedom. The rate of leaders gambling with the state of affairs of their country for their own personal gain seems to be increasing day after day. Look at how many leaders in the U.S. have had publicized sexual scandals against themselves? It begs the question if democracy is really an indication of freedom or force. After four years, civilians and citizens voluntarily go to voting polls to cast their votes to introduce new government into the system. But these political leaders are the best raised by political parties. At this point, past scandals are buried deep and acts of corruption swept under the rug. The public is led to pick the lesser evil of the bunch of evils. Young minds are immature and are silenced, not given the opportunity to express their views on this system and given the opportunity to lead. The older men with worn out minds that have nothing to lose take the seat of power. There is this beast in disguise as the democratic system. Once the people are continually being mistreated and the policies practice nepotism and favoritism towards a particular elite group and the minority are silenced, democracy has lost its hold as a government for the people. A government that prioritizes personal gain over the middle class and poor in any state or country does not practice democracy. Where are the laws implemented to ensure these political leaders in the sit of power conform to every promise listed in their manifesto? The millions who die daily in all part of the world ignored by the government add to the injustice. Several leaders have turned the army into their own personal assassination group. The acts of embezzlement and misdemeanors done because of the "power of democracy" threatens the state of affairs in each country. We call it democracy but it destroys the core of our existence dragging us to deal with laws unfavorable to the masses. Their excuse? "It is for the greater good." The greater good to let millions die in hunger and desperation to save the other many millions. The multi-party systems in Africa and Asia, are essentially schemes with large multinational corporations. Together they form collusive arrangements aimed at oppressing and exploiting local populations and the United States turns a blind eye to them as long as these collusions are friendly to the American political-military-industrial complex. The votes which are said to count, do not count. The level of rigging both in a manual system and electronic system is so high, it's disconcerting. But as long as life goes on, poverty might reign still the citizens will persist and strive to conquer the system. Democracy is not freedom in its current operation. It is a ploy for force under a ruse of hypocrisy. Who chooses the candidates for the U.S. presidency? What is the process to appoint these proposed candidates for political posts? Four years after four years, poverty never dies. The economy is shaky. Still the rich become richer and the less privileged remain the same. We need, a reconstruction of the democratic system to raise the voice of the people. This would be a democratic system where peaceful protests do not involve the army and tear gas and arrests to free speech leader. This would be a democratic system where the voice of the people are loud and rule over ideologies and pain. Real freedom is needed now more than ever, real freedom not a beast in disguise. The JCB Prize for Literature, India's richest literary prize given out annually, announced the jury for its secondA edition on Wednesday. It includes former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. The five-member 2019 jury comprises author and critic Anjum Hasan, authors K.R. Meera and Parvati Sharma and economist and former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. Filmmaker and environmentalist Pradip Krishen is the jury's Chair, JCB said. Subramanian, who is a Visiting Lecturer at Harvard University, has authored "Eclipse: Living in the Shadow of China's Economic Dominance" (2011) and the more recent "Of Counsel: The Challenges of the Modi-Jaitley economy". The Rs 25-lakh prize, presented each year to a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian author selected by the jury, aims to create greater visibility for contemporary Indian writing. It also has a particular focus on translation. The jury, appointed by Literary Director Rana Dasgupta, is responsible for selecting the longlist of 10, the shortlist of five, and the winner. Each shortlisted author receives Rs 1 lakh. The winning author receives a further Rs 25 lakh. An additional Rs 5 lakh is awarded to the translator if the winning work is a translation. "Each year, the jury is conceived in such a way as to reflect a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. This is how we ensure the verdicts are fresh and interesting to a large number of readers. "The members of the 2019 jury are all passionate readers, very eminent within their respective fields, and I think they will have fascinating debates about the books we send in their direction," Dasgupta said in a statement. Jury chairman Krishen said he felt honoured at the "opportunity to peer deeply into a year's worth of Indian fiction". Author Benyamin's novel 'Jasmine Days' translated from the Malayalam by Shahnaz Habib, had bagged the inaugural edition of the award in 2018. Through the life of radio jockey Sameera Parvin, it describes the lives of foreign workers caught up in the turmoil of the Arab Spring. The entries for this year's prize opened on March 1, and will close on April 30. The longlist and shortlist will be announced in September and October respectively, with the final winner announcement coming on November 2. The prize is funded by JCB, a global manufacturer of earthmoving and construction equipment, and administered by the JCB Literature Foundation. --IANS sj/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Wednesday hit out at the ruling BJP and the Congress for their 'garibi hatao' promise calling it a bluff. She accused both of the parties of being "birds of the same feather" who betray people, despite such eradicate poverty slogans which comes to nothing after the votes are over. Mayawati said: "Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 a bluff, is true. "But is poll bluff and reneging of poll promises the sole domain of the BJP?" "In fact BJP and Congress party are both birds of the same feather. They betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers and others," Mayawati tweeted. The Dalit leader's remarks came after the ruling BJP described Congress' minimum income scheme 'NYAY' announced by party chief Rahul Gandhi for elimination of poverty a "bluff". Gandhi had on Monday announced to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 25 crore poor families of the country. The BSP, which had earlier announced no alliance with the Congress across the country is fighting the 2019 elections along with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The BSP, which scored a nil in the 2014 elections is contesting on 38 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The SP which won five seats is contesting on 37 and it's other alliance partner, the RLD is contesting on three seats. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance has left two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli for the Congress in the state. The BJP-led NDA had won 73 seats from Uttar Pradesh in 2014. The seven phased Lok Sabha polls are scheduled from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. --IANS aks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world's largest bulk tea producer, McLeod Russel on Wednesday said its wholly-owned subsidiary Borelli Tea Holdings Ltd (BTHL) has sold its equity stake in Gisovu Tea Co of Rwanda. In February, the tea planter said the BTHL had decided to dispose of its entire share holding in Gisovu Tea, and 50 per cent of the equity shares held by it in Pfunda Tea Company Ltd, also in the east African country, for an aggregate consideration of $21 million. The BTHL had entered into separate MoUs with the buyer, Rwanda Tea Investments. "The transaction for sale of the equity stake held by Borelli Tea Holdings Ltd, UK, the wholly-owned subsidiary of our company in Gisovu Tea Co Ltd, Rwanda, being 60 per cent of the paid up capital of Gisovu, in terms of Memorandum of Understanding signed between Borelli and Rwanda Tea Co Ltd, has been completed," it said in a regulatory filing. The company also said its Chairman B.M. Khaitan resigned from his position on account of his old age and he has been designated Chairman Emeritus. Vice Chairman Aditya Khaitan has been elected as Chairman of the company's board in his place. --IANS bdc/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US First Lady Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" has sold over 10 million copies globally to date and is on track to becoming the most successful memoir in modern publishing history. The memoir sold more than two million units in all formats and editions in the US and Canada during the first 15 days of its publication on November 13, 2018, the publisher Penguin Random House had said. "Overall UK sales of Obama's book currently stand at more than 600,000, ranking it 11th on the list of bestselling memoirs and biographies since sales records began in 1998," The Guardian on Tuesday quoted Nielsen BookScan, a book sales tracking service, as saying. "The title was the book giant's biggest success of last year," said Thomas Rabe, chief executive of the German media group Bertelsmann, parent company of the publisher. "We believe that these memoirs could well become the most successful memoir ever," he added. "'Becoming' has been a global sales juggernaut since being launched in 31 languages simultaneously in mid-November. The audiobook, read by the former First Lady, has become the fastest-ever seller put out by Penguin Random House," the publisher said. In the book, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on Chicago's South Side to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, and to her time spent at the White House. Wife of the 44th US President Barack Obama, who held the office from 2009 to 2017, Michelle Obama is a graduate from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. --IANS sj/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Muslim women from different parts of the country on Wednesday gathered in the national capital urging the "secular" political parties in the country to add in their manifesto the need to have a law against mob lynching. The women, who launched a detailed 39-point manifesto also demanded that Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019 must be scrapped. They also asked for 33 per cent reservations for women to increase their political representation in the Parliament. They also wanted an increase budgetary allocations for girls and women-related interventions. The women from at least 10 states, under the banner of 'Bebaak Collective' (voice of Fearless) came together to release the manifesto listing their demands related to gender equality, minority safeguard and citizenship rights. Among the women was also Khalida, wife of Umar Khan, who was allegedly lynched in 2017 in Alwar, months after dairy farmer Pehlu Khan was lynched in the area. The manifesto demanded formulation of a diversity index across public and private sectors to determine the extent of under-representation of Muslims, 10 per cent reservation to Muslims in higher education and government jobs and a gender-just law in Muslim Personal Law. They also demanded monetary benefits for single women, introduction of a communal violence bill to bring perpetrators to justice and redrafting of Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. "All anti-conversion laws should be scrapped," it added. --IANS nks/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expanding its malicious operations on Apple's macOS, the North Korean hacking group Lazarus is targeting financial sectors, especially the cryptocurrency businesses. The hacking group has been using Microsoft-owned task automation and configuration management framework -- PowerShell -- to control Windows systems and macOS malware for Apple users, Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. "They have developed custom PowerShell scripts that communicate with malicious command-and-control (C2) servers and execute commands from the operator," the post said. The malware then gets distributed via documents prepared to attract the attention of cryptocurrency professionals. "Apple products are popular among successful Internet startups and fintech companies, and this is why the malicious actor built and used macOS malware," it said. The hacking group also appears to be working with the same developers to expand to other platforms, because some of the features have remained consistent as its malware evolves. "We'd therefore like to ask Windows and macOS users to be more cautious, exercise extra caution when dealing with new third parties, installing softwares and never 'Enable Content' (macro scripting) in Microsoft Office documents, received from new or untrusted sources," the post informed. Lazarus has been linked to a string of cyber attacks on businesses, banks and government agencies across the world, including the 2016 Sony hack and the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in 2017. --IANS rp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NASA has accepted a challenge from the Donald Trump administration to return humans to the Moon by 2024, four years ahead of the US space agency's earlier set target. US Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday challenged NASA to put humans back on the Moon within five years at a meeting of the National Space Council, CNET reported. "Today, I spoke at the National Space Council where we discussed the need to accelerate our return to the Moon. We will be taking actions to accomplish this and I know @NASA is ready for the challenge of moving forward to the Moon, this time to stay," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said. "We will go with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than was ever thought possible. This time, when we go to the Moon, we will stay. And then we will use what we learn on the Moon to take the next giant leap -- sending astronauts to Mars," Bridenstine said in a statement. NASA said it is going with a commercial and international partners to explore faster and explore more together. The US Vice President's speech echoed overtones of the Cold War tensions that drove NASA to achieve the original Apollo 11 Moon landing on schedule 50 years ago this July, the CNET report said. --IANS gb/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Wednesday accused India of destroying a satellite to demonstrate its growing strategic military power. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry stressed that Pakistan was against weaponizing what he called the common heritage of mankind and that every country had the responsibility to avoid actions that could lead to the militarization of space, reports Efe news. "Pakistan has been a strong proponent of preventing an arms race in outer space," the spokesperson said. "We believe that there is a need to address gaps in the international space laws with a view to ensuring that no one threatens peaceful activities and applications of space technologies for socio-economic development," he added. Without naming India, the spokesperson said that boasting of such capabilities was "reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," a reference to the iconic protagonist of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes' 17th century masterpiece. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that India had successfully tested a space missile system by striking a Low Earth Orbit satellite, an act that he said propelled India as a space power. Modi said that with the successful test, India had become the fourth space power with such capability after the US, Russia and China. --IANS mr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has come under attack for reportedly suggesting the setting up of an interim set-up in Afghanistan for peace talks to succeed. Khan is said to have told journalists on Monday that forming an interim Afghan government would smoothen peace talks between the US and the Taliban since the militant group refuses to speak to the current government. A furious Afghanistan recalled its own ambassador in Islamabad and summoned Pakistan's Deputy Ambassador in Kabul to denounce what it said were "irresponsible" remarks by Khan, the Pakistani media reported on Wednesday. The Afghan government deemed Khan's statements as "an obvious example of Pakistan's interventionist policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan," an Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said. US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been leading peace talks with the Taliban, also appeared to criticise Khan's reported comments. "While Pakistan has made constructive contributions on the Afghan Peace Process, PM Khan's comments did not," he said. "The future of Afghanistan is for Afghans, and only Afghans, to decide." The Pakistan Foreign Office said Khan was only referring to Pakistan's model where elections were held under an interim government. "The comments should not be misinterpreted to imply interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs." --IANS mr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police arrested two men in Lahore on Wednesday for their alleged torture of one of the suspect's wife over her refusal to dance for them. According to a police complaint, Asma Aziz's husband of four years and two of his employees tortured her over her refusal to dance for them, the Dawn reported. Asma, in a video circulating on social media, claimed that her husband had "always hit her a lot". This time, she alleged, "he took my clothes off in front of his employees. The employees held me as he shaved my hair off and burned it. My clothes were bloody. I was bound by a pipe and hung from the fan. He threatened to hang me naked." She added that the police, instead of providing her the FIR number or conducting a medical examination, asked her for money. She appealed to people for help, claiming that both her parents were dead and she had no place to go or food to eat. Police officer Saleem Shaukat told DawnNewsTV that two of the suspects - the husband and one of his employees - had been arrested. Pakistan ranks 150 out of 153 countries on The Georgetown Institute's Women, Peace and Security index - among the five worst countries for women in the world. According to 2016 data, 26.8 per cent of Pakistani women said they have experienced intimate partner violence. --IANS mr/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If youve been following the vaping market, youd know that the United States seems to loathe the electronic cigarette market. In stark contrast, the UK is all about vaping and publicly encourages it through Public Health England, the health arm of the UK government. The United States Its really no surprise to see the US policy on vaping. For starters, the Big Tobacco lobby has an incredible amount of power within the US government. They essentially shape policy on all things related to tobacco products. And yes some of you are surely saying, well, e-cigarettes arent exactly smoking products. You would be correct in that statement, scientifically speaking. However, the Big Tobacco lobby has so much power that they have essentially baited the FDA into labeling them as such. Furthermore, the United States economy was essentially supported by the tobacco crop. It was the driving revenue behind the USs economic growth. So, getting rid of tobacco completely in America is not so simple, millions of deaths be damned! The United Kingdom On the other hand, we see a type of socialist-style government of sorts. The NHS is in an immense amount of debt. Smoking related illnesses contribute to this debt to the tune of 2.7 billion. If you think thats a lot, well then consider that the overall total cost on UK taxpayers from smoking related illnesses costs them 14 billion. The structure of the UKs insurance is very different from how the US system works. The Great Difference This alone shows the truth. When we peel back the special interest groups and the money behind it, and look at it from a debt point of view, we clearly see the downsides of tobacco. The UK was very quick to realize this. Because of this, we now see not only the UK government but various non-biased/non-profit groups in the UK such as ASH UK and Cancer Research UK come out in favour of vaping. Its not just that they come out in favour; they are actively telling the citizens of the UK to make the switch from tobacco to vaping, as it will be better for public health. Its because of this that we see the electronic cigarette market in the UK thriving. Companies like V2Cigs are doing phenomenally well, while their US counterparts have suffered or have even been shut down (as was the case of Green Smoke by the Big Tobacco company who bought them out). Where Does Canada Stand? Luckily, we have not followed the path of our southern neighbour. While America is known for many good things, their policy with regards to vaping is clearly warped. Canada has actually taken a logical approach to vaping enforcing healthy regulations while enabling adults to still purchase products they like. America would be wise to take the same approach as their closest allies in this department. While the loss of tax revenue would hurt, millions of lives would be saved. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday blamed the Pulwama attack on the government's intelligence failure and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no explanation for it and his party was instead busy fanning Hindu-Muslim tensions. Singh, Congress candidate from Bhopal, was addressing party representatives using Shakti app. "The Pulwama martyrs' families are asking why weren't they airlifted when the government had alert of an attack. The Prime Minister hasn't given them an answer. This is the biggest proof of an intelligence failure," he said. "The international media is asking questions, but the government has no reply. The only strategy the BJP has now is to create tension between the Hindus and Muslims," the former Chief Minister said. Attacking the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, Singh said, "The RSS calls itself a Hindu cultural organisation. It says it is not into If it works for Hindus, why does it hate me?" --IANS hindi/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a first move of its kind since the separatist violence started in Jammu and Kashmir, the police in the Kishtwar district on Wednesday publicised posters of wanted militants, declaring cash reward, government jobs and absolute secrecy to providers of information. Large banners carrying photographs and details of seven wanted militants were put up by the Kishtwar police outside the police station. It carried telephone numbers to be used for sharing information about these militants. Shakti Pathan, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kishtwar, said it's high time that people recognise these militants, six of whom belong to the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and one to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). "Anybody giving information that leads the security forces to these wanted militants would be suitably rewarded. Also, the person helping the police to reach these militants would be given a government job and total secrecy would be maintained regarding the person/persons giving such information," Pathan said. The banners carried photographs of wanted militants Riyaz Ahmad alias Hazari, Muhammad Amin alias Jehangir, Jamal Din alias Abu Bakr, Usman alias Osama, Talib Hussain, Junaid and Mudasir Hussain. Police said two out of these seven militants, Muhammad Amin and Riyaz Ahmad of HM, are longest surviving militants in the district. Security forces in the district were taken by surprise when militants killed senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar in Kishtwar on November 1, 2018. The case has been taken over by the NIA. --IANS sq/pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A war of words erupted on Wednesday between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi after India successfully tested its anti-satellite missile A-SAT. Gandhi congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists over India demonstrating anti-satellite capabilities but took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for, what they said, making a pitch of it in the poll season, and wished him "happy World Theatre Day". Shah hit back at Gandhi for ridiculing the achievements of the scientists, saying all that the "dynasty" has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. "After spending a lifetime of humiliating our soldiers, leaders of the opposition have expanded their influence to ridiculing our scientists. Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage!" he said in a series of tweets. "For them: Sacrifices of soldiers - drama, Success of scientists - drama, Masquerading as leaders, all that 'The Dynasty' has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation," he said. The BJP President said the truth is that the proficient scientists always had the talent and capability and all that was needed was the go-ahead from the government. "UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people, NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so. The anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile was successfully tested in Space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt." Earlier, Gandhi said in a tweet that he is very proud of the feat achieved by the DRDO. "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day," he wrote. India on Wednesday demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on completely indigenous technology. The test was conducted in lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Modi made the announcement about DRDOs achievement in a televised address. The first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections will take place on April 11. --IANS bns/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ending all speculation, famed Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar joined the Congress in the national capital on Wednesday afternoon. Matondkar, 45, who shot to fame as a child star in "Masoom" (1983), is likely to be named the Congress candidate for the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat. IANS had first reported on March 25 how her name was in "an advanced stage of consideration by the party high command" and the final decision would be announced shortly. Welcomed into the party by top Congress leaders, including party President Rahul Gandhi, Matondkar dismissed all apprehensions, saying : "I am here to stay - even after the elections." Talking to media persons, she said there were questions pertaining to freedom of people under the Narendra Modi government. "I have entered to articulate those questions," she said. She also praised Rahul Gandhi saying a leader should judge people by their qualities and not their background. If fielded in Mumbai North, Matondkar's formidable rival would be Bharatiya Janata Party's sitting MP Gopal Shetty in the constituency, which was once regarded a BJP bastion. Incidentally, Mumbai North, after Mumbai North-West (now Mumbai North-Central) represented by actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt five times since 1984, is the the second Lok Sabha constituency in the country's commercial capital which has elected a well-known film personality. Bollywood here Govinda (Ahuja) had earned the title of 'giant-killer' in 2004 when - in a major upset - he trounced former Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, who is now the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, in the seart In 2009, Naik had faced his second consecutive defeat, this time at the hands of the Congress's Sanjay Nirupam. But, in 2014, Nirupam was defeated by Shetty during the BJP-wave which catapulted Modi as the Prime Minister. Mumbai's six Lok Sabha constituencies are going to the polls on April 29, along with 17 others in the state's fourth phase of elections. The name of Matondkar, 45, married to a Kashmiri, M.A. Mir, has been doing the rounds since the past few days as the Congress grappled for an effective counter to the BJP. Starting her film career as a seven-year old child star in a Marathi film, "Zaakol" (1980), she later got her first role in Bollywood in the Shashi Kapoor-Rekha starrer "Kalyug" (1981). But, it was the highly-acclaimed Shekhar Kapur-directed film, "Masoom" (1983), that catapulted her to fame and significantly boosted her film career. Later, she worked with some of the biggest actors in major films like "Dacait", "Bade Ghar Ki Beti", "Narasimha", "Chamatkara, "Aa Gale Lag Jaa" (opposite Jugal Hansraj, the child co-star of "Masoom"), "Rangeela", "Indian", "Judaai", "Daud", "Satya", "Kaun", "Mast", "Dillagi", "Khoobsurata, "Jungle", "Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya", "Ek Hasina Thi", "Om Jai Jagadeesh", "Bhoot", "Pinjar", "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara" and "Speed", among others. Besides, she has acted in Marathi and South Indian language films and several television serials. --IANS qn-ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's new policies around personal data protection (PDP) bill may fetch revenues to the tune of $1-2.5 billion for the Reliance Industries, while it will have negative implications for companies like Facebook, Amazon, Google and Walmart, said a Merrill Lynch report. The report noted that the new regulation or policies around the PDP bill and the guidelines on foreign internet companies and draft e-commerce policy will not go well with India businesses of the US companies, including Facebook, Amazon, Google and Walmart. "As and how the new privacy law guidelines become clear, we believe Reliance Industries may be a beneficiary by generating revenues from digital ad (currently not earning any revenues as regulation is not clear). This revenue opportunity could be $1-2.5 billion for RIL overtime," said the Merrill Lynch research report. Explaining it further, the report said that most social media platforms have between 200-300 million active users in India, accounting for 13-14 per cent of the global base, and with growing influence of these companies on social media platforms, the government is looking to place some checks and balances -- especially as it heads into elections. However, the report added: "Overall, we do not expect any material negative impact on US internet companies and expect them to tweak their business models to comply with the law of the land." --IANS ravi/mgu/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sister of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who died in a Lahore hospital after a brutal attack on him in 2013, has sought a BJP ticket for contesting Lok Sabha elections from Haryana, party leaders said on Wednesday. Dalbir Kaur wants to contest from Sirsa, a senior party leader told IANS. Refusing to divulge the details, he said it was for the party leadership to take a call. "I have met several BJP leaders, including state President Subhash Barala. If given a chance, I will win the election," Kaur told reporters here. She formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 25, 2016. "Even before joining the BJP, I was close to party leaders and campaigned for their leaders in Haryana," Kaur said. Her brother Sarabjit Singh, 49, died after a brutal attack on him by fellow prisoners on April 26 inside Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was a resident of Bhikhiwind town in the border district of Tarn Taran in Punjab. He was on death row in Pakistan since 1990 after being convicted by Pakistani courts for bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan, which left 14 persons dead. Elections for the 10 Lok Sabha polls in Haryana are due on May 12. --IANS vg/mag/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Constitution Bench is examining a petition filed by the Madras Bar Association challenging the creation of National Company Law Tribunal and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal under the Companies Act 2013. The constitutional validity of Chapter XXVII comprising Sections 407 - 434 of the Companies Act 2013 which constitute NCLT and NCLAT is the issue before the five judges' bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices N V Ramana, D.Y. Chandrachud, Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. The petitioner has alleged that the creation of NCLT and NCLAT impinges on the basic structure of Constitution by affecting judicial independence. It argues that the members of these tribunals, which are to exercise powers otherwise enjoyed by the High Courts, can be easily removed by the central executive and therefore judicial independence is heavily compromised. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is a quasi-judicial body in India that adjudicates issues relating to Indian companies. Decisions of the NCLT may be appealed at the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The NCLAT decisions can be challenged at the Supreme Court on a point of law. The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in its entirety. Tasked with a key job of helping recover corporate loans, the NCLT has helped resolve insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings involving more than Rs 80,000 crore in 2018 and the kitty is expected to swell beyond Rs 1 trillion in 2019 with several big-ticket default cases pending. So far NCLT has cleared resolutions in Bhushan Steel which is now owned by Tata Steel. Similar resolutions include those of Electrosteel, which is now with Vedanta, Monnet Ispat & Energy (JSW Steel) & AION Capital. The Essar Steel resolution has already paved the way for ArcelorMittal. The NCLT was established under the Companies Act 2013 and was constituted on 1 June 2016 by the government of India. It is based on the recommendation of the justice Eradi Committee on law relating to insolvency and winding up of companies. All proceedings under the Companies Act, including proceedings relating to Arbitration, Compromise, arrangements and reconstruction and winding up of companies shall be disposed of by the NCLT. The National Company Law Tribunal is the Adjudicating Authority for Insolvency resolution process of Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. --IANS ana/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several states will witness multi-cornered contests in the coming Lok Sabha elections with the BJP expected to gain in some seats due to lack of opposition unity and fragmentation of votes against it. Incumbent parties could also gain on some seats due to fragmentation of votes. Several states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir will witness triangular or multi-cornered contests. In Uttar Pradesh, where Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal have formed an alliance, the Congress is keen to put up a serious fight and has brought in Priyanaka Gandhi Vadra as a star campaigner. Though Congress is expected to draw some upper caste votes of the BJP, it will also divide opposition votes and attract some of those who have already made up their mind to replace the ruling party at the Centre. The Congress has good candidates on some seats who had put credible performance when the BJP swept the state in 2014 by winning 73 of 80 seats with its allies. The BJP had gained in the last parliamentary polls in the state as opposition votes were split between the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Congress. Analysts said that BJP will gain if opposition votes split. They said that several opposition parties have similar vote base and a division in vote share causes problems. The BJP had polled around 31 per cent of vote in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and got full majority. The analysts also said that electoral scene across states was different and multi-polar contests will play out differently. In West Bengal, the BJP is keen to emerge as a force to reckon with and has set a target of 23 of 42 Lok Sabha seats. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool, which is leading party of the opposition alliance, has set its eyes on winning all 42 seats. The state will witness a multi-cornered contest with CPI-M and the Congress failing to reach an understanding. While the CPI-M had won two seats in 2014, Congress had won four. In Haryana, the main contest is likely to be between the BJP and Congress but AAP is also keen to put up a challenge. The Indian National Lok Dal has split into two and the two factions have strongholds in certain pockets of the state. In Tamil Nadu, both the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK have formed their alliances but Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan is challenging them on all the seats. In Punjab, the main contest is between the ruling Congress and SAD-BJP combine but AAP is also a player and had won four seats in 2014. The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), which is seeking to emerge as the third alternative in the state, is also fielding candidates on several seats. PDA comprises of Punjab Ekta Party, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and Punjab Manch. Andhra Pradesh will also have a multi-cornered contest with Congress and the ruling TDP deciding to go it alone in the state. The TDP is facing a serious challenge from YSRC party with BJP also trying to make its presence felt. In Odisha, where BJD leader and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been beating anti-incumbency, the BJP has been gaining strength at the cost of Congress. The Lok Sabha election result will show how far the BJP has been able to penetrate in the state and if it emerges as the main opposition party in the state. Though there is an understanding between Congress and National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, the two parties will also go for "friendly fights." The PDP has also put up candidates in the Valley as has People's Conference of separatist-turned-mainstream leader Sajad Lone. However, the BJP will face tough contest on Jammu and Udhampur seats as PDP, like National Conference, has decided against putting up candidates to prevent division of "secular votes". --IANS ps/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Marked by deepening cycle of hunger and malnutrition, persistent poverty, limited economic opportunities and environmental degradation, rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis globally, a United States-based institute said on Wednesday. This is threatening to slow the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global climate targets, and improved food and nutrition security, the 2019 Global Food Policy report released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said. Rural areas remain underserved compared to urban areas and face a wide array of challenges across the globe. These include environmental crisis in China, acute shortage of jobs for the growing youth populations in Africa and severe agrarian crisis in India's rural areas. To overcome these challenges, the report calls for rural revitalisation, highlighting policies, institutions, and investments that can transform rural areas into vibrant and healthy places to live, work and raise families. "Revitalising rural areas can stimulate economic growth and begin to address the crises in developing countries, and also tackle challenges holding back achievement of the SDGs and climate goals by 2030," said IFPRI Director General Shenggen Fan. "Rural revitalisation is timely, achievable, and, most important, critical to ending hunger and malnutrition in just over a decade," said Fan. A majority of the world's poor live in rural areas: rural populations account for 45.3 per cent of the world's total population, but 70 per cent of the world's extremely poor. The global poverty rate in rural areas is currently 17 per cent, more than double the urban poverty rate of 7 per cent. "Rural transformation requires a holistic economic approach to connect rural and urban economies. Strengthening these connections can spur growth and diversification in the farm and non-farm sectors, closing socio-economic and quality-of-life gaps between urban and rural areas," said United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) head Achim Steiner, who co-authored the lead chapter in the report. The report emphasises that rural areas could become premiere hubs of innovations in just under a decade. It recommends revitalising rural areas with a focus on five building blocks: creating farm and non-farm rural employment opportunities; achieving gender equality; addressing environmental challenges; improving access to energy; and investing in good governance. In South Asia, too, there is a greater emphasis on growth in rural employment, and agricultural productivity through strengthening of the agriculture-based rural non-farm economy, said Pramod Joshi, director for South Asia, IFPRI, and co-author of the report chapter on South Asia. This year's report also features chapters on how Europe's experience can provide lessons for rural revitalisation in developing countries; food policy trends from Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions; updated data on food policy indicators and more. --IANS vg/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announcing about India acquiring anti-satellite capability by shooting down a live satellite in low earth orbit, the question is which satellite was shot down. Modi was silent on the satellite that was hit. Officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were said to be in a meeting and not available when IANS sought to clarify the issue. However, an ISRO spokesperson told IANS: "The entire activity was that of the DRDO's and we were not involved in it." India has a good number of earth observation and communication satellites in orbit. The space debris resulting because of India hitting a satellite in low earth orbit is expected to be not much. Though India's anti-satellite capability was talked about earlier, it was only on Wednesday it was proved to the world. India is also launching a good number of dedicated defence satellites in recent times. With China shooting down its own satellite some years ago, the question of safety of India's satellites in orbit had come up for discussions. --IANS vj/oeb/mr/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air Canada has added a new daily direct flight to its schedule. This flight would move between Sydney, N.S., and Montreal and would be availablefrom late June to early September. The flight would set offfrom J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport at 6:00 a.m. and return from Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport at 1:40 p.m. The airline also reduced the number of daily flights to Halifax and Toronto from three a day to two a day this summer, says a report on CBC News Air Canada has also recently adjusted its schedule through to April 30 to cover 98 percent of its planned flying following Transport Canada's closure of Canadian airspace to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft operations. This was done in order to comply with the safety regulations.The airline grounded its 24 737 MAX aircraft after Boeing announced that deliveries of its 737 MAX are currently suspended. The airline has also adjusted its May schedule to further optimize its fleet and re-accommodate customers. It has totally removed the 737 MAX flying from its schedule until at least July 1, 2019, pending the time the government Okays the return to service of the 737 MAX. This is in order to provide customers with certainty for booking and travel. This is following the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 which recently rocked the aviation industry, sparking numerous investigations, and resulting in the grounding of hundreds of Boeing 737 Max jets worldwide. "The Boeing 737 MAX accounted for six percent of Air Canada's total flying, but there is a domino effect from removing the 737s from our fleet that impacts the schedule and ultimately will impact some customers. We have been working very hard to minimize that impact," said LucieGuillemette, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada, in the press release. "To bring certainty to our schedule for our customers when booking and travelling, we are revising our schedule until July and we have taken several steps to continue delivering substantially all of our planned capacity through our global network. "Customers who have travel plans between now and July can be reassured that we will keep them informed every step of the way as we revise our schedule. We have a deep global network and many partner airlines to provide solutions so serving our customers and minimizing any disruption is our first priority. We remain committed to delivering the same safe, reliable transportation customers expect from Air Canada. Customers can continue to book and travel on Air Canada with full confidence," said Ms.Guillemette. Air Canada is the largest airline in Canada and serves nearly 220 airports on six continents. The airline is also among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2018 served nearly 51 million customers. Air Canada offers scheduled passenger service directly to 63 airports in Canada, 56 in the United States and 100 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. A young farmer from a remote village in Telangana on Wednesday received a phone call from no less than Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who reacted after the farmer's Facebook post about his land problem went viral. Sharath, through his FB live on March, had complained how his seven acres in Nandulapalli village in Mancherial district was allotted to others by the Village Revenue Official (VRO) after manipulating the land records. He said the problem was not solved though he had been running around the government offices for 11 months. Sharath wanted his Facebook post to be shared by all so that it reaches the Chief Minister. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, took note of the farmer's plight and spoke to him over phone. He told the farmer that officials will reach him in half-an-hour. On the direction of the Chief Minister, District Collector Bharati Hollikeri launched an immediate inquiry and rushed to the farmer's house to gather all details. She said steps were initiated to restore the farmer's land. The Collector ordered suspension of the VRO and a revenue inspector for allegedly manipulating the record. She also provided financial assistance to the farmer under 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme. Under this scheme, every farmer is being provided Rs 8,000 per acre annually. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders of six of the seven Thai parties met, here on Wednesday, to sign a joint declaration on common plan to form a coalition government following Sunday's election. They claimed to have support of 255 MP seats and planned to form a coalition government, reported Xinhua news agency, adding a few others might join in at a later date. The Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, which has reportedly won 137 MP seats, is practically justified to become core of the planned coalition government, endorsed by 255 MPs who will obviously make a majority in the 500-member House of Representatives, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, head of the party's strategic campaign team. The seven parties include, the Pheu Thai Party (137 MP seats), the Future Forward Party (88 MP seats), the Thai Liberal Party (12 MP seats), the Prachachart (people's nation) Party (7 MP seats), the New Economics Party (6 MP seats), the Pheu Chart (for country) Party (5 MP seats) and the Palang Puangchon Thai (power of Thai people) Party with one MP seat, according to Pheu Thai secretary general Phumtham Wechayachai. They also urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to dump his alleged design to head a minority coalition government with the Palang Pracharath (power of people's state) Party, which has reportedly won 116 MP seats, as its core. The election of the Prime Minister in Parliament needs a simple majority among the 750 lawmakers, comprising 500 MPs and 250 senators, in accordance with the 2017 Constitution. Meanwhile, leaders of six parties and other executive party members visited the Election Commission's (EC) headquarters on Wednesday and pressed for prompt announcement of results of Sunday's polls in all constituencies to make it clear for parties to see exactly how many MP seats they have made. So far, the EC has only announced unofficial results of 95 per cent of the votes, prompting parties to urge the poll panel to perform in accurate, transparent and just fashion. --IANS pg/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 33-year-old member of an active gang of touts in the Connaught Place area was arrested here for cheating a Canadian woman after posing as a government authorised travel agent offering customised tour packages, a police officer said on Wednesday. "Idrees Shamshad Bhat was arrested on Tuesday from his residence in south Delhi's Jangpura area after a police raid following a tip off," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Madhur Verma said. "A native of Srinagar, Bhat had on March 18 cheated a Canadian national, Jonrong Wang, by misleading her by posing as a government authorised agent," Verma said. "He offered Wang customised tour packages in India. Wang had booked a luxury trip to Rajasthan and was asked to pay huge amount of money in advance. Bhat took all money but later did not deliver the tour package," he added. "The victim filed a police complaint of cheating against Bhat on March 20," Verma said, adding that two other accomplices of Bhat have been identified who were still at large. "During interrogation, Bhat said he had been cheating foreign tourists in Delhi since 2007. He along with his accomplices would lure innocent foreign tourists by offering them attractive and customised tour packages and then collect all the money in advance without delivering ont their promise," Verma said. --IANS sp/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki has decided to source its mini SUV Brezza from Toyota as part of its 2017 MoU which has been expanded to include joint production, sources said. Brezza, a sub-four metre urban SUV, will be manufactured in one of the two factories of Toyota Kirloskar Motors from 2022. As per the plans, Toyota, too, would sell Brezza after making some modifications. This will be the second model after Maruti Suzuki's Baleno which Toyota would start selling from later this year. Maruti Suzuki's board gave its approval for sourcing Brezza from Toyota as part of its MoU in February 2017 which was expanded last week. The expanded partnership includes joint production, promotion of electrified vehicles, sharing of engines, among others. The MoU is aimed at technology partnership in environment, safety and information, and mutually supplying products and components. Maruti Suzuki has decided to continue being the sole manufacturer of Baleno, a derivative of which will be sold by Toyota Kirloskar to increase the total sales for the company. The board also approved a three-year extension of its Managing Director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa from April 1, 2019. "We hereby intimate that the board approved the following the reappointment of Kenichi Ayukawa as Managing Director and CEO of the company for a period of three years with effect from April 1, 2019 on the existing terms and conditions including remuneration," the company said in a statement. --IANS mg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said that Russia should pull back its presence in Venezuela, a day after Russia defended its position on the issue. "Russia has to get out," Trump on Wednesday told the press in the Oval Office, where he met with Fabiana Rosales, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Trump added that Russia understands US stance "very well", Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier Wednesday, US Vice President Mike Pence called on Russia to cease talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and said Russia's military move was "an unwelcome provocation." Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela on Saturday, carrying nearly 100 troops and 35 tons of materials, according to media reports. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the presence of Russian specialists in Venezuela is in line with a military-technical cooperation agreement between the two countries, which does not need the approval of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Trump also said that the Venezuelan government was under "plenty of pressure right now," noting that "other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have ... all options are open." The US has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Guaido. 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. Venezuela has been plunged into political tension since January 23 when opposition leader Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's interim president and was recognised by the US and some other countries. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Of the 273 bills introduced in the 16th Lok Sabha, 240 were passed and 23 remained pending, according to a report by election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Wednesday. Seven MPs from Delhi had the highest average attendance and on an average, they attended 289 out of the 312 sittings, the report stated. On an average, MPs asked 251 questions and attended 221 out of the 312 sittings. Two MPs from Nagaland attended 88 sittings on an average, the lowest in the last five years. With 264 sittings, two Indian National Lok Dal MPs had the highest average attendance. Two MPs from NPP attended 85 sittings, the lowest. Among states, 50 MPs from Maharashtra asked the maximum number of questions (534 each), while two MPs from Nagaland asked the least number of questions, 12 each. Supriya Sule from the NCP, a MP from Baramati in Maharashtra, asked the maximum number of questions - 1,181. Among political parties, the maximum number of questions were asked by 18 Shiv Sena MPs, each of them on an average asking 639 questions. Two MPs belonging to the National People's Party asked the least number of questions. On an average, they asked only 10 questions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men have been arrested by Customs officials at the Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out foreign currencies worth Rs 53 lakh. While one of the accused was intercepted when he was proceeding to depart to Bangkok, another person was stopped for examination when he was completing formalities to leave for Mumbai, a statement issued on Wednesday by the Customs department said. Detailed examination of their baggage resulted in the recovery of euro 5,500, pound sterling 3,000, Japanese yen 20,00,000, USD 49,400, Thai baht 710 and Rs 33,000 -- equivalent to Rs 53.2 lakh, it said. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the passenger travelling to Bangkok was given the bag containing the foreign currencies by the other inside a washroom at the international departure area of the airport, the statement said. It has been revealed that the accused persons have illegally exported Rs 8.5 crore using the same modus operandi and illegally brought in 23.8 kilograms gold (valued at Rs 6.94 crore) in the past, it said. The currencies have been seized, the Customs department said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unidentified gunmen attacked a monitoring team of the education department in northwest Pakistan, killing a female officer and a soldier on Wednesday, police said. The armed men targeted the monitoring team during inspection of the schools in Shadi Khel area of Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. One female monitoring officer, identified as Aasia Begum, and an official of the Levies force were killed in the attack. Four people, including three officials of the monitoring team, were injured in the attack. They were rushed to a nearby hospital. The attackers fled the scene after the attack. Police cordoned off the area and started investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 2019 general elections may be a fight for the BJP to secure a second straight term in office at the Centre, in West Bengal, it is a "semi-final match" for the saffron party before it takes on a redoubtable opponent in Mamata Banerjee in the assembly polls in 2021. Ironically, despite being the land of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bhartiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's forerunner, the party was never reckoned as a potent political force in the state till the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when it clinched 17 per cent votes and two seats. The BJP, which edged past the Congress and the Left Front in the panchayat elections last year, hopes to ride the anti-incumbency factor and alleged "appeasement politics" of the West Bengal chief minister to position itself firmly as the main opposition party. Factionalism in the once formidable CPI(M)-led Left Front, which Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) ousted from power after 34 years in 2011, and the Congress, has helped the BJP emerge as an aggressive opposition force in the state. According to BJP leaders, the party currently has 40 lakh members in West Bengal. The BJP has, over the years, expanded its support base in tribal-dominated Junglemahal and in border areas which have a sizeable population of refugees from Bangladesh that were once considered the strongholds of the Left and the TMC. The party, claim saffron party leaders, will benefit from the failure of the Left Front and the Congress to sew up an alliance, as it would result in a three-way split in anti-BJP votes, with the ruling TMC getting a sizeable chunk. The BJP, they say, will now be locked in a direct fight with the TMC in constituencies like Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda South in north Bengal, and Murshidabad, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Basirhat, Barrackpore, Asansol, Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura and Midnapore seats in south Bengal. Enthused by its performance in the panchayat polls, when it won 7,000 odd seats in three-tier panchayati raj institutions, BJP president Amit Shah has set an ambitious target of winning 23 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats. The party had won just two seats in 2014. Acutely aware that it would be a daunting, if not impossible, to repeat its performance in key Hindi heartland states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where it had won 73 of the 80 seats and 31 of the 40 in 2014, the party is seeking to break new ground in states like West Bengal and Odisha. Asking not to be named, a senior BJP leader said apart from the "vacuum" in the opposition space, "pervasive corruption" and "appeasement" of Muslims, who constitute around 30 per cent of the state's population, have helped the saffron party strengthen itself in West Bengal. "Frequent communal riots in various parts of the state due to rise in infiltration and the fast changing demography of border areas have been important reasons behind the BJP emerging as the main alternative. The TMC has forgotten that the majority Hindu community is not happy with it," says state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh. The Hindu right wielded considerable influence in violence-scarred West Bengal in the aftermath of Partition, before waning considerably over the years. In the first assembly polls in 1952, the Hindu Mahasabha and Jana Sangh together won 13 seats, pocketing around 8 percent votes. The same year, Hindu Mahasabha candidate N C Chatterjee and Jana Sangh's Syama Prasad Mookerjee were elected to the Lok Sabha from Hooghly and Calcutta South-West seats. In the 1957 assembly polls, although the Jana Sangh drew a blank, the Hindu Mahasabha won 23 seats. The death of Mookerjee in 1953 saw a sharp decline in the political clout of the Hindu right organisations, which were relegated to the fringes. The Indian National Congress and its splinter groups ruled the state from 1952 to June 1977, before the communists, who were gaining in strength since the late 1960s through agrarian movements, formed their government. They would go on to play an epic 34-year innings in power till 2011 when Mamata Banerjee's party formed its government. After the BJP was launched in 1980, it hardly had any presence in the state and was ridiculed as the 'Party of Burrabazaar', the trading hub of Kolkata. Under Vishnu Kanta Shastri and Tapan Sikdar, a former Union minister, the BJP was considered a party of erudite men but largely remained on the margins during the Left rule. In the 1991 Lok Sabha election that was held at the height of the Ram temple movement, the party failed to open its account in the state but made its presence felt with 12 per cent votes in its kitty. It failed to build on the momentum in the years that followed, and contested the 1998 election in alliance with the TMC. The BJP won its maiden Lok Sabha seat when Sikdar emerged victorious from Dumdum. In the 1999 general election, when it again went to the hustings in alliance with the TMC, it won two seats and polled an impressive 11 per cent votes. It, however, drew a blank in the 2004 Lok Sabha and 2006 state assembly elections. As Banerjee consolidated her position, she jettisoned the BJP in order to endear herself to Muslim voters. The saffron party managed to win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in 2009, with the party polling around 6 per cent votes. Banerjee forged an alliance with the Congress for the 2011 assembly polls. The BJP drew a blank despite clinching around 5 per cent votes. Things began to look up for the party in 2012 when its cadre began taking to streets against the Banerjee government over various issues as the Left was still smarting from the 2011 drubbing that brought an end to its 34-year unbroken rule in West Bengal. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when a Modi wave swept across states, West Bengal did not remain untouched, and contesting alone the party went on to win Asansol and retain Darjeeling, polling 17 per cent votes. The party clinched three seats in the 2016 assembly elections, and emerged as an aggressive challenger to the TMC in the panchayat elections when the state's ruling party was alleged to have ensured the victory of a large number of its candidates uncontested through strong-arm tactics. Innumerable incidents of clashes between the TMC and BJP cadres were reported from across the state, prompting the Supreme Court to observe that thousands of seats going uncontested showed that democracy was not working in the state. The TMC, however, remains dismissive about the gains made by the BJP. "The BJP might have votes in some pockets as Left and Congress are helping it, but the of communalism and violence will never work in Bengal as long as the TMC is here," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee told PTI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A major attempt to smuggle in Rs 500 crore worth drugs from Pakistan was foiled after Coast Guard and ATS personnel intercepted a boat and seized around 100 kg heroin, officials said Wednesday. The boat crew set the vessel afire and also tried to destroy the drugs. The ATS arrested nine Iranians from the boat, the officials said. The Iranian boat was loaded off the Gwadar port in Pakistan, the officials said. The joint mid-sea operation was carried out off Gujarat coast Tuesday by the Coast Guard and the state Anti-Terrorism Squad, they added. Occupants of the boat set it ablaze as the Coast Guard and ATS personnel closed in, officials said. The boat sank off the Gujarat coast near Porbandar, an official release said. "The interrogation of nine Iranian nationals from the smuggler's boat revealed one Pakistani national named Hamid Malek had sent the consignment, which was loaded in the Iranian boat off Gwadar port of Pakistan. The total value of the 100 kg contraband is estimated to be Rs 500 crore," the release said. Officials said Gujarat ATS had received a tip-off that an Iranian boat will make an attempt to smuggle in heroin along the Gujarat coast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A major attempt to smuggle in Rs 500 crore worth drugs from Pakistan was foiled after Coast Guard and ATS personnel intercepted a boat and seized around 100 kg heroin, officials said Wednesday. After being intercepted, the boat crew set the vessel afire and also tried to destroy the drugs. The ATS arrested nine Iranians from the boat, the officials said. The joint mid-sea operation was carried out off Gujarat coast Tuesday by the Coast Guard and the state Anti- Terrorism Squad, they added. The Iranian boat was loaded off the Gwadar port in Pakistan, the officials said. Occupants of the boat set it ablaze as the Coast Guard and ATS personnel closed in, officials said. The boat sank off the Gujarat coast near Porbandar, an official release said. "The interrogation of nine Iranian nationals from the smuggler's boat revealed one Pakistani national named Hamid Malek had sent the consignment, which was loaded in the Iranian boat off Gwadar port of Pakistan. The total value of the 100 kg contraband is estimated to be Rs 500 crore," the release said. Officials said Gujarat ATS had received a tip-off that an Iranian boat will make an attempt to smuggle in heroin along the Gujarat coast. The ATS contacted the Coast Guard and the Marine Task Force of the Gujarat police to launch an operation on Monday. "Officers of ATS boarded the ICG's fast patrol vessel (FPV) and a joint search was started. Commandos of Marine Task Force of Gujarat police were kept in boats in territorial waters to help in apprehending the smugglers," said the release. According to ATS officials, the information available was limited and only the communication frequency, to identify the smugglers' boat, was known. "After more than 24 hours of search, a suspicious boat was identified while making an attempt to communicate in the particular frequency," said the release. When the Coast Guard ship started following the boat and asked the crew to stop, they tried to escape by steering away the boat, which resulted in a mid sea chase. However, fearing that they would be caught eventually, the crew set the boat ablaze to destroy evidence, the release said. It said personnel on the Coast Guard ship tried to douse the flames but the presence of 24,000 lites of fuel and gas cylinders on board the smugglers' boat put paid to the effort and the blaze spun out of control. The boat eventually sank but all nine crew members were rescued, and apprehended, and 100 kg heroin seized from the vessel by security forces. ATS officials said the person, as well as the boat, that was supposed to receive the drugs consignment have been identified. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nine JNU students, who were on an indefinite hunger strike against the administration, ended their fast after a 'declaration' was adopted by the teachers' association and the students' union. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) made a 'Sabarmati Declaration' to vote out the Modi government to safeguard higher education, they said. An All India Universities Convention was organised by the JNUTA and JNUSU where speakers criticised the Modi government for "destroying higher education" and "public-funded education". "This election, if they form the government, probably everything would be finished. Every institute is being headed by clones of Modi," said Anand Teltumbde of the Goa Institute of Management. He was arrested for his alleged Maoist links in connection with the Elgar Parishad case. Several other activists were booked by the police following an Elgar Parishad event on December 31 2017, which the police had alleged triggered violent clashes at Bhima-Koregaon village, near Pune, the next day. Teltumbde said the government wants to "scare" everyone and has "destroyed everything" and that has been done systematically. "Superficially, there is no difference between the Congress and the BJP. While the Congress is expediency driven, the BJP is ideology driven," he alleged. JNUTA president Atul Sood alleged the government has "destroyed" primary and secondary and access to has been "completely taken away". "The past five years have seen a concerted attack on the public funded university and other institutions of higher learning," he added. The declaration adopted by the JNUTA and JNUSU demanded "substantive autonomy for public education", "socially responsible and transformative public education", expansion of public and that public education must be publicly funded. "Members of more than 20 universities across the country and student-teachers of JNU have pledged to vote out the Modi government in order to save higher education," according to the declaration. Eleven students were on a hunger strike on the campus in protest against the online system of entrance exam that will be implemented from this academic session and several other issues. Six students fell ill at different stages and had to be hospitalised. The five remaining students were joined by four more students from Saturday. Nine of them called off their fast on Wednesday. Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar had on Monday alleged that some students forcibly entered his house and confined his wife and had later said he had "forgiven" them and would not file a complaint with the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AAP leader Shweta Sharma, whose nomination for the Lok Sabha election from Gautam Buddh Nagar has been rejected, Wednesday said that she was exploring remedial options and discussing the matter with party leaders. Sharma's nomination was rejected by district poll officials Tuesday for failing to have her nomination proposed by ten supporters, a legal must for candidates of political outfits not recognised as a national or state party. "We are thinking of options and will let you know about the decision, she told PTI over phone, adding she was in a meeting in Delhi over the issue. Meanwhile, AAP's Noida unit spokesperson Sanjeev Nigam alleged the poll officials were under "some pressure" and the ruling BJP had got scared of Sharma's nomination, whose candidature was announced Sunday. He said Sharma had reached the district collectorate's office to file her papers on March 25, the last day for nomination, in time, but only five people along with her were allowed to enter the district collectorate office at 3 pm. "Since it was the last day, several other independent candidates were also there and her turn came only around 5e or 6 pm when she was told that 10 proposers were required," said Nigam. "But the officials there had not allowed entry of more than five persons with any candidate, hence others including myself, were waiting outside, Nigam said. "The poll officials later told her to come to the collectorate at 11 am on March 26, the day of scrutiny," he said. "We reached there with the requisite number of proposers. We were told to come back at 1.30 pm but at 1.30 pm, we were told that they cannot accept her nomination, he said. "Don't know under what pressure and whose pressure they declined to accept our papers," he alleged. Nigam, also the AAP's media in-charge for Gautam Buddh Nagar, said he agreed with the poll officials that AAP was not a recognised party, but they were denied justice. "The administration worked under pressure of the ruling party and denied us the chance. We did not get justice, he alleged. Nigam added that the local team was taking up the matter with the AAP leaders in Delhi and with the party's UP in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. Whatever they decide, we will follow that, he said, adding the party was also considering legal options and talking to lawyers over the matter," he said. Besides Sharma's, the nomination of seven others were cancelled on Tuesday. The voting for the Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha seat will held on April 11. Sharma was one of the only three candidates fielded by AAP for Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. The other two candidates are from Aligarh and Saharanpur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The counsel for Ankur Panwar, the death row convict in the Preeti Rathi acid attack case, told the Bombay High Court Wednesday that his client had no intention of killing her. Panwar said he threw a bottle containing sulphuric acid at Rathi here in May 2013 merely to injure her. His counsel Trideep Pais told a bench of Justices B P Dharmadhikari and P D Naik that though Panwar knew his action was likely to cause grave injury to Rathi and leave her face disfigured, he had "no intention of causing her death". Therefore, Panwar should have been charged under section 304 II of the IPC for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and not section 302 (murder) of the IPC under which he was convicted and sentenced to death. Section 304 II provides for the maximum punishment of life imprisonment for an act that "is done with the knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death, or to cause such bodily injury as is likely to cause death". Rathi, a 23-year-old nurse from Delhi who was to join a hospital of the Indian Navy in the city, was attacked with acid by Panwar, her neighbour in the national capital. On May 2, 2013, as Rathi got off the train from Delhi at Bandra Terminus here, the convict Panwar flung a bottle containing sulphuric acid on her face. Rathi lost her vision and sustained major injuries due to the attack. She spent a month in various hospitals, and on June 1, succumbed to multiple organ failure at the Bombay Hospital in the city. Panwar, 25, was awarded the death penalty by a special court here in 2016. This was the first instance of death penalty being awarded by a court in the country in a case of acid attack. As per police, Panwar was jealous of Rathi's success and was unhappy after she had turned down his marriage proposal. The HC is hearing a confirmation petition filed by the Maharashtra government seeking ratification of the special court order convicting Panwar and awarding him the death penalty. Advocate Pais had earlier argued that Panwar had been framed in the case. He had said there was no forensic evidence linking Panwar to the crime and that the prosecution had produced tailor-made witness statements to prove its case. He said Wednesday that even if one were to assume that Panwar was the person who flung acid at Rathi, the evidence on record proved he had no intention of killing her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as four Sumalathas are contesting from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, including the multi-lingual film actress, who is standing as an independent candidate against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil. As Sumalatha has upset the poll equations in Mandya, much to the discomfort of coalition partners Congress and the JD(S), three other Sumalathas have surfaced, all of whom are contesting as independents. While the actress has given her addresses as J P Nagar in Bengaluru as well as Dodda Harasinakere in Maddur in Mandya district, the other three are from Mandya and Ramanagar districts. Widow of popular Kannada film actor Ambareesh, Sumalatha has stated in her affidavit that she has passed SSLC. The affidavit submitted by M Sumalatha, wife of Manje Gowda, said she is from KR Pete in Mandya and has passed eighth standard. Another Sumalatha is wife of Sidde Gowda and hails in Mandya. She has completed her seventh standard. The only postgraduate among them is Sumalatha P,an MSc, from Kanakapura in Ramanagara district,wife of Darshan K. Incidentally, Kannada film actor Darshan is campaigning for actress Sumalatha. Reacting to the three other Sumalathas contesting against her, the actress said she had received this information at least a month back. "People told me a month before that such things will happen. It is their strategy. They told me to field namesakes against them, but I said no," said Sumalatha. She said it was obvious why 'they' are doing so, an apparent reference to her political opponents. "There is fear behind it. They have resorted to backdoor politics out of fear of losing the elections. It is evident they don't have strength for a straight fight,"Sumalatha said. Nikhil is facing a tough contest in Mandya as there are differences between JDS and Congress workers at the grassroot level. Congress workers are miffed with the party for having conceded the seat to JDS, which currently holds it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, released from a high-security jail here for six weeks on medical grounds, will undergo treatment at a Lahore hospital from Thursday, his doctor said on Wednesday. Sharif, 69, was lodged in the Kot Lakhpat jail since December last year, serving a seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case. Nawaz, who was released from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Tuesday night after the Supreme Court granted him bail for six weeks to obtain medical treatment in the country, will be shifted to the Sharif Medical City Hospital on Thursday, his personal physician Dr Mohammad Adnan Khan informed. A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Tuesday approved the former premier's bail for six weeks on medical grounds. The court ruled that Nawaz will not be allowed to leave the country for treatment, and directed him to submit two bail bonds amounting to Rs 10 million. The PML-N supremo reached his home in Jati Umra late Tuesday night to a warm welcome by his family members, including his mother, daughter Maryam, and brother Shehbaz Sharif. Maryam has repeatedly said that her father's kidney function has deteriorated and his kidney disease is at stage three. Nawaz, thrice the prime minister of Pakistan, had been in jail following his conviction in Al-Azizia corruption case in line with the Supreme Court's July 2017 verdict that disqualified him and removed him from premiership. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Algeria's ruling coalition party on Wednesday called for the resignation of ailing, 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, whose long rule has prompted weeks of mass street protests in the country. The RND party's secretary general and former prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia said in a written statement it "recommends" Bouteflika's resignation to facilitate the transition of power. "In order to avoid any institutional vacuum, the president must urgently appoint a new government," he said. Ouyahia expressed "gratitude" to Bouteflika for "all he given Algeria." The move came one day after Algeria's powerful army chief called for starting the constitutional process to have Bouteflika declared unfit for office, possibly paving the way for the president's ouster after 20 years in power. Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah said Tuesday "the only guarantee for political stability" is to empower the Constitutional Council to determine if the president is too ill to do his job, and to ask lawmakers to declare him unfit. The country's presidential coalition is formed by an alliance of the RND with the FLN party. Bouteflika has barely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke. Earlier this month, he cancelled a presidential election scheduled for April 18 and overhauled the government. He said he planned to establish a national conference to draft a new constitution and to set a new date for the election. Critics said the postponement was unconstitutional and alleged it amounted to a desperate bid to cling to power until the president's entourage found its own replacement. Bouteflika is credited with bringing peace to his nation after the bloody civil war of the 1990s. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid resentment within the Karnataka BJP on selection of candidate for the Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa Wednesday said party nominee Tejasvi Surya would win and every one will work towards it. In a surprise move, the BJP has fielded party's youth wing leader Surya from its bastion of Bangalore South from where the widow of union minister Ananth Kumar, a six-time MP from the constituency, was denied the ticket. However, V Somanna, a party MLA from Govindraj Nagar that falls under Bangalore South, has demanded clarity on how Tejaswini missed the ticket, from Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya, who is Tejasvi Surya's uncle. "Lot of discussion has happened on this already, it is Delhi's (party high command) decision, every one has accepted it and have begun their work. Tejasvi will hundred per cent win. Tejaswini has also expressed her support, there is no need to discuss about it again," Yeddyurappa told reporters when questioned about Tejaswini not getting ticket. Ending the suspense with just hours left for the deadline for filing of nominations for the first phase of polls in Karnataka, the BJP central leadership had announced the name of 28-year-old Surya, a lawyer. The BJP's Karnataka unit had proposed only Tejaswini Ananth Kumar's name as candidate from Bangalore South. Tejaswini was confidentabout fighting the poll on BJP ticket and had been preparingfor it and had started a door-to-door campaign. Tejasvi filed his nomination on Tuesday, even as Tejaswini's supporters protested his candidacy. He filed his papers in the absence of several senior BJP MLAs from the constituency including R Ashoka and Somanna. Terming Tejswini not getting ticket as "unfortunate" and that it should not have happened, Somanna blamed Ravi Subramanya for the "episode", and demanded clarity on what really happened, before involving himself in party work, including campaigning. He said he along with party legislators and leaders from Bangalore South, including former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka had unanimously proposed her name ascandidate, which the state unit also had consented. "What happened, why it happened is also a big question to me. When Ravi Subramanya called me, I have asked for clarity on what really happened." Speaking to reporters after meeting with Tejaswini Ananth Kumar at her residence, Somanna, claiming to be loyal soldier of the party, said "If one is taken for granted, it will be difficult as our future is also involved. "This has happened, it should not have happened, why it happened we have to know at least in between four walls. AsRavi Subramanya is at its forefront, I have told him, let's discuss it. Once the discussion happens we will also be relieved to perform our duties." He said there was no problem in going for campaigning, but they wanted clarity, adding, he could not do something, while keeping somethingelse in mind. "Let's discuss this with high command, let thishappen to no one else," he said while pointing that he came to BJP under Ananth Kumar and Yeddyurappa. Another senior BJP legislator Umesh Katti also expressed displeasure about Tejaswini not getting ticket. "Ananth Kumar built and nurtured the party for the last 40 years and he had given tickets to several people, when he is not there there is discussion about not giving ticket to his family. I feel that in the days to comeparty will have something good for them," he said. Tejaswini, however, has insisted that she remained loyal to the party and she accepted the decision to ensure Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister again. Bangalore South will go to polls on April 18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Alliance University is entering a great era to create the 'Best Private University' community possible. Combining the achievements of students, alumni and the exemplary efforts of faculty and staff, Alliance has a marvellous story to tell. It is recognized for its commitment to enable student transformation and elevate their professional pursuit. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841361/Times_B_School_Survey_2019.jpg) Making great progress in its mission to become the country's pre-eminent business school, Alliance School of Business in recent weeks, has been ranked by The Times B-School Survey for 2019 as: 3rd Best Business School under Private University 4th Best Business School in South India 19th Best Business School in India overall (including IIMs and other Government-run Business Schools) The rankings correspond with the University's commitment to transform lives of people through innovation and excellence in higher This is the most recent addition to a host of other rankings where Alliance University and its B-School, have been consistently ranked high. Alliance University with a vision to be a world-class university, offers the best campus life experience in its green and picturesque campus with state-of-the-art infrastructure located in Bengaluru. Experienced and highly accomplished faculty, ensure the best learning experience. With over 55 study abroad options in 15 countries, Alliance School of Business offers a wide array of student exchange programs with various B-schools across the globe which has facilitated a unique multicultural experience among students. Top level accreditation and recognition received by Alliance both nationally and internationally has set the bar high. Understanding the significance of industry relevance in business programs, the curriculum is highly robust and contemporary, meeting the current academic and industry expectations. With over 20000+ alumni present in 50 countries, Alliance offers its students an opportunity to connect with them and learn about their professional laurels. The students are well prepared to meet the expectations of various recruiters and this has ensured an excellent track record of campus placements. Various scholarship opportunities are also offered to students based on merit. These are some of the unique features that set Alliance School of Business apart from the other business schools in the country. Alliance School of Business, Alliance University anticipates to multiply its success by providing the best and campus life experience to all its students. About Alliance: Alliance University is a private University established in Karnataka State by Act No.34 of year 2010 and is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi. The University is known for its diverse degree courses, state-of-the-art campus, high-quality and excellent placement record, aspires to be among the best universities in the world by the year 2025. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar Wednesday said he will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from both Akola and Solapur constituencies as the candidate of his political front the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). He said the BVA's main fight is against the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. The BVA, a social coalition of Dalits and Muslims, has been formed by Ambedkar in alliance with the All India Majlis- e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. "I am contesting from both the seats. There is no question of withdrawing from any of them. Since Akola is my hometown, there is no need to spend much time there. "But Solapur is a new seat which needs to be given more time. Solapur is my political choice to contest the Lok Sabha election," Ambedkar told reporters here. "Big leaders of Congress-NCP have already withdrawn from the elections. Muslims have started supporting the BVA as they feel the Congress-NCP combine has become weak," said Ambedkar, who won from Akola in 1998 and 1999. The BVA's decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls on its own is likely to result in a triangular contest in several constituencies in the state, which has 48 parliamentary seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80). The Congress-NCP and BJP-Shiv Sena combines are the other two major players in the poll fray. In Solapur, Ambedkar is pitted against Sushilkumar Shinde (Congress) and Jai Siddheshwar Swami (BJP). Solapur has about three lakh Dalit voters. Ambedkar, meanwhile, termed leaders of opposition parties as "Manuwadis" (those who justify caste system) for "questioning" him over the use of a helicopter during the election campaigning. "Leaders of Congress-NCP have Manuwadi ideology. They think how can a shudra like Prakash Ambedkar use a helicopter for election campaigning," Ambedkar said. The BVA has hired the helicopter for Rs 80,000 a day and he would continue to use it for electioneering, he said. An agreement has been signed with a helicopter company for an amount of Rs 16 lakh, said the former MP, the grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar. "It is being alleged that the BVA is being provided funds from outside for holding rallies. However, no one has been able to prove it. The funds are deposited in the party's account in the form of cheques and cash," Ambedkar said. Congress-NCP leaders have alleged the BVA is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra to help the ruling BJP-Sena alliance by cutting into opposition parties' Dalit and Muslim votes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a fresh setback to Congress in Telangana, another party MLA announced his decision Wednesday to quit the party and join the ruling TRS. Jajula Surender, MLA from Yellareddy, met TRS working president K T Rama Rao here, TRS sources said. In a statement, Surender appreciated the TRS government's development and welfare initiatives. He said he has decided to join TRS after consulting all well wishers. Announcing his decision to quit Congress, he said he would resign from the MLA post if necessary. Surender is the 10th Congress MLA to announce his decision to leave the party and join TRS. Congress had won 19 Assembly seats among the total 119 in the Assembly polls held in December last. Hitting out at the TRS for allegedly encouraging defection of its MLAs, Congressrecently petitioned the Governor E S L Narasimhan on the issue. The party said it would complain to Lokpal on the alleged defection of its MLAs to the ruling TRS. Surender's decision came on a day Congress had cause for cheer after its senior leader T Jeevan Reddy emerged victorious in the MLC polls. TRS sources also said TDP leader Kuna Venkatesam Goud, who unsuccessfully contested from Sanatnagar segment in Hyderabad in the Telangana Assembly polls in December last, also joined the ruling TRS on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Half centuries from Nitish Rana and Robin Uthappa, and yet another blistering knock from Andre Russell helped Kolkata Knight Riders post a massive 218 for 4 against Kings XI Punjab in their IPL match here Wednesday. Russell made full use of a reprieve when he was on three to hammer five sixes and three fours in his 17-ball 48 to play a major role in KKR posting a big total. Russell, who hit a sensational 19-ball 49 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, was brilliantly yorked by Mohammed Shami. But it was adjudged a no-ball as only three KXIP fielders were inside the 30-yard-circle against a mandatory minimum of four. The Jamaican then hit top gear, smashing Andre Tye for two sixes and two fours. He then went on to hit Shami for three sixes in a row to take KKR past 200. Playing his first match after the 'Mankading' controversy, Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin found the going tough after he opted to bowl with Sunil Narine unleashing the fury early on with a nine-ball 24. Nitish Rana struck his consecutive half century, a 34-ball 67 while number 3 Robin Uthappa was their top-scorer, remaining unbeaten on a 50-ball 67 (2x6, 6x4) to lend KKR the stability. Off to a sedate start with 22 runs from 21 balls, Rana switched gear against Ashwin hitting the India off-spinner for two sixes and continued his assault on Mandeep Singh in the next over with successive sixes. Such was Rana's fury that his next 41 runs came off just 13 balls as he along with Uthappa made a spectacular 110-run third wicket partnership off just 66 balls. Having grabbed the spotlight in the Tamil Nadu Premier League en route to fetching the joint-highest bid of Rs 8.4, Varun Chakravarthy found IPL a different ball game when Narine smashed the debutant for three sixes and a boundary in his first over. But Narine's innings (24 off nine balls) ended when South African pacer Hardus Viljoen worked up great pace and bounce to get a top-edge for his debut IPL wicket. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The anti-satellite missile capability demonstrated by India on Wednesday will be a deterrent in the event of a war where space may be the theatre of action with countries seeking to down enemy satellites, experts explained. "The message goes strong and loud that if any of our satellites is harmed, we possess the capability of destroying yours (the adversary)," said Ajay Lele, senior fellow with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). The former Air Force officer and other experts said India has possessed the anti-missile technology for several years but needed the political go-ahead to actually test it in live conditions. They said the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) received the green signal to prepare for the test two years ago, which came to fruition on Wednesday. In 2012, India conducted simulated tests, establishing the capability but the then Manmohan Singh-led UPA government had not given permission for a live test, likely over concerns that a destroyed satellite would result in debris that would damage satellites of other countries. Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva, said Wednesday's test destroyed a satellite at an altitude of 300 km. "It was not a good sign for LEO (low earth orbit)... which has telecommunication and earth observation satellites and also the International Space Station", which cruises at a height of 400 km, he said. "The test was done at 300 km, so pretty low, meaning most of the debris will slowly come down. However, lots of objects near that altitude... Not a good sign for all those LEO constellations. Also, if any debris damages other objects, India will be liable under the Liability Convention (if attribution is established)," Porras tweeted. Former ISRO chairperson G Madhavan Nair, who was also secretary, Department of Space, from 2003 to 2009, said the had anti-missile technology, including the algorithms required for setting the trajectory to hit the moving target. "Marrying the two technologies (of ISRO and DRDO) was required which happened over the last few years," Nair told PTI. He said it would have taken about two years for scientists to perfect the missile launch once the go-ahead for the test was given by the government. Prime Minister on Wednesday announced that the test, named Mission Shakti, was not directed against any country and the disused Indian owned satellite was a pre-determined target. In an address to the nation, Modi also said India has not breached any international law or treaty. India is only the fourth country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability after the US, Russia and China. There has been no instance of a space war but the countries have demonstrated their capabilities by testing on their own satellites, like India did on Wednesday. The UNIDIR defines ASAT (Anti-Satellite) as "any capabilities aimed at destroying or disabling space assets for any reason, whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive". Lele of IDSA said India had already developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) technology and along with it came the know-how behind ASAT. "Testing the Anti-Satellite missile at LEO at 300 kilometres was only to demonstrate capacity. This is also a deterrence mechanism in the event of a space war, similar to what India has developed in the nuclear domain," he said. Lele added that a political decision was required as conducting anti-satellite missiles tests could attract international criticism over issues of adding to debris in space and accusations of militarising space. In an era where defence forces rely on satellites for different aspects of security, including intelligence gathering, having ASAT missile capability sends a strong signal to adversaries, he said. Rajeshwari Pillai Rajagopalan, senior fellow and head of the Nuclear and Space Initiative, Observer Researcher Foundation (ORF), said Wednesday's development reflects India's desire to not make the mistake it did in 1974 when it conducted its first nuclear test in Pokhran. The tests were conducted four years after the Nuclear Proliferation Test (NPT) Treaty came into force in 1970. There is no similar international treaty for space. "The successful test also acts as a deterrent in event of a space war. The technology was available, so it was high time India tested it. Political will was also needed behind taking the decision," Rajagopalan said, referring to the possibility of an international backlash. In 2007, China destroyed its FengYun 1C weather satellite with an SC-19 missile, leaving behind space debris consisting of 3,280 pieces of trackable debris, as well as up to 32,000 pieces that are non-trackable. The following year, during Operation Burnt Frost, the US destroyed its own satellite, USA-193, with an SM-3 interceptor creating 174 pieces of trackable debris, plus non-trackable shards. Now, the spectre of space war has spilled over from the realm of Hollywood fiction into Indian reality. The Andhra Pradesh government Wednesday Wednesday filed a petition in the High Court against the Election Commissions directive ordering the transfer of state Director General of Intelligence and two district Superintendents of Police. Though the government immediately complied with the ECI directive on Tuesday night, it filed a plea challenging the order, even as the ruling Telugu Desam Party cried foul. It cancelled Tuesday night's order and issued a fresh government order Wednesday afternoon retaining the DG Intelligence in his post while transferring out the two SPs. The ECI order took a political hue with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu protesting the manner in which the intelligence chief and two district SPs were ordered to be transferred and kept out of election duties. Camping in Kurnool for electioneering, Naidu dashed off a seven-page letter to the ECI alleging that its action was "prima facie hasty, biased, undemocratic and suffers from the principles of natural justice." "The ECIs conduct has become questionable due to this coloured decision, which is deliberately aimed at benefiting the YSR Congress under the influence of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, aided by (Telangana Chief Minister) K Chandrasekhar Rao," he said. He requested the ECI to review its decision and cancel the transfer orders of the three police officials. The government, on its part, hurriedly issued a separate order on Wednesday afternoon designating certain police officers from the DGP to the rank of a constable for law and order duties in connection with the April 11 elections to the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly. The Director General of Intelligence has been kept away from election duties, thereby excluding him from the purview of the ECI. The state government, in its petition, contended that the ECI did not have any "untrammeled powers" to interfere with the course of administration that is unconnected to polling. "The ECI cannot engage in unchecked, arbitrary and uncanalised exercise of power. The ECI order suffers from the vice of lack of jurisdiction, suffers from being a colourable exercise of power and is based on alien purposes or oblique motives which have nothing to do with the conduct of polling duties," state political secretary (general administration department) N Srikant said in the plea filed on the Chief Secretary's behalf. The court put off the hearing to Thursday, directing that the ECI file a detailed affidavit in the case. It all started late on Tuesday night when the ECI issued an order to the AP Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha directing that the DG, Intelligence, A B Venkateswara Rao be transferred forthwith and attached to the police headquarters. "He should not be assigned any election-related works till the completion of current elections," the ECI said. The same directive was issued in respect of the Kadapa district SP Rahul Dev Sharma and Srikakulam SP Venkata Ratnam (non-IPS). It further directed that the state government forward a panel of three "suitable officers" for each post along with their grading for the last five years and Vigilance clearance by 1 pm Wednesday. No reasons were, however, assigned for the sudden transfers though the TDP cried foul, alleging it was done at the behest of the YSRC. The state government chose to challenge the ECI order, as the ruling party raised a hue and cry. The BJP slammed the Chief Minister on the issue. "Like Mamata Banerjee who lost face preventing CBI, Chandrababu Naidu is challenging, targeting Election Commission, a constitutional body, on foolish grounds. EC yesterday ordered transfer of DG, Intelligence and two SPs in AP. He will get a rap that he wont forget for life," BJP MP G V L Narasimha Rao said in a tweet. For Chandrababu Naidu, who has been using the police and official machinery as his party set up, the ECI decision was sure troubling, Rao said. "This is only a beginning, not the end. While the ECI does its constitutional duty, people (of AP) will pack the cycle (TDPs poll symbol) off and do the rest," Rao said in another tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC), an organisation of Kashmiri migrant pandits, Wednesday demanded reservation of three assembly seats for the community in Jammu and Kashmir. The pandits are living in exile for the last three decades and reservation of three seats would be an appropriate move to allow the community to rake up their issues at the appropriate forum, APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit said in a statement here. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission of India to consider the demand of the community living in Jammu and other parts of the country. "The community has suffered a lot in the exile and their essence is in danger, and for their upliftment and uniformity as per the Constitution, Kashmiri pandits should be involved in assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and a provision of three seats be announced," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When television channels flashed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be making an important address to the nation, apprehension and excitement was galore in Kerala. Sixty-two-year-old Padmavathy, who works as a domestic help in various flats in the heart of the capital city, said even after eking out a living working in various homes, she found it difficult to make two ends meet. After Congress President Rahul Gandhi announced the minimum Income Guarantee scheme two days ago, she said she was hoping that the BJP government would come out with a similar announcement for people below the poverty line. But the announcement by Prime Minister turned out to be totally different, she said. "I do not have a own house and am a widow. What do the governments do for people like us except empty promises ?", she asked. A research student Aswathy said "My friend asked me to withdraw money before the Prime Minister announces something like demonetisation. Then I checked the and it was a discussion on what he may announce. I was pretty sure it won't be any policy decision as the model code of conduct is in place." "When I first saw the tweet, I thought it would be something related to elections. He used to give gyan during polls earlier also. However, it turned out to be an altogether different one," advocate Jackson said. Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor tweeted "The that NaMo was to address the nation on TV set off a minor panic among those who recalled the last time. Many honest people ran to ATMs to withdraw money & many dishonest people ran to banks to deposit cash. Pity those who, at month's end, had 0 to deposit or withdraw!", Tharoor, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Thiruvananthapuram, said. "Proud of our scientists who have continued the fine tradition of excellence in rocket& satellite technology on which India was launched by Nehruji. Glad to see @DRDO_India add one more achievement to a long list! #ASATLaunch ". Kerala PCC President Mullapally Ramachandran said Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation was against the model code of conduct. For political gains, Modi has "misued" the expertise of the scientific community, Ramachandran said in a statement here. The foundation for the advancement in space research, being seen in the country today was laid by former Prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, which Modi should not forget, he said. The prime minister on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite,describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a world-first, scientists have demonstrated the ability of an 'artificial womb' to support extremely premature lamb foetuses, an advance that may one day save human infants. The research, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, shows that an artificial placenta-based life support platform can maintain lamb foetuses weighing 600 to 700 grammes -- equivalent to a human foetus at 24 weeks of gestation. While previous research had demonstrated the feasibility of extended survival with artificial placenta technology in late preterm foetuses, there was no published evidence that demonstrated the use of the platform to support extremely preterm foetuses -- the eventual clinical target of this technology. "For several decades there has been little improvement in outcomes of extremely preterm infants born at the border of viability (21-24 weeks gestation)," said Matt Kemp, Associate Professor at Tohoku University in Japan. "We have proven the use of this technology to support, for the first time, extremely preterm lambs equivalent to 24 weeks of human gestation in a stable, growth-normal state for five days, said Kemp. "This result underscores the potential clinical application of this technology for extremely preterm infants born at the border of viability. In the world of artificial placenta technology, we have effectively broken the 4 minute mile," he added. The findings represent a significant milestone in the technology's future implementation into clinical use. "The technology was designed to revolutionise the treatment of severely premature newborns. The goal is to offer a bridge between a natural womb and the outside world to give babies born at the earliest gestational ages more time for their fragile lungs to mature," Kemp said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The anti-satellite weapon capability demonstrated by India was first developed by the US in 1959, primarily to counter the erstwhile Soviet Union. What is an ASAT? ASATs (Anti-Satellite Weapons) are aimed at destroying or disabling space assets, whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive, according to a document of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). They are generally of two types: kinetic and non-kinetic. Kinetic ASATs: They must physically strike an object in order to destroy it. Examples of kinetic ASATs include ballistic missiles, drones that drag an object out of orbit or detonate explosives in proximity to the object, or any item launched to coincide with the passage of a target satellite. This means any space asset, even a communications satellite, could become an ASAT if it is used to physically destroy another space object. Non-kinetic ASATs: A variety of nonphysical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks. These methods can also render an object useless without causing the target to break up and fragment absent additional forces intervening. Guidelines suggested for ASAT tests: In 2018, the UNIDIR proposed three ASAT test guidelines. Under the 'No Debris' guideline, if an actor wishes to test ASAT capabilities, they should not create debris. If an actor must create debris during an ASAT test, it should be carried out at an altitude sufficiently low that the debris will not be long-lived. It also suggested that actors testing ASATs should notify others of their activities (even if they are not completely transparent on the motivation behind the test) to avoid misperceptions or misinterpretations. However, there is no consensus among the space-faring nations on the guidelines. "We are working on different measures, but nothing has been formally adopted," Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow at UNIDIR, said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Tamil audiobook of noted spiritual master Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi," will be released here on March 30. Eminent Tamil scholar and noted spiritual orator, Sarada Nambi Arooran will release the audiobook, Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) said here Wednesday. The book 'Autobiography of a Yogi' is on the life of Paramahamsa Yogananda and it was first published in 1946. Since then, the work has been in continuous publication and translated into 14 Indian languages, apart from a host of others. The book, regarded as a spiritual classic, throws light on Yogananda's spiritual encounters, beginning with his life as a child in Gorakhpur, his quest for spiritualism and his experiences in India, as well as in America. YSS was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917 to spread Kriya Yoga. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi "intruder" living illegally in India for around 14 years was arrested by the Noida Police here on Wednesday, police said. The accused, identified as Alauddin, 38, is a native of Pirojpur in Bangladesh. "He did not possess any valid visa or a passport and had illegally intruded into India 15-16 years ago," Station House Officer, Phase 2 police station, Farmood Ali Pundir said. "He was arrested around 4.30 pm in Sector 82 on a tip-off. He has skipped several court dates in the last 14 years when he was required to present himself before the court," Pundir said. He said Alauddin has been staying in hiding in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka over the years. Pundir said he has cases pending from 2004 and 2005 against him and was being tracked by the police in Delhi, UP and Karnataka. At least six cases have been registered against the accused at different police stations in Noida alone, the SHO said. "In the past, a non-bailable warrant had been issued against him by a court in Gautam Buddh Nagar. He has also been sent to jail from Sector 20, Sector 39 and Phase 2 police stations in Noida, but secured bail on forged documents," Pundir said. Alauddin has admitted securing bail by using forged documents in the court through his lawyer and skipping hearing dates after his release, he said. A case was registered against him under the Passport Act and the Foreigners Act at Phase 2 police station, the SHO said. He said Alauddin was produced before a court on Wednesday which sent him to jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP Wednesday announced three more Lok Sabha candidates for Gujarat, dropping a Union minister and two other sitting MPs and bringing in fresh faces. With Wednesday's announcement, the party has declared more than 350 candidates so far for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls starting from April 11. The party has denied tickets to its veterans, including Murli Manohar Joshi, L K Advani, Shanta Kumar, B C Khanduri and Kalraj Mishra, apparently on the grounds of their age and grooming younger leaders in their place. The BJP has so far announced candidates for 19 out of 26 constituencies in Gujarat. The state will go to polls on April 23, in the third phase of the April-May parliamentary elections. It has dropped Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Haribhai Chaudhary, who is an MP from Banaskantha in north Gujarat, along with Porbandar MP Vitthal Radadia and Prabhatsinh Chauhan, MP from Panchmahal in south Gujarat. In Banaskantha, the BJP's nominee is Parbat Patel, Minister of State for Water Supply in the Gujarat government. Businessman and BJP worker Ramesh Dhadhuk has been given the ticket from Porbandar. Ratan Singh, who was elected as independent MLA from Lunawada in 2017 and later joined the BJP, has been fielded from Panchmahal. The party has denied tickets to five sitting MPs in Gujarat, including L K Advani from Gandhinagar and Devji Fatehpara from Surendranagar. Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani said the candidates were selected after a due process. "Vitthal Radadia is not keeping well, while Prabhatsinh's age was a factor," Vaghani said. Party president Amit Shah, currently a Rajya Sabha member, will be contesting from Gandhinagar. The party has repeated 14 Lok Sabha MPs in Gujarat as per the ticket announcements so far. Asked if he was unhappy with the decision to deny him ticket, Haribhai Chaudhary said, "The party has given me many opportunities. I have been MP four times, I have been a minister in the central government. I will work hard to make BJP candidate win from here." The Congress has so far declared six candidates in the state. Notification for elections in the third phase (April 23) will be issued by the Election Commission on Thursday after which candidates can file nomination forms. The last date for filing of nominations in Gujarat is April 4. In 2014, the BJP had won all the 26 seats in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP candidate from Bangalore South Tejasvi Surya found himself at the centre of a controversy Wednesday after the Karnataka Congress attacked him, citing allegations of 'abuse' by a woman against him and questioned the saffron party about his choice. Neither Surya or BJP has reacted to the allegations or Congress' tweet so far. "Is @Tejasvi_Surya another M J Akbar in the making? Dear @BJP4India, @Tejasvi_Surya seems to be a great choice. #BangaloreSouth will remember. #MeToo #LokSabhaPolls2019, Karnataka Congress tweeted with screen shots of comments made by a woman on Twitter. M J Akbar had stepped down as Minister of State for External Affairs last year following a spate of allegations of sexual harassment during his days as editor of several publications. The woman concerned seems to have deleted comments she made against Surya on Twitter. According to the comments, screenshots of which was shared by the Congress with its tweet, the woman, replying to questions raised about her charges, claimed to have 'suffered' at the hands of Surya and has questioned why the BJP had not done a background check before giving him the ticket. She also alleged she was not his first victim or would be the last and also claimed to be ready to share the proof. In a surprise move, the BJP fielded the party's youth wing leader Surya from its bastion of Bangalore South from where the widow of union minister Ananth Kumar, a six-time MP from the constituency, was denied the ticket. 28-year-old Surya, a lawyer, filed his nomination on Tuesday, amid resentment within the party over Tejaswini, who runs an NGO and is known for social work, being denied the ticket. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra minister Girish Bapat Wednesday congratulated DRDO scientists for shooting down a satellite "which was keeping a watch on India". Apparently, Bapat, the BJP's candidate for Pune Lok Sabha seat, did not realise that it was a test of an anti-satellite missile and India had shot down one of its own low-orbit satellites. "India, using anti-satellite missile, successfully shot down a live satellite at 300 km from earth in outer space, which was keeping a watch on India," he tweeted in Marathi. He congratulated Defence Research and Development Organisation's scientists for the success of 'Mission Shakti'. After the post came in for trolling, the minister's social media team deleted it. According to the DRDO, a Ballistic Missile Defence Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit in a 'Hit to Kill' mode. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced success of the test in a nation-wide broadcast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ten people were killed along with two suicide bombers in a coordinated attack late Tuesday by Boko Haram jihadists on a town in eastern Niger, the local mayor said. "Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen then attacked civilians," the mayor of the town of N'Guigmi, Abba Kaya Issa, told AFP on Wednesday. "We have a provisional toll of 10 dead plus the two suicide bombers," along with "seven or eight" wounded, he said, blaming "Boko Haram elements" for the assault. "One of the suicide bombers blew herself up in the courtyard of a policeman's home, which is located inside the police barracks, and the second triggered her explosives belt between the town hall, the police barracks and the prefecture," he said, referring to the office of the state representative. A local resident said several houses had been burned and wounded children in the police camp had been taken to the local hospital. Another inhabitant said "armed Boko Haram" attacked the district of Dileram, "killing civilians and torching homes". N'Guigmi lies in the north of the Diffa region, near Lake Chad, which has borne the brunt of cross-border infiltration by the Nigerian-based jihadists. Eight people were killed last Thursday in the village of Karidi and 14 died in four attacks on Saturday. Fourteen soldiers have been killed since February 16. The army says it killed "more than 200 terrorists" in the region at the end of last year, as well as 33 others on March 12. An estimated 27,000 people have been killed and two million displaced since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in northeastern Nigeria 2009, a campaign that has spilled over to Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moving Brazil's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would be an "attack" on Palestinian people and a breach of international law, the Palestinian envoy to the Latin American country said Tuesday. The comments by Ibrahim Alzeben come days before Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro makes an official visit to Israel where his earlier pledge to move the embassy from Tel Aviv is expected to be raised. "Moving the embassy of any country... is a violation of international law and an attack on the Palestinian people," Alzeben told AFP. After taking power in January, Bolsonaro reiterated his promise to follow US President Donald Trump's lead in relocating the embassy to Jerusalem. The controversial proposal has raised fears the shift could endanger Brazil's valuable meat exports to Arab markets. Foreign minister Ernesto Araujo told reporters last week the government was "still studying" the plan. The decision to move the embassy is highly sensitive because Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Virtually all countries agree that Jerusalem's status can only be defined through wider Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. So far, only the United States and Guatemala have broken with that consensus by opening embassies in Jerusalem. Paraguay backtracked on a decision last year to move its embassy. Israel and the US have spoken with Honduras about its embassy going to Jerusalem. The Palestinians cut off ties with the Trump administration after its decision was first announced in December 2017, saying the government's pro-Israel bias meant it could no longer lead peace negotiations between them and Israel. Bolsonaro will visit Israel from March 31 to April 3. Alzeben said the Brazilian leader had been invited to visit Palestinian territories, but he had not responded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British MPs will on Wednesday hold votes on various Brexit options even as Prime Minister Theresa May comes under pressure to announce a departure plan to get support for her unpopular divorce deal. Three years after a referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, the country is gripped by painful uncertainty over how -- or even whether -- it should put an end to its 46-year membership. May's deal negotiated with Brussels has already been voted down overwhelmingly by parliament twice but the government is widely expected to present it for a third time on Thursday to ensure an orderly Brexit. EU leaders said Britain could leave the EU on May 22 if the deal is adopted this week, or face a potential no-deal Brexit as early as April 12. In a bid to find Brexit alternatives, lawmakers took the unprecedented step on Monday of seizing control of Wednesday's parliamentary business. MPs will hold a series of "indicative votes" -- indicating their preferences on a piece of paper -- for different Brexit outcomes, although May is not legally-bound to follow their instructions. The proposals put forward so include a customs union with the EU, remaining in the single market, holding a second referendum or stopping Brexit by revoking Article 50 -- the formal notification for departure. The alternatives that will actually be voted on will be selected by speaker John Bercow on Wednesday and voting will take place at around 1900 GMT with the results expected at around 2100 GMT. Time has been set aside next Monday to try and whittle down the most popular options to a final plan. Parliament's unprecedented power-grab was spearheaded by arch-EU MPs, who want to either reverse Brexit or preserve much closer economic ties with the remaining 27 states. Three members of May's government quit in order to vote for the move, further piling pressure on their leader. However, she received a boost on Tuesday when influential Brexiteer Jacob Rees Mogg suggested he could back her deal in order to make sure the whole process was not stopped. Prominent Brexit supporter Boris Johnson has already indicated that he could back the deal, but only if May agrees to go, raising suggestions that she could announce plans for her departure at a meeting with Conservative MPs at 1700 GMT on Wednesday. "If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line," said Conservative MP Nigel Evans. But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the hardline Northern Irish power brokers who prop up the government, have poured cold water on the deal. The group's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the party would rather see a one-year Brexit delay. "Even if we are forced into a one-year extension, we at least would have a say on the things which affect us during that time and would have the right to unilaterally decide to leave at the end of that one-year," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "We won't let the PM or the Remainer horde in parliament bully us into backing a toxic Brexit," he said. Britain was originally due to exit from the EU on March 29, and MPs will vote on Wednesday to formalise the extension into law. It has already been written into international law and is expected to pass easily, with May's office saying that "there would be uncertainty for citizens and businesses" if MPs were to reject it. A group of Brexit-supporting MPs however has said that holding the vote after the delay had already entered international law "created serious legal doubts about the legal situation surrounding the extension". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run BSNL has awarded satellite bandwidth connectivity project worth Rs 40 crore to Hughes Communications India for upgrading connectivity in and Lakshadweep. "It is difficult to provide bandwidth connectivity to and Lakshadweep through cables. BSNL has selected Hughes India to provide satellite connectivity in these islands. It is Rs 40-crore contract for a period of seven years," Shivaji Chatterjee, SVP and Head, Enterprise Business, Hughes India, told PTI. With Hughes India, BSNL plans to expand satellite bandwidth in Andaman and Nicobar to 400 times the current capacity in two years and has already augmented available bandwidth in the island region from 240 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Under the deal, Hughes India supplied BSNL with satellite terminals and modems for voice, data, and video communications as well as high-speed satellite backhaul capacity to extend network coverage in the region. Hughes will connect 20 hubs with speed of 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps in and 350-500 Mbps download speed across five islands in Lakshadweep. "The bandwidth will vary as per demand around the hub. We are confident that this partnership will enable the residents, tourists, government and armed forces on the islands to enjoy unmatched connectivity and internet experience while also serving India's strategic interest in the region," Chatterjee said. The government Wednesday approved the signing of a pact between India and Indonesia to combat smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and its precursors. The approval has been given at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. The MoU will help in mutual cooperation in regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and in combating drug trafficking, an official statement said. The agreement will come into force on the date of signing and will remain in effect for a period of five years. India has signed similar conventions or MoUs or agreements with 37 other countries. The MoU will facilitate and enhance cooperation between the two countries in combating illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and its precursors as defined by the United Nations International Drug Control Conventions, the statement said. The cooperation under this MoU includes the exchange of information on existing legal instruments of national legislation of both countries to combat smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and its precursors and essential chemicals, allowing and assisting each other in the use of controlled delivery operation with a view to identify persons involved in such smuggling and prevention of money laundering. Under the agreement, there is a provision of maintaining secrecy of the information and documents obtained in accordance with this MoU. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canada's trade deficit narrowed to 4.2 billion Canadian dollars (USD 3.1 billion) in January as commerce with countries other than the United States ramped up, the government statistical agency said Wednesday. The figure, following a record trade deficit of 4.8 billion Canadian dollars (revised upward) in the previous month, was higher than economists had expected. "Overall, the data out today continue to provide a mixed picture of the Canadian economy," said CIBC Capital Markets analyst Royce Mendes. According to Statistics Canada, exports rose 2.9 per cent to 47.6 billion Canadian dollars in January. Higher exports of refined gold to Britain and gold transfers to Hong Kong within the banking sector, as well as increased transportation equipment sales to Saudi Arabia, were partially offset by lower exports of soybeans to China, it said. After five consecutive monthly decreases, energy exports rose in January to 7.1 billion Canadian dollars. That was driven by a 36.5 per cent increase in crude oil exports on the strength of higher prices. The rebound in export oil prices, however, remained 40.1 per cent below a peak in July. Imports, meanwhile, rose 1.5 per cent to 51.8 billion Canadian dollars, led by a record 2.7 billion Canadian dollars or 52.6 per cent increase in aircraft and parts purchases. That was partially offset by lower energy imports. Canada's trade surplus with the United States -- its neighbor and largest trading partner -- narrowed for the sixth consecutive month to 1.6 billion Canadian dollars in January. After five consecutive monthly declines, exports to the US rose 1.1 per cent on the crude oil strength while imports rose 1.8 per cent. Meanwhile, exports to other countries rose 7.9 per cent. And imports rose 1.1 per cent to 19.4 billion Canadian dollars, surpassing the previous month's record. Contributing to that increase were Belgium (pharmaceutical products), Britain (aircraft and aircraft parts), Saudi Arabia (crude oil), China (various products) and Mexico (various products). These gains were partially offset by lower imports from Brazil (bauxite) and South Korea (iron and steel products). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Countering US' criticism of its governance in Tibet, China on Wednesday defended its polices and highlighted major economic development and improvement of lives of people in the remote Himalayan region since a failed uprising against Beijing's rule 60 years ago. Releasing a white paper on Tibet showcasing the region's development under the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) here, Tibet's executive vice governor Norbu Dondrup denied there was any significant support for Tibet as a separate political entity. "The issue of Tibetan independence does not exist," he told the media. About 150 Tibetans committed self-immolations in different parts of Tibet since 2009 calling for the return of 83-year-old Dalai Lama from his exile and improvement of human rights in the Himalayan region. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, crossed the border into India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet on March 31, 1959. China says Tibet for centuries has been its territory well before People's Liberation Army (PLA) took control of it in 1950. The white paper coincided with the US State Department report that documented access problems to Tibet in a report to Congress mandated by the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, passed with bipartisan support in December. China's white paper said Tibet's GDP in 2018 reached 147.76 billion yuan (USD 22 billion), about 191 times more than the 1959 figure calculated at comparable prices. Through 60 years of hard work, the people in Tibet have seen agriculture and animal husbandry become increasingly modernized, the white paper, titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On" said. The life expectancy of the people in Tibet increased from 35.5 years before 1959 to 68.2 years now, it said. Tibet's population has grown from 1.23 million in 1959 to 3.44 million in 2018, with Tibetans accounting for over 90 percent of the total, it said. The living condition of people in Tibet has improved, the white paper said, noting that in 2018, the average per capita disposal income of urban residents was 33,797 yuan (USD 5,035) and that of rural residents was 11,450 yuan. The white paper also criticised the Dalai Lama for attempting to maintain feudal serfdom. "For centuries Tibet was ruled by feudal serfdom under theocracy. Millions of serfs were subjected to cruel exploitation and oppression until democratic reform in 1959," it said. Under the system, the three-major estate-holders (government officials, nobles, and upper-ranking lamas in monasteries) deprived all rights of serfs, held in their hands the serfs' life and death, monopolized land, pastures and other means of production, it said. Education has also been improved. In 2018, the net enrolment rate in primary school was 99.5 per cent, and gross enrolment rates in junior high, senior high and higher education were 99.5 per cent, 82.3 per cent and 39.2 per cent respectively, it said. The childbirth mortality rate of people in Tibet fell from 50 per 1,000 at the beginning of the reform to 1.02 per 1,000 in 2017, and the infant mortality rate from 430 per 1,000 to 10.38 per 1,000, it noted. The freedom of religious belief of all ethnic groups is protected by the Constitution and the laws, with all religions and religious sects being equally respected and protected, it said. Currently, Tibet has 1,787 sites for the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, over 46,000 resident monks and nuns, and 358 Living Buddhas, it said. There are four mosques and over 12,000 native Muslims, and one Catholic church, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese officials responsible for Tibet are praising development in the Himalayan region in the 60 years since the suppression of an uprising against Beijing's rule. Executive vice governor Norbu Dondrup on Wednesday reviewed gains in the economy, health care and education since 1959 and castigated the self-declared government-in-exile established by Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama as illegitimate. The now-83-year-old Dalai Lama fled to India after the uprising was suppressed. Dordrup also repeatedly emphasized that journalists must travel to Tibet to see for themselves the conditions there, even though China heavily restricts such travel. The US State Department issued a report on Monday saying China's government "systematically impeded travel" to Tibet and Tibetan areas outside the official Tibetan Autonomous Region for US diplomats and officials, journalists, and tourists in 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has expelled former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei from the Communist Party and dismissed him from his official positions, the country's graft watchdog announced Wednesday. Meng, who served as the vice minister of public security, disappeared last year during a visit to China from France and was later accused of accepting bribes. "Meng Hongwei has no party principle... does not report personal matters in accordance with regulations... and refuses to implement the decision of the Party Central Committee," the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China abuses over a million Muslims at home, but "protects" violent Islamic terror groups from UN sanctions, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. He was apparently referring to China blocking a proposal to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar a 'global terrorist' at the UN Security Council (UNSC) earlier this month. The world cannot afford China's shameful hypocrisy toward Muslims. On one hand, China abuses more than a million Muslims at home, but on the other it protects violent Islamic terrorist groups from sanctions at the UN, Pompeo said in a tweet Wednesday, without mentioning the JeM or the outfit's chief. The US along with Britain and France had moved a resolution in the UNSC to designate Azhar a "global terrorist" following the February 14 Pulwama attack, but China blocked it. China put a hold on the resolution arguing that it needs more time to study it. Every member of the UNSC, except China, had supported the US move. The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. China, Pompeo alleged, has detained more than one million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other Muslim minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang since April 2017. The US stands with them and their family members. China must release all those arbitrarily detained and end its repression, he said. On Wednesday, Pompeo met with survivors and family members of China's campaign of repression and mass detention against the minority groups in Xinjiang. I call on China to end these counterproductive policies and release all arbitrarily detained, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Wednesday reacted guardedly to India's anti-satellite missile test and expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a written response to a question on India successfully test-firing an anti-satellite missile, said: "We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space". China conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a defunct weather satellite. Prime Minister Modi said in New Delhi that the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. He said India did not breach any international laws or treaties by testing the the anti-satellite missile. Mission Shakti, which was led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, was aimed at strengthening India's overall security, he said in his address that comes a fortnight before the start of the general election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Wednesday sacked former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei from all his official positions and expelled him from the ruling Communist Party, accusing him of corruption, serious disciplinary violations and encouraging his wife who is settled abroad to campaign against his detention. Meng, 65, who was once a rising political star among officialdom of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held the powerful post of vice-minister of public security before being appointed as China's first official to head the Interpol -- a global organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation. He was expelled from the CPC and removed from office for serious disciplinary violations and suspected graft crimes, the Party's disciplinary watchdog and national supervisory commission announced, state-run China Daily reported. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said the Central Committee of CPC had also approved an investigation into Meng, who was a member of the committee and vice-minister for public security. The CCDI accused Meng of abusing his position and power for personal gain, squandering state funds to finance his family's extravagant lifestyle and disregarding the principles of being a party member. In a rare acquisition, the statement also accused Meng of encouraging his wife to use his status to further her own interests, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. Any assets acquired as a result of Meng's alleged illegal activities would be handed over to procuratorial office in accordance with the law, the anti-corruption watchdog said. Meng vanished in late September after leaving his home in the French city of Lyon for China. He sent his wife Grace Meng a message on social media, telling her to "wait for my call", along with a knife emoji suggesting he was in some kind of danger. Grace Meng reported her husband missing to the French authorities on October 4 and was later put under police protection after receiving threatening messages over telephone and online. Earlier this year, she applied for asylum in France. On October 6, Interpol issued a request to the Chinese government for information on Meng's whereabouts and the CCDI replied the following day, saying he had been detained in connection with an investigation into alleged corruption. Confirming his detention, the Chinese Ministry of public security on October 8, 2018 said that he is being probed for bribery and other crimes but did not elaborate. The statement came after a meeting held by Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi expressed "unanimous support" for the probe against Meng and pledged "absolute political loyalty" to President Xi Jinping and the party leadership. Xi, who is regarded as the most powerful leader of China after Mao Zedong, heads the ruling CPC, the military and the presidency. He has been designated as the core leader and a constitutional amendment has removed two-term limit for the president, paving the way for him to be the leader for life. The statement indicated that Meng is being probed for links with disgraced senior official Zhou Yongkang. Zhou, 75, was the highest ranking CPC official having served as the security chief in the previously Hu Jintao regime who was punished in the massive anti-corruption campaign by Xi in which over a million officials were punished since he came to power in 2012. Zhou is currently serving life sentence after admitting allegations against him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court Wednesday directed the dean of JJ Group of Hospitals here to constitute a panel of doctors to assess the mental health condition of a 20-year-old college student, who has approached the court seeking to terminate her pregnancy. The petitioner is in 23rd week of pregnancy, which is a result of a "consensual" relationship. She approached the high court saying though the foetus has no known abnormalities and the pregnancy doesn't pose a threat to her physical well being, carrying the pregnancy to its full term will be detrimental to her mental health. In her petition, filed through advocate Neha Philip, the woman submitted opinions of some private medical practitioners affirming she suffered from some mental health problems and that her mental condition was "fragile". The petitioner claimed she was also incapable of having given a coherent consent to such a relationship. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act prohibits termination of pregnancy beyond 20 weeks. The Act permits abortion after consultation with one doctor up to 12 weeks. Between 12 to 20 weeks, medical opinion of two doctors is required for termination of pregnancy. Beyond the 20-week, exceptions are legally permissible only if continuation of the pregnancy poses a threat to the mother's health and life. However, in the recent past, the Supreme Court and several high courts, including several benches of the Bombay High Court, have taken an expansive view of the definition of health and risks to the life of the woman as defined under the Act. These courts have permitted termination of a pregnancy if it were likely to have an adverse effect on the woman. Citing these judgements and the "young age" of the woman, the petitioner approached the high court seeking relief. The bench, however, remained unimpressed with the argument and the petitioner's submissions on her mental health condition. The bench said the opinions of the private medical practitioners submitted by the petitioner "did not suggest" she was incapable of carrying the pregnancy to full term. The court also expressed its displeasure at the increasing number of petitions in the high court seeking termination of pregnancy after the 20-week limit. "This has become a business. We are going to start imposing cost on petitioners," the bench observed. The petitioner's counsel, however, pointed out that every woman who approached the HC under the MTP Act did so in all earnestness. Advocate Philip argued that such women were forced to approach the court since there was no provision under the existing law for one to seek relief beyond the 20-week limit. The high court directed the Maharashtra government to submit the state-run JJ Hospital' report by March 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is asking the commercial establishments running from the dilapidated Esplanade Mansion in south Mumbai to down the shutters for the time being. It's a historical building, recognised by UNESCO as a heritage structure, but now considered hazardous. The building, formerly known as Watson Hotel, was built with cast iron fabricated in England, and holds the distinction of hosting the first-ever film screening in India in 1896. The civic body has so far served notices to nine commercial establishments, asking them to stop operating from the premises until the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay submits a structural stability report. Though the building is rickety, its occupants -- many of them lawyers who have offices there -- have given undertaking to the Bombay High Court that they would like to to stay put and will be solely responsible for consequences. "But we are fearful about customers who visit the building and who are not aware (of the danger it poses). To avoid any untoward incident, as a preventive measure we have asked commercial owners or operators to keep their businesses closed for some time," a senior civic official said. The popular Army Restaurant, which runs from the ground floor of the five-storey building, has been closed following the BMC notice. Another occupant, 'Smart and Hollywood Ladies & Gents Tailor', said to be the city's oldest tailoring establishment, too has been asked to close. Mumtaz Ahmed, who has been working at the shop for over five decades, said the shop will soon down its shutter. "We have stitched clothes for Miss Indias back in the '50s and '60s, and also for Alyque Padamsee's (theatrical) productions," Mumtaz said. Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar said BMC's notices conform to guidelines laid down by the Bombay High Court while hearing the matter when some of the occupants moved the court against eviction notices. "The decision (to issue present notices) respects the High Court ruling's framework," he said. The Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA), responsible for the upkeep of old buildings, placed the building in the list of "most dangerous" in 2010, and asked its occupants to vacate it. However, the occupants moved the court, arguing that the building was "repairable" and MHADA should repair it. "The building is extremely rickety and we served them notices twice....Now the matter is sub-judice," said a MHADA official. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With two days left for withdrawal of nominations for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, Congress leaders are making all attempts to pacify the party's rebel candidates against former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, the ruling alliance's nominee in Tumkur. Defying the electoral arrangement under which Tumkur was allotted to JD(S), sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanumegowda filed his papers on Monday both as party candidate and also as an independent. K N Rajanna, another Congress leader and former MLA, has also filed his nomination from Tumkur as an independent candidate, opposing Gowda. Both leaders are upset against Congress' decision to cede the Tumkur seat to JD(S), despite the party having its sitting MP there. Pradesh Congress Chief Dinesh Gudu Rao expressed confidence about solving the issue amicably. "We are confident that it will be fine. I'm talking to him (Muddahanumegowda), I have hundred per cent faith that there won't be any problem," he said. Responding to a question on Rajanna, he said, "I'm in touch with him and he has said that he will abide by the party's stand and won't take any decision against the Congress party...We will solve it definitely." Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who hails from Tumkur, also expressed confidence that Muddahanumegowda would withdraw in the larger interest of defeating the BJP. "I have spoken to Muddahanumegowda. I have alsoinformed our high command and they will also speak to him. I'm confident that Muddahanumegowda being a gentlemen politician will withdraw in the larger interest to defeat the BJP," he said. Muddahanumegowda is determined to contest, as he is the only member among 10 sitting Congress MPs from the state who have not got the ticket this time. JD(S) bagged Tumkur seat after a hard bargain with Congress as the grand old party did not concede Mysore, another seat it had demanded, due to strong resentment from CLP leader Siddaramaiah, as it is his home turf. Mysore and Tumkur both come under old Mysuru region, where the Vokkaliga community, seen as a strong vote bank of the JD(S), is dominant. Congress too has considerable presence there. Speaking to local channels in Tumkur, Muddahanumegowda said that he will not backtrack and will contest the polls as per the wish of his voters and supporters. Stating that he has filed his nomination, both asa Congress candidate and an independent, he said, "I did not get the Congress ticket till Tuesday evening (last day to file nomination), but both alliance partners still have a chance to declare me as their candidate." Speaking to reporters Rajanna said his decision would depend on what Muddahanumegowda agrees to. Stating that he supports Muddahanumegowda, hesaid "I will wait for his decision... There is pressure on me to withdraw, but I have not decided yet...", he said. Deve Gowda opted for Tumkur seat over Bangalore North, another option that was available before him, after giving up Hassan Lok Sabha seat that he had been representing tohis grandson Prajwal Revanna. If Muddahanumegowda contests from Tumkur as a rebel candidate, it will add to the Congress-JD(S) coalition woes as the alliance is facing a backlash at several places,including Mandya and Hassan, with party workers unhappy with the seat arrangements. Tumkur will go to the polls in the first phase on April 18 The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh claimed Wednesday that the party would win more than 20 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh if it could snatch away Bhopal, Indore and Vidisha from the BJP. In 2014, the Congress had won only two seats in the state, and later added another seat to the tally in a by-election. Addressing a meeting of party workers, Singh urged them to ensure the party's victory in Bhopal, Indore and Vidisha so as to take the party's tally to over 20. Speaking to reporters later, Singh said, "Congress has not won these three seats since 1984. So if we win these seats the party would surely register a victory on over 20 seats." Singh, himself contesting from Bhopal, a BJP bastion, said he would present a vision document for the city's development before filing his nomination papers. To a question about polarisation of votes in Bhopal, Singh said, "BJP has no other option but to polarise the votes." Asked about the allegation that his father was a Hindu Mahasabha member, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said, "My father contested election as an independent candidate in 1952. He was a Congress member and wore Khadi from 1940....Misinformation is being circulated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI(M) has written to the Election Commission against the appointment of former BSF Director General K K Sharma as special police observer for the April-May parliamentary election in West Bengal and Jharkhand, alleging he was present at an RSS function a year ago. The Election Commission Tuesday appointed four special observers, two retired IRS and two retired IPS officer, to spearhead its efforts to check the abuse of black money and illegal inducements to voters and monitor deployment of security forces in select sensitive states during the Lok Sabha polls. Sharma is one of them. "It has been widely reported that the DG, who has now retired, participated in a two-day event in Kolkata which was organised by Seemanta Chetna Manch, part of the RSS-backed Seema Jagran Manch, a pan India body which aims to instil 'patriotism' in the border areas across the country. "The ECI's appointment, therefore, is patently questionable and would raise the question of political partisanship. We would, therefore, urge the commission to reconsider and rescind this appointment forthwith," the letter from CPI(M) Polit bureau member Nilotpal Basu said. On Tuesday, the Trinamool Congress had raised similar objection to Sharma's appointment. The CPI(M) has also raised the issue of a purported video clip of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb allegedly issuing a veiled threat to the opposition parties. "In the clip he clearly says that the elections to the two parliamentary seats from Tripura will be different from the past and implied a threat to the opposition of undermining the normal course. To add emphasis, he underlined that he was not just speaking in his enthusiasm, but in complete senses. "This is a clear violation of misusing his office to threaten free, fair and peaceful polls and would warrant urgent remedial measures from the Election Commission," the letter from the CPI(M) leader said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A critically ill Indian man who suffered multi-organ failure following a severe lung infection and had mounting hospital bills was airlifted on Tuesday to New Delhi after the Indian community came out in his support. Surrender Khanna, 66, who hails from Punjab, was rushed to hospital after he complained of acute breathlessness on March 15, the next morning after he arrived in Dubai with his wife. Khanna's son Anubhav did not avail any travel or medical insurance for his parents and had unpaid hospital bills mounting to over Rs 18,00,000. The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai thanked the Indian community and doctors for coming out in support of the family that had surging bills of over lakhs of rupees in a hospital here. "CGI Dubai expresses it's sincere gratitude to doctors, NMC Hospital, Indian community philanthropists and family members of Sh Surrender Khanna, a critical patient, who has just left Dubai to India by air ambulance..it showed that together we can..we pray for his speedy recovery," it said in a tweet on Tuesday. According to Khaleej Times newspaper, the Indian Consulate in Dubai mobilised the Indian community to help the family. Several businessmen pitched in with funds which helped Anubhav to arrange for a better-equipped charter plane ambulance for his ailing father and flew out to New Delhi with his mother where arrangements for his father's treatment were made. The private hospital in Dubai, where Khanna was treated, had stopped the billing cycle for a couple of days and extended the period of payment. "I have never seen a private hospital being generous to the extent of stopping the billing cycle after those initial few days," Anubhav was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Khanna had developed breathlessness a day after he arrived here and was rushed to hospital. Doctors diagnosed it to be a severe lung infection and his limbs began getting discoloured. The growing infection affected Khanna's left hand which had to be amputated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi BJP has requested its central leadership for four rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boost its campaign in the national capital ahead of the lok Sabha elections. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said five locations have been short-listed as venues for the rallies for which permission has been sought from the central leadership. "We have requested for four public rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. I believe, we will get nod for at least two of them," he said. The possible venues which have been short-listed for the prime minister's rallies are Sant Nirankari Ground in Burari, Shastri Park, Dwarka and Mehrauli. The list of candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, currently held by the party, is expected to be released in the first week of April. Party sources claimed that the announcement of candidates was getting "delayed" due to uncertainty over a possible tie up between the Congress and the AAP. However, Tiwari rejected this saying the party was keeping a tab on the developments but it was also in the process of short-listing candidates. "Off course, we are keeping an eye on it but its wrong to say that announcement of our candidates is delayed because of a possible alliance (between AAP and the Congress)," Tiwari said. "We have already started campaigning by holding rallies of prominent leaders. "Our campaigning will reflect positivity and we will focus on exposing failures of AAP government in Delhi and how it has deprived the people of Delhi the benefits of Modi government's schemes like Ayushman Bharat," Tiwari said. The party has also planned to launch a specially designed digital 'Rath' for campaigning in the parliamentary constituencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Opposition accusing Prime Minister Modi of trying to get electoral mileage by announcing amid the poll process the successful testing of India's anti-satellite missile ability, the BJP Wednesday cautioned political parties against playing " on the issue". Terming DRDO scientists achievement as a "pride" of the nation, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said "let us not play politics" on the issue. Modi announced Wednesday that India demonstrated its anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, and described it a "rare achievement" that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "Let us not play any (on the achievement). The whole country takes pride in the achievement of our scientists," Madhav told reporters here. Replying to a question on a reported Congress' claim that the country developed this capability way back in 2012, the BJP leadersaid,"If it was developed in 2012, I don't know why it was never tested or never told to the people." "We have come to know about it through a successful testing today, so we give credit to our scientists for the great achievement," he added. "The BJP congratulates the Defence Research Development Organisation scientists and the people of the country. It is a phenomenal achievement in the space power and has filled our hearts with pride. Congratulations to our government and the prime minister," he said. The BJP leader said the successful testing has placed India in the elite club of major countries in the space technology and "it is a big achievement for India because cyber area is going to be future of all conflicts and the challenges the country is going to face in future. "Mastering this kind of technology is a great relief for the country and a big achievement," he said. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala earlier had said in tweet that "the building blocks for success" of anti-satellite programme "were laid during UPA-Cong Govt in 2012". Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel too earlier credited the UPA government for initiating the anti-satellite programme and lauded erstwhile Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's leadership. "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists & the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," tweeted Patel. Several other Opposition leaders, including Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav, have hit out at PM Modi for making the announcement allegedly to use it to reap political benefits ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Madhav, who is on a Jammu and Kashmir tour ahead of Modi's campaign rally here on Thursday, also said abrogation of Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution along with eviction of Rohingyas and return of Kashmiri migrant pandits to the valley are part of the BJP's manifesto. "You will find these in our manifesto," he said without commenting further when asked if his party still peruses these issues. He said PM Modi has accorded high priority to the state and that is why he is visiting it on the first day of his poll campaign trail across the country. "Jammu and Kashmir is very important to us. We have won three seats (Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh) in 2014 and will retain these seats. We are also trying to strengthen our base in the valley," said Madhav. Lashing out at the Congress for seeking support of the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu, he said, "You can understand the condition of the Congress which is banking on the support of these parties." "They (NC and PDP) are not ready to touch this party (the Congress) in Kashmir and the party pleaded before these parties in Jammu for support to fight against BJP," he said. "The Congress is dependent on the votes of NC and PDP in Jammu region because they won't get any vote in the region. The entire vote will go to the BJP despite their alliance and we are confident of winning both the seats in Jammu region and the Ladakh seat with huge margins," he said. He said the BJP wants to strengthen democratic institutions in the state and wants an early assembly poll as well. "We have strengthened the democratic system by having the Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections last year. Parliament elections are taking place and we have also demanded from Election Commission to hold early polls to the state assembly," he said. Asserting that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will not affect the BJP poll prospects, he said the whole country knows what would be the poll outcome. Every body knows that the Modi government is returning to power once again, he added. "Priyanka is not campaigning for the first time. She had done it in previous three elections but the downslide of the party continued," he said, adding there is no alternative to Modi government in the country. Referring to the Congress' promise of minimum income of Rs 72,000 a year to the poorest 20 per cent household in the country, Madav said the party is promising "moon" to the people "The opposition is aware of this reality and they are trying to mislead the public by showing them moon," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to encourage migrant Kashmiri voters to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has opened up various avenues like the digital platform, setting up special polling stations and allowing postal ballots. A scheme was earlier devised to help the Kashmiri migrant population living in various parts of the country to vote during elections to the legislative assembly in September-October 2002 and the general elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014, a notification said. Although rules do not expressly provide setting up of polling stations outside the territorial jurisdiction of a constituency, Section 36-A of the Jammu & Kashmir Representation of People Act, 1957 makes provision of setting up such polling stations outside the territorial jurisdiction of the constituency, it said. The Election Commission, after taking into consideration the success of this scheme has decided to extend it for the general elections scheduled to be held in April-May, 2019, the notification said. According to the notification, the Kashmiri migrants whose names are registered in any of the three parliamentary constituencies in Kashmir province--Baramulla, Anantnag, Srinagar--can cast their votes at special polling stations set up at Delhi, Jammu and Udhampur. Similarly the migrants living far away from the camps can also vote by post according to Section 60(c) of the Jammu & Kashmir Representation of People Act, 1957 to be read with 27A(b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, it said. "... the Election Commission has advised the migrant voters to send their Form-M for voting in person at any of 'special polling stations' or form-12-C for using postal ballot to the Assistant Returning Officers concerned so as to reach them on or 10 days before the date of poll separately for each phase of the polling," the notification said. "To operationalise this scheme, Assistant Commissioner, Revenue in the Office of Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, Jammu is designated as Assistant Returning Officer for the three parliamentary constituencies in the Kashmir Valley," it said. The poll panel also said the voters living in various camps in Jammu Division and Delhi can vote at the special polling stations to be set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi. "As far as the Kashmiri migrants living in other parts of the country are concerned, it may not be feasible to provide polling stations for them," the notification said. "...they will have the option to exercise their franchise through postal ballot system, as was done at the time of elections in 1996, 1998 and 1999, 2002, 2008 and 2009 and 2014 and the arrangements made in this behalf will have to be repeated," the notification added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Wednesday apologised for erroneously naming Kashmir as a separate country in a blog post that mentioned countries targeted by an Iranian network and said it has removed the reference. The giant, on Tuesday, had said it has removed 513 pages, groups and accounts for engaging in "coordinated inauthentic" behaviour as part of multiple networks tied to Iran. It had added that they operated in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan or broadly across the Middle East and North Africa. The blog post had mentioned Kashmir among the list as well. "We mistakenly included 'Kashmir' in our blog post when listing the countries and regions impacted by the Iranian network we disrupted for coordinated inauthentic behaviour," said in a statement on Wednesday. The US-based company explained that "Kashmir was the subject of some of the content shared by this network, but it should not have been included in that list. We have corrected this in the blog post and we apologise for any confusion caused". According to the blog post, the page administrators and account owners (that have now been removed) represented themselves as locals and made-up media entities, often using fake accounts and they impersonated real political groups and media organisations. "They posted news stories on current events and frequently re-purposed and amplified content from Iranian state media about topics including sanctions against Iran; tensions between India and Pakistan; conflicts in Syria and Yemen; terrorism; tensions between Israel and Palestine; Islamic religious issues; Indian politics; and the recent crisis in Venezuela," it had said. pointed out that although the people behind this activity had attempted to conceal their identities, the company's review linked these accounts to Iran. India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, who served 19 months in US jail for insider trading, has blamed the prosecution led by Indian-American former New York Attorney Preet Bharara for conducting the case in an "disingenuous and untruthful" manner, saying he felt like a "political prisoner". Gupta, 70, also revealed that he was kept in solitary confinement for weeks in an American federal prison which, he termed, was "brutal". He was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information about Goldman Sachs to then hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, who is currently serving 11 years in jail for insider trading. They were incarcerated in the federal prison in Ayer, Massachusetts. Gupta served 19 months in prison and was released in 2016. The former managing director of McKinsey penned his memoir 'Mind Without Fear' that released Monday and tells of his dramatic rise to the top of the corporate and financial world in America and then his fall after being charged in one of the largest insider trading cases in the US. Gupta will be discussing his book and his experiences with a New York audience on Thursday at a book launch event organised by leading arts and cultural organisation the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). "I felt like I was a political prisoner. I felt like I had done nothing wrong, it's just my destiny to be here (in prison)," Gupta told PTI here. The insider trading case against Gupta was prosecuted by India-born Bharara, the then US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, pitting the two Indian immigrants against each other. Gupta blames the prosecution for "lying" and exaggerating to win the case "at any cost". "The issue is not Preet Bharara. The issue is the whole system. This system is misaligned, the way he handled the case. It was very cleverly done," Gupta said. He elaborated that he was charged a week before Rajaratnam's trial. "I was tried in absentia at the Rajaratnam trial with no opportunity to defend myself. That's the first tactic which is unfair and they should not have done it that way," Gupta said. He asserted that the prosecutors "kept lying" and saying that Gupta was a 15 per cent owner in Galleon International, the hedge fund founded by Rajaratnam and that was the benefit for him to provide confidential information to him. "I never owned a single share. I never got any benefit. Even in the appeals memo, they wrote that I was an owner in Galleon. They know that it was not true... because they had gone through all my financial statements, my bank accounts. They didn't find anything, any benefit of any kind. "I don't expect the prosecutors to lie but they were lying. That's very unfortunate. The way they conducted the case was disingenuous, untruthful and exaggerated in many ways," Gupta said. He said that the prosecutors had rehearsed then Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein and other witnesses to say exactly what they wanted to say. "It was deceitful, it was like win at every cost. "Nobody has ever heard of an insider trading case when there is no benefit. Zero benefit. It's not like this is the first time I had insider information in my life. I had been advising boards for 40 years. I had inside information, there was never an issue," Gupta said. He said that he met Rajaratnam in the Ayer prison and "I told him that he's the reason I was there". Gupta said the two talked about the trial only when they met for the first time in prison. "We never talked about the trial after that," he said. Gupta said he would see Rajaratnam often as they had a common dining hall and same place for exercise. He says he sometimes even played cards with Rajaratnam in prison. Gupta said that he was in some ways "very appreciative" of the fact that Rajaratnam didn't take a plea deal when the government had offered him five years off for testifying against Gupta. But Rajaratnam refused. "He could have made up something. But he said he doesn't want to testify and he has nothing to say as I had done nothing wrong," Gupta said. Gupta feels that the 11-year sentence for Rajaratnam, who is severely diabetic, was too long for a person with ill health. Talking about his time in prison, Gupta said the biggest stress for him was being away from his family. "It was a relatively short sentence. I could see the end of the tunnel," he said, adding that his friends and family used to visit him every week. Gupta said he also drew solace from conversations he had with his late father and decided to make the prison experience a "true learning experience". "It's like a monastery. You go into a monastery and you get better in every dimension," he said, adding that he used to exercise, read and write a lot in prison and tried to help other inmates as much as he could. "I wanted to become physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually better and I think I succeeded," he said. Despite this, he says prison was hard. "Especially solitary confinement. It's brutal," he said. Moving forward, Gupta said he is working on philanthropic issues and involved with institutions that he created such as the Indian School of Business. He is also focussing on work in maternal, child health, water and sanitation in Gujarat as well as criminal justice reform. "But I'm also 70. I want to spend a little more time with my kids and grandkids. I hope I'm going to slow down," he said, adding that it was difficult to write the book but it was quite a cathartic experience and I'm glad I did it". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The forces which work for peace and goodwill must remain ever-powerful to achieve it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday. Soon after his address to the nation earlier in the day to announce a successful anti-satellite missile test, he interacted with scientists involved in 'Mission Shakti' via video conference, a statement from the prime minister's office said. He told the scientists that the successful test firing of anti-satellite missile is in line with the government's 'Make in India' initiative and the scientists involved in the project have proved that India can achieve any goal. "The prime minister said that India follows the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family. He, however, also emphasised that the forces which work for peace and goodwill must remain ever-powerful for the achievement of peace," the statement read. Congratulating the scientists on their success, the PM said the entire nation is proud of the scientists for achieving what they had set out to accomplish. "The prime minister asserted that for global peace and regional peace, India should be capable and strong," the statement said. The scientists thanked the PM for giving them this opportunity to prove themselves, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Retired senior IAS officer Vinod Koul, instrumental in the creation of 659 new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir during the Omar Abdullah regime, joined the Congress on Wednesday. Son of former Congress minister Manohar Nath Koul, a prominent politician from south Kashmir, the 62-year-old former bureaucrat joined the party in the presence of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Gulam Ahmed Mir. "I have joined Congress party at a function in Srinagar today. It was a home coming, in a way, for me as I belong to a family connected with the Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir," Kaul told PTI. The former relief commissioner of the state, Koul said he wanted to strengthen the secular forces in Jammu and Kashmir and continue the legacy of his father. "If at all I wanted to join politics, it was only Congress. So, I commenced the journey following in the footsteps of my father," Kaul said, adding that his joining the Congress was a homecoming. Koul, who attained superannuation in 2017, served as administrative secretary of different departments including revenue, technical education, youth services and sports, animal husbandry among others. As commissioner/secretary of the state's revenue department, Kaul was the brains behind the expansion of the administrative units to reach the state's grass-root level under the National Conference government back in 2014. As many as 659 new administrative units including 46 sub divisions, 135 tehsils, 177 Community Development (CD) Blocks and 301 Niabats across the state were approved by the government. He was widely appreciated by the state's political leadership for his proactive role in gearing up the state machinery for relief and rescue works after the devastating floods that hit Kashmir in 2014. Koul, who belongs to Vessu hamlet of Anantnag district, was also the architect of the Rs 44,000-crore memorandum submitted by the NC-Congress regime to the Union government for rehabilitation of the flood victims. His father represented Devsar and Shangus segments in the state assembly and was a two-time Congress minister in Jammu and Kashmir. The family was considered to close to the Nehru-Gandhi clan, particularly former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Government Railway Police (GRP) has seized Rs 1.51 crore in cash from a gang of thieves, who had stolen the amount from train passengers, a senior officer said Wednesday. Four members of the gang were arrested, said Aruna Mohan Rao, Additional Director General (Railway Police). Talking to reporters here, Rao said two complaints were received at the Khandwa GRP station stating that four persons posing as policemen carried out a search in Mumbai- Varanasi Mahanagari Express on March 13 at Khandwa. During the search, one of the persons had stolen the bags of passengers while his accomplices kept them engaged in a chat, she said. Rao said according to one of the complaints, filed by Ahmedabad resident Mehul Patel, these persons in police uniform had stolen his bag containing Rs 3 crore in cash. Another complainant, Vikash Yadav, was robbed of Rs 5 lakh, the police officer said. After checking footage of CCTV cameras, the GRP zeroed in on two suspects, identified as Akshay Kundwani and Devesh, both 22-year-old and residents of Damoh town in Madhya Pradesh, Rao said. During interrogation, they admitted to committing both the crimes with the help of other accomplices, including Sanjay Jatav (38), a resident of Pachor (Rajgarh) and Narayan Ahuja (19), a native of Itarasi who were also arrested, she said. Rao said an amount of Rs 1.51 crore was seized from the four accused. Investigations so far have revealed that the cash which the complainants were carrying was related to hawala (illegal way of transferring money) and further probe in this regard was underway, she said. Those carrying the money were regular couriers of hawala money, she said. Rao said after the investigations, the case would be handed over to the Special Task Force (STF) and the Income Tax Department. Efforts are being made to recover the remaining money, the police officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister and BJP candidate from the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat Nitin Gadkari Wednesday claimed that he is getting phone calls from Congress workers pledging support to him. The BJP stalwart kick-started his campaigning and said he will seek votes on the basis of development work done by him in the constituency, which will vote on April 11. Gadkari said he is getting best wishes from non-BJP parties, including the opposition Congress. "I have worked for all irrespective of their caste, religion, language and party affiliation. A huge number of Congress workers and office-bearers phone me and tell me not to worry," claimed Gadkari. "They say though we are physically there (in the Congress), our hearts are with you (Gadkari) and hence I have support from all," he added. He asked the BJP workers to reach out to the people with confidence and advised them to be humble in their conduct. He also told them to understand the difference between confidence and arrogance. "One should have confidence but not arrogance. Hence, reach out to the public with humility and tell them about the work done by the party," he said. Seeking re-election from Nagpur, Gadkari said he will win the upcoming poll with a bigger margin than in 2014 and announced that he had initiated developmental projects worth Rs 70,000 crore in the constituency. "I have decided not to take the name of opposition candidates and not criticise any party. I will tell the people about the work that I have done and will seek the votes on the basis of work done by me," said Gadkari. "We have completed the works promised in the last manifesto. We should not give false assurances to public. We will do what we have assured. We will say what we have done," said the Union minister. The Union minister inaugurated the Central Election Campaigning Office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in Nagpur and asked the workers not to comment on anyone's statements. "The public is intelligent and knows everything. We have done our work and won the trust of people. People love us irrespective of caste, religion, community and party and this love for us will ensure our victory," said Gadkari. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British electric bike and lifestyle brand GoZero Mobility forayed into Indian market Wednesday with the launch of two electric bikes, One and Mile. One is priced at Rs 32,999 and Mile is tagged at Rs 29,999. GoZero One is powered with 400Wh lithium battery pack optimised to provide 60 Km of range on a single charge, while GoZero Mile is powered by 300Wh lithium battery pack which provides a range of 45 km. The Birmingham-based firm has tied-up with Kolkata-based Kirti Solar to develop and manufacture current range as well as future products. "With the significant focus by the Indian government towards electric mobility, especially two-wheelers, we see this as an appropriate time for us to be here," GoZero Mobility CEO Ankit Kumar told reporters here. Both the products are meant for India, Africa and South-East Asia, he added. On sales target, he added, "We anticipate to sell 3,000 units in the first year and scale up to 75,000 in the next five years." The company also has plans to launch other models like DelivR, One W and Zero Smart in India, the UK and Europe, Kumar said. In domestic market, the company would come out with premium retail outlets to sell its products, he added. "We aim to have three such centres in Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati in next few months. In the next three years, we are aiming to have around 18 such experience centres," Kumar said. The company also plans to have a network of over 1,000 retailers in the next two years. GoZero will also sell its signature range of lifestyle merchandise designed in the UK, which includes sweatshirts, jackets, belts, and wallets, among other products from the outlets, he added. The company has a production facility in Kolkata with a capacity to rollout 20,000 units per annum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday said if Delhi is granted full statehood, he will turn it into a model city and an example for the world with everyone in the national capital having their own flat. The Aam Aadmi Party chief alleged that the people of Delhi are insulted time and again by the central government which has given a "half status" to the national capital. He appealed to them to unite and join the movement towards full statehood. "At the time of Sheila ji's government (former chief minister Sheila Dikshit) the power tariff used to increase every year for 15 years but we reduced it to half," he said, addressing a rally in Kondli in East Delhi. Kejriwal claimed that if the city-state gets full statehood, he would "build a model city in which everyone would have their own flat and the national capital would be an example for the whole world". "The real Delhi resides beyond the ring road, the real Delhi is in small lanes where there were no proper roads earlier," he said. At another rally in R K Puram, Kejriwal claimed that no party is going to get absolute majority this time and urged people to vote for full statehood this time and not for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Accusing the Centre of creating "hurdles" for Delhi's development, the AAP leader alleged that he faced several obstructions at various stages to get clearances from the central government. He said the people of Delhi pay Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth Income Tax and receive only Rs 325 crore from the Centre. "Why should we pay so much and get so less in return? What have Delhiites done to the central government to deserve this? The situation is similar to the time before India got independence. "First Britishers looted us, now the central government is looting us," the chief minister said. "Just for political enmity, PM Modi stopped the development work for the common man of Delhi. Last time you voted for him, but this time do not vote for him, otherwise he would not let me work for development," he added. The ruling AAP in the city is fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha election on the agenda of granting full statehood to Delhi. Raising the slogan of 'Poorna Rajya Banao Jhadu ka Button Dabao', the party is busy convincing people to vote for AAP to get full statehood for Delhi. The election to the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be heldon May 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat High Court Wednesday said it will not interfere with the Election Commission order declaring bypoll for Talala Assembly seat in the state following disqualification of Congress MLA Bhagvan Barad. The division bench of Justices S R Brahmbhatt and V B Mayani disposed of Barad's petition challenging the Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi's order disqualifying him as well as the EC's March 10 order declaring bypoll for the seat. Tridevi, in a notification issued on March 5, declared the Talala Assembly seat vacant, after a judicial magistrate convicted Barad in an illegal mining case and sentenced him to two years and nine months in jail. The high court said it will not interfere with the notification issued by the Election Commission of India declaring the bypoll for TalalaAssembly constituency on account of the fact that Barad's disqualification and vacancy on the seat continue as on date. The bypoll will take place on April 23 along with voting for all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "At present, (Barad's) conviction is in existence and a stay by sessions court against his conviction and release on bail has been quashed and set aside by this High Court. Therefore, at this moment, there is conviction and sentence of two years and nine months as well as fine of Rs 2,500 in existence and there is no stay of suspension against the conviction," the division bench said in its order. The EC had submitted before the court that the election was declared on Talala constituency after it was declared vacant and notified by Assembly speaker on March 5. It had also said the decision was taken in view of its direction that, as far as possible, the elections for Lok Sabha as well as state assembly and by-elections shall be conducted simultaneously. Bypolls for three other assembly seats in Gujarat, namely Dhrangadhra, Manavadar, and Jamnagar (Rural) have been declared, it said. Barad had said his disqualification by the order of the Speaker was illegal as it was the Governor who should have passed the order and intimated the EC. He said his conviction was stayed by the order of sessions court at Veraval on March 7, and he informed both the Speaker and the EC through e-mail the very next day. The state government maintained that Barad stood automatically disqualified as per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act after being sentenced to over two years in jail. It said the notification issued by the Speaker was not in hurry, but was in accordance with the direction of the Election Commission that it should be informed immediately in case of conviction of an MLA. The Gujarat High Court had on March 15 set aside a sessions court order that stayed Barad's conviction by allowing the Gujarat government's plea to set aside the March 7 order of Veraval sessions court in Gir Somnath district. The sessions court had stayed Barad's conviction and a two years and nine months jail term was awarded by a magistrate court of Sutrapada taluka. It also asked the sessions court to hear Barad's plea afresh "without further loss of time". A magistrate ourt at Sutrapada had held Barad guilty of theft for excavating limestone worth Rs 2.83 crore through illegal mining on government land in 1995. Barad (60) had won from the Talala seat in Gir Somnath district in the 2017 Assembly elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP candidate for Sivaganga constituency H Raja Wednesday objected to Congress candidate Karti Chidambaram's nomination papers being accepted, alleging he had not submitted all facts in his affidavit. Raja took objection during scrutiny of nominations of his constituency. Later, talking to reporters, he said the affidavit of Karti did not contain details of the properties of his family members and that his nomination should be rejected. He also referred the matter to the Collector and Polling officer. Raja said that in 2009, Karthi's father P Chidambaram had filed an affidavit wherein he mentioned details of the joint family members. He also reacted to DMK chief M K Stalin's charge against O Panneerselvam's son, who is contesting the Lok sabha election, that he did not have any qualification except being the son of the deputy chief minister. Raja remarked: "what qualification does Stalin have except being the son of M Karunanidhi?" Stalin has no moral right to criticise others regarding heir apparent qualification. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court Wednesday stayed the arrest of senior SP leader Azam Khan, his wife and son in a case of forgery and cheating to secure two "fake" birth date certificates for their son. A bench of justices Manoj Mishra and Vivek Verma suspended the arrest of Khan, his wife Nazneem Fatima, a Rajya Sabha member and son Abdullah Azam Khan, an Uttar Pradesh MLA on their petition seeking quashing of the FIR against them. The bench halted their arrest till submission of the probe report by the police. The case against Khan and his family members had been lodged at Ganj police station in Rampur district on January 3 on a complaint by a BJP leader, Akash Saxena. Saxena had alleged that Khan and his wife had helped their son secure two fake birth date certificates - one from Lucknow and another from Rampur through cheating and forgery. Appearing on behalf of the Khans, their counsel argued before the bench that the FIR was lodged out of "political vendetta with ulterior motives". He also contended that as no pecuniary loss or gain was made to anybody, no case of cheating is made out against his clients. Questioning Saxena's locus standi in filing the complaint against Khans, his counsel also argued that the complaint, if any, could have been lodged only by the officer, who had registered their date of births. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday dismissed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's allegations against her government, saying "he is just a kid". She also refused to comment on Gandhi's minimum income promise ahead of the national polls. "He (Gandhi) 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?" Banerjee said. Launching his party's Lok Sabha poll campaign in the state, Gandhi at last week's rally in Malda charged both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Trinamool Congress chief of failing to fulfil their promises. He had alleged that nothing has changed in Bengal as there has been no development in the state under Banerjee. Asked to comment on Gandhi's poll promise of minimum income, she said "They (Congress) have made an announcement and it would not be right for us to make a comment on it." Gandhi had called his party's announcement as the "final assault" and a "surgical strike" on poverty. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress share a strained relation in the state after fighting the 2011 polls together and uprooting the 34-year-old Left Front regime. Although the Congress have shared stage with the TMC at the national level, in Bengal it has maintained a distance with Banerjee's party, which was born out of it in 1998. Congress' state unit has time and again accused the TMC of trying to "politically finish" it either by use of force or by poaching its leaders and elected representatives. As many as 17 Congress MLAs and one MP have switched over to the TMC in Bengal since the state elections of 2016. After Congress' victory in the three Hindi-heartland states last year, Banerjee stopped short of congratulating either the Congress or Gandhi by their names, drawing sharp reactions. Senior state Congress leaders had then asked if Trinamool Congress leaders were having "sleepless nights" fearing their dream of Mamata Banerjee becoming the prime minister may not be fulfilled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A French pilot hailed for bravery during a hijacking drama targeting Jews on an Air France flight in 1976 has died aged 95, his son told AFP on Wednesday. Michel Bacos was flying from Tel Aviv to Paris when Palestinian and German radicals hijacked the aircraft which was eventually flown to Entebbe in Uganda. The former French Resistance fighter earnt France's highest award, the Legion d'Honneur, for refusing to leave the plane and ordering his crew to remain with Jewish passengers who were separated from non-Jews. He died in the south of France where he had been living with his wife for the last 30 years, their son Eric Bacos told AFP. The hostages were eventually freed after six days by Israeli commandos, who launched a raid that has since been re-told in multiple documentaries and films as one of the most famous special-forces operations in history. The commandos freed all but four of 105 hostages, with the loss of one Israeli soldier, Yonatan Netanyahu, the brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on Tuesday called for "resistance" a day after the United States recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. US President Donald Trump on Monday officially recognised Israeli sovereignty over the strategic border area, seized from Syria in 1967 and then annexed in 1981 in a move not recognised by the international community. Hezbollah is a key backer of the regime in neighbouring Syria, where its fighters have helped Damascus gain ground against rebels and jihadists during the eight-year civil war. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land -- and for Palestinians to achieve their "legitimate rights" -- was "resistance, resistance, and resistance". He described Trump's move as "a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict". Trump's decision "deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace". He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syria's membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis. The 21-member bloc should "call for the withdrawal of the Arab peace initiative... from the table" of negotiations on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, he said. The initiative, born in 2002 in Beirut, called for Israel to withdraw from all land it occupied in 1967, in exchange for normalisation between all Arab states and Israel. Trump's Golan decision sparked condemnation from the Arab League, as well as several regional states, including Lebanon, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation also criticised the move on Tuesday, calling it a "flagrant violation of international law", the official Saudi Press Agency reported. Hezbollah, the only side not to have disarmed after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, is credited with expelling Israel from the south of the country in 2000. Israel and Hezbollah fought a devastating month-long war in 2006, and skirmishes still erupt along a UN-patrolled demarcation line. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Referring to the recent bridge collapse in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court Wednesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the railways why such incidents continued to take place despite their claims of regular structural audits. A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice NM Jamdar said such accidents were apparently a result of lack of coordination between the two agencies. On March 14, a foot overbridge near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus collapsed killing six persons and injuring 31. The observation came after Suresh Kumar, the counsel for Central Railway, told the court that the bridge collapse was "a lapse on the BMC's part". However, the bench said, "There is no point of blaming anyone now. To us it seems apparent such accidents continue to happen because agencies do not coordinate with each other." "You (BMC and railways) have all technical expertise, you claim to conduct audits. But why don't you coordinate with each other? Why don't you conduct joint meetings to take stock of the condition of all existing foot overbridges, safety measures etc," the bench said. "Bridges collapse, accidents take place on foot over bridges, people die...but nothing is done. What is happening?" the bench said. The court said both agencies must look into the wide range of problems affecting suburban rail travel in the city. It asked the agencies to look at issues such as conducting safety audits of overbridges and foot overbridges, removal of encroachers abutting tracks, and entry and exit points of such bridges. It was hearing a PIL filed after the 2017 Elphinstone Road station foot overbridge stampede. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana police chief Manoj Yadava Wednesday reviewed the law and order and poll preparedness of the force in five districts of the state amid the ongoing electoral process. In a meeting with police officers of the state's Hisar range, Director General of Police Yadava also took stock of the number of sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths in the range besides the poll preparedness and action plans of the police and demand for the police personnel. Reviewing the district-wise arrangements, Yadava instructed officers to completely curb crime and criminal activities in their respective areas. Calling upon the officers to discharge their duty with utmost dedication and honesty, Yadava said the police should enhance their visibility on roads so that the common people can feel safe and secure. He also asked them to closely monitor the cases of crime against women and take immediate action on such complaints, an official release said here. The polling for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana is scheduled to be held on May 12. The meeting was attended by Hisar range Inspector General of Police Amitabh Singh Dhillon besides police superintendents of Hisar, Jind, Hansi and Fathehabad among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Hannibal" actor Hugh Dancy is set to appear in a recurring guest role in the eighth and final season of the acclaimed series "Homeland". According to Variety, the actor will star opposite his wife, the leading lady of the show, Claire Danes. Dancy will play John Zabel, a savvy Washington consultant who joins the White House as a new foreign-policy advisor to the President and a formidable opponent to Saul Berenson (played by Mandy Patinkin). The show is currently in production and will premiere later this year. The final season will see Carrie Mathison (Danes) recovering from months of brutal confinement in a Russian gulag. Her body is healing, but her memory remains fractured. Meanwhile, Saul has been dispatched to engage the Taliban in peace negotiations, and against medical advice, he asks Carrie to walk with him into the lion's den one last time. The role marks Dancy's return to Showtime after he appeared in season two of "The Big C". He last starred opposite Aaron Paul in Hulu's "The Path". "Homeland", developed by Gansa and Howard Gordon, is based on the original Israeli series "Prisoners of War" by Gideon Raff. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An agreement has been signed between India and the African Union to initiate and strengthen the cooperation in health sector in a structured and organised manner by establishing an India-Africa health sciences collaborative platform, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The MEA, in a statement, said that in order to carry forward the strategic vision of India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) III through a structured and concrete partnership in the health sector, the MEA partnered with Indian Council of Medical Research and had jointly organised the first India-Africa Health Sciences Meet in 2016 in New Delhi. The MoU will pave the way for the cooperation in the areas of research and development, capacity building, health services, pharmaceutical trade and manufacturing capabilities for drugs and diagnostics, it said. The MEA said it has offered full support for implementation of the agreement. "Following the deliberations in this meet, ICMR had taken up the mandate to initiate and strengthen the cooperation in health sector in a structured and organized manner by establishing an India-Africa Health Sciences Collaborative Platform (IAHSP). The signed MoU aims to formalise this partnership by establishing a framework," it said. According to an ICMR statement, the programme would focus on training and strengthening capacity of health professionals, researchers, regulators and industry staff, support research collaborations for developing preventive tools and improved diagnostics for diseases which are regional priorities in India and Africa. Eng Ahmed Hamdy, Executive Director of African Union Scientific Technical and Research Commission (AU-STRC), said, "Our need is to focus on indigenous development of safe, affordable and effective drugs, diagnostics and vaccines towards addressing specific common regional disease burden and nurturing an ecosystem that has a strong impact on transforming the health standards of the population." Balram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR, said that this MoU is a major step to help enrich global health research and stitch it to regional needs of India and Africa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Australia would further deepen defence and strategic relationship with the third iteration of bilateral exercise AUSINDEX 19, which will see the largest Australian defence joint task force to visit India. The Australian High Commission, in a statement, said that Australia and India's cooperation on shared maritime security interests in the Indian Ocean is set to rise to a new level with the biennial, bilateral exercise. "It will see the largest ever Australian Defence Force Joint Task Force comprised of Navy, Army and Air Force Assets to visit India," the statement said. Australia's High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu said the exercise is part of the strong and growing Australia-India strategic partnership. "Australia and India are working together to promote peace and prosperity based on our shared values and interests in a stable, secure, rules-based and inclusive Indo-Pacific," she said. "Australia clearly sees India in the top tier of our international relationships. With both countries having extensive maritime zones in the Indian Ocean and significant maritime capabilities, it makes sense for Australia and India to do more together to ensure the Indian Ocean remains free, open and inclusive," added Sidhu. The High Commission said that more than 1,000 Australian Defence Force personnel will work together with their Indian counterparts on naval manoeuvres and military training activities. AUSINDEX 19 will focus on anti-submarine warfare. The complexity of the exercise demonstrates the close Australia - India defence relationship and interoperability between our two navies, it said. The Australian High Commission said AUSINDEX is the cornerstone of a wider Indo-Pacific endeavour deployment which will see the task force conduct port visits to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The deployment will include the Royal Australian Navy ships HMAS SUCCESS and HMAS PARRAMATTA which will arrive in Chennai on March 28. They will join HMAS CANBERRA and HMAS NEWCASTLE in Visakhapatnam for AUSINDEX 19 which will be conducted by the Indian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy from April 2-16. The deployment reinforces Australia's commitment to engaging all Indo-Pacific nations and promoting regional maritime security cooperation, the Commission added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India was on edge for a nerve-racking 32 minutes on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for an "important message" to the nation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As time slowed to a tedious crawl, imagination hurriedly took wing. Yet another surgical strike? India's Osama bin Laden moment? A fresh demonetisation exercise? What could it possibly be? Speculation swirled about what message the prime minister could give amid the hustle and bustle of a gruelling Lok Sabha election. TV anchors heightened the suspense when they repeatedly insisted that the prime minister cannot make any policy announcement when the model code of conduct was in force for the election. It began with a tweet by Modi at 11:23 am: "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media." As the appointed hour came and went with no sign of the prime minister on their screens, debate intensified -- in homes and offices, buses and metro trains, on Twitter and television channels. channels broached the subject of action that might have been taken against fugitive Mumbai ganglord Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, who is believed to have taken shelter in Pakistan. They also spoke about the possibility of the chiefs of Pakistan-based terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed or Lashkar-e-Taiba being targeted. One English channel even referred to then US president Barack Obama announcing the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a televised address in May 2016 as it tried to guess what the prime minister could possibly announce in his address. Speculation about a possible security-related announcement gained traction when some channels reported that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had gone into a huddle at the prime minister's residence. While TV presenters worked themselves into a frenzy over what message the prime minister could possibly give, people had existential concerns on mind. Memories of that fateful November 2016 evening, when Modi announced the demonetisation of high value currency notes, were still fresh. "I was about to enter a doctor's chamber for a meeting when I came to know about the upcoming address of the prime minister. I immediately made a dash for the nearest ATM counter to withdraw some cash," said Mainak Mukherjee, a sales manager with a pharmaceutical company in Kolkata. On Twitter, jokes about people running to the ATM and counting cash started doing the rounds. Social media users also bombarded Twitter with their theories while they waited. Among them was former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah who tweeted, "He's declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying." "Dawood arrested brought back? Hafiz Saeed or Masood Azhar eliminated?#PMtoaddressnation," added social media user, Sagar Rai. Pictures of former prime minister Indira Gandhi addressing the country to announce the imposition of Emergency were also circulating on the microblogging site. "Have added my CA on the speed dial list #PM to address nation," said Niharika Rana. "Another #Demonetisation? Did they catch Masood Azhar or Dawood? Are we taking over Pakistan? OMG I am #anxious now," Twitter user Gaurish Salunke said. In Mumbai, there were avid discussions on local trains and offices. Tweets were read out aloud in offices and local trains as people tried to get their hands on any information they could. Information in social media about the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting Wednesday morning upped expectations of the PM's announcement being security-related. "The visit to the ATM can be deferred," said a commuter in a Churchgate-bound train as humour took centrestage in the absence of any credible lead. Some discerning ones noticed a sharp correction in the equity markets 10 minutes after Modi's tweet. We all were very speculative about the important message and clients were concerned about the reaction of the market after the address, said Jaipur-based stock broker Vishnu Nalawat. Hemraj Sharma, a government teacher, was on a Rajasthan Roadways bus on his way from Bagru in the state to Jaipur when a passenger announced loudly that Modi would be addressing the nation. The general reaction was that it could be either a big action against Pakistan or something like Emergency. Most passengers got busy trying to log into the net to stay informed," he said. Excitement also built up around a tea stall in Lucknow's Hazratganj area. Rinku, the tea vendor, said he overheard discussions before while sipping tea before the announcement. Sanity returned only when Modi appeared on multiple screens -- phone, TV and others -- at 12.17 pm and declared that India had demonstrated its anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite which had catapulted the country into an exclusive club of space superpowers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said here Wednesday the Indian defence industry was keen to support African countries in the acquisition of latest military hardware. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of Africa-India Field Training Exercise-2019 (AFINDEX-19) at Aundh Military station. Referring to an equipment display organised under the aegis of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) after the exercise, Rawat said it was a "humble attempt to showcase the emerging Indian defence industry". "The defence industry is keen to support African nations in aquiring the latest military hardware, aimed at capacity enhancements in tune with emerging trends," the Army chief said. India's relations with African countries were based on a development partnership, on common strategic convergences and economic interests, he said. "India is one of the largest contributors to peace-keeping operations in Africa and has participated in nearly all the peace-keeping operations in the continent and currently (has) sizable contingents in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan," Rawat said. The aim of AFINDEX-19 was to train participating contingents in "humanitarian mine assistance" and peacekeeping operation, enhance cooperation, share best practices and achieve interoperatibility among all African armies, he said. The focus of "humanitarian mine assistance" was on education, awareness and casualty evacuation and victim rehabilitation, he said. Such exercises should be conducted on a regular basis, Rawat added. Representatives of 17 African countries -- Benin, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe -- took part in the ten-day long exercise. It showcased tactical drills such as convoy protection and neutralisation of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). The Indian contingent was represented by Maratha Light Infantry (Jangi Paltan). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday accused the the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons. "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) Wednesday asked police to register an FIR in connection with the disruption during an exam for the post of forest range officer in Srinagar due to rumours of paper leak. The commission in a statement said the papers for "general knowledge" exam scheduled on March 25 were distributed to the candidates a day before as they were mistakenly kept in a box meant for test papers for the March 24 exam. However, the supervisor collected them back immediately. The candidates were soon handed over the papers of essay exam scheduled for March 24. After the essay exam, phone calls started pouring in from Srinagar centre-based candidates alleging the general knowledge paper had been seen by some candidates at the Jammu centre, the statement read. "The Deputy Controller of Examinations, J&K PSC, Srinagar, has taken up the matter with the police station concerned for lodging of an FIR," it said. A detailed report on the incident has also been sought from Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir and the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A decision on the Kerala Janapaksham, which supported protests by Hindu outfits over the Sabarimala issue, cooperating with the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha polls would be taken in four days, party founder and MLA, P C George said Wednesday. George said the state committee of the Janapaksham had discussed the issue of cooperating with the NDA in the elections after the Congress leadership did not respond to his demand that his party be made a partner of the United Democratic Front (UDF). "The national leadership of the BJP has contacted me. A decision on my party extending support to the NDA candidates in the elections will be taken in four days," George, who represents Poonjar constituency in the Kerala Assembly, told PTI over phone. He said the matter was not discussed with the state leadership of the BJP or NDA. The Janapaksham chairman claimed his party had decided not to contest the Lok Sabha polls following assurances by state Congress leaders, including Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala, that his party would be made a UDF ally if it supported the Front's candidates in the elections. "But they went back on their promises after I made the announcement that Janapaksham would not contest the Lok Sabha polls. I feel cheated now," he said. George said his party would not support the CPI(M)-led LDF in the elections alleging that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government tried to "destroy Sabarimala temple traditions." "We cannot support forces trying to humiliate and tarnish religious faith and traditions," he said. George, who won the Poonjar seat defeating both UDF and CPI(M)-led LDF candidates in the 2016 assembly polls, claimed that he enjoys considerable clout among the minorities including Roman Catholics and Muslims in his constituency which is part of the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat witnessing a strong triangular contest. He claimed that his party has the strength to ensure the victory of the candidates it supports in some seats. The BJP has fielded its strongman K Surendran from Pathanamathitta where the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is located. While CPI(M) has fielded its sitting MLA Veena George as its candidate, the Congress renominated sitting MP Anto Antony. George had supported protests by various Hindu outfits last year against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict lifting the traditional ban on entry of women in the 10-50 age group into the Sabarimala temple. He had come out openly against the LDF government's stand supporting entry of women in the menstrual age group into the famous shrine. A revision petition against the September 28 verdict is pending in the apex court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Wednesday questioned whether the success of the A-SAT was a major achievement of the Modi government and charged the Prime Minister with seeking votes "using the works done by someone else." "Is it a major achievement (of Modi government)? There is a team of scientists in the country specifically for that purpose.They do their job in a routine manner, irrespective of whichever government is in power. So using somebody else's work, should anyone seek votes? It is the contribution of citizens who are experts in some specialised fields," the chief minister said. India Wednesday shot down a satellite revolving at the lowearth orbit, thereby joining the league of developed nationswhich have achieved this feat, about which the prime minister made the announcement in his televised address to the nation. In an apparent bid to downplay the achievement, Kumaraswamy said "Did Narendra Modi shoot the anti-satellite? It is the scientists who made it possible." Mocking Modi, Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru that the prime minister made everyone wait for half-an-hour, so much so that everybody was in tension, whether they were inthe bathroom, office or bus stand. Turning to journalists, he said the media needs such stories to attribute every achievement to Modi. "You need this (such stories). This is an era where achievements started 50 years ago are projected as if something done now by Modi," the chief minister said. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao credited scientists and engineers at IISc, DRDO and ISRO for the achievement. "It is indeed a matter of pride. Modi says today that India has emerged as a space super power, but I would like to tell him that India became space supe power long back, not today. Chandrayaan and Mangal Yaan and many other satellites were launched long back. The credit should go to our scientists and engineers at IISc, ISRO and DRDO," Rao told reporters in Bengaluru. Congress strongman and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah gave credit to successive Prime Ministers and scientists for the development of A-SAT. He tweeted; "Years of ground work, persistent efforts, incremental technological advancements & the vision of all the Prime ministers, scientists & other stakeholders have now yielded results. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka must keep its focus on fulfilling its obligations to provide justice and accountability for the grave human rights violations stemming from nearly three decades of civil war in the island nation, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michele Bachelet said on Wednesday. The UNHRC last week allowed two more years for the country to implement the commitments in the 2015 resolution, which pledged to investigate the alleged atrocities by both the Lankan military and the LTTE during the civil war. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which led the separatist war for a separate Tamil homeland for three decades in the island nation, was finally crushed by the Lankan military in 2009 with the death of the rebels' supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran. Bachelet also expressed her disappointment over a senior Sri Lankan official misrepresenting her discussion of the recent UN Human Rights Office report on Sri Lanka with a government delegation attending the Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 20. "I am deeply disappointed by the spin that has been put on my discussion with the Sri Lankan government delegation," she said referring to comments made by the delegation member Suren Raghavan that Bachelet had admitted certain facts in her report were wrong and had admonished UNHRC officials to be more responsible and cautious. "Neither of the these claims are true," Bachelet said in a statement. "The Sri Lankan Government should now refocus its efforts on fulfilling its obligation to provide justice and accountability for the grave human rights violations and abuses that took place during the conflict that ended in 2009, and honour its commitments to establish the truth about what happened and to promote reconciliation," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his announcement about India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability, saying it was "yet another limitless drama" to "reap political benefits" ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Terming it a gross violation of the model code of conduct, Banerjee said there was "no great urgency" of announcing the mission by a government "past its expiry date" and asserted that it seems to be the "desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat". She said she will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. "India's Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India, other research & space organisations," she said adding research, space management and development are a continuous process over the years and "Modi, as usual likes to take the credit for everything". She said "credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission," the West Bengal chief minister said in a series of tweets. Senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said that Narendra Modi should stop taking credit for the achievement or job done by others. "Shooting down a satellite is the credit of our scientists. The Modi government in the last five years has failed to provide any relief to the people of the country," senior the TMC leader. "So ahead of the elections, the BJP and Modi should stop these tricks to fool the masses. It won't have any impact on the poll prospects of the BJP in the upcoming elections," Hakim said. Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the entire scientific community for achieving yet another milestone by successfully testing ASAT technology. "Congratulations once again to DRDO & entire scientific community in achieving yet another milestone by successfully testing ASAT technology," he tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All eight newly-appointed members of anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal Wednesday took oath of office. They were administered the oath by Lokpal chairperson Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, officials said. President Ram Nath Kovind had on Saturday administered the oath of office to Justice Ghose as the country's first Lokpal. Former Chief Justices of different high courts -- Justices Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari and Ajay Kumar Tripathi -- took oath as judicial members in the Lokpal. Former first woman chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Archana Ramasundaram, ex-Maharashtra chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former IRS officer Mahender Singh and Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officer Indrajeet Prasad Gautam were sworn-in as the Lokpal's non-judicial members. "The Lokpal can be said to have been made operational as its chairperson and eight members have been administered the oath of office," a senior government official said. According to the 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. Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, ex-Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and senior minister in the Chhattisgarh government T S Singh Deo were present during the function. While CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla was conspicuous by his absence, Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain, Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary, chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal Justice L Narasimha Reddy were present during the oath-taking ceremony. A high-level selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recommended the appointments for chairperson and members of the Lokpal. The president approved the appointments. Justice Ghose, 66, retired as Supreme Court judge in May 2017. He last served as member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The Lokpal Act, 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 in 2013. Not less than 50 per cent of the members of the Lokpal panel shall be from amongst the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and women, according to the rules. Upon selection, the chairperson and members shall hold office for a term of five years or till they attain 70 years of age. The Lokpal selection committee is headed by the prime minister and has as its members -- Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of the Opposition in the lower house, Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist nominated by the president or any other member. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level meeting to review the security situation in Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh was held here Wednesday ahead of the general elections, a defence release said. The meeting by the Operation Group at Dinjan in upper Assam was attended by senior officers of the Army, Central Armed Police Forces and representatives of civil administration from the three states. Those present included Spear Corps Commander Lt Gen Rajeev Sirohi, Joint Secretary North East (MHA) Satyendra Garg, General Officer Commanding Dao Division Maj Gen Rajendra Sachdev, ADGP (Security), Assam Harmeet Singh and IGP (Law & Order), Arunachal Pradesh Sagar Preet Hooda, the release said. The meeting reviewed the overall security situation in the regions of Upper Assam, South Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland and also discussed the ongoing preparations to ensure incident free conduct of parliamentary elections, it added. During the meeting, officials from all the states analysed the possible security sensitivities and measures to enhance synergy between security forces operating in the region. The proposal to form the Operations Group took shape on November 12 last year during a high-level security review meeting at Dinjan chaired by Special Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs (Internal Security) Reena Mitra, the release said. Since then, four meetings in Dinjan has enhanced the cohesion amongst all stake holders in the three states, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the process of filing nominations coming to a close, the ruling TRS and Congress in Telangana Wednesday got into campaign mode with their key leaders hitting the streets. TRS working president K T Rama Rao, son of party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, kicked off his campaign Wednesday which would go on till April 9, the last day for canvassing. Telangana goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11. Addressing a campaign rally in support of TRS nominee in Karimnagar B Vinod Kumar, Rama Rao claimed that a Congress victory would help its president Rahul Gandhi, while a win for BJP would help Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, Telangana would benefit if TRS wins the Lok Sabha seats in the state, he claimed. TRS should win 16 Lok Sabha seats out of the total 17 seats (leaving Hyderabad held by TRS ally AIMIM's president Asaduddin Owaisi), he said. The strength of TRS would not remain 16 as another 150 Lok Sabha MPs can join forces with the party, he said. "You will ask how they (150 MPs) will add to our strength? There are about 10-15 regional parties like TRS who do not like Congress and BJP. Mamata Banerjee is there in West Bengal. Naveen Patnaik is there in Orissa. "... Mayawati ji is there in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party is also there in Uttar Pradesh. In the same way, Jagan Mohan Reddy is there in Andhra Pradesh. There are many like this in the country," Rama Rao said. Saying the TRS is the own party of Telangana people, he asked why should people have to "submit applications" to other parties (after making them victorious in elections) when they can repose the responsibility of "giving a direction to the country if need be" to TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao. Claiming that neither the NDA nor UPA would be in a position to form the government on its own after the Lok Sabha elections, Rama Rao has been saying that TRS can play a key role at the Centre and ensure a better deal for Telangana if it wins 16 seats. Meanwhile, state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is contesting from Nalgonda, addressed an election meeting in the constituency. Addressing a gathering on Wednesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that TRS has not done anything substantial for Telangana though it had 16 MPs on its side in the outgoing Lok Sabha. While TRS had won 11 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, three other MPs had switched over to the TRS. One MP each of AIMIM and BJP also supported the party, he claimed. How would TRS influence national with 16 MPs when the total number of MPs is 542, he asked. The Congress is going it alone in the polls. Meanwhile, Congress nominee from Bhongir Komatireddy Venkat Reddy met Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) president M Kodandaram and sought his support. TJS, contesting only three seats in Lok Sabha polls, has already announced its support to the Congress in constituencies where the TJS has not fielded candidates. Senior Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy, who was elected Wednesday to the Legislative Council, alleged the state's debt has reached Rs 1.80 lakh crore under the TRS rule. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concern over the increase in crimes committed under the influence of alcohol in the state, the Madras High Court Wednesday said it wanted to hold the Tamil Nadu government as an abettor of such offences. Citing the rising instances of road accidents, sexual assaults and incidents of child abuse committed under the influence of alcohol, Justice Anand Venkatesh said the state government must take immediate steps to curb the menace. "However, it is not within the control of this court and it is in the exclusive domain of the government...," the judge said. The court cannot continue to be a mute spectator, watching with dismay, the increase in criminal offences committed under the influence of alcohol, he added. "This court wants to make the government also responsible for each and every one of the offence that is committed under the influence of alcohol," he said. "If the concerned department of the government is also made as an accused for having instigated or stimulated a person to commit a crime, ultimately at the time of imposing punishment, the court can order for sufficient compensation to the victim in exercise of its powers under Section 357 of Cr.PC," the judge added. "This is the only way in which the government can be made to pay for its questionable policy which has resulted in the increasing crimes in the state," he said further. Noting that liquor vending was within the absolute control of the state government, the judge said TASMAC was a company owned by the state government which has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcohol beverages. "It controls IMFL trade in the state. As per the available data, TASMAC reported a turnover of Rs. 31,757 crore on IMFL products. This court is able to see an increase in commission of crimes due to the influence of alcohol," Justice Venkatesh said. The income earned through sale of liquor was the major contributor to the state's economy, he noted. "The National Family Health Services indicates that close to half of the male population (47 per cent) in Tamil Nadu consumes liquor. However, this court is able to see an increase in commission of crimes due to the influence of alcohol," the judge said. "... excessive drinking has the ability to lower inhibitions, impair a person's judgment and increase the risk of aggressive behaviours. Because of this, alcohol-related violence and crime rates are on the rise in this state," he added. The judge made the observations while granting anticipatory bail to two accused, apprehended in connection with the suicide of a labourer in Coimbatore district. There are 13 accused in the case who, like the deceased, are daily wage labourers. The man ended his life after allegedly having a quarrel with some of the accused under the influence of alcohol. The Alanthurai Police in Coimbatore registered a case against the accused under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide). Of the 13, two have sought anticipatory bail. The judge posted the matter to April 4 for further hearing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met agitating aspiring school teachers Wednesday, the 28th day of their relay hunger strike, and assured them to look into their demands after the Lok Sabha elections. She also urged them to withdraw their stir but the agitators said they will continue with the dharna till they receive a written assurance. Around 200 aspiring school teachers were on relay hunger strike for 28 days demanding recruitment to vacant posts in state-run institutes. "I am helpless at the moment and cannot do anything right now because of election model code of conduct. We have to frame a policy to resolve the demands. Please give me time," Banerjee told the agitating aspiring teachers. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in the state will begin on April 11 and results will be announced on May 23. The chief minister said she will ask Minister Partha Chatterjee to look into their demands after the election process is over. The agitators, however, were unhappy with the verbal assurance of the chief minister as they were expecting a written assurance from an officer. They were claiming that a large number of teachers' posts were lying vacant but the authorities were not calling them for interview though they have the requisite qualifications. "We can not withdraw our agitation unless and until we get an assurance from an officer in writing. Meeting of the five-member committee appointed by the minister and our delegation will begin tomorrow. Let us see," an agitator told PTI. Minister Partha Chatterjee Friday met representatives of the aspiring teachers and announced that a five-member committee was formed to look into their demands. The agitators were on dharna and relay fast since February 28 under the banner of the SSC Yuva-Chhatra Adhikar Manch. The CPI(M) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students' wing of the RSS, have backed their demands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The TMC will work for the revival of the Planning Commission, institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetization and a review of the GST if the opposition alliance is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto released by party supremo Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday. Banerjee, a prime mover behind the efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance of opposition parties, said she is not fighting for "chair" and that her aim is to rid the country of the "reign of fear". The West Bengal chief minister also said the 100-day work provision under MNREGA, the government's flagship employment scheme for the rural poor, will be extended to 200 days a year and the wages doubled. "Why was demonetization carried out? We want a judicial probe monitored by a former Supreme Court judge...We will bring back the Planning Commission and ensure that it strengthens the federal structure," she told a press conference after releasing the manifesto. The 67-page manifesto has been published in Bengali, English, Hindi, Nepali, and Ol Chiki, the tribal Santhali language. "We want the GST to be reviewed by an expert committee. If it is really helping people, we would keep it or else we would review it," she said, but went on to add that both GST and demonetization have "destroyed" Indian economy. Targeting the Modi government over its alleged failure to keep its promise of creating two crore jobs every year, Banerjee said the new government will lay special stress on employment generation and filling up the vacancies meant for Schedule Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes candidates, including those from the minorities. Banerjee said women's empowerment and bringing workers in unorganised sectors under social security cover will be priority areas for the new dispensation. When asked about the foreign and defence policy direction of the future government she wants to form at the Centre, Banerjee said these will be discussed after such a dispensation comes into being. "As a political party we have always maintained that whatever decision the government takes in terms of foreign policy and defence we will support that. But when the new government comes to power we will discuss and decide on it," she said. Responding to a question about the vexed Kashmir issue, the feisty TMC boss said, she wants peace in the restive state and is willing to go and stay there to help find a solution. In her reply to a query on the opposition alliance's proposed common minimum programme, she said her party is working for building a united India and it will be chalked out in consultation with like-minded parties. "We cannot impose our views on other parties. We are putting across our partys views today in the manifesto," she said. Banerjee disapproved of the appointment of former BSF chief K K Sharma as special police observer for West Bengal and Jharkhand for the Lok Sabha elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will kick off her poll campaigning from April 4 and will address nearly 100 rallies across the state in 14 days. "I will start poll campaigning from April 4 and will continue it till May 17. I will address nearly 100 rallies. I will also address rallies in Assam," Banerjee said while releasing the TMC's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls. TMC sources said, she will be addressing at least two rallies in each of the 42 constituencies of the state. Banerjee said she will visit Andhra Pradesh on March 31 to campaign for the ruling Telugu Desam Party as a mark of opposition unity. Several other opposition leaders will also be going to Andhra Pradesh to campaign for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP. Banerjee and Naidu share a cordial relationship and the Andhra Pradesh chief minister had taken part in the January 19 mega opposition rally organised by TMC here. Naidu had come to Kolkata again in February to express solidarity with Banerjee when she was on a dharna to protest the CBI's attempt to question the then city police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The TMC will be contesting six seats in Assam, three in Jharkhand, two in Bihar and one in Andaman. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be inducting former MGP MLA Dipak Pawaskar, who has merged the legislative wing of the party with the BJP, into the state cabinet at 11.30 pm Wednesday, a senior official said. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Raj Bhavan where Governor Mridula Sinha will administer oath to Pawaskar, a senior government official told PTI. The swearing-in was scheduled to be held in the morning, but could not take place as Sinha was in New Delhi. "The governor has cut short her Delhi trip and would be arriving in the evening to administer oath," the official said. Pawaskar and another Maharahstrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Manohar Ajgaonkar merged the legislature wing of the party with the BJP in the early hours of Wednesday. The MGP is now left with only one MLA -- Sudin Dhavalikar -- after the split. Dhavalikar, who was the deputy chief minister, was dropped from the cabinet after the early morning developments. Pawaskar is the first-time MLA who represents Sanvordem constituency in South Goa district. During the wee hours Wednesday, Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar gave a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, merging their party's legislative wing with the BJP. Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter. On Tuesday, MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar had claimed that his party was the target of a conspiracy by opponents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NC chief Farooq Abdullah Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre had "miserably failed" to deliver on the promises made ahead of the 2014 general election. The National Conference (NC) president, who is seeking re-election from Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, said, "A failed government and a failed prime minister needs to be shown the door." Addressing a public meeting in central Kashmir's Budgam district, Abdullah said democracy is a humbling experience and the people of the country are seeking answers from Modi on the issues of price rise and unemployment. "During Modi's stint as chief minister of Gujarat, he used to mock the previous government on these issues, but now what has he done? The people of country especially our mothers and sisters across the country are finding it very difficult to run their households in view of soaring prices," Abdullah said. "Modi had promised to deliver on various issues concerning the nation during his 2014 election campaign, but he has aggravated the problems to an extent that will take decades to solve," he added. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said said the Modi government "presents a tale of failures and mis-governance". "People have now made it a point to give befitting reply to Modi for his failures and lies in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls," he said, adding that the Centre has "squandered" the mandate of the people by "its imprudent policies". The former Union minister further flayed the prime minister for "creating war hysteria" in the country to divert the attention of people from farm distress, price rise and other foreign policy failures. "We in Parliament knew that the government has failed to deliver on key issues that the country is facing, so they would create a war-like situation in the country to divert the attention of people from the real issues affecting poor particularly farmers and the labour class," he said. War is no solution, it brings with itself innumerable miseries. The tallest leader of BJP once said that friends can be changed, but neighbours cannot be changed. However, Modi failed to carry forward the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee," he said. The NC president accused the Modi-led government of devaluing the institutions of the country by impeding their working. "The Modi government has tried to destroy the autonomy of RBI and various other institutions. The autonomy of the institutions has been compromised," he said. "The Modi government and its ideologue RSS is sending a message that India is only for the adherents for a particular religion. But let me clear it that India is for all Indians, it belongs to each of us, irrespective of our colour, creed or faith," he added. Abdullah said not just were the religious minorities "threatened" under Modi's regime, but attempts were made to "erode" the political rights conferred upon them by the Constitution of India. "The agenda of BJP-RSS is divisive and we saw how they are contriving to vitiate the atmosphere of our state," he said. "But, we as peace loving people should never allow ourselves to fall prey into the hands of their shenanigans, we should strike unity and work for a country where in all of us live amicably and derive our share from the development and prosperity of the country," he added. The NC leader cautioned the people against the RSS-BJP and "their cronies and henchmen", saying the forces will try their level best to use men and money to impede the general election. "But, we have to put up a strong front and work tirelessly to ensure that all the candidates of the NC win by resounding margins. Only then we can work for a tolerant and secular India. Our vote will make a difference," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address at least a dozen public meetings in Rajasthan ahead of the national polls, and BJP's state unit has been asked to identify the regions where these rallies can be held. The party's central leadership has asked for information about the regions where the prime minister did not hold public meetings during last year's state elections. The meetings will be held in those areas, a party leader said. He said the state BJP has provided the required information and prime minister is likely to address at least 12 public meetings. "We will be giving special focus on the areas where sitting MPs are contesting elections," he added. The BJP had won all 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and considering the defeat in the state elections, the party is preparing a "cautious plan" to make a comeback, he said. After the air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot, the prime minister held a public meeting in Churu of Shekhawati region. Before that he addressed a rally in Tonk. As yet, the BJP has announced candidates for 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Four Union ministers -- Arjunram Meghwal (Bikaner), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Jaipur Rural), Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Jodhpur) and PP Chaudhary (Pali) -- have been renominated from their seats. BJP leaders said the prime minister's rallies in constituencies of these Union ministers are almost final. During the state elections, Modi addressed 13 public meetings in areas including Alwar, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Kota and Bharatpur. Lok Sabha polls in the state will be held in two phases on April 29 and May 6. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of Muslim women from over 10 states Wednesday said the new dispensation at the Centre should bring a law against mob lynching. Ahead of the April-May parliamentary election, the women, including Khalida, the wife of alleged lynching victim Umar Khan, published a manifesto listing their demands. The women, who came together under Bebaak Collective - a movement against hatred, demanded the political parties "restore" constitutional rights of women and minorities. "I live in constant threat. Even attending court hearings has become extremely difficult because of threats we receive from fringe groups," said Khalida, who came with her 14-month-old son. "I don't want anyone to go through what my family is going through and that is why I request the political parties who is elected to power to frame law against mob lynching," said Khalida, a mother of eight. Umar Khan was killed in 2017 in an exchange of fire with alleged cow vigilantes in Alwar in Rajasthan. Umar's body was found on the railway tracks at Ramgarh in Alwar district. His relatives and social activists subsequently alleged that he was killed by cow vigilantes. Their demands included formulation of a diversity index across public and private sectors to determine extent of under-representation of Muslims, giving 10 per cent reservation to Muslims in higher education and government jobs. They also demanded monetary benefits for single women, introduction of a communal violence bill to bring perpetrators to justice and introduction of gender-just laws for minority groups. "We demand repealing of prohibition and restrictions on slaughtering and sale of cows. The National Register of Citizens Bill strips Muslims of their citizenship rights and must be withdrawn," their manifesto said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The mystery over a commando-style assault on North Korea's embassy in Madrid, allegedly led by man who had an Uber account in the name of "Oswaldo Trump", deepened Wednesday after a shadowy group committed to overthrowing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed responsibility. A dissident organisation known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) said it had orchestrated the raid carried out on February 22 to end illicit activities rampant in North Korea's foreign missions. It denied using any violence, saying in a statement on its website that its members were invited into the embassy "and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten." But the statement contradicts a Spanish National Court report published a day earlier, which said a group of people had roughed up employees of the embassy and robbed computers before fleeing. The alleged leader of the group, Adrian Hong Chang, a 35-year-old Mexican who had an Uber account in the name of Oswaldo Trump, contacted "the FBI in New York five days after the assault" with information related to the incident in the embassy, the court added. The embassy raid came just days before a high-stakes nuclear summit in Hanoi between Kim and US President Donald Trump that ultimately failed to reach an accord. The timing has fuelled speculation that the assailants were trying to get information on North Korea's former ambassador to Spain, Kim Hyok Chol, who became North Korea's top nuclear negotiator after he was expelled from Spain in 2017. CCD said the raid had no links to the Hanoi summit -- which ended abruptly with no agreement -- and that no other governments were involved until after the event. But it added it had "shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality." Hong Chang, who lives in the United States, first visited the North Korean embassy in Madrid on February 7, presenting himself as Matthew Chao, a "managing partner" at a firm he called Baron Stone Capital, according to the court's report. He said he was interested in investing in North Korea and asked to meet with embassy's charge d'affaires. Hong Chang later visited a shop where he would buy the knives and fake guns which were later used during the raid on the embassy before leaving Spain on February 9. He returned to Spain on February 19 via Prague. Three days later a group of ten men led by Hong Chang broke into the embassy and tied up its occupants and covered their heads with plastic bags. Two members of the group took the charge d'affaires to the embassy's basement and tried to convince him to defect, which he refused. One embassy employee managed to escape by jumping from a first floor balcony, seriously injuring herself, and managed to call police. When officers arrived at the embassy, Hong Chang -- who wore a pin badge depicting North Korea's leader -- opened the door and claiming to be a high embassy representative convinced them that there was no problem. The gang then fled, most of them in embassy vehicles. The following day Hong Chang flew from Lisbon to New York. A police source told AFP that the court had issued international arrest warrants for members of the gang but could not say how many nor if they involved Hong Chang. CCD -- which offers to assist people attempting to defect from North Korea -- emerged in 2017 when it posted an online video of the son of the North Korean leader's assassinated brother, saying it had guaranteed his safety. Last month the group declared itself a government-in-exile for the North called "Free Joseon", using an old name for Korea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Peoples' Party (NPP) on Wednesday filed a missing complaint of its candidate O Tinu Longkumer, who has filed nomination to contest the by-poll to the 26-Aonglenden assembly constituency. NPP Mokokchung president I Bendang Jamir has lodged an FIR, stating that Longkumer has been missing since Tuesday. Jamir also expressed fear that its candidate might have been abducted. SP Mokokchung, Raghumarajan A, however, said police has been able to establish contact with Longkumer, who claimed that he is "safe and would be reaching the constituency by tomorrow (Thursday)". The FIR has not yet been withdrawn, the SP said. Besides Longkumer, three other candidates have filed nominations to contest the by-poll to the 26-Aonglenden seat. Longkumer is the younger brother of the late Imtikumzuk Longkumer, whose demise in September 2018 necessitated the by-poll. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu was betrayed in all aspects by the BJP-led central government during its five-year-rule, Udayanidhi Stalin, son of DMK president M K Stalin, alleged Wednesday. Seeking votes for former Telecom minister and DMK Nilgiris cndidate, A Raja here and nearby Coonoor, Udayanidhi claimed the Centre had given a paltry fund for Tamil Nadu, parts of which were affected by different cyclonic storms, including Gaja cyclone last year. Efforts would be taken to convert the premises of the now closed Hindustan Photo Films into a medical college for the benefit of the district people, he said. Udayanidhi also claimed that Tamil Nadu was witnessing an "anti-Modi" and "pro-Stalin" wave. Seeking votes for the DMK's Pollachi candidate Shanmugasundaram on Tuesday, he alleged about 10 crore people were rendered jobless due to the GST and people of Tamil Nadu will not forget the girl student, Anitha, who had committed suicide for not being able to get medical seat due to the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Investors from around 40 countries, including India and China, will gather here for a two-day investment summit this week, Nepal's Finance Minister Yuvraj Khatiwada said on Wednesday. The Nepal Investment Summit is being organised in Kathmandu on March 29 to 30 with a view to attract more investment in the landlocked country. Over 500 people, including Nepal's development partners, representatives from Kathmandu-based diplomatic agencies, high-level government officials, Non-Resident Nepalese and domestic and international investors, are expected to attend the summit to be inaugurated by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, he said. "The government has made all preparations for the event which is expected to attract investors from 40 countries across the world," Khatiwada said. During the summit, 77 projects in the hydropower, agriculture, industry, tourism, transportation, urban infrastructure, education and health sectors would be presented by the companies of public and private sectors. Nepalese investors, foreign investors and potential investors will share their experience and knowledge during the summit, according to a statement issued by the Nepal's Finance Ministry. "The summit will be instrumental in attaining Nepal government's objective of 'prosperous Nepal and happy Nepali'," Khatiwada told reporters. A steering committee headed by minister Khatiwada has also been formed with a view to making the summit a success, the statement said. Altogether 12 agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the summit, it said. Companies from India and China, including Dabur India and Unilever, Power China and China Railway have confirmed their participation, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru-based home rental startup Nestaway Technologies Wednesday launched its services in Chennai with a target to bring onboard 5,000 beds on shared rentals and 500 family homes in the city by 2019 end. Addressing a press conference, NT Vice President (Business) Ismail Khan said the city is the 13th one to join its network of major cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Noida and Ghaziabad. "Chennai is a key education, manufacturing and IT hub, attracting thousands of students and skilled employees across the country migrating to the city every year," Khan said, adding that the startup provides hassle-free housing experience for both houseowners and tenants. The company, in a statement, said it presently has more than 100 homes in its network rented out by over 180 tenants in both shared and family homes category. Nestaway claimed that it has key presence in south Chennai, a region dominated by tech companies. The startup said it helps tenants find rented houses, for a minimum tenure of 11 months, and provide home maintenance services from cleaning to security round the clock. "We also have a 22-member legal team for assisting tenants and houseowners in case a dispute arises," Khan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new book attempts to provide a multidimensional perspective to the Sabarimala temple issue that has divided not just Kerala but the entire nation. Ever since the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict allowing entry of women of menstrual age into the Lord Ayyappa shrine, there have been violent protests across Kerala. "Sabarimala and Women" is a collection of essays on the Sabarimala controversy in Malayalam edited by Lekshmy Rajeev and published by Amazon Westland imprint Eka. This is Amazon Westland's first Malayalam original, the publishers said. Among the contributors are K Satchidanandan, A J Thomas, M Balagovindan, V K Sanju, Babitha Marina Justin, Ritu Menon and Ullekh M P. Rajeev says she was involved in the Sabarimala controversy right from the beginning and earned the wrath of right-wing groups which forced her to go into self exile. The book is a result of this self exile and addresses issues related to the shrine. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch the book on March 29 at the state conference of Dalit organisation Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS) in Trivandrum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Renowned Malayalam writer, Ashitha, who portrayed the inner pangs and feelings of women through her touching stories and poems, passed away at a private hospital here in the wee hours of Wednesday. Ashitha, 63, was battling cancer for some years, family sources said. The writer, who was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning after her health worsened, breathed her last in the wee hours, they said. Born at Pazhayannur in Thrissur on April 5, 1956, Ashitha had created her own space among women writers of Malayalam through her unique writing style and selection of topics for stories. An author of over 20 books, Ashitha had tried her hand at poetry, children's literature and translation besides short stories. Her notable works include 'Mazhameghangal', 'Oru Streeyum Parayathath', 'Vismaya Chhihnangal,' 'Apoorna Viramangal,' and 'Ashithayude Kathakal'. She had been a recipient of several prestigious honours including the state Sahitya Akademi Award, Lalithambika Antharjanam Award, Idassery Award and Padmarajan Award. Ashitha is survived by her husband Ramankutty and daughter Uma. Condoling her death, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Ashitha was a writer who had used her creativity and stories for gender justice. She had also tried to protest the assaults against women through her stories, Vijayan said adding her death was an irreparable loss to Malayalam literature. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Zealand's intelligence minister said Wednesday he was allowing spy agencies to carry out "intrusive" activities following the Christchurch mosque shootings that claimed 50 lives. The government this week ordered a judicial inquiry into whether the South Pacific nation's intelligence services could have prevented the March 15 attack amid criticism the white supremacist gunman went unnoticed as they were too focused on Muslim extremists. Andrew Little -- the minister responsible for the GCSB and SIS intelligence services -- said he had signed powerful surveillance warrants as information gathering continued in the wake of the attack. "I have given authority to the agencies to do intrusive activities under warrant, the number of those (warrants) I'm not at liberty to disclose," he told Radio New Zealand. Little said intelligence services typically monitored 30-40 people but that number had now increased, although he was unwilling to reveal by how much. He said a warrant permitted anything from physical surveillance to the monitoring of telecommunications activity. "The whole gambit of what would otherwise be described as intrusive activity," he told the New Zealand Herald. "The purpose of a warrant is to authorise and effectively make lawful what would otherwise be unlawful activity." Little denied New Zealand had proved a "soft target" for the accused gunman, an Australian with apparent links to right-wing groups who reportedly moved to the country with the intention of carrying out an attack. Little said he maintained confidence in the intelligence services and until the inquiry into their actions was complete it was "premature" to say they had failed. "Until there's a very microscopic look at what the agencies have been doing and whether they've missed anything, I can't say for certain," he told RNZ. "It's important for me, the agencies, but ultimately for public confidence that we let that commission of inquiry do its job and reach its conclusions." Meanwhile, police remained tight-lipped about two raids conducted by armed officers in Christchurch overnight. The raids took place at opposite ends of the city centre, the first at 8:00 pm (0700 GMT) Tuesday and the second around 1:00 am Wednesday. Police said the first operation was "in relation to an ongoing inquiry" but refused to say if either raid was linked to the Christchurch shootings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition leaders on Wednesday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of indulging on threatrics and playing over scientists' achievements following his address to the nation announcing successful test of an anti-satellite missile, while some parties complained to the Election Commission alleging violation of the model code. Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Modi wishing him "happy World Theatre Day" even as he congratulated the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day," he said on Twitter. Other Congress leaders credited successive governments led by their party for the achievement. "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Modi's announcement was "limitless drama and publicity mongering", amounting to "gross violation" of the model code of conduct. She also accused the Prime Minister of making the announcement to "reap political benefits" and said her party will move the EC. Speaking in the same vein, allies BSP and SP alleged it was a diversionary tactic while the CPI-M lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, terming the Prime Minister's action as a "violation" of the model code of conduct. However, sources in the Election Commission said Wednesday that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission," the TMC supremo said. "Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct," Banerjee tweeted. Pointing out that research, space management and development "are continuous processes", Banerjee said, "Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers." In a complaint to the EC, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in the midst of polls. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. "This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the model code of conduct," he added. BSP supremo Mayawati accused Prime Minister Modi of playing over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi. "The honourable Election Commission should definitely take cognizance of this," Mayawati said on Twitter. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Modi got himself an hour of free TV and diverted nation's attention away from issues on the ground. "Today Narendra Modi got himself an hour of free TV and divert(ed) nation's attention away from issues on ground Unemployment Rural crisis and womens security by pointing at the sky," he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," Modi said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. His address came as campaigning intensifies for Lok Sabha elections that start on April 11. Launching a counter attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". BJP chief Amit Shah too hit back at the opposition parties saying "the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt" and alleged that the "UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people", while the "NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so". At the AICC briefing, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said such achievements are not new for the DRDO. "So these are the achievements of our scientists, obviously they have the support of every government," he said and alleged that Modi wants to "shut down Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which works in tandem with DRDO". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to appropriate DRDO's success in demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability. Owaisi said he was expecting more, like tangible action against Pakistan. "DRDO's success today is testimony to what this nation's scientists achieve against immense odds. My congratulations to them!," the Hyderabad MP said in a tweet. "Now, @PMOIndia after all build up, you were just trying to appropriate DRDO's success? We were expecting something more: like tangible action against Pak," he said. Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pakistani man has claimed that a Hindu woman, who authorities said was a minor and abducted by four armed men, has converted to Islam and married him in Sindh province, amidst uproar over a similar case involving two teenage girls from the minority community. His claim came a day after the provincial Minorities Affairs Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal directed authorities to register an FIR of the abduction and provide protection to the girl's family. The FIR was registered on Tuesday after the girl's father complained that his 14-year-old daughter was abducted from their house by four armed men, three of whom were unidentified, on March 17 from her residence in Badin district. However, the man came forward with the claim that she is now his wife after converting to Islam, Dawn reported. He sent documents to journalists, claiming that he has married the girl after she converted to Islam at the hands of Pir Jan Agha Khan Sarhandi on March 17 at his seminary in Samaro town, the report said. The man, who hails from Umerkot district, also rejected her father's claim that she was a minor, saying that the girl was 19 years old, it said. The incident came amidst nationwide outrage over abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two underage Hindi girls in Ghotki district in Sindh. Raveena, 13, and Reena, 15, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage. The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday ordered official protection for the two girls due to concern about their safety as authorities widened a probe to ascertain if the teenage sisters were abducted, forcibly converted and married. Police arrested the cleric who solemnised the wedding and six others for their alleged involvement in the girls' forceful conversion to Islam. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province. According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province. Commenting on the case, rights activist Mukesh Meghwar alleged that Hindu girls were being kidnapped and forced to convert under a "deep-seated" conspiracy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting during which he discussed security situation with army chief and key ministers. "Security matters were discussed during the meeting," according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office here. Officials said that latest security on both eastern and western borders as well as internal security matters were discussed. Citing sources, Dawn reported that progress on the implementation of the Finance Action Task Force (FATF) action plan, the National Action Plan, and the ongoing crackdown on banned organisations were also discussed. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, MoS for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen. Asim Munir, Foreign Secretary Tehmina janjua and other senior officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan said on Wednesday that it was against the militarisation of outer space, hours after India's announcement of shooting down a live satellite with a missile - a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena," Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement. He said Pakistan was a "strong proponent of the United Nations resolution on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space". "Boasting of such capabilities (to destroy satellite) is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," he said, referring to India's test. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," Faisal said, without naming any country. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Wednesday sought "more information/evidence" from India on the involvement of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the deadly and the presence of camps of the UN-proscribed terror outfit in the country. The Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Foreign Secretary and the "preliminary findings" on the "Pulwama incident" were shared with him, the Foreign Office said. The preliminary findings were shared with India after examining the Indian dossier on the Pulwama attack, it said in a statement. India handed over the dossier to the Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi on February 27 with specific details of JeM's complicity in the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel on February 14 and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan. "We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward," the Foreign Office said. Campaigning in her brother Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday asked party workers to reach out to the villages and expose what she called was the BJP's "jumlebazi" or empty rhetoric. Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived here via Lucknow to hold a dialogue with the booth level presidents as part of the party's 'humara booth, humara gaurav' campaign, remained closeted with representatives of Amethi for around two hours at the A H Inter College in Musafirkhana. This marked the beginning of the second phase of her election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Clad in a blue cotton sari, microphone in her hand, the Congress leader took centre stage among local leaders, taking feedback from them. The Amethi constituency has long remained a Congress stronghold. In the interactive session, Priyanka Gandhi told workers to reach out to villages in order to respond to the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'jumlebazi' and "expose the reality before the people". Party workers who attended the meeting, later said, Priyanka Gandhi patiently heard ways to effectively reach out to the party's booth level. Till we take the failures of the government to the people, they will not come to know the reality of this government, she told workers. The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern districts said people and Amethi have suffered a lot because of demonetisation, stray cattle menace, stopping MNREGS and snatching of a food park and the Indian Institute of Information Technology. She said it was during the Congress' rule the country achieved expertise in manufacturing matchboxes to missiles, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi was merely undertaking foreign trips even as farmers faced immense problems and were not even getting proper return for their produce. She accused Modi of not fulfilling his "promise" of depositing Rs 15 lakh each into every Indian's account. She said the Congress party does what it says, pointing out that farm loans were waived soon after the Rajasthan government was formed. The Congress leader said her party had promised to give Rs 72,000 yearly to poor families and will show how the scheme works. She assured the people that Amethi was like family and home for the Gandhis and that Rahul will contest the election from here. Speaking on BJP nominee Smriti Irani being pitted against her brother, Priyanka Gandhi said the union minister comes to Amethi for "time pass" as she had nothing to do with the constituency whereas she herself had been coming here since childhood with her father. Priyanka Gandhi, who had undertaken a river route to visit some riverine constituencies earlier this month, said on her visit to Varanasi she had found no development work had taken place and the people were very unhappy. Priyanka Gandhi will be interacting with the booth level presidents of four more assembly constituencies holding a direct conversation with them and passing on vital inputs in preparation for the coming polls before taking a night halt at Rae Bareli where she will hold similar meetings tomorrow. She is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to contest election from Vadodra is spite of the demands from the BJP's Gujarat unit, a party leader here has said. Modi had won from Vadodara and Varanasi in 2014 and chose to retain the latter. As BJP president Amit Shah will be contesting from Gandhinagar, the chances of another national-level leader contesting from the state are very slim, a state BP leader said on the condition of anonymity. "I do not think that they will field two national leaders from one state. There is no chance of Modi fighting from a seat in Gujarat," the BJP leader said. State BJP leaders have requested Modi to contest from Gujarat to boost party workers' morale, especially in the aftermath of the 2017 Assembly elections when the Congress managed to restrict the BJP to 99 seats, lowest in two decades, and increased its own tally by 16 seats to 77 in the 182-member Legislative Assembly. Till Tuesday, rumours were doing rounds in BJP circles that Modi was going to contest from Surat, but party sources said it was not true. The BJP is yet to declare its candidate from Surat. Gujarat will vote on April 23. The last date of filing nominations is April 4. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) No sooner did Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday informed about his address to the nation than speculations went rife on the social media and television channels in Tamil Nadu on what it could be. Minutes after Modi tweeted: "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," Tamil television channels flashed it on their screens and discussions began. Journalists based in the national capital were asked by Tamil channel anchors on what kind of an announcement could be expected from the Prime Minister since Model Code of Conduct was in force and the country fully geared up for Parliamentary elections. Quoting sources and practices followed during polls, journalists said since Modi's address was scheduled to be covered by national broadcaster Doordarashan as well, it could only be "official," rather than anything to do with No key policy decisions should be expected out of it, the journalists opined, and for about 30 minutes - since Modi made the announcement - the speculations only intensified. Social media went hyperactive with some suggesting the message could even be a follow up to "India's war against cross border terror," and related to "national security." Some opined that no poll code could bar the Prime Minister from sharing information related to security with the common people. Others said the situation was akin to the Prime Minister's announcement of note ban in 2016 during an address to the nation though nothing of that sort happened. While discussions peaked in the digital space, leaders including Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK chief M K Stalin were in the thick of electioneering in different parts of the state taking pot shots against each other. Modi in his address announced that India has demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US State Department has given the green light for Belgium to buy MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones from General Atomics, a deal that could be worth about $600 million. SkyGuardian MQ-9B, dubbed Protector (Picture source: UK Ministry of Defence) The deal would include four MQ-9B drones, two ground stations, five AN/DAS-4 multispectral targeting systems, 15 embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems, five AN/APY-8 Lynx synthetic aperture radars, and five detect-and-avoid systems. It also includes spares, testing and training equipment necessary to support a five-year period of operations, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Belgium intends to use these defense articles and services to provide for the defense of its deployed troops, regional security, domestic security, and interoperability with the U.S./NATO partners, DSCA said. The MQ-9 is used by the U.S. Air Force and Department of Homeland Security, NASA, and the air forces of France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. In addition to Belgium and the Netherlands, Australia and India have plans to acquire variants of the drone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a BJP election campaign meeting at Mahabubnagar in Telangana on March 29, state BJP president K Laxman said Wednesday. "Prime Minister ji will address a public meeting at Palamuru (Mahabubnagar) on 29th, day after tomorrow. Public meeting at L B stadium in Hyderabad on 1st (of April)," he told reporters here. BJP Chief Amit Shah will address two public meetings on April 4 and participate in road shows at Nalgonda and Hyderabad on April 6, he said. Several other Union Ministers and national leaders would also visit the state for campaigning, he said. BJP is going it alone in Telangana. Polling would be held in Telangana in the first phase on April 11. Laxman hit out at comments of the ruling TRS that BJP would not get more than 150 seats in the Lok Sabha polls and that TRS can play a crucial role post polls if its wins 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state. TRS is only one among many regional parties, Laxman said. "Even if you win 16 seats, you cannot become Prime Minister," he said. Laxman alleged that TRS came to power after the December 7 2018 Assembly elections by projecting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu (whose TDP tied up with Congress and others in the Assembly polls) as an object of fear. TRS already had 15 MPs on its side in the outgoing Lok Sabha but could not achieve anything substantial, he said He alleged that TRS had failed to implement its election promises like double bed room houses for the poor. He asserted that the BJP would come to power after the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP was increasingly seen by people as an alternative, hesaid and claimed that major changes would take place in Telangana after Lok Sabha elections. Referring to the defeat of TRS-backed candidates in the polls held for three constituencies in the Legislative Council, Laxman said a similar performance would be witnessed in the Lok Sabha elections. Laxman was speaking at an event where the inputs for party's manifesto, prepared by state party leaders after interaction with various sections of people in the state, was presented to him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A politician involved in the real estate business in Karnataka has been arrested for defaulting tax of Rs 5.4 crore, the income tax department said here Wednesday. The politician, who was arrested recently, had contested the May 2018 assembly election on a prominent political party's ticket, it said. Without revealing his identity, the department said in a release that it carried out searches and seizures at various places, during which he admitted to defaulting on taxes of Rs 5.4 crore. The department said it made several attempts to recover the tax by issuing notices and recovery proceedings. The politician was involved in various land transactions as reflected from the affidavit filed by him during elections. Yet he did not use the transaction to clear the tax dues. Subsequently, various prosecution proceedings were initiated before the Economic Offences Court. However, he did not pay anything, the release said. A final notice was issued but he did not pay up, compelling the income tax officials to arrest him with the help of city police, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing risk that China poses to America. From the perspective of national security, the US has changed the way it thinks about China in view of the "important economic relationships" between the two countries, he said in his Congressional testimony. However, "the increasing risk that China poses to the US in the West is real and it is even more true in their backyard. I hear that each time I travel throughout Asia or Southeast Asia, they want the United States there", he said. Keeping this this view, the Trump administration has put forward the Indo Pacific strategy, which includes free and open navigation of waterways in the Indian Ocean, he said. Congressman Mike Rogers also expressed concern over the growing Chinese presence in South East Asia and other parts of the world. "The Chinese government's practice of predatory lending to developing countries is not just immoral. It has real security consequences for our partners in the region and beyond," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pope Francis is to visit flood-ravaged Mozambique and Indian Ocean nations Madagascar and Mauritius in September, the Vatican announced on Wednesday. He will travel to their capitals Maputo, Antananarivo and Port Louis during the September 4-10 visit, a statement said, with the precise programme to be decided later. Mozambique is reeling from a cyclone and floods that this month killed nearly 500 people and sparked cases of cholera. Senior Mozambican priest Giorgio Ferreti said in February Francis would this year make the first visit by a pope to the southern African nation since 1988. President Filipe Nyusi invited the pontiff to visit Mozambique during a trip to the Vatican last September, announcing the possible trip to reporters in a breach of Vatican protocol. The pope reportedly joked: "If I'm still alive." Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony, has around four million Catholics. Pope Francis kicked off the year with a historic public mass for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates in February. It capped the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born. Francis has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy. Twenty per cent of Mozambique's population are Muslim and the country has been rocked by a jihadist insurgency in the north since October 2017. Pope John Paul II visited Mozambique in 1988 and witnessed first-hand the devastation wrought by the long civil war. European colonisers brought many Indians to Mauritius, where around half the population is Hindu and a third Christian, mostly Catholic. Madagascar cardinal Desire Tsarahazana said in October that the pope would visit the east African island nation with a population of around 25 million this year. The former French colony has an extreme poverty rate around 75 per cent, and many young children suffer from malnutrition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has asked its officers to present khadi gifts to visiting foreign delegates and officials of other ministries on priority basis to promote khadi products. The ministry has issued a written communication, asking officials that purchase of any such gifts should be made from the Khadi Gram Udyog, an official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been promoting khadi products since coming to power. Ministry Under Secretary Sunil Kumar has issued an office memorandum to all joint secretaries and officer-on-special duty (OSD), all directors and deputy secretaries to buy khadi products. "Purchase of any gifts for presentation to officials of the ministry, other ministries, departments, members of visiting foreign delegation or for presenting to foreign delegates/counterparts on the visit of the officials of the ministry to any foreign countries etc be made from Khadi Gram Udyog/Khadi on priority basis," it stated. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena welcomed the government's decision. "It is a far-reaching support from the government to the last left artisan associated with Khadi. Besides, purchase of Khadi and village industries products as gifts for the presentation to officials, members of visiting foreign delegation or by the Indian delegates to different foreign countries will not only provide more jobs for our valuable artisans, but will also showcase our mission to make Khadi 'Global from Local'," Saxena said. He said, "Only such gestures from the government could fulfill the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi for whom Khadi was an instrument of make India self-reliant." Apart from the HUA, railways this year has also shown a renewed interest in procuring eco-friendly Khadi products. In January, in a quick response to the instructions issued by the Ministry of Railways to procure linen items from the KVIC, the North Western Railways (Jaipur), North Central Railways (Allahabad) and Northern Railways (Delhi) had given order of approximately Rs 12.40 crore to the KVIC for supply of Khadi duster and green/red flags. Earlier this month, the ministry had issued instructions to use locally-produced, environment-savvy terracotta products manufactured by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) like kulhads, glasses and plates for serving catering items to passengers at Varanasi and Raebareily railway stations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday invited Croatian businesses to invest in India and take advantage of the huge opportunities offered by the country that is witnessing fast paced changes. Addressing the Croatian-Indian Economic Forum here, Kovind said though India is known as the land of culture and spiritualism in the European nation, Croatian people "need to experience the economic energy, dynamism and vigour of the new India in the making". "India is changing and changing fast...As Governments, we can be the facilitators for business but business communities are the true spearheads of greater economic engagement," he said, inviting Indian and Croatian businesses to partner with each other for trade, technology and investment collaboration. The President said the India-Croatia Business Council can assist in identifying new areas of cooperation. According to the Indian Embassy in Zagreb, during the period between January 2018 to August 2018, total bilateral trade between the two nations stood at Euro 97.48 million. Addressing the students of the University of Zagreb separately on the theme "India-Croatia relations -- the way forward", the President said there is much India-Croatia can do together. The two countries, he said, should now build a "new-age partnership", which is anchored in economic synergies, geo-political realities, technology and innovation, sustainability and the fourth Industrial Revolution. Underlining that India's skill in information technology is well known, Kovind said, "India has a thriving research and development services market, which is expected to reach USD 38 billion by 2020. A third of the top 1000 companies in terms of global research and development spending, now have centres in India." "The knowledge economy wrapped around the digital highway and powered by artificial intelligence has immense scope to bring our research-labs together, to bring our entrepreneurs together, and to bring new solutions for health and well-being for our people," he added. He said India has a special connect with the University of Zagreb, and particularly its Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, for hosting the Department of Indology where one can pursue study of Indian history, literature, philosophy and culture. Kovind is currently on a three-nation tour to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile. His travel marks the first time that an Indian President has visited Croatia and Bolivia. He will leave for Bolivia on Thursday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday hailed the contribution of the nearly 60,000 Indian doctors employed by the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) during a discussion with the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam. The 92-year-old monarch received Ghanashyam at Buckingham Palace for the presentation of letters of credence ceremony, which marks the formal launch of a new envoy's tenure in the UK. "We had a very good exchange about India-UK relations. Her Majesty received me very warmly. What will really stay with me is the memory of how easy she makes it for everybody around her," said Ghanashyam, in reference to her visit to the Palace in a customary horse-drawn carriage, accompanied by her husband A R Ghanashyam. "We spoke of a number of things that bind us together, most of all of course the vibrant Indian diaspora. I mentioned to Her Majesty about a healthcare event that was held in Birmingham last week where I learnt of the almost 60,000 Indian doctors in the UK's NHS and she fondly said, she couldn't think of what the NHS would do without them," she said. Indian doctors are often referred to as the backbone of the UK's health service, with doctors from outside the European Union (EU) being removed from a visa category last year to allow the UK to bring in more doctors from countries like India to address staff shortages. The India-UK healthcare event in Birmingham last week also addressed the issue of greater workforce collaboration between the two countries. Ghanashyam arrived in Britain late last year and this week marked the first big milestone for her new posting. "India's relationship with the UK is very long standing and comes with some historical complexity. But the contemporary relationship is a very modern one, littered with shared interests, said Vice-Marshal Neil Holland, who accompanied the Indian High Commissioner on her ride to the palace as the UK's Director of Protocol. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi will join the party's 'parivartan yatra' in Haryana on Friday, state unit leaders said. Rahul will be touring the northern belt of the state and will hold a public meeting at Jagadhri/Yamunanagar on Friday afternoon, a party leader. He will hold a roadshow in Radaur in Yamunanagar, a public meeting in Ladwa in Kurukshetra district, a roadshow in Indri and a public meeting and a road show in Karnal, which is the constituency of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. On the second day of the 'parivartan yatra' on Wednesday, Congress leaders continued to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party. Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed the BJP government had distressed all sections of society and people of the state were awaiting the polls to teach them a lesson. The Congress kicked off its six-day 'parivartan yatra' in Haryana on Tuesday, with senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Hooda asking the people to vote out the Modi and Khattar governments. The bus yatra covered Narnaul, Mahendergarh, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani and Hisar districts on the second day on Wednesday. Talking about the development work undertaken by the then Congress government in the southern belt of Haryana, Hooda said the area was added in the national capital region, a Central University was set up in Mahendragarh, Chaudhary Bansi Lal University and a medical college was set up in Bhiwani. "The BJP government may have declared Dadri to be a district but the entire infrastructure was developed by the Congress. We created the mini-secretariat, 100-bed hospital, Kisan Model School, two overbridges, Polytechnic, Industrial Training Institute, water treatment plant, new 'anaj' Mandi and 'sabji' Mandi," he said. The former chief minister accused the BJP government of acquiring farmers' lands at cheaper rates. "The government is not offering market rates to farmers whose lands have been acquired for the construction of National Highway 152D. This will not be tolerated," he said. Hooda, who is chairman of the party's coordination committee in the state, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi had assured farmers that their loans will be waived if the party returns to power. "The Congress chief has already said the poorest of the poor will be entitled to a minimum annual income of Rs 72,000. Congress has proved that it delivers on its pre-poll promises," he said. Congress general secretary in-charge of Haryana Ghulam Nabi Azad, speaking during the 'yatra' in Charkhi Dadri, praised the farming community and said hardworking peasants have not only made India self-sufficient, but also a food exporter. "It was under Congress that minimum support price (MSP) was declared and our party led the country into the green revolution. The farmers of Haryana are 24 carat gold and I am sure that they would avenge the anti-farmer policies followed by the BJP government," he said. Azad said the 'parivartan yatra' would change the political landscape of the state and the party will teach a befitting lesson to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections "which is seeking to divide our people along communal and caste lines". "The BJP seeks to retain power on the basis of these divisions but the people have understood their games and would not be led by their divisive agenda," he said. "Under BJP rule, farmers had to move from pillar to post to sell their produce at MSP. The BJP had promised two crore jobs a year in the last Lok Sabha elections but their leaders have stopped talking about it. Government employees have been exploited. The BJP gave the slogan of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao but crime against women have seen an exponential rise," Azad said, hitting out at the ruling dispensation. HPCC president Ashok Tanwar, CLP leader Kiran Choudhary, former Lok Sabha MP Shruti Chaudhary, former assembly speaker and sitting MLA Kuldeep Sharma, also addressed public gatherings on Wednesday during the 'yatra'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stating that India has become a "space super power", the RSS Wednesday complimented the scientists and the Central government for the successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability. "On the significant occasion of India's becoming a space super power after the successful Mission Shakti : testing of Anti-Satellite weapon A-SAT, we salute and compliment our scientists as well as the central leadership on behalf of the people of India," the RSS tweeted from its official handle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) handle quoted its Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Arun Kumar, as saying: "This glorious achievement will be a source of inspiration for generations to come." Declaring India has established itself as a global space power after the success of the operation 'Mission Shakti', Modi had said during his address that the missile hit a live satellite flying in a Low Earth Orbit after it traversed a distance of almost 300 km from earth within three minutes of its launch. Underlining that "tomorrow's wars" will not be the same and that the nation has to prepare for future geopolitical situations, he said this technology will serve as a "deterrent". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Russian court on Wednesday ruled that a widely-condemned China-backed project to bottle water from Lake Baikal illegally received the go-ahead from authorities. The plant currently under construction to bottle the waters of the world's largest lake has proved highly controversial, exacerbated by popular fears of a Chinese "land-grab" in Siberia. A judge at a district court in the Siberian city of Irkutsk ruled that the official permit for the plant's construction was "illegal", TASS state agency reported from the courtroom. Judge Natalya Isakova said that the permission was issued on the basis of a positive environmental impact report, which she also ruled was "illegal." The ruling came after a petition against the plant on Change.org gathered more than a million signatures. The water "will be shipped to China," the petition said, warning that the facility would block local access to the lake and "inflict irreparable damage" to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Russian company behind the project, AkvaSib, will appeal the court ruling, its chief engineer Vladislav Gerkovenko told TASS, insisting: "we are building the plant legally." The plant's financial backing comes from a company called "Baikal Lake" based in China's Daqing. The plant was initially welcomed by the Irkutsk authorities in 2017, when they gave the USD 21-million project priority status. The court case came after prosecutors contested the positive conclusions of an environmental impact report issued in 2016 by Russia's state environmental watchdog. Prosecutors said it did not take into account the plant's impact on wetlands that are a feeding ground for rare birds during migration seasons. Irkutsk region governor Sergei Levchenko, who initially backed the plant, this month argued that the plant's site is "environmentally protected land on all sides." "I think this is insurmountable. I don't see the potential for bottling water there," he said. While Chinese tourists flock to Lake Baikal, some locals argue that this does not benefit the local community because their tours are run by Chinese companies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Wednesday sentenced advocate Mathews J Nedumpara to three months in jail for contempt of court and attempting to "browbeat" judges but suspended the sentence after taking note of the unconditional apology tendered by him. The apex court, which barred the advocate from practising before it for a year, said the jail sentence will be suspended only if Nedumpara abides by the undertaking that he will never attempt to browbeat judges of the top court and the Bombay High Court. A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Saran, meanwhile, issued fresh contempt notice to Nedumpara and three others for "scandalous allegations" levelled against both the judges in a letter addressed to the President of India, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and other judges of the top court and the Bombay High Court. On March 12, the top court had held him guilty of contempt for taking the name of noted jurist Fali S Nariman, the father of Justice R F Nariman, to allege that sons and daughters of judges were given priority in awarding 'senior advocate' designation and had said that he has attempted to browbeat the courts. It had issued notice to the lawyer on the punishment to be imposed on him for committing contempt of court and had sought his response within two weeks. The issue of contempt had cropped up when the bench was hearing a petition filed by an organisation, National Lawyers Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms, which was represented by Nedumpara during the hearing. In its order on Wednesday, the bench said: "We sentence Mathews J Nedumpara to three month imprisonment in jail which is suspended only if Mathews J Nedumpara, in future, continues to abide by the undertaking/affidavit (given by him). "Mathews J Nedumpara is otherwise barred from practising as an advocate before the Supreme Court for a period of one year." The court said the fresh contempt case be placed before the CJI for constituting an appropriate bench to hear the matter as "serious allegations" have been levelled against both the judges of the present bench. The bench noted in its verdict that Nedumpara has tendered an unconditional apology to the court by way of an affidavit given by him. During the arguments on point of punishment to be imposed on Nedumpara, Justice Nariman said: "Are you (Nedumpara) aware that I have a daughter who is a practising lawyer and she is not allowed to enter this court? Are you aware that Justice U U Lalit's (sitting apex court judge) father is a lawyer?" When Nedumpara said he had raised an issue-based matter in the plea filed by his organisation, Justice Nariman said, "The issue is not Fali Nariman but about relatives practising as advocate before judges. Justice Lalit's issue was not mentioned and this shows it is not issue based."When the matter was argued in the morning session, Nedumpara told the bench that he has sought transfer of the case to another bench and he will also file an application seeking recall of the March 12 order holding him guilty of contempt of court. However, the bench referred to a letter written by a Mumbai-based bar body to the President of India, the CJI and other judges and told Nedumpara that "one very very disturbing thing has taken place". "They (bar body) have attacked us (both the judges) in the most scurrilous fashion," Justice Nariman said. The bench told Nedumpara that it appeared as if he and the bar body were "acting in tandem" and have "embarked upon the task to destroy the superior judiciary of the country". He later sought a pass over on the ground that his lawyer was on his way to the court after which the bench said that it would hear the matter at 2 PM today itself. When the bench assembled at 2 PM in the post-lunch session, the counsel appearing for Nedumpara referred to the procedure of contempt of court and said no charges were framed in the matter. However, the bench said, "Having held Nedumpara guilty of contempt of court, can other bench deal with the issue of punishment? Today, the issue is only about punishment." His counsel then told the bench that Nedumpara has taken the name of Fali S Nariman in a positive sense as the noted jurist is a "guiding light for all of us". To this, Justice Saran observed, "The same gentleman (Nedumpara) had filed a writ petition to not allow him (Fali S Nariman) to practice (as an advocate) here (apex court). Do not go into all that." The Delhi High Court had recently dismissed Nedumpara's plea seeking to bar Fali S Nariman from practising as a lawyer in the apex court. Later, Nedumpara also told the bench that he has nothing against Fali S Nariman and has utmost regard for him. In its March 12 order holding the lawyer guilty of contempt of court, the bench had said that it was not the first time that Nedumpara had attempted to browbeat and insult judges of the apex court. The court had further noted that Nedumpara had "misconducted himself repeatedly" before the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Bombay and before the Bombay High Court and "was in the habit of terrorising tribunal members and using intemperate language to achieve his ends before several judges of the Bombay High Court". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To ensure "efficient functioning" and "streamlining the working" of tribunals, the Supreme Court Wednesday sought to know from the Centre within two weeks its view on bringing all the quasi-judicial bodies under one central umbrella body. The top court said it would not like to be bogged down with what is right or wrong and all it wants is that "the tribunals work efficiently and independently". A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it is tentatively of the view that directions given by the apex court in its two verdicts of 1997 and 2010 for bringing all the tribunals of the country under one nodal agency should have been "implemented long back". "There cannot be any manner of doubt that to ensure the efficient functioning and to streamline the working of tribunals, they should be brought under one agency, as already felt and observed by this Court... "The Court would like to have benefit of the view of the government of India as on today by means of an affidavit of the competent authority to be filed within two weeks from today," the court said. The bench, also comprising Justices N V Ramana, D Y Chandrachud, Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, which dealt with vacancies in tribunals, said recommendation of the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of members in NCLT and NCLAT should be immediately implemented within two weeks. It listed the matter for further hearing after two weeks. It said: "While every endeavour would be made by the nominee of the Chief Justice who heads the Selection Committee before whom the issue of recommendations may have been pending to expedite the same, such of the recommendations which have already been made by the Search-cum-Selection Committee as is in the case of National Company Law Tribunal and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, should be immediately implemented by making appointments within the aforesaid period of two weeks and the result thereof be placed before the Court vide affidavit of the competent authority, as ordered to be filed by the present order." The bench said that once all the information with regard to appointments of members of tribunal and the Centre's view is made available, it would pass appropriate orders which may include remitting the matter to smaller bench for monitoring on a continuous basis and "for ensuring due and proper functioning of the tribunals". The bench was hearing a petition filed by Madras Bar Association in 2012, which sought orders to the Centre for implementing the directions given in its two verdicts in 1997 and 2010. They had ordered the Union Ministry of Law and Justice to take over the administration of all tribunals created by Parliament and streamline their functioning. During the hearing, Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for Centre, pointed out to the bench that certain difficulties in implementing the orders, including the need for an amendment of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. He said the Ministry of Law and Justice was already overburdened with lot of works and may not be able to act and function as the nodal agency, which the Court had in mind while issuing directions way back in the year 1997. Venugopal said that if the ministry is to act as a nodal agency for all the tribunals then it would have to deal with various issues, including over thousands of appointments of members of the tribunals and infrastructure, which would not be feasible. He cited the example of under-staffed central law agency situated in the apex court that an affidavit was filed months back by the government but none of the law officers had any clue about it. Venugopal suggested that for efficient and independent working of the tribunal a central body called National Tribunal Commission should be created, which could also look about all aspects including infrastructure and appointments. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, who led the arguments for the petitioner, said that for effective and smooth functioning of tribunals, one umbrella body is needed as directed by the top court way back in 1997 and 2010. The bench then commenced with the hearing on a batch of pleas which challenged the Constitutional validity of the Finance Act of 2017. "If we hold that it was not a money bill, then the matter rests there but if it is being held by the court that it was a money bill then subsequent issues which pertains to affairs of tribunal will be dealt," the bench said. It clarified that the court is not going to hear 20 lawyers on the same point repeatedly saying, "this anarchy has to stop in the Supreme Court. Lawyers are arguing and arguing for 20 days on the same point". It asked the petitioners to discuss among themselves and sort it out as who will advance the arguments and if needed someone else can supplement on a particular point. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Wednesday exempted the government from making an open offer for the shareholders of but directed reduction in non-public shareholding in the lender post capital infusion. In February, filed an application on behalf of the central government seeking exemption from open offer requirement under takeover regulations. After capital infusion in lieu of preferential allotment of over 80.2 crore shares, the government's stake in the bank would rise by 5.19 per cent to 75.41 per cent. Under the norms, entities are required to make an open offer in case their shareholding goes beyond a certain threshold. Against this backdrop, the bank sought Sebi's exemption from the open offer requirement for the government. According to Sebi, there would be no change in control of the bank pursuant to the proposed acquisition as the change would only be in the quantum of shares held by the government. "The infusion of additional capital by the proposed acquirer/ Government of India is stated to enable the target company (Punjab National Bank) to meet the stipulated capital adequacy norms. "Accordingly, I am of the considered view that exemption as sought for in the application made by the target company, be granted to the proposed acquirer/ GOI...," Whole Time Member G Mahalingam said in an order on Wednesday. The exemption has been given subject to certain conditions, including that the bank reduces the non-public shareholding from 75.41 per cent after the capital infusion. Listed companies are required to have at least 25 per cent public shareholding. Hence, the regulator has directed reducing the non-public shareholding to the within a specified time. Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), the main opposition party in the state, on Wednesday promised government jobs for unemployed youths if voted to power. The SKM also said it will provide a subsistence allowance of Rs 10,000 per month to those unemployed youths who somehow don't land a government job. "We will provide government jobs to all unemployed youths in Sikkim within 100 days of coming to power in the state," SKM president P S Golay told a press conference here, while releasing the election manifesto of his party. Golay, who is not contesting the upcoming assembly polls in Sikkim despite the fact that his party has projected him as the chief ministerial face, said all ad hoc teachers will be regularised in service if it comes to power. In its manifesto, the SKM said private companies in Sikkim will be required to deposit salaries of its employees with the state government for distribution by the latter. On political issues, Golay said his party will ensure that Article 371(F) of the Constitution, which protects the rights of local people, "remains untouched at all cost". Golay said that the SKM will press for restoration of assembly constituencies of the Nepalese community, and reservation of seats to the tribal Limboo and Tamang communities. The opposition party also sought to woo the old settlers and traders by promising exemption from taxes. The SKM is contesting all 32 assembly seats as well as the lone Lok Sabha seat in Sikkim, where simultaneous polls will be held on April 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of trying to impose income tax from the Scheduled Tribes like the Mizos, though tribals are exempted from paying income tax. The ZPM and the Congress have forged an alliance to contest the Lok Sabha election and an assembly by-poll in Mizoram to be held on April 11. Addressing a joint press conference here, leaders of the ZPM and the Congress alleged that the Modi regime was trying to levy income tax from the Mizos through Tax Deduction at Source (TDS). Though the leaders did not elaborate on this, the ZPM had earlier this month raised the issue in Mizoram assembly. Scheduled Tribe people were exempted from paying income tax under section 10 (26) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, but the Ministry of Finance recently issued a notification instructing public sector banks to collect 10 per cent of annual interest from Rs 10,000 or above, ZPM legislature party leader Lalduhoma had said in the assembly on March 13. Mizoram's population is 1,091,014, according to the 2011 census and about 95 per cent of it belong to Scheduled Tribes. This is the highest concentration of tribal people among all the states of India, the state government's website says. State Congress spokesperson Lallianchhunga and ZPM youth wing leader Saithuama Mangpa charged the Modi government with robbing the poor people by penalising bank account holders who cannot maintain a balance of Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 in the rural and urban areas respectively. The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has been indulging in anti-poor and anti-people policies since coming to power in 2014, they said. The two parties appealed to the people not to support the BJP and the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), which is a constituent of the NDA, in the forthcoming polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Benchmark indices witnessed heavy volatility amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, reflecting nervousness of the investor community over the subject. The 30-share benchmark index dived by over 100 points but recovered sharply to 38,402.35 at 1234 hrs as Prime Minister announced that India had shot down a live satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile in a major breakthrough in space programme. The markets, which opened higher in the morning over Tuesday's close, sharply dipped following the twitter message as it wasn't clear what the subject of the address to the nation was. The benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 200 points on Wednesday during Modi's announcement that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. The 30-share index was trading at 38,443.5, up 212.98 points at 12.24 hrs. The benchmark index had jumped over 200 points in the opening trading session. Meanwhile, buying was also seen in defence stocks, with Hindustan Aeronautics rising 7.25 per cent, Bharat Dynamics 6.26 per cent, Walchandnagar Industries Ltd 3.61 per cent and BEML 1.31 per cent on the BSE. The benchmark BSE Sensex was at 38,445.38 points a minute before the Prime Minister took to the twitter at 11.23 am to announce his address to the nation. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," he tweeted. But it was not until 12:24 that he made the near 10-minute address. With no precedence of such address after general elections were announced, other than when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated in 1984 and 1991 respectively, memories of November 8, 2016, were revived when Modi made his first address to the nation to announce demonetisation of 86 per cent of the currency in circulation. With election code is in place, it was felt that no policy announcement could be made and there could be some development on the Pakistan front as the Cabinet Committee on Security met just before the twitter message. Sensex fell to 38,332.22 by 11.35 am and further to 38,304.09 by 11.58 am. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suspected militants on Wednesday shot dead a civilian in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Militants fired upon Tanveer Ahmad Dar, a resident of the Bemnipora area of south Kashmir's Shopian district, near Kachdoora village in the afternoon, a police official said. He said Dar received critical injuries which led to his instant death. A case has been registered and an investigation started, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday told Conservative MPs that she would step down before the "next phase" of Brexit negotiations. She, however, did not name a departure date at the at the ruling party's influential 1922 Committee meeting. James Cartlidge, one of the MPs present at the private meeting at Westminster in London, told reporters, "She (May) said she would not remain in post for the next phase of the negotiations, the implication being that once the Withdrawal Agreement has passed, she would make way for someone else." The latest development comes as MPs seize control of the Commons agenda to hold votes on alternatives to the deal. In a major blow to May, MPs had voted through the debate earlier this week to seize control of the business of the House away from the government and set a new precedent in order to weigh up alternatives to the British Prime Minister's twice-defeated EU divorce bill through a set of "indicative" non-binding votes. She faced further humiliation on Wednesday as the MPs' motion passed with 331 to 287 votes a majority of 44 setting the stage for votes on a series of Brexit alternatives later in the day. May has already declined to commit herself to backing any option thrown up as a result of such a vote as it could prove undeliverable. I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes. When we have tried this kind of thing in the past, it has produced contradictory outcomes or no outcome at all...No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," she told MPs. However, she is under mounting pressure from all sides of the House, with her own party demanding her resignation as a price for backing her withdrawal deal and the Opposition Labour Party accusing her of failure by running down the Brexit clock to leave MPs with very little time to debate options. In the current scenario, the Commons entered into uncharted territory on Wednesday when it first debated a business motion put forward by former Conservative Party minister Oliver Letwin, who is being dubbed "Prime Minister for the day" as he is in charge of setting the course for the debate. As many as 16 options were on the table for MPs to thrash out, including revoking Article 50 to reverse Brexit altogether, putting May's deal to the public for another referendum with an option to remain in the EU, and staying closely aligned with the European economic bloc's norms as part of a softer Brexit. At the end of the debate, once the motion cleared the Commons, Speaker John Bercow whittled down all the options into an effective shortlist of eight choices for votes. Such a vote itself sets a new precedent by handing out ballot papers to MPs to mark their preferred choice in a Yes or No format rather than the usual way of registering their verbal votes with parliamentary clerks in the Commons Lobby. The Speaker will then announce the final count in favour of all options. While MPs have demanded a free vote in such a ballot, it remains to be seen if parties will whip their MPs to vote in a certain direction. There are fears of more Cabinet resignations if Theresa May attempts such a parliamentary whip. "MPs should be free to vote as they see fit. This is bigger than all of us, bigger than the parties; it's country first," said former health minister Steve Brine, who resigned on Monday to back the motion that led to Wednesday's indicative votes move. The nature of this voting process will be determined by the Speaker, who has selected eight options for the ballot paper a no-deal Brexit on April 12; proposal for a Common Market 2.0 with the EU; proposal for single market membership with the EU; proposal for a Customs Union with the EU; the Labour Party's plan to find an alternative Brexit deal; proposal to revoke Article 50 if the alternative is a no-deal Brexit; proposal for a second referendum; and proposal for a trading relationship with the EU in case of a no-deal Brexit. While the votes are being counted, the Commons has another important motion to debate on Wednesday, which is to formally change Brexit Day on its statute from March 29 to April 12. That date has now already effectively been changed in international law after the EU agreed to an extension to the Article 50 mechanism last week, but requires a kind of rubber-stamping by the British Parliament. The process of MPs keeping control of Commons business is likely to spill over into next week, when they are expected to find ways of implementing any workable solutions thrown up by the indicative votes this week. Next Monday, the UK's most-signed online petition calling for Article 50 to be revoked and Brexit to be cancelled is also set for a debate in the Westminster Hall complex of Parliament. The petition, which attracted nearly 6 million votes, received a formal government response as is customary for popular petitions. "It remains the government's firm policy not to revoke Article 50. We will honour the outcome of the 2016 referendum and work to deliver an exit which benefits everyone, whether they voted to Leave or to Remain," the UK Department for Exiting the EU statement read. The EU has given May until April 12 to propose a different way forward if her divorce bill does not clear the UK Parliament hurdle. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A liberal law professor of China's Tsinghua University, who openly criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been suspended and placed under investigation, according to a media report on Wednesday. Xu Zhangrun, 56, was suspended this month after he wrote several articles criticising China over political and social issues, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting his colleague Guo Yuhua. In an opinion piece last year, Xu questioned the personality cult surrounding Xi and the decision by China's Parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), to scrap the term limit on the Chinese presidency which enables him to remain the country's leader for life. Holding the posts of head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military, besides Presidency, Xi has emerged as the most powerful leader of the country after Mao Zedong. Xu's articles, critical of the president, were widely circulated online. Guo, a sociology professor at the varsity, said she had spoken to Xu since he received the notice from the university telling him he had been suspended, the report said. "They spoke to him in person (as well) but I am not sure if they actually told him the real reason" why he was suspended, Guo said. Xu was told he would be suspended from all teaching and research activities while the university conducted an official investigation, according to Guo. He would not be allowed to take on new students during the suspension period. Tsinghua University did not respond to inquiries, the Post reported. Well-known writer Zhang Yihe was one of the first intellectuals to speak out in support of Xu, posting comments on social network WeChat on Sunday questioning the varsity's decision. Zhang said she did this "not because of politics or conscience" but for friendship. "I know him well. I, of course, must do something now that he is in difficulty this is our tradition and morality," she said. "Hence I want to ask the question: why has Tsinghua University banned him from giving classes?" Guo suggested that Xu had been penalised because of his critical articles. "Maybe they didn't like what he wrote, and they thought what he wrote was wrong," she said, adding but it's against the law and an unreasonable thing to do. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An exuberant President Donald Trump took a victory lap on Capitol Hill, emboldened by the end of the special counsel's Russia probe, even as Democrats pressed insistently for Robert Mueller's full report and Justice Department officials said more information could be released in "weeks, not months." Trump strode into a high-spirited gathering of Senate Republicans on Tuesday, flanked by party leaders, saying the attorney general's weekend summary of Mueller's report "could not have been better." GOP senators applauded his arrival, and he celebrated what he called his "clean bill of health."But challenges are ahead for both the Republicans and the Democrats who hope to deny Trump re-election next year. Both parties are readjusting their aims and strategies in the post-probe landscape , pivoting to health care and other issues that are more important for many voters, even with Mueller's full findings still unknown. At House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's own closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday, she urged rank-and-file Democrats to "be calm" and focus on the policy promises of health care, jobs and oversight of the administration that helped propel them to the House majority last fall. "Let's just get the goods," Pelosi said. Not that the Democrats are forgetting Russia and the 2016 presidential election. Many Democrats dismiss the four-page summary released by Attorney General William Barr as inadequate. "I haven't seen the Mueller report. I've seen the Barr report. And I'm not going to base anything on the Barr report," said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. "The president is saying he's been completely and totally exonerated by the report," Raskin said. "The one sentence we've seen from the report says this is not an exoneration of the president." Meanwhile, a Justice Department official said it will take Barr "weeks, not months" to finish reviewing Mueller's longer, still-confidential report and make a version available for the public. It's not clear whether that will be Mueller's own words or another synopsis. Trump has said he "wouldn't mind" if the full report were released. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he's hesitant to agree to releasing information from Mueller that would "throw innocent people who've not been charged under the bus." He is blocking legislation approved unanimously by the House calling for the report's release. In the GOP luncheon, Trump was in a lively mood, senators said. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said the president is "always high energy. He had a little extra today." Russia report aside, the president showed an eagerness to move on. He told GOP senators that health care should be their focus heading into the 2020 election. He said he wants them to abandon efforts to simply repeal "Obamacare" and instead focus on a replacement for President Barack Obama's signature law. "I was a little surprised he came out of the chute in health care," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., after the meeting. "He wants us to try again." Even so, the White House was making a new effort to get rid of the Affordable Care Act entirely. In a legal filing late Monday, the administration said it would not defend the act against a court challenge essentially encouraging the law's demise. Meanwhile, House Democrats, led by Pelosi, unveiled their own sweeping measure to rescue the program on Tuesday. Trump's hour-long talk to Senate Republicans touched on trade, foreign policy and a vote later in the day on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal, which the Senate declined to take up. Trump said the climate-change proposal would be a good campaign issue to fight over with Democrats. Almost no mention was made of the president's national emergency declaration to expand the border wall with Mexico, even though the House was voting on an effort to block it as the senators lunched. Congress had voted to block Trump, and he had vetoed that action. House members voted 248-181 to override Trump's veto, but that was well short of the needed two-thirds majority. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats in trying to block the president from taking military funds to build his long-promised wall. The president seemed to have heeded advice from allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who encouraged him to use the political capital he's now gained to accomplish policy goals. Pelosi's advice to Democrats to stick with the strategy that won them control of the House in 2018 was reinforced by Obama himself, who counseled freshman Democrats at a reception Monday night. Obama advised the newly elected lawmakers to focus on constituents' hopes and concerns, while also identifying issues they feel so strongly about that they'd be willing to lose their House seats in fights over them, according to people at the private party. The focus must go beyond Russia and collusion, Democratic leaders said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump demanded Wednesday that Russia drop support for Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro after Moscow deployed troops and equipment to bolster the hard-left government. "Russia has to get out," Trump said at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, wife of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as Venezuela's interim president in place of Maduro. Rosales was given a high-profile reception in the Trump administration's latest bid to boost Guaido, who is under severe pressure from Moscow-backed Maduro. On Thursday, she will meet with US First Lady Melania Trump in Florida. Trump said "all options are on the table" when asked by journalists if the United States was considering military action to back up a major campaign of economic sanctions aimed at crippling the Maduro government's finances. "They've got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. They've got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity," he said. "Other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have ... All options are open." Earlier, Rosales met separately with Vice President Mike Pence, who plays a major role in the administration's aggressive stand against Maduro, and also called out Russia. He said "the United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and we call on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regime." "Guaido is the only legitimate president of Venezuela. Venezuela is in crisis after years of dictatorship and oppression," Pence said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons, carrying unaccounted foreign currency worth Rs 48 lakh, were detained at Jaipur International Airport on Wednesday, a customs official said. The accused were carrying US dollars in their baggage and were about to board a flight to Bangkok, Customs Deputy Commissioner K K Singh said. They could not give any satisfactory reply to queries regarding possession of the foreign currency, he said. The cash has been seized and further investigation is underway, the officer added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution to the that would blacklist the leader of a Pakistan-based Islamist group as a terrorist, setting up a potential clash with China over the move. China earlier this month put on hold a request to put Masood Azhar, leader of (JeM) on the UN sanctions list, over his alleged ties to That request stalled in a UN sanctions committee, prompting the to turn directly to the Security Council with the proposed resolution blacklisting Azhar. has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops and stoked tensions between India and The draft resolution obtained by AFP condemns the suicide bombing and decides that Azhar will be added to the UN and Islamic State sanctions blacklist. That would subject Azhar, considered the founder of JeM, to a global travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. It remained unclear when a vote would be held on the draft resolution, which could face a veto from China, one of the five permanent council members along with Britain, France, and the There have been four attempts through a UN sanctions committee to add Azhar to the blacklist. China blocked three previous requests and put a technical hold on the latest one, which could last up to nine months. JeM itself has been on the UN terror list since 2001. Azhar is linked to terrorism for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM, according to an annex to the draft. The draft resolution is backed by and Britain, which joined the United States earlier this month in pushing for sanctions against Azhar in the and Islamic State committee. China has been accused by Western diplomats of protecting Pakistan's interests in the latest standoff with India. But Beijing has defended its decision by arguing it had adopted a "responsible attitude" in dealing "with this issue with relevant parties via thorough consultation," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. The Chinese mission to the did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tensions between India and have soared since last month's attack in Kashmir that prompted tit-for-tat air raids, fueling fears of an all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries. has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister offered cooperation in the investigation if credible evidence was provided by India. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it. Donald Trump's administration announced Tuesday it was speeding up plans to send US astronauts back to the Moon, from 2028 to 2024, calling for a "spark of urgency" to prevail over delays that have plagued NASA's lunar return plans. "It is the stated policy of this administration and the United States of America to return American astronauts to the Moon, within the next five years," Vice President Mike Pence vowed in a speech in Huntsville, Alabama, the "Rocket City" where American launchers have been built since the 1960s. "Let me be clear, the first woman and the next man on the Moon will both be American astronauts launched by American rockets from American soil," he said, echoing previous declarations by NASA chief Jim Bridenstine that a woman could be the next human to set foot on the Moon. The first manned Moon flight since the last Apollo mission in 1972 had been scheduled for 2028. But the program has encountered frustrating delays in the development of a new heavy rocket for the Moon missions, the Space Launch System (SLS), whose first uncrewed flight was recently pushed back beyond 2020. Within months of taking office, President Trump made clear his desire to reinvigorate the American space agency, which had been somewhat adrift since the 2011 end of its shuttle program. In 2017, Trump set a goal of returning to the Moon as a first step before moving on to human exploration of Mars. NASA then adopted a schedule of launching a manned mission to the Moon in 2028. "That's just not good enough. We're better than that. It took us eight years to get to the moon, the first time, 50 years ago, when we had never done it before," said Pence, who heads the White House's National Space Council. "It shouldn't take us 11 years to get back." In his speech, Pence criticized the "bureaucratic inertia" and "paralysis by analysis" that he said had resulted in the SLS delays, and called for a "new mindset" at the space agency. Included in that criticism, though unnamed, was Boeing, who is building the SLS rocket that was scheduled to launch for its first flight in 2020, until NASA recently announced it would not be ready in time. "Urgency must be our watchword," said Pence. "Failure to achieve our goal to return an American astronaut to the Moon in the next five years is not an option." He said the US was engaged in a present-day "space race" under Trump, this time against China, just as the country was in the 1960s under President John F. Kennedy against the Soviet Union. Pence threatened to use commercial launch systems or to look to other partners if NASA is not ready in time. "To be clear, we're not committed to anyone's contract. If our current contractors can't meet this objective, then we will find ones that will," Pence said. "If commercial rockets are the only way to get American astronauts to the Moon in the next five years, then commercial rockets it will be," he said. He didn't mention SpaceX or other companies by name, but the allusion was clear, as SpaceX currently has rockets capable of launching heavy loads into space. "We got it loud and clear," NASA head Bridenstine responded to the vice president. He assured the gathering that the SLS rocket would be ready in 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the backdrop of the Cold War and perceived threat of strikes from space, both United States and the erstwhile USSR worked on the Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) programme, but it was the former who tested it first in 1959. On Wednesday, India shot down one of its satellites in space on Wednesday with an anti-satellite missile to demonstrate this complex capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, making it only the fourth country to have used such a weapon, after the US, the USSR and China. However, there was a gap of nearly 60 years between the first country--the US-- that tested the ASATs and India, which is the last one in the club to demonstrate the capability. In September 1959, a High Virgo missile was launched by the US from B-58 aircraft targeting an Explorer satellite. However, it was unsuccessful, according to a paper presented by Anatoly Zak at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. A month later, a Bold Orion missile launched from a B-47 aircraft at 11-kilometer altitude passes within four kilometers from the Explorer-6 satellite at an altitude of 251 kilometres. Russia too was developing its ASAT. The 1,400-kilogram Russian Co-Orbital ASAT weapon was designed to approach a satellite, then detonate an explosive that would damage the target with shrapnel, states a paper by the 'Union of Concerned Scientists'. After conducting a series of seven tests from 19631971 including five interceptor detonations the Soviet Union declared the system operational in 1973, it added. "ASATs emerged almost as soon as the first satellites were placed into orbit. Both the United States and the Soviet Union started developing nuclear-tipped interceptors as early as the 1950s in order to counter a perceived threat of strikes from space," Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow, UNIDIR, Geneva, said in a document which comprises the suggestions for ASAT guidelines. China was a late entrant in this domain. In 2007, China destroyed its FengYun 1C weather satellite with an SC-19 missile, leaving behind space debris consisting of 3,280 pieces of trackable debris, as well as up to 32,000 pieces that are non-trackable. The following year, during Operation Burnt Frost, the US destroyed its own satellite, USA-193, with an SM-3 interceptor creating 174 pieces of trackable debris, plus non-trackable shards. Some experts believe that Israel too posses the ASAT capability to down a hostile satellite. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Beleagured following desertion of as many as nine MLAs and several other key leaders, Congress in Telangana had reason to cheer Wednesday as senior leader T Jeevan Reddy was elected to the Legislative Council from a Graduates constituency. Reddy was victorious in the election held to the Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Medak-Adilabad Graduates constituency. His victory means that Congress will have representation in the Council as the term of its two sitting MLCs is coming to an end. In a setback to ruling TRS, three candidates backed by the party lost in the polls held for three constituencies in the Council (including the constituency where Jeevan Reddy won). AICC in-charge of party affairs RC Khuntia congratulated Jeevan Reddy on his victory. Alleging that TRS had won the Assembly polls in December last by 'managing EVMs', he said the ruling party suffered a setback when ballot papers were used in the Council polls, A Congress release quoted him as saying. The nine Congress MLAs had announced their decision this month to quit the party and join the ruling TRS. Congress had won only 19 seats (total 119) in the Assembly polls in December last. All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Dasoju Sravan said the victory of Congress-backed candidates in the MLC elections is a 'slap on the face of arroagant TRS." Sravan told reporters that the MLC results reflect the mood of Telangana "which is building up against the ruling TRS". He claimed that 'the fall of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's government was near and there would be some major developments in the next few days." He said the same mood would continue in the coming Lok Sabha elections with Congress winning a majority of seats. "TRS has been spending hundreds of crores of Rupees to win the Lok Sabha elections. But the MLC polls have set the mood and TRS was bound to face a humiliating defeat," he said. Congress leader and former MP Vijayashanti, a popular south Indian actress of yesteryears, also hailed the victory of Congress nominee in the council and said the result is a slap on the face for the TRS". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It turned out to be an agonising wait for many as they counted the minutes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation to convey an important message. As the speech over television, radio and social media got delayed, speculation mounted across the social and political spectrum in Lucknow, the capital of the politically sensitive state of Uttar Pradesh. "Yeh kya karney jaa rahen hain? (What's he going to do)," wondered chief Akhilesh Yadav, who was chatting with media persons at the party headquarters Wednesday. Once the cat was out of the bag, pat came his reaction. "Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert(ed) nation's attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky," he tweeted. Close on his heels, supremo Mayawati, who is the SP's alliance partner, accused Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi. "The honourable election commission should definitely take cognizance of this," tweeted. Congress spokesperson Mukesh Singh Chauhan questioned the timing of the announcement. Rinku, a tea vendor in the busy Hazratganj commercial zone, said he overheard people discussing something while sipping tea before the announcement. But he could not make sense of the announcement, he said. "Certainly, it was not a 'dhamaka' as the note-ban announcement," the 40-year-old said. This was a reference to the memories of that fateful November 2016 evening, when Modi announced the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, sending people running to the ATMs. Modi's announcement Wednesday did not seem to have evoked much excitement on the Lucknow University campus, with many students yet to understand its importance. There was a buzz around the Lucknow Municipal Corporation office. "People thought it's again going to be something like the note-ban, said contractor Manoj Kumar Mishra. Local lawyer Hemant Upadhya said there was some discussion ahead of the PM's address, but nothing later about the message. No sooner Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would be addressing the nation with a message, discussions began on the social media and on television channels in Tamil Nadu as to what it could be, especially in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. Immediately after the Prime Minister's tweet "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," Tamil television channels flashed it on their screens and speculations began. Journalists based in the national capital were asked by anchors on what kind of an announcement could be expected from the Prime Minister since the Model Code of Conduct was in force and country fully geared up for the Parliamentary elections. Quoting sources and practices followed during polls, journalists said since Modi's address was scheduled to be covered by national broadcaster Doordarashan as well, it will only be "official," sans anything to do with No key policy decisions should be expected out of it, the journalists informed and for about 30 minutes -since Modi made the announcement- the speculation did not die down. Simultaneously, social media went hyperactive with some speculating that the message could be a follow up to "India's war against cross border terror," and related to "national security." Some opined that no poll code could bar the Prime Minister from sharing information related to security with the people. Others recalled that the Prime Minister had announced note ban in 2016 during an address to the nation. While the expectations rent the air in the digital space, leaders including Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK chief M K Stalin were in the thick of electioneering in different parts of the state taking pot shots against each other. Modi in his address announced that India has demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI(M) Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in midst of the national polls. In the letter, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the scientists for developing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and said the fact that India had developed this capability was announced by then chief of the DRDO in 2012. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. "This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct," he added. echury sought to know if the Election Commission was informed of such an address to the nation by the prime minister. Did the Election Commission consider and permit such an address to the nation by the Prime Minister? I am sure that the entire country would like to know the special reasons why the Election Commission permitted the achievements of Indian scientists to be politically coloured during the course of the general elections," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday said she will contest the elections if her party asks her. However, she said her own wish is to work for the party's organisation. "If my party asks me to contest the polls, I will definitely do so. But my personal wish is to work for the party's organisation as a lot of work needs to be done," the Congress leader told reporters. She said, "I have told party workers that it is very important you campaign properly this election. You should go to each and every house, and tell people that this election is to save the nation. Not Rahul Gandhi, but the nation should win this election." Taking on UP Chief Minister's Yogi Adityanath's jibe that she visits temples only during elections, Priyanka Gandhi asked whether he knows anything about her. The Congress general secretary in-charge of the state's eastern districts kicked off second leg of her campaign on Wednesday with the visit to Amethi, her brother Rahul Gandhi's constituency, and is scheduled to reach Ayodhya, where the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is located, on Friday. When asked whether she will visit the makeshift temple which houses the idol of Lord Ram or "Ram Lalla (infant Ram)", Priyanka Gandhi said, "I haven't checked my schedule." In an oblique reference to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dig at the Congress' minimum income promise, she said her party preaches what it practices. "See the Congress had said that it will waive off the loans of farmers, and within 10 days of coming to power in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was done," Priyanka Gandhi said. Hitting back at BJP's criticism of previous Congress governments failing to remove property, she said, "Obviously all the problems have not been solved. Obviously some people are still poor. A large number of people are suffering. But there is a lot of work that has been done." She said the issues on which her party is fighting this elections are farm distress and lack of jobs. "I think the defining issue is that farmers are suffering. They have got no help from the government, they say that they do not get seeds and fertilisers on time. In some places, seeds are costing them more than their crop. They are in debt, and there is nobody to support them and nobody to help them," she said. "There is gross unemployment. Jobs were promised, they were not given. There are thousands of young people who are unemployed. I see them everywhere, I see them everywhere I go. When I ask have you got a job, they say 'no'," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that no government has performed as badly on employment as the NDA has. She also said that a number of issues have been politicised, which should not have been done. The Congress leader also congratulated DRDO scientists for successful testing of India's anti-satellite missile capabilities. "I am very very proud of DRDO, which is one of India's great institutions founded by Jawaharlal Nehru," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that it will file before April 1 the charge sheet against alleged lobbyist Deepak Talwar in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel was informed by ED's special public prosecutor D P Singh that Talwar was arrested on January 30, and the 60-day statutory period is about to end. An accused is entitled to statutory bail if the investigating agency fails to file a charge sheet within the mandatory period. The court was hearing a habeas corpus plea which claimed that his arrest and custody from January 30 onwards was illegal detention. He has alleged that his fundamental rights were violated by the authorities. The matter has been listed for April 4. A habeas corpus petition is a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or in court, especially to secure his release, unless lawful grounds are shown for his detention. The court refused to entertain Talwar's prayer challenging the Constitutional validity of various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including the agency's power to arrest and burden of proof. Central government's standing counsel Amit Mahajan informed the court that the challenge to sections 19 (power to arrest) and 24 (burden of proof) of the PMLA is pending consideration before the apex court. The bench said the Supreme Court is seized of various pleas challenging the same provisions of the PMLA and when the highest court of the land is hearing the matter, the high court cannot interfere with it. "Judicial propriety demands that this should refrain from hearing the issue so far as this prayer is concerned as it is pending before the Supreme Court," it said. Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhri, representing Talwar, said the apex court is seized of the issue but it does not preclude the high court from hearing it as there is no stay restraining the high court from hearing any such petition. To this, the bench said the top court has not specifically restrained the high court from hearing the matter but judicial propriety demands that it holds back from hearing the issue. The bench also granted liberty to Talwar to file regular bail application before the trial court during pendency of his petition in the high court and clarified that the trial court should decide the bail plea uninfluenced with the pending plea. The high court had earlier sought ED's response which said that persons involved in large-scale money laundering and serious financial frauds have made it a practice to challenge various provisions of the PMLA, including the agency's power to arrest. ED contended that a subterfuge was craftily designed by the "unscrupulous litigants" to bypass the exercise of filing a regular bail plea before the court concerned by directly seeking a habeas corpus writ or bail or anticipatory bail under the garb of challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the PMLA. It had alleged that Talwar, who was in judicial custody, acted as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines, causing loss to national carrier Air India. The ED had said Talwar was arrested by its competent officers under the PMLA and he was in custody pursuant to a valid remand order passed by a competent court, the jurisdiction of which was not in question, and that the habeas corpus writ was "not maintainable". Talwar has claimed in his plea that when he was in Dubai, a travel ban was imposed on him by a court there in a commercial dispute, due to which he could not return to India despite repeated requests. His counsel had earlier contended before the court that the government of India had "abducted" Talwar, adding that he was summoned to appear on February 4, but was picked up and not extradited. He has sought quashing of the FIR against him under the PMLA and also to declare some provisions of the Act as unconstitutional and in violation of fundamental rights. ED earlier told a trial court that it needed to interrogate Talwar to get the names of officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Aviation Company of India Ltd and Air India, who favoured foreign airlines, including the Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia. It claimed that entities directly or indirectly controlled by the accused received exorbitant amounts from the Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia and submitted a chart of total USD 60.54 million received by firms directly or indirectly owned by Talwar between April 23, 2008 and February 6, 2009. His role in some aviation deals during the previous Congress-led UPA regime is also under the scanner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The YSR Congress Wednesday said it would file a defamation case against National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah for alleging that Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy offered Rs 1,500 crore to the Congress if it made him Chief Minister of the then united Andhra Pradesh. Abdullah levelled this allegation while addressing an election campaign meeting in support of the ruling Telugu Desam Party at Kadapa on Tuesday. The National Conference leader alleged Jagan Mohan Reddy made the offer soon after the death of his father (former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy). "Jagan once came to my house when AP was united. I want to remind him that he told me he was ready to give Rs 1,500 crore if Congress made him the Chief Minister," Abdullah had claimed. Reacting to this, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that Abdullah levelled the charge as per the direction of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "What is Abdullahs connection with AP? He doesnt even belong to our neighbouring state. What does he know about AP issues.. Naidu brought Abdullah to Kadapa in a bid to garner Muslim votes. We are sending him a defamation notice for making baseless allegations against our leader Jagan," the YSRC general secretary said. Addressing an election meeting in Visakhapatnam district, Jagan Mohan Reddy said a leader was "imported" from Delhi to speak a few lines written for him by the "TDP school of manipulation and management." "That leader utters those words and flies off," the YSR Congress chief said, without taking names. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abdul Kadir Najmudin Sathak, an alleged aide of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, Wednesday denied that he helped the controversial televangelist with money laundering. Sathak, a jeweller, was arrested Friday under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA). He is accused of helping Naik by transferring "funds of dubious origin from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) to facilitate production and broadcasting of incriminating videos for spreading communal hatred and radicalisation of a particular community". In his bail plea before special PMLA judge M S Azmi, filed after he was sent in judicial custody, Sathak said there was nothing to show that he "acquired or dealt with any property" obtained through crime. He also claimed to be suffering from Myasthenia gravis a long-term neuromuscular disease. The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that Sathak sent about Rs 50 crore to Naik, which the latter illegally routed and laundered. Sathak was the director of Global Broadcasting Corporation FZE LLC that owned Naik's Peace TV channel, it said. The Central agency alleged that Global Broadcasting was "controlled" by Naik (who is stated to be in Malaysia now), through Sathak, his "trusted aide". Naik has been under investigation since 2016, when the Centre banned his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) for five years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a decommissioned Indian satellite, Prime Minister on Wednesday announced in an address to the nation, describing it as an achievement that puts the country in the exclusive club of space powers. After the test, has become the fourth country in the world after the US, and to acquire the capability to destroy enemy PM Modi also called up the entire team of scientists that worked on the ASAT programme to congratulate them for their hard work. are used by a country's military forces for communication, reconnaissance, intelligence, navigation, and, crucially, early-warning against incoming attacks. These capabilities allow a state to have a better understanding of the battlespace. A country that can destroy could leave its enemy effectively blind. However, such weapons are rare and require very high technical expertise. To know more about ASAT weapons and the significance of testing one, do listen to this podcast. A Delhi court has summoned as accused 11 top officials of the Punjab National Bank (PNB), including former and current executive officials and the current managing director, for alleged violation of banking regulations and criminal conspiracy. Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh asked PNB Managing Director (MD) and CEO Sunil Mehta, Executive Director Sanjiv Sharan, former MD Usha Ananthasubramanian, former executive director R S Sangapure and seven others to appear before it on May 24 on the basis of a complaint filed by the Reserve Bank of India. The court has also summoned as accused serving General Manager I J Arora, Assistant General Managers T R Venkateswaran and I P Singh, Chief Manager S K Srivastava, former general managers Nehal Ahad and Rakesh Kumar and former deputy general manager Sunil Mohan. Also Read: RBI imposes Rs 2 crore fine on PNB for flouting SWIFT rules In its complaint, the RBI has alleged non-compliance of its 2016 order directing commercial banks, including the PNB, to integrate their core banking system with various critical applications to reduce online fraud. The central bank alleged that the accused willfully and deliberately gave false information in their compliance report and the PNB's core banking system was not integrated with the applications and there was no online integration of SWIFT with the RBI's Core Banking Solution (CBS). SWIFT is a messaging system that enables banks and financial institutions to send and receive information about financial transactions through encrypted codes. The RBI has further alleged that the accused willfully and deliberately made false statements in the compliance report despite being aware of the risks and repercussions of failing to integrate SWIFT with the CBS. Also Read: PNB fraud case: Nirav Modi may get arrested in UK, but he will be out on bail just like Vijay Mallya The RBI, in its circular issued to all commercial banks, including the PNB, had advised the banks to strengthen the controls around the operating environment for fund transfers through SWIFT or similar interfaces and banks were advised to minimise the practice of direct creation of payment messages in the SWIFT environment with routing the same through CBS. The RBI claimed that the case came to light during systems inspection at the PNB's Brady House Branch in Mumbai, where it was found that the information provided by the officials in the last few years were completely false. Also Read: Nirav Modi arrested in London: PNB scam accused denied bail by Westminster Court "The accused have willfully made false statement in utter disregard to their statutory obligation of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949." RBI alleged. "Accused have deliberately furnished false and misleading statements to RBI and it was done with common intention and in connivance with each other," it added. Actor Urmila Matondkar Wednesday joined the Congress after meeting party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. Urmila Matondkar joins Congress in presence of party President Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/7xOcwsSBn1 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 The Bollywood actor is speculated to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency. Matondkar said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. She said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. "Today is a significant day for me as I have formally entered politics. My life has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi from the days of my childhood," she also said. Matondkar also lauded the leadership of Gandhi. She said he is the one who takes everyone along and such a leader is required in today's times. Surjewala said the actor met Gandhi and expressed her solidarity in the Congress ideals and principles. "She has been an inspiration for the youth on how with your hard work, commitment and talent, she has won the hearts of many and achieved a lot," Surjewala said. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Milind Deora and his predecessor Sanjay Nirupam were also present during her joining and both welcomed her into the party fold. Hours after India successfully tested an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile against a live satellite in low-Earth orbit, its neighbours Pakistan and China reacted to India's successful space mission. In a written statement to a question on India successfully test-firing an anti-satellite missile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space". China expressed hope that all countries "can earnestly protect lasting peace and tranquillity in space". Meanwhile, India's arch-rival Pakistan has reportedly said space is the "common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena". The neighbouring nation appealed to the international community to condemn India's action and strengthen international laws regarding the militarisation of space. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," India Today quoted a Pakistan government spokesperson as saying. Also Read: What is ASAT and how can it be used in war? Pakistan has been a strong supporter of prevention of arms race in outer space, the spokesperson reiterated. "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena," he added. The United States and Russia are yet to make any comment. After successfully completing the operation, India has become the fourth country to have tested an anti-satellite weapon after the United States, Russia and China. China conducted an ASAT in January 2007 that was capable of shooting down satellites at an altitude of over 800 kilometres in the lower earth orbit (LEO). US was the first country to acquire the ASAT technology in 1958 which was followed by USSR in 1964. Also Read: Thank God, it's not demonetisation! Twitterati breathe sigh of relief after PM Modi's announcement Calling it "Mission Shakti", the Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the country's first test of such technology as a major breakthrough, saying that it was an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar PM Narendra Modi will begin his campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections from tomorrow. He will hold his first event in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP leader Ram Madhav said. Earlier today, PM Modi announced that India has successfully tested its Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile under Mission Shakti. Following this, BJP and Congress have been blaming each other out of trying to usurp the credit for the project. In a tweet today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi praised DRDO for successfully testing its A-SAT missile and mocked PM Modi in the same tweet. Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the project to develop A-SAT missile began during the UPA regime. Shortly after, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held a press conference to denounce the claims made by Congress. He referred to media reports which claimed that the scientists were denied permission during the UPA regime to go ahead with the project. ALSO READ: LIVE updates: India has shot down a low earth orbit satellite; now a space superpower, says PM Modi Meanwhile, Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar has joined Congress ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections today. For more details from India's political arena, follow BusinessToday.In LIVE blog: 08:55 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) MP AP Jithender Reddy joins BJP. Delhi: Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) MP AP Jithender Reddy joins BJP in presence of BJP President Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/uAlFkfJO6j ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 08:41 pm: The Election Commission of India has said that the matter related to Prime Minister's address to the nation today afternoon has been brought to its notice. The ECI has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct. Election Commission: Matter related to address of the Prime Minister to the Nation on electronic media today afternoon has been brought to the notice of ECI.The Commission has directed a Committee of Officers to examine the matter immediately in the light of Model Code of Conduct ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 07:40 pm: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has said that she will definitely contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections if the party asks her. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on being asked if she will contest in #LokSabhaElections2019: I've not decided yet; If my party asks me to contest, I will definitely contest. My wish is to work for the party. pic.twitter.com/r7oQlLa1qN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2019 06:56 pm: Biju Janata Dal has released another list of nine candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Odisha: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) releases another list of candidates for #LokSabhaElection2019; Pinaki Mishra to contest from Puri parliamentary constituency. pic.twitter.com/6sz8yMK4Ye ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 06:30 pm: The CPI (Marxist) has written to the Election Commission of India over PM Modi's address to the nation on Mission Shakti ASAT missile programme. In its letter, the party has said that the Prime Minister's announcement is in violation of the model code of conduct imposed in view of the Lok Sabha election, as he is a candidate himself. 06:18 pm: BSP chief Mayawati has criticised Congress' minimum income guarantee scheme NYAY, calling it a bluff. She also took a dig at the BJP, saying that the ruling party does not have exclusive rights to polls bluffs and promises. 06:14 pm: The All India Trinamool Congress has launched its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party has promised an investigation in demonetisation and revival of the Planning Commission if the party comes back to power. 05:53 pm: The Bombay High Court will hear the plea againt the release of PM Narendra Modi's biopic on March 29. Bombay High Court to hear plea against the release of the film 'PM Narendra Modi' on 29 March 2019. pic.twitter.com/4eyQFZl59z ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 05:50 pm: The Election Commission has issued orders to remove pictures of PM Narendra Modi from railway tickets. 04:55 pm: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said that she will approach the Election Commission over the politicisation of ASAT test firing. She said that the success of the programme is to the credit of the scientists and its their prerogative to announce it. WB CM on #MissionShakti: It's a political announcement, scientists should have announced it, it's their credit. Only one satellite was destroyed, that wasn't necessary, it was lying there since long, it's the prerogative of scientists, when to do it. We will complain to the EC. pic.twitter.com/4WKRXivX1y ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:49 pm: BJP president Amit Shah responded to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over this 'World Theatre Day' remark targeting PM Narendra Modi. Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers - drama Success of scientists - drama Masquerading as leaders, all that The Dynasty has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. https://t.co/vXYFLWO7MN Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 04:45 pm: Congess party will increase the representation of OBCs and will more chances to people from the community to become MPs and MLAs, party chief Rahul Gandhi said during a national convention of AICC OBC wing. 04:42 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked what was the need for PM Narendra Modi to take credit for Mission Shakti ASAT programme when model code of conduct is place before 2019 Lok Sabha elections. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee on #MissionShakti: What was the need for Modi at the time of election to violate the model code of conduct to take the credit? Does he work there? Is he going to space? pic.twitter.com/WIy9iPglRk ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:36 pm: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman raised questions on the news portal which Congress approached to publish its sting operation. Sitharaman said this was the same website which had telecasted Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM live back in January. Accusing the Congress of conspiring to defame BJP, the Defence Minister said that BJP is taking legal advice to take the individuals and institutions involved in such activities to court. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: I would like to state here, BJP is taking legal advice. We're taking every possible advice so that institutions & individuals who are part of this conspiracy to defame BJP, we will take them to the court. We will take action on them legally pic.twitter.com/eTzA0bWzA1 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 04:00 pm: PM Narendra Modi will kick off the political campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections from tomorrow. He will visit Jammu and Kashmir on the first day of his campaign. 03:30 pm: The Election Commission of India has issued a notice to the makers of PM Narendra Modi's biopic. 03:15 pm: BJP fields Giriraj Singh from Begusarai. Announcing the development, BJP president Amit Shah said that the party will solve all the issues he has reported. Amit Shah: Shri Giriraj Singh will contest Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai. Party organization will solve all the issues he told me about. I wish him for the elections. (file pics) pic.twitter.com/6quGUFxfZe ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:58 pm: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley denounced claims by Congress that the A-SAT programme began under the UPA government. He said that the programme was initiated in 2014 after getting the approval of PM Narendra Modi. FM Arun Jaitley on #MissionShakti: The process started in 2014 after the PM gave the permission, it's a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars. pic.twitter.com/gEWdpVXWuz ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:58 pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the DRDO on the success of Mission Shakti and mocked PM Modi in the same tweet. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 02:40 pm: Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the A-SAT programme began during the UPA regime. Ahmed Patel,Congress: The UPA government had initiated the #ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. #MissionShakti (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mEo2XU8yTd ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 02:30 pm: Urmila Matondkar was inducted into Congress by party chief Rahul Gandhi. India's financial capital Mumbai pipped other cities to become the most car-congested city in India as the density of private cars soared by 18 per cent in just two years. With 510 cars per km, the car density in the city is almost five times that of Delhi, which has 108 cars per km, the Time of India reported. The reason for Mumbai's high car density can be attributed to lack of road space with just 2,000 km of roads as compared with 28,999 km in Delhi, although the city's private car population is less than a third of Delhi's. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi promises Rs 72,000 per annum to India's poorest if Congress wins Lok Sabha elections The other cities that followed suit are Pune at the second spot with 359 cars per km, Kolkata at third position with 319 cars per km, Chennai with 297 cars per km and Bangaluru a distant last with 149 cars per km, according to the statistics from the respective state transport departments. The data from Maharashtra transport department shows that the enormous vehicle population and low road space in Mumbai often to huge traffic jams, pollution and unauthorised parking on roads. "Mumbai has been bursting at the seams past few years, and if there is no control over the purchase or mobility of private cars across the city, commuting by road will be a nightmare." Ashok Datar. Transport expert told the news daily. Also Read: Indian Air Force inducts four Chinooks: All you need to know about the heavy-lift choppers The car density in Mumbai was 430 cars per km in mid-2016 going up to 510 currently, as per Maharashtra transport ministry data. This has led to an increase in the total number of registered private cars to 10.2 lakh on city roads, which is roughly 28 per cent of the total vehicular population in the city at 36 lakh, officials told the news daily. The rise in the number of private cars in Mumbai has alarmed the transport officials, as they feel it is an "impediment" for the growth of public transport in the city. They also fear that this increase will lead to a lot of parking issues. Also Read: L&T Chairman AM Naik denies hostile takeover of Mindtree; says open to negotiations Transport commissioners, in the past, have suggested a lot of ways to control the growth in the car population in Mumbai which includes dissuading citizens from driving personal vehicles. However, an official said that the government is now focusing on setting up several Metro rail corridors to ensure a smooth commute in near future and encourage mass public transport. Also Read: Delhivery joins the unicorn club with Softbank-led $413 million funding The costliest artwork from the collection of fugitive diamaintaire Nirav Modi - a painting by Raja Ravi Varma - has been sold at an auction for Rs 14 crore in Mumbai. The painting was auctioned by the Income Tax Department, after a special court in Mumbai permitted them to put the paintings under the hammer. The deposits collected would be produced in court. Nirav Modi was arrested by the Scotland Yard last week and was produced before a court in London, which had rejected his bail plea. He will remain in custody till March 29, 2019. The colourful painting which was auctioned on Tuesday, depicts the welcoming party at Trivandrum, capital of Travancore (princely southern state) for the 3rd Duke of Buckingham, Richard Temple-Grenville and Chandos, Governor General of Madras (1875-1880). He is seen being received by Visakham Tirunal, the younger brother of the then Maharaja of Travancore and is accompanied by his aide-de-camp and British army officers. The Maharaja, Ayilayam Tirunal, stands behind him. The building behind them bears the conch shell, symbolic of the state of Travancore and a welcoming message for the Duke, as well. The live auction included artworks of VS Gaitonde and Akbar Padamsee besides the works of Raja Ravi Varma. This particular painting by Varma, was expected to fetch between Rs 12-18 crore, quoted The Times of India. Ravi Varma was born into an aristocratic family in Kerala and he was undoubtedly the most famous native Indian artist. Despite his noble background, he had carved his own path and was aided by the Maharaja, Ayilayam Tirunal, who was cultured and less conservative than his predecessors, as per the information on Saffron art website. (Edited by: Nehal Solanki) Also read: Nirav Modi extradition: CBI team likely to leave for London Also read: Income Tax dept raises Rs 54.84 crore from sale of Nirav Modi's paintings Rahul Gandhi who had said that the Congress party consulted economists and experts before finalising the NYAY scheme said that former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan was one of the people they had consulted. At an event in Jaipur, Gandhi said, "We consulted all big economists, without telling anyone without giving any speech. We were engaged in this work for six months. Take the list of all big economists of the world, we consulted them... Raghuram Rajan." On Monday, the Congress president announced a minimum income guarantee scheme under which 20% of the poorest families would be eligible for Rs 72,000 from the government every year if they come to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. As per the scheme, the money will be deposited in the accounts of the women of the households. According to Gandhi, the scheme will benefit 5 crore households, taking the additional annual expenditure to Rs 3.6 lakh crore. However, Raghuram Rajan endorses the NYAY scheme but is sceptical of the funding. Rajan told BusinessToday.In last evening that there is no space in the country to handle Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy. "At this point if you ask me, given the way we are, can we add Rs 7 lakh crore, the answer is no. That is really what any sensible government, post election, will have to think about. How do I... make whatever (parties) promised, happen, but within the context of what space is available, and how do I actually improve delivery," Rajan said. Also read: Raghuram Rajan endorses NYAY but sceptical of funding, says no space for Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy The Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy Rajan mentioned is factoring in the subsidy outlay of Rs 3.34 lakh for existing schemes for 2019-20. On top of that an additional potential outlay of Rs 3.6 lakh crore for NYAY will increase the subsidy burden to Rs 6.94 lakh. The NYAY scheme alone would be 1.92% of India's GDP if implemented. Even so, during the press conference where Gandhi made the announcement, he said that the scheme is fiscally possible. "After doing all the calculations several times, we have found that this scheme is fiscally possible." He added that the scheme would be implemented in phases, adding that the party would remove poverty from the country if it came to power. His sister Priyanka Gandhi also took to Twitter yesterday to laud the scheme that is going to help women and hand them a sizeable income. "So happy that under the NYAY scheme, women will be the ones who receive the annual amount of Rs. 72,000 directly into their accounts. Empower a woman, empower a family," she said. Also read: Priyanka Gandhi lauds Rahul Gandhi for keeping women at the heart of minimum income scheme Two days after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi announced the ambitious NYAY scheme, which will be a part of the party's Lok Sabha election manifesto, senior leader P Chidambaram took on doubters and naysayers at his press conference today. According to the former finance minister, the minimum income support scheme - which will give 20% families in poorest of the poor category Rs 72,000 each annually, benefiting around 25 crore people - will be "rolled out in phases". Also Read: Raghuram Rajan endorses NYAY but sceptical of funding, says no space for Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy Chidambaram added that the scheme has to be tested in the field first. "An expert committee will be set up for its implementation and it will design the scheme at every stage and "we will consult the committee before we move to the next stage," he explained. In addition, he claimed that "enough" economists and experts had been consulted on the topic beforehand, including former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, and they all broadly agreed that India has the capacity to implement this scheme. However, while Rajan said that the scheme can "revolutionise things" if implemented properly, he is sceptical of the funding. He, in fact, told BusinessToday.In that there is no space in the country to handle Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy. "At this point if you ask me, given the way we are, can we add Rs 7 lakh crore, the answer is no. That is really what any sensible government, post-election, will have to think about. How do I... make whatever (parties) promised, happen, but within the context of what space is available, and how do I actually improve delivery," Rajan said. The Rs 7 lakh crore subsidy he mentioned factors in the subsidy outlay of Rs 3.34 lakh for existing schemes in 2019-20. The additional potential outlay of Rs 3.6 lakh crore for NYAY will increase the subsidy burden to Rs 6.94 lakh. Nonetheless, Chidambaram is confident that the NYAY scheme will cost 1.8% of the GDP at any given time, and as per the party's calculations, it "will not cross 2% of the GDP". He also believes that there is enough data to identify the five crore beneficiary families. "When the 100 days employment scheme (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) was implemented in 2009, BJP leader Arun Jaitley had said it was not possible to implement the scheme. Jaitley, however, forgot to say that doubling income for the farmers was not possible when Modi announced it," Chidambaram said, taking a pot-shot at the ruling regime. He acknowledged that there were challenges involved in implementing the scheme, and said that the Congress was aware of them, but would overcome them. "We will insist that every family should open an account in the name of the woman in the family and the money will be transferred to her account," he said. "Poverty eradication should be accepted as an 'aram' [meaning dharma in Tamil], it is dharma, it is a moral duty of every government in the 21st century." On criticism that has been levelled at the scheme, Chidambaram pointedly stated that he did not wish to reply to anyone who criticises a programme intended to wipe out poverty and that the Congress Party, which had taken several measures to root out poverty, cannot be blamed for not eradicating it. "MNREGA eradicated hunger, income scheme will root out poverty," he stated. According to him, without a minimum income support scheme, poverty will not end. "Like the Minimum Wages Act which stipulates minimum wages, every family should have a minimum income and the government cannot provide the entire income and that was why the scheme is called the "Minimum Income Support Scheme," he said. But he does not want any comparisons with the Modi government's recent Kisan Samman Scheme. "Don't compare Kisan Samman Scheme with this [NYAY] scheme and trivialise our scheme," he said, alleging that the BJP rolled out the farmers plan "for elections". Else, why did the BJP-led NDA not implement it in "full five budgets", instead of rolling it out at the fag end of its tenure, he posed. Chidambaram reportedly also dismissed notions that most existing subsidies would be scrapped to pave way for NYAY. He explained that subsidies with specific socio-economic objectives will not be withdrawn. He also indicated that the Congress manifesto is likely to be released on April 2. With PTI inputs Read More: NYAY scheme: Rahul Gandhi names Raghuram Rajan among economists consulted; former RBI governor sceptical about funding Who are the people behind Rahul Gandhi's NYAY? The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the nation at 11:45am today. The Prime Minister said his address to the nation could be heard on radio, watched on television and social media. In a tweet, the PM said, "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media. Follow the BusinessToday.In LIVE blog for updates: 3:00pm: Simulation of the ASAT. #WATCH Simulation of the #ASAT BMD interceptor missile (video courtesy: Defence sources) #MissionShakti pic.twitter.com/U5Bot6tFx3 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 2:59pm: A deterrent of this sort should be known to all persons concerned, and there is no person better than the PM of a nation to declare such a deterrent, Jaitley said regarding criticism over PM Modi announcing successful testing of A-SAT missile in an address to the nation. 2:55pm: After making a mistake over Balakot and Pulwama, this is another chance for the opposition to stand in solidarity with the country and our scientists, Jaitley said. 2:52pm: Aurn Jaitley reiterated that India does not intend to target any country with this technology. This will help us maintain peace in the region, he further said. 2:50pm: The technology is completely indigenous, Arun Jaitley said. 2:48pm: The work on A-SAT missile had not begun under UPA government. Our scientists had the desire and the capability to develop anti-satellite missile since long, but they were not given clearance from the erstwhile Indian government, Jaitley said. All the work under this project has been done after 2014 after PM Modi gave permission, he further added. FM Arun Jaitley on #MissionShakti: The process started in 2014 after the PM gave the permission, it's a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars. pic.twitter.com/gEWdpVXWuz ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 2:44pm: Arun Jaitley is addressing a press conference after the testing of A-SAT missile, turning down claims by Congress leaders that the work on the technology began during the UPA's regime. 2:37pm: Congress had initiated the ASAT programme, which has reached fruition today, Congress leader Ahmed Patel said. Ahmed Patel,Congress: The UPA government had initiated the #ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh. #MissionShakti (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mEo2XU8yTd ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 2:30pm: President Ram Nath Kovind congratulated the team behind Mission Shakti over the successful testing of Anti-Satellite Missile, and called it a watershed moment in the history of India. Testing of the Anti-Satellite Missile demonstrates India's scientific prowess and commitment to harnessing space technology for the security and empowerment of our people, the President of India said in a tweet. #MissionShakti represents a watershed moment for India. Testing of the Anti-Satellite Missile demonstrates India's scientific prowess and commitment to harnessing space technology for the security and empowerment of our people. My congratulations to all concerned #PresidentKovind President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 27, 2019 2:26pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated DRDO on successfully testing the Anti-Satellite Missile in a tweet, and mocked PM Modi in the same post. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 2:10pm: Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat on ASAT: If today you want to have the deterrence capability in case adversaries, that means nation across the world, want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them. 2:00pm: Amit Shah thanks PM Modi for Mission Shakti. It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts. - Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 1:55pm: Smriti Irani calls it a defining moment for the nation. A defining moment for our Nation!#MissionShakti is a hallmark of our scientific aptitude & commitment to national security. Congratulations to PM @narendramodi ji, our scientists & citizens as India joins the power league of Nations having Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. - Chowkidar Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 27, 2019 1:53pm: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also joins in to congratulate ISRO and PMO. Bahut Badhai @isro, Bahut Badhai @PMOIndia, Aaj Antariksh me Desh ne Ek Bahut Badi, Bemisaal Kaamyaabi Hasil Kii Hai. Desh kii Antariksh Karyakram Kii Safalta Hai, Sabkii Mehnat Hai Ye. https://t.co/eAaOv6vU54 - Sumitra Mahajan (@S_MahajanLS) March 27, 2019 1:49pm: As per government sources, the satellite which was hit today was a micro satellite launched by the ISRO on January 24 this year, mentions a report in ANI. 1:45pm: Congress said: ISRO set up in 1958 under Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first government agency to begin defence research and development. It has played a pivotal role in equipping our defence forces with the latest technological developments. In April 1975, the country waited with bated breath as ISRO launched its first satellite - Aryabhata - and thus began our journey into the final frontier. 1:40pm: Congress congratulated the DRDO scientists, government and ISRO for the success. We congratulate @isro @DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1962 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud through its achievements. - Congress (@INCIndia) March 27, 2019 1:35pm: "We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy," said DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy. 1:30pm: "It's another historic day for every Indian to be proud of. My heartiest congratulations to the scientists at DRDO for making us a part of the distinguished league of space powers," said Gautam Adani. 1:26pm: MEA on A-SAT: Test isn't directed against any country. India's space capabilities don't threaten any country nor are they directed against anyone. At the same time, government is committed to ensuring country's national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies. The capability achieved through the anti-satellite missile test provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles. 1:23pm: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Mission Shakti: It's a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister. 1:21pm: Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes to Twitter to congratulate the DRDO scientists and PM Modi. Under the able leadership of PM @narendramodi, team @DRDO_India has achieved a remarkable & historic feat. I am feeling proud that #MissionShakti has been successfully conducted making India, the only 4th nation with capability to destroy low orbit satellite using A-SAT missile. - Chowkidar Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) March 27, 2019 1:18pm: "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," said Congress MP Ahmed Patel. 1:15pm: The Defence Minister has also congratulated the DRDO scientists. 1:10pm: Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu also congratulated the scientists. Compliment our Scientists on their successful launch of anti-satellite missile. We, as a nation, are proud of our Scientists. #MissionShakti #ASAT - VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) March 27, 2019 1:07pm: Akhilesh Yadav criticises the PM for diverting attention from unemployement and rural crisis. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground - #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity - by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro - this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. - Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019 1:05pm: "The successful execution of MissionShakti is a proud, powerful, historical moment for us. Under the visionary leadership of PM Modi ji, today we have become a formidable space power with proven Anti-Satellite Missile capability Many congrats DRDO and all Indians!," said Rajyavardhan Rathore. 1:04pm: Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat, speaking about anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, "This is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities." 1:02pm: Suresh Prabhu congratulates DRDO scientists for this feat. Massive Space Leap for India. Kudos to #DRDO scientists for this huge technological advancement. Arrival of #India as #Space Super Power... India only 4th Country after #US, #Russia and #China to acquire anti-satellite missile capability. #MissionShakti https://t.co/CSieCB1JxO - Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) March 27, 2019 1:00pm: "India's successful 'kill' with an ASAT weapon is significant," says author Brahma Chellaney. Space wars are not just Hollywood fiction. The US, Russia and China continue to pursue anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, India's successful "kill" with an ASAT weapon is significant. - Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) March 27, 2019 12:57pm: Former diplomat KC Singh asks if BJP is so desperate to change narrative from economic issues. So nation put on tenterhooks by PM for this? Is BJP that desperate to change narrative from economic issues. India has had this capability. Q is should we be doing it at this stage. India has been in the lead to stop proliferation of arms race in outer space. https://t.co/QuQQAb72TA - K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) March 27, 2019 12:50pm: The technology to develop ASAT missile was available since 2012 but no sanction was given. Last test was by China, which invited worldwide condemnation. 12:48pm: "Congratulations to all the scientists for carrying out Mission Shakti successfully. India is moving fast towards becoming a world leader, and under PM Modi's leadership, it is on its way to not only become a 'super economic power', but also a 'super science power'," said Nitin Gadkari. 12:45pm: ASAT missile will give new strength to India's space programme. I assure international community that our capability won't be used against anyone but is purely India's defence initiative for its security. We're against arms raised in space. This test won't breach any international law or treaties: PM Modi. 12:43pm: MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony: PM Modi tweeted. 12:42pm: "MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of India's outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme," the PM tweeted. 12:41pm: "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of MissionShakti," tweeted PM Modi. 12:40pm: "Till now, 3 countries of the world- America, Russia, & China had this achievement. India is the 4th country to have achieved this feat," says PM Modi. 12:38pm: After successfully completing the operation, India has become an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, PM Modi said. 12:37pm: PM Modi: 'Mission Shakti' is an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement. 12:35pm: Nitin Gadkari congratulates the Modi government for the feat. 12:33pm: Today's feat does not violate any international law or deal; a strong India is needed for the peace and security of this region: PM Modi. 12:30pm: Within 3 minutes, India destroyed a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite 300 km away through an Anti-Satellite Missile; it needed very precise expertise of technology : PM Modi. 12:28pm: "Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc," he says. 12:26pm: 'Mission Shakti' operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch: PM Modi 12:25pm: India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit: PM Modi. 12:21pm: Address begins. 12:18pm: PM Narendra Modi's address to the nation to begin in approximately 8 minutes: ANI 12:15pm: The address comes a month after the Balakot strike. 12:11pm: The address is likely to be about the nation's security, sources told India Today. 12:09pm: The address has come after a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meet on Wednesday morning in Delhi. 12:07pm: Omar Abdullah joins in on the speculation. He's declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying - Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 27, 2019 12:02pm: PM Modi has not started the address, even though he tweeted he would start by 12:00pm. 11:46am: The Prime Minister announced demonetisation in a similar surprise message. Social media is abuzz with discussions on what this message could be. 11:44am: The Prime Minister tweeted about the address. The share price of GMR Infrastructure Ltd. (GIL) rose to its high at Rs 21.25 on Wednesday's early trading session after the company informed about proposed investment by Tata Group in its airports business. Against the previous close of Rs. 19.45, the share opened to the intraday high of Rs. 21.25. At 11:15 am, GMR Infra stock traded at Rs 20.15, a 3.34 per cent hike against the previous close at a volume of 43 lakh and 805 lakh in BSE and NSE. As per the binding term sheet with the investor signed by GIL, the Tata Group-led consortium has agreed to invest Rs. 8,000 cr in GMR Airports Limited (GAL). Also read: Tata Group forays into airport business; invests Rs 8,000 crore in GMR Airports with 2 others The investors' consortium-- Tata Group company, GIC Private Limited, formerly known as Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and SSG Capital Management--have agreed for an equity infusion of Rs 1,000 cr in GMR Airports Ltd. while Rs 7,000 cr will be used towards purchase of its equity shares from the listed entity as well as its subsidiary. The company, through its media release also highlighted the significance of this development through multiple benefits: : Significant deleveraging at GIL. : Investment by marquee investors for creating a world-class portfolio of Airport assets. : Paves the way for the restructuring of the business by way of a demerger. The global infrastructure conglomerate will retain management control over the airports business with the investors having customary rights and board representation at GAL and its key subsidiaries, as per the statement filed. The release added GMR Infra also plans to de-merge its airports business into a separate entity from its energy, highways, urban infrastructure and transportation businesses. The 40 per cent stake in all GMR airports-that contributes 60 percent of GMR Infra 's revenue- is distributed between the investor --Tata Group, GIC, and SSG by 20 per cent, 15 per cent, and 10 per cent stake, respectively. "The proposed investment...will reduce our debt substantially, strengthening our balance sheet," its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Grandhi Kiran Kumar said. GMR Infra share has been gaining for the last 2 days and has risen 16.08 per cent in the period. In one week, the stock price has significantly escalated over 16.72 per cent against the sector that is 1.21 per cent during the period. Likewise, today the GMR share has outperformed the sector by 1 per cent (sector 0.50 per cent). GMR Infra share has delivered returns of 17 per cent yearly, 14 per cent half-yearly and 21 per cent monthly on both BSE and NSE. It already trades above 30, 50, 150 and 200-day moving average. (Edited by Rupa Burman Roy) Also Read: Share Market Live: Sensex trading 120 points higher, Nifty at 11,508; Jet Airways, YES Bank gain 4% Also Read: Adani becomes first Indian port operator to record 200 million tonnes cargo movement in 2018-19 The Sensex and Nifty closed lower today with traders booking profit primarily in banking and auto stocks. While the Sensex fell 100 points to 38,132 level, the Nifty lost 38 points to 11,445. YES Bank (5.62%), IndusInd Bank (5.27%) and SBI (1.57%) were the top Sensex gainers. Top Sensex losers were NTPC (2.25%), Tata Motors (1.85%) and Bharti Airtel (1.49%). Jet Airways shares rise 5% after airline plans to fly 40 more aircraft Of 30 Sensex stocks, 20 closed in the red. Bank Nifty which hit all-time high of 30,262 in early trade pared gains to close 137 points higher at 30,019. BSE bankex too pared gains to end 233 points higher at 33,674 after hitting an all time high of 33,934 level in early trade. Market breadth was negative with 1203 stocks ending in the green compared to 1549 closing lower on BSE. Defence stocks jump as PM Modi announces success of 'Mission Shakti', HAL zooms 7% On Tuesday, the Sensex and Nifty extended morning session gains to close 424 points higher at 38,233 and 129 points higher at 11,483, respectively. Here's a look at live updates for the Indian share market today. 4:30 pm: Sahaj Agrawal, head of research at Kotak Securities said,"Nifty is trading with significant gains for the March series and is expected to hold on to the same. Banking space has outperformed with a significant margin while auto and metals have underperformed in the recent past. We continue to maintain a positive bias for the broader markets with bouts of correction to be used for accumulation. In the near term, support on the downside is seen at 11,200 levels while targets are seen at 11,800/12,200." 4:15 pm: Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical and Derivative Analyst at HDFC securities said, "After showing a fine upside bounce in the last session, the Nifty shifted into consolidation today and closed the day lower. A negative candle was formed today, which has slightly overlapped the bull candle of Tuesday. Technically, this pattern is signalling a choppy trend or minor profit booking at the highs. The near term uptrend status of Nifty remains intact. We may observe a range bound action or minor weakness in the next 1-2 sessions, before showing further upside." 3:30 pm: Sensex, Nifty reverse morning gains, close lower. While the Sensex fell 100 points to 38,132 level, the Nifty lost 38 points to 11,445. 3:21 pm: Hero MotoCorp hits fresh 52-week low of 2,538 on BSE. 3:20 pm: Global rating agency Moody's has confirmed Baa3 ratings and retained stable outlook of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and REC Ltd on expectation the deal between the two companies will conclude soon. Last week, state-owned PFC had said it would acquire the entire 52.63 percent shares of the government in REC for Rs 14,500 crore by the month-end. 3:16 pm: Sensex, Nifty look set for negative close this trading session. 3:12 pm: Sensex trading 69 points lower to 38,163, Nifty down 30 points to 11,449. 2:30 pm: Inox Leisure share price rises 14% or 40 points to 334 level on BSE. 2:18 pm: On sectoral basis, BSE oil and gas index lost 107 points to 15,059 in trade today. HPCL was the top loser falling 2.71% to 269.20 level. 2:17 pm: BSE bankex rises 204 points to 33,645. The index hit an all-time high of 33,934 in early trade today. 2:14 pm: Bank Nifty pares gains, trades 173 points higher at 30,055. The index hit an all-time high of 30,262 in early trade. 2:00 pm: Midcap and small cap indices rise 98 and 36 points, respectively to trade at 15,178 and 14,720. 1:52 pm: While the Sensex fell 80 points to 38,152 level, the Nifty lost 43 points to 11,439. 1:41 pm: Losses in Reliance Industries, HDFC, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Sun Pharma weigh on the broader index in afternoon session. 1:40 pm: Bears attempt recovery as benchmark indices plunge in the red. 1:35 pm: Market breadth turns negative as 1154 stocks rise compared to 1430 trading in the red. 12:50 pm: Dhananjay Sinha, head-Institutional Research, Economist and Strategy at Emkay Global Financial Services said, "A higher probability of the current party coming back to power is something the market wants to play. The idea is that the rebound that we saw in 2014 (after Modi was elected) would replay. We'll have to see whether the same story can play with effectiveness." 12:32 pm: Sensex rises marginally as PM Modi speaks about Mission Shakti which was accomplished in three minutes. Sensex up 152 points to 38,385 and Nifty rises 43 points to 11527. 12:30 pm: India has become the fourth nation to achieve this feat. The other three nations are China, US and Russia. Mission Shakti places India as a strong nation in space warfare. 12:29 pm: India has successfully destroyed a low orbit satellite, says Modi. 12:28 pm: PM Modi says India has shot down a live satellite in space. Modi says Mission Shakti has been successfully accomplished with launch of anti satellite missile. 12:25 PM: Modi says India has shot down a live satellite in space. 12:24 PM: PM Narendra Modi says India has registered itself as a space power. 12:20 PM: Gains in IndusInd Bank, YES Bank, SBI, ITC, and Axis Bank boost the broader index in midday trade. 12:15 PM: 44 shares hit 52-week highs and 103 fell to their 52-week lows on BSE. 12:13 pm: Shares of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company rallied 9 per cent to Rs 348 on the BSE after the promoter's share sale programme received good response from non-retail investors. The offer for sale (OFS) of ICICI Prudential saw subscription of 3.9 times. Investors placed bids for 210 million shares against 53.26 million shares on offer. Prudential Corporation Holdings is selling up to 3.71 per cent stake in ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co to raise nearly Rs 1,600 crore. The offer for sale of shares by the promoter began on Tuesday. The floor price for the sale has been fixed at Rs 300 apiece. The sale offer was open for non-retail investors on March 26 and closed on the same day. Retail investors can participate in the OFS today. 11:40 am: Sensex trades 120 points higher with 20 components in the green in morning session. 11:25 am: Mindtree share price falls 4.16% intra day to 911 after the company cancelled the share buyback plan to thwart open offer from L&T and formed a panel of independent directors to look into "unsolicited open offer" by infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro to give its recommendations. 11:19 AM: Spurred by rise in banking stocks, BSE Bankex hits fresh 52-week high of 33,856. The index has gained 11.43% since the beginning of this year. 11:15 am: Sensex heavyweight Reliance Industries share price trading 0.23% higher at 1370 level on BSE. 11:00 am: United Breweries (Rs 1019.62 crore), YES Bank (Rs 66.59 crore), Natco Pharma (Rs 50.65 crore) top volume gainers on BSE. 10: 45 am: Alembic Pharmaceuticals share price rises over 1% to 535.10 after the company said it has received US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) Approval for Tadalafil Tablets USP, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. 10:30 AM: Voltas share price rises over 2% or 13 pts to 625 level in early trade on BSE after HSBC maintains buy call on the stock with a target price of Rs 640. Under-penetration & benign base should drive 10% industrial growth in FY20. No price discounting due to delayed summer. The brokerage expects earnings over FY19-21 to grow by 22% compounded annual growth rate. Its sees revenue growth outstrip volume growth and profit after tax outgrow revenue growth. 10:17 am: Tata Group-led consortium with GIC to buy a 40% stake in all GMR airports for Rs 8,000 cr. GMR Infra share price has gained 15% during the last two days. 10:06 AM: Shares of United Breweries rose as much as 8 percent, to Rs 1,464.65 on NSE. About 74 lakh shares of the company changed hands in a block deal, Bloomberg data showed. 9: 57 am: RCOM (5%), Vodafone Idea (4.05%), Prestige Estates (3.56%) are top losers on BSE. 9:53 am: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company (7.48%) , Godrej Agrovet Ltd (5.91%) and UCO BANK (5.18%) are top gainers on BSE. 9: 49 am: YES Bank share price hits intra day high of 259, up 2.09%. YES Bank has gained 41% since the beginning of this year. 9:48 AM: HDFC Bank share price hits all-time high of 2328 level. 9: 43 am: Jet Airways share price rises over 4 percent to 286.70 in early trade after Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary at civil aviation ministry said that the airline will fly 40 more planes by the end of next month and is in talks with leasing companies to restart operating several of its grounded aircraft. 9: 40 am: IndusInd Bank (3.55%), YES Bank (1.68%) and Bharti Airtel (1.40%) were the top Sensex gainers. 9: 35 am: Top Sensex losers were ONGC (1.10%), NTPC (0.61%) and PowerGrid (0.52%). 9: 30 am: Meanwhile, the mid cap and small cap indices were trading 91.27 points and 67.28 points higher in early trade. 9:27 am: Market breadth was positive with 943 stocks trading higher compared to 502 falling on the BSE. 9:25 am: Banking and capital goods stocks led the gains with their indices rising 258 points and 146 points, respectively. 9:21 am: On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 999.02 crore on Tuesday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 196.7 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. 9:20 AM: Bank Nifty hits all time high of 30,089 in early trade. 9:15 am: Sensex rises 186 points to 38,420, Nifty gains 40 points to 11,522. 9:11 am: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed Rs 2 crore penalty on Punjab National Bank for failing to comply with its guidelines on the use of the global payments network SWIFT, the state-run lender said. However, the Punjab National Bank stock is trading 1.57% higher at 93.75 level on BSE. 9: 10 am: State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) on Thursday will make the entire payment of Rs 14,500 crore to the government for acquiring 52.63 per cent stake in REC, a source said. The deal would help the government meet its disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 crore for the current financial year ending on March 31. 9:05 am: State-owned Allahabad Bank would raise up to Rs 4,000 crore equity capital by various means including public issue. Allahabad Bank share price rises over 2% to 52.40 level. 9: 00 am: Rupee opens at 68.99 per dollar from its last close of 68.86. 8:55 am: Stocks finished broadly higher on Wall Street Tuesday, erasing the market's modest losses from a day earlier. Financial, technology and health care stocks accounted for much of the rally. Banks got a boost from rising bond yields, which let them charge higher rates on loans. Energy companies led the S&P 500 higher as the price of U.S. crude oil moved briefly above $60 a barrel. Oil hasn't closed above $60 a barrel since November. 27 Mar 2019, 12:21 PM Like cigarettes, alcohol bottles to come with health warnings come April 1 Next time you lay your hands on that bottle of spirit, beer or wine, you will see a statutory warning similar to the one on tobacco or cigarette packets. Following a directive from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued in 2018, all liquor bottles will carry cautionary messages of "Drinking is injurious to health" and "Don't Drink and Drive" on their labels from April 1. RBI imposes Rs 2 crore fine on PNB for flouting SWIFT rules The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined Punjab National Bank (PNB) Rs 2 crore after finding it in violation of compliance with regulatory directions regarding SWIFT operations, the bank said Tuesday. The state-run lender in a regulatory filing said the RBI informed the bank about the penalty in a letter dated March 25.Swift is a global messaging software used for transactions by financial entities. Jet Airways to fly 40 more planes by April end Jet Airways will fly 40 more planes by the end of next month and is in talks with leasing companies to restart operating several of its grounded aircraft, the country's top aviation official said on Tuesday. Lenders of Jet Airways moved in to take a majority stake in the airline, which is saddled with a debt of more than $1 billion, after it failed to convince potential investors to save the airline.It won't ground any more flights, Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary at India's civil aviation ministry, told a news conference. More than half of Indians satisfied with governance, Pew survey shows Most Indians are happy with the direction of the country and economic prospects for the next generation, a Pew survey published weeks ahead of general elections showed, although the level of satisfaction has fallen over time.Lack of employment opportunities is India's biggest problem, said more than three-quarters of those polled, and that had not changed through most of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, the survey found.Three-quarters of Indians believe Pakistan to be a threat and 59 percent said terrorism had become worse. Netflix pilots $4 mobile plan in India to woo users Netflix Inc is testing a 250 rupee ($3.63) monthly subscription for mobile devices in India, the video streaming giant said, aiming to boost its presence in a price-sensitive market where data consumption on smartphones is surging.Netflix currently offers three monthly plans in India, ranging from 500 rupees to 800 rupees, but those are still expensive compared with similar offerings from rivals.Netflix's test plan at 250 rupees a month gives users access to standard definition video on smartphones and tablets. Why Apple's video streaming service could be a 'Netflix Killer' Consumers have been expecting a 'Netflix killer' from Apple since the iPhone sales started to stagnate. Rumours were rife that Apple was planning to go all out against the likes of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. But, after the announcement, that featured several big Hollywood names, it is clear that Apple is aiming to be a serious alternative to Netflix.There are over a billion active Apple devices on to which Apple can push its streaming service. Netflix has around 140 million subscribers. Apple doesn't really have to try too hard to catch up and beat Netflix at its game. All it needs is a push notification. Reliance Jio testing Triple Play plan for Jio GigaFiber connection; rollout expected soon Reliance Jio is reportedly testing a Triple Play plan for its Jio GigaFiber FTTH service which will offer data, calling, and IPTV benefits under a single plan. According to TelecomTalk, Jio is testing this plan on GigaFiber connections of its employees, which might mean a public rollout in near future. The report said that Reliance Jio is offering internet, voice calling, Jio TV subscription and access to the Jio apps bouquet under this Triple Play plan. India's Jet Airways will fly 40 more planes by the end of next month and is in talks with leasing companies to restart operating several of its grounded aircraft, the country's top aviation official said on Tuesday. Lenders of Jet Airways moved in to take a majority stake in the airline, which is saddled with a debt of more than $1 billion, after it failed to convince potential investors to save the airline. Jet has had to ground more than two-thirds of its fleet as it struggles to pay lenders, suppliers, pilots and leasing companies. It won't ground any more flights, Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary at India's civil aviation ministry, told a news conference in New Delhi, adding that an assessment showed most grounded Jet Airways aircraft are in "good condition." He said the ministry would work towards ensuring that flying slots freed up due to the grounded Jet flights are equally distributed among other airlines. Also read: Jet Airways extends its winning streak to the third consecutive session Also read: Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal, wife Anita Goyal resign from board of cash-strapped airline Vedanta Limited--a diversified natural resources company--informed the exchanges on Wednesday that it has made an oil discovery in Krishna-Godavari Basin located in Andhra Pradesh. "Vedanta Limited has notified the Management Committee, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on March 27, 2019 of an Oil Discovery in the second exploratory well H2, located in the block KG-OSN-2009/3, Krishna-Godavari Basin, East Coast of India." company said in a statement. Vedanta Ltd. holds 100 per cent participating interest in the block. Multiple reservoir zones were encountered in the well H2 within the Mesozoic sequence between the depths of 3310m to 4026m with hydrocarbon indications during drilling and downhole logging. The zone from 3403m to 3431m was tested through conventional well testing (Drill Stem Test) and flowed oil to the surface. Further appraisal will be required to establish the size and commerciality of the oil discovery in the Mesozoic sequence. The first exploration well A3-2 drilled in the block was a gas discovery. Evaluations are ongoing based on the results of the first well A3-2 and the second well H2 to finalise the forward programme, the filing added. Cairn Oil & Gas-the subsidiary of Vedanta Resources--contributes over 26% of India's annual production, as India's largest private sector crude oil producer.The oil and gas vertical of Vedanta Limited contributed 25 per cent to India's domestic crude oil production in FY 2017-18. It has been operating for over 2 decades and is well positioned to reduce the country's energy import burden. Against the previous close of Rs. 173.60, the share price of Vedanta Ltd opened at Rs. 175.00 and hiked 2 per cent to touch the days' high of Rs. 177.15. With a volume of 4.8 lakh shares traded on BSE and 84.8 lakh traded on NSE, Vedanta's stock closed at a 1.12 per cent rise of Rs. 175.55 on Wednesday. The stock has been gaining for the last 2 days and has risen 4.34 per cent in the period. Vedanta Ltd's share price has moved above its 50-day simple moving average today. Although the stock has given negative returns yearly and half-yearly on both the trading platforms, it has positively traded at 3.5 per cent and 1.55 per cent for the period of one month and one week, respectively. (Edited by Rupa Burman Roy) Also Read: Jet Airways shares rise 5% after airline plans to fly 40 more aircraft Also Read: MindTree falls 4% as company scraps share buyback plan Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed and Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe today launched the Future Growth Loan Scheme to allow for the roll out of 300 million in funding to eligible Irish SMEs including farmers. Businesses will be able to apply for loan eligibility through the SBCI from 17th April. Three finance providers - AIB, Bank of Ireland and KBC - have agreed to participate in the Scheme and negotiations are ongoing with another two. The Government is urging businesses to use the coming three weeks to start preparing their proposals for long-term capital investment. The funding allocations for the Future Growth Loan Scheme are 37m from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and 25m from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Of the total budget, 42 million relates to expenditure in 2018 with a further 6 million allocated in 2019 and the remaining 14 million over a third tranche. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marines share of funding ensures that at least 40% of the fund will be available to farmers and agri-food & seafood businesses. Commenting on the scheme, Minister Humphreys said, "With Brexit on the horizon, investment in innovation and diversification has never been more important. For this reason, I would strongly encourage businesses to started putting their proposals together now so that they are ready to start the application process with the SBCI. Even if firms are unsure if they will draw down a loan, its a good idea to have approval in place in case its something they need down the line. Notwithstanding the uncertainty that comes with Brexit, its better to be safe than sorry." Minister Creed added, "This is a long-awaited source of finance for young and new entrant farmers, especially the cohort who do not have high levels of security. It will also serve smaller-scale farmers, who often do not have the leverage to negotiate for more favourable terms with their banking institution. Along with products such as Milk Flex, this Scheme will form part of a comprehensive investment package for farmers. I am also delighted to be able to include the seafood sector in the scheme." Source: www.businessworld.ie As the deadline for entries for the Network Cork Businesswomen of the Year Awards draws nearer, Network Cork President Gillian Hennessy has urged Cork women to put themselves forward for an award in 2019. The call for entries comes as Brown Thomas are announced headline sponsor for the Network Cork Businesswomen of the Year Award Gala Dinner which will take place later this year. The deadline for award entries is Friday 5th April 2019. Businesswomen can self-nominate via the website www.networkireland.ie/award-categories/. There are 8 categories open for entry. Winners at a regional level will be put forward for consideration at the national awards. The award categories include: Small SME 10 employees or less Large SME greater than 10 employees Emerging New Business Employee Rising Star Employee Shining Star Social Enterprise Arts STEM Speaking ahead of the upcoming awards, Network Cork President, Gillian Hennessy said, "A stigma still exists around ambitious women who acknowledge their successes and we're seeing a reluctance among women in Cork to put themselves forward for an award. Whether you're a solopreneur or managing a team of 200 we strongly urge you complete the submission." She added, "These Awards strive to recognise the achievements of female-led businesses in cork so that they can shine as examples for others. Not only do they encourage growth and expansion for female-led companies and startups but they also play a part in consolidating the role of women as changemakers in the Irish business landscape. In keeping with the national theme of the organisation this year, we are asking women to Step-Up for the awards." Source: www.businessworld.ie Alphabet Inc's Google said on Tuesday it was launching a global advisory council to consider ethical issues around artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The council, which is slated to publish a report at the end of 2019, includes technology experts, digital ethicists, and people with public policy backgrounds, Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president for global affairs, said at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology conference. The group is meant to provide recommendations for Google and other companies and researchers working in areas such as facial recognition software, a form of automation that has prompted concerns about racial bias and other limitations. "We want to have the most informed and thoughtful conversations we can," Walker said on stage at the MIT Technology Review event in San Francisco. "We want to sit down with the council and see what agenda they want to set." Google already has its own internal AI principles, which, among other provisions, bars the California-based tech firm from using AI to develop weapons. The eight-member Advanced Technology External Advisory Council includes Joanna Bryson, an associate professor in computing at the University of Bath; William J. Burns, a former U.S. deputy secretary of state, and Dyan Gibbens, chief executive of Houston-based drone startup Trumbull, according to a Google blog post. The council will meet four times, beginning in April, the blog post said. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Italy's Economy Minister Giovanni Tria said on Wednesday he feared the ongoing economic slowdown at a global level could trigger a new financial crisis. "Everybody fears a financial crisis can translate into a global economic crisis My opinion is ... that the economic slowdown, especially if it were to worsen, could lead to a global financial crisis," Tria said at an event in China. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Bridgemarq Real Estate Services has announced that it filed its annual information form, management information circular, and related annual meeting materials on SEDAR. In the filings, Bridgemarq set its annual meeting for May 7, 2019 in Toronto. The term of Simon Dean as director at Bridgemarq will also expire on that day, and he has announced that he will not be seeking re-election to the board. Brookfields board extended thanks Dean for his contributions and wished him well his future endeavours. Read more: The new investment vehicles thats driving up returns To replace Dean, Bridgemarqs board has proposed Colum Bastable as a director-nominee to be considered for election at the annual meeting. Bastable has over 40 years of experience in the real estate services industry, including his recent role as chairman of Cushman and Wakefield Canada, a leading provider of commercial property brokerage services. Further details about Bastable can be found in the management information circular, which is available for download on SEDAR. Bridgemarq is a leading provider of services to residential real estate brokers and has a network of over 18,000 realtors. The company operates in Canada under the Royal LePage, Via Capitale, and Johnston & Daniel brands. news, latest-news, See out the month in style, by dropping into Tipsy Bull for their martini lunch special. Here, you will be served a delicious three-course lunch experience, featuring plates from Tipsy Bulls extensive tasting menu, perfectly complemented with three martinis created by their resident mixologist. March 31, noon-3pm. goodfoodmonth.com /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e0ad6145-163a-4660-9eff-4fdce9f98ec1/r0_292_5568_3438_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime An incident this week in Flynn in which an officer was hit by a stolen car as he was attempting to stop it using road spikes has raised significant concerns around officer safety in the wake of changes to the police pursuit policy. A new police guideline introduced in 2016 and rubber-stamped by the ACT government put strict rules around how and when a road pursuit of an offender could take place. The police association believes the policy change has given the "green light" to people committing dangerous traffic offences such as driving at high speeds, driving on the wrong side of the road and through red traffic lights in the knowledge they can do so with impunity and not be chased by police. Under the guideline, property or traffic offences, or the confirmation of a stolen car are not sufficient reason for police to chase the offender. However, police members have consistently warned that stolen cars are used in the commission of many serious offences and effectively letting the thieves drive away sends a message out to the criminal community that police are going "soft" on these offences. Police now have been forced to adopt the risky tactic of deploying road spikes ahead of stolen cars in an attempt to stop them. This was the exact scenario on Monday afternoon on Tilyard Drive in Flynn when the driver deliberately aimed at the police officer. Fortunately, the experienced traffic officer stepped away at just the right time and the car struck him a glancing blow. He suffered minor injuries. Road spikes are teflon-coated steel spokes and quills encased in a triangular bag, with a strap. Police throw the bag out onto the roadway in front of a car to puncture the tyres. The federal police association, which represents about 1000 sworn officers and civilian staff working in the ACT, said this incident is the latest in several and it had been contacted by a number of officers in recent weeks who say that drivers of stolen or fleeing cars are now deliberately aiming their cars at police to escape. "Canberra isn't the only jurisdiction facing this issue. In other parts of the country, we've heard of police are being targeted by drivers because of a soft approach to chasing offenders and unsupportive legislation," Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said. "We've recently had police officers rammed and struck by cars in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and now here in the ACT. "The actions of these drivers, who deliberately ram police vehicle or drive at police officers is extremely dangerous, it really is a life-threatening situation for the officers. "Current legislation is inadequate in addressing the seriousness of the offence. Offenders know the police policy regarding pursuits and they just drive away, usually at speed, knowing that police cant intervene. "In Canberra this week an officer was struck after deploying stop sticks and its pure luck that the officer wasnt seriously injured or killed." Ms Smith has urged the ACT to follow the example set by Victoria where the government introduced tough legislation to help protect police and emergency services workers from the risk of a deliberate attack using a vehicle. In Victoria, a statutory two-year minimum jail term is imposed if an on-duty police officer or emergency worker is injured by an offender who has intentionally exposed the worker to risk by driving, with up to 20 years as a maximum sentence. Under the aggravated offences, offenders cannot be sentenced to a community correction order or other community-based order unless there are special circumstances. There is also a presumption against bail for the new offences. When the new laws were announced, Victoria's police minister Lisa Neville said: Anyone who uses their vehicle as a weapon against our police officers deserves to feel the full force of the law and thats exactly what these new laws deliver. In 2011, the Greens' Shane Rattenbury produced a community discussion paper around police car chases in which it said in the previous seven years seven people have died in connection with police chases, even though police were exonerated in most of the cases. One of the most high profile cases was that of Canberra teenager Clea Rose, who was struck and killed by a stolen car in the city in 2005. The driver of that stolen car was 15 years old at the time and has subsequently been involved in multiple offences. In March 2010, four people were killed on Canberra Avenue when a stolen car rammed into another vehicle at an intersection. No criticism was made of police involvement but the Coroner Peter Dingwall urged consideration be given to the mandatory installation of immobiliser devices on cars that were likely to be the targets of theft as this would reduce a "great many more deaths involving stolen cars". /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1df4bc65-b09c-4405-8c0b-7e1f6a0fdc2d/r0_111_1603_1017_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Air Services Australia has become the latest government agency to publicly distance itself from oversight of delivery drones, casting further uncertainty over the regulation of the technology. The ACT government and Civil Aviation Safety Authority have previously said their powers and remit do not extend to the regulation of commercial drone noise, meaning it remains unclear which, if any, government authority is charged with monitoring the issue. On Wednesday, senior Air Services Australia officials told the ACT Assembly's drone inquiry that it did monitor aircraft noise, but only within about five kilometres of an airport. Concerns about noise emitted by Wing's delivery drones emerged as a key concern during the tech company's Bonython trial, and a large portion of the inquiry's public hearings has been spent attempting to establish who is responsible for policing it. Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson, who chaired the committee conducting the inquiry, said it appeared "nobody wanted to put their hand up and take responsibility for drone noise". "Who is responsible for the noise of drones, the sort of drone that Project Wing is flying around suburbs in Canberra?" Mr Hanson said. "If the answer is no one, then the answer is no one; we need to know that. What we are trying to do is chase down whose responsibility it is. And is there a regulation or an act under which they are empowered to do that?" In response, Air Services Australia's acting executive general manager, Craig Charker, said his agency did not "interact" with drones unless they intended to fly within a five-kilometre radius and 120-metre vertical range of an airport. "Something away from the airport, it is not something that we get involved with at all," Mr Charker said. "In that context, our ability to control and influence noise outcomes is difficult." Mr Hanson pushed again, asking: "So in simple terms, no one is responsible and there is no regulation?". Air Services Australia chief air traffic controller Marcus Nauer said existing noise regulations for aircraft only applied to vehicles weighing more than 150 kilograms, meaning light-weight drones were almost certainly exempt. Mr Nauer said those regulations were based on International Civil Aviation Organiation (ICAO) standards, which make no mention of drones. "So is there a standard for drone noise anywhere in the world?" asked committee member and Labor MLA Suzanne Orr. "No," Mr Charker responded. The evidence will likely fuel community concerns about a lack of regulation of household delivery drones as Wing prepares to launch its permanent operation in Canberra's northern suburbs in the coming months. The Google-linked company will, however, be buoyed by the appearance of drone supporters Adam Rucinski-Stanek and Phillip Balding at Wednesday's hearing. Mr Rucinski-Stanek was among the Bonython residents to use Wing's delivery service and said his experience was overwhelmingly positive. "I really enjoyed it," Mr Rucinski-Stanek said. "I guess I'm an advocate for new innovative technology. There is an excitement to trying something new and to have people over to my house to share in that excitement of getting a delivery by air, and super quickly." Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has announced that prospective drone pilots will need to obtain a "flyers licence" and register their aircraft from July this year. "For the first time we will know who owns a drone, where they are flying their drone, what sort of drone it is," the authority's spokesman, Peter Gibson, told ABC News on Wednesday. "It will give us a more accurate picture of the drone population across Australia, [and] it will ensure that people are aware of their safety obligations when they fly a drone." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e02fdd8b-707c-48c6-a87f-b0d89a2fda94/r198_0_1490_730_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime A British fugitive wanted over drug offences in Western Australia has tried to flee the country by launching a jet ski from Queensland's northern tip and making a break for Papua New Guinea. A water race ensued, with officers from three different police agencies piling onto a Border Force vessel and chasing the jet ski to an island just off the PNG coast, where he was caught. On Monday, a man, believed to be a 57-year-old British national, had been seen launching a jet ski from Punsand Bay on Queensland's northern tip. Authorities believed the man was possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying fuel and supplies. Officers from the Queensland Police Service, Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police gave chase on ABF vessel Roebuck Bay. They caught up with the man on the eastern side of Saibai Island, fewer than 10 kilometres from the PNG mainland, and he was taken into custody at sea. The fugitive was taken to Thursday Island where he was held by Queensland police pending extradition to WA. He is due to face Cairns Magistrates Court on Friday. The jet ski was towed to Saibai Island. ABF Commander Jo Crooks said it was a great result for the multi-agency team. "Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the [Torres Strait] region without detection should think again," she said. Torres Strait councillors and community members helped authorities by identifying the path the fugitive was likely to be taking on his way to the mainland. According to WA court records, the 57-year-old was due in the WA District Court for a sentence mention hearing this Friday. He is facing one count of possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell supply (methylamphetamine) and possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property. According to the court records, he has pleaded guilty to both charges. The warrant for his arrest was issued on February 26. In a brief statement, a WA Police spokesman said: "WA Police Force is aware of the arrest made in the Torres Strait by Queensland Police and Commonwealth law enforcement agencies. "Based on this development WA Police Force is currently assessing the potential extradition process." Late on Wednesday WA Police confirmed their detectives would be travelling to Queensland to apply for the extradition of the arrested man. The man's lawyer declined to comment. with Lydia Lynch /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/80ad9957-b305-4494-81bf-9f23157166a7/r0_68_413_301_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Cemex Ventures teams up with TEFKEN Ventures in construction 27 March 2019 Cemex Ventures Corporate Capital Unit has signed a collaboration agreement with TEFKEN Ventures, a Turkish industrial conglomerate working in the construction, agriculture, manufacturing and real estate sectors. The businesses will develop synergies between them to innovate the construction industry. The two investment funds will work to invest in new technologies and innovative solutions to drive the revolution of the construction industry on a global basis. Agendas and events will be coordinated. Gonzalo Galindo, Cemex Ventures' CEO, said: "This type of alliance between two industries that fit together, as well as the construction and real estate industries, are key to finding new successful business models, TEFKEN Ventures also has a complete vision of the entire value chain and is a good partner to drive the construction revolution." Published under Livetouch Investments plans new US$30m plant in Zimbabwe 27 March 2019 Livetouch Investments has announced plans to invest US$30m for a new plant in Hwange, Zimbabwe. The facility is expected to be set up by the end of the year and would run alongside the companys other plant in the area, which was inaugurated in 2017. "Our medium-term plan is to put another plant in the Hwange area, which will produce 100,000t of cement per year. We are expecting to commit US$30m into this project," said Dongning Wang, CEO, in an interview with NewsDay. The Chinese company reportedly faced many challenges in 2018, including a shortage of raw materials. "We faced shortage of raw material due to forex issues. Also, people do not have enough money to buy our products. We produced about 60,000t of cement in 2018 and in 2019 we are targeting the same figure. In terms of investment, in the Kwekwe plant we have put about US$40m," said Mr Wang. Published under Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery released the following statement after settlement was reached between Oklahoma and Purdue Pharma. "The settlement announcement today between the state of Oklahoma and Purdue Pharma is a favorable development. After years of denial, Purdue finally recognized its role in creating the opioid crisis. "The opioid epidemic is nationwide and deserves far reaching relief. That is why Tennessee, as a leader of a bipartisan coalition of more than 40 states, is actively pursuing a comprehensive resolution involving opioid manufacturers and distributors that would resolve claims by the states and their subdivisions. Critical discussions have been underway in the last few months. "At the same time, a recent Knox County circuit court ruling against Purdue will advance the litigation against the company for violating the states Consumer Protection Act. The owners of Purdue, the Sackler family, are also under investigation by this office as well as other opioid manufacturers and distributors." The City Council on Tuesday decided to delay until April 9 an ordinance to control noxious odors and nuisances. In response to recent complaints about chicken plants in the city, Chairman Ken Smith is sponsoring an amendment that adds sections relating to noxious odors and nuisances to the current ordinance. This will shift some responsibility of control to the Hamilton County Health Department. However, at the time of the 3 p.m. agenda meeting, the Health Department had not yet reviewed information that City Attorney Phil Noblett had sent. Council members said they do not want the plants owned by Pilgrims Pride on Broad Street and Koch located on Cuppella Street to close. And they do not want to lose jobs that these companies provide. They do want to ensure that the issue of odor is addressed without getting into any legal battles. The air pollution control board has regulations; however, it does not consider odors as a health threat, said Councilwoman Carol Berz. One concern is that 25 people may get together to complain to the Health Department about odors from a sewage treatment plant or storage tank or just the smell of food cooking at a restaurant that they do not like. The ordinance modeled after Memphis might deal with nuisances, not especially odors, said Mr. Noblett. It could be a requirement for permitting. The problem has been around for years said Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod, but nothing was done until the demographics changed, she said. "I wasnt there at that time," said Chairman Smith, adding that he is just trying to fix the problem now. There are mechanisms in place to reduce the smell, he said, and, if they are doing what they should, there should be no problem and there should be no odors. Recent inspections, however, have found those mechanisms and equipment not working. This has nothing to do with nobody taking action in the past, he told Councilwoman Coonrod. "Im tired of blaming things on class or race issues," said Councilman Jerry Mitchell. "Lets just do something and they will comply. It is about what is right for the community. This is our moment in time, lets do it, he said. The question of how to get companies in compliance with the citys codes was asked by Councilman Erskine Oglesby. He said the maximum fine for non-compliance is $50 a day, or $18,250 per year, which is not enough to ensure huge companies to follow the rules. Councilwoman Berz said that $50 per day would do nothing, but the court of public opinion would be more effective. She suggested sitting down with officials from the two companies to see what can be worked out. The Air Pollution Control Board has been called recently, which spurred Mr. Smiths probe into the issue. He is attempting to find out why that board has not been doing permitting reviews and what difference that might have made. The plants have been at their present locations many years before developers who are complaining purchased property nearby and have built condominiums. The attorney said the businesses cannot be made to move since the developers knew what was there at the time they bought the property. He said the city can still take steps to regulate a health issue. There are commercial businesses in town that deal with this kind of problem, said Councilman Darrin Ledford. He said, "There are solutions out there." But he said it is not for the council to promote their use. That is up to the businesses. He suggested addressing the matter as a permitting issue. Councilperson Anthony Byrd said future generations should be considered when dealing with this problem. Protections need to be put in place for children. Representatives from both food companies will be present at the 6 p.m. council meeting. And, a representative from the Health Department has been requested to attend. Samuel Williams, who always seemed to be at the center of the action, was, of course, the one who captured the leader of the famed Andrews Raiders during the Civil War. He also had many harrowing experiences afterward as he sought to elude Union soldiers who wanted nothing more than to capture him in return. Williams was a Whig and he was opposed to secession. But he "cast his lot with the Lost Cause" as he saw his sons ride away to fight for the Confederacy, Williams was now in his mid-50s, and he determined to remain at the home place as the conflict raged elsewhere. Chattanooga was at first in Confederate hands. A group of Raiders led by James Andrews, sought to carry out a plan to steal a locomotive engine at Kennesaw and destroy railroad bridges along the route to Chattanooga. They captured The General and were on their way north, but conductor William Fuller commandeered another engine and began the chase after them. The exciting pursuit ended near Ringgold, with the Andrews Raiders then scattering. Several, including Andrews, were captured and placed in the dreaded Swaim's Jail on Lookout Street between Fourth and Fifth streets. While here, Andrews was delivered a letter that gave the verdict of a court martial - he was to be hanged. The Raiders then put in effect a plan to escape from Swaim's Jail. It involved cutting through a plank floor separating other of the Raiders from Andrews and lifting him up on a rope made of their clothes being tied together. They made a longer rope for the descent from the two-story brick building. Andrews was out first, but he happened to knock off a loose brick with his foot. Guards began firing at hime, but he was able to escape, though he had to leave his boots behind. Andrews went just south of town and climbed a tree with dense foliage within sight of the railroad station. He watched throughout the day as search parties went to and fro looking for him. When night arrived, he came down from the tree and swam the river. The next morning while on Moccasin Bend he came upon a boy in a canoe and he directed him to take him to a nearby island. After letting Andrews out on Williams Island, the boy went directly to the home of Samuel Williams and informed him about the strange man. Samuel Williams immediately thought it might be one of the escaped prisoners. That day at noon he went by a spring house on the island and saw a man with cut and bleeding feet. Samuel Williams asked the man if he was one of the men who "broke jail yesterday." Williams then said, "Well, you are in a poor garb to get away. You stay here until I go to the house to get you some clothes." Williams then went to his house to secure some food and clothes, which he took over to James Andrews. The escaped prisoner then told Williams he had been accused of burning some railroad bridges. He was continuing his tale when two men who were staying at the Williams house walked up. Armed with rifles, they demanded that Andrews go into their custody. The two men were William Standifer, who had lived in the north part of Hamilton County for many years, and a Dr. Craig from Kentucky, who had come to the Williams place to buy mules. Standifer was a Confederate sympathizer. The three men took James Andrews to the Williams home. Andrews must have been impressed by this Southern mansion by the river. The woodwork had been hauled from Baltimore. It was a two-story house with a portico in front and a one-story section extending straight back in the rear. The high, old-fashioned mantels above the fireplaces were all hand-wrought. One of them was painted with a picture of the bluff and orchard that was in front of the house. There was a spiral staircase as well as a hallway running the entire length of the house. Hickory nuts, sugar lumps and candies were in the heavy sideboard in the dining room, and cured meat and hams were in the smokehouse. The kitchen was away from the main portion of the house, but it was connected by a raised runway made of big logs. The celebrated prisoner had dinner, then he took a seat on the porch facing the calm Tennessee River and described his escape. He also told the Williams family he did not make the attempt to sabotage the Confederate railroad through patriotism, but he was engaged to a girl back home and he wanted to win the money that was promised for the dangerous mission. Some members of the Williams family felt sorry for Andrews. But Samuel Williams and William Standifer took him to the Confederate authorities in Chattanooga on Wednesday, June 4, 1862. The following day soldiers in Chattanooga began building a scaffold for use in hanging the leader of the Andrews Raiders. Then reports came that the Federal Army was heading rapidly for Chattanooga. On the day before the planned execution date, Andrews was ordered moved to Atlanta. On June 7, the leader of the Andrews Raiders was taken to a gallows a block from Peachtree Street in Atlanta and hanged. In July 1863, the Federals suddenly appeared just across from Chattanooga. The home of Samuel Williams on the north side of the river was already in the hands of the Federals. Fearing for his life, Williams had left his home to hide out prior to the approach of the army. A group of Union soldiers had arrived on a raiding expedition and searched the Williams house thoroughly. They even went to the extent of looking up the chimneys. The soldiers took all of the freshly-ironed shirts that were hanging in the kitchen. However, they did not find the valuable family matches because one of the Williams daughters had hidden them upon her person. Keturah Williams was so frightened by the soldiers that she ran upstairs and cried out, "You can have anything in the house if you will spare my family." One of the soldiers called back, "We are not going to hurt you. We are looking for firearms." The Federals then took charge of the Williams home, forcing them to move into one room, which had only a single window. After the Federal soldiers would eat their meals, the Williams family would go down to the kitchen in the yard to get something to eat. One night Keturah was in her room when she unexpectedly heard a tapping on a window pane at the foot of the bed. Samuel Williams had made his way back to the farm, piled some rocks against the house so he could climb up, and reached the window. His wife instinctively let out a scream, drawing a Federal officer to her room immediately to find out what was the matter. Mrs. Williams, meanwhile, had decided it might be her husband outside the window, so she told the officer "there was some excitement in the Negro quarters." Then she directed her daughter, Allie, to play the piano as hard as she could to divert attention while Samuel Williams slipped away from the house to the river. Williams approached one of the slaves, who was drawing water. He directed the slave not to tell anyone but Mrs. Williams that he was nearby. Samuel Williams began staying under a rock on a hillside and seeing his wife occasionally at night. The wife of Samuel Williams and Mary Divine were among the few who passed over the awful Chickamauga Battlefield in the days just after the battle. Samuel Williams was now living at McLemore's Cove near LaFayette, and they were on their way to visit him. The two women managed to find an Army ambulance in which they were allowed as passengers. At the battlefield they saw "the chaos of great shattered trees, the earth torn and scarred from the cannonading, and many bodies of soldiers yet unburied." During a time of starvation later during the war period, Keturah Williams was successful in importuning one of the Federal officers for food. The Federal soldiers had taken 41 cured hams belonging to the Williams family, leaving them only with hardtack, honey and one cow. Mrs. Williams walked five miles to the headquarters of General John Wilder and asked for the rations on the basis that the soldiers had taken most of the family's food. General Wilder ordered a conveyance, gave Mrs. Williams back some of her meat, and prepared to send her home. First, however, he urged her to send for her husband. She told the Federal officer, "You would protect him, but what would happen when you went away." General George Thomas especially wanted Samuel Williams captured because he knew the country so well. It was well known that Williams had guided the Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the vicinity of Walden's Ridge and Raccoon Mountain. Besides that, General Thomas and others in the Union Army had not forgotten that Samuel Williams was the one who had turned James Andrews over to the Confederate authorities. General Thomas vowed that Williams would hang if he were captured. When the war was finally over, Samuel Williams at first was unable to return to what was left of his riverbottom farm. He was still in disfavor with the Federals for his role in capturing James Andrews. Members of the family had known Andrew Johnson when he was a tailor at Greeneville, Tn. This prompted Keturah Williams to go to Washington and plead with the Reconstruction president concerning the safety of her husband and the protection of their land. The Williams holdings had already shrunk from several thousand acres to a small area around the home place and Williams Island. President Johnson granted an interview to the wife of Samuel Williams immediately upon her arrival in Washington. He wrote a letter for her that stated that anyone who tried to take the Williams land would have to answer to him personally. A pardon was granted to Samuel Williams. After the successful Washington trip, Samuel Williams was finally able to return home. The former prosperous slave owner was now almost naked. His son-in-law, John L. Divine, took him to Joseph Ruohs' store and bought him a suit of clothes. Samuel Williams continued to receive threatening letters for some time after he resettled by the Tennessee River. One of his sons, Jim Williams, had fallen at the Battle of Perryville. He was first wounded by a shot that killed the horse he was riding. Young Williams had then leaped upon another horse that had lost its rider, and he continued in the charge. A moment later he was killed by a cannonball. Another son, Alonzo Williams, died on a March in the Kentucky campaign. A home was damaged by fire early Wednesday morning. It was determined the fire was deliberately set. Chattanooga firefighters responded sy 5:44 a.m. to the fire at 2107 Taylor Street. The first firefighters to arrive on the scene reported heavy smoke and fire on the backside of the house. Battalion Chief Chris Warren said the firefighters worked quickly to get get the blaze under control in roughly 10 minutes. No one appeared to be home and no injuries were reported. The fire displaced two adults and two children. Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the family. Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the family. The Chapel Art Gallery at Second Presbyterian Church presents MMIA (Multi Media Inspired Artists). MMIA is composed of all local women. There will be an opening night reception on Friday, April 5, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Gallery hours will be 1-3 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturdays. More than 350 physicians and healthcare advocates gathered in Nashville on Tuesday to take the voice of medicine to Tennessee legislators at the Tennessee Medical Associations Day on the Hill. The annual event gives doctors the opportunity to educate the General Assembly on important healthcare issues affecting the practice of medicine in Tennessee. The largest-ever Day on the Hill event sends a loud message to the legislature from TMA, which was recently named the most influential advocacy organization in Tennessee. TMAs top legislative priority is improving a 2018 law that restricts opioid prescriptions so certain patients are not unreasonably denied effective pain management. Doctors also asked lawmakers to consider increasing funding for graduate medical education, protect patient safety and quality of care with important scope of practice regulations for midlevel healthcare providers, ensure health plan network adequacy for hospital-based services, and approve a joint resolution to encourage health insurance companies to adequately cover medication assisted therapies for mental health diseases. TMA reviewed all 1,684 bills filed in the 2019 session and is actively monitoring more than 300 bills affecting healthcare, including 114 caption bills, on a range of health care issues. Read more about TMAs legislative priorities at tnmed.org/legislative. David Garza, 62, was born to Dominga Garza in Robstown (Nueces County), Texas. He passed away in Ringgold, Georgia, on March 5, 2019. David had to grow up quickly, assuming adult responsibilities at an early age. He claimed a Native-American heritage and preferred to be called "Lonely Wolf" or just "Wolf" by friends and acquaintances. He traveled the United States working in many different construction jobs from a laborer to a foreman. Comfortable with heights, he was proud of being an iron worker. He served in the U.S. Army. David was also a very loyal friend, kind and very generous with his time and resources. Fiercely independent, David was most comfortable on the streets, and did not tolerate those who would harm others weaker than themselves. A member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, David loved the Lord and delighted in reading scripture early in the morning. He looked forward with anticipation to seeing his Lord and Savior in Heaven. A memorial service and interment is scheduled for Chattanoogas National Cemetery on Monday, April 1, at 2 p.m. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has arrived in Tennessee. The Shelby County Health Department reported two cases of the variant were identified in Shelby County on Saturday. Dr. Michelle Taylor, Shelby County Health Director said, We did expect the Omicron variant to appear in Tennessee, as it has in 19 other states. Shelby County has excellent COVID-19 testing capacity, with ... (click for more) (Jen Jeffrey Billington, Chattanoogan.com correspondent, lives a short distance from Mayfield, Ky., that suffered massive tornado damage. Power is out at her home, but she was able to post this on Facebook) Not sure if this will post, Internet is down and I can only do certain things on Facebook, but not everything. It gets hung up when I try to answer your comments. My family ... (click for more) Dr. Hady Lichaa, medical director of interventional cardiovascular services with Tennova Cardiology Cleveland has been asked to speak at some of the most prestigious conferences throughout the world about the work he is doing here in Cleveland. His dedication reaches outside his community as he is a worldwide speaker having been invited to speak to his peers at the LINC international vascular conference in Germany, EPIC-SEC interventional cardiology conference at Emory University as well as the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) national conference in 2018. Over the past couple of years, Dr. Lichaa has been driving change and growth at our facility since his arrival in 2016. He continues to keep our interventional program at the cutting edge of cardiology and he is now a world renowned speaker and physician representing our community, states Lisa Childers, Interim CEO Tennova Healthcare Cleveland. His current appointments are as a Fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Fellow of the Society of Vascular Medicine and most recently as Peer to Peer Manuscript reviewer for Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Journal in July of 2018. He is active in the community and plays a vital part of educating community members about cardiovascular care. He specializes in the treatment of complex heart and vascular disease with special interest on access from the wrist. Dr. Lichaa is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiovascular Disease, Nuclear Cardiology, Endovascular Medicine, and Physician Vascular Ultrasound Interpretation. Dr. Lichaa joined Tennova Cardiology Cleveland in 2016 and the practice is proud to have served the Cleveland/Bradley county community for over six years. Tennova Cardiology now has 8 providers: Selwin Abraham, MD Interventional Cardiology; Steven Austin, MD Interventional Cardiology; Hady Lichaa, MD Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Medicine; Paul Stewart, DO Cardiology; Marisa Burns, NP-C; Erin Helton, PA; Amy Lindquist, PA and David Mullins, ACNP. Our practice believes in a collaborative approach and works with you and your physicians to provide a multidisciplinary approach to your individualized care. It has been an absolute honor to belong to such an amazing team of outstanding and compassionate providers. We have been blessed to serve our patients with advanced cardiovascular interventions close to home and continue to expand our team to meet the needs of our community. We are proud of the skills and professionalism of our cardiac catheterization laboratory staff as well as the cutting edge technology provided by our hospital administration, said Dr. Lichaa. Nicolas Cage (born Nicolas Coppola) is the nephew of famed director, Francis Ford Coppola, who has gone on to create a legendary list of acting credits to his name. Just a scant few of his most famous roles include his appearances in the films Face/Off, National Treasure, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Ghost Rider, and Con Air. Cage, however, has not always made the best decisions. Not only did he end up lowering his net worth to a meager $25 million from $150 million in a single decade, but hes had some relationship issues, too. Now, word on the street is that Nicolas Cage could be getting married again but how many times has Nicolas Cage been married already, and who is his new fiance? Heres what we know. How many times has Nicolas Cage been married? Nicolas Cage | Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb Nicolas Cage has been married a total of three times as of right now. It appears that number will soon rise to four. E! News has stated that theyve seen court documents stating that Nicolas Cage has applied for his fourth marriage license this time in the state of Nevada. Who were his previous marriages to? Nicolas Cage proposed to his first wife, Patricia Arquette, just hours after meeting her. She declined, but decided to test his mettle by sending him on an incredibly insane scavenger hunt to get a list of things for her before she accepted. Yes, Princess Bride style. After a mishap and meltdown at an airport in Mexico, the two split. They obviously reunited in the future, and ended up getting married in 1995 in a very odd wedding ceremony that apparently included a raft of otters as witnesses. The marriage didnt last, however, and separated in early 1996. The divorce became official in 2000. His second marriage was a short-lived but hot and heavy love affair with Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of famed Elvis Presley. In fact, the love Cage had for his second wifes fathers music apparently had something to do with why the two met up to begin with. They had an on-again, off-again relationship for two years before marrying in 2002. They divorced not long after, in 2004. Nicolas Cages third marriage was to Alice Kim who just happened to be a fan of his, prior to pursuing an acting career of her own. The couple share a twenty year age difference. Cage and Kim married in 2004 after dating for only two months. They remained married for eleven years, but divorced in 2016. Does Nicolas Cage have any children? Yes. Nicolas Cage has two sons. His oldest son, Weston Cage Coppola, comes from a previous girlfriend (not wife), Christina Fulton. Weston is 28 years old and has decided to pursue a career in acting like his famous parents. Cages younger son, Kal-El Coppola Cage, is thirteen old. Kal-El is from Cages third marriage, with Alice Kim. Who might be his fourth wife? Nicolas Cage | VCG / VCG via Getty Images Sources have stated that Nicolas Cage recently applied for a marriage license with his girlfriend of less than a year, makeup artist Erika Koike. Koike is significantly younger than her actor boyfriend, although sources do not seem to know her exact age. The marriage document was filed in Clark County, Nevada. Although there is no definitive word on whether the couple have set a wedding date, the marriage certificate will be valid for one year after it is approved. Nicolas Cage has an affinity for large, lavish ceremonies that allow him to show off his eccentricity. Whether or not he will follow this trend in his fourth marriage is yet to be seen, but considering how quite the couple have kept their relationship it would not be entirely strange should they marry in a small, simple ceremony. With Us and Get Out, Jordan Peele has transformed himself from a Comedy Central alumn and improv wiz into a horror mastermind; however, with satirical elements differentiating his horror narratives from genre standards, this mans comedic origin seems more relevant now than ever. Jordan Peele | Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images Getting his breakout role on the FOX sketch comedy series, Mad TV, Peele stayed on the show for five seasons before leaving to work alongside his Mad TV co-star, Keegan-Michael Key, on Comedy Centrals Key and Peele. Peele recently created the comedy series The Last O.G and the YouTube series Weird City. Long story short, Peele has been a comedy connoisseur for years and mastered the comedy game long before he stepped into the horror-sphere. Jordan Peele, with an innate talent for making people laugh, sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the comedians he sees as major influences in the contemporary comedy space. Jordan Peele credited Steve Martin and Martin Lawrence as significant comedic influences During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan Peele discussed Us, Get Out, his years in comedy, and what he has learned as an actor, director, and writer thus far. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Jordan Peele name-checked Steve Martin and Martin Lawrence as major influences in comedy. While not delving into detail regarding his decision, the two are definitely an interesting pair. While Steve Martin is 73 years old and most known for an off-kilter and ironic approach to stand-up, Martin Lawrence is 53 years old and boasts more of a wise-cracking stand-up approach. Both Martin and Lawrence have appeared in numerous comedy films. Lawrence is most known for starring in Big Mommas House and Bad Boys. Steve Martin is famous for his work in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Jerk, and Father of the Bride. Jordan Peele on figuring out fame after Get Out Jordan Peele, while widely known before Get Out, reached a level of stardom that he was not accustomed to after his first foray into horror. Speaking about fame, he told The Hollywood Reporter: I dont envy someone who gets famous overnight. The hardest part is being recognized. I used to think that being in the public eye gave you power. But all of a sudden, they have the power and can come up to you an hour into dinner. Jordan Peele, while previously known for his work on Comedy Central, was not quite a household name until 2017, so it appears that hes still adjusting to his newfound stardom, as well as the responsibilities and hassles that coincide with it. With The Twilight Zone on the horizon, it doesnt look like Jordan Peele is going to be out of the spotlight anytime soon, so he better get ready for a few more dinner interruptions. Unfortunately, while this shouldnt be the way it is, the profession comes with its drawbacks. However, thats the price of doing what you love, and, a $12 million net worth probably helps him cope. Jordan Peeles next film: Wendell and Wild Currently in pre-production, Wendell and Wild will feature Jordan Peele as a voice actor in a movie destined to blur the typical lines between genres, as it will be a comedy, horror, and animated film, according to IMDb. Joining forced with Keegan-Michael Key once again, the two will play demon brothers who face off against a nun and a pair of goth teens. Considering most people will struggle to grasp how animation, horror, and comedy can all be seamlessly fused, anticipation is high for this one. However, Jordan Peele has managed to rise to the occasion twice already, so the odds are ever in his favor. Princess Diana was one of the most iconic female figures of our time. She was known as a bold and independent figure amongst the royal family. Although she did seem to truly respect the queen and appreciate her royal duties, she was known to be a bit rebellious and make her own rules, rather than following in the royal traditions. Princess Diana definitely cherished her two children: Prince William and Prince Harry. So, what would the Princess of Wales think of her two daughters-in-law, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle? We think that the princess would be very proud. Here are a few reasons why we think that she would be delighted at the fact her sons were able to find such wonderful spouses. Kate and Meghan are both humanitarians As most people know, Princess Diana was very dedicated to her philanthropic work. The Princess of Wales was praised by millions all over the world for the work she did in Africa to help AIDS victims and their families. She was also recognized for her bold and courageous efforts to stop the installments of landmines due to the fact that they were hurting so many innocent people and children. Before Meghan was put on center stage as a royal, she was already very active in a number of humanitarian projects. In 2016, Meghan had traveled to Rwanda to help with the efforts of getting clean water to the small villages in that area. While she was in Rwanda, she had also visited with the local children at the nearby school to talk with them and teach them some fun activities like painting with watercolors. Since becoming a royal, Meghans charitable work has grown to new heights. She is now a Royal Patron of four different charities that specialize in the arts, women empowerment, and the welfare of animals. She has also supported her husbands efforts in continuing to carry on his mothers legacy to help support HIV and AIDS research. Like all other royals, Kate Middleton also has a long list of charitable organizations that she supports. However, she spent a lot of time choosing her patronages to ensure that they were ones that were near and dear to her heart. She dedicates a large portion of her time to many different charities, including the arts, addiction centers, and childrens hospice. She, along with her husband, William, and brother-in-law, Harry, have founded the Heads Together organization which has helped to bring awareness to mental health disorders. They are both strong, independent women Princess Diana was known for her untraditional way of raising her children. Unlike the other royal children before them, Diana made sure that William and Harry had normal childhood experiences, like going to McDonalds, standing in line at Disney, and attending public schools. Kate has somewhat followed in her mother-in-laws footsteps by also trying to give her children a normal life. She seems to be a very hands-on mother. She only has one nanny, and it has been reported that Kate changes her childrens diapers herself and either her or William drop their oldest two children off to school themselves. Meghan and Harrys child is not here yet, however, being that the Duchess of Sussex has long been known for her efforts to create equality for women, it is hard to imagine that she would adhere to the traditional royal standards of motherhood. Princess Diana was a remarkable woman that was not afraid to stand up for what she believed in. Although she, unfortunately, is no longer with us anymore, we know that if she were here, she would not only be proud of the men that her sons have become, but she would also be proud of the women that they have chosen to spend the rest of their lives with. Scott Bakula is best known for his starring role in Quantum Leap and for his current role as Dwayne Pride on the hit CBS series NCIS: New Orleans. Heres Scott Bakulas net worth and how much he makes per episode on NCIS: New Orleans. How Scott Bakula became famous Scott Bakula|John Shearer/Getty Images for TV Guide Scott Bakula, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, first became interested in acting while performing in plays and musicals at his church. He was so consumed with a desire to become a performer that he dropped out of college and headed to New York with the hope of becoming a Broadway actor. I had to go to New York and see if I could make it, said Bakula in an interview with CBS This Morning. He landed the lead role in the musical Romance Romance, earning a Tony nomination for his performance. Bakula made his television acting debut in 1986 in the series The Magical World of Disney. He played Jeffrey Wilder in an episode titled I-Man. From 1986 to 1987, Bakula landed a recurring role in the television series Gung Ho, playing the character Hunt Stevenson. Then, from 1986 to 1988, he played the character Dr. Ted Shively in the TV series Designing Women. Bakula got his big break when he played the lead role in the TV series Quantum Leap from 1989 to 1993. NCIS: New Orleans cast NCIS New Orleans cast|Skip Bolen/CBS via Getty Images NCIS: New Orleans has undergone some cast changes over the years. One recent cast change was the departure of Shalita Grant, who played the role of Sonja Percy. Before that, Zoe McLellan, who played Special Agent Meredith Merri Brody, left the cast before season three began. According to TV Line, it was a creative decision. Her characters relationship with a Homeland Security agent posed a conflict with her position as a special agent. Where is NCIS: New Orleans filmed? Scott Bakula and NCIS New Orleans cast|Skip Bolen/CBS via Getty Images Its not easy to copy the scenes you see in NCIS: New Orleans, so the show is filmed on-location around New Orleans. The soundstage is located in Harahan, which is part of Jefferson Parish, according to CBS. NCIS: Los Angeles, as youve probably guessed, is filmed on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles. NCIS films in Southern California. How much Scott Bakula makes per episode of NCIS: New Orleans Bakula is paid well for his role as Dwayne Pride. He reportedly earns $120,000 per episode. Scott Bakula isnt a big fan of being famous Scott Bakula| D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra During an interview with CBS This Morning, Bakula said he prefers to maintain his privacy. Consequently, hes not one to hold media interviews in his home. For a hundred million years People magazine wanted to do interviews with me at my home. I said, I cant. Where do you stop? Scott Bakulas Net worth Scott Bakula has an estimated net worth of $10 million. Read more: NCIS: Is Mark Harmon Taking a Break from the Show? Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Jussie Smollett Empire star and actor accused of staging a hate crime against himself in late January has been cleared off all charges. On January 22, a racist and homophobic letter arrived at the set of Empire. Nearly a week later, on February 28, Smollett was reportedly attacked by two white men wearing ski masks. Jussie Smollett | Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images According to TMZ, the attackers went on to put a noose around his neck and spew hateful words relating to Smollets race and sexual orientation. Smollett checked into a Chicago hospital that same night. Shortly after the attack, Smolletts family spoke out in support, condemning the attackers. Smollet would speak on the attack for the first time February 1. In late February, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) reported that they had reason to believe the attack was staged, and many went on to assume it was a publicity stunt that Smollett coordinated. However, his underlying motivation remained unclear (and salary reasons seemed unconvincing). CNN reported that the CPD believed Smollet may have paid the attackers, as the police had records of the accused men purchasing the rope that they used to wrap around Smollets neck. However, despite this fallout, Smollets charges have been dropped. Chicago Mayor and the Police Superintendent still think Jussie Smollet staged the attack According to CNN, the Chicago Mayor and Police Superintendent still have reason to believe that Jussie Smollett staged the attack. Furthermore, the lead investigator reported that he believes Smollett carried out a crime as well. The question on everyones minds: how exactly was Smollett cleared off all charges? A few CNN analysts sat down to figure out what exactly may have happened, and explain the likely reasoning behind the courts decision. Not enough concrete evidence against Jussie Smollett While authorities had footage of the men involved in the assault buying ski masks, sunglasses, and other suspicious items, they did not have footage of the actual attack, according to CNN. Its likely that the defense saw the holes in the prosecutions case, as the evidence put forth, though very convincing, was mostly circumstantial. However, considering one of the attackers was Smolletts personal trainer, there is still reason to be suspicious. A criminal defense attorney, Sara Azari told CNN, Id like to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe they looked at the evidence and didnt feel they could prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The brothers charged may have recanted their statement When it was reported that Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to stage the attack, the case took its first major turn. However, while the men confessed to the plot and appeared before a grand jury, they were released without charges. Its possible, and likely, according to CNN analysts, that the two men did not have a plea or an immunity deal, and recanted their statement. Without the two people behind the crime agreeing that it was staged, the case could have fallen apart. The brothers have since expressed regret regarding their involvement, but have not put forth many details. Whether the accused changed their tune, the police came in a little too hot and heavy, or there wasnt enough evidence to prove a staged attack, Jussie Smollett has been cleared of all charges. For the actors sake, lets hope that he is not guilty, as faking a hate-crime over salary and/or recognition would be in extremely poor taste. Get out the garlic. Cult film favorite What We Do in the Shadows is coming to TV. The new comedy, based on the 2014 mockumentary about a group of vampire roommates in New Zealand, premieres on FX on March 27. Like the original movie, the 10-episode series will follow three vampires as they navigate the modern world. But dont expect Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement to reprise their roles as Vlago and Vladislav on the small screen. Why Waititi and Clement didnt want to be in the show The FX shows shifts the action from Wellington, New Zealand, to Staten Island, New York. (The New Zealand of New York, according to one of the shows producers.) And it introduces three new vampires. Kayvan Novak plays Nandor, Matt Berry is Laszlo, and Natasia Demetriou is Nadja. Harvey Guillien plays Guillermo, Nandors human familiar. The show also adds a new kind of vampire to the mix. Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) is an energy vampire, who thrives not on sucking blood but on sucking the will to live out of his fellow office workers. But fans who were hoping that Vladislav or Vlago might drop in on their vampire kin in Staten Island will be disappointed. Waititi and Clement who also co-wrote and co-directed the 2014 film opted not to appear in the show, even though the network urged them to do so. They encouraged us to do it, Waititi told the New York Times. Itd be really cool if you guys were in the show, at least one of you. Well, Im not going to do it if hes not going to do it. Neither of us really wanted to do it. He elaborated on his reluctance in an interview with USA Today. Being that character before was really fun, but you dont really want to repeat yourself, he said. The idea that Im going to put those teeth on again, put those clothes on again, put that stupid harness on and fly around, (it) made me exhausted just thinking about it. But they are involved in the production Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW Waititi and Clement might have hung up their capes for good, but that doesnt mean the pair werent involved in the show. Clement wrote several episodes, and both he and Waititi directed some episodes as well. Both are also executive producers. Adapting a movie for television comes with certain challenges, not the least of which was getting used to working with the network. While much of the original movie was improvised and filmed over just a few weeks in New Zealand, the duo had to get used to receiving feedback from the FX bosses. The thing is, in the movie, we were the bosses and we never had to take notes. Now we have to take notes from the network, Clement told the New York Times. And a lot of the notes are like, In the movie Oh, man. We know. We did the movie. What We Do in the Shadows premieres Wednesday, March 27 at 10/9c on FX. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Meghan Markle is due to give birth to her first child in a matter of weeks and already, the duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, are getting a slew of baby gifts. From the moment the royal couple announced they were expecting, theyve been receiving gifts from dignitaries across the globe on their various royal tours, trinkets from their family, and baby shower gifts from Markles close friends. Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in the middle of a move from their 2-bedroom apartment at Kensington Palace to their estate, Frogmore Cottage, what are they doing with all their baby gifts? Can Meghan Markle and Prince Harry accept baby gifts? The royals have very particular rules about gifts. If you recall the duke and duchess asked for donations to their favorite charities for the wedding. However, they are allowed to accept gifts from close friends and family. Royals history author Leslie Carroll explained to TIME, Theres no official royal prohibition against members of the royal family receiving gifts from their friends or family members. If Serena [Williams] or Amal [Clooney] want to give Meghan a cute little onesie for the baby, thats not a crime. They bought her things that would be sweet and sentimental and personal. However, under no circumstances are royals ever allowed to accept unsolicited gifts or things given to them by the public. What happens to gifts given to Baby Sussex from the public? For safety reasonsthe royals must say thanks but no thanks to all unsolicited gifts for Baby Sussex. CNN royals commentator Victoria Arbiter told TIME, If theres a return address on the package, the mailroom staff will promptly send it back with a note probably not from Harry and Meghan, but from the office. The royal mailroom, you can imagine, is pretty intense. If theyre sent from a company, they will definitely be sent back [or donated], because the royals dont want to be walking billboards. How can you congratulate Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Baby Sussexs arrival? Now that you know the royals cannot accept gifts from random folks, we hope you dont go out and purchase Baby Sussex a stuffed animal. However, if you do want to congratulate them on their bundle of joy you can send them a lovely card via snail mail. Arbiter explained, If people send cards congratulating them on the baby, they will get a reply at some stage. It may take some time, but they will get a reply, and its a nice way to show their appreciation. Imagine recieving a signed thak you note from the duke and duchess? We would be thrilled. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The Food Network features plenty of notable celebrity chefs we all know and love, and Ree Drummond has become a favorite over the years. The Pioneer Woman first attained fame through her blog that has the same title as her show. Once she gained a serious following, her fan base exploded when she started sharing her recipes, stories of life on the ranch, and tales of raising four kids in Oklahoma on her food program. With her show, her blog, and her booming businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, theres no doubt Ree has found great success over the years. Some of her viewers seem to think shes not as honest about her social status as she should be, however. Heres what theyve claimed. Ree Drummond is a multimillionaire and seemingly grew up wealthy, too When we think of Ree Drummond, we think of the quaint countryside, a simple life on a ranch, and a humble upbringing but it seems that may just be just the perfect illusion The Pioneer Woman has created. Ree has talked extensively before about her dreams of moving to the big city as a youth. She grew up in Oklahoma where she now resides with her husband and four children, but before meeting Ladd Drummond, she had big plans to move to Chicago and never return to the country. According to her, however, it was love that kept her in her home state, and she became the accidental country girl thereafter. Nowadays, its reported that Rees net worth is somewhere in the range of $50 million. Not only does she make a lot of money from her food show and blog, but she receives millions of dollars from the government for using her 433,000 acres of land to help protect wildlife. And even before her fame, The New Yorker notes she grew up in the affluent town of Bartlesville where her father was an orthopedic surgeon and her mother was a stay-at-home mom. If theres anything Ree has always known, money seems to be up there. Some of her viewers think she purposely downplays her wealth to seem relatable We all love watching someone we can relate to, and Ree tries to make herself as accessible to the public as possible with her TV persona. She cooks with ingredients anyone can find in their local grocery store, and her meals are never overly-expensive (even if she could afford it). Unfortunately, it seems not all of her viewers appreciate the way she seemingly downplays her wealth. And many have even accused her of acting dishonestly for it. As one Reddit user commented, What bothers me the most about PW is that is the embodiment of capitalism. She basically has a completely false persona and pretends to be one of us- a trusted friend- simply to sell s*** to people. On another thread, another one of her previous fans stated, I bailed out around the time when they were building The Lodge and it became glaringly obvious that they were loaded and not just some normal farm family. Others are defending the way she portrays herself to the public, however Ree Drummond may not come out and announce just how much money she has on TV, but many are defending her decision to remain mum about her income. Another Reddit user commented, I personally have no problem with Ree. I suspected from the first time I read PW that she had money and it was confirmed when she blogged about her wedding and posted a photo. The same user also added that she found a brand that she could easily sell to others and made a profit from it, which theres nothing inherently wrong with. Another questioned, whats wrong with her making a career of her own, doing things she enjoys and that does well enough to be successful? No matter what hate Ree may get, it appears shes not going anywhere anytime soon. And her town of Pawhuska seems to love her, as her businesses are thriving and have boosted the local economy. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles baby is fast approaching and while royal baby watchers wonder if theyll have a boy or a girl and what they will name Baby Sussex, theres another detail worth noting. Will Baby Sussex break a royal record held by his/her cousin, Prince Louis? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | JASON DORDAY/AFP/Getty Images When is Baby Sussex due? Meghan Markles exact due date remains a mystery, but many are speculating that the babys arrival will be coming soon, based on the official pregnancy announcement noting a spring arrival. Were finally into the spring months and it looks like Markle has slowed down on her appearances. Shes dropped some hints along the way about how close to the due date she is, revealing during a recent visit to Birkenhead that they are expecting Baby Sussex end of April, early May. Earlier this month, at an event honoring Prince Charles, Markle was asked about her pregnancy by Welsh Secretary of State Alun Cairns, who commented, All in good order? Im sure everyone is asking. She answered, No, its actually very sweet. Its a very nurturing sweet thing to ask. Were nearly there! VIDEO: That chat Meghan had about her baby at yesterdays Buckingham Palace reception for the Prince of Wales. Welsh Sec @AlunCairns: All in good order? Im sure everyone is asking. Meghan: No, its actually very sweet. Its a nurturing thing to ask. Were nearly there! pic.twitter.com/HiyxaKz6rM Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) March 6, 2019 Will Baby Sussex break a royal record? It will be interesting to see if Markle and Prince Harrys baby breaks a record held by Prince Louis which is the heaviest heir to the throne in a century, according to Hello! magazine. Louis weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces at birth. According to the report, Louis is Prince Charles biggest grandchild so far. By comparison, Prince George weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces when he was born and Princess Charlotte weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces. Louis isnt, however, the heaviest baby born into the royal family, but rather, the biggest heir to the throne. The biggest royal baby was Mike and Zara Tindalls daughter Lena, who weighed 9 pounds 3 ounces when she was born in June 2018. In December, Kate Middleton shared that her children will be thrilled with the arrival of Prince Harry and Markles baby, noting during a visit to Leicester University: Its such a special time to all have kiddies. And a cousin for George and Charlotte as well, and Louis. So it will be really special. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set an interesting record Meanwhile, theres another royal baby record that the couple have set the Duke and Duchess of Sussex produced a future royal baby quicker than the rest of the British monarchy, Hello! magazine reports. Dating app Jaumo recently analyzed ten royal families from various countries to see which ones produced children the quickest. Hello! magazine notes: According to the findings, British royal couples usually wait an average of 1008 days, or 2.76 years, between marriage and their first child, or 1166 days between getting engaged and having their first child, longer than any other European royal household. The report adds: But Meghan and Harry didnt hang around, with Meghan due to give birth to her first child in April 2019, less than a year after her May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. The pitfalls and perils of marijuana legalization are well-documented. But whenever we discuss that research here on BreakPoint, were accused of not having the right research. What that means is that weve used studies that contradict the very vocal advocates of weed. Well, lets see what happens when we cite The British journal The Lancet, which, along with the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, is considered the gold standard for peer-reviewed medical research. It doesnt get more real than being published in The Lancet. A just-published study in The Lancet involving, among others, researchers at Kings College London, compared 900 people who had been treated for psychosis with 1,200 people who had not. Sample participants were drawn from across Europe and Brazil. Both groups were surveyed on a host of factors, including their use of marijuana and other drugs. The studys authors concluded that people who smoked marijuana on a daily basis were three times more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis compared with people who never used the drug. For those who used high-potency marijuana daily, the risk jumped to nearly five times. By high-potency the researchers meant marijuana with a THC content of more than ten percent. To put that figure in context, a study of the weed seized by the DEA between 1995 and 2014 found the THC content went from about 4 percent in 1995 to 12 percent in 2014. Today, its not uncommon to read of marijuana thats legally-sold in places like Colorado with THC content above 20 percent, occasionally 30 percent! Legalization advocates minimize the exponential growth in potency by saying that twenty or more years ago, Americans didnt have access to the good stuff. Well, that misses the point by several astronomical units. The point is that those people who daily use the good stuff are five times more likely to find themselves in a hospital suffering from delusions and hallucinations, to name only two symptoms of psychosis. Now, critics will respond, Thats correlation, not causation. And thats the criticism leveled at journalist Alex Berenson, author of Tell Your Children: The Truth about Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence, a book I recommend highly. But as I heard Berenson say just last week in Denver, of course its correlation and not causation. The only way to prove causation would be to ask half a sample group to experiment with something that may harm them. Thats not ethically possible. By the way, all the studies that made us believe that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer were correlated studies too, but that was enough to convince us all. Even so, writer Ron Powers doesnt need a peer-reviewed study to convince him of the link between marijuana use and psychosis. In his 2017 book, Nobody Cares About Crazy People, he tells the moving story of his two sons, Dean and Kevin, who were both diagnosed with schizophrenia in their late teens. As Powers tells readers, while there is a strong genetic component to schizophrenia, there is no schizophrenia gene. Instead, its a constellation of genetic and environmental factors that make people susceptible to schizophrenia. One of these, as Powers painfully learned, is heavy marijuana use, especially in the teenage years. Of course, some people will tell you that they and most people arent mentally ill, so theres little if any risk. But for a host of reasons, no one can know that with certainty. In fact, all pronouncements about how safe marijuana legalization is simply overstates the case. Thats exactly what happened here in Colorado. The possible pitfalls were denied or downplayed. And so, Colorado now holds the dubious distinction of leading the country in first-time drug use. And the rate of monthly marijuana use among 18-to-25-year-olds in states with legal weed is nearly three times as much as states that havent legalized it. By the way, 18-25 is the age when schizophrenia often begins to manifest. And since legalization, Colorado has seen a a spike in marijuana-related emergency room visits by people between the ages of 13 and 20. Given the well-documented mental health risks, especially to not-fully-formed adolescent brains, the rush to legalization is the height of irresponsibility. An irresponsibility that can shatter lives. And dont just take our word for it. BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on todays news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions. John Stonestreet, the host of The Point, a daily national radio program, provides thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview. Publication date: March 27, 2019 Photo courtesy: Simone Scarano/Unsplash The minute that Barbara Cross a well-established black city civic leader walked in the door, Senator Doug Jones a white freshmen senator from Alabama left his table to embrace and greet Cross. For the senator, this was not a typical meet-and-greet with a constituent; nor was it an ordinary meeting of two old friends. The two who have known each other for decades are kindred spirits. What brings these two together is hurt and celebration. Senator Jones and Ms. Cross both grew up in segregated southern Alabama and probably would not have ever known each other if it were not for the traumatic events of September 15, 1963 a day that in many respects changed America's view on racial equality. Cross grew up a pastors kid and was reared in a great home where her father Pastor John Cross, was the minister of 16th Street Baptist Church. Barbara Cross recalls the events of September 15 noting that it started like any ordinary Sunday. That morning, she left her home early to go with her dad to church. Her goal was to prepare for the churchs first youth Sunday. Cross still remembers her Sunday school teacher giving her an assignment to do before she would let her accompany her four friends to the restroom. As she reflected on the tragic day while sitting across from me, tears welled up in her eyes. Cross four friends would end up being the casualty of America's deep racial division. Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carol Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley would never return back to the Sunday school class they left that morning. Unbeknownst to them, three KKK members had planted a bomb inside the church the night before. Although it has been a little over 50 years, Cross can still remember the incident clearly. Senator Jones later met and became friends with Cross when he decided to take on the role of the lead prosecutor in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing case. Jones would bring up charges against two of the men who had planted the bombs; both would later be found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Senator Jones is clear that the Pastoral leadership of Cross dad deserves the credit for keeping the peace that dreadful day. Barbra Cross recalled that following the bombing her father went into the crowd of people fleeing the church and encouraged them to remain calm. This interview, which will only be seen on ChristianHeadlines.com, tells the story of courage and forgiveness. While the bombing happened more than 50 years ago, there is still a lesson to be learned from that tragic day as America is still working to end racial divisions in our country. Photo courtesy: Settle Video Productions Video courtesy: Settle Video Productions Democratic state legislators in Pennsylvania are accusing a Republican representative of weaponizing prayer after she mentioned Israel and President Trump in her opening legislative prayer Monday and said at the name of Jesus every knee will bow. The prayer by GOP Rep. Stephanie Borowicz came the same day that new Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, a Democrat and a Muslim, was sworn in. Johnson-Harrell called the prayer highly offensive to me, my guests, and other members of the House, according to the Pennsylvania Capital Star. It blatantly represented the Islamophobia that exists among some leaders -- leaders that are supposed to represent the people, Johnson-Harrell told the newspaper. I came to the Capitol to help build bipartisanship and collaborations regardless of race or religion to enhance the quality of life for everyone in the Commonwealth. Democratic Rep. Jordan Harris said Borowicz's prayer weaponized religion. Another Democrat, Rep. Margo Davidson, yelled objection toward the end of the prayer, the Capital Star reported. As an evangelical Christian, I was offended by [the prayers] lack of humility or care or, dare I say, love for a human being duly elected by [her] district, Davidson told the newspaper. It was mean spirited. Borowiczs prayer began: Jesus, I thank you for this privilege, Lord, [for] letting me pray, God. I, Jesus, am your ambassador here today, standing here representing you, the King of King, the Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, the One whos coming back again, the One who came, died and rose again on the third day, she prayed. Borowicz mentioned George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and a nation founded on your principles and your Word and your truths. Jesus, weve lost sight of you. Weve forgotten you, God, in our country, and were asking you to forgive us, Jesus, Borowicz prayed before quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14. She prayed for the Pennsylvania legislative leaders, the governor and the president. She asked for the peace of Israel and expressed thanks that Trump stands beside Israel, unequivocally. Borowicz concluded her prayer by acknowledging at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, Jesus, that you are Lord. Asked if she would apologize, Borowicz said she would not. That's how I pray every day, she said. ... I don't apologize ever for praying. Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Video courtesy: Pa. House Video Shouwang Church, which famously kept meeting outdoors after losing its pastor and worship space, is the fourth major unregistered congregation to be forcibly closed in recent months. | Shouwang Church in Beijing was forced to worship outside starting in 2009. Another prominent unregistered church in China, Shouwang Church in Beijing, was raided by Chinese police over the weekend and officially banned from gathering to worship. Shouwang, which draws more than 1,000 attendees, is the fourth major underground congregation shut down by the Communist government over the past several months, as party leaders and heads of the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement intensify efforts to rid religious groups of Western influence and exert control to make them more Chinese. Similar to earlier incidents at Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan, Zion Church in Beijing, and Rongguili Church in Guangzhou, officials interrupted Bible study gatherings at two Shouwang Church locations on Saturday, putting the activities to a halt, interrogating and briefly detaining dozens of attendees, and switching the locks of their buildings to keep them from returning, according to International Christian Concern (ICC). The church had been charged with violating the countrys Regulations of Religious Affairs and Regulations on the Registration and Management of Social Organizations by operating without government registration. Shouwang members refused to sign a document pledging to never attend the church again, and leaders said the church will continue to worship by adjusting meeting times and locations. Throughout its 26-year history, Shouwang members have refused to come under Communist authority and persevered despite persecution, with their underground services forced outside when evicted from their buildings in 2009 and with their founding pastor Jin Tianming under house arrest since 2011. Chinas oppression against house churches will not be loosened, Bob Fu, ... Benny Hinn shoots down rumor he was hospitalized, dances to show hes doing well Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Controversial televangelist and "faith healer" Benny Hinn shot down a rumor Sunday that he was hospitalized after supporters as far away as Africa urged prayers for him. Family, lets all stand in AGREEMENT & extend prayers for Pastor Benny Hinn this very moment! Pls do it now! #PrayerforPastorBennyHinn#HealingLord#DivineTouch#RightNowLord, Prophet Bernard Taylor of Ghana tweeted on Sunday morning as news of the supposed faith healers alleged need for healing spread on social media. By late Sunday evening however, Hinns ministry team quickly began dismissing it. You may have seen a rumor circulating online that Pastor Benny is in the ICU. We assure you this is absolutely false. Pastor Benny is not ill. He is doing very well and looking forward to tomorrow night's LIVE broadcast, an initial post on his Facebook post said about the rumor. Hinn appeared in a Facebook Live broadcast himself shortly after the statement from his team to address the rumor. Tell all my wonderful partners and friends Im doing good. Theres a rumor going out that I am in the hospital. Its not true. You see me? Im doing marvelous, Hinn said in the video with a quick wiggle of his body. Somebody put something on Facebook this morning or yesterday telling people Im in the hospital, [there is] something wrong with me. Not me. Maybe its another Benny Hinn that I dont know about, he declared before asking his supporters get the message out that he is doing fine. Let people know Im really doing great. God has been so good to me, he said. About four years ago Hinn was admitted to Orange County Medical Center in California with heart trouble. After treatment, he declared that his heart was strong. "God is faithful. My heart is strong. I have no heart damage. My arteries are not blocked. There is no arterial damage. The AFib is being treated effectively, and my rapid heart rate has reduced considerably. I'm feeling stronger every day. The prognosis is good for a speedy and complete recuperation, and I am so glad to be heading home," Hinn told The Christian Post in a statement at the time. Hinn's team also revealed he has been battling atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, which refers to a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat, for more than 20 years. The condition can result in the heart beating too fast, too slow or just irregularly altogether. If the problem goes unnoticed it unfortunately can lead to increased risk of stroke, chest pain or heart failure. Hinn's nephew, Costi Hinn, is getting ready to release a highly anticipated book this summer criticizing the prosperity gospel and his uncles hand in it called, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies. For this project, the plan is to invest back into the people who are buying the book in some big ways. In just the first month since pre-orders began, 100 books were donated to The Central Africa Baptist College and Seminary to support pastors who are training for ministry. Africa is one of the most plagued countries in the world when it comes to prosperity theology, Costi Hinn wrote in a blog post last month. Plans are in place to give away thousands of dollars in books in resources to those who pre-order in the coming months as well as pastors around the world, he added. Robert V. Finley, evangelist and notable champion of foreign missions, dies at 96 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Robert Van Eaton Finley, an evangelist who founded the prominent foreign missions organization Christian Aid Mission, passed away at age 96. The Charlottesville, Virginia-based Christian Aid Mission released a statement on Friday confirming the death of their founder. Finley is fondly remembered by missionaries worldwide for his life and work, his books, articles, and his teaching. He believed that it is the supreme responsibility of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ to plant and build His church among all nations, stated the organization. Resham Raj Poudel, the leader of an indigenous ministry in Nepal, was quoted in the statement as noting that one of the things he liked about Finleys work was that he trusts us. Christian Aid Mission is the first ministry I know to support independent gospel ministries with prayer and finances to help them fulfill their work, stated Poudel. This made it possible for us to grow in the vision that the Lord has given us. The result is that many churches are being planted around the world. A native of Albemarle County, Virginia, Finley became an evangelist for Youth for Christ and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship soon after graduating from the University of Virginia in 1944. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Finley preached at dozens of schools and hundreds of churches both in the United States and abroad, and had shared stages with the Reverend Billy Graham. In 1953, Finley founded International Students, Inc., from which the Assisting Indigenous Developments division, later renamed Christian Aid Mission, came from. Finley also founded the Overseas Students Mission. Finleys missionary work focused on indigenous populations abroad, drawing from the evangelists experiences preaching in Asia. The example of the Apostle Paul stood out to me, stated Finley in comments posted on Christian Aid Missions website. He left his native Cilicia and went as a foreign student at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem. While there God called him to return to Asia as an apostle to his own people. As I read more about missionaries in the Bible, I noticed they were nearly all native to the people they reached. Finley is survived by his wife, Cynthia Finley, two daughters, Deborah Finley Arcieri and Ruth Finley Cassidy, three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and two sisters. Breakthrough: Miracle teen resurrected after mother's prayer to God feels called to be pastor Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WINNIPEG, Canada The person behind the upcoming Christian film Breakthrough, John Smith, says he received a call from God to become a pastor after his mother's prayers brought him back to life. After being rescued from an icy lake, John Smith was pronounced dead at a hospital after doctors were unable to resuscitate him. But John's mother, Joyce, was determined not to give up on her son. She prayed and cried out to God that her child would be brought back to life, and he was. "I've seen this all my life how God can come in and heal and take care of things, and it's just believing that it can happen, Joyce Smith told The Christian Post in an interview on the set of Breakthrough" last year. When you're losing something that you feel like is God's gift to you, it puts it to another level where you're going to go in and do whatever and ask God to do what He says He can do. John Smith, who after being pronounced dead came back to life 45 minutes later, said that while hes still searching for answers and waiting and praying about where God will ultimately lead him, he gained some clarity about his life's calling while at a youth camp after his recovery. "[I was] constantly fighting God and Him just saying, 'Keep listening to Me, just pay attention, just walk where I need you to walk.' And then finally, after I started to realize that the earthly idols that I have been chasing are coming to an end, it's time to be chasing toward the heavenly gold, John said. He assumed his overzealous feeling would wear off after camp but it didnt, so John identified it as God speaking to him. [Thats] Him just calling me to ministry. I'm truly excited to see where He's going to take me, John said. Marcel Ruiz, the 15-year-old actor who plays John in Breakthrough, told CP in an interview that he admires the aspiring minister because of his conviction. Jason Noble, the family's pastor who tirelessly labored in prayer with the Smith family before and after the miracle, said he believes God always answers prayers. "I think that prayers are always answered, Noble told CP. It may not be the answer that we want, and it's one of the things we've talked a lot about [because] people ask us: 'What if John would have died? Would you have you had the same kind of faith? Our answer has been Yes. Noble emphasized that everyone eventually dies, but in Heaven there is always healing. I think it's reframing what our perspective of a miracle and God's healing is, because if a person goes to Heaven and stands before the throne and they're healed, it's the same, it's a miraculous healing, Noble said. "God always heals. There's always a purpose. And God always answers your prayers," he continued. "It might not be how we want them answered but He'll answer them the best way. I think we can look back over life and go, 'God, I could see why you moved the way you did and did what you said you were going to do. But when we pray, I think it's so important that we say, 'God, I'm going to pray and then trust you with the outcome. It's not, 'God, you need to do this and here's how the outcome needs to be,' because that's where we do get disappointed. In the film, Chrissy Metz (This is Us) plays the role of Joyce Smith and actor Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama) plays her husband, Brian Smith. Marcel Ruiz (One Day at a Time) portrays their son, John. The 20th Century Fox movie is based on Joyce Smith's book, The Impossible, and was adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte ("Seven Pounds"). "Breakthrough" will be released on April 17. Celebrated Ohio pastor Charles Booth dies of cancer Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Rev. Charles E. Booth, a celebrated Ohio pastor and civil rights activist who preached the power of prayer, died Saturday after a protracted battle with cancer. He was 72. Booth was the senior pastor at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Columbus where he preached for more than 40 years. He died while in hospice care, Tamara Hartley, a former executive assistant and office manager at the church, told NBC4i. He was a profound preacher, the Rev. Timothy Clarke told The Philadelphia Tribune. He was one of the great preachers of his generation, hands down. On Monday, as local and national leaders remembered him, Booths church shared a clip of their late pastor preaching about the importance of prayer for Christian leaders shared at the 49th pastoral anniversary of Bishop Jerome H. Ross. Your power is not in your ability to use cute and tricky phrases. Your power is in your prayer life. ... And Im not just talking to preachers, Im talking to deacons and anybody else who is really serious about your spiritual power. If you want power, examine your prayer life. If you aint got a prayer life you aint got much power, he said in the clip from the 2015 sermon. He was a true gentleman and a great friend, Clarke, who is pastor of the First Church of God, told The Philadelphia Tribune. Preachers all over the country are mourning him because of his friendship. Preachers like Kelvin J. Anthony, senior pastor at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, recalled the impact Booths ministry made on his life as news of his death spread over the weekend. Charles E Booth, thank you for the impact that you had on my preaching and I won't forget the encouraging words that you said to me when you came to the lecture series in January. I wished that this news wasn't true, but my prayers are with your family and the Mt. Olivet Church of Columbus. Rest in peace, he wrote in a statement on Facebook. The Columbus City Council also recognized Booths passing in a statement on Twitter. Columbus City Council offers our deepest condolences to the family, faith community and the members of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church on the passing of Reverend Dr. Charles E. Booth. pic.twitter.com/XsrnsIA4Ak Columbus Council (@ColumbusCouncil) March 24, 2019 Columbus City Council offers our deepest condolences to the family, faith community and the members of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church on the passing of Reverend Charles E. Booth, officials noted on Sunday. Nana Watson, president of the Columbus Chapter of the NAACP, noted that along with his faith values, Booth was also a tireless champion of civil rights. Not only was he a spiritual leader, but he was a civil rights advocate who fought against social injustices from his pulpit and in the community, Watson said in a statement. Booth who leaves behind his wife and a daughter will lie in state at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. His family will receive visitors between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Additional visitation hours will run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday followed by a memorial service. Chick-fil-A requests dialogue after city votes to ban restaurant from airport over anti-LGBT behavior Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chick-fil-A has reached out to the San Antonio leadership after the Texas citys council narrowly voted to ban the popular chicken sandwich chain from the local airport over what they called anti-LGBT behavior. The Christian Post was provided a statement by Chick-fil-A via email on Tuesday, in which the company explained that it welcomed the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the city council. We hope they will experience for themselves that Chick-fil-A embraces all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, stated Chick-fil-A. We are proud of the positive impact we are making in communities across America, and specifically in San Antonio, and have been transparent about our giving on our web site. Last week, the San Antonio City Council voted 6-4 to remove Chick-fil-A from a concession agreement with San Antonio International Airport. At issue was Chick-fil-As connections to socially conservative nonprofits and its owners stated opposition to same-sex marriage. The company, which has several restaurants operating in the San Antonio area, explained that it was unaware of the vote until after it happened, expressing regret that it was unable to clarify misperceptions about our company prior to the vote. Chick-fil-A also took issue with the allegation that it supports political causes, labeling such allegations misleading. The City Councils decision garnered much negative feedback, with the Houston Chronicle describing the social media backlash as a national firestorm on Twitter. Councilman Roberto Trevino, who championed the removal of Chick-fil-A from the agreement, celebrated the vote result as an example of San Antonio becoming a champion of equality and inclusion. San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior, said Trevino, as reported by NBC News. However, Councilman and mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse penned an open letter of apology to Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy over the vote result. The recent actions of our City Council do not reflect the overwhelming belief in our City that you are a valued business and community partner, wrote Brockhouse. In spite of the appearance of this decision, San Antonio is a welcoming City that values diversity, faith and inclusivity. The Christian Post reached out to the San Antonio City Council, specifically any members who voted in favor of banning Chick-fil-A from the airport. A response was not provided by press time. San Antonios controversial vote comes not long after Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, rejected a student body request to allow a Chick-fil-A restaurant on campus. The university claimed that the fast food companys views on LGBT issues have not sufficiently progressed enough. In response, one of the schools deans, Cynthia Newman of the College of Business, resigned in protest. I endeavor every day to do exactly what Chick-fil-A puts forward as its overarching corporate value: to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to me and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with me, she said in her resignation letter. China bans 1,000-member church in Beijing, demands members vow not to attend Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An influential house church in Beijing was shut down Saturday after 20 government and police officials raided Bible classes at two different locations, changed the locks and demanded congregants vow never to worship as a congregation again. Chinas crackdown against underground house churches continued last Saturday with the forced closure of Beijings Shouwang Church, according to the Chinese persecution watchdog organization China Aid. Shouwang Church is one of the most prominent among thousands of unregistered house churches in the city and is said to be attended by over 1,000 people. As the congregation has suffered through years of challenges and persecution at the hands of the government for refusing to join the state-sanctioned church, it was accused of refusing to register with the government as a social organization. But according to the nonprofit run by prominent Chinese human rights leader Bob Fu, the church had previously submitted an application to the Haidian District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau in 2006 but was rejected because founding Pastor Jin Tianming was not officially ordained by the state. Christians attending the Bible classes had planned to meet around 1 p.m. but instead were taken by policy to a nearby school where they were held for hours, questioned and told that the church had been shut down. The nonprofit NGO International Christian Concern reports that another group of Christians affiliated with the church were detained from another location and also taken to the school. Officials reportedly switched out the locks at both locations of the raids. The number of Christians detained by police for hours before being released is believed to be between 20 and 30, reports China Aid. According to ICC, officials read out a document formally banning Shouwang Church and demanded that those in attendance sign a letter vowing that they will no longer attend the church. However, the detainees reportedly refused. Additionally, authorities were said to have demanded that Pastor Zhang Xiaofeng sign a document admitting that the church conducted activities as an organization without registering with the government. The closing of Shouwang Church comes after authorities made headlines last September for banning Beijings largest house church, Zion Church, and confiscating illegal promotional materials. Zion Church had previously rejected requests from government authorities to install closed-circuit cameras. Officials in Beijing argued that the church had held events without registering. Shouwang Church in the past has been forced to meet in outdoor locations as government pressure made it difficult for the congregation to secure rented or purchased space. As previously reported, the churchs founding pastor was placed under house arrest in 2011 and many church members were arrested after the church began worshiping outdoors after its eviction from a building. Last July, at least 34 house churches in Beijing signed a joint statement to Chinas Communist Party officials decrying what they called an ongoing and worsening crackdown against believers. "The normal religious lives of believers have been violated and obstructed, causing serious emotional harm and damage to their sense of patriotism, as well as causing social conflict," the statement read, according to Radio Free Asia. Beijing churches are not alone in facing persecution as dozens upon dozens of members of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu have been arrested for worshiping after government officials closed the church last December. China ranks as the 27th worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. This ranking reflects the increasing implementation of regulations on religion in China that are now much harsher across the country. During his trip to Hong Kong earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, said he believes the Chinese government is at war with faith. Its a war they will not win, Brownback declared during a speech at the Foreign Correspondents Club. The Chinese Communist Party must hear the cry of its people for religious freedom. The former Kansas governor and U.S. senator criticized the Chinese governments treatment of Christians as well as its imprisonment of as many as 1 million Uighur Muslims in internment camps. ICC Regional Manager Gina Goh stated in a press release that Chinas disregard of religious freedom is deplorable. Christians outside of the state-sanctioned churches can no longer worship without fearing of harassment, detention, or even imprisonment, Goh stressed. Even official churches face increasing pressure to exalt the Communist Party over God. The international community should continue to press China over its human rights abuses until it is willing to make positive change. China Aids Fu had previously warned members of Congress that religious freedom in China has reached the worst level that has not been seen since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution by Chairman Mao [Zedong] in the 1960s. He also warned about a five-year plan to make Christianity more compatible with socialism. That plan, he says, features a "rewrite" of the Bible to reflect Chinese ethics of Confucianism and socialism. 80-y-o crucifix removed from city council chamber to 'reaffirm' secularism Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A crucifix that has been affixed to the wall in city council chambers in Montreal, Quebec, for over 80 years will be taken down to "reaffirm" the secular character of the government building. The crucifix, which features a sculpture of Jesus, has hung on the wall of the Montreal City Council since 1937. It was originally stationed there as a reminder to politicians to ensure their decisions are guided by God. But when the building begins a three-year renovation next month, the crucifix will come down and wont be put back up, according to the person overseeing the renovation. That person is city councilman Laurence Lavigne-Lalonde, who made the announcement last week during an executive council meeting. The crucifix was installed during an era that was completely different than the one we live in today, Lavigne-Lalonde said during the meeting, according to CTV News Montreal. We now live in a society that has evolved and is represented by democratic institutions that must be secular, neutral and open to all citizens. While the crucifix won't be going back on display at its original location, it's expected to be on display in a museum area in Montreals renovated city hall in 2022. The context in which it was placed there no longer applies, Lalonde said, according to The Guardian. We need to reaffirm the secular character of the chamber. CBC reports that another crucifix on display at the Peter McGill Room at Montreals City Hall will also be removed. Mayor Valerie Plante argued that the cross doesnt need to be located in a secular institution such as city council. This is a place where we make decisions and it was originally put there to support decision making, She said, according to CTV News. I think we're in a very different time now. According to CBC, Plante said the decision on the city council crucifix is the recognition of the role of secularism in the institution. [F]or me, there is a stark distinction between individual and institutional secularism," Plante stressed. As Quebec is an area known for its Catholic heritage, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal responded to the news by calling the crucifix symbolic of the city's roots and "a love for all humanity." "Nothing forbids us, and our respective beliefs, from being present in the public space in an attitude of respect and openness, since we share the same common humanity," a spokesperson told CBC. The planned removal of the crucifix from the Montreal City Council comes as there has been much debate about whether a crucifix hanging over the speakers chair at the National Assembly of Quebec in Quebec City should be removed. The crucifix was installed in the Blue Room of the building in 1936. But a government-commissioned report in 2008 recommended that the cross be removed. Premier Francois Legault had argued that the cross would stay because it is a historic symbol rather than a religious one. But last week, Legault hinted that the removal of the crucifix is being discussed as a potential part of a secularism bill to be introduced by the controlling Coalition Avenir Quebec Party. Regarding our position, you know very well very soon, in the next few weeks, we will table a bill and this is part of the discussions were having right now, he said, according to National Post. There are good arguments [for leaving the crucifix in place], and some arguments against. SPLC's 'hate group' map used by news media is fundraising scam, liberal author's analysis finds Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Southern Poverty Law Centers often cited map of hate groups is a deceptive promotion meant to raise funds, according to a politically progressive news editor. Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson wrote an opinion piece published Tuesday titled The Southern Poverty Law Center is Everything Thats Wrong with Liberalism. In his editorial, Robinson critiqued the SPLC and its hate group map, which purports to chart the many hate groups in the United States. According to a widelyreferencedreport by the SPLC, the number of hate groups in the country is on the rise. Robinson took issue with the hate group map, labeling it an outright fraud that sought to scare older liberals into writing checks to the SPLC. The SPLC consistently declines to identify how many members these hate groups have. It just notes the number of groups. Without knowing how large they are, what does it mean that they exist? Are they one person? 1,000? wrote Robinson. The number of hate groups could be increasing because the neo-Nazis were becoming weak and fragmented and splitting into tinier and tinier units. Robinson cited several examples of so-called hate groups on the map that are ultimately just a single individual, or a couple of people, or have yet to engage in anything resembling hateful activity. A 'Holocaust denial' group in Kerrville, Texas, called 'carolynyeager.net' appears to just be a woman called Carolyn Yeager, continued Robinson. A male supremacy group called Return of Kings is apparently just a blog published by pick-up artist Roosh V and a couple of his friends, and the most recent post is an announcement from six months ago that the project was on indefinite hiatus. While commending the SPLC for some of the work it has done against groups like the Ku Klux Klan, Robinson critiqued other aspects of the liberal group, including its reported mistreatment of minority employees and spending little of its donated resources on fighting bigotry. Many of the SPLCs donors surely think theyre donating to a public interest law firm. In fact, theyre mostly donating to an ever-growing giant pile of money, a portion of which is used to finance some progressive legal work, added Robinson. The SPLC was founded in 1971 to help with legal battles against groups like the Ku Klux Klan. More recently, the far-left group has garnered controversy for labeling many conservative groups and individuals as hateful. Critics have accused the SPLC of inciting violence against conservatives. For example, in 2012 a gay rights activist named Floyd Lee Corkins attempted to murder members of the Family Research Center. Corkins cited SPLCs designation of the FRC as a hate group as a reason for why he committed the crime. Last June, the SPLC issued an apology to ex-Muslim activist Maajid Nawaz and paid him $3.3 million as part of a settlement after wrongfully including him and his organization the Quilliam Foundation in a report on anti-Muslim activity. "Although we may have our differences with some of the positions that Mr. Nawaz and Quilliam have taken, we recognize that they have made important contributions to efforts to promote pluralism and that they are most certainly not anti-Muslim extremists," the SPLC said in 2018. "In addition to apologizing to Mr. Nawaz and Quilliam, we offer our sincerest apology to our supporters and all those who depend on our work. We pride ourselves on the accuracy of our reports and, although we know we are not perfect, it pains us greatly whenever we make a mistake." Earlier this month, the SPLC fired its co-founder Morris Dees over what SPLC President Richard Cohen referred to as concerns over workplace practices. Morris has made incredible contributions to the fight against racial injustice in our country. But our work is about the cause, not the person. Were committed to ensuring that our workplace embodies the values we espouse truth, justice, equity, and inclusion, stated Cohen. When one of our own fails to meet those standards, no matter his or her role in the organization, we take it seriously and must take appropriate action. Days later, Cohen himself resigned, explaining in a statement that he believed the SPLC should transition to a new generation of leaders. We've heard from our staff that we need to do a better job of making sure that our workplace embodies the values we espouse truth, justice, equity, and inclusion, continued Cohen, as reported by CNN. We're going to do that, and we have brought in Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, Tina Tchen, to help us do it. 'The Story of God with Morgan Freeman': Former executioner says God told him to end death penalty Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The third season of National Geographic's "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman" premiered earlier this month and on episode four of the series the Academy Award-winning actor interviewed a former executioner who said God showed him that the death penalty is sinful. In this week's episode, Freeman uncovered the origins of self-flagellation, talked to the late Sen. John McCains jailer in Vietnam about sin, and met Jerry Givens, an executioner who had a change of heart. Christians believe we must reckon with our sins on judgment day, but does that day come in Heaven or down here on Earth? Freeman asked. Givens, who said he's been a firm believer in God all of his life, worked as the chief executioner for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 19821999. During his time there 62 executions took place. He told Freeman that leading up to each execution he prayed with the inmate before their last days which would end either through lethal injection or electrocution. Fifteen days before carrying out the sentence he said he would prepare each person for what was next. Freeman, who said he was confused by the Old Testament verses that say "thou shalt not kill" and taking an eye for an eye," asked Givens if he believed he was doing Gods will as an executioner. Givens replied by saying that, at the time, he did believe that. It wasnt until Givens was days away from executing an innocent man that he had a change of heart. In 1984, 22-year-old Earl Washington was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder. He spent more than 17 years on death row. Nine days before he was to be executed, he became the first man to ever be exonerated. I always asked God to never allow me to execute an innocent man, Givens revealed, admitting that Washingtons case filled him with doubt about the guilt of others who were sentenced to death. Despite his conviction, Givens continued to perform executions until one day he was convicted of a crime he said he didn't commit. He said he took that as a sign that God wanted him to stop being an executioner. I've learned that innocent people can be executed and the court system is not fair, Givens told Freeman. It is a sin to kill. Following that wake-up call, Givens became an outspoken advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Why do we have to kill someone to show that killing is wrong? Givens asked. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Freeman was noticeably touched by Givens' testimony. He did what we all should do, wrestle with ourselves and our faith and do what is right, Freeman said. The full episode is now available to watch on National Geographic. Season 3 of Story of God with Morgan Freeman features six episodes that take viewers on an interfaith journey around the globe, traveling to 30 different cities of historical and anthropological importance, including Jerusalem, Kathmandu, Jericho, Rome, Bethlehem, Paris, Prague, Hanoi, Toronto and Lourdes. "The series filmmakers met with 13 religious experts, eight priests, three druids, three shamans, one imam, one rabbi, one former executioner, one nun, two so-called 'living goddesses' and hundreds of monks," according to National Geographic. Visit National Geographic for more information about the series. 'Unplanned' was birthed by faithful prayer, says 40 Days for Life founder Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life advocate, is powerfully portrayed in the upcoming film "Unplanned," a story birthed by thousands of hours of fervent prayer. Shawn Carney is the man behind many those prayers. He heads the 40 Days for Life campaign that began in Texas in the fall of 2004. The organization holds continuous, round-the-clock 40-day prayer campaigns every fall and during Lent. As intercessors, they peacefully pray outside abortion clinics, petitioning God to intervene and save the lives of the unborn children and their mothers. In just 15 years, 40 Days for Life has become a global movement with hundreds of thousands of volunteer intercessors who pray and keep vigil outside Planned Parenthood clinics just like the one where Johnson once worked, which was eventually shut down. When Johnson exited the abortion industry a decade ago, it was Carney and his wife who helped her find new employment and guided her through the process of leaving the cause she once passionately believed in. Carney and Johnson remain great friends and through their faithful prayers and efforts they continue to see clinic employees have a change of heart about abortion. In "Unplanned," Carney is portrayed by actor Jarod Lotz. The movie is named after Johnson's 2014 memoir of the same name. The Christian Post spoke to Carney in a recent phone interview about the power of prayer, what it's like to see the fruit of his intercession on the big screen, and what's ahead for the pro-life movement. Below is a lightly edited transcript of the interview. CP: Did you ever think Abby's story, especially given your role in it, would be captured in a motion picture? SC: No. The whole thing sounds made up, right? We went out there and prayed for and talked to Abby when she was a volunteer, my wife and I both did. When Abby became the director of the Planned Parenthood office we had many conversations with her and she was the Planned Parenthood employee of the year. And now we're running around the country promoting the movie about her conversion story. It literally sounds made up and it's a story that could only be written by the power of prayer. I say that now and I said that 10 years ago when she walked into my office. There were some media outlets and some people, both pro-life people and pro-choice people, who said Abby was a phony and that "She's got you fooled. She's just a disgruntled employee." Abby had to deal with that a lot when she first left. There were people, when I was trying to help find her a job, who would not hire her and people who held a grudge. And it was eye-opening for me in that sense. I said the same thing now as I did back then, which was: "I know this woman. I've known her for eight years and the only way she would be drawn out of the abortion facility and industry is through an actual conversion." People leave for different reasons, and we have a lot of [abortion clinic] workers who have, but she had a change of heart. And I firmly believe that's the day she walked into my office. And I firmly believe that now. CP: When she walks into your office with that change of heart and she's weeping profusely, how accurately is that depicted in the movie? SC: Perfectly. I'd never seen her cry. In my dealings with Abby, she was either being nice or mean, the two extremes. But I'd never seen her emotionally distraught. When I opened the door and I saw a broken person I knew something was going on. She needed to know we were there for her. So when I walked in and said, "It looks like you've had a hard day at the office," she kind of laughed and said, "Yeah, you could say that." And that was in Abby's book and they put that in the movie. She was acting the way she should have. She witnessed an abortion and not just witnessed it but then reflected on it and realized: "I've been part of this and I need to get out of here." It was much more than seeing something ugly and wanting to get away from it. CP: "Unplanned" is being released at a time when we have a President in Donald Trump who was once supportive of abortion and is now, to the shock of many, a vocal defender of the unborn. And as state legislatures increasingly consider passing legislation allowing abortion up to birth, discussions have surfaced related to doctors ending the lives of babies born alive after botched abortions. What do you make of the fact that this film will be shown in theaters in this particular season where the abortion issue is rattling our politics in such a visceral way? SC: There has never been a better time in the history of the United States than right now. And the reason for that is because we in America are officially in uncharted waters. We have never, ever had a majority of politicians who are advocating for infanticide. We've simply never had that. Where a baby girl will be on a table, need medical help, and we will not give it to her. There's this new wave of a barbaric norm where we accept this and people think this is a legitimate political stance. But this has nothing to do with politics. You can love Donald Trump, you can hate Donald Trump. But nobody in our country should want to leave an infant on a table to die. And the reality that America is facing right now is that the same arguments that you can use to justify abortion you can also use to justify infanticide. It's just that nobody does it. And now we have politicians in our country doing it. It's a sobering time in our nation and it has certainly brought waves of people into 40 Days for Life and waves of enthusiasm. And what a movie. What a movie to remind us of what we are doing in our country, but also remind us of the power of prayer and the power of hope. Abby's story is that story. I knew her. For eight years she was committed to Planned Parenthood. She worked early in the morning. She worked late at night. She did media interviews. She did everything they wanted her to do and when she saw her "product" for the first time she got out. And that was not a late-term abortion, that was not infanticide, that was a 13-week-old baby boy. And it's really becoming a beautiful light on the barbaric nature of all abortions. CP: In view of what Ephesians 6 says about spiritual warfare that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places how have you seen continuous, unbroken prayer, the kind of intercession you all practice outside abortion clinics, dismantle the evil in the spiritual realm? SC: Well, it's just the timeless battle of life versus death. And Christ is the victor. He lays down His life on Good Friday. It's truly the week that changed the world that we are approaching. That is where our confidence is. There is so much spiritual warfare. And the devil certainly works through abortion to disguise himself and to convince people that it's a responsible thing, a good thing. That it's health care and that it's wonderful. And yet, it's something that when you step back ... we wouldn't wish this on members of ISIS. We wouldn't wish this on our greatest enemy, this horrible surgery. And our trust is in that ultimate victory of Christ at Calvary. I've had so many people Catholic, Protestant, evangelical come up to me and say something along the lines of: "We were always going to participate in 40 Days for Life and we've finally decided to do it. We went out there and we prayed at the vigil and you're really there at the foot of the cross." It's not a depressing thing. It is sad. But Mary and John aren't angry that they are at the foot of the cross. They're there out of faithfulness to our Lord. That faithfulness in the midst of great evil is really why I believe abortion is going to end in America. I think people need to know that there is obviously so much spiritual warfare going on with the movie and everything else. But it doesn't end there. There's got to be a pivot. And this movie will be such a beautiful witness to the power of hope and healing. CP: In this season where your work is being vindicated and celebrated publicly, and in light of all the success, what is next for you and 40 Days for Life? SC: We've had unprecedented growth in the past two years especially. We've done a lot to catch up with our growth. And we're going to get a lot of volunteers when the movie comes out. It's already happening. We have had so many people say, "I had never even heard of 40 Days for Life and then I went to your website and I went out and prayed at my local abortion facility because I saw a preview of the movie." It's going to be a beautiful wave to volunteers and prayer warriors and a potential 40 Days for Life leaders and we need that help. We have 800,000 volunteers around the world. We're in 816 cities in 56 countries. I think what's going to happen is that we're going to have the largest fall 40 Days for Life that we have ever had, which is in late September. It's testament to these heroes who go out and peacefully pray, lead their campaigns and they are ending abortion at the local level. And that is something that Planned Parenthood in Washington, D.C., and New York City are completely detached from. They are completely detached from their staff and their facilities at the local level. Abby felt that when she was working there. It's very top-heavy. The pro-life movement is built from the ground-up and 40 Days for Life is certainly built from the ground-up. And that should give us great hope moving forward. 'Unplanned' Movie: Planned Parenthood Ex-Director Has 1 Message for Cecile Richards Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment STILLWATER, Oklahoma Former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson has a message for the abortion giant's ex-president, Cecile Richards: "I genuinely care about you" and "I pray for you, fervently, every single day." In May, The Christian Post visited the set of the upcoming motion picture "Unplanned," which chronicles how Johnson departed her job in the abortion industry following conversations with 40 Days for Life intercessors who were praying outside her clinic. She spent eight years working at Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas, and the film is based on Johnson's book of the same name. The movie is scheduled to be released in the spring of next year. In a CP interview outside a coffee shop near the film set alongside actress Ashley Bratcher, who portrays Johnson in "Unplanned," the former Planned Parenthood director opened up about how she sees her past and how she regards the former head honcho of her previous employer. "I think I would just want to embrace her," Johnson said, when asked if she could say anything what would she like to tell Richards, who at the time had just resigned as president of Planned Parenthood. Johnson joked that she wishes Richards would respond to her text messages; she has known her for many years. "But I'd just say, I so desperately want you to find the joy that I have found. And I would tell her: 'I pray for you, fervently, every single day.'" Richards is involved with the industry she is because she earnestly believes she is doing the best thing for women, Johnson said. "I know that her heart is there, that she believes she is being compassionate. Because she's hearing it from all these other women saying things like Planned Parenthood 'saved my life,' and 'if I wouldn't have had this abortion where would I be today?'" she added, noting how such a unified chorus of praise fuels confusion. When Johnson worked at Planned Parenthood, she never once heard a story of a woman who regretted having an abortion because even the women who came back in for repeat procedures would tell them how thankful they were. She knew nothing of any contingency of women who were speaking out about how their abortions harmed them. "So I would just want [Richards] to know, my desperate prayer for her, is that I want her to be lavished in God's mercy and to know Him," she continued. "And not just to know just the idea of Him, like I think she does now, but to really know Him and to be in relationship with Him." Johnson doesn't think Richards realizes the joy that exists on the other side of that proverbial fence, and it's scary to walk away, but she would be with her: "I will be with you every step of the way." "I will be there to hold your hand. I will be there to talk to you until 2 o' clock in the morning. I will be there. Because I do genuinely care about you." Johnson is now an articulate pro-life advocate who leads And Then There Were None, a nonprofit organization that assists other Planned Parenthood employees and abortion clinic staffers who've decided to leave the world of abortion as she once did. "Unplanned" is written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, the same men who co-wrote the movie "God's Not Dead." It's one of several movies coming out over the next few months where abortion issues are central to the plot. "Gosnell," which will be in theaters Oct. 12, recounts the grisly operations of and the criminal prosecution of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Democrat Sen. Manchin opposes LGBT non-discrimination bill over transgender issues Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin broke with his party and spoke out against the Equality Act, saying the pro-LGBT legislation does not give enough guidance on how public schools should implement protections for trans-identified students. As Democrats in both the House and Senate have put their support behind legislation that would amend civil rights law to make sexual orientation and gender identity protected civil classes, Manchin last week became the lone Democrat in the Senate to warn about the implications the bill could have. In a statement, the 71-year-old Manchin, who is considered the most conservative Democrat in Congress, wrote that he supports equality for all people and that no one should be afraid to lose their job or housing because of sexual orientation. But after speaking with local education officials in his home state, he is not convinced that the Equality Act as written provides sufficient guidance to the local officials who will be responsible for implementing it, particularly with respect to students transitioning between genders in public schools. I will continue working with the sponsors of the bill to build broad bipartisan support and find a viable path forward for these critical protections so that I can vote in support of this bill, Manchin explained. While Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has vowed to get the Equality Act passed in the House, a Democrat senator voting against it will make the bill even tougher to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate. According to Politico, Republicans arent even expected to bring the measure to a vote, as it only has one Republican co-sponsor: Susan Collins of Maine. Machins statement drew the ire of the Democrat Party in West Virginia and LGBT rights advocates. If this past Legislative Session didn't prove that we need to fight against discrimination and hate even harder in West Virginia then I don't know what does, the West Virginia Democratic Party said in a statement, according to WAJR. The LGBTQ community endured countless remarks of hate and ignorance while bills that were crafted to protect them never made it up for a vote. Senators Joe Manchin and [Republican West Virginia Sen.] Shelley Moore Capito need to lead by example and vote in support of The Equality Act. Manchin joins Democrat Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois, the only Democrat member of the House who has spoken out against the Equality Act. Lipinski stated that he is not co-sponsoring the bill because it conflicts with his stance on religious freedom and would prevent the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, according to Roll Call. Conservatives have spoken out against the Equality Acts lack of religious protections for institutions to act in accordance with religious convictions on sexuality. Andrew Walker, senior fellow in Christian ethics at the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, argued in an op-ed earlier this month that the Equality Act represents the most invasive threat to religious liberty ever proposed in America. He also voiced concern about how the Equality Act would impact areas of education, public accommodation, employment, and federal funding were it to pass. He warned that it could have sweeping effects on religious liberty, free speech, and freedom of conscience. Its passage would sound the death knell for hopes of detente in the culture wars that pit conservative Christians against their LGBT neighbors. For progressives, it would be winner-takes-all, Walker explained. Virtually no area of American life would emerge unscathed from the Equality Acts reach. No less significant would be the long-term effects of how the law would shape the moral imagination of future generations. There is a push among some in evangelicalism to pass a set of legislative ideals called Fairness for All. Fairness for All pushes for the passage of gender identity and sexual orientation protections into federal law in exchange for exemptions for religious institutions that hold deep religious convictions on sexuality and marriage. The Fairness for All approach is supported by groups like the National Association of Evangelicals and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The debate is not about the importance about the traditional view of marriage, Shirley Mullen, president of Houghton College in Western New York and vice chair of CCCUs board of directors, said in February. The debate is about the best strategy for preserving this. Manchin has been known to break with his Democrat colleagues on certain issues. In February, Manchin broke with Democrats by voting in favor of the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, a measure that would have made it illegal for doctors not to try and save infants who survive abortion. The bill was defeated. Last October, Manchin was the only Senate Democrat who voted to confirm President Donald Trumps nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Not. Guilty. Move. On! 5 conservative Christian reactions to the Mueller report Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Last Friday, special counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr, concluding an extensive and closely watched investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. On Sunday, Attorney General Barr released a four-page letter to Congress summarizing the report, which noted that there will be no more indictments and further, there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Regarding the obstruction of justice accusation against Trump, Barr quoted the report, saying the investigation "does not exonerate" Trump. The Trump-appointed attorney general added that the evidence found was not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense." Here are five reactions from notable conservative Christians about the findings of the Mueller report. They include longtime Trump supporters as well as critics of the president. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next Russia investigation complete, Mueller attends same church Trump attended last week Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller was spotted attending worship at the church near the White House that President Donald Trump and his wife attended last week. Last Friday, Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr, concluding an extensive and closely watched investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mueller and his wife Ann went to services on Sunday at St. Johns Episcopal Church of Lafayette Square, a congregation that traces its roots to the early nineteenth century. Mueller was raised Presbyterian, but was married in The Episcopal Church. According to getreligion.org in a 2017 article, in the past he has been a regular attendee of St. Johns. For more than two years, Mueller oversaw an independent investigation that looked into questions of whether President Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election and obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr released a four-page summary to the House and Senate Sunday, explaining that there would be no more indictments and that there was no evidence of collusion. On the obstruction of justice accusation leveled against Trump, Barr quoted the report directly saying the investigation "does not exonerate" Trump. But, the attorney general appointed by Trump in December concluded, the evidence was not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense." Last week, on St. Patricks Day, President Trump and his wife Melania attended St. Johns Church. They were officially greeted by interim rector the Rev. W. Bruce McPherson. Trump rarely attends regular worship services. According to Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs, Trump does occasionally attend holiday services at Bethesda-by-the-Sea when hes at Mar-a-Lago. St. Johns held its first worship service in 1816 and is known as the Church of the Presidents, as the church stakes claim to having had every president beginning with James Madison attend worship there at least once. St. Johns sanctuary has a pew, known as Pew 54 or The Presidents Pew, which is specifically reserved for the commander in chief. (ANSA) - Agrigento, March 27 - Italian prosecutors on Wednesday released the Mare Jonio migrant rescue NGO ship from seizure after police carried out all necessary controls. The ship, run by Italian migrant rescue NGO Mediterranea, was seized a week ago after it saved 50 migrants 46 miles off Libya and took them to Lampedusa. The captain and the NGO staff are under investigation for allegedly favouring clandestine immigration. Trump admin. to expand Mexico City Policy, crack down on funding abortions abroad Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Trump administration is closing a loophole in a policy that prohibits the federal government from funding groups that perform abortions as a form of family planning. In 2017, President Donald Trump reinstated the Reagan Era Mexico City Policy, which bans the government from providing foreign aid to organizations that perform or promote abortions overseas. At a press conference held Tuesday morning, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the administration was going to crack down on loopholes within the Mexico City Policy. Were also making clear we will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry, said Pompeo. We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions. Pompeo also announced that they will fully enforce a federal prohibition on using funds to lobby for or against abortion, commonly known as the Siljander Amendment. In light of recent evidence of abortion-related advocacy by an organ of the Organization of American States, I directed my team to include a provision in foreign assistance agreements with the OAS that explicitly prohibits the use of funds to lobby for or against abortion, continued Pompeo. The institutions of the OAS should be focused on addressing crises in Cuba, in Nicaragua, and in Venezuela, not advancing the pro-abortion cause. As part of this decision, Pompeo noted that they were reducing their contributions to the OAS to reflect the estimated cost of American money in the reported abortion advocacy. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America who attended the State Departments announcement, celebrated the news. The Trump administration has been the most pro-life administration in history, and Secretary Pompeo and President Trump should be thanked for closing the loopholes that allowed NGOs to take our taxpayer dollars and give them to sub-contractors that commit or promote abortions, said Hawkins in a statement released Tuesday morning. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins emailed a statement out to supporters on Tuesday morning, commending the Trump administrations overall efforts. From day one, the Trump administration has set to work to build a wall between taxpayers and international abortion-on-demand, said Perkins. This president has gone beyond stopping the pro-abortion policies of Barack Obama. He is restoring and even expanding the pro-life policies of Ronald Reagan. Cornell Univ. disinvites black Christian pro-life speaker because she believes in biblical marriage Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian speaker was disinvited from defending the pro-life position in a debate at Cornell University after it was discovered that she holds the historic Christian view on sexuality and marriage. Organizers of the debate at the Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York, likened her views to support of slavery and the Holocaust. Jannique Stewart, who is African American and a pro-life speaker with Life Training Institute was invited earlier this year to participate in a debate next month at Cornell University's Political Union, "regarding the fact that abortion is a moral wrong," she noted in a Saturday Facebook post. The group withdrew the invitation upon finding out that she was an outspoken defender of marriage as between one man and one woman and biblical sexuality. Her presence and participation had been officially approved and was on track to proceed until she was asked to submit a bio and those who invited her started researching her background. "It was explained to me that having someone on campus who believed the way I did was tantamount to allowing a racist to speak who held pro-slavery and pro-holocaust views!" Stewart explained, outraged. "I was also told that their concern was that many of the students would be offended by my beliefs and would not be able to focus or listen to my speech." She elaborated that when they were asked to reconsider because they were overtly discriminating and disinviting her over her conservative perspective, they reconsidered and decided that they would not rescind their invitation. They, however, suggested that it would be better for another speaker to come in her stead who did not share her views about marriage. But then the CPU did disinvite her a second time, after she told them she would plan on showing up and speaking after they said they would not disinvite her. This time, however, their decision to disinvite her was final, she was informed. "They made it again clear that because of my outspoken beliefs, and how it would be perceived by the students. More and more Universities are censoring Conservative Christian voices in an effort to silence dissent and spare any possible offense. Unbelievable! The First Amendment supports Freedom of Speech not Freedom From Speech," Stewart wrote on Facebook. Stewart explained in a statement to PJ Media Saturday that her ministry, Love Protects, focuses on a range of issues related to sexuality, including sexual abstinence until marriage and opposition to pornography, and a pro-life stance, among other things. Robert P. George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University, has risen to Stewart's defense. "So here we are. Evidently, no Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Eastern Orthodox Christian, Orthodox Jew, or Muslim, who believes what his or her tradition of faith teaches about sex and marriage is permitted to engage in debate at the Cornell Political Union," George wrote on his Facebook page Saturday. "Even someone who, following thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Musonius Rufus, Xenophanes, and Plutarch, holds to traditional morality on philosophical grounds without the benefit of scriptural revelation, is ineligible to be a debater. If Plato or Aristotle were around today, they would be barred. Think about that for a second." He added: "Among the most appalling practices of the contemporary left is its attempt to secure its position on sex and marriage by stigmatizing anyone who dissents from it as a 'bigot' or 'hater' the equivalent of a racist and thus excluding them and shutting down all debate. We're seeing this all over the country. It is a sin against the House of Intellect. The bullies who commit it need to be stood up to. Their victims need to refuse to be intimidated. And all men and women of goodwill need to stand with them. "Where oh where are the old fashioned, honorable liberals?" 'Day of Mourning' to be held in Virginia's capital to protest Gov. Northam's infanticide remarks Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A grassroots movement of repentance inspired by pro-life advocates as a response to the push to liberalize abortion laws in states across the country will be holding a gathering in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday to fast and pray. What is being called the Day of Mourning will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center largely because of proposed legislation by Democrat Delegate Kathy Tran that mirrored New York's new law legalizing abortion up to birth, and Gov. Ralph Northam's words defending it. Northam, a Democrat elected in 2017, said in a radio interview amid the controversy over Tran's proposal that a "discussion" would take place about the child's fate should the child be born alive during an abortion procedure, which shocked and horrified many. A massive outcry ensued as a result, and pro-life advocates and Republican politicians who blasted him for supporting infanticide. "Have we already forgotten that Virginia Governor Northam advocated for executing already born full-term babies?" asked Elizabeth Johnston (also known as The Activist Mommy), one of the event's organizers, in comments emailed to The Christian Post on Monday. "Have we already forgotten that New York Governor [Andrew] Cuomo and his friends at Planned Parenthood celebrated child murder by lighting up the World Trade Center pink? Is our commitment to our unborn neighbors so fickle that we have already allowed our righteous anger to subside?" "The Day of Mourning movement will not stop at mourning. We are prepared to mobilize the thousands of Day of Mourning attendees to move off the sidelines and onto the front lines of the abortion battle," Johnston said. "As David, the shepherd boy, challenged the naysayers, 'Is there not a cause?'" she added, referencing 1 Samuel 17 prior to the slaying of Goliath. The first Day of Mourning event took place in Albany, New York, on Feb. 23 and the Richmond gathering is patterned after it. Approximately 4,000 people were in attendance and tens of thousands joined via livestream. For the Richmond event organizers are asking Americans to wear black on April 6, and to fast, pray, and repent for the sin of abortion, according to a press release sent to CP. Among the speakers featured will be E.W. Jackson, a bishop who once ran against Northam for the lieutenant governor seat. When weve reached a point in our culture where killing babies is a reason for people to celebrate, it's time to mourn and cry out to God like never before, Jackson said in a statement. Best-selling authors, longtime pro-life advocates and twin brothers, David and Jason Benham, will also be speaking in Richmond, and noted that after what they saw God do in Albany they have high expectations for Virginia. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity to right a great national wrong and restore the foundations of righteousness and liberty in our nation, the Benham brothers said in a statement shared with CP. Johnston added, History has proven that societies which kill their children will not last long. Therefore, we are ripe for a catastrophic judgment, the kind of fall that destroyed the seemingly undefeatable Roman Empire. Virginia pastors will be honored at the event and invited to join speakers onstage at the convention center to repent for the churchs 46 years of silence and apathy, she said. Hero dog Zero dies protecting family after 16-y-o boy shoots up party Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Houston family says their beloved dog prevented what could have been a bloodbath in their home when it bravely fought with a teenage gunman who wounded several members of their household and eventually took their dogs life during a birthday party. "I honestly believe if Zero had not kept jumping on him, he wouldve been able to get shots higher than our legs," Laura Martinez, owner of the killed dog, Zero, said in an interview with Click 2 Houston. This is not something we would ever think was going to happen." Local police say on Sunday, March 10, shooting suspect Javian Castenada, 16, attacked Martinez and her family with a gun during the party. If [Castenada] had been able to just aim where he wanted to shoot, we would have all been seriously hurt, or killed, Martinez told Oxygen.com. Martinez told the publication that she was shot in her right leg while her son, Tyler Hollier, 19, was struck in the ankle and her daughter, Valori Pace, 27, was shot twice. One of the bullets she says is currently lodged an inch from her daughters spine and cant be removed. In a GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $40,000 to help pay for her familys medical bills, Martinez explained that a day before the shooting, Castenada, a family friend, had broken into her home and stolen cash and other valuables. Martinez said she went to Castenadas home to report the theft to his parents but they were not there so she left them a note. While at the residence the kid a 16 year old boy showed up and threatened us. His neighbor watched this happen, the kid said [he] was going to get his gun and we needed to leave. We went home, I figured the parents would call me. But instead the kid Javion [sic] showed up to our house, walked into our garage where we were cooking for my daughters birthday party that was happening at our home and started yelling, Martinez wrote. A fight ensued between the family and the teenager during which he pulled a gun and Zero the hero dog jumped to their defense. My dog Zero, jumped up and bit Javion, he shot Zero, my dog fell and Javion then fired 3 more shots, 2 hit my daughter Valori, 1 in the back 1/4 inches from her spine and 1 in the back of her thigh, the other hit the bbq pit. Zero then jumped again and knocked Javion down, he shot Zero 2 more times before he fell again, Javion then shot 5 more times 1 bullet hitting me in the leg, Martinez wrote. She explained that while her family was able to survive the shooting, Zero had to be put down because he was too badly injured. Martinez told Oxygen.com that Zero bit Castenada several times before he could no longer fight for the family. [Zero] took a shot to the chest first and he went down, she recalled. Then Zero took a shot to the head, actually his ear, and went down again, she explained. Zero got back upand I dont know how, but he got shot again. Every time he got hit, he got back up again. Martinez explained that it was only after he was shot a third time that Zero couldnt help the family anymore. He was paralyzed by that bullet. Castenada fled the scene of the shooting and turned himself in to police on March 18. He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His lawyer, Sam Cammack III, is arguing that the teenager was acting in self-defense and the gun used in the shooting was taken to the home by him. Theres an entirely different side to that story, Cammack told Oxygen.com. They turned that dog loose on him is what they did. He added: I saw the GoFundMe page for the dog, and all that crap. All that is just a bunch of nonsense. They put that dog on that boy. These people have sensationalized like the dog was protecting the family. Castenada is currently in custody awaiting trial on three $30,000 bonds. His next court appearance is set for April 2. Michigan bars Christian adoption agencies from refusing LGBT couples after legal settlement Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Adoption and foster care agencies in Michigan who contract with the state can no longer refuse to place children with qualified same-sex parents over religious reasons thanks to a legal settlement Friday that some fear will put faith-based agencies out of business. Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel and the two same-sex couples represented by the American Civil Liberties Union came to a legal agreement that a 2015 law allowing religious-based adoption agencies to refuse adoption services to same-sex couples violates federal discrimination laws. The agreement settled a federal complaint filed in 2017 after the couples were refused service by St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services. Discrimination in the provision of foster care case management and adoption services is illegal, no matter the rationale, Nessel said in a statement. Limiting the opportunity for a child to be adopted or fostered by a loving home not only goes against the states goal of finding a home for every child, it is a direct violation of the contract every child placing agency enters into with the state. Under its nondiscrimination provision, agencies looking to partner with the state cannot turn away or refuse a same-sex couple or individual who is suitable to foster or adopt a child. Agencies that violate such a provision could have their contracts terminated. A summary of the agreement states that when an adoption or foster agency accepts a referral of a child for foster or adoption care from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, its legal protection ensuring its right to refuse to work with same-sex couples because of deeply-held religious beliefs no longer applies to the agencys provision of these services to the accepted child or individual. In a summary of the agreement, it was claimed that Title IVE-funded programs prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. It should be noted, however, that sexual orientation and gender identity are not protected classes in federal civil rights law and there is a push right now among Democrats in Congress to pass a law that would make those protected classes. The ACLU, a far-left nonprofit advocacy group, celebrated the settlement. We are thrilled that the state of Michigan has committed to ensuring that all of the agencies it hires to find families for children in state custody comply with its non-discrimination requirements so that children do not lose out on families to care for them, Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, said in a statement. Our children need every family that is willing and able to provide them with a loving home. When agencies choose to accept taxpayer dollars to provide public child welfare services, they must put the needs of the children first. Critics fear that the settlement could force faith-based adoption agencies to close. Lori Windham, senior counsel at the nonprofit religious freedom law firm Becket, which is representing St. Vincent Catholic Charities, argues that Nessel and the ACLU are working to stop the state from working with faith-based adoption agencies. The result of that will be tragic. Thousands of children will be kept from finding the loving homes they deserve, Windham explained. This settlement violates the state law protecting religious adoption agencies. This harms children and families waiting for forever homes and limits access for couples who chose to partner with those agencies." The agreement was also criticized by Republican Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey. Dana Nessel has shown us that she cares little for the Constitution and even less for the vulnerable population of children in need of forever homes, Shirkey wrote in a statement. Nessels actions make it clear that she sought the office of attorney general to further her own personal political agenda. The legislature wrote and passed a law regarding adoption practices in Michigan to both protect religious freedom and guard against discrimination. Shirkey stated that faith-based adoption agencies comprise at least 25 percent of the licensed agencies in the state. He fears that the new agreement will put an end to those organizations. As a result, there will be fewer advocates working to place children in loving homes, he contended. Nessels apparent disregard for the laws of our state, the Constitution, and the well-being of thousands of children is an affront to all citizens. In a tweet, the Michigan Catholic Conference argued that the settlement does nothing to protect the thousands of children in foster care looking for loving homes. As such, it is highly unlikely this is the last chapter of the story. The legal settlement was signed after Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an anti-discrimination directive earlier this year that does not include a religious exemption for faith-based groups who contract with the state. A directive signed by previous Republican Gov. Rick Snyder included a religious exemption for state contractors. The settlement also comes as faith-based foster and adoption agencies in other states have either had to close down or change their policies because of state or local government rules barring refusal based on religious reasons. A Chrisitan adoption agency in New York appeared in court last month for a lawsuit against the state of New York over an ultimatum last year to either change its policy forbidding placement with same-sex couples or no longer be able to provide adoption services. Also in upstate New York, Catholic Charities of Buffalo ended its adoption and fosters services last August over conflicts with the state and local nondiscrimination policies. Bethany Christian Services of Greater Delaware Valley changed its policies last year to allow for children to be placed with same-sex couples after the Philadelphia city government stopped placing foster children with BCS and Catholic Social Services because of their stances against gay adoption. Instead of changing its policy, Catholic Social Services filed a lawsuit. However, it was not victorious in federal court. In years past, faith-based adoption and foster care agencies in states such as Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Washington, D.C., have had to halt their adoption services over policies on gay adoption. Strangers flock to church to honor 9-y-o girl found dead in duffel bag Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Scores of strangers were among hundreds who flocked to the St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California, on Monday to honor the life of Trinity Love Jones, a 9-year-old girl whose lifeless body was found stuffed inside a duffel bag earlier this month. "The darkness will not prevail," the Rev. Egren Gomez, an associate pastor at the Catholic church said at the memorial for Trinity, according to Fox 6 Now. "Trinity, we welcome your light, we ask you bless all the darkness in our midst and let your iconic light shine." The girls body was found by a Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department worker at about 10 a.m. on March 5 along a popular equestrian trail at the bottom of an embankment, near the His Lai Buddhist Temple, authorities said. Her head and upper body were protruding from the partially zipped bag showing her clad in a pink long-sleeve shirt that said Future Princess Hero. For nearly a week the Los Angeles Police Department could not identify who she was as a makeshift memorial grew at the spot along the trail where her body was found. Jones mother, Taquesta Graham, 28, was later arrested in connection with her daughters death. Grahams boyfriend, Emiel Hunt, 38 who allegedly has a 2005 conviction for child abuse in San Diego has since been charged with Jones murder, CBS Los Angeles said. A criminal complaint alleges that they killed Trinity on March 1. They are both currently in custody. Many who have followed the tragic story of Trinitys passing said they felt compelled to honor her life at the memorial on Monday even though they did not know her. "I don't even know them but I just had to come. I have grandchildren her age," Camille Boswell of the nearby city of Placentia said of Trinity and her family, The Associated Press reported. "Any time a ... child dies, it hurts." Hacienda Heights resident Kara Clark told the AP that people felt they had to do something to show their respects to her family and to make it clear they are fed up with a society troubled by such violence. "When we first heard what happened to this child my first thought was that it could have been my granddaughter," she said. "Enough is enough with all of this stuff that happens in our world it's awful." Jones life was celebrated with songs and eulogies from several religious leaders, including Gomez, Pastor Darnell Hammock of the New Life Community Church of Oakland, and Venerable Miao Hsi, a nun from the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple. "In Buddhism, we believe that when someone passes away ... they're reborn," the nun said, according to Fox 6. "They will not be with us but they will be seeing us in the future. We are here to celebrate Trinity's rebirth." Pastor Hammock in his remarks said even though Jones murder had brought a religious and racially diverse community together he remained concerned about why Trinity died. "Why God? Why so soon? Why our baby? Why our niece. Why my student... "I got to be honest, church, I, too, wrestled with these questions as I prepared today," he said, explaining that her death reminded him of many other children who had died too soon. "I'm here to ask myself, 'When do we change the channel of this alarming episode of young black girls dying?'" he shouted. "I want the community here today to embrace this outlook that we are in this together." Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Political correctness regarding free speech has gone too far. At first it took the form of just criticism. Feminists and diversity proponents lectured everyone on how they should speak. It was prevalent at universities, and spread next to corporations and K-12 education. Then it turned into civil infractions. Businesses that refused to accommodate same-sex marriage, based on their sincerely held religious beliefs, were held to have violated the law. After that, big tech took to censoring offenders. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in particular banned those whose speech it disliked. Now, its becoming a crime in civilized countries to say politically incorrect things. One area this has arisen in is pronouns for transgenders. Im not talking about using derogatory terms for transgenders. This is over merely using the pronoun of the gender someone was born with, instead of the gender they are attempting to become. It is being called misgendering or deadnaming. In the United Kingdom, a Catholic journalist was investigated by the police earlier this month for referring to a transgender as she instead of him. The U.K.s Malicious Communications Act criminalizes a message which is indecent or grossly offensive, a threat, information which is false and known or believed to be false by the sender, or any article or electronic communication which is, in whole or part, of an indecent or grossly offensive nature. Caroline Farrow faces up to two years in prison, a fine or both. While this took place in the U.K., not the U.S., the U.S. often follows in the footsteps of the U.K. a few years later. The U.S. is currently at the third stage in the progression of censorship, with big tech starting to ban anyone who labels transgenders by the gender they were born with. This is more worrisome than it first appears. Many people, such as journalists, need Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in order to do their jobs. Banning them can seriously jeopardize their careers, making it difficult for them to make a living. There are entire news organizations that have a policy of referring to transgenders by the gender they were born with. Will big tech use this to ban entire news outlets from their platforms? Based on history, it is reasonable to predict yes. This will eliminate much of conservative news sites. In addition to banning misgendering, Twitters policy also bans repeated and/or non-consensual slurs, epithets, racist and sexist tropes, or other content that degrades someone. This is very broad and has been used against Christians for simply stating their beliefs. Investigative journalist Laura Loomer was permanently banned from Twitter in November for criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and her Muslim faith. Loomer called Omar "anti Jewish" and said she is a member of a religion in which "homosexuals are oppressed" and "women are abused" and "forced to wear the hijab." Robert Stacey McCain, who tweeted humorous things about feminists, was permanently banned by Twitter for those tweets in 2016. Criticizing gays in Canada was made a crime in 2004 with the passage of C-250. Sexual orientation was added to the list of classes protected by the hate provisions of Canadas Criminal Code. In one of the more high-profile cases, William Whatcott was convicted of violating the law for distributing flyers regarding the Bibles prohibitions against homosexuality. The definition of a hate crime has been expanded in some countries to include speech. Merely stating your religious beliefs is now lumped in with committing heinous acts against people, as if they are the same. Its a clever tactic. The U.S. passed a federal hate crimes law in 2009. It does not include speech yet. There needs to be more attention drawn to this pattern of progressively eliminating politically incorrect speech. The problem is that it is taking place in slow increments so people dont realize how serious its getting. Its like the frog in boiling water, the water is heating up so gradually the frog doesnt realize how hot the temperature is getting. Its someone fringey like Alex Jones of Infowars who big tech bans so the rest of us are OK. But coming after mainstream conservatives is already happening. Progressives are trying to get Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Jeanine Pirro fired for things they have said. The First Amendment protects free speech in the U.S. But similar to how progressives have gradually eroded much of the Second Amendment, they are slowly taking apart the First Amendment. By the time conservatives wake up and realize whats happening, it will be too late. Even if you dont believe the First Amendment protects speech on the tech giants platforms, the bakers who have been civilly tried for refusing to bake same-sex wedding cakes are clearly engaging in free speech. The case of the Oregon bakers known as Sweet Cakes is currently at the Supreme Court. If their free speech is squelched, whats coming next is criminalization of the First Amendment. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment End time Bible prophecy is perhaps the most debated topic in all of scripture among Christians. Healthy debate is expected, given the multiplicity of denominational backgrounds and varying levels of Bible knowledge. While differing views about the end-times can be a good thing, there is a dangerous unbiblical precedent being set. Bible prophecy is being attacked from within the church. Let's look at the deception that Jesus and the apostles warned us would come. Jude 1:17-19 I have noted in past articles that what makes false teaching so dangerous is that it is mingled with truth. If you want to deceive someone, you don't blatantly deny scripture, instead, you twist it and teach it out of context. This is exactly what a growing number of leaders are doing in their attempt to negate end-time prophecy. 2 Peter 3:3-12 In the New York Times Bestseller The Purpose Driven Life, Here is what was written about Bible prophecy: If you want Jesus to come back sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out prophecy. It's easy to get distracted and sidetracked from your mission because Satan would rather have you do anything besides sharing your faith. The Purpose Driven Life labeled prophecy as a distraction, so I want to make a distinction between sensationalism and sound end-time teaching because there is a vast difference. True distractions are marked by nonsense such as: Trying to figure out who the antichrist is. Setting dates and making predictions that aren't fulfilled (false prophets). Correlating every global event with prophecy (think Y2K). Proliferating conspiracy theories, Illuminati connections, and blood moon hype all to create a narrative that draws attention to oneself and away from Jesus. This usually has much to do with making a profit, not with presenting the gospel. What I'm addressing here is something completely different. It is the all-out assault on end-time Bible prophecy proliferated by a growing number of leaders in the church. When these people call Bible prophecy a distraction or make fun of it, they aren't calling out the sensational, they are maligning the Word of God. There is a recently published book I want to mention. Unraptured - How End Times Theology Gets It Wrong, by Zack Hunt is a blend of memoir and diatribe against end-time Bible prophecy. Hunt paints an unfair and slanderous view of Christians who study Bible prophecy. While The Purpose Driven Life calls Bible prophecy a distraction, Unraptured goes a step farther and calls the rapture an invention. I'm not talking about Christians agreeing to disagree about the timing of the rapture, because that's not what's being said. The book says the rapture is an invention and it's nowhere in the Bible. The word Trinity isn't there either but anyone with a basic grasp of biblical doctrine understands references to God the Father, Son and Spirit are woven throughout scripture. The word rapture won't be found but the Greek word harpazo is there. It's clearly a catching away and taken by force (rapture) in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. It's one thing to deny what the Bible plainly teaches, it's another thing to deceive others. When it comes to evangelism, the book Unraptured asserts: We must make sure to keep our focus on loving them as an end in itself. We have to make sure we don't objectify them as potential converts. This assertion clearly contradicts the great commission. Here is what Hunt writes regarding salvation: It (Revelation) was written to people like them (Impoverished families in Nicaragua), people in need of salvation, not from eternity in hell, but the hell of this life-the hell of poverty, oppression, and injustice. He goes on to write: Salvation is communal and so is the apocalypse. It's something that happens to and through all of us. That isn't the repentance and salvation that Jesus preached in Matthew 4:17 or Peter preached in Acts 2:38 when the crowd of convicted sinners in Jerusalem asked, "What must we do?" The fact that books like The Purpose Driven Life and Unraptured trash end-time Bible prophecy is very telling because when they do, they contradict what Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets said about it. When the disciples asked Jesus about his coming and the close of the age in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, He told them to be alert, stay awake, and be ready. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul affirms the rapture and tells us to be informed and encouraged. In 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Paul warns of spiritual conditions in the last days and affirms all scripture. Finally, in 2 Peter 3:11, he exhorts us to holy living, waiting for and hasten the coming Day of God. Here's what Spurgeon wrote about end-time prophecy: Brethren, no truth ought to be more frequently proclaimed, next to the first coming of the Lord, than his second coming. A.W. Tozer wrote the following about Bible prophecy: The point of Bible prophecy isn't to alarm us but to alert us to the circumstances leading up to the Lord's return. This alertness spurs us on to be ready, and the Bible says a lot on how to be ready for his return. -Tozer Preparing For Jesus' Return Many churches have become emerging, ecumenical, seeker sensitive, purpose driven country clubs with programs and pep-talks galore, but no mention of God's holiness, sin, judgment, repentance, or atonement. All while ignoring, deriding, and scoffing at Bible prophecy which accounts for approximately 27% of scripture. I'm not here to attack these men but to warn you about them and their deceptive teachings. We live in a day when almost everything passes for sound doctrine if it seems spiritual enough. But our standard can't be man's opinions, no matter how popular, hip, or relevant they may seem. Love is the sum total of all we do as believers and it is to abound more and more with all knowledge and discernment. Philippians 1:9 God bless you as you evangelize, disciple, and care for the least of these in Jesus' name. Maranatha! Howard Green leads Concerning The Times, a Bible teaching and evangelistic ministry whose primary focus is proclaiming the gospel to the lost and exhorting believers through End Time Bible prophecy. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment I wish no ill to Jussie Smollett. As for Empire, Ive never seen the show (as Im not much of a TV watcher) and have no feelings about it, positive or negative. But I despise falsehood and duplicity, and as the Smollett case has turned into a complete fiasco, the truth meter inside me stirs me to write. In the aftermath of the shocking news that all charges against Smollett were being dropped, an executive producer at Empire tweeted: Youve just watched a truly good person get dragged through the gutter. I am so happy hes been exonerated before any more damage was done, but make no mistake. Damage was done. Sorry, but Smollett was not exonerated. Hardly. First, Tandra Simonton, a spokesperson for the Chicago prosecutor who decided to drop the charges said this: We did not exonerate Mr. Smollett. Come again? We did not exonerate Mr. Smollett, Simonton said. The charges were dropped in return for Mr. Smolletts agreement to do community service and forfeit his $10,000 bond to the City of Chicago. Without the completion of these terms, the charges would not have been dropped. This outcome was met under the same criteria that would occur for and is available to any defendant with similar circumstances. In other words, Smollett cut a deal. Second, even without the statement from the prosecutor, an innocent victim does not do community service or forfeit $10,000 to the city. Obviously. Could you imagine this? A woman claims to be raped and beaten by four male assailants. The police then claim that she set the whole thing up and charges are brought against her. All charges are then dropped against her after she does community service and pays a fine to the city. That is not being exonerated. That is striking a deal. The guilty, not the innocent, strike deals. If the woman had been raped and beaten, do you think she would have been required to do community service and pay fine? Of course not. How is this not totally obvious to all? How could anyone still believe that Smollett was somehow exonerated? If he was, in fact, assaulted by nefarious strangers, where are they? Wheres the investigation to find his attackers? You say, Thats easy. Those two brothers confessed to being paid by him to attacking him. So, either theyre telling the truth (in which case the prosecutor did the city a real disservice by dropping the charges with a mere slap on the wrist) or theyre lying about being paid by Smollett. If the latter, why arent they being charged for the assault? (I apologize for raising such ridiculously obvious questions, but these days, truth can hit some people between the eyes without them realizing it.) And this whole affair has nothing to do with racism and homophobia (the very allegations that brought this to national attention). Chicagos Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is outraged and is not backing down at all. And he is African American. In his words, But again, at the end of the day, its Mr. Smollett who committed this, this, this, this hoax. Those are strong words from a high-level, career officer. Police dont lightly issue their own guilty verdicts in public. And it was none other then Rahm Emmanuel, the very pro-gay mayor of Chicago, who said, Without a doubt this is a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if you are in a position of influence and power, you'll be treated one way. It is wrong. He added, Mr. Smollett is still saying that he is innocent, still running down the Chicago Police Department. How dare he?!? How dare him?!? How dare him after everybody saw. Is there no decency in this man? Note also that in this same speech, Emmanuel mentioned the name of the gay icon Matthew Shephard and then spoke of how the Smollett fiasco could make things more difficult for gays who were real victims of hate crimes. (Gay men and women who will come forward and one day say they were a victim of a hate crime now will be doubted.) He even got in a backhanded attack on President Trump, saying, I cannot stress that in a time when you have people bringing a moral equivalency in Virginia between bigots and those fighting bigotry, and you have a person using hate crime laws that are on the books to protect people, who are minorities, from violence, to then turn around and use those laws to advance your career and your financial reward. Is there no decency in this man? To repeat: No one can accuse either Mr. Johnson or Mr. Emmanuel of being racist or homophobic. And in case you missed the news conference, neither of them were wearing MAGA hats. Yet they both spoke against the outrage of all charges being dropped in the strongest possible terms. Rightly so. Again, I wish no ill for Jussie Smollett or the people involved in Empire. I simply write to give voice to the frustration experienced by many when truth and justice are mocked in the public square. I would have been fine if Smollett had said, Im terribly embarrassed by what happened and incredibly grateful to the mercy of the court. I got off with far less than I deserved, and Ill be meeting with the police and the mayor to find out what I can do that would help bring healing for the pain I have caused. And I will be seeking professional help to get to the root issues that caused me to lie in such a public and ugly way. Please forgive me, and allow me to regain your trust in the years ahead. That would have been glorious. But that is not what happened. And that is a loss for all involved. And Smolletts legacy will remain deeply muddled. I polled my Twitter followers, asking, What's your take on the dropping of all charges against Jussie Smollett? (I'm not trying to determine truth; just getting your take.) The choices were: 1) He's obviously innocent! 2) Chicago is corrupt! 3) Something else. Only 1 percent believed Smollett was innocent. And that will be hard to shake. After devastating cyclone, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi look to God Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Ten days after Cyclone Idai left at least 750 dead and more than 100,000 scrounging for survival in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi on southeast Africas Indian Ocean coast, government officials and others turned to God for comfort in worship services on Sunday. Mozambiques death toll rose to 446 from 417, a government official told Reuters Sunday. U.N. agencies suggested between 154 and 259 people died from the cyclone in Zimbabwe and another 56 in Malawi. President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe told his country during a service at the Methodist Church in Mabelreign, Harare on Sunday that the death toll was rising and could reach 200. "Some citizens were swept away to Mozambique and because of the decomposing state of their bodies, we have agreed that they be buried in Mozambique. Some could have been washed away to the ocean," he said according to 24 News. Mnangagwa declared two days of mourning for the victims and told his countrymen that it is in times like these people should look to God. "As people, we do not know anything. We only get to know something after it would have occurred but God knows everything, even things to come in future. Job lost all his children and wealth but he never turned away from God, he said. "We should accept this although it is difficult, even for me. Sometimes we ask God why He allows such things to happen and also if He still exists. We cannot direct God but we just accept what He has done. Let us pray and seek God when we still can as disaster can come anytime and in different forms. We are all sinners and we should all go to Jesus when we are still alive," he continued. In Mozambique, even as the death toll continued rising on Sunday, worshippers gathered at ravaged churches in the devastated port of Beira where the category 2 storm made landfall. We asked Jesus to protect us, so that this does not happen again, one Christian woman, Maria Domingas, 60, who survived trees crashing into her house and water filling her bedroom, told Reuters. About 150 members of the evangelical Universal Church in Beira gathered for worship on the patio of their church despite significant damage to their building including the loss of their roof. You can see the strength in their eyes, their 36-year-old pastor, known as Junior said. From today, we are looking forward. Only with God can we move forward, Rosa Manuel, 59, a church member who lost a house she had built to rent said. Government officials in Mozambique said the cyclone had affected 531,000 people and 110,000 people are living in makeshift camps. At the service in Zimbabwe, the Methodist Church general secretary, Reverend Jimmy Dube said it was the role of the church to step in during times of grief. "The victims have received food, clothing drugs and all the material things but the church should assist them to come to terms with the grief, so that they do not collapse inside, Dube said. "People are trying to come to terms with the grief and anger. They are asking God why this happened and why He remained silent and never alerted them. Some are even asking is there [a] God while others ask God why people have perished through floods when He had made a covenant that He will not destroy humanity through floods, he continued. "We do not have answers. Today is an important day as it allows healing. We cannot continue as if nothing has happened. We have come together to express our grief and God will heal us of the trauma. The church should help us to pick up the broken pieces." (ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - A group of migrants have reportedly hijacked a merchant ship off Libya, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday. He said the ship had been heading for Libya after rescuing the migrants but was now heading for Malta or Lampedusa. "It would be the first act of piracy on the high seas, with migrants who have hijacked a ship that had reached 6 nautical miles off the Libyan coast," he said. Salvini said there was no chance of the migrants being allowed to land in Italy. "They should know that they will only see Italy with a telescope", he said. How are men and women persecuted differently for their faith in Christ? Expert explains Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A new report from the Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors USA details differences in how men and women are persecuted for their faith in Christ. Helene Fisher, a gender persecution specialist with Open Doors USA, who co-authored the new report on gender-specific religious persecution, testified on a panel before the United Nations NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief last week where she outlined the findings from the new report. Open Doors is an international non-profit that works in over 60 countries to advocate some of the world's most persecuted communities. Although Christian persecution across the globe seems to be ever-increasing, Fisher explained that there are completely different manners in which men and women are persecuted. We characterize the persecution of men as being focused and severe and visible, Fisher told The Christian Post in an interview. And the persecution of women continues to be complex and hidden. In most cases, persecution occurs along the lines of how it will negatively impact their roles in society. For women, Fisher stated, persecution often revolves around the idea of ruining their sexual purity. Meanwhile, men tend to suffer from forms of economic harassment that can impact their place in society. Men and women both suffer from societal shaming and shunning. Women The three most common points of persecution for women are a sexual attack, forced marriage, and rape, according to Fisher. Since there is great value place in many societies around a girls purity, targeted rapes of girls are often used to bring shame to a certain family. Targeted rapes In the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List, the most common trend in the gender-specific persecution of Christians is the targeted raping of women solely for the purpose of bringing shame upon their families and community. When they are sexually assaulted, there is a shame that is brought upon them in society's views. And they are therefore viewed as tainted, having no future and their family also lose this honor, Fisher explained. And sometimes their whole Christian community is seen as less valuable, less pure. According to the Open Doors report, the prospects of survival for the whole tainted family are compromised when shunned in a society where every aspect of life is communal. In some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, it is a mortal sin to bring shame to a family. The shaming process can often lead a family into financial vulnerability. Forced marriage Fifty-seven percent of the 49 countries reported on the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List who provided reports on the gender-specific persecution of women cited forced marriage as an issue in their nation. No countries reported forced marriage as an issue for men. The problem exists in places such as North Africa, the Middle East and Asia where young Christian girls can be lured into a relationship where the lines between abduction and seduction with intent are blurred. Christian women are reported to have been lured or abducted by terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram. The girls are often used as sex slaves, breeders or militia wives. Christian girls are also often abducted by men from the majority religion in society and forced into a marriage without their families consent. In some cases, Open Doors warns, girls will eventually blame themselves and make fewer efforts to escape because of the perceived loss of honor and reputation due to the sexual assault committed against her. The report finds some state laws make forced marriage more easily practicable in the case of converts. In places like Pakistan, abductors of girls will threaten families if they try to get authorities involved to rescue their daughters. In some cases, family members are killed trying to rescue their loved ones. While there are many cases in which Christian girls and women have been abducted and forced into marriage, girls and women who convert to Christianity can often be forced into marriages by their own families. Forced marriage is used by a family whose daughter has decided on her own through some kind of exposure to Christianity, maybe via satellite or a friend somewhere or maybe she's had a vision she has turned to Jesus and her family has found out, Fisher explained. [They will] marry her to somebody from the mainstream religion, and then it becomes more or less his problem to make sure that she adheres to the mainstream religion. Denial of custody In many places where national, tribal or religious laws permit spouses to remove a Christian convert from the home, women face the risk of forced divorce and losing custody of their children if they convert to Christianity. While this dilemma can face both men and women who convert to Christianity, it appears to be a more common occurrence for women, according to Open Doors reporting. Forced divorce is a seriously dissuasive element to conversion, which is also provoked by family honor; often (but not exclusively) the husbands family honor, the report reads. Fisher explained persecution against Christian females is often done with impunity in some countries and states. While conditions for women in general in many places around the world, things are even more tough for minority women in a lot of these cultures because it "blends in" and is "part of the societal and cultural practice." They don't see anything wrong with what they're doing. And their society around doesn't see anything wrong, Fisher told CP. What they're doing is simply viewed as the way of life and viewed in some respects as saving a Christian from Christianity. Men Christian men are subject to various forms of abuse and persecution for their faith. Among them are economic harassment, forced military duty, torture, imprisonment, shunning and shaming. Economic harassment Economic harassment is the top form of religious persecution for men, according to Open Doors, which had over 46 respondent countries provide details on the gender-specific persecution of men. Economic pressure is often used to try to get Christian men to renounce their faith in Christ. According to the report, 34 of the 46 countries say that economic harassment was used to put pressure on Christian men and converts. Additionally, six countries were reported as having issued fines as a form of economic pressure on Christian men. Male converts to Christianity in some countries are often prevented from getting and retaining gainful employment. In many cases, such economic pressure hits immediately upon a mans conversion. In Nepal, according to an Open Doors researcher there, Christian men feel forced to migrate to new cities, live under a new identity and are economically deprived during their first phases of persecuted life. After being persecuted, the family often suffers through a reduced income as the men and boys are severely beaten and socially ostracized, the researcher stated. Shaming and Shunning Just like it is used to persecute women, shaming and shunning are often used to target Christian men and their families. Shunning is used to directly impact the severity of economic harassment suffered. [W]hen shaming and shunning is associated with men it's usually things like them no longer being able to sell their things in the market or be part of the team in the fields, Fisher explained. The impact of shunning can be even greater in rural areas if men are excluded from the traditional ways of farming. In places like Egypt, Muslim shop owners will call on their Muslim customers not to buy from Christian-owned shops. Physical violence and torture Torture and physical violence were reported in 35 percent of the 46 countries reporting information on the gender-specific persecution of men. Half of the countries paired the mention of violence with the inclusion of death as a step that bad actors will take to pressure a Christian man to renounce his faith. Violence is often used in conjunction with shame and socio-economic ostracism to persecute families. A researcher in Somalia is quoted in the report as saying that men and boys were verbally abused, physically assaulted, tortured, burned alive, shot to death and even had their business taken over just the mere suspicion of conversion. There have been countless stories of Christian converts attacked or killed either by their own family members or enraged members of their community simply for converting to Christianity. Incarceration and military conscription Fisher added that another global trend that is more so focused on teenage boys is militia conscription and arduous military service. According to Fisher, military service is used as a way of controlling Christian men and coercing them into embracing whatever the natural national religion is. Christian men worldwide are also more likely to be imprisoned for their faith, Open Doors reports. Imprisonment can also entail physical and psychological violence. Several analysts connected government imprisonment with other pressure points, specifically violence and economic hardship, the report reads. In China, Christian men can be held in custody for weeks or months while being traumatized physically and psychologically. In Iran, Open Doors reports, an arrest can be used as a tool to economically harass Christian men. Upon conversion, Christian converts are at risk of losing their jobs, especially if they have been arrested. Cambridge has made itself a 'laughing stock' over handling of Jordan Peterson visiting fellowship - church minister "The prophecy of George Orwell" is being fulfilled at Cambridge University after it withdrew the offer of a visiting fellowship to Dr Jordan Peterson over a photograph, Free Church minister David Robertson has said. Dr Peterson, a University of Toronto professor who gained notoriety in Canada for refusing to use preferred gender pronouns, had his offer of a visiting fellowship rescinded by Cambridge University last week. He had planned to use the fellowship to prepare for a lecture series on Exodus following the huge popularity of his talks on Genesis, which have been viewed millions of times on YouTube. The offer of a visiting fellowship to Dr Peterson drew complaints from some academics and students before the Faculty of Divinity confirmed that it had been withdrawn. The faculty offered no reason at the time as to why this decision had been made. But after days of speculation, Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen J Toope said the offer had been withdrawn after the university became aware of a photograph of Dr Peterson with his arm around a man wearing a T-shirt that said "I'm a proud Islamophobe". "The casual endorsement by association of this message was thought to be antithetical to the work of a Faculty that prides itself in the advancement of inter-faith understanding," said Prof Toope. "As a consequence of this, the Faculty's Research Committee reviewed its original decision to award a visiting fellowship and concluded that the offer should be rescinded." The decision to rescind the offer was welcomed by the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU), which said in a statement: "We are relieved to hear that Jordan Peterson's request for a visiting fellowship to Cambridge's Faculty of Divinity has been rescinded following further review. "It is a political act to associate the University with an academic's work through offers which legitimise figures such as Peterson." They added that his work and views "are not representative of the student body and as such we do not see his visit as a valuable contribution to the University, but one that works in opposition to the principles of the University". In a letter to Prof Toope, however, Rev Robertson said that the Vice-Chancellor's statement "made a mockery of the English language, defied logic and fulfilled the prophecy of George Orwell concerning Newspeak". "You have made the University of Cambridge a laughing stock," he said. He also criticised CUSU for its "profoundly irrational, totalitarian and disturbingly anti-education" stance. "It is depressing to consider that this Orwellian irrational statement came from students of one of our top universities," he wrote. "Is inviting someone to lecture always a 'political act'? Is it really the case that the only people who are permitted to lecture at Cambridge are those whose political views are 'representative of the student body'? "Is it not depressing to you as a Chancellor that you have students who think that they can learn nothing from those who disagree with them?" Rev Robertson accused Cambridge University of "enacting a new blasphemy law" that excludes those with different principles "all in the name of inclusion and tolerance". In his own response, Dr Peterson accused the university of siding with the "diversity-inclusivity-equity mob". "I think the Faculty of Divinity made a serious error of judgement in rescinding their offer to me (and I'm speaking about those unnamed persons who made that specific decision)," he said. "I think they handled publicizing the rescindment in a manner that could hardly have been more narcissistic, self-congratulatory and devious." A petition demanding that his visiting fellowship be reinstated has been started on Change.org Concerns for free speech after police investigate man over transgender tweets The Catholic journalist at the centre of a "misgendering" row with a trans charity has warned of "Orwellian times" after a man was questioned by police for a second time for retweeting a limerick about transgender people. Harry Miller, 53, from Lincoln, was first contacted by police in January after retweeting a limerick that questioned whether transgender women are biological women and included the lines: "Your breasts are made of silicone, your vagina goes nowhere." At the time, the investigating officer told him that no hate crime had been committed but his retweeting of the limerick would be recorded as a "hate incident". Mr Miller, who tweets as 'Harry the Owl', said in an update on Twitter this week that he had been left "fuming" after an inspector from Humberside Police allegedly told him "not to engage in political debate on Twitter because some people don't like the content". In a series of Twitter posts, Mr Miller said the inspector had told him that he had "every right to be involved in politics" but asked him, "why would you tweet your views when it upsets the trans community?" The inspector then clarified, 'I'm just asking why you feel the need to engage in hate." I am stunned, shocked, upset, aghast and fuming.Just had Inspector Wilson from @Humberbeat call me re my complaint. Harry The Owl - Limerick Criminal (@HarryTheOwl) March 26, 2019 Mr Miller said he had received the call after he complained to the police about their handling of the original complaint made against him into the limerick. "I am devastated," he said, following the call. Humberside Police responded to his comments in a statement to Hull Daily Mail in which it said there was "never any suggestion" he shouldn't engage in politics. "There was never any suggestion he shouldn't engage in politics or debate around the subject in question, he was just asked why he would want to, knowing it would cause distress and upset to others in society," a spokeswoman for Humberside Police said. "The complainant was also advised if he felt his Human Rights had been breached, he may want to seek legal advice." Caroline Farrow, the Catholic journalist who made headlines last week after being spoken to by police about an alleged "misgendering" tweet, said the incident was "incredible". "A police inspector is ringing up a man telling him that he ought not express his opinion because others may find it upsetting! Truly Orwellian times we live in," she said on Twitter. Mrs Farrow is not alone in her concern. Baroness Jenny Jones, a Green Party member in the House of Lords, said the police call to Mr Miller was "astonishing". "This is astonishing @Humberbeat You seriously have the time and resources to get an Inspector to call someone on this issue? Can you explain to us all?" she said on Twitter. James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation think tank, said the real point was the "potential chilling effect it has on the legal expression of opinion". "Is it the job of the police to prevent 'distress and upset'?" he tweeted. "@HarryTheOwl has the wherewithal to resist/push back. But not everyone does: for a lot of people, a formal call from the police is unnerving, even (unintentionally) intimidating." Don't abuse our MPs, pray for them, says Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued an appeal for civility as MPs try to find a way to end the deadlock over Brexit. Writing on Twitter, Justin Welby called for "respect" as MPs were to begin debating various motions offering different Brexit scenarios. Options on the table range from a hard no-deal Brexit to 'softer' arrangements that would see Britain remain in a customs union and single market. It has been reported that some MPs want Theresa May to confirm her own departure date from Number 10 as a condition to backing her deal. Archbishop Welby said it was "easy" to abuse and threaten MPs over their positions on Brexit. Instead of this, he said people should pray for them or at least "intend well" as MPs seek to find a way forward that has the broad support of the nation. "It's easy to tell MPs how badly they are doing, easy to abuse and threaten," he said. "But they have to decide for us and deserve respect. Let us pray for them (or intend well if not pray), for a decision that has widespread support and for a process that brings national agreement." After years of division, the Archbishop said in a separate post that it was important that the outcome of the referendum be respected and that a way be found to unite the country. "Reconciliation is less about agreeing than about finding out how to disagree well. We must respect the vote of the people and unite our country," he said. The Baptist Union of Great Britain has also raised concerns about threats to MPs. It has asked its members to write letters to MPs assuring them of their prayerful support as Parliament continues to seek an agreement on Britain's departure from the EU. The BUGB said its churches would "continue to offer spaces which foster community and conversation and where all are welcome". "As Christians, we do not have to agree with those who represent us to pray and to care for them (1 Tim 2:1-2). We think this is especially important as the tone of conversation in our current political climate has also become personally vitriolic," it said. "We know that MPs are receiving high numbers of hate mail, which can only have a negative effect on them and their staff in an already stressful environment. We value our democratic processes, and to have officials we have elected and can call to account. There is, we believe, a way to do this without aggression or intimidation." Why Christians should be worried about British 'officialdom's changing attitude to the Bible 'One swallow does not make a summer' goes the saying and I interpret it to mean that you should not turn a single incident into a sign of a trend. However, when two similar incidents follow in rapid succession, even the cautious observer is entitled to suspect that something is up. And in the last two weeks we have had two incidents in which British 'officialdom' has decided to be foolishly unpleasant to Christians about the Bible. One was where an open-air preacher, Oluwole Ilesanmi, was arrested and accused of causing a breach of the peace, being racist and, according to some accounts, Islamophobic. It has to be said that the aggressive manner in which he was treated, had his Bible snatched from him and was handcuffed, is not what one expects from the British police force. Or at least what one didn't used to expect. He was later wonderful phrase 'de-arrested'. I gather that the case is being reviewed and would like to think that the 'enthusiasm' of the police officers involved has been rebuked. The second case involves an Iranian national seeking asylum who claimed in his application that he converted from Islam because Christianity was a peaceful religion. Extraordinarily, the Home Office apparently wrote a lengthy and offensive letter of refusal, denying that Christianity was peaceful and quoting or misquoting biblical passages to make their point. This, too, has not gone unnoticed and protests are, quite rightly, being made. Although different, these two events are clearly linked to reveal a widespread and arrogant scorn for the Bible and its message. Three points come to mind. First, to be so dismissive of the Bible is to lack wisdom about the past. It would take an extraordinary level of ignorance to deny the fundamental role of the Bible in creating British culture. For nearly 500 years the Bible in the language of ordinary people has been part of British society and influenced who we are and what behaviour we praise or condemn. From it we have learned the value of such things as the worth of all human beings, care for our neighbour, humility, truth, honesty, faithfulness within marriage and many other virtues. True, we may not have always practised what the Bible preaches but in doing so we have always known we have rejected its standards. It is symptomatic of the Bible's influence that it is given to the monarch at the coronation and that a copy is present on the table between the benches in the House of Commons. After the last election over 400 of the 650 MPs chose to swear an oath of allegiance on a Bible. The Bible is part of our heritage and should be honoured on that basis alone. Second, to be so dismissive of the Bible is to lack wisdom about the present. The United Kingdom is somewhat unusual among nations in having no written constitution. One major reason for this is that precisely because the Bible holds out a moral framework for how we are to live, a definition of rights, duties and limits has never been felt to be necessary. After all, in the Bible we find clearly stated how individuals are to relate to each other and to the state and how, in turn, the state is to relate to them. We learn from the Bible that we are accountable to God for our actions and should live accordingly. We are warned that because sin colours even the best intentions, checks and measures have to be put in place to ensure that evil does not triumph in private and public life. Without a Bible we have a nation without a moral rulebook. Finally, to be so dismissive of the Bible is to lack wisdom about the future. What we are seeing in both these cases is someone or other from 'officialdom' standing up and either preventing a book being read aloud or imposing their interpretation of it. This is extraordinary arrogance. One of the most universal elements of modern liberal Western culture, and one that we all enjoy, is freedom of speech. Yet here, quietly but unmistakably, agents of the state are using their authority to silence or reinterpret a holy book. Questions multiply. Who exactly are these people who have taken it upon themselves to be our moral guardians? Who are they answerable to? Who has given them authority? Suddenly the chilling world of Orwell's 1984 seems uncomfortably close. A linked and deeper question should worry all of us. What limits, if any, do these people have? Let them ban or reinterpret the Bible today and where will they stop tomorrow? After all, almost everything in literature can be guaranteed to be offensive to someone, somewhere. And the seizure of power by authority over what is said and done does not stop with books, does it? In 1821 the German-Jewish writer Heinrich Heine wrote, 'Where they burn books, so will they in the end burn human beings.' Just over a hundred years later his own books were burnt by the Nazis, who then went on to burn people. Society always needs the Bible but never more so than when, as now, a culture arises in which authority is exercised with arrogance and without accountability. For the good of our souls and the good of our society we need to let the Bible speak and be heard today. Steve Gonzales, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle Harris County had below-average wage growth compared to both other counties and the nation, while Midland continued to experience rapid employment and wage growth, according to a U.S. Labor Department report Tuesday. Harris County, which employs about 2.3 million people, the most of any county, saw wages increase 2.1 percent between the third quarter of 2017 and 2018, while the rest of the nation saw weekly earnings increase 3.3 percent on average. Texas grew wages 3.1 percent on average between the third quarters of the last two years. The Woodlands liquefied natural gas company Excelerate Energy has set a delivery date for Summit LNG its second offshore project in the South Asian nation of Bangladesh. Specializing in offshore import terminals that use a special type of LNG tanker known as floating storage and regasification units, or FSRUs, Excelerate Energy reported that the company is set to deliver its offshore platform on April 20. Currently stationed in Qatar, a company-owned FSRU also named Excelerate will travel the Persian Gulf and around India to the Bay of Bengal were it will be anchored and use underwater pipelines to deliver natural gas to the mainland of Bangladesh. Summit LNG is being developed through a 2017 concession from Petrobangla, Bangladesh's state-owned company. Once in operation, the facility is expected to double the South Asian nation's LNG import capacity. Boston to Bangladesh: Houston company emerges as global leader in offshore LNG The Summit LNG offshore terminal is being developed about 1.25 miles away from the Moheshkhali Floating LNG terminal near Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Owned an operated by Excelerate, Moheshkhali began operations in August 2018. The offshore terminal is preparing to receive its 23rd cargo of LNG, company officials reported. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Founded in 2003 and backed by Oklahoma billionaire George B. Kaiser, privately held Excelerate now employs about 100 and controls more than $3 billion in assets around the world. Excelerate owns more than one-third of the world's current floating storage and regasification unit fleet of two dozen ships. Although they cannot import as much natural gas by volume, offshore LNG import terminals are viewed as a more flexible and cost-effective option than onshore facilities. The complex web of U.S. pipelines, tanks and export terminals thats helped make America the worlds top oil producer is causing a headache for some crude buyers. As various types of crude pass through the supply chain from inland shale fields spanning Texas to North Dakota, they risk picking up impurities before reaching Asia -- the worlds biggest oil-consuming region. Specifically, refiners are worried about the presence of problematic metals as well as a class of chemical compounds known as oxygenates, which can affect the quality and type of fuel they produce. Two refiners in South Korea -- the top buyer of U.S. seaborne supply -- have rejected cargoes in recent months due to contamination that makes processing difficult. Growing North American output from dozens of fields pushes everything from highly-volatile oil to sticky residue through shared tributaries and trunk pipes. Smaller carriers then take cargoes from shallow-water ports to giant supertankers in the Gulf of Mexico for hauling to far-away buyers. REGULATORY: IMO 2020 could trigger refinery closures outside U.S. Throughout its transit from pipes to tanks and onto vessels, foreign compounds from other fuel or chemicals for cleaning tanks or stabilizing material can leach into the supply and foul up refining equipment. While crude passes through a similar chain in the Middle East too, the risk of impurities is lower because each oil variety typically has its own designated infrastructure. In the case of American condensates, a type of ultra-light oil pumped in shale fields, cargoes can get pollutants such as oxygenates, metals and cleaning agents, said Sebastien Bariller, senior vice president at South Koreas Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co. Thats causing uncertainty around U.S. oil quality, unlike purchases from the Middle East, where quality is stable, he said. The two South Korean refiners -- SK Innovation Co. and Hyundai Oilbank Co. -- turned away their purchased shipments of Eagle Ford crude that were due to arrive in January and February due to quality issues, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The cargoes were sold by oil giant BP Plc, the people said. At least one of the unwanted cargoes was rerouted to Chinas Qingdao port in a smaller vessel and purchased by Sinochem Hongrun Petrochemical Co., an independent refiner that has different quality requirements and plant configurations. RISKY BUSINESS: As petroleum exports grow, so do risks Spokespeople for SK Innovation and Hyundai declined to comment. BP doesnt comment on day-to-day supply and trading operations, it said in an email. The company stands behind its contractual commitments and if issues arise, BP will work diligently to resolve legitimate concerns, it added. While not all cargoes of oil from the massive Eagle Ford field in south Texas are contaminated, officials from SK, Hanwha, Hyundai and domestic rival GS Caltex Corp. say theyll monitor closely for quality issues including the presence of oxygenates before taking delivery. Shipments of crudes pumped in the Gulf of Mexico -- which pass through a much more direct supply chain -- have consistent characteristics, they said. Oil Transit Oxygenates arent naturally occurring in crude oil, according to Dennis Sutton, executive director of the Crude Oil Quality Association, a U.S. industry group. They would likely have to be introduced in the handling of the oil from well-head to refinery. In the U.S., infrastructure needed to link production fields to deepwater ports lags behind the surge in exports as seaborne sales had been restricted until late-2015. Refiners along the Gulf Coast -- where most of American oil was refined before exports were permitted -- are used to handling quality issues because their plants are more sophisticated. U.S. crude exports have risen from less than 100,000 barrels a day at the end of 2012 to 2.5 million in December. South Korea was the biggest consumer of U.S. oil that month, taking in more than 550,000 barrels a day. Despite the contamination issue, Hanwha Totals Bariller says South Korea cannot afford to completely turn away from the U.S. as the nation remains an important seller of incremental oil supplies, especially at a time of uncertainty surrounding cargoes from Middle Eastern nations such as Iran. Oil traders and shale executives believe U.S. crude exports are set to reach 5 million barrels a day by late 2020, up another 70 percent from current levels. If the U.S. hits that target, America will be exporting, on a gross basis, more crude than every country in OPEC except Saudi Arabia. Since the surge in U.S. tight oil formation crude output, there have been persistent quality issues, particularly on consistency, said John Driscoll, the chief strategist at industry consultant JTD Energy Services Pte Ltd. What does it mean for U.S. exporters? They need to tighten up the specs or face pressure from buyers for further discounts. --With assistance from Dan Murtaugh and Heesu Lee. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A subsidiary of Houston oilfield service company McDermott International has signed a lease that will allow the company to build a manufacturing facility for offshore oil rigs in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco signed a land lease agreement with McDermott Arabia Company on Monday granting the company a lease to built a fabrication plant at the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries in Ras Al-Khair, Saudi Arabia. Located on 284 acres of land along the Persian Gulf halfway between Kuwait and Bahrain, the Saudi Arabian facility will be used build offshore oil platforms as well as related equipment. "Expanding our fabrication capacity in Saudi Arabia demonstrates McDermott's commitment to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 objectives," McDermott CEO David Dickson said in a statement. Mars Mission: McDermott to build hydrogen storage tank at NASA's Cape Canaveral The Ras Al-Khair facility is expected to be operational by 2022 and generate 7,000 jobs. Apprenticeship and training programs will also be developed to ensure that a sufficient number of qualified Saudi nationals are available for hire to meet the in-Kingdom content requirements. "We will establish a world class fabrication facility that enables us to better serve the needs of Saudi Aramco and other customers in Saudi Arabia and across the region," McDermott Vice President Linh Austin said in a statement. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Houston, McDermott reported closing 2018 with a $2.7 billion loss on $6.7 billion of revenue. The company employs 31,900 people in more than 50 nations. Pearl Hospitality announced plans Wednesday to redevelop a landmark midcentury modern office building in the Texas Medical Center into a Westin hotel. The Houston developer is renovating the 1956 Medical Towers, 1709 Dryden, into the Westin Houston Medical Center. The 18-story luxury hotel will offer 273 rooms, ranging from a 350-square-foot King room to a 1,200-square-foot presidential suite, as well as 13 extended-stay rooms outfitted with an apartment-style kitchen and closets ideal for patients seeking long-term care at the Medical Center. 'A JEWEL IN THE ROUGH:' What developers are hoping to accomplish with the renovation, only at HoustonChronicle.com. An 18,000-square-foot amenity deck will be built on top of the four-story garage. Amenities include a resort-style pool, fitness center, a restaurant, cafe and bar, 10,000 square feet of meeting space and two outdoor terraces overlooking the Museum District and the Rice University. Pearl plans to add additional restaurants to the street-level retail, which already includes several fast-casual options including Chipotle, Halal Guys and Salata. The streets surrounding the hotel will be redesigned, adding a curb cut for a valet parking entrance, sidewalks lined with trees and patio dining space. On HoustonChronicle.com: Developer proposes Medical Center redevelopment with hotel The Westin Houston Medical Center is expected to open early next year. Medical Towers, designed by the architects of the United Nations Secretariat Building and Lever House in New York, was one of the first International Style buildings in Houston. These post-World War II podium buildings emphasize clean, minimalist lines over classic, ornate designs. Pearl, which earlier redeveloped the historic 1910 SF Carter Building into JW Marriott Houston Downtown, acquired the Medical Towers in 2014. The developer declined to share the project's cost. Click through the slideshow to see renderings of the Westin hotel. 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. (ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - A group of migrants have reportedly hijacked a merchant ship off Libya, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday. He said the ship had been heading for Libya after rescuing the migrants off Libya but was now heading for Malta or Lampedusa. "It would be the first act of piracy on the high seas, with migrants who have hijacked a ship that had reached 6 nautical miles off the Libyan coast," he said. Salvini said there was no chance of the migrants being allowed to land in Italy. "They should know that they will only see Italy with a telescope", he said. The interior ministry said later that the ship, the Elhiblu I, was heading north and had reached Maltese search and rescue (SAR) waters. It said "it made an abrupt change of course after the vessel had arrived six miles from the entry into the port of Tripoli". "They're not shipwrecked migrants but pirates," Salvini told reporters. "Poor migrants who hijack the merchantman that saved them because they want to decide the course," he added on Facebook later. He held up a map showing the ship halfway between Malta and Italy and reiterated "I tell the pirates, forget Italy. This is the clearest demonstration that it is not a rescue operation but a criminal traffic in human beings who even arrive at hijacking a private vessel. It is an act of criminality, or organised crime. Italian waters are off-limits to criminals". Also Wednesday, a Libyan motor launch intercepted and saved 120 migrants in Libyan search-and-rescue waters, and is now returning to Tripoli. Matthew Busch, For The San Antonio Express-News / For The San Antonio Express-News Model Emily Ratajkwoski was in Austin again. Multiple photos posted to her highly popular Instagram page show Ratajkowski wearing a silver outfit with a cowboy hat and blond wig and at one point, feeding farm animals while wearing white boots over the weekend. It's unclear why she was in Texas, but the Austin Rodeo, where she's likely to have taken the photos, is currently underway. RELATED: P!nk recaps San Antonio concert, says it was one of her 'favorite nights' "Yeehaw Thanks Texas," she captioned a series of Instagram photos early Tuesday. This trip was not her first to Austin. She spent Memorial Day weekend 2017 touring Texas' capital, stopping at Barton Springs Pool and for some barbecue. Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye Winter, late 1945. Near the banks of the Elbe River, not far from ravaged, bombed-out Hamburg, a grieving Englishwoman and her German host, whose wife died in the war, stroll through a snow-blanketed forest that looks enchanted fastidiously gorgeous in the patented Ridley Scott manner. (Scott executive produced.) They pause for a snowball fight. They laugh. They will be having sex soon. Destination: the sun-filled attic of the German ex-architects mansion, which has been requisitioned by the womans English colonel husband, the idealistic man in charge of the de-Nazification of Hamburgs British occupation zone. The colonel is played by Jason Clarke, coming off a similar portrait in cuckoldry in Mudbound. Alexander Skarsgard, a walking advertisement for 40s tweed, portrays the cultured ex-architect, a committed anti-Nazi with a troubled teenage daughter. The role of the vulnerable yet hardy woman oscillating between these admirable men goes to Keira Knightley. FOR HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM SUBSCRIBERS: Beyond 'Roma' - Houston Latino Film Festival launches Friday Taken from Rhidian Brooks 2013 novel, The Aftermath began life as a screenplay, though it first came to fruition in book form. Its movie-ness is baked into its fragile bones. One review of the book after another found plenty of flaws but predicted a satisfying outcome on screen, thanks to the all-purpose WD-40 lubricant of so much cinematic historical fiction: atmosphere. Director James Kents pretty, frustrating picture has atmosphere in spades, and a diamondlike sheen, but its tale of hearts aflame is slowly clubbed into submission by an excess of taste. Working from a script by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse and novelist Brook, its a snow globe of a movie. The affair at its center is absurdly preordained, with Knightleys character, Rachael, going from zero (how dare my husband force us to live under the same roof as these Germans!) to 60 (to the sun-dappled attic!) in record time. Its frustrating because the actors are up to the task and the setting and the complications hold promise. Right away, The Aftermath makes its clear Col. Morgan (Clarke) is an exception to the rule; unlike so many of his callow fellow Britons, he sees German suffering and postwar Hamburg as a human tragedy. His son with Rachael has been dead three years, victim of a Nazi air attack back home. (The novel gave the Morgans a second, surviving child.) The former architect, Herr Lubert, does the best he can with a brooding, motherless 16-year-old daughter (Flora Thiemann), whos mixed up with a vengeful Nazi punk (Jannik Schumann). At home, she answers one of the Morgans attempts at small talk with a sudden, catlike hiss. Rachaels defined by her lingering grief and loss, and in Lubert she finds an alluringly available fellow griever. To its benefit, the story doesnt turn the husbands own emotional devastation over his sons death into stereotypical loutish behavior, for which Clarke is visibly grateful. Knightley, so good in the recent Colette, struggles with an over-indicating streak, though in her quietest moments the grief feels authentically realized. The Aftermath Rated: R for sexual content/nudity, violence including some disturbing images Running time: 109 minutes Where: Landmark River Oaks, Houston ** (out of 5) See More Collapse So few page-to-screen adaptations relying on a mixture of sweep, intimacy, sex and war-torn exoticism figure out how to accommodate those warring impulses. Anthony Minghellas The English Patient (1996) certainly did, and in its first half, the film version of Atonement, starring Knightley, did, too. PREVIEW: Get experts picks for concerts, kids stuff, fine arts, movies and more delivered to your inbox weekly. The Aftermath comes from a personal place for novelist and co-screenwriter Brook: His grandfather, a post-WWII governor of a German district, lived for a time in a requisitioned home with a German family. But his invented love triangle lacks the gradations and uncertainties of life. Its strictly movie stuff. Director Kents visual and design team, including cinematographer Franz Lustig, production designer Sonja Klaus and costume designer Bojana Nikitovic, collaborate earnestly and well. You notice the atmosphere, because the movie would float away without it. I kept thinking of Donald Ducks nephews: For all its noble intentions, The Aftermath is dewey, gooey and, even with its moments, hooey. Two Texas traditions bluebonnets and Whataburger combined for a social media favorite photoshoot near San Antonio. Markie Gasch Nicewarner, photographer and owner of Dream A Little Dream Photography, told mySA.com the viral photos were taken in a bluebonnet field between Pleasanton and Poteet. Bluebonnets are an annual tradition for many Texans and the mother of the sisters in the pictures decided to implement Whataburger into this year's bluebonnet pictures because it's what got her through both of her pregnancies, Nicewarner said. RELATED: San Antonio couple stars in H-E-B-themed photo shoot to announce they're expecting "Their family absolutely loves Whataburger and she thought, 'what is more Texas than bluebonnets and Whataburger,'" Nicewarner wrote of her customer's idea. "My response was 'YES!! Let's do this!!!" The end result is a set of photos showing the two little girls snacking on Whatachicken and fries. Reactions quickly started racking up, with many saying internet onlookers saying they were planning on taking similar pictures with their families. The post on the Dream a Little Dream Photography has currently been shared more than 6,000 times and garnered more than 1,000 comments. "I never imagined it would be this popular and loved by so many," Nicewarner said. "I'm just thankful I was given this opportunity." Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye On a normal day, 42 tankers, 19 freighters, 391 barges, 128 ferries and 2 cruise ships will move through the Houston Ship Channel. On any given day, one of those tankers may be as long as 1,500 feet. The last week, though, has been anything but normal. The second busiest U.S. port by tonnage was closed for three days by a cloud of cancer-causing benzene and toxic runoff thats settled on the water from nearby chemical fires. Its not the first time the channel has closed. Fog and hurricanes have shut it in the past. But the channels significance has grown almost daily as drillers in the shale fields of Texas have made the region one of the worlds fastest growing exporters of oil, gasoline and diesel. In the past few days, about 60 ocean-going ships were unable to move either into or out of the regions most important business artery, supporting roughly 12 percent of the nations refining capacity. But its not only the number of ships that makes the 1,000-foot-wide channel unique, or important. Its also the size. CONSEQUENCES: Houston Ship Channel closure could cost $1 billion In the past year, because of the 45-foot depth at its center line, the channel has seen its first visits by new Panamax ships, named to reflect the fact that their 1,200-foot lengths can only be accommodated by the new larger lock on the Panama Canal, and by so-called Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, tankers able to carry 2 million barrels of crude. The channel isnt getting any larger, but the ships are, said Chris Hebert, a meteorologist who tracks the Gulfs hurricane and fog seasons for StormGeo, a weather service used by the Houston Pilots Association. The channel was partially opened on March 25 while the clean-up continues. Pilots have been ordered by the U.S. Coast Guard to stay at least 30 minutes apart so each vessel can be inspected to ensure its not dragging oily residue through the water. Life and work across Houstons eastern suburbs have been disrupted since Intercontinental Terminals Co.s chemical storage facility erupted in flames 10 days ago. After the fires were out, nearby residents and companies were menaced by benzene leaks and a wall collapse that allowed toxic fluids to stream into the ship channel. BOTTLENECK: Deer Park fire crimps commerce in ship channel Texas Chicken Even in good times, navigating the waterway can be challenging. Pilots passing one another perform a maneuver called the Texas chicken which requires setting a near head-on course, then swinging their bows away from each other before using the cushion provided by the other ships wake to swing their sterns out and come back to the center of the channel--all while avoiding any barges in the outside lanes. The maneuver requires a deft touch, as the giant ships displace huge quantities of water that can seriously affect handling. These factors were partially to blame for one of the last major shipping incidents on the channel when, in 2015, an inbound bulk carrier, the 623-foot Conti Peridot, lost control and collided with the 600-foot Carla Maersk, an outbound tanker. No one was injured, but 2,100 barrels of methyl tertiary-butyl ether spilled into the water, closing the channel for three days. The waterway was expanded in a decade-long project completed in 2005. Ships now transit the channel through a 530-foot wide center lane, flanked on both sides by 235-foot wide lanes for barges and tow vessels. The ship lane was dredged five feet deeper to 45 feet. BIG JOB: ITC cleanup targets pockets of oil on bayous, Ship Channel Safety Margins Anyone who thought we were getting increased safety margins out of that didnt quite understand the nature of maritime traffic, said Steven Nerheim, the retired Navy captain now directing the Coast Guards Vessel Traffic Service for Houston-Galveston. What it got us was bigger ships. Restoring order after after a closure is a complex logistical feat for the ports stakeholders, according to Nerheim. We prioritize and open the valve slowly so that it doesnt look like the Oklahoma land rush, he said in a telephone interview. Were always working to find a combination of mitigation strategies to continue moving an ever larger number of ever larger ships in a ship channel thats not growing, Nerheim said. Even if we started digging tomorrow to widen it, it would take years to get it done. So my hope is that we start digging tomorrow because the traffic is here. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Saudi Arabia's national oil company is doubling down on petrochemicals as the sector plays an increasingly important role in oil demand. Saudi Aramco announced Wednesday it is acquiring a 70 percent majority state in the petrochemical company Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) in a $69.1 billion deal. Saudi Aramco said the deal advances its efforts to expand refining and gain a bigger share of the fast-growing petrochemical industry. The company said it wants to increase its global refining capacity from 4.9 million to 8 million to 10 million barrels per day by 2030. About 2 million to 3 million barrels per day will be converted into petrochemical products. And Aramco's petrochemical and refining operations will consume plenty of Saudi Arabian crude oil. RELATED: Deer Park fire a blemish for the petrochemical industry's image "This transaction is a major step in accelerating Saudi Aramco's transformative downstream growth strategy of integrated refining and petrochemicals. SABIC is a world-class company with an outstanding workforce and chemicals capabilities," Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco said in a statement. "As part of the Saudi Aramco family of companies, together we will create a stronger, more robust business to enhance competitiveness and help meet rising demand for energy and chemicals products needed by our customers around the world." SABIC, based in Saudi Arabia, has 34,000 employees in 50 countries, including 5,000 employees in the Americas region. It has offices in Houston and is also partnering with ExxonMobil on building a nearly $8 billion petrochemical complex near Corpus Christi. EARLIER: Wood Group signs on for massive Exxon-Saudi project near Corpus Christi Saudi Aramco's further expansion into refining and petrochemicals could provide additional protection from flattening oil demand, noted Steve Zinger, chemical vice president of the research firm Wood Mackenzie. Last year petrochemicals accounted for about 13 percent of oil demand, but that number will grow to 20 percent in 2035, according to Wood Mackenzie. "Petrochemicals are expected to be one of the main drivers of oil demand growth through to 2040 and SABIC brings this through deep downstream market positions," Zinger said in a statement. "An acquisition approach allows Saudi Aramco to obtain further exposure to petrochemical markets more quickly than would be the case via a sole focus on organic expansion and development. " SABIC has a net income of $5.7 billion with a total production volume of 75 million metric tons across all of its business units. Operating in the Americas since 1987, SABIC expanded further in 2007 with the acquisition of GE Plastics, a major manufacturer and supplier of highly engineered thermoplastics. H.E. Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan, Managing Director, Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, said the SABIC acquisition will enable the country to further diversify its revenue streams. Meanwhile Saudi Aramco's subsidiaries, refining giant Motiva Enterprises, also is considering getting into the petrochemical business starting with a potential $6.6 billion project on the Gulf Coast. Aramco also has joint ventures with other companies to build new petrochemical sites in China, India and Malaysia. A few hours after escaping a fire that roared through her El Lago home, the widow of Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut Ron McNair said she was grateful to firefighters for rescuing her beloved cat and to many others for expressing their support. "The firefighters (were) able to go back into the house and get my cat, Rocka Jen, who is now at the vet and doing well," Cheryl McNair wrote in a statement Wednesday. "I greatly appreciate the outpouring of calls, continued thoughts and prayers as we begin to assess the damage and move forward." McNair was sleeping when the fire ignited early Wednesday at her home in the 1600 block of West Chelsea Place, setting off a smoke alarm that awakened her. No injuries were reported at the home, which Cheryl McNair has owned since 1988. The community is located about 30 miles southeast of downtown Houston and just north of Seabrook, near Trinity Bay. The two-story house suffered extensive damage. McNair has a son and daughter nearby and will be staying with them. Andrew Gutacker, the chief of the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department, told reporters that the fire appeared to have started in the attic around 5 a.m. and was possibly electrical. He also said the house contained NASA memorabilia, some of which was salvaged. MISSION MOON: HoustonChronicle.com is counting down 50 years of space history. "NASA is just learning about the fire, and our hearts go out to the McNair family," the space agency said in a statement. "We appreciate the tremendous support and assistance provided by first responders and the community." Ron McNair, a South Carolina native, was selected as an astronaut in 1978. He received a bachelor's degree in physics from North Carolina A&T State University and a doctorate in physics from MIT. His first mission to space was in 1984 aboard the Challenger, where he worked to deploy communications satellites. Two years later, he boarded the Challenger again, but this time he didn't come home. On Jan. 28, 1986, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members, including McNair and Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to fly in space. After Wednesday's house fire was extinguished, friends and neighbors stopped by to check the damage. Audburgh "A.D." Williams wandered down West Chelsea Street to check on Cheryl McNair, the widow of his childhood friend, after hearing from another friend that there had been a major fire. Williams grew up with Ron McNair in the small town of Lake City, S.C. the pair had known each other since elementary school. Ron McNair's mother had taught Williams. Their families went to the same church. They were also together in Boy Scouts, on the football team and in the school band. Years after Cheryl and Ronald married, Williams befriended Cheryl, too. He lives around the corner now, he said, and likes to accompany her to events honoring her late husband like the naming of a Pearland school after him. "She's OK, her daughter's OK and the cat's OK," Williams said, adding that Cheryl McNair can't get through a conversation without mentioning her cat. Steve and Kimberly Howard woke up to loud thuds on their front door before dawn Wednesday. Firefighters ordered them to evacuate, worried that the roaring fire from McNair's home would spread. "There was so much smoke you couldn't see," Kimberly Howard said. They got breakfast with their three Chihuahuas to kill time, then came back to check on things. McNair, they said, was sitting in her front yard with her daughter, on the phone with the insurance company. "She didn't seem emotional, but she was looking for her cat," Steve said. Hours later, the stench of burnt wood and rubber stung their nostrils with each gust of wind. Black wood chips decorated their pool and backyard, blowing into their tiki bar. Staff writer Alex Stuckey contributed. massarah.mikati@chron.com 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. Barbara Bush has posthumously called out President Donald Trump in a new biography about the influential former first lady. Author Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA Today, detailed Bush's thoughts on Trump and the Republican Party in her upcoming book, "The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty." Page, who assembled the book based on interviews and notes from the former first lady's personal journals, wrote about it Wednesday in USA Today. A LIFE MOURNED: Barbara Bush remembered at HoustonChronicle.com According to excerpts from a news release, Bush, who died in April at age 92, blamed Trump for her heart issues. "The tumultuous presidential campaign in general and Trump's ridicule of son Jeb Bush in particular had riled her," Page wrote in USA Today. "'Angst,' she told me." Here are more excerpts, according to the release: - Barbara Bush said that by today's terms, she would not classify herself as a Republican. With Trump's rise, she saw a party she could not continue to support. - Barbara Bush was hesitant for Jeb Bush to run for office - but she agreed because she was very alarmed by Trump - Barbara Bush could not understand how people could be for him and expressed astonishment that women could support him. - Bush 41 ended up voting for Clinton - the first time he voted for a Democrat. Barbara could not vote for Clinton or Trump. She wrote in Jeb's name. - Barbara Bush's disdain for Trump started a long time ago. In her diaries in 1990s she called Trump "greedy, selfish and ugly." - Trump called to say he would be Bush 41's running mate, and Bush 41 dismissed it as "strange and unbelievable." - Bush 41 called Trump post 2016 election - Trump was very nice/conciliatory - Barbara Bush wrote a nice note to Melania Trump offering first lady advice, although it was not the letter she had expected to write. She had already written one to Bill Clinton about taking over the role of presidential spouse. - Barbara Bush kept a Trump Countdown clock, and it sat next to her bed until the day she died. At Bush's funeral April 18, Trump paid tribute to her, calling her "a wonderful, wonderful person." "For decades, Barbara was a titan in American life," he said. "Her presence and character were engraved into America's identity. Her strength and toughness really embodied the spirit of our country, and her warmth and devotion earned the admiration of an entire nation and indeed, the entire world. She was a tireless champion for literacy, she was a fierce advocate for the American family and she was a woman of proud patriotism and profound faith." 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. courtesy of the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable's Office A Montgomery County sting has led to the arrest of a man in Ohio who confessed to inappropriate contact with two girls, ages 4 and 8, after having sent an undercover detective photos of them, according to a Precinct 1 Constables Office press release. Jimmy Ray Smith, 34, of Lebanon, Ohio, was arrested and is being charged in Ohio with three counts of sexual battery, three counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity and two counts of endangering children. He will face further charges in Montgomery County, according to the press release. The Houston Ship Channel reopened with restrictions Wednesday after days of closures forced by an industrial plant fire that led to an unknown amount of chemicals being spilled into the waterway. The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday morning that inbound and outbound vessel traffic could move through the channel at a slower pace. Those vessels will be checked for any oily product they might have carried in transit, Capt. Rich Howes said. "As soon as we can open the ship channel to full traffic, we will," Howes said. The Coast Guard moved 10 deep draft and 96 tow vessels through the channel on Tuesday, and only one vessel required minor cleaning, the captain said. The affected area is from Tucker Bayou to Light 116. At last count, about 103 vessels were waiting to get through the channel, Howes said. The usual number is around 50. The ship channel can reopen fully when no more contamination is detected on the traveling vessels, and when responders are moved out of the area, Howes said. The ships gaining access to the channel are being vetted through a port coordination team, so the highest priority vessels can gain first admittance.It's unclear how much of the chemicals, including firefighting foam, burned during the fire, spilled into the tank farm and spilled into the nearby drainage ditch and channel. About 16,000 barrels of oily water have been removed from the channel, and about 5 miles of waterway have been affected by pockets of oil, said Adam Adams, the Environmental Protection Agency's on-site coordinator. The most intense concentration is in Tucker Bayou, Adams said. The EPA reported an incorrect number of barrels on Tuesday, he said. Additionally, the EPA counted 14 dead fish off the site of the fire, and one dead red-eared slider turtle. Officials at the Intercontinental Terminals Co. plant in Deer Park, where 11 tanks caught fire last week, said clean-up is progressing. Four compromised tanks are now secure, meaning the chemicals contained in them have been relocated. All of the tanks that contained pygas, which has concentrations of the carcinogen benzene, are included in the count of secured tanks, said ITC incident commander Brent Weber. ITC officials again declined to comment on a lawsuit Harris County filed against the company on Tuesday. The litigation alleges that ITC violated the Texas Clean Air Act, as well as county floodplain regulations and other rules. Company officials also declined to comment on allegations of unpermitted structures on site, out of compliance with the floodplain regulations. Weber did respond to the county's criticism that not enough was done to prevent the incident or respond more quickly. "Please keep in mind this was an emergency situation," he said. About 2,500 people have called the company's claims hotline, and 500 people have filed claims, according to ITC. Montgomery County juniors and seniors looking forward to prom, but worried about how to afford a dress may soon have a godsend. For the 12th year, Priceless Gowns is once again hosting a two-day event featuring 500 various used and unused dresses and dozens of accessories, jewelry and make up. The dresses will be available from 5-7:30 p.m. on April 11 and 5-7 p.m. on April 12 at First Baptist Church Conroe at 600 N Main St. The only requirements are to be a Montgomery County junior or senior student with a school identification. Homeschooled students are welcome. Those who are unable to provide identification must show proof of school enrollment and classification, such as with a recent report card. We have gotten in so many new dresses and they are gorgeous, Angela Rosenkranz with Priceless Gowns said. We know exactly what we need the sizes we need and we really focus on trying to have something there for everyone, so no girl leaves disappointed. A lot of thought went into every single aspect for the girls. This year more than 30 volunteers and several vendors and sponsors, including Kendra Scott, have helped make it possible for the students to have the total shopping experience without the need to swipe a card or pay a dime. Rosenkranz shared in this day and time there is sometimes competition to keep up, which may be difficult for girls who dont have the means. But Priceless Gowns aims to provide a positive experience where every girl is shown she is priceless to God. They are treated like royalty, Rosenkranz said. We just want them to feel safe and comfortable we want them to experience Gods love. Last year, it didnt take long for heads to turn and look at the then Conroe High School Senior Susie Johnson as she walked through the main lobby of First Baptist Church in Conroe beaming in a Burgundy satin dress that appeared to be made just right for her. I dont have money to buy a dress, said Johnson, who noted it is difficult to afford the dress as she prepares to go to college at the University of North Texas to study history and social work. It was either resale or this; and I wasnt expecting it to be this good. I feel perfect. For more information, call First Baptist Church Conroe 936-756-6601 or for a glimpse of the gowns visit pricelessgowns.org. (ANSA) - Rome, March 26 - Italy's prisons ombudsman Mauro Palma said on Wednesday that overcrowding in the nation's jails deteriorated last year. In his report to parliament, Palma said the prison population rose by 2,047 to 60,472 last year, while the system has a capacity for 50,514. He said this rise was "worrying" and stressed that "overcrowding is not fake news". Palma said that 887 fewer people entered Italy's prisons last year, so the rise was caused by a reduction on the number of inmates being released. Lower House Speaker lamented that "unfortunately Italy has not fully complied to its Constitutional and international obligations" against subjecting people to torture and degrading treatment. As the anniversary of San Jacinto Day approaches on April 21, the Montgomery County Literary Arts Council is seeking help from the community to meet its deadline of installing The Texian poem at the Texas Flag Park. The goal is to install a statue featuring 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate Dave Parsons poem The Texian at the entrance to the Texas Flag Park next to the Central Library in Conroe. The poem composed by Parsons for the opening of the Flag Park and unveiling of the Texian statue in 2011, has been often read on San Jacinto Days. Parsons said he read several Texas history books with the aim of composing a poem with historical accuracy and insights to the people and times of the revolution. He was most influenced by historian, Stephen Hardins book, Texas Iliad published by University of Texas Press. If we have grown up in Texas, we think we know more about the Texas revolution than we really do. I learned an enormous amount of details about the main players of the war. It was a truly enlightening experience researching for the poem, I recommend anyone interested in our state heritage revisit the history Parsons said. Through the generosity of organizations, individual donors and a silent auction at an Emily Dickinson Celebration in December, half of the funds to install the poem have been raised. To raise the remaining amount needed by April 21, San Jacinto Day, the anniversary of the last battle of the war for Texas independence, the Literary Arts Council is asking for donations of any amount to reach the goal of $3,600. The Conroe City Council gave its thumbs up to the project in February. According to the arts council, the poem will be an additional enhancement to the park for everyday visitors. The poem also will serve as an artful introduction to the park. In appreciation of the donors, the organization is offering the following premiums for the donations: Any individual or organization that donates $1,000 or more will be recognized on a bronze plaque at the site, a copy of the poem, and gifted a hard-bound autographed copy of Dave Parsons collection of poems that includes the Texian poem, Feathering Deep. The collection of poems rose to 15th on the Poetry Foundations National Poetry Book Best Seller List. A $500 donation warrants a book and copy of the poem, $100 will receive the hardbound book, and any donation up to $100 will receive a soft bound covered book. Donations may be sent the Literary Arts Council Treasurer, Paula Campbell, CPA, 19 Courtland Green, The Woodlands, TX 77382. For more information, contact Dr. Richard Griffin, Chairman, ragriffin@msn.com. The Montgomery County Literary Arts Council is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. For more information about the Texas Flag Park, visit www.texasflagpark.com. When community member Shari Wojta walked into The Woodlands College Park High School auditorium Tuesday evening, she wasnt sure what she thought about the Conroe Independent School District bond proposal of $807 million to address district growth and sustainability. Im interested in the initiative, and I would just like to know a little bit more about it. I dont really know how its going to affect us, Wojta said. She has a daughter at the high school and a younger son who attends David Elementary. Wojta, at the school for the first of six scheduled bond information meetings held by the district, was one parent among a smattering of other community members and district employees in attendance. During the session, Conroe ISD Superintendent Curtis Null presented general facts about the district such as financial information, accountability ratings and previous bond projects. He then addressed the bond, and touched on major projects and the impacts those projects would have on both taxpayer wallets and the districts bank accounts. My role in the bond presentation process is to be the deliverer of facts. So, Im making presentations throughout our community. I share facts about the bond, and I cannot advocate for or against the bond, Null said. When the presentation ended, Wojta said shed made up her mind about how she was going to vote in the bond referendum election. Yes, Ill for sure vote for (the bond). It almost seems like it would be disadvantageous not to vote for it. They did a really nice job preparing (the presentation) for voter understanding. I definitely feel more informed, Wojta said. GROWTH: Conroe ISD demographics study shows growth in students, jobs and housing Want to attend an information session? The district has scheduled five more bond information meetings. All meetings are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. More information can also be found on the district's bond website. Here's the schedule: March 28 at The Woodlands High School April 1 at Conroe High School April 8 at Caney Creek High School April 11 at Grand Oaks High School April 15 at Oak Ridge High School See More Collapse Holly Novak, a parent who also has children in the College Park feeder zone, was also there to learn more but she had already made a decision of support for the bond even before she heard Nulls presentation. It sounds very reasonable. Theres lots of infrastructure upgrades that need to happen, and they only want to increase (the tax rate) a very small amount to pay for it, Novak said. I know CISD has a history of being very fiscally responsible, so Ill be voting for it. Its needed. She said that between the high school campus sending emails with links to online bond information and the frequently asked questions section on the districts bond website, shes had access to thorough information. In person, though Null also fielded questions from the audience at the presentation. Through written comment cards, attendees asked about why the district decided to hold the election in May instead of November. As we began the process and started working toward (the bond), the shooting in Santa Fe occurred. As you can see in the package, theres a lot of things that address safety and security, Null said. He said the district had decided to push for a May election so that safety and security upgrades could be completed sooner rather than later. Another question asked what would happen if the bond referendum fails. Null responded that the district will still have a successful school year, but that the board of trustees would have to make some decisions regarding salaries, staffing formulas and programmatic changes to move money around so that necessary capital projects could be completed. Also at the meeting, two representatives from the League of Women Voters had a table setup to register people to vote. One of those women was Emily Hoppel, who said the league contacted the district to ask permission to do so. We didnt get anybody signed up tonight, but Im hopeful well have more turnout in the future, Hoppel said. The deadline to register to vote in the bond referendum election is April 4. Early voting starts April 22 and election day is May 4. Though Hoppel said the league is a nonpartisan group, she said shes been advocating for the bond as an individual. When Im knocking on doors, Im not Emily from the league. Im just Emily Hoppel, mom of a future Hailey (Elementary) Comet and a past Hailey (Elementary) Comet. Im talking to the folks who I know to make sure they know this is happening and how it will impact our kids, Hoppel said. jane.stueckemann@chron.com Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Staff Photographer The Houston Housing Authority is considering to appeal a jury verdict that awarded $1.87 million to its former general counsel who claimed retaliation, the agency said Tuesday. Karen Miniex, the former general counsel for the agency, alleged her boss retaliated against her after she investigated fraud in the agency's voucher program targeted at veterans. (ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - Rome prosecutors are waiting for a reply from the Kenyan authorities after sending a letter of request for the evidence gathered about the case of Silvia Romano, a 23-year-old Italian aid worker kidnapped in the village of Chakama on November 20, sources said Wednesday. Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation into terrorism-related kidnapping over Romano's abduction. As there is no cooperation treaty between the States, the Italian investigators requested that the information be shared as a sort of international courtesy. Jim Knox recently gave up on a 44-year relationship. It was a hard decision, he said, but one that needed to happen because of circumstances that he said were, regretfully, unavoidable. I spent countless hours with her, but it was time, the Pearland resident said. Knox recently handed the keys to his airplane, a 1963 Cessna-182, over to Wings of Hope, an organization that provides free air transportation in the United States and 10 other countries to people needing medical care that isnt close to home. Airplanes like the one donated by Knox also transport doctors to communities that lack sufficient health care services. Knox, a pilot who began taking flying lessons at the age of 15, went on many adventures across the United States with the plane, which he affectionately calls 91-Uniform, and his wife, Lee-Ann. But at 81 years old, Knox said it was time to hang up his wings. BEST SPOTS TO FISH: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department makes fishing easy and fun Planes are loving but unforgiving, sort of like real women, he joked. Theres not a lot of room for error in a plane. You dont get many second chances. Ill be 82 in July, and age has begun to creep up on me. I thought it was best to retire. But not before he was given the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Its basically an award given to really old pilots who have a lot of time in the air and many years of safely operating aircraft without any kind of incident, he said. I bought her in 1974. I like to say that for 63 years, I have flown aircraft without bending metal, drawing blood or incurring the ire of the (Federal Aviation Administration). About the time Knox decided that it might be time to give up his plane, he got a letter from Wings of Hope. It was actually kind of serendipitous, his wife said. He had received this solicitation and sent an email to (Wings of Hope) saying he had the 182 with the (short takeoff and landing) kit, and he immediately received a response saying that the organization had received a request for this exact kind of plane. ISLAND RESTORATION: Here's an exclusive look at the 'Big Texas Fix' couple's design style The decision to give up the plane wasnt easy. Jim Knox didnt want to gift the plane to an organization that would just turn around and sell it. A lot of charities want you to donate a car or a plane and they sell it, and its not that theres anything wrong with that, I just wanted to see her go on to help people, to have a second life and to do good work, he said. Wings of Hope was the opportunity I was looking for. Even though he was resolute in the decision to let the plane go, the day of letting go was still emotional for Knox. He got to know Don Hoerstkamp, the pilot who would bring the Cessna back to St. Louis, Mo., where Wings of Hope is headquartered, for a day or so before Knox said goodbye. Initially, plans for the plane to fly out were delayed by poor weather. So, he stayed with us for the night and I got to know him, Knox said. Hes a very competent pilot. On the day he took her, there were very low conditions about a 200-foot ceiling with lots of fog. I just stood on the runway when he went by and lifted off, disappeared into the clouds. I stood there and listened to her engines until I couldnt hear them anymore. He got onto a website where its possible to track flights to see the plane safely to its new home. I watched her go all the way to St. Louis. I was emotionally in the cockpit with him the whole time, he said. Right now, its like a piece of me is gone. Ive never not been a pilot. And Ive never not had 91-Uniform. For now, Knox said he would have to travel like everyone else. I can still drive, he said. Im not a fan of Houston freeways, but I can drive. Ive got a ranch. I might spend some time there. Ive also traveled. Theres nothing more lovely than riding bicycles on these little back roads in France. Thats something I wouldnt mind doing a little bit more of either. Houston's food scene is flourishing. With new restaurants popping up around nearly every corner, the Space City is quickly becoming more and more recognized as a "Food City." While areas like the Heights, Montrose, downtown and the inner loop are bustling with new restaurants, the suburbs of Houston are also stepping up their game. New dining spots in Spring, the Woodlands and even as far as Conroe are drawing long lines from foodies that know the drive out of town is worth it. Tomball ISD intends to train all staff members how to use tourniquets in case of major accidents. The school district teamed up with Cypress Creek EMS and the Tomball Regional Health Foundation for the initiative. Tomball ISD director of health services Cathy Pool said the district received a nearly $25,000 grant from the Tomball Regional Health Foundation for tourniquet kits that schools could use in case of an emergency. Times a big factor when it comes to bleeding. By the time something happens and they get to the nurse, thats time thats wasted. We wanted to make sure it was available and in proximity for them to use it so they could save the time, Pool said. Along with the tourniquet kits, Tomball ISD has also made a push to train its employees how to use them. Cypress Creek EMS provided training to the districts school nurses in January 2018. With the newly trained employees in January 2019, Cypress Creek EMS has taught a total of 684 Tomball ISD staff members, according to a press release. Tomball ISD staff at both of its high schools and all three junior high schools learned how to stem bleeding during training sessions led by Cypress Creek EMS in January. The districts transportation department staff also had tourniquet training since many students begin and end their days on bus routes. Bus drivers who have been trained can help during an emergency until aid arrives, said Chris Trotter, Tomball ISD chief administrative officer. It may not be school-related but where they can help at the scene of an accident, if necessary, Trotter said. Cypress Creek EMS spokesperson Norm Uhl said a majority of major blood loss emergencies stem from accidents rather than shootings. Thats where theyre more likely to use itjust a common, everyday accident, he said. Cypress Creek EMS will also provide free training sessions in May in observance of Stop the Bleed Month, a national campaign to teach bleeding control techniques to civilians. Theres going to be trainings everywhere. People can take the two-hour classes for free, Uhl said. Aside from Tomball ISD, Cypress Creek EMS has also taught staff at neighboring ISDs including Cy-Fair, Klein, Katy, New Caney, Conroe, Aldine and Pasadena. Tomball ISD has about 2,100 staff members and it plans on providing the training to every staff member in future sessions. Were almost at half as far as I know as we start up school and throughout the summer, we will be almost at three-quarters. When were at this time next year, we can say that all employeesor almost all employeesare trained, said Trotter. mayra.cruz@chron.com Candidates in Shenandoahs upcoming city council election will have a chance to share their platforms with voters when the city and the Voter Awareness Council co-host a non-partisan candidate forum on April 18. We are very pleased, once again, to be working with the Voter Awareness Council on this opportunity for our residents to gain first-hand information and input from both candidates for our city council, Shenandoah Mayor Ritch Wheeler said in a statement. Woodlands Villager Editor Jeff Forward will moderate the forum between Incumbent position 2 council member Ted Fletcher and challenger Andrea Konzem, who face the only contested race in the election. I am honored to have been chosen to help with this years forum, Forward said. I hope there is a good turn-out of residents for the forum, as the candidates will be asked a wide range of questions about their positions on various issues. Related: What you need to know about running for office in Shenandoah & Oak Ridge North Fletcher said he is running for his second term on the council in an effort to enhance oversight and accountability internally, as well improve the citys dealing with The Woodlands. If elected to a new term, he said, he would also work to strengthen Shenandoahs autonomy as it relates to road projects around the small city. Konzem, a resident of Shenandoah for more than three decades, said in an earlier interview that she is running to cut what she calls frivolous spending in the city of less than 3,000 residents. The positions 3 and 4 races, currently held by council members Byron Bevers and Charlie Bradt, are uncontested Bevers did not file for re-election and is set to be replaced by Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Dean Gristy. Bradt is running unopposed. Neither Bradt nor Gristy will be at the forum. Forward will ask questions on issues surrounding Shenandoah, as well as questions submitted from the public any time before the forum begins and written questions submitted during the forum. Fletcher and Konzem will each give opening and closing remarks and answer questions in a round-robin format. The Shenandoah city council candidates forum will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 18 at the Shenandoah City Hall, 29955 Interstate-45 S. Early voting in Shenandoah goes from Aprill 22 to April 30. Election Day is May 4. mrincon@chron.com 3 1 of 3 Courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital Show More Show Less 3 of 3 More than 1,500 residents of The Woodlands will ring in the summer at the third annual Texas Childrens Hospital The Woodlands Family Fun Run on May 4. Its really a way to celebrate with the community and encourage families to get together, said Jenn Jacome, the hospitals assistant public relations director. Vivienne Weil was an unusually quiet baby. "She never cried loudly enough to bother us," recalled Natalia Weil of her daughter, who was born in 2011. Although Vivienne babbled energetically in her early months, her vocalizing diminished around the time of her first birthday. So did the quality of her voice, which dwindled from normal to raspy to little more than a whisper. Vivienne also was a late talker: She didn't begin speaking until she was 2. Her suburban Maryland pediatrician initially suspected that a respiratory infection was to blame for the toddler's hoarseness, and counseled patience. But after the problem persisted, the doctor diagnosed acid reflux and prescribed a drug to treat the voice problems reflux can cause. But Vivienne's problem turned out to be far more serious - and unusual - than excess stomach acid. The day she learned what was wrong ranks among the worst of Weil's life. "I had never heard of it," said Weil, now 33, of her daughter's diagnosis. "Most people haven't." - - - At first, Natalia, a statistician, and her husband, Jason, a photographer, were reassured by the pediatrician, who blamed a respiratory infection for their daughter's voice problem. Her explanation sounded logical: Toddlers get an average of seven or eight colds annually. Weil said the couple assumed Vivienne's voice would return to normal - and didn't want to overreact. "We were first-time parents and we were worried," Weil said, "but thought maybe we worried too much and should wait. We decided to give it time. We didn't know how much children were supposed to talk at the age of 1 or 2. . . . We just did what the doctors told us." But Vivienne's paternal grandmother grew increasingly concerned. Because Vivienne was slow to talk, her grandmother wondered whether she might have a developmental delay or a speech problem and suggested an evaluation by a speech pathologist. During a visit in September 2013, the pediatrician prescribed a liquid antacid for the 21/2-year-old. The doctor also approved a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist. An ENT who saw Vivienne soon afterward diagnosed her with dysphonia - an impaired voice that can result from a problem with the vocal cords. He sent her to a pediatric otolaryngologist for a more complete evaluation. The pediatric specialist listened to her breathe and talk and then scheduled a laryngoscopy. The test involves a visual inspection of the back of the throat. In some cases, doctors use a thin, flexible tube attached to a tiny fiber-optic camera that is threaded up the nose and down the throat to permit inspection of the upper airway. The procedure, Weil recalled, was traumatic for Vivienne and her parents. The little girl, terrified by what was happening, began screaming and had to be held down by several nurses so the doctor could perform the test. Its results were definitive - and explained the reason for Vivienne's prolonged voicelessness. She was suffering from a rare disease called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, which is caused by two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can be acquired at or before birth. The disease is incurable; it can be treated by surgery to remove the tumors which temporarily restores the voice. The goal of treatment is to lengthen the interval between surgeries while preventing permanent damage to the delicate vocal cords. - - - HPV is ubiquitous; nearly all sexually active adults have been exposed to it. Most people clear the infection from their bodies without ever knowing they had it. But in some cases two strains, HPV 6 and 11, can cause genital warts: benign, sometimes cauliflower-shaped tumors known as papillomas. These warts can occur months or sometimes years after exposure. In some cases, mothers with genital warts can pass the virus during childbirth, resulting in the development of papillomas in the child's respiratory tract, particularly the larynx. (Two other strains considered "high risk" - HPV 16 and 18 - can cause cervical cancer. HPV can also cause oral, anal and penile cancer.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 in every 100,000 children have RRP, which can be prevented by a vaccine called Gardasil. Federal health officials recommend administering the vaccine, first licensed in 2006, to children at 11 or 12 before they are sexually active. The pediatric ENT told the Weils it was a good thing they hadn't waited longer to seek treatment. Vivienne's tumors had grown so large they were threatening her airway. "I was speechless," recalled Weil, who at the time was pregnant with her second daughter. "I thought, 'I gave this to my baby.' I remember sitting in that little room and thinking, 'She'll have to deal with this forever.' " More for you Lyft driver saves shoeless toddler in Santa Rosa during rainstorm Weil said that she had no idea she ever had genital warts or had been exposed to HPV. In the car on the way back to their Maryland home, she said, she wept as she scrolled through her phone, frantically trying to learn about the disease, terrified that her second child might contract it, too. Shortly before Vivienne's first surgery in November 2013, Weil sought answers from her obstetrician. How, she asked, could HPV have been missed? The doctor replied that Pap smears performed in 2009 and 2011 were normal. Health officials do not recommend that women under 30 - Weil was 25 when Vivienne was born - routinely receive an HPV test because the virus is so common. "It is possible that you had the virus and then your immune system cleared it so your test was negative in Dec. 2011" - 10 months after Vivienne's birth, the doctor wrote. Nor is it clear that a Caesarean delivery would have prevented the disease. Experts say that some cases appear to have been contracted in utero. Because of her age, Weil was not included in the initial targeting efforts for the vaccine, which focused on preteen girls. (Federal health officials recently approved the latest version of the vaccine, Gardasil 9, which protects against nine strains of HPV, for adults up to age 45.) - - - Vivienne's first surgery, performed under general anesthesia, involved debridement, a procedure that essentially shaves off the tumors. Weil said she remembers walking into the recovery room with her husband to hear Vivienne "crying loudly. It was so amazing," she recalled. "For us it was the best sound in the world." But as is almost always the case, Vivienne's voice faded to a whisper after a few months as the tumors grew back. For the next few years she underwent simultaneous debridement of both vocal cords every four to six months. In March 2018 after her 11th operation, her voice did not return. No physical explanation could be found, and doctors suggested the cause might stem from vocal cord weakness or psychological factors. For the next six months, Vivienne underwent hypnosis and saw speech therapists to no avail. In desperation Weil posted a video of her daughter on Instagram. She hoped that someone - possibly another parent - might have some advice. Within days, a California woman whose daughter has the disease suggested trying a different treatment. Instead of debridement, she recommended finding a doctor who uses a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser. Some specialists believe that use of the laser is superior, because it removes more tumor while minimizing damage to the vocal cords. "I did a lot of research," Weil said. She found Simon Best, an otolaryngologist and researcher at Johns Hopkins who studies the disease and is an expert in laser treatment. Weil said she tried unsuccessfully to make an appointment with Best but was told that he is not a pediatric otolaryngologist and therefore doesn't treat children. Undeterred, she searched a medical database, unearthed his email address and sent him a message describing her daughter's case. Best agreed to see Vivienne and Weil's insurer approved the out-of-network visit. - - - Best, an associate professor of otolaryngology, estimates that in his 13-year career he has treated about 100 people, mostly adults, who have RRP. (An adult specialist, he treats patients of all ages with the disease.) Some developed the disease as children. In others, it arose in their 30s and 40s, a decade or so after HPV exposure. "It has a horrible propensity to just keep coming back," Best said. One of his patients had endured 300 operations by the time he was 20. "You can imagine what that does to voice quality." Best treats only one vocal cord at a time to prevent webbing, which occurs when the vocal cords grow together and can harm the voice. "I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't a huge amount of scarring," said Best of Vivienne, whom he first saw in September 2018. The first laser surgery on the second grader's right vocal cord occurred in November 2018; her voice returned, but remained raspy. A second operation on the left vocal cord in January 2019 has had excellent results. A few days ago Vivienne underwent a successful repeat procedure on her right side. "This is the best she has ever sounded," said her mother, adding that even the noise of her daughters' squabbling delights her. In the past few months, she said, Vivienne has blossomed, eagerly making new friends and becoming a "happy, babbly little girl." "She says that having a voice is even better than she thought it would be," Weil said. A year ago, she had told her mother that several classmates had excluded her from their game of "cheerleader." Best recommends that a voice problem that lasts longer than a month should prompt an examination by "someone who can visualize the larynx." It's difficult to predict how many surgeries Vivienne might need, he said. It's unlikely to be just three because recurrence is the rule. "Everyone has a unique clinical course," Best added. "The earlier RRP is detected, the better," Best noted, before the disease can do extensive damage. "It's often overlooked for fairly long periods of time - months or years. And it doesn't enter the realm of diagnostic consideration in children until there are fairly severe effects." The otolaryngologist remains a strong proponent of the HPV vaccine, which can prevent the disease. Weil said she plans to immunize her daughters and to get the vaccine herself, which could protect her against other strains of HPV. According to the CDC, only half of American adolescents have been fully immunized. By contrast, Australia, which has promoted free immunization in schools for more than a decade, has dramatically reduced cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. "Even though RRP is a rare disease, just from a psychosocial point of view, you can imagine what effect this disease has on families," Best said. "The mothers of these children have a big burden to bear." Warning: Details in this article are disturbing and may be upsetting to readers An Ohio couple was sentenced to a combined 307 years in prison on Monday for raping and abusing their three daughters for over 14 years. A judge sentenced Herman See, 49, from Norwood, to more than 221 years in prison plus four life sentences on 22 counts of rape, five counts of sexual battery, two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and one count of gross sexual imposition. His significant other, Angela Stites, 43, was sentenced to 86 years on seven counts of rape and other charges including endangering children and complicity. After a weeklong trial, a jury found the couple guilty two weeks ago of abusing the girls starting in 2001 and continuing until 2015. They are both required to register as tier III (the highest level) sex offenders. See lashed out at one of the prosecutors who helped convict him. "Good Hollywood show," See said to Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Christina Dattilo. "You did a good job." He also insulted Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Dinkelacker. "Come on with the sentences. Don't think too hard. You might blow your little brain up," See said. "Shame on you," Dinkelacker said. "Shame on you," See said. "I'm a dirty man. Yes, I am." Victims spoke out during the sentencing, with one saying she is finally starting to forget the nightmare she suffered. "I thought all families did what we did," said one of See's victims. "I thought all little girls and their fathers were supposed to have the relationship that me and you had. That's what happens when you brainwash a 5-year-old little girl." "What made you do this to not only to me but your other two daughters, as well? You took all of our lives away," another one of See's victims said. "In the Bible, you're supposed to wait for marriage for something like that. I got two horrible parents. I lost so many good memories about my childhood because of the things you did to me." The abuse happened over the course of 14 years in Norwood and Colerain Township. Assistant prosecutors Christina Dattilo and Mike Peck, who tried the case, commented, Like any child, these three women were entitled to a safe and nurturing upbringing. Instead they were raised in a persistent environment of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, they will live with that for the rest of their lives. We hope that it will provide some comfort that See and Stites will spend the rest of their lives in prison. These women were victims for their entire childhoods, but today they are strong women and survivors. Prosecutor Joe Deters commented, I want to thank my assistants who tried this case, Christina Dattilo and Mike Peck. They worked incredibly hard to convict See and Stites and make sure that these sexual predators never see the light of day. Our hope is that todays sentencing will provide the victims of this horrific abuse with some comfort and strength to move forward with their recovery. (ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - ISTAT President Giancarlo Blanciardo on Wednesday pulled out of the world congress of families in Verona this weekend after a row over its anti-gay, anti-abortion and anti-feminist agenda. He puled out after Italy's biggest and most leftwing trade union, CGIL, asked him not to attend and ISTAT women's group Femministat protested. Blanciardo said his decision to be a speaker at the event had been "wholly personal" and did not reflect on ISTAT. Officials in Rockland County, New York, have declared a countywide State of Emergency after a measles outbreak thats infected at least 151 people since October. The declaration will bar unvaccinated children from going out to public places until they receive the vaccination against measles or the declaration expires after 30 days, the New York Times and WPIX-TV reported. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says at a news conference that the state of emergency taking effect Tuesday night is intended to persuade parents to have their children vaccinated to reverse the trajectory of the diseases spread. OPINION: How I changed my mind on vaccines. Join the conversation at HoustonChronicle.com. According to the Centers for Disease and Control, the measles are highly contagious and typically dont show symptoms until one or two weeks after a person is infected. As of March 21, there have been 314 confirmed cases of measles in 15 states this year, according to the CDC. Rockland County has had 48 of those confirmed cases this year. Rockland County is a northern New York City suburb with more than 300,000 residents. The county is experiencing New York states longest measles outbreak since the disease was officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. Health officials say the best way to stop the diseases spread is a high vaccination rate in the community. A federal judge this month denied a request from parents to let 44 unvaccinated children return to the Waldorf School in Rockland County. 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. Project allocates 1.1 mn for UNESCO sites in Sicily To increase quality of tourist and cultural usage (ANSAmed) - NOTO (SIRACUSA), MARCH 27 - A 1.1-million-euro project cofinanced by the Italian culture ministry and the Region of Sicily was presented on Tuesday in Noto, "to improve the quality and use of the cultural and tourism offerings of UNESCO sites for increasingly numerous visitors as well as local communities" on the island. The UNESCO World Heritage sites involved in the project are: "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto", "Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica", and "Villa Romana del Casale" in Piazza Armerina. There are five activities planned as part of the project: revision and adaptation of management plans, systemisation of knowledge of the UNESCO sites Val di Noto, Syracuse-Necropolis of Pantalica, and Villa Romana del Casale, and implementation of a related unified archive; planning and implementation of dedicated communication; signage; and raising awareness of UNESCO heritage in local communities and for visitors. The overall goal is to "concretely implement the management and promotion activities outlined in each site's individual management plan". There are 13 cities involved in the initiative: Caltagirone, Catania, Militello in Val di Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, Scicli, Piazza Armerina, Cassaro, Ferla, Siracusa and Sortino. Mayors and representatives from the 13 cities attended the presentation on Tuesday to share in the project's strategic vision and operational directives. Noto Mayor Corrado Bonfanti called the project "a historical start". "It's an important step because it foresees collaboration between the three southeast UNESCO heritage sites," he said. The mayors and representatives in attendance highlighted the importance of the area's uniqueness and said that despite deep differences, the territory needs to aim for shared planning and a network.(ANSAmed). TEL AVIV - An 18-year-old Palestinian volunteer nurse, Sajed Abed al-Hakim Mizher, was killed on Wednesday morning at the Deheishe refugee camp near Bethlehem, in the West Bank, during clashes with the Israeli army, according to Palestinian news agency Maan. It said another four youth were wounded in the same clashes, which began when a military unit entered the camp to carry out arrests. The Israeli army confirmed that military units were working on Wednesday in the Deheishe camp. It said soldiers there were unaware of the death of a Palestinian teen during the violent clashes, and said a verification had begun regarding the incident. "This morning at sunrise, during an operation by our forces in the refugee camp of Deheishe, dozens of troublemakers launched cement blocks and stones at our soldiers," a military spokesperson said. "The soldiers responded to the demonstrators with dispersion methods without using firearms. Our forces came out uninjured from Deheishe. The army will now verify claims by the Palestinian side regarding a death," the spokesperson said. Gaza: Haniyeh, Israel has received the message Hamas chief urges Palestinians to attend March 30 demonstration (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 27 - Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday said ''the Israeli occupation has received the message'', congratulating with Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip for ''acting to stop Israeli arrogance''. Haniyeh was quoted by local media as promising to rebuild his office, which was destroyed last Monday by Israeli strikes after a rocket fired from Gaza hit a home north of Tel Aviv. ''I call on the Palestinian people to get out for Land Day and take part in the March of one million people'', he added, referring to a demonstration on March 30.(ANSAmed). Migrants hijack merchant ship - Salvini Vessel going to Malta, says minister (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 27 - A group of migrants have reportedly hijacked a merchant ship off Libya, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday. He said the ship had been heading for Libya after rescuing the migrants off Libya but was now heading for Malta or Lampedusa. ''It would be the first act of piracy on the high seas, with migrants who have hijacked a ship that had reached 6 nautical miles off the Libyan coast,'' he said. Salvini said there was no chance of the migrants being allowed to land in Italy. ''They should know that they will only see Italy with a telescope'', he said. The interior ministry said later that the ship, the Elhiblu I, was heading north. It said ''it made an abrupt change of course after the vessel had arrived six miles from the entry into the port of Tripoli''. ''They're not shipwrecked migrants but pirates,'' Salvini told reporters. Also Wednesday, a Libyan motor launch intercepted and saved 120 migrants in Libyan search-and-rescue waters, and is now returning to Tripoli.(ANSAmed). Houston City Council disposed of a proposed garbage collection fee in a pair of 16-1 votes Wednesday. Councilman Dwight Boykins, who proposed the monthly fee as a way to raise revenue to help offset the costs of mandated pay raises for city firefighters, was the only person who voted in favor of the idea. Most of the council's members, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, previously had said they would not support the idea, which they called "regressive" and framed as a new tax on Houston homeowners. Members reiterated those stances Wednesday before scuttling Boykins' proposal in two separate votes. They packaged two of the three proposals into one vote. Boykins had offered three versions of the measure, with fees of $19, $24 and $27 a month. The votes came amid growing tensions among council members over the impending costs of Proposition B, a voter-approved amendment that grants Houston firefighters equal pay to city police officers of corresponding rank and experience. Turner has said that paying for Prop B will require laying off hundreds of firefighters and other city employees unless the raises are phased in over five years. Boykins first pitched the idea in December. robert.downen@chron.com twitter.com/RobDownenChron RABAT - In a country with strong contradictions, torn between a conservative, tribal drive and an attraction towards modernity and European countries, the Catholic minority in Morocco is a complex community. Members are approximately 30,000 and face important challenges. They are a small minority compared to the 25 million residents, according to a 2011 census. Mainly hailing from sub Saharan Africa, they include many young students who gather into apartments turned into places of worship. In the small community, according to the statements made by the bishop of Rabat, Mons. Cristobal Lopez Romero, over 100 countries are represented. And the main challenge in the community is ''building unity within diversity'', he said. Back in 1955, the situation was different with 200 churches and chapels available for 500,000 Europeans in Morocco. Now worship is reserved to those arriving in Morocco to work or study as well as the large number of migrants who believe they will only stay briefly. ''Our churches are younger'', said the archbishop of Rabat. ''There are more young people than seniors, more blacks than whites, these are the characteristics of our Christian communities today'', he added. Lopez says he suspects that ''Europe is paying Morocco to keep migrants with force''. Pope Francis will talk about immigration during a visit to migrants at the local Caritas charity. The visit of the pontiff, who is expected Saturday in Rabat, is a ''unique opportunity'', Lopez was quoted as saying by Saudi media outlet Arab News. The pope will stay for two days for the official visit, at the invitation of Morocco's King Mohammed VI to promote dialogue among religions. (ANSAmed). Harris County constable deputies identified and charged a man who was seen on surveillance footage earlier this week trying to enter a home near Spring, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. Devon Bradley, 21, has been arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. He has since been released from jail after posting his $100 bond. Houston police are searching for a teenager accused of fatally shooting his friend inside a hotel, then dumping him at a freestanding ER earlier this month. Gabriel Jesus Rangel, 17, was with Angel Hernandez-Martinez, 17, and three others inside a second-story room at the Red Roof Inn along the Northwest Freeway near Hollister on March 13. Witnesses said Rangel was playing with a revolver handgun, thinking it wasn't loaded, according to court documents. Around 10:30 a.m., Rangel allegedly fired the gun, which struck Hernandez-Martinez in the chest, police said. MORNING REPORT: Start the day caught up. Sign up for the newsletter at HoustonChronicle.com Witnesses inside the room told homicide detectives that the gunfire was an accident, according to court documents. Surveillance video from inside the hotel showed Rangel and the three others load Hernandez-Martinez into a car and speed off, according to Houston Police Department Homicide Detective Ken Fregia. Minutes later, the four dumped Hernandez-Martinez in the emergency room of the free-standing Signature Care Emergency Center at the Katy Freeway and Wirt Road, police said. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Police said that after Rangel and the others dumped Hernandez-Martinez, they drove to an apartment complex in the 8000 block of Raven Wood Circle and stashed the gun. Offices later recovered the weapon, according to court documents. On March 14, detectives filed a felony manslaughter charge against Rangel, who also goes by Gabriel Calixto. He is currently on the run. Anyone with information about Rangel's whereabouts is urged to call HPD's Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message As news spread of a Whataburger-themed firearm, gun critics claimed the pistol is dangerous because it looks too much like a toy. HTX Tactical, which made a name for itself by creating unique firearms, unveiled its latest creation last week. The firearm is an AR pistol, made special for a huge Whataburger fan who approached the company. The company calls it the "WHATA-PISTOL." Critics call it dangerous. Rhonda Hart, whose daughter Kimberly Vaughn was one of 10 people killed in a mass shooting at Santa Fe High School last May, said the firearm looked more like a toy than what it is a device that can be used to kill and maim. She said even its orange color is typically reserved to denote toy gun tips from real ones. With the recent suicides of two Stoneman Douglas High shooting survivors and the father of a Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim, she said its promotion is harmful. "And with Santa Fe being just about an hour away from you in Houston, and us coming up on our one-year marker, it's just in very poor taste," Hart said. "It glamorizes something that really is a deadly weapon. We need to stop it - it's not cool, it's not fun, it's not a toy." Chris Burling purchased the gun from HTX Tactical and declined to comment, "due to possible legal reasons," he said. Video he shared with Chron.com shows the gun in action at a Houston-area gun range. While the gun initially garnered positive attention online for its unique finish, Whataburger has other feelings about it. Whataburger Corporate Communications released this statement to Chron.com: "This product is not affiliated or licensed by the Whataburger brand in any way. Whataburger did not give HTX Tactical permission to use our brand and logo, and we are reaching out to HTX Tactical to cease distribution of this product." As for HTX Tactical, co-owner Javier Garcia defended using the Whataburger theme on the gun. He said it's a one-of-a-kind and not in mass production. "It was just a fanatic Whataburger customer that came in," co-owner Javier Garcia said. "Obviously, Texas, firearms and Whataburger go hand in hand, whether you enjoy (firearms) or not." An MS-13 gang member from El Paso is now among the top 10 most wanted fugitives in the state, with a $7,500 reward for information leading to his arrest, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Rodrigo Flores, 34, is wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault of a family or household member. His criminal history includes a 2012 conviction of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after an incident in El Paso, DPS said in a news release. Waco Independent School District Superintendent A. Marcus Nelson is one the latest and most high-profile school officials in Texas to face criminal charges in 2019. Nelson was arrested March 6 on a marijuana possession charge and has since resigned. But several other principals, teachers and former school board trustees have been caught up in scandals this year, including some in the Houston area. The University of Houston will open a safety-net health clinic for low-income people in the area Monday, a key initial component of its planned medical school. The university is partnering with Georgetown-headquartered Lone Star Circle of Care, which already operates 19 such clinics around the state. The clinics, known as federally qualified health centers, provide health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. This is really a win-win all the way around, said Dr. Stephen Spann, founding dean of the UH medical school. It helps us in our mission to provide care to this community. It provides us with a clinic on campus where we can train students and where our faculty can be involved in the care of patients and it partners us with an excellent FQHC. Federally qualified health centers charge patients without health insurance on a sliding scale, which is much needed aid in the Third Ward area UHs medical school plans to serve. Area residents experience higher percentages of chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension than the greater Houston population. RELATED: UH to build medical school on campus The clinic should also help UHs bid for accreditation of the medical school, which would be the first in Houston in nearly half a century. The plan has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but still needs accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Spann said Tuesday he plans to submit accreditation application materials this week. The LCME process typically takes nearly a year, which would allow UH to begin enrolling students in fall 2020, its target. UH is also waiting for funding from the Texas Legislature. The Legislatures current appropriations bill includes a $20 million rider for the school. Plans call for the UH school to focus on training primary-care doctors to practice in underserved areas, a huge need in Houston and the state. todd.ackerman@chron.com twitter.com/chronmed The acrimonious legal fight over Charlie Thrash, 81, a mentally incapacitated millionaire, came to a dead halt Tuesday. Thrashs legal guardians went to court to seek a permanent injunction against his girlfriend Laura Martinez, her lawyer and various family members. But the matter was put on hold when Phil Ross, the lawyer for Martinez, asked to recuse Probate Judge Oscar Kazen. Today would have been the hearing on all the marbles but Mr. Ross, at the midnight hour, filed a motion to recuse, said Kazen, who declined to step down. SUBSCRIBERS: San Antonio millionaire marriage annulled after abuse, exploitation and 'abduction' claims Kazen signed a temporary restraining order March 14 that accused Martinez and her family of fraud, converting Thrashs property, committing assault and battery against Thrash and interfering with his court-appointed guardians. That order expires Thursday. Another judge, yet to be appointed, will hear Rosss motion, possibly this week. On March 15, Kazen annulled the March 4 marriage between Thrash and Laura Martinez, citing a court order that Thrash, because of his mental incapacity, not be allowed to drive, vote or make important personal decisions. A few days later, District Judge David Canales voided the March 5 adoption by Thrash of Martinezs two adult children, Joe and Brittany Martinez. Martinez says she began dating Thrash in 2012 when he was still operating his business, CT Thrash Differential & Axle Service on West Avenue. Thrashs estate is worth an estimated $3 million, and Martinez said she is his sole heir. MORE ON EXPRESSNEWS.COM: Judge nullifies mentally incompetent San Antonio man's adult adoptions, scolds lawyer for misleading him In his recusal motion, Ross cites a host of reasons why Kazen should step down, ranging from the judges decision not to hold a political fundraiser that Ross offered to host in 2018, to ignoring pertinent evidence about Thrashs restored mental state, to scolding Ross in open court about unprofessional conduct. Lawyers for Thrashs two court-appointed guardians said the recusal motion was little more than an attempt by Ross to delay. We will argue it is a motion filed in bad faith, a dilatory tactic, said Laura Cavaretta, who represents Tonya Barina, the guardian who last week attempted to make an inventory of Thrashs assets, including his classic car collection. I was able to go to his home and the hanger and take pictures and make an inventory, Barina said. Barina said that all but one vehicle a $100,000 Corvette have been recovered. It is believed to be in Junction. Thrash was not present at Tuesdays hearing. On March 6 ,he was removed from the home in Shavano Park he shared with Laura Martinez by his personal guardian, Mary Werner. Werner said she took the dramatic action, backed by Shavano Park police, because she feared for Thrashs safety. Since then, she said, Thrash has been staying with a relative. Hes doing good. Hes getting out and about. Yesterday he got his hair cut, Werner said. Ross, who has been publicly criticized by both Kazen and Canales, said he is trying to rid Thrash of the guardianships on the grounds that his mental capacity has been restored and to reverse the annulment of the marriage to Martinez and the voiding of the adoptions of her children. We are fighting for everything, he said. Weve also asked Judge Kazen to appoint a medical expert and make a report to the court on whether Charlie has capacity, he added. BRUSSELS - The European Union on Wednesday approved an agreement reached Tuesday by the EU Political and Security Committee to extend Operation Sophia for six months with a temporary suspension of the use of naval units, according to EU sources. The Italian-led mission, previously called EUNavForMed, started in June 2015. Last December it was extended for three months, despite the fact that the 28 EU member states hadn't reached an agreement on modification of the operating rules, under which all those rescued at sea by the mission's naval units were to be disembarked at Italian ports. The mission's "institutional" tasks are to fight illegal trafficking in the Central Mediterranean, including human trafficking and contraband oil trafficking, and to train the Libyan Coast Guard. By eliminating the naval arm of the mission, the six-month extension allows for continuing Operation Sophia without changing its mandate and rules. At the Political and Security Committee, the European External Action Service put forth two possibilities in the event the 28 EU member states don't reach an agreement on disembarkation ports for those rescued at sea: the definitive end of the mission, and the start of a new mission dedicated exclusively to training the Libyan Coast Guard. According to information gathered in Brussels, the suspension of naval patrols of the Central Mediterranean such as those conducted thus far is due to the impossibility of finding an agreement between EU member states on disembarking rescued people at ports other than Italian ones. Rome has been pushing for this change since last summer. Instead, Operation Sophia will strengthen its other activities, such as air patrols and training and support for the Libyan Coast Guard. In addition, according to the agreement on Wednesday, the mission will continue to cooperate with international organisations and Libyan authorities to ensure adequate protection for refugees in Libya. Command over the mission, whose mandate will remain formally unchanged, will continue to be entrusted to Italy. In terms of operation, the Political and Security Committee will give Operation Sophia's commander, Admiral Enrico Credendino, the order to withdraw from the mission any naval units currently at sea. The operation EUNavForMed was launched by the European Council in 2015 and last December its mandate was extended for three months; that is, until March 31. The mandate provides for the fight against illegal trafficking, above all human trafficking. In the event of shipwrecks or migrant boats at sea, air patrols surveilling the Central Mediterranean will alert the mission's central command, which in turn will contact the authorities of the competent country. 'Political accord' before agreement on landings BRUSSELS - ''Sophia is a naval mission and it is clear that, without ships at sea, the mission will not be able to fully abide by its mandate. But the member States have decided in this way'', the European Commission's spokeswoman, Maja Kocijancic, said, answering a question on the extension of the mandate of the Sophia mission decided today by member States. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, the spokeswoman said, has always considered Sophia ''an essential part'' of the work carried out at a European level to dismantle illegal trafficking and to stabilize the area. But ''no solution was found'' on the redistribution of those rescued at sea and thus member States decided to extend the mandate withdrawing the ships. Talks on landings will continue over the next few months. The 'political' decision taken today by EU countries will now have to be formally adopted by the Council by the end of the month. Subsequently, the command of Sophia will need to follow the instructions of the EU Political and Security Committee and temporarily suspend the deployment of ships. ''We will take the measures to reduce the consequences'' of the vessels' withdrawal, said the spokeswoman, ''but it is clear that the mission, without its naval assets, will not be able to fully abide by its mandate''. Preparatory work begins on Arab League Summit in Tunis Economic and Social Council to promote right to health (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 27 - A meeting on Wednesday of the Arab League Economic and Social Council officially kicked off preparatory work in Tunis leading up to the 30th Arab League Summit, which will be held in the Tunisian capital on Sunday, March 31. The Economic and Social Council approved a proposal by Tunisia to enact a strategy of promotion of social and health rights for the elderly population in Arab countries, according to Arab League Summit spokesperson Mahmoud Khemiri. Khemiri spoke at a press conference in the City of Culture on Wednesday. He said the summit will provide a chance for discussing measures to alleviate the suffering of migrants and refugees in the Arab region, as well as the possibility of creating a support fund for Palestine. Regarding the possibility to join the two summits on development (economic and social) with the political summit, Khemiri said the decision would be made Wednesday. He said the preparatory meetings of senior officials on the Economic and Social Council were "positive". He said a preliminary report would be published prior to the meeting of Arab country ministers of social affairs and economy. This is the third time that Tunis has hosted the Arab League Summit.(ANSAmed). A bunch of CIOs in Los Angeles were unhappy. Theyd run into each other at local conferences and have the same conversation it was harder than ever to find talent, especially with the skill sets to drive digital transformation. This is seven years ago, says Ron Guerrier, CIO and secretary of innovation and technology of the State of Illinois. Were sitting there on a couch, complaining that we cant find local talent, the right talent, diverse talent. Finally, we looked at each other and said, Lets stop complaining. Lets do something about it. This same conversation is taking place on couches worldwide. IT is critical to success in the digital age, and CEOs and boards want to know how their CIO is winning the talent war and driving digital transformation. There has forever been a talent race, says Marlo Donate, head of enterprise marketing IT for Farmers Insurance. Especially, Id say, in California. And by taking a novel, proactive approach, this group of IT executives is both making a difference in underserved communities and recruiting remarkable people for key vacancies. Theyre partnering with less prominent colleges to find more diverse, often overlooked, candidates, and using tech meetups and other local events to promote their brands and meet IT talent. Its a perspective and set of techniques any CIO should emulate. Showing up different Finding new sources of diverse talent helps IT do more than fill empty seats; it helps IT evolve into a better organization. Previously, I introduced research highlighting the journey up the IT Maturity Curve. No longer satisfied as solution providers and order-takers, CIOs today are building a new workforce that shows up different. Theyre elevating their teams to be strategic partners and trusted advisors (the third level in a four-stage evolution). Some reach further, leveraging their end-to-end view of the enterprise. These stage-four organizations are looking into the future, using data and insights to revitalize customer experiences and drive new revenue streams. We call them innovative anticipators. Evolving to that level requires a different mindset, Guerrier says. Its all about diversity, and diversity of thought, he says. I really value people who can spar constructively with their peers. Having a constructive disruptor on your team is very important. The DIY approach Back to that conference sofa. Call it upping their game or changing the narrative this group of IT leaders took action. They formed a nonprofit to increase the talent pool in a way that also helped students who didnt come from traditional white-collar backgrounds. Everyone was looking at the big schools USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, says Guerrier, who was then the Los Angeles-based CIO of Toyota Financial Services. We knew there had to be talented kids there who didnt have the means to go to one of those big schools. Their nonprofit, STEM Advantage, inspires and prepares women and underserved communities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math through paid internships, mentorship, scholarships, and professional development workshops. In 2012, they started with only a dozen students, and last year had more than 100. The program boasts a 100 percent graduation and employment rate. Often, the students end up working at the very companies where they interned. Theyre remarkable, Donate says. They've been fighting their entire careers, and in many cases their entire lives, to have a platform. Every CIO I talked to mentioned working with specific kids, and how theyve since progressed in their careers. The internships are transformative, Donate says: In a six-to-eight-week period, you see that so much has changed in the students, in their confidence levels. And the internship approach has been very successful as a hiring strategy. What our program gives these kids is not a handout, but a hand up. Ron Guerrier, CIO, secretary of innovation and technology, State of Illinois. Ive hired a number of students whove interned with me. And weve seen that many of the companies that provide STEM Advantage internships have been able to use the interns as a pipeline for entry-level talent, says Cindy McKenzie, CIO of Deluxe and, like Guerrier and Donate, a STEM Advantage founder and board member. At the end of day, Im still CIO, and I wouldnt do this if it didnt work for our business. What our program gives these kids is not a handout, Guerrier adds, but a hand up. For those outside of Los Angeles STEM Advantage is clearly a great and desperately needed program. Years of outsourcing and underinvestment in STEM education have crushed the feeder systems for early career talent, and we must build them up again. But, I asked, what can a CIO outside Southern California do today? First, look around I bet theres a program near you, McKenzie says. Second, just call a local school. Say, Im looking to hire five to 10 interns per year, and I want to work directly with you. Can you help us vet students with these skills? Literally every school we cold-called said yes. They desperately want their students to get internships. Donate says Farmers is using more than college campuses to up-level recruitment. Seeking experienced talent, the company attends job fairs and tech meetups. While Farmers has been recognized as a terrific environment (Its a Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For, for instance), a 90-years-young insurance organization doesnt always have cache with young tech workers. Hence the meetups and other events. But interestingly, it wasnt a top-down HR initiative. I was hearing from our engineering talent that they want to talk tech, she says, so Farmers began collaborating with a local tech group to host an ongoing event. It's a place where our engineering talent can host the talks and discuss chatbots or other technical topics. We invite people into the incredible innovation space at our Farmers office in Woodland Hills, and they get to know us. Guerrier attends and speaks at local events focused around tech generally and STEM diversity. He notes that local colleges are not the only source of young, diverse talent. Partner with Girls who Code, Black Girls Code, and similar groups, he says. To say you cant find diverse talent is a fallacy. You have to go out there. And if you cant find it, help create it. Thats one of the things that STEM Advantage did it helped us get over the woe is me factor. An annual celebration IT leaders in Southern California can take a closer look at STEM Advantages success at its April 27, 2019, fundraising event. Held at the California Science Center, under the Space Shuttle Endeavour, it features students currently in the program, graduates wholl discuss how the program launched their careers, and many leaders from Southern Californias IT community. Its a chance to learn about the program and meet talented, inspiring kids. Its a great networking event, too, because were at every big company around, McKenzie adds. And as these leaders can attest, amazing things happen at networking events. So, take this opportunity, or make one of your own, to tackle your talent challenge in a way that creates results that are meaningful in every sense of the word. For more on workforce strategy and talent management, check out the Ouellette & Associates blog, and HR2IT,a new community around supporting the talent needs of IT. OHCHR Moldova: Apel deschis pentru aplicatii din partea OSC-urilor pentru a beneficia de suport in desfasurarea activitatilor de advocacy la nivel international in contextul celui de-al treilea ciclu de EPU a R. Moldova A familiar harmony of fear and self-loathing crescendoed Wednesday after Gallup released a new survey estimating that only 32 percent of Americans trust the media, the lowest level recorded in the polling organizations history. That number is down eight percentage points since last year, a drop Gallup blamed in part on this bad dream of a presidential campaign. The data set sail a thousand tweets lamenting a Fourth Estate crumbling before our digitally glazed-over eyes. And its trend line points even steeper downward since 1976, when the publics trust and confidence in the media peaked at 72 percent following reporting on the Vietnam War and Watergate. It seems perfectly plausible that just one-third of Americans trust the media. Liberals and conservatives alike have criticized the media over the course of this campaign, while presidential candidates have made the media a familiar target in stump speeches and fundraising emails. Rants against the media are a favorite dish at my familys Thanksgiving dinners. You have a point, I mumble through mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. But thats not what I do. And herein lies the caveat journalists should consider before they wet the bed over Gallups latest data: There is no media. There is only my media and your media. The mediasuch as newspapers, TV, and radio per Gallups definitionhas given way to an amorphous blob of email newsletters, podcasts, blogs, YouTube channels, tweets, Snaps, Facebook Live streams, and countless other vessels we couldnt have imagined 20 years ago. Many people who produce content for them adhere to journalistic standards, but an increasing proportion of them do not. Consuming the fruits of that labor is an intensely personalized experience. Peer further into Gallups data. Trust in media among self-identified Republicans, Democrats, and independents was in the same ballpark in 1998. That was in the early years of the cable news wars. The nearly two decades since coincided with an intense fragmentation of media among more digitally focused individuals and organizations. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Nowhere has this explosion been more forceful than with conservatives, whose half-century project of demonizing the lamestream media has begun splattering into myriad splotches on the internet. The world of a lone conservative media superpower, Fox News, is gradually giving way to a multi-polar world of abundant right-leaning choices. Polling from the Pew Research Center in 2014 suggests that liberals turn to a broader array of news outlets than their ideological counterparts, which may help explain Gallups flatter trend line among Democrats in an age of fragmentation. Conservatives trust far fewer sources, but they generally put greater faith in individual options such as Fox, Breitbart, and Sean Hannity. Is Hannity, who goes to lengths to carry water for GOP nominee Donald Trump, not part of the media? He is by any definition of the term, despite a flawed argument that his opinionated bent makes him something other than a journalist. The truth is cognitive dissonance about the media serves everyones interests. Respectable journalists feel safe criticizing the media because the ambiguity allows for some daylight between their savviness and any guilt by association. Clinton and her supporters can complain about the media for supposedly unfair scrutiny and then cite the media as it exposes Trumps grand charade. This campaign may be the driving force behind Americans heretofore unparalleled disdain for the media. Indeed, the decline in public trust since 2000 has come largely during presidential election years. Polling from other years, taken cumulatively, suggests a modest uptick. That disparity could stem from the media performing particularly bad during campaigns, or the fact Americans consume a particularly large amount of smut from the media as voting looms. But let me propose another possibility: a growing discontent with our politics, reflected through the media. We can blame the media if the campaign isnt going the way we think it should. And since the media has no real definition, everyones argument is at once true and false. Of course, there is no way around this wretched catchphrase. And as someone who writes about the media, I am a repeat and continuing offender. The media is dead; long live the media. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today David Uberti is a writer in New York. He was previously a media reporter for Gizmodo Media Group and a staff writer for CJR. Follow him on Twitter @DavidUberti. There has been plenty of finger-pointing in the wake of Sundays long-anticipated advancement in the Mueller story, in which Attorney General William Barr provided a four-page summary of the special counsels report on Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. While the full report still has yet to be released, media figures on all ends of the political spectrum almost instantly had thoughts to share about it. Fox News and right-wing pundits shared the views of the Trump family and administration, predictably blasting mainstream outlets for their coverage. Mainstream outlets shifted their coverage to what other implications still exist for Trump, and the dozen or so investigations in New York of which he is a subject. But then, once that dust settled, yet another narrative emerged from mainstream journalists, who were focusing on cable news rather than on the unreleased full Mueller report: the argument that cable news isnt real journalism. Critics said this ostensibly as a means of distancing speculative cable news and Twitter punditry from reporting at outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Daily Beast, all of which did break news and surface new stories pertinent to the Mueller probe, from news of connections between Trumps associates, including Don Jr., and Russiansincluding the now-infamous 2016 Trump Tower meetingto revelations that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about plans for Trump Tower Moscow. ICYMI: I wrote a story that became a legend. Then I discovered it wasnt true. Such reporting mattered and provided context, Margaret Sullivan wrote in her Washington Post column, while the cable pundits who made a living off such speculation arent really journalists anyway. This sentiment was echoed on Twitter by Nate Silver and Matt Yglesias, who speculated about why Russiagate was a topic of conversation on left-leaning cable news shows, but not in 2020 Democratic candidate talking points. One answer is that cable news is a borderline niche product that isnt highly reflective of the Dem electorate, Silver said. MSNBC executives are pretty openly uncomfortable with ideological progressive politics, Yglesias responded. They seemed almost embarrassed when Chris Hayes ratings went up and they had to keep him on the air. (Both CNN and MSNBC declined to comment for this piece.) Its no surprise that Sundays news blindsided many liberals, in particular those who had found themselves glued to Rachel Maddows nightly Russia-and-Trump-themed monologues. The coverage of the investigation, particularly on cable news, likely led some to put their faith in Mueller and his investigation. A shift of mainstream journalists choosing to distance themselves from cable news isnt entirely without warrant. At least twice since 2016, reporters from major cable networks parted ways with their outlets after erroneous reports. Three seasoned investigative reporters resigned from CNN after reporting in a since-retracted story that a Trump aide had ties to a Russian investment firm; ABC News cut ties with investigative correspondent Brian Ross following a report that Trump had directed Michael Flynn to contact Russian officials during the 2016 presidential campaign. This is not to say CNN and MSNBC dont do good journalism; they do. But, too often, pundits and opinion contributors are included in the same swath as reporters, and sensational commentary about Mueller undermines the good work done by journalists, to the detriment of the integrity of these newsrooms. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The cable journalism backlash doesnt exist in a vacuum. As Nicholson Baker wrote for CJR, cable news, once revelatory and informative, has overpoliticized us. Cable news, because theres so much of it, because its always on the prowl for new outrages and trespasses, because lurid headlines are always creeping, creeping across the bottom of the screen, feeds hatred, and feeds on hatred, and thereby corrodes the American brain, Baker wrote. The decision by todays media critics to reject it as journalism may be a signal that enough is enoughthat by flooding the zone with wall-to-wall coverage of the Mueller probe, networks did no one any favors. More post-Mueller news: After Sundays Mueller summary arrived , Fox News aired 118 segments on the probe itself, of which 58 mention possible probes against those involved or seen as Trumps enemies. On MSNBC, the resistance show will go on, Vanity Fair s Joe Pompeo reports . Were going to keep doing our job, asking the tough questions, especially when it involves holding powerful people accountable. This is a huge story, MSNBC president Phil Griffin said. The president of the United States was the subject of an investigation by our own government. That probe has produced 34 criminal indictments so far. And we know the Russians interfered with our election. Moving forward, Jack Holmes writes for Esquire, the Fox-Trump machine wants to see retribution, not the actual Mueller report. Other notable stories: 71 percent of those surveyed by Pew say they believe their local news outlets are doing very or somewhat well financially, but only 14 percent have paid or given money to local news outlets. Vices Broadly has created a stock photo library with images of transgender and non-binary people to increase representation, per CJRs Zainab Sultan. Google is launching a new local news initiative in partnership with McClatchy to fund small, local newsroomsfirst in the US, and then globally. Notably, the tech giant says it wont have editorial control over the partnership. The all-female editorial team of Women Church World , the Vaticans womens magazine, has resigned. The editorial board says the Vatican tried to discredit them after they published a story denouncing the widespread abuse of nuns, according to a report from The Guardian . Bloomberg journalists in South Africa are struggling to work and live with routine power blackouts in the countrya big threat to an economy in which electricity-intensive manufacturing and mining account for a sizable portion of economic activity. RIP Circa . Per The Washington Post s Erik Wemple, Sinclair is shutting down the website, blaming the onerous environment for web publishers. ICYMI: What we learned from analyzing thousands of stories on the Christchurch shooting Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Maya Kosoff is a freelance reporter based in New York City. She's written for Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, Allure, and Business Insider. On Tuesday, Google announced it would partner with McClatchy to fund three, new local news entities in communities of less than 500,000 people. This marks a change in how quickly the news business is being absorbed into the fringes of large technology businesses. For the first time, a major technology company is working directly with news executives to set up a local news operation, which it proposes to fund. Craig Forman, chief executive of McClatchy describes the effort as a true collaboration in which the McClatchy team will work with experts at Google. Though Google is helping support the effort financially, Forman wrote in a press release on the Google blog, the sites will be 100 percent McClatchy owned and operated and McClatchy will maintain sole editorial control and ownership of the content. Just in case we are in any doubt, he reiterates that Google will have no input or involvement in any editorial efforts or decision making. It is hard to know what it will look like to have experts from Google collaborating with McClatchy staff without any editorial input. Everyone who has built a successful news product online knows that the technical architecture, tools, software, and analytics applied to journalism inevitably end up shaping aspects of editorial content. In fact, one of the most common errors in newsrooms is the failure to properly integrate product into the newsroom, or to properly take into account the technological environment into which they are publishing. No company has done more to fund and support journalism over the past decade than Google. It is almost impossible to attend a news conference, hear about experimentation in newsrooms, or even look at journalism research without seeing Googles name on the funding credits. The expansion into the US of Googles Digital News Initiative, which has spent more than a hundred million Euros on news innovations in Europe, has so far included high-profile investments into Report for Americaand now the McClatchy initiative. Because so little advertising money remains available to publications, and reader revenue has not met that shortfall, the expensive job of innovation in newsrooms increasingly means asking What would Google want?influencing what newsrooms choose to develop, from virtual reality, to voice skills, to photo libraries. Sign up for CJR 's daily email READ: Terrorism bred online requires anticipatory, not reactionary coverage But to question Google is now frowned upon in many quarters in journalism. The company has received markedly better press than some of its competitors, notably Facebook. This is in part because it is more mature, and handles relations with the press far better (it has not tried to hide its own influence campaigns, for instance). It also spends more money. The extra money Google provides to journalism is not directly buying favor or dampening dissent, but it is certainly making news CEOs and editors I speak to put Google in a subtly different category from other platforms. Their attitude is that Google gets it. In the earliest days of Google News, when I was in charge of editorial for the Guardians websites and digital products, we benefited from a close relationship with Google when it came to understanding how to optimize article metadata for their search algorithms. It is easy to see day-to-day help as beneficial to journalism if you yourself are directly benefiting. But Googles foray into local journalism is not just a matter of help. When the company launched the DNI in Europe, it was a direct response to pressure by EU regulators. The money was allocated from a marketing budget, and amounted to a lobbying exercise. Now Google is moving its direct funding efforts into the US. It does so ahead of the 2020 presidential election, and just as the Democratic field is being assembled. For the first time in a presidential contest, regulating technology platforms is registering as an issue for the electorate and is on the agenda of at least one serious candidate, Elizabeth Warren, and has long been an area of interest for another, Amy Klobuchar. Those who would rethink anti-trust law in order to break up the worlds Facebooks, Amazons, and Alphabets (Googles holding company) are gaining traction. But the think tank which pioneered much of this work, the Open Markets Initiative, lost its perch at the New America Foundation in 2017 when it caused tension with major funder: Google. But who would suggest that Googles increased funding of US journalism is at all related to the first major initiatives to regulate technology platforms? This sounds like a conspiracy theory so rich it should be relentlessly promoted on YouTube. The suddenness of technology companies caring about the financial stability of journalism is not at all coincidental. As my colleague Mathew Ingram reported recently, Facebook assembled its own local news conference in Denver recently (conference WiFi password: m0vefast). Tim Apple Cook spent several minutes of his opening speech during the companys semi-annual marketing presentation last week proclaiming his love of journalism before launching Apple News+, a product which reduces your $8,000 magazine bill to $10. ICYMI: What is credibility made of? Having spent a lot of time with news executives who work for technology companies, I can say there are plenty of people who are knowledgeable aboutand care aboutjournalism in those companies. Many of them are smart and accomplished journalists who have a genuine zeal for improving journalism. But they are relegated to marginal departments. The core of platform companies is software engineering; they are at the core of our business we are not at the core of theirs. Miles away from the ritzy conferences like Newsgeist and the meetings for Facebook Journalism Project, in the central loci of technology businesses, executives generally dont care that much about journalism. They see it as the Pluto in their solar systema part of what they do, but rather small and very far away. They care about journalism in the same way I care about clean water and aircraft safetydeeply and oftenbut this does not qualify me to be involved in its development. Facebook, Apple, and Google do things that journalists should be investigating, not profiting from. Google negotiates with the US Department of Defensealbeit to the horror of half of its employeesand tried to cover it up, Facebook underpays and traumatizes employees who deal with blacklisting offensive content , Apple works with regimes that routinely jail journalists and construct ethnic concentration camps . All three have strategies for managing the press, and they publish very little data about what happens on their platforms or what the effect of it is, making tech reporting a vital form of accountability. While Googles partnership with McClatchy is unprecedented, non-journalistic organizations taking on the role of publishers and funding journalism directly is not new. Whats new is the industry-wide acceptance of funding from Google and Facebook, amid extremis in the funding of independent journalism at a local level in particular.. Individuals who have made money from technology have sometimes used it to support journalism; Jeff Bezos has been hailed for his salvation and resurrection of The Washington Post, Laurene Powell Jobss Emerson Collective is supporting and expanding The Atlantic, Craig Newmark (who founded Craigslist) funds journalism schools and research, including parts of both CJR and the Tow Center. In all these operations, transparency and a commitment to editorial independence from funding makes for somewhat comfortable relationships. But when it comes to corporate interests, journalists have to be alert to agendas in conflict with their own. For technology to support journalism in a totally independent waymore than one way, in factis possible, for the record: It can be done through taxation and an expansion of civic media. It can be done through payments into arms-length endowments administered by separate bodies. It can even be done by changing the incentive structures on their own platforms to elevate and return more money to newsrooms. Whether it can be done with the direct system of patronage Google is offering remains highly unlikely. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Emily Bell is a frequent CJR contributor and the director of Columbias Tow Center for Digital Journalism. Previously, she oversaw digital publishing at The Guardian. Too many police misconduct and use-of-force investigations becoming public isnt the worst problem for a newsroom to have. But, in California, hundreds of those investigative files have been released since a new law took effect January 1, and thousands more are likely to become public in the near future. To deal with this deluge, 33 new organizations in the state have form the California Reporting Project, a cooperative that has so far made more than 1,100 public records requests for police investigations covered under Senate Bill 1421. The law, signed last year by thenGovernor Jerry Brown, gives the public access to internal investigations of serious injuries, including shootings, inflicted by law enforcement officers and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying on duty. It took effect January 1, though there has been dispute over whether it should apply to records generated before then. The bills author, Bay Area Democrat Nancy Skinner, has said it was meant to apply to older cases. Courts in California have issued conflicting rulings and its Supreme Court declined to weigh in. For now, some police agencies are providing older records, and some arent. The California Reporting Project is asking every police agency in the state for its records on all investigations going back five years, says Sukey Lewis, a criminal justice reporter with the Northern California public radio station KQED, and one of the groups founding members. The California Reporting Project started last fall, just after Senate Bill 1421 was signed into law, when Lewis and a colleague, Alex Emslie, started talking about which records they wanted and what to do with them. We decided we want all of them in the whole state, but were a two-person criminal justice team at a public radio station, so what is our capacity to do that? Lewis says. We started reaching out to reporters and higher-ups in other newsrooms, and a lot of them had the same questions. This is a big sea change in policy in California. These records have been sealed for a long time. The founding members of the group in Northern California were KQED, Bay Area News Group, which includes the Mercury News and other Alden Capital-owned papers, and Investigative Studios, a nonprofit affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism. In Southern California, the effort was led by the Los Angeles Times and KPCC, an NPR station. ICYMI: A class-action suit has journalists freaking out Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project When the clock turned midnight on January 1, the group was ready. Reporters from KQED, Bay Area News Group and Investigative Studios worked with Berkeley graduate students to build an automated system that sent out around 300 public records requests at 12:01am, Lewis says. There are around 700 police agencies in California, including city police departments, county sheriffs, and district attorneys, and state agencies like the California Highway Patrol. The California Reporting Project has made a total of 1,100 records requests from 675 agencies, Lewis says; 134 have turned over something, 240 said they dont have any files to turn over, and the rest have refused, either because they claim the law isnt retroactive, because police unions have sued to stop them, or because they want to wait until the lawsuits are settled. Some police departments, including those in Inglewood and Fremont, destroyed records before they became public. The records requested by any member of the collective are uploaded and shared with the entire group, and sometimes the members collaborate on stories. The members have also teamed up in fighting police union lawsuits to suppress records, and they can split the cost of records when a police agency charges for them. Once the files are shared, reporters do triage, prioritizing the ones that are in their coverage areas, that involve serious misconduct, and that happened recently or involve officers still on the force. These stories have been trickling out all year. On March 19, the LA Times published one about a former South Pasadena police officer who resigned in 2017. The officer, Ryan Bernal, was off duty and had been drinking when he drove his pickup truck into a house. According to the internal affairs investigation, Bernal walked away from the crash and hailed a ride home. The next morning, his mother claimed to investigators that she had been behind the wheel. Bernal was never charged. Another story by Lewis and Thomas Peele of Bay Area News Group explored the case of Steven Richter, a former San Bernardino County sheriffs deputy and California Department of Consumer Affairs investigator. Richter admitted to stealing bullets from his employers for as long as 30 years and trading them to a gun wholesaler in exchange for weapons. Like Bernal, he never faced criminal charges. Beyond the individual stories, news outlets are starting to analyze the patterns in these files, to see how many dishonest officers remain on the force, or how many Californians are killed by police. People are understandably competitive about reporting on these stories, but this seemed like a really good opportunity to share, says Demian Bulwa, the metro editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, which recently joined the project. In a case like this, the public doesnt really care for us to spar over it. They want to know whats going on. ICYMI: Why the left cant stand The New York Times Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Tony Biasotti is a freelance writer in Ventura, California. Find him on Twitter @tonybiasotti. ROME - Syria has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after US President Donald Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty on Syrian territory in the Golan Heights, according to Al Jazeera. Syrian representatives at the UN have asked the president of the Security Council to convene an urgent meeting "to discuss the situation in occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolution on the part of a permanent member state". A meeting of the UN Security Council is expected Wednesday to discuss the renewal of the UN peacekeeping mission in Golan (UNDOF). About the photo: This image released on Tuesday shows Dutch art detective Arthur Brand with Buste de Femme, a recovered Picasso painting. (Arthur Brand via AP) AMSTERDAM A Dutch art detective said Tuesday that he has recovered a valuable painting by Pablo Picasso 20 years after it was stolen from a wealthy Saudis yacht in France. Arthur Brand told The Associated Press that he took possession two weeks ago of the 1938 painting Buste de Femme after trailing it for years in Amsterdam. Brand, a renowned sleuth whose previous finds include a pair of bronze horses sculpted for Adolf Hitler, has since handed over the painting, which he estimates to be worth around 25 million euros ($28 million), to an insurance company. It wasnt immediately clear what would happen to the painting. Brand said he knew it was the real thing as soon as he got his hands on it and peeled away two plastic bags covering the canvas. You know its a Picasso because there is some magic coming off it, he said. But that wasnt the only reason he was convinced of its authenticity. In cases of stolen art, he said, the back of a painting can tell experts more than the front. He said that since the theft from a yacht moored in the swanky French Riviera port of Antibes, a number of forgeries had been offered to insurers and rejected. But a forger never knows how the back looks, Brand said, without specifying what was there. When I saw the back of the painting, I knew it was the real one. Brand began his latest hunt after hearing rumors about a Picasso stolen from a boat. Finally, I tracked somebody down who had had it in his possession 10 years ago and he told me which one it was, he said. And then it still took me three years to get near it. Brand said the painting had circulated in the criminal underworld of the Dutch capital. It was used as some kind of money as payment for drug and arm deals, he said. Eventually a person who had the painting in their possession decided to turn it in and reached out to Brand. Martin Finkelnberg, head of the Dutch national polices art and antique criminality team, welcomed the recovery. No arrests have been made. Finkelnberg told Dutch national daily De Volkskrant that having such a painting can be a burden and taking it to Brand is a way out. Done. Everybody happy, Finkelnberg said. The most important thing is that the artwork is back. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Software updates that Boeing Co. is readying for the 737 Max airliner should be cleared by an independent review before the beleaguered jet is allowed to fly again, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Tuesday. Oregon Democrat Peter DeFazio said the panel will send a bipartisan letter to the Federal Aviation Administration later on Tuesday requesting the agency bring on an independent, third-party to evaluate the proposed fix and ensure that pilots receive adequate information and training on the system. This all must be done before the 737 MAX is certified to return to service, DeFazio said in a statement. The traveling public needs assurances that the FAA will only re-certify the aircraft for flight if and when the FAA, outside safety and technical experts, and pilots agree the aircraft is safe to fly. Boeing is preparing software updates for anti-stall countermeasures on the 737 Max that investigators said in a preliminary report malfunctioned and repeatedly pushed a Max operated by Lion Air into a dive prior to crashing into the Java Sea near Indonesia in October. Authorities are also investigating whether the system was a factor in the March 10 crash of a 737 Max flown by Ethiopian Airlines, which regulators said behaved similarly to the earlier downed jet. DeFazios call for an outside review of the changes comes amid mounting scrutiny from federal investigators and lawmakers alike into the FAAs certification of the 737 Max. DeFazio and Representative Rick Larsen, the Washington Democrat who chairs the panels aviation subcommittee and whose district includes Boeings campus in Everett, Washington, have begun their own probe into the agencys safety approvals. They also have asked for a probe by the Transportation Departments internal watchdog. The Transportation Department is also forming a new committee to review how new aircraft are certified by FAA as safe to fly. RALEIGH, N.C . Duke University will pay $112 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit after federal prosecutors said a research technicians fake data landed millions of dollars in federal grants, the school and the government said Monday. The private university in Durham submitted claims for dozens of research grants that contained falsified or fabricated information that unjustly drained taxpayer money from the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, the U.S. Justice Department said. The school said it is repaying grant money and related penalties. Taxpayers expect and deserve that federal grant dollars will be used efficiently and honestly, local U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin said in a statement. May this serve as a lesson that the use of false or fabricated data in grant applications or reports is completely unacceptable. The lawsuit was first filed in 2015 by whistleblower and former Duke employee Joseph Thomas. The Justice Department took it over afterward. The suit claims the faked research was conducted by former research technician Erin Potts-Kant, who was supervised by pulmonary medicine researcher William Michael Foster. Fosters lab experimented with mice, seeking to determine the effects of inhaling diesel exhaust, among other tests. Several research papers by Fosters team were later retracted. We expect Duke researchers to adhere always to the highest standards of integrity, and virtually all of them do that with great dedication, university President Vincent Price said in a statement. When individuals fail to uphold those standards, and those who are aware of possible wrongdoing fail to report it, as happened in this case, we must accept responsibility, acknowledge that our processes for identifying and preventing misconduct did not work, and take steps to improve. The settlement was announced on the same day that U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles had scheduled a hearing on why the deal supposedly struck in November hadnt been finalized by the Justice Department. The government alleged that between 2006 and 2018 Duke knowingly submitted faked data to federal agencies in 30 grants. The university had warning signs that some of the research was fraudulent but didnt act until discovering in 2013 that Potts-Kant had siphoned off money for spending on clothes and other items, the lawsuit said. Duke University said the technician pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery in state court and paid the school restitution. Foster retired in 2015, university spokesman Michael Schoenfeld said. Thomas, the whistleblower, will get $33.75 million from the settlement, the government said. Duke is still dealing with a different research scandal dating back more than a decade. Duke medical professor Dr. Anil Potti engaged in misconduct while researching treatments in human cancer patients, U.S. Health and Human Services Department investigators said in 2015. Pottis studies were published in top medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet Oncology between 2006 and 2009. In a settlement reached with the federal health agency, Potti did not acknowledge liability but agreed to have all his research supervised until 2020. Potti left Duke in 2010. Duke settled lawsuits brought by patients and estates of patients who participated in those medical trials. As a result of both cases, the National Institutes of Health last year required Duke University researchers to increase their reporting of how federal grant money was being spent. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CLEVELAND, Ohio City Council signed off Monday on sale of property in the Hough neighborhood that will allow construction of an apartment building and creation of a trust to foster future development. New Village Corporation will buy land at Hough Avenue and Ansel Road that now is the site of Orr Park. Signet Real Estate Group will lease that property and build the 160-unit apartment building. The target tenant group is college students. A new Orr Park will be developed nearby. Signets lease will also provide seed money to create a land trust that will fund other neighborhood projects in Hough. SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Menacing, Cedar Road: A Bob Evans employee reported March 17 that a man had entered the business with a wooden stick wrapped in chains and said there was going to be an abomination and the place would be leveled. Surveillance video was reviewed, and the suspect was identified as a 22-year-old resident. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Theft, South Belvoir Boulevard: Two residents reported at 8 a.m. March 16 that their vehicle had been stolen from their driveway, where they had left it running to warm up. A witness said an unknown male suspect got into the vehicle and drove it from the home. Escape, South Green Road: A Cleveland woman, 57, who had been arrested for theft, was medically furloughed March 17, but did not return to jail after receiving treatment. She is being charged with escape. Theft, South Green Road: A man reported March 17 that a landscaping trailer had been stolen from his business sometime during the previous two days. He said it had been parked behind the business in a secured lot. Domestic violence, Princeton Boulevard: A resident reported March 17 that her daughter had argued with family members at her home and threatened them with a knife. The woman, 31, was gone upon the arrival of officers, but a warrant was issued for her arrest. Identity theft, Wilmington Road: A woman, 19, said March 18 that she had learned that a 2018 tax return had been filed fraudulently using her Social Security number. She said she had given her number to a friend about two years ago because they were supposed to get an apartment together. Domestic violence, Harwood Road: Officers learned March 18 of an injured boy, 12, who was receiving medical treatment at a Richmond Heights hospital. Through investigation, it was learned he had been injured by his father while at the mans home in the city. The man, 28, was subsequently arrested for domestic violence. Missing person, Wrenford Road: Macedonia police reported March 18 that the property of a 27-year-old South Euclid woman was found on Interstate 271. Officers advised the womans mother that her daughters purse had been located, and it was determined that the woman was in immediate danger. She was subsequently located, unharmed, by Copley Township police in a hotel in there. Civil matter, Mayfield Road: A woman said March 19 that her landlord changes the locks at her beauty salon business even though her lease is not up until July. She said she had failed to pay the last two months of rent because she planned on leaving the business March 1. She said she had a locksmith change the rear locks so she could get into the building. but she did not have the front locks changed and said it is now a fire hazard. Officers referred her to civil court for additional assistance. Criminal damage, South Green Road: A woman said March 21 that both her vehicles had their tires slashed while they were parked in her apartments parking lot. She said they were parked away from each other, and no other vehicles showed signs of damage. She suggested her childs father may have done the damage, because she had a child support hearing the following morning and thought he may have been trying to intimidate her so she would not attend the hearing. Theft, Greenvale Drive: A vehicle was stolen from a driveway around 7:45 a.m. March 20. It was left running with the keys inside. No suspects were identified. Civil matter, Cedar Road: A woman said March 20 that her former live-in partner would not return some tools that she had given to her. Officers spoke to the ex-partner, who said she would be returning the tools. Both women were advised it was a civil matter. Reports indicate the chiefs office has been notified of a possible nuisance abatement at this home, since officers have been called to the home in the past for several domestic disputes. See more South Euclid news at Cleveland.com/Lyndhurst-south-euclid. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- At the one-year anniversary mark for the Heights Libraries acquisition of the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus, the tenants are continuing to make their move toward independence. It was March 29, 2018, that library officials took over the former Coventry Elementary School building and park from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District for $1, ending months of debate over the fate of the property. In recent years, the building had housed a number of nonprofits, but the tenants were given notice in May 2017 that the school district planned to turn the 6-acre property over to the City of Cleveland Heights to market it for redevelopment. With the Coventry library branch overlooking the P.E.A.C.E. campus -- an acronym for People Enhancing A Childs Environment -- the Heights Libraries stepped in to preserve the green space, playground and parking lot. The library board of trustees have also provided a supportive bridge for the tenants, which will eventually lead to their ownership and independent operation of the building, slated for July 2020, according to a press release. The tenants have made great progress over the past year toward that goal, Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin said. Theyre creating governing and operating structures, their rents are covering expenses and theyre growing a reserve for future improvements. At a rate of $3 per square foot for rent, the library collected more than $94,000 in revenue from the tenants last year, and spent $151,000 on expenses that included nearly $44,600 on the parking lot and repairs to the playground. There was also $2,000 spent on necessary and specific area roof repairs, and $5,000 on heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as work on the elevator, doors and windows to make the building safer and more user friendly. The library's finance office has also set up a special account to keep the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus property expenses separate. The tenants governing board -- consisting of Brady Dindia with ARTFUL studios, Deanna Bremer Fisher of FutureHeights and Ian Hinz from Ensemble Theatre -- plans to adapt the mission of the existing Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Playground 501(c)3 organization to focus on the building and its relationship to the campus. The group is also working with Case Western Reserve University graduate students to apply for planning grants and identify new revenue streams. The arts campus already has been awarded a $21,500 grant from IFF (formerly Illinois Finance Fund), a Chicago-based, mission-driven organization that offers leadership, capital and real estate support to nonprofits. The grant, administered through the Fifth Third Foundation, will cover 80 percent of the cost of a facilities planning study, with the P.E.A.C.E. Campus now applying to a regional foundation to cover the remainder of the cost. It was the only organization in Northeast Ohio chosen to be part of a pilot program. With a stable home, the organizations of Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus are thriving, Levin added in the press release. Levin cited recent sold-out performances of A Raisin in the Sun at Ensemble, ARTFUL operating at full occupancy, as well as adding a ceramics studio and five new artist studios. These two groups are collaborating on joint "opening night-open studio-happy hour events." There was also a chili cook-off and community meeting earlier this month Lake Erie Ink, a creative writing studio, recently hosted more than 150 youth at its annual Kids Comic Con, and Family Connections plans to extend its lease for another year. Levin said the Heights Libraries involvement in the project has primarily been as landlord of the building and steward of the park, with mowing, landscaping and trash pickup, along with installation of some new benches and garbage cans. Plans are in the works for improving safety lighting, and the twice-annual volunteer clean-ups will continue. Expenses so far in 2019 have added up to about $17,140, but Levin expects some of those expenditures to go down, attributing a significant portion to startup costs. The electric bill in the summer was pretty high, as well, she said. Some of these expenses will continue even after the building tenants establish their independence from the library, since Heights Libraries will continue to be the "sole steward" of the park. Heights Libraries will continue to sponsor events in the park in partnership with the Coventry Village Special Improvement District (SID). The schedule for summer events is being finalized now, and will include several that have become summertime staples, including Star Wars Day, Movies in the Park, Pekar Park Comic Book Day and more. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Theft, Cedar Road: At 2:10 p.m. March 22, police were called to Target, 14070 Cedar Road, where a theft was in progress. The suspect, known to the store and police, had left the scene by the time police arrived. The theft totaled $1,079. Police are investigating. Warrant arrest, Cedar Road: At 9 a.m. March 18, an officer stopped a car after learning its driver was wanted on a warrant. The driver, a Shaker Heights woman, 28, was arrested on a Lorain County Sheriff's Office felony warrant. Her car was impounded. Theft from auto, Silsby Road: At 8:50 a.m. March 19, a woman reported that an item worth $70 had been taken from her unlocked auto during the previous night. Fraud, Warrensville Center Road: At 10 a.m. March 19, police met with an employee of Dollar Bank, 2200 Warrensville Center Road. It was reported that bad checks that were passed had caused the bank to lose in excess of $3,199. Warrant arrest, South Belvoir Boulevard: At 3:45 p.m. March 19, an officer conducted a traffic stop and went on to arrest the driver, a Cleveland man, 42, on a felony warrant. The suspect was transported to the Solon jail. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 5:35 p.m. March 19, a University Heights woman reported that her credit card had been lost or stolen while she was in downtown Cleveland. The card was then used to make purchases in the amount of about $1,200 at Steelyard Commons in Cleveland. Civil matter, University Boulevard: At 12:45 p.m. March 20, the owner/landlord of a home reported that about $800 worth of his tools were stolen by a contractor doing work at the residence. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 10:35 a.m. March 21, loss prevention at Macys, 2201 Warrensville Center Road, reported that they recognized a male suspect in the store who had been involved in multiple past thefts. Police made contact with the suspect, who became combative with officers. The Cleveland man, 47, was taken to the hospital for a psychological evaluation. The thefts are under investigation. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 5:30 p.m. March 21, loss prevention at Macy's reported that they had detained a South Euclid boy, 16. The boy allegedly stole Nike clothing totaling $235. The youth was cited and turned over to a parent. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 2:20 p.m. March 23, police were dispatched to Macys, where a brief investigation led to the arrest for theft of a Richmond Heights man, 37. The man stole $390 worth of goods. He was cited for theft and released. Theft, Cedar Road: At 5:35 p.m. March 24, police were dispatched to Target on a report that a boy, 14, had stolen $136 worth of merchandise. The Cleveland Heights youth was cited and turned over to his mother. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers stopped an Uber coming from Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport and found 11 pounds of cocaine in a suitcase stored in the trunk, according to court documents filed Wednesday. The discovery led authorities to arrest the passenger, Diontae Hill of Detroit, according to a criminal complaint. Hill, 28, faces a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. An affidavit written by Medina County Drug Task Force agent Dareen Stout said troopers stopped the Mercedes sedan Tuesday for a traffic violation as it was heading away from the airport on Brookpark Road. A troopers drug dog sniffed the car and alerted him to the presence of drugs. They found a suitcase in the trunk that contained five packages of cocaine, according to the complaint. The driver said Hill hired him through the ride-sharing service and that Hill left the airport with two bags, one of which Hill put in the trunk and the other he brought with him when he got into the cars back seat, court filings say. Hill denied owning the suitcase and the drugs when U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and task force officers interviewed him, according to the complaint. Hill will make an initial appearance Thursday in front of Magistrate Judge Thomas Parker. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesdays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio Overwhelming percentages of Ohio Democrats, Republicans and independents support a statewide ban on the sale of guns to people who have been charged with domestic violence, new polling says. Overall, 73.8 percent of Ohioans support such a ban, with support from 80.9 percent of Democrats, 70.2 percent of independents and 69.9 percent of Republicans, Baldwin Wallace University found in polling 1,361 Ohio adults from March 1-15. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, and plus or minus 6.5 percentage points for polling by political party. Those who said they were unsure or had no opinion (16.8 percent overall) outnumbered those who opposed such a ban (9.5 percent overall). Gov. John Kasich last year proposed changing Ohios law to mirror federal regulations, which prohibits anyone convicted of a domestic violence crime or a subject to a domestic violence protection order from buying or owning a firearm. The Giffords Law Center lists Ohio among the states that require the seizing of firearms at the scene of domestic violence. But Ohio is not among the 30 states that prohibit subjects of domestic violence protective orders from buying or possessing firearms. Instead, Ohio is listed by the Giffords Law Center as one of 12 states that impose the ban only when certain conditions are met. A wide majority of Ohioans support banning gun sales to people charged with domestic violence. (Rich Exner, cleveland.com) This is one of a series of questions asked in a poll designed by Baldwin Wallace political science students. It was conducted in conjunction with BWs Community Research Institute, which has extensive experience in scientific public opinion polling. Read about other findings published so far at this link. Next: Who goes to political rallies or protests? "Are you Islamophobes?" "Why are you doing this?"If you have any of these questions, please visit On this website, we engage Muslims and the foundations of Islam without trying to be "PC". We feel honesty is better than disguised language. As you can read on our FAQ, this is out of love, not out of hatred. Thanks, and we're looking forward to seeing your comments! CLEVELAND, Ohio - The administration of Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish acknowledged Tuesday that a proposed lease extension giving the county use of the Euclid Jail was introduced just six days before the lease was to expire. County Public Safety and Justice Chief Brandy Carney told cleveland.com that the April 1 expiration date wasnt on the radar of the county Sheriffs Department or of the City of Euclid. On Wednesday, Euclid Law Director Kelley Sweeney disputed Carneys claim, saying Euclid City Council had approved a five-year extension of the lease on March 4, nearly a month before the expiration. The county may have forgotten about it, but Euclid had been preparing for a lease extension for quite a while, Sweeney said. CLEVELAND, Ohio A man was taken to the hospital in critical condition Tuesday night after he was stabbed at a bar in the Puritas-Longmead neighborhood, police say. Officers were called to PM Junction Tavern, 4645 W. 130th St., at about 7 p.m. The bar is located just north of Interstate 480. The 54-year-old victim was taken by ambulance to MetroHealth Medical Center. Police did not release further details on the incident Tuesday night. To comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio A kindergarten teacher in the Groveport Madison School District is on paid administrative after being accused of being excessively harsh toward at least two students, according to reports. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the 28-year-old teacher at Asbury Elementary School has been with the district since 2014. However, the district, Franklin County Childrens Services and police are investigating multiple allegations of the teacher being harsh toward students, WCMH Channel 4 reports. She has not been criminally charged. WCMH says the teacher is facing allegations of conduct unbecoming of an educator, improper physical contact with students and improper language toward students. According to 10tv.com, police were sent to the school last week on accusations that the teacher held on to too firmly two children and that she was excessively harsh. In a statement to 10tv.com, the school district says The safety and welfare of our students is unquestionably our highest priority. The district will provide its full support to all investigating agencies. Should this allegation be substantiated, we will take swift and appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination." To comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio--Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Wednesday said he will ask a federal appeals court not to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional. Yost, a Republican, announced in a release that he will file a brief arguing that while the health-care reform laws controversial individual mandate is unconstitutional, other parts of Obamacare can and should remain in place in particular, rules prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I agree that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but I strongly disagree that it justifies throwing out all of ACA and abandoning millions of Ohioans, Yost said in a statement. The impact to Ohioans is far too great to let judicial activism jeopardize our citizens health and well-being. Yost stated that repealing the entire law would result in 1.9 million Ohioans who have a pre-existing condition losing their medical coverage. Yost added that figure does not begin to count the elderly population that would also be impacted. In December, U.S. District Court Judge Reed C. OConnor sided with a group of 18 Republican state attorneys general and two GOP governors (none of whom were from Ohio) who argued that because the individual mandate which imposes a fee on people who dont buy insurance was unconstitutional, the entire Affordable Care Act should be struck down. The ruling is on hold pending appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In another twist, this week the U.S. Justice Department reversed its position and is now saying that the entire ACA should be thrown out. Yost stated that OConnors reasoning in his decision was flawed, because it required him to guess whether Congress would have passed the rest of the ACA if lawmakers knew the individual mandate was unconstitutional. The attorney general argued that the judge didnt have to guess about Congresss intent, as the Republican-led U.S. House in 2017 expressly left parts of the Affordable Care Act intact when it voted to reduce the individual mandate penalty to zero. I do not like judicial activism in either its liberal or conservative flavors, Yost said. The attorney generals criticism of OConnors ruling is similar to arguments made by Jonathan Adler, a Case Western Reserve University law professor whose research formed the foundation for a earlier legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. Adler told cleveland.com last December that OConnors decision was bananas. On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine another Obamacare critic also spoke of the need to keep protections for people with pre-existing conditions. If the courts throw out the entire ACA, DeWine said, he will push the Ohio General Assembly to pass a law setting up such protections on the state level. CLEVELAND, Ohio Authorities in Pike County have filed a motion to prevent Fredericka Wagner, the matriarch of a family accused in the execution-style killings of eight people in southern Ohio, from talking about her case. Prosecutors last week requested a gag order, which would keep Wagner and her attorney from speaking publicly about charges involving the slayings of Rhoden family members in April 2016. The request came days after The Plain Dealer profiled Wagner and the charges against her and those against her son, her daughter-in-law and her two grandsons. They have denied the allegations. Wagner told the newspaper that she, at first, believed it was terrorists who killed the Rhoden family while they slept. She also said her family had nothing to do with the attack. The story and remarks prompted prosecutors to seek the order. Attorneys representing others in the case already have agreed to a gag order. It is improper for [Wagner] and her counsel to take it upon themselves to generate more publicity that will only serve to frustrate the function of this Court, wrote Pike County Prosecutor Rob Junk and assistant Ohio Attorney General Angela Canepa. Wagners attorney, James Owen, said he and his client did nothing wrong. Accused persons and their lawyers have the right to correct the record, particularly when law enforcement and the prosecutor incorrectly accuse them of crimes, Owen said after reading the prosecutors request. He said then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Junk told reporters at a November press conference that Wagner was indicted in the cover-up of the slayings. Owen said Wagner made a simple mistake. Wagner, 76, is accused of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from her testimony in July before a Pike County grand jury. The testimony involved two bulletproof vests that investigators seized in May 2017 from a room in her Pike County home where her son, George Billy Wagner stayed while working on the family farm. Wagner told the panel that she bought the vests after the murders through Amazon, as she feared that her son could face similar violence because he was a close friend of one of the victims, Christopher Rhoden Sr., according to her testimony that was made public earlier this month. Wagner told the grand jury that she had the records of the purchases, but she didnt bring them to the hearing. Owen later learned that Wagner misstated where she had purchased the vests. She bought them from eBay through her PayPal account, not from Amazon. In the motion for a gag order, Canepa and Junk said authorities had spent eight months attempting to gain the truth about Wagners purchases. They said authorities tried to work with her and Owen to obtain the records of the purchases for months. When Wagner and Owen didnt come forward, authorities subpoenaed Amazon. When there was no record of a purchase of the vests, prosecutors brought the charges back to the grand jury in November. Owen filed a motion to dismiss the charges March 15. In it, he included the information from eBay and PayPal. He said he waited to disclose the purchase information until prosecutors gave him Wagners grand jury testimony. He said he received it March 11. The prosecutors did not challenge Owens information on the purchases. They said they have subpoenaed records from PayPal and eBay for the purchases. However, they said that Owens motion to dismiss was premature and that the case should be brought to trial. Pike County Common Pleas Judge Randy Deering is expected to discuss the issues Thursday at a hearing in Piketon. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Nearly two dozen members of the Unite Here! Hospitality Workers Union Local 24 rallied outside two of Michael Symons restaurant, Mabels BBQ and Lola on E. 4th St. in downtown Cleveland, to help show support for workers at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas who are trying to form a union. Workers there recently voted with 84% voting for the union, but the owners of the casino refuse to negotiate. Symons restaurants, specifically Mabels BBQ, were targeted because Symon has a Mabels located in the Palms resort and the Cleveland union members were hoping to get his attention and convince him to help the workers get the opportunity to negotiate with the owners of the resort. Were here today protesting in front of Lolas and Mabels to ask Michael Symon to help management come to the table to negotiate a fair contract in Las Vegas, said Tabitha Vanni, spokesperson for Unite Here! Local 24. The demonstration is part of a national effort by the Nevada Culinary Workers Union Local 226 protesting the Palms Casino. See protesters at Michael Symons Mabels BBQ in Cleveland. Union hospitality workers are picketing because of Symons connection to the Las Vegas Palms, which they say refuses to recognize their vote to unionize. Posted by cleveland.com on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Mary Kilpatrick contributed to this story. CLEVELAND - To President Donald Trump, securing money to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico is important enough to declare a national emergency and shut down parts of the federal government for weeks. But a new poll from Baldwin Wallace University says more Ohioans oppose building the wall than support it. In a survey taken from March 1-15, 44.3 percent said they oppose building the wall, 39 percent said they support it and 16.7 percent were unsure. There was a strong partisan split on the issue with 79.7 percent of Republicans backing the wall, and 74.2 percent of Democrats in opposition. The poll also asked how Ohioans felt about immigrants and refugees entering the country. Refugees More than 43.2 percent said the United States does not have a responsibility to accept foreign refugees, while 37.7 percent disagreed. The rest were unsure. More than 60 percent of Democrats said the United States should accept refugees, while nearly 70 percent of Republicans said otherwise. By 38 to 35 percent, respondents said that refugees increase crime in the United States. There was an almost even 39 percent split on whether or not refugees are taking away U.S. jobs, with slightly more people saying they disagreed with the statement and around 21 percent saying they were unsure. Immigrants Similar questions about immigrants produced a different split. Slightly more people said they did not think immigrants boost crime or take away U.S. jobs. Democrats were more favorably disposed toward immigrants and refugees than Republicans on all questions in the survey. The poll of 1,361 Ohio adults has a 3.4 percent margin of error, and plus or minus 6.5 percentage points for polling by political party. This is one of a series of questions asked in a poll designed by Baldwin Wallace political science students. It was conducted in conjunction with BWs Community Research Institute, which has extensive experience in scientific public opinion polling Read about other findings published at this link. Next: Banning people charged with domestic violence from buying guns COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require the burial or cremation of fetal remains after a surgical abortion. Under Senate Bill 27, which passed 24-7, people who violate the requirement would face a first-degree misdemeanor. Facilities that perform abortions, including workers at public hospitals, could be subject to the charges. Women seeking abortions would have to express in writing, through a form the Ohio Department of Health develops, whether she wants the fetal remains to be buried or cremated. Minors seeking an abortion would first have to obtain consent from a parent, guardian or court. SB 27 states if a woman declines to exercise the rights under the bill, then the abortion facility would have to determine whether to cremate or bury the remains. The pregnant woman wouldnt be charged under the bill. Abortion providers would have to keep documents about the womans or her parents choice of cremation or burial. They would have to demonstrate the date and method of disposition of the remains. The facility would have to maintain a written list of businesses that cremate or bury remains, the bill states. Abortion facilities, including public hospitals, would have to foot the bill for the burial or cremation, except if a woman wants a fetus buried at a certain location thats different from the one provided by the abortion provider. Then she would have to pay for it, according to the bill. A fiscal analysis of the bill states that public hospitals would incur minimal costs to comply with the bill. A specific dollar amount wasnt estimated. The Ohio General Assembly has previously seen similar legislation but it has never become law. Its passed the Senate twice. SB 27 now heads to the House. Sen. Joe Uecker, a Cincinnati-area Republican who is sponsoring the bill said cremation and burial protects the dignity of human life. The fetuses would be treated the same as a relative, he said. The Department of Health has rules for the disposition of fetal remains, but Uecker said theyre not specific enough. It does not restrict a womans right to an abortion, he said. Sen. Nickie Antonio, a Lakewood Democrat, said the bill could be shaming. Im very concerned about the additional bureaucracy, paperwork and documentation that this creates for women at a very stressful time, the women who exercise their constitutional right to privacy as they access abortion medical procedures, she said. COLUMBUS, Ohio The $45 million yearly public transit funding gap between the Ohio Houses and Senates versions of the two-year transportation budget bill isnt just a difference in money. Its also a difference in the pots of money from which public transportation will be funded. The Ohio House wants $100 million a year for the states 61 urban and rural transit agencies. The money would come from federal funds in the form of grants that the transit systems would have to apply for. Gov. Mike DeWines $40 million annual transit funding plan came from the same federal transportation money. The Ohio Senate, on the other hand, wants $55 million for public transit. The funding wouldnt be provided from the federal money, but rather from the states General Revenue Fund, which is akin to a checking account for Ohio government operations. The Ohio House, early Wednesday afternoon, rejected the numerous amendments in the Senates version of the bill. This sends the bill into negotiations to try to reconcile each chambers differences. Amanda Woodrum, a senior researcher with the left-leaning think tank Policy Matters Ohio, said the Senates plan is risky for public transit. Although the Senates version of House Bill 62, the two-year transportation budget bill, designates the money comes form the General Reserve Fund, that plan could evaporate when a a different piece of legislation -- the government operating budget -- is hammered out in coming months. The government operating budget is usually passed in June and lawmakers have just begun to work on that bill. Hundreds of state agencies, commissions and programs are competing for money in the operating budget. Public transit funding could lose out to another need even after the transportation budget is passed, she said. Its a very vulnerable position for public transit to be in," she said. I would much rather see a strong line item in the transportation budget. Sen. Matt Dolan, a Chagrin Falls Republican, said the Senate pushed the public transit funding to the General Revenue Fund for a reason. The Senates gas tax increase proposal is only 6 cents a gallon. To provide more funding for roads and bridges with a lower tax level, the Senate decided the federal funds that the House has directed for public transit should be used on highways. Even though were at 6 cents, its $200 million more than the House or the governors budget put toward roads and bridges, he said. Dolan said he believes the General Assembly will honor its commitment to fund public transit through the General Revenue Fund, should the Senates public transit plan prevail in the negotiations between the two chambers. Public transportation complements our economy, our health care and our education," he said. Its similar to the missions the governor has. CNBC's Jim Cramer on Tuesday said investors should not panic about February's "truly pathetic" housing starts number because the market is primed to bounce back. Single-family home construction declined 8.7 percent last month to a 1-1/2-year low, but housing forecasts are looking better as mortgage rates decrease. The housing market is not flashing recession signals, he said. "Don't be afraid of the hideous housing numbers. Be aware that this is a natural decline, which I think will be followed by an advance that you can profit from as housing enjoys its annual spring rebound," the "Mad Money" host said. Cramer predicted home building will be stronger in March. The Federal Reserve's rate hike in December, despite Cramer's objections, made home prices and mortgages more affordable, and raw materials costs have fallen faster than housing prices, he said. The decrease on 10-year Treasury yields is also a "godsend for the industry," he added. More on housing here Can we get a deal? People walk outside of the New York Stock Exchange. Spencer Platt | Getty Images Wall Street needs to see more mergers and acquisitions come through before the "coming onslaught" of initial public offerings jams up investing capital, Cramer said. Major U.S. indexes traded strong out the gate Tuesday, but gave up most of their gains before the close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added more than 140 points in Tuesday's session. The and tech-heavy Nasdaq both gained about 0.70 percent. "I think part of it is that we've got too many stocks," the host said. "So with a bunch of new IPOs on the horizon, the market won't be able to handle all the supply. And when supply outstrips demand, prices go lower." Lyft will list on the Nasdaq Friday. AirBNB and Uber plan to go public this year, and Slack, Palantir, and WeWork could join the fray as well. Cramer predicted FAANG stocks would fall under pressure if there is not enough money to go around. The FAANG group includes Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Alphabet's Google. "I think the FAANG stocks will be used a source of funds," he said. But big tech is not the only sector that the host is worried about. He said the oil, cloud, health care and transports sectors, among others, are too crowded and need some consolidation. "I wouldn't be this concerned about the lack of mergers if I weren't so worried about the coming onslaught of IPOs," he said. "If money managers want to participate in these dealsand they willthey need to sell stocks that they already own to raise money ... and that's gonna put pressure on the whole market." Find out Cramer's recommendations here Caution: Look between the lines Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Cramer took a look at chart patterns, as interpreted by Carolyn Boroden, to understand why the technical analyst is warning it might be time to get cautious at current market levels. Boroden, who makes stock predictions at FibonnacciQueens.com and is a Cramer colleague at RealMoney.com, looks for repeating action on the S&P 500 and has concerns that the market run since December could reverse in the next two weeks, Cramer said. The S&P is in good shape, according to Boroden, but her Fibonacci methodology indicates there could be some rollover, he said. "That's why she wants you to watch the action in the S&P and watch the 5-day and 13-day exponential moving averages, just in case they flash a warning sign telling you it's time to ring the register," Cramer said. "All I can say is: nobody ever got hurt taking a profit." Take a look at the chart analysis here Back in the game A screen from Apex Legends by EA Source: Apex Legends | EA Electronic Arts gave up some popularity to Fortnite, the online battle royale video game from Epic Games. The stock is down less than 20 percent from this point last year and off more than 30 percent from its all-time high last July. But the gaming company has hit the reset button, climbing nearly 30 percent thus far in 2019. "After spending months as Fortnite's punching bag, Electronic Arts has jumped on the battle royale bandwagon with Apex Legends and this one hugely popular game has turned the whole story around," Cramer said. "That's why the stock caught fire. That's why the stock has more room to run." Get Cramer's full insight here Please hold Rowan Trollope, CEO, Five9 Scott Mlyn | CNBC Five9, a cloud software provider for contact centers, is changing the way that call centers work for businesses, CEO Rowan Trollope told Cramer. If a customer has a bad experience calling, texting, or emailing a business, it's likely the company is using a legacy hardware, on-premises system, he said. Instead, Five9 can scale up and scale down call loads on the cloud with buying additional infrastructure to handle peak call hours, Trollope said. "It is a totally radical departure from what has been in the past and what we enabled those companies to do is to deliver a great experience whenever you call or email or text every single time," he said. Catch the full interview here Cramer's lightning round: Elon, join us on "Mad Money" Stocks in Asia were mixed on Wednesday as investor concerns over the outlook for the global economy lingered. The broad MSCI Asia-ex Japan index was fractionally higher at 524.17, as of 3:21 p.m. HK/SIN. The Nikkei 225 in Japan declined 0.23 percent to finish at 21,378.73, as shares of automaker Nissan dropped 3.5 percent. The Topix index also fell 0.52 percent to close at 1,609.49. In South Korea, the Kospi slipped 0.15 percent to close at 2,145.62, as shares of industry heavyweight Samsung Electronics recovered from an earlier slip to rise 0.22 percent after announcing on Tuesday that its first quarter earnings would likely fall short of expectations. Meanwhile, the in Australia rose fractionally to close at 6,136.00. Shares of Lynas rose 1.9 percent, after the company rejected a takeover bid by the conglomerate Wesfarmers. For its part, shares of Wesfarmers gained 0.71 percent. The mainland Chinese markets saw gains on the day, with the Shanghai composite adding 0.85 percent to close at 3,022.72 and the Shenzhen component rose 1.01 percent to finish its trading day at 9,609.44. The Shenzhen composite gained 0.899 percent to close at 1,654.69. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index added about 0.6 percent in its final hour of trading. "The global growth and data concerns that drove the downside moves over the last few days are still with us and investors will be looking for fresh reasons for the market to rally further over the next few sessions," analysts from Rakuten Securities Australia said in a note. They added that the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield was still looking "relatively volatile" despite steadying overnight. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson knows his company can't use Huawei's gear for high-speed networks, because the U.S. government won't allow it. But in Europe, the Chinese networking company has dominant market share, which is a problem as the world gears up for the move from 4G to 5G, Stephenson said on Tuesday at the Fintech Ideas Festival in San Francisco. That's because Huawei doesn't work with other suppliers. "Huawei does not facilitate interoperability from 4G to 5G other than their own networks," said Stephenson, in an interview on stage with CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin. "How comfortable are you if you're a senior person in one of these countries that that much of your infrastructure that's underpinning this much of our social interaction is being supplied by i don't care if it's Huawei but by a Chinese company?" In the U.S., Huawei's equipment has been subject to several bans and threats of other penalties. Most notably, the company, alongside Chinese competitor ZTE, was mostly banned from doing government contract work by the 2019 Defense Authorization Act. The U.S. has cited intelligence reports that claim Huawei was built with intractable ties to Chinese intelligence to provide equipment that could be used for espionage. European nations have shunned U.S. calls to take the same approach to Huawei, and Huawei has rejected the allegations of spying and launched a lawsuit against the U.S. government. It's maintained that the U.S. intelligence community's concerns were driven by U.S. technology competition or trade deal negotiations. After months of development and discussion with federal aviation regulators, Boeing plans to brief about 200 pilots at its Renton, Washington, facilities Wednesday on fixes for its 737 Max jets, which have been involved in two fatal crashes since October. The plane has been grounded since mid-March following the deadly accidents where a part of the aircraft's flight control system is suspected of causing, at least in part, the crashes that killed all 346 people aboard the jets. Boeing believes it has solved issues with the 737 Max automated stall prevention system known as MCAS by updating the plane's software, cockpit alerts and pilot training. Last weekend, pilots from five airlines, including American, Southwest and United were briefed on the software updates and tested them in a flight simulator. "I think they've made the changes that will get these planes back in the air," said one pilot familiar with the changes. Pilots and other people familiar with the work say there are four notable changes. Limit MCAS corrections As Boeing and investigators studied the brief flights of the Lion Air plane that plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia on Oct. 29 and the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10, the scariest similarity was the way both flights pitched up and down before crashing. Many believe the automated stall prevention system the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System continually pushed the nose of the plane down despite the pilots repeatedly trying to correct the move. The new software will allow the system to push the nose of the plane lower just once and only for 10 seconds at most. Two sensors, not one Another factor believed to have played a role in the 737 Max crashes is the possibility that erroneous data was fed to the MCAS software from the plane's two "angle of attack" sensors. Those sensors on the outside of the nose of a plane measure how a plane is positioned. If the nose of the 737 Max is pointed too high relative to its airspeed, it could go into a stall. Boeing originally designed MCAS to receive data from just one angle of attack sensor on the 737 Max. That will change in the future with both sensors feeding data into the stall prevention system. And if the readings between the two sensors are substantially different, they will not trigger the system. Cockpit alerts Since the crashes of the two 737 Max planes, Boeing has faced fierce criticism for not doing more to tell flight crews about the stall prevention system or alert them when the technology kicks in. In particular there are two indicators Boeing has offered, but only if airlines paid extra to have them installed in the cockpit. That will be changing in the future. Boeing will now offer two angle of attack indicators in the cockpit free of charge. It will additionally include another indicator showing if the angle of attack sensors disagree. This indicator will now be standard equipment in all 737 Max airplanes. Updated training Steve Bray, a political activist, shouts anti-Brexit slogans through a megaphone near the Houses of Parliament in London, U.K., on Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Chris J. Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images British lawmakers are to start voting on alternative options in the Brexit process as they try to take control of the U.K.'s departure from the EU. Members of Parliament (MPs) will vote Wednesday evening on what their preferred courses of action are when it comes to Brexit. The options MPs are expected to vote on include the U.K. remaining in a customs union with the EU, a possible second referendum, revoking Article 50 (the process that set the U.K.'s departure from the EU in motion) or a no-deal exit. The votes, known as indicative votes, will be held after debates on the options. The votes are non-binding but they will indicate what path has the most support from politicians across all the parties in the House of Commons (the lower house of Britain's Parliament). The process could carry on into next week with lawmakers narrowing down the options. Faced with the prospect of MPs taking over, there has been speculation that U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May could set out her own departure date from government in a last-ditch bid to get backbench MPs to support her own twice-defeated deal. May is due to meet backbenchers (those that aren't part of her government but are part of her party) on Wednesday evening ahead of the votes. Divided as ever The U.K.'s Parliament, rather like the British public, has been divided by Brexit into those who support remaining in the EU and those that support leaving, with many in between favoring varying degrees of closeness (or distance) from the EU when (and if) Britain does leave the bloc. The indicative votes come after MPs voted Monday to take control of the Brexit agenda in Parliament. May's government could still ignore the results of the votes on Wednesday, however. They are intended to break a deadlock between the U.K. government and Parliament. May's Brexit deal with the EU has already been voted down by lawmakers twice, with many MPs (mainly Brexiteers and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party) disliking the Irish "backstop" part of the deal which is aimed at preventing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Bronwen Maddox, director of the think tank Institute for Government, told CNBC Wednesday that pro-EU MPs were hopeful of a change of direction. "I think it's emboldened some of the MPs who are leaning towards remain and hoping for a second referendum and to keep in play those options And it's certainly reinvigorated the Europeans who are watching this very closely," she told CNBC's Willem Marx in London. Whatever the outcome of Brexit, Maddox said, the divisions within British politics showed that the political system was broken. "Both Conservatives and Labour have big divisions in them and that's not just about Brexit, it's really about completely different views on how to govern the country and what Britiain is in the future. And those big rifts would be there even if you magically took away the Brexit issue," she said. 'Sordid' politics There is talk though that Brexiteers within Parliament could be coming round to supporting May's deal if a third vote is held in the face of alternatives including the possibility of no Brexit at all. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent and influential Brexiteer, said Tuesday that having re-considered May's deal (which he had previously rejected) he considered it better than the other potential outcomes for Brexit. Writing in the Daily Mail newspaper Tuesday, he said he would now support May's deal the Democratic Unionist Party supported it (it too had previously rejected it). Robin Bew, the managing director of the Economist Intelligence Unit, told CNBC Wednesday that it still looks as if "not enough other hardcore Brexiteers will move to get her deal over the line." "Essentially, what it shows is that up to this point it's not been about the deal it's all been about politics and Theresa May and holding the (Conservative) party together. And it's not really been about holding the country together and the right thing to do," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" Wednesday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks to potential voters during a campaign stop at the Veterans Memorial Building on February 10, 2019, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Wednesday took aim at big agriculture and called for a break up of some recent industry mergers, charging "consolidation is choking family farms." Lax merger enforcement has threatened the livelihoods of farmers and allowed agribusiness companies to become too large, the Democrat claimed in a policy post on Medium. It comes ahead of the Iowa Farmers Union's Democratic presidential candidate forum set for Saturday. "I will appoint trustbusters to review and reverse anti-competitive mergers, including the recent Bayer-Monsanto merger that should never have been approved," Warren wrote. Warren also criticized the Dow-Dupont and Syngenta-ChemChina deals, which involve mergers of companies supplying seeds and other products to farmers. She said industry consolidation and expansions of agribusiness giants have resulted in companies having "immense market power." Dow, Syngenta and Bayer didn't respond to a request for comment. Warren added, "My team will be committed to breaking up big agribusiness that have become vertically integrated and that control more and more of the market. Consolidation in agriculture is just part of a broader trend of consolidation that has hurt family farmers." She also called out meat processing companies, saying four companies have a combined market share of 53 percent. Warren singled out food giant Tyson, which she said "controls just about every aspect of bringing chicken to market" and has meant "chicken farmers have gotten locked into a 'contract farming' system in which they take on huge risks." Tyson Foods responded to the Warren's comment by defending the company's relationship with poultry producers. "We're an American company, and we've been working with poultry farmers on a contract basis since the late 1940s and it has been a relationship we believe works well for both the farmer and the company," Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for Tyson said via email. "As noted on our website, contract farming insulates the farmer from the risk of changing market prices for chicken and feed ingredients such as corn and soybean meal, which represents the majority of the cost of raising chicken." Additionally, National Chicken Council spokesman Tom Super told remarked, "The vast majority of America's chicken farmers are thriving and profitable. Chicken companies have waiting lists of people wanting to sign up to partner and raise chickens." Earlier this month, the 2020 presidential contender called for the break up of big tech companies, including Amazon and Facebook. According to Warren, "bad decisions in Washington have consistently favored the interests of multinational corporations and big business lobbyists over the interests of family farmers." The Democrat said family farmers last year received "less than 15 cents" for every dollar Americans spent on food, making it the lowest amount since the government started tracking the data in 1993. "Farmers are caught in a vise, but the squeeze on family farms isn't inevitable," she said. "We can make better policy choices and we can begin by leveling the playing field for America's family farmers." Rob Larew, a spokesman for the National Farmers Union a group representing nearly 200,000 farmers and ranchers in 33 states reacted to Warren's proposal Wednesday, saying: "It is really encouraging to see presidential candidates elevating this vital issue to family farmers and ranchers. For decades, we've allowed multinational corporations to gobble up competition in the markets that farmers and ranchers buy from and sell to." The American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's largest farm sector organization, however, brushed off Warren's criticism of big agriculture. "Our membership hasn't shown much concern over current market structure," William Rodger, a spokesman for the national farm group said via email. "If they change their mind on the issue, you can be sure we will pay close attention." Visitors pass in front of Huawei's display at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. EU nations will be required to share data on 5G cybersecurity risks and produce measures to tackle them by the end of the year, the European Commission said on Tuesday, shunning U.S. calls to ban China's Huawei Technologies across the bloc. The aim is to use tools available under existing security rules plus cross-border cooperation, the bloc's executive body said, leaving it to individual EU countries to decide whether they want to ban any company on national security grounds. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Portugal are all preparing to auction 5G licenses this year while six other countries will do so next year. The European Union move came despite U.S. pressure to boycott Huawei, citing fears of China using the company's equipment for espionage. Huawei has strongly rejected the allegations and launched a lawsuit against the U.S. government. The EU provided additional detail on the plans first reported by Reuters on March 22, with European digital chief Andrus Ansip saying that the measures announced on Tuesday aimed to address concerns about foreign governments using companies for espionage. Last week French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe was wakening up to potential Chinese dominance in the region. An employee works on a Boeing Co. 737 Max 9 plane at the company's manufacturing facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Mar. 12, 2019. Federal aviation regulators plan to increase their oversight of air safety by this summer, the U.S. Transportation Department's watchdog told lawmakers Wednesday. The comments were made at a congressional hearing that focused on how the FAA approved the Boeing 737 Max aircraft that has been involved in two fatal crashes in five months. Lawmakers pressed officials on Boeing's role in the airplane's approval. Outside companies like Boeing routinely participate in some functions of the certification process. "The fact is the FAA decided to do safety on the cheap which is neither cheap nor safe and put the fox in charge of the hen house," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. The Senate's Commerce subcommittee's hearing was the first since the U.S. joined dozens of other nations in grounding the planes earlier this month. Panel members are likely to raise questions about a plan for a software fix to the jets that Boeing said it gave the Federal Aviation Administration in January. "We want to know how Boeing, how private companies, are involved in the FAA certification process," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce subcommittee on Aviation and Space, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "Why didn't that process catch this problem if that was the cause of the accident and what needs to be done to make sure these planes are safe to fly?" Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell, the Transportation Department's Inspector General Calvin Scovel and Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, testified Wednesday. Scovel said in his written testimony that the changes that will take effect by July 2019 are in response to a 2015 report from his office that said the FAA needed to improve its oversight of the aircraft certification process when aspects of it are delegated to third parties, such as aircraft manufacturers like Boeing. A key issue of the hearing was how much scrutiny regulators gave the new design of the aircraft before signing off on it in March 2017. Investigators in the October crash of a Lion Air plane in Indonesia have indicated pilots were battling an automatic stall prevention system Boeing added to the jets before their debut. That program, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, repeatedly pushes the nose of the plane down if a sensor perceives the aircraft is in a stall. Elwell defended the role of private manufacturers in the certification of aircraft and said the FAA has "very strict oversight" over those third-parties. He said to do that job at the FAA, the agency would require about 10,000 more employees and $1.8 billion. Investigators have said they saw "clear similarities" between that crash, which killed 189 people, and that of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 that went down after takeoff on March 10, killing all 157 people on board. Pilots said they were not aware Boeing had added the system until after the Lion Air crash. The FAA did not mandate simulator training, and some pilots said they received an iPad training course of about an hour to transition from the older models of the Boeing 737 to the 737 Max. Elwell said the FAA granted Boeing an amended certificate for the 737 Max, because it was so similar to previous models and that a flight safety board of pilots from Europe, Canada and the U.S. did not recommend additional training for pilots to start flying the new model. Asked whether the investigation of the Lion Air crash would change how the FAA certifies aircraft, Elwell said: "Absolutely. That's how we get better." Boeing has changed the software to give pilots greater control, and the FAA expects to have a final version in the coming days, according to a person familiar with the matter. The agency needs to approve the program before it can be installed on aircraft. Boeing said it took a test flight with the new software along with the FAA on March 12, the day before the U.S. grounded the planes, and that that flight "demonstrated that the airplane, with the updated software, still meets certification requirements." Among the changes Boeing has made to the system are the use of two sensors that gauge the angle of attack the angle of the plane relative to oncoming air instead of one, and the limits on how many times the plane's nose will automatically tilt downward when MCAS is engaged. Boeing previously charged customers to add a feature in Boeing 737 Max cockpit displays that shows the plane's angle of attack and another that shows when the sensors disagree but said Wednesday it would make those displays complimentary. Customers who have already received 737 Max planes can retrofit the planes with that feature for free. "Not all customers wish to include this feature on their primary flight display, so it is offered as a customer-selected option," Boeing said in a statement. The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer outlined and demonstrate the changes to the 737 Max to pilots, airlines, regulators and media on Wednesday. "As the aerospace system and its components become increasingly more complex, we know that our oversight approach needs to evolve to ensure that the FAA remains the global leader in achieving aviation safety," Elwell said in prepared remarks. In prepared remarks, Elwell had said that the 737 Max will return to service "only when the FAA's analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate." Lawmakers have increased scrutiny on Boeing and the FAA following the two crashes. Late Tuesday, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urged the FAA to conduct a third-party review of the 737 Max. On Wednesday, the Department of Transportation's watchdog said it started auditing the FAA's certification of the plane, a process Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao requested last week. A Jeep Renegade 4x4 e is presented at the Geneva Motor Show March 5, 2019. Signage in the background says"'FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles," to which Jeep belongs. Shares of Fiat Chrysler climbed just over 3 percent Wednesday on talk of a merger with French carmaker Renault, but analysts are skeptical a marriage between the two companies is likely. The Financial Times reported Wednesday the automaker is a potential acquisition target by French carmaker Renault, after Renault sorts out its relationship with Nissan, the Japanese manufacturer with which Renault has had a longstanding but lately troubled alliance. But a merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler seems just a bit far-fetched, Bernstein analyst Max Warburton said in a research note Wednesday. "We've been asked to give a view, so here goes: this idea is half-baked, politically almost impossible to deliver and even if achieved, the resulting company would be unmanageable," Warburton said. "We hope it is a banker's fantasy rather than a serious proposal from the key decision makers." Renault and Nissan have lately had their relationship tested after Japanese authorities jailed the alliance's former leader Carlos Ghosn over allegations of financial misbehavior. But before going after Fiat Chrysler, Renault wants to restart talks of a merger with Nissan, the Financial Times reported. That is something Ghosn had reportedly been working on himself a few years ago, long before he was ousted from his position over accusations of financial misbehavior. Ghosn has denied all the accusations against him. Commerzbank analyst Demian Flowers said he thinks the ordeal will drag on. "Therefore, it's far from clear that the alliance can sort their internal disagreements out in time to be in the running for FCA," Flowers said of Fiat Chrysler. That at least one other automaker has expressed interest in acquiring Fiat Chrysler and that the company's controlling owners, the Agnelli family, seems interested in a deal suggests the automaker is a potential target, Flowers added. If the deal depends on Renault's merger with Nissan, it will be a lot tougher to pull off, he said. Warburton had even stronger words of skepticism for the hope that Renault and Nissan can reconcile their differences. The problems between Renault and Nissan do not stem directly from Ghosn himself, said Warburton, but from the wider French control at Japanese Nissan and Renault's "cadre of international 'citizen of nowhere' managers." "We live in an era of de-globalisation and heightened anxieties about national and regional identities," he said. "This applies to corporations as well as politicians and individuals. Proposing a merger with Nissan would be like demanding the UK's Brexiteers turn 180 degrees and sign up to a European superstate, or inviting the Baltic States to rejoin the USSR. We just can't see it happening. We'd describe hopes of a functional Renault-Nissan merger as delusional." Automotive history is littered with examples of mergers that have not worked out, he added. The alliance between Renault and Nissan, which Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi later joined, proved critics wrong and functioned largely because it was not a merger, but a loose alliance. Now even that has unraveled. That said, Renault would probably be a better candidate for a merger with Fiat Chrysler if the alliance breaks up, which seems more likely than a Renault-Nissan merger anyway, Warburton said. Alternatively, a merger between Fiat Chrysler and French automaker Groupe PSA, could be a better fit. "PSA may not bring electric tech or Asian exposure but it does come complete with a superstar CEO with a proven ability to lead, motivate and integrate," he said of Groupe PSA CEO Carlos Tavares. Groupe PSA owns Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and other carmakers. "And in this industry, that's probably worth more than a few million units more 'scale,' an extra nameplate or the ability to build a battery." People navigate with the electric boat SunWave catamaran, on the Mediterranean sea during the Les Nauticales boat show, on March 26, 2019 in La Ciotat. Green investing in marine-related activities such as sustainable fishing and ocean-based tourism is a "pretty exciting" opportunity, according to one Credit Suisse executive. "It's pretty exciting. If you calculate ... the oceans in an economic term, it is the seventh-largest GDP in the world ... It includes sustainable fisheries, it includes tourism that's based on (the) ocean and it includes all of the other investments that go into seventh-largest. So, people aren't really aware of that," said Marisa Drew, CEO of the impact advisory and finance department at the investment bank. Speaking to CNBC on Wednesday at the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong, she added: "We're seeing of course pollution issues, warming of the oceans ... overfishing, and our clients and investors really deeply care about trying to resolve some of these issues. So they're saying: 'How do I take this passion for the oceans and find an investible format?" The World Bank defines that so-called "Blue Economy" as "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health." Some examples include sustainable fisheries, maritime transport and better waste management. Another "great investment theme" would be green technology, into which "an enormous amount of investment" is going into, according to Drew. She cited China's ambitions to become the world's leader in green technology as well as Beijing declaring that the country was going to "ban petrol cars in a very defined period of time" in its move towards electric vehicles. "If you think about that, it's a market segment that gets created from zero to hundreds of billions in just a couple of years," Drew said. According to Drew, that kind of sustainable investing can serve as a safeguard for investors "A lot of our investors are actually looking at this as uncorrelated to general market cycles and increasingly also, in sustainable investing, what we're seeing is academic research coming out that shows if you have an (environmental, social and governance) strategy as an overlay to your investments, it actually dampens down volatility in times of market shocks," Drew said. That, she said, makes the sector "quite attractive to investors when they are seeing troubled times." A man watches Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on a local news channel in New Delhi on March 27, 2019. India on March 27 destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that puts the country in the space 'super league', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. WASHINGTON India joined an exclusive group of world powers with military space capabilities on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a successful anti-satellite missile test. Space is seen as a key military domain by the world's superpowers. While anti-satellite missiles are by no means new, only a few countries have been able to develop, test and prove the capability. Satellites make up the backbone of GPS, communications, intelligence and more making the ability to destroy spacecraft a coveted military strength. India's test, dubbed "Mission Shakti," was carried out by the Defense Research and Development Organization, or DRDO. the research and development arm of the country's military. Still, while simultaneously touting the military strength the test demonstrates, India declared that it is "against the weaponization of outer space," Shambhu Hakki, a spokesperson for the Indian Embassy in Washington, wrote in an email. "India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes," Hakki said. The latest revelations from India, however, come as the United States, China and Russia sprint to equip their arsenals with anti-satellite missiles. In October, CNBC learned that a never-before-seen missile photographed on a Russian MiG-31 interceptor is believed to be a mock-up of an anti-satellite weapon that will be ready for warfare by 2022. The Russian anti-satellite weapon, which is attached to a space launch vehicle, is expected to target communication and imagery satellites in low Earth orbit, according to one source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. For reference, the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope travel in low Earth orbit. Images of the mysterious missile on a modified Russian MiG-31, a supersonic near-space interceptor, appeared in mid-September. Italy's decision to be the first major European economy to join China's massive investment and infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), can only exacerbate tensions between Italy and its neighbors. On Saturday, President Xi Jinping and the Italian government signed a non-binding agreement for Italy to join China's trade route and inked a total of 29 deals worth 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) across an array of sectors. Italy hopes the project will boost its sluggish economy but the deal raised more than just eyebrows in Europe and the U.S. with officials criticizing the move. The BRI is something of a 21st century Silk Road with the sea and land route stretching from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and now into Europe with Italy being the first Group of Seven (G-7) country to sign up to the global infrastructure and development project. The "Memorandum of Understanding" signed by China and Italy shows that they intend to work together to develop Italy's transport, logistics and port infrastructure, strengthen financial cooperation and expand "two-way" and "unimpeded" trade and investment. China sees the BRI as a way to efficiently and easily export more of its goods to lucrative markets; its critics see the initiative as a vanity project that increases indebtedness among its participating countries. They also complain that the BRI gives Chinese companies unfettered access to other markets and economies, but that its own is still largely closed to foreign investment. At the heart of concerns is that the BRI is seen as a way for China to spread its geopolitical influence an acute concern for a Europe increasingly uncertain of its place in the world. Italy's anti-establishment coalition government has already clashed with Brussels over immigration and its spending plans. Its deal with China is likely to be another source of tension. Rory Green, a China and North Asia economist at TS Lombard, told CNBC Wednesday that the deal with Italy was "fantastic" for President Xi Jinping. "It's a really big coup for Xi Jinping and it will give him a foothold in the heart of Europe." "In terms of Italian-EU relations, it's going to add more strain to their relationship. From the Italian perspective, it shows they are willing to turn to an outside backer and that could be used to show the EU, and France and Germany in particular, that they have other friends they are willing to turn to." He also noted that the deal was likely to accelerate "an ongoing shift" in Europe's view of China as "a strategic competitor." Former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the First State Democratic Dinner in Dover, Delaware, on March 16, 2019. Joe Biden wants to declare whether he will run for president as late as Easter week, according to people familiar with the matter, and he plans to meet with top advisors next week to discuss how he would roll out a 2020 campaign. Biden and his confidants are slated to hold a series of meetings in Washington, D.C., where they will talk about the themes he would feature in a campaign announcement video, giving voters a preview of his platform, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plans. Biden, who ran for president in 1988 and 2008, would also launch a campaign from his home state of Delaware, this person added. A spokesman for Biden declined to comment. The former vice president and his advisors have discussed including infrastructure reform in his 2020 policy initiatives, CNBC first reported in March. An emphasis on infrastructure would give Biden an opportunity to directly challenge President Donald Trump on a key aspect of the president's "Make America Great Again" agenda. The Trump administration's infrastructure proposal, which suggested $200 billion in federal spending would trigger $1.5 trillion in investments, failed to gain traction in Congress when the Republican Party controlled both chambers. The meetings are the latest indication that Biden, who also represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate for more than three decades, is inching closer to a likely run for president in 2020. Biden generally leads polls of Democratic primary voters, ahead of Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kamala Harris of California. Still, people close to Biden warn that even as he says he is leaning toward running, he has not made a final decision on jumping into the crowded Democratic field. The latest development also comes after some skeptical Democratic financiers told Biden they will not back him in the early goings of the growing primary. The donors told Biden that they're not yet convinced he can overtake the younger, more diverse and progressive field, and that they are going to wait to see how he competes in the race, CNBC has reported. Meanwhile, Biden has been on what some have described as an apology tour. On Tuesday, he spoke at the Biden Courage Awards ceremony and addressed the way he handled interviewing Anita Hill during the 1991 Senate confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. "I wish I could have done something," he said. "To this day I regret I couldn't come up with a way to give her the kind of hearing she deserved." Fifty women are suing Salesforce, alleging the company profited by helping Backpage to engage in sex trafficking. The women, referred to only as anonymous Jane Does, identify themselves as survivors of sex trafficking, rape and abuse facilitated through Backpage. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Superior Court in San Francisco, paints a dark picture of Salesforce, which has long touted human rights and building technology for the greater good. CEO Marc Benioff has advocated for gender equality in the workplace and better services for the homeless. Shares of Salesforce fell nearly 4 percent Wednesday. The lawsuit claims: In public, including on Twitter, Salesforce boasted about fighting human trafficking using its data tools. But behind closed doors, Salesforce's data tools were actually providing the backbone of Backpage's exponential growth. Salesforce didn't just provide Backpage with a customer-ready version of its data and marketing tools. Salesforce designed and implemented a heavily customized enterprise database tailored for Backpage's operations, both locally and internationally. With Salesforce's guidance, Backpage was able to use Salesforce's tools to market to new "users" that is, pimps, johns, and traffickers on three continents. A Salesforce spokesperson said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation, but added: "We are deeply committed to the ethical and humane use of our products and take these allegations seriously." Salesforce markets customer acquisition and retention tools for businesses. It's one of San Francisco's largest software companies, with a market valuation above $120 billion. The lawsuit claims Salesforce built custom tools for Backpage, upselling the now-defunct website on higher-priced packages and additional services. "The evidence of Salesforce's liability is overwhelming and the damages that have been caused to the victims and our communities as a result are monumental," Annie McAdams, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "It's simply not enough to say fighting human trafficking is important. Internal policies and procedures have to reflect that commitment." Read the full lawsuit: Italy's former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he is lucky not to have had to work with President Donald Trump, telling CNBC that he preferred former President Barack Obama's style of leadership. "I'm a really lucky man because I worked with Barack Obama and not Donald Trump," Renzi, who was Italy's prime minister from early 2014 to late 2016, told CNBC's Hadley Gamble in an exclusive interview Wednesday. Obama's style involved people and countries, he said, mentioning some "very strong decisions" that were made about the coalition in the Middle East, specifically in Iraq. "But now with Trump, with a tweet (he announced) 'We've come back from Syria, from Iraq, from Afghanistan' with a tweet? This is the style? I think it's a problem," Renzi, a member and former leader of the center-left Democratic Party, said. Renzi's comments on Trump come at a time of tension between the U.S. and Europe as a whole, with Trump threatening to impose import tariffs on European cars. Trump would likely get along with Italy's current populist coalition government, however, which is made up of the right-wing Lega party which campaigned on an anti-immigration manifesto, and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement. "I believe President Trump has to understand the (U.S.'s) relationship with the EU is not in his hands. It's a historical relationship, it's a historical friendship so it's impossible to cancel it with a tweet," he said. A spokesperson for the White House wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. Demonstrators gather in front of a McDonald's restaurant to call for an increase in minimum wage on April 15, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. McDonald's will no longer take part in efforts to lobby against raising the minimum wage at the federal, state or local level, the fast-food giant told the National Restaurant Association Tuesday. Genna Gent, McDonald's vice president of U.S. government relations, said in a letter to the association that the company believes wage increases "should be phased in and that all industries should be treated the same way." "The conversation about wages is an important one; it's one we wish to advance, not impede," Gent wrote. The fast-food chain also stated that outlets owned by the company have an average starting wage that exceeds $10 per hour while franchisees pay "likely similar" wages in their own restaurants. A McDonald's spokeswoman declined to comment further to CNBC. Politico was the first to report the news of the letter. The move from McDonald's, one of the largest employers in the world, could boost House Democrats and their efforts to raise the minimum wage. Earlier this month, the House Committee on Education and Labor advanced a bill to raise the U.S. wage floor to $15 per hour by 2024. Currently, the minimum wage is $7.25. Still, the legislation has only a slim chance of becoming law. Republicans in the GOP-held Senate like their colleagues in the House will likely oppose it. The White House has also trashed the idea of hiking the federal wage floor. For its part, McDonald's has been mired in a suit over alleged labor violations by some of its franchisees, after they allegedly punished some of their employees who took part in protests to raise the minimum wage, Politico said. CNBC's Jacob Pramuk and Sarah Whitten contributed to this report. Palantir Technologies, a Silicon Valley data analytics company founded by Trump adviser Peter Thiel and with roots in the CIA-backed In-Q-Tel venture capital organization, has won a major Army contract worth up to $800 million, CNBC has confirmed. It's the first time the venture-backed company has been named a "defense program of record." Programs of record are essentially the biggest, multi-year projects awarded by the Pentagon. The contract would require Palantir to build an intelligence system to aid soldiers in remote environments, called an Army Distributed Common Ground System, known as a DCGS-A. It was previously reported by the Washington Post. Palantir, which has been rumored to be close to an initial public offering, beat out Raytheon, a more traditional defense contractor without Palantir's Silicon Valley roots, a departure for the Army in terms of its biggest contracts. "While we are disappointed in the Army's decision on this initial delivery order, it represents a relatively small number of systems. We will actively compete for future delivery orders as we continue to work closely with the Army to help them meet their intelligence needs," said Maureen Stevens, a Raytheon spokeswoman, via email. Stevens said Raytheon was awarded a DCGS-A 10-year contract last March, part of a "multiple delivery" plan by the Army. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to request for comment. The deal would dwarf Palantir's most recent government contracts, including a $222 million award in 2016 from the Department of Defense's Special Operations Command (SOCOM). That sole-source award was for a technology and logistics software and support project called "All-Source Information Fusion," meant to bring together intelligence and other information gathered by SOCOM, which oversees the special operations units of all branches of the U.S. military. Palantir's customers have included top-tier banks, government agencies, health-care firms and manufacturers in the automotive and aerospace industries. The company provides tools for visualizing and making use of huge swaths of data, using proprietary software. Financial industry analysts have been monitoring Palantir as an IPO candidate for 2019. Thiel co-founded Palantir in 2003, and was the company's largest shareholder at its last round of funding in 2015, which valued it at $20 billion. The iconoclastic tech investor is worth $2.5 billion according to Forbes, and earned his fortune as an early leader of PayPal and investor in Facebook, where he sits on the board of directors. He was a prominent supporter of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, and has advised the administration informally on technology and science since then. Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Google LLC, arrives to the White House for a meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. Google CEO Sundar Pichai will meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen. Joseph Dunford, on Wednesday after the military chief said the company is "indirectly benefiting the Chinese military" through its work there. "We watch with great concern when industry partners work in China knowing that there is that indirect benefit," Dunford told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee at a March 14 hearing. "The work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefiting the Chinese military." At an event last week, Dunford announced he had at least two meetings planned with Google. A source confirmed to CNBC that Dunford will meet with Pichai in D.C. on Wednesday. Google and a Department of Defense spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Google has slowly renewed its efforts in China after withdrawing its search service from the country in 2010 amid growing concern about censorship and cyberattacks. Lawmakers and Google employees were outraged when details for the company's plans for a censored search engine in China leaked and were reported by The Intercept. Tech employees working for Google and other giants like Microsoft have sparked internal backlash over their companies' decisions to provide work with the U.S. Defense Department, arguing they did not choose to develop products that could be used in warfare. Google employees protested a partnership with the Pentagon called Project Maven, which involved developing AI surveillance tools to analyze drone footage. The company told employees in June that it would not renew that contract. In October, Google dropped out of the competition for a different Pentagon cloud computing contract that could be worth $10 billion, saying the contract could conflict with its values. CNBC's Josh Lipton and Amanda Macias contributed to this report. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: Former Google CEO claims internet will split between U.S. & China The race is on for a "super app" for Southeast Asia as mobile-based e-commerce makes inroads in the region, experts say. "It's a race to be a super app in ASEAN," Varun Mittal, global emerging markets Fintech leader at consultancy EY, said during a panel discussion at the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday. He was referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional political and economic grouping. A super app allows users to access multiple services from a single mobile app, such as enabling them to make financial transactions, and order food or hail a ride. "Everyone is looking to payments as the first step to go into the rest of financial services," Mittal said, adding that "making money in payments alone is not a viable business." But to be successful, providers must focus on building trust and showing that what they offer improved livelihoods through connecting marginalized people to the broader economy, according to the panel discussions. Southeast Asia's internet economy is expected to be exceed $240 billion by 2025, according to a study released in November by Google and Singapore's Temasek Holdings. The report said that as mobile internet becomes more affordable, it will drive growth in sectors like ride-hailing and e-commerce. The region's internet economy was predicted to be about $72 billion by the end of last year, up 37 percent from a year earlier, as measured by gross merchandise value which is a key industry metric measuring total dollar value of merchandise sold online, the study said. Companies must show that the purpose of the data they are accumulating is not to "snatch information," Mittal stressed. "It's more of we're trying to help enable you, we want to help you become part of this economy, let's work together to help you succeed." BUCHAREST/LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - Almost every former Eastern Bloc country has suffered growing pains at some point over the last few decades. Romania's just seem to keep coming back. Fumbling attempts to bring in new bank, energy and telecoms taxes in recent months are the latest example of its struggle to assert itself as a fully functioning economy. Two years ago, growth outpaced nearly all its European peers, spurring hopes it was finally harnessing the potential of its 20 million population -- the second biggest in central Europe behind Poland -- and its own oil and gas reserves. But having been inflated by some potent fiscal stimulus, the expansion is now fading so fast again -- to 4 percent last year from 7 percent in 2017 -- that some analysts fear another boom and bust is playing out. Expectations are dimming that equity index provider MSCI might promote Romania to emerging market status alongside peers like Poland and the Czech Republic as soon as this year, which would draw money into its undersized financial markets. The IPO market is at a standstill and the new taxes worried S&P enough that it threatened to change Romania's credit rating outlook to negative. Bucharest averted that by promising to tweak the measures to preserve central bank independence. But the confusion has only added to a view that policymaking has become unpredictable. "The frequency of legislative changes has been increasing and often seems to come out of the blue," said Franklin Templeton's Romania CEO, Johan Meyer, who manages the Fondul Proprietatea fund which has stakes in a slew of state-owned firms. "Sometimes the decisions do get reversed or watered down, but at that point the reputational damage has been done." As the country gears up for four elections in 2019-20, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici had said the measures would help the economy "aggressively in the good way" by lowering borrowing costs and energy prices. A ROAD TO NOWHERE In the 12 years since it joined the European Union, Romania's per capita national output has doubled, to roughly 60 percent of the euro zone average, while record low unemployment led to double-digit average wage growth in the last four years. But income inequalities are among the bloc's highest. One-third of the population lives in poverty and millions lack sufficient access to healthcare and basic amenities like indoor plumbing. Its population is both shrinking and aging, while backsliding in the battle against chronic corruption has led to mass street protests. "Investor confidence is being eroded by persistent legislative instability, unpredictable decision-making, low institutional quality and the continued weakening of the fight against corruption," the European Commission said in February. And while Romania is up 16 places on the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index since joining the EU, Bulgaria, which also joined in 2007, has leapfrogged it. Poverty levels in EU interactive https://tmsnrt.rs/2UR8cEa This month, a businessman from northeastern Romania opened a one-metre-long motorway, built in a day and paid for by him, in protest at the state of the country's roads. Romania has only 800 kilometres of motorways, less than half that of Hungary even though it is more than double the size of its neighbour and has almost twice as many people. Just 75 kilometres have been built in the last three years and none go border-to-border despite years of government promises. Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu routinely uses roads to highlight poor infrastructure that impedes economic development. "Romania will be ready to join the euro when it has a motorway crossing the Carpathian mountains," he has said. Romania motorways interactive https://tmsnrt.rs/2Ol8Abt PATCHY IMPROVEMENTS A series of International Monetary Fund-led aid deals in 2009-2015 helped Romania shrink its budget and current account deficits, seen as a key weakness of the economy, and it won back its investment-grade rating in 2014. Its debt to debt-to-GDP is low, in line with the Czech Republic's at around 38 percent. But those twin deficits are rising again after tax cuts and wage and pensions hikes that have inflated consumption. The external shortfall was 4.7 percent of GDP in 2018, a decade high, although the government has kept the budget deficit under the EU's 3 percent ceiling by postponing investments. "Policies focused on raising public sector wages and pensions have widened imbalances and at some point their adjustment will be unavoidable," said the head of Romania's fiscal watchdog Ionut Dumitru. "The current account deficit is at a level that can no longer be ignored." PROMOTION PROSPECTS Its financial markets are lagging too. Bucharest's main stock market has only 16 companies and the tax changes have knocked banking and energy firms, leaving it with the lowest price-to-earnings ratio in the region. Privatisations of firms like power utility Hidroelectrica, which were supposed to broaden and deepen the market and help its prospects of an MSCI promotion, have not materialised. "They (Romania) are always remain on our radar screen. But so far it hasn't reached the market classification framework requirements," MSCI's Sebastien Lieblich said, citing the small number of listed stocks. Franklin Templeton's Meyer blames government foot-dragging and a system whereby company directors can serve for just a few months, so that turnover at board level can hamper the six-to-nine month process of preparing a firm for the stock market. He reckons up to five state-owned firms could easily be floated but sees none happening soon. "It is like any promotion," Meyer said of MSCI. "If you only do the bare minimum in your job you don't get it." (Reporting by Luiza Ilie in Bucharest and Marc Jones in London; Additional reporting by Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Catherine Evans) MILAN, March 27 (Reuters) - Italy's Economy Minister Giovanni Tria said on Wednesday he feared the ongoing economic slowdown at a global level could trigger a new financial crisis. "Everybody fears a financial crisis can translate into a global economic crisis My opinion is ... that the economic slowdown, especially if it were to worsen, could lead to a global financial crisis," Tria said at an event in China. (Writing by Alessia Pe, editing by Silvia Aloisi) * Renault aims to restart Nissan merger talks * French carmaker to then pursue bid for Fiat Chrysler * Nissan, Renault expected to revamp board (Adds details from FT report, response from Fiat Chrysler) March 27 (Reuters) - France's Renault SA intends to restart merger talks with Japan's Nissan Motor Co Ltd within 12 months, after which it will set sight on a bid to buy Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The plans signal a return to the strategies supported by former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn who held talks about merging Renault with Fiat Chrysler two to three years ago, the report, which cited sources familiar with the matter, said, adding the French government had opposed the move. Late last year, Ghosn was ousted as Nissan chair and arrested in Tokyo on financial misconduct charges of under-reporting his salary. Ghosn has said the charges were "meritless". The recent formation of a new alliance board led by Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard has led to an increase in confidence that the two parties can now push ahead with the merger plans, according to the FT report. Fiat Chrysler is also seeking a partnership or merger and the company is holding talks with rivals for a deal, the report said. Nissan and Renault are also expected to revamp their boards, with Renault reducing its board's size and Nissan adding majority outside directors, the report added. Nissan, Fiat Chrysler and Renault declined to comment on the FT report. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Gilles Guillaume in Paris and Naomi Tajitsu in Tokyo; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Gopakumar Warrier) Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House, after attending morning services, in Washington, Sunday, March 24, 2019. The federal grand jury that Robert Mueller was using is still working "robustly" even after the special counsel submitted his final report to the Justice Department, a prosecutor said at a court hearing Wednesday. The revelation means the panel could issue further indictments even as the special counsel's shop closes after two years of work. The grand jury in January indicted longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone on multiple charges. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington is now responsible for prosecuting Stone. The U.S. Attorney's Office and potentially other Justice Department prosecutors would be handling presentation of evidence to the grand jury and making subpoena requests in any other cases the panel continues to work on. Wednesday's hearing in Washington before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell dealt with a motion filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. That journalism advocacy group wants to have unsealed details of a case in which the grand jury, acting at Mueller's request, subpoenaed information last year from an unidentified foreign-owned company. The press group, which has long sought those details, is arguing there is even less reason for secrecy because Mueller has finished his investigation. The mysterious foreign-owned company, whose refusal to comply with the subpoena has left it owing contempt-of-court penalties believed to be in excess of $2 million, saw the Supreme Court on Monday reject its request to hear an appeal of lower court rulings upholding the demand for documents. Howell on Wednesday asked federal prosecutor David Goodhand if the grand jury had finished its investigation. "No," Goodhand answered. "I can say it's continuing robustly." Federal grand juries work in secret. Their actions typically come to light only when it issues charges in a case in the form of an indictment. Peter Carr, spokesman for the special counsel's office, declined to comment. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington had no immediate comment. Mueller, who was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and related issues, turned in his final report to Attorney General William Barr on Friday. The final report has not been publicly released. On Sunday, Barr, in a letter to top members of Congress, said Mueller's probe did not find sufficient evidence to establish that President Donald Trump obstructed justice in connection with the investigation, or that Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Barr also said that Mueller had not obtained any new indictments since that of Stone. There had been speculation that the special counsel would obtain sealed indictments from the grand jury that would later be revealed. Trump claimed the report was a "full exoneration" but it was not. Barr, in his letter, directly quoted Mueller as saying that, "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Mueller previously had used the grand jury to bring charges against multiple people connected to Trump, including Stone, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, former campaign and inaugural official Rick Gates and the president's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington is now handling remaining work in those and other cases Mueller had lodged. At Wednesday's hearing, attorneys for the unidentified foreign company told Howell the firm "had no interest" in being identified to the public. Howell did not make a decision Wednesday on the motion by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to unseal details about the subpoena, but said she will consider it. Clare Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram liquor fortune, fainted Wednesday in federal court in New York City after a judge asked if she was being secretly represented by embattled celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti in a case where she is charged with money laundering and identity theft involving the alleged sex-cult NXIVM. After Bronfman's fainting spell, it was revealed in open court that Avenatti had, in fact, last week met with federal prosecutors in Brooklyn about her case, according to a knowledgeable source. The details of that meeting were not disclosed. With him at that sitdown was a lawyer known to be representing Bronfman, fellow celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, who has been identified as an alleged co-conspirator of Avenatti's in a purported scheme to extort sneaker giant Nike, a prosecutor told the judge in the case. Geragos has not been criminally charged with Avenatti. Bronfman's apparent collapse in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn came two days after Avenatti was accused by federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Los Angeles of trying to extort Nike for up to $25 million, defrauding a client out of a legal settlement, and defrauding a bank by offering the lender bogus income tax returns. The hearing in Brooklyn was called to apprise Bronfman of the possible conflicts her lawyers would have in representing her in her own criminal case, given their potential legal exposure to the same Justice Department that is prosecuting her. While Geragos has filed an appearance in Bronfman's case as her lawyer, Avenatti has not despite meeting with prosecutors about her. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) holds a news conference to discuss the summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation at the U.S. Capitol March 25, 2019 in Washington, DC. Attorney General William Barr needs to follow a multistep redaction process before he can release additional details from Robert Mueller's report on the Russia probe, Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday. Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a close ally of President Donald Trump, also said that "everything" that doesn't threaten the law or national security will be revealed. But that may not be enough for Democratic lawmakers, who have demanded that Trump's recently appointed attorney general release the special counsel report in its entirety. Graham reportedly spoke with Barr and Trump on Tuesday night about the long-awaited report on Russia's election meddling and suspected Trump-campaign collusion during the 2016 campaign, as well as possible obstruction of justice by Trump. Barr's summary of the Mueller report said the special counsel cleared Trump and his campaign of collusion. Barr added, however, that Mueller did not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice, although the attorney general decided that the evidence was insufficient to charge the president. In a CNN interview Wednesday, Graham said Barr will first need to work through the report to remove information about Mueller's grand jury. Barr will then take that edited version to intelligence community officials and will also talk with prosecutors about further redactions. "When he does that, which will take some weeks not months, he'll turn it over to the Senate and the House and he'll come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and he'll tell us about it," said Graham, R-S.C. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to confirm Graham's description of Barr's redaction process. Graham said that the redacted report will likely come "sometime in April." "I have no idea how much grand jury material is there," Graham said. "Here's what I do know: You'll get everything that doesn't compromise national security or violate the law." Graham also said Trump has no plans to invoke executive privilege before Mueller's report is released to Congress. Trump said to "just release it," Graham told CNN. CNN TWEET Members of both parties had called on the Justice Department to publicly release as much of the special counsel's report as possible. Shortly after the report was delivered by Mueller on Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement that Barr should release it along with its "underlying documentation." "Attorney General Barr must not give President Trump, his lawyers or his staff any 'sneak preview' of Special Counsel Mueller's findings or evidence, and the White House must not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts of those findings or evidence are made public," the Democratic leaders said. Less than two weeks earlier, a nonbinding resolution to release the Russia report passed unanimously in the House, 420-0. But for the second time this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blocked a similar resolution introduced in the Senate by Democrats. In a four-page summary sent Sunday, Barr wrote that Mueller's final report "did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated" with Russia. Trump and his political allies saw that conclusion as an unqualified victory that lends credence to the president's long-asserted refrain of "no collusion." Mueller also made no determination on whether Trump himself obstructed justice, according to the summary. But Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who received Mueller's report on Friday and reviewed it over the weekend, concluded that the special counsel's evidence was "not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense." President Donald Trump met Wednesday with Google CEO Sundar Pichai about "political fairness" on the platform and the company's dealings in China. "Meeting ended very well!" Trump said in a tweet. ....Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well! A source familiar with the meetings tells CNBC the visit was long-planned as part of Pichai's commitment to engage more with the federal government after appearing before Congress last December. Pichai was accompanied by Google's head of government relations, Karan Bhatia, and met with dozens of people in the administration and Congress on a range of topics, including privacy legislation and trade. "We were pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. Google has reportedly been planning a censored search engine that would comply with the Chinese government's strict laws for internet use. The Intercept reported Wednesday that the company is conducting a highly secretive internal performance review of the project, code-named Dragonfly. The meeting appears to be a positive step for the Google executive, who has drawn criticism from Republican lawmakers for what they claim is political bias across Google's platforms. Trump previously said the company, along with Facebook and Twitter, was "treading on very, very troubled territory." Pichai declined to appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in September, leaving only an empty chair to sit alongside Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Pichai ended up testifying in December of last year. The meetings in Washington this week could make some necessary amends. A group of state attorneys general, charged by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to review antitrust concerns among Big Tech, have reportedly focused their efforts on Google in particular. CNBC's Lauren Feiner and M.C. Wellons contributed to this report. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Walgreens will sell CBD creams, patches and sprays in nearly 1,500 stores in select states, the company told CNBC on Wednesday. The drugstore chain will sell the cannabis-based products in Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vermont, South Carolina, Illinois and Indiana. Walgreens declined to specify which brands it would carry. "This product offering is in line with our efforts to provide a wider range of accessible health and wellbeing products and services to best meet the needs and preferences of our customers," Walgreens spokesman Brian Faith said in an email to CNBC. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson discussed what banking will look like in a world with 5G technology at the FinTech Ideas Festival Wednesday. Telecom companies have been racing to ready their services for 5G, which will offer faster data speeds compared to today's 4G LTE service. AT&T has been accused of jumping the gun in advertising the "5G Evolution," according to a lawsuit filed by Sprint last month. The complaint sought to prevent AT&T from using any variation on 5G like "5G E" in promoting its current wireless network offerings. At the time, Stephenson told CNBC's "Squawk Box," "We feel very comfortable with how we've characterized the new service that we're launching." Wednesday's talk focused specifically on how 5G will change the world of banking and financial technology. Several reports suggest 5G will help financial institutions speed up transaction times, among other benefits. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: 5G will change your phone and your world [The stream is slated to start at 6:45 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan and Mastercard CEO Ajaypal Banga are set to discuss the future of finance at the Fintech Ideas Festival in San Francisco Wednesday. The conversation will be moderated by "Squawk Box" co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin. Wells Fargo's Sloan took over as CEO in October 2016, guiding the bank through the aftermath of sales scandals that have resulted in more than $2 billion in fines, and growth restrictions imposed by the Federal Reserve. Banga has led Mastercard as CEO since 2010. This week, the payment processor announced it was a partner in the new Apple credit card. Mastercard also announced this week that it would invest almost $300 million in the London initial public offering of Dubai-based payments processor Network International. Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Will May name a resignation date to get her deal through? Theresa May will be urged by her own MPs to name the date of her departure on Wednesday as the price of getting her Brexit deal through Parliament. The Prime Minister will attend a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs where she will be pressed to announce she will be gone by the autumn. In return, a lot of Brexiteers would drop their opposition to her Brexit deal, giving her until Friday night to get it agreed before a deadline set by the EU. Eleven Tory MPs who previously voted against the deal have signalled they are prepared to switch sides, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the ERG group of Tory Brexiteers, who said the deal was definitely not worse than remaining in the EU. Daily Telegraph MPs urge her to announce it at the 1922 Committee this evening The Sun Prime Minister on the brink of naming a date Daily Mail Downing Street asked rebels if resignation would work The Guardian Election: Voters back Tories but desert May The Times SNPs Westminster leader would relish snap poll The Scotsman Comment: Tories would be mad to risk an election now Daniel Finkelstein, The Times Rees-Mogg switches The choice seems to be Mrs Mays deal or no Brexit, Mr Rees-Mogg said on Twitter ahead of a likely third House of Commons vote on the agreement this week. His group contributed heavily to the deals overwhelming defeats in two previous Commons votes this year. Is this deal worse than not leaving? he added in a podcast recorded for the ConservativeHome website. No, definitely not. If we take this deal we are legally out of the EU It restores our independence. Mr Rees-Mogg has in the past attacked the deal for potentially reducing Britain to a slave state because of the so-called backstop, a measure that could indefinitely yoke the UK to a customs union with Brussels. FT Fearful Brexiteers swing behind deal The Times Brexiteers left with only two choices Daily Express >Yesterday: Audio: The Moggcast. Deal-or-No-Brexit becomes the choice eventuallyMays deal is better than not leaving at all and will Johnson do likewise? Ex-Mayor widens breach in Eurosceptic ranks FT May nears shock victory as rivals back down Daily Express Boris Johnson signalled he is edging closer to backing Theresa Mays Brexit deal after months of slamming it. The ex-Foreign Secretary said he could see the point of view of Tory Brexiteers who are rowing in behind the PMs deal. But his comments were met with fury from Brexit-backing members of the audience at his speech in London. One angry member of the crowd shouted that he was going soft on Brexit. But Mr Johnson hit back, telling The Daily Telegraph event: Someone is shouting at me I am defeatist. Im not! He accused the EU of wanting to administer a punishment beating to the UK. He also warned that in some ways Mrs Mays deal is worse than staying in the EU, telling the event: Why would you leave a club to be run by its members? The Sun Ulster: DUP spokesman backs one-year delay over Mays deal The Guardian Prime Minister warns border chaos could lead to loss of Province Daily Mail Jacob Rees-Mogg: I apologise for changing my mind, but heres why I apologise for changing my mind. Theresa Mays deal is a bad one, it does not deliver on the promises made in the Tory Party manifesto and its negotiation was a failure of statesmanship. A 39 billion bill for nothing, a minimum of 21 months of vassalage, the continued involvement of the European Court and, worst of all, a backstop with no end date. Yet, I am now willing to support it if the Democratic Unionist Party does, and by doing so will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others. I have come to this view because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced. Daily Mail The peoples day of jubilation has been hijacked by pirates Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph We wont be bullied into backing this toxic deal Sammy Wilson, Daily Telegraph >Today: ToryDiary: Our view of Mays deal Indicative votes today risk exists when it comes to Brexit. MPs have already voted against no deal. But if they vote against all the other options, the result is that the UK leaves with no deal on April 12, he says. The Times How the process will work FT The pros and cons of each of the options Daily Telegraph Farage reveals surprising best option Daily Express The closest precedent for todays procedural adventure is from 2003, when Tony Blairs government sought to break a deadlock on reforming the House of Lords by asking MPs to vote on five options. All five motions were defeated, including one to leave the Lords untouched. MPs backed several contradictory outcomes and the upper chamber remains unchanged. As Iain McLean, professor of politics at Nuffield College, Oxford, writes in Red Box today, the same Northern Ireland: Stay in Single Market and lose British Summer Time The Times Time zone split between Northern Ireland and Republic possible, warns UUP News Letter More: >Today: Chris White in Comment: A guide to todays indicative votes and their significance, as the legislature seizes power from the executive >Yesterday: Greg Hands: Why a customs union is the worst choice for MPs MPs risk voting away their own influence over a big part of UK economic policy its trade policy. Being in a customs union with the EU is a serious loss of UK sovereignty. And this is not just a theoretical concept. I believe that, over time, this would be democratically unsustainable, for the worlds fifth biggest economy to have its trade policy set by others, and without a seat at the table. I believe it was Senator Elizabeth Warren who coined the phrase, if you dont have a seat at the table, youre probably on the menu. Nowhere is this truer than in trade policy. Today, MPs should think about the customs union option, and vote to reject it. Times Red Box Boles Norway plan is the worst of all worlds David Davis, Daily Telegraph For the sake of democracy, todays votes must be properly cast Iain McLean, Times Red Box Lets hope MPs see off the unicorns Anand Menon, The Guardian The delusion of taking back control Martin Wolf, FT Editorial: Never Norway The Times >Today: Robert Halfon MPs column: Mythbusting Common Market 2.0 >Yesterday: Neva Sadikoglu-Novaky in Comment: Leaving the EU is an opportunity for greater localism, and to adapt our laws to suit our interests Will the Conservatives be whipped? T May urged to suspend MPs who defy her The Sun as she struggles to fill fifteen places in her Government The Times Cameron privately urges MPs to push May towards a soft Brexit The Sun heresa May was warned by Remain members of her Cabinet that she will face mass-resignations by junior ministers if she attempts to whip votes that could lead to a softer Brexit. Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark all argued in Cabinet that there must be free votes on alternative Brexit options on Wednesday, including on membership of a Customs Union, revoking Article 50 and a second referendum. One Cabinet source said there will be carnage if the Prime Minister denies ministers free votes, with around 20 ministers prepared to quit. There wont be a junior Remain minister left in Government, the source said. Cabinet ministers, however, are not expected to resign over the move. How many Tory MPs will rebel against voting for extension? Daily Telegraph Labour: Corbyn prepared to whip for the softest of Brexits The Times and could back Common Market 2.0 The Guardian Comment: The rage on both sides has to end Sarah Vine, Daily Mail MPs must smash the party system to see off this disaster Rafael Behr, The Guardian >Yesterday: Who is Letwin, the man behind the coup? In the tabloid press he was known as the hapless minister who left documents in a park bin, posed in a toga and let a burglar into his home at 3am. Now, however, Oliver Letwin has emerged as the driving force in a parallel government of UK MPs drawing up plans for an alternative Brexit. But some Tory colleagues see Sir Oliver as the figurehead for an understated, very British coup. Our Prime Minister in name only waits for our Prime Minister in all but name namely, Oliver Letwin, Paul Goodman, editor of the ConservativeHome website, wrote on Tuesday, before warning of challenges ahead for Sir Oliver. Today, he sits triumphantly astride the Commons tiger. Tomorrow, for all he or anyone else knows, it could shrug him off and devour him. FT The error-prone polymath who kept Camerons trust The Times He claims to have a solution to every crisis but rarely does Daily Telegraph Comment: Loony Letwin could wreck Brexit Quentin Letts, The Sun How did the bungling architect of the Poll Tax get this far? Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail Brexit-hating minority determined to impose its views Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph Editorial: MPs have put the country in the hands of a most blunder-prone MP The Sun >Yesterday: Halfon calls for stop-and-search to extend to schools Bercow forced to apologise for insulting Hands Stop and search could be used in schools as a way to help clamp down on knife crime, the chair of the education select committee has suggested. The Conservative MP Robert Halfon was speaking ahead of a committee hearing that has been called to look at whether there is a link between the rise in school exclusions and an increase in the number of stabbings. Halfon said he accepted there were different views on stop and search, but he wanted to hear evidence from experts on whether it could play a role in the fight against knife crime. I think possibly in schools where theres trouble you probably need to do it, he said. I want to hear the evidence. The Guardian John Bercow has apologised after telling a former minister that he wasnt a very good whip. On Monday the Speaker told Greg Hands, a Conservative MP: I do not require any help from the right honourable member, who would not have the foggiest idea where to start. He was once a whip he wasnt a very good whip. It would be better if he could keep quiet. That is the reality of the matter. There were cries of withdraw and outrageous from the Tory benches, and several MPs raised complaints with the Speaker Mr Hands was defended by Anna Soubry, a member of the Independent Group, who said that he was a rather good whip [who] resigned on a point of principle. The Times Ex-Watson staffer accuses Labour of racism Trumps envoy brands Oppositions treatment of Jews a disgrace The Times News in Brief: Tragic ERG moving too late to save Mays deal Iain Martin, Reaction Parliaments authority should not trump the referendum David Davis, Brexit Central The case for the backstop is unravelling Owen Polley, CapX Why Theresa May cant ignore the result of the indicative votes Robert Peston, The Spectator The Lib Dems must become the standard-bearers for freedom Andy Briggs, 1828 A former political adviser to Tom Watson, Labours deputy leader, is taking the party to an employment tribunal alleging racial discrimination, saying she was treated less favourably as the only black person on the team. Sarah Goulbourne had a complaint accepted at the Central London employment tribunal, in which she accuses Alicia Kennedy, a member of the deputy Labour leaders office, of racial discrimination, harassment and bullying. Goulbourne lost her job in Watsons office in 2018 when Labour party headquarters cut funding for his staff, with seven employees leaving in total. Six other employees who were white either took voluntary redundancy or were not replaced, and Goulbourne was made redundant. The Guardian Chris White was Special Adviser to Patrick McLoughlin, when the latter served as Chief Whip, as well as to Andrew Lansley and William Hague when each served as Leader of the House. He is now Managing Director of Newington Communications. Yesterday, Andrea Leadsom gave an Emergency Business Statement outlining changes to the weeks business, and Oliver Letwin sent out an email to MPs saying that he will be tabling an amendable business motion setting out the rules for todays indicative votes debate. The Leader of the House was being scrutinised at the Despatch Box about matters that are not in her control, whilst the MP in control of todays debate was not. The creation of this shadow executive is both fascinating and troubling. What has happened? On Monday night, the Commons voted to pass an amendment tabled by Letwin. For over a hundred years, the Commons has enshrined in its Standing Orders that government business shall have precedence at every sitting. Instead, the Letwin amendment ensures that there will be a series of indicative votes on Wednesday, subject to the passing of a business motion that specifies how the debate will work. How will the process work? MPs will now have the space to debate and express their view on what the UKs exit from the EU should look like. They will get a ballot paper, which could include the following options: Revoking Article 50. The Prime Ministers deal. Canada style free trade agreement. Customs Union and Single Market. Common Market 2.0. Norway style close partnership with the EU. No Deal. Second referendum. MPs will get to vote on all the options at once with a simple yes and no, rather than a ranking system, or a series of run offs. It is unclear whether or not these will be free votes. Importantly, the Speaker will decide which options go on the ballot paper. Given the timing of the debate, he will have to decide, prior to MPs agreeing its terms, which options should be listed. The result will be declared on Wednesday after 90 minutes of counting, during which the Government will be permitted to debate its SI on extending Article 50, in order to tidy up the UK statute book and bring it into line with the already amended International law. What will happen next? It looks as though todays votes will be used to narrow down the options, before a further debate next Monday (assuming that a Third Meaningful Vote hasnt been carried by then), since the motion captures time for further debate. If there is a majority for one of the options, what will the Government do? Theresa May said during her statement to the Commons on Monday that I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by the House. This presages an extraordinary situation in which the House may vote for, say, Common Market 2.0 or a Norway-style partnership, but the Prime Minister declines to implement it as it is incompatible with Government policy. This would then leave the House with a few options. Contempt of Parliament : Undoubtedly, the Government would then be found in contempt of Parliament, with May hauled before the House to explain why she is refusing to implement the will of the House. This would make for stormy proceedings, but it is unclear what penalties the House could impose, and it could not through motions bind the Government to follow its instructions: remember, only legislation is binding. : Undoubtedly, the Government would then be found in contempt of Parliament, with May hauled before the House to explain why she is refusing to implement the will of the House. This would make for stormy proceedings, but it is unclear what penalties the House could impose, and it could not through motions bind the Government to follow its instructions: remember, only legislation is binding. No confidence motion in the Government : The Ho use could vote on another no-confidence motion in the Government. However, it is unlikely that the arithmetic has changed that much in the intervening weeks since the last one: Conservative MPs dont want an election, and even that new force, the Independent Group, doesnt want one either, and has said so publicly. use could vote on another no-confidence motion in the Government. However, it is unlikely that the arithmetic has changed that much in the intervening weeks since the last one: Conservative MPs dont want an election, and even that new force, the Independent Group, doesnt want one either, and has said so publicly. Meaningful Vote 3 : Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Fabricant, Rehman Chishti and a handful of others have now said that they are prepared to vote for the Prime Ministers deal rather than see the prospect of any form of Brexit slip between their fingers. Other Conservative MPs, such as Mark Francois, have taken an over my dead body view, and still refuse to support it. The DUP may be in the balance. Regardless, there would need to be a majority in the House in the first place to ensure that the Government can get around the Speakers ruling that the Commons cannot consider an identical motion again. The EU has also said that the extension until May 22 is contingent on the Commons approving the Withdrawal Agreement this week otherwise the extension will be limited until April 12 for the UK to provide an alternative way forward. If my reading of this is correct, next week could be too late for a third go at the Meaningful Vote. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Fabricant, Rehman Chishti and a handful of others have now said that they are prepared to vote for the Prime Ministers deal rather than see the prospect of any form of Brexit slip between their fingers. Other Conservative MPs, such as Mark Francois, have taken an over my dead body view, and still refuse to support it. The DUP may be in the balance. Regardless, there would need to be a majority in the House in the first place to ensure that the Government can get around the Speakers ruling that the Commons cannot consider an identical motion again. The EU has also said that the extension until May 22 is contingent on the Commons approving the Withdrawal Agreement this week otherwise the extension will be limited until April 12 for the UK to provide an alternative way forward. If my reading of this is correct, next week could be too late for a third go at the Meaningful Vote. MPs take more control: The legal default under international and EU law is that the UK will leave the EU without a deal on April 12, or has until May 22 if it passes the Withdrawal Agreement. With the prospect of No Deal getting closer, it may be that MPs decide to pass legislation to compel the Government to follow a particular course of action. As above, the Business Motion as tabled at 4pm yesterday states that, if successfully passed today, Monday April 1st will be available for MPs to use should they need it. Currently, there is no clarity over what that date is to be used for. It could be either to further refine the outcome of todays indicative votes, or to push through legislation on a preferred option. Conclusion This week has seen Parliament grab control, overturning 140 years of Government precedence, and has serious implications for the practices of responsible government. However, it is important to point out that MPs have the right to amend their procedures and Standing Orders, and a majority in the House has consented to do this. We are here because the Government and the Prime Minister are being buffeted on the Brexit high seas, first swept one way by the DUP and the ERG, then pulled the other by the Opposition and pro-Remain Conservative rebels. Without a majority in the Commons, and with no majority for either no-deal or the existing deal, the Commons was always likely to take this step and this is potentially the first to removing even more executive power from the Government. It would have been far better for the Government to accept the Letwin amendment, or provide government time to work with the House, simply to ensure that government precedence at every sitting continues. The implications of what is happebing are important to understand. On Brexit, the Government is now effectively in power but not in control, no longer able to table its own motions and schedule its own business. Failing to co-operate with the House has dramatically limited the Governments room for manoeuvre, and leaves Ministers now as prisoners of the House. Yet whilst there is now a majority in the House to hold indicative votes, it is questionable whether there a stable majority to pass legislation, and whether the House can come to a view on a preferred option. Robert Halfon is MP for Harlow, a former Conservative Party Deputy Chairman, Chair of the Education Select Committee and President of Conservative Workers and Trade Unionists. In 2003, in her book Statecraft, Margeret Thatcher set out the case for EFTA. Her comments follow a long line of British tradition and strong Conservative support going back to Macmillan in 1959. Its worth reminding ourselves of what Margaret Thatcher said: In 1992, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein that is the remaining EFTA countries, bar Switzerland concluded negotiations with the EU which established a European Economic Area (EEA). These countries now enjoy free trade with the European Union They also enjoy the unhindered access guaranteed by the operation of the European Single Market. But they remain outside the customs union, the CAP, the CFP, the common foreign and security policy and the rest of the legal/bureaucratic tangle of EU institutions. So far from being alien to the British tradition, EFTA is very much a Conservative construct. Thats why, it is important to set the record straight. Myth No. 1: There is no control on Freedom of Movement As an EFTA member, we would have significantly more control over immigration. Article 112 of the EEA Agreement sets out important safeguards that would allow Britain to unilaterally take appropriate measures in the event of serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties. More generally, Article 28(3) says that limitations can be applied on grounds of public policy, security or health. These are precisely the powers David Cameron tried and failed to obtain from the EU in his renegotiation in 2016. They would allow us to restrict freedom of movement if numbers were to reach unacceptably high levels. Myth No. 2: We would be rule-takers, not rule-makers The fact is that, yes, EFTA states have access to the Single Market; however, they enjoy the option to delay, adapt or derogate from any Single Market law or Directive, sitting on the EEA Joint Committee. Moreover, any decision to incorporate law must be unanimous. Norway and Iceland, alone, have derogated from EU law on more than 400 occasions between them. And its worth noting that less than a third of EU Directives affect the EEA in the first place. The much more collaborative role we would have in the law-making process has value for the City too, as Bim Afolami wrote for the Financial Times. An end to the Direct Effect of EU law means we would have a genuine right of refusal to implement EEA law. In 2011, for example, Norway declined to implement the Third Postal Service Directive. Common Market 2.0 is good for our economy, as George Trefgarne states: For those who care about economic growth, the EEA is the best way out of the Brexit impasse. Not only would it deliver certainty and sovereign legislative flexibility, it would allow business investment and market activity to recover. Myth No. 3: The EFTA court shadows the ECJ Closely linked to the assumption that we would become rule-takers, is the idea that the EFTA Court is shadowing the ECJ, as one Brexiteer recently Tweeted. But, the EFTA court is a wholly separate and independent court with separate and independent jurisdiction. Adrian Yalland explains: Importantly, the EFTA court is only obliged to have regard to ECJ case law and is not in any way obliged to follow those decisions, thus maintaining absolutely its independence in the same way as Scottish courts are independent of English courts even when considering UK-wide legislation (such as human rights law). In fact, the EFTA court regularly departs from EU decisions (for example, Gunnarsson v Iceland). That means we escape the ever closer union and the EUs core principle of Direct Effect. Moreover, as a guidance court, its decisions are non-binding on our domestic courts. No longer would we be forced to follow the convoluted, and often contradictory, case law of the ECJ. Whats more, the UK would have far better representation in the judiciary, with 1 of 4 of the EFTA court judges, as opposed to 1 of 28 ECJ judges. Myth No. 4: We will be in a permanent Customs Union As we make clear in our pamphlet, a customs arrangement is temporary until alternative arrangements can be agreed: The UK will negotiate its entry into a comprehensive customs arrangement, with the EU, including the common external tariff unless and until alternative arrangements to secure frictionless trade and avoid a hard border in Ireland can be agreed. According to Michel Barnier, a Norway-style deal is the only frictionless model for UK-EU trade because it is founded in institutions and procedures which already exist. The EEA has already created the legal structures to make this work in its Protocols. The same point the institutions, procedures and structures already exist means also that Common Market 2.0 is likely to be the fastest route to Brexit. We would be mistaken to believe that a permanent customs union is necessary for a border without infrastructure in Ireland. Borders without infrastructure exist all across the EU. Norway and Sweden, for example, share the EUs longest land border and their away-from-the-border, hi-tech enforcement arrangements have resulted in smooth, cross-border customs operations. Common Market 2.0 is actually preferable for the backstop because the EEA Agreement states clearly that any country can exit the EEA at 12 months notice. This is important because the vast majority of the Irish border issues are Single Market alignment issues, whereas only a small minority are customs related. Therefore, whatever is agreed between the UK and the EU around Customs, the UK would have the ability to create a hard border if the EU was not fulfilling its promises to help us find technological solutions. This would change the dynamics in future negotiations by increasing our leverage, restoring the balance between the UK and the EU. Myth No. 5: There would be no trade deals EFTA states have the power to do their own trade deals, outside of the EU. They have 27 deals with 43 other countries. Once we are out of the temporary customs arrangement, we would be able to make trade deals with the rest of the world. As our pamphlet states: Although it is true that initially we would apply the EUs common external tariff, a Common Market 2.0 deal makes an agreement on alternative arrangements much more likely, which would allow us to make these new trade deals around the world. This is because membership of the Single Market will eliminate the need for most checks at the Irish border as our regulations will be identical or equivalent. Myth No. 6: We would continue making big payments to the EU Under Common Market 2.0, we would take back control of budgetary contributions from the EU, ensuring more money for our public services at home. It is broadly stated that the UK would pay around 64% of our current contribution to EU budgets as an EFTA State, but in actual fact, it could be much lower than that some estimates put it at 3-5 billion. Our contributions to the EU would be based on which joint programmes, schemes and agencies we wished to participate in, and, under the voluntary, goodwill EEA Grants Scheme, any contribution per head would be calculated on our GDP per capita which is much smaller than Norways. Myth No. 7: EFTA is not Eurosceptic In the past, many principal Eurosceptics have advocated EFTA: Failing to consider EFTA has been our single worst mistake over the past two years (Dan Hannan, Twitter, January 2019) Increasingly the Norway option looks the best for the UK (Aaron Banks, Twitter, 2015) I have a full set of European Journals, from the days I interned for Sir Bill Cash, which include passionate articles arguing that Britain should have the same relationship with the EU as Norway now anathema to some Eurosceptics. (Matthew Elliot, The Sunday Times, 17 March 2019) Wouldnt it be terrible if we were like Norway and Switzerland? Really? Theyre rich. Theyre happy. Theyre self-governing. (Nigel Farage, BBC Question Time, 17 January 2013) If we got it right, we could negotiate a generous exit, securing EFTA style access to the Common Market. (Boris Johnson, Speech to Bloomberg, 2014) Common Market 2.0 isnt a soft Brexit, its a strong Brexit. To reiterate, we would be out of the EUs political institutions, the jurisdiction of the ECJ, the common agricultural and fisheries policies and the EUs drive towards ever closer union. We would increase our power to control freedom of movement, our laws and finances, deliver on the referendum result and we would also be part of an alliance of prosperous democracies. The committee corridor was not as packed as the night Margaret Thatcher lost, but was still pretty thronged for Theresa Mays speech to the 22. She arrived at eight minutes past five and went silently into the room, followed by Gavin Barwell, Stephen Parkinson and other Number Ten aides. A great banging on desks could be heard by the hundred or so journalists waiting in the corridor, and for some time that was all we had to go on. Was it possible to detect, in this solid applause, a note of guilt? Committee Room 14, which is much larger than it sounds, was nevertheless not large enough to accommodate every Tory who had turned out. A large contingent of Conservative peers arrived early, making it difficult for those MPs who cut it a bit fine. Rory Stewart could be found strolling with a smile from door to door there are several entrances to this lofty chamber without getting in. Here was a man who had walked from one side of Afghanistan to the other, who could not get into a committee room at Westminster. He talked instead to the tribesmen of the press, winning their trust by using their own language, building a relationship with people whom many travellers regard with fear and loathing. And then Stewart was no longer with us. He had slipped through one of the heavy wooden doors. David Lloyd George, painted by Philip de Laszlo, gazed down from one of the walls. He was overthrown by Tory MPs in 1922. In the end, Tory MPs overthrow almost everyone who leads them. Only Stanley Baldwin and Lord Salisbury managed to leave at a time of their own choosing. At 17.24 there came a burst of such thunderous banging that it sounded like a subway train passing overhead on the New York elevated railway. The PM must have finished speaking. And then one or two MPs started to emerge. They had not stayed for the questions, but brought news to the waiting press that she will not stay in post for the next phase of the negotiations. Shell go earlier than she intended as long as she gets her deal through, one of them said. Ive never heard the 1922 so silent, another reported. She warned us that if the deal doesnt go through, well have Corbyn in power, a third said. Glorious, a friend of mine on the Tory benches summed up. Every word a gem. Every egg a bird. If he thought to mock my ignorance, he was too late. Everyone in the corridor knew the PM had said she will go sooner than she wanted, though we also knew she had not set a date. And no one, whether crammed into Committee Room 14 or loitering in the long, hot corridor outside, could tell whether her condition for going that the deal goes through is actually going to be achieved. What a pity the American ambassador, Woody Johnson, who watched Prime Ministers Questions from the Gallery, did not stay for the subsequent business, when Sir Oliver Letwin defended our ancient liberties while taking numerous objections to his plan for indicative votes, and Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House, refused to take any interventions at all. Even by her own high standard of cloth-eared rudeness, Leadsoms behaviour was atrocious. Kenneth Clarke rose during her speech. He had just made a number of short, lucid interventions while Letwin was speaking. Letwin had remarked that Clarke is not only Father of the House, having belonged to it since 1970, but a former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lord Chancellor, to name but two of his Cabinet offices, so could cast more light than anyone else present on whether anything like todays seizure by the Commons of control of the Order Paper has taken place within living memory. When a great constitutional question is about to be decided, and when the Prime Minister is attempting (as every Conservative leader since 1846 has somehow managed to do) to preserve her party intact, it would evidently be courteous to hear what Clarke has to say, and it would without doubt be prudent too. Leadsom entered the Commons in 2010 and before becoming Leader of the House served for 11 months as Environment Secretary. Here too are reasons why she might think it reasonable to take interventions from those who have served for longer. And she must have noticed how Jeremy Corbyns refusal, the other day, to take interventions, made him look rude, weak, touchy, defensive, and impervious to any argument with which he happens to disagree, especially when made from his side of the House. Corbyns behaviour has prompted a number of Labour backbenchers to resign from his party. Leadsom would not take Clarkes intervention. She would not take any interventions. This was unbelievably stupid of her as well as unbelievably rude. It made her look like the representative of a Government which still has no intention of engaging with what MPs think, and just wants them to do as they are told. She was followed by Valerie Vaz, the Shadow Leader of the House, who naturally allowed Clarke to intervene. He proceeded to remark that the Prime Minister had said the Government would allow time for indicative votes, and had this happened, the Letwin initiative would not have been required, a point Letwin confirmed by nodding. In the course of his own speech, Letwin confirmed that he intends to vote for the Governments Brexit deal however often it comes back to the Commons, and repeated his claim that he is not a revolutionary. This is true, except that British and American revolutionaries often declare themselves to be conservatives, who in 1688 and 1776 were intent on preserving ancient liberties against an overweening executive. Letwins tone was polite, friendly, well-informed, consensual, self-mocking. Unlike Leadsom, he wanted to make it as easy as he could for MPs from both sides of the House to agree with him. He took interventions from John Redwood, Peter Bone, Jacob Rees-Mogg and a number of other Eurosceptics who profoundly disagree with him. In exchanges with Rees-Mogg, he touched on the origins of Parliament, and its insistence on its right to control its own proceedings. The Commons asserted in the 17th century that in the end sovereignty lies here and not in Whitehall. Letwin added that the official mind finds this point impossible to grasp. He referred to a very senior official who had remarked that we are now in a situation where it is necessary for Whitehall to save Parliament from itself. He was too charitable to suggest that Theresa May has an instinctive sympathy with the official mind. Her own mind is of that type. So too is Leadsoms. When they appear in the Commons, May and Leadsom sound like enemies rather than defenders of our ancient liberties, which is one reason why they now find themselves so disconcerted by Letwins conservative revolution. 74% Website bhojpurigana.in uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of . This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-28, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website chopperstreet.jp uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Boostrap. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 270015 bytes (263.69 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2020-06-15, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Palumbo Group acquired Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Croatia in late 2018, expanding the companys drydocking reach in Europe. "The idea is to create a unique network of shipyards within the Mediterranean region to provide clients with any technical assistance they may need without moving far from their trading routes, said a spokesperson, in the 2019 Drydocking and Refurbishment Report by Cruise Industry News. Viktor Lenac Shipyard boasts a strong operation with the U.S. Navy; in April it was the only facility outside the U.S. and Japan to simultaneously host three U.S. Navy ships for their scheduled maintenance periods. The companys Naples yard remains a key ferry and cruise facility. The Group also has yards in Ancona, Messina, Savona, Marseilles, Malta and Tenerife. The network of yards has been busy installing ballast water treatment systems on a variety of ships recently, the spokesperson said, also noting an increase in the demand for scrubber installations. For hull coatings, Palumbo has implemented a waster blasting system as opposed to grit blasting. Using water is said to eliminate harmful side effects of dry abrasive grit blasting such as airborne dust, chemical and thermal pollution and surface ingrained residual blasting materials, while significantly reducing noise. It provides a much more efficient and faster service and uses 61 percent less electricity to grit blasting, the spokesperson said. Two workers do the job previously performed by eight workers. --- Go inside the world of cruise ship drydocking and refurbishment with the 2019 Cruise Industry News Drydocking and Refurbishment Report, presenting a 100-page overview of the $3 billion annual cruise ship drydock and refit market including a full 2019, 2020, 2021 estimated drydocking scheduled based on available data and research. The report offers interviews with key drydocking executives from cruise lines, suppliers and shipyards, as well as case studies, trend reports and much more. Princess Cruises and Fincantieri announced today the signing of the final contracts for the construction of two next-generation LNG-fueled 175,000-ton cruise ships, which will be the largest ships ever built so far in Italy, with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025. This announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in July 2018. The vessels will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by LNG, Princess said. "Princess Cruises continues to grow globally -- adding new ships to our fleet built by our long-time trusted ship building partner, Fincantieri, who brings decades of expertise to these next-generation cruise ships," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises President. "Even more exciting is that these two ships are being designed to include our MedallionClass platform, powered by OceanMedallion, the most advanced wearable device available within the global hospitality industry." Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented on the announcement: "This result proves, once again, the trust we receive from the market, which allows us to look to the future with ambition. It honors our great work focused on innovation thanks to which we have been able to offer to the client a record-breaking proposal not only in terms of size. Besides we firmly believe that a new class of Princess Cruises' ships, one of Carnival Group's top brands, can stem from this promising project. In fact, for Princess Cruises, we have received orders for 21 ships, another unprecedented result in this industry." The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has released a statement on the Viking Sky engine failure, saying that the engine failure was directly caused by low oil pressure. Throughout the night, the NMA worked together with the ship's classification society, Lloyds, and the cruise line in order to identify the reason why the Viking Sky suffered a power failure in challenging weather conditions over the weekend. "For the present, our conclusion is that the engine failure was directly caused by low oil pressure," the NMA said. "The level of lubricating oil in the tanks was within set limits, however relatively low, when the vessel started to cross Hustadvika. The tanks were provided with level alarms, however these had not been triggered at this time. The heavy seas in Hustadvika probably caused movements in the tanks so large that the supply to the lubricating oil pumps stopped. This triggered an alarm indicating a low level of lubrication oil, which in turn shortly thereafter caused an automatic shutdown of the engines." The NMA has drawn up a general safety notice about ensuring a continuous supply of lubricating oil to engines and other critical systems in poor weather conditions. This should be done in cooperation with the engine supplier and, moreover, be included in the ships risk assessments in the safety management system, the NMA said, in a statement. We welcome the prompt and efficient investigation carried out by the NMA and we fully understand and acknowledge their findings," Viking said, in a prepared statement. "We have inspected the levels on all our sister ships and are now revising our procedures to ensure that this issue could not be repeated. We will continue to work with our partners and the regulatory bodies in supporting them with the ongoing investigations, On Tuesday, the NMA granted Viking Cruises a permit to sail on a single voyage to Kristiansund to have necessary repairs made. DERBY What appeared to be a slam-dunk for the city could become a battle. The proposed million-gallon water storage tank to be built on 2.2 acres near Derbys high school/middle school complex on Chatfield Street could head to Superior Court if approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. City and fire officials and Griffin Hospital President Patrick Charmel urged the commission to approve the tank and alleviate low water pressure in the area. Similar support was voiced at a January public hearing in New Haven. And last month the tank received approval from the Regional Policy Board of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. I had sleepless nights worrying about water in that service area, said Charles Sampson, the citys former fire chief and current Board of Aldermen president. Theres terrible water pressure. If we get a good house fire and something else happens, we have a serious problem. Andrew Baklik, who is chief of staff to Mayor Richard Dziekan, said rejecting the proposal would do a disservice to everyone on the west side. But on Tuesday night, Gregory Cava, a Roxbury lawyer representing a family who owns 116 Chatfield Street, challenged the proposal, claiming it violates state and Derby zoning laws. He threatened to sue if the proposal were approved. Several residents, including Ted Anglace, Dorothy, Mary Lou and Nissa Marinelli and Carol Senfield also voiced opposition to the proposed tank location. An alternative site at the corner of Silver Hill Road and Hull Street in Ansonia was suggested. Keith McLiverty, the citys treasurer, also urged the Water Authority to make at least a $500,000 donation to the citys coffers. He said this would make up for the cost the city spent on supplying water lines to the middle school. The tank, which would begin construction in June if approved, would serve about 13,000 customers in west Derby, Ansonia and Seymour. It was chosen from about 100 possibilities after another proposed sight on Telescope Mountain on Summit Street was rejected by the commission in 2013. Several commission members, including Ted Estwan, the chairman, Greg Stevens, David Kopjanski and Raul Sanchez suggested the Water Authority consider additional buffering from trees to shield the Chatfield home from both the tank and vehicle headlights. The commission tabled the matter late Tuesday night and continued the public hearing. Cava said the tank, which would be in what is Coon Hollow Park, does not meet the special exception or accessory use allowances in an area zoned for parks. He said it exceeds the building height limits by at least 6 feet and would violate state law because a separate required hearing on park land reuse was not conducted. Anytime you are taking park land and using it for public use a separate hearing is required, the lawyer said. He said state law requirements comparable replacement land be offered in exchange. The Water Authority is offering land adjacent to Witek Park as well 1.25 acres of land owned by St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ansonia, which is near the construction site. The churchs land would be purchased by the Water Authority and used as a construction staging area. Once the construction was completed it would be paved and turned over to the city for use as a parking lot for the for the now vacant VARCA building which Derby wants to sell. I would wage that after the lawsuits are over and all is said and done, the city is not going to be successfully able to offer this (St. Peter and St. Paul) site as comparable replacement land and this application cant go anywhere, Cava said. BRIDGEPORT A school recognition program announced at the last minute in place of a city school board meeting drew hundreds to Batalla School. What is promised to be the first of quarterly recognition programs included a special tribute to Janelle Newell, a seventh-grader at Multicultural Magnet School and the newly crowned State Spelling Bee Champ. Newell received a bouquet of flowers Monday from Board Member Maria Pereira and provided an opportunity for a school board often at odds with one another to pose together smiling. Pereira was nevertheless opposed to the event as it was held. "Regular Board of Education meetings have always included student, parent and staff recognitions while also giving them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns, Pereira said. Canceling any of our limited regular meetings under the guise of recognizing student and staff achievements is manipulative and stifles the school community's opportunity to engage in an open dialogue with the Board." The event is one of the changes that resulted from a complete rewrite of school board bylaws in February that puts the board chairman in charge of meeting agendas. The bylaws also strip meetings of student reports and district recognitions. Board Chair John Weldon said it was Board Member Hernan Illingworths idea to change the role of student representatives, making them active participants in board discussions. That is not spelled out anywhere in the new bylaws. The new bylaws are also silent on the decision to move student and staff recognitions from the start of board business meetings to quarterly special meetings of the board. We thought we were doing a disservice to the public and the students by kind of shoehorning that kind of thing into regular business meetings only to have them overshadowed by discussions on budgets and contracts, Weldon said. We decided to give it its own spotlight. Weldon told the audience Monday that the night was all about them. This is the way it should be, he whispered as the program proceeded. Several of the high school representatives, whose reports are now delivered at the recognition program, admitted at the microphone they were nervous speaking in front of such a large crowd. Others seemed pleased to see so much positivity about the district highlighted at once. The Monday special meeting was not formally announced until minutes before the close of the business day on March 22. Central office staff were directed by Weldon not to provide information on the event to the media or even some board members until it was posted. Weldon promised to be more up front going forward. Yes, I would like to provide a little more advanced notice than was provided for Monday's event, perhaps a week or so, Weldon said. Mondays event was expected to run 90 minutes. It went more than two hours, perhaps because 107 students, staff and community members were honored, seven students gave reports and three student groups performed. The next event is set for June. No date has been given. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck BRIDGEPORT A city man arrested in October 2017 after police busted up a pre-Halloween party at his sisters home on Colorado Avenue said Wednesday he is suing police on behalf of his young son and niece, who he claims witnessed officers beating him up. The both were traumatized as they stood by and watched police beating me up, said Carmelo Mendez, as he waited in state Superior Court in Bridgeport with his sister, Wanda Mendez and mother, Sara Mendez, for his criminal case to be called. Mendez said his son is 8 and his niece is 13. He said the suit against the Bridgeport Police Department is being filed in federal court. His lawyer, Robert Berke, declined comment. My son didnt want to celebrate Halloween again after what happened, Mendez said. Carmelo Mendez and his sister were arrested on Oct. 21, 2017, after police responded to a noise complaint. Eventually 46 officers responded to the scene. A report by the citys Office of Internal Affairs, obtained earlier this month by Hearst Connecticut Media, found that 17 officers involved in the case violated police rules and regulations including using excessive force on Carmelo Mendez. The OIA report states that video from the party shows Officer Michael Stanitis strike Mendez multiple times in the side of the head with the butt of his flashlight as Mendez was held on the ground by other officers. Officer Stanitis stated he did not see any injuries on Mr. Mendez, offering that he was unable to even see him at all, says the report, which also states that Mendez had an S imprint on his face consistent with the butt end of the flashlight carried by the officer. Carmelo Mendez was charged with interfering with police and breach of peace. His sister was charged with assault on a public safety officer, interfering with police, inciting a riot and breach of peace. At a prior court hearing Carmelo Mendez told a judge he wants a trial. I just want justice, Mendez said on Wednesday after his case was continued to May 30. But well just have to see how this goes. MILFORD A Derby man accused of taking pictures and video of a blindfolded woman during a sexual encounter and then demanding money from her took a plea deal calling for him to serve a year behind bars. Israel Martell, 46, pleaded guilty Wednesday before Judge Peter Brown to a single count of disseminating voyeuristic material, a Class D felony. According to an arrest warrant written by Detective Ben Bartone, Derby police were sent to an address on Derby Avenue last September to investigate an alleged sexual assault. A woman told police that Martell forcibly sexually assaulted her in her apartment. The next day, the woman told police, Martell sent her four photos and two videos of the incident, along with a text message demanding money. The warrant says the woman showed police the texts from Martell, including one that asked How much would you pay. Im not going to give you money and Im going to seek help, she replied, according to the warrant. In court Wednesday, Senior Assistant States Attorney Howard Stein said police could not develop probable cause to pursue sexual assault charges against Martell. A plea deal the judge offered to Martell calls for a five-year prison sentence to be suspended after a year, to be followed by five years of probation. The prosecutor said the victim in the case was opposed to the deal. She has alleged through this entire process this was an unwanted assault on her person, Stein said. The judge continued the case to May 8 to give the victim a chance to speak before Martell is sentenced. Cathy Zuraw / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT Found mentally competent, a Marine reservist was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for dragging two city police officers with his car following a motor vehicle stop last year. Naquan Terrell Clarke, 23, of Queens, N.Y., had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on a police officers. But his lawyer later claimed that he believed his client was not mentally competent to be sentenced for the crime. MILFORD A Milford man accused of using terms like Baby Toddler Porn Sex and Little Girls Dressed Like Hookers to search the Internet for child pornography will serve five years in prison after taking a plea deal. Dean Barber, 59, pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of child pornography Monday before Judge Peter Brown. Milford police arrested Barber last September after the departments Computer Crimes Unit discovered that a local IP address was downloading and distributing suspected child pornography. According to an arrest warrant written by Detective David Pecoraro, police obtained a court order tracing the IP address to Barbers home on Morning Mist Road. Police got a search warrant for the home and seized Barbers computer and cell phones. During the search Barber admitted searching for child pornography on the Internet, according to the warrant. Some of the search terms found by police on the computer included Baby Toddler Porn Sex, Sex with My Little Baby, Little Girls Dressed Like Hookers and Real Mom and Dad Daughter Incest, the warrant says. Police eventually determined there were 488 videos depicting child pornography on the computer. Though police also found searches for child pornography on his phone, the warrant says cops found no photographs or videos on the devices. According to court records, the plea deal calls for a 10-year prison sentence to be suspended after Barber serves five years behind bars, to be followed by 10 years of probation during which he must register as a sex offender. Barber was released on a promise to appear in court after his arrest. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 17. Hearst Connecticut Media left a message with Barbers lawyer Wednesday. The result of the elections remains shrouded in doubt: the Electoral Commission will communicate unofficial data in two days or more. The democratic bloc risks overly fragile margin over the pro-military party Palang Pracharat. Constitution and electoral law establish that the new prime minister must obtain the support of at least 376 parliamentarians. Bangkok (AsiaNews / Agencies) There has been a dramatic twist in events in the political confusion generated by the recent general elections: the Pheu Thai Party, a formation affiliated to the ex-ex-premier in exile Thaksin Shinawatra, announced this morning the formation of a coalition composed of seven pro-democracy parties. The blockade, which claims to rely on 255 of the 500 seats available in the lower house of the National Assembly, promises to prevent the military junta from returning to power as a civil administration. The first general elections since 2011marked the nations return to democracy, almost five years after the military coup. The parties merged into the alliance today are: the revelation Phak Anakhot Mai (Party of the new future), the Seri Ruam Thai, the Prachachart, the Pheu Chart, the Thai People Power and the New Economics Party. Gathered at the headquarters of the Pheu Thai Party to sign the agreement (photo), the coalitions margin of power over Prayut Chan-o-cha, current head of the junta and single candidate of the pro-military party Palang Pracharat, may prove too fragile yet. The election result remains in doubt, as the Electoral Commission (EC) has postponed the publication of unofficial data until at least the day after tomorrow. The partial results still indicate that the Palang Pracharat would have had enough votes to keep Prayut Chan-ocha as prime minister. His party has indeed obtained the favor of the popular vote with 7.9 million preferences, 500 thousand more than the rivals of the Pheu Thai Party. So far, the EC has revealed only the winners of the 350 seats up for grabs, without giving details on the margins of victory. Based on data provided by the agency, the Pheu Thai Party won 137 seats, while the Palang Pracharath won 97. They are followed by Bhumjaithai with 39 and the Democratic Party with 33, both likely pro military allies. The Phak Anakhot Mai, merged today into the coalition of seven democratic parties, won 30 seats in parliament. The official election results will be announced by May 9, after the king's coronation. The electoral law passed by the military junta establishes that only 350 seats in the House of Representatives are assigned to electoral constituencies, where the candidate with the most votes wins the district. The remaining 150 seats will come from the so-called national party lists according to a proportional representation system, which has yet to be calculated based on the total number of votes obtained on March 24th. However, it is likely that the democratic bloc will not be able to elect a prime minister. This requires a joint vote with the upper house of parliament, the Senate. Prayuth can count on the support of 250 senators, all appointed by the junta before the elections and ready to legitimize its attempt to form a government. According to the new 2017 Constitution, the Senate has the power to select the prime minister with the House of Representatives during the first five years of the first National Assembly formed after the elections. The law states that a potential prime minister must be approved by more than half of the 750-member assembly. As a result, a political party needs at least 376 votes in a joint session - from both houses or only from the 500 members of the lower house to give the candidate the green light to form the government. This means that the future government of Thailand will not need to get the support of the majority of parliamentarians in the lower house, as long as it can get the support of at least 376 senators. TORRINGTON The school district must take corrective action in two alternative education programs after a former social worker filed a complaint alleging discrimination, physical restraint and seclusion of students, among other issues. The state Department of Educations finding in the case filed by Attorney Andrew Feinstein of Mystic requires corrective action by the school district by June 1. No instances of seclusion or restraint were found at the programs during the 2018-19 school year through through Oct. 18, 2018, the report says. However, the finding by the state Bureau of Special Education says all students in the two alternative education programs are entitled to compensatory education services to make up for the failure of the district to meet state and federal education requirements in making placement recommendations during planning and placement meetings with students. The district must also convene legally compliant planning and placement team meetings with all students who were enrolled in two alternative education programs, TAP and Access North from Aug. 1, 2018 to Oct. 30, 2018. The complaints against the school district, including about alleged discrimination, seclusion and restraint of students, were made by former EdAdvance social worker Heather LaSelle, who had supervised two programs with EdAdvance from July to September of 2018, and are cited in her affidavit about ACCESS North, and the Torrington Alternative Program, or TAP. The programs, administered by EdAdvance, an education consortium in western Connecticut, are under contract with the Torrington School District to provide services for special education students. A separate report released to the Register Citizen Wednesday on an investigation by the state Education Departments Turnaround Office and members of the Due Process Unit of the agencys Bureau of Special Education that focused solely on LaSelles allegations of racial discrimination and/or racially disparate treatment, at the school found that Jody Lambert, the Access North principal, allegedly did not discipline a white student who used a racial epithet. The investigation concluded that LaSelles claims about use of discriminatory language were not properly investigated. Further, it said, Lambert confirmed that there was an incident with a student wherein a racial slur was used (toward her by a white student). No incident or infraction report was filed by Lambert and no consequence was issued. Lambert stated, that it was her understanding that if no er was on the (n) word it was okay to use the word with their friends. The report says Lambert acknowledged her prejudice and unfairness which caused her to view a black student as a threat rather than a traumatized child. But She also indicated that they now have a better relationship, the report said. The Turnaround report also showed that Lambert was not the only (Access North) staff member who shared the belief that there are acceptable ways to use the (n) word. The example given was that because African American students use the word in natural conversations with each other it is part of their culture. An additional finding about Access North states that the evidence collected during interviews with EdAdvance personnel revealed that not all types of hateful or vulgar speechincluding racial slursare addressed. This results in inconsistent expectations and application of consequences for student behavior, and conflicting messaging from administration and staff about which students have to obey school ruleslike showing respect toward self, staff and peers. Furthermore, the evidence demonstrates that EdAdvance personnel are either unaware of how their decisions not to address vulgar and/or racially offensive speech affects the school culture and climate; or they are unwilling or unable to operationalize their responsibility to maintain a safe and positive school climate, the report says. Lambert could not be reached by phone or email Wednesday afternoon. Torrington Superintendent of Schools Susan M. Lubomski wrote in an email Wednesday that The District is developing a plan to address and comply with all of the States corrective actions. The Departments findings were limited to procedural issues which occurred over a very brief period of time when the District and EdAdvance were establishing this new program. Given laws protecting student confidentiality, I cannot comment on individual student matters; however, the District will implement the recommendations of the report. The education and well-being of our students remains our primary concern. The District has several policies and procedures to protect the interests of our students, Lubomski wrote. An email to Ann Perzan, interim director of student services for the Torrington School District, seeking a comment about the states findings, was responded to with an automated message that said Perzan was out of the office this week. A voice mail message was also left with Perzan, which was not returned. The investigation into the period from July 2018 to Sept. 29, 2018 by the state Bureau of Special Education, found: State data reporting for the current school year through October 18, 2018, indicate no restraint or seclusions of District Students attending Access North or TAP. Jeffrey Kitching, executive director of EdAdvance, said Wednesday that the states response to the complaint does not require EdAdvance to make any changes. There were recommendations which weve already addressed, Kitching said. We cooperated in the fall (during the state investigation). EdAdvance received seven recommendations from the state. The key actions suggested are for the company to review the use of the reflection room (a seclusion room) to ensure consistent understanding among staff and students. Kitching said that the reflection room wasnt used by EdAdvance. Its really Torrington schools, that utilize the room, he said. Kitching added that the findings by the state really were about Torrington Schools, and not EdAdvance. Kitching was unavailable Wednesday afternoon to comment on the evidence found by the Turnaround Office report. The state investigation noted that 35 percent of the students attending the EdAdvance programs are African American or Hispanic, in comparison to just over 3 percent of the total population of children in Torrington who are African American. Hispanic children account for 10 percent of the citys population, the document stated. Feinstein said the result of the Turnaround Offices investigation is a scathing report. The actions (at Access North) are completely illegal, by federal regulations. He added that the (state education department) should look a the disproportionality in the district. I dont know if this is the final investigation, or if there will be more, Feinstein said. The state has the option to step, in to oversee the program, he added. The Turnaround report strongly recommends corrective actions in the areas of policy and procedure; professional learning and growth; and practice, including to: Identify and schedule professional learning to teach administration, staff and students the merit of inclusion and diversity; and importance of developing and implementing practices, systems and policies in multi-racial, cross-cultural settings that uphold the dignity and worth of all people. The Turnaround report noted that the complaint process should manage expectations by clearly articulating: the timeframe for review and inquiry or investigation; and specify the components of a full and fair investigative process which would include interviewing a student regarding an incident allegedly involving her/him, or instances where a student may have been a witness. The education group was also given the recommendation that it strengthen program behavior intervention strategies and program therapeutic supports. Kitching said early Wednesday that the company has already addressed the recommendation that Access North and TAP revise how the two programs are described on the internet and in other publicized materials to ensure that prospective students, their families and district staff are aware of how the programs operate and what services are provided. Other areas that were recommended for change by the review include a review of transportation policies to ensure students are safe Another states that EdAdvance should clarify the mission of the TAP and Access North programs. The state also noted that EdAdvance should review practices related to how referrals are processed. Additional findings in the state BSE investigation show The annual restraint and seclusion log maintained by Access North and TAP shows no restraints or seclusions of District Students during the relevant time period. In her affidavit, the complainant describes a situation where EdAdvance staff blocked a Student from leaving a classroom. The investigation confirmed that a staff member, while standing in a classroom doorway, did block a Student from leaving the classroom. However, the staff member held their position in the doorway for a brief time while she encouraged the Student to remain and discuss the precipitating event, which the Student did. The behaviorist arrived shortly thereafter and continued to work with the Student. The investigation included, among other things, review of the petition and affidavit and reviewing education records of students enrolled in TAP/Access North maintained at the District's Central Office. Bureau staff reviewed a sample of Student files maintained at TAP/Access North building, including the medication log and the restraint and seclusion log. BSE staff interviewed District staff including, interim special education director, high school principal, high school assistant principal, and middle school principal. BSE staff interviewed EdAdvance executive director, administrative, instructional staff at TAP/Access North and social workers, among other actions. The report requirements, in part, state that three placement teams must review and discuss the students' education record to include evaluations and student behavioral data. Following the review, the district, in part, must also revise the independent education plans for students to include information on the intensity of special education programs and revise the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance standards. LaSelle also petitioned the stare board to remove all state funding of special education services in the Torrington School District. The petition request was not approved. A member of the Communist Party visiting the region said that Xinjiang needs to "perfect" measures to maintain stability and suppress religious extremism. European ambassadors were invited to a 'guided' tour of the region. Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) Xinjiang needs to perfect stability maintenance measures and crack down on religious extremism, said Wang Yang, the ruling Communist partys fourth-ranked leader, on a tour of the region where China is running a controversial deradicalisation programme. During his visit on 20-25 March to Xinjiang, including Kashgar and Tumxuk in the strongly Uighur southern part of the region, Wang Yang said the situation in Xinjiang was continuing to develop well, the official Xinjiang Daily reported on Tuesday. Wang, who is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and chairs the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, spoke the policy is designed to "Correctly implement the partys policy on ethnic minorities, resolutely oppose and crack down on ethnic separatist forces" as well as " Resolutely oppose and crack down on religious extremist thought, and at the same time ensure the normal religious needs of believers in accordance with the law." Critics are saying that China is operating internment camps for Uighurs and other Muslim groups who live in Xinjiang. The government calls them vocational training centres and claims it has a genuine need to prevent extremist thinking and violence. The government has not said how many people are in these centres. Adrian Zenz, a leading independent researcher on Chinas ethnic policies, said this month an estimated 1.5 million Uighurs and other Muslims could be held in the centres in Xinjiang, up from his earlier figure of 1 million. At the same time, China has been stepping up a push to counter growing criticism in the West and among human rights groups about the programme in heavily Muslim Xinjiang, inviting foreign diplomats, including European ambassadors, and media on closely chaperoned tours. Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the main exiled group, the World Uighur Congress, said the invitation to EU officials was a political trick meant to deflect pressure from the international community. We hope the EU officials could use this opportunity to ask for an unobstructed deep understanding of the situation on the ground, and refuse Chinas specially orchestrated political show, he said in a statement. However, European Union ambassadors in Beijing will not visit Xinjiang this week despite receiving a government invitation, because such a trip needs careful preparation, a spokesperson for the bloc said on Monday. In Xi's last meeting in France, he met President Macron, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - In the last meeting of his trip to Europe, Chinese President Xi Jinping met yesterday for over an hour with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the European Commission Jean -Claude Juncker. The latter had been invited by Macron, as a sign of a common European Union position on China. The four found themselves very much in agreement on the theme of multilateralism, that is of a world government in collaboration and concord between various actors (or poles), with criticism - even if not explicit - of the hegemonic and closed vision of the United States. But the three European leaders also stressed the importance of "reciprocity" in business and culture, which the Chinese leader does not seem to have understood. In Xinhua's report, Xi Jinping called for "a vision of global governance" to be supported through "consultations, joint contributions", advancing "the democratization of the rules of global governance", which has its "flag in UN multilateralism ". He also asked to reject the "Cold War mentality", strengthening "mutual trust" and pursuing a model of development that is "balanced and [brings] common benefits, so that the peoples of the world can share in the benefits of economic globalization." Macron, Merkel and Juncker have praised multilateralism and proposed a revision of the rules of the World Trade Organization, but have also stressed that it is urgent "to respect" the needs of the EU. The new routes of silk - said Merkel - are "a very important project" and "we Europeans want to play a role in it, but this must lead to reciprocity and we have difficulty finding it". Junker added: "I would like ... European companies to find the same degree of openness that Chinese companies find in Europe". There is no mention of these requests in Xinhua reports. During his visit to France, last March 25, Xi Jinping made a great gift to Macron, a strong critic of Italy, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative. The French president has obtained the signing of agreements for over 40 billion euros, including an order for 300 Airbus. According to analysts such as Steve Tsang of the SOAS China Institute in London, Beijings "generosity" aims to increasingly divide the EU. by Sumon Corraya A solemn mass was held in the parish of Tejgaon, attended by former freedom fighters and Catholics who sheltered thousands of Hindus. "We fought for the values of democracy, secularism, socialism, nationalism," a Catholic said. Four Catholic martyrs were remembered. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Dhaka Catholics yesterday celebrated a solemn Mass in Holy Rosary Church in Tejgaon to mark Bangladeshs Independence Day. Some 300 people attended the service. Various groups marked the solemn occasion laying wreaths of flowers at the national mausoleum in Savar. In addition to sheltering thousands of Hindus during the struggle for national liberation, Christians also paid with their lives their support for the values of freedom and democracy, values which, some Catholics complain, are still unheeded in many parts of the country. Those martyrs were remembered in yesterday's ceremonies. Born 48 years ago out of a bloody civil war, Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) today is home to more 160 million people. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, proclaimed the countrys independence on 26 March 1971, which was finally secured on 16 December 1971. Reacting to the proclamation, Pakistani forces engaged in genocide against the local population, in an apparent religious fight between Pakistani Muslims and Bangladeshi Hindus. An estimated three million people were killed, at least 200,000 women were raped and thousands of homes set on fire. The Christian community suffered too during the violent war of liberation waged. About a thousand Christians joined the armed struggle. Yesterday during Mass Fr Kamal Corraya, pastor of the church in Tejgaon, mentioned the fighters who died for the country, including 15 Christian freedom fighters and 150 civilians. During the war hundreds of Hindu temples were torched and dozens of priests, intellectuals and leaders massacred. The dead include two Catholic missionaries Fr William Evans, a Holy Cross missionary from the United States, and Fr Mario Veronesi, a Xaverian clergyman from Italy, as well as a local priest, Fr Lucas Marandi of the diocese of Dinajpur, and a nun. Sister Mary Nibedita, who was a teacher during the war, attended the service. "At that time, we sheltered many Hindus in our church, she said. We saved the lives of thousands of people, cared for wounded fighters, fed the hungry." Today the nun works as a nurse. "Catholics have played a fundamental role in building a peaceful country. However, we see that conflict is still within us. This is not the country that our founders wanted." William Atul Kuluntunu is catholic and a former freedom fighter. "We fought for clear goals: democracy, secularism, socialism, nationalism. Today all these values are absent. Secularism does not exist, and nobody talks about socialism. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We dreamt of a peaceful country, but our dream has not yet come true." Still, "since the War of Independence, the country has improved a lot, notes Fr Corraya. Even Biharis (Pakistanis) live among us as Bengalis and there are no conflicts. "The people of Bangladesh have a big heart. Whilst rich countries do not welcome migrants, in Bangladesh we welcome refugees. In this country, people live in harmony. NAFCU 52nd Annual Conference and Solutions Expo New Orleans, Louisiana | June 18 21, 2019 This is the best conference in the industry to help todays credit union executives and board members lead their credit union confidently into the future. Its the perfect opportunity to bring your entire leadership team, so you can learn, workshop and strategize together! Plus, build a stronger network of credit union CEOs, executives, board members and supervisory committee members from around the country. And it all takes place in a city The New York Times ranked #1 on its Places to Go 2018 listNew Orleans! Uncover Big Takeaways with Earn your NAFCU Certified Volunteer Expert (NCVE) designation at our optional Pre-Conference Workshop. Gain from Big Change: Engage in an expert discussion around emerging industry trends to help your credit union identify opportunities and mitigate risks. Better Your CU with Big Talent: Learn how to excel at attracting and retaining top talent at all levels of your credit union and board. Maximize Opportunities from Big Disruptors: Get insight into technology now and into the future, from fighting fraud with machine learning to meeting member expectations for product and service delivery. Grow from Going Big: Uncover actionable takeaways for achieving rapid growth at your credit union, efficiently and effectively. Give your guests an unforgettable experience in the Big Easy with our optional tour package that includes food in the French Quarter, a New Orleans city tour, musical history, a bayou cruise and more. Eat, Tour, and Let the Good Times Roll The Big Easy is famous for its delicious food, unique culture, vibrant music, and much more. The city crackles with energy best summed up by the Cajun phrase laissez les bon temps roulerlet the good times roll!and our tours ensure your guests see New Orleans best attractions firsthand. Learn how to recreate the magic of New Orleans cuisine with a quick tour of the French Quarter followed by a cooking class in Creole cuisine. Afterward, your guests will enjoy delicious dishes during a relaxing lunch. From the French Quarter to the majestic mansions of St. Charles Avenue, this fascinating tour of the citys many unique neighborhoods ends with lunch served at Ralphs on the Park. Its a true tour for getting a real sense of New Orleans true spirit and proud history! This musically-focused day includes a tour of the New Orleans Jazz Museum, a special two-hour walk through musical hotspots with reporter Chris Rose, and concludes with a tour and lunch at Antoines Restaurant in the French Quarter. And so much moreincluding our Credit Union Defense Summit , paddleboat cruise , and a special Friday night event . Join us! You dont have to be a NAFCU member to attend. Use code ANNUALSAVINGS by April 26 to save $200 on as many registrations as you wish. Merrideth Christina McMillian, a former vice president of the $212 million Singing River Federal Credit in Moss Point, Miss., will be sentenced in June for taking out more than $350,000 in fraudulent loans against her grandmothers estate, and in the names of her husband, father, a friend and members, according to the U.S. Attorneys office for the Southern District of Mississippi. During a federal court hearing last week, McMillian, 46, of Vancleave, pleaded guilty to one felony count of credit union theft. After an August 2018 audit, the credit union uncovered a web of fraudulent activity and contacted the FBI, which launched an investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Rose Van Buskirk said. A month later, McMillian was fired. With a landscape that encapsulates deserts, mountains, farmland, and waterfalls and more than a dozen national parks, monuments, and sites Idaho truly is a Gem State. But the residents that make the state their home must be prepared for weather than ranges as widely as the landscape from snow and ice in the winter to triple-digit heat in the summer. Thats why CapEd Federal Credit Union ($664.8M, Meridian, ID) offers a loan product that helps borrowers fortify their homestead against the unrelenting weather of the West. Its for things like roofing, insulation, and wood stoves, says Ethan Morriss, the credit unions chief lending officer, who introduced a similar loan at his previous credit union in rural northwest Oregon. I realized we needed to get that program going here. Please enter your phone number and click "Send" to receive the listing details by SMS. For numbers outside the US, please enter the country code, for e.g. +91. If you do not receive a message, your phone number might be registered in the Do Not Disturb Registry. Number: For numbers outside the US please enter the country code. Send Pine Grill Classic title could springboard Somerset's season The Pine Grill Roundball Classic is in its 10th edition after a year hiatus because of COVID. A great local tournament opens the HS basketball season. Several member states of the Council speak of a decision that violates all past resolutions. Saudi Arabia and Iran are also opposed. For the United Nations the status of the Heights "has not changed". Protests against Trump's unilateral move in various cities of Syria. Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Syria asked yesterday for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Now the word passes to France, the current president, who will have to decide a date when this meeting will be held even if the opposition of a single nation among the 15 that make up the meeting could actually prevent the meeting from taking place. Yesterday morning, in a monthly meeting dedicated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the context of renewed violence in the region, several Council members leaked their impatience with the unilateral move of the White House. A decision that violates all previous United Nations resolutions on the subject that speak of "occupied territory". Several states have condemned the choice of the US government, following on from its highly criticized move last year to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Among the most critical voices are the five European nations belonging to the Council, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Poland. In these hours they have signed a solemn declaration that "does not recognise the sovereignty of Israel over the territories occupied since June 1967, including the Golan Heights". "The forcible annexation of a territory - underlined the five - is prohibited by international law". And any declaration "on a unilateral change" of a border is "contrary" to international law and to the United Nations charter. Among the most critical voices is that of the French ambassador, who underlined that the Security Council has the task of overseeing international laws and principles, which is why its possible "silence" on Trump's decision is "unacceptable". Yesterday in a rare union of intent between the two rival powers in the Middle Eastern region and within the Islamic religion both Iran and Saudi Arabia (along with three other Sunni Gulf nations) condemned the move. Tehran by the mouth of President Hassan Rouhani called Trump a "colonialist" who acts in violation of "international laws and regulations". UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, speaking on behalf of Secretary General Antonio Guterres, stresses that "the status of the Golan Heights has not changed" and the resolutions adopted in the past are still valid. Meanwhile in Syria protests are multiplying in various cities against the US administration's move: citizens took to the streets in Homs (center), Qamichli and Hassake (Kurdish areas in the north-east), Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor ( est), in the capital Damascus and Lattakia and Tartous, fiefdoms of President Bashar al-Assad. Finally, Russia warns of the specter of a "new wave of tension" in the Middle East and the secretary of the Arab League Ahmad Aboul Gheit speaks of "a null decision, which did not take place in form or in substance". For Riyadh the Golan Heights remains "an occupied Syrian Arab land". by Melani Manel Perera The event is one of many initiatives for Lent. Participants include catechism students. It was a beautiful event, a good spiritual exercise to put our unity into practice as a parish," some pilgrims said. Colombo (AsiaNews) Members of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Wewala, Archdiocese of Colombo, celebrated the Way of the Cross on Sunday at Maduruvita Calvary. The pilgrimage, which brought together parishioners and the parish priest in a sign of faith and unity in the Church, is part of a series of events held for Lent. Participants met at 8.30 am, travelling by bus and cars to the Maduruvita Calvary. It was a beautiful event, a good spiritual exercise to put our unity into practice as a parish," some parishioners told AsiaNews. Catechism students and their families also joined the pilgrimage. Fr Suranga Fernando, who teaches at the Minor Seminary of Colombo, preached at the Stations of the Cross. At the fourth station where Jesus met his Mother, he explained Mary's love for her children, the children of mankind. "The blessed Mother is as much the mother of all of us as she is the mother of Jesus Christ. The Mother sees all our actions, our sins. She cries for all our mistakes. At this station Jesus invites us to reflect on our weakness, on our sins, on the frustrations we have in life and return to God through true repentance." At the end of the stations, Fr Suranga celebrated Mass with Fr Mano Ranjan, parish priest in Wewala, inside the Calvary chapel. The event ended around 3.30 pm after a meal in which participants shared the food they brought from home. American companies hampered by the Trump administrations foreign worker policies are expanding operations to Canada to get at Asias vast tech talent. CompeteAmerica, a pro-immigration coalition of employers whose members include Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, wrote to Homeland Security last fall saying that Trumps immigration policies were bad for business and their employees. They have all been advocating for quicker and more generous high-skilled immigration policies in the U.S., but with little success, reported Geekwire.com Business Roundtable, an association of top US CEOs that includes Amazons Jeff Bezos, Apples Tim Cook, and IBMs Ginni Rometty, expressed a similar sentiment in a letter to Homeland Security last year. Due to a shortage of green cards for workers, many employees find themselves stuck in an immigration process lasting more than a decade. These employees must repeatedly renew their temporary work visas during this lengthy and difficult process, the group wrote in August. Out of fairness to these employees and to avoid unnecessary costs and complications for American businesses the US government should not change the rules in the middle of the process. Demand for international workers remained high this year, according to a new Envoy Global survey of more than 400 US hiring professionals, who represent big and small US companies and have all had experience hiring foreign employees. Some 80 percent of employers expect their foreign worker headcount to either increase or stay the same in 2019, according to Envoy, which helps US companies navigate immigration laws. That tracks with US government immigration data, which shows a growing number of applicants for high-skilled tech visas, known as H-1Bs, despite stricter policies toward immigration. H-1B recipients are all backed by US companies that say they are in need of specialized labor that isnt readily available in the US which, in practice, includes a lot of tech workers. Recent immigration data shows the US is issuing fewer total visas to these types of workers than in previous years. This is a result of an executive order Trump issued in 2017 to review the H-1B process and make good on his pledge to Hire American. Its also made the whole process of sourcing these workers much more difficult, which in turn makes the hiring process more expensive. Some 60 percent of applications required additional paperwork in the last quarter of 2018, twice as much as two years earlier. For the most part, the reason US companies are hiring international tech labor is because there arent enough skilled Americans to do that work. To get the tech talent they need, US companies are hiring outside the US, with Canada being a common choice. Sixty-three percent of employers surveyed in the Envoy study are increasing their presence in Canada, either by sending more workers there or by hiring foreign nationals there, according to the Envoy survey. More than half of those did both. Another 65 percent of hiring professionals said Canadas immigration policies are more favorable to US employers than US policies. Of those surveyed, 38 percent are thinking about expanding to Canada, while 21 percent already have at least one office there. And Canada has become a more obvious choice for foreign nationals in the first place. Kollol Das, a former electronic engineer and gaming startup founder from India who now specializes in machine learning, was offered two high-skilled tech jobs last fall, one based in New York and one based in Toronto. He immediately chose the latter, reported Geekwire.com The H-1B process in the US could have taken six months or longer, while the entire process in Canada from being offered the position to moving to Toronto took him less than two months. The visa portion of the process took about a week. The fact that the whole process is so long made it so that I didnt even think further ahead, said Das, who is currently a research lead at Sensibill, a Toronto-based financial services company that uses big data. Had the immigration process been the same? Then I might have looked more at the kind of role Id have in each place. Canada has weathered similar high-tech worker shortages to the US, but its response has been to welcome immigrants with relatively open arms. Its immigration minister announced last year that Canada would increase the number of immigrants it accepts each year by 40,000, for a total 350,000 in 2021. Its Global Skills Strategy program Canadas equivalent to the H-1B expedites the immigration process for high-skilled workers to just two weeks or less. Last year, the program brought in more than 12,000 workers, approving 95 percent of applicants. A quarter of those came from India and another quarter came from the US. Such policies have been a boon for Canadian tech companies. I was a serial entrepreneur and I spent most of my career watching a brain drain from Canada, said Yung Wu, the CEO of MaRS Discovery District, a tech-innovation hub based in Toronto that includes 1,300 entrepreneurial ventures. This is the first time in my career Ive seen a brain gain, he told Geekwire.com As a result, Wu said MaRS companies saw a more than A 100 percent increase in jobs created in 2017 compared to 2016 and a nearly 200 percent increase in revenue, for cumulative sales of $3.1 billion. Theres a really strong correlation between talent and innovation, Wu said. Perhaps its not surprising, then, that Canada has become a major tech hub. Toronto ranked No. 4 last year on CBREs tech talent list. That put it just behind San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC, as a top location for tech workers. It also created more new jobs than those top three cities combined. Another Canadian city, Ottawa, saw the fastest percentage growth in tech employment of any city in the US or Canada. CBRE, a real estate firm, does this annual report precisely because the location of tech talent dictates so much of the economy including where companies locate their offices and invest capital. Immigrants are an integral part of that talent. Immigrants create jobs; they dont take away jobs, Wu said. Americas loss right now is Canadas gain. South Africa: Mbete rejects NA reconvening request National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has dismissed the Democratic Alliance (DA) application for Parliament to reconvene to establish an ad hoc committee on Eskom and inquire into circumstances surrounding the prevailing energy crisis. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Parliament said Mbete had replied to a written request from the Chief Whip of the DA, John Steenhuisen. In her letter to Steenhuisen, Mbete said Parliament had agreed the prevailing energy crisis was a very serious matter for the nation. However, existing portfolio committees were empowered to deal with the issues at Eskom. These include the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, which conducted an extensive inquiry on Eskom in 2018, the statement read. The relevant committees could, therefore, take up the matter if needed and there was no need for the National Assembly to be reconvened at this point. Even if an ad hoc committee was required, such would not require the House to reconvene. Parliament added that although the National Assembly had risen on 20 March 2019 and stands dissolved, it remained competent to function in terms of the Constitution. According to the rules and procedures of the National Assembly, relevant committees, including ad hoc committees could convene to discuss matters and potentially report if needed. This did not require the National Assembly to meet first, the statement read. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Guest Commentary By Jock Finlayson and Denise Mullen Canada has long depended on a single market for its exports of energy. This over-reliance on one customer, the United States, carries significant risks. That became evident in recent years as the U.S. ramped up its production of oil, natural gas, and other energy products while the prices Canada receives for its energy generally slumped. As the International Energy Agency notes in a new report, The United States is increasingly leading the expansion in global oil supplies. In 2018, the U.S. became a net crude oil and refined petroleum products exporter. Americas emergence as a global hydrocarbon superpower has been underpinned by growing production of shale-based oil and natural gas in Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and a handful of other states. But it takes time and effort to create market conditions that shift a nation from being a net importer to a net exporter. Infrastructure to move energy to markets is one necessity, along with tax and regulatory rules that attract capital, spur entrepreneurial activity and recognize the nuances of competitive advantage. These supporting factors have been in place in the United States for more than a decade. Meanwhile, the Canadian oil industry the largest component of our energy sector and a huge contributor to Canadas export earnings has been hammered by persistent price discounts relative to U.S. benchmarks, escalating government-imposed costs, an ever-more complex regulatory environment and a paucity of new infrastructure. Canada has also been handicapped by endless navel-gazing and hand-wringing on environmental performance, and the continuous revitalizing of project review processes that are repelling investment. Granted, Canadian policy-makers are grappling with legitimate concerns about climate change that cant be ignored. However, killing the Canadian oil industry will do precisely nothing to curb global greenhouse gas emissions or help the worlds climate. Indeed, if Canada ceased to exist tomorrow, the resulting drop in emissions would be equivalent to roughly one month of Chinese emissions. To transport oil, the safest and most efficient method is pipelines. So its no coincidence that this is where the American-funded environmental groups agitating to shut down the Western Canadian oil industry have focused their efforts. Looked at in a North American context, the irony of the situation is hard to overstate. Since 2008, a whopping 58,255 kilometers of new crude oil pipelines have been added to the U.S. network. Despite steadily rising oil production, Canada has added zero kilometers of new pipelines over the same period. As a consequence, a growing fraction of Canadas energy wealth risks becoming stranded, at a time when the U.S. is working hard to boost its own position as a global oil supplier and exporter. Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently spoke to adoring audiences in Vancouver and Calgary. Part of his message was a gentle admonition to Canada to quicken the shift to a low-carbon economy, which presumably includes scaling back the production of fossil fuels. Yet on Obamas watch, the United States almost doubled its domestic output of crude oil and natural gas, and dramatically expanded the pipeline networks required to ship these products. Thats a story that Obama neglected to tell his Canadian audiences. The United States is now the worlds number one producer of crude oil and boasts an expanding presence in regional and international natural gas markets. The U.S. is exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), while Canada struggles to advance a single LNG production facility. When it comes to energy development and policy, Canadians should watch what the U.S. actually does and pay less attention to the musings of its politicians and the advice offered by its vast army of environmental lobbyists. Jock Finlayson is executive vice-president of the Business Council of British Columbia. Denise Mullen is director of environment and sustainability at the Business Council of B.C. Sir Oliver Letwin is an unlikely figurehead for a parliamentary coup and shop steward for Remainer ministers. But that is what he now is, as the backbench Tory rebel coordinating a cross-party alliance of Remainer MPs to seize control of the Brexit agenda Such is the disdain of some Tory colleagues about Sir Oliver Letwin that they have accused him of usurping Theresa May as prime minister over recent days. One fellow MP said that the man who began his career in Margaret Thatchers policy unit had installed himself as a kind of jobbing prime minister and he asked how the MP for West Dorset could be held to account in this House? Letwin is an unlikely figurehead for a parliamentary coup and shop steward for Remainer ministers. But that is what he now is, as the backbench Tory rebel coordinating a cross-party alliance of Remainer MPs to seize control of the Brexit agenda. A policy wonk rather than a politician, who feels uneasy in the company of real people, even his admirers say Olivers a useful man to have around provided hes not allowed near the signal box. That said, Letwin has served the Tories well during his career. It began in 1983 when he was an adviser to Thatcher and he went on to write the 2010 Tory manifesto, helping put David Cameron in No 10 and end 13 years of Labour rule. However, the backroom brainbox behind several prime ministers with a CV full of clever fixes has been prone to gaffes. For example, a young Letwin hindered plans to assist unemployed black youths following riots in Tottenham and Birmingham in 1985. Shockingly, he suggested that 10million earmarked to tackle inner-city problems might end up in the disco and drug trade. He was forced to apologise when the remarks came to light in 2015. Letwin was also one of those who devised the poll tax, replacing council rates, which was so hated it led to Thatchers downfall. The Eton and Cambridge-educated 62-year-olds post-doctoral degree is not the sort you expect of someone operating in the cut-throat world of politics. It was titled Ethics, Emotion and the Unity of the Self a philosophical examination of the eternal tension between romantic struggle and classical harmony in human affairs. Usually dressed in tweed jackets and thick corduroys, he hates small talk and has few friends on the Tory backbenches. Mischievously, he has been nicknamed Olive by an Old Etonian contemporary because hes regarded as a bit of a drip. A young Letwin hindered plans to assist unemployed black youths following riots in Tottenham and Birmingham in 1985. Shockingly, he suggested that 10million earmarked to tackle inner-city problems might end up in the disco and drug trade. He was forced to apologise when the remarks came to light in 2015 He has twins with his lawyer wife and once said he would rather beg on the street than send them to the local school in south London. In Lambeth where I live, I would give my right arm to send [my children] to a fee-paying school, he said. He was being true to his free market upbringing, and didnt seem aware how the remark would play to people whose annual wages might not even have covered his childrens school fees. In the last Parliament, he was asked to implement the Leveson Inquiry into Press standards. He cooked up a deal over pizzas in the office of Labours then deputy leader Harriet Harman which would have introduced statutory regulation of newspapers for the first time in centuries. Most fellow Tory MPs assumed that Letwin, bored with the life of a backbencher, was planning to step down from Parliament. But they suspect he stood again in 2017 with the intention of playing a key role in softening Brexit, even though his constituency voted to Leave. In January, he irritated his colleagues again by saying: I am past caring what deal we have. Yet everything he has said and done since suggests the opposite. Indeed, he said Brexit would require the fundamental realignment of the relationship between the Civil Service, Government and Parliament. He added: There is no way we can continue to act as though we were merely a body to which the Government were accountable; for a period, for this purpose, we will have to take on the government of our country. One embarrassing incident that Letwin has tried to live down was when he was caught on five separate occasions casually disposing of confidential Government emails and sensitive details of constituents in a public waste bin in St Jamess Park. Now, much to manys fury, hes trying to dump the Governments Brexit deal in the bin. Too little, too late. If Theresa May had possessed a shred of decency, she should have resigned long ago. Her authority was shot to pieces after her disastrous, self-inflicted general election humiliation, which cost the Tories their majority and ensured that the enemies of Brexit would prevail. She had a second chance to do the decent thing last July when it became apparent that her dismal, defeatist Chequers withdrawal agreement was a shoddy betrayal of her oft-parroted mantra: Brexit means Brexit. Instead of respecting the views of those who spoke for the 17.4 million people who voted to leave the EU, she even threatened to confiscate the ministerial cars of Cabinet dissenters and make them walk home. If Theresa May (pictured leaving the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday evening) had possessed a shred of decency, she should have resigned long ago, writes Richard Littlejohn This wasnt the action of a strong, confident Prime Minister. It was a petty, vindictive attempt at intimidation, worthy of Richmal Cromptons spoilt brat, Violet Elizabeth Bott, from the Just William books. If Theresa didnt get her way, she was going to scream and scream and scream until she was sick. This was the real Mrs May: aloof, stubborn, convinced of her own self-righteousness, and contemptuous of others who begged to differ. The idea that here was a woman who could unite the warring Conservative factions was palpable nonsense. She has always had a reputation for ignoring her colleagues, for treating them with lofty disdain. At the Home Office and No. 10, she preferred to defer to her civil servants rather than engage with fellow MPs. When David Davis was Brexit Secretary, she undermined him by ordering her favourite permanent secretary, Olly Robbins, a fanatical Remainer, to draw up a much softer, alternative withdrawal strategy. Theresa May speaks at the House of Commons ahead of votes on alternative Brexit options When David Davis (pictured) was Brexit Secretary, she undermined him by ordering her favourite permanent secretary, Olly Robbins, a fanatical Remainer, to draw up a much softer, alternative withdrawal strategy Her bovine intransigence and constant interference forced both Davis and his successor, Dominic Raab, to resign, along with Leave campaign figurehead Boris Johnson. To lose one prominent Brexiteer may be considered unfortunate, to lose three in quick succession looked like deliberate policy. Regular readers will need no reminding that Ive never been a fan. Frankly, shes a pretty hopeless politician, serially over-promoted and with an unwarranted sense of entitlement. Her reputation as a conciliator, a safe pair of hands, is laughable. Dont forget, when Tory chairman, she labelled her own party the nasty party, a toxic tag it took years to shed. At the Home Office, she was responsible for the Windrush crisis, and scrapping the polices stop-and-search policy, which brought us the epidemic of knife crime currently claiming teenage lives not just in London but across the country. Remember, too, that she also sent lorries into areas of high immigration, bearing giant advertising hoardings advising foreigners living here illegally to go home. What were you saying about the nasty party, Theresa? That particular policy also helps explain her approach to Brexit and her fatal misunderstanding of the motives of the millions of her fellow citizens who voted Leave. She managed to convince herself that the main reason Leave won was because people had tired of unfettered immigration. She seems to have bought into the narrative of fellow Remainers, who hold, insultingly, that Brexit voters are thick racists who hate foreigners. Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in central London for the weekly PMQ session in the House of Commons last week So she made ending free movement one of her famous red lines, reckoning that if she could deliver a solemn promise to end immigration it would be enough to satisfy the vast majority of Leavers. How little she understands the people she aspired to lead. Immigration was certainly a factor, but overwhelmingly people wanted to be free of the shackles of a corrupt foreign bureaucracy, to stop paying Danegeld to Brussels, and to restore the sovereignty and independence of our proud nation. It was this total lack of comprehension which informed her inept, Quisling-style approach to the withdrawal negotiations and allowed Jean-Claude Drunker and company to run rings round her. Her Brexit means Brexit and No deal is better than a bad deal promises proved utterly worthless. While shedding Brexiteers from her Cabinet, she tacked ever closer to those determined to overturn the democratically expressed will of the British people. As we now know beyond argument, and as I have constantly maintained, the vast majority of the political class have worked cynically to derail our departure and to keep us in perpetuity as prisoners of a sclerotic European superstate. That process culminated in the coup against the people which has been mounted by MPs and was still being played out farcically in the Commons last night. Perhaps all this could have been avoided if wed had a stronger Prime Minister, one who was determined to keep her word to respect the referendum result, and not a Remainer whose heart was never in Brexit from Day One. But at a crucial time in the negotiations, in a fit of hubris, she called a general election not another one and proceeded to make it all about her. She soon discovered Britain wasnt buying her strong and stable routine and the Tory majority disintegrated. The election catastrophe was followed by the Chequers sell-out. That was when she should have stood down and let someone else have a go at salvaging a dignified Brexit from the wreckage of her shameful betrayal. Theresa May (pictured), to her eternal disgrace, has turned Britain, one of the worlds greatest economies and military powers, into an international laughing stock But she clung on, insisting that her deal was the only show in town and running down the clock to deny any further room for manoeuvre at the same time emboldening and enabling hardline Remoaners in her Cabinet to defy collective responsibility in a blatant attempt to stop Brexit altogether. You might not believe me, but this is a commentary Id rather not have written. Honestly, Id love to have been proven wrong about Mother Theresa. If shed kept her promises, if she hadnt lied to the British people, if shed stood up to the EU and the wreckers of Continuity Remain, if shed delivered Brexit, Id have cheered her to the rafters. But she hasnt. So what if the Brexiteers have finally admitted defeat and swallowed her risible deal? It was a futile gesture, since the DUP declined to follow suit. Even if it does eventually hobble across the line, her deal isnt what 17.4 million people voted for by any stretch of the imagination. Its a travesty. Whoever comes next and it has to be someone who believes in Leave will have the devils own job trying to pick up the pieces. Mrs Mays legacy is to have presided over three wasted years of vacillation, obfuscation, cowardice, downright sabotage and the destruction of a once-proud democracy, where MPs used to feel honour-bound to represent the will of the people who paid their wages. Even if many others share the blame for the dispiriting, depressing, debauched state of British politics, she was the Prime Minister and she must carry the can. Theresa May, to her eternal disgrace, has turned Britain, one of the worlds greatest economies and military powers, into an international laughing stock. She has broken Brexit. And now Brexit has broken her. Consumers are no strangers to the idea of 'shrinkflation' by now, but one woman was left shocked to find that her 'beloved' Jacob's crackers seem to have been hit, too. When Virginia Crew, from Norfolk, went to re-fill her retro 1980s cracker tin, she was shocked at how small the standard packet looked inside. 'Whilst using my vintage Jacob's cracker tin circa 1980, not only are there fewer crackers in a standard pack, but our beloved crackers have shrunk in size,' she told Femail. 'A standard packet of crackers used to fit perfectly in the tin.' She added: 'Over time, Ive noticed that the number of crackers in a standard pack has shrunk, but only just noticed that the size of the crackers has shrunk as well.' However, a spokesperson for Jacob's said: 'There have been no changes made to the pack sizes of our Jacobs Crackers range in more than 30 years and we have no plans to do so in the foreseeable future. Virginia Crew, from Norfolk, was shocked to see that her packet of Jacob's Cream Crackers didn't fill the entire length of her branded tin from the 1980s Mrs Crew claimed there were 'fewer crackers in a standard pack' and that they had 'shrunk in size.' In the average 200g packet there tends to be 25 crackers inside 'Jacobs has a heritage spanning over 160 years, in which time new packs and formats have been introduced to suit consumers changing needs. 'Through the years, our priority has always been to ensure great quality and value to our consumers.' The average 200g-sized Jacob's packet has 25 crackers, while a 300g pack tends to have 37. However, Virginia was surprised when her 200g orange packet, which was bought fom Morrisons, only filled two thirds of tin, leaving lots of space at one end. Dozens of other products including Andrex toilet rolls, Doritos crisps and Birds Eye Fish Fingers have shrunk in size over recent years This isn't the first well-loved product to be accused of shrinkflation in recent months. Last week it was announced that Heinz salad cream bottles would become nine per cent smaller despite the price soaring by 50p. They also announced the condiment would be renamed Sandwich Cream last summer and that bottles would be reduced from 655g to 605g at an RRP of 2.50. And in January Pladis, the firm which owns brands including Jacob's and McVities, announced that a 500g packet of Digestives is to shrinking by 100g. This works out as removing seven biscuits from a pack of 34, reported the Evening Standard. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 206 products shrank between September 2015 and June 2017. Pictured are some examples of the products However, Pladis said as well as making some packets smaller, the changes will also include introducing larger value packs. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 206 products shrank in size between September 2015 and June 2017. They included bread and cereals, meat, sugar, jam, syrups, chocolate and other confectionery. In June 2017, it emerged Andrex trimmed its loo rolls by 21 sheets, down to 200. Just months earlier Peperami shrunk by 2.5g, weighing 22.5g compared to 25g. Mars also announced in March 2017 that bags of Maltesers, M&M's and Minstrels were getting smaller, shrinking the pack sizes by up to 15 per cent. Dinner and a show has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to a new restaurant in Las Vegas, where diners are kept entertained not by performers, but by an array of priceless street art decorating every surface around them. The newly-opened Greene St. Kitchen at the Palms Casino Resort in Sin City plays host to an extensive collection of art by some of the world's best-known graffiti and street artists, including the city's first ever permanent work by elusive street art icon Banksy. With an estimated value of more than $1 million, the piece - Smiley Coppers Panel I - sits at the heart of the eatery, which is filled to the brim with dynamic and colorful works of street art, from graffiti that covers the floors to a large 3-D mural that spans across one wall. Pride of place: Las Vegas' first permanent artwork by Banksy can now be found at the Palms Casino Resort, inside the hotel's newly-opened restaurant Greene St. Kitchen Pricey piece: Smiley Coppers Panel I (2002), which sits behind the DJ booth in the street art-filled restaurant, is estimated to be worth more than $1 million Something for everyone: The eatery is filled with work by some of the world's most renowned graffiti and street artists, and even the floors are covered in colorful designs The art collection inside the restaurant was curated by the hotel's creative director Tal Cooperman, who noted of the varied array of art: 'You can spend all day in there and think you catch everything and the next day you find something new.' Take a seat: Tal Cooperman, the hotel's creative director, was responsible for curating the extensive art collection However the Banksy, which was first created in 2002 and now sits behind the restaurant's DJ booth, is undeniably the highlight. It joins an increasingly-impressive list of big-ticket artworks that are now housed in the newly-renovated hotel, including a rather mammoth piece by British artist Damien Hirst - a 13-foot tiger shark that is separated into three segments, all of which sit suspended above a bar in the hotel's lobby. Mr Hirst also designed a suite inside the hotel, which is now believed to be the most expensive in the world, costing a staggering $200,000 for just two nights. The space if filled with six of the artist's original works, including Winner/Loser (2018) - two bull sharks suspended in formaldehyde - and a medicine cabinet that is aptly-named Vegas (2018). He also designed bespoke furniture for the suite, which is part of an ongoing $690 million renovation 're-imagination' of the Palms, much of which seems to center around building a rather sensational art collection. Bright: 'You can spend all day in there and think you catch everything and the next day you find something new,' Mr Cooperman said of the art in the space Out-there: One wall features an incredible 3-D mural that appears to stick out as you walk by Secret: To enter the restaurant, guests have to go through a 80s-style speakeasy arcade, and then open up a secret door hidden behind a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine In addition to Damien Hirst's sizable contributions, and the street art that fills Greene St. Kitchen, multiple works by other art legends, including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Takashi Murakami, can also be found inside the hotel's expansive walls. The Palms would not comment on the cost, or the value, of its entire art collection, nor would it share the price of the new Banksy that now sits in its new restaurant, however art expert Todd Kramer told DailyMail.com that the piece 'would fetch well over a million dollars'. 'Banksy is one of the most difficult markets to evaluate,' he explained. 'Given that Banksy is one of a handful of contemporary artists that does not retain a primary gallery to distribute his works and dictate market value it is extremely hard for collectors, and art advisors alike, to have clarity on pricing. 'With works almost never appearing at auction and most top works transacting privately it is another added layer in the rather opaque Banksy market. Having personally collected and advised clients on the works of Banksy for over 10 years I would say a work of this caliber would fetch well over seven figures.' The painting's unveiling at the hotel comes just months after the artist achieved global renown yet again when he arranged to have a piece of his shredded at an auction, just after it had been purchased for a record-breaking $1.4 million. Something special: Damien Hirst designed an entire suite for the hotel, an incredible space that costs a staggering $200,000 for just two nights An art lover's dream: The space is filled with six original works by the artist, who also helped to design much of the furniture in the suite Just as the hammer dropped on the auction of Girl with Red Balloon, which is arguably one of Banksy's best-known works, the piece began moving through an electric shredder that had been secreted away inside its frame. Posting a video of the jaw-dropping moment on Instagram, Banksy wrote: 'Going, going, gone' The 2006 piece was shown dangling in pieces from the bottom of the frame, with art experts later suggesting that the stunt had actually only served to increase its value - although, as Mr Kramer pointed out, putting a price on any Banksy works is notoriously tricky. The mystery surrounding the Palms' art collection, and the Banksy piece in particular, certainly suits the secret underground theme of the work's new home, which has been designed as a funky, modern take on the classic speakeasy. Guests are invited to enter the graffiti-filled space through an 80s-style video arcade, which is home to the restaurant's hidden entrance: a door secreted away behind an old Coca-Cola vending machine. Once inside, diners are led through a maze of murals and artworks inspired by some of the world's graffiti greats, including Seen, P-Nut, Blaze, and Stay High 149. Hungarian model Barbara Palvin has revealed her every day evening skincare regime. The 25-year-old model, who was recently named as the newest addition to the Victoria's Secret Angels lineup, demonstrated a step-by-step tutorial of her entire bedtime skincare routine for Harper's Bazaar's #GoToBedWithMe series. While demonstrating her go-to skincare regime, Barbara, who now lives in New York City, revealed she 'always' removes her makeup, even after coming off a long flight or being exhausted from busy days at work. Beauty: Hungarian model Barbara Palvin revealed her regular bedtime skincare regime in a video for Harper's Bazaar's #GoToBedWithMe series Effortless: Barbara, who said she had been on a date with boyfriend Dylan Sprouse earlier that evening, began by tying her hair up into a bun Step one: The first step in the 25-year-old's skincare regime involved removing her makeup with an oil-based eye makeup remover Refreshing: Barbara, who said she 'always' removes her makeup before bed, then cleansed her skin with a foaming cleanser, and patted her face dry with a face cloth And this evening was no different. The model said that had spent the night on a date with boyfriend Dylan Sprouse, before getting stuck into her regime. To begin her evening regime, Barbara, who was scouted at the young age of 13 while she was out with her mother Hungary, tied her hair up out of her face to prevent it getting in the way of her skincare regime. Barbara, who is a Giorgio Armani Beauty ambassador, served as the perfect spokesmodel for the brand during the video, sticking to products from the high-end label. First up was eye makeup removal; to do this, the model applied Giorgio Armani's Perfect Eye Makeup Remover ($34) on a cotton pad. While lightly pressing the pad to her eyelid, she swiped the pad off her lid to show how her eye shadow easily came off with the product. Stunning: Pictured last month, the New York City-based model revealed that she often has to wear heavy makeup for photo shoots Explaining a bad habit she once had, Barbara said: 'Before I would always just rub my eye, and they told me that it is actually not good and that I should be gentle, even though it is faster when you rub it. 'You've got to just soak it a little bit and then wipe it off. It's much better for your eyes. She added: 'You don't pull it too much, so it doesn't get wrinkly. You don't get wrinkles that fast.' Barbara added that her mother Agnes also told her not to tug at her eye area too much, because she could 'stretch the skin' around her eyes. She said: 'Since then I am very careful, even when people are not watching. I promise.' The model revealed that she 'always' removes her makeup before going to bed. 'If you're not wearing makeup, your skin can breathe during the night, and it can rest, and you're going to have gorgeous skin,' she explained. Moving on to the next step in her regime, Barbara massaged a dollop of Giorgio Armani's Prima Oil-in-Gel Foaming Cleanser ($50) into her hands. She then added some water to her hands before massaging the product around her face, removing any remaining dirt and makeup. 'I like to move my hands in circles but I don't think it makes any difference,' she said while cleansing her face. She then rinsed her face with water and patted it dry with a face cloth. Habitual: Barbara applied a night cream to her skin, taking time to bring the product onto her neck, before massaging it into the skin with a facial roller Finishing touches: Bringing her typical evening skincare regime to an end, Barbara applied a lip balm to her lips, as she admitted that she is a 'lip balm addict' Voila! The stunning model smiled makeup-free after completing her skincare regime Stunning: The gorgeous model is originally from Budapest, Hungary, and was scouted at the age of 13 while she was running errands with her mother in a nearby village Barbara explained that, because of her job, she can often spend 'hours' taking off heavy makeup. 'Sometimes when I would have a massive black eye or glitters (that's the worst) it could take hours to actually remove it. 'Your eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of your body, I think, maybe it's just my eyes, but you can see that [my eyes are] a little red,' she said. Angelic: Barbara was announced as the latest addition to the Victoria's Secret Angel lineup earlier this month on Thursday, March 14 After drying her face, she applied Giorgio Armani's Acqua Pantelleria Essence ($125), which she says acts almost as a primer for her moisturizer, all over her face by patting the product into the skin. While bringing the product down onto her neck, she said: 'A good friend and makeup artist also told me to always put the cream down to your neck so you age the same way [on] your face and your neck.' Barbara then applies Giorgio Armani's Crema Nera Supreme Reviving Cream ($390) which she likes for its 'light texture'. 'I really don't like to go to bed with greasy skin,' she said. 'If you would leave makeup on or put oil on, I feel like you would get pimples which, as you can see, I don't have,' she added. Barbara placed dollops of the cream on her face before massaging the product into the skin using a facial roller. 'This feels so good before going to bed. It's like a little facial massage. I usually use this more in the morning because it helps you to de-puff.' She added: 'Sometimes I put it in the freezer and ice it so that it is ice cold. It works even better.' Concluding her evening skincare regime, Barbara applied the Neo Nude Ecstasy Balm Lipstick by Giorgio Armani ($34) to her lips, as she said: 'I'm a lip balm addict'. Happy: The model, who has worked on and off with the brand since 2012, shared the news on Instagram on March 14, saying: 'I never thought it would happen' Beautiful: 'I am proud to represent Hungary, and most importantly, all of you in this new chapter of my life!' she added in the heartfelt Instagram post Support: Barbara's boyfriend Dylan Sprouse (pictured) shared his support for the model on Instagram when he said he was 'proud' of her latest achievement Earlier this month, the Hungarian model was unveiled as the latest addition to the Victoria's Secret Angel lineup. Having worked with the brand on and off for around six years, Barbara was delighted to receive the news. She then took to Instagram to let her 11.4 million followers know about her latest venture. Lovers: Barbara has been dating the 26-year-old actor since summer 2018 Alongside a video montage of her work the Victoria's Secret thus far, she wrote: 'I never thought it would happen and it has exceeded all my expectations. 'Im very excited to announce that Im officially a Victoria's Secret ANGEL! Thank you for believing in me. 'There were times where I let my own thoughts hold me back and it was a hard climb away from those but my family, my team, Ed, and everyone at VS they were always there to support me and uplift me. 'I am proud to represent Hungary, and most importantly, all of you in this new chapter of my life! Thank you all so much again,' she said. Barbara first walked for Victoria's Secret in 2012 before taking a six-year hiatus from the brand and appearing on the runway again for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City last year. The model's boyfriend Dylan Sprouse, who she began dating in summer 2018, took to Instagram to congratulate his beau by sharing the good news on his own page as well. The 26-year-old actor said: 'The missus has a big announcement, officially a VS angel! 'Proud of all the work youve done leading up to this and heres to more years of success and a little less Ben and Jerrys ice cream,' he added. A thrifty woman has shared how she feeds her family of four and two pets for just $80 a week by curating their weekly meals into a strict and regimented plan. Kylie Gough, from Adelaide, posted her fortnightly grocery shop on a budgeting Facebook group, explaining that she spends just $161.71 every two weeks. 'Shop for two adults, two kids aged six and three, one cat and a dog comes out at $161. This includes all breakfast/lunches/dinner and household consumables,' she said. Kylie Gough (pictured), who is from Adelaide, posted her fortnightly grocery shop on a budgeting Facebook group, explaining that she spends $161.71 every two weeks 'I will need to top up milk and bread next week which might cost another $10. I'm pretty happy with my effort.' The haul, which was completed at a local Coles, saw her purchase fruits like grapes, apples, tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers and bananas. She also picked up white bread, soft round rolls and crumpets from the bread aisle, alongside honey for a breakfast treat. Snacks like Arnott's Shapes, muesli bars and biscuits made the cut alongside crackers, pasta, sugar, flour, tuna, cheese, milk and chicken (pictured: her receipt) How does Kylie spend just $80 a week on food? * Buying home brand products * Creating a fortnightly meal plan * Purchasing vegetables and fruit that are in season and therefore cheaper * Making kids' snacks at home * Having a meat-free day every week * Buying in bulk where possible so you can make bigger batches of meals * Finding inexpensive cuts of meat like BBQ packs at your supermarket Advertisement Snacks like Arnott's Shapes, muesli bars and biscuits made the cut alongside crackers, pasta, sugar, flour, tuna, kangaroo mince, three-star mince, a one kilo BBQ pack, cheese, milk and chicken. A lot of the items on the list were Coles home brand rather than designer options, meaning Kylie saves serious money on typically pricey frozen vegetables and meat. Each week the mother-of-two said she will write out a list of meals which will cover the entire family for two weeks. An example she posted to the group included sausage and vegetables, satay chicken, fish and chips, tacos, spaghetti bolognese, quiche with salad and schnitzel with vegetables for dinners in week one. Each week the mother-of-two will write out a list of meals which will cover the entire family for two weeks (example pictured) Then the family would have kebabs with salad, creamy chicken and mushroom pasta bake, meatballs, kebabs with vegetables, lasagne, carbonara and beef burgers in the second week. This meal plan provides both the children and their parents with an assortment of nutrients, which are supplemented with pieces of fruit and homemade snacks. 'I bake things like rice bubble slices or Weet-Bix slices for the kids to snack on, Kylie told News.com.au. 'It's cheap and easy to do.' Buying vegetables in season, because they are cheaper, and having a meat-free day each week also helps to keep costs low. Finally, Kylie said she picks things that are on sale to help her save money. On this particular occasion, she saved $16 by choosing on-sale items. By Victor Ing, Special to The Post One of the most important aspects of my work as an immigration lawyer is to help clients plan an efficient pathway to achieve their immigration goals. While most clients have a good understanding of which immigration programs they might be eligible to apply under, many clients do not have a good understanding of how their past criminal history can affect their eligibility to immigrate to Canada. Unfortunately, due to common misconceptions, clients often do not disclose enough information about their past criminal history and this can cause unnecessary delays or even unexpected refusals in their cases. Having a past criminal history can be problematic for a client who wants to immigrate to or visit Canada as a tourist. Immigration applicants, whether from countries requiring a visa or even visa-exempt countries like Australia and the United Kingdom, are required to answer the following broadly worded question when applying for an immigrant visa or just to visit when applying for an electronic travel authorization (eTA): Have you ever committed, been arrested for or been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country or territory? As straightforward as the question may appear there are some very common reasons that lead clients to believe that it is not important to disclose a prior arrest, criminal charge or criminal conviction, including: I have a criminal conviction but it occurred many years ago. I was charged with a crime but those charges were withdrawn. I was charged with a crime but was not convicted. I was convicted of a crime but it has been expunged from my criminal record. In each of these cases, a client is still required to answer yes and disclose their criminal history and the outcome. Notably, it is a common misconception that criminal matters are not important if a conviction is never registered. This is incorrect a client may be found criminally inadmissible to Canada if they have committed a crime outside Canada that is also a crime in Canada, regardless of whether charges were laid and later withdrawn or even if a conviction was never registered. Importantly, disclosing a criminal past does not necessarily mean that a client will be found inadmissible to Canada, but answering no puts him or her at significant risk of refusal because it is always a requirement to be truthful in immigration applications. Moreover, if an immigration officer finds that the client has lied or withheld relevant information about his or her criminality, then a misrepresentation finding could be made, which would bar the client from applying again to enter Canada for five years. Given the serious potential consequences for non-disclosure, it is best to disclose any prior criminal history and to provide the supporting documentation relating to it such as court records and police reports. Although you may be reluctant to disclose a prior criminal history, you should be aware that there are many reasons why you may still be found admissible to Canada, including: -You may have been charged with or convicted of a crime that is not a crime in Canada. -You may have been convicted but because you completed your sentence at least five years ago you can apply for criminal rehabilitation to permanently overcome the conviction or be considered deemed rehabilitated if you completed your sentence at least 10 years ago. - You may have had your criminal conviction expunged or pardoned and Canada will recognize the expungement or pardon and not hold the conviction against you. -You may have been charged with a crime, but the available evidence is not sufficient to find that a crime was committed in the foreign country or in Canada. In summary, when it comes to a prior criminal history, it is preferable to disclose more information rather than less. If you find yourself answering yes to the question of whether you have committed, been arrested for or have been charged or convicted with a criminal offence, then you may benefit from obtaining advice on whether your past criminal record will negatively affect your ability to come to Canada to visit, study or work, or obtain permanent residence. As stated above, there are many reasons a person can be found admissible to Canada despite a prior criminal history, but determining your admissibility will require a detailed review of the relevant criminal offence(s) and an assessment of how it will likely be treated by Canadian immigration authorities. Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services. For more information go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email victor@sasanding.com. SamCam flogs her 290 cashmere jumpers and 90 scarves as 'brilliant Christmas presents' while modelling the designs in Instagram video Samantha Cameron, 50, has taken to Instagram to flog pieces from her fashion label Cefinn ahead of the festive season - including 290 cashmere jumpers My husband took his dose of Remainer abuse cheerfully enough. After ten years in frontline politics, he accepts it as part of the job With every passing day, the Brexit shambles more and more seems to resemble a half-built Ikea daybed. It looks nothing like as enticing as it did in the showroom, none of the bits fit together as they are supposed to and the chances of getting a good nights sleep any time soon are distinctly unlikely. Joking apart, whether you voted Leave or Remain, the one thing everyone seems to agree on is that Brexit is driving us all bonkers. Its got to the point where most people dont care what happens they just want it to stop. And who can blame them? I sincerely hope Parliament manages to do this, either by approving Theresa Mays deal at the third attempt or by some other means. But whatever the final outcome, one thing is certain: we have to change the tone of our national conversation. The process of trying to exit the EU has done more than simply underline the intransigence of Brussels; it has also exposed fundamental flaws in our own political system. In particular, the way certain individuals may have seen Brexit as an opportunity to further their own ambitions, to manipulate perceptions, to capitalise on the difficulties of obtaining a deal, to attack rivals and thrust themselves into the limelight. There are examples on both sides, from the shocking case of Remain MP Anna Soubry, who can no longer return home because of death threats, to the experience of my husband Michael Gove this weekend when, walking back from a meeting in London, he came across a Peoples Vote marcher Its understandable the voters should feel frustrated. But there is something about the level of vitriol our politicians face that goes beyond an expression of dissatisfaction and shades into something more sinister. There are examples on both sides, from the shocking case of Remain MP Anna Soubry, who can no longer return home because of death threats, to the experience of my husband Michael Gove this weekend when, walking back from a meeting in London, he came across a Peoples Vote marcher. I hope you drop dead in the next 100 yards, the man shouted, to the delight of his companions. And when I then observed, in a tweet, that any Leave voter was at risk of being lynched by furious Remainers, I was subject to so much online abuse I was forced to turn off my notifications. Ironically, I was reported to Twitter for using offensive language. My husband took his dose of Remainer abuse cheerfully enough. After ten years in frontline politics, he accepts it as part of the job. But its undoubtedly getting worse. Death threats and intimidation are now the norm. And while very few people ever follow through, it only takes one nutter. None of us will ever forget MP Jo Cox, whose murder remains one of the great tragedies of our times. But even if no blow is ever struck, the long-term repercussions of such a siege mentality can leave lasting wounds. I know how being the object of constant low-level hostility can deplete ones capacity for resilience and ultimately lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. And if I feel like that, God knows how someone like Labour MP Luciana Berger who has suffered a torrent of anti-Semitic abuse or Anna Soubry cope. Theres no doubt this rise in abusive behaviour is part of the reason Parliament is so paralysed by Brexit. They are terrified of what might happen to them if they get it wrong. The result is a House of Commons that is exhausted at a time when, more than ever, we need MPs to be fighting fit and focused 100 per cent on the job in hand. Of course, politics is by its nature passionate, and no modern debate has elicited quite as much passion as Brexit. But its one thing to care deeply about something; quite another to use it as a legitimate excuse for abuse, hatred and the threat of violence. The sooner this chapter in our history draws to a close, the sooner we can begin to repair the rifts and divisions. I just hope that its not too late. Car hire firms run out of credit Yet another brilliant Mail campaign pays off: the regulator has ruled that car hire firms abroad will no longer be able to rip off customers with hidden fees. But theyve got another scam under the bonnet. If you book and pay online using a debit card (as I do), when you pick it up they will not release the car unless you have a valid credit card (which I do not). The upshot is that the only way to obtain your car is to pay for the hire firms own insurance even if you have already taken it out through a third-party broker. Either way, car hire companies fleece everyone. Plus ca change. It pains me to admit it, but I am one of those tipsy women shoppers making headlines, who, after a couple of glasses of wine on the sofa, ends up online buying their 427th handbag. Of course, theres the risk that, under the influence of a chilled white, one might splash out a little too much. But theres always free returns. Cheers! Its a subject that divides families, comes between spouses and has, in the past week, been the subject of much online debate. Not Brexit, but crisps. On Sunday night, Channel 5 set out to find the nations favourite and concluded it was a toss-up between Pringles, Walkers and Doritos. But the matter is far from settled, with many contesting the result of the referendum. Sorry, survey. I think the results say more about Channel 5s viewers than the crisps. Had it been Radio 4, the winner would have been those truffle ones you get in M&S which cost a fortune. Channel 4 would have chosen something artisan and free-trade. BBC2? Tyrrells, for sure. As for me, I cant resist a Wotsit. No idea what that makes me. Fat, probably. Full Marks from me Anti-obesity campaigners say High Street shops are posing a risk to public health by using vanity sizing to lure customers, and kidding them into thinking theyre not as tubby as they really are. Apparently, even Marks & Spencer is at it. Maybe but so what? There are so few genuine pleasures left in life these days, are they really going to take this last one the joy of presenting a size 14 at the till instead of a 16, or noisily requesting a smaller size in the changing room away from us, too? Former Spice Girl Mel B is desperate for one last hurrah. But her latest revelation, that she and Geri Halliwell had a Sapphic encounter, has backfired, since Geri is now reportedly reluctant to extend the bands lucrative reunion tour. The irony is that Mel B badly needs the tour for financial reasons. If shes not careful shell end up like Katie Price: flogging the depths of her soul in exchange for ever-scanter rewards. A rather sour Apple After posting a snap with her 14-year-old, Apple, on Instagram, Gwyneth Paltrow was told off in no uncertain terms. Mom, we have discussed this. You may not post anything without my consent Its a relief to discover that even such super-soignee celebrities as Gwyneth Paltrow are cut down to size by their teenage daughters. After posting a snap with her 14-year-old, Apple, on Instagram, Paltrow was told off in no uncertain terms. Mom, we have discussed this. You may not post anything without my consent. Impressive and, believe me, a lot more politely expressed than what own my daughter says if I so much as come within ten yards of her with my camera. Emily Maitlis, the new lead presenter of Newsnight, struck a chord with me when she said: I weep after interviews. Some people interpret this as a sign of weakness, but it is actually a tremendous strength because it shows that as well as having a mind like a steel trap, Emily also possesses a degree of empathy. You get a far better insight into people by treating them as humans than you do from barking at them a la Jeremy Paxman. 25 years on Liz wears its swell I think Liz Hurley wears it rather better now than she did back then. Sure, the face and body were more youthful in the first version, but there is something about the assuredness and life experience of the older woman that trumps the bloom of youth Its not quite the same the safety pins are in strategically different places but there is no mistaking the look: 25 years after she stepped out in that dress, Liz Hurley proves, in the new Harpers Bazaar, that age is no barrier to glamour. Actually, I think she wears it rather better now than she did back then. Sure, the face and body were more youthful in the first version, but there is something about the assuredness and life experience of the older woman that trumps the bloom of youth. I certainly know which one I would rather sit next to at dinner, anyway. Australian fitness queen Kayla Itsines has revealed how she 'struggled' with changing her exercise routine throughout pregnancy and is worried her lifestyle will differ post-baby. The 27-year-old from Adelaide, who is due to become a first-time mother in May, shared her inner thoughts on Tuesday, asking if other women had enjoyed their pregnancies. 'Each of us internalise so many thoughts and conversations, some of which are really hard,' Kayla wrote on her Instagram page. 'It [pregnancy] has been a mentally, physically and emotionally challenging time in my life.' Scroll down for video Australian fitness queen Kayla Itsines has written a lengthy post on Instagram about how she 'struggled' with changing her exercise routine throughout pregnancy 'From the outside looking in it's impossible to see what other people are thinking and feeling,' Kayla said. 'I wanted to touch on this topic and talk about something that I am currently going through. 'How many of you actually like/liked being pregnant during all stages of pregnancy?'. The 27-year-old went on to stress that while she does feel incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to bring new life into the world and has watched on in amazement as her body has changed, there have also been difficulties. Kayla shared some of the key questions she has been asking herself about the remaining pregnancy process, pictured here before she got pregnant 'I am so excited to finally be meeting her soon... but have I enjoyed being pregnant?' she asked. 'As a trainer and someone who enjoys being very active, initially I struggled with the concept of not training and doing the things I'm used to. 'I also had so many different internal conversations that relate to this journey that I am sure the Bikini Body Guide members out there can relate to. 'There is so much uncertainty with pregnancy, especially if it's your first time and for me this is.' 'I am so excited to finally be meeting her soon... but have I enjoyed being pregnant?' She continued Kayla shared some of the key questions she has been asking herself about the remaining pregnancy process, including answering how her body will feel about giving birth and will she be able to train and 'feel comfortable again'. 'Thinking "Will everything be ok?" I love my baby body and am so grateful to have had such a life changing experience,' she said. 'Am I excited to get back to training the way I love? As soon as I have clearance from my doctor, yes absolutely. 'Not only for my sake but to give my baby girl a STRONG, FIT and HEALTHY role model from day one.' Kayla and her fiance Tobi Pearce (pictured) found out they were expecting a little girl after throwing a 'gender reveal' with their families and bursting a balloon filled with pink streamers Kayla and her fiance Tobi Pearce found out they were expecting a little girl after throwing a 'gender reveal' with their families and friends bursting a balloon filled with pink streamers. 'I am so grateful for this journey and look forward to all stages of it but the important message I'm trying to send here is that everyone goes through these emotions regardless of whether they relate to pregnancy or not,' she said at the time. 'The feeling of uncertainty or insecurity or even a little fear. The most important thing to remember here is it's not just about the hard times and hard conversations you have internally, but it's how you deal with it.' Some of her 11 million Instagram followers agreed with her statements saying that pregnancy 'wasn't glamorous for everyone' and it is important to note that Some of her 11 million Instagram followers agreed with her statements saying that pregnancy 'wasn't glamorous for everyone' and it is important to note that. 'I definitely didn't love being pregnant. Both times I couldn't wait for it to be over and to just hold my babies,' one woman wrote. Another said: 'I loved being pregnant but I suddenly panicked in the third trimester about whether I was ready. It was kind of hilarious because I always wanted a kid and then suddenly in the third trimester at age 36 I wasn't ready.' Queen Mathilde met with the former UN Secretary-General today during the third day of the Belgian royals visit to South Korea. The royal, 46, and Ban Ki-Moon, 74, attended the opening of an academic seminar at the global campus of Ghent University in Incheon. Stylish Mathilde wore a knee-length red dress for the occasion and paired it with a matching bold jacket and fascinator. Queen Mathilde, left, met former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, right, today at the opening of an academic seminar on sustainability and climate change in Incheon, South Korea The Royal, pictured, wore a knee-length red dress paired with a matching red jacket and fascinator for her appearance on the third-day of the trip to South Korea Queen Mathilde, right, and Ban Ki-Moon laughed as they spoke to others at the seminar today As she walked around the seminar Mathilde carried a nude clutch bag and a beautiful bouquet of pale flowers, which matched Ban Ki-Moon's boutonniere. Ban Ki-Moon was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 2007 to December 2016. The seminar the pair appeared at is called 'Innovative solutions for circular economy, sustainable mobility and climate change.' King Philippe of Belgium also had a key engagement today and he attended a Korea-Belgium business forum in Seoul. The King, 58, spoke with numerous leaders and businessmen during the Life Science symposium at a hotel in Seoul. He was later seen breaking a wooden plate during a demonstration of Taekwondo at Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, in Seoul. Mother-of-four Mathilde pinned her hair back for the day and wore delicate gold earrings. She was earlier seen with a beautiful bouquet of flowers which matched Ban Ki-Moon's flower Queen Mathilde, right, received another bouquet from a young girl when she arrived at the Korean Committee for the United Nations' Children's Fund today Queen Mathilde, right, was handed gifts including flowers and dolls, by children when she went to the UNICEF: Impact of Climate Change to Children event today in South Korea In the evening the royal couple attended an Official Belgian Concert followed by a networking reception. Queen Mathilde changed attire for the evening and wore a floral dress which was blue at the top and cream with a dark pattern on at the bottom. She styled her hair down for the concert and wore dangling earrings, paired with a red lip colour. South Korea's president Moon Jae-In and his wife Kim Jung-sook were also present for the event. King Philippe, right, broke a wooden plate during a demonstration of Taekwondo at Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, in Seoul today King Philippe, second left, wore a taekwondo uniform and talked to members of the South Korean demonstration team in Seoul today King Philippe, fourth from bottom right, posed for a photograph with business leaders of South Korea and Belgium during the Korea-Belgium business forum in Seoul today The King, pictured middle, met with a number of businessmen during the symposium at a hotel The pair - who are parents to Princess Elisabeth, 17, Prince Emmanuel, 13, Prince Gabriel, 15, and Princess Eleonore, 10 - are in South Korea for a four-day trip. Yesterday Queen Mathilde and King Philippe visited a memorial for Belgian soldiers who died in the 1950-53 Korean War and laid a wreath in memory of the dead. During a busy day of engagements King Philippe, 58, also inspected a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential Blue House in Seoul. Queen Mathilde donned a smart red jacket and a matching headband for the day events and paired her accessories with a silver knee-length dress. In the evening (left to right) Queen Mathilde, Moon Jae-In, King Philippe and Kim Jung-sook attended an Official Belgian Concert followed by a networking reception Queen Mathilde, pictured, wore a shimmering blue and white dress with a floral pattern on one side for the concert and unpinned her blonde hair The Belgium King and Queen, Mathilde pictured, are in South Korea for a four-day trip She then visited the Korea National University of Arts and School of Music where she shook hands and laughed with First Lady of the Republic of Korea, Kim Jung-sook. In the evening, before enjoying a state dinner at the presidential office in Seoul, Queen Mathilde changed into an elegant blue midi-length skirt and long sleeved white top. King Philippe was given a certificate of honorary citizenship at the City Hall in Seoul during the day. Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko waved to crowds and looked happy today as they visited the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu. Emperor Akihito, 85, was dressed in a morning suit, with a tie and a grey trousers as he made his way to report his abdication from the throne. Akihito will abdicate from the Chrysanthemum Throne on April 30, making way for his son Crown Prince Naruhito to replace him. His wife, Empress Michiko, joined him in a stylish long dark grey suit dress and hat. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are seen on arrival at Kashiharajinju-Mae Station to visit the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu to report his abdication Emperor Akihito wife Empress Michiko (left) joined him in a stylish long dark grey suit dress and hat Japan's Emperor Akihito visits the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu to report his abdication on Wednesday Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are seen on arrival at Kashiharajinju-Mae Station in Kashihara, Nara, Japan The royal couple were seen on arrival at the Kashiharajinju-Mae Station where they waved at crowds and met officials. They had previously visited the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu to report his abdication of the throne. Akihito shocked the country in 2016 when he signalled his desire to take a back seat, citing his age and health problems. The 85-year-old Emperor has been on the throne since 1989 when his father died. But Akihito has had heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer. Akihito will abdicate from the Chrysanthemum Throne on April 30, making way for Crown Prince Naruhito to replace him Akihito, who is the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years, has embraced the more modern role as a symbol of the state imposed after World War II ended Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrive by car at Kashiharajingu Mae Station in Japan Emperor Akihito (left) shocked the country in 2016 when he signalled his desire to take a back seat, citing his age and health problems Later on in the day Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko changed and went to see the bloomed cherry blossoms at Kyodo Imperial Palace. In February Emperor Akihito urged his country to be open to the outside world at a ceremony marking 30 years of his reign. Akihito, who is the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years, has embraced the more modern role as a symbol of the state imposed after World War II ended. He also expanded his role by actively travelling across Japan, particularly to meet with victims of natural disasters and visit sites that had been affected by World War II. During his reign Emperor Akihito expanded his role by actively travelling across Japan, particularly to meet with victims of natural disasters and visit sites that had been affected by World War II The 85-year-old Emperor has been on the throne since 1989 when his father died. But Akihito has had heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko watch bloomed cherry blossoms at Kyodo Imperial Palace on Wednesday People viewing the cherry blossoms from a bridge over the Meguro River in Tokyo, Japan Later on in the day Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko changed and went to see the bloomed cherry blossoms at Kyodo Imperial Palace During his birthday celebration in December, the emperor said he will not forget those trips with his wife and thanked those countries for welcoming them, despite their bitter memories of the war. 'I am grateful to each of those countries for welcoming us with warm hospitality,' he said. His son Crown Prince Naruhito has indicated he plans to follow in his father's footsteps. Akihito and Empress Michiko admire the cherry blossoms as the public look on at the Emperor and his wife Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko walk round the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan Naruhito pledged to maintain the royal household's close ties to the public and 'fulfil my duty as a symbol of the state.' On Monday, Princess Kako of Akishino, the granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, paid tribute to her ancestors during a visit to the Musashi Imperial Graveyard, days after announcing she is taking on full-time royal duties. Just three days after her graduation, Kako, visited the Mausoleum of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun in Hachioji, Tokyo, looking elegant in a dove grey dress and stylish trilby. Fans take pictures as Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan attend the blossoming of the Cherry blossoms at Kyodo Imperial Palace While many women love to ditch their bras in the comfort of their own home, Lorraine Kelly has admitted she's so attached to her underwear that she never takes hers off - even to sleep. Speaking on her namesake ITV chat show this morning, the presenter said: 'I even sleep in it. I dont feel right when I take my bra off. I feel weird. 'I take my make-up off and scrape my hair up but my bra remains.' However, she did acknowledge that some may think her habit is 'weird'. Sure enough, viewers took to social media to express their shock with one writing: 'You are very odd. All women take their bra off' Another tweeted: 'Lorraine Kelly sleeps with her on?! God the thought of that makes me feel discomfort. I could never. I mean, honey forget the bed, as soon as I walk through the front door the bra is slid out through the sides in two seconds.' Lorraine Kelly admits to Loose Women panelist Coleen Nolan she doesn't like to take off her bra and will wear it to bed as well Social media users took to Twitter to share their concern for Lorraine Kelly's health after she admitted to sleeping with her bra on Another Twitter user was baffled by Lorraine's confession after Lorraine revealed to guest Coleen Nolan she never takes off her underwear Lorraine's celebrity guest and Loose Women panellist, Coleen Nolan, was also surprised by the confession. 'The girls have never been free?' she asked. Lorraine laughed, saying: 'It's a revelation.' Another guest, Scarlett Moffatt, was also left baffled by Lorraine's confession. She said: 'Off! You have just got to take it off and let loose in your own home. It's the best feeling.' Lorraine replied: 'I like to be held.' Lorraine admitted she likes to feel 'held' and secure at all times, although she has acknowledged some may think her habit is 'weird' Other viewers felt uncomfortable just at the thought of keeping their bra on all day and sleeping with it on But Lorraine's secret sparked concern among viewers, who questioned whether it was 'healthy' to not take off your bra. One tweeted: '@reallorraine @lorraine that cant be healthy never taking your bra off!? X #lorraine.' Another questioned: 'So, she NEVER takes off her bra, EVER?' Coleen Nolan is the opposite to Lorraine, and will take her bra off as soon as she gets home after wearing the underwear item all day because she finds it more comfortable Another Twitter user branded Lorraine 'odd' for keeping her bra on, as they believe 'all women' take off their underwear and breathe a sigh of relief when they do so Scarlett Moffatt sided with Coleen as she also disagreed with Lorraine and her habit of leaving her bra on all day and to sleep Another supported Coleen and Scarlett's beliefs and wrote: 'No! It comes straight off when I get home.' With another tweeting: 'As soon as I step in the house everything is off and PJs on. #lorraine.' However, Lorraine did have some supporters, who also feel much better keeping their bra on. A separate person tweeted: 'Bra on at all times hate the feeling of it being off.' A second added: 'I do. I only take mine off when I'm in the bath', while another wrote: 'I'm with you Lorraine .....sleep in mine too!!' A 'super smeller' who sniffed out her husband's Parkinson's a decade before it was diagnosed has revealed the tell-tale scents associated with other diseases. Former nurse Joy Milne, of Glasgow, told how she noticed her husband Les was smelling differently when he was still in his 30s, describing the scent as a 'woody, musky odour'. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's 12 years later, in 1985. Tests performed since suggest Joy's nose is so sensitive that she is able to pick up the smell of sebum - oil secreted by the skin - that is known to be produced by Parkinson's patients. Speaking on This Morning today, Joy, now in her late 60s, explained Parkinson's is not the only disease with a distinct scent. She suggested tuberculosis smelled of brine, while cancer has an 'earthy' scent. Alzheimer's smells 'sweet', but liver disease produces a 'strong smell of bile'. Scroll down for video Former nurse Joy Milne, of Glasgow, told how she noticed her husband Les was smelling differently more than a decade before he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Speaking on This Morning today (pictured), she revealed the scents she's associated with other illnesses Joy has previously told how she first became aware of her unique talent aged 21, when she mentioned the smell of liver cancer to a ward sister while working as a student nurse in a hospital. The observation was dismissed and she didn't mention the idea again until Les's diagnosis. Speaking on her early observations, Joy said on This Morning: 'I was able to tell from the beginning. It was sebum from the forehead, through the hair and down the back of the neck, and it is an increasing smell in people with Parkinson's.' She continued: 'It started with my husband. I noticed a different smell of him. He didn't like perfumes or deodorants, he just had a nice musky smell of a male, but then I smelt this dank, heavy musk, which wasn't nice. Joy, pictured on This Morning, suggested tuberculosis smelled of brine, while cancer has an 'earthy' scent. Alzheimer's smells 'sweet', but liver disease produces a 'strong smell of bile' 'We went to our first Parkinson's meeting. After I said to him: "I think you should sit down." I said to him "Those people smell like you."' 'He had lost his sense of smell before I started smelling him.' 'You don't go around asking people how they smell. I wasn't aware it was as heightened as it is. I realise that now.' Doctor Chris added: 'Sebum is the oil in the skin, and people with Parkinson's secrete a certain amount. So you can detect that.' Joy's sense of smell has since been used to help scientists identify Parkinson's biomarkers that could lead to a new diagnostic test. The grandmother's nose was also used during a visit to Tanzania, when she met with people battling tuberculosis. She continued: 'I picked off the first swab a smell of brine and wet cardboard smell.' Meanwhile in California she 'helped out a friend' in commenting on the potential scents associated with cancer. Joy's late husband Les (right) was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1985, but 12 years earlier Joy noticed a change in his scent, which alerted her to his illness How Joy's nose helped scientists find what causes the 'Parkinson's' odour In a new study by The University of Manchester, the grandmother and former nurse successfully separated those with and without the neurological condition based on the scent of oils wiped from their backs. The researchers hope their study will lead to a non-invasive test that diagnoses Parkinson's early doctors are currently being forced to rely on symptoms alone. The first of its kind research was led by Dr Perdita Barran, a professor of mass spectrometry. Dr Barran led research several years ago which revealed Mrs Milne could detect 'Parkinson's odour' when sebum the waxy oil that keeps skin moisturised is collected from a patient's back but not when it comes from their armpits. In the more recent study, the researchers therefore collected sebum from the upper backs of 43 Parkinson's patients and 21 controls. Excessive sebum production is a symptom of Parkinson's, with sufferers also having higher levels of the protein -synuclein in their skin. Scent-causing compounds were extracted from these sebum samples and heated to 'encourage the production of volatiles'. Mrs Milne then set about sniffing the samples via an 'odour port'. Results published in the journal ACS Central Science revealed the Super Smeller detected a characteristic musky smell in those with Parkinson's. Around one in every 350 adults in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinson's, according to Parkinson's UK. And more than 10million people are living with the disease in the US, Parkinson's Foundation statistics reveal. Advertisement 'Dogs have been detecting cancer for years,' she said. 'It definitely has a smell. It's an earthy smell. I have linked it with something, but I can't discuss that.' Joy went on to claim Alzheimer's smells 'sweet' and fairly pleasant at first, but it soon turns into a 'nasty' fragrance. She went on: 'It's a vanilla smell. It starts smelling sweet and then it turns quite nasty. A neurological dank and musky smell.' Meanwhile 'liver disease you get that really strong smell of bile,' she noted. Doctor Chris agreed: 'It smells almost fecal.' Presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were impressed with Joy's skill, but she insisted it is a huge 'responsibility'. She also added it cannot be used in diagnosis. Parkinson's disease is incurable, and Phillip asked his guests if it was 'any good' knowing someone had the condition in advance. Doctor Chris replied: 'You are not going to cure it. But if you are aware this is the way your body is going, you can delay the deterioration and in that time you can improve your quality of life.' Joy has claimed people suffering with Parkinson's disease smell of sebum, which Doctor Chris confirmed as he revealed people with the condition produce a lot more sweat. Presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were impressed with Joy's skill, but she insisted it is a huge 'responsibility'. Pictured, the trio with Dr Chris on This Morning today A transgender teenager has revealed he walked in front of a train in an attempt to kill himself because he was petrified of accepting his true gender identity and disappointing his family. Alexander Allen, 18, from Derbyshire, UK, always felt he was 'different' and went through turbulent years as a teenager, struggling with PTSD, an eating disorder and depression. The food worker was left feeling hopeless, and walked out in front of a train in an effort to kill himself. But incredibly, he survived with a fractured spine and dislocated shoulder, and after recovering has now embraced his identity as a trans man. Alexander, who spent years struggling with PTSD, depression and eating disorders, has now come to terms with his gender identity Alexander has always felt he was different, but said that his earliest memory of 'gender dysphoria' was aged seven. He revealed: 'It was the first day back to school after summer and my trousers didn't fit me, so I had to wear a summer dress and I was extremely uncomfortable. It just felt wrong.' That feeling continued to get worse when he joined secondary school, as he struggled to cope with puberty. 'It changed my body and the gender roles are enforced more as you enter teen years, which led me to begin hating myself. The teenager would often bind his chest with tape to minimize his breasts as he accepted his male self 'I went from being able to sing in front of an audience to being unable to answer questions in class. I didn't want to be seen so I hid myself in baggy clothes and refused to have photos taken.' Just after his sixteenth birthday, Alexander was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for the first time after his third suicide attempt. In all, the teenager was admitted to a psychiatric hospital three times. During the final admittance, Alexander frequently needed restraining and sedating because he would try self-harming while inside. His eating difficulties also got worse to the point of having an NG tube passed through and being fed under restraint. It was during these periods in hospital when Alexander met members of the LGBT community who shared their personal experiences and made Alexander more aware of what he himself might have been feeling. 'I mentioned that I felt an incongruence between my gender and my sex during my final admission, and this led to staff educating me further,' said Alexander. 'As soon as I understood I knew I was in fact male, and it took me another year to publicly identify myself. 'I was petrified of the response I would get, and I thought I was disappointing my family. I hid who I was for another year, which was detrimental to my health. 'My depression and eating difficulties became worse because I lost weight for the sole purpose of trying to force my body to be more masculine by reducing the size of my chest.' Alexander struggled with his gender identity as a child, and felt 'extremely uncomfortable' wearing dresses Struggling to come to terms with his gender identity, Alexander said he felt 'hopeless'. 'I thought that if I couldn't live as me then I didn't want to live at all.' In October 2017, he walked to a train station and waited for a train to come because it felt like it was his 'only option'. 'Nobody knows how I survived because I shouldn't have. The police officer told my parents that he didn't even expect to find my body intact, let alone feel a pulse. He fractured his spine and dislocated his shoulder, and over the next few months he recovered physically and was sectioned in hospital until he was stable enough to return home. 'I eventually spoke to my outpatient nurse and I broke down, telling her that I am male. She was amazing. She helped me understand who I was and to tell my family.' Alexander is now focusing on embracing being able to accept and understand who he really is. Alexander and his girlfriend Millie at prom after it was rearranged for him to attend as a male. She has supported him through his journey When Alexander first attended prom as a female, it felt embarrassing to be there, but when his girlfriend Millie recently recreated the night so that he could attend prom as a male, it made Alexander feel more confident than he thought possible. 'Attending prom as a female was uncomfortable and I felt ugly. It seemed like everyone was staring at me. But having it recreated was amazing and was without a doubt the most confident I've been in a long time,' he said. 'Millie made the prom so personal and it was beautiful. She was wearing her prom dress and the house had been decorated with fairy lights. I cried because I'm so grateful to be with her. 'There are a few things I'd like others to see. Firstly, that life does get better, and if you don't like your life, change it.' 'I avoided trying to find the root cause, but when I realised I had gender dysphoria I was able to improve my health.' Alexander also implored schools to start teaching about trans issues, saying: 'There needs to be education in schools about such matters, I was never taught anything about gender identities and it could easily be added to curriculum.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samitarians.org for details. Lidl is rolling out 1.50 boxes containing 5kg of vegetables in a new initiative to reduce food waste. The Too Good To Waste fruit and vegetable boxes will contain vegetables and fruits that are slightly damaged, discoloured or deteriorated, but are still good to eat. All the boxes will be supervised by 'Freshness Specialists,' to guarantee the quality of the produce. They will be available from opening time until midday, and any leftover boxes will be given to local good causes through Lidls surplus food redistribution programme, Feed it Back. 'Were therefore really excited to be rolling the boxes out to all of our stores nationwide,' said Christian Hartnagel, CEO of Lidl GB. Scroll down for video The 'Too Good to Wsate' boxes will be available from opening time to midday, after which they will be donated to local charities 'And were really pleased to see that its also starting to be adopted by other supermarkets,' he added, in a nod to Morrisons, who rolled out similar boxes in December 2018. The boxes rolled by Morrisons cost 1 and contained 1kg of produce produce past its best-by date, but that's still safe to eat. The Lidl scheme will soon be rolled out in branches across the UK. 'The really brilliant thing about this initiative is that, not only is it helping to tackle the highly important challenge of food waste, its also helping our customers make even more savings,' he added. Lidl is rolling out 5kg boxes of food and vegetables for only 1,50 in an effort to cut down on food waste Lidl trialed the boxes in 122 stores before rolling it nation-wide. The chain hopes it will encourage people to reduce waste 'Its a great example of how we, as discounter, can utilise our lean and efficient business model to fulfil our mission to make good, healthy food more affordable and accessible, whilst acting sustain-ably.' The company says its boxes are 'different from Wonky Veg boxes sold by other supermarkets. It claims to be working closely with its suppliers to 'ensure a degree of flexibility with specifications at different times of the year, to include items within its standard product lines.' Back in December 2018, Morrisons rolled out its own boxes, which cost 1 for 1kg worth of produce Lidl first trialed the boxes in August 2018. The discounter claims it sold more than 50,000 Too Good To Waste boxes in 122 stores nation and prevented 250 tonnes of food going to waste. In 2018, it was revealed that a third of all fresh fruit and veg is binned every year in the UK. Across Europe, more than a third of fresh produce is discarded, meaning in the UK 4.5million tons is thrown away. The University of Edinburgh, who conducted the study, described food loss and waste as 'one of the great scourges of our time', when ten percent of the world's population is chronically hungry. Their findings stated: 'The use of aesthetics for classifying and accepting fresh food for sale and consumption is built into food quality standards and regulations of the European Union. 'Produce that doesn't meet these standards may be lost from the food supply chain, never seeing a supermarket shelf - it may not get past the supplier, or even leave the farm.' 'Our estimates suggest over a third of total farm production is lost for aesthetic reasons.' The university said the climate change impact of growing the wasted food - some of which may be ploughed back into fields, used in animal feed or otherwise reused - is equivalent to the carbon emissions of almost 400,000 cars. It was also revealed that households in Britain are throwing away a whopping 15billion of good food each year. The UKs total food waste is estimated to be 10.2million tonnes. It's been a whirlwind start to the year for the Duchess of York, with visits to Cologne, Madrid, London and even Sierra Leone for a charity appeal. Earlier this month, she arrived in the US attending a Women's Food Service Forum event in Dallas and her latest trip has taken her to West Hollywood, where she enjoyed a night out in glamorous seafood restaurant Catch. Fergie, who celebrates her 60th birthday later this year, made the late night appearance in fashionable but comfortable attire. Scroll down for video Stepping out! The Duchess of York exits a car as she arrives for a late night dinner date at trendy Catch seafood restaurant in West Hollywood The smiling Duchess, who celebrates her 60th birthday this year opted for a black fitted dress to the knee, with lace detail. She was clearly enjoying the comfort of a pair of black velour trainers too Wearing a black fitted lace dress with sheer tights, she opted for some practical shoes, a pair of black velour trainers. Taking the chill off the spring evening, the Duchess also wore a beige jacket with co-ordinating scarf. She wore her famous red hair loosely tied away from her face, showing off a simple pair of gold hoop earrings. In early February, the flame-haired Duchess posted photos of herself in Sierra Leone; after she visited the African country to raise awareness of the Street Child campaign. Writing to her now 177,000 followers, Fergie said: 'Such a privilege to be welcomed so warmly by children at this school in Port Loko, Sierra Leone, which has been helped by my charity. The Duchess wore her famous red hair loosely tied back from her face as she stepped out of a Range Rover in West Hollywood last night The 59-year-old made the journey to Kroo Bay, a slum in Freetown, at the start of February, where she visited several schools and met with locals as part of her work for her charity Street Child 'It breaks my heart that 121m children dont have a chance to go to school which is why I am here to launch Street Childs campaign to build or renovate 1,000 schools and give an education to 100,000 children.' And the Duchess marked International Women's Day a few weeks later by paying tribute to the 'strong' women who have influenced her life, including 'dear, departed' Diana. Fergie shared a series of photos on Instagram and Twitter to mark the day dedicated to women around the world. The images included a sweet picture of herself and Diana, taken in 1983 when they were both in relationships with Prince Andrew and Prince Charles respectively. A mother-of-two who gets paid to travel the world has revealed she doesn't feel guilty for leaving her husband and children in economy while she upgrades to first class. Naomi Isted, 40, a luxury travel blogger from Essex, shares Fleur, nine, and Rocco, three, with property developer Haydn, 40. The family enjoy as many as six exotic holidays a year, where Naomi is often asked to share a sponsored post about the resort to her Instagram, which boasts 94,000 followers. And while Naomi often pays to upgrade her seat to first class when the opportunity arises, her husband and children are left firmly behind in economy class, with the mother arguing that it will teach the youngsters the 'value of money'. Naomi Isted, 40, a luxury travel blogger from Essex, gets paid to travel the world has revealed she doesn't feel guilty for leaving her husband and children in economy while she upgrades to first class (seen in first class on a flight to the Caribbean last year) Naomi shares Fleur, nine, and Rocco, three, with property developer Haydn, 40. Naomi and Fleur are seen in St Lucia last month Arguing that the children are too young to appreciate first class and she is keen to teach them the value of money, Naomi says the flight is a chance for her to plan her blog posts and travel videos. I dont feel guilty as they are too young to appreciate first class yet,' Naomi, who recently returned from St Lucia and is planning her next trip to America, told FEMAIL. Explaining that the company who sponsoring her is already paying for standard travel and accommodation for the whole family, she continued: 'I make the choice for them to travel economy on work trips as I'm often upgraded. 'I don't like to put it on the brand or client to upgrade them too as they're already paying for them to have an experience as well'. Naomi Isted, 40, a luxury travel blogger from Essex, shares Fleur, nine, and Rocco, three, with property developer Haydn, 40- seen in London Naomi argues that the children are too young to appreciate first class and need to learn the value of money. Naomi and Fleur are seen in St Lucia last month Naomi often pays to upgrade her seat to first class when the opportunity arises, her husband and children are left firmly behind in economy class. She is seen in St Lucia Naomi added: 'It also shows the children that when you work and work hard, you get rewarded'. Speaking about how her husband feels about being left in economy, she continued: 'Haydn is fine about it. 'Like myself, he appreciates spending time with the kids and in these particular situations, he understands what I'm bringing to our lives. We are so lucky to even get to travel'. She added: 'The kids understand that it's my job and why I'm in first class, whilst they're in economy, because hard work brings rewards'. Pictured; Naomi, Fleur, nine, and with property developer Haydn, 40, are seen in St Lucia recently Ivanka Trump celebrated her youngest son Theodore's third birthday with a heartwarming tribute on social media before joining her father in welcoming Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, at the White House. The 37-year-old first daughter took to Instagram and Twitter early Wednesday to post a throwback photo of herself holding Theodore while cuddled up next to her husband Jared Kushner. 'Happy 3rd birthday, Theodore! You have brought joy and laughter into our hearts and home each day of your little life,' she captioned the image. Look of love: Ivanka Trump celebrated her son Theodore's third birthday on Wednesday by sharing a photo of her youngest child when he was a newborn Work: Later that day, Ivanka joined her father, President Donald Trump, in welcoming Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, at the White House In the snapshot, Ivanka is makeup-free and wearing a plush pale pink bathrobe. The mother-of-three is gazing down at her baby boy and holding his little chin with her hand while he sleeps in her arm. Jared, 38, is also dressed casually in a black hooded sweatshirt, and he has his arm thrown around his wife's shoulders. While Ivanka only has eyes for their son, Jared is smiling for the camera. Later on in the day, Ivanka was with her father, President Donald Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence in the Oval Office while they met with Rosales, who is rallying international support for her husband and the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Ivanka donned a $100 patterned button-down dress from Zara to the meeting, and she accessorized the frock with a pair of funky drop earrings. Her long blonde hair was worn loose around her shoulders in natural waves. Goals: Rosales is while rallying international support for her husband and the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Outfit of the day: Ivanka donned a $100 patterned button-down dress from Zara to the meeting Added touch: The first daughter accessorized the frock with a pair of funky drop earrings The White House senior had her legs crossed and her hands resting on her lap while she sat between the vice president and White House national security adviser John Bolton at the meeting. Trump said Venezuelan people have been through 'unfathomable' trials under Maduro. Meanwhile, Pence called Rosales a 'courageous' woman and said the U.S. stands firmly behind the opposition cause. Rosales is scheduled to meet later with members of Congress and will speak at a conference with the ambassador recognized by the Trump administration. The U.S. and 50 other countries say Maduro's re-election last year was illegitimate and have recognized Guaido as the interim president. Prim and proper: The White House senior had her legs crossed and her hands resting on her lap while sitting on a couch in the Oval Office Seating arrangements: Ivanka sat between Vice President Mike Pence and White House national security adviser John Bolton (not pictured) at the meeting Paying attention: Ivanka focused on her father's conversation with Rosales during the meeting Hours before Ivanka's White House meeting, her husband Jared was seen leaving the front door of their Washington, D.C. home with a smile on his face and a work bag in his hand. The White House senior adviser, who typically gets an early start in the morning, was out the door at about 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the day of his youngest son's birthday. Jared was wearing a navy suit, white shirt, and a red tie when he made his way done the front stairs of his home and headed to work for the day. Theodore was born on March 27, 2016, at 5:43 p.m., and an hour and a half later an announcement was posted on Ivanka's Twitter account. In good spirits: Hours before Ivanka's White House meeting, her husband Jared was seen leaving the front door of their Washington, D.C. home with a smile on his face Off to work: The White House senior adviser, who typically gets an early start in the morning, was out the door at about 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. He was wearing a navy suit and red tie Birthday boy: Ivanka spent some quality time with her son Theodore last week 'Jared and I feel incredibly blessed to announce the arrival of Theodore James Kushner,' she wrote at the time. Although it's unclear how the family plans on celebrating Theodore's birthday, they threw him a construction-themed party last year in honor of him turning two. The first daughter has shared plenty of heartwarming snapshots of the little boy throughout the year, including images of him with his older brother and sister. Ivanka and Jared also proud parents to a seven-year-old daughter, Arabella, and a five-year-old son, Joseph, but it looks like the mom makes a point to spend quality one-on-one time with each other children. Just last week, she enjoyed a night in with Theodore while Jared was out for the evening. Family: Ivanka and Jared also proud parents to a seven-year-old daughter, Arabella, and a five-year-old son, Joseph All smiles: The first daughter has shared plenty of heartwarming snapshots of the little boy throughout the year, including images of him with his older brother and sister Ivanka posted a photo of herself sitting on her kitchen counter in sweats while eating Chinese takeout with her youngest child. 'When Dads away...' she captioned the image, which shows Theo happily eating out of her takeout container. The little boy is pictured wearing navy and white striped pajamas while sitting on top of the kitchen island with his mom. Ivanka is also dressed casually in a zip-up sweatshirt and leggings, and she is smiling at Theo as they enjoy their meal together. Although she and her son are sharing one container, the counter is littered with takeout, including packets of soy sauce. It's unclear where Jared was that evening or if their two eldest children Arabella joined them for dinner. A royal commentator has claimed Prince William was instrumental in helping Harry and Meghan to secure a larger budget for their own household. Just weeks ago Buckingham Palace announced a new household had been created for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following their marriage last year, which would mean their staff would be separated from William and Kate's team. Speaking in the podcast On Heir this week, British correspondent Emily Andrews revealed that the Queen and Prince Charles were initially hesitant to grant Harry a budget for his own household as he is not a direct heir to the throne. However, understanding how important Meghan and Harry are to the royal family's global image, William was said to have stepped in and fought for his younger brother to get a bigger budget for his own team, according to expert Omid Scobie. Helpful older borther: Royal commentator Omid Scobie has claimed Prince William, seen in Cardiff this month, was instrumental in helping Harry and Meghan to secure a larger budget for their own household Speaking on the podcast, Emily Andrews said: 'Charles and the Queen did not want the Sussexes to have their own individual household, and indeed how could they because the money has to come from somewhere.' Omid added: 'It was actually Prince William who had to step in and fight to get Harry a little bit more money to spend on building a team because he understands what this means to Harry and how much he wants to achieve. 'He also understands how important Harry and Meghan are for the image, the brand and the future of the royal family.' Arguing that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were the 'nation's favourites', he explained that William understood that Harry and Meghan were 'global ambassadors' for the royal family. FEMAIL has contacted Kensington Palace for comment. Just weeks ago Buckingham Palace announced a new household had been created for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following their marriage last year. They are pictured at Westminster Abbey this month Speaking about Harry and Meghan's new team, he added: ''They've hired Sarah Latham who is a former PR director from the British PR company Freuds which is a big PR powerhouse but also has a massive background in politics. 'She's American, dual heritage, very much in line with what the couple are all about and I think it helps having someone who understands both cultures.' At the beginning of the month it was confirmed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to have their own household to take forward their growing roles as senior members of the royal family. Meghan and Harry's new household will be based at Buckingham Palace and is likely to be created following the birth of their first baby, expected in April. Speaking in podcast On Heir this week, British correspondent Emily Andrews revealed that the Queen and Prince Charles were initially hesitant to grant Harry his own household as he is not a direct heir to the throne. Seen left to right last year: Camilla, the Queen, Prince Charles, Meghan, Harry, Kate and Charlotte The move will see the Sussexes and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge formally split their backroom staff and may signal a shift in the direction of their public works. But the foursome remain joint patrons of the Royal Foundation, which is their primary charitable body, and could still work together on big projects like their Heads Together mental health campaign. Harry and Meghan have appointed Sara Latham, a public relations heavyweight and former senior adviser on Hillary Clinton's 2016 US presidential campaign, as their head of communications. She also worked in the White House under Bill Clinton in the late 1990s when he was American president and was a special adviser to the late Dame Tessa Jowell when she was culture secretary. Seen: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during The Prince of Wales' 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration last year Buckingham Palace announced the development in a statement: 'The Queen has agreed to the creation of a new Household for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, following their marriage in May last year. 'The Household, which will be created with the support of The Queen and The Prince of Wales, will be established in the spring. 'The Duke of Sussex currently has his own private office, which has been supporting the Duchess since Their Royal Highness's engagement in November 2017. 'This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for The Duke and Duchess's work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage.' The announcement of the new household is a natural development in the life of senior royals and facilitates their need to have their own staff and aides around them as they pursue their public goals. William and Harry split from their father the Prince of Wales's household when they came of age and it was always expected the brothers would set up their own separate operations when the time came. The Sussexes and Cambridges' current communications head Jason Knauf will stay with William and Kate but become their senior adviser. His responsibilities will include advising on their charitable initiatives including work on the environment, mental health, and early childhood and supporting a review of the charitable structures that underpin their work. For my 50th birthday eight years ago, I gave myself a present: a facelift. It was a procedure that gave me back a measure of confidence I thought had gone for ever. But like all good things, facelifts dont last. The experts say youll need another one between five and ten years later so Im in the sweet spot for a second tuck. And until recently, you could read it in my face. Looking bleary-eyed into the bathroom mirror at 6.30am every day, I was forced to admit that Mother Nature was finally gaining the upper hand. You may accuse me of vanity or failing to age gracefully whatever that means but I really didnt want to succumb to drooping, telltale jowls. So I tugged upwards on my jawline, scrutinised the effect in the mirror, and asked myself whether it was time for another bit of help. The thing is, having been through it once, I wasnt keen on another lift. Kay Burley (pictured) who previously underwent a seven-hour facelift, spoke about her experience of trying to recreate the results using ultrasound therapy The seven-hour procedure involved tightening my neck and tucking excess skin behind my ears. Although I had an expert surgeon, I didnt react well. My face was left puffy and swollen for much longer than is usual, and I couldnt return to work quickly. I missed a fabulous trip to Florida to present live from the launch of the last Nasa space shuttle. Instead, I spent a month or so hiding from sunlight and investing in deep-tissue facials to reduce the swelling. Thankfully, in the intervening years a new treatment has emerged that promises results as good as a facelift, with no need for the surgeons knife. Called Ultherapy short for ultrasound therapy it has been praised by many celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and my pin-up role model, Christie Brinkley. Non-invasive and not requiring a general anaesthetic, it is a skin-tightening procedure that uses high-intensity ultrasound to penetrate and heat deep layers of skin the same area a traditional facelift targets. The treatment tightens and lifts skin and also, unlike a traditional facelift, stimulates cells to boost your natural production of collagen. A good practitioner will charge anywhere from 700 to 7,000, depending on the area to be treated. Experts in the UK include Dr Ariel Haus on Londons Harley Street, who says it is a good solution for those who may find a facelift too much for their skin: If a patient has thin or sun-damaged skin, Ultherapy allows me to target multiple levels of deeper tissues. Dr Tracy Mountford, at the nearby Cosmetic Skin Clinic, which has carried out thousands of Ultherapy procedures over the past five years, points out that you dont have to deal with all the downtime that I had found such a drag, either. It sounded like a solution but could it really deliver results? Kay (pictured before) had three-hour non-invasive treatment Ultherapy at Smooth Synergy Cosmedical Spa in New York I decided to take the plunge. Ultherapy is so quick, I squeezed the procedure in during a business trip to New York, popping into the Smooth Synergy Cosmedical Spa run by Nicole Contos. She looks amazing, with skin so smooth you could stroke it so I put my face and neck in her hands. Of course, there are those who say the natural look is best. Some people, mostly men, tell me a tighter face looks unnatural and that laughter lines or wrinkles, as I call them are a better look for a mature woman. Nonsense. Women, especially those in the public eye, are always more harshly judged than their male counterparts and I wont play second fiddle when I know I can hold on to looking fabulous for a few years longer. I have facials at least once a month, cleanse and moisturise with Elemis or Environ products religiously and use a face mask twice a week. I use eye creams, serums and hydrogel masks. Although Ive dabbled with Botox and fillers, they have never really done it for me. But I havent shied away from more invasive work. As well as a lower facelift, Ive had a brow lift and the bags removed from under my eyes. ...as the drugs began to wear off the discomfort of each snap increased Both procedures left me out of action for at least a month. It all sounds like a lot of effort to look good and it is. But honestly, Id say it has absolutely been worth it. I wouldnt dream of exchanging my smooth skin and relatively tight jawline for whatever the natural look might have left me with. So, I was already something of an expert by the time I lay down on Nicoles couch for the three-hour Ultherapy procedure. She assured me Id be fine to fly home to London that evening a revolutionary concept. Still, I felt anxious. The sensation of being zapped with the ultrasound waves is often compared to an elastic band being snapped on your face and I would experience that up to a thousand times during the process. I was also advised that my deep tissue might feel hot and uncomfortable. Pain and I are not good bedfellows, so I accepted over-the-counter painkillers and a mild sedative. Then it was time to choose some distracting music on my phone, pop in my earphones and lie back. Kay (pictured after) began to see the results of Ultherapy a month after the treatment which promises to tighten and lift skin The Ultherapy machine maps your face into segments, then ultrasound imaging is used to advise the therapist how many pulses are needed in each area. Ultherapy involves ultrasound waves depositing tiny amounts of energy to clearly defined depths under the skin. This apparently jump-starts the skins regenerating process. The first few pulses were uneventful and after a few minutes I was wondering what all the fuss was about. But its a long procedure, and as the drugs began to wear off the discomfort of each snap increased. My face also felt warm, but not uncomfortably so to be honest, I wasnt sure if it was the procedure or a menopausal hot flush! The snaps were monotonous and relentless, and eventually I needed a local anaesthetic injection, which brought blissful numbness. UK practitioners have different views on pain relief and tend to offer a cocktail of painkillers and antihistamines, to reduce swelling. I would advise taking everything on offer, as it wasnt the most relaxing three hours I have ever spent. I was sure every passer-by was staring at my puffy face Afterwards I felt hot and in some places, particularly around my neck, rather as if Id walked into a door. Nicole warned me there might be some bruising for a couple of days, but in fact there was nothing, not even redness. Leaving the clinic, I was sure every passer-by was staring at my puffy face. Of course, they werent. And back in my hotel room, the mirror revealed that I looked exactly the same as I had done hours earlier. That is certainly not what youd hope for after a facelift but Ultherapy is different. It has little immediate effect but the results develop over at least three months, getting better and better as your treated skin produces new collagen. Some people book a second treatment after six months to top up the results. Once at its optimum, your plumped-up face can last for between one and five years, depending on genes and lifestyle. So, did it work for me? Well, it has only been a month since I had the treatment but I am already enjoying the results. I was at a fabulous Mayfair event this week, packed with ladies who lunch and know a thing or two about beauty treatments, and I was complimented many times on my glowing skin. Lots of envious lunch companions asked what Id had done. Now, unlike before, I cant wait for time to take its toll on my skin, knowing Ill look younger and fresher each day. Mother Nature will just have to wait a little longer. Throwing a baby shower is a relatively new concept in the UK. It's one of those American traditions, like a school prom, that has been growing slowly over the last few years thanks in part to high profile celebrities like the Kardashians splashing theirs all over social media. And with the Duchess of Sussex even flying out to New York specifically for her very extravagant affair, it seems a baby shower is becoming as essential as ante natal classes. So if you fancy throwing a baby shower either for yourself or for your pregnant friend, we've put together a guide for all you need to know. Pamper your pregnant friend with a baby shower she'll always remember What is a baby shower? A baby shower is a party usually given before an expectant mother gives birth. Friends and family (often only women, but there's no need to stick to this rule) gather together to celebrate the forthcoming arrival and to 'shower' the mum with gifts for the baby. It's not usually a raucous affair and often takes place in the afternoon, taking into consideration that at least one of the people there is quite close to giving birth and may be a bit exhausted... And while some people do host baby showers after the little one has already arrived, it's more usual to plan it for the last couple of months of the pregnancy. This way, the mother-to-be will feel happy that everything is going well and she can enjoy some quality time with her loved ones before life gets a little bit busier... So, now to practicalities. How to plan a shower they'll always remember. 1. Choose a suitable venue It's probably best not to host the shower at the mum-to-be's own home so she doesn't have to be involved in either the set up or the clear up. The less stress for her the better. So aim to hold it in the home of a friend or family member, or if that won't work, why not consider a private dining room at a restaurant or an event space at a hotel? Avoid bars, nightclubs or holding it in the evening because it's just not that kind of party, people... 2. Get on with the guest list It might be worth confirming the guest list and final numbers before deciding on a venue as you need to ensure there'll be enough space for everyone invited. And remember this isn't your party. It's all about the new mama, so consult her when compiling a list of people to invite. She may want to have certain colleagues there or old friends from university, so don't leave her disappointed by neglecting anyone you don't know personally. And whatever you do, don't forget the grandparents. They're almost as important as the one who's with child. In fact don't think about setting the date until you know they can make it. She'll feel extra special with all her friends and family around her 3. Invitations As this is a special occasion it's worth making all the little details as thoughtful as possible. So don't just invite everyone by text message. Go paperless with a pretty online invite or you can find sweet baby themed invitations at your local stationery shop. If you really want to go to town then you could have invitations printed up as you would with a wedding. Whichever route you take make sure that all the essential information is on there. Date, time, venue, dress code (if needed), how to RSVP and feel free to include a note about gifts. If the mother has a list registered at a baby shop then let guests know the details. 4. Decorations Now it starts to get fun. There are plenty of ways to make a baby shower look gorgeous, but first select a theme, or at the very least, colours. If you know the sex of the baby perhaps that can lead your designs, but in general whites and pastels work best. Keep things elegant by sticking to one or two shades and build from there, whether it's balloons, table linen, flowers or bunting. Matalan Bunting, 7, will pretty up any space and can be reused in the new nursery Then add in fun details like photos of the mum-to-be throughout the years, or her as a baby. And why not pick out some baby related photo booth props or funny fancy dress for everyone to play with? Depending on your theme you could give each guest a flower crown, plastic tiara or deely boppers to wear too. Next consider the space where the event is being held. Will there be more than one table to decorate? Are you able to hang things from walls or hooks? It's worth visiting the venue (even if it's a friend's home) to take measurements, assess what will work and what's realistic for the time and budget available. 5. Games and activities As well as watching the mum-to-be open her gifts and catching up with old friends, guests at a baby shower are also invited to join in with some fun games. Here are just a few ideas to make the party go with a bang: Onesie decorating Matalan Unisex 5 Pack Long Sleeve Bodysuits, 7.50 Every guest is given a plain white babygrow which they decorate with fabric pens and paint. It's a brilliant way to get everybody together, and the results are often hilarious, although anything on a tiny onesie will always look adorable. Guess the weight, sex and time of birth Set up a board where each guest can enter their guesses for the above categories, or whatever categories you like. Once the little one arrives, whoever was closest receives a small prize. Dirty nappies Yes it sounds gross, but it's a funny way to get everyone bonding. Buy a pack of nappies and a selection of different chocolate bars, preferably some with nuts, biscuits, toffee etc inside, and five minutes before the party begins melt them in the microwave. Then smear each chocolate bar into a nappy and lay them out for guests to have a good sniff, before writing down which chocolate bar was in which nappy. A lifetime of birthday cards Buy greetings cards and label each envelope with a number from one to 30. Each guest must then pick one and write a birthday card for the age on the envelope to be given to the new arrival when they reach that birthday milestone. So if you have a card with the number 21 then write a card for their 21st birthday. This is a good way to stay connected and will mean a huge amount to the child and their parents as the years go by. 6. Gifts If you're attending a baby shower and are unsure what to buy as a gift then let us help. It's actually pretty easy as it's all about giving the expectant parents everything they'll need when the baby arrives. So you really can't go wrong with cute clothes and soft toys as well as blankets and bibs. Introduce them to Disney with Matalan's Unisex 3 Piece Disney Dumbo Gift Set, 10 Matalan's Elephant Toy & Blanket Set, 10 (L) and Baby Record Book, 8 (R) will make great gifts she'll love Feeling more generous? Then consider a crib or pram, but these larger presents are usually reserved for grandparents. Or how about making it really personal? There are plenty of websites now that can create personalised baby books, keepsake boxes and photo albums. And why not treat the new mum as well as the new baby? A voucher for a much needed facial, massage or manicure for after the baby is born will be very well received. 7. Food and drink You can make the food and drinks as formal or relaxed as you like, but it will no doubt depend on your venue and budget. If you're hosting the shower at a restaurant then discuss dining options before booking. It could be they can provide a set menu or feasting style food or perhaps you just want canapes to be passed around by waiters. If the shower is taking place in somebody's home then you could either hire a caterer or all pitch in together to make a delicious buffet for guests to graze on. One essential ingredient has got to be a cake so whether it's shop bought or baked by a family member, just make sure there is one. When it comes to drinks, it's a good idea to serve Champagne or Prosecco to keep things celebratory, but keep in mind the reason you're all there and provide a special non-alcoholic alternative for the mum-to-be so she doesn't feel left out. More than 1,000 people have now been infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The death toll stood at 639 in the African nation yesterday, as the outbreak of the deadly virus enters its eight month. Health workers are still struggling to contain the infection, which has killed almost two thirds of people who have caught it. In the past month five treatment centres have been violently attacked, the country's health ministry said, and people still don't trust the medics. A total of 639 people have died of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since this outbreak began August almost two thirds of all people infected have succumbed to the virus The cities of Katwa and Beni have borne the brunt of the outbreak, with more than 500 cases and 333 deaths between them. Some 75 people have died in Butembo, where health workers are pictured in a treatment centre which was attacked by militants Last week, authorities confirmed the virus which causes severe fevers and uncontrollable bleeding had spread to the city of Bunia and killed at least one. Around a million people live in the city, which is 125miles (201km) north of Beni, where most of the outbreak has been centered. The government said it has managed to 'limit the geographical spread' of the disease, but authorities are under no illusions about stamping it out. 'I think all of us in the field are aware that we're very far from being near the end of this outbreak,' said Tariq Riebl, a member of the International Rescue Committee. 'The increase in cases also shows we are catching up with all the transmission that we haven't previously been aware of.' In recent weeks, more than 40 percent of new cases in the hotspot towns of Katwa and Butembo had no known links to other cases, meaning doctors have lost track of where the virus is spreading. Health workers have been better prepared than ever for the latest epidemic, which has become the second largest ever. New technologies like a trial vaccine, experimental treatments and futuristic cube-shaped mobile units for treating patients have helped curb the spread of the virus. But public mistrust and insecurity have hampered the response. The World Health Organization said many people are still refusing to seek medical care and are dying at home. THE HISTORY OF EBOLA IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO SINCE THE KILLER VIRUS WAS FIRST DISCOVERED THERE IN 1976 CASES DEATHS DEATH % STRAIN AREA 1976 318 280 88% Zaire Yambuku (Equater) 1977 1 1 100% Zaire Tandala 1995 315 250 79% Zaire Kikwit 2007 264 187 71% Zaire Luebo/Mweke 2008/09 32 15 47% Zaire Luebo/Mweke 2012 36 13 36% Bundibugyo Orientale 2014 69 49 71% Zaire Equater 2017 8 4 50% Zaire Likati 2018 (May) 54 33 61% Zaire Kinshasa 2018-ongoing 1,022 639 63% Zaire North Kivu/Ituri This puts their family and neighbours at high risk of getting the contagious illness, which still spreads after someone has died. WHO teams often visit communities with a police escort for security reasons, a move which could undermine community trust. Mr Reibl added: 'We understand why some people might be scared of this and we believe that the use of force should be a last resort.' Figures published by the DRC's health ministry yesterday showed 1,022 people have been infected in total. Some 957 of those cases have been confirmed 324 people have been cured but nearly twice as many have died. The cities of Katwa and Beni have borne the brunt of the outbreak, with more than 500 cases and 333 deaths between them. More than 200,000 nurses have quit the NHS since 2010, official figures have revealed. The number quitting because they're unhappy with their work-life balance has almost tripled in the same period. There has been a 73 per cent rise in nurses leaving for health reasons, and 69 per cent more resigned because of a lack of opportunities in 2018 than in 2011. The damning figures come as the NHS is in the grip of a staffing and hospital crisis, with experts saying last month may have been its toughest ever. Labour Party research has uncovered the stats and the party called them 'utterly staggering'. Research by the Labour Party found the number of NHS nurses resigning was 27 per cent higher in 2017-18 than it was in 2010-11 (stock image) All NHS staff who left their jobs between 2010-11 and 2017-18 were included in the data taking in a total of 896,917 employees, 200,586 of them nurses. The most common reasons for nurses quitting the health service were retirement or relocation, whereas the biggest category was an unknown reason. In 2018 2,910 nurses and health visitors quit because they didn't like their work-life balance, up from 1,069 in 2011. Meanwhile, 544 nurses quit for health reasons (up from 315), and 221 resigned because of a lack of opportunities (up from 131). There are almost 40,000 empty nurse jobs in England and these figures highlight the NHS's struggle to hold onto the staff it already has, critics said. 'Its utterly staggering that our NHS has lost over 200,000 nurses under the Tories and that voluntary resignations from the NHS is up 55 per cent,' said Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary. 'We are facing a retention crisis in our NHS and standards which staff should expect enshrined in the NHS Constitution have simply been abandoned.' A total of 26,776 NHS nurses resigned in 2017-18, up more than a quarter (27 per cent) from 21,041 in 2010-11. During the time period covered by these statistics the Government has axed the bursaries for people studying nursing or midwifery at university. And the budget for helping staff to develop their skills in the workplace has now been cut to a third of its value five years ago, Labour said. A report by think-tanks the Nuffield Trust, the Health Foundation and The King's Fund this month warned the nurse shortage could rise to 48,000 within five years without quick action. And it said the ambitions of the NHS published in its long term plan would be 'impossible to achieve' unless more nurses are hired. Dame Donna Kinnair, acting chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing said: 'Health and care services are losing thousands of experienced, dedicated nursing staff who feel as if no one is sufficiently listening to their concerns and patient care is routinely compromised by chronic staff shortages. 'It will be impossible to grow the number of nursing students in higher education, and refresh our workforce, without a clear commitment to addressing supply and a fresh funding of at least 1billion to replace the existing flawed system.' Mr Ashworth added: 'After years of pay restraint, cuts to training budgets and growing pressures it is no wonder the NHS is facing chronic shortages of 100,000 staff. 'These shortages affect patient care every day as waiting lists grow and operations are cancelled. 'Its my ambition that the NHS becomes the best employer in the world. 'Its not only the correct thing to do to improve the quality of care of patients, its in our economic interest as well.' AI may be able to predict when patients battling chronic diseases will die, research suggests. Scientists and doctors used data from half a million people to develop the tool that foresees who is at risk of an early death. It takes into account everything from a patient's family history of disease and how much salt they eat, to medication use and whether they wear sunscreen. Researchers said the AI system was 'very accurate' in tests and around 10 per cent more reliable than estimations by existing machine-learning systems. AI may be able to predict when patients battling chronic diseases will die (stock) The research was carried out by the University of Nottingham and led by Dr Stephen Weng, an assistant professor of epidemiology and data science. 'Preventative healthcare is a growing priority in the fight against serious diseases,' Dr Weng said. 'So we have been working for a number of years to improve the accuracy of computerised health risk assessment in the general population. 'Most applications focus on a single disease area but predicting death due to several different disease outcomes is highly complex, especially given environmental and individual factors that may affect them. 'We have taken a major step forward in this field by developing a unique and holistic approach to predicting a persons risk of premature death by machine-learning.' The AI algorithm was created from data of 502,628 people aged 40-to-69 who took part in the UK Biobank study between 2006 and 2010, and were followed until 2016. It took into account 60 health predictors, including the participants' BMI, blood pressure and vitamin or supplement use. The AI model also included information on the participants' fruit, vegetable, meat, cheese, cereal, fish and alcohol consumption. AI COULD HELP DOCTORS IDENTIFY PACEMAKER PROBLEMS FASTER AI may help doctors spot a patient's faulty pacemaker during emergencies, research suggests. A study found the new 'machine-learning software' identifies 'cardiac rhythm devices' in X-rays scans more accurately and quickly than existing methods. If pacemakers fail, patients can become severely ill. Doctors then need to quickly identify the device the patient is fitted with before starting treatment, which may involve changing its settings or replacing leads. In the study, researchers - from Imperial College London - 'trained' an AI model to identify more than 1,600 different pacemakers. When an X-ray image was uploaded, the model could decipher its make and model within seconds. Results revealed the AI model was 99 per cent accurate, compared to 72 per cent for existing methods, which involves deciphering a pacemaker's make via a flow chart. Advertisement 'We mapped the resulting predictions to mortality data from the cohort using Office of National Statistics death records, the UK cancer registry and "hospital episodes" statistics,' Dr Weng said. The model was then compared against two standard machine-learning techniques. Results - published in the journal PLOS ONE - suggest the new AI model was up to 10.1 per cent more accurate than existing networks. 'We found machine learned algorithms were significantly more accurate in predicting death than the standard prediction models developed by a human expert,' Dr Weng said. Study author Professor Joe Kai, head of primary care at the faculty of medicine & health sciences, added: 'There is intense interest in the potential to use "AI" or "machine learning" to better predict health outcomes. 'In some situations we may find it helps, in others it may not. 'In this particular case, we have shown that with careful tuning, these algorithms can usefully improve prediction. 'These techniques can be new to many in health research and difficult to follow. 'We believe by clearly reporting these methods in a transparent way, this could help with scientific verification and future development of this exciting field for healthcare.' The latest study builds on past research by the University of Nottingham that suggested four different AI algorithms were significantly better at predicting heart disease than an established one used in cardiology guidelines. The scientists predict AI will play a vital role in the development of personalised medicine. But, they add, further research is required into machine learning's effectiveness in other population groups, as well as how to incorporate AI into everyday healthcare. Using medicinal cannabis to treat patients may not benefit them as much as hoped, experts have told MPs. So far, trials have shown only moderate benefits to those who take cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating component of the marijuana plant, to treat two rare types of epilepsy, the president of the British Paediatric Neurology Association said. And some studies into cannabis effectiveness on treating pain suggest it will take 24 patients before one sees a benefit but just six before one experiences harmful side-effects. Medicinal cannabis may not benefit patients as much as first hoped, experts have told MPs Trials have shown only moderate benefits to those who take cannabidiol - a non-intoxicating component of the marijuana plant - to treat two rare types of epilepsy Professor Finbar OCallaghan told the Health and Social Care Committee he was completely behind the Governments decision last year to allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis in some cases. But he warned there is little evidence to prove the products are effective or safe, and that it could take three years for adequate trials to be done. In the countries where these cannabis products have been used widely, theyre not appearing to be the magic bullet that has a dramatic effect, he said. Professor Andrew Goddard, of the Royal College of Physicians, said there was currently not enough evidence to support the drugs use for pain. Supermarket multi-buys and special offers are driving the obesity crisis, experts have warned. The discounts and deals boost the amount of junk food consumers buy while cutting their purchases of fruit and vegetables, they said. Nearly a third of the food and drink in trolleys is bought under various promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free, according to a study of the shopping habits of more than 16,000 people. Consumers who favour deals choose nearly a third fewer fruit products and a quarter fewer vegetables, items which are usually not on promotion It found that consumers who buy the most food this way are 54 per cent more likely to be obese than those who shun promotions. Shoppers who opt for lots of special offers also buy a fifth more unhealthy food and drink, regarded as being high in fat, sugar or salt. The research by Cancer Research UK found that a promotion-loving family with two adults and two children buys an extra 11 unhealthy items per month. Bargain-lovers also buy more sugary items and fewer with fibre than low promotional shoppers. Consumers who favour deals choose nearly a third fewer fruit products and a quarter fewer vegetables, items which are usually not on promotion. The report found that nearly half of chocolate, crisps, popcorn and savoury snacks bought in supermarkets have been discounted or promoted in some way. Shoppers who opt for lots of special offers also buy a fifth more unhealthy food and drink, regarded as being high in fat, sugar or salt Income did not affect how many promotions consumers bought with similar trends seen across all demographic groups. High promotional shoppers buy more from typically less healthy food categories like cakes, confectionery, crisps, sugary drinks and puddings, said the report. This is at the expense of foods in healthier categories such as fruit, vegetables and unsweetened yoghurts. Being overweight or obese is linked to 13 types of cancer, including breast and bowel, and is the second leading preventable cause of the disease after smoking. These problems are a factor in around 6 per cent of cancer cases in the UK and are predicted to overtake smoking as the leading cause of the disease in women in around 25 years. Promotional items offer people a wealth of tempting yet unhealthy food and drink choices, said Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UKs prevention expert. With cut-price deals on things like chocolate, biscuits, cakes and fizzy drinks, its no surprise that people who buy more on promotion have a greater likelihood of being obese. With young children frequently being the ones who suffer from the effects of these purchases, introducing restrictions is important for their future health. The Government is consulting on plans to reduce supermarkets power to promote junk food. Proposals including banning displays of sweets at checkouts and banning buy-one-get-one-free and multi-buy deals. Ministers also want to ban junk food adverts on television and online before 9pm. Tim Rycroft, of the Food and Drink Federation, said the plans were insulting when the Government wanted firms to prioritise planning for a No Deal Brexit. Food and drink companies are battling to ensure the nation is fed, he said last week. Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: Retailers have led the way in tackling obesity through clear labelling, healthier choices and improving the nutritional balance of products. The sector is looking closely at the Government consultation. A father-of-two claims CBD oil helped cure his paralysis while he was fighting for his life with a rare condition. Dan Rodwell, 37, lost all feeling in his lower body after being struck with Guillain-Barre syndrome - which causes the body to attack its own nerves. Doctors said it would take six to 18 months for him to talk and walk again after he was put in an induced coma on life support. But Mr Rodwell, of Bromley, south east London, was back on his feet within a month, attributing his speedy recovery to CBD oil, made from the cannabis plant. He had turned to CBD oil after finding that, like many, it relieved him of pain and inflammation - caused by his Crohn's. After acting as a 'human guinea pig' while hospitalised - months after the launch of his own product - he hopes to help many others. Dan Rodwell lost all feeling in his lower body after being struck with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which causes the body to attack its own nerves - in December 2017 (pictured in hospital) Mr Rodwell left the intensive care unit 11 days after being admitted. Then, on January 16, a month after first being taken to hospital, he took his first steps (pictured with his son Finley in the summer of 2018, recovered) The father to Finley, five, and Charlie, two, attributes his speedy recovery in hospital to CBD oil. Doctors said he wouldn't walk or talk again for 18 months, but he was walking within a month Mr Rodwell said: 'I'd originally heard about CBD oil through a friend. I found it really useful with my Crohn's and launched my own brand of it. 'So, right away, I started wondering about whether it could help me again. 'I am always happy to tell my own story, but would never promise CBD oil will do exactly the same thing for someone else.' CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant and was legalised in Britain in 2017 as long as levels of the psychoactive part, THC, do not exceed 0.2 per cent. Cannabis oil is still illegal. WHAT IS CBD OIL AND IS IT LEGAL IN THE UK? Government advisers at the MHRA made it legal to buy cannabidiol (CBD) oil in 2016 after they admitted that it has a restoring, correcting or modifying effect on humans. Suppliers in England and Wales have to obtain a licence to sell it as a medicine, following the decision in October two years ago. Manufacturers are able to avoid the strict regulation by selling it as a food supplement - ignoring the lengthy process of gaining a medicinal licence. CBD products comes in many forms, the most popular being an oil - which users spray under their tongue - or gel tablets which melt slowly in the mouth. Cannabis oil, which is different to CBD oil because it contains THC - the compound that gives users a 'high' - is illegal under UK laws. Billy Caldwell, from Castlederg, Northern Ireland, made headlines last April when he became the first Briton to be prescribed it on the NHS. Cannabis oil, which reportedly has no side effects, influences the release and uptake of feel good chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. Advertisement Mr Rodwell used it to ease inflammation caused by the digestive condition, Crohn's, but others claim the 'miracle medicine' can help sleep and weight loss, among other health ailments. He launched his own brand with his wife, Cassie, 32, in September 2017. But Mr Rodwell did not expect that just a few months later, he would be putting his faith in the oil to help something more sinister. Mr Rodwell, who has two sons, Finley, five, and Charlie, two, nodded off on the sofa one night in December 2017 only to wake with a numb right leg. Assuming he had slept awkwardly, he limped to bed but, the next morning, was horrified to have lost all feeling in his lower half. He was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS) - a rare but serious condition causing the body to attack its own nerves. It mainly affects the feet, hands and limbs, causing problems such as numbness, weakness and pain. Occasionally it can be life-threatening. Ironically, Mr Rodwell had been worrying about getting GBS after reading about it a few weeks before. He said: 'GBS is thought to be caused by a problem with the immune system and sometimes surgery can be a trigger. Mr Rodwell, pictured with his wife, Cassie, 32, and their children, had turned to CBD oil after finding that, like many, it relieved him of pain and inflammation - caused by his Crohn's Mr and Mrs Rodwell, pictured with Finley, launched their own brand of CBD oil in September 2017, just a few months before he was paralysed with a rare condition WHAT IS GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME? Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) occurs when the body's immune system attacks its nervous system. It affects around one in 100,000 people in the UK and US. Symptoms usually start with a tingling sensation in the leg, which may spread to the arms and upper body. In severe cases, the person can become paralysed. The condition can be life-threatening if it affects a person's breathing, blood pressure or heart rate. GBS' cause is unknown, but it usually occurs after a viral infection. The NHS states campylobacter infections have been known to trigger GBS. There is no cure. Treatment focuses on restoring the nervous system. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advertisement 'I'd had an operation in November related to my Crohn's and just a couple of weeks before I fell ill had been reading up on GBS.' Within 24 hours of arriving at hospital, Mr Rodwell was officially diagnosed and started a five day course of immunoglobulin replacement therapy, where he was given antibodies to help him fight infection. Things went from bad to worse and, struggling to breathe, he was put on life support and placed in a coma to allow his body to recover. Lying unconscious throughout Christmas, Mr Rodwell came to just before New Year's Eve, still unable to walk or talk. Doctors warned it could be between six and 18 months before he regained all of his motor skills and speech and life returned to normal. Mr Rodwell said: 'I was almost numb to the words it's impossible to describe how it feels to hear that. But with some encouragement, I soon saw it more as a challenge to beat those odds.' Still unable to speak, Mr Rodwell used an alphabet board to ask his wife to bring him CBD oil. 'Then, using it every day, dripped onto my tongue, by January 7 I was able to talk again,' he said. 'By January 9 I stood up for the first time to give Cassie her birthday present.' Mr Rodwell left the intensive care unit 11 days after being admitted. Then, on January 16, took his first steps, before being able to walk unaided by January 23. Doctors warned Mr Rodwell, pictured with Charlie as a baby, may take between six and 18 months to regain all of his motor skills and speech and return to normal life WHO CAN RECEIVE A PRESCRIPTION OF CANNABIS OIL ON THE NHS? Very few people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis. Currently, it is only likely to be prescribed for the following conditions: children and adults with rare, severe forms of epilepsy adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy Some cannabis-based products are available to buy over the internet without a prescription. It's likely most of these products even those called 'CBD oils' will be illegal to possess or supply and there's a good chance they will contain THC - the chemical which makes you high. You cannot get cannabis-based medicine from your GP it can only be prescribed by a specialist hospital doctor. Source: NHS Advertisement He said: 'To go from being paralysed to walking out of hospital, which I did on January 24 - in less than a month - amazed everyone. 'My doctors said it was the fastest recovery from GBS on record. Now they have even written some papers on me. 'I am sure the CBD oil really helped me.' CBD oil has been hailed for its possible ability to reduce inflammation and pain, improve heart health and support weight loss. However, the NHS remain sceptical, warning that products in shops or online have no guarantee of health benefits. While there is some evidence that medical cannabis can help certain types of pain, this evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend it for pain relief. Health chiefs have said that medicinal cannabis products available on prescription - from November 2018 - are only likely to benefit a very small number of patients. But Mr Rodwell, like many fellow users, swears by it, and said: 'With my Crohn's, I found it helped with inflammation and also eased stress and anxiety, which can be triggers.' Completely recovered, Mr Rodwell, whose CBD oil brand is called CannWell, remains an ardent protagonist of the medicinal properties of legal cannabis products. Mr Rodwell, pictured with Mrs Rodwell and their children before the illness, said: 'My doctors said it was the fastest recovery from GBS on record' The couple, pictured with Finley, believe that CBD oil, which they sell under the name of CannWell, helped Mr Rodwell to recover as quickly as he did He said: 'It is always a tricky market, because of all the misconceptions and associations, but I hope more education can change that. 'When people hear the word cannabis, they think about getting high when actually, CBD is not the part of the plant that does that. 'After everything I went through, I felt inspired to go out and support the industry, so I launched my own brand. I still want to be very clear that I am not making any medical claims, though.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'As with any new medicine where there is a need to build the evidence base, the NHS's normal medicines governance systems are being used to support good clinical practice, and safe and effective prescribing for patients. 'The decision to prescribe medicinal cannabis is a clinical decision for specialist hospital doctors, made with patients and their families, to determine the most appropriate medication or course of treatment for an individual patient.' A teenager with a disfiguring facial tumour reveals bullies called her 'blowfish' and strangers assumed she had just had her wisdom teeth taken out. Phoebe McIndoe, from Perth, Western Australia, was diagnosed with cystic hygroma - a collection of fluid-filled cysts - when she was born. Since then, the 18-year-old has been in hospital with infections more than 100 times and had 16 treatments to reduce the size of the growth. Miss McIndoe was bullied and called 'fatty' growing up, and strangers have thought she was 'stupid' or 'mentally challenged'. But the pharmacist said, given the opportunity, she would reject any 'cure' for her growth as without it she wouldn't be who she is today. Phoebe McIndoe, 18, from Perth, Western, Australia, has been called a 'blowfish' and 'fatty' at school due to a disfiguring tumour on her face Miss McIndoe was diagnosed with cystic hygroma - a collection of fluid-filled cysts - at birth Miss McIndoe, pictured with Harry Styles, prefers to be asked about her disfigurement than be pre-judged so that she can help them understand her condition Strangers have assumed that the teenager has had her wisdom teeth taken out Miss McIndoe said: 'I had a very large share of bullying and name calling, and comments that stem from people not knowing and instead stigmatizing. 'Some people have asked if I had my wisdom teeth taken out, it's crazy. I would rather people ask me than be left guessing and wondering. 'The first couple of times people asked if I had my wisdom teeth out, I was flabbergasted. 'Sometimes it irks me still, so at times I say "I did" - you have to have fun with it sometimes.' WHAT ARE CYSTIC HYGROMAS? Cystic hygromas are a collection of fluid-filled cysts. They affect up to one per cent of newborns in the UK. Their US prevalence is unknown. Cystic hygromas most commonly form on the neck and armpits. They occur when the lymph vessels fail to form correctly during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Due to them occurring so early on in pregnancies, they cannot be prevented. Cystic hygromas can be detected during pregnancy scans. Most are visible during birth or early infancy and appear as painless, translucent, soft lumps. Treatment is not always required but may involve surgical removal or injection sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy causes an inflammatory reaction that makes cystic hygromas shrink. Cosmetic surgery may be performed in later life to reduce scarring. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement A cystic hygroma is a collection fluid-filled sacs, known as cysts, that result from a malformation in the lymphatic system - a network of vessels within the body which form part of the immune system. Lymph nodes are located in the neck, armpits and groin areas, and cystic hygromas are commonly found in the neck and armpits. Doctors spotted a mass hanging down from Miss McIndoe's neck when she was born, and she required a tracheostomy tube due to it restricting her breathing. At six months, Miss McIndoe had her trach tube removed and her cleft palette fixed. She also had corrective eye surgery at four - although it is not clear how the mass affected her eye. Miss McIndoe said: 'In primary school I was called everything from "fatty" to "blowfish" and many people thought I had a contagious disease which was horrible. 'I grew-up not knowing why I was being excluded and why I had to be treated differently. 'I'm not different to anyone else, there's just a thing on the side of my face.' In her early teens, which she said was her worst point, she was hospitalised once every few weeks to deal with blockages and infections, which caused the malformation to swell more. Miss McIndoe said: 'My cystic hygroma is a whole bunch of blood vessels filled with lymphatic nerve fluid and tissue, which gets blocked up and swells up. 'Sometimes it can reduce with massage but other times I need general antibiotics to lift the infection. 'If there is a big blockage that's harsh enough to block the fluid and get infected, it requires going into hospital for a drip in my arm with antibiotics.' Hours old, surgeons recognised the mass on Miss McIndoe's neck before diagnosing her. Pictured at five weeks old after having surgery with a tracheostomy tube to help her breathing At six months, Miss McIndoe had her cleft palette fixed, as well as corrective eye surgery at four, which unfortunately didn't work. Pictured age four Over her lifetime she has had up to 16 treatments to reduce the size of the growth Miss McIndoe aged 16 after her last surgery to reduce the swelling and blockage. If a blockage gets infected, she needs to be in hospital with antibiotics through a drip Although Miss McIndoe's job requires 'a lot of thinking, chemistry and maths', she often feels like customers look down on her. She said: 'I know people make comments and even as an adult it's very prevalent. At times people treat me like I'm mentally challenged or stupid. 'My job is very intense and requires a lot of thinking, chemistry and maths, but customers think I'm just someone who sits out the back. 'If someone came up and said, 'I've never seen anyone like you, do you mind telling me about it?", I would way prefer that.' Treatment for cystic hygromas may include surgical removal if the doctor believes it is beneficial or sclerotherapy, an injection of medicine in the cyst which helps it so shrink. The outlook after treatment will depend on the size and location of the hygroma - if residual tissue is left behind, the chances of it returning is approximately 15 per cent, according to Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Centre. Miss McIndoe said that if a 'magic cure' was offered to her, she wouldn't take it. She said: 'The completely sensible answer would be yes, but part of me would say this is me and who I am. It would be like losing a part of myself and I wouldn't want that. Miss McIndoe has been in hospital more than 100 times for infections - but if a 'magic cure' was offered to her, she wouldn't take it Miss McIndoe said: 'I know I look different to other people, but I can walk, talk, feed myself and all of my brain functions are normal' 'I one hundred percent love who it's made me and I wouldn't be who I am without it. 'My life is amazing, and I am so happy and lucky with every opportunity that has been passed my way. It's forever a part of me and I'm not ashamed of that.' While Miss McIndoe has learned to accept her facial difference now, this wasn't always the case. She said: 'When I was younger, I was all "woe is me" and hated it, I couldn't understand why this was my world. 'I was a big downer then, but I hit this point in life where I realised that I cannot change what has happened. 'While it was hard to accept myself, it's not something that can be changed, cut-off or thrown away. I will live with this for the rest of my life.' Miss McIndoe hopes one day that people will ask her questions about her struggles rather than prejudging her. She said: 'I know I look different to other people, but I can walk, talk, feed myself and all of my brain functions are normal. 'I normally tell people I was born with a type of facial malformation, which is a tumour that affects me physically but not mentally. 'I don't see the tumour when I look in the mirror - I was born with it so know no other life, I've never known any different, so I just see myself.' A carer who thought she was pregnant after years of infertility was devastated to discover her 'miracle baby bump' was two grapefruit-sized tumours. Josephine Clinton, 49, took a pregnancy test when she became unable to shift her bloated midriff, while her arms and legs looked 'like sticks'. When the test came back negative, Mrs Clinton 'popped into' A&E on her way home from work, only for a scan to reveal two masses in her pelvis. Two months later, Mrs Clinton underwent a full hysterectomy, with surgeons also removing two borderline ovarian tumours - one the size of an apple and the other the size of a grapefruit. Mrs Clinton, of Bucknall in Staffordshire, has since been given the all-clear and requires check-ups every six months. Josephine Clinton was convinced she was pregnant when her abdomen swelled to the size of a 'baby bump' (left). Mrs Clinton and her husband Gary Clinton (pictured together right) had been told they could not have children. She was later diagnosed with two ovarian tumours Speaking of the warning signs, Mrs Clinton - who is married to Gary, 52 - said: 'This belly just came out of nowhere in a matter of weeks really. 'Everywhere else I'd lost weight - I'd lost my bottom, my legs were like sticks, my arms, my face was really gaunt. But I had this big belly. It was scary. 'I was on a bootcamp and had been for quite a while but I wasn't losing this belly. No matter how much exercise I was doing this belly wouldn't go.' While having coffee with friends in August 2017, Mrs Clinton was persuaded to take a pregnancy test. 'My husband and I had been told that we couldn't have children - we'd been through IVF,' she said. 'I kept thinking, "I wonder if I am?" It would have been a miracle. My friends were saying "go and get a test, go and get a test" so I did. 'Of course it came back negative and then they were like "oh we're really sorry, we shouldn't have made you do it".' As well as her midriff being bloated, Mrs Clinton also noticed a 'squishing' noise, like she had 'drunk too much tea'. 'When I was lying down in bed it was gurgling in my throat so I ended up sitting up and tucking my pillow behind me,' she said. 'I just put things down to pulling my back out at the gym, irritable bowel or drinking more water.' Mrs Clinton claims her 'belly' (pictured left) appeared out of nowhere in a matter of weeks. She is pictured looking slim on the right in June 2017 - a few weeks before her midriff expanded Mrs Clinton is pictured with her husband in April last year - five months after she underwent a full hysterectomy and the surgical removal of her two tumours, one of which was the size of an apple and the other a grapefruit. She also had to have 14 litres of fluid drained from her midriff Desperate to get to the bottom of her symptoms, Mrs Clinton saw her GP four days before she took herself to A&E. But her doctor struggled to diagnose her due to her condition being so similar to irritable bowel syndrome. WHAT IS A BORDERLINE OVARIAN TUMOUR? Borderline tumours do not grow into the supportive tissue of the ovary. They also tend to grow slowly and in a more controlled way than cancerous cells. In very rare cases, borderline tumour cells change into cancerous ones. Around 15 per cent of ovarian tumours are borderline. They usually affect women aged 40-to-60. Some abnormal cells can break away and settle elsewhere in the body, usually the abdomen. And in very rare cases, these cells grow in the underlying tissue. Small borderline tumours do not usually cause symptoms, with the mass only being discovered during a test for something else. Large or more advanced ones may lead to: Pain in the abdomen or pelvis Bloating Pain during or after sex Vaginal bleeding not related to your period Treatment is usually just surgery. This may involve removing both ovaries and fallopian tubes, or the womb, including the cervix. Most women are cured following surgery, however, there is a small risk the tumour will come back. Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement 'I decided to nip into the local hospital on the way home for a quick check over,' Mrs Clinton said. 'They took me in for a scan straight away and then took me into a room and told me there was a mass in my pelvic area. 'I was basically floored, because I went up on my own thinking they were going to tell me I had a bit of irritable bowel [syndome] or something like that.' Mrs Clinton was eventually diagnosed with bilateral borderline ovarian tumours. 'One was the size of an apple and the other the size of a grapefruit,' she said. 'The doctor said I was lucky I took myself into the hospital that day because if I had left it any longer it would have been a totally different story.' She worries if her friends had not encouraged her to take a pregnancy test that day she may have continued to pass her symptoms off. 'People do that because you don't dare to think it's anything serious,' Mrs Clinton said. As well as thinking she may be pregnant, she also dismissed her condition as everything from back pain from too much exercise to IBS and even water retention. This is despite her sister Alison Locker, 51, having ovarian tumours before her. 'There needs to be more awareness of the symptoms,' Mrs Clinton said. 'Apart from my sister I had never heard of it before. 'But because she just had this belly, but no backache or any other symptoms, when I was going through it I didn't think I had what my sister had. 'You don't put two and two together. 'There are a lot of the same symptoms as irritable bowel where you do have your back ache and feel bloated and stop going to the toilet. 'They always say you're supposed to have symptoms, like painful sex or bleeding, and I had nothing like that.' Mrs Clinton also noticed her bloated midsection (pictured left) made a 'squishing' noise, like she had 'drunk too much tea'. Pictured right earlier this year - nearly 18 months after her operation - Mrs Clinton stayed strong and positive throughout the ordeal Mrs Clinton is pictured left three months after her operation - the time the reality of what she had been through hit home. The scar from her hysterectomy runs down her midriff (right) Mrs Clinton is pictured looking healthy five months after her operation. While she battled through treatment, her loved ones became so concerned by her gaunt appearance they did not think she would live past Christmas. But she was determined to make it through Once diagnosed, doctors drained seven litres of fluid from Mrs Clinton's abdomen during her first biopsy and another seven litres in her second. Medics then decided she need a full hysterectomy, the reality of which did not sink it until three months later. 'It's a bit of a blur to me now because I got these blinkers on where I thought everything is going to be okay and I am going to get through it,' she said. 'I thought, so long as at the end of the day everything is alright and I come out the other side they can chuck everything they want at me. 'I was quite strong and positive - it was everyone else around me that wasn't. 'I don't think it hit me until afterwards because I just got the tunnel vision of "I am not going to die". 'I think it hit me about three months after the operation when I was sat down one day, thinking about it and I burst out crying.' While she battled through treatment, Mrs Clinton became so gaunt her loved ones were convinced she would not make it past Christmas. 'Everyone else around me was devastated because you just don't expect it,' she said. 'My friends have said to me looking back at the pictures, they all thought I wouldn't have been here on the other side of Christmas. 'I had lost that much weight and changed so much, but you don't see it in yourself.' It's obvious a bad night sleep can make you grumpy - but the reason why remains a mystery to scientists. Previously it's been proposed that tired people react worse when faced with bad situations due to reduced brain activity. But this theory has been shut down by Swedish scientists who, for the first time, scanned the brains of people who had been kept awake all night. Scientists believed activity in certain brain regions were responsible for our bad mood after losing sleep until their study proved otherwise The participants struggled to manage their emotions, according to the team of experts at Karolinska Institute. However, to their surprise, the 80 volunteers didn't show changes in certain regions of the brain as expected. The prefrontal cortex and amygdala are the decision-making and emotional areas of the brain respectively. The academics, led by PhD student Sandra Tamm, suggested the two brain areas disconnect when someone is tired. However, until this research - published in the journal Royal Society Open Science - the theory had never been tested. 'Sleep restriction has been proposed to cause impaired emotional processing and emotional regulation by inhibiting top-down control from prefrontal cortex to amygdala,' the authors wrote. More than half of the sleep-deprived participants were aged 2030, while the rest were between the ages of 65 and 75. After a normal night's sleep, they performed a task to test how well they could hide their real emotions while looking at either negative or neutral images. Participants were told to always look at the picture and MRI scans were recording their brain activity. They were then shown the pictures again without having brain scans, and had to rate how unpleasant they were on a seven point scale. WHAT IS INSOMNIA? Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping. It usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. You have insomnia if you regularly: find it hard to go to sleep, wake up several times during the night, lie awake at night, wake up early and can't go back to sleep, still feel tired after waking up Everyone needs different amounts of sleep. On average, adults need 7 to 9 hours, while children need 9 to 13 hours. You probably don't get enough sleep if you're constantly tired during the day. The most common causes of insomnia are: stress, anxiety or depression, excessive noise, an uncomfortable bed or alcohol, caffeine or nicotine. Insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. For example, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and only going to bed when you feel tired. Source: NHS Advertisement The process was repeated again after the participants had been restricted to a sleep of three hours. It is not clear how they were kept awake. The study found that sleep restriction impaired the participant's ability to control their emotions - something the participants reported themselves. Viewing negative pictures, irrespective of sleep condition and age group, triggered various activity in regions of the brain, including the amygdala. But this had no significant meaning, the authors wrote in the journal Royal Society Open Science. 'Sleep restriction caused a general decrease in rated success, but no effects on brain activity. 'At whole brain level, sleep restriction did not have any significant effect on the connectivity from amygdala to anywhere in the brain. 'In conclusion, our data do not support the idea of a prefrontal-amygdala disconnect after sleep restriction. 'And neural mechanisms underlying behavioural effects on emotional regulation after insufficient sleep require further investigation.' In an attempt to explain why their theory had fallen through in comparison to other studies, the researchers said they may have actually given the participants too much sleep. 'Another possible cause may be that some of the subjects were partially sleep deprived in the full sleep condition and that the difference between the conditions was not enough to cause changes in the brain activity or connectivity,' the authors said. Evidence exists to show sleep loss can worsen anxiety and sadness, derail happiness and enthusiasm, make you more angry and eat unhealthily. Sleep deprivation has even been shown to reduce DNA's ability to repair itself, possibly leading to genetic diseases. Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as the immune system is demolished. More than 40million people suffer from long-term sleep disorders in the US, data from the CDC shows. While it is estimated there are 1.5million patients in the UK. Khloe Guy had her first seizure at just two days old, a terrifying experience for her mother, Tamanda Richard. The nightmare only worsened as Khloe's seizures became daily and, by the time she was three months old, she was having up to 100 an hour. It was then that doctors in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, finally diagnosed her as one of just 1,000 people in the US with Aicardi syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. They told Richard, 28, that her daughter may never walk or speak, reported the Clarion Ledger. Richard spent the first year of Khloe's life managing eight different seizure medications and taking her to the emergency room almost every week. Then, doctors told Richard they believed a radical procedure that involved removing half of Khloe's brain could help get her seizures under control. Khloe Guy, two, from Jackson, Mississippi, was diagnosed with Aicardi syndrome at three months old. Pictured: Khloe with her mother, Tamanda Richard Aicardi syndrome is very rare disorder in which the tissue connecting the two halves of the brain is missing, which causes seizures. Pictured: Khloe Richard told the Clarion Ledger that when she was four months pregnant, she had a sonogram that revealed a cyst on Khloe's brain. However, she was told that it would likely go away. No other complications occurred before Richard gave birth in April 2017. When she was two days old, Khloe suffered her first seizure. By three months old, she was having violent seizures, as many as 100 an hour. WHAT IS AICARDI SYNDROME? Aicardi syndrome is when tissue connecting the left and right halves of the brain is absent or undeveloped. Seizures usually begin in infancy as spasms and tend to progress to recurrent seizures (epilepsy). The cause is unknown but, because it occurs almost exclusively in females, it's believed to be due to a gene on the X chromosome. Signs and symptoms: Asymmetry between the two sides of the brain Cysts near the center of the brain Small heads Poorly developed eyes Flat noses Developmental delays Intellectual disability The severity of Aicardi syndrome varies. Some people with this disorder have very severe epilepsy and may not survive past childhood. Less severely affected individuals may live into adulthood with milder signs and symptoms. There are believed to be 1,000 people in the US with Aicardi syndrome and 4,000 people worldwide. Treatment typically involves medication to suppress the seizures. Source: Genetics Home Reference Advertisement The baby wasn't eating or sleeping and 'was no longer in control', Richard told the newspaper. During that period, Richard bought Khloe several times to the emergency room at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. Finally, in July 2017, after a week of tests, Khloe was diagnosed with Aicardi syndrome. It's an extremely rare genetic disorder that occurs when the structure that connects the right half of the brain with the left half is missing or does not develop normally. Doctors don't know what causes the disorder but, because it occurs almost exclusively in females, it's believed to be due to a gene on the X chromosome. Symptoms typically include poorly developed eyes, a flat nose, asymmetry between the two sides of the brain and developmental delays. Seizures begin usually as spasms during before progressing to recurrent seizures. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are an estimated 4,000 sufferers worldwide and about 1,000 documented cases in the US. Doctors told Richard that there was a possibility her daughter would never walk or talk. 'She's supposed to be like a vegetable,' Richard told the Clarion Ledger. Right up until Khloe's first birthday, the uncontrollable seizures continued and Richard had to give her daughter eight different anticonvulsants. For the first year of her life, Khloe seized up to 100 times an hour and was on eight different anticonvulsants. Pictured: Khloe with her mother, Richard Doctors suggested Khloe (pictured) undergo a hemispherectomy, a surgical procedure which would remove the left half of her brain that causes seizures In April 2018, doctors talked to Richard about possibly performing a hemispherectomy, a surgical procedure which removes part or all of an affected side of the brain. One of Khloe's physicians, Dr John Bradford Ingram, explained that the right side of her brain was healthy, but the left side was seizing all of the time. 'She had one half of her brain that was catastrophically malformed, meaning it was not formed in a way where it was making normal signals,' he told the Clarion Ledger. 'All it's doing is bullying the healthy hemisphere. That side seizes and seizes and seizes.' Two days after her first birthday, Khloe underwent the hemispherectomy. She hasn't seized since. Khloe has made progress since the surgery. Richard said she doesn't know if her daughter will ever walk or talk, but she can babble and can roll onto her right side. Richard told the Clarion Ledger that she hopes to one day go back to college and become a nurse and hopes Khloe will be able to do the same. 'I hope she grows out of this. I want her to walk, talk, but if not, that's okay,' she said. 'I'm ready for whatever it gives me...We have bad moments, but we don't have bad days.' Richard has started a Facebook fundraiser to help cover the costs of Khloe's medical bills. So far, more than $200 has been raised out of a $10,000 goal. Six patients who underwent heart surgery at an NHS hospital in Edinburgh developed life-threatening infections due to mould, the Scottish health secretary has said. Jeane Freeman told the Scottish Parliament three different types of mould-related infections were identified in the patients, all of which had cardiothoracic surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. And 'some' of those affected died, Ms Freeman - speaking at the Scottish parliament building Holyrood - added. The source of the infections has yet to be identified, however, 'specialised cleaning and decontamination' measures have been put into place. Scottish MPs fear a string of NHS failures have 'shattered' the public's confidence in the health service. Jeane Freeman (right) - cabinet secretary for health and sport in the Scottish Government - has confirmed six people who underwent heart surgery at an NHS hospital in Edinburgh developed infections due to mould. And 'some' of these patients have died, she added 'Three types of mould infection have been identified, which have affected six patients,' Ms Freeman said. 'Sadly some of those six patients have died.' The first patient to have contracted an infection was declared by Health Protection Scotland on February 19, Ms Freeman said. On March 19, bosses at NHS Lothian wrote to 186 patients who had undergone the procedure - which treats diseases that affect the organs in the chest - warning them of a 'low infection risk arising from their surgery'. GRANDMOTHER DIES OF A LUNG INFECTION AT A SCANDAL-HIT NHS HOSPITAL A grandmother died after catching a fungal lung infection at an NHS hospital sparking a police investigation. Mito Kaur, 63, was left on life support after picking up the mucor fungus at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow. The hospital was at the centre of controversy earlier this year after a 10-year-old boy and 73-year-old woman died in the hospital after catching an infection found in pigeon droppings, according to the Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman. Mrs Kaur died at 2am on March 14 after her life support machine was switched off. Relatives of the shop worker have criticised hospital staff, claiming they only found out about her condition from reports of a fungal outbreak in a press release on the hospitals website last month. Aamer Anwar, the Kaur familys lawyer, said he contacted prosecutors to advise them of the familys concerns, and their desire for a fully independent investigation to take place. I understand that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal have instructed the police to obtain a full report, following which an independent post-mortem will be carried out,' he said. Advertisement None of the types of mould responsible are 'commonly found in hospitals', Ms Freeman said. This comes after a wake of infection-related deaths at the 842million Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. Opposition MSPs consequently said confidence in the NHS has slumped. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs told the Health Secretary: 'It is quite clear public confidence has been shattered recently in our NHS estate.' Speaking of the incident at the Edinburgh hospital, Scottish Labour's Monica Lennon added: 'Unfortunately, here we are again. 'It's a different hospital, a different city, different infections, but the outcome is the same patients have died and public confidence continues to dip.' NHS Lothian has ordered 'specialised cleaning and environmental decontamination with hydrogen peroxide vapour' in relevant wards and theatres of the hospital after the infections were discovered, Ms Freeman said. 'Once we have identified the source there will be lessons to be learned from that,' she added. 'Healthcare associated infection outbreaks are rare and whilst it is important to respond when they do occurthey do affect a very small proportion of the 1.2 million in-patient and day cases treated every year in Scotland.' 'Not all healthcare associated infections are preventable. 'But we do have dedicated professionals and a rigorous system focused on limiting them and controlling them.' A mother with two wombs has delivered twins a month after giving birth to a premature son. Arifa Sultana, 20, from Bangladesh, was getting used to motherhood after having her first child last month. But 26 days later, she was shocked when her waters broke again, rushing to hospital in the Jessore district. Doctors were stunned to find she had another two babies that were ready to be delivered at that moment. It was revealed that the woman had a double uterus - a very rare condition a woman may have from birth without realising. But experts have queried how two heartbeats had gone amiss in the extremely bizarre story. Arifa Sultana, 20, and her husband, Sumon Biswas, from Bangladesh were shocked when they discovered they would be having twins just 26 days after their first child was born. Pictured, with their children Sheila Poddar, a gynaecologist who treated the woman, told AFP: 'She didn't realise she was still pregnant with the twins. 'Her waters broke again 26 days after the first baby was born and she rushed to us.' Dr Poddar carried out an emergency caesarean at Khulna Medical College Hospital last Friday. The babies, one boy and one girl, were healthy and had no complications despite never being monitored throughout pregnancy. Mrs Sultana and her husband, Sumon Biswas, were able to take all three children home on Tuesday. According to local media The Tribune, Dr Podder said it was the first time she had experienced this rare incident. She said: 'It's a rare incident. I have seen such a case for the first time. I had not even heard about such incident before. 'The first baby was born from one womb. The two babies born here are from the other womb.' A double uterus, uterus didelphys, often causes no symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic, and is present from birth. Women who have a double uterus can still successfully have children but it could increase the chances of miscarriage or premature birth. The condition affects about one in 3,000 women. However, the odds of carrying a baby in each at the same time are around one in five million. Dilip Roy, chief government doctor in Jessore, was shocked to hear of the woman's story. He said: 'I haven't seen any case like this in my 30-year plus medical career.' Dr Roy questioned the actions of doctors at Khulna Medical College Hospital for not detecting the second pregnancy. A double uterus may be diagnosed during a routine pelvic exam if a doctor suspects there are abnormalities. Hailing from a poor family, Mrs Sultana said she was happy with the three children but was concerned about how she would bring them up. 'I don't know how we will manage such a huge responsibility with this little amount,' Mrs Sultana said. Mr Biswas, a labourer, earns less than 53 ($70) a month in Bangladeshi taka, but is determined to give his children the best. He said: 'It was a miracle from Allah that all of my children are healthy. I will try my best to keep them happy.' In 2006 a British woman with a double uterus gave birth to healthy triplets in the first known case of its kind. Hannah Kersey, of Northam, Devon, gave birth to a pair of identical twins from an egg that had implanted in one womb and then split, and also to a baby from a single egg in the other womb. Heart patients are falling victim to dangerous myths spread online about the side-effects of lifesaving statins, experts have warned. Just a day after Health Secretary Matt Hancock threatened new laws to stop the spread of anti-vaccination lies on social media, US experts have warned that people at risk of heart attacks are giving up their statins over similar scares. Cardiologists from Duke University in North Carolina said 'misconceptions are everywhere' and warned that 'public fear is out of proportion to the actual risks'. Roughly 6million people in Britain take cholesterol-busting statins, preventing 80,000 heart attacks and strokes every year at the cost of roughly 20 a year per patient. But another 6million should be taking the drugs but do not. Cardiologists from Duke University in North Carolina said 'public fear is out of proportion to the actual risks' - and warned that 'misconceptions are everywhere' Doctors believe tens of thousands of people die in Britain every year because they shun the pills - worried about scare stories and false myths about side effects such as muscle pain, sleep problems, erectile dysfunction and cognitive impairment. US experts warned these false fears are being amplified by social media, with patients wrongly believing the pills cause liver damage and memory loss. The researchers, writing in the Journal of the American Heart Association, tracked 5,700 American pensioners who were eligible for statins. They found a quarter of people who should be on the drugs were not taking them - and of these one in ten had turned them down and one in three started the pills but then stopped taking them. 'Fear of side effects and perceived side effects were the most common reasons cited for declining or discontinuing a statin,' the researchers wrote. Dr Ann Marie Navar, senior author of the study, said: 'Misconceptions about statins are everywhere and are fuelled by false information on the internet. We need better tools to help combat this type of misinformation. 'Although there are risks associated with statins, the public fear of side effects is out of proportion to the actual risks.' Experts said the US fears echo the situation in the UK. Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'Previous research has shown that public controversy about statins has put people off taking them, even though there is abundant evidence that they significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack. 'It is important that you don't rely on social media for medical guidance.' Professor Kausik Ray of Imperial College London said the 'confusing, conflicting and exaggerated messages available on the internet and social media' cause significant alarm and distress. 'The study highlights the challenges facing doctors and patients,' he added. 'In a changing world of often confusing information it has never been more important for doctors to be able to accurately quantify risks and benefits in ways patients can understand, explain treatment options should patients develop adverse symptoms - whether attributable to treatment or not - so that patients can make an objective qualified judgement about their treatment.' Statins are proven lifesavers, cutting cholesterol and reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke - particular for people with diabetes or those already suffering from heart disease. But experts warn an ongoing row over the side-effects and benefits of the drugs has muddied the water, leading many people to give up their drugs. Professor Peter Sever of Imperial College London published a major study two years ago which found most of these side effects were not actually caused by statins. 'There are people out there who are dying because they're not taking statins, and the numbers are large, the numbers are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands,' he said at the time. He said many people blame any ache and pain on the pills, because they have read in the accompanying leaflet that they cause muscle pain, when in actual fact they are nothing to do with the drugs. Experts stress some real side effects of statins do exist - but these are rare. These include myopathy, which results in severe muscle weakness, which is known to be suffered by one in 10,000 patients. There is also a real risk of developing type two diabetes. Dr Corey Bradley of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, lead author of the new study, said: 'We need to focus our efforts on improving how doctors identify patients who need to be on a statin, and how they present information to patients to ensure that no one is missing the opportunity to improve their heart health.' 'Physicians should not hesitate to re-approach the conversation about starting or re-trying statin therapy in patients who could benefit but are currently not on the therapy.' Experts are increasingly concerned about anti-vaccination myths being spread online - with measles outbreaks in the US and Europe linked to people shunning the MMR vaccine. Mr Hancock on Tuesday said new legislation could be used to stop people from spreading misinformation about vaccines online. 'This is exactly the sort of thing we should be spending our time on and talking about and, if necessary, legislating for,' Mr Hancock said. 'Vaccines only work if almost everybody takes them,' he said. 'That is the whole point. 'But online there are these pernicious messages being sent to people whether they search for terms about vaccines or not. 'We need to make sure this misinformation or disinformation is stopped because it can be damaging to the public health.' A Texas mother-of-two narrowly survived a rare-flesh eating bacteria after it infected a torn muscle. Casey Sommerfeldt was putting away Christmas decorations in her attic last January when she fell and injured a muscle in her chest. A few days later, her left upper arm began to turn red and swell. It wasn't long before it was bruised and then turned black. Sommerfeldt rushed herself to the emergency room in Fort Worth, where doctors diagnosed her with necrotizing fasciitis, a fast-moving infection that destroys tissue under the skin, reported NBC 5. Sommerfeldt was told that strep bacteria had caused the infection and, if they didn't treat her immediately, her arm would need to be amputated. Luckily, her arm was saved but doctors needed to used a skin graft from her leg to repair the damaged area. Casey Sommerfeldt (right, with her husband), from Fort Worth, Texas, was putting Christmas decorations away last January when she tripped and tore a chest muscle A few days later, her upper left arm began swelling and turning red (left) before black blisters formed (right). Sommerfeldt rushed herself to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed her with necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacteria that destroys tissue under the skin Sommerfeldt told NBC 5 that when she initially injured her chest muscle, she just assumed she would need to rest for a few days and was surprised when her arm began swelling and turning red. 'It became very painful,' she said of the black blisters that formed a few days later. She went to the hospital to have an MRI done, but the results came back negative. However, after being in indescribable pain one day, Sommerfeldt rushed herself to the emergency room at Texas Health Resources in Fort Worth. Doctors told her she was in septic shock, which is when a dramatic drop in blood pressure stops blood flow to the organs and can result in death. After tests were run, Sommerfeldt was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that quickly kills surrounding tissue. The exact cause of the infection is unknown, but it can enter the body through the tiniest cut or scrape in the skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health experts believe group A Streptococcus bacteria are the most common cause of the infection. Doctors determined that a form of this bacteria, which had caused Sommerfeldt's recent sinus infection, had entered the muscle tear caused by her fall, NBC 5 reported. Between 700 and 1,200 cases occur in the US each year, according to the CDC. Doctors said they believed strep bacteria, which had caused her recent sinus infection, had infected her torn muscle. Group A strep infections are believed to be the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis. Pictured: Sommerfeldt The dead tissue in Sommerfeldt's upper arm was removed and a skin graft from her leg was used to repair the damaged area (pictured) Early symptoms include a red or swollen area of the skin and severe pain. Later symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, blisters and change in skin color. The health agency says that a prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment is key to stopping the infection in its tracks. This includes antibiotics or surgery when medication is unable to reach the tissue that has already been infected. The CDC says about 25 to 30 percent of necrotizing fasciitis cases every year result in death. Sommerfeldt's medical team told her that they might need to amputate her arm if they were unable to stop the infection from spreading. Luckily, there were able to remove the dead tissue and used a skin graft from her leg to repair the damaged area. 'Every day, I think about. Every day, when I'm playing outside with my kids, there's a possibility I would have not been here,' she told NBC 5. Ocado shares hit a record high as it struck another foreign deal this time with an Australian supermarket giant. The British company will provide the technology behind its pioneering delivery network to Coles, which is one of Australia's largest supermarkets with 818 stores. The 81million deal was just the latest between Ocado and a firm led by retail veteran Archie Norman, who is former deputy chairman of Coles. The 81million deal was just the latest between Ocado and a firm led by retail veteran Archie Norman, who is former deputy chairman of Coles Norman is also chairman of Marks & Spencer, which last month landed a 1.5billion tie-up with Ocado, allowing it to launch an online grocery delivery service for the first time. And it is the fifth major overseas deal in less than 18 months for the firm's boss Tim Steiner and chairman Stuart Rose, who is a former M&S chairman and chief executive. Analysts said the deal with Coles appeared to be another win for Norman. Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'One of the things that you want from your board members is cross-fertilisation of ideas from other businesses they are part of or have been part of in the past. 'That's part of what they bring to the role and obviously it's great news for Ocado, again.' Ocado will build two robot-powered warehouses for Coles within four years, in Sydney and Melbourne. Coles raked in sales of 22billion last year, making it one of Ocado's biggest deals to date. It is a big boost following a major setback last month when a fire destroyed its warehouse in Andover in Hampshire. That meant it took a 4.8million sales hit at the start of the year, but Duncan Tatton-Brown, chief financial officer, said: 'It's not unhelpful to announce a deal after that fire because it gives you evidence of what we always knew that there were no consequences of the fire.' Shares have more than trebled since its first international contract in November 2017 with French supermarket Groupe Casino. Since then, it has struck agreements with supermarkets in Sweden, Canada and the US. Last night experts hailed Ocado. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'Ocado is looking appetising right now.' Chris Ford, a fund manager at Smith & Williamson, added: 'It is in position to become the go-to turnkey provider to enable supermarkets to carry out online deliveries. We think the opportunity in Ocado is underestimated materially.' Its shares rose 4.1 per cent, or 51.5p, to 1307p last night. You wonder whether Karim Bitar is having second thoughts about agreeing to take the helm at Convatec, the medical technology group that makes colostomy bags. Just a day after being unveiled as the boss, takeover rumours have surfaced that Swedish private equity group EQT may be mulling a bid. The shares jumped 5.9 per cent, or 7.85p, to 141.75p, valuing Convatec at around 3billion. Bid buzz: Takeover rumours have surfaced that Swedish private equity group EQT may be mulling a bid for Convatec sending shares up 5.9 per cent, valuing the firm at around 3bn That's some way shy of the float price two-and-a-half years ago of 225p, which gave the company a market capitalisation of 4.4billion. February's profit warning, which knocked shares to an all-time low of 118.5p, was the latest in a series of mis-steps. Convatec remained tight-lipped about the prospects for its business and those of chief executive-in-waiting Bitar, who is due to join in September. Elsewhere, the builders provided the market's other source of excitement with a triple dose of good news lifting the sector. If demand for new homes is sentiment-driven, then the mood recently has been dominated by Brexit. So, the UK stepping away from a No-Deal departure from the EU gave some support for groups such as Barratt, up 0.8 per cent, or 4.6p, to 594.6p, and Taylor Wimpey, up 0.2 per cent, or 0.35p, at 175.1p. A note from HSBC took a good look at the sector. Stock Watch - Michelmersh Investors who got into Michelmersh Brick at the start of this year are sitting pretty with shares advancing by more than a fifth in the last three months. Final results revealed the company to be in rude health with revenues ahead 22 per cent at 46.3million, giving underlying operating profits of 8million, up 45 per cent. There was a big bump for shareholders with the total dividend increasing by almost a half to 3.2p. The shares closed 2.8 per cent, or 2.5p, up at 90.5p. There was a raft of price target upgrades, while Persimmon (up 0.2 per cent, or 5p, at 2160p) and Bovis (up 1.7 per cent, or 18.5p, at 1105.5p) were singled out for special treatment as they were moved to a 'buy' recommendation from 'hold' by the bank. Crest Nicholson provided real-world support for HSBC's positive stance as it said it had already secured 50 per cent of its sales for the year. The stock advanced 5 per cent, or 17.8p, to 370.8p with the City also cheered by the news it had poached new boss Peter Truscott from rival Galliford Try, down 2.4 per cent, or 16.5p, to 669.5p. The FTSE 100 ended the session 18.71 points higher at 7196.29 with investors trying to get to grips with the implications of Parliament's power grab. Shares in Carnival hit the rocks after the Anglo-American cruise operator cut its annual profit forecast, blaming higher fuel costs and the strong dollar. The shares shed 8.5 per cent, or 351p, to drift friendless at 3800p. Colombia-focused oiler Amerisur Resources fell 16.4 per cent, or 2.76p, to 14.1p after it said its partners had struck out with its latest well after drilling more than two miles into the earth's crust. Online retailer Mysale fell 26 per cent, or 4.58p, to 13p after a second profit warning in three months on the back of a 'disappointing' first-half performance. Plastics maker Coral Products saw its price crushed after a profit warning. Stock plunged 46.9 per cent, or 5.75p, to 6.5p after a downturn in business from the automotive industry and significant delivery delays. Analytics group Big Sofa Technologies, dipped 4.1 per cent, or 0.17 per cent, to 4.08p despite a number of renewals for its visual insight system, a video-based knowledge sharing product. Among the risers, mobile phone network billing firm Boku got a good reception after its pre-tax loss for the year narrowed massively to $3million (2.3million) from $28.5million (21.6million) in 2017. Shares climbed 13.4per cent, or 11p, to 93p. A trading update trumpeting a 'very encouraging' start to 2019 lifted vehicle tracking systems firm Quartix, 18.2 per cent, or 20p, to 265p. Elsewhere, superyacht painter GYG shares rose 4.6 per cent, or 2.5p, to 56.5p on the back of contracts to help build three yachts. Online wealth manager Nutmeg is launching a crowdfunding campaign in a bid to raise cash ahead of its imminent expansion abroad. The firm has not revealed exactly how much money it wants to generate, but confirmed it will be a 'seven-figure sum.' As well as financing its international expansion, Nutmeg said it will also use the funds to invest in products and features in its investment app. The crowdfunding plan comes after digital bank Monzo raked in its target of 20million in under three hours at the end of last year. Raising cash: Investing platform Nutmeg is launching a crowdfunding campaign Four months earlier, it was revealed that crowd investors, who backed Revolut, another digital bank, had realised returns of around 19 times on their original investments. Martin Stead, chief executive officer of Nutmeg, said: 'Nutmeg was the first digital wealth manager to launch in Europe and now we're opening up ownership of our business to give eligible customers the opportunity to invest alongside institutional investors, venture capitalists and leading entrepreneurs. 'This is an incredibly exciting time for Nutmeg, we continue to welcome new customers: both seasoned investors seeking a high-quality wealth management service at a much lower cost; and first-timers, attracted by intuitive technology and a team of investment experts that will manage their portfolios for them.' Only existing Nutmeg customers who hold an account with the firm on 15 May 2019 will be able to get early access to the crowdfunding scheme. What is crowdfunding? It is a way for entrepreneurs to raise money for their venture. It works through individuals or organisations who invest in (or donate to) a company through a crowdfunding platform in return for a potential profit or reward. There are several types of crowdfunding. A common one is equity crowdfunding. Here, people invest in an opportunity in exchange for equity. Money is exchanged for a share in the business, project or venture. As with other types of shares if it is successful the value goes up. If not, the value goes down and you could lose your money completely. Interested and eligible existing Nutmeg customers will also have to sign up to online crowdfunding platform Crowdcube if they want to take part in the scheme before other Crowdcube customers. Nutmeg has already launched a waiting list on its platform for customers interested in the crowdfund. Since launching in 2011, Nutmeg claims it has raised around 116million from investors and manages over 1.5billion in assets on behalf of more than 65,000 customers. The group's results for 2017 revealed it suffered a loss of 12.4million, marking an improvement from the 9.4million recorded the year before. As part of the crowdfunding plans, customers will be given the opportunity to invest alongside institutional players such as Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs and Convoy, a Hong Kong-based financial advisory firm. Nutmeg's crowdfunding plan news comes just two months after the group secured 45million in funding in an investment round co-led by Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs and Convoy, ahead of its planned expansion into Asia. While it may be easy to get carried away with the hype surrounding a crowdfund, it is important to remember that, as with any investment, the value of your pot can go up and down, depending on how a company is performing. Another important consideration is what happens when you want to sell your shares in the company. If you, for example, ploughed money into Nutmeg via Crowdcube, the shares you held would not be shares publicly floated on a market like the London Stock Exchange, and would be more difficult to trade at a later date. Going: Barclays investment arm, boss Tim Throsby is leaving after just two years Barclays has pushed out the head of its investment bank as it seeks to fight off corporate raider Edward Bramson. In a major rejig of its prized investment arm, boss Tim Throsby is leaving after just two years. Chief executive Jes Staley will now take personal charge of investment banking. It comes as Barclays fends off Bramson, who has demanded a seat on the board and is thought to want drastic cutbacks in the investment bank. Bramson, who controls a 5.51 per cent stake in Barclays, has said the division is sluggish and unprofitable, and holds the bank back. In a tacit admission that the 68-year-old activist investor has made valid points, Staley (pictured right with his wife Debbie) said returns are getting better but are still not good enough. He said last year's performance was a significant improvement 'but not yet where we need it to be'. Staley said the priority should be making Barclays a better competitor in investment banking, rather than abandoning it altogether, adding: 'Competing in the top tier of global corporate and investment banking, enabled by our size, and commitment across asset classes, is important for Barclays' future returns. And we demonstrably do compete in that top tier. 'I have decided to change the leadership model in order to bring oversight and accountability for the performance of the corporate investment bank much closer to me.' Barclays insisted the changes would still be happening if Bramson was not a shareholder. Until now the investment bank has been part of Barclays' international arm, which also includes overseas retail and credit card operations. Barclays boss Jes Staley, pictured right with his wife Debbie, said returns are getting better but are still not good enough This division has been overseen by Throsby, who Staley, 62, worked with at JP Morgan and who was headhunted to do the job two years ago. But it is now being split up, with foreign retail banking to get lumped in with Barclays' consumer and small business operations in Britain. Ashok Vaswani, who has overseen UK retail until now, will be given responsibility for all consumer lending across the world. The investment bank will be overseen directly by Staley. It effectively means Throsby no longer has a job. It is understood that the plan is supported by Barclays' next chairman Nigel Higgins, who is taking over at its annual meeting in May. Barclays hit out at Bramson this month, when current chairman John McFarlane warned that his proposals would hurt shareholders. Bramson's reported plans have been considered and dismissed because they would not boost profits, the bank has said. McFarlane said: 'Based on his track record, the board believes that the presence of Mr Bramson on the board would be unnecessarily destabilising for management and the talent we employ more broadly in the group.' Bramson has forced a vote of investors at the annual meeting on whether he should get a board seat. Shares rose 1.5 per cent, or 2.24p, to 155.54p. Pledge: Lloyd's of London chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown admits more needs to be done to tackle sexism at the firm Scandal-hit insurance market Lloyd's of London must work harder to tackle sexism, its chairman has admitted. Bruce Carnegie-Brown said that he did not realise how serious the issue was until an investigation by Bloomberg Businessweek revealed widespread harassment and even allegations of sexual assault by senior managers at companies which work out of Lloyd's. It came as the market unveiled a loss of 1billion for 2018, largely driven by higher claims than usual from natural catastrophes such as hurricanes in the US, a typhoon in Japan and fires in California. A year earlier, losses had been 2billion. On sexism, Carnegie-Brown said: 'We really didn't know the extent of the problem until Bloomberg shone a light on it. 'We've actually had a number of initiatives over the last few years trying to make the market more diverse and inclusive, but we hadn't got to the root of the issue. 'I think we realise that we've still got a huge amount more to do on diversity.' Women have complained about a culture which has seen them branded 'totty' by male staff and rated from 1-10. One described how a manager attacked her in a pub, but said she was discouraged from complaining because it would be bad for her career. Lloyd's has said sexist workers could be banned for life. The 333-year-old market has pledged to create a new confidential hotline to report sexism, and will launch a survey to understand the market's culture and the extent of the problem. BMW has been sniffing around Hondas huge car factory in Swindon which the Japanese company plans to shut in 2021, according to reports. The car maker is understood to have expressed an interest in the site after Honda announced in February that it intends to close the factory when it finishes production of the Civic model. Some 3,500 jobs are expected to be lost. Taking over the Swindon plant would allow BMW to boost production in the UK but would be a change of tune after other recent hints. Closing: New BMW is reportedly interested in Honda's Swindon car plant which is set to shut in 2021 This month BMW indicated it could move some of Mini production out of Britain if there is a bad Brexit deal. And it had already brought forward a month-long closure of its plant in Oxford, where it builds Minis, to the end of this month coinciding with the original date of Brexit. The company also owns Rolls-Royce motor cars, at Goodwood in Sussex, makes engines near Birmingham and body panels in Swindon. A BMW spokesman said: There are currently no plans for additional plant locations in the UK. The diamond market has lost its sparkle. At least thats the conclusion of the London analysts of German bank Berenberg who visited the industrys focal point of Antwerp, where stones are cut and polished. Sentiment is mixed, with rough diamond prices starting the year on a relatively lacklustre note, but at least remaining stable, rather than weakening, Berenberg said. Returning from the Belgian city, analyst Richard Hatch and the team have taken out the red pen. Losing their sparkle: London analysts of German bank Berenberg visited the industry's focal point of Antwerp, where stones are cut and polished Gem Diamonds, up 0.1 per cent, or 0.1p, to 93.1p, was downgraded to a Hold from a Buy. There were tweaks down to share price targets for Petra Diamonds and Firestone Diamonds. The latter is rated a Sell by Berenberg. Current cash flow generation leaves little upside for shareholders, with debt holders taking the bulk of the value, it said of Firestone. In other broker action, there was some support for Pets at Home, formerly one of the most shorted stocks on the market as Citi switched its recommendation on the retailer to Buy from Neutral saying it had a viable plan to turn around the business. The shares rose 3.2 per cent, or 4.9p, to 160.5p; however, the American investment bank reckons Pets is worth 180p. The FTSE 100 briefly nudged into positive territory, but with no great conviction as it reversed 2.10 points down at 7194.19 with Brexit uncertainty keeping a lid on any irrational exuberance. Stock Watch - Churchill China Just under a year ago shares in Churchill China, the ceramics group, were changing hands for close to 800p. Yesterday they closed at 1462.5p (up 7.35 per cent, or 100p) after a stellar set of figures. Profits for 2018 rose 26 per cent to 9.4million on revenues of 52.5million, up 7 per cent on a year earlier. Sales to the hospitality sector and exports offset a fall at the retail arm. Ahead of Brexit, it has been stockpiling key materials and has set up a logistics facility in Holland. The dividend increased 18 per cent. Among the blue-chips, Imperial Brands revelation that annual earnings were likely to be at the upper end of City forecasts failed to register as stock in the cigarette maker fell 0.5 per cent, or 13.5p, to 2560p. M&C Saatchi shares up 32 per cent in the year to date fell 3.6 per cent, or 14p, to 378p in the wake of a solid set of prelims which revealed headline earnings had advanced 16 per cent to 32.2million. Another mid-cap faller was anti-virus software group Avast, which sank 4.5pc, or 13.3p, to 283.5p after shareholder Sybil Holdings sold 95.4m shares, or around 10 per cent of the company, for 271million. Among the small caps, Mirriad Advertising fell 34.2 per cent, or 3.25p, to 6.25p after it unveiled restructuring plans, concluding its previous strategy was flawed. Software firm Cloudcall was not far behind in the losers stakes after a wider annual loss due to increased investment despite a double-digit rise in revenue. The shares tumbled 16.8 per cent, or 17.5p, to 86.5p. Social media content creator Brave Bison looked more like a wounded buffalo as it failed to register a profit last year. Shares dropped 17.7 per cent, or 0.6p, to 2.8p. A poor performance also cut into cryptocurrency project developer Online Blockchain, which saw its shares sink 13.6 per cent, or 3p, to 19p after its half-year losses grew to 276,000 from 188,000 a year ago. UK Oil & Gas fell 5.8 per cent, or 0.07p, to 1.13p after it issued stock to raise 3.5million. The fresh cash will be splashed on new projects. It will be interesting to see what the management comes up with. Quadrise Fuels jumped 4.2 per cent, or 0.14p, to 3.38p after it agreed to partner with bitumen products maker Bitumina Group to look for opportunities to use its MSAR synthetic fuel. Five acquisitions helped shares in gas and electricity consultant Inspired Energy surge 5 per cent, or 0.88p, to 18.25p as the additions helped its 2018 revenues rise by nearly a quarter. Finally, toilet roll maker Accrol recovered from an initial plunge on the back of an investigation into its accounts by the Financial Conduct Authority, ending 4.8 per cent, or 1p, higher at 22p. Britain's then Prime Minister David Cameron was lobbied by HP following the Autonomy takeover Hewlett Packard lobbied David Cameron and George Osborne in a public relations blitz to discredit technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch, a court heard. The 'aggressive' strategy was launched after HP realised its takeover of British software firm Autonomy was a disaster and wrote off most of its value, according to Lynch's lawyers. Autonomy was founded by Lynch, 53, in 1996 and sold to HP for 8.5billion in 2011. A year later, HP said it had uncovered accounting 'irregularities' and accused Lynch and others of overseeing a massive fraud to inflate its value. Yesterday, Lynch's lawyers said an HP smear campaign tried to cover up its own mismanagement of Autonomy and protect then-HP boss Meg Whitman. In the High Court, where Lynch is fighting HP in the UK's biggest-ever fraud trial, Robert Miles QC said HP called former prime minister Cameron to 'make sure they got their oar in first', as part of an 'aggressive and co-ordinated press campaign' against the entrepreneur. Miles said an HP document detailed a strategy to minimise negative news coverage. It named other top politicians, including then-Chancellor Osborne, and Philip Hammond, who is now Chancellor. Laurence Rabinowitz, QC, for HP, said a series of deals with firms buying Autonomy's business software were wrongly classified as licensing agreements with other software companies to boost Autonomy's value before it was sold. This would be advantageous because it suggests future revenues for the buyer when the clients sell on products containing Autonomy code, and also gives the impression of leading software companies licensing its technology to other high-tech firms. 'The fact that a company's software is being embedded in another company's software is a very strong indicator of the popularity of that product,' Mr Rabinowitz said. The barrister claimed other companies that were wrongly categorised as tech firms included the Ministry of Defence, Bank of America and the BBC. Lynch, once dubbed 'Britain's Bill Gates', says HP used aggressive tactics to make him into a scapegoat. The explosive claims are set to be made today by the 53-year-old's lawyers, as they set out his defence for the first time in the biggest fraud trial in British history. HP wrote off much of Autonomy's value a year after buying the company, blaming the alleged fraud. However, Lynch's lawyers argue his former business was driven into the ground by chaotic management at HP and that its allegations against him are desperate 'makeweights'. They say he was never given the chance to defend himself before the claims against him were taken public and that HP, under former boss Meg Whitman, 'commenced an aggressive and co-ordinated press campaign' before it had properly gathered evidence. 'HP chose to shoot first and ask questions later', his defence says. 'The choice of target appears to be motivated by the fact that Dr Lynch is wealthy and has a deep pocket for the purposes of this claim. 'Further, the claimants need a high-profile target to blame for the losses that they suffered.' Lynch's lawyers claim the accusations by HP have damaged his reputation and his business interests, with the entrepreneur's fund Invoke Capital losing out on significant deals. Rather than fraud, Lynch's lawyers argue the failure of Autonomy under HP's control was down to poor business choices. They say HP tried to abandon its takeover of Autonomy in the late stages but was blocked from doing so by the UK Takeover Panel. It then ousted key executives who had orchestrated the deal, made abrupt changes in strategy, failed to expand the Autonomy's sales team, side-lined the firm's products and was riven by boardroom arguments over the direction of the business, Lynch's lawyers claim. HP instead alleges Lynch was personally aware of efforts by executives at Autonomy to artificially inflate sales figures to make the company appear more valuable than it really was. On Monday and Tuesday, the company's lawyers said Autonomy's bosses were so desperate to boost sales that they struck deals to sell products to customers but then buy equipment they did not need from them in return. Lynch was a 'controlling' boss, they argued, and that it was inconceivable he would not be aware of a fraud. The stakes could not be higher for the father-of-two, who faces losing his 470m fortune in the case. Cambridge graduate Lynch also faces separate jeopardy in the US, where prosecutors have charged him with offences that could land him with a 25-year jail sentence. The trial continues. Hollywood star Charlie Sheen is launching his own line of cannabis vapes - after growing sick of bootleggers naming quirky marijuana strains after him. And the newly-sober actor tells DailyMailTV exclusively that the irony of Hollywood's wild man getting clean, then launching a cannabis line, isn't lost on him. In January, the 53-year-old star revealed that he has been sober for one year after an infamous drug addiction meltdown, and has ditched booze, drugs and porn stars for exercise, healthy meals and has a 9pm bedtime in a miraculous recovery. Sheen, who starred in hit movies Wall Street, Platoon and Major League, said he was prompted to start a cannabis line after his business partners told him other growers were cashing in on his famous name. 'They said, you know, we see your name so ingrained in the marijuana industry. And it's all bootlegged essentially, I've never made a nickel off of it. That didn't seem fair,' he told DailyMailTV exclusively. Sheenius, the actor's vape line, has a variety of quirkily-named flavors including 'MaliBlu Dream', 'Milli's Vanilla', 'Grandma's Perfume' and 'Clown Mace', some inspired by his TV and movie catchphrases. Actor Charlie Sheen is launching his own line of cannabis vapes called Sheenius, he has revealed in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV The star gave DailyMailTV exclusive access to a photo shoot for the new vape line that saw Sheen surrounded by models who used his cannabis products. Sheen says he hasn't smoke weed in about a decade and says it 'isn't his thing' Sheen says he was inspired to start the line after learning other cannabis growers were cashing in on his famous name without his consent 'Clown Mace is pretty good, because what clown shouldn't be maced?' he said. 'One of our favorites is Grandma's Perfume.' 'Sometimes it's more about how words sound together, and then you start creating images, visuals behind the feelings those words create. We just wanted it to feel inviting and to generate curiosity like what is a vape strain called 'Mama Said No?' The star bashfully told DailyMailTV that one flavor, 'The Legend', was conceived after he was told he was a 'legend' by young people several times on the street. 'It's kinda cool, but it's a little much, you know? Legends aren't usually still alive. But I started hearing it in enough situations and from a variety of people. And so I said, you know what, let's give the people what they want.' A quote by the actor on the Sheenius website's front page is less bashful, however. 'I'm tired of pretending like I'm not special. I'm tired of pretending like I'm not b****in', a total fricking rock star from Mars,' the site proclaims. DailyMailTV was invited along to a product photo shoot in Hollywood during which Sheen larked around with models on set, including a male model dressed as a clown to promote the Clown Mase vape flavor in his line. We also accompanied the star when he visited a cannabis testing lab to see how his Sheenius brand faired under testing. Sheen donned a white lab coat and protective glasses at pH Solutions in Monrovia, California as Raquel Keledjian, Laboratory Director, showed him the ropes. The lab tests strains of cannabis, checking the potency profile and for any impurities and Sheenius passed with flying colors. Sheen has two businesss partners in the venture, Oz and Tom. Oz said he reached out to the actor to start a cannabis business after seeing his name on several marijuana products. His six flavors have a variety of quirky names, including 'MaliBlu Dream', 'Milli's Vanilla', 'Mama Said No' and Grandma's Perfume', some inspired by his famous catchphrases DailyMailTV accompanied Sheen while he visited pH Solutions in Monrovia, California, to see how his Sheenius brand faired under testing. Raquel Keledjian (left), Laboratory Director, showed him the ropes 'I've been in the industry for a while, started with growing and, ended up meeting Charlie very randomly through a mutual friend,' he said. 'The topic came up because his name has been mentioned so much in the industry. There's been strains named after him that he had no idea about. 'His name became popular in the industry. And you kept hearing it and seeing it on the shelf. Let's say you had 10 strains, and you had Skywalker there, and the next day you had Charlie Sheen,' he said. The cannabis entrepreneur said Sheen is now 'like family' to him after working with the star since 2017. 'I can relate to him like i can relate to members of my own family because he's solid and no bullsh**t,' he said. Oz, who has his own cannabis business working on the cultivation and retail side, said he believes the quality of Sheenius strains, as well as its celebrity CEO, will help it sell. 'There's a lot of vape companies out there. It has to be a good product at the end of the day,' he said. 'Each flavor that we have, there's an actual stream behind it. Like MaliBlu Dream, it's got Charlie in it because he's from Malibu. But the strain is Blue Dream crossed with Super Silver. 'Charlie did a lot of work on this, from the logo to the name.' Oz said Sheenius will launch with six flavors on April 2 in around 20 dispensaries, priced between $60 and $70. The former Two and a Half Men star said as well as being a moneymaker, he believes Sheenius can help people with medical problems. 'I feel like I'm sort of a medicinal ambassador for Sheenius,' he said. 'A lot of people battling different forms of cancer and certain types of epilepsy are really relying on vaping for their medicinal needs to have an appetite, to sleep, to cope. I do feel good about about delivering this to that part of the population.' The star opened up to DailyMailTV about his year of sobriety, saying he no longer 'breaks s**t' nor does he 'lose stuff' and says his children 'get the best version of me possible' One of his flavors 'The Legend' was conceived after Sheen was told he was a 'legend' by young people several times on the street, but remained humble about the label. He said one of his favorites is 'Grandma's Perfume' The star marked one year of sobriety in January after a public booze-fueled meltdown led him to change his life, giving up booze, drugs and porn stars and focusing on exercise, healthy meals and a 9pm bedtime. 'I got so tired of letting everyone down, and ultimately myself down, that I made the decision the very morning of December 10, 2017, to embrace a newly unearthed direction and path,' he told DailyMailTV. 'I feel good, I've made some significant changes and I'm on the right track.' Sheen described how he relapsed after 11 years of sobriety when he found out he had HIV in 2012. 'Every night would start out with the best intentions, (it would) always wind up with good and decent people having to clean up my mess,' he said. 'And the other side of that is I got tired of apologizing for things I couldn't remember doing. 'To be engaged in a fantasy that it's gonna be different or it's gonna be more fun...it's all fiction.' Sheen said he is now downsizing from his $10million mansion and revamping his life. 'I work out every day, I hit the treadmill, eat well, read scripts, watch the news and I'm in bed most nights by 9. I'm feeling better than ever.' Sheen said embraces the irony in launching a marijuana vape line while celebrating his newfound sobriety. 'I'm very excited about being sober these days. And going public with that too. But then, oh, by the way, here's a weed company,' he laughed. 'I haven't smoked pot in like 10 years. It's just not my thing,' he added. 'A lot of people claim to be sober and still smoke pot and I'm not one of them. We hatched this [business plan] out a couple of years ago when I was still getting pretty lit. And then when I stopped getting lit, the idea was still good enough to keep pursuing.' Sheen's line of weed vapes includes a Clown Mase flavor. DailyMailTV was invited along to a product photo shoot in Hollywood where Sheen posed with a clown to promote the flavor During the shoot, Sheen larked around with models around a table where the women smoked the vapes in his company Sheen said his new business has also helped with his recovery. 'I spend a lot of time with my kids, you know, all day, every day, which is amazing. But it's terrific to have a project like this that requires a lot of energy, that requires a lot of creative, hands-on focus,' he said. 'There's a certain adrenal excitement about putting it out. We know how good this is, It's just a question of getting it to the people and them agreeing and wanting more. I think we've got a real shot, and it's really exciting.' He says that the new busienss has helped with his recovery because the project requires a lot of energy and 'creative, hands-on focus' The actor once referred to Alcoholics Anonymous as a 'cult', but now attends a 'very private' group to discuss his addiction problems, and said he has had 'little bit' of therapy to aid his recovery. 'I only yelled at two people all of last year, both of them were my children,' Sheen joked. 'I don't break s**t anymore. I don't lose stuff. I'm extremely punctual My kids are really seeing this guy, this like super reliable guy and that's such a gift that they can just depend on me, even if I become their Uber driver for the day, you know, they've got the best version of me possible,' the star told DailyMailTV. Sheen has a daughter Cassandra, 34, with high school sweetheart Paula Profit, daughters Sam, 14, and Lola, 13, with ex-wife Denise Richards and twin sons Bob and Max, nine, with ex-wife Brooke Mueller. The star says he is currently working on a TV series written by a close friend. 'It's terrific. It's about redemption and it's pretty special,' he said. He added that although he's getting plenty of acting job offers, he's being discerning with his roles. 'I would rather not work than do stuff that people don't really care about,' he said. Sheen appeared in a slew of hit movies in the late 80s and early 90s including Platoon, Wall Street, Young Guns, Eight Men Out, Major League and Hot Shots! He later earned multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations on the popular sitcom Two And A Half Men from 2003 to 2011 and most recently starred in the drama film 9/11 in 2017, alongside co-stars Whoopi Goldberg, Gina Gershon and Luis Guzman. A waiter has been dubbed Tyrion Lannister's doppelganger by fans of Game of Thrones in Pakistan. Rozi Khan had never even heard of the smash HBO show until he started getting photo requests from strangers in the city of Rawlpindi. Fans believe Mr Khan bears a striking resemblance to one of the show's central characters Tyrion Lannister, played by American actor Peter Dinklage. Mr Khan, who is 24 years Dinklage's junior, said: 'I don't mind. A lot of my pictures have been taken, that's why I have become very famous everywhere.' Pakistani waiter Rozi Khan (left) is said to be the spitting image of American actor Peter Dinklage (right) who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO smash Game of Thrones Peter Dinklage in character as Tyrion Lannister, the wily nobleman has been a central character in the HBO show since it first aired in 2010 Mr Khan works at a small Kashmiri restaurant down a narrow line in Rawalpindi and said he had never heard of Game of Thrones until he started getting inundated with photo requests Mr Khan at work, he said of the attention, 'I don't mind. A lot of my pictures have been taken, that's why I have become very famous everywhere.' Dinklage has played the witty and wily nobleman since the hit series' first season in 2010. Not only are Mr Khan and Dinklage's faces said to be strikingly similar, they are also the same height at around 135 cms (4 ft 5in). Peter Dinklage, 49, has played the witty nobleman Tyrion Lannister since the series first aired in 2010 Photographs of the pair have made their way onto social media showing them side-by-side. 'Wherever I go, someone says to me: "Sir, who is this man with you on Facebook", I say that he is my friend. "He looks like you." I tell them he is my brother. It's not a bad thing,' said Mr Khan. The television series has won 47 Emmys - more than any other fictional show in history - along with a Golden Globe for Dinklage, 49, for best supporting actor in 2012. A much anticipated final series is set to premiere on April 17. Mr Khan works at a small Kashmiri restaurant in Rawalpindi, serving customers hearty dishes such as mutton and spinach curries. Owner Malik Aslam Pervez described him as a hard-worker - and also a drawcard for the eatery. 'When he takes a day off or gets sick, people look for him and ask where did he go? They get upset. They love him. There is always a crowd here but it has boomed because of him,' he said. Born in Mansehra in northern Pakistan, Mr Khan says he would love to meet Dinklage, describing him as a friend and brother. 'I love him very much, he is my friend... he is my height so I like him a lot,' said Mr Khan. Mr Khan at work in the restaurant at the Dilbar Hotel in Rawalpindi in the Punjab province of Pakistan Mr Khan waves to fans at the restraunt in Pakistan, he says he would love to meet Dinklage, describing him as a friend and brother Not only are Mr Khan and Dinklage's faces said to be strikingly similar, they are also roughly the same height at around 135 cms (4 ft 5in) Mr Khan offers Friday prayers at a mosque in Rawalpindi last month Mr Khan leaving the mosque in Rawalpindi after attending Friday prayers in the city For customers, seeing someone who looks like Tyrion Lannister in the flesh is also a thrill. 'When I saw him, I'm happy, I feel that I met with Lannister in real [life],' said Zain Hadri, 20. Game of Thrones tells the story of noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne, all the while keeping one eye on the 'White Walkers' leading hordes of the undead toward an invasion from the North. A young widow and widower who found love after loss describe how their two families came together to become the real-life Brady Bunch. Brittany Price Brooker, 29, and Daniel Brooker, 34, tragically lost their spouses Patrick Price, 30, and Lyndsie Brooker, 28, within one month of each other in 2015. Brittany's husband Patrick, a parole officer, died when his heart stopped beating while at work in September, while Daniel's wife Lyndsie lost her battle with ovarian cancer in August of the same year. In one day Brittany became a single parent to her boys Teyton, six, Evan, five, and Nathan, four, while Daniel faced life as a single dad to Aubrey, seven, and Ethan, eight. The couple sat down with DailyMailTV and described how their blended family became the modern 'Brooker Bunch' version of the popular 70s sitcom. Mother-of-three Brittany Price Brooker, 29, and father-of-two Daniel Brooker, 34, both tragically lost their spouses within one month of each other in 2015 and remarried in 2017, bringing their families together The couple from Georgia met in February 2017 while consoling a mutual friend who was also widowed and immediately fell in love as they dealt with the loss of their partners, marrying in July of that year Brittany's three boys Teyton, six, Evan, five, and Nathan, four, immediately hit it off with Daniel's adopted daughter Aubrey, seven, and adopted son Ethan, eight, as their parents began dating Brittany, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Daniel, who lived three hours away in Augusta, met in February 2017 while they were helping a mutual friend who had also been widowed. The pair instantly bonded over their shared experience and were pleased when their children took a liking to one another during a trip to Brittany's hometown one month later. Their story is similar to that of the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch. The couple say their neighbors joke that they are The Brooker Bunch The couple started to consider a future together and signed up for pre-marital and family counseling for all of their five children. Daniel told DailyMailTV that his wife Lyndsie was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 19 and battled the disease three times. 'In early 2014 they discovered her cancer had spread to her stomach and lymph nodes,' he said. 'She had chemo and radiation but there came a point where her doctors told us there was nothing more they could do.' After a surgery during Lyndsie's first bout with cancer left her unable to bear children, the couple adopted a daughter Aubrey and son Ethan. But by August 2015, Daniel was a single father-of-two. 'After she died I had two or three months of heavy, heavy grief where I was physically sick from the pain. I asked God, ''Why?'' I couldn't understand,' Daniel said. 'It's hard because when you get married you have a plan, to have kids, to buy a house, to get a dog. When your partner dies suddenly there is no normal, there is no plan.' He said during his grieving he and his children stuck together and Daniel allowed his children to see his pain. Less than two years later, the mourning father met Brittany, telling DailyMailTV, 'I knew immediately that there was something different about her. 'When I met Brittany, It wasn't just that she had been where I had been. It was that I saw where she was going. The way she pointed people towards Jesus was attractive and she's beautiful. 'She has such a loving influence on the kid,' he gushed about his wife. Brittany was 25 and had just given birth to her youngest son when her husband Patrick (pictured together left) suddenly died. Daniel became a single father-of-two when his wife Lyndsie (pictured right at their wedding right) died of cancer a month later Daniel's wife Lyndsie Brooker, 28, (pictured)lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2015 after the couple had adopted their children Audrey and Ethan Brittany's husband Patrick Price, 30, (pictured) was a parole officer and died suddenly when his heart stopped beating at work, leaving behind three boys under the age of four Brittany said she felt 'immediate numbness of grief and loss' when her husband Patrick died. 'I kept thinking, ''I can't believe this is my life,'' she said. 'The hardest part was that after Patrick was gone I felt married but I wasn't. I had known him since I was five years old and now he just wasn't there anymore,' she added. 'Daniel's wife passed away one month before Patrick. He lived three hours away in Augusta,' she said. 'We met while we were counseling another family who had lost someone to cancer. 'We formed a friendship and we emailed back and forth for a month before we talked on the phone. That first conversation was five hours long. We connected on every level.' Brittany said when they introduced their children to each other, the kids immediately hit it off. At the end of their weekend trips when Daniel and his kids would pack up to leave, Brittany said the children would cry because they didn't want them to leave. 'We introduced our children in March. Everyone came to my parents house in Atlanta and it was very organic. The kids all got along so well. We started spending time together every weekend. Daniel and his kids would travel to Atlanta.' At one point, one of Brittany's sons suggested that she should marry Daniel. 'When you walk through death you start to look at life differently,' Brittany said. 'It was an amazing blessing to meet Daniel. 'We started talking about marriage right away.' Daniel, a financial marketing consultant, and his children relocated to Atlanta where he wed Brittany in a sweet ceremony in July 2017. The pair said blending their two families was a challenge but they made sure their children were supported by making counseling a priority in their lives. The parents introduced their children to one another a month after they first met. Daniel lived three hours away and would travel every weekend from Augusts to Atalanta with the kids to make their family one The couple tell DailyMailTV that beyond their shared experiences of loss, their bond grew through bringing their families together and honoring their spouses The pair said blending their two families was and continues to be a challenge, but they make sure their children are supported by making counseling a priority in their lives Brittany said: 'Blending your family has its challenges. It is two families coming together so it's not going to be easy.' 'It was chaotic. We were like a travelling circus,' Brittany said. 'It takes a while for your children to feel that security in their family.' Daniel added: 'The first year was tough but I think we all really feel like a family now.' The couple say they make it a priority to honor their late spouses and make sure their children remember the parents they lost. 'You have to be very open and understanding about talking about their mom and dads that are in heaven,' Brittany said. Brittany said they regularly talk about the children's 'mom and dad in heaven' and keep Patrick and Lyndsie's memories alive through individual scrapbooks. Brittany said: 'After Patrick died I made each of my boys a ''Daddy Book'' which has all of the photos of each of them with their dad. 'When Aubrey and Ethan moved in I made them a ''Mommy Book'' with photos of them with Lyndsie.' Daniel said: 'My kids often talk about Lyndsie and the boys talk about Patrick. They're a part of our lives.' Brittany and Daniel have not ruled out the possibility of bringing a sixth child into the family, but say for now they are focusing on the five children in front of them Brittany said the family's neighbors and church friends compare them to the Brady Bunch, a fictional family who also came together after bereavement. The mother-of-five, who travels around the US to speak about her experience with loss and is a worship leader, said she feels blessed to have found love again with Daniel. 'Daniel is outgoing. He is so fun. He can bring life to anything and he's so caring. 'The other day I looked out the window and saw him jumping on the trampoline with the kids and it melted my heart. He makes me and the kids feel very special, valued and safe.' Daniel added: 'Brittany is beautiful both inside and out. She's a wonderful mother. 'I think our story shows that there is life after loss if you just have hope in the Lord.' As for whether the couple will bring a sixth child into the family, they're not ruling out the possibility but say they are focusing on the five youngsters in front of them. Senator Kamala Harris has begun her 2020 presidential bid by promising teachers a $13,500 raise in her first major policy announcement. Her campaign team say it is an unprecedented boost in teacher pay and funds will also be dedicated to recruitment, training and professional development. Harris previewed her plan in a Houston speech Saturday, saying that 'you can judge a society by the way it treats its children, and one of the greatest expressions of love that a society can give is educating those children with resources they need.' Harris' campaign says that her government would match every taxpayer dollar for another $3 to provide the average American teacher with a $13,500 raise. Kamala Harris in Houston on Saturday, she told the crowd: 'You can judge a society by the way it treats its children, and one of the greatest expressions of love that a society can give is educating those children with resources they need' Senator Kamala Harris, of California, addresses supporters at a campaign rally at Morehouse College on Sunday in Atlanta On Tuesday the Democrat's described the underpayment of teachers as a 'national failure that's holding America back' and said that 'we've failed to give teachers the respect and resources they deserve.' For years, teachers have said they are underpaid and their schools are underfunded. Seeking higher pay and more education funding, teachers in more than a half-dozen states have walked out of their classrooms in protest. But in wading into the education spending debate in her first policy rollout, Harris is set to capitalize on a debate that has been boiling in districts across the country. The debate is also critical to the nation's teachers unions, which have largely been key players in Democratic Party politics. Traditionally, elementary and secondary schools receive most of their funding from state and local governments, with the federal government providing less than 10 per cent of total spending. But Harris is calling for the federal government to immediately invest a base level of funding into each state with the goal of closing the teacher pay gap - the difference in compensation for teachers and similar professionals with college degrees. The campaign estimates this will cost $315 billion over a decade, paid for by strengthening the estate tax and closing tax loopholes that benefit the rich. While it is early in the Democratic primary and the American Federation of Teachers has not backed any Democrat running for president, the head of the AFT praised Harris' plan. Fans of Kamala Harris hold placards saying, 'Kamala Harris for the people,' at her Presidential launch in Oakland in January Senator Kamala Harris launches her campaign for president of the United States at a rally at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in her hometown of Oakland in January Randi Weingarten, the group's president, said in an interview that there's been a 'woeful underinvestment in public schools throughout the country' and that Harris had proposed a 'bold, smart, strategic and decisive proposal that will help solve the problem of how we recruit and retain great teachers.' 'What she's doing is saying personnel is absolutely key in terms of teaching, and she is investing in our personnel, she's investing in teaching,' she said. Catherine Brown, a senior fellow at the liberal Center for American Progress, said that states have been systemically disinvesting in public education for a decade, particularly in more conservative parts of the country. 'I think it would be better if states would step up and pay teachers what they deserve. I think we can all agree it's a very hard job, a foundational job to our democracy, and they are underpaid,' she said. 'I think that states are not stepping up - in particular, conservative states. 'What we've seen are states led by GOP leaders have disinvested in education systematically in favor of giving tax cuts.' The issue of teacher pay and education spending has been cause for strikes in a number of states. In Harris' hometown of Oakland, striking teachers recently went back to their classrooms following a weeklong strike after union members voted to approve a contract agreement that provided pay raises. In 2016-17, the average annual salary for a public school teacher was $58,950, down slightly from the previous year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, though that figure differs state to state. Overall, 78 per cent of Americans said that's not enough, according to an April 2018 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 15 percent think teachers are paid the right amount, while 6 percent think they're paid too much. Harris' campaign emphasized that this is a national issue, affecting both urban centers and rural schools, but singled out the area along Interstate 95 in South Carolina known as the 'Corridor of Shame' because of its underperforming schools. The region gained that name from a 2005 documentary that depicted decrepit conditions and deteriorating buildings. Rainbow flags saying, 'Love trumps hate.' and pins with Harris' face on are on sale at one of her rallies Harris beams at a young supporter during her rally at Texas Southern University over the weekend Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently toured the region, and South Carolina lawmakers have said improving the state's education system is a priority this year. On her own South Carolina trip in February, Harris weighed in on the teacher pay issue. 'You know, right here in South Carolina, we need to pay our teachers what they are worth,' Harris told attendees at a North Charleston town hall. She later added: 'For most of us who ever have a microphone like this in our hands, we have never achieved this kind of success without the teachers and the public education system that made us who we are.' Harris' plan also includes investments in teacher recruitment, training, retention and professional development, her campaign says. It says there will be a multibillion-dollar investment in programs at historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. The Trump administration's move to urge a court to strike down all of Obamacare as unconstitutional came after a tough internal fight where two key cabinet secretaries opposed the move and faced off against the president's top aide. The opposition came from Attorney General William Barr, whose Justice Department must argue the position, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who would have to implement the outcome. Azar made his position known in a White House meeting in December, Politico reported. He stressed that there was not yet a Republican alternative to the law, according to the publication. Democrats used similar arguments to push back repeated GOP attempts to repeal Obamacare in Congress. Pushing to use the courts to take down Obamacare was Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, an Obamacare foe who came from the former House Republican Majority that tried repeatedly to kill it. Attorney General William Barr opposed the Trump administration's decision to try to have an appeals court strike down all of Obamacare, according to a report Barr, Trump's new attorney general who reportedly earned praise from the president for his swift handling of the Mueller report, also weighed in against. The Supreme Court has already twice upheld the constitutionality of the law, including in a key ruling joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, though its tax penalty has fallen away. White House counsel Pat Cipollone voiced opposition during a tense meeting Monday that included President Trump, the New York Times reported. Joining the melee was Vice President Mike Pence, according to the paper. The Vice President, who is typically a public cheerleader for Trump Administration policy, had concerns about the risks of moving forward without 'a strategy or a plan to handle the suddenly uninsured if the suit succeeds,' according to the Times. Mulvaney favored a 'bold stance' that would force Congress to finally repeal and replace Obama's signature law, which now provides insurance coverage to millions of Americans. President Trump brushed off a question about the apparent split when asked in the Oval Office Wednesday specifically whether members of his administration oppose him on health care it. 'We're not talking about health care right now but I will,' said Trump. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who must administer the law, also opposed the move, Politico reported President Donald Trump bashed Obamacare Wednesday but didn't discuss reports of internal conflict Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, right, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., arrive on Air Force One, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., as they return with President Donald Trump from Palm Beach, Fla. Mulvaney pushed for going after Obamacare as unconstitutional Vice President Mike Pence raised 'concerns' about taking the legal approach absent a plan to deal with people who would lose insurance, according to the New York Times 'Obamacare is a disaster. It's too expensive by far. People can't afford it and the deductible is horrible,' Trump said. 'The premiums are too expensive. People are going broke trying to pay for it,' he said. 'If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, well have a plan that is far better than Obamacare,' Trump said. HHS disputed the account in a statement. 'Secretary Azar fully supports the Administration's litigation position in the ACA case, which bears his name,' said an agency spokeswoman. 'Any insinuation that Secretary Azar has 'butted heads' with Mulvaney on this issue is false.' In a court ruling Monday, the Justice Department laid out the position that the law's individual mandate to buy insurance now that Congress has reduced the tax penalty down to zero. On Tuesday, Trump called on Republicans to revive the effort to quash the Affordable Care Act, handing Democrats an opportunity to unite in defense of the law as they try to move past the Russia investigation and win the White House in 2020. The president vowed on Tuesday to make the GOP the 'party of health care' and told Senate Republicans to lean into their own agenda on the issue as they head into next year's election. Trump's administration is asking a federal appeals court to strike down the entire health care law. The moves could help Trump rally his conservative base as he celebrates Barr's summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report that said there was no evidence that the president or his associates colluded with Russia in the 2016 campaign. But the push also poured political kerosene on an issue that many Democrats credit with powering their midterm election victories in November. Top Democrats, including presidential candidates, said health care is an issue that resonates with voters more than the Mueller investigation. 'This is something that Americans care deeply about,' said Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, a White House hopeful. 'I may not have been asked about the Mueller report at town hall meetings, but I was sure asked about health care.' Other Democrats appeared to relish the chance to shift to health care. Asked if the Trump administration's court filing allowed Democrats to turn the page on Mueller, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would have been talking about health care no matter what. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., walks to a Democratic Caucus meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Pelosi and leading House Democrats are unveiling broad legislation today to shore up the Affordable Care Act. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) 'We have been dealing with health care constantly,' the California Democrat said. 'The public attention has been on the Mueller report, but we have been focused on health care.' Another 2020 contender, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, said if Trump 'wants to have a fight on health care, it's a fight we're willing to have. And it's a fight he is going to lose.' That confidence is in part because health care was a big political winner for Democrats last year. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters nationwide, nearly 4 in 10 Democratic voters identified health care as the most important among a list of key issues including immigration, the economy and the environment. A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday found 55 percent of Americans supporting the improvement and not the replacement of the nation's health care system. The Supreme Court has twice upheld President Barack Obama's health care law, known as 'Obamacare.' Five justices - a majority - who upheld the law in 2012 are still on the bench. Trump's effort to repeal Obamacare narrowly failed in the Senate in 2017. Nearly two years later, it's unclear where the White House plans to focus its health care efforts. Trump's most recent budget backs one piece of the legislation that stalled in the Senate. Republicans gained Senate seats last fall, but there's no indication that GOP senators want another fight over repealing Obamacare - particularly not those up for re-election next year. The GOP also lost control of the House, which means any attempt to dismantle the law could not pass Congress. One White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to address still-early talks, said discussions are ongoing with Pelosi's office on legislation to lower prescription drug prices, but no substantive path forward for a broader health care bill has emerged. As the debate plays out on Capitol Hill, the White House made a surprising legal argument for eliminating the health care bill. In a Monday court filing, the administration said the entire health care law should be struck down as unconstitutional after Congress repealed fines on people who remain uninsured. That's at odds with previous statements by leading congressional Republicans who said they didn't intend to repeal other parts of the law when they cut out its fines, effective this year. It's also a departure from the administration's earlier stance in a lower court, where it had argued that only federal safeguards for people with pre-existing medical conditions and limits on premiums charged to older, sicker people should be struck down. Repeal of Obamacare in its entirety would risk making more than 20 million people uninsured. That includes some 12 million low-income people covered through its Medicaid expansion and some 11 million purchasing subsidized private health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-run insurance markets. Some Republicans say that wouldn't happen because the Trump administration's 'repeal and replace' plan would send grants to states for them to run their own health insurance programs. However, during the 2017 congressional debate over repealing the health law, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the GOP replacement plans would result in steep coverage losses. Several GOP senators said Tuesday that Trump told them to ensure those with pre-existing conditions stayed protected as they work on an Obamacare replacement. Republicans appeared ready to back up the president on health care for now. Trump is 'thinking that's the issue that defines us as conservatives,' Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told reporters after the president addressed a closed-door meeting of GOP senators. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, said Democrats have 'misled' voters about the benefits of Obamacare. 'They were misled about collusion with Russia,' said Scalise, R-La. 'The same people that have been misleading on all those other issues want to try to mislead people on health care costs.' The sudden focus on the health care law comes as Democratic presidential candidates have embraced a move toward a single-payer health care system known as 'Medicare for All.' The momentum for that effort could wane if congressional Democrats instead have to focus on defending Obamacare. House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled legislation to shore up the Affordable Care Act and expand enrollment to millions more people. 'For (Trump) to bring this back up is traumatic, and it shines a real light on what the contrast is going to be between him and whoever the Democratic nominee is,' said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the Democratic group American Bridge. The group's planned $50 million investment in deterring swing-state voters from backing Trump in 2020 will focus in part on health care, as well as other economic issues, Bates said. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., attends an event to announce legislation to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing medical conditions, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Democratic action comes after the Trump administration told a federal appeals court that the entire Affordable Care Act, known as 'Obamacare,' should be struck down as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined at left by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone, D-N.J., speaks at an event to announce legislation to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing medical conditions, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Democratic action comes after the Trump administration told a federal appeals court that the entire Affordable Care Act, known as 'Obamacare,' should be struck down as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. leaves a House Democratic meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. leaves a House Democratic caucus meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks to an aide as she leaves a House Democratic meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wa., together with Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, left, Rep. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., right, Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., second from right, and other Republican members of Congress speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., joined at right by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at an event to announce legislation to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing medical conditions, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Democratic action comes after the Trump administration told a federal appeals court that the entire Affordable Care Act, known as 'Obamacare,' should be struck down as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) New Zealand women who wear a headscarf in solidarity with Muslim women have faced a backlash from campaigners who say it is not 'empowering'. Some women including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have covered up in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings which killed 50 people on March 15. Ardern won widespread praise for putting on a headscarf when she met members of the Muslim community after the terror attack. But women's rights advocates said it was a sensitive issue for many women who campaign against the obligatory wearing of headscarves. New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, wears a headscarf at a gathering for Friday prayers in Christchurch on March 22 Critics pointed out that women in conservative Muslim countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia were forced to cover up for the sake of modesty or risk public rebuke, fines or arrest. 'When we see non-Muslim women wear the hijab in solidarity of Muslim women it is very ironic and contradictory because our experience with the hijab is not empowering or uplifting in the political sense,' said Maryam Lee, a Muslim women's rights advocate and author in Malaysia who chooses to not wear a hijab. 'I wish [Ardern] hadn't but I understand where she is coming from because she is not a Muslim and not from a Muslim majority country.' Women across New Zealand donned headscarves last Friday as part of a Head Scarf for Harmony campaign. It was started by a doctor who heard about a woman too scared to go out as she felt her headscarf would make her a target for terrorism. Lee, who has written a book called 'Unveiling Choice' about the hijab, said women in Malaysia opting not to wear headscarves would now receive more harassment and pressure to wear the hijab by Muslims citing Ardern's actions. Women in Muslim-majority Malaysia, which has a large population of ethnic and religious minorities, have been barred from government offices in the past for attire that officials deemed as indecent, such as skirts or shorts. Mourners offer funeral prayers for Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani victim of the Al Noor Mosque attack in New Zealand, at his funeral on March 25 Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist and journalist who hosts the website My Stealthy Freedom where women in Iran post photos without headscarves, had mixed feelings about the campaign. Alinejad has lived in self-imposed exile since 2009 and received death threats for her campaigning against the obligatory wearing of headscarves. 'I felt admiration that a prominent leader and women in New Zealand showed compassion to the Muslim community, but I also felt that you are using one of the most visible symbols of oppression for Muslim women in many countries for solidarity, and it also broke my heart,' said Alinejad. 'That is why I call on them to show their sisterhood and solidarity with us, who are being beaten up, imprisoned and punished for fighting against compulsory hijab as well.' But Mutiara Ika Pratiwi, national secretary of Indonesian women's rights group Perempuan Mahardhika backed Ardern. 'Giving sympathy to a victim's family is part of a feminist position, and the veil is a symbol for a community that is currently a victim,' said Jakarta-based Pratiwi. 'Although there are those who criticize her, the majority respect the move. What is important is that Jacinda is able to build a movement of New Zealanders who sympathize with the victims.' A federal ban against bump stock devices, which are added onto guns to rapidly increase the rate of fire, officially took effect on Tuesday. The Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts declined a last minute effort to delay the ban by gun rights groups on Monday. A second request is pending in front of Justice Sonia Sotomayor and its unclear if she'll grant a delay. A Justice Department official clarified Tuesday that the ban had gone into effect as scheduled, according to the Washington Post. 'We still feel that the regulation is a factual misreading of the statute, and that ultimately we will be vindicated on it,' Gun Owners of America legislative counsel Michael Hammond said in an interview with CNBC Tuesday. A federal ban against bump stock devices, which are added onto guns to rapidly increase the rate of fire, officially took effect on Tuesday A bump stock pictured above near a semi-automatic assault rifle to increase the rate of gunfire The U.S. Justice Department issued a rule banning the weapon booster in December and owners were given 90 days to hand in their bump stocks or destroy them. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms posted this guide online on how to destroy bump stocks The Trump administration announced the ban last year following the devastating 2017 Las Vegas shooting that killed 58 people after gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a music festival using assault rifles and bump stocks. The U.S. Justice Department issued a rule banning the weapon booster in December and redefined them as machine guns. Owners were given 90 days to turn in or destroy the bump stocks, and that window ended on Tuesday. With the new ban anyone selling or owning bump stocks can face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 for each violation. The ban also requires any bump stocks in the U.S. to be destroyed or turned into law enforcement authorities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shared a post on how to destroy the devices to satisfy the new ban. The Trump administration decided to ban bump stocks and redefine them as machine guns in 2018 following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting where gunman Stephen Paddock was found to have an arsenal of weapons including bump stocks to kill 58 people The ATF hasnt revealed how many bump stocks have been turned in, mainly because there are several ways for gun owners to comply with the new ban. Trump's administration launched the ban following Paddock's 2017 massacre ATF chief of public affairs April Langwell says bump stock owners have turned in the bump stocks in offices 'all across the country', according to NPR. The Justice Department said as many as seven US bump stock manufacturers have operated since 2010, but only one remained by late 2018, according to CNN. Two businesses stopped making them after the rule was proposed in March 2018 'due to their inability to obtain liability insurance,' the department said. Texas company Slide Fire Solutions, that invented bump stocks shut down its online stores in June. The Justice Department said it doesn't know how many people own bump stocks, but it estimates that up to 520,000 devices were sold. The family of Swedish DJ Avicii are launching a suicide prevention charity almost 12 months since the pop star's death. Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, took his own life in Muscat, Oman, on April 20 last year. He was 28 years old and police said there was no evidence of foul play. His family announced on Tuesday that the Tim Bergling Foundation will initially focus on supporting people and organisations in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention. The family of Swedish DJ Avicii (pictured) are launching a suicide prevention charity almost 12 months since the pop star's death It also will be active in climate change, nature conservation and the protection of endangered species. The foundation's objectives may be pursued in Sweden and abroad. The international pop star performed his electronic dance songs at music festivals around the world, sometimes for hundreds of thousands of fans. His hits included Wake Me Up and Le7els. Wake Me Up, featuring Aloe Blacc's was the lead single for the album True and became a 2013 summer anthem. Avicii, who boasted two UK number ones, retired from touring in 2016 and had battled acute pancreatitis, having his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014. Musician Avicii accepts the Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist award in Los Angeles in 2013. His family have launched the Tim Bergling Foundation in his memory He released his debut studio album, True, in 2013 and followed it up with Stories in 2015. After his death his family said: 'Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions'. His family said, after he stopped, 'he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most music'. 'Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight,' a family statement read. 'Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive.' For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. This is the stomach-churning moment a snake regurgitates a large lizard after being chased out of a home in India. Prafulla Sahu a resident of Buguda in eastern India, was terrified when he spotted a huge snake inside his house on March 24. Although he couldn't identify the snake, he knew that it was very big and could potentially be dangerous. He called a local Snake Helpline volunteer, Harish Padhy. Mr Padhy expertly caught the 13-feet long king cobra and then took it to a nearby forest in the presence of forest officials. As the men watched in surprise, the snake regurgitated a monitor lizard tail first. The body of the dead monitor lizard can be seen moving along inside the Cobras body as the snake catcher holds his claw near The king cobra was then keen to get away, swimming across a pond before vanishing. Snake Helpline founder Subhendu Malik said: 'Though king cobra is known for eating other snakes, it also occasionally preys on other animals like monitor lizards.' Snakes usually regurgitate when stressed as it helps them to make a quick getaway. The large lizard emerges tail first out of the snakes jaw which dislocates as he spits it out A GOP lawmaker called on Jesus at least 13 times and asked for 'forgiveness' just moments before the first female Muslim member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives was sworn in on Monday. Republican Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, said: 'God, forgive us. Jesus, we've lost sight of you; we've forgotten you God in our country.' The associate pastor's wife was elected to represent a rural central Pennsylvania district in November She made the prayer just moments before Muslim Democratic Rep Movita Johnson-Harrell took the oath of office. Borowicz continued: 'At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, Jesus, that you are Lord.' At one point, Borowicz quoted a verse from the Bible that says that Gods followers should 'turn from their wicked ways'. Rep Stephanie Borowicz (center) asked for 'forgiveness' during a prayer just moments before Muslim Democrat Movita Johnson-Harrell was sworn into the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania. Lawmakers appeared to be uncomfortable as she gave the prayer Borowicz said: 'God, forgive us. Jesus, we've lost sight of you; we've forgotten you God in our country.' House Speaker Mike Turzai (in blue) ended up nudging her elbow, signaling for her to wrap it up Johnson-Harrell (pictured) said Tuesday that she was offended by the prayer and felt the remarks by Borowicz used her religion against her. 'I thought that for the most part, the entire invocation was offensive,' Johnson-Harrell said As well as mentioning Jesus 13 times, Borowicz praised 'God', 'Lord', 'The Great I Am' and 'the one whos coming back again, the one who came, died and rose again on the third day.' She also thanked President Donald Trump during the invocation for standing behind Israel. Halfway through the prayer, lawmakers appeared uncomfortable as they looked over at Borowicz to see if she was nearly done. Toward the end of the prayer, one member is heard shouting objections, which prompted House Speaker Mike Turzai to nudge her elbow, signaling for her to wrap it up. Johnson-Harrell said Tuesday that she was offended by the prayer and felt the remarks by Borowicz used her religion against her. 'I thought that for the most part, the entire invocation was offensive,' Johnson-Harrell told reporters, noting that her own religion respects Jesus. She added: 'To use Jesus as a weapon is not OK.' Johnson-Harrell said she respects everyone's right to praise the president, but 'we cannot weaponize what's going on with Israel and Palestine'. Prayer should not be among the things that Republicans and Democrats fight about, she said. 'It was directly a political statement, and I think we need to be very, very clear that everybody in this House matters, whether they're Christian, Muslim or Jew, and that we cannot use these issues to tear each other down,' Johnson-Harrell said. 'And not only that, it was made during my swearing in.' Johnson-Harrell (pictured) said she respects everyone's right to praise the president, but 'we cannot weaponize what's going on with Israel and Palestine'. Prayer should not be among the things that Republicans and Democrats fight about, she said Johnson-Harrell won a special election earlier this month to fill a seat vacated by the resignation of Democratic Rep Vanessa Lowery Brown, who had been re-elected in November after being convicted of bribery. Her swearing-in drew 55 guests, a majority of them Muslim. A Muslim prayer was said from the House dais during the ceremony. Borowicz defended her remarks Monday, saying: 'I pray every day. I prayed.' She did not immediately return a message seeking a response to Johnson-Harrell's comments Tuesday. Several people called the remarks 'divisive' and a display of Islamophobia. Her floor remarks drew a rebuke from Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County, who called Borowicz's invocation 'beneath the dignity of this House' and asked that a group be set up to review the procedure. Rep. Jordan Harris, another Democrat, accused Borowicz of weaponizing religion. He tweeted: "Prayer should never be weaponized, especially on a celebratory day for @RepMovita as shes sworn in as the 1st Muslim woman to serve in the PA House. This prayer was deeply disrespectful and meant to intimidate Movita & her family. We wont stay silent on what matters!" He added in a statement: Im a Christian, and I believe in Christ. What I believe is Christs teaching more than anything, and his teaching would not be about, and was not about, dividing us as a people, but uniting us as a people. Movita Johnson-Harrell won a special election earlier this month to fill a seat vacated by the resignation of Democratic Rep Vanessa Lowery Brown Democratic Gov Tom Wolf said Tuesday he was 'horrified' by Borowicz's invocation and apologized to Johnson-Harrell on behalf of all Pennsylvanians. 'I was horrified. I grew up in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn on the basis of freedom of conscience. I have a strong spiritual sense. This is not a reflection of the religion I grew up in,' said Wolf, a Methodist. Another Muslim lawmaker, Rep Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia, opened the session on Tuesday by reading from the Quran. His invocation was followed by applause. House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, who controls the daily invocation process, lost a federal court decision last summer that halted his policy of preventing nonbelievers from making the invocations. Turzai is appealing that ruling, and currently has the invocations performed by state representatives themselves. After Borowicz's comments on Monday, Turzai read for House members the guidance that has previously been provided to religious professionals about keeping remarks respectful of all religious beliefs and refraining from commenting on extraneous matters. The father of an Australian jihadi bride has told how he tried to phone police after his daughter fled to join ISIS but was told to call back during business hours. Sydney woman Janai Safar, 24, fled to Syria via Turkey with her cousin during a family holiday in Lebanon in 2015. After discovering that both women were missing, Ms Safar's father Samer said he called the Australian Federal Police in a panic, but was told to call back on Monday. 'They said: ''We can't help you.'' I said: ''My daughter, she's gone to Turkey and I'm worried'' They gave me a number it just [said] ''sorry we're open on Monday'',' Mr Safar told The Australian. When Mr Safar called the number he was given, no one answered the phone. Ms Safar, a former nursing student, is now living in a Kurdish refugee camp in Roj, in northern Syria, with her two-year-old son Uthman. She is one of the few defiant jihadi brides who have chosen to stay part of the Islamic State and has vowed never to return home to Australia where she says there are 'naked women on the streets'. Janai Safar is currently residing in a Kurdish refugee camp in Roj, in northern Syria, with her two-year-old son Uthman The mother-of-one, who was a nursing student in Sydney before leaving the country in 2015. Pictured above is a Syrian refugee camp in east Lebanon An AFP spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that they were not able to comment on individual cases. 'In circumstances such as this, the AFP is unable to prevent people from travelling if they have a lawful and valid passport,' he said. 'The AFP will continue to work with its international partners with respect to the issue of Australians suspected of travelling to conflict zones.' Mr Safar described ISIS members as 'crazy' and said his daughter is 'stubborn' but 'kind-hearted'. He said he has asked her to come home and she has refused. 'She doesn't want to show she's fallen. But at the end of the day Australia is her country,' he said. More than 200 Australians are believed have fled to the so-called Islamic State since 2012. During 2015 the AFP established an effective relationship with the Turkish authorities to stop the flow of Australians to Syria through Turkey, which became a well-trodden route to Islamic State. Their operation was effective and they managed to apprehend more than 20 Australians en route, suggesting that if authorities had acted sooner they may have been able to stop Ms Safar at the border. Teenage bride Zehra Duman left Melbourne aged 19 to join the terror group in 2014. She was recently believed to be in a Syrian refugee camp, desperate to come home. Pictured: the woman thought to be Duman alongside aid workers In an interview (pictured) with an American humanitarian worker, a woman who refused to confirm her identity but is believed to be Duman said: 'I want to go back to my country' Ms Safar, who was tracked down by the Australian last week, insisted that she never trained or fought for ISIS but still fears she will be jailed if she ever came back to Australia. She explained she and her cousin, who she only identified as Aylam, met their husbands in Raqqa between 2015 and 2017. They made the decision to join the jihadi group after watching material online and 'studying' together and then fled without telling their families. The two women are believed to have ties to ISIS commanders who were accused of plotting a bomb attack on an Australian flight in 2017. Ms Safar revealed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade interviewed her on the two men's involvement in the alleged plot which she said was 'not true.' She claimed her husband had never spoken about violence or terrorism, but said he did own weapons - as did 'everyone'. She did not go into further detail other than saying he was a Lebanese Australian who died in a car crash a year ago. Ms Safar appears to be one of the few defiant jihadi brides who have chosen to stay as part of the Islamic State, while others have expressed regret in joining. Former life: Lisa Smith (circled) as an Irish soldier, left her country to join the Islamic State but is now begging to return home Lisa Smith, pictured left at the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter in recent days, and right before she fled Ireland to join ISIS, is pleading to return home and says prison in Ireland could be no worse than life at the camp Ms Safar claimed that she, her cousin, and her cousin's husband left the Islamic State after they were told to leave Raqqa during an attack in 2017. They were caught by Kurdish officials and put in a refugee camp, while her cousin's husband faces the death sentence in Baghdad. When her husband was caught, Ms Safar said her cousin was sent back to the Islamic State for an exchange, and now believes she was killed in a bombing. Ms Safar appears to be one of the few defiant jihadi brides who have chosen to stay as part of the Islamic State, while others have expressed regret in joining. Teenage jihadi bride Zehra Duman, who fled Melbourne to fight with the Islamic State in Syria in 2014, is now begging to come home, claiming her two children have the right to be treated like any other 'normal kids' in Australia. At the time Duman told Daily Mail Australia: 'All you have to know is that the next time I will ever step into Australia, is when we come and make it a part of the Islamic State bi'thnillah. In 2015, a Twitter account believed to be run by Duman under the name Umm Abdullatif showed pictures (above) of ISIS women carrying assault rifles and standing next to luxury cars In an interview with an American humanitarian worker, a woman who refused to confirm her identity but is believed to be Duman said: 'I want to go back to my country. 'I think everybody's asking for that because I'm an Australian citizen.' The mother-of-two young children said she understood Australians would be angry with her but insisted: 'My kids have a right to be treated like normal kids.' The defeat of ISIS last year has displaced thousands of jihadi brides, many of whom are now in refugee camps in Syria. Duman, a former student at Isik College Keysborough, hit headlines in Australia when she fled in 2014 to marry Mahmoud Abullatif, a former Melbourne party boy-turned Muslim extremist. When Abullatif died in battle five weeks after their wedding, Duman remarried and had two children with her second husband who also later died. In one of her tweets, Duman boasted about her and American jihadi brides being thirty for Australian and American blood In one photo (above) women reclined against a clean white BMW M5, wielding machine guns and dressed from head to toe in black Islamic dress In 2015, a Twitter account believed to be run by her under the name Umm Abdullatif showed pictures of ISIS women carrying assault rifles and standing next to luxury cars. In one tweet, Duman said: 'US + Australia, how does it feel that all 5 of us were born n raised in your lands, & now here thirsty for ur blood?' Photographs posted to a Twitter account believed to be hers showed several women standing under an Islamic State flag. They reclined against a clean white BMW M5, wielding machine guns and dressed from head to toe in black Islamic dress. Another image of five women standing under an Islamic State flag was captioned: 'Can't mess with my clique. From the land down under, to the land of Khilafah. Thats the Aussie spirit.' Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who fled her country to become an ISIS bride revealed she wanted to return home this month. The 37-year-old lost her husband and is currently living in the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter. She fled the terror group's last holdout in Baghouz and is one of hundreds of women and children at the camp. The Government has rejected a petition calling for Brexit to be stopped, which has gathered more than 5.75 million signatures. The petition is due to be debated by MPs on April 1, after smashing the 100,000 threshold for consideration and becoming the best-supported proposal in the history of the House of Commons and Government's e-petitions website. Rejecting the oft-repeated claim that EU withdrawal is the 'will of the people', it calls for the revocation of the Article 50 letter informing the European Council of the UK's intention to leave. The petition has gathered close to 6 million votes and is now due to be debated by MPs on April 1 The full response published on the petitions website by the Department for Exiting the European Union The Article 50 letter can be withdrawn by the UK unilaterally, without the need for EU agreement, leaving Britain free to continue as a member on its current terms. But in its official response to the petition, the Department for Exiting the EU said: 'It remains the Government's firm policy not to revoke Article 50. We will honour the outcome of the 2016 referendum and work to deliver an exit which benefits everyone, whether they voted to Leave or to Remain. 'Revoking Article 50, and thereby remaining in the European Union, would undermine both our democracy and the trust that millions of voters have placed in Government. 'The Government acknowledges the considerable number of people who have signed this petition. However, close to three-quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected. 'This Government wrote to every household prior to the referendum, promising that the outcome of the referendum would be implemented. Anti-Brexit campaigners as they take part in the People's Vote March in London over the weekend 50 Shades writer E L James voiced her concern at the government's response to the petition Support for the petition concentrated in London and constituencies around Cambridge, Brighton, Bristol, Oxford and Edinburgh - six cities that were in favour of Remain in 2016 '17.4 million people then voted to leave the European Union, providing the biggest democratic mandate for any course of action ever directed at UK Government. 'British people cast their votes once again in the 2017 General Election, where over 80% of those who voted, voted for parties including the opposition who committed in their manifestos to upholding the result of the referendum. 'This Government stands by this commitment. 'Revoking Article 50 would break the promises made by Government to the British people, disrespect the clear instruction from a democratic vote, and in turn, reduce confidence in our democracy. 'As the Prime Minister has said, failing to deliver Brexit would cause 'potentially irreparable damage to public trust', and it is imperative that people can trust their Government to respect their votes and deliver the best outcome for them.' The petition will be debated by MPs in the Commons' secondary chamber Westminster Hall. A Government minister will be required to respond to the petition, but there will be no vote on the action it demands. MPs will also debate a petition calling for a second EU referendum, which has received more than 120,000 signatures, and another signed by more than 140,000 demanding that the UK leave with or without a deal on March 29. Barbara Rogers, pictured, is accused of shooting her boyfriend Stephen Mineo dead. She blamed an online alien cult for turning against them, a court heard A Pennsylvania woman accused of shooting her boyfriend in the head has blamed an online alien cult for turning against them and leaving him wanting to die. Barbara Rogers, 42, killed Stephen Mineo, 32, during a dispute at their home in Tobyhanna in July of 2017, prosecutors say. The couple are said to have belonged to the online "Sherry Shriner" cult, which focuses on aliens and the end of the world, WNEP reports. Rogers says that after the cult turned against them both, doomsday prepper Mineo wanted her to kill him, Monroe County Courthouse heard. They had both been drinking until the early hours on the night of the shooting, according to prosecutors. When they got home Mineo is said have suggested shooting his gun in the woods behind his home. Rogers claims it was when they went back into the home Mineo told her to pull the trigger after putting the gun to his own head and placing her hands on the weapon. She then called 911, according to investigators, telling them: 'My boyfriend had a gun. He told me to hold it here and press the trigger. Oh my God, he's dead.' Scroll down for video. Police were called to the home by 42-year-old Barbara Rogers (left), who is said to have confessed she shot Mineo (right) in the forehead at close range Rogers, left, told police she shot Mineo because her boyfriend asked her to do it so he could escape an online cult, a court heard. Stephen Mineo, right, was killed inside his home in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania in 2017 Barbara Rogers, center, appeared at the Monroe County Courthouse this week where she rejected a guilty plea deal of third-degree murder Rogers has said the shooting was an accident as she did not know the gun was loaded. But prosecutors argue she could have stopped it. Rogers has already rejected a guilty plea deal of third-degree murder. Police lieutenant Steven Williams told WBRE in 2017: '(Rogers) identified that the deceased was having online issues with a cult and he wanted to be killed and requested she do it.' The network reported how cult members were convinced Rogers was a witch or a reptile who wanted to kill Mineo. And the alleged cult leader, Sherry Shriner, defended herself from allegations in a series of posts. Shriner, who frequently rails against 'fake news', 'libtards', and the Democratic Party, wrote in 2017: 'I warned (Stephen) she was a Super Soldier who would kill him and move on... but I'm the "false prophet". 'Perhaps he finally figured her out..but it was too late for him. It wasn't the "online cult" that killed him... they always try and paint me as a cult...nice try libtards.' In another post on Sunday night, Shriner wrote: 'They're trying to spin it that I'm responsible for Steve's death? No, Barb is. I tried to protect Steve. I tried to warn him about Barbara Rogers and he wouldn't listen to me. 'He thought I was insulting his 'wife'...when I was just trying to protect him from her! I knew what she was! 'They want to call me a cult leader? No. I'm just a humble servant and Messenger of the Most High. I've spent my life serving HIM and for that, I get beat up by Cain's kids, libtards, witches, Satanists, and haters everywhere.' Rogers claims Mineo told her to pull the trigger after putting the gun to his own head. She then called 911, according to investigators, telling them: 'My boyfriend had a gun. He told me to hold it here and press the trigger. Oh my God, he's dead' Cult members were said to have been convinced Rogers was a witch or a reptile who wanted to kill Mineo. But the alleged cult leader, Sherry Shriner, defended herself in a series of posts Mineo's social media accounts were full of posts about how the end of the world is coming and the need to prepare for it. He also spoke about the need to 'get right with god'. It also claimed he married Rogers in October 2016. Rogers' Facebook page featured a number of posts on similar topics to Mineo's. A tradesman has filmed himself rescuing a fish with his bare hands before taking it to a healthier part of the river to give it a chance of survival. The tradie and his friends found the huge Murray Cod in Pilliga in north-central New South Wales. The video was posted to Viralhog with the caption: 'My mates and I caught a fish by hand and relocated him to a healthier part of the river to give him a fighting chance to survive during this severe drought.' This is the dramatic moment a tradesman rescued a fish with his bare hands before taking it to a healthier part of the river to give it a chance of survival The video opens with the man standing in the river pointing at the fish before telling his friends, 'there's a nice cod in the water' The video comes after almost a million fish were killed in the Murray Darling Basin at the start of the year. Algae blooms caused by severe drought depleted otherwise healthy rivers of oxygen causing fish to suffocate. Pictures of dead fish sparked mass outrage at the state government who were accused of doing nothing to prevent the disaster from taking place. But one man literally took matters into his own hands by rescuing a flailing cod. In the footage he points to the fish before saying, 'there's a nice cod in the water'. The tradie then lunges at the fish, which swims away from him and across the river. After several attempts to chase the fish down the man manages to capture the cod, before saying, 'fish on, lads?' The group of men then drive the struggling fish down to a 'healthier part' of the river. When they arrive at a more oxygenated part of the river, the tradie rushes to put the cod back. There is a tense moment when the fish is still before it finally moves and happily swims away. 'Come on, mate...yes!' he says, giving the camera a thumbs up and a smile. The kind-hearted tradie rushes to put the cod into the river and it takes a few seconds before it successfully swims away The tradie and his friends found the huge Murray cod in Pilliga in north-central New South Wales In January, some farmers blamed the NSW government for the mass fish deaths. Rob McBride from Tolarno Station in central western New South Wales and fellow farmer Dick Arnold posted a video to social media to highlight the crisis. The footage shows them holding up two Murray cod, which they claim could have been up to a century old before they were killed in the disaster. 'This is nothing to do with drought. This is a man-made disaster brought to you by the NSW Government, the Federal Government, and the Murray Darling Basin Authority. It is the result of draining the Menindee lakes twice in four years and killing the system,' Mr McBride said. The video comes after reports hundreds of thousands of fish were found dead in NSW's far west in January and shortly before Christmas (pictured) Bony herring, golden perch and carp have also been wiped out in mass numbers, with the state government blaming the 'environmental catastrophe' on the drought. Regional Water Minister Niall Blair said conditions could potentially deteriorate further. 'No scientist, no locals, no one has been able to point to anything else that could prevent something like this other than fresh water coming into the system and we just don't have that,' Mr Blair said. Hundreds of thousands of fish (pictured) have been killed along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Darling River The Murray Darling Basin Authority was established to manage the river system under a multi-billion-dollar plan agreed upon by the states the massive river system stretches across. It has come under heavy criticism for allegedly allowing farms upstream to monopolise water resources. A report published in 2017 claimed the authority's 'subsidy programs' to save water have been 'ineffective, poorly conceived' and have 'primarily benefited private individuals'. Washington state wildlife officers hunted and killed a cougar that attacked and ate a dog on Monday. According to the Mason County Sheriff's Department, the dog and its owner was walking along a beach near Hoodsport when the cougar came out of nowhere. Deputies from the sheriff's department along with state wildlife agents responded to the scene Monday afternoon. Upon arrival, the dog's owner told authorities that the cougar had attacked and eaten the dog. Washington state wildlife officers hunted and killed a cougar (pictured) that attacked and ate a dog on Monday. The cougar was shot dead by wildlife agents A short time later, wildlife agents were able to track down the cougar and kill it. Deputies released a photo of the dead cougar that showed a wildlife agent holding its massive paw. Authorities did not release information about the type of dog the owner was walking. Last May, SJ Brooks, 32, was killed by a cougar while mountain biking with his friend near North Bend in the Cascade Mountain foothills. At the time Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife agents used dogs to track the cougar to a nearby tree and killed it. Authorities also determined that the cougar was underweight. Derek Hatton withdrew his application to re-join Labour last night after a storm over an allegedly anti-Semitic comment. Last month the former Militant firebrand was controversially readmitted to the party 34 years after being expelled. Days later he was suspended again after it emerged he had tweeted that all Jews had a duty to speak out against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel. Yesterday his case was discussed at a disciplinary hearing, at which Labours deputy leader Tom Watson argued he should remain barred from the party. Derek Hatton withdrew his application to re-join Labour last night after a storm over an allegedly anti-Semitic comment Mr Hatton later confirmed he had withdrawn his application to re-join Labour. A party spokesman said: Derek Hatton has withdrawn his membership application and is therefore not a member of the Labour Party. It emerged earlier this month that Mr Hatton, 71, had been let back in the party after its general secretary discussed the case with Jeremy Corbyn. Jennie Formby overruled a senior party official who urged her to block the former Militant leaders bid to re-join the party. The row over Mr Hattons readmission came as he tweeted: Jewish people with any sense of humanity need to start speaking out publicly against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel! Labour MP Neil Coyle said his comment seemed to imply that every Jew, wherever they live in the world, is responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. Mr Hatton, the former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council, had also questioned whether Labours anti-Semitism crisis existed and backed Ken Livingstone after his suspension. He attacked Jewish MPs such as Dame Margaret Hodge, saying her criticisms of the leader were nothing to do with anti-Semitism but all to do with trying to remove Corbyn. He also supported former London mayor Mr Livingstone when he claimed Hitler was a Zionist, tweeting: Where is the lie in what he said? Former Vice President Joe Biden says he regrets he didn't give Anita Hill 'the hearing she deserved' when she shared her story of sexual harassment in the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas three decades ago. Biden, who chaired the Senate Judiciary committee at the time, lamented Tuesday that Hill was forced to testify before 'a bunch of white guys' who didn't 'fully understand' her perspective. He made the remarks at a New York City event honoring young people who helped combat sexual assault on college campuses. Former Vice President Joe Biden (above) told an audience in New York on Tuesday that he regrets his role in the Anita Hill hearings Biden (seen left in 1991), who chaired the Senate Judiciary committee at the time, lamented Tuesday that Hill (seen right in 1991) was forced to testify before 'a bunch of white guys' who didn't 'fully understand' her perspective Hill testified that Clarence Thomas (above) sexually harassed her while he was her supervisor at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Thomas was eventually confirmed to the Supreme Court Biden's role in the 1991 hearings is among his chief political challenges as he weighs a 2020 presidential bid. He has since apologized to Hill, but went further Tuesday. He says, 'I wish I could have done something.' This is the third time in recent months that Biden has expressed regret over the Anita Hill hearing. Last fall during the contentious confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, Biden told NBC News that he would tell Hill: 'Im sorry I couldnt have stopped the kind of attacks that came to you.' At the time, Kavanaugh was being accused by Christine Blasey Ford of sexual assault. Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27 that she 'believed [Kavanaugh] was going to rape me.' Kavanaugh, a former federal judge, was eventually confirmed to the Supreme Court. In September, Biden joined calls by Democrats for an FBI investigation into Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh. 'I think they should do an FBI investigation. We did that for Anita Hill,' he told NBC on September 21. 'Most importantly, Anita Hill was vilified when she came forward by a lot of my colleagues, character assassination. This is the third time that Biden has expressed regret over the Anita Hill hearing. Last fall during the contentious confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh (left), Biden called for the FBI to investigate sexual assault allegations made by Christine Blasey Ford (right) 'I wish I couldve done more to prevent those questions and the way they asked them.' Biden said he hopes that his Senate colleagues learned from that experience, 'learned from that she deserves to be treated with dignity.' In December of 2017, Biden said he owed Hill an apology. He said he wished he had done more for Hill in 1991 when she testified against Thomas' nomination, claiming he sexually harassed her. 'I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill,' the former Vice President told Teen Vogue. 'I owe her an apology.' Hill, who worked for Thomas at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, came forward and urged the committee not to allow him to be placed on the Supreme Court. Despite Hill's allegations, Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court, where he serves to this day. Biden and Thomas are seen above on September 3, 1991 'I believed Anita Hill. I voted against Clarence Thomas,' Biden explained. 'And I insisted the next election - I campaigned for two women senators on the condition that if they won they could come on the Judiciary Committee, so there would never again be all men making a judgment on this.' Thomas, who is widely considered the most conservative member of the court, was ultimately confirmed and still serves on it to this day. Throughout the testimony her character and trustworthiness were brought into question and attacked by those on the panel - and many have blamed Biden for not doing more to prevent that. He said he regrets not being able to stop some of the attacks launched against her by his Republican co-workers. 'My one regret is that I wasn't able to tone down the attacks on her by some of my Republican friends,' he told the magazine. Hill (seen above last month in Los Angeles) says she does not accept Biden's apology 'I mean, they really went after. As much as I tried to intervene, I did not have the power to gavel them out of order. I tried to be like a judge and only allow a question that would be relevant to ask.' In 1991 Hill, who was a law professor, sat before the Judiciary Committee and gave a long testimony, detailing the alleged sexual harassment she experienced from Thomas. Hill alleged to members of the committee during her testimony that Thomas frequently spoke about the size of women's breasts, which members of the committee then said was 'not too bad,' according to the Washington Post. She has rejected Biden's prior public apologies and said he doesn't fully understand his 'ownership' of the hearings. 'He doesn't understand that it wasn't just that I felt it was not fair,' she told the Post in a recent interview. 'It was that women were looking to the Senate Judiciary Committee and his leadership to really open the way to have these kind of hearings. 'They should have been using best practices to show leadership on this issue on behalf of women's equality. And they did just the opposite.' A smiling female tradie is lucky to be alive after picking up a baby eastern brown snake without realising she was holding one of the world's most venomous reptiles. Lucy, who declined to give her surname, spotted the serpent slithering inside her workplace on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, on Tuesday morning. Before calling a snake catcher, she picked up the year-old eastern brown by its neck and posed for a photo, demonstrating how not to hold Australia's second most venomous reptile. A smiling female tradie (pictured) is lucky to be alive after picking up a baby eastern brown snake without realising it's one of the world's most venomous reptiles Richie Gilbert, the owner of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7, said a bite from the baby snake was just as 'dangerous as an adult'. 'Just the one drop and it's enough to kill you,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday 'When you look at the toxicity of their venom, they rank as the second most venomous land snake in the world. Right up there, and they're not afraid to bite.' Mr Gilbert said Lucy could have easily been bitten, looking at the way she had held the baby snake too far down its spine. Richie Gilbert, the owner of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7, said a bite from the baby snake was as 'dangerous as an adult' (stock image) 'That was a very, extremely dangerous situation, especially the way she was holding it,' he said. 'It's got a full range of movement just behind its head to be able to turn around and bite. 'She thought it wasn't a dangerous snake so she feels quite embarrassed now.' After the inland Taipan, the eastern brown is Australia's second most venomous snake. Eastern browns, however, kill more people, with two fatalities a year on average. 'It makes them Australia's most dangerous snake especially when you take into consideration how many of them there are,' Mr Gilbert said. The snake catcher, based at Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, put the image of Facebook as a public service message The snake catcher, based at Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, on Tuesday posted the image of Facebook as a public service message. 'Please don't do what Lucy did,' Mr Gilbert said, adding Lucy had mistakenly thought the baby reptile was a harmless red-naped snake. Several people thanked Lucy for demonstrating an error they could have easily made. 'Good on ya Lucy. I'd be none the wiser either,' Rebecca Southern said. Ruth Papazian, a Republican from the Bronx, says she plans to run against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a Bolshevik who has brought socialism to the Bronx and Queens, says a local Republican who is planning to unseat her. Ruth Papazian, a Republican from the Bronx, says she plans to run against the upstart Democrat next year for the congressional seat from New York's 14th District. Papazian blames AOC for leading the charge against a plan by Amazon to build a campus in Queens. Ocasio-Cortez was among progressive New York Democrats who had objected to the $2.8billion in incentives from the city and New York state to woo Amazon to build a new headquarters in Long Island City. Amazon, which had promised that the new headquarters would generate at least 25,000 jobs, abruptly canceled the plan in February after vocal opposition from progressives and community leaders. When the company scrapped its plans to build in New York, AOC called it a big victory for progressive politicians. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has reached out to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in an attempt to get the retail giant to reconsider, according to The New York Times. Papazian, a 61-year-old medical journalist who has lived in the Bronx her entire life, says she will position herself as the pro-jobs candidate. [AOC] chose ideology over paychecks, Papazian told the New York Post. People need jobs. We dont have economic diversity in the outer boroughs. Papazian, a 61-year-old medical journalist who has lived in the Bronx her entire life, blames AOC (seen above in Jackson Heights, Queens on March 16) for chasing Amazon out of New York City The online retailer abandoned plans to build a second headquarters in Long Island City, Queens after progressive politicians, including AOC and others, protested tax incentives that the company would receive from the city and state The daughter of immigrants from Egypt, Papazian says she has met with Republican Party officials to plan what would be a longshot candidacy. Last November, Ocasio-Cortez defeated her Republican opponent, Anthony Pappas, with 78.2 per cent of the vote. Pappas won just 13.6 per cent. Papazian says she will stress economic policy during her campaign. She says that Ocasio-Cortezs environmental policies will also translate into fewer jobs. The Green New Deal is a job-killer, Papazian told the Post. Papazian told the New York Daily News that she has already set up an exploratory committee. Papazian operates a Facebook page entitled Bronx Bolshevik Bulletin, which lambastes Ocasio-Cortez. The page includes numerous posts blasting Ocasio-Cortez for being a socialist. After Amazon pulled out of its plans for a Queens headquarters, Papazian posted last month: #BronxBolshevik is so full of herself that she has a pathological need to lead every Social Justice parade, and joined outside agitators to kill the hopes and dreams of a neighborhood whose affairs she had no business interfering with. Ocasio-Cortez, whose district includes parts of the New York City boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, has sought to push her party to the left on environmental and economic issues. Papazian operates a Facebook page entitled Bronx Bolshevik Bulletin, which lambastes Ocasio-Cortez The page includes numerous posts blasting Ocasio-Cortez for being a socialist. AOC is portrayed above as Cuban Marxist Che Guevara She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November in an upset victory over a more mainstream Democratic incumbent. Corbin Trent, a spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez, said in response to Papazians plans to run against her: Democracy is a beautiful thing and we think more people should participate in it. The Senate roundly rejected Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal as expected on Tuesday with not a single senator voting 'yes' for the progressive star's signature policy initiative. Ocasio-Cortez defended herself after the 57-0 defeat and argued she encouraged the Democratic senators to vote 'present' instead of in the affirmative. 'I encouraged them to vote present, along w/ others. McConnell tried to rush the #GreenNewDeal straight to the floor without a hearing. The real question we should be asking: Why does the Senate GOP refuse to hold any major hearings on climate change?,' the self-described socialist explained in a tweet responding to the lack of Democratic votes. The Senate roundly rejected Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal as expected on Tuesday with not a single senator voting 'yes' Ocasio-Cortez defended herself after the failed Senate vote 'The GOPs climate delaying is costing us lives + destroying communities. Iowa, Nebraska & many in the Midwest are catastrophically flooded right now, in one of the 1st major climate change disasters of 2019. A #GreenNewDeal urges us to pursue a plan on the scale of the problem,' she added. Democrats slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for holding a 'sham' vote on the matter - it was a non-binding resolution, meaning it had no force of law, and needed 60 votes to advance in the legislative process, which was an impossible task given Democrats only have 47 votes in their corner. Lloyd's of London has threatened to give sexist traders lifetime bans following an outcry over harassment. The City insurance institution said staff who abuse women could be barred as part of disciplinary action under measures announced last night. It said anyone found to have behaved inappropriately after an investigation could be banned for a set period or for life, majorly affecting their earnings. Lloyd's of London has threatened to give sexist traders lifetime bans following an outcry over harassment. Pictures, Lloyd's of London headquarters (file image) The 333-year-old organisation has also pledged to create a confidential method for reporting sexism and will launch a survey to understand its culture better and the extent of the problem. The reforms come as Lloyds fights to restore its reputation following a devastating investigation last week which revealed widespread malpractice. One female employee alleged to Bloomberg Businessweek that she was assaulted by her boss in a pub but was persuaded to stay quiet by her employer. And another woman said she was grabbed by a manager in a taxi and then bullied after she complained. Lloyds traders are also accused of referring to female staff as totty and rating them on shagability. The reforms come as Lloyds fights to restore its reputation following a devastating investigation last week which revealed widespread malpractice. Pictures, London's financial district (file image) Chief executive John Neal said: No one should be subjected to this sort of behaviour, and if it does happen, everyone has the right to be heard and for those responsible to be held to account. I am pleased that the market has given its full support for a strong set of actions. However, some womens rights campaigners have warned the changes do not go far enough. Sam Smethers, of the Fawcett Society, said: We welcome Lloyds taking action but they have a toxic culture here and it needs radical transformation. Until women can see that powerful men will be held accountable for their behaviours, they simply wont trust that the organisation has changed. The touching image of an elderly man gripping onto a police officer and a helpful stranger as he attended a rally in support of terror victims has been shared around the world. Now World War II veteran John Sato, 95, has told how he caught four buses in order to join the walk on Sunday. Mr Sato made the trip from his home in Howick, in Auckland's east, so he could show his solidarity with 50 Muslims who lost their lives the horrific Christchurch terror attack. John Sato (pictured middle) travelled from his home in Howick in Auckland's east to Aotea Square in the city's CBD People gathered to march against racism at Aotea Square on March 24 following the Christchurch massacre The moving moment was captured and shows the 95-year-old arm-in-arm with a police officer and a stranger who helped him walk during the rally Talking to Radio New Zealand, Mr Sato explained that he had trouble sleeping on the night of the Christchurch massacre on March 15. 'I stayed awake quite a lot of the night, and I didn't sleep too well ever since you know, I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people,' he said. Mr Sato spends most of his time walking around the neighbourhood, doing chores or listening to classical music and opera on the radio, and has kept to himself since losing his wife and daughter. Hearing of the vigils and memorial events held around the country, the 95-year-old said he was determined to show his support for the Muslim community. He first left his house at 10am and got on a bus to visit a mosque in nearby Pakuranga, and after seeing all the tributes and messages of surpport, decided to join the rally in Auckland. After three more bus transfers, he joined thousands of people in the rally, saying he didn't mind catching the buses as it was more comfortable than walking. The 95-year-old World War II veteran caught four buses to get to Auckland just so he could attend a march against racism and support the victims of the Christchurch massacre Hearing of the vigils and memorial events held around the country, the 95-year-old said he was determined to show his support for the Muslim community (pictured the march against racism on March 24) Mr Sato said a kind police officer drove him home after the rally and even waited at his driveway until he saw him walk up the stairs and into his house. 'That tragedy in Christchurch, look what it brought out in the people, it shows the best of humanity,' the war veteran said. Mr Sato was barely more than a child when he was recruited into the New Zealand army to fight against Japan in World War II. And with a Scottish mother and Japanese father, he was one of just two Kiwi-Japanese in the military at the time. Mr Sato said racism has no place in New Zealand and says the Christchurch massacre is more than just 'a tragedy'. 'I think it's such a tragedy and yet, it has the other side. It has brought people together, it doesn't matter what their race is or anything. They're people. They suddenly realise we're all one, we care for each other,' Mr Sato said. Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani squared off with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer in a tense interview concerning the Mueller report and Bill Barr's letter to congress. Giuliani, who in several outbursts demanded the network apologize for their coverage concerning the President's alleged collusion, voiced little concern of the failure of Trump's associates to report intelligence offers from Russian affiliates. In his letter, Attorney General Barr disclosed that Mueller's investigation did not establish any evidence of collusion but did find 'multiple offers from Russian affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign'. Such intel is believed to include information that would 'harm' Hilary Clinton's presidential bid, help Trump's 'election chances' and 'undermine public faith' in US democracy. Rudy Giuliani admitted he 'would've reported' any contacts offering harmful intel, knowing the potential legal implications such intelligence could later have Wolf Blitzer asked whether the President regrets that his associates failed to report those contacts to the FBI, Giuliani laughs, insisting that 'not that many' met with Russians and Blitzer is 'missing the forest through the trees' At least 16 Trump campaign officials - including Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr - are said to have spoken to Russian affiliates during the 2016 bid. But asked whether the President regrets that his associates failed to report those contacts to the FBI, Giuliani laughs, insisting that 'not that many' met with Russians and Blitzer is 'missing the forest through the trees', during an interview on Tuesday. Giuliani goes on to add that Trump campaign officials also met with affiliates of Great Britain and France in the same time frame, eradicating any need for adverse action. Blitzer however rebutted the claim with '[Great Britain and] France are allies...Russia is a hostile power.' The news anchor then presses the lawyer with the question of what he would've done in the same situation, Giuliani concedes 'I would've reported it. Because I would've know that it could be a potential violation of the law.' 'It gets you into a whole assertoric conversation about is that a campaign contribution or not.' He insisted, however, that the matter was a small point in context to the accusations of 'treason' put forward against the president over the past two years. 'There is nothing illegal about not reporting a crime...there is no strict duty to report it.' Giuliani admitted that, contrary to Trump's assessment, he doesn't believe Robert Mueller (above) acted honorably during the two-year investigation Trump said the findings of Mueller's report 'couldn't have gone any better' and backed calls to make the investigation's dossier public In his letter, Attorney General Bill Barr (above) disclosed that Mueller's investigation did not establish any evidence of collusion but did find 'multiple offers from Russian affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign' In the same discussion, Giuliani admitted that, contrary to Trump's assessment, he doesn't believe Mueller acted honorably during the two-year investigation. 'I would have to disagree with my client on that,' Giuliani said. He elaborated by saying their variation of opinion likely stems from the fact he was 'in the trenches' more than Trump, and developed a 'mixed view' of Muller's investigative methods. On Tuesday, Attorney-General Barr announced he will release a scaled-down version of Mueller's final report to the public in the 'weeks, not months' to come. It's not clear how much of the findings will be made public, and how much of it will be in Mueller's own words or how much might reflect Barr's summary of the special counsel's findings. Barr gave a quartet of House and Senate Judiciary Committee leaders a summary of the report on Sunday, but the full document remains classified. 'It could not have been better,' Trump said of the four-page summary, which found the president hadn't colluded with Russia to affect the outcome of his election. He told senators he was given a 'clean bill of health,' according to those in the room. The ancestral remains of 37 indigenous people will be returned to Australia from London's Natural History Museum after more than 100 years. Narungga community representatives from South Australia, Douglas Milera and Professor Peter Buckskin, travelled to the UK to attend the handover ceremony on Tuesday night. They received the remains of an ancestor which will be kept at the South Australian Museum until the community is ready to conduct a reburial ceremony. South Australia Narungga community elders, Douglas Milera and Professor Peter Buckskin, travelled to London for a smoke ceremony marking a handover of ancestral remains (pictured) The SA Museum will also look after another seven repatriated ancestral remains. The remaining 29 ancestral remains will go to the National Museum of Australia until the Ngarrindjeri, Far West Coast, Kaurna and Flinders Ranges communities are ready to lay them to rest. 'This return is a significant event for our country,' Arts Minister Mitch Fifield said in a statement. He said the indigenous repatriation program had led to the return of more than 1,480 ancestral remains, including more than 1200 from the UK. Mr Milera told ABC News that the 'healing can start' following the historic exchange. Mr Milera signs documents to officially mark the handover. Australian High Commissioner to the UK George Brandis and Museum Director Sir Michael Dixon attended the ceremony A gunman remains on the run after several shots were fired in Melbournes south-east on Monday night. Detectives have publicly released CCTV images of a man who may be able to assist with their investigation into the Pakenham shooting with the hope witnesses will come forward. Police were called to Livingstone Boulevard just after 6pm following reports a man was seen with a firearm. Do you recognise this man? Police believe he may be able to assist with their investigation into a shooting in Pakenham on Monday night They believe two men on push bikes, one armed with a firearm, were seen arguing with two other males and a woman. The woman walked away when the two male victims confronted the armed offender and chased him onto Heritage Boulevard. He fired 'two to three shots' while running toward Henry Road and was last seen fleeing through nearby Pakenham Springs Primary School. Victoria Police publicly released CCTV images of the man (pictured) on Wednesday in the hope the public may have more information about the incident The male victims, aged in their 20s, fled in a blue Holden Commodore sedan. No one was injured during the shooting. Heritage Boulevard was closed by police as a precaution following the shooting. The offender is believed to be aged in his early 20s with an olive complexion, 180cm tall and medium build. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Cherie Blair is believed to have said rape is the first sexual experience of most African ladies' at a visit to a London secondary school Cherie Blair has claimed that rape is the first sexual experience of most African ladies. She is reported to have made the remark during a talk about women and leadership to pupils at a London secondary. School chiefs said they were delighted with her lecture, which was attended by around 100 pupils and teachers. But an audience member accused the wife of former prime minister Tony Blair of making unsubstantiated claims. Giving her name only as Caitlin, she said: No one seemed to react and I was shocked because I felt like she was in a position of authority and should take responsibility for saying things like that without any evidence to support it. Chi Onwurah, the Labour MP who chairs the all-party group for Africa, said: Mrs Blair should enable African women to speak for themselves instead of usurping their voice and their experience. She accused Mrs Blair of reinforcing harmful stereotypes, adding: Violence against women is a huge problem in many African countries as it is here. But to characterise African womens sexual experience as rooted in rape undermines the hard work of many to tackle this issue while playing to and indeed stoking stereotypes of sexually aggressive African men and passive women. She urged Mrs Blair, 64, to fund the flights and visas for a group of African women to come to the UK to speak about their own experiences. She said this would undo the insult and injury her comments had caused. Caitlin sent a written complaint to the Cherie Blair Foundation, a charity that supports women and girls in developing countries build their own businesses. The organisation reportedly told Caitlin they believed Mrs Blairs comments related to the women she had met and heard directly from in the initial years of the foundations work rather than a specific research piece. School chiefs said they were delighted with her lecture but an audience member accused the wife of former prime minister Tony Blair (right) of making unsubstantiated claims The email, seen by The Guardian, reportedly read: As Im sure you know, forms of exploitation including rape are a huge barrier to gender equality and impact the ability of women to learn skills, grow businesses and can stymie their overall empowerment. Mrs Blair defended her remarks at the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in Kensington, west London. She said: My comments were in answer to a question about adolescent African girls not African women missing out on their education for a variety of reasons including early pregnancy. In that context I said that for the vast majority of young girls who are often 12, 13 and 14 their first experience of sex was rape. There are studies that back this up, including a WHO report in 2002 that concludes a growing number of studies, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa, indicate that the first sexual experience of girls is often unwanted and forced. It was not my intent to offend or undermine anyone. A farmer promising backpackers a 'real taste of authentic Australian living' has hit back after she was accused of exploiting travellers for free labour. Heather Davidson, who runs a 650-acre cattle farm with her family about three hours out of Sydney, posted an ad on Facebook asking for volunteers to work 9-5, six days a week on her property, with three breaks a day and 'regular nights at the pub'. The ads received a mixed bag of responses, with most claiming she was exploiting the workers by not paying them. 'You can't be serious,' one woman wrote. 'You want to work people six days a week with no pay but somehow glorify it by making out it's an experience of a lifetime and you're doing people a favour? 'I wonder what the Fair Work Ombudsman is going to think about this 'offer'. I'll get back to you on that one.' A NSW farmer has been slammed for a job ad asking for backpackers to 'volunteer' on her farm for six days a week Heather Davidson put the advertisement on Facebook, and was met with some furious responses The woman went on to claim operations like Ms Davidsons were 'ripping off' backpackers and 'treating them like slaves'. Backpackers who come to Australia on a working holiday visa are able to stay in the country a second year if they complete 88 days of specified work in a regional area. This is usually fruit picking, farm work or horticultural work. Ms Davidson (pictured) said she had been bringing in backpackers for nine years and they were all happy with what had been offered to them - farmhand training, board, food, and a few drinks at the pub Ms Davidson told Daily Mail Australia those slamming her had 'no idea' how difficult it was to get a decent farm job for the 88-day period with no experience. She said she had been running the program for nine years, and had taken in more than 200 backpackers, most of whom she was still in contact with years later. 'We get wonderful people,' she said. 'Airline pilots, mechanics, nurses, a whole range of people, and a wonderful experience. 'If [my critics] can go out and get a really good paid job on a farm tomorrow, I doubt that very much. 'If they don't want to gain experience and have life memories well that's fine, they can go and sit on a beach and apply for 50 jobs.' She said there is no minimum stay for the backpackers that come to her farm, and most end up extending their stay, even though they haven't been paid a cent. Ms Davidson says backpackers who volunteer on her farm are able to find well-paying farm jobs after spending time training with her She claims the backpackers involved have loved their time at the farm and are not locked in to any length of stay Ms Davidson says she is still in contact with about 200 backpackers who have worked for her over nine years, and when she retires, she plans to go travelling and stay with them 'The backpackers we get don't mind. Normally they say they'll come for a month and they stay two,' she explained. 'They love it here, they love the camaraderie of the backpackers and the family environment. We take them to the pub. buy them drinks, they get home cooked meals, they have a great time, and if they don't want to be here they don't come.' One such person, Netherlands woman Eva Schouten, said she had 'the time of her life' in the four months she stayed at Ms Davidson's farm, Gotico Park. 'It was an amazing experience. Really nice people, no slavery,' she said. 'I learned tons, and Heather wrote me a really nice recommendation letter, and because of that I had a 2nd-year sign off, really well paid job for three months after applying [to farms] for just one week - so I am grateful I got to know these people, horses and skills.' In the 12 hours Ms Davidson's post has been online, she says she's received six applications, and is expecting many more. HEATHER DAVIDSON'S JOB AD True Aussie farm life!! Farm hand (male) or couple needed for volunteer position(s). If you're looking for rural work but don't have any experience, then this could be the opportunity for you to gain free training. The host family lives on a stud consisting of 40 horses and runs a 650-acre cattle farm. You'll learn all the farm skills you need - from fencing, tractor driving, sowing crops, quad biking, livestock mustering and even riding a motorbike - making you more employable so you can move on to a well-paid farm job (and make some amazing memories while you're at it). Gotico Park cannot sign off for second year visa since its an unpaid position. There is opportunity to work with horses in all aspects if you're interested. Accommodation and all food is provided including a home cooked evening meal and you get a real taste of authentic Australian life living as part of the family in a warm and welcoming environment. There are regular nights down at the pub and the chance for day trips if you'd like to explore more of Australia (we're just three hours out from Sydney so opportunity to take trips to the Blue Mountains etc.). Hours are usually 9-5 with three breaks depending on the weather, 6 days a week. We take backpackers all through the year so if you're sorted now but looking for something in a few months time then still get in touch! Advertisement A former soldier has admitted to sexually abusing his three young children and forcing them to pose for photos later shared on child porn websites. The father, 34, was sentenced in the Townsville District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to 13 charges in relation to the sexual abuse against his children, who were aged one, four and six. The man raped his four-year-old daughter and made his eldest son pose in sexual positions with his sister to create child pornography, Townsville Bulletin reported. A man raped his four-year-old daughter and made his eldest son pose in sexual positions with his sister to create child pornography (stock image pictured) Investigators found the man had uploaded more than 40 child pornography images to a Russian website, crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate said. In one of the images posted to a website the father said: 'Love you, you're a sexy little girl.' 'We would love to share images with you,' the father said while encouraging users to email him. The man, who spent 11 years in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps before being medically discharged, was arrested in may after a tip off from Interpol. Investigators found the man had uploaded more than 40 child pornography images to a Russian website, crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate said A victim impact statement from the children's paternal grandparents said the children now live with an incredible sadness. 'Grief controls every facet of our lives.' They said the children believe they are guilty of something they had no control over. A psychological report found the man was not clinically a paedophile, Judge Paul Smith told the court. The report found the man had no idea why he had abused his children. The man has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars, and he will not be eligible for parole for at least ten years. BBC bosses spent 100,000 of licence fee money hiring Britains largest police force to guard filming for shows including Bodyguard and Luther. Figures, released to the Daily Mail after a Freedom of Information Act request, show Londons Metropolitan Police were paid 372,989 last year by TV companies for officers to protect cast, crew and the public in the capital. BBC bosses spent 100,000 of licence fee money hiring Britains largest police force to guard filming for shows including Bodyguard and Luther. Pictured, Bodyguard's David Budd played by actor Richard Madden Idris Elba playing DCI John Luther. Figures, released to the Daily Mail after a Freedom of Information Act request, show Londons Metropolitan Police were paid 372,989 last year by TV companies for officers to protect cast, crew and the public in the capital Some 104,593 came from the BBC and was spent on hiring 146 officers to police the filming of 110 shows. A BBC spokesman said: There are certain types of filming that the Met can require a police presence at. The TaxPayers Alliance said: Families who pay their TV licence fee will wonder why the bill has been racked up so high. The Yorkshire Ripper Files: a Very British Crime Story Rating: These days, its hard to imagine police trying to catch a serial killer without DNA-testing, CCTV and computer databases. But in the Seventies, detectives on Britains biggest ever manhunt had none of those. In The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story (BBC4), film-maker Liza Williams re- examined the case of Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women and attacked at least eight others, and the fatal mistakes made in the investigation. The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story asks whether 1970s attitudes to women influenced the investigation. Tracy Browne describes feeling 'hammer blows raining down on her head' when she was targeted at the age of 14 by Peter Sutcliffe In the first of a three-part series, we saw how a decline in traditional industries (such as mining and textiles) plunged areas such as Chapeltown in Leeds into poverty. In 1975, its people were considered the lowest of the low according to Ruth Bundey, a solicitor who has lived there most of her life. Wilma McCann, a single mother of four, was Sutcliffes first victim in 1975. She was seen as a prostitute but, despite a chaotic life, there was no clear evidence she was. Her son, Richard, was five when she died and remembered being carted off to a childrens home with no explanation. Three months later, Sutcliffe murdered Emily Jackson, a woman forced into prostitution when the family roofing business collapsed. It was a similar story for Irene Richardson. A former neighbour described her as a good mother who had no choice but to sell her body to keep her four children with a roof over their head. The Yorkshire Ripper Files: a Very British Crime Story - part two airs on BBC Four at 9pm Wednesday 27 and part three 9pm Thursday 28 Following Sutcliffes first three murders, police were convinced they were looking for a man on a mission to rid the world of prostitutes. This was a risky theory that led officers to repeatedly ignore key evidence and fuelled a public feeling that the victims were bad women and undeserving of pity. Photos of them in the Press looking hard-faced and unsmiling contributed to this perception. It wasnt just the detective methods that were unsophisticated, attitudes were, too. The police described surviving victim Olive Smelt as being loose-moralled although her only crime had been to go to the pub without her husband. Of course, such notorious crimes always hold a grim fascination, but last nights programme avoided being voyeuristic by providing a fascinating insight into how far policing has moved on in 40 years, both in method and attitude. Derry Girls Rating: Granda Joe (Ian McElhinney) and Sarah McCool (Kathy Kieara Clarke) in Derry Girls, Channel 4 On a lighter note, the second series of comedy Derry Girls (Channel 4) has been a joy so far. Phoebe Waller-Bridges Fleabag may be finding laughs out of the Catholic church but Derry Girls got there first. Last night, there was chaos at a wedding and a wake. Aunt Sarah ruined the ceremony by arriving late and walking down the aisle in a white dress ahead of the bride. At the reception, Ma Mary told her snobbish Aunt Bridie to drop dead and she did just that, leading her family to believe she must be cursed. At the wake, visiting English cousin James said he found it uncomfortable to eat sandwiches and drink tea with an open coffin laid out in the room. The English are weird, came the reply. Set against the backdrop of The Troubles, writer and creator Lisa McGee has done a first-class job of capturing teenage angst, family clashes and the hilarious reality of an Irish Catholic upbringing. Like a charming cross between Father Ted and The Inbetweeners, the interaction between the characters, and the one-liners makes Derry Girls one of the best comedies on TV. Bling of the week Forget cooking and sewing. Winner of best statement necklace went to The Great British Sewing Bees Esme Young for her silver lizard. Bake Offs Prue Leith looked like she was wearing a fried egg on a string. Christopher Stevens is away. Cross-border chaos caused by a hard Brexit could lead to a united Ireland, Theresa May has warned. The Prime Minister pointed to abortion and gay rights reforms in the Republic which have cut opposition to the idea in Northern Ireland. She claimed the liberalisation of the Irish Republic means voters in the North could opt for the province to leave the UK, if border tensions caused by No Deal or another hard Brexit prompted a backlash against Westminster. Prime Minister Theresa May pointed to abortion and gay rights reforms in the Irish Republic and said it has cut opposition to the idea of a united Ireland in the North She also stressed the knock-on effect would be Scotland breaking away from the UK and the destruction of our precious union. Mrs May made the warning when she met senior Tories, including leading Brexiteers, at her country residence Chequers on Sunday in an attempt to win support for her withdrawal plan. The Daily Mail has been told she spoke passionately about the risk of a united Ireland when Brexiteers urged her to leave the EU with No Deal. She said her plan was designed to prevent border tensions in Northern Ireland, while her opponents hard-Brexit proposals including No Deal did not take account of this or the damaging consequences for the union. Ever since the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, the Republican anti-Brexit Sinn Fein has campaigned for a cross-border poll to pave the way for a united Ireland. The demand is fiercely opposed by the pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party, which is propping up Mrs Mays administration in Westminster. Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a united Ireland could be formed if those on both sides of the border voted for it in separate polls. Most experts have argued Northern Ireland would vote against such a move, partly on the grounds that its majority Protestant community is hostile to the Republics Catholic- influenced conservative social laws. Mrs May claimed the liberalisation of the Irish Republic means voters in the North could opt to leave the UK if border tensions (pictured) prompt a backlash against Westminster. However, Mrs May told Brexiteers that recent reforms in the Republic, led by the openly gay Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, had changed things. The ban on abortion was scrapped last year unlike in the North, where it remains while same-sex marriage laws were introduced in 2015. Divorce was legalised in 1995. A well-placed source said: She said Sinn Fein would use any border problems from No Deal to step up demands for a United Ireland poll and the result may be not what people expected. She said liberalisation of Irelands laws on homosexuality and abortion had altered opinion in Northern Ireland towards the Republic. They were more likely to vote for it than before and it would produce a knock-on effect in Scotland. The Scots would demand the right to leave the UK and then the union would be destroyed. The Good Friday Agreement grants Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley the power to call a border poll in the North. If it were to take place, a similar poll would have to be held simultaneously in the Republic. If both produced majorities in favour, the two regions would indeed be united as one Ireland. Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg says he does not approve of Chick-fil-A's politics but 'kind of' approves of its chicken. The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, drew laughs from the hosts of The Breakfast Club morning show on Tuesday for his answer. Buttigieg, who is gay and married, suggested that he could forge a peace deal between the LGBTQ community and the Atlanta-based fast-food chain, which has donated millions over the years to groups that oppose same-sex marriage. The question arose as Buttigieg discussed various ways people from different backgrounds could come together. Pete Buttigieg, the Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana who is running for president, said on Tuesday that he doesn't approve of Chick-fil-A's politics He says, 'So maybe if nothing else I can build that bridge. Maybe I'll become in a position to broker that peace deal.' Chick-fil-A has faced accusations that it is anti-gay since 2012 when its president, Dan Cathy, publicly opposed gay marriage. Cathy claimed America is 'inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.' The company later vowed in a Facebook statement to 'leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena'. The company, founded in 1946 by Cathys father, S. Truett Cathy, has come under fire for donating more millions of dollars to Christian organizations with a well-known anti-gay agenda, among them the Marriage & Family Foundation and the Family Research Council. Last week, it was learned that the restaurant was blocked from opening at San Antonio International Airport in April 2020 due to its donations to organizations that have expressed anti-LGBTQ views. International Economic Development Council president Jeff Finkle said after including Chick-fil-A in a conference on equality that he believed the company was reforming and that its tax returns would reflect that. But tax returns show the Chick-fil-A Foundation gave $1,653,416 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $6,000 to the Paul Anderson Youth Home, and $150,000 to the Salvation Army in 2017. It was even more than in 2016. Chick-fil-A has faced accusations that it is anti-gay since 2012 when its president, Dan Cathy, publicly opposed gay marriage It was reported the Salvation Army had opposed legal protection for the LGBTQ community, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes had a policy that banned 'homosexual acts' and the Paul Anderson Youth Home taught troubled residents that homosexuality was wrong. The chicken strip restaurant told Think Progress they stopped donating to the youth home after a 'blog post from 2010 surfaced that does not meet Chick-fil-A's commitment to creating a welcoming environment to all'. But the damage was already done for the City of San Antonio, which on Thursday revealed District 1 City Councilman Roberto Trevino had made a motion to approve the Food, Beverage and Retail Prime Concession Agreement with Paradies Lagardere 'provided that it exclude the Chick-Fil-A concept'. The amendment was approved by a vote of 6-4. Six council members approved ban on Chick-fil-A at San Antonio International Airport (seen above) as part of a new project coming in April 2020 Senator Ted Cruz has shared his opposition to Chick-fil-A being banned from the airport Trevino said in a statement: 'With this decision, the City Council reaffirmed the work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion. San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior. 'Everyone has a place here, and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport. I look forward to the announcement of a suitable replacement by Paradies.' Senator Ted Cruz blasted the decision by the San Antonio City Council. He claimed that fast food fans are being punished because of the company's philanthropic efforts. 'The citizens of beautiful San Antonio deserve more delicious sandwiches, and fewer rabid attacks against companies because of their charitable giving to the community. Come on,' Cruz posted on Twitter alongside an article revealing the City Council voted to pass a project as long as the chicken eatery wasn't a part of it. The Chicago Police Department is being sued after they raided the wrong home while serving out a search warrant and ruined a four-year-old's birthday party by smashing his cake and drawing their guns. The lawsuit says at least a dozen officers launched the raid at the South Side home on February 10, where the Bures family was celebrating the birthday of toddler Terrence Jackson, Jr. Cops were given a warrant to search the home looking for a drug-possessing suspect, but the suspect had moved from the residence five years earlier. On Tuesday the child's mother Stephanie Bures and aunt Kiqiana Jackson launched a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Chicago and the police department for the incident. They say the officers terrorized the family, pointed their guns at young Terrence and his seven-year-old sister Samari, and smashed his still untouched birthday cake onto the ground. Stephanie Bures and Kiqiana Jackson filed a federal excessive force lawsuit against the city of Chicago and Chicago Police on Tuesday after cops mistakenly raided their home during four-year-old Terrence Jackson Jr's birthday party and drew their guns. Bures above with kids On February 10 at least a dozen officers raided the South Side home and found four-year-old Terrence Jackson, Jr's birthday party. Cops ruined the party by smashing the cake and trashing the apartment The officers turned the house upside down as they searched for contraband items, but found none. The warrant was for an ecstasy-possessing suspect The home was left in a complete state of disarray following the mistake raid and mother Stephanie Bures says her kids are now traumatized and fearful of police After the cake toppled upside-down to the floor an officer stuck a number 4 candle in its center. 'It was a cruel, dehumanizing joke that mocked and symbolized a 4-year-olds ruined birthday party,' attorney Al Hofeld said. Bures says the raid left her children traumatized and terrified and mistrustful of police officers. She says they can't sleep, have nightmares and don't want to leave the house. Bures says she was worried her family was going to get shot by the officers that night. 'I was so worried about her or her brother getting shot by someone thats supposed to protect and serve them. Its terrifying,' Bures said through tears during a press conference Tuesday, according to ABC. 'Instead of having his family sing happy birthday to him four-year-old TJ had police officer curse and insult him and his family,' attorney Al Hofeld said. This is the fourth case filed by attorney Hofeld accusing the police of using excessive force while raiding the wrong homes on the South and West sides of Chicago. About 17 officers arrived to the home searching for a man suspected of possessing and selling ecstasy on February 10. In their aggressive search they barged in the home where there were 15 people present, including four children, screaming 'Get your (expletive) hands up!' and 'We are doing a (expletive) raid'. Then the officers took a door off its hinges, opened wall panels, flipped over mattresses, broke a big-screen TV by throwing it to the ground, and doused little Terence's birthday presents with hydrogen peroxide and poured vodka over clothes, as per the lawsuit. After the raid, no one was arrested or charged and none of the contraband items listed in the warrant were found, the family's attorney said. 'I was so worried about her or her brother getting shot by someone thats supposed to protect and serve them,' Bures said through tears during a press conference Tuesday The raid took place at this home on February 10. Cops where searching for a suspected drug dealer who hadn't lived at the resident for five years Jackson repeatedly asked the officers to see the search warrant, but was denied, despite CPD policy that says warrants need to be turned over 'promptly'. 'I wanted to know why were they there. Who are you? Show us a search warrant,' Jackson said. 'I guess I asked for a search warrant one too many times, and [an officer] was like, "Arrest her."' 'I reached for my phone and then I was tackledI was handcuffed,' she added to WGN. The family also accuses officers of covering up their badges with sweatshirts or other clothing, and refusing to give the family their names or badge numbers. Chicago Police have conducted raids and the wrong residences since August 2018. According to a CBS investigation, at least four cases involved 11 children where cops held innocent families for a long period of time without showing them warrants. The Chicago Police Department is yet to comment on Tuesday's lawsuit filing. Dozens of parents and kids have protested against lessons on gay relationships outside a second primary school in Birmingham. Parents staged a demonstration against the controversial 'No Outsiders' curriculum programme at Anderton Park Primary School yesterday. They handed out leaflets that declared 'We DO NOT believe in homosexuality. Parents do NOT want their children's belief changed.' Parents protest against the inclusive 'No Outsiders' classes at Anderton Park Primary school after the final bell this afternoon They handed out leaflets that declared 'We DO NOT believe in homosexuality. Parents do NOT want their children's belief changed' Others read, 'This programme promotes a whole-school gay ethos' and 'You can't be gay and Muslim'. More than 80 per cent of the pupils at Anderton primary are Muslim. It is the second school to be hit with protests after the LGBT rights classes were paused at nearby Parkfield Community School when parents claimed the classes were age inappropriate and undermined them. Parents are holding daily demonstrations outside the school gates. The parents claim the classes - which aim to teach children about diversity, tolerance and acceptance - undermine them. Here, they wave signs saying 'Let kids be kids' and 'Say no to sexualisation of children' Anderton Park primary school is the second school to be hit with protests in the last week Headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson has called on education secretary Damian Hinds to intervene as her school faces a backlash over the lessons. She told Sky News has written to Mr Hinds to urge him to come and see what is happening. She said: 'You almost need to sit in a school like ours and listen to what's being said, the unpleasantness that it causes and the homophobic nature of some of the things that are said to understand how what is written in Whitehall affects people on the ground everywhere else. A leaflet handed out at the protest claims the the 'promotion of homosexuality and LGBT lifestyle is immoral and unlawful' 'We've had so many emails from all over the country - headteachers in Croydon, Manchester - saying this is happening to me in my school and this should not be the case. So yes, I am calling on the secretary of state to come out very clearly on this.' The aim of the No Outsiders program was teach students about the positive values of diversity, tolerance and acceptance, as well as LGBT rights, same-sex relationships, gender identity, race, religion and colour. Theresa May as she arrives for a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels last week Rebel MPs warned Theresa May last night that they will change the law to force her to accept whatever Brexit plan they pick tonight. A series of paper ballots will be held this evening on alternatives to her deal after backbenchers seized control of the Commons timetable in an unprecedented turn of events. Mrs May has said she will not be bound by the results of these indicative votes, which could demand a soft Brexit. MPs will be given the chance to say Yes or No to a list of options, which are expected to include staying in a customs union, having a second referendum and even cancelling Brexit altogether. But the rebels revealed plans last night to take control again on Monday, giving them the opportunity to bring forward legislation forcing Mrs May to act on their preferred plan. Tory former minister Nick Boles told BBC Newsnight: If the Government refuses to listen to what Parliament has voted for, we will bring forward a Bill that will require it to reflect Parliaments wishes. Mrs May faced a Cabinet row yesterday over whether to give Tory MPs free votes letting them choose which options they support. Ministers who want to back a softer Brexit said they might resign if they are whipped against picking choices such as staying in the customs union or single market. Despite the Government warning that it would set a dangerous, unpredictable precedent, MPs voted on Monday by a majority of 27 to let backbenchers led by former Tory minister Sir Oliver Letwin seize control of the Commons agenda today. Under his plan they will hold votes this evening to work out what kind of Brexit has a chance of securing majority support among MPs. Commons Speaker John Bercow will pick the options to be on the ballot paper this afternoon, drawn from motions submitted by MPs last night. Eight had been submitted last night. Commons Speaker John Bercow will pick what goes on the ballot paper - drawing from eight motions submitted by MPs last night In one of them, a cross-party group led by Mr Boles, fellow Tory Robert Halfon and Labour MPs Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson have put forward a Common Market 2.0 plan. It would keep the UK in the single market and involve a new customs arrangement, meaning continued freedom of movement and contributions to the EU budget. Labour MP Gareth Snell has tabled a proposal to negotiate a new customs union with the EU. Meanwhile, Labour former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett has put forward a motion stating MPs will not sanction Brexit unless it is put to the electorate for a confirmatory vote. At 7pm, instead of voting in the division lobbies, MPs will be given slips listing the Brexit options selected by Mr Bercow. They will get half an hour to mark Aye or No next to each, with the result expected at around 9pm. Sir Oliver is planning to seize control of the parliamentary timetable again next Monday so they can repeat the process to narrow down the options or attempt to pass legislation to enforce them. Labours Hilary Benn told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: There will be discussions between MPs. Which are the most popular options? We may then change the system for next week as we are trying to narrow it down. Richard Harrington, the former business minister who quit on Monday, said yesterday he expected Mrs May to follow the will of Parliament if a majority was formed for one pathway for Brexit, unless the choice was so off the wall she couldnt do it. A responsible Prime Minister... will say, I would rather have my deal, Parliaments wish is clearly Norway or customs union or whatever. I will go to Brussels with that, but Im prepared to put my deal to Parliament against that, he said. A member of MI6 sacked for downloading child pornography on to his work computer had charges against him dropped, an inquiry was told. Searches of material held by the Secret Intelligence Service revealed 'a small number of references to child sexual abuse', the Westminster strand of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual abuse heard. An anonymous current employee of the Secret Intelligence Service spoke through video link on Tuesday. He said pornographic material, including indecent images of children, was discovered on a computer used by MI6 staff in 2006. The Westminster strand of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse also heard how diplomat Sir Peter Hayman, who was named in Parliament as a paedophile in the 1980s, 'liked playing Father Christmas so he could dandle children on his knee' 'When this material was discovered, it was preserved and we conducted an internal investigation to find out which employee or employees might have been responsible for putting this material on the computer,' he said. 'We then passed the details of the material and the potential suspects to the police, the child protection unit, and a police investigation followed. 'This confirmed that the images were illegal and it identified the SIS officer who was most likely to have been responsible for downloading them. 'That individual was then dismissed from SIS and he was charged with two counts of possessing indecent images of children on their workplace computer.' He added: 'Ultimately the prosecutor decided to offer no evidence against the defendant following an abuse of process application. SIS was not involved in that decision. 'That was purely made by the prosecutors at the time, and we actually wrote to the Crown Prosecution Service to explain - to express our disappointment that that was the case. 'Our preference would have been to see the prosecution through.' The inquiry also heard how diplomat Sir Peter Hayman, who was named in Parliament as a paedophile in the 1980s, 'liked playing Father Christmas so he could dandle children on his knee'. Under questioning by Brian Altman QC, counsel to the inquiry, the witness also detailed a 'brief reference' to Sir Peter - in the form of a cover sheet - attached to a press obituary for him. An anonymous current employee confirmed that one of these cases concerned the discovery, in 2006, of pornographic material, including indecent images of children, on a computer used by MI6 staff. Pictured, MI6 chief Alex Younger speaks at MI6 Vauxhall Cross headquarters in central London With the article covering all aspects of his life, including his involvement in a pornography case in 1978 and also the allegation he was involved as a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange, he said the cover sheet 'simply had an annotation made on it by an SIS officer'. 'This annotation read, 'an unpleasant and pompous man, used to like playing Father Christmas in Ottawa so that he could dandle children on his knee',' the witness said. Believing that it relates to the period Sir Peter was high commissioner in Ottawa between 1970-1974, he said this was the only information found during the searches relating to him, and nothing else on their files explained the context for the comment or why it was made. The witness also gave evidence on another incident in which an MI6 contact was believed to be in possession of a 'cache of illegal images of children', and confronted by an SIS officer. With the contact denying the allegations and without enough evidence to instigate a police investigation, the witness said the agency continued to investigate the images and their origin. He said a note was sent to seniors in Whitehall to inform them of the situation, and that in 2009 the contact was confronted once more - eventually admitting downloading the images. The witness said the images were taken to the child exploitation and online protection command (Ceop), but that law enforcement took no further action. The Westminster strand of the far-reaching inquiry into historical sexual abuse in British institutions is scheduled to last three weeks and is due to conclude on March 29. A 75-year-old woman who was adopted by a black couple when she was a young child waited 70 years before discovering that her biological parents were white. Verda Byrd of Converse, Texas says that she lived her life under the assumption that she was an African-American. The woman formerly known as Jeanette Beagle was born in September 1942 into a family of 10 children, according to KENS-TV. When her father, Earl Beagle, walked out on the family in 1943 and her mother, Daisy, was severely injured after falling in a trolley accident, the children were removed from the home. Verda Byrd of Converse, Texas spent 70 years of her life thinking she was African-American In 2013, after her mother told her she was adopted, Byrd discovered that her biological parents were white She was adopted by Ray and Edwinna Wagner, a financially secure black family in Newton, Kansas Jeanette was then adopted by Ray and Edwinna Wagner, a financially secure black family in Newton, Kansas, and she grew up as their only child. The couple then changed the girls name to Verda Ann Wagner. Verda lived in a financially secure household thanks to her father, who earned a good living as a railroad porter. She was always regarded as a fair-skinned black child. When her father, Earl Beagle, walked out on the family in 1943 and her mother, Daisy, was severely injured after falling in a trolley accident, the children were removed from the home Byrd (far right) was recently reunited with her biological siblings My adoptive mother, Edwinna Wagner, never told me that she had adopted a white baby, she said. She took it to her grave that she had a white daughter. Byrd got married twice and had a daughter. In 2013, Edwinna Wagner revealed to Verda that she had been adopted, though she did not reveal anything about her real parents. Thats when Verda decided to search for her biological parents. She was shocked by what she discovered. Her story is the subject of a new autobiography, Seventy Years of Blackness It's was unbelievable, she said when talking about her reaction to the news that she and her biological siblings were white. I grew up not questioning birth or anything else because it was never told to me that I was born white. Byrds story is now the subject of an autobiography, Seventy Years of Blackness. She first revealed her story in 2015, around the same time when the nation was riveted by Rachel Dolezal. Dolezal is a former NAACP leader in Washington state whose life unraveled after she was outed as a white woman pretending to be black. Dolezal, who legally changed her name to Nkechi Diallo in 2016, was charged last year with theft by welfare fraud, perjury and false verification for public assistance. She has said previously that she grew up near Troy, Montana, with religious parents and that she began to change her perspective as a teenager, after her parents adopted four black children. She decided to become publicly black years later, after a divorce. The ruse worked for years until 2015, when her parents, with whom she has long feuded, told reporters that their daughter was born white but was presenting herself as a black activist in the Spokane region. She first revealed her story in 2015, around the same time when the nation was riveted by Rachel Dolezal. Dolezal (seen above in March 2017) is a former NAACP leader in Washington state whose life unraveled after she was outed as a white woman pretending to be black The story became an international sensation, and she was fired as head of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP and kicked off a police ombudsman commission. She also lost her job teaching African studies at Eastern Washington University. Byrd rejects any attempt to liken her story to that of Dolezal. She lied about her race, Byrd told USA Today. I didn't lie because I didn't know. The son of Steve Chikerotis, a former fire chief and actor on the television show 'Chicago Fire', has died after being brutally beaten by three friends, police say. David Chikerotis, 31, died on March 25 having been rushed to the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Chicago, and placed on life support on Saturday. Police say that three people, who they believe were acquaintances of David, repeatedly punched and kicked the victim in an effort to cause him permanent disfigurement or disability. The alleged onslaught happened in the Evergreen Park home of Jonathon Owens, 30, and Stacy Krisik, 33, who along with Jessica Doherty, 26, were all arrested an charged with aggravated battery on Saturday. David Chikerotis, 31, died on March 25, two days after he was placed on life-support, having been found severely beaten in an Oak Lawn home David Chikerotis is the son of retired Chicago Fire Chief Steve Chikerotis (above). He currently works as a technical adviser and actor on the television show 'Chicago Fire' It's likely the three defendants will see their charges amended in the wake of David's death, though the Cook County state's attorney couldn't be reached for comment. Police discovered David's bruised and bloody body in the home that Owens and Krisik share on South Francisco Avenue, after being summoned to the residence for a well-being check, authorities said in a statement. David suffered had clearly suffered severe injuries, according to attending officers, and wasn't conscious at the time of their arrival. He was rushed to hospital and placed on life support. He died two days later at 5:43pm on Monday. Jonathon Owens, 30, and Stacy Krisik, 33, who along with Jessica Doherty, 26, were all arrested an charged with aggravated battery on Saturday Police say David was repeatedly punched and kicked by the three defendants in an effort to cause him permanent disfigurement or disability Evergreen Park police are refusing to release information regarding the motive for the alleged assault, or the specific way in which it was carried out. They have also declined to speculate on how each of the four people involved know each other or why they were together leading up to the believed attack, according to the Chicago Tribune. David Chikerotis is the son of retired Chicago Fire Chief Steve Chikerotis. He currently works as a technical adviser on the television show 'Chicago Fire' and regularly appears as the character Steve Walker. Owens, Krisik and Doherty are set to appear in court on April 22. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been left 'unrecognisable' after being bitten on the face by a tick. The Queensland senator and party founder has cancelled her public appearances after her face has seized up due to a severe allergic reaction. Her medical scare comes a day after the Qatari-government owned Al Jazeera network revealed how it had fooled her chief-of-staff James Ashby and her party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson into thinking One Nation would receive $20 million in political donations from the American National Rifle Association. Scroll down for video One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been left 'unrecognisable' after being bitten on the face by a tick Senator Hanson's sister Judy Smith told Daily Mail Australia she was unwell. 'No, she's not okay,' she said early on Wednesday afternoon. The One Nation leader's spokesman Sean Bell also confirmed a tick had bitten the senator on the face. Daily Mail Australia understands Senator Hanson is 'unrecognisable' after experiencing a severe reaction to a tick bite. Her misfortune comes a day after Al Jazeera revealed how it had fooled her chief-of-staff James Ashby (right) and her party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson (left) into thinking One Nation would receive $20 million from the American National Rifle Association While most tick bites don't cause symptoms, in some cases they can spark an allergic reaction, including anaphylactic shock and breathing problems. What can a tick bite do? Ticks inject an anticoagulant, which prevents blood clots, when they bite into skin. This highly-toxic saliva can cause paralysis to humans. In severe cases, allergic reactions can lead to swelling of the throat and breathing problems. Some people suffer anaphylactic shock. Early symptoms of tick paralysis may include rashes, headache, fever, influenza like symptoms, tenderness of lymph nodes, unsteady gait, intolerance to bright light, increased weakness of the limbs and partial facial paralysis. Tick paralysis, while rare, is usually seen in children rather than adults. Most tick bites pose no medical problems apart from some localised swelling and redness at the bite site if the tick is removed quickly. Source: Department of Health Advertisement Tick bites can also cause partial facial paralysis, rashes, headache, fever, intolerance to bright light and flu-like symptoms. The symptoms are more common in children than adults, the federal Department of Health said. Despite being unwell, Senator Hanson on Wednesday afternoon managed to criticise Al Jazeera for going under cover to dupe Mr Ashby and Mr Dickson. 'I was shocked and disgusted with the Al Jazeera hit piece,' she said. 'A Qatari government organisation should not be targeting Australian political parties.' Senator Hanson also reiterated how she had referred Al Jazeera to the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, a day after the ABC aired the one-hour documentary featuring a man masquerading as being from the non-existent Gun Rights Australia lobby group. The second part of the documentary goes to air next week. 'After the full hit piece has been released, I'll make a full statement and take all appropriate action,' Senator Hanson said. Senator Hanson also reiterated how she had referred Al Jazeera to the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation Senator Hanson also reiterated how she had referred Al Jazeera to the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski's loved ones have described their anger and pain after learning her husband killed her and lied to cover his tracks. Borce Ristevski, 55, has returned to court after his explosive admission earlier this month that he killed his wife, pleading guilty to manslaughter. During a pre-sentence plea hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday, statements were read by a number of Ms Ristevski's family members. Sarah Ristevski, Borce and Karen's daughter, supplied a character reference for her father instead of a victim impact statement. Scroll down for video Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski's loved ones have described their anger and pain after learning her husband killed her and lied to cover his tracks Patricia Gray, Ms Ristevski's aunt, wept as she spoke about how she'd made and distributed flyers when the 47-year-old went missing in June 2016 while the killer lied to his family and the police. 'It was very uncomfortable to watch as he manipulated his family,' Ms Gray told the court. 'He and his vicious lies ... were agonising. 'I prayed for some kind of divine intervention. 'This crime is too great for forgiveness.' Ms Gray said Ristevski 'bullied' his daughter Sarah into defending him, manipulating and lying for more than two years. Ristevski admitted killing his wife following arguments about their precarious financial situation. After his wife's death, Ristevski shoved her body in the back of her Mercedes Benz, drove towards Macedon Regional Park and turned off both their phones on the way. He dumped his wife's body between two logs in a forest before covering her in branches. She was not found for almost eight months. A pair of horticulturalists stumbled across her skeletal remains. Anthony Rickard, Ristevski's son from a previous relationship, said his father (centre) 'obviously choked Karen' (left) at the family home on the morning of June 29, 2016 Ristevski was a pallbearer at the funeral of his wife - who he has now confessed to killing An autopsy could not determine the cause of her death. A murder charge was dropped on March 13 when a Supreme Court judge ruled prosecutors couldn't rely on Ristevski's conduct after she went missing, to prove murderous intent. A statement read to the court by Stephen Williams, Ms Ristevski's younger brother, said he only found out on Facebook that his sister had gone missing. Mr Williams said when he caught up with Ristevski, he 'only spoke about himself'. 'The lies and deceit started immediately. 'Unlike others, I could see through them. 'At what stage can we say enough is enough when it comes to domestic violence?' The plea hearing continues. An Afghan man who came to Australia as the guardian of his three siblings says the family lives in fear after a stranger tried to kill him with a shoelace. David John Pearce insists the daylight attack was not premeditated, but a case of mistaken identity. Pearce was earlier this month found guilty of attempting to murder Abdolhadi Moradi, 28, on a footpath north of Adelaide in January 2018. David John Pearce, 37, appeared in the Supreme Court on Tuesday as Justice Sam Doyle delivered his verdict The 37-year-old approached his victim from behind, wrapped a shoelace around his neck and dragged him to the pavement, as Mr Moradi struggled to free himself and eventually lost consciousness. In a victim impact statement read to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Mr Moradi said he thought he was going to die. 'I struggled to free myself. I tried to get hold of the thing that was around my neck but it went deep into my flesh and I couldn't grab hold of it,' he said. 'I felt all strength was leaving me. I felt myself going cold. 'I stopped breathing and lost consciousness.' Mr Pearce wrapped a shoelace around the neck of Abdolhadi Moradi (pictured) and dragged him to the pavement as his surprised victim struggled to free himself Mr Moradi said he was the eldest of four siblings who were in Australia without their parents and the attack had left the family fearful. 'Just imagine what would have happened to my siblings if I'd have died,' he said. 'They would have been left without a guardian for protection... and what would you have gained?' Defence counsel Phil Crowe said Pearce was likely affected by methamphetamine before the attack and described his behaviour as 'bizarre'. Pearce was arrested by police a few minutes after the attack, while Mr Moradi was left 'relatively unscathed' with minor neck injuries. The shoelace used in the attack is pictured He said Pearce had been chased the night before by three men who claimed he owed them money and he hid at Parafield Airport. 'On the morning of the 18th of January, he saw Mr Moradi and mistakenly thought he was one of those men,' Mr Crowe said. 'What occurred in the airport hangar and what was occurring in Mr Pearce's mind at least gives some explanation - other than a racial attack - for why Mr Pearce attacked Mr Moradi.' Justice Sam Doyle remanded Pearce in custody ahead of sentencing next month. The farmer at the centre of Saturday's vegan activist protest has spoken out, saying the incident was 'extremely distressing' for him and his family. Shocking footage showed David Mcnamee cop a barrage of abuse from more than 150 vegan activists, who swarmed his farm in Queensland's Darling Downs. Mr McNamee, whose family has owned and run Lemontree feedlot for three generations, demanded trespass laws be tightened to protect farmers from activists. 'No one should ever have to go through, what my family, staff and animals endured at the weekend,' he told The Chronicle. Mr McNamee, pictured in videos of the attack shared all over social media, said the abuse he received from the activists went on for over an hour Wearing white coveralls covered in black shirts that read: 'Meat the Victims', the protesters cut across the Lemontree Feedlot land as the farmer chases after them Mr McNamee and his family were having their lunch break on the veranda of their home on Saturday afternoon, when they saw two vans and about 30 cars pull up at their front gate. He said they knew immediately what was going on. 'I went to the car to go and tell them to leave. My daughter Alexandra called the police straight away,' Mr McNamee said. 'They were yelling abuse, the most profound profanities you've ever heard... They called us calf killers, said we kill all our bobby calves, we showed them the calves all there and they were in great order.' Mr McNamee eventually got the activists to leave his property, after showing them what they were looking for. More than 150 vegan animal rights activists illegally trespassed on the McNamee family's farm in Queensland on Saturday - all wearing black t shirts that read 'Meat the Victims' The family released a statement on Wednesday, saying the incident had been 'extremely distressing for our family and our staff'. 'Our family is dedicated to the health and welfare of our livestock, which means we provide all possible treatment options to our cattle if they become ill', the statement read. Mr McNamee said he will continue working with police to ensure the safety of his family and their business. It comes after more than 150 vegan activists entered the property as part of their fight for 'animal liberation'. The family suspected a protest had been planned in the area, after a letter was sent out by the Australian Lot Feeders' Association, warning local properties. The footage - posted to the Facebook page of Animal Activist Collective - showed Mr McNamee shouting at the mob to 'get off my f***ing country.' 'Don't go f***ing through,' he adds. Feedlots attract a lot of attention from activists across the globe as they are used to increase the amount of meat each animal produces The footage - posted to the Facebook page of Animal Activist Collective - showed Mr McNamee shouting at the mob to 'get off my f***ing country.' One protester can then be hear yelling back: 'You're hurting animals here, we're here to show the truth of what you're hiding. 'The only reason you're upset is because you've got something to hide.' Protesters then spread through the feedlot, where they captured images of three dead cows lying in muddy pens. The farmer, overwhelmed by the number of activists on his his property, said to the camera that the animals were shot humanely. 'How do you humanely shoot a cow?' a protester asks. The family released a statement saying the incident was 'extremely distressing' for them and their staff, after more than 150 activists swarmed their Queensland farm while hurling abuse at farmer David McNamee Feedlots attract a lot of attention from activists across the globe as they are used to increase the amount of meat each animal produces. When police arrived a short time later, the protesters left the property. A police spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia no arrests were made. The post included a comment from Leah Doellinger, which read: 'The message we are sharing is simple; animals are here with us, not for us. 'Animals lives are their right and what is happening to them is unjust, needless violence. There is no humane way to exploit and kill someone.' It was the second time in a month that a feedlot in the area had been targeted by animal rights activists. The Wonga Plains feedlot at Bowenville near Toowoomba was targeted by a group last month who claimed cattle were being mistreated. A former adviser to Barack Obama has slammed the 'weird turn' in the Jussie Smollett case, calling it a 'total head-scratcher' after all charges were dropped against the actor. David Axelrod, 64, said 'someone wasnt being truthful' and Chicago had paid the price in a series of tweets condemning the decision Tuesday. The former president's campaign mastermind labelled the decision 'outrageous' as he asked why the Empire actor, 36, was allowed 'to get off for $10K and have his records expunged and case files sealed'. Axelrod tweeted: 'Unless some better explanation surfaces, heres the lesson of this weird turn in the Smollett case: 'You can contrive a hate crime, make it a national news, get caught and-if you are a well-connected celebrity-get off for $10K and have your record expunged and files sealed.' Political consultant and analyst David Axelrod has slammed the 'weird turn' in the Jussie Smollett case calling it a 'total head-scratcher' on Twitter. Prosecutors dropped all 16 felony charges against actor Jussie Smollett David Axelrod said 'someone wasnt being truthful' and Chicago had paid the price in a series of tweets condemning the decision Tuesday The prosecutor who decided to drop the charges against Smollett admitted on Tuesday that he does not believe the star is innocent but claimed he dropped the case because the actor has no criminal background. But First Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats insisted that State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx, who recused herself from the case because she had exchanged text messages with a member of Smollett's family in the days after the incident, did not impact his decision. Foxx is accused of trying to wrestle it out of the hands of the Chicago PD and have the FBI take it over at the request of Smollett family friend Tina Tchen, who is Michelle Obama's former chief of staff. Foxx is accused of trying to wrestle it out of the hands of the Chicago PD and have the FBI take it over at the request of Smollett family friend Tina Tchen, who is Michelle Obama's former chief of staff Axelrod added: 'The brief statement offered by the prosecutor didnt dispute the basic facts in the original charge. Thats why he was compelled to sacrifice his bond. They simply said that in light of his voluntary work in the community, this was a just resolution. 'Hate crimes are loathsome. Faking them is insidious and shouldnt be excused. Despite Smolletts denials, nothing the prosecutor said in dismissing the case supports that. If prosecutors have evidence that contradicts the indictment THEY brought, they should share it today.' Senior Advisor Axelrod, pictured with former US President Barack Obama in 2009, labelled the decision to drop the charges against the Empire actor 'outrageous' as he asked why was allowed 'to get off for $10K and have his records expunged and case files sealed' Actor Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Criminal Court building after all charges were dropped in his disorderly conduct case on Tuesday It came after a furious press conference from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson who decried it as a 'whitewash of justice' and said Smollett got off 'scot-free' because he is famous. Smollett was indicted on 16 felony counts that were returned by a grand jury. He was facing 48 years behind bars for allegedly lying to police about the attack. There is no doubt that brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo attacked him but so far, no other motive other than that Smollett asked them to and paid them to do it has emerged. The question of why prosecutors who had boasted about their evidence against him suddenly dropped the case remains. In his statement on Tuesday, Smollett gave no other explanation for the attack - which his personal trainers carried out on him - but said he had been truthful all along in his claims that he did not recognize them when they jumped him. Families who fail to pay back Centrelink debts will have money recouped from their family tax benefits. From June 10, indebted families, who receive the Family Tax Benefit (FTB), risk having their payment slashed. The new policy aims to recover a range of Centrelink debts, including social security payments like the Newstart allowance, youth allowance and the Paid Parental Leave scheme. Families are urged to pay any Centrelink debts before June 4, to avoid having their FTB reduced. From June 10, indebted families, who receive the Family Tax Benefit (FTB), risk having their payment slashed The new policy aims to recover a range of Centrelink debts, including social security payments 'If a person has a payment arrangement in place, we will use the Family Tax Benefit payment towards recovering the debt,' a Centrelink spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. The FTB was initially reduced just to pay off family assistance debts but will cover any form of Centrelink debt starting June. Any form of Centrelink debt will now be recovered through FTB Part A- an amount paid per child based on the family's circumstances and FTB Part B- an amount paid per family, which also supports single parents and some families with one main income. Other FTB payments such as supplementary payments, lump sums and top-ups will also be reduced. Centrelink will reduce FTB payments depending on the specific circumstance of the family. The reduction rate will be higher if the family receives additional income, such as income from employment or from investments. However, Centrelink's website says the standard rate of reduction for income support is 15 per cent. Families are urged to pay any Centrelink debts before June 4, to avoid having their FTB reduced Centrelink is yet to contact families with outstanding debt. Families have been advised to check the 'Money you owe' section when they log into their Centrelink online account to see any outstanding debt. The dramatic moment a man escaped from a prison van and fled police has been captured on dashcam. Passing motorists were surprised to see the prisoner jump from the back of the vehicle on the Toowomba Range, west of Brisbane, at 8.30am on Wednesday. In the footage the 29-year-old man, who appears to be wearing handcuffs, can be seen running across the busy road as police officers chase after him. A man who escaped from a prison van and hid in bush land for two hours has been captured on dashcam Police launched a search after the man manged to flee from the officers and hide in bushland. Around two hours later police captured the man who was found hiding in a home in East Street. Two schools in the area were placed in lockdown for about 15 minutes while police searched the area. Acting Inspector Jason Hopgood told reporters that the van, which was escorting six prisoners to numerous jails in Brisbane, had stopped after one of the prisoners began 'violently kicking' the van door. Police launched a search after the man manged to flee from the officers and hide in the bushland 'It was that extreme that officers decided to stop the vehicle to see what was happening, it seemed like he was attempting to escape.' The man had been remanded in custody for an upcoming court appearance for property related charges. Acting Inspector Hopgood said the circumstances around Wednesday's incident was under investigation but further charges were likely. A mother-of-two killed in an horrific head-on collision on a South Australian highway was driving her children home from swimming lessons when the crash happened. Mhai Hashemi, 45, was killed instantly when her car slammed into a B-double just before 7.30pm on Tuesday night. Her son Arian, 12 and daughter, Sayde, 10, were in the back seat at the time, and were badly injured. Mrs Hashemi's distraught husband Sayed told Daily Mail Australia he was forced to break the devastating news to his children after the crash that 'mum wouldn't be coming home'. 'Their crying was unstoppable,'Mr Hashemi said. 'It's going to be hard for them,' he said. '[They're] very sad, they're very attached to their mum, they're missing their mother deeply.' The farmer said his wife was humble, helpful, fully involved with the local community and had a 'strong character'. 'She was a role model as a woman in this small country town,' he said. Mhai Hashemi, 45, was killed in a horror crash on Tuesday night while driving her son and daughter home from their swimming lesson. The children are recovering form physical injuries The family was driving back to their home in Cadell, South Australia, when their car (pictured) slammed into a B-double and Mrs Hashemi was killed Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Sturt and Old Sturt Highways in South Australia's Riverland region when the crash happened. Mr Hashemi said his children were 'very attached to their mother' and their crying was 'unstoppable' when he broke the news to them that she had died The two children were taken to Berri Hospital for observation and treatment to non-life threatening injuries, but Mr Hashemi said they will be transferred to a hospital in Adelaide, to receive treatment for 'cracks in their vertebrae'. The truck driver was not injured in the crash, which destroyed Mrs Hashemi's car. Mr Hashemi said the man has so far not been charged or arrested over the incident, and returned to work today. 'I asked police what happened to the truck driver,' he said. 'They said he went back to Adelaide for work, but my wife 'Yesterday was just yesterday [for the driver] and today he went back to work.' The intersection where the crash occurred, near Barmera, was closed for most of the night while Major Crash Investigators attended the scene before the roads reopened early on Wednesday morning. The fatality occurred at the intersection of the Sturt and Old Sturt Highways (pictured), considered a dangerous stretch of road by locals The tragedy occurred on a dangerous stretch of road, according to a local who commented on the South Australia Police Facebook page. 'I know exactly where it is and have seen a few near misses myself,' the woman commented. The woman's death brings South Australia's road toll to 28 this year, compared to 17 at the same time in 2018. The tragedy ended a horror day on the Sturt Highway in the region after an earlier two car crash near the South Australian/Victorian border closed the road for three hours. Five suspected gang members have been accused of attempted murder after they allegedly stabbed a pregnant school teacher stole her car last week. First grade teacher Tanya Nguyen, 33, was parking her car in front of her home in Sunland, California, around 6pm on March 20 when she was attacked and stabbed ten times, including in her face. Christian Reyes, 20, Andrew Bran, 19, and Jesus Morales, 18, allegedly launched the attack, which was caught on dash camera footage, as Nguyen screamed 'Im pregnant!' Nguyen, who is 12 weeks pregnant with her first baby, suffered a punctured lung and lost her front teeth in the vicious attack. Five suspected gang members have been charged with attempted murder after they allegedly stabbed pregnant first grade teacher Tanya Nguyen, 33, (above) on March 20 in front of her Sunland, California home Suspects Christian Reyes, 20, Andrew Bran, 19, Jesus Morales, 18, Christina Luna, 24, and Monica Gomez, 25, were arraigned in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday All five were charged with one count of attempted murder, carjacking, second-degree robbery and misdemeanor hit-and-run driving resulting in property damage and could face life in prison if convicted The men allegedly got Nguyen out of her Kia sedan before driving away. They are said to have later violently crashed into a parked car, then fled the scene on foot. The three men along with suspected accomplices Christina Luna, 24, and Monica Gomez, 25, were arraigned on Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to Fox. Luna and Gomez are suspected of waiting nearby the ambush scene in a getaway car. All five were charged with one count of attempted murder, carjacking, second-degree robbery and misdemeanor hit-and-run driving resulting in property damage. In the March 20 attack the three men allegedly ambushed and stabbed Nguyen then sped off with in her Kia sedan before crashing into a parked vehicle After they crashed her car, the three men are said to have fled on foot Reyes faced a separate count of aggravated mayhem and alleged personal use of a deadly and dangerous weapon. Reyes bail was set at $1.9million and the other four defendants were suggested to have theirs set at $1.4million. Luna was given an additional $75,000 because of a 'probation matter.' If convicted, they all face a maximum sentence of life in prison. At the hearing all five agreed to waive time for an arraignment plea until April 17. Nguyen is a married teacher at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Beverly Hills. On Sunday Nguyen shared this video thanking the community for their support and assuring she'd 'get through this' She was treated for her injuries, underwent a surgery on Sunday, and was released from the hospital over the weekend. The condition of the baby is not clear. A GoFundMe page has been set up to cover her medical expenses and has raised $46,602 of its $100,000 goal by Wednesday evening. She shared a video on YouTube and Facebook thanking the community for the outpour of compassion on Sunday where she nearly broke down in tears as she said 'thank you so much for all your love and support'. 'I'm completely overwhelmed by it and very grateful for all of your support and being there through this time. I'm going to get through this, I promise,' she said. L.A. police are still investigating the assault. A prize-winning show dog who disappeared in an Atlanta airport for three days has been reunited with its owners, officials say. Gale, a 22-month-old Staffordshire terrier, was traveling home back to Amsterdam with her handlers on Saturday, after competing in a dog show in Louisville, Kentucky. But when KLM Royal Dutch Airlines baggage handlers went to load her crate on to the plane they discovered it was empty. Somehow, the crafty pooch had escaped the container and was running loose on the airfield of HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport - one of the busiest airports in the world. Gale, a 22-month-old Staffordshire terrier, was travelling home back to Amsterdam with her handlers on Saturday, after competing in her last ever dog show in Louisville, Kentucky Baggage handlers at HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport noticed Gale's crate on to the plane they discovered it was empty. Somehow, the crafty pooch had escaped the container With more than 4,600 acres of land to cover, authorities laid a series of traps - baiting them with food and treats - in a bid to safely capture the dog Gale's handlers immediately called her owners back in Holland to tell them of the worrying discovery. 'Me and my wife completely panicked,' Gale's owner, Floris Van Essen, told ABC News. 'We were out of our minds. You can imagine it's horrific to hear that a dog is gone and nobody knows where she is.' The Louisville dog show was set to be Gale's last before she retired from performing and returned home with the Van Essens full time. 'There's a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness because there's nothing you can do,' Van Essen added. Sightings of the dog were fleeting over the course of the next two days, until a pilot spotted Gale on the airfield at 3:30 am on Monday morning. With more than 4,600 acres of land to cover, authorities laid a series of traps - baiting them with food and treats - in a bid to safely capture the dog. The airport tweeted two pictures of Gale's and Van Essen's reunion on Tuesday, following her safe voyage home Gale's handler had been calling out for her somewhere on the airfield on Tuesday, when she suddenly appeared, bounded down the tarmac and leaped into his arms Airport spokesman Andy Gobeil said that Gale continued to avoid the traps and evade capture until Tuesday, when eventually the epic cat - or dog - and mouse chase came to an end. Her handler had been calling out for her somewhere on the airfield when Gale suddenly appeared, bounded down the tarmac and leaped into his arms. During her disappearance, the Van Essens described their beloved dog as 'friendly and loving', but admitted she is easily startled and skittish in new surroundings, which may explain her great-escape. They thanked the airport staff for all their help in facilitating Gale's safe return. The airport tweeted two pictures of Gale's and Van Essen's reunion on Tuesday, following her safe voyage home. 'All the people willing to help, the volunteers, everyone at the airport," Van Essen told CNN. 'It's been heartwarming.' A blogger who claims teenagers should be taught how to masturbate has slammed sex education for failing to properly educate young girls. Nadia Bokody, a Sydney-based sex expert, said sex education fails to teach girls 'about pleasure'. Ms Bokody said parents should be giving their teenage girls vibrators so they can learn about their bodies in privacy. 'The fact is, the school sex ed curriculum massively fails our kids - girls in particular - when it comes to preparing them for the realities of sex,' she said. Ms Bokody (pictured) said parents should be giving their teenage girls vibrators so they can learn about their bodies in privacy 'While boys learn about erections and wet dreams, the content around girls sex ed tends to focus on menstruation and pregnancy prevention. 'As boys grow, they learn it's acceptable, even praised, to joke about masturbation. They're empowered to know what does and doesn't feel good and to seek it out. Meanwhile girls grow into young women who see masturbation as dirty and sex as a performative act to be given to men,' she said. Ms Bokody said '30 per cent of young women are currently having painful sex', and blamed it on a culture that teaches sex is a service to be performed. 'Imagine if we taught them that their bodies are their own, that we let them discover in the privacy of their own bedrooms on their own what pleasure actually feels like so they could speak during sex,' she said. 'Imagine if we provided them with a safe alternative to having partnered sex before they're psychologically ready.' Ms Bokody (pictured) said '30 per cent of young women are currently having painful sex', and blamed it on a culture that teaches sex is a service to be performed Ms Bokody disputed claims from her critics that she was encouraging young children to have sex. 'Far from it. I couldn't agree more with the parents out there saying teens are too young to be having sex,' Ms Bokody said. Nadia Bokody's tips for parents It's easy to hope if we simply ignore it, the problem will go away. But it's not going anywhere. STD rates among teens are exploding, as are unwanted pregnancies. Girls are getting into situations with boys they're not ready for and having painful, potentially traumatising sexual experiences because no one has taught them what actual healthy sexual pleasure should feel like and that their bodies are their own to govern, not the property of their parents or their boyfriends. I know this makes people feel uncomfortable. But being uncomfortable isn't a reason to ignore it. Advertisement 'I definitely don't think at age 14 you are prepared for the emotional complexities of sex or that you have a true understanding of how consent works. But the reality is, we can't wave a magic wand and make kids stop having sex. They're having it, and at younger ages than ever before. 'Digging your head into the sand and refusing to acknowledge it will do absolutely nothing to stop it. In fact, we know from research that kids who act out sexually tend to come from homes where sex is shamed and not spoken about.' Ms Bokody said arguments that children learn about their bodies on their own was 'completely untrue'. 'What is true is that boys discover this themselves because society accepts male masturbation,' she said. 'Research actually shows girls are letting boys have sex with them many years before they are touching their own bodies due to the immense cultural shame we place on female masturbation.' Ms Bokody's ideas have previously been blasted by parents, with some claiming teaching young girls about masturbation would encourage underage sex. One woman called Ms Bokody's ideas 'ludicrous' and said it doesn't need to be spoken about publicly as it's a private thing. Ms Bokody (pictured) said arguments that children learn about their bodies on their own was 'completely untrue' 'What age are you talking about teaching kids about masturbation..why does it need to be taught it's a private thing . Why can't you leave the kids alone let them grow up learning in their own ffs,' the woman wrote on Twitter. 'Horrified by this lunatic!! Masturbation taught in schools. No wonder kids are getting sexually active younger and younger... A disgrace in my opinion,' added another. 'Surely this woman doesnt have children! There is no way you would want your child to be taught about masturbation and porn in school. What the actual f***,' said a third angry viewer. However other people applauded the sex expert, saying her views on the topic were 'refreshing'. 'I agree with her points. I have seen so many benefits from documentaries done on these subject matters,' one woman wrote. Another added: 'I really appreciate your coverage of female masturbation. Hopefully you make a mark on the public, young feminists like myself really value recognition like this on this topic. Thank you!' You can continue the conversation with Nadia Bokody on Instagram at @nadiabokody. The husband of a pregnant nurse who was kidnapped and murdered in India is wanted by local police as the prime suspect. Gold Coast businessman Jaspreet Singh is accused of organising the murder of Australian citizen Ravneet Kaur on 14 March. Ms Kaur went missing from the village of Bagge Ke Pipal on the Pakistan-India border before her body was found on Monday night in a canal 200km away. Mr Singh was in Australia at the time but police allege he was having an affair and arranged her murder with his mistress. Ravneet Kaur (pictured with her husband and their daughter), who lives on the Gold Coast, went missing from the village of Bagge Ke Pipal on the Pakistan-India border on 14 March Tragic: A pregnant Australian nurse (pictured) who was kidnapped outside her parents' home in India has been found dead in a canal A spokesman for the local police told 9News: 'He had an affair with a woman from the Gold Coast.' Friends of Mr Singh reportedly believe he could be heading to Canada, where he has dual citizensip, and that he hasn't been seen at his home for two days. Mr Singh denied the allegations in an interview with SBS Punjabi. 'I don't know what the basis of all these allegations is,' he said. 'I can't say anything. I will have to go to India and find out what happened. I have no role in this whatsoever.' The detective running the case, Mohit Dhawan, told the publication: 'We have nominated her husband in the FIR (First Information Report) for conspiracy and murder.' Ravneet Kaur went missing from the village of Bagge Ke Pipal on the Pakistan-India border on 14 March. Her body was found on Monday night in a canal 200km away in Lehragaga When she was abducted at 11.30am, Ms Kaur was on a video call with her husband who was back in Australia, police said. Officers have arrested a woman in connection with the crime. Ms Kaur arrived in India on February 27 to visit her friends and family with her four-year-old daughter. The Indian-born woman was meant to return on March 22. Ms Kaur's devastated father Harvinder Singh told the Hindustan Times that his daughter was strangled - but this has not been confirmed. Indian authorities are now working with the Australian High Commission in New Dehli, police said. Ms Kaur (pictured with her husband) arrived in India, where she was born, on February 27 to visit her friends and family with her four-year-old daughter Mr Singh last week held back tears outside his Gold Coast home as he told 9News: 'I just want my wife back.' He said he did not trust Indian authorities to solve the case. Ms Kaur, a mother-of-one, had been employed at Tricare in the Gold Coast and was described as a devoted worker and mother and was reportedly expecting a son. Ms Kaur's colleague of six years, Kerrie Hawker, said she was devastated to hear the news. 'She had a heart of gold, she wouldn't hurt anyone. She was so loving and her smile would light up a room. It was the most beautiful smile,' she told the Gold Coast Bulletin. A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police told Daily Mail Australia that it is aware of the death of an Australian citizen in India. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian High Commission in New Dehli for comment. A father had his skull pounded in with a can of cat food while his own children watched on in horror. Jal Myaker, 20, of Melton, was free on bail when he set upon a man in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond after he spotted him filming his mates car, which was speeding along Garfield Street. The concerned dad had planned to use the footage to complain to his local council about hoons from nearby commission flats speeding up and down the quiet suburban street. Jal Myaker, 20, of Melton bashed a man in front of his own children with a can of cat food. The sickening attack was caught on camera by his victim and witnesses who stopped to help Jal Myaker was bashed in jail while awaiting his County Court of Victoria appearance. He had his eye socket fractured in the prison attack Myaker had been a passenger in the car, which was being driven by a 17-year old lout armed with a knife. The cries of the victim's frantic children can be heard on the terrifying video captured on his phone as the men ruthlessly beat him half to death. Daily Mail Australia is unable to publish the disturbing footage after being denied access to it by the County Court of Victoria. Melbourne father had been taking the kids for a walk to the supermarket in broad daylight on July 13 last year. What they witnessed next would scar them for life. Leave my daddy alone, one child is heard screaming. Are you going to die daddy? another whimpers. Please dont die daddy. Witnesses said Myaker attacked with ferocious speed, pounding his victims head in with the tin can while his mate slashed at him with a blade. The attack continued as the victim cowered for cover on the ground. He begged for mercy and apologised for filming, but the frenzied attack continued. When a bystander tried to step in, the 17-year old menaced him with the blade. Jal Myaker's victims were not able to see him in person after a decision was made to allow him to face his pre-sentence hearing via video link from jail. An influenza outbreak at the Metropolitan Remand Centre has seen inmates placed into lock down So savage was the attack that at one point the tin can burst open, spilling its contents onto the foot path in a vile slurry of blood and cat food. Another woman who was driving by got her phone out and filmed the incident too before going to the victim's aid. When the thugs finally fled, the man was left a bloody wreck, with slashes to his face and upper body. He spent days in hospital and suffers nerve damage to his face to this day. CCTV captured of the youths arriving back at their flat later that day showed them beaming with delight. Myaker had been free to offend after being bailed over drug and weapons offences two months earlier. He pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria to charges of recklessly causing serious injury, conduct endangering life and committing offences while on bail. He faces up to 15 years in jail over the sickening attack. When his younger mate faced justice on similar charges in a childrens court, he received just nine months in youth detention. The court heard Myaker later claimed he had been drinking and using prescription drugs when he committed the attack and couldnt remember doing it. The claim was scoffed at by Judge Christopher Ryan, who condemned Myaker for the brutal attack. This was an unprovoked and vicious attack on an innocent man walking down the street with two children in broad daylight,' he said. The Gerfield Street commission flats where Jal Myaker and his mate lived. They took offense to being filmed hooning up the street and got out and bashed the photographer's head in He described the attack as 'cowardly' and among the most serious that he had seen during his 26 years as a prosecutor and judge. The judge took a further swipe at Myaker's apparent joy on returning to his home, where he was captured on CCTV smiling. 'He was plainly in the highest of spirits,' Judge Ryan said. The court heard Myaker had come to Australia from Sudan and had amazingly survived being hit by lightening twice within milliseconds in 2015. The strikes left him with serious burns and left him suffering from seizures. The youth had been studying architecture at RMIT while working as a concreter and a storeman before embarking on the wild attack. His barrister said Myaker had not had it easy in prison and he suffered a fractured eye socket during a savage attack in Port Phillip Prison. The victim's wife took to the witness box to read out an emotional victim impact statement on his behalf. Sadly, Myaker was not able to see it in person after prison authorities refused to bring him to court because of an influenza outbreak at the Metropolitan remand Centre where he is being held. Judge Ryan described the situation as 'nonsensical' as the video link continued to be cut throughout the proceeding. The victim's wife told the court her husband remained tormented by the attack and felt he had failed as a father. She said the incident 'plagued him' and that he now felt in constant fear. Witnesses to the attack have also been left traumatised by it, with one woman declaring she now felt afraid of Africans. Myaker will be sentenced next month. Thunder the kookaburra is believed to have been smuggled into the US, and it now lives in a pet store in Virginia Beach A native Australian animal smuggled into the US will never be able to return home due to biosecurity laws. 'Thunder' the kookaburra was found living in a cage at a pet store in the United States, selling for $1200. Australians were left heartbroken at the discovery, and immediately began calling for the beloved bird's return, but the Department of Agriculture confirmed to Daily Mail Australia this could never happen. 'Unfortunately, it is not possible to bring the Kookaburra back to Australia. This is because we dont know what diseases it may be carrying or its health history,' a spokesperson said. Daily Mail Australia understands senior department officials believe the bird was 'taken' to the US, but its exact movements are not known. Wendy Davidson - who has been living in the US state of Virginia since 2015 - said she heard about the bird and decided to visit the local pet store to see for herself. 'I was deeply saddened to see one of our native protected species in a small cage alone and so far from home,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I couldn't stop thinking about him being a prisoner in solitary confinement.' Ms Davidson said the pet shop told her the bird had been held at the store for more than four years. The next day, Ms Davidson contacted several different US authorities to find out what she could do to rescue the bird, which the shop had named Thunder. She reached out to zoos both back in Australia and in Virginia, as well as the wildlife trafficking alliance, the Australian Consulate General in New York, and the US Department of Agriculture and Animal Care. 'Those that did reply basically fobbed me off or claimed that they didn't have jurisdiction of the issue,' Ms Davidson said. The bird, who is on sale for $1200, will never be able to return to Australia, the Department of Agriculture confirmed today, as nobody would be able to prove its health history Feeling frustrated about the lack of care and concern, she contacted Australian authorities and zoos, who shared her shock and sadness over the captivity of the iconic Australian bird - who usually live for around 15 years. The Australian Wildlife and Protection Council were worried if they bought the kookaburra it would start a supply and demand for the native animal, and said Ms Davidson should simply leave the bird in the store. Live native birds cannot be exported from Australia for primarily commercial purposes, under Australian environmental law. According to the NSW Native Animal Keepers' Species List, a permit is required and they aren't allowed to be kept as a companion pet. Only Australian native birds that are bred in captivity can be exported, not wild birds. Australian woman Wendy Davidson - who lives in the US state of Virginia - found the kookaburra for sale and tried desperately to have Australian authorities intervene However in Virginia, there aren't laws or regulations stopping people from owning exotic birds such as kookaburras. WHY DO AUSTRALIANS LOVE KOOKABURRAS? Kookaburras are a bird native to Australia, and are as a result subject to strict laws. In many states, they are a protected species, meaning it is illegal to remove them from the country. The birds are referred to the 'king of the bush', and a song praising their unique laugh and cheerful nature is taught to children across the country. Advertisement Social media images and video of the animal show it playing with a ball in its cage, making kookaburra noises, and in one case, wearing a collar and tie. Outraged Australians have called for a GoFundMe to be launched to cover purchase and quarantine costs, and help the bird get home. 'Absolutely hope someone will start a Go Fund me page so this woman (or someone) can give this bird a loving home or get it to freedom,' one person wrote. 'Can you imagine being caged your whole life alone? It's so cruel.' Another said the bird should be moved to a sanctuary in Australia, as it would never thrive in the wild. 'If we can support egg boy via a GoFundMe page why not do one for the kookaburra via a sanctuary for its safe return to Australia,' they wrote. 'Obviously if its been caged its whole life, it would be difficult for it to be released.' The kookaburra is seen inside its cage in the store, wearing a collar and tie Symbio Wildlife Park, from south of Sydney, told her the bird may simply be a 10th-generation captive-bred bird, whose ancestors were exported to the US years ago before the laws were tightened. Melbourne-born Ms Davidson received an online response from Sydney's Taronga Zoo, advising her to download the Wildlife Witness app, which allows people to report suspicious trade or trafficking of wildlife. Ms Davidson said she went back to check if Thunder was still in the pet shop on Monday - 10 days after spotting him - to find him still caged up and on sale. 'No one is going to pay $1,200 for him,' she said. 'He's been living there for four years in captivity.' Daily Mail Australia contacted the store, but a staff member in the bird department declined to comment as it was feeding time. Fabiana Rosales, a Venezuelan activist who is the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, is slated to visit the White House on Wednesday where she will meet with Vice President Mike Pence, a White House official said on Tuesday. Pence is expected to reiterate U.S. backing for Guaido, the head of Venezuelas national assembly, who in January invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency, arguing President Nicolas Maduros 2018 re-election was illegitimate. Most Latin American and Western countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuelas rightful leader. Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the countrys military, says Guaido is a puppet of the United States. Fabiana Rosales de Guaido, wife of Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido, gives a speech during a meeting with Venezuelan residents in Lima, Peru, on Saturday Rosales, a Venezuelan activist who is the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, is slated to visit the White House on Wednesday Guaido and his wife share a moment on stage during a rally in Caracas on March 4 Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist who is considered Venezuelas first lady by supporters, told Reuters before her trip that her family and friends have been stalked and threatened. She is also expected to visit New York City and Miami during her U.S. trip. With her youthful energy and globe-trotting, Rosales is emerging as a prominent figure in her husband's campaign to bring change to the crisis-wracked country. Her age and informal dress, often jeans, while touring Latin America belie an inner toughness and maturity cultivated with her activist husband during violent street protests in Venezuelas capital. Rosales is a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist who is considered Venezuelas first lady by supporters She told Reuters before her trip that her family and friends have been stalked and threatened Rosales takes a selfie with Venezuelans living in Chile during a meeting in Santiago last week 'Look, I am the wife of President Juan Guaido and I will accompany him on whatever route he takes and we will overcome whatever obstacles we face as we have done through all our years together,' Rosales said during an interview in Perus capital of Lima. 'But I got involved in politics because I want to change my country.' 'I dont want my daughter to grow up wanting to leave Venezuela,' she said, a reference to the roughly 3 million Venezuelans who have fled their country amid a collapsing economy, hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicines. As her husband leads efforts to remove Maduro through protests at home and by trying to persuade Venezuelas military to abandon the socialist leader, Rosales is trying to drum up international support for Venezuelas beleaguered opposition with highly publicized tours of neighboring countries. This month she traveled to Peru and Chile, where she met with the presidents of both countries, and spoke in universities about Venezuelas humanitarian crisis. Rosales met her husband at a youth rally for Voluntad Popular, an opposition party she has worked with since her university years. She has become a household name in Venezuela in recent months, standing at her husbands side in rallies attended by thousands. Recently, she has also taken on the role of international ambassador for Venezuelas opposition, as her husband becomes bogged down in domestic affairs. Venezuelas government told workers and school children to stay home on Tuesday as the second major blackout this month left the streets of Caracas mostly empty and residents wondering how long power would be out amid a deepening economic crisis. Maduros Socialist government, which had blamed sabotage by the United States and the opposition for the previous power cut, said an 'attack' on its electrical system caused the blackout that first hit on Monday. As her husband leads efforts to remove Maduro through protests at home and by trying to persuade Venezuelas military to abandon the socialist leader, Rosales is trying to drum up international support for the opposition with highly publicized tours of neighboring countries Her age and informal dress, often jeans, while touring Latin America belie an inner toughness and maturity cultivated with her activist husband during violent street protests in Venezuelas capital 'I dont want my daughter to grow up wanting to leave Venezuela,' she said, a reference to the roughly 3 million Venezuelans who have fled their country amid a collapsing economy, hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicines She has become a household name in Venezuela in recent months, standing at her husbands side in rallies attended by thousands The outage shuttered businesses, paralyzed the countrys main oil export terminal, and stranded commuters. Intermittent service has long affected Venezuelas largely rural interior, but residents of Caracas fear the increasing blackouts in the capital mean that unreliable power is becoming the new normal for them, too. 'I hope that now with these blackouts in Caracas they can do something, that everyone reacts,' said Maria Melendez, a seamstress in the western city of Punto Fijo who said she has had to replace damaged appliances during previous blackouts. 'They used to say that Caracas is Caracas, and everywhere else is weeds and snakes. Now Caracas will also be weeds and snakes if we continue like this.' The blackout came amid tensions with the United States over the weekend arrival of Russian military planes, which led Washington to accuse Moscow of 'reckless escalation' of the countrys political crisis. The United States believes the planes were carrying 'cybersecurity personnel,' a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday. That would suggest part of their mission could be helping Maduros loyalists with surveillance and protecting the governments cyber infrastructure. Russia, which has major energy investments in OPEC member Venezuela, has remained a staunch ally of Maduro, while the United States and most other Western nations have endorsed Guaido. Citing the constitution, Guaido in January assumed the interim presidency, saying Maduros re-election last year was fraudulent. Upon leaving a National Assembly session on Tuesday, individuals threw stones at the vehicle in which Guaido was traveling and tried to open its doors, according to a Reuters witness. Referring to the event on Twitter, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, 'we condemn the attack on @JGuaidos caravan.' Power had returned to many parts of Caracas by noon on Tuesday, but businesses remained idle and few pedestrians were walking the streets. Citing the constitution, Guaido in January assumed the interim presidency, saying Nicolas Maduros re-election last year was fraudulent. Maduro is seen above in Caracas on Saturday Maduro, who retains control of state functions and the countrys military, says Guaido (seen right with his wife on March 1 in Buenos Aires) is a puppet of the United States Those who went to work because they had not heard that the workday had been canceled were returning to their homes. 'How am I supposed to find out, if theres no power and no internet?' said dental assistant Yolanda Gonzalez, 50, waiting for the bus near a Caracas plaza. 'Powers going to get worse, youll see.' A mother has been left 'terrified' and unable to sleep after witnessing a man masturbating on a train. Kathy Robertson-Cipak boarded a train in Miriam Vale on her way to Brisbane on Monday, when she noticed the man 'playing with his genitals.' At first she thought the man had lice, but soon realised he was performing a sex act on himself while staring at her with a 'smug' look on his face. A stunned Ms Robertson-Cipak started to record the incident so she would have proof. 'I was scared sh***less... I froze', she told News Mail. Ms Robertson-Cipak boarded the train in Miriam Vale on Monday, before a man began to play with himself while staring at her, prompting her to record the incident She started texting her husband and Queensland Rail in the hope someone would see her message and intervene, unable to call out for help as everyone else in the carriage was elderly. 'Normally I'd have got up and smashed him', Ms Robertson-Cipak said, adding that she was paralysed by shock. She said she put her bag over her lap, while trying to make it seem like the man's crude acts weren't affecting her. 'He only put his penis away when the doors opened,' she said. Ms Robertson-Cipak uploaded her recording of the incident in real time to her Facebook page. The shaky video shows a man - who looks between 30 and 40 - standing in the door frame between two carriages. Ms Robertson-Cipak can be heard saying 'you might ask why I'm recording. This man masturbated on the train this morning while looking at me.' Eventually a staff member walked by, and she was able to show them the photo she had taken of the man, and was moved to another seat by a worker. The horrified mother uploaded her recording of the incident in real time to her Facebook page while texting her husband and Queensland Trains in the hope someone would intervene 'We are stopping at Maryborough West. The police will come to the train at Maryborough West', the worker tells her. She's then told a photo of the man is circulating and the police will be getting in contact with him, before walking back to her seat. A distraught Ms Robertson-Cipak then turns her camera to her face and begins to cry, saying 'police are going to stop and interview me in Maryborough, it's just so s**t, I can't believe they let him [get] off the train.' The shaken up mother then urged her Facebook friends to 'smash him in the face', if they see the man. Ms Robertson-Cipak said police met her in Maryborough, where she gave them a statement. The man was able to be identified after the woman uploaded video of him to her Facebook, but unfortunately he was able to leave the train without police tracking him down so no arrests have been made Facebook users were able to identify the man from Ms Robertson-Cipak's video footage, and she was able to track down his Facebook profile. Ms Robertson-Cipak is still waiting for police to arrest the man, and wants changes to be made to public transport - including random checks in the carriages by staff. A Maryborough police spokesman said officers were still on the hunt for the man and investigations are ongoing. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has posted a picture of a 'hateful and bullying' note left on her office door addressed to her colleague Ilhan Omar accusing her of 'jihad against the Jews'. The Democrat shared the scribbled message to her Twitter page, telling her followers the 'fear mongering and blantant (sic) lies' needs to stop. The handwritten post-it note said: 'Rep Omar, stop your disgusting Jew hatred. Your sign says "Justice for all". That means Jews too. Your Jihad against the Jews will fail. Am Yisrael Chai!' The last line references a Jewish song that translates to 'the people of Israel live'. Tlaib, who is Muslim, wrote: 'This is the hateful rhetoric & bullying on my door today. Stop the fear mongering & blantant (sic) lies. Come here w/ the value that all beings deserve human rights, including Palestinians. '@IlhanMN & I fight for equality & justice for all. There's nothing antisemitic about that!' Rep. Rashida Tlaib, left, posted a picture of a 'hateful and bullying' note left on her office door addressed to her colleague Ilhan Omar, right, accusing her of 'jihad against the Jews'. The Democrat shared the scribbled message to her Twitter page, telling her followers the 'fear mongering and blantant (sic) lies' needs to stop Omar, who is one of the first Muslim women in Congress, provoked outrage last month when she suggested that supporters of Israel were urging lawmakers to have 'allegiance to a foreign country'. Just weeks before that, the congresswoman faced widespread backlash for suggesting that pro-Israel lobbyist group AIPAC was buying political support from members in Congress. 'It's all about the Benjamins baby,' read her controversial tweet, which referenced $100 bills. Omar later apologized. The first-term Minnesota Congresswoman's repeated criticisms of Israel and a powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington have been widely condemned as anti-Semitic. Omar, a former Somali refugee, was assailed by Democrats and Republicans alike for the comments. The handwritten post-it note said: 'Rep Omar, stop your disgusting Jew hatred. Your sign says "Justice for all". That means Jews too. Your Jihad against the Jews will fail. Am Yisrael Chai!' Several lawmakers expressed outrage, warning that Omar was peddling in age-old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews having dual allegiances. The politician later apologized for the comment but Republicans have kept citing it as evidence of creeping bigotry. She faced hundreds of protesters waving Israeli flags in California over the weekend following her controversial remarks about Israel. Two schoolboys and a teenage girl are in a serious condition after a car drove into the wall of a school at Caboolture, Queensland. Police were called to the car park of the Australian Christian College on Cottrill Road at about 3.15pm local time on Wednesday, when traffic in the area would have been high. Sergeant Greg Price said a local father, 42, was collecting his children when he accidentally slammed into two cars before the wall. Two schoolboys and a teenage girl are in a serious condition after a car drove into the wall of a school at Caboolture, Queensland 'It was panic stations upon arrival,' he said, ABC reported. 'There was a lot of distressed students, a lot of distressed parents.' The father is understood to have mistaken the accelerator for his break. A spokeswoman for Queensland Ambulance Service told Daily Mail Australia that seven patients were taken to hospital. The spokeswoman said the crash has left the two boys and teenage girl with 'significant injuries'. One of the boys suffered significant leg and wrist injuries while the other is being treated for significant leg injuries. A QLD Ambulance spokeswoman said the crash has left the two boys and teenage girl with 'significant injuries' The teenage girl has significant leg and pelvic injuries. The three patients in a serious condition have been taken to Queensland Children's Hospital. Another girl was taken to Queensland Children's Hospital in a stable condition with an ankle injury. Two other female teenagers are being taken to hospital in stable conditions, one suffering lacerations to her arm and the other with a knee injury. An adult man, believed to be the driver of the vehicle, was taken to Caboolture Hospital in a stable condition. A spokeswoman for Queensland Ambulance Service told Daily Mail Australia that seven patients have been taken to hospital The Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said nine ambulance crews responded to the scene. The principal of the college, Gary Underwood, said six students and two parents were injured as a result of the crash. 'This afternoon at 3pm in the carpark of the Australian Christian College six students and two parents were injured as the result of a vehicle accident involving parents collecting their children,' Mr Underwood said in a statement. 'The students have been taken to hospital, there were no critical injuries.' Mr Underwood said the school will keep close contact with those involved. Police were called to the car park of the Australian Christian College on Cottrill Road at about 3.15pm local time on Wednesday, when traffic in the area would have been high 'Thank you to the wonderful assistance provided by parents and staff, including a parent who is an off duty nurse and was a first responder.' 'Students and staff were counselled on the site and will be followed-up tomorrow.' 'School will run as normal tomorrow with extra counsellors and ministers on hand to support the children.' A police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that up to six people had been struck by the car and several people are being assessed. The spokesman added that police are speaking with the driver of the vehicle. The vehicle has been seized by the Forensic Crash Unit for further testing. 'We need to interview numerous witnesses including staff, children and parents, as well as the driver, before we determine what action will be taken,' Sergeant Price said. A massive fire tore through a museum of rare manuscripts in St. Louis, provoking fears over the fate of its priceless documents. The extent of the losses was not immediately clear. Firefighters were called to the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum on Russell Boulevard around 7pm Tuesday. The fire was extinguished by 9.10pm. About 80 firefighters worked for two hours to douse the four-alarm blaze. Scroll down for video An estimated 80 firefighters responded Tuesday to a four-alarm blaze at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in St. Louis, a 100-year-old building They evacuated from the 100-year-old, three-story brick building by 7.45pm when the second floor and part of the roof collapsed during the raging inferno. The entire rear of the museum was engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. St Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said firefighters were carrying as many artifacts and documents as they could from the building. France's approval of the Louisiana Purchase and the Great Soulard Discovery Map used by explorers Lewis and Clark were reportedly on display there. The museum also stored the city of St. Louis' application for a baseball team with the National League and a collection on the history of Cuba. Most of the documents and manuscripts were on the first floor. Jenkerson said firefighters were working to avoid spraying that area. Firefighters evacuated the 100-year-old, three-story brick building by 7.45pm when the second floor and part of the roof collapsed Firefighters extinguished the blaze by 9.10pm on Tuesday France's approval of the Louisiana Purchase and the Great Soulard Discovery Map used by explorers Lewis and Clark were reportedly on display 'They knew it was a museum,' Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson told the St. Louis Dispatch. 'It's like, "Don't leave empty-handed. Grab something and get it out of here.''' The museum, which opened in 2015, is billed as one of the world's largest private collections of original manuscripts, since its holdings rotate among a dozen museums across the United States. It's unclear exactly what exhibits were there at the time. California real estate moguls David and Marsha Karpeles founded the museum branches in 1983 to 'preserve and exhibit historic manuscripts written by and about those who have shaped world history', according to the group's Facebook page. In the past, Karpeles has displayed an original Gutenberg Bible - known as one of the world's most valuable books - a first draft of the U.S. Bill of Rights, and a handwritten letter from Christopher Columbus describing the coasts of America. The museum was promoting a display of Russian documents from 1711 through 1963 on its Facebook page. David Karpeles learned of the massive fire while staying at his family's home in Santa Barbara, California on Tuesday. The landmark is one of the world's largest private collections of original manuscripts and its currently unclear what was in the building at the time In the past, the museum has featured the Gutenberg Bible, a draft of the U.S. Bill of Rights, and a handwritten letter from Christopher Columbus 'Im very nervous at the moment. I dont know what to say or think,' Karpeles told the Dispatch during a Tuesday night phone call. Kerry Manderbach, director of the museum, stood outside the burning building Tuesday night. He told reporters the manuscripts were largely housed on the first floor, and the fire appeared to be mostly on the second. An Australian museum has come under fire for a controversial art exhibition which shows a 'deconstructed' rabbit torn to pieces and laid out on a table. MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, in Hobart, Tasmania, will next month open its doors for the 'Eat the Problem' exhibition which includes a recipe for a 'boar's eye Bloody Mary' and 'myna bird parfait'. But the interactive display by American contemporary art curator Kirsha Kaechele has already been slammed online for its confronting imagery. When MONA posted a deconstructed rabbit to Instagram on Tuesday, the social media platform decided to censor the post due to the 'sensitive content'. An Australian museum has come under fire for a controversial art exhibition which shows a deconstructed rabbit (pictured) When MONA posted the deconstructed rabbit to Instagram on Tuesday, the social media platform decided to censor the post due to the 'sensitive content' The post was then inundated with comments slamming the display. 'What the hell is this? Stop exploiting animals, live in line with your morals, go vegan!' one viewer commented. 'Not art. Disturbed mind. Disgusting,' wrote another. 'Just made my mind up on whether or not to take the kids to Mona on our Tassie holiday,' another viewer commented. Other viewers defended MONA and criticised Instagram for censoring the image. 'Who the f*** made this sensitive content? Do you go to the grocery store and turn your eyes away from the meat cabinet?' one person wrote. Pictured: American contemporary art curator Kirsha Kaechele who created 'Eat The Problem' The post was inundated then inundated with comments slamming the display One viewer suggested the exhibition made her decide to not visit MONA with her family 'I think it's art! People are so far withdrawn from their food source that I think they sometimes forget where it comes from,' commented another. 'It's an important reminder not to take what you eat for granted.' The museum has defended the display, claiming it's important to be more sustainable with the use of animal product. 'This image is part of Eat the Problem, an art book and exhibition that proposes eating invasive species,' Ms Kaechele said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia. 'We know it's not for everyone, but eating or finding other uses for an animal that wreaks havoc on the native environment is more sustainable than simply culling them, and far more sustainable than the meat most people eat.' 'It is interesting that chicken nuggets - the embodiment of animal suffering and environmental degradation - appear on billboards across cities and no one makes a fuss.' Many viewers wrote it was not art but rather 'trash' and 'disgusting' Ms Kaechele acknowledged the deconstructed rabbit had been censored in an Instagram post on Wednesday. 'But this one, which is just the scraps left over from the same invasive rabbit dish, is getting censored all over the place!' she wrote with the controversial image. 'It just got banned by the Republic Tower art space in Melbourne for being 'over the top'.' 'Meanwhile they serve cow in the restaurant downstairs - an actual ethical issue. Not to mention the chicken nuggets billboard up the street.' The exhibition, which will open in MONA on April 13, will engage viewers in various acts of transformation. Ms Kaechele said: 'Eat the Problem brings to life the practice of transforming sh*t into gold through a delightfully experimental and confronting, but outrageously glamourous, feast for the senses.' The exhibition coincides with the launch of Ms Kaechele's Eat the Problem book which was published on March 25 (pictured) 'Visitors taste colour, feel sound vibrations and participate in movement and music. Eating their way through the experience they leave transformed and inspired, with a deepened appreciation of systems-based sustainable thinking'. The exhibition coincides with the launch of Ms Kaechele's Eat the Problem book which was published on March 25. Inspired by global cuisines, the book focuses on turning Australia's biggest pests into delicious meals. The 544-page book is colour-coded based on species, and works through recipes ranging from sweet and sour cane toad legs, whole roasted camel, fox tikka masala, fried grasshopper and 'pussycat Tasmanian style'. The book costs $277.77 and the funds raised will go towards Ms Kaechele's 24 Carrot healthy eating program in Hobart primary schools. Theresa May (pictured yesterday outside Number 10) is set to meet the Tory backbench 1922 Committee this evening, where Brexiteers are expected to push her to quit Brexiteers dismissed complaints their reasons for opposing Theresa May's deal are sexist today. Leading members of the European Research Group slammed the 'low and unworthy' claims made by an unnamed minister today. The minister said there was a 'whiff of misogny' surrounding Eurosceptics amid claims they could vote for the deal if the Prime Minister resigns. Steve Baker, ERG deputy chairman, said: 'It is very low and unworthy complaint'. Nigel Evans told MailOnline: 'Desperate stuff and a card that shouldn't be played when it was never dealt - we are proud to have been the only party to have elected two women MPs. 'Their legacy rests on what they have achieved. 'Some of the leading members of the ERG are women themselves and believe deeply in delivering the Brexit people voted for.' The Prime Minister is set to meet the Tory backbench 1922 Committee this evening, where members of the European Research Group (ERG) of anti-EU MPs are expected to pile on pressure for her to quit. Yesterday a minister suggested the ERG would not be demanding a departure date if she was a man, and pointed to their 'tendency to call her Mrs May rather than Prime Minister' as more evidence of their alleged sexism. 'The whole thing has a whiff of misogyny about it,' the unnamed minister told the i. 'They say [their opposition to her Brexit deal] is about principle, but if they are prepared to back it in exchange for her quitting where is the principle in that?' Earlier this week Foreign Office minister Mark Field warned it would 'not be a great look for my party' if the Tories were to force a second female Prime Minister out of office in a row over the EU. Mrs May will address members of the 1922 Committee to seek further support for her Agreement, rejected by 230 votes in January and 149 in March. Tory MP Andrew Percy told Newsnight: 'I think if she does lay out a timetable for her departure, that will actually help some colleagues come onside for the deal.' But Andrea Jenkyns said she would rebel again: 'Even if the Prime Minister says that she's going to go ... this is Brexit in name only, the Withdrawal Agreement. 'The deal is not good for our country so we need to make sure we're not lumbered with it after the Prime Minister is gone.' Steve Baker, ERG deputy chairman, told MailOnline: 'It is very low and unworthy complaint' There were signs that the Prime Minister is winning over some Tory rebels in her last-ditch bid to force her EU Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament by Friday's deadline. But MPs have seized control of the House of Commons agenda to force votes on alternatives to her plan - including a call for a public vote on any deal and a demand for Parliament to choose between no-deal and no-Brexit if the UK gets within two days of crashing out. In a highly unusual change to normal Commons procedures, MPs will be asked to take part in a paper ballot on a series of 'indicative votes' in the hope of establishing what sort of Brexit could command a majority in Parliament. The Agreement, and a Political Declaration on future EU/UK relations, must be passed by Friday if the UK is to benefit from an automatic delay in the date of Brexit to May 22. If not, it has to April 12 to make new proposals or leave without a deal. ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he will back Mrs May's deal if the Democratic Unionist Party do the same. He is seen with an anti-Brexit protester today Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson hinted he might be ready to swing behind the PM's deal, telling an audience of Daily Telegraph readers: 'If we vote it down again, for the third time, there is now, I think, an appreciable risk that we will not leave at all.' But the former foreign secretary stressed he was 'not there yet' and signalled that a change at the top may be required to win him over, saying: 'If people like me are to support this deal ... then we need to see the proof that the second phase of negotiations will be different from the first.' Meanwhile, an influential critic of the Agreement, the chair of the European Research Group Jacob Rees-Mogg, said he was ready to back the deal so long as it wins the support of the DUP. Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Rees-Mogg said: 'I have come to this view because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced.' Conservative MP Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the 1922 Committee, made an open call for Mrs May to 'give the timetable for her departure' at Wednesday's meeting. Mr Evans told BBC Radio 4's PM: 'A number of Brexiteers are reluctant to support her deal because they think if it gets over the line, she will then say 'Look what I've achieved, I'm staying'. 'A number of them want to make absolutely certain she's nowhere near the negotiating table when we start talking about the future trade relationship with the EU. 'If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line.' But other former rebels urged fellow Tories to get behind the PM, warning that otherwise the Brexit process might slip out of their control. ERG member Daniel Kawczynski said there was 'definitely a palpable shift' among Leavers deciding they must come together behind Mrs May's deal as 'the least worst option'. The DUP has so far given no indication it will end its opposition. DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson told the Telegraph that some former opponents of the deal 'now take the view that the Withdrawal Agreement, even though it is a rotten deal, is better than losing Brexit'. He said: 'To them I say that, if the deal goes through, we have lost our right to leave the EU.' Some Brexiteers have suggested they will vote for Mrs May's vote if she agrees to leave, but there is still the question of whether Commons speaker John Bercow (seen yesterday) would allow the vote Mr Wilson suggested that a long extension to Article 50, keeping the UK in the EU, was a better option even if it meant leaving without a deal at the end. The ERG were due to meet before Wednesday's votes to discuss tactics, though it was not clear whether they will act as a bloc. The group has not tabled a motion, though individual members have. Labour has tabled its alternative Brexit plan - featuring a permanent customs union with a UK say on trade deals and close alignment with the single market - as one of the indicative vote options. And there was speculation the party would back a motion tabled in the name of former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, requiring a public vote before ratification of any Brexit deal, after shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry predicted it would be 'popular'. A motion from SNP MP Joanna Cherry demands a vote in Parliament to approve a no-deal Brexit two days before it happens, with the automatic revocation of Article 50 if it fails. Other options on offer include a new customs deal; a Norway-style 'Common Market 2.0' plan; and the so-called Malthouse Compromise, which would enact Mrs May's deal with the controversial backstop replaced by alternative arrangements for the Irish border. MPs will not be given the opportunity to express their views on Mrs May's deal, as the Government has not tabled any motion for the indicative vote process. No final victor is expected to emerge from Wednesday's votes, but the most popular options will be subject to further debate on Monday to try to whittle the list down. Mrs May must table a motion for a third 'meaningful vote' on her deal by the end of Wednesday if it is to be debated on Thursday. If it comes any later, she would have to ask the Commons to sit on Friday March 29 - initially marked out for Brexit day and currently listed as a non-sitting day. However, she will also need to persuade Speaker John Bercow that it is not a simple re-run of an earlier vote. Mrs May's official spokesman said: 'If we are able to hold and win a vote this week, we would then be able to leave the EU in less than two months' time with a deal, which the Prime Minister firmly believes is what the public wants.' Meanwhile, Mrs May was facing the threat of possible resignations if she tries to whip ministers for the indicative votes. And four ERG members, led by Sir Bill Cash, have warned of 'serious legal objections' to a statutory instrument being debated on Wednesday to delay Brexit beyond March 29. In a letter to Mrs May, the MPs said the extension agreed at last week's EU summit could amount to an unlawful use of the Royal Prerogative and a breach of the Vienna Convention on treaties. Empire star Jussie Smollett's lawyer is trying to shift attention back to two brothers who told police they were paid by the actor to help stage a racist attack on him. After all 16 charges were dropped against Smollett, his lawyer Patricia Brown Holmes said investigators should look into the role of Abimbola 'Abel' Osundairo and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo, who are of Nigerian descent. Ms Holmes said: 'The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him.' Jussie Smollett had 16 charges against him over a race hate attack that he allegedly faked dropped Tuesday, when he maintained his innocence Patricia Brown Holmes, Smollett's attorney, said investigators should now focus on the role that two Nigerian brothers played in the attack Abimbola 'Abel' (left), 25, and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo (right) told police that Smollett paid them to stage the attack in Chicago Authorities still believe Smollett concocted the attack in which he said two masked men beat him in Chicago on January 29. He also claimed they said: 'This is Maga country' an apparent reference to US president Donald Trump's campaign slogan, 'Make America Great Again'. Smollett, who is black and gay, also said the men doused him with a chemical and put a noose around his neck. Smollett also told a detective that at least one of the attackers was white, according to Chicago police. Cook County first assistant state's attorney Joseph Magats told reporters that prosecutors dropped the case because Smollett forfeited a 10,000 dollar (7,600) bond payment and carried out community service. Mr Magats also said prosecutors needed to focus their time on violent crimes in Chicago. Authorities have said Smollett created the hoax because he was unhappy with his pay on the Fox show and wanted to promote his career. The Osundairo brothers told police that Smollett paid them 3,500 dollars (2,650) to help stage the attack. Smollett said the 3,500 dollars paid to the brothers was for fitness training. Prosecutors have said Smollett and Abel Osundairo, 25, became friends in 2017 and that Abel Osundairo was a stand-in for a character on Empire. Court documents said Olabinjo Osundairo, 27, also appeared as an extra in the show. The two brothers were initially drawn into the investigation after police released grainy images of two 'persons of interest' in the area the night of the attack. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson (left) on Tuesday at a press conference to condemn the outcome of the Smollett case First Assistant Joe Magats said that he thought Smollett was guilty but that 'based on the facts and circumstances' of the case and 'based on his lack of criminal background', the decision was made to drop charges Meanwhile, the FBI will continue investigating a threatening letter (pictured) that Smollett received at the studio in Chicago where Empire is filmed on January 22, just days before he was attacked Chicago police detained the brothers in mid-February at O'Hare International Airport after their return from Nigeria. They were questioned and their apartment in Chicago was searched. Within days, police said the brothers were considered suspects in the attack. Then, the two men were abruptly released and were not charged with a crime. They testified before a grand jury, and soon afterwards Smollett was charged with filing a false report of the attack. The brothers' attorney, Gloria Schmidt, said then that the brothers did not testify as part of any plea deal with prosecutors and that they were not granted any immunity from prosecution. Ms Schmidt said: 'The Osundairo brothers were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceeding in the Jussie Smollett case.' In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, she said the brothers regretted their involvement. She said: 'It started by them having a relationship with Mr Smollett. Mr Smollett being in a position of power over them him being this celebrity person who could pull strings for them and help them in their career. 'They were thinking: 'I'm going to help my friend. He's asking for this.'' However, Smollett's lawyer said the brothers had backed up the actor's version of events. Ms Holmes claimed: 'The Osundairo brothers said more than once that the 3,500 dollar cheque they received was for exactly what Jussie said. They were his trainers.' This is the dramatic moment a 'mother' shoulder-barged a woman in her 60s into the path of an on-coming bus just moments after they rowed outside a Tesco Express. Astonishing footage shows the woman, who was with a small child, shove the victim forward, catching her completely off-guard while she was waiting at a pedestrian crossing in Pimlico, London. The bus driver was able to slam on the brakes to avoid running her over, but the victim crashed into the vehicle's doors, while the woman fled the scene while holding the hand of a small boy. Witnesses rushed to aid the stunned victim, who was left sitting on the edge of the pavement precariously close to the road while nursing a head wound. The woman had previously barged the victim at the Tesco during the argument and then followed her to the pedestrian crossing after she left the shop. Police have launched a hunt for the 'Pimlico Pusher' after recently obtaining footage of the assault, which took place in May 2018. The appeal has been issued now after previous inquiries failed to establish any leads. Police have released footage of a shocking assault in Pimlico, London, where a 'mother' was seen pushing a woman into path of a bus, pictured The bus was able to brake in time but the victim collided with the doors, pictured,and sustained a cut to the head alongside grazes to her legs The suspect, pictured right, is then seen walking briskly away from the area leading a small child by the hand, left This map shows the distance between the Tesco where the women argued and the pedestrian crossing where the victim was barged into the road Officers say the incident happened after the suspect, who police say was with two children at the time of the assault, had argued with the victim at a Tesco Express in Warwick Way minutes earlier. The mother barged the woman at the shop but the victim then left uninjured. The older woman left the shop unharmed but was followed through several streets to the traffic lights at Vauxhall Bridge Road, where she was attacked. The victim sustained bruises and grazes to her ankles, shins and knees while she also cut her head and injured her shoulder. Detective Constable Samantha Edwards, who leads the investigation into the incident which happened in May 2018, said: 'This was an unprovoked assault which could have had much more serious consequences. The woman collided with the doors of the bus, pictured, after being shoved towards it Bystanders went to aid the woman, pictured, as the offender left the scene 'A number of inquiries have been undertaken to locate the person responsible. If you recognise this woman I would ask you to contact police immediately. 'It goes without saying that he victim has been deeply affected emotionally by this whole incident.' Anyone with information should contact the Serious Crime Unit based at Westminster on 101 or tweet @MetCC. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A family have been left heartbroken after their 12-year-old son 'took his own life' in his own home after being 'targeted by bullies'. Paramedics were rushed to Mason Warwick's family home in Brighton on Thursday but they were unable to save him. His parents Kelly and Daniel claim he 'took his own life due to nasty bullies' but police have not yet confirmed an official cause of death. Speaking today, Mrs Warwick paid tribute to her 'amazing special angel'. Paramedics were rushed to Mason Warwick's family home in Brighton on Thursday but they were unable to save him Another relative said you 'couldn't ask for a better kid', while a close friend admitted they were 'surprised' he appeared to have taken his own life. The friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'He was a really sweet boy and he was a really nice person. 'The fact he took his own life really surprised us because he seemed like a happy person. He seemed like a really happy person.' A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the Warwick family claims he was the victim of bullying. It reads: 'As most of you know this beautiful little boy Mason took his own life on Thursday night due to nasty bullies. 'He was such a loving caring young man with a heart of gold. His parents Kelly (pictured with him) and Daniel claim he 'took his own life due to nasty bullies' but police have not yet confirmed an official cause of death 'His parents are struggling with the loss off their little prince as you can imagine and would love anyone to help raise a bit of money to help them at this sad time. 'Money won't bring that precious boy home but will help the family a little. Rip Mason.' His death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed. A spokesman for his school, Vardean, said: 'We are deeply saddened to report the unexpected death of one of our Year 8 students, Mason Warwick. 'The thoughts and prayers of the whole community are with the family and friends of Mason who are dealing with their terrible loss.' Headteacher William Deighan added: 'This is devastating news. Mason was a Year 8 pupil at Varndean School (pictured) in Brighton, where staff and the headtecher have paid tribute to him 'The death of a child reminds us just how precious our children are and it will be very important to hold and support them in the next few days and weeks. 'Our focus as a school at the moment is on supporting the family, our students and staff at this exceptionally difficult time.' A letter to parents stated: 'Working closely with our colleagues at the Brighton and Hove Inclusion Support Service we are making plans to support students, staff and families and I will make you aware of these as they become more fully developed.' A Sussex Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Queen's Park Road, Brighton, at about 11pm on Thursday to concern for a child. 'Sadly the 12-year-old boy died at hospital. His death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed.' For confidential support 24 hours a day, you can call Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org India has shot down a satellite in a missile test which makes the country a 'space superpower', Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said. The military breakthrough makes India the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to have carried out the feat. Speaking today just weeks before an election Modi said Indian scientists had 'shot down a live satellite at a low-earth orbit'. Calling it a 'proud moment for India', Modi insisted the mission was peaceful and not designed to create 'an atmosphere of war', adding it was 'not directed against any country'. Breakthrough: The missile launch from A P J Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha, India, which put the country among the space 'superpowers' according to its Prime Minister 'India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat,' he said in his first televised address since 2016. The satellite was in orbit at 185 miles (300km) when it was destroyed. It comes just weeks after India and Pakistan appeared on the brink of war in one of the disputed Kashmir region's biggest flashpoints. Tensions escalated alarmingly after a massive suicide bombing killed 40 Indian troops on February 14, with the attack claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group. Twelve days later Indian warplanes launched a strike inside undisputed Pakistani territory, claiming to have hit a militant camp. An infuriated Islamabad denied casualties or damage, but a day later launched its own incursion across the Line of Control. That sparked a dogfight which ended in both countries claiming they had shot down each other's warplanes, and the capture of an Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman. Announcement: A man watches Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Wednesday morning in which the PM said India had become a 'space superpower' by shooting down a satellite Captive: Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman is pictured in the custody of the Pakistani army at the height of the late-February tension which brought the two nations to the brink of war Tensions calmed after Pakistan's PM Imran Khan announced the pilot would be released in a 'peace gesture'. In New Delhi the announcement of the experienced pilot's release was seen as a diplomatic victory, but India warned that its military remained on 'heightened' alert. The latest announcement comes ahead of a national election in which Modi is seeking a second term in office. Voting starts April 11 and will last nearly six weeks, with close to 900 million Indians eligible to vote in the world's largest election. Earlier this year India announced it was planning to send its first manned mission into space by December 2021. Modi has hailed the national space programme as a prestige project and said that both men and women could be selected for the mission. The proposed three-person mission would make again make India the fourth country after Russia, the United States and China to achieve the feat. Blast-off: India's Mars orbiter spacecraft lifts off in November 2013. Modi has hailed the national space programme as a prestige project 'We are planning to have the first unmanned mission by December 2020, the second by July 2021, and the manned mission by December 2021,' Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan said in Bangalore. Plans for a manned mission were first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, and his government has since approved around $1.4 billion to provide technology and infrastructure. The sum would make it one of the cheapest manned space programmes in the world. India sent an orbiter to Mars in 2013 which is still operational and last year launched a record 104 satellites in one blast-off. China put its first humans into space in 2003 but its Shenzhou programme cost more than $2.3 billion. Experts say the United States spent the equivalent of about $110 billion at current values on preparatory flights and the mission to put the first man on the moon in 1969. Lawyers are demanding an investigation after their African-American colleague was detained when a courthouse cop thought he was a client. Rashad James, a young legal aid attorney from Baltimore, Maryland, was held by an officer at Harford County District Court on March 6. James was walking out of a hearing for a client who was absent when he was apprehended by the cop. Lawyers for James claim 'there is no plausible explanation for this other than racial bias.' Rashad James claims he was held at Harford County District Court on March 6 when a deputy mistook him for his client 'I encountered the officer who incorrectly called me by the name of the client. I stated that I was not the client, I was the client's attorney,' James told a press conference. The officer asked for identification and James showed him his driver's license. But James claims the deputy asked for further documentation and when he could not provide it, the cop called his senior colleague. 'If Mr. James were white, the officer would not have doubted that Mr. James was an attorney, would not have questioned his identity, and certainly would not have detained Mr. James after seeing his driver's license,' said James' lawyer Andrew Freeman. 'There is no plausible explanation other than racial bias,' Freeman added. The lawyer was escorted to an interview room where he alleges he was held for ten minutes while the police continued their questioning and made calls. James says he was detained at Harford County District Court (pictured) for ten minutes in an interview room and questioned James said he did not feel in danger because he knew he was in the right. Sherriff Jeffrey Gahler told 11 News: 'The Harford County Sheriff's Office is aware of these accusations... As with all complaints, the complaint filed on behalf of Mr. James was promptly assigned to the Harford County Sheriff's Office - Office of Professional Standards for a complete and thorough investigation. 'We take all complaints seriously.' A man tried to attack people at a pub with a chainsaw, prompting horrified customers to tackle him to the ground and wrestle the weapon away from him before he could hurt anyone. Loud screams and shouts are drowned out by the sound of the chainsaw in the pub, which is in the port city of Nakhodka on Russia's Pacific coast. The man is quickly jumped on by the other customers, who take away his weapon before angrily surrounding him, shouting in his face and appearing to hit him as they question his actions. Loud, piercing screams are heard throughout the video as the crowd deals with the attacker. One customer shouts 'Hold him' and 'Throw him down'. While another screams: 'What the hell are you doing?'. The man with the chainsaw is immediately jumped on by the crowd of people in the pub, before he can attack anyone with his weapon The loud chainsaw almost drowns out all of the screams and shouts in the video, as the man threatens to go on a rampage A third yells: 'He's lost his f****** mind'. It's unclear what caused the confrontation but the crowd manage to take the chainsaw away before angrily facing down the man who wielded it. A woman strikes him and other furious pub-goers push and shove him, getting in his face. The man, left, who has his back to the camera, was dragged to his feet and confronted by the furious crowd Police in the Primorsky region launched an investigation after the clip was widely shared on social media, according to Interfax news agency. Police also said that the statements from the parties to the incident were not received by the police. The footage has been posted on Instagram, where it was shared widely. The owner of an animal rescue farm has come forward and denied any wrongdoing after her property was raided and its squalid living conditions exposed. Storybook Farm Sacred Animal Rescue's Lisa-Jayne Cameron, 52, said she has received aggressive threats after her Whiteside property in north Brisbane was busted last Wednesday. 'I've been made out to be some type of supervillain,' she told The Courier Mail. Nearly 40 animals - including Dachshunds, French bulldogs and parrots - were seized during the raid, many injured, disabled or living with pressure sores or wounds. Scroll down for video The owner of an animal rescue farm has come forward and denied any wrongdoing after her property was raided and its squalid living conditions exposed (pictured, Barry the dalmation) Storybook Farm Sacred Animal Rescue's Lisa-Jayne Cameron, 52, said she has received aggressive threats after her Whiteside property in north Brisbane was busted last Wednesday Parts of the property were found carpeted in urine and faeces and some of the animals reportedly went without water or bedding - a horse and dalmation were subsequently euthanised. 'The smell was unbearable,' an RSPCA statement read at the time. 'The suffering of the animals was palpable. The entire scene was heartbreaking.' Despite video footage of the poor conditions, Ms Cameron has denied any of the animals were harmed during her care. 'What they are saying about the farm is just absurd,' she said. The 52-year-old kickstarted the farm in 2012 to help owners care for pets that may have become injured or disabled through an accident or genetic disorder. Ms Cameron said all money raised through her charity went to rent, food and the medical care for the animals. 'They've made out that we're some sort of cold, calculating people who are only here to earn money to do what with? I've had no holidays, no days off and everybody who knows me knows that,' she said. On the matter as to why faeces and urine were found on the property during the unannounced raid last week, Ms Cameron said she had kept the animals inside because of a brewing thunder storm. She said the dogs didn't always wear nappies in a bid to reduce the risk of nappy rash. Nearly 40 animals - including dachshunds, French bulldogs and parrots - were seized during the raid, many injured, disabled or living with pressure sores or wounds Parts of the property were found carpeted in urine and faeces and some of the animals reportedly went without water or bedding - a horse and dalmation were subsequently euthanised Despite video footage of the poor conditions, Ms Cameron has denied any of the animals were harmed during her care Ms Cameron said had RSPCA come around later in the day, the house would have been cleaned. As to the poor condition of the dalmation - named Barry - that was found and later euthanised, Ms Cameron said it already had pressure sores because of its paralysed legs, when she took it in about two months ago. Following the raid, RSPCA said it believed Barry was experiencing 'significant pain ... every second of every day'. 'The skin on his testicles had worn bare exposing raw flesh, and he had other wounds on his rear end also associated with dragging and immobility in his rear end. 'These wounds were being constantly soaked in urine as Barry had no control of his bladder. The ulceration of the wounds and urine scalding was severe,' it explained. According to Ms Cameron, health issues and the added stress of finding an acreage with kennels meant she didn't have time to focus on the dalmation. Had she the time, she said she would not have put him down and would've opted for having the legs amputated. A week before the raid three horses were also seized from a nearby property that is linked to Ms Cameron. Ms Cameron said had RSPCA come around later in the day, the house would have been cleaned As to the poor condition of the dalmation - named Barry - that was found and later euthanised, Ms Cameron said it already had pressure sores because of its paralysed legs, when she took it in about two months ago Following the raid, RSPCA said it believed Barry was experiencing 'significant pain ... every second of every day' She said investigators had taken her phone during the raid and she was unable to speak to the families and pet owners on the matter. Chief Inspector Daniel Young said animal needs must be a priority and 'good intentions are not enough'. 'We are continually disappointed to see people keeping animals in conditions like this, under the guise of operating as a rescue or sanctuary. Good intentions are not enough. 'Animals need food, water, clean living conditions and veterinary treatment. If people cannot afford that, then sadly they cannot have animals and certainly should not be rescuing animals,' Inspector Young said. 'We are constantly amazed that donations are given to some of these groups and do not appear to have been used on the care of the animals. Running an animal rescue is hard work, and expensive. We know this. 'We also know there are excellent smaller rescue groups out there and they provide us with valuable assistance, and do great work for animals. Storybook Farm has not been charged, and the company has removed their Facebook page. Chief Inspector Daniel Young said animal needs must be a priority and 'good intentions are not enough' 'Animals need food, water, clean living conditions and veterinary treatment. If people cannot afford that, then sadly they cannot have animals and certainly should not be rescuing animals,' Inspector Young said Brunei could start whipping or stoning gay people to death next week when strict new laws are introduced, human rights groups have warned. The tiny oil-rich nation already implements Sharia laws, with homosexuality punishable with up to ten years in prison. But from the start of next month the government plans to amend the penal code to mean LGBT people and adulterers could be stoned to death, with thieves facing having hands or feet amputated. Amnesty International today slammed the plans, describing the Islamic criminal laws for gay sex and theft as 'vicious'. Brunei was the first East Asian country to introduce Islamic criminal law in 2014 when it announced the first of three stages of legal changes that included fines or jail for offences like pregnancy outside marriage or failing to pray on Friday. Previously, homosexuality was illegal in Brunei and punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. But the changes would allow whipping and stoning to death for Muslims found guilty of adultery, sodomy and rape, said human rights groups. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei (right) and Vietnam's President Nguyen Phu Trong (left) at an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi today The new penalty for theft is amputation of the right hand for a first offence, and the left foot for a second offence. The new penalties, which also apply to children, are in new sections under Brunei's Sharia Penal Code and will come into effect April 3, Amnesty said in a statement. The country delayed implementing the final two stages of changes after an international backlash in 2014 which included a boycott of the Beverley Hills Hotel, which is linked to Brunei's government. But now Brunei authorities plan to go ahead with both stages, said Matthew Woolfe, founder of human rights group The Brunei Project. Brunei's sultan instituted the Sharia Penal Code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the tiny, oil-rich monarchy, which has long been known for conservative policies such as banning the public sale of liquor. The Sultan is no stranger to controversy at home - the monarchy was deeply embarrassed by a family feud with his brother Jefri over the latter's alleged embezzlement of $15 billion during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s. Court battles and investigations revealed salacious details of Jefri's un-Islamic jetset lifestyle, including claims of a high-priced harem of foreign women and a luxury yacht he owned called 'Tits'. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (second right) speaks during his summit talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier this month Brunei first announced the measures in 2013 but implementation has been delayed as officials worked out the practical details and in the teeth of opposition by rights groups. Amnesty labelled the penal code as a 'deeply flawed piece of legislation' with a range of provisions that violate human rights. The legal changes were announced in a discreet notice on the attorney general's website, the human rights group said. Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei researcher at Amnesty International, said some of the potential offences 'should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender'. She added: 'To legalise such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself. 'Brunei must immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments and revise its penal code in compliance with its human rights obligations. 'The international community must urgently condemn Brunei's move to put these cruel penalties into practice.' There has been no vocal opposition to the law in Brunei, where Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah rules as head of state with full executive authority. Public criticism of his policies is extremely rare in Brunei. The Sultan of Brunei shaking hands with President Nguyen Phu Trong during a visit to Vietnam today The Sultan, who has reigned since 1967, has previously said the Shariah Penal Code should be regarded as a form of 'special guidance' from God and would be 'part of the great history' of Brunei. Under secular laws, Brunei already prescribes caning as a penalty for crimes including immigration offences, for which convicts can be flogged with a rattan cane. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said Brunei will become the only country in Southeast Asia to punish gay sex with death if it pushes through with the law. He warned that implementation of the law 'will quickly drive the country towards human rights pariah status in the eyes of foreign investors, tourists, and international agencies'. Under a shift towards hardline Islamic law, Brunei in 2015 banned excessive Christmas celebrations for fear that Muslims could be led astray. ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a Manila-based human rights group, confirmed the implementation of the remaining changes were due to take place on April 3, citing government documents. Manila-based OutRight Action International also confirmed Brunei was about to implement a new stage in its sharia laws. In neighbouring Indonesia, the province of Aceh, punishes those having sex outside marriage with public canning. Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that has implemented laws that punishes gay and bisexual relationships this way The Brunei Prime Minister's Department did not respond to a request for comment. 'We are trying to get pressure placed on the government of Brunei but realise there is a very short time frame until the laws take affect,' Woolfe said, calling on governments to step up diplomatic pressure on Brunei. 'It took us by surprise that the government has now given a date and is rushing through implementation,' said the Australia-based campaigner. Woolfe said there had been no major public announcements on the implementation of the penal code changes aside from a statement on attorney general's website late December which only came to light this week. Socially conservative attitudes prevail across Asia with Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei banning sexual relationships between men while Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people in recent years. Brunei, a former British protectorate of about 400,000 nestled between two Malaysian states on Borneo island, is the first country in east Asia to adopt the criminal component of sharia at a national level. 'The full implementation of sharia penal law will apply severe penalties against consensual same-sex relations, including death penalty via stoning,' Ryan Silverio, a coordinator at ASEAN SOGIE Caucus. Dede Oetomo, one of Indonesia's most prominent LGBT+ activists, said it would be a gross violation of international human rights if the changes went ahead. 'It is horrible. Brunei is imitating the most conservative Arab states,' he said. China will prosecute former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei for graft after an investigation found he spent 'lavish' amounts of state funds, abused his power and refused to follow Communist Party decisions, the anti-corruption watchdog said on Wednesday. Last year, Interpol, the global police coordination organisation based in France, said Meng had resigned as its president after French authorities said he had been reported missing by his wife after travelling to his home country. His wife, Grace Meng, told French television on Sunday that she had written to seek the help of French President Emmanuel Macron on the eve of a visit by his counterpart Xi Jinping, who has now returned to Beijing. China will prosecute former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei for graft after an investigation found he spent 'lavish' amounts of state funds, abused his power and refused to follow Communist Party decisions, the anti-corruption watchdog said on Wednesday In a short statement, the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said Meng Hongwei had 'refused to enact decisions of the party centre' and abused his power for private gain. He also 'wantonly and lavishly spent state funds to satisfy his family's luxurious lifestyle', it said. Meng used his position to help his wife get a job and illegally took a 'huge amount of possessions' from other people in exchange for help with promotions and job moves and 'company operations', the statement said, without giving details. He is suspected of taking bribes and causing serious harm to the party's image and state's interests and should be severely dealt with, it added. Grace Meng (pictured above on October 8 in Lyon, France), the wife of missing former Interpol president Meng Hongwei, has written to French President Emmanuel Macron to ask for his help on the eve of an official visit by his counterpart Xi Jinping Meng has been expelled from the party and his case been handed to legal authorities for prosecution, the statement said. It has not been possible to reach Meng for comment since he was detained, and unclear if he has been allowed a lawyer. Meng is certain to be found guilty when his case eventually comes to trial as the courts are controlled by the party and will not challenge its accusations. Meng, who was also a deputy Chinese public security minister, became president of the global police cooperation agency in late 2016 as China widened its bid to secure leadership posts in international organisations. His appointment prompted concern at the time from rights groups that Beijing might try to leverage his position to pursue dissidents abroad. He was last heard from on September 25 as he left Lyon for China, when he sent his wife a social media message telling her to 'wait for my call,' and then a knife emoji signifying danger. A journalist holds Grace Meng's mobile phone, showing what she says is the last message exchanged with her husband: a text reading 'wait for my call' followed by a knife emoji Macron hosted Xi at a private dinner on the French Riviera on Sunday night, ahead of a working meeting in Paris on Monday. Grace Meng has written to the French President for help Grace Meng later reported he was missing, and after several days without news Interpol said it had received a short message from Meng saying he was resigning. Meng's wife says he is the victim of a 'forced disappearance,' adding she and her family have received no information or legal advice as to his fate. In January she said she had been threatened and would apply for political asylum in France, telling French media her Chinese phone and internet accounts had been blocked. She also feared the Chinese authorities wanted to kidnap her children. Chinese authorities can hold suspects in secret for six months without either informing their family or allowing access to a lawyer. Under Xi, China has been engaged in a sweeping crackdown on official corruption. Chinese authorities said several days after Meng's arrest that the vice minister was being investigated for bribery. Advertisement MPs rejected every alternative Brexit voted on last night as Brexit descended into a new level of chaos. MPs held a series of votes in the Commons on Brexit alternatives to Theresa May's deal just hours after Mrs May said she would quit once her Brexit deal is delivered - in an attempt to cajole rebel hardline Brexiteer MPs in her own party to support her. But in a fresh blow to the Prime Minister's plans, the DUP indicated they were still unable to back the deal because it 'poses a threat to the integrity of the UK.' It means MPs are no closer to agreeing on Brexit after they voted down all eight options in a series of 'indicative votes' designed to establish what kind of deal might secure a majority in Parliament. On a dramatic night inside and outside the Commons, a second referendum narrowly won the most votes - losing 295 to 268. A permanent UK-EU customs union won almost as much support and had fewer votes against - defeating it 272 to 264. No Deal was rejected by 400 to 160, while MPs voted 273 to 184 against cancelling Brexit altogether. A soft Brexit plan to join EFTA and the EEA lost 377 to 65, while a similar Norway-style plan lost 283 to 188. Jeremy Corbyn's plans lost 307 to 237. The Brexiteers' favoured plan to negotiate a two-year standstill deal with the EU suffered the worst defeat 422 to 139. At the second meaningful vote on March 12, Mrs May's deal was defeated 391 to 242 - a weaker performance than a second referendum and a permanent customs union. MPs voted against a backdrop of Mrs May announcing she will quit as PM if MPs back her deal - which was not on the menu. Her deal still appears doomed after the DUP said they would vote against it again. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the failure of MPs to find a consensus undermined the need for MPs to back Theresa May's 'compromise' deal. He said failure to do so meant 'there are no guarantees on where this process will end'. He warned there was 'no simple way forward' and told the Commons 'there are no easy options here'. The Commons was suspended for 30 minutes so MPs could fill in a green ballot paper, answering yes or no to each of the eight proposals. Theresa May (pictured returning to Parliament) sensationally promised to quit Downing Street in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over A second referendum narrowly won the most votes - losing 295 to 268. A permanent UK-EU customs union won also as much support and had fewer votes against - defeating it 272 to 264. Brexiteer Tory MP Michael Fabricant tweeted a picture of his indicative vote ballot.He endorsed plans for a No Deal on April 12 and negotiating a two-year 'standstill' deal with the EU In a huge blow for the Prime Minister, DUP leader Arlene Foster (pictured on Sky News) said her party still could not support the deal because it 'poses a threat to the integrity of the UK' A party statement said 'we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote' - with Westminster leader Nigel Dodds vowing to vote No The most favoured options are due to go through to a second round vote next week on Monday. If there is a firm conclusion then, MPs will then try to pass new laws forcing Theresa May to adopt their favoured option, before Britain will leave the EU on April 12 assuming the Brexit deal does not pass this week. Labour led the charge for a second referendum and a soft Brexit as Jeremy Corbyn ordered his MPs to vote for watering down the Government deal that has been crushed twice already. 'I know there is a desire for new leadership': May's promise to QUIT if MPs vote for the deal 'This has been a testing time for our country and our party. We're nearly there. We're almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. 'But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. As I say, I don't tour the bars and engage in the gossip but I do make time to speak to colleagues, and I have a great team in the Whips' Office. I also have two excellent PPSs. 'And I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that. 'I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won't I hear what you are saying. 'But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. She addded: 'I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. 'I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.' Advertisement Mr Corbyn was expected to face a raft of resignations from Labour frontbenchers opposed to a public vote. In the event, shadow housing minister Melanie Onn was the only one to quit - though 27 Labour MPs rebelled overall. Amid deep Tory splits, most Conservative MPs had a free vote across the board, except for the Cabinet who will be told to abstain. The move will avoid a dozen or more junior ministers resigning. Three ministers were among 10 Tory rebels who voted to revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Foreign Office ministers Sir Alan Duncan and Mark Field were joined by health minister Stephen Hammond in voting for the motion tabled by the SNP's Joanna Cherry, which was defeated by 293 votes to 184. They were joined by ex-Government figures and Remainer rebels including ex-chancellor Ken Clarke, ex-education secretary Justine Greening and former attorney general Dominic Grieve. Mr Clarke was also the only Tory to back a motion by Jeremy Corbyn which would back it's alternative Brexit plan, which includes a closer relationship with the EU than Theresa May's deal. His own motion, that would have backed a Brexit plan with a customs union, was defeated by eight votes after a dozen Labour Leave-supports MPs voted against it. They included John Mann and Denis Skinner and mostly represented seats in the north which voted to quit the EU During today's debate Labour's Stephen Kinnock set out Amendment D, which proposes a Common market 2.0 model. He said: 'This really is five minutes to midnight for this parliament, for this Government and for this country. The eight Brexit options that MPs couldn't back: Revoke Article 50 - 273 to 184 AGAINST Put forward by SNP's Joanna Cherry and backed by 33 MPs including Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Labour's Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of The Independent Group. It demands that if no deal has been agreed on the day before Brexit that MPs will get the chance to cancel the UK's notice to Brussels it would leave the EU. Britain is allowed to unilaterally cancel Article 50 and stay a member on its current terms, according to a ruling of the European Court. It would bring an end to the existing negotiations - but would not legally rule them being restarted. Second referendum - 295 to 268 AGAINST Tabled by Labour ex-foreign secretary Margaret Beckett to build on proposals from Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson. It states that MPs will not sanction leaving the EU unless it has been put to the electorate for a 'confirmatory vote'. A significant evolution of the plan is it would put any deal agreed by the Government to a public vote and not just Mrs May's plan. Customs union - 272 to 264 AGAINST Tabled by veteran Conservative Europhile Ken Clarke, backed by Labour's Yvette Cooper, Helen Goodman and chair of the Commons Exiting the EU Committee Hilary Benn and Tory former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Sarah Newton. It demands that ministers negotiate a new 'permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU' which would prevent the country being able to strike its own trade deals but make it easier for goods to move between the UK and Europe. Labour's plan - 307 to 237 AGAINST Proposed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn It includes a comprehensive customs union but with a UK say on future trade deals and close alignment with the single market. The plan also demands matching new EU rights and protections; participation in EU agencies and funding programmes; and agreement on future security arrangements, including access to the European Arrest Warrant. No deal - 400 to 160 AGAINST Proposed by Eurosceptic Tory MP John Baron. Tabled a motion demanding 'the UK will leave the EU on 12 April 2019' without a deal. However, a No Deal Brexit has already been rejected twice by MPs. It would instruct the Government to abandon efforts to secure its deal and inform the EU it did not want a long extension to Article 50 either, in line with last week's EU Council. Both sides would then have a fortnight to make final preparations. Common Market 2.0 283 to 188 AGAINST Tabled by Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Andrew Percy and Labour's Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson. The motion proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area. It allows continued participation in the single market and a 'comprehensive customs arrangement' with the EU after Brexit. It would be very similar to current membership. The idea is this would remain in place until the agreement of a wider trade deal which guarantees frictionless movement of goods and an open border in Ireland. Single Market - 377 to 65 AGAINST Tory former minister George Eustice - who quit as agriculture minister this month to fight for Brexit - proposes remaining within the EEA and rejoining EFTA, but remaining outside a customs union with the EU. The motion was also signed by Conservative MPs including former minister Nicky Morgan and head of the Brexit Delivery Group Simon Hart. The idea would keep the UK in the European Economic Area (EEA), but unlike the Common Market 2.0 plan would not involve a customs arrangement. It is similar to Norway's deal. Standstill with the EU - 422 to 139 AGAINST Backed by senior Brexiteers in the ERG including Steve Baker and Priti Patel, this would tell the Government to seek a tariff-free trading arrangement with the EU> It would be based on a 'standstill' agreement saying all regulations in the UK would continue to match EU ones for up to two years. Advertisement 'We desperately need to find a way out of this mess. Our country has spent two years tied up in knots by the Prime Minister's incompatible red lines which offered such a narrow interpretation of the referendum result. 'A 52-48 vote was certainly not an instruction for a disastrous no-deal, or a hard Canada-style job-destroying Brexit. It was an instruction to move house but to stay in the same neighbourhood. Mr Kinnock said the model proposed in Amendment D respected the referendum without 'wrecking the economy'. 'It is worth remembering what Nigel Farage told a Question Time audience in 2016. 'I hear people say' he said, 'wouldn't it be terrible if we were like Norway or Switzerland. Really? They are rich, they are happy and they are self-governing countries'.' Mr Kinnock said the common market 2.0 model would retain access to the single market with minimal renegotiation, avoiding what he said is the 'forest of unicorns and rainbows' proposed by Eurosceptics. Speaking in favour of Common market 2.0, Tory Nick Boles (Grantham and Stamford) said he wanted to make the case for 'compromise'. He said: 'Not as something cowardly but as something courageous. In a divided country and a divided parliament, finding and sustaining a compromise that most people can support is a noble endeavour. 'After years of paralysing conflict we have moral duty to open our minds this afternoon and reach for a compromise that will allow us to put the interminable Brexit row behind us.' He added: 'The great strength of the Common market 2.0 proposal relative to all other Brexit compromises is that it offers something important and valuable to everyone and every party in this House.' Mr Boles added MPs would be asked in years to come: 'Did you stand up and lead, did you step forward to help reunite our country, or did you hang back in your party trench, waiting to be told what to do and where to go? 'I have already made my choice at the cost of my future career in this House, it is now time for others to choose.' Backing No Deal, Tory MP John Baron said: 'There are too many wild predictions flying around this place when really the argument or the discussion should be based on economic reality. 'And I would go one stage further. By introducing a fair and controlled immigration policy, wages will rise faster in this country than if this immigration policy was not in place.' Mr Baron added: 'I would suggest to the House that scare stories that somehow we are all headed for doom and gloom, that goods will no longer transverse customs unions, trading blocs around the world, they already do that, is very wide of the mark.' Before the vote, an internal Labour row broke out in the Labour party when, shadow trade minister Barry Gardiner said that Mr Corbyn will order MPs to vote against the 'extreme option' of stopping Brexit and leaving with No Deal because 'Labour is not a Remain party'. An online petition demanding Article 50 be revoked has now been signed by almost six million people. But in an interview with the BBC Mr Gardiner also revealed that Labour could have difficulty supporting a plan for a second referendum on any Brexit deal, in case it led to stopping Britain leaving the EU. He said: 'Our policy is clearly that we would support a public vote to stop No Deal or to stop a bad deal, but not that we would allow a bad deal as long as the public had the opportunity to reject Brexit altogether. 'That implies that you are a Remain party. The Labour Party is not a Remain party now. We have accepted the result of the referendum.' His intervention has already caused fury among Labour MPs, many of whom are backing the petition calling for Brexit to be stopped, which has gathered more than 5.75 million signatures. Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson took centre stage to demand a second EU referendum at a huge march in central London on Saturday - as Jeremy Corbyn stayed away. He tweeted today: 'I've had many calls about Barry Gardiner's interview, which I missed. Whipping arrangement have not yet been agreed'. Backbencher Wes Streeting suggested Mr Gardiner's words could force MPs to quit the party. He said: 'This the complete opposite of what we've been told is happening today. The opposite of what @Keir-Starmer told the Commons. The opposite of what @EmilyThornberry said last night. The opposite of what Labour stands for. Urgent leadership needed. We live in hope...' Speaker John Bercow eight options from a possible 16 as debate on the future of Brexit today as an unprecedented debate finally began in the Commons What PM needs to edge to victory... by just 2 votes. There are 235 Tory loyalists, 10 switchers, 30 who with back the deal if May quits, 10 DUP supporters and 24 Labour Rees-Mogg lashes Tory MP for not attending Eton Jacob Rees-Mogg lashed his fellow Tory MP Nick Boles today for not having been educated at Eton. The Brexiteer ringleader said Mr Boles was 'wrong' in a typically 'Wykehamist' fashion - a jibe about him attending Winchester College. Mr Rees-Mogg attended Eton. The two private schools have been rivals for centuries. Mr Boles slammed Mr Rees-Mogg's hypocrisy for demanding Brexit but rejecting the Brexit deal. He said: 'In that great referendum which he refers to, which voted to leave the European Union, I have been consistently voting with the Government in which I have confidence, with the Prime Minister in which I have confidence, to give effect of that decision, and he has been voting against.' Mr Rees-Mogg fired back: 'My honourable friend makes a characteristically Wykehamist point - highly intelligent, but fundamentally wrong.' Advertisement 'One thing's for sure: I will be resuming my role as a membership retention hotline in the coming days to ask passionately pro-European Labour members not to leave. Again. Jess Phillips tweeted: 'It is NOT Labour policy only to vote for peoples vote only in circumstances of no deal. NOT AT ALL. It is Labour Policy & has been for years to support compulsory sex & relationship education, guess we'll see how both are whipped today to see how much we care about members views. 'We cannot be all things to all people and they know that, they are ok with that. I find people don't mind if they don't agree with you, if you are clear, principled and honest. Fudge it and they smell you out a mile off'. Speaking before whipping arrangements were agreed, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Mr Gardiner's remarks were 'exactly in line' with party policy. 'We had to accept in our manifesto respect for the referendum result. We campaigned for Remain, we lost, we have to accept that,' he said. 'What he is saying is exactly in line with party policy. We have got to prevent a new deal, prevent a bad deal, advocate for our own policy, try to get a general election if we can, but failing that, if there is a logjam, yes, we will if necessary go back to the people.' More than a million anti-Brexit campaigners took part in the People's Vote March in London - but Jeremy Corbyn did not go Speaker says the government MUST change May's deal to bring a third vote John Bercow this afternoon threatened new Brexit chaos by throwing doubts over Theresa May's efforts to get her deal through the Commons by Friday. The Prime Minister has been considering announcing her resignation date this afternoon to win the support of Brexiteer rebel MPs. But the Speaker warned the government today that her deal must have changed from the last time she brought it forward for a vote and she cannot use a procedural device known as a 'paving motion' to get around him. Bercow has already been accused of having Remainer sympathies and trying to thwart Britain leaving the EU. May's government insists that a new Brexit date agreed with the EU and clarifications to the backstop announced at a summit in Brussels amount to a 'significant change'. The Speaker alone will decide if the change is sufficient and is expected to announce the night before if he will block a third vote. A week ago MPs accused John Bercow of turning Brexit into 'Parliament versus the people' after he ruled she could not bring her deal back to the Commons unchanged. Mrs May would have been hopeful that the Speaker is willing to make an exception and if the vote gets the green light, it's down to the numbers. Now it is clear that he won't budge - and her best hope will be including the new Brexit dates agreed by the EU last week to make it 'substantially different'. Advertisement However Mr Gardiner said that if Labour voted for it, it could suggest that they were a 'Remain party' - which was not the case. He said that under the terms of the motion, any referendum could be a choice between Theresa May's deal or staying in the EU. 'It would be saying we could accept what we have always said is a very bad deal. 'Therefore it looks as if the attempt to have a public vote on it is simply a way of trying to remain because nobody likes this deal,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. 'To put that up as the only alternative in a public vote and say we will let it go through looks as though you believe that at the end of it Remain would be the result. 'It is not where our policy has been'. Tom Watson told crowds in Parliament Square that he would only support Theresa May's deal if the public were allowed a vote on it too. His appearance at the march was in stark contrast to Mr Corbyn's lukewarm support for a so-called 'People's Vote'. It comes amid speculation that Labour will swing strongly behind a second referendum over the next few days. Organisers of the People' Vote campaign claimed that 1 million people attended the march on Saturday. Addressing the crowd, Mr Watson urged the Prime Minister to 'let the people take control'. 'At every turn we have been ignored,' he said. 'At every stage Theresa May has doubled down rather than reaching out. 'She has made it impossible for anyone who cares about jobs, about solidarity at home and abroad, about friendship across borders and between communities to support this Brexit.' Advertisement China's largest smartphone maker also has the most extraordinary office complex in the country, as it seems. Telecommunication giant Huawei has spent some 10 billion yuan (1.1 billion) building a massive fake European town from the ground in Dongguan in southern China to be its offices and labs. Occupying 1.2 square kilometres (296 acres) or just a little smaller than London's Hyde Park, the Huawei Songshan Lake Base has redbrick castles, marble mansions and narrow winding alleys - all inspired by the architecture in 12 European destinations that Chinese people aspire to visit. Huawei's new offices in Songshan Lake in southern China's Dongguan city officially entered service on July 1 last year Officially known as the Huawei Ox Horn Campus, the town occupies 3,459 acres, or about a quarter of the size of Manhattan The architecture in the base is inspired by 12 European destinations that Chinese people aspire to visit, including UK and Italy In the complex designed to host 30,000 employees, there is a Moorish plaza at the 'Granada' Zone, neo-classical buildings copied from the campus of Cite Internationale Universitaire de Paris at the 'Paris' Zone and waterways weaving through the 'Verona' Zone. The other zones are based on Krumlov in Czech Republic, Fribourg in Switzerland, Bourgogne in France, Heidelberg in Germany, Bologna in Italy, Oxford and Windermere in the UK, Bruges in Belgium and Luxemburg. All zones are linked by red tram trains imported from Switzerland, which run with an interval of five minute or so. Cafes and restaurants there serve what is branded as 'authentic European cuisine'. The Songshan Lake base is officially known as the Huawei Xiliu Beipo Village and is one of the most ambitious projects of the Fortune 500 company. It's also known as the Ox Horn Campus in English due to its outline resembling an ox's horn when viewed from above. In the complex designed to host 30,000, there is a Moorish plaza at the 'Granada' Zone, neo-classical buildings copied from the campus of Cite Internationale Universitaire de Paris at the 'Paris' Zone and waterways weaving through the 'Verona' Zone The other zones in the Huawei office complex are based on Krumlov in Czech Republic, Fribourg in Switzerland, Bourgogne in France, Heidelberg in Germany, Bologna in Italy, Oxford and Windermere in the UK, Bruges in Belgium and Luxemburg All zones are linked by red tram trains, which run with an interval of five minute or so and can loop the town in 20 minutes Surveillance cameras are seen inside the Huawei's Ox Horn campus, a.k.a. Huawei Xiliu Beipo Village, at Songshan Lake in Dongguan. It is called the Ox Horn Campus due to its silhouette resembling an ox's horn when viewed from above Construction of the European town started in 2014. Its first phase entered service on July 1 last year and more structures are still being built. The campus now has 12,600 employees. Every morning, dozens of shuttle buses take them from downtown Shenzhen, where Huawei is headquartered, to Songshan Lake about 50 kilometres (31 miles) away to work, according to Chinese news outlet China News Weekly. It is said that Huawei's founder, 75-year-old soldier-turned-billionaire Ren Zhengfei, has always hoped for a creative but casual work environment in an office area that resembles a small town - something like what Google or Apple has. Therefore, it has always been a dream of self-made Ren, who is worth approximately 1.6 billion ($2.1 billion), to build a place like the Ox Horn Campus. Construction of the European town started in 2014. Its first phase entered service in 2018 and more structures are being built Every morning, some 12,600 Huawei employees take dozens of shuttle buses from downtown Shenzhen, where Huawei is headquartered, to Songshan Lake about 50 kilometres (31 miles) away to work, according to Chinese news outlet The Paper Inspired by pictures and footage of the Huawei town, Chinese people are now flocking to see the campus and some say they can 'travel throughout Europe in one day in Huawei'. The town's tram system has 12 stations corresponding to the 12 zones It is said that Huawei's founder, 75-year-old soldier-turned-billionaire Ren Zhengfei, has always hoped for a creative but casual work environment in an office area that resembles a small town - something like what Google or Apple has The base is currently dedicated to the research and development of Huawei products, including phones and 5G technology, but more workers are expected to move there. In the future, Huawei workers could apply to live in the European-style town in one of the company's 30,000 flats; and other departments will be relocated there, including HiSilicon, a company owned by Huawei that makes semiconductor products, a report on The Paper said. Huawei is also planning to build an international school in the town, which is set to run classes from kindergarten to senior high level, according to Sina. While the 'European town' mainly functions as offices for Huawei workers, people can apply to visit some part of it as tourists. It's always been a dream of Ren, who is worth approximately 1.6 billion ($2.1 billion), to build a place like the Ox Horn Campus The base is currently dedicated to the research and development of Huawei products, including phones and 5G technology In the future, other departments will be relocated there, including HiSilicon, a subsidiary that makes semiconductor products Huawei workers could apply to live in the European-style town in one of the company's 30,000 flats, according to reports A man walks past boxes with Huawei logo inside Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan. Huawei is also planning to build an international school in the town, which is set to have classes from kindergarten to senior high level, according to Sina Inspired by pictures and footage of the Huawei town, such as this one on Weibo, young people are now flocking to see it and some say they can 'travel throughout Europe in one day in Huawei'. However, it is said that tourists are barred from Huawei's secretive research and development sections in Songshan Lake. Dongguan, where Huawei's new offices are located, have long been branded as China's 'factory for the world'. The city's factories have been manufacturing handbags, toys, shoes, T-shirts, among others, for worldwide clients as soon as China opened up its economy some four decades ago in 1978. While the complex mainly functions as offices for Huawei workers, people can apply to visit some part of it as tourists However, it is said that tourists are barred from Huawei's secretive research and development sections in Songshan Lake A Huawei logo is seen at the entrance of the Huawei Cyber Security Lab at the Huawei production base in Donggguan Dongguan in Guangdong, where Huawei's new offices are located, have long been branded as China's 'factory for the world' Huawei's President Ren has previously told Chinese media that his company's headquarters would remain in Shenzhen Ren was quoted saying: 'Companies will move to places where the cost is low, high cost will destroy your competitiveness' A surveillance camera is seen in front of Huawei logo outside its Ox Horn Campus, a surreal European town in Southern China Huawei's President Ren has previously told Chinese media that his company's headquarters would remain in Shenzhen, but its offices would gradually spread out. Ren was quoted saying: '140 years ago, the world's centre was in Pittsburgh because of steel; 70 years ago, the world's centre was in Detroit because of cars; now where is the centre of the world? I don't know, but it will decentralised. 'Companies will move to places where the cost is low, high cost will destroy your competitiveness.' Huawei beat Apple to become the world's second largest smartphone maker after South Korea's Samsung last August. In 2017, it raked in 603.6 billion yuan (68.7 billion) revenue. A man has been rushed to hospital after 'stabbing himself' in front of horrified shoppers at an Asda this morning. Emergency services were called to the supermarket in Leeds at around 6am with witnesses describing the scene as a 'bloodbath'. The man sustained serious, but not life-threatening injuries. Police were called to an Asda in Leeds this morning, pictured, after a man 'stabbed himself' in front of horrified shoppers One witness told the Yorkshire Evening Post: 'A customer stabbed himself...they closed the store as police and ambulance were there and there was blood everywhere. 'Not a nice sight to see up there. It was shocking for staff to see.' The shop was briefly closed but has since reopened and staff are being told to come into work as normal. A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: 'At 5.57am today police were called to a report of an injured man at Asda, in Killingbeck Drive, Leeds. 'The man was taken to hospital with injuries that are serious but are not believed to be life threatening. 'Officers are satisfied this has been a self-harm incident with no other person involved and there are no suspicious circumstances. 'The scene is now being released to allow normal business to resume at the store.' Piers Morgan today challenged a Muslim journalist who said being gay was a 'choice' during a debate on parents removing their children from LGBT lessons. Dilly Hussain said parents were angry because of a lack of 'communication and transparency' from teachers, but admitted it was also because Islam considers homosexuality to be 'a sin'. Asked whether he thought being gay was a choice, he said: 'I feel that it is.' This sent Piers into a rant saying: 'We're meant to be a tolerant country, we're not in Islamabad - in Britain homosexuality is accepted.' Parents protest against the inclusive 'No Outsiders' classes at Anderton Park Primary school after the final bell on Monday afternoon The No Outsiders programme, which aims to promote LGBT and racial equality, has proved controversial among some Muslim parents in Birmingham, who have protested outside two primary schools. During a protest outside Anderton Park Primary School on Monday, demonstrators handed out leaflets that declared 'We DO NOT believe in homosexuality. Parents do NOT want their children's belief changed.' Hussain, deputy editor of British Muslim site 5Pillars, said the protests had been sparked by a lack of consultation from the school. But Piers argued it was because the families were Muslim and against homosexuality. 'Muslim parents think being gay is inherently wrong, they think that homosexuality is a sin,' he said. Mr Hussain agreed that it was a sin but that it 'doesn't mean we cant co-exist in peace'. Piers suggested thinking homosexuality was sinful meant being homophobic, to which Hussain replied: 'It's not homophobia but a theological standpoint. It's not inciting violence or hatred. 'Do we not live in a society that we ardently disagree about fundamental issues about man, life and the universe? That doesn't mean we hate the people we disagree with.' Mr Hussain also said parents were angry about their children being 'sexualised' and the state obstructing their rights as parents to decide what their children are taught. 'I think it's a symptomatic issue of a wider problem, which is the increasing sexualisation of children in wider society, and the encroachment by the state in the rights of parents,' he said. 'It's not just an issue of same sex relations, it's any type of sexual relations and gender identity that children are being exposed to. 'The reason why parents have resorted to petitions and protests in Birmingham has been a lack of consultation.' Mr Hussain added: 'The parents have consistently maintained they do not have any issues with the Equality Act, but religious beliefs are also protected.' Dilly Hussain, deputy editor of British Muslim site 5Pillars, argued on GMB today that parents have the right to protest against LGBT school lessons which contradict their beliefs - but this shouldn't be seen as homophobia Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former head of Ofsted, (second from right) insisted the parents were wrong and had been 'whipped up' by radicals Mr Hussain's comments were met with scorn from fellow GMB panellist Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former head of Ofsted, who pointed out that Parkfield had been rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted. 'This is an outstanding school, and it wouldn't get that judgement if it was not engaging regularly with parents,' he said. 'Schools have got a job to do in the sort of society that we are they need to prepare young people to go out in Britain and cope in Britain. 'They need to teach tolerance. In primary schools you see children who are gay being bullied and people being called gay as a pejorative word.' He later accused 'radicals' of whipping up the protests and urged both schools and the government to stand firm. His comments were echoed by Anderton Park headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, who on Monday called for help from education secretary Damian Hinds. Asked at the end of the GMB debate his message to gay Muslims in Britain, he said: 'Inclinations towards the same sex within Islam and other Abrahamic faiths is no different to any other sin. 'Just because you have engaged in that sin does not mean you have been excommunicated in that faith. 'Moving forward there has to be engagement and transparency between schools and parents.' Anderton Primary School parents on Monday handed out leaflets that declared 'We DO NOT believe in homosexuality. Parents do NOT want their children's belief changed' The EU will push for Britain's first day as a non-EU member to be April Fools' Day 2020 if Theresa May's deal is killed off this week, it was revealed today. Brussels has pencilled in a year-extension to Article 50 with Brexit Day being March 31 next year. It came as Donald Tusk today urged the European Parliament to keep faith with those British voters still hoping for a longer delay or even the reversal of the Brexit decision. He said: 'We should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy'. The President of the European Council also mentioned an online petition to revoke Brexit and claimed one million people marched through London on Saturday demanding a second referendum, despite experts claiming only 400,000 were at the march He said: 'You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union'. The Prime Minister must pass her deal by the end of the week for Britain to leave the EU on May 22. If it doesn't the country will leave on April 12, but rebel MPs are trying to force through a longer delay and softer Brexit in votes that begin tomorrow. European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) talks with European Council President Donald Tusk today as it emerged they will offer Britain the chance to leave on April Fool's Day next year Nigel Farage high fives European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a debate on the outcome of the latest European Summit on Brexit today Almost 6million people have signed a petition calling for Article 50 to be revoked and Donald Tusk has said the EU will not 'abandon' them Guy Verhofstadt compares Nigel Farage to cowardly Blackadder Field Marshall An EU leader today compared Nigel Farage to Blackadder's lily-livered First World War Field Marshall. Guy Verhostadt poked fun at the former Ukip leader's 200-mile March to Leave walk Mr Verhofstadt said when he saw Mr Farage (picrured today) in the European Parliament today: 'This is a surprise to me because I thought that he was marching somewhere in Britain. 'But he is here. A 200-mile march. How many miles have you done, two miles? 'You remind me more and more of Field Marshall Haig in Blackadder, who was also sitting in the World War One in his office in London. And you are in Strasbourg while your own people are marching through the rain and in the cold'. Mr Farage hit back: 'As a former Belgian prime minister I thought you would know that it was Field Marshall Haig in 1914 that saved the Belgian town of Ypres from German domination, who then went on to lead Britain in 1918 in its greatest ever military defeat of Germany on the Western Front. He added 'Far from mocking Haig in Belgium, he should be a great hero to you'. Advertisement The EU is ready for the extension and will force Britain to accept that this will be April 1 next year, according to the Guardian. Today European Council President Donald Tusk urged British MPs to remain open to a long postponement of Brexit while Britain rethinks its position, urging them not to 'betray' the UK's pro-Europe voters. He said: 'I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European Parliament elections' 'And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you. Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable'. He added: 'You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union'. Top Euro MPs launched a scathing personal attack on Theresa May yesterday - with one saying she had no 'basic human skills'. Senior figures on the EU Parliament's influential Brexit Steering Group (BSG) lashed out amid meltdown in Westminster. But they also gloated that Britain could be heading for a softer Brexit after MPs voted in favour of snatching control from the prime minister. One leading Euro-MP on the steering group, which last night held talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Strasbourg, said the situation in Westminster was proof Mrs May was 'totally devoid of the basic human skills' needed for public office. Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts claimed it also meant she was unable to build 'bonds of trust' with MPs, her cabinet and other EU leaders. Meanwhile Guy Verhofstadt, chair of the (BSG), declared himself 'very pleased' at developments which could lead to a closer UK-EU future relationship. They were speaking at the EU Parliament, sitting in Strasbourg this week, after MPs in Westminster voted in favour of holding 'indicative votes' today on options - including reversing Brexit - which Mrs May would then be told to deliver. An MEP claimed that during her appearance in Brussels on Thursday, Mrs May even managed to upset the Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel, who he described as 'Mr Nice Guy by definition'. May and Bettel are pictured at the summit A general view of Anti-Brexit campaigners as they take part in the People's Vote March in London and wave pro-EU banners The move was orchestrated by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour's Yvette Cooper. Mr Verhofstadt yesterday hailed the 'real Brexit revolt' which could see MPs vote in favour of a much softer version of Brexit than set out in Mrs May's deal. He also praised marchers in London at the weekend who demanded a second referendum and those who have signed a petition calling for Brexit to be reversed. Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts (file), a member of the European Parliament's Brexit steering committee, said the Prime Minister had been unable to establish 'bonds of trust' with other European leaders Mr Verhofstadt said: 'We see for the moment a real Brexit revolt by the people in Britain, the march of this weekend with one million people in London, the petition which has reached more or less 5.7 million signatures.' Referring to the political declaration part of the Brexit deal, which outlines the future relationship, he added: 'And I'm very pleased that yesterday evening an amendment, the so-called Letwin amendment, has been adopted because that means that it's possible now to work in Britain towards a cross-party proposal, a cross-party alliance that could upgrade fundamentally the Political Declaration.' During the so-called 'indicative votes' MPs could vote in favour of the political declaration being changed to create a softer Brexit, either via a permanent customs union or even continued membership of the single market - referred to as 'Norway-plus'. Mr Lamberts, who also sits on the BSG, launched the most scathing attack on the prime minister. He claimed Mrs May's 'inability to factor in what other people think' had fuelled the chaos. He said: 'The strategy of running down the clock and scaring people into voting for the Withdrawal Agreement has failed. 'I hope that indeed in the first stage the parliament will be able to find a majority for an option. 'Is it Norway plus? Is it a second referendum? I don't know...after that I hope the government will do what it can to make that option happen.' He added: 'One lesson we have learned from Theresa May 's attitude is her inability to factor in what others think, her inability to forge bonds of trust in her cabinet...and between her cabinet and the House of Commons obviously, but also within the European Council.' Mr Lamberts also said that Mrs May had infuriated Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, at a summit last week at which she asked for a delay to Brexit. He claimed Luxembourg's premier is known as 'Mr Nice Guy by definition' and that it proved Mrs May 'must be totally devoid of the basic human skills you need to be a political leader'. A lesbian and former prostitute who chopped her transgender flatmate into pieces insists she has nothing to do with the disappearance of her brother who has not been seen in more than three weeks. Donna Casagrande was 32 and addicted to drugs when she killed transgender woman Joanne Lillecrapp in Adelaide in 2001 with her lover Nicole McGuinness. Despite serving her time behind bars, Ms Casagrande, now 49, claims she is again on the police radar as they investigate the disappearance of her brother. Joseph Casagrande, a father-of-two from Chester Hill in Sydney's west, was last seen by his wife Sonja on March 4 about 1.30am. Donna Casagrande (pictured) a former prostitute who was convicted of killing her transgender flatmate insists she has nothing to do with the disappearance of her brother Ms Casagrande was 32 and addicted to drugs when she was convicted of killing transgender woman Joanne Lillecrapp in Adelaide in 2001 with her lover Nicole McGuinness He was reported missing when he failed to pick up his children from after school care the same day. Ms Casagrande admitted she had a 'monstrous' past but said she had nothing to do with her brother's disappearance and simply wants him to come home. 'I haven't got my brother or taken my brother or hurt my brother,' she told A Current Affair. Ms Casagrande, who is currently homeless, said she fought with her brother's wife about their late father's estate before he disappeared. 'I fought in jail because people considered me to be evil or a monster and I had to fight for myself defend myself in prison for years,' she said. 'If you want to call me evil, you can call me evil.' Ms Casagrande admitted she had a 'monstrous' past but claimed she had nothing to do with her brother's disappearance and simply wants him to come home Ms Casagrande met her former roommate Joanne - who also went by John - while she was vulnerable and working at parlour California Dolls in Adelaide. Ms Lillecrapp, who worked as a truck driver and a pro-wrestler, helped Donna and her girlfriend regain control of their finances while they struggled over a drug addiction. But the finances caused troubles among the trio and the loved-up couple decided to leave. Ms Casagrande told A Current Affair the couple gave Ms Lillecrapp a sleeping tablet so they could take money and leave. She took Ms Lillecrapp's bank card to the ATM but the pin number was declined. The plan to run away only became more complicated when Ms Casagrande said she returned to the house to find her girlfriend straddling Ms Lillecrapp woman while holding a knife. Ms Casagrande met her former roommate Joanne (pictured) while she was vulnerable and working at parlour California Dolls in Adelaide Ms Casagrande was sentenced to 12 years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter 'I feel like a 40-centimetre Wilshire knife has been put through her head four times - I think, ''Not much chance that Joanne is going to survive this'',' Ms Casagrande said. Ms Casagrande said emotions quickly escalated and the couple argued for hours before she decided to dismember her. She admitted to then driving around Adelaide to dispose of bits of Joanne to try and hide what they had done. Despite fleeing to Sydney to see her mother, Ms Casagrande turned herself to police after 19 days as guilt got the better of her. She was sentenced to 12 years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Her girlfriend was handed an 18 year sentence for murder. Despite serving her time behind bars, Ms Casagrande, now 49, says she is again on the police radar as they investigate the disappearance of her brother Joseph (pictured) The disappearance of Ms Casagrande's brother has been labelled as 'totally out of character' by his wife Sonja (pictured) The disappearance of Ms Casagrande's brother has been labelled as 'totally out of character' by his wife. 'We want him to come home, I miss him, our kids miss him,' Mrs Casagrande told media in mid-March. 'Our whole family and friends miss you. 'We pray for his safety and we want to know he is safe. 'This is all very uncharacteristic as he is dependable and would never forget to pick up his kids and that's why the alarm bells rang.' Detective Chief Inspector Glen Fitzgerald said investigations have not brought up any extra information. 'We are concerned about this particular case because it is completely out of character and everything we have followed to this day has come up empty,' he said. 'Our investigation so far has come up with very little.' Anxious parents left in the dark by teachers are turning to private tutors to help them understand what their child is studying. Many parents will be familiar with the struggle of dredging the finer details of quadratic equations or ox-bow lake formation from the dark recesses of their memory in order to help their offspring pass their GCSEs. That might explain why, in 2018, one in four 11 to 16-year-old in England and Wales received private tutoring. But now parents are hiring tutors for themselves, at 40-an-hour, not so the difference between the active and passive voice can be explained, but rather to have a chance of knowing what their children are supposed to be learning. Pupils of both state and private school pupils told Tutor House they did not know what their children were supposed to be studying at any given time (stock photo) London tutoring agency Tutor House set up the service after conducting a survey of 2,500 parents which found that more than two thirds did not understand their child's homework. Of these, half worried that they were hindering their child's education by trying to help. More than a fifth said they regularly helped their children to study - although only 11 per cent of fathers regularly helped - and almost all respondents said they struggled with new terminology and new teaching methods. Parent tutors will cover a wide range of core subjects, including maths, English, geography and science, either in online or face-to-face lessons. Alex Dyer, founder of Tutor House, showed the demand for the courses showed a lack of communication between schools and parents Alex Dyer, founder of Tutor House, told MailOnline: 'Parents didn't know what their kids were doing, or what they should have covered. 'It is quite basic stuff, things like where to find the syllabus, and what children should be studying this year, this term, this week. 'It's not that parents want to be digging into areas like quadratics, it's more a general overview so they can see whether their kids are up to speed.' He said the new courses for parents, which came after a survey of his client base which is 'roughly fifty/fifty' state and public school parents, showed a gap in the market had opened up because schools were not communicating with parents. 'It shouldn't exist but it does - it coincides with why tutoring is growing. 'If you've got 30 kids in a class there's no way you can get through the course - and if you can't do that, you definitely can't communicate with the parents. 'There's definitely a lack of communication between schools and parents.' He said around 20 parents had taken up the brand new the parent tutoring offer so far. The primary school curriculum was revamped in 2014 with pupils held to a higher standard, particularly in English and maths. New, tougher GCSEs were taught for the first time from 2015, with harder content, less coursework and fewer resits. On Twitter Helen Pike, master of Magdalen College School in Oxford, said it was unnecessary Helen Pike, master of Magdalen College School in Oxford, told the Times that tuition for parents was unnecessary and could even be harmful. 'Tutoring is a market which feeds on parental anxiety. 'So now parents will become more anxious that other parents are being tutored to be better parents than they are,' she said. 'All schools I know do excellent talks for parents and are there to support them in partnership in doing what is best for their children.' She tweeted sarcastically: 'Parents! Please dont feel you need to do this.... Next up: anxious tutors hire tutors to tutor them in tutoring.....' Figures released earlier this month showed competition for secondary school places is hotter than ever before, with a record 115,000 children missing out their first-choice secondary school this year. Despite a feared stigma, a poll found 96 per cent of parents said they would not judge others for providing a tutor for their children. A 12-year-old girl has been caught trying to smuggle 142 blood samples of pregnant women out of mainland China for tests to help mothers determine the sex of their child. In mainland China, it is illegal for doctors to tell mothers the gender of their unborn baby to prevent sex-selective abortions as Chinese culture traditionally favours boys. The girl, who was not named, was caught on February 23 with the samples in her schoolbag at the Luohu Port in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, authorities said in a statement today. The girl, who was not named, was caught on February 23 with the samples in her schoolbag at the Luohu Port in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, authorities said in a statement today Customs officers asked the girl to put her schoolbag through the x-ray machine, which revealed six packs of 142 blood sample tubes wrapped in tape Customs officers became suspicious after noticing girl travelling alone and carrying a 'very full' backpack, according to Shenzhen Evening News. 'The girl's backpack was so full, it looked like it was going to burst open,' a customs official told video news site Pear. Surveillance footage shows officers instructing the girl to put her schoolbag through the X-ray machine, which revealed six packs of blood sample tubes wrapped in tape. Application forms with the details of the samples' owner were also found. Surveillance footage shows customs officers searching the girl's backpack. Officers became suspicious after noticing girl travelling alone and carrying a 'very full' schoolbag Six packs of blood sample tubes wrapped in tape were uncovered in during the inspection The girl admitted that she was asked to smuggle the samples out of mainland China and would receive a 'transportation fee'. Her guardian was called to the checkpoint for investigations 'We immediately suspected it was the blood of pregnant woman who wanted to do gender tests outside of mainland China,' the officer said. 'We transported the samples to a lab and on March 18, tests results confirmed they were the blood of pregnant women,' he said. The girl admitted that she was asked to smuggle the samples out of mainland China and would receive a 'transportation fee'. Her guardian was called to the checkpoint for further investigations. 'The girl's backpack was so full, it looked like it was going to burst open,' a customs official said This is the second case this year to involve the smuggling of blood products, according to China Customs, adding that the haul was the largest they had uncovered in the past two years It is unclear if the girl would be penalised. Calls from MailOnline to China Customs and the Luohu Customs office went unanswered. This is the second case this year to involve the smuggling of blood products, according to a Weibo statement by China Customs, adding that the haul was the largest they had uncovered in the past two years. China's now-abolished one-child policy, combined with the traditional preference for sons, have created a severe gender imbalance. As of 2015, there were 117 boys born for every 100 girls. China banned all sex identification exams done for non-medical reasons in 2001 in order to prevent sex-selective abortions. The girl was caught with a backpack full of blood samples at Luohu Port (pictured) in Shenzhen The policy prompted many couples in mainland China to 'mail' blood samples to clinics in Hong Kong. The city has always been exempt from the one-child policy and has no regulations against determining the sex of an unborn child. At Hong Kong clinics, tests would be conducted to search for a Y-chromosome in a mother's blood. In a similar case in July 2017, a Shenzhen customs official was previously quoted as saying that they had seen an increase in the number of blood sample smuggles after the one-child policy was scrapped. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, pictured, has written to two gay bishops telling them their same-sex spouses are not welcome to attend the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference in 2020, a worldwide meeting of the Anglican Church The future of an international Anglican church summit is at risk after gay bishops were told they could not bring their same-sex spouses. The University of Kent is due to host the Lambeth Conference, which takes place once a decade, in summer 2020, with representatives from more than 165 countries set to attend at the Canterbury campus. Bishops have been cleared to invite their husbands and wives, but Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has told same-sex partners they are not allowed to attend after church leaders decided it would be 'inappropriate'. It has caused 'serious issues' for university bosses although no decision has been made yet on whether it will withdraw as host of the 4,950-per-ticket event. Meanwhile Bishop Michael Curry, leader of the Episcopal Church in the US who charmed Brits with a sermon at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last year, urged Archbishop Welby to overturn the decision. The ban is legal under the Equality Act due to a religious exemption and was reportedly made to 'placate' church leaders in 'conservative' countries including Uganda, who oppose same-sex marriages in a church. The 2020 conference marks the first time Gay bishops have been invited and the church has been branded 'spineless' for the ban on their partners. Right Rev Mary Glasspool, assistant bishop of New York, left, has been invited to the conference but told by the Archbishop of Canterbury her wife cannot come with her, while Right Rev Kevin Robertson, a Canadian bishop based in Toronto, right, has also been told his husband is not welcome The Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, pictured, who is leader of the Episcopal Church in the US and gave a sermon at the Royal Wedding last year, has called on Archbishop Welby to overturn the decision The Right Rev Mary Glasspool, assistant bishop of New York, and The Right Rev Kevin Robertson, a bishop in Toronto, are the only two in same-sex marriages currently, although Rev Thomas Brown, who will be consecrated as a bishop in Maine, US, later this year, is also married to a man. Rev Glasspool and Rev Robertson have both been contacted by Archbishop Welby to confirm their spouses were not invited. Rev Glasspool told the Episcopal News Service: 'When will the Church accept to it the gift of the LGBTQ community? 'Young people are watching us. If they haven't written off all of Christianity for being homophobic, they do find The Episcopal Church inviting and inclusive.' What is the Lambeth Conference? The Lambeth Conference is a meeting of Anglican Church leaders from around the world that takes place every decade. Hundreds of bishops from more than 165 countries attend to discuss modern day issues and potential changes. Although there is no legal obligation to implement any changes agreed, the conference is hugely influential on the direction the church takes. For example, homosexuality within the church was the centre of huge debate at the 1998 conference and led to a resolution that it was 'incompatible with scripture'. This caused uproar and the church published another notice a year later clarifying that all people were equal and the church condemned all abuse against homosexuals. It began in 1867 and was held in Lambeth until 1978 when it moved to the University of Kent's Canterbury campus. Bishops were originally not allowed to stay with their spouses but the rules were changed for 1988 after objections were raised following the previous conference, when Archbishop Desmond Tutu's wife was spotted climbing in through his window of his campus room. The conference is presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Advertisement Meanwhile Bishop Curry said: 'I've got to be honest with you, I don't expect he [Most Rev Justin Welby] will change [his mind]. 'But I'm willing to say that this House [the Episcopal Church House of Bishops] really would like it to be reconsidered if there is any way that it can be.' Last month, Nigerian bishop The Most Rev Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion which represents its 85 million members worldwide, confirmed the ban in a blog post on its website. He wrote: 'The invitation process has... needed to take account of the Anglican Communion's position on marriage which is that it is the lifelong union of a man and a woman. 'That is the position as set out in Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference. 'Given this, it would be inappropriate for same-sex spouses to be invited to the conference.' But Kent University vice-chancellor Karen Cox and university council chairman Sir David Warren said such an exclusion would be 'contrary to its values'. But the ban is permitted because of a loophole in the Equality Act applying to religious organisations and had to 'respect our clients' wishes'. The university also confirmed it would offer accommodation to any same-sex spouses who 'wish to be in Canterbury' at the time of the event. Meanwhile students at the University of Kent have blasted the church for its decision. LGBT student Natalie Yoh, 25, who's doing a PhD in biodiversity management, accused the university of putting income above moral values. She said: 'I was shocked that this is happening in Kent, which I have always thought of as an inclusive place. 'I think it would suggest, whether rightly or wrongly, that they are putting their commercial interests above their moral values. 'Whether or not they have made the decision about who is allowed to attend, they're still choosing to host an event that's being exclusive.' The Lambeth Conference brings together members of the Anglican Church from more than 165 countries. Pictured is Prince Charles attending the 1998 event Adriana Lowe, 28, studying for a PhD in biological anthropology, added: 'A commitment to equality, which the university claims to have, is completely meaningless if they're willing to abandon it the moment someone waves enough money in their face. 'It's completely spineless. I understand all universities are struggling, particularly in the current climate, for money. 'But when push comes to shove, you can only see what someone's values are when they are tested.' The conference is due to take place in July and August 2020. Lambeth Palace has been approached for comment. Migrants travelling to Europe are being raped and tortured including by forced incest and mutilation, a shocking new study has revealed. Routine rape and sexual torture throughout their journey to Europe threatens many migrants, especially in Libya, with men facing abuse nearly as regularly as women. Smugglers torture migrants and film the attacks on Skype to extract ransom money from their families, according to the study carried out by the Women's Refugee Commission. One mental health worker described graves filled with men with their penises sliced off - a description corroborated by the account of a survivor of a mass mutilation. Migrants told similarly horrific stories about rape, forced incest and mass sexual abuse intended to humiliate detainees who had to strip naked and become either rapists themselves or victims. Men and women are forced to rape others, penises are cut off, boys have to rape their sisters and women are abused and raped until they bleed to death, the report said. Migrants crowded together at the centre of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority in Tripoli in 2017. A new NGO report found men and women face routine sexual torture in Libyan camps Many men and women held in refugee camps in Libya face regular sexual violence. Pictured is a camp in Tripoli A survivor from Gambia said, according to the report: 'If someone had told me this before, I would never have believed it. You can only believe it if you have seen it with your own eyes.' At one of the official prisons, a 19-year-old Nigerian woman told a health worker that women faced near constant threat of rape, and men only marginally less. Migrants bribe their way to freedom or escape if they can. 'They said that if we tell in Europe what is happening in Libya, our brothers and sisters in the prison will pay,' she said, according to the report. According to a 20-year-old man from Guinea, 'when the men came back crying, they would talk about what the guards did to them and how violent it was'. Sarah Chynoweth, the study's lead researcher told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle: 'On their journey through the desert, many refugees are kidnapped by human traffickers and armed groups or taken to official prisons. 'If a man tries to escape, all other men are forced to rape him. People are regularly punished, forced into submission and controlled.' African migrants gathering at the Tripoli branch of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority, in the Libyan capital after Libya rescued 420 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2017 Migrants who were either rescued from the Mediterranean Sea or prevented from crossing to Europe by Libyan coast guards rest at a detention centre in Zawiyah Previous studies have found that nearly all women who cross from North Africa have been raped or sexually abused along the journey, but this report found that the danger was likely nearly as prevalent among men. The graphic study based on dozens of interviews with aid workers and migrants was released on Monday by the Women's Refugee Commission. It comes as Europe has blocked rescues at sea and outsourced its migration policy to Libya's coast guard instead. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there are around 670,000 migrants in Libya and it is believed that between 5,000 to 6,000 are being held in camps. The EU has spent 338 million ($382 million) in Libya since 2014 to stem migration, much of it on strengthening the Libyan coast guard and the detention centres. Migrants turned back in the Mediterranean are unlikely to fare much better in official detention than they did in the warehouses, according to Chynoweth. United Nations staff and aid groups have limited access to the centres and Chynoweth said migrants told her than in any case 'we were just too terrified to say anything'. Prefabricated house built for workers at a construction site, which is now used as a refugee camp for displaced people from the city of Tawergha on the outskirts of Benghazi, Libya Some of the 340 illegal migrants who were rescued by the Libyan navy off the coast of the western town of Sabratha when their boat began to take on water, sit at a shelter in 2014 With European Union funding, the Libyan coast guard retrieves migrants from the Mediterranean Sea and returns them to detention centres nominally run by the Libyan government, where migrants say the abuse resumes. Because the men were victimised together, they were willing to talk about it in ways that might otherwise be taboo. Mostly, they don't talk about it. The area around Bani Walid is particularly notorious for its clandestine prisons, where migrants have described being held in sunless warehouses for months and even years on end while smugglers try to extract payments from them to continue their journey. Last May, more than 100 migrants and refugees broke out from one of the lockups, fleeing under their captors' gunfire. At least 15 people died and 40 were left behind, according to the aid group Doctors Without Borders. The survivors were ultimately shipped to an official Libyan detention centre. And now official detention is likely where they will end up even if they make it into the Mediterranean, due to European policy that has effectively banned rescues at sea in an effort to slow migration. Chynoweth has carried out similar studies among the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Syrian refugees in the Middle East. African migrants gathered by authorities at the Tripoli branch of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority in March 2017 The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there are around 670,000 migrants in Libya and it is believed that between 5,000 to 6,000 are being held in camps What differs in the European context, she said, is how widespread it is, and the fact that profoundly disturbing forms of sexual torture are used for purposes of extorting ransoms - sent via video to desperate families. 'The minute people are stopped at sea, Europeans wash their hands of it,' said Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, the humanitarian affairs adviser for Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres. Earlier this month, the European Union issued a statement saying the continent's migration crisis is over, 'and current levels are a mere 10 per cent of what they were at their peak in 2015'. The statement cited 'appalling conditions' in Libya's detention centres as an issue, without suggesting solutions. One of the study's few bright points came aboard the MSF rescue ship Aquarius. On the ship, the medical team realised that men and boys appeared not to know that what they'd experienced was sexual abuse. Trained health workers decided in 2018 to emphasise free medical and psychological counselling. African migrants, whose boat sank off the Libyan coast, gather upon their rescue at the Tripoli branch of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority, in the capital As a result, the study said, 33 per cent of sexual assault survivors who came forward last year on the Aquarius were male, compared with just three per cent in 2017. 'It was about creating that safe environment, allowing the men and boys to know they're not alone,' said Aoife Ni Mhurchu, who was a nurse on board the Aquarius at the time and specialises in working with vulnerable populations. Few migrants had any illusions that their attackers would face justice, said Ni Mhurchu, who worked in four detention centres in Libya before her time at sea. She said few detained in Libya would dare come forward while there. 'This climate of impunity in Libya signals to this extremely vulnerable population that reporting is not only dangerous but futile,' she said. The Aquarius is now chartered for a scientific expedition. The only people pulling migrants from the Mediterranean waters off the Libyan coast take them right back where they came from. Austrian prosecutors said Martin Sellner (pictured), head of the so-called Identitarian Movement, had received a donation from the Christchurch shooter The suspected gunman in Christchurch had donated money to a far-right Austrian group which says it wants to 'preserve Europe's identity' it has emerged. Austrian prosecutors said Martin Sellner, head of the so-called Identitarian Movement, had received 1,500 (1,270) in early 2018 from a donor with the same name as the murder suspect, Brenton Tarrant. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the findings 'confirm a link between the New Zealand attacker and the Identitarian Movement in Austria'. The apparent link to the Christchurch terror attack, in which 50 people died, has prompted calls to shut the far-right movement down. 'Our position on this is very clear, no kind of extremism whatsoever - whether it's radical Islamists or right-wing extremist fanatics - has any place in our society,' Kurz said. 'We are now investigating whether we have a terrorist organisation here.Radicalism of any kind must be eradicated, and all legal options should be taken. 'If it is indeed the case that it is a terrorist organisation, then of course there will be consequences for the organisation.' Sellner published a video on YouTube in which he said he had received a donation from the man and that police had raided his house over the possible links to the Christchurch attacker. In it, he said: 'I'm not a member of a terrorist organisation. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him.' Sellner has instead blamed Tarrant for seeking to involve him by making the donation - reportedly one of many that Tarrant has made to extremist groups. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (pictured) said the findings 'confirm a link between the New Zealand attacker and the Identitarian Movement in Austria' Police cordon off the area in front of the Masjid al Noor mosque after the mass shooting in Christchurch on Friday, March 15 Graz prosecutors said an investigation was underway about whether there were criminally relevant links between Sellner and the attacker. The Austrian Interior Ministry declined to comment. Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), said the FPO had nothing to do with the Identitarian Movement. In July last year, Sellner and 16 other IBOe members were found not guilty of charges of criminal association and hate speech. Two of the accused were, however, found guilty on lesser charges over anti-immigration stunts by the group's members, including storming a university lecture hall during a refugee policy talk in 2016. In March last year, British authorities denied Sellner entry to the UK, saying his presence would not have been 'conducive to the public good'. A woman has died after a car 'landed on top of her' as she stood waiting for a bus on the sidewalk in North Hollywood following a three-vehicle accident yesterday. Civilians attempted to rescue the woman by pulling the car off her before the fire department arrived and rushed her to hospital. However the victim, reportedly in her 70s, was pronounced dead a short while later. LAPD said a male driver in his 20s was driving over speed limit and ran a red light, colliding with another vehicle at an intersection in North Hollywood The victim was rushed to hospital by fire department where she was pronounced dead on Tuesday The crash occurred at around 3.10pm in the 11000 block of Victory Boulevard, after a BMW driven by a man in his 20s sped through a red light and collided with a Honda at an intersection. The BMW veered off-road and into the parking lot of a CVS pharmacy, where it spun into an unoccupied parked Toyota, ricocheted into a CVS sign and ended up on the sidewalk where the passing woman had been standing. Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. David Delgado told KTLA that the BMW, which had been travelling above the speed limit, landed on top of the woman, trapping her underneath. The victim was stood on the sidewalk waiting for a bus when the vehicle struck her, and she later died from her injuries Bystanders had tried unsuccessfully to rescue to victim, a woman in her 70s, by pulling the car off her LAPD has opened an investigation following which the BMW's driver could face manslaughter charges. 'At this time, we are conducting a DUI investigation to determine if he was under the influence at the time the collision occurred,' Delgado said. The BMW driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital, along with the female driver of the Honda, whose condition was not immediately available. The BMW veered off-road after its initial collision and into the parking lot of a CVS pharmacy, where it spun into an unoccupied parked Toyota Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. David Delgado told KTLA that the BMW had been travelling above the speed limit. The driver could face manslaughter charges Tony Vu, who runs a nail shop nearby, heard the incident unfolding. He told CBS LA: 'I think the guy tried to press the brakes. I heard "screech", and then "boom". It was big. It's terrible, it's the first time I saw an accident like this.' 'I saw people try to pull the old lady out from under the car. The lady breathed so hard, she couldnt move, she was on the ground,' Vu said. Former FBI chief James Comey has said he is 'confused' by Mueller's findings on obstruction of justice after the Russia probe wrapped up. A summary of Robert Mueller's report was published by Attorney General William Barr on Sunday which found no evidence of collusion by the Trump campaign with Russians. But Comey said he was confused about Mueller's position neither to charge nor exonerate President Donald Trump over obstruction of justice. Former FBI Director James Comey, with his attorney, speaks to reporters after a day of testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington last December President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before leaving the White House in Washington last week 'The part that's confusing is, I can't quite understand what's going on with the obstruction stuff,' Comey told an audience in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to NBC News. 'And I have great faith in Bob Mueller, but I just can't tell from the letter why didn't he decide these questions when the entire rationale for a special counsel is to make sure the politicals aren't making the key charging decisions,' the former FBI Director said. Comey's firing in May 2017, was reportedly a key factor for the then-acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe to press on with investigating the Trump campaign for obstruction of justice. Comey also told the audience he found Barr's legal position 'really confusing' in determining the President could not be charged with obstruction of justice. According to NBC, Comey said: 'The notion that obstruction cases are somehow undermined by the absence of proof of an underlying crime, that is not my experience in 40 years of doing this nor is it the Department of Justice's tradition. 'Obstruction crimes matter without regard to what you prove about the underlying crime.' Comey was clear he wanted the full report made public. He added that the special counsel had concluded one salient point - that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election - Comey added, 'That was not a hoax.' Trump has repeatedly labelled it the 'Russia hoax' and joyously welcomed the findings at the White House on Sunday. Ann Mueller and Special Counsel Robert Mueller leaving church on Sunday in Washington Attorney General William Barr leaving his home on Tuesday in McLean, Virginia, after delivering a four page summary of Mueller's report on Sunday The president had already boasted that Mueller's 22-month Russia probe ended with a 'complete exoneration,' slamming the entire operation as 'an illegal takedown that failed' and saying he hopes 'somebody is going to be looking at the other side.' He also tweeted a victory message: 'No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!' Democrats have pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. A Sydney family who had been desperately searching for their missing dog has been reunited with their pet after it mysteriously turned up on their doorstep in a sealed cardboard box. Rosie, the four-month-old cavoodle, had been missing since March 4 after she was taken from her family's Randwick home during a burglary. The family, with the help of their dog behaviourist had launched a search campaign by putting out pleas and missing dog posters on Facebook groups and other social media platforms. Rosie, the four-month-old cavoodle, had been missing since March 4 after she was taken from her family's Randwick home during a burglary The puppy was anonymously returned outside the home on Sunday in an old electric oven box with puncture holes, but went unnoticed for hours After three weeks of searching, Rosie was anonymously returned outside the home on Sunday in an old electric oven box with puncture holes, but went unnoticed for hours. One of the family members, Nick Young had even come across the box, but did not pay any mind to it, according to 7 News. Rosie was finally found after neighbours heard her whimpering and realised she was inside. 'Rosie the cavoodle pup was just dropped off in a box outside her house. I can barely believe it,' the family's dog behaviourist Sophia Gillis said in a social media update. 'Rosie looks skinny but otherwise healthy. She is currently with neighbours and her family are on the way to see her.' The cavoodle was then taken to the vet and is said to be 'happy and in good health.' Photos revealed that box had a taped message on top that appeared to be written by a child. The family had launched a search campaign by putting out pleas and missing dog posters on Facebook groups and other social media platforms. Photos revealed that box had a taped sign with the dog's name and address on top that appeared to be written by a child. It is believed the person or people who took Rosie felt inclined to return her after seeing the social media coverage and may have deliberately written in that way to cover their tracks. Police are now investigating the burglary and the CCTV footage will be handed over to determine how Rosie was taken and who returned her. According to a police release, Rosie was taken after an intruder broke into the family's home and 'ransacked' the master bedroom and took jewellery. A shadowy group which has vowed to overthrow Kim Jong-un has said it carried out raid on North Korea's embassy in Spain. The incident at the reclusive nation's offices in Madrid had been shrouded in mystery after a group of men reportedly burst in, roughed up staff and made off with documents and computers. A dissident group called Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) today claimed responsibility for the raid on February 22, asserting that it had shared 'information of enormous value' with the FBI. The group, which has offered to help defectors from North Korea, insisted it had not used any violence during the raid. Shadowy dissident group Cheollima Civil Defense has said it carried out a mysterious raid on North Korea's embassy in Madrid, pictured today, on February 22 It said in a statement: 'We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten. 'Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used. All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution.' According to investigating judge Jose de la Mata, two of the assailants took the embassy's commercial attache to an underground room and urged him to defect, which he refused. CCD said it had orchestrated the raid to end illicit activities rampant in North Korea's foreign missions. 'The organisation shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality,' the statement added. Speculation over the identity and motive of the assailants had swirled in the media, with Spanish daily El Pais suggesting links to the CIA, which the U.S. agency denied. Spanish authorities said the response was 'not very convincing,' adding that the CIA acted 'in probable co-operation' with South Korean intelligence services. Seoul's unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, declined to comment. It came after a Spanish court named Adrian Hong Chang, of Mexican nationality, as being the leader of the group. The raid in Madrid came just days before Kim Jong-un held his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump (the two leaders are pictured together in Vietnam on February 27) A line of police tape is seen outside the North Korean embassy today in the wake of the February 22 raid The raid had come just days before Kim's second summit with President Donald Trump, which ended with no agreement on North Korea's nuclear ambitions. CCD said the raid had no links to the Hanoi summit and that no other governments were involved until after the event. The group - emerged in 2017 when it posted an online video of the son of the North Korean leader's assassinated brother, saying it had guaranteed his safety. Last month the group declared itself a government-in-exile for the North called 'Free Joseon', using an old name for Korea. Little is known about CCD and it is unclear who is behind the organisation - although some have speculated it has links to South Korea's spy agency. It is named after a mythical winged horse. In the past, the group has said it responded to urgent requests for protection from 'compatriots' and has thanked countries including the Netherlands, China and the United States for their help. The international community must not be 'bewitched' by the exiled Dalai Lama or his 'rumours' about the human rights situation in Tibet, officials said today. This year marks the 60th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that forced the region's spiritual leader into permanent exile in India. It resulted in a bloody crackdown that the government-in-exile says killed tens of thousands. Critics of Beijing's policies in Tibet were misled by rumours or 'bewitched by separatist groups such as that of the Dalai Lama', said Norbu Dondrup, vice-chairman of the regional government. Tibetan officials defended China's polices and warned against being 'bewitched' by the Dalai Lama. This year marks the 60th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule Critics of Beijing's policies in Tibet were misled by rumours or 'bewitched by separatist groups such as that of the Dalai Lama', said Norbu Dondrup, vice chairman of the regional government Beijing continues to be accused of political and religious repression in the region, but insists Tibetans enjoy extensive freedoms and that it has brought economic growth. In a white paper published Wednesday, the Chinese government said 'economic and cultural ties between people in Tibet and those in the rest of China have become closer, with an increasing number of mixed communities and a closer emotional bond'. It also said Tibet's regional economy was among the fastest growing in the country, and that the central government has poured about 1.4 billion yuan (157 million) into restoring Tibetan cultural relics and refurbishing key monasteries. Norbu Dondrup said Tibetan society was 'very dark and very cruel' before Communist Party rule. He said ordinary people - or 'serfs' - could be bought and sold, thrown in jail, or even killed at will when the Dalai Lama was in charge in Tibet. The Dalai Lama arrives at Tezpur, Assam in India on April 18, 1959. He fled to India from the Tibetan capita Lhasa after a failed uprising against Chinese rule The Dalai Lama receives the Nobel Peace Prize from Egil Aarvik, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on December 10, 1989 at Oslo University. This year marks 60 years since the spiritual leader went into exile after fleeing a Chinese crackdown in Tibet in 1959 'The Dalai Lama attacking our human rights totally has ulterior motives. He tramples on human rights, and has no right, no qualifications, and is unworthy of talking about human rights,' Norbu Dondrup said. 'As for some countries slamming our human rights, they either dont understand or believe the Dalai clique's rumors and bewitchments,' he said. The human rights situation in Tibet was extremely good, he said, listing examples such as free medical care and an abundance of food. Asked whether China would ever allow an independence referendum in Tibet, as has happened in Scotland and Quebec, Norbu Dondrup said Tibet has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. 'We have never recognized Tibet independence, and neither has any other country,' he said. 'Moreover, the peoples of Tibet in the extended family of the peoples of the motherland now have very happy lives.' A demonstrator holds a portrait of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, during a march of the Tibetan community in France in Paris on March 24 Tibetan exile Jamphel Yeshi, 27, runs as he is engulfed in flames after he set himself on fire during a protest in New Delhi on March 26, 2012. At least 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's presence in Tibet, most of whom later died Tibetan-Americans and friends and supporters of Tibet gather to protest in front of the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles, California on March 10 Supporters of the Dalai Lama chanted and prayed at the Buddhist shrine in mountainous Dharamsala - home to Tibet's government in exile in northern India But at least 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's presence in Tibet, most of whom later died. China's investment in the region includes a huge outlay on security to build a surveillance state that makes it harder to organise protests. Rights groups say that a government campaign targeting the family and friends of protesters has also helped suppress dissent. Beijing has also restricted access to the region for journalists, diplomats and foreign visitors citing 'special geographic' and 'climatic conditions'. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama, who gave up his political role in 2011 but remains based in Dharamsala, has gained worldwide respect for his pacifist approach, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. He remains a thorn in the side to China, which adamantly rejects any suggestion of Tibetan autonomy and blacklisted the spiritual leader as a dangerous 'separatist'. The Dalai Lama leads a group meditation at the Bercy arena in Paris on October 14, 2003 Above, the iconic Potala Palace in the regional capital of Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region Last week, the Dalai Lama told Reuters in an interview published on Monday that it was possible his incarnation could be found in India, adding that the Chinese government could try to intervene and choose a successor it approves of. 'In future, in case you see two Dalai Lamas come, one from here, in free country, one chosen by Chinese, then nobody will trust, nobody will respect (the one chosen by China). So that's an additional problem for the Chinese! It's possible, it can happen,' he said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded by saying that the reincarnation of the current Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations. 'The Chinese government has adopted policies on freedom of religious belief. The reincarnation system is respected and protected by such legal instruments as "Regulations on Religious Affairs" and "Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas",' spokesman Geng Shuang said. An inquiry into the sacking of Welsh politician Carl Sargeant - who was found dead amid sexual misconduct allegations - was unlawful, the High Court has found. Father-of-two Mr Sargeant was found hanged at his home in Connah's Quay in November 2017, four days after he was sacked from his job as cabinet secretary for communities following claims he had assaulted women. His family have said he was not told the details of what he was accused of and was unable to properly defend himself. Following his death in November 2017, then-first minister Carwyn Jones announced a supposedly 'independent' inquiry into how he had handled his former minister's sacking. But Mrs Sargeant went to court to challenge the legality of the operation of the inquiry. The widow of former Welsh Government minister, Carl Sargeant, who was found dead while facing sexual misconduct allegations, has won a High Court challenge over the legality of an inquiry into his sacking, which happened four days before his death The case centred on whether the inquiry was truly independent from then-First Minister Carwyn Jones Mrs Sargeant has previously spoken of her fears the inquiry is a 'cover-up'. Her lawyers told the High Court that Mr Jones was 'involved in setting the operational protocol' so the inquiry was not truly independent, as he had suggested to the media. The judges, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and Mr Justice Swift, today found in Mrs Sargeant's favour, concluding that Permanent Secretary Shan Morgan, who was in charge of the inquiry, 'had her hands tied' by the First Minister when he fixed the 'remit'. The judges found: 'The First Minister and his officials acted in breach of the representations made in the Press Statement in three principal respects. 'First, the Permanent Secretary did not have a free hand: she was already subject to an unpublished 'remit' from the First Minister. 'Second, the Permanent Secretary did not carry out the preparations for the inquiry 'separately from the First Minister's office': during March to May 2018 she discussed the Investigator and Family's proposed amendments with the First Minister and sought his approval and authorisation for any changes. 'Third, the First Minister continued to have control of the process: indeed, he effectively had the last say and controlled the final form of OP [Operational Protocol].' Mr Sargeant's wife Bernie and son Jack, pictured before an inquest into his death last year Speaking after the judgement today, Mrs Sargeant's lawyer, Neil Hudgell of Hudgell Solicitors, said: 'The Sargeant family were completely unaware of the actions of the First Minister behind the scenes, despite his assurances of independence. 'It is hugely regrettable that they have had to take matters before the High Court to shine a light on what have proven to be empty words from the former First Minister. 'Today's ruling does at least address some of the long-held concerns they had about the independence of the inquiry. 'I hope that the Welsh Government and the inquiry chair will now move swiftly to meaningfully consult with the Sargeant family about a revised Operational Protocol. 'However, I would remind everyone that there are no victors in this process. The Sargeant family are still without a much-loved husband, father, son and brother.' Advertisement These incredible photos show a US airman relaxing at the controls of a plane - despite travelling at 575mph just 500ft above the ground. Amateur photographer Wayne Lewis, 38, was plane watching on Monday when he spotted the US Air Force F15E 'Strike Eagle' Fighter jet, so grabbed his camera. The twin-seat aircraft carries a pilot in the front and the WSO - weapons systems officer - in the rear. And the WSO seems to be taking in the view, with his sleeves rolled up, and one hand stretched out in front. Scroll down for video The US airman was spotted relaxing at the controls of an F15E 'Strike Eagle' Fighter jet - despite travelling at 575mph just 500ft above the ground The US Air Force twin-seat jet carries a pilot in the front and the WSO - weapons systems officer - in the rear. Above, the WSO appeared to be taking in the view, with his sleeves rolled up, and one hand stretched out in front The photographs were taken in a military low-fly area in the mountains of North Wales, near Dolgellau, by Wayne Lewis, a teacher from Welshpool This is despite the pilot having just spun out of a barrel roll - showing off the plane's 'hardpoints', where missiles and bombs can be mounted... and the fact the plane is flying at approximately 500ft above the ground at around 575mph. Mr Lewis, a teacher from Welshpool, shot the pictures in a military low-fly area in the mountains of North Wales near to Dolgellau. The plane was from RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk. The pilot had just spun out of a barrel roll (pictured) - showing off the plane's 'hardpoints', where missiles and bombs can be mounted The aircraft is predominantly used by the US Air Force, as well as the air forces of Saudi Arabia, Israel and Japan. Each model costs around 21m ($28m) American and RAF jets often use the Wales low-fly areas and routinely fly at speeds of up to 575mph and 500ft from the ground as they perform high-G manoeuvres. Nearby there is a location known as The Machynlleth Loop - which is located in a set of valleys in Wales near Barmouth and is commonly used as practice grounds for low-flying jets. There is also an area known as Cad East in Snowdonia National Park where plane enthusiasts often gather to take pictures of F-15 Eagle fighters as they complete the Mach Loop. Despite being designated a Royal Air Force base, RAF Lakenheath hosts units and personnel from the United States Air Force. RAF Lakenheath and nearby RAF Mildenhall serve as the two main US Air Force bases in the UK, while the 48th Fighter Wing is the only US Air Force F-15 fighter wing in Europe. Mildenhall and neighbouring Lakenheath were re-opened after the second World War to host B-29 Superfortresses and have hosted US airmen ever since. Lakenheath is currently home to the 48th 'Liberty' Fighter Wing and Mildenhall to the 100th Air Refueling Wing. Dr Mike Lynch arrives at the High Court today for the biggest fraud trial in British history A British entrepreneur fraudulently pretended Tottenham Hotspur and the Serious Fraud Office were tech companies to make his data firm appear more valuable ahead of its 8.4billion sale to Hewlett-Packard, the High Court has heard. Dr Mike Lynch's Cambridge-based company Autonomy was bought by the American giant in 2011, but HP claims he used dodgy accounting practices to artificially boost the value of the data business as part of a 3.8bn fraud. Laurence Rabinowitz, QC, for HP, said yesterday a series of deals with firms buying Autonomy's business software were wrongly classified as licensing agreements with other software companies to boost Autonomy's value before it was sold. This would be advantageous because it suggests future revenues for the buyer when the clients sell on products containing Autonomy code, and also gives the impression of leading software companies licensing its technology to other high-tech firms. 'The fact that a company's software is being embedded in another company's software is a very strong indicator of the popularity of that product,' Mr Rabinowitz said. The barrister claimed other companies that were wrongly categorised as tech firms included the Ministry of Defence, Bank of America and the BBC. Lynch, once dubbed 'Britain's Bill Gates', says HP used aggressive tactics to make him into a scapegoat. The explosive claims are set to be made today by the 53-year-old's lawyers, as they set out his defence for the first time in the biggest fraud trial in British history. Tottenham Hotspur (pictured, its stadium on Sunday) was allegedly categorised as a tech company by Lynch to maximise Autonomy's value HP wrote off much of Autonomy's value a year after buying the company, blaming the alleged fraud. However, Lynch's lawyers argue his former business was driven into the ground by chaotic management at HP and that its allegations against him are desperate 'makeweights'. They say he was never given the chance to defend himself before the claims against him were taken public and that HP, under former boss Meg Whitman, 'commenced an aggressive and co-ordinated press campaign' before it had properly gathered evidence. 'HP chose to shoot first and ask questions later', his defence says. 'The choice of target appears to be motivated by the fact that Dr Lynch is wealthy and has a deep pocket for the purposes of this claim. 'Further, the claimants need a high-profile target to blame for the losses that they suffered.' Lynch's lawyers claim the accusations by HP have damaged his reputation and his business interests, with the entrepreneur's fund Invoke Capital losing out on significant deals. Rather than fraud, Lynch's lawyers argue the failure of Autonomy under HP's control was down to poor business choices. HP claims Lynch used dodgy accounting practices to artificially boost the value of the data business as part of a 3.8bn fraud They say HP tried to abandon its takeover of Autonomy in the late stages but was blocked from doing so by the UK Takeover Panel. It then ousted key executives who had orchestrated the deal, made abrupt changes in strategy, failed to expand the Autonomy's sales team, side-lined the firm's products and was riven by boardroom arguments over the direction of the business, Lynch's lawyers claim. HP instead alleges Lynch was personally aware of efforts by executives at Autonomy to artificially inflate sales figures to make the company appear more valuable than it really was. On Monday and Tuesday, the company's lawyers said Autonomy's bosses were so desperate to boost sales that they struck deals to sell products to customers but then buy equipment they did not need from them in return. Lynch was a 'controlling' boss, they argued, and that it was inconceivable he would not be aware of a fraud. The stakes could not be higher for the father-of-two, who faces losing his 470m fortune in the case. Cambridge graduate Lynch also faces separate jeopardy in the US, where prosecutors have charged him with offences that could land him with a 25-year jail sentence. The trial continues. When Attorney General William Barr sent lawmakers a summary of the key findings in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, members of President Donald Trump's legal team were gathered in an office near the U.S. Capitol. They soon had reason to celebrate on Sunday, perhaps helped by a pivotal strategic decision. Mueller had spent 22 months investigating whether Trump or his aides conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, interviewing 500 witnesses. The Republican president's lawyers made sure he was not among them. The strategy paid off, insulating Trump from the legal jeopardy presented by a sit-down interview with the special counsel's team - an interview that Trump had said publicly he wanted to do. There was even a tentative date for the interview - Jan. 27, 2018 - though one of Trump's lawyers told Reuters he never intended to make the president available to Mueller. And Mueller never issued a subpoena demanding testimony. The end: This is the moment Rudy Giuliani and Jay Sekulow celebrated the revelation from the attorney general that Trump had been cleared of colluding with Russia to get elected End of the affair: Robert Mueller was revealed to have declared that Trump did not collude with Russia on Sunday, when the special counsel attended St John's Episcopal Church, close to the White House On Sunday, Trump's lead attorneys - Jay Sekulow, Rudy Giuliani and husband-and-wife team Jane and Martin Raskin - were huddled at a conference table with their computers open, awaiting Barr's summary. When it finally popped up online, they were jubilant. Mueller had found no evidence of conspiracy with Russia, Barr said. The attorney general also concluded there was insufficient evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice by trying to impede the inquiry - an issue the special counsel had left unresolved. The findings provided Trump a big political victory after an investigation that had cast a long shadow over his presidency. Also on the team: Husband-and-wife team Jane and Martin Raskin were with Giuliani and Sekulow when the attorney general's letter was revealed Giuliani threw his arm around Sekulow, Sekulow told Reuters on Tuesday. Sekulow said he told the others, 'This is absolutely fantastic.' Giuliani told Reuters minutes after Barr issued the findings: 'It's better than I expected.' Trump's legal team successfully rebuffed Mueller's repeated efforts to get a sit-down interview with Trump and avoided the president being subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury. They agreed instead to have Trump provide written responses, which he did in November. The stakes were high. Some of the lawyers had worried that if Trump had submitted to the interview, it could expose him to claims that he lied to the FBI, or made 'false statements,' in legal terms. Giuliani publicly called an interview a 'perjury trap,' especially if Mueller went beyond asking Trump about collusion and strayed into other matters. Trump is frequently called out for misstating facts or simply making things up. For the past year, Trump's lawyers pursued a two-pronged approach that relied on public attacks by Giuliani on Mueller's 'witch hunt' on cable TV news alongside backroom negotiations with Mueller's team led by the Raskins, according to two sources familiar with the strategy who spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment for this story. When Mueller began his work in May 2017, Trump's legal team initially decided that cooperation was the quickest way to end the probe, according to Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer who handled the inquiry for the presidency at the time. More than 20 White House staff members were made available for special counsel interviews, and the administration handed over more than 20,000 documents. A burning question was whether Trump himself would agree to be interviewed. Despite the tentative date being set, Trump's legal advisers were split. Attorney John Dowd, who at the time represented Trump personally in the inquiry, worried that an interview would be too risky. 'We're not going to go in there and make a mistake,' said Dowd, a pugnacious ex-Marine, recalling how he pushed back against Trump being interviewed even though the president had expressed willingness. Dowd said he talked to Mueller's team 'about what they had done to Flynn and Papadopoulos.' Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and a former Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, both ended up pleading guilty to lying to the FBI after submitting to special counsel interviews. 'We weren't going there,' Dowd said in an interview. Dowd said Mueller told him he wanted to discuss 16 areas in the interview, a scope viewed as too expansive. In agreeing to the tentative interview date, Trump's lawyers had been seeking to draw out Mueller to find out what he already knew, Dowd said. Early legal team: White House lawyer Ty Cobb (left) counseled co-operation with Mueller when the probe began; John Dowd, who was Trump's personal attorney at the start of the probe dangled an interview in front of prosecutors but did not want it to happen 'We wanted to know what was really on their mind. They played it close to the vest. 'Our purpose was: the more meetings we had, the more we learned. That was the purpose of keeping the talking going,' Dowd said, adding that he never intended to make Trump available for an interview. After the interview was canceled, it was apparent, according to Cobb, that the process would drag on. 'Once there was a decision by the president's lawyers in January 2018 not to proceed with an interview at that time - but to keep the possibility open - it was clear this would take some time,' Cobb said. The lawyers also faced the daily prospect of a subpoena from Mueller to force Trump to testify. If it came, their plan was to ask a judge to quash the subpoena, expecting the legal fight to reach the Supreme Court. It never came. 'We were prepared from the outset in the event of a subpoena to challenge it,' Sekulow said. 'We felt confident the law was clearly on our side.' Although not all experts agree, the legal team's view was that a president cannot be compelled to testify unless the information could not be obtained from other sources and the circumstances were extraordinary. By the spring of 2018, it appeared Trump had two options: either sit for an interview or be subpoenaed. By that point, Trump's team had been reshuffled. Dowd resigned in March. The Raskins and Giuliani came on board in April. Cobb was replaced in the White House by Emmet Flood in May. Sekulow was the only key member remaining throughout. The new legal team pressed Mueller to show them that the investigation had reached a stage that would justify sitting down with the president, a source familiar with the negotiations said. 'Are you in a position where you have evidence of a crime?' the source said the team asked Mueller. The team stuck to that position through the autumn of 2018 while negotiating the deal in which Trump would answer written questions only on a limited subject - potential collusion with Russia before the 2016 election - not open-ended queries that potentially could have spilled into his businesses, finances or other matters. Mueller's agreement to submit a list of questions was a critical moment. The special counsel never stopped asking for the interview, the source said, but when Mueller acquiesced to answers in writing, it was a game-changer. 'It went from being constantly, 'Are they going to decide to issue a subpoena?' to, 'We're doing some written questions,'' the source said. It could be you: Trump's attorneys feared that an interview by Mueller would be a 'perjury trap' and result in the sort of indictment which hit ex-national security adviser Mike Flynn (left) and campaign foreign affairs adviser George Papadopoulos - who ended up in prison Trump's lawyers would not entertain questions on the issue of whether Trump had tried to obstruct justice when he fired former FBI director James Comey, then overseeing the Russia probe, and frequently assailed Attorney General Jeff Sessions publicly for not ending the inquiry. The legal team did not think a president could be found guilty of obstruction of justice for firing someone whom he had appointed in the first place to work for the administration. 'That was off the table,' and negotiations with Mueller continued on answering questions on Russia's interference in the election, the source familiar with the matter said. 'At the end of the day, the strategy worked. No interview. No grand jury subpoena,' the source added. Trump signed his answers to Mueller on Nov. 20 before leaving Washington to celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. 'We answered every question they asked that was legitimately pre-election and focused on Russia,' Giuliani told Reuters at the time. 'Nothing post-election.' Mueller's team had pressed during the negotiations for an opportunity to pose follow-up questions to Trump, possibly in person, Giuliani said. But ultimately the special counsel agreed to accept just the written answers with no conditions and no follow-ups, Giuliani added. By the end of last year, Trump's lawyers had little interaction with Mueller's team. Asked about the team's strategy, Sekulow said, 'I guess it worked. The plane landed successfully.' READ IN FULL: Attorney General Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the Mueller investigation findings Advertisement President Macron plans to force France's civil servants to work at least 35 hours a week - a decision which could see him battle with the country's unions. Mr Macron's cabinet is set to approve legislation which will stop public sector employees from taking extra paid leave for events such as car boot sales or as compensation for having to work in winter. The move - which will be put before the cabinet today - gives local councils 12 months to guarantee that their staff work 1,607 hours a year and are not offered more time off than the statutory five weeks. But the decision has been criticised by unions who have organised protests in provincial towns across France. President Macron plans to force France's civil servants to work at least 35 hours a week - a decision which could see him battle with the country's unions (pictured in March 22, 2019) Although the country enjoys one of the shortest working weeks in the world at 35 hours - with people paid overtime after that - almost a third of its civil servants failed to even reach that amount, a series of reports discovered. The economy ministry's general inspection of finance found that from the 1.1million civil servants surveyed, 310,000 of them worked less than 35 hours, reported The Times. If more stuck to the required time, then Mr Macron, 41, would reportedly be able to cut 30,000 jobs - a quarter of his target to help cut 60 billion in public spending by 2022. Yet critics from the right are said to claim that Mr Macron's attempt is half-hearted as the yellow-vest movement powers the suggestion that the president's policies are for the rich. Yet critics from the right are said to claim that Mr Macron's attempt is half-hearted as the yellow-vest movement (protests pictured in Paris in March) powers the suggestion that the president's policies are for the rich His legislation will focus on those in local councils - who are meant to work just more than 35 hours a week with five weeks of leave - rather than civil servants employed by the government. On average, local council staff were found to work 40 hours less than their required amount in a year as most enjoy extra time off. For instance, Brittany staff get six days off a year to 'attend car boot sales' or to prepare for a bank holiday. In the Deux-Sevres area of western France, council staff receive ten and a half weeks holiday - two of these days are given as compensation for having to work in winter. Speaking last year, Mr Macron said: 'We find ourselves in a situation where the 35 hours are not done. It has to stop.' However, the National Group of Autonomous Unions told the publication that the legislation was an 'unprecedented offensive'. The founder of Uber has invested in more than 100 'dark kitchens' used by takeaways that offer a delivery-only service. Travis Kalanick has pumped cash into units across London that allow businesses to rent spaces for 2,500 a month. The sites cater to firms that don't want to offer in-house dining, but instead sell meals through apps such as Deliveroo. The founder of Uber is investing in dark kitchens, which allow delivery-only food firms such as Deliveroo to rent space in which to cook (pictured: a Deliveroo worker cycles through London) Mr Kalanick's City Storage Systems (CSS) bought the FoodStars start-up last year, the Financial Times revealed today. Regulatory filings show that the takeover included CloudKitchens, which operates under CSS. The US brand operates more than 100 kitchens in London in the company's first move outside the States. Mr Kalanick spent 113,598,750 ($150m) on a controlling stake in CSS one year ago. He is hoping to build on the food delivery market with a network of kitchens that cater solely for takeaway orders as apps such as Uber Eats, Door Dash and Hungry House soar in popularity. FoodStars started life in Bethnal Green, East London, in 2015 and was founded by William Beresford, Daniel Abrahams and Roy Shaby. The trio started working together in 2012 making takeaway sushi in Camberwell, south-east London, and rented out their spare kitchen space. Travis Kalanick (pictured at the Royal Albert Hall in central London) had been trying to keep his latest venture under wraps but UK filings have revealed he is a person with significant control in the firm By 2018 the firm had more than 100 kitchens at sites including Kentish Town, Shoreditch, Vauxhall and Battersea. It does not operate the kitchens, but leases out real estate to takeaway companies in the capital. Foodstars describes the spaces as 'dark kitchens' on its website, which are rented out fully stocked with cooking and prep equipment. Mr Kalanick's latest investment was revealed by Companies House records, which list him as a 'person with significant control'. Staff at CloudKitchens have been instructed to keep their employer off their LinkedIn profiles, a source told the FT in February. But the Companies House filings show that the directors are a Mr Beresford and Mr Shaby. Mr Kalanick is understood to have been keen to keep his new venture off the radar of rivals. Companies House listings of officers at CSS, FoodStars and their affiliates include former Uber manager Matt Atkin. Mr Atkin led some of Uber's earliest global launches. Former tech entrepreneur Colby Goff is also listed. Mr Goff heads up the Rustic Canyon restaurants group in Los Angeles. Advertisement Warrant Officer John Henry Coates (pictured) went missing during a mission in March 1945. His body was discovered 74 years later He gave up a leave day to join his RAF squadron for a daring raid in the closing months of the Second World War, helping liberate Italy from the Nazis. Tragically, Warrant Officer John Henry Coates paid the ultimate price for his bravery his Spitfire was downed and his remains lost until recently. But yesterday he finally got the send-off he deserved at two poignant ceremonies. The first was in Cavarzere, the village closest to where his Spitfire fell. It was shot down at dawn on March 5, 1945, after WO Coates, 24, who was known as Harry, joined 111 Squadron on the bombing raid. By then, two months before VE Day, Hitler's ally the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had been deposed and the invading Allies were being welcomed as liberators by Italians living under Nazi occupation. Six Spitfires took off from Ravenna, on the north-east coast, on a mission targeting 20 barges transporting munitions to German troops. But York-born Coates's Mark IX fighter was soon downed by anti-aircraft flak. Rain and mud swallowed the wreckage and the pilot's remains. His parents John and Eliza, along with his three sisters and three brothers, lived the rest of their lives not knowing what had become of him. Three years ago, a villager in his eighties revealed that his father had witnessed the doomed Spitfire spiralling from the sky. He pointed out the area to a local shopkeeper, Alessandro Voltolina, 48, a member of the Romagna Air Finders, a group of volunteers who recover Second World War aircraft. RAF pallbearers carry Warrant Officer Harry Coates' coffin as he is put to rest in Italy. The Yorkshireman has now been given a military funeral Youngsters Marcus Preston and Nicole Godfrey, relatives of Warrant Officer Coates, lay down a white rose on top of the pilot's grave RAF pallbearers with the coffin of Warrant Officer Harry Coates as they lead a procession of relatives and local residents The coffin for Warrant Officer Coates is carried by RAF pallbearers as they make their way to the pilot's final resting ground Offering an emotional display, the relatives of WO Coates, Charlotte Dearlove, Sarah Watts and Shelagh Coates, can't hold back the tears as they attend the pilot's funeral 'I spent a year looking with a metal detector,' Mr Voltolina recalled yesterday at the funeral. He eventually unearthed a fragment of the fuselage, and on October 14, 2017, a team of Italian archaeologists excavated the whole Spitfire, and WO Coates, all astonishingly well preserved under 27ft of clay. He was identified via a DNA match with his nephew John. Yesterday, more than 500 grateful townsfolk brought Cavarzere to a standstill in honour of the young Briton who gave his life for theirs. Standing by the coffin, Mayor Henri Tomassi said: 'We have to say thank you, thank you, thank you. It means so much to express our gratitude to a man who lost his life to free us.' Several dozen local schoolchildren paraded shoulder-to-shoulder with firemen, policemen, local dignitaries and elderly residents. As the town band struck up God Save The Queen, people came out of shops and homes to join the crowds snaking through Cavarzere to the San Mauro church, where a Roman Catholic bishop held a mass and RAF Wing Commander Peter Cochrane, the UK's air attache to Rome, read An Airman's Prayer, a traditional tribute to pilots. Finally laid to rest: WO Coates of 111 Squadron was declared missing in action after the RAF aircraft he was piloting crashed close to the village of Cavarzere Around 22 relatives attended the funeral, after an appeal to find his descendants was launched. One of his relatives spotted a story in a local newspaper and thankfully his family finally learnt of his resting place The town people of Cavarzere out in force to honour the pilot, with local schools and roads all being closed for the day WO Coates' coffin is carried by RAF pallbearers along the streets of Cavarzere, Italy, as residents walk behind to show their respect Niece Shelagh Coates and godson Marcus Preston of Warrant Officer Coates attend the funeral Standing in the crowd, her eyes brimming with tears, was one of the pilot's nieces, Shelagh Coates, 70, from South Lincolnshire, who said: 'It is overwhelming that the whole town have come out like this. 'The sadness I feel is for his six siblings, including my father Frank who died in 2015. They all survived the war and always longed for him to be found, but they all died before it happened.' A few hours later, the mournful notes of a trumpeter's lament rolled across a windswept cemetery in Padua, near Venice, at the second service where six RAF pallbearers in pristine blue uniform bore the coffin. WO Coates became the 518th Commonwealth serviceman to be buried at the Padua War Cemetery with full military honours. A poppy wreath is neatly placed on top of the pilot's coffin - covered with a Union Jack flag - as a sign of remembrance WO Coates' relatives Sarah Watts and Shelagh Coates accept the Union Flag from an official during the burial of the pilot A priest speaks at the funeral of WO Coates as his body is finally laid to rest, with family members and local residents attending the church service The Spitfire pilot is carried by RAF pallbearers to Padua War Ceremony where he was given a traditional military send-off A total of 20 members of his family, clad in black, had flown over from Britain. They included great-great-niece Nicole Godfrey, seven, and great-great-nephew Marcus Preston, 14, who both laid a white rose by his coffin before an RAF trumpeter sounded The Last Post. A padre, Group Captain Reverend Giles Legood, told mourners: 'Today is our chance to do what Harry's parents John and Eliza longed to do but never could give a decent burial to their son.' WO Coates, who worked as a railway draughtsman in York before the war, and never married or had children, has at least 62 known blood relatives. WO Coates shown standing on the wing of a Spitfire. Seven decades later, the 24-year-old Yorkshireman's body was discovered in the wreckage of his plane by Italian aviation archaeologists Shown left is the remains of a boot found amongst the wreckage of the plane, while right is a display from the flight deck It was in October 2017 that WO Coates' remains were discovered by members of the Romagna Air Finders, an organisation which recovers WWII aircraft Christine Stanton, 68, whose mother Molly Dearlove was the hero's younger sister, said: 'Our mum never came to terms with Harry's death. She died in 2008. But today was the most beautiful service, conducted with great dignity, and it brought a lot of closure. I felt very proud of him.' Niece Mrs Coates added: 'It was overwhelming to see so many here for a man they never knew. One lady said she came for what he did fighting for their freedom.' WO Coates' plane was discovered near Cavarzere, which was excavated after the Romagna Air Finders were told by locals an aircraft had crashed there in the 1940s WO Coates had been taking part in the dawn bombing of barges moored on a canal when his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire (shown is the aircraft's engine) Brazen teenagers who wear designer clothes and carry bum bags are taking to social media to boast about drugs, weapons and violent schoolyard brawls. The schoolkids, who congregate in groups and call themselves 'eshays' or 'lads', are part of a disturbing so-called gang sweeping across Australia and terrifying parents. Bond University criminologist and former police officer Terry Goldsworthy has called on authorities to crack down on the 'little wannabe gangsters'. 'They're just bullies and just cowards and ultimately criminals, because they're committing criminal acts,' he told A Current Affair. Teenage thugs who call themselves 'eshays' are boasting about drugs and weapons online In one image posted online a cap and balaclava-clad boy (pictured), whose identity is concealed, boldly holds up a sharp blade Despite calls for police to crackdown on the anti-social behaviour, the brazen teens continue to post disturbing acts online to accounts with thousands of followers. One social media account which appears to be primarily used to share updates on the so-called gang's unruly behaviour has an extremely threatening biography. 'Like my posts or me and the boys will beat the living sh*t out of you c***t,' it reads. In one image shared online, a shirtless boy who conceals his identity with a cap and balaclava boldly holds up a sharp blade. The image is captioned: 'I'll jab ya dog.' In another series of shots a young schoolboy can be see inhaling thick smoke through a bong which has a cannabis plant engraved on it. Other posts viewed by tens of thousands of people shows children - in their school uniform and on campus - brawling while other classmates cheer them on. Eshays are known for their trademark style - which typically includes flashy Nike shoes, high-end branded polo shirts and gym shorts or tracksuit pants. One parent, known only as David, told A Current Affair his son had come home from school and showed him an unprovoked 'eshay' gang attack against two classmates. 'It's very concerning, because I'm sure there's parents out there that don't know that their kids are being assaulted,' David said. He said it was part of the 'eshay' gang culture to start brawls as a way of gaining respect. 'And they wear designer clothing, carry bum bags, speak a certain way, some of them carry knives,' he added. Pope Francis seems to have had a change of heart concerning worshippers kissing his papal ring to show their respect. Earlier this week, the Pope was accused of saying goodbye to the tradition after footage emerged of him repeatedly pulling his hand away as visitors attempted the gesture. The pontiff was greeting worshippers at the Italian pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary at Loreto on Monday but appeared reluctant to let the faithful kiss his silver cross ring - the sacred symbol of the Pope's union to the Church. Yet it was back to tradition for the Pope on Wednesday as he allowed Sister Maria Concetta Esu to sweetly kiss his hand in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Scroll down for video It was back to tradition for the Pope on Wednesday as he allowed Sister Maria Concetta Esu to sweetly kiss his hand in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Earlier this week, the Pope was accused of saying goodbye to the tradition after footage emerged of him repeatedly pulling his hand away as visitors attempted the gesture The 85-year-old, of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Joseph of Genoni, was receiving a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice decoration for her work as an obstetrician in Africa. Having helped with the birth of some 3,000 children during her 60 years of missions, the papal awardee met the pontiff during his trip to the Central African Republic. The Pope divided opinion in the Church following his display on Monday, with some believing the Pope should always allow them the privilege of kissing his ring. Sister Maria Concetta Esu was allowed to perform the traditional show of respect What a contrast: While the 85-year-old was allowed (left), the pontiff appeared reluctant (right) to let the faithful kiss his silver cross ring - the sacred symbol of the Pope's union to the Church - on Monday Yet others said it is a dated practice harking back to when Popes were crowned like monarchs. A Vatican aide said the Pope had been 'amused' by all the reaction, adding of the ring kissing: 'Sometimes he likes it, sometimes he does not. It's really as simple as that.' Footage shows the pontiff beaming politely as his devotees kneel before him, yet as each of them attempts to kiss the ring he quickly slips his hand away. The pontiff can be seen smiling afterwards to offer reassurance as some appear deflated at his recoiling from the kiss. Pope Francis was in Loreto to sign a document on Monday during his pastoral visit at Santuario della Santa Casa Pope Francis' address was broadcast on screens in the packed square outside the Church in Loreto Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh, a supporter of Francis, tweeted: 'He's making sure that they engage with him, not treat him like a sacred relic. He's the Vicar of Christ, not a Roman emperor.' 'It's high time kissing bishops' rings disappears altogether. It's just ridiculous and has nothing to do with tradition. It's an import from monarchies. Much of the pomp around bishops should be ditched,' tweeted Jesuit priest Russell Pollitt. Some Vatican watchers noted that even former Pope Benedict, a hero to nostalgic conservatives, and his predecessor John Paul, did not like having their hands kissed - at least not by long lines of people, for the sake of expediency. One Twitter user recalled that when he visited Pope John Paul with a group of 50 people they were told specifically not to kneel or kiss the papal hand. Pope Francis reacts during a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto on the feast of the Annunciation on Monday Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register Edward Pentin tweeted: 'This is something he has done quite regularly during his pontificate though not quite so insistently as today.' David Gibson, director of Fordham's Center on Religion and Culture, wrote: 'This tradition is simply a throwback to an imperial/monarchical era that the papacy mimicked. If it served a purpose at one time it may not (and I think does not) serve any longer. Pope's are no longer crowned.' But Catholic priest Kevin Cusick tweeted: 'It's a grace for the faithful to be able to show respect for the office of the pope by kissing the papal ring. It's not about the pope, it's about the faithful.' Francis celebrated Mass in Loreto's cathedral and then signed a document dedicated to today's youth. The papers which will be officially released on April 2 are titled 'Christ Lives.' Advertisement The DUP crushed Theresa May's hopes of saving her Brexit deal tonight as they rejected her offer to resign in return for rebel votes. DUP leader Arlene Foster said her party still could not support the deal because it 'poses a threat to the integrity of the UK'. A party statement said 'we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote' - with Westminster leader Nigel Dodds vowing to vote No. The hammer blow came hours after Mrs May sensationally promised to quit Downing Street in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over. Mrs May rolled the dice in a final desperate effort to try and get the Brexit deal across the line. She needed all of the DUP, most Tory rebels and some Labour MPs to have any chance - and looks doomed to fail on all three counts. To win on her deal, Mrs May must find 75 more votes. Without the DUP, she needs every one of the 75 Tory rebels from the second vote on March 12 to return or make up the difference with Labour rebels. At least 50 Tory MPs are thought likely to stay away. Amid the drama at the top of Government, MPs rejected eight different Brexit plans in the Commons as an indicative vote on plans ranging from No Deal to a Second Referendum to Cancelling Brexit all failed. The PM's promised resignation was tied to the successful passage of the deal at the third attempt this week. No 10 sources said the Prime Minister would resign once Britain was outside the EU - due to be May 22 if the deal gets agreed by MPs later this week. She had previously only said she would go before the 2022 election. It is deeply unclear what Mrs May will do if her deal fails again and No 10 sources said it would be a 'whole different ball game'. ERG sources earlier told MailOnline the deal would '100 per cent' still fail. Mrs May could attempt to cling on and navigate Britain through a No Deal - or could leave much earlier because Brexit appears set to be delayed for months or even years. Whenever she finally goes, tonight's announcement publicly fires the starting gun on a Tory leadership race that is already being furiously fought behind the scenes. Boris Johnson - a leading contender to replace her - immediately switched to back the deal if there is a third vote. Since her deal was crushed a second time on March 12, Brexiteer rebels have insisted she must be gone before UK-EU trade negotiations begin if they will ever consider backing the deal. And a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee tonight Mrs May finally gave in: 'I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won't I hear what you are saying. 'But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit.' She added: 'I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. 'I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.' The Prime Minister set no date for her departure and No 10 sources said she would see through legislation to implement her deal, if it passes. The trade talks phase of Brexit is expected to begin in the autumn - suggesting the she plans to be gone before the Conservative Party conference in late September at the latest. Mrs May's voice 'cracked' during her speech, MP Pauline Latham told reporters outside the meeting. Theresa May (pictured returning to Parliament tonight) sensationally promised to quit Downing Street in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal tonight as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over Mrs May made her final gamble to try and get the Brexit deal across the line by promising to leave No 10 if Tory Brexiteer rebels finally back down In a huge blow for the Prime Minister, DUP leader Arlene Foster (pictured tonight on Sky News) said her party still could not support the deal because it 'poses a threat to the integrity of the UK' A party statement said 'we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote' - with Westminster leader Nigel Dodds vowing to vote No Brexiteer rebels led by Jacob Rees-Mogg (left today) had demanded Mrs May go as the price for the deal. Boris Johnson (right) was among the first to jump following her announcement Brexiteer ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg - who has said he will back the deal on the third vote if Mrs May wins back the DUP - said: 'There's never any joy or happiness in someone's political career coming to an end.' 'I know there is a desire for new leadership': May's promise to QUIT if MPs vote for the deal 'This has been a testing time for our country and our party. We're nearly there. We're almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. 'But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. As I say, I don't tour the bars and engage in the gossip but I do make time to speak to colleagues, and I have a great team in the Whips' Office. I also have two excellent PPSs. 'And I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that. 'I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won't I hear what you are saying. 'But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. She addded: 'I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. 'I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.' Advertisement Moderate Simon Hart said the PM had made a 'passionate' speech as if she had 'torn up the script'. He said: 'She was clear that providing the Withdrawal Agreement is passed she would start a process of an orderly handover (of power).' Mr Hart said the mood had been 'somber' as the PM announced she would leave. Brexiteer Simon Clarke - who twice voted against the deal - said Mrs May's speech had 'really changed the mood' but declined to say how he would vote in a third meaningful vote. He added: 'If I was a Remainer tonight I would be pretty worried. 'I think the chances (of a deal passing) are the highest they have ever been.' A senior Brexiteer said the chances of Mrs May's deal passing was now 'very close'. Mrs May made announcement to a jam-packed gathering of Tory MPs. Late arriving ministers were barred from entering committee room 14 before the PM's arrival because the room was too full. Those inside greeted her with 'muted' banging of the desks as she entered. In a fresh twist before Mrs May's announcement, John Bercow this afternoon threatened new Brexit chaos by throwing doubts over Mrs May's efforts to get her deal through the Commons by Friday. The Speaker warned the government today that her deal must have changed from the last time she brought it forward for a vote and she cannot use a procedural device known as a 'paving motion' to get around him. Bercow has already been accused of having Remainer sympathies and trying to thwart Britain leaving the EU by putting procedural barriers in the Government's path. Chancellor Philip Hammond and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling were pictured leaving Parliament tonight following the PM's announcement Health Secretary Matt Hancock is seen by some as a dark horse in the coming leadership contest In a fresh twist before Mrs May's announcement, John Bercow this afternoon threatened new Brexit chaos by throwing doubts over Mrs May's efforts to get her deal through the Commons by Friday May's government insists that a new Brexit date agreed with the EU and clarifications to the backstop announced at a summit in Brussels amount to a 'significant change'. MPs rejected eight different plans for Brexit in the Commons tonight The Speaker alone will decide if the change is sufficient and is expected to announce the night before if he will block a third vote. It comes after Mrs May faced down MPs in the Commons today and hinted she could hold a third vote on her deal as early as tomorrow. The Government is preparing to ask Parliament to sit on Friday in case they call the vote then. At PMQs she gave a spirited performance and appeared to trail tonight's announcement when she refused to rule out stepping down when challenged. If her deal gets the support of a majority of MPs before the end of this week Britain will leave the EU on May 22, if it does not the country faces weeks of chaos as rebel Remainers try to force a soft Brexit in votes starting tonight. And in a sign the deal could be voted on again tomorrow or Friday, Mrs May told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions today that they could deliver on Brexit 'if this week this House supports the deal'. As more rebel Brexiteer Tories indicated this morning that they will climb down and back May, Leave campaign architect Dominic Cummings attacked 'narcissist delusional' ERG members stopping the PM getting the votes she needs. Speaker says the government MUST change May's deal to bring a third vote John Bercow this afternoon threatened new Brexit chaos by throwing doubts over Theresa May's efforts to get her deal through the Commons by Friday. The Prime Minister has been considering announcing her resignation date this afternoon to win the support of Brexiteer rebel MPs. But the Speaker warned the government today that her deal must have changed from the last time she brought it forward for a vote and she cannot use a procedural device known as a 'paving motion' to get around him. Bercow has already been accused of having Remainer sympathies and trying to thwart Britain leaving the EU. May's government insists that a new Brexit date agreed with the EU and clarifications to the backstop announced at a summit in Brussels amount to a 'significant change'. The Speaker alone will decide if the change is sufficient and is expected to announce the night before if he will block a third vote. A week ago MPs accused John Bercow of turning Brexit into 'Parliament versus the people' after he ruled she could not bring her deal back to the Commons unchanged. Mrs May would have been hopeful that the Speaker is willing to make an exception and if the vote gets the green light, it's down to the numbers. Now it is clear that he won't budge - and her best hope will be including the new Brexit dates agreed by the EU last week to make it 'substantially different'. Advertisement In an extraordinary blogpost he said during the 2016 referendum campaign 'so many of you guys were too busy shooting or skiing or chasing girls to do any actual work'. He added: 'You should be treated like a metastasising tumour and excised'. However the rebel climbdown could all come to nothing because the DUP, who May also needs to support her deal, show no signs of coming onboard. Jacob Rees-Mogg today urged other hardline Eurosceptics to back Mrs May or face losing Brexit. Boris Johnson was among those who swung behind her after she agreed to quit tonight. Backbencher Robert Courts, a member of the ERG's Star Chamber, is the latest to cave with sources claiming the trickle of U-turns could become 'a flood'. He said: 'I will reluctantly back the PM's deal. The hard reality is that this deal, for all its faults, is now the only available route out of the EU and to deliver on our promises. With renewed focus the ultimate prize is still achievable in future relationship talks'. Mr Rees-Mogg admits that his change of heart will prompt accusations of treachery from some of his followers but told them: 'Half a loaf is better than no bread'. Chief whip Julian Smith reportedly believes that Mrs May announcing her departure will lead to 20 or more rebels could be ready to switch sides while former minister Iain Duncan Smith is said to be hoping to broker the resignation deal and said last night: 'There is a pretty good chance the deal is going to get through'. Mrs May failed to dampen speculation in the Commons when SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: 'It is becoming increasingly clear that the cost the Prime Minister will pay to force her disastrous deal through is the price of her departure'. Mrs May didn't rule it out and said: 'It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered.' What PM needs to edge to victory... by just 2 votes. There are 235 Tory loyalists, 10 switchers, 30 who with back the deal if May quits, 10 DUP supporters and 24 Labour These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit A KEY WEEK FOR BREXIT WEDNESDAY MARCH 27: MPs HOLD INDICATIVE VOTES ROUND ONE: MPs are set to hold the 'first round' vote choosing their preferred Brexit from options including Norway, a Customs Union, May's Deal and No Deal. They will most likely be able to choose more than one option at this stage, and will write their preferences on pink slips of paper rather than walking through lobbies in the traditional Commons voting method. The top options would then be put forward to another 'round two' vote. COULD STILL HAPPEN THURSDAY MARCH 28: MAY HOLDS A THIRD MEANINGFUL VOTE ON HER BREXIT DEAL: May is likely to try and pass her Brexit deal a third time, after the EU offered a Brexit date of 22 May if she does so this week. The Prime Minister will use threats that MPs will take control and force a softer Brexit in an attempt to force Brexiteer rebels and the DUP to finally back her. She may also offer them a date when she will quit in return for their support. Thursday is the most likely day for her vote, but there is a chance she won't hold it if she still does not believe she'll win. FRIDAY MARCH 29: MPs TAKE CONTROL? If the PM loses a third vote on her deal, or does not hold one, by Friday the Brexit date is reset until April. MPs and Remainer Cabinet ministers will try and force her towards a softer Brexit. Brexiteer MPs and Cabinet minister will conversely try and push her towards a No Deal exit from the EU. Minister have also claimed that they could call an election if MPs try to force them into a soft Brexit. MONDAY APRIL 1: INDICATIVE VOTES ROUND TWO: MPs are expected to rank their preferences for Brexit. When one option is knocked out, MPs second preferences will be counted. For example if a second referendum is knocked out, its supporters can switch to backing a soft Brexit. Parliament would agree to support the final option. WEDNESDAY APRIL 3: MPs COULD FORCE MAY'S HAND: If Theresa May refuses to accept MPs preferred Brexit option, they could try to pass new legislation compelling her to do so. Advertisement Tonight MPs will try to grab the levers of power and push Britain towards a softer Brexit by voting on alternatives to Theresa May's deal and today the rebellion's architect Sir Oliver Letwin said the Commons will change the law to force the PM to implement their views. In order to avoid up to 20 resignations in her cabinet Mrs May there will be free votes for Tory MPs with the Cabinet abstaining. Labour has revealed that it will whip its MPs to back a second referendum, customs union and 'encourage' them to back a common market 2.0 - but oppose other options including revoking Article 50. This will upset the many Labour MPs and supporters have backed the stop Brexit petition now signed by 6million people. Former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell said today: 'Oliver Letwin has played a blinder. My friends and colleagues in the ERG can see the instruments of torture laid out in front of them. Oliver has shown them what will happen if they don't come on side. Finally Mrs May has most of us on side on her deal, and with a following wind she will get her deal this week or early next week'. Mrs May will address a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee tonight and is expected to be asked to announce her departure date by disgruntled MPs. But she is yet to convince the DUP to back her deal - and without their 10 MPs her deal has little-or-no chance of passing because of the 25-plus Labour rebels she would need to bail her out. Asked how talks are going with the DUP, Mrs Leadom said: 'We are working very hard'. Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski tweeted: 'Have urged some friends in DUP to abstain over Withdrawal Agreement if they cannot support it. That way we could still just about get it across finishing line. We must prevent Remainer Parliament from destroying #Brexit.' Mr Rees-Mogg's intervention came as the number of Eurosceptics reluctantly backing Mrs May threatened to turn from a trickle into a flood. Writing in the Daily Mail, he says fellow Leavers have to face the 'awkward reality' that Remainers will thwart the 2016 referendum result unless the EU withdrawal agreement is passed. But he says the Prime Minister's plan is now the only way to ensure Britain leaves the EU and wrote: 'I apologise for changing my mind. By doing so I will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others. I have come to this view because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced.' Who could replace Theresa May? Here are the top runners and riders to replace the Prime Minister, their odds with Ladbrokes and how they voted in the 2016 referendum: Michael Gove 4/1 Michael Gove's odds have shortened in recent days Leading Vote Leave figure in 2016 who now backs PM's Brexit deal Former journalist, 51, who stood for leadership in 2016 Was sacked as education minister by Theresa May Later returned as Environment Minister A Brexiteer with a machiavellian reputation after the 2016 leadership campaign in which he first supported Boris Johnson for the leadership and then stood against him, to their mutual disadvantage. The former education secretary - sacked by Mrs May - was rehabilitated to become a right-on environment secretary - complete with reusable coffee cups and a strong line on food standards after Brexit. Despite being a former lead figure in the Vote Leave campaign alongside Mr Johnson the former journalist and MP for Surrey Heath has swung behind Mrs May's Brexit deal. At the weekend he denied being involved in a coup seeking to make him a caretaker PM. Seen as one of the Cabinet's strongest political thinkers and having stood once it is unthinkable that he would not stand again. Boris Johnson 4/1 Boris Johnson is very popular with the Tory grassroots Former foreign secretary and mayor of London Voted leave and has become an increasingly hardline Brexiteer As likely to make headlines over his private life Has recently lost a lot of weight and smartened up his appearance The former foreign secretary who quit last July and has been tacitly campaigning for the leadership ever since returning to the backbenches with a regular stream of attacks on Mrs may and her Brexit strategy. Never far from the limelight it is his private life that has seen him most in the news recently after splitting from his wife Marina and embarking on a relationship with a former Conservative communications staffer 20 years his junior. A hawkish Brexiteer hugely popular with the party faithful, in recently weeks he has further boosted his frontrunner credentials with what might be deemed a 'prime ministerial' makeover. He has lost weight and taming his unruly mop of blonde hair into something approaching the haircut of a serious senior statesman. Jeremy Hunt 8/1 Jeremy Hunt backed Remain in 2016 but has undergone a conversion to the Brexit cause The Foreign Secretary voted Remain But has become an increasingly vocal Brexiteer Backs May's deal Has approached ministers about running as a unity candidate The Foreign Secretary who has undergone a Damascene conversion to the Brexit cause in with a series of hardline warnings to the EU. The 52-year-old South West Surrey MP is the most senior Cabinet minister in contention. He has reportedly been selling himself to colleagues as a unity candidate who can bring together the fractious Tory factions into something approaching a cohesive party. A long-serving health secretary, he replaced Mr Johnson as the UK's top diplomat and has won some plaudits over issues like the imprisonment of British mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in Iran. But critics point to tub-thumpingly comparing the EU to the USSR at the party conference last year - which was very badly received in Brussels - and a gaffe in which he referred to his Chinese wife as 'Japanese' as a reception in China. Dominic Raab 10/1 The former Brexit Secretary is now a Theresa May critic Shortlived Brexit secretary last year, replacing David Davis in the hot seat But walked in November over terms agreed by PM Voted for Brexit in 2016 Mr Raab, 45, is another Vote Leave member who became Brexit secretary after David Davis quit alongside Mr Johnson last July over the Chequers plan. But he lasted just a matter of months before he too jumped ship, saying he could not accept the terms of the deal done by the Prime Minister. Like Mr Johnson and Mr Davis he has become an increasingly hardline Brexiteer, sharing a platform with the DUP's Arlene Foster and suggesting we should not be afraid of a no-deal Brexit. The Esher and Walton MP's decision to quit in November, boosted his popularity with party members but he lacks the wider popular appeal of Mr Johnson. And like Mr Johnson he might benefit from having quit the Cabinet at an earlier stage and dissociating himself with the dying days of the May administration. Sajid Javid 12/1 Sajid Javid has kept a relatively low profile throughout the Brexit chaos The most senior cabinet contender Voted Remain but wants to see Brexit delivered Faced criticism as Home Secretary But has taken a hard line on Shamima Begum case The Home Secretary, a Remainer who wants to see Brexit delivered, was the leading candidate from inside the Cabinet to replace Mrs May. After replacing Amber Rudd last year he consciously put clear ground between himself and the Prime Minister on issues like caps on skilled migrants after Brexit. But his credentials have taken a hit in recent weeks. He finds himself facing ongoing criticism of his handling of the knife crime crisis affecting UK cities, which sparked a cabinet row over funding for police. He also lost face over his handling of the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel in January, being seen to move slowly in realising the scale of the problem. But more recently the 49-year-old Bromsgove MP has made a serious of hardline decision designed to go down well with Tory voters. Most notably they have included moving to deprive London teenager turned Jihadi bride Shamima Begum, 19, of her British citizenship. Advertisement Mark Francois, deputy chairman of the Tory European Research group, has said he expects the DUP will vote against Theresa May's deal, in which case Jacob Rees-Mogg and most of the ERG would kill her deal. 'My understanding is the DUP have made very clear they are not going to vote for the Prime Minister's deal,' he told BBC Radio 4's the World at One. 'Jacob Rees-Mogg, my boss as chairman of the ERG, has always said consistently he will not vote contrary to the DUP. 'So, if the DUP hold good to their word, and they're honourable people in my experience, they will vote against the deal. Therefore, so will Jacob and, I believe, so will the bulk of the ERG. 'The Government want to bring MV3 (meaningful vote three) back tomorrow. They are desperately trying to peel people away in order to facilitate it. At the moment, it's not working.' Seven Conservative MPs who voted against her plan earlier this month yesterday said they were changing their minds. And last night Boris Johnson gave the strongest hint yet that he could also fall into line, saying: 'If we vote it down again there is an appreciable and growing sense we will not leave at all. That is the risk.' Former Tory leader and Eurosceptic Iain Duncan Smith said last night there was now a good chance of Mrs May winning the 'meaningful' vote. The official Leave campaign director has today threatened to set up a new group as he said some Conservative Brexiteers should be treated like a 'metastasising tumour'. Dominic Cummings criticised a 'narcissist-delusional subset' of the influential European Research Group (ERG) that he said needed to be 'excised'. With Brexit delayed, he issued a threat to MPs who promised 'to respect the referendum result then abandoning' the pledge that 'actions have consequences'. The Vote Leave director called on activists to start 'rebuilding our network' before suggesting a new campaign or party could be formed. Mr Cummings' blog post on Wednesday was in response to him being found to be in contempt of Parliament after he failed to appear before MPs investigating fake news. He accused the subset of the ERG of 'scrambling' for top radio spots while 'spouting gibberish'. During the EU referendum, he claimed, 'so many of you guys were too busy shooting or skiing or chasing girls to do any actual work'. 'You should be treated like a metastasising tumour and excised from the UK body politic,' he added. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Government hopes to be able to bring Theresa May's Brexit deal back to the Commons this week. Mrs Leadsom told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think that there is a real possibility that it does. We are completely determined to make sure that we can get enough support to bring it back.' She added: 'The Prime Minister said she is working hard, as many colleagues are, to persuade colleagues to support it.' Mrs Leadsom refused to be drawn on whether the Prime Minister should commit to standing down once the Withdrawal Agreement is passed in order to win over wavering MPs. 'I am fully supporting the Prime Minister to get us out of the European Union,' she said. Asked if Mrs May should stand down after that, she said: 'I think that is a matter for her. I am not expressing a view.' The shift in momentum came as Remainers led by Tories Sir Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles and Labour's Yvette Cooper prepared to seize control of the Brexit process today in a bid to push through a soft departure. MPs tabled a blizzard of amendments for consideration in today's 'indicative votes' in the Commons. Options include revoking Article 50, which would effectively cancel Brexit, holding a second referendum and locking the UK into a single market and customs union. The latter would require Britain to accept free movement, EU laws and payments to Brussels. Sir Oliver Letwin, the architect of the plan for the Commons to stage a series of indicative votes on the way forward on Brexit, tioday warned that if Theresa May tried to ignore the outcome, MPs could seek to force her to act. 'If on Monday one or more propositions get a majority backing in the House of Commons, then we will have to work with the Government to implement them,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. 'The way I would hope it would happen under those circumstances is that we would have sensible, workmanlike discussions across the House of Commons and the Government would move forward in an orderly fashion. 'If the Government didn't agree to that, then those who I am working with across the parties will move to legislate to mandate the Government - if we can obtain majorities in the House of Commons and House of Lords for that - to carry that forward.' Former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell said Sir Oliver Letwin had played 'an absolute blinder' by making clear to Brexiteers the consequences of continuing to oppose the PM's deal. He said: 'Well, I think Sir Oliver Letwin has laid out for all my friends and colleagues in the ERG the instruments of torture, of what awaits them if they do not support Mrs May's deal the next time it comes to a vote. 'Everyone else is onside in the parliamentary party. Reluctantly, I admit, but nevertheless, onside.' The Conservative Party will split apart if hardline MPs believe they can back Theresa May's Brexit deal now and unpick it later, Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve has said. Mr Grieve said the Tories could not survive the pressure of trying to re-order the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement once Britain had left the EU. The ex-Cabinet minister said the idea that the UK could renegotiate the deal after it quit the bloc extended beyond some members of the European Research Group (ERG) of Eurosceptic Tories. Mr Grieve said: 'I am mindful that some of my colleagues, not all of them in the ERG, I can think of at least one Cabinet minister who has hinted that the solution to the problem is to see this deal through so that we leave the EU ... and then try to pick it apart. 'Do they really, seriously think that my party, who's already under a lot of strain and stress, is going to survive such a process? 'Of course it isn't. 'If genuinely they think that the solution is to sign-up, leave and then try to take the whole thing to pieces, I think we can guarantee, firstly, we are going to have a very long period of immense and sterile debate. 'And certainly I think when it comes to that I can confidently predict my party would split.' Mr Grieve also said it was 'odd' that members of the ERG would support Mrs May's deal on condition she gave a departure date for quitting Downing Street. Speaking at a People's Vote campaign event calling for a new Brexit referendum, he said: 'It seems to me a very odd thing to say that just because she would go, they would be prepared to support it.' During PMQs today, SNP MP Stewart Hosie asked the Prime Minister when she would resign. He said: 'Brexit is already costing the UK around 1 billion a week in lost growth. 'We know 80% plus of the UK public is unhappy with the way in which this has been handled - this is not the fault of Guy Verhofstadt, Michel Barnier, Donald Tusk, or any MP in this House voting according to their conscience. 'That fault lies with the Prime Minister who is the architect of the withdrawal deal, so can she finally concede to the House she is liable, responsible, culpable for the chaos which is the Brexit debacle and when she will be resigning?' Mrs May insisted her deal 'delivers on the result of the referendum'. Earlier, Andrea Leadsom refused to be drawn on whether the Prime Minister should commit to standing down once the Withdrawal Agreement is passed in order to win over wavering MPs as ministers including Michael Gove (right today) continue to fight for her deal Brexiteer Tory MP Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) said his constituents would never trust the Prime Minister again if the UK failed to leave the EU on Friday March 29, with or without a deal. 'At the last minute she begs our EU masters for an extension to Article 50, delaying our departure,' he said. 'They are good people, but they are not stupid and they will never trust the Prime Minister again.' Mrs May said MPs could still guarantee delivering on Brexit 'if this week he and others in this House support the deal' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Mrs May: 'This country is on hold while the Government is in complete paralysis. 'The vital issues facing our country from the devastation of public services to homelessness to knife crime have been neglected. 'The Prime Minister is failing to deliver Brexit because she can't build a consensus, is unable to compromise and unable to reunite the country. Instead she is stoking further divisions, she's unable to resolve the central issues facing Britain today and she is frankly unable to govern. 'The Prime Minister faces a very clear choice, the one endorsed by the country and many of her own party - either listen and change course, or go. Which is it to be?' Mrs May defended the Government's record on public spending before adding: 'The biggest threat to our standing in the world, to our defence and to our economy is sitting on the Labour frontbench.' Labour MP Stephen Kinnock said: 'I really hope that today we will at least get to see the two or three really clear options where there is support in Parliament. 'Then on Monday, we will have a crack of the whip and I think we can get something over the line. 'But if we can't of course, Theresa May will come back and try her deal. It looks like she will try that tomorrow. Who knows whether that would work. 'But we have to, under all circumstances, ensure that we don't leave the EU without a deal.' Attorney General Geoffrey Cox is said to have told the PM that if Parliament does mandate her to pursue a new Brexit route next week if her deal falls then she will break the law if she ignores it. Theresa May faces a series of votes on alternatives to the PM's Brexit deal - and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay were called for No 10 talks this morning Prime Minister Theresa May and Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union Stephen Barclay leave Downing Street yesterday Cabinet ministers were in talks with the Democratic Unionist Party in Whitehall last night in a last-ditch attempt to win its support which is seen as necessary before Eurosceptics will fall in line. What will happen in the Commons today? 2pm: Debate on how to organise the indicative votes begins. It will be the first time ever MPs have control of the agenda. 3pm: Votes to finalise the rules of indicative votes. This is set to say MPs will use a ballot paper to vote yes or no on a series of Brexit plans all at once. This can be amended to the rules could change. 3.15pm: Debate on the plans will start proper. Ideas are thought likely to include a soft Brexit, hard Brexit and a No Deal on April 12. It is unclear whether the Government will put its own deal into the mix. 7pm: The Commons will be suspended for 30 minutes so MPs can fill in and file their ballot papers. 7.30pm: Voting closes. MPs are due to spend up to 90 minutes debating the change to the law on Brexit Day. It is a technical change as EU law has already postponed it from March 29. 9pm: Speaker John Bercow will announce how MPs have voted on each Brexit plan. Anything which gets more than about 315 votes will have a rough majority in the Commons. It is possible the House could vote strongly in favour of nothing - or multiple contradictory plans. Advertisement A total of 75 Tories including half a dozen arch-Remainers voted against the deal when it was defeated two weeks ago by a majority of 149. At yesterday's Cabinet meeting ministers, including Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and Treasury chief secretary Liz Truss, pledged their determination and 'resolve to get this done'. A source said: 'They are pulling out all the stops to try and get colleagues over the line.' But one Cabinet minister estimated the odds of Mrs May getting the deal through at just 30 per cent. Her allies downplayed expectations, saying 'everything has to fall in place at once' and it wouldn't be clear until lunchtime today what would happen. Even if she wins over the DUP and most of her backbenchers, Mrs May will still need Labour MPs to back the deal. A group of up to 25 hardline ERG members are seen as 'irreconcilable' including Sir Bill Cash, Sir John Redwood and former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson. Some of these argue that they can still secure a No Deal Brexit regardless of a bid by Sir Oliver to try to find a softer deal the Commons can agree to. Other Eurosceptic MPs said they were determined to oppose the deal. Dr Julian Lewis, chairman of the Defence Committee, told the Mail: 'The choice revealing itself is one between a clean Brexit or tearing up the result of the referendum. 'It is vital that those of us who believe in Brexit neither 'flag nor fail' in Churchill's immortal phrase, at this decisive stage.' The Easter recess of parliament may be cancelled as MPs try to get a grip of Brexit, Mrs Leadsom said yesterday. She stressed Britons would expect MPs to be 'working flat-out'. She told the Commons: 'I have announced the dates for Easter recess. But, as is always the case, recess dates are announced subject to the progress of business. 'We will need time in the House either to find a way forward or to pass the Withdrawal Agreement bill, and I think the country will rightly expect Parliament to be working flat-out in either scenario.' The recess is due to run from April 4 to 23. Labour MPs WILL be ordered to back a second referendum TONIGHT: MPs table SIXTEEN Brexit alternatives that they will try and force upon May - but Corbyn faces party fury for refusing to consider revoking Article 50 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his house this morning Labour MPs will be ordered to vote for a second referendum on Brexit tonight - as MPs try to select an alternative to May's deal that they will try and force upon her next week. A series of 'indicative votes' will be held in the Commons tonight with up to sixteen options on the table. The alternatives will also likely include cancelling Brexit, a No Deal Brexit on April 12 and a softer exit than proposed by Theresa May. The results are due around 9pm and the most favoured options are expected to go through to a second round vote next week. MPs will then try to pass new laws forcing Theresa May to adopt their favoured option, before Britain will leave the EU on April 12 assuming Theresa May's Brexit deal does not pass this week. Labour is understood to be whipping its MPs to vote in favour of a second referendum on May's deal. A Labour spokeswoman confirmed MPs would be told to keep options on the table tonight, which MailOnline understands includes a public vote. Remainer Labour MP Jess Phillips confirmed that party MPs were facing a three-line whip in support of an amendment laid by Dame Margaret Beckett backing a new public vote and expected almost a dozen shadow frontbenchers to consider quitting because of that. She told the BBC: 'I think a lot of people think that wouldn't be good I would say probably it is up to 10 shadow ministers who I think will be facing the question of whether they have to resign today.' More than a million anti-Brexit campaigners took part in the People's Vote March in London - but Jeremy Corbyn did not go At around 3pm, Speaker John Bercow will select from the 16 draft proposals which ones will actually be voted on. He is expected to choose six to 10 ideas for a debate that will run until 7pm. MPs will be asked to vote 'Yes' or 'No' to each option on a piece of paper that they will then put in a ballot box.They can support as many as they like. After 7.30pm, Commons clerks will scramble to count the votes all at once - a process expected to take at least an hour and potentially longer. Once that process is complete the total number of votes for each option will be read out. There may not be a majority for any one option, and the most popular options will go forward to a second round vote. Mrs May has said she will not necessarily be bound by the results - particularly if they are 'undeliverable' by the EU. But before the vote, and internal party row broke out in the Labour party when, shadow trade minister Barry Gardiner said that Mr Corbyn will order MPs to vote against the 'extreme option' of stopping Brexit and leaving with No Deal tonight because 'Labour is not a Remain party'. An online petition demanding Article 50 be revoked has now been signed by almost six million people. But in an interview with the BBC Mr Gardiner also revealed that Labour could have difficulty supporting a plan for a second referendum on any Brexit deal, in case it led to stopping Britain leaving the EU. He said: 'Our policy is clearly that we would support a public vote to stop No Deal or to stop a bad deal, but not that we would allow a bad deal as long as the public had the opportunity to reject Brexit altogether. 'That implies that you are a Remain party. The Labour Party is not a Remain party now. We have accepted the result of the referendum'. Are they having a laugh? EU could delay Brexit until APRIL FOOLS' DAY 2020 as Tusk begs fellow leaders for a long delay so the UK can 'rethink its strategy' The EU will push for Britain's first day as a non-EU member to be April Fools' Day 2020 if Theresa May's deal is killed off this week, it was revealed today. Brussels has pencilled in a year-extension to Article 50 with Brexit Day being March 31 next year. It came as Donald Tusk today urged the European Parliament to keep faith with those British voters still hoping for a longer delay or even the reversal of the Brexit decision. He said: 'We should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy'. The President of the European Council also mentioned an online petition to revoke Brexit and claimed one million people marched through London on Saturday demanding a second referendum, despite experts claiming only 400,000 were at the march He said: 'You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union'. The Prime Minister must pass her deal by the end of the week for Britain to leave the EU on May 22. If it doesn't the country will leave on April 12, but rebel MPs are trying to force through a longer delay and softer Brexit in votes that begin tomorrow. European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) talks with European Council President Donald Tusk today as it emerged they will offer Britain the chance to leave on April Fool's Day next year Nigel Farage high fives European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a debate on the outcome of the latest European Summit on Brexit today Almost 6million people have signed a petition calling for Article 50 to be revoked and Donald Tusk has said the EU will not 'abandon' them Guy Verhofstadt compares Nigel Farage to cowardly Blackadder Field Marshall An EU leader today compared Nigel Farage to Blackadder's lily-livered First World War Field Marshall. Guy Verhostadt poked fun at the former Ukip leader's 200-mile March to Leave walk Mr Verhofstadt said when he saw Mr Farage (picrured today) in the European Parliament today: 'This is a surprise to me because I thought that he was marching somewhere in Britain. 'But he is here. A 200-mile march. How many miles have you done, two miles? 'You remind me more and more of Field Marshall Haig in Blackadder, who was also sitting in the World War One in his office in London. And you are in Strasbourg while your own people are marching through the rain and in the cold'. Mr Farage hit back: 'As a former Belgian prime minister I thought you would know that it was Field Marshall Haig in 1914 that saved the Belgian town of Ypres from German domination, who then went on to lead Britain in 1918 in its greatest ever military defeat of Germany on the Western Front. He added 'Far from mocking Haig in Belgium, he should be a great hero to you'. Advertisement The EU is ready for the extension and will force Britain to accept that this will be April 1 next year, according to the Guardian. Today European Council President Donald Tusk urged British MPs to remain open to a long postponement of Brexit while Britain rethinks its position, urging them not to 'betray' the UK's pro-Europe voters. He said: 'I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European Parliament elections' 'And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you. Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable'. He added: 'You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union'. Top Euro MPs launched a scathing personal attack on Theresa May yesterday - with one saying she had no 'basic human skills'. Senior figures on the EU Parliament's influential Brexit Steering Group (BSG) lashed out amid meltdown in Westminster. But they also gloated that Britain could be heading for a softer Brexit after MPs voted in favour of snatching control from the prime minister. One leading Euro-MP on the steering group, which last night held talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Strasbourg, said the situation in Westminster was proof Mrs May was 'totally devoid of the basic human skills' needed for public office. Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts claimed it also meant she was unable to build 'bonds of trust' with MPs, her cabinet and other EU leaders. Meanwhile Guy Verhofstadt, chair of the (BSG), declared himself 'very pleased' at developments which could lead to a closer UK-EU future relationship. They were speaking at the EU Parliament, sitting in Strasbourg this week, after MPs in Westminster voted in favour of holding 'indicative votes' today on options - including reversing Brexit - which Mrs May would then be told to deliver. An MEP claimed that during her appearance in Brussels on Thursday, Mrs May even managed to upset the Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel, who he described as 'Mr Nice Guy by definition'. May and Bettel are pictured at the summit A general view of Anti-Brexit campaigners as they take part in the People's Vote March in London and wave pro-EU banners The move was orchestrated by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour's Yvette Cooper. Mr Verhofstadt yesterday hailed the 'real Brexit revolt' which could see MPs vote in favour of a much softer version of Brexit than set out in Mrs May's deal. He also praised marchers in London at the weekend who demanded a second referendum and those who have signed a petition calling for Brexit to be reversed. Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts (file), a member of the European Parliament's Brexit steering committee, said the Prime Minister had been unable to establish 'bonds of trust' with other European leaders Mr Verhofstadt said: 'We see for the moment a real Brexit revolt by the people in Britain, the march of this weekend with one million people in London, the petition which has reached more or less 5.7 million signatures.' Referring to the political declaration part of the Brexit deal, which outlines the future relationship, he added: 'And I'm very pleased that yesterday evening an amendment, the so-called Letwin amendment, has been adopted because that means that it's possible now to work in Britain towards a cross-party proposal, a cross-party alliance that could upgrade fundamentally the Political Declaration.' During the so-called 'indicative votes' MPs could vote in favour of the political declaration being changed to create a softer Brexit, either via a permanent customs union or even continued membership of the single market - referred to as 'Norway-plus'. Mr Lamberts, who also sits on the BSG, launched the most scathing attack on the prime minister. He claimed Mrs May's 'inability to factor in what other people think' had fuelled the chaos. He said: 'The strategy of running down the clock and scaring people into voting for the Withdrawal Agreement has failed. 'I hope that indeed in the first stage the parliament will be able to find a majority for an option. 'Is it Norway plus? Is it a second referendum? I don't know...after that I hope the government will do what it can to make that option happen.' He added: 'One lesson we have learned from Theresa May 's attitude is her inability to factor in what others think, her inability to forge bonds of trust in her cabinet...and between her cabinet and the House of Commons obviously, but also within the European Council.' Mr Lamberts also said that Mrs May had infuriated Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, at a summit last week at which she asked for a delay to Brexit. He claimed Luxembourg's premier is known as 'Mr Nice Guy by definition' and that it proved Mrs May 'must be totally devoid of the basic human skills you need to be a political leader'. JACOB REES-MOGG: I apologise for changing my mind. But this is why I'm ready to back Mrs May I apologise for changing my mind. Theresa May's deal is a bad one, it does not deliver on the promises made in the Tory Party manifesto and its negotiation was a failure of statesmanship. A 39 billion bill for nothing, a minimum of 21 months of vassalage, the continued involvement of the European Court and, worst of all, a backstop with no end date. Yet, I am now willing to support it if the Democratic Unionist Party does, and by doing so will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others. I have come to this view because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced. Mrs May ought to have concluded a better agreement but behind the backs of two secretaries of state, David Davis and Dominic Raab, she did not. The agreement on the table is as it is, and the proposal to replace the backstop with something else, particularly the Malthouse Compromise (a managed No Deal exit if a deal cannot be agreed) has floundered. Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he is ready to back Theresa May's deal 'because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse' Delay The EU, in the knowledge that it was dealing with a weak counterparty, has refused to reopen the text and the Government has not been willing to threaten No Deal in any effective way. The late start to No Deal planning and the reluctance to use it in negotiations has been a significant reason for the poor outcome. Until last week, nonetheless, No Deal remained the default legal option but the Government and the Prime Minister have now ruled this out and with the support of Parliament can now do so. No Deal is an outcome I would prefer to Mrs May's deal. It would be a fully-leaded Brexit and mere motions in the Commons could not have stopped it. Indeed, despite a clear majority of MPs opposing such a departure, it would have happened on Friday had Mrs May not used her executive authority as Prime Minister to postpone the day of Brexit. Once No Deal had been ruled out, it was necessary to examine what would happen in the event of the current agreement not passing. This would lead to a long delay as there is no opportunity of renegotiating anything before the European elections at the end of May. Two years or more is proposed but considering the opposition to Brexit it could be revoked or put to a skewed second referendum. A long delay would make remaining in the EU the most likely outcome. If the moral authority of 17.4 million voters and a General Election in 2017 when both main parties committed to respecting the result could not deliver our departure in three years, how strong a mandate would it be after five? Even if the fear of remaining were exaggerated, it would inevitably lead to an even softer Brexit. It is a sad fact that there is a gulf between Parliament and the people. Fifty-two per cent voted Leave but two-thirds of MPs want to remain. The Lords is even worse with a tiny minority of pro-Leave peers. After giving people the right to decide, too many politicians felt that the voters gave the wrong answer and must be saved from themselves. Two years further from the referendum would allow for the demands to be watered down again, leaving the UK shackled by a Customs Union or as a Norway-style rule-taker. If this were all, it could be sensible to take the risk and see if something better turned up. A number of Tory MPs think a new leader could swiftly renegotiate but that is almost certainly not true now that Parliament has taken control of the Brexit timetable. No Deal is an outcome I would prefer to Mrs May's deal. It would be a fully-leaded Brexit and mere motions in the Commons could not have stopped it. It would be even harder for a Eurosceptic to manage the current Commons than it is for Mrs May. Even if this could happen, politicians must look at the current constitutional clash and fear for our polity. The constitution is under attack in three ways. The first is between the Government and the Commons. This has been encouraged by the Speaker whose noble efforts to allow the Commons to hold the Government to account have gone too far and now seek to take the role of the Government to the legislature. Recklessness This is dangerous because the Commons' job is to provide confidence in a Prime Minister who can take decisions for which she or he is accountable. These decisions ought to be in accordance with manifesto commitments and if there is no confidence in the duly elected Prime Minister, then control ought to return to voters, not to a cabal of MPs who will have random majorities on various issues but no clear leader or mandate. Separation of powers between Downing Street and the Commons is a crucial part of how we are ruled and a protection against arbitrary government. Upsetting this balance is unwise to the point of recklessness and the Sir Oliver Letwin takeover proves the point. Unfortunately, the second breakdown is just as serious. The Government only functions if ministers support a single position or resign, and this has been the reality since the 1830s. There can only be one Government position, otherwise how can it be held to account? How can electors know how power is being exercised if different ministers say the first thing that pops into their heads? Recently, three Cabinet Ministers failed to back Government policy on the vote to leave the EU without a deal and in a rather jejune fashion ostentatiously abstained. As they did not resign, this undermines one of the cornerstones of the constitution, making it harder for the Government to function. Faltering Any government must be able to get its business done. If it cannot, it is unable to govern. The principle of the separation of powers and of collective responsibility lie at the heart of this. A number of Tory MPs think a new leader could swiftly renegotiate but that is almost certainly not true now that Parliament has taken control of the Brexit timetable The great Duke of Wellington was famous for insisting that the Queen's Government must go on and that all responsible politicians have a duty towards such an end, even if it countermands their own piety. The worst breakdown, though, is between the elected and the electors. The condescension of politicians who feel that Leave voters were all stupid and ought never to have been allowed to decide something so complicated is tragic. Ultimately, voters know best and must be trusted. Imperfect as it is, Mrs May's deal gets closer to that than anything else available. The Withdrawal Agreement has one great virtue. Legally, we would have left and to re-join would mean agreeing to adopt the Euro single currency, Schengen (the abolition of national borders) and no rebate. Such a course would be expensive and hugely unpopular. The backstop, too, could tie us into rules that we did not like. But outside the EU, it would be a political not a legal matter. International law is not as clear-cut as EU or domestic law and there is no court to rule between states and international bodies. Ultimately, Brexit could be delivered upon but it would take longer. It would need a Commons that wants to use our freedoms and that is willing to insist that the word 'temporary', as applied to the backstop, is genuine. It needs political leadership and a desire to stop the weak-minded managing of decline and a belief in the UK. Theresa May's deal is a more faltering step than I want, or feel, could be taken but at least it is a step forward. A Dunkirk veteran taken prisoner as he held off German attacks to allow the British evacuation and who then escaped a POW camp and walked 1,300 miles to freedom has died aged 99. Lance Corporal Les Kerswill was captured in 1940 at Dunkirk as he bravely formed a last line of defence against a devastating German advance. More than 300 of his comrades were killed in the stand, but their heroic actions allowed more than 300,000 troops to be evacuated by a flotilla of ships. Lcpl Kerswill was one of the last remaining Dunkirk veterans and passed away seven days before his 100th birthday at a nursing home in Poole. Lance Corporal Les Kerswill pictured in 2008 with the leather boots he walked 1,300 miles to freedom in Lcpl Kerswill (pictured at the end of the war), was a lance corporal in the Royal Berkshire Regiment when he was sent to fight in France in December 1939 Lcpl Kerswill (centre, second row from back) with his company in Lille in 1940 Lcpl Kerswill was sent to fight in France in December 1939 with the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was captured in 1940 but broke out of a Prisoner of War camp in 1944 and walked through snow-covered Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany before meeting up with the advancing Allies. He made his escape when Nazis guards marched them out in Christmas 1944, as the Russians advanced from the east. He took the opportunity to escape by sneaking off while the guards weren't looking. He was a recipient of the Legion d'honneur medal in 2015 As he undertook the gruelling 1,300-mile walk he wore the trusty boots sent to him by his mother. He got frostbite in his toes but survived by sleeping in barns and foraging for food. Lcpl Kerswill kept the boots and used them as an aid for talks that he gave to schoolchildren in his home town of Bournemouth, Dorset. He said they still had French mud on the soles. After the war Lcpl Kerswill worked as an engineer and married wife Eileen in 1946. They went on to have a son together, but Eileen passed away in 1958. In 2010 the Mayor of St Venant - the French village where Lcpl Kerswill was captured - made him the guest of honour for their 70th anniversary commemorations of Dunkirk. And in 2015 Lcpl Kerswill, who could speak fluent French, received the Legion d'honneur - France's highest honour - for helping to liberate the country from the Nazis. In 2015 Lcpl Kerswill (pictured in 2015), received the Legion d'honneur - France's highest honour - for helping to liberate the country from the Nazis Lcpl Kerswill (pictured in 2008), was captured in 1940 but broke out of a Prisoner of War camp in 1944 and walked through snow-covered Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany before meeting up with the advancing Allies Les Kerswill pictured in France (centre right) in 2010 receiving his medal from St Venant mayor Dominique Faivre (centre left) Friends have rallied to pay tribute to the war hero who they described as a, 'kind, talented and inspirational man, a true gentleman and a courageous and brave soldier.' The war hero's mother Ethel Kerswill in 1950. She sent him the boots that enabled him to walk to freedom Jason Carley, spokesman for the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, said: 'The contribution of the soldiers like Les who stayed behind and fought the Germans to enable 338,000 of their fellow soldiers to be brought back to Britain was invaluable yet it can be forgotten. 'It is so important that we remember them and not just those who made it back on the little ships. 'Les' story of escape and walking 1,300 miles to freedom across hostile territory is amazing yet he told it with such modesty. 'His strength of character to complete the incredible journey was remarkable. 'Sadly in the last few months we have lost a number of Dunkirk veterans and ultimately there are just a handful left. 'This makes it all the more important that we preserve their legacy. We would like to send our sincere condolences to Les' family.' The PoWs were marched through Holland to Germany and Lcpl Kerswill had to swap his worn-out army issue boots for wooden clogs. When he reached the PoW camp in Beutem in western Poland he wrote to his mother, and asked her to send him some new leather boots 'You've nothing to be ashamed of, you put up one hell of a fight': Dunkirk hero tells how Nazi soldier told him and his comrades to surrender after they put up brave battle to allow British retreat After five months on the France/Belgium border Lance Corporal Les Kerswill's regiment came under bombardment as the Nazis blitzkrieged their way across western Europe. The overwhelmed Allied Expeditionary Force performed a 'fighting' retreat until they reached Dunkirk. Lcpl Kerswill recalled the harrowing details of the bloody three day battle, in which his battalion were decimated. Allied soldiers are pictured here being assisted by the Royal Navy in June 1940, on their return to England after being evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, Northern France. Some 338,226 soldiers, mostly from the British Expeditionary Force, were rescued from the advancing German Army between May 19 and June 4 'We will fight them on the beaches': Prime Minister Winston Churchill's wartime speech in the wake of the Dunkirk evacuation Winston Churchill's rousing speeches inspired a nation and played a key role in Britain's morale during the dark early days of the Second World War. This is an extract from his Commons speech on June 4, 1940, after the evacuation of 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk. 'I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. 'At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. 'Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. 'We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.' Advertisement He said: 'My regiment were in the thick of it. The Germans were coming in their hundreds, if not thousands. 'We were firing; you couldn't miss there were so many of them. I was pinned down on my own and Jerry was in a dip in the ground. 'I heard a noise behind me and asked if anybody was there, then the Sergeant Major said hang on while I'll give you cover. 'I looked behind me and there he was on a war memorial about 15ft high. He had got a Bren gun and he said to me, 'I'll open up and you run to the left..' 'I didn't hang about. I found myself with 34 others, including an officer. 'I later found out we had lost 600 men that afternoon, they were either killed or were missing. The officer decided that we were going to attack. 'Somebody said, 'you must be bloody mad' or something to that effect. The order was to fix bayonets and then we went forward. 'We drove for probably about a mile when we got to a point we were out in the open and couldn't go any further. 'The firing was like being in a hailstorm. I got hit in the back of the left thigh with a bit of spent shrapnel, but it felt like the size of a drain cover. 'I thought my leg had come off. I found myself commander in charge of five blokes. 'This chap said to me, 'what are we going to do now, corp?' 'A couple of hundred yards away there was a sunken road and I knew we could make our way back to Dunkirk. 'Then the next minute a machine gun opened up and I said 'keep down' but one private got up and he ran and ran and he took three bursts. 'I wrote him off as being dead because I didn't think anyone could have survived that. 'We decided to hang on in a ditch but we got overrun and we were taken. 'One of the Jerry officers stood up on a tree trunk and he said: 'You have got nothing to be ashamed of. You put up one hell of a fight.' 'He said he thought his men were up against an entire company when there were just 34 of us.' French troops arriving in England from Dunkirk in June, 1940 The PoWs were marched through Holland to Germany and at one point Lcpl Kerswill had to swap his worn-out army issue boots for wooden clogs. What is the Legion dhonneur? The French government has been awarding the Legion dhonneur to D-Day veterans for the last five years to honour those who fought to secure Frances liberation. Since June 2014, more than 6,000 medals have been awarded, with applications being processed by the Ministry of Defence and the French government. The Legion dhonneur was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognise military and civilian merit. Advertisement When he reached the PoW camp in Beutem in western Poland he wrote to his mother, who had spent 10 months fearing her son was dead after receiving a telegram stating he was 'missing believed killed'. He asked her to send him some new leather boots which got through. Lcpl Kerswill spent the next four years in captivity until the Germans marched them out in Christmas 1944 while the Russians advanced from the east. He took the opportunity to escape by sneaking off while the guards weren't looking. He said: 'I just disappeared and started walking in a south-westerly direction. Most of the time I was foraging for food and sleeping in barns. 'You couldn't imagine the snow and ice, the conditions were terrible. I got frost bite in my toes.' He finally reached Bavaria in the spring of 1945 when he met up with the advancing Americans. He said: 'If I hadn't had my mum's boots I wouldn't have made it. When I got back to England after the war the boots were the only thing I had left, my clothing was infested with lice.' An Iraqi man suspected of sabotaging German railway tracks in a terror plot has been arrested in Austria. The 42-year-old suspect, said to be an overt ISIS sympathiser, was held at his Vienna flat on Monday after two apparent acts of sabotage on railway lines last year. In both cases an intruder had interfered with the tracks in a bid to cause a high-speed derailment, with Arabic-language writings and ISIS-related material found nearby. The alleged terror plot follows an al-Qaeda appeal in 2017 urging its extremist followers to derail 'vulnerable' trains with a home-made tool. Police search a high-speed railway line between Munich and Nuremberg last October after a steel cable was stretched between electrification masts Describing last year's alleged plot, German police said a steel cable had been stretched over high-speed tracks between electrification masts, on a stretch of track between Nuremberg and Munich. Reinforced wooden wedges had also been placed on the track in the hope of derailing one of the trains. On October 7 a high-speed Intercity-Express (ICE) train had driven over the obstacles, although it only suffered minor damage. 'Near the crime scene a threatening letter written in Arabic was found, as well as writings linked to ISIS. In December, police in Berlin reported a similar attack on a railway line in Karlshorst in a suburb of the German capital. Police again found damage to the overhead line equipment and similar writings in Arabic as well as an ISIS flag. Because the writings found in Berlin and Allersberg appeared to match, authorities in Berlin, Munich and the state of Bavaria worked closely together, police said. Suspicions grew against a 42-year-old Iraqi living in Vienna who 'overtly sympathises with ISIS'. Two high-speed ICE trains are pictured on railway lines (file photo). Police said one had been slightly damaged when a steel cable was stretched across the line between masts Working with Vienna prosecutors and Austrian counter-terror services, they arrested the suspect in his flat in Austria's capital on Monday. He is suspected of terrorist acts, attempted murder and criminal damage, as well as belonging to a terrorist organisation and intrusion on to the railway. Investigators from Berlin and Bavaria are still in Vienna while the suspect is interrogated, they said. In 2017, al-Qaeda issued a plea to followers in an article titled 'Train Derail Operations'. Would-be murderers were told: 'It is time we instill fear and make them impose strict security measure to trains as they did with their Air [sic] transportation.' The elaborate 19-page tutorial uses the United States as an example target but said that the UK and France also have long stretches of unguarded railways. Followers of the group - al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula - were urged to study schedules and time the deployment of their obstacles to match certain trains. Advertisement Whether it was the Rolling Stones, Queen, The Who, or Bob Geldof eating a banana, Danny Clifford was there, with his trusty camera. These never-before-seen photos - which also include Nile Rodgers, Amy Winehouse, Rick Parfitt and Dave Grohl - chronicle just some of the music icons Danny has snapped over his 40-year career, and they can be viewed in a new exhibition, called Rock Stars Don't Smile. Danny, originally from East London, had started to shoot live shows aged just 13. 'My camera gear would have to be smuggled in, usually down my pants. It was either that or get thrown out, which happened on a regular basis,' he said. On on occasion, he recalls judo-rolling across the Essex Road after being physically flung out of a Lou Reed gig in 1974. After Danny left school, he enrolled in college to study photography and at weekends worked in a camera shop. He then got a full-time job with a large London Press Agency, Fox Photos. All the time, he was still photographing everything, including bands and artists which was where his heart lay, and started to freelance for British music papers, Melody Maker, Sounds and NME. His big break came when he was 20, as Bob Dylan's official photographer in 1978 . Before long, he started shooting for Rolling Stone Magazine in the US as well as other newspapers and magazine worldwide. And the rest is rock n'roll history... The exhibition, Rock Stars Don't Smile (Danny Clifford: A Retrospective), runs until April 11 at Heath Street Baptist Church, 84 Heath Street, Hampstead, London NW3 1DN. You can visit Danny Clifford's website by clicking here. A wistful-looking Freddie Mercury back stage in Hyde Park, 1976. Danny recalls: 'I had been wandering around backstage... and there he was, in a white boiler suit, being handed a microphone. With minutes to go before the start of the show, I playfully asked, Who are you? Freddie. He replied cheerfully, seeming to appreciate the cheek of my question. I asked him if I could take a few photos. Of course you can, dear boy! was his reply. With a portly stage assistant to my left giving him last-minute instructions, Freddie struck a couple of poses for me, looking like Count Dracula. Surprisingly relaxed, I thought, considering he was due on stage any minute. Off anywhere nice? I asked him. He just smiled and pointed upwards to the hole above his head. With that, the sound of Brian Mays guitar rang out and the platform Freddie had been standing on started to levitate, rising straight up and onto the stage for the start of their show. I made my way back to the front of the crowd at speed to capture Freddie, now stripped to a white leotard, in all his camp, charismatic glory. This would be the beginning of my working relationship with Queen' Rick Parfitt and John Coghlan in Lewisham, south London, in December 19, 1977. This was the night Status Quo played a gig at the Odeon Theatre. John was the Quo's original drummer. Danny's path had been set when his grandmother bought him a Kodak Instamatic when he was eight years old Keith Moon with little Zak Starkey in 1978. The Who's wildman drummer seems deep in concentration while Ringo Starr's son watches. From 1996, Zak would himself go on to perform and record with The Who as their drummer Shane MacGowan in revolutionary attire, North London pub, 2005 as 'Shane Guevara'. Danny recalls: 'I could have sworn Shane had told me that his cousin was Che Guevara. I phoned Joey Cashman, the Pogues manager. "Joey, is Shane related to Che Guevara? Yeah, he is. *click* He hung up. I phoned Shanes sister, Siobhan. She explained that their mum's family name was Lynch, that Che Guevara had heritage in Ireland, that his dad was called Ernesto Guevara Lynch and that there was a statue of Che in Dublin. Right. On my way home, I stopped off at Camden Market and bought a beret, a red star and a belt of bullets. Once home, I bundled some lights (and my wife, Lyn, and two sons) into the car and off we went to find Shane' Freddie Mercury in full throttle, in 1978. Danny said: 'I recently dug out some negatives of shots I took of Freddie Mercury in 1976 that I had never even seen before. So it's impossible to say which pictures are my favourites, as I'd only find some new ones five minutes later and change my mind' Keith Moon and Australian comedian Norman Gunston at Charlton Stadium in 1976. Danny reminisces: 'We stepped out of the car; Keith, with a woman on each arm; me, with my little Nikon, and we were suddenly greeted by a journalist in an ill- fitting suit, with greased down, thinning hair and a camera crew in toe. "Ah, Mr. Moon! Norman Gunston, from the Norman Gunston show..." "Are you Australian? I dont want anything to do with you Australian faggots! The crowd gasped as Keith continued insulting Mr Gunston, reaching for a bottle of Vladivar vodka (though it was reported as champagne)'. He added: 'To give some context, its worth remembering that The Who had been thrown out of Australia by their prime minister. The government kicked them out because Keith had been flinging televisions out of windows, driving cars into swimming pools and generally being an off-the-scale idiot' Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood in 1976. Danny Clifford shot this picture in the year the Rolling Stones toured Europe. Over the years, Danny became great friends with many artists and bands - allowing him to get access that other photographers could only dream of Bob Geldof channels William Tell while eating a banana - possibly in tribute to the Boomtown Rats song Banana Republic. 'I have always taken a bit of a bohemian approach, playing with light and colour to capture the drama and madness of the artists I work with,' the photographer said Status Quo, Dublin 2012. Danny says: 'For years, Rick had been telling me how much he loved my pictures. The shot I took that staggered him across the picture was taken using a particular analogue camera trick - the technical details of which I wont bore you with - and was one I was particularly proud of for its energy, so typical of Quo. The band went mental when they first saw it' Amy Winehouse backstage at the 4th BBC Radio Jazz awards held at the Hammersmith Palais, in west London. From the very start of his 40-year career, Danny has found himself in the middle of the action, documenting his adventures among the greatest musical icons of the century Rick Parfitt at the controls of a helicopter. As a youngster, the photographer got a weekend job delivering milk to enable him to buy film - and Danny took a camera everywhere as he grew up Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, the night of a Babyshambles gig in Islington, north London 2003. 'At a last-minute gig at the Duke of Clarence pub on the Essex Road... Halfway in to La Belle et La Bete and Kate swanned onto the stage (stage is a generous word for it, but she joined the band). Leaning in, she sang into a microphone held for her: Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful than me? Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful than me? That was it and she was off again. I got the shots. Nothing arty, just a "got it" moment,' said Danny Nile Rodgers - legendary Chic guitarist/producer/composer - flips the bird. From Nikon to Hasselblad to Fuji, Danny's cameras have amassed him an archive of around 4million photographs Liam Gallager in Japan, 2005. Danny remembers: 'I went to Japan with Oasis. This bold, confrontational shot of Liam shows him as the epitome of what he is: a proper Rockstar. I recall going down in a lift with both Liam and Noel. Liam was taking a moment to preen himself in the mirror, giving it his usual Mancunian shoulder work, muttering I look like Michael F***ing Jackson in this jacket. Meanwhile Noel stood behind, making a certain hand gesture towards Liam, and mouthed the word w**ker to me. Happy times' Keith Richards on stage with the Stones in one of the 'Rock Stars Don't Smile' exhibition - whose title gets it name for something Liam Gallagher once said to Danny: '[In London 2005] From the moment we walked into the [Royal Albert Hall] room of children, in their various stages of battling cancer, they were all visibly excited to see Liam and the many other famous faces scattered around. So much so, that the room was pretty rowdy and my job was to get the shots of the celebrities smiling with the kids, in what was a limited amount of time. Liam, not making things easier, was pretty loaded by this point and I needed "all eyes on camera one", as I like to say. Alright everybody, big smiles! There we go. I announced, playing the part of the happy-clappy event photographer. I got the shot. Then again, OK, everyone look this way! Smile! This continued throughout the evening until, at one point, just as Im about to take the next shot, Liam began to swagger towards me with his finger aimed at my face. Youre a f***ing slag. He slurred. Am I? Why dont you take your finger and go stand over there. You told me to smile. Rock stars dont f***ing smile.' Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. For the first time, Danny Clifford's iconic shots, along with the often jaw-dropping stories behind them, can be seen and purchased at his forthcoming exhibition in Hampstead, north-west London Pete Doherty of Babyshambles gets high off the ground. The photo was taken while the band was on tour in Birmingham, on September 29, 2005. The selection of shots for the exhibition were curated by Alexander Rosenberg Matthew Harper Butler, 39, has been charged with capital sexual battery A former Florida police officer has been charged with rape after an image of a nude girl was allegedly found on his cellphone. Matthew Harper Butler, 39, was charged Tuesday with capital sexual battery of a victim under 12 years of age, Jacksonville Undersheriff Pat Ivey told reporters during a press conference Tuesday. Capital sexual battery is defined as 'non-consensual oral, anal, or vaginal contact with another person using their sexual organ or an object'. In the state of Florida, the crime has a mandatory sentencing penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Jacksonville County Sheriff's integrity unit received a tip on Friday that Butler's cellphone contained the nude image of a girl under the age of 12, according to the Florida Times Union. Ivey told reporters his office began investigating Butler the same day after receiving the tip. Detectives found something on the device and are now going through legal channels to search through it and investigators have seized all of Butlers electronics to search them. Scroll down for video Authorities received an anonymous tip about a nude image of a girl under the age of 12 on Butler's cell phone after Butler reportedly told someone about it Butler was a nine-year veteran of the Jacksonville Police Department. He has resigned in lieu of being fired as a result of this investigation Butler immediately resigned from the force in lieu of being fired when investigators tried to interview him, according to Ivey. He was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon and is being held at Duval County Jail. No additional information about the girl her relationship to Butler relationship was released, according to Jacksonville.com. Butler was a nine-year veteran of the department. He remained in jail Wednesday morning on $1 million bond. His neighbors told CBS 47 they were stunned by the allegations. 'My daughter played over in their yard, in the house, so yeah, definitely worries me,' Butler's neighbor, Mary Bishop, told a reporter. 'Im completely shocked. Nothing gave me a clue that he would do something like that.' Jacksonville Undersheriff Pat Ivey (pictured) says Butler was second police officer in the city to be charged a violent crime in the last week Butler was the second Jacksonville police officer arrested and charged with a violent crime in the past week. Officer Rodney Demetric Bryant, a five-year Sheriffs Office veteran, was arrested Sunday and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after his girlfriend and two other women were threatened with a gun, according to Ivey. Bryant's arrest stemmed from an early morning dispute on Friday at Mascaras Gentlemens Club on Southside Boulevard about eight miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville. Bryant, who was a Sheriffs Office DUI enforcement officer, has been removed from duty and Ivey said his office will seek to fire Bryant after the criminal proceedings because the officer is charged with a felony. Nine Sheriffs Office staff, including police and corrections officers, were arrested last year, Ivey said. Barbara Bush hated Donald Trump so much that she kept a 'countdown clock' in her bedroom, ticking off the seconds until he would leave office. The former first lady died in April 2018 at the age of 92. Her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, passed away seven months later. She blamed the current president for a flare-up of her congenital cardiac condition, a moment she thought was a heart attack at the time, according to a forthcoming book by USA Today reporter Susan Page. And Mrs. Bush was so bothered by the brand of Republicanism Trump brought to the house where she once lived for four years that she had a hard time identifying with the GOP. Former first lady Barbara Bush hated Donald Trump so much that she kept a countdown clock by her bed, tracking the seconds until his first term was over A friend in Kennebunkport, Maine gave her a clock like this one, according to a new book about the Bush matriarch, and she liked it so much she brought it with her when she moved back to Houston President Donald Trump's slash-and-burn style bothered Mrs. Bush to the point where it alienated her from the Republican Party Asked last year if she still considered herself a Republican, she replied: 'I'd probably say no today.' She couldn't bring herself to vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016. She wrote in her son Jeb's name instead. USA Today journalist Susan Page's book 'The Matriarch' will hit stores in April And that countdown clock was by her bedside when she died. 'After Trump was elected, a friend in Kennebunkport gave her a Trump countdown clock as a joke,' Page writes in 'The Matriarch,' which goes on sale April 2. 'The red, white, and blue digital clock displayed how many days, hours, minutes and seconds remained in Trumps term.' 'She liked the countdown clock so much that when the Bushes returned to Houston that October, she brought it with her. It sat on her bedside table, where she could see it every day. It was there to the day she died. ' But ultimately, Mrs. Bush was hopeful that the U.S. would survive what she saw as a painfully disruptive episode that turned the presidency on its ear. 'I'm trying not to think about it,' she said, nearly a year after Trump took office. 'We're a strong country, and I think it will all work out.' In this Aug. 24, 1992, file photo, President George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush walked with their dog Millie across the South Lawn as they returned to the White House Page recalled her 2016 pronouncement after Trump ridiculed Jeb for deploying her to campaign for him during the New Hampshire Primary season. 'Just watched Jebs ad where he desperately needed mommy to help him,' Trump had tweeted. 'Jebmom cannot help you with ISIS, the Chinese or with Putin.' 'Putin endorsed him, for heavens sake,' Mrs. Bush erupted. 'Putin the killer! Putin the worst! He endorsed Trump! Thats an endorsement you dont want.' After her death, the thrice-married Trump took a moment during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to quip: 'Melania and I send our prayers to Barbaras husband of 73 years. Ill never beat that record.' An 11-year-old boy in east China had to undergo surgery after inserting 70 magnetic balls into his penis. The youngster's parents took him to hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province early Monday morning after he suffered from constant pain and difficulty urinating. Doctors successfully removed the tiny magnetic balls during a two-hour operation, according to Chinese media reports. A 11-year-old boy in east China had to undergo surgery after inserting 70 magnetic balls into his penis. Doctors successfully removed the tiny magnet balls during a two-hour operation An X-ray scan revealed the Buckyballs, each about five millimetres (0.2 inches) in diameter, bundled together in his bladder after the child had pushed them up via his urinary tract Dr Tao Chang of the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine said the boy, nicknamed Xiaohua, was reluctant to admit what had happened. An X-ray scan revealed the Buckyballs, each about five millimetres (0.2 inches) in diameter, bundled together in his bladder after the child had pushed them up via his urinary tract. 'As children mature, it is normal for them to become more curious about their bodies,' Dr Tao told Metropolis Express, adding that it is vital for teachers and parents to communicate with children to help them understand the changes in their bodies. Doctors conducted a minimally invasive surgery to extract the balls during an endoscopy Eventually, doctors conducted a minimally invasive surgery to extract the balls via the boy's bladder during an endoscopy. 'Regular surgery would require a 10-centimetre (4-inch) incision, but with microsurgery the opening is minimised to just 1 centimetre (0.4 inches),' Tao said, adding that the young patient is expected to make a full recovery. Tao said he had previously operated on pubescent boys found with objects such as sewing needles, cables and copper wire up their urethras. In January, a 12-year-old boy in Wuhan, Hubei province underwent surgery to remove 39 magnetic beads after inserting them into his penis In January, a 12-year-old boy in Wuhan, Hubei province underwent surgery to remove 39 magnetic beads after inserting them into his penis. The child, nicknamed Xiaorui, later admitted that he had inserted the beads into his penis out of curiosity. In May last year, a 14-year-old toddler in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province had to undergo surgery to remove 21 magnetic beads after swallowing them from a toy. The balls had formed a ring in his stomach, causing a fever and severe vomiting. French farmers have claimed wind turbines and solar panels have killed hundreds of their cows. One farmer in Cotes-d'Armor, Brittany, has even filed a lawsuit against an unnamed company over the mysterious deaths. Farmers in the area started noticing their animals losing weight, with many of them subsequently dying. But vets could not work out what caused the cows' deaths as they were not suffering from any diseases so farmers ran tests on their land. They claim these examinations revealed wind turbines and solar panels are releasing too much electricity into the ground, which is slowly killing their animals. A dairy cow is seen at a non-pasteurised Camembert cheese farm in Bermonville, France (file photo) Local farmer Patrick Le Nechet said the mysterious deaths began when a new batch of photovoltaic solar panels were installed, according to Europe 1. He discovered there were electrical currents of over one volt both in the ground and in the water - three times the accepted threshold for animals. Le Nechet told the French radio station Europe 1: 'They lost weight, we lost 120 in five years. It can not be explained, even veterinarians do not know what to do. 'There is a lot of direct current coming into the earth. When we see all the animals die, it is untenable.' Stephane Le Brechec, a cattle farmer from Allineuc, around 18 miles from Cote-d'Amour, lost even more cows and claims 37 of his beasts died in just six months. He said that over the last few years he has lost 200 cows, caused by antennas transformers and turbines, he claims. Thibaut Bouchut, of the Building Advisor of the Sanitary Defense Group said that humans can withstand three times more electricity than cows. A high-voltage line and wind turbines in a field in Campigny, northwestern France. Farmers claim electricity from wind turbines has killed their cows Bouchut told Le Progres: 'The human body has an electrical resistance of 1,500 Ohms, while the cows, only 500 Ohms, not to mention that they are not separated from the ground by rubber soles. 'Breeders are not always aware of electrical disturbances, and sometime the seemingly-unexplained problems they face discourage them, even if they are competent. Farms close down because of that.' Two years ago, another French farmer from Val de Saone, in Rhone, claimed electrical current from transformers at an industrial unit caused health his animals to become ill. According to French media Le Brechec had lodged a complaint while farmers in nearby Pays de la Loire in western France have also reported losses of animals near turbines. Indiana firefighters fought against the clock to rescue a contractor who got stuck in a gravel silo for eight hours. Billy Joe Walls, 36, was on a job for Milestone Contractors at a processing plant in Indianapolis on Tuesday afternoon when he lost his footing while taking measurements in the silo. 'He stepped on what may have been an air pocket, fell into a hole and the gravel kind of sucked him in there,' Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith told WTHR. 'He was trapped up to about his mid-chest level.' Emergency responders got a call about Walls' predicament at around 1pm and spent the next eight hours digging him out. They kept tabs on his medical condition throughout the painstaking rescue effort caught on video. Firefighters spent eight hours rescuing a contractor named Billy Joe Walls after he got buried up to his chest in a gravel silo at an Indianapolis processing plant on Tuesday Walls was taking measurements in the silo when he accidentally stepped on an air pocket Seven rescuers were lowered 30 feet into the 18-by-18-foot silo where they stood on a wooden platform during the dangerous process. A vacuum truck was used to remove the gravel, which continued to cascade back down around Walls. 'Every time we would move the patient, we would pull him up the gravel would come back down on him. It just kept going,' Reith said. 'Two steps forward, two steps back is how they described it.' Walls remained awake and talking but complained of pain in his lower extremities as the gravel compressed his body. The contractor was ultimately freed at around 8.30pm. He didn't have any visible injuries but was taken to St Vincent Hospital as a precaution. 'He's alert, he's oriented, he's fine,' Reith said. 'Medics told me hes in fair condition, which is great. No visible injuries other than he said hes not going to do this kind of work anymore.' Reith expressed relief at the successful rescue operation, calling it 'terribly dangerous'. Emergency responders got a call about Walls' predicament at around 1pm and spent the next eight hours digging him out Riley Schultz was found at his guard post at Camp Pendelton with the fatal gunshot injury to the head in the early hours of March 15 Marine Corp authorities are investigating the death of a 19-year-old Marine who died from an apparent gunshot to the head at a San Diego base. Riley Schultz was found at his guard post at Camp Pendelton with the fatal injury in the early hours of March 15. He died less than 30 minutes later. The Marine Corp is holding a memorial service for the teenager on April 3 at Camp Pendelton. But as they are still investigating the case, they have not released any further information pertaining to Schultz's death. The Longmont, Colorado, native joined the Marine Corps in 2017 when he was 17. He was just about to graduate from Roosevelt High School in Johnstown, at the time. The man had been adamant on serving - both of his grandfathers served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. His grandmother, Kathleen Schultz, remember how much he enjoyed playing with toy tanks and crawling with his dad. The Marine Corp is having a memorial service for the marine on April 3 at Camp Pendelton 'He just loved the whole idea of being a Marine,' his mom, Misty Schultz-McCoy, said to the Denver Post. 'That was his only plan for after high school. I was worried, but that's what he wanted to do. He was so dedicated to it. It never occurred to me that he could die before he left for deployment.' At just 19, Schultz had already earned a medal for his marksmanship and was invited to join the Corps' competitive shooting team. He had also just been promoted to lance corporal. The Longmont, Colorado, native joined the Marine Corps in 2017 when he was 17 At just 19, Schultz had already earned a medal for his marksmanship and was invited to join the Corps' competitive shooting team. He had also just been promoted to lance corporal 'He absolutely loved it,' Kathleen Schultz said. 'When he was here just after Christmas, that is all he could talk about. 'He wanted to serve his country and help people. He was really looking forward to being deployed.' Roosevelt High School held a memorial on Wednesday in remembrance of Schultz, with everyone wearing red. A nine-year-old boy brandished a blade in front of pupils just weeks after police visited his school to talk about the dangers of knife crime. He smuggled it into school and showed it off before admitting to staff he had the weapon. The pupil is understood to have been excluded, but many parents are angry because they believe he has only been hit with a temporary ban. They are calling on the headteacher to take kick the knife-wielding boy out of school permanently. A nine-year-old boy brought a blade into this primary school just weeks after the police came in to talk about violent crime to pupils The incident only came to light when a letter was sent out to parents of year five pupils at St Paul's C of E Primary School in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. It said the boy suffered 'severe consequence' after taking a knife into school last Tuesday. The incident came just weeks after Staffordshire Police visited the school to deliver a knife crime workshop to the children. Just yesterday the country's top police chief, Cressida Dick, said youth knife violence is at the worst level she has ever seen it. Hours later six people were stabbed in London during another night of carnage - with two-17-year-old boys and four men aged 18 to 24 knifed in separate attacks. A month ago police chiefs up and down the country declared Britain's knife crime epidemic a 'national emergency' and demanded more funding to help combat it. Parents understand the boy who brought the knife into the Stoke-on-Trent school has been suspended for three weeks but the headteacher would not be drawn on a permanent ban. Headteacher Nicola Finney said: 'The situation was dealt with under the guidance of our school policies. 'The parents of year five pupils were informed because that's where the child was and that's where the situation happened. 'All appropriate actions were followed up and everything was done in line with school policy.' The letter to parents stated that the headteacher has a 'zero-tolerance policy' to knives being brought to school 'Unfortunately, a few other pupils were aware but did not inform an adult as they felt they were protecting their friend,' it added. 'I have spoken to all of year five about the seriousness of this matter and that there could have been a very different outcome had the child not told an adult themselves. 'All of the children had only just recently received a workshop from the police about the seriousness of knife crime which makes this all the more upsetting.' The school, which has around 340 pupils, was rated 'good and improving' at its last Ofsted inspection with 'strong management'. But parents say they are disappointed the letter was only sent to year five parents and are calling for the boy to be kicked out. Joshua Lovatt, 26, whose daughter is in the reception class, said: 'It's a joke that we haven't been informed. The child should be kicked out of the school for good.' Carl Lane, 37, who has three children at the school, said: 'This is disgusting. The increase in knife crime is crazy and the fact that the pupil has shown it to other children is shocking. 'The child should be excluded and I'm disgusted that we weren't informed.' But Kaylea Kelsall, who has a daughter in year six is confident the school will take appropriate action against the pupil. The 29-year-old said: 'It is concerning that a child so young would do something like that, but I have faith in the school to deal with it well.' Fired FBI Director James Comey says he can't 'quite understand' why special counsel Robert Mueller let Donald Trump's attorney general decide whether the president obstructed justice. Comey said Tuesday evening at a Queens University, in Charlotte, North Carolina, event that he found it baffling that Mueller left it up to the president's political appointees - Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - to determine whether to prosecute Trump. 'The part that's confusing is, I can't quite understand what's going on with the obstruction stuff,' Comey said at the event, according to NBC News. 'And I have great faith in Bob Mueller, but I just can't tell from the letter why didn't he decide these questions when the entire rationale for a special counsel is to make sure the politicals aren't making the key charging decisions.' Fired FBI Director James Comey says he can't 'quite understand' why special counsel Robert Mueller let Donald Trump's attorney general decide whether the president obstructed justice Comey said Tuesday evening at a Queens University event that he found it baffling that Mueller left it up to the president's political appointees to determine whether to prosecute Donald Trump. Attorney General William Barr (right) opted not to Mueller said in a letter to lawmakers that he could find no evidence to indicate that Trump is guilty of crimes The former law enforcement official who Trump fired in May of 2017 is at the center of the accusation that the president obstructed justice. Theories have abounded for years that Trump booted Comey to cover up his campaign's crimes, his business and personal connections to Russia, protect his children or hide other unethical behavior he didn't want the Department of Justice to uncover. Mueller said in a letter to lawmakers that he could find no evidence to indicate that Trump is guilty of crimes. He did not bring charges against anyone in Trump's inner circle or the president's children, either, which the president's attorneys have said is proof positive that the president has no motivation to impede the investigation. Some Democrats are convinced that a broader investigation of the president's finances and businesses would reveal that Trump broke the law. The special counsel investigation was narrowly-tailored to a Russian-led conspiracy to disrupt the 2016 presidential election. In a letter presenting Mueller's findings, new Attorney General Barr said it fell to him to decide whether Trump obstructed justice based on the special counsel's report and the underlying evidence. Barr said he consulted with Rosenstein, and they determined together that the sitting president had no motive to obstruct the investigation that proved he wasn't guilty of collusion. He said that 'to obtain and sustain an obstruction conviction, the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct,' and he could not do that. Comey said Tuesday night, in his first public remarks since the special counsel filed his final report, that he found Barr's reasoning 'really confusing' and would not necessarily have reached the same conclusion. 'The notion that obstruction cases are somehow undermined by the absence of proof of an underlying crime, that is not my experience in 40 years of doing this nor is it the Department of Justice's tradition. Obstruction crimes matter without regard to what you prove about the underlying crime,' Comey said. Despite the president assailing him as a 'bad' and 'corrupt' cop, he insisted he wasn't hoping that Trump would get caught red handed. 'The good part is that the special counsel was allowed to finish his work and reached a conclusion; that's very, very important to this country,' Comey said. 'The Russians really did massively interfere with the 2016 election with the goal of damaging one candidate and helping the other. That was not a hoax. That was a real thing.' A 60-year-old cleaner has suffered brain injuries after a man pegged a rock at his head in a disturbing robbery caught on camera. The cleaner was attacked by two men outside Westside Auto Wholesale in Bentley, Perth's south-east, at about 9.20pm on Monday 18 March. CCTV footage shows the victim was sitting in the car park to take a break when the two men circled him and began to threaten him, Nine News reported. A 60-year-old cleaner has suffered brain injuries after a man pegged a rock at his head in a disturbing robbery caught on camera One man gives the other a rock and he pegs it at the victim's face from about one-metre away. The cleaner loses consciousness and slumps to the ground while the attackers steal his wallet, phone and cigarettes before fleeing in an allegedly stolen car. The victim suffered a fractured skull, broken jaw and bleeding on the brain, spending nine days in hospital to recover. Lee Cotton from Westside Auto Wholesale described the attack as 'shocking' and said the cleaner did not need to be assaulted. 'He's a veteran of cleaning of 35 years, he is quite concerned to work nights again because he doesn't know what could happen again,' Mr Cotton said. CCTV footage shows the victim was sitting in the car park to take a break when the two men circled him and began to threaten him Police released an CCTV image on Wednesday of a man they believe can assist with their investigation into the assault Police released a CCTV image on Wednesday of a man at a petrol station about an hour after the attack. They believe he can assist with their investigation into the assault. 'Cannington Detectives wish to speak to the man pictured as he may have information about a robbery in Bentley in which a 60-year-old man was struck with a rock and his property stolen,' police said in a statement. Members of the public who have any information on the identity of the man or the offence are urged to contact crime stoppers. A painting has been removed from public display in Florida after residents complained that it appeared 'satanic.' Artist Aaron M. Corbitt revealed on Saturday that he had been asked to remove his painting 'The Fall of Dionysus' from a series depicting Greek gods in Lakeland, Florida after complaints of satanism. 'I would like to publicly apologize for anyone who is offended by this piece, and also to state that never in my career would I intentionally insult or offend a religion or culture with my artwork,' Corbitt wrote in a Facebook post. 'My intentions for this painting were strictly personal, dealing only with my abuse with alcohol that led me to a downward spiral that almost cost me everything, my friends, my family, my beautiful dear wife, and ultimately my own life,' he continued. Artist Aaron M. Corbitt revealed on Saturday that he had been asked to remove his painting titled 'The Fall of Dionysus' (center) from the series depicting Greek gods in Lakeland, Florida Corbitt (above) apologized to anyone he had offended and said he wasn't angry about the decision to remove the painting, but wanted to explain the intention behind his art Corbitt's painting, which is about seven feet by nine feet, and depicts a figure tumbling into a pit of flames and surrounded by several other tormented-looking individuals. The work was one of a series of five paintings depicting Greek mythological figures that Corbitt made for the Tapestries Lakeland project, which publicly displays artwork from local artists. The painting was removed after several complaints to city officials, including Mayor Bill Mutz, Lakeland spokesman Kevin Cook told the The Ledger. Corbitt said that he wasn't angry about the decision, but wanted to explain that the painting in question depicted Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. 'The figures in the far upper right represents the conflict to reach for higher meaning in life, the scary looking dudes at the bottom represent the damage Ive caused myself with delusions and negligence,' he said. The work was one of a series of five paintings depicting Greek mythological figures that Corbitt made for the Tapestries Lakeland project 'The figures in the far upper right represents the conflict to reach for higher meaning in life, the scary looking dudes at the bottom represent the damage Ive caused myself with delusions and negligence,' Corbitt explained about the artwork, seen in a preliminary sketch above 'This painting was salvation for me, the emotional impact was almost devastating to relive all the horror Ive put myself and others through,' he continued. Corbitt's remarks drew hundreds of supportive remarks, as well as some from residents who shared their concerns about the work's display. 'The best I could interpret from looking at it, was that It seemed confusing, dark and satanic like to me,' wrote Lakeland resident Joel Vann. 'In my opinion, you have many great pieces that are suitable for a public space, however this particular piece is too subjective & made for a gallery not the busiest street in Lakeland,' he continued. Vann stressed that he had not complained to any public officials about the work, but wanted to share his perspective. Advertisement Scientists have sifted through the contents of a huge fatberg longer than six double-decker buses on a new BBC programme - finding pantyliners, wet wipes and cotton buds. The 209ft-long mass of hardened, fat, oil, wet wipes and other waste discovered in the picturesque Devon seaside town of Sidmouth two months ago is one of the largest ever found in Britain. The colossal blockage - which featured on BBC One programme Blue Planet UK today - was found in January in a sewer near a children's play area and waste workers said it would take eight weeks to clear the mess. In the programme, two scientists look at a sample of the fatberg after it has been superheated to melt it and kill bacteria. They find various sanitary products during a dissection, which takes place behind a protective barrier. Nicky Cunningham from the University of Exeter described the process, with her colleague John Love, as being 'like the world's least enjoyable lucky dip', adding: 'If you are wondering what it's smelling like, it's not good.' The 209ft-long mass of hardened, fat, oil, wet wipes and other waste was found in the Devon seaside town of Sidmouth The blockage was found in a sewer near a children's play area and waste workers said it would take eight weeks to clear South West Water director of waste, Andrew Roantree, with the first piece of the Sidmouth fatberg as its removal began BBC presenter Steve Brown visited the town and spoke to South West Water's director of wastewater, Andrew Roantree, about the dangers posed to the oceans by fatbergs. Sewer workers dressed in full breathing apparatus to protect them from the potentially poisonous gases began the arduous process of removing the fatberg last month. Mr Roantree has spoken about the dangers posed to the oceans by this very modern phenomenon They used special sewer jetting equipment and hard manual labour to hack away at the mass. South West Water said the clearance would have to be carried out 'in exceptionally challenging conditions'. Charlie Ewart, 51, from Plymouth, found the blockage while carrying out an inspection of the sewers. Speaking last month, he said: 'I saw it and thought: 'What on earth?' It was completely unexpected. 'It's really eerie in that bit of the sewer and it does look like something out of a horror scene, all congealed and glossy and matted together with all kinds of things.' He admitted that the sewer could not be shut off while the operation to remove the fatberg was in progress, saying: 'We could be wading through a lot of muck.' Fatbergs are blockages made up of flushed fat, oil, grease and other waste such as wet wipes and drugs. They form into huge concrete-like slabs and can be found underground, growing larger with every flush. They also include food wrappers and human waste - blocking tunnels and raising the risk of sewage flooding into homes. The biggest ever found in the UK was a 2,460ft monster under London's South Bank in 2017. Blue Planet UK is a series on weekday afternoons this week, looking at marine life across the UK. Today's episode will also look at sea eagles on the Isle of Mull and sharks' teeth found on the beach in Herne Bay, Kent. Blue Planet UK was broadcast on BBC One this afternoon at 4.30pm and continues tomorrow at the same time Two men have been charged with rape after four British schoolgirls and their teacher were held at gunpoint and sexually assaulted during a trip to Ghana. Ishmael Akyene, 34, of Ghana, and Daniel Akpan, 29, a Nigerian national, were charged with a string of offences and have both been remanded in custody. The group of UK sixth-form teenagers - who cannot be named for legal reasons - were viciously held at gunpoint and raped in Accra, Ghana's capital city, on December 8, 2018. Hundreds of corrugated iron roofed huts can be seen lining the shore in the heart of Accra, Ghana; the schoolgirls and their teacher were flown home from the city after the attack in December The pupils - made up of boys and girls - as well as two teachers, travelled to Ghana for a pre-Christmas holiday and to get a glimpse of how the local inhabitants live. But shortly after their arrival, a number of armed men entered their accommodation and held the group at gunpoint and the female victims were subjected to serious sexual assaults. Police in the UK assisting the West African country's authorities in their investigation confirmed Akyene and Akpan had been charged, while local media reported that one other person, said to be their accomplice, is on the run. 'Two men have been charged as part on an ongoing investigation by police in Ghana, which is being supported by a UK police force', said a police spokesman. A view of the cityscape of Accra, Ghana, where the schoolchildren were visiting 'Ishmael Akyene, aged 34 years, a Ghanaian national, has been charged by Ghanaian police with 14 counts of robbery, one count of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape, one count of possession of a firearm, one count of possession of an instrument intended for unlawful entry and one count of money laundering. He has been remanded in custody. 'Daniel Akpan, aged 29 years, a Nigerian national, has been charged by Ghanaian police with 14 counts of robbery, two counts of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape, one count of possession of a firearm, one count of possession of an instrument intended for unlawful entry and one count of money laundering. He has also been remanded in custody.' They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them, GhanaWeb reported. The police statement continued: 'The victims continue to be supported by specially trained police officers, their school and other agencies. 'Detectives from UK policing will continue to support the Ghanaian authorities as the investigation continues. Work is ongoing to locate an outstanding suspect.' Unconfirmed reports suggested that a security guard had been shot but UK police were not able to confirm this. Jussie Smollett's record was wiped clean and his case was sealed on Tuesday after prosecutors dropped his charges in a shock decision The shock decision to drop all charges against Jussie Smollett has critics questioning whether the Empire actor's high-powered connections were involved as police call for a probe into the Obama links to his case. Text messages exchanged between Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and ex-Michelle Obama aide Tina Tchen continue to face increasing scrutiny in the wake of Smollett's record being wiped clean on Tuesday. The Chicago police union has slammed Foxx's conduct in the case as 'highly, highly suspicious' following her decision to recuse herself in the days before Smollett's arrest after intervening in the investigation at the request of Tchen. It emerged last week that Foxx was trading texts with Tchen and one of Smollett's relatives while police were still investigating the hoax hate crime. While the relative has not been unidentified, critics have now been dragging up the seemingly close ties Smollett's sisters have with Tchen. Tchen and Smollett's sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell were pictured together at an event at Austin's South by Southwest and the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles early last year. Both of Smollett's sisters also worked for the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012 and Smollett-Bell also reportedly visited Tchen in the White House. Smollett himself has been pictured with the Obamas at the White House and once danced on stage with Michelle in a viral video from an event last year. Text messages exchanged between Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and ex-Michelle Obama aide Tina Tchen continue to face increasing scrutiny in the wake of Smollett's record being wiped clean on Tuesday Foxx was contacted by former Michelle Obama aide Tina Tchen who wanted to try and steer the investigation in the direction the Smollett family wanted. Smollett is pictured above with the Obamas in the White House It comes as police renew calls for Foxx to face a federal investigation for trying to wrestle the Smollett case out of the Chicago Police Department's hands and have it led by the FBI instead. The union, Fraternal Order of Police, slammed Foxx's conduct as 'highly suspicious' and have accused her of political 'interference' on behalf of the Smollett family. Authorities are concerned about whose interests Foxx was working in when she - at the request of Tchen - tried to steer the investigation in the direction the Smollett family wanted. According to texts obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times last week, Foxx asked Chicago Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson to let the FBI take the lead on the probe in the days after the attack. At the time, Smollett was still being considered a victim but Tchen said his family had 'concerns' about the number of leaks coming out of Chicago PD. Foxx agreed to try to 'convince' Johnson but was ultimately unsuccessful. Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday demanded answers as to why Smollett was able to get off 'scot-free' despite the State Attorney's office still believing he was guilty of staging the hoax hate crime. The Mayor claims Smollett was only given the treatment he received because he is famous and that anyone else would have been more harshly prosecuted. Smollett himself has been pictured with the Obamas at the White House and once danced on stage with Michelle in a viral video from an event last year Tchen and Smollett's sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell were pictured together at an event at Austin's South by Southwest early last year. Both Smollett's sister worked on Obama campaigns in 2008 and 2012 THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN THE JUSSIE SMOLLETT CASE Why were the charges dropped if the State's Attorney's office says he is guilty? First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats said he decided to drop the charges because Smollett is not a violent threat to the community and because his office prioritizes violent crimes. He admitted that he thinks Smollett is guilty and said the evidence stands up but claims because Smollett has no prior criminal background, justice has been served. Few are satisfied with that answer and say the real reason is more nefarious. Why was the case sealed? On Tuesday, a judge granted Smollett's attorney's motion to seal the case but there is no written record of it and now it has been wiped from the court's records. The judge did not ask a single question about why the case was suddenly dropped or how the decision had been reached. Smollett initially said he welcomed the trial and wanted cameras inside for the public to see the evidence. Now, critics are demanding to see it all and say that if he is innocent, he has nothing to hide. His lawyers have not said why they wanted the records sealed. Why did he do community service and pay $10,000 if he is innocent? Smollett's attorneys insisted the outcome was not a plea deal but legal experts have unanimously described it as unusual for a defendant to complete community service and pay the city if he is innocent. The State's Attorney's office said on Tuesday that the charges would not have been dropped if he had not completed it. When did they reach a deal and why was it done in secret? The State's Attorney's office will not give details about its interactions with Smollett in the days before the announcement. It remains unclear how long it has been discussing this outcome with his attorneys and what other options, if any, were discussed to reach this point. What really happened on the night of the attack if Smollett did not stage it? There is still no explanation for why brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo attacked Smollett, who they were friends with and trained with at the gym, if he did not ask them to. Smollett's attorneys say the pair were 'absolutely lying' by saying that he asked them to do it to boost his profile but they do not know why else they did it. Prosecutors have not given any alternative scenario and they say the evidence, that Smollett orchestrated it, stands up. The brothers' lawyer no longer represents them and they have not spoken. They previously said they felt 'betrayed' by Smollett. Advertisement Smollett's record was wiped clean and his case sealed after secretly completing 16 hours of community service at Jesse Jackson's organization Rainbow Push where he worked in bookstores and interacted with young people. He also forfeited $10,000 in bond. Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats - who was handed the case after Foxx recused herself - said that even though he does not believe the star is innocent, his office decided not to pursue charges because Smollett has a 'lack of criminal background' and was not a threat to the community. Magats said that he thought Smollett was guilty but that 'based on the facts and circumstances' of the case and his 'lack of criminal background', the decision was made not to pursue the 16 felony disorderly conduct charges that a grand jury returned. No other explanation for the sudden about-turn has been given and critics, including the 'furious' police chief, are enraged over the decision to expunge his record and seal the case. It led to the police union on Tuesday renewing its request demanding an investigation into Foxx's ties to the case give she recused herself but her office was ultimately still responsible for the charges being dropped. 'Recusing herself, but not her administration, is a distinction without a difference,' Fraternal Order of Police Second Vice President Martin Preib told The New York Post. 'What underling is going to go against their boss's wishes?' Legal experts have since described the decision as 'outrageous' and critics continue to voice concerns about the text messages exchanged between Foxx and those with links to the Obamas. Foxx was contacted by Michelle Obama's former chief of staff on February 1 on behalf of the Smollett family. Tchen, who has deep ties to Chicago politics and is friends with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's wife, wanted her to convince Chicago PD to hand the investigation over to the FBI and Foxx agreed to try. They were 'concerned' about details of the incident and Smollett's reports to investigators being leaked and said that they wanted the FBI to handle the case. 'I wanted to give you a call on behalf of Jussie Smollett and family who I know. They have concerns about the investigation,' she said in her first text. Hours later, Foxx received a text from one of Smollett's relatives. Over the course of the next two weeks, Foxx tried to have the case handed over to the FBI. 'Spoke to the superintendent earlier. He is going to make the ask. Trying to figure out logistics. I'll keep you posted,' Foxx said in a February 13 text. By then, there had been questions surrounding Smollett's cooperation with the investigation but the actor was, officially, still being treated as a victim. The relative responded: 'OMG this would be a huge victory.' Foxx replied: 'I make no guarantees but I'm trying.' Later that day, she emailed Tchen saying: 'Spoke to the Superintendent Johnson. I convinced him to reach out to FBI to ask that they take over the investigation. He is reaching out now and will get to me shortly.' The police department claims that Smollett only became a suspect after Nigerian brothers Abel and Ola Osudairo were pinned down at the airport on February 20. Foxx has also been accused of trying to get the FBI to take over the case at the request of Smollett family friend Tina Tchen (pictured with the former president and first lady), who is Michelle Obama's former chief of staff Smollett read from a small piece of paper which had handwritten notes on it during a press conference on Tuesday after his charges were dropped However, Foxx recused herself from the probe a week earlier, after her text conversation with his relative and with Tchen. In an email to top staff, her chief ethics officer informed them of her recusal but it was not announced until February 19. On February 20, Foxx's office told DailyMail.com that she had stepped down because of her interaction with Smollett's relatives, but they would not give further information. Smollett was arrested on February 21. The investigation was then turned over to First Assistant Joe Magats and his staff after Foxx stepped aside. The union which represents the police in Chicago sent a letter to the Attorney General last week demanding Foxx's handling of the case be looked into. In its letter, union president Kevin Graham questioned who Foxx was working for and why it would have been a 'victory' in relation to the text exchange. 'Victory of what? For whom? Why?' the letter read. 'In order for Ms Foxx to properly charge and try this case, her entire office should have recused itself and a special prosecutor been appointed.' In a letter dated March 15 he added: 'Such conduct merits a review by your office. Private attorneys are not allowed to interfere with ongoing police investigations, particularly at the request of private individuals associated with subjects being investigated by the police, in this case, a subject later determined to be the offender, not the victim. Leader of the United Australia Party Brian Burston has filed an AVO against One Nation advisor James Ashby weeks after their public brawl at Parliament House. The New South Wales senator, who is a former member of One Nation, and Pauline Hanson's top advisor were filmed getting into a scuffle in Canberra on February 13. Court records show Mr Burston filed for an Apprehended Violence Application in Toronto Court House and the case is scheduled to be heard on April 9. Mr Ashby is yet to respond to the filing, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Footage showed the pair grappling with each other after Mr Burston, who sensationally quit One Nation last year, accused Senator Hanson of sexually harassing him on three occasions over two decades. Scroll down for video Senator Brian Burston (right) filed an Apprehended Violence Application against Senator Pauline Hanson's chief-of-staff James Ashby (left) following their public brawl Footage showed the pair grappling with each other in the halls of Parliament on February 13 Senator Burston shared images of his bloodstained hand, which was later seen in bandages. The altercation prompted Senate President Scott Ryan to revoke Mr Ashby's parliamentary pass after he called it 'inappropriate behaviour by a passholder towards a Senator.' Mr Burston later said he would not attend the April Budget session if Mr Ashby is present. The tussle erupted after Mr Ashby approached Mr Burston as he and his wife left the Australian Minerals Industry Parliamentary Dinner and put a phone close to his face to film him, causing the 70-year-old to lash out. 'I told him to f*** off, I lost it I grabbed him and I pushed him up against the wall, I defended myself and my wife, physically,' Mr Burston told News Corp. Mr Ashby later provided a photo which he claimed showed the door to Senator Hanson's office smeared in blood, but Senator Burston denied having anything to do with the marks on the door. Mr Burston later reported the incident to Australian Federal Police. Senator Burston shared images of his bloodstained hand (pictured) following the confrontation The senator's hand was later seen wrapped in gauze. Mr Burston later reported the incident ot the police The senator had claimed Ms Hanson ran her fingers up and down his spine as they stood on stage at the One Nation Party's first Annual General Meeting at the Rooty Hill RSL in 1998. He said the second alleged incident took place in 2016 while visiting her home with former politician Peter Breen. In a third alleged incident, Mr Burston claimed the pair were at dinner when Ms Hanson mentioned she had some free time after the meal, allegedly saying 'what do you reckon?'. Ms Hanson has hit out at the sexual harassment claims, calling them baseless and 'hilarious'. 'I wouldn't go near him with a barge pole ... I just feel it's quite hilarious that he's made these allegations against me,' she said. Mr Breen also hit out at the claims of sexual harassment levelled against Ms Hanson. Ms Hanson hit out at the sexual harassment claims as baseless and 'hilarious', saying she wouldn't 'go near him with a barge pole' Mr Burston claimed Ms Hanson sexually harassed him on three separate occasions over a 20 year period Mr Ashby (pictured with Ms Hanson) used his phone to film Mr Burston as he left the Australian Minerals Industry Parliamentary Dinner last month 'For Brian to suggest that (invitation to stay at her property) was some kind of advancement by Pauline is just ridiculous,' he said. 'I can't recall an occasion where she hasn't invited someone to stay ... Pauline Hanson has much better taste than to be sexually harassing Brian Burston.' He said it was common for colleagues and friends to stay at Ms Hanson's property, which has separate accommodation from her home and is over an hour away from the nearest airport. Mr Burston said he left the One Nation Party in June of 2018 to join the United Australia Party as a result of the perceived sexual harassment from Miss Hanson. However, at the time, he told media he left the party after not being asked if the party should withdraw support from the company tax cuts plan put forward by the Federal Government. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Brian Burston and James Ashby for comment. Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out against political gerrymandering and claims he wants to 'terminate' the problem. The former California Governor, 71, appeared at the National Press Club in Washington D.C on Tuesday to discuss gerrymandering with former Attorney General Eric Holder. But it was his footwear that garnered much attention as he sported cowboy boots emblazoned with the American flag emblazoned with the bald eagle in a homage to American patriotism. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Arnold Schwarzenegger, (pictured), sported unique footwear at an event held by the National Press Club in D.C. to discuss political gerrymandering and recent Supreme Court hearings on the subject Schwarzenegger livened up the debate by using several 'Terminator' references to argue he wanted to eradicate the issue of gerrymandering from American politics. He said: 'I'm going to say hasta la vista baby to gerrymandering.I think that scandal has been going on and on. And so I want to terminate that problem.' 'When it comes to this subject, redistricting reform, I dont care if its a blue wave or a red wave,' the Predator star also said. 'I dont give a damn about that because there are a lot of issues that are truly peoples issues and not political issues. The actor spoke out strongly against the practice of drawing political districts to favor a particular political party. On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court heard arguments on gerrymandering, the art of redrawing political boundaries to extract partisan advantage: a practice that is almost as old as the country itself. The latest cases to come before the highest bench are from North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers are accused of devising electoral maps to favor themselves and in Maryland, where Democrats are accused of doing the same. The former California Governor appeared in good spirits as he called gerrymandering 'a national scandal' and said Democrats and Republicans should work together on policy issues His footwear that garnered much attention as he sported cowboy boots emblazoned with the American flag emblazoned with the bald eagle in a homage to American patriotism Schwarzenegger also sported a grey beard which was a distinctly different shade from his dyed brown hair and appeared in good spirits. Schwarzenegger said gerrymandering encourages politicians to pander to the extremes of their parties, rather than finding compromise in the middle. California voters approved creating an independent redistricting commission for their state in 2008, while Schwarzenegger was in office. In November, a three-judge panel declared Marylands 6th Congressional District gerrymandered by Democrats to the point of unconstitutionality and ordered that the lines be redrawn before the 2020 election. Former Attorney General Eric Holder and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger claimed reform is needed to reclassify district lines to make the political system equitable Speaking to Hardball with Chris Mathews, Schwarzenegger said: 'Congress now has a below 20 per cent approval rating but 98 per cent of them get releceted so this is crazy. 'So the system is wrong and I think what Ronald Regan said in the eighties is that its anti-democratic and its un-American. Thats exactly what it is, its a national scandal. 'It creates more extremes, this is why I think in the last two decades you really didnt see any kind of motivation amongst the politicians here in Washington to work together. 'What happens is the way they draw the district lines is the left has to be to the extreme left the democrats have to be way to the left.' He also claimed that he didn't like Donald Trump's constant haranguing of Republican Senator John McCain who died in August 2018. The Hollywood star spoke at a rally to coincide with the Supreme Court hearings on the redistricting cases in Maryland and North Carolina in Washington on Tuesday Schwarzenegger said gerrymandering is a 'national scandal' and needs to be 'terminated' Trump has inexplicably ranted about the late senator repeatedly on topics ranging from the senator's forwarding the Steele dossier to the FBI, to his historic vote against repealing Obamacare in July 2017. Schwarzenegger claimed: 'It makes on difference what anyone says about McCain , I get angry about it no matter who it is because McCain was a very dear friend of mine. 'He was a big supporter when I ran for governor and when I was fighting for environmental issues. Schwarzenegger criticized Donald Trump for his scathing remarks on the late Republican Senator John McCain, who he called a 'dear friend' Schwarzenegger claimed that McCain is 'a national treasure' and he will always defend him 'He was one of those great Republicans that thought there was global warming and we should do something about this and should fight it. 'He was a great war hero, he was a great senator he was just fantastic in every way so anyone that attacks him I will fire back. 'I will not let it go. McCain was a national treasure. Speaking on a wide range of topics, he also claimed that the Democratic Party has a good shot at putting forward a successful candidate for the 2020 Presidential election. He added: ' I think the democrats have as good as a shot as ever because people look for different ideas if they can articulate what the future is , if they are in control 'Here is what the country will look like, so voters get excited and enthusiastic. 'This is the way you win elections , there are so many things still that can change in the last week it has changed, Trump did not collude with the Russians 'So that has changed with whats going to happen in 2020 so he has a good shot if he can place it right, the democrats have a good shot.' An Italian businessman died after a gun was fired at him by accident on a hunting trip to a Scottish country estate. Marco Cavola, 42, had travelled to Scotland for a pigeon shooting mini-break with two friends on Sunday. At around 11.30am the following day a hunting rifle was accidentally discharged at the Rossie Estate in Perthshire and Mr Cavola was hit. Emergency services were called but the construction firm owner and experienced hunter was confirmed dead shortly after. It is unclear how exactly the accident happened. Mr Cavola, a Juventus fan who lives in Lariano, around 30 miles from Rome, leaves behind a wife, two daughters aged 12 and 14, and a seven-year-old son. Marco Cavola, 42 (pictured on the shoot) had travelled to Scotland for a pigeon-shooting mini-break with two friends before he was 'shot with a hunting rifle' At around 11.30am on Monday a hunting rifle was accidentally discharged at the Rossie Estate in Perthshire (scene pictured with police vehicles) and Mr Cavola was hit, according to the Italian media Italian authorities were sent to Scotland to oversee the return of the businessman's body when it is released by local officials. Formal identification is yet to be carried out but his family have been informed. One man, who lives nearby and did not want to be named, said: 'I heard from a farmer friend that it was a group of Italians who were out shooting pigeons and a gun's gone off accidentally. 'You don't think things like that could happen up here, it's quite dramatic for the area, but it looks like it was just an accident.' Another person who lives nearby said: 'This is a rural area - a very quiet location although very accessible as the A90 dual carriageway runs just a mile or so away. 'It isn't unusual to hear the sound of shotguns - be it farmers working on the fields or shooting parties out hunting. Mr Cavola (pictured) who lives in Lariano, around 30 miles from Rome, leaves behind a wife, two daughters aged 12 and 14, and a seven-year-old son Pictured: Marco Cavola, of Lariano, Italy, who died in a 'tragic shooting accident' on Monday 'On Monday there were suddenly police everywhere, which is incredibly unusual up here. 'I saw forensics teams out investigating but they seem to have gone by Tuesday afternoon.' A police van was seen near the scene last night. The entrance to the estate was cordoned off after the tragedy unfolded on Monday but has since been re-opened. A spokesman for Police Scotland said yesterday: 'We can confirm a man has died following an incident near Kinnaird, Carse of Gowrie, on Monday March 25. 'There was no threat to the public and the incident was contained to the immediate area. 'Inquiries are at an early stage and are continuing, and the man's next of kin have been informed.' A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman added: 'We received a call at 11.30am to attend an incident at Rossie Estate. 'We dispatched a rapid response unit, a trauma team and a manager.' It was a stunning moment. Standing outside court, emotional Empire star Jussie Smollett looked close to tears as he spoke, just minutes after all 16 grand jury charges against him had been sensationally dropped. I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one, he said. I would not be my mothers son if I was capable of one drop of what I have been accused of. This has been an incredibly difficult time, honestly one of the worst of my entire life, but I am a man of faith, and I am a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives, or the movement through a fire like this, I just wouldnt. His bottom lip trembled as he added: Id like nothing more than just to get back to work and move on with my life but make no mistakes I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalised people everywhere. Wow. As I watched him speak, so eloquently and so powerfully, I felt a surge of sympathy welling inside me for this poor misjudged young man who had just been cleared of staging a race-hate, homophobic attack on HIMSELF. Jussie Smollett faces the press to declare his innocence after all charges were officially dropped yesterday Above left: Images of Jussie's injuries sustained in the faked attack. Above right: The actor's mugshot after police arrested him for staging the crime Its hard to imagine a worse thing for a high profile black, gay man in America to be accused of doing. And I actually felt a sense of relief that it had all turned out to be untrue and that he really was the good, innocent, sweetest guy in the world his famous friends had insisted all along. But as he posed for pictures with celebrating fans, there was something nagging me. Shortly before Smollett appeared to speak to the media, it was revealed that he had forfeited $10,000 bond money and secretly performed 16 hours of community service at Rainbow Push, a civil rights organisation in Chicago. These two things had apparently been factored into the decision to drop charges. Why, if he was an innocent man? Like many journalists, I was bemused. So weird, I tweeted, why would you pay a forfeiture if youd been cleared? First Assistants States Attorney Joe Magats, the man who made the decision, soon answered this puzzling conundrum during one of the most embarrassing, shifty, excuse-laden displays I have ever seen from a prosecutor trying to defend a decision. Does dropping the charges vindicate him? he was asked by CBS. No. Does it exonerate him? No. Do you believe that he is innocent? I do not believe hes innocent. So you believe hes guilty? Yes. Sorry, WHAT? You dropped all charges against him because hes GUILTY? At this point my bemusement turned to cold fury. Smollett hadnt been cleared at all. Hed staged the attack, but was being let off with effectively just a small fine and a bit of community work. His record would be expunged and the files sealed forever from public gaze. Magats inferred this was sufficient punishment because Smollett had no criminal record, and did not represent a threat to public safety. But the decision smacked of a disgraceful stitch-up, driven by Smolletts wealth and fame, his connections to powerful politicians, and the furore surrounding the case. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel was in no doubt. This is a whitewash of justice, he raged. This is a person who has been let off scot-free with no sense of the accountability of the moral and ethical wrong of his actions how DARE he? Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is furious that Jussie has escaped charges and called the sorry saga a 'whitewash of justice' He compared it to the elite college admissions scandal, saying: This sends a clear message if youre in a position of influence and power youll get treated one way and other people will get treated another way. This is wrong. And he warned: Gay men and women who will come forward and one day say they were a victim of a hate crime now will be doubted. Exactly. Emmanuel wasnt the only high profile Democrat to express anger at the outcome. David Axelrod, Barack Obamas former Chief Strategist, blazed on Twitter: Heres the lesson of this weird turn in the Smollett case: you can contrive a hate crime, make it national news, get caught and - if you are well-connected celebrity get off for $10k and have your record expunged and files sealed. Hate crimes are loathsome. Faking them is insidious and shouldnt be excused. It really is outrageous. Yes, it is. I watched Smolletts court statement again, now I knew he was lying again. It was a very convincing performance, almost as convincing as his performance on Good Morning America when he first recounted his story to Robin Roberts and garnered the nations horrified sympathy. One things for sure Smollett is a GREAT actor. Sadly, both his performances were just as fake as the original staged attack. Last month, when the charges were first made, I accused Smollett of being the most hideous, reprehensible, disgusting, snivelling little liar in America. I said he was a sickening, shameful disgrace who had lynched the truth in the most despicable manner possible and deserved no mercy and no sympathy. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who trashed Smollett in similarly robust terms at the time, said yesterday that the city is still owed an apology. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was furious that all charges were dropped against Jussie and stood behind his investigation and his belief that the actor is guilty, and owes the city an apology Well its not going to get one from Jussie I didnt do it! Smollett. But I would like to make an apology instead, to Smollett himself, and its this: Im truly sorry that I was so complimentary about him. In fact, I wish Id gone in much harder. For the truth is Smollett wasnt content with just perpetrating an act of wicked deception that grabbed global headlines and made a mockery of real victims of racial or homophobic attacks. No, he had to go a step further even than that and pretend hes been completely exonerated of any wrongdoing and is once again the victim not just of the original attack, but now of a terrible slur against his good name and reputation. By doing this, he has confirmed himself to be a truly despicable human being. It takes a rare kind of execrable douchebag to invoke his mother, God, black history, justice, equality and the betterment of marginalised people as he brazenly lies about being cleared over an incident that did unbelievable damage to justice, equality and marginalised people. But staggeringly, Smolletts not even the worst villain in this disgusting saga. That badge of dishonour goes to the States Attorney Kim Foxx and her team including her hapless First Assistant Magats. Foxx officially recused herself from the case after she was found to have exchanged text messages with a member of Smolletts family in the days after the incident. That badge of dishonour for this sorry mess goes to the States Attorney Kim Foxx, top, and her team, including her hapless First Assistant Joeseph Magats, above Now its been alleged that she tried to wrestle the case out of the hands of the Chicago Police Department and have the FBI take it over, at the request of Smollett family friend Tina Tchen, who is Michelle Obamas former chief of staff. At the very least, it appears that her team acted on her apparent conflicted desire to protect Smollett from facing proper justice a shameful, breathtakingly cynical example of the very worst kind of racial politics. The result of this shocking carve-up is that Smollett walks away a free man with no criminal stain on his record. Fortunately, theres another court he now has to face and thats the court of public opinion. Nobody apart from Smolletts family and a few of his deluded celebrity friends is buying this travesty. Smollett lynched the truth, caused immeasurable harm to real victims, betrayed Americas black and gay communities, and thinks hes got away with it. His reward for all this shouldnt be a return to his $100,000-an-episode life as a feted TV star. Smollett should be fired from Empire, banished from Hollywood and treated like the pariah he deserves to be, by an industry that supposedly prides itself on tolerance. This wouldnt fully atone for such a grotesque insult to justice, but it would help. A famous statue of a boy peeing into a fountain in Brussels has finally become environmentally friendly after centuries of pouring clean water down the drain. The Manneken Pis, one of the Belgian capital's most popular tourist attractions, has been weeing fresh water into the city's sewers since the 17th century. As much as 1,000 to 2,500 litres of drinking water a day - enough for around ten households - has been wasted by the 'peeing boy' statue, an expert has claimed. Energy technician, Regis Callens, spotted the potential waste after installing a water meter in the small bronze monument. If this calculation is correct then the statue has wasted more than 250 million litres of water over the last 400 years. Manneken Pis, the urinating boy statue in central Brussels, Belgium, was found to be wasting as much as 2,500 litres of water a day As a result of this discovery a new system for delivering the water back to the playful 21 ins (55cm) youngster was devised. Now the Manneken Pis will no longer pass clean fresh drinking water, but instead use water recycled from a closed circuit. The water he pees out will be recirculated and used again in an almost endless cycle, according to the Brussels Times. A channel was built to gather the water that flowed out and redirected back to the statue, with a permanent circuit due to be fitted at a later date. It was initially thought the boy's water flow was already on a closed circuit as his water usage did not seem too high to the authorities. The cheeky boy's flow has now been redirected so that the water does not flow directly into the drains of Brussels But Callens told French newspaper La Derniere Heure: 'We thought it was a closed circuit and that he wasn't consuming anything as the counter for Manneken Pis is just one out of 350 or 400, nobody paid much attention.' The solution was devised at the same time as Brussels Water Week, when the city's environment agency organised a number of activities to mark the importance of clean water. The bronze statue was found to be peeing clean water down the drain City councillor Benolt Hellings told the Brussels Times: 'In the middle of this Water Week, we can be proud to say that, for the first time in 400 years, Manneken Pis is not peeing out fresh drinking water.' Authorities in the city intend to inspect other fountains across Brussels to see if any drinking water is being wasted elsewhere. The bronze figure stands close to the Grand Place in the medieval centre of the Belgian capital. The Manneken Pis is the work of the renowned baroque sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy and is a replica of the 1619 original, which is in a nearby museum. Origins for the statue include a tale of a two-year-old nobleman called Duke Godfrey III of Leuven, who was placed in a tree by his troops where he urinated on enemy soldiers. Another 14th-century legend states the peeing boy is a tribute to a local lad named Julianske who had saved the city by urinating on a burning fuse lit by enemies trying to blow up defensive walls. As part of the figurine's playful backstories, he is often dressed in different costumes throughout the year to mark festivals, special occasions and political events. He is said to have more than 1,000 costumes and is dressed up 130 times a year. GUILTY: MICHAEL FLYNN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017. Awaiting sentence Flynn was President Trump's former National Security Advisor and Robert Mueller's most senior scalp to date. He previously served when he was a three star general as President Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was fired. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in December 2016. He has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel investigation. GUILTY AND JAILED: MICHAEL COHEN Pleaded guilty to eight counts including fraud and two campaign finance violations in August 2018. Pleaded guilty to further count of lying to Congress in November 2018. Sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in fines and forfeitures in December 2018 Cohen was investigated by Mueller but the case was handed off to the Southern District of New York,leaving Manhattan's ferocious and fiercely independent federal prosecutors to run his case. Cohen was Trump's longtime personal attorney, starting working for him and the Trump Organization in 2007. He is the longest-serving member of Trump's inner circle to be implicated by Mueller. Cohen professed unswerving devotion to Trump - and organized payments to silence two women who alleged they had sex with the-then candidate: porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. He admitted that payments to both women were felony campaign finance violations - and admitted that he acted at the 'direction' of 'Candidate-1': Donald Trump. He also admitted tax fraud by lying about his income from loans he made, money from taxi medallions he owned, and other sources of income, at a cost to the Treasury of $1.3 million. And he admitted lying to Congress in a rare use of the offense. The judge in his case let him report for prison on March 6 and recommended he serve it in a medium-security facility close to New York City. GUILTY AND JAILED: PAUL MANAFORT Found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August 2018. Sentenced to 47 months in March 2019. Pleaded guilty to two further charges - witness tampering and conspiracy against the United States. Jailed for total of seven and a half years in two separate sentences. Additionally indicted for mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, using evidence previously presented by Mueller Manafort worked for Trump's campaign from March 2016 and chaired it from June to August 2016, overseeing Trump being adopted as Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He is the most senior campaign official to be implicated by Mueller. Manafort was one of Washington D.C.'s longest-term and most influential lobbyists but in 2015, his money dried up and the next year he turned to Trump for help, offering to be his campaign chairman for free - in the hope of making more money afterwards. But Mueller unwound his previous finances and discovered years of tax and bank fraud as he coined in cash from pro-Russia political parties and oligarchs in Ukraine. Manafort pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of tax and bank fraud but was convicted of eight counts in August 2018. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges. A second trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent due in September did not happen when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering in a plea bargain. He was supposed to co-operate with Mueller but failed to. Minutes after his second sentencing hearing in March 2019, he was indicted on 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy by the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., using evidence which included documents previously presented at his first federal trial. The president has no pardon power over charges by district and state attorneys. GUILTY AND GOING TO WEEKEND JAIL: RICK GATES Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and making false statements in February 2018. Sentenced to 45 days weekend jail and three years probation, December 17, 2018 Gates was Manafort's former deputy at political consulting firm DMP International. He admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government on financial activity, and to lying to investigators about a meeting Manafort had with a member of congress in 2013. As a result of his guilty plea and promise of cooperation, prosecutors vacated charges against Gates on bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, failure to disclose foreign bank accounts, filing false tax returns, helping prepare false tax filings, and falsely amending tax returns. GUILTY AND JAILED: GEORGE PAPADOPOLOUS Pleaded guilty to making false statements in October 2017. Sentenced to 14 days in September 2018, and reported to prison in November. Served 12 days and released on December 7, 2018 Papadopoulos was a member of Donald Trump's campaign foreign policy advisory committee. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his contacts with London professor Josef Mifsud and Ivan Timofeev, the director of a Russian government-funded think tank. GUILTY AND JAILED: RICHARD PINEDO Pleaded guilty to identity fraud in February 2018. Sentenced to a year in prison Pinedo is a 28-year-old computer specialist from Santa Paula, California. He admitted to selling bank account numbers to Russian nationals over the internet that he had obtained using stolen identities. GUILTY AND JAILED: ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in February 2018. He served a 30-day prison sentence and was deported to the Netherlands on his release Van der Zwaan was a Dutch attorney for Skadden Arps who worked on a Ukrainian political analysis report for Paul Manafort in 2012. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about when he last spoke with Rick Gates and Konstantin Kilimnik. His law firm say he was fired. GUILTY: W. SAMUEL PATTEN Pleaded guilty in August 2018 to failing to register as a lobbyist while doing work for a Ukrainian political party. Sentenced to three years probation April 2019 Patten, a long-time D.C. lobbyist was a business partner of Paul Manafort. He pleaded guilty to admitting to arranging an illegal $50,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. He arranged for an American 'straw donor' to pay $50,000 to the inaugural committee, knowing that it was actually for a Ukrainian businessman. Neither the American or the Ukrainian have been named. CHARGED: KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK Indicted for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At large, probably in Russia Kilimnik is a former employee of Manafort's political consulting firm and helped him with lobbying work in Ukraine. He is accused of witness tampering, after he allegedly contacted individuals who had worked with Manafort to remind them that Manafort only performed lobbying work for them outside of the U.S. He has been linked to Russian intelligence and is currently thought to be in Russia - effectively beyond the reach of extradition by Mueller's team. INDICTED: THE RUSSIANS Twenty-five Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They remain at large in Russia Two of these Russian nationals were also indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 were indicted for conspiracy to launder money. Fifteen of them were also indicted for identity fraud. Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the charges. Russia effectively bars extradition of its nationals. The only prospect Mueller has of bringing any in front of a U.S. jury is if Interpol has their names on an international stop list - which is not made public - and they set foot in a territory which extradites to the U.S. INDICTED: MICHAEL FLYNN'S BUSINESS PARTNERS Bijan Kian (left), number two in now disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn's lobbying company, and the two's business partner Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for conspiracy to lobby illegally. Kian, an Iranian-American was arrested and appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to illegally lobby the U.S government without registering as a foreign agent. Their co-conspirator was Flynn, who is called 'Person A' in the indictment and is not charged, offering some insight into what charges he escaped with his plea deal. Kian, vice-president of Flynn's former lobbying firm, is alleged to have plotted with Alptekin to try to change U.S. policy on an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and who is accused by Turkey's strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of trying to depose him. Erdogan's government wanted him extradited from the U.S. and paid Flynn's firm through Alptekin for lobbying, including an op-ed in The Hill calling for Gulen to be ejected. Flynn and Kian both lied that the op-ed was not paid for by the Turkish government. The indictment is a sign of how Mueller is taking an interest in more than just Russian involvement in the 2016 election. GUILTY AND AWAITING SENTENCE: ROGER STONE Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign official and longtime informal advisor to Trump, was indited on seven counts including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress about his communications with WikiLeaks in January 2019. Convicted on all counts November 15, 2019, awaiting sentence Stone was a person of interest to Mueller's investigators long before his January indictment, thanks in part due to his public pronouncements as well as internal emails about his contacts with WikiLeks. In campaign texts and emails, many of which had already been publicly revealed before showing up in Mueller's indictment, Stone communicated with associates about WikiLeaks following reports the organization had obtained a cache of Clinton-related emails. Stone, a former Nixon campaign adviser who has the disgraced former president's face permanently tattooed on his back, has long been portrayed as a central figure in the election interference scandal. 'They got nothing,' he said of the special counsel's investigation. Stone gave 'false and misleading' testimony about his requests for information from WikiLeaks. He then pressured a witness, comedian Randy Credico, to take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify, and pressured him in a series of emails. Following a prolonged dispute over testimony, he called him a 'rat' and threatened to 'take that dog away from you', in reference to Credico's pet, Bianca. Stone warned him: 'Let's get it on. Prepare to die.' CLEARED: GREG CRAIG Greg Craig, President Barack Obama's White House counsel, was indicted for failing to register as a foreign agent. Mueller's investigators uncovered Craig's work on behalf the government of Ukraine while probing Manafort, who did business with Craig. Prosecutors released a grand jury indictment of Craig in April 2019, after Craig's law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP agreed to pay more than $4.6 million as part of a settlement. The prominent firm also acknowledged it had failed to register, and placed much of the blame on Craig, a senior partner there. Craig's lawyer blasted the decision as an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, and prepared to argue that omission of information during an interview is not tantamount to making false statements. The charges stem from a 2012 report Craig and the firm produced on behalf of the Ukrainian government on opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She was an opponent of Manafort's client , former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Craig was cleared on September 9 2019. A white woman who was forced to quit her school district job after she was filmed using racial slurs and spitting at two black people at a grocery store had her home burgled on Monday. Robbers stripped Corinne Magoveny-Terrone's Connecticut home and garage of its copper pipping - damaging her ceiling and a wall, New Haven police confirmed yesterday. Magoveny-Terrone made headlines two weeks ago after she was filmed calling black customers the n-word multiple times as she shopped with her two young children. Scroll down for video A white woman who was forced to quit her school district job after she was filmed using racial slurs and spitting at two black people at a grocery store (the ugly incident is shown above) had her home burgled on Monday Robbers stripped Corinne Magoveny-Terrone's Connecticut home and garage of its copper pipping - damaging her ceiling and a wall, New Haven police confirmed yesterday (pictured) Magoveny-Terrone worked as a clerk in the districts central office, according to the New Haven Register. The resignation was officially announced a day after a video of the incident went viral on Facebook. The video had been shared more than 8,300 times and commented on more than 2,500 times. It has generated over 1,000 reactions. The footage was first posted to Facebook by a user with the profile name Tatiana Winn. In the video, Magoveny-Terrone is heard yelling the n-word three times. She then spits at a black man and woman twice. It is unclear what, if anything, precipitated the outburst In the video, Magoveny-Terrone is heard yelling the n-word three times. She then spits at a black man and woman twice. It is unclear what, if anything, precipitated the outburst. After Magoveny-Terrone first utters the racial slur, the man looks as if he steps toward her, prompting her to respond: Put your hands on me, come on! She then pulls out her phone and starts recording. The man then slaps the phone out of her hands. He then turns and walks away from Magoveny-Terrone, who goes after him. The black woman then steps in between the two. The video was filmed at a ShopRite location in East Haven, according to the Facebook post. Magoveny-Terrones next-door neighbor, a black man, told the New Haven Register that he was surprised to see her in the video. At one point during the tirade, Terrone pulls out her cell phone and tries to record The neighbor said that his grandchildren often play with her children and that he had never witnessed any racist behavior from her in the past. Magoveny-Terrone has been an excellent neighbor, the man said. They have been living next to each other for eight years. Shes always been the sweetest woman in the world, the man said. Police were seen at Magoveny-Terrones home on Saturday, but there was nobody inside. Authorities say no criminal complaint has been filed. The video from the East Haven ShopRite (above) had been shared more than 8,300 times and commented on more than 2,500 times. It has generated over 1,000 reactions We are in touch with ShopRite and are looking to get a better understanding of what took place (Friday) night, East Haven Police said in a statement. Authorities could conceivably charge Magoveny-Terrone with assault, since spitting is considered a form of assault. At a minimum, she could faces a charge of breaching the peace. Hamden School District released a statement saying: 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 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. DCF stands for Department of Children and Families. A DCF report is filed whenever there is reason to suspect child abuse. Dog The Bounty Hunter has told DailyMailTV about his wife's brave battle with stage four lung cancer, saying 'My baby has cancer and she is fighting like hell.' The 66-year-old reality show star, whose real name is Duane Chapman, is famous for his tracking down tough fugitives with his 51-year-old wife Beth. The couple are currently filming 10 episodes of 'Dog's Most Wanted', debuting on WGN America later this year, despite doctors telling Beth in December she had lung cancer. Tearful Dog said, 'My baby has cancer and she is fighting like hell. I have cried a lot over this because Beth is my everything.' 'Despite all of the obstacles I have overcome, this is by far the biggest test of my life and mark my words, I will not let her die. 'She is my rock and my bodyguard. I will do everything I can to keep her here.' In his emotional interview, Dog also revealed he now wants to see drug-addicted fugitives he catches spared a prison sentence and instead placed in a rehab program he has set up in a bid to stop them re-offending. Duane 'Dog' Chapman, pictured with wife Beth Tuesday night in Los Angeles, said of her: 'She has told me repeatedly that if these are her last days on earth she wants to spend every moment with me on the hunt' Speaking of Beth's medical condition, Dog explained how his wife had used chemotherapy to fight throat cancer in 2012. But it took a terrible toll on his wife, who he married in 2006, leading to her spitting up blood, withering down to 140-pounds and losing her golden locks. He said, to fight lung cancer, Beth is opting for a different treatment through a professor that has been easier on her body. Dog said: 'If this were me, I would be a big sissy. But not Beth. She is still hitting the ground running with me. Beth is determined cancer won't slow her down. 'In fact, I am so amazed by Beth's strength and positive attitude. 'She has told me repeatedly that if these are her last days on earth she wants to spend every moment with me on the hunt, living life to the fullest and enjoying the time we have left together. 'The best part of my job is having her by my side on every journey. I can't imagine a day without her and think deep down inside she is always concerned for my safety because she wants the security of knowing I come home to her every night.' Dog, who has spent 40 years putting fugitives behind bars, said he now realizes rehab - and not prison - is the solution for many of the criminals who re-offend to feed a drug addiction. He acknowledged how the widespread opioid epidemic in the United States is filling prisons with people who committed crimes to get a fix. His views fall in line with bi-partisan criminal justice reform legislation signed into law by President Trump in February, known as The First Step Act. The Act pushes for the early release of federal prisoners who successfully complete drug rehabilitation programs. Currently half of all federal prisoners are incarcerated due to drug offenses. Dog revealed to DailyMail TV he wants to avoid putting drug-addicted fugitives in prison, instead having them go into his ''Naked, Addicted and Afraid' rehab program. Bounty Hunter Duane 'Dog' Chapman (above) speaks at rehab facility Treatment Alternatives in Boca Raton, Florida where he is setting up his 'Naked, Addicted and Afraid' program In a scene from WGN America's new show 'Dog's Most Wanted', debuting later this year, Duane 'Dog' Chapman (far right) is seen catching fugitives. Wife Beth is pictured far left The 'Naked, Addicted and Afraid' program takes between 40-65 days and is based at Treatment Alternatives, in affluent Boca Raton, Florida Dog is partnering with addiction experts at Boca Raton, Florida-based Treatment Alternatives to set up the program for the people he has caught - and intends to take it nationwide. Dog told DailyMailTV: 'We need to break the cycle of seeing drug-addicted people get out of prison and re-offend just to get another fix. 'I have spent my 40-year career catching people like these. The cycle needs to end right now. 'Jailing people who only committed crimes to feed their drug addiction, putting them in prisons where they can continue getting high on the black market, makes no sense.' The program, paid for either by the participant's health insurance or federal and state grants, takes place at the luxury facility in one of Florida's most-affluent areas and boasts a large swimming pool. The program takes between 40-65 days and is based at Treatment Alternatives, in affluent Boca Raton, Florida. Facilities include a large swimming pool But Dog stresses program members will find it tough going. He said: 'My facility program is not the soft option. Dealing with addiction for these people will be one of the toughest things they have ever had to endure. 'I hope courts will see the facility I am setting up as a sensible alternative to general incarceration. It will first be based in Florida but I would like to set up similar facilities nationwide.' Explaining the 'Naked, Addicted and Afraid' facility program, Dog said: 'Once they are tracked down by my team, the fugitives will be brought to the Treatment Alternatives facility. 'It is going to be a 40-65 day program aimed at weening addicts off of drugs by enrolling them in classes that will aid them in getting clean and sober. 'A team of counselors, doctors, nurses and psychologists will begin putting them on the new path they must stick to. Trying to escape and make a run for it is not an option. 'I spent six months looking for the right facility to work with, where the costs were affordable and it was a clean, safe and encouraging environment. 'When I use the word 'naked', it is because when you are coming here, you have to peel away the layers and completely expose yourself so you can take the first step towards recovery.' 'My goal is to give people a natural high.' Dog says his philosophy comes from real life experience. 'People do drugs because it provides a pleasure they feel they can't get anywhere else. 'But they can get the same satisfaction from things such as getting a job, having a family, meeting someone special, taking care of a pet, the foundations and reasons that make people feel validated.' Dog and Beth are starring together in the new reality show 'Dog's Most Wanted' which debuts on WGN America later this year Dog and Beth are looking forward to their new reality show 'Dog's Most Wanted' which debuts on WGN America later this year. Dog says WGN America has committed to ten episodes and five shows have already been shot. He said: 'On one level the series will seem similar to my original program. Beth and I are still going coast to coast capturing people on the lam. "However, in this installment, we are upping the level of intensity on how we capture these fugitives, the level of their crimes and where we will find them because these folks are more dangerous than anything you have seen in seasons past. 'Basically the stakes are higher to get them behind bars.' As well as his rehab program and new television series, Dog also revealed he is starting a 30-minute weekly podcast called 'Agents of Recovery' with addiction expert Scott Jones. Dog said: 'The objective here is to start a conversation about how one can become an addict, the symptoms one can look for and then open up the floor for a q&a with listeners. 'It is so vital for me to connect with my fans especially since 85% of the people I have captured have gone on to do amazing things with their lives and that is something I want to continue pushing.' Two middle school teachers in Georgia have been suspended for two days for discussing a 14-year-old male student's sexuality. Donald Holmes and India Cornelius were suspended after it was found they told the teen, 'Your boyfriend was cheating on you while you were away,' after he had returned from being absent from school for one day. The teen, who is an eight grade student at Shiloh Middle School in Snellville, has not identified with any sexuality yet, his mother, Jean Mott, told Action News 2. The suspension, which Mott finds insufficient, was the result of a Title IX investigation conducted by the school's Title IX coordinator. An investigation by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is underway to determine whether the teachers will keep their education certificates. Georgia teachers Donald Holmes and India Cornelius (pictured) were suspended for two days for implying a 14-year-old male student at Shiloh Middle School is gay in front of his entire class, leading to bullying from his peers 'The teacher said to my son, "Your boyfriend was cheating on you while you were away,"' Mott said. Mott said her son came home crying that day, after his classmates bullied him following the comments. Audio of an exchange between one of the teachers and Mott includes the mother asking the teacher if the comment was appropriate, and the female teacher responding, 'No, ma'am.' Then the same voice says, 'I want to be honest with you, I was wrong for it, OK, but...' and then Mott can be heard saying, 'There's no "but!"' Mott described another incident when one of the teachers allegedly said to her son, 'How many times do I have to watch you chase little boys?' after her son had chased another male student who pushed him. Holmes and Cornelius (pictured at left and right) were suspended after it was found they told the teen, 'Your boyfriend was cheating on you while you were away,' after he had returned from being absent from school for one day. The suspension, which Mott finds insufficient, was the result of a Title IX investigation conducted by the school's Title IX coordinator It's not clear which teacher actually made the two statements, but the words are being attributed to both Holmes and Cornelius, both of whom Mott said apologized for doing so. When the two brought up the teen's sexuality in front of the entire class they crossed a line that is forbidden by Title IX, which is a federal law. The civil rights law that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that students at schools that receive federal funding be provided with a learning environment that is free from hostility. Part of that law prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities at those schools. Of the teachers, Mott said, 'It's who our children are supposed to turn to. Instead in this situation they initiated the bullying. She added: 'As a result, my son has been bullied by his peers. It is something he will never live down.' Mott said she asked Holmes and Cornelius why they made the comments about her son's sexuality, but they didn't give her an answer. The student and his mother reported the behavior on December 12. A man in south China has been detained for throwing a violent fit and tossing furniture off his 23rd-storey balcony during a heated argument with his wife. The husband, surnamed Wang, lost his temper during the row and hurled a door, a television, a coffee table and a chair off their flat's high-rise balcony in Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region on Saturday, local police said. Shocking footage filmed by neighbours show the man tearing down a wooden-framed glass door and tossing it over the railing before it hits a lower floor balcony and shatters into pieces. Fortunately, police said no one was hurt. Shocking footage filmed by neighbours show the man tearing down a wooden-framed glass door and tossing it over the railing before it hits a lower floor balcony and shatters into pieces Aftermath photos captured by residents show at least two broken doors on the ground, with glass and debris scattered everywhere Police officers of the Wuning district were alerted to the scene after receiving a report by the man's daughter at about 7:40am. 'Wang was very emotional during a quarrel with his wife, surnamed Wei, and threw their television, coffee table, chair, doors and windows from the balcony on the 23rd floor. No one was injured,' a statement from the Wuning district police said. Officers placed Wang under control and escorted him back to the station for further investigations. It is unclear if he would be charged. The man is seen tearing down the wooden-framed glass door before hurling it over the balcony The Wuning district police were alerted to the scene after receiving a report by the man's daughter at 7:40am. Officers placed Wang under control and took him back to the station A neighbor who lives nine floors below the couple told video news site Pear that she was sleeping with her son and was startled by loud crashing noise Aftermath photos captured by residents show at least two broken doors on the ground, with glass and debris scattered everywhere. A neighbor who lives nine floors below the couple told video news site Pear that she was sleeping with her son and was startled by loud crashing noise. 'I thought someone was pulling down a house!' she said. 'When I went to the balcony to see what was going on, I saw lots of broken glass and the guardrail on my balcony was bent.' 'It's just horrible. If we had been outside at that time, we would have been seriously injured,' the neighbor said. Jussie Smollett's 'voluntary' community service at Jesse Jackson's civil rights foundation which led to him having all the charges against him dropped came about after the civil rights hero got in touch to offer him 'council'. There are abundant questions surrounding how Smollett was able to walk away from 16 felony charges with no criminal record, after paying just $10,000 and spending 16 hours performing community service at Rainbow PUSH, Jackson's civil rights organization, after months of scrutiny over the case. The Empire actor insists the community service voluntary and was not part of a deal with prosecutors to get the charges dropped, as does Reverend Jackson. Prosecutors also said on Wednesday that the charges would not have been dropped if he had not completed it. Exactly how or when it was decided that he would complete it, and how much prosecutors were aware of it ahead of time, remains unconfirmed. Jackson revealed on Tuesday that when it became clear Smollett was 'in crisis', he got in touch with him and offered 'council'. He did not say whether he made contact before or after Smollett was arrested on February 21. 'When he first was reported to be in the crisis, we reached out to him like we often do. He responded, came over that time. I sought to council him,' Jackson told CBS. Smollett visited Rainbow PUSH, Jackson's organization, on Saturday and Monday. His service there led prosecutors to suddenly drop the charges against him on Tuesday in a move that has been slammed by local police and city officials as a 'whitewash of justice'. Kim Foxx, the Cook County State's Attorney who recused herself over the Jussie Smollett probe, is pictured with Jesse Jackson on February 28. Jackson has revealed he contacted Smollett when he was 'in crisis' and offered him his 'council'. On Saturday and Monday, Smollett spent two days at Jackson's civil rights organization and it was that community service which led prosecutors to suddenly drop the charges against him Foxx gushed over the reverend's foundation in a tweet about their meeting. She had stepped back from the Smollett probe after exchanging texts with members of his family Smollett did two days of community service at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago over Saturday and Monday. He is shown during one of those days at the foundation where he also worked in book stores and spoke to film and music students. The organization called him one of its most 'impactful' volunteers The foundation will not reveal if it was Smollett's first visit or if he has completed community service on any other occasion. It also did not immediately respond when asked if prosecutors knew ahead of time that Smollett would be going. JESSE JACKSON SAYS SMOLLETT COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS VOLUNTARY AND NOT PART OF DEAL The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is an international human rights/civil rights organization that is committed to advancing the human rights of all people. When we first heard of Jussie Smolletts crisis, we reached out to him and Empire to see if we could be helpful. Jussie met with us and has given of himself to our organization and the movement for social justice. We have members and supporters across the country and around the world. Many of our members and supporters give of themselves and their time to help achieve the goals of the organization. Jussie is a member of our organization. He, like many other members, has given of his time and talent and continues to do so. During this period of disruption to his life and livelihood, Jussie has spent time here helping to advance this important work. There was no court-ordered community service here. Media questions about the rationale for dismissing the charges against Jussie are best directed to his counsel and the Office of the States Attorney. The prosecutors decision to dismiss the charges are the prosecutors alone, and Jussie should not be the one to defend the decision. He has maintained his innocence from the very beginning. At a time when our city is wrestling with excessive violence and unsolved homicides our resources and energies should be focused there. Any further questions about Jussie Smolletts case should be directed to his lawyer. We will continue to reach out to the challenges in our community. We will not stop until there is peace and justice for all. Advertisement Reverend Jackson said that he hoped it would bring an end to the problem. 'Hopefully this chapter is closed. I pray for him and am available for council,' he added. Kim Foxx, - who is facing tough scrutiny for her handling of the entire case - was seen giving Jackson an award at the C.F. Stradford Awards. It was a week after Smollett's arrested for allegedly staging a hoax hate crime and lying about it and Foxx had already recused herself from the case for exchanging text messages with a member of the star's family which police unions are now calling 'highly suspicious' in light of her office's about-turn on the charges. There were several award recipients that night who Foxx congratulated on Twitter. In her tribute to Reverend Jackson, she acknowledged his organization. 'The Rev Jackson needs no introduction. As founder & president of the RP Coalition, he has worked tirelessly to expand educational, business & employment opportunities for disadvantaged and people of color in Chicago. 'I'm so happy to honor him with this award tonight,' she wrote in a tweet along with a photograph of the pair. The reverend made separate comments in a February 19 interview as suspicion around Smollett's story intensified. 'The narrative of a black or gay being attacked is prevalent. So its easy to believe. 'Then the story starts unraveling. So now you have the case of it is a hoax, or is it real? We should not prejudge. 'We jumped to conclusions on the front side Dont put due process on recess. Due process takes time and we should honor that process. 'Whether we judge him harshly or judge him lightly, lets let the investigation determine the outcome,' Reverend Jackson told CBS. Rainbow PUSH spoke out in defense of Smollett on Tuesday. On February 19, as information emerged that Smollett was now the suspect in the case, Jackson urged people not to rush to judgement. 'The narrative of a black or gay being attacked is prevalent. So its easy to believe. Then the story starts unraveling. So now you have the case of it is a hoax, or is it real? 'We should not prejudge. We jumped to conclusions on the front side. 'Dont put due process on recess. Due process takes time and we should honor that process. Smollett cheers on Michelle Obama at the White House in 2016 during a workshop on the musical legacy of Ray Charles These are the emails exchanged between Tina Tchen and Kim Foxx on February 1, days after the incident on January 29 when Smollett was still being considered the victim of a hate crime Tchen put one of Smollett's relatives in touch with Foxx. Their texts are shown 'Whether we judge him harshly or judge him lightly, lets let the investigation determine the outcome.' In a statement, the organization said it got in touch with Smollett after his arrest to offer him support and that his doing service with them was not in exchange for the charges being dropped. The texts continued until mid February then Foxx recused herself 'When we first heard of Jussie Smolletts crisis, we reached out to him and Empire to see if we could be helpful. Jussie met with us and has given of himself to our organization and the movement for social justice. 'Jussie is a member of our organization. He, like many other members, has given of his time and talent and continues to do so. 'During this period of disruption to his life and livelihood, Jussie has spent time here helping to advance this important work. There was no court-ordered community service here,' spokesman Don Terry said. Terry did not immediately respond on Wednesday when asked when it was decided that he would visit this past weekend and Monday, the day before the charges were dropped, or if he has visited any other time over the last six weeks since his arrest. The organization gushed over him and said it was 'one of the most impactful' volunteers they had ever had. In its statement announcing the decision to drop the charges, the State's Attorney's office said: 'After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollets volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.' State's Attorney Kim Foxx is facing scrutiny for trying to intervene in the investigation by asking police to turn it over to the FBI. She exchanged text messages with members of the Smollett family keeping them updated with her progress but recused herself over them. Joe Magats (right) took over the case and decided to suddenly drop the charges on Tuesday This is the letter that was submitted to the court by Jesse Jackson to get Smollett off The city's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has decried the outcome as proof that Smollett was favored because is famous and well connected. Foxx, meanwhile, is facing scrutiny from the Fraternal Order of Police over her handling of the case. The union, which looks after 8,000 cops, has called her actions 'highly suspicious'. On February 1, when Smollett was still being treated as the victim of the crime, Foxx got a phone call from Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, on behalf of the family. She said that they had concerns with the number of leaks coming out of the Chicago police department and that the family would rather it be handled by the FBI. The entire country is getting a window into the absurdity of the Chicago political and legal system Fraternal Order of Police Vice President Martin Preib Foxx then received a text message from one of Smollett's relatives. The unnamed relative and Foxx then exchanged messages about her efforts to 'convince' Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson to get the case turned over to the FBI. In response, the relative said: 'OMG this would be a huge victory.' The Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago questioned their exchange in a letter to the US Attorney for Illinois. 'Victory of what? For whom? Why?' the union's president, Kevin Graham, asked. Tchen defended herself in a statement on Wednesday. 'I know members of the Smollett family based on prior work together. 'Shortly after Mr. Smollett reported he was attacked, as a family friend, I contacted Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who I also know from prior work together. 'My sole activity was to put the chief prosecutor in the case in touch with an alleged victims family who had concerns about how the investigation was being characterized in public,' she said. 'The conduct of her office from the very beginning of this cases was highly, highly suspicious,' Martin Preib, the FOP's vice president, said on Tuesday. 'The entire country is outraged by it. The evidence is overwhelming that he was legitimately charged in this case. This decision appears to be utterly arbitrary, capricious and suspicious. 'The entire country is getting a window into the absurdity of the Chicago political and legal system,' he added. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Wednesday that the Jussie Smollett case had made 'fools of us all' as he demanded to know why the Empire star suddenly had all 16 charges dropped on Tuesday after making a secret deal with prosecutors Emanuel said on Wednesday that none of the case added up. 'This does not add up. They better get their story straight, this is making fools of us all,' he said. 'He abused the city of Chicago, he committed a crime here. He lied about something,' he went on, adding that it was not just the state but also a grand jury who thought Smollett was guilty. 'He said he wanted to get his name clear. Let's get to the bottom of this, let's find out what happened,' he said. Abel and Ola Osundairo, the brothers who told police Smollett asked them to attack him, have not spoken out. Their lawyer Gloria Schmidt said on Tuesday that they had been fully prepared to testify against him at trial but now that there is no trial, there is no need for her to represent them. Benidorm has banned the use of mobility scooters, electric scooters and Segways on pavements after an outcry from irritated locals. Councillors in the Spanish tourist hotspot voted unanimously to approve laws that will also impose a 12mph speed limit on the vehicles, with 430 fines for offenders. Riders will also need insurance, be forced to wear helmets, and must have either a fluorescent vest or bell to alert the public to their presence. Mobility scooters have been banned from the pavements in Benidorm under new laws that also imposes a 12mph speed limit on the vehicles Benidorm is just the latest Spanish city to ban the vehicles, following similar laws in Barcelona and Madrid. Palma, on the island of Mallorca, is considering similar legislation as residents hit back against what has been dubbed 'uncivic tourism'. Electric scooters which can be rented by residents using a smartphone app then left in the street for someone else to pick up have also contributed to the problem. Such scooters have been blamed for at least one death in Spain - a 93-year-old woman who was knocked down in the Barcelona suburb of Esplugues de Llobregat. A pair of men who were reportedly travelling at 19 mph when the accident happened were taken in for questioning in November last year. Another woman, aged 40, was killed in Barcelona when she fell off a scooter she was riding and was run over by a truck. The ban also covers electric scooters after they were involved in two deaths - a 93-year-old woman who was knocked down, and a 40-year-old woman who fell off into the path of a truck Benidorm's city council first introduced the law two years ago and it took seven votes to get it approved, Diario Informacion reports. The measures will now go out for public consultation before being written into law. Fines will require a separate vote to implement. Spain, a country of 46 million, received 75.3 million tourists in 2016, sparking protests from locals who have branded the influx an 'invasion'. Far-left groups launched a campaign of vandalism around Barcelona and elsewhere in Spain to highlight the problem, prompting locals to take action. Of particular concern are resort towns such as Benidorm and Magaluf which have long been hubs of drinking, lewd behaviour and violence, some of it by Britons. Benidorm has also announced a clampdown on raunchy t-shirts and souvenirs in an attempt to tackle the problem. Officers raided tourism stalls this week, seizing lighters with naked women on them, sweets shaped like genitalia, and fake boobs. The late Barbara Bush woke up the morning after Election Day 2016 and was horrified to learn Donald Trump would be president. But as a former first lady she extended a warm hand to Melania Trump even though she had expected Hillary Clinton to win. In a warm letter that appears in 'The Matriarch,' a book that goes on sale April 2, Bush wrote two weeks later that Mrs. Trump would have to balance the demands of her new role with the needs of her family. And she said she was 'glad' Bill Clinton wasn't about to fill her former shoes, USA Today reporter Susan Page writes. 'The world thought I was writing this note to Bill Clinton. I am glad that I am not,' Mrs. Bush wrote. She had already drafted a funny note of congratulations to the former president. Author Susan Page writes that Bush told her: 'It said, "Welcome to the First Ladies Club. We cant wait to initiate you".' The late former first lady Barbara Bush (left) wrote a warm letter to incoming first lady Melania Trump a few weeks after the 2016 presidential election, telling her she should feel free to stay in New York instead of moving to the White House right away if it was in her son's best interest President Donald Trump's slash-and-burn style bothered Mrs. Bush to the point where it alienated her from the Republican Party, and she believed it exacerbated her heart problems She never mailed that one. Former President Bill Clinton would have become the first man to inhabit the traditional 'first lady' role if his wife Hillary had beaten Trump in 2016, and Barbara Bush had a zinger ready for him in a letter she never send him Her letter to Mrs. Trump came at a time when newspapers speculated about whether Melania would stay in New York until Barron, then 10 years old, finished the school year. Some reports suggested she wouldn't move to Washington at all. 'My children were older and there fore I did not have the problems you do. Whatever you decide to do is your business and yours alone,' Mrs. Bush wrote. 'If you decide to stay in NYC,' she advised, 'that will be fine also.' And the former first lady offered one piece of unsolicited advice in the event she chose to continue living in Trump Tower: 'When you come to the White House let your son bring a friend.' Mrs. Bush also wrote to Mike and Karen Pence, telling them 'how much fun I had as the wife of the VP,' and saying what a 'lovely house' they would be living in. She was second lady for eight years when George H.W. Bush was vice president under President Ronald Reagan. WHAT BARBARA BUSH WROTE TO MELANIA TRUMP AFTER THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 'Dear Mrs. Trump, 'The world thought I was writing this note to Bill Clinton. I am glad that I am not. I wanted to welcome you to the First Ladies very exclusive club. My children were older and there fore I did not have the problems you do. Whatever you decide to do is your business and yours alone. 'Living in the White House is a joy and their only job is to make you happy. 'If you decide to stay in NYC that will be fine also. When you come to the White House let your son bring a friend. That is my unasked for advice. 'God Bless you, 'Barbara Bush' Advertisement Nearly a quarter-century after she left the White House, Mrs. Bush found herself contemplating the presidency of a flamboyant billionaire real estate tycoon who had blasted her son Jeb as a 'low-energy' loser during the Republican primary season. 'I woke up and discovered, to my horror, that Trump had won,' she told Page. Bush came to hate Donald Trump so much that she kept a 'countdown clock' in her bedroom, ticking off the seconds until he would leave office. The former first lady died in April 2018 at the age of 92. Her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, passed away seven months later. Mrs. Bush also blamed the current president for a flare-up of her congenital cardiac condition, a moment she thought was a heart attack at the time. And she was so bothered by the brand of Republicanism Trump brought to the house where she once lived for four years that she had a hard time identifying with the GOP. Mrs. Bush hated Donald Trump so much that she kept a countdown clock by her bed, tracking the seconds until his first term was over A friend in Kennebunkport, Maine gave her a clock like this one, according to a new book about the Bush matriarch, and she liked it so much she brought it with her when she moved back to Houston Asked last year if she still considered herself a Republican, she replied: 'I'd probably say no today.' She couldn't bring herself to vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016. She wrote in Jeb's name instead. USA Today journalist Susan Page's book 'The Matriarch' will hit stores in April And that countdown clock was by her bedside when she died. 'After Trump was elected, a friend in Kennebunkport gave her a Trump countdown clock as a joke,' Page writes in 'The Matriarch,' which goes on sale April 2. 'The red, white, and blue digital clock displayed how many days, hours, minutes and seconds remained in Trumps term.' 'She liked the countdown clock so much that when the Bushes returned to Houston that October, she brought it with her. It sat on her bedside table, where she could see it every day. It was there to the day she died. ' But ultimately, Mrs. Bush was hopeful that the U.S. would survive what she saw as a painfully disruptive episode that turned the presidency on its ear. 'I'm trying not to think about it,' she said, nearly a year after Trump took office. 'We're a strong country, and I think it will all work out.' Page recalled her 2016 pronouncement after Trump ridiculed Jeb for deploying her to campaign for him during the New Hampshire Primary season. 'Just watched Jebs ad where he desperately needed mommy to help him,' Trump had tweeted. 'Jebmom cannot help you with ISIS, the Chinese or with Putin.' 'Putin endorsed him, for heavens sake,' Mrs. Bush erupted. 'Putin the killer! Putin the worst! He endorsed Trump! Thats an endorsement you dont want.' After her death, the thrice-married Trump took a moment during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to quip: 'Melania and I send our prayers to Barbaras husband of 73 years. Ill never beat that record.' A Brooklyn doctor who is out on $750,000 bond while awaiting trial on charges including manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment is still practicing medicine. Dr. Vignendra Ariyarajah, 45, is still visiting clinics, treating patients and even prescribing medicine, one month after he was indicted on charges related to the death of his mistress' newborn baby. Court documents filed in the Supreme Court of New York, Kings County, allege that the married doctor had two people kidnap his mistress and then hold her captive for four days while using PCP and Fentanyl to induce early labor. The victim, Paul Marie Raymond, eventually gave birth after four days, but the child died shortly after due to an infection caused by the lengthy labor. Ariyarajah was away on a ski trip at the time with his wife, but directed what Raymond was to be fed and how drugs and pills should be administered to her via text message according to the indictment. The doctor - who attended medical school at the University of Alberta but bills himself as a Harvard-trained cardiologist - allegedly carried out this plot because Raymond was pregnant with another man's baby. Scroll down for video Court: Dr. Vignendra Ariyarajah (above in court on Tuesday) is still visiting clinics, treating patients and even prescribing medicine, one month after his indictment Hippocratic oath: The married doctor (above with the victim) allegedly had two people kidnap his mistress and then hold her captive for four days while using PCP and Fentanyl to induce early labor Clean bill: In addition to being able to treat patients, there have been no complaints filed about the cardiologist according to the New York Board of Health's website(above) Ariyarajah was first indicted earlier this year, and in the wake of a new superseding indictment will stand trial for 13 counts ranging from manslaughter and criminal sale and diversion of a controlled substance to endangering the welfare of a child and assault. As a result, his bail was set at $750,000 after a court appearance in February. Once he was able to get that money, Ariyarajah was released, but not before being fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet. Since that time, Ariyarajah has continued to practice medicine, and a call to his Brooklyn office on Tuesday revealed that the facility is still very much open for business. He is not the only person who has been charged either, with one of the individuals who was holding Raymond captive those four days also being hit with a four-count indictment. It was one of those two individuals who helped investigators build their case by revealing what happened over the four days that Raymond was being held in that Brooklyn apartment. The complaint in the case was not submitted until two years after the incident, which may explain why there have been no repercussions for Ariyarajah. However, one day after the he appeared in court on Tuesday, a search of state databases showed that he was still approved to practice and that no disciplinary actions had been filed against him at this time. His card is still on full display at his own clinic as well, despite the gruesome details of the case that were shared in court documents. Booming: Dr Ariyarajah was away on a ski trip at the time with his wife, but allegedly said what Raymond was to be fed and how drugs and pills should be administered (the doctor's Brooklyn office) Crime scene: He was indicted in February and released on $750,000 bond while being ordered to wear a ankle monitor at all times (the building where the victim gave birth) Two days into her captivity, a pregnant Raymond was 'vomiting blood and semi-conscious.' Raymond also had 'ligature marks to her hands and arms and torn off fingernails,' states the complaint, which also noted what look to be 'chemical burns to her face.' Things were so bad that there was concern that Raymond night not make it through as she battled her way back from infection, sepsis and dehydration. She had been 30-weeks pregnant at the time, and there is a chance that the baby might have been saved if the EMTs who arrived on the scene had been allowed to enter the apartment and not blocked by one of the individuals holding Raymond. The young woman previously tried to save her baby's life by fleeing the apartment the night before, but one of her alleged captors manage to track her down. A French secret agent was shot dead with five bullets to the head and heart in an Alps car park after being linked to a plot to murder a Congolese politician. Daniel Forestier, 57, who lived in the sleepy region in eastern France, was found dead last Thursday in a remote car park in the small town of Ballaison, near lake Geneva. He had been shot five times, including in the head and heart, his lawyer Cedric Huissoud said. Forestier and another former agent were charged last September with 'criminal conspiracy' and 'possession of explosives' in connection with a plot to murder General Ferdinand Mbaou, who has lived in exile in France for some 20 years. Daniel Forestier, 57, is pictured on the Lucinges town hall's website where he served as a local councillor and also used to run a bar - his lawyer said he led a quiet, clean life General Ferdinand Mbaou, 62, has lived in exile in France for the last 20 years and is an outspoken critic of the government in the Republic of Congo - he still has a bullet lodged in his torso from an attempt on his life in Paris in 2015 The remote car park in the small town of Ballaison is cordoned off after Daniel Forestier was found dead last Thursday Forestier is believed to have worked for 14 years for the DGSE - the French equivalent of the CIA or MI6. 'It's hard to believe that this murder bore no connection with his implication in the Mbaou affair,' a source close to the investigation said on condition of anonymity. News of the death surprised locals in the village of Lucinges, about 12 miles to the south of Ballaison, where Forestier, a father-of-two, had served on the local council. In an interview with the regional Dauphine Libere newspaper, Mayor Jean-Luc Soulat said he felt 'a lot of sadness and shock'. While Forestier's spy past was no secret - he had used his own money to publish a semi-autobiographical novel entitled 'Barbouze de la Republique' ('Spy for the Republic') - Soulat said he had thrown himself into village life on arriving in Lucinges in 2002. Forestier first ran a local bar named 'Escapade' and later served four years on the local council. The crime scene at the remote car park in Ballaison, around 12 miles from where Forestier lived in Lucinges His lawyer said he 'led a clean-living, peaceful life' and had never had any brushes with the law before being charged in the plot to murder Mbaou. 'My client always rejected these incredible allegations, which were based on an account from a single anonymous source,' Huissoud said. 'This affair was bizarre from the start,' Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, the lawyer of Forestier's co-accused Bruno Susini, adding that the two ex-spies had been 'very worried about their safety' after some of their personal details - including pictures of Forestier's home - had been shared on social media. The probe into Forestier's killing is being led by the same anti-gang crime squad in the city of Lyon which was investigating him over the plot against Mbaou. Reacting to Forestier's murder, Mbaou said he was 'saddened.' 'I hope that his death does not prevent justice being served, but I'm confident,' the general added, referring to the alleged plot to kill him, 'He (Forestier) was not acting alone. There are other suspects.' In October, Mbaou said he was angry at the reported plot, but 'not surprised'. The 62-year-old general is known for his outspoken attacks on President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled the former French colony and oil-rich Republic of Congo for some 35 years. Mbaou fled Congo after his former boss, the country's first democratically-elected president Pascal Lissouba, was overthrown by Sassou Nguesso in 1997. Forestier was discovered with five bullets in his head and heart in the car park (pictured) The sleepy town of Ballaison in the French Alps close to Lake Geneva where Daniel Forestier, 57, was found dead last Thursday with five bullets to his head and heart He had already survived an attempt on his life. Mbaou believes it was the regime that sent hitmen to shoot him in the back as he was leaving his home in Bessancourt north of Paris in November 2015. He still has the bullet lodged in his torso. 'The doctors couldn't remove it because it is in a tricky spot, close to the heart,' he said. No one was ever charged over the attack. A trailblazing hip-hop journalist whose career went off the rails after she was brutally beaten by Dr Dre in 1991 has been evicted from her home and launched a GoFundMe campaign pleading for help getting back on her feet. In the wake of the attack, Dre skyrocketed to super-stardom and amassed a fortune of $770million as Dee Barnes watched her career grind to a halt, leaving her struggling to make ends meet. Three decades later, Barnes has reached a new low as she stands on the brink of living on the street. She opened up about her desperate situation this week in an interview with HipHopDx. 'What made me finally say: "Enough, I'm going to ask for help" is that quote "You can overcome anything in life, but you must first be willing to live in your truth,"' Barnes said. 'I realized that I had come too far and had been through too much to just give up without trying.' Dee Barnes, a prominent hip-hop journalist who was brutally beaten by Dr Dre in 1991, has opened up about being evicted from her home in a new interview Barnes (left) is the former host Pump It Up!, a Fox program that launched in 1989 and featured interviews with some of hip-hop's biggest artists, including Dr Dre's group N.W.A. She claims that she was blackballed by the industry after she accused Dre (right) of assault in 1991 Barnes shot to fame in 1989 when she became the first female hip-hop journalist to have a broadcast television show as the host of Pump It Up!, which featured interviews with the industries biggest artists, including Dre's group N.W.A. Everything changed when she interviewed interviewed former N.W.A. member-turned-enemy Ice Cube and aired a segment in which his words trashing the group were spliced into an interview Barnes previously conducted with the remaining members. Dre, whose real name is Andre Romelle Young, was reportedly infuriated by the piece and believed Barnes had intentionally humiliated him. By Barnes' account, Dre unleashed his rage at a record release party by beating her mercilessly on the floor of the women's restroom at a night club. She filed criminal charges and a civil suit against Dre and found herself swamped by court appearances as her media career ground to a halt. Dre pleaded no contest to the criminal charges and the civil suit was settled out of court. In this week's interview, Barnes said: 'I had never asked for public help before, but I then remembered a long time ago while I was going through the assault trial in 1991 people were sending me checks for my legal fees. I never cashed any of them not one but knowing I had that support kept me strong enough to continue to face each court date. 'Right now, I am officially homeless. My goal with the campaign is to regain stability, which is imperative for survivors of any trauma.' Barnes launched a GoFundMe campaign last month asking for the public's help as she stood on the brink of homelessness. The campaign has raised more than $14,000 as of Wednesday Barnes further explained her situation on the GoFundMe page she created last month, which had raised more than $14,000 as of Wednesday. 'Standing in our own truth not the definitions or the expectations is powerful, and this is my TRUTHYes, I did post the link to my PayPal, CashApp and GooglePay accounts asking for help because I am in the process of being evicted,' she wrote. 'This page was created as an emergency fund to stop the process and the subsequent legal fees. Even though I am facing extreme financial hardship, I keep my head up. I know who I am, I know my worth and I know Im not alone.' When asked about the connection between the attack and her eviction, Barnes told HipHopDx: 'Any time a women tells her account of abuse from a public figure, there is always extreme backlash. 'There are too many examples of this the Hollywood actresses who found themselves jobless after taking a stand against [Harvey] Weinstein, the women who gave up their dreams of comedy after incidents with comic Louis C.K. 'But most recently, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and the [Justice Brett] Kavanaugh hearings. After her testimony, shes had to have security due to death threats, change her job, move her family, et cetera. 'Women are punished first by the crime committed against them and then for holding abusers accountable for their actions and speaking out against domestic violence and sexual assault. 'Survivors should be able to hold people in positions of power accountable for their actions without losing their own power. Times up.' Barnes (above in 2011) filed criminal charges and a civil suit against Dre after the attack. The artist pleaded no contest to the charges and the suit was settled out of court in 1993 In the wake of the attack, Dre's career skyrocketed and he amassed a fortune of $770million For years, Dre was dismissive of the allegations that he assaulted Barnes and two other women, including his then-girlfriend Michel'le. He finally apologized in 2015 when the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton was released. 'Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did,' he said in a statement. 'I've been married for 19 years and every day I'm working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I'm doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again. 'I apologize to the women I've hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.' Barnes reacted to the movie in a post for Gawker shortly after its release, saying: 'When I was sitting there in the theater, and the movie's timeline skipped by my attack without a glance, I was like: "Uhhh, what happened?" Like many of the women that knew and worked with N.W.A., I found myself a casualty of Straight Outta Compton's revisionist history.' Chinese customs authorities have seized and destroyed nearly 30,000 world maps deemed 'problematic' because they had 'border mistakes'. The 'incorrect' maps, according to Chinese state media, failed to include Taiwan and a disputed area on the China-India border as part of the country's territory. They were destroyed at a secret location in the city of Qingdao last Thursday before being exported to an unspecific country, reported state newspaper Global Times. Customs officers in Qingdao, China, are seen destroying the 'problematic' and 'incorrect' world maps last Thursday after authorities deemed them to have 'border mistakes' The report said the world maps totalled 28,908 in number and came in 803 boxes. They illustrated Taiwan as an independent country and 'wrongly depicted' the Sino-Indian border on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, it said. China sees democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949. In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Taiwan's unification with the mainland 'is inevitable'. Xi warned against any efforts to promote the island's independence and said China would not renounce the option of using military force to bring it into the fold. The area in question on the China-India border is referred to as the state of Arunachal Pradesh by India and South Tibet by China. The world's two most populous countries have gone head-to-head over the issue for decades, and the area triggered a war in 1962 with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the Himalayan territory. The Chinese authorities said the maps failed to label Taiwan and South Tibet as part of the country's territory. Beijing sees democratic Taiwan its territory to be reunified and considers what New Delhi calls the state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of its Tibet Autonomous Region In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Taiwan's unification 'is inevitable' (file photo) Last week's map crackdown in China was aimed at enhancing public awareness on national sovereignty, safeguard national integrity and raising people's ability to distinguish 'problematic maps', reported Qingdao News. 'What China did in the map market was absolutely legitimate and necessary, because sovereignty and territorial integrity are the most important things to a country,' Liu Wenzong, professor from the department of International Law of China Foreign Affairs University, told Global Times. Beijing has been tightening its control over the production and distribution of maps in the past few years. In December 2015, China's State Council issued a new set of 'Map Management Regulations' to require all media, schools and government functions to use 'correct' maps to safeguard state sovereignty. In May last year, American fashion retailer GAP had to apologise to the Chinese government after printing T-shirts with a map of the country that left out Taiwan and South Tibet. The clothing chain issued an apology saying it 'respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity', adding that the products had been pulled off the shelves in the Chinese market and destroyed. A Chick-Fil-A employee is being hailed as a hero after her quick-thinking saved the life of a woman who was choking on her lunch. Shelby Montgomery, 22, was on duty at a Chick-Fil-A in San Antonio on Monday when the woman began to struggle and turn blue. Surveillance footage captured the incredible moment the nursing student, who is also the Director of Hospitality at her Chick-Fil-A, immediately sprung into action. Footage shows the moment the woman begins to cough violently while sitting down at one of the restaurant's tables, her food in front of her. A Chick-Fil-A employee is being hailed as a hero after her quick-thinking saved the life of a woman who was choking on her lunch. The woman was first helped by a customer sitting next to her at the San Antonio restaurant The customer sitting next to the choking woman tries to help, but to no avail. As the woman begins to collapse, employee Shelby Cunningham runs over to help (right) The woman stands up, clearly struggling, and a woman sitting at the table next to her gets up to help. She tries to the do Heimlich maneuver on the woman, but to no avail. The choking woman begins to collapse. Another customer spots the pair struggling and calls Shelby over, moving the choking woman's table to give her more space. Shelby immediately sprints over as the woman falls to the ground and begins performing the Heimlich on her, successfully getting the food out in seconds. The woman wipes away tears from her eyes and hugs the first customer who had tried to help her. Shelby begins performing the Heimlich maneuver on her (left), successfully getting the food out in seconds. The woman wipes away tears from her eyes as Shelby calms her down The woman catches her breath, clearly emotional from the experience, while Shelby continues to check on her and ask if she's okay She catches her breath, clearly emotional from the experience, while Shelby continues to check on her and ask if she's okay. Shelby even sits down at the woman's table, which has since been moved back to its original place, as she continues to try to calm her down. The nursing student told KENS 5 that she immediately ran to the woman when she 'heard someone say, "Call 911, someone's choking"'. 'As soon as I heard that, I was alerted and ran in here,' she said. 'I said, "Okay, I need to do something. I need to do whatever I can do to help her out."' Shelby (pictured) said she immediately ran to the woman when she 'heard someone say, "Call 911, someone's choking"' Joshua Cunningham, the owner of the Chick-Fil-A location, was so proud of Shelby that she bought the nursing student her very first stethoscope (pictured together) Joshua Cunningham, the owner of the Chick-Fil-A location, said he was 'overwhelmed with emotion' when he saw the surveillance footage. 'Shelby is the ideal team member,' he said. 'She's the one who takes care of our guests, she takes care of our team members.' 'She just has a sweet spirit about her. She literally has a servant's heart.' 'I'm just so thankful that Shelby was at the right place at the right time to help that lady,' he added. 'To save a life.' Shelby's manager said she is known for her 'sweet spirit', adding that she has a 'servant's heart' Just a few days before she saved the customer's life, Shelby was awarded a national Chick-Fil-A scholarship to continue her nursing education (pictured) Cunningham was so touched by Shelby's actions that he decided to present her with a special gift. 'I went down to the local scrub shop and purchased her first stethoscope and presented that to her,' he said. And Shelby will soon be able to put that stethoscope to good use. Just a few days before she saved the customer's life, Shelby was awarded a national Chick-Fil-A scholarship to continue her nursing education. The man who was hailed a star commentator after filming his mate lose a prized barramundi in a battle with a monster crocodile has admitted he was more concerned about losing the catch than getting attacked. Dac Craig, from Darwin, was fishing with his friend Daniel Luttig at a creek in the Northern Territory when a saltwater crocodile threatened their catch and safety. In a hilarious viral video released earlier in the week, Mr Luttig is seen trying to pull in a fish on his line before a crocodile latches on. The huge reptile begins to chase the pair and Mr Craig screams at his friend to run from the intruder. Appearing on The Project on Tuesday evening, Mr Craig explained he was more concerned for the fish than his own safety. Host Waleed Aly asked: 'Be honest, on a scale of one to 10, how scared were you?' Mr Craig replied: 'I don't know, I was probably more scared for Daniel's fish.' 'Um, I mean, you know, with respect obviously with a crocodile racing towards us, I was pretty gutted when he grabbed Daniel's fish.' Peter Helliar said there were plenty of other fish in the sea and questioned why the young man wasn't as concerned about the crocodile. 'There was still plenty of worrying about the crocodile mate, let me tell you,' Mr Craig responded. Dac Craig and Daniel Luttig (pictured) were fishing in Outback Australia when they realised he caught a big fish Mr Craig said the duo weren't negligent and ensured they stayed a safe distance from the crocodile. In an interview with ABC's Tales from the Tinny, he explained 'everything escalated pretty quickly'. 'He (Daniel) started bringing the fish faster and faster to the bank but the croc, matched the speed. 'I wasn't looking at Daniel but I just kinda hoped he was running. 'We were shocked, we were sad, I was disappointed for Daniel. It was a good fish.' Mr Craig (pictured), from Darwin, admitted he was devastated they had lost the barramundi A crocodile leaped out of the water and swallowed the fish as the fisherman pulled in his fishing rod The video begins with Mr Craig encouraging his friend to hold onto the fish. 'Cmon Daniel, keep the pressure on,' he can be heard shouting in the background. Excitement quickly turns to fear when he pulls in the fish only for a monster crocodile to quickly follow in pursuit. 'Run back bro, run Daniel run!,' he screams as the pair sprint through the mud while the crocodile follows closely behind. The pair's attention soon becomes fixated on keeping the prized fish rather than worrying about their safety. 'Keep the pressure... no! No! It's so big! He's swallowing it, the whole thing's gone down his gob,' one of the men yells. 'F***!' Mr Luttig screams in frustration. 'Daniel that was a beast of a fish... what a f***ing dog!' Dac screams, seemingly more concerned about the loss of the fish than the apex predator just metres away. Tina Tchen, an attorney and former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, has come under renewed scrutiny for her involvement in the Jussie Smollett case after prosecutors dropped all charges against the actor. Tchen, a friend of the Smollett family, contacted Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx with 'concerns' about the investigation days after Smollett claimed he'd been victimized in a hate crime. 'I wanted to give you a call on behalf of Jussie Smollett and the family who I know. They have concerns about the investigation,' Tchen, 63, wrote in an email to Foxx on February 1, three days after the purported attack, the Chicago Tribune reported. Now, after Foxx's office on Tuesday dropped all 16 felony counts of filing a false police report against Smollett, while admitting that they still believe he staged the hate crime as a hoax, Tchen's involvement in the affair is drawing fresh attention. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Tchen defended her involvement in the case, saying: 'I know members of the Smollett family based on prior work together. Shortly after Mr. Smollett reported he was attacked, as a family friend, I contacted Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who I also know from prior work together.' 'My sole activity was to put the chief prosecutor in the case in touch with an alleged victims family who had concerns about how the investigation was being characterized in public,' Tchen added. Former Michelle Obama chief of staff Tina Tchen (left) has come under scrutiny for her communications with Chicago State's Attorney Kim Foxx (right) about Jussie Smollett Foxx's office shocked the nation on Tuesday by dropping all charges against Smollett (above) despite prosecutors saying they still believed he faked a hate crime attack against himself Tchen contacted Foxx on February 1, three days after Smollett claimed he had been attacked. Foxx replied that she had contacted the police superintendent to ask for an FBI takeover Tchen graduated from Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law and began practicing law in 1983. While working as an attorney with international law firm Skadden Arps in the 1990s and 2000s, she was a regular donor to Democrat political candidates, disclosure records show. In 2009, she joined the Obama White House with an appointment to the Office of Public Engagement. She worked in the Obama Administration throughout the following eight years, including as as assistant to the president, chief of staff for Michelle Obama, and executive director of the Council on Women and Girls. Tchen currently leads the Chicago branch of Buckley LLP, where she focuses on gender and diversity issues in the workplace. Last week, she was hired by the Southern Poverty Law Center to examine the troubled group's workplace culture after the co-founder was fired and the president resigned. Tchen has accumulated a number of awards, inculding the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement award from the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession and the Women of Achievement award from the Anti-Defamation League, among many others. Tchen worked as a chief of staff for former First Lady Michelle Obama. They are seen together above in 2015 at the Partnership for a Healthier America Summit Tchen (far right) looks on in 2009 as then President Obama signs an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls, which Tchen would lead as executive director Obama and Joe Biden meet with the Council on Women and Girls in the Oval Office in 2014. Tchen is seen sitting on the far right next to former Attorney General Eric Holder Tchen became involved in the Smollett case when she contacted Foxx on February 1, three days after the Empire actor claimed that two white men had assaulted him in the street shouting racist and anti-gay slurs, as well as slogans of President Donald Trump. Tchen wanted Foxx to convince Chicago police to hand the investigation over to the FBI, and Foxx agreed to try. Several hours later, Foxx received a text message from one of Smollett's relatives. Foxx indicated that she was trying to get the investigation turned over to the FBI. 'Spoke to the [police] superintendent earlier, he made the ask. Trying to figure out logistics. I'll keep you posted,' Foxx wrote. 'Omg this would be a huge victory,' Smollett's relative replied to the prosecutor. Foxx replied: 'I make no guarantees but I'm trying.' Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx is seen earlier this year. She is under scrutiny for her communications with Tchen and a Smollett family member Text messages between Foxx and a Smollett family member are seen above The messages between Foxx and a Smollett family member continued through February 13 On February 13, the chief ethics officer in the State's Attorney Office sent out this internal memo notifying staff that Foxx was recused from the Smollett case While the relative has not been unidentified, Tchen appears to have close ties with Smollett's sisters. Tchen and Smollett's sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell were pictured together at an event at Austin's South by Southwest and the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles early last year. Both of Smollett's sisters also worked for the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012 and Smollett-Bell also reportedly visited Tchen in the White House. Smollett himself has been pictured with the Obamas at the White House and once danced on stage with Michelle in a viral video from an event last year. Despite Foxx's apparent efforts, the CPD remained the lead investigators on the purported hate crime attack, and did not hand the case over to the FBI. At the time, Smollett was still officially considered a victim in the case, though local reporters in Chicago were already revealing that police investigators were highly skeptical of Smollett's claims. At the time, spokeswoman for the state's attorney's office said that Smollett's relative was specifically concerned about leaks to the media that purportedly came from the Chicago Police Department. Tchen and Smollett's sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell were pictured together at an event at Austin's South by Southwest early last year. Both of Smollett's sisters worked on Obama campaigns in 2008 and 2012 Foxx was contacted by former Michelle Obama aide Tina Tchen who wanted to try and steer the investigation in the direction the Smollett family wanted. Smollett is pictured above with the Obamas in the White House Smollett himself has been pictured with the Obamas at the White House and once danced on stage with Michelle in a viral video from an event last year The communications between Smollett's relative and Foxx continued through the morning of February 13, the day before Good Morning America aired a tearful interview with Smollett, and police detained two Nigerian brothers for questioning in the case. At 6.16pm on February 13, the chief ethics officer in the State's Attorney Office sent out an internal memo notifying staff that Foxx was recused from the Smollett case. In her place, First Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats was appointed as the lead prosecutor on the case. A spokeswoman for the state's attorney office said that Foxx had been recused due to her contacts with the Smollett family. 'When she [Foxx] initially engaged in the communications, Mr. Smollett was still believed to be the victim of the crime,' spokeswoman Kiera Ellis told the Tribune. 'As the investigation started to change and it became a possibility that he could actually be a suspect, that is when she made the decision (to recuse herself).' It is not uncommon for people to approach Foxx with information or concerns about cases, and it is 'fairly typical' for her to contact Johnson directly to request updates or get information, Ellis said. Smollett was arrested on February 21 on suspicion of filing a false police report. A grand jury later indicted him on 16 felony counts of filing a false report. On Tuesday, prosecutors said that all of the charges against Smollett had been dropped. In a bizarre interview, lead prosecutor Magats said that he personally believed that Smollett was guilty of staging a fake hate crime, but that resources were too constrained to pursue the case. Lead prosecutor Magats, who took over after Foxx was recused, said that he personally believed that Smollett was guilty of staging a fake hate crime after the charges were dropped Smollett maintains that he was truthful in his account and was the victim of a hate crime. The state's attorney's office said that Smollett's agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond and perform 16 hours of community service constituted a 'just resolution' to the case. The decision was blasted by Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who called the move a 'whitewash of justice.' The Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago's police union, also demanded a federal probe into Foxx's actions in the case. Chicago police have also alleged that Smollett sent a fake threatening letter to himself with white powder inside, which turned out to be crushed Tylenol. No federal charges have been filed in the mail threat case, but an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspector's office is ongoing. Another former top Obama aide has spoken out to slam state prosecutors' actions in the case. David Axelrod, 64, said 'someone wasnt being truthful' and Chicago had paid the price in a series of tweets condemning the decision Tuesday. The former president's campaign mastermind labelled the decision 'outrageous' as he asked why the Empire actor was allowed 'to get off for $10K and have his records expunged and case files sealed'. Axelrod tweeted: 'Unless some better explanation surfaces, heres the lesson of this weird turn in the Smollett case: 'You can contrive a hate crime, make it a national news, get caught and-if you are a well-connected celebrity-get off for $10K and have your record expunged and files sealed.' A pub once frequented by novelist Evelyn Waugh which featured in his masterpiece 'Decline and Fall' will be developed for housing after a High Court ruling. Waugh taught at a prep school near the Fair View Inn in Llandulas, North Wales, and it became the model for 'Mrs Roberts' Pub' in his much-loved 1928 comic novel. Paul Pennyfeather, who was famously 'debagged' by the Bollinger Club, drank there with fellow teachers when escaping from their duties at fictional school, Llanaba. Evelyn Waugh taught at a prep school near the Fair View Inn in Llandulas, North Wales The Fair View Inn, which opened in 1861, closed its doors recently after hitting hard times But the Fair View Inn, which opened in 1861, closed its doors recently after hitting hard times and was bought by a social housing provider in 2017. Cartefi Conwy Cyfynedig wants to turn the pub into a four-bedroom house and to build 24 one and two- bedroom flats in its grounds. Despite a storm of local opposition, Conwy County Borough Council granted planning permission for the development in March last year. But campaigner Patricia Thompson, a member of the 'Passionate about Llandulas' pressure group, challenged the permission at the High Court. Pointing out that the village would be left with just one pub, the Valentine, she claimed the council broke its own policy to protect community facilities. Cartefi Conwy Cyfynedig wants to turn the pub into a four-bedroom house and to build 24 one and two-bedroom flats in its grounds. A concept drawing is pictured Planning permission should not have been granted without a full assessment of whether it would be economically viable to re-open the Fair View Inn, she said. Decline and Fall, a famous social satire Evelyn Waugh Decline and Fall was author Evelyn Waugh's first published novel in 1928 and became a famous work of social satire. The story he wrote aged 24 includes themes such as mankind's wicked nature and the misery of youth. Its tragic hero Paul Pennyfeather is an innocent man who is taken advantage of by those nastier and richer than him. The tale features a portrayal of the champagne-fuelled bullying of the Bollinger Club, a fictional version of Oxford University's Bullingdon Club. Pennyfeather is stripped naked by the Bollinger boys before being spotted by dons and kicked out of the university an act which begins his decline. The story was adapted by Rev writer James Wood for a three-part BBC drama starring Jack Whitehall in 2017. Advertisement Ms Thompson also claimed the development would put pressure on class sizes at the village school, which is already heavily oversubscribed. Dismissing her judicial review challenge, however, Mr Justice Dove rejected arguments that councillors had misinterpreted the planning policy. He recognised the importance of community facilities in small settlements to meet the needs of locals without them having to travel further afield. But council lawyers pointed out that the village still has one surviving pub and is also equipped with a community hall and a Royal British Legion Club. The purpose of the policy was to guard against the village being left with no pub at all, he said. And councillors were not obliged to compare the facilities on offer at the Valentine against those lost when the Fair View Inn closed. Turning to the education issue, the judge noted the developer would pay about 17,000 towards the construction of a new school within the next five years. Councillors had not been misled about the purpose to which that money would be put, the judge concluded, upholding the planning permission. Audio of the 911 prank call by a six-year-old boy claiming that a school shooter had killed five and taken the principal hostage has been released. Police in Conway, Arkansas rushed to Marguerite Vann Elementary after receiving the call at about 5.33pm on Monday, from a 'young caller' saying someone was trying to 'shoot up the school,' the Conway Police Department said. The boy said that five people had been shot, and that the principal was in the office with the shooter, but dispatchers became suspicious when the details of his story kept constantly changing. Police in Conway, Arkansas rushed to Marguerite Vann Elementary after receiving a 911 call from a 'young caller' at about 5.33pm on Monday Excerpts from the 55-minute phone call include the boy telling the emergency responder: 'There's somebody trying to shoot up the school' before telling police that the weapon the shooter was apparently wielding was a 'regular gun'. He then went on to say that several people were hurt and the principal was being held hostage in his office. Then, later in the call, he claimed to actually be the principal himself but was 'unable to leave the classroom because the supposed gunman would shoot him.' A spokesperson for the Conway Police Department said there would be no charges against the boy. The caller reported that someone was shooting up the school, but police searched the premises and quickly determined that the call was a hoax They said in a statement: 'The call was determined to be from a six-year-old boy using a disconnected cell phone. 'While the dispatcher believed the caller to be a child at that point there was no way of knowing if the call of a school shooting was valid. 'The dispatcher continued to question the caller, relaying information to the officers at the scene and also keeping the caller on the line so that his location could be pinpointed. The school is located in central Arkansas about 30 miles northwest of Little Rock (file photo) 'Once officers cleared the school it was apparent there had not been a shooting at the school. The child was later found at a home a couple blocks from the school. 'Everyone involved from the dispatcher to the officers with CPD, the US Marshals Service and other agencies did a wonderful job of handling this situation. 'While its unfortunate resources were used used unnecessarily, we had to treat this as a real incident until we learned otherwise to make sure there was no danger. Officers from multiple agencies rushed to the scene but found no shooter. Police determined that the boy's parents gave him a deactivated phone, not realizing it could still call 911 'Due to the boys age no charges will be filed in this case.' Photos from the scene show a large police response at the elementary school, located in central Arkansas about 30 miles northwest of Little Rock. Eventually, investigators tracked the call to a boy who was at home with his parents. The parents had apparently given the boy a deactivated phone to play with, not realizing that the phone could still make emergency calls even though it was disconnected from service. An elderly woman from Virginia was attending a family member's funeral in South Carolina when she was attacked and mauled by a pack of dogs, whose owner was later arrested. The 76-year-old victim was at Wood Memorial Park in Duncan on Monday for the burial service of her brother-in-law when five dogs escaped from their home across the street and lunged at her. According to the woman, she was in the process of adjusting the flowers on the grave of her first husband at the cemetery when the mixed-breed dogs surrounded her and tried to pull her. Anderson has a total of 17 dogs A 76-year-old woman from Virginia was attended her brother-in-law's funeral at Wood Memorial Park in Duncan, South Carolina (pictured), on Monday when she was mauled I knew right away they were not friendly dogs, they were like a wolf-pack, the victim was quoted as telling the station WYFF of her four-legged assailants. The septuagenarian suffered multiple puncture wounds on both of her hips and her legs, which she described as 'bullet holes.' Eventually, the victim's two nephews came to her aid and rescued her from the animals. When officials with the Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement went to the residence of the dogs' owner, 44-year-old Daisy Anderson, to seize her pets, they found 12 other dogs living on the premises. The five dogs linked to the attack were removed and taken to the Spartanburg Humane Society, where they were placed under rabies quarantine. Anderson (left and right) was arrested on Monday on an unrelated shoplifting charge Anderson's five dogs involved in the attack have been taken away and placed under rabies quarantine (pictured are some of the woman's pets) Anderson has since been charged with five counts of penalty for owner of a dangerous animal attack and injuries to a human, and violations of an animal control ordinance. According to officials, Anderson knew her dogs had a tendency to run away and try to bite people. Anderson, who is married and has a social media account filled with photos of her dogs, was booked into the county jail on an unrelated shoplifting charge on Monday and was released the next day. A man went on a shocking racist tirade towards staff at a Mexican restaurant because some of the menu items were in Spanish. The customer, who has not been identified, was caught on camera going on a foul-mouth rant to workers at Palapas Tacos on Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim, California, while trying to order tacos. 'That's bulls***!' the man is heard yelling in the clip obtained by Fox 11. 'It says it in Mexican. We're not in Mexico. We're in America! Above the border. The red, the line. I'm an American!' An unidentified man went on foul-mouthed rant at staff in a Mexican restaurant in California He didn't understand 'Viernes' meant it was Friday special that couldn't be redeemed Monday He continued: 'Go get a hamburger. Go get a hot dog.' The altercation occurred after the man came in to redeem a $1.99 taco offer but didn't realize it was only available on Friday and not that Monday. Palapas Tacos indicated it in Spanish with 'Viernes', meaning Friday, written in the advertised section. 'Everyday we get customers [who] sometimes don't understand the specials, but we explain them,' owner Juan Del Rio told Fox 11. 'But this guy was completely mad, upset.' The man thought he could get taco for $1.99 and was angry the day was written in Spanish Video shows staff at Palapas Tacos, Anaheim taking verbal abuse over taco offer issue The owner of the eatery heard 'screaming' and said the man even got angry at customers The owner's attention was brought to the situation when he heard 'screaming' inside the venue. He said the man even got angry at customers inside the eatery. When Del Rio followed him outside to calm him down, the man threatened to get him booted out of the United States. Del Rio recorded the moment on his cell phone, asking: 'Who are you going to call?' In the video the man can be heard replying: 'Immigration! Because you're not legal!' The restaurant owner added: 'I just feel like it's sad that there's people [who] actually that think like that, that they own this country. I don't know. But over a taco?' When Del Rio followed him outside to calm him down, the man threatened to get him booted out of the United States In the video the man can be heard saying he'll call immigration 'because you're not legal' A French pilot dubbed a hero for refusing to abandon his passengers after his Air France plane was hijacked in 1976 and flown to Uganda has died at the age of 95. Michel Bacos took the leading in negotiating with his captors after the plane landed in Entebbe until 110 hostages were rescued when Israeli commandos attacked. Mr Bacos was awarded the Legion of Honour, France's highest decoration, for his actions. He passed away in Nice on Tuesday. Michel Bacos (pictured centre with his wife in 1976 immediately after the siege) was flying from Tel Aviv to Paris in June 1976 when his plane was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists City mayor Christian Estrosi revealed the death, saying: 'By refusing with bravery to quit in the face of anti-Semitism and barbary, he honoured France.' The drama unfolded as Mr Bacos was flying from Tel Aviv to Paris in June 1976 when his plane was hijacked by four German-Palestinian men during a stopover in Athens. The gunmen forced Bacos and his crew to fly to Benghazi, in Libya, before going on to Entebbe, where they were met at the airport by Ugandan troops. Idi Amin, leader of Uganda at the time, was also present. All passengers who were not Israeli were allowed to leave, but Mr Barcos refused to go with them, saying that leaving some passengers behind was 'unimaginable'. Mr Barcos gave his crew the option of leaving as well, but they unanimously agreed to stay with him. They later received the French Order of Merit. Mr Bacos (right, with another hostage) was offered the chance to leave by the terrorists - who were targeting Israelis - but refused, saying that leaving his passengers was 'unimaginable' Benny Davidson, the youngest survivor of the hostage situation, described Mr Bacos as a 'role model' and said he took a leading role with the hijackers. He told the BBC: 'Whenever someone needed something, he took a leading position on behalf of the hostages and spoke to the terrorists or the Ugandan authorities. 'He set an example as a role model and how to behave even though all hell is breaking loose around you.' In total, 12 crew and 94 passengers were held in the airport terminal for five days before a daring raid by 100 Israeli commandos freed them. Three hostages died after the hijackers opened fire on them, along with the leader of the commandos - Yonatan Netanyahu, the brother of current Israeli leader Binyamin Netanyahu. One more hostage later died in hospital. All four of the hijackers were killed alongside 45 members of Uganda's armed forces. Eleven Soviet-built MiGs were also destroyed. President Trump said Wednesday that 'Russia has to get out' of Venezuela as the U.S. accused the Kremlin of adding to unrest in the Latin American county. The U.S. has said that Russia's military escalation is 'unconstructive' to a peaceful resolution to violent clashes between dictator Nicolas Maduro and opponents of his regime. And President Trump warned on Wednesday that the U.S. could reciprocate. 'They've got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. They've got plenty of pressure right now, so we'll see. They have no electricity. Other than military, you can't get any more pressure than they have,' he told reporters before reasserting that 'all options are open' when it comes to U.S. military involvement in the conflict. Following Trump's demands, Moscow said Thursday that the presence of Russian troops in Venezuela does not present a threat to anyone. Russia is not changing the balance of power in the region, Russia is not threatening anyone unlike citizens in Washington whom I have just quoted, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists. She referred to Trump's comments as well as to statements by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Washington does not plan to negotiate with Maduro and wants to end Russia and Cuba's influence on Caracas. Neither Russia nor Venezuela are provinces of the United States, Zakharova said. Earlier Thursday in Moscow, Venezuela's military attache said that Russian troops were in Venezuela under an agreement on military and technical cooperation and not to carry out a military operation. President Trump said Wednesday that ' Russia has to get out' of Venezuela as the U.S. accused the Kremlin of adding to unrest in the Latin American county Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka, a senior White House adviser, sat in on the impromptu meeting. Her father suddenly decided to meet with Juan Guaido's wife Trump made his comments Wednesday at an impromptu meeting with Fabiana Rosales de Guaido, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader and U.S.-recognized acting president Juan Guaido, in the Oval Office, where he reaffirmed his support for her husband's bid to restore democracy in Caracas. 'But people are starving, they're being killed, they're being beaten,' he said, calling the deteriorating situation in Venezuela 'unfathomable' and Maduro's refusal to accept U.S. aid cruel to the people of the once-vibrant nation. The opposition leader's young wife had been scheduled to meet with Vice President Mike Pence at the White House in the morning. Just before the meeting began, the U.S. president, who had nothing on his public schedule at the time, decided to invite Guaido's wife in for a second conversation in the Oval Office. His daughter Ivanka, a senior White House adviser, sat in on her father's meeting. First Lady Melania Trump was not present. She will meet with Rosales at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday. The U.S. first lady traditionally spends spring break at her husband's Palm Beach estate with their young son and was expected to remain there the entire week. Trump's administration recognizes Juan Guiado, the elected head of the Venezuelan legislature, as the acting president of Venezuela in the absence of a free and fair election for the position. It frequently refers to him as the interim president, as well. It has put intense pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom it regards as a dictator, to step down and make way for a new election with international monitors. The U.S. has said that the military escalation is 'unconstructive' to a peaceful resolution to violent clashes between Maduro and opponents of his regime 'Nicolas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power. It is the policy of the United States of America, under the direction of President Donald Trump, that Nicolas Maduro must go,' Pence said Wednesday. The U.S.-led campaign against Maduro and Treasury Department sanctions on the regime are supported by most western nations. China and Russia are aiding Maduro, however. Russian troops, military planes and equipment arrived in Venezuela over the weekend to support of the dictator. A foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday that the deployment is in line with a bilateral agreement between Russia and Venezuela. She said Wednesday, in response to Trump's demand that Russia leave Caracas, that the U.S. should follow its own advice and withdrawal troops from Syria. 'Some liken the U.S. to an elephant in a china shop, but those animals behave delicately and reasonably,' Maria Zakharova said, according to the Associated Press. 'It acts on the international arena more like a cowboy in the Louvre Museum.' Russian Parliament foreign affairs committee head Konstantin Kosachev, contended Wednesday that Moscow's military action in Venezuela is 'fully legitimate' and U.S. demands are 'totally unacceptable.' He also said the U.S. should 'set a good example' by scaling back its military footprint globally. 'A list of countries outside the Western Hemisphere where America has nothing to do will be too long,' he said in a Facebook post. 'And the withdrawal of the 'global cop' will definitely help independence and democracy in those regions much more than its constant military presence.' Pence said Wednesday as he met with Rosales at the White House, before the Oval Office meeting with Trump, that Russian aid to the regime is an 'unwelcome provocation' as he reiterated the U.S. position that Maduro must relinquish power. 'The United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation,' he said, 'and we call on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regine and stand with Guaido stand with nations across this hemisphere and around the world until freedom is restored.' Trump held an impromptu meeting with Fabiana Rosales de Guaido, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader and U.S.-recognized acting president Juan Guaido, to assert U.S. support for her husband's bid to restore democracy (L-R) U.S. Vice president Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump and National Security Advisor John Bolton listen as U.S. President Donald Trump listen to Rosales as she speaks Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognized as the country's rightful interim ruler, greets supporters as he leaves after a meeting with political leaders in Caracas, Venezuela, on Wednesday Pence told Rosales that the U.S. will continue to 'stand with you' in the fight to restore democracy to Venezuela. 'It is a great honor to be able to welcome the first lady of Venezuela here to the White House. It is extraordinary to see what Fabiana and her courageous husband, interim President Juan Guaido have done for freedom in Venezuela already,' the VP said. President Trump said later, in the Oval Office, that Rosales had been through an ordeal and the U.S. is fully behind her husband's revolution. 'We are with Venezuela. We are with your husband, as you know, and we are with the people that he represents, which is a big, big majority of the country. What's happening there should not happen and be allowed to happen anywhere,' he said. 'We are with you 100 percent.' U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton appeared on camera later in front of the White House to reiterate that it was a 'very moving experience' for Trump to meet with the first lady of Venezuela. He said the president was 'very clear today in expressing his concern' for the Maduro regime's actions. 'I think the president has been very clear when he says all options on the table, he's not going to get into specifics,' Bolton told press. 'We've put enormous economic pressure on this illegitimate regime.' Accompanying Rosales was the wife of her husband's chief of staff, Romy Moreno Molina. Maduro's regime took her husband, Roberto Marrero, into custody last week. She said Maduro barged into their home at 2 am. 'They destroyed our house, our child's room. Everything. They planted guns and things, and this happened for three hours. It was a nightmare, and after that they kidnapped him. We didn't know anything about him for six days,' she said in English. 'They have been trying to delay the process, because we had no lights at all, so the electricity is not working, so we don't know anything.' Moreno noted that her husband was a personal friend of Guaido and asked the U.S. president for his assistance. 'We are afraid for his life. We have no communication. We have a 7-year-old kid who doesn't know anything,' she stated. Rosales said Maduro's regime is harassing her husband's family now. Yesterday, she said Maduro loyalists detained her husband's mother's cousin. She said, 'He was accused of terrorism. And Gustavo Guaido, his brother, was also accused. So, they are hitting everything that is closest to him, trying in that way to destabilize him.' But, she said, in Spanish, 'Venezuela is not alone. The U.S. is with Venezuela. The international community is with Venezuela. The world is with Venezuela. The world sees and the world hears the terrible consequences of this dictatorship. But Venezuela decided that this is the year of peace, and we are going to be able to go forward.' VENEZUELA'S 'FIRST LADY' BECOMES SOCIAL MEDIA STAR AGED JUST 26 - GLOBETROTTING TO MAKE THE CASE FOR HER HUSBAND TO TAKE MADUORO'S POWER With her youthful energy and globe-trotting, the 26-year-old wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is emerging as a prominent figure in his campaign to bring change to the crisis-wracked country. Fabiana Rosales' age and informal dress, often jeans, while touring Latin America belie an inner toughness and maturity cultivated with her activist husband during violent street protests in Venezuela's capital. Her husband has since claimed Venezuela's interim presidency with the support of dozens of nations including the United States, setting up a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro, who refuses to step down amid what he calls an attempted coup. 'Look, I am the wife of President Juan Guaido and I will accompany him on whatever route he takes and we will overcome whatever obstacles we face as we have done through all our years together,' Rosales said during an interview in Peru's capital of Lima. 'But I got involved in politics because I want to change my country.' 'I don't want my daughter to grow up wanting to leave Venezuela,' she said, a reference to the roughly 3 million Venezuelans who have fled their country amid a collapsing economy, hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicines, and now blackouts . As her husband leads efforts to remove Maduro through protests at home and by trying to persuade Venezuela's military to abandon the socialist leader, Rosales is trying to drum up international support for Venezuela's beleaguered opposition with highly publicized tours of neighboring countries. Fabiana Rosales, second from right, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, and Aminta Perez, third from right, mother of Venezuelan police Officer Oscar Perez, pose for a photo with members of the Venezuelan community in New York after attending Mass at St. Teresa's Church on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Rosales is emerging as a prominent figure in Guaido's campaign to bring change in the crisis-wracked country. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) This month she traveled to Peru and Chile, where she met with the presidents of both countries, and spoke in universities about Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. On Wednesday, she met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as the U.S. ratchets up sanctions on the Maduro administration. 'It's a great honor to have the first lady of Venezuela,' Trump said. 'She's been through what people don't want to have to go through and should never have to go through.' Rosales met her husband at a youth rally for Voluntad Popular, an opposition party she has worked with since her university years. She has become a household name in Venezuela in recent months, standing at her husband's side in rallies attended by thousands. Recently, she has also taken on the role of international ambassador for Venezuela's opposition, as her husband becomes bogged down in domestic affairs. Venezuela's first lady in waiting has helped her husband look more presidential, says Dimitris Pantoulas, a Caracas-based political analyst. 'She is a professional, young, educated woman, and to a certain extent she is conservative,' Pantoulas said. 'That image corresponds to (Venezuelan) stereotypes of what a presidential couple should look like, especially for those in the middle classes.' In the interview, Rosales say that her 'most important role is to be a mother, and I'm also a sister and wife.' Guaido declared himself Venezuela's interim president in late January. The opposition leader was serving as the president of Venezuela's Congress, and said the constitution allowed him to form a transitional government because Maduro had been re-elected in a sham vote last year. The political challenge turned Guaido into an instant target of the Maduro administration, which blamed him of organizing violent protests and quickly put him under a travel ban. Guaido snuck out of Venezuela for a one week tour of South America, in which he led a failed effort to move several tons of food and medicine into the country. But upon returning he has focused most of his energy on sustaining his movement, which has lost some of its momentum, as Maduro remains in power and Venezuelans focus on the difficult task of surviving. Fabiana Rosales, second from left, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, celebrates Mass with Guaido supporter and activist Erick Rozo, left, at St. Teresa's Church on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in New York. Rosales is emerging as a prominent figure in Guaido's campaign to bring change in the crisis-wracked country. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) In her recent trips abroad, Rosales has met with large crowds of Venezuelan migrants, urging them to keep their faith in her husband and telling regional leaders that 'a dictator' like Maduro does not fall in a matter of days. She says the Venezuelan opposition is making progress, designating ambassadors around the world, and recovering control of Venezuelan oil assets abroad with the help of the United States. Rosales' opponents have cast her recent tour as a desperate attempt to keep Guaido in the international spotlight, as the Venezuelan crisis drags on and the world's attention moves elsewhere. 'She is trying to boost Guaido's image, as support for his movement in Venezuela deflates,' Arevalo Mendez, Maduro's ambassador to Chile, told a local news outlet last week. The daughter of a journalist and a farmer from the rural state of Merida, Rosales says she became interested in social issues early as she accompanied her mother to interviews. She decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and study journalism, but also helped her father transport his crops to Caracas along roads where he was sometimes shaken down by corrupt military guards. Rosales says she has gone through many of the travails currently faced by Venezuelans, including the harrowing medicine shortages. Her father died in 2013, after suffering a heart attack. He could have survived Rosales said, but there was no medicine in his village to stabilize him, and no ambulance to take him to the nearest hospital. 'I spent a lot of time in pain, wondering why this had happened to me,' she said. 'But now I have taken this as a lesson from life. And I am working for my daughter to inherit a better country.' Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons has called for an increase in stop and search inspections in areas afflicted by high levels of knife crime Stop and search should be used on students in areas and schools with a knife crime problem, according to one of Scotland Yard's most senior officers. Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons said the measure was an 'important tool' in the war on blades but that it 'had to be applied sensitively'. He made the recommendation during a House of Commons Education Committee session looking at knife crime and exclusions. It comes as Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said earlier this week that knife crime was at the worst level she had ever seen in her 35-year career. Eleven teenagers have been knifed to death this year including Jodie Chesney, 17, who was knifed to death while sitting with friends in a Romford park, Yousef Makki, 17, a grammar school pupil killed after an altercation in an affluent Greater Manchester village and Abdirashid Mohamoud who was found with fatal knife wounds in Isleworth last Friday. Police numbers have fallen by 20,000 in England and Wales since 2010 while the number of knife-related deaths rose from 186 in 2015-16 to 285 in 2017-18. In Parliament, committee chairman Robert Halfon (Conservative, Harlow) asked whether pupils should be stopped and searched in areas where there is a particular problem. Mr Simmons, who is in charge of local policing, replied: 'The broad answer is yes. 'We know that stop and search is an effective measure in trying to increase safety, reduce the likelihood that young people will carry knives. 'There's all the qualifiers that go with that around how we do it, particularly with young people and around schools. 'It needs to be done in conjunction with engagement so that it is not seen entirely as there is only one side of policing - the intrusive powers that young people see.' He added: 'We absolutely believe stop and search is an important tool used in the right places, with the right intelligence behind it, and used in the right way.' There have been 28 murders in London so far this year with several of them stabbings. Five of the London victims have been teenagers But former Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw said searches would mean youngsters picking up knives when they got home. He told the committee that when he excluded children from school, he knew the damaging effect it was likely to have. Sir Michael said: 'When I used to exclude youngsters, on the rare occasion I did, I often realised that I was often committing them to a miserable few years afterwards. 'So it was a very painful decision to make and we sent very negative messages to that youngster - usually a boy - and to their family, about themselves. 'And we realised very quickly that, even if they went to a decent pupil referral unit - and there weren't that many about - that they were in great danger of being drawn into crime.' The professor of education and director of multi-academy trusts, St Mary's University, also told the committee there is violence on the streets in a way he has never seen. Met Police boss says knife crime level is 'worst she's seen' Britain's top police officer has admitted that knife crime is at the worst level she has seen in her 35-year career. Cressida Dick blamed drugs for youth knife violence rocketing to the 'highest and most worrying level' she had ever encountered. The Scotland Yard Commissioner spoke out as police released shocking images of deadly blades seized from children under the age of 16 in the past two months. Miss Dick told MPs: 'Stabbings of young people specifically have been the number one priority for me since I was commissioner. 'I'd have to say that the last couple of years undoubtedly have been the highest and most worrying levels I think in my service. 'It's deeply worrying, it's a horrible set of offences, definitely more younger people involved. More knives involved in the serious violence on the streets.' It was a 'new and tragic phenomenon' for young people using weapons like rambo knives to stab other teenagers multiple times with 'extraordinary' violence, she told the Home Affairs committee. The Met Police chief urged the Government to step up efforts and put in more money to combat knife crime which she blamed on drugs. Advertisement He said there had always been youth crime, but now it is vicious and planned. Sir Michael said: 'That is a real social issue for all of us - we have got the mean streets developing in parts of London and Birmingham and elsewhere, ensuring young people are frightened.' Asked what needed to be done to tackle the issue, he said there needs to be a better balance between the duties of local authorities and academies/free schools. He also said local authorities should be able to track vulnerable pupils through the system, and that funding issues are 'undoubtedly' connected to exclusions. Mr Simmons told the committee that the Met sees a correlation between the young people it deals with either from being victims of crimes, or being involved in crime or with gangs. He mentioned exclusion as 'one of the factors that crops up significantly in that picture'. Carlie Thomas, senior caseworker, rescue and response, at charity St Giles Trust, said that when young people are at school, they are not on the street. She added: 'So that is seven hours of keeping them away from risk, keeping them in a safe place, keeping them in a secure place, where they're able to find help if they need help, and able to access those sorts of services. 'The minute they're excluded, they are placed at risk. They're already at risk, these young people. 'But that is another seven hours for their elders to get to them on a daily basis - to groom them, to encourage them to get involved with criminal activity. 'And for me it is an absolute nightmare, and for my young people it is an absolute nightmare, and for their families it's an absolute nightmare, and that nightmare has a massive impact on the community.' Ms Thomas said she felt sorry for teachers having to deal with children from complex background because 'they've been hung out to dry' without the right training on how to deal with those situations. Sir Michael said early intervention is 'critical' to prevent children from being excluded. He continued: 'It is making sure that schools have the resource to deal with all sorts of emotional and mental problems that these youngsters present.' Graphs show how homicides have risen as police numbers and stop and searches have fallen Six stabbed in London bloodbath: Two boys, both 17, and four men aged 18 to 26 are knifed in separate attacks on night of carnage across the capital By James Wood for MailOnline Six people were stabbed in London Lawless yesterday during another night of carnage - with two-17-year-old boys and four men aged 18 to 24 knifed in separate attacks. Eyewitnesses described two men 'armed with huge knives' at the first stabbing of the night, at around 3.15pm in Kidbrooke, south east London. With claims the shock scenes took place in front of children. Onlookers described a 'planned attack' on an 18-year-old, with desperate attempts made by locals to treat the man who was 'totally covered in blood' with injuries to his side and head. He was left fighting for his life but is now stable. One hour later, at 4.30pm, a 26-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in Hounslow, west London before just half an hour later another man was 'slashed' just yards away from the scene of the brutal stabbing. A 17-year-old male was taken to hospital after being stabbed at around 7pm in Barking, east London yesterday evening Police were called to Thyme Close (pictured) in Kidbrooke, near Blackheath, south east London at 3.24pm following reports that a male was being threatened with a knife The victim has been taken hospital in a life threatening condition. An air ambulance landed in a play park (pictured) close to the scene of the stabbing in Kidbrooke, near Blackheath, south east London A map shows how a night of violence spread across London, with stabbings in Tottenham, Hounslow, Tooting, Kidbrooke and Barking Later yesterday evening, at around 6.05pm, a boy, believed to be aged 17, received a slash wound to his face in Tottenham, north London - and at 7pm and 9pm respectively another 17-year-old man was stabbed in Barking, east London and an 18-year-old man was knifed in Tooting, south London. It comes on the same day as the country's top police chief, Cressida Dick, has said youth knife violence is at the worst level she has ever seen it. There have been 29 murders in London so far this year, and violent crime rose by nearly a fifth in the year to September 2018. Saturday and Sunday saw six people stabbed. Shopkeeper Ravi Katharkamar, 54, was murdered with a knife wound to his chest as he opened Marsh Food and Wine in Pinner, north-west London, on Sunday morning. Police numbers have fallen by 20,000 in England and Wales since 2010. The number of knife-related deaths rose from 186 in 2015-16 to 285 in 2017-18. The number of stop and searches has also fallen, which some people believe has helped fuel the violence. Local and local authorities have also turned to knife amnesties to reduce the number of weapons on the streets. Yesterday's night of violence began when police were called to a road in Kidbrooke, near Blackheath, south east London at 3.24pm following reports that a male was being threatened with a knife. Paramedics and officers attended the scene in Thyme Close and found a man, aged around 18, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Stunned residents have told how they saw blood 'gushing' from a wound to his side after he was chased by a car. Two men are reported to have jumped out armed with knives and attacked the man, thought to be aged just 18. Children on their way home from school are understood to have seen the sickening attack. One witness, who said she was too scared to be named, described how the drama unfolded. An 18-year-old man was stabbed in Tooting, south London at around 9pm and has been taken to hospital Six police cars were parked up outside a block of flats near the Kidbrooke stabbing which was cordoned off by officers on the new build estate off Nelson Mandela Road (pictured) which is the site of an old RAF depot She said: 'I was coming home from work when I saw a black car come speeding past me. It was going really fast. The car smashed into two others and made a loud noise. 'Two men got out of the car armed with huge knives. 'They were very large and fearsome. The blades were massive. I was absolutely terrified and just called the police straight away. I was so scared.' Describing the moments after the attack, she said: 'The car then reversed and fled. I went to see what had happened and saw this man standing up. He had an injury to his head. 'He then just collapsed to the floor. He was totally covered in blood. It was everywhere. It was obvious he had been stabbed in his side. 'It only happened a few seconds before. I tried talking to him just to get his name and get him talking.' Six police cars were parked up outside a block of flats which was cordoned off by officers on the new build estate off Nelson Mandela Road which is the site of an old RAF depot. More than a dozen uniformed officers could be seen as forensics officers carried out a detailed search of the area where the teen was stabbed. It comes after a weekend of bloodshed in the capital with six more people stabbed overnight from Saturday to Sunday The witness continued: 'He was in a very bad way. He kept coming in and out of consciousness. He was black and looked like he was in his early 20s. 'People got blankets and we tried to stem the flow of blood. Another man helped me as well and we just tried to stop it. It was everywhere. 'It all happened so quickly. There were school children very close as well. They witnessed it all and saw the man. They were very upset. It was a terrible situation. 'They were only aged about 12. It was so traumatic but we had to act to help the poor man who had been stabbed.' The witness said 'blood was gushing' from his side. She added: 'It was horrific. To begin with I'm not sure he realised he had been stabbed. 'It must have been a planned attack because the people in the cars were travelling as if they knew exactly who they were after. 'It's left me terrified. This is a nice area. 'We've heard about all the stabbings and now this has happened on our doorstep. I just hope the poor man is OK.' While another witness, who also asked not to be named, said: 'I saw two guys stab him. They had got out of a black Hyundai car. Another night of bloodshed in London 3.15pm, Kidbrooke: 18-year-old stabbed and left critical but is now stable 4.30pm, Hounslow: 26-year-old man is stabbed multiple times 5.00pm, Hounslow: Man 'slashed in the face' just yards away from first attack 6.05pm, Tottenham: A boy, believed to be aged 17, slashed in the face 7pm, Barking: 17-year-old man stabbed after 'a fight with another male' 9pm, Tooting: Man, 18, knifed and taken to hospital from the scene. Advertisement 'He looked like he had been stabbed in the abdomen and was bleeding heavily from the head so he could've been stabbed there too but I can't be certain of that.' He said a woman ran out of a nearby house to help the victim as he lay on the ground. And added: 'A lady was helping him. His coat, T-shirt and face was covered in blood and he was just lying there. 'It was horrible seeing so much blood. I was shocked when it happened. 'The lady helping him did most the work, getting things to soak up the blood. I hope he is all right.' Police also revealed they were investigating two stabbings in Hounslow. Officers were called by the London Ambulance Service at 4.23pm to reports of a man suffering from stab injuries in Beaversford Park off Martindale Road. A 26-year-old man was taken to a central London hospital; with police now awaiting update on his condition. One person was arrested nearby on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. He was taken to a west London police station where he remains in custody. Officers then attended a second call from London Ambulance Service at 5pm to reports of a man suffering from a slash injury on Rosemary Avenue at the junction with Bath Road, also in Hounslow - just yards away from the earlier knife attack. The 20-year-old man was treated at the scene. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police: 'At this early stage, enquiries continue to establish whether the assaults are connected. 'A section 60 has been authorised across Hounslow Borough from 5.15pm on Tuesday until 4am on Wednesday. Police have the power to stop and search individuals for offensive weapons.' Also yesterday evening, a teenager was slashed in the face in north London just yards from a police station. The Metropolitan Police said a boy, believed to be aged 17, received a slash wound to his face at about 6.05pm on High Road, Tottenham. The alleged attack is said by police to have taken place by a Betfred shop. Blood splatters were being cleaned from the pavement outside a taxi office opposite Tottenham Police Station, around 160 yards down the road, on Tuesday evening Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told Parliament's Home Affairs Committee today that knife crime among teenagers is at a worrying high level Blood splatters were being cleaned from the pavement outside a taxi office opposite Tottenham Police Station, around 160 yards down the road, on Tuesday evening. At 7pm, the Metropolitan Police was called to the scene of a stabbing in Barking. A spokesman said: 'A 17-year-old male victim has been taken to hospital and is in a not life-threatening condition. No arrests yet.' Before at 9pm being called to a stabbing in Tooting, with police revealing an 18-year-old man had been stabbed. A spokesman said: 'Hes been taken to hospital. The condition of the 18-year-old stabbed in Tooting at around 9pm is not life-threatening. Detectives from South West command unit investigating. No arrest yet.' A nursery nurse was killed in a 91mph police chase after her boyfriend was spotted trying to fly a drone into Wandsworth Prison, an inquest heard. Acacia Smith, 25, died after her boyfriend Craig Kearney, 28, crashed a silver Peugeot 206 while being pursued by police on 9 August 2016. Police had been called after prison staff spotted the drone flying outside the prison at 3am. Kearney crashed into a lamppost on Wandsworth Bridge Road, after hitting speeds of 91mph on 30mph roads, and the passenger seat where Miss Smith was sitting was crushed to a fifth its size. Miss Smith, from Acton, died instantly from her 'wholly unsurvivable' injuries, West London Coroner's Court heard. Acacia Smith, 25, died at the scene of the crash of 'wholly unsurvivable' injuries Kearney, from Southall, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years at the Old Bailey in January last year. He was also disqualified from driving for 10 years. Assistant Coroner Catherine Wood said: 'In essence, this case related to a call that the Metropolitan Police Service received at around 3am on 9 August 2016 regarding suspicious activity outside Wandsworth Prison involving the occupant of a silver Peugeot 206. 'The driver of a police vehicle identified the person and indicated to him to stop. 'The driver then drove off at speed. A second police vehicle took over the pursuit. 'The officer from the second vehicle followed the Peugeot and eventually found it on its side where it had crashed in a residential property. 'The vehicle driver had serious injuries and Miss Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.' Miss Smith's mother, brother and other family members are attending the inquest in Fulham. Miss Smith's mother, Beverley Brown said in a statement read to the inquest: 'For me this is not a case to be heard through and forgotten. 'For me this is an important case. This is my child. Craig Kearney (left) reached speeds of 91mph on 30mph roads trying to evade police with his girlfriend Acacia Smith (right) in the passenger seat 'They say time heals all wounds but on the 9 August I experienced pain I never felt possible, and now, three years later, that pain is just pointed as then.' Ms Brown went on to say that her daughter would never get to experience the basic things in life like learning to drive, travelling abroad and watching her siblings grow up. A post-mortem report concluded Miss Smith's injuries were 'wholly unsurvivable' even if there had been immediate medical care following the accident. She had worked at several nurseries in Acton, and had ambitions of opening a creche of her own. Kearney's trial last February heard that officers who found the debris from the car found it so damaged they did not immediately recognise it. One of them said it was 'totally crumpled as though it had been taken to the car pound and crushed'. A drone was found inside the wreckage and flight logs showed it had taken off near the prison. Cannabis wraps, 'psychoactive' substances and small mobile phones were also found in the car. Craig Kearney beside the grave of Acacia Smith, whom he killed by dangerous driving Kearney had cocaine and cannabis in his system at the time of the crash. Analysis of CCTV from Wandsworth Bridge Road showed the Peugeot was travelling at speeds of up to 91mph. The police chase, over one mile, lasted just 69 seconds. The court heard that Kearney, an habitual cannabis smoker, had 15 previous convictions including speeding and driving with no insurance, and that Kearney had cocaine and cannabis in his system at the time of the crash. Friends paid tribute to Miss Smith on Facebook, describing her as a 'very special person'. One wrote: 'Caysha was beautiful inside and out. We are all going to miss her so much. Rip beautiful girl love you always xxx' Another said: 'RIP beautiful such a humble soul, a truly lovely girl'. Mr Kearney's sister Carly wrote on Facebook: 'To all that may know my brother and sister in law have been a massive car crash sadly my loving sister in law is no long with us and my loving brother is in hospital all prayers and love from all around RIP acacia smith love so much.' At Kearney's trial last February, his barrister Alex Jamieson said the defendant wished to apologise. He said: 'Miss Smith died at his hands. It was his fault and no-one else. He and Miss Smith loved each other. They had been together for eight years. 'They were committed to each other. Their families were enmeshed. He has killed the woman he loves. This is something he will have to bear for the rest of his life.' The judge said his apology would have carried 'more weight' if Kearney had not lied to police and pleaded guilty straight away. The inquest continues. Police say an Ohio man who was allegedly caught with cocaine in his sock told officers, 'These aren't my socks.' Damien K. Clark, 20, was arrested about 70 miles southeast of Cleveland early on Saturday following a traffic stop, after police say they found drugs in his possession. After he was taken into custody, officers found at least three other suspected illicit substances on Clark's person, some of which he said he 'forgot that was in there,' and some he said were given to him 'to hold,' according to police. Clark was held for three days before being released on a cash bond on Tuesday. Police say Damien K. Clark, 20, of Austintown, Ohio was caught with cocaine in his sock and then told officers, 'These aren't my socks.' Clark was then taken into custody at Mahoning County Justice Center, where several other drugs were found, police said Clark has been arraigned on felony drug charges, including two counts of drug abuse and one count of illegal conveyance of drugs, along with one misdemeanor charge of drug abuse. Clark is pictured in booking photos from Saturday During a traffic stop in Austintown shortly before 4.30am Eastern on Saturday, police said they smelled marijuana coming from Clark's vehicle, which prompted a search of Clark's person, Fox 8 in Cleveland reported. The search resulted in officers finding a plastic bag of a substance that is believed to be cocaine in Clark's left sock. After the small plastic bag was found, officers said Clark told them, 'These aren't my socks.' Officers said they also found loose marijuana on the floorboard of the vehicle. Clark was then taken into custody at Mahoning County Justice Center, where several other drugs were found, police said. Police said they found a torn plastic bag containing an additional amount of a white powder substance in the front of Clark's shirt, and loose marijuana on the back of his shirt. They also allegedly found Alprazolam, which is a sedative commonly used to treat anxiety, in the front of Clark's pants. Another pill was said by police to have been found in his left sock, where the first batch of suspected cocaine was located. Of the pill, Clark said he 'forgot that was in there,' according to police. Authorities said Clark told them, 'someone gave me the pills to hold, we were at a party,' while asking to dispose of the items. Additionally, officers seized $740 and a cell phone from the man. Clark was initially pulled over after he allegedly failed to use his turn signal before making a right turn, police said. The traffic stop and eventual arrest occurred on South Navarre Avenue. Clark was arraigned on charges of felony charges, including two counts of drug abuse and one count of illegal conveyance of drugs and one misdemeanor charge of drug abuse. He was released on a combined bond of $16,250 on Tuesday. He has a preliminary hearing for the felony charges set for April 3 in Austintown and a pre-trail conference for the misdemeanor charge on the same date. President Donald Trump is reportedly mulling an appearance at this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner, which would mark the first time he attended the annual event as president of the United States. Trump is having a good week - he and his campaign were cleared of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election by the special counsel; his bete noir attorney Michael Avenatti was arrested on charges of extortion; and House Democrats failed to muster enough votes to override his first presidential veto. He's been taking a victory lap of sorts - tweeting his vindication by Robert Mueller and joining Senate Republicans for lunch on Wednesday - and aides describe him as in a cheerful mood. President Trump has not said no to attending this year's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner President Trump skipped the dinner last year to hold a campaign style rally in Washington, Michigan Trump has never attended the dinner as president; he skipped the 2018 dinner (seen above) Donald Trump and Melania Trump attended the 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner when Barack Obama was president Now he's not saying no to speaking at the dinner, one of Washington D.C.'s biggest social events of the year, Axios reported. But the evening could get awkward if the president takes the microphone, particularly given the heap of criticism he's pushed on the press for their coverage of Mueller's investigation. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the media owes the president an apology. 'I think Democrats and the liberal media owe the president, and they owe the American people an apology,' Sanders said earlier this week on NBC's 'Today Show.' 'They wasted two years and created a massive disruption and distraction.' The annual dinner - also known as 'Nerd Prom' - takes place Saturday, April 27, giving Trump plenty of time to make a decision. Trump has never attended the dinner as president but did go in 2011 when Barack Obama was president. He was resoundingly mocked that night by both Obama and Seth Meyers, the featured entertainer. At that time, Trump was best known as the host of NBC's 'The Apprentice' and a fervent supporter of the 'birther' movement, those who pushed the disproven claim that Obama was born outside the United States, citing the president's missing birth certificate. Obama roasted Trump for about five minutes that night. 'No one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald,' Obama said. 'That's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like: Did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?' Meyers also threw out some zingers. 'Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican - which is surprising, since I just assumed that he was running as a joke,' he said. At the 2011 dinner, President Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked Donald Trump Last year's dinner featured a blistering critique of Trump's press secretary Sarah Sanders Comedian Michelle Wolf's performance at last year's dinner had some in the audience laughing, while others were left sitting in a stony silence White House Correspondent Association President Margaret Talev speaks at the 2018 dinner 'Donald Trump owns the Miss USA pageant, which is great for Republicans because it will streamline their search for a vice president,' he noted. Trump has not attended since. During last year's dinner the president held a rally in Michigan and, in 2017, he held a rally in Harrisburg the same night official Washington gathered to toast the first amendment. Historian Ron Chernow is the featured speaker for this year's event. There is no entertainer this year after comedian Michelle Wolf's performance last year was panned and her jokes about White House press secretary Sarah Sanders resulted in heavy criticism of Wolf. Wolf offered a blistering critique of Sanders, who was seated just feet away, and mocked everything from her truthfulness to her eye makeup and Southern roots. 'I have to say I'm a little star-struck, I loved you as Aunt Lydia in 'A Handmaid's Tale.' Mike Pence, if you haven't seen it you would love it,' said Wolf, turning to Sanders. 'I like Sarah, I think she's really resourceful. She burns facts and uses the ash to create a perfect smokey eye,' she said. 'Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's lies. Trump declared the dinner 'dead' last year 'I'm never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Is it Sarah Sanders? Is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders? Is it Cousin Huckabee? Is it Aunt Huckabee Sanders?' 'What's 'Uncle Tom' but for white women who disappoint other white women? Ah, I know! Aunt Coulter!' Then-WHCA president Margaret Talev, a White House correspondent with Bloomberg News, said Wolf's speech was 'not in the spirit' of the dinner. 'Last night's program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners, not to divide people,' Talev said. 'Unfortunately, the entertainer's monologue was not in the spirit of the mission.' After Wolf's performance, Trump declared the dinner 'dead.' 'The White House Correspondents Dinner is DEAD as we know it,' the president declared on Twitter the Monday after the dinner. 'This was a total disaster and an embarrassment to our great Country and all that it stands for.' 'FAKE NEWS is alive and well and beautifully represented on Saturday night!' A merchant ship has been hijacked by migrants after it rescued them in the Mediterranean, according to reports in Italy. Interior minister Matteo Salvini claimed the ship, a 846-ton tanker named El Hiblu 1, had been bound for Libya after picking up the migrants but had been taken over and turned towards Europe. El Hiblu 1 is registered in the Republic of Palau, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. The ship was on its way to Tripoli, the capital of Lybia, from Turkey, on Tuesday but six nautical miles from port it was diverted heading for the north to rescue some migrants off the coast of Lybia. El Hiblu 1, pictured, is a 846-ton tanker registered in the Republic of Palau, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean Salvini, a hardliner who has repeatedly refused entry to Mediterranean migrants, claimed the ship with 108 migrants on board was now heading for Malta or the Italian island of Lampedusa. Both countries said El Hiblu 1 would not be allowed to enter their national waters. 'We received reports of a pirated ship heading towards Malta or Lampedusa (off Sicily) and we're monitoring the situation,' a Maltese coastguard spokesman told AFP. Migrants in chaos-wracked Libya face trafficking, kidnap, torture and rape, according to the United Nations and aid groups. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, pictured during a live on Facebook, claimed the ship with 108 migrants on board was heading for Malta or the Italian island of Lampedusa At 4pm, there had been no communication from the tanker for 16 hours, Maritime and Crimean Shipping News reported. Refusing to let the migrants into Italy, Salvini tweeted: 'They're not shipwrecked, they're pirates. They should know that they will only see Italy with a telescope.' The Italian news agency ANSA reported that Salvini said: 'It would be the first act of piracy on the high seas, with migrants who have hijacked a ship that had reached six nautical miles [seven miles] off the Libyan coast.' The ship was on its way to Tripoli, the capital of Lybia, from Turkey, but it changed its direction and started heading north The agency reports that the migrants had realised they were returning towards Tripoli and had threatened the freighter's commander and crew. The reported line echoes Salvini's language last year when he said migrants would only see the country 'on a postcard'. The 46-year-old has spearheaded the migration crackdown since he became interior minister and deputy PM last year. He has turned away rescue ships operated by foreign NGOs, such as the Aquarius, which was left stranded with 630 migrants last June after being refused entry to Italy. A merchant ship has been hijacked by migrants after it rescued them in the Mediterranean, interior minister Matteo Salvini (pictured today in Rome) has claimed Following Rome's increasingly tough anti-migrant stance, boats that pick up migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean increasingly return them to Libya. Several boatloads of migrants rescued in recent months have refused to disembark in Libya, prompting the authorities there to use force. Migrant arrivals from North Africa and the Middle East have been sharply reduced since a 2015 peak when Europe faced its worst migration crisis since World War II. Salvini has accused the rescue missions of playing into the hands of people smugglers. Pictured: The Aquarius rescue vessel which was turned away by Salvini last June in the populist government's crackdown on Mediterranean crossings He was sworn in after striking deal to form a government with the Five Star Movement, an agreement that brought Italy a populist government after three months of post-election deadlock. On Monday Salvini vowed to 'change Europe' after his League party - which he transformed into a national force - won a regional election. Spain's socialist PM Pedro Sanchez, who also came to power last year, has taken a more liberal approach. An angry mob has killed the father of a man who was wrongly accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy in Argentina. Jose Oviedo, 50, had joined a crowd of upset residents seeking justice in the Argentine province of Chibut on Monday afternoon after the child reported he had been sexually assaulted after he walked out of school. The group marched towards a local police station in the Patagonian town of Comodoro Rivadavia when a female protester pointed him out as the parent of the 26-year-old man, who was originally believed to be the boy's attacker. Jose Oviedo (pictured lying on the ground) was allegedly killed by an angry mob Monday in Argentina Jose Oviedo's son (pictured to the right) tries to protect himself from vigilantes in the Argentine province of Chibut About 50 people then attacked Oviedo as he tried to flee home. Oviedo tried to defend himself with a machete and iron pole. But the rowdy bunch kicked and punched outside his home. The mob, which outnumbered two police officers at the chaotic scene, also tried to drag him down a dirt road with a rope tied around his neck, according to Radio Chubut. An irate resident (left) in the town of Comodoro Rivadavia is in a standoff with the 26-year-old son (right) A mob in Argentina allegedly burned down the home of Jose Oviedo Law enforcement agents escort Jose Oviedo's 26-year-old son to safety after he was wrongly accused of the assault Videos then showed the crowd burning down the man's home. Several other residents appeared on camera vandalizing the home of Oviedo's son. Cops arrived and escorted him to safety in a police pickup truck. The boy, who was hospitalized at Comodoro Rivadavia Regional Hospital, told cops Oviedo's son was not his attacker. On Tuesday, several raids carried out by the Chubut police department led to the arrests of four suspects for Jose Oviedo's murder, including a 17-year-old boy. Cops also arrested three adults identified as: Silvina Vera, 35; Jonathan Ezequiel Barrera and Enzo Facundo Cerda. John Bercow this afternoon threatened new Brexit chaos by throwing doubts over Theresa Mays efforts to get her deal through the Commons by Friday. It came after the Prime Minister said she will quit once her Brexit deal is delivered, in an attempt to win the support of Brexiteer rebel MPs. But in a fresh blow to Theresa May's plans, the DUP indicated they were still unable to back the deal because it 'poses a threat to the integrity of the UK.' A party statement said 'we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote' - with Westminster leader Nigel Dodds vowing to vote No. On another day of Brexit chaos the Speaker warned the government that Mrs May's deal must have changed from the last time she brought it forward for a vote and she cannot use a procedural device known as a paving motion to get around him. John Bercow has today warned Theresa May she must convince him to force a third and final showdown on her Brexit deal Theresa May leaves No 10 for Parliament today as her own MPs call on her to quit to break the Brexit impasse Bercow has already been accused of having Remainer sympathies and trying to thwart Britain leaving the EU. Mays government insists that a new Brexit date agreed with the EU and clarifications to the backstop announced at a summit in Brussels amount to a significant change. The Speaker alone will decide if the change is sufficient and is expected to announce the night before if he will block a third vote. John Bercow reiterating his position from last week has caused consternation online. On twitter Nikki da Costa said: 'This is extraordinary and extremely inflammatory in a long series of inflammatory actions.' While another user, Ben Williams said: 'This strikes me as wrong, procedurally incoherent and not permitting the House to determine its own proceedings. And I say that as an arch Remainer with no love for the WA or a MV3.' What PM needs to edge to victory... by just 2 votes. There are 235 Tory loyalists, 10 switchers, 30 who with back the deal if May quits, 10 DUP supporters and 24 Labour And Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges said: 'I am constantly amazed at how people are still amazed at John Bercow. Yes, hes out of control, but hes been out of control for some time now. 'Why does anyone continue with the pretence he is in anyway objective in this process.' A week ago MPs accused John Bercow of turning Brexit into 'Parliament versus the people' after he ruled she could not bring her deal back to the Commons unchanged. Mrs May would have been hopeful that the Speaker is willing to make an exception and if the vote gets the green light, it's down to the numbers. Now it is clear that he won't budge - and her best hope will be including the new Brexit dates agreed by the EU last week to make it 'substantially different'. Why was John Bercow a controversial Speaker? A 'Boll**** to Brexit' sticker can be clearly seen in photographs of Mr Bercow's black 4x4, which has a personalised numberplate Brexit bias: John Bercow has revealed publicly that he voted for Remain in 2016, fuelling claims by Brexiteers that he tried to frustrate Brexit in the Commons. The claims were fuelled by an anti-Brexit sticker being spotted in a black Land Rover parked outside Mr Bercow's Commons home - he has insisted the car and sticker belongs to his wife. Brexiteers were also furious when he refused to accept an amendment that sought to rule out a second referendum on Brexit. It added to complaints through much of the time since the referendum that he sought to boost pro-EU supporters such as Dominic Grieve and Ken Clarke at the expense of Brexiteers. Bullying claims: John Bercow was hit by a number of bullying claims. He was said to have subjected staff to angry outbursts for years, mocking junior officials and leaving staff 'terrified'. A former private secretary, Kate Emms, said she was left with PTSD after working for him. And earlier this year Lord Lisvane, clerk of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2014, filed an official bullying complaint against him. Other allegations of bullying emerged shortly after, with Lieutenant General David Leakey, a former Black Rod, revealing he was filing his own complaint of 'intimidation and unacceptable behaviour' by Mr Bercow. Mr Bercow denied all the allegations. His wife Sally: Sally Bercow has courted controversy since her husband was first elected. She infamously posed in a sheet for a magazine interview soon after Mr Bercow was first elected and she took part in Celebrity Big Brother. A public Labour supporter, Mrs Bercow's political views led to claims she undermined the Speaker's independence. In 2015 it emerged Sally had an affair with Mr Bercow's cousin Alan - even leading the couple to move into the family home in Battersea while the Speaker stayed in his grace-and-favour apartment in Parliament. Expenses: Mr Bercow faced persistent criticism of his official expenses, which included lavish bills for chauffeur-driven cars, trips abroad and entertaining foreign dignitaries. Mr Bercow and his family lived rent-free in an opulent apartment at Parliament, where the taxpayer footed a 109 a month bill for the Arsenal fan's Sky subscription. Bias against the Tories: Conservative ministers and MPs long-complained Mr Bercow favours Labour. He repeatedly hauled ministers to the Commons to answer Urgent Questions and Emergency Debates - far more often than has historically been the case. Before the 2019 General Election, he tore up the Commons rulebook to allow backbenchers to seize control of the agenda and pass a law delaying Brexit. He also frequently reprimanded ministers, often sarcastically, and his behaviour prompted the Cameron Government to launch a near-unprecedented attempt to remove him in 2015. Mr Bercow provoked further fury by speaking out against Donald Trump and Brexit in defiance of protocol demanding he be impartial. Advertisement Last Wednesday Mr Bercow insisted that this would breaches ancient rules from 1604 that say the same proposal cannot be put before the House repeatedly. Today he said that he would block a 'paving motion' where MPs vote to say they want a third vote, before the vote. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the Speaker has 'made clear' the question of whether the deal has 'substantially changed' to allow a third vote is a 'matter for him'. But he said the Prime Minister used her statement at the end of the European Council in Brussels last week that EU leaders endorsing the clarifications on the backstop was a 'significant development'. He added: 'What has also changed is the departure date.' If Mr Bercow refuses to give in then there are other three ways the Government could try to get around it: USING THE BREXIT DELAY She could wait until after the European Council - where a delay to Brexit is expected to be agreed - and claim a third meaningful vote is different because of the new Brexit date. She could wait until after the European Council - where a delay to Brexit is expected to be agreed - and claim a third meaningful vote is different because of the new Brexit date. SCRAP THE MEANINGFUL VOTE She could introduce the Withdrawal Agreement Bill alongside a motion saying a meaningful vote is not needed, and that getting the second reading passed is all that is required. She could introduce the Withdrawal Agreement Bill alongside a motion saying a meaningful vote is not needed, and that getting the second reading passed is all that is required. PROROGUE PARLIAMENT The dynamite option is to get the Queen to 'prorogue' Parliament - that is ending the current session and starting a new one. The Speaker's ruling only blocked a third vote in the current session, meaning it could be brought back again. This would be a last resort thought because it would mean many pieces of legislation would fall and would have to start their passage through the House again. Mr Bercow's ruling a week ago centred on the longstanding principle that MPs should not be asked to vote twice on the same issue in a single session of parliament. He said he had allowed a second vote on the deal because it had changed after Mrs May secured fresh concessions from Brussels. But he added: 'What the Government cannot legitimately do is resubmit to the House the same proposition - or substantially the same proposition - as that of last week, which was rejected by 149 votes.' Ministers accused Mr Bercow of hypocrisy, pointing out that he had torn up Commons rules in January to allow diehard Remainer Dominic Grieve to throw another spanner in the Government's Brexit plans. At the time Mr Bercow told outraged MPs: 'If we were guided only by precedent, manifestly nothing in our procedures would ever change.' In a pointed Tweet, the justice minister Rory Stewart responded: 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean.' Other parliamentary experts have also said the unprecedented nature of the Brexit situation means the precedent should not apply. In October, the then clerk of the Commons Sir David Natzler told MPs: 'I do not think the procedures of the House are designed to obstruct the necessary business of Government in that way in such a crucial thing.' The Government's former chief lawyer Sir Stephen Laws said last night: 'If there is a majority for the deal, preventing the vote would be to frustrate the will of the House. It would be deeply concerning to see a Speaker act in such a way. 'Those who are opposed to the deal should want to win with a majority on the substance, not by procedural manoeuvring or on a technicality, and the Speaker should allow that.' Jussie Smollett's attorney says they are 'weighing their options' on whether or not they will file lawsuits against the city of Chicago or its police department in the wake of the shock decision to drop his charges. Smollett's lawyer Tina Glandian appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday to plead the star's case a day after prosecutors dropped all charges related to the hoax race attack. When asked if they were going to sue, Glandian said: 'We're weighing our options now for Jussie.' 'For now, he just wants his career and his life back. He did not ask for any of this. He was the victim of a crime. This has spiraled out of control and become a political incident.' Jussie Smollett's attorney Tina Glandian says they are 'weighing their options' on whether or not they will file lawsuits against the city of Chicago or its police department Jussie Smolletts attorney speaks with @GStephanopoulos about whether or not the Empire star will sue. https://t.co/BHjpbroTWb pic.twitter.com/r0vyYZ0BUN Good Morning America (@GMA) March 27, 2019 Glandian repeatedly insisted that Smollett was innocent and that prosecutors decided to drop the charges because they couldn't prove he staged the attack on himself. It comes despite the Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats saying he didn't believe Smollett was innocent and that he was satisfied with the evidence. 'If they believe the charges, they would never have dismissed the case,' Glandian said. 'This is such a high profile case. Their actions speak louder than words.' She claimed that it was the 'state of Illinois' that launched the 16 charges against Smollett when in fact it was a grand jury that reached the decision - weeks after prosecutors charged Smollett with just one count. Glandian said that the reason Smollett and Nigerian brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo were exchanging text messages and phone calls in the hours before and after the January 29 incident was because they were due to meet up for personal training but Smollett's flight was delayed - something he documented in Instagram stories. Prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday related to his hoax race attack. He is pictured above with his attorney Tina Glandian during the hearing The attorney also said it was a lie that prosecutors had 'proof' Smollett sent himself the threatening letter he received days before the attack. 'We're shocked at the mayor and the police superintendent doubling down after the prosecutor took a dispassionate look at the evidence and decided not to bring the charges.' Prosecutors still insist Smollett faked the racist, anti-gay attack on himself in the hopes that the attention would advance his acting career. The Empire star still says he was assaulted by two men late at night in downtown Chicago. But with little explanation, authorities on Tuesday abruptly dropped all charges against Smollett, abandoning the criminal case only five weeks after the allegations were filed. In return, prosecutors said, the actor agreed to let the city keep his $10,000 in bail. The dismissal drew a swift backlash from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police chief Eddie Johnson and raised questions about why Smollett was not forced to admit what prosecutors had said they could prove in court - that the entire episode was a publicity stunt. Florida authorities have detained the parents of a toddler girl who was left in park overnight for 14 hours, charging both with neglect of a child. Deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office responded to calls of the two-year-old girl walking by herself in Haverhill Park on Friday night. According to the department's Facebook page, the little girl was found wearing a pink short-sleeve shirt, white and gold tutu and clear plastic shoes. Deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office responded to calls of the two-year-old girl walking by herself in Haverhill Park on Friday night Initial searches for the girl's parents proved difficult as authorities canvassed the park (pictured), made loud announcements and tried to do a reverse 911 call Initial searches for the girl's parents proved difficult as authorities canvassed the area, made loud announcements and tried to do a reverse 911 call. They placed the child in the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families while they searched for the girl's parents. The department released an update on Saturday at 11.40am stating that the girl's parents had been found. Police apprehended 27-year-old Jolanda Larose Alexandre and 34-year-old Makenson Alexandre on Saturday Responding to the 5000 block of Stacy Street, police apprehended 27-year-old Jolanda Larose Alexandre and 34-year-old Makenson Alexandre. Both told authorities that they were not aware that their child had been missing or that they had left their child at around 7pm. Seven more children were found at the parents' residence. They have since been removed by DCF. A Soviet-born convicted felon who worked on real estate deals with President Donald Trump was accused in a lawsuit Monday of plotting to use Trump-branded skyscrapers to launder money allegedly stolen from a Kazakhstan bank. BTA Bank and the City of Almaty, Kazakhstan, allege Felix Sater conspired with the son of the city's former mayor to use some of the $440million to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow. Sater, who was due to testify before Congress this week about his work with Trump, started pushing the Moscow project in 2005 and tried to kickstart it during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, but it was never built. BTA Bank and the City of Almaty, Kazakhstan, allege Felix Sater (pictured right in September 2005) conspired with Ilyas Khrapunov to use some of $440million to develop Trump Tower in Moscow The bank also alleges Sater helped the mayor's son, Ilyas Khrapunov, mask $3million as down payments on three condominiums in Trump SoHo, a New York City hotel that Sater helped develop as an executive at Bayrock Group LLC The bank also alleges Sater helped the mayor's son, Ilyas Khrapunov, mask $3million as down payments on three condominiums in Trump SoHo, a New York City hotel that Sater helped develop as an executive at Bayrock Group LLC. Sater arranged for Trump and Khrapunov to meet and discuss potential investments, the lawsuit said, but it makes clear: there is no suggestion Trump engaged in impropriety or that he was aware Sater and Khrapunov allegedly stole money. Messages were left with Sater and representatives for Trump and his company, the Trump Organization. Khrapunov is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan. His lawyer noted that all claims against him regarding alleged money laundering have been dismissed by federal Courts in New York and California. Sater's work on the Trump Tower Moscow project has made him a key figure in the House Democrats' investigations into Trump's ties to Russia. The Congressional probes are moving forward after Attorney General William Barr on Sunday said that Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia to influence the election. Sater's public testimony, however, will wait. Sater speaks on the microphone at the Trump Soho Hotel Condominium Launch Party at Tribeca Rooftop on September 19, 2007 The House Intelligence Committee postponed Sater's appearance, scheduled for Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear if he would still meet with the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door session Thursday. Khrapunov's father-in-law, former BTA Bank chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov, is accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the bank and funneling the money into offshore entities. The lawsuit said that, once caught, he turned to Khrapunov to monetize and launder remaining assets. Khrapunov knew Sater through his family and asked him to join the scheme in 2011, the lawsuit said. Sater had been involved in coal extraction and oil drilling ventures with Khrapunov's family and attended Khrapunov's 2007 wedding to Ablyazov's daughter, the lawsuit said. Sater and two other people are named as defendants, along with five companies, including Bayrock. In addition to the money laundering allegations, Sater is accused in the lawsuit of stealing $40million for himself and an associate. Sater and Michael Cohen (pictured February 28) worked together on the Moscow project in 2016 Sater, 53, is among the more colorful characters in Trump's orbit. He served 15 months in jail in the early 1990s and permanently lost his stockbroker's license for stabbing a man in the face with the stem of a broken margarita glass at a Manhattan bar. A few years later, he got caught in a $40million pump-and-dump stock fraud, turned state's evidence against two New York crime families and then continued providing the government with information related to national security and other matters. In another Trump connection, BTA Bank hired his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen in 2017 to help with litigation over Ablyazov's alleged embezzlement but dumped him within two months because it says he 'did absolutely nothing of value.' Sater and Cohen worked together on the Moscow project in 2016. The widow of Challenger astronaut Ronald McNair lost her home in a Houston suburb to a fire early Wednesday. According to witness accounts, flames engulfed Cheryl McNair's residence on West Chelsea Place in El Lago, Texas, just before 5am. Firefighters with the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department and other nearby companies responded to the scene and were able to rescue McNair's cat, Rocket, and her late husband's Challenger memorabilia. Scroll down for video Up in flames: The El Lago, Texas, home of Challenger widow Cheryl McNair was destroyed by a fire early Wednesday morning Cheryl (left) was the wife of Dr Ronald McNair (right), a mission specialist on the seven-person Challenger crew Firefighters were able to save some of the McNairs' NASA memorabilia related to the Challenger disaster First responders also rescued Mrs McNair's cat, Rocket, from the burning home According to local officials, the blaze broke out overnight while McNair was asleep and smoke alarms awakened her, reported KHOU11. The 68-year-old mother-of-two fled the house with some personal items in hand. She was unharmed. McNair's neighbors came to her aid and helped her gather belongings in baskets. At one point, the fire grew so intense that first responders had to retreat from the burning home. Dr McNair (bottom row, far right) was on the seven-person Challenger crew that was killed on January 28, 1986 The space shuttle Challenger takes off from the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida The spacecraft exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing everyone on board The cause of the fire is being investigated. NASA is just learning about the fire and our hearts go out to the McNair family. We appreciate the tremendous support and assistance provided by first responders and the community, NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries said in a statement to KTRK. Dr Ronald E McNair was a mission specialist on the seven-person Challenger crew that was killed when the space shuttle exploded 73 seconds after its launch on January 28, 1986. He was just 35 years old at the time of his death. Ronald and Cheryl had been married for a decade and had two children together, son Reginald and daughter Joy. In the wake of the tragedy, Cheryl McNair and the families of the other astronauts who perished in the blast founded the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, a non-profit organization that provides science experiences for middle school students. A hard-Left ally of shadow chancellor John McDonnell was today expelled from the Labour Party over anti-Semitic behaviour. Jackie Walker was thrown out today after a two-day disciplinary hearing in London. Miss Walker was suspended in 2016 and then let back into the party despite claiming that Jews were chief financiers of the slave trade. She was suspended a second time later that year for questioning the need for security at Jewish schools and saying that Holocaust Memorial Day was too limited in scope. She was also removed from her position as vice-chairman of Momentum. Her expulsion comes as party leader Jeremy Corbyn struggles to rid the party of allegations of institutional anti-Semitism. The ongoing row sparked the decision by several Jewish MPs including Luciana Berger and Joan Ryan to quit the party in February Labour said Ms Walker had been expelled after a disciplinary panel ruled 'the charges of breaches of Party rules ... have been proven'. She previously sat on the Labour Representation Committee, along with shadow chancellor John McDonnell Jeremy Corbyn (pictured today) has struggled to distance Labour from accusations of institutionalised anti-Semitism in recent months Joe Glasman, head of political and government investigations at the Campaign Against Antisemitism, attacked the time taken to expel Ms Walker 'It comes as no surprise that the institutionally antisemitic Labour Party waited almost three years to finally expel Jackie Walker,' he said. 'During those three years she has toured the nation, openly supported by leading Labour MPs, claiming that the case against her was trumped up. 'It is because Labour has shown itself to be incapable of addressing antisemitism cases in a fair, transparent and timely manner that Campaign Against Antisemitism brought in the Equality and Human Right's Commission to take charge. 'Labour's decision to finally act now that the Commission is at the gate, is not a sign of change, but merely an act of naked self-preservation by a political party being brought face-to-face with its own racism.' Jewish MPs including Luciana Berger quit Labour last month with a blistering attack on the party over its failure to deal with anti-Semitism Mr McDonnell is a longstanding friend of Miss Walker, and both sit on the hard-Left Labour Representation Committee. Last month he was recorded saying he would take up her case with the leadership, although it is thought he never did so. Labour backbenchers said before the hearing that party must ensure she is expelled if it is to have any chance of proving it is not institutionally anti-Semitic. Dame Margaret Hodge today welcomed the expulsion but added: 'It should not have taken well over two years for the party to get here. 'This is not what an efficient or effective complaints system looks like.' The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) said the delay meant Ms Walker had been 'free to make a mockery of the Party's processes because she was a political ally of the leadership, NEC members and had support from MPs'. A spokesman added: 'Our members will be expected to be grateful. Instead they'll be angry it took so long, and angry that many people will want to say this is "job done" on anti-Semitism in the party.' The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) said the delay meant Ms Walker had been 'free to make a mockery of the Party's processes because she was a political ally of the leadership' Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge criticised the delay in taking official action against Ms Walker In a statement issued by the fringe Labour Against the Witchhunt group with backs Ms Walker and other MPs facing action over alleged anti-Semitism she said she had 'withdrawn' from the hearing on Tuesday. She said: 'After almost three years of racist abuse and serious threats; of almost three years of being demonised, and now being ambushed by a batch of last minute changes, I was astounded that the Labour Party refused to allow me a few short moments to personally address the disciplinary panel to speak in my own defence. 'What is so dangerous about my voice that it is not allowed to be heard?' 'All I have ever asked for is for equal treatment, due process and natural justice; it seems that this is too much to ask of the Labour Party.' A Labour spokesman today said: 'The National Constitutional Committee has found that the charges of breaches of Party rules by Jackie Walker have been proven. The National Constitutional Committee consequently determined that the sanction for this breach of the rules is expulsion from Labour Party membership.' A Texas politician has apologized after labeling a judge 'a joke' and saying she shouldn't speak Spanish during her news conferences. County Commissioner Mark Tice wrote under a live feed that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo should speak English, adding 'This is not Mexico'. He then told the Houston Chronicle Tuesday about Hidalgo: 'It's real simple. This is the United States. Speak English.' But after outrage from the public he backtracked in a Facebook statement later on Tuesday. Scroll down for videos County Commissioner Mark Tice wrote under a Monday live feed that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo should speak English, adding 'This is not Mexico' He apologized Tuesday, writing in a statement: 'I recognize how my response could have been interpreted in a derogatory manner and for that I am sorry' 'From my understanding, there were reporters asking questions in Spanish and Judge Hildalgo responded to those questions in Spanish, with no translation given,' he wrote. 'If that is not the case, then I sincerely apologize.' On Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners Court including the judge - unanimously approved a motion allowing the County Attorney to take legal action against Intercontinental Terminals Co. (ITC) and all responsible parties in the Deer Park chemical fire a week ago. It moved the issue of holding those accountable for the $2million in damages to the top of the Commissioners Court agenda. Tice said on Facebook he believed Hidalgo responded to questions in Spanish, with no English translation given and apologizes if he is wrong LIVE | @HCJudgeHidalgo, Dr. Umair A Shah from @harriscountypublichealth, Mayor of @deerparktx Jerry Mouton, @harriscountyprecinct2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia and Chief Laurie Christensen from @HarrisCoFM with updates on ITC incident. #DeerParkFire Posted by ReadyHarris on Monday, March 25, 2019 Tice continued in his Tuesday statement: 'Like many citizens concerned about the ITC fires, I was very emotional about the effect it was having on everyone. I apologize to Judge Hidalgo, the citizens of my County, and most importantly the entire Hispanic community for hastily acting out with transgression on social media. 'I recognize how my response could have been interpreted in a derogatory manner and for that I am sorry.' Hidalgo's Twitter supporters have praised her for using her bilingual abilities and the judge called it a 'blessing', Click2Houston reports. 'At least a third of the county speaks Spanish and I must use that skill that I have,' Hidalgo said. 'Especially when there's a disaster situation, we have to make sure that those key messages get out to the communities.' She added: 'If I could speak more languages I'd mention it in those.' Tice added in his social media post that he wishes he never spoke out in that way. He claimed that he has deep bonds with Spanish-speaking residents and spoke out of love for his community. I immediately regretted my choice of words. I'm not proud of my behavior that is not the example I wish to lead by. I can only hope, in time, that my actions can be forgiven. 'Having grown up in Galena Park, Texas a place that is and has always been a very diverse communityI was raised with the ideology that you do not judge anyone by their ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation,' he added. 'Those values mean everything to me. It breaks my heart that I may have said anything that would lead anyone to believe otherwise. Those who know me well, know how deeply rooted I am within the Hispanic community. My sentiments on this issue were grounded in the passion and love that I have for the City of Houston and the surrounding areas.' BBC viewers were left baffled today when an expert appeared live from his home surrounded by packets of Monster Munch crisps, digestive biscuits and a didgeridoo. Motoring journalist Adam Rayner was on BBC News today to discuss EU plans to introduce speed limit gadgets in cars, but viewers appeared less concerned about what he had to say and more interested in his surroundings. He appeared on a live stream from his home in Watford, Hertfordshire amid a pile of junk, including a multi-pack of Monster Munch, barrel of Digestive biscuits and a fridge. Mr Rayner is the brother of the popular food critic Jay Rayner and the son of the late agony Aunt Claire Rayner. Motoring journalist Adam Rayner was on BBC News today to discuss plans to introduce EU-wide speed limits but viewers appeared less concerned about what he had to say and more interested in the spare room of his Watford home His messy spare room triggered a 'hidden objects game' among viewers on Twitter. One person tweeted: 'Adam Rayner interviewed on @BBCNews amongst a monster munch, digestive biscuit and general clutter background!' Another person wrote: 'Gosh Adam Rayner being interviewed on @BBCNews & appears to be sat in the reject room of a charity shop.' Someone else tweeted: 'Adam Rayner needs to have a bit of a tidy up. #DoesThisSparkJoy'' Someone else joked: 'Adam Rayner sparked joy in our house this morning with this excellent backdrop @BBCNews @MarieKondo @walkers_crisps #monstermunch @McVities #digestives'. Social media users were quick to poke fun at motoring expert Adam Rayner's messy room Adam Rayner is the brother of the popular food critic Jay Rayner (pictured in London last April) and the son of the late agony Aunt Claire Rayner Jay Rayner has not commented on his brother's TV appearance. Meanwhile someone wrote on Twitter: 'Is that a didgeridoo behind him? A man of culture I see.' Another one wrote: 'Top right of the picture, is that a topless lady on a magnet next to the Biscuit tin?' Presenter Annita McVeigh did not comment on the clutter in Mr Rayner's home. The CEO of Boeing said the company is 'humbled and learning' following two horrific plane crashes that have killed more than 300 people in the last five months. Dennis Muilenburg wrote an open letter to Ethiopian Airlines after a Boeing 737 Max flown by the airline carrier crashed earlier this month, killing 157 people. The letter comes as questions continue to mount over the technology that caused the Boeing planes used by Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air to go down. Muilenburg used the bulk of his letter to praise Ethiopian Airlines, which he said 'represents the pride and progress of a great people and a symbol of The New Spirit of Africa'. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the company is 'humbled and learning' following two horrific plane crashes that have killed more than 300 people in the last five months 'As the airline's Group CEO Ato Tewolde GebreMariam said in his heartfelt statement yesterday, this tragedy does not define Ethiopian,' Muilenburg wrote. 'And it won't define the aviation industry or our enduring relationship with their team. For those of us who have worked with them over the years, this comes as no surprise.' Muilenburg then spoke of the 'unimaginable pain' that everyone involved with the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident has had to endure. 'We're humbled by their resilience and inspired by their courage,' he added. 'The airline's crews have demonstrated this by continuing to serve the flying public with distinction and professionalism.' 'We are all humbled and learning from this experience. We've stood shoulder to shoulder in partnership with the Ethiopian team to grieve and extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and communities of the passengers and crew.' Muilenburg spoke of the 'proud history' of Ethiopian Airlines, calling it a 'pioneer and a leader' in the aviation industry that launched 'Africa into the jet age' and connected the continent 'with all corners of the globe'. Muilenburg wrote an open letter to Ethiopian Airlines after a Boeing 737 Max flown by airline carrier crashed earlier this month, killing 157 people The letter comes as questions continue to mount over the technology that caused the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air Boeing planes to go down. Pictured is debris at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines crash earlier this month The CEO also promised that Boeing was 'working tirelessly to understand what happened and do everything possible to ensure it doesn't happen again'. 'All of us thank Ethiopian Airlines for their commitment and share their resolve to doing everything possible to build an even safer air travel system,' he added. 'Boeing stands together with all our customers and partners to earn and strengthen the flying public's trust and confidence in us every day.' Muilenburg and the American aircraft manufacturing company will have its work cut out for them after a report revealed that pilots had less than 40 seconds to correct a fault with Boeing's automated system that investigators believe led to both crashes. The pilots underwent a crisis simulation test to recreate the final moments of Lion Air Flight 610, which nosedived into the Java Sea in Indonesia shortly after take off in October 2018. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, is also the focal point of the probe into the Ethiopian Airlines crash involving the same Boeing 737 Max model. Simulation tests have shown that Boeing pilots only had around 40 seconds to over-ride the automated system suspected of causing the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes in which 346 people died (file image) When a sensor failed during the simulation test, the automatic stall prevention kicked in - giving pilots a matter of seconds to manually override the system to avoid a steep and irreversible downward dive, the New York Times reports. Citing two people familiar with the testing, the newspaper reports that those involved had not entirely understood how powerful the software was until they used the simulator. The means of disengaging the system as described by the Times are complex. Pilots can reverse the anti-stall system by flicking a switch, but this would only delay a potential crash by several minutes. In order to fully avoid disaster, pilots would need to activate two further switches, cutting off electricity to the motor pushing the plane's nose downwards, and also cranking a wheel to correct the resulting problems. This must all be done extremely quickly otherwise attempts to resolve the problem might be too late. The MCAS system is a central focus of the investigation into why the two planes crashed shortly after take-off John Cox, an Aviation safety consultant and former 737 pilot, told the Times that although pilots would likely trigger the first switch to extend the 40-second window, this would only buy several more minutes. There would still be scarcely enough time to diagnose and solve the problem. In fact, the pilots and crew of the Lion Air flight were not even aware of the system. The captain reportedly consulted a technical manual in the jet's final airborne moments. Following that first disaster, American pilots met with Boeing executives in Texas and demanded to know why the manufacturer had not told them about the new software. They also questioned whether a 56-minute iPad course on the MAX had been sufficient. Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 11, five months after Lion Air Flight 610 to nosedived into the Java Sea Boeing has been working on a software upgrade for an anti-stall system and more pilot controls on its fastest-selling jetliner. The software fix will prevent repeated operation of the anti-stall system at the center of safety concerns, and deactivate it if one sensor appears to have failed, two people familiar with pilot briefings told Reuters on Monday. Upgrading an individual 737 MAX with Boeing's new software only takes about an hour per plane, though the overall process could stretch on far longer as it is rolled out across the global fleet due to stringent testing and documentation requirements by engineers and regulators, according to a senior Federal Aviation Administration official with knowledge of the process. American Pilots will also have to complete FAA-approved computer-based training on the changes, followed by a mandatory test, but some pilots have said more may be needed. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft have been grounded worldwide in the wake of the two disasters Investigations are ongoing, but a preliminary report on an Ethiopian Airlines crash will very likely be released this week, the country's transport ministry said on Tuesday. This week Boeing is also briefing airlines on software and training updates for the MAX, with more than 200 global airline pilots, technical experts and regulators due in Renton, Washington, where the plane is built. Any fixes to the MAX software must still get approval from governments around the world. The 737 MAX is Boeing's best-selling plane, with orders worth more than $500billion at list prices. Within less than a week after the Ethiopian crash, the jets were grounded globally. Ethiopian and French investigators have pointed to 'clear similarities' between the two crashes, putting pressure on Boeing and US regulators to come up with an adequate fix. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris says she's 'completely confused' by the decision to abruptly drop all charges against Jussie Smollett. Her statement following Tuesday's shock decision comes after Harris initially described the attack on Smollett as a 'modern day lynching' in the immediate aftermath before later backtracking. 'I'm completely confused. I don't understand. I don't know. I don't know the underlying evidence. There's a sealed document, obviously. I don't know. I'm at a loss,' Harris said during a CNN interview Tuesday night. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris says she's 'completely confused' by the decision to abruptly drop all charges against Jussie Smollett Smollett's record was wiped clean on Tuesday when prosecutors announced they were dropping the charges, despite still believing the Empire actor staged a racist attack on himself and then lied about it. Harris, who is a former district attorney, said of Smollett's case: 'We're going to have to leave it up to the judgment of the prosecutor. 'I think we should leave it up to the judgment of the police chief and the mayor, of course, to give us some better sense of what's going on. I don't know.' The California senator made headlines immediately after Smollett came forward saying he had been attacked on the streets of Chicago on January 29 by two men. She came out in support of the actor, tweeting: '@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I'm praying for his quick recovery. Smollett's record was wiped clean on Tuesday when prosecutors announced they were dropping the charges, despite still believing the Empire actor staged a racist attack on himself and then lied about it Harris' statement following Tuesday's shock decision comes after she initially described the attack on Smollett as a 'modern day lynching' in the immediate aftermath before later backtracking 'This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.' Following Smollett's arrest last month, Harris issued a statement saying she was 'sad, frustrated and disappointed'. 'When anyone makes false claims to police, it not only diverts resources away from serious investigations but it makes it more difficult for other victims of crime to come forward. 'At the same time, we must speak the truth: hate crimes are on the rise in America. Just last year, the FBI released statistics that revealed a 17 percent increase in the number of hate crimes in America. 'Part of the tragedy of this situation is that it distracts from that truth, and has been seized by some who would like to dismiss and downplay the very real problems that we must address. We should not allow that. I will always condemn racism and homophobia. We must always confront hate directly, and we must always seek justice. That is what I will keep fighting for.' A boat carrying 14 migrants, including two children, was picked up off the coast of Kent in the early hours of this morning. Nine men, a woman and two children claiming to be from Iraq, and two men claiming to be Iranian were captured by the UK Border Force in the English Channel, near Folkestone, as they sailed towards the UK coast. They are the fourth group caught crossing the channel in eight days, as a poster campaign is launched encouraging the public to report suspicious boats. This comes as seven people, thought to be from Eritrea, were held in Middlesbrough on Monday on suspicion of entering the UK on a cargo ship. This poster, designed by several government agencies and put up in Deal and Dover, encourages people to report any suspicious sightings to the authorities Border Force officials detained eight more migrants crossing the Channel on Friday last week, including a group of seven stopped near Dungeness. Pictured are some of the seven being ferried ashore from a Border Force cutter There have been at least four attempts to enter Britain by migrants in the last eight days. 16 migrants tried to arrive at Dover, while eight tried at St Margarets Bay and seven at Dungeness the next day. Today 14 migrants tried to enter the UK this morning off the coast at Folkestone After police were alerted to the incoming migrants at 1am a Border Force cutter was launched to intercept them. A spokesman for the Home Office said: 'They were transferred to the cutter and brought to Dover, where they were medically assessed and passed to immigration officials for interview.' Hundreds of migrants have made the perilous trip from Calais to Dover - the busiest shipping lane in the world - since last November. Last week 24 migrants were detained by Border Force in three separate incidents. Experts believe the number of arrivals will increase in the next few months as the weather improves and more settled conditions will make it easier to travel. The nationalities and ages of the group of seven, pictured, have not been revealed and they have undergone medical checks this morning Another eight people have been stopped by Border Force officials today crossing the Channel in two boats near St Margarets Bay and Dungeness, Kent. Pictured is a Border Force vessel Five men, a woman and a child thought to be from Eritrea, were held at Teesport, Middlesbrough, at 7pm on Monday, on suspicion of entering the UK on a cargo ship. The woman was taken to hospital complaining of chest pains, but has since been discharged. The child was taken into the care of social services. Border Force, the Home Office agency, said the cases of all seven people will now be dealt with according to immigration rules. Government agencies have launched a poster urging the public to report suspicious boats that may contain illegal immigrants. The illustration, designed as part of a multi-agency campaign called Project Kraken between the UK Border Force, National Crime Agency and Kent Police shows a lighthouse beam with the words 'Seen something suspicious?' It has been put up in the towns of Dover and Deal in Kent. Members of the public who work in the maritime industries, or near a harbour and those who dive, fish, visit the coast regularly or live there are being encouraged to be vigilant. Project Kraken is also supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers and Action Counters Terrorism (ACT). The campaign wants people to look out for things such as boats arriving at unusual times or in isolated locations and people taking an interest in port security or buildings. Other things they ask people to look out for include vessels with unusual modifications or minor damage. It also asks people to look out for attempts to signal to vessels offshore or guide them into an unusual landfall. Charlie Elphicke, MP for Dover and Deal, said: 'Its very important to be vigilant. 'But in terms of people trafficking, this is the wrong thing to be focusing on. 'We need stronger border security on the French side of the Channel. 'The best way to deter these dangerous crossings is for traffickers to know they will not succeed. Yet if they have reached our waters, they have succeeded. 'Thats why we need the Channel to be made a joint UK/France security zone with 24/7 aerial surveillance along the French coast, so that migrants can be picked up and returned safely to France.' Meng Hongwei, former vice minister of public security, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the top anti-graft body announced Wednesday. Meng Hongwei, former vice-minister of public security. [File Photo: VCG] The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) said in a statement that the NSC first conducted an investigation of Meng's illegal conduct and found that he was also suspected of violations of the Party's code of conduct, which led to a CCDI investigation. The investigation found that Meng had completely lost his Party consciousness and sense of organizational rules. He failed to report relevant personal information to the Party and had refused to implement decisions of the CPC Central Committee, the statement said. It said that Meng entertained a serious prerogative mentality and used his power for personal purposes capriciously. He was also found to have lavished public funds for the extravagant life of his family. The statement said that Meng used the influence of his posts to secure a job for his wife and let her take advantage of her posts to seek private benefits. It further accused Meng of a "distorted idea for power" and of taking advantage of his posts to seek benefits regarding promotions, personnel arrangements and business operations for others, accepting huge amounts of money and gifts in exchange. Meng severely violated the Party's political discipline and rules, as well as the Party's rules on frugality, organization, clean governance, work and life, the statement said, adding that he is also suspected of crimes of bribe-taking. He showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress, and his conduct seriously smeared the Party's image, undermined the country's interests and caused harmful influences, it said. The statement said his illicit gains should be confiscated, and his suspected crimes will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution. Many of President Donald Trump's aides are making their escape plans, according to two Washington D.C. book agents who specialize in making exit deals for administration officials. Matt Latimer and Keith Urbahn, partners at Javelin, reveal in a New York Times profile that nearly every major figure in the administration is plotting to leave and talking to the two men about how to monetize their exit and restore their reputations. 'They all are,' Urbahn said of who's exiting. 'They're all planning to get out.' Washington D.C. book agents Matt Latimer and Keith Urbahn said nearly every major figure in the Trump administration is plotting to leave and talking to the two men about how to monetize their exit and restore their reputations The turnover in President Donald Trump's administration has been unprecedented Former FBI director James Comey and former White House aide Cliff Sims worked with the agents at Javelin to get their book deals 'We've met with or talked to probably every major official you would know who has departed or is thinking of departing the Trump White House,' Latimer said. The two men wouldn't name names. But there have been rumors that several officials are eying the exit, including White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. The turnover in the Trump administration has been unprecedented with aides either taking an early exit or being fired. And some of them have found their way to the agents at Javelin. One of those was former FBI director James Comey. Latimer and Urbahn shepherded his book deal from its $3 million advance through its way to the best seller list, plotting his social media strategy and publicity campaign in between. They also helped former Trump aide Cliff Sims score a seven-figure advance for his memoir 'Team of Vipers.' Their pitch to Trump aides is the twin goals of getting the best financial deal possible while also helping them redeem and reposition themselves from the president. 'A lot of them are trying to figure out: How do I make something out of this for my own well-being?' Latimer said of administration staff. 'But also: How do I distance myself from this guy?' He noted: 'One person came to us whom you would know and said: 'If I turned on Trump or did a book, how much money could I get for it? Is it worth my while to do this?' He didn't say who but simply noted they were still in talks with the staffer. And there are the cases of some aides where it didn't work. The two men - who were Republican operatives before they were literary agents - recalled how early in his time as Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer them for help with his escape. Trump's former press secretary Sean Spicer talked to the men but his deal didn't work out Omarosa Manigault-Newman also talked to the two men but their partnership didn't work out 'Matt's and my advice to him was, "Look, you've got to leave on your own terms,"' Urbahn said. ' If you think it's time to go and you haven't pulled the cord yet, it's too late.'' They laid out a career path for Spicer - similar to that of former Bush White House aide Karl Rove - and thought it was all systems go until they saw Spicer would be appearing on Sean Hannity's Fox News show the night of his resignation from the White House. Urbahn called Spicer and told him: 'I said: "I saw that you're going to go on 'Hannity' tonight. You're literally going to cost yourself seven figures if you do that. You're going to telegraph to the world that everything is copacetic with Trump - that you're going to be his biggest fan on the outside. It's just not what you want to do if, as you have told us before, you have a game plan to go out and be a contributor on television."' Spicer went on the show anyway. And he eventually went to Washington D.C. 'superlawyer' Bob Barnett to work out his book deal. Spicer's book did not sell well. They had also been in talks with Omarosa Manigault Newman and got her a book contract with Hachette but then she went on CBS' 'Celebrity Big Brother' without telling any of them and talked about Trump, so the publisher went else where. She eventually signed another deal with another publisher using different agents. The two men also told the New York Times their dream authors: for Latimer it's the anonymous official who wrote the 'resistance' memo in the Times last September; for Urbahn it's special counsel Robert Mueller. A deadly arsenal of machine guns and grenades has been recovered by armed police in a raid at a farm in east London. Three AK47 assault rifles, one submachine gun, two shotguns, one revolver, one self-loading pistol, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and 22 grenades were found. Officers from the Met's East Area Crime Squad swooped on 70 shipping containers at Bretts Farm, Romford Road during a dawn raid this morning. Police recovered a deadly arsenal of ammunition and firearms following a dawn raid on a farm on Essex this morning. A 31-year-old man was arrested at the scene Stolen cars, several kilos of class A drugs and a cannabis farm were also recovered. One 31 year old man was arrested and is currently in custody. Police say the raid was not terrorist related. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'A haul of weapons - including machine guns, Ak47 assault rifles and grenades - have been seized by police following early morning raids at a farm in South Ockendon. 'Officers from the Met's East Area Crime Squad executed search warrants of 70 shipping containers at Bretts Farm, Romford Road, RM15 on Tuesday, 26 March 'The warrant formed part of a proactive operation led by the East Area Crime Squad with assistance of colleagues from Trident Gang's and Area Crime Command. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition, stolen cars and several kilos of class A drugs were recovered from the scene at Bretts Farm on the Romford Road 'Specialist firearms officers from Essex Police also supported the operation. 'Officers recovered three AK47 assault rifles, one submachine gun, two shotguns, one revolver, one self-loading pistol, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and 22 grenades from one container. 'A large number of stolen vehicles, several kilos of Class A drugs and a cannabis farm were found in other containers on the farm. 'A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives with intent to endanger life and taken to a central London police station, where he currently remains.' Detective Chief Inspector James Harper of the Trident and Area Crime Command, said: 'I have no doubt that removing these weapons from circulation has prevented death or serious injury. 'Trident officers will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and detect such criminality.' Officers remain at the scene and enquiries continue. Nearly a dozen prominent Saudi women's rights activists have spoken about the physical and sexual abuse they were allegedly subjected to by masked interrogators when detailing their defence on Wednesday. The 11 women on trial in Riyadh were taken from their homes in the Saudi capital 10 months ago and transferred to Jeddah just weeks before the kingdom lifted its ban on females driving. One of the women told the panel of three judges that several men, who seemed intoxicated, appeared late one night and took her from her place of detention in Jeddah to a nearby secret location. Aziza al-Yousef drives a car on a highway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of a campaign to defy Saudi Arabia's then ban on women driving It's there that the women have said they were caned on their backs and thighs, electrocuted and waterboarded by masked men who did not identify themselves. Some women say they were forcibly touched and groped, made to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and threatened with rape and death, according to people with knowledge of the case. The charges against the women are said to relate to their efforts to promote women's rights and having contact with accredited foreign reporters, diplomats and human rights groups. Several of the women on trial are considered Saudi Arabia's most prominent rights activists. Among them are Aziza al-Yousef, a grandmother and former professor and Eman al-Nafjan, a mother of four and linguistics professor. It also includes Loujain al-Hathloul an outspoken rights activist who was pursuing a master's degree in the United Arab Emirates before her family says she was abducted and forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia last year. The group had long pushed for the right to drive and called for an end to restrictive male guardianship laws which require women of all ages to have a man's consent to travel abroad, obtain a passport, marry or undergo certain medical procedures. On Wednesday, the women sat next to their relatives in Riyadh's criminal court and spoke through a microphone to the presiding judge who sat before them. In between the emotional speeches, in which some of the women wept, they were able to hug and speak with one another and their families. The women were expected to appear back in court next week for what could be the final session of the trial. Journalists working for foreign media, diplomats, and other independent observers have not been allowed to sit in on the hearings. Several of the women on trial are considered Saudi Arabia's most prominent rights activists. Among them are Aziza al-Yousef, a grandmother and former professor (pictured) The judge was expected to decide Thursday whether to grant some of the women temporary release from prison. The releases, if granted, would not be before Sunday. Information about the case was learned from several people with knowledge of the arrests. All spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal and to protect personal details about the detainees. The government has denied charges of abuse as 'wild claims' that are 'simply wrong'. State-linked media published images of the three women and branded them traitors and 'foreign agents' shortly after their arrest. Last month, some of the women were pressured into signing a request for a royal pardon, according to people with knowledge of the arrests. Loujain's brother Walid al-Hathloul said relatives don't know what to expect. Speaking from the United States, he said: 'These guys are unpredictable. The mood changes', referring to officials in the kingdom. The 11 women on trial in Riyadh appear to be facing similar charges related to peaceful human rights work, including promoting women's rights, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). HRW said at least two of the women are accused of sharing information about women's rights in Saudi Arabia with accredited foreign journalists, diplomats, and international human rights organisations. Several people with knowledge of their cases said the women are being tried separately and have been allowed to appoint lawyers. However, Saudi Arabia's human rights lawyers have either been detained or live in self-imposed exile abroad, leaving families with few independent options. Two other prominent women's rights activist detained in the crackdown, Samar Badawi and Naseema al-Sada, are not among the 11 being tried in Riyadh. In total, more than 20 people have been detained in connection with women's rights activism. Prosecutors allege those arrested had the 'aim to undermine the kingdom's security, stability and national unity.' Al-Hathloul questioned the alleged criminal offence of speaking to reporters. 'If talking to foreign Western journalists is a crime so why Saudi officials are having interviews with Western media?' he said. Yvonne Fletcher's colleague has branded minister Nick Hurd a 'disgrace' for allegedly snubbing an event marking the 35th anniversary of her death. John Murray, who cradled Yvonne as she lay dying from a Libyan gunman's bullet, sent the minister for policing an invite but says he was told Mr Hurd was unable to attend 'due to diary commitments'. The ex-policeman, who has spent the past three decades pressuring Libya to name her killer after her death in 1984, has said Mr Hurd should be 'ashamed of himself'. Mr Murray promised the 25-year-old rookie that he would track down her killer, however long it took and whatever the cost. They were comrades policing an anti-Colonel Gaddafi demonstration outside London's Libyan Embassy when a gunman opened fire with an automatic weapon. Yvonne Fletcher, pictured, was policing an anti-Colonel Gaddafi demonstration outside London's Libyan Embassy when a gunman opened fire with an automatic weapon Ex-policeman John Murray, who cradled Yvonne as she lay dying, has spent the past three decades pressuring Libya to name her killer after her death in 1984 'It is nothing short of an insult for which young Mr Hurd should be thoroughly ashamed of himself, ' Mr Murray said. He added: 'Young Mr Hurd is supposed to be the minister representing policemen and women in this country so you would think he would find time to support an officer's unsolved murder. 'Especially as she was a female and this year marks the 100th anniversary of women joining the Met. 'I expect he thinks that as the Yvonne shooting happened a long time ago, 35 years, the atrocity should be kicked down the road and forgotten, but we'll never give up on her, however many years roll by. 'I am furious that the minister can't be bothered to find the time to salute Yvonne, especially as his father, a former Home Secretary, has in the past attended several previous tributes to her.' He sent an invite for the 35th anniversary service to Nick Hurd, but was told the minister for policing could not attend 'due to diary commitments' Mr Murray, pictured, said: 'I am furious that the minister can't be bothered to find the time to salute Yvonne, especially as his father, a former Home Secretary, has in the past attended several previous tributes to her' Mr Murray sent an invitation to the son of former Home Secretary Douglas Hurd, but his diary manager explained that 'due to diary commitments' he was unable to attend. 'However, it's a slap in the faces of many of us - an insult. Mr Hurd should reconsider. He would be most welcome if he changed his mind and turned up, ' he insisted. Mr Murray, who has spent 60,000 of his own money in travel costs to Libya to try solving the mystery of the unnamed killer, expects Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick will attend the event but is still awaiting a response from London Mayor Sadiq Khan. He has also praised the late movie director Michael Winner's widow for agreeing to speak at next month's April 17 event. The plinth bearing her name in St James, near the spot where she was gunned down, was recently vandalised by a paint-throwing thug who ruined several key statues and memorials in London, including Bomber Command's, has been renovated and is set for re-dedication. Nick Hurd has been contacted for comment. It's been a year since Facebook's Cambridge Analytica data breach and 44 percent of users still have a negative opinion of the company as a result but most people still use the social media site, according to a new survey. In March 2018 it was discovered that the political consulting firm had obtained personal data of more than 50 million Facebook users without their permission, drawing rage and many pledges to delete profiles and quit the site. However, only 37 percent of Americans say they use Facebook less frequently, compared to 16 percent who use it more often and 42 percent who are on the site just as regularly as prior to the scandal, according to the survey of 521 social media users by The Manifest. This graph breaks down by generation how often Americans use Facebook following the Cambridge Analytica scandal This pie chart breaks down the share of Americans who feel more negatively, more positive and no different about Facebook a year after the Cambridge Analytica data breach That's despite the fact that a majority (65 percent) of users are aware of the breach. Researchers did not obtain data on how many users have actually quit the site since the Cambridge Analytica scandal. 'To me, it's amazing that more than half of U.S. social media users are aware of one single company and its actions,' Josh Krakauer, founder and CEO of Sculpt, a social media marketing agency in Iowa, told The Manifest. 'That's a pretty big deal.' Response to the scandal is split along generational lines, with Millennials more likely to say they've limited their Facebook use (41 percent) and Baby Boomers the most likely to stick with it (68 percent use it the same amount, 5 percent use it more often and just 24 percent have cut back). 'Facebook really tried to give an image that this type of thing wasn't happening, that their data was safe,' said Steve Pearson, CEO of Friendemic, an online reputation company in Salt Lake City. 'To see something like this come out, it was a blow to many consumers who were otherwise trusting,' he told The Manifest. In addition, some businesses are now being more cautious about their use of Facebook, including Scotland-based self-storage company, Storage Vault, which has cut down posting from twice a day to once a week as a result of the data breach. 'I think the Cambridge Analytica scandal was the final straw for us when it came to using Facebook as a marketing platform for our business,' Storage Vault Commercial Director Kraig Martin told The Manifest. 'We definitely view the platform more negatively following the scandal, and we've drastically scaled back our operations on it.' However, Facebook remains the most popular social media site, with 52 percent of users reporting that it is their most frequently visited network. William Green, 27, attacked attorney Julie Chase in a Florida court on Wednesday A Florida man snuck up behind a Broward County public defender and punched her in the side of head in a Fort Lauderdale courtroom on Wednesday. Attorney Julie Chase was struck by William Green, 27, while she was representing another person before Judge Jackie Powell in a first appearance hearing. Green was captured on camera attacking Chase from behind, as bond appearances are recorded and streamed live by local media outlets. Chase was taken to a hospital, later telling Local 10 news, 'I'm doing OK,' upon her release. Green, who had been arrested on Tuesday on a battery charge, is seen in the video approaching Chase from behind while she's looking down at paperwork. He pulls his arm back and then proceeds to strike her on the left side of the head. Chase never saw it coming, and neither did the woman she was in the process of representing, who flinches in surprise. Green, who had been arrested on Tuesday on a battery charge, is seen in video of the court session at Broward County courthouse approaching Chase from behind while she's looking down at paperwork He pulls his arm back and then proceeds to strike her on the left side of the head. Chase never saw it coming, and neither did the woman she was in the process of representing After being struck, Chase recoils, briefly moving out of the camera's view. She then shows back up in the lower part of the screen, holding her ear. As commotion ensues with the people in court all clearly shocked at what has just occurred, Green stands there, seemingly poised with fists ready to throw another punch. After a moment, officers apprehend Green and tackle to him the ground, as Judge Powell asks, 'Is Ms. Chase OK?' After a moment, officers apprehend Green and tackle to him the ground, as Judge Powell asks, 'Is Ms. Chase OK?' Other defendants who had been awaiting their turn in front of the judge moved out of the way as officers cuffed Green, and eventually carried him out of the courtroom Other defendants who had been awaiting their turn in front of the judge moved out of the way as officers cuffed Green, and eventually carried him out of the courtroom. Chase was later taken to Broward Health Medical Center for evaluation. First appearance hearings, which are often referred to as bond court, take place in the main Broward County courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams dismissed a report she could be Joe Biden's 2020 running mate - even before he enters the Democratic primary - and said she's keeping her options open. 'I think you don't run for second place,' she said on 'The View' Wednesday when asked about a report Biden's aides are pushing for him to name her to his ticket when he announces his presidential bid. Abrams said if she's involved in the presidential race, she would be a part of the contest to pick the party's next nominee. Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams dismissed a report she could be Joe Biden's 2020 running mate It was reported last week Joe Biden's advisers were pushing him to name Abrams to his number two spot once he launches a presidential campaign 'If I'm going to enter a primary, then I'm going to enter a primary. And if I don't enter the primary my job is to make sure the best Democrat becomes the nominee and to make sure whoever we select gets elected president,' she said. Biden has not announced a presidential campaign but has been in contact with fundraisers and is believed to be preparing for an announcement. Abrams has been the talk of several offices since she failed in her bid to become Georgia's first black female governor: a presidential campaign, a possible challenge to Republican Sen. David Perdue in 2020 or if she would try again for the state's gubernatorial mansion in 2022. In the 2018 gubernatorial contest, Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp by 1 percent of the vote - 55,000 votes - in a contentious race that saw star power flood Georgia for both candidates. Abrams' stature has risen since then. She gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in February. But she told the ladies of 'The View' she is still weighing her next move. 'I am open to a number of options right now,' she said. 'I'm thinking about everything. Part of my opportunity right now is that I have a number of options I didn't know about before. It's the Senate race, possibility running for governor again, it's possibly running for president and my responsibility is to take seriously the opportunity,' she added, 'and make sure I'm the right person, this is the right time and it's the right job.' But she didn't rule out being Biden's running mate if he wins the Democratic nomination. 'Running in a primary to be vice president is very different that someone who has been selected by the party to be the nominee asking you to serve as a partner. And I am open to all options,' she said. Last week it was reported Biden's advisers were pushing him to name Abrams to his number two spot once he launches a presidential campaign. They argued it would bring diversity and youth to the ticket. Abrams, at 45, is 31 years younger than the 76-year-old Biden. But the former vice president was said not to have bought into the idea and there were worries it would look like a gimmick. He and Abrams had lunch together in Washington D.C. earlier this month at his request but the vice presidency reportedly did not come up. Former Vice President Joe Biden (above) told an audience in New York on Tuesday that he regrets his role in the Anita Hill hearings Biden (seen left in 1991), who chaired the Senate Judiciary committee at the time, lamented Tuesday that Anita Hill (seen right in 1991) was given 'the hearing she deserved' Hill testified that Clarence Thomas (above) sexually harassed her while he was her supervisor at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Thomas was eventually confirmed to the Supreme Court The Rev. Al Sharpton told Axios having Abrams on the ticket could help Biden by neutralizing questions about his treatment of Anita Hill during Justice Clarence Thomas' confirmation. During the contentious confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Biden came under fire for his treatment of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings in 1991 when he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hill had accused Thomas of making inappropriate sexual remarks when the two were colleagues. Biden was criticized for not shielding Hill from attacks by senators and for not calling witnesses who could have supported her. Abrams defended Biden on the issue. 'Whether we think he has taken sufficient responsibility will be determined as the process continues, but I think he's begun the process appropriately by saying I know there's pain, and I want to respond to that pain,' she said on 'The View.' Biden said Tuesday he regrets he didn't give Anita Hill 'the hearing she deserved' when she shared her story of sexual harassment. 'I wish I could have done something,' he said at an event in New York. President Donald Trump doubled down Wednesday on his boast a day earlier that Republicans would soon be known as 'the party of great healthcare,' as he challenges Democrats to defend their legacy system that he says has become 'a disaster.' Obamacare, the arrangement created by the Affordable Care Act in 2010, is 'something that we can't live with in this country because it's far too expensive for the people,' he told reporters in the Oval Office. Trump was meeting with Fabiana Rosales, a Venezuelan activist married to opposition leader Juan Guaido whom the United States recognizes as his nation's head of state. 'I said it yesterday, and I mean it 100 per cent ... We are going to be, the Republicans, the party of great healthcare,' he said. 'The Democrats aren't. They've let you down. They came up with Obamacare. It's terrible.' President Donald Trump showed no sign of letting up on his latest push to replace the Obamacare system, telling reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office that 'Democrats have let you down' The Affordable care Act was President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement, but Republicans have complained about its costs for young and healthy Americans who would prefer limited or no medical insurance Trump laid out a litany of complaints about a medical insurance arrangement that requires the uninsured to buy coverage or pay a special tax. Republicans in Congress zeroed out that 'individual mandate' in their tax law at the end of 2017. Until then, he said, Americans were forced to pay for inferior insurance policies with high price tags and minimal benefits. 'People are, all over this country, thanking me. Every time I go out they thank me. They don't have to pay a vast amount of money to have bad healthcare,' he said, describing the change as 'a big thing.' 'The Democrats have let you down,' he said again. On Monday his Justice Department asked a federal judge to enforce a ruling that the U.S. government had previously resisted, a declaration that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional without the individual mandate in place. The president made healthcare his theme of the week on Tuesday, seeming to snuff out the good news of his exoneration in the Mueller probe or perhaps aiming to ride the resulting goodwill to a domestic policy victory The president began on Tuesday to capitalize on the goodwill he won when Special Counsel Robert Mueller cleared him of suspicion related to unproven election-year Russia links. Pivoting to healthcare worries some of his aides, however, since Democrats leveraged the issue successfully in the 2018 midterms. But Trump has shown no shyness about returning to his 2016 roots, blasting Obamacare as a cash cow for insurance companies and a drain on the middle class. 'The premiums are too expensive. People are going broke trying to pay for it and the deductibles are averaging over $7,000,' he groused on Wednesday. He said he believes a federal lawsuit filed in Texas might succeed in wiping the Affordable Care Act off the books, a move he called 'phase one' of a broader plan. 'We think ... it will do very well in the Supreme Court. And if the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, we will have a plan that's far better than Obamacare,' he said. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Trump stormed into a GOP Senate lunch meeting on Tuesday brimming with energy to pivot from bashing Democrats over the Mueller probe to reforming healthcare Trump stormed into a Capitol Hill lunch with Republican senators on Tuesday with onle one topic was on his mind. 'Healthcare was the first thing out of his mouth,' South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters after the meeting. 'It was that, you know, we've got to be the party of healthcare, we've got to get pre-existing conditions, we're going to approve everybody that gets sick, they're not going to lose their coverage.' A defiant Trump had told reporters minutes before entering the closed-door session that 'the Republican Party will soon be known as the party of healthcare. You watch.' Elsewhere on the Senate side of the Capitol, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a brief press conference that 'if that is true, God help middle class Americans, because Donald Trump wants to raise the cost of prescription drugs, get rid of protections for pre-existing conditions [and] throw tens of millions of people off healthcare.' Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Tuesday that if Republicans are the new party of healthcare, 'God help middle class Americans' Graham said the president spoke about replacing the 2010-vintage Affordable Care Act with a 'modified block grant' system, suggesting a return to a divisive 2017 debate that doomed a proposal Graham authored with Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy. The proposal was an amendment to an Obamacare replacement bill that would later fail in the Senate. It would have given the states new control over the Medicaid program and change the formula that dictates how much federal money each state gets, in a way that tended to favor Republican-led states. Graham said the president asked Republican senators to 'challenge the Democrats to work with us. We're not going to give up on healthcare. It is an important issue and we think our ideas are going to work better for the public than Obamacare.' 'Music to my ears,' he said. 'He said pre-existing conditions has to be the first thing we address,' Graham told DailyMail.com moments later in a private moment. 'We've got to let everybody in the country know you are not going to lose your healthcare.' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled Trump's 2018 claims of caring about Americans with pre-existing medical conditions 'lies' He said Trump entered Tuesday's lunch 'like a guy who just won an election... "I've got this behind me. It's a fresh start. Let's see what we can do. Starting with health care".' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi talked up the Democrats' healthcare agenda Tuesday even as she tried to deflect talk of forcing the president out of office. 'Impeachment is not on the table until it is on the table. So its not a question of that. This is not about that. This is about us doing our work,' she said. 'Today we're introducing our healthcare bill, tomorrow we'll be doing climate. We're on our agenda.' On her political Twitter account, Pelosi cited an October 2018 tweet in which the president claimed the GOP favored protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions. 'All Republicans support people with pre-existing conditions, and if they dont, they will after I speak to them,' the president had written. 'I am in total support. Also, Democrats will destroy your Medicare, and I will keep it healthy and well!' 'Lies,' Pelosi wrote. A luxury cruise ship that narrowly escaped disaster during a storm off Norway nearly ran aground because it did not have enough oil in its engines. More than 400 people had to be airlifted to safety from the stricken Viking Sky cruise ship after it suffered engine trouble off the Norwegian coast on Saturday and was seen leaning at nearly 45 degrees. The ship had almost 1,400 passengers and crew on board when it came within 100 metres of running aground, before engineers were able to restart one of the engines. Videos filmed by passengers showed the ship rolling to an almost 45-degree angle, with plant pots and furniture sliding across the floor, plus water flowing through communal areas in the ship. Today the Norwegian Maritime Authority announced the ship's motors stalled because of relatively low levels of lubricating oil in the engines. Norwegian Maritime Authority announced the Viking Sky (pictured) stalled because of relatively low levels of lubricating oil in the engines Passengers gathering in a room with life jackets after the cruise ship ran into trouble in rough seas and 50mph winds off the Norwegian coast on Saturday A mayday signal was sent out as it drifted in rough waters during 50mph winds in the Norwegian Sea to within 100 metres of land. All four engines had failed, but crew managed to restart one of the engines just in time. Norway's Accident Investigations Board launched an investigation as to why the cruise ship set sail despite the 'high risk' conditions and storm warnings. 'Our conclusion is that the engine failure was directly caused by low oil pressure', the Norwegian Maritime Authority said in a statement today. 'The level of lubricating oil in the tanks was within set limits, however relatively low, when the vessel started to cross Hustadvika,' it added, referring to the stretch of water where the incident happened. The heavy seas probably caused movements in the tanks so large that the supply to the lubricating oil pumps stopped, the regulator said. This triggered an alarm indicating a low level of lubricating oil, which in turn caused an automatic shutdown of the engines. Roof panels were filmed falling off the ceiling and striking passengers' heads in the video from on board the tilting ship Ambulance and red cross staff waited on the dockside in Hustadvika, Norway, as the Sky approached the Norwegian coast on Saturday A Viking Cruises spokeswoman said in response the report: 'We welcome the prompt and efficient investigation carried out by the Norwegian Maritime Authority and we fully understand and acknowledge their findings. 'We have inspected the levels on all our sister ships and are now revising our procedures to ensure that this issue could not be repeated. We will continue to work with our partners and the regulatory bodies in supporting them with the ongoing investigations.' Rescue services airlifted 479 people, hoisting them one-by-one onto helicopters, before the weather subsided on Sunday and a tow could begin. Built in 2017, the ship belongs to Viking Ocean Cruises, part of the Viking Cruises group. Earlier on Wednesday, the Viking Sky left the port of Molde, where it had been anchored since Sunday, for repairs at a shipyard in Kristiansund, some 43.5 miles (70km) away. The company's owner apologised to guests for the ordeal while a Viking Cruises spokeswoman said the firm would support the investigation. Tug boats and supply ships escorted the stricken craft towards the Norwegian port town at Molde, Norway The ship battled heavy winds and high waves in Hustadvika, an area of the Norwegian coastline known to be dangerous Norwegian police said there was no suspicion of a criminal offence, but were investigating why the ship developed engine problems. The company's billionaire owner Torstein Hagen apologised to guests, saying 'the past few days have been stressful and hectic'. He said: 'I would like to personally apologise for what our guests experienced. 'I would also like to say how impressed and grateful I am for the efforts of the national rescue services, rescue personnel, local authorities and the people along the Mre coast, and thank them for the concern and generosity they have shown our guests. 'I would also like to express my thanks to the crew on board the Viking Sky for their efforts and dedication.' The Viking Sky had sent a mayday at 2pm on Saturday and helicopter crews spent hours winching elderly passengers one by one from the deck as rescue ships and tugs went to aid the vessel. Hans Vik, who heads the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway Police, told TV2: 'It was very nearly a disaster. The ship drifted to within 100 metres of running aground before they were able to restart one of the engines. Passengers could be seen on deck waving at the shore as the ship arrived into port Furniture was thrown around and glass shattered when the engines died and the craft shuddered Viking Cruises apologised to passengers after 400 people had to be evacuated from the ship 'If they had run aground we would have faced a major disaster.' American Jan Terbruegn said there was little time for panic after the order came to abandon ship. He told Norwegian news outlet Dagbladet: 'We could see that we were getting blown in towards some rocks. 'That was the most frightening thing I think. But luckily that wasn't our destiny.' American passenger John Curry told NRK that he was having lunch as the cruise ship started to shake. 'It was just chaos. The helicopter ride from the ship to shore I would rather not think about. It wasn't nice,' Curry told the broadcaster. Some 215 UK citizens were thought to be be among the 436 passengers about to disembark the Viking Sky, along with 458 crew, after the ship lost power on Saturday lunchtime in huge swells. Falling ceiling tiles hit passengers on the head as the struggling cruise ship rolled almost 45 degrees onto its side, tipping to send tables and chairs skimming across the decks. After receiving the mayday call, coastguard helicopters rescued 479 of the mainly elderly passengers , winching them aboard aircraft one-by-one with five helicopters working in rotation carrying 15 passengers per sortie. At least 20 people were taken to hospital, three with serious injuries, and a 90-year-old man and his 70-year-old spouse were severely injured, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. One frightening video showed water coursing through living quarters, after a door burst open when the ship was hit by a powerful wave. The Viking Sky, initially carrying 900 passengers plus its 458-strong crew, was taking holidaymakers on a 12-day luxury cruise along the Norwegian coast. A neo-Nazi terror suspect who starred in a 'Miss Hitler' beauty contest branded disabled people 'retards', a court heard. Jurors heard Alice Cutter, 22, also complained about a colleague with Down's syndrome being given a promotion ahead of her at work. Cutter is accused of making a string of offensive comments in a series of online chats with members of far-right extremist group National Action. Cutter, along with partner Mark Jones, 24, Garry Jack, 23, and Connor Scothern, 18, deny being members of a proscribed organisation. A picture alleged to show Alice Cutter wearing swastika-related clothing, which was shown to the jury at Birmingham Crown Court Prosecutor Barnaby Jameson QC said Cutter posted messages in a group called 'Triple K Mafia'. In February 2017, the court heard she wrote: 'I discovered my new least favourite demographic. Uppity retards. 'Some woman in a wheelchair came in then tried dragging me into a conversation about how my workplace is kitted out for able-bodied people only. And we should be ashamed. 'There's literally disabled access. It's just a different door. 'Then she was screaming about how on a plane to France they told her in an emergency she gets evacuated last because able-bodied people are 'worth more'. Alice Cutter wearing swastika-swastika-themed earrings which was posted on social media site Instagram 'No s**t b***h you have crab hands. 'Get back in the sea where you belong. 'And THEN she did some weird slam poetry on the spot. About my workplace. That she wrote saying how awful it was for retards. 'AND YET SHE HAS RETURNED. Alice Cutter during a 'Miss Hitler' competition in June 2016 'I am so done fam. My body is ready to embrace the void. 'Also the crab hand lady was a lesbian. 'They've hired a downs girl [sic] at my work. 'Which is confusing. Because she's got a higher up job than me basically. 'And yet she's being babied by other staff members. 'So she's on more pay, she's down's syndrome [sic], and she's completely un-independent. 'Oy f**king vey, my life is a sham. 'I do genuinely feel bad for mentally-disabled people because they will never be normal and it's a shame for them and their parents. 'But good grief. Keep them all in one place doing something. 'Not in jobs people who need to support kids and pay rent could have rather than them. 'I guess a lot less abuse and stealing would go on in old people's homes if it was just well-meaning people with retardation looking after them LMAO.' A pictured allegedly showing Mark Jones, 24, and another man posing for a photograph while giving a Nazi salute in the execution room at the site of the Buchenwald Nazi death camp in Germany Alice Cutter and others stand on the steps of Leeds Town Hall making the Nazi salute on May 9, 2016 Mark Jones was also said to have owned a special 'wedding edition' of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf autobiography, the court heard. Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court heard Mark Jones told other extremists he had paid 'a lot' for the book, which featured a Nazi party application form. Jones, 24, and his partner Alice Cutter, 22, both of Mulhalls Mill, Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, deny being members of the organisation after it was outlawed by the Government in December 2016. Alice Cutter arrives at Birmingham Crown Court Garry Jack, 23, from Heathland Avenue, Shard End, Birmingham, and 18-year-old Connor Scothern, of Bagnall Avenue, Nottingham, also deny belonging to National Action between December 2016 and September 2017. Their trial was told on Wednesday that Jones and Cutter both made comments in February 2017 in an online chat group, which included discussion of buying a book from the US. The court heard Jones - under the username Grandaddy Terror - then posted: '50 for a book. F*** me. 'What are you actually getting for 50? I paid a lot for an original wedding edition of Mein Kampf with nsdap application form in the back but that's a rarity. 'I would not pay that much for normal books.' After the messages were read out in court by a police officer, jurors were shown a picture - recovered by police in September 2017 - of a masked male alleged to be Jones holding a copy of Mein Kampf. Other messages from the group chat read to the court on the sixth day of the trial included posts allegedly from 22-year-old Cutter telling a wheelchair-user to 'get back in the sea where you belong'. A series of messages allegedly written by Cutter, who is said to have entered National Action's Miss Hitler contest, stated: 'I discovered my least favourite demographic. Uppity retards.' The court has heard an online chat group called the 'Triple K Mafia' included posts discussing 'lesser races' mixing with Aryans. It is also alleged Cutter messaged her partner asking him to return home to 'make sure everything is wiped' as the Government announced a ban on National Action. Acclaimed director Jordan Peele says he will not be casting white leads in his movies for the foreseeable future. Peele, who followed up his first feature length film 'Get Out' with the newly released 'Us', again hired a majority black cast for the production, and told an audience at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, in east Hollywood, that he was privileged to do so. 'I get to cast black people in my movies,' The Hollywood Reporter reported. Peele, who followed up his first feature length film 'Get Out' with the newly released 'Us', again hired a majority black cast for the production, and told an audience at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, in east Hollywood, that he was privileged to do so 'I feel fortunate to be in this position where I can say to Universal - "I want to make a $20 million horror movie with a black family" - and they say yes.' Adding: 'I don't see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie.' Peele, 40, who's debut 'Get Out' earned him an Academy Award nomination for best director and won him the original screenplay gong, elaborated on why he would focus on only giving a diverse line-up of actors leading roles. He said: 'Not that I don't like white dudes, but I've seen that movie. 'It really is one of the best, greatest pieces of this story, is feeling like we are in this time a renaissance has happened and proved the myths about representation in the industry are false.' The director, who's record breaking $88 million opening weekend haul for 'Us' is second only to Avatar for a live action movie, discussed a wide-range of issues besides diversity, including his reliance on marijuana and favorite Twilight Zone episode The director, who's record breaking $88 million opening weekend haul for 'Us' is second only to Avatar for a live action movie, discussed a wide-range of issues besides diversity, including his use of marijuana and favorite Twilight Zone episode. Peele also described how he learned to listen to his ego and to turn down the volume. 'You have to shelve it,' he said. 'You have to check it constantly. It's so easy for it to come out and rear its ugly head.' Adding: 'The ego is deceptive and it will screw you up.' A smirking Jussie Smollett left Chicago on Wednesday, leaving behind a city at war over the decision to drop all charges against him. The FBI is now reviewing the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of all 16 criminal charges against the actor, with two law enforcement officials reportedly confirming the probe. The Empire actor was seen at O'Hare International Airport on the same day that recused Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx broke her silence to defend her office's decision to drop the charges against the actor. A spokesperson for the FBI's Chicago office declined to comment on any pending investigation, ABC7 reports. But Foxx spoke out Wednesday amid increasing scrutiny for her handling of the Smollett case. In a series of interviews with local news outlets in Chicago on Wednesday, Foxx stood behind her assistant Joseph Magats' decision to let Smollett go scot-free after completing community service and paying a $10,000 bond forfeiture, and said it was in keeping with the circumstances of the case. Smollett was first charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct by prosecutors then was hit with an additional 15 charges by a grand jury. Each carried a recommended sentence of between one and three years behind bars but Foxx said it was unlikely he would have actually been sentenced to prison time. 'Right now, there's a lot of emotion. And I wholeheartedly believe that in our work we cannot be driven by emotions. We have to be driven by facts. 'For people who are in the weeds of this, we recognize that the likelihood that someone would get a prison sentence for a Class 4 felony is slim. 'No two cases are the same...this is not what it looks like on Law & Order, right?' she told local radio station WBEZ. Scroll down for video Jussie Smollett is seen at O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday leaving Chicago one day after all charges were dropped against him Kim Foxx, the recused Cook County State's Attorney who is facing scrutiny for her handling of the Jussie Smollett case, stood by her office's decision on Wednesday and said Smollett got off because it was the lowest class of felony and he has no criminal background This email was leaked on Wednesday which shows Foxx scrambling to find other examples to back up her office's decision on Smollett 'The fact that people pick and choose which cases are most important I think breaks my heart. 'This is not in anyway different that we've treated others,' Foxx said. THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN THE JUSSIE SMOLLETT CASE Why were the charges dropped if the State's Attorney's office says he is guilty? First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats said he decided to drop the charges because Smollett is not a violent threat to the community and because his office prioritizes violent crimes. He admitted that he thinks Smollett is guilty and said the evidence stands up but claims because Smollett has no prior criminal background, justice has been served. Few are satisfied with that answer and say the real reason is more nefarious. Why was the case sealed? On Tuesday, a judge granted Smollett's attorney's motion to seal the case but there is no written record of it and now it has been wiped from the court's records. The judge did not ask a single question about why the case was suddenly dropped or how the decision had been reached. Smollett initially said he welcomed the trial and wanted cameras inside for the public to see the evidence. Now, critics are demanding to see it all and say that if he is innocent, he has nothing to hide. His lawyers have not said why they wanted the records sealed. Why did he do community service and pay $10,000 if he is innocent? Smollett's attorneys insisted the outcome was not a plea deal but legal experts have unanimously described it as unusual for a defendant to complete community service and pay the city if he is innocent. The State's Attorney's office said on Tuesday that the charges would not have been dropped if he had not completed it. When did they reach a deal and why was it done in secret? The State's Attorney's office will not give details about its interactions with Smollett in the days before the announcement. It remains unclear how long it has been discussing this outcome with his attorneys and what other options, if any, were discussed to reach this point. What really happened on the night of the attack if Smollett did not stage it? There is still no explanation for why brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo attacked Smollett, who they were friends with and trained with at the gym, if he did not ask them to. Smollett's attorneys say the pair were 'absolutely lying' by saying that he asked them to do it to boost his profile but they do not know why else they did it. Prosecutors have not given any alternative scenario and they say the evidence, that Smollett orchestrated it, stands up. The brothers' lawyer no longer represents them and they have not spoken. They previously said they felt 'betrayed' by Smollett. Advertisement 'It was not unusual for me to talk to a victim in a case,' she said. The Cook County State's Attorney is now scrambling to provide other examples where felony charges were dropped in a similar manner to Jussie's case. An email sent out to prosecutors reads: 'We are looking for examples of cases, felony preferable, where we, in exercising our discretion, have entered into verbal agreements with defense attorneys to dismiss charges against an offender if certain conditions were met, such as the payment of restitution, completion of community service, completion of class, etc. 'Nobody is in trouble, we are just looking for further examples of how we, as prosecutors, use our discretion in a way that restores the victim, but causes minimal harm to the defendant in the long term.' On Wednesday night, the National Association of District Attorneys slammed the entire case. 'The case in Chicago illustrates a point that must be discussed in an effort to ensure fairness in our criminal justice system; the rich are treated differently, the politically connected receive favorable treatment, and Lady Justice sometimes peeks under her blindfold to see who stands before her. 'NDAA rejects these inequities as they are antithetical to our founding principles of justice: that no one is above the law,' it said in a statement. But legal experts do not think similar cases to that of Smollett will be found. CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said: 'They may find some cases that are similar that may match the issues here, but the vast majority of cases would never ever be handled in this manner.' It comes as Smollett's lawyer, Patricia Holmes, issued a blistering statement condemning those who have 'continued their campaign' against her client. Holmes said Smollett 'is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law', adding: 'The case is closed. No public official has the right to violate Mr. Smollett's due process rights. 'We respectfully request all government agencies involved live up to the ethical tenets of their office. The case was dismissed. We should all allow Mr. Smollett to move on with his life as a free citizen.' But law enforcement officials are now facing accusations that Smollett was given the star treatment from day one. He is said to have never been handcuffed and was held in a private jail cell. Official reports obtained by public-safety watchdog CWBChicago show he was 'placed into an unmarked police vehicle, with tinted windows'. 'While in route, [an officer] offered Smollett breakfast, coffee or something to drink, which Smollett declined'. the papers said. Smollett was also said to have been kept segregated and housed alone at his request. In an earlier interview with NBC, Foxx defended her interaction with one of his family members and boasted about recusing herself over it. 'At the time that I engaged with this family member, Mr. Smollett was considered a victim. 'What was of concern to me was that that contact could not, would not, be construed, the appearance of it, to impact how we handled this case. 'So I made the decision, in consultation with my chief ethics officer, a week before he was charged, to remove myself from the case.' She also said that Smollett only paid $10,000 because that was the cap under the alternative prosecution scenario which played out. 'Mr Smollett was afforded the same opportunity that anyone in Cook County who had a non violent offense and the required background would be able to get,' she said. Foxx also claimed that she had a 'good' relationship with the police bosses who eviscerated her office's decision on Tuesday. 'He recognizes that this disposition is not outside the realm of what we've seen before. 'I know that he can attest that this case was not treated any differently,' she said, adding that she 'could not speak to' how he felt about it. Actor Jussie Smollett talks to the media before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped Tuesda Meanwhile, the FBI will also continue investigating a threatening letter (pictured) that Smollett received at the studio in Chicago where Empire is filmed on January 22, just days before he was attacked At a press conference on Tuesday, Superintendent Johnson joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel in describing it as a 'whitewash of justice.' He said justice had not been served, maintained that Smollett lied and abhorred him for not letting the evidence become public. Foxx maintains that even though her office 'could' have found him guilty, he may have been found innocent. She thinks that even if he had been convicted, he would not have been give jail time. 'Jussie Smollett has not been found guilty by a court of law. We believe that the facts were sufficient to charge and try Mr. Smollett for the crimes. 'He chose this alternative prosecution method. A court has not found him guilty. this office believed that they could prove him guilty. 'We have, this is consistent with what we do in alternative prosecution, I don't think people understand what that is. 'We want to get to just outcomes. It is possible that if we did not offer a diversionary outlet for Mr. Smollett that he could have been taken to trial, he could have very well been found not guilty. 'What diversion allows is even for those who are guilty, to be able to get to the same outcome, if he was found guilty on a class 4, he was going to get some restitution, community service, not prison,' she said. In February, Foxx's office announced that she had decided to recuse herself because of the texts to Tina Tchen, a private attorney and Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, and one of Smollett's relatives. It was days before Smollett was charged and, at the time, she said she had taken the decision 'out of an abundance of caution'. 'Out of an abundance of caution, the decision to recuse herself was made to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case ,' her spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said. But on Wednesday, as she faced questions over why a special prosecutor was never put in place and why her office suddenly decided to drop the charges against Smollett, Foxx's office confused the issue by saying she never actually recused herself. As such, she did nothing wrong by not appointing a special prosecutor, they said. '[Foxx] did not formally recuse herself or the [State's Attorney] Office based on any actual conflict of interest. 'As a result, she did not have to seek the appointment of a special prosecutor... it was a colloquial use of the term rather than in its legal sense,' Kiera Ellis, a different spokeswoman, said. These are the emails exchanged between Tina Tchen and Kim Foxx on February 1, days after the incident on January 29 when Smollett was still being considered the victim of a hate crime Tchen put one of Smollett's relatives in touch with Foxx. Their texts are shown The texts continued until mid February then Foxx recused herself Fraternal Order of Police president Kevin Graham said: 'There's text messages going back-and-forth between Foxx and Smollett's private attorney. 'That's a real problem. 'We asked for an investigation before because something didn't smell right. 'Now, a judge sealed the court records so you can't even get a copy of the police investigation.' The judge, Honorable Judge Stephen Gregory Watkins, did not ask Smollett's team why they wanted the case sealed on Tuesday. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has decried the outcome. 'This does not add up. They better get their story straight, this is making fools of us all,' he said. 'He abused the city of Chicago, he committed a crime here. He lied about something,' he went on, adding that it was not just the state but also a grand jury who thought Smollett was guilty. 'He said he wanted to get his name clear. Let's get to the bottom of this, let's find out what happened,' Emanuel said. Kim Foxx, the Cook County State's Attorney who recused herself over the Jussie Smollett probe, is pictured with Jesse Jackson on February 28. Jackson has revealed he contacted Smollett when he was 'in crisis' and offered him his 'council'. On Saturday and Monday, Smollett spent two days at Jackson's civil rights organization and it was that community service which led prosecutors to suddenly drop the charges against him Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson (left) on Tuesday at a press conference to condemn the outcome of the Smollett case. Emanuel said Wednesday that the case had made 'fools of us all' as he demanded to know why the star suddenly had all 16 charges dropped on Tuesday after making a secret deal with prosecutors MAYOR CONSIDERS SUING SMOLLETT FOR $150,000 SPENT ON INVESTIGATION Rahm Emanuel is considering suing Smollett for $150,000 to recover the cost of the investigation into the incident, it has been reported. On Tuesday, Smollett paid $10,000 in bond forfeiture to the city and had his record expunged. Emanuel said the amount 'does not come close' to the resources that were spent looking into the January 29 incident he reported to police with his friend. CBS reports that he is considering going after Smollett for the remaining $140,000. Police spent several weeks combing through surveillance camera footage to try to hone in on Smollett's attackers. They also examined ride sharing records which led them to brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo. Advertisement There are also abundant questions surrounding how Smollett was able to walk away from 16 felony charges with no criminal record, after paying just $10,000 and spending 16 hours performing community service at Rainbow PUSH, Jackson's civil rights organization, after months of scrutiny over the case. He was seen with Foxx, who gave him an award at the C.F. Stradford Awards, weeks ago. It was a week after Smollett's arrested for allegedly staging a hoax hate crime and lying about it and Foxx had already recused herself from the case for exchanging text messages with a member of the star's family which police unions are now calling 'highly suspicious' in light of her office's about-turn on the charges. There were several award recipients that night who Foxx congratulated on Twitter. In her tribute to Reverend Jackson, she acknowledged his organization. 'The Rev Jackson needs no introduction. As founder & president of the RP Coalition, he has worked tirelessly to expand educational, business & employment opportunities for disadvantaged and people of color in Chicago. 'I'm so happy to honor him with this award tonight,' she wrote in a tweet along with a photograph of the pair. POLICE EVIDENCE IN SMOLLETT CASE -Two letters with homophobic and racist slurs inside envelopes containing white powder addressed to Smollett and sent to the set of Empire on January 22 . A month later, police state that Smollett wrote these letters, but the FBI refuses to confirm. -Surveillance footage taken throughout the city during the early hours of January 29, which shows Nigerian brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundair arriving to the area near Smollett's apartment around the time of the attack and then leaving, getting in a car and being dropped of near their apartment in Chicago. -Smollett's subsequent interview with a detective on January 29 after his first statement to police early that morning after the attack. The actor said that he could not determine the race of his attackers when he first spoke to police, but then hours later stated that the men were white per court documents. -Two plane tickets to Nigeria for the brothers, who left the country the day of the incident. -The brothers are taken into custody on February 13, and over the next two days allege that Smollett paid them to stage an attack and sent the letters to himself on the set of Empire. They claim the attacks was an attempt by Smollett to get more money from Empire execs. -Surveillance footage is released to the public on February 20 that shows the two brothers purchasing the rope and gloves police believe were used in the allegedly staged attack at a store ear their apartment on January 28. -A check for $3,5000 from Smollett to one of the brothers that police claim was for staging the attack but Smollett says was money for personal training. Advertisement Smollett said in his statement that he would 'not be his mother's son' if he was capable of 'even a drop' of what he had been accused of. He promised to continue to 'fight for the marginalized' in society and said he had been truthful 'on every single level since day one'. His lawyers refused to answer reporters' questions about whether Smollett would sue the city and admitted that Smollett had agreed to forfeit his bond in order to 'move on'. His lawyer, Patricia Brown Holmes, said that brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo were the ones who attacked Smollett but gave no explanation as to why they did it. The Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 8,000 cops, has already called for the Attorney General to investigate Foxx for her handling of the case because she tried to have it turned over to the FBI at the request of Smollett's family in the days after the attack. She was contacted by Tchen, Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, on February 1, on behalf of the Smollett family. Tchen wanted her to convince Chicago PD to hand the investigation over to the FBI and Foxx agreed to try to. The case never went to the FBI and Chicago PD came down heavily on Smollett once he was arrested. Smollett was initially indicted by prosecutors with just one charge but a grand jury added another 15 on to it for every time he allegedly lied. The actor was accused of paying Abel and Ola to attack him on January 29 outside his apartment at around 2am as he walked home from a Subway. He claimed that he did not recognize the attackers but said they called him a 'f****t', n****r' and shouted: 'This is MAGA country!' There is no doubt that brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo attacked him but so far, no other motive other than that Smollett asked them to and paid them to do it has emerged EX-OBAMA ADVISER SLAMS DECISION A former adviser to Barack Obama has slammed the 'weird turn' in the Jussie Smollett case, calling it a 'total head-scratcher' after all charges were dropped against the actor. David Axelrod, 64, said 'someone wasnt being truthful' and Chicago had paid the price in a series of tweets condemning the decision Tuesday. The former president's campaign mastermind labelled the decision 'outrageous' as he asked why the Empire actor, 36, was allowed 'to get off for $10K and have his records expunged and case files sealed'. Axelrod tweeted: 'Unless some better explanation surfaces, heres the lesson of this weird turn in the Smollett case: 'You can contrive a hate crime, make it a national news, get caught and-if you are a well-connected celebrity-get off for $10K and have your record expunged and files sealed.' Advertisement For weeks, police insisted Smollett was still the victim but gradually, suspicion grew as details of the probe were leaked, including the fact that he had not agreed to hand over his phone for police to search. Eventually, on February 21, Smollett was arrested. In a blistering press conference, he was eviscerated by Chicago Police Superintendent Johnson who accused him of lying about the attack to leverage it to get a raise on Empire. They even claimed he gave himself facial injuries to try to make the attack more believable. Smollett denied it angrily and posted bail but prosecutors were confident. They took the unusual step of publishing his full bond proffer which detailed all the evidence they said they had against him, including phone calls between him and the brothers before and after the attack. They also used a check he'd given them, purportedly for personal training, as apparent proof that he paid them for the attack. Smollett was excluded from the final two episodes of Empire as a result of the scandal. 20th Century Fox said it was 'gratified' that he had been cleared. 'Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified that all charges against him have been dismissed,' a spokesman said. The brothers are who told police that he paid them to stage the attack, but police insisted vociferously to have other evidence that backed up their claim. Smollett had been facing up to 48 years behind bars on 16 felony counts of lying to police by claiming he was attacked on January 29 by two men he said he could not identify and who he said called him racial and homophobic slurs. The FBI will also continue investigating a threatening letter that Smollett received at the studio in Chicago where Empire is filmed on January 22, just days before he was attacked. A Utah woman who went missing seven days ago was found Tuesday near her stranded SUV a week after it got stuck in the snow and mud during a trip on a rural highway. Michelle Richan, of Brigham City, left Eureka, Nevada, on March 19 on her way to Heber City, Utah, when her vehicle became stuck on a snow-covered part of the Emigrant Trail. She told reporters there was no cell phone service when she got stranded, leaving her trapped in the wilderness. But luckily she had packed food and survival gear in her GMC Jimmy just in case - and had enough to last another week if she needed it. 'I've always thought something like this (could happen), 'cause I like going out in the middle of nowhere,' she told Deseret News a few hours after reuniting with her family. Michelle Richan of Brigham City, Utah, was discovered near her stranded SUV on a road in rural Box Elder County, Utah, on Tuesday after going missing seven days prior Richan told reporters she had packed food and survival gear in her GMC Jimmy for such an occasion and had enough to last another week if she had to. Richan opted to stay put and wait for help instead of walking across the rugged terrain to one of several nearby ghost towns. She would have needed to walk almost 90 miles to the nearest populated town of Wendover, Nevada. She said she spent much of her time collecting wood to make fires to keep warm. Richan said she was surprised it took so long for someone to rescue her after seeing Air Force pilots flying overhead and people driving in the valley who didn't see her. She tried shooting her gun a few times to catch someone's attention. Search and rescue crews told her later that the sound of gunshots is common in that region. Richan's SUV got stuck in some mud and snow on Emigrant Trail near Park Valley. The nearest populated town was about 90 miles away Luckily, pilot Ivo Zdarsky had started searching for Richan after seeing news reports about her going missing. Zdarsky was flying his small plane over the region when he noticed her and radioed a rescue crew. 'I spotted something orange, so I just went really low to look at it and saw her actually running out of the car,' Zdarsky told Deseret News. A snow plow driver freed Richan's vehicle around 11 a.m. on Tuesday before a search and rescue crew transported her to the unincorporated community Park Valley. There, she was reunited with her family, including her daughters, Leslie Richan and Kaylee Vaughan. Richan's daughter, Kaylee Vaughan, was reunited with her mother in Park Valley Utah on Tuesday 'It's been incredibly hard. It's been very taxing emotionally,' Vaughan told Fox 13 Now. 'I know that she's prepared for these types of situations, but I didn't know how prepared. It was so relieving [when mom was found]. It's been really hard.' A man was shot dead in broad daylight yesterday afternoon in London's 27th killing since the year began. Ramane Richard Wiggan, 25, was gunned down on the balcony of a block of flats in West Norwood at about 4.10pm. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene at 4.45pm and police have arrested two 17-year-old boys. The area was still cordoned off today as police continue to investigate the crime scene. Inside the cordon is a silver car which residents have said officers have been searching inside and carrying out forensic work on. Police remain at the scene in West Norwood, where a teenager was shot dead yesterday afternoon as London's bloodbath continues Officers are scouring the area in West Norwood following a fatal shooting there yesterday afternoon There have been 29 killings in London this year alone, with one also occurring on January 4 on a London Overground train in Horsely, Surrey Police probing the fatal shooting were seen investigating a silver car in West Norwood, south London, before it was taken away last night Forensic officers seize evidence at an estate in West Norwood where a teenager was shot dead yesterday afternoon Forensic officers at the Hainthorpe Estate last night where a young man was gunned down in broad daylight Last night a resident who wished to remain anonymous said: It's a tragedy. This is horrific. Crime is out of control in London. Attacker stabs a man in the head in London A man was stabbed in the head just 10 miles away from yesterday's fatal shooting. The capital's bloodbath continues as in Sutton, south London, at almost exactly the same time, a man in his 30s was stabbed in his head. His injuries are non-life-threatening. Police have confirmed that a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing. Advertisement 'People are saying he was running away when the shooting happened. He must have been running for his life. I can't take this anymore.' Assie Kamara, 44, lives in a flat below the floor where the shooting took place and said her husband heard the shot being fired. 'My two children went in with my husband just before it happened,' she said. 'Had it been a few minutes different they might have seen the gunman. 'That's absolutely terrifying to think. We're not safe. 'They were so close to it. My husband was in the house and said he heard the shot being fired. 'He said it was a huge bang and came from upstairs. He was terrified. It's very shocking. It's heartbreaking. What is happening in London? That's just above our family home.' The body is taken away from the scene in a private ambulance. Two men have been arrested A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: 'Detectives are investigating following the fatal shooting of a male in Lambeth. Two males have been arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to south London police stations for questioning. 'He is believed to be aged in his late teens. Officers are in the process of informing his next of kin.' CCTV has been recovered and is being reviewed by the force's Homicide and Major Crime Command. DNA samples were taken from the scene and are due to be examined, police said. Ten miles away in Cheam (shown in a file photo), Sutton, at almost exactly the same time, a man in his 30s was stabbed in his head The shooting and stabbing came just one day after the country's top police chief, Cressida Dick, said youth knife violence is at the worst level she has ever seen it. The Met Police Commissioner, who joined the police more than 35 years ago, told Parliament's Home Affairs Committee: 'I'd have to say that the last couple of years undoubtedly have been the highest and most worrying levels I think in my service.' Hours after her comments six people were stabbed in London during another night of carnage as two-17-year-old boys and four men aged 18 to 24 were knifed in separate attacks. Mayor Sadiq Khan faced criticism for jetting off on holiday with his wife to Marrakech on March 2, hours after the unprovoked murder of 17-year-old girl scout Jodie Chesney in Romford, East London. Bring back stop-and-search to stop bloodshed across Britain, demands police leader Stop-and-search powers must be reintroduced in Britain to combat the country's stabbing crisis, a senior police officer claimed earlier this month. Richard Cooke, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, has called for emergency section 60 powers to be rolled out across the country. He said that the use of the temporary order, which allows police officers to search suspects without needing 'reasonable grounds', would help stem the bloodshed. The controversial powers were introduced by West Midlands Police after three teenagers died in just 11 days. The force says that it took dozens of blades off the streets since the order was enforced. Advertisement Shocking new statistics last month showed that 41 per cent of knife crime offenders in London are now aged between 15 and 19. Just a month ago police chiefs up and down the country declared Britain's knife crime epidemic a 'national emergency' and demanded more funding to help combat it. Some demanded a return to stop-and-search, which has in the past led to accusations of profiling. Richard Cooke, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, called for emergency section 60 powers to be rolled out across the country. Stabbings have also rocked Manchester, where 17-year-old grammar school pupil Yousef Makki was killed last month and Birmingham, where three teenagers were stabbed in February alone. On the 25th of that month, 18-year-old Connor Brown was fatally stabbed in Sunderland. Home Secretary Sajid Javid pleaded for more more money to put millions of bobbies on the beat in a Cabinet intervention at the start of March. He urged Prime Minister Theresa May - who was Home Secretary for six years - to sign off proposed new powers to make it easier for police to stop and search those suspected of carrying blades. It came as knife arches were erected at hubs across the capital to detect people carrying blades. Another of this month's victims of the London bloodbath was 29-year-old Nathaniel Armstrong, who was killed in west London March 10, and was the cousin of GMB weatherman Alex Beresford. It came just 11 days after the TV presenter made an impassioned on-air speech about street violence. Three days after Mr Armstrong's stabbing, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced 100million in funding to help police fight knife crime. But the funding follows dramatic cuts in policing across the UK since the Conservatives first came into power. Total funding for forces in England and Wales reduced by 19 per cent in real terms from 2010/11 to 2018/19, according to the National Audit Office. Officer numbers have fallen by nearly 20,000 since 2010. Advertisement Russian paratroopers have been rehearsing killing terrorists today, as remarkable pictures show servicemen leaping from a plane during military exercises north of Moscow. The 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Russian Airborne Troops was in action over the village of Budikhino, eastern Russia - facing off against several of their brothers in arms who had dressed as terrorists for the exercise. And in dramatic images, paratroopers are seen diving out of a Ilyushin Il-76 plane before landing in a cloud of smoke as explosions are set off as part of the exercise. Once on the ground, several of the troops entered combat vehicles to destroy a mock illegal armed group's base armed with servicemen acting as terrorists. The Russian Defence Ministry today said that more than 1,000 troops had been involved in the exercise, alongside around 20 airplanes and helicopters. With a spokesman saying troops had 'captured airfields and a base' during the exercise. It comes just days after members of the Russian Airborne Troops were in Crimea practicing large-scale drills, with more than 1,500 paratroopers, and around 300 hardware units and military aircraft seen in the area. A spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry said at the time: 'The landing of personnel and military equipment from military transport aircraft will be carried out at several landing sites. 'One of the most spectacular episodes will be the landing of units of the Airborne Forces from combat amphibious ships in order to capture and destroy control points of the conditional enemy and the training camp of illegal armed groups.' In dramatic images, paratroopers are seen diving out of a Ilyushin Il-76 plane before landing in a cloud of smoke as explosions are set off as part of the exercise Once on the ground, several of the troops entered combat vehicles to destroy a mock illegal armed group's base armed with servicemen acting as terrorists (one of which is pictured) Explosions were set off during the exercise in the village of Budikhino, eastern Russia today. It comes just days after servicemen were also seen in Crimea for exercises involving more than 1,500 paratroopers The Russian Defence Ministry today said that more than 1,000 troops (a paratrooper is seen landing) had been involved in the exercise, alongside around 20 airplanes and helicopters The troops had jumped from a Ilyushin Il-76 plane before landing at a designated site in eastern Russia today, just north of Moscwo The Ilyushin Il-76 plane (pictured) is a multi-purpose four-engine airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau. It was originally designed to deliver heavy machinery to remote, poorly served areas Several paratroopers are seen leaping from a plane over eastern Russia today, as part of exercises to destroy a mock illegal armed group's base armed with servicemen acting as terrorists Servicemen jumping out from an Ilyushin Il-76 plane head to a landing site near the village of Budikhino, east Russia during military exercises held by the 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Russian Airborne Troops Dozens of paratroopers are seen landing on snowy terrain for the exercise, which took place this morning according to the Russian Ministry of Defence) The paratroopers formed a long line in the sky, as they descended from an Ilyushin Il-76 plane Servicemen are seen on the ground after leaping from an Ilyushin Il-76 plane over eastern Russia today. They made sure to carry all their supplies with them A line of four servicemen are seen wading through the snow, tasked with destroying a mock illegal armed group's base Servicemen are seen putting away their parachutes after jumping from a plane this afternoon. Once of the ground they were tasked with more military exercises Several of the servicemen dressed up as terrorists for the exercise, which took place in eastern Russia today More than a dozen Tory MPs are poised to launch bids for the leadership after Theresa May announced she will quit if her Brexit deal is voted through. As many as eight Cabinet ministers are expected to put their names forward, with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Sajid Javid among the frontrunners. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is seen as a strong outside bet, along with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd is weighing up whether to run. The betting favourite to take over the mantle at the moment is ardent Brexiteer Michael Gove (pictured right), with Boris Johnson (pictured left) a close second Among the Cabinet outsiders are Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom, who finished second in the 2016 leadership contest that Mrs May won, but is expected to have another tilt, along with Brexiteer International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt. Outside the Cabinet, the leading contenders are former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, both of whom quit Government posts over Mrs Mays Brexit plans and will be vying for votes among Eurosceptic MPs. Other MPs attempting to garner support for a run include former Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey, Tory party vice-chairman James Cleverly, foreign affairs select committee chairman Tom Tugendhat, justice minister Rory Stewart and backbench MP Johnny Mercer. Last night one MP said: Its going to be like Ben Hur therell be a cast of thousands. Dominic Raab (pictured left) and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured right) are also strong betting favourites Sajid Javid (pictured left) and Andrea Leadsom (pictured right) are also possible future leaders Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, and ardent Remainer, and Chief Secretary to the treasury Liz Truss might also fancy a run at the leadership Nigel Evans, joint-secretary of the backbench 1922 Committee, said: Theres going to be more runners and riders than the Grand National. How successor will be chosen If Mrs Mays deal goes through, the UK is likely to leave the EU on May 22 and she would resign as Tory leader that day but stay on as interim PM while the contest to replace her begins. Any Tory MP can stand but they need two nominations from colleagues. A series of secret votes would be held every Tuesday and Thursday among the 314 members of the Conservative Parliamentary Party. The last-placed candidate is eliminated at every stage and once it is clear who the front-runners are the back-markers usually drop out and support someone else. After David Cameron stood down following the referendum in 2016 there were five candidates in the first round, who were whittled down to two: Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom. The final two candidates then move on to the second phase, when party members vote by postal ballot. Candidates will be expected to make speeches to members and tour the country to try to win support. This second phase is likely to last for up to a month. Only members who have been in the party for three months or more can vote in a leadership contest, so joining now would not entitle you to a say. Conservative sources say the whole process could be completed within a month to six weeks. Advertisement Last night, bookmakers Ladbrokes installed Mr Gove and Mr Johnson as early joint favourites at 4/1 and Mr Hunt at 8/1, with Mr Raab and Mr Javid at 10/1. Not all the likely runners are serious about winning the top job, but hope to secure a better job in Cabinet by increasing their profile. Several of the leading candidates have had shadow campaign operations running for months in anticipation of Mrs May going, with supporters discreetly sounding out MPs. The first phase of the contest will see all Tory MPs vote in a series of rounds to whittle down the candidates to the final two. Party members across the country then vote in a postal ballot to decide the winner. Last night, No 10 officials said that if Mrs Mays deal goes through in the coming days and the UK leaves the EU on May 22, she will resign as Tory leader but stay on as caretaker until the contest is finished. She would go to Japan for the G20 at the end of June, meaning the contest would last about six weeks. Mr Hunt has long been seen as a frontrunner because of his seniority and experience, but could suffer from the favourite tag. His opponents have labelled him Continuity May. Mr Javids hopes have taken a series of blows in recent months over his handling of the case of teenager Shamima Begum who ran off from her home in east London to join Isis, and for his claim to be taking control of a migration crisis while on holiday in South Africa. Allies of Mr Johnson believe if he gets to the final round he is likely to win because of his huge popularity among grassroots Tories. There is also speculation about Mr Johnson and Miss Rudd forming a powerful joint ticket, which would bring together a leading Brexiteer and a leading Remainer and could help reunite the party. Mr Goves prospects have sky-rocketed in recent weeks after several barnstorming performances at the despatch box, including his closing speech in the no confidence debate in January when he savaged Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Tatiana will appeal but Akhmedov is celebrating success in their divorce But the judges have overruled the Arab commercial courts in Akhmedov's favour The oligarch's 350 million yacht has been impounded in Dubai for 8 months A Russian oligarch embroiled in Britains most expensive divorce battle has won the right to keep his 350 million mega yacht out of the hands of his former wife. Farkhad Akhmedov has been given authority to sail away in the yacht Luna after it was impounded in Dubai as part of a bitter divorce battle with ex-Tatiana. The mother-of-two had previously won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after the oil and gas tycoon refused to pay her half his 1bn fortune following their split. But today an appeal court in the United Arab Emirates has ruled an earlier decision by a lower court in Dubai impounding the luxury vessel had been wrong. Russian oligarch Farkhad Akmedov has won the right to keep his 350m superyacht and stop it being handed to his ex-wife as part of their long-standing bitter fought divorce battle He has been told by sharia judges in Dubai he can he can keep the mega yacht and is free to sail it away from a port in the Arab state. The yacht Luna one of the world's most luxurious vessels has been under lock and key for months after a British court ordered it to be seized Senior appeal judges ruled the divorce settlement awarded to Mrs Akhmedov by a British court couldnt be enforced in Dubai. After a year being moored in the Arab kingdom Mr Akhmedov is now free to take it back out to sea to a destination of his choice. A spokesman for the oligarch said: Mr Akhmedov is delighted but not surprised by todays court decision in favour of the Akhmedov family trust. Luna is one of the assets of a family trust which was set up for the benefit of all his family and dependants, and he is confident that no court anywhere in the world will endorse Tatianas unlawful attempts to take it away from them.' The super yacht one of the world's most luxurious vessels has been at the centre of an epic and costly divorce battle for over three years. His ex-wife Tatiana had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after Akhmedov refused to pay her half his 1bn fortune. Akhmedov's ex-wife Tatiana (above) had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after he refused to pay her half his 1bn fortune. She planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury. Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families 20m Surrey home (above) and an art collection worth more than 30m She planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control. Mr Akhmedov, 62, has refused a ruling by a British court that he must pay his ex 453million, half his fortune, claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow. Officials in Moscow have said they can't find any record of the split in 2002, but Akhmedov insists he and his wife were no longer married when she filed for divorce in 2014. The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs. As one of the world's super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine. It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014. Akhmedov, 62, has refused to accept the British divorce courts decision to pay his wife 453m claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht for over eight months after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs As one of the world's super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool (above), a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury. But now judges in a Sharia court have ruled that a commercial court in the Arab kingdom did not have the right to uphold the freezing order imposed by a UK court. They have ruled that ownership belongs to Akhmedov Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families 20m Surrey home and an art collection worth more than 30m. The home contained his art collection worth millions and included General Napoleons writing desk. Mr Akhmedov has always insisted that he and his wife were divorced in Russia after seven years of marriage following his wifes adultery with IT specialist Mark Isle. He made several clean break divorce settlement offers worth over 100m but they were rejected by his wife. A spokesman for Mr Akhmedov said: He believes the attempts by Tatiana and her team, backed for profit by Burford Capital, to tie down family assets around the world are as misguided as the original English High Court was in granting Tatiana a second divorce 16 years after their marriage was validly dissolved in Russia. The court ruling will come as a blow to Tatiana who has hired a London based litigation firm to fund her lengthy legal battle against her ex. The 115m yacht is the focus of Britain's most costliest divorce It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014 Mr Johnson (pictured arriving at Parliament today) revealed his change of heart at a European Research Group meeting this evening, minutes after the Prime Minister had capitulated and agreed to step down if her Brexit deal becomes law Boris Johnson has sensationally switched sides tonight and will back Theresa May's Brexit deal, he has told MPs. The former foreign secretary quit over Theresa May's handling of Brexit and as recently as this week said he could not support her. But after she dramatically announced to MPs tonight she would step down if her withdrawal agreement was approved by Parliament he changed his mind. He announced his stunning reverse at a meeting of the hardline Brexiteer European Research Group this evening. Bournemouth MP Conor Burns, a close ally of Mr Johnson, tweeted: 'Boris Johnson absolutely right telling MPs that palpable risk of losing Brexit altogether with the chance of change in the next phase means we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement.' It came after a slew of Brexiteeers announced they would switch and support Mrs May after her capitulation to weeks of pressure to quit as the price of securing their support. But her chances of winning a third meaningful vote if she calls one this week remain slim. Mrs May needs to find 75 more Tory votes if she tries to pass her deal at the third attempt, having lost by 149 last time. The movement of Mr Johnson, a towering figure in Brexiteer ranks, will help a lot more MPs feel OK about switching. But the Democratic Union Party's support remained key, as the most militant ERG members will not back her unless their 10 Northern Irish are in the same voting lobby. And tonight the unionist party handed her a heavy blow, with a spokesman saying: 'Given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured ... and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote'. Boris Johnson loyalist Conor Burns defended the decision on Twitter Mrs may had earlier agreed to quit as the price of securing enough backing for her deal to win a Commons' vote Boris Johnson left the ERG meeting without commenting on his U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Theresa May's deal wrapped a 'suicide vest' around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. Speaking outside the earlier meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee where Mrs May gave a speech, ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said the DUP's position was crucial, and if they merely abstained rather than outright opposing it again he would feel able to support the deal. 'If the DUP abstained I would feel entitled to back it. If the DUP were still against it, I would not feel able to back it,' he told reporters. Mr Johnson had yesterday signalled he could be willing to back the Prime Minister's Brexit deal, but only if there was a path to then negotiate his preferred 'Super Canada' future trading relationship with the EU. Speaking at an event hosted by the Telegraph, the former Foreign Secretary said he 'was not there yet' on backing May's deal but admitted that there was a risk Britain 'won't leave the EU at all' if MPs voted it down for a third time. 'If we vote it down again there is an appreciable and growing sense that we will not leave at all. That is the risk,' journalists at the event quoted him as saying. He was reportedly shouted down by members of the crowd who said 'no Boris'. Pauline Latham and Shailesh Vara changed sides to back the Prime Minister tonight, according to ITV News. And former culture minister John Whittingdale told Sky he would do the same. Jacob Rees-Mogg told reporters he could support Mrs May even if the DUP abstained - but not if they voted against her deal Other senior Tory Brexiteers hinted they could be prepared to back Theresa May's Brexit. Middlesbrough South MP Simon Clarke said Mrs May's speech had 'really changed the mood' but declined to say how he would vote in a third meaningful vote. But he added: 'If I was a Remainer tonight I would be pretty worried. 'I think the chances (of a deal passing) are the highest they have ever been.' Welsh Tory Simon Hart said the PM had made a 'passionate' speech as if she had 'torn up the script'. He said the mood had been 'somber' as the PM announced she would leave, adding: 'She was clear that providing the Withdrawal Agreement is passed she would start a process of an orderly handover (of power).' Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'The ERG position is nonsensical - the backstop they worry will be permanent, but might now vote for, is more likely to be permanent if a new PM adopts their approach to the future EU relationship. 'Which, if logic applies (yes, I know!) should make DUP less likely to support now!' Brexiteers against May Steve Baker John Baron Crispin Blunt Peter Bone Suella Braverman Andrew Bridgen Bill Cash Christopher Chope Hugo Drax Mark Francois Marcus Fysh Chris Green Philip Hollobone Adam Holloway Bernard Jenkin Andrea Jenkyns Priti Patel Owen Paterson John Redwood Advertisement Brexiteers for May Lucy Allan Conor Burns Rehman Chishti Robert Courts Iain Duncan Smith Charlie Elphicke Michael Fabricant James Gray Gordon Henderson Eddie Hughes Boris Johnson Daniel Kawczynski Pauline Latham Tom Pursglove Esther McVey Jacob Rees-Mogg Henry Smith Royston Smith Shailesh Vara John Whittingdale Advertisement Theresa May sensationally promised to quit Downing Street tonight in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over. Mrs May made her final gamble to try and get the Brexit deal across the line by promising to leave No 10 if Tory Brexiteer rebels finally back down. No 10 sources said the Prime Minister would resign once Britain was outside the EU - due to be May 22 if the deal gets agreed by MPs later this week. She had previously only said she would go before the 2022 election. It is deeply unclear what Mrs May will do if her deal fails a third time and No 10 sources said it would be a 'whole different ball game'. ERG sources told MailOnline the deal would '100 per cent' still fail and Mrs May still needs to win back DUP support to have any hope. What PM needs to edge to victory... by just 2 votes. There are 235 Tory loyalists, 10 switchers, 30 who with back the deal if May quits, 10 DUP supporters and 24 Labour These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit Whenever she finally goes, tonight's announcement publicly fires the starting gun on a Tory leadership race that is already being furiously fought behind the scenes. Since her deal was crushed a second time on March 12, Brexiteer rebels have insisted she must be gone before UK-EU trade negotiations begin if they will ever consider backing the deal. And a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee tonight Mrs May finally gave in: 'I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won't I hear what you are saying. 'But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit.' She added: 'I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. 'I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.' House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings has contacted the firm of President Trump's longtime accountant and demanded financial statements and audit reports on a web of Trump business entities in the latest flexing of congressional investigatory power. In a newly revealed letter to the firm, Cummings seeks all communications between Trump and accountant Donald Bender who has been publicly linked to Trump and whose firm has signed tax returns for a variety of Trump entities, including the Donald J. Trump Foundation and the Eric Trump Foundation. In the letter, to the firm of Mazars USA, Cummings asks for 'all communications between Donald Bender and Donald J. Trump or any employee or representative of the Trump Organization.' Bender is the Long Island-based numbers cruncher who has been identified as Trump's accountant as far back as 2011. House Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Elijah Cummings, D-Md., is seeking financial documents to investigate claims Donald Trump 'inflated' his net worth when seeking loans The letter seeks documents as far back to 2009 and casts a wide net to include the president himself and many of his companies. Those listed as being specifically of interest are the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, the Trump Organization, the Trump Corporation, DJT Holdings LLC, the Trump Old Post Office LLC, the Trump Foundation, and any parent, subsidiary, affiliate, joint venture, predecessor, or successor. The Trump Old Post Office LLC is a reference to the Trump company that holds a long term lease on the Old Post Office that is the site of Trump's luxury hotel in Washington, D.C. It is the subject of an Emoluments Clause lawsuit. The Trust embodies Trump's business empire. He created the entity after his 2016 election victory. Rep. Cummings seeks all communications between Bender, the accountant, and Trump Donald Bender, a Certified Public Accountant, has prepared returns for Trump entities Accountant Donald Bender The nature of the documents Cummings is digging for also is broad. He asks for 'all statements of financial condition, annual statements, periodic financial reports and independent auditors' reports prepared, compiled, reviewed, or audited by Mazars USA LLP or its predecessor, WeiserMazars LLP,' according to the letter. Bender is a Queens College graduate whose office is located in a single-story building in Woodbury, New York. According to his online bio, he leads the firm's Hospitality Group and Long Island Real Estate Practice, and has been in business for more than 35 years. 'Donald acts as a trusted advisor to his clients, and uses his in-depth knowledge of a clients business and individual structure to form effective problems solving solutions on tax issues,' it states. Bender did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment about the document request. The push for information comes as the White House has been holding firm and to date refusing all of Cummings requests for information about various governmental matters. It also follows a Special Counsel Robert Mueller's submission Friday of his report to the attorney general, and William Barr's four-page letter on its findings. Cummings seeks 'all communications related to potential concerns that records, documents, explanations, or other information, including significant judgments, provided by Donald J. Trump or other individuals from the Trump Organization, were incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise unsatisfactory. The letter, addressed to Victor Wahba, chairman and CEO of Mazars USA LLP, also seeks 10 years worth of President Trump's financial records to follow up on a claim that he allegedly inflated his net worth while trying to buy the Buffalo Bills. Bender did prior accounting work for Trump with an earlier firm, Manhattan-based WeiserMazars. Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen testified last month that Trump 'inflated' his overall net worth in financial statements provided to Deutsche Bank during his failed effort to buy the team. His bid sputtered in 2014. 'Mr. Cohen produced to the Committee financial statements from 2011, 2012, and 2013 that raise questions about the President's representations of his financial affairs on these forms and on other disclosures, particularly relating to the President's debts,' House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings wrote the accounting company. 'Several of these documents appear to have been signed by your firm.' The letter also points to discrepancies in the forms provided by Cohen and the financial disclosure form Trump submitted as a candidate for president in 2015. Their inclusion indicates that Cummings' investigative staff is scrubbing Trump financial reports for inconsistencies as the investigation proceeds. The letter notes that the 2012 form omits debt totaling $75 million for a Chicago project and assets totaling $50 million for a Las Vegas project. 'It is unclear why certain debts connected to the Chicago property and assets related to the Las Vegas property were omitted and whether the omission was directed by President Trump or someone else,' Cummings wrote. Republicans were pushing back against the investigatory escalation even before it was made public. Two top Republican on the panel wrote Cummings to complain about what they call an 'ill-conceived inquiry.' The lawmakers, ranking Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Mark Meadows of North Carolina, say an inquiry about the 'private finances of private citizen Donald J. Trump appears to depart from responsible and legitimate oversight.' They call it an attempt to 'embarrass' the Trump administration. Cummings wouldn't directly confirm the inquiry when asked about it earlier Wednesday. 'We're looking at quite a few things. I'm not going to comment on that right now,' he told reporters in the Capitol. Cummings, asked about charges from Jordan and Meadows, responded: 'I know. I said they complain about everything I do. They complain about every single thing I do. And that's to be expected. We're just seeking the truth that's all.' The investigation is said to have been prompted by longtime Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, testifying before congress that the President routinely 'inflated' valuations of his property empire House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings wrote accounting firm Mazars USA for years worth of documents Cohen mentioned the failed Bills purchase in his bombshell congressional testimony, where he provided Trump financial statements including 2011 and 2013 net worth assessments that differed by $4 billion. 'These documents and others were provided to Deutsche Bank on one occasion where I was with them in our attempt to obtain money so that we can put a bid on the Buffalo Bills,' Cohen testified at the Oversight Committee. 'I believe these numbers are inflated,' the former fixer said of the valuations generally. The Republican lawmakers wrote that the Cummings letter to the international accounting firm was dated March 20, before Mueller turned in his report and suddenly had Democrats playing defense on a raft of investigations. On Tuesday, Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow denied Congress has a 'legitimate' interest in seeking the president's tax returns. The chair of the House Ways and Means Committee has furnished a request for the returns from the Treasury. Trump is the first party nominee in decades not to release his returns. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio blasted the inquiry Two Republicans on the committee wrote Cummings to complain about the request for information Reps. Jordan and Meadows called it an 'ill-conceived' inquiry into Trump when he was a 'private citizen' Trump's 2011 form showed $4.6 billion in assets The documents show a Trump net worth of $8.6 billion in 2013 The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, pictured earlier this year, has reportedly subpoenaed Deutsche Bank for documents relating to financing of three Trump hotels and the attempt to secure a loan to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014 This is the alarming moment a group of stowaways scramble from the back of a lorry and flee after allegedly realising it was heading to Brussels and not the UK. One man slips out of the vehicle through a hole which had reportedly been cut in the lorry's tarpaulin sheet and lets out his six companions, believed to be migrants. And as one of them trips up and crashes to the ground, the driver is alerted to the stowaways and comes running out - but they have already gone. One of the supposed migrants slides feet first from the side of the Aigner Logistics lorry parked at its unloading point 19 miles outside the Belgian capital The 24-second clip shows the Aigner Logistics lorry parked at its unloading point 19 miles outside the Belgian capital. Suddenly, one of the supposed migrants slides feet first from the side of the vehicle and drops two bags down too. He then hurries round to the back doors which he pulls open, revealing more of the cooped-up stowaways who also jump out. When one of them stumbles and falls to the floor, a startled driver jogs round to the lorry's rear but fails to catch them. According to Marius Aigner, CEO of Aigner Logistics, the migrants most likely sneaked into the trailer while the lorry driver was having a break on the Brussels ring road believing that it was headed for the UK. He then hurries round to the back doors which he pulls open, revealing more of the cooped-up stowaways who also jump out. It is believed that the supposed migrants scrambled from the lorry after realising it was going to Brussels and not the UK Mr Aigner said: 'The driver then went to his unloading point about 30 kilometres [19 miles] outside Brussels, and had to wait an hour to unload. In that time, the stowaways probably noticed that the lorry did not have England as its destination.' After reporting the event to the police, he added: 'This incident could have had serious criminal consequences for our driver in terms of being an accomplice to human trafficking.' Belgium has frequently been a hotspot for migrants trying to make their way to the UK, with many hiding near service stations and parking areas to try to sneak on to lorries, or in ports hoping to hop on to a ferry. Dutch transport organisation Transport and Logistics Netherlands (TLN) even warned its members 'not to stop in Belgium' at one point due to migrants trying to hitch a ride, with some also said to have robbed and assaulted lorry drivers. Spokeswoman Cleo Vissers said: 'There are now too few places in Belgium where security can be guaranteed.' The stowaways, clutching their bags, clamber down from the back of the lorry where they had been hiding and run off When one of them stumbles and falls to the floor, a startled driver jogs round to the lorry's rear but fails to catch them In August last year, a Sudanese migrant suffered life-threatening injuries on the E40 Motorway after a gunfight erupted between dozens of migrants trying to find a ride to the UK. In January last year, a UK-bound migrant died in Jabbeke after he ran onto a motorway to escape the police and was hit by a car. Three lorry drivers were also beaten up at an E17 Motorway service area near Gentbrugge by illegal immigrants trying to enter the UK. Dutch lorry driver Remco Bruinier, who witnessed the fight, said at the time that 'the stories about Calais are also starting to appear here too'. He said: 'Politicians really need to wake up or else we will have to arm ourselves.' Karen Di Piazza is suing the Weather Channel over the death of her son, Corbin Lee Jaeger, (pictured) who died on March 28, 2017 The mother of a 'storm spotter' who was killed in a car crash has filed a $125 million wrongful death suit against the Weather Channel for its role in the crash. Karen Di Piazza is suing the Weather Channel over the death of her son, Corbin Lee Jaeger, who died on March 28, 2017 when Kelley Williamson and Randy Yarnalls vehicle slammed into his Jeep near Spur, Texas. Williamson and Yarnall were contractors for the Weather Channel, while Corbin Lee Jaeger, 25, was a storm spotter for the National Weather Service. All three men were killed instantly in the crash, which happened at a remote intersection near the town of Spur, about 55 miles southeast of Lubbock. Williamson and Yarnall were looking for any signs of a tornado and live streaming the drive on the Weather Channels Facebook page when the video stopped. The lawsuit claimed that Williamson and Yarnall had a 'well-documented history of dangerous behavior behind the wheel' that the channel ignored and at times encouraged. It also claimed that the Weather Channel had the opportunity to take Williamson and Yarnell off the road and 'hire a competent, law-abiding driver.' Kelley Williamson, (left), and Randall Yarnall, (right), died when their vehicle crashed into Jaeger's jeep on March 28 2017. The pair were contractors for The Weather Channel Di Piazza claimed the in-studio reps had monitored the storm chasers actions and also continued to instruct them during live streams to capture 'particularly exciting footage,' USA Today reported. 'The Weather Channel's on-air personalities Kelley Williamson and Randall Yarnall habitually ran stop signs, traffic lights and violated other basic traffic safety laws, in attempts to obtain video footage for their show,' according to a release from the law offices of Robert A. Ball, the San Diego-based attorney representing Jaeger's mother. Jaeger, (pictured), was a certified storm spotter for the National Weather Service, who had planned to return to college in Arizona 'The Chevrolet Suburban driven by Yarnall was live streaming for the Weather Channel when it ran into the path of the Jeep Patriot Jaeger was driving,' the release said. 'The force of the collision caused the equipment-laden Suburban to catapult over a five-foot-tall fence 150 feet from the point of impact.' Jaeger was a certified storm spotter for the National Weather Service, who had planned to return to college in Arizona, USA Today reported. The car of storm chasers Kelley Williamson and Randall Yarnall was destroyed in the March 2017 wreck near Spur, Texas The crash happened at a remote intersection near the town of Spur, about 55 miles southeast of Lubbock He wanted to pursue a career as a meteorologist, and 'was driving westward away from that tornado, when he was struck and killed,' according to the lawsuit. Jaegers family is seeking no less than $125 million in damages from The Weather Channel. The Weather Channel said in a statement to Fox News on Wednesday that it cannot comment on pending litigation. 'We are saddened by the loss of Corbin Jaeger, Kelley Williamson, and Randy Yarnall. 'They were beloved members of the weather community and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of all involved. We cannot comment on pending litigation,' the statement read. In a statement following the deaths of Williamson and Yarnall, the channel said they were 'beloved members of the weather community.' It added: 'We are saddened by this loss and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of all involved.' This is the moment a car got stuck in a Florida road after ignoring police efforts to help motorists avoid the area. In the clip the vehicle is seen having already plunged into the hole in the road in the city of Orlando. The SUV drove around a cop car blocking the road, and got stuck in the hole. A car got stuck in a hole in the road filled with water in Orlando, Florida on Monday Video shows the vehicle trapped in the street after plunging into spot where a pipe burst The Monday afternoon incident was filmed by spectators in a building above the action who saw the action take place before the camera started rolling. 'Oh my god. Did this just happen?' one person behind the camera is heard saying. 'Yeah about five minutes ago,' the other replies. Police officers reportedly urged the man in the car to leave his SUV, which was stuck in the road as water gushed from the ground. People filming the action from above are heard expressing shock the driver evaded cops blocking the road He drove around a police car only to go diving into the flooded area. A passerby is seen filming the action below It was due to a water main break on the avenue. It got 'busted after a city bus damaged a patch in the road', the person recording the video told Newsflare. 'I wonder if they might shut off the water,' a woman is heard saying next. Orlando Utilities Commission said a 12-inch pipe that was built in 1887, making it 132 years old, burst and caused the flooding. The driver told reporters that he drove directly into the water in error and he didn't realize what was happening that day. But the driver said it was a mistake and claimed cops never stopped him from driving He claimed the police in fact didn't stop him. Apartments and businesses in the area lost water but they have it back now. However, they have to boil their water for the next two days because of this break. Eventually a tow truck arrived to pluck the vehicle from the hole that swallowed him up momentarily. It sent water pouring out of the motor's trunk and back seat as it was raised in the air. A 129-year-old instrument central to an upcoming theatre production of Captain Corelli's Mandolin has been lost less than a month before the show's opening night. Alex Mugnaioni, who plays the dashing Captain Antonio Corelli in the adaptation of British writer Louis de Bernieres' 1994 book, misplaced the mandolin after rehearsals on Tuesday. The Neapolitan instrument is thought to have gone missing on the 18.34 Southeastern train service from London Bridge to Sidcup. The 129-year-old instrument, that is central to the upcoming theatre production of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' The show's producers have launched an appeal for the return of the mandolin, which they say is vital to the production. Mugnaioni made a plea for the instrument's safe return, suggesting it had been mistakenly picked up by a passer-by. He said: 'We spent a long time hunting for the perfect mandolin, it's devastating to lose it so close to the show. 'I'm playing throughout the show and you create quite a connection with an instrument. If anyone has picked it up by mistake we'd be so grateful for its return.' Producers are offering a reward of tickets to the opening night on April 25 at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames. Actor Alex Mugnaioni playing the mandolin that was later misplaced during rehearsals for the show De Bernieres' book, which won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for best book in 1995, is styled as a modern reinvention of the Greek epic poem. It follows a family on the Greek island of Cephalonia during the Italian and German occupations of the Second World War. Central to its plot is a mandolin owned by protagonist Captain Corelli. The show's producers can be emailed at info@nml.org.uk with information as to the mandolin's whereabouts. The play will preview at the Leicester Curve between April 13 and 20, tour the UK and close at Glasgow Theatre Royal on June 29. Two teenagers have been killed following a car crash on Monday that has left another passenger fighting for their life. Ricky Sharp, 17, and Joby John Coyle, 14, were seriously injured and put on life support after the tragic smash in Welton Cliff on the outskirts of Lincoln. Their machines were switched off yesterday, while another 17-year-old passenger remains in a serious condition in hospital, Lincolnshire Police said. Ricky Sharp, 17, who was killed in a car crash in Welton Cliff on the outskirts of Lincoln on Monday Joby John Coyle, 14, was put on life support but had his machine but died from his injuries Three other teenagers, including the 18-year-old driver, suffered minor injuries while inside a Vauxhall Astra which came off the road and ploughed into a tree at around 8pm. The teens were remembered in a poignant balloon release on Tuesday evening and flowers have been put down at the scene of the crash. Ricky's mother wrote on social media yesterday: 'We are devastated to say that we are spending our last few moments with him before we have to turn his life support off. You will forever be in are heart son and will miss you always.' Flowers are left at the scene of a crash in Lincolnshire, where the hatchback car full of five teenagers ploughed into a tree Kiya Edwards, a friend of Ricky's, said: 'Ricky was one of a kind. I only knew him for a short period of time when he moved into Schoeffer House. 'He lived in the room opposite me. He was so full of energy and just clicked with everyone straight away. He used to knock on my door every morning and say: "Morning Kiya." 'As much as it got on my nerves as it was probably eight in the morning, he still put a smile on my face. 'He never failed to put a smile on anyone's face. He was just his own person. He never sat still. 'He was always jumping around - there was never a dull moment with him.' People gathered on a field behind the Coop in Birchwood, Lincoln, on Tuesday evening where they released balloons into the night sky in a poignant tribute. Lincolnshire Police are appealing for witnesses of the crash to get in touch. Pictured: Tributes at the scene of the crash Evie Carr wrote: 'Forever missed and loved. Rest in peace boys, gone but never forgotten, in our hearts forever.' Tom Washington, a friend of Joby's, is organising a meeting in City Square in Lincoln at 11am on Saturday from where balloons and flowers will be taken to the crash scene. A statement from Lincolnshire Police said: 'We are looking for anyone who saw a silver Vauxhall Astra in the area of Welton, Scampton, the A15 or the A46 around the time of the incident to contact us. 'We are also appealing for any dash cam footage. 'If you saw this vehicle in the area just before 8pm, please get in touch on 101, quoting incident 441 of March 25.' A man who raped his three daughters screamed that they were liars as they testified against him before he lashed out at the judge and asked if he should 'kiss his a**' after being given four life sentences. Herman See, 49, was sentenced on Monday for raping his three daughters over a 14-year period when they were children in Norwood, Ohio. He was sentenced to 221 years in prison after being convicted on 22 counts of rape, five counts of sexual battery, two counts of unlawful sexual conduct of a minor and gross sexual imposition. Herman See, 49, was sentenced on Monday for raping his three daughters over a 14-year period when they were children in Norwood, Ohio His wife, Angela Stites, 43, was sentenced to 86 years in prison on seven counts of rape for helping to cover up the abuse for more than a decade. Two of See's daughters spoke during the sentencing hearing detailing how they had lost their childhood and now suffer from post traumatic stress, WKRC reports. See yelled out that they were liars while they spoke of the abuse. 'For years, I was told to love you in ways I should have never felt or ever seen,' one of his daughters said. 'For years, I was brainwashed into thinking all fathers did what you did and if we ever told anyone you would go back to jail where you've been hurt before so I kept it to myself.' When she tried to compose herself, See screamed out: 'Take a breath for your lies.' Herman See and Angela Stites were sentenced to a combined 307 years in prison on Monday He was sentenced to 221 years in prison after being convicted on 22 counts of rape, five counts of sexual battery, two counts of unlawful sexual conduct of a minor and gross sexual imposition. Photo courtesy of WLWT His other daughter testified: 'You took my virginity, my dignity and my self-respect and most of all you took the ability for me to love and trust another human being.' The daughters also addressed their mother for covering up the abuse and for picking fights with them. 'You were mad you had to share him. You were mad he wasn't attracted to you anymore and that's disgusting,' one daughter said in court. As he was being sentenced, See told the assistant prosecutor: 'Good Hollywood show, you did a good job.' See went on to also lash out at Judge Patrick Dinkelacker by asking him: 'Well, you want me to kiss your ass?' 'I didn't think so. Come on with the sentences. Don't think too hard. You might blow your little brain up.' He later added: "Shame on you. I'm a dirty man. Yes, I am." The judge told him he cared more about See's children than he did and said he hoped the justice system kept him in prison until he died. This is the adorable moment a kitten helps a puppy squeeze through the bars of a gate separating them so that the two unlikely friends can play together. Although the dog manages to ram its head between the narrow gaps in the rails, it becomes stuck when trying to wiggle its legs and tail through. But, incredibly, the kitten reaches its paw through the gate and shoves its pooch pal's furry backside to help it get the rest of the way. And the astounding scene, which occurred in Phichit, Thailand, this month, amused witnesses who broke into laughter. A black dog paws at the red gate which is blocking off a room where the kitten is sat The 47-second clip shows the black dog pawing at the red gate which is blocking off a room where the kitten is sat. When the feline spots the canine grappling at the railings, it immediately bounds over to it and appears to try to pull the pooch through by its arms. But it cannot get a grip on the puppy, which then manages to slide its head through the hole by standing up on its hind legs. The dog then wiggles itself through and puts its front paws on to the floor of the blocked-off room, however, its rear legs and tail remain stuck. The kitten steps to the side and reaches through another gap, pressing its paw on the puppy's backside to push it the remainder of the way through So the kitten steps to the side and reaches through another gap, pressing its paw on the puppy's backside to push it the remainder of the way through. Finally, the dog scrambles through the hole and wags its tail ferociously as it begins to play with the kitten. A woman, who filmed the animal mission, can be heard chuckling to herself after watching the adorable pair work together. The former nurse accused of raping and impregnating an incapacitated patient in Arizona has had his request to avoid STD and HIV tests rejected after initially refusing to submit to them. Maricopa County Court Commissioner Roger Hartsell has refused Nathan Sutherland's request to reconsider the tests, a spokesman for the Superior Court of Arizona told NBC News. Hartsell ordered the tests on February 4, and Sutherland initially refused to submit to them on February 26, at which time his attorney Edward Molina requested a hearing on the issue. It was originally ruled that the results of the mandated medical examinations be made available to the family of the nurse's alleged victim, AZ Central reports. On February 5, Sutherland pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse related to the December birth of a child to a 29-year-old woman who had been a patient at Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix since she was three years old. Maricopa County Court Commissioner Roger Hartsell has refused nurse Nathan Sutherland's request to reconsider court-ordered STD and HIV tests in the case involving Sutherland's alleged raping and impregnating of an incapacitated patient in Arizona Molina argued that the testing would violate Sutherland's constitution rights and pondered whether it would be easier for the victim to take the test as she is currently at a long-term care facility. The lawyer added that since the victim gave birth in December, she has likely already been tested for STDs. Molina referred to the request as a 'fishing expedition' in February. The defendant, a licensed practical nurse who began working at the Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix in 2012, was charged with one count each of sexual assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult related to the birth of the 29-year-old woman's child who had been a patient at the facility (pictured) since she was three years old 'They want to test him for HIV and I don't know why they don't just test the person they believe has it,' Molina said, prior to the March 26 hear where the request to reconsider the required tests was denied. Sutherland, a devout Christian and father-of-four, was forced to submit his DNA sample under court order, to determine if he was the baby's father. His DNA came back as a match On February 5, a day after the tests were first ordered, Sutherland pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault allegations in the Arizona court. Police started investigating after the woman, who they say was not in a position to give consent, unexpectedly gave birth on December 29. The shock delivery prompted authorities to test the DNA of all the men who worked at the care facility. Sutherland, a devout Christian and father-of-four, was forced to submit his DNA sample under court order. Sutherland was arrested in January after DNA evidence linked him to the victim's child. Following the birth of the child, Hacienda CEO Bill Timmons resigned in January. A complex case management hearing is set for May 21. Tory ultra Brexiteer Steve Baker told MPs tonight he could quit the Tories rather than be party to Theresa Mays Brexit deal. Addressing a meeting of the European Research Group he emotionally said he was consumed with a ferocious rage after the Prime Ministers speech, branding it a pantomime. Many members of the eurosceptic group have said they would fall in behind Mrs Mays Brexit deal if it is put to a third vote, because of the threat of Brexit being cancelled. But in a sign of the division splitting the hardliners the High Wycombe MP told the meeting: I could tear this place down and bulldoze it into the river. These fools and knaves and cowards are voting on things they dont even understand. Weve been put in this place by people whose addiction to power without responsibility has led them to put the choice of No Brexit or this deal. I may yet resign the whip than be part of this. Steve Baker has been resolute in his opposition to Mrs May's deal and is one of a number of ERG hold-outs who could yet prevent her deal from passing The High Wycombe MP was one of a host of Tory Brexiteers who met with the PM at her Buckinghamshire retreat, Chequers, on Sunday Mr Baker, the ERG deputy chairman, was one of a host of eurosceptics who met with Theresa may at Chequers in Buckinghamshire at the weekend It is the second time this month he has threatened to quit. Two weeks ago he shared a tweet from a fellow Brexiteer who complained he was 'in search of a political party' following a vote in which MPs blocked a route to a no-deal Brexit. Posting at 1am this morning following the night of high drama in the Commons the High Wycombe MP added: 'This is what we face.' Mr Baker was a Brexit minister until he quit last July over Mrs May's handling of negotiations with the EU. He stepped down at the same time as Brexit Secretary David Davis. Steve Baker tweeted at 1am a fortnight ago suggesting leaving the Conservatives was a possibility following a night of votes in which MPs effectively shut the door on a no-deal Brexit His furious outburst came as Boris Johnson sensationally switched sides tonight to back Theresa May's Brexit deal in any new meaningful vote. Mr Johnson (pictured arriving at Parliament today) revealed his change of heart at a European Research Group meeting this evening, minutes after the Prime Minister had capitulated and agreed to step down if her Brexit deal becomes law The former foreign secretary quit over Theresa May's handling of Brexit and as recently as this week said he could not support her. But after she dramatically announced to MPs tonight she would step down if her withdrawal agreement was approved by Parliament he changed his mind. He announced his stunning reverse at the same ERG meeting. Bournemouth MP Conor Burns, a close ally of Mr Johnson, tweeted: 'Boris Johnson absolutely right telling MPs that palpable risk of losing Brexit altogether with the chance of change in the next phase means we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement.' It came after a slew of Brexiteeers announced they would switch and support Mrs May after her capitulation to weeks of pressure to quit as the price of securing their support. But her chances of winning a third meaningful vote if she calls one this week remain on a knife edge. Mrs May needs to find 75 more Tory votes if she tries to pass her deal at the third attempt, having lost by 149 last time. The movement of Mr Johnson, a towering figure in Brexiteer ranks, will help a lot more MPs feel OK about switching. But the Democratic Union Party's support remains key, as the most militant ERG members will not back her unless their 10 Northern Irish are in the same voting lobby. Boris Johnson loyalist Conor Burns defended the decision on Twitter Mrs may had earlier agreed to quit as the price of securing enough backing for her deal to win a Commons' vote Boris Johnson left the ERG meeting without commenting on his U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Theresa May's deal wrapped a 'suicide vest' around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. Speaking outside the earlier meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee where Mrs May gave a speech, ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said the DUP's position was crucial, and if they merely abstained rather than outright opposing it again he would feel able to support the deal. 'If the DUP abstained I would feel entitled to back it. If the DUP were still against it, I would not feel able to back it,' he told reporters. Mr Johnson had yesterday signalled he could be willing to back the Prime Minister's Brexit deal, but only if there was a path to then negotiate his preferred 'Super Canada' future trading relationship with the EU. Speaking at an event hosted by the Telegraph, the former Foreign Secretary said he 'was not there yet' on backing May's deal but admitted that there was a risk Britain 'won't leave the EU at all' if MPs voted it down for a third time. 'If we vote it down again there is an appreciable and growing sense that we will not leave at all. That is the risk,' journalists at the event quoted him as saying. He was reportedly shouted down by members of the crowd who said 'no Boris'. Pauline Latham and Shailesh Vara changed sides to back the Prime Minister tonight, according to ITV News. And former culture minister John Whittingdale told Sky he would do the same. Jacob Rees-Mogg told reporters he could support Mrs May even if the DUP abstained - but not if they voted against her deal Other senior Tory Brexiteers hinted they could be prepared to back Theresa May's Brexit. Middlesbrough South MP Simon Clarke said Mrs May's speech had 'really changed the mood' but declined to say how he would vote in a third meaningful vote. But he added: 'If I was a Remainer tonight I would be pretty worried. 'I think the chances (of a deal passing) are the highest they have ever been.' Welsh Tory Simon Hart said the PM had made a 'passionate' speech as if she had 'torn up the script'. He said the mood had been 'somber' as the PM announced she would leave, adding: 'She was clear that providing the Withdrawal Agreement is passed she would start a process of an orderly handover (of power).' Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'The ERG position is nonsensical - the backstop they worry will be permanent, but might now vote for, is more likely to be permanent if a new PM adopts their approach to the future EU relationship. 'Which, if logic applies (yes, I know!) should make DUP less likely to support now!' Brexiteers against May Steve Baker John Baron Crispin Blunt Peter Bone Suella Braverman Andrew Bridgen Bill Cash Christopher Chope Hugo Drax Mark Francois Marcus Fysh Chris Green Philip Hollobone Adam Holloway Bernard Jenkin Andrea Jenkyns Priti Patel Owen Paterson John Redwood Advertisement Brexiteers for May Lucy Allan Conor Burns Rehman Chishti Robert Courts Iain Duncan Smith Charlie Elphicke Michael Fabricant James Gray Gordon Henderson Eddie Hughes Boris Johnson Daniel Kawczynski Pauline Latham Tom Pursglove Esther McVey Jacob Rees-Mogg Henry Smith Royston Smith Shailesh Vara John Whittingdale Advertisement Theresa May sensationally promised to quit Downing Street tonight in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over. Mrs May made her final gamble to try and get the Brexit deal across the line by promising to leave No 10 if Tory Brexiteer rebels finally back down. No 10 sources said the Prime Minister would resign once Britain was outside the EU - due to be May 22 if the deal gets agreed by MPs later this week. She had previously only said she would go before the 2022 election. It is deeply unclear what Mrs May will do if her deal fails a third time and No 10 sources said it would be a 'whole different ball game'. ERG sources told MailOnline the deal would '100 per cent' still fail and Mrs May still needs to win back DUP support to have any hope. What PM needs to edge to victory... by just 2 votes. There are 235 Tory loyalists, 10 switchers, 30 who with back the deal if May quits, 10 DUP supporters and 24 Labour These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit Whenever she finally goes, tonight's announcement publicly fires the starting gun on a Tory leadership race that is already being furiously fought behind the scenes. Since her deal was crushed a second time on March 12, Brexiteer rebels have insisted she must be gone before UK-EU trade negotiations begin if they will ever consider backing the deal. And a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee tonight Mrs May finally gave in: 'I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won't I hear what you are saying. 'But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit.' She added: 'I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. 'I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.' Controversial lecturer: Dr Dean Aszkielowicz A university lecturer who called Anzac heroes 'murderers' also said the Australian War Memorial website is full of lies. Dr Dean Aszkielowicz told students of Murdoch University in Perth that considering Australia's war dead as murderers is a valid viewpoint. In the same history lecture on 12 March he said Anzac soldiers did not fight for an Australian way of life and that no-one can pinpoint what an Australian way of life is. 'Very few things that the Australian War Memorial claims on its website about Anzac Day are true,' he said in a recording of the lecture heard by The Australian. 'The war was not fought for our way of life, nor could anyone at the time have articulated what our way of life was or what it is now. 'If I asked you what the Australian way of life is, you probably couldn't answer me, you'd probably give me some foggy ideas, probably something to do with mateship I suppose.' The controversial lecturer was referring to a section of the Australian War Memorial website on 'Anzac spirit.' It reads: 'There is general consensus on what is regarded as the 'Anzac spirit'. Anzac came to stand for the positive qualities which Australians have seen their forces show in war. 'These qualities are generally accepted to include endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour, and mateship.' Australian officers of the 21st Battalion with their washing in a trench at Lone Pine on the Gallipoli Peninsula three days before the evacuation Wounded soldiers are evacuated from Anzac Cove on barges after the disastrous campaign More than 10,000 Australians and New Zealanders watch the ANZAC Centenary Dawn Service at the ANZAC Commemorative Site at ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli, Saturday, April 25, 2015 The director of the war memorial, Dr Brendan Nelson, slammed the lecturer's comments. He said in a statement: 'These comments on Gallipoli and Anzac Day are offensive in the extreme. 'These young Australian volunteers, including Aboriginal Australians, gave their all and - in the case of 8,700 - their lives for our then young nation. 'They respected the Turks and the Turks respected them. They also forged in bloody sacrifice a bond within which Australia and New Zealand live today.' A single poppy is seen at the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial after the ANZAC Day dawn service in Canberra, Saturday, April 25, 2015 Dr Dean Aszkielowicz told students of Murdoch University in Perth that considering Australia's war dead as murderers is a valid viewpoint. Pictured: Australians visit the grave of John Simpson at Beach Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula A woman visits Ariburnu Anzac cemetery at Anzac cove after a dawn service in Canakkale on April 25, 2018 Moving: People attend an Anzac Day dawn service in Canakkale on April 25, 2018 On Wednesday it was revealed the lecturer told students that Anzac Day commemorations were a 'cliche'. When asked by one student if Anzacs who fought during the First World War should be viewed as murderers, Dr Aszkielowicz said that he didn't see why 'that isn't a viewpoint that shouldn't sit alongside this other version of how we look at the Anzacs'. 'If you go and you kill people, whether it's in a foreign campaign or not, then you've killed people and you're a killer,' he said. More than 8,000 Australian soldiers died during the disastrous Gallipoli campaign, which ran from February 1915 to January 1916. Many Australians and New Zealanders view the campaign as the moment the young nations lost their innocence and became proudly independent. The university defended the lecturer's comments, saying: 'This is academic freedom in action.' The interim pro-vice-chancellor of the College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences, Professor Rikki Kersten, said that staff actively encourage students to draw from arguments that range across the political spectrum. British Army soldiers resting in the shore area at Suvla Bay, Turkey in 1915 with various types of ships pictured anchored in the bay in the background. Australians belonging to the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train constructed piers and harbours in the bay Murdoch University in Perth where the controversial history lecturer made his comments 'They might not agree with all the viewpoints they hear or read, but it is important they understand them and have the tools to form their own views. 'In the context of these lectures, our academics provided informed but challenging comment respectfully this is academic freedom in action.' She said the university wanted to produce 'critical thinkers who willingly consume a variety of perspectives and have the tools to question them in order to come to their own conclusions'. 'This is a valuable skill set that will serve them well in their future careers,' she said. It comes after students at the same university were told that both the federal government and 'right-wing media' were misinforming the public about refugees on Manus Island and Nauru. Anne Surma, an English and Creative Arts lecturer, urged her students to read a book by Manus Island asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani, who she described as 'prisoners'. The University issued a statement that said it was important for all viewpoints to be taught to students as well as the tools to allow them to form their own opinions. Prince William will travel to New Zealand in April to honour the victims of the Christchurch terror attack. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the visit, which follows the attacks that left 50 people dead and another 50 wounded after a gunman opened fire on two mosques on March 15. 'I'm really pleased that he can make a short visit to support those affected by the attack and pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that New Zealanders have displayed in recent weeks,' Ms Ardern said in a statement on Thursday. The Duke of Cambridge will meet victims of the attack and pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity New Zealanders have shown in recent weeks, Kensington Palace said. Prince William will travel to New Zealand in April to honour the victims of the Christchurch terror attack Prince William visited Christchurch in 2011 following the earthquake on February 22, 2011 William will make the visit on behalf of the Queen. He will not be joined by his wife the Duchess of Cambridge, 36, who is expected to stay at home with the couple's three children Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince Louis, 11 months. The duke visited New Zealand following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011, and William and the Duchess of Cambridge carried out a tour of New Zealand in 2014, taking nine-month-old Prince George with them. The monarch, who is Queen of New Zealand, and other senior royals sent heartfelt messages of condolence following the shootings at two mosques. The Queen said she and the Duke and Edinburgh had been 'saddened by the appalling events' which left 50 people dead. Prince William made a similar trip to Christchurch, New Zealand's second-biggest city, following the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that rocked the city in February 2011 Prince William met with members of the Urban Search and Rescue team at Latimer Square on March 17, 2011 in Christchurch while touring the areas devastated by the earthquake The Prince of Wales showed solidarity with New Zealanders, saying: 'This appalling atrocity is an assault on all of us who cherish religious freedom, tolerance, compassion and community.' And in a joint message, William, Kate and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: 'We have all been fortunate to spend time in Christchurch and have felt the warm, open-hearted and generous spirit that is core to its remarkable people. 'No person should ever have to fear attending a sacred place of worship.' Harry and heavily-pregnant Meghan told New Zealanders 'we are with you' as they signed a book of condolence at New Zealand House in London last week. The programme and exact date of William's visit will be announced in due course, Kensington Palace said. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on April 5. Prince William meets Sumner residents on March 18, 2011 in Christchurch just a month after the earthquake Following the devastating Christchurch earthquake in which 200 people lost their lives, Prince William met with rescue workers and visited the badly damaged city centre. William met with residents who had lost their homes and businesses and said he was deeply moved by what he had seen during his visit. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she welcomes the news of Prince William's visit Three young men have been charged with the alleged kidnapping, torture and stabbing murder of a teenager in Sydney's inner west. The body of Justin Tsang, 17, was found in a shallow grave at a lookout at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains on March 19 after he went missing in Canada Bay four days earlier. Detectives on Wednesday searched a Burwood Heights house and arrested three 18-year-old men and a 19-year-old man. Three young men have been charged with the alleged kidnapping and murder of teenager Justin Tsang in Sydney's inner west Police told reporters on Thursday that Mr Tsang suffered 'significant injuries' over a period of several hours before he was killed. 'He was physically assaulted for hours and hours and hours, so you could say it's torture,' NSW Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook, said, 'He had defensive injuries, and there's some suggestions that he actually was pleading for his life.' Two of the 18-year-olds were charged with murder and kidnapping and were refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday. Police allege the men - who were known to Mr Tsang - picked him up from a Drummoyne house on March 12 before stabbing him to death at a Burwood Heights property. They then allegedly buried his body at a lookout in Wentworth Falls. One of the five men who were arrested in relation to Mr Tsang's murder is seen being led away in handcuffs by police Another man is arrested by police in relation to the kidnapping and murder of Mr Tsang Justin Tsang, 17 (pictured) was reported missing in Canada Bay, Sydney on March 15 after his family hadn't seen him for four days The third 18-year-old man and the 19-year-old have been released, pending further inquiries. A fifth man, a 19-year-old, was arrested on Wednesday night after a Punchbowl home was raided - he was subsequently charged with murder and intent to obtain advantage occasion actually bodily harm. Police will allege he organised and co-ordinated the murder of Mr Tsang. He was refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday. Protesters in El Paso, Texas blew up an inflatable balloon depicting President Trump as a Ku Klux Klan member just feet away from where a senior administration official warned of a 'crisis' at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Trump administration said Wednesday that it will temporarily reassign 750 border inspectors to address a growing number of migrants arriving at the Mexican border, many of them Central American families who turn themselves in to authorities and seek asylum. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said the change will mean longer waits at border crossings as the busy Easter holiday nears but that it was necessary to address what he called 'an operational crisis.' An inflatable balloon set up by protesters in El Paso, Texas on Wednesday depicts President Trump as a Ku Klux Klansman The balloon was blown up just a few feet away from where U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan gave a news conference on Wednesday Protesters near the news conference blasted the Trump administration's immigration policies The reassigned officers will process migrants, provide transportation and perform hospital watches for migrants who require medical attention. It is unknown when they will return to their regular duties. 'There will be impacts to traffic at the border,' McAleenan said at a news conference in El Paso, Texas, which, after years of relative calm, has quickly emerged as the second-busiest corridor for illegal crossings after Texas' Rio Grande Valley. 'There will be a slowdown in the processing of trade. There will be wait times in our pedestrian and passenger vehicle lanes.' Arrests on Mexican border jumped to 66,450 in February, up 149 percent from a year earlier, while arrests in the Border Patrol's El Paso sector, which stretches across New Mexico and much of West Texas, were about eight times higher than they were a year ago. March is shaping up to be even busier. McAleenan said the agency was on track to make 100,000 arrests or denials of entry during the month, up about 30 percent from in February and about double the same period last year. About 55,000 will have arrived as families, including 40,000 children. The commissioner said the border was at 'a breaking point,' language that is consistent with the administration's portrayal of a state of crisis. CBP released findings showing a huge spike in the number of arrests made at the border in February and March of this year compared to last year Trump last month declared a national emergency on the border to obtain military funds for construction of his prized border wall. While arrests are still well below highs of the early 2000s, the surge of families and children has tested U.S. authorities. Customs and Border Protection is taking more than 60 migrants to the hospital each day, McAleenan said. In the previous four days, he said infants have had 105-degree fevers, a 2-year-old suffered seizures in the desert and a 40-year-old man suffering organ failure refused surgery. The 750 border inspectors will be drawn from offices across the entire U.S. border including California and Arizona, states outside the El Paso sector. The reassignment of border inspectors follows the Border Patrol's unusual move to close all highway checkpoints in its El Paso sector, which stretches across 268 miles of border in Texas and New Mexico. U.S. officials say the checkpoint closures are a temporary measure to handle an increase in families and unaccompanied children entering the country illegally. The orange traffic cones used to divert traffic off Interstate 10 into the canopy-covered border checkpoints west of Las Cruces, New Mexico, now block the entrance, signaling to drivers that they don't have to stop. Migrant families arrive at Good Neighbor Settlement House after they were released from a local detention center in Brownsville, Texas on Tuesday The Border Patrol operates 34 permanent checkpoints along the entire Mexican border - typically brick-and-mortar buildings with canopies over vehicle lanes - and another 103 'tactical' stops, often cones and signs that appear for brief periods, the Government Accountability Office said in a 2017 report. While checkpoints account for only a sliver of Border Patrol arrests - 2 percent from 2013 to 2016 - they also handled 43 percent of drug busts during that time, according to the GAO. At a gun range operated by the City of Las Cruces and used by Border Patrol agents, grandmother and Pichacho Gun Club volunteer Cindy Pollock said she first noticed the checkpoint closures on Thursday. She thought the agents might be off training. When she heard that they were reassigned to process migrants, she wasn't surprised. 'There's only so many officers and there's nothing they can do,' said Pollock, who believes the current wave of migrants draws resources away from anti-crime efforts. 'My husband said "Boy, just think about how many drugs are getting through today".' Fired FBI director James Comey insisted Wednesday that he was right to start investigating Donald Trump and his campaign over potential collusion with Russia saying: 'However could the FBI leave that alone?' Comey told NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt that he stood by his decision in July 2016, despite Robert Mueller being revealed this weekend to have found no evidence of collusion. In his first interview since Attorney General Bill Barr published a four-page summary of Mueller's report, Comey said he was 'confused' about how Trump came to be cleared of obstruction of justice, and about why the president had not been subpoenaed for an interview by the special counsel. He also accused Trump of a campaign to 'burn down an institution of justice because he saw it as a threat', and accused him of 'terrible' lies about himself, the FBI and Mueller. 'The investigation had to happen,' Comey said. 'It would have been irresponsible not to investigate. And we don't investigate, despite what the partisans say, to find a particular result. We investigate to find out what's true, and as best I can tell, looks like Bob Mueller was allowed to do that, and that's a great thing.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Speaking out: James Comey broke his silence in an interview with Lester Holt which came just three days after Trump proclaimed himself 'exonerated' by Mueller No regrets: James Comey says that his investigation of Donald Trump was the right thing to do and says: 'Obviously there was overwhelming evidence the Russians were interfering in the election to hurt one candidate and help the other.' Trump declared himself 'exonerated' by the Mueller report's findings on Sunday and said 'no president should have to endure' a similar investigation. But Comey fired back, saying the FBI had 'smoke' - and offered an analogy with the Iranians attempting to get Barack Obama elected which is certain to provoke fury in the Oval Office. 'There was smoke and enough smoke to justify investigating,' he said. 'Obviously there was overwhelming evidence the Russians were interfering in the election to hurt one candidate and help the other. 'Whether Americans were conspiring with him, I didn't know but we had to look at that.' He went on: 'I don't know what people are thinking saying "we shouldn't have investigated." 'Remember where this started. Late July of the election year, we knew the Russians were engaged in a massive effort to hurt Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump. 'And then we learn that a trump campaign adviser had spoken to a Russian operative about the dirt they had on Hillary Clinton. Before any of us knew anything about it. How on Earth would the FBI leave that alone?' Asked by Holt to respond to Trump's demand that such an investigation should 'never, ever again happen to an American president, Comey hit back. Obviously there was overwhelming evidence the Russians were interfering in the election to hurt one candidate and help the other. Whether Americans were conspiring with him, I didn't know but we had to look at that.' 'Close your eyes. Again, change the names. Let me make one up for you. The Iranians - this is totally made up,' he said. 'The Iranians interfere in the election to help elect Barack Obama because they think they'll get a better nuclear deal from him. 'And during that election an Obama aide meets with the Iranians and talks about the dirt they have that will help Obama get elected. And the FBI finds out about that. We should not investigate that? 'And then president Obama's national security adviser lies to the FBI about his contacts with the Iranians, and then the president, Obama, asks me to drop an investigation of that and then fires me and says, "I was thinking of the Iranians then." 'Thing he invites the mullahs to the Oval Office and tells them, that FBI director was a real nutjob, I lifted a lot of pressure by firing him. 'Who on Earth doesn't think the FBI should investigate that in the hypocrisy is revealed just by changing the names? The FBI did what it absolutely had to do.' Comey also attacked the reasoning behind Barr clearing Trump of obstruction of justice - that there was no 'underlying crime' because Mueller had not proved there was collusion. 'That's just not been my experience as a prosecutor for decades,' he said. 'Every day in this country people are prosecuted for obstructing justice, to avoid embarrassment, to avoid harm to their business, to avoid threats to their families, where there isn't an underlying crime that they committed. 'You wouldn't want it any other way, because if you always had to prove the underlying crime, you would create incentives to obstruct, because people get away with both if they successfully stop an investigation.' Comey said he believed Mueller was supposed to conclude whether there was obstruction of justice and said: 'I don't know why he didn't here. 'I don't know what combination of law and fact led him to that. Which is why I'm going to wait and hear the explanation, which I hope will come.' Comey told Holt that he had come to believe his firing was 'potential obstruction of justice' after the same anchor's interview with Trump in May 2017, shortly after he terminated Comey's service as FBI director. In that interview Trump told Holt: 'In fact, when I decided to just do it I said to myself, I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.' Former FBI Director James Comey on his firing: "I thought that's potentially obstruction of justice" Watch his exclusive interview with @LesterHoltNBC tonight on @NBCNightlyNews at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT. pic.twitter.com/Mp67d0UZyA NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) March 27, 2019 'Potentially obstruction of justice': James Comey said he watched Lester Holt's Mat 2017 interview with Trump in which the president spoke about why he fired the FBI director and thought: 'I hope somebody is going to look at that.' Why? Comey old NBC News he was 'confused' about Robert Mueller leaving it to attorney general Bill Barr to decide if there was enough evidence of obstruction of justice to indict Trump On Wednesday Comey said he had watched that and said: 'I thought that's potentially obstruction of justice. 'And I hope somebody is going to look at that. Again, the president appears to be saying - I don't know what's in his head, which is why I can't reach the conclusion - what he appears to be saying is, I got rid of this guy to shut down an investigation that threatened me.' Comey said that until that point he had no real insight into why Trump fired him. 'Anything's possible with this president. It's possible he was lying to me when he told me earlier in the year how well I had handled the Clinton thing, and that I had taken a beating but behaved honorably,' he said. 'Maybe that was a lie and he really had harbored concern about my violating Department of Tustice norms or something. Doesn't seem like that to me. Then obviously his interview with you kind of put that to rest.' Comey had already said that he can't 'quite understand' why Mueller let Donald Trump's attorney general decide whether the president obstructed justice. Comey said Tuesday evening at a Queens University, in Charlotte, North Carolina, event that he found it baffling that Mueller left it up to the president's political appointees - Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - to determine whether to prosecute Trump. 'The part that's confusing is, I can't quite understand what's going on with the obstruction stuff,' Comey said at the event, according to NBC News. South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that he will use her position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to probe who was responsible for advancing the Trump-Russia narrative Later on Sunday Graham tweeted at Comey, 'Could not agree more. See you soon.' implying the former FBI director may be called before congress to explain himself in the near future Obama-era officials who are playing defense against the White House after Mueller ruled out 'collusion' Former FBI Director James Comey Comeys conduct in both his handling of the Clinton email scandal and the Russia probe has already come under scrutiny by House Republican investigators. Now, with the delivery of the Mueller report, Comey could is facing a new pressure to explain his decisions. President Trump cited Comeys conduct in the email probe as the reason he fired the longtime FBI official early in his presidency. Comey had himself announced in July 2016 the decision not to prosecute Clinton, even as he chided her for carelessness in her emails. After his firing, Comey delivered riveting testimony to Congress about what he took as pressure from Trump to ease off prosecution of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Now, Judiciary Chairman Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wants to pursue the matter further. Why did he take over the investigation in July, make a statement that she did a lot of bad things but not quite a crime. That did affect this election, said Graham on Monday. Former CIA Director John Brennan Brennan cast off his normally tight-lipped persona to become one of President Trumps fiercest critics after he ended his tenure. In one example, he retweeted Trump in January, writing: Your cabal of unprincipled, unethical, dishonest, and sycophantic cronies is being methodically brought to justice. We all know where this trail leads. If your utter incompetence is not enough to run you out of office, your increasingly obvious political corruption surely will. He predicted the Mueller probe could ensnare Trump family members. He predicted, incorrectly, that Mueller would bring additional indictments dealing with criminal conspiracy. Former FBI agent Peter Strzok Strzok was fired as one of the lead investigators on the Russia probe after his anti-Trump text exchanges with lover Lisa Page were revealed. After his texts were first uncovered during the course of an inspector generals probe, Strzok was transferred to another position in human resources. When he was fired, Trump tweeted: Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI finally. In one infamous August 2016 text to Page, Strzok wrote about Pages apparent contention in a meeting that there was no way Trump would get elected. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before 40, he said. Republicans pointed to the email as signal of partisan origins of the probe, and cast the comment as a plan to keep Trump from becoming president. Strzok denied that interpretation, and defenders noted Strzok could have just been defending the need to open a counterintelligence probe even of someone unlikely to win. Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page Page was a high-level FBI lawyer who advised former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Like Strzok, she worked on both the Hillary Clinton email probe and the Russia probe. She resigned her post amid the inquiry into messages she exchanged with Strzok. In one piece of newly-revealed information, she told Congress the Obama Justice Department told investigators not to charge Clinton with gross negligence over her emails. 'We neither had sufficient evidence to charge gross negligence, nor had it ever been done, because the Department viewed it as constitutionally vague Page told a joint committee investigating the prosecutorial decisions. She said investigators had studied it because there was potential for the charge. Former senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr Ohr came under scrutiny for his role in the transmission of information from the Steele dossier to the FBI. Ohr is a senior Justice Department official who had prior professional contacts going back years with former British Intelligence officer Christopher Steele. Steele famously authored what became known as the dossier about Russia contacts to Trump officials as well as unproven salacious allegations about the candidate. Ohr had a specialty that focused on organized and international crime. In addition, Ohr testified that he took additional information that was gathered by his wife, Nellie Ohr, who worked for Fusion GPS political intelligence firm. He told investigators she gave him a memory stick containing information she gathered on Russian figures. Trump has regularly attacked Ohr as a disgrace on Twitter. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Clapper had early insights into the origins of the Russia probe. When he left office after the Obama administration, he took a job as a CNN commentator, and became a fierce critic of President Trumps. Clapper, along with Brennan and others, who ended up on a list the White House compiled of officials whose security clearances would be revoked. The White House said it was to target people who made baseless accusations or had monetized their public service. "I think this is just a very, very petty thing to do, Clapper said afterward. GOP critics blasted his testimony had given to Congress about warrantless surveillance, claiming he may have perjured himself. Clapper denied at a 2013 Senate hearing that the NSA was not wittingly collecting information on millions of Americans. No, sir Not wittingly, Clapper responded. Advertisement 'And I have great faith in Bob Mueller, but I just can't tell from the letter why didn't he decide these questions when the entire rationale for a special counsel is to make sure the politicals aren't making the key charging decisions.' He amplified that in his interview with Holt, saying: 'The purpose of the special counsel is to make sure that the politicals, in this case the attorney general, don't make the ultimate call on whether the subject of the investigation, the president of the United States, should be held criminally liable for activities that were under investigation. 'And so the idea that a special counsel wouldn't reach the question and hand it to the political leadership doesn't make sense. I'm not prejudging it, I'm saying it doesn't make sense on its face, so I have a lot of questions.' In the letter presenting Mueller's findings, new Attorney General Barr said it fell to him to decide whether Trump obstructed justice based on the special counsel's report and the underlying evidence. Barr said he consulted with Rosenstein, and they determined together that the sitting president had no motive to obstruct the investigation that proved he wasn't guilty of collusion. He said that 'to obtain and sustain an obstruction conviction, the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct,' and he could not do that. Despite the president assailing him as a 'bad' and 'corrupt' cop, he insisted he wasn't hoping that Trump would get caught red handed. 'I think it's good that he was able to finish the work and establish both that the Russia thing wasn't a hoax, that the husbands interfered in the election in a huge way, and that's really important, and another piece of good news, the evidence didn't establish that any Americans conspired as part of that effort,' he said. 'That should be good news no matter what party you're associated with.' He added: 'We don't investigate, despite what the partisans say, to find a particular result. We investigate to find out what's true, and as best I can tell, looks like Bob Mueller was allowed to do that, and that's a great thing.' Earlier this week Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham suggested in a tweet that he would summon Comey back in front of the panel for further questioning, and also said that he wanted to investigate the process which resulted in FISA warrants to eavesdrop on Trump campaign staff Carter Page and George Papadopoulos. Republicans have aired claims that those warrants were based on the golden showers dossier drawn up by Christopher Steele, the British spy which has not been fully proven, and that the judges issuing the warrant were not told of its partisan background. Steele was commissioned by opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which was paid for its work first by an anti-Trump Republican, and then when Trump became the Republican candidate, by Hillary Clinton's campaign. Comey said he was unconcerned about being questioned again but said he wanted the hearings to be in public. 'Look, it would be like going to the dentist. I don't love going to the dentist but I believe in going to the dentist,' he said. 'So if there are questions that haven't been answered in the hours and hours and hours of testimony I've given, of course I'll answer them. 'I want it all done in the light of day, though - no more secret depositions. 'Public hearings serve the public interest. So if there are questions to be asked about how we handled this investigation or any other, let me know when you want me.' READ IN FULL: Attorney General Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the Mueller investigation findings Advertisement A billionaire Seagram's heiress who is on trial for a number of offenses relating to her role in the sex-slave cult DOS was taken out of a federal courtroom in Brooklyn on a stretcher Wednesday afternoon. Clare Bronfman, a member of controversial organisation Nixivm, had been notified on Tuesday that she would need to appear for a curcio hearing in the case. Judge Nicholas Garaufis made the order shortly after it was revealed that one of Bronfman's lawyers could find himself dealing with his own legal issues. The judge wasted no time getting down to business, and early in the hearing asked Bronfman and her attorney if she was being represented by Michael Avenatti. Bronfman remained quiet, an eyewitness told DailyMail.com, while her curcio lawyer objected to these questions. That in turn prompted very irritated judge to call a sidebar and, eventually demand that Bronfman give him a 'yes or no' answer. It was then the she suddenly staggered back to her table in the courtroom and collapsed onto the floor. Emily Saul from the New York Post was the first to report the story. Scroll down for the video Gray day: Clare Bronfman (above exiting court with Mark Geragos on Wednesday) fainted in court and had to be carried out on a stretcher after she was ordered to attend an emergency hearing Recovered: The sudden spell occurred while the billionaire Seagram's heiress was being asked to reveal if she had secretly hired Michael Avenatti as her lawyer (Bronfman and Geragos) Legal woes: Both Bronfman and Geragos now find themselves in legal trouble as a result of their ties with Avenatti Soon after she hit the floor, an ambulance rushed to the courthouse and EMTs were seen rolling in a stretcher to examine Bronfman. She remained conscious and was taken into a conference room so she could regain her strength. Bronfman never did answer that question about her lawyers, but she will be back in court on Thursday for a continuation of the proceedings. The judge called the hearing shortly after Avenatti was indicted for allegedly trying to extort $25 million from Nike with the help of co-conspirator Mark Geragos. The curcio hearing was likely called because of Bronfman's ties to Avenatti and Geragos, with the judge now ordering Bronfman to state in open court that she would not try to delay or put the federal case on hold should she suddenly be without her counsel. Avenatti has never filed paperwork that stated he was representing Bronfman in the legal proceedings, but both Geragos and Assistant US Attorney Mark Lesko revealed that there was a meeting last week with the lawyer discussing the case against Bronfman. It is unclear if this mean Bronfman will be seeking a plea, as a number of her co-defendants have now done. It was announced just last week that both Allison Mack and Kathy Russell were hoping to get leniency in exchange for their testimony. Nancy Salzman, the woman who co-founded the group with Keith Raniere, chose another option all together. She broke down in tears earlier this month as she entered a guilty plea to one count of racketeering while apologizing to her daughter and co-defendant, Lauren. She said that it took a great deal of soul searching to arrive at her decision, and then struggled to gather herself as she stated: 'I am deeply sorry for the trouble I have brought to my daughter.' Salzman did this without a plea deal in place and said she was eager to begin atoning for hers sins, with her crime carrying a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. At the same time, attorneys for the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York began laying out their case against the remaining members of the group, who in addition to NXIVM were also involved in the branded sex cult DOS. The most startling claim to emerge this far in court documents is the claim that Raniere raped two underage girls on multiple occasions. Raniere was also in an 'intimate relationship' with Bronfman, claim the documents, who had previously been funding the legal defense for her five co-defendants but is now distancing herself from the group. 'I am pleading guilty because I am in fact guilty,' said a shockingly frank and emotional Salzman. 'I got involved with NXIVM because I believed we would be helping people, and I still believe some good came out of it.' The judge scheduled Salzman's sentencing for July, and it is unclear if she will now be testifying against her former co-defendants in the case. 'NXIVM's teachings and practices are no more inflammatory than the allegations surrounding the predicate acts and charged offenses themselves, which include keeping a woman in a room for nearly two years, non-consensual sex, extreme diets and sleep deprivation, sexually explicit photographs and branding of Raniere's initials on women's bodies without their knowledge,' states the new prosecution filing, submitted on Monday. Here's Mikey: Assistant US Attorney Mark Lesko revealed in court on Wednesday that he had met with Geragos and Avenatti (above on March 22) last week to discuss the case Regret: Nancy Salzman (above leaving court on March 13) broke down in tears earlier this month as she entered a guilty plea to one count of racketeering while apologizing to her daughter and co-defendant, Lauren. Brander: It was announced just last week that both Allison Mack (above last June leaving federal court) and Kathy Russell were hoping to get leniency in exchange for their testimony. Those underage rape claims were revealed in greater detail further down the documents. That is where is was stated by prosecutor that many people 'including the defendants, were aware of and facilitated Raniere's sexual relationships with two underage victims.' The first was 'a fifteen-year-old girl who was employed by Nancy Salzman and whoten years laterbecame Raniere's first-line 'slave' in DOS.' The second was 'a child whose sexual relationship with Raniere was known to, and facilitated by, members of the Enterprise.' The prosecution also revealed how they would be offering proof of these crimes, stating that they were in possession of 'dated images of the victim, constituting child pornography, that were created and possessed by Raniere.' There is also 'electronic communications between the victim and Raniere reflecting their sexual relationship and indicating that it began when she was fifteen years old.' Shortly after, the government presented how they would make a case on those counts of human trafficking that Rainiere and Smallville star Allison Mack are facing at this time. 'At trial, the government will offer evidence that the defendants and their co-conspirators sought to secure visas and immigration status for certain non-citizens so that they could work in one or more NXIVM-affiliated organizations or as sexual partners for Raniere,' reads the memorandum. 'The evidence relating to this conduct will consist, in large part, of testimony from the same witnesses who will testify regarding the charged offenses.' Kathy Russell actually took care of housing one of these 'slaves,' leasing 'the property for over seven years and, each year, paid the rent in cash and in full.' Mack meanwhile engaged in a 'sham' marriage with a woman who 'recruited DOS "slaves" who pledged loyalty and obedience both to her and to Raniere, their "Grandmaster."' The memo also details how the government plans to show the ways that the defendants 'protected Raniere and the Enterprise by, among other things, attempting to silence and intimidate DOS slaves and issuing public statements falsely denying Ranieres involvement in DOS.' One example that is offered involves comment that Bronfman made after she 'received letters from separate DOS victims requesting the return or destruction of collateral, which included descriptions of the collateral, including nude photographs and videos.' Despite having seen those letter, Bronfman still publicly stated that DOS was a 'sorority' which had 'truly benefited the lives of its members, and does so freely.' She went on to state: 'I find no fault in a group of women (or men for that matter) freely taking a vow of loyalty and friendship with one another to feel safe while pushing back against the fears that have stifled their personal and professional growth.' A brief mention is also made of a campaign launched by Bronfman and Raniere to lure former members to Mexico where there were reportedly warrants out for their arrest. Prosecutors also plan to hone in on the subservient role that woman play and are taught to play in the organization. 'Nxivms teachings about womens allegedly prideful natures and willingness to "play the victim," and the emphasis in Nxivms teachings on penances and "ethical breaches," are interwoven into Jane Doe 4 and the DOS victims experiences,' states the memo. 'These concepts also appear throughout the documents that will be trial exhibits, including emails between the victims and the defendants.' It then cites: 'For example, Jane Doe 4 and Raniere exchanged at least 300 emails discussing her supposed breach and approximately 400 emails discussing her acting like a "victim."' Big Brother fears emerged yesterday about EU plans to fit speed-limiting technology in new cars. A European Commission blueprint to stop drivers going over the limit also involves an aircraft-style black box to record speed plus driving and location data. Campaigners fear these tracking devices will allow police, insurers and even hackers to spy on people and monitor all their movements. The Intelligent Speed Assistance technology is at the centre of a European road-safety shake-up. It can respond to changing zones and restrict the vehicle's top speed accordingly Intelligent speed assistance is at the centre of a European road-safety shake-up. These systems are capable of automatically stopping cars from exceeding the limit or cutting the speed if they pass into a slower zones. But the Department of Transport insists that mandatory systems will not physically slow a car. It says drivers will simply be alerted by a dashboard light and an audio alert, similar to existing warnings when seatbelts are left unfastened. The technology will have to be installed in all new cars from May 2022 and in existing models two years later. Other features include automatic emergency braking and a system which keeps a vehicle in the centre of a traffic lane. The EU Commission claims the mandatory devices could help avoid 140,000 serious injuries by 2038. Britain has already promised to impose the same rules, but it is understood the additional black box plans have led ministers to repeatedly raise privacy concerns with European officials. The devices track how people drive and can store data leading up to a crash. The EU says it will provide crucial information for accident analysis and reducing accidents in future. It could also help to prosecute a speeding driver after a crash. But privacy campaigners fear such data could be exploited by insurance firms to turn down a claim if someone was shown to be driving at only slightly over the speed limit. Campaign group Big Brother Watch has said the compulsory introduction of such a system goes against British principles of liberty and free choice and warned that the extensive data collected can and will be misused. It said it might be used by insurance firms to inflate premiums based on how individuals drive, or accessed by hackers. Howard Cox of the campaign group FairFuelUK, said: This is just another example of the intruding nanny state. Millions of motorists will be horrified by the idea that their every move can be monitored. Its all a bit too Big Brother. Zurich Insurance yesterday warned it could also make drivers so reliant on the technology they pay less attention to the road. Spokesman Calum McPhail said they may assume it is safe to drive at the given road limit irrespective of the immediate environment for instance outside schools and in adverse weather conditions, such as standing water caused by rain. n CARS of the future could stop you catching a cold. Jaguar Land Rover says ultraviolet light in air conditioning systems could help stop disease spreading and help combat drug-resistant superbugs. Ultraviolet lamps are already used in some hospital wards and operating theatres to combat such bugs. President Donald Trump met private with Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Wednesday, saying on Twitter that he had engaged the tech executive on 'political fairness' and won his assurance that the company's loyalties are not split between Washington and Beijing. Google and other large U.S. companies have been raising eyebrows among investors and regulators by doing more and more business in China. Trump appeared bothered enough earlier this month to tweet that the Internet search giant was 'helping China and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible!' Following Wednesday's meeting, which the White House did not disclose until after it happened, the president tweeted that Pichai 'stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military.' Trump announced that the two men 'discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well!' The president has recently made target practice of Google, Facebook and other Silicon Valley titans, accusing them of turning anti-Trump political biases into deliverables for their audiences. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, was in Washington on Wednesday to meet with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, and also had a meeting with President Donald Trump that the White House didn't announce ahead of time Trump has complained in the past that Google and other Silicon Valley giants are politically biased against him Trump tweeted after Wednesday's meeting that the two spoke about 'political fairness,' and that Pichai dismissed fears that Google's work in China thought to mainly concern artificial intelligence was benefiting the Chinese military As he blasted Google this month for 'helping China and their military,' he mocked the company's perceived institutional slant toward his 2016 opponent. 'The good news is that they helped Crooked Hillary Clinton, and not Trump....and how did that turn out?' he snarked. Three days later the president used his favorite social media platform to blast three tech behemoths at once. 'Facebook, Google and Twitter, not to mention the Corrupt Media, are sooo on the side of the Radical Left Democrats. But fear not, we will win anyway, just like we did before!' he tweeted. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told Congress this month that China's military was helped by technology stolen from Google's artificial intelligence work there Pichai has said Google will continue to do work in China but told Trump on Wednesday that it won't help Xi Jinping's armed forces Trump fretted openly about the technology-transfer fears this month on Twitter, questioning whether Google was loyal to the U.S. Trump vented in December that 'Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous!' As he wrestled in November with later-debunked claims that he colluded with Russia to win in 2016, he tweeted: 'Check out how biased Facebook, Google and Twitter are in favor of the Democrats. Thats the real Collusion!' And last August the president unleashed a two-tweet uppercut at the world's largest Internet search company. 'Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD,' he tweeted. 'Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal?' Trump continued, claiming '96% of [Google] results on Trump News are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!' In a statement after Pichai left the White House, a Google spokesperson said the company was 'pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the U.S. government.' 'We are not working with the Chinese military. We are working with the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, in many areas including cybersecurity, recruiting and healthcare,' the statement said. Trump's trade talks with China have included a sharp focus on 'forced' technology transfers that happen when American companies are forced to work as part of 'joint ventures' with Chinese nationals who later give the government access to tech and other trade secrets that can be weaponized for military use The president's complaints about Silicon Valley's political leanings are well known and haven't slowed down in recent months Trump claimed last August that Google's search results were 'rigged' to feature negative news stories about him Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this month in a Senate committee hearing that China's military was benefiting from Google's work there on artificial intelligence projects. Pichai was scheduled to meet with Dunford on Wednesday in Washington. Trump has made 'forced technology transfer' a significant issue in his trade battles with Beijing the idea that Americans companies doing business in China are required to make trade secrets available to Chinese partners forced on them as part of government-required 'joint ventures.' That arrangement, in practice, means that the Chinese government can access nearly all sensitive technology deployed inside its borders. Technologies that can be militarized often are, with or without their patent holders' permission or knowledge. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told senators this month that $5 trillion of China's economy comprises state-owned enterprises and technology developed in the civilian world there transfers to the military sector. Shanahan said Google has expressed a 'lack of willingness to support' the Pentagon, warning at the same time that 'systemic theft of U.S. technology' helps the Chinese ensure 'even faster development of emerging technology.' Mark Corallo, who briefly as spokesman for President Donald Trump's legal team, claimed Hope Hicks gave a different story to special counsel Robert Mueller's team about the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting. He was referring to the administration's original explanation to The New York Times, which broke the story in July 2017 of Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort meeting with a Russian lawyer who claimed to have dirt on Hillary Clinton. Hicks, then White House communications director, was on Air Force One when President Trump helped draft a response that the meeting was about Russian orphans. A former Trump aide suggested Hope Hicks gave a different story to special counsel Robert Mueller's team about the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated the Trump Tower meeting for his Russia probe Mark Corallo briefly served as spokesman for President Donald Trump's legal team Meanwhile, Corallo had given a separate statement that claimed 'participants in the meeting misrepresented who they were and who they worked for.' Corallo recalled to ABC News how Hicks called him about that separate statement 'started laying into me.' 'Then she admitted that yes, they had crafted this statement on Air Force One and that they'd handled it. You know, she said, I had the New York Times handled and I'm going - you did? You work in the White House. This is a private matter. This is not the president's conduct of his office. This is matters to do with him as a private citizen, really, not even him. This has to do with his son, son in law, and former campaign director. So, so I just I listened to her yell and then I said well you know you've probably made yourself a witness in a federal criminal investigation,' he recalled. Then he talked about how she called him again the next time and this time she had President Trump on the phone with her. 'They both start to sort of lay into me and he's laying into me for, for you know who approved this statement. I said, 'Mr. President please talk to your lawyers about this. Don't talk to me about this. Talk to your lawyers,'' he said. He told ABC News that he told the two that their statement on the meeting was inaccurate. 'I just pointed out that the statement that they put out on Air Force One or from Air Force One was inaccurate. That this was not going to go away. And because it was inaccurate, an inaccurate statement - it was only going to inflame the story over the next few days and eventually the New York Times and every other, you know, media outlet was going to get the truth and then they were going to look, well, the way they did. Like they were trying to hide something,' he said. He said Hicks claimed that documents which showed the meeting was actually about something else would never be seen, which he worried would be an obstruction of justice. 'I pointed out that the statement was inaccurate and that there were documents, that I understood there were documents that would prove that. Hope Hicks replied to me when I, when I said look there are you know there are documents. She said, well nobody's ever going to see those documents. Which you know made my throat dry up immediately,' he said. He went on to add that he didn't understand how 'you would say something like that in the presence of the president the United States. That you would not be aware that that could be construed as obstruction. Right? The threat to withhold documents? Like what does that mean that no one's ever going to see them? What are you gonna destroy them? She showed a complete lack of understanding of the situation and was completely in over her head.' Corallo conceded a lack of intent made an criminal charge of obstruction unlikely. But, he said, it could be used in impeachment proceedings against the president. 'I wasn't really worried as much about the stakes in a criminal investigation. I was more worried about a potential impeachment down the road. And, you know, that's the kind of thing that definitely goes to, you know, impeachable offenses,' he said. Hope Hicks served as White House communications director; she's seen here in the Oval Office with President Trump and press secretary Sarah Sanders After Hicks left the White House she went to work for Fox He confirmed he told the story to Mueller's prosecuting team. 'Oh, absolutely. They wanted to know, and they asked me, and they said, well, you know Miss Hicks says that that didn't happen. And they asked me how sure I was, and I said 100 percent.' Hicks' actions, he said, were 'reckless.' Hicks, through her lawyer, has previously denied making the claim about the documents. Originally, numerous White House aides and lawyers for the president denied that Trump had been involved in drafting his son's statement that the meeting was on orphans. Jay Sekulow, one of the president's attorneys, said in 2017 that 'the president was not involved in the drafting of that statement.' But in July of last year, The Washington Post reported it was President Trump who personally dictated Trump Jr's original statement to The Times, writing that it was about adoption. In his original statement to The Times about the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. said: 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.' He added: 'I was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person I would be meeting with beforehand.' But later the existence of an email chain was reported, which contained information setting up the meeting and revealed that Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya was said to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton. In the email exchange, Trump Jr. was told via an intermediary that the 'high level' information he would be offered about Clinton was 'part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump' and would be 'highly useful for your father.' Trump Jr. wrote back: 'If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer.' The president's son posted the entire email exchange on Twitter after The New York Times informed him they had the emails and were going to publish them. An Australian nurse who was killed helping the victims of the London Bridge terror attack is to be honoured with a bravery medal. Kirsty Boden, who was dubbed 'The Angel of London Bridge' after disregarding her own safety and rushing to help others, was one of eight people killed in the 2017 attack. The 28-year-old from South Australia will be posthumously awarded a Bravery Medal by Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove on Thursday. The Australian nurse who was killed helping the victims of the London Bridge terror attack is to be honoured with a bravery medal Kirsty Boden, who was dubbed 'the angel of London Bridge' after disregarding her own safety and rushing to help others, was one of eight people killed in the 2017 attack Ms Boden was enjoying a night out when the attack unfolded and was stabbed in the chest as she tried to help others near Southwark Cathedral. The honour follows another bravery award for Ms Boden issued by the Queen in the United Kingdom eight months ago. The June 2017 attack began when three men inspired by Islamic State deliberately drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge. After crashing the van, the occupants ran out and began stabbing civilians in nearby Borough Market. Ms Boden was enjoying a night out when the attack unfolded and was stabbed in the chest as she tried to help others near Southwark Cathedral Armed police raid The Blue Eyed Maid in Borough high street at London Bridge on June 3, 2017 in London after reports of the attack Eight people were killed, including two Australians, one Spaniard, one Brit, one Canadian, and three French citizens. A total of 48 others were injured before the three attackers were shot dead by City of London and Metropolitan Police officers. Along with Ms Boden, another 100 heroes are being awarded with Australian Bravery Decorations in 2019 for acts of courage to protect or defend others. Remarkably, the list includes ten youths who were under 16 at the time of their brave acts. The highest awards on the list, the Star of Courage, is being awarded to three people two from Western Australia and one from Victoria. Motor insurers are paying out a record 1million a day to drivers following a rise in keyless car thefts. Police say a sudden increase in vehicle thefts after years of decline is partly due to keyless technology. This lets drivers open their cars just by pulling the handle if they have the fob, and they start the engine with a button, not a key. The amount paid out in vehicle thefts claims soared by 29 per cent last year to 376million as the number of claims rose by 12 per cent to 56,000 A Mail investigation has exposed how high-tech thieves can hack into these systems in seconds. The problem was highlighted as the Association of British Insurers said the amount paid out in vehicle thefts claims soared by 29 per cent last year to 376million as the number of claims rose by 12 per cent to 56,000 with a new theft claim every six minutes. Home Office data says car thefts have gone up 50 per cent in five years. Police say a sudden increase in vehicle thefts after years of decline is partly due to keyless technology Laurenz Gerger of the ABI called for action by manufacturers to tackle this high-tech vulnerability. In tests, six out of 11 new cars, including the latest Ford Mondeo and Toyota Corolla, had a poor keyless security rating. However, Audi, Jaguar LandRover and Mercedes were praised for beefing up their defences. They are the generation often accused of being overly sensitive snowflakes. But if young people are struggling to cope with life, their clingy parents may bear some responsibility. A study has found the so-called 'Gen-Z' individuals aged 16 to 22 worry far more when they have helicopter parents over-involved in their lives. At a time when young people are unusually close and communicative with their parents, those with controlling parents are more anxious about the transition to adulthood. A study has found young people aged 16 to 22 worry far more when they have helicopter parents over-involved in their lives. Those with controlling parents are more anxious about the transition to adulthood, experts say (stock image) Researchers led by the University of Mississippi surveyed 335 students who had just left home and started higher education about their relationship with their parents. They found those whose believed their parents gave them less independence were more anxious about the transition to college, with stronger worries about workload, money and if others would like them. The authors suggest controlling parents may leave children without some of the coping skills they need for adulthood. Dr Carrie Smith, senior author of the study from the University of Mississippi, said: I think what this means for parents is understanding that their relationships with their children are important even when those children are leaving home. In addition, I think parents may be interested in learning that how they parent is important - over-involvement is associated with negative outcomes, but parenting that is autonomy-supportive, with kids feeling that their parents support their choices, is associated with positive outcomes. The snowflake label has frequently been attached to millennials, who are aged between up to 38, but it also applies to the younger generation. Students in particular often face accusations of being overly sensitive and fragile, as universities across Britain have been forced to provide trigger warnings to inform them of content in Shakespeare plays and the history curriculum they might find offensive. 'Helicopter parenting' adopted by well-off parents are giving their children the best chance of success in life. That's the claim of a new book that tackles the controversial style of raising youngsters (stock image) The US study questioned people about to become students after leaving home for the first time on their worries. These included not being able to handle the workload, not having enough money, failing to transition to college, sounding stupid in class and other people thinking badly of them. People who reported having over-involved parents were far more likely to be worried about the transition to college. These worriers were more likely to say they had overprotective parents, who tended to baby them and tried to control them. But those young people who believed their parents gave them more independence were more optimistic. They more often said their parents allowed them to make their own decisions, gave them freedom and let them be themselves. The study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, found the children of controlling parents were also more likely to feel guilty about surpassing them if they did well at university. It states: When parents become over-involved and controlling, they are engaging in helicopter parenting, which is associated with negative psychological outcomes for their children, including increased depression, increased anxiety, reduced self-efficacy, and alienation from peers. HELICOPTER PARENTING: A FORM OF OVERPROTECTIVE PARENTING Parents who are overprotective are sometimes referred to as helicopter parents. They earned this stereotype for being perceived as relentlessly hovering over their children, trying to micro-manage their affairs. The first use of the term is widely attributed to Dr Haim Ginott's 1969 book Parents & Teenagers. In it, teens said their parents would hover over them like a helicopter. The term became popular enough to become a dictionary entry in 2011. Helicopter parents pay extremely close attention to their children to try to protect them from failure, rejection and injury. They want happy children and often believe that teachers should pay attention to their children in the same overprotective way. This approach has sparked controversy, with some experts arguing that in order for children to become well adjusted, they need to experience a full range of emotions. Parents who want their children to always be happy are doing their children a disservice, in this view. The helicopter parent rushes in to help rather than allowing their child to have a go at managing a challenging situation themselves. Some experts say that this can lead to children who are unable to cope with even minor issues, as they are never given the opportunity to fail and then learn from their mistakes. However, some experts suggest that such 'pushy' parenting may provide children with benefits in later life. Among them is Dr Matthias Doepke, a professor of economics in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University. He argues that the intensity of parenting has gone up in many countries in line with rising inequality. Pushy 'helicopter' parents, normally from more economically advantaged backgrounds, generally raising higher achieving offspring. Advertisement UPS will leverage drones to deliver medical samples in the first FAA-backed and continuous commercial deployment of drone technology in America. According to UPS, an autonomous drone -- Matternets M2 quadcopter -- will travel between locations at WakeMed's campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, flying distances of up to 12.8 miles along a fixed, pre-determined route. Currently, the samples are delivered on the ground via courier cars, says UPS, making the shipments susceptible to road traffic. The use of drones will both increase efficiency and lower costs, the company says. Samples are loaded onto the drone which then flies a predetermined route to a landing pad located within the hospital. A pilot monitors the flight for safety along the way. While the drone is autonomous, UPS says the flight will still be monitored by a special pilot who will ensure that the vehicle arrives safely at a fixed landing pad. The new delivery system comes as a part of the the FAAs Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program (IPP) which aims to test the application of drones in both the public and private sector throughout the next three years. Other similar system have been deployed successfully to deliver blood in Rwanda as well as in Switzerland where a Matternet drone has already taken more than 3,000 flights. While private industry, particularly e-commerce companies like Amazon, have been eager to deploy drone technology for last-mile delivery, rules and regulations have kept the pace of commercial adoption and usage to a minimum. Drones have been slow to gain regulatory approval as privacy and safety issues are sorted out by the FAA and other state organizations. Despite regulators methodical approach, interest continues to percolate. According to a report from Forbes, the number of FAA certified drone pilots last year grew 50 percent over 2017, totaling 115,000 . Also among the major roadblocks for the future of commercial drone deployment are a web of privacy issues that could lead to no-fly zones over private property. Already, a patchwork of state and local laws limit unmanned and manned aerial vehicles' ability to fly within certain zones. WHAT IS THE US GOVERNMENT DOING TO IMPROVE DRONE TECHNOLOGY? President Donald Trump signed a directive in 2017 to establish the 'innovation zones' that allow exemptions to some drone regulations, such as flying over people, nighttime flights and flights where the aircraft can't be seen by the operator. States, communities and tribes selected to participate would devise their own trial programs in partnership with government and industry drone users. 'Data gathered from these pilot projects will form the basis of a new regulatory framework to safely integrate drones into our national airspace,' US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said in a statement. Ms Chao, who called the rapidly developing drone industry the biggest development since the jet age, said about 150 applications were received. Ten sites have been included in a the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. Selected were the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; the cities of San Diego, California, and Reno, Nevada; state transportation departments in North Dakota, North Carolina and Kansas; University of Alaska-Fairbanks; the Center for Innovative Technology in Virginia; Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority in Memphis, Tennessee; and the Lee County Mosquito Control District in Fort Meyers, Florida. North Dakota lieutenant governor Brent Sanford said the program will spur more commercial investment and 'allow us to explore new uses for unmanned aircraft.' He envisioned drones helping with oil field, flood and weather monitoring, and 'finding missing persons.' The unmanned aircraft industry has pushed for relaxed restrictions, and the Trump administration has said current regulations have limited drone use, forcing companies to test overseas. Steven Bradbury, a lawyer for the federal Transportation Department, said drones have caused some 'apprehension' with the public but one of the initiative's biggest goals will be increased 'community awareness and acceptance' of unmanned aircraft. Mr Bradbury said there is no direct federal funding for the test program. Advertisement Good mothers teach their babies best when they think along the same wavelength - literally. Scans have revealed that infants whose patterns of brain activity most closely resemble their mum's take on new information more quickly. Experts say that parents can encourage this 'syncing' - known as neural synchrony - through social cues including smiling and maintaining eye contact. This mirroring of brain wave patterns was a good predictor of how well babies' learn about their environment, researhers say. A mother smiling or frowning at an object to express like or dislike influences a baby's brain activity and how they respond to a new toy, researchers found. The findings could be provide insight into social bonding, developmental disorders, including how to improve early years learning. Scroll down for video Mothers connected with their babies may find that even their brain waves are in sync. Interaction between mother and child that leads to the child learning about their social environment caused their brain waves to follow the same pattern (stock image) Researchers from of Dartmouth College announced the findings of the study at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society's (CNS) annual meeting in San Francisco. They at brain activity of both babies and their mothers while wearing wireless EEG headsets during active play were presented. Researchers found that how well babies' neural activity matched with their mothers' was a good indicator of how well they learned about new toys. 'Social brains interact like a dance where partners take their own steps but move in concert, continuously adjusting and adapting', said Dr Thalia Wheatley from the university, who is chairing a symposium on the topic at CNS. During each experiments, the headsets worn by the mother and child tracked their brain activity as the pair played with toys. Dr Victoria Leong of the University of Cambridge who worked on the study, said: 'We found that stronger neural synchrony predicted a higher likelihood of social learning by the infant.' Infants would watch their mother, who showed either a positive or a negative emotion towards a toy. These cues could be smiling or frowning at the toy and expressing like or dislike by saying out loud: 'I like this' or 'I don't like this' about the object. These emotional responses affected their infants' decisions to interact with the toys and their brainwave activities as a result. The researchers found that social signals like eye contact with the baby were associated with increased synchrony in the pair's brain patterns as well as better learning for the baby. Exactly what leads to the neural synchrony, however, is still unknown. Researchers from Cambridge found how well babies' neural activity syncs with their mothers' during toy playing predicts how well they learn about new toys. Neural synchrony is when brainwaves from two people follow predictable patterns with respect to each other (stock image) HOW DO BABIES LEARN? Babies have the ability to see faces and objects of different shapes, sizes, and colors. They can tell the difference between the voices of their parents and others. Even before a baby is born, the process of learning language has already begun. In the third trimester of pregnancy, when the infant's ears are sufficiently developed, the intonation patterns of the mother's speech are transmitted through the fluids in the womb. This is thought to be like listening to someone talking in a swimming pool: It's difficult to make out the individual sounds, but the rhythm and intonation are clear. This has an important effect on language learning. By the time an infant is born, she already has a preference for her mother's language. At this stage the infant is able to identify language through its intonation patterns. Advertisement Dr Leong said: 'When we connect neurally with others, we are opening ourselves to receiving information and influence from others.' 'There is no substitute for being physically present and in the moment to connect with an infant.' Dr Leong added that the work has wide significance for classroom learning, social bonding, and developmental disorders. 'I am interested in understanding what happens when parents or children fail to synchronize with each other, which may occur in certain mental health difficulties and developmental disorders, and the impact that this might have on learning and development in the longer term.' The latest findings is part of the newer research into the social side of the brain that is shedding light on how our brains acts in concert with others'. Dr Wheatley said: 'There's this huge gap in knowledge about how our brains work in concert with other minds.' 'We're this massively social species and yet the field of neuroscience has focused on the brain in isolation.' Classical neuroimaging studies using the likes of MRI scans tend to put people isolated brain scanning machines that bear no significance to the real world. Dr Wheatley is working to come up with new methods to understand how brains behave in a social context including scenarios that allow people in fMRI scanners to talk to each other at the same time across different sites. Google has set up an external AI ethics council to guide the tech giant away from morally questionable uses of its technology and encroaching on the privacy of its customers. It will advise the search giant on matters relating to the development and application of its artificial intelligence research. Google has been embroiled in past controversies regarding the use of its AI, as well as the way it protects the data it gathers. It established an internal AI ethics board in 2014 when it acquired DeepMind but this has been shrouded in secrecy with no details ever released about who it includes. The firm is a world-leader in many aspects of AI and the eight people recruited for the advisory board will 'consider some of Google's most complex challenges'. Members of the board include Joanna Bryson, an associate professor at the University of Bath and William Joseph Burns, former US deputy secretary of state. Scroll down for video Google has been embroiled in past controversies regarding the use of its AI concerns over it encroaching on the privacy of customers. The board, formally known as the Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC), will meet four times in 2019 (file photo) The board, formally known as the Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC), was announced at MIT Technology Review's EmTech Digital this week. It has been specially curated to steer the Mountain View-based firm away from any future controversies by ensuring it fully considers morality while developing its artificial intelligence. Google uses AI in many high-profile forms, including its smart speaker, Google Home, and DeepMind, its specialist AI division. Privacy concerns piqued when Google absorbed its DeepMind Health AI lab - a leading UK health technology developer last year. The news raised concerns about the privacy of NHS patient's data which is used by DeepMind and could therefore be commercialised by Google. WHO IS ON GOOGLE'S AI ETHICS BOARD? Alessandro Acquisti - s a Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy at the Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University Bubacarr Bah - Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University. De Kai - Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Dyan Gibbens - CEO of Trumbull, a Forbes Top 25 veteran-founded startup Joanna Bryson - Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bath Kay Coles James - President of The Heritage Foundation Luciano Floridi - Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information at the University of Oxford William Joseph Burns - Former US deputy secretary of state Advertisement The AI ethics board was specially curated to steer the Mountain View-based firm away from any controversies by ensuring it fully considers morality while developing its artificial intelligence (file photo) DeepMind was bought by Google's parent company Alphabet for 400 million ($520m) in 2014 and had maintained independence until the acquisition in November. But now the London-based lab shares operations with the US-based Google Health unit. Google had also previously received criticism from the public and internal members of staff over Project Maven, a collaboration between Google and the US military to use its AI to control drones destined for enemy territory. Google decided not to renew this contract in June 2018 following protest resignations from some employees. Kent Walker, SVP of Global Affairs at Google, said in a blog post: ' Last June we announced Googles AI Principles,, an ethical charter to guide the responsible development and use of AI in our research and products. 'To complement the internal governance structure and processes that help us implement the principles, weve established an Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC). 'This group will consider some of Google's most complex challenges that arise under our AI Principles, like facial recognition and fairness in machine learning, providing diverse perspectives to inform our work.' He added: 'This inaugural Council will serve over the course of 2019, holding four meetings starting in April.' Computers have become so smart during the past 20 years that people don't think twice about chatting with digital assistants like Alexa and Siri or seeing their friends automatically tagged in Facebook pictures. But making those quantum leaps from science fiction to reality required hard work from computer scientists like Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun. The trio tapped into their own brainpower to make it possible for machines to learn like humans, a breakthrough now commonly known as 'artificial intelligence,' or AI. Their insights and persistence were rewarded Wednesday with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. Scroll down for video Computer scientists Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun have received the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as the tech industry's version of the Nobel Prize It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where AI has become part of its DNA. The award marks the latest recognition of the instrumental role that artificial intelligence will likely play in redefining the relationship between humanity and technology in the decades ahead. 'Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society,' said Cherri Pancake, president of the Association for Computing Machinery, the group behind the Turing Award. Although they have known each other for than 30 years, Bengio, Hinton and LeCun have mostly worked separately on technology known as neural networks. These are the electronic engines that power tasks such as facial and speech recognition, areas where computers have made enormous strides over the past decade. Although they have known each other for than 30 years, Bengio (left), LeCun (center) and Hinton (right) have mostly worked separately on technology known as neural networks Such neural networks also are a critical component of robotic systems that are automating a wide range of other human activity, including driving. Their belief in the power of neural networks was once mocked by their peers, Hinton said. No more. He now works at Google as a vice president and senior fellow while LeCun is chief AI scientist at Facebook. Bengio remains immersed in academia as a University of Montreal professor in addition to serving as scientific director at the Artificial Intelligence Institute in Quebec. 'For a long time, people thought what the three of us were doing was nonsense,' Hinton said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'They thought we were very misguided and what we were doing was a very surprising thing for apparently intelligent people to waste their time on. 'My message to young researchers is, don't be put off if everyone tells you what are doing is silly,' he added. The technologies that Bengio, LeCun and Hinton developed serve as the foundation for many AI applications in use today, such as personal assistants like the Amazon Echo (pictured) Now, some people are worried that the results of the researchers' efforts might spiral out of control. While the AI revolution is raising hopes that computers will make most people's lives more convenient and enjoyable, it's also stoking fears that humanity eventually will be living at the mercy of machines. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun share some of those concerns - especially the doomsday scenarios that envision AI technology developed into weapons systems that wipe out humanity. But they are far more optimistic about the other prospects of AI - empowering computers to deliver more accurate warnings about floods and earthquakes, for instance, or detecting health risks, such as cancer and heart attacks, far earlier than human doctors. 'One thing is very clear, the techniques that we developed can be used for an enormous amount of good affecting hundreds of millions of people,' Hinton said. Advertisement Astronomers have studied a 'super-Jupiter' exoplanet 129 light years from Earth and found it has a stormy atmosphere made of iron and silicate. The planet, known as HR8799e, was first discovered in 2010 orbiting a star in the Pegasus constellation but a new method has allowed astronomers to study it in greater detail. It was analysed using a new method that combines light from four different telescopes which is then combined to allow scientists to directly analyse the planet. The immense brightness of an exoplanet's star often makes it impossible to view directly. Usually scientists have to employ indirect methods to study exoplanets because of the blinding light of their stars. Scroll down for video This artist's impression of the planet HR8799e is created from the data created from four different telescopes and filtering the light of the planet and its star apart to get a detailed view of its atmosphere. The 'super-Jupiter' 129 light years from Earth was found to have a stormy atmosphere with swirling clouds of iron and silicate (artist's impression) The technique, called optical interferometry, allowed four telescopes to work as one and allowed for scientists to develop an imaging system sensitive enough to disentangle light from the planet and its parent star. Findings from Gravity, an instrument that combines four light beams from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in Chile, appear in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. It is a world unlike any found in our own solar system that is both more massive and much younger than any planet orbiting the sun. This wide-field image shows the surroundings of the young star HR8799 in the constellation of Pegasus. This picture was created from material forming part of the Digitised Sky Survey 2 The planet, known as HR8799e, was first discovered in 2010 orbiting a star in the Pegasus constellation (pictured) but a new method has allowed astronomers to study it in greater detail Sylvestre Lacour, from the Paris Observatory in France and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, said: 'Our observations suggest a ball of gas illuminated from the interior, with rays of warm light swirling through stormy patches of dark clouds. 'Convection moves around the clouds of silicate and iron particles, which disaggregate and rain down into the interior. 'This paints a picture of a dynamic atmosphere of a giant exoplanet at birth, undergoing complex physical and chemical processes.' Previous Gravity achievements include last year's observation of gas swirling at 30 per cent the speed of light just outside the massive black hole at the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Sound patterns of individual words known as phonemes can take up 750 bits Sound patterns of individual words known as phonemes can take up 750 bits Learning the frequency of words that need to appear requires more memory Learning the frequency of words that need to appear requires more memory Learning the frequency of words that need to appear requires more memory The average English-speaking adult has learned 12.5 million bits of information The average English-speaking adult has learned 12.5 million bits of information The average English-speaking adult has learned 12.5 million bits of information To master English as a native speaker, the average adult has to learn almost as much information as the contents of a full floppy disk, experts estimate. That amount of information translates to 12.5 million bits or roughly 1.5 megabytes (mb), while the iconic storage device holds 1.44mb of information. The data is mostly in the form of word definitions rather than complex structures like grammar. This is the first time that researchers have tried try to work out the amount of information our brains need to store in order to master a single language. To master English as a native speaker, the average adult has to learn almost as much information as a full floppy disk - the archaic computer disks once widely used (stock image) Researchers from the University of Rochester in New York analysed different aspects of language learning and found the average learner acquires nearly 2,000 bits of information about how language works daily. For the average adult, this means from the moment they are born to when they are 18-years-old. The authors of the study Dr Francis Mollica and Dr Steven T Piantadosi wrote in their paper: 'In terms of digital media storage, our knowledge of language almost fits compactly on a floppy disk.' The team estimated the upper and lower estimates of how much information a native speaker must acquire during the language learning in their study. At top end, the amount of information ranged from 10 million bits in total for a native speaker. At the bottom end it is around a million bits which means learners need to remember 120 bits of data a day from birth to 18 years. The researchers' best estimates put the figure around 10002000 bits of learning each day. That amount of information translates to 12.5 million bits or roughly 1.5 megabytes, of information, mostly in the form of word definitions rather than more complex structures like grammar (stock image) The estimates were also made for different levels of speech and language, included sounds of individual words, word meaning, word frequency and the arrangement of words in sentence. Sound patterns of individual words - called phonemes - alone can take up 750 bits given that there are 50 in English and each require 15 bits of data. Another level of learning, that of remembering individual words, requires about 10 bits per word. And that amount of memory doesn't even include the words' meanings, which is another level. Dr Mollica told New Scientist: 'It's lexical semantics, which is the full meaning of a word. If I say 'turkey' to you, there's information you know about a turkey. 'You can answer whether or not it can fly, whether it can walk,' Dr Mollica said. 'All that requires about 12 million bits for 40,000 words.' Learning the frequency of words that appears in languages requires memory too - 80,000 bits to be exact. So does syntax, or sentence arrangement of words, which takes the brain another 700 bits to store. Totalling up this all comes to about the size of a floppy disk. Jaguar and Land Rover cars are joining the fight against superbugs and killing them in their cars' air conditioning units before they can infect their occupants. The automaker is fitting future models of its vehicles with an ultraviolet light (UVC) to sterilise the interior of the cars. UV lights have been used in the medical world for more than 70 years and is effective at killing pathogens - including bacteria and viruses. High energy rays from UV light sterilise the contents of the air conditioning system before it is pumped around the car's cabin, reducing the risk of infection. Scroll down for video Jaguar and Land Rover cars are joining the fight against superbugs and killing them in the car's air conditioning unit before they can infect a car's occupants. it builds on the HVAC system in the I-PACE which is designed to remove pathogens Exposing pathogens to UVC destroys bonds within the DNA of the harmful microorganism and renders it useless and harmless to humans and will be fitted to a car's air conditioning system UV technology is already used for disinfecting water, filtering air and sterilising surfaces but the move to implement it in a car would be a first for the industry. Exposing pathogens to UVC destroys bonds within the DNA of the harmful microorganism and renders it useless and harmless to humans. Healthcare and maintaining the well-being of the driver and other occupants is a growing priority for Land Rover and Jaguar, who are owned by the same firm. Its current heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which are available in the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE and Range Rover Sport, uses high voltage to manipulate air particles. The firm claims trillions of nano-sized negatively charged particles (ions) deactivate pathogens by forming larger particles. These are then trapped by the car's filters and discarded. Ion technology such as this, Jaguar Land Rover claims, is also effective at getting rid of smells and allergens. Dr Steve Iley, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Medical Officer, said: 'The average motorist spends as much as 300 hours per year behind the wheel. There is a clear opportunity to better utilise cars for administering preventative healthcare.' Land Rovers and Jaguar cars could soon all be fitted with UVC technology to clean the air of pathogens by altering its DNA The firm claims UVC technology in cars would be able to stop the spread of cold and flu while also reducing the transmission of major superbugs by up to 30 per cent. Immunology expert, Dr Hellmut Munch, CEO at Medical Enzyme Research Association, added: 'The rise of superbugs and allergens is one of the largest threats we face as a species today. 'Investment in immunology is vital in ensuring that our immune systems stay ahead of the race against microorganisms, which are evolving far quicker than traditional pharmaceuticals can keep pace with. 'It is important that we continue to take an innovative look at how we can adapt our environment to help prevent the spread of the most harmful pathogens - which is why this research is paramount.' NASA and Expedition 59 astronaut Anne McClain have a reminder for critics of the decision to scrap the first-ever all female spacewalk: safety is always the priority. Their comments came after the space agency confirmed it had swapped out McClain for its March 29 excursion outside of the International Space Station, replacing her with Flight Engineer Nick Hague. McClain was initially scheduled to be joining astronaut Christina Koch for the spacewalk, which would be routine in terms of space station operations but culturally historic. After realizing the spacesuit shed be wearing didnt fit properly, however, McClain pulled out of the mission so it could move forward on schedule without the hindrance of having to modify another suit in less than a weeks time. Both NASA and McClain have now spoken out about the decision after it was met with public outcry, asserting that it is safer and more efficient to simply switch astronauts instead of making last-minute alterations. Scroll down for video NASA and Expedition 59 astronaut Anne McClain have a reminder for critics of the decision to scrap the first-ever all female spacewalk: safety is always the priority. Their comments came after the space agency confirmed it had swapped out McClain for its March 29 excursion A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN IN SPACE Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space in 1963 just two years after the first man. In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space during her historic flight on the space shuttle Challenger. The following year, cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya walked in space for another historic first, on July 25, 1984. A decade later, mission specialist Mae Jemison became the first black woman in space, aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. Advertisement This decision was based on my recommendation. Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement, McClain tweeted Wednesday morning. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first. McClain revealed earlier this week that she realized, during work outside the station, that she needed a medium-sized torso piece for her spacesuit, not the large shed been wearing. While there are two mediums aboard the ISS with one already configured for Kochs body it would require hours to make the necessary adjustments to fit the astronaut. The unisex spacesuits are made up of several parts, each of which must be assembled in a way that conforms to the astronauts body. Not only would it be easier to have another astronaut step in, but its safer, too. Expedition 59 astronauts Anne McClain (left) and Christina Koch (right) were scheduled to lead a roughly seven-hour spacewalk to attend tasks on the orbiting labs exterior, starting at 6:30 a.m. (ET) on March 29. McClain will now sit this one out After realizing the spacesuit shed be wearing didnt fit properly, however, McClain pulled out of the mission so it could move forward on schedule without the hindrance of having to modify another suit in less than a weeks time. The decision was met with public outcry Nevertheless, NASA has since been inundated by responses from the public, with many calling it out for not having enough spacesuits on board to fit both women. But according to NASA, this is not an issue of gear shortage. File photo of the International Space Station is shown Weve seen your tweets about spacesuit availability for Fridays spacewalk, the space agency tweeted on Tuesday. To clarify, we have more than 1 medium size spacesuit torso aboard, but to stay on schedule with @Space_Station upgrades, its safer & faster to change spacewalker assignments than reconfigure spacesuits. The spacewalk will still carry on as scheduled on March 29, now with Hague and Koch at the wheel. The pair will continue swapping old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries as originally planned. McClain is tentatively scheduled for her next spacewalk on April 8, with Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques. Facebook has banned white nationalism and white separatist posts from its platform, in what likely constitutes its most aggressive action against extremist content yet. The policy will be put in place starting next week and will affect all of Facebook's nearly 2 billion-wide user base, in addition to Instagram, the firm announced. 'Its clear that these concepts are deeply linked to organized hate groups and have no place on our services,' Facebook wrote in a blog post. The social media giant has removed posts from extremist groups in the past for violating its policies around hate speech and abuse, but has historically fallen short of outright banning posts of this kind. Scroll down for video Facebook has banned white nationalism and white separatist posts from its platform, in what likely constitutes its most sweeping action against extremist content yet WHAT KINDS OF POSTS WILL BE BANNED? Previously, Facebook only banned posts promoting white supremacism. The firm decided today that it will now ban white nationalist and white separatist posts from its platform. Civil rights groups argued that the three extremist ideologies were indistinguishable and should all be banned. Posts that include statements like 'I am a proud white nationalist' and 'Immigration is tearing this country apart' will immediately be banned. If a user tries to publish a post around these themes, they'll instead be redirected to a nonprofit called Life After Hate, which helps individuals involved in these extremist groups exit them safely. Advertisement The policy shift was first reported by Motherboard. As part of the sweeping crackdown, Facebook will no longer allow posts that include statements like 'I am a proud white nationalist' and 'Immigration is tearing this country apart; white separatism is the only answer' to remain on its site. 'Weve had conversations with more than 20 members of civil society, academics, in some cases these were civil-rights organizations, experts in race relations from around the world,' Facebook's policy director of counterrorism told Motherboard. 'We decided that the overlap between white nationalism, [white] separatism, and white supremacy is so extensive we really cant make a meaningful distinction between them.' If a user posts content including these statements or themes, Facebook will now direct them toward a nonprofit that helps people leave hate groups, Motherboard reported. The nonprofit, Life After Hate, was created by ex-white power activists and serves as an 'exit' program to help people 'leave the violent far right.' 'If people are exploring this movement, we want to connect them with folks that will be able to provide support offline,' Fishman told Motherboard. 'This is the kind of work that we think is part of a comprehensive program to take this sort of movement on.' Prior to Wednesday's decision, Facebook had only prevented users from sharing messages that promoted white supremacy. It drew fierce backlash from civil rights advocates who argued that white supremacy is indistinguishable from white nationalism and white separatism. White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' march in Charlottesville, Virginia during the 'Unite the Right' rally in August 2017. Facebook will now ban posts that contain themes related to white supremacism, white nationalism and white separatism Now, Facebook is moving to ban all posts promoting these three ideologies from its platform. 'Over the past three months our conversations with members of civil society and academics who are experts in race relations around the world have confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups,' the firm wrote in a blog post. Users who try to post content related to white supremacism, separatism or nationalism will be shown this type of message on Facebook 'Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism.' Highlighting the thorniness of policing extremist content, Facebook said implicit and coded white nationalism and white separatism will not be removed from the site immediately, as it's harder to detect and remove. Facebook said it will also rely on machine learning and artificial intelligence to remove white nationalist, separatist and supremacist content. The firm told Motherboard that it will use tactics like content-matching to remove images that have previously been flagged as hate material. Facebook moved to ban white nationalist and white separatist posts after about three dozen Facebook employees worked on the topic, including input from COO Sheryl Sandberg. Several civil rights advocacy groups praised Facebook's decision, including racial justice organization Color of Change. 'Color Of Change alerted Facebook years ago to the growing dangers of white nationalists on its platform, and today, we are glad to see the companys leadership take this critical step forward in updating its policy on white nationalism,' Color Of Change President Rashad Robinson said in a statement. 'We look forward to continuing our work with Facebook to ensure that the platforms content moderation guidelines and trainings properly support the updated policy and are informed by civil rights and racial justice organizations.' The Muslim Public Affairs Council called the decision a 'win against white supremacy' and said it has met with the firm, including Sandberg, to urge them to take a harder stance against all forms of hate speech on Facebook. 'Facebooks official policy change is an important step for American Muslims and other marginalized communities affected by violence from white nationalists,' the organization said in a statement. 'This step, while important, is just one step. There is still work to be done and we're committed to seeing this through.' Rivers on Mars were wider than any that exist on Earth today and were forged over a billion years. The martian waterways are also believed to have flowed more recently than previously thought. Water's past presence on Mars has puzzled scientists for a long time due to its extremely thin atmosphere throughout time. Mars also only received a third of the sunlight that present-day Earth does, which should not be enough heat to maintain water. Scroll down for video Rivers on Mars were wider than any on Earth today and may have flowed more recently than scientists previously thought. This photo shows a preserved river channel on Mars taken by satellite, with colour overlaid to show different elevations - blue is low, yellow is high The new study suggests the long-dead rivers could have been affected by climate-driven rains and a strong greenhouse effect. Its findings suggest it rained on Mars even as the planet was losing atmosphere and drying out one billion years ago. The team at the University of Chicago concludes Mars' rivers were about two times wider than those on Earth and there is evidence of intense surface run-off between 3.6 and one billion years ago. NASA spacecraft has photographed hundreds of these rivers from orbit and the Mars rover Curiosity sent back images of rounded pebbles in 2012 that had been tumbled in the bottom of a river. The team looked at the photos with elevation models for more than 200 Martian riverbeds and found they were a rich source of clues about the water and the climate that produced it. Run-off at hundreds of locations on the red planet is believed to have been as much as 20kg per meter square every day. The size of the rivers implies the water was flowing continuously and not just at high noon. If scientists have the dates correct, the data suggests Mars' atmosphere could have disappeared faster than previously calculated. Those trying to reconstruct the Martian climate will be able to use the data - although it may complicate their models. Climate modellers now need to account for a strong greenhouse effect that kept Mars warm enough for average daytime temperatures above the freezing point of water. Mars also only received a third of the sunlight that present-day Earth does, which should not be enough heat to maintain water. Now dry, Mars' water once carved out deep riverbeds. Lead author Assistant Professor of geophysical sciences Edwin Kite, an expert in the history of Mars and climates of other worlds at University of Chicago, said: 'It's already hard to explain rivers or lakes based on the information we have. 'This makes a difficult problem even more difficult. 'Indeed, even on ancient Mars, when it was wet enough for rivers some of the time, the rest of the data looks like Mars was extremely cold and dry most of the time. 'You would expect the rivers to wane gradually over time, but that's not what we see. 'The rivers get shorter, hundreds of kilometres rather than thousands, but discharge is still strong. The wettest day of the year is still very wet. 'Our work answers some existing questions but raises a new one. 'Which is wrong: the climate models, the atmosphere evolution models, or our basic understanding of inner solar system chronology?' The full findings of the study were published in Science Advances. Advertisement Part of the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi has been opened up to the public for the first time - and its interior is truly spectacular. The Qasr Al Watan, which is inside the presidential compound, is being billed as a new landmark and a place where tourists can learn about the culture of the United Arab Emirates. It only opened earlier this month, and so far visitors have been wowed by the building's huge white domes, dramatic chandeliers and intricate artwork. The Great Hall inside Qasr Al Watan, which is part of the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi. Its stunning interiors have been opened up to the public for the first time When entering the attraction, visitors are first ushered into The Great Hall, in the heart of the building. They then tail off into the west wing of the palace, where they can learn about the formation of the UAE and its system of governance. Visitors can also explore a collection of diplomatic gifts received from visiting heads of state and foreign dignitaries, displayed to the public for the first time. In a section of the palace called Al Barza, visitors will learn about the traditional role of a Majlis (which means council or assembly) through a multimedia show about Emirati leaders. Dramatic chandeliers and beautiful carpets adorn the Al Barza part of Qasr Al Watan. In this part of the building, visitors can learn about the traditional role of a Majlis (which means council or assembly) through a multimedia show about Emirati leaders Continuing their journey to the House of Knowledge in the east wing of the Palace, visitors will have access to two rooms featuring rare artefacts, books, manuscripts and antiquities from the Arab world. Visitors will also be able to view key artefacts and historic maps that represent some of the earliest Arab contributions to human knowledge during the period of enlightenment referred to as the Arab Golden Age. The tour concludes with the 'Palace in Motion' a remarkable light and sound show projected onto the facade of the iconic building. In the House of Knowledge area, guests can gaze upon artefacts, books, manuscripts and antiquities from the Arab world Visitors can explore a collection of diplomatic gifts, pictured, received from visiting heads of state and foreign dignitaries. It is the first time they have been displayed in public The Palace also houses the Qasr Al Watan Library, where people can explore a vast collection of over 50,000 books and resources about the UAE and learn about the nation. The grand opening of Qar Al Watan took place earlier this month and was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Their Highnesses, Crown Princes and deputy rulers from the seven emirates, as well as ministers and senior officials. Qasr Al Watan is open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm. A stay-at-home mother-of-five who won a multi-million dollar apartment renovated on last year's season of The Block had already sold the luxury pad for $2.7million. Samantha Bolton, 45, was one of thousands who bought Monopoly - The Block Special Edition in the hope of winning the luxury home in Melbourne's St Kilda. Samantha's dreams came true when she found a 'golden ticket' inside the box - but it is understood she and her painter husband Geoff have now cashed in on their prize. Cashed in: A stay-at-home mother-of-five (pictured on sofa with her five children and husband Geoff) who won a multi-million dollar apartment renovated on last year's season The Block had already sold the luxury pad for $2.7million The family-of-seven from Woodbine in Sydney's western suburbs had originally considered moving interstate, according to the property's listing agent David Wood. But he said they ultimately agreed to sell up as their life remained in the New South Wales capital. 'They eventually decided it wasn't right for them as a family in Melbourne because their life's in Sydney,' Mr Wood told Domain. The property agent told Daily Mail Australia the new owner may live in the property in the future - but was primarily planning on using it as an investment opportunity. The exact sale price for the extravagant apartment has not been disclosed, but he said it was slightly less than the $2.7 million the apartment above went for. Mr Wood, who is the director of Hocking Stuart Albert Park and the auctioneer of The Block, said the new buyer was a Melbourne local. 'Anyone who has a win like that would be delighted,' he said of the Bolton family. Lucky dip: Samantha Bolton, 45, was one of thousands who bought Monopoly - The Block Special Edition in the hope of winning the luxury home (pictured) in Melbourne's St Kilda Geoff worked six days a week to provide for Samantha and their children, who have never owned their own home, before their life-changing win. The giveaway for the apartment in the previously derelict Gatwick Hotel was hailed as the biggest 'in the history of Australian television'. Once-in-a-lifetime: Samantha's dreams came true when she found a 'golden ticket' inside the box - but it is understood she and her painter husband Geoff have now cashed in on their prize Samantha won the coveted prize after purchasing a special Block-themed edition of the board game Monopoly and discovering a winning golden ticket inside. The mother-of-five revealed she was 'in total shock' after learning she had just been awarded a free luxury apartment. 'I actually can't comprehend it. It has not sunk in yet. I have to keep pinching myself,' she said. 'I haven't won anything since the lolly jar competition in grade two! I am just overwhelmed. It's incredible and life-changing.' Staying put: The family-of-seven from Woodbine in Sydney's western suburbs had originally considered moving interstate before deciding against it, according to the property's listing agent David Wood Life changing: The giveaway (pictured the special edition board game with cast of The Block) for the apartment in the previously derelict Gatwick Hotel was hailed as the biggest 'in the history of Australian television' Giveaway: The competition (apartment pictured) was first announced in September, while the 2018 season of The Block was still airing Happy surprise! The mother-of-five revealed she was 'in total shock' after discovering she had just won a free luxury apartment. Pictured outside the renovated Gatwick Hotel in St Kilda Samantha added: 'Our family are massive fans of The Block, but never in a million years did I think we'd win.' The program's host, Scott Cam, was equally as delighted for the family. 'When I heard that the winner was a true-blue Aussie battler from the suburbs I couldn't have been happier,' he said. 'Last year's Blockheads put their heart and soul into creating this magnificent property and Samantha will go down in the history books as its proud owner.' Thrilled: The show's host, Scott Cam, was equally as delighted for the family, saying: 'When I heard the winner was a true-blue Aussie battler from the suburbs I couldn't have been happier' The competition was first announced in September, while the 2018 season of The Block was still airing. It was revealed that Monopoly would be releasing a special Block edition of the popular board game, which would give fans the rare opportunity to win one of the apartments from the show. 'It's the best prize I have ever heard of!' Scott said at the time. Married At First Sight's Dan Webb almost died two months before filming the Channel Nine reality show after a 'holiday from hell' in Bali left him fighting for his life. The 35-year-old was 'run off the road' on his moped scooter in July 2018, not long after landing on the Indonesian island. Dan crashed down a cliff and friends desperately searched for him before finding him unconscious in a ditch. Married At First Sight's Dan Webb almost died in horrific Bali scooter crash two months before filming the reality show in July last year. The 35-year-old sustained several serious injuries as a result of the accident 'His best friend, who was on a scooter ahead, found him unconscious in a ditch and thought he was dead,' a close friend of Dan's tells Daily Mail Australia. As paramedics battled to save him, Dan is said to have asked his friend to 'tell my son I love him' while drifting in and out of consciousness. Dan sustained multiple injuries in the crash, which he was still recovering from when he started filming the Channel Nine reality show in late September, 2018. The Gold Coast native broke his shoulder, suffered a deep wound on his foot and gash to his forehead after his helmet 'flicked off' during the incident. 'It was very touch and go for a while and he almost lost his foot, which had become infected,' adds the source. During his recovery, Dan had a plate and screws fitted to his shoulder to hold the bones back in place, several pins fitted to his foot and stitches to his head. Shock: During the crash, Dan, 35, broke his shoulder, suffered a deep wound on his foot and gash to his forehead after his helmet 'flicked off' during the incident Recovery: It was uncertain for some time if Dan would need his foot amputated after it became servery infected After receiving emergency surgery in Bali, Dan then attempted to fly to Brisbane to continue his recovery in an Australian hospital. During transit, the reality star endured a second disaster - an earthquake in Lombok on August 5th, which killed 563 people and grounded all flights in Bali. 'Dan was stranded in the airport while stuck in a wheelchair,' his friend explains. 'Once he finally got back to Australia, he had to spend a week in an infectious disease ward as it was still uncertain if he would lose the foot.' Fearing for his life: As paramedics battled to save him, Dan is said to have asked his friend to 'tell my son I love him' while drifting in and out of consciousness 'Stuck in the airport in a wheel chair': During transit back to Australia to continue his recovery in a Brisbane hospital, the reality star endured a second disaster, after an earthquake in Lombok on August 5th, which killed 563 people and grounded all flights in Bali While filming Married At First Sight, Dan's injuries still caused him pain and affected his time on the show. 'He had to spend a lot of the time with his foot propped up, including during the commitment ceremonies, which can take a whole day to film,' Dan's friend explains. Dan was paired with Tamara Joy on the show, but embarked on a scandalous affair with fellow bride, Jessika Power. The pair are still together and going strong. Selma Blair will be honored during a star-studded gala in May. On Tuesday it was announced the Cruel Intentions star will be one of the select celebrities that is recognized at the 26th Annual Gala Race To Erase Gala which was founded by philanthropist Nancy Davis. The gala will honor the 46-year-old mother-of-one for her 'bravery and strength demonstrated during her personal battle with MS,' according to Davis. Doing good: Selma Blair will be honored during a star-studded gala in May. On Tuesday it was announced the Cruel Intentions star will be one of the celebrities that is recognized at the 26th Annual Gala Race To Erase Gala She works hard to battle MS: Race To Erase MS was founded by Nancy Davis seen here with her mother Barbara in 2006 After Blair announced she had MS, the Legally Blonde actress shared tales from her journey. She said she was 'relieved' with the diagnosis because it explained years of pain she could not understand. And recently she admitted that the struggle was very difficult as MS gave her 'uncontrollable anxiety.' Her Cruel Intentions co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar has openly supported Blair and said she is proud of her. 'We are so thrilled to be celebrating 26 years of progress at our annual gala and could not think of more deserving honorees to highlight this year,' said Race To Erase MS founder Nancy. 'Selma Blair has been a remarkable advocate in the community who so admirably uses her platform to help spread awareness about this life-altering disease every day. 'We are also incredibly grateful to the Hausman Family Foundation and Richard P. Hausman for his lifelong dedication and support to finding a cure for multiple sclerosis. Tough: After Blair announced she had MS, the Legally Blonde actress shared tales from her journey. She said she was 'relieved' with the diagnosis because it explained years of pain she could not understand. And recently she admitted that the struggle was very difficult as MS gave her 'uncontrollable anxiety.' 'We are so lucky to have Aloe Blacc bringing his talents to the stage and we know Flo Rida will bring the house down once again!' The gala will also honor the Hausman Family Foundation, for its incredible and most generous support of Race to Erase MS. Grammy-nominated R&B/Soul artist Aloe Blacc and platinum-selling international music star Flo Rida will perform. David Foster will serve as the evening's musical producer. The landmark event will also boast a Spring/Summer 2019 runway show from Hollywood-favorite fashion brand alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet with many celebrities modeling in the show. Her big film: Blair co-starred with Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions Pals: Gellar has openly supported Blair and said she is proud of her; seen in early March Race To Erase will take place on Friday, May 10, 2019 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The gala has raised over $48 million to date for Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program. This year marks the 26th Annual Gala, where guests will participate in a silent auction before enjoying a gala dinner featuring live musical performances. Race to Erase MS was founded in 1993 by Nancy Davis and is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis. All funds raised by the organization, through its iconic galas and year-round initiatives, support the 'Center Without Walls' program, a unique collaboration of the world's leading MS research scientists currently representing Harvard, Yale, Cedars Sinai, University of Southern California, Oregon Health Science University, UC San Francisco, Johns Hopkins and UCLA. She works hard at it: Race to Erase MS was founded in 1993 by Nancy and is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis; seen in 2016 A fan: Every year Paris Hilton attends the event with her father Rick Hilton; seen in 2015 Davis also created the annual 'Orange You Happy to Erase MS' campaign, which takes place for the entire month of May (MS Awareness Month) and adds yet another branch of fundraising for MS research. Throughout the month, a variety of orange products, many of which are specially created for this initiative, are sold to benefit the cause and elevate public awareness about MS. Orange T-shirts with symbolic messaging are created annually and in recent years, modeled by longtime supporter Sharon Osbourne. For the 2019 campaign, they will be joined by Jack Osbourne, an MS survivor himself. Among the partners is ALEX AND ANI, a company that has been a loyal partner to Race to Erase MS since 2012. They created a unique Cupcake Charm Bangle and donated twenty percent of its proceeds to Race to Erase MS. This effort alone has raised over $1 million for multiple sclerosis research. He was there too: In 2015 Jack Osbourne was honored for his efforts to raise awareness for MS; here he is seen with ex-wife Lisa Stelly Race to Erase MS will also continue its partnership with Evine, an interactive digital retailer, and once again give guests the opportunity to bid on a first-class trip to their national headquarters where they'll experience the magic behind the television camera and see how products are brought to life on air. Race to Erase MS founder Nancy Davis will be featured live on Evine April 19th and 20th where she will sell beautiful jewels to help raise money for Race to Erase MS. Race to Erase MS is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure for MS. Funding research is the core focus of the foundation and significant strides have been made to find the cause and cure of this debilitating disease. At the event's inception 26 years ago, the absence of medications and therapies encouraged its involvement; the Race has been instrumental in funding many pilot studies that have contributed to drugs now on the market and other very important therapies that are improving the lives of people suffering from MS. Tickets to the 26th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala start at $1,000 and tables start at $10,000. To purchase tickets for the event, contact info@erasems.org or (310) 440-4842. She's been dating her Riverdale co-star Charles Melton, 28, since September last year. And Camila Mendes and her beau took things to the next level on Tuesday, photographed moving into his Vancouver apartment. The 24-year-old beauty was all smiles while Charles did the heavy lifting and rolled her suitcases along. Scroll down for videos Happy days! Camila Mendes struggled to wipe the smile off of her face as her Riverdale co-star beau Charles Melton helped her move into his Vancouver apartment on Tuesday Camila kept things chic and casual in a simple black zipped up hoodie. She teamed the stylish look with some trendy denim mom jeans and combat boots. The Perfect Date actress styled her brunette tresses back into a slick low bun with a centre path. Casual chic: Camila kept things chic and casual in a simple black zipped up hoodie and mom jeans Teamwork: The beauty was seen caring to beverages and some duffel bags while Charles rolled the large suitcases Camila accessorised with designer shades and appeared to be wearing a minimal amount of makeup. The beauty was seen caring to beverages and some duffel bags while Charles rolled the large suitcases. The half-Korean actor was also in high spirits wearing a grey sweater and Adidas track pants. He teamed the look with trendy sneakers and had his hair out naturally. Ready for the next step: Camila and Charles' big move comes just six months into their relationship It's official! The pair first set romance rumors alight in September 2018, before confirming they were a couple with an Instagram post the following month (pictured Dec 2018) Camila and Charles' big move comes just six months into their relationship. The pair first set romance rumors alight in September 2018, before confirming they were a couple with an Instagram post the following month. 'Mine,' Camila captioned, setting the records straight. Since then, the pair have continued to give fans some insight into their adorable romance, including a post a few days after Valentine's Day in which Charles appeared to have gotten a tattoo on his love's name. The beauty later reposted the same image and wrote 'it's fake you guys' on it. It's fake! Since then, the pair have continued to give fans some insight into their adorable romance, including a post a few days after Valentine's Day in which Charles appeared to have gotten a tattoo on his love's name Likes to keep some things private: And although the pair like to share social media photos together, Camila recently talked about her decision to remain private about their relationship in interviews And although the pair like to share social media photos together, Camila recently talked about her decision to remain private about their relationship in interviews. 'I did it [confirmed their relationship] because people were speculating,' she told Fox News. 'I want to be able to live a normal life. Like "Yeah, I'm dating this person - so what?".' She continued: 'But I am the kind of person who'll keep talking and then all of a sudden, I've said too much. Still, I want to be able to kiss him and not think about it.' Sarah Silverman has a bone to pick with Hulu. In an interview on The Daily Beast podcast The Last Laugh, Sarah claimed the streaming service sent her a $1,500 bill for hair and makeup after she attended the 2018 Emmy Awards in support of her Hulu talk show I Love You America, which had been nominated for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. The bill completely shocked Sarah, 48, who says even Comedy Central had a history of paying for her red carpet glamour if she ever were nominated for an award. 'I was just flummoxed': Sarah Silverman claimed Hulu billed her $1,500 for hair and makeup after she attended the 2018 Emmys for her nominated talk show, I Love You America 'I was just flummoxed. Wouldn't it be worth them paying $1,500 to not have me on Matt Wilstein's podcast saying Hulu wouldn't pay $1,500 for an Emmy for their network?' she said. I Love You America lost the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series to Saturday Night Live, and earlier this year Hulu announced it would be cancelling the show after two seasons. The cancellation stung Sarah, who was expecting to be renewed for a third season. 'We're all super-bummed about it,' she said. Critical acclaim: Silverman is the host of the Emmy nominated series, I Love You America The unexpected bill was not the only Hulu tea Sarah spilled during her interview. Sarah received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in November, and says Netflix sent her a congratulatory bouquet of flowers, even though it had been over a year since her comedy special with the service premiered. She says the streaming service even sent a donation to one of her favorite charities. Axed: I Love You America lost the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series to Saturday Night Live, and earlier this year Hulu announced it would be cancelling the show after two seasons On the other hand, Sarah says Hulu didn't even send her a congratulatory email. 'It's just such a bad look for you guys. I don't want to say "appalling." Separating children at the border is appalling. I keep my overhead very low, but Hulu doesn't. So they should probably pay for s**t.' Sarah was heartbroken to announce in January Hulu had axed her show. Coming together: The show saw the comedienne travel the country and speak to people on all sides of the political spectrum, from Trump voters to leftists 'Well, Hulu cancelled I LOVE YOU AMERICA and we're all pretty d*mn heartbroken. ... So in traditional twitter funeral style, I'll be RTing the love,' she said. The show saw the comedienne travel the country and speak to people on all sides of the political spectrum, from Trump voters to leftists. Celebrity guests included such left wing figures as Bill Maher, Roxane Gay, Deray McKesson, Patton Oswalt, Al Franken, Cory Booker and Gavin Newsom. Sarah also spoke to Christian Picciolini, a former skinhead who now seeks to reform other violent extremists, and Shaka Senghor, a convicted murderer who tries to prevent others from veering down the path he did. They have proudly carried on the legacy of Steve 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin since he was tragically killed by a stingray barb 12 years ago. And Steve's son Robert has taken the latest step in keeping his memory alive, as he revealed on Tuesday that filming had begun on the second season of the family's hit show, Crikey! It's The Irwins. Pictured alongside his sister Bindi, 20, and mother Terri - the 15-year-old shared a photo of the clan hard at work on the Animal Planet documentary. Steve Irwin's son Robert took the latest step in keeping his father's memory alive as he revealed on Tuesday filming had begun on the second season of Crikey! It's The Irwins 'So many more amazing stories, heaps of adventures - it's going to be fun!' Robert wrote alongside a smiling photo of the trio. The teen is a keen conservationist just like his late father, and is also a talented photographer who documents underwater wildlife. The first season of Crikey! It's The Irwins gave viewers unprecedented access to the family's busy lives helping to run Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. The fly-on-the-wall documentary ranges from showcasing crocodiles at their zoo on the Sunshine Coast to the family's conservation work with wildlife around the globe. The wildlife centre is owned by Terri, 54, having been first opened in 1970 by Steve's parents Bob and Lyn Irwin. For the Irwins, the show isn't just about carrying a legacy, but about raising awareness. The first season of Crikey! It's The Irwins gives viewers unprecedented access to the family's busy lives helping to run Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland 'The most important role for our family is getting this message out,' Terri said in season one of the show. Bindi agreed, adding: 'It is so important for us to stand up and speak for those who can't speak for themselves. 'Especially with animals like crocodiles, snakes and spiders ... creatures that might not be cuddly and fluffy.' The Irwins! When Steve died 12 years ago, he left behind wife Terri, daughter Bindi and son Robert, now 15. The family are pictured at Australia Zoo here in 2006 Steve's widow Terri has also admitted she's not worried about Robert suffering the same fate as he follows in his father's footsteps. 'I am more worried about him drowning than encountering a shark or a Manta ray in the water,' she told The Australian Women's Weekly. Robert is a keen conservationist just like his late father, and is also a talented photographer who documents underwater wildlife. She's been enjoying some down days since walking all the major catwalks around the world during fashion month. And Kaia Gerber took another day out on Tuesday, spending some one-on-one time with her dad, Rande Gerber, 56. The 17-year-old supermodel kept things simple for the Los Angeles outing, running errands around West Hollywood. Scroll down for video Father and daughter day: Kaia Gerber enjoyed a well deserved day off to spend time with her dad Rande Gerber in Los Angeles on Tuesday Despite the causal gear, Kaia still stunned in an oversized statement T-shirt. She teamed her get-up with loose fitting mom jeans that were distressed in the knee. The young daughter of Cindy Crawford accessorised with some rectangular red shaded sunglasses and completed her look with black Converse sneakers. She has style: Despite the causal gear, Kaia still stunned in an oversized statement T-shirt Just like mom! Kaia and her brother Presely, 19, (far right) have followed in their mom, Cindy Crawford's modeling footsteps Kaia styled her brunette tresses back into a messy up-do and appeared to be makeup free for the outing. Dad Rande also kept things casual, opting for a collared black polo and a pair of denim jeans. The tequila mogul opted to keep a low profile, adding a pair of dark tinted shades to his look. Top star: Kaia is currently one of the world's most in-demand models Self-made: Kaia's mom Cindy Crawford refutes any claims that she 'bought' any part of her daughter's career Kaia began modeling with a little help from her mother, who was one of the most famous supermodels of the '90s. But mom Cindy Crawford refutes any claims that she 'bought' any part of her daughter's career. 'Kaia had some advantages. She is my daughter and people know that,' she began, in an interview with Porter magazine. 'But when people say that I bought her a cover of a magazine, I think, if I was going to buy a cover for someone, it would be me! If I could get someone into a fashion show, I would be getting it for myself.' Professor Green made his first public appearance since fracturing his neck as he attended a dinner hosted by Louis XIII and Baptiste Loiseau at The Arts Club in London, England, on Tuesday evening. The musician, 35, looked happy and healthy as he joined his PR girlfriend Milly Gattegno at the industry event, just weeks after cancelling his UK tour due to his painful injury. Cutting a dapper figure, the Lip Sync Battle UK host sported a tailored black suit, teamed with a navy sweatshirt and brown loafers. On the mend: Professor Green made his first public appearance since fracturing his neck as he attended a dinner hosted by Louis XIII and Baptiste Loiseau at The Arts Club in London, England, on Tuesday The Jungle hitmaker appeared in great spirits as he held onto a glass of cognac while mingling with his pals. Ensuring she didn't let her partner down in the style stakes, Milly dazzled in a metallic silver maxi dress, tied in with a pair of black strappy heels. The blonde beauty styled her tresses into a poker straight fashion, and complemented her tanned complexion with peach-toned make-up. Ouch: The musician, 35, was forced to cancel his UK tour as he suffered from a fracture in his cervical vertebrae after falling during three horrific seizures Dapper: Cutting a dapper figure, the Lip Sync Battle UK host sported a tailored black suit, teamed with a navy sweatshirt and brown loafers Radiant: Ensuring she didn't let her partner down in the style stakes, Milly dazzled in a metallic silver maxi dress, tied in with a pair of black strappy heels Last month, Professor, real name Stephen Manderson, was forced to cancel his UK tour as he suffered from a fracture in his cervical vertebrae after falling during three horrific seizures. The rapper shared a candid Instagram snap of himself from his hospital bed in a neck brace. Hackney native Professor revealed he's set to return to the stage in the winter season, after he was scheduled to kick off his string of performances at Cardiff's Globe venue. Detailing the shocking incident, he penned: 'I had seizure this morning which resulted in a fall while I was packing for tour 1/3.' Making a comeback: Hackney native Professor revealed he's set to return to the stage in the winter season (pictured in November 2018) 'Depending on how you look at this fall I was extremely lucky. I'm very fractured vertebrae in my neck and subsequently had to cancel my tour that was due to start today 2/3.' 'I'll be back in the winter with a bigger tour. I've had two further seizures and am lucky I didn't break my neck. Really f*****g lucky. Thanks for baring with me', the Hackney native told his fans. Stephen was set to perform across the UK in February, with his shows scheduled to start in Cardiff, before hitting the stage in Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and finally Brighton on February 21. A statement from Professor Green's spokesperson read: 'Due to a serious neck injury Professor Green has been forced to cancel his February 2019 tour. Tickets for all dates are refundable. Refunds will be made available at the point of purchase.' She saddened fans after announcing she will be leaving NBC after 11 years. And Kathie Lee Gifford celebrated her time working on Today over a farewell party thrown inside the hotel, The Times Square EDITION, in New York City on Tuesday. Kathie, 65, will officially be leaving the fourth hour of Today when her contract ends in April, and will be replaced by Jenna Bush. Farewell: Kathie Lee Gifford celebrated her time working on the Today Show with a farewell party thrown inside the new hotel, The Times Square EDITION, in New York City on Tuesday In spite of the emotional departure, Kathie managed to keep her spirits lifted as she celebrated 11 years appearing on the popular morning show segment alongside her longtime co-host Hoda Kotb. The soon-to-be former colleagues were even wearing matching all-white for the special event. Hair styled in a cascading ringlets, Kathie looked exquisite in an angelic off-the-shoulder jumpsuit. Hoda rocked a beaded white halter jumpsuit along with an array of chic beaded bracelets. Cheers to 11 years! Kathie and Hoda clinked glasses Let's do this! The ladies blended drinks while riding their Sweet Cycle bikes Just like on the show, the ladies looked like the best of friends as they clinked glasses and even blended drinks while riding a Sweet Cycle bike. Hoda seemed to be having the time of her life as she pushed herself on board the bike, while Kathie looked poised and picture perfect. It was a who's who of stars wishing Kathie well. Angelic: Gifford looked amazing in a white, off-the shoulder jumpsuit with animal print bracelet The doctor is in! Dr. Oz even tried out the Sweet Cycle bike Among the many Today stars in attendance were Dylan Dreyer, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly, and Lester Holt. Kathie revealed in December she would be leaving the fourth hour of The Today Show, after first joining the segment back in 2008. Both Kathie and Hoda were in tears for the announcement. 'I have something to share with everybody. It's bittersweet as these things always are, but I have been here almost 11 years. Thought I would stay one year. Something happened along the way and fell in love with a beautiful Egyptian goddess and when it's our 11th anniversary I will be leaving the "Today" show,' Kathie said at the time. It was revealed last month former first daughter Jenna Bush will be taking over for Kathie later this year. Let's get together: Among the many early birds were Dylan Dreyer, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly, and Lester Holt With his smouldering looks, he is clearly intended to do for ITV what Aidan Turners Poldark did for the BBC. Tom Bateman plays a rugged ex-soldier in the forthcoming period drama Beecham House and loses no time getting his shirt off. He is seen sweaty and bare chested as he hacks away at shrubbery in the first episode. The six-part series, set in Delhi at the end of the 18th century, sees Bateman, 30, play trader John Beecham, disillusioned after working for the powerful and controlling East India Company. Tom Bateman plays a rugged ex-soldier in the forthcoming period drama Beecham House and loses no time getting his shirt off. He is seen sweaty and bare chested as he hacks away at shrubbery in the first episode It follows the lives of the Beecham family in their newly-bought mansion. The series has been created by Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha, who said she tried at first to resist a Poldark-like topless scene. Its always like take your shirt off, come on, get them to take their shirt off, so we did resist some of that but it has set the bar in terms of period dramas, I have to say, she said. Miss Chadha, 59, said despite the East India Companys controversial reputation for treating Indians appallingly, its employees had good within them. It follows the lives of the Beecham family in their newly-bought mansion. The series has been created by Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha, who said she tried at first to resist a Poldark-like topless scene Every single person at the East India Company was doing the right thing as they were concerned, she said. I think its very easy to create drama where you have the good guys and the bad guys and I think for me history is largely about Theyre largely good but they do some things that were bad. Beecham House also stars Marc Warren, Lesley Nicol, Leo Suter, Pallavi Sharda and Dakota Blue Richards. A screening date has yet to be announced. He started life on Albert Square as the timid and shy son of bad boy Phil Mitchell. But EastEnders ex-star Harry Reid sent fans into a tailspin on Sunday, after he took to Instagram to post a hunky shirtless snap. The 26-year-old actor - who was axed from the role of Ben Mitchell last year - sparked a slew of compliments from fans as he showed off his ripped torso in the bathroom selfie. Jaw-dropping: EastEnders ex-star Harry Reid sent fans into a tailspin on Sunday, after he took to Instagram to post a hunky shirtless snap a year after quitting the role of Ben Mitchell Despite show bosses announcing that his character will be replaced next week with actor Max Bowden, 24, Harry showed that he was only going from strength to strength. Donning a pair of black jogging bottoms, a black cap and Calvin Klein pants, the actor showed the results of his endless hours spent working out in the gym. Not one to hide progress, the star later took to Instagram to share his sultry pose with his 92,000 followers. His post read: 'Cringe alert. I never do this, but progress is progress. Just don't take me seriously.' Gushing: Fans rushed to comment on the post sharing their delight at Harry's taut physique Classic: Harry played the role of Ben Mitchell from 2014 to 2018, but left the soap last year after his character fled Walford with the stolen heist money Harry's racy photo sparked a slew of comments from fans, with many praising his hunky physique. One fan wrote: 'Looking great. Well done on the hard work,' while another added: 'Baby you need to warn me before you post these things i need to emotionally prepare myself.' Harry played the prominent face on the iconic BBC One drama set in London's east end for four years before leaving the soap in 2018, as Ben escaped to France with the stolen heist money. Departing: Ben was no stranger to being at odds with dad Phil on the soap New face: Earlier this year it was announced that the character Ben Mitchell would be returning to the streets of Walford, but he would now be played by Max Bowden Earlier this year it was announced that the character Ben Mitchell would be returning to the streets of Walford, but the role had been recast for a sixth time. Ben will now be played by Max Bowden, who previous played Justin Fitzgerald in Waterloo Road. So far little has been revealed about Ben's return to Albert Square, though a recent trailer teased he will team up with dad Phil to rebuild the Mitchell empire. Joining Ben upon his return will be former teen rebel turned doting mum Lola Pierce, though the role will continue to be played by Danielle Harold. They are the lovable My Kitchen Rules duo whose macadamia cookies took supermarkets across Australia by storm, earlier this week. But amid their success, Lyn Ellbourne has taken a more sombre tone while discussing how she and school teacher Sal Caputo came to be on the show. It was when one of Lyn's close friends Jen tragically died that she decided to apply. Scroll down for video 'Let's do it for Jen': My Kitchen Rules' Lyn Ellbourne has revealed that the tragic death of a close friend sparked her and Sal Caputo's journey to the show 'The year before last I applied to go on with a friend,' the 60-year-old told New Idea. 'It was one of those nights when we were reminiscing and because we all loved cooking we thought "let's do it for Jen".' But the MKR star said another friend wasn't able to appear on the Channel Seven show with her in the end. Lyn revealed it was too short notice for her to find a replacement, but a year later producers gave her a call back offering her another shot at the 2019 season. 'I was telling the girl at work and she said to ask Sal so I asked him and he was like, "OK" and that's how it eventuated,' she said. The pair have helped bring the small town of Port Pirie to national attention with their run on season 10 of the show. Reflection: But amid their success, Lyn Ellbourne has taken a more sombre tone while discussing how she and Sal Caputo (pictured together) came to be on the show They impressed the judges with their chocolate marshmallow cookie last week, before topping the public vote for their macadamia brownie on Sunday night. The soft biscuit treat, whose soft texture gives it the taste of both a brownie and a cookie, is on sale for $5 at Coles across Australia. 'We're really proud of ourselves,' Lyn told The Recorder. 'It doesn't matter from here.' Tragic: It was when one of her close friends died that she decided to apply Val Kilmer was served with a lawsuit while attending a film screening recently of his own one-man play in San Diego. The 59-year-old actor was served with the lawsuit March 14 by artist Bale Creek Allen for allegedly stealing his tumbleweed artwork and passing it off as his own. The Top Gun star attened the screening of Cinema Twain based on his one-man play at the Theater Box when he was served by a process server about 9:30 p.m., according to court documents cited in an article Tuesday by The Blast. Got served: Val Kilmer is shown earlier this month at a screening of his one-man play Cinema Twain in San Diego where he was served with a copyright lawsuit Allen sued Kilmer last year for allegedly ripping off his golden tumbleweed sculptures. Kilmer in 2016 sold a tumbleweed dipped in gold for $150,000 and Allen accused him of copying it after visiting his New Mexico gallery, according to TMZ. Allen in his lawsuit claimed that he has produced tumbleweed pieces for years and alleged that Kilmer was passing off the artwork as his own idea. The artist in his lawsuit was seeking unspecified damages and a court order prohibiting Kilmer from producing tumbleweed sculptures. Copyright lawsuit: Bale Creek Allen claims Kilmer ripped off his golden tumbleweed (L) and created his own replica (R) Kilmer appeared to be in good spirits at the screening after overcoming a two-year battle with throat cancer. He smiled on the carpet while wearing his now-trademark scarf that covers the remnants of a trachea procedure he underwent four years ago. Kilmer was first pictured in 2015 with what appeared to be a breathing aid around his neck while at a grocery store in Malibu, California. Good spirits: The 59-year-old actor appeared to be in good spirits upon arrival at the screening March 14 at the Theatre Box in San Diego Allen recently asked the court for additional time to serve Kilmer with the lawsuit claiming he was hiding his residence to avoid being served. Kilmer played Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in the 1986 action drama Top Gun that also starred Tom Cruise, 56, as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell. They will reprise their roles for the long in coming sequel Top Gun: Maverick scheduled for release on June 26, 2020 by Paramount Pictures. She was sentenced to 70 hours of community service and disqualified from driving for three months following a guilty plea to mid-range drink driving on Tuesday. And after being told to 'get some perspective on life' by a magistrate during sentencing at Cleveland Magistrates Court, Ines Basic was seen glamorising her legal woes on Instagram. In a series of eyebrow-raising videos, the embattled Married at First Sight star clutched a wine glass before plugging the sunglasses she wore to court. Legal woes: Ines Basic was sentenced to 70 hours of community service and disqualified from driving for three months, after pleading guilty to mid-range drink driving on Tuesday 'For anyone asking about my sunglasses they are the charger in gloss black from @sabre_eyewear,' she wrote. On Christmas day last year, Ines, 29, rammed her car into her sister's parked vehicle after getting drunk on vodka and champagne in Redland Bay, according to 9news. When police arrived, Ines allegedly told officers: 'I would never drink drive but the b***h pissed me off'. Plug: The Married at First Sight star promoted the sunglasses she wore to court on Instagram on Wednesday Ines' legal woes come amid backlash over her stint on MAFS. The Brisbane legal assistant was widely criticised by angry viewers for verbally attacking her 'husband', Bronson Norrish, 35, on their honeymoon. 'Shut the f*** up!' she repeatedly yelled. Priorities: Ines went straight from court to a bar and shared a photo of wine glasses (right) to Instagram Earlier this year, the the sharp-tongued reality star insulted her 'groom' upon meeting him for the first time at their wedding. From his eyebrow ring, to his stripper past, Ines vented her disapproval. 'I've been in some really bad situations in my life, but I've never taken my clothes off for money,' she said in a piece-to-camera. 'I will never get past this. This is pure bottom of the barrel. Who I date and marry is a representation of myself - this is mortifying.' She enjoyed a loved-up getaway to Hong Kong with her fiance Tom Kaulitz. And love was in the air as Heidi Klum returned home on Tuesday, hand-in-hand with her other half. The catwalk queen, 45, shared a passionate kiss with her musician beau, 29, while making their way through LAX after a long flight back into the U.S. Love is in the air! Heidi Klum held hands with her fiance Tom Kaulitz as they jetted into Los Angeles on Tuesday after a getaway to Hong Kong Locked in an embrace, Heidi and Tom looked oh-so-in love as they gazed adoringly into each other's eyes. Affectionately touching one another while strolling through the airport holding hands, the pair could not keep their hands off each other during their journey home. Indeed, the couple looked head over heels for each other while strolling outside of the transport hub. Clad in a silver and yellow jacket paired with skinny jeans, Heidi looked super fly after her trip home. Pucker up! The couple enjoyed a make out session as they returned home Eyes only for her: The musician gazed adoringly at his bride-to-be Kiss kiss: Klum locked lips with her bearded beau The former Project Runway cut a sporty and stylish figure while striding ahead in a pair of colorful sneakers while rocking aviator sunglasses. She wore her blonde tresses down while rocking a fresh face. Tom was sporting a super casual look as well, returning home in a pair of black track pants, a white T-shirt, and long coat. Hand in hand: The couple intertwined hands while walking through the transport hub Pep in her step: Klum rocked a sporty and colorful pair of trainers Just three months ago Tom popped the question to Heidi, and the couple already look like they're in the honeymoon phase. Heidi has admitted that her four children Helene, 14, Henry, 14, son Johan, 12, and Lou, 9, 'can't wait for the wedding' as they love their rocker stepfather-to-be, 29. The catwalk queen met Tom on set of Germany's Next Top Model, and Tom popped the question on December 24 with a dark-stone engagement ring. Golden girl: The former Project Runway host rocked a snazzy pair of gold sunglasses Loved up: Kaulitz could not get enough of the stunning star Heidi is 16 years older than the Tokio Hotel guitarist, and, of their wedding, she told ET last month: 'We're two Germans, it will be very organised and on time. Very, very much on time and very organised.' Heidi shares her eldest daughter with her ex partner Flavio Briatore, who she split from soon after announcing her pregnancy. While she shares her three other children with ex husband Seal, who she married in 2004 before the pair finalised their divorce in 2014. The Living End frontman Chris Cheney is trading Melbourne for the bright lights of Los Angeles. The 44-year-old has sold his home in Melbourne's St Kilda East, just a day after it went on the market, as he prepares to head to Hollywood. According to a report by the Herald Sun, Chris first listed his abode last Tuesday, and it sold the following day. Moving on: Chris Cheney is trading Melbourne for the bright lights of Los Angeles. The 44-year-old Living End frontman has sold his home in Melbourne's St Kilda East While the amount it sold for has not been disclosed, it was listed for $2.85 million, and was reportedly purchased for around that price range. The four-bedroom home was built in 1914, and boasts a recording studio in the backyard, separate to the house. Chris reportedly converted the home's former stables into a music studio, and used it to pen many of The Living End's well-known hits. Quick sale: According to a report by the Herald Sun, Chris first listed his home last Tuesday, and it sold the following day Heritage: The four-bedroom home was built in 1914, and boasts a recording studio in the backyard, separate to the house Rock stars: Chris (far right) is the frontman of renowned Aussie rock band The Living End. Seen here with bandmates Scott Owen (far left) and Andy Strachan (centre) in San Diego in 2016 'Ive written probably three of The Living End records out there,' he told the Herald Sun. 'Its been a really good place for me to get away from the kids and the distractions.' The home also features polished floorboards, an ornate ceiling and a decorative fireplace. Profit: While the amount it sold for has not been disclosed, it was listed for $2.85 million, and was reportedly purchased for around that price range Stunning: The home also features polished floorboards, an ornate ceiling and a decorative fireplace The rock star first bought the property in 2004 for $910,000, but has now decided to relocate to Los Angeles with his family. He lived there with his wife of 14 years, real estate agent Emma Cheney, and the couple's two daughters, Charlie, 13, and Scarlett, 11. The home has reportedly been sold to an older couple looking to downsize. Family home: Chris lived in the home with his wife of 14 years, real estate agent Emma Cheney (pictured), and the couple's two daughters. Pictured here at the 2009 APRA Awards in Melbourne Getting away from it all: 'Its been a really good place for me to get away from the kids and the distractions,' Chris said of the home's converted recording studio. Pictured here with daughters, Charlie, 13, and Scarlett, 11 According to real estate agent Marty Fox, the new owners fell in love with the property after deciding it was a smaller version of their current home. It's also in close proximity to their three adult children. There was supposed to be a 'VIP champagne evening' for prospective buyers last Wednesday, but after selling last Wednesday afternoon, the event was cancelled. Married At First Sight's 'cheaters' Jessika Power and Dan Webb are 'in love' and they want the world to know it. The controversial couple appeared the picture of domestic bliss on Tuesday when they went out for dinner in Sydney's Chatswood. The blonde beauty, 27, and car broker, 35, packed on the PDA as they enjoyed a meal at Hurricane's Grill, before stopping in at a Krispy Kreme donuts and then headed back to their hotel. What ban? MAFS' Jessika Power and Dan Webb packed on the PDA in Sydney's Chatswood on Tuesday evening Administration assistant Jessika cut a casual figure in a white button-up dress and white sneakers during the outing. She has her long locks out and over her shoulders, and wore an application of natural-looking makeup. Meanwhile, tattooed father-of-one Dan opted for a yellow T-shirt, which he paired with black ripped denim shorts. White hot! Administration assistant Jessika cut a casual figure in a white button-up dress and white sneakers Giddy with love! The couple looked oblivious to the headlines around them - laughing, talking and hugging as they made their way around Date night: The pair had dinner at Hurricane's Grill, before stopping in at a Krispy Kreme donuts and then headed back to their hotel The couple looked oblivious to the headlines around them - laughing, talking and hugging as they made their way around the eateries. At one point, Jessika was seen cuddling up to her man and gazing up at him affectionately. It comes after Married At First Sight received dozens of formal complaints after airing a sexually suggestive scene involving Jessika and Dan on Monday. Hands on! It comes after Married At First Sight received dozens of formal complaints after airing a sexually suggestive scene involving Jessika and Dan on Monday (pictured) Cheeky! But Daily Mail Australia can reveal this bedroom romp was comparatively tame compared to another incident that was caught on camera Full on: A couples' massage scene that was supposed to air on Tuesday night was 'banned' after producers compared it 'softcore porn' But Daily Mail Australia can reveal this bedroom romp was comparatively tame compared to another incident that was caught on camera. A couples' massage scene that was supposed to air on Tuesday night was 'banned' after producers compared it 'softcore porn.' The footage in question involved Jessika massaging Dan in their apartment - but it didn't take long for things to 'escalate'. 'Nobody expected things to go as far as they did,' said a source. Awkward: The footage in question involved Jessika, 27, massaging Dan, 35, in their apartment - but it didn't take long for things to 'escalate' Did they forget they were being filmed? 'There were three very awkward cameramen in that room, and it started to feel like they were filming a sex tape rather than reality show' 'There were three very awkward cameramen in that room, and it started to feel like they were filming a sex tape rather than reality show.' It comes after a former television executive told Daily Mail Australia that Channel Nine could be 'in trouble' over Monday's bedroom scene. Rob McKnight, who worked for Nine's News and Current Affairs department between 2008 and 2013, believes producers went 'too far' by showing Daniel crawling half-naked into bed with Jessika. McKnight, the editor of industry website TV Blackbox, said: 'I think Channel Nine might be in trouble with this one. To me, the scene was certainly confronting for a PG timeslot and I wouldn't want my kids watching it.' 'While the couple didn't actually engage in sex on screen, they were on top of each other in a very sexual way', he added. She's playing a young Nurse Mildred Ratched in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the book, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. And Sarah Paulson was throwing herself into the cruel character as she filmed Ratched in Malibu on Tuesday. The actress, 44, looked straight out of the 1940s as she walked through set wearing a green dress and tilted blue hat. Flashback: Sarah Paulson was throwing herself into character as she filmed Ratched in Malibu on Tuesday Her red tresses were pulled back into an ornate low bun, while her complexion was polished off with a slick of bold red lipstick. The look was finished off with a pair of chunky clogs. Styled head-to-toe in 1940s attire, the actress milled about set carrying her cell phone while sipping from her water bottle with a straw. Sarah plays Nurse Mildred Ratched in the upcoming Netflix series Ratched, which chronicles the iconic character's monstrous behavior to her patients at a mental institution. Staying hydrated: While styled head-to-toe in 1940s attire, the actress milled about set carrying her cell phone while sipping from her water bottle with a straw The series boasts a cast of Alice Englert, Rosanna Arquette, Don Cheadle, Sharon Stone, and Cynthia Nixon. Series creator Ryan Murphy announced filming would commence back in January on Instagram. 'RATCHED on Netflix starts shooting in a couple weeks. On behalf of myself and Ms. Sarah Catharine Paulson who plays the title role and is also a big fancy producer on it, we are thrilled to announce our amazing cast...a true murderers row of talent,' wrote Ryan. Iconic role: Louise Fletcher played Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film adaptation 'So many of these actors are supremely talented folks who Sarah and I have both longed to work with. The Ratched Principal Players, in alphabetical order: JON JON BRIONES, CHARLIE CARVER, JUDY DAVIS, HARRIET HARRIS, CYNTHIA NIXON, HUNTER PARRISH, AMANDA PLUMMER, COREY STOLL, SHARON STONE AND FINN WITTROCK.' The critically-acclaimed book One Over The Cuckoo's Nest was published by Ken Kensey in 1962. A film adaptation starring Jack Nicholson as the rebellious patient R.P. McMurphy and Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched was released in 1975. Both Louise and Jack won Academy Awards for their roles. Production on the seventh season of The Bachelor is well underway. And on Wednesday, the single ladies from the new season were spotted in Somersby on the Central Coast filming a group date. The Bachelor's new leading man Matt Agnew was nowhere to be seen, but several members of the show's production team were visible. Ready for love: The women from the upcoming season of The Bachelor were spotted filming a group date in Somersby on the Central Coast on Wednesday Several of the women from the new season already appear to be standouts, including a fresh-faced blonde with a girl next door vibe. The young blonde wore a pair of ripped dark blue jeans a cute pink sweater, and tied her hair back in a loose plait. Another blonde was spotted in a salmon boho skirt and brown sandals. Alright in white! One blonde beauty wore a tight white dress and matching sneakers Need a ride? The blonde chatted to some of her co-stars, who were inside a red car The stunner added a splash of sex appeal to her look in a white tank top with a plunging neckline, which revealed a hint of her cleavage. A natural brunette with light blonde highlights also stood out from the pack. Earlier this month, new Bachelor Matthew Agnew, 31, was spotted at the mansion in a tux, filming scenes for the show. Think pink! Several of the women from the new season already appear to be standouts, including a fresh-faced blonde in a pink sweater Making her exit: A brunette with light blonde streaks stepped out of the red car Chilly? The mystery woman put on a black jacket after stepping out of the car The hunky astrophysicist could be seen drinking whiskey before meeting the bevvy of contestants for the first time. According to NW magazine, Matthew was an instant hit with the female contestants at the first cocktail party. This season's diverse selection of women were reportedly smitten with the 'hot nerd' and charmed by his intelligence. Leggy lady! A stunning brunette flaunted her figure in a miniskirt and midriff top Busting out: Many of the single women weren't afraid to flash a hint of cleavage Fabulous figure: A gorgeous brunette showcased her envious shape in a tight tank top and blue jeans 'He seemed incredibly charming,' revealed an on-set source. 'And he had all the girls in fits of laughter and hanging off his every word.' While last year's Bachelor, former rugby star Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins, struggled to impress the contestants early on, Matt's journey seems to be quite the opposite. Elegant: A slender brunette in a loose-fitting black dress pushed her hair back Need some help? A busty bombshell sported an awkward facial expression as she spoke with a crew member Thirsty? A tanned stunner carried what appeared to be a cup of coffee as she walked Meanwhile, the Melbourne-based academic told Woman's Day that he's looking for a woman who will complement his down-to-earth nature. 'I want someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and we can just have a laugh and fun together,' he said. In other news, Bachelor In Paradise is set to return for its second season soon. Their first appearance as a 'married couple' at Wednesday night's dinner party is set to kick off explosive drama. But in a promo for the tense episode, MAFS's Jessika Power has claimed she doesn't 'really give a cr*p' what the other couples think about her relationship with Dan Webb. Airing her thoughts in a voiceover, she says: 'I've copped a lot from a lot of the women here throughout the whole experience.' 'Everyone needs to back off!' MAFS's Jessika Power claims she 'doesn't give a cr*p' what other couples think about relationship with Dan Webb - as final dinner party descends into chaos Seen travelling to the dinner party with her beau, 35, Jess continues: 'The group are always going to have their opinions.' And in a piece to camera, she adds: 'I dont really give a cr*p.' Stepping out of the car with Dan, the 27-year-old said: 'We dont have to say "were wrong, were bad, horrible people"'. Seen travelling to the dinner party with her beau Dan Webb, Jess continues: 'The group are always going to have their opinions...and I don't really give a cr*p' She continued: 'So everyone needs to back off!' The defensive display comes as fans gear up for Wednesday's explosive episode as the new couple make their official debut at the dinner party. In a preview released on Tuesday, the controversial pair, who began dating weeks ago while still 'married' to other people, make a smug arrival at the dinner party before all hell breaks loose. Trouble brewing: The final dinner party descends into chaos as cheaters Jessika and Dan, 35, debut as an official couple - much to their co-stars' disapproval Bombshell: Jessika's dinner party speech doesn't go to plan, as the other couples turn their backs on her and Mike Gunner (left) yells across the table, 'I can't stand your face anymore!' Shortly after Jessika delivers an unwelcome toast to herself and Dan, Mike Gunner yells across the table: 'I can't stand your face anymore!' Jules Robinson also takes the opportunity to shame Jessika for her past infidelity but her best friend Martha Kalifatidis hits back, saying: 'You guys are just so f**king righteous aren't you!' At the end of the trailer, relationship expert John Aiken arrives with the 'honesty box'. Outburst: Jessika's best friend Martha Kalifatidis (pictured) then defends her, telling the disapproving guests, 'You guys are just so f**king righteous aren't you!' The 'honesty box' contains several questions the couples must ask each other - and one of them puts Jessika and Dan to the test. The blonde tells her partner she is in love with him, before asking: 'Do you love me?' Dan looks visibly uncomfortable as he considers how to best answer the question as the teaser abruptly ends. Advertisement Khloe Kardashian flashed her cleavage in a gleaming gold throwback costume for Diana Ross' 75th birthday party on Tuesday. The 34-year-old reality TV icon stole the show with both her ultra glam gown and hair makeover at the star-studded bash, held at Warwick in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Khloe, who enjoyed the bash with her famous family as well as a host of a-listers, swapped her sleek locks to pay homage to birthday girl Diana with curly locks, matching the vibe of her disco-style gown perfectly. Belle of the ball: Khloe Kardashian flashed her cleavage in a gleaming gold throwback costume for Diana Ross' 75th birthday party on Tuesday, teaming the glam gown with curly locks in a homage to the birthday girl The mother of one showed off her stunning figure in her barely-there wrap dress, which flashed plenty of skin with its very daring neckline and thigh-high split. All eyes were on Khloe's cleavage in the glitzy gown, with the star joking to her fans on Instagram that her push-up bra 'makes me wanna get my boobs done because this cleavage... I mean.' The star, who has been busy honing her figure in the gym in recent months also showed off her long tanned legs, accentuated by a pair of delicate gold strap heels. Dressed to party: The mother of one showed off her stunning figure in her barely-there wrap dress, which flashed plenty of skin with its very daring neckline and thigh-high split Ready to party: Khloe arrived at the bash hand in hand with her ultra glam mother Kris Jenner, 63,who wowed in green Glitter queens: Her older sister Kourtney, 38, meanwhile ditched the dress in favour of an oversized suit Khloe teamed her gorgeous gown with her wild hair makeover, showing off a head of volumnious curls. She finished her look with a flawless face of makeup and added to the disco vibe with huge hoop earrings. She arrived at the A-list bash hand in hand with her ultra glam mother Kris Jenner. The Momager, 63, strutted into Warwick in a stunning green dress, flashing her legs in a glitzy green number, which featured a high neckline but flashed plenty of skin with its daring thigh-high split. Celebrating a legend: The guests clutched fans with a photo of Diana on the front as they later departed the bash, with Khloe in the need to refuel as she also held a cup of coffee Leading the way: Kourtney accompanied Khloe out of the LA hotspot, flashing her bra under her glittering grey suit Hand in hand: Kris strutted into Warwick in a stunning green dress, flashing her legs in a glitzy green number, which featured a high neckline but flashed plenty of skin with its daring thigh-high split Kris teamed the draped gown with a pair of equally dazzling pink metallic heels, while she carried a glam white furry wrap. Never one to skip the bling, she rocked a dazzling diamond cuff bracelet and statement drop earrings while the finishing touch to her look was flawless makeup. Kris was accompanied into the bash by her long-term beau Corey Gamble, 38, while her daughter eldest daughter Kourtney Kardashian, 38, showed off her own glitzy look, ditching the dress in favour of an oversized suit. Her man: Kris teamed the draped gown with a pair of equally dazzling pink metallic heels, while she carried a glam white furry wrap as she was accompanied by her long-term boyfriend Corey Gamble, 38 Suits you: Kourtney stood out in glam suit which had a nod to the 70s with its flared trousers and boxy cut, while the fashion fan added a racy twist by going shirtless, flashing her black bra underneath The glittery grey number nodded to the 70s with its flared trousers and boxy cut, while the fashion fan added a racy twist by going shirtless, flashing her black bra underneath. The family were busy sharing their night on Instagram. In one snap she uploaded, Khloe shot a smoldering stare at the cameras alongside her mother and top-flight party planner Mindy Weiss, who put together the fete. She also filmed a selfie video of her outfit, saying: 'You guys, bras like this make me wanna get my boobs done, because this cleavage...I mean.' Say cheese: The family were busy sharing their night on Instagram, sharing selfies and fun videos from inside the bash Cleaving to the theme: Khloe showed her commitment to bringing back the 1970s by way of her massive curly blonde wig, flaunting the look on her Insta Stories Trio: In one snap she uploaded, Khloe shot a smoldering stare at the cameras alongside her mother (middle) and party planner Mindy Weiss (left), who put together the fete Khloe vamped: 'It's iconic, but when I take the bra off, sorry, guys,' adding for good measure that 'we can fake it until we make it, honey.' En route to the party, Khloe filmed herself in the car with her hairdresser Andrew Fitzsimons, who joined her in dancing to Diana's 1980 song Upside Down. The mother of one also shared updates from inside the bash, including the birthday speech Diana got from her TV star daughter Tracee Ellis Ross. Birthday girl: The mother of one also shared updates from inside the bash, including the speech Diana (right) got from her TV star daughter Tracee Ellis Ross Star turn: Diana's daughter beckoned Beyonce to stroll over to head over to the cake, where she sang Happy Birthday To You as revelers including Sean 'Diddy' Combs watched Before the cake was cut, Tracee quipped that Diana was turning '47, and it's so weird because I'm 46. She had me when she was one! So bizarre.' Tracee introduced 'Uncle Bibi, also known as Berry Gordy' - the founder of Motown Records, with which Diana became a star in the 1960s as part of The Supremes. Diana's daughter beckoned Beyonce to stroll over to head over to the cake, where she sang Happy Birthday To You as revelers including Sean 'Diddy' Combs watched. It's my party: Diana chose a dress to impress for her milestone birthday celebrations, arriving at her bash in a huge orange ruffled gown and gold platform heels Birthday girl: Diana made a grand entrance at Warwick in an open top car to celebrate her 75th with friends and family Helping hand: The ultra bright number showed off her cleavage, but the voluminous ruffles meant it was a struggle for the singing legend to get out of her car, with an aide seen helping her with the dress Sitting pretty: Diana flashed a huge smile as she left her party, with her guests waving her off into the night Diana chose a dress to impress for her milestone birthday celebrations, arriving at her bash in a huge orange ruffled gown. The ultra bright number showed off her cleavage, but the voluminous ruffles meant it was a struggle for the singing legend to get out of her car, with an aide seen helping her with the dress. She added glittering earrings in a matching orange hue and completed her look with a similar hue of lipstick. Nice ride! The lady of the moment caught a ride in a stunning white vintage car with a chauffeur taking the wheel Birthday fun: Diana looked incredible in her dramatic dress which ensured she was the star of the show Partying hard! Diana's mammoth birthday celebrations on Tuesday kicked off with an evening concert at the Hollywood Palladium, where she took to the stage in a glam green gown with Stevie Wonder All change: Later at her party, Diana swapped her orange dress for a stunning slinky silver number as her daughter Tracee Ellis Ross gave a toast in front of the birthday cake Lavish: Diana's party included a huge, tiered cake covered in iconic photos of the star, while the venue was covered in beautiful floral arrangements, intertwined with glittering chandeliers Hard to miss: The party was announced on a giant sign outside the party venue, with guests seen mingling in the smoking area above Another change! Diana left her bash in another glam look, looking chic in a long black dress and feather pink wrap Time of her life: Diana looked in fantastic spirits as she headed out of the ultra luxe party Heidi Klum got the glitter memo, flaunting her model figure in a stunning silver striped dress, with a deep neckline. The tight number showed off her curves, while the model accessorised with silver strap heels and a gorgeous diamond necklace and a mirror box clutch bag. The star used her tasselled wrap to have fun with Howie Mandel, laughing as she playfully hit him with the accessory. Party time: Heidi Klum got the glitter memo, flaunting her model figure in a stunning silver striped dress, with a deep neckline Party people: Heidi looked in great spirits as she arrived at the star-studded bash with a male pal, giggling away Cheeky! The star used her tasselled wrap to have fun with her AGT co-judge Howie Mandel, laughing as she playfully hit him with the accessory Her man: Heidi's fiance Tom Kaulit was seen arm in arm with his gorgeous girl as they later left the party Fun night! Heidi looked a little merry as she departed the a-list event, holding onto her pal as she navigated the steps in her heels Leggy: Heidi had fun with the cameras, teasing them as she hid behind the door with only her long legs on show Shimmy: She showed off her moves after a night on the dancefloor at the celeb-favourite club in Hollywood Ashlee Simpson, who is married to Diana's son Evan Ross, looked incredible in a green jumpsuit for the family night out. Spotted leaving the party with Evan and his actress sister Tracee Ellis Ross, the singer and mother of two showed off her slender figure in the sequinned outfit, which featured a dramatic tulle layer. She added to the disco vibe with huge hooped earrings and her blonde locks styled into a crimped ponytail. Family: Ashlee Simpson, who is married to Diana's son Evan Ross, looked incredible in a green jumpsuit for the family night out, as she was joined by Evan and his actress sister Tracee Ellis Ross Simply stunning: She added to the disco vibe with huge hooped earrings and her blonde locks styled into a crimped ponytail Standing out: Diana's daughter Tracee Ellis Ross chose her own head-turning look, leaving the bash in a bright red tassel coat and trainers Another attendee of the party was 24-year-old April Love Geary, who arrived with 42-year-old fiance Robin Thicke, with whom she shares two daughters April fired up her Instagram page Tuesday night to show off her glittering pink mini dress which matched her period chic eye makeup. Rocking a throwback hairdo and a pair of swinging hoop earrings, she dished in her caption that her look was the work of hair-and-makeup whiz David Rodriguez. Date night: Another attendee of the party was 24-year-old April Love Geary, who arrived with 42-year-old fiance Robin Thicke, with whom she shares two daughters Looking fab: April, who recently gave birth to her second daughter, showed off her glittering pink mini dress Just the two of us: The besotted couple enjoyed a night on the town and an evening off parenting duties Turning heads: Singer Bebe Rexha posed up a storm in her pink sequin jumpsuit with chic cape detail Glitzy: US TV personality Gayle King, 64, was ultra glam in her scooped neck, floor length red sparkly gown by Kelly NG Couture, which she paired with scarlet heels Making a style statement: Gabrielle Union turned heads in a quirky black dress with bold print detail Diana's birthday revelries included a Tuesday evening concert at the Hollywood Palladium and the limited release of her two-hour documentary. Entitled Diana Ross: Her Life, Love And Legacy, the film plays 700 American cinemas on Tuesday and Thursday of this week only. The movie features footage of her iconic 1983 Central Park concert, which she thundered through amid a downpour, Rolling Stone reports. Suited and booted: Comedian Chris Rock looked dapper in a light blue suit and black tie for the big night His number one as plus one: Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrived hand in hand with his ultra glamorous mother Janice Combs Another legend: Singer and actress Bette Midler was super chic in her black tasselled skirt Star-studded guest list: Modern Family actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson stuck to the disco theme with his shiny black blazer while rapper and Khloe Kardashian's ex French Montana showed off his slimmed-down physique in a smart suit Let's celebrate: America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel cosied up to his wife Terry as they headed inside Warwick Iconic couple: Designer and filmmaker Tom Ford looked typically suave as he partied with his journalist husband Richard Buckley Good looking couple: Musician DJ Khaled was joined by his gorgeous wife Nicole Tuck, who wowed in a gold gown Diana turned heads Saturday with a tweet defending her late pal Michael Jackson, the subject of the new HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. The two-part film revived accusations of child sexual abuse made against the King Of Pop by Wade Robson and James Safechuck. 'This is whats on my heart this morning. I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others. STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE,' Diana tweeted Saturday. Making their exit: The Kardashian/Jenner clan left the party together, waiting around for their cars in the glittering gowns Peace out: Kris looked like she's had a fun night, posing for the cameras as she climbed into the car Tight security: Guests were required to pass through metal detectors outside the a-list event She's the face of Miu Miu's latest fragrance Twist. And on Tuesday, Elle Fanning was the star attraction at the perfume's launch in Shanghai, China. The actress, 20, has appeared in campaigns for the brand since 2014 and made her runway debut at Miu Miu's Fall/Winter 2018 show in Paris a year ago. Brand ambassador: She's the face of Miu Miu's latest fragrance Twist. And on Tuesday, Elle Fanning was the star attraction at the perfume's launch in Shanghai, China The Maleficent star wore a black dress with sheer short-sleeve overlay. There were buttons from the collar down to the waist and the frock fell to mid-calf. Fanning added black heels with embellished straps and left her blonde hair loose. She completed her look with dramatic eye makeup and red lip color. Stylish: The actress, 20, wore a black dress with sheer short-sleeve overlay. There were buttons from the collar down to the waist Pretty: Fanning added black heels with embellished straps and left her blonde hair loose. She completed her look with dramatic eye makeup and red lip color Famous face: The Maleficent star has appeared in campaigns for the brand since 2014 and made her runway debut at Miu Miu's Fall/Winter 2018 show in Paris a year ago Fanning was joined at the pink carpet event by a 'Miu-tant', a character that appeared in her video commercial for the fragrance that was released in the US in January. In the ad, the alien character presents the actress with a bottle of Twist, and then goes down on one knee to propose. Miu Miu describes Twist as a sweet, crisp scent with notes of apple blossom and bergamot. In an interview with CR Fashion Book, Fanning explained: 'The fragrance has these unexpected notes that are sweet, but not too sweet. I would describe the fragrance as a social fragrance for going out and taking on the world in a way.' Funny: Fanning was joined at the pink carpet event by a 'Miu-tant', a character that appeared in her video commercial for the fragrance that was released in the US in January Twist commercial: In the ad, the alien character presents the actress with a bottle of Twist, and then goes down on one knee to propose Perfume promotion: Fanning has described Twist, a sweet, crisp scent with notes of apple blossom and bergamot, as: 'a social fragrance for going out and taking on the world in a way' Australian streaming service Stan is set to release Catching Milat, a mini-series about notorious serial killer Ivan Milat. The two-part series which will be available to subscribers on April 18 follows the life of Ivan Milat, the backpack killer and the NSW Police Taskforce in particular, Detective Paul Gordon who tracked him down. Originally aired on the Seven Network in 2015, the hugely successful crime drama starring Malcolm Kennard raked in an impressive 1.387 million viewers on its premiere night. Calling all true crime fans: Australian streaming service Stan has announced it will release Catching Milat on April 18, 2019 Pictured: Malcolm Kennard as Ivan Milat in Catching Milat Spine-tingling: The two-part series which will be available to subscribers on April 18, follows the life of Ivan Milat, (pictured) the backpack killer and the NSW Police Taskforce - in particular, Detective Paul Gordon - who tracked him down In 1996, the real-life Ivan was jailed for life after being convicted of murdering seven British backpackers aged 19 to 22 in the Belanglo State Forest, south of Sydney. He stabbed most of his victims, decapitating one whose head has never been found and shot another 10 times in the head as if using her for target practice. Ivan kept the shirts, sleeping bags, a water bottle, portable stove and backpacks of his victims and hid them in roof and wall cavities of the house he was arrested in 20 years ago. Designed to set the pulses racing: Originally aired on the Seven Network in 2015, the hugely successful crime documentary raked in an impressive 1.387 million viewers on its premiere night Pictured: Backpacker murderer Ivan Milat The first two bodies of his victims were discovered on September 19 and 20 1992, when two runners found a decaying corpse in the forest. Police later confirmed the bodies were of missing British backpackers Caroline Clarke and Joanne Walters. Walters had been stabbed 35 times and Clarke had been shot 10 times in the head. The grim finds were just the beginning of a long and extensive search that resulted in the bodies of Australians Deborah Everist and James Gibson being found in October 1993, followed by German backpacker Simone Schmidls stabbed body in November of the same year. The decapitated body of German backpacker Anja Habschied was then found along with her boyfriend Gabor Neugebauer on 3 November 1993, in shallow graves 50 metres apart. Harrison Ford looked typically debonair after touching down Tuesday in a private plane in Los Angeles. The 76-year-old actor wore a dark blue sweater over a dress shirt along with blue jeans and black boots. The Star Wars legend accessorized with black sunglasses and sported a thin layer of grey facial stubble. Touching down: Harrison Ford was spotted after touching down Tuesday on a private plane in Los Angeles Harrison last month spoke about ocean conservation at the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He pleaded for protection of the world's oceans while calling out President Donald Trump and others who 'deny or denigrate science'. The Blade Runner star stressed the importance of acknowledging the effects of climate change on the world in a speech on the closing day of the World Government Summit. Without ever saying Trump's name, the Hollywood star clearly targeted the US president in the opening moments of his remarks. Back home: The 76-year-old actor looked typically debonair in a sweater, jeans and boots 'Around the world, elements of leadership - including in my own country - to preserve their state and the status quo, deny or denigrate science,' he said. 'They are on the wrong side of history,' he added. Harrison in his address called on governments and officials to rely on 'sound science' to shape their policy. Ocean conservation: Harrison is shown last month speaking about ocean conservation at the World Government Summit in Dubai 'We are faced (with), what I believe, is the greatest moral crisis of our time,' Harrison said. 'That those least responsible for nature's destruction will suffer the greatest consequences.' He added: 'We need nature now more than ever because nature doesn't need people, people need nature.' Trump repeatedly has criticized the idea of climate change, despite it being supported by the vast majority of peer-reviewed studies, science organizations and scientists. Harrison has been married since 2010 to actress Calista Flockhart, 54. Her younger sister may have taken the plaudits, but Kourtney Kardashian ensured she was not overshadowed as she made an appearace in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. The TV personality joined her family as Motown legend Diana Ross celebrated her 75th birthday with a host of stars at local cocktail bar Warwick. Opting for a distinctive sequinned trouser-suit, Kourtney, 39, caught the eye as she made her way inside. Here she comes: Kourtney Kardashian joined her family as Motown legend Diana Ross celebrated her 75th birthday with a host of stars at Los Angeles cocktail bar Warwick on Tuesday evening The glittery grey number nodded to the 70s with its flared trousers and boxy cut, while the fashion conscious star adding a racy twist by going shirtless. With little more than a bra evident beneath her lapels, the reality star exposed her cleavage while attending the event, where she was joined by mother Kris Jenner and sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Stiletto heels added to the look, while deft touches of smoky make-up drew further attention to her instantly recognisable features. Striking: Kourtney was joined by sister Khloe, who paid homage to Ross by debuting a new tightly permed hairstyle Incoming: Opting for a distinctive sequinned trouser-suit, Kourtney, 39, caught the eye as she made her way inside Revealing: The glittery grey number nodded to the 70s with its flared trousers and boxy cut, while the fashion conscious star adding a racy twist by going shirtless Meanwhile Khloe stole the show with both her ultra glam gown and hair makeover at the star-studded celebration. The reality star swapped her sleek locks to pay homage to birthday girl Diana with curly locks, matching the vibe of her her disco-style gown perfectly. The mother of one showed off her stunning figure in her barely-there wrap dress, which flashed plenty of skin with its very daring neckline and thigh-high split. Hard to miss: With little more than a bra evident beneath her lapels, the reality star exposed her cleavage while attending the event Khloe teamed her gorgeous gown with her wild hair makeover, showing off a head of volumnious curls. She finished her look with a flawless face of makeup and added to the disco vibe with huge hoop earrings. Joining her daughters, Kris Jenner strutted into Warwick in a stunning green dress with a high neckline and a daring thigh-high split. Kris teamed the draped gown with a pair of equally dazzling pink metallic heels, while she carried a glam white furry wrap. Never one to skip the bling, she rocked a dazzling diamond cuff bracelet and statement drop earrings while the finishing touch to her look was flawless makeup. Finishing touches: Deft touches of smoky make-up drew further attention to her instantly recognisable features Family affair: Khloe, who stole the limelight on Tuesday evening, and mother Kris Jenner also caught the eye as they made their way inside She is one of the world's top supermodels. And Heidi Klum proved just why on Tuesday night as she departed Diana Ross' 75th birthday while putting on an extremely animated display. The 45-year-old German beauty sported a dazzling striped Rasario gown with a strapless top and a deeply-plunging neckline, however she made a true show of herself when she lifted her endless legs from behind a wall to help wow the crowd. Wahey! Heidi Klum proved just why on Tuesday night as she departed Diana Ross' 75th birthday while putting on an extremely animated display Heidi, who has ruled the runway for more than two decades before turning her attention to TV, looked incredible for the star-studded party. Slipping into the striped number, the stunner, who was larking around with her American's Got Talent co-star Howie Mandel, ensured her perky assets were on full display through the plunging neckline and structured top. Keeping out any night time chill, she draped a nude shawl over her shoulder with a marabou trim helping up the glamour even further. Her hair was giving a nod to the Seventies theme of the evening with an eyelash tickling fringe and sleek locks perfectly framing her face. Woo! The 45-year-old German beauty sported a dazzling striped Rasario gown with a strapless top and a deeply-plunging neckline, however she made a true display of herself when she lifted her endless leg from behind a wall to help wow the crowd Stunner: Heidi was joined for the night by her velvet suit-clad fiance Tom Kaulitz, 29, who popped the question three months ago Heidi was joined for the night by her velvet suit-clad fiance Tom Kaulitz, 29, who popped the question three months ago. Heidi has admitted that her four children Helene, 14, Henry, 14, son Johan, 12, and Lou, nine, 'can't wait for the wedding' as they love their rocker stepfather-to-be. The catwalk queen met Tom on set of Germany's Next Top Model, and Tom popped the question on December 24 with a dark-stone engagement ring. Wild: Keeping out any nighttime chill, she draped a nude shawl over her shoulder with a marabou trim helping up the glamour even further Woo! Heidi, who has ruled the runway for more than two decades before turning her attention to TV, looked incredible for the star-studded party Peekaboo! She was using her wrap as a prop for her wild behaviour at the party Heidi is 16 years older than the Tokio Hotel guitarist, and, of their wedding, she told ET last month: 'We're two Germans, it will be very organised and on time... Very, very much on time and very organised.' Heidi shares her eldest daughter with her ex partner Flavio Briatore, who she split from soon after announcing her pregnancy. While she shares her three other children with ex husband Seal, who she married in 2004 before the pair finalised their divorce in 2014. She enjoyed a raucous girls' night out with BFF Adele over the weekend before joining her fiance Cooke Maroney for a Mexican lunch on Monday. And Jennifer Lawrence was every inch the social butterfly when she headed back from a dinner date with a pal, in New York City on Tuesday. The Red Sparrow star, 28, looked flawless as she swept her golden mane into a messy bun and touched up her make-up. Looking fantastic! Jennifer Lawrence showed off her flawless complexion as she headed out for dinner in New York City on Tuesday For a feminine touch for her dinner ensemble, the Passengers actress pottered about in sky-high heels in the streets of New York City. The Hunger Games star cut an incredibly casual figure in a beige top and cut-off jeans which were rolled up at the hem. Jennifer carried a blue handbag with a swirled patterns, an emerald green tote bag and a brown paper bag following her evening out. Standing tall: For a feminine touch for her dinner ensemble, the Passengers actress pottered about in sky-high heels in the streets of New York City No doubt Jennifer was returning home to her beloved pup Pippi following her evening on the tiles. J-Law has been keeping up with her social arrangements after a very boozy weekend with her Grammy-winning artist Adele, 30. Footage from inside the venue shows them playing wild drinking games to the sound of Kylie Minogue before they rolled around on the floor laughing. In another area of her life, Jennifer confirmed her engagement at the beginning of February after she was seen with a 'massive' diamond ring. So stylish: The Hunger Games star cut an incredibly casual figure in a beige top and cut-off jeans which were rolled up at the hem The close couple had dated for eight months when Cooke dropped to one knee to ask for her hand in marriage. Their romance has been tightly under wraps as neither Jennifer or Cooke have spoken publicly about their relationship. Cooke works at New York's Gladstone Gallery, which represents artists including Lena Dunham's dad, Carroll Dunham, as well as Richard Prince, Anish Kapoor, and Bjork's ex, Matthew Barney. Some-ring to tell us! In another area of her life, Jennifer confirmed her engagement at the beginning of February after she was seen with a 'massive' diamond ring Late last year, Jennifer admitted she would eat differently if she has a movie premiere or the Oscars to 'fit into those dresses' in upcoming weeks. The actress spoke about unrealistic beauty standards to InStyle: 'I just like it when everyones honest. 'If you are 20 pounds underweight and talk about eating pizza and fried chicken all the time, thats not going to make people feel good about themselves. 'If Im going to the Oscars or having a movie premiere I wont lie Im probably eating differently from how I would in my regular life to fit into those dresses. And I feel comfortable saying that.' Her ex Justin Bieber made a shocking profession of love shortly before. Yet Selena Gomez proved it was business as usual as her new campaign with Puma was released, in which she put on a stunning display in scanty shorts and trainers. The 26-year-old Disney star looked incredible for the shoot, as she posed after Justin's comments when he wrote a lengthy response to an Instagram user who accused him of marrying Hailey Baldwin just to get back at his ex. Legs eleven: Selena Gomez proved it was business as usual as her new campaign with Puma was released, in which she put on a stunning display in scanty shorts and trainers Selena looked sensational for the smouldering shoot, in which she sported barely-there shorts with an over-sized jumper adorned with the brand name. She wore stripped back make-up with a bold brow and a minimal eye palette, while pulling her very best pout for the camera. Shortly before, Justin hit back at a dedicated hate account targeted at Hailey when the user commented under his latest sexy Instagram photo of his wife: 'You are NOT in love with Hailey! You only married her to get back at [Selena Gomez]... 'Plus Hailey sleeps with men like @shawnmendes for fame and she's racist'. After leaving his reply, Justin, 25, also screenshot the message and posted Instagram stories telling his fans to repost. Way back when: The 26-year-old Disney star looked incredible for the shoot, as she posed after Justin's comments when he wrote a lengthy response to an Instagram user who accused him of marrying Hailey Baldwin just to get back at his ex 'Stop sending hailey and I these messeges [sic] if you love me screenshot this and repost everywhere.' Bieber directly addressed the hating fan, calling them 'immature' and 'sick' as well as calling Hailey 'the best thing that's ever happened to him'. He began: '@jaileyisajoke ur immature the fact that you have an account dedicated to dissing my wife and I is absolutely absurd why would I dedicated my whole life to someone in marriage to get back and my ex... Stunner: Selena looked sensational for the smouldering shoot, in which she sported barely-there shorts with an over-sized jumper adorned with the brand name 'Anyone who believes this is mean spirited or 10 years old or younger because a logical person doesn't talk or think this way u should be ashamed of yourself really... 'I absolutely loved and love Selena she will always hold a place in my heart, but I am head over heals [sic] In love with my wife and she is the absolutely the BEST THING that has ever happened to me period.' The Canadian star continued saying that he's planning on ignoring all the hateful messages moving forward. 'The fact that you want to spend your day dedicating yourself to hate says a lot about you, and if this was some sick ploy to get my attention U to get are wrong on so many levels I've seen multiple people say things like this... Painful: Bieber directly addressed the hating fan, calling them 'immature' and 'sick' as well as calling Hailey 'the best thing that's ever happened to him' 'I will never respond again to a message like this because I don't like to even give it my energy but this is a reply to all immature sick people who send Hailey hurtful messages like "he always goes back to Selena" or "Selena is better for him" YOU HAVE NO IDEA MY LIFE AND WHAts good for me!! Bieber concluded his message writing: 'Hailey is my Bride period if you don't like that or support that that means you don't support me and if you don't support me your not a fan nor a good person, if you were raised right your parents would have said if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything,' Justin dated Selenha on and off from 2009 to 2018. They gave the relationship one last go at the end of 2017 but the duo called it quits for good in March 2018. Way back when: Justin dated Selenha on and off from 2009 to 2018. They gave the relationship one last go at the end of 2017 but the duo called it quits for good in March 2018 (pictured in 2011) A couple of months later the Sorry hitmaker reunited with Hailey, proposed in July and married the model at a New York City courthouse in September 2018. Justin's angry post came as Hailey recently opened up about how she no longer reads comments on Instagram. Speaking to Cosmopolitan, the Tommy Hilfiger beauty said: 'I've found that I got to a place where I don't read the comments. 'You still care to a certain extent. You really have to train your brain to be like, "Okay, why do I even care? I dont know these people, they dont know me, theyre not a part of my life or my relationship or whatever it is." 'People can just be mean, and I feel like if you don't want it to get to you, then dont read it and allow it to affect your soul.' They were living it up in the Maldives earlier this month, celebrating Billie Faiers' wedding to Greg Shepherd. But on Wednesday it was back to reality for Billie, 29, and her younger sister Sam, 28, as they had an early start in London for a busy day of interviews. During the first stop of the day at Heart Radio, Billie and Sam spoke out on the pre-wedding drama which saw their dad Dave refused onto the flight to the Maldives. Working hard: Billie and Sam Faiers had an early start in London for a busy day of interviews on Wednesday to promote their hit reality show The Mummy Diaries Speaking on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Lucy Horobin the sisters revealed what really happened when the family were flying out to the Maldives to the epic celebrations. 'My dad got marched off the flight. He took a sleeping tablet. He didnt even make the flight. He hates flying. He had a sleeping tablet and a few drinks,' explained Sam, adding that it was a distressing moment for the family. 'They were like, he cant travel and it couldnt have got any worse.' Drama: During the first stop of the day at Heart Radio, Billie and Sam spoke out on the pre-wedding drama which saw their dad Dave refused onto the flight to the Maldives Billie agreed, explaining: 'When we got that phone call we thought it was a wind up. We thought surely not, the father of the bride.' 'And Its not like you can jump one a quick flight to Spain. Its a scheduled flight. We were worried he was gonna miss it,' added Sam. Luckily Dave managed to board a later flight and along with 95 other members of the Faiers family and friends spent a week in the Maldives celebrating the nuptials. Hitched: The family were living it up in the Maldives earlier this month, celebrating Billie Faiers' wedding to Greg Shepherd Despite getting up at the crack of dawn, the sisters looked in great spirits as they coordinated their outfits for the first stop of the day at Heart Radio on Wednesday. The girls dressed down for the radio interview, matching in skinny jeans and tight white t-shirts to show off their incredible figures and holiday tans. Sam teamed her tee and denim combo with a smart black blazer, adding a touch of glam with her Gucci bag. Shades hid any sign of tired eyes, while she ditched the heels in favour of comfy boots. Casually chic: Sam teamed her tee and denim combo with a smart black blazer, adding a touch of glam with her Gucci bag Newlywed Billie meanwhile looked gorgeous in her casually cool outfit, topped off with a camo print jacket and box-fresh white trainers. The sisters were in town for a series of interview to promote their latest series of ITVBe show The Mummy Diaries. The current series follows the sisters and their families as they prepare for Billie's lavish nuptials in the Maldives, while a special episode will air later in the year, featuring all the gossip from the big day. Coordinated: The girls dressed down for the radio interview, matching in skinny jeans and tight white t-shirts to show off their incredible figures and holiday tans Tanned: Newlywed Billie meanwhile looked gorgeous in her casually cool outfit, topped off with a camo print jacket and box-fresh white trainers Exciting day! The sisters were in town for a series of interview to promote their latest series of ITVBe show The Mummy Diaries Billie and new husband Greg treated 90 of their friends and family to an epic weel in the luxe location. Following the nuptials the couple left their two children Nellie, four, and Arthur, two, with family to enjoy a well deserved couple of days on honeymoon. Sam meanwhile extended her trip to spend time island-hopping with her partner Paul Knightley and their two children Paul, three, and Rosie, one. Reality stars: The current series follows the sisters and their families as they prepare for Billie's lavish nuptials in the Maldives Kisses: The girls had some fun updating their fans on social media as they arrived at Heart She recently revealed her desire to crack America and move to glamorous Los Angeles - where she wants cameras to be on her the minute she lands. And, Gemma Collins, 38, took to Instagram on Monday to share a bum-baring photograph of herself clad in a bright pink swimming costume as she appeared to confirm that the stateside television project is set to go ahead. Sat facing away from the camera, the reality icon peered over her shoulder towards a glass of white wine in a throwback snap, which marked the end of her Tenerife getaway with boyfriend James Argent, 31. Peachy! Gemma Collins, 38, took to Instagram on Monday to share a bum-baring photograph of herself clad in a bright pink swimming costume Gemma's platinum locks were styled into a half-up, half-down 'do and tumbled down her back in glamorous curls. The former Celebrity Big Brother star sported a bronzed tan all over her body, and a pop of fuchsia lipstick adorned her pout. Gemma captioned the snap: 'I had a FANTASTIC holiday now back to work to make some FANTASTIC TELEVISION. I am so so excited about my next projects for this year all very exciting #LABaby.' The GC spoke candidly about her hopes to move to sunny California whilst on the Jonathan Ross Show earlier this month. Back to work: The reality icon appeared to confirm that the stateside television project is set to go ahead as she marked the end of her Tenerife getaway with boyfriend James Argent, 31 New show? In February it was reported that Gemma had begun talks with TV producers to land her own reality show, after winning an army of new fans on Dancing On Ice She revealed: 'Ive never been to LA. (Im going to LA because) the cameras want to be on me the minute I touch down in LA, to follow me having a go at it (hitting the big time in America).' In February it was reported that Gemma had begun talks with TV producers to land her own reality show, after winning an army of new fans on Dancing On Ice A sourse told The Sun that the TOWIE star has been bombarded with big money deals after being eliminated from the skating show, but is taking some time off before making a decision. It comes after Gemma's boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent also confirmed that he would be open to appearing on a reality show with her, as he makes a return to TV following a stint in rehab. Next move: The GC recently revealed her desire to crack America and move to LA - where she wants cameras to be on her the minute she lands The source said: 'Gemma has been inundated with big money offers for different shows. She's spent the last couple of weeks weighing up her options and deciding what the next step is in her career. 'Shes hoping to film in Essex, London, Marbella and even Los Angeles to visit close pal Jonathan Cheban.' MailOnline contacted representatives for Gemma Collins for comment at the time. Gemma won a whole new army of fans as she showcased her outrageous personality in Dancing On Ice. She previously took centre stage in the one-off special Gemma Collins: Diva Espana last year, but despite fans campaigns it is yet to spark a full series. Arg also recently revealed that he would be open to appearing in a show with his girlfriend, as he also hinted at a return to TOWIE this year. He told The Sun: 'I'm ready to start working again now; in 2019 I will get back into TV work again. 'I'm going to start meeting the bosses at ITV and Lime Pictures from January and then we will be making a plan whether that be me going back to TOWIE or Gemma and I doing our own show together.' Scarlett Moffatt has broken her silence on her relationship with police constable Scott Dobinson, as she told Lorraine Kelly it is 'lovely' to be dating someone 'normal.' The ex-Gogglebox star, 29, admitted her mum Betty has been 'ecstatic' to meet her new man, as she also confessed there's been 'no drama' in her blossoming romance. It comes after Scarlett has endured a string of heartache which included a split from personal trainer Lee Wilkinson in April last year. Before that she also dated hairdresser Luke Crodden. Happy: Scarlett Moffatt has broken her silence on her relationship with police constable Scott Dobinson, as she told Lorraine Kelly it is 'lovely' to be dating someone 'normal' Speaking about her relationship with Scott for the first time, Scarlett told Lorraine: 'It's so embarrassing, he is very lovely, my mam is so happy I keep saying he's so normal. 'My mam is ecstatic I'm with a normal person, he's just a nice person there's no drama as well. 'Sometimes you have BF's and you go out, and come back and have loads of stories, we just go out have a nice time and go watch the telly.' Loved-up: It was first reported last week that Scarlett had found love with police constable Scott, after the pair met in her hometown of Durham Hunky: A source told the Sun at the time: 'Scott seems like a really stand-up guy. He could be good for her' Star: Scarlett was a guest on Wednesday's Lorraine, where also launched the campaign for BAFTA's Must See TV Moment Of The Year Last week it was reported that Scarlett had found love with policeman Scott, after the pair met in her hometown of Durham. A source told The Sun at the time: 'Scott seems like a really stand-up guy. He could be good for her. The pair met through a mutual friend and hit it off straight away.' The I'm A Celebrity 2016 winner had dated personal trainer Lee until April 2018, when the star branded him a 'cheating pathological liar' in a scathing social media post. Her romance with Lee followed a long-term relationship with hairdresser Luke Crodden, who left her heartbroken when he broke up with her on her birthday. Old flame: Ex-Gogglebox star Scarlett split from personal trainer Lee Wilkinson in April after a whirlwind romance Heartbreak: Her romance with Lee followed her long-term relationship with hairdresser Luke Crodden, who left her heartbroken when he broke up with her on her birthday During her Lorraine appearance, Scarlett also spoke candidly about how she deals with trolling on social media, having previously been attacked for various subjects including her weight. She said: 'It's actually took a couple of years to learn how to cope with it, I'm really lucky I've got a good support network. 'But one of the things that helps me on a Sunday me and my family watch the telly, like when it was Peter Kay's Car Share finale, and we don't go on our phones that Sunday, it's a time to shut out everything else. 'The first thing I do in the morning is get up, make a cup of tea and put the telly on, rather than look at my phone.' Defiant: During her Lorraine appearance, Scarlett also spoke candidly about how she deals with trolling on social media Slimmed down: Scarlett has also spoke openly about the recent struggles she has had with her weight, saying she's happier than ever with her size Smiling: She said: 'I just think no one can really admit that they're 100% happy with themselves but I think you've just got to be happy in yourself. I am really happy' Scarlett has also spoke openly about the recent struggles she has had with her weight, saying she's happier than ever with her size. 'I just think no one can really admit that they're 100% happy with themselves but I think you've just got to be happy in yourself. I am really happy,' she said. And having found fame as a breakout star on Gogglebox with mum Betty and dad Mark, Scarlett also said she would never rule out returning to the show. 'I would love it, I still technically Gogglebox, it's just there's no watching us, I love doing things with my family anyway, so I would love to do things with [them].' Chic: As she arrived for the TV appearance, Scarlett showcased her curves in skinny ripped jeans and a pale blue blazer New look: The star also showcased her newly-dyed ombre tresses, which now boast a grey fade style Casual: Scarlett donned all-blue as she sported a slogan t-shirt with blue matching suede heels, carrying her essentials in a leopard print chain-strap bag And as speculation for the lineup for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing heats up, Scarlett seemed to put herself forward - partnered with pro Anton Du Beke - after years of dancing as a child. She told Lorraine: 'I would love it, but because I can already dance would people hate me for it? I haven't danced for eight years... sign me up! 'I might just pretend I'm really bad and then by the third episode,' before striking a dramatic dance pose. Happy: During her Lorraine appearance, Scarlett also admitted she would love to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing later this year Beaming: Scarlett seemed to great in spirits as she spoke openly about her new relationship for the first time Stylish: Her tanned complexion was also on full display as the casual ensemble Relaxed: Following her TV appearance, Scarlett continued to be in good spirits as she exited the TV studio, wrapping up in a cosy black sheepskin jacket Busy: Her outing marked the first time Scarlett had spoken about her relationship with Scott Sandra Bullock was offered the lead role in The Matrix two decades ago. Producers of the sci-trilogy proved to be having such a difficult time casting for the role, that they approached the Oscar-winning actress, 54, and offered to rewrite the part as female if she agreed to sign on. 'We were getting desperate. We went to Sandy Bullock and said "We'll change Neo to a girl"', producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told The Wrap of the role, which the star refused and ultimately went to Keanu Reeves. 'We were getting desperate': Sandra Bullock, 54, was offered the lead role in The Matrix two decades ago, which she ended up turning down Explaining their choice to approach the acclaimed actress at the time, Lorenzo continued: '[Producer] Joel Silver and I worked with Sandy (Sandra) on Demolition Man and she was - and continues to be - a very good friend of mine. It was pretty simple. 'We sent her the script to see if she was interested in it. And if she was interested in it we would try to make the change. It just wasn't something for her at the time. So really it didn't go anywhere,' he continued. As well as the Ocean's 8 star, the likes of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Will Smith were also considered for the action-packed role which finally went to Keanu. Speaking previously of the being offered the role, Sandra thanks the producers for being supportive of her career and admitted that she felt the role ended up going to the right person. 'We'll change Neo to a girl': Before Keanu Reeves (pictured) took on the role, producers had a difficult time casting for the role, and offered to rewrite the part as female for Sandra 'Very good friend of mine': Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura explained his choice to approach the acclaimed actress at the time In 2009, she also revealed that she had been considered for the role of Trinity in The Matrix. However, she admitted no regret in turning down the role which went to Carrie-Anne Moss, previously stating: 'It was sexy and great because of Carrie-Anne and Keanu.' Earlier this year, Fresh Prince Of Bel Air star Will revealed his regret at turning down the successful role in favour of commercial disappointment, Wild Wild West. To put things in perspective, The Matrix (1999) grossed over $463 million worldwide on a $63 million budget. Line-up: As well as the Ocean's 8 star, the likes of Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were also considered for the action-packed role which finally went to Keanu Oops! Earlier this year, Fresh Prince Of Bel Air star Will Smith revealed his regret at turning down the successful role in favour of commercial disappointment, Wild Wild West The sequel, The Matrix Reloaded (2003), raked-in $742 million; and the final film of the franchise, The Matrix Revolutions (2003), brought in $427 million. Meanwhile, Keanu has continued his success in action-packed roles and will soon be seen in the highly-anticipated John Wick 3: Parabellum, alongside Halle Berry, hitting theatres May 17. Despite turning down the role in The Matrix, Sandra has continued to remain one of Hollywood's most popular and talented leading ladies. She was recently seen in Netflix's smash-hit post-apocalyptic horror, Birdbox. Impressive: To put things in perspective, The Matrix (1999) grossed over $463 million worldwide on a $63 million budget Tim Burton's live action/CGI remake of the 1941 Disney classic Dumbo has largely failed to wow the critics ahead of its general release on Friday. The PG-certified movie tells the story of a young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly. He helps to save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer. More junk than trunk: The Dumbo remake failed to tug at the critics heartstrings as they claimed Tim Burton's remake 'de-tusks' the spirit of the original The first: Disney first brought out the original in 1941 and critics felt that this couldn't be beaten The Daily Mail's Brian Viner gave the film two stars, saying it is undermined by the worthiness of its animal rights message. He wrote: 'Todays computer-generated imagery cannot make an elephant fly quite as convincingly as a team of clever animators could almost 80 years ago. 'For that reason, and several others, this latest non-musical Disney version hard though it tries never recaptures the abundant charm and magic of the original. A few good songs might have helped. 'On paper it makes sense for Burton, who once gave us a man with scissors for hands, to work with an elephant with ears for wings. The 60-year-old director of the 1990 fantasy film Edward Scissorhands is something of an oddball himself and likes to tell stories about social and physical misfits. But on screen, Burtons antipathy towards zoos and circuses looms all too large. 'Of course, animal cruelty should be abhorrent to everyone, yet his film is undermined by the worthiness of its animal rights message. Circuses dont have to be magnets for leering voyeurs. They can be places of innocent joy, too. 'As for the narrative, Burton and screenwriter Ehren Kruger have given it a sharp twist. In 1919, First World War veteran Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) returns with only one arm. Previously, hed been an acclaimed horseman with the Medici Brothers circus. Now, sneaky Max Medici (Danny DeVito) wants to downgrade him to elephant carer. Yet Holts childrens loss is even greater: while daddy was away at war, mommy died in a flu epidemic. DUMBO: WHAT ARE THE CRITICS SAYING? The Daily Mail - Brian Viner 'Todays computer-generated imagery cannot make an elephant fly quite as convincingly as a team of clever animators could almost 80 years ago' The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw 'The spirit of the original film had been 'painfully de-tusked' by Burtons new version. 'Tim Burtons new Dumbo lands in the multiplex big top with a dull thud' The Daily Telegraph - Robbie Collins 'The problem with this latest entry in Disneys ever-expanding range of recycled classics isnt that it hews too close to the studios original animated masterpiece' David Rooney - The Hollywood Reporter 'The actors all do what they can, but mostly get lost in the shuffle and end up with too little to do' Ben Travis - Empire 'An enchanting blend of Disney twinkle and Tim Burtons dark whimsy thats at its best when venturing off the beaten path' Owen Gleiberman - Variety 'Burton references it by staging a fanfare with giant glistening soap bubbles that turn into elephants a pleasing effect, but the sequence doesnt build or lead anywhere. Its just eye-candy filler' Advertisement This gives us a double whammy of motherlessness, because the circuss prize elephant Mrs Jumbo is carted off in chains for causing a hoo-ha in the Big Top. The Guardians Peter Bradshaw said that the spirit of the original film had been 'painfully de-tusked' by Burtons new version. He adds: 'Tim Burtons new Dumbo lands in the multiplex big top with a dull thud. Something to say: Many felt like the movie was overcomplicated with animal rights 'It is a flightless pachyderm of a film that saddles itself with 21st-century shame at the idea of circus animals, overcomplicating the first movie, losing the directness, abandoning the lethal pathos, mislaying the songs and finally getting marooned in some sort of steampunk Jurassic Park, jam-packed with retro-futurist boredom that had the kids at the performance I attended talking among themselves. The Daily Telegraphs Robbie Collins also wasnt a fan of Dumbo and wrote: 'The problem with this latest entry in Disneys ever-expanding range of recycled classics isnt that it hews too close to the studios original animated masterpiece, but that its many departures only muddle the originals nursery-rhyme simplicity and neuter its famous sustained emotional wallop.' David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter was also disappointed. The live-action remake stars Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Nico Parker and Finley Hobbin, is set for release on March 29 He wrote: The actors all do what they can, but mostly get lost in the shuffle and end up with too little to do, like Alan Arkins cynical New York banker 'But when that visual leaves a more captivating impression than a baby elephant spreading its ears and getting airborne like a glider, something is definitely off in the balance. 'The new Dumbo holds the attention but too seldom tugs at the heartstrings.' New characters: First World War veteran Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) returns with only one arm Not everyone was put off by this mammoth movie. Ben Travis from Empire, gave it a four star review, writing: 'An enchanting blend of Disney twinkle and Tim Burtons dark whimsy thats at its best when venturing off the beaten path. 'Come for the super-cute elephant, stay for Keaton and DeVitos glorious reunion.' Owen Gleiberman wrote for Variety: 'Burton uses the wistful lullaby Baby Mine from the original movie (theres an Arcade Fire cover version over the closing credits), and he pays homage to the most off-the-hook sequence in Dumbo: the Pink Elephants On Parade surrealist musical number, a kind of trip-movie-in-miniature that you can see echoed in everything from Yellow Submarine to some of the more out-there Looney Tunes toons. 'Burton references it by staging a fanfare with giant glistening soap bubbles that turn into elephants a pleasing effect, but the sequence doesnt build or lead anywhere. Its just eye-candy filler. 'And while Dumbo remains a touching character, I wanted the reunion the movie is working toward to be wrenching. (Its more like, you know.) Dumbo is no folly; it doesnt leave you feeling cheated. But its not exhilarating either. It occupies a carefully tailored, under-imagined middle ground where even an elephant who flies can come to seem, by the end, a figure of flamboyant caution.' Love Island's Georgia Harrison ensured her ample assets were on full display on Tuesday night, as she attended Jordyn Woods' Eylure London launch bash. The reality TV beauty, 24, put on a leggy display in a revealing white crop top and leather shorts, as she attended the event at the Dorsett City Hotel. Pulling her glossy blonde tresses into loose braids, Georgia ensured her jaw-dropping abs were on full display, as she exited the bash with ex-TOWIE star Nicole Bass. Sexy: Love Island's Georgia Harrison ensured her ample assets were on full display on Tuesday night, as she attended Jordyn Woods' Eylure London launch bash As she sashayed her way into the bash, Georgia flashed her taut abs in the plunging white crop top with ruched detailing. Flashing even more flesh in the look, the Essex beauty also sported black paper bag leather shorts, and platform sock boots. Georgia also added a girly twist to her look by tying her blonde tresses into loose braids, finishing her look with a matching blazer as she made her way out of the event. Flawless: The reality TV beauty, 24, put on a leggy display in a revealing white crop top and leather shorts, as she attended the event at the Dorsett City Hotel Sizzling: As she sashayed her way into the bash, Georgia flashed her taut abs in the plunging white crop top with ruched detailing, which she teamed with leather paper bag shorts A bit chilly? Georgia accessorising her look with towering leather sock boots and a simple chain-strap clutch bag, as she carried a matching black blazer in her arms Pals: She was seen leaving the bash with Ex On The Beach star Nicole Bass, who looked similarly glamorous in a blue checked skirt Georgia was one of a selection of stars who came out to celebrate the release of Jordyn's collaboration with Eylure. The star recently sparked outrage among fans after she took to Instagram to post a sexy bikini-clad snap, with an impassioned message about mental health. The post came following the death of Love Island co-star Mike Thalassitis earlier this month, the caption read: 'Everyone sees the darkness in the world sometimes, even when they seem to be the brightest spark in the room... 'Take a deep breathe count to 10 and ask yourself am I happy? If the answer is no, speak to a friend, professional, colleague, even a stranger. For underage sufferers The Mix is always there if you need anyone to speak today was bitter sweet.' A vision: Georgia rose to public attention as a star on Love Island 2017, after she stormed into the villa and coupled up with Kem Cetinay, shocking his love interest Amber Davies Time to go: Following the launch event, Georgia was seen exiting the London hotel and jumping into a waiting car Quirky: Georgia also added a quirky twist to her look as she pulled her blonde tresses into loose plaits Chic: Georgia's outing came after she was recently slammed by social media trolls for posting a bikini-clad social media snap to promote a message about mental health Despite her sweet message, some cruel trolls hit out at the choice to post the shot, with users penning: 'Theres a special place in hell for people who use a mental health and suicide prevention speech to caption a bikini photo on social media the day after a personal friend is found hanged in a park... 'Was the bikini pic necessary for this speech??? everyone else is posting genuine messages about recent events yet you use this as a reason to post a picture of yourself in a bikini??!! 'This photo has nothing to do with the message you are trying to send. Shallow. And unfollow!' MailOnline contacted representatives for Georgia for comment. Relaxed: Georgia made a sensational arrival as she headed into the launch bash Dramatic: The star accentuated her flawless complexion with lined brows, a bronzed smoky eye and a slick of pink gloss Her sister Billie flew 96 friends over to the Maldives for a week of partying to celebrate her wedding to Greg Shepherd. But Sam Faiers has insisted when she weds, it will be a very different affair. Speaking on Heart Breakfast with her sister two weeks after the Maldives nuptials, Sam insisted she is keen on a more intimate day with her beau Paul Knightley. Plans: Billie Faiers (right) flew to the Maldives to celebrate her wedding to Greg Shepherd (centre). But sister Sam (left) has insisted when she weds, it will be the 'total opposite' Sam, who shares children Paul, three, and Rosie, one, with her boyfriend Paul, has already got a plan in place for her big day despite not being engaged. When asked about her plans on Heart, Sam declared it will be the 'total opposite [to Billies]. Put it this way, I wont be having a 100 people and going all the way to the Maldives, but it was amazing,' she explained. 'Billie and Greg are entertainers, they are always doing something so we always knew their wedding would be humungous and epic,' she added of her sister's lavish wedding. Wedding bells? Speaking on Heart Breakfast with her sister two weeks after the Maldives nuptials, Sam insisted she is keen on a more intimate day with her beau Paul Knightley Family: Sam, who shares children Paul, three, and Rosie, one, with her boyfriend Paul, has already got a plan in place to marry in Italy for her big day despite not being engaged 'I think I do want to get married abroad but I think I will do a really epic hen, like Vegas, but then I want my wedding to be quite small,' said Sam, before revealing that her preferred destination is her and Paul's favourite holiday spot. 'I like Italy. When Paul and I met, every year, weve always gone to Italy. So I feel like I would probably so it there and maybe half the size.' Later during an interview on ITV's This Morning, Sam admitted 'Paul and I always talk about [getting married], I'm not engaged yet. Determined: While she doesn't have a ring on her finger, Sam did manage to catch the bouquet at Billie's wedding, laughing: 'I had to just charge at my friend' While she doesn't have a ring on her finger, Sam did manage to catch the bouquet at Billie's wedding, laughing: 'on the night everyone was going for it, so I had to just charge at my friend.' Earlier in the Heart Breakfast interview, Sam admitted she was worried their dad Dave would miss Billie's Maldives wedding after being refused boarding on the flight out from London. 'My dad got marched off the flight. He took a sleeping tablet. He didnt even make the flight. He hates flying. He had a sleeping tablet and a few drinks,' explained Sam, adding that it was a distressing moment for the family. Lavish: Billie and Greg flew 96 members of the family and friends out to the Maldives for an epic week of partying when they got hitched earlier this month 'They were like, he cant travel and it couldnt have got any worse.' Billie agreed, explaining: 'When we got that phone call we thought it was a wind up. We thought surely not, the father of the bride.' 'And Its not like you can jump one a quick flight to Spain. Its a scheduled flight. We were worried he was gonna miss it,' added Sam. Luckily Dave managed to board a later flight and along with 95 other members of the Faiers family and friends spent a week in the Maldives celebrating the nuptials which will be shown on a special episode of the family reality show The Mummy Diaries later this year. He lost out on love on Sophie Monk's season of The Bachelorette. Now James Trethewie is ready for a second shot of love on Bachelor In Paradise and admitted he already has his eyes on one of his co-stars. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph on Thursday, the 33-year-old said he thought Shannon Baff, from Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' season was 'cute.' Scroll down for video 'I thought she was pretty cute!' Sophie Monk reject James Trethewie admitted he has his sights set on Bachelor in Paradise co-star Shannon Baff during an interview wit the Daily Telegraph 'I thought Shannon was pretty cute. She was the main person I was hoping would be in there,' James told the publication. But despite James having a soft spot for the car care consultant, he said he wasn't interested in any of the other 'mean girls,' Cat Henesey-Smith and Alisha Aitken-Radburn. 'I'd obviously watched Nick's season and had seen the stuff with the mean girls,' he said. New couple alert? Speaking to the Daily Telegraph on Thursday, 33-year-old James said he thought Shannon Baff, (pictured) from Nick Cummins' season was attractive 'I was worried that they would be in there for drama. I just wanted a peaceful time.' Promos have been airing for the second season of the reality dating show, which was filmed in Fiji's Mango Bay Resort, however, an official release date has not yet been announced. Mango Bay Resort has been promoted as a luxurious resort with beachfront views, pools and private cabanas, where past Bachelor contestants are sent to frolic around and potentially find love. 'It's a dump': Keira Maguire (pictured) slammed the four-star Fijian resort where Bachelor In Paradise is filmed But former Bachelor In Paradise star, Keira Maguire, revealed last week that the four-star Mango Bay Resort in Fiji where the dating show is filmed, is anything but. 'It's 40 degrees, they've probably all got Fiji belly, I'm not joking,' the reality starlet said, before describing the place as a 'dump,' she said. The 32-year-old made the startling confession during The Buzz podcast, which also features Big Brother star Mikkayla Mossop and Joey Carroll. What do you think? The show is filmed at the four-star Mango Bay Resort in Fiji (pictured) 'The place looks good on TV but it's a dump,' Keira said on the podcast. Keira and Mikkayla were talking about how good-looking the entire cast is on the show, with Mikkayla saying: 'There is no photoshopping on TV'. Keira, who appeared on the show last year, then replied saying that the cast were still able to look good despite their less-than-stellar surroundings. 'Yeah, if they're looking good in that situation, then they must be good looking,' Keira said. He's playing the villain in the hugely anticipated Spider-Man spin off movie Morbius. And Matt Smith was finally spotted on the Manchester-based set on Tuesday night as he shot scenes with his co-star Jared Leto. The British actor is playing Loxias Crown in the Marvel movie which has taken over the Northern Quarter of Manchester, transforming the UK city into Manhattan. Action: Matt Smith was finally spotted on the Manchester-based set of Morbius on Tuesday night as he shot scenes with his co-star Jared Leto Matt was dressed in a smart suit and tie for his scenes, with a padded winter coat over the top. He was seen squaring up to Jared, who plays the protagonist role of scientist Dr. Michael Morbius. The talented pair faced off on the street during the night shoot, with yellow cabs adding to the Big Apple vibe. Face off: The British actor is playing Loxias Crown in the Marvel movie opposite Jared, who stars as title character Dr. Michael Morbius Tense: Matt was dressed in a smart suit and tie for his scenes, with a padded winter coat On set: Tuesday marked the first day the Doctor Who actor has been seen on set, with Jared spotted shooting scenes in Manchester over the past week Street signs depicting 'public parking for $20' and a neon club sign also helped with the transformation. It was a busy night of shooting as extras were drafted in to help with a crowd scene. Later a stunt double for Jared dressed in an orange jumpsuit was seen hanging from a wire against a blue screen as an action shot was set up. NYC: The talented pair faced off on the street during the night shoot, with yellow cabs adding to the Big Apple vibe NYC: The talented pair faced off on the street during the night shoot, with yellow cabs adding to the Big Apple vibe Big Apple vibes: Street signs depicting 'public parking for $20' and a neon club sign also helped with the transformation of Manchester's Northern Quarter into Manhattan Protection: A crew member was pictured shielding Matt with a huge umbrella As daylight broke on Wednesday filming continued with the production closing down one busy street to film with a parade of yellow cabs and super cars. Morbius tells the story of biologist Dr. Michael Morbius as he inadvertently turns himself into a vampire while attempting to cure his rare blood disease. The scientist, played by Jared, gains superhuman strength and vampire fangs before he winds up facing off with Spider-Man in an epic fight in the comic. Street fight: Yellow cabs were also parked on the street to continue the New York theme Taking a break: Matt chatted to crew members and warmed up with coffee in between takes Time for a break: Jared was seen chatting away to someone on his phone after they stopped filming scenes Busy schedule: The actor seemed to be deep into his conversation as he walked around set Venom producer Avi Arad confirmed filming for Morbius would begin as early as February this year but this is the first time both actors have been seen on set. Sony Pictures announced plans to make a film adaptation of Morbius to add to Sony's Marvel Universe in November two years ago. Jared was revealed as the leading part in June last year and Daniel Espinosa is directing the superhero movie. Lights, camera, action: It was a busy night of shooting as a stunt double for Jared dressed in an orange jumpsuit was seen hanging from a wire against a blue screen for another shot Stunt double: The Jared lookalike spent some time hanging from the hire wire above the street Leaping into action: The stunt double went into action mode as the cameras rolled Morbius is sometimes the nemesis, sometimes the ally of Peter Parker and the uncertain character first appeared in Spider-Man comics in the '70s. Matt meanwhile has revealed that he accepted his part in the film thanks to his Doctor Who co-star Karen Gillan, who has starred in a number of superhero movies. 'Karen's amazing,' Matt told the LA Times. 'She's going to end up ruling the world. Scary: The pro didn't have any qualms about hanging from the wire in the middle of the night Huge production: The shot required a blue screen for what will no doubt be a film stuffed with jaw-dropping special effects Spot the difference: The Jared double sported the same long locks and beard as the US actor 'I can't tell you her exact advice to me I'd have to kill you. But she told me that she really likes it, making those movies. That was enough for me. And that's been my experience so far,' he added. 'I really like the director, Daniel Espinosa, on [Morbius]. I've kind of waited [comic book movies] out a bit. I nearly did one last year and then I didn't. This one felt right because of him.' Morbius is scheduled to be released in July 2020. In a jam: As daylight broke on Wednesday filming continued with the production closing down one busy street to film with a parade of yellow cabs and super cars Hes better known for his extensive list of Hollywood film credits, but Will Smith trades the big screen for the open road in the fifth episode of his new Facebook Watch series, Bucket List. The American actor travels to Abu Dhabi with son Trey, a self-confessed car fanatic, for a meeting with Lewis Hamilton and the unique opportunity to chalk Formula 1 racing off his list of things to do before he dies. Taking to the Arab states winding Yas Marina circuit, Smith, 50, is given some invaluable tuition from F1 champion Hamilton ahead of a winner takes all race against his 26-year old son. Change of direction: Hes better known for his extensive list of Hollywood film credits, but Will Smith trades the big screen for the open road in the fifth episode of his new Facebook Watch series, Bucket List 'You've got to let go of all your fears and trust in your ability, and knowing that you're going to make the turn, some way, somehow,' the driver advises him. However his words of wisdom fail to calm the actor, who looks increasingly nervous as Hamilton guides him through what he will need to do while racing his son by taking him for a dual lap around the enormous track. 'We're not going quick to start,' Hamilton assures him, but the actor admits he's still unsure about the driver taking his eyes off track while driving Smith at speeds of up to 137 miles-per-hour. In good company: The actor travels to Abu Dhabi with son Trey for a meeting with Lewis Hamilton and the opportunity to chalk Formula 1 racing off his list of things to do Helping hand: Smith is given some invaluable tuition from F1 champion Hamilton ahead of a winner takes all race against his 26-year old son Here we go: The pair later take to the Arab states winding Yas Marina circuit for some hands on practice 'Both hands on the wheel!' screams Smith as the driver navigates winding turns while rapidly increasing the powerful car's speed before finally coming to a skidding, rubber-burning halt. While the actor get a reality check, Trey practices on the circuits go-carting section, completely unaware that his own phenomenal trainer volatile Palestinian Mo is actually stand-up comedian Mohammed Amer, employed by Smith to prank his son. The run-through builds to a father versus son race as Smith adds perilous Formula 1 driving to his growing list of completed goals on the show. Guidance: 'You've got to let go of all your fears and trust in your ability, and knowing that you're going to make the turn, some way, somehow,' the driver advises him Fears: But his words of wisdom fail to calm the actor, who looks increasingly nervous as Hamilton guides him through what he will need to do while racing his son Caution: 'We're not going quick to start,' Hamilton assures him, but the actor admits he's still unsure about the driver taking his eyes off track Cruise control: The driver eventually pushes the car to speeds of up to 137 miles-per-hour Throughout the series Smith steps out out of his comfort zone in order to complete his bucket list tasks, among them skydiving in Dubai, performing stand-up comedy with Dave Chappelle and swimming with dangerous sharks. He also gets to flex his considerable acting muscles, albeit in a Bollywood movie - a role that also requires him to sing and dance. Will Smith's Bucket List premieres on Wednesday 27th March at 5pm (GMT) exclusively on Facebook Watch. Panic: 'Both hands on the wheel!' screams Smith as the driver navigates winding turns while rapidly increasing the powerful car's speed All over: The pair eventually come to a skidding, rubber-burning halt Lindsay Lohan was remembered for rather more than her back-catalogue of coming of age movies as she stepped out in New York City on Tuesday evening. The former child star caught the eye in a pair of highly distinctive leopard print boots with a chunky platform heel during her latest appearance in the Big Apple. The enormous boots injected vibrancy into an already notable ensemble as Lindsay, 32, ventured out to meet her mother Dina. Hard to miss: Lindsay Lohan caught the eye in a pair of highly distinctive leopard print boots with a chunky platform heel during her latest appearance in New York City on Tuesday The actress opted for a green silk dress beneath a sweeping duster coat that caught the eye as she exited her hotel. Blue sheer tights added to the look, while a flowing patterned scarf and ice blue handbag served as stylish accessories. Evidently in high spirits, Lindsay beamed at onlookers while making her way onto the street ahead of a night out in the city. Striking: The enormous boots injected vibrancy into an already notable ensemble as Lindsay, 32, ventured out to meet her mother Dina Earlier that day Lindsay was the picture of confidence during a comparatively low-key outing in Manhattan. The Mean Girls actress was trendy with her PVC jacket which she wore with a black sweater and straight-legged trousers as well as pink heels and lipstick. Bringing a dash of colour to her look, Lindsay sauntered through the busy streets in steep pink stilettos with studs embellishing the straps. She's back: Earlier that day Lindsay was the picture of confidence during a comparatively low-key outing in Manhattan The actress ensured she stood out from the crowd as she added a fuchsia lipstick which complemented her light pink heels. Lindsay ferried her essentials about Manhattan in two handbags while she juggled her Starbucks coffee in her right hand. As one of the most beautiful redheads in Hollywood, she wore her flowing flame-haired mane loose around her face. Drama Queen: The Mean Girls actress ferried her essentials about Manhattan in two handbags while she juggled her Starbucks coffee in the other hand Recently, the actress admitted it was a 'challenge' for her to return to the spotlight with her reality TV series Lindsay Lohans Beach Club. The redhead voiced her fears that people would still find a way to 'hate' her, despite her trying her very best to manage a Mykonos club in the show. 'This summer, I've accomplished so many things. It was a really nice experience having people from America come to Greece and show them a different life. I'm usually behind the scenes there,' she said during the finale of the show. 'It was really different for me. It was definitely a challenge for me even. Just My Luck: Bringing a dash of colour to her look, Lindsay sauntered through the busy streets in steep pink stilettos with studs embellishing the straps Hard work pays off! Recently, the actress admitted it was a 'challenge' for her to return to the spotlight with her reality TV series Lindsay Lohans Beach Club 'It's nice to kind of let loose and shock people and do something fun. I'm sure that people will still find a reason to hate me somehow.' In other news, Lindsay's Mean Girls co-star Daniel Franzese, who plays the flamboyant gay best friend, hinted there could be a sequel of the favourite movie. Mean Girls follows the story of Cady Heron, a shy and previously home-schooled teenage girl, who awkwardly battles for the approval of The Plastics, the most famous clique at her new high school. Daniel teasingly revealed to MailOnline: 'All of us would like to make another movie! We just have to wait and see what happens.' Janice Dickinson's suit against Ryan Seacrest's production company has been dismissed by an LA judge, according to TMZ. The 64-year-old supermodel originally filed suit over an appearance on Shahs Of Sunset, where Dickinson said she was misportrayed as 'an arrogant, unprofessional and purportedly past-her-prime celebrity.' According to the courts, however, nothing on the show was misleading enough to merit a suit. No case: Janice Dickinson's suit against Ryan Seacrest Productions has been dismissed by an LA judge. The star is seen in July 2018 above Janice accused the American Idol host's company of fabricating a plot line 'to include a false controversy' on the Bravo show. According to the suit, Shahs made it 'appear that Dickinson had intentionally "stolen" the outfit' star Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi was 'supposed to wear' at a fashion show both modeled for. Dickinson maintains that was not the case and went on to dispute the way GG subsequently 'intentionally, maliciously and falsely disparage[d] Plaintiff on camera.' Reality star Gharachedaghi called the model 'old' and wondered if she 'died out with the Flinstones' in a confessional video accompanying the clip. According to the suit, Shahs made it 'appear that Dickinson had intentionally "stolen" the outfit' star Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi (above November 2018) was 'supposed to wear' at a fashion show they both modeled for The scene also unflatteringly depicts Dickinson yelling and cursing at stylists and assistants behind-the-scenes of the show. Janice originally claimed that she only learned about the quarrel after the episode aired and that she never gave the show approval or signed a release, according to an earlier story from TMZ. The company disputed her claims, saying they have a signed release from the star. News to me: Janice (above in October 2018) originally claimed that she only learned about the quarrel after the episode aired and that she never gave the show approval or signed a release Janice contends that the document was forged and that if she really gave them permission she would have asked for a fee for her appearance. Though the case was originally dismissed in October but since it was done 'without prejudice', the model was allowed to file an amended complaint. It is unclear if Dickinson will file again. Victoria Beckham joined forces with Johnny Depp at the official opening ceremony for the National Museum of Qatar, in the capital Doha on Wednesday. It's no wonder stars descended on the museum, with an estimated cost of $434 million, as it finally opened after three years of delays. Well established as a fashion designer, Posh Spice, 44, showed off her style credentials as she dressed in a spotty cream co-ords which made the most of her figure. What a fabulous woman! Victoria Beckham looked sensational in spotty cream co-ords as she joined dapper Johnny Depp at National Museum of Qatar opening on Wednesday The former Spice Girls bandmate kept her shimmering golden clutch close to her body which she complemented with a dangling pendant. Wisps of brunette locks framed Victoria's face which fell away from her low ponytail and she applied deep tones of make-up to her face. Johnny was sharp in a light blue shirt as well as a navy suit, tails and a tie as he didn't let the A-list down on the style stakes. Amazing: Johnny was sharp in a light blue shirt as well as a navy suit, tails and a tie as he didn't let the A-list down on the style stakes Sensational in spots: The former Spice Girls bandmate kept her shimmering golden clutch close to her body which she complemented with a dangling pendant A natural: Wisps of brunette locks framed Victoria's face which fell away from her low ponytail and she applied deep tones of make-up to her face The actor, who has consistently denied Amber's allegations that he physically abused him, is now suing her for defamation to the tune of $50 million. But the Fantastic Beasts star put it well and truly out of his mind as he beamed for cameras at the star-studded ceremony for the museum opening. Johnny peered out of green tinted sunglasses with transparent frames while he checked out the multi-million dollar national museum. Pretty in polka dots: Well established as a fashion designer, Posh Spice showed off her style credentials as she dressed in a spotty cream co-ords which made the most of her figure Model prowess: Victoria looked stunning as she attended the event Beautiful: Victoria wore light touches of make-up to accentuate her pretty features On the move: Johnny peered out of green tinted sunglasses with transparent frames while he checked out the multi-million dollar national museum Revealed: The actor, who has consistently denied Amber's allegations that he physically abused him, is now suing her for defamation to the tune of $50 million Grateful: Victoria took to her Instagram tribute to express her delight at being invited to attend the glamorous unveiling It cost an estimated cost of $434 million to build the Qatar's museum. The multi-million building was initially scheduled to open in 2016. The 52,000-square metre National Museum of Qatar can be found on Doha's waterfront corniche. It documents the success story of Qatar's Bedouin and how the country progressed in wealth and ambition in comparison to its past colonial times. Spotted: Welsh actor Luke Evans looked smart in a black two-piece suit as he joined in the celebrations with Victoria and Johnny Showing their support: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were also on hand to attend the opening ceremony Dapper: Football coach Jose Mourinho looked sharp in a blue shirt and black suit She's known for her outrageous antics on the no-holds barred show. But Holly Willoughby is sure to leave viewers stunned on Thursday night, as she repeatedly slapped Will Mellor in a preview for Celebrity Juice. The This Morning presenter hits the Hollyoaks star as they perform in a soap opera sketch, and as host Keith Lemon 'rewinds' the scene, she has to repeat the gesture up to 13 times. Shocking: Holly Willoughby is sure to leave viewers stunned on Thursday night, as she repeatedly slapped Will Mellor in a preview for this week's Celebrity Juice In the scene, Holly seems to be playing the role of a feisty blonde ambushing her man in a steamy clinch, as she dons a leopard print fur coat and screams 'what is going on here?' After slapping Will once, Keith - sporting a comically oversized remote - rewinds the scene, and after shouting play, Holly is forced to repeat the gesture. Sadly Will's ordeal didn't end there, as Keith rewound and played the scene over and over again, meaning he was hit a total of 13 times. Ouch! The This Morning presenter hits the Hollyoaks star as they perform in a soap opera sketch, in a bid to win points for their team Raging: In the scene, Holly seems to be playing the role of a feisty blonde ambushing her man in a steamy clinch Over and over: As host Keith Lemon keeps 'rewinding' the scene, Holly hits Will a total of 13 times The last hit seemed to be the hardest as Will jerked back in the shock, while Holly tried to shake the impact out of her hand as she grimaced at the shock of her own strength. Holly was left utterly speechless by her own slap, with host Keith also stunned by the display. It remains to be seen how Will will react to the series of slaps, and more importantly whether the team will win any points. Unbelievable: The last hit seemed to be the hardest as Will jerked back in the shock, while Holly tried to shake the impact out of her hand Stunned: Holly was left utterly speechless by her own slap, recoiling in horror as she felt the impact of the final hit This isn't the first raucous scene viewers will enjoy in the episode, as Holly also joins forces with the new captain Paddy McGuinness to trash the set of Piers Morgan's Life Stories. After Keith tells Paddy he needs to undergo an initiation, the pair dash onto the neighbouring set where Piers has been filming his series, and proceed to wreak havoc. Holly draws a lewd image on one of the chairs in silly string, before spraying it across the floor. Initiation: This isn't the first raucous scene viewers will enjoy in the episode, as Holly also joins forces with the new captain Paddy McGuinness to trash the set of Piers Morgan's Life Stories Causing carnage: After Keith tells Paddy he needs to undergo an initiation, the pair dash onto the neighbouring set where Piers has been filming his series Paddy picks up a chair and smashes it on the floor, before grabbing a cushion and rubbing it on his body. The pair then try to slash and pull a cushion apart, before the preview ends on a dramatic cliffhanger with Keith screaming: 'Someone's coming!' Piers actually reacted to the preview as he hosted Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, where he jokingly warned he had declared 'nuclear war' on the pair. Hilarious: Holly draws a lewd image on one of the chairs in silly string, before spraying it across the floor Naughty! Paddy picks up a chair and smashes it on the floor, before grabbing a cushion and rubbing it on his body Chaotic: The pair then try to slash and pull a cushion apart, before the preview ends on a dramatic cliffhanger with Keith screaming: 'Someone's coming!' Dangerous: Piers reacted to the preview on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain, where he warned the pair were 'dead meat' 'Two words, McGuiness, Willoughby- dead meat. Oh don't worry, revenge is a dish best tasted cold. Chillingly cold,' he said. 'You've just sentenced yourself, the pair of you to a lifetime of hell and I will be coming for you shortly.' Holly will be joined on her team by Hollyoaks veteran Will and Coronation Street star Samia Longchambon, while Paddy will team up with new series regular Stacey Solomon and comedian Joel Dommett. Celebrity Juice airs on Thursday 28th March at 10pm on ITV2. Anna Chlumsky is not afraid to speak her mind on a myriad of topics including politics. The 38-year-old actress sat down with Bustle in their New York City office recently to talk about her life as a child actor, her role on the hit HBO comedy Veep and the current political climate in the US. The Chicago native, who plays Julia Louis-Dreyfus' now ex-president Selina Meyer's overworked chief of staff Amy Brookheimer, feels politicians have far too much power. Outspoken actress: Anna Chlumsky sat down with Bustle in their New York City office recently to talk about her life as a child actor, her role on the hit HBO comedy Veep and the current political climate in the US Smart cookie: The brilliant beauty graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in International Studies With her co-star: Chlumsky and Julia Louis-Dreyfus attend Veep Season 7 premiere after party at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in NYC on Tuesday '[Politicians] have to take poops and they have to figure out coffee makers and they also have far too much power,' the former child star stated. Being part of a very popular political satire, Chlumsky knows many people expect her to have opinions about the present-day situation on Capitol Hill. For years she avoided the topic but now feels it is her place to use her public platform to speak up for the voiceless. Chlumsky is not afraid to speak her mind and let her voice be heard on a myriad of topics including politics 'I just want to be documented as being on the proper side of things by the end of it all,' Chlumsky said. The University of Chicago graduate also talked about her early career as a child actor. 'When you're a kid, other people are making decisions for you, and you're just doing it for adults' approval. ... It's your parents' egos,' the My Girl performer stated. Kid Star to Adult Actress: Chlumsky started her acting career at the age of 10 before taking a break and returning to the spotlight nearly a decade later Chlumsky started her acting career at the age of 10 opposite Macaulay Culkin in the hit film My Girl in 1991 and its sequel My Girl 2 in 1994. After a few small television roles and two more big screen roles, the brilliant beauty took a break from Hollywood to focus on her studies. She attended the University of Chicago, graduating in 2002 with a BA in International Studies. After marriage, two kids and a series of small jobs, Chlumsky returned to acting in 2007 and landed the plum role on 'Veep' in 2012. The gifted performer looked amazing during her interview with Bustle, dressed both chic and comfortable. She wore a white knitted dress with brown and black patterns and a black halter tie. Comfortable cuteness: The gifted performer looked amazing in a white knitted dress with brown and black patterns and a black halter tie Stunning looks: The blonde knockout wore her long tresses down around her shoulders with small gold hoops in her ears and her smokey eye makeup was paired with a bright red lipstick The calf length dress was matched with a pair of white sneakers giving it a simpler look and feel. She kissed Macaulay Culkin in 1991's My Girl The blonde knockout wore her long tresses down around her shoulders with small gold hoops in her ears and her smokey eye makeup was paired with a bright red lipstick. Despite being known for her roles on television and film, Chlumsky admits her first love is the theater. 'I wake up every morning wanting to be on stage,' the artist stated. With the final season of 'Veep' wrapped, maybe she'll finally get a chance to perform on Broadway. Season 7 of 'Veep' begins on March 31st on HBO. Married At First Sight's Jonathan and Stephanie broke up just days after they got married when they met for the first time at the altar. Things are said to be so bitter between property manager John, 39, from Bristol, and nurse Steph, from Somerset, that they can't stand doing interviews with each other. Steph, 28, reportedly removed her ring off days after the wedding but fans saw it coming as they pointed out the nurse had 'trust issues' because of a cheating ex. Married At First Sight 2019 SPOILER: One couple split just days after tying the knot in front of friends and family A source told The Sun: 'Steph and Jonathan were a disastrous match everyone knew it, even at the wedding.' An insider overshared: 'It was over within days and she took her ring off almost straight away. They cant bear to be in the same room as each other now, and dont communicate. 'Its made things really awkward for promoting the show as they cant even sit next to each other or put on a fake smile for interviews. Its been a nightmare her friends and family support her, but knew it wouldnt last.' Sad news: Married At First Sight's Jonathan and Stephanie broke up just days after they got married when they met for the first time at the altar Awkward: Things are said to be so bitter between property manager John, 39, from Bristol, and nurse Steph, from Somerset, that they can't stand doing interviews with each other MailOnline has approached Channel 4 for further comment. Fans predicted there would be trouble ahead for the couple after the eagle-eyed viewers noted Steph's 'trust issues' could potentially hinder their marriage. While the episode had ended on a joyful note, emotional Steph was on the brink of tears when she relayed the story of her ex cheating on her on a night out. 'Trust issues': Fans of the show appeared convinced she was still in love with her ex, while also noting that her new husband's gaggle of female pals could add to her woes Fans of the show appeared convinced she was still in love with her ex, while also noting that her new husband's gaggle of female pals could add to her woes. 'Ohhhh they seem cute but i dont think shes over her d****** ex.' 'Yeah sure, match the guy with the attractive best friends to the girl with trust issues.they both seem lovely people though, so fingers crossed!' 'Steph is clearly too fiery for him! She has trust issues, he only has hot women for friends. Ok. #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Steph has massive trust issues and they've put her with a guy who hangs out with 10 women regularly? #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Stephs got trust issues....wait till she finds out Jonathans mates are all women...thats going to go down well...not #disaster #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Ohhhhhhhhh Steph isnt over the ex. Great way to start a marriage #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Not over her ex': However, viewers didn't appear too confident in the longevity of their union as they noted Steph's 'trust issues' 'Jesus, Steph is a steaming hot mug of trust issues. This wont end well. Mark my words #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'It breaks my heart that a strong, successful, hardworking woman like Steph has so little self confidence in what a great person she is because of how an ex treated her. The way she doubts everything really hurts my heart. #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Why does Steph keep saying variations of well at least he didnt do a legger? How low has your self esteem got to be?! #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'Steph's set herself a low bar if turning up makes a man good husband material #MarriedAtFirstSight.' 'This lass has depressingly low expectations he didnt do a runner so it couldnt have gone any better #MarriedAtFirstSight.' Married At First Sight 2019 Couples Jack and Verity He wants: A petite girl who is active, caring and open to new experiences She wants: A witty guy who is humble and emotionally honest and open Why have they signed up for the show? Jack has always gone for the wrong person, and his mum is desperate for him to find love. Verity brands it a 'last resort,' as she is looking to settle down and start a family. First impressions? Verity said she was pleased to see Jack 'wasn't minging,' while he said she 'looked lovely.' Jonathan and Stephanie He wants: Someone active and outdoorsy, kind, and shares the same outlook on life as him. She wants: Someone tall and dark, who likes cats, is equally laid back, funny, kind and logical. Why have they signed up for the show? Jonathan was inspired by his friends having arrange marriages. Stephanie wants to avoid 'the hard bit' of choosing a partner. First impressions? Stephanie said the connection felt 'natural and normal.' Jonathan said he 'felt the same.' Advertisement Initially Stephanie seemed similarly unfazed by the idea of tying the knot with a stranger as she said it had been three years since her last serious relationship. The blonde added that she wanted to dodge the obstacles of dating by being set up with a man, and said following the ceremony that it felt very 'natural and normal.' For Jonathan, a property manager from Bristol, the biggest relief came when he saw Stephanie for the first time, after controversially admitting it was 'all about the attractiveness.' Describing the moment she walked down the aisle, he added that everyone's breath seemed to let go when they locked eyes for the first time. A spark? Speaking to The Mirror about the big day, Jack admitted that he felt sick ahead of walking down the aisle, after saying he wants to be paired with an active petite girl First kiss? The pair exchanged awkward pleasantries upon meeting at the altar, as Verity said that would like a witty, humble man Bonding? Before the big day, Verity also confessed the fear that Jack would not turn up for the wedding, as she donned a 1920s-style wedding dress for the occasion Last series saw the pairing of Ben Jardine and his then-wife Stephanie, but the couple soon called it quits. Not long after Ben who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother last year admitted to cheating on his wife and getting another woman pregnant. He welcomed his first child with his ex-partner in November. In October, a source told MailOnline that Ben was 'downcast on the one-year wedding anniversary with his wife because his divorce was taking forever.' Jack, 25, and Verity, 28, joined Jonathan Stephanie in meeting for the first time to walk down the aisle to see if they could make a romance out of such a meeting. Playful: Regardless it seems the pair went through with the ceremony, and enjoyed a raucous reception Going the distance? Verity also admitted she signed up for the show as a 'last resort' in finding love, adding she was pleased to see he 'wasn't minging' After insisting that she is trying the show as a 'last resort,' Office Manager Verity has insisted she and Jack will be the first couple to go the distance, as the previous six couples who made it down the aisle ended things in divorce. Speaking to The Mirror about the big day, Jack admitted that he felt sick ahead of walking down the aisle, as it finally dawned on him that he was about to marry a woman he didn't know. An IT Consultant from London, Jack admitted he chose to take part in the show after taking inspiration from his parents' 40-year marriage, and said his mum is keen for him to settle down. Progress: It remains to be seen how long their relationship will last, as all previous couples who took part in the show have now split He also vowed to beat the show's track record that none of its couples have stayed together over the past three series, saying it is possible Verity could be the one. Meanwhile, Verity confessed that she genuinely feared that Jack would not turn up for the wedding, and began to feel the jitters as she donned the 1920s-style wedding dress. As she walked down the aisle for the big day, Jack grins at her and the pair exchange brief pleasantries before the ceremony begins. After the reception, Verity admitted she was pleased that Jack 'wasn't minging,' so it remains to be seen whether they will go the distance. Married At First Sight returns on Wednesday at 9pm on Channel 4. Billie Faiers's son Arthur has started nursery, but it's not all been plain sailing as Mummy Diaries viewers will see him going on the rampage in a new episode. The tot, two, can be seen running around, playing with toys and hitting other children along the way, with Billie, 29, gently telling him off for his behaviour. 'He's such a little boy,' Billie said sweetly to the cameras. Mummy Diaries EXCLUSIVE: Billie Faiers's son Arthur goes on the rampage at nursery in an upcoming episode, as she worries about him hitting the other children As he took a sip from his drink, Billie, who is also a mother to Nelly, four, flinched as she thought Arthur was going to hit her. Billie said: 'I thought he was going to hit me then. I am hoping this is just a phase and he will grow out of it.' In another part of the show, Billie's sister Sam said: 'You're not worried about the hitting are you?' Billie said of the hitting: 'I think he's just probably built up a little bit of a defense mechanism from being a younger brother to Nelly' Billie said: 'I think he's just probably built up a little bit of a defense mechanism from being a younger brother to Nelly.' Sam said: 'Nelly's not your average big sister.' Billie added: 'Sometimes I pick Arthur up and I feel like he's getting out of that real baby stage. I'm like, ahhh, my little chubby bunny. 'And Nelly will go, "you don't do that to me. You don't love me.' Her boy: Arthur could be seen hitting the other children at nursery as he played with toys, but Billie said she was sure it was 'just a phase' The new series of Mummy Diaries will see the lead up to Billie's wedding to her long-term love, Greg Shepherd. The couple tied the knot at the Kuramathi resort in the Maldives earlier this month, surrounded by 95 of their loved ones. Billie and her sister Sam appeared on This Morning on Wednesday to talk about the series, with Phillip Schofield awkwardly asking if Billie 'cut a deal' on her wedding. He had worked out that if she was to pay for each of those people to attend, it would have cost 229,000. He said: 'My god, you must be earning beautifully to do this. This is the Kuramathi Resort in the Maldives. So we had a look, if you were to stay there next Saturday it would be 650 a night, that would be 4,588 for a week for the superior beach villa. 'The whole week for 100 guests, 229,000. So you must have got a deal there. 229,000 for your wedding? But Billie who appeared on the show with sister Sam, 28, said it 'wasn't quite that,' as she giggled awkwardly. Mummy Diaries is aired on Wednesdays, 9pm, ITVBe Jessie J is no less than a 'blessing,' as far as boyfriend Channing Tatum is concerned. The Magic Mike actor, 38, praised the musician on her 31st birthday in a sentimental tribute thanking her for simply, 'being herself'. Declaring his adoration for the beauty, Channing posted a gorgeous sunkissed picture on Instagram and wished her 'all the love and all the light' on her special day. Tribute: Channing Tatum posted a tribute to girlfriend Jessie J on her 31st birthday Channing wrote: 'Wishing you the happiest day filled with all the love and all the light. You came into this world on this day and lit it on fire. 'You have blessed our eyes, our ears, our hearts and our lives. So thank you for just being you. You are so very special. Happy birthday Baby.' In response to the sweet post, Jessie teased Channing on her Instagram Stories writing: 'Whale you be mine?' beside a humorous illustration. It's only been two weeks since the couple were seen in public together for the first time. It's official: Channing and Jessie were seen in public for the first time only two weeks ago Cute: Responding to the sweet post, Jessie joked 'Whale you be mine?' in her Instagram Stories However, it's not the first time Channing has publicly shared a tribute to Jessie on his Instagram. Earlier this month, he called her 'the hottest Instagram food model in the game' underneath a sexy bikini snap of Jessie reclining by a picnic. And back in November, while romance rumours were still unconfirmed, Channing teased his followers by praising her for talking about her fertility struggle onstage, while he sat in the audience at her Royal Albert Hall show. He said: 'This woman just poured her heart out on stage at the Royal Albert Hall. Whoever was there got to witness something special. Wow.' Getting serious: The pair look absolutely smitten with one another, making several outings together in London this month Channing is clearly infatuated with Jessie, to whom he was first romantically linked since last October, which took everyone by surprise. The actor's separation from wife Jenna Dewan was confirmed in April 2018, after nine years of marriage. They share five-year-old daughter Everly, 13 years after meeting on the set of dance film Step Up. Hot: Channing went so far as to call Jessie 'hot' in a very public comment earlier this month She splits her time between New York and London with her fiance Casper Jopling. And Ellie Goulding also found the time in her hectic schedule to jet to Paris, where she headed to NRJ radio studios on Wednesday afternoon. The 32-year-old songstress looked seriously chic in a box-fit T-shirt and a pair of straight leg jeans, which she teamed with a cream suede mac. Glam: Ellie Goulding also found the time in her hectic schedule to jet to Paris, where she headed to NRJ radio studios on Wednesday afternoon Ellie jazzed up her outfit with a pair of black pointed boots with decorative silver caps, adding some extra inches to her slight frame. The blonde bombshell wore her tumbling locks in big bouncy waves, while opting for a natural-looking coat of make-up in neutral hues. Ellie is currently gearing up to marry her beau Casper after he got down on one knee in August last year following 18 months together. Fashionable: The 32-year-old songstress looked seriously chic in a box-fit T-shirt and a pair of straight leg jeans, which she teamed with a cream suede mac The Goodness Gracious hitmaker said that despite the pair discussing marriage and their future early on in their relationship she was surprised when Caspar popped the question. She added: 'We'd talked about it because we were getting on so stupidly well and we didn't want to spend a second apart. But no, I had no idea. 'I didn't have a clue, though Caspar had the ring for a while. I think we just knew. Some people were like, "Wow, you haven't been together that long!", but we knew quite early on'. Details: Ellie jazzed up her outfit with a pair of black pointed boots with decorative silver caps, adding some extra inches to her slight frame Ellie and Caspar shared their engagement news with an announcement in The Times newspaper in August after 18 months together. It read: 'The engagement is announced between Caspar, son of The Hon Nicholas Jopling of Yorkshire and Mrs Jayne Warde-Aldam of Yorkshire, and Elena, daughter of Mr Arthur Goulding of Hertfordshire and Mrs Tracey Sumner of West Midlands.' Ellie Goulding is reportedly planning to invite Sarah Ferguson to her hen do in London. Golden goddess: The blonde bombshell wore her tumbling locks in big bouncy waves, while opting for a natural-looking coat of make-up in neutral hues The Love Me Like You Do hitmaker is said to be planning a night out with a host of her showbiz pals - who include the likes of Prince Harry, Taylor Swift, Cara Delevingne and Miley Cyrus - before she ties the knot with art dealer Caspar Jopling. The Duchess of York became good friends with Ellie, 32, after they met through the royal's daughter Princess Eugenie - whose father is Sarah's ex-husband Prince Andrew - and Ellie believes the 'wild' 59-year-old royal will be a hit with her friends as she is a 'rebel and a strong female'. A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: 'Ellie knows Sarah can be wild when she gets going and is so much fun to be around. 'After spending more time with Fergie, Ellie thinks she'll be the life and soul of the party. 'Some of her mates think it's a bit weird that they'll be hanging out with old Fergie at the bash but Ellie is sure she'll be a hit with her guests. 'Fergie's a rebel and a strong female, which Ellie loves. It's going to be one hell of a party.' She recently gushed she 'can't wait to spend her life' with her beau Owen Warner as he sweetly gifted her a promise ring. And fans are convinced Stephanie Davis, 26, and her boyfriend, 22, have taken their relationship to their next level as they've sparked speculation they're engaged in a cosy Instagram snap on Wednesday. The Hollyoaks actress and her co-star gazed adoringly at each other as they shared a warm embrace while relaxing in bed during their recent Barcelona getaway. Set to wed? Fans are convinced Stephanie Davis, 26, and Owen Warner, 22, have taken their relationship to their next level as they've sparked speculation they're engaged in a cosy Instagram snap on Wednesday In the romantic image, soap star Stephanie looked every inch the natural beauty as she opted for minimal make-up and swept her tresses into a tousled bun. Leicester native Owen, who has been dating the mother-of-one since December, displayed his toned upper body as he went shirtless. Appearing as loved-up as ever, Stephanie captioned the picture: 'I didn't know what love was, until I met you...'. Sparkling: The Hollyoaks actress recently gushed she 'can't wait to spend her life' with her beau as he sweetly gifted her a promise ring Eagle-eyed fans were drawn to the blonde's sparkly ring, which she wore on her wedding finger. A social media user simply asked: 'Engagement ring?', while another questioned: 'You guys engaged @stephaniedavis88?? Xx'. Glittering: Eagle-eyed fans were drawn to the blonde's sparkly ring, which she wore on her wedding finger Despite the speculation, one fan was convinced she was just sporting her promise ring as they said: 'Promise ring she posted on story the other day.' A spokesperson for Stephanie confirmed to MailOnline she's not engaged and is wearing her promise ring in the image. Earlier this month, Stephanie, who shares Caben, two, with ex Jeremy McConnell shared a look at the diamond 'promise ring' from her partner on Instagram. Along with the snap, she wrote: 'My beautiful promise ring of my beautiful partner. So happy @owenwarner.' Explaining the symbolism behind the ring, the actress said: 'Me, him and Caben intertwined in three joined together. Cannot wait to spend my life with you.' Owen and Stephanie's romance has gone from strength to strength since embarking on a romance late last year. The couple moved in together in January, after one month of dating. Divided: Social media users speculated over the pair's budding romance Smitten: Owen and Stephanie's romance has gone from strength to strength since embarking on a romance late last year (pictured with her son Caben, two) Speaking on their close relationship, a source close to the actress told The Sun: 'Stephanie and Owen are inseparable and were spending every night together pretty much straight away after they started dating. 'It made sense for Owen just to move in with her and Steph couldn't be happier as shes finally getting the family home she always dreamed of. 'Owen is amazing with her son Caben and was really hands on at his second birthday party recently. Shes really happy about how everything has turned out.' Not even Naomi Campbell couldn't resist a selfie outside the outstanding new National Museum of Qatar. The 48-year-old captured photos of herself in front of the striking new building, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, as she attended the grand opening on Wednesday in Doha. Guest of honour Naomi looked refined in a floor-sweeping white gown and sunglasses as she held up her phone, admiring the exterior. Official opening: Naomi Campbell attended the inauguration ceremony of the National Museum of Qatar on Wednesday in Doha The idea for the striking design is inspired by the complex architectural form of a desert rose, found in Qatars arid desert regions. An awestruck Naomi took her own photos of the exterior, before posing for some official portraits outside the brand new building. She wore the perfect bright white gown, complete with a bejewelled collar necklace that framed the top of the high-neck dress. Guest of honour: After taking her own phone photos of the extravagant museum, Naomi posed for some official portraits Glamorous: As ever, the model made a glamorous appearance, wearing sunglasses and a decadent choker necklace She carried a white lasercut handbag to complete the ensemble and kept her tinted shades on while the cameras flashed. Naomi was just one of the well-known names invited to the inauguration ceremony, including Johnny Depp and Victoria Beckham. The museum, with an estimated cost of $434 million, will finally be opened after three years of delays. On the guestlist: Naomi arrived alone, but seemed to be glued to her mobile phone Sensational in spots: Victoria Beckham was one of the other well-known names to turn out for the opening Amazing: Johnny Depp joined the A-list attendees at an exclusive preview Following an exclusive viewing for high profile guests, it will welcome the public on March 28, 2019 and showcase billions of dollars worth of artistic masterpieces. The building, which has been more than a decade in the making, looks out on Doha Bay on a 28-acre park. Reflecting its futuristic exterior, this is a museum like no other, offering both immersive and experiential experiences to its visitors. Grand unveiling: The building by French architect Jean Nouvel is inspired by the shape of desert roses, found in Qatar's arid desert regions A look inside: The gift shop was designed by architect Koichi Takada Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Wednesday with Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), as well as some members of the BFA board of directors in Boao, Hainan Province. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), in Boao, Hainan Province on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. [Photo: gov.cn] Li congratulated the BFA board of directors on its achievements last year. He said the theme of this year's BFA annual conference is "Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development," which means countries should help each other, enhance communication, coordinate their actions, uphold inclusive rather than exclusive development, share achievements and realize win-win results. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, particularly after the reform and opening up drive in 1978, China has underscored huge economic and social development achievements, said Li, adding that China remains the world's largest developing country and it still has a long way to go to comprehensively achieve modernization. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with members of the BFA board of directors in Boao, Hainan Province on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. [Photo: gov.cn] "China advocates maintaining multilateralism, respecting diversity of civilizations and allowing countries to explore their own development path according to their national conditions," Li said. The premier said China will continue to deepen reform and further open up, which will not only help China achieve its goal of modernization, but also contribute to global development and prosperity. Ban Ki-moon, former Russian prime minister Viktor Zubkov, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and former Philippine president, congratulated China on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and said China's development achievements are unparalleled in human history. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with members of the BFA board of directors in Boao, Hainan Province on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. [Photo: gov.cn] They said unilateralism and protectionism are challenging globalization and multilateralism, and amid world uncertainties, China has responded by advancing structural reform and expanding opening up, setting an example for other countries. The future of China, Asia, and the world is closely connected and the forum stands ready to work with all parties to promote Asian economic integration, and contribute its wisdom and strength to an inclusive development among all countries, they said. Sometimes celebrities that one would never expect to be in the same room run into each other. Such was the case on Tuesday when Kim Kardashian's best friend Jonathan Cheban spent time with Donald Trump Jr's 50-year-old girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle at hot spot Craig's in West Hollywood. The two were laughed it up on Snapchat proving they get along great. On the go: Jonathan Cheban was seen leaving Craig's in West Hollywood on Tuesday evening A new pal? The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was hanging out with Donald Trump Jr's love interest Kimberly Guilfoyle Solo man: He single ever since he split from Anat Popovsky in 2016 Guilfoyle is serious with Donald after he left his wife Vanessa in March 2018; they finalized their divorce earlier this year. San Francisco native Kimberly has been married twice before: to Eric Villency (20062009) and also to politician Gavin Newsom (20012006). Guilfoyle is a television news personality and attorney who co-hosted The Five on Fox News. She later joined America First Policies, a pro-Trump super PAC, to campaign for Republicans in the midterm elections. Kimberly and Jonathan likely know each other from New York City circles. In the mood for green: The TV star wore green Nike sneakers this time out. The New Jersey native usually has on Kanye West's Yeezys, For some reason he carried a bag of Oreo's Cheban has been single ever since he split from Anat Popovsky in 2016. Last week the 45-year-old TV star was seen with a mystery woman as they strolled in Beverly Hills after a shopping trip. The lady was in all black as she wore a blue denim jacket and white sneakers with a Louis Vuitton purse on her shoulder. New pal: Cheban was seen with a mystery woman as they strolled in Beverly Hills after a shopping trip last week Jonathan was in a grey and black jacket over a black top and camo slacks. He had on Yeezy sneakers gifted to him by Kim's rapper husband Kanye West. Cheban, who has been friends with Kim for over a decade, has been on the show since day one and often steps in for comic relief. The night before the Burger IM spokesperson was at Craig's in West Hollywood. For his dinner outing he had on all black. The star wore a black denim jacket over a black T-shirt and ripped black jeans. And proving his paychecks are just getting fatter, he added black Louis Vuitton boots. It's been a busy year for Jonathan. Last week he was seen heading back to NYC with a pizza box in hand. The funnyman was leaving Mulberry Pizza in Beverly Hills before getting into his SUV to go to LAX. His main residence is in New York where he works on his FoodGod brand. Cheban celebrated his birthday at Nobu in Malibu with Kim and Kourtney as well as momager Kris Jenner earlier this week. Days before that, Cheban celebrated his 45th birthday at Nobu in Malibu with Kim and Kourtney as well as momager Kris Jenner. Inside the upscale sushi cave, cameras were seen rolling during the Japanese meal which was finished off a cake. The topic was most likely Jordyn Woods who has been cut out of the Kardashian and Jenner family after she cheated with Khloe's beau Tristan Thompson. On Wednesday a trailer for season 16 of Keeping Up With The Kardashians was shared. Khloe is seen losing her temper over Tristan's cheating as Kim says she does not want to move to Chicago. She's been taking some time out on a lengthy health retreat in Portugal. And Tulisa Contostavlos was back to her best on Wednesday, putting on a glamorous display when she attended the National Film Awards at Porchester Hall in London. The N-Dubz star, 30, displayed her enviable physique in a glamorous black skirt with sequin detailing and gold embroidery. Looking good: Tulisa Contostavlos was back to her best on Wednesday, putting on a glamorous display when she attended the National Film Awards at Porchester Hall in London Tulisa paired the thigh-skimming number with a scoop-neck black top, setting off the look with a smart black jacket. She donned a pair of black skyscraper heels for extra height and completed her look with a slick of scarlet lipstick. The brunette beauty wore her long locks down loose in soft waves as she made a dazzling arrival at the event. Chic: The N-Dubz star, 30, displayed her enviable physique in a glamorous black skirt with sequin detailing and gold embroidery Smart: Tulisa paired the thigh-skimming number with a scoop-neck black top, setting off the look with a smart black jacket Tulisa spent much of February relaxing at the Juicy Oasis Boutique Health Retreat & Spa. The retreat, recently visited by TOWIE's Lauren Goodger and Vicky Pattison, offers a '7-day journey' designed to recharge your mind with yoga, fitness and a juice cleanse. The raven-haired beauty made a return to the spotlight in recent months as she celebrated landing her first lead role in upcoming film Diva. Striking: The brunette beauty wore her long locks down loose in soft waves as she made a dazzling arrival at the event In the London-set film, The Female Boss star plays Sista C, an international pop star whose sister is killed in a brutal gangland murder. Putting family before her career, she leaves her Los Angeles home to uncover the truth about her sibling's shocking killing. Speaking about the film, Tulisa said: 'I'm thrilled to be working with Evolutionary films on this project and getting creative in the studio. This is a very exciting time!' This is not the first time the brunette beauty has delved into the acting world, as she starred in 2011 films Demons Never Die and Big Fat Gypsy Gangster. Tom Cruise has banned ex-wife Nicole Kidman from his son's wedding, a new report claims. Connor Cruise, 24, a Scientologist like his movie star dad, will soon be marrying his Italian girlfriend Silvia - but it's been alleged that Nicole won't be welcome at the wedding. 'Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as law,' a source reportedly told RadarOnline.com. 'Tom made the call and Connor followed.' Not welcome: It's being reported that Nicole Kidman won't be getting an invite to son Connor's wedding to girlfriend Silvia as ex-husband Tom Cruise has banned her from the big day 'Tom made the call': Connor 'worships the ground his father walks on' the source added, revealing he would never disobey the 56-year-old actor. The two are pictured in 2013 Connor, a former DJ who is now into deep sea fishing, 'worships the ground his father walks on' the source added, claiming he would never disobey the 56-year-old actor. Connor's fiancee is apparently dubbed a 'Scientology Princess' as she also follows the religion along with her family who moved to Florida from Italy. Insiders say Tom 'adores' his future daughter-in-law and is happy his son is settling down with a fellow Scientologist. Perhaps it's not surprising that Nicole reportedly won't be invited to the nuptials as there have been rumors of a rift for years between the Australian actress and her two adopted children with Tom. Dad approves! Connor's fiancee is apparently dubbed a 'Scientology Princess' as she also follows the religion along with her family who moved to Florida from Italy. Connor is seen in 2016 After their split in 2001 Tom retained custody of their two children. At the time, their kids who had been raised in the Church of Scientology chose to stay with their father. The Big Little Lies star has refused to talk about the religion or her family ties in recent years and she is said to have been absent from many of her children's life events including Isabella's wedding to Max Parker at the Dorchester hotel in London in September 2015. Bella, 26, as she is known, spoke about married life in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Online in March 2016. Stayed with Dad: After Tom and Nicole's split in 2001 Tom retained custody of Connor and Isabella, 26, (pictured 2012) Laying to rest rumors of disconnecting from Kidman since the actress was labeled a 'suppressive person' by Scientology chiefs, Bella insists she's often in contact with Kidman and Cruise. 'Of course [we talk], they're my parents,' she says. 'Anyone who says otherwise is full of s**t.' Asked if he's a member of Scientology himself, Max said: 'No,' but reveals Bella is still active. However, despite Bella saying all is well with she and her mom - Kidman didn't attend the wedding even though she was in London at the time. Cruise's work schedule is the excuse given privately for his absence. Wedding day: Bella and Max embrace on their wedding day with close friends after their super private ceremony in London - neither parents attended their big day When asked if it was hard not to have his famous father-in-law walk Bella down the aisle to give her away Max told Daily Mail Online, 'Yeah. It is what it is.' As for Max's parents attending the nuptials - his mother Beverly Parker said from her home, in Croydon, they didn't go to the wedding either in fear of it being made public. 'We didn't go but we knew all about it. We stayed away, we didn't want the media circus,' she reasoned when pressed as to why she didn't want to attend. Max's parents Beverly, 59, and Lester, 63, are still yet to meet Cruise, 53, and Kidman, 48. Asked if she wanted to meet them, Beverly said: 'No, no, there's no need for that.' Doting dad: Tom did not attend Bella's wedding due to his 'schedule'. Cruise seen walking through Central Park in 2010 with Connor, Bella and Suri (who he reportedly hasn't seen in years) Adding: 'At the end of the day they're just people aren't they?' The guest list for their wedding was restricted to their most trusted friends, leaving most relatives uninvited and unaware it was even happening. The couple has even rejected financial support from Bella's parents - worth an estimated $600million combined. Meanwhile, Nicole is rumored to blame Scientology for ruining her marriage and separating her from Connor and Isabella. In her book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, ex-Scientology member Leah Remini claimed that Nicole was labeled a 'suppressive person' or 'SP' by the church after leaving. The Insider reportedly told Radar, 'First, Tom would never even consider inviting Nicole to Connor's wedding because she's considered a 'suppressive person' by the church and, second, he doesn't want her there,' They added that the Mission Impossible star turned his back on Nicole 'a long time ago' and has never looked back. Nicole is rumored to blame Scientology for ruining her marriage and separating her from Connor and Isabella, 26. (Pictured with Tom in 1992) Nicole - who was pictured out filming her new HBO miniseries on Wednesday - is also mom to two daughters, Sunday, 10, and Faith, eight, with husband Keith Urban who she's been married to since 2006. Tom also has daughter Suri, 12, from his marriage to Katie Holmes, but in October 2018, it was reported that Tom hasn't seen his daughter in years. Nicole gave no hint of a rift with her two eldest children in an interview with Who magazine last year. 'Im very private about all that. I have to protect all those relationships. I know 150 per cent that I would give up my life for my children because its what my purpose is.' When pressed further about her kids' relationship with Scientology Nicole replied, 'They are able to make their own decisions. 'They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, its my job to love them.' On set: Nicole is seen filming her new mini series The Undoing in New York on Wednesday Piers Morgan has claimed that the Today show's all-female lineup sparked a wave of 'misogyny and sexism' in Australia. The outspoken British broadcaster told Deborah Knight, who made history when she was appointed Georgie Gardner's co-host in January, that the country has got 'a long way to go'. 'I saw the fallout to that announcement on your show where you had the all-female lineup,' Piers, 53, said during an appearance on the Channel Nine breakfast program on Thursday. Not impressed: Piers Morgan (left) told Deborah Knight (right) on Thursday that Today's all-female lineup sparked a wave of 'misogyny and sexism' in Australia earlier this year He added: 'There was just so much misogyny and sexism levelled at your guys and I thought, "That's an illustration that Australia, like other countries, has got a long way to go".' Deborah then responded: 'We are the first breakfast show in Australia with two female hosts.' Piers continued: 'Equality means equality. People should be judged on their ability and not on their gender.' Outspoken: Piers told Deborah, who made history when she was appointed Georgie Gardner's co-host in January, that Australia has 'a long way to go' towards gender equality Milestone: During the discussion, Deborah pointed out, 'We are the first breakfast show in Australia with two female hosts' Discussing how the world views Australia's treatment of gender equality, he added: 'I didn't think I was exactly breaking a trade secret even to Australians [when I said] that men in your country historically have been perhaps veering a little towards the misogyny and sexism side. 'Maybe you want to tell me now thats never happened.' History was made when Deborah, 46, was announced as Karl Stefanovic's replacement on Today earlier this year. Channel Nine's director for morning television Steven Burling said at the time that the move was neither a 'statement' nor influenced by gender. Addressing the historic decision to appoint two female anchors to the Today show, Piers said, 'Equality means equality. People should be judged on their ability and not on their gender' 'We didn't think it was a statement, we didn't think it was time to have a female duo hosting Today,' Burling told The Sydney Morning Herald in January. He added that the decision was made purely because Deborah and her Today colleague Georgie Gardner, 48, make a great team. 'The rationale for us for two female hosts is simply having the two most capable people at the desk as part of our core team. 'It was about having our dream team who we wanted sitting there.' New look: History was made in January when Deborah (left) was announced as Karl Stefanovic's replacement, joining Georgie Gardner (right) as co-host of the Today show Today has been plagued by poor ratings results over the past 12 months, which had largely been attributed to the personal unpopularity of former co-host Karl, 44. Industry analysts pointed to Karl's very public break-up with wife Cassandra Thorburn - whom he was married to for 21 years - and his subsequent relationship with to the much younger Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, as a major reason for his decline in popularity. Also, the infamous Ubergate scandal, in which Karl was overheard criticising Georgie Gardner and other Nine colleagues and executives, added to his strife in 2018. She said that she was 'feeling the love' after a weekend of sun, sea and plenty of pals. And Caroline Flack, 39, could not wipe the smile off her face when she arrived back in the UK from a long weekend in Dubai on Wednesday morning. Caroline touched down at London's Heathrow Airport arm-in-arm with a mate after gushing about her stellar getaway. Happy to be home: Caroline Flack was in high spirits as she arrived home in the UK with her mate Pulling together a laidback in-flight look, Caroline wore a white T-shirt with jogging bottoms and scraped her hair up into a high ponytail. Still dressed for the heat, Caroline passed through arrivals in beach sliders and sunglasses. But she brought the sunshine back with her in a bright orange hoodie that she wrapped around her shoulders as soon as she felt the chill in the air. She still looked remarkably sprightly from the long haul flight, after sharing pictures from the Emirates Lounge with travel buddies Liam Pikett and Simon Carroll. Dubai, my friend: Caroline was pictured arriving at London's Heathrow Airport after a sunny getaway Back in the UK: The pair dragged along large suitcases after a long weekend in the sun Having a laugh: Caroline literally could not stop laughing as she arrived back with her mate Giggles: The duo were dressed for the sun but Caroline wrapped her hoodie around her shoulders for warmth Caroline has been surrounded by pals ever since jetting off to the United Arab Emirates on Friday. She arrived in Dubai with Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and spent Saturday 'sunning the life out of herself' on The Palm with the dancer. That night, she partied with Ella Eyre and Rita Ora at The Global Teacher Prize Assembly concert, which took place at Dubai Media City's Amphitheatre. A well-earned break: Caroline (left) was holidaying with dancer Ashley Roberts (centre) Fun in the sun: Caroline said she was 'feeling the love' on Tuesday as she posted a series of swimwear snaps while enjoying a beach day on Dubai's The Palm Party holiday: Caroline later took to her Instastories to share a snap of her in a blue floral dress, she wrote: 'Night three send help.' Cute: Caroline flew into the UK with bezzie mate Liam Pikett Little Mix, Liam Payne and Rita were all among the performers at the concert, which Ashley and Caroline watched from a plush viewing platform. It seemed to have taken it's when Caroline complained about spending a third night on the tiles in Dubai on Sunday, as the weekend getaway proved quite the endurance test. But luckily, by Tuesday, the TV presenter was back on the beach in her bikini and shared a message with her Instagram followers to say she was 'feeling the love'. Caroline has had quite the emotional start to 2019, as she deals with the demise of her engagement to reality star Andrew Brady. Chilly: The climate made quite a contrast to the pleasant Dubai heat Joking around: The pair were in high spirits despite a long trip back to the UK Right-hand man: Caroline walked around in arm through arrivals, ready to travel back to London Friends said that the bubbly Love Island host was dating 'here and there' again but not seeing anyone in particular last month. She has been consistently linked to personal trainer Bradley Simmonds, 25, in the last few weeks, and was pictured squeezing in a last minute catch up with the hunk on Thursday night, before she departed for Dubai. However, insiders have insisted that they were 'never, ever' dating when they were first pictured looking cosy in February. Fond farewells: Caroline said she'd been 'feeling the love' after her weekend away Touching down: It's been a busy weekend for the TV presenter, who was flown out for an awards ceremony Time away: Caroline looked refreshed after her girlie getaway She's expecting her second child with husband Charlie Thompson. And Alex Jones looked like she couldn't wait to get home and rest up following another busy evening hosting The One Show on Wednesday, leaving the BBC studios in central London. The presenter, 42, was showing off her baby bump in a pair of denim dungarees, embracing a casual look. Heading off: Alex Jones looked like she couldn't wait to get home and rest up following another busy evening hosting The One Show on Wednesday, leaving the BBC studios in central London Alex slung her hands in her pockets as she strolled along, flashing a beaming smile. The Welsh star prioritised comfort in a pair of trainers and carried her essentials in a leather shoulder bag. The star wore her brunette bob in sleek, straight style and sported natural make-up. Low-key: The presenter, 36, was showing off her baby bump in a pair of denim dungarees, embracing a casual look Keeping it casual: The Welsh star prioritised comfort in a pair of trainers and carried her essentials in a leather shoulder bag Last week, Alex was left incredibly flustered when she mistakenly believed co-host Matt Baker had asked a guest about their genitalia. The blunder happened as the pair chatted with Valerie Singleton, who hosted Blue Peter for 10 years. Speaking about her time on the children's show, Matt turned to Valerie, 81, and asked 'where do you keep your badge?' Oops: Last week, Alex was left incredibly flustered when she mistakenly believed co-host Matt Baker had asked a guest about their genitalia But Alex misheard the last part of the question, and clamped a hand over her mouth as she squealed: 'It sounds so rude'. Undeterred, Valerie responded: 'I've got a lovely big board with loads of badges on it' which lead to Alex collapsing in a heap of giggles. Another guest on the show, Laurence Fox, also looked sheepish, as Matt quickly threw to the credits to end the show. Television legend: The blunder happened as the pair chatted with Valerie Singleton, who hosted Blue Peter for 10 years Oh dear: Speaking about her time on the children's show, Matt turned to Valerie, 81, and asked 'where do you keep your badge?' But Alex misheard the last part of the question Earlier in the chat, Laurence had the team laughing as he joked that he would 'steal' money from his mother. The star got irate discussing coin sorting machines at supermarkets, after revealing that they take 11 percent of the money you put in. His comments came after he divulged details of the crippling financial side to his 2016 divorce from wife Billie Piper. Cheeky: Undeterred, Valerie responded: 'I've got a lovely big board with loads of badges on it' which lead to Alex collapsing in a heap of giggles The 40-year-old actor spoke to The Times, as he branded the split 'hor-rend-dous' and admitted he misses the 'large bank account' he shared with his then-wife, with whom he has sons Winston, 10, and Eugene, six. In the candid chat, Laurence, best known for his previous role on Lewis and being part of the Fox acting dynasty, admitted he used 'time, forgiveness and compassion' to help get him through the painful and pricey split. Laurence said: 'It was quite a drastic life change. Goodbye, money! Goodbye, wife! Argh! But that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger, doesn't it? Obviously, you miss the large bank account but that's not everything.' He admitted the legal bills ate into the money he had reserved for his kids' education and revealed he got through the split with 'time, forgiveness and compassion'. Ending on a high: Another guest on the show, Laurence Fox, also looked sheepish, as Matt quickly threw to the credits to end the show Meanwhile, Alex is currently expecting her second child with husband Charlie Thompson, with the loved-up couple already parents to two-year-old son Teddy. Alex previously documented her struggle to conceive for a second time. She told The Sun: 'I suppose I'm older now, but we took it for granted that it would be OK. But you don't really know until you start trying how it's going to go, do you? 'The majority of couples I know have had something, not always IVF, but some problem that needs to be sorted out. 'Suddenly you see someone pregnant or with a newborn and you don't really hark back to what happened before because everyone's just delighted there's a baby.' More university students will be shifting between Australia and Indonesia in light of a landmark free trade deal between the nations, Australia's leading universities believe. The Indonesian and Australian trade ministers signed the agreement in Jakarta on Monday, which will allow 99 per cent of Australian goods to enter Indonesia duty free or under significantly better arrangements. Australian-owned universities will also be able to operate in Indonesia under the deal. The Group of 8 - an advocacy group made up of eight research-intensive universities, including as the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne - says that will pave the way for more students and academics to move between the nations. "Deepening engagement with ASEAN nations - including Indonesia - is a key priority for the Go8, especially as the world's focus shifts to our region," Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said. "The (agreement) signed today is a positive step forward in the relationship between our two countries." The universities will continue pushing for Indonesia to also be allowed to establish campuses in Australia and streamlined visa processes. Currently, Indonesia ranks tenth in enrolments at Australian institutions, with 20,895 of them in 2018. Education Minister Dan Tehan says the government is eager to take advantage of the changes. "Indonesia is an important education partner with Australia, with engagement across all education sectors," he said. That comes as Labor leader Bill Shorten promised to study the detail of the free trade deal, as his party weighs up whether to lend parliamentary support. The opposition leader says Labor is "positively disposed" towards the trade pact, which must be ratified by parliament after its formal tabling and an inquiry by the treaties committee. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned that the opposition is the only thing standing in the way of the latest agreement. "The Labor Party has often baulked on these arrangements in the past, so that would be the only risk to it as far as I can see," he told reporters in Sydney. Both Australia and Indonesia are in the world's top 20 economies but not each other's top 10 trading partners. US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria are urging Canberra to repatriate the Australian Islamic State jihadis in their custody. "However, the Morrison government is determined to deal with these people as far from our shores as possible and ensure that any who do return do so with forewarning and into the hands of appropriate agencies," a spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. The Kurds, part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, are battling IS in their last enclave and currently hold about 800 militants of various nationalities. US President Donald Trump has urged various countries to take back their nationals, but other countries have followed Australia's example by stripping them of their citizenship so they can return home. Many think they should be tried where their crimes were committed in Iraq and Syria. Australian Neil Prakash is being held in Turkey where he is being prosecuted by Ankara and has had his Australian passport cancelled. A man has been charged over the fatal stabbing of a neighbour who died in the driveway of a western Sydney unit complex. Emergency services were called following reports of two men fighting at the complex in North Parramatta about 9pm on Thursday. They found a man, 45, with wounds to his back and neck. He died at the scene. A 35-year-old man was arrested early on Friday morning inside a unit at the address after a stand-off with police and taken to hospital. He was charged with murder on Monday evening after he was released from hospital. He was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday. An Australian jihadi has apparently been captured by US-backed coalition forces in the battle for the last Islamic State enclave of Baghouz in Syria. Mahir Absar Alam, who was born in Australia and raised in the small SA country town of Loxton, was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces this month, sources told The Australian. Alam, 26, who had been living in Melbourne, is said to have joined IS in 2014 four weeks after the militant group declared its "caliphate". He is said to have taken the nom de guerre Abu Salim al-Australi and was known to Australian security agencies, the paper reports. The revelation comes as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has made clear the government would prefer jihadis are dealt with far from Australian shores. A deadly double tornado cut a swath of destruction through the US state of Alabama Rescuers in Alabama stepped up the search for survivors Monday after two back-to-back tornadoes ripped across the southern state, with the death toll of 23 expected to rise further. "The devastation is incredible," Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones told the local CBS affiliate. "It looks almost as if someone took a giant knife and scraped the ground," he said. "There are slabs where homes formerly stood, there is debris everywhere, trees are snapped, whole ... forested areas are just snapped." "I cannot recall at least in the last 50 years ... a situation where we have had this loss of life," Jones said. He said the death toll stood at 23, some of them children. One of the dead was just six years old, with the toll likely to rise. Trees snapped in half by the deadly double tornado that swept through Alabama, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake "We have several people who are still unaccounted for," Jones said."Unfortunately, we anticipate the number of fatalities may rise as the day goes on." Other people were hospitalized, some with "very serious injuries." Search operations for those still missing had to be halted on Sunday night due to hazardous conditions, but were renewed Monday morning with agencies from across the state and from neighboring Georgia joining the hunt. - Wrecked houses, downed trees - The swath of destruction left was a quarter mile (0.4 kilometers) wide and stretched for the "several miles that it traveled on the ground," according to Jones. The powerful winds picked up a billboard from the Lee County Flea Market in Alabama and dumped it some 20 miles away, across the state line in Georgia, local media reported. Rescuers in Alabama were sifting through the debris left by two tornados that swept through the southern state, killing some two dozen people, including chidlren More than 6,000 homes were left without power in Alabama, according to PowerOutage.US, while 16,000 suffered outages in neighboring Georgia. The search for missing people was focused in the area around Beauregard, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) east of the state capital Montgomery. While the heavy rains that accompanied the high winds had relented overnight, many roads in the worst-hit areas were blocked by debris, hindering search efforts. Residents in the town of Smith Station told local TV news crews of their shock at turning up to work to find their businesses destroyed, and seeing crying co-workers comforting one another. US storm One bar in the town appeared to have lost its roof and most of its walls, in images screened by MSNBC, while a cell tower was completely destroyed. "My sister and niece have been under tornado watch and warnings all day in Montgomery ... Prayers up for Alabama," Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ava Duvernay tweeted Sunday. US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences to those affected and said on Twitter that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, "has been told directly by me to give the A Plus treatment to the Great State of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated by the Tornadoes." - 'Take cover Now!' - The National Weather Service (NWS) had issued a tornado warning for areas including Lee County on Sunday, calling on residents to: "TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows." "Catastrophic" damage in Beauregard, Alabama, the epicenter of the twin tornados that swept through the area, leaving around two dozen people dead The warning for the first twister was issued at 2:58 pm, the NWS said. The warning for the second came less than an hour later, at 3:38 pm. NWS Birmingham said the first tornado to hit was "at least an EF-3 & at least 1/2 mi wide." The EF-3 designation -- on a scale of 0 to 5 -- means the tornado had winds of 136 to 165 miles (218 to 266 kilometers) per hour. Around a dozen tornadoes were reported to have touched down in Alabama and Georgia in the course of the day, CNN reported. Smoke and fire billow after shelling of the Islamic State group's last holdout of Baghouz, a village in eastern Syria Kurdish-led forces supported by air strikes from an international coalition evacuated civilians held as "human shields" Monday after smashing their way into the jihadists' last scrap of territory in eastern Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces and its allies from the US-led coalition unleashed a deluge of fire on the village of Baghouz at the weekend to break the defences of Islamic State group fighters in the final sliver of their "caliphate". Final assault on last pocket of Islamic State group territory But the Kurdish-led force said their offensive had been slowed down Monday due to remaining civilians inside the pocket, and an SDF spokeswoman said hundreds had been evacuated out of the crumbling bastion in the past 48 hours. "More than 800 people exited Baghouz from yesterday until today -- IS family members and fighters who surrendered," she said. Through binoculars from an SDF position outside the jihadist holdout, an AFP correspondent saw men kneeling on the ground before boarding trucks, as well as women clad in black and children. The push on IS's last pocket of territory had resumed Friday after days of mass evacuations, but SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said Monday the operation was being hampered by the presence of more civilians in the besieged enclave. "We're slowing down the offensive in Baghouz due to a small number of civilians held as human shields," he said. Three air strikes hit the village of Baghouz earlier in the day, causing a huge cloud of smoke to billow up into the sky. - Suicide attacks - Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stand guard on top of a building during shelling of the Islamic State group's last holdout of Baghouz in eastern Syria Despite being hugely outnumbered, jihadists making a desperate last stand in the riverside hamlet -- most of them foreigners according to the SDF -- are putting up stiff resistance. They are using snipers, a network of tunnels, and suicide bombers to fight back. On Sunday, eight suicide attackers blew themselves up before reaching SDF positions and three car bombs were detonated at a distance, the Kurdish-led forces said. SDF officers perched on rooftops have been receiving information on IS positions from elite units, and passing them on to the coalition to call in air strikes. Syrian fighters pass the location of jihadist positions to the US-led coalition to call in air strikes IS has lost several of its positions in such strikes since Friday in Baghouz, a village nestled in a palm-lined bend of the Euphrates River. Seven SDF members and 18 jihadists have been killed in the fighting since the final push started, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. The capture of Baghouz would mark the end of IS territorial control in the region and deal a death blow to the "caliphate" proclaimed in 2014, which once covered huge swathes of Syria and Iraq. At its peak more than four years ago, the proto-state created by IS was the size of the United Kingdom and administered millions of people. It minted its own currency, levied taxes, and designed its own school curricula. The "caliphate" effectively collapsed in 2017 when IS lost most of its major cities in both countries. The loss of Baghouz, which the SDF says is only days away, would carry mostly symbolic value. - 'No indoors to go to' - The Syrian Democratic Forces launched a broad operation against the jihadists' last bastion in the Euphrates Valley in September The latest military operation has nonetheless sparked a major humanitarian emergency, with thousands of people emerging from the ruins of the "caliphate" and washing up in Kurdish-run camps. After months under heavy bombardment and sometimes with very little to eat, families emerging from Baghouz are often in poor physical and psychological health. The foreigners among them are not wanted in their countries of origin, and locals are filling camps that the Kurdish administration in the region says it needs more international help to run. The International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday said tens of thousands of Syrians at the camps needed immediate aid, with several sleeping rough in the cold. "The nights are biting. More than two dozen children are reported to have died due to the cold in recent weeks," said Philip Spoerri, head of the ICRC's delegation in Syria. "People are bundled in clothes, as they have no indoors to go to. Some don't even have tents yet and remain exposed to rain, wind and bitter temperatures," he said. The US and Russian military chiefs were to meet on Monday to discuss operations in Syria. The United States is to keep a residual force in Syria after any declared victory against IS. Almost eight years into a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions, the Russia-backed Damascus regime is back in control of nearly two-thirds of the country. Algerians demonstrate in the capital Algiers early on Monday against Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term after he promised to quit early if re-elected Algerians on Monday dismissed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's promise to quit early if re-elected for a fifth time in April and eyed fresh protests to push him from office. The ailing leader, who suffered a stroke in 2013, vowed in a letter read out on state television late Sunday to organise a "national conference" that would set a date for further polls which he would not contest. "I pledge not to be a candidate in that election which will ensure I am succeeded in undeniable conditions of serenity, freedom and transparency," the letter read. "I listened and heard the cry from the hearts of protesters and in particular the thousands of young people who questioned me about the future of our homeland", it said. His message -- followed by the formal submission of his candidacy for the April 18 poll by his campaign manager Abdelghani Zaalane -- failed to win hearts as new protests hit the capital and other cities. In central Algiers, hundreds of mostly young demonstrators rallied peacefully overnight and into the early hours of Monday as a helicopter buzzed overhead and police deployed gradually across the city. Protests were reported in several cities around the country Monday. In third city Constantine, lawyers announced an indefinite strike and a local journalist told AFP that 1,000 people took to the streets. In downtown Algiers, dozens of highschool students were quickly surrounded by police when they tried to protest and undergraduates at a university in the city boycotted campus. Students at several universities told AFP they were weighing up staging a walkout and protests on Tuesday. Abdelaziz Bouteflika Residents of the capital said they were gearing up for demonstrations Friday, the main day for protests so far, as they dismissed Bouteflika's promises as an "insult". Bouteflika "thinks we're idiots. We said no (to him). And 'we' are a people 42-million strong," said Karim, a 22-year-old unemployed man who declined to give his surname. Mohammed, a 69-year-old retiree, insisted he was ready to take part in his "first ever" demonstration on Friday. "They want us to believe that he (Bouteflika) is the Messiah, a prophet, that there is no one else who can save this country," he said. - 'Contempt' - Bouteflika's allies tried to sell his decision to a sceptical public. The leader "listened attentively to the Algerian people as he committed to meeting their main demand, namely to change the system", said his National Liberation Front (FLN) party. Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia's National Rally for Democracy insisted Bouteflika had made "an exhaustive response to the demands of the citizens" and hoped their would now be a return to "calm". Algerian police deploy in Algiers early on Monday But newspapers channelled the widespread fury. The Al-Watan daily said Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term showed "contempt" for the tens of thousands of Algerians who have taken to the streets since February 22 calling for him to resign. Liberte newspaper said Bouteflika's promises to serve a shorter term were merely a "manoeuvre" to placate the people "until he takes charge again". The head of state, who has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke nearly six years ago, has been in Switzerland since February 24 for what the presidency has described as "routine medical tests". There were no legal requirements for him to submit his candidacy in person and it was handed in just before a midnight deadline Sunday. Campaign manager Zaalane said Bouteflika -- who has ruled since 1999 -- had the backing of 19,700 national and local elected representatives and of 5.86 million voters. Their signed affidavits of support were brought Sunday night to the Constitutional Council -- where presidential bids are formally lodged -- by the truckloads. - 'Go away' - Protesters in Algeria have been mobilised by calls on social media as many young people struggle to find jobs in a country where half the population is under 30 Hours earlier students demonstrating in central Algiers chanted "Bouteflika go away" and police fired water cannon to prevent some from reaching the Constitutional Council. Similar rallies took place in several cities across the oil-rich North African country and as far as France and Montreal in Canada. Protesters in Algeria have been mobilised by calls on social media, as many young people struggle to find jobs in a country where half the population is under 30. Bouteflika was the eighth candidate to be registered Sunday for the April poll. The others included retired general Ali Ghediri -- an independent who was the first to announce he would run and has promised change, but whose popularity remains unknown. Bouteflika's former prime minister and key rival Ali Benflis announced Sunday he would not run, describing the upcoming election as no longer relevent because it was void of real competition. The council has until March 14 to accept or reject the presidential bids. The foreign ministry in France -- Algeria's former colonial master -- said Monday it was "up to the Algerian people to choose their leaders and decide their future". The agreement is in danger less than a month after it was signed by President Faustin-Archange Touadera Less than a month after it was signed, the Central African Republic's peace agreement was under strain on Monday after five militia groups either pulled out or rejected the make-up of the new government. The peace pact, negotiated in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum before being signed in Bangui on February 6, bought together President Faustin-Archange Touadera and the leaders of the 14 armed groups who control most territory in the African nation. On Monday, one of the main militia groups, the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), led by Ali Darassa, said the peace deal was "threatened if the government does not show a clear change of attitude". A UPC representative had been appointed Minister of Livestock in the new government. Another group, the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FPDC) announced it was walking away in protest at the newly formed government. The FPDC "is resolved purely and simply to withdraw from the peace process," it said in a statement sent to AFP. The group, whose stronghold is in the northwest, protested that the new government formed on Sunday was "far from being inclusive". In a video released on social media on Monday, Prime Minister Firmin Ngrebada said the government would "follow the arrangements" of the peace agreement and criticised militias for demanding too many posts. "Today we have a government of 36 members, it was not possible to bring five members of each armed group into government, it would be too bloated," the premier said. Another large militia, the Patriotic Movement for Central Africa (MPC), said it considered the accord "void." One of its founders had been given a minister's post. Just hours after the ministerial list was unveiled on Sunday, the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC), said it was leaving the government. The FPRC did not specify whether it planned to remain part of the peace process, but charged the authorities with "bad faith, amateurism and incompetence." It is the eighth attempt to bring peace to the CAR, one of the world's poorest and most unstable countries, since mainly Muslim rebels ousted president Francois Bozize, a Christian, in 2013. France, the former colonial ruler, intervened militarily under a UN mandate as fears grew of a Rwandan-style genocide. The Seleka rebels were forced from power and in February 2016, Touadera, a former prime minister, was elected president. - Stifled hope - Under the peace accord's provisions, Touadera agreed to form an "inclusive" government. But in the team unveiled on Sunday, the ministers in sensitive key posts all kept their jobs, while six of the 14 armed groups obtained no post at all. One of those left out, the Movement of Central African Freedom Fighters for Justice (MLCJ), a small group in the north of the country, warned the authorities "to look again" at the list. The armed groups had also demanded that the prime minister be chosen from their ranks. But the job was handed instead to Ngrebada, Touadera's former cabinet director. "By playing at 'Let's take the same people and start over', the president of the republic ... has stifled all hope at birth," the FPRC said. The deal was prepared in 2017 by the African Union and has the support of Bangui's partners, notably France, along with a 12,000-strong UN stabilisation mission, MINUSCA. But militia groups, often claiming to defend an ethnicity or religious group, still hold sway over four-fifths of the country. Armed groups and conflict minerals in the Central African Republic Fighting, typically for control of natural resources, has left thousands dead and forced a quarter of the population of 4.5 million from their homes. Other provisions in the peace agreement include the launch of a "Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission" within 90 days and the start of joint patrols by militia members and the security forces. The agreement does not spell out any amnesty for militia leaders -- something that had been a stumbling block in past agreements. However, the president may exercise a "discretionary right to issue pardons". Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok (pictured) said in a letter to parliament that the government "has decided to recall the Netherlands' ambassador to Tehran for consultations" over the row The Netherlands said Monday it has recalled its ambassador from Tehran after Iran expelled two Dutch diplomats in a dispute over an alleged plot to assassinate regime opponents. Dutch authorities accused Iran in January of involvement in the murder of two dissidents on Dutch soil in 2015 and 2017, and the European Union slapped sanctions on Tehran over the killings. Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a letter to parliament that the government "has decided to recall the Netherlands' ambassador to Tehran for consultations" over the row. Iran's decision to expel the Dutch officials -- which was not previously announced in public -- was "not acceptable and is negative for the development of the bilateral relationship," Blok said. He said Iran's move was itself a tit-for-tat response to the Netherlands' expulsion of two Iranian embassy workers in June 2018 "due to strong indications from (Dutch intelligence) that Iran has been involved in the liquidations on Dutch territory of two Dutch people of Iranian origin." Tehran had informed Dutch authorities of the decision to expel the two diplomats on February 20 and they were deported back to the Netherlands on Sunday, Blok said. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi confirmed the expulsion of the two Dutch diplomats in what he called a "retaliatory" move. "Two of the diplomats of the Netherlands embassy in Tehran were considered undesirable elements in the framework of a retaliatory measure and were asked to leave the country" on March 3 and 4, he said on the ministry's Telegram channel. The Dutch had also summoned the Iranian ambassador over the issue, Blok said. Dutch police have previously named the two murder victims as Ali Motamed, 56, who was killed in the central city of Almere in 2015, and Ahmad Molla Nissi, 52, murdered in The Hague in 2017. Google says the proposed copyright overhaul 'would be bad for creators and users' Internet giant Google on Monday urged the European Parliament to resist approving a planned overhaul of the bloc's online copyright law that the company said would hurt Europe for "decades to come". European lawmakers could vote as soon as next week on the landmark legislation that is intended to modernise copyright for the digital age but has set off a furious lobbying war in Brussels. Tech giants, artistic creators and EU member states have battled for three years over the reform, with Google making a last-minute effort to dissuade MEPs from passing the law this month. The biggest stumbling block has been a provision that calls for Google-owned YouTube and other platforms to remove illegal content using automatic filters, or face massive liability. Despite certain benefits, this aspect of the reform "creates vague, untested requirements" that would lead to the websites "over-blocking content", said Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs in a blog post. "This would be bad for creators and users, who will see online services wrongly block content simply because they need to err on the side of caution and reduce legal risks," he added. These "unintended consequences" may "hurt Europe's creative economy for decades to come," he added. Another bone of contention is a provision to create "neighbouring rights" -- that opponents call a link tax -- for media publishers. News organisations, including AFP, have pushed for the move, arguing that giants like Facebook and Google make billions in revenue from advertising tied to news stories, while publishers suffer. The planned reform "hurts small and emerging publishers, and limits consumer access to a diversity of news sources," said Walker. "Under the directive, showing anything beyond mere facts, hyperlinks and 'individual words and very short extracts' would be restricted," he warned. At first considered a formality, the outcome of the vote in the European Parliament is now highly uncertain. John Hickenlooper is a two-time governor of Colorado and former mayor of Denver Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday, the second governor and 14th candidate to join the field seeking to take on Republican Donald Trump in 2020. In a video announcing his candidacy, the 67-year-old Hickenlooper said he is seeking the White House "because we're facing a crisis that threatens everything we stand for." "I've proven again and again I can bring people together to produce the progressive change Washington has failed to deliver," he said. A former geologist and self-described "nerd," Hickenlooper went into politics after earning a fortune opening up a string of brewpubs in Denver, Colorado's largest city, and other towns. A political moderate, Hickenlooper took aim at Trump in his campaign launch video: "As a skinny kid with Coke bottle glasses and a funny last name, I've stood up to my fair share of bullies," he said. Hickenlooper served as mayor of Denver from 2003 to 2011 and as governor of Colorado from 2011 to January 2019. He oversaw Colorado's economic boom during his tenure as governor, which was also marked by devastating wildfires, floods and a mass shooting at a movie theater that left 12 people dead. Colorado passed tough gun control legislation following the 2012 shooting and the state also moved to legalize marijuana while Hickenlooper was in office. A former chair of the National Governors Association, Hickenlooper is well-known in Democratic leadership circles, but not to the larger public outside his home state. Speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday, Hickenlooper said the United States is suffering from a "crisis of division." "I think it's probably the worst period of division that we've had in this country since the Civil War," he said. "Ultimately, I'm running for president because I believe that not only can I beat Donald Trump, but that I am the person that can bring people together on the other side and actually get stuff done." - 14 candidates, more may come - Others who have announced bids to become the Democratic nominee are US senators Bernie Sanders, 77, Kamala Harris, 54, Elizabeth Warren, 69, Cory Booker, 49, Amy Klobuchar, 58, and Kirsten Gillibrand, 52. Former US attorney general Eric Holder announced that he will not be a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Also running are Washington state governor Jay Inslee, 68, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, 37, of Hawaii, former Maryland congressman John Delaney, 55, Obama-era housing secretary Julian Castro, 44, of Texas, and South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37, who would be the first openly gay nominee of a major party. Two non-politicians are also in the race -- Andrew Yang, 44, a technology executive, and Marianne Williamson, a 66-year-old self-help author. And several other potential candidates are waiting in the wings, including former vice president Joe Biden, 76, former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, 46, and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, 66. There has also been speculation that former Obama attorney general Eric Holder may run, but he said Monday that he would not be a candidate. "Though I will not run for president in 2020, I will continue to fight for the future of our country," Holder said in an opinion piece in The Washington Post. He declined to endorse a particular candidate, but said the Democrats have a "host of good options." Four former US governors have become president since 1976. Democrat Jimmy Carter, a former governor of Georgia, was elected to the White House in 1976 and was followed by former California governor Ronald Reagan, a Republican, in 1980. Former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, a Democrat, won the 1992 presidential election and was succeeded by former Texas governor George W. Bush, a Republican. Gaza's Hamas leader Ismail Haniya (3rd-R) waves upon arrival at a rally marking the 31st anniversary of his Islamist movement's founding in Gaza City on December 16 The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas warned Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday against any military "adventure" in Gaza ahead of Israeli elections next month. Netanyahu is currently battling for re-election for a fifth term, facing a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance as well as a planned indictment on corruption charges. Israel and Hamas, which controls the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, have fought three wars since 2008. Many analysts, however, believe Netanyahu would want to avoid an escalation in Gaza with unpredictable results ahead of April 9 polls. Asked about a potential Israeli military operation, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya told journalists: "If the (Israeli) occupation or Netanyahu think of an adventure, I think they will pay the price that will send them away." "We do not fear any adventures from Netanyahu towards Gaza... The resistance has its eyes open," added Haniya, whose movement has a military wing. He added that Hamas did not care who won the Israeli elections. A centrist alliance headed by former military chief Benny Gantz has overtaken right-winger Netanyahu, who is dogged by corruption allegations, in a series of polls. But it is unclear if Gantz would be able to assemble enough parties to form a coalition. Gantz's emergence and comments about separating from the Palestinians have been welcomed by the secular Palestinian leadership, headed by president Mahmud Abbas. But Hamas, which unlike the Abbas-led Palestine Liberation Organisation, has not recognised Israel, said the elections made no difference. "We do not care who will come to rule in the occupation (state)," Haniya said. He also accused Israel of breaching an informal truce agreement struck in November, under which the Jewish state would allow Qatari aid to enter Gaza in exchange for calm on the border. Muhammadu Buhari, left, defeated former vice president Atiku Abubakar, in the February 23 presidential elections Nigerian anti-corruption investigators have arrested a relative of the runner-up in Nigeria's presidential elections as well as the candidate's lawyer, sources said on Monday. Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi, a son-in-law to Atiku Abubakar who was defeated in the February 23 polls, "is being investigated over an alleged case of money laundering," an official at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said, speaking under condition of anonymity. "The sum involved is 150 million euros ($169 million)," he claimed. Abdullahi, who was also director of finance for Abubakar's presidential campaign, was arrested at his home in the capital Abuja on Saturday, the source said. Meanwhile, Abubakar's lawyer, Uyi Osagie, was arrested on February 18 by the EFCC, who raided his home in Lagos and found sums of cash, said Boladele Adekoya, a spokesperson for Abubakar's campaign. "It is part of an orchestrated campaign to intimidate Atiku Abubakar," Adekoya charged. The agency said he was being investigated but did not confirm his detention or give details about any charges. In a statement posted on his Twitter page, Abubakar said his son-in-law and lawyer were "paying the price for supporting me." "I urge those now persecuting them to remember that a governments mandate is to pursue peace and justice for all, and not just those who support them," he added. The arrests come on the heels of a tense election that saw President Muhammadu Buhari re-elected for a second term. Abubakar refused to concede defeat after the result was announced last Wednesday, denouncing the vote as a "sham election" and vowing to challenge it in court. His Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of vote-rigging and "widespread manipulation" in the elections. Nigeria's electoral body delayed the vote by a week, just hours before polls were to open on February 16. The Independent National Electoral Commission blamed the delay on logistical challenges, yet both parties criticised the decision, warning of attempts to rig the vote. The rescheduled election saw Buhari win comfortably, gaining 15.2 million votes (56 percent) to Abubakar's 11.2 million (41 percent). Observers said the vote outcome was credible although it was marred by violence, including 53 deaths, according to the Situation Room, an umbrella group of more than 70 civil society groups that monitored polling. There were also widespread reports of intimidation of voters and election officials. Voters will be called out again on Saturday, for governorship and state assembly elections. ola-eak/spb/ri US House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler has announced a sprawling new investigation into President Donald Trump and the people and organizations in his orbit US Democratic lawmakers launched Monday their most ambitious investigation yet into alleged obstruction of justice and abuse of office by Donald Trump, targeting dozens of individuals in the president's inner circle. With controversies swirling around Trump, the powerful House Judiciary Committee's chairman sent strongly worded letters to family members of the president -- including sons Don Jr and Eric -- as well as political confidantes and related entities. The letters demanded documents that could shed light on possible wrongdoing by the administration and Trump himself. Son-in-law Jared Kushner and the Trump Organization's longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were among the 81 people and organizations -- such as the National Rifle Association -- receiving letters from the panel's Democratic chairman Jerry Nadler. They also include White House ex-aides Steve Bannon and Hope Hicks, current Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, former attorney general Jeff Sessions, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The request is the most serious overt ramp-up of investigations into Trump since Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in early January, and seeks to uncover whether Trump or his administration participated in obstruction of justice or public corruption -- potentially impeachable offenses. "This is a critical time for our nation, and we have a responsibility to investigate these matters and hold hearings for the public to have all the facts," Nadler said in a statement. "Over the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical, and constitutional rules and norms," he added. "Investigating these threats to the rule of law is an obligation of Congress." - 'Political hoax'? - Trump himself swatted away the probe as a "political hoax," but said he would cooperate. US President Donald Trump has slammed opposition Democrats for launching a sprawling new investigation into alleged obstruction of justice and abuse of office He later hardened his reaction, tweeting that any effort by the Democrats to probe new avenues of possible wrongdoing "will never work." White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders lambasted the probe as "disgraceful and abusive." "Chairman Nadler and his fellow Democrats have embarked on this fishing expedition because they are terrified that their two-year false narrative of 'Russia collusion' is crumbling," she added. "Their intimidation and abuse of American citizens is shameful. Democrats are harassing the president to distract from their radical agenda of making America a socialist country, killing babies after they're born, and pushing a 'green new deal' that would destroy jobs and bankrupt America." The unusually strong statement further claimed that "the Democrats are not after the truth, they are after the president." Conspicuously absent from the list of Nadler's targets -- who have two weeks to respond -- is the president's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump, a senior White House advisor married to Kushner. The chairmen of three other House panels also joined the fray, demanding the White House produce details of communications between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, after reports that such information was destroyed or hidden in the aftermath of their 2017 Helsinki summit. The US intelligence community has concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election, and that Putin ordered the influence campaign as a way to help elect Trump. The US president has repeatedly cast doubt on the findings. Nadler's broad investigation focuses on Trump's business dealings and obstruction of justice allegations, along with possible Russian collusion. It also will address accusations of campaign finance law violations and potential violations of the US Constitution's ban on foreign emoluments. Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, in explosive congressional testimony last week, implicated the president in illegal activities, including a scheme shortly before the 2016 election to pay hush money to two women who say they had affairs with Trump. One of the women reportedly received the payoffs through American Media Inc, a company run by longtime Trump ally David Pecker. Nadler demanded information from both Pecker and AMI about their involvement. Letters to other key players include requests for information on the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower attended by Kushner, Trump Jr, now-jailed former campaign manager Paul Manafort and a Russian lawyer reportedly close to the Kremlin, and documents surrounding the termination of FBI director James Comey. The expansive new probe could pave the way toward possible impeachment proceedings against Trump. But Democratic congressional leaders, including Nadler and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have been reticent about pushing for the president's impeachment. Nadler told ABC television's "This Week" that such action would be "a long way down the road." However, he added, "it's very clear that the president obstructed justice." In addition to the NRA, Nadler also sought documents from the White House, the Trump Organization, Trump's charity, the FBI and Cambridge Analytica -- a data company that worked with the Trump campaign and has been investigated by Congress in connection with Russia's election interference efforts. US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) members stand guard during shelling on the Islamic State group's last holdout of Baghouz, in eastern Syria The chiefs of the US and Russian militaries met in Austria on Monday to discuss the situation in Syria, where a residual US military force will remain following the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group. General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, in Vienna, Dunford's spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said. "The two military leaders discussed the deconfliction of coalition and Russian operations in Syria, and exchanged views on the state of US-Russia military relations and the current international security situation in Europe and other key topics," Ryder said in a statement. Since Russia's entry into the Syria conflict in 2015, Moscow and Washington have "deconflicted" their respective operations against IS, warning each other of planned air operations to avoid contact. "Both leaders recognize the importance of maintaining regular communication to avoid miscalculation and to promote transparency and deconfliction in areas where our militaries are operating in close proximity," Ryder said. The meeting -- the first since June -- comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia, with the Pentagon pursuing a renewed focus on Russia as a "great power" competitor. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday officially suspended Russia's participation in the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a key Cold War-era arms agreement, after Washington first moved to ditch the deal. The INF treaty eliminated short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and missile launchers from Europe. Despite the conflict in Syria and the rising bilateral tensions, the military chiefs have kept open a channel of communications. In August 2018, Russia sent a confidential letter, which leaked, containing proposals for cooperation to assure Syria's reconstruction and the return of refugees. President Donald Trump decided in December to withdraw US troops from northeastern Syria, where they had fought alongside Kurdish forces against IS jihadists, but he has since agreed to leave behind a residual force of about 200 US troops. Washington is currently negotiating with Western allies in the anti-IS coalition on an international force that would train security forces capable of stabilizing parts of Syria. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is concerned about two Canadians detained in China Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced strong concern Monday after Chinese state media reported that a former Canadian diplomat detained in the country was suspected of spying and stealing state secrets. "We are obviously very concerned with the position that China has taken," Trudeau told reporters, referring to the case of Michael Kovrig, who was detained in December following the arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Trudeau reiterated that Canada considers China to have arbitrarily detained both the former diplomat and his compatriot Michael Spavor -- a businessman suspected by China of being a key source of intelligence for Kovrig. "The safety and security of Canadians is always first order for this government, and that's why we've been engaging and standing up for the two Canadians who've been arbitrarily detained by China from the very beginning," Trudeau said. Kovrig and Spavor were detained in what observers see as retaliation just days after Canada arrested Meng, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, at the request of the United States. Chinese authorities had previously said the two Canadian men were under investigation on suspicion of endangering national security. Spying charges could expose them to tough prison sentences. Kovrig, who now works for the International Crisis Group think tank, had often entered China using a non-diplomatic passport and business visas and has been gathering intelligence since 2017, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua said. The new allegations come three days after Canada launched the extradition process against Meng, angering Beijing, which called the action a "severe political incident." Meng is due in court in Vancouver on Wednesday to schedule a date for her extradition hearing. Environmental activists demonstrate outside World Bank offices in Beirut in protest at its financing of a dam project in the Bisri Valley south of the Lebanese capital Demonstrators staged a protest outside World Bank offices in Lebanon's capital Monday over its key role in financing a controversial dam project that environmentalists say will destroy a valley rich in biodiversity. "Bisri Dam = Destruction, Pollution, Earthquakes" and "Save The Bisri Valley", read banners and posters carried by the dozens of demonstrators gathered in downtown Beirut. The dam to be built in the valley 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of the capital aims to supply drinking water as well as irrigation for 1.6 million residents. Environmentalists and local farmers dispute assurances from the government and World Bank, the main financier with a loan of $474 million, that the dam to be built on a seismic fault line does not increase the risk of earthquakes. "The World Bank is financing a project which will cause an ecological massacre and expel residents from their region," said Boutros Salim, a 54-year-old demonstrator. Activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, considered by the United Nations to be a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba which is accused of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, march in Karachi on February 3, 2019 Pakistan on Monday announced the freezing of accounts and seizure of assets linked to organisations banned by the UN Security Council (UNSC), as pressure mounted on the country to crack down on militant groups amid tensions with India. The move comes after weeks of heightened tensions in South Asia after a massive suicide bombing in Kashmir killed 40 Indian troops on February 14, with the attack claimed by Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. The incident prompted New Delhi to carry out air strikes inside Pakistan and an Indian pilot was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani aircraft. Islamabad freed the Indian pilot in what Islamabad called a "peace gesture". Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement that the government had issued the "United Nations Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019". A senior foreign office official, requesting anonymity, said "this order means the government will take control of assets... and control all the accounts of organisations banned by the UNSC". The United States pressed Pakistan last month to punish those behind the Kashmir attack, with State Department spokesman Robert Palladino urging "all countries to uphold their responsibilities pursuant to the United Nations Security Council resolutions to deny safe haven and support for terrorists". Islamabad has banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), groups believed to be fronts for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. JuD and FIF are considered by the UN to be fronts for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group accused by Washington and New Delhi of carrying out the Mumbai attack, which killed 166 people and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. Cameroonian Army soldiers patrol the streets of the restive city of Buea, the capital of the majority English-speaking South West province The United Nations on Tuesday called for $184 million (163 million euros) to help more than 400,000 people displaced by the separatist conflict in western Cameroon. "Violent clashes in Cameroon between the military and armed separatists over the past 13 months have forcibly displaced thousands, including across the border into Nigeria," the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a statement. "The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. And there are fears now that more people will become displaced over the coming months." The UN estimates that 437,000 have been displaced in Cameroon itself, while over 35,000 have fled across the border into Nigeria -- a number that is expected to rise as fighting continues. Of the estimated aid needs, $35.4 million is needed urgently, "for critical life-saving assistance," the UNHCR said. The Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon are in the grip of an armed campaign launched by anglophone separatists in October 2017. At least 500 civilians and more than 200 members of the security forces have died in clashes, attacks and a government crackdown, the International Crisis Group (ICG) says. Around a fifth of Cameroon's population of 24 million are English-speakers. Their presence can be traced back to the colonial era. After World War I Germany surrendered Kamerun, its principal colony in West Africa, which was then taken over by Britain and France. France was given the greater part of the territory, which became independent in 1960. A year later, the British colony also gained independence. Some of the English-speaking areas opted to join newly-formed Nigeria, while others chose to join the federation of Cameroon. English-speakers have chafed for years at perceived discrimination in education, law and economic opportunities at the hands of the francophone majority. In 2017, as the authorities refused demands for greater autonomy for the Northwest and Southwest Regions, the anglophone movement radicalised. On October 1 that year, separatists declared the creation of the "Republic of Ambazonia" in the two regions, named after the local Ambas Bay. The declaration has not been recognised internationally. The wrecked cockpit of the Malaysia Airlines jet downed over Ukraine Australia and the Netherlands on Wednesday said they were in talks with Russia over the ongoing investigation into the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine. The Malaysia Airlines jet was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile over war-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers. Close to two thirds of those killed on the flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur were Dutch, while 38 Australians were also lost. Last year Australia and the Netherlands blamed Russia for the disaster. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and her Dutch counterpart Stef Blok said Wednesday they were making progress on finding those responsible for the disaster after starting trilateral meetings with Russia earlier this month. "We cannot go into the content of the process because confidentiality is vital here," Blok told reporters in Sydney. "But I can say this: we remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability." International investigators concluded that the BUK came from a Russian military brigade based in southwestern Kursk which had crossed into Ukraine. Moscow has vehemently denied any responsibility. Five countries -- Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine -- continue to investigate the disaster. "Australia remains a strong supporter of the prosecution of the individuals responsible," Payne said. Russia also confirmed Wednesday the trilateral meetings had taken place. "They agreed they would be confidential," deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko told reporters in Moscow. Grushko said there was "no agreements" in place yet for the next meeting, TASS state news agency reported. The strategic Golan Heights was captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community The US move on the Golan has left fractious Arab nations scrambling for a united response to a decision taken by a key ally, which may only end up benefiting Iran, analysts said. Angry reactions have poured in from Arab capitals after US President Donald Trump on Monday formally announced US recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. But the seemingly united front is only a veneer masking the deep dilemma for Arab governments left trying to deal with Washington's "fait accompli", analysts said. Those Arab states who are "allies of the United States are the most embarrassed because they have gone to great lengths to get closer to Donald Trump," said Karim Bitar, senior fellow at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. The Golan Heights Some Arab countries, including regional powerhouse and Iran foe Saudi Arabia, have been cosying up to Washington, hoping to influence a long-awaited Middle East peace plan due to be presented in the coming months. But with the Trump administration shredding long-accepted regional conventions, Arab allies are left in an increasingly humiliating position. "It is rather Iran and its allies who feel comfortable in the idea that nothing can be expected from this American administration," added Bitar. Indeed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday denounced Trump's move as tantamount to "colonialism" something that is "unprecedented in the present century". - 'Iran filling a void' - With Arab states long fractured, Tehran has increasingly sought to spread its influence in the region. Syrians along with other Arabs have angrily denounced the US decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights While most Arab governments have shunned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the country's devastating civil war, Tehran has been a steadfast ally helping the regime now gain the upper hand as the conflict enters its ninth year. And in Yemen it is supporting Huthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led military coalition which is backing the country's beleaguered government. Trump's decision could be seen as a "God-send" for Iran which will "try to capitalise on the US-Israeli move to try to fill the void of official Arab leadership" in the region, said Fawaz Gerges, an international relations expert at the London School of Economics. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and annexed it in 1981, in a move that was never recognised by the international community. It has always been assumed that the fate of the strategic plateau would be negotiated as part of a wider peace deal between Israel and Syria. The Arab League, due to hold its annual summit in Tunis on Sunday, slammed Trump's announcement as "null and void in substance and form". Arab governments including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon have all condemned the US move. In a symbol of the tensions, an old Israeli tank stands near the armistice line separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights But while they have been left fuming by Trump's casual short-circuiting of the accepted precepts of a future Middle East peace, they are powerless to take any meaningful action. "Official Arab condemnation does not carry much weight. The Arab state system is dysfunctional and even broken," said Gerges. Rubbing salt into the wounds, Trump's Golan move comes hot on the heels of his earlier incendiary decision, breaking with the decades-long status quo to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year. Perhaps worryingly for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their promised future state, the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has sparked vows from other countries to follow suit. -'Peace process dead'- The Palestinians have broken off contact with the US administration, and Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has railed that Washington has forfeited its historic role as a mediator in the conflict. Arab countries, which have long fought for the Palestinian cause, "have been reduced to extreme fragility and none of them will go to war for Syria," said political sociology professor Said Sadeq. Saudi Arabia has even been quietly cooperating with Washington on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "encouraged the Trump administration to think that core issues of international law and Arab sensitivity like Jerusalem and Syrian territory could be ridden roughshod over," said Neil Partrick, Gulf specialist and author. But the plan being drawn up by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner appears unlikely to win much Arab approval. Bitar slammed the Kushner plan as "smokescreen or a vast humbug" saying the recognition of the Golan serves as a "nail in the coffin" of this plan. "Trump's decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights ensure that Israel will be in a state of perpetual war with its Arab-speaking people neighbours," added Gerges. "The Israeli-Arab peace process is dead." Sri Lanka is suffering a crippling power shortage as a severe drought bites into hydroelectricity production Sri Lankans endured a third straight day of blackouts Wednesday, with families sleeping outdoors to escape the heat and businesses stockpiling fuel as a crippling power shortage grips the island. Authorities warned Sri Lankans they must slash their energy use in coming months or face extensive power cuts as a severe drought bites into hydroelectricity production in the Indian Ocean nation of 21 million. The cabinet ordered street lighting be reduced and instructed state institutions to curb energy usage by 10 percent, as hours-long rolling blackouts left millions sweltering across the country. Daily restrictions were imposed Monday but Sri Lankans outside the capital Colombo, where power has not been interrupted, said random periods of "load shedding" had been imposed without warning for the better part of a week. Some businesses were hoarding fuel for generators, fearing the situation would not improve. The shortages conjured up memories of a major power shortage in 1996, when the island went without electricity for four straight days. On social media, images of parents and children sleeping in their cars with the air conditioning running generated sympathy -- and anger -- as blackouts dragged into another day. The government announced Tuesday it was abandoning efforts to stimulate rain through "cloud seeding" after they failed. About a quarter of the island's electricity is generated by hydro plants but capacity is approaching zero after the monsoon failed to bring adequate rains. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said it would seek legal action against the state-owned Ceylon Electricity Board after receiving complaints about unscheduled power cuts being imposed across the country. The board said the drought forced them to rely on coal-powered generators, which frequently break down, causing the cuts. The 1996 mass power cut followed a similar pattern, when a lack of rain saw hydroelectricity supplies plummet. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whose regime the group which raided Pyongyang's embassy in Spain wants to bring down Adrian Hong, who allegedly led an attack on North Korea's embassy in Madrid, is a longtime US-based advocate of regime change in Pyongyang whose sources of financial support are murky. Spain's National Court identified the leader of the group which invaded the embassy and stole records and computers on February 22 as 35-year-old Mexican national Adrian Hong Chang. According to the court, he went by the name "Matthew Chao" while in Madrid, booked his Uber under the name "Oswaldo Trump", and led the group of 10 who stormed the embassy wielding knives and fake guns. After the raid he allegedly flew to New York and has not been heard from since. In the United States, he goes by the name Adrian Hong. Well-spoken, with detailed knowledge of North Korea's politics and economy, Hong in 2005 co-founded the California-based Liberty in North Korea group (LiNK), which helps resettle refugees from the country. In December 2006 he was arrested together with two other field workers in China as they tried to help six North Koreans escape their country. They were released after being held for 10 days. But not long after that Hong left LiNK and began campaigning for human rights and regime change in Pyongyang, presenting himelf as chief executive of a consultancy called Pegasus Strategies LLC. The company was described in one article on Hong as "an initiative that uses cutting-edge technology to penetrate closed societies and empower people in those nations." His resume from when he was a fellow at the TED organization in 2010 said he has lectured at South Korea's Ewha University on human rights and foreign policy, and was a research fellow at Yale University. - 'Dress rehearsal' - But then his activity gets murky. Few in Washington's close-knit circles of North Korea watchers said they knew much about him, or who finances his activities. In 2011 he showed up in Tripoli, Libya. A former TED associate of Hong's, Jordanian businessman Suleiman Bakhit, said that during the first Libyan civil war, they built an operation to take some 15,000 Libyan civilians to be treated in Jordanian hospitals. He continued advocating about North Korea. "I consider the Arab Spring a dress rehearsal for North Korea," Hong told Abu Dhabi's The National newspaper in 2011. "But North Korea is a far more lethal, prepared and massive opponent for the people than Syria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen, in every category: pervasiveness of public security and secret police, size of military and mobilisation, hopelessness and general impoverished and malnourished state of the people." In 2015, Hong founded the Joseon Institute, based in New York and named after the 14th-19th century dynasty that ruled the Korean peninsula. Its website describes its mission as to "prepare actionable blueprints on how to manage a transition and prepare for a brighter future in a new North Korea," and suggests it has secret "planning commissions" to direct the country. Hong's link to the "Cheollima Civil Defense" group, which took credit for the attack on the embassy and apparently offered the materials it took to the FBI, is unclear. The group presents itself as the government-in-waiting for a "Free Joseon": "We declare this entity the sole legitimate representative of the Korean people of the north," its website says. Yet the group could very well be tied to Hong: "Cheollima" is the name of a powerful stallion in East Asian mythology -- a direct parallel to Pegasus of Greek mythology. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, seen here in a January 2019 news conference, has warned that Hong Kong's example is an omen for the island in relations with Beijing Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen vowed Wednesday to ensure the island's defense as she warned of lessons from Hong Kong, saying Beijing will not allow freedoms in territories it controls. Tsai was speaking as she made a transit stop in Hawaii during a tour of three Pacific island nations that are among the dwindling allies that recognize Taipei rather than communist China. Beijing, which considers the self-ruling democratic island a province awaiting reunification, protested to the United States for allowing the stopover by Tsai, who similarly transited through Los Angeles and Houston last year. In remarks delivered from Hawaii by video to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, Tsai accused China of stepping up efforts to "alter the status quo" and to "undermine our democratic institutions." "China's actions have underscored the need for Taiwan to increase our self-defense and deterrence capabilities," she said. "To be clear, we seek peace, not hostility. But we must be capable of defending our freedom, democracy and way of life," she said. Tsai, whose Democratic Progressive Party emphasizes Taiwan's separate identity, warned that the island should heed lessons from Hong Kong, where Beijing has tightened its grip against dissent, including banning a pro-independence party. China guaranteed rights including freedom of expression under its "one nation, two systems" principle -- also proposed in the past for Taiwan -- when it assumed control of the former British colony in 1997. "The Hong Kong example is deeply concerning. It is a good case study for Taiwan," Tsai said. "It reflects that democracy is inherently incompatible with the Chinese regime, especially the CCP system," she said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "Hong Kong is a reminder that all politicians in Taiwan, regardless of political party, should carefully avoid falling into a trap laid by China, which includes economic incentives and other promises but ultimately is to the same destination," she said. Tsai voiced gratitude to the US Congress on the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, which required Washington to provide the island with the means of self-defense even as the United States switched recognition to Beijing. ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (AP) - A ballot-fraud scandal that brought down a Republican candidate and led North Carolina to order a do-over congressional election could give the Democrats a strong shot at taking back a seat that has been held by the GOP since John F. Kennedy was in the White House. Democrat Dan McCready has a head start in fundraising and name recognition, and the allegations of ballot tampering have cast a shadow over the Republican Party that could help him win in the deeply conservative and mostly rural 9th Congressional District. But there are also fears that the scandal could cut both ways, with fatigue and disillusionment over the electoral system keeping some voters home. "It could be a lot of folks is not going to vote. Period," said Glendell Robinson, a Democrat who plans to vote. He said he has never seen anything like the scandal, having lived all of his 78 years in Bladen County, and hopes others will be able to overcome fears that their votes won't count. The new contest was ordered by the state elections board last month after it concluded that GOP candidate Mark Harris' lead of 905 votes out of about 280,000 cast in November was tainted by evidence of ballot fraud by political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless and others working on Harris' behalf. Dowless was arrested Wednesday on conspiracy and other charges involving the 2016 general election and 2018 primary. According to testimony at a board hearing, Dowless and others illegally collected other people's mail-in absentee ballots and in some cases forged signatures and filled in votes for local candidates. It is against the law in North Carolina for anyone but the voter or a close relative to handle a ballot. In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2019, image made from video vehicles make their way near a Union County sign, in Bladen County, N.C. A ballot-fraud scandal that has led North Carolina to order a do-over congressional election could give the Democrats a strong shot at taking back a seat that has been held by the Republicans since John F. Kennedy was in the White House. But there are also fears that the scandal could cut both ways, with fatigue and disillusionment over the electoral system keeping some voters home. (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan) Harris, who has denied any wrongdoing, said he won't run again. And with two other big names, former Gov. Pat McCrory and ex-9th District Rep. Robert Pittenger, deciding not to seek the House seat either, McCready sits in a good position, even in a district that has been in GOP hands since 1963 and was won by Donald Trump by 12 percentage points in 2016. "For right now he would definitely have to be looked at as the front-runner," Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer said. Activists from both parties expect heightened national attention and lots of campaign money flowing into the off-year race. The district includes part of Charlotte and stretches through several rural counties along the South Carolina line. It also reaches close to the Army's sprawling Fort Bragg, where McCready's Iraq War military service makes him an attractive candidate. The chairman of the Bladen County commissioners, Charles Ray Peterson, said the scandal has disillusioned voters, but he thinks they will take part in the election if they believe the state has rooted out the fraud. "We've kind of been knocked down, but we want to get back up," he said. "And that's the reason the state needs to come in here and investigate and make sure that we get to the bottom of all this voting fraud." He also said the scrutiny has been unfairly one-sided, citing allegations of ballot irregularities that may have benefited Democrats. Elsewhere in the district, Union County resident Kevin Stewart expressed a similar sentiment, laying out a potential strategy for Republicans to appeal to voters. Dowless "played both sides of the street," Stewart said, alluding to the way the political operative worked previously for at least one Democrat. "I think the hatchet is going to fall, quite frankly, on both sides of political aisle, and that's a good thing." Stony Rushing, a Union County commissioner who is among at least three Republicans running for the seat and is Harris' choice, sounded geared up to portray Harris as a victim of the 9th District probe. Rushing called the board hearing "disgusting" and unfair to Harris. Others suggested that a clean break from Harris and any tinge of wrongdoing is necessary. Republican former state Sen. Tommy Tucker, who is "95 percent" certain he will run, said a "fresh start for the district would be in order." Larry Shaheen, a Charlotte GOP consultant, said Republicans should focus squarely on McCready and try to link him to liberal Democrats in Congress. Veteran Democratic consultant Brad Crone likewise warned against making the race all about the fraud probe, saying voters are "going to be worried about prescription drug prices; they're going to be worried about jobs and the economy." For his part, Dennis Rollins, a Republican in Union County, emphasized voters' dilemma by vowing not to cast his ballot for McCready - McCready is in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "pocket," he said - while also expressing disgust about Republicans' role in the scandal. "They've let the people of the 9th District down. And I don't know how they'll redeem themselves," he said. "I think everybody is just sick of politics." ____ Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2019, image made from video Glendell Robinson, a Bladen County resident, pauses in Bladen County, N.C. A ballot-fraud scandal that has led North Carolina to order a do-over congressional election could give the Democrats a strong shot at taking back a seat that has been held by the Republicans since John F. Kennedy was in the White House. But there are also fears that the scandal could cut both ways, with fatigue and disillusionment over the electoral system keeping some voters home. "It could be a lot of folks is not going to vote. Period," said Robinson, a Democrat who plans to vote. He said he has never seen anything like the scandal, having lived all of his 78 years in Bladen County, and hopes others will be able to overcome fears that their votes won't count. (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan) In this Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2019, image made from video, Kevin Stewart, a Union County resident, speaks in Union County, N.C. A ballot-fraud scandal that has led North Carolina to order a do-over congressional election could give the Democrats a strong shot at taking back a seat that has been held by the Republicans since John F. Kennedy was in the White House. The new contest was ordered by the state elections board last month after it concluded that GOP candidate Mark Harris' lead of 905 votes out of about 280,000 cast in November was tainted by evidence of ballot fraud by political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless and others working on Harris' behalf. Dowless "played both sides of the street," Stewart said, alluding to the way the political operative worked previously for at least one Democrat. "I think the hatchet is going to fall, quite frankly, on both sides of political aisle, and that's a good thing." (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan) NEW YORK (AP) - Office Depot and Alibaba.com are creating a co-branded online store to expand the reach of both companies with small and medium size businesses. The two companies announced the agreement Monday as part of a broader array of services they are providing to small business. Over time, the companies intend to help U.S. small businesses sell their products to buyers around the world through Alibaba.com, the wholesale trade site of the Chinese online retail titan the Alibaba Group. It marks Alibaba.com's first U.S. partnership with a major retailer. The lion's share of Alibaba Group's business has been providing retailers and brands in the U.S. and around the globe access to the 700 million Chinese customers through its two major marketplaces Taobao and Tmall. The core of Alibaba.com's business is connecting small businesses with its more than 150,000 suppliers worldwide, a catalog of product listings and manufacturing capabilities. So Office Depot's small and medium size business customers will be able to find a broader array of products or a reputable supplier to make their goods in a faster and more effective way. The agreement will give Alibaba access to Office Depot's 10 million business customers and 1,800 sales agents. Office Depot Inc., based in Boca Raton, Florida, has struggled in recent years with intense competition from Amazon.com, which has been increasingly invading on the office supplier chain's turf by offering office supply sales for U.S. companies. Office Depot still has 1,350 physical stores. But its new CEO Gerry Smith has been pushing the company to go beyond selling office products to become more of a one-stop shop for businesses for all service at a time when small businesses' biggest challenges are cash and time. Nearly 70 percent of its Office Depot's annual sales now come from business customers, up from about 49 percent a few years ago, Office Depot said. That goal of becoming more of one-stop shop for businesses will be furthered under this deal. For example, a toy manufacturer that was buying office supplies from Office Depot could now be steered by Office Depot to Alibaba.com to get access to the most cost-effective producers of toy parts that it's looking for. It can also help them get quick access to loans. FILE - In this March 17, 2014 file photo, people walk past a company logo at the Alibaba Group headquarters in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Office Depot and Alibaba.com are creating a co-branded online store to expand the reach of both companies with small and medium size businesses. The two companies announced the agreement Monday, March 4, 2019, as part of a broader array of services they are providing to small business. Over time, the companies intend to help U.S. small businesses sell their products to buyers around the world through Alibaba.com. It marks Alibaba.com's first U.S. partnership with a major company. (Chinatopix via AP, File) "As a trusted partner to millions of businesses, our customers tell us they want more choice in the market and need an expanded set of products and services to help their businesses grow," said Smith Office Depot in a statement. "We believe our collaboration with Alibaba.com is exactly what they are asking for." __ AP Business Writer Sarah Skidmore Sell reported from Portland, Oregon. CHICAGO (AP) - Shawn Cotton no longer drives his $55,000, bright pink Corvette to work because he's afraid it could get him killed like his friend. But there are two things he won't leave home without: his bulletproof vest and the 9 mm pistol he slips into his pocket. Cotton, 28, quit his $7-an-hour job cleaning refrigerators at a big-box store six years ago to enter a new and uniquely dangerous field of newsgathering in which video journalists interview street gangs and rappers in high-crime areas, then post the videos on YouTube channels. Dozens of gangland videographers like him nationwide risk their lives to provide a voice for communities routinely ignored by mainstream media, creating an alternative news genre that Cotton's friend Zack Stoner liked to call "hood CNN" before he was killed in a drive-by shooting last year in Chicago. Stoner, known by his nickname ZackTV, was a trailblazer in the genre and considered a mentor by gangland reporters around the country. His still-unsolved slaying exposed an ominous side to their line of reporting, where gun violence is a recurring theme, and showed how vulnerable these newsgatherers are. Says Cotton about the impact of Stoner's death: "Now, I think every day about getting shot." Only after Stoner was killed did he begin arming himself and seeking to keep a lower profile when gathering content for his Say Cheese channel. That means not driving the car in the conspicuous color into gang territories, lest he make it easier for gangs angered by his reporting to track him. This January 2017 photo provided by Shawn Cotton shows Cotton posing by his $55,000 pink Corvette, purchased with profits he made as a videographer in a new and uniquely dangerous field of news in which reporters go into high-crime areas to interview street-gang members and rappers. (Dance Dailey/Courtesy of Shawn Cotton via AP) Other top channels in the genre include Chicago World News, HoodVlogs in Los Angeles and Detroit's CharlieBo313. When it comes to his channel, Cotton said, his subscribers often dictate where he travels, encouraging him to cover specific gangs or rappers locked in escalating disputes. Reports often show members waving guns and cash, or flashing rival gang signs upside down - a recognized indication of disdain. Critics say the channels glorify gang life and provide a platform - alongside other social media - for gangs to taunt each other, thus stoking violence. "If you are making gangs look cool, you're recruiting more people to join gangs," says Mike Knox, a former Houston gang-unit police officer. Defenders say the channels fill a neglected news niche, telling important human-interest stories that aren't a priority for traditional media and telling them from places where those outlets are often afraid to go. "What Zack provided was a platform where (those on the streets thought), 'I can be myself, I can cuss, I can tell you how I feel ... and it ain't gonna be censored,'" says Rodney Phillips, an ex-gang member who works for Chicago anti-violence groups. "He was showing the unadulterated truth." Stoner had just left a rap concert around 1:30 a.m. May 30 at Chicago's Refuge club when a car pulled alongside his. A dozen shots rang out. Stoner's bullet-riddled SUV veered into a lamppost. He had been shot in the head and neck and was pronounced dead three hours later. Stoner once described how he would always conduct interviews with a camera in one hand and a gun within reach of the other. "I've been taking this chance with my life," he said on video, pulling a handgun from his coat pocket. "You just gotta be prepared." Cotton, who travels around the country but considers Texas home, spoke with Stoner about the risks of their work: You could invite the wrath of gangs that believe a report favored hated rivals, or draw the attention of young gang members who might shoot merely out of hopes of gaining higher status in the gang by killing a notable member of the community. Cotton said he receives multiple death threats a week via social media. One threat came after he reported that a gang member ran from a fight. One message read: "We're going to do you like we did Zack." Why take such risks? Providing a voice for the community is one motivator. Money is also a big incentive. YouTube pays a fraction of a penny per video view for ads on YouTube-based sites. Channels like Cotton's, which has over 400,000 subscribers and a million monthly views, can generate over $15,000 a month. Stoner had over 200,000 subscribers. Stoner rarely ventured outside Chicago, which tallied over 560 mostly gang-related killings last year. The day of Stoner's funeral, his friend, Davis "T Streetz" Thomas, was killed, one of many fatal shootings of aspiring rappers in 2018. Stoner understood, as does Cotton, that some degree of danger makes more compelling videos, boosting viewership. With its homicide numbers and depth of hip-hop talent, Chicago is fertile ground for stories. Far from lauding gangs, Stoner would berate them for perpetuating violence. "We kill one another for some stupid (things). We gotta be smarter than that, y'all," he said in one video. But Stoner was also empathetic. He told the Chicago Defender newspaper in early 2018 that the young black men he interviewed were "stuck in this box" they wanted desperately to escape, despite tough exteriors that are obligatory in their worlds. "A lot of people may look at these individuals like they're thugs ... nobodies," he said. "Never judge a book by its cover." Stoner wasn't in a gang, but was raised in gang territory and knew the culture well. "He dressed like them. He looked like them," Phillips said. "They saw a lot of Zack in themselves." Stoner was adept at negotiating the patchwork of 60 Chicago gangs. But while gangs would welcome him, his friends feared his growing influence and wealth were fueling grudges against him. Some urged him to leave Illinois. "But he would never leave Chicago. He loved Chicago," his cousin, Albert Curtis, said. Stoner had close calls. He dove for cover during a 2016 interview when someone leaned out a car window and opened fire, injuring half a dozen people. He inadvertently landed some gang members in legal straits. Suburban Chicago police arrested purported gang members in 2017 after observing them waving guns on ZackTV1. They hadn't heeded Stoner's advice: If you're a felon and insist on waving guns on camera, make sure they're not real. Who killed Stoner and why are still discussed regularly on social media. Cellphone video taken from a nearby apartment after the gunfire shows several young men running to Stoner's vehicle. They speed away after someone screams. It's unclear if they were gunmen, or friends of Stoner who feared they could also get shot. After what happened to Stoner, Cotton mulled leaving the field of gangland news. But he still likes the work and the money. "I'm not going to switch careers," Cotton says, "just because I'm scared." ___ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm ORANGE, Calif. (AP) - A California man was arrested for a spa bombing that killed his ex-girlfriend last year after a painstaking analysis linked explosive remnants to the suspect, his home and car, federal prosecutors said Monday. Stephen Beal, 59, had been arrested shortly after the bombing last year, but explosives charges were dropped and he was freed when prosecutors questioned whether material found at his home constituted a "destructive device." Further testing and investigation led to Beal's arrest Sunday on suspicion of malicious destruction of a building that included a death, a charge that can carry a life sentence. The May 15 bombing killed Ildiko Krajnyak, 48, and seriously wounded two female clients when she opened a box that erupted in a fiery explosion at the spa in the city of Aliso Viejo, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Los Angeles. "This was a horrific intentional attack that killed an innocent woman and severely injured two others," U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said at a news conference. Krajnyak had told friends she was afraid of Beal after he made threats following their breakup. Beal told investigators he felt betrayed when she told him she was in a relationship with another man, Hanna said. Authorities suspect Beal, a partner in the salon, delivered the bomb to the business while Krajnyak was visiting family in Hungary. The FBI searches the home of Stephen Beal in Long Beach, Calif., Sunday, March 3, 2019, after taking him into custody in connection with a 2018 bombing at an Aliso Viejo beauty salon that killed his former girlfriend. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) Krajnyak had returned from that trip and had just finished treating a mother and daughter, who were at the front desk when she opened a cardboard box that exploded. The blast knocked the two customers off their feet and the older woman told police it lit "everything on fire." First responders thought they were dealing with a car bombing or gas main rupture, said Paul Delacourt, the FBI's assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles office. The explosion blew out a big hunk of the building and body parts were found in the parking lot. Investigators found two improvised explosive devices, three firearms and more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of explosive material during a search Beal allowed of his Long Beach house following the blast. Beal, a model rocket hobbyist, denied making bombs and said then he did not have material for an explosion as powerful as the one he saw on television, according to court records. Over nine months, investigators were able to make the case by piecing together fragments from the bomb they could connect to Beal, including a battery, a wire and boxes similar to the one that contained the deadly bomb. "While the victim had expressed fears about Mr. Beal and he possessed material that could be used to manufacture a bomb, it was forensic evidence collected at the scene, analyzed and pieced together into a coherent whole that allowed us to file this case," Hanna said. Delacourt detailed how investigators and personnel at the agency's Quantico, Virginia, lab were able to connect Beal to internal components of a battery found 10 days after the blast. The battery part was traced to a specific shipment that arrived in the U.S. from China and ended up in a store near Beal's home. Video showed Beal paying cash for that type of battery. Investigators were able to eliminate others who bought those batteries from suspicion. "This was the exhaustiveness of the effort," Delacourt said. Beal was ordered detained after a brief appearance in Santa Ana federal court. He did not enter a plea and is scheduled for arraignment March 25. His lawyer declined to comment. Outside court, Irene White, a friend of Krajnyak's family, said they continue to grieve her death and hope a conviction brings justice. In Beal's neighborhood, Steve Young said he did not think his friend was capable of harming anyone. "I don't feel that he's the type of person that would do this sort of thing," he said Beal and Krajnyak split up, but remained business partners at the spa where she was a licensed cosmetologist. An affidavit in support of the arrest said during a voluntary interview Beal said the romance "cooled" in early 2018. "Beal stated he took a trip with Krajnyak to Portugal during which Krajnyak admitted to Beal that she was in an intimate relationship with another man from Northern California," the affidavit said "Beal stated he was hurt and betrayed when Krajnyak told him this." ___ Melley reported from Los Angeles. Amanda Lee Myers and John Antczak in Los Angeles, and Michael Balsamo in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report. The FBI searches the home of Stephen Beal in Long Beach, Calif., Sunday, March 3, 2019, after taking him into custody in connection with a 2018 bombing at an Aliso Viejo beauty salon that killed his former girlfriend. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) FILE - This May 16, 2018 file photo shows the home occupied by Stephen Beal in Los Beach, Calif. Beal, who was released in 2018 after his arrest on an explosives charge, was arrested Sunday, March 3, 2019, in connection with the May 15 bombing that killed Ildiko Krajnyak in her Orange County spa, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers, File) FILE - This May 15, 2018, file image taken from cellphone video shows a building after a fatal explosion in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Stephen Beal, who was released in 2018 after his arrest on an explosives charge, was arrested Sunday, March 3, 2019, in connection with the May 15 bombing that killed Ildiko Krajnyak in her Orange County spa, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. (Raul Hernandez via AP, File) FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles office Paul Delacourt speaks during a news conference in Orange, Calif. on Monday, March 4, 2019. A California man was arrested in a spa explosion that killed is ex-girlfriend last year after materials similar to those used in the bomb were found in his home and car, federal authorities said Monday. Stephen Beal, was arrested on suspicion of malicious destruction of a building that included a death. The charge carries a possible life sentence. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers) LONDON (AP) - The intense search for two European climbers missing on the world's ninth-highest mountain produced no leads Monday, increasing fears that they may have perished. Pakistani army helicopters that had earlier been grounded by foul weather scoured the peaks of Nanga Parbat for signs of Italian Daniele Nardi and Scotsman Tom Ballard, who have been missing for a week on the summit known as "Killer Mountain." Ballard's disappearance on the mountain with a peak of 8,126 meters (26,660 feet) has hit Scotland particularly hard because he is the son of Alison Hargreaves, the first woman to scale Mount Everest alone. She died at age 33 while descending the summit of K2, also part of the Himalayas. Mountain guide Sandy Allan, who climbed with Hargreaves and knows Ballard, said he remains hopeful but admitted to having some "negative thoughts" after Monday's rescue flights failed to locate the pair. "I think people are getting really worried and very sad about the whole thing," said Allan. "He and his mother were very popular people. He was a little bit quiet, kept to himself, had some secret projects that he kept quiet, like all us climbers, but he was sociable and popular. I think most people liked him a lot." Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan shows pictures of two missing climbers, Briton Tom Ballard, right, and Italian Daniele Nardi in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019. Pakistani military helicopters took off Monday with four Spanish rescuers to search for a missing pair of European climbers on Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) Allan said it was discouraging that the helicopter flights found nothing because if the two were alive in a snow cave they would likely have heard the helicopter and gone out to try to flag it down. "They didn't see any sign of human beings or camps," said Allan of the army helicopter pilots. He said the missing climbers' situation becomes "more and more precarious" by the hour because of the extreme cold and wind. Nardi, 42, from near Rome, has attempted the Nanga Parbat summit in winter several times in the past. Ballard, 30, in 2015 is a skilled climber who became the first person to solo climb all six major north faces of the Alps in one winter. Bad weather had foiled search plans on Sunday but as the skies cleared on Monday, two military helicopters took off from the northern town of Skardu with four Spanish rescuers onboard. Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said Spaniard Alex Txikon and his three colleagues, including a physician, tried to find the missing climbers. They joined Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara who was already at base camp waiting for the search to begin. "It's very difficult to survive in that condition," Haidri said. "It's a big challenge for (a) mountaineer to climb in winter." Italian Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo told The Associated Press that the climbers are "two tough guys" and he hopes they can be found alive. "It's been a week," he said. "There are known cases of mountaineers who had survived for longer than that." But he also acknowledged that the summit is a "very difficult" one. He said two Pakistani mountaineers were with the missing pair but had decided to turn back because they thought it was too dangerous. Nardi and Ballard set out on Feb. 22, making it to the fourth base camp the following day. The pair last made contact on Feb. 24 from an elevation of some 6,300 meters (nearly 20,700 feet) on Nanga Parbat. Pakistan dispatched search helicopters last week despite the closure of its airspace amid tensions with neighboring India over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. ___ Khan reported from Islamabad. FILE - In this undated file photo, the snow-capped mountain of Nanga Parbat is seen in northern Pakistan. A Pakistani mountaineering official says military helicopters could not drop off four Spanish rescuers to search for a missing pair of European climbers because of heavy snowing. (AP Photo/Musaf Zaman Kazmi, File) Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, speaks during an interview regarding missing Briton's Tom Ballard and Italian Daniele Nardi in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019. Pakistani military helicopters took off Monday with four Spanish rescuers to search for a missing pair of European climbers on Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan speaks to the Associated Press regarding missing Briton's Tom Ballard and Italian Daniele Nardi in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019. Pakistani military helicopters took off Monday with four Spanish rescuers to search for a missing pair of European climbers on Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) Italian ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo talks to The Associated Press in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019, the climbers are "two tough guys" and he hopes they can be found alive. "It's been a week," he said. "There are known cases of mountaineers who had survived for longer than that." But he acknowledged that the summit is a "very difficult" one. Pakistani army helicopters that had earlier been grounded by foul weather scoured the peaks of Nanga Parbat for signs of Italian Daniele Nardi and Scotsman Tom Ballard, who have been missing for a week on the summit known as "Killer Mountain." (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) CAIRO (AP) - A prominent Egyptian photojournalist was released after five years in prison and returned home Monday to hugs from family and friends, pledging to continue working despite severe restrictions imposed on his movements, including having to spend the nights at a police station nearby. Mahmoud Abu Zaid, popularly known as "Shawkan," was convicted of involvement in a 2013 sit-in by Islamists that was broken up by Egyptian security forces in an operation that left hundreds dead. His case comes as Egypt, under President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has launched an unprecedented assault on reporters and the media in recent years, imprisoning dozens and occasionally expelling some foreign journalists. Shawkan was taking photos at the Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in Cairo where Muslim Brotherhood supporters were holding a sit-in protest in August 2013 to denounce the ouster and detention weeks earlier by the military of Egypt's freely elected but divisive Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. "I was heading out to take photos. I come back to my home after five years," Shawkan, 32, told The Associated Press at his home in Cairo's neighborhood of Fisal, shortly after his release. "I feel like I was born again, I feel relieved," said his mother, Reda Mahrous. "I used to stay awake at night thinking, telling myself that Mahmoud will come back today or tomorrow." Mahmoud Abu Zaid, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, center, is hugged by his parents at his home in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after after five years in prison. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Shawkan's lawyer, Taher Abuel-Naser, said he was released from a police station earlier in the morning. An Egyptian court had ordered Shawkan's release last September after he had served out his term, but he remained behind bars for an additional six months in lieu of paying a fine for alleged property damages incurred during the Rabaa Al-Adawiya crackdown. Shawkan said that under his sentencing and following his release, he has to report to the nearest police station and spend every night there from 6 p.m. till 6 a.m. for the next five years because he has been remanded under "police observation" for that time. He is also prohibited from managing his financial assets and property for the duration of those five years. Amnesty International called such measures "outrageous" and said they "should be lifted immediately." "Mahmoud Abou Zaid has been the victim of an appalling injustice and the authorities must offer full reparation for this outrageous violation of his human rights," said Amnesty's Najia Bounaim. Despite the restrictions, Shawkan said he would continue working as a photojournalist. "I am not the first or the last journalist to be detained," he said. The Committee to Protect Journalist welcomed his release and urged Egyptian authorities to "end their shameful treatment of this photojournalist by removing any conditions to his release." Shawkan was honored with CPJ's International Press Freedom Award in 2016. "The Egyptian government should take steps immediately to improve its image, which has been badly tarnished by this unjust imprisonment," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Mideast and North Africa coordinator. Egypt remains among the world's worst jailers of journalists, along with Turkey and China, according to CPJ. In December 2018, CPJ's annual prison survey found that at least 25 journalists are in prison in Egypt, and that the country leads the world for charging journalists with publishing false news. Egyptian authorities have also silenced virtually all independent or critical media. Under legislation passed in July, the media regulatory agency can use the "fake news" label to shut social media accounts with more than 5,000 followers, without having to obtain a court order. It also can block websites with content deemed a threat to national security. Since late 2017, some 500 online sites have been blocked as part of the state's growing control over the media, according to a recent report by an Egyptian watchdog, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression. Authorities say the measures are necessary to prevent instability as Egypt struggles to revive its economy and combat an Islamic insurgency in northern Sinai. El-Sissi has frequently suggested political rights are less important than the right to food, housing and other necessities. Pro-government media frequently portray negative coverage as part of foreign plots to spread chaos, and sometimes accuse foreign media of promoting a negative image of Egypt. Cameramen or even reporters with notebooks attempting to conduct interviews in public can face harassment from crowds and policemen. A general-turned-president, el-Sissi has rolled back many of the freedoms won by the 2011 uprising against longtime autocratic President Hosni Mubarak. He has silenced most dissenting voices in the media and placed severe restrictions on civil society groups. The Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed as a terrorist group. The New York-based Human Rights Watch hailed Shawkan's release but also used the occasion to call attention to Egypt's human rights record. "Since Shawkan's arrest in 2013, Egypt has descended further into darkness and suppression of a free media, and while we joyfully celebrate his release, it's also a reminder of how far Egypt has fallen since 2011," Said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's executive director for the Mideast and North Africa. Last April, the United Nations' cultural agency ignored warnings from the Egyptian government and awarded Shawkan the World Press Freedom prize. At the time, UNESCO's jury president Maria Ressa said the prize, which recognizes the promotion of press freedom especially in the face of danger, "pays tribute to his courage, resistance and commitment to freedom of expression." Mahmoud Abu Zaid, center, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, is hugged by his parents at his home in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after five years in prison. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Mahmoud Abu Zaid, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, kisses his colleague's camera at his home in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after five years in prison. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Mahmoud Abu Zaid, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, waves to his neighbors from his home balcony in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after five years in prison. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Mahmoud Abu Zaid, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, poses with his colleague's camera at his home in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after five years in prison (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) Mahmoud Abu Zaid, a photojournalist known as Shawkan, hugs his friend at his home in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, March 4, 2019. Shawkan was released after five years in prison. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) DAHUK, Iraq (AP) - Baseh Hammo was 38 when she was enslaved by militants of the Islamic State group. Raped and abused, she was sold 17 times among members of the so-called "caliphate," and moved from city to city across a vast stretch of territory IS once controlled in northern Iraq and Syria. Her ordeal came to an end in January in the Syrian village of Baghouz, when an IS member took pity on her as the final battle loomed with U.S.-led Syrian Kurdish forces. He put her on a truck with his own family and allowed them to leave the village. She was picked up by Syrian Kurdish forces and reunited with her two daughters in Iraq a few days later. Yet many Yazidis, followers of a minority faith, are still missing, five years after IS militants stormed Yazidi towns and villages in Iraq's Sinjar region and abducted women and children. Women were forced into sexual slavery, and boys were taken to be indoctrinated in jihadi ideology. Hopes surged last month during a two-week pause in the U.S.-led coalition's assault on Baghouz that some of the estimated 3,000 Yazidis still unaccounted for would emerge. But few turned up among the thousands who streamed out of the tiny village. Hussein Karo, who heads the Yazidi Rescue Bureau in Iraq's regional Kurdish government, said only 47 Yazidis were rescued. Now, as U.S.-backed forces resume their final assault on Baghouz, Hammo and Farha Farman, another rescued Yazidi woman, told The Associated Press they fear many may never return home and that the offensive endangers Yazidis who are still in the village. In this Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 photo, Baseh Hammo, a Yazidi woman who escaped enslavement by Islamic State group militants, shows the injuries to her hands that was carried out by an Albanian who forced her to put her hands on hot asphalt, then stomped on them with his boots, at a relatives's tent in a camp for displaced people outside Dahuk, Iraq. Yazidi women enslaved by the Islamic State group who escaped captivity say there could be hundreds of other women still missing, women who may never return home. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) The two said some are refusing to leave their children behind with their IS fathers while others are staying out of conviction, having adopted the jihadi ideology. Many are simply too terrified to flee. Hammo said her days as a slave were consumed with loneliness and violence. She was sold 17 times. One of her owners, a Swede, would lock her in the home for days without food while he went to fight. Another man, an Albanian, stomped on her hands in his military boots, after she scolded him for buying a 9-year-old slave girl. In the Syrian town of Raqqa, once the seat of the caliphate, her nephews, 12 and 13 years old, carried guns and served as guards to a German IS fighter. When she invited them to eat with her, they refused, saying she was an infidel. She snapped back at them, "You're one of us. You're infidels, too." Hammo's final months in captivity were especially trying as hunger gripped what was left of the caliphate. Bread grew scarce, and she began making dough for herself out of chicken feed. By the time she was brought to Baghouz, she was eating grass and leaves. "I cannot even look at anything the color green anymore," said a frail Hammo, her face gaunt, and her hands scarred from the abuse. She had heard there were still 1,000 Yazidis inside Baghouz, including 130 boys training to become jihadis. Farman, 21, who arrived in Iraq in early February, feared for her sister and nine young male relatives still missing after being abducted five years ago. Both Farman and Hammo, now staying in bleak camps for the displaced in Iraq, said international airstrikes had killed some Yazidis living as slaves in the caliphate. Hammo said she had urged a Yazidi woman married to an Uzbek IS fighter to leave Baghouz with her, but the woman, who has had two children with the man, refused. "She said she'd blow herself up first," said Hammo. Another Yazidi woman in Bahgouz, who had been married off to a Saudi man, was forced to give up two of her boys to be trained as IS fighters. "She said she couldn't leave without them," Hammo said. In 2014, when the Islamic State group was at the height of its power and its self-styled caliphate spanned a third of both Syria and Iraq, IS militants stormed Yazidi communities in Iraq's Sinjar region. The extremists, who consider the Kurdish-speaking religious minority to be heretics, enslaved, raped and killed thousands of Yazidis. Close to 200,000 members of the minority fled their homes. Farman was 17 when she was abducted by IS from Sinjar. She was sold to a Syrian man who went on to carry out a suicide operation for IS. His family then sold her to a Saudi man who beat her savagely for trying to escape - twice. The first time she tried to flee, she slipped out with a group of other Yazidi women to the countryside. "But we couldn't get anywhere, so we gave ourselves up," she said, speaking to the AP in a tent she is staying in with her aunt. She said she is haunted by nightmares that keep her from sleeping. IS jailed her for a week after her first escape attempt, then turned her over to her captor who beat her savagely with cables and hoses. The second time she tried to escape, her parents sent a paid smuggler to bring her to safety, but he was caught and gave up her name under IS interrogation. The Saudi man again punished Farman. All the while, the militants were losing territory against advancing Syrian government and Syrian Kurdish forces, and she moved from city to city with her abuser along the Euphrates River, until they were finally trapped in Baghouz. "I got to see half of Syria," she said, ironically. Finally, the Saudi man asked if she would flee with him to Turkey. She refused, so he sold her to a smuggler for $10,000, money arranged by the Yazidi community in exile, to help her leave on her own. Farman made it out, but the Saudi man did not. He was caught by the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces outside Baghouz, and has not been heard of since, she said. ___ Associated Press writer Salar Salim in Dahuk, Iraq, contributed to this report. In this Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 picture, Baseh Hammo, a Yazidi woman who escaped enslavement by Islamic State group militants, sits with a relative in a camp for displaced people outside Dahuk, Iraq. Yazidi women enslaved by IS who escaped captivity say there could be hundreds of other women still missing, women who may never return home. They say they fear many perished in bondage or war while others chose to remain in captivity to stay with the children they were forced to have. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) In this Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 picture, Farha Farman, 21, a Yazidi woman who escaped Islamic State militants, poses for a photo at her relatives's tent in a camp for displaced people outside Dahuk, Iraq. Yazidi women enslaved by the Islamic State group who escaped captivity say there could be hundreds of other women still missing, women who may never return home. They say they fear many perished in bondage or war while others chose to remain in captivity to stay with the children they were forced to have. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) TORONTO (AP) - China accused two detained Canadians on Monday of acting together to steal state secrets, just days after Canada announced it will proceed with a U.S. extradition request for a senior Chinese tech executive. China arrested the two Canadians on Dec. 10 in what was widely seen as an attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies, who was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities. Meng's arrest set off a diplomatic furor and has severely strained Canadian relations with China. The U.S. is seeking the extradition of Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder, to face charges she misled banks about the company's business with Iran. China's official Xinhua News Agency cited unidentified Chinese authorities as saying former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig violated Chinese laws by acting as a spy and stealing state secrets and intelligence with the help of Canadian businessman Michael Spavor. It was the first time the two men's cases have been linked. It said Kovrig often entered China using an ordinary passport and business visas, and acquired information from Spavor, his "main contact." FILE - This Dec. 18, 2018, file photo, shows company signage on display near the Huawei office building at its research and development center in Dongguan, in south China's Guangdong province. China says the U.S. is using a double standard in claiming Chinese law requires telecoms giant Huawei to violate other countries' information security. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) "Authorities stressed that China is a country ruled by law and will firmly crack down on criminal acts that severely undermine national security," Xinhua said. The same information was posted on the official news blog of the ruling Communist Party's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission. No other details were given and Xinhua said further judicial proceedings would "take place based on the case's progress." "We are obviously very concerned by this position that China has taken," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. "It is unfortunate that China continues to move forward on these arbitrary detentions." Kovrig is a former diplomat who was working as an expert on Asia for the International Crisis Group think tank. Spavor is an entrepreneur known for contacts with high-ranking North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un. Rob Malley, president of the International Crisis Group, said the accusations against Kovrig are unsubstantiated and unfounded. "Michael worked transparently and openly, keeping Chinese authorities informed of what he did and of his mandate: to advise all parties, Beijing included, on steps they could take to resolve and prevent deadly conflict around the world," Malley said. "But false accusations aside, the reality is clear for all to see. The timing of Michael's detention and his citizenship leave little doubt as to why he is being arbitrarily detained. We continue to hope that China will do the right thing and release him so that he can be reunited with his family." After Meng's arrest, a Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier. Kovrig and Spavor haven't had access to a lawyer or to their families since being arrested. Canada said Friday that it will allow court hearings for the U.S. extradition request for Meng to proceed. David Mulroney, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said the new allegations against Kovrig and Spavor are a response to that action. "Every step in the process will be matched by a step by China. The desire is to raise the raise the pressure to extent that we simply give in," Mulroney said. Meng is due in court on Wednesday to set a date for the extradition proceedings to start. It could be several months or even years before her case is resolved Guy Saint-Jacques, also a former Canadian ambassador to China, said Beijing is clearly putting additional pressure on Canada. "It's a predicable escalation in the crisis," he said. "They are probably hoping it will convince the prime minister to free Meng." Lawyers for Meng, who is staying at a property she owns in Vancouver after her release on bail, said Sunday she is suing the Canadian government, its border agency and the national police force, alleging she was detained, searched and interrogated before she was told she was under arrest. Meng's lawsuit alleges that instead of immediately arresting her, they interrogated her "under the guise of a routine customs" examination and used the opportunity to "compel her to provide evidence and information." Also Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang accused Canada and the U.S. of abusing their bilateral extradition treaty. He reiterated Beijing's demand that Washington withdraw its accusations against Meng. The U.S. has been lobbying its allies to shun Huawei's products on national security grounds, saying Chinese law requires the company to provide the government with intelligence on its foreign clients whenever requested. A Chinese government spokesman took issue Monday with the U.S. claims that Huawei poses a threat to other countries' information security. Spokesman Zhang Yesui said U.S. officials were taking China's national security law out of context and "playing up the so-called security risks" associated with Chinese companies. ___ Associated Press writer Rob Gillies reported this story in Toronto and AP writer Christopher Bodeen reported in Beijing. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is suggesting that a congressional hearing Democrats arranged with his former personal attorney may have contributed to his failure to reach a summit deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump left his summit in Vietnam with the North Korean leader last week without reaching an agreement after Trump said he wasn't willing to give in to Kim's demand to lift U.S. sanctions at this time. He lashed out at Democrats in a tweet on Sunday, criticizing their decision to hold the hearing featuring his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, while he was overseas. "For the Democrats to interview in open hearings a convicted liar & fraudster, at the same time as the very important Nuclear Summit with North Korea, is perhaps a new low in American politics and may have contributed to the 'walk,'" Trump tweeted. "Never done when a president is overseas. Shame!" While in Vietnam, Trump was unhappy that Democrats had scheduled the Cohen hearing to occur during the summit, believing it was an attempt to counter-program and distract, according to two Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations. But after returning to Washington, and seeing the largely negative media reaction to the summit, including about his answer about the death of college student Otto Warmbier, Trump went a step further. He seized upon an idea being floated on the right, including by his eldest son Don Jr. on social media, that the Democrats' hearing was not just a distraction, but a deliberate attempt to undermine the negotiations in Hanoi, according to the Republicans. The president complained to one confidant that the hearing made him "look weak" to Kim Jong Un, as did a reporter's shouted question about the Cohen matter in front of the North Korean leader. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, in Hanoi. At front right is Kim Yong Chol, a North Korean senior ruling party official and former intelligence chief. At left is national security adviser John Bolton. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) Trump has said he ended the negotiations because Kim was demanding that all sanctions would be lifted, but observers note that the president has long been eager to find a scapegoat to blame for a perceived failure and has not been shy to question the patriotism of his political opponents. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about why the hearing would have contributed to Trump's decision not to accept Kim's terms or whether members of the North Korean negotiating team indicated they were aware of the Cohen news coverage in the U.S. As Trump wrapped up his trip to the summit last week, he complained that Democrats had scheduled the hearing at the same time as his negotiations. He described it as a "fake hearing" and said having it in the middle of this "very important summit" was "really a terrible thing." Trump said they could have held it a few days later and had more time to prepare. During the House Oversight Committee hearing, Cohen, who has turned on Trump and has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress earlier to protect Trump, was harshly critical of his former boss, calling him a racist, a con man and a cheat. In his Sunday talk show appearances, National Security Adviser John Bolton described the summit as a success despite the lack of an agreement providing for verifiable dismantling of the North's nuclear sites. Bolton, in three television interviews, tried to make the case that Trump advanced America's national security interests by rejecting a bad agreement while working to persuade Kim to take "the big deal that really could make a difference for North Korea." Bolton said Trump has "turned traditional diplomacy on its head, and after all in the case of North Korea, why not? Traditional diplomacy has failed in the last three administrations." An example of that non-traditional diplomacy was formally unveiled Sunday when South Korea and the U.S. announced they would not conduct massive springtime military drills and were replacing them with smaller exercises. They described it as an effort to support diplomacy aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis. Trump on Monday complained about how that decision was covered in the media, tweeting: "The military drills, or war games as I call them, were never even discussed in my mtg w/ Kim Jong Un of NK_FAKE NEWS! I made that decision long ago because it costs the U.S. far too much money to have those "games", especially since we are not reimbursed for the tremendous cost!" The U.S. and North Korea have offered contradictory accounts of why last week's summit in Vietnam broke down, though both have pointed to western sanctions as a sticking point. ___ Lemire reported from New York FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi. Trump said he walked away from his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because Kim demanded the U.S. lift all of its sanctions, a claim that North Korea's delegation called a rare news conference in the middle of the night to deny. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File) BAGHOUZ, Syria (AP) - Hundreds of people, including Islamic State fighters, evacuated the extremist group's last foothold in eastern Syria on Monday, after U.S.-backed Syrian fighters again slowed their offensive to allow a way out of the tiny enclave. The new exodus came only three days after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces resumed military operations against the militants holed up in Baghouz, a village on the banks of the Euphrates River close to the Iraqi border. In past weeks, thousands of civilians left the speck of territory in organized evacuations following an earlier halt in fighting. The SDF said its fighters were surprised by the number of civilians, who include IS family members, cooped up in the small area that has been squeezed smaller and smaller by intermittent military offensives. The militants and their families and other civilians are believed to have used tunnels, caves and holes to hide from airstrikes and missiles by the U.S.-led coalition and the SDF. The SDF said the militants are using civilians as human shields An SDF media official who goes by his nom de guerre Ciyager said over 1,000 people, including a number of fighters, evacuated the area controlled by IS on Monday through a safe passage that has allowed those wishing to exit a way out. Dozens of men, women and children climbed hills on foot and were later seen getting into small trucks after they were searched by SDF fighters manning the evacuation corridor. Shortly before sunset, more than 20 trucks, usually used to transport animals, emerged from the IS-held area, carrying men, women and children. One woman covered in black flashed a victory sign as she left. U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) move women and children into a truck after being evacuated out of the last territory held by Islamic State militants, outside Baghouz, Syria, Monday, March 4, 2019. Hundreds of people including IS fighters evacuated their last foothold in eastern Syria hours after U.S.-backed Syrian fighters said they were forced to slow their advance because the extremists are using civilians as human shields.(AP Photo/Andrea Rosa) The evacuees included a man who said he was French, men and women from Indonesia, Turkey, Turkistan and Bosnia and many Syrians and Iraqis. Some of the men were of fighting age and appeared healthy while others were wounded. Some carried crutches, and a man with face burns and a broken leg was carried off the truck on a mattress, intravenous needles visible in his arm and hand. A skinny man, with short dreadlocks, stepped off the truck in a daze. Since Feb. 20, more than 10,000 people have left the IS-held pocket, producing dramatic scenes of women shrouded in black and many children climbing off trucks into a desert area to be screened and searched. They were then whisked to a camp for displaced people to the north, while suspected fighters were moved to detention facilities. Military operations restarted Friday, with a ground advance a day later that followed a spectacular air assault that lit the skies of the tiny village. IS militants desperately fought back with snipers, car bombs and other weapons trying to slow the SDF advance. Lewla Abdullah, an SDF official, said at least three car bombs had been deployed in the campaign, and at least four SDF fighters and more than 100 IS fighters were killed since Friday. She said IS was holding civilians and others hostage. Despite the slowing of the offensive, officials said the campaign was expected to finish soon. With the militants besieged on three sides by the SDF and civilians continuing to leave the pocket, a military defeat of the IS fighters seemed inevitable, though it wasn't clear how many fighters remained in Baghouz. An SDF official, who goes by the name Mervan The Brave, said many IS gunmen were still inside and prepared to fight. "This is not the end. We are maybe on the threshold of a new battle," he said. Retaking the sliver of land would be a milestone in the devastating four-year campaign to end the Islamic State's self-proclaimed "caliphate" that once straddled a vast territory across both Syria and Iraq. The extremist group continues to be a threat, however, with sleeper cells in scattered desert pockets along the porous border between the two countries. ___ This story has been corrected to show that more than 10,000 people have left the IS enclave since Feb. 20. People sit in a truck after being evacuated out of the last territory held by Islamic State militants, outside Baghouz, Syria, Monday, March 4, 2019. Hundreds of people including IS fighters evacuated their last foothold in eastern Syria hours after U.S.-backed Syrian fighters said they were forced to slow their advance because the extremists are using civilians as human shields.(AP Photo/Andrea Rosa) A member of U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) watches a wounded man climb off of a truck after being evacuated out of the last territory held by Islamic State militants, outside Baghouz, Syria, Monday, March 4, 2019. Hundreds of people including IS fighters evacuated their last foothold in eastern Syria hours after U.S.-backed Syrian fighters said they were forced to slow their advance because the extremists are using civilians as human shields.(AP Photo/Andrea Rosa) ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's offer of a new constitution and a truncated next term does not appear to have satisfied protesters, who faced off with riot police overnight. Crowds of mainly young protesters demonstrated into the early hours of Monday after Bouteflika's campaign manager formalized the president's candidacy for a fifth term in an April 18 election. As well as voicing opposition to Bouteflika's attempt to hold onto power, the protesters are accusing the country's secretive leadership of failing to share Algeria's gas wealth, heavy-handed security policies and widespread corruption. Police fired tear gas on protesters crying "Bouteflika, Get Out!" in Maurice Audin Square in western Algiers, according to images on Algerian private television networks. Demonstrators set a social security office on fire in the working class neighborhood of Belouizdad, an Islamist stronghold, prompting clashes with police. The number of people injured or arrested has not been released. Algerian youths demonstrate early Monday March 4, 2019 in Algiers. Crowds of mainly young protesters demonstrated into the early hours of Monday after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's campaign manager formalized the president's candidacy for a fifth term in an April 18 election. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) Demonstrations were also held in other cities against another term for Bouteflika, who has barely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke and is facing protests over his leadership of Africa's largest country. Responding to Algeria's biggest protest movement in years, Bouteflika said Sunday in a statement that if he's re-elected, he would hold a referendum on a new constitution and call an early election in which he wouldn't run. He also promised to fight endemic corruption, better distribute Algeria's wealth - which is heavily dependent on natural gas - and create better opportunities for Algerians who risk their lives to try to migrate across the Mediterranean to Europe. "I am resolute: If God wants and the Algerian people give me its trust, I will take the challenge of changing the regime," Bouteflika wrote in a statement read on national television by campaign chief Abdelghani Zaalane. But protesters don't want Bouteflika to run at all in the April 18 vote, and described the offer as a ploy to remain in power. Opposition parties are holding meetings Monday to decide the next steps after Bouteflika's announcement. Opposition figures largely rejected Bouteflika's offers, and appeals are spreading online for a new nationwide protest action Friday. "What Bouteflika is proposing is just a maneuver to find a way to buy time," Mustapha Bouchachi, a member of the Mouwatana protest movement, said Monday on El-Hayat television. He said Bouteflika refused to consider similar reform proposals offered by the opposition in 2015. "It's too late," he said. "There's only one thing left for him to do - withdraw his candidacy and return home, if he wants to avoid a new bloodbath in Algeria." Questions are swirling around who is actually running the country - the 82-year-old Bouteflika or a coterie of powerful aides and generals. His campaign chief submitted Bouteflika's candidacy Sunday, instead of the president himself, who was in Switzerland last week for medical tests. Mystery around Bouteflika's whereabouts and doubts about his fitness for office prompted the Algerian ambassador to France to insist Monday that "of course he is alive." "He's the one who is deciding, not the system," Ambassador Abdelkader Mesdoua said on France's CNews television. "Obviously he isn't in the same health condition as when he was 20, but he has the full mind he had when he was 20," Mesdoua said. "He is physically diminished and I think this will certainly be his last battle, the final battle of his life to allow this generational transition for Algeria." Bouteflika was first elected in 1999 and is credited with reconciling the country after a decade of civil war between Islamic insurgents and security forces that left around 200,000 dead. Algeria sees frequent localized protests over tangible concerns like sewage or housing - problems the government can solve by spending money to fix them. When neighboring Tunisia and Libya overthrew autocratic leaders in 2011, Algeria avoided a mass Arab Spring uprising by boosting public spending to address economic concerns. "What's different now is that this is about the expression of political will," said Geoff Porter of North African Risk Consulting. "The government can't respond to this by spending resources." He warned that the political uncertainty is worrying foreign investors, because it's threatening recent government efforts at long-overdue reforms to Algeria's gas-dependent economy. ___ Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report. Algerian youths demonstrate early Monday March 4, 2019 in Algiers. Crowds of mainly young protesters demonstrated into the early hours of Monday after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's campaign manager formalized the president's candidacy for a fifth term in an April 18 election. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) Algerian youths demonstrate early Monday March 4, 2019 in Algiers. Crowds of mainly young protesters demonstrated into the early hours of Monday after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's campaign manager formalized the president's candidacy for a fifth term in an April 18 election. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) DENVER (AP) - A prominent Colorado political consultant and two entrepreneurs from California were among four Americans and a local pilot killed when their helicopter crashed at a national park in Kenya, authorities and family members said Monday. Colorado lawmakers paused for a moment of silence at the state Capitol in Denver to remember Kyle Forti, who died in the crash Sunday night at an island on Kenya's Lake Turkana. Family and friends remembered Forti as an adventurer and loving husband and father, who made friends of all political stripes during several years of work as a Republican communications consultant. Forti's brother, Josh Forti, said the 29-year-old is the oldest of eight siblings. Forti loved to travel and was visiting friends in Kenya when he died, Josh Forti said. "Kyle is known for being someone of integrity, someone who searched for truth, provided love and brought people together," Josh Forti said. "Right now we're grieving. But we trust God and trust that God's in control here. We know Kyle is in paradise." The family does not have much information about the incident beyond what has been publicly released, Josh Forti said. The crash occurred in Central Island National Park as two helicopters took off after a visit to the Lobolo tented camp, according to an internal police report obtained by The Associated Press. One helicopter lost contact and crashed soon after takeoff around 8:30 p.m., Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. A search and rescue mission found the wreckage shortly after 3 a.m. Monday, the agency said. The cause of the crash was under investigation. The U.S. Embassy confirmed the deaths of the four Americans and the names of three of them: Forti, Anders Asher Jesiah Burke and Brandon Howe Stapper. The embassy referred further questions to Kenyan authorities. The name of the pilot wasn't immediately released. Stapper, a businessman and investor based in Southern California, founded several companies, including a graphics firm where his employees considered him a role model, a co-worker said. "The expression 'one in a billion' really applies to him," Cole Canedy, an executive at San Diego's 858 Graphics, said in a statement. "I looked up to him like an older brother; the way he ran his company, the way he treated people, and the way he loved those around him." Stapper and Burke were close friends, according to family members. SanDiego.com listed both men among the city's "Top 10 Entrepreneurs To Watch" in 2015 when Stapper was 29 and Burke was 24. They were visiting Kenya to stay at a lodge Burke had purchased and was hoping to develop into a vacation destination for entrepreneurs, according to Stapper's younger brother, Brett Stapper, who had just returned from Kenya Friday. Burke's vision was to create an "entrepreneurial paradise where high-level executives could go and explore Africa in a way they hadn't explored it before," Brett Stapper told the San Diego Union-Tribune . Among the activities Burke had arranged for guests was exploring Kenya in helicopters, he said. Shortly before the crash, the group had stopped to watch the sunset over Lake Turkana, Stapper told the newspaper. Burke had worked as a political consultant before becoming president of a brand incubator called Bland, which earned $100 million in annual revenue, according to his LinkedIn profile. His sister, Jeriel Burke, said her brother was a "born leader." Raised in San Diego, he moved to Puerto Rico in 2017. "He was happiness and blessings," Burke's sister wrote in an email to the newspaper. "He lived with fearless courage and a passion for experiencing all of life's adventures." Forti worked as the campaign manager for Brian Watson's 2018 campaign for Colorado's treasurer, but the two men had known each other for about four years. They were close outside work too, making fishing trips and family vacations together, Watson said. "It's truly a tragic loss," he said. "He had one of the brightest minds, generous spirits and kindest hearts I've ever known." Forti leaves a wife, Hope, and five-year-old son, Max, his brother said. The couple also became foster parents shortly after Max was born. Last month, two Americans were among five people killed when their plane crashed as they were traveling to Lodwar near Lake Turkana. Kenyan police had reported three Americans killed, but the U.S. Embassy confirmed two. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa ___ Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Tom Odula contributed from Nairobi, Kenya. TALLINN, Estonia (AP) - Tiny Estonia has become the latest European country with a political landscape reshaped by a populist party promising national survival in an age of globalism, a development noted Monday in light of European Union parliament elections. Political observers watched a parliamentary election held Sunday in the Baltic nation, an EU and NATO member that borders Russia, as a continental barometer for whether far-right nationalists would continue making gains. And in Estonia, they did. While the center-right Reform Party, which ran on a low-tax, small-government platform, will be tasked with forming a government, the anti-immigrant, euroskeptic Estonian Conservative People's Party more than doubled its seat tally in parliament. Reform Party leader Kaja Kallas is expected to become the country's first female prime minister after her party finished with 28.8 percent of the vote. The party said before the election it would not consider the Estonian Conservative People's Party, or EKRE, as a potential governing coalition partner. The far-right party nevertheless captured a larger platform for its positions, some of which critics see as homophobic and racist. Martin Helme, who runs EKRE with his father and leads its parliament caucus, has said publicly that only white immigrants should be allowed into Estonia. On election night, Helme said the party's growing popularity was "no different than almost all other countries in Europe, where there's a serious public demand for political parties who will stand up against the globalist agenda" and European Union policymakers. Chairman of the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) Mart Helme speaks at the headquarters after parliamentary elections in Tallinn, Estonia, early Monday, March 4, 2019. The tiny Baltic nation of Estonia has become the last country to see its political landscape reshaped by the surging popularity of a far-right populist party that has capitalized on anxieties about national survival in an age of globalism. (AP Photo/Tanel Meos) But the "biggest achievement" the vote count reflects is "We are dictating the Estonian political agenda," he said. In recent years and months, support for populist parties with nationalist agendas has grown in Europe, from Poland and Hungary to France and Italy. The outcome in Estonia bore similarities to what happened in Sweden last year. The Sweden Democrats, a party with neo-Nazi roots, won 62 seats in the 349-member parliament on Sept. 9, making it the third-largest party. The other parties ruled out forming a coalition government that included the Sweden Democrats. It took four months before a two-party, center-left minority government took office. In some countries, including Italy, nationalist surges followed large influxes of immigrants. In others, like Poland and Estonia, mass migration has been a source of anxiety even though the number of arriving migrants has been extremely small. Shrinking populations and the threat of cultural identity eroding stirs the fear in countries that gained independence with the fall of the Soviet Union three decades ago. Estonia, a former Soviet republic, has just 1.3 million people and its population declines each year due to low birth rates and emigration to richer Western countries. Ethnic Estonians make up 70 percent of the population, or some 900,000 people. In explaining his party's success in the election, Martin Helme, 42, said its message promoting traditional values has appeal to voters when demographic changes are causing worries. "Emigration is a big thing in Estonia," he said. "The replacement of the population in Estonia. Estonians are leaving and others coming in. These are big issues. Compared to those issues, tax issues are just meaningless." EKRE was formed in 2012 through a merger of an agrarian and a populist party. It defines its ideology as nationalist-conservative and its goal to protect the benefits of ethnic Estonians. The party leads an annual torch-lit Independence Day march through Tallinn's Old Town. During the February event, hundreds of participants shout the party's slogan "For Estonia!" Martin Helme's father, party chairman Mart Helme, is a former diplomat and a historian specializing in ancient Estonian civilization. He took over as EKRE's leader in 2013 and led it to securing 8 percent of the vote, or seven parliament seats, in 2015. The party opposed Estonia becoming the first ex-Soviet republic to allow same-sex couples to register as civil partners. In the past, it called for a referendum on leaving the EU but did not gain traction with the idea. Martin Molder, a political scientist at Estonia's University of Tartu, thinks the party's growing strength is a protest against established elites. "There's a lot of generic dissatisfaction in the electorate in regards to how 'business as usual' is done in politics," Molder said. "Certain parties and politicians have been in power for a long time and they've created a kind of class of professional politicians whose only experience in life has been doing politics. ___ Jan M. Olsen contributed to this report from Copenhagen, Denmark. From the left: Reform party Party's secretary-general Erkki Keldo, Sven Mikser from Social Democrates, Jevgeni Ossinovski, leader of Social Democrates and Kaja Kallas pose for a photo after parliamentary elections in Tallinn, Estonia, early Monday, March 4, 2019. Estonia faces complex coalition talks Monday after a nationalist and anti-immigration party more than doubled its support to finish third in the general election _ a result being closely watched across Europe as a sign of surging popularity for far-right populists. (AP Photo/Raul Mee) Supporters of the Reform Party react at their headquarters after parliamentary elections in Tallinn, Estonia, early Monday, March 4, 2019. The rival Reform and Center parties, the two main political groupings since Estonia regained independence amid the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, shared an election goal of keeping EKRE from making inroads. (AP Photo/Raul Mee) In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, Chairman of the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) Martin Helme speaks at his party's campaign meeting in Parnu, Estonia. Nearly a million people are eligible to vote Sunday, March 3, 2019 to choose Estonia's 101-seat Riigikogu legislature, where the outgoing prime minister and his Center Party is pitted against the center-right opposition Reform Party. (AP Photo/Raul Mee) Kaja Kallas, leader of the Reform Party party gestures at her party headquarters after parliamentary elections in Tallinn, Estonia, early Monday, March 4, 2019. The rival Reform and Center parties, the two main political groupings since Estonia regained independence amid the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, shared an election goal of keeping EKRE from making inroads. (AP Photo/Raul Mee) Supporters of the Reform Party leading by Kaja Kallas, center, react at their headquarters after parliamentary elections in Tallinn, Estonia, early Monday, March 4, 2019. The rival Reform and Center parties, the two main political groupings since Estonia regained independence amid the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, shared an election goal of keeping EKRE from making inroads. (AP Photo/Raul Mee) LONDON (AP) - Senior European Union and British officials were set to hold more Brexit talks less than a month before the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the bloc, as U.K. officials denied Monday that attempts to seal a divorce deal are deadlocked. EU and U.K. officials said the bloc's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, will meet U.K. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on Tuesday. Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman, James Slack, said the two sides have "definitely been making progress" over the past few weeks and negotiations are at a "critical point." Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but Parliament has rejected May's deal, raising the prospect of a chaotic, economically damaging departure from the bloc. British lawmakers' objections center on a provision to guarantee there are no customs posts or other barriers along the currently invisible border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. The mechanism, known as the backstop, is a safeguard that would keep the U.K. in a customs union with the EU to remove the need for checks until a permanent new trading relationship is in place. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in the U.K. fear the backstop could be used to bind Britain to EU regulations indefinitely, and May wants to revise the deal to reassure opponents that it would only apply temporarily. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Smith England hairdresser salon after a visit, in Salisbury, England, Monday, March 4, 2019, on the first anniversary of the Skripal poisoning. British authorities say they have completed the cleanup of the southwestern English city of Salisbury, where a former Russian spy was poisoned with a nerve agent. (Adrian Dennis/PA via AP) EU leaders insist that the legally binding Brexit withdrawal agreement can't be reopened, and talks are focusing on drafting an addendum or other additional words. "We are happy to offer further clarifications and further assurances if that can help the U.K. government get the agreement over the line," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Monday. "But from day one we have been very straight about a few things and among those is that Brexit cannot lead, under any circumstances, to the emergence of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland." Tweaks and clarifications, however, are unlikely to satisfy Britain's most ardent pro-Brexit lawmakers. Cox, Britain's attorney general, dismissed media reports that he had given up on securing significant changes from the EU. He tweeted that much of the reporting had been inaccurate, and "complex and detailed negotiations cannot be conducted in public. " As May tries to build support for her deal before bringing it back to Parliament next week, she is being accused of trying to bribe opposition politicians into voting for it. The government has announced a 1.6 billion-pound ($2.1 billion) package of funding over six years to help regenerate run-down communities. Many are towns in areas of central and northern England represented by the opposition Labour Party, and the move is being seen as a bid to win support from their lawmakers for May's withdrawal agreement with the EU. But Labour lawmakers reacted coolly to the announcement. Chris Bryant called the money "corrupt, patronizing, pathetic" and "all to appease the Brexit monster." Labour legislator Gareth Snell said the allocation for his area of central England was "less than the total value of cuts faced by Stoke-on-Trent City Council alone over the same period" because of the Conservative government's austerity measures. May's spokesman denied the money was a bribe, saying it was not conditional on support for May's Brexit deal. As the stalemate continues, pressure is growing for a delay to Brexit, or a new referendum on Britain's EU membership. Rajesh Agrawal, London's deputy mayor for business czar, told The Associated Press that with just 25 days left to go, "we need to take the pressure off." He said this could be done by revoking Article 50, which formally triggered the Brexit process, "and then we go back to the people for confirmation. Because it's only right and democratic to let the people have the final say." ___ Casert reported from Brussels. Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this story. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to lawmakers in parliament, London, Wednesday Feb. 27, 2019. May insisted Wednesday that Britain will leave the European Union on schedule next month, amid signs that her promise to give Parliament a vote on delaying Brexit was boosting support for her unpopular EU divorce deal. (Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament via AP) LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Britain's exit from the European Union (all times local): 4:25 p.m. Spain and Britain have reached an agreement that sets out stricter rules for companies and citizens operating from Gibraltar, a British overseas territory which Spain considers a colony. As part of the deal, Gibraltar-based companies will be required to pay taxes in Spain if they conduct most of their business outside of Gibraltar. There are currently more than 55,000 Gibraltar-based companies, nearly double the number of registered residents. Madrid considers the 30,000-strong territory a tax haven, where corporation tax is less than half of Spain's. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell says the new treaty, which requires parliamentary approval, is aimed at "preventing" Gibraltar becoming "a source of disloyal competition on taxation." A carnival float depicts British Prime Minister Theresa May and the Brexit prior to the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, March 4, 2019. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) London and Madrid had not signed an equivalent international treaty since 1713, when Gibraltar's control was ceded to Britain. Borrell's ministry said that David Lidington, effectively Prime Minister Theresa May's deputy, is due to sign the treaty later in the day. The treaty is part of a series of lower-level bilateral deals ahead of Brexit. ___ 3:25 p.m. London's deputy mayor says Britain should stop the clock on its exit from the European Union, then hold a second referendum about any deal negotiated with Brussels. Rajesh Agrawal, London's business czar, told The Associated Press that with just 25 days left to go before Britain's scheduled divorce from the EU and with many terms of the divorce still unclear Brexit, "we need to take the pressure off." He said this could be done by revoking Article 50, which formally triggered the Brexit process, "and then we go back to the people for confirmation. Because it's only right and democratic to let the people have the final say." Agrawal spoke at an outreach office for London in Berlin that's intended to boost cooperation between the British and German capitals. ___ 11:30 a.m. Officials from the European Union and Britain are set to resume discussions on how to break the Brexit deadlock, less than four weeks before the country is scheduled to leave the bloc. EU officials said Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, will meet with Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but the British Parliament has so far rejected a deal between the EU and the government of British Prime Minister Theresa May, raising the prospect of a chaotic, economically damaging departure from the bloc. The main point of discussion centers on a provision to ensure no border posts go up after Brexit between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. ___ 10:20 a.m. British opposition politicians are accusing Prime Minister Theresa May of trying to bribe them into voting for her Brexit deal. The government on Monday announced a 1.6 billion-pound ($2.1 billion) package of funding over several years to help regenerate run-down communities. Many are in areas of England represented by the opposition Labour Party, and the move is being seen as a bid to win support from their lawmakers for May's withdrawal agreement with the European Union. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but Parliament has so far rejected May's deal, raising the prospect of a chaotic, economically damaging departure from the bloc. Labour lawmakers reacted coolly to the announcement. Chris Bryant called the money "corrupt, patronizing, pathetic" and "all to appease the Brexit monster." A carnival float depicts British Prime Minister Theresa May and the Brexit prior to the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, March 4, 2019. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) BEAUREGARD, Ala. (AP) - Rescue crews using dogs and drones searched for victims amid splintered lumber and twisted metal Monday after the deadliest U.S. tornado in nearly six years ripped through a rural Alabama community. At least 23 people were killed, some of them children. Dozens were missing in Lee County nearly a day after the twister struck, according to the sheriff, who said that crews had combed the hardest-hit areas but that other places had yet to be searched. The winds Sunday afternoon obliterated numerous homes, leaving huge, jumbled piles of wood and household belongings. Some homes were reduced to concrete slabs. Debris was scattered across the countryside, with shredded metal hanging from the pine trees. "I'm not going to be surprised if we don't come up with some more deceased. Hopefully we won't," Coroner Bill Harris said. He said the dead included almost entire families and at least three children, ages 6, 9 and 10. A post on the Lee-Scott Academy's Facebook page said fourth-grader Taylor Thornton was among those killed. On the day after the disaster, volunteers used chain saws to clear paths for emergency workers. Neighbors and friends helped one another find some of their belongings in the ruins. Carol Dean, right, cries while embraced by Megan Anderson and her 18-month-old daughter Madilyn, as Dean sifts through the debris of the home she shared with her husband, David Wayne Dean, who died when a tornado destroyed the house in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. "He was my wedding gift," said Dean of her husband whom she married three years ago. "He was one in a million. He'd send me flowers to work just to let me know he loved me. He'd send me some of the biggest strawberries in the world. I'm not going to be the same." (AP Photo/David Goldman) Carol Dean found her wedding dress among the wreckage of her mobile home. But the storm took her 53-year-old husband. She said David Wayne Dean was at home Sunday afternoon and had texted a friend to beware when the tornado hit. "He didn't make it out," she said. Dean said she rushed home from her job at Walmart when she couldn't reach her husband on the phone. She pushed her way past sheriff's deputies who tried to keep her out of the damaged area. Her children had found David Dean's body in a neighbor's yard. "They took me down to him," Dean said, "and I got to spend a little time with him before they took him away." At the R&D Grocery, rattled residents asked one another if they were OK. And a big banner that read "#BEAUREGARDSTRONG" was hung on a fence at Beauregard High School. The National Weather Service said one and possibly two tornadoes struck the area, with a powerful EF-4 twister with winds estimated at 170 mph (274 kph) blamed for most of the destruction. It carved a path nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and 24 miles (39 kilometers) long, said meteorologist Chris Darden. Darden said the "monster tornado" was the deadliest twister to hit the U.S. since May 2013, when an EF-5 killed 24 people in Moore, Oklahoma. "It looks like someone almost just took a giant knife and scraped the ground," Sheriff Jay Jones said. County Emergency Management Director Kathy Carson said she was "pretty sure" that tornado sirens in Beauregard sounded warnings but that authorities were busy with the search-and-rescue and had not yet looked into the question. Crews searching door-to-door used dogs as well as drones that can detect heat from a body. "We're basically using everything we can get our hands on," the sheriff said. President Donald Trump tweeted that he told the Federal Emergency Management Agency to give Alabama "the A Plus treatment." The twister was part of a powerful storm system that slashed its way across the Deep South, spawning numerous tornado warnings in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. "All we could do is just hold on for life and pray," said Jonathan Clardy, who huddled with his family inside their Beauregard trailer as the tornado ripped the roof off. "It's a blessing from God that me and my young'uns are alive." Beauregard, named for a Confederate general, is an unincorporated community of roughly 10,000 people near the Georgia state line. The community is in the same county as Auburn University and has a few small stores, two schools and a volunteer fire department dotting the main highway. "Everybody in Beauregard is a real close-knit family," Clardy said. "Everybody knows everybody around here. Everybody is heartbroken." Julie Morrison and her daughter-in-law picked through the ruins of Morrison's home in Beauregard, looking for keys and a wallet. They managed to salvage her husband's motorcycle boots and a Bible. Morrison said she and her husband took shelter in the bathtub as the twister lifted their house off the ground and swept it into the woods. "We knew we were flying because it picked the house up," Morrison said, figuring that the shower's fiberglass enclosure helped them survive. She said her son-in-law later dug them out. Along one hard-hit country road, giant pieces of metal from a farm building dangled from pine branches 20 feet (6 meters) in the air, making loud creaking sounds as the wind blew. For an entire mile down the road, pines were snapped in half. A mobile home crushed by two trees marked the end of the path of destruction. An early March tornado outbreak in the Alabama-Mississippi area is not unusual, tornado experts said. The weather service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, posted forecasts for higher tornado activity in the region on Thursday, three days before the disaster. University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said government forecasters "were all over it." An EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, in May 2011 killed 158 people. And an outbreak of tornadoes in the Southeast a month before that left an estimated 316 people dead, including at least 250 in Alabama. ____ Associated Press writers Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Washington; Bill Cormier in Atlanta; and Ryan Kryska in New York contributed to this report, along with AP news researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York. Danny Allen helps recover belongings while sifting through the debris of a friend's home destroyed by a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Debris from a home litters a yard the day after a tornado blew it off its foundation, lower right, in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Ashley Griggs, right, helps Joey Roush, left sift through what's left of his mother's home after it was destroyed by a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Danny Allen recovers a family photo while sifting through the debris of a friend's home destroyed by a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Danny Allen helps recover belongings while sifting through the debris of a friend's home destroyed by a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Students, teachers and local residents hold a prayer circle in the gymnasium of Beauregard High School for those in their community that lost their lives in a Sunday night tornado on Monday, March 4, 2019, in Beauregard, Ala. (Curtis Compton//Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) This aerial photo shows damage caused by Sunday's powerful tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (DroneBase via AP) Brittney Downs looks through the debris of a family member's destroyed home the day after a deadly tornado ravaged the area, in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) Debris litters the property of a destroyed home on Lee County Road 63 in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019, the day after a deadly tornado ravaged the area. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) Julie Morrison looks through the debris of her destroyed home on Lee County Road 63 in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019, the day after a deadly tornado ravaged the area, in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) Debris from a friend's home stands in the background as Ashley Griggs wipes away dirt from a photo found in the rubble of what it used to look like before it was destroyed by a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/David Goldman) A man salvages belongings near Beauregard, Ala., on Monday March 4, 2019. Friends in eastern Alabama are helping tornado survivors retrieve the scattered pieces of their lives after devastating winds destroyed their homes and killed at least 23 people. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP) VATICAN CITY (AP) - In a story March 4 about Pope Francis opening Vatican archival documents on World War II-era Pope Pius XII to researchers, The Associated Press incorrectly cited the year Rabbi Arthur Schneier started leading a New York synagogue. Schneier has been senior rabbi of Park East Synagogue since 1962, not 1992. A corrected version of the story is below: Pope: Vatican next year to open archives on wartime Pius XII Pope Francis says he has decided to open up the Vatican archives on World War II-era Pope Pius XII, who has been accused by Jews of staying silent on the Holocaust By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) - Declaring that the church "isn't afraid of history," Pope Francis said Monday he has decided to open up the Vatican archives on World War II-era Pope Pius XII, who has been criticized by Jews of staying silent on the Holocaust and not doing enough to save lives. Describing that criticism as fruit of "some prejudice or exaggeration," Francis told officials and personnel of the Vatican Secret Archives that the documentation would be open to researchers starting March 2, 2020. The move could speed up Pius' path to possible sainthood, a complex process that in Pius' case bore the weight of questions of what he knew and did about Nazi Germany's systematic killing of Europe's Jews. Pius was elected pope on March 2, 1939, six months before World War II erupted in Europe. He died on Oct. 9, 1958, at the Vatican summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. The Vatican usually waits 70 years after the end of a pontificate to open up the relevant archives. But the Holy See has been under pressure to make the Pius XII documentation available sooner and while Holocaust survivors are still alive. "The church isn't afraid of history," Francis told the archive staff. He said the Pius papacy included "moments of grave difficulties, tormented decisions of human and Christian prudence, that to some could appear as reticence." Instead, Francis said, they could be seen as attempts "to keep lit, in the darkest and cruelest periods, the flame of humanitarian initiatives, of hidden but active diplomacy" aimed at possibly "opening hearts." Francis words appeared to echo the long-held Vatican defense of Pius which maintains that the Italian pontiff used behind-the-scenes diplomacy to try to save lives. Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pius XII, gained diplomatic experience in the period following World War I, serving the Holy See in postings in Munich and Berlin in Germany. In Jerusalem, the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial commended Francis' decision, expressing the expectation that "researchers will be granted full access to all the documents stored in the archives." Those hailing the decision to open the archives also saw usefulness in dealing with present challenges of anti-Semitism and religious persecution and not just deepening understanding of the past. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called opening the Vatican archives "particularly important in these days of ongoing anti-Semitic attacks, the rewriting of history and attempts to deny the Holocaust." Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a Holocaust survivor who has led a New York synagogue in New York since 1962 and received a papal knighthood four years ago for his activism promoting religious freedom, said "the archives will reveal what was done and what could have been done in the face of Nazi tyranny, particularly the persecution of the Jews that led to the Holocaust." The archives "might also be a useful instrument on how to deal with dictators of our day who disregard human life, human rights and inflict suffering on their people," said Schneier, who heads the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, which advocates for religious freedom and human rights. Vatican archivists had already started preparing the documentation for consultation back in 2006, at the behest of Francis' German-born predecessor, Benedict XVI. For decades, Jewish advocates had lobbied for access to the documentation to help answer the long-standing question of whether Pius did all he could to save lives during World War II. In New York, Rabbi David Rosen, the international director for interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee, called Francis' decision "enormously important to Catholic-Jewish relations." He noted in a statement that he had raised the issue with Francis and his predecessors in meetings. "It is particularly important that experts from the leading Holocaust memorial institutes in Israel and the United States objectively evaluate as best as possible the historical record of that most terrible of times - to acknowledge both the failures as well as the valiant efforts made during the period of the systematic murder of 6 million Jews," Rosen said. Monsignor Sergio Pagano, in charge of the Vatican Secret Archive referred in comments Monday to the thousands and thousands of files, letters and other material to be made available. Writing in Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano Monday, Pagano said the archives "spoke, speak, and, I hope, will speak to researchers and to historians of an almost superhuman work of Christian humanism" amid mid-20th century events "that seemed determine to annihilate the very notion of human civilization." Defenders of Pius' wartime actions have noted that some convents and other religious institutes in Italy helped hide Jews, including during the Nazi occupation of his native Rome. It was during Benedict's papacy that the Vatican in 2009 formally recognized the "venerable" qualities of Pius, an early step along the possible path to sainthood. Historians will also be keen on examining documents from Pius XII's papacy in the years after the war ended in 1945. In 1983, the Vatican dismissed as "absolutely absurd" a claim in a Jewish magazine that the Vatican aided Klaus Barbie and other high-ranking Nazi war criminals in their escape from Europe, along with legitimate refugees, after the war. ___ David Rising from Berlin and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. ___ Frances D'Emilio is on twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) - The former farmhand charged with first-degree murder in the abduction and stabbing death of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts in Iowa wants to have his trial moved to a more diverse county. The Des Moines Register reports that 24-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera's lawyers filed the motion Friday. They argue the Mexican national should be tried outside Poweshiek County to allow for more minority representation in the jury pool. Rivera is accused of killing Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student who disappeared while out for a run July 18 in Brooklyn, Iowa. Investigators recovered her body a month later in a cornfield. A medical examiner has said Tibbetts was stabbed to death. Rivera also is accused of being in the country illegally. He worked at a dairy farm a few miles from where Tibbetts disappeared. ___ Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com BOSTON (AP) - With the official start of spring weeks away, a winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the northeastern U.S. overnight Monday, prompting school closures, power outages and a messy morning commute. Temperatures were then expected to plunge into the teens overnight and linger there for the most of the week, raising the risk of dangerously icy conditions, officials and meteorologists warned. "Well, we finally got a good one. We've been waiting a whole winter and it finally came," said Michael Raab as he used a snow blower to clear his driveway in the Boston suburb of Arlington, Massachusetts, on Monday. "The kids were happy there is a snow day. I hope we won't have too many more of these since we're looking forward to the spring." But, at least in New England, the snowy weather isn't completely done: more could be on the way Friday or Saturday. That storm is still too early to predict, but it shouldn't be as significant, said Bryce Williams, a Boston-area meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Monday's storm, which started Sunday night but hit the hardest in the early morning hours, was the largest storm parts of New England have seen in a relatively quiet winter. Boston saw about 10 inches of snow, but parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts saw up to 16 inches (41 centimeters), according to the National Weather Service. The Boston-area has now registered about 26 inches (66 centimeters) of snowfall this season, still below the region's average of over 35 inches (90 centimeters). Firefighters Nick Padellaro, left, and Kevin Lundy clear snow from in front of the firehouse after an overnight storm dropped nearly a foot of snow, Monday, March 4, 2019, in North Andover, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) "It just takes one storm and we're up back close to where we typically are this time of year," said Williams. "We caught up quite a bit with this one system." New Englanders have grown accustomed in recent years to seeing winter start slowly and linger past its welcome. "We're kind of used to it by now," said Tracy Scatterday as she shoveled snow and her two daughters played outside their house in Arlington. "I feel like March is our month now for snow." Meanwhile, just 5 inches (13 centimeters) of slushy snow fell in New York City and quickly began to melt Monday. The modest totals were still enough for Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio to close schools, as did hundreds of other communities throughout the country impacted by the storm. In parts of Nebraska, dangerously cold temperatures prompted closures as wind chill temperatures registered as low as 40 below zero (minus 40 Celsius) Monday morning. In the Philadelphia-area, the storm appears to have contributed to the death of two teens in a single-car accident about 30 miles (48 kilometers) Sunday evening. The driver, a 17-year-old, was hospitalized. And in New England, nearly 60,000 customers were without power at the storm's peak, though many of those had their power restored by the afternoon. In the Boston suburb of Needham, a snowplow struck a gas meter at an assisted living complex, triggering a gas leak and forcing more than 100 elderly residents to evacuate. No injuries were reported and residents were able to return after a few hours. In northern Maine, a small regional jet carrying 28 passengers and three crew members slid off a runway at Presque Island International Airport. The pilot and three passengers suffered minor injuries, and part of the plane's landing gear appeared to have been torn away as it came to rest in deep snow Monday morning. A man shovels snow off a driveway in Tenafly, N.J., Monday, March 4, 2019. A late winter storm dropped more than a foot of snow on parts of the northeastern U.S. overnight - prompting school closures across the region, knocking out power to thousands and slowing the Monday morning commute to a crawl. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A custodian at the Vincent Igo Elementary School in Foxboro, Mass. clears snow from the school's walkway Monday, March 4, 2019 after the area received well over a foot of snow in an overnight storm. (Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle via AP) A pedestrian makes his way past a stuck box truck blocking Tyson Rd. in Worcester, Massachusetts after an overnight snowstorm Monday March, 4, 2019. (Christine Peterson/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP) John Hutchins, 7, shovels the end of his driveway with his Dad, Andrew Hutchins after an overnight storm in Worcester, Massachusetts, Monday 4, 2019. (Christine Peterson/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP) A trio of horses graze in a field during a snow squall in Monroe Townhip, Pa., Monday March 4, 2019. (Mark Moran/The Citizens' Voice via AP) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Eli Lilly is offering a half-price version of a top-selling insulin to ease the financial strain imposed on some patients, but an advocacy group says much bigger changes are needed. The drugmaker said Monday it will introduce a version of the diabetes treatment Humalog that will be called Insulin Lispro and come with an initial price 50 percent lower than Humalog's current rate of about $275 per vial. The company said it is working to make the insulin available as quickly as possible. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps the body use glucose for energy. When a patient's body doesn't make enough insulin, they have to take it by injection or through a pump. The average insulin price nearly tripled from 2002 through 2013, according to the American Diabetes Association. Since then, prices have continued to rise, often by 10 percent or more a year, and some patients have resorted to rationing their insulin. Humalog brought in $1.8 billion in U.S. sales and about $3 billion globally last year for Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. FILE- This April 26, 2017, file photo shows the Eli Lilly and Co. corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. Eli Lilly is offering a half-price version of its top-selling insulin Humalog as drugmakers face growing pressure to control prices. The drugmaker says it will introduce a version of the diabetes treatment called Insulin Lispro with a list price 50 percent lower than its current rate, about $275 per vial. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) Lilly and other drugmakers have been targeted by protesters and taken heat over soaring prices for some of their products. They've also become frequent targets of President Donald Trump, and drug company leaders have been called before Congress and grilled about their prices. The drugmakers have said that developing their products is a risky and costly process, and their prices reflect that. Some also have noted that while list prices are rising, the net price their companies receive after giving rebates has been relatively stable. List prices are initial figures drugmakers attach to a product. They are typically knocked down by rebates negotiated with pharmacy benefit managers. But those initial prices can still hurt patients without coverage or those who must first pay high deductibles before their coverage starts. Lilly Chairman and CEO David Ricks said Monday in a blog post that the discounted insulin will be identical to Humalog, and it can address gaps in the current pricing system "until we have a more sustainable model." He added in a separate statement that Lilly pays significant rebates from its list price, but those discounts do not directly benefit all patients. Lilly's Insulin Lispro will sell for a list price of $137.35 per vial or $265.20 for a five pack of Kwik Pens. A company spokeswoman said the average person uses about two vials a month, and the pack of pens can last a month or more. Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan said in a research note that Lilly's move "makes sense to lower out-of-pocket costs and also ease public pressure on manufacturers." But Ben Wakana, president of the advocacy group Patients for Affordable Drugs, said in an email that the lower prices were still too high, and Lilly's move will help "only a fraction" of the patients who need it. "Clearly, the insulin cartel is feeling pressure after years of price gouging a lifesaving drug," he wrote. Committees in both houses of Congress have started investigating the pricing practices of the three major insulin makers, a group that includes Lilly. Oregon Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden said in a statement Monday that Lilly's decision to offer a generic version of a long-established drug like Humalog will be part of that investigation. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette said in a separate statement that she urges other drugmakers to take actions similar to Lilly's. "What we have learned through this announcement is that lowering the cost of this important drug is much more doable than previously thought," said the Colorado Democrat, who chairs the House committee investigating the cost of insulin. Shares of Lily fell nearly 2 percent to $126.56 Monday afternoon while broader indexes were down slightly. ___ AP writers Linda A. Johnson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report from Trenton, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., respectively. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. OUTSIDE BAGHOUZ, Syria (AP) - The latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 2:55 a.m. The Red Cross' U.N. observer says the weak and fragile services at the al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria are on "the brink of collapse" because of a flood of civilians and some Islamic State extremists who have left the extremist group's last besieged enclave in Syria. Robert Mardini of the International Committee for the Red Cross said in New York on Monday that the population in the camp has risen from 34,000 at the beginning of December to 45,000 now. He said several thousand mainly women and children arrive daily and there is "no end in sight." Mardini says those coming out of the IS pocked are "sick, injured, tired, afraid" and the situation at the camp is "overwhelming." He also said says the international Red Cross is ready to help with any repatriations of IS fighters and their families provided agreements are negotiated with their home countries. Mardini called this "one of the most complex issues, not only from a humanitarian sense but also from whether countries want their nationals to return or not." Columns of black smoke billow from the last small piece of territory held by Islamic State militants as U.S. backed fighters pounded the area with artillery fire and occasional airstrikes in Baghouz, Syria, Sunday, March 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrea Rosa) ___ 3:40 p.m. An official with the U.S.-backed force fighting the Islamic State group in eastern Syria says some 500 people, including fighters, have surrendered and evacuated the last area held by the extremists. Ciyager, an official with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, says 200 more people are expected to evacuate the village of Baghouz later Monday. Dozens of men, women and children climbed hills on foot and were later seen getting into small trucks after they were searched by SDF fighters. An SDF spokeswoman said the offensive has slowed down but pressure is being kept up away from the evacuation corridor to prevent fighters from infiltrating or sabotaging the area. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the press. ___ 10:40 a.m. U.S.-backed Syrian fighters battling the Islamic State militants in their last foothold in Syria say they have been forced to slow down their push because the extremists are using civilians as human shields. But despite the slowing, Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, tweeted on Monday that the battle to retake IS-held Baghouz "is going to be over soon." SDF resumed its offensive to recapture Baghouz last Friday, after a two-week pause to allow for the evacuation of civilians. Retaking the sliver of land would be a milestone in the devastating four-year campaign to end IS' self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate that once straddled vast territory across Syria and Iraq. Bali said "we're slowing down the offensive" due to a small number of civilians held as human shields. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - After watching a recent documentary about the doomed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, country star Dierks Bentley was appalled at how it all went disastrously wrong. Bentley knows the pressure of putting on a destination music festival that he's invested in and curated as he's heading into the second year for the Seven Peaks Music Festival in Buena Vista, Colorado, a small town about two hours outside of Denver. "It gave me hot flashes, even now just thinking about it. On every level, that was so wrong," Bentley said of the Fyre Festival. Performers at the three-day Labor Day festival will include Bentley, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Travis Tritt, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Diamond Rio. There will be a '90s country night with artists like Deana Carter, Tracy Lawrence and Bentley's own '90s cover band, the Hot Country Knights, in addition to Americana and bluegrass artists like The War and Treaty and Steep Canyon Rangers and new country artists like Tennille Townes, Caylee Hammack, Mitchell Tenpenny and Ryan Hurd. "I'm ecstatic that we're getting a second year, because it's not a given," Bentley told The Associated Press. "These don't make money for three, four years. I don't think I'll make any money for a long time and more importantly Live Nation didn't make any money and they lost a lot of money because that's the way it goes with launching a festival." Bentley's inaugural festival had its challenges. There had previously been an electronic music festival at the site that drew complaints about loud music well after midnight. Both Bentley and Live Nation representatives spent time in the city during the planning process talking to local officials about traffic, ticketing, sound, safety and more. FILE - In this May 7, 2018, file photo, country music star Dierks Bentley poses in Nashville, Tenn. Bentley said he learned a lot about the music festival business after investing in and curating his first festival, the Seven Peaks Festival, in Bueno Vista, Colo. last year. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) "There's a trust that goes on," Bentley said. "We could come in there with a big country music hammer and really just stomp all over their town, so I get their concerns." According to local newspaper reports, about 8,000 people attended the festival in its first year, but Bentley said they are expecting attendance to increase. Because of its remoteness, Seven Peaks caters to camping and RVs. It has a beautiful mountain range nearby, a beach and a pond on the festival grounds. "The location could never lose its intimacy. It's such a unique spot," Bentley said. Bryan is one of the genre's biggest stadium-filling stars and the two have shared hosting duties for the Academy of Country Music Awards. Bentley said he's played Bryan's Mexico festival, "Crash My Playa," and decided to call in a favor. "He recognizes the role he plays at a festival, the weight he carries and the people he brings in," Bentley said. Bentley is proud that many of last year's headliners didn't just play their set and leave for home but stayed for the whole weekend. "It's making my liver hurt just thinking about Luke hanging out for several nights," Bentley said. __ Online: www.sevenpeaksfestival.com ___ Follow Kristin M. Hall at Twitter.com/kmhall CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - A defiant Juan Guaido returned home to Venezuela on Monday despite concerns the opposition leader might be detained and urged supporters at a rally to intensify their campaign to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro. The 35-year-old leader of Venezuela's National Assembly showed off his passport before climbing onto scaffolding and pumping his fist during the demonstration in Caracas, delighting euphoric followers whose efforts to oust Maduro have fallen short in a nation gripped by a humanitarian crisis. There were few security forces nearby and no immediate comment from Maduro's government, which has tried to divert the public's attention to carnival festivities Monday and Tuesday. While thousands of Venezuelans heeded Guaido's call for protests coinciding with his return, many wonder whether he can maintain momentum against a government that, while under extreme pressure itself, has relentlessly cracked down on opponents in the past, jailing or driving into exile top opposition leaders. "We know the risks that we face. That's never stopped us," Guaido said after arriving at Venezuela's main airport and going through immigration checks. He was greeted by top diplomats from the United States, Germany, Spain and other countries who possibly hoped to head off any move to detain Guaido by bearing witness to his return. "We hope there won't be any escalation and that parliamentary immunity is respected," said Spanish Ambassador Jesus Silva Fernandez. The United States and some 50 other countries have recognized Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, arguing that Maduro's re-election last year was invalid because popular opposition candidates were barred from running. Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, waves from the scaffolding after speaking at a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) At the rally, Guaido called for massive protests on Saturday and said he would meet Tuesday with public employee unions controlled by the government of Maduro, who retains the support of military generals despite the desertion of hundreds of lower-ranking military personnel. "The regime must understand, the dictatorship must understand... that we're stronger than ever. We'll continue protesting, we'll continue mobilizing," said Guaido, who had ignored an official ban on foreign travel to leave Venezuela last month. Guaido visited Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Ecuador over the past week - all countries that support his claim to be Venezuela's interim president and call on Maduro to resign so that the country can prepare for free and fair elections. The United States, which has warned Maduro not to act against Guaido, congratulated the opposition leader on his return to Venezuela. "The international community must unite and push for the end of Maduro's brutal regime and the peaceful restoration of democracy in Venezuela," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. Colombian President Ivan Duque tweeted that Guaido's homecoming was part of the "irreversible path that Venezuela has taken toward democracy." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for dialogue by all parties to end the political impasse. "We obviously remain very concerned about the situation in Venezuela," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "It's important from the secretary-general's viewpoint that all actors - all political actors in Venezuela and abroad - make all efforts to lower tensions." Maduro has said he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot after the Trump administration joined dozens of other countries in backing Guaido. The United States has also imposed oil sanctions on Venezuela, which has the world's largest oil reserves. Guaido's return is a moment of reckoning not only for the opposition leader, whose presence in Venezuela was essential for his movement to regain momentum, but also for Maduro, analysts said. The fact that Guaido was not detained, at least so far, reflects the pressure Maduro faces not to intervene, said Luis Vicente Leon, head of the Caracas-based polling firm Datanalisis. "But it seems to indicate the beginning of a negotiation, local and international, whose details are not yet clear," Leon said in a tweet. Venezuela's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, did not directly address a question about whether Guaido could face arrest during an interview with Russian state-owned TV channel RT. But she left open the possibility, saying Guaido had broken the law and is "a Venezuelan who conspires with foreign governments to overthrow a constitutional government." The Maduro government has in the past jailed and driven into exile some of Venezuela's most prominent opposition leaders, including Leopoldo Lopez, who lives under house arrest and another lawmaker holed up at the home of Chile's ambassador in the Venezuelan capital. For his part, Maduro has somewhat incongruously urged Venezuelans to enjoy the carnival season, even though most people don't have the resources to travel to beaches or other holiday spots. On Sunday, he tweeted that Venezuelans nationwide were enjoying carnival "in peace and happiness." Among the demonstrators who waited for Guaido at the Caracas rally was Wilfredo Moya, a 55-year-old former construction worker who said Venezuelans hoping for change should be patient. "It's a long process," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Scott Smith in Caracas contributed to this report. Anti-government protesters rally to demand the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize opposition Congress President Juan Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, waves to supporters from the stage's scaffolding after speaking to supporters during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, right, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, holds up his hands with lawmaker Juan Andres Mejia as he arrives to a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano) A sign that reads in Spanish: "Humanitarian aid now!" is held up during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. Last weekend, opposition leader Juan Guaido coordinated a failed effort to bring aid from Colombia and Brazil into Venezuela, where security forces loyal to Maduro blocked the supplies at its border bridges, with the leader describing Guaido's gambit as part of a U.S.-backed plot to overthrow him. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, speaks to supporters at a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as his wife Fabiana Rosales stands next to him in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Anti-government protesters listen to Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, reads to supporters a prayer card that features an image of the Virgin Mary during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, gestures as her husband, right, addresses supporters during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Anti-government protesters rally to demand the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as one holds a sign that reads in Spanish "No more dictatorship" in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize opposition Congress President Juan Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, shares a moment with his wife Fabiana Rosales behind the podium during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot.AP Photo/Fernando Llano) A man wearing a Venezuelan national flag motif costume attends a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize opposition Congress President Juan Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim president, sings his national anthem as a musician plays the tune during a rally demanding the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) LONDON (AP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May praised the "spirit and resolve" of people in Salisbury, England as the city on Monday marked a year since a nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy. The poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, represented the first use of a nerve agent on British soil. The March 4, 2018 attack triggered a diplomatic freeze and raised tensions between Britain and Russia to levels unseen since the Cold War. It also hammered businesses in the city, which draws tourists to its medieval cathedral and the nearby ancient Stonehenge monument. It was not until last week that police declared that decontamination efforts in Salisbury were complete. "What I have seen today here in Salisbury is the tremendous spirit and resolve of the people of Salisbury," May said. "It has been a difficult year for them and particularly difficult for the immediate victims of the reckless attack that took place on the streets of Salisbury and the use of a chemical weapon, a nerve agent, on our streets." May suffered embarrassment when her 10 Downing St. office tweeted a tribute to the "beautiful, welcoming" city of Salisbury - with a photo of the equally beautiful city of Bath, some 40 miles (64 kms) away. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the Guildhall, in Salisbury, England, Monday, March 4, 2019, on the first anniversary of the Skripal poisoning. British authorities say they have completed the cleanup of the southwestern English city of Salisbury, where a former Russian spy was poisoned with a nerve agent. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP) The photo was quickly removed, and May's office blamed "human error" for the mix-up. Sergei Skripal, a Russian military intelligence officer turned double agent for Britain, and his visiting daughter were found unconscious on a park bench after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok. They spent weeks in critical condition but recovered. Officials said they were taken to a secret location after they got out of the hospital. A police officer also was sickened. A few months after the attack on the Skripals, a local man found a perfume bottle containing traces of the discarded nerve agent. He became severely ill and his girlfriend died from the accidental exposure. The March poisoning ignited a diplomatic confrontation in which hundreds of envoys were expelled by both Russia and Western nations. Britain alleges the attack was planned to kill Sergei Skripal and authorized at a senior level of the Russian state. Moscow repeatedly denied the accusation. The Russian Embassy in London marked Monday's anniversary by publishing a long rebuttal and list of what it said were "unanswered questions" about the attack. The embassy denied that Russia was the source of the nerve agent and accused British authorities of "secretiveness and lack of clarity" about the incident. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May walks with local MP John Glen, during her visit to Salisbury, England, on the first anniversary of the Skripal poisoning, Monday March 4, 2019. Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found collapsed in a city park on March 4, 2018, after they were poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP) The park in Salisbury where former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found collapsed after they were poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok, seen on the first anniversary of their poisoning, in Salisbury, England, Monday March 4, 2019. The area has been declared safe after decontamination work. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina officials set a Sept. 10 date for a new election for the nation's last unresolved congressional race after the November results were thrown out over concerns of ballot tampering. Parties will hold their primaries on May 14. The state elections board determined that a new election was needed in the 9th congressional district after hearing days of evidence that tended to show a political operative working for Republican candidate Mark Harris hired people to collect mail-in ballots, which would have made votes vulnerable to being changed or discarded. North Carolina law prohibits anyone other than a voter or immediate family member from handling a mail-in ballot. If no candidate gets at least 30 percent of the votes in the May primary, a second primary will be held on Sept. 10 and the general election will take place on Nov. 5, the board decided Monday. The extended timetable was required to allow enough time for absentee ballots to be requested and mailed back, including by military members and their families who may be stationed abroad but who live in the 9th district near the Army's Fort Bragg, elections board chairman Robert Cordle said. "I'm just sorry it takes so long to have these elections, because everybody would like to get it over with as soon as we can," he said. Harris had narrowly led Democrat Dan McCready, but the elections board refused to certify November's results pending an investigation. McCready is running again in the new election. Harris isn't, citing health problems. FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2019, file photo, Mark Harris, Republican candidate in North Carolina's 9th Congressional race, prepares to testify during the fourth day of a public evidentiary hearing on the 9th Congressional District voting irregularities investigation at the North Carolina State Bar in Raleigh, N.C. North Carolina's elections board is expected to decide Monday, March 4 when to hold new party primaries and the general election for the 9th congressional district, where a seat still remains vacant after November's result was tainted by ballot fraud concerns. Democrat Dan McCready is running again in the new election. Harris will not. (Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP, Pool, File) The operative Harris sought out and lined up ahead of his 2018 Republican primary, Leslie McCrae Dowless, was charged last week with seven low-level felonies, including ballot possession and obstruction of justice. The charges are connected to Dowless' work for Harris in the 2018 Republican primary, for 9th district congressional candidate Todd Johnson in the 2016 primary, and to other work he did in the 2016 general election. Prosecutors are still investigating evidence of ballot tampering by Dowless and others during the November election for the 9th District, which includes part of Charlotte and extends eastward across several counties. Harris has not been charged with a crime and has denied knowledge of any illegal practices by those involved with his campaign. But he too could come under scrutiny: He admitted in last month's board meeting to writing personal checks to Dowless in 2017, a potential violation if the payments weren't reported. The North Carolina scandal represents a rare case of a federal election nullified and redone because of fraud. In 1887, the U.S. House of Representatives vacated the seat Rhode Island's William Pirce seemingly won in November 1884 after evidence of fraud raised doubts about whether the Republican won a majority of votes, noted University of Minnesota research fellow Eric Ostermeier. The U.S. House Committee on Elections received sworn testimony from several voters who said they were paid $2 to $3 to back Pirce, Ostermeier said. A special election was held the next month and this time the Democrat, Charles Page, defeated Pirce and served for the final 10 days of that congressional session. Sixty years earlier, election fraud - which Ostermeier said was far from rare in the 19th century - might have cost John Calhoon his initial win in a special House election. It's not clear why, but the votes from one central Kentucky county were thrown out in 1827 "owing to an irregularity," the U.S. House biography of Calhoon's rival, Thomas Chilton, states. Both men petitioned the governor for a redo election, which Chilton won. Calhoon would go on to serve four years in the House in the 1830s. The House elections committee also voided the 1806 victory of John Culpepper in a North Carolina congressional district, Ostermeier said. The Federalist had been in Congress for nearly a year when the committee found irregularities in three of the district's five counties and concluded, "It is most proper to give the citizens of that district an opportunity to have another election." ___ Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/emery%20dalesio. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a rural Nebraska county's appeal of a $28 million court judgment aimed at compensating six people wrongfully convicted of a 1985 slaying. The justices turned away Gage County's last-ditch effort to avoid the hefty judgment, after a federal appeals court in St. Louis found the award was justified because of egregious law enforcement conduct. In August, the county raised its local property tax levy as high as state law allows to pay off the debt - a move that could become a major drag on the local economy. All six people were wrongfully convicted for the rape and murder of Helen Wilson. They spent more than 75 years combined in prison until DNA evidence cleared them in 2008. Wilson's death has since been linked to a former Beatrice, Nebraska, resident who died in 1992. Beatrice is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southwest of Omaha. Jeff Patterson, an attorney for four of the six who were wrongfully accused, said his clients "are just happy that things are moving along" with the case. The lawsuit alleged that law enforcement officials recklessly strove to close the case despite contradictory evidence and coerced false confessions. The three people who gave false confessions all had histories of psychological problems. One of the six, Joseph White, died in a workplace accident in Alabama in 2011. Gage County expects to spend roughly $3.8 million per year over eight years to cover the legal debt, attorney fees and interest, said Myron Dorn, a former county supervisor who helped approve the payment plan. FILE - In this Jan 26, 2009 file photo, four of the six people known as the Beatrice Six, from left, James Dean, JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow, and Debra Shelden, right, applaud during a reception in Lincoln, Neb. The Supreme Court on Monday, March 4, 2019, rejected an appeal from a Nebraska county that has to pay a $28 million court judgment to six people wrongfully convicted for a 1985 slaying. The justices on Monday turned away Gage county's last-ditch effort to avoid the hefty judgment. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File) Because the county is mostly rural farmland, Dorn said roughly half of the total burden will fall on land-rich farmers whose incomes have plummeted because of low crop prices. For a typical mid-sized farmer, the 12-cent increase per $100 of taxable value could mean an extra $14,000 in property taxes owed over the next eight years. Dorn said one major producer is bracing to pay nearly $100,000 in additional taxes. Homeowners will feel the feel the pinch as well. The owner of a $100,000 home will pay an additional $120 in property taxes each year - nearly $1,000 in total - until the county pays its debt. "We're going to notice it, big time," said Don Schuller, a farmer who has lobbied state lawmakers for help with the debt . "That's a big chunk of money out of the economy of Gage County." Schuller said he was concerned the sharp increase could make voters more reluctant to approve bond measures for school construction and other projects that might help the economy. He argued that state officials should shoulder some of the burden because the six were threatened with the state-sanctioned death penalty , prosecuted under state law and served their time in state prisons. Some officials say the tax increase is the price residents should pay for a badly botched investigation that put innocent people in prison for a combined 75 years. State Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, has said residents "made their bed, now they have to sleep in it." Dorn, who is now a state senator, introduced legislation this year that would allow the county to apply for state assistance to help pay off the judgment, but he isn't optimistic lawmakers will approve it given the state's budget troubles. "The probability of that happening is probably pretty slim this year," he said. Many residents have complained they weren't responsible for the wrongful conviction, and some argue they didn't even live in Gage County at the time. Art Nietfeld, who owns farmland near the Kansas border, told a legislative committee last month that he'll owe an estimated $10,000 in additional property taxes to pay his share of the judgment. "I sure didn't have anything to do with it," he said. After the first trial ended in a mistrial in 2015, the 8th Circuit ruled that there was substantial evidence to support allegations that Gage County officials conspired to convict the six people. That included evidence that investigators conducted unreported interrogations, ignored verifiable alibis and suggested that three of the six had repressed memories of the crime. The wrongfully accused, known as the Beatrice Six, are Joseph White, Thomas Winslow, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Debra Shelden, James Dean and Kathy Gonzalez. White was killed in a factory accident in 2011, about less than three years after winning his freedom. Maren Chaloupka, a Scottsbluff attorney who represented Shelden, said all of the wrongfully convicted were thankful that the case had come to a close. "This is a day our clients have waited for for a very long time," she said. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte FILE- In this Feb. 19, 2009 file photo, Joseph White, left, one of six people wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of Helen Wilson in 1985, is hugged by Rachel Morgan, daughter of Ada Joann Taylor, right, another member of the "Beatrice Six", following his testimony before the Judiciary Committee in Lincoln, Neb. The Supreme Court on Monday, March 4, 2019, rejected an appeal from a Nebraska county that has to pay a $28 million court judgment to six people wrongfully convicted for a 1985 slaying. The justices on Monday turned away Gage county's last-ditch effort to avoid the hefty judgment. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File) In this Jan. 24, 2019 file photo, the Supreme Court is seen at sunset in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. The Supreme Court is rejecting an appeal from a Nebraska county that has to pay a $28 million court judgment to six people wrongfully convicted for a 1985 slaying. The justices on Monday turned away Gage county's last-ditch effort to avoid the hefty judgment. The federal appeals court in St. Louis had previously upheld the jury verdict against Gage county, saying it was justified because of egregious law enforcement conduct. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In this Feb. 2, 2017 photo, farmer Don Schuller stands on the porch of his home in Wymore, Neb. Schuller expects residents of Gage County to feel the pinch after the Supreme Court rejected the county's appeal of the $28 million court judgment aimed at compensating six people wrongfully convicted of a 1985 slaying. The six people, known as the Beatrice Six, were wrongfully convicted for the rape and murder of Helen Wilson. They spent more than 75 years combined in prison until DNA evidence cleared them in 2008. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) WASHINGTON (AP) - Three conservative Supreme Court justices say barring synagogues, temples, churches and mosques from programs that award money for preservation work is discrimination. The statement from Justice Brett Kavanaugh, joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, came as the court declined Monday to take up a case from New Jersey that raised the issue of preservation grants to religious buildings. Kavanaugh wrote that he agreed with the court's decision not to hear the New Jersey case, but he said that at some point the justices "will need to decide whether governments that distribute historic preservation funds may deny funds to religious organizations simply because the organizations are religious." "Barring religious organizations because they are religious from a general historic preservation grants program is pure discrimination against religion," he wrote. Kavanaugh wrote that there were two main reasons to wait on taking the issue. He said the factual details of the Morris County program "are not entirely clear." And he said the justices should wait until more courts have had a chance to apply a 2017 Supreme Court decision involving the exclusion of a church from a state program. That decision said a Missouri church had the same right as other charitable groups to seek state money for a new playground surface and couldn't be denied money solely because it is a religious institution. The case the justices had been asked to hear comes from New Jersey's Morris County. In 2002, county voters authorized the creation of a historic preservation program funded by a county property tax. Religious institutions were among those eligible for grants. The Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sued, and New Jersey's highest court ruled that the grant program violated the state's constitution. New Jersey's constitution says that no person should have to pay taxes "for building or repairing any church or churches, place or places of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry." The Supreme Court's decision not to take the case leaves that ruling in place. ___ Follow Jessica Gresko on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko MOSCOW (AP) - President Vladimir Putin suspended Russia's participation in a nuclear arms treaty the Trump administration already decided to leave, alleging Monday that Washington and not Moscow was in violation of the 1987 pact. In a decree, Putin suspended Russia's obligations under the terms of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty and said hold would remain in place "until the U.S. ends its violations of the treaty or until it terminates." Putin's order came as Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the head of the Russian military's General Staff, was in Vienna for talks on strategic stability with U.S. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The INF treaty was one of the issues discussed in what the Russia's Defense Ministry described as "constructive" talks. The U.S. gave notice of its intention to withdraw from the INF a month ago, setting the stage for it to terminate in six months unless Moscow returns to compliance. Russia has denied any breaches, and accused the U.S. of violating the pact. The U.S. has accused Russia of developing and deploying a cruise missile that violates provisions of the pact that ban production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles). The move also reflected President Donald Trump's administration's view that the treaty was an obstacle to efforts needed to counter intermediate-range missiles deployed by China, which isn't part of the treaty. Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during the opening ceremony for the 29th Winter Universiade games at the Platinum Arena in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Maxim Shemetov/Pool Photo via AP) Russia has charged that the U.S. has breached the pact by deploying missile defense facilities in eastern Europe that could fire cruise missiles instead of interceptors - a claim rejected by the U.S. The collapse of the INF Treaty has stoked fears of a replay of a Cold War-era Europe missile crisis, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union both deployed intermediate-range missiles on the continent during the 1980s. Such weapons take less time to reach their targets compared to intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their deployment was seen as particularly destabilizing, leaving no time for decision-makers and raising the likelihood of a global nuclear conflict over a false launch warning. Last month, Putin ordered the development of new land-based intermediate-range weapons, but emphasized that Russia would not deploy them in the European part of the country unless it was in response to the U.S. taking the action against Russia. The Russian leader has warned Washington against placing new missiles in Europe, promising that Moscow would retaliate by fielding new weapons that can reach targets more quickly. The treaty's demise "could actually trigger a possible missile crisis in Europe as it did in the 1980s," Moscow-based military expert Pavel Felgenhauer said. "The tensions between East and West are growing, and that means there is a possibility of a war. It's not imminent, but the possibility is there." At the United Nations, spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres holds strong hope Moscow and Washington will be able to resolve their differences over the treaty in the coming months. "The INF is a very important part of the international arms control architecture," Dujarric said. "It has contributed tangibly to the maintenance of peace and stability, notably in Europe." ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. A carnival float depicts Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin cutting the INF Treaty prior to the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, March 4, 2019. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Kosovo's main governing partner has threatened to withdraw its support from the country's prime minister if he perseveres with a 100-percent tariff on goods from Serbia. Following pressure from Washington to suspend the tariff, Kadri Veseli, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, said Monday that "no government could endanger sacred ties with the U.S." Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, who is from the Alliance for Kosovo's Future Party, has resisted suspending the tariff, saying that it will only be lifted when Belgrade recognizes Kosovo's sovereignty and stops preventing it from joining international organizations. Serbia says it will not take part in European Union-facilitated discussions with Kosovo, which began in 2011, until the tariff is revoked. Serbia doesn't accept Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The latest on Venezuela's political crisis (all times local): 2:30 p.m. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is stressing again that the only way the political conflict in Venezuela can be resolved is through political dialogue. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted reports that opposition leader Juan Guaido returned without incident to Caracas on Monday. Guaido said he came back to renew his campaign to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro. Dujarric said U.N. officials "obviously remain very concerned about the situation in Venezuela." And he said it's important that "all political actors in Venezuela and abroad make all efforts to lower tensions." Anti-government protesters rally to demand the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize opposition Congress President Juan Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Guterres has offered to help mediate if both Guaido and Maduro seek U.N. assistance. Dujarric said the U.N. is continuing to watch the situation closely. ___ 2:05 p.m. Opposition leader Juan Guaido is calling his supporters to take the streets in a show of "great strength and determination" as he makes a return to Venezuela. Guaido came back to Caracas on Monday after more than a week abroad, defying orders banning him from leaving. Guaido went on a multi-nation tour seeking support from neighboring South American countries in his quest to unseat President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido called on people to flood the streets of cities across the country on Saturday to protest Maduro's hold on power. Guaido landed at Venezuela's main airport just outside Caracas, saying he sailed through immigration checks. The National Assembly president maintains he is the legitimate interim president of the country because Maduro's re-election last year was invalid. ___ 1:25 p.m. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is speaking to supporters at a Caracas demonstration after he returned to the country despite warnings he might face arrest. Guaido was greeted with cheers and applause at the rally of several thousand people in the Las Mercedes neighborhood in the Venezuelan capital. He told the demonstrators: "We're much stronger than ever." Guaido says he returned to Venezuela to renew his campaign to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro. There was no immediate comment from Maduro's government about the return of the opposition leader, who has declared himself interim president. Guaido had ignored orders to stay in Venezuela when he left the country last month. ___ 12:25 p.m. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has arrived back in Venezuela to renew his campaign to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido landed at the country's main airport, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Caracas. He said in a tweet he successfully passed through immigration checks. Several European ambassadors who support his campaign for a change of leadership in Venezuela were at the scene as he arrived Monday. Dozens of countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader, arguing that last year's re-election of Maduro was invalid. Guaido has called for nationwide demonstrations coinciding with his arrival. He'd ignored an official ban on travelling to go abroad. ___ 11:40 a.m. Several hundred supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido have gathered in a Caracas plaza, heeding a call from the self-declared interim president to turn out for his expected return to Venezuela. More demonstrators on Monday were walking toward the plaza in the Las Mercedes district of the Venezuelan capital. Some carried national flags. The crowd initially appeared smaller than those of previous opposition rallies, which have drawn tens of thousands of people. Guaido says the goal of his return is to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to resign so that a transitional government can take over and prepare Venezuela for free and fair elections. Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed plot to overthrow him. Guaido on Monday morning tweeted that he was on his way home, though he did not reveal his exact whereabouts. ___ 11 a.m. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido says he's his way home. Guaido tweeted Monday that he's heading back to Venezuela, though details about his exact whereabouts remained a mystery ahead of planned anti-government protests. The leader of the National Assembly has declared himself interim president of Venezuela. He says the goal of his return is to intensify internal pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro. In the last week, Guaido visited several Latin American countries that support his campaign against Maduro, who was re-elected last year in a vote that the opposition and dozens of foreign nations say was invalid. Anti-government protesters start to gather for a rally to demand the resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. The United States and about 50 other countries recognize opposition Congress President Juan Guaido as the rightful president of Venezuela, while Maduro says he is the target of a U.S.-backed coup plot. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - After four years, no trial date has been set for the man accused of gunning down his Muslim neighbors in North Carolina. The News & Observer reports Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry released a statement this month calling the case "one of the oldest pending homicides in Durham." She says she's working to resolve litigation to move the case forward. Craig Hicks is charged with first-degree murder in the February 2015 killings of 23-year-old Deah Barakat; his wife, 21-year-old Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha; and her sister, 19-year-old Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. Members of different congregations gathered Saturday for the fifth Interfaith Food Drive in honor of the victims. At the drive, Barakat's brother, Farris Barakat, said he's torn between having "time to heal a little bit" and wanting swift justice. ___ Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Charlottesville, Virginia, is sending surplus firefighting gear to its sister city in Ghana. The Daily Progress reports that later this summer, two city firefighters will also go to Winneba to help with a community risk assessment that will be used to develop programs to improve fire safety. The equipment bound for west Africa includes helmets, fire suits, gloves and boots. Charlottesville fire officials say the region has high fire losses. Fire Chief Andrew Baxter says the department is "excited" about developing a relationship with firefighters in Winneba and improving safety in both communities. Charlottesville's other sister cities are Besancon, France; Pleven, Bulgaria and Poggio a Caiano, Italy. Winneba's other sister city is Birmingham, Alabama. ___ Information from: The Daily Progress, http://www.dailyprogress.com ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - State regulators say a well-known entrepreneur in western North Carolina has had his real estate license stripped for keeping at least tens of thousands of dollars owed to Airbnb owners whose properties he managed. The Asheville Citizen-Times reports the North Carolina Real Estate Commission permanently revoked Shawn Johnson's broker license last month after he acknowledged multiple violations in a consent order. The outlined violations include running an unlicensed firm and breaking Asheville's ban against most short-term vacation rentals. In interviews with the newspaper, Johnson appeared to contradict what he signed in the consent decree. By way of explanation, he said he "didn't feel like fighting" the commission. He says the revocation hasn't hurt business. Johnson is involved in multiple lawsuits regarding ownership of the properties. ___ Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, http://www.citizen-times.com WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is making it easier for active-duty service members and veterans to find civilian jobs by becoming U.S. Merchant Mariners, who transport cargo and personnel in peace and war. Trump signed an executive order Monday that allows veterans to apply their experience on military ships toward mariner credentialing and waives licensing fees, typically thousands of dollars. White House adviser Peter Navarro says the action will fill a shortage in the Merchant Marine. He says the number of those who have sailed in the last 18 months is below 12,000, and if the U.S. entered into a large-scale military conflict, it could face shortages in Mariners supplying military personnel. Navarro calls it a good opportunity for troops and veterans to find higher-paying jobs that "benefit themselves and this country." ST. LOUIS (AP) - A prosecutor says there has been no grand jury decision on whether to charge a St. Louis police officer accused of killing a female colleague while playing a variation of Russian roulette. Judge Thomas McCarthy asked during a hearing Monday if there was a grand jury indictment against Officer Nathaniel Hendren in the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Officer Katlyn Alix. Told no by an assistant prosecutor, McCarthy scheduled a follow-up hearing for April 29. Prosecutors say Hendren and Alix had been drinking and took turns pointing a gun loaded with one bullet at each other and pulling the trigger. Alix died of a chest wound. Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged Hendren with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action, but significant St. Louis cases typically go to grand juries to decide whether charges are warranted. However, grand jury proceedings are secret, so it's unknown whether one is even considering the case. A spokeswoman for Gardner declined comment. Hendren's attorney did not return an email message. OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is asking a court to throw out a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts' attorney general that accuses the company, its owners and top executives of deceiving patients and doctors about the risks of opioids. In its most expansive response to date, Connecticut-based Purdue argued in a motion filed late Friday that the state makes "sensational and inflammatory allegations" in its bid to hold the company accountable for America's deadly opioid addiction crisis, and called for the lawsuit to be dismissed "as oversimplified scapegoating based on a distorted account of the facts." Jillian Fennimore, a spokeswoman for Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, said Monday the office would fight the attempt to dismiss the case but did not immediately comment on specific arguments made in the company's filing. The lawsuit, filed last year and later amended after the company lost a bid to keep portions of it confidential, claims the company sought to profit off a crisis it helped trigger by telling doctors that OxyContin had a low addiction risk and pushing prescribers to keep patients on the drug longer. Court documents submitted by the state claimed a member of the Sackler family that owns Purdue Pharma said at a launch party for the opioid painkiller in the 1990s that it would be "followed by a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition." The company contends the state is presenting internal company documents in a misleading fashion. FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt. Purdue Pharma, the maker of the prescription opioid painkiller OxyContin. Purdue said Monday, March 4, 2019, that it has asked a Massachusetts court to throw out a lawsuit filed by the state's attorney general that accuses the company, its owners and top executives of deceiving patients and doctors about the risks of opioids. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) "Recognizing the weakness of its legal theories, (Massachusetts) has resorted to the creation of a sensationalist and distorted narrative that ignores facts and mischaracterizes numerous e-mails and business documents," the motion states. Healey's lawsuit is among more than 1,000 by state and local governments that are pending against drug makers in connection with the opioid crisis that claimed more than 72,000 lives in 2017, according to federal statistics. While most of the suits name multiple defendants, the Massachusetts case focuses solely on Purdue and the Sackler family. Purdue contends in its latest court filing that many of the marketing and labeling issues raised by Massachusetts around OxyContin have already been addressed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in a 2007 consent agreement that stemmed from an earlier criminal case. The company also points to the state's own data and policies in a bid to weaken the basis for the lawsuit, including a recent Department of Public Health report indicating that fentanyl and other illegal drugs - and not prescription painkillers - played a direct role in the vast majority of overdose deaths in Massachusetts last year. Moreover, Purdue noted, state-funded health care programs cover Purdue's opioid products as "brand preferred" medications. In a 2017 report to the state Legislature, however, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's administration sought to connect the dots between prescription painkillers and the addiction scourge. "Compared to the general population, those who received three months of prescribed opioids in 2011 were 4 times as likely to die from an opioid-related overdose within one year, and 30 times as likely to die of an opioid-related overdose within five years," the report stated. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Monday that opponents of President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border have enough votes in the Republican-led Senate to prevail on a resolution aimed at blocking the move. McConnell, who fell in line behind Trump despite his own misgivings about the declaration, said Trump will veto the resolution and that it's likely to be sustained in Congress. McConnell's remarks in his home state came after fellow Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul became the latest GOP lawmaker to say he can't go along with the White House on the emergency declaration. "I think what is clear in the Senate is there will be enough votes to pass the resolution of disapproval, which will then be vetoed by the president and then, in all likelihood, the veto will be upheld in the House," McConnell told reporters. Besides Paul, other Republican senators who have announced they'll defy Trump on the issue are Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. With those four, and assuming that all 47 Democrats and their independent allies go against Trump, that would give opponents 51 votes - just past the majority needed. Paul told reporters Monday that based on conversations with colleagues, there are "at least 10" GOP senators prepared to vote to nullify Trump's move. The vote is expected next week. The Democratic-led House recently voted to upend Trump's declaration, which he declared to circumvent Congress and funnel billions of extra dollars to erecting his proposed border wall. FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2019 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. McConnell acknowledged Monday that opponents of President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border have enough votes in the Republican-led Senate to prevail on a resolution aimed at blocking the move. McConnell, who fell in line behind Trump despite his own misgivings about the declaration, said Trump will veto the resolution and that it's likely to be sustained in Congress. McConnell's remarks in his home state came after fellow Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul became the latest GOP lawmaker to say he can't go along with the White House on the emergency declaration. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Asked Monday if the Senate can try to amend the resolution, McConnell said senators have been consulting with the parliamentarian about "what options there are, if any." McConnell, who has worked closely with Trump on the tax system overhaul, the selection of conservative judges and other issues, acknowledged he had counseled the president against making the declaration. The Senate leader said he's worried that Trump's move would set a precedent for future Democratic presidents to make such a declaration for their own purposes. "That's one reason I argued, obviously without success to the president, that he not take this route," McConnell said. Many lawmakers opposed to the emergency declaration say it tramples Congress' constitutional power to control spending. They also are concerned Trump would siphon money from home-state projects to barrier construction. McConnell didn't comment Monday on Paul's position on the declaration. At a GOP dinner this past weekend in Kentucky, Paul said: "I can't vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn't been appropriated by Congress. "We may want more money for border security, but Congress didn't authorize it. If we take away those checks and balances, it's a dangerous thing," Paul added, according to the Bowling Green (Ky.) Daily News. Under the declaration, Trump would divert $3.6 billion from military construction to erect more border barriers. He's invoking other powers to transfer an additional $3.1 billion to construction. Lawsuits have been filed aimed at derailing the declaration, which could at least prevent Trump from getting the extra money for months or more. Other lawmakers including Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., have been trying to persuade Trump to abandon the emergency declaration and draw the money from other budget accounts that he has the power to tap. Paul said he spoke to Trump Sunday night and detected no signs of backing down. "I think he's made his decision," he told reporters. ___ Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) - The newest pressure point in the Democratic presidential primary isn't health care or climate change - though it could make or break future progress on those issues. It's an overhaul of arcane Senate rules. Some prominent liberals are urging Democratic presidential candidates to consider eliminating the filibuster for legislation. Such a move would allow bills to pass through the Senate with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes required now for many measures. The threshold has already been removed - with much controversy - for Supreme Court and most presidential nominees. Though the effort is decidedly wonky, scrapping the filibuster would amount to a seismic change in Washington. Even if Democrats regain control of the Senate next year, the ambitious proposals the party's presidential candidates are backing, such as Medicare for All, would struggle to win passage if 60 votes are required. Eliminating that barrier, some liberals argue, would clear the path for a new Democratic president to enact some of the most progressive legislation in a generation. "We need folks who are coming into office saying 'I'm going to use every tool at my disposal to stand up for progressive values'," said Ezra Levin, co-founder of the liberal activist group Indivisible. If Democrats control all of Congress and the White House in 2021, Levin added, they would ideally aim high for "big democratic reforms" as well as action on health care and climate change. "They're only going to be able to do that if they eliminate the filibuster." Still, the 60-vote requirement has allowed Democrats to block some of President Donald Trump's legislative priorities, such as his long-promised border wall. Some White House hopefuls are reluctant to get rid of the rule. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks at the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) "I'm conflicted. I see arguments on both sides," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said this week. "I think there are ways of getting things through Congress with the legislative filibuster still in place," Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who's expected to soon announce his plans for the presidential race, told reporters. "It takes a chief executive that knows what she's doing or what he's doing." Harris and Brown signed a bipartisan defense of the legislative filibuster in 2017. The move was organized after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., changed the rules to allow Supreme Court confirmations with a simple majority vote. Other Democratic presidential contenders who endorsed keeping the legislative filibuster in place then were Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Two other senators vying in the Democratic primary didn't sign on: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. And they're taking different tacks, with Warren recently telling MSNBC that "everything stays on the table" when it comes to changing the filibuster if Republicans attempt to obstruct a future Democratic chief executive, while Sanders told CBS that "I'm not crazy about getting rid of the filibuster." Frustrated by his inability to move big legislation through Congress, Trump has pressed McConnell to kill the filibuster, something the Kentucky Republican has rebuffed. For some on the left - particularly those who recall former President Barack Obama's struggles as McConnell blocked progress on his bills and nominees - promising voters big action on liberal policies without an answer for GOP filibusters amounts to malpractice by Democratic presidential candidates. Ending the filibuster is "one of the few things that will have the most impact on whether or not a Democratic president is able to achieve their agenda," said Adam Jentleson, a veteran senior aide to ex-Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. "This is the decoder ring for whether candidates are serious about what they're proposing or not." Reid's 2013 decision to nix the filibuster for most executive branch nominees remains a polarizing one for many Democrats. Klobuchar, for one, told NBC News last year that she believes the move was a mistake. But as liberals gain influence and younger activists intensify their pressure on Democratic leaders, candidates are likely to keep getting pressed about their stances on the future of the filibuster. Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the environmental group Sunrise Movement that's leading the charge for the so-called Green New Deal to fight climate change, indicated her group could support a filibuster overhaul. "Not passing the Green New Deal will jeopardize millions of lives, so we want politicians to do whatever it's going to take to make the Green New Deal a reality," Prakash said in a statement. Brian Fallon, a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., warned that even if Democrats win back control of the Senate next year and defeat Trump, their ambitious plans are bound to flounder in 2021 "as long as Mitch McConnell has a veto" in the form of the filibuster. Fallon now helms Demand Justice, a liberal group that works to galvanize Democratic engagement on the federal judiciary. Despite the urging from some progressives for presidential candidates to campaign on changing filibuster rules, it's not yet clear that the Democratic base will rally around the issue. One prominent liberal group, MoveOn.org, has no position on the issue, according to a spokesman. And even if a Democrat swept into the White House in 2021 after vowing to dismantle the filibuster, convincing a majority of the Senate to vote for a rules change won't be easy. That's because many senators value their chamber's ability to require a 60-vote majority for major legislation, although both parties have taken advantage of rules that require a simple majority for bills that directly affect federal budgeting. For some Democrats, declawing the filibuster for legislation amounts to removing guardrails on more extreme proposals from which the GOP could profit handsomely. Indeed, beyond Warren, the only Democrat running in 2020 who's so far open to revisiting the filibuster isn't a senator at all. "The filibuster is an archaic, anti-democratic relic that was turned into a tool to block progress, plain and simple," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wrote to supporters recently. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, speaks to reporters during the Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King Unity Breakfast Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Selma, Ala. Several Democratic White House hopefuls are visiting one of America's seminal civil rights sites to pay homage to that legacy and highlight their own connections to the movement. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) In this Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, photo, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaks to voters during a campaign stop at a home in Nashua, N.H. U.S. Sen. and presidential hopeful Klobuchar has built a reputation as an effective champion for consumer safety. She also aggressively advocated for the medical device industry - a big employer in her home state of Minnesota - in ways that complicate her reputation as a consumer defender. Some consumer advocates say her work has helped put patients at risk. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is interviewed by FOX News Channel anchor Chris Wallace on Special Report, in Washington, Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks during a commemorative service Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Ala. Several Democratic White House hopefuls are visiting one of America's seminal civil rights sites to pay homage to that legacy and highlight their own connections to the movement. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to local residents during an organizing event, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Liberian police on Monday formally charged the 61-year-old son of the country's former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in connection with the unlawful overprinting of local currency worth millions of U.S. dollars. Separately, police also opened an investigation into the death of a central bank official. According to the charge sheet shared with The Associated Press by police, Charles Sirleaf and others, including former Central Bank governor Milton Weeks, face a multitude of charges, including economic sabotage, the misuse of public money and criminal conspiracy. The men, arrested Thursday, have been taken to Monrovia Central Prison pending their court appearance. Lawyers for the accused did not publicly comment about the charges. Their arrests came after a government report and a separate U.S.-commissioned report pointed to the mishandling of billions of Liberian dollars in local banknotes. According to the U.S.-backed report, Liberia's central bank unlawfully ordered three times the number of bank notes it had been authorized to print, money that it can't wholly account for. Sirleaf was a deputy governor at the country's central bank during the period when the bank notes were unlawfully ordered. Sirleaf has denied any wrongdoing. The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia commissioned the probe by the U.S.-based firm Kroll Associates following reports in August that about $100 million worth of Liberian bank notes had disappeared - an amount equal to nearly 5 percent of the West African country's GDP. Kroll said its investigation found no evidence of a large shipment of cash going missing as had been reported by local media. Instead, the new bank notes are said to have arrived from a Swedish company but the central bank then failed to properly track what was done with them. The report said most of the bank notes are believed to have been put into circulation without authorities removing and destroying the old bills they were designed to replace. It said officials at the central bank had not cooperated in explaining who approved the injection of new bank notes without removing the old ones. In a separate development, Liberian newspaper FrontPage Africa on Monday reported on the death of the Central Bank of Liberia's deputy director of micro-finance Matthew J. Innis. Innis is said to have left his house Saturday morning before being involved in an alleged hit-and-run on Sunday. Police spokesman Moses Carter warned people against drawing early conclusions into the incident, saying they were investigating the "circumstances surrounding" the accident to know "whether it was intentional or unintentional." PARIS (AP) - A French prosecutor opened Monday an investigation into an incident involving a police officer allegedly spraying tear gas at a man in a wheelchair during an anti-government protest. The incident took place Saturday on the margins of the 16th round of yellow vest demonstrations in the southern city of Toulouse. On a video widely shared on social media, the disabled man, wearing a yellow vest, appears to follow a police officer who suddenly turns back and sprays gas near his face. In a telephone call on Sunday with local television France 3 Occitanie, Pascal Boure said he needed to pass near police officers in order to peacefully leave the protest and go home. He added that he intends to file a lawsuit. PRAGUE (AP) - The Czech government says it has approved a plan to expand use of facial recognition cameras at Prague's international airport. The government agreed to deploy the cameras across Prague's Vaclav Havel airport, having previously approved their installation for the transit areas. The move will increase the total numbers of the cameras from 100 to 145. The government boosted security at the airport more than a year ago by deploying 200 more officers. The government is also planning to boost security measures at the country's remaining international airports. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - A federal judge and two lawyers in North Carolina have apologized for posing with Confederate flags in college yearbook photos in the 1980s. The Winston-Salem Journal reports U.S. District Court Judge Frank Whitney appeared in a 1982 Wake Forest University yearbook photo with the Kappa Alpha fraternity in front of the Confederate flag, while Murray C. "Tripp" Greason III and J. McLain Wallace Jr. appeared in a 1984 Confederate flag photo with the same fraternity. All three expressed regret about the photos. The apologies follow one late last month by Wake Forest Dean of Admissions Martha Allman, who appeared in the same photo as Whitney. National Kappa Alpha spokesman Jesse Lyons says the fraternity banned Confederate flag displays in 2001, and further restricted Civil War themes in 2010 and 2016. ___ Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.com CINCINNATI (AP) - Attorneys for voting rights groups argued Monday that Ohio Republicans' goal was to lock in a significant majority when they redrew the state's congressional map, as the trial opened in a federal lawsuit against state officials who controlled the redistricting. Democratic organizations, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and others have filed suit against Republican state officials, asserting that the redistricting was "an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander" that violates voters' rights to democratically select their representatives. Attorneys for the Republican officials fired back against the allegations Monday, saying the map resulted from a bipartisan compromise. The suit could result in new district maps for the 2020 elections to the U.S. House of Representatives. "This is about real voters and real people," attorney Alora Thomas of the American Civil Liberties Union told a three-judge panel that is overseeing the case. She said since elections under the new map began in 2012, 59 of 64 U.S. House seats were won with at least 55 percent of the vote. Many margins were much higher. Thomas said even as Democrats flipped seats in other states to regain a U.S. House majority in 2018, Ohio Republicans continued to hold their 12-4 majority. And that, she said, was the goal of redrawing the map. File-In this Jan. 22, 2018, file photo, fair Congressional Districts for Ohio members Ann Henkener, right, of the League of Women Voters, and Sam Gresham, of Common Cause Ohio, react to a competing redistricting proposal by state Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) during a news conference in Columbus, Ohio. Voting rights groups that charge that Ohio's congressional map was unfairly manipulated by state Republicans will have their say in federal court. The trial for a lawsuit filed last year is scheduled to open Monday, March 4, 2019, in Cincinnati. The suit challenges the district maps in effect through 2020 for "an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander" that violates voters' rights. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth, File) Attorneys for Republicans said the map resulted from compromise with Democrats and noted that each party lost one seat after reapportionment reduced Ohio's U.S. House delegation because of population shifts in the 2010 census. The delegation went from 13-5 Republican to 12-4. "This is called democracy in action," said attorney Phil Strach. He added that both parties supported "incumbency protection" - or making it more likely an incumbent will win - because that benefits all Ohioans by giving their delegation more clout in Washington. He said Ohioans have been voting Republican this decade, which has also seen GOP control of the both the executive and legislative branches in the state. Anyone who thinks the federal courts can "fix polarization" in the country's politics "is sadly mistaken," he added. The trial in U.S. district court in Cincinnati will last about two weeks. Among the potential witnesses is Republican former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. Besides organizations, the plaintiffs also include Democratic voters in GOP-held districts. After recognizing the some three dozen attorneys in his courtroom, Judge Timothy Black joked that it was like a bar association meeting. One of the state's arguments is that the lawsuit is untimely, with the next census only a year away. The ACLU has said the challenge to the current 10-year map was made last year because the legal landscape has changed after other legal rulings addressing partisan gerrymandering. A North Carolina case is before the U.S. Supreme Court this month. Voting rights groups say Ohioans shouldn't have to wait until after another census to get fairly drawn districts. ___ Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are looking into a report of a threatening graffiti message directed at U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Omar retweeted a photo showing the words "Assassinate Ilhan Omar" that were posted to Instagram on Feb. 22. The Star Tribune reports the man who posted the photo wrote that he saw it written on a stall in the men's room at a Holiday gas station in Minneapolis suburb of Rogers. The FBI in Minneapolis said Sunday the agency is looking into it along with other agencies. Omar came under a fresh round of criticism Friday for remarks about Israel that critics decried as anti-Semitic. Some Jewish leaders said Ilhan revived an old trope about divided loyalties among Jewish-Americans when speaking at a forum in Washington, D.C. Omar was also the target of an anti-Muslim poster that appeared last week at the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, with her picture over an image of the World Trade Center's burning towers. Omar responded by tweeting it's "no wonder" that she is the target of attacks like the gas station graffiti. ___ Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com BOSTON (AP) - The Latest on the snowstorm impacting the northeastern U.S. (all times local): 1:15 p.m. Temperatures are warming, the sun is peeking out and snow is starting to melt after a large snowstorm closed schools and slowed the morning commute throughout the northeastern U.S. But National Weather Service meteorologist Bryce Williams warns that temperatures will plunge below freezing overnight Monday. He says that raises the risk of dangerously icy conditions. Williams also says more snow could be on the way Friday or Saturday for the Boston-area. That storm is still too early to predict, but he says it shouldn't be as significant as the most recent one, which is the largest that Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts has seen this year. The Boston region has now recorded about 26 inches (66 centimeters) of snowfall this season, still below the region's 35-inch (89-centimeter) average. Cesar Santana clears snow from a sidewalk near the city common after an overnight snowstorm dropped nearly a foot of snow, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Lawrence, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) ___ 8:15 a.m. Businesses and homeowners across the northeastern U.S. are digging out after an overnight snowstorm that closed schools and slowed the morning commute. The storm was expected to drop about 5 to 8 inches on much of the region, with northern New England expecting up to 10 inches. Pennsylvania's department of transportation issued speed and commercial vehicle restrictions Sunday into early Monday morning. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for all 21 counties. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday that schools would be closed Monday and alternate-side street parking rules would be suspended. The storm may have contributed to the death of two teens in a single-car accident about 30 miles north of Philadelphia Sunday evening. The driver, a 17-year-old, was hospitalized. John Hutchins, 7, chops away at the end of the driveway snow pack as sister Adalyn 6, uses a pink shovel to clean up and, at left, Peter, 4, supervises after an overnight snowstorm in Worcester, Massachusetts Monday March 4, 2019. (Christine Peterson/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP) John Hutchins, 7, shovels the end of his driveway with his Dad, Andrew Hutchins after an overnight storm in Worcester, Massachusetts, Monday 4, 2019. (Christine Peterson/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP) Bridget Sutula, 13, engages in a snowball fight with her brothers on Oakcrest Drive in North Attleboro, Mass. Monday, March 4, 2019 after the area received well over a foot of snow in an overnight storm. (Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle via AP) Retesh Sinha plays fetch with his dogs in Brooklyn's Prospect Park, after an overnight snowstorm, Monday, March 4, 2019 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) A custodian at the Vincent Igo Elementary School in Foxboro, Mass. clears snow from the school's walkway Monday, March 4, 2019 after the area received well over a foot of snow in an overnight storm. (Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle via AP) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - The U.S. government announced Monday that it will begin to publish economic data on Puerto Rico amid concerns that statistics released by the U.S. territory itself are flawed. The Bureau of Economic Analysis said it will analyze consumer spending, business investment and trade in goods from 2012 through 2017, as well as in the future. The agency said that the data will be published later this year and that its work could eventually lead to an estimate of Puerto Rico's gross domestic product. "For years, Puerto Rico has produced its own estimate of economic activity," the agency said. "The island, however, suffered devastating damage in 2017 from Hurricane Maria, exacerbating its financial troubles." The bureau said Puerto Rico needs a more modern set of statistics that adhere to international economic accounting standards and that could be used to better inform hurricane recovery efforts. The U.S. government has pledged billions of dollars for such efforts, including $8.2 billion from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which said last week that it will impose strict conditions and financial controls given Puerto Rico's past fiscal irregularities. The bureau's announcement comes nearly a year after Puerto Rico tried to merge its Institute of Statistics with another agency amid accusations that the government was trying to manipulate economic data as it struggles to attract investment amid a 12-year recession. Ron Wasserstein, executive director of the American Statistical Association, said he was concerned by what he called efforts to undermine the institute's independence, while he praised the bureau's actions. "A better understanding of (Puerto Rico's) economy will help strengthen it," Wassertstein said. Joel Viera, a projects manager at Puerto Rico's Institute of Statistics, said that the Bureau of Economic Analysis also has been helping the agency make methodological changes for the past eight years, but that he did not know when the project will be completed. "It is very complex and will take some time," Viera said. The Bureau of Economic Analysis already produces GDP and other statistics for U.S. territories including Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Luke Perry, who gained instant heartthrob status as wealthy rebel Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills, 90210," died Monday after suffering a massive stroke, his publicist said. He was 52. Perry was surrounded by family and friends when he died, publicist Arnold Robinson said. The actor had been hospitalized since last Wednesday, after a 911 call summoned medical help to his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles. "The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning," Robinson said in a statement. Those at Perry's bedside included his children, Jake and Sophie; fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer; former wife, Minnie Sharp, and mother Ann Bennett. Although Perry was best-known for his role as McKay, he enjoyed a prolific film and television career. Most recently, he played construction company owner Fred Andrews, father of main character Archie Andrews, for three seasons on "Riverdale," the CW series that gives a dark take on "Archie" comics. A fourth season has been slated. The actor's next big screen role will be in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood," which is slated for release in July. "90210" co-star Ian Ziering paid tribute to his co-star on Twitter , where fans and celebrities shared their memories of Perry and mourned him . "I will forever bask in the loving memories we've shared over the last thirty years," Ziering said. "May your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here, for those you leave behind." FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2018, file photo, Luke Perry poses for a portrait during the 2018 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. A publicist for Perry says the "Riverdale" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" star has died. He was 52. Publicist Arnold Robinson said that Perry died Monday, March 4, 2019, after suffering a massive stroke. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Born and raised in rural Fredericktown, Ohio, Perry gained fame on "Beverly Hills, 90210," which ran from 1990 to 2000. In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, he recounted being partly inspired to pursue acting by a photo of Paul Newman his mother kept on her mirror. He played out the memory of hearing his mother say, "He's the most beautiful man in the world, honey ... he's a movie star." "I thought, 'OK, that's cool.' I watched him and, 'Yeah, man, who didn't want to be Paul Newman!'" But Perry expanded his interests far beyond acting, identifying history as a passion and family a priority. "When you are younger you can have only work, and I did for a long time," he told the AP in 2006. "But it doesn't command my attention that way anymore. A lot of the mysteries and the questions I had about it I've figured out, but life offers up mysteries every day." He had roles in a handful of films, including "The Fifth Element," ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer," ''8 Seconds" and "American Strays," appeared in HBO's prison drama "Oz" as a televangelist convicted of fraud, and voiced cartoons including "The Incredible Hulk" and "Mortal Kombat." He made his Broadway musical debut as Brad in the "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and starred on London's West End in another stage adaptation of a film, "When Harry Met Sally." In recent years he starred in the series "Ties That Bind" and "Body of Proof." The same day he was hospitalized, Fox TV announced that it would be running a six-episode return of "90210" featuring most of the original cast, but Perry was not among those announced. On the original series, Perry's character went from loner to part of a close-knit circle that included twins Brenda and Brandon Walsh (Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley), but also endured a string of romantic, family and other setbacks, including drug addiction. Perry left the series in 1995 to pursue other roles, returning in 1998 for the rest of the show's run as a guest star. In a 2011 interview with the AP, Perry said he and his male co-stars were a "really good strong core group" while the show aired and maintained close ties. The friendship and trust he shared with Priestley created a sort of "shorthand" when it came to filming, Perry said. FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2018, file photo, Luke Perry poses for a portrait during the 2018 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. A publicist for Perry says the "Riverdale" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" star has died. He was 52. Publicist Arnold Robinson said that Perry died Monday, March 4, 2019, after suffering a massive stroke. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this June 29, 2001 file photo, actor Luke Perry poses during an interview in New York. A publicist for Perry says the "Riverdale" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" star has died. He was 52. Publicist Arnold Robinson said that Perry died Monday, March 4, 2019, after suffering a massive stroke. (AP Photo/Leslie Hassler, File) FILE - In this June 29, 2001 file photo, actor Luke Perry poses during an interview in New York. A publicist for Perry says the "Riverdale" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" star has died. He was 52. Publicist Arnold Robinson said that Perry died Monday, March 4, 2019, after suffering a massive stroke. (AP Photo/Leslie Hassler, File) LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on the arrest of a California man for an explosion that killed his ex-girlfriend and injured two others last year (all times local): 3:01 p.m. A California man arrested in a deadly spa explosion that killed his ex-girlfriend has been ordered detained after a court appearance. Stephen Beal was charged Monday in federal court with malicious destruction of a building that included a death. Conviction of the crime could lead to a life sentence. Authorities say Beal was linked to the killing of Ildiko Krajnyak by investigators who found materials at the bomb site that were similar to those found in Beal's house and car. Beal has previously denied involvement in the blast that also seriously injured two spa customers. The FBI searches the home of Stephen Beal in Long Beach, Calif., Sunday, March 3, 2019, after taking him into custody in connection with a 2018 bombing at an Aliso Viejo beauty salon that killed his former girlfriend. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) He did not enter a plea during the hearing and was scheduled to be arraigned March 25. ___ 10:12 a.m. Federal authorities say they arrested a California man in a spa explosion that killed his ex-girlfriend last year after similar explosive materials and chemicals were found in his home and car. The FBI and federal prosecutors on Monday said that Stephen Beal faces a charge of malicious destruction of a building that included a death. Beal is charged in the May 15 bombing that killed 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak in her Orange County spa. The charge carries a possible life sentence. Beal had been arrested on suspicion of having explosives last year but prosecutors dropped it soon after and he was freed. Beal's lawyer declined to comment. ___ 9:22 p.m. The FBI is set to release details about the arrest of a California man in an explosion that killed his ex-girlfriend and injured two others last year. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Sunday that 59-year-old Stephen Beal was arrested and his home south of Los Angeles was searched. Eimiller declined to detail the charges but says they're in connection with the May 15 bombing that killed 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak in her Orange County spa. She said more information would be released at a news conference on Monday. Beal had been arrested on suspicion of having explosives last year but prosecutors dropped it soon after and he was freed. Beal had not been named a suspect in the blast. The FBI searches the home of Stephen Beal in Long Beach, Calif., Sunday, March 3, 2019, after taking him into custody in connection with a 2018 bombing at an Aliso Viejo beauty salon that killed his former girlfriend. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP) FILE - This May 16, 2018 file photo shows the home occupied by Stephen Beal in Los Beach, Calif. Beal, who was released in 2018 after his arrest on an explosives charge, was arrested Sunday, March 3, 2019, in connection with the May 15 bombing that killed Ildiko Krajnyak in her Orange County spa, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers, File) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring on Monday defended his handling of a blackface scandal, and he did not rule out a future run for governor at the same time he promised to repair the harm he's caused. Speaking on The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU in Washington, the 57-year-old Herring apologized repeatedly for dressing up like a rapper with a wig and brown makeup while attending a party in 1980. The interview marked his first in nearly a month since he admitted to wearing blackface while a student at the University of Virginia - an admission that came just days after he'd condemned Gov. Ralph Northam for similar behavior. "It was a one-time occurrence, and it is something that has haunted me for decades, and I'm so very sorry for the hurt that I've caused," Herring said. Herring is one of Virginia's top three Democrats, all of whom have been embroiled in scandal recently. Like Herring, Northam has apologized for wearing blackface decades ago. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, meanwhile, has vehemently denied sexual assault allegations from two women. Many of the Democrats who called for Northam's resignation have been more forgiving of Herring, who would be replaced by a Republican if he stepped down. Northam would be replaced by Fairfax. Herring defended his decision to call for the governor's resignation, saying he only did so when it became clear that Northam had lost the public's trust. The governor initially apologized for being in a racist picture that surfaced in his 1984 medical school yearbook. A day later, Northam said he wasn't in the picture but had dressed in blackface during a dance competition the same year. In this Feb. 26, 2018 photo Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring attends a news conference near the White House in Washington. Herring says he's focused on repairing the damage he caused by recently revealing he wore blackface in college, but he hasn't ruled out a future run for governor. Herring made the comments Monday, March 4, 2019 during an interview on the The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) "For me, it was really about the public trust and I want to be clear about this: I would hold myself to the same standard," Herring said. Critics have assailed both Northam and Fairfax for how they've handled their respective scandals. Northam's been ridiculed for an awkward performance at a news conference while Fairfax has been criticized for comparing himself to Jim Crow-era lynching victims. Herring, though, kept an extremely low profile and all but disappeared after issuing his initial statement. Republicans on Monday said Herring's re-emergence rang hollow. "Mark Herring thought appearing in blackface was worth resignation when it was Ralph Northam. Now he's tying himself in knots trying to explain why his blackface scandal is different," said Garren Shipley, Virginia communications director for the Republican National Committee. Herring also detailed the timing of his decision to come forward, which occurred after rumors about the existence of a blackface photo of him began circulating at the Capitol. Herring said Monday that he did not know if a photo existed but said he was prompted to come forward in order to "maintain my credibility." The attorney general did not directly respond to questions about whether he still thinks Northam should resign. The governor has resisted widespread calls to step down, instead saying he wants to focus on racial reconciliation during his remaining three years in office. Herring has said that is what he wants to do as well. Before the blackface scandals erupted, Herring had said he planned to run for governor in 2021. He said Monday that those plans are not on his mind at the moment. "Obviously, I am not thinking about that at all. What I am focused on is what has happened in Virginia over the last month and what I might be able to do to repair the damage," Herring said. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A dog bit off the hand of a 4-year-old Utah boy after he stuck his arm underneath a fence to try to play with the animal, authorities said Monday. The boy had a sock on his arm when he put it in a gap between the ground and a solid vinyl fence in his backyard Sunday, Layton Fire Battalion Chief Jason Cook said. The husky bit off the boy's entire hand and 2 to 3 inches of his arm, Cook said. The boy's father tried to limit the bleeding and comfort his son until emergency workers arrived. A helicopter flew the boy to a hospital in Salt Lake City, where he had surgery, Cook said. He's doing well and is expected to survive, officials said. Authorities couldn't find his hand and are almost certain the dog ingested it, he said. Medical personnel and animal control officials briefly considered putting down the dog to retrieve the hand for reattachment, but the surgeon determined that wasn't a viable option, Cook said. The husky will be quarantined for 10 days, said Rhett Nicks, director for Davis County Animal Care and Control. Officials have not determined if the dog will be put down or listed as a dangerous dog, he said, with an investigation underway. It was the animal's first reported bite, Cook said. Animal control was holding another husky that lives at the house but wasn't involved. It's not known if the dog owners will face consequences. The dogs were properly fenced in at the house in a neighborhood in Layton, a city of about 80,000 residents about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City, Cook said. Both families had recently moved in, he said. Cook said he doesn't know if the boy was right-handed or not but that he should be able to adapt because he's so young. "He'll kind of grow into his dexterity," Cook said. "But it's certainly life-changing. It's just a sad turn of events for the young, little guy." Last year, a 17-month-old girl in Wiscasset, Maine, was severely injured when her baby sitter's boxer bit her face after she touched its back. The 8-year-old dog was taken in for a 10-day quarantine following the mauling. ___ Associated Press writer Joseph Gedeon contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show it was a solid vinyl fence, not a chain-link fence. March 31 Feria del Taco Celebrates National Taco Day Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Sunday, March 31, is National Taco Day in Mexico, so make plans now to celebrate this tasty national dish that has brought joy to the world for generations, as Puerto Vallarta hosts the fourth edition of the Feria del Taco (Taco Fair). Scheduled to take place at Lazaro Cardenas Park from 4 to 11 pm, this year's Feria del Taco will feature live music, artisanal Raicilla cocktails, craft beers, and dozens of varieties and styles of this extraordinary event's main attraction... the taco! Tacos are undoubtedly one of mankind's greatest achievements. A food rich in history, older in fact than sliced bread, the history of the taco predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. All the way back to the Aztec, in fact. According to anthropological evidence, the original tacos date back to before the Spanish had arrived in Mexico, and were introduced to the conquistadors by the Aztecs Mexicas, the native people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico, who traditionally ate corn tortillas filled with small fish. Different regions of the country filled their tacos with ingredients found in their natural environments. In the states of Morelos and Guerrero, the fish were replaced by small live insects and ants, while locusts and snails were favorite fillings in Puebla and Oaxaca. Thankfully, tacos have adapted to the times. Today, these versatile hand-held treats are filled with a variety of more appetizing fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and beans, allowing great versatility and variety. Don't miss your chance to try some of the best tacos in town at Puerto Vallarta's Fourth Feria del Taco. Make plans now to come out to Lazaro Cardenas park this Sunday, March 31st starting at 4 pm. Admission is free. For more information visit Feria del Taco PV on Facebook. RAYMOND, Miss. (AP) - Sheriff's deputies say they have captured one of two inmates who escaped from a county jail in Mississippi. News outlets reported that two inmates got away from the Raymond Detention Center before dawn Monday. The Hinds County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that one of the inmates has been caught. Jail officials say the inmates had escaped through a crawl space and then got past a razor wire fence. Deputies are looking for 38-year-old John William Gray of Pulaski. Gray was being held on business burglary charges and for probation violations. Forty-one-year-old Marcell Martin of Jackson was found around 7 a.m. Monday in some woods near Midway. Martin was being held in his wife's death on charges of murder and possession of a gun on Valentine's Day. PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Monday that she's proposing a new framework for oil pipeline construction before building starts on the Keystone XL pipeline, introducing legislation that would require companies behind such projects to chip in on protest-related expenses and create a way to go after the money of those who fund destructive demonstrations. Noem said she wants make sure there's enough funding so local governments don't bankrupt themselves during construction. She also wants officials to be able to aggressively pursue people who financially back violence and gain access to those funds as well. The push comes late in the state's 2019 legislative session, timing that critics panned. "To the best of our knowledge, this type of approach has not happened anywhere in the nation before, and this next-generation pipeline construction model was developed to directly address issues caused by out-of-state rioters funded by out-of-state interests that have attacked nearby projects," Noem said. "The current model for developing major energy infrastructure projects clearly needed to have an update." Noem's bills come after opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline staged large protests that resulted in 761 arrests in southern North Dakota over a six-month span beginning in late 2016. The state spent tens of millions of dollars policing the protests. Officials are working hard to make sure disruptive and violent protests don't happen in South Dakota with Keystone XL, Noem said. The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota said the legislation could infringe on free speech rights. FILE - This Nov. 11, 2016 file photo shows more than 500 clergy from across the country gathered for a "Clergy for Standing Rock" march on N.D. Highway 1806 near Cannon Ball, N. D., from the Oceti Sakowin Camp to the Cantapeta Creek bridge to demonstrate their solidarity for the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says she's proposing legislation ahead of the Keystone XL oil pipeline's construction that would create a legal avenue to pursue out-of-state money that funds protests aimed at slowing construction. Noem's bills come after opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline staged large protests that resulted in 761 arrests in southern North Dakota over a six-month span beginning in late 2016. The state spent tens of millions of dollars policing the protests. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File) "The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and at the core of the First Amendment," Libby Skarin, the group's policy director, said in a statement. One bill would tap a pipeline developer, among other sources, to fund expenses in areas such as law enforcement that arise from pipeline protests. Approved claims from the state, cities or counties would be billed to the pipeline developer, which could contest the claims. If the state or local governments were reimbursed from another source for the claim, the money would be credited to the pipeline company. The other bill would create an avenue for the state to seek money from people who engage in "riot boosting." Under the bill, individuals or groups would be liable if they encouraged people in a riot to be violent. Money collected would be used to pay for riot damage claims or could be transferred into a pipeline expense fund. Officials have already changed state law in anticipation of Keystone XL protests. In 2017, they made it a Class 1 misdemeanor for someone to stand in the highway to stop traffic or to trespass in a posted emergency area. That was a scaled-back version of a bill championed by then-Gov. Dennis Daugaard amid concerns about large demonstrations similar to the Dakota Access protests. Noem's office said her bills arose from discussions with lawmakers, authorities, stakeholders and pipeline developer TransCanada. The 1,184-mile (1,900 kilometer) pipeline is intended to ship up to 830,000 barrels a day of Canadian crude through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska, where it would connect with lines to carry oil to Gulf Coast refineries. A federal judge in Montana in February largely kept in place an injunction that blocks TransCanada from performing preliminary work on the stalled pipeline. TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha said in an email that the company appreciates Noem's efforts to help advance the construction of Keystone XL and other pipelines in a way that ensures the safety of workers and state residents. "Any legislation that deters unlawful activities and encourages the advancement of critical infrastructure projects is a positive step in the right direction," Cunha said. Rebecca Terk, a lobbyist for conservation and family agriculture group Dakota Rural Action, said the legislation is an "incredible overreach" and the bills conflate protest with rioting. The developer of the Dakota Access pipeline last month sued the environmental group Greenpeace in North Dakota. Energy Transfer Partners accused the group and activists of conspiring to use illegal and violent means to disrupt construction, and of benefiting from the ensuing publicity to increase donations. Greenpeace has said the company is trying to silence peaceful advocacy. A judge tossed the ETP claim out of federal court, but the company is pursuing similar claims in state court. ___ Follow James Nord on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/Jvnord FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2019 file photo, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gives her first State of the State address in Pierre, S.D. Noem says she's proposing legislation ahead of the Keystone XL oil pipeline's construction that would create a legal avenue to pursue out-of-state money that funds protests aimed at slowing construction. The Republican governor said Monday, March 4, 2019 that she wants to make sure Keystone XL and future pipelines are built safely and efficiently while shielding the state and counties from major law enforcement costs if there are riots. (AP Photo/James Nord, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - An Alabama woman who joined the Islamic State lost a first round on Monday in a legal fight to return to the U.S. with her toddler son, even as a judge seemed to support at least one argument made by her lawyer for her U.S. citizenship. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton denied a request for "expedited" proceedings for Hoda Muthana, whose lawyers sought to have her lawsuit litigated on an emergency schedule so she could get out of a refugee camp in Syria and back to the U.S. Walton said Muthana's lawyers failed to establish that the woman and her 18-month-old son face imminent danger in allied custody as the U.S. prepares to withdraw most of its forces from the fight against the Islamic State in Syria. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a radio interview that she is not a citizen, and it would be a "risk" to let her back into the United States. "In fact, she's a terrorist, and we shouldn't bring back foreign terrorists to the United States of America," Pompeo said in an interview with WOC Radio in Iowa. Muthana, who married three Islamic State fighters during her time with the group, says she now regrets joining and wants to return to the U.S. for the sake of her child, even if that means facing criminal charges. This undated image provided by attorney Hassan Shibly shows Hoda Muthana, an Alabama woman who left home to join the Islamic State after becoming radicalized online. Muthana realized she was wrong and now wants to return to the United States, Shibly, a lawyer for her family said Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. (Hoda Muthana/Attorney Hassan Shibly via AP) The U.S. has determined that the 24-year-old Muthana isn't a citizen because her father was a Yemeni diplomat to the United Nations when she was born in New Jersey. Children of diplomats are not entitled to birthright citizenship because they and their parents aren't subject to U.S. law. Her lawyers argue that her father's diplomatic status ended before her birth in October 1994 and, therefore, she was automatically a citizen. The U.S. says it wasn't notified that his status had changed until February 1995, apparently because of a delay in reporting it by the U.N., and therefore he was still a diplomat. The government determined her U.S. passport was issued by mistake and revoked it while she was abroad in January 2016, under President Barack Obama. Attorney Charles Swift told Walton that diplomatic status should end when a country decides it has ended, not when the U.S. gets around to recognizing it. Otherwise it would create a scenario in which a person could commit a crime and be protected by diplomatic immunity even after the sponsoring country had revoked the status. He suggested a hostile country could use this uncertainty to commit espionage. The judge called this a "valid argument," but did not indicate how he would rule on overall question of her citizenship. Swift later told reporters he was "very encouraged" by this response and expects a decision in the case as early as this summer. "The judge's comments certainly foreshadow the ultimate outcome of this case," he said. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A French man who saw the Iditarod slip from his grasp when he got lost in a blizzard last year is again leading the world's most famous sled dog race. Nicolas Petit was the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher to arrive Monday in Rainy Pass, a community of two people and a lodge that's open year-round. The checkpoint is 153 miles (246 kilometers) into the nearly 1,000 mile (1,600 kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness. Petit stayed at the checkpoint for eight minutes before heading back out on the trail. Pete Kaiser, a 31-year-old musher from Bethel, Alaska, was close behind Petit, leaving Rainy Pass 11 minutes after Petit got back on the trail. Petit is a native of France's Normandy region and now lives in Girdwood, just south of Anchorage. He was leading last year late into the race when he lost his way in a blizzard. Iditarod musher Mishi Konno runs his team along the trail during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen) He was passed by Norway's Joar Ulsom, who beat Petit to the finish line in Nome by over two hours. After Rainy Pass, mushers head to the next checkpoint in the uninhabited community of Rohn. There used to be a roadhouse, but it's long gone so the checkpoint is in a cabin built in the 1930s. Mushers must take a 24-hour layover during the race, and many take it in Rohn before heading out onto the dangerous stretch called Farewell Burn, an area littered with tree stumps and rocks that was the site of a large Alaska forest fire in the 1970s. Fifty-two mushers started the race Sunday in Willow, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Anchorage. The race will take them over two mountain ranges, on the frozen Yukon River and up the dangerous, wind-whipped Bering Sea coast to the finish line in Nome. The winner is expected sometime next week. Iditarod rookie Richie Beattie greets fans on the trail during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen) FILE - In this March 14, 2018, file photo, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, of Norway is interviewed after winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska. Alaska's famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race kicks off this weekend. Defending champion Ulsom and 51 other mushers officially begin the competitive portion of the Iditarod race on Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Willow, north of Anchorage. The race across Alaska's wilderness will take about nine days before the winner reaches the famed burled arch in downtown Nome. (AP Photo/Diana Haecker, File) Iditarod rookie Richie Beattie, left, looks ahead as he greets a fan on the trail during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen) Defending champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom is greeted by local fan Ole Andersson during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen) SAN ANTONIO (AP) - An Air Force major based in San Antonio bought a shovel, an ax, gasoline and a "burn barrel" a day after his wife was reported missing and then tried to destroy the receipt, according to investigators. Andre McDonald, 40, was indicted Sunday on a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence in the disappearance of his 29-year-old wife, Andreen McDonald, who police believe is dead, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said friends reported Andreen McDonald missing Friday and her husband purchased the materials Saturday morning. Law enforcement found the items Saturday evening after obtaining a second search warrant for the couple's home, Salazar said. "It led us to believe that these were implements that were going to be used to dispose of a body," Salazar said. The find "really drives home to us: We believe that Andreen McDonald is no longer living," he said. Investigators also found pieces of a receipt that they accused Andre McDonald of having torn up, Salazar said. Active-duty US Air Force Maj. Andre McDonald, right, is escorted Sunday, March 3, 2019 to the Bexar County Magistrate center where where Sheriff Javier Salazar says he will be charged with tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his 29-year-old wife, Andreen McDonald. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP) "There was quite a bit of effort that went into destroying that receipt to try to prevent us seeing where (the evidence) was purchased," he said. Andre McDonald works at a cyberwarfare unit at the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Deputies have been searching wooded areas in north Bexar County for Andreen McDonald, Salazar said. Authorities haven't questioned the couple's 6-year-old daughter, who has autism and is mostly nonverbal, he said. "The fact that this young lady, mom to this beautiful little child, is out in the woods somewhere quite possibly doesn't sit well with me," Salazar said. "I'm not going to rest until we find her and we get her back to her family." He said anyone with information on Andreen McDonald's whereabouts should contact the department. ___ Information from: San Antonio Express-News, http://www.mysanantonio.com Active-duty US Air Force Major Andre McDonald, center, is escorted Sunday, March 3, 2019 to the Bexar County Magistrate center where where Sheriff Javier Salazar says he will be charged with tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his 29-year-old wife, Andreen McDonald. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP) PITTSBURGH (AP) - Companies testing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh will have to immediately report crashes resulting in any injuries as part of new guidelines announced Monday intended to boost public confidence in the testing after a deadly accident in Arizona last year. Karina Ricks, director of the city's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, said the city was working on guidelines before the March 18 accident in Tempe when one of Uber's autonomous test vehicles hit and killed a pedestrian as she crossed a dark road outside the lines of a crosswalk. "The Tempe incident raised the urgency for the guidelines," Ricks said. The Pittsburgh guidelines were included in an executive order signed by Mayor Bill Peduto on Monday. "We don't want that situation to happen again," said Raj Rajkumar, professor and co-director of the General Motors-Carnegie Mellon Vehicular Information Technology Collaborative Research Lab. Another accident would cause "a social backlash," he said, adding that he hopes guidelines such as those adopted by Pittsburgh and the testing companies will help alleviate public concerns. "This indicates that the city wants the technology to develop, to evolve, to measure, and they want to work with the companies and the university where the technology was born," he said. Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, left, checks out autonomous vehicles designed by Aurora Innovations, front, and Argo AI, rear, after signing an executive order outlining objectives and expectations for the safe testing and development of autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Representatives of the five entities testing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh - Aptiv, Argo AI, Aurora Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University, and Uber - expressed their support for Peduto's measure. These five companies have 30 days to submit initial information, such as neighborhoods where they expect to conduct testing, hours, and safety and risk mitigation plans, Ricks said. Newcomers - the city expects more companies to consider Pittsburgh as a testing ground - must submit the information 10 days before the star of on-road testing. Under the guidelines, companies have three days to report crashes resulting in any damage. Peduto's order also calls for companies to provide more information to the city than the state currently requires, such as requiring each tester to report total miles, even when in manual mode. The companies will have to submit reports twice a year to the city, which will then issue summary reports to the public, Ricks said. "We really want to find out is what you are doing. Let us understand how you are using our city streets," she said. Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies self-driving vehicles, said Pittsburgh is taking a step in the right direction. "You can't be a partner if you have no power," Smith said. "It's about trust. Are companies doing the right thing? Are they being transparent? Are they owning up to mistakes?" The city, however, will not require testers to report every time the autonomous system is disengaged, which is a requirement in California. When drivers disengage the autonomous systems, they often may be doing it out of caution rather than due to a technological flaw, she said. "It may actually be a positive sign of conservative safety procedures in the camp. Unfortunately, when you report disengagements to the lay public, it may (be) reinterpreted as substandard technology or that is not ready for testing on the public streets." When the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation gave its permission in December for Uber to resume road testing of autonomous vehicles, it required the ride-sharing service to have at least one human backup driver - two if the company plans to go over 25 miles (40 kilometers) per hour- in every autonomous vehicle. Ricks said all autonomous vehicles road-tested in Pittsburgh now have two human backup drivers, regardless of speed limits. Although "completely driverless operations are many years away and there are many steps of growing pains to go through," Rajkumar said, continued road-testing is crucial. Peduto said his executive order calls for a partnership built on trust, understanding of mission and shared values. The city wants to "work hand-in-hand with autonomous vehicle developers," he said. Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, right, and Pete Rander, co-founder of Pittsburgh-based, Argo AI, developer of an autonomous vehicle, shake hands after Peduto signed an executive order outlining objectives and expectations for the safe testing and development of autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh, Monday, March 4, 2019. Five companies presently developing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh were present for the signing. At rear is an autonomous vehicle being developed by Uber. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, right, stands in front of an autonomous vehicle designed by Uber as he makes remarks before signing an executive order outlining objectives and expectations for the safe testing and development of autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh, Monday, March 4, 2019. Five companies presently developing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh were present for the signing. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - A U.S. congressional delegation has visited Eritrea for the first time in 14 years as Washington seeks closer contact with the long-reclusive state in the Horn of Africa after it made surprising peace with Ethiopia last year. "Eritrea has been a mystery," Karen Bass told reporters in Ethiopia on Monday after visiting Asmara with fellow lawmakers Ilhan Omar and Joe Neguse, whose parents fled Eritrea in the early 1980s as it fought for independence. "I know that there have been no reforms that have taken place yet but this is very new. I'm hopeful that reforms will take place, most notably in the area of human rights." Bass, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, said she hopes that several U.S. nationals detained in Eritrea, including four U.S. Embassy staff, will be released "promptly, as well as other people who are incarcerated." She said she learned only on Monday that a U.S. national from her own California district was in detention. Eritrea's information minister in a Twitter post said the lawmakers met the foreign minister, presidential adviser and head of economic development. He posted a photo of the lawmakers in front of a framed photo of longtime President Isaias Afwerki, who on Sunday hosted the leaders of Ethiopia and Kenya. Omar, who was born in nearby Somalia, told The Associated Press she was impressed with the regional thaw in East Africa after Eritrea and Ethiopia made peace, two decades after a border war killed some 80,000 people. Diplomatic and other ties have been restored, leading to celebrations and emotional family reunions. In November the United Nations Security Council lifted sanctions on Eritrea, opening the way for further interest and investment in the country on the Red Sea across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Tibor Nagy, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Africa, visited Eritrea late last year for a groundbreaking meeting with Isaias, later speaking of the possibility of better relations and of U.S. investment. "We hope to get to the point where relations with Eritrea are just as warm and cordial as those with Ethiopia," Nagy told reporters. With the new peace, the international community is watching Eritrea to see what reforms might follow in a country that has been a major source of migrants fleeing to Europe, Israel and elsewhere. Eritrea hasn't held a presidential election since independence in 1993, and rights groups have accused the country of having a harsh system of military conscription. In December, the Trump administration included Eritrea on its annual list of nations accused of "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." Eritrea's government has argued against such criticism, calling it unfounded and one-sided. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Mourners placed bouquets, balloons, and Mardi Gras beads near the bike lane among the oaks on Monday along New Orleans' Esplanade Avenue as plans for a parade were altered to include time for tears. People who knew the two bicyclists killed Saturday night - and some who never met them - dealt with the grief ahead of Tuesday's joyous climax to New Orleans' annual Carnival season. The dead have been identified as Sharree Walls, 27, of New Orleans and David Hynes, 31, of Seattle. They were among nine people hit when a car sped into a bicycle lane Saturday night, blocks away from a parade route. The man identified as the car's driver, 32-year-old Tashonty Toney, faces multiple charges including two counts of vehicular homicide. "I didn't know them ... I drive by here every day," said one man, who choked up before pinning a bouquet to an oak tree near the bike lane and walking away. Friends told local news outlets that Walls was the executive director of Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans, which provides financial support for projects in underserved communities. Costumed revelers gather Monday, March 4, 2019, for the annual Krewe of Red Beans march in New Orleans. The usually lighthearted parade began with a funeral dirge by a brass band in memory of Sharree Walls, a krewe member who was one of two killed when a car veered into a bike lane Saturday night. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill) She was also a member of the Krewe of Red Beans, a marching club known for light-hearted costumes that marches annually the day before Mardi Gras. Their parade stepped off as scheduled Monday afternoon. But it began with a slow, funereal "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" in her memory by the Treme Brass Band before the up-tempo march began. "I think we can all dance extra for her today to celebrate her life," krewe founder Devin DeWulf said, as he addressed the costumed crowd just before the march began. Hynes was a former New Orleans resident and Tulane Law School graduate who was visiting during Mardi Gras. He had been married for a year and was waiting for his wife to join him on his New Orleans visit, his mother-in-law told The New Orleans Advocate. They died not far from where the Krewe of Endymion parade - an annual spectacle of huge, brightly lit floats and marching bands - had just passed. Walter Rose remembered it Monday as a scene of bedlam, carnage and a futile attempt to save a life. "It was a lot of screaming, a lot of people hovered around the body," Rose, recalled as he recounted being at work in Canseco's market Saturday night when someone ran in asking if anyone knew CPR. Rose, who said he learned CPR techniques when he was an oilfield worker, ran out to help, joining two others in trying to revive a badly wounded man who later was identified as Hynes. "There was a lot of commotion, a lot of people trying to talk, trying to help." The accident held disturbing echoes of a night two years earlier when a drunk driver plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of Endymion parade watchers, injuring dozens. There were fewer injured this time, but the results were deadly. Police said the fact that Toney is the son of a New Orleans police officer will not change or impact the investigation, which the department pledged would be "open and transparent," a department statement said. Toney also faces seven counts of vehicular negligent injury, hit and run, and reckless operation. Flowers, balloons and Mardi Gras beads are placed at a makeshift memorial next to a bicycle lane in New Orleans on March 4, 2019. Two bicycle riders were killed near the spot Saturday night when a driver veered into the lane. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill) New Orleans Police examine damaged cars and bicycles on Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans after a car struck multiple people, killing several and injuring others following the Endymion Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Michael DeMocker/NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune via AP) First responders are on the scene where New Orleans Police Department reports that several people were killed and others injured when they were struck by a vehicle along a multiple-block stretch of Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans, Saturday, March 2, 2019. The incident happened not far from the Endymion parade, one of the city's biggest Mardi Gras parades. (Shawn Fink/The Advocate via AP) COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) - A California school district is investigating a social media photograph in which young people are seen giving Nazi salutes while standing around a table on which red cups form a swastika. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District was made aware Sunday of social media postings "involving some students who created inappropriate anti-Semitic symbols, and possible underage drinking," the district said Monday in a statement. "While these actions did not occur on any school campus or school function, we condemn all acts of anti-Semitism and hate in all their forms," the district said. "We continue to gather information regarding the conduct of these students and work with law enforcement." School Board President Charlene Metoyer told The Orange County Register that several students were identified as attending Newport Harbor High School. "I'd like to see genuine remorse from the perpetrators here," she told the newspaper. "They need to learn about what those symbols mean and how devastating it is to see it occurring in 2019. We obviously need to do a better job of providing education and awareness." Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley said, "There is no place for hateful symbols of swastikas and Nazi salutes in our community. Glorifying or even joking about these symbols contradicts the values we share as a diverse community." Foley said the incident must be used as an opportunity work with the school district to implement better anti-bias and anti-hate education. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey is adding 749 miles (1,205 kilometers) of rivers and streams to its inventory of waterways that have a high level of protection from pollution and development. The state Department of Environmental Protection on Monday identified waterways flowing through 67 municipalities within the Upper Delaware, Lower Delaware, Northwest, Raritan and Atlantic Coastal regions as deserving added protection. That means any wastewater or other planned discharges affecting these waterways will need to meet stringent water quality standards. They include portions of the Pequest River in Warren County; the Salem River in Salem County; the Lamington River and the South Branch of the Raritan in Somerset and Hunterdon counties; and the Ramapo River in Bergen County. They are called Category 1 waterways. DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said such waterways "provide drinking water and sustain important fish and aquatic resources. In addition, the actions the state takes to preserve water quality for these waterways help protect ecosystems that provide important wildlife habitats and improve our quality of life." They also will be protected by 300-foot (91-meter) development buffers. About 6,800 miles (10,943 kilometers) of New Jersey's 23,500 miles of waterways enjoy this designation. Including the highest level of protection, which is called Outstanding National Resource Waters, just under half of New Jersey's waterways now have a high degree of legal protection. Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, called the move "an important step forward in our battle in New Jersey for clean water." "We have been waiting 10 years to get new streams designated as (Category 1) and now it is finally happening," he said. The waterways listed Monday in the New Jersey Register include 734 miles (1,181 kilometers) chosen for their exceptional ecological value, and another 53 miles for their exceptional fishery resources. Thirty-eight miles (Sixty-one kilometers) overlap both categories. ___ Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC OLMITO, Texas (AP) - A man charged with killing his wife after blaming her death on a Baltimore panhandler is being held without bail in Texas. Cameron County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Joe Elizardi said 52-year-old Keith Smith and his 28-year-old daughter, Valeria Smith, were arraigned Monday and agreed to be extradited. Elizardi says they are being held without bond and Baltimore officials have until March 15 to pick them up. It's not known if Keith Smith and Valeria Smith had attorneys who could comment for them. When Jacquelyn's Dec. 1 death was initially reported, police said she lowered her car's front passenger side window to give $10 to a young woman who appeared to be holding a swaddled infant and a cardboard sign reading: "Please help me feed my baby." It was then that a man supposedly approached the car and struggled to take her wallet. According to the account, he then supposedly stabbed her and ran off along with the female panhandler. After his wife died, Keith Smith gave numerous media interviews and lobbied Baltimore officials to pass legislation to ban panhandling at city intersections. He said he wanted the law to be named for his wife. Her death attracted national attention and prompted many to regard panhandlers warily. But Acting Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said at a news conference Sunday that the story wasn't true and announced first-degree murder charges against Smith's husband and step-daughter. They were arrested in Texas and were preparing to leave the country, Harrison said. The Baltimore Sun reports that in a meeting with newspaper's editorial board Monday, Harrison declined to reveal information supporting the arrest warrant, saying he didn't want to compromise the case's chances in court. He said there was other evidence to collect and there may be other witnesses to talk to. Harrison did say that the Smiths' presence near the border with Mexico affected the timing of the arrest, though the case wasn't rushed. This photo released by the Cameron County Sheriff's Office shows Keith Smith . Smith is charged with killing his wife after blaming her death on a Baltimore panhandler is being held without bail in Texas. Cameron County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Joe Elizardi said 52-year-old Smith and his 28-year-old daughter, Valeria Smith, were arraigned Monday, March 4, 2019, and agreed to be extradited. Elizardi says they're held without bond and Baltimore officials have until March 15 to pick them up. It's not known if Keith Smith and Valeria Smith had attorneys who could comment for them. (Cameron County Sheriff's Office via AP) "I can say that being notified that they were in Texas certainly added to the evidence we already had to convince us that it was not the homeless person, (and) probable cause existed that it was more than likely their involvement," Harrison said. "I think there's enough evidence to support that this still would have been the outcome." This photo released by the Cameron County Sheriff's Office shows Valeria Smith . A man charged with killing his wife after blaming her death on a Baltimore panhandler is being held without bail in Texas. Cameron County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Joe Elizardi said 52-year-old Keith Smith and his 28-year-old daughter, Valeria, were arraigned Monday, March 4, 2019, and agreed to be extradited. Elizardi says they're held without bond and Baltimore officials have until March 15 to pick them up. It's not known if Keith Smith and Valeria Smith had attorneys who could comment for them. (Cameron County Sheriff's Office via AP) IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - At three trials over three decades, a convicted thief has testified that he saw Stanley Liggins with 9-year-old Jennifer Lewis shortly before she was kidnapped, raped, strangled and left dead in Davenport, Iowa. Antonio Holmes insisted at each trial that prosecutors did not give him any benefit in exchange for his testimony, which helped convict Liggins at trials in 1993 and 1995 and keep him behind bars since then. But newly unearthed records show that those statements weren't true: The Scott County Attorney's office had given him a favorable plea agreement that was conditioned upon his testimony at Liggins' trial. The discovery is a potential blow to the prosecution in the 1990 slaying that shocked the Quad-Cities region of eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Liggins has twice been convicted of first-degree murder but won new trials, after appeals courts ruled the verdicts were tainted by other errors. A jury deadlocked last year on whether he was guilty at a third trial, and a fourth is scheduled for next week. Liggins' attorney last week found old court documents showing that Holmes was required to testify at Liggins' trial under a 1992 plea agreement that reduced theft and burglary charges. Among those involved in negotiating Holmes' deal was assistant Scott County Attorney Julie Walton, who is still prosecuting Liggins. At last year's trial, Walton asked Holmes whether he had "ever received anything" from her office for his cooperation. "No," he replied. In this Sept. 24, 2018 photo, Stanley Liggins leaves a Black Hawk County courtroom after a judge declared a mistrial when jurors were unable to reach a verdict in his murder trial in Waterloo, Iowa. An attorney for Liggins says he has discovered records showing that prosecution witness Antonio Holmes was given a favorable plea agreement in exchange for his testimony against Liggins. Liggins is preparing to stand trial a fourth time in the death of 9-year-old Jennifer Lewis. (Jeff Reinitz/Waterloo-Cedar Courier via AP) A judge has scheduled a hearing Tuesday in Davenport to consider defense motions asking her to force Walton to recuse from the case, to delay the trial to allow for additional investigation or to dismiss the case altogether. Liggins' attorney Aaron Hawbaker argued in a filing that Holmes' credibility would have been undermined if jurors were aware he was getting an "extremely generous" deal in exchange for his testimony. He argued that the prosecutors' efforts to "repeatedly elicit untruthful testimony from a key witness" are misconduct violating his client's rights. "This newly discovered information calls into serious question the integrity of this prosecution and exposes the limitless efforts by the state to deny Mr. Liggins a fair trial in exchange for a conviction," he wrote. Scott County Attorney Mike Walton, who is Julie Walton's brother, said the allegations are inaccurate but didn't explain how, saying his office would elaborate in a filing. Holmes' testimony was significant at all three trials because he was the only witness to claim to have seen Liggins and Lewis together - at a liquor store in Rock Island, Illinois, moments before her kidnapping. Liggins, who was a friend of Lewis' mother, has said that he gave Lewis $1 to walk to the store to buy gum and that she never returned. Her burning body was found behind a Davenport elementary school in September 1990, and Liggins was charged in her death a week later. Holmes told jurors in 1993 that he did receive a plea agreement but that the leniency "didn't have anything to do with me testifying." In 1995, he testified he didn't get anything from the state for his testimony. But minutes from a December 1992 hearing show that the plea agreement called for Holmes to testify at Liggins' February 1993 trial. The presiding judge indicated he would follow the agreement "if the anticipated testimony is given," they show. Court staff members were instructed to set Holmes' sentencing date "post-Liggins trial." The day after Holmes' testimony, the court held his sentencing hearing and the judge accepted the plea agreement. The deal dismissed first-degree theft and burglary charges, and he pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle without the owner's consent. A potential prison sentence was reduced to six months with credit for time served. Julie Walton also cut Holmes a break weeks before he would testify a second time against Liggins at a 1995 retrial after the Iowa Supreme Court overturned Liggins' first conviction. She dismissed two pending felony burglary cases against Holmes, saying the state needed more time to analyze shoe prints and fingerprints. Hawbaker said he wants to investigate whether the dismissal of those cases were linked to Holmes' testimony. Holmes is not the first witness whose relationship with the state has become an issue. A woman who was a paid Davenport police informant testified that she saw a vehicle resembling Liggins' near the school where the girl's body was left. The Iowa Court of Appeals in 2013 granted Liggins a new trial, ruling that the state failed to disclose her relationship with police. In this Sept. 6, 2018 photo, Assistant Scott County Attorney Julie Walton listens to testimony during the trial of Stanley Liggins, left, in Waterloo, Iowa. An attorney for Liggins says he has discovered records showing that prosecution witness Antonio Holmes was given a favorable plea agreement in exchange for his testimony against Liggins even though Holmes insisted at each trial that prosecutors did not give him any benefit in exchange for his testimony. Liggins is preparing to stand trial a fourth time in the death of 9-year-old Jennifer Lewis. (Jeff Reinitz, Waterloo-Cedar Courier via AP) In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, Stanley Liggins leaves a Black Hawk County courtroom during a break in his murder trial in Waterloo, Iowa. An attorney for Liggins says he has discovered records showing that prosecution witness Antonio Holmes was given a favorable plea agreement in exchange for his testimony against Liggins even though Holmes insisted at each trial that prosecutors did not give him any benefit in exchange for his testimony. Liggins is preparing to stand trial a fourth time in the death of 9-year-old Jennifer Lewis. (Jeff Reinitz/Waterloo-Cedar Courier via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - An exuberant President Donald Trump took a victory lap on Capitol Hill Tuesday, emboldened by the end of the special counsel's Russia probe, even as Democrats pressed insistently for Robert Mueller's full report and Justice Department officials said more information could be released in "weeks, not months." Trump strode into a high-spirited gathering of Senate Republicans, flanked by party leaders, saying the attorney general's weekend summary of Mueller's report "could not have been better." GOP senators applauded his arrival, and he celebrated what he called his "clean bill of health." But challenges are ahead for both the Republicans and the Democrats who hope to deny Trump re-election next year. Both parties are readjusting their aims and strategies in the post-probe landscape, pivoting to health care and other issues that are more important for many voters, even with Mueller's full findings still unknown. At House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's own closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday, she urged rank-and-file Democrats to "be calm" and focus on the policy promises of health care, jobs and oversight of the administration that helped propel them to the House majority last fall. "Let's just get the goods," Pelosi said. Not that the Democrats are forgetting Russia and the 2016 presidential election. Many Democrats dismiss the four-page summary released by Attorney General William Barr as inadequate. President Donald Trump accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, arrives for a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) "I haven't seen the Mueller report. I've seen the Barr report. And I'm not going to base anything on the Barr report," said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. "The president is saying he's been completely and totally exonerated by the report," Raskin said. "The one sentence we've seen from the report says this is not an exoneration of the president." Meanwhile, a Justice Department official said it will take Barr "weeks, not months" to finish reviewing Mueller's longer, still-confidential report and make a version available for the public. It's not clear whether that will be Mueller's own words or another synopsis. Trump has said he "wouldn't mind" if the full report were released. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he's hesitant to agree to releasing information from Mueller that would "throw innocent people who've not been charged under the bus." He is blocking legislation approved unanimously by the House calling for the report's release. In the GOP luncheon, Trump was in a lively mood, senators said. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said the president is "always high energy. He had a little extra today." Russia report aside, the president showed an eagerness to move on. He told GOP senators that health care should be their focus heading into the 2020 election. He said he wants them to abandon efforts to simply repeal "Obamacare" and instead focus on a replacement for President Barack Obama's signature law. "I was a little surprised he came out of the chute in health care," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., after the meeting. "He wants us to try again." Even so, the White House was making a new effort to get rid of the Affordable Care Act entirely. In a legal filing late Monday, the administration said it would not defend the act against a court challenge - essentially encouraging the law's demise. Meanwhile, House Democrats, led by Pelosi, unveiled their own sweeping measure to rescue the program on Tuesday. Trump's hour-long talk to Senate Republicans touched on trade, foreign policy and a vote later in the day on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal, which the Senate declined to take up. Trump said the climate-change proposal would be a good campaign issue to fight over with Democrats. Almost no mention was made of the president's national emergency declaration to expand the border wall with Mexico, even though the House was voting on an effort to block it as the senators lunched. Congress had voted to block Trump, and he had vetoed that action. House members voted 248-181 to override Trump's veto, but that was well short of the needed two-thirds majority. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats in trying to block the president from taking military funds to build his long-promised wall. The president seemed to have heeded advice from allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who encouraged him to use the political capital he's now gained to accomplish policy goals. Pelosi's advice to Democrats to stick with the strategy that won them control of the House in 2018 was reinforced by Obama himself, who counseled freshman Democrats at a reception Monday night. Obama advised the newly elected lawmakers to focus on constituents' hopes and concerns, while also identifying issues they feel so strongly about that they'd be willing to lose their House seats in fights over them, according to people at the private party. The focus must go beyond Russia and collusion, Democratic leaders said. "House Democrats did not win the election on collusion; we didn't win the election on impeachment; we didn't win the election on obstruction of justice," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic Caucus chairman. "Our candidates didn't even talk about those issues. What we all collectively talked about was making life better for everyday Americans ... and that's what we're going to continue to do." At the same time, Democrats will continue their investigations of the Trump-Russia connection, and other aspects of the president's finances and business practices, including his tax returns. "You can't move forward on a four-page memo," said Rep. Karen Bass of California. "It's hard for me to accept that as an objective opinion." Six House Democratic committee chairmen have written to Barr asking to have Mueller's full report by April 2. If not, they have suggested subpoenas could be issued. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Andrew Taylor, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report. ___ Follow all of AP's Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations . Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined at left by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone, D-N.J., speaks at an event to announce legislation to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing medical conditions, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Democratic action comes after the Trump administration told a federal appeals court that the entire Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare," should be struck down as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Rep. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., center, together with Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, left, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wa., right, and other Republican members of Congress speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., arrives for a Democratic Caucus meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Schiff, the focus of Republicans' post-Mueller ire, says Mueller's conclusion would not affect his own committee's counterintelligence probes. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) - Long famed for being a peaceful haven in South America, Uruguay is experiencing what some analysts and international organizations describe as an "epidemic" of violence. Homicides in Uruguay increased by 46 percent last year, reaching an official rate of 11.8 per 100,000 people. The figure is far below the alarming homicide rates, often fed by drug wars and gang violence, in countries like Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. But Uruguay's homicide rate is now higher than most South American nations and is at a record high for the small country of about 3.5 million people. Many Uruguayans have decided that drastic measures are in order. In less than a year, some 407,000 people - about a sixth of eligible voters - have signed a formal petition calling for a referendum to implement tough policies against crime. It will be held at the same time as the presidential election in October, amplifying crime as a campaign issue. The initiative seeks life imprisonment for crimes such as multiple murders, contract killings and the rape and murder of minors. It would also give the military a greater role in domestic security by creating a 2,000-member national guard, eliminate probation for serious crimes and allow night raids with the approval of a judge. The government announced this week that Uruguay saw 414 homicides last year, up from 283 in 2017. Uruguay's figures are low when compared to countries like Mexico, Brazil and El Salvador, which have 27, 30 and 50 homicides per 100,000 people, respectively. But Uruguay's rate now is double that of neighboring Argentina and triple that of Chile. And some fear it will only worsen. A local newspaper is clipped to a kiosk emblazoned with the number 414 for the number of homicides committed in 2018, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Long famed for being a peaceful haven in South America, Uruguay is experiencing what some analysts and international organizations describe as an "epidemic" of violence. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) Montevideo police chief Mario Layera told local newspaper El Observador that the country was on course to become as violent as El Salvador, which has one of the world's highest homicide rates as a result of gang violence. The referendum drive was led by Sen. Jorge Larranaga, a member of the opposition National Party. It faced opposition from the government and indifference from most other opposition leaders. But the public was enthusiastic. "(They'd say) I won't vote for you, but I'll sign this," he said. "The people have had enough. They want it to stop. Many signed because this is the strongest stand against crime and the government's security policy." Diego Sanjurjo, a political scientist who specializes in security issues, said the violence stems from a sharp increase in thefts and other property crimes. "That makes illegal markets grow and ever more people are involved in them," he said. "There are more people robbing, which increases the probability of a homicide. And it also increases the people who settle their conflicts outside the law: The criminals kill one another." He blamed the ruling Broad Front party for failing to address rising violence as a major problem, saying it "clearly underestimated crime." Officials at the Interior Ministry in charge of security issues declined to comment. Rising crime has been a weak point for the ruling party since it won power in 2005. Initially, the party rejected complaints, saying they were fed by sensationalist press accounts. With time, explanations shifted. Interior Minister Eduardo Bonomi recently said that homicides are on the rise as a result of turf wars among criminals, as well as 2017 changes in a new criminal code that reduced the number of crimes for which offenders can be held in pre-trial detention and made it easier to negotiate shorter sentences via plea bargains. It was meant to speed up an overwhelmed judicial system and prevent hundreds of inmates from being kept behind bars without conviction. "Uruguayan criminals believe they will not be caught and that if they are, they will be released shortly," he said. President Tabare Vazquez won 2014 elections after promising to lower violent robberies by 30 percent. But official figures showed a 53.8 increase in violent robberies in 2018 compared to a year earlier. Even the president's family has been affected by the crime wave. "One of my grandsons had his cellphone taken from his hand by two people on a motorcycle while waiting for the bus. One of my sons was victim of a breaking and entering," Vazquez said at an official event. Graciela Barrera says that she'll never forget the day in 2009 when someone came into her poultry shop and gave her the news that her son, Alejandro, had been shot dead by a group of thieves. After a year of mourning, she began an association that helps the families of victims and visits inmates, trying to raise awareness about the pain caused by violent crime. Like many other crimes, the killing of Barrera's son, is still unsolved. But as an anti-violence advocate, Barrera did not sign the anti-crime petition. She agrees with the idea that criminals feel immune to law enforcement. But she also believes that the focus should be on improving education and revamping overcrowded prisons that have been compared to torture centers. "We have an education problem. Thousands of young people grow up without putting any value on life," she said. "And we have a problem of impunity that leads to continued killings." This March 18, 2019 photo shows a view of Independence Plaza in downtown Montevideo, Uruguay. Homicides in Uruguay increased by 46 percent last year, reaching an official rate of 11.8 per 100,000 people. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) In this March 11, 2019 photo, Uruguayan Sen. Jorge Larranaga poses for a photo during an interview in Montevideo, Uruguay. Larranaga is calling for a referendum to implement tough policies against crime. It will be held at the same time as the presidential election in October, amplifying the issue of crime as a campaign issue. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) This March 13, 2019 photo shows a banner featuring an electoral ad promoting presidential candidate Edgardo Novick with a message that reads in Spanish: "Zero tolerance on crime" in Montevideo, Uruguay. Uruguay's homicide rate is now higher than most South American nations and is at a record high for the small country of about 3.5 million people. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) In this March 18, 2019 photo Graciela Barrera, founder of The Association of Relatives and Victims of Crime, ASFAVIDE, poses for a photo in Montevideo, Uruguay. Barrera says that she'll never forget the day in 2009 when someone came into her poultry shop and gave her the news that her son, Alejandro, had been shot dead by a group of thieves. After a year of mourning, she began an association that helps the families of victims and visits inmates, trying to raise awareness about the pain caused by violent crime. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) A couple reads the headlines of Uruguay's local newspapers that shows that 414 people died in homicides during the year 2018, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Long famed for being a peaceful haven in South America, Uruguay is experiencing what some analysts and international organizations describe as an "epidemic" of violence. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) A 1.6 billion package promised by Theresa May for run-down towns has been dismissed by opposition MPs as a pathetic attempt to win Labour support for her Brexit deal. The money, which will be spread over seven financial years to 2025-2026, is a desperate bribe, shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed. But Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said the money would be transformative and was not conditional on support for the Prime Ministers Withdrawal Agreement. (PA Graphics) And Mrs Mays official spokesman insisted the money was absolutely not a bribe in return for MPs votes. Downing Street confirmed that Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will return to Brussels on Tuesday to continue their efforts to secure legally-binding changes to ensure that the UK is not trapped permanently by backstop arrangements designed to keep the Irish border open. But Mrs Mays spokesman declined to discuss reports that Mr Cox has dropped attempts to secure a time limit for the backstop or a unilateral exit mechanism, telling reporters: We are now at a particularly critical stage in these negotiations. Im not going to get into specifics. The spokesman said the UK was definitely making progress after discussions spanning the past two weeks with the European Commission, he said. But he added: There definitely remains more work to be done. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said negotiations `cannot be conducted in public (Jonathan Brady/PA) Mr Cox appeared to dismiss the reports, however, tweeting: The DT (Daily Telegraph) reporting of the last 24 hours consists of misunderstood fag ends dressed up as facts. Some of it is accurate, much more of it isnt and what is not is far more significant than what is. Complex and detailed negotiations cannot be conducted in public. The DUP and the Tory European Research Group (ERG) have made it clear they will not support the PMs Withdrawal Agreement in crunch Commons votes without such legally binding measures. I woke fuming. Tories have slashed many billions from budgets of poorest councils since 2010 & now they want us to feel grateful for the pittance they intend to dole out (in England only) over six years. It's corrupt, patronising, pathetic. All to appease the Brexit monster. Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) March 4, 2019 Launching the new 1.6 billion Stronger Towns Fund package, Mrs May said: For too long in our country prosperity has been unfairly spread. Communities across the country voted for Brexit as an expression of their desire to see change that must be a change for the better, with more opportunity and greater control. These towns have a glorious heritage, huge potential and, with the right help, a bright future ahead of them. But Mr McDonnell branded the initiative a desperate bribe. He said: This Towns Fund smacks of desperation from a Government reduced to bribing MPs to vote for their damaging flagship Brexit legislation. The chairman of Sigoma a group of 47 councils in the North, Midlands and coastal regions of England dismissed the new funding as a drop in the ocean in comparison to the needs of Englands most vulnerable towns and communities. Sir Stephen Houghton said: This 1.6 billion, spread wafer thin over the next six years, does absolutely nothing to redress the 8 billion funding gap councils face by 2025 and does little to balance the multi-billion pound infrastructure funding gap regions outside London continue to face. Mr Brokenshire told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the money was not linked to getting the Brexit deal through. This funding is there regardless of the outcome, but obviously we want to see a deal happening, we believe that is what is in the best interests of our country. But there is no constitutionality in that sense. Labour MP for Stoke Central Gareth Snell said: The entire allocation for the West Midlands over four years is less than the total value of cuts faced by Stoke-on-Trent City Council alone over the same period. The entire allocation for the West Midlands over four years is LESS than the total value of cuts faced by Stoke-on-Trent City Council alone over the same period. This is a huge disappointment. https://t.co/6JZOVQ8nPq Gareth Snell (@gareth_snell) March 3, 2019 Luke Pollard, who represents Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, scorned the 35 million earmarked for towns in the South West, pointing out that it was around the same amount as the settlement agreed with Eurotunnel over the Brexit ferries shambles, adding: What a pathetic mess. Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said the money for English regions was corrupt, patronising, pathetic and all to appease the Brexit monster. Of the 1 billion being allocated using a needs-based formula, the North West gets 281 million, the West Midlands 212 million, Yorkshire and the Humber 197 million, the East Midlands 110 million, the North East 105 million, the South East 37 million, the South West 35 million, and the East of England 25 million. Another 600 million will be available through a bidding process to communities in any part of the country. Hundreds of people including Islamic State militants have evacuated their last foothold in eastern Syria, hours after US-backed Syrian fighters said they had slowed their advance because the extremists were using civilians as human shields. Despite the hindrance, Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said the battle to retake Baghouz, the last territory in Syria held by IS, was going to be over soon. Later on Monday, an SDF official said 500 people, including fighters, had surrendered and evacuated the village of Baghouz and its surrounding areas. The official added that 200 more are expected to evacuate the village later on Monday. Dozens of men, women and children climbed hills on foot and were seen getting into small trucks after they were searched by SDF fighters manning the evacuation corridor. Were slowing down the offensive in #Baghouz due to a small number of civilians held as human shields by Daesh. However we assert that the battle to retake the last ISIS holdout is going to be over soon. Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) March 3, 2019 Shortly before sunset, more than 20 cars came out of the area carrying men, women and children some of whom appeared to be foreigners. Some of the men were of fighting age and appeared able while others carried crutches. One woman covered in black flashed a victory sign as she left. An SDF official said many IS gunmen are still inside and prepared to fight. This is not the end. We may be on the threshold of a new battle, he said. He said those who left the IS-held area on Monday include people from Bosnia, Turkestan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Syria and a man who claimed to be French. An air strike followed but it was not clear what it targeted. An SDF fighter watches smoke billow from the last small piece of territory held by Islamic State militants (Andrea Rosa/AP) An SDF spokeswoman said the offensive has slowed down but pressure is being kept up away from the corridor to prevent fighters from infiltrating or sabotaging the area. The US-backed forces resumed their offensive on Baghouz on Friday after a two-week pause to allow for the evacuation of civilians. Retaking the sliver of land would be a milestone in the devastating four-year campaign to end ISs self-proclaimed caliphate that once straddled a vast territory across Syria and Iraq. Were slowing down the offensive due to a small number of civilians held as human shields, Mr Bali said. The previous night, an SDF statement said the Kurdish-led forces would continue their military campaign to take control of the last IS-held pocket in Baghouz and to liberate the remaining civilians being used as human shields. In order not to harm them, we are advancing slowly but we assert that the battle of Baghouz will end in a short period of time, it said. IS militants are desperately fighting to hang on to the last tiny piece of land in eastern Syria, deploying snipers and guided missiles and using dug-out tunnels for surprise attacks. On Sunday, black smoke billowed over the besieged speck of land in the village after air strikes hit several targets. SDF fighters had tightened the noose on the militants the day before, advancing from two fronts and cutting off access to the river in Baghouz. Theresa May has promised a cross-Government response to knife crime as she rejected claims police cuts had contributed to a series of brutal stabbings around the country. The Prime Minister vowed to tackle the causes of knife crime by addressing the issues which led so many young people to carry blades. But Mrs May was accused by political opponents of presiding over reductions in police numbers and cuts to youth services which have contributed to a rise in violent crime. Theresa May promised a cross-Government approach to tackling knife crime (Adrian Dennis/PA) The Prime Minister, a former home secretary, insisted there was no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers. What matters is how we ensure that police are responding to these criminal acts when they take place, that people are brought to justice, she said. But what also matters is, as a Government, that we look at the issues which underpin, that underlie, this use of knives and that we act on those. Thats a cross-Government approach, its not just about the police, its about the whole of Government and its the whole of Government thats responding. She said a lot of this is gang-related, some of it will be drugs-related, there are a wide variety of issues that need to be addressed here and thats what the Government is doing. But Scotland Yard Deputy Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty indicated that extra officers did make a difference in tackling the problem. He said: In advance of the weekend just passed, we had arranged for more officers from our Violent Crime Taskforce to be on duty and we have extended their shifts to raise visibility across London. The increased police presence has made a difference, with officers conducting more than 2,500 stop and searches in the last three days alone. The body that represents rank-and-file officers said the Prime Minister was delusional. John Apter, national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: Policing has been stripped to the bone and the consequences are clear, splashed across newspaper front pages and TV news bulletins children being murdered on our streets. Detectives make fresh appeal for information following fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jodie Chesney in #Romford - details of a suspect have been released and police have revealed more information about what unfolded before the fatal attack https://t.co/zVu7NAHEyD pic.twitter.com/P7zpASedTv Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 3, 2019 This is the true cost of austerity that we warned of but were ridiculed for doing so. Theresa May herself accused the Police Federation of crying wolf when we highlighted our concerns. Those concerns have become a reality but still the Prime Minister fails to accept the harsh truth. Home Secretary Sajid Javid will chair a meeting of police chiefs on Wednesday, including chief constables from the areas most affected by knife crime. It comes after the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jodie Chesney in an east London park on Friday night in what her family branded a totally random and unprovoked attack. On Saturday night, 17-year-old Yousef Ghaleb Makki was stabbed to death in Hale Barns, near Altrincham, in Greater Manchester. Meanwhile an investigation by Channel 4s Dispatches found the number of recorded offenders aged under 18 committing homicides using a knife or sharp instrument rose by 77% from 2016 to 2018, up from 26 to 46. Mr Javid said: Young people are being murdered across the country and it cant go on. Knife crime devastates lives and communities, which is why we launched the Serious Violence Strategy. This brings together new police powers with an increased focus on early intervention to end the cycle of violence. pic.twitter.com/o9slVFeysI Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) March 3, 2019 The Home Office said an extra 970 million in police funding is proposed in the funding settlement for 2019-20. It added that the Offensive Weapons Bill currently before Parliament will introduce new offences to tackle knife crime and acid attacks. But shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: Knife crime is spiralling out of control. There needs to be serious action to save young peoples lives. This is against a background of huge cuts to youth services and, as senior police officers point out, the surge in school exclusions which leave young people prey to criminal gangs. And of course, over 20,000 police officers have been axed by Tory governments since 2010. All of these have contributed to the rise in violent crime, and undermined the polices ability to tackle it. Police funding has fallen by 19% in real terms since 2010. Over the same period, officer numbers have decreased by more than 20,000. Police officers search near the scene on St Neots Road in Harold Hill, east London, following the fatal stabbing of Jodie Chesney (PA) At the end of September, there were 122,395 police officers in the 43 forces in England and Wales. This number was up by nearly 500 compared with 12 months earlier the first year-on-year increase since 2009. Meanwhile, Labour seized on comments by Health Secretary Matt Hancock about tackling violent crime. Mr Hancock told LBC Radio: I think if you try to say that knife crime is a public health issue, it implies that there arent individuals who are personally responsible for these terrible crimes and youve got to start from the point of the perpetrator needing to be brought to justice. Shadow police minister Louise Haigh pointed out the Government had previously promised to take a public health approach to tackling violent crime. She said: Rather than taking real action to address the national knife crime epidemic that has arisen on its watch, the Governments own strategy has been revealed to be nothing more than warm words. How can the Tory government possibly be serious about taking a public health approach when the Health Secretary doesnt even know about it? Theresa May praised the tremendous spirit and resolve shown by the people of Salisbury a year on from the nerve agent attack in the city. Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with Novichok in the Wiltshire city in what the Prime Minister described as an utterly reckless attack. The Russian GRU intelligence agency has been blamed for the use of the chemical weapon, which later claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess, who died after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded. Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Smith England hairdresser salon after a visit to Salisbury (Adrian Dennis/PA) In Salisbury, the Prime Minister met some of residents of Christie Miller Road the neighbours of Mr Skripal and the location where the nerve agent was deployed. She also visited businesses in the city and its historic cathedral following last weeks announcement that the clean-up operation at sites connected with the attack had been completed. Mrs May said: This city has shown such spirit and resolve in the last 12 months. The impact of the utterly reckless use of a nerve agent should not and will not be forgotten. But it is incredibly heartening to see the hard work and determination of the people here to ensure this city has a positive and prosperous future, which it deserves. Those responsible saw the international community unite to say NO - thanks to all those who supported the UK on chemical weapons use 2/2 Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) March 4, 2019 Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt thanked the UKs allies for their response to the attack. The UK expelled 23 diplomats it claimed were Russian spies following the attack and other Western powers followed suit. Police have released a recording of a 999 caller who required life-saving treatment but could not speak. Quick-thinking call-handler Kathryn Longstaff realised the patient was tapping on his phone to communicate and managed to get a paramedic to his door. The 63-year-old man rang the emergency services but could not say what was wrong after he suffered a medical episode. Ms Longstaff, an employee of the Sopra Steria firm who is based at Cleveland Polices Control Room in Middlesbrough, heard him tap and asked him to communicate his yes or no answers to a series of questions by knocking on his phone. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2083519431953016 She said: As soon as I picked up the call, I knew something wasnt right and I had to think quickly of a way to communicate with him as I didnt know at that point what sort of danger he was in. A stock picture of an Ambulance badge logo in Dublin. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday January 16, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Thankfully he had contacted police before and his number and address were already on our system. This allowed me to ask him to confirm his personal details by tapping. I then asked if he was in danger and if he needed an ambulance. I even asked him if he could manage to open the door to allow medical services to access his house, which he was able to do. A Medicar vehicle staffed by two special constables and a paramedic was directed to his home and he was rushed to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. The patient was later able to express his gratitude by writing his thanks on a white board. Head of force control room Superintendent Emily Harrison said: Kathryn is an absolute credit to the force, without her quick-thinking the man might not be alive today. Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan is set to run as an election candidate for Fine Gael. It comes just weeks after the SDLP announced a link-up with Fianna Fail. The former Foyle MP is now set to run as a Fine Gael candidate in Dublin at the next European election in May. Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond described Mr Durkan as a serious addition to the Fine Gael family at this crucial time for our island. A serious addition to the @FineGael family at this crucial time for our island, big drive for two seats now in Dublin! Good Luck @markdurkan & @FitzgeraldFrncs #EP19 https://t.co/gsNCpLm63c Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) March 4, 2019 The 58-year-old led the SDLP from 2001 to 2010, taking on the mantle from Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume. He briefly served as Northern Irelands deputy first minister alongside the Ulster Unionist Partys first minister David Trimble. Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan is running as a candidate for Fine Gael in the European elections (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Durkan stepped down as SDLP leader to concentrate on his job as Foyle MP. His defeat by Sinn Feins Elisha McCallion at the 2017 general election was considered to be one of the surprises of that poll, which saw all three SDLP MPs lose their seats. The Londonderry man has been a member of the SDLP since 1981. An SDLP spokeswoman paid tribute to Mr Durkan. Mark Durkan provided the people of Derry with a first class public service for decades, she said. He is a first class parliamentarian and his regrettable absence on the benches of Westminster has not gone unnoticed by parties and communities alike. We wish him well in the upcoming European election. Ireland can only benefit from having Mark Durkan back on a parliament bench. Fianna Fails branch in Derry said in a tweet it was disappointed by the move by a man of Mr Durkans calibre. Fianna Fail and the SDLP are the future on this island, Mark, they added in the tweet. Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday attended a special session on girls' and women's education here at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Peng Liyuan(4th L), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the special session on girls' and women's education in Paris, France, March 26, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua/Ding Lin) At the session, some laureates of the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education gave brief remarks on their understanding and promotion of the undertaking. Peng, a UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, appreciated the efforts made by UNESCO and the prize winners, and shared China's successful practices in this regard. In a review of her work in this field for the past five years, Peng especially referred to the Spring Bud Project, a program launched by China Children and Teenagers' Fund to help dropout girls return to school and to improve teaching conditions in impoverished areas. She stressed that promoting the education of girls and women is a lofty cause that deserves attention, support and devotion from more people. Knowledge and skills are two great forces that can change the lives of women, and with equal and quality education, they all have the opportunity to be outstanding, added Peng. She said China will continue to support UNESCO in organizing the award, and help empower more children and women to embrace a brighter future with opportunities and platforms for international educational cooperation created by the joint development of the Belt and Road. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said that nearly 130 million girls are out of school globally and that women take up two-thirds of the 750 million illiterate people in the world. Advancing girls' and women's education is an important part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and a focus of UNESCO, added Azoulay. The UN body, she said, thinks highly of the remarkable achievements accomplished by China in this cause and appreciates the outstanding contribution of Peng. In a meeting with Azoulay before the special session, Peng said China firmly supports UNESCO's and the director-general's work, and hopes the two sides will continue to deepen cooperation to jointly promote world peace and prosperity as well as the progress of human civilization. Azoulay said that China has made great achievements in the past 70 years, including progress in the development of education and women's affairs. UNESCO highly values the cooperation with China and the support from China is of great importance under current circumstances, she said. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Irish premier Leo Varadkar says his government and the EU are happy to offer clarifications and assurances on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, to help get the accord over the line. The Taoiseach said Ireland has been very flexible and very reasonable in helping the UK government to resolve its problems which, he said, are of their own creation. His comments come as Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay prepare to return to Brussels on Tuesday to continue their efforts to secure legally-binding changes to ensure that the UK is not trapped permanently by backstop arrangements designed to keep the Irish border open. Speaking during a press conference with Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, Mr Varadkar said: We are entering quite a sensitive phase now over the next week or two as we approach the next round of votes in the House of Commons and the European Council meeting the week after that. Welcomed Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis to Dublin this morning. We visited #dubw earlier and now holding meeting in Farmleigh to discuss bilateral relations, EU issues and #brexit pic.twitter.com/SVjZcSCWaJ Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 4, 2019 We are happy to offer further clarifications and further assurances if that can help the UK government get the agreement over the line. But from day one we have been very straight about a few things and among those is Brexit cannot lead, under any circumstances, to the emergence of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The backstop is a means to an end, but its a really important end and that is a legally-binding assurance that there wont be a hard border on the island. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Brian Lawless/PA) He said the backstop is the mechanism that will avoid a hard border. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said: There has been no application made for an extension to Article 50 and I dont think its likely theyll ask for a long extension. There may be a need for a technical extension but we need to see how the British parliamentary system responds. However if the British Parliament wants to avoid electing MEPs to seats in Europe there is an obvious end point at the end of June before they take their seats. On Monday, Mr Varadkar and the Lithuanian Prime Minister met with pupils from Hartstown Community School in Dublin which has the highest number of Lithuanians of any school in Ireland. There are some 40,000 Lithuanians currently living and working in Ireland. Mr Varadkar added: I am very happy with the corporation bilaterally we have between Lithuania and Ireland, but theres always opportunities to deepen that. Among things we talked about was working together on European issues after Brexit, I think Ireland will find common cause with the Baltic states and Nordic countries. Among the issues we have a similar view on is the (EU) common agricultural policy (CAP), maintaining funding for that and also making sure that cohesion funding is protected for central eastern Europe. Mr Skvernelis said: We also discussed the (Brexit) challenges and we fully support the position of Ireland on Brexit and we support the interests of Ireland. I would also like to invite Irish investors to come to Lithuania, we have excellent conditions for businesses. Our countries share very good and close relations, we are linked by shared values. Ireland used to have the number of its population decreasing at certain points of its history and currently Lithuania is experiencing the same problem, so we also talked about this with the Taoiseach and how we could share best practices in trying to increase the number of (our) population. Scotlands largest teaching union has indicated that it will proceed with balloting members over strike action after no fresh pay offer was made. Last week, EIS warned local authorities body COSLA and the Scottish Government that teachers would vote over whether to take strike action if an improved deal was not put forward. Members voted to reject the latest pay offer a series of rises worth 9% by April, plus a 3% rise next year by 57%, with a turnout of 81%. EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said that following a meeting of the extended joint chairs group of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) on Monday, the union would continue with plans to issue a ballot. Regrettably, no new offer was made and so the EIS will continue moving towards a statutory strike ballot which will open on Monday next week (March 11). The lack of any new offer is unfortunate following last weeks more positive discussions. Thousands of teachers from across Scotland staged a march in support of calls for a pay rise in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) It will be disappointing if the Scottish Government and COSLA spurn the opportunity to avoid industrial action, but once again it looks as though EIS members are going to have to demonstrate just how deep the discontent within Scottish Education has become. Mr Flanagan added that although pay is one issue for teachers, excessive workloads, a lack of support for teachers with pupils with additional supports needs, paperwork, growing class sizes, a lack of resources and teacher stress were also factors in the decision to take action. No-one wants industrial action, but Scotlands teachers feel compelled to make a stand, said Mr Flanagan. No further SNCT meeting has been scheduled, but the Teachers side is clear that we would be available to meet at any point to work towards a negotiated agreement. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: We look forward to continuing discussions as we work together with all interested parties to put in place the fair pay rise that teachers deserve. The past identities of James Bulger killer Jon Venables will remain secret after a High Court judge rejected a bid by the murdered toddlers father and uncle to have them revealed. A lifelong injunction made in 2001 has allowed Venables to live under a cloak of anonymity since his release from a life sentence for the kidnap, torture and murder of the two-year-old in February 1993. Lawyers for Ralph and Jimmy Bulger said certain details about the killer, including identities given to him up to 2017, were common knowledge and easily accessible online. They asked the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, to vary the order so it would no longer protect this information. In a ruling on Monday, the judge refused to alter the anonymity order, which he said was to protect the uniquely notorious Venables from being put to death. He said: 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. 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). The judge added: 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. 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 JV regardless of the risk to others and this has been a primary driving force behind Ralph and Jimmys application. Sir Andrew refused permission to appeal against the ruling but Mr Makin said the Bulgers may consider pursuing a challenge at the Court of Appeal. James Bulger was killed by Venables and Robert Thompson, who were both aged 10, after they snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside. In his opening remarks, the judge said the crime had profoundly shocked the nation, adding: The family of young James Bulger were and are deserving of the greatest sympathy as the indirect victims of this most horrific crime. Venables and Thompson were both granted lifelong anonymity by a High Court judge and have lived under new identities since their release from custody. The court order was amended in relation to Venables after he was convicted of further offences in 2010 and February last year. He was jailed for three years and four months last year after admitting surfing the dark web for extreme child abuse images and possessing a sickening paedophile manual. He was charged after police found more than 1,000 indecent images on his computer. It was the second time he had been caught with such images. When he was arrested he told police he was plagued by stupid urges. Lawyers for the Bulgers told the High Court last week that something had gone wrong with Venabless rehabilitation and they, as victims, should be able to scrutinise his handling by the authorities. They argued they are prevented from doing this because the terms of the injunction stop them from discussing details which are widely available online. Mr Makin said they did not want the order to be discharged altogether but wanted it to be varied so certain details could be revealed without the threat of prosecution. The court heard those details included Venabless identities and former addresses up to 2017 and the prisons where he has been detained. No application was made for his current identity to be revealed. Jamess mother, Denise Fergus, was not involved in the proceedings and no challenge was brought against the anonymity granted to Thompson. At the time of a preliminary hearing in the injunction challenge last year, Mrs Fergus said in a statement: I understand the motivation for the application but my concern is that if Venables were known by his own name, it could lead to vigilante action and innocent people being hurt. Only a handful of lifelong anonymity orders have been made to date, including those granted to Venables and Thompson, and child killer Mary Bell. MPs are to investigate in an attempt to address the record number of drug-related deaths in Scotland. Almost 1,000 people died in Scotland due to drug misuse according to the latest figures, with that number predicted to continue rising. The Scottish Affairs committee has now launched an inquiry into the use and misuse of drugs that will look at ways to tackle the issue. Describing drug use as one of the biggest social issues we are currently confronting here in Scotland, committee chair Pete Wishart said that the group of MPs would seek evidence from all sides of the debate and look at drug laws. Speaking at Crew 2000 in Edinburgh, a facility offering information and support about drug use, Mr Wishart said: We all know that substance abuse can devastate the lives of individuals, families and communities. Detailing the drug problems facing Scotland, he explained: In 1997 there were 224 drug-related deaths, in 2017 that number has gone up to 934. (From left) Pete Wishart, Tommy Sheppard, Danielle Rowley and Christine Jardine from the Scottish Affairs Committee in Edinburgh announcing an inquiry into drug use in Scotland (PA) He added that the committee would predominantly examine the use of opioid-based drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and morphine, which were involved in 89% of recorded deaths, but also hear evidence about other recreational drug use as well as links between substance abuse and poverty. Commenting on the record levels of deaths caused by drugs, Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard added: Most of them shouldnt die. I think that if this was any other area of social policy there would be outrage. He expressed dismay that drug laws have not been reviewed for almost half a century and said: The nature of drug abuse we have in society today is incredibly different to what it would have been characterised as in 1971. Perhaps our inquiry, the evidence we take and the report that we make may encourage the Home Office and others into looking at the legislation again. Mr Sheppard also raised the issue of drugs legislation not being devolved to the Scottish Parliament, which meant the Home Office were able to block attempts to introduce a drug consumption room in Glasgow in 2017. This is one of these areas where the legislative framework is entirely reserved to Westminster in terms of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act and yet the consequences of the legislation are almost wholly the responsibility of the Scottish Government in terms of the health and social care system and the police and criminal justice system, he said. Pointing out that the current laws span multiple generations of her family, Christine Jardine MP said: I dont think we can be in any doubt now that the war on drugs has failed. This will be about looking at an issue which has blighted those two generations in Scotland, costing lives and blighting families, and looking for a way that we can recommend some positive action. The committee will also look to evidence from other countries with different drug laws, including places that have legalised certain recreational drugs, to see if there has been an impact on deaths or harm caused by drugs. The Good Friday Agreement needs a post-Brexit renaissance, a rights group said. Brian Gormally said fundamental parts of the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal, like a Bill of Rights, had yet to be implemented. The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) lobby group director said Brexit meant moving into a period of political turmoil. He warned: What we really need is a renaissance of the peace process, a going back to basics. It is not a question of a new dispensation. It is a question of going back to basics and renewing it for the new conditions that we are moving into. The Good Friday Agreement needs a post-Brexit renaissance, a Belfast conference was told (Michael McHugh/PA) Now onto our last panel of the day at the #DividedbytheRules conference. We're wading into the murky waters of the implications of #Brexit for British & Irish citizens resident in NI. Will Brexit further divide our society? pic.twitter.com/jypGbCfgAG EqualityCoalition (@EqualityCoal) March 4, 2019 He addressed a conference at Queens University Belfast (QUB) on the impact of Brexit on the Irish or British citizenship guaranteed to people in Northern Ireland following the 1998 Belfast Agreement between Britain and Ireland. Mr Gormally said: We are definitely moving into a period of political turmoil and debate and discussion if we are lucky and violent political conflict if we are not. He called for a framework of rights and equality and said its absence had caused the impasse at Stormont. Mr Gormally predicted an Irish unity referendum within five years. The conference, entitled Post-Brexit Citizenship Status: Divided by the Rules? also heard from ex-Womens Coalition representative Jane Morrice and Terry Wright, a former teacher and unionist from Londonderry. Niall Murphy of @KRWLaw is speaking about the #GFA and how people hoped that it would ensure a break with the past. 21 years on it has still not been fully implemented - fault lines remain & have only been widened by #Brexit. He says rights here should not be seen as negotiable. pic.twitter.com/JVNcTHX5KI CAJ (@CAJNi) March 4, 2019 Solicitor Niall Murphy from KRW Law specialises in human rights law. He said: I would argue we already are second-class citizens because the Good Friday Agreement has not been fully implemented. I do not understand why this has not happened, we do not have a Bill of Rights, I am dumbfounded that that has not been put in place. He also highlighted the lack of an Irish language act. He said: It would seem that there can be no regulatory alignment on this island and Bangor must be as British as Finchley, unless you are gay and want to be married or seek to live a life through the medium of Irish with statutory protection. He noted motorists driving across the border were facing extra bureaucracy due to Brexit from this week. The roadmap for the journey from Brexit Britain to Little England is being led by the blind, the ignorant and the reckless. Mark Twain once said that you should never argue with stupid people, as they would drag you down to their level and beat you with their experience. Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, their European Research Group (ERG) colleagues, are indeed experienced, however we cannot stand idly by. Police still have no idea why a 17-year-old girl stabbed to death in an east London park was targeted. Jodie Chesney was with friends near a childrens playground on Harold Hill when she was approached by two males and knifed in the back in a seemingly motiveless attack. Jodie was pronounced dead just over an hour after police were called to the park at 9.25pm on Friday evening. The suspect who attacked Jodie is described as a black male aged in his late teens, the Metropolitan Police said on Sunday. There was no description given of the other male who approached Jodie and her five teenage friends while they were playing music. The group were aware of the two males being in the park and saw them leave at around 9pm, police said. The males returned around 30 minutes later and walked towards the group where one stabbed Jodie in the back. The pair then ran off in the direction of Romford Road. Jodie Chesney was knifed in the back (Metropolitan Police/PA) Detective Chief Superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri, who is leading the police response to the murder in the local community, said on Monday afternoon: We still dont have any idea (why Jodie was attacked). She said investigators were focusing totally on a witness appeal to try and track down the suspects. The Met has asked anyone who may have CCTV or dash cam footage between 7pm and 11pm on March 1. Ms Chaudhri refused to speculate on whether the attack could have been some form of gang initiation. She said the Mets Violent Crime Taskforce had been deployed in the Havering area as well as additional patrols in the boroughs of Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham and Havering. We are working robustly not just here but across the whole of London, she said. Weve increased overtime, weve extended the number of officers on shift weve seen an increase in stop-and-search. Weve carried out over 2,500 stop-and-search in the last few days, so we are working very robustly. Increased police presence has made a difference with officers conducting more than 2,500 stop and searches in the last three days alone. To show the scale of our activity around tackling knife crime, in the last 12 months we have seized 1000s of weapons by utilising the tactic pic.twitter.com/MTyG7Pkv71 Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 4, 2019 When asked if the Met needed more officers, she replied: Id love to have more officers but I have to work with the numbers that Ive got. A post-mortem carried out on Sunday established that the cause of Jodies death was trauma and haemorrhage, and police released a photograph of the teenager on the same day. Jodie was a Girl Scout and school friends said students at Havering College would be wearing purple next Friday in honour of Jodie and her Barking & Dagenham scout troop colours. She posted a photograph on Instagram with fellow scouts at 10 Downing Street on Remembrance Day last year, with the caption: Im basically famous now this was such a good opportunity and so much fun. Reverend Alan Moss, 37, who had come to lay flowers for Jodie said a lot of young people had been relocated to the borough out of inner city areas to try and break the cycle of gang violence. People have been leaving heartfelt tributes at the scene (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Rev Moss, of nearby St Johns and St James Church, said: Its not really solving the problem, its just moving it. There were a lot of people who werent gang affiliated who now are. He continued: Of course this may not have been gang related, it could have just been a random attack. Rev Moss did not know Jodie personally but works with young people in the community. A charity set up a fundraising page for Jodies family which raised more than 4,000 of the 5,000 goal in a day. It said: The whole community are still trying to come to terms with this shocking event. As a local charity we want to support the family as much as we can to alleviate the financial stress on this young ladys funeral. Police continue to appeal for information following the appalling murder of Jodie Chesney. I urge anyone with any information at all to call 101 or @CrimestoppersUK. There is no honour in staying silent, and those responsible for this horrific crime must be brought to justice. https://t.co/FgitBmycXc Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) March 3, 2019 Two school friends told the Press Association they were disgusted by the killing. One said: Jodie had no enemies, she was the nicest person. Jodies uncle Dave Chesney told ITV News on Sunday that the family had lost a beautiful, lovely and quirky girl. Posting on Facebook on Saturday, Jodies grandmother Debbie Chesney said too many young people were having their lives cut short by needless violence. She echoed calls for people to come forward with information. There are calls for more support for people refused asylum in Scotland, with many struggling to feed themselves, according to a new report. The Scottish Refugee Council said there were accounts of shocking levels of destitution among the vulnerable group. It is calling for a national action plan to tackle asylum and migrant destitution in Scotland. It follows research coordinated by the Glasgow-based Destitute Asylum Seeker Service (DASS), which recorded the experiences of those who have been refused asylum and are at risk of destitution, thought to number around 1,000 in Scotland. These people are not permitted to work and are not eligible for most benefits. The report calls for action to make sure their need for food and shelter is met. Research recorded the experiences of those who have been refused asylum and are at risk of destitution (David Cheskin/PA) Graham ONeill, policy officer at the Scottish Refugee Council, said: Its an urgent human rights concern that so many people in Scotland are forced into this situation. This research shows that people who are refused asylum are blocked from having their basic needs met. There are practical measures we can take in Scotland to help people find a way out of destitution and resolve their legal situation. The top priority is making sure people have accommodation, as without that it is very difficult for someone to be safe and make decisions about their future. Cath McGee, DASS project manager at the Refugee Survival Trust said: When basic needs are not met people cant make progress with their legal case. People who are made destitute have to focus their time and energy on the day-to-day struggle of finding their next meal and a place to sleep so are unable to concentrate on progressing their legal claim for protection. Very quickly, people become trapped and finding a route out of destitution becomes increasingly difficult as their mental and physical health deteriorates. Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, said: Asylum seekers, many of whom have endured great hardship and are particularly vulnerable, should be treated with dignity and respect at every stage of the asylum process. That includes at the end of the asylum process. People should not end up homeless and destitute in a country where they have sought refuge. The Scottish Government is committed to developing an anti-destitution strategy. Peoples lived experience is crucial to informing our approach to tackling destitution, so we welcome this research as a valuable contribution to inform the anti-destitution strategy. The Homelessness and Rough sleeping action group recognised the difficulty in ending rough sleeping in Scotland when people who are destitute might not have many other options. Asylum and immigration are reserved matters and the Scottish Government calls on the UK Government to address the issue of asylum destitution immediately so we can end rough sleeping. The Duke of Cambridge has paid tribute to a pioneering woman diplomat as he opened a lecture theatre named in her honour. William launched the Mayhew Theatre which recognised the achievements of Cicely Mayhew, one of the first women to be appointed to the British Diplomatic Service, and told members of her family she was remarkable woman. He jokingly referred to the new building, constructed in an internal courtyard at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Whitehall, as a crisp because of its distinctive roof when he chatted to the contractors. Investing in the people who make up the diplomatic service is vital - and so I am pleased to be here to help mark the next step forward in that investment. - The Duke of Cambridge at the opening of the @UKDipAcademys new Mayhew Theatre. pic.twitter.com/KJD21xeRVx The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 4, 2019 Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service at the FCO confessed the budget and timescale for the build had been missed. As he invited William to the podium in the lecture theatre and education space, he said: Welcome to the Mayhew theatre, concrete proof of the FCOs commitment to learning and development a little bit late, a little bit over budget, but now complete and ready to be open. The structure which cost 3.75 million to build was almost 400,000 over budget and about four months behind schedule. The Duke of Cambridge during a visit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to open the Mayhew Theatre (Eamonn M McCormack/PA) The new facility is named after Lady Cicely Mayhew, one of the first women to be appointed to the British Diplomatic Service. Today The Duke met three of her children - Tessa, David and Judy and her granddaughter Emily, who are here for the opening. pic.twitter.com/F7JPKpefh2 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 4, 2019 William told the invited audience: I know how valuable the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is, I can see what you do for myself when I travel around the world at the Governments request. I meet members of your service and Im always impressed by your dedication to projecting our values, to protecting our national security, to creating prosperity and to supporting our citizens all around the world. I recognise the challenges of modern diplomacy in a digital age, where we need to adapt to the opportunities and threats of new technologies. Investing in the people who make up the diplomatic service is vital. The duke, who met three of Lady Cecilys children and one of her grandaughters at the event, told those who will use the teaching space: Take inspiration from the commitment to public service that Cecily Mayhew showed throughout her entire life. After graduating from @UniofOxford with a First in German and French, Mayhew worked at Bletchley Park during WWII to decode and translate signals from the German Fleet. Mayhew later joined The @ForeignOffice in 1947 and was first sent to Belgrade, Serbia. pic.twitter.com/rjtOyVtvhD The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 4, 2019 The former diplomat, who died in 2016 aged 92, joined the Foreign Office in 1947 and previously worked in the code-breaking centre Bletchley Park, having been recruited from university by naval intelligence. At her request, she worked behind the Iron Curtain in Belgrade but had to give up her career when she married. The Mayhew Theatre uses state-of-the-art technology to allow staff to join sessions virtually from across the world, and will be used to support the delivery of curriculums from the Diplomatic Academy, opened in February 2015 as a centre of excellence. Jon Benjamin, the academys director, said about the delays to the budget and timescale: A lot of it was caused by the delays inherent in trying to work in this space and having to work out of hours. A former Northern Ireland statesman has said he hopes to give the region a voice in Europe after Brexit by running for election in the Irish Republic. Mark Durkan, a former deputy first minister, was confirmed on Monday as a Fine Gael election candidate for the European elections in May. The former SDLP leader will run as a candidate alongside former tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald in the constituency of Dublin for the party which forms the major part of Irelands minority government. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the launch of Mark Durkan and Frances Fitzgerald as Fine Gaels European Election candidates in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Confirming the move at a press conference in Dublin, Irelands premier Leo Varadkar said his decision to invite Mr Durkan to run as a candidate was for the political future of the island. We are living in extraordinary times, Mr Varadkar said. We need in the European Parliament people of ability, experience and vision. We need people who can speak and work for the people of the whole island, for Ireland, not just their constituency. At this point in time, as Brexit continues to present enormous challenges, we need a place to hear people like Mark Durkan and that place is in the European Parliament. Instead of a border poll, Im asking the people of Dublin to cast a more important vote. I dont want the people of Northern Ireland to have no voice or representation in Europe, I dont want them ever left behind again. Former SDLP leaders John Hume (left) with Mark Durkan (PA Archive) Mr Durkan led the SDLP from 2001 to 2010, taking on the mantle from Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume. The 58-year-old briefly served as Northern Irelands deputy first minister alongside the Ulster Unionist Partys first minister David Trimble. Now he said he wants to be part of a strong team Ireland that stands for decency. Given my own deep involvement in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement, I would really welcome the opportunity to contribute in that context in the European Parliament, he said. Taoiseach @campaignforleo and Tanaiste @simoncoveney announcing the intention of @markdurkan and @FitzgeraldFrncs to seek the Fine Gael nomination to run in the European elections. pic.twitter.com/vw22c0xXrT Fine Gael (@FineGael) March 4, 2019 The Taoiseach is following through on his statement last year that Northern Ireland citizens will not be left behind. This is a big ask for the people of Dublin, but as we see a huge disenfranchisement in Northern Ireland, the promises of rights that were framed in the Good Friday Agreement stand in deficit at the minute. In the broadest sense, I hope the people of Dublin look at this as an election of the greatest national importance. I hope this is a green jersey day with a strong turnout to send a message to Brexiteers that the Irish people as a whole value the EU in a fundamental way. Mark Durkan unveiled as Fine Gael candidate for Dublin in European elections: Obviously going forward I will be putting on a FG vest but I will not hide my SDLP jersey underneath. pic.twitter.com/rhad8zb19k aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) March 4, 2019 Mr Durkan was quizzed on how we would relate to the people of Dublin after spending the majority of his career working in Northern Ireland. He was asked on a number of occasions whether he could name any proposed routes on the new Dublin metrolink rail line, and whether he could name any road in West Dublin. Mr Durkan was unable to answer either question and said he would not pretend to the canny people of Dublin that he was a Dub. Im not going to pretend Im not a Derry person, and Im not going to pretend that my family and I wont continue to live there, he said. I think Dublin is proud as a city, but as a capital city and there are national issues at stake here, and I think there are many people in Dublin who have a strong instinct about the national interest. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood (left) and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, whose parties voted for a link-up (SDLP/PA) Mr Durkans defeat by Sinn Feins Elisha McCallion at the 2017 general election was considered to be one of the surprises of that poll, which saw all three SDLP MPs lose their seats. His candidacy for Fine Gael comes just weeks after the SDLP announced a link-up with Irish Opposition party Fianna Fail, in an effort to boost its flagging fortunes. An SDLP spokeswoman paid tribute to Mr Durkan. Mark Durkan provided the people of Derry with a first class public service for decades, she said. He is a first class parliamentarian and his regrettable absence on the benches of Westminster has not gone unnoticed by parties and communities alike. We wish him well in the upcoming European election. Ireland can only benefit from having Mark Durkan back on a parliament bench. Mr Durkan told RTE he will suspend his SDLP membership in order to run as a Fine Gael candidate. At the press conference in Dublin, he stated: Obviously, going forward, I will be putting on a Fine Gael vest, but I will not hide my SDLP jersey underneath. Allegations about a Conservative MPs penchant for small boys were passed to the security service but not investigated or reported to police, an inquiry has heard. The claim concerned the late Tory MP for Chester Peter Morrison, the Westminster strand of the wide-ranging Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was told. The inquiry, which is expected to sit for three weeks, will deal with extremely serious issues and aims to address outstanding questions of public concern related to abuse allegations against people linked to Westminster, Mondays session heard. Lead counsel to the inquiry Brian Altman QC said that during its work the inquiry has obtained a copy of a 1986 letter, written by then-director general of the security service Sir Antony Duff. Mr Altman said: The letter makes it clear that the information that Mr Morrison had a penchant for small boys had been passed to the security service by a member of the Westminster establishment, who had heard it from two sources. We have obtained other documents relevant to this correspondence from both the Cabinet Office and the security service. Those documents make it clear that neither the security service nor the Cabinet Office took steps to investigate this allegation, nor did they report them to the police. Former MI5 chief Baroness Manningham-Buller, who the inquiry heard was a friend of Peter Morrison, will be among those called to give evidence at the inquirys London headquarters. It was one of a series of matters raised on the opening day of an inquiry, which was earlier branded a witch hunt against dead politicians. The hearing was told the inquiry will not consider allegations made by Carl Beech, previously known as Nick, about a Westminster paedophile ring. Beech has since been charged with perverting the course of justice and fraud. Mr Altman acknowledged there has been criticism of the inquiry but argued there are wider issues of public concern that remain outstanding. He said: We suggest, and we are confident that many of the core participants here today will agree, that there are outstanding questions of public concern in this area that it is both necessary and appropriate for this inquiry to investigate, albeit in a limited and proportionate manner. Mr Altman stressed the inquiry will look at how organisations responded to child sex abuse allegations rather than the truth of claims against individuals. The IICSA has already stated allegations against people accused of wrongdoing during the hearing are not necessarily true. The probe will look at seven topics during its investigation, including whether political parties turned a blind eye to allegations and if there were attempts to cover up abuse claims. The case study will also consider how the then-Liberal Party responded to allegations made against Sir Cyril Smith (John Stillwell/PA) The Morrison case study will be considered alongside how the Liberal Party, now the Liberal Democrat Party, responded to allegations made against the late MP Sir Cyril Smith and a more recent incident regarding Green Party member David Challenor. The operation of the Whips offices in Parliament and the existence of so-called dirt books containing scandal about MPs will also be examined, as will the honours system, following concerns around honours potentially being granted to people accused of abuse either before or after their nominations. The inquiry will also consider a claim the Paedophile Information Exchange received 30,000 in funding from the Home Offices then Voluntary Services Unit (VSU), disguised as payment to the Womens Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS or now RVS). Sam Stein QC, representing former civil servant Tim Hulbert, who made the claim, said financial records appeared to have gone missing for the time in question, claiming that was deeply suspicious. Mr Altman said the inquiry had not been able to substantiate Mr Hulberts allegation. Finally, the inquiry will examine current and future safeguarding and child protection policies in parties, Government and the intelligence and security agencies. Mr Altman said a question raised by Labours Tom Watson in the House of Commons in 2012, saying there was clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No 10, could be seen as the catalyst for the establishment of this inquiry. But Geoffrey Robertson QC, for Harvey Proctor whose home was raided under the Metropolitan Polices Operation Midland before the probe closed in 2016 without a single arrest claimed Mr Watson and various febrile journalists had started a moral panic over an alleged paedophile ring. Daniel Janner QC called the inquiry a `witch hunt (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Daniel Janner QC, son of the late Labour peer Lord Janner, speaking outside the inquiry before the hearing began, claimed allegations forming part of the probe are based on tittle tattle, false rumours and dodgy dossiers. He said the inquiry was a witch hunt against dead politicians. Richard Scorer, representing seven men who have made allegations against Cyril Smith, told the hearing there was a danger amid talk of conspiracies and VIP paedophile rings that an important point could be missed. He said: The issue in some cases may not so much be deliberate cover-up or conspiracy. The issue may have been that nobody was actually thinking about the welfare of children at all. The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday. Irish premier Leo Varadkar has sought to play down claims that former taoiseach Enda Kenny offered to help Facebook influence EU data protection laws. A Facebook document claims that Mr Kenny offered to help the social media giant influence other EU member states on EU data legislation. According to the Observer newspaper, the former taoiseach offered to use Irelands position in Europe to lobby on the companys behalf. The memo, which described Mr Kenny as a Facebook friend, was reportedly part of court documents in a California court case involving Facebook. Leo Varadkar played down claims over his predecessors actions (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Varadkar said the Irish government doesnt have a closer relationship with Facebook than any other large firm in Ireland. I think you can judge us in our actions in that regard when the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) was introduced and in full, he said. We totally beefed up the role of the Data Protection Commissioner when Enda Kenny took over as taoiseach. It was a small, under-resourced office headquartered over a Spar and he really took that on and expanded it. They have confirmed that they never received any lobbying on behalf of Facebook or any other company by Enda Kenny as taoiseach. Claims that Mr Kenny, who was taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, sought to influence the regulation of data protection rules have also been rejected by Irelands Communication Minister. Richard Bruton said the former taoiseach did not dilute data protection rules. He added that Mr Kenny strengthened the office of the Data Protection Commissioner. We have taken our responsibilities very seriously and I think we have been pioneers in this field, he said. I think whatever perceptions might be sought to be created, the reality is very different. There has been no carve up or no dilution of any of its provisions here. It was Enda Kenny himself who introduced the strengthening of the powers of the Data Protection Commissioner. Its a matter for Enda if he wants to comment, but I think the evidence is very clear that there has been no diminution of the vigilance of data protection in Ireland. A spokeswoman for Facebook said: Like the other documents that were cherrypicked and released in violation of a court order last year, these by design tell one side of a story and omit important context. As weve said, these selective leaks came from a lawsuit where Six4Three, the creators of an app known as Pikinis, hoped to force Facebook to share information on friends of the apps users. These documents have been sealed by a Californian court so were not able to discuss them in detail. MPs have dramatically seized control of the Brexit agenda from Theresa May potentially paving the way for a softer deal that keeps the UK closer to Brussels. The Commons voted by 329 to 302 a majority of 27 for a cross-party amendment to enable MPs to stage a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Ministers deal. Three pro-EU ministers Richard Harrington, Alistair Burt and Steve Brine quit the Government to vote for the amendment. They were among 30 Tory MPs to support it. In his letter of resignation, Mr Harrington, a business minister, accused the Government of playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Britain in its handling of Brexit. The Department for Exiting the EU said the vote had set a dangerous, unpredictable precedent and called on MPs to show realism in deciding what options to support. The result is another humiliation for Mrs May, who earlier warned MPs not to overturn the balance of our democratic institutions which means the Government normally controls business of the House. She made clear she would not feel bound by the result of any indicative votes which could include a softer Norway-style deal, or a second referendum. No Government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is, she said. So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House. But I do commit to engaging constructively with this process. The successful amendment was tabled by Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin with cross-party backing, including from ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve and Labours Hilary Benn. It means MPs will take control of the Commons order paper from 2pm on Wednesday, with Sir Oliver suggesting voting could carry on over several days to establish if there was a proposal the House could coalesce around. Sir Oliver Letwin said his amendment would enable MPs to start to find a way forward (Dominic Lipinski/PA) He said it provided for the Commons to begin the process of working its way towards identifying a a way forward that can command a majority in this House. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: The Governments approach has been an abject failure and this House must now find a solution. He told MPs: The Government must take this process seriously. We do not know what the House will decide on Wednesday. But I know there are many members of this House who have been working for alternative solutions, and we must debate those to find a consensus. And this House must also consider whether any deal should be put to the people for a confirmatory vote. (PA Graphics) The vote came after the PM acknowledged that she still did not have sufficient support to bring back her deal to the Commons for a third meaningful vote. She said she would continue her efforts to build support for the deal defeated by 230 votes in January and 149 votes in March and stage a vote before the end of the week. The European Council last week set a deadline of Friday for her to secure parliamentary approval for her Withdrawal Agreement if the UK is to leave the EU with a deal on May 22. If she cannot get it through the Commons, then the UK has until April 12 to propose a different approach or crash out of the EU without a deal. (PA Graphics) In a statement to MPs, following a special meeting of Cabinet to discuss her plans, Mrs May said she regretted having to delay Brexit beyond the scheduled date of March 29 and thought the right way forward was to leave with a deal on May 22. But she said: I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote. I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee Brexit. Her admission came shortly after a phone call with DUP leader Arlene Foster, who made clear the Northern Irish party was not giving up its opposition. Crispin Blunt accused Theresa May of a `shameful surrender (Lauren Hurley/PA) However Mrs May faced a furious response from some pro-Brexit Tories who accused her of effective taking a no-deal break off the table. Former minister Crispin Blunt said she had put the final torpedo into any prospect of a real Brexit in the most shameful surrender by a British leader since Singapore in 1942. No 10 however insisted she had simply been warning of the dangers allowing MPs the majority of whom backed Remain in the referendum to take control of the process. (PA Graphics) In presenting his amendment Sir Oliver said he did not think there was currently a majority for any of the alternatives that had been put forward and that a compromise would have to be found. He said he believed the first vote should enable MPs to disclose where the votes lie on a plain vanilla basis with all votes cast on a paper slip at the end of the debate. He suggested the House should then seek to establish a method of voting that would enable it to zero in on compromise which could command a majority over the course of the coming days. The Government has bought a penthouse apartment in New York for 15.9 million US dollars (12 million) for use by a British diplomat working to secure trade deals for the UK. The Foreign Office says the apartment in the 50 United Nations Plaza tower will be the official residence of Antony Phillipson, the British consul general in New York and trade commissioner for North America. Designed by British architect Norman Foster, the 44-storey tower block is situated close to the UN headquarters in Manhattan and the iconic Chrysler Building, and is described as the ultimate global address. The penthouse purchased by the Government occupies the 38th floor and boasts seven bedrooms and six bathrooms across nearly 6,000 square feet of space. There is also a library, separate living and dining areas, and panoramic views across the Manhattan skyline. According to New York City records, the property was bought by Her Britannic Majestys Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on March 15. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: We have secured the best possible deal and value for money on a property that will help promote the UK in the commercial capital of our largest export market and trading partner for years to come. As well as being the Consul Generals Residence, it will also be used to support his work to help British businesses as Her Majestys Trade Commissioner for North America. We are in the process of selling the Consul Generals current residence. The building was designed by British architect Norman Foster (Dominic Lipinski/PA) It is understood the space will be maximised for event use, and that no staff will be living at the property. On the website of architects Foster and Partners, 50 United Nations Plaza is described as a luxury residential tower occupying a prestigious location. Every apartment is focused on the series of floor to ceiling bay windows and the interiors are luxurious, with generous space for entertaining, the firm says. Adding a touch of elegance to every detail, the powder room walls are fitted with glazed silk panels in a choice of either bold primary or natural colours. A spa in the basement incorporates a large exercise pool for residents. A spokesman for developers Zeckendorf Development and Global Holdings said: We are delighted with this full-floor penthouse sale to Her Britannic Majestys Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and thrilled that 50 United Nations Plaza is now over 83% sold. By Natalia Zinets LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - At a cemetery in western Ukraine, a tall, grey-haired man lights candles and kisses the gravestone of his 35-year-old brother Taras, whose death, he said, changed his mind about who should win this month's presidential election. Taras, a medical volunteer, was killed in 2015 rescuing wounded soldiers near Debaltseve during the government's five-year-old conflict in eastern Ukraine against Kremlin-backed rebels, his brother Ihor Konchevych said. He died for a free and independent Ukraine, something their grandfathers could only dream of in the Soviet era, he said, and President Petro Poroshenko is the best candidate to keep it on that path, even though he has not ended the war as he promised. "In 2014, I did not vote for him," said Ihor, a dermatologist whose teenage nephew and niece are now fatherless. "Now (I will) for one reason: he is pro-Ukraine, Russia does not support him." Such support could help Poroshenko, who has consistently trailed in opinion polls, scrape into the second round and potentially win a second term. It suggests that at least in western Ukraine, where Poroshenko's polling remains relatively robust, his opposition to Russia and championing of the army, the church and closer ties with Europe and the United States is getting through. It also suggests some people are willing to swallow whatever disappointment they might feel about his failure to end the war, lift living standards or thoroughly tackle corruption, because they see him as better than the alternatives. At stake in the election is the leadership of a country on the front line of the West's confrontation with Russia, five years after the Maidan street protests ousted Poroshenko's Russia-friendly predecessor Viktor Yanukovich and the Russian annexation of Crimea. It is a country still fighting a conflict in the eastern Donbass region that has killed 13,000 people despite a notional ceasefire, a shrunken state propped up by Western aid and sanctions against Moscow. The election has boiled down to a three-horse race between the confectionary magnate Poroshenko, comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, with Poroshenko second and Zelenskiy extending his lead thanks to his fresh face and strong anti-corruption message. HEARTLAND OF MAIDAN It is perhaps not surprising that Poroshenko's pro-Western messages resonate in Lviv, a picturesque city of cobblestone streets and central European charm that was under the Austrian empire until the First World War and is geographically closer to European Union countries than to Kiev. The region was a driving force behind successive revolutions, including the 2014 protests in Maidan: according to Reuters' calculations, around 50 of the more than 100 protesters killed during the Maidan protests were from the west, 19 of them from the Lviv region alone. The city is heavily Ukrainian-speaking compared to the Russian-speaking eastern regions. A survey by pollster SOCIS suggests voters in the west care more about the war and less about, for example, rising utility tariffs than the average Ukrainian. The brother of Lesya Senyk, a 51-year-old kindergarten director, was one of those killed on Maidan, a protest sparked by Yanukovich's decision to renege on signing a political and trade agreement with the EU after pressure from Moscow. Her brother's sacrifice, she said, means Ukraine has become a proper state with a stronger army and aspirations to join the European Union. Senyk did not vote for Poroshenko in 2014 but she will now. "I do not know who else could have saved the state in those difficult times, after the Maidan and during the war," she said. "Maybe he's not perfect. But we are not saints." NO COUNTRY FOR CLOWNS Poroshenko won an emphatic victory in the 2014 election but his popularity has fallen sharply. He can boast success: he secured visa-free travel for Ukrainians to the EU. There have been reforms and the government has stayed in an International Monetary Fund bailout program: a reassurance to investors. Poroshenko successfully lobbied for Ukraine to establish a national Orthodox church, independent from Russia. While he did not win the war, he did not lose it, and ramped up defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product from 3 percent under Yanukovich. A Poroshenko win is the worst-case scenario for Russia, which is a plus in some voters' eyes. But he has been forced to apologize for his pledge to win the war within weeks, and that is not enough for some. The parents of 22-year-old Yuriy Holub, who was killed in eastern Ukraine in 2014, will not vote for him. "He promised, promised," said Holub's father Hryhoriy, who is blind. "Why did you promise if you were not confident that you can fulfill your promise? If he were an honest man he would quit of his own accord." His wife Hanna, who holds pictures of her son close to her face due to her own failing sight, also said Poroshenko had let them down. "First he said everything would be over in two weeks ... But such heavy shelling happened and our child was killed," she said in a trembling voice. "There is no trust now." Their son is buried in Lviv's 18th century Lychakiv cemetery, along with about 70 others killed in the east. Nazar Paselsky lies buried in a grave near Holub. Paselsky was killed by shelling, aged 21, in the Luhansk region in August 2014. His mother Hanna and father Mykola adopted a boy after Nazar's death. Photos of Nazar, his diploma and his bravery award are on display on top of their cabinet. Hanna voted for Poroshenko last time "because he promised that everything will be over in three days. I wanted my child to come back home alive." Now she does not trust any candidate to guarantee a future for her adopted one-year-old, but thinks she might end up voting for Poroshenko in the second round. Twelve years younger than Poroshenko, Zelenskiy has tapped into disillusionment about Ukraine's progress since Maidan and the desire for new faces in politics. But some people, like Hryhoriy Zhalovaga, whose son Anatoliy died on Maidan, said a strong army was what was needed, not an entertainer with no political experience. Quoting another student during a commemoration ceremony for Maidan victims at the school his son attended, he said: "Those who will vote for Zelenskiy, what do they want, a country of clowns?" Lviv-based analyst Oleg Gryniv said such views mean Poroshenko will probably carry a majority in the western areas like Galicia, which contains Lviv, citing the example of Ukraine's first post-Soviet President Leonid Kravchuk. "When he traveled through the eastern regions, they asked him about the price of socks, whether gas prices would be lowered," he said. "And when he arrived in Galicia, there was only one question - whether the state would be kept intact." (Additional reporting Sergiy Karazy; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Philippa Fletcher) By Sergiy Karazy ZAITSEVE, Ukraine, March 18 (Reuters) - There are not many people left in Zaitseve, a village on the front line that divides Ukraine, but voters like Galina Soboleva want just one thing from this month's presidential election. "Whoever promises us peace, to rebuild our homes, we will vote for them. That's all we need," the pensioner said. Destruction and damage are widespread after five years of conflict over eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists. Around 13,000 people have been killed, a quarter of them civilians, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Troops are stationed in trenches outside Zaitseve and government trucks risk rebel fire to bring bread, coal, firewood and other goods along a dirt road. Employees from the state-run Oschadbank travel by armoured truck to a nearby checkpoint, to allow residents on both sides of the conflict to withdraw money. Some six hundred kilometres (400 miles) away in Kiev, President Petro Poroshenko has made standing up to Russia a central thrust of what has become a tough political battle for reelection. Those planning to take part in the March 31 presidential vote say the conflict is the single biggest issue facing the country but struggle to identify who can best end it. Zaitseve, in the country's mainly Russian-speaking Donetsk region, was captured by rebels in the early months of the campaign and could not vote in the 2014 election that brought Poroshenko to power. The village was re-taken by government troops in summer 2015 but peace is still elusive. "We don't see anything yet, no improvements so far," local activist and aid volunteer Tetyana Durneva said. "Fighting is going on all the time - yesterday it was really thundering." 'WE NEED PEACE' In 2014, after the Maidan street protests ousted Kremlin-friendly president Viktor Yanukovich, Russia invaded and annexed the Crimea peninsula. Ukraine says Russia then engineered quasi-separatist uprisings across a belt of eastern Ukraine that escalated into a full-scale conflict. Russia denies doing so. Two so-called "People's Republics" - unrecognized by either Kiev or Moscow - have formed in the Donetsk and Luhansk industrial regions of eastern Ukraine, known as Donbass. In Donetsk city, few people are likely to vote, because they would have to cross the front line to register; some of those interviewed said the candidates were as bad as each other. "They all hate us," said Yulia, declining to give her second name. "Why? Because they lived off our backs," she added in a reference to the region's communist-era industries, many of which have now closed. "Donbass fed them their whole lives and all the time it got worse for us." Ukraine, Western countries and NATO accuse Russia of sending troops and heavy weapons to prop up the separatists. Reuters has also documented the involvement of Russian troops and tanks. Moscow says it only provides political and humanitarian support to rebels and says Russians fighting in Ukraine are volunteers. The Minsk ceasefire agreement in 2015 staunched the worst of the bloodshed but troops continue to die regularly. Poroshenko's two main rivals - former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy - say they will approach peace talks differently, bringing the United States and other countries to the table. But it is unclear whether they would change the status quo. Residents in Zaitseve were reluctant to reveal their voting intentions but Zelenskiy, a political novice, leads recent opinion polls of those willing and able to vote in the east. Some families are divided by the conflict, like that of Nikolai Yushkov, a 70-year-old pensioner living in the nearby village of Mayorsk. While he, his son and daughter live on government-controlled land, another daughter lives under separatist control, where the election is not being held. "Everyone says: you need to sit down and you need to negotiate," he said. "Peace. We need peace." The single-storey building he shares with another family has survived shelling that destroyed surrounding buildings but is just 600 metres from the separatist trenches. One outer wall, destroyed by fighting, has been replaced by a stack of firewood. There are well over a million crossings of the 500 km contact line every month, many of them by pensioners who spend hours queuing - in cold, heat, rain or snow - as they rely on state benefits only available on the government-controlled side. The government and organisations like the United Nations have sought to improve conditions at the checkpoints, providing heated tents, toilets, advice on avoiding landmines, and making border guards wear body cameras to prevent corruption. Raisa Taranenko, 73, whose family shares the building with Yushkov, also shared his desire for an end to the war. "But it's not clear how the situation will develop, there is no hope for anything," she said. "Everything is getting worse and worse." Poroshenko came to power in 2014 promising to end the war within weeks and eventually take Ukraine into NATO. Under his administration spending on defence has been ramped up to 5 percent of gross domestic product from 3 percent in 2013. The war is still going on but the army is better equipped and has, under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, been supplied with Javelin missiles. For some of the soldiers on the front line, peace is not enough. Oleg, a Lieutenant-Colonel who did not give his last name, said the heavy toll of killed and wounded, both military and civilian, had left just one option: "Only victory will do." (Writing and additional reporting by Matthias Williams; editing by Philippa Fletcher) AMSTERDAM, March 27 (Reuters) - A prominent Dutch art detective says he has helped recover a painting by Pablo Picasso that was stolen from a private Saudi owner's yacht in France in 1999. In an interview with broadcaster RTL, Arthur Brand said he was passed in confidence the 1938 "Buste de Femme", which portrays Picasso's fellow artist and lover Dora Maar. "You fear that it will be fake, but when I had it in my hands, I knew right away: this is real," he said. Having received the painting in black trash bags at his house, Brand said he contacted police and handed it to an insurance company for possible return to its owner. "I had it hanging in my house for one night," he said, estimating its value at 25 million euros ($28 million) . "That was exciting ... It's fantastic, so unbelievably beautiful." Brand said he had first heard the painting was in the Netherlands in 2015. He told the broadcaster he believes it may have been traded back and forth "20 times" in the Amsterdam underworld, used as collateral in drugs and weapons deals. He said the final owner was a real estate agent who wanted to be rid of it after he realized it was stolen. Brand said two men contacted him and arranged the drop-off at his house. Dutch police told local media they were not taking further action, as the painting has been returned and the statute of limitations in the 1999 theft has expired. The owner, identified as Saudi businessman Abdulmohsen Abdulmalik Al al-Sheikh, could not immediately be reached for comment. ($1 = 0.8869 euros) (Reporting by Toby Sterling Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) ISLAMABAD, March 27 (Reuters) - Pakistan moved on Wednesday to cool a row with Afghanistan over reported comments by Prime Minister Imran Khan that were taken to suggest that Kabul should set up an interim government to help smooth peace talks with the Taliban. The comments, made to Pakistani journalists on Monday, prompted a furious reaction in Afghanistan and led to the government recalling its ambassador in protest at what it described as "irresponsible" remarks. It was the third time in just over a month that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad over comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan. The Pakistani foreign ministry issued a statement saying that Khan's comments, reported in various forms by Pakistani media outlets and picked up in Afghanistan, had been taken out of context and misinterpreted. "In his comments, the PM had referred to Pakistan's model where elections are held under an interim government. The comments should not be misinterpreted to imply interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs," the ministry said. "Pakistan has no other interest in Afghanistan but to promote peace through an 'Afghan owned' and 'Afghan led' political process." Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been plagued by mistrust and at times hostility, since Pakistan's independence in 1947. Afghanistan has never recognised their common border, drawn during British colonial rule through ethnic Pashtun lands. For years, Afghanistan and the United States have accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban as a way for Pakistan to limit the influence of its old rival, India, in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies that. Khan has promised to help to find a political settlement to the long-running Afghan war. Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah did not appear to be appeased by Pakistan's clarifying statement. "The remarks about Afghanistan's future ... that were expressed by Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, are not acceptable for any Afghan citizen," he said. U.S. and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the Taliban have refused to talk to the Afghan government which they consider an illegitimate "puppet" regime. That has raised concern in Kabul about the Taliban and United States striking a deal that leaves them out. The United States has assured the Afghan government that would not happen. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose mandate officially expires in May, faces a re-election battle this year, but amid gathering political uncertainty the election date has been twice postponed and is now due to take place on Sept. 28. Shut out from the peace talks, Ghani has faced pressure from political rivals to step aside and allow a caretaker government to take over, a suggestion he has rejected. (Reporting by James Mackenzie; additional reporting by Rod Nickel in Kabul Editing by Robert Birsel) BERLIN, March 27 (Reuters) - German used-car dealing platform Auto1 said it could seek a public offering in future but a 2018 cash infusion from Japan's Softbank means it has no immediate need for extra funding of its European growth plans. Last year's Softbank's deal valued Berlin-based Auto1 at 2.9 billion euros ($3.27 billion), making it one of Germany's top so-called tech unicorns. It is virtually unknown to consumers except through its used car buying arm Wir Kaufen dein Auto (We Buy Your Car) in Germany and similar names elsewhere. It operates from Finland to Romania to Portugal, 30 countries in all. Revenues rose by 32 percent to 2.9 billion euros last year, and although it is profitable in Germany, investments in other markets have led to a loss on group level. "Currently, an initial public offering is not a topic for us," Auto1 co-founder Christian Bertermann told Reuters, adding this could change in future. Auto1 buys cars using its vehicle pricing database to calculate an offer within minutes and then sells the vehicles on to one of its roughly 55,000 dealerships for a commission. Its platforms helped 540,000 vehicles change hands in 2018. The company will now also start a retail platform to compete with Scout24's Autoscout unit or Ebay's Mobile.de offering, Bertermann said. He confirmed a Reuters report about Auto1's talks with Scout24 about an acquisition of Autoscout, adding that these would not lead to a takeover. Scout24 in February agreed to be acquired by buyout groups Hellman & Friedman and Blackstone. Auto1 was set up in Berlin by entrepreneur Christian Bertermann after having trouble selling two old cars owned by his grandmother, along with Koc, who previously worked at Rocket Internet-backed firms Zalando and Home24. ($1 = 0.8864 euros) (Reporting by Nadine Schimroszik, Writing by Arno Schuetze Editing by Alexandra Hudson) By Michele Kambas XYLOPHAGOU, Cyprus, March 27 (Reuters) - While the European Union and Britain wrestle over the "Irish backstop" issue in their stalled Brexit agreement, a similar problem is taxing another island at the other end of the continent - Cyprus. In addition to military compounds, 22 communities with 11,000 people live in the so-called Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), a British-controlled vestige of colonial rule that remains nearly 60 years after the rest of Cyprus gained independence. Under the withdrawal agreement with the EU, so far rejected by the British parliament, this territory would have remained linked to the bloc under a customs union. With no deal, the SBAs, which comprise three percent of Cyprus's land mass and are a farming breadbasket, could be thrown into legal limbo. Trade is an EU competency, which means any arrangement cannot be hammered out bilaterally between Nicosia and London. Cypriot residents say they are in the dark. "Of course it's a concern but unfortunately nobody has informed us about anything," said Christos Misos, a farmer who helps run a family business in the community of Xylophagou, famed for its red-soil potatoes, a prized Cypriot export. "Will we need to pay customs duties for our products to go to Europe? What will happen to us? We want someone to tell us - if they know - because things look really fluid." 'SPECIAL CASE' EU law does not apply in the SBAs but under the protocol agreed when the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, Union law applies in areas such as customs, value added tax (VAT), agriculture and fisheries. "If Britain leaves the EU without a deal we will be obliged to have customs checks for the trade of goods," Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said. The British military bases, he said, were a "special case". "For the moment we do have a deal which is part of the general agreement. Maybe it will be based on that protocol to continue the negotiations to find a way out," he said. The SBAs are separated into two main areas - the Western Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri close to the coastal city of Limassol, and the Eastern Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia, an enclave which straddles the fertile Kokkinochoria region and the only transit route to the tourist party town of Agia Napa. They are classified as a British Overseas Territory and help to project British military power in the Middle East. People there say they have had no contact with authorities on the potential impact of Brexit. Future development of their properties, now subject to some restrictions because of their status within the SBAs, is a primary concern. "It's a bit like the Vatican, a state within a state," said Christofis Kashiouris, the community leader of Ormidhia, a community in the Republic of Cyprus, but surrounded by the SBAs. Senior EU officials say the issue is legally complicated but their over-arching aim is to ensure there is no disruption. "What we want to ensure is that nothing is changing," one official said. "It is not straightforward, but the objective is that we would pursue no controls on goods." Britain and Cyprus are keen to stress their intent to make any transition as seamless as possible, even though they are still trying to work out how. The British High Commission (embassy) in Nicosia said it deeply valued "the distinct and long-standing arrangements on the SBA-Cyprus border" as well as the daily benefit it brought to people. "To be clear, in a Brexit with a Withdrawal Agreement, people living and working in the SBAs will see no changes in their daily routines. The agreement in no way changes the UKs commitment to the SBAs or to upholding the Treaty of Establishment that underpins the current arrangements. "In a no-deal Brexit we are confident we can come to a similar arrangement with our Cypriot partners," it said in a statement. (Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Angus MacSwan) VIENNA, March 27 (Reuters) - Austria's far-right Identitarian Movement received cash from the man charged with killing 50 people in mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, this month, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday. "We can now confirm that there was financial support and so a link between the New Zealand attacker and the Identitarian Movement in Austria," Kurz said. A spokesman for prosecutors in Graz said the head of Austria's Identitarian Movement, Martin Sellner, received 1,500 euros ($1,690) in early 2018 from a donor with the same name as the man charged over the March 15 Christchurch attacks. New Zealand police said investigators were making a large number of enquiries, across New Zealand and internationally, but refused to go into details. Sellner, who did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters, published two videos on YouTube in which he said he had received a donation which involved an email address that matched the name of the Australian alleged to have carried out the Christchurch attacks. He said in one of the videos: "I'm not a member of a terrorist organisation. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him." He said the donation was from early 2018 and that he would give the money to a charitable foundation. Sellner said police had raided his house over the possible links to the attacker. Austria's Identitarians, who say they want to preserve Europe's identity, are a relatively new, media-savvy far-right movement that uses the internet to promote their actions on the streets. They imitate the tactics of more established activist groups such as Greenpeace. In 2017, they helped charter a ship as part of what they said was a campaign to defend Europe and they have tried to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya. Hansjoerg Bacher, spokesman for Graz prosecutors, said an investigation was underway about whether there were criminally relevant links between Sellner and the mosque attacker. The Austrian Interior Ministry declined to comment. Kurz said Austria was looking into dissolving the Identitarian Movement. "Our position on this is very clear, no kind of extremism whatsoever - whether it's radical Islamists or right-wing extremist fanatics - has any place in our society," he said. Kurz said on Twitter on Tuesday any connection between the Christchurch attacker and members of the Identitarian Movement in Austria needed to be fully clarified. Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), said the FPO had nothing to do with the Identitarian Movement. New Zealand has announced a royal commission inquiry into the Christchurch attack. A suspected white supremacist has been charged with one count of murder over the shootings and will next appear in court on April 5. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said the man had not been on any watch lists in New Zealand or Australia. (Reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich and Kirsti Knolle Writing by Michelle Martin Editing by Jon Boyle and Paul Tait) By Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO, March 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations has dispatched human rights experts to central Mali to investigate a weekend massacre of at least 157 villagers seen as one of the worst acts of bloodshed in a country beset by ethnic violence. The attack, in which women and children were burned in their homes by gunmen, escalated a conflict between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders that killed hundreds of civilians in 2018 and is spreading across the Sahel, the arid region between the Sahara desert to the north and Africa's savannas to the south. "A team of 10 human rights specialists, a child protection agent and two MINUSMA investigators have been deployed to the Mopti region to conduct a special investigation into Saturday's terrible events," U.N. mission spokesman Olivier Salgado tweeted on Wednesday. MINUSMA refers to the U.N. mission in Mali. International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said this week that the crimes could fall under ICC jurisdiction and that a delegation would be sent to Mali. A U.N. Security Council mission was already visiting the West African state to seek solutions to ethnic violence when the massacre occurred. An official from a nearby town said on Saturday that armed men dressed as Dogon hunters assaulted villages populated by Fulani herders. The Dogon suspect the Fulani of harboring Islamist militants, charges the Fulani deny. The attack came less than a week after an Islamist assault on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region. That attack was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate. In a statement on Tuesday, MINUSMA said a Dogon village in the region was also attacked on the night of the Fulani massacre, leaving at least four people dead. Tacit outsourcing of the fight against jihadists to vigilante groups with scores to settle has unleashed ethnic strife across the Sahel. In neighboring Burkina Faso at the end of December, ethnic Mossi militia killed dozens of Fulani in revenge for the killing of a village chief by jihadists. U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Tuesday that 219 people had been killed by anti-jihadist vigilante groups in Mali since the start of this year. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita responded to the attack on the Fulanis by disbanding an anti-jihadist vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou, whose Dogon fighters are suspected of being behind the massacre. The group has denied its members were involved and rejected the government's dissolution. (Writing by Edward McAllister and Sofia Christensen Editing by Mark Heinrich) MADRID, March 27 (Reuters) - A Spanish judge has issued international arrest warrants for two of the intruders who forced their way into North Korea's embassy in Madrid last month and are currently believed to be in the United States, a judicial source said on Wednesday. The warrants were issued for the group leader and another suspect after an investigation by a Spanish court found that they broke into the embassy, tried to persuade an official to defect and then stole computer equipment. The suspected leader has been identified by the court in an official document as Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican who is a U.S. resident. The other suspect sought in the arrest warrant is Sam Ryu, who is a U.S. citizen of Korean descent. According the court's official document, which was made public on Tuesday, Hong Chang is believed to have travelled to the United States a day after the raid and contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to pass on information about it. It was not clear how the court knew that the man had contacted the FBI. Other judicial sources told Reuters the two arrest warrants are likely to be the first of many more since the group of intruders is believed to have had 10 members. The other suspects include South Korean citizens. The U.S. State Department has said the U.S. government was not involved in the raid while the FBI said it is standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation. Three of the intruders took an embassy official into the basement and encouraged him to defect from North Korea. They identified themselves as members of a group who campaigned for the "liberation of North Korea", the document said. The Spanish court document gave a detailed account of the intruders' movements before as well as during the intrusion, including their stay in a hotel and purchases of knives, balaclava masks and fake guns. The embassy raid occurred shortly before the Feb. 27-28 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi. The group kept embassy staff tied up for several hours and then searched the premises for arms before leaving, at which point they separated into four groups and headed to Portugal. Hong Chang then flew from Lisbon to New York. In Spain the High Court has the power to investigate criminal offences, after which formal accusations are launched. (Reporting By Belen Carreno and Isla Binnie, writing by Axel Bugge, Editing by Angus MacSwan) By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry has approved six secret authorizations by companies to sell nuclear power technology and assistance to Saudi Arabia, according to a copy of a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The Trump administration has quietly pursued a wider deal on sharing U.S. nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia, which aims to build at least two nuclear power plants. Several countries including the United States, South Korea and Russia are in competition for that deal, and the winners are expected to be announced later this year by Saudi Arabia. Perry's approvals, known as Part 810 authorizations, allow companies to do preliminary work on nuclear power ahead of the deal, but not ship equipment that would go into a plant, a source with knowledge of the agreements said on condition of anonymity. The approvals were first reported by the Daily Beast. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said in the document that the companies had requested that the Trump administration keep the approvals secret. "In this case, each of the companies which received a specific authorization for (Saudi Arabia) have provided us written request that their authorization be withheld from public release," the NNSA said in the document. The NNSA and the Department of Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comments. Many U.S. lawmakers are concerned that sharing nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS last year that the kingdom would develop nuclear weapons if its rival Iran did. In addition, the kingdom has occasionally pushed back against agreeing to U.S. standards that would block two paths to potentially making fissile material for nuclear weapons clandestinely: enriching uranium and reprocessing spent fuel. Concern in Congress about sharing nuclear technology and knowledge with Saudi Arabia rose after Oct. 2, 2018 when U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Part 810 authorizations were made after November 2017, but it was not clear from the document whether any of them were made after Khashoggi's killing. Representative Brad Sherman, a Democrat, called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a congressional hearing on Wednesday to release the names of the companies that got the approvals by the middle of April, and Pompeo said he would look into it. Sherman also said the Trump administration has attempted to evade Congress on sharing nuclear power with the kingdom. Pompeo said the administration was working to ensure any shared technology nuclear power would not present proliferation risks. Last month, Democratic House members alleged in a report that top White House aides ignored warnings they could be breaking the law as they worked with former U.S. officials in a group called IP3 International to advance a multibillion-dollar plan to build nuclear reactors in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. IP3 did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether it was one of the companies that got a Part 810 authorization. Separately, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, has accepted a request by Senators Marco Rubio, a Republican and Bob Menendez, a Democrat, to probe the administration's talks on a nuclear deal with Saudi, a GAO official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner Editing by James Dalgleish) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Reuters) - The United States was isolated at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday over President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights as the other countries on the council opposed the move. In a letter requesting Wednesday's meeting, Syria described the U.S. decision as a "flagrant violation" of council resolutions, while ally North Korea issued a statement backing "the struggle of the Syrian government and people for taking back the occupied Golan Heights." Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move the 15-member U.N. Security Council declared "null and void and without international legal effect." British U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce told the council that the U.S. decision was in contravention of that 1981 resolution, while Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said Washington had violated U.N. resolutions and warned it could fuel instability in the Middle East. The European members of the council - France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland - on Tuesday also raised concerns about "broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences." Trump, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking over his shoulder during a visit to Washington, on Monday signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Germany's U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen described the Syrian letter as "deeply cynical." "The Syrian government has over the past eight years grossly violated the international laws of war and is responsible for grave war crimes and crimes against humanity," he said, referring to the long-running Syrian civil war. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier on Wednesday that Washington's decision would help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by removing uncertainty. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision on the Golan Heights and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Iran echoed the comments. The Security Council deployed a peacekeeping force in 1974 - known as the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) - to monitor a ceasefire between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights. There are more than 880 U.N. troops on the ground. U.S. diplomat Rodney Hunter told the council that the U.S. decision on the Golan Heights does not affect the truce or undermine the deployment of the peacekeeping mission. "UNDOF continues to have a vital role to play in preserving stability between Israel and Syria, most importantly by ensuring that the Area of Separation is a buffer zone free from any military presence or activities," he told the council. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) AFC Energy plc engages in the development of alkaline fuel cell systems for the generation of clean energy in the United Kingdom and Germany. The company offers HydroX-Cell(L), an alkaline fuel cell module; HydroX-Cell(S); and AlkaMem, an anion exchange membrane technology for alkaline water electrolysis, alkaline fuel cells, fuel synthesis, electrodialysis, desalination, acid remediation, salt water batteries, and REDOX flow batteries applications. It also provides auxiliary equipment, such as ammonia crackers, water electrolyzes, inverters, battery and fuel storage products, and battery management systems. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Cranleigh, the United Kingdom. Read More Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More Allianz SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides property-casualty insurance, life/health insurance, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company's Property-Casualty segment offers various insurance products, including motor liability and own damage, accident, general liability, fire and property, legal expense, credit, and travel insurance products to private and corporate customers. Its Life/Health segment provides a range of life and health insurance products on an individual and a group basis, such as annuities, endowment and term insurance, and unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as private health, supplemental health, and long-term care insurance products. The company's Asset Management segment offers institutional and retail asset management products and services to third-party investors comprising equity and fixed income funds, as well as alternative products; and investment management services. Its Corporate and Other segment provides various banking products for corporate and retail clients; and alternative investment management services in the private equity, real estate, renewable energy, and infrastructure sectors. Allianz SE was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Read More There is not enough analysis data for American Shared Hospital Services. 4.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes American Shared Hospital Services has received 70 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes American Shared Hospital Services has received 48 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment American Shared Hospital Services has received 59.32% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about American Shared Hospital Services and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe AMS will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe AMS will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Sanchez Energy Corporation, an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of U.S. onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources. It engages in the horizontal development of resources from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. It also holds an undeveloped acreage position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2017, the company had assembled approximately 285,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale; and owned approximately 37,000 net acres in the TMS. Sanchez Energy Corporation was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More 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. Read More Malvern International plc, an investment holding company, provides educational consultancy services in the United Kingdom and Singapore. The company operates colleges, including Malvern House London; Malvern House Brighton; SAA Global Education Singapore; and Malvern Online Academy, as well as a Communicate School in Manchester, the United Kingdom. Its colleges offer certificate, diploma, and pre-university programs; university degree and post-graduate programs; and professional examinations courses in business, business management, hospitality, hospitality and tourism management, taxation, finance, accounting, banking, economics, and law, as well as vocational programs, tuition services for secondary school students and English language teaching, and professional development and corporate training. The company was formerly known as AEC Education plc and changed its name to Malvern International plc in September 2016. Malvern International plc was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More 20 minutes ago Inflation is painfully high, but some relief may be coming NEW YORK (AP) Inflation is painfully high, but this hopefully is close to as bad as it gets. Consumer prices rose 6.8% for the 12 months ending in November, a 39-year high. Many economists expect inflation to remain near this level a few more months but to then moderate through 2022 for a variety of reasons. Read Article Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. There is not enough analysis data for Black Iron. 4.4 Community Rank Outperform Votes Black Iron has received 66 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Black Iron has received 34 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Black Iron has received 66.00% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Black Iron and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BKI will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BKI will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC. There is not enough analysis data for Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund has received 96 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund has received 44 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund has received 68.57% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Nuveen California Quality Municipal Income Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe NAC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe NAC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Colgate-Palmolive: 887357 Ontario Inc., COLGALIVE S.A., CP GABA GmbH, CP International Holding C.V., CP West East Investment Limited, Cleaning Dimensions Inc., Colgate (BVI) Limited, Colgate (Guangzhou) Company Limited, Colgate (U.K.) Limited, Colgate Business Services of the Americas S.C., Colgate Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Colgate Global Business Services Private Limited, Colgate Holdings, Colgate Inc., Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Inc., Colgate Palmolive Ghana Limited, Colgate Palmolive Holding S.Com.P.A., Colgate Palmolive Nouvelle Caledonie Sarl, Colgate Palmolive Tanzania Limited, Colgate Sanxiao Company Limited, Colgate Venture Company Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Asia) Pte Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Blantyre) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Brunei) Sdn Bhn, Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc. y Compania Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (China) Co. Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Costa Rica) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominica) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (East Africa) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Eastern) Pte. Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Egypt) S.A.E., Colgate-Palmolive (Far East) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Fiji) Pte Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Gabon) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Guyana) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (H.K.) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Hellas) S.A. I.C., Colgate-Palmolive (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Kazakhstan) L.L.P., Colgate-Palmolive (Latvia) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Middle East Exports) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (New York) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive (Proprietary) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Research & Development) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Romania) SRL, Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Uganda) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Vietnam) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Zambia) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Zimbabwe) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive A.B., Colgate-Palmolive A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Adria Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Treasury Services Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Belgium S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Bolivia Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Caricom Service Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Central European Management Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Chile S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cia., Colgate-Palmolive Comercial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Commercial (Hellas) SP LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Commerciale S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive Commericale S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive Compania Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive Company Distr. LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Cote dIvoire S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cyprus Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Development Corp., Colgate-Palmolive East West Africa Region (Pty) Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Enterprises Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Espana S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Europe (Holdings) Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Europe Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Finance (UK) plc, Colgate-Palmolive Global Trading Company, Colgate-Palmolive Holding Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Holding Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Hungary Kft Limited Liability Company, Colgate-Palmolive IHQ Services (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Industrial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Industriel S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive International Holding LLC, Colgate-Palmolive International LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Investment Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (BVI) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (PNG) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Investments Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Israel Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Italia S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive JSC, Colgate-Palmolive Lanka (Private) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Latin America Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Manufacturing (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive Maroc S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Mocambique Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive NJ Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Nederland B.V., Colgate-Palmolive Norge A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Participacoes e Investimentos Imobiliarios Lda., Colgate-Palmolive Peru S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Retirement Trustee Limited, Colgate-Palmolive S.A. de C.V., Colgate-Palmolive S.p.A., Colgate-Palmolive Senegal S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Services (Hellas) LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Services CEW GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Services S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Slovensko s.r.o., Colgate-Palmolive Support Services, Colgate-Palmolive Temizlik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticart S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Transnational Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Ukraine LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Unipessoal Lda, Colgate-Palmolive de Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive de Puerto Rico Inc., Colgate-Palmolive del Ecuador S.A.I.C., Colgate-Palmolive del Peru (Delaware) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Eeska republika spol. s r.o., Colpal CBS S de R. L. de C. V., Consumer Viewpoint Center Inc., Cotelle S.A., Dimac Development Corp., Dominica Coconut Products Limited, EKIB Inc., ELM Company Limited, Elta MD Holdings Inc., Elta MD Inc., EltaMD, Filorga Americas Inc., Filorga Asia Limited, Filorga Benelux SA, Filorga Cosmetiques Polska, Filorga Middle East DMCC, Filorga Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Filorga RU Limited Liability Company, GABA Europe Holding GmbH, GABA International, GABA International Holding LLC, GABA Schweiz AG, GABA Therwil GmbH, Gamma Development Co. Ltd., Global Trading and Supply LLC, Hamol Ltd., Hello Products, Hello Products LLC, Hills Funding Company, Hills Pet Nutrition (NZ) Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Asia Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Denmark ApS, Hills Pet Nutrition Espana S.L., Hills Pet Nutrition GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Holding B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Indiana Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Italia S.r.l., Hills Pet Nutrition Korea Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing s.r.o, Hills Pet Nutrition Norway AS, Hills Pet Nutrition OOO, Hills Pet Nutrition Pty. Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition S.p.A., Hills Pet Nutrition SNC, Hills Pet Nutrition Sales Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition South Africa Proprietary Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition Sweden AB, Hills Pet Nutrition Switzerland GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Taiwan Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition Trading (GZ) Co. Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hills Pet Nutrition de Puerto Rico Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition s.r.o., Hills Pet Products (Benelux) S.A., Hills Pet Products Inc., Hills Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Hills-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Hopro Liquidating Corp., Hygiene Systemes et Services SA, IES Enterprises Inc., Inmobiliaria Colpal S. de R.L. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Hills S.A. de C.V., Innovacion Creativa S.A. de C.V., Kolynos Corporation, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Espana S.L.U., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Italia S.R.L., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques S.A., Laser Brand Toothpaste, Lournay Sales Inc., Mennen Company, Mennen Interamerica Ltd., Mennen Limited, Mennen South Africa Ltd., Mennen de Chile Ltd., Mennen de Nicargua S.A., Mission Hills Property Corporation, Mission Hills S.A. de C.V., Norwood International Incorporated, Olive Music Publishing Corporation, PCA SKIN, Paramount Research Inc., Penny LLC, Pet Chemicals Inc., Physicians Care Alliance LLC, Productos Halogenados Copalven C.A., Purity Holding Company, Purity Music Publishing Corporation, Refresh Company Limited, Samuel Taylor Holdings B.V., Sanex, Sanxiao Company Limited, Services Development Co. Ltd., Societe Generale de Negoce et de Services (GENESE) S.A., The GDN - The Global Distributive Network SAS, The Lournay Company Inc., The MPDP - The Medical and Pharmaceutic Distributive Platform SAS, The Murphy-Phoenix Company, Tom's of Maine, Toms of Maine Holdings Inc., Toms of Maine Inc., Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Vipont Pharmaceutical Inc., and XEB Inc.. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF's stock was trading at $39.49 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IEUR stock has increased by 45.8% and is now trading at $57.56. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. There is not enough analysis data for DP Poland. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes DP Poland has received 147 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes DP Poland has received 72 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment DP Poland has received 67.12% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about DP Poland and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe DPP will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe DPP will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next FactSet Research Systems Inc. (the ""Company"" or ""FactSet"") is a global provider of integrated financial information, analytical applications and services for the investment and corporate communities. Since inception, global financial professionals have utilized the Company's content and multi-asset class solutions across each stage of the investment process. FactSet's goal is to provide a seamless user experience spanning idea generation, research, portfolio construction, trade execution, performance measurement, risk management, reporting, and portfolio analysis, in which the Company serves the front, middle, and back offices to drive productivity and improved performance. FactSet's flexible, open data and technology solutions can be implemented both across the investment portfolio lifecycle or as standalone components serving different workflows in the organization. FactSet is focused on growing the business throughout each of its three segments, the Americas, EMEA (formerly known as Europe), and Asia Pacific. The Company primarily delivers insight and information through the workflow solutions of Research, Analytics and Trading, Content and Technology Solutions (""CTS"") and Wealt Read More United Internet AG, through its subsidiaries, operates as an Internet service provider (ISP). It operates through Consumer Access, Business Access, Consumer Applications, and Business Applications segments. The company offers landline-based broadband and mobile internet products, including home networks, online storage, telephony, and IPTV; and telecommunication products ranging from fiber-optic direct connections to tailored ICT solutions, which include voice, data, and network solutions, as well as infrastructure services to national and international carriers and ISPs. It also provides ad-financed and fee-based application products for consumer and business customers, including domains, Websites, Web hosting, servers, cloud solutions, and e-shops; personal information management applications, such as email, to-do lists, appointments, and addresses; and group works, online storage, and office software. The company offers its access products through the yourfone, smartmobile.de, 1&1, winSIM, maxim, simplytel, DeutschlandSIM, PremiumSIM, and 1&1 versatel brands; and applications through GMX, mail.com, WEB.DE, home.pl, Arsys, Strato, 1&1 IONOS, Fasthosts, InterNetX, united-domains, and World4You brand names. In addition, it offers customers professional services in the fields of active domain management under the Sedo brand; and online advertising services under the United Internet Media brand name. The company has operations in Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Poland, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico. United Internet AG was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Montabaur, Germany. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 179 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 111 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 61.72% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe KYN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe KYN will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next North American Construction Group Ltd. provides mining and heavy construction services to the resource development and industrial construction sectors in Canada and the United States The company's Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services. Its Equipment Maintenance Services division provides fuel and lube servicing, portable steaming, equipment inspections, parts and component supply, major overhauls and equipment refurbishment, onsite haul truck brake testing, onsite maintenance support, under carriage rebuild, machining, hose manufacturing, and technical support services, as well as welding, fabrication/repairs, weld certification, and inspection services. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a heavy equipment fleet of 626 units. The company was formerly known as North American Energy Partners Inc. and changed its name to North American Construction Group Ltd. in April 2018. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Acheson, Canada. Read More iShares MSCI Finland ETF's stock was trading at $31.15 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EFNL shares have increased by 51.8% and is now trading at $47.28. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business. First BanCorp (Puerto Rico) is a holding company, which engages in the provision of personal, commercial, and corporate banking services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Mortgage Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations. The Commercial and Corporate Banking segment consists of the company's lending and other services for large customers represented by specialized and middle-market clients and the public sector. The Consumer (Retail) Banking segment includes consumer lending and deposit-taking activities conducted mainly through FirstBank's branch network in Puerto Rico. The Mortgage Banking segment focuses on the origination, sale, and servicing of a variety of residential mortgage loan products and related hedging activities. The Treasury and Investments segment deals with treasury and investment management functions. The United States Operations segment represents all banking activities conducted by FirstBank on the United States mainland. The Virgin Islands Operations segment includes all banking activities conducted by FirstBank in Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at contact@marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. TheWorks.co.uk plc operates as a retailer of gifts, arts, crafts, toys, books, and stationery products in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company sells its products through a network of stores, as well as through its online platform. As of April 26, 2020, the company operated 534 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. TheWorks.co.uk plc was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan. Chinese President Xi Jinping's Europe tour helps inject fresh impetus in the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and creates closer Asia-Europe cooperation to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. [File Photo: CGTN] Wang briefed accompanying journalists about the outcomes of the trip as President Xi wrapped up his tour, which saw him visit Italy, Monaco and France. Deepen cooperation under BRI framework Both Italy and France are comprehensive strategic partners of China, and Monaco is one of the friendliest Western countries towards China, Wang said, adding that the president's first overseas trip this year brought Chinese ties with the three countries to a new high. Italy During Xi's visit to Italy, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation within the framework of the BRI, making Italy the first G7 nation to officially join the BRI, Wang noted. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he is very glad to seize the opportunity and participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and is convinced that it will help to fully tap the potential of Italy-China cooperation. Monaco On China-Monaco ties, Wang briefed that both leaders agreed to continuously consolidate traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support in the UN and international affairs. President Xi also welcomed Monaco to participate in the construction of the Belt and Road during his talks with Monaco Prince Albert II. France As this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties, the two sides agreed to carry forward high-level ties and forge a more solid, stable and vibrant China-France comprehensive strategic partnership on a new starting point in history. The consensus was reached during talks between Xi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Macron also hailed the close communication and coordination between the two countries and said France is willing to promote the continuous development of EU-China cooperation and strengthen EU's strategy with BRI. Promoting multilateralism Europe not only helped create but also supports the current international system. Xi's visits thus reached important consensuses with European leaders on upholding multilateralism and abandoning protectionist measures. China attaches great importance to its friendship with Europe, Wang stressed, adding that a united and prosperous Europe is in line with a vision of a multipolar world. Leaders agreed to accelerate the China-EU investment agreement negotiations, and strengthen communication and coordination on major international and regional issues during Xi's visit, Wang added. The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter forBorderland Beat?We love to have you in our team, sendoran email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. Advocate Sidney Pilane has said that Parliament of Botswana should be allowed to determine if it is time for sections 164(a), 164(c) and 167 of the Botswana Penal Code be scrapped off. These provisions criminalise same-sex sexual conduct between consenting adults in Botswana and impose a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment and advocate Pilane said it would be morally wrong to agree to change these provisions without Parliament involvement. Advocate Pilane is representing government in a constitutional case before Justices Abednego Tafa, Michael Leburu and Jennifer Dube in which the organisation Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) is admitted as a friend of Court in the proceedings. The human rights advocacy group, LEGABIBO was admitted as amicus curiae (a friend of the court) last year. He told a fully packed court that when Parliament decided to amend the Employment Act so that people are not discriminated against because of their sexuality, it was because Parliament felt it was time such an amendment was made.When Parliament made such an amendment it was because they found it sufficient enough that it should be done. We can advise Parliament to look into it. We have to allow Parliament to confidently deal with it. This is because they are close to the people and know better, Advocate Pilane told the Court. He however admitted that the country is becoming liberal and the world is evolving. He said with time Botswana will become accepting and more tolerant. He also admitted that people do change but posed a question as to whether they have changed enough to warrant for the change of the law. Court must be restrained because if not they will make laws and no one will do anything. Parliament has more powers to make the laws, he said whereupon Justice Tafa chipped in and said it is the responsibility of the courts to ensure that Parliament act within the confines of the Constitution, We cannot say let us wait for Parliament to act. However, Pilane responded, This court has struck down provisions and I am saying you have to exercise restrain because the court has to also stay in the confines of the law. He argued that people who are ill- treating those different from them like homosexuals, know nothing about Section 164 of the Penal Code. We are trying to blame the law which we should not, this is a historical socio-cultural thing, he said. He told the court that the provisions that the Applicants are unhappy about, are about values of the people of this country. He argued that the court has to find evidence that values have changed over the past 15 years. Let us examine what has changed since the Kanani case of 2004. This court is the right forum to do that. In the Kanani case a Court of Appeal decision, Parliament deals with the law. This is because Court of Appeal remembers the importance of separation of powers. They know Parliament knows better the values of the people of this country. If Parliament felt that the values have changed or attitudes softened then Parliament would have to decriminalise, he argued adding that the Applicants have failed to bring such evidence to support their case. In reply Attorney Gosego Lekgowe representing the Applicants argued that government has failed to demonstrate which values they are talking about. He said there is no evidence to that effect. He wondered which public interest the government is protecting. He said moral values are aligned with the Constitution. For his part Tshiamo Rantao also from the Applicants side said the court in the Kanani case left the door open. He said Botswana is not in competition with any country. He dismissed claims that government has been tolerant of homosexual and has not taken anyone to prison. He said according to the record someone was sent to jail for three (3) years. In the Kanani case there was a criminal charge. However, in this case the Applicant is saying I do not want to break the law, so the court could assist so that I cannot break the law by striking off the provisions, argued Rantao. All this week, passers-by outside the Rowe Building will see Commerce students around the clock with sleeping bags and bright orange shirts. Theyre participating in a campaign called 5 Days, collecting donations for Phoenix Youth Programs, a non-profit Halifax organization that serves youth between the ages of 11 and 24, many of whom are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Julia Penney, VP external of the Dalhousie Commerce Society and this years organizer, has been looking forward to this year. She helped organize last years 5 Days campaign, but on the night she was scheduled to sleep outside, a storm made it too dangerous to do so. This year, shes participating for all five nights, and shes excited to continue building on the success of previous years. Its exciting to see how big it is already, she says. The campaign officially started Sunday afternoon, and the students are already over a quarter of the way to their goal. This is the sixth year that Dalhousie has participated, raising over $65,000 since it began. This year, Julia and the Commerce Society hope to add $25,000 more. Building on the legacy The Dalhousie Commerce students are the only Atlantic Canadian team taking part in the national 5 Days campaign. During the campaign, students must attend classes and extracurricular activities as they normally would, but otherwise youll see them outside the Rowe building, collecting donations and having conversations with people about Phoenix. All of their meals must be donated by supporters, with anything left over donated to Phoenix, along with the money they raise. 5 Days students, clockwise from left: Julia Penney, Donald Eastop, Christina Erb, and Kara Feeley. We arent sleeping outside to try and simulate what its like to be homeless or pretend that we are homeless, says Julia. We know that Friday night well be back home sleeping in our warm beds. For youth who are under-supported, the issue stretches so much further than not having a bed, it stretches to a support system and security. We just want to bring attention to this issue of under-supported youth in our community. This is a visual way to do that. Julia and the Commerce Society plan to make it bigger than ever this year. There are 20 Commerce students signed up to participate. Julia and Commerce Society President Donald Eastop will sleep outside every night of the challenge, while others will join as guest sleepers for a night. Julia hopes that having more students involved will mean a bigger network, more awareness and more donations. They are also planning fundraising events to complement the challenge. A comedy night kicked off the festivities last week, and they'll celebrate the end of 5 Days with a karaoke night at the Grawood Pub on March 29. Supporting the community The student team is challenging their peers to sponsor a youth by donating $12.60, which is what it costs Phoenix to provide services to a youth for one day. That translates to $63 for those who want to support someone for all five days, or about $391 for those who can support someone for a month. Even if visitors cant spare that much, Julia hopes theyll stop by to chat. Im looking forward to sharing with more people what Phoenix does. Theyre a part of our neighbourhood, just down the road, but we dont always think about it. Youth homelessness can be hard to talk about, but were putting it in bright orange, in front of one of the busiest buildings on campus. We want to continue the conversation. You can support the campaign by donating to the students outside the Rowe building or online through the Dalhousie teams website. Check the Dalhousie Commerce Societys Facebook page for full details on their fundraising events happening March 29. Left to right: Benoit Aubert (director, Rowe School of Business), Marianne Hagen (alumni and student engagement, Faculty of Management); students Julia Penney, Donald Eastop, Kara Feeley and Christina Erb; and Vivian Howard (interim dean, Faculty of Management). In its complaint, the RBI has alleged non-compliance of its 2016 order directing commercial banks, including the PNB. New Delhi: A Delhi court has summoned as accused 11 top officials of the Punjab National Bank (PNB), including former and current executive officials and the current managing director, for alleged violation of banking regulations and criminal conspiracy. Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh asked PNB Managing Director (MD) and CEO Sunil Mehta, Executive Director Sanjiv Sharan, former MD Usha Ananthasubramanian, former executive director RS Sangapure and seven others to appear before it on May 24 on the basis of a complaint filed by the Reserve Bank of India. The court has also summoned as accused serving General Manager IJ Arora, Assistant General Managers TR Venkateswaran and IP Singh, Chief Manager SK Srivastava, former general managers Nehal Ahad and Rakesh Kumar and former deputy general manager Sunil Mohan. In its complaint, the RBI has alleged non-compliance of its 2016 order directing commercial banks, including the PNB, to integrate their core banking system with various critical applications to reduce online fraud. The central bank alleged that the accused willfully and deliberately gave false information in their compliance report and the PNB's core banking system was not integrated with the applications and there was no online integration of SWIFT with the RBI's Core Banking Solution (CBS). SWIFT is a messaging system that enables banks and financial institutions to send and receive information about financial transactions through encrypted codes. The RBI has further alleged that the accused willfully and deliberately made false statements in the compliance report despite being aware of the risks and repercussions of failing to integrate SWIFT with the CBS. The RBI, in its circular issued to all commercial banks, including the PNB, had advised the banks to strengthen the controls around the operating environment for fund transfers through SWIFT or similar interfaces and banks were advised to minimise the practice of direct creation of payment messages in the SWIFT environment with routing the same through CBS. The RBI claimed that the case came to light during systems inspection at the PNB's Brady House Branch in Mumbai, where it was found that the information provided by the officials in the last few years were completely false. "The accused have willfully made false statement in utter disregard to their statutory obligation of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949." "Accused have deliberately furnished false and misleading statements to RBI and it was done with common intention and in connivance with each other," it alleged. GMR Infrastructure shares were volatile and rose over nine per cent intra-day but closed almost flat at on the BSE after rising to 21.25. Mumbai: Salt-to-software conglomerate the Tata Group has made an entry into the airport business by investing in GMR Airports, a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure. A consortium of Tata Group, an affiliate of Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC and Hong Kong-based SSG Capital Management will invest Rs 8,000 in GMR Airports. Announcing the deal GMR Airports parent company GMR Infrastructure said, GMR Infrastrcuture has signed a binding term sheet with the investors pursuant to which the investors have agreed to invest Rs 8,000 crore in GMR Airports. The investment amount of Rs 8,000 crore will consist of Rs 1,000 crore equity infusion in GMR Airports and Rs 7,000 crore towards purchase of GMR Airports equity shares from GMR Infrastructure and its subsidiaries. Post the Rs 8,000 crore investment, GMR Infra will hold 53.5 per cent stake in GMR Airports, Tata Group will hold 19.7 per cent stake by investing Rs 3,560 crore, GIC will hold 14.8 per cent by investing Rs 2,670 crore, SSG will hold 9.9 per cent by investing Rs 1,780 crore and the Employee Welfare Trust will hold 2.1 per cent stake. The deal will reportedly help the company cut its debt and also provide an exit for private equity investors such as Macquarie, Standard Chartered and JM Financial from the companys airports business. GMR Infras airports business, under which it manages airports in New Delhi and Hyderabad, is the cash cow of the group with over two-thirds of revenue and half the profit coming from the business. After the deal, the companys net debt will fall to Rs 12,000 crore, from Rs 20,000 crore in December 2018, while GMR Airports debt will halve to Rs 1,000 crore, a Reuters report said. Commenting on the deal, Grandhi Kiran Kumar, Managing Director & CEO, GMR Infrastructure, said, We are very pleased to welcome Tata, GIC & SSG as long-term investors in GAL. The proposed investment endorses the strength of the unparalleled airport platform created by GMR Group and will reduce our debt substantially, strengthening our balance sheet. As part of the terms of the proposed investment, GMR Infrastructure will retain management control over the airports business with the investors having customary rights and board representation at GMR Airports and its key subsidiaries. GMR Infrastructure shares were volatile and rose over nine per cent intra-day but closed almost flat at on the BSE after rising to 21.25. The central bank has bought Rs 3 lakh crore of bonds this fiscal to support the market. Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Tuesday bought USD 5 billion through long-term forex swap auction in a bid to ease liquidity ahead of elections. RBI successfully concluded the forex swap auction, buying the targeted USD 5 billion as part of the long term dollar/rupee swap with a three-year tenor, it said in a statement. In turn, Rs 34,561 crore was infused into the Indian banking system. The RBI said it received USD 16.31 billion in bids for the auction for which the cut-off was set at 776 paise. The central bank accepted USD 5.02 billion of dollars tendered. This formed part of RBI's announcement earlier this month that it would buy dollars from banks for three years and offer them rupees in return. The swap will bulk up India's foreign exchange reserves while injecting liquidity into the financial system to ease a cash crunch typically seen before the beginning of a financial year. It is meant to give RBI greater flexibility in managing banking system cash while helping soak up any potential large dollar inflows, such as from the Rs 42,000 crore purchase of Essar Steel by ArcelorMittal which could make the rupee rise sharply. India's new fiscal year begins on April 1. The central bank has bought Rs 3 lakh crore of bonds this fiscal to support the market at a time when a record USD 100 billion borrowing plan of the government had cooled demand for debt. New Delhi: India needs to focus on resolution of farm distress rather than loan waivers which kill the credit culture, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said on Tuesday. "First we need to worry about why people are so distressed and angry. There is a lot of agriculture distress. I personally believe that farm loan waivers are not the answers. But there are other answers," he said when asked about what should be the focus for the upcoming elections. The other focus area should be creation of jobs which the people want, he said here at the launch of his book -- 'The Third Pillar - How Markets and the State leave the Community Behind'. "I would say that one is start creating those jobs people want. Take care of the distress, but whatever measures you put, put them as a pathway for people to get those jobs rather than standing in the way of getting those jobs...We can talk about the economic reforms that are needed, but jobs are task one," Rajan emphasised. Several state governments have announced loan waivers for farmers. Referring to the issue of farm distress, he said loan waivers cover only those farmers who have taken loans from the formal system. "I do worry about waiving loans because it only targeted to those farmers who have taken loans from the system, not the poorer farmers who have loans from the money lenders or an agricultural worker who never got a loan in the first place. So I would rather have a better targeted system," he said. "That is why I have always said that farm loan waivers are problematic and various bankers have also opined that it kills the credit culture. It's very difficult to lend to those people once again. So they also suffer in credit down the line even though they may get some short-run benefit. So those are my objections," he added. He further said targeted transfers to the very poor have become a staple of capitalism and that is a part of the safety net. "...what we see in this country is a number of political parties are saying we have become wealthy enough to be able to do it. But it still means it has to be done carefully and effectively, not layering one on top of another," Rajan said. When asked whether he would like to return to India in public service or even a political role, he said, "I am very happy where I am. But if there is an opportunity to be of use I will always be there." Rajan is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business in the US. On whether the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a threat to India's composite culture, Rajan said: "I do not have any doubt there are good people in RSS...It is not an indictment of every person there." "But the aim of majoritarian organisations is what I am more worried about. My worry is a very diverse country like India which has so many minorities, religion, ethnic groups, we simply cannot afford to say he belongs and she doesn't". Rajan further said: "We have built a country based on tolerance and respect. And at this time we would be crazy to sacrifice that for a narrow sectarianism that will stand in our way of growth. If you are a true nationalist today you have to say that we have to be a country that respects all." The NFO period is from March 26 to April 9. New Delhi: ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched a new fund offer (NFO), ICICI Prudential Bharat Consumption Fund, an open-ended equity scheme following the consumption theme. The NFO period is from March 26 to April 9. The scheme aims to provide capital appreciation by investing in stocks that could benefit from growth in consumption and related activities and is benchmarked on the Nifty India Consumption Index. The minimum application amount for the NFO is Rs 5,000. Commenting on the new fund, Nimesh Shah, MD and CEO of ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, said, Globally, it has been observed that the moment a countrys per capita GDP crosses $2,000, there is a disproportionate rise in discretionary spending and India is poised to cross this milestone in 2019-20. Going forward, the primary drivers for consumption are likely to be a rising income and expansion of the middle-income segment, the diverse population within India-increasing urbanisation, and improved connectivity owing to technology advancement. In the international market, gold was trading at USD 1,315.61 an ounce and silver was at USD 15.42 an ounce in New York. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi: Gold prices fell by Rs 110 to Rs 33,060 per 10 gram Wednesday, registering its second day of decline amid muted domestic demand, according to the All India Sarafa Association. Silver, on the other hand, gained Rs 20 to Rs 39,120 per kg following increased demand from industrial units and coin makers. Bullion traders said muted demand in the domestic market led to the fall in prices of the yellow metal. Tapan Patel, senior research analyst (commodities), HDFC Securities, said global bullion prices traded steady on Wednesday after witnessing marginal correction on Tuesday. In the international market, gold was trading at USD 1,315.61 an ounce and silver was at USD 15.42 an ounce in New York. "The weak US data on Tuesday also limited downside in gold prices. The US 10-year bond yield declined to 2.41 per cent down from 2.44 per cent on Tuesday morning. The gold holdings at SPDR ETF rose to 784.26 tonnes from previous 781 tonnes signalling safe haven demand," said Patel. In the national capital, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purities fell by Rs 110 each to Rs 33,060 and Rs 32,890 per 10 gram, respectively. Gold had shed Rs 50 to Rs 33,170 per 10 gram Tuesday. Sovereign gold, however, remained unaltered at Rs 26,400 per piece of eight gram. The price of silver ready gained Rs 20 to Rs 39,120 per kg, while weekly-based delivery fell by Rs 82 to Rs 38,283 per kg. Silver coins, however, remained unchanged at Rs 80,000 for buying and Rs 81,000 for selling of 100 pieces. The benchmark BSE Sensex was at 38,445.38 points a minute before the Prime Minister took to the twitter at 11.23 am. Mumbai: Benchmark indices witnessed heavy volatility amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, reflecting nervousness of the investor community over the subject. The 30-share benchmark index dived by over 100 points but recovered sharply to 38,402.35 at 1234 hrs as Prime Minister announced that India had shot down a live satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile in a major breakthrough in space programme. The markets, which opened higher in the morning over Tuesday's close, sharply dipped following the twitter message as it wasn't clear what the subject of the address to the nation was. The benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 200 points on Wednesday during Modi's announcement that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. The 30-share index was trading at 38,443.5, up 212.98 points at 12.24 hrs. The benchmark index had jumped over 200 points in the opening trading session. Meanwhile, buying was also seen in defence stocks, with Hindustan Aeronautics rising 7.25 per cent, Bharat Dynamics 6.26 per cent, Walchandnagar Industries Ltd 3.61 per cent and BEML 1.31 per cent on the BSE. The benchmark BSE Sensex was at 38,445.38 points a minute before the Prime Minister took to the twitter at 11.23 am to announce his address to the nation. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," he tweeted. But it was not until 12:24 that he made the near 10-minute address. With no precedence of such address after general elections were announced, other than when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated in 1984 and 1991 respectively, memories of November 8, 2016, were revived when Modi made his first address to the nation to announce demonetisation of 86 per cent of the currency in circulation. With election code is in place, it was felt that no policy announcement could be made and there could be some development on the Pakistan front as the Cabinet Committee on Security met just before the twitter message. Sensex fell to 38,332.22 by 11.35 am and further to 38,304.09 by 11.58 am. New York: British-Indian actor Dev Patel has revealed he is tired of being criticised for "stealing" roles from "real" Indian actors. The 28-year-old actor, who was born in London to parents from Gujarat, India, said he is trying to understand himself better by connecting to his heritage. "I get flak sometimes because people will say, 'Why aren't they giving these roles to a real Indian?' I wonder, What does that even mean? The only way I can converse with my grandparents is in Gujarati. Does that make me real enough? Or am I only allowed to witness the moments of prejudice and racism going through airports? Is that the only bit that I'm allowed of the culture? "The truth is I'm trying to understand myself better and my heritage, to figure things out, in the movie choices I make. That's been the greatest thing for me in going to India repeatedly," Patel told San Francisco Chronicle. The "Lion" star previously confessed he "reconnected" with his Indian roots when he starred in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire". In 2016, he later said that he could never really fit in as the locals "could smell the foreigner on me". Mumbai: On Tuesday, Sajid Nadiadwala officially announced Tara Sutaria's name as the female lead opposite debutant Ahan Shetty in the Hindi remake of Telugu blockbuster RX 100. The original film starred Kartikeya Gummakonda and Payal Rajput in the lead roles. Notably, Payal Rajput's acting in RX 100 surprised everyone as her character of Indu was a combination of innocence, boldness filled with layers of grey shades. When asked about Tara Sutaria casting for RX 100 Hindi remake, Payal Rajput exclusively told Deccan Chronicle, "I'm really happy that Sajid Nadiadwala sir decided to remake RX 100 in Bollywood. It's good that they cast Tara for the role but I think nobody can do this role better than me." Speaking about expectation from Tara, Payal quoted, "I have not seen her acting yet. But if Sajid sir signed her for the role then he must have seen her talent before choosing for the film." RX 100 film was a challenging one of Payal as well but she always thinks to break the stereotype. "Initially, I was little nervous as the character was quite bold. It was difficult for me to do such kind of role for my debut film in Telugu. But I always wanted to break the stereotype. I want to do every kind of movies. I did something different for which people appreciated me," Payal quipped. RX 100 Movie trailer in Hindi: Payal has worked in Punjabi and Telugu movies. The actress is waiting for the right script and character to enter in Bollywood. "I would love to work in Bollywood but I'm waiting for the right character for my debut in Hindi cinema." Meanwhile, RX 100 Hindi remake is helmed by Milan Luthria. The film produced under the banner Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and presented by Fox Star Studios will go on floors by June 2019. Mumbai: National Award-winning director Nitin Kakkars next, Notebook, will introduce two new faces to Bollywood Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl. The film is touted to be a young, refreshing and rather unique love story set in Kashmir, and its music has already made it to the charts. Ahead of the movies release this Friday, producers Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde shared their thoughts on the journey of Notebook. Murad Khetani said, This film is a trendy yet different love story. The basic premise attracted us to the film can you fall in love with someone youve never met? The thought is very novel, but what was more exciting is the manner in which the story progresses. Ashwin Varde added, We have always seen the usual boy-meets-girl kind of conventional love stories. But what happens when the boy never meets the girl? Can love still happen? Notebook tells you that it can. And it shows you how in the most beautiful manner. Thats the USP of the film. Making the film with Salman Khan is an experience both the producers will cherish. Murad noted, Apart from being one of the biggest superstars in the country and a huge brand, Salman has got a deep understanding of scripts. He has been very co-operative as a producer and open to new ideas. Ashwin agreed, The music of the film is doing well and his contribution has been immense. He has a very keen ear for music and that really helps. The producers are also all praise for Zaheer and Pranutan. Opening up on Zaheers debut, Ashwin said, Zaheer was the first person to be cast because Salman Bhai was going to launch him. After that, Murad Bhai and I met him and decided that we would make a film with him. We had been looking for the right script for him. He always had the potential, the talent and the persona thats needed for the big screen. Pranutan was chosen after the makers auditioned over 100 new faces. Murad recalled, Firdaus (Pranutans character) has several layers. We were just not getting anyone right for it. Then one day, we saw Pranutans pictures. We showed them to Salman Bhai. He called up Mohnish Bahl (Pranutans father) and she was called to audition. She was so good that we didnt need to look any further. Helmed by Nitin Kakkar, Notebook is presented by Salman Khan Films and is a Cine1 Studios Production. It is produced by Salma Khan, Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde and is all set to hit the screens on 29th March 2019. Believe me, even if I had to cut my heart out to play Kanthi, I would have done that! The year was 2015. Sharat Katariyas Dum Laga Ke Haisha hit the screens. In an impressive show in the Bollywood film, a plus size heroine named Bhumi Pednekar stole the audiences hearts. The movie about an obese woman turned out to be a sleeper hit. Among the wowed audience sat Shibla who swooned over the path-breaking character played by Bhumi and thought, Wow, when will such a role happen in a Malayalam film! Fate had great plans in store, unknown to Shibla. Years later, she is all set to make her debut as a heroine in a Malayalam film O.P.160/18 Kakshi: Amminipillai starring Asif Ali. What makes the role very special is that Shibla is playing a plus-size character, much like her idol Bhumi, and took the pain to undergo an unbelievable physical transformation, by putting on 20 kg of weight! Ask how she did it all, a now slimmer Shibla laughs, It wasnt easy, but I was determined. It was a now-or-never situation for me. Shibla as Kanthi in O.P.160/18 Kakshi: Amminipillai Showbiz happened to the youngster from Malappuram in the form of a reality show for actors. Shibla was a finalist in the 2011 show after which she bagged anchoring offers. She recalls, The exposure was huge. I fell in love with anchoring and even dropped by course in Bengaluru and shifted to Kerala to not lose anchoring opportunities. I started enjoying the limelight and in the meantime, attended auditions. She landed a small role in the film Cinema Company and was busy with her anchoring assignments when life took another huge turn in the form of love. After her marriage to Vijit, the task head at a leading production house, she continued working as an anchor. Soon, parenthood came our way. But I didnt lose my hope or passion for acting. I knew that I wouldnt fit into conventional moulds of an actress, but I was hopeful, she says. Shibla was slowly getting back in shape when she came across the audition call for Kakshi Amminipillai. Mother to three-year-old Veer Abhimanyu, Shibla says, They were looking for an overweight woman to play the central character. Though I was chubby-faced and not overweight, I decided to give it a try. At the audition, everyone else was heavier than me, but I was very positive. At the first round, I was asked to enact a scene from the movie and when I did, the judges applauded. When I was about to leave, they called me back and asked me to try dancing. I did that too. On leaving the venue, Shibla had no high hopes, but she believed that whoever is going to play Kanthi in the movie will be lucky. Kanthi is such a strong and optimistic character with no shades of self-pity. A few days later, director Dinjith Ayyathan called her up and said that she was almost Kanthi. She adds, Almost, because there was a lot more to do. I was told to put on as much weight as possible. I also had to work on my language as the characters spoke in Thalassery dialect. Shibla didnt pause to think before agreeing to it. She stopped all her workouts, Zumba and anchoring assignments. She also started working on the diction. At the end of one month, she sent a video to Dinjith; he was impressed. The following three-four months were hectic. I could feel myself blowing up like a balloon. From 68 kg, I became 85! she chuckles. When Shibla arrived at the sets for the shooting, she was Kanthi from head to toe. She says, My co-actors Asif and Ahmed Siddique were surprised. They said they have never seen anyone gaining so much weight for a role! Even my trainer said that nobody would do this. I must be perhaps the only actress who would eat so much food on the sets. Thalassery being the land of delicacies, gaining weight became easier. However, now, Shibla has managed to reduce her weight by 15 kg; she wants to to lose 10 more kilograms. Considering the health risks, wasnt it a thoughtless act for a newcomer? But Shibla doesnt feel so, It was risky, but a very nice journey. Kanthi is a very important character in this age of body-shaming. A pampered girl and the eldest daughter, Kanthi is loving, happy and free-spirited. The film is about how she gets married to a mammas boy and faces the troubles after that. Its such a lucky role and believe me, even if I had to cut my heart out to play Kanthi, I would have done that. Even if this role is a one-time wonder and even if I dont get another role again, I would be happy! The court asked the agency to hand over a copy of its application to the counsel for the opposite side and said it will hear the matter on Thursday. (Image: File) New Delhi: The CBI Wednesday sought more time from the Delhi High Court to complete investigation in a bribery case involving the agency's then special director Rakesh Asthana and others. It has filed the application for time extension on the expiry of 10 weeks it was granted by the high court on January 11. The court had dismissed the pleas of Asthana, DSP Devender Kumar and Middleman Manoj Prasad seeking quashing of the CBI FIR lodged against them in the bribery case, directing the agency to complete its investigation in the case within ten weeks. The fresh CBI application came up before Justice Mukta Gupta who questioned the probe agency for not giving an advanced copy of the plea to the counsel for Astnana and Kumar. The court asked the agency to hand over a copy of its application to the counsel for the opposite side and said it will hear the matter on Thursday. Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Asthana and Kumar, told the court that they have not been given the copy of the application and don't know its content. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, representing the CBI, said they have filed a status report in a sealed cover and the application seeking extension of time to complete the probe was not required to be served to Asthana and Kumar as it has been filed in a disposed of matter. To this, the judge said, "You (CBI) want an order and you don't even serve a copy to the other side. It is preposterous the way CBI tends to act. If you are not serving them the application copy then your plea is not maintainable." The ASG thereafter agreed to give the application copy to the counsel. Asthana was booked on the allegations of criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct under the relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, was arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, who had alleged having paid bribe to get relief in the case. He was arrested on October 22 and granted bail on October 31. They said Varthaman preferred to stay with his squadron in Srinagar than going to his family home in Chennai while on leave. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan last month and returned to India two days later, has gone back to his squadron in Srinagar though he is on a four-week sick leave, official sources said Tuesday. They said Varthaman preferred to stay with his squadron in Srinagar than going to his family home in Chennai while on leave. The IAF pilot went on leave around 12 days ago after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing after his return from Pakistan. Abhinandan Varthaman could have gone to his family home in Chennai to spend time with his parents. But he chose to go to Srinagar where his squadron is based," the sources said. After his four-week sick leave period, a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top brass decide whether he can return to fighter cockpit as desired by him. He was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit. Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan. After he was captured, Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. At another public rally in the state, Adityanath claimed that the new scheme introduced by the Congress for the poor was nothing but a poll 'gimmick'. (Photo: ANI) Ahmedabad: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that Congress president Rahul Gandhi, during his recent visit to Somnath temple, sat like he was offering namaz (one of the five pillars of Islam). "It's the people of Gujarat who exposed Rahul Gandhi. He went to Somnath temple and sat there as if offering namaz. Temple priest had to scold him that this is a temple, sit cross-legged," Adityanath said at a public rally here on Tuesday. "Nakal mein bhi akal chahiye," he then quipped (presence of mind is required even to copy). He further claimed that the Congress' "new generation" visits temples only during elections, in an apparent reference to Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, ahead of the latter's visit to Ayodhya. "They (Rahul and Priyanka) go to temples only during elections. They do not have time to visit holy sites if elections are not around," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. At another public rally in the state, Adityanath claimed that the new scheme introduced by the Congress for the poor was nothing but a poll "gimmick". He also claimed that Congress, when in power, was "insensitive" towards the poor. The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19 in seven phases. The polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Thiruvananthapuram: The uncertainty over Congress president Rahul Gandhis candidature from south continued for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday. The Central Election Committee is expected to meet at 4 pm on Thursday, and the leaders here are keeping their fingers crossed. Delhi state in-charge P.C. Chacko said he had apprised Rahul Gandhi of the implications of contesting from Wayanad taking on a CPI candidate. Rumours were rife that Mr Chacko explained to Mr Gandhi why he lambasted Kerala leaders. But he rubbished it saying there was a meeting with him on allying with AAP in Delhi. I apprised him that the KPCC leadership had not thought of the political implications if Rahul Gandhi contests from Wayanad as his principal adversary will not be the BJP but the CPI, he told DC. This will only convey a wrong message to voters. I also told him that Karnataka would be ideal as then his rival will be the BJP. He felt the KPCC leadership should not have jumped the gun. When Chacko held a press meet a day after the announcement by senior leader Oommen Chandy, the majority of Congress leaders here were upset. But later, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran also toed the same line. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine whether a candidate can be allowed to contest from two Assembly/Lok Sabha constituencies during the elections. A bench headed by Justice S.A. Bobde told advocate and petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya, who mentioned it for urgent listing, that the matter would be listed for hearing after two weeks. The Election Commission has said that it favoured the proposal to bar a candidate from contesting in two Assembly/parliamentary constituencies during elections but the Centre has justified such a provision of law. Section 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, allows a person to contest a general election or a group of bye-elections or biennial elections from two constituencies, whereas Section 70 of the RPA, specifies that if a person is elected to more than one seat in either House of the Parliament or in either House of the State Legislature, then he/she can only hold on to one of the seats that he/she won in the election. BJP advocate and spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya had challenged this provision as unconstitutional. The Election Commission in its response said it had made a proposal to the government in 2004 and 2016 to amend the provisions of Representation of the People Act to restrict the contest from only one constituency. It was for the Centre to act on the proposal. Rejecting the ECs proposal, the Centre in its affidavit said the provision was intended to strike a reasonable balance to candidates who wanted to contest in two constituencies and the rights of voters. Such a provision provides wider choice to the polity as well as the candidate and is in line with the democratic set up in the country. It said the petitioner had failed to demonstrate the injustice it may cause to the voters at large and could not ask the court to legislate. It said every individual has a right to contest elections and Section 70 of the RP Act only lays down the procedure to be followed to give up one constituency if he/she wins both the seats. Since mid-2000 DRDO and other organisations have been working on a two-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect major cities and key installations from missile attacks. Bengaluru: Its a surgical strike with a difference a Made-in-India missile destroying Microsat-R, a 700-odd kg satellite launched by Isro as recent as January 2019 but as effective as nuclear tests in Pokhran because Wednesdays feat matches those of just three other nations, deterring adversaries from attempting an attack on the countrys satellites. Around 11 am on Wednesday, a modified version of DRDOs ballistic missile system decimated the satellite about 300 km from terra firma (low earth orbit or LEO), with such precision that Dr G. Sateesh Reddy, chairman of DRDO, told this newspaper that accuracy in terms of centimetres was achieved with the help of Kinetic kill technology developed indigenously. Just like the nuclear tests, the anti-satellite weapon (A-SAT) was test fired as a deterrent to ward off any threat to space assets of India (48 satellites are in orbit to provide services ranging from communication, navigation, education and scientific research) as well as to bring about a change in the attitude of other nations towards India, given its capabilities in defence and space sectors and its burgeoning economy. Former chairman of Isro Dr G. Madhavan Nair said, The first and most important task is to safeguard our space assets which support our economy and a host of other fields. We need this defence system against anyone who turns hostile and attempts to damage our satellites. Since mid-2000 DRDO and other organisations have been working on a two-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect major cities and key installations from missile attacks. The double-tiered system consists of land and sea-based missile interceptors, Prithvi Air Defence missiles for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence missiles for lower altitude interception. This two-tiered shield has been put in place to intercept missiles flying in from a distance of 5,000 km. A variant of one of these missile interceptors was used during Wednesdays test. All you need to know about A-SAT The anti-satellite weapon capability demonstrated by India was first developed by the US in 1959, primarily to counter the erstwhile Soviet Union. What is an A-SAT? A-SATs (Anti-Satellite Weapons) are aimed at destroying or disabling space assets, whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive, according to a document of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). They are generally of two types: kinetic and non-kinetic. Kinetic A-SATs They must physically strike an object in order to destroy it. Examples of kinetic A-SATs include ballistic missiles, drones that drag an object out of orbit or detonate explosives in proximity to the object, or any item launched to coincide with the passage of a target satellite. This means any space asset, even a communications satellite, could become an A-SAT if it is used to physically destroy another object. Non-kinetic A-SATs A variety of non-physical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks. These methods can also render an object useless without causing the target to break up and fragment absent additional forces intervening. Test Guidelines In 2018, the UNIDIR proposed three A-SAT test guidelines. Under the No Debris guideline, if an actor wishes to test A-SAT capabilities, they should not create debris. If an actor must create debris during an A-SAT test, it should be carried out at an altitude sufficiently low that the debris will not be long-lived. It also suggested that actors testing A-SATs should notify others of their activities (even if they are not completely transparent on the motivation behind the test) to avoid misperceptions or misinterpretations. However, there is no consensus among the space-faring nations on the guidelines. Nothing has been formally adopted, Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow at UNIDIR, said. Kolkata: The TMC will work for the revival of the Planning Commission, institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetization and a review of the GST if the opposition alliance is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto released by party supremo Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday. Ms Banerjee, a prime mover behind the efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance of opposition parties, said she is not fighting for chair and that her aim is to rid the country of the reign of fear. The West Bengal chief minister also said the 100-day work provision under MNREGA, the government's flagship employment scheme for the rural poor, will be extended to 200 days a year and the wages doubled. Why was demonetization carried out? We want a judicial probe monitored by a former Supreme Court judge...We will bring back the Planning Commission and ensure that it strengthens the federal structure, she told a press conference after releasing the manifesto. The 67-page manifesto has been published in Bengali, English, Hindi, Nepali, and Ol Chiki, the tribal Santhali language. We want the GST to be reviewed by an expert committee. If it is really helping people, we would keep it or else we would review it, she said, but went on to add that both GST and demonetization have destroyed Indian economy. Targeting the Modi government over its alleged failure to keep its promise of creating two crore jobs every year, Banerjee said the new government will lay special stress on em-ployment generation and filling up the vacancies meant for Schedule Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Oth-er Backward Classes candidates, including those from the minorities. A report from Shopian said that 24-year-old Dar was shot from point blank range near a mosque at Kachdoora, resulting into his instant death. SRINAGAR: Suspected militants on Wednesday shot dead a youth in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmirs southern Shopian district. Later a video carrying confessional statement of the youth was circulated through social media platforms. In the video apparently shot before he was killed, the youth is saying that he provided information about the whereabouts of four militants to the security forces who were subsequently confronted by them. The police identified the slain youth as Tanveer Ahmed Dar, a resident of Bemnipora of Shopian. It said that he was waylaid by the militants and later killed in neighbouring village of Kachdoora. A report from Shopian said that 24-year-old Dar was shot from point blank range near a mosque at Kachdoora, resulting into his instant death. Later the police after completion of medico-legal form-alities handed the body over to his family. The police has registered a ca-se and officers visited the spot to establish circumstances of this terror crime, a statement issu-ed by the police said. Former Prime Minister of Nepal Jhala Nath Khanal calls on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, wearing a Nepali hat, at Cliff House, his official residence, in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The Chief Minister's wife Kamala Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodyeri Balakrishnan are also seen. Thiruvananthapuram: Former prime minister of Nepal and senior leader of Communist Party of Nepal (UML) Jhala Nath Khanal has accepted the proposal of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for cooperation with Kerala in the tourism and ayurveda sectors. The proposal was made by the chief minister when a delegation led by Mr. Khanal called on him at the official residence Cliff House on Wednesday. Mr Khanal briefed the chief minister about the political situation in Nepal and progammes being implemented by the Nepalese government in various sectors. Nepal was currently making all efforts to modernise the agriculture sector, he said. The two leaders also discussed the possibilities of co-operation between Nepal and Kerala in other fields as well. The former prime minister had on Tuesday expressed the desire to learn from the Kerala model of development particularly in the health, local bodies and cooperative sector. "We are in the process of developing and implementing our own model of development and the experiences of Kerala would help us significantly," he said. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and politburo member M.A. Baby were also present during the meeting. New Delhi: A political slugfest broke out on Wednesday over the anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test, with the Opposition parties accusing the Narendra Modi government of trying to play politics with ASAT and trying to divert the nations attention from burning issues on the ground like unemployment, the rural crisis and womens safety by pointing at the sky.Reacting to this and the Op-positions reaction, including the Congress, the BJP took a dig saying while the ASAT missile was successfully tested in space, but it seems a few people on earth have also got hurt. As the Congress credited itself and the erstwhile UPA government for the countrys space mission and this achievement, the BJP accused the Congress and the UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the countrys own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked capability and clarity. After Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day; BJP president Amit Shah said: Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks all the nations a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers drama... Success of scientists drama ... Masquerading as leaders, all that The Dynasty has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee said: Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi, desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct. BHUBANESWAR: Pictures of BJPs Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra carrying an idol of Lord Jagannath during a rally on Tuesday has now sparked off a controversy. According to sources, after Patra was nominated as BJP candidate from Puri Lok Sabha constituency, the senior party leader had ta-ken out a campaign rally during which he was seen holding an idol of Lord Jagannath. The servitor community of the 12th century shrine condemned Mr Patras act as an insult to the culture, religion and faith of Lord Jagannath. We have the festival of Rath Yatra which is dedicated for Lord Jagannath, but the way the BJP leader promoted the act of carrying the Lord in a car is a disgrace, said senior servitor Rama Chandra Das Mohapatra.However, Mr Patra defended the charges levelled by the servitors and said that he only carried an idol of Lord Jagannath which was given to him by a supporter. A friend of mine gifted the idol of the Lord to me during my campaign and I carried it with bhakti (utter devotion). It is not at all an issue of politicization of the Lord Jagannath, but whoever presents me such an opportunity to carry the Lord, I will do so," said Mr Patra. Bengaluru: With chairman of DRDO, Dr G. Satheesh Reddys assertion about achieving accuracy in terms of centimetres during anti-satellite weapon (A-SAT) test, the countrys defence and space programmes not only mirror best-in-the world capabilities utilising indigenous technology but also the philosophy of deterrence against long range missiles. Also, just as the United States, Russia and China brought down their own satellites to demonstrate this prowess, Isros Microsat-R, weighing more than 700 kg, launched in January 2019 for defence research, was the target of the successful test. The missile, a variant of DRDOs ballistic missile defence system was used. With scores of Indian satellites forming the backbone of the countrys security, economic and social infrastructure, the Union government gave the thumbs-up for a test to verify DRDOs ability to protect these space assets from any adversary. Though the concept of A-SAT was presented by Dr V.K. Saraswat, former chief of DRDO in 2012, his successors and colleagues fine-tuned all technologies and carried out the test only after acquiring a degree of confidence about its ability to strike with precision. India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. We are against weaponisation of outer space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space-based assets. India is a signatory to the outer space treaty which prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in outer space, not ordinary weapons. India expects to play a role in the future in the drafting of international law on prevention of an arms race in outer space, including prevention of placement of weapons in outer space in its capacity as a major space faring nation, explained a top official of the ministry of defence. Jaitley said the Opposition has lost one more chance to "correct" its mistakes when they questioned the Centre over the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot air strike. (Image: ANI) New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday slammed Congress for claiming that the process to develop anti-satellite (ASAT) missile began during previous UPA government, saying that Manmohan Singh government had refused to give permission for the testing of its capability. "All process started after 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved it," the Union Minister said terming today's test of ASAT missile as "monumental" and "historic" day for the country. "Our scientists wanted this (test to be conducted) earlier too. They had even said that we have this capability but Government of India is not allowing us and that is why we are not able to develop it," Jaitley said addressing a press conference here. He cited media reports published on April 21, 2012 to enforce his point that previous governments withheld permission for this test to be conducted. "The Congress leader patting their backs should remember that VK Saraswat (then DRDO chief) said we now have the capacity to develop an anti-satellite missile but the government has not permitted us to do so," said the Union Minister who is also a member of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). "Those who are wrongly patting themselves for their failures should remember that footprints of their lies do get exposed. Our scientists were ready for this since last decade but previous governments didn't have the clarity to approve it," he added. Taking a dig at other opposition leaders for suggesting that this could have happened after the elections, the Union Minister said, "The lower they go, the stronger we emerge and as far as the issue of EC is concerned, let me say that India's nuclear programme is a continuous process. It cannot be put to halt if it does not suit the West Bengal Chief Minister." "When finger points at the moon, the idiot always points to the finger," he said slamming the Opposition for raising "clerical objections". Jaitley said the Opposition has lost one more chance to "correct" its mistakes when they questioned the Centre over the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot air strike. "Can anybody argue that this sensitive programme (ASAT missile) should have been known to anyone else other than those in command? It is regrettable that elementary lessons of national security are not known to my friends in the opposition," the Union Minister said while rejecting allegations that BJP was politicising the test. Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the scientists and labs involved in the mission, Finance Minister said, "It is a historic day for our nation and especially for our scientists because they have achieved a capability which was earlier only with three countries. The Prime Minister also deserves compliments for this. He is advancing the country's security doctrine." Commenting on the geo-strategic conditions, he said, "India is a peace-loving country. Just like our nuclear capability, this too is a deterrent capability. We have become the fourth country to achieve this capability. With this capability, we are able to compel others to keep peace in the region." "We are in the geopolitical situation where our preparedness is our deterrent and security. Everything was made in the country and researched here. We must remember that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars," the Union Minister added. Asked as to why the Prime Minister did the announcement, he said, "Deterrents has to be known to all concerned and for a deterrent of this kind, there is no better person than the Prime Minister to inform the world about it". Jaitley said, "This country should remain prepared for cyber and space wars." The world was aware of India being a responsible nuclear power, he underlined. The Minister also assured that the debris due to the test will be cleared within three weeks. Rao further stated that the transfer of three officers has been deliberately directed at a time when the investigation in the murder case of YS Vivekananda Reddy is at a critical stage. (Photo: ANI) Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday said the decision of the Election Commission of India (EC) to transfer three IPS officers in Andhra Pradesh is "the culmination of a well-hatched conspiracy" by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This comes a day after the EC transferred three IPS officers in Andhra Pradesh after YSRCP leaders accused them of working in favour of N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP. The EC issued transfer orders to Intelligence Director General AB Venkateswara Rao, Kadapa SP Rahul Dev Sharma and Srikakulam SP Venkata Ratnam. In this regard, TDP spokesperson K Rammohan Rao said: The direction of the EC to act upon frivolous complaint of YSRCP without following due procedures and principles of natural justice is not only unjustified but also unconstitutional. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been provided with Z plus security as he has the highest level of security threat. He had suffered an assassination attempt in the past. The director general intelligence directly supervises the security of Andhra Chief Minister and this attempt of the EC during the election campaigning is nothing but a threat Naidus security. Rao further stated that the transfer of three officers has been deliberately directed at a time when the investigation in the murder case of YS Vivekananda Reddy is at a critical stage. No reason was mentioned for the transfer of concerned officers and they were not even given an opportunity to present their versions as a measure of principles of natural justice. Further, the transfer of Kadapa SP hampers the investigation into the brutal murder of former MP YS Vivekananda Reddy in his residence. The transfer of SP Kadapa based on the complaint filed by YSRCP leaders, who themselves are accused in the murder. Presently, the investigation is at a critical stage and the transfer of IPS officers compromises the pace and outcome of the investigation, he said. Rao further alleged that the EC preferred to be a "mute spectator" to the TDPs complaint regarding a criminal conspiracy by YSRCP to delete the names of TDP voters through "pseudonymous" Form 7 applications. So far no action has been initiated in the case. This is an indication of blatant partiality that adversely affects the principles of neutrality and level playing field which are fundamental pillars of a free and fair election, the TDP spokesperson said. As we have been cautioning that the independence of various institutions in the country is being compromised and the EC, which is the last hope to save democracy in the country also appears to be succumbing to the pressures of the BJP and its friendly parties. This is a serious threat to free and fair elections in the country and destroys the morale of officers, he added. The transfer of three officers comes after a delegation of YSRCP leaders led by Member of Parliament (MP) Vijayasai Reddy met with the EC on Tuesday to register a complaint against some police officers, alleging that they are working in favour of the TDP. The EC, in its order attaching all three IPS officers, stated that their immediate subordinates will take charge. Also, the three officers have been asked to not take-up any election-related duty. Elections to 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. The Congress president also assured the OBC community that they would see many more MPs and MLAs from among them as the Congress had earlier given two OBC chief ministers to the country. (Image: File) New Delhi: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said his expression during his address to the nation betrayed his anxiety that "his time to go has come". Addressing a convention of the party's Other Backward Classes (OBC) department, Gandhi said the prime minister has realised that the Congress will now give justice to the poor. His reference was to the newly-announced NYAY (minimum income guarantee scheme) whereby the party promises to give Rs 72,000 per year to five crore poor families in the country to bring them out of poverty. The Congress president also assured the OBC community that they would see many more MPs and MLAs from among them as the Congress had earlier given two OBC chief ministers to the country. "He (PM) made the country wait for 45 minutes for his announcement, did you look at his face? He has realised that the Congress will now give justice...Modi is now afraid that his time to go has come," he told the gathering at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here, ahead of the April-May parliamentary election. In an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media, Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. Attacking the prime minister, Gandhi said he had lied about giving Rs 15 lakh to people in the run-up to the 2014 election, but the Congress would give Rs 72,000 as part of the proposed income guarantee scheme. "We won't be able to give Rs 15 lakh, but we won't lie. We will give Rs 3.60 lakh crore in the bank accounts of the poor," he said. "What we say, we do. I am guaranteeing your community (OBCs) that in the coming days, the Congress will give you space. Today you see two OBC CMs, you will see much more OBC MPs, MLAs," he said. "We have written in our manifesto that any youth, be it from any category, doesn't need any permission for the first three years for starting a business...We want make in India, not made by Ambani...we want make in India, not made by Ambani in France," he said. Gandhi has been alleging that businessman Anil Ambani has benefitted from the Rafale deal with French defence firm Dassault, an allegation denied by the industrialist and the government. I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for, she told reporters. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Actor Urmila Matondkar Wednesday joined the Congress after meeting party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. The Bollywood actor is speculated to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency. Matondkar said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. She said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. "Today is a significant day for me as I have formally entered politics. My life has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi from the days of my childhood," she also said. Matondkar also lauded the leadership of Gandhi. She said he is the one who takes everyone along and such a leader is required in today's times. Surjewala said the actor met Gandhi and expressed her solidarity in the Congress ideals and principles. "She has been an inspiration for the youth on how with your hard work, commitment and talent, she has won the hearts of many and achieved a lot," Surjewala said. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Milind Deora and his predecessor Sanjay Nirupam were also present during her joining and both welcomed her into the party fold. d wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The CPI(M) Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in midst of the national polls. In the letter, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the scientists for developing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and said the fact that India had developed this capability was announced by then chief of the DRDO in 2012. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. "This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct," he added. Yechury sought to know if the Election Commission was informed of such an address to the nation by the prime minister. Did the Election Commission consider and permit such an address to the nation by the Prime Minister? I am sure that the entire country would like to know the special reasons why the Election Commission permitted the achievements of Indian scientists to be politically coloured during the course of the general elections," he said. Sircilla: If the Congress wins the forthcoming general election, it would be beneficial for Mr Rahul Gandhi, if the BJP wins, Mr Modi will be benefited, but if the TRS wins, it would be highly beneficial for the people of Telangana state, TRS party working president K.T. Rama Rao told a public meeting in Mustabad in Rajanna Sircilla district on Wednesday. Mr Rama Rao said people had lost faith in the two national parties that had ruled the country for so many years. Voters had ensured good results for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti in the Assembly elections in December last year, he said, and urged that the same spirit should result in TRS candidates being elected in all 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the coming parliamentary elections. About 15 political parties across the nation are ready to join with the TRS to form a front at the Centre, he said. Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, Naveen Patnaik in Orissa and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh are ready to join hands with the TRS. If this combination gets more than 166 Lok Sabha seats, the TRS will become the king maker in Delhi, Mr Rama Rao added. He enunciated his partys grouse against the BJP-led Central government. Several appeals have been made to give the Rs 80,000 crore Kaleswaram project national status, but the BJP government has not responded to date. Prime Minister Modi's government is also not sanctioning funds to the TS government, Mr Rama Rao said, adding that funds are being sanctioned only for states ruled by NDA partners. Niti Ayog suggested that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government sanction about Rs 25,000 crore for Telangana, but it has not sanctioned them to date, Mr Rama Rao said. Mr Rama Rao appealed to the people to elect the TRS's nominee from Karimnagar, B. Vinod Kumar, with a big majority and send him to Parliament to exert pressure on the central government to bring the railway line to Karimnagar and to accord national status to the Kaleshwaram project. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Hyderabad: The victory of T. Jeevan Reddy from the graduate's constituency in the Legislative Council elections has come as a huge relief to the Congress which has suffered a series of setbacks. It has also strengthened the argument of opposition parties that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are unreliable. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that if the assembly elections had been conducted through ballot papers, the Congress would have won. EVMs were used in the December 2018 Assembly elections, which the TRS won comprehensively, but the usual ballot papers were used in the Legislative Council elections. Opposition parties have been opposing the use of EVMs and demanding that ballot papers must be used. About 23 political parties - six national and 17 regional - have moved the Supreme Court demanding the random verification of at least 50% of EVMs in every assembly segment, using the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Telangana Congress affairs in-charge RC Khuntia alleged that the TRS won the recent assembly elections by 'managing' the EVMs, but faced a set-back when ballot papers were used in the LC elections. Congratulating T Jeevan Reddy, Mr Khuntia said that this is a victory of the people of Telangana. He said that the results in three LC seats indicates the anti people policies of the Telangana government. TPCC working president A Revanth Reddy commented that in the Lok Sabha elections the party will get the same results. Meanwhile, TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy called on Congress MLAs who have defected to return to the party. He said that in all three LC seats Congress backed candidates won with huge majority. The mood of the people of Telangana was already against the TRS in the assembly elections; however, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao manipulated EVMs and indulged in other irregularities to win the polls," he alleged. The Legislative Council elections have brought some much-needed relief to the Congress which is beset by defections of party MLAs and senior leaders. With the victory of Jeevan Reddy, the Congress will have a voice in the Telangana Legislative Council. The two Congress MLCs, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy and Shabbier Ali, are retiring on March 29. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Chennai: Continuing his tirade against the DMK and its chief MK Stalin in the course of his high-decibel poll campaign, Chief Minister Edappadi listed the various acts of violence by the DMK workers and wondered how much worse their public conduct would be if at all they come to power. We have witnessed the DMK workers attacking the workers at teashops and parotta shops when they were asked to pay for what they had eaten. If this is their behaviour when they are only in the Opposition, just imagine what they would do if at all they form government, said the CM addressing poll rallies in Chennai and surrounding constituencies on Wednesday. Accusing the DMK of miserably failing to take steps for the gazette notification of the Cauvery tribunals final order, in 2007, the CM said despite several pleas from the farmers and various other sections in the State, the DMK did not take even the least effort to protect the rights of farmers, though it shared power with the Congress at the Centre. DMK president M K Stalin lambasted the CM and also Deputy CM at his massive poll rallies in Theni and Periyakulam. The AIADMK administration has "pledged both your party (AIADMK) and the Tamil Nadu government" to the BJP at the Centre just to "save their positions and personal interests. Even pledging something in a pawn shop can be redeemed, but you have pledged it with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah which is irredeemable," Stalin said. He demanded to know how OPS has amassed such huge wealth after starting as just a teashop owner some years ago. DMK let down farmers, cant deliver goods: CM Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who is campaigning in the city, tore into the DMK on Wednesday saying the party which had "miserably failed" to act in the interest of the Tamil Nadu farmers on Cauvery issue, cannot be expected to deliver the goods. "Unlike the DMK, the AIADMK ensured rights of Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery by not only ensuring gazette notification (of the tribunal's final order) and also the constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Authority," he said, amidst thunderous applause from the party members. Apparently drawing a leaf from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at Chennai rally, of his "hard work" that made him occupy the highest position of PM and not education at "Harvard" Business School from where former Union Minister P. Chidambaram was educated, Mr. Palaniswami said he rose to become Chief Minister by sheer "hard work" and not "short cut." "I came up the hard way. My political journey began during my student days in 1974 as branch secretary, then assumed various positions in the party, got elected as MLA, MP, became Minister and now you (voters) made me the CM. But Stalin (DMK president) became the party president and deputy CM because of his father (late DMK stalwart M. Karunanidhi). Whether party or government, there can be no shortcut. The way up is long and hard to achieve," he said. Also, he learnt to respect leaders and people, he added. The CM claimed that Stalin does not seem to see the mammoth crowd at the AIADMK-led rallies and said pointing at the huge crowd around, "it is 11.30 am now. The sun is blazing on our heads. But ignoring the scorching sun we all have gathered here to strive hard for the victory of the AIADMK-led alliance. And he says the CM is addressing campaign meetings that hardly attracted the people." The CM also took a dig at Stalin saying the DMK leader claims that he would take steps to form a separate wing to protect temple idols. "Surprisingly, he appears to be unaware that our respected leader MGR (former CM M. G. Ramachandran) had constituted the idol wing during his term in office. Strong rooms are being built to safeguard the temple idols, as per the court order," Palaniswami added. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Foreign tourists cheer Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during his campaigns at Mahabalipuram on Wednesday. He campaigns for his party candidate for Kanchipuram LS constituency Maragatham Kumaravel and AIADMK candidate for by-election for Thiruporur Assembly S. Arumugam. (DC) CHENNAI: Averring that the country will be safe from terror attacks only in the hands of ''able and capable'' leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister has urged the electorate to give a massive mandate to Modi for national security and progress. Campaigning for the AIADMK-led alliance candidates at Porur, Sholinganallur, Mamallapuram, Thirukazhukundram, Tambaram and Guindy, on Wednesday, he said the Lok Sabha election is very crucial as it not only ensures a "competent" government at the Centre that could effectively tackle the menace of terrorism besides fostering growth in the country but also enables Tamil Nadu to voice its concerns and find amicable solutions to various issues. "The Parliament helps to find solutions democratically but DMK which shared power with the Congress took no effort on protect the rights of Tamil Nadu," Mr. Palaniswami said. Justifying his party's alliance with the BJP, Palaniswami who is AIADMK's Joint Coordinator, said his party firmed up alliance with the national party to guarantee more development to the State and to resolve TN centric issues at the national level. "We will support the Centre on issues that are good for the people of the country and will oppose those that go against the interest of the people of Tamil Nadu. The alliance is also for a stable government at the Centre," the CM added. Stating that the DMK was making vain attempts to project its combine as a strong force, he said the results of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections would show who had trounced the DMK to an abysmal low. "On our own, under the leadership of Amma (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) we won 37 seats, while the BJP and PMK one seat each out of total 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. Now do you see the DMK's position?" he asked and added the AIADMK combine will make history by winning all the 40 seats (including the lone Puducherry constituency) this time. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Several people were injured Wednesday in a blast in Stockholm, Swedish News SVT reported. A view of a building in an industrial area after an explosion in Stockholm, Sweden March 27, 2019. [Photo: VCG] The explosion, occurred at around 1:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) in the suburb of Vinsta in western Stockholm, damaged a hotel, cars and the facades of nearby houses. "Based on the information I have received, a huge explosion has occurred," police officer Fredrik Andersson told SVT. People near the scene of the explosion were in shock while those who sustained minor injuries have been sent to hospital, Andersson added. Police have launched a preliminary investigation into the explosion. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress (Mani) chairman K.M. Mani is unlikely to attend election campaign meetings for the first time since 1965. The 86-year-old is staying away from the campaigning due to ill health. Mr Mani got admitted to a hospital in Kochi a day after his party chose Thomas Chazhikadan as the KC (M) candidate in Kottayam to succeed his son Jose K. Mani. A senior leader said it is doubtful that he will participate in election campaigning anywhere this time. Hes feeling short of breath after walking a few steps, he told this newspaper. He had the habit of pressing his chest and coughing in between while talking. The other day, he called up a bereaved NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair over the phone and spoke very briefly. His son had on Tuesday informed party workers that he had been daily discussing with him on the poll scenario. UDF leaders have also been enquiring about his health condition every day. But they had no idea when he will get discharged. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. PERIYAKULAM: In a devastating political attack from the home turf of the Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK's coordinator, O. Pannerselvam, the DMK leader MK Stalin on Wednesday lambasted the EPS-OPS administration for having "pledged both your party (AIADMK) and the Tamil Nadu government" to the BJP at the Centre just to "save your positions and personal interests". "Even pledging something in a pawn shop can be redeemed, but you have pledged it with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah which is not redeemable," Stalin said, in a no-holds-barred attack on the Chief Min-ister, Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy Pannerselvam. Mr. Stalin was addressing a huge rally here in support of the Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan, contesting as part of the DMK-led front from Theni constituency here in the April 18 Lok Sabha polls and the Assembly by-poll from Periyakulam to be simultaneously held for 18 Assembly seats. Refuting Mr. Pannerselvam's charge made in Madurai on Tuesday that the DMK as part of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre had "completely compromised" on the State's rights as 'despicable piece of falsehood', Stalin, citing from OPS' speech in the Assembly recently when he presented the State budget as Finance minister, said the funds sought from the Centre for 'Gaja' cyclone relief had not been fully received, nor the GST collections. "So who compromised Tamil Nadu's interests and rights, we (DMK) or they (AIADMK)," Stalin asked the crowd and added it was the AIADMK MP and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai, who had lamented openly that "We (TN) are like beggars seeking alms, even as the Centre is dragging its feet in transferring over Rs 10,000 crore due to Tamil Nadu." It was the AIADMK regime which had "surrendered" State's interests, Stalin stressed. Hailing the illustrious political background of the Congress veteran Elangovan, a grand-nephew of the Dravidian Movement's leader Periyar, Mr Stalin said Elangovan had been chosen for this seat not merely because he "is the son of EVK Sampath" a great scholar and orator in the DMK in its formative days. Elangovan by himself had credentials as an effective, efficient Minister at the Centre and a powerful speaker who speaks his mind not fearing consequences which won him this nomination. "Can the same thing be said of the AIADMK candidate contesting Theni," asked Mr Stalin, underscoring the fact that P Ravindranath got the seat "merely because he is OPS' son." "In fact Mr OPS would not have forgotten how Ms Jayalalithaa before the 2016 Assembly polls was reluctant to even give him a party ticket and it was after much cajoling that OPS got to contest," Stalin pointed out, taking potshots at the 'dynastic' argument thrown by the AIADMK against the DMK nominees for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Raising several issues related to Constitutional propriety and governance, Mr Stalin said it was a mockery of all accepted norms that while 11 AIADMK MLAs' led by OPS who voted against the EPS government in the Assembly in the confidence vote, after efforts by Ms. Sasikala to ascend the 'gaddi' was stalled by the Supreme court judgment in the assets case after Ms Jayalalithaa's demise, 18 AIADMK MLAs' who merely sought a change of leadership in the AIADMK legislature party had been disqualified. Though the Madras High court verdict had upheld the "disqualification" of the 18 AIADMK MLAs (supporters of dissident leader TTV Dhinakaran), Stalin said the Supreme court's verdict on the DMK's petition questioning how the 11 MLAs' led by OPS could continue to be in office in a clear case of violation of the Anti-Defection Act, was expected anytime now. "We do not know whether that verdict will come before the April 18 elections to Lok Sabha and a mini-general election by way of by-polls to 18 Assembly seats are held here or after that, but that ruling would impact the ruling party," he said, hinting that the AIADMK was in a very precarious position. Mr Stalin also sought to drive home the point that if the simultaneous by-elections to 18 Assembly constituencies were being held now, it was a direct fallout of the Constitutional incongruence of 11 MLAs' led by OPS who voted against the EPS regime, allowed to remain in power, but the "positions (MLA seats) of 18 AIADMK MLAs' who voted to help EPS win the confidence vote, having been snatched away by a specious disqualification." This is constitutionally and politically "ludicrous", he said. Reiterating his strong belief that Rahul Gandhi would emerge as the leader in Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections and "become the next Prime Minister", Mr Stalin asked the electorate to send both the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the EPS-OPS regime here packing home." That is the most significant goal of the present elections, he emphasised. Flagging issues related to corruption and misgovernance under the present AIADMK regime, Mr Stalin went on with a lengthy unmasking of several episodes starting from Ms Jayalalithaa's "shock" when she was alive, on hearing that OPS' son was "director" in some big infrastructure companies which was bagging the "most important building contracts" in Tamil Nadu, even without "her knowing it". Questioning the moral high ground now being taken by OPS, Stalin alleged that OPS and his kin had a string of properties, estates and land holdings to their credit in Bodi and its surroundings in Theni district and in other parts of the State. The DMK leader charged that many things have happened, including the circumstances in which Ms Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital in September 2016, her treatment and who was in "control" of the purse-strings when she was in the hospital, OPS falling out from Sasikala's favour after the former CM's demise in December 2016, OPS rushing to the 'Samadhi' of Ms Jayalalithaa to "meditate" and then demand a probe into the circumstances of the AIADMK supremo's admittance, treatment and death, right down to the more recent incidents related to the heist and murder at Kodanad tea estate. Adverting to certain other incidents that began with the raid on Karur Anbunathan's house before the last elections, Stalin further alleged that the present Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was also a "party to the goings on", as one of the biggest highways department works contractor was "close to EPS and who is also now proximate to OPS." The latest Madras High court verdict setting aside the election of the late AIADMK candidate Bose from Tirupurankundram constituency, on the ground that Ms Jayalalithaa's thumb impression at the hospital on the form authorising Bose's candidature was not in order, "vindicated" DMK's stand that several things were "shrouded in mystery" when Ms Jayalalithaa was in hospital. The DMK leader also tore to pieces the EPS-OPS current campaign slogan that the country's security interests were safe "only in the hands of Narendra Modi". "Why did Pulwama happen in the first place," asked Stalin. "Modi claims to be the chowkidar, but he is chowkidar only for the likes of Vijay Mallya, Edappadi Palaniswami, Vijayabhaskar (TN Health Minister) and also helping to shield those behind the sexual exploitation of over 200 women in Pollachi which came to light recently," claimed Stalin. Listing several welfare schemes implemented in Theni district, including a protected drinking water supply project for Periyakulam town, under the previous DMK rule when M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, Mr. Stalin assured the people of Theni that the "Neutrino project" will be scrapped if DMK was voted back to power. The DMK will also ensure the interests of farmers in the Mullaiperiyar dam issue and work for overall development of the constituency and the state, taking environmental concerns in view, added Stalin. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Last months arrest and subsequent booking under the Public Safety Act (PSA) of Yasin Malik, followed by the previous weeks proscription order against the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, is the ruling BJPs electoral ploy. Although the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir remains volatile, the government, instead of building on claimed gains from the airstrikes against terrorists and terror-facilities in Pakistan, chose to take a step aimed at harnessing its core Hindu voters in the Jammu region and in other states. This is evident in the jubilant responses to the Centres move by organisations ranging from various Kashmiri pandit bodies and individuals to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In the discourse following the Centres gazette notification, there is reference only to Maliks involvement in various terrorist crimes and killings in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The intent to shape discussion in this direction became evident when the CBI began reopening virtually defunct cases of terrorism filed against Malik. It is being overlooked that since the mid-1990s, when he publicly eschewed violence, Malik has been a part of political discussions with various governments. It has been conveniently disregarded that the Atal Behari Vajpayee government treated him as a stakeholder in 2003 when it initiated the dialogue process. Maliks arrest and the subsequent ban on the JKLF is a continuation of the BJPs tactics of taking every step in the troubled state with an eye on its support elsewhere in India. In a significant Independence Day speech in 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that the Kashmir imbroglio could not be solved by bullets. Two months later, the Centre appointed Dineshwar Sharma as its special interlocutor to engage with various sections of Kashmiri society, including the separatists. Maliks arrest and the ban on the JKLF is the final act of abandoning PM Modi's much-vaunted endorsement of the call for a healing touch. With that tack abandoned, the twin decisions have to be seen as part of a series of steps taken by the BJP and the Centre from before the imposition of Governors Rule in J&K in June 2018. To go back, the BJP's move to withdraw from the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition and the subsequent imposition of Central rule, although imminent for a long time, ended all the hopes generated by the BJP's decision to join hands with the Peoples Democratic Party. The withdrawal proved that the assessment of the BJP taking a bold step away from Syama Prasad Mookerjee and the partys past stance was premature. The imposition of Governors Rule, the refusal to hold simultaneous Assembly elections along with those for the six Lok Sabha seats from the state and the post-Pulwama/Balakot biggest ever crackdown against radical separatists is proof that the BJP had never abandoned its past stance on Kashmir. Since the early 1950s, the Sangh Parivars Kashmir vision has been shaped by its old slogan Jahan hue balidaan Mookerjee; woh Kashmir hamara hai (The Kashmir for which Mookerjee gave up his life is ours). The word hamara, or ours, is the operative part almost a giveaway and surely not a opening gambit to begin a process of reconciliation in a place with a history of conflict with the state and persecution of ordinary citizens. The BJP cadre may not have formally raised this slogan in recent years, but the sentiment has never been hidden. From the time the BJP joined the coalition with the PDP, it never allowed the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed or his daughter subsequently, to enact roles which enabled them to provide the much-needed healing touch. The experiment of two parties of contrasting views had raised hopes that the BJP would work towards altering the deep-rooted prejudice, even bordering on dislike and apathy, towards Kashmiris in most parts of India. But such hopes have been dashed, and now it is evident that Prime Minister Modi is back to the party's old understanding that Kashmir has to be managed as a security problem, and not a political one. It appears fairly certain that party stalwarts, Mr Modi downwards, would campaign vociferously in at least the Jammu region and raise sensitive issues like the scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A. As always, the BJP looks at Kashmir and its people as a monolith, whereas it not just socially diverse but also politically varied. Creating a singular view of Kashmiri people results in a widespread bias, often degenerating into violence against them, as seen in the immediate aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike. This enables the BJP to solidify its support by claiming it is the only party capable of showing Kashmiris their place. The BJP and its affiliates have furthered a belief that every Kashmiri thinks alike, whereas the reality is anything but this. There are four distinct sections of Kashmiri people based on their political orientation and security profile. The first are obviously militants, with whom no dialogue is possible. This section, despite the BJP attempts to paint them as the majority, form a small part of Kashmiri society. The second category comprises separatists and those who sympathise with them. The third are the alienated ordinary citizens, which is possibly the largest section. The fourth group, also very large, are those with disagreements and grievances against the Centre and the mainstream political parties, but who are yet willingly a part of the political process. There is considerable overlap among the people in the second, third and fourth sections, and the efforts of the Centre through dialogues must be on the one hand to wean people away from the second and third groups, and to simultaneously ensure that those who are willing to give politics a chance do not join other groups because of being clubbed with the rest. Sadly, the BJP makes no such effort, and if it hypes up its campaign and backs it with action like the arrest of Malik and the ban on the JKLF, it will further push people to migrate to a higher level of disgruntlement and disenchantment. Ian Brackenbury Channell, known as the Wizard of New Zealand, waves in front of a memorial at the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch on Thursday, six days after the twin mosque shooting massacre that claimed the lives of 50 people. (Photo: AFP) The Christchurch tragedy represents the union of two extremist tendencies - white supremacy and Islamophobia. White supremacy says that whites are superior to other races and hence must dominate them. It targets Muslims, but also blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Jews. Islamophobia represents prejudice and hate against Muslims in Western and Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish societies. Both are old views. White supremacy was the official view in the West for centuries and spawned great evils like colonialism, slavery, genocide and Nazism. It was gradually displaced to the fringes over the last century. But only the overt use of force against other races has declined. Non-violent racial dominance via socioeconomic policies continues, eg in the US under conservatives. So there is class-based economic exploitation at work via the unfair division of profits between capital and labour. Then there is social discrimination at and beyond work against weaker races and ethnicities of all classes. The two combine to privilege rich whites. The forms of social prejudice vary across the conservative spectrum. Moderate conservatives practise it via quiet socioeconomic policies that mainly harm minorities. Severe conservatives use openly racist rhetoric that demonises and marginalises minorities. Finally, fringe ones still engage in violence against minorities, which has now become passe among other conservatives. So the aim across the spectrum evolves from keeping minorities marginalised, to openly humiliating and keeping them out, to physically eliminating them. Moderate and severe conservatives usually congregate, but keep fringe ones at arm's length. Still, the racist rhetoric of severe conservatives feeds the fury and terrorism of fringe ones, who obtain ideological sustenance from mainstream conservatism. But the sheer global hegemony of whites via less overt and violent tools and greater policing powers keep white supremacist terrorism small in the West. The targets of white supremacy have evolved over time - natives, blacks, Jews, Asians, Hispanics, and now Muslims, as white supremacy intersects with Islamophobia. Western Islamophobia has a history stretching back to early Muslim conquests. More recently, it has been reignited by the Iranian revolution, Muslim extremism and growing Muslim migration to the West. These trends have reignited latent Islamophobic terrorism among some groups in other societies too - Hindu, Jewish and now even Buddhist-majority ones. As in the West, the aim is limited to keeping a weak group subjugated, though the intensity and tools vary: from isolated attacks in India and Sri Lanka, occupation in Israel, to ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. But the most potent form of terrorism still emerges from some Muslim groups; it differs from other forms in key ways. Firstly, the aims are more diverse. As in the states mentioned, in some Muslim states too, it is wreaked by dominant groups aiming to keeping weak groups subjugated. But militancy is also employed to pursue freedom, overthrow secular regimes, end Western dominance, and establish a global 'caliphate'. Related to this is the organisational diversity, ranging from lone operators and small groups in the West to well-trained insurgent groups and even armies in other places. Secondly, the claimed links and references to religion are more explicit. Thirdly, the global reach is wider, covering several continents, with only white supremacist terrorism coming somewhat close. Fourthly, it is the only one which has managed to conquer and hold territories. Also, the links of some militant groups with certain Muslim countries are much stronger and overt, with only Myanmar being ahead of them. Finally, the bulk of their violence is visited upon people of their own faith. But unlike other forms of militancy, which are all currently expanding, it is in decline as seen in the clean-up in Pakistan and the Levant. Even so, it beats others in potency. It is unlikely that other forms will come close to it in potency. This is important to realise, for there is much injured indignation being expressed after the New Zealand attack to the effect that it shows that militancy is not only a Muslim problem. That certainly is true and there is much that non-Muslim states must do to curb their own terrorist groups. However, there is a widespread need to do much more in Muslim states like Pakistan. Here too, overall societal biases against other faiths have fed local terrorism while misplaced state policies spawned regional ones. Is the state willing to eliminate both? Until the state does so, the recent gains against terrorism may just be temporary. By arrangement with Dawn The Congress Partys minimum income scheme for the poorest one-fifth households in the country, announced by party president Rahul Gandhi on Monday, looks to be well worth exploring further. The scheme is to be a part of the Congress election manifesto. Every scheme that entails an outgo from the treasury for the sake of helping people fight poverty cant be dismissed as a sop or wasteful expenditure which doesnt lead to the creation of assets. When the UPA-1 government gave out Rs 60,000 crores as loan waivers for badly indebted farmers, who are usually the victims of a faulty agricultural economy in which returns on investment for farmers are paltry, experts and neo-classical economists made harsh criticisms. But later evaluations showed this block of funds helped kickstart sections of industry as farmers, with the aid they got, entered the market for non-rural goods. Under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), the Hindi acronym for the minimum income scheme, the poorest 20 per cent of households in India will get a flat sum of Rs 6,000 per month in their bank accounts, and the support will be available to households with incomes of less than Rs 12,000 per month. The succour provided can be a shot in the arm for five crore households, or about 25 crore individuals. It can help them with somewhat better nutrition, possibly chances of regular schooling that may lead to training for jobs. Higher incomes and deferred asset creation can accrue as benefits to the economic system as a whole, not just to the beneficiary families. NYAY targets the poorest 20 per cent households, unlike the Universal Basic Income (UBI) Scheme under which every household, regardless of its existing income level, will be covered. This model has been tried in some countries like Finland, and was alluded to by former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian in the 2016-17 Economic Survey, fuelling a discussion on the merits of UBI. But in the Indian context it may be more prudent to conserve public money by not extending income support even to those in higher income brackets, who have partial coverage, such as under NYAY. Practical difficulties pertaining to identifying the needy households with accuracy will no doubt arise, and also dealing with leakages from the system. But these may be overcome after the teething problems are sorted out. Perhaps it will be practical if some part of the expenditure in rolling out NYAY which could be around Rs 3,00,000 crores, though proper calculations are yet to be disclosed were met by rolling back some existing subsidies that are not delivering results for a variety of reasons. On balance, it may be best not to be cynical about the efficacy of anti-poverty measures such as NYAY, provided the rollout is efficiently done. Eminent economist Raghuram Rajan has voiced doubts about whether the Indian economy is really growing at seven per cent. It's the jobs data, or lack of it, that is leading to such fears over GDP figures. Are there enough attributes to sustain belief in the figures as we have come to know them since the base year was changed to 2011-12? There's no arguing against the need to change base years as decades have passed since the standard was fixed for compiling economic data. However, it's the ongoing election season that is to blame for the kind of distortions that were allowed to slip into the system, clouding the reality of GDP numbers as an index of growth, said to still be the world's fastest. The former RBI governor, who was at the heart of the Indian system, suggests an independent and impartial body to examine the data. The system is blessed enough with organisations to compile and study data. What is required is honesty to be able to pinpoint why the signs over the economy are still negative as seen in jobs getting scarce, agrarian distress expanding, lack of growth in the large unorganised sector and the corporate sector by way of absence of fuller capacity utilisation and alarmingly shrinking exports. These factors add up to suggest that a propagandist growth rate isn't the same as what such growth should do for the economy, mainly by creating jobs. Whichever government comes to power after May 23 and whoever leads it, what is needed is total transparency in data, because without real data, policy planning becomes meaningless. As many as 108 economists and social scientists wrote an open letter to warn about India's official data losing credibility while a group of chartered accountants pointed to buoyant income-tax collections as if to prove the obverse. Greater tax compliance is not to be taken as an index of jobs being created, whereas the hide and seek with the unemployment rate data is disrupting the presentation of the real picture. The point is India's data is and should be sacrosanct, and based on which much of the nation's economic rising might has also been recognised internationally. To tamper with that or to distort it for political purposes would prove counterproductive for the country even in the short term. The new government's immediate task would be to open up the jobs and unemployment data and introspect over why we got here, and what can be done to generate jobs as at least 15 million people are aspiring to join the workforce every year. In the end, performance is to be judged by what India can do for its youth by way of jobs. Given our population, we have to be a labour intensive rather than automated country, and we have so much to do for our farmers and the poor. According to the Christian liturgical calendar, we are now into the third week of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday and will end after Good Friday on the night of Holy Saturday with Easter. Those who take Lent seriously, usually try to work on their spiritual life by spending, as the Church recommends, more time in prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They simultaneously examine their personal life in the light of the Holy Bible, which contains numerous valuable instructions to correct ones errant ways while also illustrating means of coming closer to God. Among the various things that the Bible teaches, and many of them are not easy to practice, one that many of us engage in without even being aware of its consequences is the brutal use of our tongue. In common parlance it is called gossip. According to the dictionary, gossip is, casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details which are not confirmed as true. No wonder then that Pope Francis takes a strong view against gossiping and exhorts all to avoid it at all cost, saying, Gossiping kills. It kills because the tongue kills, like a knife. Be careful the gossip is a terrorist because he or she throws a bomb and leaves. St James in the Bible writes, Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of ones life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Similarly, St Paul exhorts, They have become filled with every kind of wickedness... They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil. While many Christians give up certain things dear to them during Lent such as chocolates, smoking, cinema and alcohol for self-restraint, few think of curbing on gossiping. It is probably easier to give up on those visible things than tackling an invisible weakness embedded in human nature. Another reason for paying scant attention to the devastating habit of gossiping is because it doesnt harm ones own self directly. Little do we realise that when we say mean things about others, were assassinating someones character. Using the triple check scale accredited to Socrates can be a practical solution to gossiping: (i) Is what I am about to say, true? (ii) Is what I am about to utter good or positive? (iii) Is what I am going to say helpful to anyone? And the best is what Jesus taught, Do ye to others, what you would like them do to you. There is so much resemblance between Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and 13th Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insofar as issues of national security and defence preparedness (or the lack of it) is concerned. The Congress government under Nehru had some romantic concepts about peace and tranquillity that were far from the realities of the day. As early as in 1950 the then home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel wrote to Nehru: Chinese ambitions in this respect not only cover the Himalayan slopes on our side but also include important parts of Assam. However, Nehru continued to believe that aggression by China was not only difficult, but also that China had no intention to do it. He wrote to the chief ministers in 1959 that there wasnt the slightest reason to expect any aggression on our northeastern frontier. As clearly documented by Ramchandra Guha (Jawaharlal Nehru and China: A study in Failure?, 2011, Harvard-Yenching Institute working paper series), from 1950 to 1962 Nehru made a series of miscalculations and errors in his dealings with China. The first was his faith in officials who gave him wrong or foolish advice, or who executed the job assigned to them with carelessness or lack of foresight. This includes his intelligence chief B.N. Mullick and defence minister Krishna Menon. The second miscalculation was Nehrus under-estimation of the nationalist underpinnings of Chinese Communism, and the third was over strategy, in terms of his endorsement of Krishna Menons policy of not modernising the Indian military. Replace the 1950-1962 period with 2004-2014, Nehru with Dr Manmohan Singh and Krishna Menon with A.K. Antony, and you will see almost the same pattern of behaviour. The 26/11 attack on Mumbai was no less than aggression on Indian soil by the well-coordinated trio of the Pakistani military, its Inter-Services Intelligence and the terrorists. Now there is clear evidence that after the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, our security establishment, and especially our Air Force, had given him a clear option that it was capable of conducting a strike inside Pakistani territory, but that option was ruled out by Dr Manmohan Singh. A surgical strike was an opportunity lost and we didnt make use of it, said Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major (Retd), who was then Chief of the Air Staff. On the contrary, within eight months of this gruesome attack on Indian territory, Dr Manmohan Singh made another blunder at Sharm El-Sheikh, when in a joint statement with Pakistans then PM Yusuf Gilani, he accepted that talks with Pakistan and terrorist activities can go together. Both Prime Ministers recognise that dialogue is the only way forward... Action on terrorism should not be linked to the composite dialogue process and doors should not be bracketed. The Prime Minister said India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including all outstanding issues such as Balochistan, an official statement read. The same pattern was evident after Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement on Wednesday that India had successfully conducted an anti-satellite missile test. Contrary to the Congress claims, then DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat has clearly said that though India had such a capability since 2012, the UPA government didnt show the courage to conduct a test. Unfortunately, there was no Sardar Patel equivalent in Dr Singhs Cabinet. On the contrary, two home ministers during his tenure, Palaniappan Chidambaram and Sushil Kumar Shinde, were busy in creating false narratives of Hindu terrorism and saffron terrorism, conveniently ignoring the real threat of cross-border terrorism inspired by jihadi ideology. As far as defence preparedness is concerned, the pattern of negligence by the Nehru-Krishna Menon duo was repeated by the Manmohan-Antony combine. The decade-long rule by Dr Manmohan Singh was marked by both inefficiencies and indecisiveness, as clearly seen now by the lack of having basic requirements of the Army such as bulletproof jackets, the Air Forces long-overdue demand of advanced fighter jets, and the corruption in purchase of AgustaWestland helicopters. The then defence minister, Mr Antony, might have been a clean person but he was too indecisive, resulting in several crucial decisions on defence procurement being kept pending. The fact that he couldnt conclude the Rafale deal for 10 years is just one example. The latest revelations by Christian Michel that there was a strong lobby working for the Eurofighter exerting its influence on the establishment seems to be the real reason why the Manmohan government couldnt finalise the Rafale deal. In the past five years, the Narendra Modi government has successfully bridged the gaps in our defence preparedness. As documented meticulously by Jaideep Mazumdar (swarajyamag.com, January 28, 2019), the Indian armed forces are equipped with the most modern arms and ammunition, some of which are assembled and/or manufactured in India under the Make In India initiative of the present government. One needs to evaluate the surgical strikes after Uri and the Balakot airstrike after the Pulwama attack in this context. It was almost an iron-cast (but unwritten) part of our security policy to maintain the sanctity of the Line of Control. This doctrine had no reciprocity. Armed terrorists and even military regulars continued to cross the LoC brazenly, in some cases to even recruit local jihadists and carry out deadly attacks on our civilian and military establishments, killing scores of innocent lives, but we continued to adhere to this strategic constrain. In spite of the preparedness of our forces, the political leadership did not show courage to nip the roots. On the contrary, we have created a virtue out of weakness. The Narendra Modi government has shown, not once but twice, that India is not only capable of crossing the LoC but is also equally capable of crossing the international border of Pakistan to destroy the base camps of terrorists. It must be noted that both the surgical strikes and the Balakot airstrikes were pre-emptive measures to destroy terrorist base camps, and without any civilian casualties. India is traditionally a peace-loving country. The values of peace and universal brotherhood are enshrined in our civilisation. No one in India will argue against peaceful and friendly relations with other countries, including Pakistan. However, so far, this attitude was regarded as our weakness. After the surgical strikes and Balakot, we can now talk peace from a position of strength, and not out of compulsion. This is indeed a tectonic shift. The Modi government deserves the credit for this. At the time of conflict, it doesnt matter how much power one has. What really matters is the ability to use it. Similarly, peace is also a prerogative of the brave and capable, not a luxury of the weak and defeatist. Proponents of Trumps plan have said it would make the Pentagon more efficient and lead to real reform of a national security area where the United States faces threats from Russia and China. (Photo:AP) The chairman of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee strongly criticised President Donald Trumps plans for a new Space Force on Monday, setting the stage for a battle over one of Trumps favourite initiatives. Trump signed a directive in February to start the process of creating a new branch of the military dedicated to handling threats in space, which has become an applause line at the Republican presidents campaign rallies. Legislation to create the branch requires congressional approval. Proponents of Trumps plan have said it would make the Pentagon more efficient and lead to real reform of a national security area where the United States faces threats from Russia and China. But Adam Smith, the Armed Services panels Democratic chairman, said Trumps proposal would create a top-heavy bureaucracy, including two new four-star generals and a new Air Force undersecretary. He also said it requested an almost unlimited seven-year funding transfer authority that seeks to change existing laws without a detailed plan or analysis. I hoped that President Trump and DoD (Department of Defense) would exercise careful consideration and develop a realistic path forward, Smith said in a statement. However, the details of the Space Force proposal sent to Congress by the president are highly problematic. Smith said he would look at other potential legislative options regarding the Space Force. Representatives for the Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. If an Adobe customer is selling medical equipment to a hospital, for example, the new partnership would make it easier to target tailored LinkedIn ads to all of the people involved in the purchasing decision, such as doctors, technicians and finance managers. Adobe Inc and Microsoft Corp are partnering to bolster each others sales and marketing software capabilities, taking aim at common rival Salesforce.com Inc, they said on Tuesday. Adobe and Microsoft hope to make it easier for users of Adobes marketing software to find and target teams of potential customers for business goods on LinkedIn, the social network owned by Microsoft, they said at a conference in Las Vegas. If an Adobe customer is selling medical equipment to a hospital, for example, the new partnership would make it easier to target tailored LinkedIn ads to all of the people involved in the purchasing decision, such as doctors, technicians and finance managers. If the marketing campaign works, sales people could then use Microsofts sales software to help close the deal. The LinkedIn network is one of those clear holy grails for business marketers, Steve Lucas, senior vice president of digital experience at Adobe and former chief executive officer of Marketo, a business-to-business marketing software firm that Adobe acquired last year for USD 4.75 billion, told Reuters. It has just become such a huge lever for B-to-B marketers that it would be impossible for us to ignore it. Long known as the maker of content creation tools such as Photoshop, Adobe has in recent years turned to making the software used for marketing campaigns, which rely heavily on the content created with its software. Most of Adobes tools were for marketers trying to reach consumers, but the Marketo acquisition last year bolstered its software for business marketers. While Microsoft is best known for its Window operating system and Office program, it is also working to grow a business called Dynamics 365, software used by sales people to track deals. Its USD 26 billion acquisition in 2016 of LinkedIn, perhaps the most common tool used by sales people trying to drum up business, was a key piece of the effort. In doing so, both are taking on Salesforce, the cloud software company that offers sales and marketing software, where Adobe and Microsoft lack one or the other. But by integrating their systems, Adobe and Microsoft can offer something arguably a lot broader because Adobe software is how most marketing content gets made, said Melissa Webster, program vice president for content and digital media technologies at research firm IDC. Theres no question that Microsoft and Adobe both have a lot to gain from teaming up against Salesforce, Webster said. Salesforce could not be reached immediately for comment. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Islamabad: A Pakistani man has claimed that a Hindu woman, who authorities said was a minor and abducted by four armed men, has converted to Islam and married him in Sindh province, amidst uproar over a similar case involving two teenage girls from the minority community. His claim came a day after the provincial Minorities Affairs Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal directed authorities to register an FIR of the abduction and provide protection to the girl's family. The FIR was registered on Tuesday after the girl's father complained that his 14-year-old daughter was abducted from their house by four armed men, three of whom were unidentified, on March 17 from her residence in Badin district. However, the man came forward with the claim that she is now his wife after converting to Islam, Dawn reported. He sent documents to journalists, claiming that he has married the girl after she converted to Islam at the hands of Pir Jan Agha Khan Sarhandi on March 17 at his seminary in Samaro town, the report said. The man, who hails from Umerkot district, also rejected her father's claim that she was a minor, saying that the girl was 19 years old, it said. The incident came amidst nationwide outrage over abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two underage Hindi girls in Ghotki district in Sindh. Raveena, 13, and Reena, 15, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of influential men from their home on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage. The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday ordered official protection for the two girls due to concern about their safety as authorities widened a probe to ascertain if the teenage sisters were abducted, forcibly converted and married. 'He would fart behind me and walk away. He would do this five to six times a day.' he said. (Represetational Image) Australia: A unique case, something that would take one back to school, arrived at a Court of Appeal in Australia on Monday. The court was asked to decide whether flatulence is a form of bullying. David Hingst, a 56 year old former employee at Construction Engineering, certainly thinks it is. Hingst took legal action against the firm in 2017, accusing the supervisor Greg Short -- who was often referred to as 'Stinky' -- of being a serial farter who religiously used to 'thrust his bum' at him, reported News.com.au and Australian Associated Press (AAP). Hingst is looking for damages as much as 1.8 million Australian dollars (USD 1.28 million). According to AAP, Hinst said, that he would usually sit with his face to the wall and Greg would come into the room, which had no windows and was rather small. "He would fart behind me and walk away. He would do this five to six times a day, which would lead me to spray deodorant at him." The constant gas-passing, Hingst claimed, was part of a conspiracy to end his stay at the company and caused him 'serious stress'. He also said he was cornered and marginalized by other fellow employees and received bullying phone calls at odd hours in the day and night. Both parties to the lawsuit, however, remained unavailable for comment. During the trial, which lasted for 18 days, Greg Short testified that he "may have done it once or twice, maybe" but he had no intention of distressing and harassing his employee, according to News.com.au. The lawsuit, however, was dismissed by Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Rita Zammit. She stressed that even if farting had happened in a small windowless office, it does not amount to bullying. The judge said there was some ill-suited behaviour in the office, including passing wind, but that is nothing but 'typical banter or mucking around'. Kovind, the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Croatia, arrived here on Monday along with his wife Savita Kovind on the first leg of his three-nation visit. (Photo: PTI) Croatia: India will take all "necessary measures" to protect and secure itself, President Ram Nath Kovind has said in Croatia, referring to the IAF strikes on a terrorist camp in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated last month after Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. The JeM claimed responsibility for the attack. The Indian Air Force (IAF) launched a counter-terror operation against a JeM training camp in Balakot. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured its pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1. Kovind, the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Croatia, arrived here on Monday along with his wife Savita Kovind on the first leg of his three-nation visit. On Tuesday, he thanked the Croatian government for its steadfast support against terrorism. Speaking at an event here, Kovind said: "As for India, we have made it clear that we will take all necessary measures to protect ourselves, to secure ourselves, so that we can provide for the welfare of our people." "Peace and security are critical to foster the well-being of humanity. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Croatia for its steadfast support against terrorism. The world needs to take decisive actions against those who harbour and support terrorists," the president said. He also invited the Indian diaspora in the country to invest in India and be a part of its transformational journey. "The Indian economy is today an important engine of global growth. It is the fastest growing major economy, with robust economic indicators... I would, therefore encourage you to visit India, and experience the transformative changes happening," he said. Noting that initiatives like 'Make in India', 'Digital India' and 'Start-up India' provide new business prospects, Kovind said India and Croatia are keen to deepen their relations, particularly on the economic side. "A good foundation has already been laid, with investments by both sides. There is good potential to strengthen trade, investment and technology cooperation. Your support to explore new areas of collaboration would be invaluable," the president said. Kovind said Croatia has had affinity with India for centuries and has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of Indian languages, philosophy, history and culture. "Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore visited here in 1926, and influenced many Croatian poets and writers. The Indology Department of Zagreb University has made an outstanding contribution to the study and promotion of Indian languages, philosophy, history and culture in Croatia. I am impressed to know that it regularly organises conferences on Vedas and Puranas," he said. The values of democracy, pluralism and peace that India stands for, and its economic growth story, have combined to make India a force to be reckoned with, Kovind said. "We stand ready to work with everyone to find solutions to global challenges. We are ready to extend a hand of friendship to one and all," he said. It is also the only Iranian port with exemptions from unilateral economic sanctions reimposed by the United States in 2018. (Representational Image) Tehran: With the web of US sanctions tightening, Iran faces a host of challenges as it looks to an isolated port in the country's far southeast to maintain the flow of goods. The port in Chabahar, only about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the Pakistan border and located on the Indian Ocean, is Iran's largest outside the Gulf. It is also the only Iranian port with exemptions from unilateral economic sanctions reimposed by the United States in 2018. That is due mainly to the pivotal role of the port, and a planned railway line, in breaking landlocked Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan for trade with the world, especially India. Afghan trade as well as plans for a trading route by rail between central Asia and the Indian Ocean called the North-South Corridor are the main reasons the Islamic republic has invested one billion dollars in Chabahar's Shahid Beheshti port, official sources say. "We will keep on developing this port... our rail network, road network and airport are all being developed, so that we can implement the North-South Corridor," Roads and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami told AFP while visiting Chabahar for a development conference. More than 200 hectares (almost 500 acres) of land have been reclaimed from the sea for the project and over 17.5 million cubic metres (618 million cubic feet) dredged, creating a 16.5-metre (54-foot) draught. But more than a year since the new installations became operational in December 2017, business has yet to pick up. The ships that officials say have docked in the past year have only loaded and unloaded 2.1 million tonnes of cargo, a far cry from the port's annual capacity of 8.5 million tonnes. Only 20 ships have docked at the new section of the port and most of its three kilometres of waterfront remains unutilised, with new machinery and neatly lined-up cranes standing idle. Hossein Shahdadi of the provincial ports and maritime authority said that in the first 11 months of the past Iranian year, which started on March 21, 2018, "there has been a 56 percent increase in cargo handled at the port compared with the previous year". "We've also had a 25 percent rise in the number of ships calling at the port" on the Gulf of Oman, he said. Arun Kumar Gupta, managing director of India Ports Global Limited which has a 10-year concession at the new port, played down the startup issues. "Any port will have a gestation period, there will be lulls but we are very sure that traffic will pick up," Mr Gupta told AFP. The Indian company began work in December and has so far handled only an average of 60,000 tonnes of cargo per month. But Mr Gupta is counting on the port's proximity to India and Afghanistan to attract business. Apart from security concerns, US sanctions banning financial transactions with Iran make it ever harder to pay or receive payments. Some like Afsaneh Rabiani, who runs a freight forwarding company, see Chabahar as an opportunity for "those willing to take the risk". "I've been researching Chabahar for the past year and a half, and the infrastructure is now in place to do serious work here," she said. As for the sanctions, Iran's roads minister said the challenge was nothing new. "We were born with sanctions. Ever since the (1979 Islamic) revolution, we have been under sanctions and we are working on how to counter them," Eslami said, as he oversaw the unloading of a first shipment of Afghan goods lined up to be re-exported from Chabahar. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, who denies wrongdoing, has suffered four angina attacks in recent weeks, according to his daughter Maryam Nawaz. (Photo: File) Lahore: Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was released from jail on Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Court granted him six weeks' bail to receive medical treatment within the country. Sharif, 69, was lodged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail since December last year, serving a seven-year imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, who denies wrongdoing, has suffered four angina attacks in recent weeks, according to his daughter Maryam Nawaz. On Tuesday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa accepted Sharif's appeal and allowed him to get medical treatment from any health facility of his choice within the country. Sharif is barred from leaving Pakistan. The deposed prime minister's supporters and party workers gathered in large numbers outside the jail and showered his car with flowers as he left the area. Some PML-N party workers moved along with Sharif's car till his residence. The three-time prime minister was received by PML-N leaders and his family at his house in the Jati Umra Raiwind area here. Sharif's release got delayed as the court order and other required documents could not reach the jail for more than 10 hours after the bench's direction. The Supreme Court observed in its order that several senior doctors had suggested that Sharif's history of hypertension, cardiac and renal ailments may present a "mild-moderate risk" if he is to undergo angiography. Therefore, granting him relief for a limited period is a "reasonable" request, the top court said. It directed Sharif to deposit two bail bonds worth Rs 5 million Pakistani rupees (USD 35,423) each, receive medical treatment and surrender after six weeks. PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif thanked the court for "meeting the merits of justice". "We thank the SC for considering gravity of the situation in the light of the medical reports of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. We also thank the nation and workers of the PMLN whose prayers had made this day possible," he said. He said that Sharif's health and well-being is the utmost priority of the party and that would be their primal focus. The Sharif family has been complaining that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan was not providing adequate treatment to the three-time former premier who has serious health complications. Three corruption cases - Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills - were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body in 2017 following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in 2017. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield corruption case in July 2018 which was related to his properties in London. Later he was given bail in September. In December, the accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship corruption case. The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case is related to setting up steel mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money. In mid-November 2001, the young founders of a small, now defunct, IT start-up in Bengaluru called Premier Infotech invited me to their office. They wanted to tell me about a wonderful e-governance initiative launched by the new chief minister of Gujarat. Mr Modi is a dynamic chief minister, very tech-savvy. He wants every Gujarati to have a smart card into which all their details would be written on a chip name, address, blood group, etc. He wants us to complete the project in two months. We are running against time. Gujarat officials are working day and night some of them are up with us until 2-3 am through the week, the young fellows told me breathlessly. Those days, e-governance, smart cards, etc., were all the rage. Modi had become chief minister in October 2001, and immediately started the smart card project. All details of all individuals in one database with the government, and all services to citizens delivered efficiently. That was the dream that Gujarat had been sold. Three months later, there was the Godhra train burning incident in which 54 kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive. That was on February 27, 2002. The bodies were allowed to be paraded through the streets of Ahmedabad. The next day, the Gujarat riots and massacre started, and it went on for days, in places months together. Both media and official enquiry reports said gangs of rioters went around with lists of people and houses to be targeted. A cross-mark was put on the doors of Muslim households, and a day later they were attacked. People were pulled out of their homes, raped, butchered on the streets or whole buildings were set on fire and people burnt alive. The rest is history. Narendra Modi became Hindu Hriday Samrat. Then, facing worldwide opprobrium, transformed into Vikas Purush. And eventually became prime minister. I do not know for sure if those smart cards came in handy for the murderous rioters to find and target Muslims. But theres an infamous prior example of a similar device being used to find and exterminate millions of people of a particular religion. Hitlers Nazi establishment used Hollerith punch cards primitive IT technology in the 1930s to identify and locate Jews and mark them for elimination or concentration camps. February 27 was a significant date in Nazi history, too it was the day Hitler began his capture of all State power in Germany, as a precursor to the horrors that followed. The Nazis came to power in 1933 and Hitler had just become its head. On February 27, some arsonists set fire to the Reichstag, the German parliament building. Hitler immediately declared that it was the Communists who had set the building on fire. He imposed a national emergency and concentrated all authority in his hands. And thus was born the Fuhrer, the man who would preside over the extermination of six million Jews and the devastation of Europe. Why am I recalling this now? Why is it important now? It is important because we are at a critical juncture in our history as an independent nation. We are facing the most important election in our history an election for the soul of India, an election for the future of India. And tragically, like the great Karna in Mahabharata, we seem to be forgetting the most important, most powerful mantra of India secularism, diversity, tolerance, nay, acceptance of all kinds of people at the most critical time for us. Many, including sage thinkers, intellectuals and ordinary people are writing to say they are confused as to who to vote for. They are caught between Modi and the rest, between stable government and possibly a wobbly coalition, between unkept promises of the last five years and the hopelessness of the three years before that, between dynastic parties and a disciplined cadre-based party, most importantly between corruption and communalism. To me, however, the choice is clear. Dynasties will end sooner or later; failure to keep promises, whether by this government or the previous one, is not criminal so long as sincere efforts were made; and corruption is a widespread phenomenon across parties but can be tackled over time as our democracy and its institutions evolve. Indeed, much work has been done in this direction, including the Right To Information (RTI) Act passed in 2005. What wont go away once sown, however, is communalism and hatred for fellow Indians. That, when combined with proximity between the government of a party that believes in a religious majoritarian ideology and big business, is dangerous. Thats the one thing I will not vote for. The singular attack launched by Modi on opposition parties on corruption is good election time rhetoric. The Modi campaign in 2014 was successful in creating the impression that corruption was the only evil that the country faced, that Congress and other parties were the fount-head of that corruption and that he was the messiah who alone could put an end to it. Firstly, corruption is not the only nor even the greatest danger to the country. Communalism is. The hatred being spread between communities, including on social media, is. The impunity with which lynch mobs have acted in the last five years is. A turn towards Fascism is. Over two thousand years ago, Chanakya wrote: Just as we cannot know when fish swimming in water is drinking it, we cannot know when government officers are appropriating public funds. Corruption, therefore, has been a long-standing problem even in glorious ancient India. It did not start with Congress party in the 20th century, as Modi and BJP want us to believe, nor will it stop when that party is gone. But for all its ill-effects, corruption did not break India into pieces over these hundreds of years. What broke India into two was the sudden rise of communalism both Hindu and Muslim communalism towards the end of the 19th century, leading within a few decades to the Partition of India. Corruption is a creeping crisis, communalism is an exploding crisis. When it raises its ugly head, as it has in the last five years, there wont be time to react, to save the country from a descent into a pogrom, a genocide, a civil war. Thats the lesson Indias founding fathers including not just Gandhi, Nehru, Maulana Azad, but also Subhas Chandra Bose and his nemesis Sardar Patel and the right-wing in Congress learnt and based their policies and shaping of India on. Thats the lesson we must learn today. This is not to condone corruption, but to put it in perspective against a more clear and present danger facing us. In any case, are we expected to believe that the BJP and its leaders are not corrupt, are not the political half of crony capitalism, only the opposition leaders and parties are? To all those who still believe so, even after the GSPC affair, Sahara-Birla diaries, Rafale revelations, Vijay Mallyas great escape through Delhi airports diplomatic channel (with 300 bags, as per the Enforcement Directorate, and after a look-out notice against him was diluted), the escape of the two Modis, Lalit and Nirav, and of Mehul Choksi (of hamare Mehul bhai yahin pe baithe hain fame), the CBI filing a closure report in the Janardhan Reddy mining scam case, Electoral Bonds, the amendments to Foreign Contributions Regulation Act to make BJP, Congress and Left parties immune to probe on foreign funds retrospectively from 1976, the dilution of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Modi governments refusal to answer RTI queries on which businessmen accompanied him on his foreign trips and indeed its attempt to take control of the RTI institution, etc., and to all those who do not wonder at all where the humongous amounts of money needed to run the massive BJP election machine comes from, all one can say is, bhakti is blind. Be that as it may, so long as we are a working democracy, we will be able to work one step at a time towards eliminating corruption of most forms, whether Congress indulges in it or BJP or any other party. But, if we let politicians spread hatred and polarise society and we let their private armies indulge in violence with impunity and the rule of law and order is overwhelmed, if we let governments and businesses become one and take India on a path towards Fascism, that hope will be dead. Democracy can come up with institutions to tackle corruption, it cannot tackle communal hatred, its institutions cannot survive Fascism. As younger brother Ravi tells elder brother Vijay in Deewar, 'Saare Jahan Se Achcha' playing in the background, in the toss up between corruption and communalism, jis raast pe main chal raha hoon, shayad uska anjaam bura bhi ho sakta hai, lekin jis raaste pe aap ja rahe hain, uska anjaam sirf bura ho sakta hai, bhai! So, my vote will be to first save our democracy. And, unlike Karna, I wont forget the mantra at this critical time. What about you? (An earlier draft of this article was first written on February 27, but was not published then in view of the India-Pakistan tensions at the time) S Raghotham is Opinion Editor, Deccan Herald An ancient cave in Meghalaya provides the latest set of clues to scientists on the unlocking of the secrets of climate change with far-reaching implications. By studying the last 50 years of growth of a stalagmite inside the Mawmluh cave, they found an unexpected connection between the quantity of winter rainfall received in northeast India and a set of climatic conditions seen in the Pacific. The new research, scientists claim, would help understand how the pattern of northeast monsoon can change in future. Incidentally, the northeast cave where the experiments were conducted in the same one that brought international fame to Meghalaya last year after a geological era was scientifically named as Meghalayan Age on the basis of studies carried out in that formation. The cave has lots of stalagmites, a type of rock formation that rises from the floor. Stalagmites grow from water regularly dripping onto the floor of a cave and often build up regularly in one spot over time. When it is cut into half, one can see its growth history from the bottom where the oldest material is to the top where the youngest material is. A three-member team from Vanderbilt University, USA and Ruhr University, Bochum in Germany extensively studied the Mawmluh stalagmites in details. The Mawmluh cave is located on the southern margin of the Meghalaya Plateau 13.7 km from Mawsynram and 2.3km from Sohra (Cherrapunji), two villages that alternate for the title of the wettest place on the earth. The region receives 7080% of its annual rainfall between June and September, averaging 8,342 mm of rainfall between 19012014. The new research, however, sheds more light on the dry season rainfall that generally happens between October and December. From the analysis of trace elements (calcium and magnesium), scientists reconstructed the history of the stalagmite, providing information about local changes in hydrology. Comparisons of cave records and nearby rainfall data show that variations in dry season rainfall rather than the monsoon rains govern variations in trace element concentrations in the stalagmite and how the amount of variation changes from year to year. Our record documents relationships between stalagmite chemistry and rainfall in Meghalaya and other aspects of the climate system such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The analysis suggests a link between two that can be useful for understanding how Meghalayan rainfall will change in the future, team leader Jessica L Oster from Vanderbilt University told DH. Understanding past dry season rainfall variability may help improve mediation strategies against drought before it impacts the rainiest place on earth, the researchers reported in the journal Scientific Reports. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has accused the previous Congress government of failure in countering terror activities and said this amounted to the party indirectly backing Pakistans nefarious designs. The minister, while addressing Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra convention here on Tuesday, said that intelligence reports indicated probable terror activities in the aftermath of Pulwama attack. It was indeed imperative for India to react to thwart such possibilities. The NDA government ably tackled cross-border terrorism by destroying terror camps through airstrikes, she said. Criticising the UPA governments soft approach in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attack, Nirmala said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had zero tolerance towards terrorism. Earlier Karnataka election in-charge and former Rajasthan minister Kiran Maheshwari elaborated over the programmes of the National Democratic Alliance government. Earlier, the Defence Minister visited Sri Krishna mutt and sought the blessings of Paryaya Palimaru mutt seer Sri Vidhyadheesha Theeertha Swami. The seer requested the minister to send the war hero Abhinandan Varthaman to Udupi as the mutt wants to felicitate him for his bravery. The minister appealed to the seer to pray for re-election of Narendra Modi as prime minister. CHESTER Members of the Delaware County Institute of Science and Delaware County Historical Society were on hand to honor one of their own Tuesday. Medical pioneer and civic figure Dr. Anna E. Broomall was recognized with a Pennsylvania Historical Marker at the corner of 13th and Chestnut streets. More than 50 people were in attendance for a noon unveiling ceremony in a parking lot at the eastern end of Widener Universitys longtime Greek Row, where Broomalls home in retirement once stood. Im proud that were doing our part to preserve Dr. Broomalls memory and all that she has done to pave the way for women in medicine, said Widener University President Julie E. Wollman, Ph.D., during opening remarks. As we pass by this marker regularly, let it remind us of Dr. Broomalls contribution to the past, and her influence to the world today. And may this marker also inspire us to ask to how we too can impact the future. Wollman was followed in her remarks by city Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, Widener Associate Professor of Science Kathleen L. Hornberger, Ph.D., and Commissioner Philip Zimmerman, Ph.D., of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Broomall, born in 1847, spent her youth in Upper Chichester and Media before attending the Womens Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she graduated in 1871. As one of the first women medical students to attend lectures at Pennsylvania Hospital, Broomall faced hostility and harassment from the previously all-male student body, which would continue in her practicing years in the then male-dominated field. In the mid-1870s, she began to introduce European advancements in obstetrics to the U.S. after four years of study in French, German and Austrian hospitals. Dr. Broomalls years abroad in Europe afforded her the most advanced education and training available in obstetrics and gynecology, said Hornberger, who also serves as head curator at the Delaware County Institute of Science and began the nomination process for the marker. As a professor of obstetrics at the Womens Medical College of Pennsylvania for over 20 years, she and her students utilized (the advanced education and training) in caring for their patients both in the United States and in countries as far away as India and China. Along with teaching, serving as chair of obstetrics at the Womans Medical College and operating a Walnut Street practice in Philadelphia, Broomall also established the first U.S. out-patient maternity care clinic in South Philadelphia. Following her retirement from medicine in 1903, she resided in the uptown Chester home where the marker now stands from 1904 until her 1931 death. In retirement, Broomall pursued work in the city and countys civic life, including her work with the county Institute of Science in Media and as curator and librarian for the Delaware County Historical Society. She was among the leaders in the latter groups efforts to save the citys 1724 Courthouse from demolition in the early 1920s. The courthouse was honored with a Pennsylvania Historical Marker in 1954. Hornberger began the process to create Broomalls marker by submitting an application to the state commission in fall 2015. Broomall came to Hornbergers attention an estimated few years before the application was submitted when she presented a lecture on female members over the institutes history. After it was accepted in March 2016, it then began the review process for final approval. Zimmerman told the Times the process usually lasts two- to two-and-a-half years, going through vetting by staff on historical accuracy and relevance to Pennsylvania before reaching the commission for approval. Historical Marker Program Coordinator Karen Galle said by phone from Harrisburg that in the last several years, there are about 50 to 60 submissions. While there is no set annual limit, about one-third have reached final approval each of those years. These are signs that have statewide significance. Its not to belittle more local people and circumstances and events of importance, but this is a state-sponsored sign so theres a higher degree of consideration, said Zimmerman. On the edge of a university campus, that sign is going to inspire some people I think (Broomall) stands as an inspiring individual for anyone who wants to step into a field where theres not a well-worn path. UPPER DARBY Two members of a purported sovereign citizens movement were arrested for risking a catastrophe as part of an eviction action Monday after police found a generator, propane tank and car batteries powering a home on the first block of North Harwood Avenue. In the kitchen there were four batteries, car batteries taped together, and then that taping led to a propane tank and the propane tank was attached to a generator in the garage, so thats how they were getting gas and electric, said Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. They could have blown the whole neighborhood up. Sharon Gale, also known as Sharon Tracey Gale Bey, 43, the former homeowner of the residence, and Decorey Pitts, 41, were also charged with recklessly endangering another person, endangering the welfare of children and conspiracy, according to online court documents. Both are being held on $250,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 3 before Magisterial District Judge Ann Berardocco. It was unknown if they had attorneys Tuesday. The release identifies Gale as a member of the Moorish sovereigns, a sovereign citizen group identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-government and anti-law enforcement. Though the SPLC says Moorish sovereign citizens have been affiliated with the Moorish Science Temple of America, that organization has condemned sovereign citizen practices. According to a release from Delaware County Sheriff Jerry L. Sanders Jr., Gale defaulted on her home loan and the property was sold back to the bank at a Sheriffs sale in September 2017. At that time, Gale and Pitts became unlawful occupants, according to the release. The bank started an initial eviction process in January 2018, but that was stayed after an investment company paid off the bank loan, according to the release. The investment company started its own eviction process in December 2018 and an eviction was due to take place in late January. After Gale and Pitts were denied an emergency stay, Gale allegedly used social media to rally support from approximately 30 other Moorish sovereigns, who came to the house on the scheduled eviction date to thwart deputies from entering the premises, the release states. The Sheriffs office and Upper Darby Police Department agreed that it was best to postpone the eviction to avoid a conflict. When deputies and police returned early Monday, Chitwood said they came with a SWAT team, fire department, emergency medical services, and representatives of Delaware County Children and Youth Services. The goal was to get in there (and) that everybody was safe, said Chitwood. These sovereign citizens are against the government, and they will fight and they will do whatever they gotta do. Because of their anti-government feelings and the violence that they showed towards the government, thats why we went in strong. Chitwood said Pitts and Gale were taken into custody on traffic warrants and later charged with the more serious offenses as officers conducted a sweep of the house. The release states that a fully loaded 12-gauge, pistol-grip shotgun was also recovered from the bedroom where the defendants were found, and Chitwood said three dogs were found in crates in the basement. Three minors a teenager and two younger children were also removed from the house by CYS and taken to a hospital before being placed with family members, Chitwood said. He said Gale and Pitts refused to go before a judge, sign any documents or talk to anyone. (Gale) said, Youre all under arrest and Im going to sue everybody,' according to Chitwood. Deputy Sheik Roy Lee Bey, national coordinator for the Moorish Science Temple, the Divine and National Movement of North America, Inc. #13, denounced Gales and Pitts alleged actions and said they are not in line with his organization. We are part and parcel of the United States government, first and foremost, and we are a lawfully chartered organization, and we do not engage in such social or criminal activity whatsoever, said Bey. Bey said the Moorish Science Temple actually works with the government, law enforcement and court systems, and rejects sovereign groups under the Moorish banner that are antithetical to those institutions. If any crime were committed, these individuals have to be dealt with according to the dictates of the law, but we have nothing to do with criminal activity and we dont do house squatting either, he said. We are trying to stop this madness ourselves. Some of these groups have mirrored our organizations name but we dont want anything to do with this. This is just not what we do. SALT LAKE CITY Flashback: Imagine it's 1954. Charles and Shirley meet at a church dance, introduced by friends, where they sway to Dean Martin's "That's Amore." After several dates to the drive-in and school sporting events, they actually fall in amore. Flash forward: It's 2018. Steven and Tara match on the dating app Tinder. After first meeting up to go snowshoeing, they soon become "inseparable." Eventually, they're an embodiment of #relationshipgoals, Instagram-style. Love may be the same, but the way many people go about finding it has changed. But with more and more people using online dating sites comes rising concerns about personal safety. According to Pew Research Center, 45 percent of those who use online dating apps and websites believe that it is a "more dangerous way" to meet people than traditional methods. While there are no U.S. statistics that explore the relationship between online dating and assaults, several Utah cases in the past year of men accused of sexually assaulting women they met on dating apps have caught the attention of police and a victims advocacy group. Turner Bitton, executive director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, believes the prevalence of social media and online interaction in our lives "changes our understanding of what consent is." "You're more able to erase boundaries between you and another person," Bitton added. 'Swiping' a soul mate Tara and Steven Minert found each other among the millions of people who signed up for Tinder in the early days of the dating app craze. Tinder allows users to "swipe right" on the profiles of people they may be interested in and "swipe left" on those they are not. If both people "swipe right" on each other's profiles, a "match" is made. The Minerts met in March 2014. She needed to find a date so she wouldn't be "the fifth wheel" with her friends while snowshoeing. She perused her Tinder matches to find someone who might be up for the adventure. It turned out to truly be a match. "We were pretty much inseparable after that," Tara Minert said. "I am forever grateful to Tinder and this crazy idea that brought him into my life." They have now been married for more than three years and have a 1-year-old daughter. It's becoming increasingly common to hear about couples like the Minerts, who met online. According to Pew Research Center, 15 percent of adults in the U.S. have used dating apps or websites. And the number of 18- to 24-year-olds has nearly tripled since 2013, becoming the age group "most likely" to use online dating. The Knot, a wedding-planning website, polled 14,000 engaged and newlywed brides in 2017 and found that the greatest number first met their fiances or spouses online. Nineteen percent of couples found each other on the web, surpassing the 17 percent who met through friends, the Knot survey said. Cooper Boice, founder of Mutual, told the Deseret News that the LDS singles-focused app has led to "hundreds of temple marriages" in the nearly two years since it was launched. Risks Statistics documenting any correlation between dating apps and the number of assaults against women are not separated out by the FBI, but the bureau did note that in 2016, there were about 5 percent more reported rapes in 2015, and 12.4 percent more than in 2012. The United Kingdom, however, has been looking at the issue. The country's National Crime Agency published research in 2016 that describes online dating as a new "serious threat," citing an increase in the number of sexual assaults committed in the country. According to the agency, there was a "sixfold" rise in reports of sexual assault perpetrated by people victims met online 33 offenses committed in 2009 compared to 184 in 2014. "Early analysis indicates that the online dating phenomenon has produced a new type of sexual offender. These offenders are less likely to have criminal convictions, but instead exploit the ease of access and armchair approach to dating websites. This is aided by potential victims not thinking of them as strangers, but someone they have got to know," the report says. Kortney Hughes, victim services program coordinator for the Provo Police Department, believes this is a trend in the U.S. and Utah as well. "We have experienced an increase in sexual assaults that are related to online dating apps," Hughes said, but added that she does not have specific numbers. "These apps are just another tool that perpetrators use to commit these crimes." Utah has seen multiple cases in the past year. Among those: Former Utah State linebacker Torrey Greenwas charged last year with six counts of rape, two counts of object rape and two counts of forcible sexual abuse in cases involving seven women between 2013 and 2015. Four of the women claimed to have met Green on Tinder. Samuel Heber Butler, 21, was charged with raping a woman who agreed to meet him for coffee near Dixie State University after they met on Tinder. And just last month, James Matthew Cheshire, 30, of Murray, was charged with three counts of forcible sodomy and four counts of forcible sexual abuse involving a woman he met on Mutual. During the alleged assault, he told her, "I think you like to be forced," according to charging documents. According to Bitton, of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, "new forms of victimization" have also arisen, including online sexual harassment and revenge porn. Many cases of sexual violence or harassment "result from people with unhealthy or unrealistic expectations," he said. Mixed reviews Dating apps have been beneficial for Nat Harward, a Salt Lake podcaster and blogger. He first matched with his current girlfriend on Mutual. Harward says using the apps has been "educational," and he learned to use several strategies after "a lot of practice." After matching with someone, he said he would suggest meeting somewhere public and casual within the first few messages. He and his current girlfriend met over pizza in November. For others looking for love in the Beehive State, the road has been rocky. Scott Tikalsky, a St. George resident who says he has used various dating apps for seven or eight years, recalls meeting a woman who lived in Las Vegas through Mutual. After speaking to her on the phone every day for probably like a month straight for two hours," he decided to make the two-hour drive to Las Vegas and meet the woman in person, he said. However, after the two met, he later discovered that she was married when she posted about her husband on Facebook, Tikalsky said. Jessalyn Wood remembers a time when she dated a man she met on Tinder for about eight months, though the relationship got off to a rocky start. "He brought his mom on the second date," Wood recalled. "That happened with a lot of different people, of me overlooking the things I wouldn't want to date in someone, just trying not to be judgmental and shut people down before I know them," she added. Another time, she and her best friend both used the same dating website. Comparing their matches, they discovered they were communicating with the same man. When talking to Wood, the man made "dirty" and inappropriate comments about her body, she said. However, he carried on "actual conversations for weeks" with her friend. When in doubt, Salt Lake resident Misty Copland recommends "Facebook stalking" potential dates, noting the way many apps allow users to see each other's mutual friends on social media. "If youve got legit Facebook stalking skills, youre able to find out more about the person beforehand," she said. Though she hasn't felt unsafe dating online, one match asked her to meet him at a TRAX station after dark, Copland said. She said she "cut contact then and there." Improving safety To mitigate risks, Bitton recommends "being mindful of what our expectations are, what we want to come from online dating, and how we're interacting with other people." Hughes encourages people not to give out their addresses or workplaces early on and to keep private information off of their dating profiles. She also urges people to provide their own transportation to dates, meet in public places, share plans with friends or family and to limit drinking, which she says is still the most common factor in sexual assaults. Many companies offer safety suggestions such as Hughes' on their websites, as well as an option to report users for bad behavior both online and offline. Mutual administrators encourage users to report those who behave inappropriately, so that "they wont be able to harass anyone else, and your friends and others wont have to deal with them," according to the app's creator. "We review every person who gets reported within the app, and may ultimately remove people permanently for violating the rules. We really do kick out the creeps," Boice said. Similarly, Shannon Smith, public relations manager for Plenty of Fish, says the dating website appreciates reports against "bad actors," because it can then take action, including removing users from the site. Bumble administrators also say they take reports of bad offline behavior seriously. "We think its important to listen to peoples stories and if someone reports bad behavior, its something that our team investigates internally and takes action against," said Alex Williamson, Bumble's head of brand. Bumble has even posted open letters to users who have treated other members of the app disrespectfully, Williamson said. "We are serious about creating a safe, empowered and respectful platform for our users," she said. Other dating apps including Tinder, OK Cupid and LDS Singles all popular in Utah didn't respond to a request for comment about users' safety. None of the apps disclosed how many reports of abusive behavior they get or the number of users they suspend from their sites. The Utah Coalition Against Sexual Violence director recommends "just maintaining open and clear communication with the people that you're dating, with the people that you're communicating with about your expectations about what you want and your needs and really just engaging in good common sense," Bitton said. The group recently launched an app called You Are a Survivor that provides resources, information and insight for those seeking help. Risks aside, 79 percent of online daters feel that it is an effective way to meet new people, according to Pew Research Center. You always get the creepers (online), but the creepers are always there no matter what avenue you pursue in dating," Copland said. Correction: An earlier version incorrectly said Tinder users swipe up if interested in a profile and down if not. But with that app, users actually swipe right to approve and left if not interested. Editors note: 5 Food Thoughts is a new recurring series highlighting notable people in Salt Lake Citys food scene. SALT LAKE CITY In a given week, Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade uses 1,800-3,600 limes. They use nearly that many limes during a single busy summer day at the Downtown Farmers Market, where Sweet Lake got its start more than a decade ago. Summer feels far, far away during a recent visit to Sweet Lakes brick-and-mortar restaurant in south Salt Lake. Snowfall from the previous night covered the streets. It didnt seem to affect business, though most of the seats in Sweet Lakes main dining area are filled that afternoon. Around back, in a new overflow seating space the restaurant recently added, husband-and-wife owners Hasen Hoss Cone and Teri Rosquist told us about how their business has become one of Salt Lake Citys most mouthwatering locales. 1. Why people love limeade For one, its hot, its summer, (it's) on a Saturday. So any cold drink sounds refreshing, Cone said, recalling Sweet Lakes farmers market beginnings. And its a unique combo, the mint and the lime, but its not so bizarre that it scares people off. While attending college in Logan, Cone often visited a lemonade stand at the citys farmers market. Theyd add a mint leaf to every glass, just for decoration, but Cone placed the leaf on his tongue while drinking the lemonade. He moved to Salt Lake for a copywriting job, and eventually started selling limeade at the Downtown Farmers Market. His business quickly took off. And I think theres a psychological connection to childhood memories like putting a little lemonade stand in your backyard, Rosquist added. Its just fun. Its a drink that resonates with your childhood memories. Sweet Lakes drink menu includes their standard limeade, as well as a habanero limeade, honeydew cucumber limeade, raspberry limeade and a few lemonade flavors (orange raspberry, ginger). 2. How they built Sweet Lakes eclectic menu Its things youre familiar with, with a twist that you havent tried before, Cone explained. We just took the limeade idea, and applied it to the food. Examples: Sweet Lakes potato hash browns, which have red quinoa mixed in; the Pokey Joe sandwich with slow-roasted pulled pork, limeade salsa, slaw, cheddar and crispy onions atop a fresh-made biscuit; and the Conspiracy Cakes pancakes, which have a home-ground wheat base. Much of the menu, Rosquist said, draws from she and Cones respective upbringings. Cone grew up in San Antonio, where biscuits, gravy and fried chicken reigned supreme. Rosquist was raised in a partly Hispanic household where nutritious eating was emphasized, and that background is sprinkled throughout the menus offerings. The duo has traveled all over the world, often in search of good food. Those travels are evidenced on the menu, too, with references to Cuban and Vietnamese cuisine. (The menu) really is just a journal of our life, Cone said. 3. Where to find the worlds best food Cone and Rosquist are partial to Japan and Mexico two countries with very different culinary approaches. In Japan, Rosquist said, You taste every flavor, and its very simple though. They dont overcomplicate things. Mexico is quite the opposite. Its very heavy sauce and salsas. And Im obsessed with (Japanese) culture now, because they do everything perfect, she added. And I feel like that resonates with us, because we didnt want to just open something that was mediocre. You want to do something thats good. And when you go to Japan the only way they do it is their best. Cone remembers a visit to Mexico City, where they got lunch at Pujol, a world-renowned restaurant thats been featured on Netflixs Chefs Table and in numerous publications. They had to make their reservations months in advance, and the meal was well over $100 a plate. Later that night, they filled up on dollar street tacos, And we were all like, This is the best food Ive ever had, Cone said. We just sat there all night eating taco after taco. Mexican food does stand out among all Latin American food, because it has such complexity, he continued. Central and South America dont use spice or even salt a lot of the time. In Mexico, it has so much flavor. 4. Where to find Salt Lakes best food They like food in Salt Lake City, too some of their local favorites are The Daily, Curry Fried Chicken, JINYA Ramen Bar and The Dayroom. 5. How they make such incredible fried chicken If you visit Sweet Lake, youll quickly see plates of fried chicken-topped biscuits being delivered to hungry patrons. One of Sweet Lakes most popular items is the Hoss, a biscuit sandwich with fried chicken breast, egg, bacon, cheddar, sausage gravy and green onions. That fried chicken is truly exquisite. And its getting major attention: Southern Living Magazine named Sweet Lakes fried chicken the best fried chicken in Utah. Before Sweet Lakes chicken ever hits the deep fryer, its soaked overnight (or longer) in a bath of buttermilk, habanero hot sauce and various seasonings. The result is a fried chicken thats rich in both moisture and flavor. The chicken comes from Red Bird Farms in Colorado, a supplier that prides itself in healthy, ethical chicken raising. Which means its never frozen, it has no hormones, its cage-free, its vegetarian-fed, Cone said. I mean, its everything that you could want in a chicken. Sometimes the greatest stories are found in the most unlikely places. Thanks to a lonely grave in a Colorado cemetery, scores of women largely lost to history are having their stories shared with thousands. Olivia Meikle is a professor of womens studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. One day, I was walking through one of my favorite historic cemeteries in Boulder (as one does), she wrote with a twinge of humor in an email interview. I stumbled on a grave that was inscribed only Mother. No name, no other information just Mother. Meikle couldnt shake the profound feeling she had reflecting on this nameless woman whose identity was lost to history. As she walked back to her car, she called Katie Nelson, a professor of history at Weber State University in Ogden and her sister. I suddenly knew we had to follow Katies earlier suggestion that we focus (a podcast we wanted to create) on the forgotten women whose stories have been erased from our narratives, said Meikle. So it was the Whats Her Name podcast was born. As Meikles story and the podcast title suggest, the aim is to share stories of women people often cant remember or have never heard about in the first place. We have astronomers, philosophers, philanthropists, hot-air balloonists, martyrs, madams, writers, (and) warriors, Nelson wrote in an email interview. From every time period and all around the globe, these stories prove that throughout all human history, women were making profound, lasting and daring contributions to life on earth. And not in tangential, peripheral, supporting roles as sometimes people assume, she added. Women lived big, important lives in every time period. Utah is no exception. Most people dont realize that womens suffrage movement in America really began in Utah, said Nelson. Daring women attempted to vote, ran for public office, really stood their ground and plowed the way forward for women. Martha Hughes Cannon Most Utahns can name prominent male senators from the states history, from Reed Smoot and Frank J. Cannon to Orrin Hatch and Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, the stories of female legislators remain untold or underrepresented. For example, in 1896 Martha Hughes Cannon ran for (the Utah) Senate against her husband, and won! said Nelson. She was also a leader in the Utah Women's Suffrage Association and testified to U.S. congressional committees and was a featured speaker at national suffrage conventions. A statue of Martha Hughes Cannon is being created to put in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Maud Fitch Similarly, most Utahns are familiar with Gail Halvorsen, the remarkable Air Force pilot known as the candy bomber who airdropped tons of candy to residents of Berlin during World War II. Another Utahn, Maud Fitch, shares a similarly captivating story, but is rarely recognized by name. (Maud Fitch was) was a mine owners daughter from Eureka, Utah, (who) wanted to join up when America entered World War I, said Nelson. Unable to enlist as a solider she was a woman, after all! she purchased an ambulance and shipped it at her own expense to France, where she reassembled it and drove it through the heart of the war zone. Fitch, who was 35 when she went to Europe, shared her experiences in letters home to her family. We have lots and lots of her letters, said Nelson. She wrote home almost every day, and her family kept them. They even shared the letters with local newspapers sometimes, so we have headlines about her now and then. Her letters are made all the more remarkable because of their rarity. According to Utah historian Kent Powell, the stories of women in World War I are very difficult to find. So few were written, he wrote in an email interview. Men were encouraged to write of their experiences and their letters were often published in hometown newspapers. But womens voices were largely absent. Mauds correspondence gives a unique perspective of the war in Europe and the importance of American support for the French and their allies, Powell said. Alberta Henry Jon Huntsman Sr. is known around the world as a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Utah, but few are familiar with the name Alberta Henry. Born in 1920, the Kansas native moved to Utah and devoted much of her life to civil rights activism and philanthropy. "Alberta Henry was president of the SLC branch of the NAACP for 12 years, and her foundation, the Alberta Henry Education Foundation, helped hundreds of economically disadvantaged students pay for college," said Meikle. "She pushed to include the history of people of color in Utah textbooks, and was critical in assuring that minority children got a fair education in the state." When she passed away in 2005, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. paid tribute to her largely overlooked dedication, saying, She always stood tall in championing basic human dignity. Meikle and Nelson delight in being able to share the lives of women largely lost to history with stories every bit as captivating as those of men. I love proving, week after week, that women really were main characters all throughout history, said Meikle. For more about their podcast, see whatshernamepodcast.com. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Martha Hughes Cannon ran for the U.S. Senate against her husband. She ran for the Utah state Senate against her husband. SALT LAKE CITY Passengers across the U.S. were left stranded Tuesday due to a systems power outage for American Airlines, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines, according to The Washington Post. Passengers at LaGuardia Airport in New York, San Francisco International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International in Florida were all among the airports named. The companies say the systems have been restored. "All functions have been restored following a temporary outage of Sabre's systems that impacted multiple airlines," JetBlue said in a statement. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." Specifically, outages hit the Sabre flight reservation and booking system, which is used by several different airlines across the country, CNET reports. Sabre tweeted that the systems experienced an issue but those problems were corrected by the afternoon. "Earlier today, Sabre experienced a system issue that impacted some customers," Sabre tweeted. "Technical teams were immediately engaged. Systems have recovered and customers are reporting normal operations. We apologize for the inconvenience to those affected." Earlier today, Sabre experienced a system issue that impacted some customers. Technical teams were immediately engaged. Systems have recovered and customers are reporting normal operations. We apologize for the inconvenience to those affected. Sabre (@Sabre_Corp) March 26, 2019 American Airlines released a statement that called the problem a brief technical issue. "This technical issue has been resolved," the company said. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience." Earlier, we had a brief tech issue impacting multiple carriers. It's been resolved and you're good to go! American Airlines (@AmericanAir) March 26, 2019 SALT LAKE CITY Yet another candidate has jumped into the crowded Salt Lake City mayor's race and she's got big-name backers from Capitol Hill. Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, officially launched her campaign Tuesday on the steps of the Salt Lake City-County Building, surrounded by cheering supporters that included Democratic state lawmakers, as well as a Republican. The longtime state senator who served in legislative leadership this year as Senate minority whip decided to jump in the race days after Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski announced last week she would not run for re-election. This year's Utah Legislature marked Escamilla's 11th session, experience she said proves her ability to work across party lines, advocate for minorities and advance progressive agendas even in a Republican-controlled state like Utah. "I believe that there's no one who can be a more-effective advocate on behalf of our city," Escamilla said. "It's time to elect a mayor who can represent all of Salt Lake City, from Rose Park and Glendale and from Brickyard to Federal Heights." While Escamilla said Salt Lake City has much to celebrate, it's also "facing some major growing pains" and it "cannot move forward" without addressing problems such as its failing infrastructure, affordable housing and homelessness. She promised to be a "transformational leader" who prioritizes every citizen, including those on the west side. Democratic leaders including Senate Minority Leader Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City; House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City; and Senate Minority Assistant Whip Jani Iwamoto, D-Holladay, all came to Escamilla's campaign launch on Tuesday to support their colleague. "Salt Lake City doesn't just need a leader," Romero said. "Salt Lake City needs a champion. An advocate. ... That person is Luz." A conservative, Sen. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, also came to throw his support behind Escamilla quipping he was the "token Republican" after the campaign launch. Joking aside, Anderegg said Escamilla is a "fantastic choice" because he knows she can "get things done." "I just look at Luz and say, 'It's not about being progressive. It's about progress,'" Andregg said. "And she knows how to do that." Biskupski particularly in disagreements with state leaders and the City Council over the creation of the Utah Inland Port Authority has had a strained relationship with the Legislature in recent years. Anderegg said Escamilla as mayor could "make all the difference in the world." He noted Biskupski was also a state lawmaker before becoming mayor and said his interactions with her have "always been positive" but "that being said, I think Luz is uniquely positioned to bridge that gap in a way, not only within Salt Lake City but throughout the entire state." Escamilla first came to Utah 20 years ago as an international student "in search of the American dream," she said. She was born in Mexico, her parents the first in their families to go to college. She said she spent two years of high school commuting from Tijuana to San Diego before moving to Utah to attend college at the University of Utah. After graduating, Escamilla said she got a work visa, became a legal resident and in 2004 became a U.S. citizen. She later married her husband, Juan Carlos Escamilla. Together they have six children. "That's what I mean when I say this city has given me everything I dreamed and things I never imagined," Escamilla said. "in this city we believe in the opportunity for all." Before her time in the Senate, Escamilla worked for Gov. John Huntsman Jr. as his director of the Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs. In 2008, she was elected to the Utah Senate where she has served ever since. In 2014, Escamilla challenged Rep. Christ Stewart in a race for Congress, but she lost the general election. In the middle of her four-year term at the Senate, Escamilla can keep her seat while running for mayor and can stay in the Senate if she loses. With Escamilla and now Salt Lake City Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall deciding to join the race as recent as last week, the candidate field has widened to nine. Other candidates are: former state Sen. Jim Dabakis; former Salt Lake City Councilman Stan Penfold; Christian Harrison, former Downtown Community Council chairman; businessman David Ibarra; David Garbett, former executive director of the Pioneer Park Coalition. Aaron Johnson, a veteran, and Richard Goldberger, a freelance journalist, have also opened personal campaign committees. A primary to narrow the field for the November election will be held Aug. 13. SALT LAKE CITY Some Salt Lake City businesses are shelling out thousands of dollars after a breaker box fire caused them to lose power for days. Bhanyar Janumonya, who owns Sonjhae Asian Market at 1465 S. State St., said the breaker box fire sparked a loss of electricity for all units of the shopping center on March 12. "In the morning, we have no power," Janumonya said. His and other businesses in the shopping center were without power for four days until they received a rental generator. In the meantime, his market remained closed. It was "stressful because we don't have power to run the business. And the customer, they come, and we cannot tell them what's going on," Janumonya recalled. He said he has not yet calculated how much money he lost in food that went bad while the power was out, nor how much money he lost in business. "Four days cost a lot of money," Janumonya said, adding that he feels frustrated "because we don't know how many days it's going to take (to fix). They don't actually know, talking to the owner and the manager, landlord, manager, they don't know how many days it's going to take." He is paying to use a rental generator, which he says costs about $600 per week plus the cost of fuel. He said the property's insurance company might pay for the food that was ruined. Toshio Sekikawa, who owns Tosh's Ramen nearby, said "As soon as we opened (for) dinner, our power went out." His business remained closed from Tuesday to Sunday. "Of course I'm frustrated," Sekikawa said. "I (threw) away all the food in the restaurant. So Monday, all day, we got a power box. As soon as we got the power box, we had to start prepping, make soup, veggies, meat and all that. Then Tuesday morning, we opened," Sekikawa recalled. He has also lost thousands of dollars in food and lost business. "It hurts us." Sekikawa said he's heard from the property owner that repairs could take between three weeks and a month. "But as long as we have a generator we can go on for a while, but not too long, I think," he explained. Sekikawa and Janumonya both said the owner's insurance company has been in contact with them, but they are unsure to what extent the insurance company will compensate them. Insurance agent Joe Callahan said the repairs could take some time as they need to be approved through the city, but they are working as quickly as possible. BRISTOL BOROUGH >> The Bristol Riverside Theatre (120 Radcliffe Street) brings back a holiday favorite and welcomes audiences home this holiday season. "An American Christmas Songbook," the theatres first concert in the theatre since 2019, gathers audiences December 9-19 for a heartwarming evening of favorite carols and songs performed by a cast of BRT favorites. Former BRT Artistic Director Keith... SALT LAKE CITY Halloween is months away, but you may want to start planning your season of scare activities as a popular Utah haunted house has received an award for its "outstanding accomplishments." The Fear Factory in Salt Lake City, 666 W. 800 South, has received an "Oscares Award" from the Haunted Attraction Association, which is given to frightening spots for their work in the industry. Fun fact: The Haunted Attraction Association is "the only official association in the haunt industry," according to its website. The Fear Factory, which opened in 2011, was built on the site of an old cement company with "a long history of unfortunate accidents leading many to believe the site was cursed," according to a news release from the business. It has been a hub of "paranormal activity and unexplained sightings" dating back more than 100 years. "Were honored and humbled to receive this award, especially knowing how many amazing haunts there are in the country," said Rob Dunfield, Fear Factory founder and chief operating officer. He said this upcoming season will be "full of new surprises that are guaranteed to scare fans like they've never been scared before." Fear Factory's Halfway to Halloween event is scheduled for May 17-18. For more information, visit the Fear Factory website. SALT LAKE CITY Officials from the Cache County city of Hyde Park spoke out Tuesday about the incident that prompted two employees to quit and file a grievance after their boss pointed a gun at them during a meeting. "We want to assure our residents and those that do business with Hyde Park that they are safe. We feel confident this was an isolated incident," the City Council and Mayor Sharidean Flint said in a prepared statement. "We feel the comments and statements being circulated through social media have not always been accurate and are counter-productive. We hope that as residents we can move forward and come together to address the issues facing the city." While Flint has spoken about the controversy before, Tuesday's statement was the first time the City Council had spoken publicly about the incident. Mike Grunig, Hyde Park's public works director, called a regular meeting in his office on Nov. 14. But that meeting took a strange turn when employees say he stated, "Don't you think Justin would look better with a green dot on his forehead?" "Mike then pulled a 9 mm Smith & Wesson handgun out of his pocket that had not been in a holster, open(ed) the slide, turn(ed) on the green laser and pointed it" at employee Justin Bodrero, a North Park police memo states. Employees said Grunig then pointed the gun's laser at Bodrero's crotch before moving the laser onto the chests of two other employees. The men eventually reported the November incident to the mayor in January. Flint demoted Grunig after reviewing the incident but he appealed that decision and the City Council including Grunig's own son-in-law, Councilman Mark Hurd chose to reinstate him as director. Bodrero and fellow employee Kolby Christiansen then quit, saying they were scared to return to work under Grunig. Their attorneys filed a grievance with the city last week on their behalf. According to the grievance, the employees were not asked to tell their sides of the story to the council, were not granted due process and were "constructively terminated." "The City Council was well informed of the facts and complaints," the council's statement says. "Based on the facts, policies and laws involved, we determined that suspension was a more appropriate discipline than demotion. Our actions are not to undermine or downplay the serious nature of Mr. Grunigs actions. The City Council had a narrow scope of issues to consider, and could not consider issues beyond that scope." Flint told the Deseret News that city officials were following due process laws that govern the treatment of public employees. "There have been years and years of due process laws and statutes laid down by the federal government and by the state that dictate how public employees have to be treated, and they have an actual property right to their job that you cannot infringe on without following the layers of due process that are called for," Flint said. The allegations against Grunig were given "serious consideration," she said, but officials did all they felt they could do legally. She said the city is now working to modify city policies to align with state law. The city policies were "older and perhaps not adequate for the circumstances that we find ourselves in now." The grievance alleged that former Mayor Bob Christensen, a friend of Grunig, was allowed to be a part of his appeal hearing in front of the City Council, even though he was not a witness to the incident. But city officials sad Tuesday he "was not part of the appeal." The grievance also stated that council members with potential conflicts of interest, including Hurd, did not recuse themselves from the decision to reinstate him. The statement from the city does not address that claim. "As it regards the former employees who have made comments regarding the citys actions, we would like to state that the city has heard the grievance. The city strongly disagrees that their rights were violated. However, we recognize and appreciate the work they have performed for the city and wished that they would have chosen to stay with the city," the statement says. As for the men, the city says it "continues to offer them employment." The mayor says the former employees don't have a reason to be scared. "All of us do things that are impulsive and unwise throughout our lives, and most of us are lucky enough that our actions don't make the newspaper. But unfortunately, this one did, and there has been a great outcry and a lot of grief and suffering," Flint said. "And I feel really bad about that, and I would like to think that going forward, things will be better and our employees have all expressed their emotions and how they feel about things, and they've been hurt and we have taken their concerns into consideration. And our city is safe. We would never act to knowingly place our citizens or our employees and staff in danger." Contributing: Todd Fooks SALT LAKE CITY What some see as a state lawmakers' attempt to chip away at Utah's controversial dual path candidate nomination law ran afoul of the governor. The Legislature passed a bill earlier this month that blocks candidates who gather signatures the subject of a prolonged Republican Party fight from participating in a special congressional elections. But Gov. Gary Herbert vetoed SB123 this week, saying it "significantly" limits participation and choice to a fill vacancy in the U.S. House as well as voters' ability to choose their representatives. "That system is working well for both candidates and voters. SB123 establishes a different system that removes choices from candidates and the from the voters," Herbert wrote in his veto letter. Sen. Dan McCay, R-Utah, the bill's sponsor, said some have mistakenly perceived the bill as pitting signature gathering against convention nominations. "In my mind, that has nothing to do with the battle over signatures and SB54," he said. "To me, it just comes down to speed versus process." Under the bill, should a Utah member of the U.S. House resign midterm, the political party would advance two candidates out of a special convention of delegates in the district, setting up a primary election. The winner would go on the general election ballot. There is no option for signature gathering candidates to get on the ballot. In 2014, the Legislature passed SB54, which maintains Utah's traditional caucus and convention system for nominating candidates, while allowing candidates to gather signatures to qualify for the primary ballot. The law touched off a bitter fight in the Republican Party and a prolonged legal challenge that ended earlier this year when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, letting stand lower court rulings upholding the law. McCay, who sponsored SB54 as a member of the House, drafted a bill in the 2019 Legislature to repeal the dual path law he helped pass five years ago. Herbert said although most candidates are chosen in party conventions, recent election results show that Utah primary voters appreciate the choice allowed in the law. "These options have been embraced by a majority of Utah voters as providing reasonable alternatives to access the ballot," he wrote. He notes that Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, who ultimately won the election to replace former GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz, gathered signatures to get on the primary ballot. Curtis finished behind former state legislator Chris Herrod at the Republican convention. McCay said allowing signatures in a condensed special election stretches out the time a district goes without a representative in Congress. It can also be expensive for candidates to hire a firm to collect signatures. One candidate, he said, was quoted $100,000 in the special election to replace Chaffetz. "You can choose speed or you can choose process. It's really hard to find a compromise that chooses both. This was an effort trying to choose both," he said of SB123. Voters, McCay said, would have a choice in primary and general elections and "we don't sacrifice the extra time for allowing signatures." Leaders of the Count My Vote citizens initiative applauded the governor's decision. Rich McKeown, Count My Vote executive co-chairman, said the dual path has proven effective in increasing participation in elections and is "highly" popular with voters. "Its vital that all party voters, rather than just a small group of delegates, can participate in choosing candidates to fill a congressional vacancy," he said. Republican lawmakers, who were displeased with the way Herbert handled the process to replace Chaffetz, could call an override session to overturn the governor's action. It takes a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate to override a governor's veto. McCay said it's too early know if that's the direction he or GOP leadership wants to go. But, he said, lawmakers need to deal with the process for filling midterm congressional vacancies before it happens again. Herbert said he also vetoed SB123 out of concerns about the process outlined in the bill for filling a midterm vacancy in the U.S. Senate. The bill calls for the governor to choose one of three names nominated by the Legislature. Herbert said the bill failed to explain how the entire Legislature would forward three names to governor. McCay called the provision a "kind of shout back" to the Constitution before the 17th Amendment, which established direct election of U.S. senators. The legislation would have eliminated the governors role in filling Senate vacancies and allowed party delegates to cut out voters to choose candidates alone, according to Count My Vote. A few years ago the ambassador from Azerbaijan visited Utah to meet with government officials and business leaders. In a private moment, the ambassador leaned across the table and asked me in a hushed tone, Why are so many in the United States flirting with socialism? The ambassador went on to say, I have lived under socialism and I can tell you the only people who want to live under socialism are those who never have. I dont have a good answer to the ambassadors question but I do know the problem is getting worse as some are turning that flirtation with socialism into a full-blown romance. We see it from college campuses to the campaign trail. Who could have imagined a few short years ago that candidates in a major political party in this country founded on principles of free enterprise would be so near the brink of a socialist economic agenda? Last week I met with executives from chambers of commerce across the country. The discussion centered around the assault on free enterprise from the far right and the far left, from the halls of government to the sidewalks of Main Street. An anti-business, anti-jobs, anti-economic development sentiment is spreading across the country at an alarming pace. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is leading the charge from the left. She is an articulate advocate for socialism but her words and actions demonstrate the danger of ignorance in a position of power. For thousands of New Yorkers, Ocasio-Cortezs fictitious fears directed at Amazon cost real people real jobs. I left that U.S. Chamber meeting with two thoughts: First, I am grateful to live in a state where entrepreneurs, business owners and job creators are venerated not vilified. Utah has benefited from the principles of free enterprise as a leader in the nation for job growth and upward mobility. These accomplishments are not by accident or coincidence. They are the direct result of an intentional and purposeful effort to make Utah a business-friendly environment with a great quality of life. We recognize that capitalism is not perfect but it is certainly better than the alternatives, and Utah makes free market principles work better than almost anywhere else. The second thought is that we must be vigilant in preventing socialism from taking root in our state. We already see anti-growth, anti-job sentiments creeping in. In his State of the State speech, Gov. Gary Herbert addressed the dangers when government controls production, allocates resources and picks winners and losers in the economy. He noted the best way to combat fascination with socialism is through education, by calling for financial literacy courses in high schools throughout the state. The goal is for students to learn the economic principles of free enterprise that lead to prosperity. The governors call to action received a rousing applause from most state legislators, but not all, as a small group of lawmakers sat on the back row in silent protest. It is unfortunate when we cant applaud the economic system that has brought more wealth, more choice, more freedom and more opportunity to any other nation, at any other time, in the history of the world. A number of years ago I was in Prague, Czech Republic. When traveling, I never ask the hotel concierge to recommend a restaurant. They often work with certain eateries and send you to the fancy, dancy places for tourists. No thanks. But ask the bellhop, or the clerk behind the desk, or a local on the street to suggest a great local restaurant and you will rarely be disappointed. Our hotel receptionist recommended a cellar, family-style restaurant about two blocks from where we were. We descended patterned-tiled stairs and once inside the restaurant, brightly colored, floor-to-ceiling murals of local scenes and costumed Czechs adorned the walls. A local band vigorously played joyful Czech polkas on fiddles, a bagpipe-like instrument, an accordion and with the requisite brass section. I ordered a scrumptious goulash: beef simmered in a thick sauce of sweet tomatoes slathered in juicy, tender onions, accompanied by a basket of dense, dark bread. My sister, Stacie, and I split a spiced-apple strudel and fruit-filled kolach for dessert. We shared a long table with some locals and a police group visiting from Germany. Most spoke at least broken English, and as I am able to sufficiently massacre German, we laughed and talked together, sharing lists of places to visit, and stories and pictures of home and families. Everyone was soon swaying, dancing (some onstage with the band), clapping and singing along. Ive had many memorable eating experiences, but I will never forget that delightful evening. In 1873, Elder Orson Pratt, in a sermon on the Resurrection, opined on what heaven would be like. He believed we would enjoy socializing together as we do here, and we will, no doubt eat and drink in an immortal state, but whether it will be necessary to do this is another question entirely. He reasoned, The Twelve Apostles, Jesus said, shall eat and drink at my table, and shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, showing that the Lord will have a table, and that he will have food upon it, and that they will eat and drink at that table. (Journal of Discourses, 16:326-337) My personal, fervent, hope is that we will not only eat and drink but food will contain no calories and both bread and chocolate will be food group staples. Of course, Elder Pratts thoughts, and my hopes, are our own. However, he hits upon something that is important and consequential in mortality. Many wonderful memories are built around kitchen counters where people gather and prepare meals, around tables where family and friends eat and converse together, and around social gatherings where food plays a role very often enhancing the experience. I, for one, cant begin to count the friendships and joyful, loving relationships that have developed and deepened over shared meals, at book groups graced by finger foods, appetizers and desserts and at other food-themed gatherings. Regarding the need to socialize, UCLA scientist Matthew Lieberman explained in "Why We Are Wired to Connect" on scientificamerican.com, We are learning about the true role of our social nature in our happiness and success in life. The data suggests that we are profoundly shaped by our social environment and that we suffer greatly when our social bonds are threatened or severed. We may not like the fact that we are wired such that our well-being depends on our connections with others, but the facts are the facts. Another article, "9 Scientifically Proven Reasons to Eat Dinner as a Family" on goodnet.org listed a number of science-based reasons that prove family dinners are important, but the data can be applied to other social gatherings, including, Eating meals together strengthens family bonds as it provides a sense of security and feeling of belonging. Sharing food together strengthens emotional and mental health, intellectual achievement, and helps reduce the tension and strain from long hours at work, in or out of the home. President Spencer W. Kimball taught in "Ocean Currents and Family Influences" in the October 1974 general conference: It is important for us also to cultivate in our own family (and among friends) a sense that we belong together eternally, that whatever changes outside our home, there are fundamental aspects of our relationship which will never change. Humans need food to live and they need sociality to thrive. While all things must be done in moderation, eating and socializing included, our loving Father in Heaven has provided us with opportunities to create lasting memories by combining food and friendship in ways that will cement bonds of love and affection and last well beyond mortality. LEHI A young boy was critically injured Tuesday while playing in a playhouse, police said. The incident occurred about 6:30 p.m. at a home in the area of 1700 West and 400 South, Lehi Fire Capt. Shad Hatfield said. The boy, who Hatfield said is in elementary school, became entangled in a jump rope attached to a slide on the playhouse. The rope wrapped around the boy's neck, according to the captain. The playhouse was not sold with the rope, Hatfield said, adding that it appeared to have been added. The incident appears to have been an accident, according to Hatfield. Hatfield declined to provide additional details about the boy, including his name or age. He said he did not know if someone else was playing with the child at the time or who discovered him and called 911. The boy was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center in critical condition. SALT LAKE CITY An announcement Wednesday of the union of two tech-centric groups Silicon Slopes and the Utah Technology Council marks the birth of a two-part entity that is instantly one of the most powerful in a state where tech is evolving into the primary economic driver. The new alignment combines Silicon Slopes' mission as an education, community-building and outreach organization with the technology council's trade-focused, public policy advocacy for an innovation industry that numbers over 6,000 companies and directly and indirectly employs over 300,000 Utahns. Silicon Slopes has built a wide following and drew some 24,000 attendees to its annual Tech Summit this past January, while the Utah Technology Council boasts 400 member companies among its ranks. The new, dual-threat effort will see Clint Betts, Silicon Slopes co-founder and current president/executive director, taking over the same role at the council, with Utah tech veteran and current Banyan CEO Carine Clark stepping in as the new Utah Technology Council board chairwoman. John Knotwell, the current council president, will be leaving his post, as will Kathryn Murphy, the current Utah Technology Council board chairwoman. Clark noted that the nearly three-decade old Utah Technology Council effort laid the groundwork for the success of Silicon Slopes and that, combined, the unified organizations will be set to help bridge the gap between public policymakers and the evolving needs of the tech community. "Silicon Slopes has been able to thrive and do unbelievable things because of the rails UTC started laying 30 years ago," Clark said. "Both organizations have been doing great things for Utah tech, but braiding them together will allow us to do more, and do it faster." The differing tax structures of each entity Silicon Slopes as a 501(c)(3) and the Utah Technology Council as a 501(c)(6) defines what each nonprofit can and cannot do in the course of business. While Silicon Slopes is limited in its outreach to education efforts and some advocacy, the (c)(6) designation of the technology council allows for broader lobbying and direct involvement in advocating on behalf of public policy issues as a trade organization. The council's outgoing chairwoman, Murphy, said she was excited about how the new alignment will enhance what each group excels at. "What (the council) is really good at is making Utah a great place for tech companies," Murphy said. "Our council excels at bringing their expertise to bear on a lot of complex public policy issues that really matter to our tech community. But we're typically doing it quietly, behind the scenes. "Silicon Slopes has been great at being a voice on behalf of tech, doing outreach and bringing positive attention to our growth and successes." Some policy issues raised in the recently completed state legislative session highlighted that concerns of the state's technology and innovation sectors are not necessarily shared by other business community advocates. On one side, the Utah Technology Council came out strongly in opposition to the Utah House tax reform proposal, HB441, which aimed to extend sales tax collection more broadly to Utah service providers. The council noted the measure would put tech companies at a "massive disadvantage," saddle those tech businesses focused on service provisions with nearly $200 million in additional taxes in 2020, and could force some companies out of state. The Salt Lake Chamber, however, supported the tax policy revamp. As Utahs Voice of Business, the Salt Lake Chamber supports the Utah Legislature taking bold action to implement an updated, balanced approach to Utahs tax policy," Chamber President and CEO Derek Miller wrote in a February statement. "To keep Utahs economy moving forward and provide for its citizenry, the states aging tax structure must be modernized. HB441 is a monumental step forward in ensuring Utah continues to lead the nation in economic growth." In spite of the divergence in stances over recent tax issues, with legislators ultimately punting the tax reform issue to interim committees for further review and discussion, Miller told the Deseret News he is supportive of the new, combined Silicon Slopes/Utah Technology Council effort. We are thrilled by the news of Silicon Slopes and the Utah Technology Council coming together," Miller said in a statement. "As a member of UTCs board, Ive long supported these two groups combining efforts to magnify their voice. "Utahs tech industry is the fastest growing sector of our economy and an essential part of our business community. The Salt Lake Chamber will continue working closely with the Silicon Slopes on issues of mutual concern, such as funding to ensure every Utah student had access to computer science education." Clark said she was unsure of how up to speed Utah legislators typically are about the issues of import to the tech community a dilemma she is hoping the new combined organizations can help to mitigate. "Public policy is tough and it's a high point of frustration for me," Clark said. "I don't see a lot of people like me, tech people, up there. I dont know that our current Legislature understands Silicon Slopes. They like to use that term, but not many of them spend time in the Slopes with the people that are making all these things happen." Betts, whose tech news and event organization Beehive Startups merged with Silicon Slopes in 2016 to create the current nonprofit, lauded the merger in a statement. Silicon Slopes couldnt be more thrilled to unite with UTC to continue serving Utahs startup and tech community, Betts said. Were committed to continuing the rich heritage of UTC and view this as a marriage of equals. Todays news was made possible thanks to the leadership of UTCs executive committee and its outgoing president and CEO, John Knotwell. John is a remarkable leader who truly puts whats best for our community above everything else. This deal wouldnt have happened and Silicon Slopes wouldnt be what it is today without John and UTCs incredible leadership. Knotwell, who also represents Herriman in the Utah House, said he sees a bright future for the work of the combined efforts. "I think what this does is elevate the conversation around the tech community in Utah," Knotwell said. "It is no longer a divided force and signals to the state and to the community that we see a commonality and alignment in our goals." Aaron Skonnard, co-founder and CEO of Utah-based tech education platform Pluralsight, predicted Utah's innovation community will garner even better support from the two entities under the new format. Silicon Slopes and UTC are such respected organizations that provide great value to our ecosystem through convening, education and advocacy, Skonnard, a founding member of Silicon Slopes, said. Each will continue to deliver the world-class experience we have come to expect, while combining forces and aligning resources to better represent the technology community of Silicon Slopes. "With their powers combined, I know Utahs startups and the broader tech community are in good hands, and we will continue to demonstrate the tremendous value we bring to Utah." Utah Gov. Gary Herbert also weighed-in on the new alignment. I appreciate the strong work the Utah Technology Council and Silicon Slopes have each done to bolster Utahs growing tech economy," he said in a prepared statement. "I look forward to seeing even more impressive results for Utahs economy as they work more closely together. HOLLADAY A 19-year-old man who police say randomly pointed a gun at several people got in even more trouble after police pulled him over and found drugs in his car, according to Unified police. On Sunday, the passenger in a vehicle near 5401 S. Wasatch Blvd., randomly pointed a gun out the window at three people, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. When police pulled the vehicle over, officers found "a large quantity" of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a gun, the report states. Haris Asim Saran was arrested for investigation of three counts of aggravated assault, drug distribution, possession of a weapon by a restricted person, and possession of drug paraphernalia. LAYTON The owners of a husky that bit off the hand and part of an arm of a 4-year-old boy have agreed to turn over the dog and a second husky to Davis County. In return, Davis County Animal Care and Control director Rhett Nicks announced Wednesday that citations against the owners would not be filed and that the dogs would not be euthanized. The husky injured the boy near 1100 North and 3600 West in Layton on March 3. The child's hand was not recovered and was believed to have been ingested by the dog. It was originally reported that the boy may have been playing with the dog by sticking his hand under the fence where the dog was corralled. But the boy's mother, Hope Brown, later posted on social media that it was the dog who "went under our fence and bit Austins hand and then attempted to pull him back under the fence. "Our baby lost his arm from the elbow down because it was ingested by the dog. He has multiple other bites as well as severe bruising on his face and jaw, and a black eye." The husky, along with a second husky that was also in the yard both males under 2 years old were taken by animal control officers and quarantined by the Davis County Animal Care and Control facility. Nicks said other than the victim, there were no witnesses to the incident. Those who did not want to see the dogs, named Polar and Bear, euthanized, started an online petition in an effort to save them. Earlier this month the petition had collected more than 180,000 signatures. Nicks said at conclusion of the investigation, he knew the dogs could not be returned to the owners. Animal control representatives met with the owners on Tuesday to present a deal. The county offered to relocate the dogs to an animal rescue or animal sanctuary where they would not be euthanized, in exchange for not filing charges. The upset owners said they needed time to think it over, Nicks said. While not trying to "strong-arm" the owners, whom Nicks described as being cooperative throughout the process, he informed them that he was required to move forward with the case. But he told them they could still call him if they changed their minds. On Wednesday, just as animal control officers were typing up the formal charges and just as a press release was sent out stating the owners were being cited with two counts of possession of a dangerous animal, a class B misdemeanor, and two counts of abatement of public nuisance animals, the owners called to accept the deal, he said. The charges were never formally filed. The dogs will now be relocated with an animal sanctuary. Nicks said he will look for "an organizaiton we trust" when relocating the dogs, which means the dogs may be relocated in Utah or out of state. Nicks called the incident and the past month an "incredibly emotional situation" with no winners on either side. One family is dealing with a severely injured son, while the other is losing two beloved pets, he said. "It's tragic all around." After the decision was announced, the boy's mother posted a lengthy message on her Facebook page, hoping to "set the record straight." "It was an unprovoked attack. His daddy had eyes on him the entire time and the moment Austin was pulled, John was right there. He ran right over. Austin never lost consciousness during the attack," she wrote. "When we asked Austin what happened that first few seconds he said, 'I saw a puppy nose! I touched the puppy nose and it bit my fingers and pulled me.' "It only took a second for one of those dogs to dig under the fence just enough to get his snout and part of his head under." Brown contends the huskies did not show normal behavior. "We thank the Lord they wont be coming back and our child is safe again," she wrote. "Austin is home now. We are all struggling and trying to get used to our new normal. The attack left him with only one bone below his elbow and 5 centimeters of forearm left. The doctors saved everything they could." Brown said her son will need many more surgeries and is also being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. She also said she and her husband have struggled emotionally. Brown noted that her family has been verbally attacked by people who support the dogs. She said the initial statement that fire officials put out about Austin having a sock over his hand when the dog attacked him, which was based on preliminary information available at the time, caused a lot of damage. The statement has since been deleted from the fire department's online press releases. "It just keeps getting quoted over and over. It has caused an unbelievable amount of threats and hate sent to our family. People have said the most horrible things to us. I truly pray that the people who have said the most terrible things to us during this horrific time do not have to experience what our family is experiencing. I pray you never know the anguish our family is feeling and have hundreds of people coming after you." Even with that said, one person replied to Brown's online post Wednesday accusing her and her husband of being bad parents who "just want the dogs put down." "We know that we have so many more supportive and loving people in our corner, the hateful ones can just yell louder," Brown wrote. "To every person whos sent us kind words, please know we have read each and every loving message to Austin during his recovery and we cant thank you enough for your kind words." OREM The Utah Valley University community cheered and waved pompoms Wednesday to celebrate the inauguration of President Astrid S. Tuminez, a scholar and corporate leader described by her daughter as a mother who is "fearless in showing her love and support." Student athletes described her as a rabid fan, often seated in the front row of games and matches waving pompoms. UVU wrestler Matthew Findlay said she gets so into it that "at times we've all thought she's just going to jump on the mat and tag team it." And as for the crowd waving pompoms Wednesday, which was a surprise, Tuminez effused, "Really, seriously, the pompoms are the best part of today's inauguration." The ceremony that put Tuminez's unique stamp on her presidency of the state's largest university included the performance of a Filipino folk song by the UVU Chamber Choir and an eighth-century Buddhist prayer by the niece of the 14th Dalai Lama, Khando Chazotsang. Tuminez is the seventh president of the dual-mission university and the first woman to hold the post. Utah State Board of Regents Chairman Harris Simmons, who performed the investiture of Tuminez, noted she "is a perfect fit for UVU now and for the future." That is due in part to her educational preparation and her corporate career, most recently as Microsoft's regional director of corporate, external and legal affairs in Southeast Asia. But it was Tuminez's unlikely path from growing up in poverty in the Philippines to earning an undergraduate degree at BYU followed by graduate degrees from two of the most selective universities in the world, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that will help her guide students who seek to improve themselves and their circumstances with a college education, he said. Utah State University President Noelle Cockett said much has been made of women leading half of the state's colleges and universities, which well exceeds the national average. They, along with Westminster College President Bethami Dobkin, are sometimes referred to as the "mighty five." This is not a function of the state meeting an "affirmative action" goal, Cockett said. Rather, it says something about their credentials, scholarship and style of leadership, which is "inclusive. We get the right people around the table regardless of rank or title." The ceremony, which included the customary pomp and circumstance, was held in the just-opened Noorda Center concert hall with students, faculty, elected officials and religious leaders in attendance, including President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. It was a celebration of family, as well, including Tuminez's 85-year-old mother, her siblings, her spouse, Jeffrey S. Tolk, and three children, Michal, Whitman and Leo. Her daughter, Michal Tuminez Tolk, said in moving to Utah, the family had to get used to Utahns' "excessive friendliness and copious amounts of sugar shared with us." Tuminez Tolk said her mother jumps into every challenge without fear, and it's one of the things she admires most about her. "She's so confident and brave and able to handle any situation with great courage and class." No matter the circumstance, she rises to meet it, "even thriving in the face of fear." Tuminez removed her academic gown to address the audience. Her address included a long list of thank yous to mentors, leaders, new friends and family, among them Catholic nuns who reached out to her and her siblings and enrolled them in their school at no cost. It was transformative. The nuns, who were educators, turned "the ordinary metal of my brain into gold," Tuminez said. One teacher transformed her from "literally an illiterate 5-year-old into a voracious reader." She recalled her father, who learned to speak English from American soldiers, which meant he knew many swear words, which she learned, too. He was a man of few words, but the one thing he said a lot was "do the right thing." Tuminez said her vision of UVU includes exceptional care, accountability and results. "Exceptional care must begin by seeing one another by who we really are," she said. While some may debate the value of post-secondary education, UVU can serve learners wherever they are on their journeys. "We mean it when we say 'Come as you are. UVU has a place for you,' " she said. She told the story of her nephew-in-law, Fabio, who emigrated to the United States when he was 3 years old from Brazil. He believed he would become a construction worker like his father. An ecclesiastical leader encouraged him to try college. "Having never taken the ACT or the SAT, he came to UVU, open admission, mistakenly enrolled himself in a pre-med biology class," she said. He got accepted to Cornell University medical school and completed a residency in Rochester, New York. "Today Fabio is a full-fledged cardio-thoracic surgeon." Not everyone will become a cardiothoracic surgeon like Fabio "and that's the second beauty of Utah Valley University," she said. "We have a dual mission where we unabashedly combine and integrate the openness, rigor and richness of two types of institutions, a full university and a community college. You want to cook, come here. You want to fly a plane, come here. You want to study philosophy, come here. You want to get a master's in cybersecurity, come here.I believe this is a model that is very appropriate at a time that society is more divided and we have more severe inequality." The question of whether post-secondary education is worthwhile is somewhat answered by a question writer Malcolm Gladwell asks about human capital: "What percentage of those who are capable of achieving something actually achieve it?" It takes a village, she said. For Tuminez, it started in the Philippine village of Pali, where she was delivered by a half-blind male midwife. Then, at her mother's insistence, the family moved to the slums of Gomez, where Catholic nuns nurtured her intellect. The most recent stop on her journey is the village of Orem, Utah. "I started life as a statistic and I would have remained a statistic had people not helped me," she said. SALT LAKE CITY Pharmacists in Utah may now legally dispense birth control to women who have not seen a doctor. The state's newest standing order, authorized by lawmakers in 2018, aims to cut down some of the barriers that lead to unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. The order is effective immediately. "About half of pregnancies are unplanned and one in five are really unwanted pregnancies and a lot of it might have to do with poor availability of contraceptives," said Dr. Joseph Miner, a physician and executive director at the Utah Department of Health. He said the standing order will help people who either don't have the time or money to regularly see a doctor for birth control. Pharmacists and health department medical directors who want to dispense birth control prescriptions must complete a five-hour training with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing to show they are competent to counsel and dispense what is called "self-administered contraceptives," including hormonal birth control pills, patches and the vaginal ring. They must also register with the Utah Department of Health and submit annual reports on their dispensing activity. Women seeking a prescription for birth control at a pharmacy will need to answer questions pertaining to their medical and health history, as well as have their blood pressure taken and talk with the pharmacist, prior to approval of a prescription, which can be filled for two years. The issuing pharmacist must also conduct periodic evaluations at certain points within the two years, but after two years, a woman would need to see a doctor, Miner said. "We certainly don't want to discourage them from going to their health care providers," he said, adding that after answering the questions, women most likely will know whether it is safe for them to use the contraceptives. The cost of the available forms of birth control will be the responsibility of the women seeking a standing prescriptions. The health department will keep a list of qualified pharmacies where the standing prescriptions would be available, though to bring awareness to the program, Miner said women are encouraged to ask pharmacists whether it is an option. "I'd imagine most pharmacists will want to do this," Miner said. "We encourage them to be qualified to counsel and dispense this drug to women who want it." The standing order for contraceptives, a result of SB184, is the second to be approved by Utah lawmakers. It joins a standing order issued by the health department in 2016 fornaloxone, a rescue medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Thousands of doses of naloxone have been dispensed throughout Utah since. "Both are for major health issues," Miner said. He said other states are also working to offer similar programs to women. A national movement is pushing for contraceptives to be available without a prescription, further reducing the barriers for women. "Our data shows that for women who become pregnant without planning it, the outcomes can sometimes be less than optimal," said Laurie Baksh, manager at the health department's Maternal and Infant Health Program. She said many women who are not planning to have children aren't taking the vitamins necessary to prevent complications, or might be using tobacco, which can also lead to serious problems. Unplanned or unwanted pregnancies are also associated with "poor prenatal care utilization and higher pre-term birth rates, and can result in significant state expenditures," the four-page standing order states. "We tell women considering pregnancy to take the steps they need to to be in the best health possible before they decide to become pregnant," Baksh said. Having birth control prescriptions available at pharmacies, with approval from local physicians, she said, will help in rural areas of the state where shortages of health care providers exist. Unplanned pregnancies happen less than the national average in Utah, but Baksh said that from a health department perspective, it would be optimal for more babies to be planned or expected. "Our concern is that contraceptives are readily available," Miner said, adding that it will help decrease the number of unplanned, but particularly, unwanted pregnancies. "This is critical for the health of families and children." For more information, visit mihp.utah.gov/birthcontrol. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. A plan that outlines how seven states will deal with declining flows in a major river in the U.S. West is getting its first hearing in Congress. U.S. Sen. Martha McSally vowed Wednesday to take quick action on a plan to preserve a drought-stricken Colorado River, which serves about 40 million people in the U.S. West and Mexico. Seven states are looking to Congress to pass legislation to implement drought contingency plans that would mean voluntary cuts to keep two key reservoirs on the river from falling so low that their dams could not deliver water or produce hydropower. The drought contingency plans that states have spent years negotiating got a first hearing Wednesday before a subcommittee that the Arizona Republican chairs. McSally said she'll introduce a bill soon and expects strong support. "Now that the states have completed their work, it's time for Congress to take it across the finish line," she said. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming recently agreed to push for the federal legislation. Their goal is to have it approved by April 22 so that Mexico's water contributions also kick in next year. Climate change, drought and an increased demand for Colorado River water have shrunk Lake Mead and Lake Powell to about 40 percent of their capacity, officials said. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are the two largest man-made reservoirs in the country. The drought plan for the lower basin, which includes Arizona, California and Nevada, would have those states leaving water in Lake Mead when it hits certain levels. Under current guidelines, Arizona and Nevada would lose water when Lake Mead drops to 1,075 feet in elevation because California has the most senior rights. On Wednesday, the lake created by Hoover Dam on the Arizona-Nevada border was at nearly 1,090 feet the point at which water contributions would kick in under the drought plan and eventually loop in California. Las Vegas relies on the Colorado River for 90 percent of its water supply. Nevada expects to meet the conditions of the drought plan with relative ease because of previous water conservation measures and storing eight years' worth of water, said John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. "We're in a strong position to not only help the rest of the river but to protect ourselves as well," he said. The drought plans also create incentives for storing water, rather than for removing it when the lower basin states believe it could be stranded in Lake Mead if water levels drop too low. Unlike the upper basin states, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming in the lower basin historically haven't used their full allocations of Colorado River water. They use Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border as a bank to store water when hydrology is good to ensure they can deliver water through Glen Canyon Dam to the lower basin in drier years, meeting obligations under a 1922 compact that divvied up the water. "If we cannot get water past that dam, we violate the compact," said Wyoming state engineer Pat Tyrrell. Tyrrell said diminishing flows in the Colorado River have increased the threat that upper basin states might need to curtail their use of water, or move water from large reservoirs in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico to Lake Powell when it's needed. The ability to store water in the reservoirs upstream from Lake Powell without charge is also part of the plan, Tyrrell said. Another hearing on the drought plans is scheduled Thursday before a House subcommittee. VINEYARD A 6-year-old died Wednesday when she was hit by an SUV in Vineyard, authorities said. Just before 3:30 p.m., the girl was riding a scooter along Parkway Place near Vineyard Elementary School when a woman pulled out of a driveway and hit her, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. According to Cannon, the driver had backed out of her driveway into a cul-de-sac, then turned left to drive away when the girl came down another driveway on a battery powered scooter and rode into the path of the SUV. Efforts to revive the girl were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead on scene, Cannon said. Her name was not immediately released pending notification of family members. Cannon said the death appears to be an accident and the driver was cooperating with investigators, including completing drug testing that is standard following this kind of incident. "Investigators do not suspect negligence, carelessness, or impairment as factors, and initial test results are negative for drugs or alcohol. Based on information known at this time there will be no charges filed against the driver," Cannon said. Later Wednesday in South Salt Lake, another 6-year-old girl was hit by a car and suffered a leg fracture. South Salt Lake police executive officer Gary Keller said the girl was playing with other children in a commercial complex at 3570 S. West Temple when she ran into an alley and was hit by a car. The girl was transported to a hospital in critical condition, though the injuries were not considered life threatening. The incident is believed to be an accident, Keller said. Samsung says that the Galaxy S10 comes with certain AI-powered features that analyse a users phone usage pattern to save battery and shut less used/ unused apps to improve performance. Highlights: Samsung explains battery saving and performance improving features of Galaxy S10 in a blog. The optimisations include longer battery life and faster app launches. App Pre-loading and vRamDisk work together to improve app response. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new buzzword in the technology space, and OEMs are now using this tech to not only cut down manual labour, but also to enhance the overall experience of smartphones and services on them. Google is seen as a leader that is directly (or indirectly) trickling down the advantages of AI to consumers. While, some are resorting to introducing dedicated hardware to carry out smooth sailing of services, some are knitting AI-powered optimisations in the OS on the phones. Samsung is one such company that has come up with AI-based innovation and it has now explained how and where its latest flagship device the Galaxy S10 takes advantage of AI technology. In a note, the South Korean giant has detailed how the AI plays a significant role in optimising software and improving the way users can interact with their devices. The Galaxy S10 marries best-in-class hardware with machine learning and AI-powered performance management software that optimises the battery, CPU, RAM, and even the temperature of your phone, so you get the best performance without ever needing to fiddle with settings, the company said. The optimisations include longer battery life, faster app launching and overall improved performance. Battery optimisations: Apart from the massive battery - 3400mAh in Galaxy S10 and 4100mAh in Galaxy S10+ (Review) - that gives a longer running time, the flagships Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 can charge the device up to 36 percent faster than the previous generation of phones. But including a bigger battery is not always the solution to make sure a phone lasts all day, Samsung says, adding that optimizing how the power it provides is used is the way to get maximum out of a battery. To boost power efficiency, Samsung introduced a suite of intelligent performance tools to the Galaxy S10 that work together to give you a seamless experience and a battery that lasts all day. Samsung's intelligent battery management system works with Google Adaptive Battery to analyse your app usage and optimise your CPU and memory to improve performance and save battery power for both the apps that you use the most, and those you never use. It is powered by two main features: App Leveling and Adaptive Power Saving, the company said. The App Leveling feature categorises apps by usage patterns and automatically adjusts resource allocation. If an app is open, the one running in the background will freeze, or will be forced to standby. If the standby is longer than expected (thanks to AI), it will be put to sleep. After approximately 30 days, the app will be disabled if it hasnt been used , that is, it will no longer run until you open it again. A lot of apps that people install never end up getting used but they still take up precious resources. Powered by intelligence the Galaxy S10 automatically analyses these apps and disables them so they only use resources at a NAND level, ensuring your RAM, CPU, and battery are saved for more important tasks, Samsung explained. The Adaptive Power Saving feature quitely analyses a persons phone usage pattern and routine to optimise battery performance. For example, in a normal routine, a person is left with 35 percent battery at the end of the day. Sometimes it happens that a person uses the phone for something which is not in the daily routine, say, video conference, the Adaptive Power Saving comes into play to save maximum amount of battery by the end of the day. The analysis of a users phone usage is done by App Pre-loading and vRamDisk, which work together to ready resources in advance to improve app response. App Pre-loading learns a users app usage pattern and predicts what apps he/she will load next. For instance, if a user tends to open your messenger app after using the camera app, then the messenger app will be pre-loaded when the camera app is opened. The vRamDisk works in conjunction with App Pre-loading by reading and bringing the resources needed for app launching onto RAM. It also allows frequently used apps to be accessed more quickly by learning on which page the app is on the screen launcher, so the resources can be pre-loaded for that specific page, Samsung said. Related Read: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G to launch on April 5: Report India is the fourth country to have tested an ASAT missile in a show of force. Highlights: India successfully tests its ASAT missile system. The missile, part of Mission Shakti, intercepted its target and destroyed it in 3 minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced earlier today that India had successfully tested its anti-satellite (ASAT) missile by destroying a predetermined target of a defunct satellite in low earth orbit. Executed as part of Mission Shakti, the demonstration made India the fourth country in the world to have the ability to take down low-orbit satellites after China, Russia, and the United States of America. Though no ASAT system has been used in warfare until now, some nations have destroyed their own satellites (usually defunct) in a show of force. An anti-satellite missile (also known as an ASAT missile or an ASAT system) is a missile launched either from a fighter aircraft or from the ground using a missile canister. Capable of destroying enemy satellites in low earth orbit (within an altitude of 2,000 kilometres), an ASAT missile is considered one of the elements used in space warfare. The Indian ASAT missile tested earlier today as part of Mission Shakti was developed by DRDO and took 3 minutes to complete the intercept. Building and testing ASAT missiles wasnt a priority in defence strategies until the early 1980s. On September 13, 1985, the United States Air Force-built ASM-135 ASAT was launched from a modified F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft to take out Solwind P78-1, an American gamma ray spectroscopy satellite launched in 1979. This is known to be the first successful intercept of an ASAT missile even though the Soviet Union too held its own trial launches around the same time. In an interview conducted by NDTV last year, DRDO Chairman S Christopher spoke about Indias intercontinental ballistic missile, the Agni V. When asked if the Agni V could be used as an ASAT missile, he responded, You have any ballistic missile which normally goes for a thousand kilometres plus height-wise, any of them can be applied. You do not necessarily need to specially use Agni-V." Related Read: ISRO puts Microsat-R and student-made Kalamsat in space The spacewalk scheduled for March 29 will now pair Christina Koch with Nick Hague. Highlights: NASA makes changes to March 29 spacewalk plan Christina Koch will now walk with Nick Hague Anne McClain will walk with David Saint-Jacques on April 8 The first ever all-female spacewalk was scheduled to happen this Friday (March 29). In a heartbreaking move, NASA has cancelled it owing partly to an unexpected spacesuit availability issue aboard the International Space Station. Anne McClain and Christina Koch were the two astronauts who were originally supposed to perform the spacewalk together but the revised plan pairs Koch with Nick Hague, thus calling off a significant milestone in womens history in space. McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso essentially the shirt of the spacesuit fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, March 29, Koch will wear it, writes NASA in its press release. While Koch will walk out into space with Hague this Friday, McClain is tentatively scheduled to perform her spacewalk with Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques on April 8. When CNN got in touch with NASA earlier today, Brandi Dean of the public affairs department had this to say: We do our best to anticipate the spacesuit sizes that each astronaut will need, based on the spacesuit size they wore in training on the ground, and in some cases (including Anne McClain's) astronauts train in multiple sizes. However, individuals' sizing needs may change when they are on orbit, in response to the changes living in microgravity can bring about in a body. The spacewalk scheduled for this Friday involves the installation of a new set of powerful lithium-ion batteries for one pair of the space stations solar arrays. On April 8, McClain and Saint-Jacques will lay out jumper cables between the Unity module and the S0 truss at the midpoint of the stations backbone. Expected to start a little after eight in the morning, each of the two spacewalks is expected to last about six and a half hours. Related Read: NASA to conduct first ever all-female spacewalk Subscriber content preview Photo provided by Pacific Earth Works [enlarge] Pacific Earth Works won an award for its work at the Rufus 2.0 Day 1 and Spheres in Seattle. Monroe-based Pacific Earth Works recently won two 2018 environmental landscape awards from the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals. . . . Subscriber content preview SAN DIEGO (AP) The mayor of San Diego is proposing a new law to ban the growing problem of homeless people living in vehicles near beaches. The move announced Monday follows numerous complaints about public urination, trash and illegal activity since an ordinance that had been in place was repealed in February following a federal judge's ruling that it was too vague, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. . . . NITI Aayog, ABB facilitate adoption of AI technologies by MSMEs NITI Aayog and ABB India jointly organised a workshop to facilitate the adoption of artificial intelligence-based technologies by small, medium and micro enterprises (MSMEs) across various sectors. The workshop, held at the ABB Ability Innovation Centre (AIC) in Bengaluru, brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, state government functionaries and technology experts from sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, electrical and electronics, food processing and manufacturing. The workshop, which is in line with the national objective of AI for All, focused on three key areas that included addressing sector specific issues such as regulatory, financial and policy concerns relating to adoption of automation by the MSMEs. The workshop explored innovative business and economic models (plug and play, cluster approach, shared manufacturing approach) to accelerate technology adoption by MSMEs, while optimising costs. Besides, it tried to address potential impacts of automation and AI on the workforce and steps that could be taken to educate, train and reskill the workforce. At NITI Aayog we are no longer working on one-way policy plans, we have wide and deep interactions with those for whom the policies are intended to focus on. At ABB Ability Innovation Centre we have brought all stakeholders of MSME value chain to identify the roadblocks they face in growth, be it in business models, financing or skilled labour, and together find ways in which we can address the same using tools ranging from policy to technology, said Anna Roy, senior adviser at NITI Aayog. India can leapfrog and show the way when it comes to innovative AI applications. Working with MSMEs and the eco-system is critical for the industrial and manufacturing adoption of such technologies. With its established history of working with them for several decades and driving the change with new digital solutions, ABB would be the perfect catalyst, said Sanjeev Sharma, managing director, ABB India. Last year, NITI Aayog and ABB signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to support the Indian government to realize its ambitious vision of Make in India through advanced manufacturing technologies that incorporate the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence. Tata, GIC and SSG Capital to buy 45% in GMR Airports for Rs8,000 cr A consortium of investors, which includes Tata Group, Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and SSG Capital Management, has agreed to invest Rs8,000 crore to acquire a 45 per cent equity stake in GMR Airports Ltd (GAL), the airports infrastructure business of GMR Infrastructure. GIL said it has signed a binding term sheet with the investors pursuant to which the investors have agreed to invest Rs8,000 crore in GMR Airports Limited (GAL), which includes Rs1,000-crore equity infusion in GAL and Rs7,000 crore towards purchase of GALs equity shares from GIL and its subsidiaries. The proposed investment is subject to definitive documentation, customary regulatory approvals, lender consents and other approvals, GMR stated in a release. Following the investment, GIL proposes to demerge its energy, highways, urban infrastructure and transportation businesses, leading to separation of its airport business, subject to customary consents, regulatory and corporate approvals. GMR said the investment by marquee investors will help GIL improve service delivery and create a world class portfolio of airport assets, besides paving the way for restructuring of the business by way of demerger. As part of the terms of the proposed investment, GIL will retain management control over the airports business with the investors having customary rights and board representation at GAL and its key subsidiaries. The proposed investment values GALs 100 per cent equity at Rs18,000 crore, besides earn-outs of up to Rs4,475 crore, linked to achievement of certain agreed milestones and performance metrics over next 5 years, thereby assuming total valuation of Rs22,475 crore. As part of the transaction, GIL also intends to provide exit to existing private equity investors who hold 5.8 per cent equity stake in GAL. At closing, GIL and its subsidiaries will hold 54 per cent stake in GAL, Tata will hold 20 per cent stake, GIC will hold 15 per cent stake and SSG will hold 10 per cent stake, with Employee Welfare Trust also holding a stake in GMRs airports business. We are very pleased to welcome Tata, GIC and SSG as long-term investors in GAL. The proposed investment endorses the strength of the unparalleled airport platform created by GMR Group and will reduce our debt substantially, strengthening our balance sheet, Grandhi Kiran Kumar, managing director and CEO of GIL, said. GMR said the proposed investment by marquee investors like Tata, GIC and SSG reaffirms the significant and long-term investment opportunity in the fast growing airport infrastructure space with a large pool of capital that can be tapped to grow GMR airport infrastructure business. GMR Infrastructure Limited, a leading global infrastructure conglomerate with interests in airport, energy, transportation and urban infrastructure, is listed on Indian stock exchanges. GMR Groups airport portfolio has around 159 million passenger capacity in operation and under development, including India's busiest Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Mactan Cebu International Airport in partnership with Megawide in the Philippines. Greenfield projects under development includes airport at Mopa in Goa and airport at Heraklion, Crete, Greece in partnership with GEK Terna. The GMR Megawide consortium has won the Clark International Airports EPC project, its second project in the Philippines. The group recently received Letter of Intent for development and operation of Nagpur Airport on PPP basis and development and operation of greenfield airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh. It is also developing smart cities adjacent to Delhi and Hyderabad airports. The groups energy business has a diversified portfolio of around 6,800 MWs, of which 4,500 MWs of coal, gas and renewable power plants are operational and around 2,330 MWs of power projects are under various stages of construction and development. The group also has coal mines in Indonesia, where it has partnered with a large local player. GMRs transportation and urban infrastructure division has six operating highway projects spanning over 2,000 lane km. The group has a large EPC order book of railway track construction, including Government of Indias marquee Dedicated Freight Corridor project. It is also developing multi-product special investment regions spread across 2100 acres at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu and 10,400 acres at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. IDBI Bank officers to go on hunger strike on 30 March over stake sale The all-India Officers Association of IDBI Bank has given notice of a one-day nationwide hunger strike on 30 March over its various demands connected with the transfer of majority stake in the state-run bank to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). The association is seeking deployment of IDBI Bank officers in other state-owned banks since IDBI Bank has now gone private. In fact the association has mover the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the government that they be transferred to state-run banks to fill thousands of vacancies 'without causing heartburn or inconvenience to anyone.' They say the decision of the centre to dilute its stake below 51 per cent in IDBI Bank goes against the undertaking given by the finance minister to Parliament. Also, they point out that a majority of IDBI bank officers are over-aged and have little chance of employment in the public sector or reputed firms. It is against this background and over various other demand that the all-India Officers Association has planned a one-day nationwide hunger strike on 30 March. The Bank is in receipt of notice of one-day nationwide hunger strike on March 30, 2019 from All India IDBI Officers Association (AIIDBIOA) addressed to MD & CEO, IDBI Bank in support of their various demands, IDBI Bank said in a stock exchange filing. The Officers Association has been protesting over RBI categorising IDBI Bank as a private sector lender with effect from 21 January 2019, pursuant to LIC acquiring 51 per cent controlling stake in the bank. For December quarter of this fiscal, IDBI Bank reported widening of loss to Rs4,185.48 crore as bad loans surged. The banks gross non-performing assets (NPAs) shot up to 29.67 per cent of gross advances as at 31 December 2018, against 24.72 per cent in the year-ago period. RBI slaps Rs2 cr penalty on PNB for violating SWIFT norms Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slapped a penalty of Rs2 crore on Punjab National Bank (PNB) for non-compliance of regulations with regard to SWIFT operations, the state-run lender said on Tuesday. SWIFT is a global messaging software used for transactions by financial entities. The massive Rs14,000-crore fraud perpetrated by billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi at the PNB was a case of misuse of this messsaging software. In a regulatory filing, PNB said the Reserve Bank informed the bank about the penalty in a letter dated 25 March. "In the matter of violations of regulatory directions by Punjab National Bank observed during assessment of implementation of SWIFT- related operational controls, the Reserve Bank of India, (imposes) an aggregate penalty of Rs20 million ... on Punjab National Bank," it said. Earlier this year, the Reserve Bank had imposed penalties worth Rs71 crore on 36 public, private and foreign banks for non-compliance with various directions on time-bound implementation and strengthening of SWIFT operations. However, the list did not include PNB. The major banks which were fined by the regulator included SBI, ICICI Bank, HSBC, Bank of Baroda, Citibank, Canara Bank and Yes Bank. RBI's $5bn swap auction boosts rupee to a 9-mth high of 68.53/dollar The Indian rupee climbed to a 9-month high of 68.53 against the US dollar after the Reserve Bank of India conducted the first swap auction to release long-term rupee liquidity worth $5 billion into the system. RBI received an overwhelming response to its dollar swap window on Tuesday, establishing the instrument as an attractive liquidity tool. Banks are reported to have offered $16.31 billion for the proposed swaps against the RBI offer for up to $5 billion. The RBI accepted $5.02 billion at a cut-off premium of Rs7.76 for three-year dollars close to the rate at which the market was trading. In order to meet the durable liquidity needs of the system, the Reserve Bank has decided to augment its liquidity management toolkit and inject rupee liquidity for longer duration through long-term foreign exchange buy/sell swap in terms of its extant Liquidity Management Framework, RBI had stated in an earlier release. The US dollar amount mobilised through this auction would also reflect in RBIs foreign exchange reserves for the tenor of the swap while also reflecting in RBIs forward liabilities, it added. Under the swap, the RBI received dollars from banks and promised to return these at 76.62 each three years later, irrespective of the exchange rate prevailing at that time. Heavy dollar flows into the market also helped the swaps. Foreign portfolio investors have brought in more than $5 billion. There are also prospects of successful overseas bidders in insolvency proceedings bringing their dollars to India. In the telecom space too, overseas money is expected to come to pick up stakes in local companies. Cathay Pacific to acquire low-cost carrier HK Express for $628 million Cathay Pacific Airways said on Wednesday announced that it has agreed to buy Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd from cash-strapped Chinese conglomerate HNA Group for HK$4.93 billion ($628 million), thereby entering the budget travel market. Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express Holding Company Limited along with the sellers guarantor also entered into a share purchase agreement under which Cathay Pacific will purchase the HKE interest (being 315,060,716 ordinary shares in HKE held by the seller and representing 100 per cent of the issued share capital of HKE) for a consideration of HK$4.93 billion. The purchase consideration comprises a cash consideration of HK$2.25 billion payable in Cash and a non-cash consideration of HK$2.68 billion settled through the issue of promissory loan notes. Cathay Pacific said completion of the deal is conditional upon certain conditions being fulfilled, including clearances required from relevant competition authorities, consents under relevant contracts of HKE and the termination or variation of certain arrangements between HKE and its related parties. The performance of the sellers obligations under the share purchase agreement is guaranteed by the sellers guarantor. Upon completion of the transaction on or before 31 December 2019, HKE will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific. A lack of slots at Hong Kong International Airport until an expansion is completed in 2024 had constrained Cathays ability to follow peers like Singapore Airlines Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd and set up its own budget brand. Cathay said it would continue operating HK Express as a standalone carrier using a low-cost business model. The purchase price comprises HK$2.25 billion of cash and HK$2.68 billion of non-cash consideration through promissory loan notes, Cathay said in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HK Express reported a HK$141 million net loss in 2018 and had a net asset value of HK$1.12 billion, Cathay said. The transaction was expected to be completed on or before 31 December, it said, but added that lawyers for a shareholder of an intermediate holding company of HK Express had written to Cathay indicating an intention to contest the agreement. Cathay, which did not name the shareholder, said it had the right to terminate the deal if proceedings were commenced to prevent the transaction. HK Express has 24 Airbus SE A320 jets and the acquisition would increase Cathays share of seat capacity in Hong Kong to 51 per cent from about 46 percent, according to CAPA data. It also owns full-service carrier Hong Kong Airlines, which is not part of the deal with Cathay. Five different species of whales and dolphins have been found washed up on Donegal strands since last Monday. A spokesperson for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), Gareth Doherty, said the incidents are becoming too frequent. Sperm Whale A large 43ft male sperm Whale was found dead on Magheroarty beach on Monday morning. Mr Doherty said that the animal was found in bad condition and believes it to have been dead for 3 to 4 weeks. The whales are recognised as being the world's largest toothed predator. The whale was buried on Tuesday afternoon. In June 2015, a 45-foot specimen was buried after it washed up on the same shore. However, the whale resurfaced and had to be disposed of a second time. Fascinating Creatures Mr Doherty said that we will never know what happened to the whale as Ireland doesn't yet have the facility to carry out an autopsy on whales. He added that a sample of blubber was taken from the whale and a tooth in a bid to garner more information about the whale. They are fascinating creatures. It is sad that we cannot get any information about the creature when they are washed ashore, he said. Contact Last week, a Sowerby's Beaked whale was found in the Brinalack in area, underneath the former Heights public house. A porpoise was found on Tullan Strand in Bundoran last Monday. A striped dolphin was found on the Sligo/Donegal border last week and a common whale was found in Machaire Gathlan. Mr Doherty has urged anyone who finds dead whales or dolphins to report it to him or to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. He said it is important to retain such information. Senator Victor Boyhan has posed a question to Government officials regarding "the need for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to outline the outcome of discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform about securing additional funding for the Rebuilding Ireland home scheme". The question came following news in mid-March that Rebuilding Ireland home loans were being issued by local county councils again following a two-week freeze on the loans being drawn down a number of weeks prior. Louth Housing Director Paddy Donnelly confirmed during the Dundalk Municipal District meeting in the second week of March that Louth County Council had been given directives to cease issuing loans under the program, despite a statement from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government stating that the scheme was in full operation. In response to Senator Boyhan's question TD Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had been estimated that there would be a drawdown of 200 million in Rebuilding Ireland loans over a three year period. However, the TD went on to reveal: "By the end of January 106 million had been drawn down, which accounted for 53% of the available funding, at which point 66 million would have been more consistent with the expectation of funds being drawn down over a three year period. "The Minister informed the Dail on 29 January 2019 that the scheme had proven more successful than initially anticipated, and would require a further tranche of funds." He explained that a meeting with the Minister for Finance Public Expenditure and Reform took place on March 5, 2019 and added that "at no time was the first tranche of funding depleted". The TD added: "As of the end of January 2019, 106 million has been lent, supporting 575 individuals and families to buy their first home." According to Mr Cannon the "Minister is currently in discussions with the Minister for Finance Public Expenditure and Reform regarding further funding for the scheme". He added: "The Central Bank is also being consulted". Under the program, first-time buyers who had been refused mortgages by two banks were eligible to avail of a Government-backed mortgage from their local authority for up to 90% of the market value of the property. The Minister concluded: "Specific allocations to local authorities for 2019 will be finalised when those discussions have been concluded. However, in the meantime, the scheme remains open and all local authorities should continue to receive and process applications, up to and including the drawdown of funding as appropriate." (Graphic image below) Another large dog was shot by a farmer in the Grange Irish area of Cooley after it was caught bothering sheep on a farm at 8am yesterday morning, leading Louth IFA Rural Development Chairman Matthew McGreehan to call for tougher laws to be implemented regarding rogue dogs in the countryside. Mr McGreehan explained that the dog was checked for a microchip after he was shot so that the owner could be contacted: "The dog warden came and checked to see if the dog was microchipped. He was and the owner was located." The dog which was shot yesterday morning (Tuesday, 26 March) Image: Matthew McGreehan, Louth IFA Rural Development Chairman "The dog was attacking sheep and Eoin White, IFA Chairman happened to be passing at the time and saw the attack happening. He alerted the farmer and got help from a neighbour. "Shooting these rogue dogs is the only way to stop them. The owners have to take responsibility." The Louth IFA chairman estimated that there were about 50 sheep, most of whom were carrying lambs and some of whom who were in labour, and some lambs too, in the field when the rogue dog started bothering them. He added: "A lot of damage was done to the flock, none of them were mauled. It can have a devastating effect especially when sheep are lambing. And it could have been a lot worse. "It was devastating for the wee lambs attacked. And it can a devastating effect on a farm and a farming family too. It can have severe financial consequences. "It was very distressing for the sheep. We understand that dog owners don't want their dogs being shot but what about the poor innocent sheep? Farmers children are being devastated by sheep being killed. " Mr McGreehan reiterated the call for dog owners to keep an eye on their pets: "The message just doesn't seem to be getting through to people. We [farmers] are calling for local TD's and politicians to help tighten up on laws on dog ownership." "If people aren't fit to look after dogs, they shouldn't have them. Something has to be done. We want an ad campaign about rogue dogs in the countryside brought back. We want a national, central database with cross border cooperation. We also want a facility where a record could be kept if a dog changes ownership. The responsibility should be on the dog sellers there to update that database. In addition, we are calling for an after-hours service for when the dog wardens are not available." The IFA Rural Development Chairman added: "Hillwalkers are also giving farmers and landowners the two fingers by ignoring rules and bringing their dogs on mountain walks in the area. Dog ownership laws here are far too liberal." International consultant Arcadis presented Hong Kong the option to create a polder as a mean to tackle the issue of land scarcity. Hong Kong wants to build a group of islands and considers the usual reclamation by infilling with sand. Arcadis Global Leader for Water Management, Piet Dircke presented the Polder method at a recent stakeholders meeting and discussed the potential application in Hong Kong projects. Islands in sea Hong Kong needs to find land for the future housing of 1,1 million people. Last year, Chief Executive Carrie Lam unveiled the governments Lantau Tomorrow Vision which looks to create 1,700 hectares through reclamation. Piet Dircke of Arcadis presented the polder method to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce as a much cheaper alternative to create this new land. Piet Dircke of Arcadis addresses the stakeholders during a meeting at the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (Photo: Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce). Less upfront construction costs A polder is created by building a dike around the area to be reclaimed and draining water from it, creating a low-lying tract of land below sea level. The water levels in the polder are controlled by drains and pumps. Compared to the traditional method of infilling with sand, this will reduce the amount of sand needed for reclamation and save on upfront construction costs. In his presentation Dircke said: "There is huge opportunity for Hong Kong to consider alternative, more cost-effective and sustainable methods of land reclamation. I am excited to be sharing the Polder concept along with coastal resilience, a solution that can improve quality of life in Hong Kong for its citizens." Understanding the risks of a polder According to Arcadis the Hong Kong administration needs to understand that should it decide to construct a polder, it is important that the community has a full understanding of the potential risks and benefits. Three islands (in red) planned on the south side of Lantou island. As a Dutch consultancy, Arcadis has been involved with Polder developments for over a century, providing design and construction inputs to almost all polder projects in the Netherlands, as well as in other countries. Hong Kong is no stranger to land reclamation with the first project undertaken by the British colonial authorities in 1851. Now around 6% of Hong Kongs total area is reclaimed land, accommodating about 27% of the citys population, and as much as 70% of Hong Kongs commercial activities. First polder in Singapore Singapore is currently constructing its first polder to reclaim land on Pulau Tekong island. When the polder is completed around 2022, it will add an additional 810 hectares of new land to Singapore. Dutch research institute Deltares and consultancy firm Royal HaskoningDHV have supported the Singapore authorities with an environmental study and an extensive review of the detailed design and contract documents. This news item was originally published on the website of Arcadis Asia. (Top photo: Arcadis) Read also on this website Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge commissioned by Chinese president Xi Jinping, 24 October 2018 Singapore to adopt Dutch polder concept as new land reclamation method at Pulau Tekong, 2 December 2016 Fugro awarded major contract for seabed investigation in waters around Hong Kong airport, 27 February 2014 Expertise: Enabling delta life Country: China More information Arcadis Hong Kong Hong Kong +852 2911 2000 www.arcadis.com/en/asia Arcadis Amsterdam, the Netherlands +31 20 2011 011 www.arcadis.com/en/global Ive held lots of workshops and masterclasses with Australian start-ups and small business owners and I always start by saying PR is not just a buzz word. PR is not just a trending word or a hot topic. It can be a powerful medium for small business owners and start-ups to communicate effectively with their target audience through media exposure; it ultimately leads to increased brand awareness and better leads and sales. Many small business owners have heard of PR and know that they will likely have to invest in PR at some stage of their brand awareness journey, but they are potentially unsure of what PR really is or means. PR stands for Public Relations, and its all about the ways in which a business communicates with its stakeholders. This includes the media, their target audience and their internal employees too. PR uses publicity and media coverage to build an audiences perception of a business, product or service. Is PR marketing? PR falls under the fourth P promotion of an overall marketing strategy. The 4 Ps are product, place, price and promotion. The product is quite simply what service or product the business sells. This P includes packaging, branding, USP, features etc. Place is where you sell your product. It can be an online store or a physical store; both of these can be made either local, national or global. Price is, quite simply, your pricing strategy. How much does your product cost, your wholesale price, discounts etc? Do you follow a premium price strategy or a loss leader strategy? Promotion is where PR falls. This is where all promotional activities live. Advertising, sales promotions, in-store promotions, direct marketing, newsletters are also in this category. What is PR not? PR is not advertising. PR is not an advertorial. PR is not a live TV sales promotion. PR is not a sponsored post. It is publicity that is generally unpaid, except in the circumstance where the small business owner actually hires a PR expert to implement the campaign on behalf of their business. The PR message can be controlled to a degree but not entirely due to the fact that, as I mention above, it is unpaid. If PR publicity is paid for then it would be considered an advert or a sponsored post. PR content should always be customised to the media outlet and should also be current and newsworthy. Sales jargon and calls to action should be avoided when creating editorial. How can PR help a small business or start-up? PR assists business owners with creating brand awareness, pitching themselves as an expert and building credibility through the right messaging, at the right times and using the right mediums. This is crucial for small businesses and start ups as it positioning yourself in the market without spending huge amounts on advertising campaigns. Literally building relations with the businesss public helps to personify a business when the business owner shares their unique story with the media and its customers. Strategically building content and exposure with PR can also help a business to organically grow their social media audience and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Three ways to implement PR There are different ways of implementing PR Strategies for start-ups: Give it a go and do your own PR research the best ways of growing brand awareness independently, reach out to relevant media outlets or events, network with the right people and get your personality known Hire a PR consultant or freelancer if youre unsure about where to even start with the above option, consulting with a PR expert is a good option as they will give guidance and knowledge on the best strategies to achieve your business goals Hire an agency if you have more of a budget, a larger agency can give even more expertise and support with building brand awareness and striking the right tone with your key audience Candice Meisels is a certified tertiary level PR and marketing trainer. She is also an author and has published The Power of PR: PR for Small Businesses and Marketing and PR Strategy, Strengthen Your Strategy. Candice is passionate about helping micro businesses through to medium-sized businesses. Bank to boost quality and quantity of its operations The EBRD plans to step up investments across its regions in a drive to deliver even greater impact on the ground in the 38 economies it serves. The Bank has agreed with shareholders to continue raising both the quantity and the quality of investments in its current countries of operations. After investing 9.7 billion in 2017 and another 9.5 billion in 2018, investments are now set to increase steadily over the next three years. In a first stage, the Bank is aiming for investments to top the 10 billion marker in 2019 for the first time in its history. The EBRD currently invests in emerging economies that extend from central and south-eastern Europe to the Caucasus and Central Asia and which also include Turkey and the southern and eastern Mediterranean region. An assessment of the EBRDs capital position has shown that the Bank is well positioned to deliver on its ambitious goal of increasing investments, despite continuing economic challenges in its regions that had a negative impact on profits in 2018. These factors included adverse conditions across equity markets and currency depreciations in a number of the emerging economies where the EBRD is active. Provisioning charges rose on the back of developments in Turkey, where the economy slowed sharply amid a significant currency decline. The Bank made a net profit of 340 million in 2018 after 772 million in 2017. Realised profits before impairment stood at 606 million in 2018, close to the 634 million posted in 2017. Non-performing loans stood at 4.7 per cent of the Banks total loans, compared with a record low of 3.9 per cent in 2017, largely driven by events in Turkey. The EBRDs net interest income remained stable at 751 million compared with 754 million in 2017, despite emerging signs of squeezed margins across various markets. On the back of its solid business model, financial performance, strong capitalisation and high liquidity ratios, all the three major credit rating agencies reaffirmed the Banks triple-A rating with stable outlook. The Bank also continues to demonstrate discipline in cost management, with costs in Euros broadly flat compared to the previous year. Against the backdrop of a challenging market environment in some of our largest countries of operations, the Bank is continuing to deliver on its transition mandate and is now in a uniquely strong position to make an even greater impact on the economies we serve, said Chief Financial Officer Andras Simor. The EBRD combines its strong financial investments with support for policy reform and technical assistance in order to maximise the impact of its financing, while working to improve the investment climate in its countries of operations. It will continue to play an increasingly important role in improving governance in its regions, making economies more resilient with its emphasis on local currency and capital market development, its support for small and medium sized companies and its work to ensure that the fruits of economic progress are fairly shared. It is building on its green investment portfolio and in line with commitments made at the time of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference it is confident of achieving its goal of dedicating 40 percent of annual investments to the green economy by 2020. As Joe Biden famously said, Dont tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and Ill tell you what you value. In the era of Donald Trump, it might be more apropos to say, Dont tell me what you dont give a damn about. Show me your budget and Ill tell you what you dont give a damn about. And in the case of Trumps proposed 2020 budget, what its clear is that he doesnt give a damn about is kids with disabilities and science. Lets start with children with disabilities since thats front and center in the news this week. Trumps budget slashes the Department of Educations budget by a whopping $8.5 billion, presumably to find money to pay for his hideous wall on our southern border with Mexico. Its a 12% budget cut that, among other things, kills off a $2 billion grant program for teacher professional development, ends subsidized loans where the federal government pays interest while the student is in school, and eliminates the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and the Gear Up program, which helps disadvantaged students in middle and high schools prepare for college. But the most egregious part of the cuts is the defunding of Special Olympics to the tune of $17.6 million, a 26% reduction in special education grants to states, a $7.5 million cut to the National Technical Institute for the Blind, a $13 million cut to Gallaudet University (a school for students with hearing loss), a $5 million cut for a federal program for print books for blind students by the American Printing House for the Blind, and cuts to programs at the Hellen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Heres Education Secretary Betsy DeVos attempting (and failing) to justify the slashed budget all while being eviscerated by Democrats during a House Appropriations Committee education subcommittee hearing yesterday: Betsy DeVos admitted she wants to cut all Special Olympics funding from the Education Dept budget pic.twitter.com/VD2mHoezc6 NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 27, 2019 But dont worry, rich people. Betsy DeVos has your back. Amid all of these cuts is a tasty $5 billion earmarked for scholarships for students to attend private schools. Congratulations! That lady who just cut funding for the Special Olympics lives here. I'm kidding. Betsy DeVos doesn't LIVE here. She visits sometimes though. This is her summer place. pic.twitter.com/lAcJjmheyZ The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) March 27, 2019 But funding for programs for people with disabilities isnt the only thing that Trump doesnt give a damn about. Science is, once again, on the chopping block. Here are some highlights: Cuts $270 million from the $300 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Reduces the Environmental Protection Agencys overall budget by nearly a third (31%). The proposal would end a number of EPA programs. Those include the agencys programs on global climate change research, green chemistry, and voluntary efforts with industry to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. It would also axe EPAs small but popular Science to Achieve Results Program, which funds research grants and graduate programs, and the USs donation to an international fund to help developing countries stop using chemicals that deplete stratospheric ozone. 12% cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). $750 million in cuts to the the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 12% reduction in the National Science Foundations budget. A 30% cut for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Slashes 12% from the budget of the Agricultural Research Service. Zeroes out the funding for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents and whose mission is to drive chemical safety change through independent investigation to protect people and the environment. Trump actually wants to abolish the CSB which would help keep corporations from being held accountable for industrial chemical accidents. Like I said at the start, just this portion of Trumps proposed 2020 budget alone tells you pretty much all you need to know about his values and what he doesnt care about. HOWEVER! Yes, Trump proposed an entirely outrageous, anti-American, cruel, war-mongering budget once again this year (as he has for the past two years.) BUT! Trump doesnt control the budget; he has to sign whatever Congress sends to him into law. So, all the pressure needs to be on members of Congress. And dont forget, thanks to your activism and GOTMFVing over the past two years, Democrats now control the House of Representatives. They are going to be far less likely to pass a budget that does all of the outrageous stuff Trump is proposing. At the end of the day, its Congress where most of the pressure must be applied so stay active and present in their lives (i.e., phone calls, emails, town halls, coffee hours, etc.) Finally, keep in mind that Trump is the consummate negotiator. He ALWAYS asks for way more than he expects to get. He starts at outrageously offensive and negotiates back to hideous. With Democrats in control of the House, maybe we can get that down to something no worse than terrible. Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards at an MSNBC Town Hall in Flint with Rachel Maddow | Photo by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog It was, perhaps, one of the most unexpected stories to spring out the tragedy of the Flint Water Crisis. Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards, once hailed as one of the true heroes of the story, began to lose credibility with local activists like Melissa Mays. In their estimation, Edwards began to presume he spoke for the citizens of Flint and the state of Michigan at the national level, all but declared the crisis to be over even as Flint residents continued to experience rashes and other water-related issues, and even blamed an outbreak of shigella on Flint residents poor bathing habits. Edwards also filed a bizarre complaint against Wayne State University researcher Shawn McElmurry, claiming McElmurry was misrepresenting himself in his research on the dramatic increase of cases of Legionnaires disease during the crisis and had appropriated ideas that were not his. This was seen by many as Edwards attacking a rival for grant funds related to the catastrophe in Flint. Edwards loss of support from the activists fighting for justice in the beleaguered city culminated in an open letter sent on May 10th, 2018, addressed to the Scientific and Engineering Communities. Mays and the 60 signers of the letter sent it to as many groups as they could think of including administrators at Virginia Tech. In the letter, after laying out four specific complaints, they conclude with this: Ultimately, Mr. Edwards focus, and the focus of any specialist claiming to save us, should be on our LIVES, our first-hand EXPERIENCES, our NEEDS, and on the fact that we are still suffering. Instead, Mr. Edwards goes around the country giving talks that dismiss our concerns and calls us tribal (https://www.swarthmore.edu/news-events/listen-engineer-marc-edwards-truth-seeking-age-tribalism, https://nicholas.duke.edu/about/events/truth-seeking-age-tribalism-lessons-flint-water-crisis-marc-edwards). Shockingly, Mr. Edwards has gone as far as to declare that the Flint Water Crisis was over 2 years ago (in 2016). We believe it would be best that Mr. Edwards now leaves our town alone. We need an end to his disruptive presence so that we can finally clean up the mess he has left behind him, focus on healing the rifts he has created between residents, and try to address the real problems plaguing us. Mr. Edwards choice to initiate drama distracts from the real suffering in Flint and needs to stop NOW. We are reaching out to you, key representatives of the scientific and engineering communities who keep awarding and rewarding Mr. Edwards for his behavior, because we need full protection from Mr. Edwards immediately. We also need an immediate investigation that puts OUR voices at the center and demands evidence for all claims made by Mr. Edwards. We ask for a committee that includes academics, professionals, and Environmental Justice leaders who have expertise in abuses of professional power against poisoned communities like Flint. Edwards responded first by using his blog FlintWaterStudy.org to refute the letter. The blog, which started out as a way to keep people apprised of the work he and his team were doing in Flint, began to devolve into rather erratic and defensive posts. Then Edwards filed a lawsuit seeking $3 million in damages for defamation from Mays and others. This past week, Edwards suit was shot down by Michael F. Urbanski, Chief Judge for the Western District of Virginia. Judge Urbanski issued a 115-page opinion which is a pretty astonishing rebuke of Edwards and his accusations. The opinion spells out out how Edwards contradicted himself and, more importantly, took some hyperbolic language from the open letter and spun it out into what he essentially characterizes a career-ending smear on himself. The attorney for the Flint activists being sued by Edwards, Bill Moran, issued a press release saying: Judges dont write 115-page opinions dismissing a lawsuit if they think that what the Plaintiff (Dr. Edwards) was doing is okay the opinion, which I encourage everybody to read, was appropriately scathing of Dr. Edwards, a person in a position of great authority and power punching down. In another blow to Edwards credibility, this week the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) shut down its investigation into his complaint against Shawn McElmurry, the researcher who he seemed to view as a rival for grant funding: The state has shut down an investigation into the professor who lead research into outbreaks of Legionnaires disease during the Flint water crisis. The investigation of a complaint against the professional engineering license of Wayne State University researcher Shawn McElmurry was closed Feb. 20, according to a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. LARAs investigation into Shawn McElmurry could not substantiate a violation of the Occupational Code, spokesman Pardeep Toor said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal. In a statement issued to The Flint Journal, McElmurry said he was gratified that after a thorough review and investigation, LARA closed the complaints against my license without action. Their review found that I acted within the standards of practice and professional conduct for professional engineers, the statement says. It is critical that the public trust our work, so it is unfortunate that inaccuracies continue to be propagated about my work and the work of my team. Unsubstantiated accusations against researchers or members of the community do not help advance scientific understanding. I was among those who originally hailed Marc Edwards and the important work he did in Flint to reveal the sweeping scope of the poisoning of the city by the Emergency Managers who were appointed by former Republican governor Rick Snyder. However, as I watched his blog and saw it degrade into defensive attacks on others who he felt were challenging him, the luster wore off. One of the warning signs, for me at least, was when Edwards teamed up with none other than the Koch brothers-funded Mackinac Center in his failed complaint against Shawn McElmurry. More and more he began to look like someone who let his fame get the better of him and led him to believe he was infallible and the only one with all of the (correct) answers. His demeaning of the Flint activists who were, in fact, the true heroes of the Flint Water Crisis by bringing the issue to the national stage and who were instrumental in drawing attention to what had transpired was breathtaking. And his reflexive response to lash out at anyone who disagreed with him in writing, in speeches, and with this ill-advised lawsuit made it clear to me that his advocacy was more self-serving than service. Its not a change of mind I ever dreamed I would come to or that I accepted easily. But his own actions are the sole reason for it. Despite the lack of news and attention on what is happening in Flint, the crisis is far from over. The corrosive water that ate away at the protective layer inside lead water service lines in Flint also ate away at the plumbing and appliances of anyone connected to the water system. This week, on World Water Day, members of the group Color of Change presented 15,000 petitions to Flint Mayor Karen Weaver with three demands: 1. Amend the programs that are currently in place so that everyone who lived in Flint during April 2014-December 2016 can receive free water tanks, no matter their current status. 2. Designate a contractor pool, made up of majority Black-owned businesses, or fund to allow homeowner replace interior plumbing that was corroded during the crisis. All families affected will be identified using shared data from services line replacement program, FAST START program. 3. Produce a satisfactory report showing healthy water levels in all affected Flint homes tested once all homes plumbing and water tanks have been replaced. Helping Flint residents restore their personal infrastructure is one of the final pieces necessary for making the city and those who live there whole again. Given its role in creating the Flint Water Crisis to begin with, it seems to me the state government of Michigan itself needs to play a significant role in making sure this happens. Its yet another mess created by Rick Snyder and his Republican colleagues in the legislature who created the new and anti-democratic Emergency Manager Law as one of their first acts when they swept into office in 2010, a mess the current administration run by Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel are left to clean up. YANCHENG A large-scale explosion said to have been triggered by a fire close to benzene tanks at Tianjiayi Chemical Plant in Yacheng, China, has tragically left more than 70 people dead and hundreds injured. The facility, which it is claimed produced around 30 key intermediates for the textile dye industry including around 10 per cent of the worlds supply of m-phenylenediamine has been left flattened following the blaze. Alongside the devastating human loss, speculation is already mounting that such a key intermediate supplier being out of operation will lead to volatile market conditions and potential shortages of certain dyestuffs and other raw material ingredients. The unwelcome news comes after a volatile 12 months for dye prices in the textile industry, which has been impacted due to a shortage of raw materials coming from China after closures related to new, strictly enforced environmental regulations. A growing movement is encouraging future parents to reconsider their decision to conceive and instead vow not to procreate in the face of climate change. As the world's increasing population pushes the boundaries of natural resource extraction and carbon emissions, the organization hopes its proclamation will bring attention to addressing the world's ecological crisis. "We, the undersigned, declare our decision not to bear children due to the severity of the ecological crisis and the current inaction of governing forces in the face if this existential threat," declare BirthStrikers on their blog page , calling for "fast acting and deep change towards an equality based, sustainable , caring, and non-violent future for humans and between all life on earth." UK-based BirthStrike is a voluntary organization comprised of around 200 members globally who have decided not to have children in response to "climate breakdown and civilization collapse," reports The Guardian . Founder Blythe Pepino discussed the group in March shortly after U.S. congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) voiced her own concerns over procreating because of the current climate situation and lack of government action. Scientists argue a sixth mass extinction event is underway capable of triggering "biological annihilation." They point to wildlife population losses and declines around the world directly linked to overconsumption of resources by an increasing human population. Indeed, the world population currently hovers around 7.7 billion and the United Nations estimates numbers will continue to grow to 9.8 billion in three decades, reaching 11.2 billion by the end of the century. In response, members like Alice Brown say they won't be having children for fear they will enter a world on the verge of extinction. "I'm 24 and instead of dreaming about my career and family, I'm burdened with the disease we've created. My decision not to have a child I truly feel is a necessity not a choice. Sadly but with courage to fight this fight," wrote Brown on the movement's blog. Her concerns aren't unfounded. A 2017 study analyzing fertility and mortality rates found that even a one-child global policy would not reduce the world's population by 2100. Similarly, another study from that same year suggests the best way to lessen one's impact on the planet is to have one fewer child per person. Though BirthStrike does not call for population control, members hope their participation in the movement will not discourage people from having children or shame those who have chosen to do so, but will bring climate change to the forefront in sparking systematic change in regards to tackling the environmental crisis. Copenhagen has set itself the ambitious goal of going carbon neutral generating more renewable energy than it consumes from fossil fuels by 2025. If it succeeds, it will be the first capital in the world to do so, according to the city's website. "We will achieve these goals through a transition of our energy supply, building retrofits, waste management, public infrastructure and mobility, as well as other key initiatives to support the transition on both a short-term and long-term basis," the website declares. Its efforts could serve as a blueprint for other cities looking to take climate action, The New York Times wrote in an in-depth profile Monday. But it also faces obstacles, including a rural-urban divide on the problem of reducing car use. "It's a political challenge. It's not a technological challenge," Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen told The New York Times. Specifically, the Denmark's center-right national government has refused to restrict diesel vehicles in the city. Copenhagen has already reduced emissions by 42 percent compared to 2005 levels, but this has mostly been by phasing out the use of fossil fuels for heat and electricity. Emissions from transportation, on the other hand, account for a third of the city's footprint. CleanTechnica illustrated the conundrum faced by the Danish capital: Mayor Frank Jensen tells the New York Times that cities "can change the way we behave, the way we are living, and go more green." He says mayors, more than national politicians, feel the pressure to take action. "We are directly responsible for our cities and our citizens, and they expect us to act." In a jarring example of theory versus reality, the two halves of that quote on the NY Times website are interrupted by an ad for the GMC Next Generation Sierra Denali. In Denmark, rural drivers are still wedded to their diesel-powered cars. The Danish government recently slashed registration taxes on new cars, a move that has had the effect of making electric cars more expensive. However, there are many actions that Copenhagen has been able to take on its own, according to The New York Times. 1. It is scheduled to open a new Metro line this year that will place every resident within a little less than half a mile of a station. 2. It has made three-lane-wide bicycle lanes on busy city roads. 3 .It has invested in wind turbines and plans to sell renewable energy units for every fossil fuel unit it burns. 4. It uses a new trash incinerator to help heat buildings. Despite these innovations, independent analysts say the city is unlikely to reach its 2025 goal. Some also argue that the city's strategy focuses too much on offseting carbon use rather than transforming its residents' lifestyles. "We run around in fossil fuel burning cars, we eat a lot of meat, we buy a hell of a lot of clothes," Fanny Broholm, a spokeswoman for left-leaning green party Alternativet, told The New York Times. "The goal is not ambitious enough as it is, and we can't even reach this goal." The Green New Deal an ambitious 10-year plan to transition the U.S. away from fossil fuels while promoting green jobs and greater equality failed to advance in the Senate Tuesday after most Democrats voted "present" in an attempt to forestall a Republican ploy to exploit disagreements within the party. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had been clear about his intention to put the resolution to an up or down vote in an attempt to force Democrats to support or oppose the controversial measure ahead of the 2020 election, CNN reported. Climate activists and the proposal's House co-sponsor and leading champion Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had given Senate Democrats the greenlight to vote "present" in an attempt to slight McConnell, Vox reported. Ocasio-Cortez said McConnell's manipulations suggested Republicans were not taking climate change seriously. "The Senate vote is a perfect example of that kind of superficial approach to government," Ocasio-Cortez said Tuesday, according to Vox. "What McConnell's doing is that he's trying to rush this bill to the floor without a hearing, without any markups, without working through committee because he doesn't want to save our planet. Because he thinks we can drink oil in 30 years when all our water is poisoned." The measure was defeated 57-0, The Guardian reported, meaning it failed to get the 60 votes necessary to advance to a final vote, the Huffington Post pointed out. Three Democrats and one Independent, Maine Senator Angus King, joined with all 53 Republicans in voting "no." The Democrats who broke ranks to vote against the measure all come from conservative-leaning states. They were Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Doug Jones of Alabama. Manchin said that he wanted to focus on "real solutions that recognized the role fossil fuels will continue to play," according to a statement reported by CNN. "We cannot successfully address our climate challenge by eliminating sources of energy that countries are committed to using," he said. Manchin is notoriously pro-coal and has received almost $1 million in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry over the course of his career. In total, the senators who voted "no" Tuesday have received more than $55,000,000 in contributions from fossil fuel companies, Oil Change United States reported. A suburban county in New York has banned unvaccinated children from entering enclosed public spaces at it seeks to curb the longest running measles outbreak in the state since the disease was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, CNBC reported. Rockland County announced the ban during an emergency declaration on Tuesday, and said that the ban would be in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated children are administered the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. It applies to enclosed spaces including shopping malls, schools and houses of worship, but does not include outdoor areas like playgrounds, Reuters reported. The ban will not apply to people who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk," County Executive Ed Day said in a statement reported by Reuters. "This is a public health crisis, and it is time to sound the alarm." Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who faces a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday after President Donald Trump nominated him to head Interior permanently, acted to block a report that found that two pesticides "jeopardize the continued existence" of more than 1,200 endangered species, according to documents obtained by The New York Times and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). In 2017, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) scientists completed a report on the threat posed by three pesticides to endangered species. But before they could make it public that November, they were stopped by top political appointees including then-Deputy Secretary Bernhardt, who instead initiated a new process using a narrower standard for assessing risk, The New York Times reported. The Times' investigative report is based on more than 84,000 pages of Interior Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act requests by the Times and CBD. One of the pesticides covered in the FWS study was the controversial chlorpyrifos, which Trump's EPA has separately fought attempts to ban after its own scientists warned of its dangers to children. "It's outrageous that Trump, Bernhardt and the industry hacks inhabiting this administration are speeding the extinction of nearly 1,400 endangered species by refusing to take any action on chlorpyrifos," CBD environmental health director Lori Ann Burd said in a statement. "If political appointees weren't stopping the government's own scientists from doing their jobs, this brain-damaging, wildlife-killing horror of a pesticide would already be banned." The original study was part of a re-registration of the three pesticides, a process that takes place every 15 years. It found that chlorpyrifos put 1,399 species at risk while the pesticide malathion put 1,284 at risk and diazinon put 175 at risk. One species put at risk by pesticides was the San Joaquin kit fox, a five pound animal that had once been widely present in the California valley until pesticides like diazinon poisoned the grasses and birds it fed on. The FWS also found that the Cape Sable seaside sparrow in Florida was put in danger by the spraying of chlorpyrifos. "For many vulnerable species, a single exposure could be catastrophic," the original report said. By Jake Johnson With more than a million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico facing devastating food stamp cuts as Congress fails to provide necessary hurricane relief funding, President Donald Trump reportedly complained to Republican senators on Tuesday that the island is receiving "too much" aid a position that was decried as both false and cruel. "The president continues to show his vindictive behavior towards Puerto Rico and he continues to make the humanitarian crisis worse," said San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz. "He is ensuring that people don't have food to put on the table." Trump's remarks came during a private lunch with Republicans Tuesday, during which according to the Washington Post the president inflated the amount of aid Puerto Rico has received since Hurricane Maria and pushed lawmakers to limit funding to the island. "At the lunch Tuesday, Trump rattled off the amount of aid that had been designated for other disaster-hit states and compared it with the amount allocated for Puerto Rico following the 2017 hurricane, which he said was too high," the Post reported. After claiming that Puerto Rico has received $91 billion in federal aid it is unclear where he got this number Trump reportedly said "one could buy Puerto Rico four times over for $91 billion." Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello responded with outrage to Trump's reported comments in a statement late Tuesday. "People from all over the nation, and the world, have witnessed the inequalities Americans face on the island," Rossello said. "The federal response and its treatment during these past months in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria is clear evidence of our second-class citizenship." "Mr. President: Enough with the insults and demeaning characterizations," he added. "We are not asking for anything more than any other U.S. state has received. We are merely asking for equality." Trump's complaint about aid to the storm-ravaged island comes as an estimated 1.3 million Puerto Ricans including hundreds of thousands of children and elderly people have had life-saving food aid cut amid inaction and obstruction from the White House and congressional Republicans. "We just don't have the money right now," said Myrna Izquierdo, an administrator at a Puerto Rican health clinic that relies on food stamp funding. "It's very hard. It is so unfair. That cut is going to kill us." (Photo: Peter Kenny)World Council of Churche's program on Spiritual Life Rev. Dr Mikie A. Roberts addresses an interfaith seminar at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland on March 23, 2019. The Shia Muslim student from Canada, the Presbyterian Christian student from India and some of their companions reluctantly set off for an early run on a chilly morning to the Geneva lakeside little knowing what sunrise would bring. Two years ago, Jihad Hyjazie a software developer from Montreal and a Shia Muslim who was with a group of Muslim visitors to Bossey had gone towards the lake, but a rail track blocked the route. This year after setting off at the crack of dawn he had gone with Rev. Abhishek Prabhakar John, from India's Manipur Presbyterian Church and two other interreligious seminar students and the route was open. They were among a group of 26 students taking part in the 20-23 March Joint Seminar between the International Islamic Centre of England and the Ecumenical Institute Bossey which included a visit to the World Council of Churches (WCC). "The sun was rising slowly behind the mountain. The sun rays were shining through like they do in religious books. So, we did a joint prayer. There was a Muslim prayer and a Christian prayer. "By the time the Christian brother had finished the prayer the sun actually appeared from behind the mountain as the prayer was ending. There was a tremendous amount of symbolism in my view," which was a contribution to the greater understanding of God, said Hyjazie recounting their experience at the seminar's end. The eight students from Bossey are from Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, India, Nigeria, Romania and Ukraine; and the Shia Muslim group came from Argentina, Canada, Iran, the United Kingdom and the United States. Enrichment and friendships Summing up their views as the seminar ended, students spoke of enrichment and friendships which pushed forward their dialogue so they can work together to make the world a better place and share sacred time together. "This morning we went to the lake running; friendships are the beauty of this programme," said Prabhakar John. Prof. Lawrence Iwuamadi, academic dean of the Ecumenical Institute said after the seminar, "This was a first as the Bossey master's students who come from different Christian traditions and the visiting Muslim students shared the course together over the period. "Previously such groups would come, visit, and have their own courses, without any intentionally planned interaction with our students. "This new dimension is part of an effort to respond to the call of the pilgrimage of justice and peace, which invites to walk together with peoples of other faith. "It is no longer possible to deal with ecumenism in isolation, ignoring the interreligious aspect. The Ecumenical Institute continues to pursue this more holistic perspective on ecumenical formation," said Iwuamadi. The students visited the WCC and the United Nations in Geneva. One session was led by Rev. David Marshall, WCC programme executive for Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation; another by Dr. Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, WCC programme executive for Mission and Evangelism; and one by Rev. Nicole Ashwood, WCC programme executive for Just Community of Women and Men. Dr. Mohamed Shomali, director of the International Institute of Islamic Studies, London and Dr. Mahnaz Haydarpour, both of whom have many years working in interfaith engagements, gave presentations. WHO IS GOD? Dr. Benjamin Simon, professor of Ecumenical Missiology at Bossey led a session titled, "Who is God? Introduction to Christianity." He was followed by Shomali, who helped him pull the course together, speaking on the "Word of God. Introducing our Scripture and the role it plays in our life." On the final day, WCC programme executive for Spiritual Life Rev. Dr Mikie A. Roberts and Dr Haydarpour led a session on Spirituality from the Christian and Muslim perspectives. Shomali said, "We had a chance to know more about the diversity of the church. I hope that through this relationship we can expand our relations with our Christian brothers and sisters." Simon said, "This year we decided we should go more in-depth into theological topics like the understanding of God in the two religions, Trinity and incarnation in Christianity and the role of scriptures in the two religions, as well as spirituality. "It was so encouraging for the students as they were living under the same roof, sharing their meal times and sitting together. During leisure time they could walk down to the lake together or run there." Muslim student Yasmeen Al-Attar, a dental surgeon from Waterloo in Canada was happy that young people proliferated the seminar noting, "For me it meant almost a symbolic representation of a new manifestation of a spring of hearts, a spring of minds and a spring of openness, hopefully, a spring for a new beginning of this interreligious dialogue." Her brother, a family physician from Toronto added, "More important is the common thread that unites both religions, which is the belief in the oneness of God. It is a huge honour to be part of this, and I pray to God almighty that we are increasingly united in our action and our faith in one God." The same education story makes headlines time and again: In search of an engaging or memorable history lesson, a teacher decides to do a slavery simulation. Just this month, a 5th grade teacher in New York told several black students to play slaves, and pretended to auction them off to their majority-white classmates . Also this month, a 4th grade teacher in North Carolina had students play a Monopoly-like game about the Underground Railroad . Too many wrong turns, and students would be severely punished and sent back to the plantation, according to their worksheets. Two years ago, teachers at a high school in Cerritos, Calif., bound students hands and told them to lie close together on the floor to reenact the forced transport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic . Teachers have said that the goal of these activities is to convey the brutality of slavery and foster empathy. But in practice, many educators say, slavery simulations can minimize horrific events, recreate racist power dynamics, and cause emotional hurt to black students. You cannot actually replicate this experience. What youve basically done is gamify it, and by gamifying it, youre actually reducing the horror, said Maureen Costello, the director of Teaching Tolerance , a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Yes, you could work harder to make it more real, then youre potentially introducing trauma. Curriculum Violence Classroom simulations arent just used to teach about slavery. History and social studies teachers often ask students to model different parts of political and civic life: representing different interest groups and coming to a compromise, or debating a law, for example. These kinds of simulations can be useful tools for civic learning, many say, as theyre open-ended and engage students in decision-making. By contrast, reenacting a historical event is simply like having kids do a play, said Costello. If students are following a script, theyre not engaging in historical inquiry, she said. On the other hand, if teachers do give them license to rewrite the past with their choices, she added, they may come away with a misunderstanding of history. Slavery simulations are among the less common types of classroom reenactments, but some say they have the potential to be the most harmful. Stephanie P. Jones, an assistant professor of education at Grinnell College in Iowa, has tracked those that have made the news or drawn attention on social media. Through her project, Mapping Racial Trauma in Schools, shes counted about 30 separate incidents of what she calls curriculum violence from the beginning of 2018 to now. These classroom activities include simulations of slave auctions, the Middle Passage, and the Underground Railroad, but also assignments that dehumanize black peoplelike those that ask students to list reasons why African Americans made good slaves. Jones said she sees spikes in February and early March, when teachers are likely looking for Black History Month lessons. She noted, though, that not every incident makes the news. When slavery simulations do receive press attention, school officials often condemn them, saying the activities are not aligned with the districts values. But simulation activities are also easily available on the web. The online marketplace Teachers Pay Teachers , which allows educators to upload and sell original lesson plans, lists a handful of plans that ask students to take on the identities of enslaved people, and experience capture, traveling the Middle Passage, being sold at auction, or escaping via the Underground Railroad. The board game that the teacher in North Carolina used was purchased through the site, local news station WECT reported. Emotion as Learning Tool Some educators argue that eliciting intense emotions from students, which simulations are generally designed to do, can be a starting point for inquiry. The idea isnt new. In 1968, the day after Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, Iowa teacher Jane Elliott created a stratified society in her elementary school classroom, in an attempt to demonstrate the kind of discrimination that King had devoted his life to fighting. In the now-famous exercise , Elliott, who is white, divided her all-white class into two groupsblue eyes and brown eyesand gave preferential treatment to brown-eyed children all day. The next day, she reversed the simulation. Elliott wanted students to understand what racism felt like, to see that it was based on socially constructed differences. She hoped to change their behavior as a result. In the years since, educational institutions and businesses around the world have invited Elliott to run diversity trainings. But research on the effects of the blue eyes/brown eyes exercise is mixed. Only some studies have found long-term effects in reducing bias ; others have shown that the activity causes stress and anxiety . About the Citizen Z Project U.S. public education is rooted in the belief by early American leaders that the most important knowledge to impart to young people is what it means to be a citizen. If America is experiencing a civic crisis now, as many say it is, schools may well be failing at that job. To better understand the role of education in the current crisis, Education Week consulted experts, visited classrooms, and conducted surveys. This article is part of that ongoing effort. Look for more pieces from our Citizen Z project in the months ahead. In the context of a history classroom, some educators say that kind of role-playing can make oppression in the past feel more real to todays students. The late John A. Stokes, a civil rights activist who was also a teacher and principal in Baltimore, used to conduct a simulation of a segregated bus ride in the Jim Crow South with K-12 students. Stokes, who grew up in Virginia in the 1940s and 50s, helped lead a student strike for better conditions in his segregated high school and was one of the plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education. The simulation he designed presents students with some of the actual facts and conditions that are part of our nations history and gives them an opportunity to discuss what this history means to them today, he wrote in a 2010 article in Social Education , the journal of the National Council for the Social Studies. But anti-bias simulations differ in an important way from slavery reenactments, said Jones. An exercise like Elliotts can expose the structural foundations of racism and demonstrate how bias can lead to prejudice, and prejudice can lead to discrimination. But in a slavery simulation, the objective is not for students to understand bias and discrimination. They want students to understand the psychological trauma of slavery, said Jones. Im not sure if that is a teachable goal. But other educators think that there is a way to do slavery simulations well. Karen McKinney, an associate professor of biblical studies at Bethel University, a Christian college in St. Paul, Minn., has long practiced experiential learning in her college courses. In her dissertation, she studied several simulations that gave high school and college students the opportunity to be alternately powerful and powerless, with the goal of helping students and teachers understand oppression and systemic racism. One of these activities was an outdoor simulation of escape on the Underground Railroad that took high schoolers through a three-mile course in the woods. The activity, held at a YMCA camp, was attended by a group of students of color and run by a black facilitator. In a debrief after the exercise, some black students who had participated reported feeling fear and strongly disliking parts of the experience, including when facilitators had pretended to sell members of the group at a slave auction, McKinney wrote in her dissertation. But these students also said they felt like they had a better understanding of black history after the simulation. Experiencing some small part of what enslaved people went through conveyed to black students you are important, you have a voice, you have a story, said McKinney. White educators can also lead simulations that deal with racism, said McKinney, but its necessary that any facilitator undergo training beforehand and work to understand how their own privilege would operate in the space. Even still, she accepts that students may have intense reactions to simulations, including tears. Its OK for people to be in emotional pain, if we can talk about it, said McKinney. The History Is Painful LaGarrett King, an associate professor at the University of Missouris college of education, agrees that educators and students are going to have to navigate discomfort to learn about slavery. The history is painful, people feel uncomfortable, theres no way around it, said King, who is the founding director of the universitys CARTER Center for K-12 Black History Education. But when black children are asked to play-act as slaves, that violence disproportionately affects them in a way that reproduces historical oppression, said King. He opposes the use of slavery simulations, which he says are about continuing to reinscribe pain on black people and black bodies. Even though white teachers arent trying to hurt their black students, said King, simulations of slavery can be traumatic. Often these exercises can mimic the power dynamics of slavery, said Jones, such as in the incident in New York, where a high school teacher pretended to auction off black students to their white peers. In a simulation like that, What exactly do teachers want? What is the objective? Jones asked. Above all, theres agreement that educators need to approach slavery simulations with caution. Teaching controversy is what we do in social studies, said Lawrence Paska, the executive director of NCSS. The organization doesnt take a position on simulations, but Paska said these exercises around sensitive topics like slavery can pose unique challenges. How do you do a simulation in a way thats authentic, thats not in any way derogatory or minimizes historical perspective, or in any way marginalizes the experience of the individuals or the groups that are being portrayed? he said. Teachers Need Slavery Education, Too Many say educators need more guidance on how to teach slavery. At the elementary school level, especially, teachers are often reading or math specialists, and dont have specialized training or content knowledge in social studies, said Costello of Teaching Tolerance. These teachers also generally have a lot of flexibility in how they approach the social studies curriculum. For many teachers, theyre looking for something that will engage kids and be fun, she said. But Jones, the Grinnell professor, thinks putting an end to slavery simulations will require more than better resources and more professional development. Teaching this [history] in a real way means that teachers are going to have to talk about complicitythat they have benefited from this system that theyre trying to reenact in their classrooms, said Jones, noting that most teachers in the United States are white women. Often, teachers present slavery in passive terms, said King: Bad things happened to enslaved people; violence was done to them. This framing erases the fact that white Americans were the perpetrators of this violence. Simulations can rob lessons on slavery of that context, said LaKeshia Myers, a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and a former middle and high school social studies and special education teacher. When she taught the subject, Myers explained to students that slavery was also an economic mechanismthat America was built on the exploitation of black people. That portion is sometimes lost, said Myers. For teachers looking to convey the trauma and pain of slavery, educators say there are far better ways than asking students to imagine the experience. For instance, Costello said, teachers can introduce primary sources around slavery, such as the Lost Friends messages , which were personal ads placed by freed slaves seeking lost loved ones after the Civil War. Even dramatized versions of first-person accounts can have a strong impact on students. Myers used to show her middle schoolers parts of the movie Roots, an experience she said gave them a deeper understanding of slavery than reading the textbook. Patrice Preston Grimes, an associate professor at the University of Virginias Curry School of Education, recommends field trips. For several years, she has taken her preservice teachers to James Madisons Montpelier estate. They spend hours immersed in the history of the enslaved people and their descendants who once lived there, examining primary source documents and walking through the buildings where they slept. That was far more effective than me trying to do some sort of simulation in the classroom, she said. In parallel with their peace talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan and Armenia seek to diversify and deepen their partnerships with major arms suppliers. By diversifying its arms purchases from several different partners, Azerbaijan seeks to multiply its arsenal and retain a military advantage against Armenia, whose corresponding efforts aim to cement the status quo through military occupation of Azerbaijans territories. Both countries aim to maximize the tactical efficiency of their arsenals on the potential battlefield. BACKGROUND: Azerbaijan has recently procured a series of assets from traditional suppliers, including LORA ballistic missiles, Spear-Mk.2 mortars, Spike-ER anti-tank rockets, Hermes-900 surveillance drones, Sky-Striker autonomous long-range loitering munitions, and Sky-Capture advanced radars (EL/M-2106-ATAR) from Israel; the Polonez tactical missile complex, 2A36-Giatsint-B howitzers, and the Groza-S electronic-warfare (EW) system from Belarus; IHTAR anti-drone system and SOM-B1 cruise missiles from Turkey; NTW-20 anti-materiel sniper rifles from South Africa; and BTR-82A modernized combat vehicles from Russia. Aside from investing in its domestic military industry, Azerbaijan is also diversifying its heavy-armament deals from dominant suppliers to European and Asian countries. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the number of countries interested in selling us [modern weaponry] is growing and compared to previous years, we [...] are not bound to any one supplier. Materiel from new suppliers include Czech-produced DANA self-propelled howitzers and RM-70 multiple-rocket-launchers as well as U.S.-branded Bell-412 and MD-530F helicopters. In 2018, Azerbaijan signed an agreement with Belarus to purchase air-defense weapons and with Turkeys ASELSAN on joint production of communication facilities. In June 2018, Germanys Rheinmetall signed a letter of intent with Azerbaijan on military cooperation. Azerbaijan also cooperates with Italys Leonardo to receive civilian helicopters. It has been reported that Azerbaijan could buy ASTER-30-SAMP/T and Vertical Launch-MICA air-defense missile systems and Adroit-OPV-90 patrol vessels from France. In April 2018, Azerbaijans Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov visited Chinas CETC International and Poly Technologies companies to assess their high-tech army gears and advanced communication/aircraft equipment. For aviation purposes, Azerbaijan could receive Pakistans JF-17-Thunder combat aircraft (jointly developed with China). Armenia recently signed a contract with Russia, its main arms supplier, to acquire four SU-30SM fighter jets within the framework of Russias US$ 100 million credit, and AK-12 automatic rifles. Russia is expected to extend its credit to Armenia, in addition to previous credits utilized for purchasing Smerch MLRS, TOS-1A flamethrower systems, Igla-S air-defense and Cornet-E anti-tank missile systems, the Avtobaza-M EW complex, small arms, grenade launchers, and engineering equipment. In parallel with Azerbaijan, Armenia seeks to cultivate defense cooperation with China, notably with the Norinko and Poly Group companies. IMPLICATIONS: In general, weapons made in or licensed by Israel constituted the key element of Azerbaijans victories during the April 2016 fights with Armenian forces. Sky-Striker, which Israel has used to hit Syrian air-defense systems, can provide a critical advantage for the Azerbaijani Army in the battlefield given its capacity for silent, invisible, and surprise attack. Moreover, the installation of Israeli Rafaels modernized Spike-NLOS rockets onto Azerbaijans combat helicopters will allow for striking ground targets at 1050 kilometers, without entering the battlefield, to avoid being detected by Armenias air-defense systems. Israeli weapons advance both Azerbaijans defensive posture and offensive capability to a qualitatively new level compared to Soviet technologies. It was recently announced that Israels Aeronautics will sign a new contract for maintenance work on the Orbiter drones that Azerbaijan purchased earlier. This news followed the reinstatement of Aeronautics export license to Azerbaijan, which was briefly postponed due to protests from Armenia. In order to develop new tactical advantages for the Armed Forces during military operations, Azerbaijan can utilize ASELSANs communication devices within its Satellite Communications Control Center. Moreover, by mounting Turkeys SOM air-to-surface missiles with high-explosive fragmentation warheads on MiG-29/Su-25 or Italian Aermacchi-M-346 aircraft, the pilots can target any heavily-defended strategic ground targets at a range of 250 kilometers, which will be difficult for enemy radars to detect. According to the recent contract with Belarus, Azerbaijans combat aircraft were equipped with the Talisman airborne-defense complex, which is designed to protect aircraft from aviation/anti-aircraft missiles and air-defense systems by distorting the radar waves of enemy missiles through false targets. Additionally, Belarus Groza-S EW system will be a key element in conducting a new type of wars and information operations, including capacity for combating drones. If acquired, French air-defense systems can operate even in complex electromagnetic environments to neutralize Armenias Iskander missiles. Italian [civilian] and U.S. [military] helicopters can either be used in wartime to ease the mobility of Special Forces in the complex terrain of Azerbaijans occupied territories, or upgraded to military-combat format. U.S.-Azerbaijani military cooperation was long halted due to Section-907 of the Freedom Support Act, adopted by Congress in 1992 and waived from 2002, blocking Washingtons assistance to Baku. The military dialogue has gained momentum after the visit of U.S. national security adviser John Bolton to the South Caucasus, where he did not exclude U.S. weapons sales to Armenia or Azerbaijan. Subsequently, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper visited Azerbaijan to discuss military-technical cooperation. Since Armenia currently lacks the financial means to purchase western weapons, Russia will retain its dominant role as the countrys main arms supplier, regarding its existing arsenal as well as new arms acquired with the latest military credits. Yerevan, however, has also sought to diversify its military procurement. Reportedly, Armenia has shown an interest in purchasing Indias Pinaka rocket system. Moreover, Armenian media have suggested that Sweden has offered to sell Armenia JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets; which are nevertheless more expensive than Russian Su-30SM. These unconfirmed news, however, accelerated Armenias signing of an agreement with Russia on the delivery of Su-30SM fighters. In anticipation of Armenias acquisition of new jets, Pakistani JF-17-Thunder aircraft could give Azerbaijans Air Force the upper hand if purchased. Equipped with Chinese-made radar systems with sophisticated radio-wave emission/re-direction capability, the aircraft can remain invisible to air-defense radars during air-assault operations to provide full target execution. Chinese EW systems could be a good option for the Azerbaijani army, since Armenia has the advantage of Russian EW devices. Moreover, Azerbaijans engineering troops already employ some Chinese SD16 bulldozers and SG21-3 motor graders. Armenia will reportedly receive non-lethal technologies such as observation instruments, communications equipment and other devices from China, under Beijings US$ 1.5 million financial assistance. Armenias approaches to China regarding military diversification have been subjected to harsh criticism in Russian media, which claim that Yerevan seeks to blackmail Russia to reduce the cost of armaments, although Russia already supplies Armenia with large quantities of new weapons under preferential military credits. While Azerbaijans previous arms contracts with Russia are still under implementation, President Aliyev recently declared (to RIA Novosti) that Baku is interested in new contracts for Russian weapons. CONCLUSIONS: Azerbaijans defense procurement strategy is reaching a new qualitative level when it comes to both the types of weapons being acquired and their sources. Azerbaijan pursues strategic independence by boosting its domestic defense industry. Baku also seeks to replenish its military arsenal with high-tech weaponry needed for contemporary battlefield and terrain-specific warfare conditions, including direct-aerial-fire precision capabilities; capacity to strike ground targets while remaining outside the enemys detection/targeting range; reduced radar visibility; and improved reconnaissance skills. Azerbaijans foreign military deals demonstrate Bakus strategy of seeking diverse defense partners among NATO, CIS and Asian states something Armenia has been less successful at achieving. Azerbaijan makes deals with suppliers that apply flexible customer policies, rather than ones who stick to the conflict-related embargoes. Azerbaijans increasing military relations with diversified partners could incentivize Russia to offer Baku more arms in order not to lose this lucrative client. Alternatively, Russia could in response deepen military-technical cooperation with Armenia, aiming to simultaneously sell Russia-made counter-weapons to Azerbaijan. Thus, Russia can compensate for the financial losses incurred from subsidized (at domestic market prices) weapons sales to Armenia through sales to Azerbaijan at export prices. Previously, in the absence of guaranteed suppliers to provide equivalent weaponry to Azerbaijan, Russia has remained a flexible and key provider. Azerbaijans plans to boost its military capability stem from skepticism that diplomatic negotiations will induce Armenia to voluntary withdraw from Azerbaijans occupied territories. Therefore, Azerbaijan constantly consolidates its military positions and retains a high level of combat capability of its Armed Forces, whereas Armenias arms procurement strategy seeks to retain the current status quo. AUTHORS BIOS: Ilgar Gurbanov is an Independent Researcher on Security and Defense Affairs (based in Azerbaijan). Image Source: public domain via Wikimedia accessed on 3.27.2019 Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 17) For as long as markets have existed, businesses and industries have been disrupted by new technology. While the shape of decline has looked different in each industry, every structural change or transition has resulted in losses which have impacted investors, banks, workers and government. Transitions associated with climate change pose great risks to established economic and socio-political paradigms. Transformational impact means that getting the policy response wrong, or worse, not planning for the transition at all, will have a much more severe impact, and the spillover to the financial system and the real economy, will be much more difficult to contain. Fossil fuels have been at the centre of several of the largest geopolitical crises of the last century. Ever since the worlds nations committed in December 2015 at the COP21 in Paris to limit global warming to well below 2C and to pursue the efforts towards the 1,5C goal, the energy transition has continued to gain momentum in many parts of the economy with the help of technological shifts, reduced renewable energy costs and ambitious public policies. Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), with the support of Agence Francaise de Developpement and the Advisory Finance Group of the World Bank, examined the risks to the economy of South Africa and its government, municipalities, companies and financial institutions from a global economic transition to a low-carbon economy and compiled this report. This is the executive summary of the report Click here to download the full report A global low-carbon transition could reduce the demand and price for assets including carbon-intensive fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Infrastructure which supports higher carbon activities including rail, power plants or ports built around fossil fuel industries, may have to be replaced or retired early. Companies, investors and workers could be hurt by lower prices and reduced demand for certain products. Governments may face reduced revenues, for example from lower tax receipts, while their expenditure increases for financial assistance to industries and workers in transition. Transition risk is widely regarded as the risk that the value of assets and income are less than expected because of climate policy and market transformations, such as the switch away from coal-fired power. However, the analysis in this report not only quantifies the downside risk of South Africas transition, i.e. the negative impact on assets and revenues, but it also attempts to forecast some of the potential benefits of a transition, such as the impact of a lower global oil price that is passed through to consumers. Trade-offs associated with a low-carbon transition are particularly acute in South Africa, a country with high levels of unemployment and inequality and an ambitious development agenda. South Africas exposure to coal mining as a source of export revenues, as a fuel for domestic power generation and as a key employer in certain provinces presents significant transition risk which is mirrored in many other resource exporting countries. Conversely, South Africa could gain via lower oil prices, through new markets for minerals used in low-carbon technologies (e.g., platinum and manganese) or through the creation of new jobs in industries which are more resilient to, or would even benefit in, a low carbon world, compared to today. This report outlines the measures that South Africa and its partners can take to reduce climate transition risk, avoid potential economy-damaging risk concentrations and in so doing, reduce the costs associated with the decarbonisation of the South African economy. More generally, this analysis can serve as a template with which to identify and evaluate the financial risk of a low-carbon transition for a variety of countries. Well managed and less concentrated risk can facilitate the transition and lower its cost in countries across the world. Several significant findings emerge from the evaluation of transition risk in South Africa, which are summarised here and are explored in depth throughout the report. Finding 1: The cumulative impact on South Africa of a global low-carbon transition over the period of our analysis (between 2013 and 2035) could be more than $120-billion in present value terms. South Africa faces transition risk of more than $120-billion in present value terms between 2013 and 2035. The analysis shows that these risks will accumulate slowly in the coming years before accelerating in the mid-2020s. Unless the government takes action to mitigate these risks, they could jeopardise South Africas investment grade sovereign rating, which would cause further losses. The largest share of risks come from factors which are beyond the control of South Africa itself, including changes to global coal and oil markets which will be driven by changes to global demand. Nevertheless, pro-active government responses to those risks beyond its control can help to mitigate the impact. As summarised in Table 1, some transition risks have both potential negative and positive impacts on different parts of the economy, while other shifts in global demand could be positive for South Africa. Finding 2: Much of the risk and potential impact (approximately 75%) is due to factors, policies, and events, beyond the control of the South African government, while nearly 50% has already been realised. Since CPIs last global coal analysis based on data from 2013 and the start of the work on this project in 2017, the world made significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including commitments to the Paris accord. Meanwhile, the risk profile and valuation of fossil fuel energy assets have fluctuated, affected by factors including those related and unrelated to climate policy commitments. These factors include technological change (falls in the cost of wind and solar power generation and Li-ion batteries), new energy market regulation (new forms of market design which value energy system flexibility and support higher penetrations of renewables) and geopolitics all factors beyond the control of South Africa or its government. Future expectations for business as usual coal consumption, and by extension internationally traded coal volumes, have declined significantly as a result of these changes. For South Africa, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the result is that by 2017 as much as $60-billion of the value that the country could have expected to earn from its coal resources based on 2013 business-as-usual (BAU) forecasts, had already been lost. That is, by 2017 nearly 60% of the transition value at risk was already factored into revised long-term forecasts for the development of the seaborne coal sector. A further $29,4-billion of value (another 27% of the total) could be lost to South Africa if global coal exports and other markets adapt to a low-carbon transition consistent with keeping global temperature rises well-below 2C above pre-industrial levels. Coal exports currently provide profits, royalties and tax receipts for South Africa when the revenue from selling the commodity exceeds production costs. Revenues from coal sales also pay back the sunk capital investment in mines and the rail and port infrastructure which is needed to get the coal to the market. If a global low-carbon transition prompts a fall in coal export revenues, not only might miner profits and government taxes be wiped out, there may not be sufficient cash to pay back original investments in mining and infrastructure. The resulting debt defaults could cascade through the economy. Beyond the value at risk driven by international policy and markets, South Africa faces decisions about how it will meet its own emissions targets. While it has taken important recent steps to clarify the direction of its power sector, the future of oil refining and the synthetic production of fuel from coal and gas remains considerably more uncertain. Our analysis suggests that there is an additional $31,2-billion of value at risk in South Africa based upon the decisions to accelerate the retirement of these assets. How these policies are financed and the level of support available from international partners will all shape the effect that South Africas domestic low carbon transition will have on the economy and its citizens. Finding 3: The public balance sheet in South Africa would explicitly face only 16% of the downside risk in South Africa with investors facing the rest. However, there are several channels through which business strategy, policy and financial distress may further distribute the share initially borne by investors often as contingent liabilities to the national government. How risk is distributed through the South African economy is as important as the absolute level. Concentration of risk in one sector, industry or on one company could lead to a collapse which could send shock waves across the economy and magnify the overall impact. Alternatively, dilution of this risk among many groups, particularly foreign investors who have internationally diversified portfolios and investor bases, reduces the likelihood of sector or company collapse and broader economic contagion. The direct or explicit distribution of risk is a function of ownership, contractual arrangements, historic and current policy, taxation and royalties, and business relationships. Companies and the national government have the greatest risk-bearing capacity. However, companies will seek to protect investors by passing risk onto the supply chain, consumers and workers. The allocation of risk in South Africa may change once various parties react to the risk of loss in the value of their assets. Where the risk is not yet priced into listed securities, companies which are alert to climate transition risk may seek to sell them to those which are not yet considering this risk. While coal mining companies will seek to recover the shortfall in export revenues by increasing sales to domestic customers such as Eskom, in practice, the ability to do so may be limited. Instead, workers and key counterparties such as Transnet Freight Rail will be forced to bear this risk, with investors bearing the remainder. Some mine owners may decide to close assets before the end of their economic lives. Mine closures will hit communities and workers through job losses, reduced economic activity and the loss of funding from companies for social infrastructure. Municipalities where assets are located may suffer the greatest impact, but the spread of transition risk will be broader. Lower national taxes will reduce transfers to municipalities, curtailing their ability to provide services and to pay their obligations. As with municipalities, many companies will not have strong enough balance sheets and may appeal for government assistance. National government could find itself faced by sharply increased costs due to either bailouts or decommissioning costs following bankruptcy. Government may find itself obliged or expected to absorb the impact of the transition in other ways. Government may support workers who lose their jobs or provide funding for unemployment benefits and retraining, or to provide finance and assistance to struggling municipalities to attract new job-creating investment. However, its capacity to provide this support could be constrained by lower tax revenues and an increase in non-performing loans and an erosion of the capital bases at state-owned financial institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC). Our analysis, as summarised in Fig. 2, found that after these implicit transfers, the distribution of transition risk could become markedly more concentrated on national government, with the latters share of the cumulative risk facing South Africa almost tripling from nearly 16% to more than half. Finding 4: The current South African system of incentives for new capital investment favour some existing industries which are exposed to transition risk, rather than new sectors which may create more sustainable sources of jobs and economic growth. Currently planned investment decisions could add more than $25-billion to the countrys transition risk. The South African government uses a range of incentives to attract investment in the country, including fiscal incentives, government or SOE-led procurement and access to debt and equity finance from state-owned financial institutions. However, new investments in assets such as mines, infrastructure and refineries could add to the transition risk faced by companies, investors and the government if lower future revenues under a 2DS are insufficient to cover the investment cost and losses and/or defaults ensue. Our analysis, supported by recent research from IDDRI, suggest that these investments could be avoided with limited impact on security of supply of coal, power or fuel. New assets, mines and infrastructure could add to the transition risk faced by companies, investors and the government, if lower future revenues under a 2C scenario are insufficient to cover the investment cost. We identified further investments which would add more than $25-billion to the risk that South Africa could face in a global low-carbon transition. If this sum was instead invested in industries or assets which are more resilient to transition risk, or benefit from a low carbon transition, it could spur a more sustainable source of jobs and economic growth. Finding 5: The South African government can still mitigate much of this risk, provided that it plans in advance to develop the fiscal, financial and policy tools required to shift transition risk away from parties without the capacity to bear it and to capture transition-related upside. The timing of government action to mitigate transition risk will be critical, especially given the countrys limited fiscal space after recent downgrades left the country close to losing its investment grade sovereign credit rating, the fast-deteriorating financial position of Eskom and resulting deterioration in the reliability of the electricity supply. Close power plants and fuel production assets too fast and the cost of generating or procuring replacement power and fuel could limit the governments ability to spend on social programmes and have a significantly negative impact on the workers and their communities. Act too slowly and continue to provide finance to new infrastructure predicated on a rise in future coal exports and the country could suffer a rise in debt downgrades and defaults when the expected export demand does not materialise. By first incorporating transition risk assessment into the planning of government, state-owned enterprises and state-owned financial institutions, policymakers will be better informed when developing long-term emissions abatement strategies for key emitting sectors, such as coal mining, synthetic fuel production and cement making. They will also be better prepared to make the most of the benefits that a global low carbon transition could bring, particularly a net benefit of more than $40-billion from lower oil prices. Lower oil prices could dampen the effect of falling coal exports on the balance of payments. A more proactive policy could use the benefit of lower oil prices to offset risks from other sectors. For example, national government might choose to increase taxes on oil products, diluting the benefit to consumers but reducing its own risk. Additional fuel tax revenues could be redistributed to parties struggling to bear the negative effects of the transition and/or retained to offset any pressure on the sovereign credit rating, as illustrated in Fig. 3 and as shown in Table 3. Acknowledgement This executive summary is published here with permission. Click here to download the full report Send your comments to energize@ee.co.za Related Articles Santiago, Mar 27 (EFE).- The Mapocho River, which crosses the Chilean capital from east to west, throughout its course reflects part of the social inequality that exists in Santiago, a city that seems to have been "designed" in a way that keeps "social classes separated" and so that they "see one another as little as possible." Marco Kremerman, an economist with the Fundacion Sol, told EFE that in Santiago the wealthiest and the poorest residents meet only in "a vague workspace," an uncomfortable economic and social inequality that is highlighted by the boundary formed by the Mapocho, which runs for about 110 kilometers (68 miles). This segregation is also visible in the urban architecture along the riverbank, passing from the wealthiest area with its financial core - known as Sanhattan, as a nod to Manhattan skyscrapers - toward the west with its ramshackle neighborhoods. "In Chile, the richest 1 percent earn 33 percent of the revenues," Kremeramn said, citing World Bank data from 2017. In addition, 8.6 percent of Chile's population is defined as "poor," according to the latest Casen survey of 2017, carried out by the Social Development Ministry. That figure was obtained using an international parameter that counts salaries, subsidies and imputed rent - an amount that is added for the people who live in a property of their own or who "save" money on rent - as income. "On the other hand, if we measure poverty by considering only the income that people generate themselves, the figure ... shoots up to 30 percent," Kremerman said. The contrast within Chilean society can be easily seen along just a few kilometers of the Mapocho's course. "Santiago, which is home to 40 percent of the Chilean population, is one of the most segregated cities in the country," Matias Cocina, a researcher for the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Chile, told EFE. "The eastern part of the city is known as the 'income cone' because it contains the neighborhoods with the highest income in the capital. Meanwhile, the poor (zones), which (are spread throughout the city), are characterized by their concentration of low-income people only," Cocina said. According to 2015 data from the Social Development Ministry, Santiago's Vitacura district had a poverty rate of zero while El Bosque, 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital's downtown, has a rate of 15 percent. But the country's inequality goes beyond economics and is also present in how people treat each other, according to a study carried out in the capital by UNDP, which noted several cases of "people being mistreated by strangers on the streets" because of their social class. "People feel that certain areas of the city 'belong' to their socioeconomic group and when someone crosses that symbolic border - generally in wealthy neighborhoods - they expose themselves to mistreatment or discrimination," Cocina said. That is why social mobility in Chile is still limited, since "one's birthplace and school determines the type of profession they can achieve, quite apart from the skills they may have acquired," Kremerman said. Cocina said that "the vast majority of people perceive a certain socioeconomic mobility that goes hand in hand with economic growth, but at the same time they report a great sense of vulnerability." "There is a notion that any external shock such as illness, unemployment or even retirement can destabilize their position and create an economic setback," Cocina said. The Social Development Ministry estimates that 20.7 percent of Chileans are vulnerable in this way, a figure that is considered poor from a "multidimensional" perspective. By Patricia Lopez Rosell. COG Germany's board members (left to right): Irina Werle (BMK Group), Frank Mutzner (Osram Continental), Ulrich Vogel (Electronic Direct), Kassenwart Anke Bartel (Velocity Electronics), Stellvertretender COG-Vorsitzender Axel Wagner (Wurth Elektronik EiSos), Joachim Tosberg (RAFI), COG-Vorstandvorsitzender Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Heinbach (GMP German Machine Parts) und Stefanie Kolbl (TQ-Systems). COG Germany expands its Management Board and intensifies its activities. The problems with discontinued components become more and more urgent. If components urgently needed for production or maintenance are suddenly no longer available, this can have massive financial consequences, especially for manufacturers of particularly long-lived equipment and systems. In areas such as automotive, aerospace, military, rail, power plant, medical and automation technology, up to 50 percent of the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the entire product lifecycle is already caused by discontinued hardware or software. COG Deutschland e.V. (Component Obsolescence Group) even expects the situation to deteriorate further in the coming years, as Chairman Dr. Wolfgang Heinbach emphasized at the recent Annual General Meeting. The non-profit industrial organisation founded in 2005 is therefore constantly developing new ideas, measures and methods hand in hand with the experts of its current 149 member companies in various working groups in order to support companies in avoiding or at least reducing any obsolescence problems. Over the past 14 years, our association have created many new tools that make obsolescence management much easier for our members, Heinbach confirmed. But in view of ever shorter innovation cycles and new technology trends such as IoT, the association is also confronted with ever new challenges, which can often only be met with great effort and over a long period of time. Five new board members In order to be able to meet these challenges in the future, the Management Board of COG Deutschland was expanded to eight persons at the Annual General Meeting. The following were confirmed in their position Chairman of the Board Dr. Wolfgang Heinbach (Managing Director GMP German Machine Parts), Deputy Axel Wagner (Head of Department Compliance Wurth Elektronik EiSos) and Treasurer Anke Bartel (Product Marketing Velocity Electronics). Newly elected: Irina Werle (Obsolescence Management BMK Group), Frank Mutzner (Long Term Availability Manager Osram Continental), Ulrich Vogel (Geschaftsfuhrer Electronic Direct), Joachim Tosberg (Life Cycle Management RAFI) und Stefanie Kolbl (Head of Obsolescence Management TQ-Systems). All five have many years of practical experience in obsolescence management. The previous treasurer Matthias Kohls (Bombardier) and Stefanie Laufenberg-van Rickelen (Managing Director van Rickelen) were no longer eligible for re-election. Joint activities In the coming years, the Executive Board sees a particular focus on expanding cooperation with other institutions and associations, both at national and international level. The most effective preventive protection against obsolescence is a comprehensive explanation of all associated risks and the identification of conceivable proactive and reactive countermeasures. We have therefore set ourselves the goal of making associations, companies and institutions even more aware of this highly controversial issue in the future. Just how well this can work in practice is shown by the positive example of VDMA Standard Sheet 24903, which was drawn up with the participation of COG members and describes, among other things, the minimum requirements for the information content of change and discontinuation notifications and for the system interfaces required for IT-supported data exchange. International cooperation projects with organisations such as the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM International) are also conceivable. Since more and more German companies are active worldwide, it is only logical that the association should continue to promote the simplification and standardization of obsolescence management processes internationally. Our membership in the IIOM, which will soon be fully entitled to vote, will open up new opportunities for COG Germany in the future, Heinbach is pleased to report. COG Deutschland e.V. offers companies affected by the obsolescence problem the opportunity to exchange information on procedures and solutions on an informal basis and to jointly promote the development of efficient obsolescence strategies. In addition to quarterly meetings with specialist presentations, reports from working groups and discussion groups, a large number of other platforms are available for the direct and indirect exchange of information on all aspects of obsolescence avoidance and management. Detailed information on COG Deutschland e.V. can be found on the association's homepage at www.cog-d.de. Manannan to resume daily sailings to Liverpool this week The fast ferry belonging to the Isle of Man Steam Packet is to resume daily sailings to Liverpool this week. That route will be running again from Friday, with the first sailing scheduled for three o'clock, followed by a return leg at 7.15pm. Manannan will also take trips to Ireland, including Belfast from 7 April and Dublin from 18 April. A body has been discovered in the sea near the Isle of Man A trawler was fishing in the Irish Sea when the decomposed corpse was caught in one of its nets. The boat then returned to County Down where police and forensic teams examined the boat and removed the body. A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out soon. Longue Longue Archives In a video circulating over social media, the iconic artist, Longue Longue, reveals his total support for opposition candidate Maurice Kamto, whom he says could have won the October 2018 presidential elections by 500%, if the votes were recounted. Cameroonian courts ruled against this plea from most candidates who participated in the 2018 presidential race, that was marred by an increased tension in the Anglophone regions. To Longue Longue, the arrest and detention of Kamto, is politically motivated. He further stated he wasnt afraid of anyone, nor arrests and would speak on the topic, no matter what. The author of hit single, Ayo Africa, challenged Biya's regime to organize another election city-by-city, neighborhood-by- neighborhood and see the outcome. Shortly, after the video went viral, it was rumoured that the artist had been placed under house detention. He was quick to dispel these rumours on his Facebook page, where he named a certain TGV media house for being the brain behind such claims. He announced he was home and safe. Longue Longue has always been critical about political issues in Cameroon to the distaste of Cameroonian officials. In another media outing, Longue Longue had expressed the wish for the Cameroon Renaissance Movement of Maurice Kamto, and separatists in the Anglophone regions, to join forces and stop the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), to hold in Cameroon. Another popular artist Valsero, is currently facing terrorism charges, along with the opposition candidate, Maurice Kamto. Meantime, other artists like ASKIA, have been using her voice to call on Cameroonian leaders and other actors to dialogue, so as to put an end to the current crisis in the country. 3 Palestinians injured by Israeli gunfire in West Bank Clashes broke out when Israeli forces raided the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem province. Three Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian medical sources. A PALESTINIAN WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST Clashes broke out when Israeli forces raided the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem province. Israeli forces used live West Bank, rubber bullets and teargas canisters to disperse the local Palestinian youths. Three injured, one of whom was shot in the chest, were transferred to hospital for medical treatment, the medical source told Anadolu Agency speaking on condition of anonymity. There was no comment from the Israeli military on the report. The Israeli army frequently raids cities and villages across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for wanted Palestinians. 4 PKK terrorists surrender to Turkish security forces Terrorists surrender in southeastern Srnak province. At least four PKK terrorists surrendered to Turkish security forces in southeastern Srnak province on Wednesday, according to a security source. The terrorists fled PKK camps in northern 4 PKK terrorists surrender to Turkish security forces and surrendered at the Habur border gate in Silopi district, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU have been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. Turkey to raise machinery exports to Germany Last year, the sector sold machinery worth $2.5 billion to Germany, which he underlined is the world machine industry's center. The Turkish machinery sector aims to raise the share of machinery in the countrys total exports to Germany to 20 percent, the head of an exporters association said Wednesday. "RAISE BUSINESS CONTACTS" Currently, 15 percent of Turkey's all exports to Germany is made by the machinery sector, Kutlu Karavelioglu, head of the Machinery Exporters' Association noted in a press release. He noted that Turkish businesses planned to join machinery fairs this April in Hannover and Munich to "raise business contacts." "During the rest of this year, our sector will raise contacts, and the sector will introduce their products in Hannover Messe and Bauma Munich expos," he said. Expressing that Turkeys exports to Germany its main export market were unexpectedly affected by the ongoing global trade disputes, Karavelioglu added: "Our machinery exports were under $400 million to Germany in the first two months of 2019." He also said Germany is a significant market for the machinery sector and that the country plans to invest 235 billion ($265.1 billion) in machinery exports in 2019. Turkish jets did not harass Greek PM's helicopter Turkish security sources say Turkish jets were on their usual duty. Turkish jets were not involved in any harassment in the Aegean Sea, they were on their usual duties, security sources said on Monday. "TURKISH JETS DID NOT ATTEMPT ANY HARASSMENT" Earlier on Monday, some Greek media outlets claimed that Turkish jets harassed a helicopter carrying Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The security sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, refuted the claims and said the Turkish jets did not attempt any harassment, instead, they were performing their usual duties. Turkish jets neutralize top PKK terrorists in N.Iraq Turkish forces seriously injure terrorist PKK leaders closest aide and neutralize 3 other senior PKK terrorists. In a joint operation, Turkish army and intelligence units last week hit several senior targets at the terrorist PKKs base on Mt. Qandil, northern Iraq, security sources said on Wednesday. TERRORISTS WERE SET TO HOLD A MEETING The operation last Thursday was ordered in light of intelligence that Rza Altun, the top aide to PKK leader Cemil Bayk, and other senior terrorists were set to hold a meeting on Qandil, near the Iranian border, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. Using precise coordinates supplied by Turkish intelligence, the strikes by Turkish jets seriously injured Altun. The operation also neutralized several top terrorist PKK targets, including its so-called foreign relations officer "Navdar," codenamed Mikail Ozdemir, so-called spokesman "Serhat Varto," codenamed Emrullah Dursun, and the so-called Qandil regional manager "Sinan Sor," code-named Ali Aktas. Turkish jets neutralize top PKK terrorists in N.Iraq WATCH In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU have been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children. UK rejects canceling Brexit despite Brits objections The government has rejected calls to change tack on Brexit after more than five million people signed a petition demanding Parliament revokes Article 50. The British government responded Tuesday to a petition calling for Brexit to be canceled, saying it will honor the result of the 2016 referendum and work with parliament to deliver a deal that ensures we leave the European Union. "FIRM POLICY NOT TO REVOKE ARTICLE 50" The statement came after more than 5.8 million people signed a petition on parliaments website calling on the government to halt Brexit by revoking Article 50, a process triggered by any member state that decides to leave the EU. The government responds to any petition signed by at least 10,000 people and parliament debates those signed by 100,000 people. Underlining its firm policy not to revoke Article 50, the government said it will work to deliver an exit which benefits everyone, whether they voted to Leave or to Remain. Revoking Article 50, and thereby remaining in the European Union, would undermine both our democracy and the trust that millions of voters have placed in Government, it said. The government acknowledged the considerable number of people who had signed the petition. However, close to three-quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected, it said. This government wrote to every household prior to the referendum, promising that the outcome of the referendum would be implemented. 17.4 million people then voted to leave the European Union, providing the biggest democratic mandate for any course of action ever directed at the UK government, it added. "THIS GOVERNMENT STANDS BY THIS COMMITMENT" The government said British people also cast their votes once again in the 2017 General Election, where over 80 percent of those who voted, voted for parties, including the Opposition, which committed in their manifestos to upholding the result of the referendum. This government stands by this commitment, it said. The statement also said that revoking Article 50 would break the promises made by the Government to the British people, disrespect the clear instruction from a democratic vote and in turn reduce confidence in our democracy. Failing to deliver Brexit would cause potentially irreparable damage to public trust, the statement said, quoting from Prime Minister Theresa May, adding it is imperative that people can trust their government to respect their votes and deliver the best outcome for them. The EU agreed to a Brexit extension until May 22 if Mays deal is approved by the House of Commons this week. If the deal is not approved by parliament, the EU would allow an extension to April 12. Britains House of Commons on Monday approved taking control of parliament from the government in an unprecedented move to debate alternative Brexit options. The lawmakers will try and find out behind which options they could form a majority to break the current impasse in a series of votes Wednesday. UK voters decided to leave the bloc after a more than 40-year-long membership following a referendum in 2016. US plans to go to the Moon in 5 years According to the announcement by the US Vice President, the US government is planning to establish a space army. US Vice President Mike Pence announced on Tuesday an accelerated goal of putting Americans back on the moon within five years by any means necessary, and NASAs top official immediately embraced the challenge. A NATIONAL OBJECTIVE Pence, chairing a meeting of the National Space Council at NASAs Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, borrowed from the vocabulary of the Cold War era in declaring, Were in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s. Setting such an ambitious goal one likely to cost tens of billions of dollars comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from US soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. The drive to reach the moon reflects Trumps desire to champion a bold new national objective as he mounts a re-election bid, while also seeking to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China. NASA had previously aimed to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the year 2028, after first putting a Gateway station in orbit around the moon by 2024. The US Apollo program, NASAs forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earths natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon between 1969 and 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted soft landings on the moon the former Soviet Union and China but those were with unmanned robot vehicle. Yellow Vests cause France 200 million in damages French government figures state 91 stores and restaurants were ransacked in protests that have stretched for months. Yellow Vest protests have cost 200 million (225 million) in damages so far, according to figures shared by the French government. 11 DEAD, 2.000 INJURED The protests began four months ago as a reaction to rising fuel costs. However, the demonstrations later turned into anti-government riots. The protesters set fire to 91 stores and restaurants, data showed. The protests have left 11 people dead and more than 2,000 injured, according to the French government. Some 8,400 people have been arrested for the protests and 2,000 sentenced to prison. In their 19th week, and following continued violence, demonstrations faced tight security measures. Protestors were not allowed along Paris' iconic Champs-Elysees or in the city centers of Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Nice, and Rouen. In Paris, some 6,000 policemen were on duty, with two drones aiding them. French soldiers were also deployed to ensure order. On Friday, Gen. Bruno Leray, the military governor of Paris, said the security units were allowed to fire if their lives were threatened. Yellow Vest protests began four months ago as a reaction to rising fuel costs. However, the demonstrations later turned into anti-government riots. The American Association for the Advancement of Science has been awarded a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to further efforts of higher education institutions to improve diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The grant will enable AAAS to once again collaborate with EducationCounsel, a mission-focused education policy and law consulting firm, to update the 2010 "Handbook on Diversity and the Law: Navigating a Complex Landscape to Foster Greater Student and Faculty Diversity in Higher Education." The first edition, also funded by a Sloan Foundation grant, focused on what can be done to advance student and faculty diversity in higher education STEM programs in a challenging legal landscape. Pursuing many types of diversity is a high priority for institutions of higher education but achieving racial and gender diversity requires abiding by strict legal requirements. That legal landscape has become more complex since 2010, according to the team updating the handbook. Forty years of Supreme Court admission-related decisions recognize that student body diversity promotes learning outcomes and better prepares students for a diverse workforce. The court's most recent decisions, Fisher I and II in 2013 and 2016, continue to allow admissions programs to consider race when needed to create educational benefits of diversity. The Fisher cases, however, emphasize that institutions must produce evidence of the need to consider race to achieve authentic educational diversity interests. Fisher requires diversity programs relating to higher education admissions policies to abide by strict legal rules and base their admissions policies on evidence that can hold up under evaluation. Recent years also have seen an expansion in the scope of court and administrative challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts -- from race in college admissions to race and gender in co-curricular programs and gender in mentoring, scholarship and community-building programs that specifically target women. To help colleges and universities navigate such challenges, with an emphasis on STEM fields but applicable beyond, the handbook's second edition and accompanying resources will address Supreme Court and other federal and state court decisions since the handbook's last publication. The updated handbook will explain related court cases and actions by the U.S. Department of Education and other agencies. It also will provide new and updated strategies to advance such policies while satisfying existing legal standards, preparing for future developments, and maintaining commitment to diversity efforts. The handbook will further offer practical guidance to make it easier for institutions to collect necessary documents and statistics to explain and defend admissions policies designed to advance diversity. Research has long shown that diversity in the classroom and the workforce yields significant benefits, yet many STEM fields continue to pose systemic barriers to inclusion of people of color and women among other groups, leaving behind abundant intellectual talent for fields critical to quality of life, prosperity of society and well-being of the planet, said Shirley Malcom, director of the SEA Change program at AAAS, which engages colleges and universities to make structural changes to recruit, retain and support underrepresented groups in STEM. If educational institutions cannot provide meaningful access to higher education in STEM to people whose participation has been limited, Malcom said, "America's contributions to the international innovation engine, and our civic, economic and national security interests, will be sorely diminished." "The stakes are so high," Malcom added. With the $500,000 grant from the Sloan Foundation, AAAS and EducationCounsel aim to develop guidance and tools needed by institutions of higher education to maintain and increase their admissions, inclusion and equity programs in ways that work. "While the legal landscape has become increasingly challenging, advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM remains doable if you do it right," said Jamie Lewis Keith, partner at EducationCounsel and the editor and a co-author of the handbook's first edition. The handbook's second edition and accompanying resources, expected in spring 2020, are intended to be useful to a broad range of faculty, staff and legal experts whose collaboration is key to enhancing and engaging diversity for success in education and research. This update is intended to help institutions understand the policies and laws that affect their diversity initiatives - as well as how they can govern and manage their efforts to produce impact and remain legally sustainable. The updated handbook and related projects will complement other AAAS efforts that support diversity, equity and inclusion, including the SEA Change initiative. With the grant, AAAS and EducationCounsel efforts will be useful to many institutions, including those participating in SEA Change. "We are enormously grateful to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for enabling AAAS and EducationCounsel to partner on this critical work to equip higher education institutions and their policy and legal leaders with guidance, strategies and practical tools they need to stay strongly committed," said Lewis Keith. "A team-oriented focus on what can be done -- and how to do it effectively, but wisely -- will help institutions meet new and developing challenges successfully." With legal challenges "further narrowing the navigable waters" for colleges and universities, Malcom said, "helping institutions get it right is what we're trying to do." ### ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today named Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Yann LeCun recipients of the 2018 ACM A.M. Turing Award for conceptual and engineering breakthroughs that have made deep neural networks a critical component of computing. Bengio is Professor at the University of Montreal and Scientific Director at Mila, Quebec's Artificial Intelligence Institute; Hinton is VP and Engineering Fellow of Google, Chief Scientific Adviser of the Vector Institute, and University Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto; and LeCun is Professor at New York University and VP and Chief AI Scientist at Facebook. Working independently and together, Hinton, LeCun and Bengio developed conceptual foundations for the field, identified surprising phenomena through experiments, and contributed engineering advances that demonstrated the practical advantages of deep neural networks. In recent years, deep learning methods have been responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, and robotics--among other applications. While the use of artificial neural networks as a tool to help computers recognize patterns and simulate human intelligence had been introduced in the 1980s, by the early 2000s, LeCun, Hinton and Bengio were among a small group who remained committed to this approach. Though their efforts to rekindle the AI community's interest in neural networks were initially met with skepticism, their ideas recently resulted in major technological advances, and their methodology is now the dominant paradigm in the field. The ACM A.M. Turing Award, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Computing," carries a $1 million prize, with financial support provided by Google, Inc. It is named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun will formally receive the 2018 ACM A.M. Turing Award at ACM's annual awards banquet on Saturday, June 15, 2019 in San Francisco, California. "Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society," said ACM President Cherri M. Pancake. "The growth of and interest in AI is due, in no small part, to the recent advances in deep learning for which Bengio, Hinton and LeCun laid the foundation. These technologies are used by billions of people. Anyone who has a smartphone in their pocket can tangibly experience advances in natural language processing and computer vision that were not possible just 10 years ago. In addition to the products we use every day, new advances in deep learning have given scientists powerful new tools--in areas ranging from medicine, to astronomy, to materials science." "Deep neural networks are responsible for some of the greatest advances in modern computer science, helping make substantial progress on long-standing problems in computer vision, speech recognition, and natural language understanding," said Jeff Dean, Google Senior Fellow and SVP, Google AI. "At the heart of this progress are fundamental techniques developed starting more than 30 years ago by this year's Turing Award winners, Yoshua Bengio, Geoff Hinton, and Yann LeCun. By dramatically improving the ability of computers to make sense of the world, deep neural networks are changing not just the field of computing, but nearly every field of science and human endeavor." Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Deep Learning In traditional computing, a computer program directs the computer with explicit step-by-step instructions. In deep learning, a subfield of AI research, the computer is not explicitly told how to solve a particular task such as object classification. Instead, it uses a learning algorithm to extract patterns in the data that relate the input data, such as the pixels of an image, to the desired output such as the label "cat." The challenge for researchers has been to develop effective learning algorithms that can modify the weights on the connections in an artificial neural network so that these weights capture the relevant patterns in the data. Geoffrey Hinton, who has been advocating for a machine learning approach to artificial intelligence since the early 1980s, looked to how the human brain functions to suggest ways in which machine learning systems might be developed. Inspired by the brain, he and others proposed "artificial neural networks" as a cornerstone of their machine learning investigations. In computer science, the term "neural networks" refers to systems composed of layers of relatively simple computing elements called "neurons" that are simulated in a computer. These "neurons," which only loosely resemble the neurons in the human brain, influence one another via weighted connections. By changing the weights on the connections, it is possible to change the computation performed by the neural network. Hinton, LeCun and Bengio recognized the importance of building deep networks using many layers--hence the term "deep learning." The conceptual foundations and engineering advances laid by LeCun, Bengio and Hinton over a 30-year period were significantly advanced by the prevalence of powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) computers, as well as access to massive datasets. In recent years, these and other factors led to leap-frog advances in technologies such as computer vision, speech recognition and machine translation. Hinton, LeCun and Bengio have worked together and independently. For example, LeCun performed postdoctoral work under Hinton's supervision, and LeCun and Bengio worked together at Bell Labs beginning in the early 1990s. Even while not working together, there is a synergy and interconnectedness in their work, and they have greatly influenced each other. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun continue to explore the intersection of machine learning with neuroscience and cognitive science, most notably through their joint participation in the Learning in Machines and Brains program, an initiative of CIFAR, formerly known as the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Select Technical Accomplishments The technical achievements of this year's Turing Laureates, which have led to significant breakthroughs in AI technologies include, but are not limited to, the following: Geoffrey Hinton Backpropagation: In a 1986 paper, "Learning Internal Representations by Error Propagation," co-authored with David Rumelhart and Ronald Williams, Hinton demonstrated that the backpropagation algorithm allowed neural nets to discover their own internal representations of data, making it possible to use neural nets to solve problems that had previously been thought to be beyond their reach. The backpropagation algorithm is standard in most neural networks today. Boltzmann Machines: In 1983, with Terrence Sejnowski, Hinton invented Boltzmann Machines, one of the first neural networks capable of learning internal representations in neurons that were not part of the input or output. Improvements to convolutional neural networks: In 2012, with his students, Alex Krizhevsky and Ilya Sutskever, Hinton improved convolutional neural networks using rectified linear neurons and dropout regularization. In the prominent ImageNet competition, Hinton and his students almost halved the error rate for object recognition and reshaped the computer vision field. Yoshua Bengio Probabilistic models of sequences: In the 1990s, Bengio combined neural networks with probabilistic models of sequences, such as hidden Markov models. These ideas were incorporated into a system used by AT&T/NCR for reading handwritten checks, were considered a pinnacle of neural network research in the 1990s, and modern deep learning speech recognition systems are extending these concepts. High-dimensional word embeddings and attention: In 2000, Bengio authored the landmark paper, "A Neural Probabilistic Language Model," that introduced high-dimension word embeddings as a representation of word meaning. Bengio's insights had a huge and lasting impact on natural language processing tasks including language translation, question answering, and visual question answering. His group also introduced a form of attention mechanism which led to breakthroughs in machine translation and form a key component of sequential processing with deep learning. Generative adversarial networks: Since 2010, Bengio's papers on generative deep learning, in particular the Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) developed with Ian Goodfellow, have spawned a revolution in computer vision and computer graphics. In one fascinating application of this work, computers can actually create original images, reminiscent of the creativity that is considered a hallmark of human intelligence. Yann LeCun Convolutional neural networks: In the 1980s, LeCun developed convolutional neural networks, a foundational principle in the field, which, among other advantages, have been an essential in making deep learning more efficient. In the late 1980s, while working at the University of Toronto and Bell Labs, LeCun was the first to train a convolutional neural network system on images of handwritten digits. Today, convolutional neural networks are an industry standard in computer vision, as well as in speech recognition, speech synthesis, image synthesis, and natural language processing. They are used in a wide variety of applications, including autonomous driving, medical image analysis, voice-activated assistants, and information filtering. Improving backpropagation algorithms: LeCun proposed an early version of the backpropagation algorithm (backprop), and gave a clean derivation of it based on variational principles. His work to speed up backpropagation algorithms included describing two simple methods to accelerate learning time. Broadening the vision of neural networks: LeCun is also credited with developing a broader vision for neural networks as a computational model for a wide range of tasks, introducing in early work a number of concepts now fundamental in AI. For example, in the context of recognizing images, he studied how hierarchical feature representation can be learned in neural networks--a concept that is now routinely used in many recognition tasks. Together with Leon Bottou, he proposed the idea, used in every modern deep learning software, that learning systems can be built as complex networks of modules where backpropagation is performed through automatic differentiation. They also proposed deep learning architectures that can manipulate structured data, such as graphs. Biographical Background Geoffrey Hinton Geoffrey Hinton is VP and Engineering Fellow at Google, Chief Scientific Adviser at The Vector Institute and University Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. Hinton received a Bachelor's degree in experimental psychology from Cambridge University and a Doctoral degree in artificial intelligence from the University of Edinburgh. He was the founding Director of the Neural Computation and Adaptive Perception (later Learning in Machines and Brains) program at CIFAR. Hinton's honors include Companion of the Order of Canada (Canada's highest honor), Fellow of the Royal Society (UK), foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering (US), the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) Award for Research Excellence, the NSERC Herzberg Gold medal, and the IEEE James Clerk Maxwell Gold medal. He was also selected by Wired magazine for "The Wired 100 --2016's Most Influential People" and by Bloomberg for the 50 people who changed the landscape of global business in 2017. Yoshua Bengio Yoshua Bengio is a Professor at the University of Montreal, holds a Canada CIFAR AI Chair, and is the Scientific Director of both Mila (Quebec's Artificial Intelligence Institute) and IVADO (the Institute for Data Valorization). He is Co-director (with Yann LeCun) of CIFAR's Learning in Machines and Brains program. Bengio received a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, a Master's degree in computer science and a Doctoral degree in computer science from McGill University. Bengio's honors include being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Marie-Victorin Prize. His work in founding and serving as Scientific Director of the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila) is also recognized as a major contribution to the field. Mila, an independent nonprofit organization, now counts 300 researchers and 35 faculty members among its ranks. It is the largest academic center for deep learning research in the world, and has helped put Montreal on the map as a vibrant AI ecosystem, with research labs from major companies as well as AI startups. Yann LeCun Yann LeCun is Silver Professor of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, and VP and Chief AI Scientist at Facebook. He received a Diplome d'Ingenieur from the Ecole Superieure d'Ingenieur en Electrotechnique et Electronique (ESIEE), and a PhD in computer science from Universite Pierre et Marie Curie. His honors include being a member of the US National Academy of Engineering; Doctorates Honoris Causa, from IPN Mexico and Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL); the Pender Award, University of Pennsylvania; the Holst Medal, Technical University of Eindhoven & Philips Labs; the Nokia-Bell Labs Shannon Luminary Award; the IEEE PAMI Distinguished Researcher Award; and the IEEE Neural Network Pioneer Award. He was also selected by Wired magazine for "The Wired 100--2016's Most Influential People" and its "25 Geniuses Who are Creating the Future of Business." LeCun was the founding director of the NYU Center of Data Science, and is a Co-director (with Yoshua Bengio) of CIFAR's Learning in Machines and Brains program. LeCun is also a co-founder and former Member of the Board of the Partnership on AI, a group of companies and nonprofits studying the societal consequences of AI. ### About the ACM A.M. Turing Award The A.M. Turing Award was named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing, and who was a key contributor to the Allied cryptanalysis of the Enigma cipher during World War II. Since its inception in 1966, the Turing Award has honored the computer scientists and engineers who created the systems and underlying theoretical foundations that have propelled the information technology industry. About ACM ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today announced that Laura Mosqueda, MD, AGSF, Dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, will deliver the prestigious Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecture at the AGS 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS19; May 2-4 in Portland, Ore.). Her talk, Disrupting the Silent Winter: Geriatrics Role in Stopping Elder Abuse, will discuss the state-of-the-art in elder abuse identification, treatment and prevention, a subject on which she's one of the country's foremost experts. Dr. Mosqueda's talk will examine geriatrics' approach to elder abuse in clinical practice, research and education, including how the field has advanced, ongoing challenges, future horizons, and the vital role of geriatrics health professionals. "As one of the first geriatrics health professionals to lead a major medical school, Dr. Mosqueda is helping steer medicine--and medical education--toward a deeper appreciation for meeting our needs as we age," notes Laurie G. Jacobs, MD, AGSF, AGS President. "In a fundamental way, that begins by ending the mistreatment of older adults with the type of strong social supports Dr. Mosqueda is so well known for identifying." Long recognized as an advocate for older adults, Dr. Mosqueda has testified before Congress and served as an expert for the White House and federal agencies on a host of social justice initiatives aimed at identifying, addressing, and preventing the abuse of older people. She directs the National Center on Elder Abuse, a federally funded program that focuses on improving the response to abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation in all forms. In 2003, she co-founded the first Elder Abuse Forensic Center in the United States, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including geriatricians, pharmacists, gero-psychologists, social workers, adult protective services, law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, and others to evaluate and where appropriate intervene in complicated cases of suspected mistreatment. Dr. Mosqueda, a Keck School alumna trained in family medicine and geriatrics, was appointed Dean of her alma mater in 2018. She now oversees more than 1,850 full-time faculty physicians and researchers who direct the education of nearly 2,000 medical and graduate students, as well as 900 resident physicians annually. Her oversight includes a broad community-outreach component to under-served neighborhoods surrounding the medical school campus, which underscores the university's commitment to access while helping to diversify the medical student body for more perspectives, better science, and improved patient care. She brings to her work a deep appreciation for how changing demographics and increased longevity necessitate a deeper appreciation for the physical, financial, and social needs of older adults. An AGS member since 1984, Dr. Mosequeda has also served as President of the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) and has contributed to scores of presentations and research publications on elder abuse, geriatric medicine, and geriatric training across medical specialties. Dr. Mosqueda rejoined the Keck School in 2015, first as Chair of Family Medicine and Associate Dean of Primary Care, and later as Interim Dean. Dr. Mosqueda previously worked at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine for fourteen years. She is the first woman to lead the Keck School of Medicine since its founding in 1885. Edward Henderson, MD, namesake of the Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecture, was a beloved and respected geriatrician who served the AGS in several capacities, most notably as President, Vice President, and Executive Director. For more than two decades, Dr. Henderson's devoted efforts on behalf of the AGS made him an international authority in human aging and geriatric medicine. The Edward Henderson Award is one of several honors conferred by the AGS at its Annual Scientific Meeting. The 2019 award recipients include more than 20 healthcare leaders representing the depth and breadth of disciplines championing care for older adults. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org. ### About the American Geriatrics Society Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for more than 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org. About the Edward Henderson Award and the Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecture The late Edward Henderson, MD, was a renowned geriatrics researcher and physician and an instrumental leader for the AGS. The Edward Henderson Award is conferred upon a distinguished clinician, educator, or researcher who also delivers the Henderson State-of-the-Art Lecture on a topic related to the body of his or her work at the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting. About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,500 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene May 2-4, 2019 (pre-conference program on May 1), at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and AGS Health in Aging Foundation today announced that Amy Kind, MD, PhD, one of few physicians in the U.S. with doctoral training in population health, will be honored with the 2019 Thomas and Catherine Yoshikawa Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in Clinical Investigation. At the AGS 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS19; May 2-4 in Portland, Ore.), Dr. Kind will deliver a marquee presentation on the social determinants of health with an eye toward reorienting research, policy, and clinical practice to broader systemic factors that shape what it means to age. "In geriatrics, age is more than a number. It is a complex story of many factors that shape who we are as we age," said Laurie G. Jacobs, MD, AGSF, AGS President. "Dr. Kind brings to the AGS and to #AGS19 a unique appreciation for what it means 'to grow older,' and how appreciating the role of social determinants in that process can help to catalyze real and lasting change in our care." Trained in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard, and geriatric medicine at the University of Wisconsin (UW), Dr. Kind's clinical work caring for older adults prompted a deeper interest in population health science and the importance of improving "health equity," the scientific term for variations in the care and well-being across different groups. Dr. Kind elected to pursue doctoral studies on the topic with the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, honing an even greater focus on population health when addressing memory disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Today, Dr. Kind leads an active research lab not only innovating the assessment of health disparities but also poised to translate those findings into improved care for communities still underserved by research and medicine. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Kind developed the "Neighborhood Atlas," a first-of-its-kind neighborhood map that breaks down socioeconomic factors for every neighborhood in the U.S., including Puerto Rico. Touted by the National Institutes of Health and profiled in the New England Journal of Medicine among other venues, the Atlas allows clinicians, public health professionals, and even city planners to assess socioeconomic status based on the complex interplay of income, education, employment, and housing quality. The Atlas also speaks to Dr. Kind's growing expertise in why these factors can, should, and must be studied hand-in-hand with innovations shaping medicine and care for America's growing older adult population. "Neighborhood disadvantage impacts the health of older adults in key and wide-ranging ways," summarized Dr. Kind. "Our team's multi-disciplinary research has supported the importance of neighborhood in health and care, particularly via examination of conditions like Alzheimer's disease. We have also seen the power of harnessing data democratization for catalyzing real-world change. I'm excited to share this work at #AGS19." In addition to her research duties at UW, Dr. Kind continues to serve older adults and caregivers, many in communities forming the backbone of her scholarship. Dr. Kind is Director of the Coordinated Transitional Care Program at the Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) in the William S. Middleton VA Hospital, Madison, Wisc., for example, where she also serves as Director of the Dementia and Cognitive Clare Clinic and Attending Physician for the Geriatric Inpatient Consult Service. First announced at the 2016 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting and supported for 16 years thanks to generous contributions to the AGS Health in Aging Foundation, the Yoshikawa Award recognizes the research accomplishments of mid-career clinician-investigators directly involved in the care of older adults. ### About the American Geriatrics Society Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for more than 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. About the Health in Aging Foundation The Health in Aging Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit HealthinAgingFoundation.org. About the Yoshikawa Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in Clinical Investigation Named in honor of Dr. Thomas T. Yoshikawa and his wife, Catherine--who together served the AGS and the geriatrics community for more than two decades--the Yoshikawa Award will offer recognition and financial support to emerging geriatrics scholars who represent the early promise of the Yoshikawas' own illustrious careers. The award has been supported thanks to generous contributions to the AGS Health in Aging Foundation from AGS members, as well as friends and colleagues of the Yoshikawas. About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,500 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene May 2-4, 2019 (pre-conference program on May 1), at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org. - On March 26, the Biophysical Society (BPS), in coordination with Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), hosted Dr. Eva Nogales for a Congressional Briefing titled the Cryo-EM Revolution. The briefing was sponsored by the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), JEOL.USA, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and Thermo Fisher Scientific, in partnership with the University of California - Berkeley (UC-Berkeley). "We were pleased to host today's informative briefing and are extremely grateful to our event sponsors and partners," said Jennifer Pesanelli, Executive Officer, BPS. "Through sustained investments in basic science and technology development, the federal government continues to enable exciting scientific breakthroughs and possibilities. The story of Cryo-EM is the story of the successful partnership between researchers, academic and government institutions, and industry, which enables curiosity and job creation." Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) is a biophysical technique that can be used to determine the structure of biological molecules. It allows researchers to create accurate, detailed, 3-D models of intricate biological structures at the sub-cellular and molecular levels. The process is fairly described by its name: 'Cryo': The process begins with a rapid cooling of a protein solution which contains the biomolecule researchers want to examine. When water is frozen normally, it forms crystalline ice. But extremely rapid cooling prevents water molecules from crystallizing, which helps to preserve the structure of the biomolecules. 'Electron': The frozen protein solution is then imaged with a beam of electrons. 'Microscopy': Microscopes magnify objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Just as a light microscope magnifies objects imaged with light, an electron microscope magnifies objects imaged with electrons. Using electrons instead of light, one can actually image atoms. In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists who played key roles in developing Cryo-EM. "Recent technical developments have made cryo-EM a high-resolution technique within the reach of many structural biologists," said Dr. Eva Nogales. "Government support for access to expensive instruments and large computational resources, and further technological development, from sample preparation to image improvement and analysis, will allow our scientists to generate a full structural and functional description of the repertoire of molecular machines that make up our and other biological organisms cells. Such fundamental knowledge in turn will provide the background needed for the rational and systematic design of disease-fighting therapeutics and biological based solutions for energy and environmental sustainability." Dr. Nogales's briefing discussed the history of the technology, how it is used today, and shared some potential future policy recommendations to further its development. The federal government continues to support Cryo-EM technology through the National Institutes of Health's Common Fund and the Department of Energy's Office of Science. The event coincided with the annual Biophysics Week, a messaging week that calls attention to the field of biophysics. The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific Society established to encourage development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its annual meeting, monthly journal, and committee and outreach activities. Its 9,000 members are located throughout the U.S. and the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories and government agencies. http://www.biophysics.org. ### ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New software lets users design science-fiction-like materials with the same efficiency that architects draft building plans. Sandia National Laboratories has created the first inverse-design software for optical metamaterials -- meaning users start by describing the result they want, and the software fills in the steps to get there. The modern design approach takes guesswork out of engineering as-yet theoretical technologies like ultracompact, high-performance cameras and cloaking armor that could make wearers invisible to detection. Sandia uses the design aid, called Mirage, in its research and development programs and released a test version to select collaborators last year. Now, researchers working on government metamaterial projects can request a license at no cost. Man-made, optical metamaterials have been touted for more than a decade for their ability to manipulate light in extraordinary ways. In theory, satellite imaging and interstellar telescopes could be dramatically smaller with metamaterial lenses one hundred times thinner than conventional ones. Or, the technology could someday lead to cloaking materials that deflect light around them, rendering objects impossible to see. Mirage simplifies and automates the design process for materials that would be necessary for those technologies. Mirage takes guesswork out of design The field of optical metamaterials has so far struggled to deliver on all its perceived promise of revolutionizing optics. One difficulty for engineers has been that metamaterials are made of tiny building blocks, called meta-atoms, which can be designed in countless variations. A certain shape, collectively, might bend light. Change that shape, the size, the spacing or the material and that might amplify the effect or diminish it or cause something entirely different to happen, like twist the light one direction or another or change its intensity or color. "Predicting what the bulk 'homogenized' properties will be has been very hard to determine until now," said Mike Fiddy, a program manager in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which funded the software's development. Other software can simulate what meta-atoms will do to light, but that only allows researchers to use intuition to experiment with different designs until they stumble upon or tediously work out the behavior they want. Despite the challenge, some researchers have had success creating imaginative metamaterial devices. Sandia invented a device that converts heat to electricity, potentially for more fuel-efficient engines, and a light-mixing technology that could lead to a new, changeable, multicolored light source, which could accelerate all kinds of research from archeology to biomedicine. But on the whole, said Sandia scientist Ihab El-Kady, the metamaterial enterprise has needed a boost. "We cannot possibly solve this problem by trial and error," said El-Kady, who conceived Mirage. "Instead, we could do the opposite. We could say: 'Here is the behavior I want. Now tell me what the metamaterial looks like.'" No tool used this inverse-design approach. So, El-Kady and his team at Sandia's National Security Photonics Center built one. User-friendly instructions to exploit 100-plus templates Mirage lets users start by telling it the optical property they want -- how their metamaterial needs to interact with light -- and their starting materials. Mirage generates designs that match those criteria from a library of more than 100 templates. Or, users can draw their own designs, and the program will check them for errors. "A more systematic approach for designing metamaterials should greatly accelerate their adoption in various application areas," eliminating more commonly used, intuition-based approaches, Fiddy said. DARPA featured Mirage as a premier technology at the agency's 60th Anniversary Symposium in Fort Washington, Maryland, showcasing its far-reaching uses. "Mirage is an all-in-one tool," El-Kady said. "Not only does it tell you what the metamaterial looks like, it allows you to explore various configurations, simulate the system, validate the chosen behavior, visualize its response and optimize its functionality within your fabrication constraints." Software refines powerful ideas On top of that, said Sandia senior scientist Igal Brener, who uses the software in his metamaterial research, Mirage is useful because it includes algorithms that help researchers get the best performance from their inventions. Brener's team previously created a material that can mix two lasers to produce 11 colors at once, including infrared and ultraviolet light. Potentially, this technology could be developed into tunable lasers that replace single-color ones. But some of those colors are too dim to be useful, so he's exploring ways to brighten the output. Other software packages Brener has used include simple optimization algorithms. However, to use more advanced algorithms he must supplement those packages with his own coding. Not so with Mirage. "Optimization techniques come in many different flavors," he said. "Mirage is the only software package I know of that has the complex optimization techniques I need built in." If the initial launch is successful, Sandia plans to develop a second version of Mirage, tentatively called Mirage Elite, that would introduce a surge forward in optimization by automatically morphing meta-atoms into bizarre and outlandish shapes in the hunt for undiscovered behaviors. Researchers interested in a copy of Mirage are invited to contact Sandia for more information. To be eligible for a free copy, recipients must first have a valid research contract with the U.S. government. Mirage runs on Windows and can be configured to operate on laptop, desktop and multicore machines. ### Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California. Researchers of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) led by Dr. Montse Olive have described in Nature Communications a new muscular disease caused by a mutation in the myoglobin gene. The study has been possible thanks to a collaboration with a group of geneticists from the University of Western Australia (UWA), led by Prof. Nigel Laing, and researchers from the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden). Myoglobin, the protein that gives muscles their red colour, has as its main function the transportation and intracellular storage of oxygen, acting as an oxygen reservoir when there are low levels (hypoxia) or a total lack thereof (anoxia). It also acts as scavenger of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species, avoiding cell damage due to oxidative stress. "This is the first time that a disease caused by a mutation in the myoglobin gene has been identified", says Montse Olive, doctor at the Bellvitge University Hospital, responsible for the muscular disease area and researcher of the Human Molecular Genetics group of the Genes, Disease and Therapy at IDIBELL. "We have identified the same mutation in several members of 6 unrelated European families, all of whom had the same symptoms and showed very characteristic lesions - called sarcoplasmic bodies - in muscle biopsies," adds Dr Olive. Myoglobinopathy, the name that has been proposed for the new disease, manifests between the fourth and fifth decade of life. It causes a progressive weakness of the axial and limb muscles, and in more advanced stages affects the respiratory musculature and the heart. The study has also involved, among others, researchers from the ALBA synchrotron and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The infrared microscopy of the MIRAS beamline at the synchrotron, which is able to characterize the chemical composition and structure of proteins, allowed researchers to demonstrate the presence of oxidized lipids in the damaged muscle cells. "We have observed that sarcoplasmic bodies correspond to oxidized lipids and misfolded proteins", says Nuria Benseny, a postdoctoral researcher at the ALBA synchrotron. Finally, researchers from the universities of Modena and Vienna have identified an alteration in the biochemical and thermodynamic properties of the mutated myoglobin, including an alteration in the oxygen-binding capacity that contributes to the formation of the lipid and protein aggregates that are found in the muscles of the patients. This discovery has allowed to establish the diagnosis for some patients after many years and will allow researchers to focus on finding a cure for this disease from now on. ### March 27, 2018, Washington, D.C.: Marked by deepening cycle of hunger and malnutrition, persistent poverty, limited economic opportunities, and environmental degradation, rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis in many parts of the world, threatening to slow the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, global climate targets, and improved food and nutrition security, according to the 2019 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) released today by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Rural areas remain underserved compared to urban areas and face a wide array of challenges across the globe: rural areas struggle with environmental crisis in China; severe agrarian crisis in India, and acute shortage of jobs for the growing youth populations in Africa. To overcome these challenges, the report calls for rural revitalization, highlighting policies, institutions, and investments that can transform rural areas into vibrant and healthy places to live, work and raise families. "Revitalizing rural areas can stimulate economic growth and begin to address the crises in developing countries, and also tackle challenges holding back achievement of the SDGs and climate goals by 2030," said Shenggen Fan, director general, IFPRI. "Rural revitalization is timely, achievable, and, most important, critical to ending hunger and malnutrition in just over a decade," said Fan. A majority of the world's poor live in rural areas: rural populations account for 45.3 percent of the world's total population, but 70 percent of the world's extremely poor. The global poverty rate in rural areas is currently 17 percent, more than double the urban poverty rate of 7 percent. "Rural transformation requires a holistic economic approach to connect rural and urban economies. Strengthening these connections can spur growth and diversification in the farm and non-farm sectors, closing socio-economic and quality-of-life gaps between urban and rural areas," said Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme and co-author of the lead chapter in the report. The report emphasizes that rural areas could become premiere hubs of innovations in just under a decade. It recommends revitalizing rural areas with a focus on five building blocks: creating farm and non-farm rural employment opportunities; achieving gender equality; addressing environmental challenges; improving access to energy; and investing in good governance. Job creation is critical to reducing poverty in rural areas, especially in the rural areas of Africa south of the Sahara, where poverty is high and youth populations are large. Policies that encourage investments in rural transport networks, telecommunications, and human capital in African countries can prepare rural youth for new jobs in rural and urban areas, and bridge rural-urban gap, according to the report. "Rapid urbanization in Africa is creating new opportunities for rural transformation and revitalization, mainly due to growing demand for food in urban areas, and investments in new staple food processing technologies as seen in the case of Ghana, Mali, Tanzania and Senegal," said Ousmane Badiane, director for Africa, IFPRI and co-author of the report chapter on Africa. In south Asia too, there is a greater emphasis on growth in rural employment, and agricultural productivity by strengthening of the agriculture-based rural nonfarm economy, said Pramod Joshi, director for South Asia, IFPRI, and co-author of the report chapter on South Asia. To ensure all can participate and benefit from growth and transformation of rural areas, the report recommends investing efforts in reducing general disparities. "Empowering women can improve agricultural productivity, overall well-being of mothers and children, and increase their capacity to contribute to rural revitalization," said Hazel Malapit, researcher at IFPRI, and co-author of report chapter on gender equality. Beyond economic progress and human capital, rural environments must also be restored and improved to secure the many services they provide. "To engage rural residents as custodians of valuable natural resources, their rights to these resources should be recognized in law and practice," said Claudia Ringler, deputy division director, and co-author of the report chapter on environment. Achieving these policy goals require investments in good governance. The report identifies three aspects of governance critical for rural revitalization: appropriate and predictable laws and regulations; effective policy implementation and enforcement; and accountability of those in positions of power and authority. This year's report also features chapters on how Europe's experience can provide lessons for rural revitalization in developing countries; food policy trends from Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions; updated data on food policy indicators and more. The report is the latest in an annual analysis of developments in food policy around the developing world, based on the most recent available evidence. "With perseverance, 2019 can become the year when the will to eliminate hunger and malnutrition finally gathers momentum, forging a bright future for poor people around the world," said Fan. ### For more information on the report, click here: http://gfpr.ifpri.info/ Access the report on Dropbox: Full Report | Synopsis To speak with chapter authors about the content and themes of the report please contact Smita Aggarwal: s.aggarwal@cgiar.org Bottom Line: This study analyzed combat casualty statistics to look at factors associated with reductions in mortality during the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The analysis of nearly 57,000 U.S. military casualties from October 2001 through 2017 suggests survival among the most critically injured has increased and that three interventions were associated with a large part of that reduction in deaths: the use of tourniquets, blood transfusions and more rapid prehospital transport times. The study acknowledges other factors, both medical and nonmedical, played a role in reducing mortality but adequate measurement of these other factors doesn't exist. Authors: Jeffrey T. Howard, Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio, and coauthors (doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.0151) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. ### Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article: This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2729451?guestAccessKey=f4004f60-a361-493a-b029-b645f776ee55&utm_source=JAMA_Network&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=032719 In the lush, lowland rainforests on the island of Borneo lives a rather common, drab brown bird called the Cream-vented Bulbul, or Pycnonotus simplex. This bird is found from southern Thailand to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. In most of its range, it has white eyes. On Borneo, however, most individuals have red eyes, although there are also a few with white eyes. For 100 years, naturalists have thought the eye-color difference on Borneo was a trivial matter of individual variation. Through persistent detective work and advances in genetic sequencing technology, Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science researchers have discovered that the white-eyed individuals of Borneo in fact represent a completely new species. Their discovery of the Cream-eyed Bulbul, or Pycnonotus pseudosimplex, was published recently in the scientific journal, the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. "One of the reasons we knew we had a new species as opposed to just a variant of another species was because the two populations -- the red-eyed and white-eyed populations -- actually occur together on Borneo. You can go to a site and see both of these birds. One of the theories of speciation is if two birds co-occur in the same area, and they are not interbreeding, then that's a definitive sign that they are different species," said Subir Shakya, lead author and LSU Department of Biological Sciences Ph.D. student. Shakya made the discovery after he had returned to LSU from an expedition to Sumatra. Back at LSU, he was sequencing the DNA of several bird specimens from Sumatra and comparing them to specimens from other sites in the region to determine the degree of genetic relatedness of various species from the different islands and the mainland of Asia, which is a common practice after returning from fieldwork. Several bulbuls from Borneo and the surrounding region were among the specimens he compared; however, the white-eyed Cream-vented Bulbuls from Borneo appeared genetically distinct from all the other white-eyed and red-eyed Cream-vented Bulbuls he examined. Further work to understand this discrepancy led to the conclusion that the white-eyed birds from Borneo were in fact a new species. "We had found white-eyed individuals of the bulbul in old-growth hill forest in Crocker Range National Park in 2008 and in Lambir Hills National Park in 2013; and a group from the Smithsonian found them in Batang Ai National Park in 2018. All of these areas are in Malaysian Borneo," said co-author Fred Sheldon, the LSU Museum of Natural Science curator of genetic resources and Shakya's Ph.D. advisor. Specimens are preserved at the LSU Museum of Natural Science, which houses the world's largest collection of genetic samples of birds from Borneo and Sumatra as well as the Smithsonian and University of Kansas Museum. White-eyed and red-eyed individuals look almost exactly the same, except for eye color. "This discovery was made due to Subir's dogged detective work, and a little serendipity," Sheldon said. ### Researchers from Russia, Finland, and the U.S. have put a constraint on the theoretical model of dark matter particles by analyzing data from astronomical observations of active galactic nuclei. The new findings provide an added incentive for research groups around the world trying to crack the mystery of dark matter: No one is quite sure what it is made of. The paper was published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. The question of what particles make up dark matter is a crucial one for modern particle physics. Despite the expectations that dark matter particles would be discovered at the Large Hadron Collider, this did not happen. A number of then-mainstream hypotheses about the nature of dark matter had to be rejected. Diverse observations indicate that dark matter exists, but apparently something other than the particles in the Standard Model constitutes it. Physicists thus have to consider further options that are more complex. The Standard Model needs to be extended. Among the candidates for inclusion are hypothetical particles that may have masses in the range from 10?? to 10?? times the mass of the electron. That is, the heaviest speculated particle has a mass 40 orders of magnitude greater than that of the lightest. One theoretical model treats dark matter as being made up of ultralight particles. This offers an explanation for numerous astronomical observations. However, such particles would be so light that they would interact very weakly with other matter and light, making them exceedingly hard to study. It is almost impossible to spot a particle of this kind in a lab, so researchers turn to astronomical observations. "We are talking about dark matter particles that are 28 orders of magnitude lighter than the electron. This notion is critically important for the model that we decided to test. The gravitational interaction is what betrays the presence of dark matter. If we explain all the observed dark matter mass in terms of ultralight particles, that would mean there is a tremendous number of them. But with particles as light as these, the question arises: How do we protect them from acquiring effective mass due to quantum corrections? Calculations show that one possible answer would be that these particles interact weakly with photons -- that is, with electromagnetic radiation. This offers a much easier way to study them: by observing electromagnetic radiation in space," said Sergey Troitsky, a co-author of the paper and chief researcher at the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences. When the number of particles is very high, instead of individual particles, you can treat them as a field of certain density permeating the universe. This field coherently oscillates over domains that are on the order of 100 parsecs in size, or about 325 light years. What determines the oscillation period is the mass of the particles. If the model considered by the authors is correct, this period should be about one year. When polarized radiation passes through such a field, the plane of radiation polarization oscillates with the same period. If periodic changes like this do in fact occur, astronomical observations can reveal them. And the length of the period -- one terrestrial year -- is very convenient, because many astronomical objects are observed over several years, which is enough for the changes in polarization to manifest themselves. The authors of the paper decided to use the data from Earth-based radio telescopes, because they return to the same astronomical objects many times during a cycle of observations. Such telescopes can observe remote active galactic nuclei -- regions of superheated plasma close to the centers of galaxies. These regions emit highly polarized radiation. By observing them, one can track the change in polarization angle over several years. "At first it seemed that the signals of individual astronomical objects were exhibiting sinusoidal oscillations. But the problem was that the sine period has to be determined by the dark matter particle mass, which means it must be the same for every object. There were 30 objects in our sample. And it may be that some of them oscillated due to their own internal physics, but anyway, the periods were never the same," Troitsky goes on. "This means that the interaction of our ultralight particles with radiation may well be constrained. We are not saying such particles do not exist, but we have demonstrated that they don't interact with photons, putting a constraint on the available models describing the composition of dark matter." "Just imagine how exciting that was! You spend years studying quasars, when one day theoretical physicists turn up, and the results of our high-precision and high angular resolution polarization measurements are suddenly useful for understanding the nature of dark matter," enthusiastically adds Yuri Kovalev, a co-author of the study and laboratory director at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In the future, the team plans to search for manifestations of hypothesized heavier dark matter particles proposed by other theoretical models. This will require working in different spectral ranges and using other observation techniques. According to Troitsky, the constraints on alternative models are more stringent. "Right now, the whole world is engaged in the search for dark matter particles. This is one of the great mysteries of particle physics. As of today, no model is accepted as favored, better-developed, or more plausible with regard to the available experimental data. We have to test them all. Inconveniently, dark matter is "dark" in the sense that it hardly interacts with anything, particularly with light. Apparently, in some scenarios it could have a slight effect on light waves passing through. But other scenarios predict no interactions at all between our world and dark matter, other than those mediated by gravity. This would make its particles very hard to find," concludes Troitsky. ### The study reported in this story was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant No. 18-12-00258. The research team co-authoring the paper includes scientists from the Institute for Nuclear Research and Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Purdue University (U.S.), and Aalto University (Finland). Research paper: "Constraining the photon coupling of ultra-light dark-matter axion-like particles by polarization variations of parsec-scale jets in active galaxies" by M.M. Ivanov, Y.Y. Kovalev, M.L. Lister, A.G. Panin, A.B. Pushkarev, T. Savolainen, and S.V. Troitsky, published Feb.28, 2019, in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. Metformin can help mothers with PCOS but can increase the risk of obesity in their children Metformin is often used during pregnancy where the mother is suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has recently shown that this results in fewer miscarriages and premature births. But a companion Norwegian study shows that children who are exposed to metformin in the womb may later have a higher risk of obesity. "We can't rule out that these children may have more health problems as adults," says PhD candidate Liv Guro Engen Hanem at NTNU's Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine. Hanem is the first author of an article published in the The Lancet Child & Adolescence Health journal. The results are contrary to the researchers' original hypothesis. They assumed that the children would have a lower risk of obesity later, due to better growth conditions in utero. Millions of pregnant women use metformin, partly due to PCOS but most often to treat gestational diabetes. Few negative side effects have been demonstrated from its use, and none for the foetus. But so far we know little about possible long-term effects. The results show that 8-year-old children who were exposed to metformin in utero (in the womb) on average had a higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to children of women in a control group. This control group was given an inactive placebo instead. A higher BMI can lead to negative effects for children later in life from obesity-related ailments. Children born to mothers with PCOS but not exposed to metformin did not have elevated BMI, weight or height. These children, when measured as 8-year-olds, however, did have a larger waist circumference as compared to children with mothers who did not have PCOS. Larger waist circumference is associated with an unfavourable distribution of body fat. The article concludes by noting that the benefits of metformin use in pregnancy must be weighed against these possible long-term health problems in the offspring. The research group examined 257 pregnant women (274 pregnancies) with PCOS during the period 2005 to 2009. The women received metformin or a placebo during pregnancy. Researchers conducted follow-up measurements of height, weight, BMI and abdominal circumference on 141 of these children when they were 5 to 10 years old. Metformin-exposed children were compared with placebo-exposed children. The researchers compared the placebo-exposed children (of mothers with PCOS) with children from a Norwegian reference population. ### Hanem's head supervisor was Professor Eszter Vanky, and co-supervisor was Associate Professor Rnnaug degard, both of Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine/NTNU. Hanem's research work extended the PregMet1 study and was funded by the Research Council of Norway, St. Olav's Hospital, NTNU and Novo Nordisk. Reference: Liv Guro Engen Hanem MD, yvind Salvesen PhD, Petur BJuliusson MD et al. Intrauterine metformin exposure and offspring cardiometabolic risk factors (PedMet study): a 5-10 year follow-up of the PregMet randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Volume 3, Issue 3, March 2019, Pages 166-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30385-7 COLUMBUS, Ohio - Social media had only a small influence on how much people believed falsehoods about candidates and issues in the last two presidential elections, a pair of new national studies found. And Facebook - which came under fire for spreading misinformation in the 2016 campaign - actually reduced misperceptions by users in that election compared to those who consumed only other social media. The results suggest that we need to put the dangers of social media spreading misinformation in perspective, said R. Kelly Garrett, author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University. "Given the amount of attention given to the issue, it may seem surprising that social media doesn't have a larger impact on Americans' belief in falsehoods," Garrett said. "It is an issue that we should be concerned about, but it is not the main driver of why so many people believe false information about issues and candidates." The study was published today (March 27, 2019) in the journal PLOS ONE. In previous research, Garrett found evidence suggesting that email contributed to the spread of false information in the 2008 election, before social media was as popular as it is today. Garrett specifically designed these studies to gauge the role of social media in what Americans believed in the last two election campaigns. Reliance on social media for political news has increased rapidly. In 2012, about two in five Americans reported using social media for political purposes, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2016, more Americans named Facebook as the source they used for pre-election political information than any other site, including those of major news organizations, this new research found. "This study began long before 'fake news' became as popular a topic as it is today. But the questions that drive this study are very much in keeping with our concerns about how disinformation is spread online," Garrett said. During both the 2012 and 2016 election seasons, groups of more than 600 Americans filled out surveys online three times, indicating their social media use at each point as well as their beliefs in confirmed falsehoods. The 2012 study involved misperceptions about the two presidential candidates, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Participants rated on a five-point scale how much they agreed with eight falsehoods, including "Barack Obama is Muslim, not Christian" and "As governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney signed a health care law providing taxpayer-funded abortions." Overall, Republicans tended to hold less accurate beliefs about President Obama than Democrats did, while Democrats held less accurate beliefs about Romney than did Republicans. Results showed that increasing social media use reduced participants' belief accuracy about Obama falsehoods, although the effect was small. In the most extreme case, someone using social media to get political information could have an accuracy score concerning Obama falsehoods almost half a point lower on the five-point scale than someone who did not use social media at all. Social media use did not influence belief in the Romney falsehoods, Garrett said. One important reason may be that the rumors about Romney were much less known than those about Obama. The 2016 study focused on false beliefs about four campaign issues. The misperceptions studied were: Repealing the Affordable Care Act would reduce the national debt; Most Muslims support violence against Western countries, including the U.S.; Immigrants are more likely to commit violent crimes than individuals born in the U.S.; and Human activity has no influence on global climate. After considering more than a dozen potential issues, Garrett selected these four because they were referenced most frequently on the campaign trail and received extensive media coverage, and because of evidence that Americans were at least occasionally mistaken about them. Results showed that, overall, Republicans beliefs tended to be less accurate than those of Democrats, which made sense because the falsehoods were a prominent part of the Republican campaign strategy, Garrett said. Participants with higher levels of education held more accurate beliefs. Unlike in 2012, participants in 2016 were asked which social media platforms they used during each of the three waves of the study. Facebook was the most popular social media platform for following news among study participants, followed by YouTube and Twitter. Overall, social media use was not related to participants' belief accuracy on the four issues. But the influence of using social media was different for people who used Facebook than for people who only used other platforms. Among the heaviest social media users, those who used Facebook were about a half point more accurate on the five-point scale, on average, than those who didn't. "It is not a huge difference, but it does call into question the conventional wisdom that Facebook had an especially harmful influence on campaign issue beliefs," Garrett said. He said the small effects found in this study don't mean we should ignore the problem of fake news shared on social media - but we should reevaluate its role in Americans' belief in falsehoods. "We have evidence that foreign powers have tried to sway American elections by sharing falsehoods on social media and that is profoundly troubling. If it has an effect, even a small one, we should be deeply concerned," he said. "But we need to have a broader perspective on the problem. We know that Americans hold beliefs that are not accurate, with frightening regularity. And if social media aren't the primary driver of this, we really should invest more energy into finding out what else is going on." ### The study was based on work supported by the National Science Foundation. Contact: R. Kelly Garrett, Garrett.258@osu.edu Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu Exercise helps to prevent the degradation of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London. The researchers show for the first time how mechanical forces experienced by cells in joints during exercise prevent cartilage degradation by suppressing the action of inflammatory molecules which cause osteoarthritis. The study, published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, demonstrates the benefits of exercise on the tissues that form our joints and how this is down to tiny hair-like structures called primary cilia found on living cells. During exercise the cartilage in joints such as the hip and knee is squashed. This mechanical distortion is detected by the living cells in the cartilage which then block the action of inflammatory molecules associated with conditions such as arthritis. The researchers show that this anti-inflammatory effect of physical activity is caused by activation of a particular protein, called HDAC6, which triggers changes in the proteins that form primary cilia. Pharmaceutical drugs that blocked HDAC6 activation prevented the anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity, whilst other drug treatments were able to mimic the benefits of exercise. Changes in length of the primary cilia, which are only a few 1000th of a millimetre, provided a biomarker of the level of inflammation. Cilia got longer during inflammation, but treatments that prevented this elongation successfully prevented inflammation. Mr Su Fu, PhD student at Queen Mary University of London and study author, said: "We have known for some time that healthy exercise is good for you - now we know the process through which exercise prevents cartilage degradation." Professor Martin Knight, lead researcher of the study added: "These findings may also explain the anti-inflammatory effects of normal blood flow in arteries which is important for preventing arterial disease such as atherosclerosis and aneurism." The researchers hope that these findings will help in the search for treatments for arthritis which affects over three million people in the UK causing stiff and painful joints. The researchers suggest the results may lead to a whole new therapeutic approach known as mechano-medicine in which drugs simulate the effect of mechanical forces to prevent the damaging effects of inflammation and treat conditions such as arthritis. ### * Research paper: 'Mechanical loading inhibits cartilage inflammatory signalling via an HDAC6 and IFT-dependent mechanism regulating primary cilia elongation'. Su Fu, Clare L Thompson, Ahmed Ali, Wen Wang, Paul Chapple, Hannah M Mitchison, Phil L Beales, Angus K Wann, Martin M Knight. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. * Link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2019.03.003 Contact: Rupert Marquand PR Officer Queen Mary University of London r.marquand@qmul.ac.uk Tel: 020 7882 3004 About Queen Mary University of London Queen Mary University of London is a world-leading research-intensive university with over 25,000 students representing more than 160 nationalities. A member of the prestigious Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our research. In the most recent exercise that rated research in the UK, we were ranked 5th in the country for the proportion of research outputs that were world-leading or internationally excellent. We offer more than 240 degree programmes and our reputation for excellent teaching was rewarded with silver in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) awards. Queen Mary's history dates back to 1785, with the foundation of the London Hospital Medical College. Our history also encompasses the establishment of the People's Palace in 1887, which brought accessible education, culture and recreation to the East End of London. We also have roots in Westfield College, one of the first colleges to provide higher education to women. Researchers have identified a protein complex that marks misfolded proteins, stops them from interacting with other proteins in the cell and directs them towards disposal. In collaboration with the neurology department at the Ruhr-Ubiversitat's St. Josef-Hospital as well as colleagues at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, an interdisciplinary team under the auspices of Professor Konstanze Winklhofer at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum has identified the so-called Linear Ubiquitin Chain Assembly Complex, Lubac for short, as a crucial player in controlling misfolded proteins in cells. The group is hoping to find a new therapeutic approach to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Huntington's chorea, all of which are associated with misfolded proteins. The team headed by Professor Konstanze Winklhofer from the Department of Molecular Cell Biology in Bochum published its report in "The Embo Journal"; online preview available on 18 March 2019. New function of protein complex Earlier studies have revealed that the protein complex Lubac regulates signalling pathways of the innate immune response that are mediated by the transcription factor NF-kB. For example, Lubac can be recruited to trigger immune responses by binding to bacteria in the cells and activating NF-kB. "Our study revealed that the Lubac system has a previously unknown function," says Konstanze Winklhofer, who is also member of the Cluster of Excellence Ruhr Explores Solvation, Resolv for short. "It appears that Lubac recognises misfolded proteins as dangerous and marks them with linear ubiquitin chains, thus rendering them harmless to nerve cells." Unlike its response to bacteria, this function of Lubac is independent of the transcription factor NF-kB. Aggregates of misfolded proteins are toxic to cells, because they interfere with various processes. For example, they expose an interactive surface thereby sequestering and inactivating other proteins that are essential for the cell. This process disrupts the function of nerve cells and can cause cell death. Preventing protein interactions The research team has now decoded the mechanism described above using the huntingtin protein, the misfolding of which causes Huntington's disease. By attaching linear ubiquitin chains to aggregated huntingtin, the aggregates are shielded from unwanted interactions in the cell and can be degraded more easily. In Huntington's patients, the Lubac system is impaired, as the team demonstrated. These insights were gained by combining cell biology and biochemistry methods and using high-resolution microscopy (Structured Illumination Super-Resolution Microscopy). Mechanism works for various proteins The protective effect of Lubac is not limited to huntingtin aggregates. The researchers also detected linear ubiquitin chains attached to protein aggregates that play a role in other neurodegenerative disorders, for example in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. "The attachment of linear ubiquitin chains is a highly specific process, as there is only one protein - namely a Lubac-component - that can mediate it," explains Konstanze Winklhofer. "Based on these insights, strategies for new therapeutic approaches could be developed." In future studies, the team intends to identify small molecules that affect linear ubiquitination and to test if they have any positive effects on neurodegeneration. "But there is still a long way ahead until a drug can be developed," concludes Konstanze Winklhofer. ### The Nobel Prize-winning project that hunts for gravitational waves-- ripples in space and time--is about to begin the longest and most sensitive observational run to date. The National Science Foundation's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) received a series of upgrades to its lasers, mirrors and other components and will start its third Advanced LIGO observing run on April 1. Several Rochester Institute of Technology researchers who are members of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration are preparing to pore over the new data to help uncover some of the universe's biggest mysteries. LIGO made history with the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015. The ripples traveled to Earth from a pair of colliding black holes located 1.3 billion light-years away. Since then, the LIGO-Virgo detector network has uncovered nine additional black hole mergers and one explosive smashup of two neutron stars. RIT's Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (CCRG) has a large and active group of 18 faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers involved in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. They are excited about what a new, more sensitive observing run can uncover and expect to see an even greater number of black hole mergers and other extreme events, such as additional neutron-neutron star mergers or a yet-to-be-seen black hole-neutron star merger. "Big data is transforming our world, not because any one individual observation or even instrument provides transformative insight, but because combining data from many of them reveals things we haven't known before," said Richard O'Shaughnessy, assistant professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences. O'Shaughnessy's research focuses on how to discover and interpret gravitational waves produced by merging compact binaries like black holes and neutron stars. "With this third run, we're at the bridge of having clues about compact binaries that were previously completely inaccessible." LIGO, which consists of twin detectors located in Washington and Louisiana, will be joined in the new observing run by Virgo, the European-based gravitational-wave detector, located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Italy. The three enhanced sensors working together will allow more precise triangulation of the sources of gravitational waves. This is an important step toward multi-messenger astronomy, the coordinated observation and interpretation of different signals. In addition to events like black hole and neutron star mergers, LIGO scientists search for weaker, continuous signals like those from spinning neutron stars, where the gravitational wave signal could be identified using a long stretch of data. "As someone studying continuous waves, the improved sensitivity and the longer observing run means we can probe into our sources in a more interesting way," said John Whelan, associate professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences and principal investigator of RIT's group in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. Whelan develops and implements methods to search for gravitational waves and currently leads an effort targeting Scorpius X-1, one of the most promising sources of continuous gravitational waves. "Scorpius X-1 is the first source of x-rays discovered outside the solar system. It is the brightest continuous source of x-rays besides the sun, and it's a binary system of a neutron star and another less massive star." The observing run is expected to last roughly one year, and researchers at RIT expect to begin publishing new findings based on the observations later this year and will have more once the run is complete. Professor Manuela Campanelli, director of the CCRG, said: "We are very excited about the science that will come out of the new observation run, especially within the context of multi-messenger astronomy. LIGO is an important tool to help reveal the hidden side of the universe and I am proud of the faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers that are a part of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration." ### More Information about the LIGO-Virgo collaborations: LIGO is funded by NSF and operated by Caltech and MIT, which conceived of LIGO and led the Initial and Advanced LIGO projects. Financial support for the Advanced LIGO project was led by the NSF with Germany (Max Planck Society), the U.K. (Science and Technology Facilities Council) and Australia (Australian Research Council-OzGrav) making significant commitments and contributions to the project. Nearly 1,300 scientists from around the world participate in the effort through the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, which includes the GEO Collaboration. A list of additional partners is available at https://my.ligo.org/census.php. The Virgo Collaboration is currently composed of approximately 350 scientists, engineers, and technicians from about 70 institutes from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) hosts the Virgo detector near Pisa in Italy, and is funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France, the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy, and Nikhef in the Netherlands. A list of the Virgo Collaboration members can be found at http://public.virgo-gw.eu/the-virgo-collaboration/. More information is available on the Virgo website at http://www.virgo-gw.eu. For more information, contact Luke Auburn at 585-475-4335 or luke.auburn@rit.edu. The continuous prosperity and economic growth in humankind demands new strategies to combat the grand energy challenge. Water is pervasive in our world and the scavenging of abundant, clean and renewable water-related energy is essential. Among many approaches to harvest water energy, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) that are capable of converting mechanical energy to electrical energy have received increasing attention over the past several years. However, one of the main bottlenecks for the practical implications of such triboelectric devices for water energy originates from the fast degradation of the physiochemical properties of interfacial materials at liquid/solid interfaces under harsh environments, such as low temperature, high humidity or under water condition. For example, the conventional superhydrophobic (SHS) based TENG, referred to as SHS-TENG, is limited by poor durability, undesired biofilm coverage and thereby limited energy efficiency in the long operation under harsh environments. In a new research article published in the Beijing-based National Science Review, scientists at City University of Hong Kong, University of Science and Technology of China, East China Normal University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln present a new paradigm of TENGs that address many inherent drawbacks encountered by SHS-TENG. Different from previous works, the TENG is covered by a novel slippery lubricant-impregnated porous surface (SLIPS), referred as SLIPS-TENG. Remarkably, the marriage of a slippery and configurable liquid layer exhibits many advantages over conventional design including optical transparency, configurability, self-cleaning, flexibility, and power generation stability, in a wide range of working environments. Moreover, the SLIPS-TENG can be extended to various wearable and flexible devices to impart more versatile functionalities. "Scientifically, we combine two seemingly different areas, i.e. SLIPS and TENG, together, and report the triboelectricity generation occurred at liquid/liquid interface." Prof. Zuankai Wang said, "In a broader perspective, the marriage of SLIPS with TENG provides a paradigm shift in the design of robust blue energy devices that can be used as a clean and longer lifetime alternative in various working conditions." ### This research received funding from Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Council and City University of Hong Kong. See the article: SLIPS-TENG: robust triboelectric nanogenerator with optical and charge transparency using slippery interface Natl Sci Rev 2019; doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwz025 https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwz025 The National Science Review is the first comprehensive scholarly journal released in English in China that is aimed at linking the country's rapidly advancing community of scientists with the global frontiers of science and technology. The journal also aims to shine a worldwide spotlight on scientific research advances across China. Spinal cord is the main pathway of communication between brain and peripheral nervous system. Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to sensory and motor functional deficits below the injury level, causing severe disability and bringing heavy burden to family and society. Spinal cord injury repair is one of the most challenging medical problems, and no effective therapeutic methods has been developed. The spinal cord is a complex tissue composed of various types of nerve cells, nerve fibers, and blood vessels. After SCI, the injury distance usually reaches several centimeters, resulting in the loss of multiple cells and the interruption of neural connections. Hence, it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory effect by transplanting a single type cell to repair severe SCI. A few studies have reported that transplantation of rat embryonic central neural tissue pieces into the injury area of newborn or adult rats for SCI treatment. The embryonic central neural tissue pieces partially replaced the lost spinal cord tissue, survived in the lesion area of the newborn or adult host, newly-formed neural connections, and thus showed positive effect on motor function recovery after surgery. However, studies of the therapeutic effect of adult spinal cord tissue pieces on SCI repair have not been reported. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate utilization of adult spinal cord tissue pieces to reconstruct neural function and restore motor function. Biologists from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, transplanted adult spinal cord grafts (aSCGs) into the lesion sites of the adult host with spinal cord transection to improve the locomotor function. "We first reported the use of aSCGs derived from adult rat spinal cord tissue as an allograft for the treatment of complete SCI in adult rats." said Dr. He Shen, the first author for this work. The results of this research showed that the transplantation of aSCGs promoted the recovery of motor function. The transplanted allogeneic aSCGs tissues as well as neurons and oligodendrocytes in the donor segments survived. "In addition, to provide a favorable microenvironment for SCI treatment, we further applied a growth factor cocktail containing three growth factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3 and vascular endothelial growth factor) to the aSCG transplants", said He. With the presence of the growth factors, the survival levels of donor segments and cells were boosted. And therefore, the locomotor function was significantly improved 12 weeks after transplantation of aSCGs into the spinal cord lesion site in adult rats. "To enhance functional recovery after transplanting aSCGs in lesion sites, efficient rebuilding of neuronal connections by both the donor and host s neural cells is required. Thus, in future we may incorporate aSCGs with modified biomaterials for SCI treatment to improve the survival of the grafts, accelerate neovascularization, and promote formation of neural connections between the donor tissues and recipients", said Professor Jianwu Dai, the co-corresponding author. These encouraging results indicated that treatment of complete SCI by transplanting aSCGs, especially in the presence of growth factors, has a positive effect on motor functional recovery. All the authors hope that this new strategy will be considered as a possible therapeutic method for SCI in the future. ### This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81891002) and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA16020100). See the article: Shen, H., Chen, X., Li, X., Zhang, J., Jia, K., Xiao, ZF., Dai, JW. (2019). Transplantation of adult spinal cord grafts into spinal cord transected rats improves their locomotor function. Sci China Life Sci, in press, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-019-9490-8. This article was published online. PHOENIX, Ariz. -- March 27, 2019 -- The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has received a total of $6.1 million in two grants to study deadly lung diseases that affect hundreds of thousands of Americans, and for which there are no cures. "In their late stages, these are horrific diseases that leave patients literally gasping for life," said Dr. Nicholas Banovich, an Assistant Professor in TGen's Integrated Cancer Genomics Division. "I originally became interested in studying Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) after watching a friend suffer through this disease. I knew then that we must find new and better ways to help these patients." Along with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), and the Norton Thoracic Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, TGen received a $3.5 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the cause of IPF, the nation's most common and severe form of fibrotic lung disease. An estimated 50,000 Americans, mostly middle-aged and older adults, are diagnosed each year with IPF. Most die from respiratory failure within five years. In addition, TGen and VUMC received a $2.6 million federal grant from the Department of Defense (DOD) to study a variety of other genomic factors associated with non-IPF forms of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). IPF is a progressive and irreversible disease characterized by a dry cough, fatigue, aching muscles and joints, and ever worsening shortness of breath. IPF and PF both scar and stiffen the interstitium -- the delicate lace-like network that supports the lungs' tiny air sacs. Microscopic blood vessels weave through the interstitium, creating a blood-air interface that allows oxygen to be pulled into the blood with each inhale, and carbon dioxide to be expelled into the air with each exhale. IPF has no known cause and current treatments short of a lung transplant only slow disease progression. Lung transplants are radical surgeries that usually require months of waiting for available organs, and often require a long and sometimes agonizing recovery. Investigators plan to use single cell sequencing to generate a more comprehensive understanding of IPF at the genomic level. "Our hope is to generate the most comprehensive molecular characterization of healthy and IPF lungs to date. This study promises to answer fundamental questions about cell types, genetic variants, and gene expression changes driving the disease," said Dr. Banovich, the leader of the study team, along with Dr. Jonathan Kropski, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology at VUMC. Norton Thoracic Institute is one of the highest volume and best rated lung transplant centers in the nation. "IPF is one of the most common conditions that causes a patient to need lung transplantation, and it deserves the attention of research," said Dr. Rajat Walia, section chief of pulmonary medicine and medical director of lung transplantation at Norton Thoracic Institute. Dr. Walia also serves as the facility's co-investigator for the study, along with Dr. Ross Bremner, executive director of the Institute. "We are proud to offer our patients the opportunity to be involved in research where they can voluntarily donate tissue samples taken from their scarred lungs at the time of transplant. Our patients know that their gift to science could mean advancements in treatment for future patients," Dr. Walia added. Single-cell sequencing will allow the researchers to closely examine the gene expression profiles of individual cells within the lungs in order to identify their function, and ultimately understand the molecular changes that may be driving the disease. Prior to the advent of single-cell sequencing, researchers could not begin to decipher the molecular source of IPF, Dr. Banovich said. By closely examining individual cells, rather than a mash-up of many cells from a tissue sample, researchers anticipate being able to identify specific gene expression changes that could lead to IPF. This could result in earlier diagnosis and perhaps better treatments for the disease. Dr. Kropski said: "By improving our understanding of the critical molecular drivers of IPF, we are very hopeful that these studies will set us on a path to more precise and more effective treatments that improve the lives for the hundreds of thousands of patients with this disease." While IPF is the most common form of fibrotic lung disease, many individuals are affected by a variety of other forms of PF. The DOD grant to study non-IPF lung fibrosis will complement the first study by closely examining the other mechanisms that cause scaring and stiffening in the interstitium. "Together, both grants will help enable us to closely examine all lung tissues and search for the genomic factors that drive all pulmonary fibrosis," Dr. Banovich said. "Since IPF represents about 20 percent of all lung fibrosis, the second grant from DOD will help allow us to characterize the many different genomic drivers of the other 80 percent of patients with lung fibrosis, potentially giving us a more universal assessment of lung disease and how best to treat these debilitating conditions." ### About TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases: http://www.cityofhope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen. Media Contact: Steve Yozwiak TGen Senior Science Writer 602-343-8704 syozwiak@tgen.org Researchers from DTU Biosustain have successfully produced mammalian cell lines (CHO) that can produce 1,2 g/L recombinant Alpha-1-antitrypsin proteins with human glycosylation profiles. This work can lead to better treatment of the genetic disease Alpha- Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a protein produced by the liver. The protein gets secreted to the blood stream, where it circulates the body to protect the lungs. However, some people are born with genetic disorders that hinders production of this protein. These patients can suffer from decreased lung function, liver diseases and shortness of breath. In the US and other countries, the disorder is currently treated with fractions of human plasma containing Alpha-1-antitrypsin. Treatment requires an infusion of approximately four grams of protein pr. week. To obtain this dose, blood from 900 donors is needed, and the treatment amounts to approximately 100,000 Dollars a year pr. patient. Now, a group of researchers from The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at Technical University of Denmark has found a way to produce this protein in mammalian cells. "The current production of Alpha-1-antitrypsin from blood requires a constant and large supply of blood from donors. With a recombinant alternative, you can both formulate the product, concentrate the protein, purify it, and avoid dependency of blood donors - so we would be able to ensure security of supply," says Bjrn Voldborg, Director of CHO Cell Line Development at The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability. CHO-cells can produce over 1 gram The researchers have successfully produced Alpha-1-antitrypsin in CHO cells - one of the most deployed cell lines for production of human therapeutic proteins. Normally, the CHO glycosylation profile of Alpha-1-antitrypsin is quite different from the human counterpart. The human version of Alpha-1-antitrypsin has a very specific sugar-structure, whereas if produced in CHO cells exhibits a variety of sugars, which renders the protein ineffective in the human body. The researchers obtained this glycosylation profile by introducing a human gene encoding an enzyme capable of decorating the sugar backbones on the Alpha-1-antitrypsin proteins with the correct human moieties. Furthermore, they removed a number of the CHO cells natural glycosylation genes using CRISPR-Cas9. This effort resulted in a cell line capable of producing over 1.2 grams pr. liter of cultured CHO cells, thereby making it possible to produce Alpha-1-antitrypsin from CHO cells at a scale that can eliminate the need for human donors in the future. "This is definitely a step in the right direction when we are looking at production of glycosylated therapeutic proteins. We are quite confident that we can improve the yield even further, which will make this product commercially interesting to the pharma industry," says Bjrn Voldborg. Today, CHO-cells with the best yield produce around 10-12 g/L of monoclonal antibodies. Hence, this Alpha1-antitrypsin producing cell line is still only producing around 10 % of this known maximum. One of the next steps is, therefore, to improve the yield even further. Great perspectives going forward The natural Alpha-1-antitrypsin is being degraded rather quickly in the body. Going forward, researchers wants to make the recombinant proteins more stable, so Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency patients would need fewer injections. Hence, this new knowledge about glycosylation profiles opens a new window for optimizing human proteins to improve their stability and function. "Our hope is to optimize stability and to become so good at designing glycans, that researchers and companies can order glycan structures on any protein from us. This will accelerate the production of new glycosylated proteins for therapeutic use," says Bjrn Voldborg. ### Several pharma companies have already shown interest in this research. The research has been published in Metabolic Engineering. A 'druggable' mechanism of tau protein pathology could lead to new treatment for some of our most devastating neurodegenerative diseases In a great stride toward finding an effective treatment for early-stage neurodegenerative diseases, UC Santa Barbara neurobiologist Kenneth S. Kosik and collaborators have uncovered a "druggable" mechanism of pathological tau protein aggregation. For the millions of people at risk for frontotemporal dementia and a host of other such conditions including Alzheimer's, this could signal a shift toward significant management of symptoms or outright prevention of some of our most devastating diseases. "We're super excited about this," said Kosik, the UCSB Harriman Professor of Neuroscience and co-director of the campus's Neuroscience Research Institute. While there is much more work to be done, promising evidence for this treatable mechanism is mounting and the stage is set for future investigations. In the wake of the recent halting of clinical trials for Aducanumab, a drug that once looked to be a promising Alzheimer's treatment, this development signals a ray of hope. The team's paper, "A Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitor that Targets Rhes Reduces Tau Pathology in Mice with Tauopathy," is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Tau, a protein found primarily in neurons, is typically a somewhat innocuous, very soluble protein that stabilizes microtubules in the axon -- the part of the neuron that conducts signal to other neurons. "People think of it as the ties on railroad tracks holding the microtubule tracks together," Kosik said. However, when soluble, stable tau misfolds -- sometimes the result of a mutation of the gene that expresses it -- the resulting protein becomes insoluble and tangled, gumming up the works inside the neuron as a neurofibrillary tangle. In one of several neurodegenerative diseases caused by tau, frontotemporal dementia, the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are impaired, resulting in problems with emotion, behavior and decision-making. "Patients do not initially show very many, if any memory problems in this condition," Kosik said. "They tend to show more psychiatric problems, often with impulsive personalities in which they show inappropriate behaviors." Other forms in this group of conditions affect language and motor skills. By taking skin cell samples from a few individuals who harbor tau mutations and converting them in vitro into stem cells, and then into neurons, the researchers found that three genes were consistently disregulated in those with tau mutations, one of which was of particular interest: RASD2 -- a gene expressed primarily in the brain that belongs in a family that catalyzes energy-producing molecules (GTPases) and which has been studied extensively. "People had already talked about this gene as possibly involved in Huntington's disease, which is another neurodegenerative disease," Kosik said. RASD2 and its more famous cousin RAS (studied heavily in cancer research) are considered "druggable," Kosik explained. "There are drugs or potential drugs or small molecules that are out there that could affect the levels of this gene," he said. From failed cancer drug to potential dementia treatment If you're a neuroscientist interested in tau mutations and cures for the conditions they create, you know you're in for a long game. The nature of these diseases -- genetic and neurological -- means that advanced studies must be highly controlled and are often extremely difficult and expensive to come by and any drugs developed must be both effective and relatively nontoxic. Such has been the case for Kosik and the paper's lead author, postdoctoral researcher Israel Hernandez, who have for years been studying tau tangles and the protein coding genes that could contribute to or counteract tau misfolding. Kosik, Hernandez and their colleagues' combination of expertise and curiosity led them to examine a GTPase called Rhes, which is encoded by the gene RASD2 and has been shown to play a role in the development of Huntington's disease. However, it wasn't Rhes's catalytic activity that piqued their interest. "We quickly realized the obvious function of the Rhes protein -- its enzyme activity -- was not critical to what we were looking for," Kosik said. "What we ended up focusing on was the fact that this protein and all members of its family are attached to the cell membrane in a very interesting way," he continued. Like its cousins in the Ras superfamily, Rhes is a signaling protein that does its work on the cell surface, where, Kosik explained, it is attached to the inner membrane by a small carbon chain -- a farnesyl group -- through a process called farnesylation. "There's an enzyme called farnesyl transferase that takes this protein, Rhes, and attaches it to the membrane, and we decided to focus on that reaction," Kosik said. "It was a bit of a jump to go in the direction." This attachment has been the target of a couple decades and millions of dollars of cancer research under the assumption that if the Ras protein connection to the cell membrane could be interrupted, so would the signals that cause unregulated growth of tumor cells and other cancer behaviors. "It turns out the drugs in this category, called farnesyltransferase inhibitors, have been tested in humans. They're safe," Kosik said. "But, they did not work in cancer." In mice models with frontotemporal dementia, however, it seems they do. And the results are dramatic. Using the drug Lonafarnib, the researchers treated mice who at 10 weeks were erratic -- running around in circles or completely apathetic -- and by 20 weeks they were sniffing around their cage or nest building and doing other normal mouse behaviors. Scans revealed the arrest of brain tissue deterioration and inflammation. Most dramatic: The once-insoluble neurofibrillary tangles were greatly reduced, and in some areas including the hippocampus -- the memory part of the brain -- were nearly completely gone. "The drug is very interesting," Kosik said, "It seems to have a selective effect on only the forms of tau that are predisposed to forming the neurofibrillary tangles." To prove the drug was targeting the farnsylated Rhes protein, the scientists introduced into the brains of other mouse models an inhibitory RNA gene that specifically suppresses the production of Rhes. And the results completely replicated the effects of the drug. "This makes us begin to think that although indeed the drug is a general farnesyl transferase inhibitor, one way it's actually working is by specifically targeting the farnesylation of Rhes," Kosik said. "And, fortunately, the other farnesyl inhibitions that it's also doing are not toxic." On the cusp The publication of this paper represents a milestone in the researchers' years-long effort to gain ground on the uphill battle that is tauopathic neurodegeneration. As if grueling research wasn't enough, along the way they have had to search the globe to get the sign-off from a team member who was literally heading uphill -- at Mt. Everest. Hernandez, meanwhile, celebrated the birth of his first child on the day the paper was accepted. But the race isn't over yet. Now the stage is set for human trials, with a few volunteers at risk for the disease. And perhaps further down the road, the team is considering a population with frontotemporal dementia in Colombia where Kosik has conducted similar studies in Alzheimer's disease. "We wouldn't even necessarily do an efficacy study right away," Kosik said. "We have to just first show that the drug is getting into the human brain and affecting the target." But even that early stage may be in limbo, as the makers of Lonafarnib, currently in trials for the drug as a treatment for progeria, are reluctant to involve their product in new trials before they get their approvals. Kosik and his team are pondering their options as they contemplate a potential long-awaited solution to a group of heartbreaking -- and wallet-draining -- neurodegenerative diseases. "It's a big challenge," Kosik said. "I'm working on that." ### Research on this study was also conducted by Gabriel Luna, Jennifer N. Rauch, Michael Giroux, Daniel Boctor, Alexander A. Kang, Cassidy Hinman, Vesna Cerovac, Honjun Zhou and Steven K. Fisher of UC Santa Barbara. Nadia J. Storm, Antonio Diaz and Ana M. Cuervo at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine also contributed research, as did Celeste M. Karch from Washington University; Cezary Zekanowski from Polish Academy of Sciences; and Alison Goate from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. New research suggests language acquisition between birth and 18 is a remarkable feat of cognition rather than something humans are just hardwired to do Learning one's native language may seem effortless. One minute, we're babbling babies. The next we're in school reciting Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech or Robert Frost's poem "Fire and Ice." But new research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that language acquisition between birth and 18 is a remarkable feat of cognition, rather than something humans are just hardwired to do. Researchers calculated that, from infancy to young adulthood, learners absorb approximately 12.5 million bits of information about language -- about two bits per minute -- to fully acquire linguistic knowledge. If converted into binary code, the data would fill a 1.5 MB floppy disk, the study found. The findings, published today in the Royal Society Open Science journal, challenge assumptions that human language acquisition happens effortlessly, and that robots would have an easy time mastering it. "Ours is the first study to put a number on the amount you have to learn to acquire language," said study senior author Steven Piantadosi, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. "It highlights that children and teens are remarkable learners, absorbing upwards of 1,000 bits of information each day." For example, when presented with the word "turkey," a young learner typically gathers bits of information by asking, "Is a turkey a bird? Yes, or no? Does a turkey fly? Yes, or no?" and so on, until grasping the full meaning of the word "turkey." A bit, or binary digit, is a basic unit of data in computing, and computers store information and calculate using only zeroes and ones. The study uses the standard definition of eight bits to a byte. "When you think about a child having to remember millions of zeroes and ones (in language), that says they must have really pretty impressive learning mechanisms." Piantadosi and study lead author Frank Mollica, a Ph.D. candidate in cognitive science at the University of Rochester, sought to gauge the amounts and different kinds of information that English speakers need to learn their native language. They arrived at their results by running various calculations about language semantics and syntax through computational models. Notably, the study found that linguistic knowledge focuses mostly on the meaning of words, as opposed to the grammar of language. "A lot of research on language learning focuses on syntax, like word order," Piantadosi said. "But our study shows that syntax represents just a tiny piece of language learning, and that the main difficulty has got to be in learning what so many words mean." That focus on semantics versus syntax distinguishes humans from robots, including voice-controlled digital helpers such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. "This really highlights a difference between machine learners and human learners," Piantadosi said. "Machines know what words go together and where they go in sentences, but know very little about the meaning of words." As for the question of whether bilingual people must store twice as many bits of information, Piantadosi said this is unlikely in the case of word meanings, many of which are shared across languages. "The meanings of many common nouns like 'mother' will be similar across languages, and so you won't need to learn all of the bits of information about their meanings twice," he said. ### Scientists say the study could help identify those most vulnerable to sepsis, which kills more than 50,000 people in the UK each year and is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. The study is being made possible thanks to vital funding from Sepsis Research - the UK's first sepsis research charity - which will provide 40,000 annually. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh will compare DNA from people admitted to hospital who later die from sepsis with those who survive. They hope to isolate DNA signals from thousands of patients and use the information to identify future drug targets. Sepsis occurs when the immune system reacts to infection, causing symptoms such as cold hands and feet, mottled skin and a quickened heart rate. It can quickly lead to multiple organ failure and death. More people die from sepsis than the combined figure for breast cancer and bowel cancer. Sepsis Research - also known as the Fiona Elizabeth Agnew Trust or FEAT - was founded by Craig Stobo in memory of his wife Dr Fiona Agnew and their unborn daughter, Isla, who both died in 2012 after contracting the illness. Craig developed sepsis at the same time as Fiona but made a healthy recovery. The charity is committed to funding innovative research projects to better detect those at highest risk. Craig Stobo, founder of Sepsis Research (FEAT), said: "Sepsis kills someone in Scotland every four hours and our charity is committed to helping find better treatments to help reduce these numbers. "Our partnership with the University of Edinburgh is about looking to the future to help better understand how we can improve detection, treatment and recovery." Dr Kenneth Baillie, Academic Consultant in Critical Care Medicine and Group Leader at the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute, said: "We know that people who have been adopted, whose biological parents have died of infection, are themselves six times more likely to die from infection. This link is not seen with adoptive parents, suggesting that genes are key to understanding sepsis treatments. "We are grateful for this vital funding from Sepsis Research (FEAT) and hope it will help us to unlock some of the clues to how DNA governs sepsis recovery." ### AMHERST, Mass. - Anyone who digs in the earth needs a geologic map, says State Geologist Stephen Mabee at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and now he and colleagues have finished a federal-state collaboration that began 81 years ago to create the first complete set of 189 surficial geologic maps of Massachusetts in 7.5-minute quadrangles, the same useful scale as the topographical maps used by hikers. Civil engineers, geotechnology firms, state, county and town planners, transportation engineers, geologists, developers, "anyone who disturbs the ground for any project needs this resource," Mabee says, "because running into an unexpected obstacle can cost tens of thousands, even millions of dollars. That's the benefit of this information now publicly available. It's been estimated that the benefit-to-cost ratio of such maps is 34/1, so every dollar spent on mapping saves the taxpayer $34." The newly digitized maps available online this month provide details of what Mabee calls the "kitty litter" mix of glacial tills, various sands and gravels on the earth's surface. The uniform, portable maps use a unique standard color for each geologic material, with legends and supporting notes, and are "not just more accurate, but more convenient," he adds. "You can use GIS to overlay them with any number of layers of other information for all kinds of spatial analyses." "These are very detailed for a statewide map," he says. Another plus is that the maps are in a layered vector format, which means that the superimposed geologic units will be shown in the correct place on the Earth's surface. The senior lecturer in geosciences collaborated with research geologists Janet and Byron Stone and Mary DiGiacomo-Cohen at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in East Hartford, Conn. and others at the Massachusetts Bureau of Geographic Information (MassGIS) to resurrect this project that was begun in 1938. It was abandoned for many years, with roughly half the maps published on paper, when the USGS reorganized in 1978. Mabee recalls, "I became the state geologist in 2002 and the first thing I did was tell the USGS 'let's get started again.' All it took was someone to say we need to finish the job. There was once a great partnership between USGS and the state and I'm really glad to have helped to revive it. This is a huge accomplishment and one of my main goals when I started." At its peak, the project had been pumping out up to 18 quadrangles per decade, Mabee says, and by 1980 the Massachusetts Department of Public Works and USGS partners had mapped the entire state but only 105 maps were published on paper, a little more than half of what would be needed to cover the state. "We saw the last few maps published in the 1980s, then nothing," he notes. When Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1972 and Superfund legislation in 1980, plus other environmental regulations, many environmental and consulting groups urgently needed surficial geologic maps but couldn't find them, Mabee says. "For 20 years we had almost nothing, and what we had was only on paper. I had worked in consulting, so I knew the frustration." With the project revived in 2002 and supported by the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, MassGIS scanned all the paper maps on hand, while "squads" of Mabee's UMass Amherst geosciences students hand-traced every map and created digital versions. The USGS professionals used old field notes to fill in gaps, digitized all the unpublished maps, matching all areas where different materials met, and added legends and definitions. "They had to match the work done by people in the 1940s to what was produced by the next generation in the 1970s for all 189 quads," he adds. "It was a huge undertaking, and finally, 17 years later, we got it done. People have been screaming for this data that once was all on paper, and now it's all digital and online." ### A pioneering clinical trial investigating medicinal cannabis as a potential treatment for people living with severe Tourette syndrome will be conducted by Wesley Medical Research, in Brisbane in Australia, with cannabis supply facilitated by Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at University of Sydney. The trial is the first of its kind in Australia and will take place at Wesley Medical Research in Brisbane led by Chief Investigator and neuropsychiatrist Dr Philip Mosley. Participants will complete two periods of treatment with either a medical cannabis drug or a placebo, with both investigators and participants unaware of treatment status until the end of the trial. "There is already early evidence to support the successful treatment of Tourette syndrome with cannabinoids," said Professor Iain McGregor, Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative. "This clinical trial could have a major impact and greatly improve the lives of those living with Tourette syndrome." "Given the public interest in therapeutic use of cannabis, it's important to conduct rigorous and methodologically-sound research," Dr Mosley said. "The purpose of this clinical trial is to investigate whether medicinal cannabis is a potential therapy for people with Tourette syndrome." Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that develops in childhood and is characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations (known as tics), which may be painful, embarrassing and functionally impairing. There is currently no known cure for Tourette syndrome. Treatment aims to help control tics that inhibit everyday functioning, however current medication has been known to produce negative side effects such as weight gain, sleepiness and depression. Chris Wright is the first participant in the trial. Chris developed Tourette syndrome in childhood and despite medication, his condition has persisted. Some people with Tourette syndrome experience side-effects to existing therapies including fatigue and weight gain. At 31, Chris is working full-time in a customer service position in Brisbane and spends his day trying to regulate his tics. "Any reprieve would be very welcome. It is getting to the point where I don't know what to do, it feels as though it all gets too much sometimes," said Chris. Participants in the clinical trial at Wesley Medical Research in Brisbane will complete two six-week "crossover" periods of treatment with active drug or placebo, with both participants and investigators unaware of treatment status until the trial is complete. "Tourette syndrome has really been a blow to my confidence... my life in general, I often spend my days off sleeping and recovering just to do it all again," Chris said. Medicinal cannabis, developed to pharmaceutical standards, contains a mixture of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - two active ingredients derived from the cannabis plant. In collaboration with the Lambert Initiative, Bod Australia Limited will be supplying the pharmaceutical grade cannabis extract to be used in the trial. The trial will examine the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids on tic frequency as well as the psychiatric and cognitive symptoms associated with Tourette syndrome. "Our focus is to give people like Chris these opportunities to improve their quality of life. We offer hope and answers through medical research. We are fortunate to have dedicated front-line clinicians like Dr Mosley leading this important work and donors who continue to support this valuable work," said Dr Jennifer Schafer, Senior Clinical Trials Manager. ### Cancer cells demand enormous amounts of molecular "food" to survive and grow, and a study published March 27 online in Nature by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center may have identified a new approach to starve the cells of one of the most common and deadly cancers, pancreatic cancer. A state-of-the-art approach, developed by the team of senior author, Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer and professor of genomic medicine, was used to track how pancreatic cancer cells rearrange proteins on their surface. This uncovered a protein, called syndecan-1 (SDC1), that moves to the cell surface in response to signals from mutant KRAS, a protein known to be present in more than 90 percent of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. The study further explained that the positioning of SDC1 on the cell surface is essential for pancreatic cancer cells to upregulate macropinocytosis, a mechanism cells use to scavenge resources from their environment to turn into energy or to prepare them to divide. Although activation of macropinocytosis by mutant KRAS in pancreatic cancer has long been established, the molecular mechanics controlling the process have remained elusive. Draetta's team provided evidence that SDC1 responds to signals from KRAS to accumulate on the surface of the cell and induce this pathway. "To date, pharmacological inhibition of macropinocytosis has not been accomplished," said Draetta. "Our findings on the critical role for SDC1 in regulating macropinocytosis in KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer invites exploration of SDC1 targeting for therapeutic intervention." Cancer and the "surfaceome" The cell surface or "surfaceome" is dynamic, with the cell membrane shifting in response to signals from the cell and from the external environment. In cancer cells, genetic mutations give the cells strict instructions to prioritize pathways that will support their uncontrolled growth. Draetta's team thought that a detailed understanding of how the KRAS mutation reprioritized the functions of the cell membrane would reveal critical new details about the pathways pancreatic cancer cells use to survive. "Multiple oncogenic processes are initiated at the cell surface, where KRAS physically and functionally interacts to direct signaling essential for malignant transformation and tumor maintenance," said Draetta. "Insights into the complexity of the surfaceome have been technologically limited until recently, and in the case of pancreatic cancer, the genetic control of the function and composition of the pancreatic cancer surfaceome in the context of KRAS signaling remains largely unexplored." Because KRAS mutation is so frequent in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma - a devastating disease with only an 8-percent survival rate at five years - the researchers devised a way to study the cell surface in a pancreatic cancer model in which KRAS can be switched on and off. The researchers found that proteins on the cell surface changed dramatically in response to KRAS expression, and SDC1 was among the most abundant proteins when KRAS was being expressed. This represented the first direct evidence of KRAS instructing SDC1 to move through the cell to do its job at the surface. Using different approaches to prevent SDC1 from integrating into the cell membrane, the researchers confirmed that, even though SDC1 may be present inside of cells, it only upregulates micropinocytosis when it is shuttled to the cell surface. Despite understanding the importance of KRAS in keeping pancreatic cancer cells alive, researchers have had difficulty targeting KRAS. There are no drugs clinically available that adequately shut down KRAS signaling to kill cancer cells. Understanding that SDC1 is acting under the control of KRAS to supply energy to pancreatic cancer cells may enable tumors with this aggressive mutation to be treated by targeting SDC1 and its presence on the cell surface may make it more vulnerable to therapeutic intervention. "We think the cell surface is an exciting place to look for more clues about how cancer cells are fundamentally different from normal cells," said Draetta. "Already, monoclonal antibodies directed at SDC1 are being tested for multiple myeloma, a scientific step that may open up clinical study of similar therapies for pancreatic cancer." ### MD Andersons study team members included Wantong Yao, Ph.D.; Johnathon Rose; Hong Jiang; Jintan Liu; Ziheng Chen, Ph.D.; Luigi Nezi, Ph.D.; Zhaohui Xu; Piergiorgio Pettazzoni, Ph.D.; Lin Ho; Shan Jiang, Ph.D.; Grace Ma, Ph.D.; Peter Den; Angela Deem, Ph.D.; and Andrea Viale, M.D., all of the Department of Genomic Medicine; Wei Wang; Avnish Kapoor, Ph.D.; Pingping Hou, Ph.D.; Baoli Hu, Ph.D.; Pingna Deng; Alan Wang, Ph.D.; and Ronald DePinho, M.D., of the Department of Cancer Biology; Ayumu Taguchi, M.D., Ph.D., of the Department of Translational Molecular Pathology; Sahil Seth; Ningping Feng, Ph.D.; Vandhana Ramamoorthy; Alessandro Carugo, Ph.D.; and Timothy Heffernan, Ph.D., of the Center for Co-Clinical Trials; Jun Yao, Ph.D., Haoqiang Ying, Ph.D.; and Qiuyun Wang, Ph.D., of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Shu Xing Shang, Pharm. D., Ph.D., of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics; Huamin Wang, M.D., Ph.D.; and Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S., of the Department of Pathology; Jason Fleming, M.D., of the Department of Surgical Oncology; and Samir Hanash, M.D., Ph.D., of the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention. Other participating institutions included the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; and Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Fla. The study was funded by National Institutes of Health (P01CA11796912); the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (RP160471); the U.S. Department of Defense (W81XWH-11-1-0418); the 2017 Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Research; the Harrington Discovery Institute; the PanCAN-AACR Pathway to Leadership grant (16-70-25-YAO); and the Odyssey Postdoctoral Fellowship at MD Anderson. The study was also supported with funding from the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot, part of MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, a collaborative effort to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries into clinical advances that save patients' lives. Bring science to people where they are. That's the driving philosophy that propels U biology professor Nalini Nadkarni to stretch the possibilities of science communication and bring the beauty of science to people and places that others have overlooked. Building public trust in science is about more than just providing information and improving science literacy, she says. It's about building relationships between scientists and communities that are founded on shared values. It's called the "Ambassador Model", and Nadkarni now has the data to say that the approach works, at relatively low cost and with high effectiveness. In two recent studies, one published today in BioScience and another published in 2018 in Science Communication, Nadkarni and her colleagues present evidence-based conclusions about the effectiveness of science engagement in two programs: The INSPIRE program, which brings science lectures to prisons, and the STEM Ambassador Program, which trains scientists to engage members of the public in discussions about science. "Our goal is to help people realize that all citizens are interested in, capable of understanding and full of wonder at science, if it is presented in places and ways that are accessible to them," Nadkarni says. A corps of science ambassadors In the past, the thought went that science and society could be bridged by researchers simply conveying facts to improve science literacy, a one-way communication approach termed the "deficit model". Communication researchers theorize that a better approach is to consider how people build relationships and enter into productive dialogues. Nadkarni's STEM Ambassador Program puts these ideas into practice by training scientists to both present the processes of science and to facilitate activities that promote the two-way exchange of ideas, perspectives and experiences with members of the public. "Just as the U.S. Foreign Service trains ambassadors to represent their home country and build positive relationships abroad," the STEM Ambassadors homepage says, "scientists can represent their 'home country' of science to engage as 'STEM Ambassadors.'" Watch STEM Ambassadors talk about their experiences: https://youtu.be/Mzucr_khNow Find photos of STEM Ambassadors at work here and here. Launched in 2016, the STEM Ambassador Program (STEMAP) is funded with a $1.3 million grant by the National Science Foundation. Each year, STEMAP, based at the U with Nadkarni as its director, trains cohorts of scientists in the Ambassador Model and helps them develop and implement public engagement of science activities. Since the program began, STEMAP has trained more than 65 scientists in the Ambassador Model. Here's how it works, step by step: Scientists first take a close look at themselves and distill their research, personal interests, hobbies and experiences to brainstorm novel connections with a particular community or "focal group". They learn about the focal group and build relationships by carrying out an "immersion event". in which they visit group gathering spaces and meet with group representatives. They then apply what they learn to design engagement activities that align with the group's shared interests, values and practices. They present activities for feedback and ultimately carry out the activities in the focal group's venue. Finally, scientists reflect on their efforts and evaluate outcomes. Engagement activities have been as varied as the scientists and focal groups who've participated in the program. One ambassador, a microbiologist with an interest in fermentation, served as a co-chef at a local fermentation cooking class and showed participants the microscopic organisms responsible for turning cabbage into sauerkraut. A hydrologist turned her field expedition to Greenland into a book for the children of Kulusuk, a Greenlandic village near her field site. An engineer shared his research to develop more efficient air quality monitoring devices with citizens at a community council meeting and invited them to participate in an air-quality monitoring project. A mathematician accompanied a group of at-risk youth on a ski trip, and explained the geometry of moving skis to maximize friction. The assessment of STEMAP's effectiveness shows strong results. Ninety-seven percent of ambassadors highly valued their participation in the program. More than half went on to plan and carry out additional engagement activities. The effect on activity participants was also dramatic. Eighty percent said they'd engage in similar events in the future. Seventy-six percent said they were more interested in seeking out scientific information after meeting with an ambassador. And two-thirds said they more strongly considered themselves as someone who can understand and do science. INSPIRE-ing the incarcerated Since 2003, Nadkarni has applied the principles of the Ambassador Model in multifaceted efforts to bring the power of science into the lives of the incarcerated. In 2013, she launched the Initiative to Bring Science Programs to the Incarcerated program, or INSPIRE, in which University of Utah faculty and graduate students present monthly lectures to inmates at the Utah State Prison, the Salt Lake County Jail and five juvenile detention centers in Salt Lake Valley. Topics have ranged from the genetics of pigeon feathers to mathematical modeling of the common cold. "Our premise is that all people have interest in science, and incarcerated adults and juveniles would probably be no different," Nadkarni says. And interest has been high--inmates have requested additional lectures, Nadkarni says, and researchers have mentioned feeling that their participation has real impact. But to expand such an approach around the country and catch the attention of correctional institutions and researchers alike, Nadkarni and colleagues would need to publish evidence-based results of INSPIRE's impact in the scientific literature. And for that, they would need data. "Without evaluation, we could not publish our findings in the peer-reviewed literature," she says, "which is necessary if we are to have this work accepted as evidence-based and therefore of interest to other scientists and other corrections institutions." With the cooperation of prison staff, Nadkarni and colleague Jeremy Morris surveyed inmates before and after they attended monthly science lectures to assess their knowledge of the science topic as well as their attitudes toward science and math. They also surveyed jail and prison staff and general inmate populations to compare inmates' attitudes toward science with the general population. The results offered a surprising glimpse into the science-readiness of inmates. For Nadkarni and her fellow INSPIRE presenters, it was no surprise that inmates displayed a high interest in science (up to 92 percent expressed interest) and an eagerness to learn--even higher than prison and jail staff, who were considered a proxy for the general population. "They are also interested in meeting with and talking to scientists, and do so with respect," Nadkarni says. "Their comments and questions indicate that even though many of them have poor formal educational background in science, many have been able to gain knowledge of science and maintain a curiosity about science from other sources." The positive impacts of the lecture series--greater science content knowledge, improved attitudes about science and scientists, and increased likelihood of communicating science they have learned with others--were similar to those of formal prison education programs, but required much less of the scientist-instructors. Based on this past success, INSPIRE is now providing lectures and workshops at youth detention centers as well. Other studies have shown that prison education programs can lower inmates' chances of returning after release and raise their chances of gaining employment. It's a model worth sharing. "We can now bring this to academic and corrections administrators as 'evidence-based best practices' with far greater impact than we have been able to muster with only anecdotal or subjective information," Nadkarni says. Continuing engagement Both studies show that achieving the goals of science communication--increased positive views of science, content knowledge and a desire to share with others--are attainable at relatively low cost and in populations that are much more receptive and interested than many might have thought. And by reaching out to such a wide diversity of groups, both the STEMAP and INSPIRE programs have shown that no one need be considered unreachable by and unengageable with science. After all, Nadkarni writes, there are 6.5 million scientists among the 325 million people in the United States. If every scientist talked about science with just one new person every week, they could reach every single American--in just one year. ### After the embargo lifts, find the full BioScience paper, covering the STEMAP program, at this link: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/biosci/biz018 Find the full Science Communication paper, covering the INSPIRE program, here. Find more on Nadkarni's science and communication work at nalininadkarni.com and stemap.org. Find this release here. Past studies have explored the therapeutic effect of music, particularly compositions by Mozart, for patients with epilepsy. Researchers at University of Utah Health found pairing music with one of four pain medications offered a promising complementary strategy to treat pain. In particular, the ibuprofen-music pair improved analgesic outcomes in an inflammation pain mouse model by more than 90 percent, while the cannabidiol-music and galanin analog NAX 5055-music pairings significantly reduced inflammation by 70 percent. The results of the study are available online on March 27 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology. "We know these drugs work without music but they can produce toxicity and adverse effects" said Grzegorz Bulaj, Ph.D., associate professor in Medicinal Chemistry at U of U Health and senior author on the paper. "The holy grail is to combine the right drug with this new paradigm of music exposure, so we do not need as much drug for analgesic effects." The researchers evaluated this new strategy using two pain models--one model mimics inflammatory pain (carrageenan model) and one mimics surgical pain (plantar incision). Mice in the study were separated into two groups (five to eight mice per group). The control group was exposed to ambient noise while the music-intervention group listened to three three-hour segments of Mozart for 21 days. "Music is like DNA. We had musicians analyze sequences of several Mozart pieces to optimize the playlist," Bulaj said. "This was exciting but challenging to integrate these musical analyses into neuropharmacology." The compositions were selected and organized to enhance rhythmic, phrasal and chord progressions. The study was conducted four times to explore pairing music with ibuprofen (25 mg/kg), cannabidiol (100 mg/kg), levetiracetam (400 mg/kg) and the galanin analog NAX 5055 (4 mg/kg). Both the control and music groups received one suboptimal dose of each drug to evaluate the analgesic effect of music in the pain models. When paired with music, ibuprofen reduced pain responses in the inflammation pain model by 93 percent, as compared to the drug alone. In addition, music and cannabidiol or NAX 5055 reduced swelling by 21 and 9 percent, respectively in the inflammatory pain model. Music alone also reduced pain by 77 percent in the surgical pain model. "There is emerging evidence that music interventions can alleviate pain when administered either alone or in combination with other therapies," said Cameron Metcalf, Ph.D., research assistant professor in Pharmacology and Toxicology at U of U Health and first author on the paper. "I was particularly excited to see reduced swelling in the inflammatory pain model." According to Metcalf, medications currently available to treat inflammation do not show such a robust response on such a short timescale. "It is exciting to think of what this might mean for the anti-inflammatory effects of music interventions and where the research may take us next," Metcalf said. The study also explored pairing music with various epilepsy drugs, but the experimental design was inadequate to evaluate the complexity in drug dosing and administration to evaluate this therapeutic strategy. The study was limited to two pain models and did not explore pain caused by nerve injury (neuropathic pain). In addition, the music intervention in the study was limited to pieces by Mozart. Mice hear at different frequencies than humans, and the effect of music volume or duration remains unclear. It also remains unclear if these results will be duplicated in people. Bulaj believes future studies should explore dose-dependent response of the music-drug pairing. "If we could package music and other nonpharmacological therapies into mobile apps and deliver them with drugs and it works, it will be better than drugs alone," Bulaj said. "It is exciting to find new ways to improve pain treatments." ### Bulaj and Metcalf are joined in this study by Merodean Huntsman, Tristan Underwood, Fabiola Vanegas and Misty Smith at U of U Health; Adam Kochanski and Michael Chikinda at University of Utah; Gerry Garcia at Greatful Living Productions, Salt Lake City; Eugene Watanabe at The Gifted Music School, Salt Lake City; and H. Steve White at University of Washington. The article, titled Music-enhanced Analgesia and Antiseizure Activities in Animal Models of Pain and Epilepsy: Towards Preclinical Studies Supporting Development of Digital Therapeutics and their Combinations with Pharmaceutical Drugs, received support from University of Utah development funds. MORGANTOWN, W.Va.--West Virginia is short on neurologists. According to David Watson, who directs the West Virginia University Headache Center, the state has just half of the neurologists it needs. This scarcity can cause problems for people with migraine whose primary physicians aren't trained or equipped to treat--or even diagnose--their more complicated cases. A recent study Watson conducted with Umer Najib, the director of WVU's Headache Medicine Fellowship Program, and Melissa Moore, a neurology resident in the WVU School of Medicine, explored how the healthcare system underserves people with migraine in rural areas. Their findings--published in the February issue of Current Pain and Headache Reports--implicate a lack of practicing headache specialists. Just how severe is the shortage? "Migraine affects 12 percent of the population," said Watson, who also chairs the Department of Neurology. "In West Virginia, that's around 200,000 people. Of that 200,000, about 20,000 have chronic migraine, and that is the group of people we're trying to get in for specialty care--as well as people who have difficult-to-manage episodic migraine. There's no way that 20,000 people can all be seen by a neurologist, much less the few certified headache specialists in the state." In fact, the shortage of headache specialists is a nationwide problem. Watson and his collaborators found that for every physician that the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties has certified in headache medicine, there are 8,000 people with migraine. Geography alone can make seeking care especially difficult for rural people with migraine. When Watson and his team considered all patients seen in the WVU Headache Center over a month, they discovered the average patient traveled 70 miles, one way, to get there. The most far-flung patient in their sample traveled 235 miles. That's a four-hour drive. "Someone from, say, New York City is a subway ride away from a neurologist or headache specialist," Watson said, "whereas people in the southern coalfields of West Virginia have a long way to get to a neurologist at all--and certainly to headache specialty care." The researchers learned that migraine's economic impact tends to be compounded in low-income areas. That's pertinent to rural counties, where poverty proliferates. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, 85 percent of the "persistently poor" counties in the United States are nonmetro. A review of the scientific literature showed Watson and his colleagues that migraine was most prevalent in households with an annual income of less than $35,000. They also found that people younger than 65 were more likely to have migraines if they were on Medicaid (26 percent) or had no insurance (17 percent) than if they had private insurance (15 percent). Although people in poverty are at a higher risk of migraine, they may have a harder time affording the migraine treatment they need. "It's not infrequent that patients tell me they struggle to come see us because of the gas mileage. Or, they don't drive, so they have to get a friend to bring them," Watson said. He's working to reduce the distance--and the related travel expense--that people with migraine in West Virginia face when they seek specialized care. "We used to do a really good job of training neurologists in West Virginia who then stayed in West Virginia. We have not been as good at that over the past 10 or 20 years, and a lot of the neurologists that we trained in West Virginia are getting close to retirement age," Watson said. "One of my goals as chair of the department is to reverse that--to start finding ways to keep more of our people and get them to go into some of the smaller towns that need a neurologist." An avenue he is pursuing is broadening the WVU Department of Family Medicine's Rural Scholars Program to encompass neurology. The program--which already comprises pediatrics and internal medicine--makes it possible for medical residents to do rotations in rural West Virginia. He's also considering expanding the Department of Neurology's residency program to include rotations at satellite clinics across the state. "I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and I had a really nice life growing up there," he said. "I think some people might decide that would be the kind of life they want, but they've got to get exposure to it first." On a larger scale, Watson is in the "very early stages" of working with the U.S. legislature to help immigrant neurologists find positions in West Virginia. "We have this shortage of physicians in neurology, and it's not like we're preventing U.S. citizens from taking these jobs," he said. "There are a significant number of international medical grads who come here to do their neurology residency, and then their choice is either to find a position that will grant them a waiver to their visa requirements or to go back home for two years." Like all other states, West Virginia is allotted 30 visa waivers, but they're divided among all of the hospitals in the state and all of the specialties, which leaves few for neurologists--and even fewer for headache specialists. "Thirty's just not near enough to solve the problem," Watson said. "The reality is, yes, it would be great to put a neurologist in every small town, but every small town probably can't support a neurologist. But if you have a neurologist in every third or fourth small town, that would be helpful." So would more neurologists who practiced in Morgantown but diagnosed and treated rural patients through telemedicine or satellite clinics. "My goal," Watson said, "is that no one with migraine would ever have to leave the state for care." ### GBP/AUD UPDATE: The Pound to Australian Dollar exchange rate was left on the back foot on Thursday afternoon, with the pairing sliding to AU$1.8514 as Brexit uncertainty continued to drag on Sterling. Adding to the recent confusion was the announcement that a Brexit debate will be held in Parliament on Friday, but apparently this will not be the long-awaited third meaningful vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal. This did little to instill confidence in GBP, which fell on Wednesday evening after MPs were unable to reach a consensus over how to proceed with Brexit. GBP/AUD UPDATE: The Sterling's gains against the Australian Dollar accelerated through Wednesday's session with the Aussie soft on weak Chinese data and the GBP lifted by UK Prime Minister Theresa May's offer to resign in order to get her deal through Parliament. Gains were reversed later in the session however as MPs failed to find consensus on any of the 8 indicative Brexit votes. This coupled with the DUP's reaffirmation that they wont back PM May's deal, despite her offer to resign, mean the UK remains on track to exit the EU without a deal. Chief market analyst at broker XTB, David Cheetham, wrote "Parliament is struggling to agree on anything and there remains a lingering concern that we could drift into a no-deal Brexit by accident - an outcome which presents the greatest downside risk to the pound." With little in the way of data releases on the schedule, Brexit and shifting risk sentiment remain the key drivers for the cross. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Soars as Chinese Industrial Profits Worst in Decade The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) edged higher today and is currently trading around AU$1.8622 on the inter-bank market. The Australian Dollar (AUD) weakened against the Pound (GBP) after Australias largest trading partner, China, was hit by worse-than-expected industrial profits figures for February. Todays figures saw it plummet against Januarys 10.3% to -14% its worst in a decade. Chinas economy has reportedly struggled due to ongoing trade uncertainty with the US. Betty Wang, a senior China Economist at ANZ, commented: Although its possible U.S. and China could come to a trade deal in the near future, it still remains a question that it will help reverse the decline in Chinas exports. Pound traders, meanwhile, have been buoyed ahead of tonights important parliamentary indicative vote by MPs, which will signify as possible breaking of the Brexit deadlock as MPs effectively take back control of UK-EU withdrawal debate. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Rises as Corbyn Rallies MPs for Second Referendum Today also saw the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, attempt to whip up Labour MPs to push for second referendum in todays vote. John McDonnel, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, remained mixed, however, saying: We had to accept in our manifesto respect for the referendum result. We campaigned for remain, we lost, we have to accept that. We have got to prevent a new deal, prevent a bad deal, advocate for our own policy, try to get a general election if we can, but failing that, if there is a log jam, yes we will if necessary go back to the people. This has benefited the Sterling, however, as it has increased hopes of a no-deal Brexit, and with any indications that MPs will be backing a revocation of Article 50 this evening, the Pound could rise further against the Australian Dollar. AUD/GBP Exchange Rate Falls as Capital Economics Pessimistic about Australian Economy The Aussie has also failed to gain on the Pound today following Capital Economics pessimistic outlook of the Australian economy for the year ahead. Marcel Thieliant, a Senior Economist at Capital Economists, commented: [W]e think that the Australian dollar will weaken further against the US dollar over the coming year as we expect the prices of Australias key commodity exports to weaken and stocks markets to slump. Many AUD traders have become increasingly concerned over US-China relations, with Charles Dallara, a former managing director at the Institute of International Finance, saying that a trade deal may not emerge until as late as May or June. Dallara said: It would be surprising to me if we did not have more fits and starts, more stop-and-go in these trade talks given the wide range of issues at stake and given the complexity. GBP/AUD Forecast: Sterling Could Rise on Allayed No-Deal Brexit Fears Aussie traders will be looking ahead to Fridays publication of the Australian Private Sector Credit figures for February, which are expected to improve. Tomorrow, meanwhile, will see the release of the UK Nationwide Housing Prices figures for February, and with any signs of an increase this could prove the Pound with some uplift. The GBP/AUD exchange rate will be dictated by the outcome of tonights important vote, and with any signs that Theresa Mays Brexit deal could potentially succeed a third meaningful vote, this would benefit the Pound on lowered fears of a no-deal. hello friends, I received my PR for SINP OID. So I am currently planning to visit canada in three months and will return back to my home country and permanently moving to canada after 1 year. So my question is I got Saskatchwan nominated PR visa so is it compulsary for me to go to Saskatchewan on my first visit to canada or if I just go to Toronto or other city will be ok. And do I need to apply for PR card during my first visit? as I am only going to canada for 7-8 days. And any cheap and good places to stay in toronto for my visit. Your help would be highly appreciated. Thanks Wednesday, March 27, 2019 The 2018 Before I Die NewMexico Festival is being recognized with a prestigious national funeral industryaward. A Good Goodbye from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has won First Place in the InternationalCemetery, Cremation and Funeral Associations2018 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards. The KIP Award recognizes the best inpersonalization in the cemetery, funeral service and cremation profession. Created by the ICCFAPersonalization Committee, the KIP program honors recipients in fourcategories. A Good Goodbye received First Place in the Event category. GailRubin, The Doyenne of Death, owns the company and served as festival eventcoordinator. The ICCFAs 2018 KIP Awards contest attracted 40entries from El Salvador, Canada and the United States. Communications andmarketing professionals from outside the cemetery and funeral serviceprofession performed the judging. The Before I Die New MexicoFestival offered the opportunity to foster reflection about how we asindividuals and society address death and dying. The Festivals objective is toget people to think about, talk about, and hopefully, do something about our100% mortality rate by participating in outside-of-the-box activities. These activities included Death Cafe conversations; field trips to funeral homes, cemeteries, casket manufacturers, and the Office of the Medical Investigator; movies; panel discussions, and more. In its second year, this event was held from October 30 to November 4, 2018. The six-day festival included a celebration of the rituals and meaning of Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The schedule included 32 events, most free or low cost, at multiple locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Belen, New Mexico. Up to 685 participants attended. Gail Rubin worked with a team of students in a program at the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management to research and create a marketing strategy that focused on Millennials. All KIP Awards recipients willbe recognized at the ICCFA 2019 Annual Convention & Exposition, April 2-6at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and featured inICCFA Magazine. The Before I Die NM Festival was madepossible by these sponsors: Festival Partners were La PuertaNatural Burial Ground, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University ofNew Mexico, Guild Cinema, Berardinelli Family Funeral Service, Childrens GriefCenter of New Mexico, Compassion & Choices NM Action Team, Daniels FamilyFuneral Services, and LifeIZShort.com. Wood caskets built by Fathers Building Futures A portion of sponsor fees weredonated to the festivals charitable partner Fathers Building Futures.This nonprofit social enterprise provides jobs and skills to previouslyincarcerated parents, reducing recidivism. They build pine caskets that arekosher for Jewish burial and fine wood cremation urns in their woodworkingshop. Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral and memorialization industry. Its membership is composed of more than 9,100 rooftop locations and 18,000 professionals in the cemetery, funeral home and crematory industries, as well as memorial designers and related businesses worldwide. To learn more, please visit www.iccfa.com or connect with ICCFA on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more about the Before I Die New Mexico Festival by calling event coordinator Gail Rubin at 505-265-7215 or visiting the website, www.BeforeIDieNM.com. Share this: The number of Bexar County residents enrolling for 2019 health insurance through the Affordable Care Act plunged nearly 11 percent, according to federal data released this week. Bexar County fared worst among Texas major urban counties. The drop is especially stark compared to the statewide decline of 3.5 percent in enrollment through healthcare.gov, the federal health-insurance exchange. I think thats just heartbreaking, said Councilman Rey Saldana, who represents San Antonios Southwest Side. This just means more of our neighbors are going to be uninsured and in the difficult position of deciding whether to keep utilities on, food on the table or make a payment to debt collectors. This is the last thing we need. OnExpressNews.com: UT Health San Antonio nursing school gets millions more to fight opioid problem The decline probably wasnt because significantly more people are getting health coverage through their employers. About 17 percent of Bexar County residents under 65 dont have health insurance, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Overall, 65,590 people living in Bexar County signed up for health insurance through the exchange during the open enrollment period for 2019, according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data released Monday. This decline in enrollment is troubling, making an already bad situation that much worse, said Leni Kirkman, spokeswoman for the publicly-funded University Health System. Lack of health coverage puts families at risk for poor health outcomes, as they lose access to regular checkups and preventive care and for crippling medical bills when a serious injury or illness does occur. Growth in the uncompensated health-care burden for Texas hospitals, she said, is already estimated at more than $7 billion a year. The federal report also shows that 87 percent of 2019 enrollees in Bexar County qualified for subsidies, which includes premium assistance and, for the poorest consumers, reduced out-of-pocket costs. A January report commissioned by the Texas Alliance for Health Care, a coalition of major health care organizations, found the Lone Star State has the greatest number of uninsured residents under the age of 65 of any state, at 4.8 million and could reach 6.1 million by 2040. This trend has been going on over the last several years, said Melissa McChesney, Austin-based policy analyst with Center for Public Policy Priorities. We were glad to see it didnt go any further than that. Bexar Countys results are worrisome, she said, but not surprising considering there were no federally-funded personnel in the region to offer in-person assistance. After the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, the federal government provided funding for health navigators workers who help potential enrollees sign up for insurance through the federal exchange and offered grants for community outreach to boost enrollment. But President Donald Trumps administration has slashed ACA marketing and customer service budgets, dramatically reducing outreach to people without health insurance. Trump and GOP lawmakers also eliminated the individual mandate penalty tax charges on filers who lacked health coverage. OnExpressNews.com: Mental health bill clears hurdle in state Senate, despite opposition from conservative groups Saldana said the administration has made it more difficult for people to enroll. His council office often fields calls from constituents struggling to pay medical bills. I dont think folks in D.C. see this the way we see it, he said. Joe Ibarra of the local coalition EnrollSA, which sought to sign up local residents through healthcare.gov but lacked significant financial support, said the organization plans to study the report and present the groups findings to the public in early May. San Antonio researcher Dr. Ricardo Aguiar carefully lifts patient tissue samples from a cryogenic freezer. His hands, protected by thick blue gloves, are holding 18 years of cancer research. This work, of course, was underway more than a decade before there was any talk of UT Health San Antonio partnering with Houston-based MD Anderson. But the San Antonio center has attracted more talent and patients since teaming with the cancer-care powerhouse in February 2018. Located in the South Texas Medical Center, the center is one of four facilities in Texas recognized by the National Cancer Institute for its dedication to research and developing more effective approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. The facility had that designation before entering the partnership and adopting a new name the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. Since then, Director Dr. Ruben Mesa said the center has recruited at least 30 top-level faculty physicians and researchers to San Antonio. Each major recruit brings expertise, research, clinical trials, upgraded equipment and sometimes even staff. He said the center, partly as a result of the influx, is making big strides in developing cancer drugs. Were clearly at the forefront of both new and better cancer drugs, said Mesa, who worked at the Mayo Clinic before he took the job leading the cancer center in August 2017. Many drugs are first tested in our facility before they are tested anywhere else. Aguiar was part of an earlier wave of recruits. He started his work at Harvard and now operates a lab at the Medical Center with an annual budget of $1 million. His team has been studying molecules looking for ways to treat an aggressive form of cancer at a UT Health San Antonio lab since 2005. Its a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, he said, explaining how he and his staff try to anticipate how the cancer will mutate. Funding such research can be just as daunting. Competition for research money is brutal, Aguiar said. But the MD Anderson partnership has helped, he said. In addition to a deeper bench of researchers and practitioners, its resulted in more opportunities for multi-institutional studies and additional funding. Research is really a team sport, he said. The combined pool of talent includes MD Anderson researcher Jim Allison, a Houston-based scientist who was awarded a 2018 Nobel Prize for pioneering an effective way to attack cancer by treating the immune system rather than the tumor. And just four weeks ago, UT Health San Antonio faculty researchers received $3 million in new grants by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios Cancer Therapy & Research Center announces an affiliation with health care giant MD Anderson Cancer Center Aguiars lab will receive nearly one-third of that funding for his work. Mesa said the affiliation also has elevated the level of medical care in the region, not just the facilitys research. Patients walk through the doors at the cancer center in San Antonio and receive the same kind of treatment plan as they would at MD Anderson facilities in Houston. The center uses MD Andersons model of care, offering patients individualized treatment plans mapped out by a team of medical professionals. Mesa estimated the center has seen an increase of up to 20 percent in the number of patients in the past year. His office is on the top floor of the Mays Cancer Center, offering a panoramic view of the centers facilities throughout the Medical Center. Under the partnership, the center so far has invested $30 million to improve these facilities. The center serves 20,000 patients from a large swath of South Texas everywhere south of San Antonio, from Laredo to Brownsville, Mesa said. Chemotherapy by infusion increased by 25 percent over the past 12 months, said Chief Nursing Officer Jeremy Viles, suggesting more patients are seeking cancer treatment locally. Viles is also assistant dean of clinical practice at UT Healths nursing school, which is training nurses specializing in cancer care. Certainly, this is one of the most robust, comprehensive education pipelines for cancer in the country, Mesa said. Stephanie Shelton, the cancer centers senior director of finance and administration, said the center employs more than 500 clinicians, researchers, nurses and clinical staff, with a growth over the past year of more than 10 percent. On ExpressNews.com: Oncology panel touts renamed center as opportunity for San Antonio cancer patients to receive the best possible care and participate in clinical trials, all while remaining close to home Mesa said the center is also hosting more medical conferences and educational events for health care professionals. The annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, hosted by UT Health San Antonio, is the largest event dedicated to advancing breast cancer research and treatment in the world, drawing more than 7,000 attendees to the Convention Center. The last conference the first was in 1978 attracted nearly 22 percent of its attendees from Europe, according to an event audit. Attendees booked 24,682 nights in hotel rooms. Richard Oliver of Visit San Antonio said the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium generated an economic impact of $12.8 million. Mesa said the support of the individual donors and philanthropic organizations including the Mays Family Foundation, which donated $30 million to the center has helped the center succeed. Theres tremendous goodwill in our community toward the mission, he said. (CNN) The European Union says it has developed a strategy to keep its 5G networks secure. It does not include a blanket ban on Huawei equipment. The United States has been heaping pressure on European countries not to use Huawei equipment in next-generation 5G networks, saying products from the Chinese company present a security risk. Huawei has repeatedly denied the accusations, and called on the Trump administration to provide evidence to back up its claims. The European Commission made clear Tuesday that EU member states are responsible for making their own security decisions, but it asked them to complete 5G risk assessments by the end of June. Countries will also conduct a wider security review by the end of December that will include steps to safeguard 5G networks at the EU level. Huawei is the world's largest supplier of telecoms equipment, and its market share in Europe is estimated at between 35% and 40%. The EU announcement is a setback for US officials who have pressed European allies to take a much tougher line on Huawei. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the costs explicit during a trip to Europe last month, when he warned allies that using Huawei equipment makes it "more difficult" for the United States to partner with them. Vice President Mike Pence has issued similar warnings, and the US Ambassador to Germany has threatened to curtail Berlin's access to US intelligence if Huawei products are used in its 5G networks. Yet Europe appears to be going its own way on the sensitive issue. "We need to do [the review] for ourselves," European Commissioner Julian King told reporters. "Not because anybody else has suggested that we need to do this or because we are reacting to steps taken anywhere else." BT said in December that it would not buy Huawei equipment for the core of its next generation 5G network. And Vodafone has paused the installation of Huawei equipment in its core networks in Europe while it speaks with regulators, governments, security agencies and the Chinese company. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said earlier in March that the US government's campaign against his company risks damaging America's international reputation. "If this US administration always treats other countries, companies or individuals in a ferocious way, then no one would dare invest in the United States," he told CNN. The company recently made its most aggressive move yet to counter American pressure, filing a lawsuit against the US government for barring federal agencies from using Huawei products. Ren claims that the US attempts to get other Western countries to block Huawei aren't a big concern. "If they don't buy from us, then we sell to others," he told CNN. "We can downscale a little. We are not a public company, so we don't have to worry about lower profits leading to collapsing stock prices." Europe's approach to the 5G issue does not mean security officials aren't paying attention. The European Union will set equipment standards and identify products or suppliers that are "potentially non-secure." "We have some kind of specific concerns connected with some producers, so everybody knows I'm talking about China and Huawei," European Commission vice president Andrus Ansip told reporters. "Do we have to worry about this, or not? I think we have to be worried about this." Huawei said it welcomed the "objective and proportionate" approach taken by the European Commission, adding it understood the cybersecurity concerns European regulators have. "We are firmly committed to continue working with all regulators and partners to make the 5G rollout in Europe a success," said Abraham Liu, Huawei's vice president for Europe. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Europe goes its own way on 5G and Huawei." Five months after they were elected, the four trustees who make up South San Antonio ISD's new board majority are expected to go against the repeated objections of their superintendent and vote Wednesday to reopen three shuttered campuses for next school year. Superintendent Alexandro Flores has said he thinks the board is moving too quickly and that the district, after a difficult budget year, will need to spend at least $1 million to get Athens Elementary, Kazen Middle School and West Campus High School ready by August and require some newly hired teachers on top of that. Administrators have said theyll need millions more for other renovations, repairs and purchases once the schools are open. Kazen and Athens were closed after years of declining enrollment and the high school never reopened after severe flood damage in 2007 and became the districts central office. OnExpressNews.com: Disconnect widens between South San Antonio ISD board and superintendent The renewed factionalism on the South San board has been on display for weeks. So has the growing division between the still-new superintendent and the board majority, led by newly-reinstalled president Connie Prado, whose members campaigned on a vow to reopen the schools and have defeated three dissenting trustees in a number of preliminary votes. As part of that push, the majority might also decide Wednesday to formally spurn an offer by City Council member Rey Saldana to steer city bond funding to start a community center at Kazen as an alternative to reopening it as a school. Members of the majority rejected Saldanas idea last week at a Budget Committee workshop. The same panel is scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss an information campaign to attract parents to the reopened schools and timelines and action steps necessary to reopen schools, indicating that Wednesdays vote is likely to start that process. I do believe that the timelines are very ambitious and that there's still a lot of financial long-term impact and academic impact that I'm concerned about, Flores said after last weeks committee meeting, which lasted more than four hours. The fast track preferred by the board majority doesnt reflect due diligence or the gathering of sufficient community feedback, he said. At the meeting, Flores and administrators were asked to present attendance and revenue projections, staffing plans for reopening the schools, their physical condition and inventories of surplus furniture and equipment. They had no input on what the committee planned to discuss and received the agenda outlining the requested report at 2 p.m. Friday before spring break, Flores said. Asked by Prado about his opinion on reopening Athens and Kazen, he said there is no guarantee that opening the doors would reverse the decline in student enrollment. If were going to be competitive, he said, the district should consider rebuilding or renovating existing schools to improve facilities, investing in new technology and expanding wraparound services for families. At Athens, required costs total an estimated $350,000 for repairs, including remediation of mold and air quality issues and security and safety upgrades. An additional $614,205 is needed to repair the heating and air conditioning system, which was vandalized this year, but that will be covered by insurance with an estimated completion date in July. Kazen was expected to cost $489,000 to reopen, administrators said, for similar needs. OnExpressNews.com: South San Antonio ISD board wants schools reopened - fast For the first year that West Campus is reopened, students will only use the Parent Center, which will take about $22,000 to prepare. Administrators recommended $2.2 million in repairs and upgrades. Remodeling the entire building could cost another $11.1 million, but those changes would not be needed before school starts in August. Approximately 12 teachers can be moved from other campuses back to Athens, based on current staffing at those schools, while another nine will need to be hired, in addition to 26 professional and non-professional staff. Two of 13 core subject teachers would need to be hired at Kazen, while the others could be moved, administrators said. Other staff and additional teachers, including for Spanish, special education and physical education, would need to be hired. The proposed plan for the first year of West Campus High School calls for students taking their core classes at that campus and traveling on alternating days to the South San Antonio High School campus for electives. One English, Algebra I, Biology and World Geography teacher would be moved to the campus, while all other staff would be hired there. Board members, who have previously called for only ninth graders to be at the campus for its first year with a gradual expansion, asked administrators for the first time last week whether 10th grade students could also attend. That would require changes to the proposed staffing plan that have not been developed yet. Based on current attendance and revenue projections, administrators expect to end the 2018-19 year with a surplus of about $1.3 million, due in large part to better-than-expected enrollment that resulted in a smaller-than-projected drop in state revenue. That would cover some, but not all, of the costs of the building repairs and new hires at the three schools, they said. Committee members Prado and trustee Gilbert Rodriguez also indicated that they would like Kazen to open with a cybersecurity academy, mirroring the STEM, Health Sciences and Fine Arts Choice Academies at the districts other middle schools. Administrators have proposed a leadership academy at Kazen as the most feasible to implement by August, which could change with more time to develop partnerships and a curriculum. The committee voted 2-1, with trustee Mandy Martinez dissenting, to adopt an Action Plan developed by Moak, Casey & Associates, a consulting firm hired by the board earlier this year. The plan, which Flores said he was not aware of prior to the meeting, includes developing a rebranding plan for the district for advertising and marketing. Deadlines in the plan call for naming principals, conducting community focus groups and hiring a contractor by early April. No district staff were interviewed, said the consulting firms Larry Groeppel, who co-wrote it. We took the information that we gathered from our research, listening to the administration and board committee and hopefully the benefit of 70-plus years of experience, and worked together to put together something that we thought would represent what they needed to do, to comfortably reopen the schools, he said. We werent hired to make a judgment on the wisdom of trying to open the schools in the time we have, Groeppel said when asked about the feasibility of the timeline. We were hired to try to help the district open the schools. Rodriguez and Prado voted to reject Saldanas proposal at the budget committee meeting. Trustee Louis Ybarra has requested that it go before the entire board. Saldana first proposed a partnership to turn Kazen into a community center to the South San board before Novembers election. The funding, up to $10 million, would be included in a future bond package and the school district would keep ownership of Kazen. What we always wanted to do was offer this opportunity as a right of first refusal, Saldana said. There are not many school districts who can say they let a partnership go that (would have) brought $10 million to their facilities and their district. But others, including Palo Alto College and Texas A&M University San Antonio, are knocking on the door, and he plans to hold a community meeting in April to discuss plans for a center elsewhere if South San formally rejects it. Given South Sans other priorities, Saldana said, reopening the schools is not a good idea any way you slice it. Theres an opportunity cost to investing dollars in closed schools, as opposed to teachers salaries, reading programs or mental health professionals, he said. Prado has said reopening the schools will build enough trust and goodwill in the community to justify a Tax Ratification Election or a bond election in the future, which could fund the other upgrades, programs and facilities needs. She campaigned against a TRE last summer, which district voters rejected. Trustee Elda Flores, who supported the failed TRE, doubted that people would change their minds and support increasing their property tax rate, adding, There was so much opposition from Ms. Prado and her group to not pass it, and all of a sudden they want it. How are you going to convince them? Committee meetings have not been videotaped or live-streamed, as regular meetings are, and the board is not allowing the superintendent and his staff to do his job, she said Tuesday. He is being micromanaged by this budget committee. Rodriguez, chair of the committee, has instructed Superintendent Flores to shut down the live stream at the panels two most recent meetings. Rodriguez said that is not necessary, because its not a full quorum of the entire board. He said he believes the committee has been transparent because its meetings are open to the public. LTeitz@express-news.net Councilman Greg Brockhouse apologized to Chick-fil-A on Tuesday for a City Council decision last week to remove the company from a concession contract at the San Antonio International Airport. The recent actions of our City Council do not reflect the overwhelming belief in our City that you are a valued business and community partner, Brockhouse, who is running for mayor, wrote in a letter to the company. In spite of the appearance of this decision, San Antonio is a welcoming City that values diversity, faith and inclusivity. On Thursday, the City Council approved a master concession agreement to bring eight new vendors to the airports Terminal A, with the caveat that Chick-fil-A must be replaced. On ExpressNews.com: City Council approves new airport contract without Chick-fil-A Councilman Roberto Trevino, who introduced the plan, said he couldnt support a company with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior. The council, with the support of Mayor Ron Nirenberg, approved Trevinos motion, 6-4-1. The decision drew national headlines and stoked long-running tension about balancing LGBT rights with religious liberty, a debate that made its way to the Supreme Court last year. Sen. Ted Cruz and NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch were among those to criticize the San Antonio City Councils decision on Twitter. When asked about Brockhouses letter on Tuesday, Trevino said he stands by the councils action. Councilman Brockhouse can speak for himself if he wants to apologize, but he doesnt speak for the council. City Council spoke, Trevino said, referring to the affirmative vote. Brockhouse said he was inspired to write the letter by residents who he said have been outraged by the City Councils decision. He said it was bad for business and bad for San Antonians with religious convictions. When it became a national news story, I found it embarrassing for San Antonio, Brockhouse said. Someone had to do something. On ExpressNews.com: Ted Cruz bashes SA decision to reject Chick-fil-A at airport The contract was one of many issues Brockhouse and Nirenberg addressed in their first mayoral debate on Friday at the KTSA radio studios. Brockhouse tied the vote to the decision last year not to bid for the 2020 Republican National Convention, saying City Council has told both Chick-fil-A and the RNC they are not welcome here. Whos next if you believe in the war? I dont know, Brockhouse said, adding that the city shouldnt push people away because we dont believe in the same things they believe in. Nirenberg has framed the issue in business terms and said Brockhouse is using the vote to score cheap political points. There are many people in the community that are uncomfortable with Chick-fil-A, Nirenberg said in the debate. And I would ask you, have you ever tried to buy waffle fries on a Sunday? Theyre closed. Fifteen percent of sales generated in the airport come on a Sunday. Nirenberg wasnt available for comment on Brockhouses letter Tuesday. His campaign manager, Kelton Morgan, said the mayor voted in the clear best interest of the people of San Antonio and of the millions of passengers who pass through the San Antonio airport. Brockhouse argued the councils request to remove Chick-fil-A from the plan was a material change in citys contract process. He said the council would have to go back and ask how every other company in the deal feels about LGBTQ issues. On ExpressNews.com: Group protests Chick-fil-A presidents anti-gay views On Tuesday, he said he didnt buy Trevino and Councilman Manny Pelaezs argument that the company discriminates against LGBTQ people. He said they hire and welcome anyone into their stores. You cant fight for inclusiveness by excluding people, he said. During the council meeting, Pelaez specifically mentioned that the company has donated to companies that support conversion therapy. Brockhouse said that practice is abhorrent, but on the whole Chick-fil-A shouldnt be judged for the actions of that group. I regret the words used to describe your organization and I will not repeat them in this letter, Brockhouse wrote. My only goal is to ensure the employees of Chick-fil-A know how much we care about their presence in San Antonio. On behalf of thousands of San Antonio residents, please accept our sincerest apologies for this decision. We will do better in the future. Chick-fil-A could not be reached for comment. Dylan McGuiness covers San Antonio city government and politics. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinness Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said Wednesday that the service would cancel 61 construction projects in 18 states, including a dormitory in San Antonio and three others in Texas, if Congress doesnt provide supplemental funding to repair two bases badly hit by storms. The Air Force said it needs $1.2 billion this year and $3.7 billion over the next two fiscal years to rebuild Tyndall AFB in Florida, badly damaged last year by Hurricane Michael, and help recover Offutt AFB in Nebraska, which was hit by a flood this month. More will be needed for Offutt, but no one yet knows how much. A Pentagon statement said the Air Force would cut critical facility and readiness requirements at more than 30 bases in the United States and overseas if it doesnt get the supplemental funding, driving Air Force-wide operational risks and negatively impacting the recovery of Tyndall and Offutt. In an appearance at the Heritage Foundation in Washington on Wednesday morning, Wilson said the funding was desperately needed at both of the bases, according to an Air Force press release. There are other decisions well have to make if we dont (have supplemental funding) by May or June, Wilson said. These are just the first decisions that we had to make yesterday Sixty-one projects in 18 states are not going to happen because we have not gotten a disaster supplemental for Tyndall. On ExpressNews.com: Air Force Command plans major new buildings at Lackland Few details were initially available about individual projects, which are scattered across 33 bases from Texas, New Hampshire, Florida and Utah to Germany, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Japan and Korea, according to a list that accompanied Wilsons comments. The planned projects, whose costs total $272 million, have not yet begun and wont start this year unless Congress approves a supplemental funding package, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said. In Texas, the renovation of an older Recruit Housing and Training dorm at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was one of the construction projects listed for cancellation. Two projects at Laughlin AFB, a pilot training hub in Del Rio, also were on the chopping block, as were four at Dyess AFB in Abilene and three at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo. A single construction project at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, the repair of chillers there, was listed. The proposed cuts are separate from President Donald Trumps plan to siphon money from military construction funding accounts to build barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. The Pentagon this week said it would take money from military counter-narcotics programs to use for the wall but has not yet revealed which military construction projects would be targeted. So far the Air Force has spent millions already to help with the recovery of Tyndall, in the Florida panhandle. The base was devastated by Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 storm that packed maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. The Air Force expects to spend $4.7 billion in repairs there over the coming years. The Air Force did not foresee the storm damage at Tyndall or Offutt and, as a result, didnt budget military construction and operations and maintenance funds. That is a common practice. In past years, a source familiar with the process said, Congress provided supplemental budgets to help the services cope with natural disasters. U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, submitted a supplemental budget Tuesday night that included money for Tyndall and Offutt. If a supplemental appropriation isnt enacted, the total amount the Air Force could take from the construction projects on the list released Wednesday is a small portion of what it needs. The service will need to pursue other measures, and if it doesnt get a supplemental budget by May 1, it will make additional cuts, ending all work at Tyndall and reducing flying hours next fall at bases around the country, Stefanek said. Offutts recovery from flooding would be deferred starting July 1, along with facilities assessment and mitigation increasing damage from mold and water. Exceptions would be made for health- and safety-related work. Aircraft repairs would stop May 15, with five bombers grounded as early as September. Without the supplemental funding, the Air Force expects to see a long-term backlog in E-3 aircraft maintenance. In all, 18,000 flying training hours would be cut starting in September, the Air Force said. The Dyess AFB projects listed for possible cancellation included the replacement of a hangar door and supporting system, revamping a secure compartmentalized facility, and renovation of two dormitories. At Goodfellow, whose Department of Defense Fire Academy trains troops from throughout the armed services as well as allied nations, the addition of a fire station and alterations to an existing one are now at risk. The base also had plans to build a dry fire trainer, and repair existing lights, poles and wiring. A spokesman there couldnt provide details about the projects or their total cost. The Air Force listed an Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems project and sunshades for the T-1 Jayhawk as items that had been planned for construction at Laughlin. A fact sheet said the system would add significantly increased capabilities of digital radars, computers, and data distribution networks. Sunshades protect planes from the sun and weather, including hail. They were ordered after a hail storm badly damaged a majority of the T-1s there. The story was the same elsewhere. At risk of cancellation are a runway repair project planned for Davis Monthan AFB near Tucson, Arizona, repairs to a cadet chapel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a dorm renovation planned at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. Sig Christenson covers the military and veterans in San Antonio, Bexar County and the nation. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe The acrimonious legal fight over Charlie Thrash, a mentally incapacitated millionaire, came to a dead halt Tuesday. Thrashs legal guardians went to court to seek a permanent injunction against his girlfriend Laura Martinez, her lawyer and various family members. But the matter was put on hold when Phil Ross, the lawyer for Martinez, asked to recuse Probate Judge Oscar Kazen. Today would have been the hearing on all the marbles but Mr. Ross, at the midnight hour, filed a motion to recuse, said Kazen, who declined to step down. OnExpressNews.com: Judge nullifies mentally incompetent San Antonio man's adult adoptions, scolds lawyer for misleading him Kazen signed a temporary restraining order March 14 that accused Martinez and her family of fraud, converting Thrashs property, committing assault and battery against Thrash and interfering with his court-appointed guardians. That order expires Thursday. Another judge, yet to be appointed, will hear Rosss motion, possibly this week. On March 15, Kazen annulled the March 4 marriage between Thrash, 81, and Laura Martinez, citing a court order that Thrash, because of his mental incapacity, not be allowed to drive, vote or make important personal decisions. A few days later, District Judge David Canales voided the March 5 adoption by Thrash of Martinezs two adult children, Joe and Brittany Martinez. Martinez says she began dating Thrash in 2012 when he was still operating his business, CT Thrash Differential & Axle Service on West Avenue. Thrashs estate is worth an estimated $3 million, and Martinez said she is his sole heir. In his recusal motion, Ross cites a host of reasons why Kazen should step down, ranging from the judges decision not to hold a political fundraiser that Ross offered to host in 2018, to ignoring pertinent evidence about Thrashs restored mental state, to scolding Ross in open court about unprofessional conduct. Lawyers for Thrashs two court-appointed guardians said the recusal motion was little more than an attempt by Ross to delay. We will argue it is a motion filed in bad faith, a dilatory tactic, said Laura Cavaretta, who represents Tonya Barina, the guardian who last week attempted to make an inventory of Thrashs assets, including his classic car collection. I was able to go to his home and the hangar and take pictures and make an inventory, Barina said. OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio millionaire marriage annulled after abuse, exploitation and 'abduction' claims Barina said that all but one vehicle a $100,000 Corvette has been recovered. It is believed to be in Junction. Thrash was not present at Tuesdays hearing. On March 6, his personal guardian, Mary Werner, removed him from the home in Shavano Park he shared with Laura Martinez. Werner said she took the dramatic action, backed by Shavano Park police, because she feared for Thrashs safety. Since then, she said, Thrash has been staying with a relative. Hes doing good. Hes getting out and about. Yesterday he got his hair cut, Werner said. Ross, who has been publicly criticized by both Kazen and Canales, said he is trying to rid Thrash of the guardianships on the grounds that his mental capacity has been restored and to reverse the annulment of the marriage to Martinez and the voiding of the adoptions of her children. We are fighting for everything, he said. Weve also asked Judge Kazen to appoint a medical expert and make a report to the court on whether Charlie has capacity, he added. jmaccormack@express-news.net The surge of migrants streaming across the Southwest border remains unabated and is expected to grow to about 100,000 by the end of this month double what it was in March 2018. It also eclipses Februarys figures, when more than 76,000 migrants crossed the border and apprehensions were the highest theyd been in a decade. Its staggering, its overwhelming, John Sanders, the Customs and Border Patrol chief operating officer, said at the Border Security Expo Tuesday. I dont know any other way to describe it. Of those 100,000 on track to cross the border this March, CBP expects about 35,000 to be children. Ronald Vitiello, the acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Border Patrol stations hed previously worked at are not built to house children, even for that short amount of time they need to be booked in and transferred out. READ ALSO: ICE official: 108,500 undocumented immigrants released in the last three months Migrants, mostly families seeking asylum from Central America, are streaming into the U.S. in the thousands every day. Sanders said Border Patrol stations and ports of entry are currently holding about 12,000 migrants, 7,000 of them parents and children, and more than 1,000 unaccompanied children. Within the last week, Sanders said CBP recorded a new record for the highest number of apprehensions in a single day: 4,036. Earlier this month, CBP began releasing hundreds of migrants with a court date, citing a lack of space in ICE facilities. The migrants are dropped off at bus stations and shelters, burdening border nonprofits dedicated to providing humanitarian aid - food, water, medical exams to the vulnerable population. Its a very big, very complex problem and its not going away any time soon, Sanders said. Our forecasts show its only going to get worse. Apprehension numbers still have not reached what they were in 2000, when there were more than 1.6 million arrests of illegal immigrants crossing the border. But the demographics of the migrants - their ages and where theyre from has shifted in the last few years, and Homeland Security has lagged behind in adapting to this change. Edgar Ramirez, the ICE attache to Mexico City, said when he was a Border Patrol agent over a decade ago, it would take about 15 minutes to process the voluntary return - sending the migrant back across the border - of a Mexican citizen. But when he apprehended a non-Mexican, it took an hour-and-a-half. Right there you see about six times more work if the migrant could not be simply scooted to the other side of the line, but rather had to be deported to their country of origin, he said. OnExpressNews.com: With detention space full at the Texas border, migrants get court dates and a pass into the U.S. According to recently released government statistics, more than 268,000 migrants were apprehended between October and February, a 97 percent increase from the same time the previous year. The number of family units and unaccompanied children also increased year over year. Imagine now that this increase in family units and unaccompanied children is all in mostly Central Americans, Ramirez said. And then theres the fact that children also need additional services and communication with other agencies like the court system and Health and Human Services, which operates child migrant shelters. Ramirez argued that even though Border Patrol manpower has more than doubled, its not enough to keep up with the extra workload necessary for processing and detaining migrant children from Central America. CBP has lost thousands of agents in recent years, which could be due to the sluggishness of its hiring process. Sanders said five years ago, it took CBP an average of 400 days to hire a prospective agent. By the end of the 2018 fiscal year, that number was down to 270 days or nine months. Immigrants also have changed their methods. Caravans - or large groups of migrants traveling together are becoming more and more the norm. In fiscal year 2017, only two large groups (with 100 or more migrants) crossed the border. The next year, that climbed to 13, Sanders said - Big, but not too big. But this fiscal year, which ends in September, has already had 93 large groups cross the border. And those groups rare people that are not crossing in San Diego or places where it would be easier to deal with, he said, but theyre coming across in remote zones. Vitiello said the Enforcement and Removal Operations, a branch of ICE, has formed partnerships with 78 law enforcement agencies in 20 states, training more than 1,500 state and local officers to help enforce immigration law. These partnerships help minimize officer risk and maximize public safety, he said. The agreement, called 287(g), has been the source of lawsuits for years by nonprofits and organizations that allege it leads to racial profiling. Vitiello said all of these families crossing the border were a distraction and degradation of the overall mission of border security because theyre diverting resources from missions to sniff out criminals and drugs, into apprehending and processing families. By any measure this is a problem, and the magnitude of the problem is unlike anything Ive ever seen, Vitiello said. The system is running on over-drive, and I dont know how much longer we can do it. Silvia Foster-Frau covers immigration news in the San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF The Big Give, a 24-hour online fundraiser for nonprofits in Bexar and 14 counties, hopes to generate millions of dollars in donations by midnight Thursday for worthwhile causes in South Texas. Some 200 nonprofit staff members and volunteers gathered with signs, balloons and festive hats for a rally Wednesday at Hemisfairs Yanaguana Garden to promote the 6th annual marketing effort, which gives charities a midyear boost and raises awareness of community projects and nonprofit groups. The local Big Give, one of about 80 one-day donation drives held throughout the year in communities nationwide, has raised more than $20 million since it began in 2014. Anne Krause, president and executive director of the Hemisfair Conservancy, said Yanaguana Garden, which has drawn well over 2 million visitors since it opened in 2015, is an example of a project that benefited from charitable support and now serves every age, race, ability and socioeconomic level and zip code in our city. It doesnt matter if you have a lot or just a little to give. The idea is to come together, make a personal contribution to some of your favorite nonprofits, and with the power of partnership with other like-minded people, make something special happen, Krause said at the rally. Through our combined generosity, we will make our city a better, safer, healthier, more vibrant and inclusive place. On ExpressNews.com: Big Give 2018 raises $5 million for local nonprofits This year, the event has more than 550 participating nonprofits that each paid a $200-$300 registration fee to participate and receive fundraising counseling and support. Just over 6 percent of every Big Give donation goes to cover credit card charges and management and administrative costs, and to support an online fundraising platform called GiveGab. According to Big Give officials, more than 66 percent of donors opted last year to pay that extra cost themselves, so 100 percent of the intended donation amount could go to the nonprofit. Agencies that have consistently done well in the drive include Tracys Dogs, which transports stray animals to other cities that can place them in good homes, and the Brighton Center, a developmental and educational services facility for children at all ability levels. But we have 556 nonprofits, so there really is something for everyone, said Scott McAninch, CEO of The Nonprofit Council, an organization of more than 200 area nonprofit executives that runs the local Big Give. The event, which began at midnight Wednesday, raised just over $5 million last year. To find charities, and for more information, go to thebiggivesa.org. Start with a cause. If animals are your passion, you can go on the search bar, type animal welfare or just animals, and youll see a list of all the animal organizations, McAninch said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio nonprofits land software grants People also can search for nonprofits by county. This year, the Big Give has the support of 11 companies holding employee contribution campaigns on Thursday. The nonprofits, all IRS-approved 501(c)(3) entities, also are vying for a total of $66,000 in prize money to be dispersed in four categories, based on annual budget, for attracting the most new donors during specific time periods, and the most money raised overall. McAninch said organizers keep the event costs low, to ensure that most of the donated funds directly support the work of the nonprofits. To put an event like this on, and to run it successfully and securely, theres a cost to that, he said. I think donors are coming around to seeing that in order to give to an agency effectively and wisely, theres a cost for them to raise that money and promote themselves. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Bexar County voters may cast electronic ballots with paper verification as early as November, as commissioners voted Tuesday to begin negotiating the purchase of new voting equipment. The new equipment addresses concerns about recounts and any possibility of tampering or hacking. Election Systems & Software, the Omaha, Nebraska-based vendor the county already uses, also will furnish equipment to support voting centers sometimes called super precincts election hubs where voters can submit ballots outside their home precinct on Election Day. Although county officials have said the new system will cost about $12 million, officials said they could negotiate a lower cost with trade-in of existing equipment, consolidation of some of the countys 305 polling sites and other details of a contract to be presented as early as the commissioners May 7 meeting. Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said the number of registered voters in the county has risen 25 percent, from 855,000 to well over 1 million, since the county became one of the first in the nation to shift to touch-screen voting in 2002. The new ExpressVote system, expected to last 15 years, will replace equipment that has been used in over 450 elections in 17 years, with 7,530,540 votes cast. And we never lost a vote, Callanen said, adding, however, Its time for new technology. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County looks to buy new voting system Scholars and watchdogs groups for years having said local government officials should augment electronic voting systems, which became popular after the 2000 presidential election controversy in Florida over hanging and dimpled chads on paper ballots. Those concerns have been heightened since a 2016 attempt by Russia-linked hackers to target voting systems in Texas and 20 other states. Callanen said there also are bills now in the Legislature that could soon mandate counties to use election systems with a voter-verifiable paper audit trail. If the changeover progresses as planned, voters will get hands-on demonstrations of the new machines in the May 4 city election and June 8 runoff. The system will be fully implemented for the Nov. 5 statewide vote on constitutional amendments, Callanen said. The ExpressVote system has a touch-screen function but produces a paper ballot that the voter then places into a scanner that captures a digital image. The ballot then drops into a transfer case without election workers having to touch it, ES&S officials said. The machines are run through validation checks at start and end of each day, to make sure no tampering occurred. Another vendor, Hart Intercivic of Austin, said it could replace the countys 2,842 iVotronic voting machines at a cost of $8.7 million. Felice Liston, sales director for Hart, compared the choice to one between a Ford truck and a Chevy truck. She touted her firms reputation for customer service. On ExpressNews.com: Early voting unprecedented for midterm elections But Callanen said Hart received federal certification just this month, and is likely months away from completing a state certification process for its touch-screen/printed-ballot Verity Hybrid system. She said the system has at least two possible points of failure a jam or shutdown of its printer, and a single controller connected to every machine at each polling site. So if the controller goes down, the entire voting site is stopped in the water, she said outside the meeting. With ES&S if a machine goes down, we close it down and everybody else keeps voting. Two citizens who addressed commissioners said they favored ES&S, with its stand-alone voting machines and large screens that are user-friendly, especially for seniors. A third person questioned the ES&S systems ability to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking voters, and asked county leaders to delay a decision. Susan Korbel, leader of the Bexar County Voter Protection Coalition, offered to help the county find independent experts to implement an incredibly difficult project. Everything sounds good to us, as long as we get more secure, Korbel said. Commissioner Tommy Calvert asked that the countys information technology staff consult with the Department of Homeland Security on potential security threats and brief commissioners in a future executive session. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Two years ago, Ana Sandoval an engineer and urban planner with degrees from Harvard, MIT and Stanford beat the odds when voters picked her over a three-term incumbent to represent District 7 on the San Antonio City Council. Sandoval grew up in the West Side district once lead by former mayors Julian Castro and Ed Garza. Her main reason for running to represent her community in 2017 and again this year is to ensure that everyone in San Antonio prospers from the citys rapid growth, not just a select few, she said. Were in a renaissance really San Antonio is reinventing itself, said Sandoval. Its deciding what city it wants to grow up to be, and the question is: Are we bringing everyone with us? Since taking office, Sandoval has spent her first term advocating for a plan to mitigate climate change, working to increase public participation in local government and addressing affordable housing shortages. If re-elected, she said, she plans to continue tackling those issues, along with combatting traffic on Bandera Road, increasing pedestrian safety and securing additional funding for roads, sidewalks and drainage. But her three challengers think they can do a better job. All of them are running with campaign promises to serve residents who feel disconnected from City Hall. District 7 candidates Will McLeod Age: 38 Occupation: Independent journalist and work security Family: Declined to respond Education: Some trade school, graduated from Roosevelt High School In his own words: "I am running for San Antonio City Council for District 7 because citizens are ignored at City Hall." Trevor Whitney Age: 33 Occupation: Owns public relations firm; regional director of government relations for Blue Duck Family: Married; 2-year-old son Education: Bachelor's in political science, University of Texas at San Antonio; master's in public affairs, University of Texas at Austin In his own words: "I'm running for City Council for the people that feel that they don't have a voice at City Hall." Ana Sandoval Age: 44 Occupation: City councilwoman Family: Not married Education: Bachelor's in chemical engineering, MIT; master's in civil and environmental engineering, Stanford University; master's in public health, Harvard. As a Fulbright Scholar in 1997-1998, she also obtained a Diplomado in Binational Business from ITAM in Mexico City. In her own words: "Our residents here in District 7 deserve a leader who is really willing to fight for them and someone who is really willing to study the issues." Kimberly Grant Age: 47 Occupation: Retired Family: Not married; two grown children, three grandchildren and a fourth on the way Education: Some college In her own words: "I am working hard today for a better tomorrow." See More Collapse One of her challengers is Trevor Whitney, a San Antonio native who runs a public relations firm and serves as regional director of government relations for Blue Duck, a scooter company. Also running are Will McLeod, who has worked in security and ran for mayor twice, and Kimberly Grant, who moved to San Antonio four years ago from Dallas. San Antonio residents have until April 4 to register to vote in the May 4 election. Here are the District 7 candidates, in the order they will appear on the ballot: Will McLeod, 38, is from San Antonio and has run in for mayor twice. His main reason for seeking the council seat: He thinks the current councilwoman has neglected basic city duties such as providing sidewalks and road repairs, he said. He also criticized Sandoval for making decisions that are very bad for business and could increase residents cost of living, like voting to mandate paid sick leave and pushing to mitigate the effects of climate change something McLeod doubts entirely, despite extensive scientific evidence showing humans are the driving force behind the planets rising temperatures. I believe only God controls global warming, said McLeod. He continued: You ever heard the saying, I thought it was going to rain and the weather reporter said it was going to rain and all of a sudden it's a beautiful, blue sky? McLeod wants to improve San Antonios public transit. He touts himself as the only candidate who relies entirely on it to get around. Because local policymakers dont regularly ride the bus, they dont understand the problems facing the system, he said. Trevor Whitney, 33, has several campaign promises if elected: cutting the fat from city spending; working to end veteran homelessness; further scrutinizing tax breaks for out-of-town companies; and to stop following fads and bad ideas in policymaking. The MacArthur High School graduate has been an outspoken critic of several recent City Council actions, including passing the 2018 mandated sick leave ordinance, which he said was a waste of time because the council knew it might be struck down by a court or state lawmakers. And, although Whitney said hes generally supportive of reducing emissions and pollution, his website calls the proposed climate mitigation plan a vapid package of meaningless phrases and lofty ambitions with zero accounting for the actual cost of implementation. Whitney works in government relations for the scooter company Blue Duck, but would step down if elected, he said. If chosen by voters to serve as councilman, Whitney promises to work toward cutting all city department budgets with the exception of police and fire by 1 percent and then allowing the public to decide how the $5 million is spent. Another top priority for Whitney is supporting military veterans by passing a homestead exemption for them and working to end veteran homelessness. A Marine Corps veteran who deployed to Iraq in 2006, Whitney envisions one of the solutions taking the form of a veterans village: a community of tiny homes that provide safe housing, social services and a support network to veterans who might otherwise end up on the street. It can serve as a model for the rest of the nation, he said. Ana Sandoval, 44, was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and came to San Antonio as an infant. Her family quickly settled into District 7, which would become their home for decades to come. Today, she owns the house next to her childhood home, where her parents still live. As a city councilwoman, she uses experience in public health and environmental engineering to inform city policy, including attempts to address climate change, public safety and affordable housing. She said shes also proud of her efforts to increase citizens participation in city government, which included crafting a resolution outlining the importance of public input. Her office also started a weekly newsletter for residents, began live-streaming committee meetings on Facebook and held roughly 200 meetings with neighborhood associations. And to address residents concerns with rising property tax bills, her staff last year hosted four workshops educating residents about protesting property appraisals something she plans to continue this year along with calling for an evaluation of the property appraisal process. A lot of what I heard in the community is they wanted an opportunity for engagement, transparency and accountability in local government, said Sandoval. If re-elected, she plans to continue focusing on making neighborhoods safer by securing additional funding for sidewalks and drainage. Her office also plans to keep meeting with a group of community members it convened to come up with a plan to reduce traffic on Bandera Road. Kimberly Grant, 47, said she decided to run for City Council the day before the filing deadline. Grant had planned to run for a Texas House seat in 2020, but said she just felt like I was needed more locally than on a state level. The Dallas native said she moved to San Antonio to be closer to family. Now retired, most of her professional experience is in accounting and financial analysis. In the past, she spent most of her free time volunteering to help victims of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness, but hasnt yet volunteered with agencies in San Antonio, she said. If elected, one of Grants top priorities would be to reduce property tax bills so residents arent priced out of their neighborhoods. She also wants to improve roads, sidewalks and drainage, especially in areas without proper infrastructure to prevent flooding, she said. Public records show that Grant ran into some legal trouble in the past. In 2008, she was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Fla., for failing to return a rental car that Avis Car Rental reported stolen, according to court documents. In the middle of the court proceedings, she stopped showing up, spurring the court to issue a bench warrant. She went back to Texas without resolving the legal issues; so the warrant is still active today, according to a Florida state attorneys office. It was a domestic violence situation that I had no control over, Grant said. Its in my past, and Im moving forward to better San Antonio. Grant declined to provide any further details about the situation. Marina Riker is a staff writer at the San Antonio Express-News. | marina.riker@express-news.net | Twitter: @MarinaStarleaf Agree with him or not, you cant deny that Councilman Roberto Trevino had a moral imperative last week for his push to get Chick-fil-A dropped from an airport concessions contract. In offering an amendment to the citys seven-year deal with Paradies Lagardere, the District 1 councilman said he couldnt support Chick-fil-A occupying the 658-square-foot space in the Terminal A food court because he objected to the fast-food companys history of donating to organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights. The work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion should not be undone so easily, Trevino said. OnExpressNews.com: Brockhouse apologizes to Chick-fil-A for San Antonio's decision to remove restaurant from airport plan Mayor Ron Nirenberg sided with Trevino. But Nirenberg didnt frame the issue in moral terms. He dispassionately defended the councils action as a sound business move. Because Chick-fil-A closes (for religious reasons ) every Sunday, Nirenberg argued the city would lose 15 percent of its revenue from that location. Besides, the company isnt local. When asked by WOAI-TV whether the controversial Chick-fil-A vote wasnt, in fact, about LGBTQ rights, Nirenberg showed obvious discomfort. No, the issue is making sure we have a restaurant thats going to serve seven days a week, Nirenberg said. Because travelers come in every day of the week and we know that 15 percent of volume in the airport happens on a Sunday. That answer marked the continuation of a curious Nirenberg pattern. In addressing hot-button issues with social-justice or civil-rights implications, Nirenberg generally leans to the left, but he explains his positions by backing away from the moral core of those issues. He is the reluctant progressive. The lukewarm liberal. The tolerant technocrat. When Nirenberg declined to support a San Antonio bid for the 2020 Republican National Convention, County Commissioner Tommy Calvert was among the local politicos who agreed with him. Calvert cited President Donald Trumps disrespectful rhetoric about undocumented Mexican immigrants as his reason for wanting to keep the RNC out of San Antonio. Nirenberg, however, insisted that his opposition had nothing to do with Trump. In a letter to the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Nirenberg wrote, My concerns about San Antonio hosting the convention were rooted in fiscal discipline. Nirenberg said the convention would have put local taxpayers on the hook for the estimated $70 million convention bid. In fact, the convention host committee, not the city of San Antonio, would have been responsible for generating the funds, and most of that money would have come from private donations. Nirenbergs tendency to fall back on dry, fiscal rationales also came through during the 2017 mayoral race. During one debate, the candidates were asked about Senate Bill 6, aka the bathroom bill, a proposal requiring transgender individuals to use restrooms in public schools and government buildings that matched their biological sex, rather than their gender identity. It was a cruel ploy to demean and humiliate a perpetually marginalized group of people. To make matters worse, the bill was cynically hyped as a way to protect children from predators. Nirenberg said: The last thing San Antonio needs is another unenforceable, unfunded dictate coming down from Austin, or from D.C., for that matter. OnExpressNews.com: Coming to San Antonio's airport: Smoke Shack, Local Coffee and a Spurs store - but not Chick-fil-A and Gervin's bar is out He was right. But that answer barely hinted at the moral gravity of the issue. The big problem with SB6 wasnt that it would create bureaucratic headaches for Texas cities; it was that the bill represented a fear-mongering exercise in bigotry. In 2016, only two council members voted against a mediated collective-bargaining agreement with the San Antonio Police Officers Association: Nirenberg and Rey Saldana. Saldana opposed a clause that limited the ability of police officials and arbitrators to consider the full disciplinary history of an officer accused of misconduct. For Saldana, the cause was about reforming the way SAPD handles abuse-of-power incidents. Nirenberg also voted against the deal. His stated reason: It was not fiscally responsible. Nirenbergs determination to distance himself from the deeper implications of controversial votes can take some tortured turns. During a KTSA radio debate last Friday with challenger Greg Brockhouse, Nirenberg unwittingly seemed to suggest that city staff had played a role in removing Chick-fil-A from the airport contract. In fact, the staff had substituted Chick-fil-A for Panda Express, because staffers thought Chick-fil-A would be more successful in that spot. Chick-fil-A wasnt even part of the original proposal, Nirenberg said. The staff has the discretion in the negotiation phase of the contract to switch out portions of categories, which is exactly what they did and which the City Council authorized them to do, signing up for this RFP (request for proposal) in the first place. If that answer didnt thoroughly confuse you, it surely left you dissatisfied. And thats the problem with triangulating issues, rather than owning them. Two major Texas law enforcement groups on Tuesday decried pending legislation to loosen marijuana laws as the beginning of a slippery slope into full legalization of the drug. The blueprint for the proponents of marijuana legalization is clear and has been effectively used in other states, Grand Prairie Police Chief Scott Dye said. This is a calculated and systematic approach by a minority of our population who use marijuana and/or stand to gain from marijuana production. Dye and other law enforcement officials representing the Texas Police Chiefs Association and the Sheriffs Association of Texas said legalization would bring increased crime, entice a dangerous black market and lead to increased use of other, more addictive drugs. The groups urged the Texas Legislature not to lower criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana, which is now punishable by up to six months in jail. The groups also oppose expanding the states restrictive medical marijuana program until validated, peer-reviewed medical research shows a proven medical benefit. Their comments came just a day after a bill that would decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana passed out of a House committee, clearing the measure for a possible vote by the full House. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox House Bill 63 would lower the penalty for the crime from a Class B misdemeanor to a civil offense with a fine of up to $250 and no jail time. Texas Department of Public Safety data shows that in 2017, more than 66,000 people were arrested for possession of marijuana, making up about 49 percent of all drug possession arrests. The data does not break down the arrests by the amount in possession, nor does it show how many of the arrests included other charges. Some Texas counties, including Bexar, Harris and Travis, have already taken steps to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession, after the Legislature in 2007 passed a cite-and-release law allowing police to issue offenders citations, rather than arrest them. Sheriffs and police chiefs from those counties were not present at the press conference Tuesday. For subscribers: Dont gasp, but latest pot bill makes sense for Texans [Opinion] Heather Fazio, director of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, on Tuesday said she does not believe that lighter penalties for possession mean that the state is moving toward legalization. Thats where were finding the most common ground, Fazio said. Our current penalties are harsh, theyre unreasonable and unpopular The bottom line is Texans dont want to continue wasting our valuable criminal justice resources arresting people for the possession of marijuana. Fazio said a criminal record for a possession charge can hinder an otherwise law-abiding persons access to education, employment and housing. A poll of registered voters last summer found 53 percent favored legalizing marijuana, at least in small amounts. The internet poll of 1,200 voters conducted by the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune had a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points. Last year, the Republican Party of Texas updated its platform to support decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, and Gov. Greg Abbott said he is open to reducing criminal penalties in those cases. HB 63 was among more than 50 related to marijuana filed this session, including one bill that would create a state medical marijuana program and another that would legalize industrial hemp production and research. Kilgore Police Chief Todd Hunter, president of Texas Police Chiefs Association, said the group generally opposes decriminalization, but it may support making low-level possession a Class C misdemeanor, if it required offenders to enter a diversion program. The issue we have with failing to prosecute small amounts of marijuana, were not even able to put those folks into a diversion program to give them the opportunity for treatment, Dye said. We havent been putting those small amounts in jail for years, but we know a lot of those folks need treatment. House Bill 63 sponsor Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who has worked to pass similar bills since 2015, has expressed optimism about its chances this session. On many, many levels, the current law is not sound policy, Moody told the Hearst Newspapers earlier this month. The punishment doesnt fit the crime and we need a different way of doing things in Texas. According to a 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report, black people are nearly four times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana, though both groups use the drug at similar rates. Presented with that statistic Tuesday, Hunter said he had never heard of the report and didnt perceive it as accurate. The May 4 San Antonio Independent School District board election is pivotal. Our union and the SAISD superintendent have fundamental differences in our views. When you follow the money and connections and they all lead to corporate education world it becomes clear that the superintendent supports a Betsy DeVos agenda privatize public schools, take them away from the community and give them to charter companies to profit off our children, attack teachers and their unions, and listen only to the voices of the privileged. We contend that public schools belong to the public and that we need a district where parents and community have a stronger voice in decisions about their schools, where our teachers and support staff are respected and valued, and where our SAISD neighborhood schools are strengthened. SAISD board members are either well-meaning but misdirected or complicit in the destruction of our neighborhood public schools. They have become a rubber stamp for the superintendent with unanimous vote after unanimous vote, never a dissenting opinion from anyone. Over the past 3 years, there has been a remarkable lack of transparency, and although the superintendent will engage with businesspeople, parents and the communitys voices have been ignored. The decision to turn Stewart Elementary over to a charter company from New York City was perhaps the most stunning example of this lack of transparency and lack of community voice. Although the district administration had been in talks with the charter company beginning in June 2017, parents were not informed about the takeover until January 2018, just four days before the school board was to vote on the matter. Neither the superintendent nor school board sought parents opinions about their school, their children or the takeover of their school. Public schools are the foundation of strong neighborhoods and a strong community. Over and over in conversations, families have told us they want neighborhood schools that provide a high-quality education for their children. They do not like the gentrification of their schools. They do not want outside charter companies profiting off our children and taking our tax dollars out of state. They want schools that serve as neighborhood hubs; offer supports and services for families and the community; utilize the assets of the community; and provide academic enrichment for students. They want schools with less standardized testing and more engaging learning activities. They want schools that address students social and emotional needs and help students who have experienced trauma. They want the district to stop adding high-priced district administrators and start putting more money into classrooms. Last May, the school board unnecessarily laid off more than 130 teachers, held a job fair a week later, and then started this school year with the highest number of teacher vacancies in years. This resulted in some students going most, if not all, of the first semester without a certified teacher. In addition to the layoffs, teachers and other employees received no pay increases this year, and the length of the teachers workday was increased without any added compensation. The school board eliminated the class-size cap for kindergarten through fourth grade, resulting in class sizes that make it harder for teachers to give students the individual attention they deserve. These factors plus a systematic silencing of teacher and employee voices have caused morale to plummet under the current superintendent and school board. On top of this are teacher concerns about whether district money is being spent efficiently and equitably, fears that the schools at which they work are being set up for failure and privatization, and questions about why there seem to be so many new, highly paid administrative positions. For all these reasons and more, our union is supporting fresh leadership for the SAISD board of trustees Alicia Perry for District 2, Janell Rubio for District 5 and Eduardo Torres for District 6. Shelley Potter is president of the Texas Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel. The Mueller investigation is over, and the only people close to Donald Trump who have been criminally charged are his former campaign chairman, former deputy campaign chairman, former personal lawyer, former national security adviser, former campaign foreign policy adviser and Roger Stone, the presidents longtime friend and strategist. The report written by special counsel Robert Mueller, according to a quotation in a brief summary issued by Attorney General William Barr, says that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Naturally, the president and his allies are claiming, as one of Trumps tweets said, Complete and Total EXONERATION. I wont pretend that the weekends news was not very good for Trump and dispiriting for those of us who despise him. Whatever else is in the Mueller report, it says, according to Barr, that the investigation did not establish that anyone from the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its 2016 election interference. The overtures we all know about the Trump Tower meeting, Trumps public call for Russia to obtain Hillary Clintons emails, which Russian hackers tried to do that very day were not part of a crime, or at least not part of a crime that the special counsel could prove. Until the Mueller report is publicly released, however, its impossible to tell how much of Trumps victory is substantive and how much is spin. The report, evidently, leaves open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. In his letter to Congress about the report, Barr said that he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, made the determination that no obstruction of justice occurred. Of course, last year Barr wrote a memo calling Muellers obstruction investigation grossly irresponsible and fatally misconceived, which is surely why Trump appointed him in the first place. Even some of the underlying questions about Trumps relationship with Russia remain open. Here, those of us whod hoped for more from Mueller should be mindful of the temptation to grasp at straws. But we should be equally aware of the media tendency to capitulate in the face of Trumpian triumphalism. So we shouldnt overlook the fact that when it comes to Trumps relationship with Russia, Barrs letter speaks only to very narrow questions about Trump campaign involvement in Russian information warfare operations in 2016. Barr wrote that no Trump associate conspired or knowingly coordinated with the Internet Research Agency, the Russian troll farm that spread pro-Trump and anti-Clinton propaganda. Did any do so unknowingly? Barr also wrote that the special counsel didnt find that Trump associates conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in hacking into the Democratic National Committees computers, but few thought the campaign had a role in the actual digital break-in. Still, assuming Barrs summary is accurate, it means that while Trump was installed with Russias help, neither he nor his campaign assisted Russia in committing the crimes that aided his ascent. Were still in the dark, however, about all the steps Trump took to thwart the inquiry and about the extent of his vulnerability to compromise. On Saturday, left-wing writer Matt Taibbi published a widely shared essay calling Russiagate this generations WMD, a national security hoax, abetted by a credulous media, akin to the one that justified the Iraq War. The biggest thing this affair has uncovered so far is Donald Trump paying off a porn star, he wrote. Thats silly. The biggest thing this affair has uncovered is that during much of the presidential campaign, Trump was seeking to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. The deal had the potential to make hundreds of millions of dollars for the Trump Organization, and Trumps lawyer solicited the Russian governments help to get it done. After the election, Trump lied about the deal to the American people. Vladimir Putin knew the truth, giving him leverage over Trump. Is that the only leverage he had? It now falls to Congress to find out, and its important that Democrats not allow themselves to be intimidated by right-wing chest-beating, particularly if Republicans try to quash the reports release. Republicans may be gloating, but its Democrats who should be on the offensive. If Trump thinks he has been vindicated, then what is he hiding? It might be expected that the conclusion of the Russia collusion investigation would be greeted in Trump Country with celebration, relief or even a degree of gloating. Thats not the case. In southern Ohio and, likely, other places where President Donald Trumps support has remained rock solid, the conclusion by special counsel Robert Mueller that neither Trump nor anyone associated with his campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election was greeted with a collective shrug. Thats because, for Trump Country, the findings represented a foregone conclusion. Apprised that the Mueller report had found no collusion, one woman at a Hillsboro diner on Sunday summed up the feelings of most here when she replied, So what? We already knew that, didnt we? Trumps base has long regarded the Mueller investigation as a political exercise springing from the refusal of Trumps opponents to accept his election. They also know that the Mueller report will not be the end of what they see as a string of partisan investigations. They know Democrats, Never Trumpers and many in the media will quickly pivot, generating as many future headlines as possible from ongoing state probes and congressional investigations. That beat goes on. Since it wont get repeated as often as it deserves after nearly two years of manufactured suspicion, its important to note this from Attorney General William Barrs summary of Muellers probe: The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Later, the summary added that such collusion did not happen despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. Instead of all Americans, regardless of political affiliation along with every legitimate media organization collectively celebrating the fact that our president was found not to have conspired with Russia, too many pundits on Sunday focused on Muellers failure to determine whether Trump had obstructed justice. After Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein agreed that evidence of obstruction did not lend itself to a crime, both CNN and MSNBC, during the first hour after the release of Barrs report, spent more time focused on the obstruction question than on the collusion exoneration, based on my own toggling back and forth between networks. It was the only thin straw left to grasp. On Saturday, key congressional Democrats held a conference call to discuss strategy prior to the release of the Mueller findings. Strategy? What strategy is needed to provide an honest reaction to Muellers report? Shouldnt the strategy be to express alarm if collusion was found, relief and reassurance if it wasnt? No, a strategy call was needed because, as a Washington Post headline made clear before the findings were released, Democrats insist on pursuing Trump investigations no matter what Mueller concludes. Democrats spent two years circling the wagons around Mueller, casting him as a paragon of virtue, an unassailable arbiter of truth, worrying endlessly that Trump might fire him. But over the weekend, they and many in the media began questioning his competence. Maybe he missed the boat here, MSNBCs Chris Matthews said of Mueller. Because we know about the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, we know about the meeting at the cigar bar with (Konstantin) Kilimnik. All these dots were now to believe dont connect. Since Trumps election, too many in the media have mistaken disconnected dots for tangible facts. Everyones life is marked by random dots that can be extrapolated to suggest the worst conclusions. At this point, Trumps base will see the failure by some to accept Muellers findings (coupled with ongoing additional state and congressional investigations) not just as attacks on the president but also as assaults on the voters who put him in the White House. They will increasingly take it personally, as another elitist, second-guessing of every man and woman who voted for him. No greater motivator to vote will be needed for 2020. Since May 2017, Trump had insisted there was no collusion at least 231 times. Fact-checkers who revel in compiling lists of the presidents lies and misleading statements should, in good faith, add a special notation referencing this particular presidential mantra. On this most important of questions, it turns out that while a lot of people lied and misled, Trump was telling the truth all along. Gary Abernathy, a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, is a freelance writer based in Ohio. Whether or not you agree with the religious beliefs of Chick-fil-A, you should be concerned about the recent action by City Council to exclude it from the San Antonio airport. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are the foundations upon which this country was built. We should all ask ourselves what organization is going to be denied or expelled by the City Council next based solely on religious beliefs. Are Muslim businesses next? Or maybe Jewish businesses? Bill Vinal Time to move on Now that the long-awaited special counsel report has been rendered, it is time to work together to make this country even greater. Democrats have been saying to wait for the Mueller report as it will show what President Donald Trump did. Now that the attorney general has disclosed the report contains no evidence of collusion with the Russians by any American and no evidence cited that any obstruction of justice was found, it should be apparent to all concerned to move forward with governing instead of rehashing this. Doing so would prove it is only for political purposes and will be apparent to everyone. It is un-American for any person to wish our president or any other government official conspired with a foreign power to satisfy a political agenda. Robert Hicks, Cibolo Apologies to Trump The number of people in Democratic leadership and the news media who owe President Donald Trump an apology are too numerous to list here. Earl W. Brannon Hero and coward If allowing himself to get captured takes the label of hero off John McCain, do the five draft deferments (one on a phantom bone spur) slap the label of coward on Donald Trump? Raul Escamilla The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is hosting International Ocean Film Tour 6 on Thursday, April 4. The one-night film fest features inspiring personalities in six short films from around the world that celebrate sailors, surfers, scientists, artists and cinematographers who are doing extraordinary things in and on the oceans. Click here for more information and to reserve a ticket. The films start showing at 7 p.m., with the evening concluding with a Q&A about the marine world with panelists from The Maritime Aquarium and Sacred Heart University, whose Department of Biology is a sponsor. The event is the New England premiere of this newest, sixth version of the International Ocean Film Tour. The films will be shown on the giant video wall in Newmans Own Hall. Expected titles, according to a news release, include: Julie 15 minutes. Free diving and spearfishing became second nature to islander Julie Gautier. But her passion lies in the creative process. Fusing free diving and dance, Julie is Gautiers powerful story of finding her creative voice beneath the surface. 700 Sharks 20 minutes. Marine biologist and renowned wildlife photographer Laurent Ballesta takes audiences to the Pacific atoll Fakarava, where he has been studying the hunting behavior of reef sharks. With cutting-edge technology and a team of experts, Ballesta encounters more than 700 sharks and documents their strategies as they hunt groupers at night in a narrow ravine on the coral belt. Chasing the Thunder 45 minutes. Poaching at sea has flourished in remote places like the Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean, unchecked and uninhibited by law enforcement ... but not without defense from activists like Sea Shepherd. Chasing the Thunder is a real-life thriller in rough seas; an epic 110-day sea chase across three oceans and two seas, where the fearless captains of two Sea Shepherd vessels pursue the illegal fishing trawler Thunder. See how conviction and resilience can make a difference where governments fail. Andy Irons Kissed by God 30 minutes. Meet one of surfings all-time greats, a man who would change the sport forever but never managed to escape his own worst enemy: himself. In the 1990s, Andy Irons made a name for himself as the enfant terrible on and off the board. What appeared to be eccentricities was actually bipolar disorder. Kissed by God is the heart-rending story of an athlete who pushed the limits of his sport and transcended the boundaries of his condition against all odds up and until his untimely death. Surfer Dan 7 minutes. The winter waves on Lake Superior are just right for Dan Schetter. Dodging sheets of ice, he launches in the water with abandon to do what saved his life: surf. Nothing clears the head like a plunge into cold waterprecisely whats needed when you want to leave your drinking habits behind. A sober Surfer Dan introduces us to his drug and remedy, proving that a real surfer needs no palm trees, no tan lines and most importantly no excuses. Blown Away 7 minutes. Follow sound engineers Hannes Koch and Ben Schaschek on a 4.5-year life-changing journey, calling on ports in 31 countries, from Sydney to Berlin. Their goal: to record as many local musicians as they can and connect them all through music. On tape, the sailing conductors introduce people from across the globe, who have never met one another in real life. This sailing adventure has not only a unique sound track, it also will kindle everyones wanderlust. Stay after the films for an oceans Q&A with Barrett Christie and Dr. David Hudson of The Maritime Aquarium, as well as Sacred Heart University professors Jennifer Mattei, Barbara Pierce and Deirdre Yeater. Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, 10 N. Water St. Thursday, April 4, 7 p.m. $20, $18 members. (Note that regular adult Aquarium admission is $24.95. So, with doors opening at 6 p.m. for the event, attendees can tour the aquarium for an hour and then enjoy this special film fest for less than normal admission.) 203-852-0700. BRIDGEPORT The third of four community forums on the plight of the citys school budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The event is hosted by Make The Road CT at its headquarters at 850 State Street. Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson will be on hand to discuss the boards 2019-20 school budget. To avoid program and staff cuts, the budget needs a $16 million increase, according to district officials. The community sponsored forums were organized after a majority of the school board abruptly decided to cancel its series of forums on the City Budget, claiming they were too political and inconsistent in their message. The Make The Road CT is intended to allow the immigrant and Latino Community to have a say in the school budget process. Wendy Cardenas, a Make The Road community organizer said parents ought to be included in the decision making process of the school budget. The Bridgeport School District has made $38 million in personnel and programming cuts over the last 3 years because previous allotments from the city and state have not kept pace with rising costs. A fourth forum will be hosted by Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6 in Room 107 of Dana Hall on the University of Bridgeport campus. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck File photo A 48-year-old Naugatuck man pleaded guilty Tuesday in New Haven federal court to one count of mail fraud stemming from a fraudulent coupon scheme. John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, said Thomas Papcin pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall. UPDATE: 1:05 PM Stamford police posted on their Facebook page: Thank you she was located. EARLIER STORY STAMFORD Police are asking for the publics help locating a Stamford High School student who has been missing since last Friday. Reny Figueroa, 15, is sophomore at Stamford High School. Police say she did not return home from school on Friday. Police said she has since been seen in Norwalk and Bridgeport. Figueroa is the second Stamford teen to recently go missing. Christopher Nils, 14, a sophomore at Stamford Academy, was found this week after police say he went missing on March 7. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Reny Figueroa is asked to contact the Stamford Police Department at 203-977-4444. STAMFORD Richard Freedman had an unusual invitation for school officials scheduled to present the superintendents 2019-20 budget proposal to the Board of Finance Monday night. Freedman, who chairs the board that controls the citys purse strings, asked whether Board of Education members wanted to explain their Feb. 14 votes on the school budget. Freedman did that because the nine-member school board passed the $286 million budget a sizable 5 percent increase over this year with only four votes, not even a majority. That happened after one member, Antoine Savage, was absent the night of the school boards vote, and three Betsy Allyn, Jackie Pioli and Jennienne Burke abstained. Member Frank Cerasoli voted no. The four yes votes were President Andy George and members Jackie Heftman, Mike Altamura and Nicola Tarzia. But only three school board members took Freedman up on his invitation Monday. George explained that some members abstained because they looked for certain information and felt they hadnt gotten it. Heftman said she voted for the budget because it allows us to do what we need to do to keep successful programs going. Cerasoli said he voted no because the increase was excessive. Freedman asked whether he would recommend any cuts. I have some ideas, Cerasoli replied, but I dont want to elaborate at this time. So the Board of Finance, as it has done for weeks, peppered Superintendent Earl Kim and his staff with questions about school spending. When Clarence Zachery, chief fiscal and operations officer for the district, showed the finance board a chart indicating that the school boards operating budget has been increasing slower than the citys, Freedman objected. This board has been cutting your budget fairly regularly, Freedman said. Its a combined effort of your board, this board and the Board of Representatives. We forced it to happen. Its not because you planned it that way. Late into the meeting, Freedman asked the districts chief financial officer, Hugh Murphy, for updated pension, retiree health benefits, and workers compensation costs, which change as the year progresses. Murphy said the cost was expected to drop by a large amount, $561,000. When were you going to tell us that? Freedman asked. When I had a chance, Murphy replied. Were two hours into this meeting, and youre only telling us because I asked, Freedman said. The exchange is indicative of others in recent weeks. Finance board members this month told school officials to come back with more information in response to a request for $702,600 to clean up moldy classrooms. School officials returned with a revised request of $667,400, but finance board members approved only $600,000. When school officials then asked the finance board to release $202,000 from the districts Energy Reserve Fund to help pay an unexpected electric bill, they were told to return with a better analysis. Kim and his staff told finance board members Monday that the biggest reason for the increase in the 2019-20 school budget is salaries, followed by employee benefits. Together they comprise 78 percent of the budget. That is driven by the increase in health care costs, Zachery said. The average cost of benefits per employee now is $17,000, he said. Zachery presented slides showing that enrollment, at 16,300 students, will be at an all-time high if the 2019-20 projection is accurate. The fastest-growing segment of the population is special education, expected to number 2,400 students in the coming year, an increase of 5.6 percent since 2010. The population of general education students, by contrast, is projected at 13,900 an almost 1 percent decrease. It is significant because per-pupil spending for special education this year is $34,248, nearly twice the average. Data from the school district shows that students with emotional disturbance comprise the fast-growing need, followed by those with developmental delay, then autism, then learning disabilities. The number of children with attention deficit disorder has increased 7 percent in the last five years, the data shows. It is expected that special education students will comprise nearly 15 percent of the population in the coming year, and Kim said his staff is working to contain costs. We are adding staff in district to prevent out-of-district placements that are often more costly, he said. He expects 9.7 percent of special-education students to be sent out of district for instruction in 2019-20, down from 11.4 percent six years ago, Kim said. Another fast-growing cost is transportation, he said. The price of the districts contract with First Student, which supplies about 150 school buses, is escalating, expected to cost nearly $21 million in the coming year almost 11 percent of the budget. The district is taking other steps to limit spending, Kim said. In the last 10 years, student enrollment increased 7 percent but Central Office staffing decreased from 91 employees to 77, a 15 percent drop, he said. During the meeting, finance board members asked school officials to provide more information about contracted services that came in just under the amount that would have required the job to go out to bid; whether grants include the cost of Social Security for employees hired to implement the programs they fund; and to spell out which vendors were hired to provide what pupil services and for how much. Finance board member Dudley Williams went back to special education costs. Will you give us a list of in-district programs and the number of students enrolled in each? Williams asked. We have encouraged you to bring programs in-house and I would like to see that. The school boards data shows that Stamford is on the high end of average per-pupil spending in the area. In 2017-18, the latest data, Stamford spent $18,873 per pupil, which is less than the $21,000-plus spent in Greenwich and Westport, but more than what is spent in comparable cities: $17,589 in Norwalk, $13,689 in Bridgeport, and $12,899 in Danbury. The school boards capital budget is complicated by a mold infestation last summer that spurred countless roof, foundation, window and other repairs district wide. The city formed a Mold Task Force to handle the work, and the finance board will consider that budget April 9. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. FAIRFIELD - Glowing reviews of in-home caregivers who provide exceptional care for their loved ones pour into Assisted Living Services, Inc (ALS) each month from grateful families. Now ALS wants to show their appreciation for these employees who are worth their weight in platinum by launching the Platinum Caregiver Award program. Each month, this unprecedented initiative will award $5,000 to a stellar caregiver who has exceeded expectations for quality care. That amount may seem extraordinary for a caregiver of the month award, but that is how strongly committed we are to our clients and to our staff, and being the best in the industry, said Mario DAquila, MBA and Chief Operating Officer of ALS in Meriden. Our dedicated employees are our agencys most valuable asset. We want to acknowledge their contributions in a meaningful way to hopefully drive change in the caregiver profession. The programs first honoree, Nana Watson, was presented with the award in a surprise ceremony on March 26 while she was caring for client Ann Mulready at her home. Watson has been with ALS for seven years. For more than two decades, ALS has led the charge to raise the standards for quality of care across the board in the highly competitive homecare industry. The company already gives thousands of dollars each year to incentivize employees for superior performance or perfect attendance. Managers also receive incentives if quality assurance benchmarks are achieved. Incentives and genuine appreciation for staff members are just a few of the reasons ALS has a high employee retention rate with some employees still working for the agency for nearly two decades. Nana is an exemplary member of our team, said Sharon DAquila, Co-Founder and President of ALS. She treats each of her clients like family, with loving consideration and compassion. In addition to the monetary bonus, the Platinum Caregiver Award includes a beautiful crystal statue and a certificate of merit. To select the winning caregiver each month, ALS clients are called at random by Homecare Pulse, a third party survey company that measures customer satisfaction. Clients or family members will be able to rate the services and quality of care that is being provided. They will have the opportunity to mention caregivers who went above and beyond when caring for them or their loved one. Homecare Pulse benchmarks and compares agency results regionally and nationally. The caregiver with the highest quality score will earn the prestigious and well-deserved recognition for their outstanding work. ALS employs more than 400 caregivers across the state, all of whom are insured, bonded, and supervised. Newly hired employees undergo a National Criminal Background Check and eVerify. All of their Personal Care Assistants have attained previous training in a Home Health Aide or Certified Nurse Aide program, or have received specialized training to perform personal care or assist with activities of daily living. Additional training is provided in OSHA, Safety, Alzheimers Care, Hospice, Elder Abuse, Customer Service, and more. ALS is currently accepting applications for daily and live-in caregivers. We are excited to offer our very best employees this incredible opportunity to be rewarded for a job well done, said DAquila. Many of them have been with us for a decade or longer. They are truly the heart and soul of our company. Since 1996, award-winning home care agency Assisted Living Services, Inc. in Meriden, Clinton and Fairfield has provided quality care to residents across Connecticut. Their unique CarePlus program blends personal care with technological safety and monitoring devices from sister company Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. Learn more by visiting www.assistedlivingct.com or calling 203.634.8668. FAIRFIELD Fairfield Warde High School Headmaster David Ebling announced he would be retiring once the school year ends on July 31. Each day it is my pleasure to be the proud Headmaster of Fairfield Warde High School. So it is with very mixed emotions I inform you of my retirement at the end of the school year, effective July 31, Ebling wrote in an email to Fairfield students and parents. GREENWICH A Queens, N.Y., man facing charges of providing drugs that resulted in a fatal overdose in a Greenwich hotel last September was extradited to Connecticut on Tuesday, and police said they seized a quantity of cocaine from him while he was being booked extricated from his rear end. Daniel Linfante, 44, of Cooper Avenue, hid cocaine in a balloon secreted in his rectum, according to the arrest report. The suspect was observed removing a balloon from his rectum that contained several pills, the contents of which later tested positive for cocaine, police said. Besides being booked in Greenwich on a charge of first-degree manslaughter in the overdose case, he was also hit with charges of illegal possession of narcotics and improper storage of narcotics. Hiding drugs inside the body is a well-known feature of prison life and drug smuggling. Linfante was extradited from the Queens County Courthouse on Tuesday. Bail was set at $250,000 in the Greenwich case. The manslaughter case stemmed from a fatal overdose at a local hotel, which was not named by authorities. Investigators from the departments Narcotics Section were able to obtain information leading to a suspect who had sold narcotics, which led to the death of the deceased, according to a statement from police last year. The NYPD Fugitive Task Force arrested Linfante on Dec. 13, based on the warrant issued by Greenwich police. The extradition took more than three months after his arrest. Linfante has a previous record. On Oct. 8, he was arrested in New York City and charged with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. Law enforcement officials have been ramping up efforts to apprehend people who sell drugs that cause overdoses, as well as charging them with manslaughter. Greenwich police detectives arrested a Brooklyn man in February who allegedly sold a batch of heroin that killed a Greenwich man in 2017. Henderison Vargas, 20, of Havemeyer Street, is currently being held in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail on a manslaughter charge. In December, a former Greenwich resident was sentenced to more than two years in prison for his role in the death of friend to whom he provided drugs. Christopher Brokaw, 43, was given 30 months in prison for the drug-related death of Richard Congiu, 34, in Greenwich. Browkaw pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and sales of narcotics. Congiu was among three Greenwich overdose deaths and 72,000 nationwide in 2017. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More An abattoir in London has been fined nearly 24,000 for meat hygiene failings which have been described as a 'unacceptable disregard of procedures'. Romford Halal Meats Ltd has been fined a total of 23,952.35 after being prosecuted by the Food Standards Agency. The abattoir was found guilty of failing to prevent carcases from coming into contact with others before a post-mortem inspection is completed. The bunching of carcases at the abattoir occurred on 23 July 2017 and followed a series of warnings provided to the site operators to resolve the issue. The EU provision helps to ensure that carcasses are not bunched together prior to inspection which reduces the likelihood of cross-contamination. Once a post-mortem inspection has taken place, a carcass can have a health mark applied and be placed on the market. District Judge Gary Lucie handed down his judgement on 15 March 2019 at Barkingside Magistrates Court and the food business received a fine of 8,000 and ordered to pay costs of 15,782.38 and a victim surcharge of 170. Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer said: We welcome this fine for the unacceptable disregard of procedures that are put in place to protect consumers. It helps to send a clear message to other abattoirs that fail to uphold the required standards of food safety. Approximately 150 vegan protesters infiltrated an Australian farm over the weekend, filming themselves and posting the footage on social media. The campaigners, from the group Animal Activists Collective, entered the Millmerran, Queensland farm on Saturday (23 March). Dressed in black and white t-shirts reading Meat the Victims, the activists walked through the farm and circled farmer David McNamee while filming him. Mr McNamee explained that the protests were extremely distressing and put his family and his business at risk. The vegan group shared the footage on their Facebook page. It shows the farmer shouting at the protesters telling them to 'get off my country'. This incident has been extremely distressing for our family and our staff, Mr McNamee told Queensland Country Life. We follow industry best practice, the safety of our staff and livestock are a priority as well as adhering to the stringent biosecurity protocols for our industry. However, the actions over the weekend of those who illegally trespassed on our property put our family, staff and livestock at risk. Farmer David McNamee said the incident was 'extremely distressing' (Photo: @AnimalActivistCollective/Facebook) He added: It remains unclear why our family business has been targeted by this group of activists. However, on the Animal Activists Collectives Facebook page, one member said the group was 'not trying to start a war with farmers'. The incident follows the release of another viral video from Australia which shows a dramatic clash between vegan activists trespassing on a farm. Meanwhile, in the UK, activists stormed game farms in Wiltshire and Cornwall and let loose over 5,000 pheasants last week. And earlier this month, around 200 vegan activists descended on a pig farm in Lincolnshire. The owner claimed the mass protest caused the death of two piglets. Farmers have repeatedly highlighted how the industry is getting 'increasingly frustrated' at the attempts of individuals and activist groups who use 'misinformation and inaccuracies' to tarnish its reputation. The European Commission's decision to vote against renewing the approval of fungicide chlorothalonil will 'rob' farmers of a 'vital' plant protection product. Chlorothalonil the active ingredient in Bravo will not be renewed after member states of the EUs Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) voted to ban it. However, products containing chlorothalonil are already in use this growing season across the UK. The decision follows the European Chemicals Agencys classification of chlorothalonil as a category 1 carcinogen, following on from the European Food Standards Agency making a similar recommendation. Chairman of NFU Scotlands Combinable Crops Committee, Ian Sands, who owns and contract farms just under 2000 acres in Perthshire, said the decision is a 'mass set-back'. He said the ban has 'huge potential' to effect the whole of the Scottish food and drink industry. Growers like myself will find it very hard to understand why a product that has been in use since 1964 is now deemed to be unsafe, Mr Sands said. Without doubt, this product is the main stay of fungal disease control in Scotlands largest and most important crop, barley, where it is the only effective tool available for the control of ramularia leaf spot. A bad infestation can cause a fall in yield of 0.6 tonnes per hectare, equivalent to more than 10 percent of crop lost, Mr Sands notes. Ramularia also impairs quality and can increase screenings, hitting those who are growing for a quality market like malt whisky. He added: Chlorothalonil is also an important fungicide to protect other crops such as wheat, both by itself and mixed with other products to manage disease resistance, and alternatives are nowhere near as effective. With the number of plant protection products available to growers shrinking, the loss of chlorothalonil has the potential to make the viability of growing crops border line and given the huge importance of barley and wheat to the Scottish drinks industry, this could cause serious problems for this iconic sector. Factor in that this product is still going to be allowed to be used in other countries out with the EU, then this is disastrous for our growers, Mr Sands said. British machinery giant JCB is to invest 65 million in a new plant in India as the company prepares to meet 'increased demand' for its products. The new factory will be located in Vadodara near the port city of Surat in the State of Gujarat on the West Coast of India. It will fabricate parts for global production lines as the company prepares to meet increased demand, JCB said. India is the company's biggest single market since 2007 and the new plant to be opened will be the country's sixth. JCB has factories in Delhi, Pune and Jaipur. Production at the new facility on a 44 acre site will begin next year. The announcement follows the start of work on a new 50 million factory to build cabs for JCB machines in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire which will be completed later this year. Chairman of JCB, Lord Bamford said: With major investment in manufacturing capacity in the UK and India, we are very well placed to grow our business in the future. This year we celebrate 40 years of JCB India and our success over those four decades is down to our continual investment. Its fitting that we mark the 40th anniversary with an investment in a factory which will give us enormous manufacturing capacity. Lord Bamford is a staunch Brexiteer. Before the EU referendum, he wrote to his company's 6,500 UK employees to explain why he favours a Brexit scenario. In the letter he said he was 'very confident that we can stand on our own two feet'. He also said that more than 53% of all UK exports go to non-EU nations, warning that the EU has a shrinking share of world trade. John Hamilton, a farmer and director at the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, has died following a serious farm machinery accident. The 57-year-old farmer, who kept 500 suckler cows and 2,000 sheep, was killed on Sunday (24 March) after his machinery overturned. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police Scotland confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Known as 'Joffy' to his friends, he farmed at Aikengall Farm, near Garvald, East Lothian, with his wife and three children. He joined the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) in 2005 as a director. Alan Laidlaw, RHASS chief executive, said: As a much loved character John brought so much to the RHASS team and will be sorely missed by us all. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. The accident follows farmers being encouraged to 'make positive changes and be safe on the farm' as a new campaign highlights risks of everyday agricultural tasks. NFU Mutual has joined forces with the Farm Safety Foundation to urge farmers to assess the risk involved in of everyday farming tasks which continue to cause high levels of injuries and deaths. The campaign follows news that the number of fatal accidents in the agricultural industry during 2016/17 was 27, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive. That equates to 7.73 deaths per 100,000 workers in agriculture, compared to 1.94 in construction. Two-thirds of livestock farmers are still experiencing, or expect to experience, a shortage of forage and fodder supplies as a result of growing conditions in 2018, according to an NFU survey. Farmers were asked about the potential impact on farms if they receive only 75% of long-term average rainfall during the 2019 growing season the prospect for which is currently described as a reasonable worse-case scenario. Of the farmers experiencing continued problems, two-thirds of them have been able to extend the growing season, two-thirds have needed to buy in fodder, and half of them have sold off livestock. The survey results emerge as the Environment Agency said that within 25 years England will not have enough water to meet demand. The combined impact of climate change and population growth means that the UK faces an existential threat. The agency said it wants to see wasting water become as socially unacceptable as blowing smoke in the face of a baby. The NFU survey indicates that farmers are not waiting for long-term climate change to bite, but are already contingency planning to meet short-term risks of water scarcity. The survey results among members who use crop irrigation show the range and scale of measures being put in place to mitigate against drought risk: A third of irrigated crop growers are making changes to the types of crops grown A quarter are reducing the planted area of particular crop types A half are investing in new irrigation equipment to increase efficiency and optimum use A fifth are investing in new or additional reservoir storage capacity One-sixth are exploring opportunities for trading (of water and/or land with water rights) One-sixth of farmers were not taking any particular measures to manage risk of water shortage. NFU Vice President, Stuart Roberts said: Farmers bear the brunt of the impacts of extreme weather, and climate change predictions indicate that events like last summers drought, as well as the flooding of agricultural land, are likely to become more frequent in the years to come. We all have a role to play in managing water as a resource, however the question remains why are we jeopardising our nations food security so that members of the public can wash their cars? 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Photo: Moog & Friends Hospice House Penticton's Moog and Friends Hospice House needs a new kitchen, and a local group has stepped forward with a fundraiser to help them achieve that. On April 28, TIME Winery will host an event featuring art, wine and small bites. Every dollar from the proceeds generated will be matched by the organizers from the local Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem chapter, up to a maximum of $20,000, with all the money going to the hospice. "The kitchen at Moog and Friends has not been updated since the hospice was built. It badly needs updating in order to suit their requirements, and it is no longer very food safe," said Lisa Lalonde, with SOSJ Okanagan. The group has committed to raising $80,000 for the new kitchen, which will have a separate sterile space for staff to prepare meals, and a separate space for families to prepare beverages and snacks. They hope this event will help them achieve that. "We are a small group of about a dozen, but raised $50,000 for JoeAnna's House in Kelowna last year, doing a similar event," said Lalonde. Ticket holders will be entered in a lottery for all of the wine and art on display at the event. Lottery numbers will be called at random, and when your number comes up, you can pick from the options. They will also be auctioning off a "wall of wine," featuring 100 bottles of wine from the prize-winning entries to the 2018 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition and the cellars of Harry McWatters of TIME Winery. Tickets are $165 each or $225 for a pair, and can be found here. Sandalwood actor Sudeep might be facing legal action soon. According to Filmibeat Kannada reports, an arrest warrant has been issued against him. A Kannada television show by the name Varasdara was being created under his home banner Kiccha creations. But, his team hasn't paid the rent for using the space. Therefore, the landlord of the property took to the court to file a case against the actor and his production team. He has also told that property worth Rs 1.5 crore was destroyed during the shoot of the television show in Chikmagalur. When the actor failed to appear at the court yesterday (March 26, 2019) for the hearing, an arrest warrant was sent out. Deepak Mayur is the owner of the house and farm estate where the show was being filmed. He has now issued a statement that during the filming, a large part of his coffee estate has been damaged. Deepak had informed the actor and his production team to pay for the damage, however, they ignored it. MOST READ : CONFIRMED! Sudeep Will Campaign For Sumalatha Ambareesh On These Days! Are His Fans Upset? Meanwhile, Sudeep confirmed today that he would be campaigning for Sumalatha on April 10 and 11. We need to wait and watch if recent allegations against Kiccha will have an impact on the campaign. However, Sudeep is yet to respond to these reports. Immediate CRPF Protection For The Actor In the letter, Arvind wrote, "I hereby request you to kindly provide Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) protection to Smt Sumalatha Ambareesh, independent candidate in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, Karnataka, and leading Kannada actors Shri Darshan and Shri Yash, at the earliest in the wake of increasing violent actions by her opponents, particularly from workers and supporters of the political parties: JD(S) and Congress." Congress Goons Are Abusing Sumalatha It was further stated, "On the day of Smt Sumalatha's nomination, all the cable networks were cut off by the JD(S) and Congress goons. JD(S) and Congress leaders are abusing Smt Sumalatha Ambareesh, Shri Darshan and Shri Yash in public meetings and also instigating their workers through social media platforms against these three personalities." She's Being Watched & Photographed "She said that there were instances of a few men trying to gather information from her security guards and attempting to take photographs of those visiting the house. I had even asked a couple of them what were they doing outside my house, but was unable to get information," Arvind wrote in his letter to the Home Minister seeking immediate action. Nikhil Gowda Attacked Too! Apparently, it isn't only Sumalatha who is being targeted. According to a few reports, when Nikhil Kumar was in Bookanakere during an election campaign, someone pelt stones at his car. Reportedly, they even shouted, "Go back, Nikhil" slogans. Darshan's Fan Targeted Darshan's die-hard fan, Santhosh had stuck a picture of the actor with 'D Boss' written on it, behind his auto rickshaw. Upon seeing this, a few miscreants stole the hind wheels of the vehicle during the night. The victim resides in KR Pete, Bangalore. D Boss Fans Seek Justice Seeking justice against this unreasonable act, auto drivers and owners have approached the police. More than 50 representatives have requested cops to arrest the culprits immediately. The incident occurred only a day after the Chief Minister openly taunted Darshan and Yash while addressing the media. Police Refuse To Help Them According to Filmibeat Kannada reports, the police apparently refused to take any action against the issue. They said, "If the politics take a turn, it'll cause a lot of inconvenience to us. If we are forced to register a complaint, then we'll go ahead and file a case against your association." Political Drama Gets Ugly First, someone pelt stones at Darshan's residence. And then, an MLA from JD(S) threatened these actors for supporting Sumalatha. Just when one thought it couldn't get more ugly, Kumaraswamy issued a controversial statement targeting Darshan and Yash. Ahead of the elections, the political drama in Karnataka is getting dirty by the day. Challenging Star Darshan's involvement in politics has grabbed a lot of attention. The actor has come forward to support Sumalatha Ambareesh,who is contesting as an independent candidate from Mandya. But, his part in her campaign has been questioned by many. Recently, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy told in a press meet that Darshan and Yash are looting farmers. The actor took to his social media handle and requested his fans to not share any post around allegations. He wrote, "Around the time of the elections, it is common to see people make various sorts of allegations. I have told from the start that I don't react to all that and I request my dear fans to also refrain from sharing any post or video around allegations. Do not pay heed to the rumors. Stay calm and live in peace. This is a request from your Dasa." - (sic) Fans responded saying, "Our town mandya boss.We have never crossed the victory you put in, God & will keep you in your words. Brother, what will you do if you don't know how to do it, Ok d boss God jai javan jai kissan, jai ambarish brother" -(sic) CONFIRMED! Sudeep Will Campaign For Sumalatha Ambareesh On These Days! Are His Fans Upset "If you say it is correct, we are not political people to see what you have posted bad about you..How many of us don't have to be like your fans," another fan commented. Hyflux appears besieged by unhappy white knights, disgruntled investors and disputes with Algerian companies It's unclear where the Singapore-listed company goes from here On Tuesday it highlighted disagreements with two Indonesian conglomerates that have offered to rescue it, raising the possibility that Salim Group and Medco Group might yet walk away from the distressed firm But that could be welcomed by some investors, given the slim pickings they could be left with anyway In a statement, Hyflux said it has tried but has been unable to meaningfully engage SM Investments (the consortium comprising Salim and Medco) In recent weeks, the Indonesian duo have jointly issued notices to Hyflux,... Wireless solution saves money by connecting and managing over 10,000 LED streetlights and provides a low-cost platform for future smart city applications Telensa, a leader in connected street lighting and Smart City data applications, today announced that it has been selected by City of Darwin to deploy its PLANet intelligent street lighting system. In one of the largest Council-run projects of its type in Australia, Darwin will replace close to 10,000 lights on its street public lighting network with LEDs wirelessly connected by Telensa. They will be controlled by the Telensa Central Management System (CMS) and hosted in Australia by Amazon Web Services. This project follows a Northern Territory Government initiative to transfer the control of street lights to councils, with some now contracting for LED and smart controls upgrades. By selecting a system proven at mass scale across the world, the City of Darwin was able to move directly to full deployment, eliminating the need to run a pilot system. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190326005819/en/ City of Darwin Jeremy De Guzman [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)] (Photo: Business Wire) Telensa PLANet is an end-to-end intelligent streetlighting system, consisting of wireless nodes connecting individual lights, a dedicated wireless network owned by the city, and a central management application. The system pays for itself in reduced energy and maintenance costs, improves quality of service through automatic fault reporting, and turns streetlight poles into hubs for smart city sensors. With more than 1.7 million lights connected, Telensa PLANet is the world's most popular connected streetlight system. "Key infrastructure projects such as street public lighting demand the highest standards to ensure reliability and value for money, and Telensa's proposition more than satisfies both of those criteria," said Scott Waters, Chief Executive Officer, City of Darwin. "With Telensa's PLANet system, Darwin will be able to reduce costs whilst improving our street public lighting service. This project is another example of City of Darwin's leadership, delivering a safer, smarter, and more efficient environment for our community." "We are excited to be working with City of Darwin to deliver a modern, efficient and resilient street public lighting system that will effectively respond to the community's needs for decades to come," said Will Gibson, Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Telensa. "Telensa's flexibility and scalability means that we are able to begin deployment straight away, and we're looking forward to working with the City of Darwin on low-cost smart city applications which can be enabled by the city's new lighting network." About Telensa Telensa makes wireless smart city applications, helping cities around the world save energy, work smarter and deliver more joined-up services for their citizens. Telensa PLANet is the world's most deployed smart streetlight solution, with a footprint of 1.7 million lights. Building on the compelling business case for its smart streetlighting, the company provides cities and utilities with an open, low-cost platform to add multiple sensor applications. Working with Microsoft and Qualcomm technologies in the Urban Data Project, Telensa is helping cities to build future-proof operations driven by data intelligence, trust and transparency. Telensa is based in Cambridge in the UK, with regional operations in the USA and Australia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190326005819/en/ Contacts: PR Contacts Richard Howson Temono Communications Richard.howson@temono.com +44 (0)7833 693 862 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. This announcement is for information purposes only and is not a prospectus and not an offer of securities for sale in any jurisdiction, including in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and South Africa. 27 March 2019 MetalNRG plc (The "Company" or "MetalNRG") Option Agreement update on Uranium Project and Notification of proposed admission to the Official List and cancellation of trading on the NEX Exchange Growth Market MetalNRG plc (NEX:MNRG) today announces that it has replaced the terms of the option agreement (the "Original Option Agreement") announced on 16 August 2018, and the amendment to the Original Option Agreement (the "Amended Option Agreement" and, together with the Original Option Agreement, the "Option Agreement") announced on 24 January 2019 with International Mining Company Invest Inc ("IMC"), in relation to the Kamushanovskoye uranium deposit in Kyrgyzstan (the "Uranium Project") with the terms set out herein. The Option Agreement has been replaced with a farm-in agreement (the "Farm-in Agreement"), the terms of which are outlined below. The Farm-in Agreement enables MetalNRG to fund access to additional licence areas within the Uranium Project, which is intended to increase the overall resources of the Uranium Project, reduce the immediate payment required to secure 51% of the Uranium Project (as contemplated under the Option Agreement) and defer certain payments to ensure appropriate funding is in place for the further design and development of the Uranium Project. Under the Option Agreement, MetalNRG has already paid US$160,650 to IMC in connection with the Uranium Project (the "Initial Payment"). These funds have been used to ensure successful conversion of the exploration licence into a mining licence. The Farm-in Agreement requires MetalNRG to transfer US$400,000 to IMC on or around 10 April 2019 (the "Second Payment"). The Second Payment shall represent an entitlement to an economic interest of 51% in the assets and operations being the subject of the mining licence held by IMC over the Uranium Project. In order to maintain entitlement to the 51% economic interest, MetalNRG has committed to pay IMC a further US$1,989,350 over 18 months, with all such funds going towards an agreed work and development programme at the Uranium Project. The Farm-in-Agreement calls for the US$1,989,350 to be paid as follows: US$663,117 shall be payable in November 2019 , shall be payable in , US$663,117 shall be payable in April 2020 ; and shall be payable in ; and US$663,117 shall be payable in October 2020 . MetalNRG has a right of first refusal over any offer that IMC may make to any third party investors to obtain additional project finance in relation to the Uranium Project. If MetalNRG elects to provide funding equal to the amount of any project finance offer from a third party, upon such funds being received by IMC, MetalNRG and IMC shall commit to increase MetalNRG's economic interest in the Uranium Project by way of further agreement at a date to be agreed between the parties. If MetalNRG cannot satisfy any of the above-mentioned payments, the right of first refusal shall not apply. Following any default on any payment to IMC by MetalNRG, IMC shall have the right, subject to approval by MetalNRG, to enter into project finance arrangements with third party investors in relation to the Uranium Project, and MetalNRG and IMC shall commit to re-distributing the economic entitlement over the Uranium Project (by reference to the then-prevailing market value of the Uranium Project) by way of further agreement accordingly at a date to be agreed between the parties. In addition, MetalNRG is in the process of applying for admission to listing of its ordinary shares of nominal value 0.01 pence each (the "Ordinary Shares") on the standard listing segment of the official list (the "Official List") of the Financial Conduct Authority and admission to trading on the main market for listed securities of London Stock Exchange plc (together, "Admission"). The Second Payment is conditional on the proposed capital raise by MetalNRG in connection with Admission. Pursuant to Rule 81 of the NEX Exchange Growth Market Rules for Issuers, MetalNRG is not required to release a circular to its shareholders to obtain shareholder approval as it has made an application for the admission of the Ordinary Shares to the Official List. MetalNRG has given notice to NEX of its withdrawal. Rolf Gerritsen, CEO of MetalNRG, commented "The Farm-in Agreement enables us to reduce our initial cash outlay, increase the money that goes towards the development of the Uranium Project and progressing it towards production, while increasing our exposure to additional licence areas. Moreover, our proposed admission to the Official List and main market is intended to simultaneously raise the global profile of MetalNRG, increase its trading liquidity and provide the Company with a larger range of potential investors. I look forward to updating the market on our progress as we add value and move towards production with this exciting project and the proposed move to the Official List." The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. For further information, please contact: Embargoed until 7am27 March 2019 Altona Energy plc ("Altona" or "the Company") Interim Results Altona (NEX: ANR.PL), is an emerging energy company focused on developing its coal assets located in South Australia. The Company, which also has interests in mining for industrial metals in China, announces its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2018. Operational Highlights (Pre and Post Period End) Underground Coal Gasification project in South Australia being evaluated Possible investment in a Chinese vanadium mine under consideration Restructured board focused on shareholder value and corporate governance 500,000 loan note subscribed for by joint venture partner, Sino-Aus Energy Ltd Total assets are 11.2 million, with 19.8 million of tax losses which could be applied against future profits Qinfu Zhang, Executive Chairman of Altona, commented, "Following a challenging 2018, the current board of Altona is focused on the creation of value for shareholders. This is being approached in two ways; firstly, by the re-evaluation of our existing coal assets in Australia, with the view to gaining the necessary licences during the course of 2019, which will allow us to start the coal extraction within the next two years; and secondly, through the investment in a Chinese vanadium mining company, which the board is currently considering, and which is dependent upon the Chinese government granting the necessary permit to allow the deal to progress." For further information, please visit www.altonaenergy.com or contact: Altona Energy plc Qinfu Zhang, Executive Chairman +44 (0) 7795 168 157 Alfred Henry Corporate Finance Ltd (NEX Corporate Adviser) Jon Isaacs / Nick Michaels +44 (0) 20 3772 0021 Leander (Financial PR) Christian Taylor- Wilkinson +44 (0) 7795 168 157 Company Information Altona is an exploration company focused on the evaluation and development of its significant coal resource exceeding 7 billion tonnes (1.3 billion tonnes historic JORC compliant) in the northern portion of the Permian Arckaringa Basin in South Australia. Through its wholly owned Australian subsidiary Arckaringa Energy Pty Ltd, Altona holds a 100% interest in three exploration licences covering 1,944 sq. kms in the northern portion of the Permian Arckaringa Basin in South Australia including three coal deposits - Westfield (EL5676), Wintinna (EL5677) and Murloocoppie (EL5678). All three deposits lie close to the Adelaide to Darwin railroad and the Stuart Highway. The Company is currently evaluating an investment in a Chinese vanadium mining company. The Company was admitted to trading on AIM on 10 March 2005 and transferred its listing to NEX Exchange Growth Market on 1 February 2019. A copy of its admission documents dated 4 March 2005 can be accessed on its website, www.altonaenergy.com. This website is where items can be inspected under Rule 75 of the NEX Rules for Issuers. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT The six-month period under review from 1 July 2018 was a challenging period for the Company as is set out in recent announcements. With these issues now resolved the board of Altona is now fully focused on achieving shareholder value. The challenges referred to include a third-party pyrolysis licencing agreement entered into in August 2018, and which the board is no longer pursuing as it falls outside the core interest of the business and its current management. However, at the Company's Arckaringa project, in South Australia, where Altona owns the mining exploration licences to three sizeable tenements, progress was made with the receipt of a licence to construct water wells from the environmental regulator. The Company has been reviewing its strategy going forward which has included reassessing the extensive geological and hydrological data base at its disposal. Based on this data and other historical information and experience a cogent cost effective and achievable plan for the development of the coal assets is being formulated. In October, the Company proposed and subsequently executed a capital reorganisation of the shares, resulting in a thousand to one consolidation. The current board believes that this action has been partly responsible for the significant decline in the share price in the latter part of 2018 and first month of 2019 and is also confusing for shareholders. The new Board, in conjunction with its advisors, is considering whether remedial action is required and would have the desired effect to bring the share price more closely in-line with its original value. Financial Review The financial loss of the Group for the six months ended 31 December 2018 was 366,000 (H1 2017: 258,000). Cash in bank at 31 December 2018 was 19,000 and the Company has total assets of 11,173,000, which includes 11,074,000 of intangible exploration and evaluation costs. The Group has in excess of 19.8 million of tax losses carried forward which it hopes to be able to be offset against future profits. An Australian Government Resource Development Grant of the order of AUD104,000 is being actively sought. Following the board changes subsequent to period end, the current board and management are implementing policies and procedures to dramatically improve the financial stewardship of the Company moving forward. Post Balance Sheet Events Following a requisition for a general meeting on 14 December 2018, the shareholders met on 14 January and voted against the resolutions to remove Qinfu Zhang and Ma Chi from the board. Subsequently, Nick Lyth, Chief Executive and Henry Kloepper, Non-Executive Director resigned from the board with immediate effect on 24 January 2019. At the Company AGM on 25 January 2019, shareholders voted against the re-election of Timothy Jones and Robert Hales, as Non-Executive Chairman and Non-Executive Director respectively. Qinfu Zhang resumed his role as Executive Chairman of the Company and Philip Sutherland, who had resigned his role as Operations Director (Australia) in December 2018, was re-appointed to the board as Non-Executive Director on 1 March to continue his key role as Company representative in South Australia. Christian Taylor-Wilkinson was appointed Non-Executive Director on 1 February, as well as being reappointed as financial PR consultant to Altona, a role his company Leander, had carried out between 2014 and 2018. A highly experienced UK non-executive director has provisionally accepted a position on the board, conditional to funding being received by Altona. Alfred Henry Corporate Finance Ltd was appointed as Corporate Adviser on 1 February, following the Company's change in listing from AIM to NEX Exchange Growth Market on the same day. Also, on 1 February, the Company announced that its long-term joint venture partner, Sino-Aus Energy Group Ltd (Sino-Aus), had subscribed 500,000 for a convertible unsecured loan note, due to be redeemed on 31 July 2020. Sino-Aus is in the process of obtaining a permit from the Chinese government to transfer the funds out of China. Arckaringa UCG Project The board has revived its focus on its coal assets in South Australia and is currently in meetings with the Mining and Energy Department of the South Australian government to assess the Company's requirements for 2019. Further, the Company is monitoring the successes of Leigh Creek Energy, which owns the neighbouring mining tenements, and which has now commenced its commercial underground coal gasification ("UCG") project. Leigh Creek Energy, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange ("ASX") has seen its share price rise by almost 200% since it announced its successful syngas test burn in October 2018. Whilst Altona faces a more challenging environment with its own tenements, the board is positive that a similar achievement can be made in the long-term. With this in mind, the board is reviewing its position with the South Australian government as to the Petroleum Exploration Licence Application ("PELA") 604, a licence which covers the majority of the mining tenements the Company owns, and which is currently owned by Tri Star Energy, an American mining company. Primarily, the board is reviewing whether it can work around PELA 604 (in the non-overlapping areas of the tenements) or acquire the Licence from Tri Star Energy or, enter a co-operative agreement with Tri Star Energy or, request the South Australian government to not grant PELA 604 (the application was lodged by Tri-Star on 14 March 2016 and remains under consideration by the regulator) and grant the Company PELA 666, which was filed by Altona on 25 October 2016 and covers the same geographical area. Sino-Aus remains committed to its AUD30 million investment into the Arckaringa project, conditional upon the correct licences being granted. Possible Vanadium Mine Investment As announced on 14 January 2019, the Company is evaluating an investment into a Chinese vanadium mining company, in which Qinfu Zhang and his business associates own a 40% stake. The process is following the strict regulations set by the Chinese government, the first of which is for the company to obtain a permit to allow it to enter into a joint venture agreement with a non-Chinese company. Whilst this process is being negotiated, the company is conducting a detailed exploration survey which will be followed by a JORC evaluation report. The mine's main product is Vanadium Pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) which is currently in very high demand in many industries, including steel strengthening, energy storage in industrial batteries, thermal imaging equipment, nano-fibre applications and as a catalyst in many industrial chemical reactions. A representative of Altona's board will visit the mine in April to meet with the company and commence due diligence. While the investment cannot move forward until a permit from the Chinese government has been granted, the board and its advisers are establishing a plan of action so it can move forward quickly, upon a successful issue of the required permit. Outlook The Company is focused on two potentially significant projects; coal-to-syngas in South Australia, through is its Arckaringa licences, and vanadium in China, through a possible joint venture agreement and investment. The board is aware that both projects require the granting of licences and permits from third parties and that much work will need to be done to bring either to fruition. However, following the poor strategic decisions of 2018, the board realises that the need for a successful investment must be achieved in order to start returning value to shareholders and, with this in mind, is fully committed to both projects. Qinfu Zhang Executive Director 26 March 2019 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE HALF YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018 Notes Unaudited Half-year ended 31 Dec 2018 Unaudited Half-year ended 31 Dec 2017 Audited Year ended 30 June 2018 '000 '000 '000 Total administrative expenses and loss from operations (366) (258) (645) Finance income - - - Loss before taxation (366) (258) (645) Tax 3 - - - Loss for the financial period (366) (258) (645) Other comprehensive income Exchange differences on translating foreign operations maybe subsequently reclassified to profit or loss (148) (258) (575) Total comprehensive profit/(loss) attributable to the equity holders of the parent (514) (516) (1,220) Loss per share - Basic and diluted 4 (23.51p) (21.85p) (63.05p) CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2018 Unaudited 31 Dec 2018 '000 Unaudited 31 Dec 2017 '000 Audited 30 June 2018 '000 ASSETS Non-current assets Intangible assets 11,074 11,541 11,219 Other receivables 3 3 3 Total Non-current assets 11,077 11,544 11,222 Current assets Trade and other receivables 77 23 38 Cash and cash equivalents 19 756 391 Total Current assets 96 779 429 Total assets 11,173 12,323 11,651 LIABILITIES Current liabilities Trade and other payables 5 127 60 91 Total Current liabilities 127 60 91 Total liabilities 127 60 91 NET ASSETS 11,046 12,263 11,560 Capital and reserve attributable to the equity holders of the Parent Share capital 1,427 1,427 1,427 Share premium 18,692 18,692 18,692 Merger reserve 2,001 2,001 2,001 Foreign exchange reserve 1,263 1,727 1,411 Retained losses (12,337) (11,584) (11,971) TOTAL EQUITY 11,046 12,263 11,560 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS FOR THE HALF YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018 Unaudited Half-year ended 31 Dec 2018 Unaudited Half-year ended 31 Dec 2017 Audited Year ended 30 June 2018 '000 '000 '000 Operating activities Loss before taxation (366) (258) (645) Finance income - - - Share based payments - - - Foreign exchange on loans to controlled entities - 2 - (Increase)/ decrease in receivables (39) (9) (24) Increase / (decrease) in payables and provisions 36 (42) (11) Cash used in operations (369) (307) (680) Income tax benefit received - - - Net cash outflow used in operating activities (369) (307) (680) Investing activities Interest received - - - Net cash outflow from investing activities - - - Financing activities Proceeds from issue of shares - 1,048 1,095 Costs of issue - (46) Net cash inflow from financing activities - 1,048 1,049 Increase/decrease in cash and cash equivalents in period/ year (369) 741 369 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period / year 391 15 15 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (3) - 7 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period / year 19 756 391 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE HALF YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018 Share capital Share premium Merger reserve Foreign exchange reserve Retained losses Total shareholders' equity '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 Balance at 30 June 2016 892 18,178 2,001 1,986 (11,326) 11,731 Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - (259) (258) (517) Issue of share capital 535 514 - - - 1,049 Balance at 31 December 2017 1,427 18,692 2,001 1,727 (11,584) 12,263 Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - (316) (387) (703) Balance at 30 June 2018 1,427 18,692 2,001 1,411 (11,971) 11,560 Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - (148) (366) (514) Issue of share capital - - - - - - Balance at 31 December 2018 1,427 18,692 2,001 1,263 (12,337) 11,046 NOTES TO THE INTERIM REPORT FOR THE HALF YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2018 1. GENERAL INFORMATION Altona Energy Plc (the "Company") is a company registered in England and Wales. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Company for the six months ended 31 December 2018 comprise the result of the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the "Group") and have been prepared in accordance with the NEX Exchange Growth Market Rules for Issuers. As permitted, the Company has chosen not to adopt IAS 34 "Interim Financial Statement" in preparing these interim financial statements. The consolidated interim financial information for the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2018 is unaudited. In the opinion of the Directors the condensed interim financial information for the period presents fairly the financial position, and results from operations and cash flows for the period in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied. The condensed interim financial information incorporates unaudited comparative figures for the interim period 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2017 and extracts from the audited financial statements for the year to 30 June 2018. The financial information contained in this interim report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined by section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. The comparatives for the full year ended 30 June 2018 are not the Company's full statutory accounts for that year. A copy of the statutory accounts for that year has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditor's report on those financial statements was unqualified but did include a reference to the uncertainties surrounding going concern, to which the auditors drew attention by way of emphasis of matter and did not contain a statement under s498 (2) - (3) of Companies Act 2006. The interim report has not been audited or reviewed by the Company's auditor. The key risks and uncertainties and critical accountancy estimates remain unchanged from 30 June 2018 and the accountancy policies adopted are consistent with those used in the preparation of its financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2018. 3. TAXATION The Group has recognised a Nil tax credit (31 December 2017: nil and 30 June 2018: nil) in respect of the concession for research and development tax credits available to the Group. No current taxation has been provided due to losses in the period. 4. LOSS PER SHARE The basic loss per share is derived by dividing the loss for the period attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of shares in issue. Unaudited 31 Dec 2018 Unaudited 31 Dec 2017 Audited 30 June 2018 Loss for the period ('000) (366) (258) (645) Weighted average number of shares - expressed in thousands 1,559 1,181 1,023 Basic loss per share - expressed in pence (23.51p) (21.85p) (63.05p) As the inclusion of the potential ordinary shares would result in a decrease in the loss per share they are considered to be anti-dilutive and, as such, the diluted loss per share calculation is the same as the basic loss per share. 5. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES Unaudited 31 Dec 2018 '000 Unaudited 31 Dec 2017 '000 Audited 30 June 2018 '000 Trade payables 60 22 54 Accruals and other payables 67 38 37 127 60 91 6. POST REPORTING DATE EVENTS There were no material post reporting date events. Photo: Contributed The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is backing the city in its request for more input on an overdose prevention site. Interior Health is issuing a request for proposals for a contractor to deliver OD prevention services in Vernon, including a fixed overdose prevention site. We appreciate that a public health emergency has been declared in B.C. and that Interior Health and other organizations are taking steps to save lives. However, we share the City of Vernons concern that there isnt sufficient community involvement in identifying a suitable location for a prevention site or if such a facility is even needed in the community, said chamber president Diana Wilson. Those contractors submitting bids to operate the overdose prevention site must identify the steps they will take to consult with local government and businesses and residents near the proposed site. But that engagement may be too late in the process, particularly in determining if a location for the facility meets the communitys needs. "We would call on Interior Health to ensure the City of Vernon is part of the process evaluating bids to operate the overdose prevention site and that city council be asked to sanction the location of the facility prior to IH agreeing to the contractors proposal. If the city doesnt support a specific location, then that site should be abandoned, said Wilson. Ideally, there would also be an opportunity for the community at large to have input, she said. IH officials told council they are committed to working with all stakeholders so the site does not have a negative impact on the community. If Interior Health and the Ministry of Health want to ensure the success of an overdose prevention site in Vernon while addressing concerns from the community, there needs to be a comprehensive strategy to interact with city council, businesses, local health care professionals and residents, and it needs to occur prior to selecting a facility contractor and not after the fact, said Wilson. KIEV, Ukraine, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 16-18 in Kyiv, will host the main business event of the region in the solar energy field, devoted to latest technology, trends and investments opportunities - CISOLAR 2019, 8th International Solar Energy Conference and Trade Show of Central and Eastern Europe. Today solar energy development is one of priority areas for investors in the world and Eastern Europe in particular. As of October, 2018 in Ukraine more than 1,06 GW capacity of megawatt-type solar power station were built and by end of the year this indicator will increase to 1,2 GW. In addition to large scale projects, the segment of small solar stations, including solar roof stations, is also rapidly developing. Since 2015 in Ukraine more than 72 million euro has been invested in the installation of small households stations. As of June 15, 2018, the number of households equipped with solar power plants exceeded 6 031. On April, 16 a key B2B event the CISOLAR 2019 Solar Energy Conference and Trade Show will be held at the Hilton Kyiv Hotel (30 Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd.). It will be attended more than 70 speakers and 500 delegates - owners, executives, directors of influential companies, and as well as investors and entrepreneurs in the field of solar energy from more than 30 countries. In particular, at the conference participants will discuss industry prospects, main trends and investments in solar energy projects. Presenters will share their international experience and tell about new technologies and innovative solutions for the PV sector. An important part of the conference - CISOLAR AWARDS 2019 Ceremony, which traditionally will be chosen the best solar energy projects in Central and Eastern Europe and will be held at the first day of business event. On April,17-18 the CISOLAR 2019, 2-days Trade Show will be held at the ACCO International Exhibition Center (40-B, Peremohy Avenue, Kyiv). A large-scale Trade Show will feature more than 100 exhibitors who will demonstrate new projects, the best technological solutions for business and home. The number of visitors is expected to be 5 000+. Practical trainings and workshops for PV-installers have already become an integral part of event and will take place on April, 17-18. Events will be useful for property owners - private and multi-apartment buildings that have already installed solar panels, operate or plan to install. Participants will learn how to economize on green tariff and start developing own businesses. CISOLAR is the first major business platform in Central and Eastern Europe, where participants share their experience of the most successful PV projects, discuss current issues in the solar energy field and learn about the latest trends, legal aspects, present ideas and solutions, conclude contracts, find and strengthen partnerships. Become a member of CISOLAR 2019 and join world-renowned experts, participants in the international solar energy market, suppliers of state-of-the-art energy efficiency solutions - individuals with activities and achievements who write a new page on the development energy industry. The future begins here. Organizer - Innovative Business Centre (IB Centre Europe) Register on the site: https://2019.cis-solar.com/ phone number: +38-044-383-03-56 or write a letter on e-mail to Organizing Committee: inna.nemova@ibcentre.org Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841535/IB_Centre_CISOLAR.jpg LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Temporall, a market leader in cultural analytics, today announced the release of Culture Workbench, an enterprise ready, real-time culture analytics platform which enables organisations to continually measure workplace culture through a digital, integrated toolkit. Workplace culture has historically been misunderstood and intangible. Culture Workbench measures the cultural health of an organisation and provides a smarter, real-time digital check on performance. Culture & Innovation Index (CII) Part of the Culture Index Library, senior leaders can now securely and anonymously capture extensive quantitative, qualitative, and organisational network analysis data utilising the Culture & Innovation Index (CII), Temporall's culture diagnostic product that uncovers key insights from across an organisation. Utilising the extensive Index Library, rich data analytics and reporting capabilities help leaders transform data into strategic insight to make better, more informed decisions. Improved Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) For some time now ONA has helped businesses by analysing the relationships and patterns between people and the impact that individuals have on the organisation. Culture Workbench combines quantitative, qualitative and sentiment analysis alongside ONA - something that has never been measured before. Technology partnerships To coincide with the general availability of Culture Workbench Temporall is pleased to announce technology partnerships with Slack, Workplace by Facebook and Google Cloud. The partnerships enable Culture Workbench to offer enterprise integration, syndicating Temporall technology into existing productivity and communication tools. Slack integration. Seamlessly integrate Culture Workbench's Bot to engage, gather insight and ideas from across the business via Slack. It securely captures real-time end-user feedback on organisational health, and recommendations for improvement directly from Slack Channels and Direct Messages. Workplace by Facebook integration. Culture Workbench's Bot is used to continuously engage, gather insight and ideas from across an organisation within Workplace. Securely captures real-time responses and end-user feedback and recommendations for improvement directly in Workplace Chat. Google Cloud integration. Culture Workbench utilises many of the powerful capabilities of Google Cloud and is a foundational element of the platform's advanced data analytics and machine learning functionality. Users can integrate with GSuite for real-time user provisioning or with Chat to gather end-user feedback and recommendations for improvement. Pricing There are two subscriptions packages and tailored enterprise solutions also available: Foundation edition - access to the CII, 2.50 per employee, per month Premium edition - access to the full Index Library and full suite of products and capabilities: 4.50 per employee, per month Summary of key features Culture Workbench combines quantitative, qualitative and sentiment analysis alongside ONA Uses tools such as machine learning and sentiment analysis Integrations with 3rd party technology partners - Slack, Workplace by Facebook, Google Cloud Culture Index Library available in nine languages -Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hindi ( India ), Japanese, Portuguese ( Brazil ), Spanish ), Japanese, Portuguese ( ), Spanish Ability to utilise Temporall team of data scientists for deep learning of existing data sets Mobile App (iOS & Android) to make measuring culture even easier and more convenient - coming soon Thomas Davies, Temporall Founder & CEO said, "Today marks a milestone moment for organisational health and workplace culture. For two years we've been developing our analytics technology to demystify culture, help business leaders develop it as a KPI and measure what impact it has. We wanted to create a cutting-edge enterprise ready tool that turns data into insight and helps leaders take informed action. And we've done just that. Data analytics is already a growing practice for the C-Suite - in payroll, absences and operations performance, it can give insight into an organisation's workforce and HR processes. And now businesses can use technology to gather more complex data about every element of company culture. I'm proud to work with a world-class team of experts and partners and look forward to seeing how culture analytics positively impacts performance for businesses in these transient times." Stuart Simms, CEO of Rakuten Marketing, is an early adopter of culture analytics, believing it to be a cornerstone of managing change, and an active Temporall customer. He says "Culture analytics has helped us to track and measure the impact of change on our business performance. Historically we didn't ask the right questions and they weren't regularly supported up by meaningful data in terms of behavioural analysis and psychometrics. Now, not only do we ask the right questions, but more importantly we have the right tools to analyse and truly understand that data on demand. Culture Workbench allows us to keep a constant eye on a dashboard, surfacing the impact of our decisions on employee engagement and motivation. Ultimately our ambition is to constantly evolve and adapt the organisation to ever changing market conditions, therefore we are selectively investing in tools which help achieve this mission." Temporall Temporall is the leader in Cultural Analytics. Temporall help executives and their leadership teams develop and sustain high-performance organisational culture, using Culture Workbench; a real-time culture analytics platform that utilises proprietary algorithms and machine learning technology. For more information about Temporall, visit www.temporall.com Twitter:@temporalluk LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/Temporall LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Capital Group, LLC ("Imperial") announced today that its affiliate, Imperial Capital (International) LLP ("Imperial Capital International"), has opened a new branch in Milan. Imperial Capital (International) LLP, Italian Branch expands Imperial's international franchise into continental Europe, and will be led by Managing Director Antonio Mannino, who transfers from Imperial Capital International in London. This senior transfer and new location will allow Imperial Capital International to further expand and strengthen its relationships with European institutional clients and complement Imperial's existing sales and trading franchise. Mr. Mannino joined Imperial Capital International Credit Sales in 2016, with over 15 years of credit sales and trading experience, specifically covering Italian hedge fund and real money clients. Mr. Mannino was previously a Director of Fixed Income at Societe Generale, with a focus on Investment Grade and High Yield Credit Sales. Mr. Mannino graduated from Bocconi University with a degree in Economics. "Our new Milan branch demonstrates a key evolution of our European franchise, building on the success of our London operation, and leveraging Antonio's significant credit sales experience and relationships. It will help us to better serve our institutional clients and underscores our commitment to serving the institutional community and our long term commitment to Europe," said Brian Robertson, Head of Imperial Capital International in Europe. About Imperial Capital, LLC Imperial Capital, LLC is a full-service investment bank offering a uniquely integrated platform of comprehensive services to institutional investors and middle market companies. We offer sophisticated sales and trading services to institutional investors and a wide range of investment banking advisory, capital markets and restructuring services to middle market corporate clients. Paired with our proprietary research and sales & trading desk analysis, we provide investment analysis across an issuer's capital structure, including bank loans, debt securities, the hybrid/bank capital marketplace. About Imperial Capital (International), LLP Imperial Capital International, founded in 2011, is an affiliate of Imperial Capital, LLC with an office in central London. Complementing Imperial Capital's existing corporate credit sales and trading franchise, Imperial Capital International expanded the Imperial Capital franchise into the EEA. The company focuses on the entire credit spectrum and takes a full capital structure research approach to supplement sales and trading services to its European institutional clients. Surface Technologies International will quickly ramp up production to meet Phasor customer demand WASHINGTON and LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Phasor, the developer of leading, enterprise-grade electronically-steered antenna (ESA) systems, today announced that it has engaged manufacturer Surface Technology International (STI), to bring industry-leading manufacturing capability to commence the production of its ESA systems. STI is a specialist Contract Electronics Manufacturer, serving world-class customers in high-reliability industries by providing a complete set of electronics design and manufacturing solutions in both printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and full box-build manufacturing. "STI is delighted to have been selected by Phasor as their manufacturing partner for their commercial ESA production requirements. The products will be manufactured in the STI Poynton facility, an industry-leading centre manufacturing high-quality electronic systems. We are looking forward to seeing Phasor grow in this rapidly expanding market," said Simon Best, STI Managing Director. "Contract manufacturing with a leading partner is a core tenet of our strategy. Our partnership with STI is critical and will enable us to start production of the Phasor ESA with a company that will be able to scale as demand for our technology grows," said Mike Warren, Phasor SVP of Operations. Headquartered in Hampshire, UK and part of the AC Industrials group, STI has decades of experience in the manufacture of complex aerospace, military and satcom systems. This will ensure that Phasor can successfully ramp up production as required with a renowned partner that is located within easy reach of Phasor's London Technology Centre. In contracting a trusted manufacturing partner, Phasor can continue to focus on its core competencies in advanced ESA technology development, product design, and market development. "STI brings vast experience to the table and consistently reaches the highest technical standards within demanding timeframes to offer a manufacturing solution with world-class technical competence. This is essential as we move into commercial production and, together, we look forward to making our technology and products commercially available," said David Helfgott, CEO, Phasor. Phasor's very low profile (2" high), low weight, solid-state electronically-steerable antenna has no moving parts, making it more reliable and resilient than mechanically steered antennas. The modular, dual-beam architecture of the Phasor ESA provides resilience and interoperability between geosynchronous high-throughput satellites (GEO HTS), and non-geosynchronous satellites (Low Earth Orbit [LEO] and Medium Earth Orbit [MEO]) satellites. About Phasor Phasor Inc. is a leading developer of high throughput, enterprise-grade, modular, phased array antennas, headquartered in Washington DC, with a technology development subsidiary in London. Phasor's electronically steerable antennas (ESAs) are based on patented innovations in dynamic beam forming technologies and system architecture. Phasor's mission is to enable high-speed broadband communications while in-flight, at sea or travelling over land. For more information please visit www.phasorsolutions.com About STI Surface Technology International is a specialist Contract Electronics Manufacturer, serving world-class customers in high-reliability industries by providing a complete set of electronics design and manufacturing solutions in both printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and full box-build manufacturing. We are organised into Manufacturing, Supply-Chain, Research & Development. Headquartered and operating from a manufacturing site in the UK since 1989, we purchased a second manufacturing facility in South East Asia in 2010; with both platforms equipped with the same machinery and processes. STI purchased a further manufacturing site in 2015 in Poynton, Manchester, UK to manufacture airborne and naval Satcom products. STI can now offer its full range of capabilities at an optimal cost point to meet most CEM requirements. In 2017, STI was acquired by Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), a globally leading manufacturing solutions provider and a division of AC Industrials, the industrial technology group of Ayala Corporation. Now part of the Ayala and AC Industrials family, STI is well positioned to exponentially expand its global capabilities, consistently delivering superlative customer satisfaction. About AC Industrials and Ayala AC Industrials invests in and operates Ayala's businesses in industrial technology. With three major business lines - global manufacturing, enabling technologies, and automotive distribution & retail - AC Industrials seeks to develop, commercialize, and scale up an integrated portfolio of businesses across the mobility, connectivity, and smart energy spaces. Its parent, Ayala Corporation, is one of the oldest and largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia with business interests in real estate, banking, telecommunications, water, power, industrial technologies, infrastructure, healthcare, and education. With operations mainly in the Philippines and a growing regional and global footprint, it serves millions of customers across all market segments. Media Contact: Helen Jameson +44(0)7878-432-940 helen@spacescript.co.uk (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/720259/Phasor_Logo.jpg ) SHANGHAI, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotel Plus - HDE, organized by UBM Sinoexpo in Shanghai, is the leading event that unites national hospitality industry each year. Designed to provide a platform for sourcing, collaboration and networking to meet the needs of hoteliers, the B2B show will take place during April 25 - 27, 2019 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. With more than 800 exhibitors falling into diverse categories of building materials and operational supplies this year, over 320 among them are room amenity suppliers and hotel textile companies. They will gather together in Hall W3, W4 and W5, where visitors could find a full spectrum of hotel supplies from toiletries and towels to slippers and mattress. Many exhibitors will bring their latest products and collections, presenting new possibilities for hotels and resorts to upgrade memorable touch-points. Kailai, holding 3 own brands and 8 acting brands from Japan, US and Europe, is the professional manufacturer and distributor of high-end hotel consumables for over 20 years. Ganbor, partnered with many world class amenity brands, serves start hotels and resorts inside and outside China by room bath care integrated with the concepts of fashion, innovation, health and environmental protection. Due to the concept of home away home is becoming popular in hospitality market in China, more and more household names could be seen in hotels. Dongxing, cooperated with Shanghai Jahwa, the daily chemical company in China with over 100-year history, has launched the new hotel amenity line of Herborist, Liushen and Maxam. LMZ, the well-known national brand specialized in toothpaste with herbal extracts, invested a new company in Yangzhou producing personal hygiene products for economy hotels. Chinese textile companies are using HDE to meet domestic and international clients that will develop business connections and launch new products and collections for hospitality buyers. Chengjin Shi, General Manager from Chinese leading integrated linen supplier Canasin commented: "We attended this event more than 20 years ago for the first time. Our company has developed and expanded with the help of Hotel Plus. We hope to move forward with the show and make better progress together in the future." Share Watt, established by the descendant of Jian Zhang, the pioneer of modern textile industry in China, now have a complete production line from weaving to printing, dyeing and sewing. Their brand Share Warm are used in many international hotels including Shangri-La, Hyatt and Hilton. Hong Jin Ding, with 9 exclusively-invested companies across China, possesses a hotel textile brand Canwin. They have cotton field in Xinjiang covering 1.34 million square metres, which allow them to control the quality and cost of finishing products from raw material sourcing. Siwei, located in Weihai, Shandong Province where is famous for traditional embroidery, is a decorative fabric enterprise offering textile for guest rooms, lobbies and banquet halls. Sidefu, "Famous Trademark of China", is the integrated solution operator since 1984. The company has won plenty of international certifications including Oeko-tex Standard 100 and is also recognized by many hotel groups at home and abroad. Other international exhibitors attending the 2019 event include L'occitane, La Bottega, Groupe GM - all set to reveal upcoming cooperation business in China; while Protect-A-Bed and Standard Textile, will be showcasing their featured products. Before the opening show, HDE 2019 has already confirmed quality buyers from across 105 different countries, with total number more than 36,000 and over 20% of them are hotel operation professionals. Access to pre-registration please go to www.hdeexpo.com/en-us. For the latest updates, please follow @HDE_Event HotelplusHDE2019 on Twitter. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841161/ShareWatt_Hotel_Linen.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841163/Aierni_Kailai.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841166/Sea_Essentials_Ganbor.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841968/Hong_Jin_Ding_Towels.jpg MALTA, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OKEx, a Malta-based world-leading digital asset exchange, announced its expansion to Turkey by launching Turkish Lira on its C2C (customer-to-customer) fiat-to-token trading platform at its C2C Network Launch Event in Istanbul. The Turkish Lira C2C trading service will be available from early April. To cater to the upcoming traffic from the Turkish market, the Turkish language is now also available on OKEx.com, in addition to the already supported 8 languages. "Turkey is the country that has one of the highest percentages of crypto ownership in Europe, and it owns one of the fastest growing crypto communities in the world. While Turkey is entering an economic recession, people are finding ways to safeguard their wealth and many of them have turned to digital assets. At OKEx, we are actively looking for ways to serve the community here. By supporting Turkish Lira, we hope to provide an additional solution for the local people to address their concerns on economic stability," said Andy Cheung, Head of Operations of OKEx. At the evening networking event hosted yesterday in Istanbul, the Turkish capital, OKEx brought together a group of blockchain and technology enthusiasts to discuss the crypto and blockchain development in the country. During the "mindxchange" session, several crypto leaders and entrepreneurs generated an insightful conversation about the mass adoption process of digital assets in Turkey. The panelists, including Hakan Kayis, Founder of SocialTheGang, Tolga Odoglu, Managing Partner of Menapay, Eray Eren, Co-founder and CPO of Colendi, Elcin Karatay, Lawyer of Solak & Partners, shared their views about how to promote crypto adoption and discussed the potential of blockchain applications in Turkey market. Turkish Lira Now Available on OKEx C2C Trading OKEx C2C trading platform allows users to place orders with self-selected exchange rates and payment methods to buy or sell Virtual Financial Assets with fiat currencies, benefiting users by offering a low-volatility market and zero transaction fee. Turkish Lira C2C Trading Platform will be officially available in early April. OKEx C2C trading offers a decentralized platform for the buying and selling of Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). To trade on the C2C platform, users in Turkey have to complete simple steps, including KYC level 1 verification, as well as linking a valid Turkish bank account and a mobile number. For more information about C2C trading, please visit here. About OKEx OKEx is a world-leading digital asset exchange headquartered in Malta, offering comprehensive digital assets trading services including token trading, futures trading, perpetual swap trading and index tracker to global traders with blockchain technology. Currently, the exchange offers over 400 token and futures trading pairs enabling users to optimize their strategies. The platform provides a safe, reliable, and stable environment for digital asset trading, serving millions of customers from over 200 countries and regions. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/841971/Turkey_C2C.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/738615/OKEx_Logo.jpg Continued growth for 2018 (+ 6%) Solid profitability in the home building activity and growth investments in diversification activities Increasing market share in a sector undergoing concentration The Board of Directors of MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT, meeting on March 19th, 2019, approved the accounts for the financial year ending on December 31st, 2018. Audit procedures on the consolidated accounts have been completed. The auditors' certification report will be issued upon publication of the annual financial report. Consolidated (M) 2018 2017* Var. Sales 804.0 758.5 +6% Operating Income 36.0 41.9 -14% Operating Margin 4.5% 5.5% -1 pt Financial Income - - - Net Income 24.6 28.5 -13.7% Net Margin 3.1% 3.8% -0.7 pt *Accounts restated under the IFRS15 accounting standard Strong resilience in a difficult environment For 2018, the Group MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT shows a strong level of activity with total sales of 804M up by 6% compared to 2017, of which 5.2% at constant scope. This is the result of the Group's 2017 record order intake, in spite of the gradual increase in construction lead times and the impact of nationwide social movements during the last quarter of 2018. Overall, throughout the 2018 financial year, the B2C and B2B renovation activities continued to enjoy sustained growth, with total sales of 108M, up by 14.8%. The Group's operating income reached 36.0M, i.e. 4.5% of sales, against 41.9M in 2017 and reflects contrasting factors according to the activity. The Group's home building activity performed well with operating income up by 2.7% reaching 38M. As announced, structural factors weighed on the profitability of the renovation activity: Temporary production delays in the B2B activity linked to strong growth; Strengthening of teams; A drop in the relative gross margin linked to the repositioning of the activity on larger-scale projects. The operating income of the renovation business was thus -0.9M against 4.0 M the previous year with, however, a rebound during the second half. Moreover, during the year, the Group created HIBANA, a real estate development company, requiring a sustained rhythm of investments in terms of recruitment and overheads. The 2018 net margin reached 24.6M against 28.5M in 2017, with net profitability at 3.1%. Strengthened financial foundations At December 31st, 2018, the financial structure remains very strong, with shareholders' equity (Group share) reaching 183.6M, cash assets of 117.4M and debt of 65.3M. Thus, cash net of debt improved by 12,6M in one year and reached 52.1M at the end of 2018. Dividend for the 2018 financial year The Board of Directors will propose the payment of a dividend of 1.5 per share at the annual General Meeting to be held on May 16th. The payout will be made on June 13th, 2019. 2019 outlook Within a market down by 11.3% over the last twelve months (Source Markemetron), impacted by a general downturn in financial support for first-time buyers, the Group's home building activity outperforms the market and continues to gain market shares. Year-to-date order backlog at end of December 2018 represents 7,157 sales, i.e. a turnover of 847.9M (excl. tax), down by only 7.1% in number and 3.6% in value compared to 2017. After a drop in overall order intake over the first 9 months of 2018 compared to 2017, the 4 th quarter showed signs of recovery in terms of sales, up by 2.7% in value. This decline at the end of 2018 should be offset by a speeding up of the processes. After a drop in overall order intake over the first 9 months of 2018 compared to 2017, the 4 quarter showed signs of recovery in terms of sales, up by 2.7% in value. This decline at the end of 2018 should be offset by a speeding up of the processes. Over a sliding 3 months period, the Group registered an increase in order intake by 9.1% in value (198.3M) and 8.9% in number (1,661 sales). The renovation business continues sustained growth: At the end of 2018, the year-to-date order backlog of the B2C renovation activity reached 49.6M, up by 8.7% and confirms a better dynamic over the last quarter, up by 25.5%. The B2B renovation activity shows an increase of 108.6% in its order intake, to 106.6M. Over the last sliding 3 months period, order intake for the B2C renovation activity is up by +10,7%. Over the same period, B2B order intake shows an increase of 61.8%. The real estate development activity, with 3 programs being launched, is developing in synch with our ambitions. The first returns on investment are expected during 2020. Thus, given the visibility generated by its backlog and considering the level of its production in progress, the Group MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT should register a new year of growth accompanied by a significant improvement in the operating profitability of its renovation activity. The strategy developed over the past few years to become a housing generalist by developing related growth relays (Services, Renovation, Land development, Real estate development) and through the strengthening of its leading position in home building in France, allow the Group MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT, that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, to face the future with serenity and confidence in its medium-term market plan. Next press release: 2019 1st quarter sales, on May 6th, 2019, after stock exchange closing ABOUT MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT: Founded in 1919, MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT is the oldest home building company in France and the main actor on the French market (individual plots). Already leader in home building, MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT became the French No. 1 in house renovation in 2015. The Group operates in all 12 regions in France, with over 365 sales offices. Staff at December 31st, 2018: 1,980 people. MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT equities are eligible for PEA-PME equity savings plan. MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT is listed on the Euronext Paris - Compartment B. ISIN Number: FR 0004159473 - Index: CAC Small, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable, CAC All-Share Commercial site: www.maisons-france-confort.com - Financial site: www.groupe-mfc.com CONTACTS: MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Patrick Vandromme Chairman and Managing Director Tel +33 (0)2 33 80 66 61 Email pvandromme@maisonfc.fr ACTUS finance & communication Corinne Puissant Analyst/Investor relations Tel +33 (0)1 53 67 36 77 Email mfc@actus.fr Jean-Christophe Godet Chief Financial Officer Tel +33 (0)2 33 80 66 61 Email finances@maisonfc.fr Marie Claude Triquet Press relations Tel +33 (0)4 72 18 04 93 Email mctriquet@actus.fr GLOSSARY: Gross order intake: a contract is recorded in gross order intakes on signature by the client and acceptance by our sales administration departments (control of documents and validity of the project's financing plan, return of the field survey, verification and acceptance of the selling price). The amount recorded corresponds to the pre-tax turnover generated on this contract Order backlog: all recorded orders which have not been cancelled or transferred to "production in progress". Production in progress: all orders for which the conditions precedent to begin work have been met (building permit and client financing obtained, client ownership of the land) and which have not been accepted by the client (delivered). Evolution of sales at constant scope: evolution of sales of periods to be compared, recalculated as follows: In the event of an acquisition, the turnover of the acquired company that has no correspondence in the comparison period is deducted from the current period, In the event of transfer, the turnover of the transferred company that has no correspondence in the current period is deducted from the comparison period B2B (business to business): refers to transactions conducted between two companies. B2C (business to consumer): refers to transactions conducted between the company and consumers. Net contribution margin: corresponds to the difference between the sales generated by contracts and the costs directly related to these contracts (construction costs, sales or broker commissions, taxes, insurance, etc.). Cash position: includes cash on hand and demand deposits. Debt: includes all current and non-current financial debts. Cash net of debt: available cash less debt. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Recevez gratuitement par email les prochains communiques de la societe en vous inscrivant sur www.actusnews.com Communique integral et original au format PDF:Telecharger le PDF Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) ("Pancon" or the "Company") has completed its first exploratory drill program at the early stage Montcalm Ni-Cu-Co Project, adjacent to the former Montcalm Mine owned by Glencore, 65 kilometres northwest of Timmins, Ontario. The purpose of the maiden drill program was to test airborne virtual time-domain electromagnetic (VTEM) geophysical anomalies identified in 2018. All assay results have been received from 10 diamond drill holes which produced approximately 4,300 metres of drill core. Pancon President and CEO Layton Croft stated: "We drilled 10 VTEM anomalies covering a broad section of the Project area. Narrow (<1.5 metre) sections of massive sulphides, net textured sulphides and sulphide stringers were intersected, explaining all but 2 of the VTEM anomalies. The mineralized intervals did not return anomalous Ni-Cu-Co assay results. Further evaluation of the data identified a complex magnetic feature, hosting a cluster of electromagnetic (EM) anomalies we are calling the Hook zone. We are now conducting induced polarization (IP) and geophysical reinterpretation on the Hook zone in anticipation of follow-up drilling." Highlights & Analysis: The former Montcalm Mine is situated in the large, continuous Montcalm Gabbro Complex, and is the only known mineralized occurrence. The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines' (MNDM) 1990 GEOTEM Survey (Map 81360) identified 11 EM anomalies in the area covered by the combined land positions controlled by Pancon (Montcalm Project) and Glencore (Montcalm Mine). The former Montcalm Mine is coincidental with 3 of those 11 EM anomalies. 6 of the 11 EM anomalies from the MNDM Survey are associated with a complex magnetic feature called the Hook zone. These 6 anomalies are proximal to each other and form two east-west oriented trends which follow the magnetic pattern. The magnetic pattern in the Hook zone has a curved hook shape (see map below), indicating local change in strike direction. This change in strike direction posed a problem for the VTEM line orientation, and thus Pancon's subsequent drilling orientation. This would explain why Pancon's 2 holes in the Hook zone did not intersect mineralization. Pancon's 2 strongest VTEM anomalies are both located in the Hook zone. They were not explained by drilling, remain viable targets and are the subject of ongoing reinterpretation. The 6 EM anomalies in the Hook zone have not been explained by any of the previous exploration programs. Pancon is currently conducting IP surveys and a geophysical reinterpretation on the Hook zone in anticipation of follow-up drilling as soon as possible. Hook zone map: To view an enhanced version of the zone map, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5156/43674_48b0b615a4bb58df_003full.jpg About the Montcalm Project: The Montcalm Project (3,780 hectares, 37.8 square kilometres) is located within the prospective Montcalm Gabbro Complex in the Montcalm Greenstone Belt, 65 kilometres northwest of Timmins, Ontario. The Project is contiguous to and surrounds the western, northwestern and southwestern portion of the former Montcalm Mine, which was discovered and developed based on a single airborne electromagnetic anomaly identified in the 1970s and previously mined 3,931,610 tonnes of ore grading 1.25% nickel (Ni), 0.67% copper (Cu), and 0.051% cobalt (Co), producing in excess of 4 million pounds of Co (Ontario Geological Survey, Atkinson, 2011). The Company cautions that the mineralization on this adjacent property is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization that may be identified on the Company's property. In January 2018, Pancon acquired an option to earn a 100% interest in the Montcalm Project, as well as in the nearby Nova Project, as detailed in its January 10, 2018 news release. Qualified Person: The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Todd Keast, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Keast is a member of Pancon's Technical Advisory Committee and Pancon's Projects Manager. Certain technical information within this news release is historical in nature and pre-dates NI 43-101 standards; this information is believed to be reliable however the Company has not verified this material. About Pancon: Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC), or Pancon, is a Canadian-based exploration company with a mission to generate value through responsible exploration of prospective assets proximal to producing/former mines in low-risk areas. Pancon holds five nickel-copper-cobalt projects in Northern Ontario. The Montcalm Project, Gambler Project, Nova Project and Strachan Project are adjacent to and near the former Montcalm Ni-Cu-Co Mine located 65 km northwest of Timmins. The St. Laurent Project has an advanced Ni-Cu-Co-Au-Pt-Pd target and is located 50 km south of Detour Lake Mine and 20 km southeast of Casa Berardi Mine. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Jefferson Gold Project near Haile Gold Mine and adjacent to the former Brewer Gold Mine on the Carolina Gold Belt in South Carolina, USA. For further information, please contact: Layton Croft, President & CEO or Jeanny So, Manager, External Relations E: info@panconresources.com T: +1.416.293.8437 For additional information please visit our new website at www.panconresources.com and our Twitter feed: @PanconResources. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43674 SAN JOSE, California and HYDERABAD, India, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Analytics Insight Magazine has named 'The 10 Most Valuable Digital Transformation Companies in 2019' in its March issue, featuring companies driving exponential business change across industries globally. The issue recognizes 10 companies which are significantly accelerating innovation by integrating disruptive technologies, re-inventing business models and transforming business processes to deliver improved customer service and experience. Here's a look at the top 10 companies that made the list: Trianz: Featured as the magazine Cover Story, Trianz simplifies digital evolutions through effective strategies and excellence in execution. Powered by knowledge, research, and perspectives, Trianz enables clients to transition to a digital enterprise by leveraging Cloud, Analytics, Digital, Infrastructure and Security paradigms. Affle: Recognised as theCompany of The Month, Affle offers a proprietary consumer intelligence platform that delivers consumer engagements, acquisitions and transactions through relevant Mobile Advertising. The platform aims to enhance returns on marketing investment through contextual mobile ads and reduce digital ad fraud. Altimetrik: A digital transformation and solutions partner providing Digital Culture Talent, Product Engineering, Data Engineering, Advanced Analytics, and an enhanced and nimble DevOps methodology that help customers become market ready faster. HashedIn: A software development company that builds Intelligent SaaS (iSaaS) products with expertise in Analytics, Machine Learning, and Integrations, built upon learning from a decadal experience of launching 150+ products so far. Infogain: A Silicon Valley-headquartered company which accelerates the delivery of digital customer engagement systems using digital technologies such as cloud, microservices, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence to its clients. Pegasystems: Delivers award-winning capabilities in CRM and digital process automation (DPA) powered by advanced artificial intelligence and robotic automation, and helps the world's leading brands achieve breakthrough business results. Ping An: A world-leading personal financial services group powered by disruptive technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Cloud, severing over 184 million retail customers and 538 million Internet users worldwide. PubNub: The company offers realtime infrastructure-as-a-service, and provides enterprise-grade security, 99.999% SLA-backed reliability, and global scalability to support the largest realtime deployments, all via simple APIs and 70+ SDKs. Tech Mahindra: A leading technology firm representing the connected world, offering innovative, convergent, and customer-centric information technology and digital experiences, enabling Enterprises, Associates and the Society to Rise. Torry Harris Business Solutions: A multinational provider of business, technology and IT consulting services specializing in the areas of Integration, Platform Services, Full life-cycle API Management and Digital Transformation Services. Enterprises are striving to improve agility, strengthen core capabilities, drive innovation, and embrace digital opportunities to meet today's growing demands. To achieve these business objectives, organizations require a successful digital transformation strategy with diligent execution. "The selected companies are redefining the way businesses have operated for decades, driving exceptional disruption and creating a substantial value across industries through new enabling technologies. We congratulate all the ten companies in creating revolutionary digital solutions that go beyond the prevailing regular workspace ecosystem," says Ashish Sukhadeve, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Analytics Insight. Read the detailed coverage here. For more information, please visit https://www.analyticsinsight.net. About Analytics Insight Analytics Insight, a brand of Stravium Intelligence, is an influential platform dedicated to insights, trends, and opinion from the world of data-driven technologies. It monitors developments, recognition, and achievements made by AI, big data and analytics companies across the globe. The Analytics Insight Magazine features opinions and views from top leaders and executives in the industry who share their journey, experiences, success stories, and knowledge to grow profitable businesses. To set up an interview or advertise your brand, contact info@analyticsinsight.net. Contacts: Ashish Sukhadeve Founder & Editor-in-Chief Email: ashishsukhadeve@analyticsinsight.net Tel: +91-40-23055215 http://www.analyticsinsight.net Media: Email: press@analyticsinsight.net Tel: +1-408-380-2566 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Renaissance Gold Inc. (TSX-V:REN / OTCQB:RNSGF) ("RenGold") is pleased to share public comments made by AngloGold Ashanti's ("Anglo") CEO, Kevin Dushnisky, during an interview at the recent BMO Global Metals and Mining Conference in Florida, USA. Dushnisky described RenGold's Silicon Project in Nevada as "a very interesting deposit" and "the base of Anglo's increasing presence in North America." Please click on the following link for the full video interview with Dushnisky. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2019-02-25/anglogold-ashanti-ceo-discusses-m-a-possibilities-video Robert Felder, President and CEO states, "We are happy to hear these positive comments coming from the CEO of Anglo about their work to date on the Silicon Project, and are very pleased with the significant commitment of resources and the rapid advancement of this project by Anglo. All indications point to a significant success." Anglo entered into an agreement with RenGold in 2017, whereby it has the option to acquire 100% interest in the project by paying RenGold US$3,000,000 by June 21, 2020 (See NRs dated June 30, 2017 and June 11, 2018). Anglo has already paid US$300,000 to RenGold, and the 2nd anniversary payment of US$300,000 is due in June. If Anglo completes the option, RenGold would retain a 1% net smelter return royalty on future production from the project. RenGold personnel recently visited the project and noted two drill rigs operating (one core and one reverse circulation) and a drill pattern covering approximately 3 kilometers in length. The Silicon Project is in Nye County, Nevada in the Bare Mountain District near the town of Beatty. Corvus Gold (KOR) is advancing the adjacent Mother Lode deposit and Coeur Mining (CDE) recently acquired the Sterling Mine property from Northern Empire Resources and is advancing that project as well. A map showing relative land positions in the district is shown in Figure 1. About Renaissance Gold Inc. Renaissance Gold Inc. is a western US focused prospect generator utilizing a joint venture business model. RenGold applies the extensive exploration experience and high-end technical skills of its founders and team members to search for and acquire high quality precious metal exploration projects that are then offered for joint venture to industry partners who provide exploration funding. RenGold maintains a large portfolio of gold and silver exploration properties and has entered into over 70 exploration agreements including those as its predecessor, AuEx Ventures Inc., and those from Kinetic Gold. RenGold's objective is to place its projects into exploration agreements, testing as many drill targets as possible and providing maximum exposure to success through discovery. About AngloGold Ashanti AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation. AngloGold Ashanti Limited is now a global gold producer with 14 operations in nine countries. Qualified Person All technical data disclosed in this press release has been verified by RenGold's Qualified Person, Robert Felder, M.Sc. and Certified Professional Geologist as recognized by the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). By: Robert Felder, President & CEO For further information, contact: Robert Felder 775-337-1545 or bfelder@rengold.com Ronald Parratt 775-337-1545 or rparratt@rengold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Renaissance Gold Inc. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Renaissance Gold Inc's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Renaissance Gold Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. SOURCE: Renaissance Gold Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540167/Renaissance-Golds-Silicon-Project-Commented-on-by-AngloGold-Ashanti-CEO Alanna Kelly One of the largest horse seizures in B.C.s history is still in progress and the BC SPCA is pushing charges forward to Crown counsel. Fifty neglected animals were seized from a property near Vernon on Monday. The veterinarian said yesterday they had to come off the property and they should not stay there, said senior protection officer Eileen Drever. Animal abuse at the Irish Creek Road location dates back to 2009, when Carla Christman was arrested and more than 70 animals were seized. What we are looking at is releasing the distress, said Drever. Some of them were underweight, there were other issues on the property the environment itself. On Monday, 42 horses, four dogs and four hogs were taken. It is problematic because this is one of the largest horse seizures Ive encountered in my time, said Drever. Over the next few days, veterinarians will be overseeing the health of all 50 animals. Their location will not be released, for safety. Just by removing them we relieved their distress, she said. But we dont have the space to accommodate all of them, so we are looking at other accommodations. BC Horse Angels came into the care of five of Christmans horse before the SPCA seizure, and now is looking for good homes for the animals. Founder Belinda Lyall says she needs to pay about $1,450 for the horses, by the end of the week to keep them. They are in good shape and they need a good worming and good food, she said. There is nothing wrong with them, they are beautiful. Lyall says horses have been neglected at the property for years. It has been happening for years, there are horses dying on her place every year. If you want to donate or are interested in one of the horses, visit this link. CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated each horse was $1,450. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Luckystrike Resources Ltd. (TSXV: LUKY) ("the Company or Luckystrike") is pleased to report it has arranged a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds totalling $426,780. Upon final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") the company will have in excess of $1 million dollars in general working capital and will also be fully funded to execute its 2019 diamond drill program on its flagship 100 % owned Yukon Lucky Strike property. The 2019 drilling will focus on expanding the new gold zone along an 800 m section of a 1.8-kilometre buried IP chargeability anomaly that directly corresponds with the gold zone discovered with drill hole DDL-18-06. This zone is comprised of an unoxidized gold/sulphide rich unit assaying 4.55 gpt Au over 7.66 meters and remains open both along strike and to depth as reported in the November 13th press release. The offering consists of flow-through units at a price of $0.25 per unit and non-flow-through units at the price of $0.20 per unit. Each flow-through unit comprises one common share, which is a flow-through share for Canadian income tax purposes, and one one-half share purchase warrant. Two $0.50 one-half warrants will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share, which is not a flow-through share, at the price of $0.50 for 24 months after closing. Each non-flow-through unit comprises one common share, which is not a flow-through share, and one share purchase warrant. Each $0.40 warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share, which is not a flow-through share, at a price of $0.40 for a period of 36 months after closing. If, at any time four months after the date of completion of the offering, the company's shares have a closing price equal to or higher than $0.80 per share for 10 consecutive trading days on the Exchange (as defined herein), the company shall thereafter be entitled to give notice to the holders of all $0.40 warrants, by news release, that such warrants will expire at 4:30 p.m. ET on that date which is 30 days after the date of such news release, unless exercised before the expiry of that period. If, at any time after four months after the date of completion of the offering, the company's shares have a closing price equal to or higher than $1.00 per share for 10 consecutive trading days on the Exchange(as defined herein), the company shall thereafter be entitled to give notice to the holders of all $0.50 warrants, by news release, that such warrants will expire at 4:30 p.m. ET on that date which is 30 days after the date of such news release, unless exercised before the expiry of that period. The company may pay finders' fees equal to six per cent of the gross proceeds from a portion of the financing in cash and six per cent finders' warrants equal to the number of units sold in accordance with the policies of the Exchange. The proposed private placement and finders' fees are subject to Exchange acceptance. All shares issued pursuant to the offering (including shares issued to finders), as well as any shares issued pursuant to the exercise of warrants, will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date. November 13th News Highlights Reported Lucky Strike property, located in the heart of the White Gold district, Yukon: Diamond drill hole DDLS-18-06 intersected multiple gold-bearing zones at the Monte Carlo zone, returning 1.16 grams per tonne gold (g/t Au) over 8.3 metres in the upper zone and 4.55 g/t Au over 7.6 m in a newly discovered lower zone comprising a broad gold-sulphide-rich unit (Link to Nov 13 th Press Release). This drill hole confirms the lower zone directly corresponds to a large, subsurface, strong IP (induced polarization) chargeability anomaly that is defined for 1.8 kilometres and remains open in all directions. The discovery of this broad gold-mineralized unit significantly expands the zone to depth, with very strong potential to quickly expand the scale and geometry of Monte Carlo gold zone both along strike and to depth by targeting this clearly defined 1.8-kilometre IP anomaly with future drilling: The lower zone is considered highly significant, as drill hole DDLS-18-06 represents the only one to have targeted the IP chargeability zone and confirmed the presence of a broad zone of high-grade gold mineralization within the IP anomaly. Trenching at Monte Carlo returned 0.94 g/t Au over 30 m including 1.14 g/t Au over 24 m. The 2018 trenching has also significantly expanded the strike length of known gold mineralization along the Monte Carlo trend from 400 m to 560 m, and the zone remains open to the northwest and southeast. Soil sampling, rock grabs and IP data indicate a larger footprint of 1,800 m by 450 m on Monte Carlo, part of the 10 km Lucky Strike corridor. Trenching and IP along the 10 km Lucky Strike corridor were also successful in delineating several new drill targets at both the Maverick and Belmont zones. Link to short video, providing an overview of the Luckystrike Property. Link to an updated company presentation. Bill Chornobay, President and CEO of Luckystrike Resources stated: "With the summer drill program fully funded and fast approaching we look forward to following up on this new discovery. Drilling will be focused on expanding the new gold zone both along strike and to depth. With continued drilling success this zone could quickly evolve into the next big discovery." ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD William Chornobay President and Chief Executive Officer For new information from the Company's programs, please visit Luckystrike's website at LuckystrikeRes.com or contact Jeff Stuart of King James Capital Corporation, handling Investor Relations for the Luckystrike, by telephone at (604) 210-2150 or by email at jstuart@kingjamescapital.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipates", "expects", "understanding", "has agreed to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "would", "occur" or "be achieved". Although Luckystrike has attempted to identify important factors and risks that could affect Luckystrike and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, without limitation: inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with Luckystrike's expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters; labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in operations; fluctuating metal prices; unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on its projects; that Luckystrike may not be able to confirm historical exploration results and other risks set forth in Luckystrike's public filings at www.sedar.com. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Luckystrike has applied several material assumptions, including the assumption that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Luckystrike does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. *NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES* To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43688 PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE NEOVACS STRENGTHENS ITS FINANCIAL STRUCTURE: ISSUANCE OF "ORNANE" FOR A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF 10M, WITHOUT STOCK SUBSCRIPTION WARRANTS Paris and Boston, March 25th 2019 - 7:30 pm CET - Neovacs (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNEV, eligible PEA- PME) (the "Company"), a major player in therapeutic vaccination for the treatment of autoimmune diseases through its Kinoid technological platform, announces that it has entered into an agreement with European Select Growth Opportunities Fund (the "Investor") for the financing by issuance of notes convertible into new and/or existing shares of the Company and/or redeemable in cash (the "ORNANE") for a maximum nominal amount of 10 million, with an 8% facial discount, not bearing interest and with no stock subscription warrants attached, over a maximum period of 24 months. "We are very pleased with L1 Capital's confidence in us and we welcome this agreement, which provides Neovacs with a flexible financial tool and financial visibility beyond the next 12 months based on the Company's current R&D plans. We are convinced of the potential of our products in development and this fundraising allows us to consolidate our clinical and preclinical development strategy," indicated Miguel Sieler, Chief Executive Officer of Neovacs. Objectives of this transaction Continue the development of IFNa Kinoid concerning lupus following the results of the Phase IIb clinical trial in order to prepare for the next clinical stage and monitor the progress of patients treated as part of the five-year long-term follow-up program in accordance with the study protocol. Continue the development of the preclinical program of IFNa Kinoid concerning Type 1 Diabetes and IL-4 / IL-13 Kinoid concerning the treatment of allergies. General description of the transaction The transaction will result in the issuance of several tranches of ORNANE notes to the Investor, at the Company's discretion and subject to certain conditions, for a maximum nominal amount of 10 million over a 24-month period, it being specified that: it is expected that the first tranche of ORNANE, for a nominal amount of 1 million, will be issued by the Company and subscribed by the Investor as of today; unless otherwise agreed by the Company and the Investor, the ORNANE tranches will be for a nominal amount of 1 million, it being specified that the nominal amount of the second ORNANE tranche may be up to 3 million at the Company's discretion. The issuance of the ORNANE tranches subsequent to the second tranche is subject to the approval of the extraordinary general meeting of Neovacs to be held no later than June 15th 2019. The Investor will have the option to draw, at its sole discretion and subject to certain conditions, up to 4 tranches of ORNANE. On an indicative basis, the participation of a shareholder holding 1% of the Company's share capital prior to any capital increase resulting from the issue of new shares upon conversion of the ORNANE will amount to 0.74% in the event that all the ORNANE that may be issued under the financing programme are redeemed exclusively in new shares1. However, the ORNANE may, at the option of Neovacs, result in the allocation of an amount in cash or existing shares and thus have no dilutive impact on Neovacs' shareholders. The characteristics of the ORNANE and the detailed terms of the transaction are presented hereafter in the appendix. It is reminded that no stock subscription warrants are attached to the ORNANE. In consideration for the Investor's commitment to subscribe for each tranche of ORNANE issued by the Company, the Company will pay the Investor a commitment fee equal to 3% of the nominal amount of each tranche of ORNANE subscribed. The commitment fee will be paid upon the drawing of each tranche of ORNANE, at the Investor's discretion, either by issuing ORNANE or in cash as a deduction from the subscription price of the ORNANE. Indicative timetable for the transaction March 22nd 2019 Signature of the financing contract with the Investor March 25th 2019 Issuance by the Company of the first tranche of ORNANE Subscription of the first tranche of ORNANE by the Investor Publication of the press release Prior to June 15th 2019 Annual ordinary and extraordinary general meeting of the Company's shareholders approving, in particular, the resolution allowing the issuance of the ORNANE tranches following the second tranche About Neovacs Listed on Euronext Growth Paris Contacts NEOVACS - Corporate Communication & Investor Relations Charlene Masson +33 NEWCAP- Press relations Annie-Florence Loyer +33 1 44 71 00 12 / +33 6 88 20 35 59 afloyer@newcap.fr Lea Jacquin +33 1 44 7 20 41 / +33 6 58 14 84 66 ljacquin@newcap.fr ORPHEON FINANCE - Financial Communication and Investor Relationship James Palmer +33 7 60 92 77 74 j.palmer@orpheonfinance.com Verdier & Co. Corporate Advisory - Financial Consulting Jean-Philippe Verdier +44 This press release is for information purposes only. It does not and may not in any way be considered as an offer of shares by Neovacs to the public, nor as a solicitation of the public relating to an offer of any kind whatsoever in any country, including France. In France, the offer of securities referred to here is made exclusively in the context of a placement, in accordance with Article L. 225-138 of the French Commercial Code. This offer does not constitute an offer to the public in France and no prospectus approved by the Autorite des marches financiers will be published. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and the securities may not be offered or sold in the United States unless such securities are registered under the U.S. Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act is applicable. The Company and its subsidiaries have not registered, and do not intend to register, the securities referred to herein in the United States, and do not intend to conduct a public offering of securities in the United-States. With regard to the Member States of the European Economic Area which have transposed Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003, as amended, in particular by Directive 2010/73/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 (the "Prospectus Directive"), no action has been or will be taken to allow an offer to the public of the securities covered by this press release requiring the publication of a prospectus in either Member State. The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be subject to specific regulations. Persons in possession of this press release should inform themselves of and comply with any local restrictions. Appendix Characteristics and terms of the transaction Legal framework of the transaction Pursuant to its 6th resolution, the extraordinary general meeting of March 12, 2018 granted the Board of Directors, with the option to subdelegate, a delegation of competence to decide to issue, on the French and/or international market, with cancellation of the shareholders' preferential subscription right, ordinary shares of the Company and/or debt securities and/or any other securities giving access, immediately or in the future, at any time or on a fixed date, to the Company's share capital, to a category of beneficiaries. At its meeting of March 22, 2019, the Board of Directors (i) used this delegation, (ii) approved the principle of an issuance of ORNANE representing a bond issuance with a maximum nominal amount of 10 million over a period of 24 months from the date of signature of the financing agreement, and (iii) delegated to the Chief Executive Officer (Directeur General) all powers to issue the first tranche of ORNANE and draw down the second tranche, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the financing agreement (the "Agreement"). The Chief Executive Officer signed the Agreement on March 22, 2019 and it is expected that the first tranche of ORNANE will be issued by the Company and subscribed to by the Investor today. The issuance of the ORNANE tranches subsequent to the second ORNANE tranche is subject to the approval of the Neovacs Extraordinary General Meeting to be held no later than June 15th, 2019. Main characteristics of ORNANE2 Subject to certain conditions 3 , the ORNANE will be issued in several tranches. , the ORNANE will be issued in several tranches. The ORNANE will have a unit nominal value of 10,000, a maturity of 12 months from their issuance and will be subscribed at par value, and therefore without any facial discount. They will not bear interest. The ORNANE will be nomminatively registered in the share registers held by CACEIS Corporate Trust and will be transferable without the Company's prior consent (i) to the Investor's affiliates and, under certain conditions, (ii) to third parties. They will not be the subject of an application for admission to trading on the Euronext Growth Paris market. The ORNANE shall grant their holders the right, upon conversion, at the Company's discretion, to obtain (i) the allocation of new and/or existing shares, and/or (ii) the allocation of an amount in cash up to all or part of the amount referred to in the conversion notice. Payment in shares: N = Vn / P With: "N": corresponding to the number of ordinary shares of the Company to be to be remitted to the Investor; "Vn": corresponding to the nominal value of the converted ORNANE; "P": corresponding to 92% of the lowest volume-weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 10 trading days immediately preceding the date of receipt of a conversion notice by the Company and during which the Investor has not sold any Company's shares on the market. Payment in cash: C = (Vn / P)*M With: "C": corresponding to the amount in cash to be paid. "Vn": corresponding to the nominal value of the converted ORNANE; "P": corresponding to 92% of the lowest volume-weighted average price of the Company's shares over the 10 trading days immediately preceding the date of receipt of a conversion notice by the Company and during which the Investor has not sold any Company shares on the market; "M": corresponding to the volume-weighted average price of the Company's shares on the date of receipt of a conversion notice by the Company. The matured ORNANE must be redeemed by the Company to the Investor in cash. In case of occurrence of an event of default4, the Company must redeem the nominal amount of the outstanding ORNANE as well as a premium. New shares resulting from the conversion of the ORNANE The new shares issued upon conversion of the ORNANE will carry current dividend rights. They will have the same rights as those attached to the Company's existing ordinary shares and will be listed on Euronext Growth Paris on the same listing line (ISIN FR0004032746). A table monitoring the conversion of the ORNANE issued as part of the transaction will be updated on the Company's website. Risks factors The Company draws the public's attention to the risk factors relating to the Company and its business as detailed in section 1.4 of its latest annual report made public on April 27, 2018 and in section 6 of its semi-annual report made public on October 30, 2018, available free of charge on the Company's website. Theoretical impact of the issuance of ORNANE As an indication, in the event of the remittance of new shares and in the event that all the ORNANE likely to be issued under the financing programme are redeemed exclusively in new shares, the impact of the issuance of the ORNANE would be as follows5: on the participation of a shareholder currently holding 1% of the Company's share capital (based on the number of shares comprising the Company's share capital as at the date of this press release, i.e. 118,149,861 shares): Shareholder participation (in %) Undiluted basis Diluted basis (after exercise of all dilutive instruments existing to date) Before issuance 1.00 % 0.89 % After issuance of the new Neovacs shares resulting from the conversion of the first tranche of ORNANE 0.97 % 0.86 % After issuance of the new Neovacs shares resulting from the conversion of all the tranches of ORNANE 0.74 % 0.67 % on the shareholders' equity per share ratio (based on shareholders equity on December 31, 2018 and the number of shares comprising the Company's share capital on the date of this press release, i. e. 118,149,861 shares): Shareholders equity per share ratio (in ) Undiluted basis Diluted basis (after exercise of all dilutive instruments existing to date) Before issuance 0.02062 0.09772 After issuance of the new Neovacs shares resulting from the conversion of the tranche 1 of ORNANE 0.02809 0.10202 After issuance of the new Neovacs shares resulting from the conversion of all the ORNANE tranches 0.07769 0.13143 Prospectus It is specified that this transaction will not result in the preparation of a prospectus submitted to the AMF for approval. 1 Dilution calculated on the assumption of a conversion price of 0.2456 (based on an exchange rate of 0.2670). This dilution does not prejudge either the final number of shares to be issued upon conversion of the ORNANE or the conversion price, which will be determined on the basis of the stock market price, in accordance with the terms described in this press release. 2 The detailed characteristics of the ORNANE are available on the Company's website. 3 The conditions include in particular the absence of any material adverse change, conditions relating to the liquidity of the Neovacs share and the market price of the Neovacs share, conditions relating to the volumes of Neovacs shares that may be held by the Investor and the Neovacs issue authorizations in force. 4 Events of default include the delisting of the Neovacs share or the announcement of a takeover of Neovacs. 5 Dilution and share of shareholders' equity calculated on the assumption of a conversion price of 0.2456 (based on a share price of 0.2670). This dilution does not prejudge the final number of shares to be issued or their issue price, which will be determined on the basis of the stock market price, in accordance with the terms and conditions described in this press release. Attachment FREMONT, California, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market intelligence report by BIS Research titled "Global Cognitive Electronic Warfare Market, Analysis and Forecast, 2023 - 2028", the global cognitive electronic warfare system market is estimated to report a revenue of $385.7 million in 2023 and is expected to cross $928.4 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 19.20% during the forecast period, 2023-2028. Browse 20 Market Data Tables and 93 Figures spread through 171 Pages, and in-depth TOC on "Global Cognitive Electronic Warfare System Market" Currently, the cognitive electronic warfare system industry is at the cusp of a major revolution. The increasing demand for cognitive electronic warfare systems is due to their capability of detecting an unknown threat in a hostile environment with the help of machine learning algorithm and artificial intelligence. This advanced technology is expected to aid military forces to be a step ahead of its enemies in combat. The technology is expected to start gaining foothold in the market from 2023. The cognitive electronic warfare system market is expected to witness a high growth rate owing to the countries, such as the U.S., Russia, and China, planning to enhance their strategies to implement artificial intelligence (AI) in the military. AI is required for handling the data and information of huge sensors and communication networks, as the quantity of information is increasing. AI and machine learning offer potential benefits to military organizations by providing fast and high-quality data, which can support in deep analysis of complex and strategic data. Since cognitive electronic warfare systems make use of AI and machine learning techniques, they are expected to overcome most of the drawbacks of electronic warfare system, such as incapability of handling excessive load and being non-responsive to unknown threats. BIS Research Report: https://bisresearch.com/industry-report/cognitive-electronic-warfare-system-market.html The global cognitive electronic warfare system market is categorized on the basis of capability, which is further sub-segmented into electronic attack (EA) or electronic countermeasures (ECM), electronic protection (EP) or electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), electronic support (ES), and electronic intelligence (EI). The electronic intelligence segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, 2023-2028. According to Swati Chaturvedi, Senior Research Analyst at BIS Research, "Europe is one of the most prominent regions for the growth of the global cognitive electronic warfare system market. In 2023, Europe is expected to dominate the global cognitive electronic warfare system market. Europe is keenly focusing and investing in the research and development of AI for military. For instance, in January 2019, the Russian government announced a national strategy for research and development of AI in the military. However, the geographical analysis of this market unveils an immense potential for its growth in the region of North America. Similarly, the Asia-Pacific market is also likely to witness numerous growth opportunities during the forecast period 2023-2028." Request for a Sample: https://bisresearch.com/requestsample?id=664&type=download The market report provides a detailed analysis of the recent trends influencing the market, along with a comprehensive study of the future trends and technological developments. It also includes a competitive analysis of the leading players in the industry, including corporate overview, financial summary, and SWOT analysis. The overall market has been segmented on the basis of capability and platform. The report also includes a comprehensive section on the geographical analysis including more than 10 key countries initiating toward cognitive electronic warfare systems. This report is a meticulous compilation of research on more than 50 players in the cognitive electronic warfare system ecosystem and draws upon insights from in-depth interviews with the key opinion leaders of the leading companies, market participants, and vendors. The report provides profiles of around 10 companies, namely BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, Harris Corporation, Leonardo S.p.A., Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Company, Saab AB, Textron Inc., and Thales Group. Key questions answered in the report: What are the major driving forces, challenges, and opportunities that tend to influence the demand for the global cognitive electronic warfare system market during the forecast period, 2023-2028? Which segment (by capability) among the electronic attack, electronic protection, electronic support, and electronic intelligence of the global cognitive electronic warfare system market is expected to dominate in 2023 and what is the projection for 2028? Which platform among the naval, airborne, land, and space platforms of the global cognitive electronic warfare system market is expected to dominate the platform segment in 2023 and what is the projection for 2028? How much revenue per region is expected to be generated in the global cognitive electronic warfare system market by 2023 and 2028? What are the trends in the global cognitive electronic warfare system market across different regions? Who are the key players in the global cognitive electronic warfare system market? What are the new strategies adopted by the existing market players to make a mark in the industry? How the ongoing programs for cognitive electronic warfare system can impact the expansion of market? Related Reports: Global C4ISR System Market - Analysis and Forecast, 2017 - 2021 Global Undersea Warfare Systems Market - Analysis and Forecast, 2017-2021 About BIS Research: BIS Research is a global B2B market intelligence and advisory firm focusing on those emerging technological trends which are likely to disrupt the dynamics of the market. With over 150 market research reports published annually, BIS Research focuses on high technology verticals such as 3D Printing, Advanced Materials and Chemicals, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Healthcare, Electronics and Semiconductors, Robotics and UAV, and other emerging technologies. Our in-depth market intelligence reports focus on the market estimations, technology analysis, emerging high-growth applications, deeply segmented granular country-level market data, and other important market parameters useful in the strategic decision-making for senior management. What distinguishes BIS Research from the rest of the players is that we don't simply provide data but also complement it with valuable insights and actionable inputs for the success of our clients. Contact: Bhavya Banga Email: media@bisresearch.com 39111 PASEO PADRE PKWY STE 313, FREMONT CA 94538-1686 Visit our Blog @ http://bisresearch.com/blog/ Connect with us on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/bis-research Connect with us on Twitter@ https://twitter.com/BISResearch Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/495163/BIS_Research_Logo.jpg PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Uptick Newswire Stock Day Podcast welcomed Image Protect, Inc. (OTC PINK: IMTL) ('the Company'), a company that protects and monetizes creative works. CEO, Matt Goldman, joined host Everett Jolly as a new guest on the Stock Day Podcast. To begin the interview, Jolly asked Mr. Goldman to share a bit of background information about Image Protect. Mr. Goldman explained that the Company is backed by an experienced management team and works to protect the rights of images, while also monetizing their collection through in-image advertising. The Company achieved year over year revenue but eventually hit a glass ceiling due to a rapidly shrinking industry. With the advent of our Fotofy technology, it enabled The Company to expand into new sectors, such as the high-growth In-Image Advertising Global market. Jolly asked about the Company's recent press release that announced the launch of a new digital image marketplace (fotofy.com) that allows users to download beautiful images for free, which are then tracked and monetized via in-image ads as the image is re-shared across the Internet. Mr. Goldman explained that previous to this new Fotofy technology, the company had witnessed extreme growth, but eventually saw the need to expand their services into new markets. The Fotofy technology is the first of its kind within the digital licensing space. Mr. Goldman explained that this shift in business model offers increased efficiency in terms of sales and overall activity, while also moving Image Protect into the ad-tech space, which is said to reach over $400bn by 2025. Mr. Goldman shared his enthusiasm for the potential of this industry and what it means for the future of the Company. Jolly then asked if Image Protect will see increased revenues in 2019 as they shift into the In-image Ad sector. Mr. Goldman explained that they do expect increased revenue for 2019, however, the revenue is based on the monetization of their ad platform, which will likely begin in late 2019 as they continue to implement their new business model. To close the interview, Mr. Goldman shared his enthusiasm for the massive changes they are implementing within the ad-tech space and stated that their new Fotofy.com platform will launch in August of this year. To hear Matt Goldman's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview-ceo-matt-goldman-of-image-protect-inc-otcpink-imtl/ Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of 'Stock Day,' and Uptick Newswire encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ About Image Protect Image Protect protects and monetizes creative works. By uniting technology with a team of copyright experts, we ensure that content providers preserve the value of their digital assets. Our web application monitors the global Internet to seek and collect evidence for illegally used visual content. Then our legal partners across North America, Europe, and Asia ensure our clients receive appropriate compensation for work used without valid license. Safe Harbor Provision Cautionary statement for purposes of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Information in this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the execution and performance of contracts by the Company and its customers, suppliers and partners. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise. Press & Media Inquiries: EHC Branding Agency Info@EHCBrandingAgency.com (626) MJ-BRAND Corporate Contact: Image Protect Lawrence Adams larry.adams@imageprotect.com About Uptick Newswire and the 'Stock Day' Podcast Founded in 2013, Uptick Newswire is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Uptick provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. Uptick is the sole producer of its 'Stock Day' Podcast, which is the number one radio show of its kind in America. The Uptick Network 'Stock Day' Podcast is an extension of Uptick Newswire, which recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. Uptick Newswire Contact: 602-441-3474 https://upticknewswire.com/ SOURCE: Uptick Newswire View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540261/Uptick-Newswire-Hosts-Image-Protect-Inc-on-The-Stock-Day-Podcast-to-Discuss-the-Launch-of-An-All-New-In-Image-Ad-Platform Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Walker River Resources Corp. (TSXV: WRR) ("Walker" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a letter of intent ("LOI") with Smooth Rock Ventures Corp. (TSXV: SOCK) ("Smooth Rock"), to enter into an Exploration Agreement with Option form a Joint Venture on the Garfield Flats Project, located in Mineral County, Nevada about 18 miles southeast of the town of Hawthorne, NV. The Garfield Flats Project consists of 106 unpatented mining claims having a combined area of approximately 858 hectares (2120 acres) that covers several past producing small-scale high-grade gold and copper mines, altered and mineralized zones discovered by previous geological compilations and mapping of the historical workings. Historical sampling on the project has revealed the presence of copper, bismuth, and antimony as well as pervasive lower grade gold mineralization, cut by vein structures (some previously mined) of higher-grade gold. Previous induced polarization surveys also denoted the presence of significant coincident I.P. anomalies. These factors clearly demonstrate the potential of this relatively unexplored project for the discovery of significant gold mineralization. The Garfield Flats Project is within the Walker Lane shear zone, a 60-mile-wide structural corridor extending in a southeast direction from Reno, Nevada, located 18 miles southeast of Hawthorne, NV along U.S. Highway 95. The project has excellent year-round access and infrastructure within Mineral County, one of the most pro-mining counties in the pro-mining states and highest-grade gold districts of Nevada. The Garfield Flats Project is located adjacent to New Range Gold Corp's Pamlico project. In close proximity to several past producing mines including the Bodie, Aurora, Borealis, Pamlico, Evening Star, Mabel, Mindoro and Camp Douglas Mines. Held by private interests for most of its history, Garfield Flats remains very underexplored with exceptional potential for new discoveries on several exploration targets with multiple zones. Smooth Rock has signed an "LOI" with Walker River to negotiate a definitive Exploration Agreement with Option to form a Joint Venture on the Garfield Flats Property. Smooth Rock can earn an undivided fifty percent (50%) interest in the Garfield Flats Property by funding $600,000.00 in Exploration Expenditures as follows: (a) for an initial 25% interest of the Garfield Flats project $300,000 in exploration expenditures within a one-year period and (b) for an additional 25% interest $300,000 in exploration expenditures on or before the second anniversary and (c) a 50/50 joint venture will be formed between Walker River and Smooth Rock. Smooth Rock may accelerate any of the above earn-in periods at its option. Walker shall be the operator of the exploration during the earn-in period. The Garfield Property is subject to an underlying 2% Gross Production Royalty. The parties expect to complete their respective due diligence and execute a definitive Exploration Agreement with Option form a Joint Venture to replace the LOI within the next 30 days. The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by E. Gauthier, geol., Eng (OIQ) a director of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Michel David" ________________________ Michel David, Chief Executive Officer and Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Walker River Resources Corp. Tel: 819 874-0030 Fax: 819 825-1199 Email: info@wrrgold.com Website: www.wrrgold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange Nor Its Regulation Service Provider (As That Term Is Defined In The Policies Of The TSX Venture Exchange) Accepts Responsibility For The Adequacy Or Accuracy Of This News Release. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43681 - www.whichfinancialadviser.com, part of Insight Discovery, not only seeks to discourage financial scammers as well as cold calling malpractices; it also aims to improve financial inclusion in the region DUBAI, UAE, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Insight Discovery, the UAE-based award-winning research, consultancy and communications agency, has announced the launch of its end-to-end financial advisory aggregator website www.whichfinancialadviser.com. The aggregator website, the first of its kind in the Middle East, offers consumers the largest choice of financial advisory firms regulated by two of the UAE's regulatory authorities - Insurance Authority and the Securities and Commodities Authority. A separate website will soon be launched to highlight wealth managers who are regulated by the DFSA, ADGM, UAE Central Bank, these firms typically look after investors who have more than US $500,000 to invest www.whichfinancialadviser.com (WFA) empowers individual investors/ consumers to make the right choice by bringing together on one convenient platform financial advisory firms which are regulated in the UAE, and advisers who are members of one or more professional bodies such as the Chartered Insurance Institute, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and/ or London Institute for Banking & Finance. Additionally, in order to protect consumers from scammers and sales malpractices, WFA reserves the right not to profile those advisory firms that are actively involved in cold calling. This comes in the wake of the recent "Middle East Investment Panorama (MEIP)'" survey conducted by Insight Discovery that finds expats across the GCC are demanding more from their financial advisers. As much as 39% of expats want more transparency on advisers' fees and commissions, 37% want a tougher stance by local regulators in relation to scams and unregulated firm, while 15% want industry-recognized qualifications for advisers. "As the leading provider of consumer intelligence in the MENA region we could see an obvious gap in helping UAE residents understand the quality of firms that they were engaging with or indeed a place for customers to go to, to help them compare the type of advisers available to them," said Nigel Sillitoe, Founder, www.whichfinancialadviser.com, and CEO of Insight Discovery. "It can be daunting for consumers to understand how they are protected by the different regulatory frameworks here in the UAE and WFA helps to cut through all of that and provide simple and straightforward information on regulated firms here in the UAE. Soon, we plan to roll out WFA in other markets in the Middle East where financial advisers are regulated by the competent regulatory authorities," he added. Created with the user experience in mind, the website includes features to help users quickly and easily compare and find the right financial adviser they need, and thus bring in greater transparency in the UAE's financial services sector. New features include: Blogs and articles on topical subjects such as how to save money, expert views on the markets, why a gratuity payment won't help you in retirement etc; Background information on the local regulators and the different types of licenses, this is produced in partnership with the global law firm Pinsent Masons; Links to professional bodies so that UAE residents can check that their financial adviser really is a member of one of these bodies; Information on the importance of using a regulated advisory firm; UAE residents can complete a form and contact a firm or individual adviser directly for an initial meeting "We are delighted to have been involved with this project. For some time UAE residents have required a website which summarises the local regulations and lists all regulated advisory firms. Whilst certain rules remain outstanding it's encouraging that the regulators are championing protection for consumers and introducing greater product and distribution controls," said Tom Bicknell, Head of Financial Services at Pinsent Masons Middle East. About Insight Discovery: Insight Discovery is a multiple award-winning consultancy that specialises in strategic communications, market intelligence and event optimisation. For five years running, Insight Discovery was voted "Best Consultancy Firm in The Middle East" by Global Investor, part of Euromoney Copy of their latest research report on the advisory market appears in the link below Middle East Investment Panorama Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/842056/Insight_Discovery.jpg COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Timberline Resources Corporation (OTCQB: TLRS; TSX-V: TBR) ('Timberline' or the 'Company') today announced Phase 2 drilling plans at the Elder Creek Project in Nevada's Battle Mountain mining district. Approximately 2,000 m of drilling are planned in up to four holes to test a strong IP/resistivity (IP) anomaly identified in December, 2018. Two holes drilled by the Company earlier in 2018, located on the periphery of the anomaly, contain significant copper mineralization (see Table 1 and Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6), while shallow historical holes drilled for gold (Figure 3) intercepted material amounts of copper: Table 1. Summary of Elder Creek 2018 Drilling Results The proposed holes (Figures 1 through 6) will test a strong IP anomaly (see press release dated January 8, 2019 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases/) identified by the survey which was completed by Zonge Geophysics. Multiple additional targets have been defined through integrated interpretation of surface and drill-hole geology, re-processed magnetic and gravity data, and the IP survey results. These targets represent follow-up discovery opportunities which are fully permitted and drill-ready. The IP anomaly delineates a concentration of sulfide minerals in a body of rock extending >= 1,600 m long and approximately 500 - 800 m wide (Figures 1 and 2). The anomaly follows two parallel faults along a N/NE trend, and further north, also follows a NW'ly trend. It occurs within a very large (2 x 4 km) oval-shaped copper-molybdenum-gold-silver system defined by hydrothermal alteration and metal zoning characteristic of porphyry copper deposits. Steven Osterberg, Timberline's President and CEO commented, 'We consider Elder Creek to be a rare opportunity to discover a very large polymetallic porphyry system in Nevada, one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions. The target is particularly compelling being located within the metallogenically well-endowed copper and gold-producing Battle Mountain mining district where immediately infrastructure is excellent. Phase 2 drilling will begin in Q2 and will test the heart of the IP anomaly.' Figure 1. Elder Creek Project Area Geology, Alteration Zoning, IP Anomaly, and Drilling (2018 and Proposed) Figure 2. Plan View of Elder Creek IP (Chargeability) 2-D data inversion at 1,300 m Elevation Proposed Drilling The initial two proposed holes will test the strong IP anomaly, with locations of the remaining holes contingent upon results. Proposed drill hole 1 (PDH-1) (Figures 1-3) will offset core hole CCEC18-02 and target coincident IP, magnetic (Figure 5), and gravity (Figure 6) anomalies in the area where chargeability is strongest, which likely represents the greatest sulfide mineral concentration. Proposed Drill Hole 2 (PDH-2) will test the core of the IP anomaly N/NE of PDH-1 where coincident anomalies also indicate relatively dense, magnetic rocks (Figures 4 - 6). The Company expects to resume drilling in Q2/2019. Drill sites are fully permitted with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Figure 3. Cross Section Line 3600N showing IP Chargeability Anomaly with Drill Hole CCEC18-02, Historic Drill Holes, and Proposed Drill Hole 1 (PDH - 1). Figure 4. Cross Section Line 4000N IP Chargeability Anomaly with Historic Drill Holes, and Proposed Drill Hole 2 (PDH-2). Figure 5. Elder Creek IP (chargeability) and Magnetics (vertical derivative and magnetic limit), with Alteration Zoning, and 2018 and Proposed 2019 Drill Holes Figure 6. Elder Creek IP (chargeability) and Gravity (horizontal derivative) with Alteration Zoning, Magnetic limit, and 2018 and Proposed 2019 Drill Holes Elder Creek Property Timberline's Elder Creek and adjacent Paiute copper-gold properties lie within the prolific Battle Mountain District of Nevada, approximately 11 miles (18 km) north of Newmont's Phoenix mining complex. Data compiled from over 40-plus years of exploration on the property documents only shallow, historic drilling within a pronounced magnetic low considered to be the core of a large porphyry copper-gold hydrothermal system. Furthermore, only shallow drilling occurred along the north and northeastern magnetic high and primarily targeted gold. Geologic and geophysical characteristics, and rock geochemical sampling results evident at Elder Creek (see press release dated June 18, 2018 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases/) are common to major porphyry copper deposits. Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Mr. Osterberg is not considered independent of the Company as defined in Section 1.5 of NI 43-101. Drill intercepts are reported as drill thicknesses; true widths of intercepts are unknown. About Timberline Resources Timberline Resources Corporation is focused on advancing district-scale gold exploration and development projects in Nevada. These include its 23 square-mile Eureka property, comprising the Lookout Mountain, Windfall, and Oswego projects which lie along three separate structural stratigraphic trends defined by distinct geochemical gold anomalies, as well as being operator of both the Paiute joint venture project with a subsidiary of Barrick Gold, and the Elder Creek joint venture with McEwen Mining. All of these properties lie on the prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Timberline also owns the Seven Troughs property in Northern Nevada, which is one of the state's highest-grade former gold producers. Timberline has increased its owned and controlled mineral rights in Nevada to over 43 square miles (27,500 acres). Detailed maps and NI 43-101 estimated resource information for the Eureka property, and NI 43-101 Technical Reports for the Elder Creek and Paiute Projects may be viewed at http://timberlineresources.co/. Timberline is listed on the OTCQB where it trades under the symbol "TLRS" and on the TSX Venture Exchange where it trades under the symbol "TBR". Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Forward-looking Statements Statements contained herein that are not based upon current or historical fact are forward-looking in nature and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations about its future operating results, performance and opportunities that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the advancement of projects, and exploration potential. When used herein, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," 'upcoming,' "plan," 'target', "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to Timberline Resources Corporation, its subsidiaries, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. There are no assurances that the Company will complete the earn-in on the Elder Creek project as contemplated or at all. Factors that could cause or contribute to risks involving forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in the Company's business and other factors, including risk factors discussed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For Further Information Please Contact: Steven A. Osterberg President and CEO Tel: 208-664-4859 E-mail: info@timberline-resources.com Website: www.timberline-resources.com SOURCE: Timberline Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540262/Timberline-to-Off-set-Drill-Core-Intercept-at-Elder-Creek-Porphyry-Cu-Mo-Au-Ag-Project-Nevada WATERLOO, ONTARIO / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / SponsorsOne Inc., (CSE: SPO) (Frankfurt: 5SO), the company that makes small brands BIG through large, engaged, authentic communities of micro-influencers that buy and support the brands they love, announces the SponsorCoin platform has been completely integrated into Fulfillment by Amazon giving small Brands a complete customer inventory, fulfillment, shipping and return service. "While working with our small Brands it became apparent the fulfillment infrastructure was not in place," states Myles Bartholomew, CEO of SponsorsOne. "We have connected the SponsorsCoin platform with the Fulfillment by Amazon service which will give our Brands unlimited scale anywhere across the globe." Fulfillment by Amazon ("FBA") offer complete inventory, packing, shipping and return services to the Brand. Through the FBA interface ("API") the SponsorCoin platform will provide real-time inventory updates to micro-influencer shopping on the Brand's e-commerce site, along with expected delivery dates. Amazon Prime services are also integrated to provide priority free shipping to customers. The Brand will pay Amazon for inventory space used in the Amazon Fulfillment Center, and Amazon does the rest. When an order is placed the brand will pay a small fulfillment fee, and shipping may be free under Amazon Prime. SponsorsOne will be live with Schoenbyyu utilizing the Fulfillment By Amazon Service. Contact: info@sponsorsone.com About SponsorsOne SponsorsOne is the leader in the next evolution of digital marketing through storytelling and digital-commerce with the SponsorCoin platform and its highly scalable - smart contract based digital-currency. Combined, this allows brands to build and manage exclusive and highly engaged communities of micro-influencers within the social realm. The SponsorCoin platform provides for data-driven marketing campaigns that will change the way brands connect with their customers. SponsorCoin is a tool for brands to inspire real movements around their products and services in which their most valuable customers become their best salespeople, producing far higher ROI than current social media advertising methods. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Gary Bartholomew, Executive Chairman To learn more, please visit www.sponsorsone.com The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this Press Release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology, are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities the need for additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key personnel the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects the volatility of the volume and price of the Common Shares, the failure of the business strategy, the integrity of the Company's patents and proprietary intellectual property and competition. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors, and other uncertainties and potential events, including the risk factors, set out in the Company's Listing Statement. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to above will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION. SOURCE: SponsorsOne Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540301/SponsorsOne-integrates-seamlessly-with-Fulfillment-by-Amazon-Services Schlumberger Holdings Corporation ("SHC" or the "Company") today announced the early participation results of a private offer to exchange three series of senior notes in the table below (collectively the "Old Notes") for a new series of senior notes to be due in 2028 (the "New Notes"). The offer is referred to herein as the "Exchange Offer." The table below identifies the aggregate principal amount of each series of Old Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Exchange Offer as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 26, 2019 (the "Early Participation Date"): Principal Acceptance Principal Amount Priority Amount Title of Security CUSIP Number ISIN Outstanding Level Tendered 3.000% Senior Notes due December 21, 2020 ("2020 Notes") Rule 144A: 806851AC5 / Regulation S: U8066LAC8 Rule 144A: US806851AC55 / Regulation S: USU8066LAC82 $1,600,000,000 1 $401,268,000 3.625% Senior Notes due December 21, 2022 ("2022 Notes") Rule 144A: 806851AE1 / Regulation S: U8066LAD6 Rule 144A: US806851AE12 / Regulation S: USU8066LAD65 $850,000,000 2 $233,478,000 4.000% Senior Notes due December 21, 2025 ("2025 Notes") Rule 144A: 806851AG6 / Regulation S: U8066LAE4 Rule 144A: US806851AG69 / Regulation S: USU8066LAE49 $1,750,000,000 3 $873,539,000 A total of $873,539,000 aggregate principal amount of 2025 Notes was tendered for exchange by debt holders in the early participation window. Consequently, SHC decided to increase the aggregate principal amount of New Notes offered in the Exchange Offer to $1,500,000,000 from the previously announced $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount and to waive the $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount cap applicable to the 2025 Notes. The 2025 Notes tendered for exchange will be subject to proration pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Offer, as described in the offering memorandum (the "Offering Memorandum"), dated March 13, 2019. SHC expects to accept all 2020 Notes and 2022 Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn as of the Early Participation Date. Because the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn as of the Early Participation Date exceeds the increased $1,500,000,000 cap in aggregate principal amount of New Notes that SHC intends to issue in the Exchange Offer, SHC does not anticipate accepting any additional tenders of Old Notes in the Exchange Offer. Holders whose Old Notes are accepted for exchange will receive in cash accrued and unpaid interest from the last applicable interest payment date to, but excluding, the date on which the exchange of such Old Notes is settled, and amounts due in lieu of fractional amounts of New Notes. The Exchange Offer was conducted upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum. Terms of the Exchange Offer The Exchange Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on April 9, 2019, unless extended or earlier terminated by SHC. The Exchange Offer is only made, and the New Notes are only being offered and will only be issued, and copies of the offering documents will only be made available, to a holder of Old Notes who has certified its status as either (a) a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or (b) (i) a person who is not a "U.S. person" as defined under Regulation S under the Securities Act, or a dealer or other professional fiduciary organized, incorporated or (if an individual) residing in the United States holding a discretionary account or similar account (other than an estate or trust) for the benefit or account of a non-"U.S. person", (ii) if located or resident in any Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU (the "Prospectus Directive"), a "qualified investor" as defined in the Prospectus Directive and (iii) if located or resident in Canada, is located or resident in a province of Canada and is an "accredited investor" as such term is defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), and, if resident in Ontario, section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), in each case, that is not an individual unless that person is also a "permitted client" as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations ("NI 31-103") (each, an "Eligible Holder"). The New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Therefore, the New Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. This press release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein. The Exchange Offer is being made solely by the Offering Memorandum and only to such persons and in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law. In the United Kingdom, this press release is only being communicated to, and any other documents or materials relating to the Exchange Offer is only being distributed to and are only directed at, (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. Documents relating to the Exchange Offer will only be distributed to holders of Old Notes who complete and return a letter of eligibility confirming that they are Eligible Holders. Holders of Old Notes who desire a copy of the eligibility letter may contact D.F. King Co., Inc., the exchange agent and information agent for the Exchange Offer, at (877) 732-3612 (toll-free); (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers); email: slb@dfking.com. Holders can request the Exchange Offer documents at www.dfking.com/slb. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The expected timetable for completing the Exchange Offer is a forward-looking statement. The Company cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct. These statements are subject to, among other things, risk factors that are discussed in Schlumberger Limited's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as Schlumberger Limited's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Actual results may differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any of them in light of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005385/en/ Contacts: Simon Farrant Vice President of Investor Relations, Schlumberger Limited Joy V. Domingo Manager of Investor Relations, Schlumberger Limited Tel: +1 (713) 375-3535 investor-relations@slb.com HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Cub Energy Inc. ("Cub" or the "Company") (TSX-V: KUB), a Ukraine-focused upstream oil and gas company, announced today its audited financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2018. All dollar amounts are expressed in United States Dollars unless otherwise noted. This update includes results from KUB-Gas LLC ("KUB-Gas"), which Cub has a 35% equity ownership interest, Tysagaz LLC ("Tysagaz"), Cub's 100% owned subsidiary and CNG LLC ("CNG"), which Cub has a 50% equity ownership interest. Mikhail Afendikov, Chairman and CEO of Cub said: "We wish to report net income $3.1 million or $0.01 per share during the year ended December 31, 2018 and receipt of $5.7 million in dividends from its eastern Ukraine investment. Kub-Gas maintained deliverability over 14 million cubic feet per day by successfully recompleting two wells in the Olgovskoye License during 2018 and Kub-Gas is continuing other recompletions in 2019. In western Ukraine, Cub and its partner plan to drill our first three wells on the jointly owned Uzhgorod license in 2019 which costs are expected to be incurred 100% by our partner. " Operational Highlights In Q4 2018, Kub-Gas successfully recompleted the Olgovskoye-3 ("O-3") well to a "behind pipe pay" zone designated as the Bashkirian-1b ("B1b"). The well initially tested at higher rates and put into production at a stabilized rate of 1.4 million cubic feet per day ("MMcf/d"). the Olgovskoye-3 ("O-3") well to a "behind pipe pay" zone designated as the Bashkirian-1b ("B1b"). The well initially tested at higher rates and put into production at a stabilized rate of 1.4 million cubic feet per day ("MMcf/d"). This followed the other successful recompletion, the Olgovskoye-9 ("O-9") well to the zone designated as the Bashkirian-3 ("B3"). During a standard multi-rate test, the zone was tested up to 2.5 million cubic feet per day ("MMcf/d") and was put into production at a stable rate of 1.7 MMcf/d. designated as the Bashkirian-3 ("B3"). During a standard multi-rate test, the zone was tested up to 2.5 million cubic feet per day ("MMcf/d") and was put into production at a stable rate of 1.7 MMcf/d. The price of natural gas averaged $7.94/Mcf and condensate price of $70.47/bbl during the year ended December 31, 2018 as compared to $6.50/Mcf and $69.56/bbl for 2017. as compared to $6.50/Mcf and $69.56/bbl for 2017. Production averaged 836 boe /d (97% weighted to natural gas and the remaining to condensate) for the year ended December 31, 2018 as compared to 977 boe /d for 2017. /d (97% weighted to natural gas and the remaining to condensate) for the year ended December 31, as compared to 977 /d for 2017. On January 1, 2018, royalties on new wells drilled in Ukraine after January 1, 2018 were reduced to 12% from 29% for a minimum period of five years. were reduced to 12% from 29% for a minimum period of five years. On March 1, 2018, a new law was passed in Ukraine intended to simplify regulatory procedures for the oil and gas sector which should increase the speed and efficiency of approvals. The new Nitrogen Rejection Unit ("NRU") is planned to be operational in 2019. However, due to continued construction delays, on November 19, 2018, the Company filed a claim with American Arbitration Association ("AAA"), seeking $0.3 million (plus interest and attorney fees) from the NRU manufacturer in contractual delay damages. The Company and its partner plan to start a three well exploration program at Uzhgorod in mid-2019. The well costs are expected to be incurred 100% by our partner. Financial Highlights The Company reported net income of $3.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2018 as compared to a net loss of $14.3 million in 2017 when the Company recorded one-time impairment charges. as compared to a net loss of $14.3 million in 2017 when the Company recorded one-time impairment charges. Netbacks of $29.33/boe or $4.88/Mcfe for the year ended December 31, 2018 as compared to netback of $25.19/Boe or $4.20/Mcfe for 2017. as compared to netback of $25.19/Boe or $4.20/Mcfe for 2017. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company received $5.7 million in dividends from KUB Holdings as compared to $4.1 million in dividends in 2017. The Company repaid $1.1 million of its loan to KUB-Gas during the year ended December 31, 2018 in conjunction with its maturity. (in thousands of US Dollars) Three Months Ended December 31, 2018 Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 Year Ended December 31, 2018 Year Ended December 31, 2017 Petroleum and natural gas revenue 74 - 142 24 Pro-rata petroleum and natural gas revenue(1) 4,385 3,609 14,864 14,285 Revenue from gas trading(2) 6,831 3,957 20,428 13,099 Net income (loss) 570 (15,290) 3,078 (14,342) Income per share - basic and diluted 0.00 (0.05) 0.01 (0.05) Funds generated from operations(3) 2,353 2,832 2,690 2,519 Capital expenditures(5) 2 637 221 1,678 Pro-rata capital expenditures(5) 222 596 1,682 4,320 Pro-rata netback ($/ boe ) 35.28 27.29 29.33 25.19 Pro-rata netback ($Mcfe) 5.88 4.55 4.88 4.20 December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Working capital (deficit) 3,798 (478) Cash and cash equivalents 7,236 6,190 Long-term debt 5,591 5,451 Notes: Pro-rata petroleum and natural gas revenue is a non-IFRS measure that adds the Company's petroleum and natural gas revenue earned in the respective periods to the Company's 35% equity share of the KUB-Gas natural gas sales that the Company has an economic interest in. During the three months and year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded $6,831,000 (2017 - $3,957,000) and $20,428,000 (2017 - $13,099,000) in revenue for gas trading and $6,276,000 (2017 - $3,767,000) and 19,150,000 (2017 - $12,767,000) for the cost of the sales for a net profit from gas trading of $555,000 (2017 - $56,000) and $1,278,000 (2017 - $233,000), respectively. Funds from operations is a non-IFRS measure and is defined as cash flow from operating activities, excluding changes in non-cash working capital. Pro-rata funds from operations is a non-IFRS measure that adds the Company's funds from operations in the respective periods to the Company's 35% equity share of the KUB-Gas and 50% equity share of CNG Holdings funds from operations that the Company has an economic interest in. Capital expenditures includes the purchase of property, plant and equipment and the purchase of exploration and evaluation assets. Pro-rata capital expenditures are a non-IFRS measure that adds the Company's capital expenditures in the respective periods to the Company's 35% equity share of the KUB-Gas and 50% equity share of CNG Holdings capital expenditures that the Company has an economic interest in. Outlook The Company is participating with KUB-Gas to complete additional recompletion operations given the success of the O-3 and O-9 recompletions , one of which is underway at the time of this report with another 3 in the permitting phase. Kub-Gas may drill one additional well in 2019 and kickoff a 3D seismic program on the WO Licence to delineate known structures found from 2D seismic. In western Ukraine, the Company is purchasing a new NRU with a plan to resume production at the RK field in 2019. The Company and its partner plan to start a three well exploration program in the Uzhgorod license in mid 2019 on structures defined by 3D seismic. The well costs are expected to be incurred 100% by our partner. Supporting Documents Cub's complete quarterly reporting package, including the unaudited interim financial statements and associated Management's Discussion and Analysis, have been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and has been posted on the Company's website at www.cubenergyinc.com. About Cub Energy Inc. Cub Energy Inc. (TSX-V: KUB) is an upstream oil and gas company, with a proven track record of exploration and production cost efficiency in Ukraine. The Company's strategy is to implement western technology and capital, combined with local expertise and ownership, to increase value in its undeveloped land base, creating and further building a portfolio of producing oil and gas assets within a high pricing environment. For further information please contact us or visit our website: www.cubenergyinc.com Mikhail Afendikov Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (713) 677-0439 mikhail.afendikov@cubenergyinc.com Patrick McGrath Chief Financial Officer (713) 577-1948 patrick.mcgrath@cubenergyinc.com Oil and Gas Equivalents A barrel of oil equivalent (" boe ") or units of natural gas equivalents ("Mcfe") is calculated using the conversion factor of 6 Mcf (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas being equivalent to one barrel of oil. A boe conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 bbl (barrel) or a Mcfe conversion of 1bbl: 6 Mcf is, based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is not based on either energy content or current prices. While the boe ratio is useful for comparative measures, it does not accurately reflect individual product values and might be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. As well, given that the value ratio, based on the current price of crude oil to natural gas, is significantly different from the 6:1 energy equivalency ratio, using a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value. The disclosure in this press release is prepared in accordance with NI 51-101 standards. Test results are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or of ultimate recovery. The test data contained herein is considered preliminary until full pressure transient analysis is complete Reader Advisory With the current cash resources, negative working capital, suspension of the RK field, uncertainty surrounding the successful installation of the NRU, dividend restrictions, currency fluctuations, reliance on a limited number of customers, and impact on carrying values, the Company may not have sufficient cash to continue the exploration and development activities. These matters raise significant doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern and meet its obligations as they become due. Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Cub believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable; however there can be no assurance those expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Ukraine, the Black Sea Region and globally; political unrest and security concerns in Ukraine including the recent introduction of Martial Law in the Company's operating regions,; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the prices of natural gas and foreign currency; governmental regulation of the natural gas industry, including environmental regulation; unanticipated operating events or performance which can reduce production or cause production to be shut in or delayed; failure to obtain industry partner and other fourth party consents and approvals, if and when required; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for natural gas; liabilities inherent in natural gas operations; competition for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped lands, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, drilling, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the natural gas industry; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. This cautionary statement expressly qualifies the forward-looking information contained in this news release. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Cub Energy Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540269/Cub-Energy-Announces-Net-Earnings-of-US-31-Million-or-US-001-Per-Share-for-Fiscal-2018 Photo: The Canadian Press Wanzhen Lu is shown in a York Regional Police handout photo. Police say they have found the van allegedly used in the violent kidnapping of Lu, a Chinese national, from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-York Regional Police MANDATORY CREDIT UPDATE: 8:40 p.m. Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto on Saturday has been found safe. Const. Andy Pattenden with York Regional Police told a news conference late Tuesday night that Lu showed at a home in the Gravenhurst, Ont., earlier in the evening and asked the homeowner for help. Pattenden said the Ontario Provincial Police were called to the home and Lu was then taken to a hospital for treatment of what he said were minor injuries. Pattenden also said that four suspects wanted in connection with Lu's abduction remained at large and that investigative efforts, including determining a motive for the abduction, were "far from over." A 35-year-old Toronto man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the case, but Pattenden said he had subsequently been released without charge. The officer credited "relentless pressure" from investigators, the media and the public for the successful outcome of the case, and said that Lu was being reunited with his parents who had arrived in Toronto from China. ORIGINAL: 8:20 p.m. Police north of Toronto confirm that Chinese student Wanzhen Lu, 22 who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont., on Saturday has been located. Const. Andy Pattenden with York Regional Police said investigators would be providing further details Tuesday night. More coming. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone") (TSX: CS) will release its first quarter 2019 financial results on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 after market close, followed by an investor conference call to be held on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 11:30 am (Eastern Time). Capstone will no longer be pre-releasing production results on a quarterly basis. Conference Call and Webcast Details Date: Thursday, April 25, 2019 Time: 11:30 am Eastern Time (8:30 am Pacific Time) Dial in: North America: 1-888-390-0546, International: +416-764-8688 Webcast: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1956178/343D6AA390A9765A5423F329A4121095 Replay: North America: 1-888-390-0541, International: +416-764-8677 Passcode: 147100# The conference call replay will be available until May 2, 2019. Following the replay, an audio file will be available on Capstone's website at https://capstonemining.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx. Filing of Proxy Materials On March 18, 2019, Capstone filed on SEDAR a Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular in connection with its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held at the offices of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, 595 Burrard Street, Suite 2600, Three Bentall Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at 1:00 pm (Pacific Time). Capstone encourages shareholders to read the meeting materials, which have been filed on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com and are on our website at http://www.capstonemining.com. About Capstone Mining Corp. Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our two producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US and the Cozamin polymetallic mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico. In addition, Capstone has the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo development project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation, the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada currently on care and maintenance, as well as a portfolio of exploration properties. Capstone's strategy is to focus on the optimization of operations and assets in politically stable, mining-friendly regions, centred in the Americas. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at http://www.capstonemining.com. Contact: Paul Jones, VP, Business Development and Investor Relations 604-674-0891 pjones@capstonemining.com New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) today announces its placement in an editorial published by CannabisNewsWire ("CNW"), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company for private and public entities in the cannabis industry. To view the full publication, titled, "CBD Going Mainstream amid Flood of New Products, Celebrity Endorsements, and Emerging Consensus about Benefits," please visit: http://cnw.fm/FpDf2 Wildflower Wellness has even partnered with Bridges General to take that company's reimagined convenience store concept to the next level. The partnership fuses together the popularity of the Bridges General design-centric retail space that delivers convenience for the on-the-go urban professional with an engaging opportunity to experience and learn about the benefits of CBD. The partnership is already serving some of the most innovative minds in tech at its Lower Manhattan store, as well its Madison Avenue Bridges General store. The company has also engaged Retail Worx to establish shop-in-shop retail availability at more than 20 locations in the heart of New York City's booming cannabis market. About Wildflower Brands Wildflower Brands is a company headquartered in Vancouver building reputable brands and quality products that incorporate the synergistic effects of plants and their extracts. For more information, visit the company's website at www.WildflowerBrands.co About CannabisNewsWire (CNW) CannabisNewsWire ("CNW") is a specialized information service that (1) aggregates cannabis news, (2) provides CannabisNewsBreaks that quickly updates investors in the space, (3) enhances corporate press releases, (4) helps companies with distribution and optimization of social media, and (5) delivers comprehensive corporate communication solutions. CNW is uniquely positioned in the cannabis market with a strong team of journalists and writers who can help private and public companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public through our ever-growing dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. CNW is bringing unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the cannabis industry. For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Corporate Communications: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) Denver, Colorado www.CannabisNewsWire.com 303.498.7722 Office Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43692 SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of its Global Distribution Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005415/en/ Global Distribution Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire) The e-commerce industry is securing prominence across a vast range of geographical locations, which on the downside is creating significant challenges in their supply chain operations. To tackle the same, buyers from this industry are outsourcing the distribution services to speed-up their delivery time and to gain better control on all their distribution channels. This is expected to propel the spend momentum for the distribution services market in the coming years. However, fluctuating fuel and transportation costs and the shortage of labor will result in buyers incurring excess procurement spend. Request a Free Sample of this distribution services market intelligence report here! The US is expected to witness an increasing frequency of cross border trade owing to the gradual popularity gained by the e-commerce industry. This will create a substantial demand for both import and export distribution services in the country. The rapid growth of the online retail market in Europe is increasing the demand for last-mile delivery. This demand is prompting buyers to outsource delivery services which are expected to drive the category spend growth rate in this region. Insights offered in this distribution services procurement research report include supply market forecasts, major cost drivers, and category management insights. Such insights are relevant for both the buyers and the suppliers who seek a risk-free and a cost-effective procurement strategy. The category spend segmentation done in this market intelligence report will guide the investors in identifying the best investment areas as well as help them in identifying cost-saving opportunities in the market. Get free customization of this distribution services market intelligence report to get information tailored to your every requirement. "Buyers must engage with suppliers that technologies such as IoT, blockchain, and AI which offer transparency in the supply chain and mitigates risks of errors," says SpendEdge procurement expert Tridib Bora. This distribution services procurement research report has estimated the following cost drivers to influence the category growth in the coming years: Rise in truck rentals and labor shortage will increase category prices Rising demand from the e-commerce industry will favor the category growth Purchase the full distribution services market intelligence report here! SpendEdge is now offering limited-time discounts on report purchases. Buy two reports and get the third one for free SpendEdge's procurement market intelligence reports for the logistics, warehousing and transportation category provide detailed supply market forecasts and cost drivers that impact category growth. Such information will help procurement managers as well as the suppliers to determine the total cost of ownership and change their procurement strategies accordingly. Additionally, SpendEdge's reports provide category management insights and information on the procurement best practices for the category. Report scope snapshot: Distribution services Category pricing insights Pricing outlook Total cost of ownership analysis Supplier cost structure Interested to know more about the scope of our market intelligence reports? Download a FREE sample Cost-Saving Opportunities Supplier-side levers Buyer-side levers Quantifying cost savings by negotiation strategies Want customized information from the distribution services procurement research report? Get in touch Category ecosystem Competitiveness index for suppliers Buyer power Supplier power score To view the table of contents of this market intelligence report, Download a FREE sample Do you purchase multiple reports in a year? Our subscription platform, SpendEdge Insights, provides ready-to-use procurement research reports for multiple categories. Now access the latest supplier news, innovation landscape, markets insights, supplier tracking, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now Related Reports: Global Perishable Goods Transportation Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report Global Material Handling Equipment Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005415/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance and Crypto Voucher are making the process of buying BNB token as simple and accessible as possible to non-cryptocurrency users. The appeal and simplicity of transferring value with a click of a button using the Crypto Voucher mechanism, combined with the market and exchange expertise that Binance brings align perfectly with the demands of today's crypto market. Anyone who has been involved in cryptocurrency for even a short while, knows that Binance is a household name. The exchange juggernaut boasts a massive order list and diverse portfolio of tradable tokens where the BNB token is the main trading pair. Crypto Voucher is an online platform that provides the easiest solution to buy cryptocurrencies instantly. The platform offers an easy, secure and user-friendly process to instantly buy different cryptocurrencies with different payment methods. Catering to the European Market Crypto Voucher's specialises in the digital voucher industry internationally, but particularly in Europe where it is based. This combined with Binance platform puts the pair in a great position to cater to the European market and further simplify the ease of obtaining and trading with the BNB token as well as other crypto currencies. Crypto Voucher's easy to use voucher system will allow Binance to more easily cater to a non-crypto fluent user base. With Binance as a central engine, the two companies can now offer a respected and proven gift card service that will allow value to be converted from Crypto Voucher cards to BNB tokens. Buying Crypto vouchers Crypto Voucher allows users to purchase their vouchers at their convenience. Crypto Vouchers offers many payment options. The Crytpo Voucher introduction video explains how buyers can easily transfer value using the following methods: 1. Buy Online Buyers can simply Visit the Crypto Voucher site, click Buy Now and enter the details of the purchase. They can buy from an online distributor or direct from Crypto Voucher and pay with theirpreferred payment option. Alternatively, they can make the purchase from many authorized distributors. 2. Buy locally Crypto Voucher provides a map containing the location of all local vendors that sell Crypto Voucher cards. Users can load the map to find the nearest reseller if they prefer paying with cash. 3. Buy with gift card Crypto Vouchers allows users to exchange other gift cards (eg Wallmart card, iTunes gift card) for a Crypto Voucher card. Redeeming a Crypto Voucher After buying or receiving a Crypto Voucher card, buyers can easily redeem its value. By simply clicking Redeem on the Crypto Voucher Page and enter the details (card code and your email). They will then be shown the monetary value of the card and prompted to select the particular cryptocurrency they would like to get, they can fill in their wallet address and click enter. It's that simple. Binance and Crypto Voucher working together is a key step in the right direction for opening up a much larger market in cryptocurrency in which users who do not have time to understand the inner workings of exchanges, trading or money transfers can now access the crypto markets. Both Binance and Crypto Vouchers look forward to being able to serve new and expanding markets in the payment and voucher industry Check out Crypto Voucher now LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest and fastest growing international health & beauty retailer A.S. Watson Group celebrates an important milestone today as it opens its 15,000th store. Growth Continues at Record Rate For the fourth year in a row, A.S. Watson's new store opening continues to be at an average speed of one store every seven hours across its 25 markets in Asia and Europe. The worldwide 15,000th store opening of A.S. Watson coincides with its 500th store opening of Watsons in Malaysia, one of the fastest growing countries for beauty and wellness products. Watsons is the flagship retail brand of A.S. Watson with over 7,200 stores in 13 markets in Asia and Eastern Europe. The new store is located in Central i-City, a new shopping mall in Malaysia, and it uses technology to enhance customer experience and connect offline and online. The 4,200 square-feet G8 design store is equipped with StyleMe, AR (Augmented Reality) technology, to showcase the latest fashionable product, in a fun and engaging way for customers. Watsons' Hi Mirror skin analysis device is also available for customers to assess their skin conditions at the store. G8 represents the 8th Generation of the Watsons store design incorporating extensive customer and store team feedback, as well as market research of latest trends on shopping experience. It will roll out across the region in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Turkey later this year. O+O Strategy - Strengthening Customer Connectivity Online and Offline Mr Dominic Lai, Group Managing Director of A.S. Watson Group is very excited at the celebration event of this important milestone, "The continued success of our business is about customer connectivity - our ability to connect customers with products, trends and experience they want in beauty, personal care, health and wellness. Our O+O (Online and Offline) strategy focuses on providing an extensive store network, excellent in-store customer service, most relevant health and beauty assortment, combined with seamless digital experience and loyalty schemes that help to put smiles on customers' faces." Globally A.S. Watson has over 135 million loyalty members and has been investing HK$1 billion (approx. US$128 million) in digital since 2012 to enhance customer experience and enable the business to build data-driven approach to stay closer to customers' needs. A Thankful Celebration Mr Lai continues, "We are one of the longest standing companies in the world with 178 years of history. To be able to reach yet another critical milestone, this is only possible with the love from our customers, passion and commitment from our 140,000 colleagues around the world, and the unfailing support from our business partners." From one dispensary in Hong Kong to 15,000 stores worldwide, A.S. Watson has built close relationship with customers and a strong team of 140,000 colleagues. The celebration activities in every market will be about thanking customers and showing appreciation to colleagues. There will be campaigns in every market to celebrate, including member-exclusive benefits and special offers, both offline and online. Download photos: https://goo.gl/nc7TCX About A.S. Watson Group Established in Hong Kong in 1841, A.S. Watson Group is the world's largest international health and beauty retailer operating 15,000 stores under 12 retail brands in 25 markets, with over 140,000 employees worldwide. For the fiscal year 2018, A.S. Watson Group recorded revenue of US$ 21.5 billion. Every year, we have 5.2 billion shoppers in stores and online. A.S. Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has five core businesses - ports and related services, retail, infrastructure, energy and telecommunications in over 50 countries. Please visit www.aswatson.com for more in-depth information about A.S. Watson Group and its brands. You may also stay in touch with us via our digital presence (eCommerce, social media, mobile app & more); more details are at http://www.aswatson.com/our-customers/digitalasw/. About Watsons Watsons is the flagship health and beauty brand of A.S. Watson Group. As the No.1 Asia drugstore/ pharmacy brand for 10 consecutive years, Watsons provides customers with personalised advice on top of its wide product range, making customers LOOK GOOD, FEEL GREAT every day. Watsons currently operates over 7,200 stores and more than 1,500 pharmacies in 13 Asian and European markets, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. CHICAGO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Smart Factory Market by Technology (DCS, PLC, MES, ERP, SCADA, PAM, HMI, PLM), Component (Sensors, Industrial Robots, Machine Vision Systems, Industrial 3D Printing), Industry, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Smart Factory Market is expected to be valued at USD 153.7 billion in 2019 and to grow USD 244.8 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 9.76% between 2019 and 2024. Factors driving the growth of the market include increasing adoption of industrial robots, the evolution of Internet of Things (IoT), growing demand for the smart automation solutions, and increasing emphasis on regulatory compliances. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1227 "Smart factory market for MES technology expected to grow at the highest rate between 2019 and 2024" There is a growing need to centralize business data in enterprises and track multiplant operations with the help of real-time data analysis; this is one of the features of MES driving the growth of this market. This demand is expected to grow, even among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), due to the availability of cost-effective MES solutions for various process and discrete industry verticals. "Discrete industry to witness highest growth between 2019 and 2024" The discrete industry is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The implementation of smart factory solutions in this industry ensures optimal supply chain management through the integration of the various production processes. It automates production processes and helps reduce the manufacturing cost. The smart factory market for the discrete industry is expected to be driven by rapid adoption of advanced manufacturing solutions by manufacturers to improve visibility, operational excellence, and quality, while reducing the lead time. Browse in-depth TOC on "Smart Factory Market" 58 - Tables 65 - Figures 227 - Pages "North America expected to hold the second-largest share of the smart factory market during the forecast period" This region is a key market as it is home to some of the largest multinational corporations operating in this market, including the majority of the leading players. The increased R&D in the field of IoT for new and improved technologies, as well as the increasing demand for improved lifestyle are the two crucial factors driving the market in North America. In addition, rising demand for advanced manufacturing solutions is expected to drive the growth of the smart factory market in North America. Request Sample Pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1227 Key players involved in the smart factory market are ABB (Switzerland), Emerson Electric (US), FANUC (Japan) General Electric (US), Honeywell International (US), Mitsubishi Electric (Japan), Robert Bosch (Germany), Rockwell Automation (US), Schneider Electric (France), Siemens (Germany), and Yokogawa Electric (Japan). Please Explore Relevant Reports: Smart Manufacturing Market by Enabling Technology (Condition Monitoring, Artificial Intelligence, IIoT, Digital Twin, Industrial 3D Printing), Information Technology (WMS, MES, PAM, HMI), Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 Industrial Control and Factory Automation Market by Solution (SCADA, PLC, DCS, MES, PLM, PAM, Functional Safety), Component (Industrial Robots, Industrial 3D Printing, Control Valves, Machine Vision, HMI), Industry and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/smart-factory-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / First Mining Gold Corp. ('First Mining' or the 'Company') is pleased to announce the results of an updated mineral resource estimate for its wholly-owned Goldlund gold project ('Goldlund') in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Updated Goldlund Resource This updated mineral resource estimate, which has an effective date of March 15, 2019, was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ('NI 43-101') by WSP Canada Inc. ('WSP') of Sudbury, Ontario. A technical report for this updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund will be filed by the Company under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website, within 45 days of the date of this news release. Only two of seven domains were updated in order to incorporate drilling results from the 40,000 metre infill drill program completed in 2018. The two zones updated are Zone 1 and Zone 7. A summary of the changes in the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund is as follows: Changes to Zone 1: Zone 1 Indicated Resource gold ('Au') ounces ('oz.') increased by 37,950 oz. This increase in oz. corresponds to a decrease in tonnage of 625,600 tonnes from 5,508,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.65 grams per tonne ('g/t') Au to 4,882,400 tonnes at an average grade of 2.16 g/t Au. Zone 1 Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 219,800 oz. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 6,514,000 tonnes, with the number of tonnes decreasing from 17,802,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.36 g/t Au to 11,288,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.54 g/t Au. Changes to Zone 7: Zone 7 Indicated Resource Au oz. increased by 210,750 oz. This increase in oz. represents a corresponding increase in tonnage of 4,161,600 tonnes at an average grade of 1.58 g/t Au from zero tonnes previously. Zone 7 Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 446,560 oz. after adjusting for the proportion of Inferred Resource tonnes removed due to the upgrade of certain tonnes to the Indicated Resource category. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 16,019,000 tonnes, with the number of tonnes decreasing from 17,947,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.28 g/t Au to 1,928,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.29 g/t Au. Overall Changes to the Goldlund Resource: In total, Indicated Resource Au oz. increased by 248,700 oz. This increase in oz. corresponds to an increase in tonnage of 3,595,900 tonnes from 9,324,100 tonnes at an average grade of 1.87 g/t Au to 12,860,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.96 g/t Au. In total, Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 628,400 oz., after adjusting for the proportion of Inferred Resource tonnes removed due to the upgrade of certain tonnes and grade to the Indicated Resource category. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 22,533,000 tonnes from 40,895,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.33 g/t Au to 18,362,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.49 g/t Au. Daniel W. Wilton, Chief Executive Officer of First Mining, stated, 'This resource update provides a solid foundation upon which we can continue to grow the Goldlund resource. We are pleased with the increase in Indicated Mineral Resources at Goldlund, and with our enhanced understanding of the Goldlund deposit as a result of this latest resource update on the project. While the pit-constrained Inferred Resource contains fewer tonnes and ounces, we have a much greater confidence in the overall resource now that it incorporates an additional 40,000 m of infill drilling. We believe our technical team will benefit from this greater understanding of, and confidence in, the controls on mineralization at Goldlund as we continue to advance this exciting project and further unlock its substantial exploration potential.' The following table (Table 1) provides a comparison between the mineral resource estimate from the initial NI 43-101 technical report on Goldlund, dated February 7, 2017, that was prepared for First Mining by WSP, and the updated mineral resource estimate that takes into account the additional 138 drill holes in Zones 7 and 1 that were drilled by First Mining during the 2017/2018 Phase 1 and 2 drill programs at Goldlund: Table 1: Undiluted Mineral Resource Estimates Within a US$1,350/oz Whittle Pit Shell Resource Classification WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Ounces Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Ounces Measured - - - - - - Indicated (Zone 1) 5,508,000 1.65 292,197 4,882,400 2.16 330,150 Indicated (Zone 2) 1,642,900 1.76 93,000 1,642,900 1.76 93,000 Indicated (Zone 3) 0 - - - - - Indicated (Zone 4) 1,664,600 2.73 146,100 1,664,600 2.73 146,100 Indicated (Zone 5) - - - - - - Indicated (Zone 7) - - - 4,161,600 1.58 210,753 Indicated (Zone 8) 508,600 2.00 29,200 508,600 2.00 29,200 Indicated (Total) 9,324,100 1.87 560,497 12,860,000 1.96 809,200 Measured & Indicated (Total) 9,324,100 1.87 560,497 12,860,000 1.96 809,200 Inferred (Zone 1) 17,802,000 1.36 778,422 11,288,000 1.54 558,600 Inferred (Zone 2) 1,028,000 1.22 40,000 1,028,000 1.22 40,000 Inferred (Zone 3) 1,385,000 1.61 71,666 1,385,000 1.61 71,666 Inferred (Zone 4) 734,000 2.40 57,000 734,000 2.40 57,000 Inferred (Zone 5) 1,284,000 1.19 49,000 1,284,000 1.19 49,000 Inferred (Zone 7) 17,947,000 1.28 737,004 1,928,000 1.29 79,688 Inferred (Zone 8) 715,000 0.90 21,000 715,000 0.90 21,000 Inferred (Total) 40,895,000 1.33 1,754,092 18,362,000 1.49 876,954 Notes: The numbers in the three columns of the above table under the heading "WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate" are from the updated mineral resource estimate on Goldlund that has an effective date of March 15, 2019, and that was prepared by WSP's Todd McCracken, P.Geo., an independent "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101. The numbers in the three columns of the above table under the heading "WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate" are from the mineral resource estimate on Goldlund that is set out in the technical report titled "Technical Report and Resource Estimation Update on the Goldlund Project" dated February 7, 2017, which was prepared by WSP's Todd McCracken, P.Geo., in accordance with NI 43-101 and is available under First Mining's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . A base case cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t Au was used for both the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate. For both the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate, resources are stated as contained within a conceptual pit shell using a metal price of US$1,350 per ounce of gold, mining costs of US$2.00 per tonne, processing plus G&A costs of US$15.40 per tonne, 93% recoveries and an average pit slope of 48 degrees. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. In this table, all mineral resource tonnage and contained metal numbers have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding. Since the initial NI 43-101 technical report on Goldlund was filed by First Mining on SEDAR on February 7, 2017, First Mining has completed 40,197 metres ('m') of drilling on the current resource body at Goldlund across the following two drill programs: A Phase 1 drill program comprising a total of 100 holes (24,300 m of drilling) over the entire Zone 7 portion of the granodiorite dike, with 87 of the holes intersecting intervals of significant gold mineralization. Drill holes were spaced at 50 m along strike by 25 m across strike in order to address the nugget effect of very high gold values. The program confirmed that mineralization presents as free gold and calaverite in a quartz-ankerite pyrite stockwork. The stockwork is very consistent from the hangingwall to the footwall of the granodiorite, whereas the gold distribution occurs irregularly in the stockwork above inflections in the strike of the footwall of the dike. This drill program helped the Company's technical team to delineate additional Indicated resource ounces at Goldlund and to enhance our geological knowledge of the mineral deposit. A Phase 2 drill program comprising a total of 38 new holes (14,961 m of drilling), mostly all in Zone 1 of the resource body, with 33 of the holes intersecting intervals of significant gold mineralization. This drill program targeted existing Inferred resources in the vicinity of the historic underground workings. The constraining wireframes were adjusted by WSP to reflect the additional information presented in the Phase 2 drill hole data. The results of the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs have previously been announced by First Mining (for a comprehensive summary of the Phase 1 results please refer to the Company's news releases in 2017 dated April 25, May 2, May 24, June 20, July 10, July 27and September 11; for a comprehensive summary of the Phase 2 results, please refer to the Company's news releases in 2018 dated February 5, February 8, April 17and May 15). These 138 drill holes in Zones 7 and 1 that were drilled by First Mining during the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs were incorporated by WSP into the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund, nearly doubling the number of holes in Zone 7 that had been used by WSP for their initial 2017 resource estimate. During the course of the Zone 7 drilling, First Mining geologists observed that while the entire width of the granodiorite sill that hosts mineralization was susceptible to the development of stockwork, not all of the stockwork was susceptible to gold mineralization. Gold mineralization was shown to concentrate in the third of the sill toward the footwall. Consequently, the incorporation of this increased geologic understanding resulted in a reduction in tonnes in the "in-situ" model for Zone 7 which was further impacted by the Whittle pit constraint applied to develop the reportable resource. The Zone 1 domain is both larger in area and more extensively drilled than Zone 7, and it also exhibits some zoning of gold mineralization within the granodiorite sill. However, the extent of the spatial concentration of this mineralization is less pronounced than at Zone 7. After incorporating drill data from the Phase 2 drilling, WSP made adjustments to the wireframes of the mineralized zone in Zone 1 to reflect this new understanding of the spatial concentration of the mineralization, which resulted in fewer Inferred Resource tonnes in the pit-constrained resource at a higher average grade. In summary, the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund incorporated more than 40,000 m of incremental drilling, the majority of which was focused on increasing the confidence of the resource in Zone 7. While the increased data density and geological understanding of the deposit resulted in increased confidence of the resource, adding 3,535,900 tonnes into the Indicated Resource at an average grade of 1.96 g/t, it also resulted in a reduction in tonnes and ounces in the Inferred Resource category. The First Mining team believes that the increased understanding of the deposit will assist us in better targeting subsequent drill programs aimed at growing the resource at Goldlund, which remains open along strike to the northeast, to the southwest and at depth. Goldlund Regional Exploration Update In June 2018, First Mining commenced a regional exploration diamond drilling campaign at Goldlund designed to test the extension of the known mineralized trend approximately 10 kilometres ("km") northeast of the mineralized material at the current resource area. The primary objective of this program was to verify historical sampling and drilling results, outline new resources and demonstrate the potential of the northeastern section of the Goldlund land package. The exploration drilling was focused on the Miller and Eaglelund targets. Miller Prospect Results Step-out drilling at the Miller prospect, located 10 km to the northeast of the main Goldlund deposit, yielded gold in a similar geological setting to the current resource area at Goldlund. Eight diamond drill holes at Miller (1,256 m of drilling) all exhibited the Goldlund-style mineralization of quartz-carbonate-pyrite-gold stockwork in a granodiorite dike. The Company has previously released the results for these eight drill holes at the Miller prospect (for a comprehensive summary of these drill results, please refer to the Company's news releases dated August 20, 2018 and September 20, 2018). Highlights of the Miller drill campaign included 108 m of 2.43 g/t Au, and 31.0 m of 4.54 g/t Au in hole MI-18-002; 48.0 m of 1.17 g/t Au in hole MI-18-003; and 49 m of 2.58 g/t Au in MI-18-007, including 21.5 m at 5.54 g/t Au. The frequency of occurrence of visible gold ("VG") at Miller was much greater than encountered in the Goldlund infill holes, with VG observed in seven out of the total eight holes drilled in this program. Final results for all Miller holes are presented below in Table 2, and include all results of metallic screen fire assays which were rerun on selected samples, some of which still had pending assays at the time of First Mining's last news release on Goldlund in September 2018. Table 2: Final 2018 Drill Results from the Miller Prospect Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) 3 MI-18-001 MI-18-001 7.00 114.6 107.60 0.42 inc 15.00 88.6 73.60 0.55 inc 16.00 18.3 2.30 2.01 and inc 18.00 18.3 0.30 9.15 and inc 23.30 29.6 6.30 2.01 and inc 27.30 27.6 0.30 32.12 and inc 77.60 88.6 11.00 1.43 and inc 87.60 88.6 1.00 9.09 MI-18-002 MI-18-002 0.42 142.5 142.08 1.90 inc 1.50 109.5 108.00 2.43 and inc 57.50 88.5 31.00 4.54 and inc 75.50 82.5 7.00 14.66 and inc 81.50 82.5 1.00 88.80 and inc 102.50 109.5 7.00 9.61 and inc 108.50 109.5 1.00 54.47 MI-18-003 MI-18-003 69.00 72.0 3.00 1.19 and 90.00 138.0 48.00 1.17 inc 90.00 90.5 0.50 16.10 and inc 94.00 97.5 3.50 2.42 and inc 105.00 106.0 1.00 3.90 and inc 115.00 130.0 15.00 1.70 and inc 125.00 125.5 0.50 19.10 and inc 137.70 138.0 0.30 11.80 MI-18-004 MI-18-004 34.00 57.8 23.80 0.54 inc 34.00 35.0 1.00 2.56 and inc 52.00 57.8 5.80 1.40 and inc 55.00 56.0 1.00 6.12 MI-18-005 MI-18-005 46.00 47.0 1.00 4.18 and 68.00 78.0 10.00 0.45 and inc 72.00 74.0 2.00 1.25 and 109.00 110.0 1.00 1.00 MI-18-006 MI-18-006 76.00 77.0 1.00 1.38 and 102.00 124.0 22.00 0.70 inc 103.00 109.4 6.40 2.15 and inc 103.62 104.0 0.38 20.80 and inc 109.00 109.4 0.40 5.37 and 145.00 147.0 2.00 1.48 and 169.00 170.0 1.00 3.01 MI-18-007 MI-18-007 66.00 69.0 3.00 4.24 inc 66.00 67.0 1.00 9.16 and 89.00 138.0 49.00 2.58 inc 94.50 116.0 21.50 5.54 and inc 107.50 109.0 1.50 9.17 and inc 114.00 115.0 1.00 94.60 MI-18-008 MI-18-008 135.00 149.0 14.00 0.63 inc 135.50 138.0 2.5.0 1.85 and inc 146.00 147.0 1.00 2.14 Notes: Assaying for the Miller drill program was done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Cochrane and Lakefield, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry ('AAS') finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Au values in bold text contain results of metallic screen fire assay reruns. The Miller prospect is along strike and contains the same volcanic-intrusive stratigraphy as Goldlund, and thus opens up a 10 km long priority exploration corridor between the current resource area at Goldlund and the Miller prospect, as shown in Figure 1 below. See Figure 2 below for a cross-section of the Miller prospect. None of the drill results from the Miller prospect were incorporated into the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund. Step out and infill drilling at Miller is a priority work program in 2019 with a goal of establishing an initial resource. Figure 1. Priority Exploration Corridor at Goldlund Figure 2. Cross-Section through the Miller Prospect, Looking Northeast Eaglelund Prospect Drill Results In addition to the drilling at the Miller prospect, First Mining also completed a further seven diamond drill holes at the Eaglelund prospect (638 m of drilling), and one diamond drill hole comprising 50 m of drilling at the Miles prospect (see Figure 3 and Table 4 for locations), and the results of this drilling are presented in Table 3 below. The holes at Eaglelund and Miles were targeted close to the locations of historical drill holes that were first drilled in the 1950s and 1980s, several of which reported gold mineralization (although locations and assay results for these holes cannot be verified). Some narrow gold intersections were encountered in this latest drilling, notably in the south west region of the Eaglelund target, with hole EL-18-002 intersecting 1.0 m at 2.22 g/t Au, and hole EL-18-003 intersecting 2.0 m at 6.42 g/t Au. No significant gold mineralization was encountered in the northeast area of drilling; however, mapping and drill logging show that the granodiorite sill, the host rock of gold mineralization, is faulted off and replaced by a sheared feldspar porphyry in this area. The faulted portion of the granodiorite sill has not been located during this drill campaign, hence additional drilling is required to delineate this and to better understand the control and distribution of the mineralization at the Eaglelund and Miles prospects. Table 3. Drill Hole Results from the Eaglelund / Miles Prospects Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t EL-18-001 2.0 3.0 1.0 0.14 and 10.0 13.0 3.0 0.08 and 26.0 41.0 15.0 0.08 inc 33.0 38.0 5.0 0.14 EL-18-002 9.0 10.0 1.0 0.26 and 18.0 19.0 1.0 2.22 and 22.0 23.0 1.0 0.12 and 27.0 28.0 1.0 0.22 and 33.0 35.0 2.0 0.14 and 44.0 45.0 1.0 0.16 EL-18-003 8.0 21.0 13.0 0.12 and 28.0 30.0 2.0 6.42 inc 29.0 30.0 1.0 10.11 EL-18-004 no significant mineralization EL-18-005 no significant mineralization EL-18-006 115.0 117.0 2.0 0.29 EL-18-007 83.0 84.0 1.0 0.31 and 94.0 95.0 1.0 0.28 ML-18-001 no significant mineralization Notes: Assaying for the Eaglelund and Miles drill program was done by SGS at their laboratory in Lakefield, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with AAS finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Figure 3. Plan Map, 2018 Regional Drill Program Table 4. Drill Hole Locations at the Eaglelund and Miles Prospects Hole ID Azimuth Dip Length (m) UTM East UTM North EL-18-001 50 -85 74 556343 5533104 EL-18-002 0 -90 50 556343 5533104 EL-18-003 60 -85 50 556376 5533122 EL-18-004 180 -50 104 556476 5533194 EL-18-005 135 -50 104 556535 5533210 EL-18-006 135 -50 119 556581 5533259 EL-18-007 67 -55 137 556408 5533108 ML-18-001 310 -55 50 554611 5531873 Deep Drilling Encounters Mineralization at Depth In addition to this regional exploration program, as part of the Phase 2 drill program, four holes in Zone 7 that were originally drilled during the Phase 1 program were extended deeper, for an additional 938 m of drilling, demonstrating that gold mineralization at Goldlund continues to considerable depths in Zone 7. Drill holes GL-17-10, GL-17-051, GL-17-106 and GL-17-108 were extended to depths of 629, 629, 455 and 500 m respectively. Drill results for these deep extensions are presented in Table 5 below (also previously reported in the Company's news release dated February 5, 2018). Table 5. Drill Hole Results from Zone 7 Deep Drilling Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t GL-17-010 GL-17-010 389 390.6 1.6 1.49 and 545 628 83 1.35 inc 545 546 1 74.95 and inc 575 580 5 3.19 and inc 576 577 1 13.63 GL-17-051 GL-17-051 369 441 72 0.65 inc 369 371 2 4.87 and inc 398 399 1 6.27 and inc 413 421 8 2.59 and inc 413 415 2 6.18 GL-17-106 GL-17-106 315 371 56 0.4 inc 325 327 2 1.19 and inc 355 357 2 4.74 and inc 369 371 2 1.37 and 401 402 1 5.86 GL-17-108 GL-17-108 366 368 2 1.48 Notes: Assaying for the deep drilling program at Zone 7 was done by SGS at their laboratories in Burnaby, BC, and Red Lake, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with AAS finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Mr. Wilton stated, "The highlight of the 2018 regional exploration program on the Goldlund property is the confirmation it provided to us that the geology and mineralization documented at the main Goldlund resource has also been demonstrated at the Miller prospect, which is ten kilometres northeast and along strike of the main Goldlund resource. As a result, First Mining has a priority exploration corridor located between these two areas. What should not be ignored, however, is the fact that the main Goldlund resource zone remains open along strike to the northeast, to the southwest, and at depth. The deep drilling results in the Goldlund main zone, while they do not fall into a pit-optimized resource, demonstrate the continuity of the ore body and the presence of visible gold at depth and provide another important avenue for potential resource expansion in the future. The total contained interpreted strike length of the geological prospect on the Goldlund property is approximately fifty kilometres, and to date, First Mining has investigated less than 10% of this. We are very excited by the significant exploration upside presented by our Goldlund property." QA/QC PROCEDURES The QA/QC program for the Phase 1 and 2 drilling programs at Goldlund and the 2018 regional drilling program at the Miller, Eaglelund and Miles prospects consisted of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These were inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in this program are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material. Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as "coarse' or "pulp' duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, were also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. For the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs, additional selected duplicates were submitted for screened metallic fire assay analysis, and for all of the drill programs (including the regional programs), duplicates were submitted to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertook their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. DATA VERIFICATION FOR UPDATED GOLDLUND RESOURCE ESTIMATE First Mining compiled all the data used in completing the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund from original source drill hole documents and from plan and section originals and copies. Goldlund has been tested by 2,195 drill holes, surface trenches and underground channel samples, plus development in the form of underground shafts, ramps, drifts, and an open pit. In addition to the drill hole database, a dataset containing underground wall sampling intervals was included. Wall sampling was conducted as continuous samples on both walls and at times at chest and back heights. The wall sampling data was converted into drill hole format to supplement the dataset. All resource estimations were conducted using SurpacTM version 6.8. Based on historical data and samples collected by First Mining, a specific gravity of 2.81 was assigned to the volcanics and a specific gravity of 2.72 was assigned to the mineralized dikes. Three-dimensional wireframe models of mineralization were developed for the seven zones based on: geology, alteration, a gold cut-off of greater than 0.2 g/t and a minimum 2 m horizontal width. Areas of drift development in mineralization were also created. Sectional interpretations were digitized in Datamine Studio software, and these interpretations were linked with tag strings and triangulated to build the three-dimensional solids by First Mining. WSP imported the Datamine solid files into SurpacTM for use, then updated certain files relating to Zones 1 and 7 where necessary. The mineralized zones are generally contiguous, however, due to several transverse faults throughout the Goldlund project, mineralization may often be terminated or shifted along these planes in one or more directions. The seven zones (Zones 1 through 8, no Zone 6), which are part of the mineral resource, were sampled by a total of 69,272 drill hole and trench intervals and 3,335 wall sample intervals. Individual block models were established in SurpacTM for all seven zones using one parent model as the origin. Drill hole spacing varies with the majority of the drilling tightly spaced from 30 m. A block size of 10 x 10 x 10 m was selected in order to accommodate the more closely spaced drilling and the narrow nature of the mineralization. Sub-celling of the block model was not used. The interpolations of the seven zones were completed using the following methods: nearest neighbour (NN), inverse distance squared (ID2) and ordinary kriging (OK). The estimations were designed for four passes. In each pass, a minimum and maximum number of samples were required as well as a maximum number of samples from a borehole in order to satisfy the estimation criteria. A pit shell was generated using the Lerchs-Grossman (LG) algorithm in Whittle. Table 6 below is a summary of the parameters used in the pit optimization process. WSP has concluded that the optimized pit shell suggests a resource using a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off and a US$1,350 gold price with a 5.8 strip ratio would be acceptable. Table 6. Pit Optimization Parameters for Goldlund Item Unit Amount Gold Price US$/Troy Ounce 1,350 Mining Cost (Open Pit) US$/tonne of material 2.00 Processing Costs US$/tonne of material 12.90 G&A Costs US$/tonne of material 2.50 Metallurgical Recovery Percent 93 % Pit Slope Degrees 48 The Goldlund database has gone through several validations including 10% of the total database extant prior to 2010. The error rate of the initial dataset was found to exceed 1% (most errors were insignificant and related to mistakes in transcription). The entire dataset was subsequently examined and corrected and a second review returned no errors. A total of 100% of the assay data received between 2011 and 2014 was checked against the digital assay certificates with no discrepancies found. The same is true of collar coordinates, survey data, and lithology intervals. For the 2017 round of validation, WSP validated 10% of the data set by comparing the assay data with the digital assay certificates, and no discrepancies were found. The same is true of collar coordinates, survey data, and lithology intervals. The drill hole data database underwent a final validation during loading into SurpacTM 6.8, which has a routine that checks for duplicate intervals, overlapping intervals, and intervals beyond the end of hole. No errors were identified. WSP confirmed the locations of 11 surface drill hole collars during the site visit in 2010, an additional 10 collars during the 2011 site visit, and a further 9 collars (with some duplication) during the 2013 site visit. These collar locations were collected using a Garmin GPSmap 60Cx hand-held GPS unit having an accepted resolution of 5 metres. WSP confirmed the locations of 10 new surface drill hole collars during the site visit in 2014, and a further 20 collars during the 2017 site visit. These collar locations were collected using a Garmin GPSmap 62 hand-held GPS unit having an accepted resolution of 5 metres. In 2010 and 2013, a total of thirty-five samples of mineralized drill core were collected and delivered by WSP to Actlabs and Accurassay in Thunder Bay for preparation and analysis. Actlabs and Accurassay are accredited to international quality standards through the International Organization for ISO/IEC 17025 (ISO/IEC 17025 includes ISO 9001 and ISO 9002 specifications) with CAN-P-1579 (Mineral Analysis). The check samples reproduced the grades in the Goldlund drill holes as accurately as would be expected in an Archean lode gold deposit. Pulps from a further thirty mineralized intervals in the 2013-2014 drill program were collected by WSP from the Accurassay facility in Thunder Bay and delivered by WSP to ALS Minerals in Sudbury, Ontario for analysis for gold using a 50 gram aliquot in a FA/AA finish. In addition, a QC test was performed on each sample to test the pulp fineness. WSP did not collect any check samples from its 2017 site visit to Goldlund. WSP has concluded that the sampling practices applied by First Mining at Goldlund meet current industry standards and that the sample database provided by First Mining and validated by WSP is suitable to support the updated resource estimation for Goldlund. QUALIFIED PERSONS Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., Chief Operating Officer of First Mining, is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101 and he has reviewed and accepts responsibility for the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Todd McCracken, P.Geo, Manager with WSP Canada Inc., and the author of the technical report for the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund, is an independent "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101. Neither Todd McCracken of WSP Canada Inc. nor any associates employed in the preparation of the technical report ("Consultants") have any beneficial interest in First Mining. These Consultants are not insiders, associates, or affiliates of First Mining. The results of the updated resource estimate for Goldlund are not dependent upon any prior agreements concerning the conclusions to be reached, nor are there any undisclosed understandings concerning any future business dealings between First Mining and the Consultants. The Consultants are paid a fee for their work in accordance with normal professional consulting practices. ABOUT FIRST MINING GOLD CORP. First Mining Gold Corp. is an emerging development company with a diversified portfolio of gold projects in North America. Having assembled a large resource base of 7.3 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and 3.6 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category in mining friendly jurisdictions of eastern Canada, First Mining is now focused on advancing its assets towards production. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States. For further information, please contact Frank Lagiglia, Investor Relations, at 604-639-8824, or visit our website at www.firstmininggold.com . ON BEHALF OFFIRST MINING GOLD CORP. "Keith Neumeyer" Keith Neumeyer Chairman Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the filing by the Company of a technical report for this updated resource estimate for Goldlund under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website, within 45 days of the date of this news release; (ii) the estimated amount and grade of mineral resources at Goldlund;(iii) the Company's belief that its technical team will benefit from a greater understanding of, and confidence in, the controls on mineralization at Goldlund, as a result of this updated mineral resource estimate for the project; and (iv) the potential for exploration upside at Goldlund, both along the 10 km long prospective exploration corridor between the current resource area and the Miller prospect, and further to the northeast of the Miller prospect along strike. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at Goldlund at estimated grades; (ii) the capacities and durability of various machinery and equipment; and (iii) success in realizing proposed drilling programs. Although the Company's management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the material identified as mineral resources from that predicted; (ii) general risks related to exploration drilling programs; (iii) developments in world metals markets; (iv) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; (v) management's discretion to refocus the Company's exploration efforts and/or alter the Company's short and long term business plans; and (vi) the additional risks described in First Mining's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in First Mining's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR. First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. SOURCE: First Mining Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540275/First-Mining-Announces-Updated-Goldlund-Resource-And-Goldlund-Exploration-Update Maana, the pioneer of digital knowledge technology, named Mark Woolley as Digital Transformation Lead for Upstream Operations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005371/en/ Mark Woolley joins Maana as Digital Transformation Lead for Upstream Operations. (Photo: Business Wire) Prior to joining Maana, Woolley helped lead Digital Upstream at Accenture where he was responsible for accelerating transformation across E P organizations. In this capacity, he defined the vision for the upstream business digital transformation, while identifying and qualifying industry and technology partners to enable a digitized enterprise for Accenture clients. Based in the Netherlands, Woolley will be responsible for helping organizations understand best practices around digitization specifically, how to use the Maana Knowledge Layer on Microsoft Azure to address business problems across the upstream value chain such as portfolio optimization, the lifecycle of wells, predictive maintenance, and health, safety and risk. "As we continue to rapidly grow in the oil and gas industry, we are excited for Mark to join Maana to further foster relationships with our partners and our increasing number of energy clients," said Babur Ozden, CEO and Founder of Maana. "Mark brings a great combination of both industry and technology expertise to Maana. He will contribute greatly to our vision of enabling customers to build their digitial roadmap so that they can experience the decision velocity that will propel their business forward." Woolley earned a degree in geology from the University of Manchester. Following graduation, Woolley began his career working globally for Halliburton Drilling Operations Landmark. He spent eight years with Hitachi Data Systems in compute and file services, launching his international career supporting a number of industries, including oil and gas. About Maana: Maana organizes the world's industrial data and human expertise into digital knowledge to enable millions of experts to make better decisions affecting the global economy and human civilization. Using our Knowledge Platform and its proprietary Computational Knowledge Graph, Fortune Global 500 industrial companies drive answers to operational questions that direct the future. Operating internationally, Maana is a privately-held company with offices in Menlo Park, California; Bellevue, Washington; Houston, Texas; London, UK; and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005371/en/ Contacts: Linda Madden lmadden@piercom.com (713) 627-2223 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Gander Exploration Inc ("Gander" or "the Company") announces that it has agreed a private placement in the amount of $12,000 by the issuance of 1,200,000 common shares at $0.01 per share. David Lonsdale, who is a director and CEO of the Company, Gaurav Singh, who is also a director and CFO of the Company, Peter Wanner and Mark Wettreich, also directors of the Company, have agreed to invest $3,000 each. The Company has also offered to settle its debt owed to GreenBank Capital Inc. and Buchans Wileys Exploration Inc. by issuing 1,295,000 shares common shares in the Company priced at CAD$0.01 in full settlement of the total amount of $12,950 owed. Upon closing of the private placement and debt settlement, David Lonsdale will directly and indirectly beneficially own 337,600 common shares or 4.50% of the Company, Gaurav Singh will own 301,899 common shares or 4.03%, Peter Wanner will own 300,000 shares or 4.00% and Mark Wettreich will own 303,692 shares or 4.05% of the Company. The proceeds of the funding will be used for working capital. Upon exercising the debt settlement GreenBank Capital Inc., will increase its shareholding in the Company from 30.10% to 34.76%. The participation by David Lonsdale, Peter Wanner, Mark Wettreich and Gaurav Singh, directors of the Company, in this transaction is considered to be a related party transaction as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). A special committee established by the board of directors and consisting of an independent director determined that the related party transaction is fair and reasonable in the circumstances to the Company. Neither the Company nor the related party has knowledge of any material information concerning the Company or its securities that has not been generally disclosed. The transaction will not have an effect on the direct or indirect voting interests of the related party, with the exception of the additional shares issued in this transaction. The process of approving the transaction involved the appointment of a special committee, the approval of the transaction by the special committee, the consideration of the transaction by the directors with David Lonsdale, Peter Wanner, Mark Wettreich and Gaurav Singh disclosing their interest, and the unanimous approval of the transaction by the directors. The special committee was comprised of one director who is independent within the meaning of MI 61-101.There is one director who is independent within the meaning of MI 61-101. The Company has relied on sections 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement, and section 5.7(b) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirements. A material change report in respect of the related party transaction will be filed at least 21 days in advance of the closing of the Agreement. Separately, Larry Quinlan has resigned as CEO and director of the Company, to pursue other interests, and David Lonsdale has been appointed as the CEO of the Company. About Gander Exploration Inc. Gander Exploration Inc. is a minerals exploration company with interests in Newfoundland, Canada. It is a reporting issuer in British Columbia and Alberta. For more information please see or the Company's profile on www.sedar.com or contact David Lonsdale at (647) 931 9768 or by email at david@GreenBankCapitalInc.com. Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business and trading in the common stock of Gander Exploration Inc., the raising of additional capital and the future development of the businesses of Gander Exploration Inc. The forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the company's management. Although the company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Gander Exploration Inc can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and Gander Exploration Inc disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Gander Exploration Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540326/Gander-Exploration-Inc-Agrees-Private-Placement-and-Debt-Settlement TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Easton Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC PINK: EAPH) announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent with a Licensed Producer of Medical Marijuana in Canada, whereby Easton will participate in the LP's expansion plans. In its ongoing efforts to diversify and enter into other lucrative sectors, Easton is pleased to announce that it has signed a Letter of Intent with a Canadian Licensed Producer of Cannabis, already in revenues from its cultivation and sales activities. Easton has been in discussions with this LP since January and has finally concluded an LOI whereby Easton, through its Development Division, will undertake the build-out of the LP's new Oil Extraction facility in exchange for an ownership interest in the LP. In addition, the LOI contemplates the LP supplying Cannabis in flower and oil form to Easton at a discount off market rates, giving Easton a further competitive advantage. The LP will receive an interest in Easton's Cannabis Edibles company, ensuring the consistent supply of high quality cannabis. Easton previously announced that the Company has signed an agreement to acquire a Toronto based commercial bakery and food preparation company which manufactures white labelled food products for third party food companies and its own line of niche food product lines, sold in major grocery chains, as well as specialty coffee chains. The company has an R&D division with product development and has begun discussions with food chains in order to develop and supply cannabis edible products. Easton expects the sales of its edibles division to exceed $100 million. Easton and the LP will now proceed to work on the terms of a Definitive Agreement and complete the transaction as quickly as possible. More information will be released once approved. About Easton Pharmaceuticals Easton Pharmaceuticals is a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company involved in various pharmaceutical sectors and other growing industries. The Company previously developed and owned an FDA-approved wound-healing medical drug and currently owns topically delivered drugs to treat cancer and other therapeutic products to treat various conditions that are all in various stages of development and approval. Easton, together with BMV Medica S.A. own the exclusive distribution rights in Mexico and Latin America for two patented women's diagnostic products and a novel natural treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis, which they have sub-licensed to Bayer and Gedeon Richter. In addition, a generic cancer drugs line is being developed for sale in Mexico. The company's gel formulation is thought to be an innovative and unique transdermal delivery system that can in the future be adaptable in the delivery of other drugs. As part of its strategic growth plan, the Company has entered new lucrative market segments globally, including Gaming, Real Estate Development, Food and Beverage and Cannabis. For More Information on Easton and Affiliated and Partner Company's Visit: http://www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com http://finance.yahoo.com/q's=eaph https://twitter.com/eastonpharma Safe Harbor This news release may contain forward-looking statements or expressions within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when certain words or phrases such as "hope", "positive", "anticipate," "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "possible" or "intent to" and similar conditional expressions are expressed, they are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Any investment made into Easton Pharmaceuticals may contain risks. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional or adequate financing, government approvals or changes to proposed laws and other risks and uncertainties further stated in the company's financial reports and filings. CONTACT INFORMATION Easton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Tel: +1(647) 362-5700 Email: eastonpharma@protonmail.com www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com SOURCE: Easton Pharmaceuticals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540323/Easton-Signs-LOI-with-Licensed-Producer-of-Cannabis-to-Expand-its-Operations-and-Participate-in-its-Cannabis-Edibles-Division Photo: The Canadian PressAnna Sorokin appears in New York State Supreme Court on grand larceny charges. On Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Anna Sorokin travelled in celebrity circles and tossed $100 tips all the more reason to believe she was the German heiress she said she was. But behind the jet-set lifestyle and pricey threads, prosecutors say, was a fraudster who bilked friends, banks and hotels for a taste of the high life. Sorokin, 28, lived in luxury New York City hotel rooms she couldn't afford, promised a friend an all-expenses paid trip to Morocco and then stuck her with the $62,000 bill, and peddled bogus bank statements in a quest for a $22 million loan, the Manhattan District Attorney's office alleges. On Wednesday, the one-time darling of the Big Apple social scene is scheduled to stand trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled $275,000 in a 10-month odyssey that saw her jetting to Omaha and Marrakesh before landing in a cell at Rikers Island. "Her overall scheme has been to claim to be a wealthy German heiress with approximately $60 million in funds being held abroad," prosecutor Catherine McCaw said after Sorokin's October 2017 arrest. "She's born in Russia and has not a cent to her name as far as we can determine." Sorokin's lawyer, Todd Spodek, did not respond to a telephone message left Tuesday. At a hearing last month, he said that Sorokin is "presumed innocent and never intended to commit a larceny." Sorokin, jailed since her arrest, faces deportation to Germany regardless of the outcome of the trial because authorities say she overstayed her visa. Her story, however, may stick around. Shonda Rhimes, the force behind "Grey's Anatomy" and Scandal," has announced she is creating a television series about Sorokin, whose Instagram bio says: "soon on Netflix." Sorokin arrived in the world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams in 2016 with a new name (Anna Delvey) and a wardrobe to match (Celine sunglasses, Gucci sandals and high-end buys from Net-a-Porter and Elyse Walker). She made a show of proving she belonged, passing crisp Benjamins to Uber drivers and hotel concierges, but she gave varying accounts for the source of her wealth, according to people who knew her. At different times, they said, she'd claim her father was a diplomat, an oil baron or a solar panel muckity-muck. In reality, her father told New York magazine , he's a former trucker who runs a heating-and-cooling business. At first, people around Sorokin didn't see a red flag when she asked them to put cabs and plane fares on their credit cards she sometimes said she had trouble moving her assets from Europe, they said and they laughed it off as forgetfulness when they had to hound her to pay them back. "It was a magic trick," Rachel Williams, the friend from the Morocco trip, wrote in Vanity Fair . "I'm embarrassed to say that I was one of the props, and the audience, too. Anna's was a beautiful dream of New York, like one of those nights that never seems to end. And then the bill arrives." MADRID, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pagantis, the European fintech for e-commerce consumer finance, announced that it closed a Series B funding round of $75 million in debt and equity. Prime Ventures, SPF Investment Management (previously Credit Suisse Asset Management) and Rinkelberg Capital Group participated in the round. The new capital will be used to develop the e-commerce consumer credit service in Italy, France and Portugal. The Spanish-based fintech recently received regulatory approval to operate in Italy and opened a branch in Milan. It will continue to expand its European presence and add credit cards to its platform. Paga+Tarde, the Pagantis point of sale consumer finance platform for ecommerce, allows consumers to pay for goods and services in monthly installments with a fully automated, paperless process and provides e-commerce merchants with a simple onboarding process to offer consumer credit in conjunction with purchases. Rolf Cederstrom, CEO and Founder "We have developed a leading offering in Spain, where we pioneered online consumer credit, and following strong demand from our international merchants and partners, we are now expanding the service offering to other European countries." About Pagantis Pagantis is an established fintech, founded in 2011, and focused on providing automated, friction-free consumer finance for e-commerce transactions in Europe. The company has originated over 500 million in online consumer loans on its proprietary platform, which has been developed leveraging the company's expertise in data science, technology, regulatory compliance, and finance. The group operates a regulated entity, Pagantis SA EP (Bank of Spain Code 6857), a payment institute supervised by the Bank of Spain. www.pagantis.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/842163/Pagantis_Logo.jpg Loretta Gallagher, an advocate for education and academic success, sets the deadline for the Loretta Gallagher Scholarship Program as Monday, July 1, 2019 WAYNE, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Loretta Gallagher is happy to announce the deadline for the Loretta Gallagher Scholarship Program. The scholarship program will offer two scholarships of $500 USD each to students pursuing a post-secondary degree in business, finance, economics, or educational studies. The scholarship program will be open for applications between Monday, April 1st, at 8:00 a.m. EDT and Monday, July 1st, 5:00 p.m. EDT. Applicants must be enrolled in a first, second, or third year program at an accredited university or college in the United States or Canada to be eligible for the Loretta Gallagher Scholarship Program. Applicants must also be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. All candidates are required to submit proof of academic enrollment to their current or intended program of study. As part of the application process, candidates are required to submit an online registration form alongside an essay of 600 words maximum. In the essay, students should outline why they chose their area of study and how they plan to make a difference in their field following graduation. Competitive applications will demonstrate a passion for the applicants' area of discipline and how they could potentially engage with their community. To learn more about the Loretta Gallagher Scholarship Program and to apply, please visit https://lorettagallagherscholarships.com/. About Loretta Gallagher As an entrepreneur and advocate for education, Loretta Gallagher believes obtaining a post-secondary education cultivates personal growth and is a platform for professional development. She also believes that academic environments inspire creativity and prepare individuals for their future career path. Loretta Gallagher founded Gallagher Associates, LLC in 1993. Gallagher Associates, an IT company based in New Jersey, specializes in the implementation of electronic medical record (EMR) systems. A fully integrated and high functioning EMR is a multi-phase process that is designed to improve communication, office management, and various aspects of patient care. For more information, please contact: Loretta Gallagher Founder of Gallagher Associates, LLC apply@lorettagallagherscholarships.com http://gallagher-associate.com/ SOURCE: Guaranteed Removals View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540329/Loretta-Gallagher-Announces-Deadline-for-Prestigious-Scholarship-Program Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEO 2000UV to address the lack of available UV curing/charge erase systems and offer longer term perspective to IC manufacturers Trymax Semiconductor Equipment BV (Trymax), a global leader in plasma solutions for semiconductor manufacturers, announces the addition of an ultraviolet (UV) curing and charge erase product line to its portfolio. The system called NEO 2000UV is a leading-edge dual chamber solution compliant with wafer sizes up to 200mm. UV curing and charge erase equipment are used for a wide range of applications that includes photo-stabilization of the resist prior implantation or etch, for small CD, or to erase charge built-up during the IC manufacturing process. This new offer from Trymax will contribute to support the 200mm wafer capacity increase over the period 2019-2022 forecasted by SEMI in its latest report The decision of Trymax to develop such new product was based on the market demand. Several IC fabs were facing difficulties to find UV curing/charge erase equipment to expand their manufacturing capacity or simply maintain their existing toolset. Customers had to rely mainly on the rarely available refurbished equipment and parts. "By launching NEO 2000UV, Trymax offers longer term perspective to IC manufacturers", stated Ludo Vandenberk, Executive Vice President of Trymax. "This new product line extends Trymax capabilities to support the semiconductor industry and will generate value for customer by enabling higher yield in wafer manufacturing." NEO 2000UV has been designed taking advantage of the reliable NEO platforms developed by Trymax for plasma ashing, descum, and etching applications. NEO 2000UV is implementing state-of-the-art robotics, components, the latest digital technologies and software, and is CE compliant. NEO 2000UV can accommodate cassettes or SMIFs. It is manufactured in the Netherlands. First shipments of pre-ordered systems will start in early Q3 2019. Customers interested to run demonstrations in Trymax application lab are invited to contact Trymax. Reference * 200mm Fabs to Add 700,000 Wafers Through 2022, SEMI Reports (Feb 12th, 2019) About Trymax Semiconductor Equipment BV: Trymax's core business is to support semiconductor manufacturers through the world with innovative plasma-based solutions for photo resist removal, surface cleaning, isotropic etch, as well as UV curing/charge erase, that are used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. Trymax is a privately held company headquartered in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Trymax operates regional offices in China (Suzhou) and Italy (Milan). Learn more at www.trymax-semiconductor.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005009/en/ Contacts: Company: Yann Guillou Global Marketing Sales Director +31 24 350 08 09 Yann.guillou@trymax-semiconductor.com CHICAGO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --According to the new market research report "Microprinting Market by Substrate Type (Plastic, Paper, Metal), Print Type (Single-Sided, Double-Sided), Type (Monochrome, Color), Application (Banking & Finance, Government, Packaging, Healthcare, Education, Corporate), Geography - Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Microprinting Market is projected to reach USD 670 million by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2019 to 2024. Standards and regulations in the banking sector, and technological advancement in microprinting technology are a few major factors driving the growth of the microprinting market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=216162103 Single-sided print type to hold major share of microprinting market during forecast period Single-side microprinting is done on check slips, stamps, official documents, medical prescription and reports, packaging labels, and a few ID cards. The growth of this market is mainly attributed to its widespread use in government, education, and corporate applications. Almost all postage stamps, check slips, event ID cards require single-sided microprinting. Moreover, the packaging industry adopts single-sided microprinting to protect products from duplicity. Matica Technologies AG (Germany), one of the leading financial card providers, offers XID8600 printer, which supports single-sided microprinting on cards. The XID8600, a premium quality printer, could be used for ID card printing. It has the ability to produce up to 120 single-sided cards per hour. Banking & finance application to dominate microprinting market during forecast period The banking & finance application is expected to hold the largest market share of the microprinting market during the forecast period. The growth of this market is attributed to the increasing demand from banking and financial sectors for anti-counterfeit tools and printers for counterfeit deterrence. Banking & finance application uses microprinting for various banking documents, including check slips, currency/banknotes, financial or payment cards, ID cards. Microprinting technology focuses on fulfilling these demands by printing microscopic text. Browse in-depth TOC on "Microprinting Market" 66 - Tables 39 - Figures 137 - Pages APAC to hold major share of microprinting market by 2025 APAC is likely to be the leading region in the adoption of microprinting technology. APAC is witnessing increasing use of microprinting technology-based printers owing to the presence of a large number of bank and finance organizations, government agencies, and corporate companies. Moreover, growing demand for security and anti-counterfeit measures in banking and finance, government, and education sectors is expected to drive the growth of the microprinting market in APAC. In addition, the markets in India, Japan, and China are more likely to govern the microprinting market in the coming years, in terms of adaptability and market size. Moreover, countries such as India and China are expected to witness high growth in the microprinting market because of growing developmental activities and rapid economic expansion. Request Sample Pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=216162103 Xerox Corporation (US), Videojet Technologies, Inc. (US), Matica Technologies AG (Germany), Brady Corporation (US), Zebra Technologies Corporation (US), HP Inc. (US), Ricoh Company Ltd. (Japan), Canon Finetech Nisca Inc. (Japan), Source Technologies (US), SAFEChecks (US), Xeikon (Netherlands), Domino Printing Sciences PLC (UK), Control Print Ltd. (India), Data Carte Concepts (Canada), Evolis (France), Micro Format, Inc. (US), Spectrum Positive (UK), Printegra (US), Trustcopy (Singapore), and William Frick & Company (US) are major players in the microprinting market. Please Explore Relevant Reports: Digital Printing Market for Printers, Inks, and Print Heads by Ink Type (Aqueous, Solvent, UV-Curable, Latex, and Dye Sublimation), Print Head Type (Inkjet and Laser), Substrate Type (Glass, Textile, Paper), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023 Production Printer Market by Type (Monochrome, Color), Technology (Inkjet, Toner), Production Method (Cut Sheet, Continuous Feed, Sheet Fed, and Web Based), Application and Geography - Global Trends & Forecast to 2022 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/microprinting-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg FOR EUROPEAN MEDICAL AND TRADE MEDIA ONLY Study will enrol 200 adult patients with limb trauma who are rescued by helicopter Efficacy, tolerability and practicality of use of the inhaled analgesic in hostile mountain environments to be investigated CAMBRIDGE, England, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mundipharma network of independent associated companies announced today that the first patient has been enrolled into a new study investigating the efficacy of Penthrox - (methoxyflurane, MEOF) in conscious, stable adult patients with moderate-to-severe trauma-related pain rescued from hostile, mountainous areas.1 The METEORA trial is a Phase IIIb, prospective, single-arm, multicentre trial in 200 adult patients with limb trauma who are rescued by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in Italy.1 The trial will assess the reduction in pain intensity (using the visual analogue scale [VAS] 0-100 mm) for patients treated with inhaled MEOF; and whether additional pain-relieving medication is needed.1 The practicality of MEOF use in an emergency rescue situation, patient satisfaction and any adverse events will also be evaluated.1 The primary endpoint is the percentage of patients achieving at least 30% improvement in VAS pain intensity within the first 10 minutes of MEOF administration.1 Lead Investigator, Professor Franco Marinangeli commented: "In emergency rescue situations rapid, effective pain relief is vital. Not only does it reduce the patients' stress and discomfort, it can also make it easier to assess, treat and transport them. Research shows that under-treatment of trauma pain in the pre-hospital emergency setting remains a significant problem. I am pleased to be leading this study into the use of Penthrox in this new setting." Antonella Sblendido, Medical Advisor, Mundipharma added: "Penthrox has been widely used by Ambulance services in Australia since 1975 and is now approved in Europe for the emergency relief of moderate to severe trauma-related pain in conscious adults. Given its portability, ease of use and rapid onset, we felt it was important to investigate its use in hostile environments, where more pain-relief options are needed." Giovanni Sbrana, Principal Investigator, Grosseto Helicopter Emergency Medical Service said: 'We are excited to be involved in the study and to have enrolled the first patient. Our Helicopter Service operates in a rural area in Tuscany with a very low-density population where we perform more than 1,000 rescue missions a year. Helicopter is the only way to reach some patients and to give them lifesaving therapies and pain relief. As was the case with our first METEORA patient, we often have to deal with challenging weather conditions which means that we need to stabilise the patient quickly and remove them in order to avoid a helicopter becoming unavailable. Therefore we need a treatment with fast onset and convenient administration, and we look forward to seeing the results as the study progresses." To find out more about the study visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-018-0816-8 To read the full press release please visit: www.mundipharma.com/media/news/ ? This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get to your local medicines regulatory authority. PENTHROX is a registered trade mark of Medical Developments International Limited and is used under licence. Reference [1]. Marinangeli F, et al.Adv Ther 2018;35:2081. JOB CODE: MBL/PROX-19004A(1), DATE OF PREPARATION: MARCH 2019 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/830908/Mundi_Logo.jpg A well-known market intelligence company, Infiniti Research, has announced the completion of their latest downloadable resource on why top retailers agree that customer intelligence is a 'must-have' for success. This free supplement provides comprehensive insights into customer intelligence and how it helps retailers to thrive in today's highly competitive market. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005545/en/ Importance of customer intelligence in retail. (Graphic: Business Wire) The retail industry is going through a phase of unprecedented transformation. The increase in market competition is compelling players in this sector to adapt to the latest trends to identify customer needs and deliver better products/services. Customer intelligence involves collecting and interpreting data from consumers to identify and formulate strategies on the best ways to serve them. To create engaging experiences, it is essential to leverage customer intelligence solutions. Only then can retailers create complete customer profiles, deliver insights around offers, and accurately predict outcomes. The knowledge of why customers behave as they do allows companies to adapt to meet customer demands. Get in touch with our experts to know how we can help you gain actionable insights into the needs of your target customers. Why is customer intelligence essential in retail? Customer intelligence is about producing insight related to customers that is both smart and useful. It's the knowledge of why customers behave as they do that allows companies to adapt to meet customer demands. Here is why customer intelligence is critical for success in the retail industry: Deliver data-driven recommendations Using customer Intelligence, marketers can create custom audience segments and identify customers with similar attributes. By linking demographic data and consumption trends, retail marketers can offer data-driven product recommendations to provide customers with options that are better suited to their needs and preferences. Create omni-channel experiences Even though customer journeys often span multiple channels, customers still expect a seamless experience throughout. With customer Intelligence, marketers have the identity resolution capabilities necessary to ensure that their interactions with each customer is built upon that individual's unique relationship history with the brand. Know how Infiniti's advanced customer intelligence solutions help companies to stay updated with the changing market trends and customer demands. Request a free proposal Visualize real-time market changes The ability to understand the retail market has evolved into an everyday challenge. For retailers, this means that a lapse in market knowledge presents a big setback. Customer intelligence focuses on providing a steady stream of data that quickly converts into actionable insights. On a macro level, the aggregate data about the company's customers allows them to comprehend broader market trends. In turn, this allows the incorporation of predictive analytics and practices into the business. This ability to forecast and project also improves areas such as inventory, marketing, and even hiring. Download the free resource to read more. About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005545/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 844 778 0600 UK: +44 203 893 3400 https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us 17 schools join IAPCC CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / The International Association of Private Career Colleges welcomes the membership of 17 new schools from seven countries. Career colleges offer students an opportunity to gain employment in a diverse range of fields, with a focus on skills-based programs addressing shortages in industries worldwide. 'Changing economic markets and the fast pace of technological change mean employers today are looking for skilled candidates,' said Mr. Vincent Bayer. 'Our colleges design their courses and curriculum on the advice of industry to meet workplace demands and needs." Many students at career colleges access their course via distance learning in a flexible or accelerated format; offering working adults the opportunity to advance their skills. "The addition of 17 new members highlights the strength of our industry, where students are seeking skills-based courses to improve their opportunities,' said Mr. Vincent Bayer. Students from career colleges can expect to earn more than a high school graduate. Developing the field of education through research is crucial to the growth of the career college sector. Our association acts as an industry accrediting body to oversee the quality and standards of providers. Our association fosters and promotes the highest standards and ensures the IAPCC's Code of Ethics is followed by every member. We welcome educational institutions across the world to our association. The association provides services to its members, promotes the industry and facilitates an international accreditation and recognition program. The non-profit association is a global industry-based group representing private post-secondary schools, institutes and colleges that offer career-specific educational programs. Further information: The 17 new members announced today: Qatar Nanny Training Academy - Qatar Foundation (Qatar) Executive Assistant Academy (Mona Vale, Australia) New Era Institute (Burwood, Australia) National Education Academy - School of Celebrancy (Melbourne, Australia) Body Sense Massage School (Toorak, Australia) Aerostar Jet Training Academy (Gujarat, India) International Career Institute (Manila, The Philippines) Health Inheritance School of Allied Health (Lagos, Nigeria) Professional Design Institute (Dubai, United Arab Emirates & Kowl, Hong Kong) International School of Veterinary Nursing (Hawthorne, Australia) The Interior Design Academy (Sydney, Australia) Morris Journalism Academy (Sydney, Australia) Australian College of Professional Styling (Sydney, Australia) British College of Interior Design (London, United Kingdom) British College of Journalism (London, United Kingdom) British College of Professional Styling (London, United Kingdom) Australian News and Feature Service (Edgecliffe, Australia) About the International Association of Private Career Colleges The International Association of Private Career Colleges (IAPCC) serves as the global umbrella membership organization for providers delivering career education and training. It serves its members, students enrolled by IAPCC's members, and the public by fostering and promoting high educational standards, encouraging educational development, acting as a liaison between colleges, government and industry, acting as an accrediting body, fostering mutual recognition, collecting and disseminating information, and promoting the best interests of its members. For more information: Mr. Vincent Bayer, IAPCC Executive Officer Ph: +61 2 6145 2457 Email: info@iapcc.org Web: http://www.iapcc.org/ SOURCE: International Association of Private Career Colleges View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540333/International-Association-of-Private-Career-Colleges-Enjoys-Growth SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Guardian by TruthFinder, an identity theft protection program, has announced the launch of its official app. TruthFinder has long been one of America's most popular background checking services, and it expanded its presence in the consumer protection market by releasing Guardian by TruthFinder. This feature, available to TruthFinder members for no additional cost, allows consumers to monitor their personally identifying information online. In the event that personal information is compromised in a data breach, Guardian by TruthFinder will immediately alert a user so they can take the necessary steps to protect themselves from identity theft. The Guardian by TruthFinder app allows consumers to be constantly connected to their information, so they can get immediate alerts via their mobile device if their information is compromised. Guardian by TruthFinder can monitor email addresses, a Social Security Number, social accounts, medical IDS, phone numbers, credit cards, driver's licenses, and much more. In addition to being able to protect yourself, Guardian by TruthFinder also allows an individual to add relatives, so they can protect their entire family with just one account. "Guardian by TruthFinder allows consumers to have more power over their data," says TruthFinder CEO Steven Gray, "In the age of constant data breaches, identity theft is a huge problem for Americans. We're excited to launch a new app that continues in our core mission to protect people, who in turn can also protect their loved ones." Guardian by TruthFinder is currently available on both the Apple Store and Google Play. About TruthFinder TruthFinder is one of America's most popular online background checking services, designed to Connect, Inform, and Protect. TruthFinder has already helped thousands of Americans reconnect with old friends and family, background check potential dates, stay safe in-person and online, and much more. TruthFinder provides public records, people finder, and criminal record information to members on a subscription basis. TruthFinder utilizes data from state, federal and various local sources, which have been aggregated and made available electronically. TruthFinder does not provide consumer reports, nor is it a consumer-reporting agency, and it may not be used for consumer credit, insurance, employment, tenant screening or any other purpose subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). For more information, please review TruthFinder help. Kristle Khoury, Marketing and Public Relations Director kristle.khoury@ thecontrolgroup.com 3111 Camino Del Rio N Suite 400 San Diego, CA, 92108 SOURCE: TruthFinder View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540334/Guardian-by-TruthFinder-Launches-Official-App Growth of 17% in sales of Tracker kits for routine use Net loss before non-recurring items of 0.4 million, close to breakeven Cash position: 3.4 million Regulatory News: THERADIAG (ISIN: FR0004197747, Ticker: ALTER) (Paris:ALTER), a company specialized in in vitro diagnostics and theranostics, has today announced its consolidated full-year results for the financial year ended on December 31, 2018 approved by the Board of Directors on March 26, 2019. "The healthy increase in Lisa Tracker kit sales (up 17%) and the measures we took to reorganize the Company in late 2017 paid off in 2018, generating a major improvement in Theradiag's performance. Before non-recurring items, we nearly broke even in 2018, with a net loss of 0.4 million. The brisk expansion in the Tracker business augurs very well for the future, and so the outlook for 2019 is bright. Innovation remains a top priority to support our growth, and we continue to hold discussions with pharmaceutical companies concerning further deals, including in the United States", commented Bertrand de Castelnau, Theradiag's Chief Executive Officer. Full-year 2018 results In thousands of euros FY 2018 FY 2017 % change Revenue 8,912 9,058 -2% of which in-house 6,548 6,800 of which distribution 2,362 2,258 Operating income/(loss) -563 -2,515 +78% Net financial income/(expense) -64 -57 -12% Income/(loss) before tax and non-recurring items -627 -2,572 +76% Non-recurring items -415 -2,218 n.m. Goodwill amortization -1,504 n.m. Net income -787 -5,959 +87% Net income/(loss) before non-recurring items -372 -2,236 +83% Consolidated financial statements including the financial statements of Prestizia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Theradiag 2018 revenue Theradiag's consolidated revenue came to 8.9 million in FY 2018, down from 9.0 million in FY 2017 as a result of the contraction in theranostics revenue reflecting the fact that no non-recurring theranostics orders were logged in the first half of 2018. In contrast, a high level of activity was recorded in the same period of 2017 after Theradiag entered into several agreements with pharmaceutical companies. Overall, 96% of theranostics revenue came from sales of kits for routine use. A steady increase over the past three quarters paved the way for an overall rise of 17% in FY 2018 sales compared to FY 2017. IVD revenue remained stable, edging 1% higher. Export sales of theranostics kits for routine use advanced by 19%. Reduction in operating expenses, driving a 78% increase in operating income and almost eliminating the net loss before non-recurring items The restructuring decisions made in late 2017 (shutdown of Prestizia's operations and reorganization of the teams) and the favourable evolution of the product mix delivered benefits in FY 2018, including a 17% reduction in operating expenses. As a result, the operating loss decreased by 78% from 2,515,000 in FY 2017 to 563,000 in FY 2018 and the net loss was cut from 5,959,000 to 787,000. Before non-recurring items, Theradiag's bottom line came close to breakeven in FY 2018, with a net loss of 372,000. The FY 2018 net loss was adversely affected by a 415,000 restructuring charge. Healthy cash position At December 31, 2018, Theradiag's available net cash stood at 3.43 million, compared to 5.16 million at December 31, 2017. Tight cost management helped to reduce Theradiag's annual cash burn by one third. "The company's recovery is underway and its profitability is on track, with a sufficient cash position, allowing the Company to invest in its development." added Pierre Morgon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Theradiag. Highlights of 2018 Termination of the commercial agreements with HOB Biotech As a result of HOB Biotech's failure to comply with the contractual terms of the 2015 agreements between the two companies, Theradiag was unable to distribute the agreed products in Europe or to market its reagents in China. Legal proceedings were launched against HOB Biotech to remedy the loss suffered by Theradiag. Partnership established with Biogaran Theradiag entered into a partnership agreement with pharma group Biogaran to supply its Lisa Tracker kits with Biogaran's biosimilar drugs. Theradiag's monitoring kits are thus listed in France by Biogaran to support the biosimilar drugs it supplies. Theradiag will take responsibility for providing training to laboratories in how to use kits and follow up on clinician requests concerning monitoring. Keen interest from the scientific community in biotherapy monitoring evident at the ECCO Congress At the 13th edition of the ECCO Congress, over 90 publications presented biotherapy monitoring data. Of these, around 20 included results obtained using Lisa Tracker kits, confirming the scientific community's keen interest in biotherapy monitoring. The increasing volume of publications also reflects the more widespread use of monitoring kits in what is also a growing number of centers. Changes in Theradiag's governance Pierre Morgon succeeded Gerard Tobelem at Chairman of the Board of Directors. Bertrand de Castelnau replaced Michel Finance as Chief Executive Officer and was also co-opted as a director replacing Dominique Costantini. Bertrand de Castelnau, 58, has over 25 years' experience in diagnostics. He began his career as a commercial attache in Islamabad, Pakistan. Subsequently, he joined Roche in Basle, Switzerland as a general auditor and was then offered a position in the Diagnostics division before being handed responsibility for Roche Diagnostics' Asia-Pacific region (based in Singapore). Next Bertrand took charge of Guerbet's operations for four years, then ran the Horiba ABX group and the Horiba Medical segment for ten years, before joining DiaSys as head of sales and marketing and Chief Financial Officer. The Board of Directors now has the following members: Pierre Morgon, Chairman of the Board of Directors Sylvie Bratel, Independent director Bertrand de Castelnau, Director Vincent Fert, Director John Li, Director Dominique Takizawa, Independent director Subsequent events Award of the 12th CE mark to the Lisa Tracker range Theradiag has been awarded a CE mark for the Cosentyx (secukinumab) monitoring kit used in the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, reaffirming its leadership position in biotherapy monitoring, with the most extensive line available in the market. FDA inspection During February, Theradiag was inspected by the FDA. It was not informed of any non-compliance issues and did not receive any comments (no Form 483 observations). Next financial press release Interim 2019 revenue on Thursday, July 25, 2019, after market close About Theradiag Capitalizing on its expertise in the distribution, development and manufacturing of in vitro diagnostic tests, Theradiag innovates and develops theranostics tests (combining treatment and diagnosis) that measure the efficiency of biotherapies in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Theradiag is thus participating in the development of customized treatment, which favors the individualization of treatments, the evaluation of their efficacy and the prevention of drug resistance. Theradiag notably markets the Lisa Tracker range (CE marked), which is a comprehensive multiparameter theranostic solution for patients with autoimmune diseases treated with biotherapies. The Company is based in Marne-la-Vallee, near Paris, and has over 60 employees. For more information about Theradiag, please visit our website: www.theradiag.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005507/en/ Contacts: Theradiag Investor Relations Fabienne Francois CFO Tel.: +33 (0)1 64 62 10 12 contact@theradiag.com NewCap Financial Communications & Investor Relations Valentine Brouchot Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 theradiag@newcap.eu Alize RP Press Relations Caroline Carmagnol Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 54 36 64 theradiag@alizerp.com (CNN) In the wake of his death last year, the family of superstar DJ-producer Avicii has launched a new foundation. The Tim Bergling Foundation will raise money for a variety of causes including mental health and suicide prevention, according to Rolling Stone magazine. Tim Bergling was the Swedish superstar's real name. Avicii, 28, was found dead last year in Muscat, Oman. He was 28. The Swedish star had been open about his struggles and took a break from touring in 2016. "Creating music is what makes me happy and I have gotten to know so many great people in my days of touring, seen so many amazing places and created endless of good memories," he posted on social media at the time. "The decision I made might seem odd to some but everyone is different and for me this was the right one." After his death, his family talked about his difficulties. Avicii's family reveals his personal struggles in new statement "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions," the statement obtained by CNN read. "An over-achieving perfectionist who traveled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most -- music." The statement continued: "He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive." The family said the new foundation will also focus on issues including climate and nature conservation. "Tim wanted to make a difference -- starting a foundation in his name is our way to honor his memory and continue to act in his spirit," the family said in a statement. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Avicii's family launches mental health foundation." Photo: The Canadian Press A Chinese ship carrying giant cranes approaches the pier at Virginia International GatewayTerminal in Portsmouth, Va. The U.S. trade deficit tumbled nearly 15 per cent in January as imports fell and exports rose. Shipments of American goods to China skidded to the lowest level in more than eight years as the world's two biggest economies remained locked in a trade war. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the gap between the goods and services that the United States sells and what it buys from other countries dropped by 14.6 per cent to $51.1 billion in January from $59.9 billion in December. Exports rose 0.9 per cent to $207.3 billion, and imports dropped 2.6 per cent to $258.5 billion. The deficit in the trade of goods with China narrowed by 6.4 per cent to $34.5 billion. U.S. goods exports to China dropped 22.3 per cent to $7.1 billion, lowest since September 2010; Chinese imports dropped 9.6 per cent to $41.6 billion. The Trump administration has imposed taxes on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, and the Chinese have retaliated by targeting about $110 billion in American products. The two countries are sparring over American allegations that China steals trade secrets and coerces U.S. companies to hand over sensitive technology in a sharp-elbowed campaign to make Chinese companies world leaders in advanced industries like electric cars and artificial intelligence. U.S. and Chinese negotiators are meeting this week to move toward a resolution of the dispute, which has rattled global markets and threatened the outlook for the world economy. Earlier, the Chinese had promised to buy more American soybeans as a goodwill gesture. And in January, U.S. soybean exports overall shot up to $1.2 billion from $299 million in December. The U.S. also reported a sharp increase in exports of cars, trucks and auto parts in January. President Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to reduce America's longstanding trade deficit with the rest of the world. He sees the gap as a sign of economic weakness and as the result of bad trade deals and abusive practices by America's trading partners. In addition to targeting Chinese products, Trump has aggressively slapped tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, dishwashers and solar panels. But last year the overall trade gap hit the highest level since 2008, and the deficit in the trade of goods with China hit a record. Mainstream economists view trade deficits as the result of an economic reality unlikely to yield to changes in trade policy: Americans buy more than they produce, and imports fill the gap. The strong U.S. economy also encourages Americans to buy more foreign products. MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Global PoleTrusion Group Corp. (OTC PINK: GPGC) announces that its subsidiary, Los Santos Energy Corp., a Panamanian company that is 80 percent owned by GPGC, has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Generacion Solar for biomass energy in the province of Chiriqui situated on the west coast of Panama. This project will generate a new recurring revenue stream for GPGC, which will deliver long-term value to its shareholders. Generacion Solar provides solar energy to the Panamanian market. It requires a secondary source of power to ensure uninterrupted service for its customers. Biomass is an ideal source of energy as it makes good use of manufacturing waste products and is considered CO2 neutral because it only releases CO2 into the atmosphere that was recently absorbed by the plants being used as biomass. "In addition to the contribution of clean energy, we are proud to participate in this project, as it provides jobs and improvements to the economy of one of the most economically depressed regions in the country," said Daniel Hernandez Rodriguez, CEO of Grupo Istmo Solar (www.istmosolar.com) which owns Generacion Solar. With an initial capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), the biomass power plant will use palm oil extraction residues (biomass) to generate electricity. Project AM, a Panama-based project management company, will oversee the construction and operation of the plant, which is expected to be operational within one year. "This project will hopefully be the first of many projects of this type to be developed by GPGC and Los Santos Energy Corp. in the region for its sustainability and contribution to the welfare and economy of local farmers," stated Einar Simons, President of Project AM. The initial cost of the project is estimated at $13 million USD; it is expected to provide gross annual revenues of $3.5 million with operating expenses of $1.1 million. GPGC is currently in the process of finalizing the financing for this project through Polaris Capital Power Inc. (www.polariscapitalpower.com). "We are excited to move forward with this project, to develop and provide an energy source that will have a positive impact for the local community we are serving, while benefiting our shareholders with recurring revenues," said Ramiro Guerrero, President and CEO of GPGC. About Global PoleTrusion Group Corp. GPGC provides composite utility poles and transmission structures that outperform their steel, wood and concrete counterparts. They are stronger, lighter, easier to install and environmentally safe. With its advanced engineering and manufacturing capabilities, GPGC is at the forefront of providing creative, effective, solutions to address the needs of utility companies. For more information, please visit www.globalpoletrusiongroup.com. PoleTrusion Canada is GPGC's engineering division. They create the latest state-of-the-art composite structures, custom-designed based on the needs of their clients. The company is part of the Advanced Composite Materials for Civil Structures Chair at the University of Sherbrooke. Dr. Benmokrane, a director of the Chair, is on the technical board at GPGC. Contact: Alice Hofmann alice.hofmann@poletrusion.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements", as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. SOURCE: Global PoleTrusion Group Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540338/Global-PoleTrusion-Group-Corp-Announces-Power-Purchase-Agreement-for-Panama-Biomass-Project Paris, 27 March 2019, 6:00pm, Prodways Group (Euronext: PWG) will publish its full-year 2018 results on Wednesday 3 April 2019 at 7:00am Paris time. The press release and slide presentation will be available on our website: www.prodways-group.com, Financial information. Raphael Gorge, Executive Chairman, as well as Pierre-Olivier Gisserot, Group CFO, will comment on Prodways Group's results and answer questions from the financial community on the same day during a conference call in English starting at 9:00am Paris time (8:00am London time, 3:00am New York time). To participate in the conference call, you may call any of the following telephone numbers approximately 5 - 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time: France: +33 (0) 1 72 72 74 03 United Kingdom: +44 (0) 2 07 19 43 759 Germany: +49 (0) 6 92 22 22 54 29 USA: +1 64 67 22 49 16 Access code: 92231749# A replay of this conference call will be available on Prodways Group's website after the conference. About Prodways Group PRODWAYS GROUP is a specialist in industrial and professional 3D printing with a unique positioning as an integrated European player. The group has developed right across the 3D printing value chain (software, machines, materials, parts & services) with a high value added technological industrial solution. PRODWAYS GROUP offers a wide range of 3D printing systems and premium composite, hybrid and powder materials (SYSTEMS division). The company also manufactures and markets parts on demand, prototypes and small production run 3D printed items in plastic and metal (PRODUCTS division). The Group targets a significant number of sectors, from aeronautics to healthcare. In 2018, the company reported revenue of 61 million. PRODWAYS GROUP is a Groupe Gorge company. For further information: www.prodways-group.com Follow us and and keep up with Prodways Group's latest news on Twitter! @Prodways CONTACTS INVESTOR CONTACTS Prodways Group - Raphael Gorge Executive Chairman Tel: +33 (0)144 779480 Actus Finance - Anne-Pauline Petureaux Investor Relations Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 72/apetureaux@actus.fr PRESS CONTACTS Actus Finance - Manon Clairet Financial Press Relations Tel: +33 (0)153 673673/mclairet@actus.fr Disclaimer Releases from the Prodways Group may contain forward-looking declarations with statements of objectives. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations of the Prodways Group. Their realization, however, depends on known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ significantly from those previously anticipated. The risks and uncertainties that might affect the Group's future ability to achieve its targets are reiterated and presented in detail in our Financial report available on the Prodways Group's website (www.prodways-group.com). This list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not exhaustive. Other unanticipated, unknown or unpredictable factors may also have significant negative effects on the achievement of our objectives. The current release and the information contained therein do not constitute an offer to sell or to subscribe, nor a solicitation for an order to purchase or subscribe to shares in Prodways Group or in any subsidiaries thereof listed in whatsoever country. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Recevez gratuitement par email les prochains communiques de la societe en vous inscrivant sur www.actusnews.com Communique integral et original au format PDF:Telecharger le PDF 68 vehicles sold for revenues of 19 million, up 85% compared with 2017 Significant improvement in the gross margin to 18% (+500 bps) Further increase in the contribution of Services to revenues: 12.2% in 2018 versus 9.6% in 2017 Strengthened financial structure: cash position of 19.5 million at the end of 2018 and an additional 15 million following the drawdown of the first tranche of the European Investment Bank (EIB) financing in March 2019 Confirmation of the market's growing interest in NAVYA's autonomous vehicles Conference call Wednesday, March 27 at 6:00 pm CET France: +33 1 72 72 74 03 Code: 25 82 82 53# UK: +44 207 194 37 59 Code: 25 82 82 53# USA: +1 646 722 49 16 Code: 25 82 82 53# The slideshow presentation will be available in the Investors section of NAVYA's website. Regulatory News: NAVYA (Paris:NAVYA) (FR0013018041- NAVYA), a leading company in the autonomous vehicle market and in smart and shared mobility solutions, announces its 2018 annual results. Etienne Hermite, Chief Executive Officer, states: "2018 was marked by the sale of 68 autonomous vehicles taking the cumulative installed base of AUTONOM SHUTTLE vehicles to 116. The geographical breakdown of shuttle sales reaffirms our international deployment, with notably almost 30% of our volumes sold in North America and the Asia-Pacific region. The substantial improvement in gross margin bolsters our strategy of implementing a virtuous economic model associated with revenues growth. Moreover, in October 2018, we announced, with Charlatte Manutention, the creation of a subsidiary to develop solutions on the high-potential autonomous tractor market. In line with our expectations, our prototypes will be ready to be deployed during the first half of 2019. Lastly, the recent drawdown of tranche A of the financing agreement concluded with the European Investment Bank in August 2018 will enable us to strengthen our teams and our commercial presence, improve client support and ensure the maturing of our product portfolio. The teams are working hard to seize any market opportunities and make NAVYA the global leader in autonomous shuttles Simplified income statement In thousands 2018 2017 Sales 19,012 10,280 Gross margin 3,416 1,338 % of Sales 18% 13% R&D expenses (4,706) (1,855) Sales Marketing expenses (5,225) (4,314) General Admin. expenses (7,542) (3,247) Recurring EBIT (14,057) (8,078) % of Sales (74%) (79%) Net result (18,147) (11,482) EPS (basic and diluted) (0.73) (0.57) Recurring EBIT (14,057) (8,078) Amortization of tangible assets 1,896 660 EBITDA (12,161) (7,418) % of Sales (64%) (72%) Revenues of 19 million and substantial improvement in gross margin to 18% In 2018, NAVYA recorded revenues of 19 million, essentially from the sale of 68 vehicles. The geographical breakdown of shuttle sales reaffirms NAVYA's international deployment, with 12 shuttles sold in the Asia-Pacific region, 45 in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region and 6 in North America. Hence, as at December 31, 2018, the installed base of AUTONOM SHUTTLES reached 116 shuttles. The share of Services is continuing to record strong growth, with sales totaling 2.3 million in 2018, accounting for 12.2% of total revenues, versus 9.6% in 2017. This ramp-up is in line with NAVYA's strategy of developing a range of services for autonomous vehicles. Gross margin improved significantly from 13% in 2017 to 18% in 2018 as a result of the increase in volumes and services sold and performance improvement of the Services activity, which became profitable. R&D investments increased substantially in 2018, with c. 70% increase in headcount, notably in order to accelerate the development of NAVYADRIVE autonomous driver solution for both the autonomous shuttle and tractor in the context of the partnership with Charlatte Manutention. NAVYA also improved its supervision and 3D mapping solutions, essential for the deployment of autonomous vehicles. There was also an important increase in Sales Marketing expenses. The c. 40% increase in headcount in these two departments compared with the end of 2017 is in line with NAVYA's strategy of strengthening its technological leadership and commercial presence. At the end of December 2018, NAVYA had more than 270 employees. The rise in General Administrative costs derived from the increase in the workforce in support functions, the increase in IT services spending and in fees, in line with the development of NAVYA's activity. The recurring operating loss, before share-based payments and exceptional expenses, amounted to -14 million. Free cash flow amounted to -31.6 million, after 9.8 million of investments and +11.7 million increase in Working Capital Requirements. NAVYA thus had a net cash position of 19.5 million at the end of December 2018, a higher level as compared to end of 2017. Strengthened financial structure: cash position of 19.5 million at the end of 2018 and drawdown on the first 15 million tranche of financing agreed with the European Investment Bank (EIB) At the end of December 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of 19.5 million. This amount takes into account the 37.6 million raised by NAVYA during its IPO on Euronext Paris in July 2018 and an acceleration in cash burn notably associated with the build-up of inventories. In August 2018, NAVYA signed a 30 million financing agreement with the European Investment Bank. In March 2019, the company drawn the 15 million Tranche A of this financing in order to strengthen its R&D teams and implement its investment strategy focused on product development and operational performance. Next financial press release July 25, 2019, 5:45 pm CEST: H1 2019 revenues Given the emerging nature of NAVYA's market and the volatile volumes sold per quarter, NAVYA considers that quarterly information on its sales is not yet relevant to measure the growth of the autonomous vehicle market. In consequence, NAVYA will no longer publish its level of sales in the first and third quarter of each year. Annual accounts can be found at: www.navya-corp.com/index.php/en/investor-relations/regulated-information/documentation. The Company's 2018 annual results have been approved by the Board of Directors, and were reviewed by the Supervisory Board on March 27, 2019. About NAVYA NAVYA is a leading French name in the autonomous vehicle market and in smart shared mobility solutions. With more than 270 employees in France (Paris and Lyon) and in the United States (Michigan), NAVYA develops, manufactures and commercializes autonomous, driverless, and electric vehicles that combine robotic, digital and driving technologies at the highest level. Since 2015, NAVYA has been the first to market and put into service autonomous mobility solutions. NAVYA has a range of two autonomous vehicles: the AUTONOM SHUTTLE, main development axis, launched in September 2015, of which more than 115 had been sold as of 31 December 2018, notably in the United States, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Australia, and the AUTONOM CAB, unveiled in November 2017 and whose first road tests will start shortly. Created in 2014 with the support of Robolution Capital, investment fund managed by 360 Capital Partners, his reference shareholder, NAVYA's shareholders also include the Gravitation fund and Paris Region Venture Fund (Region Ile-de-France) managed by Cap Decisif Management as well as Valeo and Keolis groups. NAVYA is listed on the Euronext regulated market in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013018041- NAVYA). For more information visit: www.navya.tech/en Disclaimer This document may contain certain statements reflecting estimates, forecasts and expectations that constitute forward-looking information. By their nature, these statements are subject to a number of assumptions and entail known and unknown risks and uncertainties as they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. The known risks are those discussed or identified in Chapter 4, "Risk Factors" of Navya's registration document which is available on the company's website (http://navya.tech). The actual results and developments could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements and there can be no assurance that these statements will prove to be accurate. The past performance of Navya and its subsidiaries cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance. These forward-looking statements should be used with caution and circumspection and in no event can Navya or its management be held responsible for any investment or other decision based upon such statements. These forward-looking statements only reflect Navya's view as of the date hereof and the company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update thereto. The information in this document does not constitute an offer to sell or an invitation to buy shares in Navya or an invitation or inducement to engage in any other investment activities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005633/en/ Contacts: NAVYA Nicolas de Cremiers Head of Marketing communication@navya.tech +33 (1) 85 50 01 10 Frank Maccary CFO finance@navya.tech +33 (4) 28 70 16 61 NewCap Investor relations Theodora Xu navya@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 20 42 NewCap Media relations Nicolas Merigeau navya@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 94 98 Regulatory News: Korian (Paris:KORI), the expert in care and support services for the elderly, has published on 27 March 2019 on the Company's website (www.korian.com) its audited annual and consolidated financial statements for the exercise closed on 31 December 2018, together with the reports of the Statutory auditors on the annual financial statements and the consolidated financial statements. The English translation of these documents will be available in the 2018 registration document of the Company. The paper version of the annual and consolidated statements, and the reports of the Statutory auditors are also available, free of charge, at the Company's registered office, located in Paris (8th), 21-25, rue Balzac. Next event: 18 April 2019 after the close of trading Q1 2019 revenue ABOUT KORIAN Korian, the expert in care and support services for the elderly, manages Europe's largest network of long-term care nursing homes, specialised clinics, assisted-living facilities, and homecare and hospital-at-home services, with a total of 803 facilities. The Group currently operates in five countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain), provides services to 300,000 patients and residents, and employs over 50,000 persons. For further information, please go to the website at: www.korian.com Korian has been listed on Euronext Paris Section A, since November 2006, and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Health Care, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid Small and MSCI Global Small Cap Euronext Ticker: KORI ISIN: FR0010386334 Reuters: KORI.PA Bloomberg: KORI.FP View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005655/en/ Contacts: INVESTOR CONTACT Carole Alexandre Deputy Head of Investors Relations carole.alexandre@korian.com Tel: +33 (0)7 64 65 22 44 PRESS CONTACT Marjorie Castoriadis Head of Media Relations marjorie.castoriadis@korian.fr T +33 (0)7 63 59 88 81 Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ('Benton' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce that it has received final assay results for the Phase I drill program carried out at the Panama Project in the Red Lake mining district. Highlights: Each hole returned anomalous gold values. Drilling has identified an extensive, 5+ metre quartz flooded shear zone containing variable amounts of pyrite and silicification associated with gold mineralization. Shear zone demonstrates a potentially large structural trend that will be the focus of the Company's 2019 fieldwork. Stephen Stares, President & CEO, commented: "We are very pleased with the results of the Phase 1 drill program as it provided Benton with valuable geological information for further targeting at the highly promising Panama Project. A detailed magnetic survey and lake sediment sampling program will be commencing soon to assist in planning targets for the 2019 field season. We are excited to move forward and see what the next Phase brings us." Drill hole PL-19-08 was drilled to test the Slate Lake zone where Benton had grab samples grading from trace up to 6.17gpt gold on surface. The drilling was successful in intersecting the gold-bearing lithological unit at depth (270 m down-hole) containing anomalous gold over 8.4 m in a silicified arsenopyrite-rich, quartz-flooded zone. PL-19-09 was drilled south from the same setup and intersected altered feldspar porphyry ("FP") with quartz stringers and abundant sulphide. The hole ended in the FP at a final depth of 140 m. The two Slate Lake zone drill holes are located approximately 150 m west of the area where a glacial till sampling survey by the Geological Survey of Canada, 1999 (Open File 3038) identified 107 gold grains in till sampling, the highest count in the survey. Benton's future exploration efforts at the Slate Lake zone will focus north and east of the gold grains, which the Company believes were transported by southwest-trending glaciation. Highlights from the Phase I Drill Program are as follows: Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) Composite PL-19-01 79.6 87.2 7.6 1.58 1.58 g/t over 7.6 m incl 79.6 84.3 4.7 2.34 2.34 g/t Au over 4.7 m PL-19-02 148.5 155 6.5 1.23 1.23 g/t Au over 6.5 m PL-19-03 79.6 85.4 5.8 1.21 1.21 g/t Au over 5.8 m incl 82.4 84.4 2 2.55 2.55 g/t Au over 2 m PL-19-04 72.8 78.6 5.8 1.07 1.07 g/t Au over 5.8 m incl 75.8 78.6 2.8 1.67 1.67 g/t Au over 2.8 m PL-19-05B 77.5 93.6 16.1 0.57 0.57 g/t Au over 16.1 m incl 89 91 2 2.07 2.07 g/t Au over 2 m PL-19-06 82 83 1 0.427 0.427 g/t Au over 1 m PL-19-07 35.4 36.4 1 0.563 0.563 g/t Au over 1 m PL-19-08 270.5 279 8.4 0.18 0.18 g/t Au over 8.4 m PL-19-09 100 102 2 0.425 0.425 g/t Au over 2 m Note: Reported intercepts are core lengths not true widths. The Company is also pleased to announce that Mr. James (Jim) Rogers has agreed to join Benton as an advisor. James Rogers is a geologist with forty years of experience in the mining and exploration industry. Starting as a mine geologist in 1980, Jim has almost thirty years of experience working in the Red Lake Gold mining camp in various positions, including Chief Geologist, Exploration Manager and President of a junior exploration company. In the early days, Jim and his team discovered the high-grade zone at the Red Lake mine. Jim also spent nine years as Chief Geologist at the Eskay Creek Mine where grade control and metallurgical study were critical to profitable mining and to expanding reserves. Jim is a team player whose main strength lies in a good understanding of the economics, mining methods and the structural interpretations of ore bodies, excellent 3D and "Big Picture" strategic vision, particularly as they relate to gold system exploration and development. Jim's tremendous amount of technical knowledge in the Red Lake district will truly be an asset to the Company moving forward. Benton is delighted that he has joined the team to assist in the projects' advancement. QP Nathan Sims (P.Geo.), Senior Exploration Manager for Benton Resources Inc., the 'Qualified Person'under National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release and prepared or supervised its preparation.. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc., "Stephen Stares" Stephen Stares, President About Benton Resources Inc. Benton Resources is a well-funded Canadian-based project generator with a diversified property portfolio in Gold, Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements. Benton holds multiple high-grade projects available for option which can be viewed on the Company's website. Most projects have an up-to-date 43-101 Report available. Benton's Panama Gold Property on the prolific Red Lake greenstone belt is being drilled at this time. Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below. For further information, please contact: Stephen Stares, President & CEO Phone: 807-475-7474 Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca CHF Capital Markets Cathy Hume, CEO Phone: 416-868-1079 x231 Email: cathy@chfir.com Website: www.bentonresources.ca THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43703 LONDON, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OMERS announced today that it has closed its previously announced investment in SFR FttH. OMERS Infrastructure led a consortium, which includes Allianz Capital Partners and AXA Investment Managers, to invest alongside Altice France in the newly created platform. SFR FttH is the largest alternative fibre-to-the-home (FttH) infrastructure wholesale operator in France, with 5 million homes to be passed in the coming years. SFR FttH operates in the well-developed French telecom market, and benefits from a bespoke contractual structure for rolling out the network with a well-regarded operating partner. "We are delighted to announce the funding of SFR FttH, an OMERS-led corporate partnership with Altice France. This venture, which enables the deployment of fibre optic networks across French local communities, is OMERS first major greenfield investment in the telecom infrastructure space. This investment fits our strategy of investing alongside high-quality partners in companies that generate predictable returns to help meet our obligations to OMERS pension plan members. The transaction also marks our entrance into the French market, while adding to our diverse portfolio of assets in Europe," said Philippe Busslinger, Head of Europe for OMERS Infrastructure. "Having closed on the transaction, we will now focus our efforts on supporting the management team in deploying the network, which will provide households in France with access to ultra-fast broadband and creating value for all stakeholders over the long term," Mr. Busslinger added. CONTACT INFORMATION: Neil Hrab Manager, External Communications and Media Relations nhrab@omers.com (mailto:nhrab@omers.com) 416-369-2418 About OMERS and OMERS Infrastructure OMERS Infrastructure manages investments globally in infrastructure on behalf of OMERS, the defined benefit pension plan for municipal employees in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Investments are aimed at steady returns to help deliver secure and sustainable pensions to OMERS members. Learn Trading Strategies and Meet Traders in Your City JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 27, 2019 the provider of retail forex, CFD, bitcoin and other cryptocurrency trading invites traders to attend one of 3 Free FXCM Forex and Crypto Trading Events. FXCM South Africa will be hosting a Free Forex and Crypto trading seminar in 3 cities across South Africa where traders can meet exclusive trading partners and learn from their insights. Guest speakers will include, Moxima Gama*, a technical analyst with over 13 years' experience and a frequent commentator on the financial markets for CNBC along with Russell Shor, who analyses the financial markets from both a fundamental and technical view and emphasizes prudent risk management and good reward-to-risk ratios when trading. Additionally Georgy Mladenov, FXCM's own Head of Sales will join the seminar to give an overview of FXCM's products and services as well as its competitive advantages. Locations and Dates: Cape Town - 5 April Durban - 17 May Pretoria - 7 June Traders will gain insight into topics such as the global market outlook, emerging market trends and risk management, supporting them to make the most of potential trading opportunities throughout 2019 as well as a chance to learn more about FXCM and its competitive advantages. To register and read more about the speakers and to view the full seminar schedule click here: https://www.fxcm.com/za/education/trading-tour-2019/ Media contacts: Jaclyn Sales, 646-432-2463 Vice-President, Corporate Communications jsales@fxcm.com About FXCM Africa FXCM South Africa (PTY) LTD is an operating subsidiary within the FXCM group of companies (collectively, the "FXCM Group"). FXCM South Africa (PTY) LTD is an authorized Financial Services Provider and is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority under FSP No 46534. All references on this site to "FXCM" refer to the FXCM Group. High Risk Investment Notice: Trading forex/CFD's on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors as you could sustain losses in excess of deposits. Leverage can work against you. Be aware and fully understand all risks associated with the market and trading. Prior to trading any products offered by Forex Capital Markets Limited, inclusive of all EU branches, FXCM Australia Pty. Limited, FXCM South Africa, any affiliates of aforementioned firms, or other firms within the FXCM group of companies [collectively the "FXCM Group"], carefully consider your financial situation and experience level. If you decide to trade products offered by FXCM Australia Pty. Limited, Product Disclosure Statementand Terms of Business. Our FX and CFD prices are set by us, are not made on an Exchange and are not governed under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act. The FXCM Group may provide general commentary which is not intended as investment advice and must not be construed as such. Seek advice from a separate financial advisor. The FXCM Group assumes no liability for errors, inaccuracies or omissions; does not warrant the accuracy, completeness of information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. Read and understand the Terms and Conditions on the FXCM Group's websites prior to taking further action. *The above speaker(s) is neither an employee, agent nor representative of FXCM and is therefore acting independently. The opinions given are their own, constitute general market commentary, and do not constitute the opinion or advice of FXCM or any form of personal or investment advice. FXCM neither endorses nor guarantees offerings of third party speakers, nor is FXCM responsible for the content, veracity or opinions of third-party speakers, presenters or participants. Next Green Wave Holdings Inc: From Distribution to ProfitabilityNext Green Wave Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:NXGWF, CNSX:NGW) isn't a cannabis tsunami yet, but it could be in the next three years.The Vancouver, Canada-based company is working at becoming a top-five cannabis brand in California, the largest recreational pot market in the world.Next Green Wave is a financially strong company with 15 acres of land zoned for cannabis production in Coalinga, California. Its first facility, at 35,000 square feet, has been completed. Construction on a second facility, at 50,000 square feet, will commence in the first half of 2019.Next Green Wave also recently. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Citi today published a report titled 'Bank X, The New New Bank', highlighting how banking is being transformed by new challenger banks, launched by both new entrants and existing incumbent banks. The report includes contributions from several CEOs of Challenger Banks and also senior executives at incumbents who are trying to reinvent legacy banks. "Creating their own Bank X, legacy banks can transform themselves from slow moving caterpillars to agile butterflies." says Ronit Ghose, Global Head of Bank Research. The report will be featured at Citi's 7th Annual Digital Money Symposium, London's leading FinTech Conference on March 28. The Great Financial Crisis required banks to focus their efforts on firefighting and survival through remediation and restructuring. While that was happening, challenger banks began to be built by new entrants. These challenger banks are designed around new digital technologies to meet current customer expectations, leveraging data insights via agile technology stacks to offer customers better personalization and fully digital banking experiences. "Creating an 'incumbent challenger' sounds like an oxymoron, but as legacy banks recognize the threat that new entrants into banking are posing to revenue and customers, they need to reinvent themselves and reimagine banking." says Ghose. "This involves legacy banks partnering with technology companies to create effective joint ventures as well as moving into more disruptive technology and business models to transform themselves into digital competitors." he adds. Legacy banks often have data that is stuck in multiple silos supported by core banking technology which was literally built in the age of black and white television. Challenger banks tend to be quicker at incorporating new products and processes into their platform, which helps easily connect with third-party products offering more choices to the end-user. The challenge for incumbent banks is that, while digitalization can lower costs by 30-50% over the next decade relative to underlying trends, new competition and greater transparency is likely to lower revenues by 10-30%. In a bullish scenario, if banks successfully transform digitally, bank ROEs will rise from 8pct in Europe and 16pct in the US to 15pct and 24pct respectively; in a bearish scenario 5pct and 10pct. Citi is one of the world's largest financial institutions, operating in all major established and emerging markets. Across these world markets, our employees conduct an ongoing multi-disciplinary global conversation - accessing information, analyzing data, developing insights, and formulating advice for our clients. As our premier thought-leadership product, Citi GPS is designed to help our clients navigate the global economy's most demanding challenges, identify future themes and trends, and help our clients profit in a fast-changing and interconnected world. Citi GPS accesses the best elements of our global conversation and harvests the thought leadership of a wide range of senior professionals across our firm. This is not a research report and does not constitute advice on investments or a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. For more information on Citi GPS, please visit www.citi.com/citigps. END View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005705/en/ Contacts: Francesco Meucci EMEA Public Affairs Citigroup francesco.meucci@citi.com ATAI Life Sciences, the global biotech platform dedicated to curing mental health disorders, has completed its series B financing round of $43 million (EUR 38 million). Founded in 2018 by Christian Angermayer, Lars Wilde and Florian Brand, ATAI takes a decentralized and big data platform approach to drug development leveraging expertise, access to talent, financial resources and technology, thereby accelerating the pace at which compounds move through early stage clinical trials. ATAI focuses on developing paradigm-shifting and formerly stigmatized compounds with prior evidence for efficacy and safety in humans. The new funds raised will be used for further investment in ATAI's platform technology, to develop the existing drug pipeline, and to acquire additional compounds. The Series B round was led by Michael Auerbach's New York-based Subversive Capital. It was subscribed by both new and existing investors, including Apeiron Investment Group, Bail Capital, and Efrem Kamen, founder of Pura Vida Investments. ATAI's initial focus is on developing solutions for the more than 300 million people who suffer from depression, a significant unmet medical need. In January, ATAI acquired Perception Neuroscience and is now developing an arketamine therapy for neuropsychiatric diseases. ATAI is also the largest investor in COMPASS Pathways, which is developing psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression and has received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA. In addition to drug compounds, the ATAI portfolio includes Innoplexus which delivers big data and AI solutions to big pharma and biotech companies and provides the technology ATAI will use to power its in-house drug discovery and development. "Mental illnesses such as depression are debilitating for so many people. And 100 million patients have treatment-resistant depression and don't respond to existing medicines," said Florian Brand, CEO and Co-Founder of ATAI. "The companies on our platform are developing extremely promising candidates to treat mental health disordersand bring a much-needed paradigm shift." Michael Auerbach, Partner, Subversive Capital, said "It is such a privilege to be investing in a company that's poised to make significant medical breakthroughs and find treatments that could help so many people." Christian Angermayer, Founder of ATAI, said "Our lean setup allows us to spread knowledge, resource and best practice across our platform, ensuring we can discover and develop compounds more efficiently and effectively. I am very proud that we have been able to assemble such a world-class group of leading researchers, computer scientists, entrepreneurs and investors for our mission to enable people to live healthier and happier lives." About ATAI Life Sciences ATAI Life Sciences AG is a global biotech platform and company builder. Based in Berlin, London and New York, our vision is to cure mental health disorders, enabling people to live healthier and happier lives. www.atai.life ATAI was founded by Christian Angermayer, Lars Wilde and Florian Brand, and was launched with initial seed backing totalling $12.6 million (EUR 11.2 million) from Apeiron Investment Group (Christian Angermayer's family office), German investor HCS, Galaxy Financial (the family office of Mike Novogratz), and Ekaterina Malievskaia and George Goldsmith (Co-Founders of COMPASS Pathways). In September 2018, ATAI completed a Series A financing round in the amount of $24.4 million (EUR 21.6 million). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005765/en/ Contacts: Tory Harrison Tory.Harrison@edelman.com +1 212 277 3792 Photo: The Canadian Press A Tofino woman's proposal to establish a nude beach at the Vancouver Island community is gathering local support. Rachel Sutton says a nude or clothing-optional beach would be one more amenity for the town. Can we just have a place we can go where we dont even have to think about wearing clothes? Sutton told CTV News. She's suggesting Cox Bay beach as a location. Mayor Josie Osborne says there has been no formal proposal, but "such a beach would need to be an informal arrangement amongst community members." Sutton said shes been surprised by support for the idea. Wouldnt it be better to know where theres going to be nudity? she said. with files from CTV Vancouver Island Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today released its regular weekly Net Asset Value ("NAV") and performance returns on its website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/weekly-navs/. The NAV and returns were computed as of the close of business on Tuesday, 26 March 2019. PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 26 March 2019 was 22.98 USD 17.40 GBP and year-to-date performance was 33.4%. Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft). Performance is presented on a net-of-fees basis and reflects the deduction of, among other expenses: management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees and accrued performance fees, if any. The performance figure includes the reinvestment of all dividends, interest and capital gains. Depending on the timing of a specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Net performance is a geometrically linked time weighted calculation. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. All investments involve risk including the loss of principal. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005816/en/ Contacts: Media Camarco Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / IBIA is pleased to announce that it has joined Goode Intelligence as its Strategic Partner for Biometric Summit New York 2019 on Thursday April 4, hosted by Rise New York. The summit is set to showcase the latest innovations in biometric technology and features talks and panels from experts across a wide spectrum of biometric modalities including face, iris, fingerprint, voice, heart/ECG, palmprint and behavioral with case studies of their applications in a wide variety of industries, organizations and products. "IBIA is delighted to partner with Goode Intelligence to bring the industry Biometric Summit New York 2019", said Tovah LaDier, IBIA's Executive Director. "As a leading research organization on biometrics and identity technology, Goode Intelligence provides cutting edge analysis on industry developments and trends that will inform the innovation discussion at this event." "We're delighted to welcome the International Biometrics + Identity Association as our Strategic Partner for Biometric Summit New York 2019," said Alan Goode, CEO & Chief Analyst, Goode Intelligence. "As a leading international trade association for the identity technology industry, the IBIA's diverse membership brings an important voice to the discussions that will be taking place at this event." About IBIA: IBIA is the leading voice for the biometrics and identity technology industry. It advances the transparent and secure use of these technologies to confirm human identity in our physical and digital worlds. Identity Matters. For more information, please visit our website www.ibia.org About Goode Intelligence Goode Intelligence is a leading identity and biometrics research and consulting organisation founded in 2007 and is based in London. For more information about Goode Intelligence please visit www.goodeintelligence.com For further information about IBIA and the Biometric Summit New York 2019 contact: Tovah LaDier, IBIA Executive Director 202-316-4464 tovah@ibia.org Michelle Goode, Chief Operating Officer, Goode Intelligence Tel: +44(0) 203 633 1269 Email: michelle.goode@goodeintelligence.com Web: https://www.goodeintelligence.com/new-york-2019/ To register, please visit: https://events.eventzilla.net/e/biometric-summit-new-york-2019-2138705918 SOURCE: International Biometrics + Identity Association View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540330/The-International-Biometrics-Identity-Association-IBIA-Announces-it-is-Strategic-Partner-for-Biometric-Summit-New-York-2019 DLF launched its qualified institutional placement (QIP) offering up to 17.3 crore shares to investors New Delhi: Realty major DLF's QIP issue has been oversubscribed by two times, enabling the company to raise around Rs 3,200 crore. On Monday, DLF, the country's largest real estate firm in market value, had launched its qualified institutional placement (QIP) offering up to 17.3 crore shares to investors. According to market sources, the DLF's QIP offer has been over-subscribed by two times at a price of around Rs 183-184 apiece. Major institutional investors who have participated in QIP offer are Oppenheimer, UBS, HSBC, Marshall & Wace, Myriad, Key Square, Goldman Sachs, Indus, Eastbridge, Tata Mutual Fund and HDFC Mutual Fund, they added. The QIP issue will close on Friday with allotment of shares to institutional investors. With an aim to become a debt-free company, DLF had last year announced plans to issue shares through QIP to raise funds and pre-pay loans. DLF launched its QIP on Monday at a floor price of Rs 193.01 per equity share but said it might offer a discount of up to 5 percent on the floor price. This is the third major fundraising from DLF. In 2007, DLF raised about Rs 9,200 crore through an initial public offering (IPO). In 2013, the company had raised nearly Rs 1,900 crore through an institutional placement programme. The DLF's QIP comes close in the heels of successful launch of India's first Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), launched by Blackstone and Embassy Group, to raise Rs 4,750 crore. DLF's group Chief Financial Officer Ashok Tyagi recently said the QIP proceeds and further infusion of Rs 2,500 crore from promoters against the issue of warrants would help the company significantly reduce the debt that stood at around Rs 7,200 crore as on 31 December, 2018. DLF promoters K P Singh and family have already infused Rs 9,000 crore in the company and would pump in Rs 2,250 crore more. The company made a preferential allotment of compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs) and warrants to the promoters against the infusion of funds. As infusion of the fund by promoters will lead to an increase in their shareholdings beyond permissible limit of 75 per cent, the company planned QIP to maintain minimum public shareholding of 25 per cent in a listed entity. In August 2017, the promoters had sold the entire 40 percent stake in rental arm DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd (DCCDL) for Rs 11,900 crore and infused bulk of this amount in the company to cut net debt. This deal included the sale of 33.34 percent stake in DCCDL to Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC for Rs 8,900 crore and buyback of remaining shares worth Rs 3,000 crore by DCCDL. The deal concluded in December 2017. As a result, DLF stake in DCCDL increased to 66.66 percent stake from 60 percent, while GIC has a balance of 33.34 percent stake in the joint venture firm. The NCLAT had on 20 March asked the resolution professional of Essar Steel to call for a fresh meeting of its CoC to reconsider distribution of Rs 42,000 crore fund New Delhi: The lenders of Essar Steel Wednesday informed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that meeting of the Committee of Creditors of the debt-ridden firm is going on over the distribution of Rs 42,000 crore coming from the resolution plan of global steel major ArcelorMittal. The appellate tribunal was informed that a decision by CoC on whether StanChart, an unsecured financial creditor, should get a higher payout for its dues to Essar Steel would come by Friday, following which it adjourned the matter to 9 April for the next hearing. "We have to see the outcome of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) meeting," said a two-member NCLAT bench headed by Chairman Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya. The NCLAT had on 20 March asked the resolution professional of Essar Steel to call for a fresh meeting of its CoC to reconsider distribution of Rs 42,000 crore fund. The Appellate Tribunal also said that the 8 March order of the Ahmedabad-based bench the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approving ArcelorMittal plan should be implemented in "letters and spirit". During the proceedings of the appellate tribunal, the counsel informed the bench that meeting was underway in accordance with the NCLAT orders. They submitted that the CoC is considering the distribution of funds between the financial creditors and operational creditors as per the suggestions from the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). NCLT Ahmedabad has suggested an 85:15 distribution between the financial and operational creditors against the 90:10 distribution between them as proposed in the resolution plan. Moreover, as per the previous direction of NCLAT, the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) Wednesday informed the ratio of distribution between financial creditors and the operational creditors in the resolution plan. According to IBBI's counsel, in 88 cases that have seen a successful resolution, financial creditors, on an average, have received 48.24 percent of their claims. While the operational creditors have received 48.41 percent of their claims, in the same number of cases. On 20 March, in the last hearing, the NCLAT also had directed IBBI to share data over the distribution of funds among the financial and operational creditors in the resolution plans. The NCLAT was hearing a plea by Standard Chartered Bank, an operational creditor of the company, challenging the distribution of the fund. Standard Chartered is against the plan as it was being given only 1.7 percent of its total dues from Essar Steel, while other financial creditors, forming part of the Committee of Creditors (CoC), were getting over 85 percent of their dues. ArcelorMittal's resolution proposal provides financial creditors Rs 41,987 crore out of their total dues of Rs 49,395 crore. Operational creditors, under the plan, would get just Rs 214 crore against the outstanding of Rs 4,976 crore. If the ArcelorMittal plan is implemented, Standard Chartered will only get Rs 60 crore against its claims of Rs 3,187 crore from Essar Steel. Essar Steel owns a 10-million-tonne steel mill at Hazira in Gujarat. This was was among the first 12 cases selected by the Reserve Bank of India to be resolved under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Financing Congress President Rahul Gandhi's minimum income scheme, aiming to lift five crore families or 25 crore people out of poverty, may be an uphill task, said several leading economists and social scientists. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi's minimum income scheme, aiming to lift five crore families or 25 crore people out of poverty, reflects a commitment to social security, but financing it may be an uphill task, said several leading economists and social scientists. Gandhi on Monday, announced that under 'Nyay',an acronym for Nyuntam Aay Yojana, Rs 72,000 will be given to the poorest families every year if his party returns to power, while calling it a final assault on poverty. Nyay would require run up an annual bill of Rs 3.60 lakh crore, or around 1.7 percent of GDP, which, for 2019-20, is pegged at 210 lakh crore. The Congress is yet to spell out how resources will be generated to implement the scheme amid concerns that its implementation may not be fiscally prudent. "NYAY reflects a welcome commitment to social security. The soundness of this proposal, however, depends on how it is to be financed and how the poorest 20 per cent are to be identified. Hopefully, the proposal will improve even as the commitment remains," Development Economist Jean Dreze told PTI. Under the scheme, any family having a monthly income less than Rs 12,000 would receive Rs 6,000 monthly. Syeda Hameed, former member of Planning Commission gave a thumbs up to the scheme though she admitted that it could result in a "fiscal burden" on the exchequer. "It can change the face of India. It will be a fiscal burden, but there is enough ill gotten money with billionaires which can be put to use by a leader who is honest and who cares," she said. Abhijit Sen, a retired professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who was also a member of the erstwhile Planning Commission said, "It is going to cost a lot of money. And it is going to be an implementation issue." Right to food activist Harsh Mander said he welcomed the scheme because it brought the real issues of the poor at the centre of the political discourse and also recognised the inequality prevailing in the country. "India's tax to GDP ratio is among the lowest in the world. We are just not taxing the super rich. Our subsidies to the rich and middle class is at least three times as much as we give to the poor, so we need to reorganise our subsidies to include the poor. "If we have a fully functioning employment guarantee programme, both for urban and rural areas, and if we have an effective pension programme for poor and person with disabilities, then those who still fall through the cracks would be covered by this program," he said. Economist Sen suggested that while implementing the scheme, the obvious thing that the Congress can do is to link it to something such as NREGA. "You don't identify; people come to work. So, if you can increase the number of days on which the people are eligible to work, that would serve the purpose as far for those who can work. "For the old and the disabled you just transfer cash transfer. To transfer cash to the working age population, which is a large population, you will need to know their incomes and all that. That is a very difficult thing to do," he said. Lakshmi Mittal has extended Rs 1,600 crore financial help to Pramod Mittal, which rescued him from various criminal and other proceedings, sources said New Delhi: Steel magnate Lakshmi N Mittal has helped his cash-strapped younger brother Pramod clear dues he owed to State Trading Corporation, helping avoid legal troubles. This is the second instance in as many weeks of wealthy siblings bailing out their brothers from a crisis. Last week, richest Indian Mukesh Ambani helped younger brother Anil avoid a jail term by paying of dues he owed to Swedish telecom equipment supplier Ericsson. Pramod Kumar Mittal, 57, owner of Global Steel Holdings, thanked his elder brother's generosity in helping him clear a significant portion of Rs 2,210 crore dues. "I am very grateful to my brother Lakshmi Mittal for helping settle the liabilities to State Trading Corporation of India. This generosity ensured compliance with the order from the Supreme Court," he told PTI. The Mittal brothers had split the business in 1994 with elder brother going on to head the world's largest steel manufacturing company ArcelorMittal. Pramod Mittal's firms Global Steel Holdings Ltd (GSHI) and Global Steel Philippines Inc had defaulted on payments to STC, following which the state-owned company filed various cases against them. The two firms in a statement last Wednesday said they have settled Rs 2,210 crore dues to STC. Following this, the government-owned trading firm said it would not pursue any more winding up proceedings against Global Steel Holdings Ltd. Sources said ArcelorMittal Chairman and Chief Executive Officer L N Mittal has extended Rs 1,600 crore financial help to Pramod Mittal, which rescued him from various criminal and other proceedings. "The support he (LN Mittal) has shown to the family at a time of need is a testimony to his strong values," Pramod said. However, a spokesperson for ArcelorMittal said: "There is no comment from L N Mittal". The government-owned STC is a premier international trading company engaged primarily in exports, and imports operations. The Enforcement Directorate had earlier initiated various criminal proceedings against Pramod Mittal, GSHL, Global Steel Philippines Inc and Balasore Alloys, and the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed an FIR in the case. GSHL and GSPI in a statement said that they had a long-standing and successful business relationship with the State Trading Corporation of India Limited (STC) since September 2003. Due to an unprecedented meltdown in the steel industry and depression in the world economy during 2008-2010, GSPI suffered huge losses, and consequently, a substantial amount became due and payable by GSPI to STC, it has said. "Pursuant to conciliation proceedings between GSHL, GSPI and STC, a sum of Rs 1,605 crore, inclusive of principal and interest at a rate of 13.5 per cent per annum on USD benchmark rates, was awarded to STC and was to be paid by GSHL/GSPI as principal debtors and Pramod Mittal as a guarantor. "STC had filed and/or caused to be filed diverse proceedings against GSHL, GSPI, Pramod Mittal and others in order to recover such sum," the statement had said. It added that Pramod Mittal has paid and /or caused to be paid an aggregate sum of Rs 2,210 crore to STC, inclusive of the aforesaid Rs 1,605 crore as well as post-award interest, in full and final settlement of STC's claim and now no amount is due and payable to STC and all the proceedings have been settled. Last week, Anil Ambani's heavily debt-laden Reliance Communications had made a Rs 550 crore payment, including interest, to Ericsson just a day before the expiry of the deadline set by the Supreme Court to clear dues or face a three-month jail term. Nirav Modi is set to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Friday, when his legal team will make a second bail application An Enforcement Directorate team is set to leave for London on 29 March with regard to the case involving fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi Modi who is wanted in India on fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 13,000 crore. A joint director level officer is leaving for the United Kingdom, said media reports. #NewsAlert | An Enforcement Directorate (#ED) team to leave for London on March 29 in #NiravModi case. A joint director level officer is leaving for the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/vrSINJys7p moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) March 27, 2019 Modi is set to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Friday, when his legal team will make a second bail application. The 48-year-old had been denied bail by District Judge Marie Mallon at his first hearing soon after his arrest by Scotland Yard officers from a central London bank branch as he tried to open a new bank account and has been in custody at HMP Wandsworth prison in south-west London since last Wednesday. "He is expected to be produced before the court for a second bail application hearing on March 29," a court official confirmed on Tuesday. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) barrister Jonathan Swain, arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, had objected to Modi's bail plea during last week's hearing, stressing that he was wanted in India for "high value and sophisticated" fraud and money laundering amounting to $2 billion. Judge Mallon had ruled in favour of the Indian authorities, saying that she was convinced Modi had the means and incentive to jump bail and "fail to surrender". The next hearing in the case is expected to be presided over by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, the judge who ordered the extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines boss Vijay Mallya to India last December. That case is currently in the UK High Court as part of Mallya's application seeking leave to appeal against her ruling. "Further to the Mallya case, India now has a template to refer to when dealing with the extradition procedure of Nirav Modi from the UK," said Sarosh Zaiwalla, Founder and Senior Partner at UK-based law firm Zaiwalla & Co. Describing him as the "opposite of a flight risk" during the first bail application hearing last week, Modi's defence team had offered 500,000 pounds as security and also submitted to any stringent conditions that may be imposed upon their client. It remains to be seen how they would further bolster that offer in order to convince the judge to grant bail during the second hearing, following which the case will proceed to a series of case management hearings and setting of a trial date. During Modi's first court appearance after his arrest last week, it emerged that the diamantaire accused of defrauding India's state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) via fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) had been working on building up his legal team against extradition proceedings since March last year. In July 2018, once the Indian authorities had sent their extradition request to the UK Home Office, he hired Boutique Law a specialist law firm specialising in extradition. Anand Doobay of Boutique Law, who was present in court last week, has been the solicitor in charge of the Mallya extradition case as well. He, along with barrister George Hepburne Scott, make up Modi's defence team and sought to establish their client's "full engagement with UK authorities and willingness to cooperate. "He strongly contests the allegations has a wealth of material in support of his case, Hepburne Scott told the court, indicating that political motivation and human rights violations in an Indian jail will form part of Modi's "comprehensive" defence strategy. His team also contested his fugitive status, claiming that Modi arrived in London in January last year before any of the allegations emerged and has maintained a very visible presence in the UK ever since. The court was told that he has a contract of employment with Diamond Holdings Ltd in London for a monthly salary of 20,000 pounds since October last year and has been paying his local council tax. It also emerged in court that Modi was in possession of multiple passports, since revoked by the Indian authorities. While one passport is now in possession of the Metropolitan Police, a second expired passport is lying with the UK Home Office and a third with the UK's Driving and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) for a driver's licence. Besides the passports, Modi also possesses multiple residency cards, some of them expired, but covering countries such as the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong. --With PTI inputs Usha Ananthasubramanian approached the NCLAT against the NCLT order which has made her a respondent in the PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case New Delhi: Former Punjab National Bank (PNB) managing director and CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian has approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Mumbai-bench order, which made her a respondent in the PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case. A two-member bench headed by Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya issued notice to the Ministry of the Corporate Affairs over her plea. Earlier on 31 January, 2019, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had made her a party in the ongoing matter of PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case by accepting the Centre's request to implead her. The appellate tribunal had directed to list the matter on 29 April for next hearing. In its application before the Mumbai NCLT, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had said that the impleadment of the additional respondents, including Usha Ananthasubramanian, was essential because they all are necessary and proper parties. Of the gross proceeds from the auction of Nirav Modi's art collection, the Income Tax Department will get a net of Rs 54.84 crore, with the rest being the commission to the auction house Saffronart and the buyers' premium. Mumbai: The income tax department on Tuesday evening auctioned the artworks owned by the absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi, who fled the country after duping state-run lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) of a whopping Rs 14,000 crore, for Rs 59.37 crore. Of the gross proceeds, the department will get a net of Rs 54.84 crore, with the rest being the commission to the auction house Saffronart and the buyers' premium. This is the first time that a government department has sold artworks adopting the auction-route involving a professional art-house. The department had put up a total of 68 works for auction to recover Rs 97 crore from the scamster. An untitled work by the abstract artist VS Gaitonde fetched a winning bid of Rs 25.24 crore, including the buyer's premium, which however, is lower than the Rs 29.3 crore his work had fetched in 2015, making it the most expensive bid for an artwork from the country-ever. The great Raja Ravi Varma's 1881 work depicting the Maharaja of Travancore and his younger brother welcoming Richard Temple-Grenville, and Chandos, the third duke of Buckingham and the governor general of Madras, got sold for Rs 16.10 crore through a phone bid. Potential investors and art lovers started trickling in into the central Mumbai gallery Tuesday evening, but it was the bids over the phones and the Net which were higher at the auctions that began early evening but extended through the course of late night. None of the artworks, "lots" in auction-speak, saw intense bidding, though. As many as 13 works out of 68 had to be passed or returned unsold as the bids were lower than the reserved price. Barring a few works which could not be sold, many of the artworks were sold at prices above the reserve price. Modi's collection of paintings by FN Souza which saw significant interest from the collectors, with 'cityscape' and 'golly-wog' notching up bids of over Rs 1 crore each. Akbar Padamsee's 'Grey Nude' completed in 1960 got a winning bid of Rs 1.72 crore as against an expected price of Rs 1.5-2 crore. Throughout the bidding that lasted over 120 minutes, eight dedicated agents worked frantically on the phones getting the bids from investors and art lovers. The online bids came in from diverse places like Seattle in the US, Toronto in Canada and Belgium in Northwestern Europe, which has emerged as the nerve-centre of the global diamond trade now. Works by some Chinese artists also generated considerable interest among the bidders, with all of them fetching more-than-expected prices. Every buyer will have to pay a 15 percent premium for works costing up to Rs 20 crore, while the same for the ones above Rs 20 crore is a tad lower at 12 percent. The premium goes to the art gallery. A successful bidder has to pay 10 percent of the amount plus the buyers' premium within four days and pay up the remaining in a month's time. The sale is being undertaken under relevant sections of the Income Tax Act of 1961. The department was looking to raise up to Rs 97 crore, which is the tax liabilities of Modi shell firm Camelot Enterprises. The tax department reportedly discovered the paintings in a climate-controlled room at his house in the metropolis. As many as 68 artworks went under the hammer this evening and included works by the greats like Raja Ravi Varma, VS Gaitonde, FN Souza, Jogen Chowdhury, and Akbar Padamsee among others to recover dues and the department was expecting to mop up over Rs 97 crore from the artworks which had a reserve price of Rs 50 crore. The auctions took place after a special PLMA court had on 20 March allowed the law enforcement agencies to sell 173 paintings and 11 luxury vehicles owned by Modi, who is currently in a London jail seeking bail, which will come up for hearing on 29 March. The auctions came in ever after Camelot Enterprises, a firm owned by Modi, sent a legal notice to against the auction, terming it unlawful late last week. "The Saffronart online art catalogue lists 68 artwork due for auctions, overlooking the fact that only 19 of the artworks from the 68 belongs to the company," said the legal notice, sent through its law firm India Law Alliance Advocates to the department. "Given this circumstances, the purported auction is unlawful and liable to be cancelled forthwith," the legal notice added. The legal notice also claimed that the sole director of the company Hemant Dahyalal Bhatt is in judicial custody and all the papers and records of the company are with the statutory authorities. The paintings belonging to Camelot and other arms of Modi-promoted firms and were seized by the tax department as part of their probe to recover tax Rs 95.91 crore. The revenue department is also probing a Rs 4,000 crore missing amount from the books of the Modi group of companies. The remaining paintings and artworks will be auctioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED, CBI, and the department of revenue intelligence (DRI) are investigating Modi, his wife Ami, brother Nishal and uncle Mehul Choksi-the prime accused in the Rs 14,000-croere Punjab National Bank fraud case. By Jan Wolfe (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday lost a bid to have imports of some Apple Inc iPhones banned in a final ruling on one dispute between the two companies by the full U.S. By Jan Wolfe (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday lost a bid to have imports of some Apple Inc iPhones banned in a final ruling on one dispute between the two companies by the full U.S. International Trade Commission. In a separate but similar case, an administrative judge earlier recommended an import ban on some iPhones, siding with Qualcomm. But, unlike the second ruling, that finding is not binding and must be reviewed by the agency. Both cases involve certain iPhone models containing chips made by Intel Corp. Qualcomm and Apple did not immediately comment on the second ruling. The two American companies are locked in a wide-ranging legal dispute in which Apple has accused Qualcomm of unfair patent licensing practices. Qualcomm has in turn accused Apple of patent infringement. In the case in which Qualcomm lost in the final ruling, Qualcomm had argued that a ban was necessary because Apple infringed one of its patents. But the ITC said the patent claim should not have been granted in the first place, sidestepping the questions of whether Apple infringed and whether a ban was fair. The International Trade Commission is a government agency empowered to hear disputes over patented technology. While the ITC cannot award money damages like federal courts, it can block sales of imported products if it determines they infringe on U.S. patents. So an ITC import ban has the effect of halting U.S. sales of a product made overseas. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Stephen Nellis; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Photo: The Canadian Press The Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration building in Washington. America's standing as the model for aviation-safety regulation will be on trial as congressional hearings begin into the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of Boeing before and after two deadly crashes of its bestselling airliner. The Senate aviation subcommittee is scheduled to hear testimony Wednesday from the acting head of the FAA, the Transportation Department inspector general, who is leading a review of the FAA and Boeing, and the nation's top transportation safety investigator. Inspector General Calvin Scovel III is expected to reveal plans to significantly revamp the FAA's oversight of airplane construction this summer and discuss his office's findings of management weaknesses with a number of the agency's oversight processes over the years. "While revamping FAA's oversight process will be an important step, continued management attention will be key to ensure the agency identifies and monitors the highest-risk areas of aircraft certification," Scovel wrote in his prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press. Even though the agency has made improvements, it plans by July to develop new evaluation criteria for training and company self-audits, Scovel wrote. Also on Wednesday, Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell will testify that Boeing submitted an application on Jan. 21 spelling out changes it planned to make to crucial flight-control software on the 737 Max the same system that is suspected of playing a role in the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet in Indonesia and the March 10 plunge of an Ethiopian Airlines Max. In all, 346 people died. Elwell said FAA engineers and pilots have tested the update in a simulator and the plane, including recovering from an aerodynamic stall, according to a copy of his prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press. "The FAA's ongoing review of this software installation and training is an agency priority," Elwell is expected to testify. An FAA spokesman said Wednesday that the Boeing submission was an "initial application" and that the agency had not yet received Boeing's completed plan for updating the software. The Transportation Department watchdog has previously raised questions about the FAA's certification of Boeing planes and the seemingly close relationship between some agency managers and Boeing. Ellwell will defend collaboration with aircraft makers and airlines, saying that sharing information with companies gives the FAA more knowledge about emerging risks. The process, he planned to say, has "consistently produced safe aircraft designs for decades." On the other end of Capitol Hill, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee is seeking an independent review of Boeing's proposed fix to its 737 Max aircraft, which has been grounded worldwide for two weeks. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said the Max shouldn't be allowed to carry passengers until independent experts approve Boeing's work and ensure that pilots will be trained to fly the plane safely. Raghuram Rajan said it was 'premature' to discuss if he was approached by any of the parties to take up a policy-making position if they were to win. New Delhi: Amid speculation that he may be the finance minister if an Opposition alliance wins the ensuing general elections, the former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan has said he is willing to return to take an opportunity where he could be of use. Rajan, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who was denied a second term as Reserve Bank governor by the BJP-led government, said he is "very happy" where he is, but is open to opportunities. "I am very happy where I am. But if there is an opportunity to be of use I will always be there," he said at the launch of his new book 'The Third Pillar' on Tuesday evening. Rajan, who is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business in the US, was asked if he would like to return to India in public service or even a political role. Speculation in political circles has been that he may be a choice for finance minister if the 'Grand Alliance' of Opposition parties such as TMC, Samajwadi Party, BSP and TDP were to win the April/May general elections. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had on Tuesday stated that Rajan was among top economists that his party had consulted to draft its minimum income guarantee scheme, Nyuntam Aay Yojana or NYAY. The scheme assures up to Rs 72,000 a year or Rs 6,000 a month income to 20 percent of India's poorest families if the Congress is voted back to power in the Lok Sabha elections next month. In an interview to CNBC TV18 on Tuesday, Rajan said it was "premature" to discuss if he was approached by any of the parties to take up a policy-making position if they were to win. "I think it is premature to have this discussion. I really think that this is an important election for India and I also think we need a new set of reforms. I would be happy to push those ideas and we are trying to do that more broadly to anybody who listens," he had said. Rajan, who is credited with taking some bold decisions on cleaning up of bank balance sheets as the RBI governor, when asked what his priorities would be if he was the finance minister of the country, he said "I think there are short-term issues". "A number of economists, of which I was one, have put together a set of policy ideas and they are out there for anybody to read. They are coming out in a book but let me say very quickly that certainly, I would focus on short-term actions that could put a lot of projects back on track," he said. Also, cleaning up the banks as quickly as possible and set them back on credit growth, and finding two or three key reforms that could unleash growth would be his focus, he said. "Certainly one of them has to be how we review agriculture in a way that reduces distress. Second would be the issue of land acquisition. Can we learn from the best practices of the states and find methods that seem fair and in a sense also give states the freedom to pick the method that works best for them so that we learn from each other's experiments?" "Land acquisition and bank clean-up, as well as, trying to find some key policies that would revive agriculture - these would be top priorities," he said. Rajan was the 23rd governor of the RBI between September 2013 and September 2016. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the chief economist and director of research at the IMF. This is the first sale of Vijay Mallya's confiscated assets by the authorities since he left the country in March 2016 Mumbai: In a major step to partly recover outstanding dues from Vijay Mallya, a PMLA court on Tuesday rejected United Breweries Holdings' plea to stay the proposed sale of shares worth around Rs 1,000 crore of its erstwhile subsidiary United Breweries (UBL) by a court-appointed liquidator. Special judge M S Azmi rejected their plea on the ground that the court may not have the powers to grant a stay on the proposed sale. This is the first sale of Mallya's confiscated assets by the authorities since he left the country in March 2016. United Breweries shares closed over 2 percent up on the BSE at Rs 1,347.90 Tuesday and the sale of 74,04,932 shares at this price would fetch around Rs 999 crore. Beer major Heineken is the largest shareholder of UBL with a 44 percent stake. Earlier this month, it approached SBI to sell them, following which the bank moved the Karnataka High Court seeking rights over a 2.8 percent stake in UBL on 18 March. The shares are currently held by a court-appointed liquidator and was previously owned by UBHL, the erstwhile holding company of all firms owned by Mallya. UBHL is currently owned by the world's largest liquor company Diageo of England. Earlier this month, the Debt Recovery Tribunal transferred the shares (about 7.4 million) to a court-appointed liquidator. These shares were earlier attached by the ED, which is investigating allegations of money laundering against Mallya. UBHL last Friday moved the special PMLA court to stop the sale of 74,04,932 shares of UBL scheduled for Wednesday. These shares were pledged as collateral by the then owner Mallya through one of his companies UBL. Mallya was declared as a fugitive economic offender by domestic courts earlier this year. Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines, which ceased operations in December 2012, owes over Rs 9,000 crore to a clutch of lenders led by State Bank of India. UBHL had sought a stay on the share sale pointing out that these shares along with other properties are already attached by the ED and have multiple claimants including the ED, the banks and DRT. They also claimed DRT and banks ignored the order passed by the Karnataka High Court stating that the sale of the shares would be subject matter of the special PMLA court. The Bengaluru bench of the DRT had on 11 March issued a notice to sell these shares. The DRT had stated that shares were being sold to partly recover the secured debt of Rs 6,203.35 crore towards the loan taken by Kingfisher Airlines. Banks are demanding, along with interest and penalties, Rs 9,000 crore from Mallya. The 30-share benchmark index dived by over 100 points but recovered sharply to 38,402.35 at 1234 hrs as Modi announced that India had shot down a live satellite in space Mumbai: Benchmark indices witnessed heavy volatility amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, reflecting nervousness of the investor community over the subject. The 30-share benchmark index dived by over 100 points but recovered sharply to 38,402.35 at 1234 hrs as prime minister announced that India had shot down a live satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile in a major breakthrough in the space programme. The markets, which opened higher in the morning over Tuesday's close, sharply dipped following the twitter message as it wasn't clear what the subject of the address to the nation was. The benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 200 points on Wednesday during Modi's announcement that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. The 30-share index was trading at 38,443.5, up 212.98 points at 12.24 hrs. The benchmark index had jumped over 200 points in the opening trading session. Meanwhile, buying was also seen in defence stocks, with Hindustan Aeronautics rising 7.25 percent, Bharat Dynamics 6.26 percent, Walchandnagar Industries Ltd 3.61 percent and BEML 1.31 percent on the BSE. The benchmark BSE Sensex was at 38,445.38 points a minute before the Prime Minister took to the twitter at 11.23 am to announce his address to the nation. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," he tweeted. But it was not until 12:24 that he made the nearly 10-minute address. With no precedence of such address after general elections were announced, other than when Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated in 1984 and 1991 respectively, memories of 8 November, 2016, were revived when Modi made his first address to the nation to announce demonetisation of 86 percent of the currency in circulation. With election code is in place, it was felt that no policy announcement could be made and there could be some development on the Pakistan front as the Cabinet Committee on Security met just before the twitter message. Sensex fell to 38,332.22 by 11.35 am and further to 38,304.09 by 11.58 am. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday scheduled an April 4 hearing to hear oral arguments in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit seeking to hold Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk in contempt. U.S. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday scheduled an April 4 hearing to hear oral arguments in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit seeking to hold Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk in contempt. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan scheduled the hearing for 2 p.m. EDT, in a brief order that did not say what will be discussed. The SEC and Musk previously said they saw no need for an evidentiary hearing. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Any votes would not be legally binding on the government and although May promised to engage constructively with the process, she has suggested she might ignore them In an unprecedented development and in defiance of the government's wishes, British MPs will on Wednesday pick up pen and paper to state their preferences on possible alternatives to Theresa May's Brexit plan. Here is how the "indicative votes" procedure will work, as MPs aim to find a way through the political deadlock nearly three years after Britain voted to quit the European Union. What happens on Wednesday? MPs voted on Monday night to clear the timetable in the House of Commons from 2:00 pm (1400) on Wednesday, to allow a debate on a number of different Brexit scenarios. These options will be chosen by Speaker John Bercow on Wednesday from proposals put forward by MPs, likely covering various future trading arrangements with the EU and the issue of a new public vote. At 7:00 pm (1900 GMT), MPs will collect a paper ballot setting out the various ideas, and be asked to mark "Aye" or "Noe" -- for "Yes" or "No" in antiquated English -- alongside each one. They can agree to as many options as they want. Normally, MPs vote in person on one motion at a time, but organisers were concerned the order of such votes might influence the outcome. Half an hour is set aside for the ballots to be cast, with the result announced in the Commons at around 9:00 pm. While the votes are being counted, MPs will debate and vote on the deal agreed with the EU last week to delay Brexit to at least 12 April. The date has already been changed from 29 March in international law but must be changed in UK legislation too. Why now? MPs have twice rejected the withdrawal deal May has negotiated with the EU, and she admitted on Monday she did not yet have the votes needed to try for a third time this week. With the clock ticking to Brexit day, parliament is tired of waiting. The decision by MPs to take control of the Commons timetable is unprecedented and sparked outrage in the government, which warned of a "dangerous" precedent. However, some experts suggest it simply reflects the fact that May cannot command a majority in the Commons. Will MPs agree a new plan? May says she is "sceptical" that divided MPs will be able to agree on an alternative Brexit plan, noting that previous efforts to put forward different strategies "produced contradictory outcomes or no outcome at all". The group of MPs who conceived the idea, led by former minister Oliver Letwin, has acknowledged there may be no decision on Wednesday evening. They have therefore set out further time for debate in the Commons next Monday, when the most popular options might be whittled down to a final plan. Will May accept it? Any votes would not be legally binding on the government and although May promised to engage "constructively" with the process, she has suggested she might ignore them. "I cannot commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by the House," she said, noting the votes could lead to an outcome that is "non negotiable with the EU". However, her government is worried that MPs will ultimately use their new-found control of the Commons timetable to pass legislation that would force May to change her approach. If she still refused, she would set up a stand-off that could result in parliament declaring it had no confidence in her government. Can MPs stop a "no deal" Brexit? The only thing MPs have agreed on so far other than that they dislike May's plan is that they do not want to leave the EU without a deal. However, a no-deal exit is the default position unless Brexit is further delayed or undone. European leaders last week said that if May's deal does not pass by 29 March, Britain had until 12 April to "indicate a way forward". The CBI told the Supreme Court that Airtel and Vodafone were not co-operating in the probe, adding that the telecom majors did not provide information on call detail records The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Wednesday, moved the Supreme Court against telecom majors Airtel and Vodafone for hampering probe in the Saradha funds deposit scam, reported News18. The move comes a day after the apex court had termed as "very very serious" the revelations made by the CBI in its fresh status report relating to questioning of former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the case. #NewsAlert -- Saradha chit fund scam: CBI moves SC against Vodafone, Airtel | @utkarsh_aanand with more details pic.twitter.com/oUfpNu1hze News18 (@CNNnews18) March 27, 2019 The investigating agency said the two service providers were not cooperating in the probe, adding that the telecom majors did not provide information on call detail records (CDR), reported CNBC-TV18. The cellular companies were evasive on questions asked by the West Bengal Police, CBI told the top court. Speaking to Firstpost, the Airtel spokesperson said, "We can confirm that we have provided the information that the concerned authorities/investigating agencies had requested, and will continue to assist them. As a responsible corporate, we have always been and shall remain compliant with the laws of the land." The Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal had been in loggerheads with the CBI over investigation into the scam. This standoff first started when the CBI reached Kumar's residence on 3 February, 2019 to question him on the scam. Kumar had headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was set-up to investigate the case in 2013. The CBI had alleged that Kumar destroyed and tampered with material evidence in the form of CDRs of the prime accused and potential accused. The agency also claimed that companies like Saradha, Rose Valley and Tower Group had given huge contributions to the Trinamool Congress. Banerjee subsequently sat on an indefinite strike in protest against the Centre. The West Bengal government had also moved Calcutta High Court against the CBI's attempt to question Kolkata police chief. On 5 February, the Supreme Court had asked Kumar to appear before the agency and "faithfully" cooperate into the investigation of cases arising out of the chit fund scam, while it making it clear that he will not be arrested. The top court, in the meanwhile, had refused to monitor the ongoing CBI investigation into the chit fund scam on 11 February, 2019 which was first transferred to the investigating agency in 2013. The Election Commission, which has filed affidavit in the apex court, said that on 26 May, 2017 it had written to the Ministry of Law and Justice about its views that the changes made in the Income Tax Act, the Representation of People Act and the Finance Act would be against the endeavour to have transparency in funding to political parties. New Delhi: The Election Commission informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it had written to the Centre saying the changes made in several laws relating to political funding will have "serious repercussions" on transparency. It also said that the changes in the Foreign Regulation Contribution Act (FRCA) 2010 will allow unchecked foreign funding of political parties which could lead to Indian policies being influenced by foreign companies. The Election Commission, which has filed affidavit in the apex court, said that on 26 May, 2017 it had written to the Ministry of Law and Justice about its views that the changes made in the Income Tax Act, the Representation of People Act and the Finance Act would be against the endeavour to have transparency in funding to political parties. The affidavit, filed by Director (Law) of the Election Commission Vijay Kumar Pandey, said the poll panel had informed the ministry that "certain provisions of the Finance Act, 2017 and the corresponding amendments carried out in the Income Tax Act, the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the Companies Act, 2013 will have serious repercussions/impact on the transparency aspect of political finance/funding of political parties". The reply was filed in petitions challenging the issuance of electoral bonds by the government. Referring to its communication with the ministry, it said: "It is evident that any donation received by political party through an electoral bond has been taken out of the ambit of reporting under the contribution report as prescribed under Section 29C of the Representation of People Act. "In a situation where electoral bonds were not reported, it cannot be ascertained whether the political party has taken any donation from government companies and foreign sources." On changes to the FCRA, it said they allowed donations to be received from foreign companies having majority stake in Indian companies, provided that they follow the guidelines pertaining to foreign investment in the sector in which they operate. "This would allow unchecked foreign funding of political parties which could lead to Indian policies being influenced by foreign companies," it added. In response to Association for Democratic Reforms' (ADR) plea which also sought directions that no political party should accept any donation in cash, the Election Commission said that the Income Tax Act has been amended with a new clause stating that no cash donation exceeding Rs 2000 was received by such political party. "ECI has been relentlessly working towards curbing the abuse of power during elections for which purpose it has time and again issued several instructions in the past to candidates as well as to political parties for furnishing the correct information relating to donations received and expenditure," it said. The poll panel said that it has also proposed certain electoral reforms over the years for the purpose of bringing about more transparency and fairness in the electoral process in the country. It said that all political parties (regional or national) were expected to observe transparency and accountability with respect to the funds raised and its expenditure, both during elections and otherwise, particularly when concerns have been expressed. "Political parties are major stakeholders in a democracy and they should be accountable to the public. A perusal of the electoral reforms clearly revealed that the Election Commission has taken appropriate action to get the political parties to maintain proper accounts of their income and expenditure and make the same available to the general public in order to bring about transparency and accountability," it said. ADR's plea has sought stay on the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018 which was notified by the Centre in January 2018. It has said amendments carried out in relevant Acts have "opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate donations to political parties and anonymous financing by Indian as well as foreign companies which can have serious repercussions on the Indian democracy". The plea has claimed that government's decision entitles political parties to receive unlimited donations without recording its source. It has sought striking down of amendments made through the Finance Act, 2017 and the 2 January, 2018 notification issued by the Ministry of Finance, whose cumulative effect is that political parties are entitled to receive unlimited donations from individuals and corporations, including loss-making and foreign corporations, without having to record or report the sources of such funding. The NDA government had announced electoral bonds in the earlier budget, claiming that the scheme would clean up political funding. The move was resisted by opposition parties. Election Commission had also expressed its reservations initially. Five days after the Pulwama attack, a large number of armed forces personnel carried out a midnight raid at the house of a labourer, Mehraj-ud-in Chopan Tral: Five days after the militant attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy killed at least 40 paramilitary personnel, a large number of armed forces personnel carried out a midnight raid at the house of a labourer, Mehraj-ud-in Chopan. His wife, children a five-year-old daughter and a toddler son and mother were forced into a room before the 24-year-old Mehraj was whisked away. The family was told that he would be released soon and was taken away to assist the forces in carrying out searches in the village. It was only three days later that they learned that he was lodged at a police station, before being shifted to a jail in Jammu, where he remains imprisoned under the Public Safety Act (PSA) under an executive detention order. His family lives in modest mud-and-brick house among a cluster of similar houses on a hillside in the Handoora village of Tral and does not have the financial means to afford the lawyers to fight his case. A police official at Tral Police Station said that Mehraj was detained under the PSA in connection with a case involving the recovery of arms. The raid at his house was part of a crackdown on youths who have been supporting the militancy or indulging in stone-pelting after the 14 February convoy attack. Mehraj's detention order has been issued by the deputy commissioner at Pulwama under the PSA, a law that has however been often abused by authorities as the detention orders are issued on the basis of a police dossier and not by the courts. Critics of the law are of the view that it was applied to avoid the "release" of youths on bail by the courts. Advocate Shafaqat Hussain said that the PSA was a "draconian law" and " in cases of stone pelting or those related to militancy people are held in the prisons for upto two years without trial". He added, "The period of prison detention is extended often without any fresh evidence about any illegal involvement of a person and is done when the person is in prison. It is a draconian law and people are not even released after the detention has been quashed by the high court," he said. In the southern district of Pulwama in Kashmir, where Mehraj and his family live, at least 18 youths have been detained under the PSA since 14 February, said an official at the deputy commissioner's office in Pulwama on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. The detentions were confirmed by the PSA board of the Home Department, which is headed by a retired high court judge. But Shafaqat said that the PSA board "was not working fairly" and even as it was empowered to revoke any cases that are "wrongly framed", it has been doing so "rarely". A senior official of the Prisons Department said that at least 50 people have been imprisoned since 14 February, which does not include the large number of people detained at police stations. "We have seen numbers swell, which could be also on account of the ban on Jamat-e-Islami," he said. Scores of JeI cadres were arrested earlier after authorities banned the religious and political organisation that calls for holding a plebiscite in Kashmir. The separatists have said that the night raids, like the one at Mehraj's house, at the homes of their leaders after the convoy attack was a "heavy-handed" measure. The night raids were more common during the protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, in 2016, in which over 75 civilians had died. Mehraj's house is only a few kilometres away from Burhan's multi-storey home in Tral across a foot track and at least two more youths from the area have been detained in past week by the forces. On the day Mehraj's house was raided, his mother, Khatija Begum, was baffled by the manner in which the raids were carried out at their house. "The forces barged us into a room and told us that my son would be released in few hours. I waited till 1 am, but he was not released. I am worried about his safety," she said. Mehrajs wife, Nigeena, said that her husband had been framed in a false case. "Several years ago, the police also charged him falsely for indulging in stone-pelting during an encounter at Aripal. He was the only breadwinner in our family and it is difficult to eke out a living after his detention," she said. New Delhi's A-SAT programme was born in response to Chinas growing capabilities in turn, driven by that countrys efforts to counter the United States supremacy in space. In essence, China sought to show it could cripple the satellite networks on which the United States military command-and-control capabilities rest. For decades now, it's been clear the next war between the great powers should such an apocalypse ever dawn will be fought not only on land, sea and air. Last year's Worldwide Threat Assessment, released by the United States' Director of National Intelligence, assessed that if "a future conflict were to occur involving Russia or China, either country would justify attacks against US and allied satellites as necessary to offset any perceived US military advantage derived from military, civil or commercial space systems". In essence, militaries increasingly depended on satellites for intelligence, communications, and targeting will seek to blind the other side by destroying their capabilities in space. The anti-satellite weapons India successfully tested on 27 March are one key element of such a capability along with a spectrum of other capabilities, ranging from "killer satellites" which can intercept platforms of adversaries, to ground-based lasers to blind them. A-SAT technology isn't particularly new. As early as 1959, the United States' SAINT project envisaged using a satellite equipped with a nuclear bomb to destroy Soviet satellites. And, from the late 1960s, both the Soviets and the United States developed non-nuclear A-SATs. From 2015, Russia has tested a new generation of land-based A-SATs, known as the PL-19 Nudol. Now, Indias joined that elite league. Chinese Challenge New Delhi's A-SAT programme was born in response to Chinas growing capabilities in turn, driven by that countrys efforts to counter the United States supremacy in space. In essence, China sought to show it could cripple the satellite networks on which the United States military command-and-control capabilities rest. In 2007, Beijing had demonstrated its ability to destroy enemy satellites, when it launched a Hongqi 19 missile, with a Kaituozhe1 rocket booster, to destroy redundant Feng Yun 1-C weather satellite in Low Earth Orbit, approximately 800 kilometers above the Earth. The Peoples Republic continued to develop its A-SAT weapons first testing the Dong Neng-2 interceptor missile in May, 2013, and following up in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The latest test, of the Dong Neng-3 missile was in February, 2018. India's Response Following Chinas 2007 tests, Indian military officials began to seriously consider the need to acquire similar capabilities. That year, the then army chief General Deepak Kapoor said space was the "ultimate military high ground", needing domination in future wars. Integrated Defense Staff chief Lieutenant-General HS Lidder also weighed in, saying, "inevitably there will be a military contest in space". He predicted that "with time, we will get sucked into the military race to protect space assets". Five years later, in 2012, Defense Research and Development Organisation chief VK Saraswat claimed that India had all the building blocks in place to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to destroy hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. His claim, however, was greeted with some scepticism by international experts, who questioned whether India in fact had the elements needed for a successful A-SAT, like space-based sensors, synthetic aperture radars, guidance and control systems, and global positioning systems. In the time since then, India has succeeded in acquiring the technologies it needs though, if the Chinese experience is a guide, some years of further testing will be needed to ensure the system's combat reliability. The Fallout In the event of China and India waging a full-scale war, A-SAT capability will be critical: both countries will seek to knock out the others communications systems, their ability to conduct reconnaissance, and to accurately hit targets. The capability is therefore valuable, though, judging by the fact that the National Democratic Alliance has steadily squeezed defence budgets, war isnt a prospect the government thinks is likely. In the short term, India may also face some flack from the many countries which are worried about the weaponisation of space. There is no ban on the deployment and use of weapons other than nuclear weapons in space. Ever since the 80s, countries in space had voluntarily observed a moratorium on the destruction of satellites but China broke that in 2007. For many countries, the biggest case against A-SAT testing has been consequences of space debris. Debris from China's 2007 test, for example, knocked out a Russian satellite, much to Moscows ire. Debris from the testestimated at 950 pieces larger than 7.5 centimetreswill orbit earth for a decade or more, threatening other countries space assets. European states and Japan have the technological capacity to develop A-SAT weapons, but have held back, not wishing to fuel the competition, However, both Beijing and Moscow have sharpened their claws in space without suffering any great fallout and New Delhi may be expecting to mitigate any criticism by arguing it had no choice but to follow suit. The years after Beijing's first test have seen diplomatic initiatives to bring about a treaty to ban the use of weapons, including ASAT, in space. For a variety of reasons, the United States, Russia and China have been unable to find common ground. Having tested an ASAT weapon, India will now seek to be included in any discussions. This preempts the possibility of its interests being ignored in a final deal, as was the case with nuclear weapons. Those who claim that North Kashmir has changed for the better in comparison to the South which has become increasingly turbulent over the last couple of years, should think again. The killing of young Atif Mir, who was all of 12-years-old by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist after being held hostage while an operation of the security forces was underway, reflects how little has changed in this lawless area in the last few years Those who claim that North Kashmir has changed for the better in comparison to the South which has become increasingly turbulent over the last couple of years, should think again. The killing of young Atif Mir, who was all of 12-years-old by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist after being held hostage while an operation of the security forces was underway, reflects how little has changed in this lawless area in the last few years. Atif was reportedly taken hostage in his own home by a notorious LeT terrorist leader named Ali, who was peeved with Atif's family for having sent away their teenaged daughter who Ali wished to marry. The hostage drama began with Ali and another Pakistani terrorist being cornered in the house of Atif's parents. It has been a virtually unwritten principle in Kashmir's thirty-year proxy war, stoked and sustained by Pakistan, that terrorists take some civilians hostage, many times their forced hosts, when they are cordoned off by the security forces. However, when their escape becomes virtually impossible they have been known to release them so that no bodily harm comes to them; the terrorists in most cases refuse surrender and die in subsequent action by them. Rare have been cases of hostages dying in captivity of their terrorist captors. The Army has often used locals as interlocutors with the terrorists in such situations and have drawn the ire of the local media for putting them in harm's way. It's also true that rarely have such efforts gone waste. Even in Kashmir's wayward killing fields, no one was really interested in civilian casualties. Some terrorists did try to avoid such casualties because it brought them bad reputation with locals. However, the foreign terrorists, who came from the Arab world or Central Asia in the early nineties, were least bothered about rights of locals. They were mercenaries to the core and respected no local sentiments, especially when it involved women and children. When the mercenary pipeline exhausted in 1996, there was a surge of Pakistani terrorists belonging to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Al Badr and Harkat ul Ansar. On the face of it, Pakistan's ISI, which controls these terrorists, desired them to be ruthless but yet to respect local sentiment keeping in mind that the centre of gravity in hybrid conflicts of this nature is the civil populace. The terrorists can't afford to draw the ire of the populace as they need safe houses and accompanying logistics to ensure only short presence at each before moving on to the next to beat the intelligence grid. The one thing the locals have always had against most foreign terrorists, earlier the mercenaries and then the Pakistani jihadis, is their approach to women. Some wish to marry local women knowing fully well that their time on earth is limited. Their belief has been the irrational idea that being warriors for the faith, all others must do everything within their power to assist and motivate them which includes the preposterous belief that Kashmiri women are at their beck and call. Many women have died in the attempt to spurn the jihadis and their families have remained under terrorist threat, torn between supporting the security forces to avenge their humiliation and the desire to avoid any trouble with the terrorists. In many cases, the security forces have been able to track notorious terrorist leaders on the basis of their attempted and largely-forced romantic interludes. Abdullah Uni was one such Pakistani terrorist leader in the Sopore area, who survived almost ten years and was finally lured to his death in 2011-12. While earlier, the security establishment did speak to prominent citizens and the media to sensitise them on the need to ensure no cooperation with terrorists under any circumstances, there were also campaigns in place to disgrace the perpetrators of such crimes against women. However, even these campaigns lacked seriousness of effort and continuity. Like in most cases of perception management, everyone in Kashmir knew that the terrorists can be entirely isolated on the basis of their treatment meted out to women. However, mostly the establishment remained unclear on how to take forward their narrative against the terrorists, to the people and win their cooperation. The killing of Atif Mir has evoked an extremely negative response among the Kashmiri populace. Social media appears very condemnatory about the act of the terrorists. It's time, once again, for the security forces to take the issue by its horns and pursue extensive contact with the people to sensitise them on the ills of supporting terror logistics. The army has the experience and the local knowledge of soldiers of the Territorial Army units can be brought to bear in launching proactive information strategy to disgrace the foreign terrorists and break any links they have with the local populace. The same must extend to human rights bodies and the media. For the last few years the focus has been on South Kashmir, and rightfully so, but it's not as if problems in the North have been completely resolved. In fact, the relative absence of violence in North Kashmir should ensure that this opportunity, arising from a criminal act by a terrorist leader is fully used to drive home the abhorrence with which such violators of basic human rights should be held. The State must take a cue and not leave it just to the security forces to treat it as yet another case of terrorist atrocity.Prominent citizens of Kashmir must speak out and the the local media be put to test on loyalty. In any security related situation there are always events which change the course of the established narrative. However, the sustenance of such a campaign is the problem as other events overtake and cause reprioritisation. Could this be a test case where all organisations with stakes in Kashmir come together with even partial cooperation, get the political parties to agree to join the campaign and together everyone puts their weight to the wheel to disgrace foreign terrorists and prevent eulogising of any local terrorist elsewhere in Kashmir. Assistance of academia and even psychologists would well be in order with the entire attempt being focused on a changed narrative which emphasises on security of vulnerable people. Unless the handling of North Kashmir includes a cogent campaign of conversation with the people terror will always threaten to return because all networks that support terrorists are very much in existence. The killing of young Atif Mir could well be that start point. The author is a retired lieutenant-general of the Indian Army and tweets @atahasnain53 Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump gives two thumbs up after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. In 2016, President Donald Trump compared Hillary Clinton's campaign to the lumbering federal bureaucracy. Now he's building one of his own. From an office tower across the Potomac River from Washington, from the bowels of the Republican National Committee's headquarters on Capitol Hill and from field offices across the country, Trump is assembling an army of operatives to fight for victory in what stands to be a legacy-defining political battle. Even with a sea of still-unfilled desks, his 2020 campaign is already unrecognizable from the fly-by-night operation of the last effort, when Trump won the White House despite his inexperienced campaign team. Trump may still consider himself his own best strategist and communicator, but this time he's leaving nothing to chance. Trump's 2020 effort is melding the RNC and his presidential campaign into one functional entity, with the two organizations sharing staff, resources and data in what they argue is the perfect model of the modern integrated campaign. "We are creating the largest and most efficient campaign operation in American history with the ability to reach more voters than ever before," said Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale. Still, the constant and greatest source of uncertainty for the new effort remains Trump his disdain for feeling managed and his unwavering belief in his own gut instincts above all else. "Everything the campaign does is to complement and reinforce the candidate, it's not a substitute for the candidate," said GOP strategist Alex Conant. "The candidate needs to be in sync with the campaign." In one of the recent viral videos, a flag, green in colour and bearing the white crescent and star symbols is being waved at a Congress party rally in Tumkur, Karnataka. It is, however, the banner of a political party-based in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Lok Sabha Election 2019 Fact-checker: Claim: Pakistani flag was waved at a Congress rally in Karnataka Fact: FALSE. Though the contents of the video were not morphed or tampered with, captions and comments claiming that it was the Pakistani flag are untrue as the flag seen in the video is of Kerala based political party Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) which bears similarities with the national flag of the neighbouring nation. *** Election season in India also brings with itself a barrage of carefully-crafted fake news planted to instigate people against Opposition parties. One such recent instance was a video showing the presence of "Pakistani flag" at Congress rallies in Rajasthan and Karnataka. However, it has turned out that in both the incidents the flags waved were not those of Pakistan but a local Muslim organisation and a Kerala-based Muslim party respectively. In one of the recent viral videos, a flag, green in colour and bearing the white crescent and star, is being waved at a Congress party rally in Tumkur, Karnataka. It is, however, the banner of a political party-based in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Earlier, a similar claim was shared in 2018, ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election, which was debunked by AltNews. See the congress rally in Tumkur where Pakistan flags are waived in open, shame to the party pic.twitter.com/eYY34MkFAT maibichowkidaar (@srk2ma) March 24, 2019 The other video, which was reportedly shot in a Rajasthani village, was shared with claims that a Pakistani flag was raised at a Congress victory rally. But, on close inspection, the flag in the video, although green, appears to have minarets in the centre and white stripes on both sides with some inscription written in red and blue unlike the Pakistani flag which has a white band on the left. The false claims of those sharing the video with the deceiving caption on social media were also busted by the Rajasthan Police who confirmed that it was fake news. Alert This video circulating on #socialmedia claims that there is a Pakistan flag being waved in a victory procession of @INCIndia. This is false and we request people not to get trapped by this . We are trying to trace the mischief-maker.#FakeNews@SMHoaxSlayerpic.twitter.com/WDnABuJx2M Rajasthan Police (@PoliceRajasthan) December 12, 2018 Earlier, similar claims were made of Pakistani flags being used during rallies of Congress leader Ashok Gehlot which were debunked by online fact-checking websites. There were also reports of a similar Muslim group's flag being hoisted in Kolkata in celebration of the newly-elected mayor, which was widely criticised for the use of the Pakistani flag, but was later found to be false. After holding an internal consultation, the EC has sought an active transcript from the government of the speech delivered by Modi announcing the success of Mission Shakti After holding an internal consultation, the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday sought an active transcript from the government of the speech delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing Indias entry in the league of countries that have sent anti-satellite missile to space, sources in the poll body told CNN-News18. The EC will analyse the urgency of Modis address, the timing of which was questioned by Opposition leaders. News18 further reported that Deputy Election Commissioner Dr Sandeep Saxena will examine the prime minister's speech. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Twitter. Modis announcement about Mission Shakti invited widespread praise from leaders of the BJP and Opposition, but also invited allegations of violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which has been in effect since 10 March when the dates of Lok Sabha polls were announced. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. 3/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019 Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 EC sources told PTI that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the Model Code of Conduct. Modi announced on Wednesday morning that India shot down a live satellite on a low earth orbit, demonstrating anti-missile capabilities in space, a feat achieved only by the United States, Russia and China in the past. "For every Indian, this is a matter of pride," he added. "The satellite had a pre-determined destination. This operation was completed in three minutes. Mission Shakti was a difficult operation," the Prime Minister announced. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Modi is all set to address a rally in western Uttar Pradesh on 28 March and two rallies in West Bengal on 3 April. With inputs from PTI Seeking a stay on the Narendra Modi biopic, the Opposition, especially the Congress has alleged that the film violates the Model Code of Conduct. The Election Commission of India (EC), which has already issued a notice to producers of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also seek their comments on whether it is possible to delay the release of the film. The Congress and CPM have demanded that the film's release be postponed until the ensuing seven-stage Lok Sabha elections are over. The Delhi chief electoral officer has issued a notice to the four producers of the film, scheduled to be released six days before polling begins, on 5 April. The Opposition parties had alleged "political intent" in the release of PM Narendra Modi and had complained to the EC saying that the film would act as advertisement for the Bharatiya Janata Party. On 20 March, East Delhi Returning Officer K Mahesh had suo motu issued notices to the production house and music company behind the film and two leading newspapers for publishing advertisements of the film in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. On 22 March, a district election officer of the East Delhi Parliamentary constituency served a show cause notice to Anand Pandey of the daily, Dainik Bhaskar, Sachin Chauhan of music company T-Series and the Legend Global Studio, owned by Sandip Singh, who is one of the producers of Narendra Modi's biopic, for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct. The Vivek Oberoi-starrer biographical drama has been mired in controversy since it was announced. With inputs from PTI Before Modi's announcement, there were a lot of speculations about what he was going to say considering the prime minister tweeted from his personal handle that he was going to address the nation for an important announcement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, in an address to the nation, announced that India has become the fourth nation in the world to achieve the feat of sending an anti-satellite missile to space, as part of its Mission Shakti. Modi announced that India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile and congratulated the scientists for achieving this remarking feat of shooting down a satellite in just three minutes. However, before Modi's announcement, there was a fair deal of speculation about what he was going to say considering the prime minister tweeted from his personal handle that he was going to address the nation for an important announcement. Modi had tweeted that he would address the nation it between 11.45 am and noon. However, his address was delayed until about 12.20 pm. Thus, the time gap gave the Twiterrati enough time to speculate on the various possibilities of what could be announced by the prime minister. From national security, proof of Balakot IAF air strike, to demonetisation 2.0, and arrest/death of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, people quickly started speculating all sorts of conjectures in anticipation of the big announcement, which was coming at a crucial juncture ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Here are some of the offbeat reactions which were seen floating on social media, just minutes before the space achievement was announced by Modi: I understand the delay. Modi is going to ban Mankading but he's not convinced that Ashwin deceived Buttler. Probably watching a few replays before he can make the announcement Priyansh (@Privaricate) March 27, 2019 All sorts of speculation people making : - Economic - Dawood - Extradition - Some more strikes - Etc. etc. Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) March 27, 2019 Honestly before the spy satellite announcement I was thinking : 1. Demonetization of 2000 Re 2. Announcement of 1st ever press conference 3. Dawood coming to our country 4. 15 Lacs coming to our account (In that order) Atul Khatri (@one_by_two) March 27, 2019 The delay also made some people question the reason behind it, some even making light of the matter even as other dived deep to solve the Modi announcement mystery: Maybe Modiji himself is waiting in front of an ATM and hence the delay Veena Venugopal (@veenavenugopal) March 27, 2019 Modi Ji following Indian Standard Time like a true Indian. Respect. Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) March 27, 2019 Others suggested that the delay could be to ensure that the prime minister's speech doesn't violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which is in force ahead of the General Election. Sources: Last minute vetting of @narendramodi speech/message so that there is no violation of MCC. Being told top legal eagles being consulted by Govt/Party.#PMAddressToNation Payal Mehta/ / / (@payalmehta100) March 27, 2019 Meanwhile, lots of political reactions have also poured in on the announcement, with TMC chief and West Bengal chief Minister Mamata Banerjee even calling it a "gross violation" of the poll code. Whereas, Omar Abdullah described it as a case of "mountains and molehills" referring to possible political insignificance of the anticipated announcement. Attacking the previous Congress-led UPA regime for 'not buying even one thing' for the armed forces during its 10 year tenure, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the personnel did not even have bullet proof vests, leave alone Rafale jet, which was never bought. Thiruvananthapuram: Attacking the previous Congress-led UPA regime for 'not buying even one thing' for the armed forces during its 10 year tenure, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the personnel did not even have bullet proof vests, leave alone Rafale jet, which was never bought. "I want to ask why during the UPA period not even one thing was bought for our armed forces. Not even bullet proof vests were bought in the 10 years, leave alone buying Rafale, which they did not," Sitharaman said speaking at an election convention of the BJP's candidate from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, Kummanam Rajashekahran, who resigned as Mizoram Governor to contest the polls. The defence minister did not name her predecessor AK Antony, who hails from Kerala and said she did not want to comment on him as he an elderly person and a senior leader. Sharpening her attack on the Congress, she said "Totally, the Indian armed forces were left without anything. There were guns, but no bullets. There were tanks, but no ammunition. There were aircraft, but systems were not working. So what was the big deal of having a big Army if you did not give them anything to protect your borders safetly without which protecting this country is a big task. We have two big active enemies. We have to take care of both the borders," she said. That was why Pakistan could repeatedly send terrorists who came with the full support of the Pakistan army, the defence minsiter said. There were terrorist attacks in every corner of the country. The defence minister said if the UPA government had taken steps like the Narendra Modi government did, India would have probably been able to control terror from spreading. After the deadly Pulwama strike by Pakistan terrorists, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, the BJP government had received intelligence inputs that more such suicide bomb attacks were likely to take place in different places of the country, she said. "Due to the intelligence information we had, like laser strike, we went and hit the centre from from where these terrorists were coming out", Sitharaman said. She alleged that the UPA government did not take enough action after the 26 November, 2008 Mumbai attack, though the Army was willing to do so. There was no political will, she alleged. She said no country had criticised India's action after it went into Pakistan territory and attacked a terrorist training camp in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. She said that in the last five years, the opposition had often criticised the Prime Minister Modi's visits abroad. But the purpose of his visits was to strengthen India's relations with various countries as a result of which he made it a point to tell the truth about Pakistan to the world, she said. "Today all these countries have understood what was India's compulsion to go to Pakistan territory and attack the terrorist camp," she said adding every country had spoken with responsiblity to support Modi and isolate Pakistan. She said international forums were repeatedly told about the money trail reaching Pakistan and training being given to terrorists there. "There is international understanding of Financial Action Against Terror Funding (FATF) and India was able to convince the global community against Pakistan," she said. Sitharaman said there was a sense of hoplessness during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Now India could be showcased as a responsible economy with a determined leadership. "Now the international community takes us seriously," the minister said. Taking a jibe at the opposition for not yet naming its Prime Ministerial candidate, Sitharaman said the BJP has only one such candidate, while there are several prospective PMs in the opposition. "Is there one or are there several in the queue?", she asked. She urged the people of Kerala to cast their votes to ensure that the Modi government gets another term and maintain the growth momentum. The UPA regime was a "waste of 10 years", she said, adding a lot of work has happened in the last five years. Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is now the fourth nation in the world to send an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile to space and called it a "rare achievement" under Mission Shakti, leaders across the political spectrum launched a scathing attack on the prime minister and the ruling party for taking credit. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and mocked the prime minister by wishing him "happy World Theatre Day". Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter and said that Modi's announcement was "yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering" to reap political benefits at the time of election. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also alleged that this was a "gross" violation of Model Code of Conduct. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. 3/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 After congratulating the Indian defense scientists, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said that it was "highly condemnable to make politics for electoral gains". - . Mayawati (@Mayawati) March 27, 2019 Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the entire scientific community for achieving another milestone by successfully testing A-SAT technology. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the prime minister of diverting the nation's attention away from ground issues like - unemployment, rural crisis and women security and unemployment. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019 Earlier on Wednesday, Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. "India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti," the prime minister tweeted later. A large section of the rural populace of Keonjhar district in Odisha is struggling for access to a basic survival need. 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 *** Keonjhar: Seven decades of Independence and other progress notwithstanding, a large section of the rural populace of Keonjhar district in Odisha is struggling for access to a basic survival need safe drinking water. To make matters worse, this Lok Sabha constituency, which has the maximum operational mines in the state, is also being ravaged by miners, who are minting money at the cost of natural resources. We reached some of the worst-hit areas of the district to take stock of the situation and came across several worrying facts. Miles to go, for a drink Baragoda is a tribal village under the Banspal block, mainly inhabited by the Juang tribe. Just 45 km away from the district headquarters, it continues to suffer in silence. With not a single formal source of drinking water, the villagers are now used to drinking water directly from the pits they dig during summer and from other natural mountain streams nearby. The lone tube well in the village is also useless, as it churns out muddy and high-iron water, which is non-potable. Villagers allege that despite highlighting this, no government assistance has come their way. And the absence of any drinking water project in the area has worsened the situation for the water-borne-disease-stricken area. Most of us, including the children, drink water from pits and mountain streams, as we have no other option. This has resulted in a large number of cases of skin diseases and diarrhea. Our plight worsens during summer, when the natural source dries up, says Dengi Juang, an elderly woman from the village. The villages youths use spades and other equipment to dig up pits during summer when the natural sources of water dry up. They target spots where they anticipate a high level of groundwater, mainly around the periphery of mountain streams. Sometimes, they get water just by digging two feet; other times, they have to go deeper. Villagers also protect these areas with makeshift barricades. While the nearest water source a stream downside of the village is around half a kilometre away in the forest area, to collect water from a pit, they are forced to climb around 300 metres uphill. And with the men busy earning a livelihood, its down to the women to bring the water they are regularly seen walking long distances carrying heavy pots and with their children in tow to fill up for the family. Its no wonder then that Suruti Juang (8), a student, envies the urban population. We sometimes see on TVs and read in books how people in urban areas drink water from a tap; we, on the other hand, have to walk miles with our pots for the same. Why cant we get such facilities in our village? she asks us. Meanwhile, what irks women the most is that the far-off location of the water sources also results in their daily chores, like washing utensils and clothes, and even bathing, being isolated to remote spots. A youth from the village, Pitamber Juang, says, The women are forced to go into forest areas to collect water and have to finish their chores in the same spot. These areas are isolated and away from the village. The government should give us better options. Suruti agrees and adds that had there been facilities to get water directly in their homes, her mother could have devoted more time at home and even been able to take some rest during the day. Left parched Baragoda isnt the only village facing this problem. Several others in the district are restricted to pits, contaminated hand pumps, ponds, and other unsafe sources to fill up on drinking water, as piped drinking water projects or any other government intervention has failed to reach them. Debashish Mishra, a grassroots worker of a voluntary organisation in Keonjhar, says, There are around 216 villages in Banspal block. Out these, only 50-odd have safe drinking water supply. There are three types of aggrieved villages one with no regular source of water, one with a defunct source, and the third with a source discharging contaminated water. Locals rue that pits are their last resort when hand pumps and natural sources fail them while also stoically admitting that this is quite normal for many villages in Keonjhar. Several villages in other blocks, namely Telkoi, Harichandanpur, and Joda among others, are reeling under scarce supply of safe drinking water too. While Badajimei and Nardangi villages in Harichandanpur block dont have a single formal source of water, in several others, hand pumps are defunct. Bimal Pati, a water expert from NGO WaterAid, says that during summer many operational hand pumps go dry, leaving people in the lurch. The hilly terrain and remote location has led to the failure of piped drinking water projects and left thousands suffering, he adds. This has also made earning a livelihood difficult for the men while most rely on local forest produce, which they sell in the market, some do limited cultivation near the hills with water from the streams. How mining has sucked the region dry There is, however, another angle to the water woes iron ore mining, both legal and otherwise. Nitigotha is a mining-hit village in Banspal block. Using funds from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), two borewells were made to supply water to the village; however, both are discharging contaminated water, one white and the other red. Shankar Prasad Pani, a lawyer in the National Green Tribunal who had fought a case for mining-hit Joda in Keonjhar and often files cases on environmental issues in Odisha, says, Around 30 percent of operational mining is in Keonjhar. Rampant mining in hilly areas has polluted natural mountain streams, affecting thousands of lives. A study by Delhi-based non-profit think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had revealed that Keonjhar gets the lions share (43 percent) of DMF funds in Odisha, collected from mining companies, as compensation for affected locals. As per data from the district administration, it has collected around Rs 2,500 crore till now, which should have been spent to improve the living conditions of villagers hit by mining with drinking water, healthcare, and other projects. Some local activists complain that the DMF funds are now diverted to other areas, for opening medical colleges and funding their staff, which the state government should have financed from its revenue. Locals are also miffed that they have no representation on DMFs district committee, which decides on fund expenditure. Another water expert from Odisha, Bimal Pandia, says that despite investment, piped water projects have failed in many areas due to lack of filtration works; this also resulted in discharge of polluted water, making the whole exercise futile and a waste of money. However, now, after the state cabinet announced this year that Rs 980 crore will be spent on a drinking water project in the district, we are hopeful. We will be paying close attention to see how this will tackle the issue, he added. A sad state of affairs The Centre, meanwhile, has washed its hands off the whole thing by claiming that its the state governments responsibility to take care of this problem. A Lok Sabha reply from the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation states that rural drinking water supply is a state subject and that the ministry already provides financial and technical assistance to states for improving the coverage of piped water supply in rural areas under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). Like other states, Odisha too had been receiving central assistance to ensure drinking water facilities to its citizens Rs 161 crore in the last two years, as per the reply. A CAG report published in August 2018 on the NRDWP highlighted a number of lacunae, government apathy, and diversion of funds to other works behind the lack of safe drinking water for the rural community in Odisha. Keonjhar was among the eight districts selected under the project. The report also blamed lack of field experts and inspections, and massive shortage of labs, testing equipment, and manpower, claiming the state did not have a specific policy framework and also did not carry out social audits of the projects. Biju Janata Dal (BJD), with its incumbent Saguntala Laguri, represents the Keonjhar Lok Sabha constituency, which has six state Assembly segments Ghasipur, Anandpur, Patna, Keonjhar, Telkoi, and Champua. Except Champua, which is represented by an Independent, all other seats are occupied by the BJD. However, while the ruling regime in Odisha failed to provide drinking water solutions to many mineral rich areas of the state, the ensuing elections seem to have targeted these un-served village too. Local political leaders are reported to be trying to woo the voters in the water-hit areas too. Villagers of Baragoda said that with the elections around the corner, the village is getting some regular supply of electricity for the past two months. Opposition parties believe this is a case of misplaced priorities. Odisha Congress spokesperson Satyaprakash Nayak said, "It is astonishing that in the 19 years of the governance of the BJD, they could not provide drinking water facilities to the villagers. This shows that the government never gave priority to the issue while people kept on drinking water from river and pits." A BJD leader requesting anonymity said that many areas in Keonjhar could not be served till now because many were in hilly region while in some areas, repair works of formal water sources are needed. He added that the state Cabinet plans to invest around Rs 980 crore in the district for drinking water projects which can ensure drinking water solutions to all the villages in the district. (The author is a Bhubaneshwar-based freelance writer and State Editor, 101Reporters) The population of cattle cow and its progeny although higher than that of buffaloes, is declining. It had fallen from a peak of 205 million in 1997 to 191 million in 2012 Editor's Note: Although the Supreme Court suspended the government order banning sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter in July 2017, cattle traders across India are living in fear. There is no blanket ban today but the job, it seems, has been outsourced to vigilantes, who enjoy protection due to ideological affinity with the BJP. Consequently, farmers fail to sell animals that are no longer useful to them and their scarce resources get drained in protecting crops as the population of stray cattle grows. The ban on slaughter of animals in abattoirs has resulted in job losses in leather and footwear industries. The poor are deprived of a cheap source of protein and the country is losing on revenue from exports. The cumulative result is a manufactured crisis, which is an example of an ideology running riot because its detached from reality. This three-part series examines how BJPs policies have ironically resulted in animal cruelty on a large scale. This is the third part of the series. The random and at times lethal violence by gau rakshaks or cow vigilantes on cattle traders in north India, with the tacit or active connivance of the police has seized up the cattle trade, despite not being prohibited. The livestock economy is being damaged. Dairy farmers used money from the sale of cattle of no economic utility to buy cows. That cycle has been interrupted. The preference for buffaloes is likely to get accentuated, as their culling is permitted, and the cow belt might become buffalo country. The population of cattle cow and its progeny although higher than that of buffaloes, is declining. It had fallen from a peak of 205 million in 1997 to 191 million in 2012 slightly less than their number in 1982. The buffalo population has increased from nearly 90 million in 1982 to 109 million, 30 years later. The principal milk-producing states prefer buffaloes. Their 2012 share in total bovine population was 77 percent in Haryana, 68 percent in Punjab, 61 percent in Uttar Pradesh, 53 percent in Andhra Pradesh, 51 percent in Gujarat and 49 percent in Rajasthan. The all-India average was 36 percent. The proportion of buffaloes in Punjab has declined from around 75 percent in 2003 and 2007, but it's still two-thirds of the bovine population. Buffaloes need less maintenance. They are sturdy. Their milk being more fatty fetches a higher price and has higher nutritional value. Although farmers are emotionally attached to their animals, and revere the cow, the cost of maintaining unproductive animals outweighs the psychological benefit. The cattle trader relieves them of the economic burden, even though farmers know the animal could end up on someone's plate. The share of males and females should be equal, but the higher number of females shows that culling is being practiced to conserve feed and fodder, since males have little use in agricultural operations. The share of cows among cattle has steadily increased from 49 percent in 1987 to 64 percent in 2012. In buffaloes, the trend is more pronounced. The share of females has risen from 79 to 85 percent between 1992 and 2012. If culling cannot happen, the population of stray cattle will shoot up. The 2012 livestock census that counted them for the first time, found 5.29 million let loose. (There was no survey of stray buffaloes. Perhaps their numbers did not warrant one). Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan had around a million each. Loose cattle will pose another risk to farmers, who have to cope with erratic weather and volatile prices. It costs Rs 100-120 a day to maintain a head of cattle, says Tarun Shridhar, secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. The country is short of green fodder by 40 percent, of dry fodder like paddy straw by 30 percent and of protein-rich concentrate (like de-oiled cake) by 40 percent, says Ashok Pande, senior vice-president of BAIF Development Research Centre. Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation, as it was previously called, was set up in 1967 in Pune by Manibhai Desai, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, to improve the milk yield of indigenous cows, most of whom are non-descript (of no-defined breed), by crossing them with exotic breeds (Jersey and Holstein Friesian) or indigenous ones like Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Red Sindhi though artificial insemination. Pande says his foundation has no plans to set up cattle shelters as its mandate is to improve the quality of cattle and buffaloes, not to maintain unproductive ones. He says the use of sex-sorted semen for artificial insemination of cows, can result in female calves being born 90 to 92 percent of the time. The government is serious about this, he says; it has set up 10 centres to produce it. The foundation produces 13 million doses of semen (not sex-sorted) for artificial insemination annually, of which it uses five million at its 5,000 breeding centres across the country. These cost Rs 150 each. (The government sells a dose for Rs 50) These result in pregnancies 48 percent of the time; there is an 80 percent chance of calves being delivered males and females in equal ratio. Sex-sorted semen is expensive. It costs Rs 1,200 per dose and 2.5 of them are needed on average to result in a pregnancy. A farmer might find it preferable as the cost of maintaining an unwanted male calf for six months is around Rs 4,000 according to the foundation's estimate. The government can subsidise it. The government is also promoting Gokul Grams under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission whose mandate is to preserve and improve native breeds. Ten of them have been set up .The idea is to develop a model where unproductive animals can pay for their upkeep with products made from cow dung (like vermi-compost) and cow urine. "Gokul Gram," cautions Mihir Kumar Singh, joint secretary in the animal husbandry department, "is an economic model. The challenge is to convince the farmers that male cattle, and cows are not unproductive after they cease lactation." Pande is impressed with a gaushala set up by the Miraj Group at Nathdwara near Udaipur. It produces vermi-compost of a very high quality that retails for Rs 8,000 a tonne, he says. Gas produced from dung is compressed, bottled and used in-house. Laxmikant, its manager, says it has 1,560 bulls and cows, but the waste they generate does not pay for their upkeep. "A long term solution is sex-sorted semen, but it will also result in the problem of old cows," says Shridhar. The government should club cattle of exotic breeds with buffaloes and allow them to be culled, says Narayan Hegde, trustee of BAIF Development Research Foundation, since they are not revered like native cattle. The share of exotic and cross-breeds in the total cattle population is not large, although it has increased from nearly 17 percent in 2007 to 26 percent in 2012. What is the country to do with the large number of indigenous cattle that do not or have stopped giving milk? They should be exported, Hegde says. These are inadequate solutions to a manufactured crisis. Ultimately, there is no getting away from past practices. The cattle trade might morph and go the way of prohibition in Gujarat, with the vigilantes running protection rackets. The fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Mission Shaktis success in a televised address before the nation gives the development an overt political colour There are two aspects to the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday about the success of Indias Mission Shakti: the A-SAT (anti-satellite) weapons programme that involved an indigenous ballistic missile killing a live, low earth-orbiting Indian satellite within three minutes of its launch from Balasore at a height of 300 kilometres from the earths surface. It catapulted India into the elite league of countries with counter-space capabilities after the US, China and Russia. The first aspect is strategic. If space is the next theatre of war, then India can hardly afford to stay behind in the race after missing the nuclear bus in the 1960s and later having to contend with non-proliferation sanctions when it needed to develop technology. Possessing the A-SAT technology nice and early when laws for it are still being drafted places India in a position of power. It was important for New Delhi, therefore, to develop and demonstrate its A-SAT prowess, declare its capability of safeguarding own space assets and clarify that Indias space development programme is essentially peaceful in nature and geared towards deterrence, not weaponisation of outer space. These motives were clear in the FAQs released by the ministry of external affairs which stated that the tests were done to carry out Indias responsibility in defending the countrys interests in outer space, it has no intention of entering into an arms race or weaponisation and it backs international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets. Besides deterrence, New Delhis other motivation also became clear when it clarified that it expects to play a role in the future in the drafting of international law on prevention of an arms race in outer space. The unstated reason involves the threat emanating from great power rivalry. China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities and has identified space as the ultimate frontier. It may have the US in its cross hairs while developing own A-SAT programmes and acquiring control over space, but the fallout of that upgradation threatens India whose strategic rivalry with China is slated to only intensify. Lack of progress as a space power, not having the capability of taking down enemy satellites and falling back in an era where satellites are being increasingly used in warfare would have meant tacitly encouraging China to go after Indias space assets in case of a conflict. Even if India doesnt want to go to war against its greatest adversary, a deterrence programme wont harm its interests. As this Firstpost article posits, China, after demonstrating its capability in 2007 continued to develop its A-SAT weapons first testing the Dong Neng-2 interceptor missile in May, 2013, and following up in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The latest test, of the Dong Neng-3 missile was in February, 2018. The second aspect is purely political. The development of the technology took a decade. Former DRDO director VK Saraswat claimed in 2010 that the building blocks for developing an anti-satellite weapon to neutralise a hostile satellite was within reach. Incumbent DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy told news agency ANI Wednesday that we have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy. While this shows a continuity in Indias space development programme, the very fact that Modi announced Mission Shaktis success in a televised address before the nation gives the development an overt political colour, not the least because Indias most bitterly fought elections are just days away. It may be argued that though the prime minister was generous in his praise for the men behind the mission, he could have let the scientists make the breakthrough announcement. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 #MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 The timing, Modis address, the subject of his series of tweets and even the FAQ released by the MEA indicate that the BJP is keen to seize the narrative and to put the focus back on national security instead of letting the Congress hijack it through its minimum income guarantee scheme. In this context, Mission Shakti and the indigenous character of the effort (highlighted in Modis tweet) project India as a strong, modern, capable and responsible nation and the prime minister is seen as the only leader capable of taking India to even greater heights. The MEA release said India has a long standing and rapidly growing space programme but added quickly that it has expanded rapidly in the last five years. The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars was successfully launched. The focus on national security become clearer from the text of the statement: The tests were done after we had acquired the required degree of confidence to ensure its success, and reflects the intention of the government to enhance Indias national security. India has seen an accelerated space development programme since 2014. The attempt is to portray 2014 as the breakthrough year when a paradigm shift took place in almost all matters involving national security. BJP wants to maintain the focus on issues of national security since it reckons that Pulwama terror attack, Balakot air strikes and now Mission Shakti will segue with its narrative that a nation may only take giant steps if it has a decisive leader whose hands are not tied behind his back and if there is political stability. Conversely, the Congress and the Opposition are desperate to bring the focus back on economy, jobs and the cash dole-out scheme. Congress president Rahul Gandhi posted a sarcastic tweet by seemingly belittling Modis move to make the announcement while Mamata Banerjee fired off a series of tweets and leveled a warning that her party will approach the Election Commission for possible violation of Model Code of Conduct. It is not clear which code of conduct has been violated with India taking down its own satellite in a complex exercise, but the Bengal chief ministers anxiety is evident over the fear that this development may again instill a sense of national pride among the electorate and push quotidian issues to the background. There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission. 4/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Between the war of the narratives, Mission Shakti is an epochal development. While it may not be in the same league as Pokhran in 1999, it still is a quantum leap in Indias progress towards space technology. Anti-satellite weapons are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic and military purposes. As of now, only four nations India, Russia, China and the United States have demonstrated their capability to successfully shoot down defunct satellites In an "important message" to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India has entered the "elite space power" league with an anti-satellite weapon (A-SAT), successfully targeting a live satellite on a low earth orbit. The operation, called the 'Mission Shakti', was a "difficult target" to achieve, Modi said. The prime minister further added that it was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. The other three nations to have achieved this feat are United States, Russia and China. What is an anti-satellite weapon? A-SATs are space weapons that are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic and military purposes. As of now, only India, Russia, China and the United States have demonstrated their capability to successfully shoot down defunct satellites. These 'weapons' help destroy satellites that impede a nation's ability to collect intelligence or direct attacks. They can be air, land or sea-based. According to the US-based think tank 'Council on Foreign Relations', research into A-SATs began after the Soviet Union had launched the world's first satellite, Sputnik, in October 1957. By the 1980s, both US and the Soviet Union performed anti-satellite missile tests, all of them in technical violation of a 1967 UN treaty banning such activities. In January 2007, China became the third country to conduct a successful test when it launched a ballistic missile with a kinetic-kill vehicle (KKV) payload on 11 January, 2007. It destroyed an inactive weather satellite. This test had followed three earlier failed attempts. A-SATs continue to proliferate as both weapons and dual-use technologies. It was also widely speculated that the US ASAT test in 2008 was in retaliation to the Chinese test in 2007. During the 97th Indian Science Congress in Thiruvananthapuram, in January, 2010, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had announced that the nation was developing necessary technology that could be combined to produce a weapon to destroy enemy satellites in orbit. Subsequently, in February of that year, DRDO stated that India had "all the building blocks necessary" to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralise hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. Threat from China? Even as being included in the elite space power club has drawn cheers from netizens across the country, analysts also tell us about the increasing "need" for such a weapon in the face of a growing threat from neighbouring China. A report in The Diplomat cited how China's own launch of an ASAT had caused anxiety and led to calls for a new space policy aimed at countering the growing might of the neighbour's space military program. After Chinas 2007 ASAT test, former Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, was quoted in a report by The Times of India saying Chinas space program was expanding at an exponentially rapid pace in both offensive and defensive capabilities, and that space was becoming the ultimate military high ground to dominate in the wars of the future. Photo: The Canadian Press A pro EU protestor shouts through a megaphone at the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. British lawmakers on Wednesday debated multiple options for leaving the European Union as they sought to bring some clarity to the tortured Brexit process and stop the country tumbling out of the bloc within weeks with no exit plan in place. In the wake of two overwhelming defeats for Prime Minister Theresa May's withdrawal agreement with the EU, the House of Commons seized control of the parliamentary timetable for debate and votes on a range of Brexit alternatives. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow selected eight widely differing options for votes from a list of 16 submitted by lawmakers. They include calls to leave the EU without a deal, to stay in the EU's customs union and single market, to put any EU divorce deal to a public referendum, and to cancel Brexit if the prospect of a no-deal departure gets close. Later in the day, lawmakers will vote on all of the options they could accept. The plan is for the most popular ideas to move to a second vote Monday to find one option that can command a majority. Parliament would then instruct the government to negotiate it with the EU. May has said she will consider the outcome of the votes, though she has refused to be bound by the result. The government condemned lawmakers' move to seize control because it upends the usual practice in which the government sets the timetable for debate and votes in Parliament. But Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, one of those behind Wednesday's votes, said "this is not an insurgency." "This process has come about as a result of the increasing concern that many of us have had across the House of Commons that we were heading not towards an approval of the prime minister's deal, but alas towards a no-deal exit," he said. Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air. Last week, the EU granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date, saying that if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal this week, the U.K. will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. May, meanwhile, still hopes to bring the divorce deal that the government struck with the EU back for another vote in the House of Commons if she can win over enough opponents to ensure passage. Lawmakers rejected the deal by 230 votes in January and by 149 votes earlier this month, primarily because of concerns about the Northern Ireland border. The prime minister is under mounting pressure from pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party to quit. Several have said they would support the Brexit deal if another leader was chosen to lead the next stage of negotiations, which will determine Britain's future relations with the EU. May, who is due to address Conservative lawmakers later Wednesday, did not reply directly when asked in the House of Commons whether she would be resigning in order to get her Brexit deal approved. "It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered," she said. House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom told the BBC there was a "real possibility" the unpopular agreement would be brought back for a vote on Thursday or Friday. It has become a sad way of life for border town residents, who are forced to leave their homes and cattle when the two rival countries exchange fire. Jammu: Shakuntla Devi (78) of Arnia town along the India-Pakistan International Border in Jammu vividly remembers the day last May when a shell from the Pakistani side exploded in front of her two-storey house, piercing the iron gate. That was the time when ceasefire violations went on for days and more than 50,000 locals were forced to flee from their homes. We heard a loud explosion at the gate and rushed out to see what had happened. It was all smoke, and splinters had pierced the gate. Had it been just a few metres in, it would have landed on the house and killed us all, says Shakuntla, who then took her family to her relatives' house to escape the fury of shelling. She wasnt the only one. It has become a sad way of life for border town residents, who are forced to leave their homes and cattle when the two rival countries exchange fire. Its so common that even the state government sets up schools, temples, and other government buildings as temporary shelters for civilians to take refuge in. However, from the looks of it, this is how far the government seems prepared to go for residents' safety, considering it hasnt fulfilled its promise of relocating them to safer areas. Lives, interrupted Arnia, a bustling town of Bishnah tehsil in Jammu along the border, bears all the scars of Pakistani shelling, and even gets new ones every time theres a ceasefire violation. Most homes here still have splinter marks of the shells that burst near them. Before, and even after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had promised border inhabitants that plots would be allotted to those who were displaced due to the ceasefire violations. As per government records, there have been 3,327 ceasefire violations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from 2017 up till January 2019. In 2018 alone, 28 civilians and 15 army and 12 Border Security Force personnel were killed and 170 were left injured during ceasefire violations. Its no wonder then that Arnia residents are furious with BJPs betrayal not only have they not got those promised plots of lands in safer areas, but the government allegedly hasnt built individual bunkers for every family in the area either. Davinder Kumar Saini, a contractor and resident of Arnia, says, We have to leave our homes for 20-25 days every time there is a ceasefire violation. Schools in border areas are shut down during such times as well, impacting students. As a precautionary measure, district administrations of areas close to the International Border and LoC shut down schools within 0-5 km of the Pakistani side. Bishnah, RS Pura, Suchetgarh, Kathua, and Samba, and Rajouri and Poonch on the LoC are among the areas that bear the maximum brunt of the shelling. As per official records, government had paid an ex-gratia of Rs 35 lakh to victims of ceasefire violations in J&K till July 2018. The ex-gratia paid in 2017 and 2016 also was Rs 35 lakh, whereas the amount given in 2015 was Rs 15 lakh. Evacuation of critically injured a major problem One of the major problems residents face during ceasefire violations is evacuation of the critically injured. There is only one Community Health Centre in Arnia and that too isnt well-equipped. Locals claim that while a bunker has been constructed on the hospital premises, doctors generally flee when the firing starts. RS Pura resident Rohit Choudhary, an activist who provides free food to border residents forced to leave their homes, says the health sector along the border is in a deplorable condition. There is an urgent need of a bullet-proof ambulance in which injured can be evacuated when firing from Pakistani side starts. A blood bank also is required in RS Pura, so that evacuated patients don't need to be rushed to Jammu city, which is nearly 30 km from here, he adds. Choudhary says that if the government cannot provide land in safe zones to the residents, the least it can do is ensure better medical facilities for them, so that they can somehow survive during such testing times. Tall promises, no fulfillment? The situation is no better in Kalal, a village along the LoC in Nowshera tehsil of Rajouri district, having nearly 213 houses with a population of around 850. While connectivity to the village through a road is fine, ceasefire violations, nonetheless, are critical situations, as the residents have nowhere to run. Ramesh Chaudhary, Kalal sarpanch, says aerial distance of the village from Pakistan is not more than 500 metres, and many times, mortar falls on houses here. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had visited Nowshera two years ago and promised locals safety. Both state and central governments have failed to ensure that. While bunkers have been built for villagers to take refuge in during ceasefire violations, these are scattered and not along the entire border belt, he adds. A woman and her two children in Jhulas village of Poonch district became the latest casualties to Pakistani shelling on 1 March the shell that landed on their house killed the trio and critically injured the familys male head. (Authors are freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.com.) Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a televised address about the successful launch of an anti-satellite weapon (A-SAT), that targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, he interacted with scientists behind 'Mission Shakti' Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a televised address about the successful launch of an anti-satellite weapon (A-SAT), which targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, he interacted with scientists behind 'Mission Shakti' on Wednesday. Talking to them via video conferencing, Modi first congratulated the experts and said their "hard work had led to fruition". "If those who do not think ill of others become powerless, it gives opportunity for the bad ones to further spread evil. Which is why, it is very important that people who do not desire bad of others are also one of the most powerful," the prime minister said. #WATCH: PM Narendra Modi interacts with scientists involved with "Mission Shakti"; says, "you have given this message to the world "ki hum bhi kuch kam nahin hai." pic.twitter.com/IJ3Bzo4CbS ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 He added how these scientists have helped the nation's dreams of a 'Make in India' movement come true. "You have given the message to the world that hum bhi kuch kam nahi hai (we are no less)," the prime minister said. In what was dubbed as an "important message" to the nation, Modi announced during the televised address that India has entered the "elite space power" league with the A-SAT. The operation was a "difficult target" to achieve, Modi had said. The other three nations to have achieved this feat are the United States, Russia and China. The prime minister also added that the mission was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman G Satheesh Reddy was quoted by ANI as saying, "We have mastered anti-satellite capability and have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy." In the meanwhile, former DRDP chief and NITI Aayog VK Saraswat also said how India now has the technological capability to match adversaries wanting to militarise the space. Former DRDO Chief & NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat on anti-satellite weapon A-SAT: If today you want to have the deterrence capability that if adversaries, that means nation across the world, want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them pic.twitter.com/4XcAp4iUDd ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 A-SATs are space weapons that are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic and military purposes. As of now, only India, Russia, China and the United States have demonstrated their capability to successfully shoot down defunct satellites. JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda is livid these days as he knows that the survival of HD Kumaraswamy-led alliance government in Karnataka depends a lot on the outcomes of the Lok Sabha Election 2019 When LK Advani contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he was 86. If he had any ambition to be the prime minister, it had been decisively cut short by the anointment of Narendra Modi as the partys man for the job. And at exactly 86 now, Deve Gowda is contesting next month's election. Nobody in Gowdas Janata Dal (Secular) can cut short his ambition, even if that ambition amounts to trying his luck with the South Block again. Thats because Gowda is JD(S), and JD(S) is Gowda. That doesnt sound half as diabolical as DK Barooahs Indira is India and India is Indira, a gem of 1974. And nor is it fair to single out the former prime minister from Karnataka for his filial love. Its part of Indias democracy from Kashmir (the Abdullahs) to Tamil Nadu (the Karunanidhi family). You could only argue that if Gowda is stretching it a bit far. If Deve Gowda had 28 sons, he would have made them candidates in the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies of Karnataka, said state BJP leader KS Eshwarappa with a chuckle. Eshwarappa is forgetting his own partys unabashed endorsement of dynastic politics by giving tickets to family members of leaders in Karnataka and elsewhere. But that doesnt anyway lessen the ridiculous lengths to which Gowda takes his belief that blood is thicker than the sweat of his partys workers. Mercifully, the former prime minister has four sons, not 28. Of these, two are in active politics, if you think being the chief minister or a minister is active enough. His third son, HD Kumaraswamy, who heads the tumultuous coalition government of JD(S) and Congress, thinks of dynastic succession as a matter of right. For the second son, HD Revanna, a minister, family politics are a matter of astrology, which drives his life and career. Kumaraswamys wife Anita is a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Gowdas eldest son HD Balakrishna Gowda is a retired bureaucrat and the youngest son, HD Ramesh, is a radiologist. The former prime ministers two daughters HD Anasuya and HD Shailja are married to doctors and have no visible interest in politics. Kumaraswamys son Nikhil and Revannas son Prajwal are now candidates in the Mandya and Hassan Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively. Gowda senior would have liked to comfortably contest from either of these seats but has picked the relatively unsafe Tumakuru for himself. All these three seats are in southern Karnataka, the hotbed of Gowdas upper caste Vokkaligas. A sub-regional party? As part of the seat-sharing arrangement, JD(S) had demanded 12 of the 28 seats from Congress but settled for eight. But the party couldnt find candidates in four seats. So, it returned one Bangalore North to Congress. And it will have Congress candidates fighting on JD(S) ticket in three: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada and Vijayapura. Of the four remaining seats where JD(S) will have its own candidates, three are being fought by Gowda and his grandsons. The partys ambition to prove that it isnt confined to the Vokkaliga heartland will come to a cropper once again. Gowda was a key leader of the original Janata Party when it was founded in 1977. The JD(S) that he floated in 1999 was one of its many offshoots. Having been in Karnatakas active politics for more than 50 years, Gowda finds that today he isnt what he should have been. The octogenarian laments that for all the work he had done for so long, all that he had got in return was the post of chief minister for one-and-a-half years and the prime minister for a month less than a year. Politically, Gowda is not to Karnataka what Nitish Kumar is to Bihar. Nor is the Vokkaliga leader Karnatakas Naveen Patnaik. He could have been that and more, perhaps, if he played his politics differently. Will the luck run this time? The JD(S) leader knows that the chance to run the state government with son Kumaraswamy as the chief minister after the May 2018 Assembly election was a once-in-a-life stroke of luck. Though JD(S) won only 38 seats against 78 of the Congress, the opportunity arrived only because eager-beaver Rahul Gandhi was raring to be seen as a unifier of Opposition, a kind India hadnt seen since Jayaprakash Narayan. But the Vokkaliga satrap is not sure how long will this luck run. The JD(S) has already milked whatever it could from Congress to the extent of causing mini-revolts in that party nearly once a week, making its survival seem like a miracle. Its likely that Gowda and his two grandsons will win their three Lok Sabha seats. But the fact that it wont be a smooth run for him in Tumakuru and for Kumaraswamys son in Mandya is making the JD(S) patriarch livid. In Tumakuru, the sitting Congress MP has filed his papers as a rebel. And in Mandya, Sumalatha, the wife of late Kannada actor and Congress leader Ambareesh, is a candidate with BJPs support. Gowda sees the trouble in both seats as the handiwork of Congress leader Siddaramaiah. A seasoned player, Gowda knows that the survival of Kumaraswamys government could depend a lot on the Lok Sabha election outcome. The return to power of Narendra Modi in Delhi, for instance, could mean that BJP might launch a fresh offensive to topple the coalition government. A good performance by Congress might make it act tougher on JD(S) and even, in the long run, make the alliance partner redundant. And a poor show by JD(S) could escalate the partys strained equation with Congress to a point of no return. Kumaraswamy is already talking of a conspiracy to defeat his family. In many places, the workers of the two parties are not even pretending to be united to fight elections. Its not surprising that the election in Karnataka is as much a fight between BJP and Congress-JD(S) alliance, as its between JD(S) and Congress. The author tweets @sprasadindia West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dismissed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's allegations against her government, saying 'he is just a kid'. She also refused to comment on Rahul's minimum income promise ahead of the national polls. Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dismissed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's allegations against her government, saying "he is just a kid". She also refused to comment on Rahul's minimum income promise ahead of the Lok Sabha election. "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. Launching his party's Lok Sabha poll campaign in the state, Rahul at last week's rally in Malda charged both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Trinamool Congress chief of failing to fulfil their promises. He had alleged that nothing has changed in Bengal as there has been no development in the state under Mamata. Asked to comment on Rahul's poll promise of minimum income, she said "They (Congress) have made an announcement and it would not be right for us to make a comment on it." Rahul had called his party's announcement as the "final assault" and a "surgical strike" on poverty. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress share a strained relation in the state after fighting the 2011 polls together and uprooting the 34-year-old Left Front regime. Although the Congress have shared stage with the TMC at the national level, in Bengal it has maintained a distance with Mamata's party, which was born out of it in 1998. Congress' state unit has time and again accused the TMC of trying to "politically finish" it either by use of force or by poaching its leaders and elected representatives. As many as 17 Congress MLAs and one MP have switched over to the TMC in Bengal since the state elections of 2016. After Congress' victory in the three Hindi-heartland states in 2018, Mamata stopped short of congratulating either the Congress or Rahul by their names, drawing sharp reactions. Senior state Congress leaders had then asked if Trinamool Congress leaders were having "sleepless nights" fearing their dream of Mamata becoming the prime minister may not be fulfilled. Though locals in Uttarakhand's hilly areas Kumaon and Garhwal are upset with the BJP over unemployment, migration and lack of basic facilities, nationalism seems to be striking a chord with people openly voicing their support for Narendra Modi Pauri/Rudraprayag: The hills are high on nationalism, keeping local issues aside. Struggling hard after the Kedarnath disaster, Uttarakhand is still waiting for basic facilities, swiped away in a huge flood. The roads, bridges and schools, engulfed by river water, are yet be in the process of restoration, but the hills seem to be judging the state's leaders on a completely different issue. Even migration, another core issue, which has been turning the hills into a dry, barren and ghostly region without inhabitants, seems to have no takers. And even though India is abuzz with the Lok Sabha Election 2019, in the sleepy cities of Uttarakhand, polling is not a topic drawing discussion amid locals. What seems to strike a chord, when people are asked if the hills are voting for it, is nationalism. Divided into Kumaon and Garhwal regions, Uttarakhand has the maximum number of people in the Indian Army and other armed forces of India, which is quite enough to evoke sentiments of nationalism. Moreover, sharing boundaries with China and Nepal, Uttarakhand faces incidents like Chinese transgression very off and on. The recent Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of two CRPF personnel from Uttarakhand has created a furore among the people in the state. Two army officers, who were natives of Uttarakhand, were also killed just a few days after the Pulwama incident. The whole Uttarakhand was high on sentiments on these sacrifices. Nationalism was in the air, and the people were high on patriotism. Dhan Singh Rawat, who runs a line hotel in Devprayag in Tehri Garhwal region, says, Kisi aur ko vote dene ka sawal hi nahin hai. Hamein Modi jaisa neta chahiye. Surgical strike aur air strike ke baad mere gaon mein log bahut khush hain. Bade faisle karne ke liye himmat chahiye. Char dham road aur Rishikesh karnprayag railway line lane ke baare mein Modi hi soch sakte the. Kisi aur ke bas ki baat nahin hai (There is no question of voting for anybody else. We want leader like Modi. The people in my village are very happy after the surgical strike and air strike was conducted. Only Modi could have thought about bringing big projects like all-weather road and Rishikesh Karnprayag railway line in our state. No other leader has the capacity to think big about us)." A native of Khirsu in Pauri Garhwal region, Ravindra Singh who was waiting for a bus at Shrinagar Bus station echoed the same voice, My father is retired from the army. Avenging Pulwama was the right decision. We have the responsibility to keep our armys morale high." When asked about migration and other local issues, Singh said, Ye sab toh chalta hi rahega lekin hamein baahri muddon ke liye ek hona chahiye. Desh ke muddon par, apni pareshaaniya bhool kar ek hona padega These problems can be solved later but it is important to unite against outer threats)." Ninety percent people in my village are in the army. They say Modi has taken away all our past woes. He (Modi) has avenged the sacrifices and the humiliation faed by the army in the past, says Manoj Negi, a resident of Maletha, which comes under the Tehri Garhwal Loksabha seat. Even the youth in the hilly state seems to think that the BJP is good for Uttarakhand even though voters have grievances with the local leadership. "This party is taking good decisions at the centre. Balakot airstrike is one of them, says a teenager. Rakesh Bisht, a resident of Devalsaari in Chamoli district, puts his thoughts assertively, "Yeh kaam toh bahut pahle hona chaahiye tha, magar kisi mein himmat nahin thi. pakistaan ko bahut pahle sabak sikhaana chaahiye tha. Hamara josh high kar diya (This should have been done much before but no one dared. Pakistan should have been thought a lesson much earlier. This action has raised our spirit)." The Kumaon region in Uttarakhand is going to see an interesting fight between two stalwarts of Congress and BJP from the Nainital seat. Former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat is contesting the polls against Ajay Bhatt, BJP state president. Charu Joshi, an account officer in Nainital, justifies the fervour of nationalism, The fight is one-sided in Nainital because of huge sentiments for the army. Kumaon also has a huge percent of army people and we all feel too bad when an army personal dies. The Indian Air Force strike (on Balakot) made us happy so it can fetch votes for BJP." The dissatisfaction with the BJP state government is not hidden and it gets reflected while discussing unemployment among youth, but, the people seem to be more driven by Nationalism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address broadcast over television, radio and social media that India has become the fourth nation in the world to achieve the feat of sending an anti-satellite missile to space, as part of its Mission Shakti. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an address broadcast over television, radio and social media to the nation said that India has become the fourth nation in the world to achieve the feat of sending an anti-satellite missile to space, as part of its Mission Shakti. "India today occupied its place in the space power group. A little while ago, our scientists sent an anti-satellite weapon, A-SAT, into space and it has successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit," he said. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 #MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 America, Russia and China are the only countries to have done this, the prime minister said. "For every Indian, this is a matter of pride," he added. "The satellite had a pre-determined destination. This operation was completed in three minutes. Mission Shakti was a difficult operation," the prime minister announced. The jury is out on whether Modi's address on the achievement has flouted the Model Code of Conduct rule on the "misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power." While the Code says that no road, highway or transport schemes can be announced, it does not speak about space. Modi announced at around 11.15 am on Wednesday that he would address the nation at 11.45 am. The sudden message on Twitter set off a flurry of speculations on what the prime minister would speak on and what the "important announcement" would be. While journalists had pointed out that he could not be making policy announcements as per the Model Code of Conduct, others highlighted that the announcement would be made shortly after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, meanwhile, said in his tongue-in-cheek fashion, that Modi might be declaring the "results" of the Lok Sabha election. A-SATs are designed to destroy threats coming from space. So far, no country has used it in active warfare. While this is an important step forward in space militarisation, it does not significantly count as an important poll plank in the pre-Lok Sabha election atmosphere. Modi's address lasted roughly for about five minutes. Modi thanked scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, whose efforts, he said has led to "India putting many satellites in space, which have contributed to farming, education and medicine." Calling this a "historic breakthrough," Modi said security too will receive a major fillip from this. "The technological innovation will benefit the 300 crore people of India, it will ensure their peace," he said. ANI quoted former DRDO chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat as having said that this is a "fantastic capability to have". He added, "It gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities." Modi ended the speech with a cry of "Bharat mata ki jai." Modi will take to the campaign trail with renewed gusto in the coming weeks. On 28 March, he will speak in rallies at western Uttar Pradesh, and is scheduled to address two back-to-back election rallies in West Bengal on 3 April. The surprise inclusion of Tejaswi Surya in the BJP's list of Lok Sabha hopefuls has made one thing abundantly clear about the ruling party, in its quest to bring new blood into the candidates' list it is unafraid of leaving behind a trail of broken-hearted party veterans. A video retweeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party's Bengaluru South candidate Tejaswi Surya shows the 28-year-old hunched over a screen, speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video conference. "Tejaswi, you are tejaswi (powerful) and you shine like the surya (sun)," Modi says to the BJP youth wing star. This is indeed Tejaswi's time in the sun: A campaign in the spotlight, media focus and a possible seat in the Lok Sabha beckons. While Tejaswi tweeted invitations to his nomination filing, a few other BJP members will not be feeling as sunny as he does. Among them are the likes of LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Shanta Kumar, BC Khanduri, Kalraj Mishra and lastly, Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who it was widely thought would inherit her deceased husband's seat. The surprise inclusion of the fresh face in the BJP's list of Lok Sabha hopefuls has made one thing abundantly clear about the ruling party: in its quest to bring new blood into the candidates' list it is unafraid of ignoring its veterans. This method of ignoring its most enduring names in drawing up a list of candidates serves, first and foremost, BJP's aim of appearing to eschew dynasty. That the Congress is everything that is wrong with the dynastic power system is a line the saffron party has maintained. This election, with the inclusion of yet another member of the Gandhi family into the BJP's main Opposition party seems to have acted as a trigger to the party in moving as far away from dynasty as possible. What is dynasty in a comparatively newer party like the BJP, if not the very people who are synonymous to the ethos of it? On 21 March, the party announced that it will field president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, a seat held by Lal Krishna Advani without break since 1998. On 26 March, Murli Manohar Joshi who has held the Kanpur seat said he has been dissuaded by the party's general secretary Ramlal from running for the Lok Sabha election. The process started back in 2014, when both senior leaders were taken off the party's highest-level parliamentary board and put into the Margdarshak Mandal. Modi then announced that the party would prefer to give tickets to only those below the age of 75. In shedding Advani and Joshi, however, the party does not just give out the message that it is looking out for young blood. One of the common threads uniting Advani and Joshi is their alleged culpability in bringing about the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and the subsequent rise of aggressive Hindutva in the country. With the latter, the party arguably has little problem, considering the resurgence of tweets by Tejaswi in 2018, advocating for the consolidation of Hindu votes. The Babri violence, however, returns to haunt the BJP with every successive Supreme Court hearing and is a memory it is better off shedding ahead of the polls. What better way to make it happen than dropping two remaining leaders still associated with the day? That the apparent focus of the BJP's drive to do away with older faces is to slam the Congress more conclusively on the dynasty charge is apparent from the fact that BJP leaders from party general secretary Ram Madhav have repeatedly been saying that the party (unlike the Congress) gives tickets to those who deserve it (also ostensibly, unlike the Congress). Another person who parroted this line a mere day after learning that he has been nominated was Tejaswi himself. "I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude that a party as large as ours has nominated a karyakarta like me. The difference between other political parties and my party is that this one alone recognises the inherent potential of a karyakarta," he had told ANI. In recognising Tejaswi's inherent potential, the BJP was forced to deny 53-year-old Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who had been preparing to contest from the very seat her husband, the five-time parliamentarian Ananth Kumar, had left empty since his death in 2018. NDTV reported that it was Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa who had recommended her name to his party bosses. The recent alleged revelation of the contents of the "Yeddy diaries" may have well led the party to dissociate itself with Yeddy himself, yet the overwhelming indication that there will not be any easy passage of power between family members in the BJP is hard to ignore. To ANI, Tejaswini made no bones about how "shocking" the information was. "It is shocking to my workers and even to me. I have been telling myself it is important to show our maturity, that we are a party with a difference," she said. Some leaders, like former Uttarakhand chief minister, BJP leader and retired Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, were hardly shocked when they were snubbed. Khanduri was removed from his post as president of the Defence Committee of Parliament by the Modi government recently, and had said he would not contest the 2019 elections. His son Manish, significantly, joined the Congress a few days ago and is likely to contest from his father's Pauri seat in Uttarakhand. Like Khanduri, both Kalraj Mishra and Bhagat Singh Koshyari had announced their unwillingness to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls. Economic Times reported that the move was in clear anticipation of what would surely have been a forthcoming snub. An RSS man, Mishra, now 77, was once the national vice-president of the party and is the chairman of standing committee on defence and the office of profit committee. RSS veteran and 76 years old, Koshyari has also served as national vice-president of BJP and was the party's first state president for Uttarakhand. Age is not the only deterrent in the BJP's quest to write a candidates' list that would bring victory. Four-time MP from Kangra, 84-year-old Shanta Kumar, had won the last national election by a margin of 1.75 lakh votes. As is obvious, Kumar was then 79, well over the BJP's own cut-off of 75 years for allocation of tickets. However, this time, Kumar was pushed aside for Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kishan Kapoor. This, Times of India reported, was a tactical decision aimed at consolidating the votes of the entire Chamba district for the BJP. In Assam, in a similar move, the BJP has done away with Rajen Gohain who has been representing the Nowgong Lok Sabha seat since 1999. In spite of a clean chit by the courts, Gohain's involvement in a much publicised rape case, reported Deccan Chronicle, led to the party on Tuesday naming Rupak Sharma for the seat. Catch the latest updates on the road to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections here There are 40 Lok Sabha and 243 Assembly constituencies in the state. The state of Bihar, with a population of more than 10.4 crore people, is spread across 38 districts. The present-day Bihar came into being after the state was bifurcated into Bihar and Jharkhand in November 2000. There are 22 districts affected by Maoist insurgency in the state and 38 have been identified as extremely backward and receive support from the Central government under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. There are 40 Lok Sabha and 243 Assembly constituencies in the state. Earlier, seven Lok Sabha seats were under reserved category and they included Bagha, Hajipur, Rosera, Araria, Sasaram, Nawada and Gaya. However, after delimitation, six Lok Sabha seats Gopalganj, Hajipur, Samastipur, Sasaram, Gaya and Jamui were reserved for Scheduled Castes in the state. In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party had contested 30 seats and won 22. The NDA, which includes the BJP, Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), will face-off with the 'Mahaghatbandhan', which comprises the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and other smaller parties. While the BJP and JD(U), which was earlier part of the 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, will contest 17 seats each, the LJP will contest from the rest. Of Bihars 40 seats, it will be interesting to watch the home constituencies of the big four of Bihar politics -- JD(U) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Nalanda, RJD chief Lalu Prasads Saran (previously Chapra), JD(U) chief Sharad Yadavs Madhepura and LJP supremo Ram Vilas Paswans Hajipur. Here is a detailed list of all the 40 parliamentary constituencies in Bihar: 1. Araria Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 9 Total electors: 15,87,348 (as per 2014 estimates) Female electors: 7,44,464 Male electors: 8,42,884 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was de-reserved in 2008 Assembly constituencies: Narpatganj, Raniganj, Forbesganj, Araria, Jokhihat, Sikti Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: RJDs Sukhdeo Paswan won the seat in 1999. In 2004, he contested as a BJP candidate and managed to retain the seat. In 2009, BJPs Pradeep Kumar Singh came to power but lost the seat to RJDs Tasleem Uddin in 2014. In the bypolls held to the seat in 2018, RJDs Sarfaraz Alam won, defeating BJP rival Singh. Demographics: It covers the entire Araria district. It has a population of 28,11,569 people as per Census 2011. It has 12.07 lakh Muslims residing and an SC population of 382684 people. It receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 2. Arrah Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 32 Total electors: 18,32,332 Female electors: 8,22,292 Male electors: 10,10,040 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Post-delimitation in 2008, it lost some of its key regions to Karakat Lok Sabha constituency. Assembly constituencies: Sandesh, Barhara, Arrah, Agiaon (SC), Tarari, Jagdishpur, Shahpur. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: RJD retained the seat in 1999 and 2004 polls. However, JD(U)s Meena Singh won the seat in 2009 but forfeited it to BJPs Raj Kumar Singh in 2014. Demographics: It covers most parts of Bhojpur district. The district is affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and currently is a beneficiary of the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. It has a population of 27,28,407 people, as per Census 2011. 3. Aurangabad Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 37 Total electors: 15,36,153 Female electors: 7,10,579 Male electors: 8,25,574 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Konch Assembly seat was dissolved and made part of a new Assembly segment, Tikari in 2008. Imamganj Assembly seat was also added in 2008. Kutumba Assembly segment was created in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Kutumba (SC), Aurangabad, Rafiganj, Gurua, Imamganj (SC), Tikari. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: From 1999 to 2009, Congress controlled the seat but in 2009, Sushil Kumar Singh of the JD(U) defeated RJDs Shakil Ahmed Khan. Singh won the seat again in 2014 on a BJP ticket. Demographics: A Naxal-dominated constituency, it is spread across parts of Aurangabad and Gaya districts. The constituency has a sizeable Rajput and Muslim population, who together form at least 20 percent of the population. Aurangabad district also receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 4. Banka Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 27 Total electors: 15,49,456 Female electors: 7,24,446 Male electors: 8,25,010 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Chakai and Jhajha Assembly segments were removed and added to Jamui Lok Sabha seat. Katoria was also declared as an ST seat. Assembly constituencies: Sultanganj, Amarpur, Dhoraiya (SC), Banka, Katoria (ST), Belhar. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Digvijaya Singh won the seat in 1999 but lost it to RJDs Giridhari Yadav. In 2009, Singh contested as an Independent and won. In the 2010 bypoll, another Independent candidate Putul Kumari won but lost the seat to RJDs Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav in 2014. Demographics: The constituency has never elected a Sangh Parivar member. It spread across the entire Banka district and a part of Bhagalpur district. At least two constituencies within Banka are Maoist-affected. Since it is a part of Seemanchal, which is dominated by Muslims, minority votes play a big role in Banka. 5. Begusarai Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 24 Total electors: 17,78,759 Female electors: 8,28,934 Male electors: 9,49,825 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Barauni Assembly segment was renamed as Teghra in 2008. Dissolved in 2008, parts of erstwhile Ballia Lok Sabha seat were also added to this constituency. Assembly constituencies: Cheria Bariarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, Bakhri (SC). Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Congress Rajo Singh held the seat in from 1998 to 2004. In 2004, JD(U)s Rajiv Ranjan Singh won the seat but JD(U)s Monzair Hassan won it in 2009.BJPs Bhola Singh has been its MP since 2014. Demographics: Known as the Leningrad of Bihar for its strong Communist presence, it covers the entire Begusarai district. A Hindu-majority district, it has a population of 29,70,541 people. It has an SC population of 432270 and receives regular funds from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. It is likely that former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar will contest the seat on a CPI ticket. 6. Bhagalpur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 26 Total electors: 16,85,339 Female electors: 7,90,154 Male electors: 8,95,185 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti (SC), Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur, Nathnagar Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: CPMs Subodh Ray won the seat in 1999 but lost to Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP in 2004. BJPs Syed Shahnawaz Hussain won the 2006 bypoll and held the seat till 2014, where he lost to RJDs Shailesh Kumar Urph Bulo Mandal. Demographics: It covers a large part of Bhagalpur district. It is one of Bihars well-known urban centres with a population of 30,37,766 people. It also has a sizeable Muslim population of 5.37 lakh people. It also receives funds under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 7. Buxar Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 33 Total electors: 16,40,567 Female electors: 7,62,255 Male electors: 8,78,312 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Dinara and Ramgarh Assembly constituencies were added to this seat in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Brahampur, Buxar, Dumraon, Rajpur (SC), Ramgarh, Dinara Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Lalmuni Choubey had an iron grip over this seat from 1996 to 2009. However, he lost to RJDs Jagdanand Singh in 2009. Singh lost to BJPs Ashwini Kumar Choubey in 2014 by more than 1.32 lakh votes. Demographics: Traditionally, it has been Brahmin-Rajput dominated seat. It covers the entire Buxar district and parts of Kaimur and Rohtas. Buxar district has a population of 17,06,352 people with more than 15.91 lakh Hindus, as per Census 2011. It is a beneficiary under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 8. Darbhanga Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 14 Total electors: 14,95,446 Female electors: 6,97,976 Male electors: 7,97,470 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Manigachi Assembly segment was dissolved and merged with Darbhanga Rural segment in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Gaura Bauram, Benipur, Alinagar, Darbhanga Rural, Darbhanga, Bahadurpur Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Between 1999 and 2009, RJD held the seat. Since 2009, BJPs Kirti Azad has been the sitting MP. Demographics: It covers parts of Darbhanga district. It has a population of 39,37,385 people in the district. The Muslim population of 8,81,476 is higher than the SC population in the district. It receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 9. Gaya Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 38 Total electors: 15,00,751 Female electors: 7,09,883 Male electors: 7,90,868 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. Sherghati Assembly seat was created in 2008 while Fatehpur segment was dissolved. Assembly constituencies: Sherghati, Barachatti (SC), Bodh Gaya (SC), Gaya Town, Belaganj, Wazirganj. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Ramji Manjhi won the seat in 1999 but in 2004, RJDs Rajesh Kumar Manjhi came to power. Since 2009, the seat has been with BJPs Hari Manjhi. Demographics: It covers most parts of Gaya district. It receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme and has a population of 13,34,351 SC members in the district. The district is also part of the Red Corridor. 10. Gopalganj Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 17 Total electors: 16,52,767 Female electors: 7,91,748 Male electors: 8,61,019 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. It was earlier a de-reserved constituency before 2008. Assembly constituencies: Baikunthpur, Barauli, Gopalganj, Kuchaikote, Bhore (SC), Hathua. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has shifted between the RJD, JD(U) and BJP in the last four elections. At present, BJPs Janak Ram holds the seat. Demographics: It covers the entire Gopalganj district. As per 2014 estimates, it is the largest constituency electorate-wise in the state. It is the home district of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav where his ancestral village Phulwaria is situated. It has an SC population of 3,20,064, lower than its Muslim population of more than 4.3 lakh people. It receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 11. Hajipur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 21 Total electors: 16,49,547 Female electors: 7,54,500 Male electors: 8,95,047 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. Patepur Assembly seat was moved to Ujiarpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2008, and upper-caste dominated Lalganj Assembly segment of Vaishali was added to Hajipur parliamentary constituency. Assembly constituencies: Hajipur, Lalganj, Mahua, Rajapakar (SC), Raghopur, Mahnar. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Lok Janshakti Party chief and eight-time MP Ram Vilas Paswan has been at the seat since 1998 to present-day, except for one term in 2009 where he lost to JD(U)s Ram Sundar Das. Demographics: It covers most parts of Vaishali district. It has a population of 34,95,021. It is part of the Red Corridor and also receives funding from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Scheduled castes and Bhumihars dominate Hajipur in north Bihar. 12. Jehanabad Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 36 Total electors: 14,23,246 Female electors: 6,71,661 Male electors: 7,51,585 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes Assembly constituencies: Arwal, Kurtha, Jahanabad, Ghosi, Makhdumpur (SC), Atri Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Traditionally a Communist bastion, the seat has been won by RJD, JD(U) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party in the last four elections. In 1999, JD(U)s Arun Kumar won the seat but lost it to RJDs Ganesh Prasad Singh in 2004. In 2009, JD(U)s Jagdish Sharma grabbed the seat. RLSPs Arun Kumar is the current MP. Demographics: It covers the entire Arwal and Jahanabad districts and a part of Gaya district. It is a Naxal-hit area. Jahanabad district has a population of 11,25,313 people with 2,22,974 belonging to Scheduled Castes. It receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Arwal district has a population of 7,00,843 people with a literacy rate of 55.12 percent. 13. Jamui Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 40 Total electors: 15,50,936 Female electors: 7,22,530 Male electors: 8,28,406 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. It was earlier de-reserved prior to 2008. Jhajha and Chakai seats were added from Banka Lok Sabha constituency in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Tarapur, Sheikhpura, Sikandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha, Chakai Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U) leader Bhudeo Choudhary became the MP in 2009. In 2014, LJPs Chirag Kumar Paswan defeated RJD rival Sudhansu Shekhar Bhaskar by more than 85,000 votes. Demographics: A reserved constituency, Jamui has an influential Rajput and Khushwaha population which can determine the fate of many candidates. The constituency also has a significant Dalit and Mahadalit voters. Voters belonging to Das community are also found in sizeable numbers. Notably, Jamui is part of the Red Corridor in Bihar. 14. Jhanjharpur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 7 Total electors: 16,50,753 Female electors: 7,65,869 Male electors: 8,84,884 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Parts of Madhepura Assembly segment were merged with Jhanjharpur Assembly seat in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Khajauli, Babubarhi, Rajnagar (SC), Jhanjharpur, Phulparas, Laukaha Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Devendra Prasad Yadav represented the constituency in 1999 and 2004, though in the latter polls he contested as an RJD candidate. In 2009, Mangani Lal Mandal from the JD(U) won the seat. At present, BJPs Birendra Kumar Chaudhary is the sitting MP. Demographics: It covers parts of Madhubani district. It receives funding from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. It has a population of 44,87,379. 15. Karakat Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 35 Total electors: 15,69,989 Female electors: 7,24,282 Male electors: 8,45,707 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It came into existence in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Nokha, Dehri, Karakat, Goh, Obra, Nabinagar. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Mahabali Singh became the MP in 2009. RSLPs Upendra Kushwaha is the sitting MP. Demographics: It covers parts of Rohtas and Aurangabad districts. Caste plays an important role in this constituency, which is dominated by Yadav, Rajput and Kushwaha castes, all of whom contribute at least 2 lakh voters each. They are followed by 1.6 lakh Brahmin and Bhumihar voters. Mahadalits and Economically Backward Castes are also found in sizeable numbers. 16. Katihar Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 11 Total electors: 14,46,478 Female electors: 6,77,434 Male electors: 7,69,044 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Prior to delimitation, Manihari Assembly segment was a de-reserved seat. Assembly constituencies: Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari (ST), Barari Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The constituency has remained a BJP stronghold till 2014. Nikhil Kumar Choudhary was the MP between 1999 and 2004. However, he lost to NCPs Tariq Anwar in 2014. Demographics: It covers most parts of Katihar district. It has a population of 30,71,029, of which 12,80,190 people are literate, as per Census 2011. It is backward district receiving funds from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 17. Khagaria Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 25 Total electors: 14,92,068 Female electors: 6,98,900 Male electors: 7,93,168 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Simri Bakhtiarpur, Hasanpur, Alauli (SC), Khagaria, Beldaur, Parbatta Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U) leader Renu Kumari won the seat in 1999. However, in the next Lok Sabha election in 2004, she lost to RJDs Rabindra Kumar Rana. Rana lost to Dinesh Chandra Yadav of the JD(U) in 2009. LJSPs Mahboob Ali Choudhary won the seat in 2014. Demographics: It covers parts of Saharsa, Samastipur, and large parts of Khagaria districts. A flood-prone area, the population of Khagaria district is 1666886. The region also has a large Kushwaha and EBC (Extremely Backward Classes) population. 18. Kishanganj Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 10 Total electors: 14,38,990 Female electors: 6,76,113 Male electors: 7,62,877 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Kishanganj Assembly segment was added from Madhepura Lok Sabha seat in 2008 Assembly constituencies: Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, Kishanganj, Kochadhaman, Amour, Baisi Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Shahnawaz Hussain won the seat in 1999, defeating RJDs Taslimuddin. However, the latter won the seat in 2004. Congress leader Mohammed Asarul Haque has been the MP since 2014. Demographics: It covers the entire district of Kishanganj and parts of Purnia district. The constituency receives funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. With a population of 16,90,400, Kishanganj district is a Muslim-dominated region with more than 11.49 lakh Muslims. 19. Madhepura Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 13 Total electors: 17,25,578 Female electors: 8,26,307 Male electors: 8,99,271 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Bihariganj, Saharsa and Mahishi Assembly seats were added in 2008, while Kumarkhand, Singheshwar and Kishanganj seats were dropped. Assembly constituencies: Alamnagar, Bihariganj, Madhepura, Sonbarsha (SC), Saharsa, Mahishi Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav won the seat in 1999. In 2004, RJDs Lalu Prasad Yadav won the seat but vacated it after winning the Chapra seat as well. In the subsequent bypoll, RJDs Pappu Yadav won. However, Sharad clinched the seat again in 2009 before losing it to Pappu in 2014. Demographics: It covers a large part of Madhepura and Saharsa districts. Yadavs, Brahmins and upper castes call the shots in Madhepura in east Bihar. The Yadavs have determined the results in this constituency. Their influence in the region such that it is said, Rome Pope ka, Madhepura Gope (Yadavs) ka. 20. Madhubani Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 6 Total electors: 16,27,969 Female electors: 7,50,685 Male electors: 8,77,284 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. After delimitation, Madhubani assembly segment includes parts of Pandaul and Rahika. Assembly constituencies: Harlakhi, Benipatti, Bisfi, Madhubani, Keoti, Jale Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Hukm Deo Narayan Yadav has been the MP thrice since 1999. In 2004, he lost to Congress Shakeel Ahmed. Demographics: It covers parts of Madhubani and Darbhanga districts. 13.52 lakh people are Hindus in the Madhubani district, which also has a sizeable Muslim population of 17.5 lakh people. Apart from agriculture, the economy of the district depends on the export of products with the Madhubani motif. 21. Maharajganj Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 19 Total electors: 16,44,524 Female electors: 7,62,260 Male electors: 8,82,264 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Taraiya Assembly segment was added to it from erstwhile Chapra Lok Sabha constituency in 2008 Assembly constituencies: Goriyakothi, Maharajganj, Ekma, Manjhi, Baniapur, Taraiya Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Prabhunath Singh remained the MP till 2009 when he lost the poll to RJD leader Umashankar Singh. He passed away in January 2013, necessitating a bypoll in the seat which RJDs Prabhu Nath Singh won. However, he lost to BJPs Janardan Singh in 2014. Demographics: It covers parts of Saran and Siwan districts. Saran district receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme currently. It has a population of 39,51,862 people, of which 4,74,066 belong to Scheduled Castes. 22. Munger Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 28 Total electors: 16,96,546 Female electors: 7,75,110 Male electors: 9,21,436 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was earlier known as Monghyr. Two assembly seats Mokama and Barh were added in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Munger, Jamalpur, Suryagarha, Lakhisarai, Mokama, Barh. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U) leader Brahma Nand Mandal won the seat in 1999. RJDs Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav represented the seat from 2004 to 2009. In 2009, JD(U) came back to power as Lalan Singh became the MP. However, he lost the seat to LJPs Veena Devi in 2014. Demographics: It covers the entire Lakhisarai district and parts of Munger and Patna districts. Lakhisarai district has a population of 1000912 and 95.5 percent of the population comprises Hindus. 23. Muzaffarpur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 15 Total electors: 15,51,363 Female electors: 7,20,420 Male electors: 8,30,943 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Gaighat, Aurai, Bochahan (SC), Sakra (SC), Kurhani, Muzaffarpur Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Five-time Lok Sabha MP Jai Narain Prasad Nishad won the seat twice in 1999 and 2009 on a JD(U) ticket. JD(U) leader George Fernandes won the 2004 election. In 2014, Nishads Ajay Nishad grabbed the seat on a BJP ticket. Demographics: Muzaffarpur's name was etched in Indian political history when the late socialist leader George Fernandes won from here in the aftermath of the Emergency. Bhumihars, Yadavs, Muslims and Sahnis are found in equal numbers in this constituency. Bhumihar and Sahnis influence voting in their areas while Kayasthas are influential in the Muzaffarpur town. Vaishyas are also a sizeable section of the electorate here. 24. Nalanda Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 29 Total electors: 19,51,967 Female electors: 915392 Male electors: 10,36,575 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Chandi Assembly seat was removed in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Asthawan, Biharsharif, Rajgir (SC), Islampur, Hilsa, Nalanda, Harnaut Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It is a JD(U) stronghold since 1999. JD(U)s George Fernandes represented the seat from 1999 to 2004, following which JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar came to power. Ramswaroop Prasad won the 2006 bypoll. Kaushalendra Kumar has been representing the constituency since 2009. Demographics: It covers the entire Nalanda district. The constituency has a population of 2877653, of which 26.69 lakh people are Hindus. It has a sizeable Muslim population of 1.98 lakh, as per Census 2011. 52.81% of its population is literate. It is a Naxal-hit area and is a beneficiary of the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 25. Nawada Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 39 Total electors: 16,75,789 Female electors: 7,88,739 Male electors: 8,87,050 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was earlier reserved for Scheduled Castes. Assembly constituencies: Barbigha, Rajauli (SC), Hisua, Nawada, Gobindpur, Warsaliganj Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJP has dominated the constituencies in three elections including the 2014 polls where BJP leader Giriraj Singh defeated RJDs Raj Ballab Prasad by more than 14,000 votes. The only time RJD won the seat is in 2004. Demographics: It covers parts of Sheikhpura district and the entire Nawada district. It is known for sugarcane farming in the region. Nawada district has a population of 22,19,146 people, of which 88.5 percent are Hindus. It also receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 26. Paschim Champaran Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 2 Total electors: 1,41,3073 Female electors: 6,43,721 Male electors: 7,69,352 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was created out erstwhile Bettiah parliamentary constituency and parts of Motihari Lok Sabha constituency, which were dissolved in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Nautan, Chanpatia, Bettiah, Raxaul, Sugali, Narkatia Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Sanjay Jaiswal has been the MP since 2009. Demographics: It covers parts of Paschim Champaran and Purvi Champaran. The region is part of the Red Corridor and receives funds from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. As per 2014 estimates, the constituency is the smallest electorate with 13,66,080 voters. 27. Pataliputra Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 31 Total electors: 17,36,074 Female electors: 8,01,988 Male electors: 9,34,086 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Comprising a large part of rural Patna, this constituency was carved out of the old Patna constituency, which was dissolved in 2008 following delimitation. Assembly constituencies: Danapur, Maner, Phulwari (SC), Masaurhi (SC), Paliganj, Bikram Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Ranjan Prasad Yadav beat RJD chief Lalu Yadav in 2009. Lalus daughter Misa contested the 2014 election but lost to BJPs Ram Kripal Yadav. Demographics: It covers parts of Patna district. Yadavs comprise a large part of voters in the constituency, who are considered an RJD-favourite. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) is keen on contesting from the constituency in the upcoming polls. It is part of the Red Corridor and a beneficiary under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 28. Patna Sahib Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 30 Total electors: 19,46,249 Female electors: 8,93,971 Male electors: 10,52,278 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was created from the erstwhile Patna Lok Sabha constituency in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Bakhtiarpur, Digha, Bankipur, Kumhrar, Patna Sahib, Fatuha. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Shatrughan Sinha has been the sitting MP since 2009. Demographics: It covers parts of Patna district, which has a population of 58,38,465 people. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is fielding Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Patna Sahib seat is considered one of the safest seats for BJP in India especially after the last delimitation of seats in 2008 which made it an urban seat. Due to its large Kayastha population, it is the most sought after by saffron party leaders. 29. Purnia Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 12 Total electors: 15,82,967 Female electors: 7,49,357 Male electors: 8,33,610 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Kasba, Banmankhi (SC), Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, Korha (SC) Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Rajesh Ranjan won the seat in 1999 as an Independent candidate. BJPs Uday Singh held the seat for the next two terms. In 2014, JD(U)s Santosh Kumar defeated Singh by more than 1.16 lakh votes. Demographics: It covers large parts of Purnia district and a small part of Katihar district. Muslims form a significant vote bank in this constituency. Part of the Seemanchal region, the eponymous district also receives aid from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 30. Purvi Champaran Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 3 Total electors: 14,52,963 Female electors: 6,64,402 Male electors: 7,88,561 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Erstwhile Motihari constituency was split into two Purvi Champaran and Paschim Champaran. Assembly constituencies: Harsidhi (SC), Govindganj, Kesaria, Kalyanpur, Pipra, Motihari. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh has been representing the seat since 2009. Demographics: It covers parts of Purvi Champaran district. The district has a population of 50,99,371 people of which 9.9 lakh are Muslims. It comes under the Red Corridor and is an economically backward district receiving funds under Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 31. Samastipur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 23 Total electors: 15,03,005 Female electors: 6,96,404 Male electors: 8,05,601 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. It was a de-reserved constituency earlier Assembly constituencies: Kusheshwar Asthan (SC), Hayaghat, Kalyanpur (SC), Warisnagar, Samastipur, Rosera (SC) Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Before delimitation, JD(U)s Manjay Lal and RJDs ALok Kumar Mehta won the seat in 1999 and 2004 respectively. It 2009, JD(U) leader Maheshwar Hazari represented the seat and was succeeded by LJSPs Ram Chandra Paswan. Demographics: It covers part of Darbhanga, Purvi Champaran, and Samastipur districts. Samastipur district has a population of 42,61,566 people, comprising 38 lakh Hindus. The region is economically backwards and receives support from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 32. Saran Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 20 Total electors: 15,39,744 Female electors: 7,05,383 Male electors: 8,33,361 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Chapra parliamentary constituency was dissolved to form this seat in 2008 Assembly constituencies: Marhaura, Chapra, Garkha (SC), Amnour, Parsa, Sonepur Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: One of the most politically significant constituencies in the country. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was elected from the erstwhile Chapra constituency prior to delimitation. He held the seat in 2009 as well. His wife Rabri Devi contested the 2014 polls but lost to BJPs Rajib Pratap Rudy. Demographics: It covers large parts of Saran district. The district has an SC population of 4,74,066 people. It also receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 33. Sasaram Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 34 Total electors: 16,07,474 Female electors: 7,48,350 Male electors: 8,59,397 Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes Delimited: Yes. Assembly constituencies: Mohania (SC), Bhabua, Chainpur, Chenari (SC), Sasaram, Kargahar. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJP leader Muni Lall won the election in 1999 defeating RJDs Ram Keshi Bharti. Congress leader Meira Kumar represented the constituency in the next two terms but she lost to Chhedi Paswan of the BJP in the 2014 polls. Demographics: It covers large parts of Kaimur and some parts of Rohtas districts. Situated along the Uttar Pradesh border, the region is part of the Red Corridor and receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 34. Sheohar Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 4 Total electors: 14,89,724 Female electors: 6,95,045 Male electors: 7,94,679 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Madhuban, Chiraia, Dhaka, Sheohar, Riga, Belsand Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Mohammed Anwarul Haque won the seat in 1999 on the RJD ticket but lost when he contested on a BJP ticket in 2004 to RJDs Sitaram Singh. Since 2009, BJPs Rama Devi has been the MP. Demographics: It covers the entire Sheohar district and parts of Purvi Champaran, Sitamarhi districts. Dominated by Rajputs, the region is a Naxal-hit area and receives aid from the Centre under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Sheohar district has a population of 6,56,246 people of which 5.52 lakh are Hindus. 35. Sitamarhi Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 5 Total electors: 15,74,914 Female electors: 7,42,544 Male electors: 8,32,370 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes Assembly constituencies: Bathnaha (SC), Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Sitamarhi, Runnisaidpur Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Nawal Kishore Rai won the seat in 1999 but lost it to RJDs Sitaram Yadav in 2004. JD(U) candidate Arjun Roy won the seat in 2009 while in 2014, RLSP candidate Ram Kumar Sharma clinched the seat. Demographics: Located along the Nepal border, it covers large parts of Sitamarhi district. With a population of 34,23,574, Sitamarhi district has a sizeable number of Muslims residing there (7.4 lakh). Due to Maoist presence in the area, it is also an economically backward region, receiving funds under the Backward Regions Grant Fund. 36. Siwan Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 18 Total electors: 15,63,860 Female electors: 7,22,125 Male electors: 8,41,735 Reserved: No Delimited: No Assembly constituencies: Siwan, Ziradei, Darauli (SC), Raghunathpur, Daraunda, Barharia Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It was a stronghold of RJD with convicted criminal Mohammed Shahabuddin as its MP from 1996 to 2009. An Independent candidate Om Prakash Yadav won the seat in 2009. In 2014, he contested the election on a BJP ticket and won. Demographics: It covers large parts of Siwan district. It has a population of 33,30,464, with a sizeable Muslim population of 6.08 lakh people. There are 3,86,685 Scheduled Castes members in the district. It is also identified as an economically backward district under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 37. Supaul Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 8 Total electors: 15,25,592 Female electors: 7,28,613 Male electors: 7,96,979 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It was created in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Nirmali, Pipra, Supaul, Triveniganj (SC), Chhatapur, Singheshwar (SC). Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s Vishwa Mohan Kumar won the seat in 2009. He was succeeded by Congress leader Ranjeet Rajan who defeated JD(U)s Dileshwar Kamait. Demographics: It covers the entire Supaul district and a part of Madhepura district. Supaul district has a population of 22,29,076 people. It is an economically backward area and receives funds under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. It has a literacy rate of 46.35 percent. 38. Ujiarpur Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 22 Total electors: 14,28,445 Female electors: 6,60,322 Male electors: 7,68,123 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It came into existence in 2008. Patepur Assembly segment was added to this constituency following delimitation. Assembly constituencies: Patepur (SC), Ujiarpur, Morwa, Sarairanjan, Mohiuddinnagar, Bibhitipur Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Results in last 4 Lok Sabha elections: JD(U) leader Ashwamedh Devi defeated RJDs Alok Kumar Mehta in 2009. In 2014, BJP leader Nityanand Rai won the election, triumphing over Mehta. Demographics: It covers a part of Patpeur and parts of Samastipur. It is dominated by people from extremely backward castes and OBCs. As per 2014 estimates, there are around 2 lakh Koeri voters in the region followed by around 1.8 lakh Yadav voters. There are a sizeable number of Brahmins and Bhumihars too. 39. Vaishali Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 16 Total electors: 15,87,202 Female electors: 7,32,421 Male electors: 8,54,781 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. Lalganj Assembly segment of Vaishali was added to Hajipur parliamentary constituency in 2008. Assembly constituencies: Minapur, Kanti, Baruraj, Paroo, Sahebganj, Vaishali. Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It is an RJD stronghold. Raghubansh Prasad Singh was the MP till 2014 when he lost to LJPs Rama Kishore Singh. Demographics: It covers parts of Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts. Vaishali district has a population of 34,95,021 people with a majority Hindu population. It comes under the Red Corridor and receives aid under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. 40. Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha Constituency Constituency number: 1 Total electors: 14,56,576 Female electors: 6,70,279 Male electors: 7,86,297 Reserved: No Delimited: Yes. It came into existence in 2008 after Bagaha Lok Sabha seat was dissolved. Ramnagar Assembly segment was earlier de-reserved. Assembly constituencies: Valmiki Nagar, Ramnagar (SC), Narkatiaganj, Bagaha, Lauriya, Sikta Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: JD(U)s BAidyanath Prasad Mahto represented the seat in 2009. In 2014, BJPs Satish Chandra Dubey defeated rival Congress leader Purnmasi Ram. Demographics: It covers large parts of Paschim Champaran district. Though a Hindu-majority district, it has more than 8.65 lakh Muslims. It is located along the India-Nepal border. TMC will work for the institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetisation and a review of the GST if voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto said Kolkata: The TMC will work for the revival of the Planning Commission, institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetisation and a review of the GST if the opposition alliance is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto released by party supremo Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday. Banerjee, a prime mover behind the efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance of opposition parties, said she is not fighting for "chair" and that her aim is to rid the country of the "reign of fear". The West Bengal chief minister also said the 100-day work provision under MNREGA, the government's flagship employment scheme for the rural poor, will be extended to 200 days a year and the wages doubled. "Why was demonetization carried out? We want a judicial probe monitored by a former Supreme Court judge...We will bring back the Planning Commission and ensure that it strengthens the federal structure," she told a press conference after releasing the manifesto. The 67-page manifesto has been published in Bengali, English, Hindi, Nepali and Ol Chiki, the tribal Santhali language. "We want the GST to be reviewed by an expert committee. If it is really helping people, we would keep it or else we would review it," she said, but went on to add that both GST and demonetization have "destroyed" Indian economy. Targeting the Modi government over its alleged failure to keep its promise of creating two crore jobs every year, Banerjee said the new government will lay special stress on employment generation and filling up the vacancies meant for Schedule Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes candidates, including those from the minorities. Banerjee said women's empowerment and bringing workers in unorganised sectors under social security cover will be priority areas for the new dispensation. When asked about the foreign and defence policy direction of the future government she wants to form at the Centre, Banerjee said these will be discussed after such a dispensation comes into being. "As a political party we have always maintained that whatever decision the government takes in terms of foreign policy and defence we will support that. But when the new government comes to power we will discuss and decide on it," she said. Responding to a question about the vexed Kashmir issue, the feisty TMC boss said, she wants peace in the restive state and is willing to go and stay there to help find a solution. In her reply to a query on the opposition alliance's proposed common minimum programme, she said her party is working for building a united India and it will be chalked out in consultation with like-minded parties. "We cannot impose our views on other parties. We are putting across our partys views today in the manifesto," she said. Banerjee disapproved of the appointment of former BSF chief KK Sharma as special police observer for West Bengal and Jharkhand for the Lok Sabha elections. "How can a retired police officer look after the deployment of serving police personnel? During his tenure as the DG, he attended an RSS programme and that too in uniform," she said, and asked "Is he an impartial observer? Is this a way to ensure we will get justice? Is this democracy?" Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be inducting former MGP MLA Dipak Pawaskar, who has merged the legislative wing of the party with the BJP, into the state cabinet Wednesday Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be inducting former MGP MLA Dipak Pawaskar, who has merged the legislative wing of the party with the BJP, into the state cabinet at 11.30 pm Wednesday, a senior official said. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Raj Bhavan where Governor Mridula Sinha will administer oath to Pawaskar, a senior government official told PTI. The swearing-in was scheduled to be held in the morning, but could not take place as Sinha was in New Delhi. "The governor has cut short her Delhi trip and would be arriving in the evening to administer oath," the official said. Pawaskar and another Maharahstrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Manohar Ajgaonkar merged the legislature wing of the party with the BJP in the early hours of Wednesday. The MGP is now left with only one MLA - Sudin Dhavalikar - after the split. Dhavalikar, who was the deputy chief minister, was dropped from the cabinet after the early morning developments. Pawaskar is the first-time MLA who represents Sanvordem constituency in South Goa district. During the wee hours Wednesday, Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar gave a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, merging their party's legislative wing with the BJP. Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter. On Tuesday, MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar had claimed that his party was the target of a conspiracy by opponents. Photo: Wayne Moore The federal Liberal government continues to roll out ministers across the country, touting different aspects of last week's federal budget. The latest to roll through Kelowna, Public Services Minister Carla Qualtrough, who spoke to seniors Wednesday morning at the Apple Valley senior's complex. Her visit came on the heels of Finance Minister Bill Morneau's stop Tuesday at Okanagan College. It also comes as the Liberals, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau try and shake the downward effects of the SNC-Lavalin scandal. "I have the luxury of sitting next to him in the House of Commons, I speak with him every day, he's a good man, he's a man of integrity, and he kind of admitted that he wished he would have done things differently, and we're moving on," Qualtrough said during a tour stop in Penticton Tuesday. "But certainly it's a distraction." Qualtrough and other ministers are trying to move the conversation away from the scandal and onto the benefits of the budget. "We are trying to convey the notion that our government considers seniors to be a priority population as we move forward in the design of programs and services," said Qualtrough. "Partially, and practically in relation to the fact our population is aging, but also in recognition that as we take care of our most vulnerable, all of Canada is lifted up. Seniors deserve to be considered in decision making, they deserve to be consulted in decision making that affect them." She highlighted a number of items, including: As many as 40,000 seniors who collect Canada Pension will begin to receive an average of an extra $300 a month starting next year. Enhancing the GIS earnings exemption will allow low-income working seniors will be able to earn more money before any money is clawed back. Adding another $100 million over five years to the New Horizons for Seniors program, providing more opportunities for seniors to be active in the community. However, Vi Sorenson executive director of Kelowna's Senior's Outreach Society, says the availability of affordable housing is the issues many seniors are facing. Sorenson says many seniors are ending up homeless, many of those for the first time. "Hopefully there's going to be more dollars in that new housing strategy, either federally or provincially, that can be targeted to this," she said. She says much of the typical low-cost housing options such as the Kiwanis Tower are no longer subsidized by government. Instead, she says, they have been taken over by non-profit groups who raise the rent in order to run the facilities. "We have very minimal housing in this town because, one after another, those kinds of super low income housing complexes are gone. "If someone was on provincial disability at 64, their income is now $1,187 so their rent was $300 or $400. Those building are now mostly $800 or $900. That's the problem." Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to contest election from Vadodra is spite of the demands from the BJP's Gujarat unit, a party leader said Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to contest election from Vadodra is spite of the demands from the BJP's Gujarat unit, a party leader here has said. Modi had won from Vadodara and Varanasi in 2014 and chose to retain the latter. As BJP president Amit Shah will be contesting from Gandhinagar, the chances of another national-level leader contesting from the state are very slim, a state BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity. "I do not think that they will field two national leaders from one state. There is no chance of Modi fighting from a seat in Gujarat," the BJP leader said. State BJP leaders have requested Modi to contest from Gujarat to boost party workers' morale, especially in the aftermath of the 2017 Assembly elections when the Congress managed to restrict the BJP to 99 seats, lowest in two decades, and increased its own tally by 16 seats to 77 in the 182-member Legislative Assembly. Till Tuesday, rumours were doing rounds in BJP circles that Modi was going to contest from Surat, but party sources said it was not true. The BJP is yet to declare its candidate from Surat. Gujarat will vote on 23 April. The last date of filing nominations is 4 April. An alliance will no doubt upset Sheila Dikshit, the former three-time chief minister, whose government Kejriwal built the anti-incumbency wave. The Congress was in power when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was born as an anti-corruption movement. Now, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is seeking an alliance with the Congress in order to increase AAPs significance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Four former Delhi Congress chiefs Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely are said to be in favour of alliance with the AAP. Sheila Dikshit, and three working presidents of Delhi Congress Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia and Haroon Yusuf are against the idea of aligning with the AAP. Since the Congress relevance in the national capitals politics is an all-time low, this could be a desperate survival strategy. However, with the lack of a powerful successor, the party might have to play second fiddle to Kejriwal in the long run. An alliance will no doubt upset Dikshit, the former three-time Delhi chief minister, against whose government Kejriwal built the anti-incumbency wave. Dikshit has been critical of Kejriwals government since the inception of AAP, and recently, of the AAP demand for statehood. Today, in a press conference, AAPs cabinet minister Gopal Rai asked why Dikshit is opposed to their demand for statehood when she was making the exact same demand back in 2013, and raised the same issue of multiple agencies interfering in the execution of governance work in the capital, which AAP is now talking about. Given the friction between her and AAP leaders, speculation of her resignation if an alliance is forged is also doing the rounds within the Delhi Congress Unit, but there is no official word yet on either that or the alliance. Sources within the DPCC suggest the party is asking for a 3-3-1 seat share ratio where both parties get an equal number of seats while AAP is willing to offer 5:2. AAP has decided to field Atishi Marlena, former adviser to the deputy chief minister, from East Delhi; Gugan Singh Ranga from North West Delhi; political affairs committee member Raghav Chadha from South Delhi; Pankaj Gupta from Chandni Chowk; Dilip Pandey from North East Delhi; and Brijesh Goyal from New Delhi. Anticipating a go-ahead from the Congress towards the alliance, the West Delhi seat was left open for the Congress until Sunday. Thats when AAP declared its last candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls. Aside from the West Delhi Seat, AAP may be willing to offer Pankaj Guptas Chandni Chowk seat. Pankaj Gupta, National Secretary of the Party, is a reliable, stable leader whose ego wont take a beating if the seat is giving away to a Congress candidate. The Chandni Chowk seat has traditionally been a Congress domain, except in 1977 when Sikandar Bakht won on a Janata Party ticket, when Tara Chand Khandelwal of BJP in won in 1991 and Vijay Goel won by slim margins in 1998 and 1999. After the delimitation of 2008, the constituency has grown to include congested market stretch of Sadar Bazar, the residential areas of Civil lines and the slums of Jahangirpuri. Densely packed areas such as Adarsh Nagar, Model Town, Shalimar Bagh, Wazirpur, Shakur Basti, Ballimaran are part of Chandni Chowk with 14.35 lakh voters. The constituency has nearly 35 percent Bania and Punjabi voters, around 20 percent Muslim voters, close to 26 percent Scheduled Caste, and a little less than 10 percent Brahmin voters, making it a culturally complex seat to crack for any party. Given the plurality and concentration of the vote here, the seats voting pattern often reflects the mood of the national capital. AAPs decision to give the seat to the grand old party would be a safe move, but could also be dubbed as its own uncertainty at being able to win over Delhis voters in the national election the are beyond local, municipal concerns. From North East Delhi, which is Delhis purvanchali-dominated heartland, BJPs Manoj Tiwaris swept the 2014 polls with a margin of 144,084 votes. While the BJP has been making efforts to woo Delhis purvanchali voter with rallies, AAP has increased its footwork among the migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Dilip Pandey, AAPs candidate from the area has an area of over 2,000 volunteers on ground in nearly 40 wards, who are making inroads into issues of electricity, water, unemployment. He spearheaded the campaign Uttar Bharatiya Swabhiman Yatra (North Indian Self Respect March) in October 2018 on the rising incidents of violence against Hindi speaking migrants in Gujrat. The Congress neither has a strong candidate in the area to match up to Pandeys cadres or Tiwaris popularity, so it is less likely that AAP will give up on this seat. AAP spokesperson Atishi Marlena, who rose up in the shadows of Manish Sisodias efforts on education reform, is contesting from East Delhi. Sisodia was AAPs East Delhi prabhari and Atishi is hoping to cash in on the compounded interests of his rapport with East Delhi locals. Sandeep Dikshit of the Congress has already said he will not contest from East Delhi. He won from this seat in 2004 and 2009 and lost to BJPs Mahesh Giri in 2014. The son of the former chief minister was made the AICC Secretary last year and his decision to not contest from the seat is more of an admission of the partys lack of effort and interest in the constituency. Gugan Singh Ranga from North West Delhi is the man who helped Kejriwal ace Bawana bypolls of 2017. He switched over from BJP to AAP in July 2017, just ahead of the bypolls. Gugan Singhs entry into AAP benefited it because he brought in the Oppositions political strategies in the area. Singh was a prominent Dalit face of the saffron party. Interestingly, Singh lost to AAPs Ved Parkash from Bawana in 2015 and Parkash has now defected to the BJP. The absence of the Congress from this tussle makes it unlikely for it to be field a candidate from here. Raghav Chadha, AAPs candidate from South Delhi had a 34 percent vote base in the 2017 MCD elections which AAP lost. Mathematically, this is a strong seat for the AAP. Similarly, Brajesh Goyal from the New Delhi constituency helped draft AAPs trade manifesto and embodies the partys reach within the trader community. In the 2015 elections, when AAP won 67 seats, Congress failed to score a single seat. But the irony is that AAP is still seeking an alliance to stay relevant in national politics amid friction between top leaders on both sides. 'She said in her nomination papers that she is a candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP is not a recognised regional party in Uttar Pradesh. It is not recognised as a national party by the Election Commission as well. It is recognised in Delhi though. This was a flaw in her claim,' District Magistrate and Returning Officer Brajesh Narain Singh told PTI. Noida: Aam Aadmi Party's Shweta Sharma was among the eight candidates whose nomination papers for Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha seat were rejected during the process of scrutiny on Tuesday, officials said. Sharma's papers were rejected as she failed to find 10 mandatory proposers required for any candidate who is not from a recognised national or regional party in a state, they said. "She said in her nomination papers that she is a candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP is not a recognised regional party in Uttar Pradesh. It is not recognised as a national party by the Election Commission as well. It is recognised in Delhi though. This was a flaw in her claim," District Magistrate and Returning Officer Brajesh Narain Singh told PTI. The final position on the total number of candidates in the fray for the Gautam Buddh Nagar seat will, however, become clear on Wednesday the last day for withdrawal of nomination, the officials said. A total of 21 nomination papers were filed till the last day of the process on Monday, and 13 of them have been approved, Singh said. "Among the nominees whose candidatures have been approved are those from the BJP, the Congress and the SP-BSP alliance," he said, after scrutiny of the nomination papers. Two of the 13 candidates whose nominations have been approved are independents, Singh added. The BJP has fielded Union minister and sitting MP Mahesh Sharma (59) from the seat, while the Congress has fielded Arvind Kumar Singh (30), who lost from Aligarh in 2014. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance has fielded Satveer Nagar (37). Spread across Noida, Dadri, Jewar, Sikandrabad and Khurja assembly constituencies, Gautam Buddh Nagar goes to polls on 11 April during the first leg of the seven-phased general elections. Results will be announced on 23 May. Chidambaram also said that the details of the scheme will be announced in the party manifesto. He said that the scheme will be designed by an expert panel. Former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidmbaram Wednesday said the Congress' newly-launched Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, will be rolled out in phases to cover the five crore families. The scheme will provide a minimum income of Rs 72,000 per year for five crore families with monthly income levels below Rs 12,000. Addressing a press conference in Chennai, to explain the Congress' manifesto's key highlight, the NYAY scheme, Chidambaram said: "This couldn't have been implemented 20 years ago. But now, because of the liberalisation of economy, which was implemented by a Congress government in 1991 and successfully pursued by the successive UPA governments between 2004 and 2014, there has been an increase in the funds at government's disposal. We believe India has the capacity to implement this programme" P Chidambaram, Congress on minimum income guarantee scheme announced by Rahul Gandhi: We will identify the poorest 20% of India's families, that is about 5 Crore families & going by an average size of 5 members per family, this scheme will benefit 25 Crore people in India. pic.twitter.com/3n7U5pcyFp ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 Explaining that the minimum income scheme will be rolled out in phases, covering the five crore families, the Congress leader said, "We have considered all the economic factors before putting out this scheme, it is Rs 72,000 per family per year. We've spoken to many economic and financial experts and got a positive response." Chidambaram also said that the details of the scheme will be announced in the party manifesto. He said that the scheme will be designed by an expert panel. "We will identify the poorest 20 percent of India's families, that is about five crore families and going by an average size of five members per family, this scheme will benefit 25 crore people in India, " he said. Earlier on Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had announced a Universal Basic Income scheme that would provide minimum income support of Rs 72,0000 annually to impoverished Indian families earning less than Rs 12,000 per month. Facing a tough opponent in Prime Minister Narendra Modi in general elections scheduled to be held from 11 April, Rahul said that the programme would benefit 250 million of a population of 1.3 billion. Opposition leaders on Wednesday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of indulging in theatrics and 'playing politics' over scientists' achievements following his address to the nation announcing successful test of an anti-satellite missile, while some parties complained to the Election Commission alleging violation of the model code. New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Wednesday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of indulging in theatrics and "playing politics" over scientists' achievements following his address to the nation announcing successful test of an anti-satellite missile, while some parties complained to the Election Commission alleging violation of the model code. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Modi wishing him "happy World Theatre Day" even as he congratulated the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 Other Congress leaders credited successive governments led by their party for the achievement. "The UPA government had initiated the A-SAT programme which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Manmohan Singh," senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that Modi's announcement was "limitless drama and publicity mongering", amounting to "gross violation" of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). She also accused the Prime Minister of making the announcement to "reap political benefits" and said her party will move the Election Commission. Speaking in the same vein, allies BSP and Samajwadi Party alleged it was a diversionary tactic, while the CPM lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, terming the prime minister's action as a "violation" of the MCC. However, sources in the Election Commission said Wednesday that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the MCC. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission," the TMC supremo said. "Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct," Banerjee tweeted. Pointing out that research, space management and development "are continuous processes", Banerjee said, "Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit (belongs) to those who really deserve it, our scientists and researchers." In a complaint to the Election Commission, CPM general-secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote a letter to the poll panel, asking it why Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in the midst of polls. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian prime minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. "This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the MCC," he added. BSP supremo Mayawati accused Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi. "The honourable Election Commission should definitely take cognizance of this," Mayawati said on Twitter. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Modi got himself an hour of free television space and diverted nation's attention away from issues on the ground. "Today, Modi got himself an hour of free TV and divert(ed) nation's attention away from issues on ground unemployment, rural crisis, and women's security by pointing at the sky," he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," Modi said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. His address came as campaigning intensifies for Lok Sabha elections that start on 11 April. Launching a counter attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". BJP chief Amit Shah, too, hit back at the Opposition parties, saying "the anti-satellite missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt" and alleged that the "UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people", while the "NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so". At the AICC briefing, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said such achievements are not new for the DRDO. "So these are the achievements of our scientists, obviously they have the support of every government," he said and alleged that Modi wants to "shut down Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which works in tandem with DRDO". Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said she will contest the elections if her party asks her. Amethi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said she will contest the elections if her party asks her. However, she said her own wish is to work for the party's organisation. "If my party asks me to contest the polls, I will definitely do so. But my personal wish is to work for the party's organisation as a lot of work needs to be done," the Congress leader told reporters. She said, "I have told party workers that it is very important you campaign properly this election. You should go to each and every house, and tell people that this election is to save the nation. Not Rahul Gandhi, but the nation should win this election." Taking on Uttar Pradesh chief minister's Yogi Adityanath's jibe that she visits temples only during elections, Priyanka Gandhi asked whether he knows anything about her. The Congress general secretary in-charge of the state's eastern districts kicked off second leg of her campaign on Wednesday with the visit to Amethi, her brother Rahul Gandhi's constituency, and is scheduled to reach Ayodhya, where the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is located, on Friday. When asked whether she will visit the makeshift temple which houses the idol of Lord Ram or "Ram Lalla (infant Ram)", Priyanka Gandhi said, "I haven't checked my schedule." In an oblique reference to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dig at the Congress' minimum income promise, she said her party preaches what it practises. "See the Congress had said that it will waive off the loans of farmers, and within 10 days of coming to power in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was done," Priyanka Gandhi said. Hitting back at BJP's criticism of previous Congress governments failing to remove property, she said, "Obviously all the problems have not been solved. Obviously some people are still poor. A large number of people are suffering. But there is a lot of work that has been done." She said the issues on which her party is fighting this elections are farm distress and lack of jobs. "I think the defining issue is that farmers are suffering. They have got no help from the government, they say that they do not get seeds and fertilisers on time. In some places, seeds are costing them more than their crop. They are in debt, and there is nobody to support them and nobody to help them," she said. "There is gross unemployment. Jobs were promised, they were not given. There are thousands of young people who are unemployed. I see them everywhere, I see them everywhere I go. When I ask have you got a job, they say 'no'," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that no government has performed as badly on employment as the NDA has. She also said that a number of issues have been politicised, which should not have been done. The Congress leader also congratulated DRDO scientists for successful testing of India's anti-satellite missile capabilities. "I am very very proud of DRDO, which is one of India's great institutions founded by Jawaharlal Nehru," she said. Though part of a political family, BJP's Bangalore South candidate TejasviSurya has neither popped up on the political scene suddenly nor has he been parachuted from some political plane Political activism with oratory skills that goes viral on social media, good marketing, the right amount of conventional-media presence, good contacts and a tag of an 'intelligent-white-collar professional', all this put together is helping many aspiring young men and women to make it big in national politics. Also, it is proving to be a good bet for political parties as these energetic young voices are helping build the narrative with confidence and conviction. On 26 March, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced the candidature of Tejasvi Surya, 28, a young lawyer from Bengaluru, from the high profile Bangalore South seat in Karnataka for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the obvious lookout was Suryas personal and political profile. A quick search and scrutiny of Suryas profile got all the boxes activism, oratory skills, and social media presence ticked right. Surya belongs to a family of politicians, has been a BJP activist for almost a decade now and has good contacts. He is BJPs social media star and an orator of BJPs liking. He believes in binaries as evident from one of his speeches, where he clearly states who qualify to be a nationalist and who should be marked as anti-nationalist. And while he has marketed himself as a thinking nationalist, the BJP presents him as a young and self-made leader pitted against the dynasts in Congress. Suryas candidature has become a point of discussion for two reasons. Firstly, his nomination is seen as an encouragement to the youth. Second, his nomination in place of Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, wife of the former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar who passed away last year, is seen as a statement against dynastic politics. The decision to field Surya is seen as a good move by the BJP, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scathing attack on Congress, through a blog published recently, where he accused Congress for "lack of internal democracy" and for perpetuating dynastic politics. The fact that Surya is a close relative of BJP MLA Basavanagudi gives the impression that the young BJP candidate from Bangalore South may have benefited from his political connections, and, in a way, is part of dynastic politics. However, Surya's defence can be built on the fact that he has neither popped up on the political scene suddenly nor has he been parachuted from some political plane. He has risen in the political ladder through hard work. While this argument has been used with beguiling confidence by 'dynasts' over the years as well, but rejected, it holds water in Surya case. He was very active in planning the 2011 rath yatra against corruption that was led by LK Advani. He has a very important role to play in managing the BJPs social media account, especially Twitter. Also as a lawyer, he provides pro bono service to anyone who is related to the party and that has helped greatly in building his image and support base," says a BJP social media team member. Surya, who started as a general secretary for the Karnataka BJP's youth wing, has also led many protests against attacks on BJP workers and volunteers during Congress rule. Picking Surya instead of Tejaswini is being projected as BJPs preference for youth leader and aversion to dynastic politics. It cannot be denied that fielding Tejaswini, whose husband had retained the seat ever since he defeated Congress' BK Hariprasad in 1999 would have been a safe bet for BJP. Her candidature has been recommended and supported by Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa. And riding on sympathy votes, Tejashwini could have easily won the elections. But then it would have created a dent in Modis Honesty versus Dynasty narrative. On the other hand, opting for Surya helps the BJPs narrative of New India. Given his age and social media presence, Surya may be able to attract youth support. Surya, who was acknowledged by the top brass of BJP for spearheading the social media campaign for Karnataka BJP during the 2018 Assembly election, is considered close to many important leaders in Karnataka as well. Mentored by Ananth Kumar himself and being chosen by BJPs top brass, Surya might not face any dissent from any fractions in the state either. The fact that he comes from a family of BJP leaders and is believed to have an association with the party's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is an added advantage. Also, according to sources, he is close to BJP national organising secretary BL Santhosh, whose backing got him the ticket. Tejasvi also becomes crucial to BJP's Karnataka plans given a sizable population of Brahmins and upper caste Hindus. But that aside, Bengaluru South has also been the base for RSS operations in the city for over two decades. The youngest candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party, 28-year-old lawyer and vice-president of the Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha Tejasvi Surya, has emerged as the centre of the party and Opposition's attention. Known for his hyperbole on social media and amplified cries of nationalism, Tejasvi has also been quite a sensation since the BJP named him the candidate for its prestigious Bengaluru South Lok Sabha seat, a seat that was widely expected to go to Tejaswini Ananthkumar, the widow of Union minister Ananth Kumar who died in November last year. Tejasvi will contest against Congress' BK Hariprasad in Bangalore South. He is the nephew of BJP lawmaker Ravi Subramanya. If Tejasvi wins, he would be the youngest MP from the BJP camp. With a young face, the BJP could be hoping to secure youth support for the upcoming polls. However, Tejasvi will not be India's youngest MP. In 2014, great-grandson of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, and grandson and son of jailed leaders Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay Chautala, Dushyant Chautala of Indian National Lok Dal became the youngest person to become an MP in India. Now 30, Chautala was just 26-years-old when he won the prestigious seat from Hisar after defeating sitting MP Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi, of Haryana Janhit Congress. OMG OMG!!! I can't believe this. PM of world's largest democracy & President of largest political party have reposed faith in a 28 yr old guy to represent them in a constituency as prestigious as B'lore South. This can happen only in my BJP. Only in #NewIndia of @narendramodi Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019 Several reports (read here, here, here and here) have said that the decision to field Tejasvi instead of Tejaswini Ananthkumar was a combined decision of the BJP and RSS national leaderships. Leaders of both RSS and BJP have also applauded Tejasvi's fiery speeches, which his critics have dubbed as polarising. Recently, a five-year-old tweet by Tejasvi was circulated on social media which said: "With the exception of Women's Reservation in Parliament, Modi govt agenda is inspiring. Dread the day when women's reservation becomes reality" The women's quota bill has been stalled for years, blocked by lawmakers across party lines. Criticising a law that aims to reserve a third of seats in Parliament for women, is not very becoming of a leader who is going to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha election, and at a time when issues related to women emancipation and their empowerment is one of the most debated topics not only in India, but in the world. The tweet has now vanished from his timeline. The screenshot of the deleted tweet started circulating on Tuesday as media organisations dug out data on Tejasvi Surya. Does he still feel the same way, questioned some on social media. Tejasvi's Twitter timeline makes for a good read. Not only does it give an insight into Tejasvi's brand of politics but it also appears to show why he was chosen by the RSS and the BJP to be the face of a distinguished, high-profile seat. Enamoured by the politics and ideology of the RSS and the BJP, Tejasvi's tweets eulogise Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than speaking out on issues which are plaguing the nation. Instead of speaking about pertinent issues, Tejasvi has several tweets thanking Modi for giving him an opportunity to "work under him". When I contested for Head Boy in school, my election symbol was a Lion This time around, I have the opportunity to work under a lion - PM @narendramodi#ProudBJPian #VoteForBJP pic.twitter.com/wPk632cHD4 Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 27, 2019 When he is not tweeting his undying adulation for the Central leadership, Tejasvi is decoding the concept of Hindus in Independent India on Twitter. For an example, go through this thread: #Thread I was in panel discussion at Christ University today on 'What is India's identity? Is it changing?' I told India's primary identity is Hindu identity. A large section of audience gasped with shock as though I said something offensive. Some felt I was 'extreme'! Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) February 19, 2019 Sharing his experience at a panel discussion at Christ University in Bengaluru, Tejasvi said, "The idea that we became a new nation in 1947 & our Constitution is what makes us plural is the regular BS that our kids are fed with. Unless Hindus realise that India is plural because India is majority Hindu & not just because of a Constitution, we won't go anywhere." He further wrote: "A concerted effort is made to negate our Hindu past, make it uncool to be Hindu, say we must look at the future and not past, say we are Constitutionalists, say we are Indian & nothing else, deliberately portray Hindusim to be regressive, change goalposts, speak of human identity."' "Young Hindus must be made to study bloody history of the abrahamic religions and their dogmas. They will themselves realise how they have been fooled to believe in superficial mumbo jumbo all these years. Only the Hindu philosophy is universal and accepting. Rest are predatory" In a series of tweets, Tejasvi notes how lack of knowledge about "abrahamic religions" which have massacred and partitioned India, is the reason why "Hindu people have ZERO civilizational consciousness". He ended the thread with this tweet: Muslim girl asked me when I mean Hindu identity, does it not have space for Muslims? I said of course Muslims can live, but must live in harmony with larger Hindu identity. I asked her if Muslims will state they will hold Constitution above Quran in case of conflict between two. Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) February 20, 2019 Tejasvi's heavily nationalistic orientation and diatribe can be attributed to his closeness with the RSS and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in his younger days. After Tejasvi was announced as the BJP candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the young leader sent out several tweets thanking members of the Sangh Parivar, including national joint general secretary (organising) of the BJP BL Santhosh and top RSS functionary Mukunda CR, who was named Sah Sarkaryavah (Joint General Secretary) at the valedictory of a three-day Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) in March 2018. I can't thank enough RSS and its selfless leaders for showering their choicest blessings on me. You have excused my mistakes, tolerated my mischief, supported me in every possible way. I can't believe that men like @MUKUNDAckpura & @blsanthosh exist in real. I want to be like you Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019 ABVP. Organisation where I first learnt ABCD of organisation work. Raghunandan Ji, Ravi Kumar @nrkbjp Ji, Nagaraj Reddy Ji, Ravi Chandra Ji, Vinay Bidre Ji, Kitty Ji, Swamy Ji, Tammesh Gowda, Vasant, Santhosh Reddy and so many more - I am so grateful to you all. Need your support Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2019 Tejasvi also becomes crucial to BJP's Karnataka plans given a sizable population of Brahmins and upper caste Hindus. But that aside, Bengaluru South has also been the base for RSS operations in the city for over two decades. The constituency also has a large chunk of people from the Vokkaliga and OBC communities, who have leaned towards the RSS and BJP, The News Minute reported. Santhosh, especially, pushed for Tejasvi's candidature. Comparing the Bengaluru South seat to Indore or Bhopal, BJP leaders told The News Minute, "The point was to give into the RSS demand of fielding a candidate acceptable to the Sangh. With pressure coming in from the sangh, they decided to field Tejasvi, who has been working with the RSS for a long time." Interestingly, Tejasvi's extensive time spent with the ABVP and RSS has not been discussed much anywhere. Most of the reports, Tejasvi has been referred to as a "lawyer". With a sizable population of Brahmins and upper caste Hindus, Bengaluru South has been the base for RSS operations in the city for over two decades, reports said. The constituency also has a large chunk of people from the Vokkaliga and OBC communities, who have leaned towards the RSS and BJP. The BJP has held the seat since 1991. Ananth Kumar had represented the constituency from 1996 and had won in 2014 by a margin of over two lakh votes against Congress candidate Nandan Nilekani. The Election Commission of India has written to the ministries of Railways and Civil Aviation, asking them why photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not been removed from rail tickets and Air India boarding passes in spite of the Model Code of Conduct having come into effect. The Election Commission of India has written to the ministries of Railways and Civil Aviation, asking them why photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not been removed from rail tickets and Air India boarding passes in spite of the Model Code of Conduct having come into effect. Both ministries have been given three days to submit their replies. On 25 March, Air India had announced that it would "roll back" its boarding passes bearing photographs of Prime Minister Modi and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. The airlines had clarified that the photographs had appeared as third party advertisements. The matter came to light after former Punjab DGP Shashi Kant on Monday tweeted a photograph of his boarding pass issued at the New Delhi airport, questioning how pictures of the two leaders could be on it when the MCC was in place across the country. GoAir, which has not been served a show cause notice yet by the Election Commission, had announced on 26 March that it would withdraw passes with the photos of Modi and Rupani on them. Both airlines had used advertisements of the Vibrant Gujarat summit. Likewise, on 20 March, the Indian Railways had also announced that tickets with photos of the prime minister would be withdrawn after Trinamool Congress complained to the Election Commission about them. In their response to the controversy, the railways had also said that the photos appeared as a third-party ad and were leftovers from a pack of tickets printed a year earlier during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. The national transporter had instructed zones to withdraw the tickets and discard the remaining reams of the printing paper that carried the ad. The Model Code of Conduct a set of guidelines to regulate political parties and candidates' behaviour to ensure fair polls kicks in right after the poll dates are announced. The dates for electing the 17th Lok Sabha and a few Assemblies were announced on 10 March, 2019. The results of the seven-phase elections will be declared on 23 May. The Model Code of Conduct specifically prohibits the party in power from monopolising public resources ahead of the election. Since 2013, the party in seat during an election is also required to stick to guidelines that prohibit it from making promises, or implementing schemes, that exert undue influence on voters. Click here for the latest updates on Model Code of Conduct violations tech2 News Staff The legal battle between tech giants Qualcomm and Apple is one which does not look to subside anytime soon. While sometimes Qualcomm is winning to stop sales of iPhones which use chipsets made by it other times a defiant Apple wins the legal turmoil to resume sales. In a ruling on 26 March, the Cupertino Giant dodged one import ban to face another. As per a report by Bloomberg, the US International Trade Commission recommended a ban on certain older models of the iPhone while also ruling that the Qualcomm patent for a battery saving feature on the iPhone was invalid. Qualcomm has claimed time and time again that it is due billions of dollars in unpaid royalties on the iPhone. Apple, on the other hand, has reportedly claimed that it has infringed on no patent by Qualcomm and argued that the company is trying to shut out its only US-based rival. Qualcomm is using these cases to distract from having to answer for the real issues, their monopolistic business practices. said Apple in a statement. The report states that Qualcomm has often termed Intel products as 'inferior' and said that Intel and Apple use unlicensed Qualcomm technology to make the chipsets better. The focus moves now to skirmishes that will likely be more important. A ruling is expected soon in an antitrust case brought by the US Federal Trade Commission accusing Qualcomm of abusing a monopoly on mobile chip technology. A case brought by Apple making similar claims goes to trial in April in California over allegations Qualcomm seeks inflated royalties for licensing its technology in violation of antitrust laws. Qualcomm has won sales bans against Apple in China and Germany, though the China ban has not been enforced and Apple resumed sales of phones in Germany by shipping phones with only Qualcomm chips. Apple has also racked up victories by having many of Qualcomms patents invalidated, at least on a preliminary basis. And the chip supplier has been dealt setbacks in its FTC trial, where a pre-trial ruling forced it to license its technology to other chip firms. Of the two cases decided on Tuesday by the ITC, the ruling favorable to Apple can only be appealed to a federal court. The ruling favorable to Qualcomm faces review by the full six-member ITC, which will make a final decision. With inputs from Reuters The 2019 general elections may be a fight for the BJP to secure a second straight term in office at the Centre, in West Bengal, it is a "semi-final match" for the saffron party before it takes on a redoubtable opponent in Mamata Banerjee in the assembly polls in 2021. Ironically, despite being the land of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bhartiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's forerunner, the party was never reckoned as a potent political force in the state till the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when it clinched 17 per cent votes and two seats. The BJP, which edged past the Congress and the Left Front in the panchayat elections last year, hopes to ride the anti-incumbency factor and alleged "appeasement politics" of the West Bengal chief minister to position itself firmly as the main opposition party. Factionalism in the once formidable CPI(M)-led Left Front, which Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) ousted from power after 34 years in 2011, and the Congress, has helped the BJP emerge as an aggressive opposition force in the state. According to BJP leaders, the party currently has 40 lakh members in West Bengal. The BJP has, over the years, expanded its support base in tribal-dominated Junglemahal and in border areas which have a sizeable population of refugees from Bangladesh that were once considered the strongholds of the Left and the TMC. The party, claim saffron party leaders, will benefit from the failure of the Left Front and the Congress to sew up an alliance, as it would result in a three-way split in anti-BJP votes, with the ruling TMC getting a sizeable chunk. The BJP, they say, will now be locked in a direct fight with the TMC in constituencies like Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda South in north Bengal, and Murshidabad, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Basirhat, Barrackpore, Asansol, Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura and Midnapore seats in south Bengal. Enthused by its performance in the panchayat polls, when it won 7,000 odd seats in three-tier panchayati raj institutions, BJP president Amit Shah has set an ambitious target of winning 23 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats. The party had won just two seats in 2014. Acutely aware that it would be a daunting, if not impossible, to repeat its performance in key Hindi heartland states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where it had won 73 of the 80 seats and 31 of the 40 in 2014, the party is seeking to break new ground in states like West Bengal and Odisha. Asking not to be named, a senior BJP leader said apart from the "vacuum" in the opposition space, "pervasive corruption" and "appeasement" of Muslims, who constitute around 30 per cent of the state's population, have helped the saffron party strengthen itself in West Bengal. "Frequent communal riots in various parts of the state due to rise in infiltration and the fast changing demography of border areas have been important reasons behind the BJP emerging as the main alternative. The TMC has forgotten that the majority Hindu community is not happy with it," says state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh. The Hindu right wielded considerable influence in violence-scarred West Bengal in the aftermath of Partition, before waning considerably over the years. In the first assembly polls in 1952, the Hindu Mahasabha and Jana Sangh together won 13 seats, pocketing around 8 percent votes. The same year, Hindu Mahasabha candidate N C Chatterjee and Jana Sangh's Syama Prasad Mookerjee were elected to the Lok Sabha from Hooghly and Calcutta South-West seats. In the 1957 assembly polls, although the Jana Sangh drew a blank, the Hindu Mahasabha won 23 seats. The death of Mookerjee in 1953 saw a sharp decline in the political clout of the Hindu right organisations, which were relegated to the fringes. The Indian National Congress and its splinter groups ruled the state from 1952 to June 1977, before the communists, who were gaining in strength since the late 1960s through agrarian movements, formed their government. They would go on to play an epic 34-year innings in power till 2011 when Mamata Banerjee's party formed its government. After the BJP was launched in 1980, it hardly had any presence in the state and was ridiculed as the 'Party of Burrabazaar', the trading hub of Kolkata. Under Vishnu Kanta Shastri and Tapan Sikdar, a former Union minister, the BJP was considered a party of erudite men but largely remained on the margins during the Left rule. In the 1991 Lok Sabha election that was held at the height of the Ram temple movement, the party failed to open its account in the state but made its presence felt with 12 per cent votes in its kitty. It failed to build on the momentum in the years that followed, and contested the 1998 election in alliance with the TMC. The BJP won its maiden Lok Sabha seat when Sikdar emerged victorious from Dumdum. In the 1999 general election, when it again went to the hustings in alliance with the TMC, it won two seats and polled an impressive 11 per cent votes. It, however, drew a blank in the 2004 Lok Sabha and 2006 state assembly elections. As Banerjee consolidated her position, she jettisoned the BJP in order to endear herself to Muslim voters. The saffron party managed to win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in 2009, with the party polling around 6 per cent votes. Banerjee forged an alliance with the Congress for the 2011 assembly polls. The BJP drew a blank despite clinching around 5 per cent votes. Things began to look up for the party in 2012 when its cadre began taking to streets against the Banerjee government over various issues as the Left was still smarting from the 2011 drubbing that brought an end to its 34-year unbroken rule in West Bengal. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when a Modi wave swept across states, West Bengal did not remain untouched, and contesting alone the party went on to win Asansol and retain Darjeeling, polling 17 per cent votes. The party clinched three seats in the 2016 assembly elections, and emerged as an aggressive challenger to the TMC in the panchayat elections when the state's ruling party was alleged to have ensured the victory of a large number of its candidates uncontested through strong-arm tactics. Innumerable incidents of clashes between the TMC and BJP cadres were reported from across the state, prompting the Supreme Court to observe that thousands of seats going uncontested showed that democracy was not working in the state. The TMC, however, remains dismissive about the gains made by the BJP. "The BJP might have votes in some pockets as Left and Congress are helping it, but the politics of communalism and violence will never work in Bengal as long as the TMC is here," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee told. -PTI Reuters The U.S. Census Bureau has asked tech giants Google, Facebook and Twitter to help it fend off fake news campaigns it fears could disrupt the upcoming 2020 count, according to Census officials and multiple sources briefed on the matter. The push, the details of which have not been previously reported, follows warnings from data and cybersecurity experts dating back to 2016 that right-wing groups and foreign actors may borrow the fake news playbook from the last presidential election to dissuade immigrants from participating in the decennial count, the officials and sources told Reuters. The sources, who asked not to be named, said evidence included increasing chatter on platforms like 4chan by domestic and foreign networks keen to undermine the survey. The census, they said, is a powerful target because it shapes U.S. election districts and the allocation of more than $800 billion a year in federal spending. Ron Jarmin, the Deputy Director of the Census Bureau, confirmed the bureau was anticipating disinformation campaigns, and was enlisting the help of big tech companies to fend off the threat. We expect that (the census) will be a target for those sorts of efforts in 2020, he said. Census Bureau officials have held multiple meetings with tech companies since 2017 to discuss ways they could help, including as recently as last week, Jarmin said. So far, the bureau has gotten initial commitments from Alphabet Incs Google, Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc to help quash disinformation campaigns online, according to documents summarizing some of those meetings reviewed by Reuters. But neither Census nor the companies have said how advanced any of the efforts are. Facebook spokesman Adam Stone confirmed the meetings with Census, but did not provide details of any agreed action. Twitter and Google declined to comment. The bureau has also embarked on an online landgrab to control census look-alike websites, according to Census officials. These sites could end up in the hands of people who want to dissuade some portions of the population from responding to the survey. We came up with a list of 20 to 30 URLs that we wanted to make sure we owned, said Census spokesman Stephen Buckner, adding the bureau had done the same before the 2010 count to mitigate confusion about where to go. Census controls at least two non-government websites with census in the name - 2020census.com and 2020census.org - through marketing firm Reingold, Buckner said. The Census Bureau, until now, has kept mostly mum about how it plans to counter disinformation. The efforts highlight the challenges posed by the internet age to the decennial gathering of data on Americas population. So-called fake news strategies can take myriad forms, according to cyber experts: posing as a demographic group to convey false information under the guise of advocacy; spreading false data by doctoring ads and news stories, or circulating bogus information to drum up fear and opposition. Jarmin said activists could target the census mostly through attempts to get them to not participate, either by scaring them or telling them its not important, or that something they had already done - like paying their taxes - had completed the census. HELP FROM SILICON VALLEY Former Census Director John Thompson, who left the bureau in 2017, remembers his first briefing about the disinformation threat - shortly after the 2016 presidential election - and said it was the bureaus catalyst to act. Thompson said he had invited data expert Danah Boyd to speak to top officials in 2016. boyd, who stylizes her name lowercase, said she was seeing chatter on the dark web in white supremacist and other communities about wanting to disrupt the count, according to Thompson and two other people in the room, who declined to be named. boyd declined to be interviewed about her presentation. Thompson declined to provide details of threats outlined at the meeting, but called them chilling. One of the sources present said Boyd discussed efforts by far-right actors and foreign governments to use disinformation campaigns to discourage minorities from participating. A year later, the Census Bureau organized a forum in Silicon Valley, partly about the 2020 disinformation threat, which was attended by Boyd, locally elected officials and representatives from tech companies including Twitter, Uber Technologies and Microsoft Corp. During that gathering, Census officials also visited Facebook and Google campuses to meet with executives. According to notes from the 2017 meetings reviewed by Reuters, Google told Census it would consider creating a bespoke census-related search project. Twitter also agreed to help mitigate misinformation, according to the notes. At a meeting with Facebook, Census officials discussed allowing the company to join conversations between Census and the U.S. Department of Defense about security; creating Facebook groups on census topics; and training Census workers through Facebook technology, according to the notes. Census has held subsequent meetings with these companies, including as recently as this month, according to Census officials. It remains unclear how many of these ideas Census and tech companies have put into action. Census Jarmin said: There were some hits from those meetings, and some things that didnt pan out. Reuters Lawyers for Elon Musk and the US Securities and Exchange Commission will square off in a Manhattan courtroom next week over whether the Tesla Inc chief executive should be held in contempt over one of his tweets. US District Judge Alison Nathan scheduled oral argument on an SEC contempt motion for 4 April at 2 pm EDT (1800 GMT), after both sides said they saw no need for an evidentiary hearing. Musk was accused by the SEC of violating his October 2018 fraud settlement with the regulator by tweeting on 19 February to his more than 24 million Twitter followers that Tesla could build around 500,000 vehicles in 2019. The SEC said that tweet was improper because Musk did not get advance approval from Tesla. Musks lawyers have said the tweet was not material, and merely restated a target for his Palo Alto, California-based electric car company that he had discussed publicly in January. John Hueston, a lawyer for Musk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The SEC did not immediately respond to a similar request. The settlement was intended to resolve a lawsuit over a Twitter post last 7 August in which Musk said he had funding secured to take Tesla private at $420 a share. It called for Musk and Tesla to each pay $20 million civil fines, and for Musk to step down as Teslas chairman. Reuters EU nations will be required to share data on 5G cybersecurity risks and produce measures to tackle them by the end of the year, the European Commission said on Tuesday, shunning US calls to ban Chinas Huawei Technologies across the bloc. The aim is to use tools available under existing security rules plus cross-border cooperation, the blocs executive body said, leaving it to individual EU countries to decide whether they want to ban any company on national security grounds. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Portugal are all preparing to auction 5G licenses this year while six other countries will do so next year. The European Union move came despite US pressure to boycott Huawei, citing fears of China using the companys equipment for espionage. Huawei has strongly rejected the allegations and launched a lawsuit against the US government. The EU provided additional detail on the plans first reported by Reuters on 22 March, with European digital chief Andrus Ansip saying that the measures announced on Tuesday aimed to address concerns about foreign governments using companies for espionage. Last week French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe was wakening up to potential Chinese dominance in the region. Ansip said that 5G technology would transform the economy and society, but that this cannot happen without full security built in. It is therefore essential that 5G infrastructures in the EU are resilient and fully secure from technical or legal backdoors, Ansip said in a statement. Risk Assessment EU countries have until the end of June to assess cybersecurity risks related to 5G, leading to a bloc-wide assessment by 1 October. Using this, EU countries would then have to agree measures to mitigate risks by the end of the year. Such measures could include certification requirements and tests of products or suppliers regarded as potential security risks. The bloc will decide by 1 October, 2020, whether to take further action. The EU has already passed a new law to give permanent status to the EU Cybersecurity Agency and to guide on cybersecurity certification. Huawei described the EUs approach as objective and proportionate. Its comments were echoed by telecoms lobby group GSMA, which includes 300 operators worldwide, while the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association emphasized the importance of a fact-based and harmonized policy. Deutsche Telekom, meanwhile, said it is open to exchanging data with other operators to improve network security as the industry moves towards super-fast 5G technology. Large telecoms operators, which view 5G as the next big moneyspinner, oppose a Huawei ban, saying that such a move could set back 5G deployment by years. World No.1 telecoms equipment maker Huawei, which competes with Swedens Ericsson and Finnish company Nokia, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and U.S.-led allegations that its equipment could be used for spying. Australia and New Zealand have stopped operators using Huawei equipment in their 5G networks. But in a separate boost for Huawei on Tuesday, it was announced that Bahrain, headquarters of the US Navys Fifth Fleet, plans to roll out a commercial 5G mobile network by June, partly using Huawei technology. tech2 News Staff Google has been investing in artificial intelligence (AI) research for a while now. Google AI labs are spread across the world in 18 locations. One of these AI labs is operational in Beijing, China, since 2017. That hasn't gone down too well with the US military establishment which has accused Google of "indirectly helping the Chinese military." To that effect, Google CEO Sundar Pichai is expected to meet General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington DC on Wednesday. According to a report in Bloomberg, while the Department of Defence (DoD) spokesperson has confirmed the meeting of General Dunford with a senior Google official, no names were revealed. Google is also expected to address the staff of the Homeland Security Committee next Monday, about the major points of the meeting with Dunford. The bone of contention, according to the report, seems to be Google's refusal to partner with the US military with regards to AI. Last June, Google said that Project Maven contract, which helped US military analyse aerial drone imagery, would not be renewed after it expired in March 2019. Project Maven had set off a revolt inside Google, as factions of employees opposed Google technology being used in warfare. The dissidents said it clashed with the companys stated principle of doing no harm and cited risks around using a nascent artificial intelligence technology in lethal situations. Google is helping China and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible! The good news is that they helped Crooked Hillary Clinton, and not Trump....and how did that turn out? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2019 The Pentagon and the Chinese military are both major buyers of AI-based services. What makes matters difficult for Google is that its competitors such as Amazon and Microsoft have justified their need to support the US military with AI, even as they help China with AI services. Even US President Donald Trump has accused Google of helping China and its military. Google denied these claims stating, "We are not working with the Chinese military. We are working with the US government, including the Department of Defense, in many areas including cybersecurity, recruiting and healthcare. Google's Beijing AI lab website states that it is working on educational initiatives, research on natural language understanding, user experience and development of TensorFlow Google's open source coding library which lets engineers and companies run AI programs to automate tasks. The reasoning behind Google's Beijing AI centre has been to hire the best talent in AI, irrespective of where it is. Google executive at the time Fei-Fei Li had mentioned in a 2017 blog post after the opening of the Beijing AI centre, "AI and its benefits have no borders." Amazon and Microsoft followed Google in 2018, announcing their own AI labs in China. While China still lags the US in terms of key AI talent, it is a country that gets a lot of AI funding. According to Dunford, the meeting wasn't going to be about Google, but about the "second- and third-order effects of our business ventures in China, Chinese form of government and the impact it's going to have on the United States' ability to maintain a competitive military advantage." Kshitij Pujari Alphabet Incs Google said on Tuesday it was launching a global advisory council to consider ethical issues around artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The council, which is slated to publish a report at the end of 2019, includes technology experts, digital ethicists, and people with public policy backgrounds, Kent Walker, Googles senior vice president for global affairs, said at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology conference. The group is meant to provide recommendations for Google and other companies and researchers working in areas such as facial recognition software, a form of automation that has prompted concerns about racial bias and other limitations. We want to have the most informed and thoughtful conversations we can, Walker said on stage at the MIT Technology Review event in San Francisco. We want to sit down with the council and see what agenda they want to set. Google already has its own internal AI principles, which, among other provisions, bars the California-based tech firm from using AI to develop weapons. The eight-member Advanced Technology External Advisory Council includes Joanna Bryson, an associate professor in computing at the University of Bath; William J. Burns, a former U.S. deputy secretary of state, and Dyan Gibbens, chief executive of Houston-based drone startup Trumbull, according to a Google blog post. The council will meet four times, beginning in April, the blog post said. tech2 News Staff Huawei took the wrap off its 2019 flagship P30 series yesterday in Paris. While the Chinese tech firm was expected to showcase a bunch of accessories alongside, to one's wonder the company surprised the audience with a pair of smart eyewear. Smart eyewear in 2019 might seem nothing out of the box given tech giants like Google, Microsoft and startups like North have already touched this segment a few years ago. But Huawei has managed bits of technology in the frames of this minimalistic designed smart eyewear. The new Huawei smart eyewear has been designed in collaboration with luxury eyewear company Gentle Monster. The smart eyewear was showcased by Gentle Monster's CEO Hankook Kim who took a jab on Snapchat Spectacles and even claimed that this eyewear will make someone look more handsome. Hail Rayban, Tom Ford? The future is now! Together with Gentle Monster we have joined forces to take your wearable intelligence to the next level with #HUAWEI X GENTLE MONSTER EYEWEAR. pic.twitter.com/MrgO2esXK4 Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) March 26, 2019 Few interesting integrations on the smart glasses are its AI assistant operation, dual-semi open speakers. Users can answer calls as well by simply tapping the temple of the glasses to pick calls through the dual mics and speakers. The smart eyewear can play music as well and AI assistant can provide alerts, 'audio cues'. The semi-open design is said to eliminate sound leakage when audio is played on the eyewear. But how effective are the dual-semi open speakers that remain to be seen. The smart eyewear from Huawei has voice-assistant access built-in. It has a battery capacity bigger than certain iPhones. The smart eyewear peg a big 2,200 mAh battery (for smart glass) and can be charged wirelessly with the 'companion' case that uses NFC based contactless charging technology. The glasses are IP67 rated dust and water resistant. Pricing details about the new Huawei eyewear haven't been shared yet. The smart eyewear will arrive in several models and will hit store shelves sometime in July this year. tech2 News Staff A few days ago, Nokia smartphones were caught sending unencrypted user data to China. The investigation was carried out by the Norwegian technology blog NRKbeta. NRK found that the server was associated with China Telecom and the data was being sent in 'unencrypted format' by a Nokia 7 Plus (review) device. After this, the information was also confirmed by the Finnish data protection watchdog who said that some Nokia phones were sending user data to a Chinese server, which belongs to China. Now the HMD Global has also acknowledged to accidentally sending personal information of Nokia 7 Plus users. As per the report in The Sun, HMD Global also claims that no personal "identifiable information" has been shared with third parties. The issue is said to have plagued only a "single batch" of Nokia 7 Plus units. While this certainly concerns Nokia phone users, HMD Global said that the issue was caused by "an error in the software packaging process in a single batch of one device model". Reports state that information disclosed via this incident can even be used to track down individuals. Also, NRKbeta claims that this private data was sent to China for months before Nokia fixed the problem in February. Apparently, the security patch for the issue has been downloaded on all the devices and users can check if their phone has been updated through this online guide. Nokia now might join other tech companies and be under the radar of Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as the GDPR limits exporting of user data outside of the EU. tech2 News Staff Samsung's in-house mobile platform, Exynos 9610 is based on the company's 10nm FinFET process. The mid-range SoC which is found on a few Samsung smartphones, including the recently launched Galaxy A50 has neural network engine and deep-learning based image processing support. While the Exynos 9610 SoC is fabricated on a 10nm process, a new report suggests that its successor, the Exynos 9710 mobile platform will be based on an 8nm node. The information comes from reputed tipster Ice Universe who claims that the upcoming Exynos mobile platform will have 4x Cortex-A76 cores. As per the tipster, the Exynos 9710 SoC will likely have 4x Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.1 GHz and 4x Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz. The chipset is said to be paired with a Mali-G76 MP8 running at 650 MHz. Reports speculate that the CPU and GPU performance will boost on the Exynos 9710 compared to the Exynos 9610 as it will be based on an 8 nm process. But given these are initial leaks, we would suggest you take these early inputs with a grain of salt. To recall, Samsung's mid-range Exynos 9610 SoC was launched in March last year. The chip is designed to offer advance slow-mo recording at 480 frames per second. The chipset supports 4K video recording at up to 120 fps in HEVC (H.265) format. The Exynos 9610 SoC has ISP that enhances performance by 1.6 times. The chip features four Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.3 GHz and four Cortex-A53 ticking at 1.6 GHz. Recent reports suggest that the Lenovo-owned brand Motorola might equip Samsung's Exynos 9610 chip on two upcoming smartphones. The phones in question are said to arrive as Android One offerings. One of the Android devices is said to be named as 'Motorola One Vision'. As per reports, the Motorola One Vision will likely feature a 6.2-inch full HD+ (2,520 x 1080 pixels) resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. The phone is expected to run Android 9.0 Pie OS and come in two RAM/storage options. Further reports indicate that the phone might arrive under a different moniker 'Motorola P40' in China. If you binge on a lot of video content, the Galaxy M30 is your best bet under Rs 15,000. Samsung has been off the pace when it comes to budget phones for a few years now and the company's new Galaxy M Series is a serious push towards setting things right in 2019. As with the Galaxy M10 and M20 launched earlier this year, the Galaxy M30 aims to offer good value at a price of Rs 14,990. Something that the Korean giant hasn't really tried over the past few years. The competition when it comes to the Rs 15,000 budget range does heat up quite a bit. We have smartphones from the likes of Xiaomi, Realme, Asus and even Honor competing to grab eyeballs, and Samsung's Galaxy M30 gets right into the mix with what it packs. Coming from the Galaxy M10 and M20, the Galaxy M30 slots right above the Galaxy M20 and packs in a gorgeous Super AMOLED display instead of LCD, a mammoth 5,000 mAh battery and triple rear cameras that certainly pack a punch. It's certainly a great phone, but does it do enough to topple the mighty Redmi Note 7 Pro? The best display on a budget smartphone I can comfortably state, and with conviction, that the Galaxy M30 has the best display (by some margin) on a phone that is priced under Rs 15,000. Samsung does make the best OLED panels for smartphones and it doesn't surprise me that the display on the Galaxy M30 is an absolute joy to look at. The colours are punchy, the saturation levels are remarkable and the display gets bright enough to blind you for a few seconds if you suddenly flick the phone out of your pocket in the dark. Like the Galaxy M10 and M20, Samsung's packed in a 6.4-inch Infinity-U display here with slim bezels. If you're coming from an LCD panel and you love watching videos, the Galaxy M30 is an absolute treat. If you don't like the way the colours turn out on the display by default, Samsung also throws in a bunch of display profiles to choose from in the display settings. I personally prefer the 'AMOLED photo' display profile but I did come across a couple of people at least who would rather leave the display at 'Adaptive', so that does boil down to preference. Samsung also throws in a couple of handy options like a blue-light filter toggle and the option of changing font style and size if you want to. The only niggle I had is with the auto-brightness feature which failed on me so often that I found myself turning the feature off within a day's use. Two-day battery life with heavy usage The Galaxy M30 packs a 5,000 mAh battery unit and while that sounds like a lot, we have seen phones like the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 pack similar units in the past. But the AMOLED display on the Galaxy M30 and the Exynos 7904 SoC make miracles happen, as far as battery life is concerned anyway. Even with hours of video watching on mobile data, I was able to drain only a meagre amount of the battery. Add to that an hour of music streaming on Spotify, a couple of hundred WhatsApp messages, Slack, two mail accounts running in the background, selfies and photos every now and then and about half an hour worth of voice calls, I still managed two full days before I reached for the charger (the M30 still had 6 percent juice). Samsung's bundled a type-C fast charger (about 18 W) in the box but since this is a big battery to fill, it did take me two hours and 25 minutes on average to charge the phone completely. But then again, I wouldn't complain with such a stellar battery life. Triple-cameras that could have been better A triple-camera setup on a budget phone is unheard of but Samsung's done that with the Galaxy M30. It was definitely something I was eager to put to the test since the last triple-camera Samsung smartphone I'd tried out was the Galaxy A7. Well, I was a tad disappointed with what Samsung could have done with such impressive hardware but the cameras on the Galaxy M30 definitely do a decent job overall. However, pitted against the Redmi Note 7 Pro (review), the performance does fall short. The phone packs a 13 MP f/1.9 primary camera supported by a 5 MP f/2.2 depth sensor and a 5 MP f/2.2 ultrawide-angle lens. Now, images shot in daylight turn out well with great contrast levels and natural-looking shades. Samsung does give you an easier way to turn on HDR but you can head to settings and turn that to 'Auto' if you like. Focusing is fast and the wide-angle lens is a nice option to have if you're trying to squeeze in more into the shot. Images shot using the wide-angle lens do turn out horribly distorted at times though and Samsung does have a 'shape corrector' to let you fix the distortion. However, there were occasions when the images were just too distorted to fix. The portrait mode (live-focus as Samsung calls it) works well with great edge detection and a very natural-looking separation of the background from the subject. The background blur looks quite natural and I love the fact that you can alter the level of background blur even after taking the picture. Here's a portrait mode comparison against the Redmi Note 7 Pro and the Samsung's Galaxy A30. In low light, the camera does well when you have a light source illuminating the subject but once you move to darker situations, you will notice a lot of noise which is aggressively dealt with, as it is on most smartphones. The resulting image is therefore washed out with little to no detail. Adding a night mode here would be really helpful though. As for the 16 MP f/2.0 front camera, I was really pleased with the selfies, both in daylight as well as in tricky lighting conditions. Definitely, a thumbs up here if you click a lot of selfies. The 'live focus' mode also works well here and a dedicated sticker mode was also worth a try. You can check out high-res images clicked by the Galaxy M30 here. As for video, the resolution is capped at 1080p 60fps but EIS (electronic image stabilisation) works well here and you'll enjoy shooting some steady clips using the Galaxy M30. A tall yet grippy device which could have been designed better The Galaxy M30 may not be a smartphone that will wow you with its looks but Samsung has tried to make it look appealing in its unique way. What would otherwise look like a very dull phone, has an odd, dual-tone gradient finish which might not be breathtaking to look at but does make the phone stick out in a crowd. The frame and back of the phone have been moulded completely out of plastic and though we understand Samsung wanted to cut costs on materials, the Galaxy M30 could have been designed better. The phone does feel rigid otherwise though. The rounded back also helps a great deal in gripping the phone, something which is a worry with glass on phones these days. The back does have a glossy finish, which means that you will have to throw a case on if you don't want scratches to show within a day or two. Talking about scratches, there no camera bump on the Galaxy M30, which means that you won't have to worry too much about scratching the camera lenses. Now, the Galaxy M30 is not a small phone. It features a large 6.4-inch display and a mammoth 5,000 mAh battery but Samsung's been able to keep the weight fairly low. This has definitely been aided by the use of plastic but is still remarkable nonetheless. No 'OneUI' but Samsung's 'Experience UI' has gotten marginally better Something that distinguishes Samsung's new Galaxy A series from the M Series is the inclusion of OneUI. With the Galaxy M30, you're still stuck on Android Oreo 8.1 with the company's old Experience UI. I did receive a software update while reviewing the phone which updated the Android Security patch to February 2019 but apart from that, there nothing that we haven't seen before on Samsung phones. That said, the software does feel fairly well-optimised and I did not come across any major stuttering with normal usage. You do see some stutter when using multi-window mode and when playing games. Having used the Galaxy A30 for a while, OneUI does feel far snappier to use, so this certainly isn't a performance issue. Switching to a third-party launcher could help your cause but I really hope Samsung plans on bring OneUI to the M Series phones. As for additions like face unlock, the feature does work fairly well with a decent amount of accuracy for an unsecure, 2D-based system. The Exynos 7904 chip isnt a good bet for PUBG fans Samsung's stuck with the same 14nm Exynos 7904 we saw on the Galaxy M20 and while it handles daily messaging apps and web browsing just fine, it's certainly doesn't handle heavy games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt very well. The phone also begins to stutter every now and then while trying to use the multi-window feature, which was a mild disappointment. RAM management on the 4 GB / 64 GB unit we have for review was good and I could toggle between multiple apps with relative ease. The single, bottom-firing speaker gets fairly loud and the output off the 3.5 mm jack was also quite pleasing. The fingerprint scanner on the back is also fairly fast but we have seen faster scanners on phones in the same budget. The earpiece on the front may be small, but I didn't have any issues worth noting while taking phone calls. Verdict The bright and punchy display coupled with the brilliant battery life certainly makes the Galaxy M30 a great pick for those who love watching a lot of videos on their phone. With Widevine L1 certification essential for HD streaming on apps like Netflix, and a rarity among budget phones this phone certainly has you covered for HD streaming on all the popular streaming platforms out there. If you are picking the Galaxy M30 for its cameras, you won't be disappointed. The M30 does a great job with selfies and portrait shots and the wide-angle lens here is a definite bonus. It's only in low-light that you see the phone choke a bit. But again, this is a Rs 14,990 phone, and at this price, the M30 certainly packs a punch. Overall, the Galaxy M30 does come across as a good device for the price. Its only major drawback is performance, which will be a factor if you are a gamer or a heavy multi-tasker. However, you do have a number of other options to choose from including the Honor 10 Lite, the Oppo K1 (review) and also the Realme 2 Pro (review). The Redmi Note 7 Pro, though, for the time being, still keeps its crown. Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison. Press Trust of India In a first, the Hubble Space Telescope has beamed back images documenting the birth of a giant storm on Neptune, a finding that may reveal insights on the inner workings of the poorly-understood ice giant planets, NASA said. Like Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Neptune's Great Dark Spots are storms that form from areas of high atmospheric pressure. In contrast, storms on Earth form around areas of low pressure. Scientists have seen a total of six dark spots on Neptune over the years. Voyager 2 identified two storms in 1989. Since Hubble launched in 1990, it has viewed four more of these storms, NASA said in a statement. Researchers analysed Hubble's photos of the ice giant taken over the past several years and chronicled the growth of a new Great Dark Spot that became visible in 2018. By studying companion clouds that showed up two years before the new Great Dark Spot, the researchers conclude dark spots originate much deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought. The Hubble images also helped the researchers pinpoint how often Neptune gets dark spots and how long they last. The findings not only give scientists insights on the inner workings of the ice giant planets but also have implications for studying exoplanets of similar size and composition. "If you study the exoplanets and you want to understand how they work, you really need to understand our planets first," said Amy Simon, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in the US. "We have so little information on Uranus and Neptune," said Simon, lead author of the study published in journal Geophysical Research Letters. Scientists first saw a Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 1989, when NASA's Voyager 2 probe flew past the mysterious blue planet. As the spacecraft zoomed by, it snapped pictures of two giant storms brewing in Neptune's southern hemisphere. Scientists dubbed the storms "The Great Dark Spot" and "Dark Spot 2." Just five years later, the Hubble Space Telescope took sharp images of Neptune that revealed both the Earth-sized Great Dark Spot and the smaller Dark Spot 2 had vanished. A new Great Dark Spot appeared on Neptune in 2018, nearly identical in size and shape to the one Voyager saw in 1989. Researchers were analysing Hubble images of a smaller dark spot that appeared in 2015 when they discovered small, bright white clouds in the region where the 2018 Great Dark Spot would later appear. "We were so busy tracking this smaller storm from 2015, that we weren't necessarily expecting to see another big one so soon," Simon said. The high-altitude clouds are made up of methane ice crystals, which give them their characteristic bright white colour. Scientists suspect these methane clouds accompany the storms that form dark spots, hovering above them the way lenticular clouds cap tall mountains on Earth. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been facing pressure from India and internationally after a deadly suicide attack on security personnel on February 14 in Pulwama carried out by terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed organising from its soil. However, Khan has understood that Pakistan can now no longer allow any terror groups to operate from his country. After facing international pressure following Pulwama attack and an air strike carried out by India, Imran Khan fears further military hostilities with India in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. We cannot take the stance any more where you have these armed groups in our country We cant afford being blamed for any terrorist activity, like Pulwama, like what happened, Pakistan PM Imran Khan said in an interview to Financial Times. Khan claimed that he is still apprehensive that something might happen before the Lok Sabha polls in India. Pakistan Khan describes that India as gripped with war hysteria, Pakistan PM told FT in the interview: Im still apprehensive before the elections, I feel that something could happen. Imran Khan who insist that there is no space for terrorism in his naya Pakistan, claims he has conducted several serious crackdowns on terrorist groups in the countrys history. Were already cracking down on them, were already dismantling the whole set-up, he said. What is happening right now has never happened before in Pakistan, he told FT. 12 days after the suicide terror attack in Pulwama claimed by Jaish, on February 26, Indian Air Force conducted air strikes on the terror outfits camp in Pakistans Balakot. 40 CRPF jawans were killed in the deadly terror attack. Also reaD: Pakistan's Imran Khan says Indo-Pak relations to remain tense till elections in India Press Trust of India The government's recent advisory asking states to clamp down on e-cigarettes may not be enough to root them out, say experts, advocating a "special mechanism" to ensure a blanket ban on the devices that many users mistakenly view as a safer alternative to combustible cigarettes. Terming e-cigarettes poisonous and as dangerous as regular cigarettes, the experts said the Centre and state have made efforts but clandestine online portals and dingy shops selling them in nooks and crannies across India's towns continue to function. "Even if the advisory of the government asks states to curb the sale of e-cigarettes in their jurisdiction, it is very difficult to keep a check at the ground level if the sale is happening through small vendors," Dr P C Gupta, director of HEALIS-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Mumbai, told PTI. "There is a need for a special mechanism by the government to keep a tab on the vendors from time to time, he added. On March 12, the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation wrote to all drug controllers in states and Union territories to not allow the manufacture, sale, import and advertisement of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes and flavoured hookahs, in their jurisdictions. The move was in concert with several other organisations. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, too, proposed an amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2018 to ban the advertisement of e-cigarettes. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs also issued a circular recently, directing that all import consignments of e-cigarettes must be cleared first by the drug controller. There is no legislation to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes in the country, experts have said while calling for a blanket ban. "E-cigarettes are just a mechanism to deliver nicotine in an attractive format. They are marketed as a harm reduction product which is contrary to the truth. They do not fall within the scope of existing national legislation on tobacco production, distribution and use yet pose significant health risks that are frighteningly similar to those of conventional cigarettes," said Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay, chief executive, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI). Twelve states have already banned e-cigarettes, she said, stressing on the need for a total ban. Drugs Controller General S Eswara Reddy is hopeful states will fill the existing gaps in the policy on banning e-cigarettes. "We have already given an advisory to all the states and expect the states to take strongest action against the sale of e-cigarettes," Reddy told PTI. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan has written to Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhwan to block JUUL, a western company manufacturing sleek vaping devices like e-cigarettes, from entering India. Smoking e-cigarettes is called vaping. Sudan said the entry of JUUL products, if not prevented, could undermine the efforts taken by the government towards tobacco control. Other experts have also called for a special arrangement by the government to keep a tab on unorganised vendors and the online sale of e-cigarettes. According to Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital, people consuming e-cigarettes will add to the cancer burden of India. "Any nicotine product should be taken under strict medical supervision for controlling withdrawal symptoms during cessation therapy. I laud the government of India for taking a tough stand against these newer nicotine delivery devices," he said. "However, it should ensure there are no loopholes at the ground level by leaving a space for small vendors to sell it illegally," he said. E-cigarettes are also fast becoming a fashion statement for the young. The constant introduction of new products, each with its own list of ingredients, that are marketed as smart alternatives to smoking pose a huge challenge. Studies have found that the percentage of students who initiate e-cigarettes and hookah smoking before 10 years of age has increased from 26 percent to 45 percent in the last one and half decade. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there were 14 lakh cancer patients in 2016. Of these, the highest number of cases was of lung and oral cancer, which is often caused by tobacco and smoking. The VHAI, which is a New Delhi-based public health organisation, has also taken up the cause. A recent study by the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago, investigated the effect that e-cigarettes have on the endothelial cells, that line the inside of the body's blood vessels. Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide, a molecule that helps keep the blood vessels healthy and controls blood pressure levels. Several countries, including Mauritius, Australia, Singapore, Korea (Democratic People's Republic, Sri Lanka and Thailand among others, have banned ENDS in their countries. M C Misra, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said the government should come down hard upon the companies for advertisements that show e-cigarettes as less harmful than tobacco. It is proved that e-tobacco cannot be used as a cessation method. The advertisements that say this should be banned and face actions, Misra said. A Pakistani man has claimed that a Hindu woman, who authorities said was a minor and abducted by four armed men, has converted to Islam and married him in Sindh province Islamabad: A Pakistani man has claimed that a Hindu woman, who authorities said was a minor and abducted by four armed men, has converted to Islam and married him in Sindh province, amidst uproar over a similar case involving two teenage girls from the minority community. His claim came a day after the provincial Minorities Affairs Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal directed authorities to register an FIR of the abduction and provide protection to the girl's family. The FIR was registered on Tuesday after the girl's father complained that his 14-year-old daughter was abducted from their house by four armed men, three of whom were unidentified, on 17 March from her residence in Badin district. However, the man came forward with the claim that she is now his wife after converting to Islam, Dawn reported. He sent documents to journalists, claiming that he has married the girl after she converted to Islam at the hands of Pir Jan Agha Khan Sarhandi on March 17 at his seminary in Samaro town, the report said. The man, who hails from Umerkot district, also rejected her father's claim that she was a minor, saying that the girl was 19 years old, it said. The incident came amidst nationwide outrage over abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two underage Hindi girls in Ghotki district in Sindh. Raveena, 13, and Reena, 15, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage. The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday ordered official protection for the two girls due to concern about their safety as authorities widened a probe to ascertain if the teenage sisters were abducted, forcibly converted and married. Police arrested the cleric who solemnised the wedding and six others for their alleged involvement in the girls' forceful conversion to Islam. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province. According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province. Commenting on the case, rights activist Mukesh Meghwar alleged that Hindu girls were being kidnapped and forced to convert under a "deep-seated" conspiracy. EU's passing of the law will come as a huge disappointment for internet freedom activists. In a final vote, the European Parliament has passed the controversial new Copyright Directive, which impacts the linking to news as well as the publication of copyrighted content by intermediaries. This directive includes Article 11 which has been called as the 'link tax' and Article 13 which has been called the 'upload filter', 'meme killer', among other things. As per this report, the EU Parliament voted 348 votes in favour and 274 against the Directive. Around 36 voters remained absent. The next step, based on the EU procedure, will be the finalisation of the text of the law by the European Council, followed by the publication of the final text in the Official Journal of the EU, following which each national government in the EU will enact individual laws implementing the directive. The Directive, officially known as the Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market, had met with major protests from internet activists, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, due to the restrictive impact it will have on publications. The law, however, primarily impacts publication and related activities within EU, and will not affect publications elsewhere. For those wondering about the impact the law has for India, its main impact will be for content creators or service providers with a European audience, who will now need to ensure that their content adheres to the requirements of the new law. What is Article 13? The primary provision of the new law that creates these concerns is Article 13, which impacts the provision of access to copyrighted content by information society service providers. This term refers to most intermediaries, like YouTube, Google, etc. Officially, it refers to a service provider providing a service, at a distance, by electronic means, and at the individual request of the recipient of services (Article 1(2) of EU Directive on Information Society Services). In addition to Article 13, another provision creating concern is Article 11, which protects press publications (also known as the link law) and impacts activities such as Google News linking to news articles. The fundamental requirement of Article 13 is that any service providers who provide access to copyrighted content online, must ensure that proper licenses to such works are obtained from the owners of the copyright. This would apply to any kind of copyrighted content, be it audio, video, written materials, software code, photographs, etc. The law, further, requires the service providers to adopt methods to either verify that such agreements are in place or to prevent the upload of content where this is not possible. The aim of the law is to ensure that copyright owners receive a proper share of the revenues earned by such service providers and others through the use of their content. Dark day for internet freedom: The @Europarl_EN has rubber-stamped copyright reform including #Article13 and #Article11. MEPs refused to even consider amendments. The results of the final vote: 348 in favor, 274 against #SaveYourInternet pic.twitter.com/8bHaPEEUk3 Julia Reda (@Senficon) March 26, 2019 Failure of content filtering systems like Content ID While the aim of the law may be the benefit of copyright holders, the main concern is with how it will be implemented in practice. To understand the difference the law makes, first consider a streaming service like Spotify, where the content that is uploaded is licensed. Compare this with YouTube, which allows the upload of a wide range of content, which may or may not be licensed, and may include a wide range of works that fall into exemptions or grey areas under copyright law. This can include memes, parody, critiques, educational content, use of works in the public domain, etc. The primary concern of foundations like the EFF are that given the huge volumes of content that is uploaded per second on platforms like YouTube, the primary method that will be resorted to comply with the new law will be through automated content monitoring and filtering systems like ContentID. Years of experience with ContentID has shown that it is just as likely to flag legal content, as it is illegal content. Of particular concern is with content that falls into the exemptions or grey areas of copyright laws, and the limitations of such automated systems in identifying such content as fair use. It may, for instance, flag personal content like a home video that has a copyrighted song playing in the background, the upload of a picture of a book (since the cover is copyrighted), the creation of memes, even the use of content that is in the public domain or under free or open source licensing, etc.. An example of this is this report of how the system flagged videos using NASAs Mars videos, which are in the public domain, but were claimed as copyrighted content by someone. Another particular concern of users is that the system of recourse against such flagging is inadequate. Large-scale monitoring and likely censorship Creating a system that allows the large-scale monitoring of content while also ensuring the protection of free speech rights of the people is a huge challenge, and one that systems developed so far have been unable to address. Though the new law requires the system adopted to be appropriate and proportionate, and requires adequate grievance redressal systems to be in place, it doesnt specify how this is to be done. It is thus unclear what systems would meet the requirements of the law, and whether the protections to the peoples rights like free speech or the addressing of the failures of such systems will be adequate. The new law, thus, is likely to see a large-scale adoption of the existing systems until a more effective one can evolve, and is thereby likely to lead to censorship as well as an infringement of the rights of the people. In one of the most contentious decisions in the European Unions history, the European Parliament today voted to approve a directive that undermines Internet users' ability to share their work and creates new limits on their ability to link, quote, and critique the news. EFF (@EFF) March 26, 2019 Impact globally and for India Since this is an EU law, its impact is territorially limited to the EU, and its main impact will be for the provision of access to such content, by service providers, within the EU. India and other countries, however, will not be completely immune from its effects, since the global nature of the internet means that many in these countries will have a European base, which they cannot afford to lose. An example is of content creators with a large European audience, who will now have to ensure that any content they create does not fall afoul of the systems adopted by the tech companies to deal with the content they host. Similarly, any Indian hosting provider, app, website, or other service provider that provides access to online content, will have to ensure compliance with the new law in relation to the content that can be accessed in the EU. Such persons or the tech companies may thus need to differentiate between content that can be accessed from the EU and content accessed from elsewhere. Apart from this, if the tech companies decide to implement the technologies like content filters at a global level, as opposed to an EU level, then any content uploaded anywhere will meet with the same issue. Safeguarding free speech and other rights Evidence is arising time and again of the changing role of intermediaries in relation to content, such as the draft Indian intermediary guidelines which requires automated content filtering. It is a concern that these new laws, in their bid to impose more liability on such companies and to ensure the removal of illegal content, are often failing to adequately account for other factors like protecting the rights of the people (like free speech), as well as providing adequate recourse against the failures of the systems adopted to implement the law. Without this, instead of safeguarding the rights of the people, such laws may land up leading to their infringement. The passing of the law will come as a huge disappointment for internet freedom activists. The main concern at this stage will be to see what form the law takes when it is enacted by national governments, such as whether there will be any additional safeguards, and to see thereafter what measures tech companies take to implement the law. The author is a lawyer specialising in technology, privacy and cyber laws. By Eric M. Johnson, David Shepardson and Allison Lampert SEATTLE/WASHINGTON/MONTREAL (Reuters) - Boeing engineers armed with laptops and thumb drives will be able to upload a crucial software fix for the 737 MAX anti-stall system in about an hour. By Eric M. Johnson, David Shepardson and Allison Lampert SEATTLE/WASHINGTON/MONTREAL (Reuters) - Boeing engineers armed with laptops and thumb drives will be able to upload a crucial software fix for the 737 MAX anti-stall system in about an hour. That's the easy part. Before Boeing's workhorse of the future can resume flying, the upgrade must first be approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and then by wary regulators around the globe who have grounded it in the wake of two deadly crashes. Regulators in China, Europe and Canada have signalled they will not rubber stamp an FAA decision to allow the planes back into the air but conduct their own reviews. With the FAA under pressure for its role in certifying the newest 737, and other regulators challenging its leadership of the airline safety system, Boeing's money-spinning jet could remain parked for months. "We are guessing this thing's not going to be put to bed until the July or August time frame," said Charlie Smith, chief investment officer at Fort Smith Capital Group, which holds shares in Boeing. The world's largest planemaker has been working on the upgrade for its MCAS stall-prevention system since October's Lion Air crash, when pilots are believed to have lost a tug of war with software that repeatedly pushed the nose down. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told the U.S. Senate Tuesday in written testimony that the agency will agree to allow the 737 MAX to return to service "only when the FAAs analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate." Boeing formally submitted a proposed MCAS software enhancement to the FAA for certification on Jan. 21, Elwell's testimony said. Prior to certification, the FAA was "directly involved" in the review of the MCAS system but "time yields more data to be applied for continued analysis and improvement." Boeing's flagship new single-aisle jet was grounded globally after a second crash in Ethiopia this month prompted concerns over possible similarities. As a first step towards resuming flights and unfreezing deliveries, Boeing plans to provide more than 200 airlines and regulators with details on software and training on Wednesday. Once the new software is approved, adding it will only take an hour per plane, according to an FAA official. But the overall task could stretch on far longer. The FAA and Boeing will have to redo some analyses - including a formal functional hazard assessment - because they are making changes to a system that was already certified. After the installation, there will be ground testing and flight tests, though how long these take could vary widely. "Clearly there is pressure to get the airplanes ungrounded but there is tremendous pressure to make sure it was done right," the FAA official said. "The last thing in the world you want is to have the thing hurried and then find problems with it." Boeing and the FAA declined to comment. FAA CHALLENGED For decades, nations large and small followed the FAA's lead, but this month many ignored its initial declaration after the second crash that there was no basis to order grounding the aircraft. The agency stood alone among top regulators. First China, then Singapore, Britain and Canada banned flights, before U.S. President Donald Trump announced the MAX would be grounded. Now, the FAA and Boeing must run the gauntlet of increased overseas scrutiny as they try to unground the jet - with China once again in a position to undo the regulatory pecking order. Toughening its public stance, China said on Tuesday it had stopped accepting applications to certify individual MAX jets. Canada, Europe and Turkey have all suggested they will take whatever time is needed to check the software even after the FAA approves it - a move that would normally set a global lead. The shift in regulatory power poses a challenge to Boeings efforts to quickly resolve the crisis, experts said. Increased precautions by global regulators could also have a broad impact on an aviation system that relies on "reciprocity" between the United States, Canada and Europe in recognising each other's expertise in certifying a plane. Having a regulator such as the FAA do the heavy lifting to certify a plane reduces costs and time, since agencies abroad can validate the results and not have to duplicate them. That global system of trust, which helps limit costs and keep flying safe, could be at risk from any perception that the United States failed to act, said Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia. "It just makes the system, innovation and the development of new products all the more expensive." Mike Daniel, a former FAA accident investigator, said the crash revealed weaknesses in Boeing's relations with regulators and airlines abroad. 777X CERTIFICATION CONCERN The FAA's acting head will tell a Senate panel on Wednesday the agencys oversight approach must "evolve" too. But in Canada, Transport Minister Marc Garneau told Reuters Ottawa had already gone further than the FAA following the first crash in October and was ready to move the bar higher again. "So we dont always do things exactly the same. It has to pass the sort of safety threshold from our point of view. And theres nothing wrong with that," he said. Meanwhile, the fallout may spread beyond the 737 family. Certification could be delayed for the larger Boeing 777X, for which Lufthansa is a launch customer, as European regulators give it more a stringent review, the German airline's CEO said. "Overall, foreign authorities will be more thorough in accepting American certifications. I think that for me is one of the outputs of these terrible events in Indonesia and Ethiopia already," Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told reporters. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in SEATTLE, David Shepardson and Jeff Mason in Washington, Allison Lampert in MONTREAL, Tuvan Gumrukcu in ANKARA, Stella Qiu in BEIJING, Brenda Goh in SHANGHAI, Jamie Freed in SINGAPORE, Tracy Rucinski in CHICAGO, Alwyn Scott in NEW YORK and Tim Hepher in PARIS; Writing by Eric M. Johnson, Tim Hepher; Editing by) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. It was outgoing president Barack Obama who first imposed sanctions on Russia and kicked out nearly 35 diplomats as a result of allegations that Russians had hacked the US election in favour of Donald Trump This scandal has been at least four years in the making. It was, after all, the outgoing president Barack Obama who first imposed sanctions on Russia and kicked out nearly 35 diplomats as a result of allegations that Russians had hacked the US election in favour of Donald Trump. Since then that particular story has been on a rock-and-roll ride, from the time an investigation was authorised by the attorney-general in May 2017, headed by former FBI chief Robert Mueller, to the presenting of the final report awaited gleefully by the media. Not that it hasn't been a bit of a let down. As Attorney-General William Barr observed, "the investigation had employed 19 lawyers who were assisted by a team of approximately 40 FBI agents/professionals issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication records, issued almost 50 orders authorising use of pen registers, made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses". Thereafter, all that has been released to the public is a mere couple of paragraphs, which is essentially the summary provided to Congress. But this is US democracy in action some good , some not-so-good, and definitely corroding under the present onslaught. The showcasing of a working democracy was the setting up of the investigation and its mandate. First, a Special Counsel was assigned, rather than an Independent Counsel as in the past, with far greater independence of action. Second, the order stated that the Special Counsel was to investigate any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of Trump; and (ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation;. The third aspect simply referred to "any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. 600.4a". That's the interesting addition and is likely to be the focus of future speculation and Congressional focus. The particular Federal Regulation states, "The jurisdiction of a Special Counsel shall also include the authority to investigate and prosecute federal crimes committed in the course of, and with intent to interfere with, the Special Counsel's investigation, such as perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses That is actually the crux of the whole, and the shameful trail of incidents that followed the beginning of the scandal. This began with the dismissal of then FBI director James Comey who was leading investigations into the allegations of Russian interference, the requested resignation of then attorney-general Jeff Sessions perhaps due to his refusal to intervene in the investigation, the imprisonment on the request of the president, the imprisonment of 'fixer' Michael Cohen for various less-than-savoury reasons including hush payments to women; the arrest of Republican "operative" Paul Manafort, described as a 'hardened criminal' with links to possible Russian intelligence operatives, and within all this and more, the president's attempts to either get some of these individuals off with a pardon, or vilify them when they did make statements to the Counsel. And finally at the end of it all, the president's triumphant declaration that he has been vindicated. This is US democracy at its worst. That particular statement of the president is definitely far from the truth. The attorney-general who will probably receive the homage of precis writers everywhere in summarising the findings of such a massive investigation uses very careful language indeed. The summary of 'Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election' states, "[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." In simple words, the evidence was not enough. Further, it did establish clearly that Russian officials had actively undermined the Hillary Clinton campaign, and multiple efforts by them to 'assist' the one on Trump. Finally, and this is the most damning of all, on the charge of obstruction, it states that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him". Period. None of this is likely to fuzzy up the Trump campaign in the 2020 election. Instead, it will probably be used as political gold to shore up his image as a wronged leader, who had been the target of a witch-hunt. Its worth noting that his position on the Mexican wall and the government shutdown that followed hasn't adversely affected his ratings. Meanwhile, his most recent reactions seem to indicate that he is likely to go after those who targeted him, especially the media. Independent Anchors and analysts need to watch their backs. A lot of this seems familiar. South Asia is no stranger to crass politics and corruption, with even an effort to hide such looting considered unnecessary. In the land of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, it's no longer a surprise. But when this happens within what is still regarded as the most powerful country in the world, it's time to worry. The Mueller investigation is unfortunately an indication that the checks and balances that once operated on a US president could be loosening. A future president desirous of shifting the public gaze from uncomfortable questions could far more easily take the option of starting another war in some remote outpost of the world or end another one precipitately in a cry of "bring the troops home". For India, a future US administration's commitments to Afghanistan, its commitments on Pakistan and its consistence on China are vitally important. None of that is going to be certain anymore, hostage as they are to the more than unusually fragile popularity ratings of candidates on both sides of the spectrum. Expect a rock-and-roll ride on this too. The Justice Department says that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that Donald Trump's campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Washington: A look at where investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him: What do I need to know right now? The Justice Department says that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer. In a four-page letter to Congress, Attorney General William Barr quoted Mueller's report as stating it "does not exonerate" the president on obstruction. Instead, Barr said, it "sets out evidence on both sides of the question." Barr then decided there was insufficient evidence Trump obstructed justice by trying to interfere with Mueller's probe. Congressional Democrats say they want access to all of Mueller's findings and his supporting evidence. Where do we go from here? An exuberant President Donald Trump took a victory lap Tuesday on Capitol Hill, emboldened by the end of the special counsel's Russia probe. Attending a luncheon with Senate Republicans, the president said the attorney general's summary of Mueller's report "could not have been better" and called it his "clean bill of health." Democrats pressed insistently for Mueller's full report. Justice Department officials said more information could be released in "weeks, not months." A former Trump campaign aide central to the early days of the FBI's Russia investigation said the FBI wanted him to wear a wire to record conversations with a professor who had told him the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. George Papadopoulos, the first of five Trump aides to plead guilty and agree to cooperate in Mueller's investigation, told House lawmakers and staff in a closed-door interview last October that he rejected the FBI request. A transcript of that interview was released Tuesday by the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee as part of an ongoing effort to sow doubt about the origins of the FBI's investigation into possible coordination between Russia and Trump's campaign. Did the Trump campaign collude with Russia? According to Mueller, the answer is no. In his letter dated 24 March, Barr quotes from Mueller's report saying his investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." The letter does not detail what Mueller learned about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition period. It also doesn't answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or Congress during the Russia probe. Is Trump out of the woods? No. Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say Trump directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to make illegal hush-money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Trump's inaugural fund. Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe of Trump, an aggressive investigation that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season. Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan. United Nations: Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan. In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolution by a permanent member-state." The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump's decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washington's closest allies Britain and France joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israel's security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. China and Russia spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a US ally in the region. By Amanda Becker (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration has stepped up its attack on the Obamacare healthcare law, telling a federal appeals court it agrees with a ruling by a U.S. judge in Texas that the entire statute is unconstitutional and should be struck down. The Justice Department, in a two-sentence letter to the U.S By Amanda Becker (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration has stepped up its attack on the Obamacare healthcare law, telling a federal appeals court it agrees with a ruling by a U.S. judge in Texas that the entire statute is unconstitutional and should be struck down. The Justice Department, in a two-sentence letter to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals filed on Monday, said it backed U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor's December ruling in Fort Worth finding the Affordable Care Act violated the U.S. Constitution because it required people to buy health insurance. The letter said the Justice Department would file a more extensive legal briefing later. Previously, the Trump administration had said portions of Obamacare should be struck down and others should survive, including a state-led expansion of Medicaid health insurance for the poor. Trump had said he would not cut that aspect when campaigning for the White House, although his 2020 budget proposal slashed the program's funding. O'Connor ruled on a lawsuit brought by a coalition of 20 Republican-led states including Texas, Alabama and Florida that said a Trump-backed change to the U.S. tax code made the law unconstitutional. "The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of healthcare - you watch," Trump told reporters upon arriving at U.S. Capitol on Thursday for lunch with Republican lawmakers. He offered no details. The 2010 healthcare law, seen as the signature domestic achievement of Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, has been a flashpoint of American politics since it passed, with Republicans, including Trump, repeatedly attempting to overturn it. Democrats made defending the law a powerful messaging tool in the run-up to last November's elections, when opinion polls showed that eight in 10 Americans wanted to defend the law's most popular benefits, including protections for insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. The strategy paid off, and Democrats won a 38-seat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. "Americans raised their hand and said, 'We want the Affordable Care Act protected, therefore we're going to vote for the party that says it will protect and preserve and, yes, even expand the Affordable Care Act,'" Representative Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, said at a Thursday news conference about a new bill that would further protect individuals with pre-existing conditions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Trump administration's move to overturn Obamacare will overshadow the White House's claim of victory following the conclusion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. "Mark my words. It's far more important to the American people because it involves their lives and the lives of their families," Schumer said on the Senate floor. Obamacare survived a 2012 legal challenge at the Supreme Court when a majority of justices ruled the individual mandate aspect of the program, which requires individuals to buy insurance or pay a penalty, was a tax that Congress had the authority to impose. In December, U.S. District Judge O'Connor ruled that after Trump signed a $1.5 trillion tax cut package passed by Congress last year that eliminated the penalties, the individual mandate could no longer be considered constitutional. "The taxing authority by Congress that led to the legitimate reason for Obamacare being upheld is gone," White House aide Kellyanne Conway told reporters on Tuesday. "We now have a mandate without a penalty." Conway said Obamacare had not been a "magic elixir" since more than 27.4 million non-elderly individuals in the United States were without health insurance in 2017, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. A group of 17 mostly Democratic-led states including California and New York on Monday argued in court papers that the law was constitutional because the individual mandate is a "lawful choice between buying insurance or doing nothing." About 11.8 million consumers nationwide enrolled in 2018 Obamacare exchange plans, according to the U.S. government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston and Amanda Becker and Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. By Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday signalled scepticism toward letting the judiciary curb the contentious practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to entrench one party in power, as the court appeared divided largely along ideological lines. More than two hours of arguments in major cases from North Carolina and Maryland on the practice known as partisan gerrymandering focused on whether courts should be empowered to block electoral maps when they are drawn by legislators expressly to give one political party a lopsided advantage. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, appointed to the court last year by President Donald Trump, emerged as a potential decisive vote in the rulings due by the end of June, posing questions to both sides. The liberal justices appeared more open toward letting courts intervene. But with the court having a 5-4 conservative margin, there may not be a majority to allow judicial action against gerrymandering, a practice critics have said is only getting worse. The justices last year failed to deliver a definitive ruling on the legality of partisan gerrymandering. They got another chance in the cases before them on Tuesday challenging a Republican-drawn 13-district statewide U.S. House of Representatives map in North Carolina and a single Democratic-drawn House district in Maryland. The outcome could impact U.S. elections for decades either by allowing federal courts to curb partisan gerrymandering or by removing their power to do so, giving state legislators a freer hand to draw districts as they choose. "Why should we wade into this?" asked conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, appointed by Republican President Donald Trump in 2017. Critics have said gerrymandering has become increasingly effective and insidious by using precise voter data and powerful computer software. The result in many states has been the creation of electoral districts, sometimes oddly shaped to include or exclude certain localities, that maximize one party's chances of winning and diluting the clout of voters who tend to support the other party. Gerrymandering also tends to foster the election of candidates with more extreme views at the expense of moderates, according to critics, adding to U.S. political polarization. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts showed sympathy toward Republican voters in the Maryland district that was redrawn to help a Democrat win, but at other times appeared sceptical about whether courts should even be allowed to hear such claims. Justice Samuel Alito asked probing questions that indicated he believed that electoral map drawing, an inherently political act, must be left to legislatures not courts. Plaintiffs in the two cases - Democratic voters in North Carolina and Republican voters in Maryland - have said the maps were drawn to diminish their voting power, violating their constitutional rights. In both cases, lower courts ruled that the contested districts violated the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law, the right to free speech and association, or constitutional provisions governing elections. Kavanaugh like Gorsuch wondered whether the Supreme Court needed to intervene when there has been "a fair amount of activity" in the states, including the adoption of independent redistricting commissions to handle political map drawing rather than legislators in the interest of fairness. But Kavanaugh said he was "not going to dispute" the North Carolina map challengers' claim that partisan gerrymandering is problematic for democracy. 'A BIG LIFT' "Have we really reached the moment, even though it would be a big lift for this court to get involved, where the other actors can't do it?" Kavanaugh asked, referring to the states. Legislative districts are redrawn nationwide to reflect population changes after the federal census each decade. In most states, redistricting is done by the party in power. Gerrymandering is carried out by cramming as many like-minded voters as possible into a small number of districts while spreading the rest in other districts too thinly to form a majority. Liberal justices spoke of the unfairness of maps that allow a party to receive far fewer seats than their statewide vote tally would indicate. Kavanaugh asked repeatedly whether the Constitution could require "proportional representation" - with legislative seats gained being proportional to the statewide vote's party breakdown - to be used when districts being drawn. The Supreme Court previously has ruled against gerrymandering intended to harm racial minorities. It has never reined in gerrymandering done purely for partisan advantage. In North Carolina, Republican legislators reworked House districts in 2016 to ensure that 10 Republicans were elected to House seats, compared to just three Democrats, in a state where voters are closely divided between the two parties. One of the plaintiffs' attorneys, Allison Riggs, told the justices that the high court's reputation could be harmed if it does nothing about blatant partisan bias in map-drawing. When liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted that of 24,000 simulated alternate maps for North Carolina, 99 percent were less biased than the one Republicans adopted, lawyer Paul Clement, representing Republican lawmakers, said that merely demonstrated that map-making was discretionary and should be a political matter, not a judicial one. "Well, that's making lemonade out of lemons," Kagan replied. On the Maryland map, Kagan said that "under any measure, this is excessive." Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor told Clement, "This is what this is all about: you're discriminating on the basis of a group's speech and diluting their vote accordingly." About 150 people including Republican former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held an anti-gerrymandering rally outside the court, some holding signs reading, "Unrig our democracy." (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Abdulrahman Al-Ansi SANAA (Reuters) - An air strike killed seven people at a Save the Children-supported hospital on Tuesday as Yemenis rallied to show support for the Houthi movement on the fourth anniversary of a war that has killed thousands and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. By Abdulrahman Al-Ansi SANAA (Reuters) - An air strike killed seven people at a Save the Children-supported hospital on Tuesday as Yemenis rallied to show support for the Houthi movement on the fourth anniversary of a war that has killed thousands and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. The Iran-aligned Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and Yemen's largest populated areas since 2014 when they ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The United Nations is pushing ahead with tough talks with the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government to find a political solution to the conflict. A missile struck a gas station near the entrance to a rural hospital 60 miles (100 km) from the city of Saada in the northwestern part of the country at 9:30 a.m. local time, killing seven people, including four children, Save the Children said in a statement. The strike killed a health worker and the person's two children, said Save the Children, which said it supports the hospital. Two more children and a security guard were among the other dead, and eight people were wounded, the group said. In the capital Sanaa, men, women and children marched waving the red, white and black national colours, and chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against the Houthis, and the United States which backs it. They also blamed U.S. ally Israel for destroying the country. Massive speakers played "America and Israel, death and mutilation to you" and "five or fifty years, we will face the criminal coalition". Reuters witnesses said tens of thousands of people, including supporters of the Houthis' Ansarullah group, had gathered in Sabeen Square in central Sanaa since the early hours of Tuesday morning. "This is a message to the world, that at the start of the fifth year (of the war), Yemenis will be stronger ..., a message that the Yemeni resistance will be even greater," said Mohammed Haidarah, a protester. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed Saudi Arabia and its allies for rejecting peace. The coalition accuses Iran of supplying the Houthis with arms, including drones and missiles. Iran and the Houthis deny the accusations. "On the eve of the war's shameful fifth year, a reminder that it's not too late to stop the nightmare that this war has become," Zarif said on Twitter. YEMENI FLAG Many people taking part in the rally painted their faces in the colours of the Yemeni flag and others danced holding assault rifles and traditional daggers as Houthi leaders cheered the crowd from the main podium. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, denounced the U.S. decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights. "It is a recognition from someone who does not own to someone who does not deserve," he told the crowd. Tens of thousands of people have died in the war pitting the Houthis against the Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in Yemen in 2015 to restore Hadi's government to power. The war has displaced over two million people and driven the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country to the verge of famine. Both sides agreed at U.N.-sponsored talks in December to a truce and troop withdrawal from the port city of Hodeidah, which has become a focus of the war, and an exchange of prisoners. The ceasefire has broadly held, although sporadic clashes continued as the United Nations struggled to implement the withdrawal of troops, a confidence-building measure meant to clear the way for a broader peace settlement after four years of war. However, violence has escalated in other areas since the U.N. peace process started. (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London and David Alexander in Washington; Writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by Ed Osmond and James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Guess? ( GES -1.47% ) is an iconic European fashion brand best known for its signature denim which is sold in stores around the world. At the end of January, Guess? announced that Carlos Alberini would be taking over as CEO. This surprised investors because Alberini's predecessor -- Victor Herrero -- did not announce an intention to leave. Herrero appeared to be doing a good job as CEO, adding to the confusion regarding his replacement. CEO transitions are usually well-telegraphed, making Guess' sudden change unusual. Why did the company suddenly appoint Carlos Alberini as CEO? Herrero's turnaround Victor Herrero was appointed CEO of Guess? in 2015 to help orchestrate a turnaround. Being an apparel retailer, Guess? has had to deal with the impact of e-commerce changing the way people shop. The company has seen foot traffic at stores decline as more people shop online, resulting in a loss of revenue and profits for the company. In response to declining sales at stores, then CEO Herrero led a turnaround effort that involved closing over 50 stores in the United States and cutting costs by renegotiating leases and supplier agreements. At the same time, the company opened new stores in Asia to capitalize on rising consumer spending there. Under Herrero's tenure, revenue stopped declining and began to rise again, all while maintaining a healthy balance sheet with a net cash position. In response to the positive developments, the company's stock price increased dramatically in 2017 and 2018. However, this increase in stock price came after further declines in 2016. It is unclear why Guess? replaced Herrero, as he made significant progress in turning around the company during his tenure. No specific reasons for firing Herrero were cited in the announcement appointing Alberini. Check out the latest earnings call transcript for Guess? What Carlos Alberini brings to the table Carlos Alberini might be Guess' new CEO but he is not new to the company, having served as the company's President and COO from December 2000 until June 2010. His original tenure as an executive at Guess? was marked by success. From 2000 to 2010, the company achieved massive growth and saw its stock price soar. Alberini is a seasoned retail executive and has kept himself busy since he was last employed by Guess?. Since 2010, Alberini has gone on to serve as the co-CEO of furniture retailer Restoration Hardware and later as CEO of rival apparel company Lucky Brand. After learning about the success of Alberini's original run at Guess? and his strong experience gathered from running Restoration Hardware and Lucky Brand, it is clear that he is well-qualified to be CEO of Guess?. Although it is unclear from the announcement, the story behind Alberini suddenly replacing Herrero may simply be that the board thinks Alberini makes a better CEO and opportunistically had a chance to snap him up. Alberini's plan for growth Although Carlos Alberini has been on the job for less than a month, he has articulated a strategy focused on revenue growth and continued discipline in managing costs. Alberini believes Guess? can be a much larger brand globally. On the Q4 2019 earnings call, Alberini laid out his view of the Guess? Brand: Guess? has sales and retail value of over $5 billion, with a very diversified assortment of product categories, including an expansive offering of accessories, handbags and footwear. We know that other comparable brands, which have similar country distribution but have less diversified assortments, have reached between $7 billion and $9 billion in retail sales globally, so our opportunity should exceed 40% to 80% of growth from current levels once we reach development in all global markets. On the same call, Alberini admitted that he needs to spend more time working with the management team to iron out the details of a growth strategy. However, the CEO noted that the company can grow by opening more stores. In addition, he also commented that Guess? stores opened over the past few years have been profitable and value-enhancing, and there is additional opportunity to continue store expansion. Alberini's focus on growth through store expansion isn't much of a departure from former CEO Herrero's strategy. The key difference is the scope of ambition. Alberini believes that Guess? has a valuable brand thst can grow to be 40% to 80% larger in the near future. If the company can execute on this goal, it would be monumental for shareholders. What to make of the CEO transition The swift leadership transition from Victor Herrero to Carlos Alberini caught investors off guard. Herrero appeared to be doing a good job in turning around the company, and some investors may be sad to see him go. That being said, Alberini has a strong resume, bringing both an intimate knowledge of the company and strong executive experience at other retailers. Based on the initial comments fromy the new CEO, investors should expect Guess? to focus on sales growth over the next few years. Perhaps the company is signaling that the turnaround is nearing completion, and the company is ready for the next stage in its history. Regardless, Alberini appears to be a strong leader that will do well by the company. South Africa: SARS seeks CCMA intervention in wage dispute The South African Revenue Service (SARS) last night met with labour unions in an effort to resolve the salary increment impasse at the revenue collector. In a statement this morning, SARS said the intervention was to avoid any adverse impact on the countrys revenue, which SARS delivers to the fiscus. At this session, SARS spokesperson Sandile Memela said the revenue collector tabled a differentiated salary increase model for employees in the bargaining unit based on the principles of addressing salary anomalies and reducing the ever-widening salary gaps caused by across-the-board increases. This model could see top performing SARS employees, who are paid at the lower-end, receiving increases up to 9.2% (CPI plus 5.1%). In this model, no employee would receive an increase of less than 5.2% (CPI plus 1.1%), he said. This proposal was rejected by labour unions and they insisted on an across-the-board increase of 11.4%. Engagements continued yesterday, until late at senior leadership level between SARS and the unions leaders. Engagements centred on the CCMA Mediators proposal of 8 March 2019 of an 8% increase as a possible settlement to the dispute. SARS, considering all its financial constraints, tabled an offer to settle at 8%, conditional to it being a multi-term agreement for implementation on 1 April 2019. This offer to settle included agreement on an 8% increase in year 1, aligned to the CCMA proposal, with CPI plus 1% increases for year 2 and 3 of the agreement, read the statement. As a way of showing commitment, the revenue collector said the settlement offer also included SARS acceding to pre-natal leave, long service awards increase and the status quo on other leave demands. The family responsibility leave demand would then be deliberated at a task team level, together with other matters that were referred to the task team. The only remaining point of difference between SARS and organised labour was the term of agreement. Whilst organised labour was not inclined to a multi-term agreement, SARS explained that for it to have reprioritised its expenditure for an 8% increase, a multi-term agreement was essential to create a level of financial certainty for the organisation based on the fiscal framework of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), as well as the time needed to close on the savings that the organisation will need to make to afford the 8% increase, Memela said. A multi-term agreement, he added, would provide for stable employer/employee relations over the period, which would be conducive for SARS to focus on key improvements to take the organisation forward. With organised labour rejecting the multi-term agreement, SARS said it was left with no option but to revert to its previous position of a 7% across-the-board increase at single term, based on its affordability and not compromising the sustainability of the organisations operations over the next three years. However, if organised labour consulted their members and they accept the offer of 8% across the board, and CPI plus 1% in subsequent years, the dispute will be resolved, Memela said. While SARS recognises the constitutional right of workers to strike, it is equally cognisance of the states obligation to ensure that it has adequate resources to provide citizens with access to services. It is therefore in the public interest that this dispute be resolved, given due regard to SARS crucial role in revenue collection. SARS has therefore [on Tuesday] applied to the CCMA for an intervention in terms of Section 150A of the Labour Relations Act for the Director of CCMA to intervene in an attempt to mediate the dispute, said Memela. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) -- Globe Telecom brought together various business leaders in a conference to explore the pivotal role of digital disruption in today's economy. Through its in-house digital enabler Globe Digital Ventures, the conference dubbed "DV8" was part of the company's mission to provide innovative ideas and help businesses thrive in a technology-driven world. DV8 was launched in an effort to address the challenges and benefits of digital transformation, especially among companies which may have reservations about seeking new technology. "In this day and age, it is important to "deviate" from the norm, from how we used to do things, from the old sales and marketing strategies that have worked for us for the longest time. If we don't go for disruption, we risk losing in this competitive economy," said Globe Digital Ventures Senior Vice President Glenn Estrella. The company invited guest speakers from leading companies, including Kenneth Lingan, country manager of Google Philippines, and Chay Saputil, Industry Head of Facebook Philippines. They shared insights about the current digital trends that influence the Philippine business landscape. DV8 also featured learning sessions and panel discussions, where existing clients of Globe Digital Ventures' RUSH and Globe Labs talked about their digital transformation journey. They also talked about how they were able to achieve their business objectives by making the shift to digital. The panel included Lisa Ronquillo, vice president for marketing of The Bistro Group; Dinah Salonga, managing director of Yoga+; Albet Buddahim, chief marketing officer of L'Oreal; Christopher Star, chief executive officer of Snippet Media. RUSH is a comprehensive digital loyalty solution which allows businesses to create a distinctive and premium customer experience through a content management system, built-in engagement tools, analytics and mobile app. Combined together, it creates a digital loyalty program that leads to richer customer relationships. Globe Labs, on the other hand, empowers businesses through digital solutions and automating its processes to achieve operational and cost efficiency. It offers SMS, voice and mobile loading solutions that can improve customer engagement through interactive call-outs, personalized SMS messages and prepaid mobile load incentives. As the innovative developer of Globe, Globe Labs also equips businesses with a host of GSMA standard-compliant capabilities through different Application Programming Interfaces. To know more about these business solutions, visit globelabs.com.ph and www.rush.ph. IHOP parent Dine Brands Global has announced a 19-unit, 9-year deal to build IHOP restaurants throughout Pakistan over the next 9 years. Nine will be franchised by the principals of Gerry's Group, with the remaining 10 locations sub-franchised. Gerry's Group is a Pakistani logistics and food and beverage group that began as an aviation company in 1963 and has branched out into food and beverage. Through Gerry's Offshore UK unit, the company operates 40 Costa Coffee units in the United Kingdom, and in 2013 was named Costa's Best Development Franchisee of the Year. Clearly, Dine has chosen its partner carefully. (See the first story in this issue for more on choosing the right international partner.) "The principals of Gerry's Group bring a strong track record of success with global brands. They bring an infrastructure - and the shared values and commitment to excellence - that will be key to introducing IHOP in this exciting new country for us," said Gary Moore, Regional Vice President and General Manager, Asia/Pacific and the Middle East, Dine Brands Global, in a prepared statement. The first IHOP in the country is expected to open in Karachi by the end of 2019, continuing the brand's expansion into the Asia/Pacific market. IHOP, which was founded in 1958, has been a global brand since 1969 and has a presence in India, Thailand, and Guam, as well as 11 other countries and Puerto Rico. Dine Brands has targeted the Asia/Pacific region as a key area for growth, along with Latin America, Canada, and the Middle East. The company has already signed deals to bring IHOP to South America in 2019 in Peru and Ecuador, and to expand its presence in Canada's eastern provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The company also is actively exploring opportunities to bring IHOP to the U.K. Pigtails & Crewcuts Childrens Hair Salon Now Open in Smyrna, Georgia March 27, 2019 // Franchising.com // Atlanta, Georgia - Pigtails & Crewcuts is open in Smyrna, Georgia and ready to make haircuts fun and memorable for families in the surrounding area. I like that its for kids and takes something that can be stressful and overwhelming and turn it into a positive experience, says Will Howard, who owns the salon with his wife, Bonnie. Will saw the Pigtails & Crewcuts difference firsthand while he and Bonnie were training with the franchise at its Buckhead salon. When a grandmother brought her granddaughter to the salon for her first haircut, the child was crying. During the haircut, Will stepped in to help the stylist calm her fears. We blew bubbles and did other fun things to help calm her down, Will shares. She was smiling by the end. Her grandma looked at me and said This is awesome! he recalls. Bubbles are just one of the tricks Pigtails & Crewcuts salons use to help kids enjoy their haircuts. Each salon is brightly colored and features vehicle-shaped chairs, books, movies, video games, and plenty of toys to keep kids occupied before, during, and after their haircuts. Salons also feature a retail section filled with childrens hair products, accessories, and gifts, as well as a birthday party services with a dedicated party room. I love that Pigtails & Crewcuts cares as much for the parents as they do for the kids, Bonnie adds. We give parents a chance to sit and relax and watch their kids interact with other children and adults while the children experience a great haircut. Were able to turn it into something they all look forward to. As Smyrna residents, the Howards are also excited to join their local business community and look forward to meeting their new customers. I cant wait to see their smiles, Will shares. Kids are so much fun! Pigtails & Crewcuts - Smyrna is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm, and Sundays from noon to 4 pm. The salon is located at 2355 Cumberland Parkway near Marlows Tavern. For more information about the salon and its services, call 678-971-3847 or visit pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/smyrna. About Pigtails & Crewcuts Pigtails & Crewcuts is a childrens hair salon franchise created by parents for kids to offer a stress-free haircutting experience for the whole family. In addition to hair care services, Pigtails & Crewcuts offers a custom-line of kid-centric hair products and accessories, gifts, and a private party room for birthday celebrations. To learn more or to find a salon near you, please visit www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities, please visit www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com. Media Contacts: Theresa Underwood Pigtails & Crewcuts 770-752-6800 tunderwood@pigtailsandcrewcuts.com Bonnie and Will Howard Salon Owners Smyrna@pigtailsandcrewcuts.com SOURCE Pigtails & Crewcuts ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. According to a new survey reported by GamesRadar+, Google Stadia has evoked a lot of interest between UK console players. In particular, firm Harris Interactive has interviewed over 2000 participants and learned that 34% of responders are interested in subscribing to Stadia. This interest jumps as high as 58% among console gamers, which means people who already own Xbox or PlayStation or Nintendo would join the Google platform. Even more interestingly, 4 people out of 10 in the UK were already aware of Google Stadia withing a week of its reveal, and over a third said to be very familiar with the service. This is particularly surprising if you consider that Google was only at the GDC 2019 with a keynote and post event interviews, and hasnt started its marketing campaign yet. Google Stadia releases 2019 and requires 30Mbps in order to run 4K gameplay. Georgia to allow sex education lessons at schools - GeorgianJournal Nokia X71 alleged to have cleared 3C certification ahead of launch News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia X71 aka Nokia 8.1 Plus might arrive with support for 18W fast charging. HMD Global is yet to release its latest smartphones - Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 and Nokia 1 Plus in many global markets. But it looks like the company is in plans to launch a new smartphone sometime soon. Well, the talk is about an upcoming Nokia smartphone, which is allegedly dubbed Nokia X71 aka Nokia 8.1 Plus (in the global markets). Earlier this year, the renders of the Nokia 8.1 Plus leaked online hinting that it could be the first smartphone from the company to feature a punch-hole display design. Following this, an invite sent by HMD Global tipped that this smartphone could be launched in Taiwan on April 2. Now, it has been spotted on the 3C certification website in China via Nasville Chatter Class. Nokia X71 3C listing Talking about the certification listing, it doesn't divulge a lot of details about the smartphone but reveals that it will carry the model number TA-1172 and arrive with support for 18W fast charging. Notably, this is not the first time that we have come across a smartphone from Nokia featuring a punch-hole design. Previously, there were speculations that the company might unveil the Nokia 6.2 at the MWC 2019 alongside the Nokia 9 PureView. Back then, it was speculated that it could be the first one to arrive with such a design to house the selfie camera. Nokia X71 rumors From the existing reports, this Nokia smartphone in question is believed to arrive with triple rear cameras comprising a 48MP primary sensor and a secondary 120-degree super wide-angle lens. The smartphone is speculated to feature a 6.2-inch display with a punch-hole design as hinted by the leaked renders of its international variant. We can expect it to feature a Snapdragon chipset, a USB Type-C port and other standard features. Like the previously launched Nokia phones, this one will also be an Android One smartphone. The other details are yet to be revealed by the company. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Asteroid warning: Gigantic space rock skimmed Earth at 34,000mph News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Yet another Near Earth Object observed by NASA. A huge asteroid which is bigger than the Pyramid of Giza skimmed Earth today at an incredible speed of more than 34,000mph (54,717kph), according to NASA's asteroid tracker. Dubbed Asteroid 2019 EN, the size of the space rock could be twice the Pyramid of Khufu in Giza, Egypt. The asteroid is skimmed our planet on a so-called "Earth Close Approach" trajectory. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) estimated the asteroid will pass Earth around 1.27am GMT (UTC). The JPL also estimated that the asteroid measures around 492ft to 1,115.5ft (150m to 340m) in diameter. NASA explained: "As they orbit the Sun, Near-Earth Objects can occasionally approach close to Earth. Note that a 'close' passage astronomically can be very far away in human terms: millions or even tens of millions of kilometers." Besides, Asteroid EN will pass over Earth again February 29 in 2048 and on August 9 in 2051. Adding to the context, Conspiracy theorists have long been claiming that a civilization-threatening asteroid might be on a collision course with the Earth. Now, well-known scientists are planning to shed light on the potentially dangerous asteroids at an international conference in Vienna. After understanding the dire consequences of NEOs, the space agency is reportedly developing a planetary defense weapon which will be able to alter the trajectory of the space rocks that might be speeding Earth's direction. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications India becomes fourth country to successfully test anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile News oi-Vishal Kawadkar India creates history with its latest A-SAT missile test. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India has officially registered its name in the elite group by successfully conducting an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test on March 27. India is only the fourth country alongside the US, Russia, and China. #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 The Prime Minister acknowledged the efforts of the scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for successfully carrying out the operation called 'Mission Shakti.' "Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve and was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. This was a test operation carried out by India and was not targeted against anyone," said Modi. Although no A-SAT weapon has been deployed for the actual military until now, it seems to be a great achievement for the country to have a weapon of such potential in its arsenal. Other countries are yet to respond on India's A-SAT test, and PM Modi also clarified that the test didn't violate any international norms. "This mission of India does not violate any international norms or laws of security. This weapon aims to embolden India's national security and is only a step in ensuring peace," said PM Narendra Modi. India has been at the forefront of the space advancements with ISRO prepping up for several space missions for the future. Besides, NASA has also confirmed that India's Chandrayaan 2 will be carrying the space agency's laser retroreflector arrays. The announcement was made during the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held at Texas, US last week. India's lunar mission Chandrayaan 2 will be taking off next month carrying NASA's laser instruments that will help scientists make precise measurements of the distance to the Moon, according to NASA officials. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Fibre network requires 4 folds growth to meet today's data demand: Report News oi-Priyanka Dua Telcos are taking a cue from the divestment of tower assets and their eventual emergence as an independent industry, the fibre assets are also being hived off to separate entity In order to meet the growing demand of data and address the density of population the fibre network would have to expand at least four-fold, as per the ICRA report. India lags far behind other countries in terms of fibre deployment with India's per-capita fibre coverage at 0.09 fibre km vis-a-vis 0.87 for China and 1.3 for the US and Japan. "To meet the growing demand of data and address the density of population the fibre network would have to expand at least four-fold. This is estimated to require investments to the tune of around Rs. 2.5-3 lakh crore. So far, the fibre assets have been developed and owned by the telecom operators. But the telecom industry is reeling under the pressures of sizeable debt levels, low-profit generation and intense competition, making it challenging for it to incur such capex," Harsh Jagnani, Sector Head & Vice President - Corporate Ratings, ICRA said. ICRA also pointed out that telcos are taking a cue from the divestment of tower assets and their eventual emergence as an independent industry, the fibre assets are also being hived off to separate entities. The dynamics of the fibre industry are evolving in a manner similar to the telecom tower industry some years back. Towers to form a critical part of the telecom network, are capital intensive, and initially were part of the balance sheets of the telcos. The increasing prevalence of tower sharing wherein multiple telcos could deploy their radio equipment on one tower allowed for divestment of tower assets by the telcos. Sharing reduced the capex for the industry as it obviated the need for each telco to erect its own tower. Telcos have been monetizing their stakes in the tower companies over the years, to a stage now that the industry is on the cusp of becoming largely independent. Hence, sharing of fibre among multiple telcos would be the key driver of a reasonable return on capital, the ratings, and research company mentioned. Spinning off of the fibre assets by Bharti, Vodafone Idea and plans of spinning off by Reliance Jio and BSNL and possible sharing of fibre assets by Bharti and Vodafone-Idea would free up capital for telcos, ICRA said. ICRA also notes that as per ICRA estimates, the market value of the fibre assets owned by the major private telcos is around Rs. 120,000 crores and thus even small quantum of stake sold can generate sufficient funds to improve the liquidity position of the telcos. Jagnani said that "For the independent fibre assets, tariff structures, revenue models, and service agreements would have to emerge. Data integrity can be a concern, but it is likely to be addressed. Following the template of the tower industry would hasten the evolution. The profitability is likely to be directly related to the extent of sharing and the amount of traffic carried, as it leads to a significant addition to revenue at relatively low incremental cost." "Thus, bigger fibre companies will be more profitable and thus can incur capex to consistently enhance their networks. Steady, reliable return generation would make them attractive for independent investors, as we have seen for the tower industry. We are likely to witness a completely new industry a few years down the line," he added. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Dillon Godwin, Natosha Sand and Micah Tweten pose with their State and Regional medals and plaques on March 22. Three Glasgow High School seniors will be participating in the Business Professionals of America (BPA) National competition April 30 through May 5 in Anaheim, Calif. Micah Tweten, Natosha Sand and Dillon Godwin will be participating in competition... From left to right: Grace, Daniel and Hannah Marasco sell chocolate truffles to help raise funds at the Lustre Christian High School Schmeckfest. Lustre Christian High School hosted their annual fundraiser known as Schmeckfest March 22. This was the 54th year for the school's only major fundraiser. According to Susan Fast, one of the organizers, this year's totals have not been fully realiz... Robert "Bob" Bushman passed away at his home surrounded by his family on Thursday, March 21, 2019. Bob was born March 30, 1924, in Wolf Point, Mont. The eldest of 10 children, he was born to Thomas and Victoria Beauchman. Bob and siblings were raised and went to school in Wolf Point. He worked doing miscellaneous jobs around Bainville, Wolf Point, Frazer and Poplar, until May 21, 1943, when he enlisted into the Army as a Private 1st Class for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II with the 699th Petroleum Distribution Engineers in China-Burma- India (CBI) Theater of Operations. While enlisted he earned several medals including the Army Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze star, World War II Victory Medal, Honorable Service World War II Lapel Button, three overseas bars, and the World War II Commemorative Medal. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 3, 1945. He returned to Wolf Point where he met the love of his life and best friend, Rosemary (Pat) Morgan. They married on Oct. 26, 1946, in Glasgow, Mont. After living in Bainville and Glasgow, they settled in Fort Peck. Bob was hired as Chief of Fire and Police for the Corps of Engineers. He successfully completed Law Enforcement Training School, Basic Management Techniques Training and American Red Cross Advanced First Aid Course. Bob and Pat have 11 children, nine girls and two boys, which included a set of twins, raising all of them in Fort Peck. Bob retired from the Corps of Engineers in May of 1979 at which time they decided to move to Belt, Mont. While there, Bob was on the volunteer fire department, worked part-time at the State Liquor Store, and had a column in the Belt Valley Times for which he wrote stories. In 1991, they moved to Malta, Mont., and made this their home. Bob and Pat loved to travel, traveling to Georgia to see his brother or to North Dakota and South Dakota to see two of their daughters. On Aug. 16, 2000, the Lord called Pat home. Bob remained in Malta living with daughter Ruby Bushman who moved in to care for him. Ruby would take him on his yearly trips to North Dakota and South Dakota. Bob loved spending time with his family. His favorite past times were fishing, hunting, and playing poker with his kids, especially his grandsons. His grandsons thought they could beat their Grandpa at cards, but it always turned out the other way around. Not only did Ruby take Bob on his yearly visits to North Dakota and South Dakota, but she was there to take Bob to his doctor appointments in Billings or Great Falls, taking him to the hospital when needed, caring for him after his surgeries. If Ruby was unable then one of the other siblings would step in to assist, but for the most part Ruby was there 24/7. The last few months Bob's health declined drastically to the point Ruby put her job on hold to care for him. Enough thank yous cannot be said to her for what she did. He is preceded in death by his wife; parents; three sisters, Sue Ramona, Ruby Nelson, and Dean Gay; three brothers, Thomas, Albert and Franklin; one son-in-law, Gerald Moe; and one granddaughter, Amanda. Bob is survived by nine daughters, Vicki Jernigan, of Great Falls, Alice "Spike" and Ken Herman of Rapid City, S.D., Bette Jo and Rob Maki, of Belt, Pearl and Rich Schneider, of Bismarck, N.D., Deb and Joe Nicholson, of Malta, Ann Moe, of Wolf Point, Wanda and Al Resor, of Malta, Ruby Bushman, of Malta, and Ramona "Tutti" and Dan Adams of Belt; two sons, Bob, Jr and Barb, and Merle, both of Malta; 40 grandkids; 91 great-grandkids, and eight great,-great grandkids; two sisters, Pearl Lapke, of Simms, and Patricia Mulligan, of Glasgow; one brother, Jim Beauchman, of Tucker Ga .; and several several nieces and nephews. Bob impacted several lives during his 94 years of life and will be dearly missed by everyone. Rosary and visitation was 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, at the Kirkwood Memorial Chapel. Mass was 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 27, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Malta. Interment with Military Honors will be in the Malta Cemetery. Condolences for the family may be left at http://www.kirkwoodneralhome.com. Shirley Marie (Engstrom) Fuhrman, 88, passed away Saturday, March 2, 2019, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho, surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow, Mont., with Pastor Todd Wright officiating. A visitation was held with family and friends from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. prior to the service. Food was served at the First Lutheran Church following graveside services at Highland Cemetery. She was born on Nov. 16, 1930, in Glasgow to Adolph and Amanda (Gilbertson) Engstrom, the first of their seven children. She was raised on her family's farm 10 miles southwest of Glasgow, moving into town with her family each school year, and returning to the farm in the summers. She attended elementary through high school in Glasgow, graduating in 1948. She had many happy memories of growing up with her brothers and sisters. On the windswept and sometimes lonely prairie, Shirley recalls climbing to the top platform of their windmill, probably with her siblings in tow, to attempt a glimpse of the world beyond the farm. A child during the Great Depression and then the war, Shirley remembered rationing food and supplies, driving no more than 35 miles per hour on the highway to conserve fuel and tires, and saving everything possible, including lard and aluminum foil, to support the war efforts. At a young age, Shirley wanted to be independent and earn her own money. She began babysitting at 12 years old, worked at Corrie's Confectionery Store as a sophomore, then assisted in the office at the dry cleaners in her senior year. After graduating from high school, she worked as a telephone operator at "Ma" Bell. While in high school, Shirley began dating a handsome young man named Ken Fuhrman. From early on, Shirley was impressed by his kind heart and hard work, and knew he would make not only a wonderful husband, but also a loving father. The high school sweethearts were married on Dec. 4, 1949, at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow. They settled in the Larslan, Mont., area after their marriage, first living with Ken's parents and then moving to their own farmstead in May of 1953. While Ken farmed and ranched, Shirley was happy to be raising their five children Greg, Kevin, Brent, Darcie and Paul. Shirley loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren unconditionally, and from the moment they arrived in the world until Shirley passed away, they were always her first and foremost priority. Her and Kenny's home was a frequent stopping place for many friends, family, and neighbors. Shirley was never too busy to welcome those who dropped by the house for a visit, no matter the time of day, always offering them food, beverages (the coffeepot was always on!) and good company. In 2017, Shirley began a new chapter of her life, and her tenacity and strength became increasingly evident when she first was involved in a serious automobile accident in October of that year. About that same time, she had to make an immediate and unplanned move from the Montana home she had known for decades, to Idaho Falls, Idaho, to begin kidney dialysis three times a week, every week for the remainder of her life. Through this difficult journey, Shirley rose above the multiple challenges she faced, made new friends and began adjusting to her new normal. As a result of this time in Idaho, her family was blessed beyond measure to have nearly an extra year and a half with her. Shirley was a gracious and classy lady, up until the very moment she passed away. She always put the well-being of others above herself. She was a peacemaker, kindhearted, compassionate, humble, intelligent, always thankful and appreciative of others, and a friend to all. She was preceded in death by her parents, Adolph and Amanda; four brothers, Robert (Bobby), Wayne, Ingmar and John; her loving husband, Ken; and beloved grandson Robert Martinson. She is survived by her five children, Greg (Debi) Fuhrman, of Larslan, Kevin (Joan) Fuhrman, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Brent Fuhrman, of Hayward, Calif., Darcie (Steve) Martinson, of Idaho Falls, and Paul (Shari) Fuhrman, also of Idaho Falls; nine grandchildren, Marcea Soper, Jerod Fuhrman, Leah Fuhrman, Amanda Jenson, Wayne Fuhrman, Kendra Vaalemoen, Kaitlin Fuhriman, Clint Fuhrman and Laurel Fuhrman; five great-grandchildren, Sawyer Jenson, Parker Jenson, Macie Fuhriman, Bridger Fuhriman and Nicole Morocco; two sisters, Anita Gilbert and Vivian Hand; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dear Editor, This spring marks the 10-year anniversary of Healthy Montana Kids. Until 2009, tens of thousands of Montana children had no health coverage; no way for their families to pay for a doctor visit or a hospital stay. Thousands of Montana... Dear Editor, An Amendment attached to House Bill 2 (the State's budget bill) provides the Legislature the opportunity to reduce local government revenues and divert them to the Office of Public Defender (OPD). OPD is a state agency that has nearl... Belgium MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 19-27 WASHINGTON, March 26, 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Belgium of MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $600 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on March 25, 2019. The Government of Belgium has requested to purchase four (4) MQ-9B, RPA; two (2) Fixed Certifiable Ground Control Stations; five (5) AN/DAS-4 Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems (4 installed, 1 spare); fifteen (15) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGI) (12 installed, 3 spares); five (5) AN/APY-8 Lynx Synthetic Aperture Radars (4 installed, 1 spare); and five (5) Detect and Avoid Systems (4 installed, 1 spare). Also included are an Initial Spares Package (ISP) and Readiness Spares Package (RSP) to support a 5-year period of performance; spare and repair parts; support and test equipment; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering; technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $600 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Belgium to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This potential sale enhances the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability of the Belgian military in support of national, NATO, United Nation-mandated, and other coalition operations. Commonality of ISR capabilities increases interoperability between the U.S. and Belgian military and peacekeeping forces. Belgium intends to use these defense articles and services to provide for the defense of its deployed troops, regional security, domestic security, and interoperability with the U.S./NATO partners. The current fleet of Belgian Air Component aircraft have proven insufficient to support sustained and persistent ISR operations. The proposed sale will enable the Belgian Air Component to conduct persistent and wide area ISR, including target acquisition, target designation, providing precision coordinates for Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided munitions, battle damage assessment, signal intelligence, communication, and data relays. Belgium will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., San Diego, California. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale may require multiple trips to Belgium and potentially a deployed location for U.S. contractor representatives to provide initial launch, recovery, and maintenance support. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spy Trial Of U.S. Consulate Staffer Opens In Istanbul March 26, 2019 A Turkish employee of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul has appeared in court to face charges of espionage and attempting to overthrow Turkey's government in a case that has fueled tensions between the United States and its NATO ally. The trial against Metin Topuz, a translator and fixer for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) at the consulate, opened in Istanbul on March 26. Topuz, 59, has been held in pretrial detention since his arrest in October 2017. He is accused of links to U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara blames for a 2016 coup attempt. Topuz has denied the allegations, and the U.S. Embassy called them "wholly without merit." The accused faces a life sentence if convicted. "During my 25-year service at DEA, I met a lot of police personnel and public officials and exchanged business cards with them," Topuz told the Istanbul court. "I have no duty other than serve as a translator between the interlocutors." "I would never think I would ever be accused of these contacts," he added. The U.S. charge d'affaires from the embassy in Ankara and the Istanbul consul-general were also at the court for the first hearing, which is expected to last three days. Topuz's lawyer, Halit Akalp, said that he will request the release of his client. Topuz's arrest led to the suspension of bilateral visa services for more than two months in 2017. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/spy-trial-of-u-s-consulate-staffer- opens-in-istanbul/29842722.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CJTF-OIR Strike Summary March 10 - 23, 2019 U.S. Central Command Release No: 19-017 March 26, 2019 March 26, 2019 Release # 20190326-01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners continue to target and pursue the enduring defeat of Daesh. CJTF-OIR and partner forces have liberated nearly 110,000 square kilometers (42,471 square miles) from Daesh; as a result, 7.7 million people no longer live under Daesh oppression. CJTF-OIR remains committed to the enduring defeat of Daesh to improve conditions for peace and stability in the region, and to protect all our homelands from Daesh's terrorist threat. Strike Summary Between March 10 - 23, 2019, CJTF-OIR conducted 250 strikes consisting of 398 engagements against Daesh targets in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, CJTF-OIR conducted 193 strikes consisting of 338 engagements, engaged 346 Daesh tactical units, and destroyed 104 vehicles, 63 supply routes, 39 fighting positions, 31 vehicle borne improvised explosive devices, nine tactical vehicles, six fuel tankers, four weapons caches, two command and control nodes, one tunnel, one tanker for petroleum oil and lubricants, one mortar system, and one checkpoint. In Iraq, CJTF-OIR conducted 57 strikes consisting of 60 engagements, engaged 44 Daesh tactical units, and destroyed 14 supply routes, three buildings, two fighting position, one weapons cache, and one cave. Between March 10 - 23, 2019, CJTF-OIR detected 72 strikes from other actors that crossed the Euphrates River Valley. CJTF-OIR is committed to avoiding and in every case minimizing civilian casualties; CJTF-OIR calls on all other actors in the area to observe the same precautions. This Coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing, or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket propelled artillery and ground-based tactical artillery. A strike, as defined in the Coalition release, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location. For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone Daesh vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of Daesh-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined. CJTF-OIR does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. The information used to compile the daily strike releases is based on 'Z' or Greenwich Mean Time. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SECNAV Names Destroyer in Honor of US Navy, Korean War Veteran Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190326-09 Release Date: 3/26/2019 10:28:00 AM From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer named a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG 131, in honor of Korean War veteran, and Navy Cross Recipient, Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal. Neal, a native of Springfield, Ohio, served with Helicopter Utility Squadron ONE (HU-1), a Navy Helicopter rescue unit embarked from Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney during the Korean War. "At significant risk to his personal safety, Petty Officer Neal distinguished himself by volunteering to go into harm's way into North Korea to rescue a fellow service member," said Spencer. "He was a hero, and I am proud his legacy will live on in the future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131)." Neal was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on July 3, 1951, when, while serving with Helicopter Utility Squadron ONE, he and pilot Lt. j.g. John Koelsch attempted to rescue Marine Corps Captain James Wilkins. Wilkins crashed near Yondong in North Korea after his Corsair took antiaircraft fire. Keolsch and Neal located Wilkins and under increased enemy fire lowered the rescue sling, however the helicopter was soon disabled and crashed. For nine days, Neal assisted Keolsch and Wilkins in evading enemy forces before being captured and held as a Prisoner of War. Keolsch died during captivity but Wilkins and Neal were released and returned to the United States with more than 320 fellow POWs in 1952. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. The future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131) will be a Flight III destroyer capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously, and will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities. The ship will be constructed at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Carney Departs Naval Station Rota, Begins Patrol Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190326-11 Release Date: 3/26/2019 12:34:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV, USS Carney Public Affairs ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain to begin its sixth forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, March 23. The ship's patrol is a demonstration of the U.S. Navy's continued commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships in the European and African region. "The Sailors aboard Carney are well prepared to execute the mission requirements asked of us," said Cmdr. Tyson Young, commanding officer of USS Carney. "We are ready to be out at sea again working with our partners and allies contributing to the security and stability of the region." While on patrol, Carney will conduct naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Zumwalt Visits Alaska During 3rd Fleet Operations Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190326-10 Release Date: 3/26/2019 11:44:00 AM By MC2 Natalie M. Byers, U.S. 3rd Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs KETCHIKAN, Alaska (NNS) -- The lead ship of the U.S. Navy's newest class of guided-missile destroyers, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), arrived in Ketchikan, March 23. "My crew is excited for this outstanding opportunity to visit Ketchikan," said Capt. Andrew Carlson, Zumwalt's commanding officer. "Alaska is a strategic location when it comes to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and we value Alaskan communities like Ketchikan for their consistent support of our nation's military." The visit marks an opportunity for the crew to experience the hospitality of the Alaskan port, as well as showcase the U.S. Navy's newest class of destroyers. "I speak for Zumwalt's entire crew when I say that we are grateful to the citizens of Ketchikan for the warm welcome; we are excited to get out in town, and we are honored to connect this community with its Navy," Carlson said. During the scheduled port visit, Carlson met with Lew Williams III, mayor of the city of Ketchikan, David Landis, mayor of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, and local tribal communities. Zumwalt is making the stop in Ketchikan after completing a visit to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Caderock Division's Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility (SEAFAC). SEAFAC is part of the Naval Surface Warfare Center community providing engineering expertise and technical assessment for the Navy's operational units. "The facilities and technical expertise of the SEAFAC and Naval Surface Warfare Center personnel are critical components for the continued maturation and ultimately the delivery of Zumwalt capabilities to the fleet commander," said Carlson. "SEAFAC absolutely has a significant role in the ship's development, as do the Alaskan communities of Ketchikan and Saxman that are simultaneously neighbors and hosts for the U.S. Navy. Our country's global Navy is a success because of local partnerships like this." The Zumwalt-class destroyer is designed and built to execute multiple maritime missions including deterrence and power projection. The ships' stealth and ability to operate in both the open ocean and near-shore environments creates a new level of battlespace complexity for potential adversaries. Zumwalt is 100 feet longer and 13 feet wider than the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer at 610 feet long, providing the space required to execute a wider array of surface, undersea, and aviation missions. Zumwalt is under operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet. Third Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. Third Fleet coordinates with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the entire Pacific theater of operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS New York Arrives in Miami for Navy Week Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190326-04 Release Date: 3/26/2019 10:06:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lyle Wilkie, USS New York LPD 21 Public Affairs Miami, Fla. (NNS) -- The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) arrives in Miami March 26 to participate in the city's inaugural Navy Week event. The primary goal of Navy Week Miami is to share information about the Navy with residents in the Dade County area, through outreach and community service engagements. Naval personnel from a plethora of naval communities will be participating and hosting community events throughout the week. "The goal of Navy Week Miami is to highlight the Navy in an area where it is rarely seen," said Lt. Stephen O'dell, New York assistant operations officer. "Multiple commands will be joining us in bringing naval culture and experience to South Florida, including USS Florida (SSGN 728), USS Constitution, the Navy Leap Frogs and the Naval Academy." New York Sailors will host local residents aboard for tours of their ship to show what a typical day is like aboard the ship. The crew will have the chance to participate in the Marlins opening day game; a Miami Heat game; a Miami Dolphins stadium tour; cooking competitions and the Miami Fair. They will also have opportunities to give back to the community, supporting a Habitat for Humanity project and several other community events. South Florida Sailors serving aboard New York are proud to be able to come home, show off their ship and highlight their personal and professional achievements. "It is an amazing opportunity to show the city of Miami that dreams do come true," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Laura Zapata-Volkmar, a Miami native. "I wanted to join the military in 2005 and was not able. Finally, in 2012, I received my green card and was able to enlist. This is a monumental moment for me because Miami is where my roots are, and after all the struggles, I come back a success story. This moment is special and I can't wait to embrace the people of Miami's warmth and hospitality." Homeported in Mayport, Florida, New York recently completed a continuous maintenance availability after returning from an overseas deployment in December. The ship is named for the state of New York, and in remembrance of the attacks of 9/11. New York's bow stem contains 7.5 tons of steel from the wreckage of the World Trade Center that serves as a constant reminder of the ship's motto, "Strength Forged Through Sacrifice Never Forget." The ship incorporates advanced performance and warfighting technologies that enhance the fleet's operational flexibility with the ability to deploy landing force vehicles, equipment, and Marines in support of expeditionary warfare missions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Not too late to stop nightmare of war on Yemen, Zarif tells Saudis Iran Press TV Tue Mar 26, 2019 02:46PM On the eve of the fifth year of Saudi Arabia's bloody war on Yemen, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the regime in Riyadh should put an end to the "nightmare that this war has become." "On the eve of the war's shameful FIFTH YEAR, a reminder that it's not too late to stop the nightmare that this war has become," Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account on Tuesday. The top Iranian diplomat also pointed to Iran's four-point peace plan that he proposed in the weeks that the campaign had begun in 2015, and said Saudi Arabia and its allies rejected the proposal "claiming that victory was at hand within THREE WEEKS." In April 2015, Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif submitted a four-point peace plan for Yemen to the United Nations in an attempt to end the bloodshed in the Arab country. "It is imperative for the international community to get more effectively involved in ending the senseless aerial attacks and establishing a ceasefire," Zarif said in the letter, adding that Tehran is ready to cooperate with the UN "to facilitate and encourage an immediate end to these senseless bombardments and initiation of a genuine dialogue to find a political solution to this tragic crisis." In a statement released on Monday on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the beginning of Saudi Arabia's war of aggression against Yemen, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the Islamic Republic supports an overarching ceasefire in Yemen while calling for an end to the "tyrannical" economic and human blockade imposed on the Yemeni people. In its statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry urged all political groups in Yemen to reach a political agreement, which would meet the demands of the country's people while asking the international community to support any effort made to alleviate the suffering of Yemeni people, especially women and children. On Tuesday, millions of Yemenis took to the streets of the capital Sana'a and other major cities to mark the anniversary and reiterate their steadfastness in the face of the ongoing aggression. Many provinces and cities, including Sana'a, Sa'ada, Ta'izz, Ibb, Bayda and Raymah, have been the scene of mass rallies since Monday, Yemen's al-Masirah television network reported. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the devastating campaign on March 26, 2015, with the aim of bringing a former government to power and crushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement. Riyadh has failed to fulfill its objectives. According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis. The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years. A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan Recalls Envoy In Row Over Pakistan PM's 'Irresponsible' Remarks By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan March 26, 2019 Afghanistan has recalled its ambassador from Pakistan over statements made by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to the media that suggested Kabul should set up an interim government. Khan told Pakistani journalists on March 25 that forming an interim Afghan government would help peace talks between the United States and Taliban officials since the militant group refuses to speak to the current government. "The Afghan government was a hurdle in [the] peace process that was insisting that Taliban should talk to it," Khan was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune newspaper. Afghanistan also summoned Pakistan's deputy ambassador to discuss the "irresponsible" remarks by Khan, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi said in a series of tweets on March 26. The Afghan government considers Khan's statements "an obvious example of Pakistan's interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan," Ahmadi said. U.S. and Taliban officials have held talks to end the 17-year war, but the militants regard the Afghan government led by President Ashraf Ghani as a U.S. puppet. Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy negotiating with the Taliban, is heading back to the region for a new round of talks, the State Department said on March 26. Khalilzad will head to Afghanistan as well as Pakistan during the trip, which began on March 25 and is scheduled to run through April 10. With reporting by Reuters and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-recalls- envoy-pakistan-imran-khan-irresponsible -remarks/29843544.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mogherini In Kabul: EU Supports 'Afghan-Led' Peace Process By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan March 26, 2019 KABUL -- During a visit to Kabul, the European Union's top diplomat has said that the bloc supports "an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process." Speaking at a joint press conference with President Ashraf Ghani on March 26, EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the EU had "always been on the side of Afghan people with no other agenda" than peace, security, and prosperity for the war-torn country. She made the remarks two weeks after the latest round of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban ended in Qatar, as Washington seeks an end to the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan. The Western-backed government in Kabul has complained it is being left out of the talks, because of the Taliban's refusal to negotiate with what they consider as "a U.S. puppet." Mogherini said that the political and social achievements of the past years, including in the field of rights for women, girls, and children, should be taken into account in talks with the Taliban. The EU official also met with Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah during her Kabul visit. With reporting by AP and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/mogherini-in-kabul-eu-supports -afghan-led-peace-process/29842918.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) Senators and senatorial aspirants are calling on the Duterte administration to investigate former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang before dismissing his alleged drug ties. Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Leila de Lima said Malacanang should not shrug off the allegations of former anti-narcotics cop Eduardo Acierto against Yang without a probe. "Dapat i-pursue kasi siyempre ini-involve highest office, nago-occupy ng highest position sa gobyerno. Dapat nila i-pursue 'yung investigation just to clear the air, kung meron bang basis ang accusation ni Acierto," he said on Tuesday. [Translation: It should be pursued because it involves the highest office, occupying the highest position in the government. They should pursue the investigation just to clear the air if there's a basis on the accusation of Acierto.] He said Acierto previously approached him regarding the expose, but he was unconvinced with the evidence the dismissed cop presented. Detained Senator de Lima said President Rodrigo Duterte should order a probe in line with his war on drugs. "Kung galit ka talaga sa ilegal na droga at sa drug users at pushers, patunayan mo 'yan ngayon, Mr. Duterte, at paimbestigahan si Yang. Hindi 'yung puro mahihirap at walang kalaban-laban ang pinagdidiskitahan mo," she said in a statement on Wednesday. She also urged Acierto to publicize his report on Yang so it can be verified and proven that Duterte is surrounding himself with people deep in the illegal drug trade. [Translation: If you're really mad against illegal drugs and drug users and pushers, then prove it, Mr. Duterte, and let Yang be investigated. Not just putting the blame on the poor and defenseless.] Yang served as Duterte's economic adviser and consultant. When the story broke this week, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the Chinese national's contract with the Duterte administration expired in December 2018. Acierto on Monday came out of hiding to detail the supposed drug ties of Yang. He said Yang was involved in the operation of a clandestine shabu laboratory in Dumoy, Davao City. He was also allegedly involved in the importation of raw materials and laboratory equipment to make shabu during the time Duterte was Davao Mayor. Aside from Yang, Acierto also named two Chinese nationals surrounding Duterte who are using their legitimate businesses to cover up their drug ties. He said he gave his report to former and incumbent authorities, but it fell on deaf ears. Candidates from opposition slate Otso Diretso also said the Office of the Ombudsman should launch an investigation into Duterte's "pals." "This is a challenge to the Ombudsman because there are government officials involved. Do your homework, these people are not immune from suit. You can investigate them and file appropriate charges if warranted," Erin Tanada said. Senate aspirant and formal Solicitor General Florin "Pilo" Hilbay said that although Duterte is immune from suit, he is not immune from the Ombudsman investigation "for purposes of impeachment or for purposes of publicizing the allegations of Mr. Acierto and determining the credibility of those allegations." Coming to Duterte's defense More officials from the executive branch came to Duterte's defense when he asked the military and police in his Tuesday speech why Acierto is still alive. "Huwag kayong maniwala lalo na eto sa Acierto. Eto nga yung nag p***. Tanungin ko kaya military pati police, bakit buhay pa yang p*********** yan," Duterte had said. [Translation: Don't believe in that, especially Acierto. He is the one who ****. I will ask the military and police why he is still alive.] Duterte Spokesperson Salvador Panelo played down the President's tirade against Acierto. "What he meant is why is he still roaming the streets, he should be behind bars," Panelo said in a message Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police chief said the President was likely being emotional and that his statement means nothing else. "Probably galit siya [he's angry]. It's because si ex-colonel Acierto is pointing directly to the President which is hindi yata maganda yun na wala kang ebidensya [not really good that you don't have evidence] and yet you are talking. You could just imagine, you are destroying the reputation of no less than the President of the Republic," Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde said. Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have found a way to place catalysts inside the tiniest pores of different host materials, a bit like when model ships are unfolded inside a bottle. When materials are confined like this on such a small scale, and without breaking the host, they behave differently from their bulk form, a change that scientists call the confinement effect. In the case of catalysts, which are materials that speed up chemical reactions, confinement may lead to higher activity. It keeps particles well separated, which is key to prevent loss of function in catalysis, and preserves their highly reactive surface. Similarly, when a material is squeezed in a small space, its electrons are not free to move as far as usual and the material's light emission colour could change - an effect that could be used in micro lasers. This strategy also opens up the possibility of multifunctional materials in which either the guest and host do different things separately or, because the guest is confined, the interactions between the host and guest may produce novel properties. To illustrate the approach, the researchers used porous nanomaterials which are like sponges but with 1 nm pockets inside where other molecules can fit. However, loading reactive catalysts inside a nanoporous host is challenging because often the reaction conditions can destroy the host. The study, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates a concept which uses thermodynamics to overcome these issues. The researchers realised that they can estimate the stability of the host under various reaction conditions. The research was carried out with University of Cambridge, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences), National University of Singapore and The University of New South Wales. Principal investigator Dr Stoyan Smoukov, from Queen Mary University of London, said: "We had some ideas that confinement could change properties, as such changes have been seen in other systems. The question was - was there a general way in which we could try and guide researchers so they could synthesise all kinds of large guests with various functions - like metals, metal oxides, sulfides, nitrides - without destroying the hosts?" Using thermodynamic diagrams the researchers developed a concept called Pourbaix-Enabled Guest Synthesis (PEGS), where conditions and precursor compounds can be chosen not to destroy the hosts. They include a tutorial system that demonstrates how to make a large variety of new guest/host combination compounds. Co-corresponding author, Professor Qiang Fu, from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences), added: "From a practical perspective, the PEGS approach links the materials chemistry with the design of functional materials for applications such as heterogeneous catalysis. The confined oxide nanostructures obtained by the PEGS method in this work can present enhanced catalytic performance, which is of great significance for design of advanced oxide catalysts." One of the lead authors, Tiesheng Wang, from the University of Cambridge, said: "The upcoming impact can be enormous. Since quantum theory describes nature at atomic-to-subatomic scales, the work that helps to achieve new confined states at small scales may contribute to the foundation to explore the quantum world experimentally." Israel Delivered Largest Strike on Hamas Targets in Gaza in 4 Years - Netanyahu Sputnik News 20:51 26.03.2019 TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - The Israeli forces have delivered a heavy blow to Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, with the scale of the current operation being commensurate with that of the 2014 Operation Protective Edge, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, adding that Israel was ready for further actions. The most recent escalation of tensions on the Israeli-Gaza border began early on Monday with a rocket launched from Gaza on the densely populated center of Israel, where a village house was destroyed. Seven people, including three children, were injured in the incident. "We have responded with great force. In the last 24 hours, we have destroyed major Hamas terrorist installations, on a scale not seen since the end of the military operation in Gaza four years ago We are prepared to do a lot more," Netanyahu said in a video address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)'s Policy Conference in Washington. Netanyahu had to opt out of the AIPAC event and cut short his visit to Washington in light of the current escalation on the border with the Gaza Strip. He returned to Israel to personally lead operations against the Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip. After the attack from the Gaza, Israel started to bolster its military presence at the border with the enclave and launched partial mobilization of reservists, while the Israel Defense Forces sent two military brigades and a command center to the border with Gaza. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Danger of War With India Not Yet Over - Pakistan PM Imran Khan Sputnik News 19:25 26.03.2019 Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is of the opinion that the possibility of war with India is not yet over, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would continue the anti-Pakistan rhetoric in order to cash in on the public sentiments regarding the situation at the border until the Indian elections are over. New Delhi (Sputnik): Expressing grave concern over the persistent tension at the border, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has cautioned that the danger of war with India is not over yet. Khan predicted that relations would remain tense until India's general elections are over. "The danger is not over. The situation will remain tense till forthcoming general elections in India. We are already prepared to avert any aggression from India", Imran Khan responded to a question about "India's war hysteria" which was attended by a group of Pakistani journalists in Islamabad. The statement comes amid reports of continuous cross border firing by forces of both the countries, using mortar and heavy machine guns. The two countries have also reportedly reinforced deployment along the border with air defence missile systems and fighter jets. Pakistan has yet to open its airspace to Indian civilian flight since 26 February, when the Indian Air Force conducted a "non-military pre-emptive" strike in Balakot inside Pakistan and claimed to have destroyed terror infrastructure operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed. This was followed by the Pakistani air force entering Indian airspace on 27 February and engaging in an aerial dogfight with the Indian Air Force. Following the 27 February aerial engagement, the Indian Army reportedly purchased new sniper rifles, including the Barrett M95.50 BMG and Beretta Scorpio TGT "Victrix" 338 Lapua Magnum, for the border patrol force. Media reports suggest that the Indian Air Force is also contemplating ordering additional air-to-air missiles for combat air patrol missions at the border. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Pakistan Trade Heavy Cross-Border Fire and Shelling Sputnik News 12:30 26.03.2019 Continuous heavy artillery fire exchanges have been commonplace since the two countries drew on their air forces to showcase their air power in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in February, which killed over 40 Indian soldiers. New Delhi (Sputnik): The border patrol forces from India and Pakistan have exchanged heavy fire and shelling along the border near the Rajouri sector of the India state of Jammu and Kashmir. As per local officials, a heavy firing of artillery was started by Pakistani forces at about 23.30 hrs local time on Monday night, which continued until Tuesday morning. "The heavy mortar shelling and heavy machine gun firing witnessed in the entire Line of Control (LoC) from Doongi Keri to Lam in Rajouri sector. However, there are no reports of any loss of life as of now", a defence source told Sputnik. The cross-border artillery exchanges between the two nuclear neighbours have not stopped since mid-February when a terror attack executed by Pak-based Jaish-e-Mohammed killed 40 Indian soldiers at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. At least five Indian Army personnel have been killed in border firing and a counter terror operation since 18 March in the Kashmir zone. Cross-border firing reached a crescendo across Sunderbani sector in the past week. Pakistan has reportedly deployed armed drones and Chinese missile defence systems near the Indian border in the past few days to keep a tab on movements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army. The IAF had conducted a non-military pre-emptive air strike against terror infrastructure in Balakot inside Pakistan on 26 February following the Pulwama attack. On the following day, Pakistan shot down an Indian fighter jet in the first air clash between the two nuclear armed nations in the last five decades. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Briefing With Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy for the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS Ambassador James Jeffrey Special Briefing James F. Jeffrey Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS Press Briefing Room Washington, DC March 25, 2019 MR PALLADINO: Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming. A special guest today, we've got the Special Representative for Syria Engagement and our Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Ambassador Jim Jeffrey. He has a few remarks at the top, and then we'll be happy to take some questions. Ambassador Jeffrey. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Thank you very much. Thank you for all coming today. This is obviously, for those of us who have worked on the Middle East and worked on Syria and worked on the efforts to defeat ISIS, a great day, a great weekend, with the victory over the last ISIS territorial caliphate positions along the Euphrates in Syria. This is not the end of the fight against ISIS. That will go on, but it will be a different kind of fight. ISIS has lost much of its capability to project terrorist power and to have a recruiting base in an area that it controls, so it's a very, very important development. The development was carried out by a coalition of 79 countries and organizations led by the United States. At the height of ISIS's power it controlled 40,000 square miles, at the beginning of this administration 20,000. It lost all of that territory. It had almost 8 million people under its sway. Now it has no one. It had somewhere between 35,000 and 100,000 fighters. They're all in prison or dead or fled. And now we're working to deal with the immediate situation humanitarian, reconstruction, and stability and essentially counterinsurgency against ISIS in the northeast of Syria as well as in neighboring Iraq. Let me mention before we get to the questions the sacrifices of our partners in the Iraqi military, in the Syrian SDF, among other coalition members, and of our own forces in the fight against ISIS. Thank you very much. MR PALLADINO: Associated Press, Matt. QUESTION: Thanks. Ambassador, I'm just now that the territorial caliphate is no more, the SDF have been saying that they do not really have the capacity to deal with the prisoners, who you mentioned, and had talked about at least today, started talking about an international tribunal or some kind of mechanism to deal with these people. What's the administration's position on that? Are you open to it? Because the administration has been quite hostile or contemptuous of mechanisms, particularly the International Criminal Court, so I'm just wondering is this something that you think is a viable way to go forward, and would you support it? Thank you. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Right now the focus is on getting countries to take back their own foreign terrorist fighters. A large percent of the total that have been captured by the SDF are Iraqis or Syrians, and those people there is a process underway to get those people back to Iraq and back to their Syrian communities for deradicalization and reintegration or in some cases punishment, and we're focused on that as our first priority. The second priority is to pressure countries to take back their own citizens who may or may not have committed crimes under their systems. We think that's vital, and that's what we're focused on. QUESTION: So not an international tribunal? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: We're not looking at that right now. MR PALLADINO: Let's go to al-Hurra, Michel. QUESTION: Yeah, Mr. Ambassador, what's the future of the U.S. military presence in Syria and a political solution there? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Okay, that's a broad question. First of all, the political solution. The U.S. policy in Syria is to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. We're a big step closer to that today, but ISIS still lives on in various cells and in the minds of many of the people in the areas that we've liberated. Secondly, to ensure a political process that will give us a different kind of government that will encourage people to come back and be a decent player in the international arena, unlike what we've seen from Syria in the last eight years. And then thirdly, the removal of all Iranian-commanded forces from the entirety of Syria. So our forces will stay on in very limited numbers in the northeast and al-Tanf to continue our clearing operations and stability operations against ISIS for a period of time not to be determined at this point. QUESTION: Thank you. MR PALLADINO: Let's go to AFP, Francesco. QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Is the withdrawal of the forces will leave starting right now, or when this is going to start? And also can you tell us more about what will happen to protect the Kurds, if you have an agreement for a multinational force, with who, and how this buffer zone will would work if it is the plan? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Yes. One, the withdrawal has begun right after the President announced it in December, first with priority on equipment but now beginning armed forces are being withdrawn. We had to reinforce initially to bring in more combat power, and now we're going back down towards what the final number will be. In terms of the Kurds, what we're working with is with Turkey to have a safe zone of some length along the Turkish border where there would be no YPG forces, because Turkey feels very nervous about the YPG and their ties to the PKK. We understand that. President Trump has made that clear to President Erdogan. But we also do not want anyone mishandling our SDF partners, some of whom are Kurds. And so therefore, we're working for a solution that will meet everybody's needs. We're not really looking at a coalition to be peacekeepers or anything like that. We're asking coalition personnel to continue to contribute and to up their contribution to our D-ISIS operations in Syria, and we're getting a pretty good response initially. But the mission is D-ISIS, Defeat ISIS. It's not to operate in any safe zone. MR PALLADINO: Reuters, Lesley. QUESTION: Ambassador, I wanted to come back to the prisoners. A lot of these countries that you mentioned have said that they don't want their prisoners back. What happens to those prisoners? And if you do give them back and, as you know, countries like Tunisia that can don't have the capacity to try these prisoners. What happens to them then? And then can I -- AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Sure. QUESTION: Just one follow-up? What has happened to the prisoners, including a British journalist and I believe a Japanese hostage? Have since the elimination of the caliphate, have you had any signs of any of these hostages? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: On the second, no, not yet. On the first, this is something that we simply continue to press our partners and allies to do. It's the right thing to do. QUESTION: And if they don't have the capacity to do it, though? Do you would you I mean -- AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: They have the capacity in the end if they put the effort into it to do it. QUESTION: Is there no sign that you could maybe use Guantanamo? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: If they have the if they put the effort into it, they can deal with it. MR PALLADINO: Laurie. QUESTION: Last month, you visited Erbil and had discussions with senior Kurdish officials there about Syria. Could you summarize those discussions and their results? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Sure. We see Iraq and Syria, as do our partners and friends in Erbil and Baghdad, as part of, first of all, in the fight against ISIS, one campaign; and secondly, as part of the center or core of the Middle East. It's very important to everybody what happens next door. And what we do is we work with people in Baghdad, we work with people in Erbil, we work with the Turks, we work with the Jordanians, the Saudis to try to come up with solutions to all of these problems that we're talking today. That's what we do in these conversations. QUESTION: Thank you. And do you see the threat in the ISIS threat that remains in peoples' minds and in sleeper cells the same in Syria and the same as it is in Iraq, or do you see differences between the two countries? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: It is developed more in Iraq from, my understanding, for several reasons. First of all, the fight is fresh in Syria, and ISIS elements are in shock from having lost this terrain. In Iraq, they've had more time to reconstitute. But again, their reconstituting in small groups operating in the shadows as a low-level insurgency. They're not holding terrain, they're not controlling populations. MR PALLADINO: USA Today, Deirdre. QUESTION: Can you tell us how many back to this question of prisoners how many ISIS fighters are being held right now? What's the most up-to-date number? And then secondly, related, how is the administration's decision not to bring Hoda Muthana back here for prosecution affecting your ability to persuade other countries to take these fighters back? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: In her case, we don't consider her an American citizen, so therefore it's not an issue. It's not somebody who we stripped the citizenship of. We just don't consider her an American citizen. We have taken a few people back who have been American citizens. In terms of your first question was on -- QUESTION: The numbers. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: The numbers. QUESTION: The latest numbers of -- AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: The numbers are tricky. What people are reporting to me were in the 7,000 or more, but it may have gone up over the weekend. It's very hard to maintain communications when people are floating around in temporary holding camps. There was a very large ISIS force in Baghouz. QUESTION: But all those not foreigners, right? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: No, no. Most well, most of them are Iraqis or Syrians, which by the mindset are considered different than the foreign terrorist fighters who we identify as people who have come from outside the region. QUESTION: Can you do you have an estimate on those? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: The majority are Syrian and Iraqi. QUESTION: And you can't go any further? You can't be more specific? I mean -- AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Pardon? QUESTION: You can't be more specific about a number of foreigners? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: I mean, no. I mean, look, most of you have been in chaotic war zones. QUESTION: Yeah. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Come on, nobody's out there. People are trying to avoid getting shot up until two days ago and moving forward on a combat operation; they're not too careful about counting. MR PALLADINO: ABC, Conor. QUESTION: You talked at the top about the importance of preventing a resurgence of ISIS, a lot of the work to stabilize the area. Some of the funding that the U.S. provided is starting to run out for programs like demining and other things. Is the U.S., is the administration, willing to contribute more funding for those things? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: For now, we have $325 million that we received from coalition partners for stabilization in the northeast. Overall, since this campaign has begun throughout Syria and areas the regime doesn't control, we've spent over $900 million on stabilization, and of course $9 billion on humanitarian aid. So we'll continue the humanitarian aid program. I just pledged 400 million in the Brussels donors conference last week while looking for new sources of stability funds. QUESTION: When you announced that funding, I was struck by the fact that it was for humanitarian programs sort of outside of the country, so no additional funding for the stabilization part of this. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Well, the stabilization programs that I talked about, the 325, are for activities inside northeast Syria. The humanitarian funds go everywhere. They go outside of Syria, they go inside of Syria, they go to regime-held areas, they go to non-regime-held areas. MR PALLADINO: Let's go to Bloomberg, Nick. QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, the Secretary has suggested that as U.S. troops come away from the field in northeast Syria the U.S. would ramp up its reliance on airstrikes and the like to control ISIS. Do you can you describe that a little bit, and would there be sort of more reliance on airpower in Syria and potentially Iraq on stemming the flow of (inaudible)? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Airpower has been an important component of our entire campaign against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. When the President made the decision to conduct the step-by-step withdrawal from Syria, he made clear that he did want to maintain the air control and presence, and now we're doing that plus maintaining some people on the ground. So airpower will continue to play an important role. Again, it's a military question whether you use airpower. For example, in some areas, we are using artillery fire from Iraq, in other areas artillery fire from Syria. MR PALLADINO: NBC, Abbie. QUESTION: Hi. Hi, Ambassador. What do you see as the practical significance of the declaration signed today recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights? And how does that affect your job given some of the criticism that it's a violation of UN resolution? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: The Assad regime is considered a pariah by almost all of the countries in the Middle East. It will continue to be considered a pariah. I don't think I'm going to have a lot of problems with this. MR PALLADINO: Fox. QUESTION: Yeah, hi. Just a follow-up on that. I think there are still thousands of ISIS fighters at large in Syria. You've mentioned sleeper cells a lot. Do you have an estimate on the figures of how many ISIS fighters are still in Syria? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Okay. Once again, I'll throw out figures, and they're not worth the paper they're printed on or the air, the breath used to say. We've heard 15 to 20 between Syria and Iraq, and that's part of the problem. There is no border. There I mean, there's a technical border, a line on a map, but these areas, the al-Jazirah desert and other areas, people wander back and forth all the time in. MR PALLADINO: Okay. QUESTION: One more on Turkey? Were you able, Mr. Ambassador, to make any progress in the talks with Turkey regarding the presence there, the protection of the SDF and the S-400? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: I don't do the S-400. In terms of the I wouldn't put it "protection of the SDF." I would put it that we have Turkey has concerns about the danger to itself. We understand those concerns. We've been involved for many years dealing with the threats to Turkey out of the Qandil Mountains. We don't want to see another Qandil Mountains in Syria. So therefore, we're working with them to come up with options to try to assuage their concerns without, again, leading to actions that we would not President Trump would not approve against our fellow SDF fighters. MR PALLADINO: CBS, Christina. QUESTION: Thank you. Sir, could you talk about the financial resources that ISIS still has, which, by a lot of estimates, are significant, and how the U.S. plans to go after them considering a lot of them are in places that may not be reachable by sanctions or measures like that? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Yeah. We have a financial action center in Saudi Arabia and it's a major part of the overall coalition, essentially, infrastructure, if you will, bureaucracy, is to go after it. We've been very, very successful tracking it down. As you saw I think it was a New Yorker piece or Atlantic you have these hawalas and other basically informal banking systems that we always it was a problem during the al-Qaida era; it's still a problem with al-Qaida, it's a problem with ISIS as well. QUESTION: Can you quantify what you think their financial assets are? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: No. QUESTION: In the millions? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Well, certainly in the millions. MR PALLADINO: Okay. Switching back there, please. Yes, you. QUESTION: Hello. Kathy Gilsinan with The Atlantic, where that piece ran. Do you have any update on the whereabouts of Baghdadi, and to what extent is it a priority to do the man-hunting now? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: No, we don't know where he is, and finding the top leadership of ISIS or other terrorist groups is always a priority. MR PALLADINO: PBS, Nick. QUESTION: Thanks, Ambassador. Just one logistical question first: When you say the withdrawal has begun, you mentioned that the numbers went up, of course. Are the numbers as of today down compared to where they were in December? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: I'm not sure, but again, I mean, I don't worry about numbers. I know, as well as I know my name, that President Trump has ordered a step-by-step withdrawal of our forces with the exception of a small contingent. That's underway. That will occur in the relatively near future. Where we are today, where we were yesterday, I have no idea. QUESTION: Okay. And then a larger question on Iraq: As you know, there is yet another effort to either oust U.S. troops from the country or restrict what U.S. troops can do inside the country. How seriously do you take that effort within the Iraqi parliament and how concerning is it to you that it might restrict your ability to continue your efforts in not only Iraq, but, more to the point, northern Syria, northeast Syria, as that withdrawal happens? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Well, first of all, let me make clear that our forces and the rest of the coalition in Iraq have one mission. That mission is the defeat of ISIS. That is a mission that has been cleared by and approved through the Iraqi Government. That can involve operations in Iraq. It can involve operations across the border in Syria. But we do this in close conjunction with the Iraqi Government. Any government has the sovereign right to determine whether it wants foreign troops on its territory. Iraq is a is a healthy democracy, if you will. These issues are something that are debated. We're pretty sure that the Iraqis will recognize that our forces and those of the rest of the coalition are there to help them, not to threaten their sovereignty. MR PALLADINO: CNN, Kylie. QUESTION: Hi, Ambassador. I'd just like to follow up on Conor's question about stabilization and humanitarian funding. You cited some pretty high figures for what the U.S. has spent, writ large, over the past few years. But the Trump administration zeroed out the budget for stabilization in Syria going forward, so what message does that send when you're trying to advocate for burden sharing if the U.S. has completely abdicated itself? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Okay. How can I handle this question? The United States put together, when the rest of the world was running for its lives, a 79-country and organization coalition, took the lead, and smashed this organization in Syria and Iraq where it controlled much of those two countries and was the major theme in the Middle East for almost two years. That's the kind of thing only we can do, and we did it, and we did it brilliantly. I think this administration's point of view is can't other people the rest of the coalition, you add it up, has a GDP I'd say check me on this double that of the United States, all of Europe, Japan. So we would look for them to help us, and they are: Saudi Arabia, the Emiratis, and the UAE. I don't think there's any question of America's commitment to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, elsewhere, and to maintain stability in America and in our allies' interests throughout the Middle East. I don't I mean, I spend two-thirds of my time out in the region. Nobody raises that question and says, "Well, we don't know." QUESTION: And can I just have one more question? MR PALLADINO: Go ahead. QUESTION: I don't know how much you can speak to this, but given the recent talks with the Taliban on counterterrorism issues in Afghanistan, do you have anything to share about what ISIS looks like in Afghanistan right now, or does that not fall under your umbrella? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: In a general sense, yes, but I'm going to duck that question because it's handled by another operation in the State Department. QUESTION: Okay. MR PALLADINO: Please, go ahead. QUESTION: Kim Dozier. There are something like 200- to 300,000 ISIS families in internment camps/IDP camps inside Iraq and there seems to be a mood among Iraqi officials I've spoken to not to rehabilitate them or reintegrate them, but to scour them for people to prosecute, yet every Sunni across Iraq seems to know someone who's in one of these camps. What are you recommending that the Iraqi Government do with them? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Our recommendations, which aren't necessarily followed, is to pursue reconciliation and reintegration. And the Iraqis have been pretty successful. Of the 3.5 million internally displaced persons, almost all of whom were Sunni Arab, that they had three years ago, over half have come back. So we're hoping they'll try harder. QUESTION: Can I have a follow-up? MR PALLADINO: Lesley, go ahead. QUESTION: Please, can I Mr. Ambassador, what are your steps now as far as the political process? Do you start engaging directly with Assad? Where is this going so that you can move that process beyond the military one if that's the stage you're at? And number two, did the Secretary of State in his discussions today by phone with his Russian counterpart discuss Syria at all? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: You can assume that Syria is usually on the agenda when the Secretary talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov. And -- QUESTION: How do you move beyond the military stage if it's there already? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Well, first of all and this is a theme of the questions coming at me, is what's America doing to lead everything? In my rejoinder, which I was most, I hope, eloquent with, and the response to you is: Hey, there are things that we really do, like contain China and put together 79-country coalitions. A lot of this other stuff we think the international community should do. In this particular case, the UN has a mandate; it has a new Syria envoy, Geir Pedersen. We support him 100 percent. We have worked very closely with him. We also reach out constantly to the Russians to try to get them to be supportive of the UN process. So that's what the Security Council has decided, and we're moving forward on it. And we think in the end that will be how this thing resolves itself, because right now, you have frozen basically the conflict with the lines that we've had since last summer. QUESTION: Yeah, okay. MR PALLADINO: Last question, back here, please. QUESTION: Follow-up on that? QUESTION: Kristina Anderson, AWPS News. So I'm interested in how we see the D-ISIS campaign as it winds down and humanitarian aid kind of builds up and the reconciliation of fighters goes ahead how that all will dovetail with some of these other these diplomatic efforts to resolve the in a political agreement that stabilizes the region. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: It is a very -- QUESTION: Can you say a little bit more about that? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: It is a very complex job that I and many others who work with me are involved in. But we think we have, on a given day, an idea of where we are and where the international community is on the 18 or 20 major things that you just discussed. QUESTION: Okay. QUESTION: Just a quick follow-up to Lesley? MR PALLADINO: All right, go ahead. QUESTION: Can you just describe whether Russia's being helpful at all in the political process that you want to see before -- AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: The Russians right now are working on a constitutional committee to come up with a 150-member group composed of regime people, opposition people, and neutral people that would start the political process. The Russians have been fairly I would say forthcoming in ideas and other things. I think the problem is that the Russians are hamstrung by the Syrian regime, which doesn't want to have anything to do with this. And that puts a crimp in what the Russians may want to do. QUESTION: Sounds like they're being helpful then? AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: I would say helpful. For example, the Russians just approved a UN resolution in January that allows us to continue shipping humanitarian aid into Syria through opposition that is non-Syrian Government held areas. That's the helpful thing, and it flies in the face of Assad's sovereignty to some degree. QUESTION: They've been working on the committee since last year. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Right, and do you want me to start counting frozen conflicts that the UN has been working on since the 1940s? I'm thinking of one right now that almost blew up a couple of weeks ago. That's the way things are in the world of diplomacy. QUESTION: Thank you. MR PALLADINO: That's good, great. Thank you very much, Ambassador Jeffrey. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Okay. MR PALLADINO: Thanks, guys. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY: Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen crisis won't be solved by UK arms exports halt: article by Jeremy Hunt Writing in Politico, the Foreign Secretary says the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates helps us influence their leaders. 26 March 2019 Nothing in Yemen has been left untouched by war, not even the presidential palace in Aden. When I visited this fortified building a few weeks ago, you could see the pockmarks from bullets and the damage from explosions. I went to Aden to meet Yemen's recognized government and see for myself the realities of a grave humanitarian crisis. At the port, a United Nations official told me how even now, four years on, they are struggling to bring in enough food for millions of desperate people. On this anniversary of the intervention in Yemen's conflict led by Saudi Arabia, the imperative need for a peaceful settlement has never been greater. Some 24 million Yemenis depend on emergency aid for food and medicine. The total population is less than 30 million, so at least 80% of all Yemenis are suffering in this way. No less than 1.8 million children are enduring acute malnutrition. Behind these stark impersonal numbers are real people individual mothers, fathers and children. But the blunt truth is that Yemen's ordeal is the consequence not of natural disaster but a tragic man-made conflict. Some argue that Britain has contributed to the crisis because of arms sales to some of the participants. In fact we have some of the strictest arms control export guidelines in the world and I have made the quest for a political solution in Yemen a central priority for British diplomacy. Despite Brexit, my focus on Yemen has not wavered. So at this crucial moment, if we are to progress, I would offer three observations. First, historical accuracy matters. This war did not begin with a Saudi-led intervention. Six months earlier, in September 2014, Houthi rebels, representing no more than 15% of the population, captured most of the capital, Sana'a, and expelled the internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia and its allies began their operation in March 2015 in order to restore that government, consistent with United Nations Resolution 2216. Before they had launched a single air strike, Yemen was already at war. Second, there is now a path to peace. The agreement reached in Stockholm in December means that for the first time since 2016, the Houthis and the government of Yemen have held direct peace talks. I went to Stockholm myself to encourage progress. The outcome was a ceasefire in the Hodeidah province, including the crucial port through which Yemen receives about 70% of its food imports. This fragile ceasefire has broadly held for the last 3 months. But the next phase of the Stockholm agreement, providing for a mutual redeployment of forces away from Hodeidah, has not been implemented. Unless that happens, the ceasefire is unlikely to be sustained. So my immediate priority is to press all sides to implement Stockholm, which is why earlier in March I visited the countries most directly involved in the conflict. I was the first British Cabinet minister to pay an official visit to Aden since Denis Healey in 1965. Which brings me to my final point: Britain's history and our values require us to play our part in making a constructive difference in the Middle East and our unique links in the region mean that we have the ability to do so. Our strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates allows us the opportunity to influence their leaders. Since becoming foreign secretary last July, I have paid two visits to both countries. We could, of course, decide to condemn them instead. We could halt our military exports and sever the ties that British governments of all parties have carefully preserved for decades, as critics are urging. But in doing so we would also surrender our influence and make ourselves irrelevant to the course of events in Yemen. Our policy would be simply to leave the parties to fight it out, while denouncing them impotently from the sidelines. That would be morally bankrupt and the people of Yemen would be the biggest losers. We would have been unlikely to see Stockholm or the ceasefire that is now broadly holding in Hodeidah. Instead, the right path for us is to continue to employ every channel of influence to urge the parties to keep the obligations they agreed in Stockholm. The EU too has a powerful voice and must use it. Martin Griffiths, the UN envoy (who happens to be British), is doing heroic work to bring the sides together. We will support his efforts to the full, using all the diplomatic and humanitarian levers in our hands. This year, Britain has contributed another 200 million of emergency aid for Yemen, providing food for over a million people every month and treating 30,000 children for malnutrition. This is the fourth anniversary of the latest stage of a terrible conflict. Britain will do everything possible to ensure that Yemen's people do not have to suffer a fifth. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 10 million Yemenis 'one step away from famine', UN food relief agency calls for 'unhindered access' to frontline regions 26 March 2019 - With Yemen now in its fifth year of conflict between pro-Government forces and Houthi rebels, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is calling for "unhindered access" to the most desperate areas in the frontline regions "to prevent the food security situation deteriorating". "Today twenty million Yemenis some 70 per cent of the population are food insecure, marking a 13 per cent increase from last year", WFP Spokesperson Herve Verhoosel told reporters at a regular press briefing in Geneva. "Nearly 10 million of them are one step away from famine". After receiving reports that intensive clashes erupted in several locations within Hudaydah city, including an attack yesterday on a key supply route from Hudaydah to Sana'a, WFP expressed security concerns in ensuring proper humanitarian support by WFP and other UN agencies. Hudaydah has been the focus of clashes between Government forces and Houthi opposition fighters. It is a crucial gateway for the entry of aid, desperately needed to save millions of Yemenis from starvation. Last December, UN-brokered consultations between the Government and Houthi leaders resulted in the Stockholm Agreement, which set out terms for ongoing troop-withdrawal negotiations and a ceasefire that continues to hold, albeit fragilely. Meanwhile since early this month, warring factions in a northern district, have displaced some 11,000 families in Hajjah governorate, an area on Yemen's northern Red Sea coast, which borders Saudi Arabia. "In northern Hajjah governorate, already one of the most food insecure areas of Yemen, a recent surge in violence risks pushing thousands more to catastrophic levels of hunger", he said. Moreover, in the last six months, the number of people displaced by violence has increased sharply from 203,000 to around 420,000. WFP's ongoing rapid-response food rations have been able to support over 5,000 families and Hajjah governorate has around 200 food distribution points covering 1.5 million people. According to Mr. Verhoosel, WFP classes 28 of 31 districts in Hajjah as humanitarian emergencies, eight of which are experiencing pockets of "catastrophic levels of food insecurity". "In the next few days WFP will begin distributing food rations to all families in Kushar district", he said, noting that the "epicenter of recent violence in Hajjah governorate" was a mountainous district only 31 miles from the Saudi border. Mr. Verhoosel spelled out: "We also need access to the districts surrounding Kushar, which have likely received a surge of families fleeing violence". He noted that neither WFP nor its partners have, so far, been able to access the districts of Harad, Mustaba, Midi and Hayran where an estimated 50,000 people teeter on the brink of starvation. "Once again", the spokesperson said, "WFP needs free and unhindered access to the vulnerable populations in these districts if we are to prevent the food security situation from further deterioration." WFP is scaling up this year to reach 12 million people each month; a 50 per cent increase over its 2018 targets, including eight million with food rations; 2.4 with commodity vouchers and, eventually, 1.6 million with cash assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric' destabilizing Middle East, warns top UN official 26 March 2019 - Against a backdrop of rising tensions in Israel and Palestine, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, painted a bleak picture once again in the Security Council on Tuesday, cataloguing further terrorist acts, attacks against civilians, reprisals against demonstrators, unlawful demolitions and settlement expansions, and a funding crisis which could have dramatic consequences for the stability of an already volatile region. "I am saddened by the persistent violence that continues to result in the tragic loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives", said Nickolay Mladenov. "Recent incidents in the West Bank and Gaza highlight the mounting tensions across the occupied Palestinian territory and the risk of a broader escalation of the conflict," the UN official told the Security Council. "I am concerned that we may once again be facing another dangerous escalation of violence in Gaza with potentially catastrophic consequences." Against a 'very tense' situation, a call for 'maximum restraint' This was the ninth quarterly report on the implementation of 2016 Security Council resolution 2334, covering the period from 15 December through to 15 March. However, Mr. Mladenov opened his briefing sounding the alarm on the most recent escalation of violence across the Gaza-Israel border. He lamented the launch of at least 104 rockets and mortars from the Gaza Strip towards Israel in the past 10 days: some were intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome system, while others caused material damage to a house in Israeli southern town of Sderot or hit uninhabited areas; one hit a house in central Israel, injuring seven people, including three children. "There is no justification for terrorism", said the Special Coordinator, calling on all to "join the United Nations in condemning the continued indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas towards Israel", which he called "acts of provocation" that can "only dramatically increase the risk of escalation and ultimately damage our collective efforts to support the people of Gaza and intra-Palestinian reconciliation". Mr. Mladenov noted that, in response, in the past 48 hours, Israeli forces carried out 42 air strikes on various locations in Gaza, firing 16 shells into the enclave. According to local sources, seven Palestinians were injured, several buildings were destroyed, including offices of the Hamas extremist group which controls Gaza. "The last two days have shown us how precipitously close we are to the brink of war," he warned. "My team and I have been working intensely with Egypt and all concerned parties to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control," said the Special Coordinator. "As I have said many times in this Council, but I will repeat it today again, nobody has an interest in a full military confrontation in Gaza," he stressed, adding that "a new conflict will be devastating for the Palestinian people, it will have consequences for Israelis, who live in the vicinity of the Gaza perimeter, and it is likely to have regional repercussions". Mr. Mladenov implored the 15 members of the Security Council to "call on all sides to exercise maximum restraint." Non-compliance with Security Council resolution 2334 "No steps have been taken by Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as called for by Security Council Resolution 2334," said Mr. Mladenov, adding that the recent "advancement, approval or tender of more than 3,000 units in the occupied West Bank, is the largest batch since May 2018". "I reiterate that the establishment of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, has no legal effect and constitutes a flagrant violation of international lawand must cease immediately and completely," he stated. The Special Coordinator also noted that "demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also continued across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem," resulting in the displacement of many people and the destruction of important infrastructure, such as a water cistern an elementary school. Although Resolution 2334 "calls for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians," that was not the reality, highlighting that demonstrators protesting dire economic conditions in Gaza, and citing "injustice due to the Palestinian division and the Hamas takeover of Gaza by force and violence", had themselves come under attack. "Although the protests were generally non-violent, Hamas security personnel violently dispersed participants and many, including women, children, journalists and human rights activists, were beaten and hospitalized," said Mr. Mladenov, who noted that "tens of homes were raided in search of demonstrators" and that "local human rights monitors reported that over a thousand people, including children, were arrested, with many reportedly beaten". "The crackdown was condemned by all Palestinian factions," he stressed, adding that he also strongly condemns this violent campaign against protesters, stating that "the situation in Gaza is untenable" and that "the long-suffering people of Gaza have a right to protest without fear of reprisal." The Special Coordinator then turned to the occupied West Bank, noting that four Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces and dozens injured; while two Israelis, one soldier and one civilian, were killed by Palestinians. He added that the situation in Jerusalem's Holy sites "continues to be tense". "Security Council Resolution 2334 calls upon the parties to refrain from provocative actions, incitement, and inflammatory rhetoric. Unfortunately, such actions continued", said Mr. Mladenov, citing several instances when several Palestinian and Israeli political leaders praised attacks or called for continued targeted assassinations. A funding crisis for the Palestinians Mr. Mladenov explained that, following Israel's decision to withhold 6 per cent from revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian leadership's refusal to accept any transfers unless the full amount is restored, a "funding crisis" had resulted. This had led to severe austerity measures: - A 50 per cent salary cut for almost two-thirds of Palestinian Government employees. - An overall ceiling on salary payments. - A cessation of promotions, appointments and bonuses, purchase of property and cars. - A 20 per cent reduction in operational expenses across the board including reduced expenses on travel, hospitality and fuel. "In addition, the Palestinian Authority plans to borrow from domestic banks between now and July," noted Mr. Mladenov, deploring that "this will have a substantial impact on the Palestinian economy resulting in reduced purchasing power and further reduction in the GDP growth rate both in West Bank and Gaza". Lack of progress on the 'two-State solution' "I remain deeply concerned by the lack of progress towards the realization a two-State solution in line with relevant United Nations resolutions, long-standing international parameters and prior agreements," said Mr. Mladenov, who stated that "there is no viable alternative" to it. He called for much-needed "leadership and political will to take concrete steps in support of ending the occupation and realizing a lasting peaceUntil that can be found, another generation of Israelis and Palestinians is destined to spend their lives searching in vain for an elusive peace." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mali's 'self-defence' groups must face justice, after deadly intercommunal attacks 26 March 2019 - Mali's authorities have been urged by the UN to provide justice for the victims and survivors of attacks by so-called self-defence groups, responsible for horrific intercommunal violence in central Mali, after a weekend assault that claimed the lives of more than 150 people, including some 50 children. Last Saturday's attack in Ogossagou in the Mopti region is just the latest in a series of raids since March 2018 that has resulted in the deaths of some 600 women, children and men, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday. "We are urging the Government to conduct prompt investigations with a view to justice and accountability, to break this circle of impunity," said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani. "We have deployed a team with crime scene investigators as well as human rights officers, and they will be conducting interviews in the affected villages to try to establish what happened." According to OHCHR, women, men and children from the Fulani community were deliberately targeted. "These traditional disputes have always been there," Ms. Shamdasani explained, often fuelled by disputes over access to land and water. "But lately it has taken on a particularly deadly turn because entire Fulani communities - and we are talking about millions of people - are being painted as violent extremists simply because they are Muslim." Survivors' testimonies indicated that victims were thrown down wells and homes and warehouses were burned, destroying the livelihoods of the whole community. Traditional hunters carried out the raid in the village, they said, apparently using automatic weapons, hunting rifles and other weapons, according to OHCHR. Although the Government has dissolved the Dan Nan Ambassagou militia, which is suspected of committing some of the atrocities, Ms. Shamdasani urged "prompt investigations" of alleged crimes committed by all groups. Another attack was reported in the village of Welingara, three kilometres west of Ogossagou, that led to the death of one person. The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, also condemned the latest violence, noting that the injuries sustained by children were mostly gunshot-related, burns and fractures. Huge displacement Spokesperson Christophe Boulierac also warned that many thousands of people have fled the increasing violence, with 56,400 internally displaced people in Mopti region at the end of 2018, compared with 2,000 in 2017. "The first assessments speak for themselves: one-third of people killed are children, half of the injured people are children," Mr. Boulierac said, in reference to Saturday's attack. "The schools are increasingly threatened, so the threat against children is clear, and children are paying the highest price of this crisis in Mali." To assist the Malia, authorities, a team of 10 human rights officers, a child protection officer and two crime scene investigators from the United Nations Police (UNPOL) of the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) have been deployed to Mopti to conduct a special investigation into Saturday's attacks. Some investigations have been conducted by the authorities, "but they largely fail to result in trials", Ms. Shamdasani told journalists in Geneva. Defence groups 'taking law into their own hands' on violent extremism Mali "is struggling with fighting violent extremism", Ms. Shamdasani said, noting that many communities were using this as a "pretext for intercommunal violence, or they are painting themselves as so-called self-defence groups and they are taking the law into their own hands and getting rid of what they perceive to be the threat of violent extremism". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Chief Urges Calm as Israel Responds to Gaza Rocket Attacks By Margaret Besheer March 26, 2019 The U.N. Secretary-General appealed for calm Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli war planes carried out airstrikes earlier in the day in response to continued rocket fire from the Palestinian territory. "First of all, we were clear in the condemnation of the rocket attack, but now we believe that it is absolutely necessary to avoid any scaling up and to have restraint," Antonio Guterres told reporters. "Our appeal is for restraint in the present moment, for the people not to suffer even more, both in Israel and in Gaza, and in Palestine in general." The militant group Hamas was behind Monday's rocket attack launched from the Gaza Strip, which the group controls. Seven people were injured in a house north of Tel Aviv. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes on dozens of targets across Gaza, including the office of the leader of Hamas. Five Palestinians were hurt in the strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington on Monday when the violence erupted. He said during a meeting with President Donald Trump that "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this." He said Israel "will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state." Netanyahu cut short his trip to Washington and returned home to deal with the growing crisis. e is fighting for his political future and faces an uncertain re-election next month. Netanyahu has argued that he must remain in office to keep Israelis safe. He has been heavily criticized by supporters and opponents alike for what they contend is his ineffective policy of containing Gaza militants. On Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council held its regular monthly meeting on the situation. The 15 council members were briefed by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process. "In the past 10 days, there have been two rocket attacks from Gaza targeting the Tel Aviv area, which represents a very serious escalation," Nickolay Mladenov told the council. "Since the early hours of yesterday, my team and I have been working intensely with Egypt and all concerned parties to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control." He said in the past 24 hours, at least 103 rockets and mortars had been fired from Gaza toward Israel, while the Israeli Air Force conducted 42 strikes on various locations in Gaza. Tensions have been high since mid-March, as thousands of Palestinians have held mostly peaceful protests in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip against the deteriorating economic situation there. Hamas security personnel have used violence to disperse the protesters, including many women, children, journalists and human rights activists. Palestinians are also restless ahead of the one-year anniversary of protests that saw more than 100 people killed by Israeli forces at Gaza's border fence. "I am concerned that we may once again be facing another dangerous escalation of violence in Gaza with potentially catastrophic consequences," Mladenov warned. "The last two days have shown us how precipitously close we are to the brink of war." Israel's U.N. ambassador said if the rocket attacks continue, "the Hamas leadership will feel the strength of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and be buried in the tunnels of Gaza." He urged the international community to condemn Hamas and recognize it as a terrorist organization. The United States and European Union have designated Hamas as a terrorist group, but many other countries, including Russia, have not. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNHCR: 500,000 Displaced Cameroonians Urgently Need Humanitarian Aid By Lisa Schlein March 26, 2019 The U.N. refugee agency is appealing for $184 million to support its life-saving operations for nearly a half-million Cameroonians displaced inside their country and as refugees in Nigeria. Violent clashes between the Cameroonian military and armed separatists in the English-speaking parts of the country have intensified during the past year. The U.N. refugee agency estimates more than 437,000 Cameroonians are internally displaced and more than 35,000 others have fled to Nigeria in search of refuge. The UNHCR said most of the victims are women and children who have fled their homes with very little, and they often arrive in impoverished host communities where food, health, education, water and sanitation are scarce. UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch tells VOA that violence is forcing civilians caught in the crossfire to flee for their lives. "Civilians have suffered immensely and also burning of houses, torture, rape, kidnapping of school children in this region is a great concern for us," Balock said. "And, in terms of burning houses, we have reports that in over 172 villages in these regions, houses have been burned or destroyed." Baloch said the UNHCR, which he said is severely underfunded and unable to meet the growing needs, urgently needs $35 million to provide critical aid for the hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Inside Cameroon, he said many people are living in overcrowded conditions, without proper shelter or health and sanitation. He said the UNHCR does not have enough money to protect the affected population. That has put the safety of women, children, and people with disabilities, as well as lactating and pregnant women, at risk, he said. Baloch said refugees in Nigeria are living in more than 47 villages along the border in makeshift settlements and are dependent upon humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mali Inter-Ethnic Violence Spikes; UN Calls for Probe By Lisa Schlein March 26, 2019 The United Nations Human Rights Office is calling on the government of Mali to investigate the killing of more than 150 people and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The agency says an attack Saturday in Ogossagou in the Mopti region of central Mali, marked a significant increase in violence. The U.N. reports that over the past year, fighting between the Fulani and Dogon ethnic communities has resulted in the deaths of some 600 women, children and men. Disputes over land and water between Fulani herders and Dogon hunters are common. But the fighting has grown increasingly violent. The U.N. Human Rights office says that survivors of Saturday's attack, most of them Fulani, said Dogon traditional hunters attacked the village of Ogossagou with automatic weapons and hunting rifles. Human Rights Office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said that some members of the Dogon portray the Fulani as supporters of violent Islamist extremist groups. "I understand that many of these communities - either they are using this as a pretext for intercommunal violence, or they are painting themselves as so-called defense groups. They are taking the law into their own hands and getting rid of what they perceive to be the threat of violent extremism which, of course, ends up meaning that many children are mercilessly killed, people's bodies are thrown into wells, people are burned alive in their homes," she said. Shamdasani noted that the Dogon are the only group accusing the Fulani of supporting Islamist militants. She said the Malian government has launched investigations and made arrests in the past aimed at stopping the cycle of violence. But she said none of the cases ever went to trial. Shamdasani said her office has deployed a team of crime scene investigators and human rights officers to the affected villages. She said they will be conducting interviews to establish what happened. She added the U.N. rights office will support the government to carry those investigations forward. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Algerian Army Chief Wants President Declared Unfit to Lead By Edward Yeranian March 26, 2019 Algerian Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah, widely considered the country's main powerbroker, told cadets during a nationally televised speech that ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika should be declared "incapacitated," triggering article 102 of the constitution, in order to find a peaceful solution to the current political crisis. Should the article be enacted, the head of parliament would take over as acting head of state for 45 days, before the president is officially determined to be incapacitated by the Constitutional Council, granting him a further 45 days as acting president. Speaker Abdel Qader Ben Salah would fill the role of acting head of state. In a dramatic move, Algeria's army chief called on parliament to declare Bouteflika incapacitated during his nationally televised speech. He said this is in order to find a constitutional outlet to the current crisis, which is the only way to maintain stability in the country and respond to the legitimate demands of the people, while being an acceptable solution to all concerned. Under article 102, two-thirds of parliament must vote to declare Bouteflika, whose term officially ends on April 21, "unable to govern," giving temporary power to the parliament speaker as "acting president" for 45 days. The Constitutional Council would then rule on the president's inability to govern, granting a further 45 days as acting head of state to the parliament speaker. He would then organize fresh presidential elections. Bouteflika, who recently returned from a trip for medical treatment in Geneva, indicated 10 days ago that he was calling off presidential elections, originally due to be held next month, but he would not run for a fifth term. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of the capital Algiers and many other Algerian towns and cities to call on Bouteflika to step down and to demand major political changes during protests each Friday for the past month. Na'aman La'our, a leader of the "Movement for a Peaceful Society" told Algerian TV the president must bow to the demands of the people: He said that his group wants the sovereignty of the people to be the basis of all political activities and that the only way for that to be the case is if there are free and democratic elections, organized by an independent electoral commission. Algerian political analyst Abdel Karim Tabaqaneet told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV that by invoking article 102, "the army has chosen a political solution to the crisis that has befallen the country for the past month. But he noted that the army also may declare a "state of emergency," as stipulated by article 105 of the constitution, if the need arises. Several Algerian commentators also have told Arab media it was possible that Bouteflika would "step down voluntarily," within the next 24 to 48 hours. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tibet enjoys one of its best periods in history: official Global Times By Li Ruohan and Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2019/3/27 14:19:55 White paper details political, economic, religious progress A senior official from Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region said the human rights situation in the region is "very good" and Tibet is enjoying one of its best periods in history as people's aspirations for a stable society are stronger than ever. The remarks were made by Norbu Dondrup, vice chairman of the Tibet regional government, at a press conference on Wednesday announcing the release of a white paper on Tibet, titled Democratic Reform in Tibet - Sixty Years On. The region's vice chairman also blasted outsiders' criticism of the region's adherence to human rights. Some countries have been fooled and bewitched by the Dalai clique that continues to criticize the human rights situation in Tibet, said Norbu Dondrup. It is the more than 3 million people living in Tibet who have the biggest say in the human rights situation in the region and people's satisfaction and happiness are the best measure of human rights, said the official. "Before 1959, the one million serfs in Tibet had no idea of human rights. They didn't have any awareness of human rights as their rights had been deprived of under feudal serfdom. They didn't have the rights to life, let alone the rights to develop," said Norbu Dondrup. The official said the old society before 1959 was "very dark and very cruel" as serfs were traded, slaughtered, imprisoned and even skinned at will. He said the Dalai Lama is in no position to talk about human rights in the region and his attacks have "ulterior motives." By abolishing serfdom, a grim and backward feudal system, Tibet was able to establish a new social system that liberated the people and made them masters of the nation and society, thus ensuring their rights in all matters, said the white paper. The year 2019 marks the 60th anniversary of democratic reform in Tibet. The white paper released Wednesday was the 14th such document released by China's State Council Information Office. Since 2013, some 710,000 people have been lifted out of poverty in Tibet. The region's poverty rate has dropped from 35.2 percent in 2012 to less than 6 percent in 2018, the white paper said. Tibet's human rights and advances in other fields have seen "unprecedented and remarkable" progress since the democratic reform in 1959, Norbu Dondrup said at the press conference. When asked whether a referendum could be held in Tibet, the official said the so-called "Tibet independence" issue was cooked up by the imperialists in the past. "Tibet is an inalienable part of China. We have never recognized 'Tibet independence,' neither has any other country," he said. While denouncing the idea of holding a referendum in Tibet as nonsense, Penpa Lhamo, deputy head of the Contemporary Studies Institute at the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences, said people in Tibet have sufficient channels to express their opinion and be engaged in social governance. Since 1978, Tibet has held 11 elections for deputies to the people's congresses at the township level, 10 at the county level, and eight at the level of municipalities that have subordinate districts, according to the document. There are 35,963 deputies to the people's congresses at all levels in Tibet. Tibetans and other ethnic minority groups account for 92.18 percent of the deputies, it said. At the Wednesday news conference, officials also noted religious freedom is sufficiently safeguarded in the region while noting that believers should not be fooled by separatists. "It's clearly written in Chinese law that every citizen has the right to religious freedom. However, those who stir up religious fervor to serve a separatist agenda and violate the law should be punished in accordance with the law. This is same as in all other countries," said Norbu Dondrup. In a society ruled by feudal serfdom under theocracy, religious freedom is just a fallacy as the religion in power would damage and oppress believers of other faiths, said Penpa Lhamo. The democratic reform brought institutional and legal guarantees for religious freedom in Tibet. Central and local governments also offered sufficient policies and funding to protect religious culture and relics in the region, she said. Wang Xiaobin, a scholar at the Beijing-based China Tibetology Research Center, told the Global Times that Tibetan Buddhism was "tarnished" before the democratic reform in Tibet as the religion was used as a political tool to oppress the people and interfere with administrative and judicial affairs. After the democratic reform in 1959, Tibetan Buddhism was back on the track of a religion to serve believers instead of being a political tool, said Wang, noting that the reform has "liberated" Tibetan Buddhism and given a new life to the religion. There are 1,787 religious venues in Tibet, accommodating some 46,000 monks and nuns, and 358 living Buddhas. The region also has four mosques, and some 12,000 Muslims, as well as a Catholic church with more than 700 followers, said the white paper. All the monks and nuns registered in the autonomous region enjoy the benefits of the social security net, with full medical insurance, old-age benefits, subsistence allowance, and personal accident insurance, the white paper added. Never separated Facing issues of reincarnation and power transition in the post-Dalai era, the Dalai clique felt a strong sense of crisis and anxiety and they may step up separatist actions or resort to violent actions to shift internal conflicts, said Wang. Risks also come from international society. The US will not stop using Tibet-related affairs to pressure China and gain more bargaining chips for negotiations on other issues, said Wang. Tibet-related affairs have been frequently picked up by the US to challenge China after President Donald Trump signed into law a Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act in late 2018. China on Tuesday expressed firm opposition to the act after the US on Monday claimed that China "systematically" impedes Tibet access. "Since the democratic reform 60 years ago, the destiny and development of Tibet are in the hands of the Chinese people, including those in Tibet, and there's no need for the US to bother worrying about the region's future," Zhu Weiqun, former head of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told the Global Times. Those US tricks to pressure China and smear the image of the region will not work as long as the region continues to develop and the progress is introduced to international society, said analysts. US support to the Dalai clique can only bring disaster to the region and is a road that leads to nowhere, said Zhu. A more practical approach for the US would be separating itself from the clique that is facing a dead end, he said. Though facing a fading influence, separatists will not stop their activities. Apart from efforts to promote development and stability in Tibet, China should also strengthen ideological-related work in the region, said Penpa Lhamo. The development of Tibet, which accounts for nearly one-sixth of China's territory, is an important cause for China. Tibet's progress will also help the country's mission to lift those living close to the region, such as those in Qinghai and Sichuan out of poverty, said Zhu. A rising star To get a glimpse of the contrast in development between China's Tibet Autonomous Region and other Himalayan regions, as well as their interactions, Global Times reporters visited neighboring regions in India and Nepal earlier this month. A Chinese worker who was involved in an infrastructure project two years ago in the pastures of Tibet shared with the Global Times a rare encounter with Nepali farmers. "Despite his inability to speak Chinese, the Nepali farmer family showed their goodwill toward China by giving a thumb-up gesture when they knew that I am Chinese," said the worker. "They treated us with food and drinks," said the worker who preferred to stay anonymous. On the Nepali side of the Rasog Bridge linking China and Nepal, Chinese workers are helping Nepal build a bridge that had shown several cracks after the Nepal earthquake in 2015. More and more people from Nepal are attracted to the town of Gyirong where they can earn more compared to their hometowns. A young waitress from Nepal who's been working at a Nepali food restaurant said she can earn around 2,000 yuan a month in Gyirong without the need for food and accommodation expenditures. The salary is nearly double that of her hometown, she told the Global Times. The development of Tibet was similar to Nepal about 20 years ago when people were very poor and their life was difficult, but now it's 100 percent different as the Tibetan people are becoming more prosperous, thanks to the growth of China's economy, Prem Sagar Poudel, president of the Nepal-China Mutual Cooperation Society, told the Global Times. With the further implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, Tibet's economic ambition is spreading to South Asia, where more opportunities are being created, said analysts. Nepal can obtain growth opportunities and development experience through business cooperation with people in Tibet's border towns, as demonstrated by the fact that more Chinese vendors are doing business in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, Poudel said. Since ancient times, Tibet has been well connected with other Himalayan regions and the cultural, trade, tourism and people-to-people interactions will significantly increase as the Belt and Road Initiative moves forward, Penpa Lhamo said. If the border regions in India and Nepal could seize the opportunity of China's policies of developing Tibet, the regions, which have had close interaction with Tibet in history, would enjoy vast opportunities in the future, Zhu said. Huang Ge and Zhang Hongpei contributed to this story NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 87 ISIS terrorists killed in eastern Afghanistan IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Kabul, March 27, IRNA -- Afghanistan National Security Council spokesman announced that 87 members of ISIS (Daesh) were killed in Achin District, Nangarhar Province. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ahmad Tareq Arin said the terrorists were affiliated to Khorasan wing of ISIS. He added that 8 terrorists were injured and two suicide attackers were also busted. Despite the fact that Afghan president had earlier declared defeat of Daesh in eastern Afghanistan, but ISIS is still active in Nangarhar. Russian has recently reported establishment of new ISIS center in northern Afghanistan, but Afghan officials had no comment on it. Earlier, Commander of Kandahar police Tadin Khan announced that a member of Afghanistan House of the People Obeidollah Barkazi was assassinated by unknown assailants. An explosion also in a ceremony in Helmand, southern Afghanistan claimed the lives of 3 and injured 31 more. A member of provincial council, border guard police commander and head of economy department of the province were among those who were injured. Some sources claimed that Helmand governor was also injured. Taliban has claimed the responsibility of the attack. Taliban is seriously against Nowruz celebrations and had earlier banned holding these ceremonies. Meanwhile earlier, three consecutive explosions shook Karte Sakhi, Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Thursday morning. Karte Sakhi is the place for commemorating Nowruz festival in Afghanistan. The first explosion took place in Nowruz commutation place, the second one on a road leading to the same place from Kabul University, and, ten minutes later, the third one in Kabul University. The incident claimed the lives of 6 people and injured 23 more. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli regime bombards Gaza Strip IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, March 27, IRNA -- The Zionist regime of Israel has bombarded some areas in Gaza Strip with missile. According to Palestinian media 'Maan', witnesses said that the Israeli jetfighters targeted Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. No reports have yet released on the possible casualties or damages to properties. Meanwhile, Israel announced Tuesday that a rocket has been fired from Gaza to Ashkul District. In the wake of this attack, warning sirens went off on the occupied Palestine. Conflicts between Resistance forces and the Israeli regime have been escalated in Gaza over the last few months. Earlier, Hezbollah movement announced that in a meeting between Lebanon's Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and a Hamas delegation both sides discussed the latest developments in Gaza. According to Hezbollah statement a copy of which seen by IRNA office in Beirut, Nasrallah and Saleh Al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas political bureau discussed the latest developments in the region. Since Monday evening, Gaza has witnessed bombardment by Israeli jetfighters. Meanwhile earlier, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in a resolution condemned Israel's intentional use of illegal and violent ways to stand against non-military protestors in Gaza Strip. According to UNHRC website, "on 18 May 2018, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution (S-28/1) in which it decided to urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)." The great 'March of Return' rallies culminated on May 15 to mark what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or Catastrophe, a reference to the forced removal of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and villages to clear the way for Israel's establishment in 1948. The mass Friday demonstrations have continued since then. Since the protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have martyred at least 260 Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave and wounded about 27,000 people, according to health officials in Gaza. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas leader Hanieh says Palestinians will not give up resistance Iran Press TV Wed Mar 27, 2019 04:47PM A senior leader of the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, says Palestinians will not give up resistance in the face of Israeli aggression. "The occupation should not be under the illusion it can break the will of our people," Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political bureau, said on Wednesday, referring to Israel. Haniyeh said his group taught a lesson to Israel in the current escalation of violence, adding that Israel got the message. "The resistance has had the last word, and Israel got the message," he said. "I am grateful to all parties who helped stop the Zionist arrogance in the Gaza Strip." He made the comments following two consecutive nights of heavy Israeli bombardments. The new Israeli aggression against the coastal enclave began after Tel Aviv authorities said on Monday that a long-range rocket launched from the Gaza Strip had struck an area near Tel Aviv in central Israel, wounding seven people. The early morning attack on Mishmeret, an agricultural town north of Tel Aviv, came a day after Israeli warplanes bombed the besieged enclave ahead of the anniversary of Gaza fence protests at the weekend. Palestinian resistance groups on Wednesday fired rockets into Israel in response to the regime's airstrikes on several areas, including the town of Khan Yunis and the Rafah border crossing south of the Gaza city. Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip say Israeli airstrikes on Rafah damaged residential homes and electricity network. Israel has also warned that it is prepared for further military actions in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli military has also deployed artillery and tank brigades along the so-called buffer zone with Gaza. Elsewhere in his remarks, Hanieyh also urged Gazans to participate in mass protests along the fence separating the Gaza Strip from the occupied territories on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the Great March of Return that began on March 30 last year. More than 260 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces ever since the anti-occupation protest rallies began in the Gaza Strip. Over 26,000 Palestinians have also sustained injuries. The Gaza clashes reached their peak on May 14 last year, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe), which coincided that year with the US embassy relocation from Tel Aviv to occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia confirms, defends sending military experts to Venezuela Iran Press TV Wed Mar 27, 2019 08:09AM Russia has confirmed and defended sending military experts to Venezuela, saying the dispatch is based on a military-technical cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in 2001. Asked to comment on earlier reports about the arrival of two Russian planes in Venezuela, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said military experts had been dispatched to Venezuela under a bilateral agreement inked 18 years ago, RT reported on Tuesday. "The Russian Federation develops its cooperation with Venezuela in strict compliance with the constitution of this country and with full respect to its legislative norms. Russian [military] specialists' presence on the territory of Venezuela is regulated by the defense cooperation agreement that the Russian and the Venezuelan governments signed in May 2001," she said. Zakharova said the 2001 cooperation deal "doesn't require any additional approval by National Assembly of Venezuela," which has been declared defunct by the government. Unverified media reports suggested earlier that two Russian Air Force planes carrying dozens of troops and amounts of equipment had landed in Venezuela's main airport. Speaking on Monday, Diosdado Cabello, the vice president of Venezuela's Socialist Party, confirmed the arrival of two Russian planes but did not elaborate beyond saying that the entry had been officially authorized. "What are they themselves doing in Eastern Hemisphere?" On Tuesday, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said that Washington would not tolerate what he called "hostile foreign military powers meddling with the Western Hemisphere's shared goals of democracy, security, and the rule of law." Bolton was making a tacit reference to a 19th-century practice under which some of the powers at the time had agreed to avoid presence in the Western Hemisphere. The US State Department has also described the dispatch as "a reckless escalation of the situation" in Venezuela. Zakharova said Bolton's remarks proved that the US still considered "Latin America an area of its exclusive interests, its own 'backyard,' and demands unquestionable obedience from it." She questioned the US expectation that other countries have no presence in the Western Hemisphere even as America itself is present in the Eastern Hemisphere. "What are they themselves doing in Eastern Hemisphere?" she exclaimed. "Perhaps, they (the Americans) believe that the people of this part of the world will be thankful when Washington willfully changes their leaders and kills the unwanted ones. Or the US still believes that people are waiting for the Americans to bring democracy to them on the wings of their bombers. Ask Iraqis, Libyans, or Serbs about it," the Russian official said. In recent months, tensions have increased between Caracas and Washington. The US has sanctioned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as well as his government and recognized opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuela's "interim president." US President Donald Trump has said "all options" are being considered against Caracas. Russia vocally opposes US measures against Venezuela and accuses Washington of attempting to organize a coup there in violation of the United Nations Charter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Algeria's top military official urges President Bouteflika's dismissal Iran Press TV Wed Mar 27, 2019 05:41AM Algeria's chief of military staff has called for a constitutional move that would end President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika's rule before his term officially ends. Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah said on Tuesday that the best way to end a nationwide crisis that has engulfed the country was for the parliament to declare the ailing Bouteflika who has ruled Algeria for two decades unfit for office and remove him under Article 102 of the Algerian Constitution. "It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis that responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people and that guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state," Salah said in a speech broadcast by private television station Ennahar on Tuesday. That solution, he said, was in the implementation of Article 102. Article 102 of the Algerian Constitution stipulates that in case of the president's inability to perform his duties due to illness, the head of the national assembly take over as "interim president" until new a election is held. That decision has to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of the parliament. Since suffering a stroke in 2013, the 82-year-old Bouteflika has been using a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public. Mass protests began across the country after Bouteflika announced his bid for a fifth term in office earlier this month. Under increasing pressure, the Algerian president ultimately dropped his bid for another term, but protests have continued, demanding that he step down. The Tuesday speech by Lieutenant General Salah was the first instance of direct intervention in the crisis by the military. The Algerian army had previously praised the protesters and said at the same time that it would not tolerate chaos, but it had also refrained from directly calling for Bouteflika's removal from office. It was not immediately clear if the parliament would take up Salah's proposal. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinian resistance groups retaliate against Israel's airstrikes on Khan Yunis, Rafah crossing Iran Press TV Wed Mar 27, 2019 01:22AM Palestinian resistance groups have fired rockets into Israel in response to the regime's fresh airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip for the second night in a row. The air raids targeted several areas including the town of Khan Yunis and the Rafah border crossing south of the Gaza city. Palestinian sources in Gaza Strip say Israeli airstrikes on Rafah damaged residential homes and electricity network. In retaliation, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas fired rockets toward Israel. The airstrikes came hours after the United Nations' Middle East envoy warned about catastrophic consequences of a new outbreak of violence in Gaza. Nickolay Mladenov said the situation is extremely tense despite the declaration of a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians. The Israeli prime minister had also warned that Tel Aviv is prepared for further military actions in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli military has also deployed artillery and tank brigades along the so-called buffer zone with Gaza. The new Israeli aggression against the coastal enclave came after Tel Aviv authorities said earlier on Monday that a long-range rocket launched from the Gaza Strip had struck an area near Tel Aviv in central Israel, wounding seven people. The early morning attack on Mishmeret, an agricultural town north of Tel Aviv, came a day after Israeli warplanes bombed the besieged enclave ahead of the anniversary of Gaza fence protests at the weekend. It forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short his trip to Washington immediately after meeting US President Donald Trump later on Monday, his office said. A Hamas official, who asked not to be named, told AFP on Monday, "No one from the resistance movements, including Hamas, has an interest in firing rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the enemy." He added that the same message had been conveyed to Egypt, which intervened to broker a ceasefire and prevent Israel from launching another war on Gaza after tensions escalated last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Soviet Defense Chief Convicted Of War Crimes In 1991 Vilnius Crackdown By RFE/RL March 27, 2019 A Lithuanian court has convicted a former Soviet military chief and a senior KGB officer of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during Moscow's 1991 crackdown on the country's independence movement. In a March 27 ruling, the Vilnius Regional Court sentenced former Soviet Defense Minister Dmitry Yazov in absentia to 10 years in prison. Former KGB officer Mikhail Golovatov was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison. Yazov and Golovatov were the most prominent of 67 defendants in the trial over the momentous events that unfolded in Vilnius in January 1991, when the Soviet Union's government tried to halt the country's collapse by cracking down on the first republic to declare independence. The verdicts followed three years of proceedings focusing on the deaths of 14 people killed by the Soviet Army in the Lithuanian capital that month. Lithuanian prosecutors say all but one of the victims died during the storming of the state television headquarters and TV tower by Soviet paratroopers on January 13, 1991. More than 700 other people were wounded. Judge Ainora Maceviciene sentenced the other 64 defendants -- all citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine -- to prison terms ranging from four to 12 years. All but two were sentenced in absentia. Two former Soviet military officers who were present at the trial, Russian citizens Gennady Ivanov and Yury Mel, were present at the trial, were sentenced to four and seven years in prison respectively. Ivanov, a Vilnius resident who is not behind bars, has the right to appeal and will be imprisoned after the verdict enters into force. Mel, who has been in the Lithuanian custody since he was arrested in 2014 while entering the Baltic country from Russia, was handcuffed and escorted from the courtroom by a guard. Yazov, now 94 years old, was the last marshal of the Soviet Union and Soviet defense minister in 1987-1991. He is one of two remaining members of a group of plotters who tried to take over the disintegrating Soviet Union in 1991 by sidelining its leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, in an attempted coup that collapsed after three days in August 2, 1991. After the coup failed, Yazov was arrested and spent time in pretrial detention until 1993. He was pardoned by the Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1994. Golovatov, 69, a retired colonel, was the commander of the KGB military unit known as Alpha Group or Spetsnaz in 1991-92. The group under his command took part in the 1991 crackdown in Vilnius. In October 2016, the court summoned Gorbachev to testify at the trial as a witness, but Russia rejected the request and refused to participate in the proceedings. In March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare independence. The country fell apart over the course of the next two years and ceased to exist in December 1991, when Gorbachev resigned. Lithuania joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, as did its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia. The three Baltic states were independent until 1940, when they were occupied by the Soviet Union and annexed in an act never officially recognized by the United States. The March 27 rulings could further strain relations between Vilnius and Moscow. With reporting by Delfi, Interfax, Reuters, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lithuania-russia-soviet- crackdown-verdict/29844540.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij will miss Sunday's Serie A game against his former club Lazio after picking up a thigh injury playing for the Netherlands. The 27-year-old underwent an MRI scan which showed "an issue with the adductor muscle in his right thigh", Inter said. "De Vrij will now undergo his own personalised training regime and he'll be reassessed at the start of next week," the statement added. He missed the Netherlands' 3-2 defeat by Germany in Euro 2020 qualifying after playing in a 4-0 win over Belarus last week. De Vrij scored his second goal for Inter in a 3-2 Milan derby win before the international break as Luciano Spalletti's side moved third in Serie A, two points ahead of their city rivals. Juventus still have a 15-point cushion over second-placed Napoli at the top of the table, with Inter 22 points behind the champions. U.S. Lifts Uzbek Cotton Ban, Saying Forced Child Labor 'Significantly Reduced' By RFE/RL March 27, 2019 The United States has removed Uzbek cotton from a list of products that are barred from the country of concerns about child labor. Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry welcomed the change in a statement issued on March 27, saying it meant that Washington has lifted a ban imposed in 2010. In a notice in the Federal Register on March 25, the U.S. Labor Department said it was removing Uzbek cotton from a list of products that U.S. authorities have "a reasonable basis to believe might have been mined, produced, or manufactured by forced o indentured child labor." It said that following a review, the Labor Department, the State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security "have determined that the use of forced child labor in the cotton harvest in Uzbekistan has been significantly reduced to isolated incidents." For years, rights watchdogs have been accusing Uzbek authorities of forcing children to pick cotton, one of the Central Asian country's biggest exports. Uzbekistan for decades has mobilized students as well as staff at schools and medical clinics and hospitals to pick cotton. In May 2018, President Shavkat Mirziyoev's government issued a decree aimed at completely ending the practice of forced labor. Mirziyoev has undertaken reforms since he came to power following more than two decades of repressive rule under Islam Karimov, whose death was reported on September 2, 2016. Mirziyoev used his UN General Assembly speech in September 2017 to address the problem of forced labor in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is the fifth largest cotton producer in the world. It exports about 60 percent of its raw cotton to China, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Iran. Uzbekistan's cotton industry generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue, or about a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-lifts-uzbek-cotton-ban- child-labor-educed-/29845439.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Split Of Kyrgyzstan's Ruling Party And Its Wider Implications By Bruce Pannier March 27, 2019 It has been a year in coming, but it appears there is finally an official split in the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), the largest party in Kyrgyzstan's parliament and the party of the current president and his immediate predecessor. The problem appears to be the result of a very public rift between current President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and former President Almazbek Atambaev that could pack serious ramifications for the entire country. In the latest sign that the personal feud is spreading, the SDPK announced on March 18 that it was joining the opposition. The SDPK has 38 seats in the 120-member parliament. It had been partnering with the Kyrgyzstan Party and its 18 legislative seats; the Onuguu-Progress party with 13 seats; and the Bir Bol (Be United) party with a further 12 seats. Founded in 1993, the SDPK is one of Kyrgyzstan's oldest political parties. Atambaev has led it since 1999, outside of 2011-17 when he was president and resigned his chairmanship in accordance with the constitution. Atambaev was reelected SDPK chairman at the end of March 2018 and emerged from the party congress telling the media he wanted to offer some "brotherly" advice to Jeenbekov. That counsel turned out to be mostly criticism of Jeenbekov's roughly four months as president. Atambaev warned Jeenbekov of the perils of family rule, recalling that, as one of the reasons, former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev was chased from power in 2010. Atambaev had supported Jeenbekov's candidacy for president, even suggesting several times during the presidential campaign that Jeenbekov would continue his policies if elected. Such talk led to speculation that Atambaev planned to continue governing the country through his successor. But after Jeenbekov took the oath of office in November 2017, he gradually dismissed most of the key holdovers from Atambaev's government. The head of the presidential apparatus, Farid Niyazov, was among the last to go and his dismissal in March 2018 came barely three weeks before the SDPK congress. By that time, several investigations were under way into alleged corruption during Atambaev's tenure. The investigations were said to have been prompted by the disastrous accident at the Bishkek Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in January 2018. The Bishkek TPP had been repaired and upgraded using Chinese loans of some $386 million but went offline during some of the coldest temperatures Kyrgyzstan's capital had seen in many years. Prosecutor-General Otkurbek Jamshitov said his office determined that some $111 million of the Chinese money had been stolen. Increasing numbers of Atambaev-era officials, including several former prime ministers, were called in for questioning, and some were taken into custody. There was speculation that the investigation might be leading toward Atambaev. In April 2018, Jeenbekov dismissed the last high-level official from Atambaev's government, Prime Minister Sapar Isakov, and Isakov was arrested less than two months later to face ongoing corruption charges. May 2018 brought the first call for stripping Atambaev of his immunity as a former president, an appeal that was repeated in the months that followed. It looked like the escalating battle between the two men would only get uglier. And it has. On March 17, Kyrgyzstan marked the 17th anniversary of the Aksy tragedy, an event widely regarded as the first time blood was shed in independent Kyrgyzstan in the name of politics, resulting in six deaths when police fired on protesters demanding the release from custody of a local politician. Atambaev addressed a crowd marking the anniversary in Bishkek and asked attendees to forgive him for his role in bringing Jeenbekov to power. "Sooronbai Jeenbekov...you are dividing the people," Atambaev said. "I brought you from Osh Province, Kara-Kuldja, so that the people would not be divided into north and south and would be united." It was not the first time Atambaev claimed credit for Jeenbekov's rise to the presidency, nor the first time he mentioned Kyrgyzstan's north-south issue. He repeated those points in an interview on the Aprel TV station, which Atambaev partially owns, in December. They are powerful statements, since many Kyrgyz were surprised when Jeenbekov received enough votes (54 percent) to win outright in the first round of the presidential election in October 2017. Polls ahead of the election had suggested a second round would be necessary. The campaign was plagued by accusations that administrative resources were being diverted to support Jeenbekov, and state television reports appeared to have damaged Jeenbekov's main rival, Omurbek Babanov, who still received 33 percent. Though he has not fully clarified how he managed to "bring" Jeenbekov to office, Atambaev's continued assertions have raised concerns about the legitimacy of the election. In his speech in Bishkek on March 17, Atambaev again suggested that Jeenbekov was practicing "family rule." Jeenbekov's brother Asylbek is an SDPK deputy in parliament and a former speaker of parliament (from December 2011 until his brother was named prime minister in April 2016). Atambaev said Asylbek seemed to "rule over the deputies in parliament." Some deputies, he said, were "like a small child with a runny nose.... Asylbek says, 'Suck in the snot,' and they suck in their own snot. If he says, 'Blow your nose,' they do that." President Jeenbekov was in Bospiek on March 17, the village that was the scene of the Aksy violence, where he told the crowd that the events of March 2002 had galvanized the people of Kyrgyzstan, "opening the road to changes in the country." Jeenbekov said Aksy became a model for "popular struggle against injustice and lawlessness," alluding to the revolution of 2005 that ousted first President Askar Akaev and the 2010 unrest that ousted Bakiev. Jeenbekov was accompanied to Bospiek by Bektur Asanov, a political opponent of Atambaev's who had been imprisoned for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government when Atambaev was president. Asanov, who always denied the charges against him, was released on parole in February. Also in Bospiek with Jeenbekov was Azimbek Beknazarov, one of Kyrgyzstan's most fiery politicians and the local politician whose freedom protesters in Bospiek were demanding in March 2002. Symbolism is prevalent in the Jeenbekov-Atambaev dispute, and the ghosts they are raising are likely to haunt next year's parliamentary elections. The SDPK now appears in disarray. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk, reported that some deputies from the SDPK faction in parliament support Jeenbekov and others support neither Atambaev nor Jeenbekov. There is an SDPK faction that supports an "SDPK without Atambaev." But according to SDPK Deputy Chairwoman Irina Karamushkina, Atambaev will head the party's list of candidates in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Atambaev announced that the SDPK would hold its next congress on April 6, the eve of the anniversary of the 2010 revolution that chased Bakiev, a southerner, from power. SDPK parliamentary faction leader Isa Omurkulov, meanwhile, announced his SDPK grouping would hold a party congress on April 3. Parliament is also splintering as the Jeenbekov-Atambaev continues. On March 21, parliamentary speaker Dastanbek Jumabekov of the Kyrgyzstan Party responded to Atambaev's March 17 comments by saying the credits and grants that Kyrgyzstan received from abroad were not arranged by parliament and parliament was not responsible for any eventual cases of "abusing power, fabricating criminal cases, [or] persecuting...opponents." The head of the Onuguu-Progress faction in parliament, Bakyt Torobaev, called for an official response from parliament to Atambaev's remarks. The fact that Atambaev, who is from northern Kyrgyzstan, chose to speak in Bishkek on the Aksy anniversary, and Jeenbekov, who is from southern Kyrgyzstan, was in southern Kyrgyzstan on that day will not be lost on some. It is possible that the two men were simply in the places they believed they needed to be for the occasion; but the divide between northern and southern Kyrgyzstan is a sensitive issue. The feud between Jeenbekov and Atambaev also threatens to cast doubt on the credibility of other politicians. The persistent allegations of corruption, nepotism, and cronyism bring into question deals with foreign business partners and investors, as well as the results of the 2017 presidential election. Public trust in public officials has never been high in Kyrgyzstan, but such faith as has survived is surely taking a beating. Perhaps more importantly, these allegations risk creating a toxic political atmosphere ahead of parliamentary elections next year in a country that has already seen political volatility. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/the-split-of- kyrgyzstan-s-ruling-party-and-its-wider -implications/29845525.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Seeks More Evidence from India to Act Against Kashmir Terror Attackers Sputnik News 19:40 27.03.2019 The Pakistani administration has shared preliminary findings with the government of India after examining the Indian dossier on the mid-February Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. New Delhi (Sputnik): Responding exactly a month after the handing over of India's dossier on Jaish-e-Mohammed, Pakistan has sought more evidence from India to act against the alleged perpetrators of the Pulwama terrorist attack that took place on 14 February in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared its preliminary findings with India after examining the Indian report on the Pulwama incident. Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Ajay Bisaria was called to the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shared the findings. "The Government of Pakistan has shared preliminary findings with the Government of India after examining the Indian report of Pulwama incident. The Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Foreign Secretary and the findings on the Pulwama incident were shared with him", the Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said. Pakistan has said that it needs more information and evidence for it to take further action. "We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward", the ministry said, after it shared the findings with the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad. Earlier, the prime minister of Pakistan had offered cooperation in the investigation if credible evidence was provided by India. In response to this offer, a dossier was handed over to Pakistan on 27 February 2019 which had the details about the presence of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps, as well its top leadership within the territory of Pakistan. "Pakistan has acted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation. We do so in the interest of regional peace and security", the ministry further added. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pak-based terror group, has claimed responsibility for the 14 February Pulwama terror attack. After the incident, the Indian Air Force conducted an aerial strike in Balakot inside Pakistan on 26 February against JeM's terror infrastructure. The standoff escalated into a show of air power by the two countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Views Russian Military Planes Arrival in Venezuela as 'Provocation' - Pence Sputnik News 19:31 27.03.2019(updated 19:33 27.03.2019) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States perceives the arrival of Russian military aircraft in Venezuela as an unwelcomed provocation and calls on Moscow to stop supporting the government of Nicolas Maduro, US Vice President Mike Pence told reporters. "The United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcomed provocation", Pence said. "We call on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido, stand with nations across this hemisphere and across the world until freedom is restored". A group of Russian military personnel arrived in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on Saturday to take part in consultations with the country's government officials on bilateral defence industry cooperation, a diplomatic source in Caracas told Sputnik. The source added that there was "nothing mysterious" about it because the visit was directly related to contracts that had been signed by the two countries years ago. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Party of Algerian Ruling Coalition Calls on President Bouteflika to Step Down Sputnik News 14:50 27.03.2019 CAIRO (Sputnik) - The party of the Algerian ruling coalition, the Democratic National Rally (RND), on Wednesday called on Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down, the party said in a statement. "The Democratic National Rally recommends that the president resign to facilitate the start of a transitional period in the country in accordance with the constitution," the statement said. According to the statement, RND also called on Bouteflika to form a government as soon as possible to avoid a power vacuum. RND along with the National Liberation Front (FLN) party form the ruling coalition in Algeria. Last week, FLN also voiced support for protesters who are calling for the transition of power in the North African country. Remarkably, both FLN and RND initially supported 82-year-old Bouteflika's re-election bid. Anti-government protests began in Algeria on February 22, days after Bouteflika, who has been in power for 20 years, announced his bid to run in the April presidential election. Opponents of his nomination argued that due to his state of health, the president would be unable to effectively govern the country. After suffering a stroke in 2013 and becoming confined to a wheelchair, the president barely speaks and has made very few public appearances. On March 11 amid the protests, Bouteflika withdrew his bid for re-election and postponed the vote, initially scheduled for April 18. However, protests have continued, with people demanding immediate changes. Now, a national conference, expected to take place soon, will decide on the election date, according to the country's leadership. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Army Intercepts Projectile Launched by Hamas Statement Sputnik News 06:23 27.03.2019(updated 06:34 27.03.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Wednesday that it intercepted a missile launched by the Hamas movement targeting the territory of Israel. "Israeli families are woken up again by the sound of air-raid sirens from Hamas rocket fire. The Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted the rocket. Israel invests in protecting lives, Hamas invests in taking them", the IDF wrote on Twitter. The IDF said earlier it had continued airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in the early hours on Tuesday and had canceled school classes in the country's south, making it clear that the next round of confrontation with Palestinian militants was not over. These attacks are continuing the series of dozens of attacks in the last 24 hours, the army noted, adding that they were ready to expand the operation if necessary. Despite Egyptian mediators' statements about the success of their efforts to incline the conflicting parties to a ceasefire, alarm sirens continued to sound on the borders of the enclave at night, warning Israelis about new rocket attacks. The Israeli Home Front Command, an army structure responsible for civil defense, has ordered to cancel school classes in southern Israel, including in the cities of Ashkelon, Netivot and Ofakim. On Monday evening, the Israeli military said it registered launches of about 30 missiles from the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants, responding by attacking dozens of facilities belonging to the militants. The most escalation of the conflict began early on Monday with a rocket launched from Gaza on the densely populated center of Israel, where a village house was destroyed. Seven people, including three children, were injured in the incident. Due to the shelling that took place two weeks before the election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reduced his visit to Washington, which was to continue until Wednesday and returned to his homeland to personally lead operations against the factions of the Gaza Strip. In particular, Netanyahu's Washington agenda was curtailed to a meeting with US President Donald Trump, during which the proclamation on the US recognition of Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights was signed. The document which has been widely regarded as way of propelling Netanyahu's re-election bid ahead of the 9 April parliamentary vote has already been condemned by Iran, Russia, Syria, Turkey and other countries. Major US allies such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom have similarly refused to back the country's U-turn in its policy toward the Golan, as it went against a UN Security Council resolution. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump: Russian Military Must 'Get Out' of Venezuela By VOA News March 27, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump says Russia "has to get out" of Venezuela, following the recent arrival of Russian military personnel in the country. Trump spoke to reporters at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido The United States, along with dozens of other countries, have recognized Guaido as the country's interim president while Russia has backed President Nicolas Maduro. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned his Russian counterpart that the United States will not "stand idly" as Russia escalates political tensions in Venezuela "The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido," a State Department readout of the call between Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. News reports this week said two Russian air force planes landed in the capital city of Caracas, carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 26, 2019 News By David Vergun Defense.gov Reserve, Guard Leaders Provide Cybersecurity Updates WASHINGTON -- National Guard and Reserve units are deployed worldwide, providing valuable assets for combatant commanders and working with partners and allies, reserve component military leaders told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today. Testifying before the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee were: Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau; Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Charles Luckey; Air Force Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Richard W. Scobee; Navy Reserve Chief Vice Adm. Luke McCollum; and Commander of Marine Forces Reserve Maj. Gen. Bradley James. The leaders discussed a wide range of issues in the hearing, but lawmakers' questions were particularly focused on cybersecurity for the U.S. as well as for deployed forces. Guard's Cyber Efforts During last year's midseason elections, the National Guard monitored the cybersecurity of 27 state.gov networks, Lengyel said. "We continue to learn how to do this better," he told the representatives. Foreign actors use social media and bots to create their own political narrative that might result in changes to an election outcome, he noted. Lengyel made it clear that the National Guard was monitoring, and not taking offensive cyber action, a mission that would be better filled by U.S. Cyber Command or the Department of Homeland Security. Besides actively monitoring state networks, the commanders of Cybercom, U.S. Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau brought all of the state adjutants general to Colorado Springs, Colorado, before the elections briefed them on the threat. Army Reserve's Cyber Efforts Luckey said the Army Reserve is "on a glide path" to establishing cyber protection teams at key locations around the U.S., such as Camp Parks, California, in the Bay Area; Adelphi, Maryland, near Washington; San Antonio; Fort Devens, Massachusetts, near Boston; and Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. As well, the Army Reserve Cyber Operations Group with five cyber protection centers and 10 cyber protection teams provides direct support to Army Cyber Command, and general support to other government agencies including DHS, the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency, he said. "Army Reserve cyber soldiers bring unique skills and experience to the force from their civilian occupations, drawn from around 40 corporate, financial and academic institutions," he said. "The cyber talent within the Army Reserve delivers capability, improves cyber readiness, and increases our network defense capability." To identify and cultivate cyber talent, Luckey said, the Army Reserve created the National Cyber Private Public Partnership in 2015. This program places soldiers in critical Army Reserve cyber positions and provides enhanced opportunities to pursue civilian careers in the field, he explained. Navy Reserve Cyber Efforts McCollum said 28 Joint Reserve Intelligence Centers throughout the country partner with DIA to provide cyber warfare training, as well as real-time intelligence support to combatant commands, combat support agencies, the intelligence community and Navy fleets. Air Force Reserve Cyber Efforts In the past year, the Air Force Reserve activated its first cyber wing, Scobee said. To optimize its cyber defenses, the Air Force Reserve is "shifting to precision cyber security, which protects data at rest, data in transit, and the identity of individuals accessing the data," he said. "This focused approach will provide better protection than our current method of attempting to secure every item connected to our networks, which has become unfeasible. "We also plan to transition some of our information technology support, service, and sustainment to the private sector, allowing our personnel to focus on mission assurance and active defensive cyber operations," Scobee added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon authorizes $1 billion for Trump's Mexico wall Iran Press TV Tue Mar 26, 2019 10:03AM The Pentagon says it has authorized the transfer of one billion dollars from its budget for the construction of a wall that President Donald Trump has been seeking to build along the border with Mexico under a controversial emergency plan declared by the American president. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan "authorized the commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing up to $1 billion in support to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol," according to a statement by the US Department of Defense. Trump had initially promised that Mexico would pay for his wall. When he failed to secure funding from Mexico, Trump turned to US Congress, which also refused. To bypass Congress, the US president last month declared a national emergency to corral funds allocated to other US organizations and funnel them to his wall project. In so doing, Trump claimed that there was a "crisis" at the US's southern border. Many US politicians have said the president is manufacturing a crisis merely to fund his wall. The allocation by the Pentagon is the first fund that has been designated for the project since Trump declared the national emergency. The Department of Defense sent the budget programming notification to Congress on Monday, drawing immediate objections from Democratic lawmakers. "We strongly object to both the substance of the funding transfer, and to the Department implementing the transfer without seeking the approval of the congressional defense committees and in violation of provisions in the defense appropriation itself," the senators wrote in a letter to Shanahan. "As a result, we have serious concerns that the Department has allowed political interference and pet projects to come ahead of many near-term, critical readiness issues facing our military," they wrote. Building the wall was one of Trump's most frequently repeated campaign promises. More than three years into his term, the US president has failed to fulfill that promise. He has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration in part by building the wall on the border with Mexico. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Authorizes $1 Billion for Trump's Border Wall - Reports Sputnik News 05:11 26.03.2019(updated 05:40 26.03.2019) The US Department of Defence has authorized $1 billion of funding for the construction of Trump's much-anticipated wall on the US-Mexico border, AFP reported Monday. Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Monday, cited by AFP, he had authorized funding to build part of the wall along the US-Mexico border. In particular, Shanahan "authorized the commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing up to $1 billion in support to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol", a Pentagon statement said as quoted by AFP. The Department of Homeland Security has asked the DoD to build 57 miles (92 kilometers) of 18-foot (5.5-meter) fencing, build and improve roads, and install lighting to support Trump's emergency declaration as concerns the border, according to AFP. Last week, the DoD said it had identified $12.8 billion in possible funding that could be used to fulfill Trump's call to construct a border wall. In February, Congress passed a bipartisan appropriations bill that provided the Trump administration with $1.375 billion for a border wall, which was short from the initial $5.7 billion requested by the president. In turn, US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency last month to free up to $8 billion in federal funding to build a wall on the US border with Mexico. Trump has repeatedly said the border is needed to prevent criminals and terrorists from pouring into the United States. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a vote on Tuesday on whether to override Trump's veto of legislation that would have ended his national emergency declaration over border security. "On 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", US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the release. Trump issued the first veto of his presidency on March 15, striking down a Congress resolution to end his national emergency, which passed with bipartisan support in both chambers. The US Senate passed the joint resolution with a 59-41 vote on 14 March, while the House passed the resolution with a 245-182 vote on 27 February. The attempt to override Trump's veto is reportedly expected to fail in the House after only 13 Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in last month's vote to block the president's emergency declaration. Democrats, however, would need more than 50 Republicans to vote against Trump to override his veto. "Whether we can succeed with the number of votes is not the point. We are establishing the intent of Congress", Pelosi said at a press event. In order to override a presidential veto, a two-thirds majority is required in each congressional chamber. Neither the House nor the Senate appear to have enough votes to reach that threshold. Trump's disagreements with the Democrats on the border wall issue have already resulted in a record 35-day government shutdown that ended in January. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Englewood announcement comes as Sterling Bay nears the final steps to secure zoning for its riverfront Lincoln Yards project on the North Side, as well as up to $1.3 billion in tax increment financing to help cover new roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Approval for the TIF funds, which still must be voted on by the City Councils Finance Committee as well as the full City Council, is expected as soon as April. US High Court Throws Out Judgement Against Sudan in USS Cole Bombing Case By VOA News March 26, 2019 The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a lower court's decision to allow U.S. sailors to collect damages from Sudan after the 2000 al-Qaida bombing of a U.S. Navy destroyer. The court's decision Tuesday dealt a blow to 15 of the injured sailors and three of their spouses who sued the Sudanese government in 2010 in Washington. The decision was a significant victory for the northeastern African country, which denies it supported the al-Qaida militant group in the attack. The October 12, 2000, attack occurred while the USS Cole was refueling in the southern Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 sailors and wounding more than three dozen others. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the attack. The Supreme Court's 8-1 decision prevented the American plaintiffs from collecting nearly $315 million in damages from the Sudanese government. A federal judge in Washington issued a default judgement in 2012 of $314.7 million against Sudan. A judge in New York later ordered certain banks to relinquish Sudanese assets to partially satisfy the judgement. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of appeals In New York upheld those orders in 2015. The default judgement was issued because Sudan did not initially defend itself against allegations it supported al-Qaida in the attack. At issue Tuesday was whether mailing the lawsuit to Sudan's embassy in Washington violated a U.S. law governing when foreign governments can be sued in American courts. The high court said Sudan had not been properly notified of the lawsuit because it should have been mailed to its foreign ministry in the capital of Khartoum. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has supported Sudan in the case. Administration officials told the high court that a ruling against Sudan could affect how the U.S. government is treated by foreign courts because the U.S. rejects judicial notices delivered to its embassies. The sailors criticized the Trump administration in a legal brief, saying, "Particularly given this administration's solicitude for veterans, its decision to side with a state sponsor of terrorism, against men and women who are seeking to recover for grievous injuries suffered in the service of our country, is inexplicable and distressing," the brief said. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority and noted the ruling is "not the end of the road" for the plaintiffs. He said they can resubmit notice of the lawsuit, this time to Sudan's foreign ministry. Alito said they can send the notice through diplomatic channels if an attempt to send it to the foreign ministry fails. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address LandSpace successfully tests rocket generator Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2019/3/26 22:23:40 LandSpace, a Chinese private-sector aerospace enterprise, conducted a successful test of the semi-system generator called TQ-12 on Monday, laying the foundation for its whole-system generator test in the first half of 2019 and the launch of its first liquid oxygen methane rocket in 2020. The generator was developed independently by the company and it is also a critical component of the design of the second liquid propellant carrier rocket called ZQ-2, according to a report by xinhuanet.com in July 2018, citing company Chief Technology Officer Kang Yonglai. The cost-effectiveness and practicability of the liquid oxygen methane generator will radically alter the aerospace industry in China, according to Kang. The first rocket, called ZQ-1, was launched in 2018 but failed to reach its target orbit due to technical issues. The Chinese government is encouraging private capital to take part in the aerospace sector. LandSpace, one of the pioneers, is sometimes likened to the US' SpaceX. "It is not appropriate to compare LandSpace with SpaceX, due to the different development path taken by Chinese private-sector aerospace companies," Huang Zhicheng, an expert of space technology, told the Global Times. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US tests missile defense system Putin once said threatens global strategic balance Iran Press TV Tue Mar 26, 2019 07:59AM In a move that is expected to stir more tensions with Russia, the US military has test-launched a ground-based missile defense system that Russian President Vladimir Putin once famously said would "destroy" the strategic balance in the world. The test on Monday saw a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, designed to counter intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) threats, successfully intercept and destroy its designated target, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a statement. During the test, which was a first for the GMD since its first live-firing in 2017, the system attempted a salvo engagement, firing two interceptors intended to strike an ICBM-level target fired from 4000 miles away. "This test was the first salvo engagement of a threat-representative ICBM target by two Ground Based Interceptors (GBI), which were designated GBI-Lead, and GBI-Trail for the test," the MDA's statement read. The ICBM target was launched from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, while the two interceptors were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on Monday morning. "The GBI-Lead destroyed the reentry vehicle, as it was designed to do. The GBI-Trail then looked at the resulting debris and remaining objects, and, not finding any other reentry vehicles, selected the next 'most lethal object' it could identify, and struck that, precisely as it was designed to do." MDA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel A. Greaves called the test a "critical milestone" for the US missile defense forces. "The system worked exactly as it was designed to do, and the results of this test provide evidence of the practicable use of the salvo doctrine within missile defense," he continued. "The Ground-based Midcourse Defense system is vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat." Despite the US claims of success, the GMD has a patchy trial record with 11 successful interceptions out of 19 attempts. A message to Russia? While it has been noted in the past that the $67 billion missile defense system is designed to defend the US mainland against possible missile attacks by North Korea, the recent test and its timing seems to convey a very different message. The GMD's first live-fire test came in 2017, shortly after North Korea launched an ICBM with an estimated range of 13,000 kilometers, enough to reach Alaska. Putin said back then that America's plans to deploy the GMD and other missile defense systems in Alaska and South Korea would pose a threat to Russia. "This destroys the strategic balance in the world," Putin told a meeting with international media. "What is happening is a very serious and alarming process. In Alaska, and now in South Korea, elements of the anti-missile defense system are emerging. Should we just stand idly by and watch this? Of course not. We are thinking about how to respond to these challenges. This is a challenge for us." INF breach The test comes as the US recently suspended the INF treaty, which bans the deployment of land-based ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Trump said he would pull out of the treaty in August if Russia doesn't comply with the agreement. Washington has been claiming for over six years that Russia's new 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) violates the agreement. The Pentagon confirmed recently that it would test a new GLCM and a medium-range ballistic missiles later this year as a response. Russia has denied US claims about the 9M729 missile and said it would also halt the INF and leave it unless the US stops its violations of the deal. Moscow has claimed in the past that some American missile defense systems can also fire cruise missiles and their deployment could amount to a violation of the INF. The administration of former US President George W. Bush had planned to set up a GMD site in Romania but his successor, Barrack Obama, scrapped those plans and deployed an Aegis-based missile defense system to Eastern Europe instead. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists confirmed in a report in February that the Aegis would indeed violate the INF if armed with cruise missiles. The Russians have also objected to America's use of targets for missile defense tests that have similar characteristics to intermediate-range missiles prohibited under the INF. New arms races John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser, said last week that the US was "looking at strengthening our national missile defense system" to counter a growing threat from China. While he did not specifically name Russia as a threat, Bolton's statement blatantly contradicted the Trump administration's 2019 Missile Defense Review claim that Russian and Chinese ICBMs were not the targets of GMD interceptors. The review sticks to the original line that Washington relies on "deterrence" to counter Russian and Chinese ICBMs because any step towards developing a new missile defense system with that objective would trigger an arms race. Trump has also raised questions about Washington's real plans for new missile defenses. Upon unveiling the missile strategy, Trump said he wanted to "ensure that we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States any time, any place." Russia and China have both expressed concern in the past that the American missile defense radars deployed to other countries could double function as an intelligence gathering tool. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Missile Defense Chief: 1st Test of Arrow 3 Over Alaska Coming Soon By Michael Lipin March 26, 2019 Israel's missile defense chief says his nation will soon use U.S. airspace for the first time to conduct a flight test of a system designed to protect the Jewish state from a long-range Iranian missile strike. Moshe Patel, director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization, spoke about the planned test of the Arrow 3 system at the annual AIPAC conference of American pro-Israel activists in Washington on Sunday. "Arrow 3 is too big for the state of Israel," Patel told an audience at a panel discussion. "It is supposed to be good against nuclear threats that are coming from Iran. (But) we have limitations in our arena to conduct flight tests because of safety." Israel developed Arrow 3, its most advanced system for intercepting long-range missiles, with U.S. aircraft maker Boeing and first deployed it in 2017. Arrow-3 interceptors are designed to hit long-range missiles in space at an altitude that would safely destroy any nuclear warheads. Patel said Israel has only a "very limited" ability to shut down air space over the adjacent Mediterranean Sea for Arrow 3 flight tests because that air space must be kept mostly open for daily commercial air travel between Europe and Africa. "This is the reason that, with a lot of help from the U.S. administration, Congress and of course, AIPAC, we succeeded to receive a budget to conduct a flight test in Alaska and the plan is to do it in the near future," Patel said. He did not elaborate on the timing of that test. Israel has conducted a series of Arrow 3 tests over its Mediterranean coastal waters since last year, with the most recent test taking place in January. Israeli and U.S. missile defense agencies had planned to conduct a first Arrow 3 test over Alaska in the middle of 2018, but postponed it, saying they needed to improve the system's readiness. In 2017, then-U.S. Missile Defense Agency director Navy Vice Admiral James Syring told a congressional hearing that due to significant range constraints in the Mediterranean, "one of the better places to test (Arrow 3) is in Alaska, from Kodiak (Island)." Launching an Arrow 3 interceptor from Kodiak would enable it to fly over the more expansive waters of the Pacific. In recent years, Iran has repeatedly conducted tests of long-range missiles that Israel and the U.S. say are capable of carrying nuclear warheads and reaching Israeli territory. Iran insists its missiles are defensive and its nuclear program is peaceful. Israel also has expressed concern about what it says are long-running Iranian deliveries of rockets and other weapons to militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, both sworn to Israel's destruction. "We need to look at what our enemies are planning," Patel said. "The Iranians are giving Hamas and Hezbollah a lot of accurate weapons. So this is something we need to take into consideration: what will be the best (way) for (Israel's missile defense) systems to intercept those kinds of threats. We have the abilities, but we are going to improve (them) in the future." Arrow 3 is part of a multi-tiered Israeli missile defense network that also includes Iron Dome for intercepting short-range rockets and David's Sling for hitting medium-range missiles. This article originated in VOA's Persian Service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by Vice President Pence at the Fifth Meeting of the National Space Council | Huntsville, AL March 26, 2019 The U.S. Space & Rocket Center Huntsville, Alabama 12:04 P.M. CDT THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all. To Governor Ivey, Secretary Ross, Secretary Chao, Secretary Wilson; to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine; to all the members of the National Space Council and the Users' Advisory Group; to Dr. Deborah Barnhart and the great team here at the Space and Rocket Center; honored guests; and especially to all the dedicated the men and women of the Marshall Space Flight Center: It is great to be back in Rocket City. (Applause.) Thank you for joining us for this fifth meeting of the National Space Council at an enormously important time in American leadership in space. And while you're at it, join me in thanking our host today, the men and women of the United States Space and Rocket Center, who keep the great tradition past, present, and future of American space leadership alive every day. (Applause.) And speaking of space enthusiasts, allow me to bring greetings from a friend of mine and a man who is committed to securing American leadership here on Earth and in the boundless expanse of space. I bring greetings from the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.) You know, the United States has always been a nation of restless pioneers, ever striving to explore uncharted territories, reach new horizons, and venture into the unknown to expand the boundaries of human knowledge. And as President Trump has said, in his words, "It is America's destiny to bethe leader amongst nations on our [own] adventure into the great unknown." And over the past two years, we've begun writing the next great chapter of that adventure with American ingenuity and American industry. And, you know, it's especially fitting to gather here, in Rocket City, as we prepare to celebrate later this year the golden anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which carried the first men to the Moon and was powered by rockets developed right here in Huntsville, Alabama. (Applause.) And as we approach that anniversary, I can tell you it's a special honor and a privilege for us to be joined in this effort by one of those two courageous astronauts whose lunar module set down on the Sea of Tranquility. Ladies and gentlemen, would you mind getting on your feet and helping me to welcome and thank Apollo 11 astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, for a lifetime of service and heroism. (Applause.) Fifty years ago, "one small step for man" became "one giant leap for mankind." But now it's come the time for us to make the next "giant leap" and return American astronauts to the Moon, establish a permanent base there, and develop the technologies to take American astronauts to Mars and beyond. (Applause.) That's the next "giant leap." (Applause.) And as we'll hear today from these members of the National Space Council and our distinguished panelists, under the leadership of President Trump and with the strong support of NASA's 13th Administrator, we've made great progress toward renewing America's proud legacy of leadership in space. We have been updating out-of-date regulations to unleash America's pioneering space companies and forge the technologies to blaze new trails into space and create American jobs for the future. We've been implementing the first-ever policy of space traffic management to enable commercial enterprise and protect our nation's asset in a [congested] orbital environment. And to meet the growing security threats in the war-fighting domain of space, at the direction of our Commander-in-Chief, this year, working with the Congress, we will establish the sixth branch of our armed forces: The United States Space Force. (Applause.) In fact, I'm proud to share with all of you that the President has announced his nominee to lead the new unified combatant command, the United States Space Command, today. Four-star Air Force General John Raymond will lead U.S. Space Command. (Applause.) And while we're mentioning people that we admire, I know she'll soon be returning to the academic world, but let me take this moment to thank Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson for her tireless work and the historic role she has played in helping the Air Force launch the United State Space Force. Thank you, Heather, for your service to the nation. (Applause.) Today we stand at the dawn of a new era of space exploration an era that will bring untold new challenges and opportunities, and it will demand the best of us. It will demand new ideas, renewed energies, courage, and bold action. After spending more than 45 years in low-Earth orbit, President Trump and our entire administration believe that it is time to push onward to new horizons and new destinations. And that's why, under the President's leadership, we've taken decisive action to propel human space exploration missions further into the depths of our solar system, and we've unleashed America's private pioneers to cultivate the vast expanses of low-Earth orbit. Last year, NASA and American innovators began designing the precursor to outposts on the Moon and the mission to Mars, the Lunar Gateway. And we are rallying the world to join us in this vital work. This month, Canada became our first international partner and announced a 24-year commitment to cooperate on the Lunar Gateway. (Applause.) And, as we speak, we're working with Congress to provide $500 million to get an American crew aboard this lunar-orbiting platform in the coming years. We've also made great progress on the Commercial Crew Program. This month, the Crew Dragon's successful mission was the first time since the last space shuttle flight in 2011 that we launched an American rocket from American soil, designed to send humans to space orbit. And as President Trump said not long ago, before the year is out, "American astronauts will go back to space on American rockets." (Applause.) You know, I had the chance to talk to one of the Americans who was aboard the International Space Station when the Crew Dragon docked there. She's an American patriot, a combat veteran, a United States Army aviator who recently traded her Army uniform for an American spacesuit, Anne McClain. And today, we're honored to be joined by two other pioneers of space flight who helped blaze the trail for Anne and for every young American who dreams of one day leading her nation in space. So join me in thanking these American heroes for their service and leadership: Colleen Colonel Eileen Collins and Dr. Sandy Magnus. These are two great American heroes. (Applause.) So, we've made great strides in advancing the President's bold new vision for space a vision to push our nation farther and faster than ever. And unlike the last few administrations, we've had the budgets to match it. In fact, with the strong support of leaders in Congress, like the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Alabama's own Senator Richard Shelby (applause) the President has already signed into law the largest NASA budget since the days of the Apollo program. And we've fully funded the Space Launch System and the Orion space capsule. (Applause.) And, of course, in December of 2017, the President signed Space Policy Directive-1 to return Americans to the moon and prioritize crewed missions to the lunar surface. SPD-1, as it's come to be known, marked a watershed moment for America's space enterprise. Since the disastrous decision to cancel the Constellation Program in 2010, the truth is NASA's exploration efforts were left adrift with no clear direction, focus, or mission. To your great credit, the men and women of the Marshall Space Flight Center never gave up. You persevered with distinction through a time of indecision at the highest levels of our national government. And you continued to do your best, which is to build the greatest and most powerful rockets ever known to man. Give yourselves a round of applause for persevering here at Marshall (applause) and developing the rockets of the future. With Space Policy Directive-1, President Trump finally gave NASA the clear direction and clear mission that it needs. And as President Trump said, we will return "American astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972 for long-term exploration and use." And as he said, not only to, quote, "plant our flag and leave our footprint[s]," but to "establish a foundation [on the Moon] for an eventual mission to Mars." (Applause.) Now, over the past two years, I've had the privilege to travel across this country and meet with many of NASA's more than 18,000 scientists, engineers, astronauts, and contract officers. Everywhere I go, I see renewed energy and excitement that the President's commitment to American leadership in space has inspired. But to achieve our objectives, I came here today to say that NASA must meet that new spirit with new urgency and the focus that it all deserves. Just a few moments ago, Buzz Aldrin was reflecting on his time in the Apollo program. He talked about that fabled Apollo 11 mission. He said, in 1962, we had an objective; we had time, but we didn't have a plan. In Space Policy Directive-1, the President directed NASA to create a lunar exploration plan. But as of today, more than 15 months later, we still don't have a plan in place. But Administrator Bridenstine told me, five minutes ago, we now have a plan to return to the moon. (Applause.) The truth is, despite the dedication of the men and women who are designing and building and testing the SLS, you all know the program has been plagued by bureaucratic inertia, by what some call the "paralysis of analysis." The nation actually learned, with great disappointment, in recent weeks, that the date for its first flight for the SLS has been pushed back yet again, to 2021. You know, after years of cost overruns and slipped deadlines, we're actually being told that the earliest we can get back to the moon is 2028. Now, that would be 18 years after the SLS program was started and 11 years after the President of the United States directed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon. Ladies and gentlemen, that's just not good enough. We're better than that. It took us eight years to get to the Moon the first time, 50 years ago, when we had never done it before, and it shouldn't take us 11 years to get back. You know, it's been 47 years since American astronauts last walked on the Moon. And ironically, America's first generation of space pioneers knew that it would likely take time for the next generation to return to the Moon, including one of the founders of Rocket City, Dr. Wernher von Braun. Just as it took the development of the airplane for the United States Navy to reach the South Pole, 45 years after an expedition of Norwegian explorers made history and got there in 1911, Dr. von Braun believed it would take what he called, in his words, "enabling technology" for us to return to the lunar surface, and that it might take just as much time to develop it. The good news is, as we will hear from our distinguished panelists today, those enabling technologies have arrived and we are going back to the Moon. (Applause.) Because of your work, because of the ingenuity, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit reflected in this room and throughout the American space enterprise, since the end of Apollo 11, we have forged incredible breakthroughs in our technology that have allowed us to go further, more safely, in space than ever before. We have the technology to return to the Moon and renew American leadership in human space exploration. What we need now is urgency. Now, make no mistake about it: We're in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s, and the stakes are even higher. Last December, China became the first nation to land on the far side of the Moon and revealed their ambition to seize the lunar strategic high ground and become the world's preeminent spacefaring nation. And for more than seven years, without a viable human space launch program of our own, Russia has been charging the United States more than $80 million a seat every time an American astronaut travels to the International Space Station. But it's not just competition against our adversaries; we're also racing against our worst enemy: complacency. And the truth is, we've been here before. Nearly 62 years ago, the race for space began, and the Soviet Union took an early lead. But the sight of Sputnik blinking across the October sky spurred the American people to action. We refused to accept a future in space written by the enemies of freedom. We vowed to claim our rightful place as the undisputed leader in the exploration of the heavens. And 12 years later, the "one giant leap" occurred. We achieved our goal of American leadership in space. Now, more than 50 years later, we gather here today to say that it's up to this generation to meet the challenge of our time. And with the recommendations of this National Space Council, the recommendations that will be approved today, I believe that we are rising to meet that challenge head on. (Applause.) Just as the United States was the first nation to reach the Moon in the 20th Century, so too will be we'd be the first nation to return astronauts to the Moon in the 21st century. And I'm here, on the President's behalf, to tell the men and women of the Marshall Space Flight Center and the American people that, at the direction of the President of the United States, it is the stated policy of this administration and the United States of America to return American astronauts to the Moon within the next five years. (Applause.) And let me be clear: The first woman and the next man on the Moon will both be American astronauts, launched by American rockets, from American soil. (Applause.) But to accomplish this, we must redouble our efforts here in Huntsville and throughout this program. We must accelerate the SLS program to meet this objective. But know this: The President has directed NASA and Administrator Jim Bridenstine to accomplish this goal by any means necessary. In order to succeed, as the Administrator will discuss today, we must focus on the mission over the means. You must consider every available option and platform to meet our goals, including industry, government, and the entire American space enterprise. Our administration is committed to this goal. And this President, this administration, and the American people are committed to achieving that goal at the Marshall Space Flight Center. (Applause.) But the truth is, we're committed to Marshall, the incredible history that you have here. But to be clear, we're not committed to any one contractor. If our current contractors can't meet this objective, then we'll find ones that will. If American industry can provide critical commercial services without government development, then we'll buy them. And if commercial rockets are the only way to get American astronauts to the Moon in the next five years, then commercial rockets it will be. Urgency must be our watchword. Failure to achieve our goal to return an American astronaut to the Moon in the next five years is not an option. As we will discuss today, this will require renewed focus and a relentless will to achieve our mission. And that's exactly what you have in abundance here in northern Alabama. You know, urgency has always been in the DNA of Rocket City. And the men and women of the Marshall Space Flight Center know exactly what it takes to be first to be first in space because you've been doing it for generations. It was here where you built the Jupiter-C rocket that carried into orbit America's first satellite, Explorer 1. It was here you spent 15 grueling months executing over 200 tests of the Redstone rocket that launched America's first astronaut into space Alan Shepard - on the Mercury 7, the "Freedom 7 Mercury capsule. And it was here you answered the call of the nation and stunned the world. In less than eight years, you built a rocket that carried the first men to the Moon, the mighty Saturn 5 that we see before us today. The hardworking men and women of Rocket City have always embodied the American pioneering spirit: restless energy, urgency, national pride, and impatience with anything less than the best. And we know that it will be here, in Rocket City, where America will build a new generation of rockets that will carry American astronauts back to the Moon, on to Mars, and to worlds beyond. For more than 60 years, Huntsville, Alabama, has built the finest rocket propulsion systems in the world. And we want to ensure it remains that way for the next 60 years. As we continue to push farther into our solar system, we'll need innovative new propulsion systems to get us there, including nuclear power. (Applause.) And the President and I know there's no place on Earth better equipped to lead the world in pioneering these new propulsion technologies than Rocket City, U.S.A. Now, the conventional wisdom says that we'll need more time to do what President Trump has challenged us to do: landing American astronauts on the Moon within the next five years. Some will say it's too hard, it's too risky, it's too expensive. But the same was said back in 1962 when President Kennedy boldly declared that we, in his words, "choose to go to the Moon in this decade." Our space program was still in its infancy then. NASA was barely two years old. And yet, President Kennedy knew that history is not written by those who stubbornly cling to the status quo. History is written by those who dare to dream big and do the impossible. (Applause.) Then, as now, the United States didn't have a rocket capable of sending a spacecraft to the surface of the Moon. But now, as then, the United States has a President who is a dreamer; who understands that this is a challenge that, once again, "we are unwilling to postpone" and "one which we intend to win" again. President Trump knows that meeting this challenge will require a great national investment of time, talent, and resources. But the costs of inaction are greater. The United States must remain first in space, in this century as in the last, not just to propel our economy and secure our nation, but above all because the rules and values of space, like every great frontier, will be written by those who have the courage to get there first and the commitment to stay. And as Americans, and as heirs of this great nation dedicated to life, to liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it's nothing less than our duty to ensure that our most cherished values are the foundation of mankind's future in space. (Applause.) President Trump is committed to building a space program worthy of our great nation. And we're going to continue to work with leaders in Congress and Senator Shelby and others to provide the Marshall Space Flight Center and all of NASA the resources they need to meet to the goal that we articulated today. But, as I said, mission success will require more than just money. And that's why, today, the National Space Council will send recommendations to the President that will launch a major course correction for NASA and reignite that spark of urgency that propelled America to the vanguard of space exploration 50 years ago. As you will hear, in these recommendations, we will call on NASA not just to adopt new policies but to embrace a new mindset. That begins with setting bold goals and staying on schedule. To reach the Moon in the next five years, we must select our destinations now. NASA already knows that the lunar South Pole holds great scientific, economic, and strategic value. But now it's time to commit to go there. And today, the National Space Council will recommend that when the first American astronauts return to the lunar surface, that they will take their first steps on the Moon's South Pole. (Applause.) But in order to accomplish this, NASA must transform itself into a leaner, more accountable, and more agile organization. If NASA is not currently capable of landing American astronauts on the Moon in five years, we need to change the organization, not the mission. To continue to build a world-class workforce, NASA needs the authority to recruit, train, and motivate the world's best and brightest scientists, engineers, and managers, and to remove any barriers standing in their way. And that includes building new and renewed partnerships with America's pioneering space companies and entrepreneurs. And in this century, we're going back to the Moon with new ambitions, not just to travel there, not just to develop technologies there, but also to mine oxygen from lunar rocks that will refuel our ships; to use nuclear power to extract water from the permanently shadowed craters of the South Pole; and to fly on a new generation of spacecraft that will enable us to reach Mars not in years but in months. To develop these new technologies, NASA must adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach to procurement, contracts, and its partnerships. If a commercial company can deliver a rocket, a lunar lander, or any other capability faster and at a lower cost to the taxpayer than the status quo, then NASA needs to have the authority and the courage to change course quickly and decisively to achieve that goal. (Applause.) As we proved during Apollo program, we don't need to sacrifice quality or safety to achieve speed and efficiency. We're not asking anyone to take unnecessary risks. Rather, we're challenging everyone involved in America's space enterprise to think bigger, fail smarter, and work harder than ever before. The task before us will involve sacrifice and determination, hardship and hazard. But as we embark on this journey, we would do well to remember the words spoken by the late Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon. Before he boarded the lunar module 45 years ago, Gene said, and I quote, "America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow." As Gene Cernan knew then, the exploration of the heavens in this still-new century will go forward with or without the United States. But Americans don't do second place. Americans lead. (Applause.) And so we will. So as we convene this fifth meeting of the still newly reconstituted National Space Council, the President and I are challenging all of you here in Rocket City, and all those involved in the space enterprise that are looking on across the nation, to step up and get ready to do your part to help lead our nation into the vast expanse of space again. And as we renew our commitment to lead in space, let's go with confidence and let's go with faith. Faith in the vision and the goal that's articulated today: that we can achieve it; that Americans can achieve anything that we put our minds to. Faith in the extraordinary ingenuity and capability of the men and women of NASA and America's space enterprise, and their ability to meet those challenges if given the resources and the support to do it. And especially faith in the courage of the men and women who are now, and those who will join, the storied ranks of American astronauts that next generation of restless pioneers that will carry American leadership into space. It's extraordinary to think of the heroes that will be forged in our renewed commitment to space. And lastly, let's have that other kind of faith as well. Let's have that faith as America renews our commitment to leadership in space, as we call on our best and brightest minds to achieve those goals and we call on our most courageous to suit up and go that those that we send, let's have faith that they will not go alone. For as millions of Americans have cherished throughout our long and storied history of exploration by this nation, let's believe, as the Old Book says, that there's nowhere we can go from His spirit. If we rise on the wings of the dawn, if we settle on the far side of the sea, even if we "go up to the heavens," there, His hand will guide us and His right hand will hold us fast. (Applause.) So thank you for the opportunity to be with you today. Thanks again to all the members of the National Space Council and all the extraordinary Americans gathered here today. I leave here with confidence that with the leadership of President Donald Trump, with our renewed commitment to space, with the courage and ingenuity of this new generation of explorers, and with God's help, that America will once against astonish the world with the heights we reach and the wonder we achieve. And we will lead the world in human space exploration once again. Now let's get to work. Thank you all. (Applause.) God bless you. END 2:41 P.M. CDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Donald J. Trump Is Boldly Putting Americans Back on the Moon March 26, 2019 This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond. President Donald J. Trump ACCELERATING AMERICA'S SPACE EXPLORATION: President Donald J. Trump is setting a bold goal to put Americans back on the Moon by 2024. President Trump has received five recommendations, unanimously approved by his National Space Council, to accelerate America's space exploration program. President Trump also received four recommendations on streamlining export control regulations that followed a year-long review. The NASA Administrator will provide an update on the implementation of Space Policy Directive-1 (SPD-1) and the recommendations at the next Space Council meeting. The United States will seek to land on the Moon's South Pole by 2024, establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028, and chart a future path for Mars exploration. NASA's lunar presence will focus on science, resource management, and risk reduction for future missions to Mars. NASA will create a Moon-to-Mars Mission Directorate and make all necessary efforts to achieve Exploration Mission-1, a foundational uncrewed mission around the Moon. Exploration Mission-1 will take place no later than 2020 and a crewed mission around the Moon, Exploration Mission-2, will take place no later than 2022. NASA will unleash American industry, including through public-private partnerships, to enhance innovation and the sustainability of its space activities. To implement SPD-1, NASA will continue to improve its structure and management, and improve cost and schedule performance, seeking legislative authorization as necessary. The United States will engage with international partners to enable a sustainable lunar exploration and development program. DARING AGAIN: President Trump is building a space program worthy of our great Nation and the American spirit. An American has not walked on the Moon in 47 years, but President Trump is working to change that. To achieve this goal, President Trump is taking action to ensure that American astronauts get to their destination quickly and sustainably. REIGNITING AMERICA'S SPACE LEGACY: President Trump is keeping his promise to restore America's proud legacy of leadership in space. These recommendations follow President Trump's bold call for America to go back to the Moon and establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars. In December 2017, President Trump signed SPD-1, "Reinvigorating America's Human Space Exploration Program." The President's Space Policy calls for NASA to lead an innovative space program with commercial and international partners. Americans will return to the Moon for long-term exploration, followed by missions to Mars and beyond. President Trump has signed three additional SPDs to restore American leadership in space. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House Sets New Daring Deadline for Lunar Comeback Sputnik News 17:29 27.03.2019 Since the success of the American Apollo programme, no other nation has successfully pursued the goal of carrying out a manned landing on the Earth's natural satellite, with the Soviet Union and China having conducted unmanned landings on its surface. During a visit to NASA's Marshall Spaceflight Centre in Huntsville, Alabama, US Vice President Mike Pence announced a new goal for the space agency set by President Donald Trump to launch a new manned landing mission to the Moon in a matter of five years. The goal itself is not new, but previously NASA was aiming to deploy a "Gateway" station to the Moon's orbit by 2024 and send astronauts to the lunar surface four years later, in 2028. Now the deadline has been revised, with the plan being to send a manned mission in 2024. NASA's head, Jim Bridenstine, was quick to react to the change. "Challenge accepted. Now let's get to work", he wrote on Twitter. Pence called the new planned lunar mission a "next giant leap" in an apparent reference to the famous line by Neil Armstrong. He also announced the goal of establishing a constant US presence on the Moon as a basis for future NASA missions to Mars. In total, nine private companies, such as Lockheed Martin, will be competing for a lucrative contract to help NASA meet POTUS' plans. The previous American lunar project, the Apollo programme, was active between 1961 and 1972 and resulted in a total of six manned landings on the moon and 12 astronauts in total visiting Earth's satellite. The programme was terminated earlier than expected due to budget cuts, but no other country has so far repeated its success in sending astronauts to the Moon. The Soviet Union and China have, however, sent unmanned landers to Earth's satellite. US President Donald Trump recently announced the creation of a "Space Force" as a separate military branch. The push to create a US space force was prompted by efforts of potential adversaries developing space-based military capabilities, according to the directive that established the new branch. Trump has also allocated 15% more money for space exploration, raising the sum to $14.1 billion in the latest proposed budget. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA on high alert to safeguard national sovereignty: spokesperson Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/3/26 23:31:02 The People's Liberation Army will remain on high alert to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday. Spokesperson Ren Guoqiang made the remarks in response to a news report that a US Navy warship and a US Coast Guard ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on March 24. "We are clear about the passage of the US vessels through the Taiwan Strait and have monitored them from start to end," Ren said, adding that China had expressed concern to the US side. The Taiwan question bears on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is the most important and most sensitive core issue concerning China-US relations, he said. "The US side should strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, prudently handle Taiwan-related issues, and avoid damaging relations between the two countries and two militaries as well as cross-Strait peace and stability," Ren said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's most powerful air-to-air missile equipped on warplanes Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2019/3/26 21:03:40 The J-11B fighter jet has become the latest user of China's self-developed world-class air-to-air missile that was feared by senior US military officers, revealed China's national broadcaster on Monday. A photo appeared on a China Central Television (CCTV) program on Monday shows a J-11B under the People's Liberation Army Air Force carrying a large missile under its wing. The J-20 stealth fighter jet carried the same type of missile and made public display at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, in November 2018, CCTV reported. This is the first time a J-11B is spotted carrying this type of missile, the report said. "Judging from the shape and aerodynamic design plus the J-20 reference, the missile is very likely to be the PL-15 air-to-air missile," Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Wei compared the PL-15 with the US' latest AIM-120 missile, as both have very long effective range that would allow the launch platform to become an airborne sniper, enabling an aircraft to hunt hostile fighters, early warning aircraft and aerial tankers from beyond visual range. US media outlet the National Interest said the PL-15's effective range could be much higher than the AIM-120's 180 kilometers, but that could be an exaggeration, according to Wei. The PL-15 is also equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, which makes evasion very difficult, Bloomberg reported. Then-US Air Force general Herbert Carlisle voiced serious concern about the PL-15 missile when it was first made public in 2015, as he called on the US Congress to fund a response, the Bloomberg report said. Wei said the technology of the PL-15 has matured, so it can now be put on a variety of platforms, including the J-11B. By equipping the missile, the J-11B's aerial combat capability can be greatly boosted, the CCTV report said. The J-11B is less advanced than other Chinese fighters like the J-20, and some military observers said the J-11B's radar could be outdated in a way that it cannot see far enough what the PL-15 can hit at maximum range. But that would not be a problem if the fighter is supported by other warplanes like an early warning aircraft, which can send target data to the J-11B, Wei said. Dubbed by Chinese military observers as the "aerial trident,??the J-20, J-16 and J-10C fighter jets, conducted air defense penetration drills in June 2018, with all of them reportedly carrying the PL-15 missiles. Now the J-11B could join the PL-15 club. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Third Aircraft Carrier Could Set Sail Sometime in 2023 Sputnik News 23:42 26.03.2019 Construction on China's third aircraft carrier, known only as Type 002, is going full steam ahead at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard, and experts are suggesting that the mysterious vessel could be sent out to sea as early as 2023. While initial reports suggested the carrier was expected to embark by 2025, the timeline has reportedly been tightened up due to quick work by shipbuilders. Citing satellite imagery, Asia Times reported that rain shelters have been built above at least two slipways on the southern shore of the Changxing island, where the the shipyard is located, and that two new gantry cranes have been spotted at the site. Image shows new slipways and cranes added to Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard for the construction of Chinese aircraft carriers Additionally, photos reviewed via Google Maps show two Chinese destroyers docked at the shipyard. Two Chinese destroyers are seen at Shanghair's Jiangnan Shipyard Reports of the Type 002's construction first emerged in November 2018, with Chinese officials hinting at the time that the aircraft carrier would feature catapults to better launch its fighter jets. Although officials have steered clear of offering more details on the carrier, reports have suggested that the vessel will be fitted with electromagnetic catapults and conventional propulsion systems, Sputnik previously reported. Since reports on Type 002 began surfacing in 2018, analysts have indicated that the carrier is one that naval observers should keep tabs on as a precaution, since its jump-assisted catapult system would enable Chinese jets to carry more fuel and ammunition. "The new one, the Type 002, is something that might be a little more interesting, a little more compelling," Matthew Funaiole, a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider at the time. "If the third carrier does have some catapult-assisted launch system, that will be a huge step forward for China." "They would very quickly have moved closer to what current technology is. That's something that very few countries can do. That would put China in a very elite status," the analyst stressed. According to the South China Morning Post, Beijing's bid to expand its naval capabilities is fueled by Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambition to modernize the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by 2035, which would pave the way for China to become a "top-ranked fighting force" by 2050. Wang Yunfei, a naval expert and retired PLA destroyer naval officer, told the Post earlier this year that regardless of China's trade war with the US, the Chinese government would do what it could to avoid any budget cuts to its carrier program. "Even if the economic downturn has an effect, we can adjust proportions in total military expenditure to make sure naval modernization keeps going," Wang said. "For example, we can cut the number of new tanks." Presently, China has only one aircraft carrier in service the Liaoning. Its first domestically built carrier, known as the Type 001A, is still undergoing testing. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The U.S. Department of Agriculture told the Illinois Department of Human Services that it has until April 21 to substantially improve its timeliness or establish a plan for doing so. Timely processing of food stamp applications has been a longstanding problem in Illinois that got worse as it rolled out a new computer system in late 2017 that was meant to improve efficiency, according to the Friday letter from Trish Solis, acting regional administrator for the USDAs Midwest region. Pompeo Calls on China to Stop 'Abhorrent' Practice of Interning Uighur Muslims By Cindy Saine March 26, 2019 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is describing as "tragic" and "abhorrent" China's mass detention of Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups in internment camps in the western region of Xinjiang. "We've been very vocal about that publicly, and had long conversations with them privately, as well," Pompeo said in response to a question Tuesday from VOA. "The numbers are in the, certainly, hundreds of thousands. This is, I think we use the word, or words, historic human rights abuse, and we're working to convince the Chinese that this practice is abhorrent and ought to be stopped." Human rights groups have accused China of putting a million Uighurs in detention camps. China says it is running a de-radicalization program and that the camps are vocational training centers to teach people about the law and the Mandarin language. Critics of the Chinese policy say the measures are aimed at destroying Uighur identity. U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Trump administration to take stronger action against China. Pompeo has said the administration is considering sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for rights abuses against the Uighurs in Xinjiang. The U.S. secretary of state is holding a closed meeting at the State Department in Washington Tuesday with Uighur Muslims affected by the crackdown in China's autonomous region of Xinjiang, the country's largest region. Xinjiang is strategically important to China, as it borders eight countries Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Most Uighurs live in Xinjiang. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi meets European leaders on advancing ties, global governance Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/3/27 7:57:09 Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met here Tuesday and agreed to strengthen China-European Union (EU) relations and global governance cooperation. The leaders met in the French capital on the sidelines of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France. Noting the increasing volatility and uncertainty in the international situation with a rising tide of protectionism, Xi said China is willing to work with all parties to firmly uphold multilateralism, improve global governance and jointly address global challenges. China and Europe are two major forces in the world, and are important participants in and constructors of the economic globalization process, Xi said, adding that they share broad common interests. The Chinese president proposed that the two sides join efforts in three aspects. Firstly, they should together uphold multilateralism, Xi said, urging China and Europe to protect the status and authority of the United Nations (UN) and the international system with the UN at its core. China is willing to increase communication and cooperation with Europe within the framework of the UN, and actively strive for more achievements in resolving international disputes by political means, addressing climate change, promoting sustainable development and other fields, Xi said. Secondly, he proposed that China and Europe work to facilitate development and prosperity on the Eurasian continent. China is willing to continue to push forward the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's Euro-Asian connectivity strategy, Xi said, adding that China will promote bilateral as well as third-party market cooperation to realize mutual benefits and win-win results for all parties. Thirdly, China and Europe should improve strategic mutual trust, he said. China has always regarded the EU as a strategic partner of cooperation and supported the EU's solidarity, stability and prosperity, Xi said. Stressing that China and Europe share far more common interests than differences, the Chinese president urged both sides to take the lead in upholding peace, development and win-win cooperation, and make the cake of cooperation bigger. China stands ready to work with European countries to promote the development of China-Europe ties, he said. Speaking of their meeting, Macron said it has sent a positive signal to the international community that the EU and China firmly uphold multilateralism. Meanwhile, France and China have inked a joint statement on jointly safeguarding multilateralism and improving global governance, which fully demonstrates the strategic nature of their cooperation, Macron said. France and the EU are willing to further enhance mutual trust with China, and together shoulder the historic responsibility of promoting world peace, security and development, he said. Noting that the world today is faced with many difficult problems regarding peace and development, Merkel underlined China's success and huge achievements in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Germany attaches importance to China's key role in international affairs, highly appreciates China's support for Europe's prosperity, and is willing to work with China to advance the process of multilateralism, she said. Juncker said the EU and China, as cooperation partners, could do great things together for the world. The EU stands ready to accelerate cooperation with China and play a positive role in jointly addressing global challenges, he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi's visit sets tone for China-EU relations Global Times By Liu Caiyu and Yang Sheng Source:Global Times Published: 2019/3/27 22:28:40 Key EU members open to BRI, a positive signal: expert Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after his visit to Europe, bringing a fruitful outcome and the visit assures the cooperative trend of China-EU relations, analysts noted. The outcome of Xi's visit to Europe is "beyond expectations" and extremely "practical" in terms of deepening China-Europe relations. The visit sets the tone for the future of the relations, Chinese analysts noted on Wednesday. At the conclusion of Xi's visit, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Paris that through the visit, the Chinese president has shown Europe and the world that China is standing on the right side of history, and will continue to promote China-EU relations, safeguard multilateralism and guide the reform of global governance, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. Xi's visit to Europe injects new impetus in China-Europe relations, Geng Shuang, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a daily briefing on Wednesday. "China always views Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner and an indispensable global power. Together with Europe, we will fulfill multilateralism, increase stability and certainty in the world and inject more positive energy and impetus for international cooperation," Geng said. Xi visited Italy, Monaco and France from March 21 to 26 and held "unprecedented" talks on building new global governance with the leaders of France, Germany and the EU in Paris. During the visit, Italy became the first Group of Seven nation to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and also agreed to return 796 sets of Chinese cultural relics. China and France signed an agreement on future space cooperation in Paris, allowing France to fly its experiments on the Chang'e-6 mission. The application of 5G in Monaco, which will become the first country in the world to be fully covered by a nationwide 5G mobile network, promotes China's efforts in information infrastructure construction in Europe, analysts noted. 'Icebreaker' Overall, Xi's visit to Europe was "fruitful" and the outcome "beyond expectations," Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Wednesday. In particular, Xi's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker not only reinforced bilateral ties but also sets the tone for the future of China-Europe relations, Ding said. China and Europe are not "rivals" as the "EU-China: Strategic Outlook" issued by the European Commission described, but "partners," Ding said. From the articles and speeches Xi made, European leaders and people could feel the determination and sincerity that China has toward China-Europe relations and Xi's charm in handling diplomatic matters, which is another prominent outcome of the visit, said Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies. Xi's visit to Italy brought BRI to a new level. The cooperation with Italy, as a major Europe nation, will be an icebreaker for the BRI to extend to the European continent, Zhao told the Global Times on Wednesday. The BRI's end point, either the maritime Silk Road or land Silk Road, is Europe, which cannot be replaced by other regions. But most European countries continue to hold a wait-and-see attitude, Zhao explained. On March 23, Italy signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China to jointly advance the construction of the BRI. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said the deals were worth an initial 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) but had a potential value of 20 billion, Reuters reported. Under the framework, the BRI will be continuously enriched with trade deals and investments. Italy's olive oil and agricultural tourism would be new growth points for bilateral ties and China might invest in the port city of Trieste, Zhao said. Trieste could be a key point of the Belt and Road Initiative, especially 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in Europe, which can spread benefits to more regions like southern and western Europe, Zhao said. Germany expressed its willingness to participate in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in April, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Some European countries remain concerned on issues like reciprocity, but EU members are open to learn about the initiative, so if they find the BRI truly mutually beneficial, their stance could be changed, Feng Zhongping, director of European Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times. During Xi's European visit, he also mentioned an increase in third-party market cooperation under the BRI project, which Zhao said would offer new opportunities for European nations interested in BRI to work with China in new markets. Feng said that "some problems between China and the EU can't be totally solved in one night, and issues like market access, transfer of technology and intellectual property still need to be addressed." After China passes its foreign investment law, European countries will find more opportunities and equal treatment in China, so this could be a positive sign, Feng noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China to Prosecute Ex-Interpol Chief for Insubordination, Abuse of Power - CCDI Sputnik News 15:23 27.03.2019(updated 15:26 27.03.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The former president of Interpol, Meng Hongwei, has been removed from all of his official positions and is expected to face legal prosecution for serious disciplinary violations, the anti-corruption watchdog of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said in a statement. "Upon investigation, Meng Hongwei has zero awareness of the party's principle and organisational mentality. He failed to report his personal affairs in accordance with regulations and refused to carry out the decisions from the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. He abused the power from his public position and wasted the nation's assets to satisfy a lavish family lifestyle", the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in the statement on its official website. The CCDI also accused Meng of abusing the power from his position to seek special rights and private interests for his wife and take bribes in exchange for favours for others. Meng has been expelled from the CCP and his case handed to the prosecutor's office to prepare for formal legal charges, the statement said. Last October, his wife, Grace Meng, reported to French authorities that her husband, who was serving as the president of Interpol at the time, went missing after travelling to China. Interpol, the global police coordination organisation based in France, said in a subsequent statement that Meng had resigned as the president of the organisation. During press interviews last year, Grace spoke out against the secretive nature of China's anti-corruption campaign and called on Chinese authorities to release more details on the whereabouts and condition of her husband. "He [Meng] is likely being held in 'liuzhi,' a form of secret detention effectively controlled by the Chinese Communist Party under which detainees are held incommunicado without access to lawyers or relatives for up to six months", Sophie Richardson, the China Director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on the mysterious disappearance of the former Interpol chief last year. The human rights advocate called on international organisations like Interpol to act immediately on behalf of any Chinese member of their organisation who is facing similar scrutiny from Chinese authorities. After taking over as the head of the CCP in late 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which critics viewed as part of his efforts to remove political rivals and consolidate power. A number of top Chinese officials, including former security chief Zhou Yongkang and rising political rival Bo Xilai, have all been sentenced to long prison terms on corruption charges. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Not Planning to Ease DPRK Sanctions Until Full Denuclearisation - State Dept. Sputnik News 19:24 26.03.2019(updated 19:25 26.03.2019) GENEVA (Sputnik) - North Korea will not see any significant sanctions relief until it completely and verifiably gets rid of its nuclear arsenal, US Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ford has stated. "We are serious when we say, that the final and fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea, as promised by Trump and Kim in Singapore, is our objective. And we have every intention of getting to that objective. And until we get to that point they should not expect to see a kind of dramatic sanctions relief that they have asked for", Ford said at a press conference, stressing that this decision would not be subject to further negotiation. Ford added that by continuing the campaign of pressure, Washington remained open to further engagement. Immediately after the summit, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said that Pyongyang would have dismantled all nuclear material if the United States had only removed restrictions partially. The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, has repeatedly called for the easing of sanctions pressure on Pyongyang as a means to help accelerate the denuclearisation process. Moscow also believes that the United States should not expect North Korea to first completely denuclearise and only then consider whether to lift sanctions. In late February, US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held their second summit in the Vietnamese capital in an attempt to give the denuclearisation process on the Korean Peninsula more momentum. The negotiations fell apart, however, after Pyongyang said it wanted Washington to lift all sanctions on the country before it started denuclearising, to which the United States could not agree. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Humanitarian Groups Say Sanctions Impede Aid to North Koreans By Christy Lee March 26, 2019 Humanitarian groups are continuing to face complications, including funding shortfalls, when delivering aid to North Korea as the U.S. maintains its "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign on the country. The United Nations granted sanctions exemption to five humanitarian organizations earlier this month, raising the total number of groups that can deliver aid to North Korea to 21. Humanitarian agencies said sanctions placed on North Korea have created complications for aid groups that need to secure funds and deliver assistance to the country. In order to deliver assistance in North Korea, U.S. charities need to secure approvals from the U.S. Commerce Department, the Treasury Department, and the U.N. Security Council sanctions committee, and American relief workers are required to obtain special travel passports from the State Department to travel to North Korea, according Foreign Policy. Daniel Jasper, public education and advocacy coordinator for Asia at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), said the State Department held a roundtable session with U.S. and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in January to discuss sanctions regulations and travel restrictions. "In the absence of a comprehensive agreement between the U.S. and North Korea, we are hoping the U.S. will tweak existing regulations to help improve conditions for humanitarian operation," Jasper told VOA. He said steps that sanctions regulators could take to help improve humanitarian operations include "issuing a 'white list' of acceptable goods to expedite approval process, issuing a more comprehensive general license that permits ongoing and well-established humanitarian programs to carry on without the need for additional approvals, and working with banks to create a 'white channel' to help expedite program funding." In the meantime, Christian Friends of Korea, a U.S. aid group approved with an exemption this month, left for North Korea on Saturday for a three-week humanitarian mission, according to Heidi Linton, the organization's executive director who spoke with VOA's Korean Service last week before the group departed. The North Carolina-based group works with "TB, hepatitis and pediatric care centers and engages on projects such as solar-gravity water system installations, renovations of care centers, and hepatitis treatment clinics," according to its website. US: No sanctions relief The U.S. refused to lift sanctions on North Korea in February when the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, asked President Donald Trump to remove them during talks at the Hanoi summit. The U.N. and U.S. have placed rounds of sanctions on North Korea since 2016, following its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Trump said on Friday in a tweet that he is against imposing "additional large-scale sanctions" on North Korea. Pierre Peron, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Bangkok regional office, said, "While Security Council sanctions imposed on the country clearly exempt humanitarian activities, humanitarian agencies continue to face serious unintended consequence on their programs, such as lack of funding, the absence of a banking channel for humanitarian transfers and challenges to the delivery of humanitarian supplies." According to Peron, sanctions make donors more cautious about funding operational costs. He said suppliers of humanitarian goods take a "risk-averse approach" because of the complicated regulatory requirements, delays in port clearance, higher expenses and "reputational risks" associated with delivering humanitarian aid to North Korea. North Korea is "one of the lowest-funded [countries] in the world," according to 2019 DPR Korea Needs and Priorities Plan, a report issued earlier this month by the United Nations. With an estimated 11 million men, women and children lacking sufficient nutritious food, clean drinking water, or access to basic health and sanitation services, Peron said in 2018 North Korea received less than half of the $111 million that international humanitarian agencies deemed necessary. This year, the U.N. is appealing for $120 million to cover aid for the most vulnerable 3.8 million North Koreans. "The low level of funding is impacting operations," said Peron. "Agencies have been forced to scale back essential programing seriously compromising the delivery of basic humanitarian interventions that are crucial to safeguard the lives of the most vulnerable." Children at risk Roy Wadia, spokesperson for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, said 1.4 million people in North Korea, including 190,000 kindergarten children and 85,000 acutely malnourished children, did not receive food assistance last year due to the shortage of funds. "If humanitarian programs were to be forced to further scale back or draw down completely, the impact would be devastating on the lives of millions of vulnerable people, jeopardizing the access and results gained overtime," said Wadia. The UNFPA is one of five humanitarian organizations granted an exemption by the U.N. in March. It focuses on providing reproductive health services to pregnant women through an office it has had in North Korea since 1985. Shima Islam, spokesperson for the U.N. International Children's Fund (UNICEF) in East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, said, "The U.N. sanctions against [North Korea] explicitly recognized that special steps must be taken to ensure that sanctions don't add to the suffering of children." UNICEF, which has been working in the country since 1985, was granted a sanctions exemption by the U.N. in November and has staff in Pyongyang. Kevin Martin, the president of Peace Action, said sanctions hurt the people of North Korea and "the exemptions should be fairly generous based on the needs of the people in North Korea." Peace Action and a number of NGOs sent a letter to Trump in October, asking him to urge the State Department and Treasury Department to modify the U.S. sanctions regulations "to allow timely delivery of humanitarian aid and other NGO engagement" in North Korea, according to the letter obtained by VOA Korean Service. Jasper, of the AFSC, said he was encouraged by a State Department statement made at the roundtable which said, "The State Department is committed to clearing a backlog of sanctions waiver applications and applications for travel to North Korea." AFSC, which was among the signatories to the letter sent to Trump, has helped North Koreans increase agricultural yields with assistance on implementing sustainable agricultural practices on the cooperative farms. Ahn So-young of VOA's Korean Service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea Actions at Joint Office Message For Seoul By Steve Miller March 26, 2019 As quickly as North Korea withdrew personnel from a joint liaison office in Kaesong Friday, Pyongyang returned Monday without explanation. The inter-Korean liaison office was opened following the third summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Some analysts have interpreted North Korea's decision to leave the liaison office as a response to the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioning North Korean entities, and then coming back after the weekend in response to Trump canceling further sanctions, said Bruce Klinger, Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. "That might be the case," said Klinger in an email to VOA, "but I don't think we can establish causality there. North Korea tends to take some time to respond." Klinger said if it is a signal of some sort, "it's a very vague and roundabout signal of punishing South Korea for actions that the U.S. has taken." "I think it's more a continuation of the recent trend after Hanoi, where North Korea seems to be dismissing South Korea," he added. Kim Dong-yub, director of research at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said it's inappropriate to over analyze North Korea's intent. "We may miss the core message if we reckon this withdrawal only relates to the U.S. and denuclearization. This withdrawal should be viewed as questioning the role of the liaison office," Kim said, adding, "It also shows [North Korea's] dissatisfaction with the South." He said the North's actions regarding the joint office was due to the status of inter-Korean relations. Nam Sung-wook, at the Department of North Korean Studies at Korea University, arrived at a similar conclusion. North Korea thinks it has an advantage over the South Korean government's North Korea policy, said Nam. "The withdrawal was a sign of dissatisfaction with Seoul, as well as a way to exert pressure on Seoul to persuade the U.S. to lift sanctions or for South Korea to resume inter-Korea economic cooperation." However, Klinger notes Pyongyang has been "dismissing" South Korea as a mediator for talks between the United States and North Korea, citing recent remarks by North Korea's vice foreign minister, calling the action akin to "shooting themselves in the foot." "President Moon has been the strongest advocate of reducing sanctions or gaining exemptions from sanctions to provide economic benefits to the North," said Klinger. He added, "You would think they would be trying to play up to South Korea, even more, to try to get President Moon to induce Trump to lower sanctions or come back to the table and accept the 'small deal' that was being reported in the media [during the Hanoi summit]. So I think it's a bit confusing what North Korea is up to, and even perhaps counterproductive." "Pressure from the cumulative effects of 11 U.N. resolutions, U.S., and international laws was what brought North Korea back to the negotiating table," said Klinger. "Only continued and enhanced sanctions measures, coupled with pragmatic diplomacy and enhancing allied deterrent capabilities, may induce North Korea to denuclearize." Implications for Moon Lack of progress on inter-Korean projects could be a contributing factor in South Korean President Moon's approval rating dipping to 44 percent, according to Gallop Korea. That's down from 60 percent following the September Pyongyang summit and 83 percent at Moon's peak approval rating. While Moon's approval ratings have decreased over the past six months, "he still is at numbers that many other world leaders would be envious of," said Klinger. "More than a lack of political capital, he's really hindered by U.N. and U.S. sanctions," Klinger said. "Unlike his progressive predecessors, he can't just catapult bags of cash north of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), because virtually any economic engagement with the North is or risks being a violation of U.N. resolutions and or U.S. law." After two years of engagement, two U.S.-North Korea summits, and three inner-Korean summits, Nam said denuclearization is difficult to achieve, despite meetings at the highest levels. "It is necessary to judge the sustainability and feasibility of talks through a review of the policy," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey defies US with more imports of Iranian gas Iran Press TV Tue Mar 26, 2019 09:46AM Iran is increasing its natural gas exports to a number of countries, including Turkey which plans to raise imports from its energy-rich neighbor, a senior official says. "Based on previous agreements, Iran is currently increasing gas exports to a number of countries including Turkey, Iraq, Armenia and Azerbaijan," head of the National Iranian Gas Company Hassan Montazer Torbati told IRNA. Turkey, which currently receives 353 billion cubic feet per year from Iran under a 25-year agreement signed in 2001, has requested to purchase more Iranian natural gas, he said. Last week, Iran launched four new development phases of the world's largest gas field at South Pars with a capacity to produce 112 million cubic meters per day. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey will continue to buy natural gas from Iran despite US sanctions chiefly targeting the Islamic Republic's energy sector. Iran is a key energy supplier for Turkey, which is almost 100-percent dependent on fuel imports, with natural gas accounting for nearly 40 percent of the country's electricity production. The US has pledged to be "aggressive and unwavering" in enforcing economic sanctions on Iran and not allow any country to flout them, but Erdogan has said Turkey would not remain silent to the "use of economic sanctions as weapons". Iranian deputy industry minister Mohsen Salehinia said early this month that Iran and Turkey were negotiating the possibility of setting up joint industrial parks. "The Turks are demanding cheap Iranian energy for joint production and in case we manage to reach a conclusion with the ministry of energy, a joint town will be set up," he told a news conference in Tehran. Iraq also relies on Iran for natural gas that generates as much as 45% of its electricity. Iran transmits another 1,000 megawatts directly, making itself an indispensable energy source for its Arab neighbor. Last week, the Trump administration said it was extending a 90-day waiver for the second time to let Iraq continue energy imports from Iran. Like Turkey, Iraqi leaders including Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi have stressed that Baghdad will not be a party to the system of sanctions against Iran. Iran further exports 35 million cubic feet per day of gas to neighboring Armenia in exchange for electricity. A similar deal is in place with Azerbaijan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Sanctions Target Iranian-Linked 'Front Company Network' By RFE/RL March 26, 2019 The U.S. Treasury Department says it has disrupted what it calls a "large scale front company network" that has transferred more than $1 billion to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Defense Ministry in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. In a March 26 statement, the Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions against 25 individuals and entities it says are part of the network -- including "front companies" based in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey. The statement said the action "exposes an extensive sanctions evasion network established by the Iranian regime" that Tehran increasingly relies upon as a "maximum pressure campaign" by the United States "severely constricts the regime's sources of revenue." It said the Iranian-linked network is comprised of banks and other financial institutions -- including the IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank, and a number of Iranian firms the bank owns or has under its control. Those include Ansar Exchange, Atlas Company, Atlas Exchange, the Ansar Bank Brokerage Company, and Ansar Information Technology. Also named is Zagros Pardis Kish. According to the U.S. Treasury, that firm was involved in the acquisition by Iran's Defense Ministry of hundreds of vehicles shipped from the United Arab Emirates to Iran. "Multiple UAE-based firms were used to pay for and ship the vehicles," the Treasury Department statement said. One individual placed under fresh U.S. sanctions is Ayatollah Ebrahimi. The Treasury Department says Ebrahimi was recruited into the IRGC at the age of 14 and has been the managing director of Ansar Bank since 2005. 'Vast Network' The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Alirez Atabaki, the manager director of Ansar Exchange. It says Atabaki has worked with the IRGC's foreign operations branch, the IRGC-QF, as recently as early 2019 to coordinate financial transactions "using an identified IRGC-QF front company." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the IRGC, Iran's Defense Ministry and "other malign actors in Iran continue to exploit the international financial system to evade sanctions, while the regime funds terrorism and other destabilizing activities across the region." "Central to this network and sanctioned today pursuant to our counterterrorism authority is Iran's IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank and its currency exchange arm, Ansar Exchange," said Sigal Mandelker, the U.S. treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Mandekler said both of those financial institutions "used layers of intermediary entities to exchange devalued Iranian rial ultimately for dollars and euros to line the pockets of the IRGC" and Iran's Defense Ministry. "This vast network is just the latest example of the Iranian regime's use of deceptive practices to exploit the global financial system and divert resources to sanctioned entities," Mandelker said. "This once again exposes to the international community the dangerous risks of operating in an Iranian economy that is deliberately opaque," he said. Source: Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address United States Disrupts Large Scale Front Company Network Transferring Hundreds of Millions of Dollars and Euros to the IRGC and Iran's Ministry of Defense U.S. Department of the Treasury March 26, 2019 WASHINGTON Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against 25 individuals and entities, including a network of Iran, UAE, and Turkey-based front companies, that have transferred over a billion dollars and euros to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), in addition to procuring millions of dollars' worth of vehicles for MODAFL. Today's action exposes an extensive sanctions evasion network established by the Iranian regime, which it increasingly relies on as the United States' maximum pressure campaign severely constricts the regime's sources of revenue. OFAC also designated Iran's MODAFL pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for its role in assisting the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), as well as an Iran-based bank for providing banking services to the IRGC-QF. "We are targeting a vast network of front companies and individuals located in Iran, Turkey, and the UAE to disrupt a scheme the Iranian regime has used to illicitly move more than a billion dollars in funds," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "The IRGC, MODAFL, and other malign actors in Iran continue to exploit the international financial system to evade sanctions, while the regime funds terrorism and other destabilizing activities across the region." "Central to this network and sanctioned today pursuant to our counterterrorism authority is Iran's IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank and its currency exchange arm, Ansar Exchange, both of which used layers of intermediary entities to exchange devalued Iranian rial ultimately for dollars and euros to line the pockets of the IRGC and MODAFL. This vast network is just the latest example of the Iranian regime's use of deceptive practices to exploit the global financial system and divert resources to sanctioned entities," said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker. "This once again exposes to the international community the dangerous risks of operating in an Iranian economy that is deliberately opaque." Ansar Bank's Sanctions Evasion Scheme Through IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank, the Iranian regime established a layered network of front companies based in Iran, Turkey, and the UAE to bypass sanctions, gain access to the international financial system, and exchange devalued Iranian rial for dollars and euros. Ansar Bank also used international free zones to establish front companies. As part of this scheme, Ansar Bank used its Iran-based foreign currency arm, Ansar Exchange and its network, to convert Iranian rial ultimately to hundreds of millions of dollars and euros. To provide this funding to Ansar Bank, MODAFL, and the IRGC, Ansar Exchange relied upon a network of front companies and agents in Turkey and the UAE. In just the last year-and-a-half, four front companies- UAE-based Sakan General Trading, Lebra Moon General Trading, and Naria General Trading, as well as Iran-based Hital Exchange, all designated today provided the equivalent of approximately $800 million in funds to Ansar Exchange. Additionally, Turkey-based Atlas Doviz acted as a secondary foreign currency provider for Ansar Exchange. These front companies are witting to Iran's sanctions evasion. For example, as of 2019, Ansar Exchange Managing Director Alierza Atabaki worked closely with one central procurement agent, Reza Sakan, to avoid the scrutiny of Emirati authorities regarding Ansar Exchange's financial dealings with UAE-based Sakan General Trading and other identified Ansar Exchange intermediaries. View the chart in Farsi describing Ansar Bank's sanctions evasion scheme. MODAFL, Ansar Bank, and Its Iran-Based Subsidiaries MODAFL MODAFL, first designated in 2007 pursuant to E.O. 13382 for supporting persons involved in Iran's proliferation activities, supervises Iran's development and production of missiles, including those used by Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen against coalition forces. Today, OFAC designated MODAFL for providing logistic support to the IRGC-QF and its regional proxy groups. Specifically, MODAFL was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF. As of 2017, MODAFL used funds from the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) that were earmarked for the IRGC-QF. As a part of this scheme, multiple UAE-based firms were involved in the acquisition of hundreds of vehicles by MODAFL, an endeavor that also involved Iran-based Zagros Pardis Kish and Reza Heidari, who was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 on November 20, 2017 for acting for or on behalf of, and for providing support to, the IRGC-QF as a part of a large-scale IRGC-QF counterfeiting ring. Payment for these vehicles was made to Lebra Moon General Trading. Naria General Trading was also involved in the vehicle acquisition. Ansar Bank and Ayatollah Ebrahimi IRGC-controlled Ansar Bank was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 in 2010. Today, OFAC designated Ansar Bank pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF, and for being owned or controlled by the IRGC. With 1,081 branches throughout Iran, Ansar Bank procured hundreds of millions of dollars in the last three years on the IRGC's behalf. As recently as 2019, Ansar Bank officials maintained close associations with senior IRGC-QF officials and financial facilitators who use accounts at Ansar Bank to keep the equivalent of millions of dollars. For example, Treasury-designated IRGC-QF financial facilitator Meghdad Amini held funds at Ansar Bank. Ansar Bank also extended the equivalent of millions of dollars as a loan to an IRGC-QF front company. IRGC-QF officials' salaries also have been paid using Ansar Bank, and Ansar Bank is used by the IRGC-QF to pay the salaries of its foreign fighters, particularly those based in Syria. On October 16, 2018, Treasury designated two of these Syria-based, IRGC-QF-backed militias, the Fatemiyoun Division and Zainabiyoun Brigade, which are comprised of foreign fighters, including child soldiers as young as 14 years old. Ayatollah Ebrahimi, who was recruited into the IRGC at the age of 14, has been the managing director of Ansar Bank since 2005. In this capacity, Ebrahimi worked directly with IRGC-QF officials to facilitate their financial activities, including the conversion of euros or the UAE dirham for the terrorist group. Ayatollah Ebrahimi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Ansar Bank. Treasury is also taking action against a number of Iranian firms owned, or under the control of, Ansar Bank. Specifically, Iranian Atlas Company, Ansar Bank Brokerage Company, and Ansar Information Technology are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Ansar Bank. Ansar Exchange and Its Network of Procurement Agents Ansar Exchange Central to this foreign currency procurement network is Iran-based Ansar Exchange, which conducted significant volumes of foreign currency exchange services for sanctioned Iranian entities, including Ansar Bank, MODAFL, and the IRGC. Ansar Exchange is wholly owned and controlled by Ansar Bank. Since 2016, Ansar Exchange conducted currency exchange services for Ansar Bank totaling over one billion dollars. Over the past few years, Ansar Exchange also directly provided MODAFL with the equivalent of approximately 100 million in dollars and euros, in addition to the equivalent of approximately 130 million dollars' worth of goods and services ultimately destined for the benefit of the IRGC. As recently as 2019, Ansar Exchange maintained a close association with senior IRGC-QF officials. Ansar Exchange is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Ansar Bank, and for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Bank. Ansar Exchange is also being designated for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF, and for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, the IRGC. Alireza Atabaki Alireza Atabaki is the managing director of Ansar Exchange. He co-owns Zagros Pardis Kish with Reza Heidari, an individual designated by Treasury in 2017 for acting for or on behalf of, and providing support to, the IRGC-QF. As recently as early 2019, Atabaki has worked with the IRGC-QF and coordinated transactions using an identified IRGC-QF front company. Alireza Atabaki is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Ansar Exchange. In 2018, Iran-based Atlas Exchange also designated today at the behest of Atabaki, paid hundreds of thousands of euros and dirham to companies in Europe and the UAE. In 2018 and 2019, Atabaki worked closely with UAE-based Iranian financial facilitator Reza Sakan and UAE-based Mohammad Vakili, both of whom are being designated today. Vakili is affiliated with UAE-based companies Best Leader General Trading LLC and Golden Commodities General Trading LLC. Since at least 2015, Atabaki, in coordination with Iranian financial facilitator Assadollah Seifi, used Vakili and his UAE-based companies as foreign currency procurement and financial facilitation agents to procure and transfer millions of dollars, including in cash. Zagros Pardis Kish Ansar Exchange's Managing Director Atabaki and Reza Heidari are registered as the co-owners of Zagros Pardis Kish, a company that is wholly owned by Ansar Bank. Ansar Exchange lists Zagros Pardis Kish as one of its major foreign currency customers. Zagros Pardis Kish was involved in MODAFL's acquisition of hundreds of vehicles shipped from the UAE to Iran. Multiple UAE-based firms were used to pay for and ship the vehicles. Reza Heidari and Zagros Pardis Kish manager Iman Sedaghat were involved in this endeavor. Zagros Pardis Kish is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of MODAFL, and for being owned or controlled by Alireza Atabaki. In his capacity as manager of Zagros Pardis Kish, Iman Sedaghat coordinated the purchase of the hundreds of vehicles for MODAFL through the UAE for millions of dollars. Iman Sedaghat was previously involved in working with the IRGC-QF. Iman Sedaghat is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Zagros Pardis Kish, and for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, MODAFL. UAE- and Turkey-Based Front Companies Sakan General Trading and Reza Sakan Among the UAE-based companies sanctioned today, UAE-based Sakan General Trading provided the most foreign currency exchange support to Ansar Exchange, and is owned by UAE resident and Iranian national Reza Sakan and his Iran-based firm Sakan Exchange, also known as Joint Partnership of Reza Sakan Dastgiri and Associates. Sakan General Trading was involved in financing the purchase of military aircraft tires by Iran's Pars Aviation Service Company for the Syrian Air Force. Sakan General Trading recently changed its name to Royal Credit General Trading. Sakan General Trading is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Exchange. Reza Sakan is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being otherwise associated with Sakan General Trading, as he owns or controls Sakan General Trading. Sakan Exchange is also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Reza Sakan. Hital Exchange and Seyyed Mohammad Reza Ale Ali Hital Exchange, also known as Seyyed Mohammad Reza Ale Ali Currency Exchange, provided a significant volume of euros and dollars to Ansar Exchange. It is owned by Iranian national Seyyed Mohammad Reza Ale Ali who worked directly with Ansar Exchange Managing Director Alireza Atabaki to convert foreign currency. From October 2016 to March 2018, Mohammad Reza Ale Ali, using Hital Exchange, provided Ansar Exchange with the equivalent of approximately $180 million in euro and U.S. dollar banknotes. Today, Mohammad Reza Ale Ali is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Exchange. Hital Exchange is also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Mohammad Reza Ale Ali. Atlas Exchange and Mohammad Vakili Ansar Exchange also used Iran-based Atlas Exchange and its brokers to procure foreign currency. During the latter half of 2018, Ansar Exchange directed Atlas Exchange to transfer hundreds of thousands of euros and dirham to an Iranian company in the UAE and four companies in Europe. As of early 2019, Atlas Exchange solicited business with sanctioned Iranian banks. Atlas Exchange is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Exchange. Atlas Exchange is owned by Mohammad Vakili, who resides in the UAE and collaborated with Assadollah Seifi to use two UAE-based companies the Best Leader General Trading and Golden Commodities General Trading to evade sanctions. Since at least 2015, Attabaki (Ansar Exchange's managing director) in coordination with Assadollah Seifi used Vakili and his affiliated UAE-based companies, the Best Leader General Trading and Golden Commodities, to procure and transfer millions of dollars including in cash. The Best Leader General Trading recently changed its name to Wilmington General Trading. As recently as late 2018, Atabaki (Ansar Exchange's managing director) coordinated closely with Mohammad Vakili on financial matters. Vakili effectuated multiple transfers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to entities in the UAE and Turkey on behalf of Atabaki, who has instructed Vakili to increase certain deposits for companies affiliated with the scheme. Mohammad Vakili is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Alireza Atabaki. Asadollah Seifi, Golden Commodities General Trading, and The Best Leader General Trading Asadollah Seifi used UAE-based Golden Commodities, which is under his supervision, and UAE-based company The Best Leader General Trading, to obfuscate millions of dollars' worth of transactions benefiting the Iranian regime. Seifi also manages Atlas Exchange, and his procurement of U.S. dollars involved the transfer of funds through U.S.-designated banks such as Bank Mellat and Europaisch-Iranische Handelsbank AG. In August 2018, Seifi also facilitated the purchase of gold by the Iranian regime after U.S. sanctions on Iranian gold had been reimposed. Seifi has also facilitated the purchase of foreign currency for the IRGC. Assadolah Seifi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Atlas Exchange. Golden Commodities General Trading LLC is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Asadollah Seifi. The Best Leader General Trading is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Asadollah Seifi. Suleyman Sakan and Atlas Doviz Ticaret A.S. Since 2017, Turkey-based Suleyman Sakan, who is affiliated with Turkish firm Atlas Doviz Ticaret A.S., provided millions of U.S. dollars in foreign currency exchange services to Ansar Exchange, including through Turkey-based Atlas Doviz. Suleyman Sakan is an associate of Reza Sakan and UAE-based Sakan General Trading. Since at least 2017, Suleyman Sakan worked with Reza Sakan to expand their business activities to Oman using the Omani financial sector. Suleyman Sakan is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Exchange. Atlas Doviz Ticaret A.S. is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned or controlled by Suleyman Sakan. Ali Shams Mulavi Since 2017, another Ansar Exchange intermediary agent, Turkey-based Iranian financial facilitator Ali Shams Mulavi, has used Naria General Trading to purchase foreign currency on behalf of Ansar Exchange. In 2019, Ali Shams Mulavi procured and transferred U.S. dollar banknotes for Ansar Exchange. Ali Shams Mulavi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Ansar Exchange. Sanctions Implications As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons. In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the individuals and entities designated today may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action. Furthermore, unless an exception applies, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transactions for any of the individuals or entities designated today could be subject to U.S. sanctions. View identifying information. View the chart in English or Farsi describing Ansar Bank's sanctions evasion scheme. #### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address After a thorough review and analysis, we will be offering certain products containing Cannabidiol (CBD) in nearly 1,500 Walgreens stores in select states, Walgreens spokesman Brian Faith said in a statement. This product offering is in line with our efforts to provide a wider range of accessible health and wellbeing products and services to best meet the needs and preferences of our customers. US Sanctions Network Supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guards By Ken Bredemeier March 26, 2019 The U.S. on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on a network of 25 individuals and entities in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates it accused of laundering more than a billion dollars and euros that were used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and defense ministry to fund terrorism in the Middle East. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement the U.S. was "targeting a vast network of front companies and individuals" in the three countries "to disrupt a scheme the Iranian regime has used ... to exploit the international financial system to evade (U.S.) sanctions, while the regime funds terrorism and other destabilizing activities across the region." Sigal Mandelker, the Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and intelligence, said central to the funding was the Revolutionary Guards-controlled Ansar Bank and its currency exchange arm, the Ansar Exchange, "both of which used layers of intermediary entities to exchange devalued Iranian rial ultimately for dollars and euros to line the pockets" of the Revolutionary Guards and Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. "This vast network is just the latest example of the Iranian regime's use of deceptive practices to exploit the global financial system and divert resources to sanctioned entities," Mandelker said. "This once again exposes to the international community the dangerous risks of operating in an Iranian economy that is deliberately opaque." The U.S. claimed that to secure the funding for Ansar Bank, the Revolutionary Guards, the defense ministry and the Ansar Exchange used a network of front companies and agents in Turkey and the UAE. The Treasury Department said that in the last year and a half, UAE-based Sakan General Trading, Lebra Moon General Trading and Naria General Trading, along with the Iran-based Hital Exchange, provided about $800 million in funds to the Ansar Exchange. In addition, it said Turkey-based Atlas Doviz acted as a secondary foreign currency provider for Ansar Exchange. The U.S. said the defense ministry and armed forces logistics agency supervises Iran's missile program, including those used by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen against coalition forces supported by the U.S. In all, the Treasury sanctions targeted eight individuals, all of them officials at the several financial institutions the U.S. alleged were part of the scheme to provide the funding for the Revolutionary Guards and the defense ministry. The sanctions freeze any property and funds the targeted officials and entities might have in the United States and block Americans from conducting any business with them. The Treasury said that any foreign financial institution that transacts business with the sanctioned entities and individuals could also be subject to U.S. blacklisting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Investigates Submarine Sale to Israel Over Bribery Allegations - Reports Sputnik News 09:48 26.03.2019(updated 10:05 26.03.2019) The probe into a purportedly corrupt deal worth $2 billion to purchase submarines and naval vessels from German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp, known as Case 3000, has involved top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The prosecutor's office in the German city of Bochum, which specialises in corruption cases, has initiated a preliminary investigation into the billion-dollar submarine deal with Israel, the business daily Handelsblatt reports citing industry circles. The investigation is said to have been triggered by an Israeli request for assistance to the German authorities. According to Handelsblatt, some suspicious spending related to the armaments business has been discovered in connection with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the shipbuilding division of the Ruhr Group, from whom Israel has ordered submarines and corvettes over recent years. The newspaper cites internal documents and reports that the shipbuilder's managers relied on respected ex-military members to handle the local operations with a flow of so-called "useful expenses" around 2005. The outlet points out that after current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took over government, he urged Israel to change its consultant with TKMS. At Israel's suggestion, ThyssenKrupp and Miki Ganor, who belonged to Netanyahu's close circle, according to an investigation by Israeli Channel 10, signed a consulting agreement. Among other things, Ganor received an eleven-million-dollar commission for the sale of the corvettes. Officials are expected to focus on a recent deal involving three submarines, according to Handelsblatt. Notably, one-third of the construction costs in the reported two-billion-dollar deal for three boats were taken over by Germany as a part of historic reparations to Israel. It currently operates five units, all built by the German shipbuilder, with one more vessel to be delivered next year. The outlet says that Israel wants to buy more submarines in Germany; however, these plans might be scrapped if bribery allegations prove to be true. The German authorities have not commented on this so far. The investigators in the Ruhr Valley, where TKMS has its headquarters, have previously seen no reason to initiate their own probe referring to the case as an "observation process". This changed after Israel applied for legal assistance, as Bochum's prosecutors, where the case was earlier referred, initiated a formal procedure. The two-year probe of the suspected graft scheme, led by the Israeli police, has resulted in charges against 6 decision makers, suspected of profiting through bribes and money laundering. The investigation has even hit the close circle of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was also questioned in the "submarine affair". Although no evidence has been found against him, the probe is now making itself felt during an ongoing election campaign amid criticism from the opposition. Recently, new allegations emerged, that the head of the Israeli government might have profited from the deal in question. The company at the epicentre is the subcontractor Sea Drift, which has since been acquired by Graftech. Its customers include ThyssenKrupp, who sold submarines and other naval vessels to Israel under Netanyahu, who purchased shares of Sea Drift when he was an opposition leader and sold them one year after his re-election as head of government in 2009 for around four million euros. Israeli AG Preparing to Indict Netanyahu On Bribery Charge This Week Reports Investigators in Israel are interested in finding out how Netanyahu could sell the shares with a four-time markup, although Sea Drift, which incidentally belonged to his cousin, had done poorly. Netanyahu has denied the allegations about the suspected conflict of interest coupled with his purchasing the vessels, bypassing the country's Defence Ministry. According to him, they have been renewed by his political opponents amid the current election campaign. Apart from the "submarine affair", also known as Case 3000, the Israeli prime minister is also involved in two other separate corruption cases Case 1000 and Case 2000. The first one has focused on Netanyahu's receipt of expensive gifts from members of the business community, the total value of which is estimated at $300,000. In Case 2000, Netanyahu is alleged to have attempted to conclude a deal with the media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, in exchange for favourable media coverage of the government. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address All 13 People On Board Crashed Helicopter of Kazakh MoD Killed - President Sputnik News 18:22 27.03.2019(updated 19:26 27.03.2019) ALMATY (Sputnik) - The crew of the Mi-8 military helicopter, which crashed on Wednesday in the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan, were killed, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Wednesday. "A Defence Ministry helicopter crashed in the Kyzylorda region. It was performing a flight as part of military exercises along the Aktau-Shymkent route. The helicopter crew died. I ordered to start an investigation," Tokayev wrote on Twitter. The Interior Ministry's Emergencies Committee earlier in the day reported that the Defence Ministry's Mi-8 helicopter crashed and completely burned down in the Kyzylorda region. "At 17:35 the 112 service received a message about the crash of a Mi-8 helicopter in the Zhalagash district of the Kyzylorda region. The helicopter crashed and completely burned down in unknown circumstances. The aircraft belonged to the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Kazakhstan," Kazakh Emergencies Committee spokesman Nursultan Nurakhmetov told Sputnik on Wednesday. According to Nurakhmetov, the circumstances of the crash are being investigated, adding that some people are believed to have been killed in the crash. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Ex-Minister Detained, Charged With Large-Scale Fraud By RFE/RL March 26, 2019 Russia's Investigative Committee says it has launched a criminal case against a former minister, Mikhail Abyzov, on suspicion of embezzling $62 million from an energy distribution company in Siberia. The Investigative Committee says Abyzov was arrested by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents on March 26. Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said Abyzov was charged with large-scale fraud and creating a criminal group that embezzled 4 billion rubles, or about $62 million, from the Siberian Energy Company and Regional Electric Grid in Novosibirsk. "Investigators are planning to seek a measure of [pretrial] restraint against him promptly," Petrenko said. Investigators say Abyzov and five accomplices of stealing money and transferring the funds abroad. "Abyzov will plead not guilty," his lawyer, Aleksandr Asnis, told TASS. "Investigators notified us that tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Moscow time, they will ask Moscow's Basmanny district court to place Abyzov in pretrial detention," Asnis said. The Kremlin said that President Vladimir Putin was informed in advance about suspicions regarding Abyzov. "Abyzov and the above-mentioned individuals have put at risk the sustainable economic development and energy security of several regions of the country," the investigators said. They said Abyzov founded the criminal enterprise in April 2011 -- a year before he was appointed as Minister for Open Government Affairs in the cabinet of then-president Dmitry Medvedev, who is now prime minister. It was a post in which Abyzov was in charge of keeping Russia's government transparent and accountable, and which he held until 2018 when President Vladimir Putin abolished the office and formed his current government. Abyzov has also held several executive positions at major Russian energy firms since the mid-1990s, including a role on the board of directors at the electric-power holding company RAO UES. In 2017, anti-corruption activist Aleksei Navalny reported that Abyzov owns a mansion in Italy worth about $11.7 million. Navalny reported that Abyzov amassed his wealth through his energy sector connections in Novosibirsk. With reporting by The Moscow Times, Meduza.io, Interfax, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/fsb-arrests-russian-ex-minister-on- suspicion-of-graft/29843712.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands Rally In Ingushetia To Protest Chechnya Land Swaps March 26, 2019 Thousands of people in Russia's Ingushetia region have protested against a controversial border deal with neighboring Chechnya, denouncing land swaps under the agreement and calling for Ingushetia head Yunus-Bek Yevkurov to step down. Police kept a close watch on the hours-long March 26 rally in Magas, the regional capital, which was held with the permission of the authorities. Large protests were held in Ingushetia after Yevkurov and the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, signed the deal behind closed doors in September. The new rally increased pressure on Yevkurov over the border deal. In an apparent bid to appease Ingush who oppose the agreement, Yevkurov on March 20 withdrew proposed legislation that would cancel the need to hold referendums on any proposed changes of the regional border. Yevkurov said he withdrew the bill after tribal councils, elders, and some lawmakers urged him to send it back for changes. Yevkurov and Kadyrov said the agreement was approved by the parliaments of both republics several days later, despite demonstrations by protesters in Ingushetia who say it unfairly hands parts of the republic to Chechnya, its larger neighbor to the east. The protesters have called for Yevkurov's resignation and a public referendum on the deal. On October 30, 2018, Ingushetia's Constitutional Court ruled that the agreement was illegal because "it changes the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia," something it said requires approval by referendum. http://ks-ri.ru/?p=3350 But Yevkurov took the issue to the Federal Constitutional Court in Moscow with a request for support of the agreement, which the court did in December. The issue has raised concerns about the possibility of a regional conflict in Russia, which is home to a large number of ethnic groups. It also has amplified concerns about the power and influence of the Kremlin-backed Kadyrov, who was appointed by President Vladimir Putin in 2007 to head Chechnya. Kadyrov has publicly threatened the protesters in Ingushetia. In late October, Kadyrov visited Ingushetia with a large entourage of armed men to confront a protest leader. The meeting ended without violence. Ingushetia and Chechnya were parts of a single administrative region during the Soviet era, but they split after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. There are strong concerns about the loss of territory in Ingushetia, which lost control of the disputed Prigorodny district to another neighbor, North Ossetia, after a conflict in 1992 that killed some 600 people, mostly Ingush. Rights activists say Kadyrov rules through repressive measures and has created a climate of impunity for security forces in the North Caucasus. Kremlin critics contend that Putin has given Kadyrov free rein because he relies on him to rein in separatists and militants after two wars in Chechnya. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, AP, and Caucasus Knot Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/thousands-rally- in-ingushetia-to-protest-chechnya -land-swaps/29843003.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Underwater Drone Poseidon Keeps US Intel on the Alert Sputnik News 18:36 26.03.2019(updated 18:38 26.03.2019) Hours before the Poseidon tests were screened by Russian state television for the first time in late February, Russian defence chief Sergei Shoigu announced their completion. A top-notch underwater drone armed with a nuclear warhead, Poseidon, is scheduled to join Russia's arsenal no earlier than 2027, people close to US intelligence told CNBC, citing their assessment. "What we are basically dealing with is a Russian submarine, that is difficult to detect, launching a drone, that is difficult to target, equipped with a nuclear warhead", one person said on condition of anonymity, adding that the Russians are determined to use the advanced nuclear-powered vehicle "as a retaliation device if their legacy nuclear weapon launch capability is neutralized during war". According to CNBC, Russia has yet to effectively test the vehicle's nuclear propulsion heart, which is key to its overwhelming power. However, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in February that the Poseidon sea tests had been successfully completed. They were carried out in an offshore zone that was well protected from a potential enemy's intelligence forces. The tests of the system's nuclear warhead, finalized back in 2018 and shown on Russian television for the first time this February, proved its incredible capacity. The fact that tests have already been completed casts doubt on the credibility of CNBC's report and the cited sources. Deputy head of Russian State Duma's defence department, Yuri Shvitkin, commented on the US edition's article in an interview with RT, saying Poseidon drones will become part of the Russian arsenal much earlier than 2027. "I'll let down the US and tell them that the Poseidon system will become operational much earlier than they predict. It has mostly to do with their aggressive policies with regard to our country. American politicians openly dub Russia bellicose, and we have no time to equip the armed forces only by 2027, " the MP noted, adding that the measures are purely defensive. Russian media previously reported that the Russian Navy is set to place some 30 Poseidon drones on active combat duty, while the US Navy cannot boast a similar weapon to date, CNBC noted. The special-purpose nuclear-powered submarine Khabarovsk currently being built at the Sevmash Shipyard is said to become one of the carriers of the Poseidon nuclear-capable underwater drone, along with Project 949A nuclear-powered underwater cruisers operational in the Russian Navy. The underwater drone is one of the six weapons President Putin proudly talked about during his national address last March as systems designed to guarantee a Russian response and the country's security in the event of an enemy's nuclear attack. CNBC reported that two of them are being readied for full operational capability by 2020. The first one is the hypersonic glide vehicle known as Avangard, which is designed to sit on the top of an intercontinental ballistic missile and the testing of which began as early as 2013. The Zvezda TV channel, the official media outlet of the Russian Defence Ministry, published a video of the test launch of the hypersonic missile Avangard, depicting it from the launch command centre, late last year. The other one is the Kinzhal, Russian for "dagger", a new Russian air-launched manoeuvrable hypersonic cruise missile, which was tested aboard the Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, as was confirmed by the Russian Defence Ministry in early August 2018. The missile has already been deployed, and has undergone extensive flight testing on board the MiG-31BM supersonic interceptor aircraft, which can carry a single Kinzhal. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia May Create Service Centre for Yak-130 Light Attack Jets in Malaysia Sputnik News 06:54 26.03.2019(updated 07:36 26.03.2019) LANGKAWI/Malaysia (Sputnik) Russia may create a service centre for the maintenance of Yak-130 light attack aircraft in Malaysia in the event the Southeast Asian country purchases these jets, Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slyusar said Tuesday. Russia is now negotiating the possibility of delivering Yak-130 jets to Malaysia. "There is a possibility of promoting and supplying this aircraft to the Malaysian market Prime Minister [of Malaysia Mahathir Bin Mohamad] and I discussed the possibility of industrial cooperation on this issue. Here in Malaysia, a service centre will be engaged in maintenance and repair work. Maybe in the future we will consider some options to assemble such aircraft here. [For example, we could] make a regional centre here that would support the entire grouping of aircraft in the Southeast Asia region", Slyusar said after meeting with Mohamad. The Yak-130 is a two-seat combat trainer aircraft produced by the Irkut Corporation, part of the United Aircraft Corporation. Russia successfully exports these jets to a number of foreign countries, including Myanmar and Laos. On Tuesday the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) begins in Langkawi, Malaysia and will continue until 30 March. It has been held once every two years since 1991 and is considered one of the largest shows of military equipment in the Asia Pacific region. The event is co-organised by the Malaysian Defence Ministry. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Boosts Reconnaissance Near Russian Borders - Deputy Foreign Minister Sputnik News 10:48 27.03.2019(updated 11:20 27.03.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO is increasing its reconnaissance activities near Russia's frontiers, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Wednesday. "Under the pretext of a mythical Russian threat, NATO is increasing its presence in Eastern Europe, militarising the Black Sea region, and stepping up reconnaissance activities along Russia's borders", the diplomat said at a scientific conference in Moscow. He added that NATO's policies have negatively affected stability in the whole Euro-Atlantic region. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Moscow considers NATO's policy of enlargement in Europe a relic of the Cold War, an erroneous and destructive military and political strategy. According to the official newspaper of the Russian Armed Forces Krasnaya Zvezda, at least 21 foreign reconnaissance aircraft were detected by Russia close to its air space during only one week in March. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria, world slam US for recognizing Israel's 'sovereignty' over Golan Iran Press TV Tue Mar 26, 2019 06:12AM World nations and prominent international rights groups have joined voices with Syria to condemn the recent decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Israel's "sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, which have been under the regime's occupation since 1967. In another contentious policy shift, Trump on Monday signed a proclamation, recognizing the Tel Aviv-occupied side of Syria's Golan Heights as part of the "Israeli territory." In a tweet last week, he had declared his bid to do so and his recent move formalized Washington's U-turn. Syria: US decision not to change facts Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem swiftly condemned the move and said the recognition will not change the fact that the Golan Heights are part of Syrian soil. "No matter how many years have passed, this will not change the fact that the Golan is an occupied Syrian territory," he told Syrian state TV. "The US decision will affect nothing, except the isolation of the US." The top diplomat also vowed that the Syrian nation, army and UN resolutions will safeguard the Golan Heights. Back in December 2018, the majority of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Israeli regime to withdraw from the entirety of the Syrian Golan Heights. The resolution, titled The Syrian Golan, was adopted by a record vote of 99 in favor, 10 against and 66 abstentions. It declared that Israel's controversial move to extend its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied mountainous plateau is null and void. Later in the month, the General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution on the permanent sovereignty of Syria over natural resources of the Golan Heights. The resolution reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Syrians in the occupied Syrian Golan to sovereignty over its natural resources, including land, water and energy. Arab League throws back behind Syria over Golan A statement by the Arab League on Monday also censured Trump's decision, saying, "It does not change the legal status of the area in any way." Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the 22-member organization "strongly supports Syria's claim to the area, and that the League's stance has been endorsed by Arab nations." Russia: US proclamation to further destabilize region Russia, in turn, warned against the repercussions of Trump's decision, which it said "ignores all international procedures" and would "only aggravate the situation." "Unfortunately, this could drive a new wave of tensions in the Middle East region," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a radio broadcast on Monday Lebanon: US cannot falsify history Lebanon's Foreign Ministry also denounced Trump's decision as a violation of all the rules of international law," saying it "undermines any effort to reach a just peace." "The Golan Heights are Syrian Arab land, no decision can change this, and no country can revisit history by transferring ownership of land from one country to another," it said. The statement added that the Israeli regime's attempts to grab more land by way of "force and aggression" would only isolate the entity. Qatar, Palestinian factions support Syria Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement against the US move, describing the Golan Heights as occupied Arab land. Doha also urged Israel to comply with "the resolutions of international legitimacy to withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, including the Golan Heights." President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, also condemned the measure and said in a tweet, "There is no legitimacy that can override UN Security Council resolutions, the UN General Assembly or the Arab Peace Initiative." Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh, meanwhile, stressed that the Golan Heights would "forever remain an integral part of Syria." Iran, Turkey and the UN have also denounced the US president's recognition of the Israeli regime's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Trump has violated international regulations through his decision. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the decision is unacceptable and that Turkey will take action against the decision, including at the United Nations. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for his part, insisted that "the status of Golan has not changed." Trump 'driving wrecking ball through intl. law' Trump's measure has also sparked criticism from prominent rights groups Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch (HRW). Philippe Nassif, Middle East advocacy director at Amnesty International USA, said in a statement, "The decision to recognize the Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli territory is irresponsible, reckless and yet another example of the Trump Administration violating international law and consensus by condoning Israel's illegal annexation." "Such announcementslike the administration's decision to unilaterally recognize Jerusalem (al-Quds) as the capital of Israelwill only make the human rights crisis in the region worse. Trump must understand that a just and sustainable peace requires full respect for international law and human rights," he added. The New York-based HRW also censured the Trump administration's decision "to deny the reality of Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights" in a statement. "President Trump appears poised to drive a wrecking ball through the international law that protects the population of the occupied Golan Heights," said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "If Trump follows through, it may embolden other occupying states to double down on their own land grabs, settlements, and plunder of resources." Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also joined other Arab states in condemning the US decision, saying Golan Heights were occupied Syrian Arab land in accordance with the relevant international resolutions. In 1967, Israel waged a full-scale war against Arab territories, during which it occupied a large swathe of Golan and annexed it four years later, a move never recognized by the international community. In 1973, another war broke out and a year later, a UN-brokered ceasefire came into force, according to which Tel Aviv and Damascus agreed to separate their troops and create a buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Israel has over the past decades built dozens of settlements in the Golan Heights in defiance of international calls to stop its illegal construction activities. Syria has repeatedly reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying the territory must be completely restored to its control. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, Iran, Arab States Reject 'Unlawful' U.S. Decision On Golan Heights By RFE/RL March 26, 2019 Russia, Iran, and a number of Arab countries including U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf have blasted President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, charging that it violates international law and could undermine regional stability. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters on March 26 that he was "saddened but not surprised" by international criticism triggered by Trump's decision, adding: "We are simply recognizing facts on the ground." Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said that "such decisions undoubtedly have negative consequences from the point of view of a settlement in the Middle East and the general atmosphere of political settlement in Syria." He said Putin would discuss the matter with his visiting Lebanese counterpart, Michael Aoun, later in the day. Trump signed a proclamation on March 25 officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Israeli forces seized the rocky plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, and effectively annexing it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally. Trump's move came after the United States moved its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year, sparking international criticism as well as Palestinian and Arab anger. During a meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, Aoun said in Moscow that "the leader of a foreign state has no right to dispose of someone else's territories this way," according to the Interfax news agency. Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted President Hassan Rohani as saying that "no one could imagine that a person in America comes and gives land of a nation to another occupying country." "Such action is unprecedented in the current century," Rohani added. Four Gulf Arab states -- Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, all regional allies of Washington that host U.S. troops -- also rejected the decision. Saudi Arabia has expressed its "firm rejection and condemnation of the declaration issued by the American administration," said a statement carried by the SPA state news agency. It warned that the U.S. step would have "major negative effects" on Middle East peace-making efforts and the "security and stability" of the region. Kuwait voiced "regret and dismay" over Trump's decision, while Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, said that it regarded the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory. Qatar called on Israel to end its occupation of the Golan Heights and comply with international resolutions. In Syria, state news agency SANA reported that thousands of people had gathered in the streets of several cities to protest Trump's decision. The government of President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces have been battling rebels and Islamist militants in a devastating eight-year civil war, has called the U.S. move a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria. With reporting by dpa, Reuters, Interfax, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-iran-arab- states-reject-unlawful-us-decision-on- golan-heights/29843054.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Official Says Collapse of IS Caliphate 'Not the End' of Fight By Jeff Seldin March 26, 2019 The United States is warning that crushing the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate will not be enough to deal the terror group an enduring defeat a message Washington delivered even as it pulls the majority of U.S. forces from Syria. U.S.-back forces declared victory over the IS caliphate Saturday, liberating the northeastern Syrian town of Baghuz after unleashing a series of airstrikes against several hundred fighters who refused to surrender. Since then, the Syrian Democratic Forces have been involved in clearing operations, carefully sifting through what is left of the terror group's encampments for explosives and booby traps, as well as searching a complex network of caves and tunnels that were used to hide thousands of fighters and their families until the town's fall. Yet despite the optimism expressed by numerous coalition officials, the U.S. special representative for Syria cautioned a lasting victory is not yet within sight. "This is not the end of the fight against ISIS," U.S. envoy for Syria James Jeffrey told reporters Monday, using an acronym for the terror group. "That will go on, but it will be a different kind of fight." "They're reconstituting in small groups, operating in the shadows as a low-level insurgency," he said, adding that the full impact has yet to be felt in Syria, where the group's remaining forces "are in shock from having lost this terrain." Jeffrey, as well as other coalition officials, estimate Islamic State still boasts an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 fighters spread across Syria and Iraq, though he cautioned such estimates are "not worth the paper they're printed on." U.S. officials had previously estimated IS had, at its height, up to about 34,000 fighters. But Jeffrey said Monday that number could have been as high as 100,000. Other senior U.S. and coalition officials have also admitted their ability to estimate the size of the radical Islamic group's fighting forces has been limited, predicting most recently hundreds of fighters were left to defend Baghuz when, in reality, thousands were killed or had surrendered. "We have been consistently wrong, as have our SDF partners, on how big this is," a senior defense official said. Region Remains Fertile Ground for IS So too, there are concerns that the region remains a fertile ground for Islamic State, which has learned to play upon local grievances as well as anyone. "The political conditions haven't changed really dramatically from the 2009 perspective," said Craig Whiteside, a senior associate with the Center on Irregular Warfare at the Naval War College. "In some cases, they've actually gotten worse." Potentially making IS more dangerous, according to Whiteside, is that the group has successfully carried out an insurgency before and, at least in the past, has been patient enough to see it succeed. "They don't have timelines in their strategic documents. They just have an understanding that they'll do it until it works," he said. At the same time, officials and analysts warn Islamic State has been preparing for this new insurgency for more than a year, starting before the fall of Mosul, its capital in Iraq, in June 2017. But at least in Syria, U.S.-backed forces will be taking on the new fight without the same level of support. "Armed forces are being withdrawn," Jeffrey said Monday, explaining some of the 2,000 U.S. troops that had been stationed in Syria have already been pulled out in line with the plan announced by President Donald Trump in December. Residual Forces U.S. officials have said the residual force, likely about 200 troops, will be stationed in northeast Syria and at al-Tanf, a U.S. garrison in southern Syria that is seen as key to stopping smugglers supporting IS as well as limiting Iran's influence in the region. There have been talks between the United States and its coalition partners to set up a force of about 1,500 troops to help the Syrian Democratic Forces continue clearing operations and other stabilization efforts. U.S. officials have characterized the talks as positive. Only the plan has met with some criticism from allies, like France, which complained last week that many questions about the size, make-up and mission of the proposed force remain unanswered. Jeffrey on Monday pushed back against those concerns, saying the United States was getting a "pretty good response" to its request for allies to "up their contribution." He also rejected a call by Kurdish authorities to set up an international tribunal to prosecute foreign fighters who joined Islamic State but who have not been taken back by their own countries. "We're not looking at that right now," Jeffrey said, insisting the U.S. focus remains on making sure foreign fighters are sent back to their countries of origin. "If they put the effort in, they could do it," he said. The SDF is holding an estimated 7,000 IS fighters. More than 1,000 are thought to be from countries other than Iraq and Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Trump at Signing of Presidential Proclamation Recognizing Israel's Sovereign Right Over the Golan Heights March 26, 2019 Diplomatic Room March 25, 2019 12:01 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT TRUMP: It's a big moment. It's a very important moment. It's my honor to welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the White House. He's a very special man. He's done a great job. I want to begin by expressing our condolences to the Prime Minister and the people of Israel for the horrific Hamas rocket attack on Israeli homes this morning, which wounded seven civilians at least, including numerous children. Our prayers are with our friends in Israel as they carry out an incredible way of life in the face of great terror. The United States recognizes Israel's absolute right to defend itself. The despicable attack this morning demonstrates the significant security challenges that Israel faces every single day. And today, I am taking historic action to promote Israel's ability to defend itself, and really to have a very powerful, very strong national security, which they're entitled to have. In a moment, I will sign a presidential proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereign right over the Golan Heights. The State of Israel took control of the Golan Heights in 1967 to safeguard its security from external threats. Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel. Very violent attacks. Any possible future peace agreement must account for Israel's need to defend itself from Syria, Iran, and other regional threats. We do not want to see another attack like the one suffered this morning north of Tel Aviv. In our meeting today, the Prime Minister and I will discuss these dangers, as well as several mutual priorities in the Middle East and beyond. We'll be discussing other subjects also, including trade, but we will mostly be discussing this, defense and perhaps offense. Under my administration, the unbreakable alliance between the United States and Israel has never been stronger. You read things; you hear things. It's never been stronger. Just remember that. People talk, but it's only talk. Our relationship is powerful. At this moment, the American embassy stands proudly in Jerusalem, the capital the Jewish people have established. And they've wanted the embassy for many, many years for many decades and, frankly, through many Presidents. And we got it done. Not only did we get it done, we also got it built at a slight cost saving, like about one-billion-dollar cost saving. (Laughter.) And I want to thank Ambassador David Friedman for the job he's done, and Jason Greenblatt, and Jared, and everybody. They worked so hard together, so I want to thank you all. Thank you very much, Ambassador. You enjoying it? AMBASSADOR FRIEDMAN: I love it. Thank you. PRESIDENT TRUMP: And you love Israel? AMBASSADOR FRIEDMAN: And America. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Good. And America. I was waiting for him to say that. (Laughter.) We have defeated the caliphate in Syria. We have withdrawn from the horrible Iran nuclear deal and imposed the toughest-ever sanctions. And these are, by far, the toughest ever on the Iranian regime. It's having a big effect. Iran is not the same country that it was when I took office. The day I took office, we had threats all over the Middle East and beyond. Iran is a much different place right now than it was. As I said during my State of the Union Address, we will not avert our eyes from the dictatorship that chants "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and calls for genocide against the Jewish people. We won't let them even consider that. We will confront the poison of anti-Semitism through both our words and, maybe even more importantly, our actions. In the last century, humanity witnessed the horrific consequences of anti-Semitism and a world without a Jewish homeland. In the wake of those unthinkable horrors, the Jewish people built a mighty nation in the Holy Land something very, very powerful, something very special and important. Today, Israel demonstrates that incredible possibilities when strong, sovereign, and independent nations chart their own destinies. There can be no better example of greatness than what Israel has done, starting from such a small speck of sand. Israel is an inspiration, a trusted ally, and a cherished friend. The United States will always stand by its side. I'd like to now invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to say a few words. And Bibi and I have known each other for a long time. He's another one who truly, truly loves Israel. I think I can say he also loves the United States. So before I sign the presidential proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, I'd like to ask Prime Minister Netanyahu to say a few words. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Mr. President, my dear friend, Donald: You have shown, consistently, incredible support for Israel, for our right to self-defense. When we exercise that self-defense, you have never flinched. You have always been there, including today. And I thank you. Yesterday, a rocket was fired from Gaza, deep inside to Israel. It hit a home north of Tel Aviv. It wounded seven, including two small children. And, miraculously, no one was hurt. No one was killed. Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this. And as we speak as I told you, Mr. President, just now Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression. I have a simple message to Israel's enemies: We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our states. After this meeting, I will return home, ahead of schedule, to lead the people of Israel and the soldiers of Israel. But before I go, Mr. President, it was so kind of you to invite me to come here, and it was so important for me to come here to the White House and to thank you. Mr. President, over the years, Israel has been blessed to have many friends who sat in the Oval Office. But Israel has never had a better friend than you. You show this time and again. You showed this when you withdrew from the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran. I remember in one of our first meetings, you said, "This is a horrible deal. I will leave it." You said it; you did it. You showed it when you restored sanctions against a genocidal regime that seeks to destroy the one and only Jewish State. You said, "I will restore those sanctions." You said it and you did it. You showed that when you recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the American embassy there and gave us a tremendous ambassador. You said it; you did it. And you've showed it once again, Mr. President, with your official proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, this is truly a historic day. For two decades, from 1948 to 1967, Syria rained deadly fire from the Golan Heights on Israel's citizens below. A generation of Israeli children lived in constant danger. And then, in two glorious days, in June 1967, the brave soldiers of Israel scaled those daunting heights and liberated the Golan. This has profound meanings for all Israelis and for me personally. One of those brave soldiers was my brother, who was wounded in battle three hours before the end of the war. And a few years later, as an officer in a special unit, I led my soldiers into a covert mission into Syria. And as we came back to the Golan, to Israel, we nearly froze to death in a blinding snowstorm. Well, as you can see, I'm still here. (Laughter.) But at that point, in 1967, Israel seized the high ground, which has since proven invaluable to our defense, because in 1973, Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel, and those same Golan Heights proved to be to enable us to absorb the initial attack it was a horrific attack and successfully counterattack the invading Syrian forces. Within three weeks, we were at the Gates of Damascus. Outmanned, outgunned, our brave soldiers triumphed after one of the hardest-fought tank battles in our history. But while Israel won those two wars, we would have to wait nearly half a century until this moment here, in this room, to translate our military victory into a diplomatic victory. And that is why, Mr. President, your decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is so historic. Your recognition is a twofold act of historic justice. Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war of self-defense, and the Jewish people's roots in the Golan go back thousands of years. In the long sweep of Jewish history, there have been a handful of proclamations by non-Jewish leaders on behalf of our people in our land: Cyrus the Great, the great Persian king; Lord Balfour; President Harry S. Truman; and President Donald J. Trump. And you, Mr. President Mr. President, you've done it not once but twice, with your bold proclamation on Jerusalem and with your bold proclamation today on the Golan. Your proclamation comes at a time when the Golan is more important than ever for our security when Iran is trying to establish bases in Syria to strike at Israel. From across the border in Syria, Iran has launched drones into our airspace, missiles into our territory. Mr. President, just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground, and we shall never give it up. Mr. President, we have a saying in Israel. I'll say it in Hebrew. It says, "Ha'am im HaGolan." That means, "The people are with the Golan." But thanks to you, we now know that there are two peoples who stand with the Golan: the people of Israel and the people of America. So on behalf of all the people of Israel: Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for your leadership, thank you for your friendship, and thank you for all you have done to make the alliance between America and Israel stronger and greater than ever. Thank you, Mr. President. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. (Applause.) So this was a long time in the making. It should have taken place many decades ago. (The proclamation is signed.) Bibi, maybe you can give this to the people of Israel? PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Q Mr. President, after signing this proclamation, after recognizing Jerusalem, will your deal of the century include separation of Jerusalem? Will you give Palestinians PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we're talking right now. We're talking about this. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. Q Will Israel have to pay something in order to have this recognition? Q Do you want to see Prime Minister Netanyahu be the next Prime Minister? PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Mr. President Mr. President, I have to tell you that I brought you a case of the finest wine from the Golan. I understand you're not a great wine drinker, but could I give it to your staff? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, you can. (Laughter.) PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: And I hope they don't open an investigation on that. (Laughter.) Q Mr. President, do you think Robert Mueller acted honorably? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, he did. Yes, he did. END 12:16 P.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan condemns US decision on Syrian Golan Heights IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Islamabad, March 27, IRNA -- Pakistan has strongly condemned the US Administration's decision to recognize Zionist Regime's occupation over Syrian Golan Heights. Foreign Ministry in a statement said Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition to the US Administration's decision. "This decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981)," it added. The statement further said that US decision constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law and international norms. "Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond," it said. Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter. US President Donald Trump has recently signed a proclamation recognizing Zionist regime's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Earlier Trump in a tweet had said: After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The fact is that the Golan is Syrian territory illegally occupied by Zionist regime and recognized by the world as such. Spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Bahram Qasemi had stated that the impetuous personal decision of US President is pushing the sensitive region of the Middle East toward consecutive crises. 272**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Shura Council expresses its total rejection of declaration issued by US Administration to recognize Israel's sovereignty over occupied Syrian Golan Height Saudi Press Agency Wednesday 1440/7/20 - 2019/03/27 Riyadh, March 27, 2019, SPA -- The Shura Council expressed its total rejection of the declaration issued by the United States Administration to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Height. This came in the Shura Council's statement in its ordinary session held here today under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker of the Council Dr. Abdullah bin Salem Al-Mutani. The Council said that attempts to impose a fait accompli on the Arab land, including the Golan Height, do not change historical facts, as it is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of the international law and relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242, dated 1967, and 497, dated 1981. It also called on international parties seeking peace and stability to reject this declaration and adhere to the resolutions of the international legitimacy and the Charter of the United Nations for the preservation of Arab rights, stressing the need that States' parliaments shall address such practices in violation of the international law, so that such a declaration would not have an impact on international peace and security. --SPA 14:55 LOCAL TIME 11:55 GMT 0014 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Still Refuses to Recognise Israeli Sovereignty Over Golan Heights Sputnik News 16:03 27.03.2019(updated 16:05 27.03.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union has not changed its position regarding the Golan Heights and does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territory, Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for EU diplomatic service, said in a statement on Wednesday. "The position of the European Union as regards the status of the Golan Heights has not changed. In line with the international law and UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 497, the European Union does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights", Kocijancic said. On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order formally recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The US move, which is widely regarded as beneficial not only for Israel but personally for Netanyahu, who is running in the April 9 parliamentary elections, has already been condemned by Russia, Syria, Iran, Turkey and other countries. US major allies, such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom, have similarly refused to back the US U-turn on the Golan, which runs against the UN Security Council resolutions. The Golan Heights, a strategically important area due to its water resources among other reasons, has been mostly under Israel's control since the country seized the area during the 1967 Six-Day War. When Israel adopted a law that effectively annexed the territory back in 1981, the United Nations unanimously declared that it was "null and void and without international legal effect." In 2018, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution urging Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from the area after the country organized local elections in the area on October 30. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Islamabad Says Shares 'International Outrage' Over US Decision on Golan Heights Sputnik News 14:58 27.03.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Islamabad joins other countries in expressing "outrage" over the US move to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and warns of a ripple effect that it will have on the region and the world, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. "Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights," the Pakistani ministry said in a statement. The ministry expressed solidarity with "international outrage" and deep concerns over the "potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond." Islamabad noted that the US move constituted a blatant breach of the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions, being a "serious blow" to the rule of law and internal norms on the whole. The ministry also urged the UN Security Council to "take steps in accordance with the UN Charter." Damascus has reportedly requested a UN Security Council emergency meeting on the situation around the Golan. On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order formally recognizing the Golan, annexed from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, as Israeli territory. It came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on the visit to the United States just days before the Israeli parliamentary elections. The US move has already been harshly condemned by Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, as well as US allies both in the West and the Arab world. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Pilots Train on F-35s at US Base as Washington, Ankara Fight Over S-400 Sputnik News 22:16 26.03.2019 Two more F-35A Joint Strike Fighters will soon be delivered to Luke Air Force Base, where Turkish pilots are training to fly the advanced jets. The planes won't find their way to Turkey until November, but even that's up in the air as Ankara presses forward with an S-400 purchase from Moscow in the face of objections from Washington. Turkish pilots have been at Arizona's Luke Air Force Base since last July, schooling up at the US Air Force's Air Education and Training Command. While 56th Fighter Wing spokesperson Maj. Rebecca Heyse couldn't disclose to Military.com the number of pilots in the program, she did say that the first group of pilots and instructor-pilots had recently graduated and was now preparing to help instruct two more classes that have begun entry-level training. "Turkey currently has two F-35As at Luke Air Force Base, and two other aircraft are in final preparations to go to Luke," Joe DellaVedova, a spokesperson for the F-35 program, told Turkish Anadolu News Agency on Wednesday. "The first two aircraft are currently scheduled to arrive in the country in November." That's in line with Ankara's agreement with Washington, which says that the US must deliver the F-35s to Turkey within two years of the completion of US-supervised flight training, Turkish paper The Hurriyet Daily News noted. Turkey plans to buy 100 of the stealthy fighter-bombers, which are built by Lockheed Martin, and has participated in the development program since 2002. However, the US Congress has moved to block delivery of the advanced planes as a result of an ongoing spat centering on Ankara's decision to buy Russia's advanced S-400 air defense system instead of the US' Patriot missile system, which was much more expensive. "They will not get the F-35s if they take the S-400," US Department of Defense spokesperson Charlie Summers warned earlier this week, Sputnik noted. "The S-400 is a computer. The F-35 is a computer. You don't hook your computer to your adversary's computer, and that's basically what we would be doing," Katie Wheelbarger, US acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told Reuters. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has remained adamant both that his country has the right to buy the Russian missile systems and that the F-35 deal will go ahead as planned. "There will be no backward steps on the S-400 issue. As for the Patriot [missile systems], if the US offers us acceptable conditions, we are open for them too," Erdogan told Turkish TV network TGRT earlier this week. While US Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said last Thursday at the Atlantic Council think tank that he "would have a hard time" justifying future F-35 sales to Turkey, Reuters noted that DoD officials continue to regard the dispute as a diplomatic one, and the Pentagon will follow the White House's or Congress' lead. As of now, however, Congress has made no formal move to stop the F-35 sale, although Military.com noted that such legislation could come this summer, as delivery of the first S-400s is expected in July. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Head Says Turkey Needs to Buy Patriots as Spat Over S-400 Continues Sputnik News 21:37 26.03.2019 Washington vehemently opposes Ankara's deal with Moscow on the procurement of S-400s, threatening to suspend the delivery of F-35s to Turkey under pretext that the Russian system would allegedly reveal the top jet's weaknesses to Moscow. Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced during a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing that the US wants Turkey to remain in the F-35 programme and thus needs to convince Turkey to buy Patriot air defence systems. "We absolutely do [need Turkey in F-35 programme]. We need Turkey to buy the Patriot", he said. Shanahan was possibly suggesting that by doing so, Ankara would drop the S-400 deal with Russia that sparked tensions between Turkey and the US. Despite being NATO allies, the two countries don't see eye to eye on Turkey's air defences. After unsuccessful attempts to obtain US-made Patriots, Ankara looked for other options and struck a deal with Moscow in December 2017, prompting criticism from Washington. The latter suggested that the S-400 systems could compromise the soon-to-be-delivered F-35 jets, revealing their specifications and weaknesses to Russia. US lawmakers have initiated attempts to halt F-35 deliveries to Turkey unless it drops the S-400 deal. Later, the US State Department also finally gave a green light to sell Patriot systems to Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly refused to drop the deal with Moscow, demanding that the F-35s, which Tukey has already paid for and helped to produce, be delivered on time. Turkey has also expressed willingness to buy Patriot systems if the deal was good enough, but only in addition to the S-400s, despite US remarks that the two systems are incompatible. Recently, Katie Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, revealed that Washington is planning to send "send signals" to Ankara, hinting at a possible freeze of preparations for the delivery of F-35s and relocating the production of certain parts of the jet from Turkey to Europe. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Britain's Parliament Seizes Brexit Agenda, But Impasse Unlikely to End By Jamie Dettmer March 26, 2019 Britain's beleaguered Theresa May gathered her ministers Tuesday for yet another emergency Cabinet meeting as the House of Commons upended centuries of constitutional practice and seized control of parliamentary business from the government in a bid to end the long-running Brexit impasse. A series of "indicative votes" planned for Wednesday in the House of Commons, however, may fail to find a solution and plunge Britain deeper into political chaos, according to analysts. Some lawmakers worry the votes to try to find consensus among MPs on what type of deal they want with the European Union may end up revealing there is no workable consensus. That would would delay Britain's exit from the European Union, which is now set for either April 12 or May 22, for possibly a year or longer. Sharp divisions May's Cabinet is hopelessly divided between hardline Brexiters and pro-EU Remainers, as is her ruling Conservative party as a whole. The ministers war-gamed various scenarios Tuesday for an election should MPs impose a Brexit solution the government can't support. "A snap general election is becoming more likely," said Conservative lawmaker John Baron. The indicative votes, probably to be held on Wednesday, will explore a series of Brexit options likely to include whether to leave the European Union without a deal, May's contentious withdrawal deal that has been twice rejected by the Commons, a Norway-style deal that would keep Britain in the EU single market and customs union but not as a full EU member, holding a second Brexit referendum for the public to decide, or just revoking Britain's application to leave the bloc. Theresa May tried to stop the power grab by the Commons, but was defeated Monday in a parliamentary vote that saw 30 Conservatives vote against her and three ministers resign. She warned parliament's move, which had the backing of opposition parties, "upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future." One of the ministers, Alastair Burt, quit so he could vote for the House of Commons to seize control. Until recently he was seen as a May loyalist. He said in his resignation letter, "We are running out of time... the risk of leaving without a deal, and continuing serious and disruptive uncertainty is affecting the UK profoundly. Parliament should seek urgently to resolve the situation by considering alternatives freely, without the instruction of party whips, and government should adopt any feasible outcome as its own in order to progress matters." Indicative votes are a series of non-binding resolutions and are a way of testing the will of the House of Commons on different options related to a single issue. More drama likely Even if the House of Commons finds there is a majority on a Brexit option, the saga won't end there. May has insisted she won't necessarily deliver on what the Commons votes for, which will prompt another standoff between the government and Parliament. Backers of holding indicative votes have warned they won't tolerate the results being shunned by the government. "If, ultimately, the government refuses to listen to what parliament has voted for, then we will look to bring forward a bill, pass an Act of Parliament that will require the government to reflect parliament's wishes," said Nick Boles, a Conservative rebel who wants a so-called soft Brexit with Britain closely aligned with the bloc. In Brussels there was tentative welcoming of Parliament seizing the initiative. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit coordinator, said indicative voting would be an "opportunity to build cross-party cooperation." He hoped it would result in negotiating changes. With British politics in meltdown, May's days in office appear increasingly numbered, say analysts. More than a dozen Cabinet ministers and a swathe of her own backbench Conservative lawmakers have urged her to quit. They want a caretaker prime minister to be installed to test different exit strategies. But even the skittish plot to oust her fell apart Sunday, the victim of infighting in the Cabinet over who should replace her. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Comedian, the Miracle Worker, the Incumbent: Ukraine Set to Choose Next President By Henry Ridgwell March 25, 2019 Ukraine is preparing to choose a new president, with the first round of voting in scheduled for Sunday. The leading two candidates then will then face a run off two weeks later. The winner faces daunting challenges in a country struggling to tackle corruption and kick-start a sluggish economy, and still at war with Russian-backed rebels in the east. Although there are 39 candidates on the ballot, the election appears to be a three-way race between the incumbent Petro Poroshenko, the well-known politician Yulia Tymoshenko, and television comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was leading the polls with a week to go. Incumbent Petro Poroshenko says he has spearheaded reforms during his five-year term, moving Ukraine toward the West and tackling corruption. His supporters say now is not the time to change leaders. "Changes in a nation come about through changes in people themselves and their relationships. This process is always slow.If you act radically, you disrupt it.I believe that this kind of radicalism delivers worse results than a gradual evolution," says prominent Poroshenko supporter Alexander Paskhaver of the Kyiv-based Center for Economic Development. But Poroshenko's campaign been tarnished by allegations of corruption in military procurement, denting his hopes of re-election. Leading the polls is a new face in politics: 41-year-old television comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy.During a recent visit to his campaign headquarters, banks of young supporters fed a 24/7 social media stream, promoting the Zelenskiy brand under the diminutive "Ze!'" Campaign spokesperson Dmytro Razumkov says Ukrainians are longing for new leaders. "The fatigue and the lack of trust in all the political elites has led to a decision by the Ukrainian people to punish them, and the name of this punishment is Zelenskiy." In Zelenskiy's television comedy show, titled Servant of the People, an everyday Ukrainian worker becomes president by chance.So is life about to imitate art? Some say it's just too good to be true. The billionaire owner of the "1+1" channel that broadcasts the show, Ihor Kolomoisky, is accused of fraud at Ukraine's Privat Bank, leading to claims that Zelenskiy is an oligarch's puppet.His team strongly rejects that accusation and says Zelenskiy would take on Ukraine's corrupt elite. "The first task is to remove the immunity from prosecution of everyone MPs, judges and the president." The third leading candidate is Yulia Tymoshenko, instantly recognizable as one of the faces of the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Since then she has been twice jailed on disputed corruption charges and has now returned to the political front line, promising cheap gas prices and a trebling of state pensions. That has put her on a collision course with the International Monetary Fund, which has loaned Ukraine billions of dollars. "Her supporters see her as a miracle worker.Her voters are the poorest people of Ukraine: pensioners and people with low salaries," says Volodymyr Fesenko, an analyst at the Center for Political Studies in Kyiv. He adds that looming over the election is the ongoing war in the east and the constant threat from Russia. "No matter who becomes president, they can't finish this war by themselves.But they also can't meet (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's conditions, as the people of this country won't accept it, so it is a stalemate." From the 39 candidates vying to be president, the ultimate choice will likely come down to a familiar political player who knows the system or a fresh face untested on the political stage.With the country at war, that it is a tough decision. Many Ukrainians say they remain undecided over who should be their next leader. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joseph was nominated by art teacher Katie McNichol, who commended him for consistently helping out another student who has physical special needs. According to his nomination, Joseph often takes the initiative to switch out the art stool with a special chair designed to assist his classmate. He also makes sure that his friend is pushed in close enough to the table and gets an extra set of art materials for him. Last-Minute Lawsuit: Ukraine President Targets Oligarch's TV Channel Ahead Of Tight Election By Christopher Miller March 26, 2019 KYIV -- When it comes to distracting from the issues troubling most Ukrainians ahead of this weekend's presidential election, the rough-and-tumble among the leading candidates has rarely disappointed. There have been allegations of vote buying, murky campaign donations, and wiretaps. In the latest twist, the race threatened to spill over into the courts as President Petro Poroshenko's team announced a lawsuit against a TV station owned by a longtime foe linked to the incumbent's leading challenger. Poroshenko's camp on March 25 accused the 1+1 TV channel of airing "systematic lies" and "disinformation" about him as revenge for a contentious nationalization dispute. The TV station's owner, Ihor Kolomoyskyy, owned PrivatBank, Ukraine's biggest lender, until its nationalization in 2016 amid allegations of massive fraud. 1+1 broadcasts the traveling comedy show and sitcom of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the actor and candidate who plays a fictional president on TV and has led most opinion polls for months. The station's management called the lawsuit a "public relations" move by a president fighting for his political survival and said all its news programming was grounded in facts. Three independent pollsters this week reported that Zelenskyy still held a commanding lead, with Poroshenko vying with the populist former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for second place. Unless one candidate wins a majority outright -- and those same polls suggest that is unlikely -- the top two finishers advance to a second round on April 21. A whopping 39 candidates are on the first-round ballot. 'Revenge' Artur Herasymov, head of the president's Petro Poroshenko Bloc-Solidarity party in parliament, announced the lawsuit in a statement published on the official website of Poroshenko's election campaign. "Petro Poroshenko has made his mind to sue Channel 1+1 for systematic lies on a large scale, for spreading enormous disinformation detrimental to the honor and dignity of the presidential candidate and president," Herasymov said. "Obviously, Mr. Kolomoyskyy is guided by a sense of revenge on the state," Herasymov claimed, citing the PrivatBank case. Ukraine's central bank made the decision to nationalize PrivatBank in late 2016, saying the move was necessary to protect some 20 million customers and "preserve financial stability in the country." The central bank later said an investigation into PrivatBank showed it had been "subjected to a large-scale and coordinated fraud" by Kolomoyskyy over at least a decade, a charge that he has rejected. "At any price, without hesitating to employ the dirtiest methods, [Kolomoyskyy] seeks to prevent a Petro Poroshenko victory in the presidential election," Herasymov said. 'PR Campaign' Kolomoyskyy's 1+1 responded by calling Poroshenko's accusations "baseless" and said that "every fact that was cited in the journalistic investigations is supported by evidence and witnesses." The broadcaster said that filing a lawsuit mere days before the election was "more like an element of a preelection promotional campaign than a real refutation in court of supposedly false information voiced on air." "Such a reaction from the presidential candidate at the height of the election campaign once again demonstrates the weak and unjustified position of the current government," 1+1 added. The company also leveled its own accusations, charging that "media that are associated with Petro Poroshenko have long violated journalistic norms and...been transformed into outright propaganda." Poroshenko is the owner of Channel 5, whose television news programs have been critical of Kolomoyskyy as well as Zelenskyy. Ukrainians Tuning In While news consumption via the Internet is on the rise, roughly three-quarters of Ukrainians still mainly watch TV news to stay informed, according to recent studies. Hence, the attention from powerful oligarchs, five of whom control the country's leading television channels. And while studies show trust in TV outlets has increased in recent years, television remains a "source for fake news as well," media analyst Taras Shevchenko told Hromadske Radio in a recent interview. 'A Very Loud Day Of Silence' Besides Poroshenko's lawsuit and allegations, 1+1 has come under scrutiny over its programming lineup for March 30, the day before the election. Under Ukrainian law, the day before any political election should be a "day of silence," with no campaigning allowed. But Ukrainian politicians have found clever ways to get around the law, including putting up billboards that look identical to their official campaign posters -- minus the candidates' name and party. This week, photos circulated on social media showing purple billboards going up around the country with the word "Think" plastered across them, closely resembling Poroshenko's official campaign billboards. The 1+1 preelection program lineup includes at least two slots for Zelenskyy's comedy show and a documentary about U.S. President Ronald Reagan that is narrated by Zelenskyy. Some Ukrainians have drawn comparisons between Reagan and Zelenskyy -- two men who were successful actors before entering politics. Critics alleged that airing programs clearly aimed at bolstering Zelenskyy's campaign violated the "day of silence" law. But 1+1 disagreed, saying the comedy shows were reruns that showed Zelenskyy "as an actor, not a candidate" and that two other shows set to air would not in any way include him. Novoye Vremya reporter Kristina Berdynskykh, who first noticed the lineup, called it "a very loud day of silence." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/last-minute -lawsuit-ukraine-president-targets-oligarch-s-tv-channel- ahead-of-tight-election/29843150.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TORONTO, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society has offered the Ontario Government a new operational model where it supplies animal-related expertise to the Ontario Government as a support service to enforcement agencies, similar to the ASPCA model in the United States. In early March 2019, the Ontario SPCA informed government it will no longer enforce animal welfare legislation in the Province of Ontario once the present contract expires on March 31, 2019. The Ontario SPCA offered a three-month transition phase of the current working arrangement to June 2019. Today, the Government of Ontario confirmed that it accepts the offer of assistance and the Ontario SPCA will continue current service until June 28, 2019. Enforcement is the responsibility of government, one that we can confidently support by offering animal protection services to enforcement agencies. As the transition period concludes, we look forward to our continued focus on the many programs we provide on behalf of animal well-being, including spay/neuter services, animal wellness clinics and our provincial animal transfer program, says Kate MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario SPCA. Most of all, we look forward to working alongside communities and animal advocates to identify the needs of animals and work together to fill these gaps, says MacDonald. The Ontario SPCA is one of the largest, most responsive animal organizations in the country, with 146 years of expertise in providing care and shelter for tens of thousands of animals every year in over 40 communities. The Ontario SPCA prevents cruelty to animals and promotes animal advocacy providing humane education, sheltering, fostering and adoptions, crisis intervention, animal rescue and mobile veterinary services. The Ontario SPCA will also draft its recommendations for a new Ontario Animal Protection Act. These recommendations will assist the government in proclaiming legislation that will provide the maximum protection of animals. This work will recommend that Ontario create stronger regulations, establishing animals as sentient beings with their well-being, health and treatment protected under the law. The Ontario SPCA remains Ontarios Animal Charity, a role it has fulfilled since 1873. As the Society moves forward, it will continue to be proactive with programs and support whenever animals are in need. The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity, established in 1873. The Society and its network of animal welfare communities facilitate and provide for province-wide leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of animal well-being. Offering a variety of mission-based programs including community-based sheltering, animal wellness services, provincial animal transfers, shelter health & wellness, high-volume spay/neuter services, animal rescue, animal advocacy, Indigenous partnership programs and humane education, the Ontario SPCA is Ontarios animal welfare charity. Colorado Springs, Colo., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and Catalyst Space Accelerator have announced the selection of the Accelerators third space technology cohort, this one with a focus on Resilient Commercial Space Communications. The semi-residential, 12-week, cohort-based Catalyst Space Accelerator program is hosted by Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV) at Catalyst Campus in downtown Colorado Springs and includes seed investment by Space Capital Colorado, network connections, mentorship, workshops, and opportunities for future investment and growth. Catalyst Space Accelerators mission is to promote technology advancement for the warfighter and guide technology transfer from the commercial market to the government and vice versa. The Air Force is currently looking for a suite of options to augment, supplement, backup, complement, and or improve current space communications capabilities from the Resilient Commercial Space Communications cohort. The third cohorts Kick-off, when the selected companies finally meet formally, will take place April 9, 2019. Kick-off has been timed to coincide with the 35th Space Symposium, the yearly must attend space industry event. Accelerator participants will even have the opportunity to visit and network at the Symposium as part of the Catalyst Space Accelerator program. Participants in Catalyst Space Accelerator also gain access to the extensive network of connections radiating from the Catalyst Campus collaborative ecosystem, a mixture of academia, aerospace industry, government entities, entrepreneurs, small businesses, startups, and venture capitalists. This ecosystem enhances one of the great advantages to the Accelerators location on Catalyst Campus in downtown Colorado Springs: the accelerated Customer Discovery process. Located in immediate proximity to Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), Air Force Research Lab Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), and other government customers, Catalyst Space Accelerator reduces the typical customer discovery time from six months to a few weeks. Always innovating forward, Catalyst Space Accelerator has gone beyond ensuring the third cohort has the fullest access to government Sherpas; this session will also include a Commercial Sherpa program for an expanded Customer Discovery experience. Commercial Sherpa companies are well-connected commercial companies that operate within the theme area of the Accelerator and are willing to dedicate at least 12 hours of their time to each of their adoptive cohort companies while working around the cohorts individual schedules. NDAs are always put in place to protect each companys intellectual property. The Catalyst Space Accelerator team is excited to announce that the following seven companies were selected for the third Catalyst Space Accelerator cohort, all of them focused on Resilient Commercial Space Communications technologies: Analytical Space Inc. (ASI) is a satellite communications company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 2016, ASI is launching a satellite data relay network that provides a secure, reliable, high-speed data connection. By uploading to the network, satellite operators will have access to more of their data in a reduced timeframe, all while using their existing hardware. ASI leverages hybrid RF-laser communications technology. https://www.analyticalspace.com/ ATLAS Space Operations of Traverse City, Michigan is a global communications provider for spacecraft and launch vehicles dedicated to convenient and affordable TT&C and data access. The ATLAS FREEDOM Software Platform is a proprietary, cloud-based software service providing a scalable, flexible, and resilient communication framework. Freedoms key features include the Flex Scheduler, customizable cloud apps delivering powerful automation, and access through an intuitive API and user interface. ATLAS operates a network of ground antenna designed to provide low latency connectivity through geospatial diversity without increasing costs to the customer. https://www.atlasground.com/ Omnispace of McLean, Virginia owns/operates a global, non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system harnessing 60Mhz of globally harmonized S-band spectrum and a network of worldwide groundstations. Our ground-breaking next generation constellation and hybrid connectivity model will connect people and things faster and more efficiently, from urban centers to rural fields to oceans at the top of the world. Omnispace looks forward to making its all-weather global communications capability available to the U.S. and her allies within our commercially-focused model in support of a more resilient, diversified communications portfolio. We also seek to innovate new partnerships between commercial NGSO constellations and government stakeholders. https://omnispace.com/ Opterus Research & Development, located in Loveland, Colorado, gives small spacecraft the performance of big spacecraft through rapid innovations in deployable and unfolding structures. Our revolutionizing technology, pioneered by Opterus founder, is rapidly transitioning the industry from bulky mechanisms to miniaturized high strain composite structures. Opterus technologies were successfully flown on eight units in 2018. Our new deployable solid surface parabolic reflector antenna technology is poised to dramatically change small spacecraft communications: we are developing the industrys first low cost high gain reflector antennas that compactly package for small satellites. https://opterusrd.com/ Skyloom of Berkley, California is developing a spaceborne telecommunications network infrastructure with Tb/s data transfer capacity relying on very high speeds and channel availability by using optical communication technology and small relay satellites placed in geostationary orbit. Optical links are the future of spaceborne communications, allowing unprecedented performance at reduced costs (mass, power, and size) at the expense of high accuracy beam pointing. Moreover, RF spectrum regulations do not apply to optical links. Our mission is to unlock the true economic potential of Low Earth Orbit by providing unprecedented spaceborne communication services to Earth-observation, Internet of Things, and broadband internet satellite constellations. https://www.skyloom.co/news Spectral Quantum Technologies of Denver, Colorado is the only startup with space-proven quantum communications hardware that is compact enough to fit on a CubeSat. This system utilizes the unique properties of quantum physics to guarantee against eavesdroppers. SQT is committed to bringing this secure and resilient technology to the US defense and warfighter community. https://s15.space/ Xenesis of Lisle, Illinois, in partnership with NASA/JPL/Georgia Tech Research Corporation, is co-developing a commercial grade 10Gbs Laser Optical Transceiver named the "Xen-Hub." This novel technology is the exclusive hardware utilized within a Global Multi-Layered Mesh Network, called the "Empower Space Alliance." With this technology, Xenesis and its partners will deliver an end-to-end solution capable of 33Tbs through-put, in a secure and fully autonomous asset management platform. This global network is self-provisioned, employs best-of-breed security protocols and mitigates atmospheric interference via spatial diversity on the ground. Xenesis is launching its On-orbit demonstration in Q2 2020 and will be fully operational in Q4 2020, with commercial grade comms services in Q4 2021. Xenesis thoroughly understands the resiliency & disaggregation Space architectures mandate, issued in 2016. Based on this, Xenesis is prepared to address your needs, as well as anticipate future requirements. http://xenesis.io/ * About Catalyst Space Accelerator The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate Catalyst Accelerator is a NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Catalyst Campus is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and venture capital intersect with Colorados aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation and stimulate business growth. Catalyst Space Accelerator is a collaborative program hosted by the Center for Technology, Research, and Commercialization (C-TRAC), Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI), the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) TechSource, Space Capital Colorado, and the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for accelerator teams. www.catalystaccelerator.space Attachment 27 March 2019: Nordea Markets has today, on behalf of Scatec Solar ASA, sold 50,904 shares to employees participating in the Company's Share Purchase Programme. Following the transaction, Scatec Solar ASA holds no own shares. The price was based on the average volume weighted share price on Oslo stock exchange over the five days period from 18 March to 22 March 2019, resulting in a price per share of NOK 86.93. 76% of the employees in Scatec Solar ASA participated in the Companys first Share Purchase Programme. Attached is an overview of the primary insiders' share purchases in connection with the programme. For further information, please contact: Ingrid Aarsnes, VP Communication & IR Tel: +47 950 38 364, Ingrid.aarsnes@scatecsolar.com About Scatec Solar Scatec Solar is an integrated independent solar power producer, delivering affordable, rapidly deployable and sustainable clean energy worldwide. A long- term player, Scatec Solar develops, builds, owns, operates and maintains solar power plants and has an installation track record of more than 1 GW. The company has a total of 1.7 GW in operation and under construction in Argentina, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and Ukraine. With an established global presence and a significant project pipeline, the company is targeting a capacity of 3.5 GW in operation and under construction by end of 2021. Scatec Solar is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 'SSO'. To learn more, visit www.scatecsolar.com. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Attachment Company in Final Steps to Complete Audit and Registration Statement on Form S-1 for OTCQB Uplisting IRVINE, CA, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Vita Mobile Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK: VMSI), a technology company specializing in big data via digital imaging on mobile devices, today announced it has finalized a private placement investment agreement between the Company and its Chairman and CFO Martin R. Wade, III. Under the private placement agreement, Mr. Wade has agreed to purchase 1,000,000 restricted shares at $0.02 per share, a price nearly double the current share price. Mr. Wade joined the Company in 2017 with more than 40 years of experience advising senior management and Boards of Directors on more than 200 acquisition, divestiture, and restructuring processes. Mr. Wade also serves as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Payless ShoeSource, a $2 billion retailer with some 3,500 outlets. In addition to his work with Vita Mobile Systems and Payless, Mr. Wade is a Partner in Residence at Catalyst Acquisition Group and serves on the boards of Media News Group d/b/a Digital First Media, the second largest media company in the U.S. serving over 60 million monthly readers, and Alliance One International, a NYSE listed company where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Governance and Nominating Committee. "After joining the Company over a year and a half ago and seeing its potential first hand, I am extremely excited about and confident in its future, stated Mr. Wade. Vita Mobile Systems built out a solid technology foundation last year, and we expect 2019 to be a landmark year. Sean Guerrero, CEO of Vita Mobile Systems, added, We are excited for the completion of our audit and the registration statement on Form S-1, both of which are wrapping up shortly and will allow us to apply for an uplisting to the OTCQB. The accounting, audit and legal teams we retained have done an excellent job but the process took longer than we anticipated. We will have an update next week on expected completion of the audit and Registration Statement on Form S-1. The process is near completion now, and we have used this time wisely in expanding and refining some exciting Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools which will diversify our future revenue streams and strengthen our position as a company. We look forward to sharing details and announcements of these products in subsequent press releases. To learn more about VITA please visit the Vita Mobile Systems website at www.vitamobilesystems.com . About Martin R. Wade, III Mr. Wade has over 40 years of business experience. He is currently the Chairman and Interim CEO of Payless Shoe Sources, Inc., a $2 billion retailer with some 3,500 outlets. In addition, Mr. Wade serves on the boards of Alliance One International, Inc., the second largest tobacco merchant in the world; on the board of Digital First Media (the business name of Media News Group -- the second largest media company in the U.S. serving over 60 million monthly readers); NexMed, Inc.; and Energy Transfer Group LLC. Other past senior positions include Board Director at RDA Holdings Co. (Readers Digest Association), Chairman and CEO of Broadcaster, Inc. (formally a top 100 website similar to YouTube and a predecessor technology to Twitter's Periscope), President and CEO of Digital Creative Development Corporation, and Partner-in-Residence at Catalyst Acquisition Group, LLC. Mr. Wade has held senior level positions with Lehman Brothers, Salomon Smith Barney and Price Waterhouse. Mr. Wade is a proud U.S. Veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from West Virginia University and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Wyoming. About Vita Mobile Systems, Inc. ( www.vitamobilesystems.com ) Vita Mobile Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK: VMSI) is a technology company focusing on digital imaging in mobile devices, collection of big data and development of artificial intelligence. Vita Mobile Systems is currently finalizing their first geolocation-based, social media app "VITA" for release on both iOS and Android. Comprised of a strong foundation of successful entrepreneurs, Vita Mobile Systems has developed proprietary algorithms and tools which gather, categorize, analyze and augment digital content. Over the years, Vita Mobile Systems has used these proprietary marketing, social media, and data collection tools to generate significant amounts of internet traffic for advertising networks. Vita Mobile Systems aims to create a monumental library of crowdsourced content, a massive catalogue of predictive big data, and platform for ultra-targeted advertising. The company expects to establish a strong foundation within the multibillion-dollar industry of driving big data and targeted advertising through its process of cataloging, meta-tagging, analyzing, and predicting trends of everyday people in everyday life. Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: BOULDER, Colo., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The magical, unbreakable bond between a pet and its owner is celebrated in a new campaign for PetArmor from its new agency Sterling-Rice Group. The series of ads portray pets as a true part of the family and depict how owners emotionally and literally play the role of their pets armor protecting them from dangers seen and unseen. The new films open with the crash of thunder and the streak of lightning as a dog home alone cowers in fear while its owner, knowing the pups fear of storms, rushes home to bring comfort. The work closes the circle by conveying PetArmors role as a trusted partner to owners in delivering protection for their pets. We understand that our consumer really knows what is best for their pet and that doesnt always mean a trip to the vet for an expensive visit and a prescription product, explained Neal Wilmore, Vice President and GM Animal Health at PetArmor. Our products let them take control of their pets needs with a brand that is easy to use, convenient and trusted. The new work launches on national television and in digital channels just in time for spring flea and tick season. PetArmor has a wide range of easy to use, at-home flea and tick products designed for dogs, cats of all sized. Its vet-quality solutions are available at stores nationwide and online. It includes a 30-second spot and a 15-second spot . As pet owners ourselves, we wanted to tell a story about the relationship between pet parents and their pets that was focused more on the role of caregiver in a relatable way, said Adam Wohl, Executive Creative Director at the Agency. This is the idea we presented to PetArmor that won the account and we were so happy to bring it to life because it really differentiates the brand as a real partner in the pet owners life. About PetArmor PetArmor is a unit of Perrigo , a global healthcare company that has built a unique business model that is best described as the convergence of a fast-moving consumer goods company, a high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturing organization and a world-class supply chain network. Perrigo is the world's largest manufacturer of OTC healthcare products and supplier of infant formulas for the store brand market. The Company also is a leading provider of branded OTC products throughout Europe and the U.S., as well as a leading producer of "extended topical" prescription drugs. Perrigo, headquartered in Ireland, sells its products primarily in North America and Europe, as well as in other markets, including Australia, Israel and China. About SRG Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., SRG is a nationally recognized brand consultancy and creative agency. The agency has expertise in consumer insights, brand strategy and positioning, new product innovation, advertising, and design. With deep experience in all things consumer and culinary, it is responsible for $10 billion in incremental value for clients over the past five years alone. SRG has been ranked on Outside Magazine's Best Places to Work list for the past eight years and was also recognized by Ad Age as a 2016 and 2017 Best Place to Work. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47b8ab90-84cf-4116-8f42-18e6bfddde06 Dublin, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "South Africa Automotive Aftermarket Industry, Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Growth of 5.5% Expected as Right to Repair Policy and Online Retail Will Force OEMs, Dealers, and Suppliers to Re-imagine Business Models and Forge New Partnerships This report is a synopsis of the trends and factors impacting the South African automotive aftermarket sector. It provides an economic analysis to assist the reader in understanding the economic backdrop against which the aftermarket is performing and being challenged. It is clear that the previous government's maladministration of the economy led to its weakening and the rand's depreciation, which has had serious knock-on effects for the aftermarket sector. Another important element is the performance of the new vehicles sector and how vehicles in operation are being impacted. These variables have a direct effect on the performance of the aftermarket. Although the weakened economic climate has caused a decline in new vehicle sales, the vehicle parc has continued to show consistent growth. The parc has, however, aged with the average age of the South African passenger and light commercial vehicles rising to 12.2 years since manufacture. An aging parc generally incurs higher maintenance costs and therefore drives growth in the aftermarket. The South African automotive aftermarket sector has exhibited strong growth since the early 2000s and is forecast to grown annually at 5.5% until 2023. Heightened levels of investment into the sector combined with new entrants, most notably small-sized businesses, have seen total revenue reach $6.6 billion in 2017. As a consequence of new entrants, concentration levels in the industry have dropped, thereby reducing any one company's ability to control prices and effectively raising levels of competition in the industry. Tires remain the largest generator of revenue in the industry while service parts and then parts and accessories follow closely. South Africa's laggard status as an adopter of electric vehicles will mean that it remains oriented toward servicing and replacement parts while the advanced markets of the United States and Europe gradually move to toward electric components for the drivetrain. Authorised dealers constitute approximately 20 to 30% of the aftermarket sale of parts while the independent aftermarket distributors and retailers account for the lions share. The introduction of the right-to-repair policy in South Africa is expected to have a significant impact on both the aftermarket retailers and the repairer industry. The policy aims to raise competition among industry players by reducing barriers to entry and ultimately, the price of servicing/repairing vehicles that remain under warranty from the factory. The local industry is faced with significant change; the rise of online retail and the right-to-repair policy will challenge businesses in the short to medium term. The adoption of new business models and establishment of new partnerships will be essential to achieving strong growth up to 2023. Key Issues Addressed What are the main factors that will influence the size and direction of the South African automotive aftermarket in 2018? What are the changes in sales and VIO that have occurred since 2006? What were the developments in the South African automotive aftermarket in 2017 and what is their impact? What the outlook for eRetailing between 2018 and 2023? What will be the emerging trends in the South African automotive aftermarket space between 2018 and 2023? Companies Mentioned Africa Automotive Aftermarket Solutions Autozone World-Wide Automotive Group Topics Covered 1. Executive Summary Key Findings 2. Research Scope and Segmentation Research Scope Research Aim and Objectives Key Questions This Study Will Answer 3. Key Trends South African Automotive Aftermarket - Key Trends Market Outlook 4. Economic Climate Economic Growth and Stability Key Variables 5. Vehicle Sales and Parc New Vehicle Sales Vehicles in Operation Vehicle Market 6. Aftermarket Sector Analysis Market Size Market Breakdown and Performance 7. Parts Analysis Parts Breakdown Income Breakdown by Parts Category Top Aftermarket Suppliers 8. Distribution Analysis South African Automotive Aftermarket Structure Key Distributor/Service Groups Compared Automotive Aftermarket: Revenue Distribution 9. Distributor Profiles Distributor Profile: Africa Automotive Aftermarket Solutions Distributor Profile: Autozone Distributor Profile: World-Wide Automotive Group 10. Online Aftermarket 11. Right to Repair 12. Growth Opportunities and Companies to Action Growth Opportunity 1: Right to Repair Growth Opportunity 2: Digitization of Capabilities Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth 13. Key Conclusions Key Conclusions and Future Outlook Legal Disclaimer 14. Appendix List of Exhibits Acronyms Used For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sjddv9/south_africa?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. DENVER, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Assure Holdings Corp. (the Company or Assure) (TSXV: IOM; OTCPK: ARHH), a provider of intraoperative neuromonitoring services, has partnered with a four-surgeon group that operates in five facilities located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The group administers approximately 500 cases per year. This brings the total number of spine and neurosurgeons that Assure is currently working with in Louisiana to fifteen, with more expected to be added to the platform soon. Our expansion efforts continue to prove successful with the addition of four new surgeons to our growing platform, said John A. Farlinger, Assures executive chairman and interim CEO. We now operate in a total of 10 facilities within Louisiana and expect further expansion as the state continues to be a successful endeavor that has provided us with exceptional partners. Assure has a proven neuromonitoring platform that consistently delivers industry-leading services to our partners and customers, and we believe this growing reputation will further expand our presence in 2019. I look forward to executing on the various growth opportunities we have in our pipeline and providing as many patients as possible with best-in-class neuromonitoring services. About Assure Holdings Assure Holdings Corp. is a Colorado-based company that works with neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons to provide a turnkey suite of services that support intraoperative neuromonitoring activities during invasive surgeries. Assure employs its own staff of technologists and uses its own state-of-the-art monitoring equipment, handles 100% of intraoperative neuromonitoring scheduling and setup, and bills for all technical services provided. While Assure focuses primarily on supporting spinal and vascular surgeries, plans are in place to support other classes of medicine that rely on the standard of care that intraoperative neuromonitoring provides. For more information, visit the companys website at www.assureneuromonitoring.com . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or achievements that Assure anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to, comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Assure to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to Assure, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth, results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Contacts John Farlinger, Executive Chairman Assure Holdings Corp. (604) 763-7565 John.Farlinger@assureiom.com CLEVELAND, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EmployStream , the leading provider for onboarding automation to the staffing industry, today announced it has closed a $3.5 million Series A funding round led by JumpStart Inc., with support from several key investors including Ohio Innovation Fund, North Coast Angel Fund and Rev1 Ventures. EmployStream will use the capital to expand its product development, marketing and sales efforts in order to increase its footprint in the staffing industry. The funding will accelerate the company's growth in the staffing industry, with a plan to expand to other industries with high-volume hiring needs and high turnover challenges. "This round of investment allows us to add the resources and capabilities we need to meet the rapidly growing demand from the customers and markets we currently serve, as well as bring our offerings to other market segments with similar needs," said Gerald Hetrick, Chief Executive Officer of EmployStream. "The continued support of the local community, as well as the addition of the Ohio Innovation Fund, are all great accelerators that will set EmployStream on a path to success for the foreseeable future." "JumpStart is excited to be leading EmployStreams Series A financing through our NEXT Fund and also to be partnering with Ohio Innovation Fund, Rev1, North Coast Angel Fund and other investors in this round," said Rem Harris, senior partner at JumpStart. "EmployStream is yet another example of the great companies developing in Ohio and creating solutions that deliver great value to customers. The company has a bright future and we look forward to their next chapter." EmployStream is coming off a strong year of growth in which it began customer acquisition and grew its client roster to more than 100 customers within a year. The company's success revolves around its unique focus on automating the entire onboarding workflow rather than focusing solely on documents. In addition to the funding news, EmployStream announced that Jill Raderstorf, partner at Ohio Innovation Fund, will join the companys board of directors. "I am thrilled to join the board of an innovator like EmployStream," said Raderstorf. "The company has a track record of impressive growth over the last few years, and it serves as a great example of the types of firms that are capable of disrupting markets in Ohio and throughout the Midwest." EmployStream's mobile-first mentality allows candidates to access and complete their onboarding experience right from their phone. In addition, integration with multiple necessary third-party services solidifies its standing as the most complete and efficient onboarding solution on the market. For more information on EmployStream and its onboarding solution, visit www.employstream.com . About EmployStream EmployStream helps high-volume employers eliminate costly mistakes, expenses and delays from their new hire onboarding process. For more information, visit www.employstream.com and follow @EmployStream on Twitter. Contact: oif@bocacommunications.com NOTICE TO CONVENE FERRATUM PLCs ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS Shareholders of Ferratum Plc are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Company on 17 April 2019, commencing at 10.00 a.m. (EEST, Finnish time) at Restaurant Savoy, Etelaesplanadi 14, Helsinki, Finland. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 9.00 a.m. (EEST, Finnish time). The meeting will be held in the English language. 1 MATTERS ON THE AGENDA OF THE GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS At the General Meeting of Shareholders, the following matters will be considered: (1) Opening of the Meeting (2) Calling the Meeting to Order (3) Election of Persons to Scrutinise the Minutes and to Supervise the Counting of Votes (4) Recording the Legality of the Meeting (5) Recording the Attendance at the Meeting and Adoption of the List of Votes (6) Presentation of the Annual Accounts including the Consolidated Annual Accounts, the Report of the Board of Directors and the Auditor's Report for the Year 2018 Review by the CEO and the CFO. (7) Adoption of the Annual Accounts (8) Resolution on the Use of the Result Shown on the Balance Sheet and the Payment of Dividend The result for the financial year 2018 of Ferratum Plc amounted to EUR -2,548,522. Distributable equity of the Company at the end of the financial year stood at EUR 46,701,246. The profit for the financial year 2018 of Ferratum group amounted to EUR 19,273,670. The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that, for the financial year ended 31 December 2018, the Company will distribute a per-share dividend of EUR 0.18 to a total of EUR 3,883,997 after which distributable equity would stand at EUR 42,817,249. No dividend is paid to the own shares held by the Company. Compared with year-end 2018, no significant changes in the Companys financial position have taken place. The liquidity of the Company is sound and, according to the assessment of the Board of Directors, the proposed payment of dividend does not endanger the solvency of the Company. The dividend will be paid to shareholders registered in the shareholders' register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Oy on the dividend record date, 23 April 2019. The dividend will be paid on 30 April 2019. (9) Resolution on Discharging the Members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from Liability (10) Proposal by the Board of Directors to Amend the Articles of Association The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to amend the Companys Articles of Association in order to observe the changes in the Finnish Auditing Act, and to enable a composition of the Board of Directors, which reflects the Companys operations and the markets in which it operates in a more appropriate way, and also allows for sufficient diversity with respect to, for instance, expertise and geographical background. The Board of Directors proposes that Article 3 (Board of Directors and CEO) be amended so as to (i) allow a maximum of nine members in the Board of Directors instead of seven, and (ii) enable the Board of Directors to appoint the Chairman and the Vice Chairman itself instead of them being appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders. Also Article 8 (Annual General Meeting of Shareholders) must be amended accordingly. The Board of Directors proposes that Article 6 (Auditor) be amended so as to be in line with the terminology used in the Finnish Auditing Act. A comparison of the current and the proposed Articles has been enclosed under Schedule 1 . (11) Resolution on the Remuneration of the Members of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors proposes on recommendation of the Remuneration Committee that the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be paid EUR 2,500 per month and the other members of the Board of Directors EUR 2,000 per month. Furthermore, it is proposed that no remuneration will be paid to the members who are employees or Managing Directors of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company. (12) Resolution on the Remuneration of the Auditor The Board of Directors proposes on recommendation of the Audit Committee that the Auditor be paid reasonable remuneration in accordance with the Auditor's invoice, which shall be approved by the Company. (13) Resolution on the Number of Members of the Board of Directors Subject to the Annual General Meeting having approved the proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Articles of Association as set out in item (10) above, the Board of Directors proposes that the number of members of the Board of Directors be confirmed as nine. (14) Election of the Members of the Board of Directors Subject to the Annual General Meeting having approved the proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Articles of Association as set out in item (10) above, the Board of Directors proposes that Pieter van Groos, Jorma Jokela, Lea Liigus, Juhani Vanhala and Christopher Wang be re-elected as members, and Kati Hagros, Michael A. Cusumano, Goutam Challagalla and Frederik Strange be elected as new members, each one for a term ending at the end of the next Annual General Meeting. Subject to the Annual General Meeting having approved the proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Articles of Association as set out in item (10) above, the Chairman and the Vice Chairman will be elected by the board of directors from amongst its members, as allowed under the amended Articles of Association. The curricula vitae of the proposed members of the Board of Directors are available on the Companys website at www.ferratumgroup.com. (15) Election of the Auditor The Board of Directors proposes on recommendation of the Audit Committee that Authorised Public Accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy be re-elected as the Auditor for a term ending at the end of the next Annual General Meeting. PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy has notified that, should they be re-elected, authorised public accountant (KHT) Mikko Nieminen will act as the auditor-in-charge. (16) Authorisation to the Board of Directors to Decide on the Repurchase of Companys Own Shares The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to decide to repurchase a maximum of 1,086,198 shares in the Company, which corresponds approximately to 5 per cent of all the shares in the Company. By virtue of the authorisation, own shares may be repurchased by using the Companys unrestricted shareholders equity. Consequently, any repurchase will reduce the Companys funds available for distribution of profits. Own shares may be repurchased through public trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at the prevailing market price on the date of repurchase. The authorisation entitles the Board of Directors to decide to repurchase shares also otherwise than in proportion to the shareholders holding in the Company by way of a directed repurchase subject to the requirements set out in the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act. The Board can use the authorisation in one or several tranches to all purposes decided by the Board of Directors. The authorisation is proposed to be in force until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 June 2020. (17) Authorisation to the Board of Directors to Decide on the Issuance of Shares and Special Rights Entitling to Shares The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to decide to issue a maximum of 3,258,594 shares, which corresponds approximately to 15 per cent of the Companys total amount of shares. The Board of Directors may issue either new shares or transfer existing shares held by the Company. The authorisation also includes the right to issue special rights, in the meaning of Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act, which entitle to the Company's new shares or the Companys own shares held by the Company against consideration. Shares that may be subscribed for by virtue of the special rights entitling to shares are included in the aforesaid maximum number of shares. The authorisation entitles the Board to decide on a directed share issue and issue of special rights in deviation from the pre-emptive rights of shareholders subject to the requirements set out in the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act. The Board can use the authorisation in one or several tranches, and it may be used to all purposes decided by the Board of Directors, such as developing the Companys capital structure, financing or carrying out acquisitions or other arrangements, or as a part of the Companys incentive schemes. The authorisation is proposed to be in force until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 June 2020. (18) Closing of the Meeting 2 MEETING MATERIALS The proposals of the Board of Directors relating to the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders as well as this notice are available on Ferratum Plcs website at www.ferratumgroup.com. The Annual Report of Ferratum Plc, including the Company's Annual Accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the Auditor's report, is available on the above-mentioned Ferratum Plcs website. The proposals for the decisions on the matters on the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders and the other above-mentioned documents are also available at the meeting. Copies of these documents and of this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the meeting will be made available on Ferratum Plcs website no later than on 1 May 2019. 3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS 3.1 Shareholders Registered in Shareholders Register Each shareholder who is registered on 5 April 2019 in the shareholders' register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the General Meeting of Shareholders. A shareholder whose shares are registered on his/her personal book-entry account in the book-entry system of Euroclear Finland Oy is registered in the shareholders' register of the Company. A shareholder, who is registered in the shareholders register of the Company, and who wants to participate in the General Meeting of Shareholders, shall register for the meeting no later than 12 April 2019 at 3.00 p.m. (CEST, Frankfurt time) by giving a prior notice of participation, which shall be received by the Company no later than by the above-mentioned time. Such notice can be given: on the Company's website: www.ferratumgroup.com; by telephone to +358 40 7248247 (Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m. 3.00 p.m. (CET/CEST, Frankfurt time)); by e-mail to ir@ferratum.com; by regular mail to Ferratum Plc, Attn: "Annual General Meeting", Ratamestarinkatu 11 A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland. In connection with the registration, a shareholder shall notify his/her name, personal identification number or business identity code, address, telephone number and the name of a possible assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of the proxy representative. The personal data given to Ferratum Plc will be used only in connection with the General Meeting of Shareholders and with the processing of related registrations. The shareholder, his/her authorised representative or proxy representative shall, where necessary, be able to prove his/her identity and/or right of representation. 3.2 Holders of Nominee-registered Shares A holder of nominee-registered shares has the right to participate in the General Meeting by virtue of shares, which he/she holds on the record date of the General Meeting, i.e. on 5 April 2019 and based on which he/she would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders' register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. The right to participate in the General Meeting requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by 12 April 2019 at 9.00 a.m. (CEST, Frankfurt time). In case of nominee-registered shares, temporary registration in the shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy constitutes due registration for the General Meeting. A holder of nominee-registered shares is advised to request without delay the necessary instructions regarding the registration in the temporary shareholders' register of the Company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the General Meeting of Shareholders from his/her custodian bank. In order for a holder of nominee-registered shares to have the right to participate in the General Meeting, the account operator of the custodian bank has to register a holder of nominee-registered shares, who wants to participate in the General Meeting, into the temporary shareholders' register of the Company at the latest by the time stated above. 3.3 Proxy Representatives and Power of Attorney A shareholder may participate in the General Meeting of Shareholders and exercise his/her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate his/her right to represent the shareholder at the General Meeting of Shareholders. When a shareholder participates in the General Meeting of Shareholders through several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares on different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the General Meeting of Shareholders. A form of proxy is provided on Ferratum Plcs website at www.ferratumgroup.com. The form of proxy is provided for the shareholders' convenience and it is not necessary to use the form provided on the website. Possible proxy documents shall be delivered in originals to Ferratum Plc, "Annual General Meeting", Ratamestarinkatu 11 A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland on the last date for registration at the latest. 3.4 Other Instructions and Information Pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting. On the date of this notice to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, dated 27 March 2019, the total number of shares in Ferratum Plc is 21,723,960 and each of these shares carries one vote. Ferratum Plc holds 146,200 of its own shares as treasury shares. Accordingly, the number of voting rights carried by the outstanding shares is 21,577,760. In Helsinki on 27 March 2019 FERRATUM PLC The Board of Directors The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963: New adaptation of Christopher Paul Curtis book about a family of five from Flint, Mich., who heads to Birmingham, Ala., during the civil rights movement. Chicago Children's Theatre at the Station, 100 S. Racine Ave.; chicagochildrenstheatre.org English Lithuanian Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB (hereinafter the Company), identification code 304151376, registered office address Aguonu g. 24, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by the Company is 894 630 333; ISIN code LT0000130023. On 27 March 2019, the Board of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB made a decision to refuse the provision of the following commercial services as from 1 June 2019, including, the sale of heat pumps and solar power plants, the installation of electric car charging stations, gas cylinder terminals, as well as the provision of services of electricians and gas specialists on call. New orders for these services will no longer be accepted as from 1 June of this year, however, contracts with suppliers for orders received before the said date will be completed within the deadlines set in the contracts. This decision continues the refinement of the activities of the Company as a distribution network operator. According to the Companys estimates, the refusal of the commercial services will have no significant impact on the Company's financial results. The above-mentioned decision is related to the implementation of the updated strategy of the Company and Lietuvos Energija Group covering the period up to 2030 in order to empower the market, by providing conditions for market participants to create and provide services in competition with each other. The Company will continue to focus on a reliable and efficient performance of functions of the electricity and natural gas distribution network operator a safe distribution of electricity and gas, operation, maintenance and development of distribution networks, fixing of network failures, connection of new customers, assurance of guarantee electricity and gas supply, and the implementation of other provisions of the updated strategy of the Company. English French Global 7500 business jet breaks speed record between popular city pair, Los Angeles and New York*, highlighting its unmatched performance Aircraft demonstrated exceptional capabilities by attaining a top speed of M 0.925 and sustaining that speed for more than two hours New speed record comes on the heels of the Global 7500 jets recent extraordinary 8,152 nm flight the longest mission ever flown by a purpose-built business aircraft Winner of the 2019 Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award, the Global 7500 aircraft offers Bombardiers signature smooth ride and a spaciousness that is unique among business jets MONTREAL, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier announced today that the Global 7500 jet once again proved its unparalleled performance by breaking a significant speed record between Los Angeles and New York, a key city pair. The award-winning, clean-sheet-design Global 7500 business jet left Van Nuys Airport at 7:01 AM local time on March 24, 2019, and arrived at Teterboro Airport at 1:55 PM local time, completing the coast-to-coast mission in 3 hours and 54 minutes, beating the previously held record established by a competing aircraft manufacturer and making it the fastest business jet ever to complete this route **. During the flight, the aircraft reached a top speed of M 0.925 and sustained that speed for more than two hours, demonstrating exceptional speed capabilities, all while providing the smoothest ride. The Global 7500 aircraft is simply the best business jet on the market today, said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. The latest speed record demonstrates once again that the Global 7500 jet is the undisputed leader in business aviation. Since its entry-into-service, the Global 7500 business jet has proven itself to be the highest-performing aircraft in the industry. With unmatched speed and range capabilities as well as a record-setting 8,152-nautical-mile flight under its belt, the longest flight in business aviation, the Global 7500 aircraft continues to blaze the trail in this new market segment, setting the bar for unprecedented excellence and performance in the world of business aviation. The Global 7500 aircraft offers the ultimate in-flight experience. Setting the benchmark for the most exceptional cabin interior, the aircraft offers the most innovative features: Bombardiers patented Nuage seat, meticulously designed for maximum comfort, and the revolutionary nice Touch cabin management system (CMS), a new way to connect with the Global 7500 aircraft cabin through the Bombardier Touch dial, featuring business aviations first application of an OLED display. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier . Notes to Editors Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft website for more information on our industry-leading products and services. Follow @Bombardierjets on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from Bombardier Business Aircraft. To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feed section. Bombardier, Global 7500 and Nuage are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. *Record pending certification by the National Aeronautic Association. **Flight performed under certain operating conditions. For Information Cinzia Colella Bombardier Business Aircraft 514-420-4115 cinzia.colella@aero.bombardier.com Toronto, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earth Hour, the worlds largest grassroots movement for the environment, is set to once again unite millions of people around the world to show their commitment to the planet. As global wildlife populations decline at an unprecedented rate, coupled with the ever-present challenge of climate change, Earth Hour 2019 will raise awareness and inspire action on conserving nature and biodiversity. About Earth Hour: Earth Hour aims to mobilize individuals, businesses and governments to help to build a healthy, sustainable future and planet for all. In the past decade, Earth Hour has inspired millions to support and participate in critical climate and environmental initiatives, helping drive climate policy, awareness and action. Highlights include: The creation of a 3.5 million-hectare marine protected area in Argentina; A 2,700-hectare Earth Hour forest in Uganda; Assistance in passing new legislation for the protection of seas and forests in Russia; A move by French Polynesia to protect 5 million square kilometres of its seas to preserve ocean ecosystems. About wildlife loss: Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada, says: Earth Hour is an opportunity to unplug and talk to our loved ones about the things that matter most. And the planet, nature and wildlife are at the top of that list. Wild spaces and animals are under enormous threat, and this is a moment to reflect on what we can do to help. At the end of the hour, when the lights come back on, we can power up, too, and bring renewed energy to making changes to our community, our businesses and governments to protect wildlife and restore nature. Marco Lambertini, director general, WWF International, says: Nature is vitally important to everyones daily lives; it underpins our economic prosperity and development, our health, our well-being, our very survival. But we are pushing the planet to the limit and nature is severely under threat. The time to act is now. Earth Hour 2019 is an unmissable opportunity to create an unstoppable movement for nature similar to when we came together to tackle climate change. We need a New Deal for Nature and People. Visit www.earthhour.org to know whats happening in locations around the world and read individuals stories about what they are doing for our planet. This is our time to secure a healthy, sustainable and climate-resilient future for all. Links for editors: Earth Hours 2019 music video Earth Hours Giphy channel Earth Hour 2018 photos Learn more about WWFs work on climate and biodiversity For further information Rebecca Spring, senior communications specialist, rspring@wwfcanada.org, +1 647-338-6274 WWF International: news@wwfint.org +65 9233 8270 About World Wildlife Fund Canada WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca . About Earth Hour Earth Hour is WWF's global environmental movement. Born in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organizations in more than 180 countries and territories to take tangible climate action for over a decade. More recently, Earth Hour has focused on raising awareness and inspiring conversations on why nature matters. The movement recognizes the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planets most pressing environmental challenges and harnesses the collective power of its millions of supporters to build a sustainable future for all. English Dutch French Fluxys Belgium published its 2018 results: Regulated turnover stable Net profit: 54.5 million Proposal to the Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2019: gross dividend of 1.26 per share (2017: 1.23) Investments: 78.1 million, mainly for the construction of the fifth tank at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal Cold spell and peak demand for gas-fired power generation: Fluxys Belgium grid once again proves its robustness Sharp increase in terminalling of large volumes of LNG at Zeebrugge facility Belgium takes a first step towards green gas for consumers Click on the link below to access the full press release. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSXV) (AVPMF:US OTC) (8AM:FRANKFURT) is pleased to provide assay results for drill hole SES003 which was drilled on the Alvalade Project in 2014, but not analyzed until now due to its general proximity and similar visible characteristics to drill hole SES002. The SES003 assays were completed now in order to be added into Avrupas 3D model of the 2 Lens. Hole SES002 is the Sesmarias 2 Lens discovery hole, and its assay results are also shown below. SES003 added approximately 18 meters of dip length to the 2 Lens, as calculated in 2014. Results from SES003 are comparable to those from SES002, as shown in the tables below. SULFIDE TYPE FROM TO TOTAL Cu % Ag ppm Pb % Zn % Sn % Co % Massive/semi-massive 132.05 145.70 13.65 1.92 38.8 1.03 1.91 0.03 0.103 FROM TO TOTAL Cu ppm Ag ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm --- Co ppm Weak/moderate stockwork 145.70 152.50 6.80 4133 7.42 3908 11645 --- 296 Table 1. Results from SES003 SULFIDE TYPE FROM TO TOTAL Cu % Ag ppm Pb % Zn % Sn % Co % Massive/semi-massive 151.65 162.50 10.85 1.81 75.3 2.57 4.38 0.13 0.075 FROM TO TOTAL Cu ppm Ag ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm --- Co ppm Weak/moderate stockwork 162.50 168.50 6.00 4514 10.57 1886 4838 --- 528 Table 2. Previously reported results from SES002 (February 27, 2014). To date, Avrupa has drilled seven closely-spaced, shallow core holes in the area of SES002 and SES003 to determine possible extent of the 2 Lens. Avrupa also conducted several types of downhole and surface geophysical surveys. Intercepts of broken massive sulfide mineralization in SES005, SES006, and SES007, along with results from the geophysical work, and review of the actual core material in all of the holes suggested that mineralization comprising the 2 Lens occurred in a fault zone (now understood as the eastern boundary fault described in recent news releases of February 11, 2019 and March 11, 2019). The interpretations from the 2014 drilling program suggested that the possible extents of the 2 Lens were on the order of 100-125 meters dip x 50-75 meters strike, and 5-10 meters thickness, as demonstrated in the following cross section and map view of the mineralization. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8bcf52e9-7056-4001-b44c-f8f5f862a626 Figure 1. Simplified interpretive section through SES002/003/004/005. From this interpretation, the massive sulfide horizon strikes northwest, and dips moderately to steeply towards the northeast. Prepared by B. MacFarlane, 2014 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d81fcc7-052f-411f-bf87-5d9fe79d5072 Figure 2. Interpretive geologic map above the Sesmarias fence of drillholes. This sub-Tertiary interpretation utilized drillhole data, as well as MALM and DHEM geophysics to produce the map. Prepared by B. MacFarlane, 2014 Work completed during the recent 2018 drilling program, including re-logging of the historic holes, sampling of SES003, drilling of SES030 which encountered the fault zone where sulfide mineralization was anticipated, and a full, computer-driven re-model of all data by project geologist J. Coder suggested similar, slightly enlarged parameters for the 2 Lens. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, stated, Results of all work around the 2 Lens suggest presence of a small, high grade, copper-bearing body of massive sulfide mineralization. Strong indications of further mineralization contained within the bounding fault zone need to be followed-up by drilling along both strike and depth of the fault zone. At this time, we have not identified the source of this massive sulfide mineralization, but it is possible that further blocks of mineralization will be located within the fault. Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a prospect generator model. The Company holds one 100%-owned, self-funded flagship project, the Alvalade VMS Project. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany. For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com . On behalf of the Board, Paul W. Kuhn Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Lima, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lima, PERU, March 27th, 2019 Credicorp Ltd. announces to its shareholders and the market that Krealo, a subsidiary of Credicorp, has agreed to pay approximately US$ 19 million to acquire 100% stake of Multicajas digital business unit. The payment will be made in two installments, 50% in 2019 and the remaining in 2020. The transaction is subject to compliance with certain conditions precedent and approvals. Multicaja is a Chilean payment-acquiring company founded in 2007 with a wide presence in Chile through more than 17,000 affiliated merchants and 700,000 online users. Multicaja processes over 115 million transactions per year. The digital business unit of Multicaja comprises: support services to cross-border payments, online top-ups, online utility payments, and pre-paid accounts. The prepaid account business requires a regulatory approval from SBIF (the Chilean Banking Supervisor). This acquisition represents the first investment of Krealo in Chile. About Credicorp (www.credicorpnet.com) Credicorp Ltd. (NYSE: BAP) is the leading financial holding in Peru with presence in Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Credicorp has a diversified business portfolio, which is organized into four lines of business: Universal Banking, through Banco de Credito del Peru-BCP and Banco de Credito de Bolivia; Microfinance, through Mibanco and Encumbra; Insurance & Pension Funds, through Grupo Pacifico and Prima AFP; and Investment Banking & Wealth Management, through Credicorp Capital, Wealth Management at BCP and Atlantic Security Bank. About KREALO (www.krealo.pe) Krealo is the business unit of Credicorp constituted in 2018 to create, invest and manage fintechs that provide digital products and services, which will enhance the value proposition offered to current and potential customers of Credicorp and its subsidiaries. Krealo aims to serve over one hundred million of customers in Peru, Chile and Colombia. For further information please contact the IR team: Investorrelations@credicorpperu.com Investor Relations Credicorp Ltd. Attachment BELLEVUE, Wash., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trilogy International Partners Inc. (the Company) (TSX: TRL), an international wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator, today announced that its Bolivian subsidiary, NuevaTel, has appointed Tomas Perez as the companys new Chief Executive Officer effective April 1st. Juan Pablo Calvo, NuevaTels current Chief Executive Officer, will stay with the company as the President of the NuevaTel Board of Directors and as a special advisor to Mr. Perez on government and partner relations. Says Mr. Calvo, After almost 20 years of building NuevaTel from a startup to a viable competitor in the Bolivian market, it feels like an appropriate time to hand off day to day operations to Tomas. I have known Tomas for many years and am confident that with the support of our management team, he can lead NuevaTel successfully into the future. Mr. Perez joined NuevaTel in January 2019 as its Chief Operating Officer. He has nearly 30 years of executive experience at Latin American wireless telecommunication companies that include Verizon Dominicana, Cable and Wireless West Indies, Verizon Puerto Rico, as well as the Companys former subsidiary, Trilogy Dominicana. Tomas has an excellent track record leading wireless operations and executing strategy in competitive markets, says Brad Horwitz, President and CEO of the Company. His leadership qualities and industry expertise will be a tremendous asset to NuevaTel. NuevaTel has a well-earned reputation for driving disruptive market initiatives preferred by the Bolivian customers, says Mr. Perez. We have expanded our LTE coverage significantly, and we intend to grow our business by leveraging our position as the Millennial and Gen X provider of choice. I am honored to have the privilege to lead another of Trilogys companies, and I look forward to continuing the work advanced by Juan Pablo and NuevaTels very dedicated and seasoned team." About Trilogy International Partners Inc. Trilogy International Partners Inc. (TSX: TRL) is the parent company of Trilogy International Partners LLC, a wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator formed by wireless industry veterans John Stanton, Theresa Gillespie and Brad Horwitz. Its founders have an exceptional track record of successfully buying, building, launching and operating communication businesses in 15 international markets and the United States. The Company currently provides wireless and fixed communications services through its operating subsidiaries in New Zealand and Bolivia. Its head office is located at 155 108th Avenue NE, Suite 400, Bellevue, Washington, 98004 USA. For more information, visit www.trilogy-international.com . Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain information contained in this news release may be forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 of the United States of America. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are often, but not always identified by the use of words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "foresee", "could", "estimate", "goal", "intend", "plan", "seek", "will", "may" and "should" and similar expressions or words suggesting future outcomes. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause the actual events and results to differ materially from the estimates, beliefs and assumptions expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please see Risks Factors in our Annual Information Form available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com, which is also included with the Companys Annual Report on Form 40-F under the Companys profile at www.sec.gov, for information on the risks and uncertainties associated with our business. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information and statements, which speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking information and statements contained in this release represent our expectations as of the date of this release. We disclaim any intention or obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Nora and Jeremy, despite or perhaps because of their suffering, kindle a flickering romance. Through this development, Lalami judiciously ensures that "The Other Americans" is propelled by two story motors. We want to find out why Driss was killed, but we're also keen to see how Nora will choose to live. As it happens, she remains uncertain. Regarding Jeremy, Nora remarks, "I didn't know why I was spending so much time with him. He wasn't the sweet kid I knew in high school; he had fought in a brutal war, a war I hated." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) Former and incumbent executives of embattled media agency Rappler posted a 90,000 bail on Wednesday after being charged before a local court for supposed violation of Commonwealth Act 108 or the Anti-Dummy Law. Prosecutor Randy Esteban, in an order signed March 20 and released Wednesday, said Rappler's executives were being charged for allowing a foreign company to intervene in the management and operation of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corp. in violation of the Anti-Dummy Law. Only Filipino citizens can own media entities in the country. The Pasig Regional Trial Court named Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, and other former and incumbent board members Manuel Ayala, Nico Nolledo, Glenda Gloria, James Bitanga, Felicia Atienza and James Velasquez as the accused. Ressa, however, was not able to post bail as she is currently out of the country. Arraignment for the case is scheduled on April 10. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier revoked Rappler's certificate of incorporation, or its license to do business. The SEC said Rappler violated constitutional limitations on ownership and control of mass media entities because of funds coming from its foreign investor Omidyar Network. Owned by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, the Omidyar Network has since donated its $1.5-million (around 78 million) investment to Rappler's 14 Filipino managers in a bid to resolve foreign ownership issues. Rappler has maintained that its foreign investors have no control over the media outfit's operations. It has decried the legal challenges as harassment and a clampdown on the free press. Ressa is out on a 100,000 bail after being arrested for a cyber libel case involving a story published on its online news platform May 2012, months before the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was passed. The news agency's chief earlier posted bail for her tax evasion charges. CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario, Eimor Santos, and Alyssa Rola contributed to this report. And if there is not evidence of wrongdoing, innuendo will suffice. "Had Brooks ended the trifling and womanizing that helped poison his first marriage? ... He had a reputation among Hollywood insiders for having a 'zipper problem,' in the words of one associate, who traveled with him. But was it a real 'zipper problem' or just the whispering of detractors?" We are told that "Brooks and [wife Anne] Bancroft enjoyed the image of a perfect couple, the parents of a happy family, spouses who might bicker, might quarrel, but always ended up in each other's arms. In an industry that manufactured pleasant fakery, they seemed the romantic ideal." But were they really? Either way, McGilligan provides us with the whispers. Government cant be run like a business. There are many reasons for that, but one simple one will do: It cant be run like a business because it doesnt have profits to measure itself against.Most of us understand that, at least if we give the subject a moments thought. Most politicians understand it, too -- even the ones who make their prior business careers the centerpiece of their campaigns. When he left office as governor of Michigan two months ago, eight years after he had won the office by touting his tech industry credentials, Rick Snyder made it clear that he understood the difference between private and public leadership. Ive never run the state like a business, he said, because the motive is not profit. The motive is to help people. He is not the first governor to reach that conclusion.But theres one strange thing many governors and other elected officials cant seem to stop doing: trying to copy the transitory management fads that sweep through business schools and corporations. The business copycat syndrome in state and local government goes back at least to the 1920s, when public officials noticed the attention that corporations were paying to precise targets and decided to come up with a few of their own. But the syndromes modern era really began in the late 1980s in Oregon, with the establishment of an official state benchmark program and the creation of the Oregon Progress Board, which set more than 100 specific targets for the state to aim at.The benchmarks were a curious combination of the ambitious and the absurd. Promising to immunize every 2-year-old in the state was sensible, even though it was difficult to achieve. Promising to cut child abuse in half was ludicrous, since nobody had a clue about how to accomplish it; child abuse actually increased after the promise was made. Too many of the benchmarks were like that one, wishes rather than strategies. They were a far cry from the tangible marketing and financial targets that corporations were able to promulgate.The Progress Board refined some of its benchmarks in the early 2000s, but by then it was too late. In 2009, the legislature abolished the board and took the state out of benchmarking altogether.In the early 1990s the business fads were rightsizing and reengineering, and governments moved quickly to embrace them. Few elected officials took the trouble to explain just how those concepts could be applied to public institutions, or even to say what they were supposed to mean. They are not precisely the same thing, but they are both fancy words for cutting costs and reducing the number of employees. Very few people in government wanted to be caught admitting that this was true.As it turned out, rightsizing and reengineering had a very short career in private capitalism. The management scholar Walter Kiechel referred to reengineering as a mindless fad.denounced it as a shallow intellectual justification for widespread job cutbacks. Today, if you look up rightsizing on Wikipedia, you will be directed to a site labeled layoffs. That would seem to prove the point.Just as business began shedding this baggage, however, states and localities started picking it up. For more than a decade, many of them hastened to explain to voters that they had a plan to deal with serious fiscal shortfalls: They would rightsize their bureaucracies, and possibly reengineer them as well. But the concepts arent any more amenable to definition in 2019 than they were in 1992.A more enduring public appropriation from corporate business is the civic obsession with long-range plans. Very long-range plans. The big management consulting firms, most notably McKinsey & Company, started urging client businesses to adopt these long ago, and nearly all of them did it. Cities caught the fever. Many of them now have documents that purport to project what life will be like in the year 2040, or even 2050. We just adopted our Minneapolis 2040 Plan, Council President Lisa Bender said proudly not long ago. Our goals included eliminating racial disparities and taking action to fight climate change.Nothing wrong with those. It makes sense for governments to have goals and to think about the future. But the reality of ultra-long-range urban futurism is that it isnt a reliable predictor of anything. Suppose your city had adopted a 30-year plan in 1989. It would have missed a few events, such as the arrival of the internet, the threat of terrorism, the decline in the crime rate and the comeback of central cities. In other words, it would have been essentially useless. Just as nearly all the current ones will turn out to be.Management consultants will tell you that there is a difference between planning and strategy. A long-range plan is often just a wish list. A strategy outlines a specific set of steps to reach a goal. Many businesses can do this. They can decide what they want to be and start working on it, even if it involves a significant change in their operations. Governments cant do it -- they are forced to proceed incrementally from where they are at the moment.But some of the largest consulting firms continue to talk as if this werent true. McKinsey began preaching a decade ago about the need for whole government transformation. Its management journal proclaimed that the public sector must transform itself, calling this a challenge of vast scale and urgency. No doubt this brought the company at least a few clients in local government. But unless I am missing something, no major transformation at the local level has taken place.Theres an irony to all this. While governments have been seeking to emulate the long time horizons espoused by business, corporations have been reinforcing the bad example of short-term thinking common in politics. Whatever long-term planning elected officials may profess, they have always tended to live from one year to the next, even when there is an obvious need for foresight, especially in budgeting. Over the last 30 years, businesses have become prisoners of the quarterly earnings report, many of them failing to make the capital investments that demand a greater degree of patience. In both business and government, we now have leaders who claim to be thinking decades into the future while they have difficulty focusing on anything further away than the next three-month statement or the next election cycle. When it comes to time horizons, neither enterprise distinguishes itself.Over the past few years, however, one piece of private managerial dogma has shown some promise, at least at the right moment in the right place. This is the doctrine of clustering, first put forward by Harvards rock-star business professor, Michael Porter. The idea is that any large enterprise should determine the things it is really good at and concentrate on those, instead of scattering resources all over the figurative map. Porter began preaching this doctrine to corporations in the 1980s, and it made him perhaps the most famous management expert in the nation. Later he began to apply it to nations and to state and local governments.In the first decade of the new century, Porter worked with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. More recently, his ideas have been taken up by the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, which has employed them to try to improve the economic development fortunes of large and medium-sized American cities.Clustering can claim some high-profile successes. In a paper published last year, Brookings touted a few of them. Austin, Texas, made a conscious decision to become a technology hub, and has prospered and grown as a result. Pittsburgh went for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, and those fields have led its comeback from late-20th-century industrial decline. Most strikingly of all, Akron, Ohio, has recovered from the collapse of its tire and rubber industries by remaking itself as a center for the industrial application of polymers.In the end, a few broader lessons stand out. No city can create a successful cluster merely by wanting one. A few fundamental resources are needed, among them a university with qualified researchers, adequate public infrastructure and creative leadership. Without those things, declaring yourself a technology or science cluster isnt going to do you much good.Brookings admits this. Policymakers or other leaders can transform a barren landscape into fertile ground, but a seed must be available that can grow to fruition, two of its scholars wrote last year, adding that a cluster must have the skills and technical capability to produce products and services that are demanded in the marketplace. To which one might reply that a place with all those advantages is destined for success even if it has never heard of clustering.Still, its at least comforting to know theres something business and business schools can teach government that isnt totally irrelevant to its needs. Clustering will continue to appeal to cities of many different shapes and sizes -- at least until the next seductive management buzzword comes along. Last December, after two years of negotiation that hadnt produced a contract, the United Teachers of Los Angeles took to the streets. Thousands of them marched in their red shirts past the glimmering towers of revitalized downtown Los Angeles. They finished their march at The Broad, a contemporary art museum where union leaders held a rally before dismissing the crowd. Their demands were clear: smaller class sizes and a limit to the explosive growth of charter schools.The final destination was as deliberate as the demands. The target of their rage was Eli Broad, the billionaire philanthropist who is a modern-day Medici in Los Angeles. He backs the arts. His bid to buy thewas widely supported by locals. And his museum attracts nearly a million visitors a year. But as labor negotiations slowed and then stalled last year, the teachers turned their anger toward the citys civic hero. The reason was simple: Broad is a passionate supporter of charter schools.California is home to 1,306 charters -- more than any other state in the country. And Los Angeles is the states most fertile ground for these schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District has 277 of them. Control of the nations second-largest school district rests with its school board, where Broad has wielded influence for years. In the last two election cycles he gave more than $2 million to school board candidates. After the 2017 campaign -- the most expensive school board election in the nations history -- yielded a 4-3 pro-charter majority, Broads influence over the school district grew even stronger. The board picked as its new school superintendent Austin Beutner, an investment banker with no experience running a school district or even a school, but with close connections to Broad, who had helped Beutner land a job as L.A.s deputy mayor. Beutner, like Broad, is a charter supporter, having served on the boards of several charter operations.With the labor dispute in its second year, Beutner pushed a plan to reshape the school system. He proposed forming 32 networks across the district, meant to foster a decentralization of power. Autonomy would be returned to the schools and, by extension, to parents. But to the powerful teachers union in Los Angeles, Beutners plan was a move toward still more charters and to school privatization. Decentralization is a common refrain in so-called portfolio districts -- like New Orleans, Newark and Detroit -- cities that are riddled with a patchwork of privatization schemes that do not improve student outcomes, the union said in a statement released in November. Clusters of schools compete against each other for resources and support, creating a system of haves and have nots and exacerbating segregation and equity issues.Beutners plan galvanized the anti-charter forces. Parents joined teachers on the picket lines, swelling the ranks of those who descended on The Broad museum to roughly 50,000 on the day of the march. The thing Beutner didnt see, says Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the nations second-largest teachers union, was the overwhelming support of traditional public schools in Los Angeles.Mayor Eric Garcetti broke the labor stalemate in January, forging a deal between the union and Beutner. The union got a commitment to the smaller class sizes it had long demanded. And the mayor, who had once called for the expansion of charter schools in Los Angeles, got the school board to vote up-or-down on a union-backed resolution asking the state to place a cap on charter schools. In short, Garcetti delivered a win for the teachers in a place where the charter movement had won some of its most significant victories. The school board eventually approved the resolution calling for the charter cap in a 5 to 1 vote. In February, state leaders agreed to form a task force to examine the fiscal impact charter schools have on traditional public school funding. The union claims that charters drain resources from regular public schools.The concessions by the school district didnt happen in a vacuum. From coast to coast, the charter movement has seen its political support declining, especially among progressive Democrats. The movement was defeated badly in Massachusetts in 2016 when voters rejected a ballot initiative to lift a state cap on the number of charters. Last year, in contests for governor in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan and New Mexico, Democratic candidates campaigned openly against charter schools. Tony Thurmond overcame a 2-to-1 fundraising deficit to defeat a charter-backed candidate for state superintendent of public instruction in California. More than $50 million was raised in that campaign, and the election split Democrats in the state and nationally. In February, newly elected Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, put forth a proposal to slow and possibly stop the growth of charter schools in the state. Evers, who spent a decade as the Wisconsin schools superintendent, has proposed a freeze on new independent charters for four years and wants to eliminate a program which allows Milwaukee County officials to transform low-performing schools into charters.Charter support has also cooled at the local level. According to a report by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, the opening of new charters has steadily declined since 2013. More than 600 were authorized that year. By 2016, the total number of authorizations had fallen by almost half, and the number of charters authorized by local school boards declined from 357 to 135.All of this is happening after two decades of support for charter schools from both parties. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all backed the charter school movement, as does President Trump. Republican governors and Democratic mayors have joined forces to give charters a foothold not only in Los Angeles, but also Chicago, New York and New Orleans. They essentially agreed that market-driven reforms, competition and choice were the key to transforming an education system that was failing urban children of color, and that charters were the instrument of transformation. We used to say education reform was the last bipartisan issue, says Marc Magee, CEO and founder of 50CAN, an education advocacy group that backs charter schools. Now, he says, that is increasingly threatened.The ironic wrinkle in the charter school story is that the movements earliest supporters were teachers unions. Albert Shanker, who ran the powerful United Federation of Teachers, representing New York City public school teachers, was one of the early advocates. He and others believed that charter schools, free of the bureaucratic restrictions that plagued traditional schools, would be natural innovators. The innovations that worked would be copied and scaled up. The first charter schools were opened in Minnesota in 1992, and the movement gradually spread across the country in the ensuing decade. They were launched as a progressive idea intended to save poor kids from failing schools, says Diane Ravitch, a former U.S. assistant secretary of education who started as an enthusiastic supporter of charters and has become their most prominent critic.Early charter advocates argued that traditional public school teachers, with tenure and other workplace protections, were change-averse and in many cases complacent. They had bought into the idea, advocates said, that poor kids from poor families with uneducated parents were all but impossible to teach. Once the movement got the backing of reform-minded mayors such as Richard M. Daley in Chicago and Michael Bloomberg in New York, it began to gain traction in urban education. With help from Republican governors and state lawmakers, Bloomberg and Daley wrested control of their school systems from their respective school boards. Other mayors did the same thing. They pushed for more competition and charter expansion, to the displeasure of the unions that had once backed the charter school idea.But the most important source of momentum was the decision by President George W. Bush to make education reform a centerpiece of his agenda. In 2001, months after being elected, he signed the federal law known as No Child Left Behind. The legislation required schools to collect reams of student performance data. States were allowed to close underperforming schools and replace them with charters. By the time President Obama took office in 2009, the charter movement was well underway in cities across the country. Chicago had almost 100, and New Orleans had turned virtually all of its school district over to charter operators in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Obama picked Arne Duncan, who had run Chicago Public Schools, to head the U.S. Department of Education. His appointment signaled that the new president was doubling down on charter school growth. Ultimately, Duncans tenure and the Obama administrations own education reform plan, Race to the Top, was the turning point for Democrats on charter schools.Where No Child Left Behind collected data and used it to close schools that were falling behind, Race to the Top further unleashed market dynamics on public schools. Competition increasingly became the focus. States were given additional federal funding for adopting performance metrics for teachers and students and creating supports for charter schools. If you couch it in the context of competition, conservatives will go along with it, says William Sampson, an education policy professor at DePaul University. Competition satisfied conservatives, extra money satisfied liberals. The move caused Illinois to lift its lid on charter school approvals. Massachusetts adopted policies to allow state takeovers of entire school districts.Charter school growth under Bush and Obama was exponential. More than 3 million children, about 6 percent of all public school students, now attend a charter school. The growth has been fastest in large urban districts. In Washington, D.C., almost half of the public school students are in charters. One-third of the children in Newark, N.J., attend a charter, up from 10 percent a decade ago. In New York City, 1 in 10 students, roughly 90,000 children, are charter school pupils, four times as many as 10 years ago. The explosive growth in charter schools, and especially the emphasis on competition, generated fierce pushback from labor and the left. Competition produces winners and losers in public education, says Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers. Our obligation is to all children, so this culture of competition is antithetical.Meanwhile, Republicans framed Race to the Top as another example of the federal government meddling in local education. With pressure from both the left and right, Duncan would eventually give a tearful resignation in 2015. When you put that much political capital in change, Magee says about Duncan and Race to the Top, there is a natural feeling that you cant maintain the political push. By 2016, the NAACP was calling for a moratorium on new charter schools, and both major-party presidential candidates that year expressed reservations about their growth. The same data collection that helped fuel the rapid expansion of charters in the earlier Obama years became weaponized by the movements opponents.William Sampsons 2016 book,, looked at math and reading scores across the city. It reported that traditional public schools outperformed charter schools in math, science and composite testing (a test of overall knowledge). Charters outperformed traditional schools in one area, third grade math. Sampson also found that charter schools had a lower percentage of special education students, and an abundance of students who moved less often and had fewer absences. In other words, Sampson argued, charter school student bodies were flush with children who would succeed in any school environment.The research backed what many critics had been saying of charter schools for years: that they were unable or unwilling to meet the needs of children with social, emotional or developmental needs. Charters were accused of pushing out students who didnt meet performance standards, which happened at one of the nations most celebrated charter programs, the Harlem Childrens Zone. New Yorks highly touted Success Academy schools do not backfill spots that open when poorly performing children leave after the fourth grade. Success Academy founder Eva Moskowitz claims students who havent succeeded by the fourth grade would struggle to keep up with the academic rigor of her schools. Critics call this a form of creaming. In Sampsons view, charters that present their own data and point to success are making a random selection from a biased sample.Still, the examples of success at charter schools, while anecdotal, are hard to ignore. Recent research from the Stanford Center for Research on Education Outcomes shows that charter schools, especially the large charter networks like Kipp, Success and Yes Prep, all reported small but significant gains in reading and math when compared to their traditional school peers. The same study, which examines slices of the charter industry across the country, shows that larger charter schools improve the outcomes for black students, especially when compared to those in neighboring traditional public schools. But those students still trail white students in traditional public schools in reading and math.Despite the inconclusive measures of success, supporters say that without the agitation caused by charter schools, traditional public schools in places such as Chicago and New York would not have been moved to reform in the last 20 years. And while charters may have a direct benefit only to the relatively few children who gain access to them, the hope has always been to force the rest of the system to adopt changes.When Betsy DeVos became secretary of education under President Trump in 2017, she gave political cover to Democratic opponents of charter schools. DeVos has long been a proponent of charter schools and school vouchers; in her home state of Michigan, she and her family helped fund some of the states first charter schools. Last year, Democratic candidates for governor in Illinois, Michigan and New Mexico framed their opposition to charters as part of the resistance to Trump. The election of Trump and appointment of Betsy DeVos clarified that school choice is a right-wing issue pushed by the Waltons, the DeVos family, the Koch brothers and every red state governor, says Ravitch. If DeVos favors charters, how can they be progressive?The Democrats elected governors in California and Connecticut in 2018 who ran on education platforms that contrasted sharply with the views of their Democratic predecessors. In Connecticut, Ned Lamont marked a clear reversal from fellow Democrat Dannel Malloy, a longtime charter advocate who serves on the national board of Democrats for Education Reform, a pro-charter activist group. Lamont was once all-in on Malloys plan to improve education. In 2012, halfway through Malloys first term, Lamont wrote an op-ed in thein which he gave his full support to Malloys charter expansion. Connecticut is getting close on groundbreaking education reform efforts, Lamont wrote. Dont punt now, lets drive for the end zone. But by 2018, Lamont had pivoted away from his earlier position. He claimed charters were taking money away from traditional public schools in a state where education funding has long been tight, especially in the states poorest districts. As governor, Lamont is promising to focus on helping impoverished schools in Connecticut rather than allowing for more charters.California elected Democrat Gavin Newsom to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, who had largely stayed out of the fight over charters. It took hard lobbying efforts to get Brown to sign a bill outlawing for-profit charters in the state. When Newsom ran in 2018, one of his strongest primary challengers was former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom had been close to Broad and to Mayor Bloomberg earlier in his career. But he vowed during his campaign to place a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools, and Broad and Bloomberg put a combined $5 million behind Villaraigosa, who was strongly in favor of charters. Despite the millions in pro-charter money, Villaraigosa finished third. In his first weeks in office, Newsom signed a bill calling for open meetings of charter boards; his predecessors Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed similar bills.Proponents and critics agree that the charter movement is not going away anytime soon. It has been the source of fissures in the Democratic Party, but they are unlikely to lead to a dismantling of the charter establishment. How many charter school laws have we seen undone in the last five years? says Andy Smarick, who studies education policy for R Street Institute, a public policy research firm. There are waves in favor and waves in opposition, but they are small waves.Critics insist they are not trying to demolish the movement but seeking to return it to its roots. Ravitch and Weingarten believe the sector can still play an important role as a laboratory for innovation. The United Federation of Teachers operates a charter school in New York City, even as the union voices strong opposition to the movement at large. What opponents of rapid charter growth say they want is a reversion to local control. While local school boards have cooled on their support of charters, states and public university systems continue to authorize them. That creates deeper tension over local control, the kind of tension that led to pushback against No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. Charter schools should be authorized only by districts and should be required to follow the same laws as public schools, Ravitch says. They should meet a need that the district cant fill.Then theres the issue of scale. The success of certain charter schools appears to some as a statistical blip in a sea of data that suggests disadvantaged urban children are still lagging behind their wealthier counterparts. But while charters arent equipped to take over public education, as even their backers admit, they can augment what is available. And that might be where the movement can be an agent of change without attracting so much criticism, moving away from a focus on growth to a concentration on quality and being a model for educating urban children of color. If not for charter schools, says charter advocate Magee, what is the bold plan to change education? Because the status quo is unacceptable. I dont think the solution is to take pressure off the system to help kids. Federal funding to combat the opioid crisis more than doubled last year, marking an important commitment to prevention, treatment and recovery. A new report looks at whether and how that extra $4 billion is being effectively spent.In 2017, more than 70,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose; almost 50,000 of those deaths involved an opioid. In 2018, the Trump administration increased opioid funding to states to more than $7 billion, from a little more than $3 billion in 2017.The report from the Bipartisan Policy Center concluded that while funding is being directed to the communities with the highest overdose death rates, the funding approach lacks long-term vision.Providing one-time funding is treating addiction as if its an acute condition instead of a chronic one, says BPCs chief medical adviser, Anand Parekh.It typically takes eight years for people struggling with addiction to achieve one year of recovery. That statistic is a big reason why addiction policy experts believe that the end of the epidemic is nowhere in sight.But in some places, the funding influx may already be saving lives.In Ohio, one of the states with the highest overdose death rates, officials say fatal overdoses appeared to slightly drop last year. Liz Henrich, CEO of the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, says the increase in federal investment has also helped change the addiction conversation.Were not talking quite as much about the shame and stigma of addiction, she said Tuesday at an event releasing the BPC report. It still exists, dont get me wrong. But all of a sudden theres more focus on getting folks access to the care they need.To improve the long-term plan for combating the drug crisis, BPC's Parekh says better coordination of federal grant programs is key. The BPC found that federal grants related to the opioid crisis are spread across 57 different programs. The diversity of funding -- and sheer volume -- makes it more difficult for state agencies to avoid redundancies and to make sure the money is flowing everywhere it needs to go. This is especially important as states build out treatment networks that include a wide array of stakeholders, such as schools, hospitals and the criminal justice system.On the plus side, the report noted, those 57 programs reflect a multifaceted response to the epidemic, funding not just addiction care but research, criminal justice reforms, public health surveillance and supply reduction efforts.At the state level, the BPC found that a statewide coordinating body, typically convened by the governor, is an essential part of developing a strategic opioid epidemic response.It also noted that Medicaid expansion has been essential to providing services to people who struggle with opioid addiction and would otherwise be uninsured and unable to afford treatment. Looking at the opioid treatment medication buprenorphine , the report found that Medicaid coverage accounted for just 3 percent of buprenorphine prescriptions in Tennessee (a nonexpansion state) in 2017. By comparison, 93 percent of buprenorphine prescriptions in Ohio were covered by Medicaid. New Jersey is joining seven other states and Washington, D.C., in allowing terminally ill patients to obtain lethal drugs to legally end their own lives.Both New Jersey legislative chambers passed a medical aid-in-dying measure, which had failed in previous years. It is now headed to the desk of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who said he will sign it.Allowing terminally ill and dying residents the dignity to make end-of-life decisions according to their own consciences is the right thing to do," Murphy said. "I look forward to signing this legislation into law.Oregon was the first state to implement an aid-in-dying law in 1998, and similar measures have been enacted in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C., most of them since 2015. (Aid-in-dying is also legal in Montana as a result of a 2009 court ruling.) Legislatures in numerous other states, including Maryland, Nevada and New York, are considering aid-in-dying legislation this year.The New Jersey measure is similar to laws adopted in other states. It authorizes physicians to prescribe lethal medications to terminally ill patients who would be required to administer them without assistance.Patients eligible to receive the drugs must have a terminal diagnosis, confirmed by a second doctor, with an expectation that they will die within six months. The patient must make two verbal requests within 15 days to a doctor. They also must submit a written request indicating that they have been fully informed of available alternatives, such as palliative care. The declaration must be witnessed by two people, who would attest that the person acted voluntarily. At least one of those witnesses must be someone other than a family member.Terminally ill patients and family members testified in favor of the New Jersey bill. Opponents objected on religious or ethical grounds, and some warned that people with disabilities could be pressured by others into taking their own lives under the law. When my husband, Ron, and I decided to visit Italy last spring to meet up with our daughter Samantha, a college junior on a semesterlong study abroad program, I thought it might be time to try a different approach. Instead of agonizing over the particulars or turning over planning duties to my mate, who is the type to insist the hotel room he once booked is JUST FINE STOP BEING SO FINICKY despite the sputtering, moldy air conditioner and deflated, ratty mattress that someone had recently been murdered on (probably), I called on The Roman Guy, a group- and private-tour operator in Italy. The company had recently added trip-planning services to its offerings. Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, has agreed to pay Oklahoma close to $275 million to settle a landmark opioid lawsuit. The companys owners, the Sackler family, agreed to pay an additional $75 million.The settlement absolves Purdue of all claims in the Oklahoma case. But the state intends to pursue the lawsuit against all other defendants, including two other opioid makers Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israel-based opioid maker. The case is scheduled to be heard in the Cleveland County Courthouse in Norman, Oklahoma, May 28.The Oklahoma trial which likely will be televised would precede a federal opioid lawsuit slated for trial in Ohio this fall, in which Purdue and other drugmakers face claims from more than 1,600 cities, counties, states and Native American tribes, and which includes a brief from the U.S. Justice Department.As in the Oklahoma case, the federal opioid case to be heard in October in the U.S. Northern District of Ohio seeks to hold drug companies responsible for the worst drug overdose epidemic in the nations history.From 1999 to 2017, nearly 400,000 people died from overdoses involving a prescription opioid or heroin and other illicit opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 218,000 of those deaths were directly related to prescription opioids. And the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic of the last decade has cost the nation an estimated $79 billion a year.In Purdues settlement with Oklahoma, $102.5 million will fund a new addiction treatment and research center at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa, which the Sackler familys portion of the settlement also will fund.An additional $12.5 million will go toward Oklahoma cities, counties and tribes for the damage caused by the opioid epidemic, along with $60 million to reimburse the state for its litigation costs.In addition to the financial settlement, Purdue agreed not to promote opioids in Oklahoma, including employing or contracting with sales representatives to health care providers in the state.We appreciate that Purdue Pharma and its owners chose to work constructively with us to resolve this litigation in a way that will bring to life a new and unique national center with the goal of creating breakthrough innovations in the prevention and treatment of addiction, Attorney General Mike Hunter said.The $275 million settlement could set the bar for settlements in the federal case. It is substantially larger than the companys earlier settlements of $10 million in a 2004 West Virginia lawsuit, and $24 million in a 2015 Kentucky lawsuit. Rockland County plans to declare a state of emergency over its ongoing measles outbreak and ban unvaccinated minors from public places.The county, located outside New York City, is battling the state's worst measles outbreak in decades, according to The New York Times. The state of emergency takes effect at midnight and expires in 30 days.The outbreak began last year. So far, it includes 153 confirmed cases, according to the county. Since the start of 2019, 48 new cases have been confirmed.Over 45 percent of those infected are between 4 and 18 years old and another 23.8 percent are 1 to 3 years old.Over 82 percent of those infected have not received any measles vaccinations, the county said.The outbreak has mostly affected ultra-Orthodox communities, according to the Times. Anti-vaccine literature has been spreading among those groups and their vaccination rates tend to be lower.Under the emergency declaration, no one under 18 years old will be allowed in public places until the declaration expires or they receive the measles vaccination, according to WABC in New York.It's not clear how the rule will be enforced.Rockland County Executive Ed Day will discuss details of the emergency at a press conference this afternoon, according to the Journal News in White Plains.Several parts of the country have been hit with measles outbreaks in recent months. The illnesses have drawn attention to vaccine exemptions.A recent poll from Siena College found nearly 80 percent of New Yorkers said vaccinations should be required for kids before they can go to school, regardless of family religious beliefs.New Yorkers in the poll want mandated vaccines, regardless of family religious beliefs.Religious exemptions to vaccine requirements have made headlines amid recent outbreaks.A new bill in the New York Legislature would allow minors to get vaccinated even if their parents object. Other officials in states including Texas have been looking to make vaccine exemptions easier to obtain.Measles was largely eliminated in the United States after the vaccine was introduced in the 1960s. Some health officials are worried about a renewed threat in the face of growing opposition to vaccines among some. North Carolina's ban on women having abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy is unconstitutional, a federal court ruled Monday.But the ruling won't go into effect immediately. The judge gave state lawmakers 60 days to either write a new abortion law or appeal his ruling."This court declines to act in a manner that would deprive the North Carolina legislature the opportunity, in the first instance, to either pass legislation or challenge this decision on appeal, whichever they decide may be in the interests of the citizens they represent," wrote District Judge William Osteen.North Carolina has had various abortion bans in state law for many decades. The 20-week ban that's now under fire was updated by state lawmakers in 2015, and this lawsuit challenging it was filed in 2016.Irena Como, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a press release that the abortion law should have been overturned because it "was written by politicians to intimidate doctors and interfere in a woman's personal medical decisions."The state's abortion ban does have exceptions for certain emergencies, but critics said it doesn't comply with past court rulings. Osteen, who was appointed to the court by Republican President George W. Bush, agreed."North Carolina law criminalizes all non-emergency abortions performed after twenty weeks, without regard to the type of procedure or how the abortion is obtained," he wrote.Spokesmen for legislative leaders Tim Moore and Phil Berger declined to comment Tuesday, since the legislature's legal team was in Washington, D.C., at oral arguments for a gerrymandering case and had not yet had the chance to review the abortion ruling.The ruling was a win for Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU who sued to overturn the law."All decisions about pregnancy, including abortion, are deeply personal and should be decided between a woman and her doctor, without medically-unnecessary interference from politicians," said Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, in a press release. "This ruling affirms that right and (sends) a clear message to politicians that women deserve our care, not our judgment."Rev. Mark Creech, a Baptist preacher who leads the NC Christian Action League, said that regardless of the judge's ruling, "history will one day condemn those who defend what all people will someday recognize to have been the wanton killing of innocent children.""A child in the womb at 20 weeks can recognize its mother's voice," Creech said.Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the socially conservative Christian group NC Values Coalition, saw a silver lining in the ruling. The judge ruled that the state can continue banning abortion once the fetus reaches viability, which is the point when it can live on its own outside the womb."Today's federal court ruling confirms North Carolina lawmakers have the constitutional right to restrict abortion when the child in the womb is viable," she said. "Our hospitals and physicians are finding viability at points once thought inconceivable just a decade ago."Fitzgerald also said her group will urge lawmakers to take action quickly on the ruling. "Our coalition will continue to advocate for the preborn and we will seek immediate actions during this legislative session to strengthen our State's laws that protect the unborn," she said.Osteen wrote that he was not creating any new precedent but simply following other federal legal decisions. He pointed specifically to cases out of Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota and Utah that dealt with this or similar topics.According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is one of the plaintiffs in the case, "every time a court has considered the constitutionality of a 20 week ban, it has been blocked." In the summer of 2016, Robert Jones, head of the Public Religion Research Institute, published a book called. It argued that changing demographics were making the white Christian population gradually wither away. White Catholics were aging. The mainline white denominations -- Methodists, Lutherans and Episcopalians -- had shrunk to a fraction of their former size. Most strikingly, Jones continued, evangelical Christians were on the verge of irrelevance. White Christian America will be survived by significant numbers of its descendants, Jones allowed. But these survivors, especially in the evangelical camp, would face a stark choice: fight divisive rearguard actions doomed to failure; disengage and withdraw; or resign themselves to a more liberal multicultural future.Four months later was the 2016 presidential election. White evangelicals turned out in force, and some 80 percent cast their vote for the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Evangelicals made up about a quarter of total voters -- as they have in every national election since 2008. A demonstration of irrelevance it definitely was not.Nevertheless, in the months that followed, the national media returned to the narrative that traditional evangelicalisms political influence was coming to an end. This time, the argument went, the issue was generational. Many young evangelicals are more diverse, less nationalistic and more heterodox in their views than older generations, declared a writer forafter she visited a hip, multiethnic evangelical church in Philadelphia, where she found congregants who supported Black Lives Matter, immigration reform and universal health care, and where the focus was on reducing abortion, not overturning Roe v. Wade. Two months later,published a similar piece, claiming that young evangelicals were questioning the typical ties between evangelicalism and Republican politics.Three weeks after thestory ran, evangelical voters turned out for the 2018 midterm elections. Exit polls showed that 75 percent cast their ballots for Republican candidates. That number includes evangelicals of all ages, but surveys taken shortly before the election showed that 78 percent of white evangelicals ages 18 to 29 identified as Republican. Did we see white evangelicals moving toward the middle of the political spectrum in 2018? Clearly no, says Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University (and a Baptist minister). White evangelicals are more Republican now than they were two years ago.For at least two decades, political observers have been predicting the decline of white evangelicals as a political force. Its not hard to see why. As a share of the national population, their numbers continue to shrink. But there is also evidence that white evangelical voters are becoming a more engaged, if smaller, voting bloc. That seems particularly true in states such as California, Colorado and Oregon, where evangelicals see themselves threatened by a rising tide of secular voters.The Public Religion Research Institute released a study in 2016 that showed a dramatic drop in the white evangelical proportion of the population. According to PRRIs research, white evangelicals made up 22 percent of the U.S. population in 1988. By 2014, they had fallen to 18 percent of the population. During this same period, the number of whites categorized as religious nones (meaning they describe themselves in survey responses as atheists, agnostic or nothing in particular) rose from roughly 7 percent of the population in the early 1990s to over 20 percent. These numbers formed the core of Jones argument: White Protestant Christians -- both mainline and evangelical -- are aging and quickly losing ground as a proportion of the population.It was a dramatic finding. And parts of it were indisputable. Whites as a percentage of the overall population have declined. Thats naturally made white Protestants a smaller part of the overall population too. But there were nuances. The percentage of Americans identifying as evangelical (white and non-white) was 23.8 percent in 2016. Thats down from 29.6 percent in 1988 but not too far below the 25.6 percent who identified as evangelical in 1976.White evangelicals might indeed lose political power in the long run. But in the short run, their influence may actually be rising. Consider another figure: Between 2000 and 2010, the most recent years for which county-level data from the U.S. Census is available, the percentage of evangelicals rose in 45 states. How can this be possible?There are two reasons, says Burge at Eastern Illinois. The most important is the increase in Latino evangelicals. That growth accounts for large increases in Arizona, Florida, Maryland and Ohio during this period. Another factor may be geographic sorting. Feminist atheists dont want to live in Mansfield, Ohio, says Burge. They want to go live in D.C. or New York or Philadelphia or Chicago. That makes the evangelical presence -- and influence -- larger in the small-town and rural areas where evangelicals are actually an increasing share of the population. As less-religious young people leave rural areas, these places become older, whiter and more evangelical. That, in turn, is making politics in many states more polarized, and frequently gives the remaining evangelicals additional clout.Theres another trend that appears to be spurring white evangelicals to get more engaged in politics -- the rising number of religious nones.Consider Colorado, perhaps the most polarized state in the nation. It has long had a significant evangelical presence. Colorado Springs is the home of Focus on the Family, the global evangelical ministry founded by James Dobson in 1977. In 2016, a quarter of the state identified as evangelical. Since the 1990s, however, the state has experienced a huge increase in the number of religiously unaffiliated residents. Some 37 percent of Coloradans now identify as religious nones. This group is almost as reliably Democratic as evangelicals are reliably Republican. The surge in nones, along with the growth of Denver and Boulder, has painted much of Colorado purple. One might expect that politicians in this situation would moderate their stances in order to try to attract crossover voters. However, a study published last year found the opposite. Instead of competing for moderates (of whom there were few), candidates instead took more extreme positions in order to turn out their base, either on the evangelical or the non-religious side of the spectrum.Its not just Colorado. Nevada, Oregon and Washington have seen even bigger increases in nones. More than 40 percent of voters in those states describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated. All of these states have also seen big increases in white evangelical engagement. I think evangelicals are more inspired to engage, says Paul Djupe, a political scientist at Denison University, when they are surrounded by a greater proportion of nones or a greater sense of cultural threat.In short, young white evangelicals arent moving to the left. They are as reliably partisan as their grandparents. Demographic change will not render their concerns unimportant. And the fastest growing group of evangelicals -- Latinos -- shares many of the larger groups conservative concerns. Their preferences will only become more important in the years to come. Understanding evangelical voters and the issues that motivate them is an important survival skill for officeholders and candidates -- and not just in the Bible Belt.One area where all of this is playing out right now is the issue of religious freedom, as it is invariably described by Republicans and evangelicals. Indeed, its fast becoming an issue of paramount concern to evangelical voters.The idea of religious liberty has deep roots in American history. The first sentence of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution defends it. The idea of protecting religious liberty also has a track record of bipartisan support. Twenty-six years ago, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which carved out broad protections for the exercise of religion. Its lead sponsor was a young Democratic congressman who is now the Senate minority leader, Charles Schumer.But in recent years, evangelicals push for broader religious freedom rights has run into a countervailing force: LGBT demands for protection. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) say evangelicals are insisting on the right to discriminate against LGBT people. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage with its ruling in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges. The 5-4 decision was a setback for Christian legal advocacy groups, and also led to a change in emphasis. After Obergefell, references to religious liberty among evangelicals began to spike.Since that landmark case, Christian legal advocacy groups such as the American Center for Law and Justice and the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have attempted to use the courts to expand protections for religious freedom. Perhaps the most well-known victory in this area was last years Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple. But religious freedom advocates have been active in many other cases. In Arizona, the ADF has defended a stationery stores refusal to create wedding invitations for a transgender woman. In Michigan, its defended a funeral home operator who fired a trans employee. Christian legal defense groups have also encouraged states to pass legislation expanding the scope of religious liberty.The Trump administration has strongly supported these efforts. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granted a waiver request from South Carolina that allowed a Christian social services organization in Greenville, S.C., one that received government funds, to continue matching children only with foster parents who are Protestant Christians. This effectively overturned a nondiscrimination policy issued by HHS in the final days of the Obama administration. This is probably the issue where evangelical institutions feel the most threatened, says Dan Darling of the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The question is a really serious one: Will Christian institutions be allowed to continue to hold to orthodoxy and still operate in the public square?Meanwhile, LGBT civil rights groups such as the Human Rights Campaign have helped turn back most of the efforts to fight same-sex marriage or restrict the activities of transgender individuals. Last year, Massachusetts approved a voter initiative to expand LGBT rights. In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu signed legislation that expanded housing and nondiscrimination law to protect transgender people. Five states -- Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire and Washington -- last year passed new protections against the practice of so-called gay conversion therapy, bringing the total number of states with such laws or regulations to 15, including the District of Columbia. This year began with New York passing a strong nondiscrimination bill as well as legislation to prohibit conversion therapy, along with executive orders by new governors in Kansas, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin protecting LGBT state employees. However, those and other fights are far from over.According to the Human Rights campaign, fewer than half the states provide any significant legal protections for LGBT residents. Last year 16 states considered but did not pass laws that would have expanded protections. Some newly elected officials, including Kansas state Reps. Susan Ruiz and Brandon Woodward, two of the 244 openly LGBT people elected in 2018, are now trying to change that. Earlier this year, Ruiz and Woodward introduced a measure to expand state nondiscrimination provisions to include sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The bill is unlikely to make it through the Republican legislature, but Ruiz believes that changing opinions and business support will eventually carry the day. Its an economic necessity, she says.A state where the fight is more evenly matched is Texas, which saw its percentage of evangelical residents decline between 2000 and 2010. Last year, a broad coalition of businesses, universities and civil rights groups beat back efforts in the Texas Legislature to enact a bathroom bill that would have prevented transgender people from using the restrooms of their choice. This year, for the first time, the Texas House has an LGBT caucus. Its members have proposed legislation that would update state nondiscrimination laws to cover LGBT Texans, streamline the process for transgender people to update their birth certificates, and prohibit state-licensed health-care providers from performing conversion therapy on minors. Opponents such as the religious advocacy group Christian Values have described this effort as a veiled attempt to #BanTheBible.Two evangelical organizations that are trying to avoid this kind of divisive fight are the National Association of Evangelicals and the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities. Last December, after years of discussion, the boards of both groups agreed to support legislation that would extend the protections of nondiscrimination law to LGBT people in exchange for broad carve-outs for religious organizations that would allow, for example, Christian colleges to hire only Christian instructors. That upset many evangelicals who saw the compromise as something that would protect institutions but not the rights of individual evangelicals to exercise their faith in their jobs and in public. At issue is a fundamental question: Will courts and legislatures allow evangelicals to act on their faith in their daily life and work? Or will they choose to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as a protected population, just as legislatures have chosen to protect African-American and disabled persons before?Gay marriage is one of the few issues on which there is an identifiable generation gap among the evangelical population, with younger evangelicals tending to hold more liberal views than their older peers. But on many other issues, young churchgoers are just as conservative as their parents. On the issue of abortion, in fact, millennials may even be more pro-life than older white evangelicals. The overall numbers do not bode particularly well for a more cooperative, less partisan style of politics.That said, while white evangelicals young and old do have strong Republican allegiances, they are not a monolithic voting bloc. In South Carolina, 60 percent of evangelicals describe themselves as identifying or leaning Republican. In Ohio, that number is closer to 55 percent. But in New York, only 35 percent of evangelicals identify as or lean Republican. Forty-three percent lean or identify as Democrats. In California, a quarter of evangelicals consider themselves strong Republicans. Another quarter consider themselves strong Democrats. That suggests that in some states, at least, evangelical voters dont identify exclusively with the GOP.The growth in the number of Latino evangelicals may eventually scramble loyalties as well. Latino evangelicals as a group have been moving toward the GOP for years. A narrow majority voted for Trump in 2016, and their support for the president remains strong. Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the head of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, makes no secret of his distaste for what he sees as the Democratic Partys recent move to the left. However, Rodriguez says the GOP is also ignoring issues important to Latino voters. I would like the Republican Party to deal with issues of justice, to talk about poverty alleviation and inequality, Rodriguez says. Republican rhetoric on immigration is also a problem for Rodriguez and his congregants.Unlike Jones at PRRI, Rodriguez is confident that both parties will ultimately take note of evangelical preferences due to the pressure of demographics. Who has more kids? White evangelicals or white atheists? asks Rodriguez. The answer is clear. White evangelicals as a group have a birthrate that is 15 percent to 20 percent higher than white people as a whole. Latino evangelicals are having kids at an even higher rate. We are verypeople, Rodriguez says. So as Latino evangelicals, we are growing our families. The evangelical influence in the American political reality will not go away in the 21st century. It may actually surprise everyone. It may actually grow. Campaign Like a Centrist, Govern Like a Partisan Democrats Move Further Left Voting on Identity, Not Issues American politics have clearly grown more polarized in recent years. Republicans have become firmly a party of conservatism, not moderation, while Democrats in the Donald Trump era have moved further to the left.The problem has been that the folks on the extremes, theyre the most vocal and theyre where the money tends to show up, says Bruce Bond, cofounder of the Common Ground Committee, which seeks to bring together people and politicians with opposing viewpoints.So where does that leave moderate voters?More and more Americans are expressing their unhappiness with the two parties by registering as independents. In a Gallup poll this month, 42 percent of respondents identified as independents -- a dozen points more than Democrats and 16 points higher than Republicans.Moderates and the traditional conservatives are politically homeless right now, says Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former Republican official who left the party because of Trump. Former First Lady Barbara Bush said that by todays terms, she would not classify herself as a Republican, according to a forthcoming biography . With Trumps rise, she said, she saw a party she could not continue to support.There appears to be ample room left for candidates to appeal to centrist voters. But its not clear what centrists want. Its generally been the case that voters who think of themselves as moderate actually hold quite liberal views on some issues and more conservative views on others. They arent looking for politicians who find some sweet spot in the middle of important questions.Theyre all disaffected for very different reasons, says Kevin Kruse, a historian at Princeton University. The hard part about crafting a new party would be to cobble together a coalition out of all these disparate issues.Few voters actually swing their votes from one party to the other. Political science research has repeatedly shown that voters who identify as independents may not consider themselves partisan, but they almost invariably do vote in party-line fashion. According to the Pew Research Center , only 6 percent of voters are true independents who dont lean toward one party or the other. Gallup found that 88 percent of Americans identify with or lean toward one of the two major parties.I dont think there are a lot of moderate voters who are going to flip back and forth, says Julian Zelizer, Kruses Princeton colleague and his coauthor of. Its a small sliver of the vote.Still, there are a number of voters who are dissatisfied with American politics and the divergent directions the parties are heading. Is either party interested in winning them over?One key factor in President Trumps election was his ability to win over disaffected Democrats who had supported Barack Obama but were unhappy with the partys 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton.Trump won 206 counties that had supported Obama in 2008 and 2012, which were heavily concentrated in the Midwestern states that propelled him to an Electoral College victory.I think Donald Trump actually represented a triumph of centrism, says GOP consultant Brad Todd. A lot of analysts never thought you could run on a platform that was socially conservative and fiscally moderate.Trump pledged allegiance to conservatives on issues like abortion, gun rights and federal judges, and he has taken a hard line on immigration. But he broke with Republican orthodoxy on issues like trade and foreign intervention, while promising to protect entitlement programs and casting himself as a stronger defender of LGBT rights than Clinton.On some levels, he was the least ideologically conservative candidate in 2016 on the Republican side, says Geoffrey Kabaservice, director of political studies at the Niskanen Center, a think tank that promotes bold moderation.Its easy to forget that Trump campaigned as something of a centrist because he has governed as a staunch conservative. In contrast with his campaign stances, he has supported deep cuts to Medicaid funding and ordered a ban on transgender people serving in the military, while promoting tax cuts and abortion restrictions.On Trumps watch, the remaining moderate Republicans in Congress have nearly all retired or been defeated. Moderates, at this point, are a severe minority of a minority in the House, says Kabaservice.Having won by seizing part of the center, Trump has governed by appealing almost strictly to his base. Will Democrats claim the political space hes left vacant?The Democratic Party seems to be engaged in an effort to see how far an American party can move to the left. Prominent presidential candidates and other Democratic politicians are variously talking about preserving and expanding abortion rights, talking up a single-payer health-care plan known as Medicare for All, promising to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and seeking to impose severe energy restrictions as part of a Green New Deal.Such proposals may excite the partys progressive wing, but they threaten to put off moderate voters who would otherwise be willing to vote against Trump.When I said I'm Never Trump, I mean Never, and will vote for anyone who isn't Trump, Tom Nichols , a U.S. Naval War College professor and prominent conservative critic of the president, tweeted last month. But liberals are already exhausting me and it's only 2019.Democrats scored most of their gains at the congressional and legislative levels last fall in affluent suburbs. Sizable numbers of Republican voters -- particularly women -- who had held their nose and voted for Trump over Clinton in 2016 expressed their dissatisfaction with the president by breaking with his party in the midterms. According to the Brookings Institution , 83 percent of Americans live in counties where the Democratic share of the vote increased from 2016 to 2018.There is now a liberal consensus within the Democratic Party on social issues such as LGBT rights, immigration, marijuana legalization and same-sex marriage, says Ryan Pougiales, senior political analyst with Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank. But when it comes to the economy and the federal budget, he says, theres a broader range of opinions.He notes that during last years campaign, Democratic candidates in targeted House races often ran ads on health care, but they raised issues such as affordability, preexisting conditions and Medicare.Just two ads, total, talked about single-payer health care, Pougiales says. Both those Democrats ended up losing.Still, the partys large and wide-open presidential contest thus far has been a contest to see who can move farthest to the left. That may change, but for now progressives appear to be convinced of the correctness and popularity of their positions, spurning any candidate who veers toward the center or hints at cooperating with the other party.Progressives nowadays like to deride moderates as wanting only some global warming or offering health care to most but not all Americans. The traditional way of finding the center -- working out compromises with political opponents -- has become politically radioactive.The problem is that we continue to be in a situation where legislators are concerned that if theyre viewed as working with the other side, theyre going to lose in their primaries, says Bond, the Common Ground Committee CEO.Progressives are convinced that no matter who the Democratic nominee ends up being or what positions she or he may take, Trump will deride that candidate as a socialist.That is likely correct. But its possible to be progressive on many issues while signaling to voters a willingness to seek the center when appropriate. The new Democratic governors of Kansas, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin all ran last year on fairly liberal platforms, including support of Medicaid expansion, but broke with left orthodoxy on an issue or two after having defeated more ardently progressive candidates in their primaries.The Democrat who can win is progressive but can show a pragmatic side, says Craig Burnett, a political scientist at Hofstra University. "'Im not going to try to raise your taxes but will do things to make the country better.'"Republicans, for their part, believe that Democrats have moved so far to the left on issues such as abortion, guns and the environment that Trump can again command the center in the 2020 election, particularly if the economy keeps humming.With Democrats embracing neo-socialist policies to eliminate private health insurance and fossil fuels, Americas political center is up for grabs, Marc Thiessen, a former Bush administration official, wrote in theafter Trumps State of the Union address last month. [Trump] reached across the aisle, appealed to persuadable voters in the center and asked them to consider his reasonable proposals.That assumes that Trump will spend the campaign curbing his usual instincts to appeal to his base and demonize his enemies -- something hes shown little discipline for during his presidency.Princeton historian Zelizer notes that even if some voters might hunger for a party that better matches their positions on certain issues, they wont necessarily vote in large blocs based on such policy stances. A more perfect party fit on policy cant match the intensity of red and blue, he says, hinting at the extent to which identity has become a defining factor in our politics.Support for the parties is now split not just on ideological lines but by all manner of demographic factors, such as race, gender, geography and church attendance.If youre in a rural or small-town area and youre white, at this point youre a Republican, says Kabaservice, and if youre in a city and you went to college, youre a Democrat.American politics has largely become a contest of us vs. them. Firing people up has become less a business of defining who we are and more about making certain that a majority of voters find them completely unacceptable. During next years general election, candidates may seek to find persuadable voters, but theyll spend more time making sure their most likely voters are terrified at the prospect of four years of them.With Trump on the ballot, partisan polarization of a type thats been familiar now through four presidencies will continue.In a traditional election, its about the middle, Democratic strategist Morgan Jackson told McClatchy . But with Donald Trump, I dont think the middle exists. Nuna, Ill be back. I love you.Those words are etched in Cissy Strongs mind when she recalls the last day she saw her younger sister, Rosenda.Cissy and Rosenda are Native American women who live in southern Washington on the Yakama Indian Reservation. On Oct. 2, 2018, the sisters spoke briefly as Rosenda, 31, got ready to head out with a group of friends. One of those friends picked her up around 7 p.m., and they headed to Legends Casino on the reservation.Cissy has not heard from her sister since. She would never not tell me where she is, Cissy says. Rosenda is loud and social. She likes to go out with friends, but her four children -- two boys and two girls -- are her world. They had all her attention, Cissy says. She is just a joyful, proud mom.After four days of calling hospitals, jails, friends and family, Cissy filed a report with tribal police on the Yakama Reservation. At first there was pushback from the officers. Shes probably still partying, Cissy recalls them saying. Several days later, the Yakama police and then the FBI launched a search for Rosenda, yielding many questions but few answers. Cissy still hears whispers around town. Rosenda supposedly left the casino with a friend, but no one knows for sure where she might have gone.Rosendas photo now circulates on webpages and social media groups for other missing Native Americans. In one widely shared post, 13-year-old Marisa Ellison poses for what looks like a school portrait. Her dark brown hair cascades over her shoulders, and a dimple pierces her left cheek. Ellison vanished from her home in Oklahoma last year, a few weeks after Rosenda Strong. Ellison was found several months later and returned to her family. But the list of other missing women and girls goes on, highlighting a reality that has plagued native communities for generations.Native American women living on reservations are murdered at alarmingly high rates. In some counties, the number is more than 10 times the national average, according to the Department of Justice. Nationwide, murder is the third-leading cause of death for indigenous women. Thousands more face the threat of violence and assault. I hear these stories almost every day where native mothers are preparing their daughters for when theyre raped, says Sarah Deer, a lawyer, activist and professor of gender and sexuality studies at the University of Kansas. Not if, but when.Eighty-four percent of American Native and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, according to a 2016 report from the National Institute of Justice. Of that group, more than half experienced sexual violence. Nearly all of these women were attacked by someone from a different racial group -- a rarity for most violent crime victims. A total of 5,656 cases for missing native women or girls had been entered into the FBIs National Crime Information Center database by the end of 2017, with 633 of those cases still active. Thats 0.7 percent of all active NCIC missing persons cases, a seemingly small share.But those numbers only tell a fraction of the story. Many native people choose not to report crimes, a result of long-existing tensions between police and indigenous communities. When a crime is reported, police agencies do not always prioritize missing native cases. Whats more, different police departments have different requirements for how they share case information with national databases like the NCIC. Other inconsistencies with data collection and jurisdictional communication complicate things even further.The fact is that native women and girls are going missing around North America, and no one knows exactly how many. The problem isnt new, but federal and state lawmakers have been slow to address it. Thats beginning to change: Bills have been introduced in recent years in Arizona, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington state that aim to build tribal relations, collect research, promote transparency and provide resources to law enforcement. But with native communities divided across 50 states, thousands of counties and more than 300 federal reservations, pinpointing a solution will not be an easy thing to do.Annita Lucchesi, a human trafficking survivor, knows firsthand the dangers native women face in their day-to-day lives. Now a doctoral student with the University of Lethbridge in Canada, Lucchesi was frustrated with the lack of data on women who go missing around the United States and Canada. Four years ago, she decided to start compiling information herself by any means necessary. Canadian news media had already begun discussing missing native cases as a larger national problem. But little of that was happening in the United States. Lucchesi filed Freedom of Information Act requests, waded through news archives and online missing persons databases, reached out to native families, and scoured social media pages looking for cases. Today she operates the largest database specifically targeting missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, transgender individuals and two-spirit people, a traditional third-gender category thats recognized by many native communities. Her database now includes cases dating back to the 1900s for about 3,500 missing and murdered individuals, but she estimates an additional 20,000 need to be added.Lucchesis research has received widespread news coverage over the last two years, helping to push the conversation about missing natives into the spotlight. I think the most important thing is that its been healing for families to have that sense of validation, to have that sense of finally being heard, she says. Because so many families never get the chance to be heard.Like many other advocates, Lucchesi says the problem is rooted in systematic racism and colonialism. American Indian and Alaska Native people are not only among the countrys smallest minority populations, but they also have very little legislative representation. Just this year, Democratic Reps. Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas were sworn in as the countrys first Native American congresswomen. Of the countrys 7,383 state legislators, only 82 are Native American. For generations, native people have felt erased from society and treated as an afterthought; that history, say Lucchesi and others, also manifests in the way missing native cases are processed and investigated by law enforcement.State and local agencies face wide-ranging challenges when it comes to addressing any missing or unidentified persons case. Bodies may sit unidentified for years. Scores of prosecutable homicides go unsolved. Many agencies lack resources, manpower and training in a number of areas. In Native American communities, these shortcomings are even more apparent.Lucchesi partnered with the Seattle-based Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) to release a report last November assessing the national data crisis surrounding missing indigenous women and girls. Researchers contacted law enforcement agencies in 71 U.S. cities. Some 48 of them either did not provide data or provided partial data with significant compromises. While the report samples a small share of all U.S. cities, UIHI nonetheless provides one of the most comprehensive assessments available of police data collection on Native American cases. Among the challenges highlighted by the report are racial misclassifications of victims. Police in Fargo, N.D., for example, told researchers their data system defaults to white if a victims race is not specified in a missing persons report. In cases from Seattle, victims marked N for Negro in the 1960s and 70s were often misinterpreted to be Native American. Or consider Billings, Mont. The UIHI report identified 17 cases there that were not in law enforcement records, the second highest of the 71 cities after Gallup, N.M. On the whole, natives accounted for 30 percent of Montanas missing women and girls in July 2017, despite making up just 3 percent of the states population.Racial stereotypes about substance abuse, sex work or criminal history among native people also prompt some law enforcement agencies to take a missing persons report less seriously, researchers say. There are times when police departments will ask questions that perhaps they dont ask of white communities, says Esther Lucero, chief executive officer of the Seattle Indian Health Board, which oversees UIHI. Are you involved in sex trafficking? Are you a drug user? All of these questions that begin to change the narrative and shift blame onto the victim.When a native person goes missing, one of the fundamental questions is whos in charge. Specifically, when you are in Indian Country, jurisdiction gets really weird, says Caroline LaPorte, senior policy adviser on native affairs at the National Indigenous Womens Resource Center. In a lot of these cases, theres confusion by law enforcement about who is supposed to respond. Is it state law enforcement or Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement? Or is it the FBI?There are approximately 326 reservations under federal jurisdiction. Tribal police are typically the first line of defense for crimes committed on reservations. But theres a catch: A 1978 U.S. Supreme Court decision stripped tribal police and courts of the right to criminally prosecute non-native offenders. The reauthorization of the U.S. Violence Against Women Act in 2013 partially restored these rights, allowing tribes to investigate, prosecute, convict and sentence non-natives in cases of domestic or dating violence. Even with the change, tribal police are underfunded and understaffed. For example, about 50 officers patrol South Dakotas 3,500-square-mile Pine Ridge Reservation, an area thats larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Complicating the issue further are reservations in half a dozen states -- Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin -- that fall under state jurisdiction, not federal. And what if a resident of a tribal reservation is abducted or murdered off the reservation? Jurisdictional nuances like these can significantly slow down investigations.The Violence Against Women Act is up for reauthorization again this year. Native activists want to amend the law to extend tribal criminal jurisdiction of non-natives in cases of child abuse, sex trafficking, rape and murder. That change would help clear up some jurisdictional challenges for much of Indian Country. But more than 70 percent of native people do not live on reservations. For states and localities where most natives live, solutions may come only after governments improve their data.Washington state Republican Rep. Gina Mosbrucker is one of the lawmakers leading the effort to address that problem. We knew that there is no number in the state of Washington [on missing native women]. There was no database. The ability to provide hard numbers -- even an estimate -- can help lawmakers assess how extensive the problem is and where to allocate funding.The unsolved indigenous cases also highlight broader, more systemic challenges with the way this country handles missing persons reports. States and localities each have their own missing persons databases that differ from the FBIs NCIC database. All of these are also different from the Department of Justices National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. That database, known as NamUs, was launched in 2007 as part of an effort to enhance data sharing across jurisdictions and improve access to forensic services to help solve cases.One significant difference between the NamUs and the NCIC databases is public access. Unlike with NCIC, the general public has the ability to submit information or search for someone directly on NamUs. The submitted profile -- verified by the NamUs team -- contains details such as physical descriptions, last known whereabouts or the clothing a potential victim was wearing. NamUs staff can also upload and view biometric information such as fingerprints and dental records. A 2016 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office stated that in fiscal year 2015, 3,170 long-term missing persons cases were reported to NamUs while 84,401 missing persons records reported to NCIC became long-term cases. It added that inefficiencies exist in the use of information on missing and unidentified persons primarily because there is no mechanism to share information between the systems.Part of the challenge for the NamUs team is building awareness about their services among both the public and the police. Many law enforcement agencies arent even aware that NamUs exists. Only four states -- Illinois, Michigan, New York and Tennessee -- require law enforcement agencies to enter missing persons records into NamUs. One federal bill, dubbed Billys Law, would have addressed some of these concerns by combining the NamUs and NCIC databases. Introduced in the U.S. House in 2011, the bill never made it out of committee. I really wish there was a way that as a state we could mandate all being on the same system, says Greg Wilking, an officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department. We have 14 jurisdictions in this valley alone, and we are now trying to move toward a valley-wide [data] system.Lawmakers have introduced some pieces of legislation specifically aimed at indigenous cases. Savannas Act, first introduced in Congress in 2017, would mandate updated data, standardized law enforcement guidelines, and training for law enforcement agencies in addressing cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The measure passed the Senate but stalled in the House; it was reintroduced this year. At the state level, legislation has been introduced in Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota seeking to improve communication between state, local and tribal authorities to investigate missing persons cases, in addition to tracking just how many cases there are.Many places are looking to Washington state as a model. Lawmakers in Olympia last year passed legislation championed by Mosbrucker that tasks the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to work with tribes, local law enforcement and the Department of Justice to compile data on missing native women. The measure also directs the WSP to issue a final report, due in June, with recommendations for how to increase resources. The agency hosted meetings with native communities around the state to hear their stories and get a sense of where to begin, says WSP Capt. Monica Alexander. Still, finding concrete numbers for the final report has proven to be difficult. The only way we can help the legislature see the problem and advocate for funding is to be able to get information, she says. Its been really wonderful meeting people and opening the dialogue, but its been really challenging because I dont feel like I have anything tangible to take back.Mosbrucker says she understands the difficulties of gathering comprehensive information, but she is not waiting for the final report to take action. In January, she introduced another bill that would establish two tribal liaison positions for the WSP to build better relations between tribes and law enforcement. It would also establish a task force to develop a best practices protocol for police to follow.Mosbrucker says she hopes to see more from other states. Its not a tribal versus non-tribal issue, she says. We have to find these people, theyre in every single state -- moms and daughters and aunts. We have to find answers and we have to find resources.Today on the Yakama Reservation, 200 miles from the Washington Legislature, Rosenda Strongs family and friends are still searching. Its been six months since her sisters disappearance, and Cissy has mixed emotions as law enforcement agencies continue their investigation. Rosendas photo still circulates on social media and at local businesses and agencies, but the press coverage has slowed. At this point, Cissy says all she can do is keep sharing her sisters story, pushing for change and hoping that answers will one day come. SPEED READ: NYPD revealed this month that it has been using artificial intelligence to track crimes and spot patterns since late 2016. The first-in-the-nation technology is called Patternizr. Privacy advocates worry it will reinforce existing racial biases. The details of the crime were uniquely specific: Wielding a hypodermic syringe as a weapon, a man in New York City attempted to steal a power drill from a Home Depot in the Bronx. After police arrested him, they quickly ascertained that he'd done the same thing before, a few weeks earlier at another Home Depot, seven miles away in Manhattan.It wasn't a detective who linked the two crimes. It was a new technology called Patternizr, an algorithmic machine-learning software that sifts through police data to find patterns and connect similar crimes. Developed by the New York Police Department, Patternizr is the first tool of its kind in the nation (that we know about). It's been in use by NYPD since December 2016, but its existence was first disclosed by the department this month.The goal of all of this is to identify patterns of crime," says Alex Chohlis-Wood, the former director of analytics for NYPD and one of the researchers who worked on Patternizr. He is currently the deputy director of Stanford Universitys Computational Policy Lab. "When we identify patterns more quickly, it helps us make arrests more quickly.Many privacy advocates, however, worry about the implications of deploying artificial intelligence to fight crimes, particularly the potential for it to reinforce existing racial and ethnic biases.New York City has the largest police force in the country, with 77 precincts spread across five boroughs. The number of crime incidents is vast: In 2016, NYPD reported more than 13,000 burglaries, 15,000 robberies and 44,000 grand larcenies. Manually combing through arrest reports is laborious and time-consuming -- and often fruitless.Its difficult to identify patterns that happen across precinct boundaries or across boroughs, says Evan Levine, NYPD's assistant commissioner of data analytics.Patternizr automates much of that process. The algorithm scours all reports within NYPD's database, looking at certain aspects -- such as method of entry, weapons used and the distance between incidents -- and then ranks them with a similarity score. A human data analyst then determines which complaints should be grouped together and presents those to detectives to help winnow their investigations.On average, more than 600 complaints per week are run through Patternizr. The program is not designed to track certain crimes, including rapes and homicides. In the short term, the department is using the technology to track petty larcenies.The NYPD used 10 years of manually collected historical crime data to develop Patternizr and teach it to detect patterns. In 2017, the department hired 100 civilian analysts to use the software. While the technology was developed in-house, the software is not proprietary, and because the NYPD published the algorithm, other police departments could take the information weve laid out and build their own tailored version of Patternizr, says Levine.Since the existence of the software was made public, some civil liberties advocates have voiced concerns that a machine-based tool may unintentionally reinforce biases in policing.The institution of policing in America is systemically biased against communities of color, New York Civil Liberties Union legal director Christopher Dunn told Fast Company Any predictive policing platform runs the risks of perpetuating disparities because of the over-policing of communities of color that will inform their inputs. To ensure fairness, the NYPD should be transparent about the technologies it deploys and allow independent researchers to audit these systems before they are tested on New Yorkers.New York police point out that the software was designed to exclude race and gender from its algorithm. Based on internal testing, the NYPD told, the software is no more likely to generate links to crimes committed by persons of a specific race than a random sampling of police reports.But Gartner analyst Darin Stewart, who authored a paper on the bias of artificial intelligence last year, said the efforts to control for racial and gender biases don't go far enough."Removing race and gender as explicit factors in the training data are basically table stakes -- the necessary bare minimum," Stewart said in an interview with the site Tech Target . "It will not eliminate -- and potentially won't even reduce -- racial and gender bias in the model because it is still trained on historical outcomes."The implications are troublesome, Stewart told the site."As Patternizr casts its net, individuals who fit a profile inferred by the system will be swept up. At best, this will be an insult and an inconvenience. At worst, innocent people will be incarcerated. The community needs to decide if the benefit of a safer community overall is worth making that same community less safe for some of its members who have done nothing wrong."The NYPD has come under fire before for using Big Data technology to help fight crimes. In 2016, the Brennan Center for Justice took legal action against the department over its use of predictive policing software. This past December, the New York State Supreme Court ordered the department to release records about its testing development and use of predictive policing software. In Los Angeles, police can't always shoot at moving vehicles. San Francisco banned choke holds. Stockton officers are required to intervene if their colleagues use excessive force.They are among the California police departments that cracked down on deadly force policies following controversies similar to Stephon Clark's death in Sacramento in March 2018.Two officers shot and killed Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed black man, after chasing him into his grandmother's backyard and mistaking his cell phone for a gun. Prosecutors did not charge the officers, saying they feared for their lives.The Sacramento Police Department has nevertheless begun making changes to its use of force policies. A California Department of Justice report in January made 49 recommendations for Sacramento drawn from police agencies across the state.Marcus Basquez, a spokesman for the Sacramento department, said its research and development team has implemented more than half of the proposals, including strengthening body camera rules. The department policy already expected officers to use de-escalation techniques, including verbal warnings and "time, distance, cover," when reasonably possible."The use of force policy is currently being updated and will include significant updated changes, including many of these recommendations," Basquez said. "We are committed to transparency. Anyone can go to (our page) to read what our policies are and we are currently looking at our use of force policy to update it where we can."But rebuilding community rapport will take time, money and buy-in from all stakeholders if the experiences in other cities are any indication.It's been a three-year process for San Francisco, four for Stockton and nearly 20 for Los Angeles."No department is going to change overnight," said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott. "The research, understanding data, revising your policies, training to your policies, it's a process. It takes years, really, to implement that change."Stockton Chief of Police Eric Jones said a best-practice policy rewrite is just a starting point.In 2015, the Stockton Police Department partnered with Urban Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C. specializing in economic and social policy. The institute surveyed community trust in law enforcement throughout six U.S. cities, including Stockton, and then worked with departments to change policing practices.When Jones got the baseline results back, he was disappointed to say the least."It was a gut punch to see how dismal the numbers were," Jones said.After years of topping the list of deadly force rates and having collected a litany of egregious force allegations against it, the statistics confirmed what Jones had long hypothesized but underestimated. Years of over-policing earned officers a deeply fractured relationship with the very residents for whom they had pledged to die in the line of duty.The study found that only 26 percent of residents in the participating cities felt that police were fair and impartial, while more than 55 percent believed police treated people differently based on their race and ethnicity.In the last four years, Stockton has worked with Urban Institute to create a procedural justice strategic plan. The new approach puts fairness, transparency and impartiality at the forefront of every enforcement action.More than 400 officers have since undergone eight-hour training sessions focused on community reconciliation and implicit bias, and Jones has participated in 200 community listening sessions."My role has been to infuse into the culture of the police department the trust-building work that we hold near and dear to our heart," Jones said recently during a police-community reconciliation symposium with the John Jay College. "We knew we needed to reconnect to the community".The use-of-force policy now limits canine force and in most cases prohibits officers from shooting at moving vehicles and fleeing suspected felons..As a result, murder rates and non-fatal shootings are down by more than 30 percent, and an increase in anonymous tips helped clear 67 percent of open homicide cases in 2018, the department said."I literally can see the changes," said Toni McNeil, director of Social Justice Ministry at Victory in Praise Church and community organizer with Faith in the Valley of San Joaquin County."Officers are more approachable," McNeil added, speaking alongside Jones at the symposium. "If there's a concern or question in regard to why something happened or why it is done in this way, there is space that is now created to have those conversations -- whether or not it's uncomfortable."San Francisco similarly invited the United States Department of Justice in 2016 to conduct a six-month analysis on policing and community trust.The DOJ dished out hundreds of recommendations. The agency now requires extensive reporting for a spectrum of force tactics, from pointing a firearm to using an impact weapon.The sweeping policy requires officers to intervene when another agent is using excessive force and urges officers to rely on an index of de-escalation strategies, like verbal warnings and non-deadly physical intervention.Scott, San Francisco's police chief, said use-of-force incidents are down 30 percent and the department has already implemented more than 100 of the DOJ's 272 recommendations.The mayor authorized $17.5 million for the process, a price tag Scott said "was just a start.""We always have to evolve with training needs, and technology and equipment changes," Scott said. "This reform work is expensive, and it comes at a price."When the Los Angeles Police Department started the "long, long process" of reform, spokesperson Josh Rubenstein said, the DOJ helped financially back the initiatives through a 2001 consent decree."(The decree) gave us the financial power and the motivation and the incentive and the push to make those tremendous changes," Rubenstein said.The agency had stacked countless charges against it over many years, including corruption, physical abuse and constitutional misconduct.Under the decree, the LAPD opened an investigative unit to analyze deadly force incidents and now requires administrative review and oversight into when and why force was used. In an effort to increase transparency between the public and police, the LAPD includes use-of-force reports on its website.A 2009 Harvard study determined that reducing force had no impact on crime rates in L.A., which decreased under the new policy.The decree was lifted 12 years later, after the department met a significant number of the requirements that Rubenstein said required a "culture and mind shift of the entire department.""Every single division or bureau or how a department is designed needs to come together to discuss what that change means to everyone else," he said. "You're taking about big changes here, not small changes."Now a statewide approach to use-of-force policies has gained new traction in California Legislature.AB 392 would update the "reasonable" standard officers who use deadly force must meet to a stricter "necessary" requirement. That means they would have to exhaust all other options, including using de-escalation strategies like verbal warnings or persuasion tactics before they could employ force.Officers would risk facing criminal charges if they use lethal force, a legislative element that's drawn sharp criticism from enforcement agencies.The California Police Chiefs Association is instead sponsoring SB 230, by Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas. The bill demands greater force training in every California department, but leaves it up to local jurisdictions to determine what those procedures look like, a point of contention for opponents who say that without a uniform standard, the proposal is a "bill with no teeth."Seth Stoughton, a use-of-force expert and law professor at the University of South Carolina, said the bills would likely work well together, and overall do little to change what some departments already have in place.Officials in Stockton, San Francisco and Los Angeles all stopped short of endorsing legislation, but said their reform work will continue regardless of what happens in the Capitol."I think it's a very good policy and it's a policy that's served us well," Scott said. "Other departments would have to tweak their policy to fit the needs of their community. But it's a good template for people to take a look at. Whether it works for everybody remains to be seen, but it's worked for us." (TNS) Colorado Springs will use money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to buy out three more homes damaged by landslides in 2015, the City Council decided Tuesday.The councils unanimous decision brings to nine the number of homes that have been or will be purchased by Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, awarded through FEMA.But some property owners are still awaiting buyouts after slow-moving landslides, fueled by record rains in the spring and summer of 2015, severely damaged or destroyed dozens of homes in the Lower Skyway and Broadmoor Bluffs neighborhoods.The city has bought three houses and approved the purchase of three more in January. On Tuesday, houses at 904 and 1002 Zodiac Drive and 315 Haversham Drive were added to that list, which includes other homes on Zodiac Drive and homes on Broadmoor Bluffs Drive and Constellation Drive.Each house will be demolished after its appraised and cleared of hazardous materials, and the land will be left as open space.Gordon Brenner, the citys recovery coordinator, said he will soon ask the City Council to approve a 10th buyout, the last that will be possible with this round of funds from the grant program.Another 10 homeowners are still on the waiting list, Brenner said. City staff will continue to work with the state to apply for additional funding to purchase the remaining homes, he said.Id like to get it done as quickly as possible, Brenner said. These poor people have been living in these conditions really since the summer of 2015.Many of those victims have moved out of their homes because damage made them unsafe, but theyve had to maintain ownership of the properties to qualify for federal funds. Some have for years paid two mortgages, anticipating they would eventually get a payout by holding onto the damaged properties.Brenner declined to say where those homes awaiting buyouts are located, citing concern for residents privacy. Disclosing that information could be detrimental to the homeowners if they choose to sell their houses in the future, he said.2019 The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)Visit The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at www.gazette.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) State tax incentives designed to support the growth of the Digital Crossroads of America Data Center on Hammond's lakeshore have passed both the Indiana House and Senate.On Monday, the Senate voted 46-0 for House Bill 1405, putting the measure on track to advance to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law in the weeks ahead, once the House consents to Senate changes in the proposal.State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, the sponsor, said he intends to submit the legislation for final approval by the House as soon as possible, and not open the door to further revision by sending it instead to a House-Senate conference committee.It previously passed the House 95-1.Currently, the measure exempts data center equipment and most electricity used at the facility from business personal property tax as well as the state's 7 percent sales tax, on the condition that the data center developer invest up to $150 million in the project within five years.In addition, at least 75 percent of data center construction material and labor must be sourced through Indiana vendors, and the tax exemptions expire after 25 years unless the data center investment tops $750 million, which extends the tax exemptions to 50 years.The 50-year option was added to the legislation last week in the Senate to make Indiana's tax incentives for large data centers more competitive with other states."The tax structure changes in this bill will put Indiana in the top five in the country on data center tax policy," said state Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper."This bill could be the biggest economic development bill in this session."A data center is a facility where technology companies and other businesses store massive amounts of data, either as a back-up to their on-site equipment or to better serve users accessing videos, games, cloud computing or other online services.The Hammond data center is planned as a $40 million, 105,000-square-foot project at the site of the former State Line Generating Plant.But Tom Dakich, the Merrillville native developing the Hammond data center, said the tax incentives could help the facility grow into a $200 million campus with 400,000 square feet of lake-cooled data storage.Following construction, the data center itself isn't expected to employ much more than 40 or 50 people. But Messmer said it's the ancillary jobs that make the tax incentives a prudent state investment."These are very high-paying jobs," Messmer said. "The anchor created by the data center creates incredible growth in the support industries and customers that locate near the the vicinity of a data center."The legislation also provides similar tax incentives to encourage other data centers to locate elsewhere in the state. I'm not surprised that an online travel agency like Expedia would believe the hotel. After all, it's getting far more money from the hotel than it is from you. But I am a little troubled that it continued to believe the Hotel Infanta Isabel even after you showed it your email. (TNS) Alarmed by their landlord's attempt to install a biometric security system in their development, Atlantic Plaza Towers tenants are pushing a state agency to register privacy concerns raised by the facial-recognition technology.The Atlantic Plaza Towers Tenant Association is urging Homes and Community Renewal, the state agency overseeing rent-regulated housing, to provide it with more time to oppose an application for a biometric security system submitted by its landlord, Nelson Management Group. The tool would scan faces and admit those who match resident profiles a prospect that has tenants worried about the accuracy of technology and about their location being tracked and shared. HCR acknowledged Nelson Management Group had submitted the first considered application to modify service in a rent-regulated building for facial recognition equipment, but would not indicate when it would issue a decision."He owns 12 developments. Why did he target a development that is predominantly Afro-Americans in East New York to test and predominantly women that live in the development to test?" said Johnnymae Robinson, 59, noting her landlord owns several other developments. "Why is he preying on our community?"The StoneLock facial recognition takes under a minute to enroll in and uses near-infrared wavelengths to capture properties like shape and reflectivity beneath the skin, according to a flyer shared by a spokesman for Nelson Management Group. About 5 percent of users' facial information is mapped out in a way that cannot be imitated or recognized by the human eye. The data are then encrypted and stored on a StoneLock Gateway server that would never leave the control of Nelson Management Group, according to the flyer.Nelson Management Group prioritizes identifying and implementing cutting edge technology at all our properties to create a safer environment for tenants. The sole goal of implementing this technology is to advance that priority," Chris Santarelli, a spokesman for the landlord, said in a statement. "We appreciate engagement from tenants on this matter and look forward to feedback from (HCR)."The slog against the security system comes after the Ocean Hill tenants say the Nelson Management Group has instituted other invasive policies. They said the landlord required that residents be photographed before getting keys to new mailboxes and has sent notices referencing what residents were seen carrying home on security cameras. Residents said tensions have escalated as the landlord opted not to discuss the security system plans ahead of submitting the application. Staff have taken steps to curtail related tenant organizing, they said, which culminated in a security guard calling the police on people handing out flyers in the lobby this weekend."They just disqualify us as people who live here," said Robinson, who has lived in the towers for 50 years. "We're stakeholders here. We're not just staying here to stay here. This is where we raised our children; some people raised their grandchildren, and some people have great-grandchildren."In July, Nelson Management Group applied to install a StoneLock face recognition entry system in the towers, located at 216 Rockaway Ave. and 249 Thomas S. Boyland St. in Brooklyn. HCR provided residents 20 days to respond to notices about the applications, but the paperwork was delivered erratically, with some residents receiving it after the deadline had passed and others only learning about the plan from neighbors, tenants said.The tenant association then unanimously voted against the proposal, according to its president, Patricia Winston.As residents' responses began filtering in at HCR, Nelson Management Group sent a security point-person to meet with residents in February, according to Winston and other tenants.The landlord reiterated in February that information would never be shared to a third party without a court order, according to Santarelli. He said residents would not be given the option to opt out of security protocols, which he said was a standard practice.But attendees said they left the gathering with unanswered questions."Management kind of looked at us as if you should be grateful to have this sort of security technology in here, rather than asking us if we wanted it or if we were even comfortable," said Fabian Rogers, 23. "What's the point of paying rent if all of the major decisions in the building have nothing that involves you in the process?"Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuel, who represents the area, wrote to HCR requesting that the agency take the time to thoroughly weigh residents' concerns. In January, Brooklyn Legal Services, a program of Legal Services NYC, sent a similar memo, highlighting research showing that facial recognition technology is less accurate in assessing the elderly, women and people of color. The correspondence, which lawyers said was signed by 400 residents, raised questions about whether movement tracking could be used in eviction proceedings or could be accessed by NYPD, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other government agencies.These rent-stabilized tenants should not be forced to choose between giving their landlord control of their biometric data and keeping their homes, especially in a gentrifying neighborhood where affordable housing is hard to come by, Mona Patel, an attorney with Legal Services NYCs Tenant Rights Coalition, said in a statement. Tenants are rightfully concerned "HCR did not directly respond when asked when a decision could be expected. Once the agency's Office of Rent Administration issues an order on the matter, both tenants and the owner could challenge it, HCR said.This application is currently under review, and HCR is committed to providing due process for tenants and owners as required by law," HCR spokeswoman Charni Sochet said in a statement.The two towers, which are home to some 715 households, were previously in the Mitchell-Lama program targeting middle class families. In early 2016, Nelson Management Group signed a regulatory agreement, which required that units be rent-stabilized for 35 years, even if their rents reach the threshold at which they could otherwise enter the general market. Under the stabilization program, rents can be increased when money is invested in upgrading units and when they are vacated, which has led some residents to believe the landlord has an incentive to promote turnover.Robinson estimated she had seen 10 families move out amid what she and others described as an intrusive management style. She said she received notifications after her son came home with a freezer, reminding her of related rules. Icemae Downes shared similar concerns about the surveillance cameras, saying she got a memo after bringing home a heater.Santarelli did not directly address tenants' claims about the photographs, but said the landlord renovated lobbies and added package rooms this January. He noted that the turnover rate has dropped to 2.56 percent, when it was an average of 5.19 percent from 2008 to 2015.Correspondences started to include warnings about loitering when tenants began going door-to-door to ensure neighbors knew about the proposed security system and distributing information about it in the lobby, residents said.This weekend, groups composed of tenants and one attorney approached residents in the lobby of both buildings and were told to leave by security guards, the attorneys said. The crews converged at 216 Rockaway Ave., where the lawyers said they reminded staff that tenants have the right to organize and meet in the building. Management called the police, which the legal team said demanded that those gathered go into the community room, where they could not approach those entering or leaving the development.The NYPD said police responded at 11:14 a.m. to a call about a dispute at the building and determined no crime had been committed. Police said the department does not have any record of summonses or arrests at that address.Santarelli said staff called police because an "outside group" was blocking tenants' access to the building without a formal request. (TNS) In a major sign that Californias earthquake early warning system is moving forward, officials are testing the program in downtown Oakland on Wednesday morning.Like the familiar Amber Alert, starting at 11 a.m., the ShakeAlert will blare from smartphones in a 60-block area, announcing: This is a test of the California Earthquake warning system. No action required. This is a test.Then users will be asked to complete a survey that will reveal whether the exercise the first public trial in the Bay Area was a success. Experts will measure how long it took for the message to reach people.In a real earthquake, the message would be different: Drop, cover and hold on.We want to determine if a wireless emergency alert is a feasible solution, said Ryan Arba of the states Office of Emergency Services, which is partnering with the United States Geological Survey, city of Oakland and Alameda County on the exercise.The Bay Area has a very high seismic risk, he said, but there are steps that we can take, not only as individuals but also as governments, to help give people as much protection as possible from that eventual earthquake.The warning system could save lives by instructing people to seek cover or find a safer place to ride out the quake.Eventually, it may be possible to trigger lifesaving actions such as stopping BART and other transit systems, shutting off gas lines to help prevent fires, opening doors at fire stations to ensure that engines arent trapped inside, and stopping elevators at the closest floors.Several countries, including Japan, Mexico, China, Turkey and Romania, already have earthquake warning systems in place.After more than a decade of development, Californias ShakeAlert system has 616 seismic sensors near major faults and population centers in California, said Robert-Michael de Groot, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist who is one of the coordinators of the ShakeAlert system.The system is about half finished. With recently secured state and federal funding, Californias network of 1,115 seismic sensors should be completed within the next several years. Most are located on or near major faults and population centers along the coast.The early warning system operates on a simple principle: The shaking from an earthquake generates waves in the ground. Sensors quickly send automated signals to monitoring centers in Seattle, Menlo Park, Berkeley and Pasadena. Within about 5 seconds, computer algorithms will then analyze the data to rapidly identify the epicenter and strength of the earthquake and decide whether the temblor will be powerful enough to warrant an alert.If sensors detect a magnitude 5.0 or greater earthquake, a message is sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for distribution.Authorities arent sure how long itll take for FEMA to issue the alert, which will be transmitted over cell towers by the three major cell phone carriers and then delivered to customers phones.The notification can be sent to cell phones regardless of whether residents have opted-in. This system, the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), blankets an area with a warning.But its geographical targeting, based on a labyrinth of cell towers and a honeycomb of tower signal sectors, lacks some precision so Wednesdays alert may overshoot or undershoot the desired alert area.There also is concern that the system isnt currently fast enough for earthquake warnings. Cellphone alerts can take tens of seconds, or even minutes, to be delivered.Officials also are studying how to send follow-up messages in the event of false alerts, delayed or missed alerts or warnings about major earthquakes that trigger alerts but pose no threat because theyre so far away.USGS started developing ShakeAlert in 2006 with the help of partners that include UC Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology and the Southern California Earthquake Center. The project has received more than $100 million in funding from the federal government, the California Governors Office of Emergency Services and private sources such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. In his first budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom in January set aside $16.3 million from the states general fund to complete the system.Oakland was chosen for Wednesdays test because civic leaders are serious about earthquake preparedness, Arba said. And downtowns small test zone has several government agencies and businesses that were willing to volunteer and respond to the survey.We strongly believe in the system, said Arba. This test tomorrow is our opportunity to see if something that exists in peoples cell phones today can be used as a pathway to deliver these alerts.For more information on the test and how to participate by filling out a survey, please visit www.caloes.ca.gov/eew .Take the test:1) Before the test starts, using either your cell phone or your desktop computer go to the official web site www.time.is. Make sure that your correct time zone is being reflected in the readout.2) Starting a few minutes in advance of the scheduled alert time (11:00 a.m. PDT), keep a close watch on your cell phone and the official time and note the exact time to the nearest second, if you can at which the alert first arrives on your phone. This alert will have the heading Emergency Alert, and this message: TEST of the CA Earthquake Warning System. No action required. THIS IS A TEST.3) Please take this survey armed with the time (to the second) you received the alert. Second Time Around (TNS) The planned $40 million overhaul of Marin County, Calif.s outdated emergency radio system, which is set to close coverage gaps for firefighters in some of the countys wildlands, is at least three years behind schedule, officials said.Rollout of the new system was initially scheduled for this year. But several setbacks have pushed the projects completion to 2022 at the soonest, said Richard Pearce, board president for the Marin Emergency Radio Authority and chief of the Tiburon Fire Protection District.We were very ambitious with our timeline, Pearce said. But these delays have really caused us some issues.The first setback came when a radio frequency oversight committee raised concerns about the project design. The committee, a regional adviser to the Federal Communications Commission, said some planned antennas could interfere with radio signals in other nearby jurisdictions.Designers were forced to modify the project to address those concerns, which pushed the timeline back several months for the Marin Emergency Radio Authority, commonly known as MERA.Initial plans called for 12 antenna sites, five of which would be new. The latest iteration of the design includes 10 existing sites and eight new ones. Five existing sites will be decommissioned.The radio authority hit another roadblock when a review of its contract with Motorola Solutions revealed several omissions. The contract was signed in 2017 with approval from the county Board of Supervisors. Motorolas design was the only one submitted when a request for proposals was sent out.The signed contract included a cost for hundreds of new radios that will be used by emergency personnel. But the agreement made no mention of chargers for those radios.That was in dispute and had to be resolved by a change order, said Maureen Cassingham, the authoritys executive officer.The contract also assumed the radio authority would get the antenna sites ready for installation, pushing that work off Motorolas plate. But that was a discrepancy for the authority, among several others.I wouldnt call these misunderstandings, but disputes, Cassingham said. We made a series of change orders to the contract that has required additional time to resolve these issues.Changes to the Motorola contract increased the initial $34.3 million cost by about $5.3 million. The authority has also opted for an extended, 15-year warranty policy on the system, which will cost an additional $9 million. But the project is still within its budget, according to Pearce.The system will be paid for with money generated by a 20-year parcel tax that Marin voters approved in 2014. The tax, which costs about $29 per household annually, is expected to generate more than $60 million in revenue.With the contract and a revised plan for antenna sites hammered out, the authority expects to release an environmental impact report for public comment next month, according to Cassingham.Preparing the report, which was originally scheduled for release last year, took longer than anticipated, Cassingham said.This is a very extensive and very thorough (environmental impact report) that has to consider not just the reuse of existing sites but the new sites too, she said. Its not your average report, where you go in and look at a very site-specific project.Comments on the report will be accepted for 45 days following its release. The authority will then review any concerns raised and attempt to resolve them. Potential concerns could include impacts on plant and animal species surrounding antenna sites, aesthetics, health concerns related to radio frequencies and impacts on cultural sites.The radio authority was formed in 1998 to plan, finance, manage, own and operate the countys emergency radio system. It is governed by a 25-member board of directors appointed by stakeholder agencies throughout the county. The same year it was formed, the authority signed a contract with Motorola to design and build its current radio system. The project was met with numerous lawsuits, which for years tied it up in legal battles.The authority installed its first radios connected to the new system at the San Rafael Police Department in January 2004, but at the time was still working through legal challenges to build some proposed antenna sites.A state appeals court in August 2004 overturned a Marin Superior Court decision that granted Tiburon a stop-work order to halt construction of an antenna site on Mt. Tiburon. The Tiburon court case had been among the authoritys greatest legal challenges.Cassingham hopes what the radio authority calls its next generation system revamp wont meet the same resistance.I dont think this will happen the second time around, she said. But I think its possible that someone could pose a challenge to the (impact report).Officials hope the overhaul will be a long-lasting upgrade to an antiquated system. With the advent of new technologies, manufacturers are no longer making parts compatible with Marins system, so fixing broken hardware in recent years has been a challenge. The radio authority has solicited parts from other jurisdictions that have upgraded their systems and sold off old equipment. Some have been purchased through eBay.Its like limping your cellphone along for that little extra period of time before you get a new one, said Jason Weber, chief of the Marin County Fire Department.The new system, which will be controlled by software Cassingham describes as light years ahead of what the authority is currently using, is expected to address some inefficiencies that have been a challenge for emergency crews.The current system has a capacity limit for users and, in extreme circumstances, gets overloaded with radio traffic. Officials have installed a backup system to combat the issue, but the new technology should eradicate the problem.Though it wont be perfect, officials say the next generation radio will expand coverage for firefighters working in some of Marins most heavily forested areas.With the threat of wildfire in Marin growing increasingly worrisome for many residents in the wake of several deadly and destructive blazes tearing through nearby communities, fire officials are eager to get the new system in place. But Weber isnt sweating the delay.Instead of rushing us into something that might not meet our needs over the long term, were taking the time to do it wisely and get it right, he said. (TNS) Southside, Ala., police can put an eye in the sky now and a voice as well with the purchase of a drone for use by the department and the city.Officers Kip Williams and Baylon Fry demonstrated the drone Monday morning for reporters, Mayor Wally Burns and Chief Chris Jones, but it wasn't the first time it's been used on official business.Jones said Williams used the drone this weekend to assist DeKalb County authorities taking aerial pictures of a crime scene. That's one of many uses he sees for it.Williams said it will be helpful in searches for missing persons, or in any type of search. Southside has a lot of wooded terrain, Jones said, and the drone can cover it quicker than people on foot."We often have elderly people who walk off, and get turned around," the chief said, and they need to be found quickly.He said it should save the department a lot of manpower.In addition to a 2800 lumen light for searches, Williams said the drone has a 100-decibel speaker, that can broadcast a prerecorded message or a live message. He demonstrated it, delivering a message through the drone of the sort that might be delivered to a lost or stranded person: "This is the Southside Police Department; remain calm, help is on the way."Burns said he thinks the drone is a great addition to the city's resources. He said he and the council appreciated a donation from Etowah County Commissioner Joey Statum toward the purchase of the drone, which cost $3,900."We've talked about using it if we have drainage issues," he said, to locate problems from above. It can be used for aerial photos, and Southside is willing to share the technology with surrounding cities and law enforcement agencies, as the department did last weekend.Williams said the drone has an infrared camera that can look for heat signatures during searches.The drone is registered with the FAA, he said, and he and Fry will have FAA-approved training in its use.It has a beacon visible for 3 miles, and its range from the hand-held controller to the hovering device is up to 5 miles, according to the box.However, Williams noted that the FAA says the devices are not to be flown out of visual range. After nearly two years, 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants, and 500 witness interviews, we now know that Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Department of Justice made clear that the special counsels report includes no new indictments or sealed indictments. After this thorough investigation, President Trump has been cleared of a charge that has divided the nation and been used by Democrats and many in the media to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the results of the 2016 presidential election. Armed with the truth, Americans can now be assured that neither our president nor any American has been charged of criminal conspiracy to collude with Russia. Carl Bernstein, of Watergate fame, said on Monday that, the American system of justice has delivered to President Trump the greatest gift of his presidency. That gift was the truth, that despite the claims of the presidents political opponents and their allies in the media, there was no collusion to subvert American democracy. The Mueller report findings are momentous because the nation has been transfixed by the Russia collusion narrative for the past two years. A media study found that the total amount of time in 2018 devoted to the Russiagate story on evening newscasts of the three major networks, ABC, CBS and NBC, was 332 minutes. Another study found that since May 2017, more than 533,000 web articles have been published about Russia and the special counsel. Collusion has been the central charge leveled against President Trump by Democrats and many in the media, placing a cloud of legal uncertainty over his administration. Former CIA Director John Brennan said in 2018 that Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) said recently that there is direct evidence of collusion. There is no likelihood that Special Counsel Mueller missed that evidence before concluding no collusion. These powerful figures are not alone in American politics to have bet everything on a false narrative, and they have lost all credibility. The truth appears to be too inconvenient to accept for many Democrats to accept. The purpose of the special counsel was to find the truth no matter where it took us, and the truth is that there was no collusion, conspiracy, or coordination. I voted with 419 of my colleagues in the House in favor of releasing the report, within legal guidelines, to the public because Americans deserve transparency. President Trump has also called for the report to be made public. Special Counsel Mueller has vindicated the president by clearing him of collusion charges, the central argument his critics have used to attempt to delegitimize his presidency, and now it is time for the country to begin moving on. In the zeal to throw the book at Smollett, further damage was done to the credibility of a Police Department that already is struggling with an image problem. They took it too far. If this could happen to a TV star under the glare of the national spotlight, what might happen to an ordinary Joe behind closed doors? Thats why the city should reject exclusive contracts that only benefit a single company and are not in the interests of all Chicago neighborhoods and families, said Rev. Andre Smith. Unfortunately, what we are witnessing now is the city striking a no-bid backroom deal with Lyft-owned Divvy, that gives Divvy a monopoly over all bike-share programs in the city, with no expansion to the South and West side for over two years. An annual ' tracking the progress of California Climate Investments, released by the California Air Resources Board and the California Department of Finance, finds that nearly $1.4 billion in new funding last year went to projects across all of Californias 58 countiesalmost double the $720 million spent in 2017. The states cap-and-trade program, which began in 2012, was re-authorized and improved in 2017 to ensure California continues to meet its ambitious climate change goals and that billions of dollars in auction proceeds keep flowing to communities across the state through California Climate Investments. To date, $9.3 billion in cap-and-trade proceeds has been appropriated to 20 state agencies that have distributed $3.4 billion to projects that are either completed or under way across the state. These implemented funds have leveraged an additional $10.8 billion from other sources. From rebates for electric and plug-in vehicles to energy efficiency and solar installations that are reducing home energy costs, more than 125,000 individual projects were completed in 2018. Among the projects: Replacing three old, dirty diesel school buses at the Ukiah United School District with three electric school buses through the Rural School Bus Pilot Project. Overall, 60 new clean school buses were delivered to rural school districts throughout the state. Expanding a network of community air-quality monitors operated by Casa Familiar in San Ysidro, one of 28 community-based organizations and tribes statewide receiving grants to engage residents in efforts to reduce local air pollution. Installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system at The Allison, an affordable housing property in San Diego, one of the more than 70,000 projects installing energy efficiency measures across the state. Last year, the state doubled the number of affordable housing units under contract for construction to 3,200 units, and tripled the number of trees planted in urban areas to 50,000 trees, compared to the previous year. Cap-and-trade funding was also used to create more fire-resilient communities and ecosystems. These wildfire resilience projects create fire breaks around communities and use thinning and prescribed fire to remove flammable vegetation in fire-prone areas of the state, especially the western edge of the Sierra National Forest. Nearly $2 billion of the $3.3 billion in implemented investments57%is benefitting the states most vulnerable populations, exceeding the 35% investment minimum required under statute. Senate Bill 535 established a minimum investment to benefit communities designated as disadvantaged by the California Environmental Protection Agency when the cap-and-trade investments began. In 2016, Assembly Bill 1550 replaced and expanded those minimums to include low-income communities and low-income households. The latest report shows state agencies are exceeding those requirements, with 39% of investments benefitting and located within disadvantaged communities. Additionally, 16% of investments benefit and are located in low-income communities. Projects funded to date are achieving the overall goal of California Climate Investments by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 36.5 million metric tons, roughly equivalent to taking eight million cars off the road for a year. The report includes statistics on a variety of other environmental and economic benefits from these investments. For example, outcomes expected over the life of the projects that received funding in 2018 alone include: Conserving 85 billion gallons of water through water efficiency projects, enough to supply the cities of Sacramento and San Diego for a year. Saving 161 gigawatt hours of electricity through energy efficiency projects, enough to power more than 15,000 homes for a year. Planting more than 3.6 million trees over time through urban greening and other forest health programs. The report also features profiles that highlight the impact these investments are having on individuals and communities, particularly those in Californias most disadvantaged areas. The European Parliament, Council and Commission (the EU institutions) reached a provisional political agreement on the revised General Safety Regulation. As of 2022 a suite of 15 new safety technologies will become mandatory in European vehicles to protect passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. The European Commission expects that the proposed measures will help save more than 25,000 lives and avoid at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038. The new mandatory safety features include: For cars, vans, trucks and buses: warning of driver drowsiness and distraction (e.g. smartphone use while driving); intelligent speed assistance (ISA); reversing safety with camera or sensors; and data recorder in case of an accident (black box). ISA uses a speed sign-recognition video camera and/or GPS-linked speed limit data to advise drivers of the current speed limit and automatically limit the speed of the vehicle as needed. ISA systems do not automatically apply the brakes, but simply limit engine power preventing the vehicle from accelerating past the current speed limit unless overridden. For cars and vans: lane-keeping assistance; advanced emergency braking; and crash-test improved safety belts. For trucks and buses: specific requirements to improve the direct vision of bus and truck drivers and to remove blind spots; and systems at the front and side of the vehicle to detect and warn of vulnerable road users, especially when making turns. In addition to protecting people on European roads, the EC suggests, the new advanced safety features will help drivers get gradually used to the new driving assistance. Increasing degrees of automation offer significant potential to compensate for human errors and offer new mobility solutions for the elderly and physically impaired. All this should enhance public trust and acceptance of automated cars, supporting the transition towards autonomous driving. Next steps. The political agreement reached by the European Parliament, Council and Commission in the trilogue negotiations is now subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and Council.The new safety features will become mandatory from 2022, with the exception of direct vision for trucks and buses and enlarged head impact zone on cars and vans, which will follow later due to the necessary structural design changes. Background. In recent years, the EU has introduced a range of mandatory measures, which contributed to an estimated reduction of 50,000 fatal traffic casualties per year. These measures include electronic stability control systems on all vehicles, as well as advanced emergency braking systems and lane departure warning systems on trucks and buses. In 2017, the Commission launched a public consultation to gather stakeholder views on potential improvements to current vehicle safety measures. In May 2018, the Commission then proposed a review of the General Safety Regulation and the Pedestrian Safety Regulation, under the Third Europe on the Move set of actions. The revised General Safety Regulation goes hand-in-hand with an efficient safety management of road infrastructure, where the Commission's proposal was agreed in February 2019. The Commission also presented a Communication on Connected and Automated Mobility to make Europe a world leader for autonomous and safe mobility systems. As a first deliverable for connected mobility the Commission had adopted new rules that step up the deployment of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) on Europe's roads. C-ITS allow vehicles to talk to each other, to the road infrastructure, and to other road users. News of Stacias death has left us stunned, deeply saddened, struggling to understand how someone we cared for so much could be the victim of such an unimaginably violent act, and wondering how we could have helped her prevent it, Amato wrote. Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has said the letter is as phony as the attack, which he said Smollett staged when the letter got no publicity. But federal officials have yet to say anything publicly about the letter or possible charges. Infowars host Alex Jones is spouting conspiracy theories about the suicide of Sandy Hook father Jeremy Richman, the same day he offered condolences. Richman was found dead Monday at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. His daughter, Avielle, was one of 20 students killed in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School. During his Monday broadcast Jones questioned whether Richmans death had been a suicide, as Media Matters first reported. I mean, is there going to be a police investigation? Are they going to look at the surveillance cameras? I mean, what happened to this guy? This whole Sandy Hook thing is, like, really getting even crazier, Jones said. Jones has repeatedly questioned the reality of the Sandy Hook shootings, calling it a false flag and the victims child actors. He is a defendant in a defamation suit filed by six Sandy Hook families, including Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel. On Monday, Jones lawyer, Norm Pattis, issued a statement regarding Richmans death, offering his condolences. We note the tragic passing of Jeremy Richman with heavy hearts and profound sorrow, he said. Mr. Jones sends his condolences to Mr. Richmans family and wishes only for peace. Pattis, in a blog post Wednesday titled The censors take aim at Alex Jones, defended his clients right to say whatever he wants. Some of the things folks say to Mr. Jones, some of the things Mr. Jones says, make folks uncomfortable, Pattis wrote. No one is forced to listen to Mr. Jones. No one is forced to watch InfoWars. People do so because they find something they need there. Jones has, in the past, admitted publicly that the Sandy Hook shootings did happen. Children and educators were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, understandably scarring and causing extraordinary grief throughout the community, Jones lawyer argued in January while trying to get a venue change. People who have lived this close to such a horrific tragedy cannot be expected to think about it unemotionally, particularly when an attorney representing its victims is directly and falsely accusing third parties (in this case, defendants) of callously profiting from their grief. On Monday, Jones suggested on his show that Richman had been murdered, and that his death had something to do with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election interference. Look, the good news of no collusion, the good news that Im not a Russian agent comes out, and now this happens right on time. Just amazing, he said. GREENWICH A proposal for a new fire station in northwest Greenwich dominated the meeting as the public got one last chance to try to sway the Board of Estimate and Taxation before its Thursday vote on the town budget. It was standing room only at Tuesday nights public hearing with more than 100 residents speaking out on funding for the fire station, school projects and a new civic center. The BET is considering an allocation of $100,000 to look at possible sites for the fire station, which is expected to include career firefighters and a Greenwich Emergency Medical Services station. The fire station in the northwest corner has long been a priority of residents as well as First Selectman Peter Tesei. The Representative Town Meeting blocked a previous attempt to build one in 2016, but a house fire last summer on Locust Road spurred a new focus on a station. On Tuesday night, speakers said there was no more time to waste. Were not even talking about building a firehouse (yet), were just talking about finding a site, Allen Williams, chair of the Northwest Greenwich Association, told the BET. Its a good start, but its almost like its too late. If ... someone had actually died (in the August fire), I think wed be having a different conversation right now. A wrongful death lawsuit whats that worth? ... Whats it going to take (for) this town to protect the northwest corridor? Williams said. Development is increasing in northwest Greenwich, where there are already two large private schools, he noted. Adding tolls to the states highways could increase traffic in the area, which could further slow response time in that corner of town, Williams said. But several RTM members said the town cannot make a fully informed decision on the fire house without more data on fire department response times. The problem needs to be examined and recommendations made to properly manage response times, RTM member Philip Dodson told the BET. These questions raised cause me to believe that it is important and necessary for the BET to require and fund an outside, independent analysis of our fire services. The town should instead spend $100,000 on a full study of fire services and response time to determine whether a station is truly needed, he said. A proposed analysis of fire services was part of 2017s municipal budget, but the RTM removed the item. Many other speakers focused on the need to fund the towns schools. Several spoke in favor of projects to improve Cardinal Stadium at Greenwich High School. The BET is likely to vote on a scaled-down allocation that focuses on replacing the run-down stadium bleachers. But many spoke out for the original wider look at Cardinal Stadium improvements that was proposed by the Board of Education. Kids think our facilities are not adequate, Craig Warwick said. You drive into the Greenwich High School entrance and theres dirt everywhere. Its not a presentable place for Greenwich, Connecticut. Were supposed to be one of the best towns in the nation, and you come to our high school, which represents all the public schools in town from all walks of life, and youre really disappointed. We need to think bigger. Its about the children, not the adults. Clare Kilgallen added that she supported not only the northwest fire station but also long overdue improvements to school facilities and fields. We as a town need to move forward and stop talking about who did what and who didnt do what, Kilgallen said. We need to stop the madness. Please respect the first selectman and the Board of Education who as elected officials have presented thoughtful budgets. Besides the liability issues its unconscionable that here we are in 2019 and yet Cardinal Field and many of the 17 buildings under the control of the Board of Education are not compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Also, speakers in favor of an allocation for continued design development work for a new Eastern Greenwich Civic Center. Candace Garthwaite, chair of the RTMs District 6, implored the BET to support the civic center as a very important project for the town. She also stressed the need for more communication between the town and residents about the design of the project. Speakers also urged the BET to fund renovations at Old Greenwich School to improve ADA accessibility and add air conditioning. Others supported the planned renovations of the Round Hill Volunteer Fire House. Supporters of the Transportation Association of Greenwich spoke in favor of allocating the proposed $277,000 to the ride service without any conditions. TAGs funding is currently divided into four quarterly allocations that the BET must approve each time; the BET is likely to approve a similar condition for 2019-20. But supporters said that keeps TAG from having its full allocation at the start of the fiscal year, when it is needed the most. TAG went from a more than $30,000 deficit to a projected $40,000 surplus for January to June after reducing staff, salaries and services. As a result of not having all of our funding at the beginning of the (fiscal) year, we spent a lot of time focusing on cash flow and a lot less time was available for new business development and fundraising, said Michael Miller, TAGs board treasurer. We greatly appreciate having a cash cushion at the beginning of 2020. The BETs Budget Committee has endorsed a $443.4 million municipal budget for 2019-20. The full BET will consider the proposal at its meeting Thursday starting at 4 p.m. Once the BET approves the budget, it will go before the RTM for a final vote in May. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com CPS is doing exactly what theyre supposed to do, Langford said. We always err on the side of caution when it comes to children, chemicals and exposure, and its very important to make sure were on the right case with that. Complications once again forced a Boeing 737 Max 8 plane to make an emergency landing Tuesday this time, with no passengers on board. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Boeing 737 Max 8 planes after two deadly crashes of the model in recent months. FAQ: What does the Boeing 737 MAX grounding in the US mean for your next trip? A Southwest 737 Max 8 plane was being relocated from Orlando to Victorville, Calif. (San Bernardino County) Tuesday when it had to loop back and make an emergency landing. "Southwest 8701 operating as a ferry flight with no passengers onboard returned to Orlando International Airport just before 3pm EDT after pilots reported a performance issue with one of the engines shortly after takeoff. The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport," said Chris Mainz, a spokesperson for the airline, in a statement. The plane was scheduled to land in California at 5 p.m., where it was supposed to stored short-term at Southern California Logistics Airport. Instead, Mainz says it will be moved into a maintenance facility in Orlando "for a review." TRAVEL PLANS: Booked on a Boeing 737 MAX jet? Here's what you can do On March 10, 157 people were killed on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed shortly after takeoff. In October, an Indonesian Lion Air flight also using the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed into the Java Sea in October and killed 189 people. Investigators are studying similarities between the two crashes. More than 40 countries around the world have grounded the planes until a fix is found. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at alix.martichoux@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty Wednesday to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs, killing her parents and holding her captive in a remote cabin for three months, in a move that spares the girl and her family the possible trauma of having to testify at his trial. Jake Patterson, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped a count of armed burglary. The intentional homicide counts carry a sentence of life in prison; Wisconsin does not have the death penalty. In a letter sent earlier this month to a Minneapolis TV station, Patterson had said he would plead guilty, saying he didn't want the Closs family "to worry about a trial." Patterson admitted kidnapping Closs after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, on Oct. 15 at the family's home near Barron, about 90 miles northeast of Minneapolis. Jayme Closs escaped in January, after 88 days in Patterson's cabin near the small, isolated town of Gordon, some 60 miles from her home. Patterson stoically answered "yes" and "yeah" to repeated questions from Barron County Judge James Gabler about whether he understood what he was doing. Later, as he responded "guilty" to each count, he could be heard sniffling. He paused for several seconds after the judge asked him about the kidnapping charge before stuttering, "Guilty." Defense attorney Richard Jones told Gabler that Patterson "wanted to enter a plea from the day we met him" and brushed off strategies presented to him, including trying to suppress his statements to investigators. "He rejected all that and has decided this is what he wants to do," Jones said. According to a criminal complaint, Patterson told authorities he decided Jayme Closs "was the girl he was going to take" after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home. Jayme Closs told police that the night of the abduction, the family dog's barking awoke her, and she went to wake up her parents as a car came up the driveway. While her father went to the front door, Jayme Closs and her mother hid in the bathroom, clutching each other in the bathtub, with the shower curtain pulled shut. They heard James Closs get shot. Patterson then found Jayme and her mother. He told detectives he wrapped tape around Jayme Closs' mouth and head, taped her hands behind her back and taped her ankles together, and then shot her mother in the head. He told police he dragged Jayme Closs outside, threw her in the trunk of his car, and took her to his cabin, the complaint said. During Jayme Closs' time in captivity, Patterson forced her to hide under a bed when he had friends over and penned her in with tote boxes and weights, warning that if she moved, "bad things could happen to her." He also turned up the radio so visitors couldn't hear her, according to the complaint. Prosecutors in Douglas County, where Jayme Closs was held, announced soon after Patterson's arrest that they did not plan to bring charges in that county a move seen as potentially sparing her from having details of her treatment becoming public. Authorities searched for Jayme Closs for months and collected more than 3,500 tips. On Jan. 10, she escaped from the cabin while Patterson was away. She then flagged down a woman who was out walking a dog and pleaded for help. Patterson was arrested minutes later. ___ Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed from Minneapolis. Apple faces ban of certain iPhone models in the US over patent infringement The US International Trade Commission ruled in to cases in the fight between Apple and Qualcomm. In one case Apple was found to be in the clear, but in the second case the judge ruled that the Cupertino-based company has infringed on a Qualcomm patent. Administrative Law Judge MaryJoan McNamara wrote that she would recommend banning the affected iPhones from sale in the US. Qualcomm claims that Apple chipsets A10 to A12 infringe on its intellectual property, these are used in models from the iPhone 7 to the latest iPhone XS (the original complaint only targeted the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, however). The decision isnt final, a panel of judges will rule on it by July 26 after which it will be handed off to President Trump. Note that if this ban is approved, it will only affect iPhones with Intel modems - models for the Verizon and Sprint networks still use a Qualcomm modem and will not be affected. By the way, the patent in question is US Patent No. 8,063,674, which describes a power management mechanism. This isnt about the envelope tracking patent, which caused Apple to redesign its older phones to continue selling them in Germany. Another judge previously found that Apple infringed on the power management patent, but decided not to issue a ban. All of this is part of the larger war between the two companies. Qualcomms patents are vital for just about every modern wireless device. The company charges a royalty on devices that use its patents, even if there are no Qualcomm chips in them. However, the company is under obligation to license these patents under fair and reasonable terms and Apple claims this isnt whats happening. Apple thinks Qualcomm is charging too much and has stopped paying royalties until the matter is resolved. A couple of years ago, the Federal Trade Commission accused Qualcomm of forcing companies to use its products exclusively and charging excessive fees. As you can imagine, Apple agrees with this charge and Qualcomm does not. Source Huawei's "one more thing" moment at its grand unveiling in Paris was the fact that it's working with Korean luxury eyewear company Gentle Monster on a range of smart glasses. Before you scream "Google Glass!", or "Snap Spectacles!", know that these will not have any cameras. Oh, and they'll also look like ordinary, and, dare we say it, fashionable glasses. So maybe that will help Huawei succeed where others have failed before? The future is now! Together with Gentle Monster we have joined forces to take your wearable intelligence to the next level with #HUAWEI X GENTLE MONSTER EYEWEAR. pic.twitter.com/MrgO2esXK4 Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) March 26, 2019 That remains to be seen - through a pair of these or not. Also up in the air are any details regarding pricing, although they should launch in July. What we do know so far is that the glasses will have a 2,200 mAh battery inside, with support for wireless charging, and a voice assistant built-in. Huawei Gentle Monster hands-on (more like head-on) You'll be able to answer calls by tapping the arms of the glasses, which also house directional mics and speakers. The glasses are IP67 water and dust resistant, come with Bluetooth and NFC, and have a USB-C port. Via The new cards which will be marked with a gold star in the top right corner will cost the same as the current ones: $30 for a drivers license and $20 for a state ID. Unlike the current cards, however, the new ones cant be renewed by mail. The new cards wont be issued at the offices five express facilities in Chicago, Orland Park, Wheaton and Rockford. While early indications expect the smartphone market to keep shrinking for at least another year, Samsung might be able to return to growth earlier than that. According to supply chain sources Samsungs 2019 flagships are expected to surpass last years S9 sales figures and hit 60 million shipments globally. The Samsung Galaxy S10 family has done pretty well in terms of preorders across China and the US. A report from DigiTimes estimates a 10-15% increase in total shipments for the Galaxy S10 lineup compared to their predecessors, which would result in approximately 60 million shipments for the calendar year. The combination of new design, improved cameras, and incoming 5G variants has surely contributed to the growing sales of Samsungs flagship line as the company seeks to maintain its leading spot in the global smartphone market despite pressure from Huawei. The diversified A series range is another example of how Samsung is aiming to breach entry and mid-range segments, especially in regions like China where Xiaomi and Huawei reign supreme. 5G is another key area where Samsung has invested heavily to compete with the Huawei and the upcoming Galaxy S10 5G should be the first commercially available phone to support the latest networking standard. The balanced strategy and push for innovation should allow Samsung to remain at the top of the smartphone world. Source AI as a buzzword appears everywhere in press materials for modern smartphones, but what does it actually do? Samsung published an explanation of some of the performance and battery-enhancing features of its Galaxy S10 phones. There are two systems that cooperate to launch apps faster. App pre-loading learns your patterns, e.g. after using the camera, you launch a messaging app. This system starts pre-loading the messaging app as soon as you launch the camera. The second system, vRamDisk, is what does the actual work it pulls resources that apps need into RAM. The Galaxy S10 and S10+ have 8GB of RAM as standard, the S10e starts at 6GB, so theres room to pre-load data. Even the launcher can trigger the pre-load process as it knows where your most-used apps are. App Leveling and Adaptive Power Saving Wireless PowerShare But all those apps shouldnt be allowed to waste resources. App Leveling keeps an eye on apps you havent used in a while and can adjust resource allocations accordingly. The last level is App Disabler, which completely shuts down apps you havent touched in 30 days. Adaptive Power Saving works with Android Pies Adaptive Battery feature and can trigger battery saving automatically if it predicts a day of heavy usage based on your routine. This was Samsungs goal to make resource allocation seamless (you dont have to do anything manually) and to make it noticeable only in its results. All that battery charge that gets saved up can be shared with other devices that are running low on power with the Qi-compatible Wireless PowerShare. This applies to anything from ear buds to other phones. The Galaxy S10 models support fast wired and wireless charging so you can restore the phones battery charge quickly. Source OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The Rock U2 Foundation -- the fundraising arm of the Rock U2 Academy of Music in Ocean Springs -- will hold its annual Rock the Block fundraiser on Friday, April 5, at IP Casino Resort in Biloxi. Proceeds from the event help fund scholarships for musical instruments, music lessons and interactive music programs for underserved and disabled children across south Mississippi. The event will feature a performance by Nashville recording artists Southern Halo, along with performances from Rock U2 performers. In addition, there will be food prepared by IP chefs, as well as beer, wine and other beverages, and a silent auction. Tickets for the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. inside IPs Studio B, are $40 per person or $70 per couple. Tickets for children 12 and under are $20. Tickets can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com or at the Rock U2 offices at 2820 Government St. in Ocean Springs. For more information, contact Rock U2 at 228-355-2025. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) Makati police arrested "StarStruck Ultimate Male Survivor" Migo Adecer around 6 p.m., Tuesday after hitting two Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) employees while driving. A police report stated that Adecer continued driving even after hitting the two victims and was chased down by police officers along Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. The victims were brought to Ospital ng Makati for medical treatment. Police said Adecer was drunk and became unruly, refusing to surrender his driver's license. He also attempted to hit a patrol police car. Adecer was charged for reckless imprudence resulting in physical injuries and damage to properties and disobedience to a person in authority. In a statement, Adecer's talent agency GMA Artist Center said that the artist is willing to help the people who were injured. "He is willing to assist the two people injured and his lawyer is now coordinating with them. We defer to Migo's lawyer to address all legal matters regarding this incident," the agency said. Adecer won the title of "Ultimate Male Survivor" in the sixth season of television talent contest StarStruck back in 2015. I think its impossible to know what kind of leader he will be until hes in this high-level job and does this for a while, Wolf said. He has a background that should give him much of the information he needs. But a lot of what you need running a state agency is to deal with the bureaucratic complications. Haiti - FLASH : Case PetroCaribe, personalities and companies under financial investigations Me Ramoncite Accime, the investigating magistrate in charge of the PetroCaribe case, took a number of measures against the persons and companies referred to in the closing arguments of Me Paul Eronce Vilard, the Government Commissioner in the case of PetroCaribe fund, reports the "Fondasyon Je Klere". Me Paul Eronce Vilard, confirms the existence of an order dated March 20 from Judge Accime which asks the Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF) and the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) to provide a report detailed information on assets and financial transactions for the period from 2008 to 2016 and asks the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) to pass instructions to the Brigade of Financial and Economic Affairs (BAFE) to also submit a detailed report on the heritage and the outward signs of wealth for all the persons and companies referred to in the prosecution's prosecution. Regarding the existence of another order requesting precautionary measures and freezing of the bank accounts of the parties concerned, the Commissioner says that he is not aware of it (which does not mean that it does not exist but that it does not was not transmitted), pointing out that the application of such an order would be an error in the absence of the requested investigation reports... An opinion shared by Pierre Esperance, Coordinator of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH), which stresses that we can not begin with provisional measures such as freezing the property of the people and companies mentioned in the introductory submission of the Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office, without having heard them, recalling that none of the persons and companies mentioned in this order were charged with any crime by the investigating judge. Esperance is convinced that if such an order for provisional measures was passed on at this time and applied, these measures would be lifted one after the other in the courts where by political pressure... Excerpt from the order of March 20 of Me Ramoncite Accime : "[...] FOR THESE REASONS, ORDER the Directors General of the ULCC and the UCREF to send to the Cabinet of Instruction of the Magistrate Instructor a detailed report relating to the patrimonies and financial transactions for the period going from 2008 to 2016 of the following people and companies : Michael LECORPS, EUSTACHE SAINT LOT. Laurent Salvador LAMOTHE, Marie Carmelle JEAN MARIE, Jacques GABRIEL, Stephanie Balmir VILDROUIN, Wilson LALEAU, Josepha GAUTHIER, Florence Guillaume DUPERVAL, Yves Germain JOSEPH, Max Rudolphe SAINT-ALBAN, Jean Max BELLERIVE, Herve DAY, Michel CONTENT, Lionel GRANPIERRE, Hebert DOCTEUR, Thomas JACQUES, et Linda JACQUES, ENERSA, GK IMPORT EXPORT S.A, SUNTECH SOLAR HAITI, ENSTRAP, ELMECEN, GPL SOLAR LLC, SOLAR HAITI, BUROCAD, EXACO S.A, BESUCO S.A/SUNTECH, ARCHIVOLT, COMPHENER S.A, MVF CONSTRUCTION, ESOLAR HAITI, GREEN SOLAR SPECIAL AND MAXITECH S.A, while prioritizing transactions related to the PETROCARIBE fund made available to them in one way or another; Order that this report be transmitted to the examining Cabinet within a reasonable time; Let's say that this order will be executed, as required by art. 18 of the Code of Criminal Instruction, at the behest of the government commissioner of this jurisdiction [...]" Download the Petrocaribe Fund Management Report 1: https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/PETROCARIBE-31-01-2019.pdf See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27177-haiti-justice-the-petrocaribe-case-in-the-hands-of-the-instruction-judge.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26848-haiti-flash-the-state-filed-a-complaint-in-the-petrocaribe-file.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26812-haiti-flash-the-court-of-auditors-delivers-its-first-report-on-the-management-of-petrocaribe-funds.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26121-haiti-flash-everything-you-need-to-know-about-using-the-petrocaribe-fund.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Education : The country adopts a policy of non-formal education after an 11-year process Approximately 150 participants from various educational backgrounds approved the document National Policy on Non-Formal Education, during a workshop held at the Montana Hotel on March 21, Recall that Non-Formal Education consists of an addition, an alternative and/or a complement to formal education in the lifelong learning process of people. Apart from some recommendations to be taken into account, the document was considered admissible and validated by the actors, representatives of public and non-public institutions, universities, NGOs, socio-professional associations and technical and financial partners. A key step has just been taken for the implementation of the policy document that will regulate and guide actions in the field of non-formal education across the country. This is a great first that allows Haiti to finally have a guide document, which specifies, among other things, the vision, mission and objectives of non-formal education, stressed Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet the Minister of National Education, who recalled that it was the culmination of a long process started for 11 years with periods of gestation In his intervention, Meniol Jeune, the Director General of the Ministry of National Education, who was chairing the opening ceremony of the Validation Workshop, declared "it was time to have this public policy document which, in the light of the amended Haitian Constitution, takes a stand in favor of universal access to education, without discrimination. This document, which is aligned with several standard-setting instruments, is in perfect harmony with international commitments, including that of Incheon". For Maria Luisa Fornara, UNICEF Representative in Haiti, "this new Education Policy will continue efforts to create opportunities for those whose rights and educational needs are still unmet and for whom the formal system no longer represents or can not represent a solution (over-aged, children with special needs, etc..." Claude Akpabie, Representative of the UNESCO Office in Haiti believes that "the Ministry was right in implementing this national policy of non-formal education. This is a laudable approach that deserves to be applauded" promising the support of his institution in efforts to strengthen the education sector in Haiti. HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Economy : Towards a Haitian-Dominican Summit on smuggling ? Following the submission of the report of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Illegal Trade at the Border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, organizations from the private sector of Haiti call for the holding of a presidential summit with the Dominican Republic to analyze the situation of contraband at the border, recommend and take the necessary measures. The Haitian private sector in a document stating its position on the CSIS report recalls "[...] it is known to all that elected officials and people from the private business sector are involved in smuggling. Other steps must be taken to give confidence, to establish the rule of law and to create confidence among the population [...]" Download the Haitian private sector position on the CSIS report : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Position-SPH-Mars-2019-CSIS.pdf According to the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), among others "President Jovenel Moise must begin discussions with his counterpart Danilo Medina on the regulation of trade between the two country." Which would deprive Haiti of about $350 million a year in customs duties due to smuggling. According to official data, tariffs represent 31% of the Haitian national budget, so that contraband has a negative impact on state collection and therefore on the budget deficit. "We strongly believe that a Presidential Summit should be organized to take concrete steps to regulate trade, but also migration, energy and the environment," said representatives of these chambers of commerce in a note. Stressing the need for strong political will to fight the scourge of smuggling, they believe that the summit should go beyond the confluence of traditional actors in the public and private sectors and include universities, men and women. business, parliamentarians and political parties, as well as organizations defending human rights and migration. The organizations, to which the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Haiti has joined, have sought the support of the Bilateral Joint Commission (CBM) and its subcommittees and have given them the necessary powers and resources to implement relevant recommendations. However, for the Haitian private sector, the success of this approach will also depend on the continued support of the international community to provide additional funds for training and development. SL/ HaitiLibre The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays was founded by Virginia Frati in the late 1990s to provide care and rehabilitation for injured wildlife. It's the only facility of its kind on Long Island. The Center cares for and rehabilitates injured wildlife until they are able to be released back into the wild. Some that cannot be fully rehabilitated have permanent homes there. Saunders & Associates agent Jane Gill, a member of the Center's Board of Directors, is involved in making major decisions, and as a trained handler for birds of prey she is... This campaign is just starting, and those forces in favor and opposed to the plan are gearing up for the referendum on a constitutional amendment that would be required if the General Assembly approves this fairly audacious solution, John Jackson, co-director of the Simon Poll, said in a statement. Here we have a benchmark of where the public stands at the outset of that contentious campaign. Montana's congressional delegation has had a successful first step in achieving recognition for a Montana tribe. A bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians passed the House Tuesday 403-21. "Today marks an important day for the Little Shell Tribe as they are one step closer to federal recognition," Gianforte said in a release. "I appreciate the dedication and determination of (Little Shell) Chairman (Gerald) Gray and the Little Shell people throughout this process. We look forward to seeing this bill pass through the Senate to President Trump." The Little Shell Tribe has sought federal recognition for nearly four decades, and has been recognized by the State of Montana since 2000. A bill recognizing the Little Shell was set to pass the Senate in the closing days of the 115th Congress, until Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, blocked the bill from receiving a Senate vote. The bill sponsored last session by Gianforte to recognize the tribe already had passed the House, the first time such a bill had passed in that body. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. - whose first bill after being elected was a Little Recognition bill - praised the House passage. "The Little Shell have fought too long to secure what is rightfully theirs, and today's passage of the Little Shell Recognition Act in the House is a step in the right direction," he said. "I'm going to keep fighting until we get this important bill through the Senate and make sure we do right by the Little Shell." Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., also said he would push to get the recognition through the Senate. "I'm glad to see the Little Shell Tribe today get one step closer to receiving federal recognition with bill passage in the House under Congressman Gianforte's great leadership," Daines said. "Little Shell is an important part of our state's heritage, and I will keep fighting in the U.S. Senate to ensure they finally receive this long overdue recognition." Tester and Daines this session reintroduced their Senate bill to recognize the tribe. Native American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. Under this nation-to-nation relationship, Tribes can access federal resources for economic development, health care and education resources, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms socially and culturally appropriate. Federal recognition can be granted via Congressional legislation, a U.S. Court decision, or an administrative process through the U.S. Interior Department. Tester first introduced legislation to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe in 2007, the first bill he introduced as a U.S. senator. The Little Shell, a tribe with 4,500 or more members concentrated in the Great Falls area but spread throughout central and northern Montana and across the nation, have been formally trying to gain federal recognition since at least the 1930s. Montana's members of Congress have repeatedly sponsored bills to have Congress recognize the tribe. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. The tribe has been without a recognized homeland since the late 1800s, when Chief Little Shell and his followers in North Dakota broke off treaty negotiations with the U.S. government. Tribe members later settled in Montana and southern Canada. Tribal historians trace the tribe's other attempts to gain recognition back to the 1860s, when the Pembina Band of Chippewa signed a treaty with the U.S. government. In 1978, the Little Shell petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for recognition through the Bureau's Federal Acknowledgement Process. Despite a favorable report by the Department of the Interior in 2000 and recognition of the tribe by the Montana government that same year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribe recognition in 2009 and again in 2013. From Humanites Montana The Montana Center for the Book supports public book clubs in rural areas that engage in deeper, thought-provoking discussions about literature. The Big Sky Reads program, now in its second year, provides $500 stipends to book clubs for trained discussion leaders, author visits, book shipping, marketing, and other costs that enhance the humanities value of a program. Book clubs must be open to the public and meet in a public space or school. All book clubs supported by Montana Center for the Book contribute reading lists, discussion questions, event times and more to the centers Facebook group. This is a great resource to find new books, new participants, discussion questions, and facilitators. Anyone who thinks their groups library, school, or other organization book club qualifies can apply for this award any time. The program funds up to ten clubs each year. The application has no deadline and is available online at http://www.humanitiesmontana.org/centerforthebook/bigskyreads.php/. Tchen statement: I know members of the Smollett family based on prior work together, she is quoted as saying in a statement released just as we were going to publication. Shortly after Mr. Smollett reported he was attacked, as a family friend, I contacted Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who I also know from prior work together. My sole activity was to put the chief prosecutor in the case in touch with an alleged victims family who had concerns about how the investigation was being characterized in public. Grants to support businesses and industry partners in developing apprenticeship programs From Department of Labor Montana Department of Labor Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh announced Monday that the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program will award more than $150,000 in grants to assist businesses and educators in creating new apprenticeship programs across the state. We are thrilled to offer these apprenticeship grants to our partners who know creating good jobs and developing an educated and well-trained workforce is critical to maintaining a strong economy in Montana, Hollenbaugh said. We will continue to pursue innovative ways to ensure businesses remain competitive and workers are prepared for in-demand jobs. A total of $151,530 will be awarded to employers, industry associations, colleges, or other workforce groups. Existing employer sponsors seeking to add a new occupation to their program will also be eligible. The maximum award is $4,500 and will be awarded on a first come first serve basis until the funds are exhausted. Funds can be used to offset some of the initial program costs incurred by sponsors such as tuition for related instruction or the purchase of new training materials. The Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program is an excellent training model that assists employers in building a highly customizable and skilled workforce to meet their business needs. In turn, apprentices immediately start working and earn a paycheck while completing the required training and instruction. Upon completion, apprentices receive an industry-recognized credential that ensures future employers know the apprentice is qualified. With time and commitment from sponsors, our apprenticeship program has already reached record participation, Jay Reardon, state director of the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program, said. We are excited to continue this programs growth by assisting sponsors as they invest in Montanas workforce. The Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program recognizes apprenticeships in over 100 occupations. While trades continue to make up most apprentices, the program has developed curriculum for occupations in healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and information technology. Since 2016, 26 occupations have been added including master brewer, medical coding, medical assistant, and accounting technician. The number of sponsors continues to grow as Montana businesses respond to the increasing demand for workers. Sponsorship has grown by approximately nine percent each year over the last three years. Apprenticeship also encourages workers to stay in Montana. Nearly 90 percent of apprentices that graduated since 2012 are still working in Montana. Grant applications can be found at http://apprenticeship.mt.gov/2019sponsorgrantapplication and are available immediately. A proposal in the Montana Legislature would divert funds from counties across Montana and put them into the state Office of the Public Defender, through an amendment attached to HB 2. Office of Public Defender Director Rhonda Schaffer said the office has had a tough time staying within budget even after trimming $7 million in expenditures. The state has provided the office a supplemental fund of $7 million. Hearings are underway in Helena in the Legislatures Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on the Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement and Justice, on the amendment, which would force cities, counties and local governments to pay more of OPDs costs. The county cant afford for the state to take our money, Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland said. Counties cant keep bailing out our state because of these projects. Its not fair for the state to take our countys entitlement money and use it to fund the public defenders. According to its official website, OPD provides representation to criminal defendants, children moving through foster care, elderly people who are being institutionally committed, death penalty defendants and others. County commissioners from around the state are fighting against the amendment. Local governments in Montana are forced to make difficult funding decisions each day, Madison County Commissioner and Montana Association of Counties President Jim Hart said. With our limited resources, we need to hold our departments accountable to stay within appropriation limits and manage the publics resources effectively and efficiently. MACo and League of Cities and Towns said that local officials were not part of the discussion when the state changed how the cost would be divided up and the OPD budget would play out. The increasing costs for the public defender system have been legislatively authorized each biennium based on the Legislatures determination that additional resources, staff, contracted services and operational dollars were necessary to grow the state Public Defender system, MACo Executive Director Eric Bryson said. Counties dont have additional revenues from income tax to cover this ongoing shortfall. When your public defender costs increase based on increased criminal behavior, so do ours. According to a recently published press release, Members of the Part D Joint Appropriations Subcommittee (on judicial branch, law enforcement, and justice) heard testimony from OPD that local ordinances are driving up the cost of counsel in Montana. At the heart of the amendment is the idea that counties that use up more OPD resources would see a bigger share of the costs extended to them. Cost-cutting measures have been put in place, Schaffer said, adding that while the number of cases has decreased, we are spending more time on the cases. Our public defenders handle an average of 160 to 180 cases. A Yale study has shown that most fees that defendants convicted of a crime are charged to pay for public defenders end up getting waived by the judge, meaning that money which would go to fund the OPD is not going there. Here in Montana, while convicted felons we represent are required to pay a fee to reimburse our office, they can usually get the fee waived if they cant afford it, Schaffer said. Wendland said the facts dont back up the idea of charging the local government. Rationale for taking this money is not shown in the decreasing caseload, Wendland said. Hart said the state should not be passing the buck to the local governments. The state needs to figure out a better way to find the money to fund their own departments, before they attempt to take money away that belongs to the counties, he said. Information sessions for students interested in applying to military academies set for Bozeman, Great Falls, Billings, Missoula (U.S. Congress) For Montana students interested in attending one of Americas prestigious military academies, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines and Congressman Greg Gianforte have announced the dates and times of their annual Academy and ROTC Days this year. The free events will take place in Bozeman, Great Falls, Billings and Missoula and feature representatives from Tester, Daines and Gianfortes offices, as well as officials from the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the ROTC. Saturday, April 13, Bozeman, 9 a.m. 11 a.m., American Legion Post 14, 225 East Main St. Saturday, April 27, Great Falls, 9 a.m. 11 a.m., Montana Air National Guard Building 64, 2800 Airport Ave. B Saturday, May 11, Billings, 10 a.m. noon., Billings Army Reserve Center, 1430 Broadwater Ave. Saturday, May 18, Missoula 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m., Missoula Armed Forces Reserve Center, 9283 Running West R. Applying to a military academy requires at least one nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Academy Days give students, parents and educators the ability to meet with Congressional representatives and academy experts so they can get the information and advice they need to successfully navigate the academy application process. More information about the military academy nomination process is available on Tester, Daines and Gianfortes websites. If students or parents have any questions regarding these events please contact: Smith Works at [email protected] for Tester, Gilda Clancy at [email protected] for Daines), or Mike Waters at [email protected] for Gianforte. After a trip to the southern border, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said he has a new understanding of the issues the country faces with border security. "This overall experience that I have had on the southern border provided me with a better perspective, which was what I was looking for," Tester said. "A better perspective on how we need to secure the borders, while we do it in the most cost-effective way." Tester said Wednesday during a telephone press conference from Washington that he spent 36 hours along the southern border over the weekend. He met with Customs and Border Patrol official... Editors note: This is the first part of an editorial discussing American Prairie Reserves stated goal of assembling private land in the Northern Great Plains north of the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge that can be managed with public land to provide wildlife conservation, including re-introduction of bison, and public access. We have all seen the colorful banners posted on roadsides, near ranch entries, and even in the windows of town businesses. A cowboy sits on horseback in front of a sunset with the words Save the Cowboy, Stop the APR emblazoned across the sky. Pictur... VOLUNTEERS were out in force at the weekend for the Great British Spring Clean. Dozens of people wearing yellow high-vis vests and armed with litter-pickers scoured the streets and grass verges of villages in search of discarded rubbish. Between them, they filled more than 200 bags of litter carelessy dropped, dumped or simply chucked out of passing cars. The unwanted haul included bottles, takeway food packaging, plastic, car parts and even a television set. Their efforts over the weekend were part of the national initiative organised annually by Keep Britain Tidy. Among the clean-ups was one in Rotherield Greys, near Greys Court, once the home of the late Lady Brunner, who founded Keep Britain Tidy in 1955. More than 30 people met at the home of organisers Jo and Graham Duncan in Greys Green on Sunday. They were split into groups and cleared verges from Bolts Cross to Badgemore, the war memorial to Dog Lane and also Rocky Lane and the surrounding woods and countryside as well as the verge from the Maltsters Arms to the Hernes Estate. The volunteers, who included South Oxfordshire District Council chairman Lorraine Hillier, collected a total 40 bags of rubbish as well as an old drum kit. Mrs Duncan said: We had such a good time and we have had so many people say thank-you. My 13-year-old nephew Ollie Ellard could not believe how much rubbish he found. It was beyond belief. A special mention should go to Graham and Alison Spensley who ended up staying until five oclock. They had so much to collect from the road up to Shepherds Green and found barbed wire and loads of alcohol bottles. We lived in London before we moved here five years ago and we cant believe that in such a beautiful part of the country people are just throwing litter out of their cars. Leo Jennings, from the National Trust, collected rubbish in a truck and trailer throughout the afternoon. Afterwards, the volunteers enjoyed refreshments back at the Duncans home. The district councils waste contractcor Biffa collected the waste on Monday. In Wargrave, there were 27 volunteers who cleaned High Street, Victoria Road, Tag Lane, Blakes Road, School Hill, Mumberry Hill and smaller roads. They collected more than 50 bags of rubbish which included bottles, pills, cigarette ends, metal piping, a vacuum cleaner and a carburetor. Organiser and parish council Marion Pope said: It is very sad when I go along the main road and find all this litter scattered everywhere. It is disgusting. What annoys me are the big pizza boxes and so many tin cans. We did the clean on Saturday and on Sunday morning when my husband went to get the paper he found an empty can on the floor. You are always going to get people who do not care. In Charvil about 70 people helped collect more than 120 bags of rubbish, plus a TV set, a cot and rubber tyres on Sunday. They cleared the pavements on the A4 and New Bath Road as well as removing dog waste left in bags at the East Park Farm playing fields. Organiser Miranda Parker said: People were quite surprised by how much rubbish we found. Some people got loads of stuff and there were millions of bottles. They all came in and had a drink and biscuit afterwards. It was quite sociable. Wokingham Borough Council collected the rubbish from both Wargrave and Charvil. THE father of TV presenter Ben Fogle spoke at a charity fund-raiser about his love of golden retrievers. Vet Bruce Fogle, 75, was the guest of honour at the event in the barn at Burrow Farm in Hambleden, which was attended by 80 people. It raised 2,300 for Happy Paws Puppy Rescue, which rescues retrievers from Turkey and southern Europe. The dogs are returned to good health and found new homes in the UK. The event was organised by Susan Walker and Caroline Hyman who gave homes to Rory and Sasha respectively. Sasha was at the event. Mr Fogle, who runs the London Vet Clinic, said: I have had seven golden retrievers, so I understand how they think. If I see one that needs a home it is simply a kneejerk reaction. We are the primary species in the world that does have a lifelong need to nurture and that is the reason we are here this evening. He spoke about the physiological changes that people experience when they stroke a dog, including lower blood pressure. Mr Fogle said that he thought it would take one generation before animal welfare was firmly on the agenda of developing countries. Lisa Smart, who runs the charity, said it saved 300 dogs last year and had rescued another 90 already this year. She said: Us Brits are crazy about our dogs. We have a very high standard of animal husbandry and welfare in this country. In Turkey, they are not as thoughtful about their animals welfare. We are there to help and advise and do anything we can to help people understand. I have spent the last five years building an amazing relationship with councillors, mayors and everybody with a bit of influence in Turkey. Through our work there we improve things not only for golden retrievers but the welfare of all the dogs we cant bring home. Mrs Walker said: To save these dogs from killing pounds is something very special. She said it had been hard to lose her old golden retriever Teddy to cancer but she was delighted with Rory so she wanted to raise money for the charity so it could help more people. Raffle prizes included a signed copy of Dogs and Other Animals, a book by Mrs Hyman, who is a photographer, a portrait by Henley dog artist Clive Hemsley and a night at the Stag and Huntsman pub in Hambleden. A TEENAGE girl was attacked at her school by two intruders. The 16-year-old pupil was not seriously injured in the incident at Highdown School in Emmer Green on Monday. Headteacher Rachel Cave said the two men were let in by other students and showed very threatening behaviour as they sought a specific individual. In a letter to parents, she said the school was working with the police on an investigation and would later thoroughly review all processes. Police said no arrests had been made. "It should not be one of the most difficult places for a woman to lay out a story of abuse and harassment," Biden said. "And yet, last fall, you saw it all over again in the Kavanaugh hearing. In almost 30 years, the culture, the institutional culture has not changed. And that diminishes the likelihood that other women will come forward, knowing what they're going to face." Among them: If a rental assistance fund was established, which community organizations would have access to distribute it? Where would the money that is being requested to support public school library programs closest to the center come from? How much of an impact would a property tax freeze have, when many of the most vulnerable residents are renters? And, what impact, if any, would such an agreement eventually have on the fate of the overall project? Jussie Smollett has said he has been "truthful and consistent" after all charges against him were dropped. Lawyers for the Empire actor said prosecutors had cleared him of 16 charges of disorderly conduct alleging that he lied to police about being attacked. Smollett had been accused of hiring two men to stage a racist and homophobic attack on him in central Chicago on January 29. Speaking at a press conference outside court, he said: "I want to thank my family, my friends and the incredible people of Chicago and all over the country and the world who have prayed for me, who have supported me, who have shown me so much love. "No one will know how much that has meant to me and I will forever be grateful. "I want you to know that not for a moment was it in vain. "I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I have been accused of. "This has been an incredibly difficult time, honestly one of the worst of my entire life. Fire "But I am a man of faith and I am a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives or the movement through a fire like this, I just wouldn't." After thanking his legal counsel and the state of Illinois "for attempting to do what's right", Smollett added: "I would like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life. "But make no mistakes, I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalised people everywhere." Smollett's lawyers Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement that the actor's record "has been wiped clean". The father of a three-year-old "little warrior" left seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver has said the four hours where doctors battled to stabilise the toddler's condition were the longest of his life. Paul Higgins also slated as "heartless b*****ds" the occupants of the blue Mazda car that fled the scene after the accident in a Cork housing estate at 4pm on Monday. A man in his late teens was last night arrested in Cork and taken to Bridewell Garda Station over the incident. Thankfully, Paul said his son Zac is now making a steady recovery in Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin, where he was transferred, though he remains in a serious but stable condition. Paul posted a special Facebook message to thank everyone who had sent messages of support to his family after the horrific accident off Cork's Skehard Road. "I would like to thank everyone who sent well wishes," he wrote. "After the longest four hours in the CUH, our little warrior hit the road to Dublin by ambulance. He will love that when he wakes up to hear it. "He arrived at Temple Street Hospital straight for a CT scan which showed good results so far. To see your child that way is the worst feeling I ever had in my life." Paul also posted a message to the driver and car occupants. Heartless "To the rotten b*****ds that left him [my son] there I hope the four of ye in the car rot in hell ye heartless b*****ds. "But special thanks to all our friends in Castle Meadows who went above and beyond." Gardai are now examining a car to determine if it was the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run which left the Cork toddler in hospital with serious injuries. Detectives are hopeful forensic tests will yield a vital breakthrough in the case. The youngster was apparently knocked down by a car in the Castle Meadows area as he was playing at 4pm on Monday. A blue-coloured Mazda saloon car was later found by gardai abandoned less than 2km away. "Gardai wish to renew their appeal and ask that anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who have any information, to contact them," a garda spokesperson said. "Gardai believe there were a number of people in the car at the time of the incident and would appeal to the passengers to come forward." British prime minister Theresa May will address her Conservative MPs today, possibly to set out a timetable for her departure in a last throw of the dice to win support for her twice-rejected Brexit deal. At her weakest after parliament seized control of Brexit on Monday, Mrs May has yet to give up hope of winning approval for her deal to leave the European Union. Parliament's move seemed to have focused minds, with some eurosceptic MPs saying they could back her plan before choosing a new leader for the next phase of talks with the EU. However, her DUP power- brokers remain opposed. One Conservative MP said Mrs May's decision to address the party's so-called 1922 Committee this afternoon suggested she could set her date of departure to win over support. Others cast doubt on whether the prime minister, who has so far weathered at least two attempts to oust her, would commit to step down without a firm guarantee of support for her deal. Mrs May could try to bring her deal back to parliament tomorrow for a third vote, but her spokesman said the government would do that only if it had a chance of winning. He said Mrs May would "engage constructively" with MPs who seized control of Brexit in parliament on Monday, but gave them a warning - there is no point supporting different options that the EU will not negotiate. MPs will debate the alternative Brexit options this afternoon before holding so-called indicative votes. They will be able to support as many options as they like. The votes could indicate there is no majority in parliament for any alternative course of action, or else a majority for several. MPs plan to take control of parliamentary business again on April 1 to further narrow down the options. Compel By last night, several proposals had emerged for today's voting. One motion would compel the government to negotiate a new UK-EU customs union after Brexit. The threat of a softer Brexit or long-delayed departure was focusing minds among hardline critics of Mrs May's deal. "I have always thought that no-deal is better than Mrs May's deal. But Mrs May's deal is better than not leaving at all," said Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of a Conservative faction demanding a clean break from the EU. A judge warned that some drivers are treating roads like their own personal racetracks as he jailed a teenage motorist for careless driving causing the death of a 16-year-old girl. Judge Eugene O'Kelly jailed Edward O'Shea (19) for 14 months after noting that Katie Murphy had sent a Snapchat video to a friend just seconds before the crash in which she said they were: "Probably going to die in the car." An unidentified male voice replied: "Yeah, probably." A female voice then said: "Cheeky - going over the speed limit." An unidentified voice replied: "Cheeky - going twice over the speed limit." A Waterford Circuit Criminal Court jury was not shown the social media videos during the trial because they were deemed to breach the hearsay rule. Catastrophic Judge O'Kelly said Ireland now had to review such real-time video evidence from social media in the trial context. In jailing O'Shea, who was 17 at the time of the accident, he said his careless driving was at the upper end of the scale. He also said it "beggars belief" that O'Shea, a learner driver, could treat such a powerful car as his own. "Some drivers, particularly young men, treat the roads as their own private racetracks and do so without any regard for the potentially catastrophic consequences for other road users and indeed for themselves," Judge O'Kelly said. He said the so-called Clancy Amendment about unaccompanied learner drivers could not apply as the crash happened before it was passed into law. However, he noted how O'Shea had been driving a powerful and modified Toyota unaccompanied. "Such driving is not only illegal, it is dangerous," the judge added. The heartbroken Murphy family said they had lost their only daughter because O'Shea lost control of a powerful modified car while showing off to his friends. O'Shea was jailed after being convicted of careless driving causing death and careless driving causing serious injury. He was acquitted by the jury last February of dangerous driving causing death. Katie died when the Toyota, which had a specially lowered suspension, spun out of control and collided side-on with a wall outside a Tramore housing estate on October 5, 2016. The car also had low-profile tyres and a side skirt. The speed limit at the scene was 50kph but because there were no brake marks it was impossible for gardai to determine what speed O'Shea was driving at. Forensic experts were able to determine only that the car finally hit the wall side-on while travelling at around 32kph. However, locals had noted the sound of a car travelling at speed along the winding Cliff Road. One woman was so alarmed that she got out of her armchair to investigate - and seconds later heard the sound of the impact. Two other teenage passengers, Joseph Walsh and Jessica Fynn, suffered horrific head and chest injuries in the accident in Newtown, outside Tramore. The car, which had a twin-cam engine, was registered to the O'Shea family garage, run by his father Michael, and Edward was driving it under a garage insurance policy. "It was extraordinary and blatantly irresponsible for the O'Shea garage business to facilitate the driving of such a car [by a young learner driver]," Judge O'Kelly said. O'Shea, who appeared in court wearing black trousers and a navy shirt and tie, sat with his head bowed as victim impact statements were delivered by Katie's parents and her brother, Scot. The defendant, in a letter handed in to the judge, apologised for what his careless actions behind the wheel had inflicted on three families. "If I could change what happened, believe me I would change everything," he said. The court heard that O'Shea now suffered from survivor's guilt, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. He had been seeing a counsellor for more than two years and had been subjected to social media condemnation over what had happened. Forgive "I hope that one day you [the Murphy family] will be able to forgive me but I want you to know that I am truly sorry. So many people have been affected by my bad judgment that day," O'Shea added. Joseph Walsh's parents handed in a letter in which they said they held no ill will toward the driver. O'Shea, an apprentice mechanic, had offered a plea to careless driving causing death and serious injury before his trial started. He had been driving on a provisional licence for five months when the tragedy happened. Katie, of Castlewoods, Ballinamona, Waterford, was a rear-seat passenger in the car along with her friend Jessica. O'Shea, of Magnh, Fenor, Waterford, was also disqualified from driving for six years and fined 800. And he wasnt through with lawsuits in what he saw as the public interest. Moltz said Schwartz was a named plaintiff, along with Friends of the Parks and others, in a suit attempting to stop plans by the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Park District to expand Soldier Field with what has been called the toilet bowl addition. The suit went to the Illinois Supreme Court, Moltz said, where the Bears and the district prevailed. Up against Barack Obama, they failed to stop the ACA. Once they gained control of the House in 2010, they voted repeatedly to scrap it. In 2016, they got a Republican president and Congress, giving them an open field get rid of it and install their own program. But they couldnt muster the votes in the Senate and the main effect of their effort was to increase public support for the ACA. The benefit of Norway Plus is that it would minimize disruption, a feat it achieves by not actually changing much. Britain still would have to contribute most of what it does now to the EU budget; it still would have to allow immigration from other EU countries; and it still would be subject to many EU rules, while losing its voice in the European Parliament that makes those rules. The only obvious benefit of this plan is that it can be called Brexit and voted for by people who dont actually want Brexit to happen. Perhaps that's what is so ingenious about Peele's work. While other filmmakers in this renaissance of embracing the Other still have clear antagonists, Peele is muddying the waters. The white liberals of "Get Out" are certainly villainous, but they're part of a much larger, systematic evil. "Us" is more complicated still; there are no clear heroes or villains, only victims of a variety of tragedies. Instead of pointing fingers or trying to turn Othering back on the people who did it first, Peele is asking audiences to look at the underlying roots of our problems. 'So much we want the public to know': Meritus COVID cases surge again That is deeply troubling, and its exacerbated by Pritzkers plan. He wants a graduated-rate income tax that he says will raise $3.4 billion a year by hiking taxes on wealthy individuals and companies, while lowering them for almost everyone else. Wealthy donors see the proposal as another attempt to soak them for more dollars to spend on programs and services rife with the same waste, fraud and inefficiency that has characterized government in the Land of Lincoln for decades. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) The terms of reference for the Swiss Challenge on San Miguel Corporation's (SMC) proposal to build an airport in Bulacan will be released within the next two weeks, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday. "Kailangan magbigay sila ng offer na mas maganda kesa sa offer ng San Miguel. Ang gagawin ng San Miguel is to match, 'pag na-match nila 'yan kanila po ang proyekto. That's how the bid will work," Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said during a media briefin In the Swiss Challenge under the build, operate, transfer law, other parties are invited to match or exceed an unsolicited proposal for a project, then the original proponent will give a counter-offer within 30 working days. If there is no challenge within 60 working days, the project will be awarded to the original proponent In the case of the Bulacan International Airport project, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said the government has invited other parties to challenge SMC's bid. SMC has proposed to build what it calls an aerotropolis on a 2,500 hectare seaside area in Bulacan, north of Manila. It will have four parallel runways and a terminal that can accommodate 100 million passengers yearly. The project's estimated cost is more than 735 billion. The airport is seen as an alternative and eventual replacement for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which has been hounded by congestion problems for years. Meanwhile, Tugade also said transportation officials have imposed an ultimatum on the consortium of companies for the rehabilitation of the NAIA. The "Consortium of Seven," which grups Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., Ayala Corporation's AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Alliance Global Group Inc., AEDC, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, has been given until April 30 to consolidate its proposal. "Meron po dyang consortium of 7 dyan, kung saan tumatagal ang usapan. Gusto ko lagyan ng cap, by April 30 'pag hindi pa tayo nagkasundo, eh gagawin na namin ang mga proyekto, 'yung DOTr side i-utiliy na namin 'yun. Kasi gusto ko nga mapabilis ang desisyon doon sa unsolocited proposal ng consortium," he said. Tugade added the government will accept other proposals for NAIA's rehabilitation if the consortium fails to meet the deadline. CNN Philippines' Digital Producer Robert Vergara and Correspondent Makoi Popioco contributed to this report. So whatever happened in court Tuesday is locked up tight, allowing Smollett to say whatever he wants and allowing the lead prosecutor to say things that make no sense, like: I cant make it any clearer than that. If youve made no attempt to make something clear, you cant turn around and say youre unable to make it any clearer. Thats like not vacuuming a dirty floor and then saying further vacuuming is unnecessary because the floor is as clean as it can get. Brittany Clingen Carls commentary (2 abortion bills proposed in Illinois go too far, March 26) opposing two proposed abortion bills making Illinois possibly the most progressive state for strengthening women's reproductive health, makes clear her singular agenda: reducing safe, legal and cost-effective access to abortion. This is demonstrated by her agonizing over Illinois status as an abortion oasis, where thousands of women go for abortion procedures they cannot access in their home state. Implicit in this concern is that such efforts are bad for Illinois, bad for society and bad for the women. Does it occur to Ms. Carl that each one of the 5,500-plus women who made the trek to Illinois in 2017 had her future saved by this Land of Lincoln abortion oasis? The delay, anguish and cost to make the trip are something no pregnant woman should ever have to endure to get the reproductive care she should have as an absolute right. Does Ms. Carl ponder how many women were unable to gather the wherewithal for the trip, resulting in an unwanted child and a lifetime of personal and family dysfunction? Or how many simply got an unsafe, humiliating and expensive back alley abortion close to home? You dont know what your life is going to be like, she said. You want certain things for yourself, and falling in love and having a family and doing all those things felt really important to us. To be able to be married on that day felt really big. During questioning Mohammed Pervez revealed that he was in contact with ISI handlers and had travelled to Pakistan 17 times in the last 18 years. He admitted to spying for the ISI. JAIPUR: 42-year-old man arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan spy agency.Mohammed Parvez allegedly honey-trapped soldiers through fake identity. The ISI gave him financial support, an official says The Rajasthan Police arrested a 42-year-old man from Delhi on Monday for allegedly spying for Pakistans spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI, officials said. Mohammed Parvez was already arrested by the National Investigation Agency or NIA for anti-national activities and was in judicial custody since 2017. He was brought to Jaipur on Monday for interrogation, following which the state police arrested him, Additional Director General (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said. Mohammed Parvez allegedly honey-trapped Indian Army soldiers through fake identity to collect confidential and strategic information and passed those to the ISI, which gave him financial support, the officer said. During questioning Pervez revealed that he was in contact with ISI handlers and had travelled to Pakistan 17 times in the last 18 years, he said. ISI gave all necessary support for passing confidential information, Mr Mishra added. Pervez got mobile SIM cards on photo and identity card copy of people on assurance of quick visa formalities done at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Conniving with SIM card retailers, he got the numbers activated to share information with his handlers, the officer said. Parvez was presented before a Jaipur court, which sent him to a four-day police custody, Mr Mishra said. Source : NDTV Actor Aamir Khans daughter, Ira has shared a bunch of new pictures with a mystery man on Instagram. Tagging one Mishaal Kirpalani, Ira wrote in her post, Hope your Spring Break was sunny and smiley as @mishaalkirpalanis, which of course, I piled onto. The picture show Ira and Mishaal smiling for the camera, and hugging each other. The post has been geo-tagged to Santa Barbera, California. Several people left comments on Iras post, and tried to figure out who Mishaal is. Boyfriend??? one person asked. Hey Mishaal, you are so lucky never break her heart, warned another. Mishaals Instagram bio describes him as an artist, producer and composer. Ira has appeared on Mishaals timeline as well. A post from January shows the two, who are joined by another friend, posing for a selfie. A June 2017 post shows them at a beach. On Valentines Day, Ira shared several pictures and videos of herself with Mishaal. She captioned the post, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! I guess I have a type. They all sing amazingly and are beautiful people. Aamir and Ira are spotted in public more often these days. They posed for photographs together earlier this year. The actor has spoken about Iras ambitions. Im not quite sure what she has in mind but I suspect that she likes the world of cinema and filmmaking. So maybe thats where she would want to go, I dont know, he said, according to India Today. Also read: When Aamir Khan turned up for mahurat shot of Shah Rukh Khans Swades. See pic Iras brother, Junaid, also wants to join the film industry, but Aamir has said that he will support his son only if he is deserving. I think Junaid wants to be in films, Aamir said. He wants to act, he also wants to direct and make a film. I warned him that he has chosen a tough path. He happens to be my son and there will always be comparisons. Itll be probably tougher for him. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has once again requested studios to release Shoojit Sircars film Shoebite after a fan posted a request almost begging production houses to release the movie. A user wrote, PLEASE ... PLEASE .... PLEASE @utvfilms, @Disney, Star or Warners .. whoever .. PLEASE RELEASE THIS FILM ..Its been made with extreme labour of love .. it was made and given to you years ago ..DONT KILL CREATIVITY .. !!We want must will watch #Shoebite. Amitabh quote the tweet and wrote, please please please .. its a great story !! Also read: Mardaani 2 first look: Rani Mukerji returns as Bollywoods most intense cop. See pic please please please .. its a great story !! https://t.co/RVckBziCB4 Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 26, 2019 It has been nine years since the film was completed. Directed by ace filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, the film stars Amitabh as an old man who sets out on a journey of self discovery. The lyrics for the film have been provided by none other than Gulzar. It is unclear what went wrong and why the film hasnt been released. As per some reports, the film is entangled in a legal battle between production houses. Upset with the production he worked with, Disney-UTV, Shoojit had earlier told Hindustan Times, I feel its an insult and disregard to creative people. You cant disrespect an artiste like Mr Bachchan, who worked for two years on the film. Nothing has happened till now. Reportedly, an issue arose as the script is based on an idea by Hollywood director Manoj Night Shyamalan, who was making the same film with a major Hollywood studio. The American studio had given us the green signal, so we made the film. Till now, they havent made it, so they have to sort it out, Shoojit added. Meanwhile, Amitabh was recently seen in Badla alongside Taapsee Pannu and is gearing up for the release of Ayan Mukerjis Brahmastra where he stars along with Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. Follow @htshowbiz for more Several Bollywood celebs arrived for the Reel Awards 2019 held at the JW Marriott in Mumbai on Tuesday. The function was held in honour of the best that Indian cinema had to offer in the last 12 months. Spotted at the event were Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt, Dia Mirza, Ahana Kumra, Shibani Dandekar, Pankaj Tripathi and others. Alia wore a red Sabyasachi sari to the event, and pictures of the actor have since been shared online. Alia also won the Best Actor (Female) award for her performance in Meghna Gulzars Raazi. Alia also performed a couple of steps from the song Ghar More Pardesiya, from her upcoming film Kalank. Others spotted at the event include actors Aparshakti Khurana, Gajraj Rao, Boman Irani, Sobhita Dhulipala, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rasika Dugal, director Sriram Raghavan, and composer Amit Trivedi. Dia wore a black dress to the event, while Ahana was seen in an olive green pantsuit. While Aparshakti wore a grey jacket, Gajraj and Boman were seen in classic tuxedos. You can see more pictures here Big winners of the evening include Badhaai Ho, which won the Best Film award, the Best Actor award (Gajraj Rao) and the Best Supporting Actor award (Surekha Sikri). Sriram won the Best Director award for Andhadhun. Alia recently won the Best Actor (Female) award at the Filmfare awards. Her boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor walked home with the Best Actor (Male) award for his performance in the biopic Sanju. Videos and pictures from the function showed the couple supporting each other. Follow @htshowbiz for more The ad follows reports this week revisiting Lori Lightfoots response to a lawsuit stemming from the blaze, which occurred when she was the top attorney and chief of staff at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications under then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. WBEZ-FM 91.5 and the Chicago Sun-Times reported the story this week, just before the candidates participated in a WGN-Ch. 9 debate. The title of director Imtiaz Alis upcoming film, starring Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan has been revealed. According to a report, the film is called Aaj Kal, suggesting that it is indeed connected to Imtiazs 2009 romantic film, Love Aaj Kal, starring Saras father Saif Ali Khan. Times of India reports that the makers have finalised the title, and a release date of February 2020, just in time for Valentines Day. Love Aaj Kal starred Saif and Deepika Padukone. It had long been rumoured that this film would a sequel, and it was referred to as Love Aaj Kal 2 for months. Shooting for the Delhi schedule was wrapped recently, and pictures and videos of the wrap party were shared online. They showed the actors celebrating by cutting a cake and popping champagne. Sara and Kartik also greeted gathered fans and posed for pictures. Another video, in which Sara appears to be embarrassing Kartik by yelling his name, was also shared online. The actors have been making headlines even before they were cast opposite each other in the film; Sara had admitted to having a crush on Kartik in an episode of Koffee with Karan. The first look of the stars was previously shared online. It shows Sara resting her head on Kartiks shoulders. In her Instagram post, she wrote, Honoured, grateful and uncontrollably excited to be a part of Imtiaz Ali s next! Also read: Sara Ali Khan embarrasses Kartik Aaryan, yells his name in public The film also stars Imtiazs Highway actor, Randeep Hooda. The filmmaker is coming off the biggest critical disappointment of his career, Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma-starrer, When Harry Met Sejal. Sara made her film debut with Kedarnath, for which she recently won the best newcomer Filmfare award. She followed it up with the blockbuster Simmba. Kartik delivered a star-making turn in Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety. He was recently seen in Luka Chuppi, opposite Kriti Sanon, and will also appear in a remake of Pati Patni Aur Woh. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan, who is choreographing Madhuri Dixit after four years in Kalank, has criticised the quality standards in Bollywood saying music directors cant even come up with original tracks and dance is mostly copied from the west. Saroj has choreographed a song for Madhuri Dixit in Kalank. Saroj spoke about it to a tabloid, Four years after Gulaab Gang, Ive choreographed another song for Madhuri (Dixit). All through the film (Kalank) she makes others dance and never dances herself, then, in the climax, when Varuns (Dhawan) Zafar enters the kotha, she breaks into a mujra. Tabahi is a sad, situational song with fast-paced beats. Madhuri and I danced our hearts out and Im hopeful that after seeing it, people will remember Saroj Khan again. After just reading about it, Kangana Ranaut with whom I had worked in Tanu Weds Manu earlier, called me to do a song, Rajaji, in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Also read: Sonam Kapoor shares a simple yet empowering post of PMS. See it here She also slammed the current crop of Bollywood songs and claimed the heroines look and dress the same. She said, Bollywood songs have hit an all time low. None of the songs today are memorable and you cant differentiate between heroines, who look and dress the same. I have to ask my kids who the actress is. In the 80s and 90s, maybe even before that, every heroine was distinctive and no one was afraid of close-ups. People are trying to copy western dance, but gymnastics is meant for circus people. Why go into living rooms in the West and show them their own moves when people abroad love and want to learn our todas and taals? Its stupid, but then music directors today cant even come up with original tracks, they have to remix yesteryear hits. Remo Dsouza, Ahmed Khan, Ganesh Acharya, my own son Raju Khan have all been my students. In my time, we always encouraged new talent, we were not insecure of them taking our work away from us. Taqdeer roti deti hai, she added. Also read: Salman Khan shares workout video as he launches new brand. Watch She also revealed she was originally supposed to work in Thugs of Hindostan with Katrina but was replaced by Prabhudheva at the last moment. Saroj has been a renowned name in the industry and has given several hit numbers including Dola Re Dola (Devdas), Dhak Dhak Karne Laga (Beta) and Ek Do Teen (Tezaab). Follow @htshowbiz for more This is the 30th anniversary of the controversy that accompanied the publication of Salman Rushdies The Satanic Verses. It is an anniversary that has passed largely without comment in India but there has been a flurry of stories in the British press. And a TV documentary about the effect the fatwa had on British Muslims has been well reviewed. And yet, it is in India that we should be marking the anniversary because the controversy started here. I venture to suggest that had it not been for Indian politicians and Indian protests there would have been no controversy at all. When Rushdie submitted his manuscript to his publishers there was no real sense that he had written something controversial. The first sign that the book could lead to protests was when the galleys (or perhaps it was the manuscript --- I cant remember) arrived in Delhi so that Penguin could look at them and publish an Indian edition. In those days, Penguin India was part owned by ABP (for whom I then worked) and the Consulting Editor was Khushwant Singh. The book was sent to Khushwant who read it and said there was no way it could be published in India. It was deeply offensive to Muslims. The Editor-in-Chief of ABP at the time was Aveek Sarkar, a true liberal, who told Penguin Indias foreign parent that he was all for publication. Perhaps the book would offend people but that was just too bad. Works of literature are meant to be judged on artistic merit, not by whom they offend. Because of the ABP connection, I had some idea of what was going on (I was editor of Sunday, an ABP publication). When Shrabani Basu, then Sundays London correspondent, went to interview Rushdie, I asked her to throw in a few questions about the impact the book may have on Muslim sentiment and whether he worried that it might cause offence. Shrabani asked the question and Rushdie answered, in words that would come back to haunt him: It is a funny view of the world to think that a book can cause riots. The Sunday interview appeared in the same week as an extract from the book in India Today. There was, at least as far as I could see, nothing particularly offensive in the extract but, along with the interview and the stories about how Khushwant Singh had advised against publication, the extract was enough to alert the late Syed Shahabuddin, a former IFS officer who seemed like a perfectly sensible chap when you chatted to him but who had an unerring instinct for finding the best way to inflame Muslim political sentiment. Shahabuddin called for a ban on The Satanic Verses. Other Muslim leaders echoed his call and soon there was a chorus of voices complaining about the so-called insult to Muslim religious feelings. At this stage, not one of the people calling for the ban had read the book. When I pressed them on this, they said they did not need to read it. If Khushwant Singh believed it was offensive to Muslims well then, the opinion of this great man of letters was more than enough for them. I guess Khushwant Singh should have issued a statement to the effect that as a liberal he did not believe in the banning of books. But, as far as I can recall, he did no such thing. The protests snowballed. Violence was threatened. The matter was referred to the Home Minister. (Buta Singh, one of the great intellectuals of our time, if I remember, correctly.) The Home Ministry recommended that the book should not be published because its distribution would lead to violence. The government of India accepted this recommendation and banned the import of The Satanic Verses. Later, when I interviewed Rajiv Gandhi, who was then Prime Minister, about this decision, he took the line --- common to all Indian politicians through the ages --- that nothing must be allowed to cause riots and endanger communal harmony. (I can see the merit in the argument but I think he was wrong: banning books is a slippery slope.) Tempers ran so high that no Muslim politicians dared speak up against the ban. My college friend Salman Khurshid who had been one of Oxfords great liberals also went along with the decision. Prof. Mushirul Hasan said that while he found the novel offensive, he did not believe in banning books and was beaten up by his students. The protests spread to Pakistan. A mob attacked the British Council building. Ayatollah Khomeini saw the protest on TV and asked what it was about. He was told it was about a book that attacked the Prophet (which The Satanic Verses emphatically did not) and declared, in his magisterial way, that well, in that case, they should put the author to death. And so the famous fatwa was issued and Salman Rushdie went into hiding, a phase he describes in his memoir Joseph Anton. Thirty years later, what have we learned from the events surrounding the ban and then the fatwa? Well, first of all: people - and politicians and clerics in particular - are ignorant. Few, if any, of those who protested had even read the book. They were not offended. They were looking for offence. This had some comical consequences, The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, who supported the ban, is supposed to have said that he was not surprised that Salman had written such a book. He knew all about him. He had been corrupted by a Western education. So what if his father was a minister? At this stage, somebody took the old boy aside and explained that while he was quite welcome to rail against Salman Khurshid, the book had been written by another man called Salman, not by Khurshid. Secondly, the net effect of the agitation was to cement the caricature of the fundamentalist Muslim nutcase. What kind of people got so agitated about a book they had never read (or were likely to read) that murder and mayhem ensued? All over the world, the agitations, the protests and finally the fatwa, reinforced the image of the Muslim as fanatic. The best you could say was that all Muslims were not fundamentalist lunatics but that the silent majority was content to let the lunatics speak for it. Three: in India, at least, the BJP exploited the incident to feed the growing Hindu backlash, orchestrated by LK Advani. The ban on the Satanic Verses was proof, BJP leaders said, that the Congress and pseudo-seculars were so committed to pandering to Muslims that they would ban any book if it helped shore up the Muslim vote bank. It cannot be an accident that it was during this period that the BJP went from two seats in the Lok Sabha to becoming a major force, nationally. Four: The governments capitulation to the likes of Shahabuddin made it difficult for secular liberals to argue for freedom of expression. The Hindus who said that Muslims should not get so agitated about perceived insults to the Prophet got as agitated about MF Hussains paintings of Hindu goddesses. They had no real commitment to artistic expression. They were not arguing for freedom. They were arguing against Muslims. But once secularists had gone along with the Satanic Verses ban they could easily be accused of double standards when they objected to Hindu protests. Five: As some British Muslim writers have pointed out, the fatwa was not really condemned by many British Muslims. Many young Muslims actually supported it. There have been many explanations offered for this phenomenon. But the support for the fatwa was the first sign that young Muslims in the West were so alienated or so angered by racism that they would support the worst kind of primitive Islamism even if it involved murder. Years later some of these young Muslims bombed London and went off to join ISIS. All of us ignored the warning signs that accompanied the support for the fatwa. Six: The Hindu community does not have the leaders it deserves. It has guys like Yogi Adityanath and his ilk who make a mockery of a great religion like Hinduism. But long before that happened, the Muslim community had leaders who were as bad. And not only were liberal Muslims hesitant to speak out against them, liberal Hindus also pandered to them believing that we were being secular. Seven: And finally, freedom of expression cannot be an absolute value. But it certainly cannot be treated with the kind of cavalier disregard with which Indians have looked at it over the decades. It is liberals who accepted the position that if a work of art or creative expression offends anyone, it should be banned. We did this to avoid riots or violence and followed the path of least resistance. But in doing so, we weakened the very basis of our liberal society. The Karni Senas and all the other lunatic fringe groups that threaten artists, film-makers and media today grew out of our willingness to suspend our belief in free expression at the slightest provocation. Indian liberals are nearly as much to blame as the fascists who hold sway today. On the 30th anniversary of the Satanic Verses ban, we should look back. We should examine our mistakes. And we should learn from them. To read more on The Taste With Vir, click here Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Whether the Rafale deal is a scam or the best thing for Indias defence is for more eminent people to debate. Let me, meanwhile, list four facts emerging from the February 26-27 air skirmishes to bring the story of what should be called the real Rafale scandal. *In the Rajouri-Mendhar sector air skirmish a day after the Indian Air Forces (IAF) successful Balakot strikes, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was able to create surprise and local superiority technological and numerical in a chosen battlefield. It struck in daylight when least expected, and perfectly timed to attack the changeover of IAF AWAC patrols. The outnumbered IAF pilots (12 aircraft of three vastly different types), scrambled from various bases, and showed the presence of mind not to walk into the ambush set for them, but they failed to deliver a deterrent punishment on PAF. Watch: Once Rafale is here, Pak wont come near LoC: Air Force Chief Dhanoa * Four Sukhoi-30s, the IAFs most powerful air-superiority aircraft, were involved in the melee at beyond visual range (BVR). They were surprised by the PAF F-16s firing their American AMRAAM missiles from so far that their own radar/computer/missiles were not able to give them a firing solution. Translated: Indias best fighter, which constitutes half of the IAFs combat force, was outranged and outgunned. * Fortunately, two of the upgraded Mirage-2000s were on patrol. These have new French missiles (MICA, or Missile dInterception, de combat dautodefense), which are the exact peers of the F-16/AMRAAM. They were able to lock on to some of the PAF planes, which panicked into dropping their South African origin, stand-off weapons (SOWs) in a hurry, mostly missing the targets. Nevertheless, one fell in the middle of the Nowshera brigade headquarters compound. It was a closer call than we think. * Surprised, and outnumbered, the IAF scrambled six MiG-21 Bisons from Srinagar and Awantipur. Since these climbed in the shadow of the Pir Panjal range, the PAF AWAC failed to detect them. Their sudden appearance at the battlefield upset the PAF plan. This was fortuitous. It is only because of the IAFs good training, situational awareness, and some luck that this audacious PAF mission failed. No ground target was hit. Its larger objective of luring vastly outnumbered and outranged IAF jets into a pre-set killing zone was the bigger failure. Which brings us to our central question: Should we have even been having this conversation today if we had the military capability to match our economy (eight times Pakistans) and strategic ambition? February 27 reminded us that we dont. If we had a functional defence acquisition system, by now we would have built such a gap that Pakistan wouldnt even dare to retaliate. Check out on a rarely-reported Mirage-2000 laser bomb raid to clear a Pakistani incursion across the LoC in Machil sector in 2002. Forget retaliation, the Pakistanis pretended nothing had happened. Indian air-to-air missiles then, on both Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s, had better range than the PAF, which ducked the challenge. Computers, radars and missiles decide the outcome in modern, mostly BVR, post-dogfight era air warfare. How did India lose that edge? This serial crime dates back to the Vajpayee government. In 2001, IAF projected the need of a new fighter to replace the MiGs. Its choice was more Mirage-2000s. Dassault was willing to shift its production line to India, the IAF knew the plane and loved it. By this time, the IAF would have had 6-8 more squadrons of the upgraded, Made-in-India Mirages with new missiles. The Rafale would probably not even be needed so desperately. PAF wouldnt have dared to carry out the 27 February raid, and if it did, it would have been mauled. But then, George Fernandes, smarting under Coffingate and Tehelka, refused to go with a single-vendor deal. The full process for a new acquisition was launched. We slept for a decade. The Pakistanis got their new F-16s and AMRAAM missiles from the US after 2010. Tactical balance in the air shifted. We, meanwhile, took until 2012 for a new fighter Rafale to be chosen. Except that defence minister AK Antony wouldnt take a decision. Three of his negotiation committee of 14 dissented, so he set a committee above them. And he set up another committee of three outside monitors to supervise this committee. Finally, all inputs in, the choice was cleared. Sure enough, Antony ducked again. He said three things at different times: Within the MoD, he then said, call fresh bids. To the media, he said he didnt have headroom in the budget that year. And now, he told the media three weeks ago, that he put off the deal in the national interest since two eminent persons, Subramanian Swamy and Yashwant Sinha, had written letters pointing out problems in the deal and he had ordered an inquiry. He has since refused to talk about these letters even when chased by a reporter from The Print. The issue is too sensitive, he tells her. Chances are, his party knocked him on the head for nearly killing their Rafale story just to save his own neck. I will be pleasantly surprised if he talks about those letters again. The earlier 126-aircraft MMRCA deal was dead by the time the NDA came in. The first wake-up call came early enough, with the Pathankot raid. As usual, the air forces were first off the blocks, and during aggressive patrolling, the IAF realised the PAFs range superiority. Its an unwritten story yet, but some MICA missiles were bought overnight, slung on Mirages which flew deliberately close enough for PAF to observe them. In the four years since, how many of our 40+ Mirages can even carry that missile? Dont ask me for the truth because, as Jack Nicholsons Marine Col. Nathan R. Jessep said in A Few Good Men, you cant face the truth. Be grateful that those two on patrol on the morning of February 27 could . As I promised, I am telling you about the real Rafale scandal without mentioning the Rafale deal. The Vajpayee government wouldnt buy additional Mirages, scared of touching a single-vendor order. The MICA missile had first been sought by the IAF in 2001, the first only came in 2015 when Pathankot shocked the MoD to pull the file down from orbit. Existing Mirages then had to be upgraded. Two were upgraded by Dassault. HAL said it would do the rest. How many has it done yet? I warned you, you cant face the truth. Then it gets even more scandalous. How did Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman cross the LoC? He was in visual pursuit of a PAF fighter for sure. But his controller was warning him to return. He didnt. Because he couldnt hear. As youd expect in 2019, the battle zone had full radio-jamming. Thats why modern fighters have secure data links. Why didnt that MiG have it? Ask the gallant bureaucrat of MoD who blocked the purchase for three years claiming that a defence PSU would make it. Dont ask me his name, find out. You might learn another truth you dont want to face. That order has lately been placed. With Israel. Soon enough, all IAF fighters will have this secure data link. And youd die of shame, when I tell you it is a purchase, worth a mere 630 crore, less than half the price of one Rafale. We were lucky to lose just one MiG that day. Delhi University (DU) has asked the heads of 11 departments and a college to initiate the process for revising the curriculum of all their undergraduate courses and introduce the revised syllabus in the academic session 2019-20. The move has invited criticism from a section of the faculty, who termed it a serious statutory violation. The universitys undergraduate curriculum revision committee (2019) last week wrote an email to the heads of 12 departments, including computer science, history, botany, music, zoology, Sanskrit, microbiology and environmental studies, and the administration of Indraprastha College for Women, with a revision schedule and asked them to abide by it. According to the schedule, each department will have to constitute their own committees and prepare a first draft of the revised curriculum by March 29. Each departmental committee will come up with at least four drafts before submitting the final copy with the heads of departments (HoDs). The undergraduate curriculum revision committee, constituted by the administration, asked the department heads to make the final draft available in the public domain and invite suggestions from all stakeholders. Being a premier university, the revised curriculum is not only going to help our prospective students but would also set a trend for many other universities, it said. Members of the universitys executive council (EC) and academic council (AC) wrote to vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, objecting to the manner of revising the curriculum. Rajesh Jha, an EC member, said, As per DU rules of revising syllabus, the departments would root the draft of revised curriculum through individual committees of all courses offered by any department. It is then sent to each faculty for approval. It is further passed by the standing council before going for a discussion in AC. Then the final draft is passed by the EC. The university has bypassed all these steps, Jha said. The EC and AC members have requested the VC to withdraw the communication. The schedule was prepared without any consultation with the statutory bodies. So, we request you to revise the UG syllabi in a statutory and democratic manner and withdraw all the communications concerned, the letter states. Despite several attempts, vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi did not respond to calls and messages for a comment. Police on Tuesday registered a case of murder and attempt to suicide against a 34-year-old woman, a day after she allegedly killed her two minor children by throwing them down from the terrace of a four-storey building in east Delhis Laxmi Nagar. At around 9pm Monday, the woman, who the police identified only by her first name Alia, allegedly first threw her three-year-old son onto the road, and then her seven-year-old daughter onto the rooftop of the adjacent two-storey building. She then followed her daughter by jumping off the terrace. Police said Alias husband Munawwar (identified by his first name) was at his automobile spare parts shop in north Delhis Sadar Bazar at the time. Deputy commissioner of police (east) Jasmeet Singh said that they have requested the Delhi government to constitute a panel of doctors to conduct the autopsies of the children. Police said they are yet to ascertain why Alia killed her children and tried to kill herself. While she is undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak hospital and is unfit for statement, her husband told the police that she was suffering from depression and was undergoing treatment for the past few months. While neighbours told police they have often heard the couple quarrelling and that Alia had complained to the police on Saturday over alleged domestic violence, police did not confirm this. We have not recovered a suicide note, said DCP Singh. We have booked the woman under section 302 (murder) and 309 (suicide attempt) of the Indian Penal Code. Her husband told us that his wife was on medication for depression. However, we are yet to get her medical records. The claims of the neighbours regarding the couples marital problems and police complaint are also being verified, said DCP Singh. Alias family lived on the third floor. Zafar Abbas, a lawyer who lives with his family in the adjacent flat, said he was speaking to his father over the cellphone and his wife was cooking dinner in the kitchen when they heard a commotion outside. We looked out from our balcony and heard people screaming that a child had fallen from our building. I checked on my four children and was relieved after seeing them in the house. We then rushed downstairs and found that the child was our neighbour Munawwars son, said Abbas. Just as Abbas was trying to rush the boy to a nearby hospital, neighbours alerted that a woman and a girl were lying injured on the roof of the adjacent building. We rushed over there and found Alia and her daughter. A woman in our neighbourhood told us that she had seen Alia throwing her children before jumping off the building, said Fiza Fatima, Abbass wife. Munawwar is from Bihar while Alia was born and brought up in Mumbai. The couple were married for around 10 years. An alleged operative of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Mohammad Parvez, who was on Monday sent to the custody of Rajasthan police for allegedly honey-trapping army jawans in January this year, was possibly a member of a sleeper cell module operating in Delhi, the police said on Tuesday. Parvez was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in 2017. They said they suspected Parvez was acting at the behest of the Pakistans intelligence agency. Parvezs family members, however, refuted the allegations of him having links with the ISI. They said he was being framed because he regularly visits his sisters in Pakistan. Parvez, 42, was arrested for alleged anti-national activities and was in judicial custody since 2017, police said. Additional director general (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said on Monday, Parvez was brought to Jaipur for interrogation, following which we arrested him and demanded his custody to interrogate him for honey-trapping Indian Army soldiers. Two of his aides were arrested by us on January 31 this year from Delhi. Parvez had honey-trapped an army jawan in Jaipur in January this year using a fake identity. He collected confidential and strategic information and passed it on to the ISI. We have learnt that Pervez also acted as a visa agent in Pakistan. He had also fraudulently procured Indian SIM cards and passed it on to his contacts in Pakistan which they used to call Indian soldiers, Mishra said. A senior police officer from Jaipur said Parvez was a member of a sleeper cell module in Delhi and was acting on commands of the ISI operatives. He is in four-day police custody and we will interrogate him to trace his other contacts, the officer said on the condition of anonymity. Police said the man Parvez visited Pakistan 17 times in past 18 years. Parvezs wife, however, said that he came on the police radar only for visiting her sisters regularly in Pakistan. She said, since her husbands arrest she has changed three houses because she could not pay the rent. Had he been helping any agency and was being funded for that, we would not be in such a condition. I am left behind to take care of four children and an ageing mother-in-law, said Zakia, Parvezs wife. She said her husband was a roadside vendor who sold artificial jewellery and later started a garment business. Zakia,a housewife, lives in Delhis Chandni Mahal area with her four kids. Parvezs lawyer Akram Khan said that so far his role has only been proven in obtaining SIM cards fraudulently. He shall be charged only with forging documents and not under the Official Secrets Act, Khan said. The South Delhi Municipal Corporations (SDMC) plan to construct its headquarters, a 33-storey building, on Ring Road near Pragati Maidan has run into opposition. India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), which is redeveloping Pragati Maidan, has objected to the plan citing its possible adverse impact on traffic in the neighbourhood and on its Rs 2,700-crore project. The matter was discussed at a meeting chaired by Union housing and urban affairs secretary Durga Shanker Mishra on March 11. Last month, ITPO chairman and managing director LC Goyal also wrote to the ministry and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), requesting them not to allow the Rs 600-crore project at the location. The HQ is to come up on an eight-acre plot, earmarked as a district park, on Ring Road near the IP Estate DTC bus depot. The building will come up on five acres and DDA has initiated the process to change its land use from recreational (district park) to government last year. A senior Delhi Development Agency official said the land use is yet to be changed. ITPO says the proposed headquarters is planned near one end of a 1.2km-long tunnel (towards Ring Road) between Purana Qila Road and Ring Road via Pragati Maidan. Goyal said the SDMC project would jeopardise the Pragati Maidan redevelopment project. The tunnel is the lifeline for Pragati Maidans new and old complex, as it is connected to the basement parking lots on both sides and with entry/exit points on Ring Road, said Goyal. The tunnel is being constructed by the Delhi governments public works department (PWD) to decongest Mathura Road as part of the Pragati Maidan revamp project. PWD officials say the tunnel work is in an advanced stage and is expected to be completed by September. Goyal added, The proposed SDMC building will create traffic conflict zones at the entry/exit points of the tunnel on Ring Road, which will result in a traffic pile-up and a chaotic situation in the tunnel and beyond...This will directly impact and jeopardise the ITPO project and nullify the benefits of the traffic decongestion interventions. A senior HUA ministry official said the matter related to the SDMC project and proposed land use change is under process. ITPO has been raising objections since last year. While a final decision on the project is yet to be taken, the SDMC has roped in NBCC Indiaalso the consultant for the Pragati Maidan revampfor the headquarters-cum-commercial complex project. It is learnt NBCC had floated tenders for the project last year and submitted a detailed project report and drawing to all the statutory bodies for approval. The south corporations headquarters is now housed at the SP Mukherjee Civic Centre near Ramlila Grounds. SDMC officials say they need a new building as the Civic Centre belongs to the north corporation. South Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Narendra Chawla said, The project site is earmarked as a green area. But the process to change the land use has been initiated. The ministry is looking into the land use change. We have decided to name the building after Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji. We roped in NBCC India, which has awarded the work to a contractor. Traffic mess around Pragati Maidan The ?923-crore Integrated Transit Corridor Development Plan along Mathura Road was approved by the ministry in 2016 for the smooth movement of traffic around Pragati Maidan. The tunnel is an integral part of the project and will make travel to India Gate and central Delhi from Noida, Ghaziabad and east Delhi smooth. With the busy ITO crossing nearby, the traffic volume in the area varies between 1.5 lakh passenger car units (PSU) and 2.5 lakh PCUs per day. Referring to the chaotic traffic situation in the area, Goyal said, No project/structure should be allowed in the area because it will result in additional traffic load. The area should be retained as a district park. I have requested the ministry not to allow the project at this location in the larger public interest and to avoid traffic nightmare. Transport planning and road safety experts warn against traffic conflict at the entry/exit points of the tunnel. Sewa Ram, professor of transport planning, School of Planning and Architecture, said, The entry of the proposed building shouldnt be on Ring Road, as the tunnel opens there and it might create a traffic conflict zone. As it is a public building, there is bound to be heavy pedestrian movement and adequate arrangements have to be made on Ring Road so that traffic doesnt get disrupted. There should be a detailed traffic impact assessment study before planning any new structure in the area, which already faces traffic issues. Two developments, on March 26, in two corners of the world, could finally force technology giants which reap the benefits of being media companies but do not want to handle the responsibilities that come with being one, to change their ways. The first is in Australia, which has warned companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google, that they need to prevent their platforms from being weaponised by extremists and terrorists. The countrys move comes as a response to the New Zealand terror attack. Ahead of a meeting between the government and the companies, AFP reported that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrisson spoke about the speed of response of such companies when it came to commercial matters They can get an ad to you in half a second and that they should be able to pull down this sort of terrorist material and other types of very dangerous material in the same sort of time frame. As the report pointed out, while Facebook said it removed the livestream of the New Zealand terror attack quickly, the fact is that the video was still available online well after the attack. The second development was in Europe where the European Parliament said technology platforms will have to check the content being posted online by their users for copyright violation. The rule is part of copyright reforms that have generated a lot of debate with opponents (including technology giants that lobbied heavily against them) claiming that this marks the end of Internet freedom. For the record, content publishers have supported the changes, motivated by two reasons: maintaining standards in journalism; and protecting their earnings, which have been eroded. In both cases, technology companies have so far been protected as intermediaries. Their liability is limited, and they have got away with such interventions as taking down copyrighted or offensive content when this is pointed out, or when asked to by a court. These are not the kind of safe harbours media companies enjoy, even in countries with absolute freedom of speech and expression protections. Technology companies have an interest in portraying themselves as mere intermediaries when they start aggressively monitoring and moderating content, they stop being intermediaries, and lose the protection granted them. Not surprisingly, Australias Attorney General was quoted by AFP as saying after the meeting that their response was thoroughly underwhelming. Countries around the world, including India, should consider doing away with safe harbours for Internet intermediaries. United States-backed fighters have captured the Islamic State (IS) redoubt of Baghouz in Syria, the last remaining slice of territory held by the terrorist group led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Much has been written about the end of the ISs so-called caliphate, which once comprised 88,000 square kilometres stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq. The victory came through a gruelling and chaotic campaign that was often marred by the competing interests of Syria, Russia and the US. The caliphate attracted thousands of jihadis from many countries, including India, over the past five years, allowing the IS to plan and execute brazen attacks such as the ones in Paris in 2015 and in Dhaka in 2016. However, the capture of Baghouz should not be equated with the end of the IS. Lessons should be learnt from the situation in Iraq, which declared victory over the group in late 2017. Already, the United Nations has warned that the IS has evolved into a covert network in Iraq that is consolidating and organising cells in some provinces, especially in remote areas. Security experts are apprehensive about a similar situation emerging in Syria, one reason why President Donald Trump has held off on pulling all 2,000 US troops out of the country. Besides Baghdadi being still at large, the IS is believed to still have between 14,000 and 20,000 fighters in the region. Though the ISs use of the Internet for propaganda, recruitment and inspiring attacks across the globe has waned somewhat in recent years, there is reason to believe it still possesses online capabilities to spread its toxic ideology. Many have taken comfort in the fact that only about 150 Indians have been affiliated in some way with the IS, but this is no reason for complacency. India must work with the world community to root out the group. As a taxpayer, a voter, I dont like (those kind of hires), said Shakman, who said he has not yet decided who to vote for in the mayors race. As a litigant involved in the patronage case, I cant say she broke the law when she did that because, if the position was exempt (from hiring restrictions), she was given broad discretion in how to fill it. CBSE Class 12 students in Lucknow, who appeared in economics exam on Wednesday, gave a mixed response when asked about the difficulty level of the paper. Samriddhi Priyadarshini, a Class 12 student of Lucknow Public School(LPS), South City said, Paper contained many complicated questions. Another student from the same school, Manya Rastogi said, Only macroeconomics was tricky but I managed to attempt the questions, as I have been practising the sample paper. Another student Shreya Tiwari of LPS said that the paper was moderately difficult. It was neither very hard nor very easy. A senior economics teachers of Lucknow Public School, South City, Kalyan Kumar said, Economics paper was a challenging one. Many of the questions were tricky; ensuring that only students who had an in-depth knowledge and were regular in studies could answer them well. He further said that the economics paper was much more difficult in comparison to the last five years question papers. Prakhar Praveen, a student of GD Goenka Public School expressed happiness over the kind of questions asked as most of them were simple and direct. Mannat Dutta, a student said, Paper was very easy and short. Few numerical questions were tricky as they involved application of more than one concept in order to arrive at the solution. Nipun Jha, a Class 12 commerce stream student of Delhi Public School Lucknow said the paper was comparatively easy, except for few, and as usual most of them where direct. Im expecting to score in 90s, Nipun added. Harshit Singh of DPS said, The question paper of quite easy. The questions were mostly asked directly from the topics. There were very few questions based on practical knowledge and the paper was easy. I am expecting a score of above 90. Vanshika Singh, a Class 12 student of DPS said, I thought the micro part was easier than macro, overall the paper was moderate. I am expecting above 85. Mansi Shakya of Class 12 said, The paper was of moderate difficuly level and some questions were tricky and also needed analytical mind. Overall my exam went fine and I am expecting to secure A1 grade. Bhopal Students coming out of HEMA higher secondary school after appearing in CBSE Class12 economics exam in Bhopal on Wednesday. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo) In Bhopal, Jawahar Lal Nehru School student Anshika Bourasi said, The paper was overall easy and short. But some questions, especially from microeconomics, were surprising for students as such questions were never asked in the exam before. Another student of the same school Sami Khan said, I found microeconomics section a bit tough as tricky questions were asked. A lot of questions having diagram were asked which I feel will help in scoring well. GVN Global School student Shikhar Shrivastava said, The questions related to indifference and variable proportions were complicated and time consuming. However, I completed the exam in the designated time. Patna A private candidate Shivam Kashyap of Patna said, The paper was very easy. I completed my paper in less than two hours. Anyone who would have covered the syllabus properly will find the paper very easy. (With inputs from Nandini) Six students who were found with question papers in their phones a week ago during the History and Political Science papers will now be counselled by the Bhiwandi Police. After taking the students statements their phones were also confiscated for investigation purposes. This has led to a sense of fear in their minds. Parents of some of these students have approached the police, My daughter is not eating properly since last few days. Upon hearing about the repeated arrests and investigations in the case she has been stressed continuously. We hence approached the police who have asked us to get them to the police station, said a parent on condition of anonymity. We shall be talking to them and help them understand the situation. We will calm them down as they are only 15 year old and have taken this step probably under pressure, said Maloji Shinde, Senior Police Inspector, Narpoli Police Station. At least nine suspected Iranian drug smugglers were arrested and 100 kg heroin worth Rs 500 crore was seized off Gujarats Porbandar coast in the wee hours on Wednesday, in a joint operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad, Marine Task Force and Indian Coast Guard. The suspects set the boat ablaze before being apprehended. The drugs were believed to be loaded from a Pakistani port whereas the dhow and its crew were Iranian. Nine-member crew-led by a man identified as Mohmad Aslam Devaliya(39) has been arrested and 100 kg heroin in total four bags has been seized, said Anti-Terrorist Squad superintendent of police Himanshu Shukla. Though their identity documents got burnt down with the boat. They have claimed that they are Iran nationals. They are in the custody of ATS at Porbandar and by Thursday they will be brought to Ahmedabad, Shukla added. The Gujarat ATS laid a trap, with the help of MTF and ICG, after it received a tip-off this on March 24. By March 25, further information confirmed possible arrival of this boat. The joint team had traced down the boat off Porbandar coast and they were asked to surrender. The crew set the boat on fire. But before that agencies men were onboard the suspected boat, apprehended all members and drugs and taken them into agencies vessels, the officer added. Preliminary interrogation has revealed that there was no consignment left onboard and the entire amount was seized. India tested an anti-satellite weapon on Wednesday, saying the indigenously produced interceptor was used to destroy an object in orbit. Such a weapon allows for attacks on enemy satellites - blinding them or disrupting communications - as well as providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles. India, whose space program has developed launchers, satellites and probes to the moon and Mars, created the interceptor used in Wednesdays test domestically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a broadcast on television. Previous tests The United States performed the first anti-satellite tests in 1959, when satellites themselves were rare and new. Bold Orion, designed as a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile re-purposed to attack satellites, was launched from a bomber and passed close enough to the Explorer 6 satellite for it to have been destroyed if the missile had been armed. The Soviet Union performed similar tests around the same time. In the 1960s and early 1970s, it tested a weapon that could be launched in orbit, approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit research and advocacy organisation. In 1985, the United States tested the AGM-135, launched from an F-15 fighter jet, destroying an American satellite called Solwind P78-1. Read more| Mission Shakti: How and when other countries conducted anti-satellite weapons There were no tests for more than 20 years. Then in 2007, China entered the anti-satellite arena by destroying an old weather satellite in a high, polar orbit. The test created the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation, a group that advocates sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space. The next year, the United States carried out Operation Burnt Frost, using a ship-launched SM-3 missile to destroy a defunct spy satellite. Debris Debris from anti-satellite tests can create problems for other satellites and spacecraft in orbit, as tiny bits of junk whiz through space many times faster than a rifle bullet. The International Space Station, for example, regularly tweaks its orbit to avoid debris of all kinds. Chinas 2007 test is considered the most destructive. Because the impact took place at an altitude of more than 800 km (500 miles), many of the resulting scraps stayed in orbit. The U.S. test in 2008 did not create as much orbital debris, and because it was at a lower altitude, atmospheric drag caused much of it to fall toward Earth and burn up. The U.S. Strategic Command, which tracks objects in orbit for the U.S. military, had no immediate comment on Wednesdays test. Military use Destroying an enemys satellites, which can provide crucial intelligence and communications in war, is considered an advanced capability. With the successful test on Wednesday, India theoretically holds other countries satellites at risk. Neighbouring Pakistan, with which India traded airstrikes last month, has several satellites in orbit, launched using Chinese and Russian rockets. But China, which put dozens of satellites in orbit in 2018 alone, according to state media, could see Indias fledgling capability as more of a threat. India needed to build anti-satellite weapons because adversary China has already done it in 2007, said Ajay Lele, senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. More than anything I would say through this India is sending a message to the subcontinent, he added. India is saying that we have mechanisms for space warfare. The Army is Indias most trusted institution followed by the judiciary while the police, government officials and political parties are the least trusted, according to a report released on Tuesday. Bengalurus Azim Premji University and Delhi-based research institute Lokniti Centre For the Study of Developing Societies report titled Politics and Society Between Elections (2019) is based on a survey of public opinion related to politics, society, and governance between elections. The survey was conducted in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and the National Capital Region of Delhi. As many as 30% respondents surveyed for the report agreed the government should punish those, who do not stand for the national anthem at public places and 20% disagreed. States in the Hindi heartland such as Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Uttarakhand took more nationalist positions, where close to half of the respondents [except Uttarakhand with 40%] fully agree that the government should punish those not standing for the national anthem. Respondents in the remaining sampled states took middle positions on this question with an inclination towards agreement with the statement, it noted. The report noted the idea nation and nationalism have always been discussed and debated in India. It added over the past few years, it has been brought centre-stage and widely debated. People are now divided into two groups nationalists or anti-nationalists -- based on their attitudes and perceptions towards private and public practices. The study found respondents strongly supported punishment for those who consume beef in states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Uttarakhand, where cow slaughter is completely banned. In states like Mizoram, Nagaland and Kerala, where there is no such ban, an overwhelming number of people rejected the idea of punishment for beef eating. The report found that overall opinion on religious conversions was sharply divided. Unlike for other questions, a higher number of respondents (23%) did not express their opinion on the issue. The disagreement was higher among Christian dominated states. In Mizoram and Nagaland, 60% and 44% disagreed when asked whether the government should punish those found involved in religious conversions. The rejection was also high among respondents in states like Kerala (37%), Tripura (28%), Tamil Nadu (27%) and Assam (23%). According to the report, the key concern among those between the ages of 18 and 35 (49%) was related to jobs. Citizens are concerned with many issues between elections, but what concerns the most is unemployment, the report said. In all the reportage and commentary on the Lok Sabha elections, particularly in the Hindi heartland, a contrast is drawn between the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) advantage Narendra Modis popularity and its challenge the arithmetic gap. But break it down to understand what this challenge is all about, and a large element of it is what is called the Muslim vote. Further, it is clear that things would have looked rather different if the BJP had a more harmonious equation with Muslims - wherein it provided representation to the community, reoriented its ideological framework, and tamed its Hindutva impulses, and Muslims, in turn, began to trust and vote for the party. Make no mistake. The absence of this equation, or indeed the tension between the party and Muslims, has often been a great source of strength for the BJP. Because in times of polarisation, it consolidates large sections of Hindus. But it is also an impediment because when religious polarisation ebbs, the arithmetic takes over. The 2019 election will also show whether the votes of Muslims, as in 2014, will be rendered rather irrelevant in shaping the final outcome, or whether this minority vote will regain its importance in shaping national politics. The arithmetic challenge Let us take three examples from the key battleground states of this election. In Bengal, as a report in The Hindu on Tuesday pointed out, when BJP leader Mukul Roy was brought in from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the first thing he did was to identify 32 of the 42 constituencies where minorities (Muslims, that is) did not have a decisive presence. This is where the party decided to focus on. So it begins the race in Bengal having disregarded 10 seats. Or, with Bengal having close to 25% Muslim population, the BJPs playing field is only 75% of the voting population. This is a minus 25% disadvantage as far as the starting vote share is concerned. On the other hand, a party like TMC can, on paper, work on the entire electorate and craft a winning coalition within that. Or take Uttar Pradesh (UP). The state has a little over 20% Muslims; in a range of seats, if they vote in a consolidated manner and ally with even one more Hindu community, they can swing the outcome. The BJP thus begins the election with a minus 20% disadvantage. Indeed, when party strategists draw their plan, they already discount Muslim votes, along with Yadav and Jatav votes. This has generated pressure on the party in this election to win more than 50% vote share in each seat. That is an enormous challenge for any party. In Bihar, the Muslim population is close to 17%, with a substantial number concentrated in the Seemanchal region of north-east Bihar. That explains why, even at the peak of the Modi wave in 2014, the party lost a bulk of the seats in this belt. The BJP starts with a minus 17% disadvantage here. A caveat is important: Muslims are not the only one who oppose the BJP in these states. There are many among Hindu caste groups particularly as you go down the socio-economic and caste ladders who remain distant from the party. But Muslims continue to be the single largest common bloc across multiple states who oppose the BJP. So the BJP is playing a game with a negative score: -25 in Bengal; -20 in UP; and -17 in Bihar. It is when these segments combine with even a few social groups Yadavs and Jatavs in UP this time; or Yadavs and a range of backward groups and Dalits in Bihar, as happened in the 2015 Bihar elections that the BJP faces insurmountable odds. When arithmetic is offset Yet, it has gained tremendous success in two of these states, Bihar and UP, in the past. The party hopes to replicate its performance, and is eyeing great strides in West Bengal. How? This can happen only if three conditions are met. When Muslims are in these substantial numbers, there is a counter consolidation that can often happen among Hindu castes. This is what we saw in UP in the 2014 general elections or the 2017 assembly polls. A range of Hindu castes came together against what was seen as the pro-appeasement Samajwadi Party (SP) government. This is what the BJP also hopes to achieve in West Bengal because they can sense Hindu discontent against Mamata Banerjees perceived policies vis a vis Muslims. The more other parties explicitly woo Muslims, the more ground the BJP gets to allege that minorities have a disproportionate say or veto in Indian democracy and thus construct and bolster the Hindu vote. In such cases, the distance between the BJP and Muslims turns to an advantage because it is seen as the party that will cater only to majoritarian interests. The second condition under which this disadvantage in arithmetic is offset is when there are multiple parties competing for this Muslim vote. In UP, in 2014, the Muslim vote got fragmented between SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and in Bihar it got divided between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. In 2017, in the UP assembly elections, the community got fragmented between SP-Congress and the BSP, which put up 100 Muslim candidates. An entirely united Muslim vote, various studies have shown, is a myth, but the more it fragments, the more it suits the BJP. And finally, when an election turns presidential, with one overarching figure appealing to a range of Hindu castes and breaking traditional voting boundaries, the patterns change. This is what happened to a large extent in UP and Bihar in 2014, when Modi was able to craft a coalition across Hindu classes and castes. The 2019 question The big question in the 2019 election is, therefore, the following. Will the Muslim vote regain its importance, and will the BJP suffer because this large demographic of Indian population continues to mistrust the party for a range of reasons, including policies, statements and actions over the past few years? The Opposition hopes so. And that is why it is seeking to neutralise those three conditions stated above which help the BJP win despite Muslim opposition. It is wooing the Muslim vote but very quietly, while wooing the Hindu vote explicitly. Banerjee is going out of her way to challenge Modi on Sanskrit shlokas; Yadav and Mayawati avoid symbolic gestures which can be construed as pro-Muslim; Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra go temple hopping. It is also more united than it was in the past. In Bihar, the Muslim votes will consolidate behind the Lalu-Congress alliance. In UP, SP-BSP are together, although the Congress is separately contesting and whether it divides Muslim votes is yet to be seen. And Banerjee in Bengal is confident that Muslim votes will consolidate largely behind her, even though there are two other claimants for it in the form of the Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist). The Opposition also believes that Modis appeal has waned to the extent that he is no longer capable of uniting the various strands of Hindu society, particularly the disadvantaged. The BJP, however, continues to believe that, as in 2014, both critics and opposition parties are underestimating its strengths. The election, especially in the backdrop of the Balakot strikes, in the assessment of the party, has once again fused nationalism and Hindutva. This is a potent combination that will cut across the caste divide in a way the slogan of development had done in 2014. The BJP also believes that other parties still carry the baggage of being seen as pro-Muslim. But, in its ultimate analysis, Modis appeal will be enough to withstand the disadvantage in arithmetic, caused partially, but not wholly, by Muslim opposition to the party. And if that happens, a new normal could be established where the minority vote, for the second consecutive general election, would not be decisive. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Supreme Court with a plea to direct two telecom companies to share call detail records (CDRs) of Saradha Group directors Sudipta Sen and Debjani Mukherjee. In an application filed before the top court, the agency said Vodafone and Bharti Airtel had shared CDRs for the years 2012 and 2013 with the West Bengal police when the latter was investigating the Saradha chit fund scam. However, the CDRs handed over to the central agency seem to be of a limited period, it said. The CBI took over the investigations in the Saradha and other chit fund scams pursuant to the top courts 2015 order. The West Bengal police then handed it over the evidence they had collected while probing the case. In its status report submitted to the SC in a sealed cover, the CBI has purportedly accused former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar of tampering with the evidence. In its fresh application, the CBI said it had requested Vodafone Mobile Services Limited and Bharti Airtel Limited on July 12, 2018 to provide information pertaining to the period for which the CDRs were requested by the West Bengal police and the period for which the CDRs were actually supplied to the police. However, till date, despite the repeated requests of the applicant and despite the specific direction of the Government of India, the service providers have not shared the information as sought for, the CBI told the court and requested it to direct them to share the details. The agency said that it had sent many reminders to the service providers, but their replies were surprisingly and strangely evasive and fail to disclose the relevant information it had sought. An Airtel spokesperson said, We can confirm that we have provided the information that the concerned authorities/investigating agencies had requested, and will continue to assist them. As a responsible corporate, we have always been and shall remain compliant with the laws of the land. Reacting to the CBI application in the top court, Vodafone said, We at all times extend full support and comply with the regulatory framework regarding subscriber data disclosure. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday dubbed the Oppositions objection to the timing of announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Mission Shakti as clerical objections. He was responding to objections raised by Opposition leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who questioned the timing of announcement. Jaitley said, Indias nuclear programme is a continuing programmeIt cant be put to a halt because it does not suit the West Bengal chief minister or any other political leader. It will run 365 days, election or not. Banerjee called the announcement of Mission Shakti by PM Modi as violation of the poll code terming it as yet another limitless drama. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct, tweeted Banerejee There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission, she added. Banerjees tweets followed PM Modis televised address to the nation, in which he announced that India has become the fourth nation in the world to have acquired the capability to shoot down a live target in space. Earlier, PM said, In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is todayShooting down a low earth orbit satellite is a rare achievement for the country. The prime minister announced that the entire effort is indigenous. Indias stands tall as a space power. It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. The announcement of an achievement by PM Modi on barely two weeks ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha election saw sharp reactions from the Opposition parties. While the Congress congratulated the scientists for the rare step achieved on Wednesday, the party said the feat could accomplished due to futuristic vision of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at PM Modi while praising the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the successful A-SAT test. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day, Gandhi wrote on Twitter. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also hit out at PM Modi in a letter he shot off to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. He complained that the announcement by PM Modi clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The lower they go, the stronger we will emerge, Jaitley said responding to the Oppositions criticism, adding, After making the historical blunder following the Balakot strike, history has given the Opposition a chance to make amends. While the Opposition said that the successful test-fire of A-SAT is the culmination of the process initiated during the previous UPA government, Jaitley said the decision to this effect was taken in 2014 after the Modi government came into power. The process started in 2014 after the prime minister gave the permission. It is a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrows wars will not be the same as yesterdays wars, said Jaitley at a press conference in New Delhi. India scientists had the capability but there wasnt government nod earlier for this test, Jaitley said. Before India conducted A-SAT test, only the US, Russia and China had the capability to hit a live target in space. A security audit of Delhis 45 railway stations conducted by the Government Railway Police (GRP) after the Pulwama terror attack has revealed serious lapses in the present security infrastructure. The audit report mentions that 11 railway stations have no passenger bag scanners, while four stations lack boundary walls to prevent intrusion. It further states that railway stations in the national capital face a shortage of 416 CCTV cameras, 16 baggage scanners and 15 door frame metal detectors (DFMDs) required to prevent entry of arms, ammunitions and explosives into the premises. The audit was conducted in late February, less than a week after the Pulwama terror attack. A copy of the report has also been sent to senior officers of the Northern Railways Delhi division. According to the audit report, a copy of which is with HT, 11 out of the 45 railway stations that do not have a single passenger bag scanner include Sabzi Mandi, Dayabasti, Sakur Basti, Mangolpuri, Nangloi, Mundka, Ghewra, Palam, Sadar Bazar, Shahdara and Vivek Vihar. Besides, four railway stations Shahdara, Sadar Bazar, SP Marg and Vivek Vihar have no boundary wall to avert illegal intrusion, the report mentions. The audit report also states that many railway stations lack DFMDs, which are used to scan passengers entering the railway stations. These stations are Shivaji Bridge and Tilak Bridge, which are close to Connaught Place in Lutyens Delhi. The report also mentions that the parcel area at the New Delhi railway station, which alone has a footfall of at least 3 lakh a day, has no DFMDs. It is requested that immediate remedial measures may kindly be taken on above mentioned points on priority to avoid any untoward incident in the interest of safety of railways, passengers and property, the report reads. The report further says that CCTV cameras installed at Old Delhi railway station and Shahdara station are quite old and their images are very poor. These CCTV cameras are required to be replaced. When HT visited three of these railway stations, passengers were found entering with multiple bags without undergoing any security checks or frisking. Aslam Khan (45), who runs a makeshift shop selling mobile phone accessories, right before the platform entrance at Sadar Bazar railway station, said he has never seen the entrance being manned. There might be some deployment on Republic Day or Independence Day. But I have never seen any security man at the entrance, he said. The station also has no boundary wall allowing passengers, vendors and locals to intrude freely. Similar was the situation at Shahdara railway station where police posts were found empty. Fahad Mohammad (40), who was travelling with his wife and a 13-year-old daughter, said he had come to catch a train to Breilly in UP. I have seen people entering the railway station freely without any police intervention. These railway stations become a spot for drunkards and unsocial elements soon after dark, making the vicinity unsafe, he said. When asked about the audit, deputy commissioner of police (railways) Dinesh Kumar Gupta refused to share details. He, however, said that the audit was conducted few days after Pulwama attack to check preparedness against the possibilities of a terror attack. In the wake of lapses found, we have stepped up the frequency of patrolling and anti-sabotage checks every day. Additional machans have been erected and we also have an armed reserved force to deal with any contingency, Gupta said, adding that the Delhi division of railways has been alerted about the lapses to make adequate arrangements. Divisional railway manager (DRM) of Northern Railways Delhi division, RN Singh, said that they are working towards upgrading the existing facility and surveillance equipment. We are changing the existing CCTV cameras with the cameras with better picture quality. We are also adding more cameras. At major stations in Delhi, we have sufficient equipment. There are always issues, which are addressed time to time, the DRM said. Singh also said they have formed a squad of the Railway Protection Force to catch unauthorised entrants in the station area. We are collecting at least 50,000 per day through fine. At least 100 to 150 people are caught every day, the DRM said. Another senior officer from the railways, who did not wish to be named, said that it is the polices responsibility to maintain law and order. If the boundary walls of the stations are broken, police must ensure there is no vandalism by the unruly people. A railway station cannot be as protected as an airport. If theres a crime in railways, it does not happen because of the lack of security infrastructure, the officer said. Experts feel that scanning a million passengers is not possible and therefore focus should be on intelligence gathering and over upgrading surveillance equipment at railway stations. No one can ensure frisking of 10 lakh passengers. Stations in India are an open space and cant be enclosed. We need to deploy intelligence officers and conduct random checks in trains, at platforms and in the vicinity. Introducing latest technology like face detection cameras and intrusion alarms is also something we should look forward to. These practices are in place in cities abroad. It is time we head in that direction, said Prakash Singh, former Uttar Pradesh director general of police. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday expressed concern at legislative changes that allowed the use of electoral bonds for anonymous funding of elections, warning this would have serious repercussions on the transparency of the electoral process. It also said changes in the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 could allow unchecked foreign funding of political parties, raising the spectre of foreign influence on Indias politics and policies. Both positions, expressed by the body that conducts polls in India in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, go against those of the Central government. The affidavit was filed by the ECIs director (legal), Vijay Kumar Pandey, on behalf of the poll watchdog. In its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the commission said that it had conveyed its apprehension over electoral bonds way back in 2017 when an amendment was brought to the Finance Act, 2017, and the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, (RPA) introducing the bonds. ECI also put on record the two letters it wrote to the government, one on March 15, 2017, and the other on May 26, 2017, voicing its concern. Not only did it speak out against electoral bonds in 2017, ECI also recommended doing away with the anonymity clause for donations of less than 20,000. This secrecy is provided under the RPA rules. ECI said that based on the Law Commission of Indias report of 2015, the poll body advised amendment to Form 24-A so as to ensure that even contributions less than 20,000 are not anonymous. The court will hear the election bodys stand on April 2. ECI filed its affidavit pursuant to the apex courts direction for its response to two petitions one by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the other by Communist Part of India-Marxist (CPI-M) challenging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments decision to issue electoral bonds for funding of elections in the country. The NDA government defended its decision earlier this month before the court and said the changes were made in the interests of transparency. In an affidavit, the government said the electoral bond scheme notified last year would remain anonymous to maintain the privacy of its buyers although the identity can be disclosed before a competent court or upon registration of a criminal case by any law enforcement agency. An official in the law ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity said: This is the recognised way of funding. The decision was taken long back without any objection [by ECI]. Electoral bonds were introduced after changes in the Finance Act 2017; there were related amendments in the Income Tax Act, the Reserve Bank of India Act, and the Representation of People Act. Even foreign companies can buy electoral bonds. In its petition, the CPI(M) claimed that the non-disclosure clause would add to the woes of Indian democracy. A bench headed by the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra issued notice to the government in the case in October last year. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the biggest beneficiary of the electoral bond scheme in 2017-18, receiving bonds worth around 210 crore of the 215 crore issued. As per the audit and income tax reports submitted by the party to the ECI, it earned 210 crore through electoral bonds, while the Congress, which earned 199 crore as income in 2017-18, got only 5 crore in donations from electoral bonds. When the bonds were announced in 2017, the ECI differed with the Centres view that their introduction would make the process transparent. The poll panel found the mode of donation to political parties to be opaque. Several political parties have also questioned the efficacy of bonds as a means of ushering in transparency. The bonds can only be credited into the accounts of registered parties; are available for a period of 10 days each in the months of January, April, July and October, with an additional period of 30 days specified by the Central government in the year of general elections. Diamantaire Nirav Modis attempt to apply for permanent residency (PR) status to few countries is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), agency sources revealed. According to ED sources, Modi tried to obtain the PR status of countries such as Vanuatu and Singapore. Vanuatu, which allows citizenship by investment, had rejected Modis request, investigations revealed. Agency sources stated that they approached the countries to investigate the fact that Nirav tried to obtain the PR status before the case was registered against him in January last year. This would help them prove before the court about his intention of fleeing the country. Vanuatu applied due diligence and decided not to grant citizenship, said a high-ranking ED officer privy to the probe. The foreign correspondence will help us ascertain the sequence of events which took place before the case was registered against him. We are also looking at details from countries such as Belgium, United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK). This will help us to prove him guilty before the court, the officer said. The CBI has registered three separate FIRs in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case by the companies of the nephew-uncle duo of Nirav and Mehul Choksi. Both left the country before PNB filed the complaint with the CBI. Crucial evidences have come to light which shows Niravs intent of fleeing the country before the scam came to light, said the ED officer. The CBI registered an FIR against him on January 31 last year on the basis of a complaint filed against him and his uncle Choksi from the bank. The ED had registered a money laundering case against Nirav and others on February 15, 2018, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar was dropped from the Goa cabinet on Wednesday after two of the three lawmakers of his party defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the coalition government in the state. The BJP and Congress now have 14 members each in the assembly, which has the current strength of 36. Three Goa Forward Party members and as many independents support the BJP-led coalition government. The BJP formed the government even as the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the 40-member assembly in 2017 with 17 members. Three lawmakers have since left the Congress. Deepak Pauskar, one of the two MGP defectors, was expected to be inducted as the deputy chief minister in place of Dhavalikar late on Wednesday. He quit the MGP along with Manohar Ajgaonkar to join the BJP on Tuesday night. [Dhavalikar] will cease to be a minister in the council of ministers headed by the CM [Pradeep Sawant] with immediate effect, governor Mridula Sinhas said in a notification. Sawant said the MGPs insistence on contesting the Shiroda assembly bypoll against the BJP led to Dhavalikars sacking. Dhavalikars brother, Deepak, was named as the MGPs candidate even as it was a part of the BJP-led government. The bypolls to Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa seats will be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in the state on April 23. The Shiroda and Mandrem bypolls were necessitated after the Congress lawmakers Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte resigned from the assembly and joined the BJP in October last year. The Mapusa seat fell vacant after BJP lawmaker Francis DSouzas death on February 14. The bypolls to the Panaji assembly constituency is yet to be announced. Late former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on March 17, represented Panaji in the assembly. The anti-defection law does not apply if over two-third legislators quit a party. In a letter to assembly speaker Michel Lobo, the two lawmakers who quit the MGP said they constitute 2/3rd members of the legislative party. The MGP demanded that Dhavalikar be made the chief minister after Parrikar passed away, according to BJP legislator Michael Lobo. Sawant, who succeeded Parrikar, said they did not split the MGP. They [the two MGP legislators] decided to form a separate group saying that they were not safe there, he said. He added they also said that there was a fear that they would be rendered as unattached MLAs or sacked . MGP is a party of the people. He accused the BJP of dacoity, which has shocked Goas people, Dhavilkar said. The Association for Democratic Reforms Bhasker Assoldekar said it is easy to blame politicians. But the voters also need to introspect because at the end of the day we get the politicians we deserve. Voters repeatedly vote for the candidates, who have a history of defections... Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India had joined the US, Russia and China in an elite group of nations that have the capability to target satellites. In a televised address to the nation, Modi said India has shot down a low Earth orbit satellite, noting the capability was crucial for national security. India has today established its name as a space power, Modi said. Our scientists used an anti-satellite missile to bring down a live satellite, 300 kilometers away in space in what is called a Low Earth Orbit. Indias current range of missiles are mostly intended for confrontation with neighbouring rivals China and Pakistan. India has fought three wars with Pakistan and one with China. Read more| Mission Shakti makes India space superpower, live satellite shot down: PM Its a big deal in terms of showing your capability, said Laxman Kumar Behera, a research fellow at New Delhis Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. India has now shown its intent that it is a space power and it can use space if required for defense purposes. In 2007, China first used a ballistic missile to destroy its own old weather satellite orbiting 535 miles (861 km) above Earth; Russia has been testing a missile that could be used to strike and destroy a satellite or ballistic missile. Indias space and missile programs -- along with its economic growth of more than 7 percent and a bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council -- is major part of the countrys efforts to build up its defence capabilities and establish itself as a world power. India has shot down a low earth orbit satellite with an indigenously-developed ASAT missile, a giant leap for the countrys space capability that propelled India into an elite club comprising US, Russia and China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a rare televised address to the nation on Wednesday. Some time ago, our scientists, shot down a live satellite 300 kilometres away in space, in low-earth orbit It was conducted under Mission Shakti, which was completed in three minutes, PM Modi said in his 10-minute address. The weapon, an Anti-Satellite missile or ASAT missile, allows for attacks on enemy satellites - blinding them or disrupting communications - as well as providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles. The interceptor was indigenously produced, he said. India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat, he said. Watch | Anti-Satellite missile capability explained: What it means for India The ASAT missile was launched from DRDOs testing range in Odishas Balasore at about 11.16 am, nearly an hour before PM Modi appeared on television, according to news agency ANI. It said the decommissioned satellite blown up in space was a micro-satellite launched by the ISRO on January 24 this year. The Foreign Ministry followed up Prime Minister Modis announcement about the Anti-Satellite weapon with a statement explaining Indias stand to the world. New Delhi underlined it was only driven by its responsibility to deter threats to its space assets from long-range missiles and had no plans to enter into an arms race in outer space. Also Read | To defend interests in outer space: Governments 10-Point FAQ on Mission Shakti The opposition rushed to congratulate scientists at Defence Research and Development Organisation, or DRDO. The Congress also added that the anti-satellite missile programme was started during its tenure and accused PM Modi-led government of trying to derive political mileage from the success of scientists. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley blocked the many darts that opposition parties hurled at the government, insisting that the scientists had the capability to build the missile for years but never got permission from the Congress-led government. The government said the test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks, the foreign ministry said in its explainer. China had destroyed a satellite in 2007, creating the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation. Read more| Explained: Mission Shakti and anti-satellite missile fired by India Soon after PM Modi made the announcement, Union minister Nitin Gadkari congratulated the scientists involved in the project. The prime minister, in his address, said the Mission Shakti was accomplished by the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This is significant. India can now take out Chinese communication systems, for instance, Bharat Karnad, Delhi-based security expert at the Centre for Policy Research told news agency Reuters. The PM is going to derive whatever political benefits he can in election season -- why would he give up the chance? Indias space and missile programme -- along with its economic growth of more than 7 percent and a bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council -- is major part of the countrys efforts to build up its defense capabilities and establish itself as a world power, Reuters said. A black kite, an urban raptor, got trapped in manjha (glass-coated string used to fly kites) in Central Delhis Janpath area and had to be rescued on Tuesday afternoon. The bird was struggling to free itself from the manjha when it was spotted by security guards posted at the residence of a government official. They called Wildlife SOS, a non-profit conservation organisation, to help the bird. A two-member team was dispatched as soon as we received the call and reached the scene before the bird sustained severe injuries. Manjha is very dangerous for birds, as it easily cuts through soft flesh and damages wings and legs. We have seen cases where injuries were fatal, said Wasim Akram, manager, Wildlife SOS special projects. In 2017, the National Green Tribunal had banned the sale of glass-coated nylon and other synthetic materials in Delhi, citing the risks to human lives. Despite the ban, manjha continues to be sold in Delhi markets. Alternatives made out of cotton or natural fibres could help reduce the risks of related fatalities, said Akram. The organisation rescues five to six birds on average in a year. Most of the injuries happen during Independence Day and Makar Sankranti when people fly kites. Birds easily get caught in manjhas while in flight or when resting on trees. We have rescued owls, vultures and other birds, he said. The kite was released in Asola the same day as the injuries were not severe. Oppositions criticism clerical objections: Arun Jaitley Finance minister Arun Jaitley termed the oppositions criticism as clerical objections. Earlier govts didnt give scientists nod: Jaitley Arun Jaitley briefs media on Mission Shakti, says India scientists had the capability but there wasnt government nod earlier for this test. We have mastered anti-satellite capability: DRDO chairman We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy: DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy, reports ANI. Indias space capabilities dont threaten any country: MEA Test isnt directed against any country. Indias space capabilities dont threaten any country nor are they directed against anyone. At the same time, govt is committed to ensuring countrys national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies: MEA on Mission Shakti Historic day, says Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Its a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on MissionShakti Mission Shakti conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision: PM Modi #MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 We want to create an atmosphere of peace not war: PM Modi We want to create an atmosphere of peace not war. This space programme is meant to ensure Indias security and growth. We must be ready for the challenges of the future New technology not directed against any particular country: PM Modi This new technology is not directed against any particular country, says PM announcing success of space mission Shakti. Everyone is enjoying the benefits of our satellites : PM Modi Space has become an important part of our life. We have satellites which are contributing to areas such as defence, farming, weather forecast, medical education. Everyone is enjoying the benefits of our satellites : PM Modi Our scientists shot down a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite: PM Modi Our scientists shot down a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. This was doable through India made anti-satellite (antisat): PM Modi PM begins address Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his address to the nation, says India has registered its name as a space power. India becomes first country after US, Russia and China to achieve this. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 Cabinet Committee on Security met today: TV report The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met earlier in the morning, TV channels reported . PM Modi tweets that he will address the nation , 11.45 - 12.00 I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 Unidentified men shot dead a 24-year-old man in Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district on Wednesday, police said. A purported video posted on the social media after Tanveer Ahmad Dars killing showed him admitting to being an army informer. He is purportedly heard saying he had tipped off an army major about the presence of four militants in the area before they were later killed in an exchange of fire. Dar is seen admitting to having been promised 60,000 as reward for tipping off the officer. The amount was not paid to him, Dar is purportedly heard saying in the video. Dar also apologised to militants in the purported video. Police said they were ascertaining the authenticity of the video. It seems militants shot the video before killing him. A case has been registered, said a police officer. The body of a five-year-old girl, who went missing in the outskirts of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, was found early Wednesday morning. The girl went missing while playing near her home, after returning from the government school where she studied. Her body, with her hands tied and face covered with a T-shirt that was not her own, was found at an alley close to the victims home, the police said. Her parents have alleged that the child was raped and murdered by a youth in their locality, and have demanded his immediate arrest. Her parents began to search for her in their locality. When they could not find her, they lodged a complaint with the Thadagam police, following which policemen began to look for her. Her body has been sent to the Coimbatore government hospital for autopsy. Police said that investigation is on to ascertain whether the child was sexually abused. Friends and relatives of the parents blocked the road near the hospital for more than an hour. They dispersed only after the police assured them that prompt action will be taken after post-mortem has been conducted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India shot down a live satellite on Wednesday joining US, Russia and China in an elite list of space superpowers. Minutes later, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organization and wished the PM happy World Theatre Day. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day, Rahul Gandhi tweeted. PM Modi said the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today, Modi said in an address to the nation. Also read: India takes a giant leap in space, shoots down satellite, says PM Modi Union minister Nitin Gadkari hailed the scientists involved in the project and said India was moving fast towards becoming a world leader under PM Modis leadership. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav targeted PM Modi after the announcement and accused the PM of trying to divert attention from other issues. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nations attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer, Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. Also read: In 3 minutes, a satellite 300 km away was destroyed in Mission Shakti : PM Narendra Modi Bahujan Samaj party chief Mayawati also took to Twitter to praise the scientists but she did slip in a dig at the Prime Minister. The PM trying to do politica under the guise of the announcement is very condemnable. The Election Commission must take cognizance, she said. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said it was a historic day and the scientists and Prime Minister Modi deserve full praise. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah targeted the government and said that mountains and molehills spring to mind! after the announcement. Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah hit back at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi after the Opposition leader took a pot shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making announcement about Mission Shakti. Retweeting Gandhis post, Shah wrote on Twitter, Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nations a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers drama, Success of scientists drama, Masquerading as leaders, all that The Dynasty has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. Earlier, the Congress president had said, Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Watch: India second to none: PM Modi congratulates Mission Shakti team In his retort to Oppositions criticism, Shah tweeted, The Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt. After spending a lifetime of humiliating our soldiers, Leaders of the Opposition have expanded their influence to ridiculing our scientists. The BJP-Opposition spar followed PM Modis televised address to the nation declaring successful test-firing of ballistic missile defence system by India after the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) shot down a satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). With this, India entered the elite club of four nations having capability to hit a live target in space. Till now, only the US, Russia and China had shown the capability to hit a target in LEO. The announcement of a successful scientific defence programme by PM Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha election drew criticism from Opposition parties, who linked it with the ruling BJPs effort to gain electoral benefit out of it. TMC president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the announcement by PM Modi amounted to violation of the poll code. Yechury on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora drawing his attention to the matter while Banerjee said her party would lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission. The Congress said the achievement by the scientists could become possible due to the futuristic vision by former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. The Opposition also pointed out to statements of former DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat saying that India possessed the capability of developing an A-SAT during UPA regime itself. Shah, however, turned the argument to target the Congress-led previous government. He said, The truth is, our proficient scientists always had the talent and capability, all that was needed was the go ahead from the government. UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people, NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so. A-SAT or anti-satellite missile system refers to military capability to strike at a target in space. Most of these targets or satellites operate in LEO, which refers an altitude less than 2,000 km from the earths surface. The government does not need to take permission from the Election Commission in matters of national security, poll panel sources said on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the successful test of an anti-missile weapon with just weeks to go for the Lok Sabha elections. (Highlights of PMs address) The assertion comes amid statements by Opposition leaders that the announcement violated the poll code of conduct that kicks in the day elections are announced. Read: In 3 min, a satellite 300 km away was destroyed in Mission Shakti, says PM West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, while congratulating the DRDO, targeted the Prime Minister for what she called drama and publicity mongering. Indias Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India , other research & space organizations, she said in a series of tweets. There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission. 4/4 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 The Trinamool leader, while saying that the research, space management and development were a continuous process over the years, added: Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct, she added. READ: Explained, Mission Shakti and anti-satellite missile fired by India The West Bengal CM said she would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. Congress President Rahul Gandhi while congratulating the DRDO targeted PM Modi and wished him a very happy World Theatre Day. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day, he tweeted. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 PM Modi, earlier in the day, announced that India had shot down a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, which was a pre-determined target. He said India has become a space superpower with the successful testing of anti-satellite weapon. The Prime Minister said India is only the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to do so. India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon, A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, the prime minister said in a televised address. Immediately after PM Narendra Modis address to the nation to announce the successful testing of an anti-satellite missile or A-SAT, the opposition praised the scientists who had worked on the launch but hurled a bunch of darts at the ruling BJP-led government and the prime minister. PM Modi said India has become a space superpower with the successful testing of anti-satellite weapon. Trinamool chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, in a series of tweets, tore into the BJP, saying it was limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi and alleged that it was a violation of the model code of conduct. Todays announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct, tweeted Mamata Banerjee. Not stopping there, Mamata said that she will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission, said Mamata in another tweet. The Bengal CM further alleged that Modi likes to take the credit for everything. She also took the opportunity to congratulate the scientists and researchers, who she said really deserve it. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury shot off a letter to the EC, asking why it allowed the achievements of scientists to be politically coloured. The country would like to know the special reasons why the Election Commission permitted the achievements of Indian scientists to be politically coloured during the course of the general elections. Our letter to the Election Commission, said Yechury in his tweet. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav targeted PM Modi after the announcement and accused the PM of trying to divert attention from other issues. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nations attention away from issues on ground #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer, Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) scientists but did not miss the opportunity to take a swipe at PM Modi. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day, he tweeted. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, in lighter vein, said that mountains and molehills spring to mind! after the announcement. Bahujan Samaj party chief Mayawati also took to Twitter to praise the scientists but also slipped in a dig at the Prime Minister. The PM trying to do politics under the guise of the announcement is very condemnable. The Election Commission must take cognizance, she said. Jamtara police have registered an FIR against state agriculture minister Randhir Singh, based on a complaint by a zila parishad member, who accused the minister of assault, police said on Wednesday. An FIR was also lodged against the zila parishad member and one Ramkishor Mandal, based on the complaint of a BJP worker Jitan Mandal, who levelled allegations of theft, extortion and assault against them. Jamtara sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Arvind Upadhyay said, FIRs have been lodged against the minister as well as the zila parishad member on basis of two separate complaints. We are examining the allegations of both sides. Based on our investigation, we will take further action. Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 427 (causing damage), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) were registered against the BJP legislator from Sarath. Sections 341, 323, 379 (theft), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 353 (deterring public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 were lodged against the zila parishad member and Ramkishor. The woman said that cases against her were lodged under pressure from the BJP minister. Charges of theft and extortion were levelled against me. Being a public representative, can I steal or demand extortion in front of hundreds of villagers? These are all baseless allegations against me, she said. On Tuesday, the zila parishad member had alleged that the BJP minister abused, slapped repeatedly and broke her eyeglasses amid hundreds of villagers during a religious function at Kalajharia village under the Karmatand police station. The minister, however, termed the allegations a political conspiracy, saying he will write to the DGP on the issue. The opposition parties have condemned the incident and demanded immediate resignation of the BJP minister. Pakistan-based terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e- Mohammed (JeM) recruited the most number of locals from Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama both in 2018 and in 2019, according to a report prepared by security agencies and shared with the Prime Ministers office, among others. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men were killed in Pulwama on February 14 when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a bus carrying the paramilitary troopers. JeM claimed responsibility for the attack.Describing the attack, the report, a copy of which has been accessed by Hindustan Times, says the modus operandi is akin to Syria and Afghanistan. The main terrorists behind the Pulwama attack Pakistani nationals Rashid Ghazi alias Kamran and Farhad Butt were killed in counter-terror operations on February 17 in Pulwama, the report adds. About 63 locals were recruited from Pulwama in 2018 and two more this year. Shopian district was a distant second, with 46 locals joining terror groups in 2018, but none this year. The report says that the maximum number of terrorists killed in 2019 belonged to the JeM 15 terrorists. In comparison, 10 terrorists each of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and the LeT were killed in counter-terrorism operations this year. Last year, the JeM recruited about 33 locals from the Kashmir valley. In contrast HM and LeT recruited 79 and 66 local youth in 2018. The JeM lost pre-eminence among Pakistan-based terror groups in the mid-2000s after Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) withdrew its patronage. The JeM fell out of favour after it tried to attack former Pakistan president Parvez Musharaff in 2003 and the 2007 faceoff at Lal Masjid in Islamabad, Pakistan. The abnormally high recruitment by JeM should have raised questions as to why security agencies failed to detect Pulwama suicide bomber ? There were other strong indicators of increasing JeM activity in the valley. For instance, since 2018, the JeM carried out at least 30 attacks in J&K, according to figures provided by the J&K Police. In addition, around 150 JeM terrorist are believed to have infiltrated between 20172018, a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official who did not want to be named said. According to J&K police, four days prior to the Pulwama strike, JeM terrorist lobbed grenades at Palladium Cinema in Srinagar, injuring 11 people. On January 25, 2019, JeM claimed responsibility for as many as eight consecutive grenade attacks. JeM attacks continued all through 2018. For instance, on December 11, 2018, four police officers were mowed- down by JeM terrorists in Shopian. During last years month-long Ramzan ceasefire the JeM carried out as many as 10 terror attacks. In February last year, JeM terrorisst also stormed the Sunjwan Army camp killing six including five soldiers of the Indian Army. As per the report, the Line of Control the 776-km long de facto border with Pakistan, will be restive in the coming months. The report has predicted that cease-fire violations or cross border firing will increase. Importantly, the report has warned that Pakistan could use heavy caliber weapons to inflict civilian casualties, carry out cross border tactical action and increase sniping to target Indian forces deployed along the border. The rise of the JeM was noted by the security agencies. It started with sudden rise of Afzal Guru squad in 2014. The rise of JeM is linked to the increased focus on LeT globally. The deep state just changed its terror delivery mechanism for greater deniability, a senior officer in the security establishment whom did not want to be named said. At a little over 11.10am Wednesday, a 13 metre-long, 19-ton missile took off from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island launch complex off the coast of Odisha. Three minutes and 10 seconds later, it struck the 6,900mm-wide heart of a Microstat-R satellite orbiting 268km above the earth over the Bay of Bengal, blowing it to bits. India launched the satellite almost two months ago to the day, on January 29. A little over an hour later, at 12.20 pm, after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a rare address to the nation that with the success of Mission Shakti, India had become only the fourth member of an exclusive club of nations with the US, Russia and China to have anti-satellite missile capability. Soon after the missile struck the satellite, Modi and national security adviser Ajit Doval were informed by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Satheesh Reddy and Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief K Sivan over the phone, using a pre-decided coded message. Experts said the success of Mission Shakti demonstrates Indias ability to take down satellites using missiles; is a critical step in the development and trial of advanced ballistic missiles; and also means the country can protect its own satellites. In election season, the achievement wasnt without controversy, though. DRDOs former chief VK Saraswat said the country has had the technology to make such missiles since the turn of the decade, but lacked the political will to do so. Union finance minister Arun Jaitley echoed that sentiment. Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the scientists behind the project in a tweet but mocked the PM, wishing him a happy World Theatre Day, and Opposition leaders Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M) saw it as a violation of the election commissions (EC) model code of conduct that prevents governments from taking and announcing policy decisions that could influence voters. The Election Commission of India has said it is studying Modis announcement to see if there was a violation of the code. An EC spokesperson said a committee of officers, headed by deputy election commissioner Sandeep Saxsena, has been asked to examine the issue. Modi, and later the ministry of external affairs, was quick to assure the world that Mission Shakti was not directed against any country and that India had no intention of joining an arms race in outer space. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today, Modi said in his address to the nation, broadcast on television, radio and social media. A short while ago, India shot down a LEO (low earth orbit) satellite by anti-satellite missile. It was conducted under Mission Shakti, which was completed in three minutes, he said. Modi had tweeted about his address to the nation in advance, saying he had an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media, he said, causing a stir as people speculated on the contents of his message. Mission Shakti was highly complex, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme, Modi late said in a tweet. He congratulated everyone on the success of the mission. HT learns that the genesis of Mission Shakti goes back to 2014, shortly after Modi took over as Prime Minister, and that he asked Doval to go ahead with the development of an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile. DRDO chairman Reddy said, We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimetres accuracy. Anti-satellite weapons allow for attacks on enemy satellites as well as providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles. India has 49 satellites in space handling key communications, information, intelligence and navigation systems for a variety of uses, both civilian and military. An anti-satellite weapon can leave the adversary crippled . This weapons effect is not just on the battlefield. For instance, taking down a satellite can impair and destroy the banking, stock market, and broadcast systems of a country. Satellites used for snooping can be destroyed as well, an officer who served with the Strategic Forces Command said on condition of anonymity, adding that this is a cutting-edge counter-technology weapon. The final countdown for the test began on January 29, when a 744.4 kilogram satellite with 2,200mm solar panels and a 6900mm core was launched by ISRO. The Microstat-R satellite was a live one orbiting 268km above Earth in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The satellite was targeted by a three-stage ballistic missile with the killer vehicle having a kinetic warhead with a seeker which first searched and then locked on to the target. The LEO orbit is between 100-1,200km from Earth and Wednesdays test, experts said, shows that India can target any satellite in a LEO just by changing the angle of the launcher. The option of targeting a satellite is by using a kinetic warhead, a laser or electromagnetic radiation to jam the machine, said a senior DRDO official. The A-SAT comes under the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) unit, which comes under the NSA, who in turn reports to the PM. After China conducted the first A-SAT test in January 2007, the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government examined the feasibility of India acquiring such a capability as this was the future of warfare but did not go ahead with it. India has been working for many years on anti-satellite capability. In 2010, then DRDO director Saraswat said that India possessed all the building blocks necessary to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralise hostile satellites in low Earth and polar orbits. Former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan said he was proud of the achievement. We are all proud that we have taken the next step in the space, a very critical, crucial and probably a very difficult step to have taken successfully. Blowing a satellite out of space is an extremely complex operation. For instance, in this case, the relative velocity of the satellite and the kill-vehicle was as high as 10km per second or 36,000km per hour. The kill-vehicle did not have a warhead. It was a direct hit with an accuracy of few centimetres, a senior official associated with the test said, adding the biggest challenge for an anti-satellite weapon are sensors, the guidance system that will direct the kill-vehicle which will determine the accuracy of the hit. The kill-vehicle and all the sensors were developed in India. Chinas 2007 test created the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation, a group that advocates sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space. Wednesdays test created debris too, but the height of the test means that almost all of this will eventually degrade and re-enter the atmosphere as dust. Members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed the achievement. It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts, BJP president Amit Shah tweeted. Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader Javaid Mustafa Mir on Wednesday joined the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM) led by bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal. Mir is the first prominent leader from mainstream politics to join Faesals party after it was launched on March 17. Mir, who was a senior leader in the PDP and was once a revenue minister, said they have come together to try something different than traditional politics. A person should not be power-centric, ones intention should be clear. One should not be like that he would reach power adopting whatever ways. We have come into politics and we will try to do something different than traditional politics, Mir said after joining at JKPM headquarters at Rajbagh. We should think about the self respect of our younger generation. If we are pushed; why are we pushed, he said. Mir, who represented central Kashmirs Chadoora assembly constituency, resigned from the PDP in January dealing a blow to the party. He was among the six legislators, including Imran Raza Ansari, Haseeb Drabu, and Basharat Bukhari, who left the PDP after it lost power in June after the BJP pulled out of the coalition government. Faesal welcomed Mir into the party fold and wanted to learn from the political experience of Mir. It is a historic day for JKPM when a famous political personality of the Valley is joining us. Javaid Mustafa Mir has been active in public life for past 20 years. He has been a legislator thrice and has also served as a revenue minister, Faesal said. We know he can go to any extent for his constituency but despite serving as an MLA and minister for 20 years, nobody has raised a finger on his integrity and honesty. This motivated us to benefit from his huge political experience, he said. Shah Faesal, the 2010 IAS topper from Jammu and Kashmir who resigned from the bureaucracy in January, launched Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement in Srinagar at a public rally on March 17 during which prominent student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Shehla Rashid had also joined. Faesal had resigned to protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and the absence of credible political initiative from the Centre. The party has decided not to contest the coming parliamentary elections starting April 11. Feasal said they will contest in the assembly elections. The idea of not contesting parliamentary elections was not basically to gain more time... the issue was that we had just announced the party. As for the assembly elections, we are going to fight even if they are announced tomorrow, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Wednesday at 12:10 PM announcing that India has entered an elite space club by successfully testing A-SAT, an anti-satellite missile. India is now an entrant in a club of three nations -- United States, Russia and China -- with anti-satellite weapon capabilities, informed Prime Minister Modi. Government sources revealed to ANI that the A-SAT weapon was launched around 11:16AM on Wednesday and targeted an Indian satellite which had been decommissioned and was orbiting on a Low Earth Orbit at a height of 300 KM from the earths surface. The entire test, with confirmation of target elimination, took 3 minutes. The project announced by Prime Minister Modi in a televised address as Mission Shakti was coordinated by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with officers of the National Security Council. The missile was launched from the DRDOs testing range in Odishas Balasore. At the time of testing of the A-SAT missile, G. Satheesh Reddy was camping in Balasore to see the project through. A-SAT missile will give new strength to Indias space programme. I assure the international community that our capability wont be used against anyone but is purely Indias defence initiative for its security, assured Prime Minister Modi in his televised address. Government sources also assured that this test would have no bearing on Indias status in the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) or other such treaties. Speculation was rife on TV channels and social media after Prime Minister Modi had tweeted about his imminent address to the nation after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had concluded. PM was supposed to address the nation between 11:45AM-12PM, however, the televised address was delayed as final confirmations of a successful test were being made. Prime Minister Modi went on air at approximately 12:10PM and informed the nation of the DRDOs historic test. Mission Shakti is an important step towards securing Indias safety, economic growth and technological advancement, said Prime Minister Modi. Customs officials posted at the Delhi international airport on Wednesday said they had arrested two people in connection with a gold-forex smuggling ring and recovered 53.2 lakh in foreign notes from them. Officials said the two men, both Indian citizens, were arrested last Friday when they were exchanging bags containing cash in the international transit area. One of the arrested persons has used a similar modus operandi 30 times in the past, officials said. According to Delhi customs , a 24-year-old man from New Delhi was intercepted at the Delhi airport after he arrived to board a flight to Bangkok. We had inputs that the man is involved in multiple cases of gold and cash smuggling. While tracking him, we saw him exchanging bags with another Indian passenger, aged 21 years, in a washroom in the international transit area. Both men were caught and foreign currency wrapped in a newspaper was found, said a customs officer who did not wish to be named. Customs officer refused to reveal the names of the two men as investigation was under way. Additional commissioner of customs, Delhi Airport, Amandeep Singh, said the passengers were arrested and the cash was seized. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday told partymen that they (Congress) would win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, adding that party president Rahul Gandhi had tasked her with ensuring that the Congress formed the government in UP in the 2022 assembly elections and so she was working towards Mission UP as well. I am telling them to go to the people and fight the elections strongly. This election is being fought to save the country and Rahul Gandhis victory will be the victory of India, said Priyanka while replying to questions that she was telling partymen about Rahul becoming the next Prime Minister. These are not my words, she said. Priyanka said the NDA government was politicising all the issues. They are politicising all that should not be done, she said in response to a question about the PMs address to the nation earlier today. About whether she would contest 2019 Lok Sabha election Priyanka said I will do what my party tells me to do. Priyanka gave the same reply to questions about whether she would campaign for the party across the country. While interacting with workers, Priyanka said Rahul Gandhi had tasked her with ensuring that the Congress formed the government in UP in the 2022 assembly elections and so she was working towards Mission UP as well. Priyanka, who arrived here on a two-day visit of Amethi and Rae Bareli to galvanise grassroots workers for the Lok Sabha elections, spoke about Mission UP and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections at a number of closed-door interactions with booth level workers in Musafirkhana here. We will restart all development projects initiated during the tenure of my father, former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhiji. Their (BJP) government took away major projects like mega food park, paper mill and IIIT from here. They re-launched the gun factory started by us here, another worker quoted Priyanka as saying at an interaction with workers of Bhadar block. We have all been given the task of going to every home in our booth area and telling people how the BJP government has failed on all the fronts. We are also going to remind the people about the hardships faced by the people during demonetisation and imposition of GST etc, said a group of youths that included Prashant Dwivedi, Atul Pandey and Ashish Mishra of the local NSUI unit here. Priyanka also tasked the workers to further strengthen the party organisation and ensure a larger victory margin in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. I have learnt a lot while working with you here since 1999. We need to strengthen the party at the booth level. I have been doing this over the years. This is my area of specialisation, said Priyanka. As Priyanka held closed-door meetings, partymen standing outside the venue raised slogans: Chowkidar chor hai. A group of Jan Adhikar Party workers also waved flags to show solidarity with their ally, Congress. Priyankas observations, meanwhile, became a point of discussion among partymen. Our elders have been telling us not to take any rival lightly. We will continue to work seriously on our booths, said Daya Shankar Mishra. As there has been a demand for Rahul to contest from a seat in south India, too, some party leaders have given the slogan of Abki bar, 5 lakh paar (we will cross 5 lakh votes this time) to ensure a larger victory margin for Rahul. After holding meetings with workers of Amethi, Priyanka will leave for Rae Bareli to hold similar meetings with partymen at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhis Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency. She will later be on a day-long visit to Ayodhya to campaign for the party in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency on Friday and leave for New Delhi the same evening. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday attacked the previous Congress government in Delhi, accusing it of ignoring development in the national capital. He said the Congress failure was the reason why the Aam Aadmi Party came into existence. There are people who ask me that Sheilaji [Sheila Dikshit] too used to run a government like that [without full statehood], then why cant you? I ask them, did she actually lead a government? If one had to run a government like that, we too could have done that. If she was doing well, why did you choose us? Why did people vote for the Aam Aadmi Party? said Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the party, speaking at a public gathering in northwest Delhis Rohini. He said, The country was under your [Congress] rule for around 70 years. If you had actually done good work, Aam Aadmi Party would not have come into existence. Kejriwal said full statehood for Delhi can help improve healthcare, education, and infrastructure. He said that his party has ensured improvement in most of the areas since it was voted to power in 2015 but there are certain fields for which Delhi would need full statehood. They include law and order, housing issues and reservation in schools and colleges. He attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre for creating hurdles in his governments functioning for the last four years. For anything we have to do, we have to seek permission from the Centre. If you vote them [BJP] to power, they will stop your crucial files again, he added. On Tuesday, Kejriwal also addressed public gatherings in Central Delhis Trinagar and New Delhis Moti Nagar areas. Bengal BJP general secretary and Lok Sabha candidate from Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district Sayantan Basu on Tuesday created a stir when he said at an election rally that on poll day central forces will be asked to shoot troublemakers in the chest and not in the leg. He also said that women in Basirhat will hack troublemakers with hatchets used for cutting coconuts that Basirhat is famous for. I promise that on poll day troublemakers may come running but will leave on khatia (beds used in rural areas to carry the sick or dead). Policemen are working for Trinamool Congress. They will not be allowed to leave police stations. Only central forces will be on the streets. If anyone comes to capture polling booths, we will ask central forces to shoot them in the chest and not in the leg, Basu said at an election rally in Basirhat. Located not far from the Indo-Bangladesh border, Basirhat has a sizeable Muslim population and witnessed communal violence in July 2017. Our leaders in Delhi have asked me to provide the names of troublemakers. These people will be taken care of by the central forces, Basu added. His statement invited criticism from all quarters. State food and supplies minister Jyoti Priya Mullick said, Basu wants to incite violence. We will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. Demanding action against Basu, CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty said such language has never been used in any election in the state. In an unrelated incident at Ghatal constituency in Midnapore district, former IPS officer and BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh, said during campaign that the TMC government will be dislodged its leaders will flee to foreign countries if state policemen do not work for just one day. TMC cannot function without the police force. I am speaking from experience. I request police officers here to be neutral on the day of polling, said Ghosh who is facing challenge from sitting TMC MP and movie star Dipak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev. Satyan Gangaram Pitroda, better known as Sam Pitroda , is a key aide to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Last week, Pitroda sparked a controversy when he questioned the death toll in the February 26 Indian Air Force strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in Pakistans Balakot, eliciting a scathing response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His remarks had been twisted out of context, Pitroda, 77, said in an interview with Aurangzeb Naqshbandi. Edited excerpts: Q. Do you think the minimum income guarantee scheme will be a game-changer in the polls? A. One fundamental difference I find in our approach to that of the BJPs is that ours is a bottom-up while they are looking for a top-down approach. Take for example Gujarat; they have been talking of the Gujarat model, which is a top-down approach, where you have ports, refineries and the Nano plant and increased disparity, as opposed to saying what is happening to farmers and education and nutrition at the bottom, to minimise the disparity. Knowing this, Rahul Gandhi has been very concerned about the idea of minimum income guarantee. I think it will affect a large number of people. Now, whether it will impact in terms of votes is a different issue. But thats not the purpose. Q. How did you arrive at the figure of Rs 12,000 per month? A. Well, a lot of economists have looked at it. It could have been some other figure but looking at the resources required and the minimum sustenance required in India today, it was fixed at Rs 12,000. Now, that Rs 12,000 may have a different meaning in Bihar and an entirely different [one] in Karnataka. So, all of that will have to be fine-tuned as we go along. Q. How is the scheme going to be funded? A. We believe there are enough resources available in the system to at least take care of this. It is like NREGA [National Rural Employment Guarantee Act]. When we started NREGA in Dr Manmohan Singhs time, I remember there was lot of discussion as to whether it is the right thing to do, it is a handout and economists were not very keen. They thought such things dont help GDP/GNP. But at the end , I thought NREGA was a big, big push to poor people in improving their income. This is of a similar nature. Besides, more work will be required. It is not something that you just do it without a lot of consultations and discussions. For example, I had some conversations with Raghuram Rajan at a personal level on this issue. He told me how it could be done and also suggested that we should have public conversation on it and that is what is happening. Q. What are the key poll issues? A. If someone was to ask me today, what is the big challenge in India, I would say unemployment. And Rahul Gandhi is aware of it. In Rajiv Gandhis time, we were committed to creating employment for younger generation in IT [information technology] and telecom. Then no one was ready to believe us and people used to ridicule us. It is because of those seeds we planted that we came from two million telephones to 1.2 billion phones and a $150 billion worth software industry but it took 25 years. When someone today says Congress did nothing in 70 years, they think they were born with mobile phones. It didnt come easily. Q. Why hasnt the Congress then been able to communicate its achievements? A. Media has been a little biased. In Congress, when our people speak up, they are afraid. Thats also a problem. So, as a result, we wind up having only Rahul Gandhi speak up and not enough people supporting him. We need people to speak up after him so that there will be harmony in our message. Q. So, are you getting trapped in the narrative set by your rivals? A. This is all bogus. I always ask people -- did Mahatma Gandhi ever hire a PR agency? No, because his message was his life. You have to hire a certain agency when you have to lie or hide something. That is what these people [BJP] do. They try to massage and package their lies. I said something about Pulwama and the Prime Minister had to tweet and the BJP chief had to address a press conference. Why? What did I say? That is completely out of my mind unless I am missing something. It was a total drama. Nothing in that 40-minute interview talks about not respecting our soldiers, our officers, army and our government -- past and present. But I am supposed to express my views and if I dont do that I am not doing my job. You may not agree with my view. The India of today is not the India of my dream. India of tomorrow is what we want to create . If you want an India that will have freedom to speak, full of opportunities and love for everybody then vote for us. Q. What did you actually say on Pulwama and Balakot? A. Nothing. It is a total lie and my remarks were twisted. If I had said anything I would have immediately apologised. I said that I was trained and born and raised as a Gujarati in Gandhian values such as truth, love and non-violence. To me, restraint requires much inner strength than attacking somebody. So, there was a question on Mumbai terror attack that why didnt the Manmohan Singh government attack Pakistan. I said look that was that governments decision, that is OK and Balakot was this governments decision, thats also OK. Once a government takes a decision, I am with it. As an individual and not as a party person, I said violence does not result in a fair game. The PM of a country didnt have to respond. He knows me and my wife very well and could have picked up the phone and called me. Watch: Did we really killed 300 people?: Congress Sam Pitroda questions Balakot Strike The Rashtriya Janata Dals move to field its candidate from Chatra in Jharkhand may have its ripples in the Bihar Grand Alliance. Seeing that RJD wants more than the one seat, Palamu, given to it under the Jharkhand Grand Alliance, the Congress appears to be thinking of contesting more than the nine seats it has been given in Bihar under a similar alliance. Stung by the rebellion in the Jharkhand unit, RJD has decided to field a noted sand trader of Patna, Subhash Yadav, from the Chatra Lok Sabha seat in Jharkhand, which has been allotted to the Congress under the mutually agreed upon seat-sharing deal among the Grand Alliance constituents: the Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), and RJD. If RJD opts to dishonour the coalition dharma in Jharkhand, the Congress might also be compelled to weigh the possibility of fielding its candidates on potentially winnable seats that have been allotted to RJD and other partners [in Bihar] as per the understanding within GA, said a Congress MLA in Bihar, unwilling to be quoted. The clamour for fighting more than nine seats pervaded the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) headquarter on Wednesday, when hundreds of party workers from Nalanda staged a dharna and sought to put up a candidate in the constituency. Nalanda is said to be allotted to the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led party Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), which, according to the protesting Congress leaders, had no organisational base in that constituency. Party leaders wanted to field the district Congress committee chief Dilip Kumar, who has been nurturing the constituency for the past several months. Tussle over seats Darbhanga: Congress leaders also said that a confrontation between RJD and the Congress was imminent on the Darbhanga seat. Senior RJD leader and former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui has already announced his decision to contest from there. However, the Congress is totally unwilling to lose the seat or exchange it, as Mithilanchal still happens to be its bastion, and the party wants to field at least one Brahmin candidate in the Lok Sabha polls. Karakat: Working president of the Bihar Congress, Kaukab Quadri, has staked his claim as a candidate on the Karakat Lok Sabha seat in Rohtas. However, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief Upendra Kushwaha is also set to file his nomination from Karakat as a GA nominee. Sheohar: Expecting a face-off between RJD and the Congress over a few more seats, senior Congress leaders such as Lovely Anand and Riga MLA Amit Kumar Tunna have declared their intention to contest from the Sheohar seat, where RJD is also looking to field its nominee. Hard stand Everything will be clear in a couple of days when the screening committee of the All-India Congress Committee meets to finalise the candidates for the rest of the seats. The Congress may take a hard stand, if the alliance partners choose to disregard the Congress aspirations, said Tunna. BPCC chief Madan Mohan Jha also said that everything would be settled once the AICC announced seat-wise candidates in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, RJDs insistence on fielding its candidate from the Chatra seat has annoyed the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) leaders. Alok Dubey, spokesman of JPCC, hoped that RJD would finally agree to the seat-sharing pact in Jharkhand, so that GA could wrest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The atmosphere over upcoming Lok Sabha elections across Kashmir has been subdued. However, two places in north Kashmir Tangmarg in Gulmarg and Handwara in Kupwara present a picture in contrast. Poll fervour in these areas of Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which is going to polls in the first phase on April 11, is at all time high and people are joining political parties every week, indicative of a good response towards the upcoming elections. The voters turnout in these areas could positively impact the polling percentage in other places, where people even refuse to talk politics and polls. A bureaucrat-turned-politician, Farooq Shah, who joined the National Conference (NC) recently, on Monday organised a rally for party vice president Omar Abdullah and Baramulla candidate Akbar Lone. My aim is to work for my people and the area which has been neglected by previous regimes, he said. Shah, who is likely to contest assembly polls from Gulmarg, is hopeful that his entry into electoral politics would rejuvenate the poll campaign. Prominent trade union leader Qayoom Wani and businessman Shabir Mir, who belong to Tangmarg village, have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wani is now the PDP candidate for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat and Mir is likely to be fielded in assembly elections. We will use all our efforts to retain the Baramulla seat and people from my area will vote for the PDP as our candidate is son of the soil. Even our opponents from Tang ra mg and adjacent areas will vote for us, says Mir. Right from Pattan to Baramulla, the national highway is dotted with posters of NC leaders. NC supporters, carrying their party flags, could also be seen marching in their private vehicles up and down the highway. On Tuesday, mainstream regional parties, the PDP and the NC, held rallies in Baramulla town amid heightened security. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and NC vice president Omar Abdullah, besides, attacking each other, also sought votes for their candidates. The reason for election enthusiasm is that there is less militancy in Gulmarg, said Ghulam Mohammad Parray of Tangmarg, a contractor, who was present at one of the rallies. PEOPLE COMING OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS TO ATTEND RALLIES Abdulah Majeed of Bahrampora, 55, a fruit grower, said people had not seen any major development in the last many years. This time, they want their issues resolved. So they are coming out in large numbers to attend election rallies, he said. Another participant Sonullah, who had come from neighbouring Kamdor village, said more and more people should come to political rallies. Only then our problems will get addressed, he added.Handwara, Kupwara and Lolab also saw largely attended rallies of different political parties in the last few days. Pervaz Majeed, who teaches at the department of media studies in Baramulla Degree College, says north Kashmir had more vibrant political mobilisers and a relatively better security scenario. Kashmir border areas like Gurez, Uri and Karnah have traditionally been involved in electoral politics, he said. Entry of Sajad Lone into electoral politics has added to the vibrancy of the political landscape in north Kashmir, particularly Kupwara district. And Gulmarg and Tangmarg have been galvanized by a top former bureaucrat and a trade union leader who joined political parties in the past few months, he added. In Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, comprising 15 assembly segments, 14 candidates are in fray. The main contest is, however, among PDP, NC, Sajjad Lones Peoples Conference and former assembly member from Langate engineer Abdul Rashid, who heads the Awami Itihad Party. Rashid said he wanted to highlight issues related to Kashmir. I have been highlighting the issues. And if I win, I will get a chance to raise the issues at a place where PM and top politicians sit together, he added. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday took a potshot at both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its biggest challenger in the upcoming Lok Sabha election calling them the birds of the same feather. Mayawati endorsed the BJPs criticism of the minimum income guarantee poll promise made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi but in the same vein, she targeted the ruling party asking whether bluff is its sole domain. Mayawati wrote on Twitter, Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 as bluff is true. But is poll bluff & reneging of poll promises the sole domain of the BJP? In fact BJP & Congress party are both birds of the same feather in betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers & others. This come in the wake of Gandhis poll promise that if the Congress is voted to power, it will implement a minimum income guarantee scheme. Named as NYAY (standing for Nyuntam Aay Yojana) meaning justice, the income guarantee scheme of the Congress promises to pay 6,000 to poorest 20 per cent families. The BJP has dismissed the minimum income guarantee poll promise of Gandhi. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called it a bluff announcement in a blog. Mayawati apparently referred to Jaitleys criticism of the Congresss poll promise while targeting both the Congress and the BJP. Mayawati had also targeted the two parties on Tuesday blaming them for wide-scale poverty and unemployment. The curse of poverty and unemployment prevalent all around in the country is the result of wrong policies of the Congress and BJP governments. This problem can be resolved only by giving work to each hand as per the BSP policy and firm resolve which was given shape by extending employment to lakhs among the sarv samaj by my governments in UP, tweeted Mayawati. The BSP, in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, is engaged in a stiff electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh. The BSP and the SP announced their electoral alliance in January leaving out the Congress from their coalition against the BJP. Mayawatis strong opposition to the Congress is believed to be the reason why the Congress was not given a space in the grand-alliance. However, Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced not to field any candidates at Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats represented respectively by Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The Congress later announced to contest the Lok Sabha election alone in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 members to the lower house of Parliament. Responding to the BSP-SPs goodwill gesture of leaving out two seats, the Congress decided not to field candidates at seven Lok Sabha seats, where key leaders of the grand-alliance are in the fray against the BJP, in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh votes in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha election between April 11 and May 19. The votes will be counted on May 23. The BJP-led alliance had won 73 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2014 Lok Sabha election. The party, however, suffered defeats in last years Lok Sabha bypolls when the BSP and SP joined hands against it. The election commission on Tuesday said it has prevented the payout to farmers in Odisha under the state governments Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) scheme because certain provisions of it are not allowed during the implementation of the model code of conduct. While the ruling BJD alleged that the direct benefit scheme has been put on hold by the poll panel under pressure from the BJP that rules at the Centre, a senior EC official said the scheme was not routed through the proper channel. The scheme had to be routed through a special screening committee headed by the state chief secretary; but that was not followed. Also, the chief electoral officer said there was no clarity in the proposal and it could not be allowed when MCC was in place, a senior official said. The commission also announced that it had seized unaccounted cash, illicit liquor, drugs, gold and freebies worth Rs 540 crore ahead of the first phase on April 11. Tamil Nadu is on top of the list with total seizures worth over Rs107 crore rupees, followed by Uttar Pradesh with around Rs 104 crore and Andhra Pradesh with over Rs103 crore. The panel on Tuesday separately ordered the transfers of the Andhra Pradesh director general (intelligence) and two district superintendents of police, following complaints against them. The commission appointed four special observers, two retired IRS and two IPS officer, to spearhead its efforts to check the abuse of black money and illegal inducements to voters and monitor deployment of security forces in select sensitive states during the Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court Tuesday rapped the Election Commission for failing to come up with any orders regulating political advertisements on social media 48 hours before polling day. A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar asked the ECI why it was hesitant to pass regulatory or prohibitory orders on such ads.. In a surprise move, the BJP Tuesday fielded partys youth wing leader Tejaswi Surya from its bastion of Bangalore South from where the widow of union minister Ananth Kumar, a six-time MP from this prestigious Lok Sabha constituency, was denied the ticket. Ending the suspense with just hours left for the deadline for filing of nominations for the first phase of polls in Karnataka, the BJP central leadership announced past midnight last night the name of 28-year-old Surya, a lawyer and a member of the partys national social media campaign team. Surya, also the general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, is from the RSS stable. It was widely expected that the BJP would field Tejaswini given her active participation in scripting her husbands victories from the seat six times, but Surya emerged as the dark horse. Surya filed his nomination papers Tuesday. The Karnataka BJP had proposed only Tejaswinis name, according to state unit BJP president BS Yeddyurappa. Tejaswini was also confident about fighting the poll on BJP ticket and had been preparing for it and had started a door-to-door campaign. She said the party decision came as a shock to her and all of her supporters but maintained that it is very important to show that the BJP was a party with a difference. OMG OMG!!! I cant believe this. PM of worlds largest democracy & President of largest political party have reposed faith in a 28 yr old guy to represent them in a constituency as prestigious as Blore South. This can happen only in my BJP, Surya tweeted, reacting to the announcement. Tejaswini ji has given her blessings. Surya Tuesday filed his nominations amid an undercurrent of disappointment among followers of Ananth Kumar over denial of the ticket to Tejaswini. He was accompanied only by one BJP MLA Uday Garudachar and Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar during filing of nominations, with other lawmakers from Bangalore South conspicuous by their absence. We had sent only one name. It was changed in Delhi, said Yeddyurappa. State senior BJP leader R Ashoka said, The only name our Karnataka core committee sent to the high command was of Tejaswini Ananth Kumar but the central leaders denied her a ticket. I dont know why they changed our decision. Ashok, however, added, Yeddyurappa, myself and the party workers will abide by the decision and work for our victory. Bengaluru has several leaders. Bengaluru is our bastion, Ashoka said, seeking to downplay the absence of party MLAs. As the name surfaced in the eleventh hour, Surya called on Tejaswini and sought her blessings. However, he was greeted with sloganeering by the supporters of Ananth Kumar, who protested against denial of ticket to his wife. The reason behind projecting Surya, said BJP sources, was to build a second line of young and talented leaders who can lead the party. Counted for his oratorical skills, Surya was involved in strengthening the party base in the city as well as in coastal Karnataka, especially around Mangaluru and Udupi, the BJP strongholds. The party apparently plumped for Surya who is from the RSS stable. Besides being a part of the BJP social media campaign team, he heads the the partys state IT cell. A BJP veteran, Ananth Kumar, who died last year after battling cancer, represented Bangalore South for six terms and had defeated IT czar Nandan Nilekani in the 2014 polls. Its Tejaswi and not Tejaswini! the Twitterati reacted, as the BJP central leadership sprang a surprise for the Bangalore South seat. Following the denial of ticket to Tejaswini, her loyalists made a bee-line to her house. A group of her supporters shouted slogans, saying she should have been given the ticket. Tejaswini,however, insisted that she remained loyal to party and she accepted their decision to ensure NaMo Again. I urge all the BJP karyakartas, friends and well wishers who are anxious and upset & still visiting our house in large numbers, time to show we are a party with a difference. We are all committed to tread the path of ideology. And work for #NamoAgain2019, she said in a tweet. Later talking to reporters here, she said there can be some sense of dissatisfaction because things did not happen according to ones beliefs. It is but natural. But above all is the decision of the party...I have been telling my party workers, whatever the party has decided will remain binding on me. Nation first, party next and my interests come last, she added. Tejaswini, an aerospace engineer, runs an NGO Adamya Chetana in memory of her mother-in-law Girija Shastry, a staunch RSS loyalist, who was active in politics as the member of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the earlier avatar of BJP. Active in public life through the NGO, Tejaswini had worked as a scientist at Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) between 1993-1997 and also on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA - Tejas) project. During her student days, she was very active in Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and has also served as its state Joint Secretary and the National executive member. Highly politically conscious Bangalore South has remained an anti-Congress pocket since 1977, barring once when former late chief minister and a Congress stalwart R Gundu Rao won the 1989 polls. Bangalore South has eight assembly segments, with BJP holding five and Congress three after the 2018 assembly polls in Karnataka. True to its cosmopolitan nature, the constituency has considerable share of Brahmin, Vokkaliga and Muslim voters and a mix of upper and middle class voters. The constituency was under the hold of the erstwhile Janata Party after the 1977, 1980 and 1984 general elections and from 1991-2014 in successive parliamentary polls the BJP has maintained its grip, mostly with Ananth Kumar, who first got elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday hailed the countrys responses to Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama. The Union minister, who was in Ghaziabad to attend an election event at Hindi Bhawan, also sought votes for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate General (retired) VK Singh. She said that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded with a surgical strike after the 2016 terror attack on armys brigade headquarters in Uri and gave a befitting response by carrying out airstrikes at a terror training camp in Pakistans Balakot after the Pulwama suicide bombing case in which 40 soldiers of CRPF lost their lives. 166 persons, including 26 people from 14 countries, were killed during the Mumbai attacks. The then government could have isolated Pakistan at international level. Instead, they only asked Pakistan to get the matter inquired, Swaraj said. She said that in 1969 during the founding meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Morocco, the members had invited Indias representative, then foreign minister Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad, and then Pakistan President Yahya Khan had also arrived at the meeting. When Pakistan president came to know that Indias representative had arrived, he told the members if India participated he would not attend the meet. The members bowed down before Pakistan and pleaded with the Indian representative to move out on any pretext. The Indian representative was made to sit outside and the meeting was held, she said. However, after 50 years under PM Modi the country had taken revenge of the humiliation, she said. In a recent meeting of the OIC in the UAE, Pakistan had raised similar objection post Balakot airstrikes and did not attend the meet in which Swaraj was invited as the guest of honour. After Balakot airstrike, Pakistan was afraid. I started getting calls from different countries and everyone offered condolences for Pulwama victims and said that you were right in your action in self-defence. Thirdly, they asked in low voice if things would not get hot again. I replied to all that India is a responsible, matured and peace loving nation. But we will not sit back if Pakistan resorts to same tactics, she added. She attributed the developments to PM Modis decision making and also lauded efforts made by Gen (retired) Singh during evacuation of Indians and foreign nationals from Ukraine, Libya and Yemen. Evacuation from Yemen was the most difficult. Efforts were made to stop fire for two hours for a week and Singh was sent. The former army chief went there like a soldier. With his efforts we evacuated 4,800 Indians and 1,972 foreign nationals of 48 countries. These countries also sought our help in evacuation, she added. Swaraj also said that 39 Indians were killed in Iraq by ISIS, but Singh was sent after their families wanted some evidence to get assurance that their family members would not return. After a series of searches and latching on to different sources, Gen (retired) Singh came across a mass grave. The DNA was later matched with that of their families. It was Singh who could do this job of finding 39 victims from lakh of bodies. All the bodies were brought to India and handed over to their families, she added. Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha, requires around 3,600 litres of indelible ink to put the symbol of pride on the index finger of 14.40 crore voters in the state. According to poll officials, around 3,59,328 vials of 10 ml each, containing 3,600 litres of indelible ink, have been ordered for Uttar Pradesh. One polling booth will be provided two such vials while 10% of the stock will be kept in reserve, they said. One vial is enough to mark the index finger of around 700 voters, said Alka Verma, spokesperson at the office of UP chief electoral officer. Over 14.40 crore voters from Uttar Pradesh will vote to elect 80 MPs at 1,63,331 booths across the state. As per the Election Commissions procedures, 3,26,662 vials of indelible ink will be dispatched to the polling booths while 10% (32, 666) will be kept in reserve. Indelible ink is now seen as a mark of pride as many voters, including youngsters and senior citizens, flaunt their index finger after exercising their franchise, Verma said. At least 2.88 lakh vials were consumed in 2009 Lok Sabha elections while 3.20 lakh vials were consumed during 2014 LS polls. A booth-level officer Manoj Kumar Singh said, The polling staff is also sensitised about the use of indelible ink. Polling officials assigned the task of applying ink on voters finger have been asked to ensure that ink is not wiped out immediately. After using the ink, it needs a few seconds to dry up and become undelible. This ink is produced by an 82-year-old state-run company, Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL), in Mysore (Karnataka). The Mysore firm has been supplying indelible ink for the entire country for assembly and local bodies election since 1962. Managing director of Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited Chandrashekhar Doddamani said, The ECI has placed the order for 26.01 lakh vials this time. The consignment is dispatched to respective states in a phased manner. He said the firm had exported indelible ink to more than 30 countries since 1962. Nigeria, Nepal, Ghana, Malaysia, Burkina Faso, Canada, Togo, Turkey, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia are the countries where we have been supplying ink, he said. This ink is prepared by the company on a formula designed by the National Physical Laboratory of India, he added. The firm, which dates back to the era of King Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, was taken over by the Karnataka government after Independence. Indelible ink is normally applied to the left hand index finger, especially on the cuticle, where it is almost impossible to remove quickly. Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday pitched a strong defence of the minimum income guarantee poll promise made by party president Rahul Gandhi. Chidambaram said a scheme of this scale, expected to cost around 3.6 lakh core, could not have been implemented 20 years ago and certainly not 40 years ago. It can be implemented only today given the size of Indian economy, said Chidambaram amid criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which has targeted the Congress over its income guarantee poll promise. The BJP said the same garibi hatao (eradicate poverty) slogan was given by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the grandmother of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Chidambaram said, Indian economy has grown in size due to liberalisation implemented by a Congress government in 1991. The two successive Congress governments between 2004 and 2014 made further progress. The size of Indian economy is now such that a scheme like the one proposed can be implemented only today. The former Union finance minister said revenues are growing at about 18 per cent and the resource available with the central and state governments will practically double in about five years. After considering all the factors, we have come to conclusion that the Government of India and states should provide 6,000 income support to each family, he said. He also said that the Congress party has consulted economists and experts before making the income guarantee poll promise. We have consulted enough economists, enough experts on the subject. All of them have agreed that India has the capacity to implement such a scheme. This comes in the backdrop of questions being raised about the economic feasibility of the promised poverty eradication scheme. Experts and leaders from other political parties have expressed apprehensions that such a scheme would put unbearable burden on Indian economy. The various existing poverty eradication schemes amount to about 3.4 lakh crore with experts suggesting that the minimum income guarantee poll promise, if implemented, may take the total burden on the exchequer to nearly 7 lakh crore. Chidambaram dismissed the concerns saying at no point the total burden will exceed 1.8 per cent of GDP. Chidambaram said that while the details of the minimum income guarantee scheme will be given once the government is formed. But he added, It will be rolled out in phases. It is not like that the government is formed on May 26 and the scheme is rolled out on May 27. It will be rolled out in phases. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley described the Congresss poll promise as a bluff announcement in a blog. The BJP has criticised the income guarantee poll promise, named as NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) as unworkable. Responding to Jaitleys criticism, Chidambaram threw back a question: Mr Finance Minister, do you support poverty eradication programme NYAY or not? A Singapore-bound flight from Mumbai was escorted by two F-16 jets from Singapore Air Force on Monday night, after a caller claimed there was a bomb on board the plane. The flight ultimately reached its destination safely and the bomb threat was revealed to be a hoax. The caller was an Australia-based, non-resident Indian (NRI) who was allegedly upset at how his family had been treated by the airlines. Mumbai police has filed a first information report (FIR) charging the caller with criminal intimidation. A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines said, Singapore Airlines confirms there was a bomb threat concerning SQ423 operating from Mumbai to Singapore. The aircraft arrived in Singapore on 26 March 2019 at about 0800hrs (local time). We are assisting the authorities with the probe. The flight had 263 passengers on board. Mumbai Police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is in charge of security at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), said SQ423 took off at its scheduled time of 11.35pm (IST). A call was received at 1.48am, in which the caller said there was a bomb on the flight and that his mother and son were on board. At the time, the flight was in Malaysian airspace. Following the bomb threat, two jets from the Singapore Air Force escorted the aircraft for the remainder of its journey. The Republic of Singapore Air Force, in a Facebook post, said, that two of our F-16C/Ds were scrambled to intercept a Singapore Airlines flight from Mumbai to Singapore after receiving a bomb threat. Our fighters escorted the airliner till it landed safely at Changi Airport. The bomb threat was identified as a hoax after the flight safely landed at Changi Airport at around 5.30am (IST). It appears the caller was upset that his mother and son had been allegedly inconvenienced by the staff of Singapore Airlines at CSMIA. Sahar police said the callers mother and son were detained at the airport in Singapore for questioning. The airport police division of Changi Airport declined to comment. The Sahar police station has registered a FIR against the caller under sections 505 (conducing public mischief), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of IPC. Once the Singapore authority also registers a case, parallel probes will be initiated by both Singapore police and us, said the officer. A former Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) official who did not wished to be named said, As the case was registered by the local police, no other aviation authority has role to play in it. A college in Nagpada has become the first educational institute in south Mumbai and one of the first in the state to power its electricity requirements completely from solar energy. The Maharashtra College of Arts, Science and Commerce is still connected to the grid, but will only pay basic meter charges or consume electricity from the grid during complete cloud cover. The seven-storey main building, four-storey annexe building, two lifts, water pumps, air conditioners, computers, lights and fans in every department are being powered by solar energy. HT had reported in October 2017 when the college first installed the renewable energy source, which was catering to a little more than half of its energy demands. Currently, the capacity of the plant has been enhanced to 84.5-kilowatt power (kWp) with 250 solar panels across 2,000 sq. foot rooftop. Overall, the college is saving 1.3 lakh in electricity expenses every month. The idea was to adopt green energy and bring our electricity bill to zero, said Dr. Siraj Chougle, principal of the college. The energy department of the state government confirmed this was one of the first colleges in the state to be zero energy total energy used annually equal to renewable energy created on site. Over the past one-and-a-half years, the college had installed an additional 100 solar panels, taking their annual electricity generation to 1.12 lakh units or an average of 306 units per day. With the life of the plant being 25 years, the private company that installed the project MSS Renewtech said the college is expected to save 2.63 crore during its lifespan. The only drawback for the project was a shadow effect from an adjacent building on the southwestern side. We optimised the placement of the panels to get maximum consumption, said Muhammad Sohail Shaikh from MSS Renewtech. This is an accurate example of a zero-energy model. However, consumption is not possible without being connected to the grid. In this case, a net metering system allows surplus power generated by solar to be exported back to the grid, said SP Gon Chaudhuri, chairman, International Solar Innovation Council, a global body of solar energy experts. The efforts are encouraging as this is in keeping without our national goal of shifting to green energy. It will help us conserve polluting sources such as coal, said Arvind Singh, principal secretary, energy department, Maharashtra. Three years, 35 countries and a dozen odd jobs to fund his journey this journalist, the son of a Marathwada farmer, has travelled a long way since he boarded his first train at the Thane railway station. On March 19, 2016, Vishnudas Chapke, 36, left home on a short, two-month vacation. I wanted a break and something adventurous. My plan was to visit Kolkata, Assam, Manipur, Myanmar and Thailand, says Chapke. In Thailand, Chapke met a friend who decided to use her first salary to sponsor his trip to Davos. Thats how it all began, says Chapke. With help from crowd-funding sources, Chapke went on to visit four continents, finding work as a teacher, yoga instructor, volunteer, masseuse and receptionist, among other odd jobs. He survived on a tight budget, minimal food, and the kindness of strangers, he says. With a budget of just about $8 to $12 a day, I did odd jobs in exchange for meals. I ate minimal food or survived on salads, so I could keep travelling, Chapke says. There were obstacles, but Chapke found a way out. While hitch-hiking at most places, people were kind, but not always, he says. He remembers being mugged on the Chile-Argentina border in February 2017. I was crossing over from Chile to Argentina. A man offered me a lift but took me to the wrong place. He threatened me with a knife, took my mobile phone and the $20 that I had on me, and the matter was settled, he says. Chapke also found a way to give back to the places he was visiting, planting saplings wherever he could. The first sapling I planted was on the India-Myanmar border, he says. Throughout my journey, in exchange for free stay, I would plant saplings at the hosts places. In 2017, when a series of wildfires was burning Chile, Chapke travelled to the country to volunteer. I could not communicate in their language so they refused to let me help. But I was adamant, he says. I started giving massages to the fire-fighters who were working 12 hours a day to put out the blaze. It was my way of giving back. On March 15, 2019, almost exactly three years since he first set out, Chapke returned to the India-Myanmar border. And, as journeys tend to do, this one has Chapke wanting more. But first, he wants to write a book about his adventure. I hope to donate the revenue from the book to the farmers of my home state. A week after the Mumbai divisional board filed a criminal complaint following the leak of secondary school certificate (SSC) exam papers in Bhiwandi, the board is yet to figure out how its security arrangements failed. On March 22, Bhiwandi police arrested Ambar Ansari, vice principal of Kakatiya High School in Bhiwandi, the school has still not heard about the incident from any official channel. We have heard about Ansaris arrest from reports in the press, but since we dont have any official details from the police or the board yet, we are yet to take any action against him. He is currently absent from service, said Ramesh Pasikanti, chairman of the school. Ansari was arrested after Mumbai Police discovered he had taken photos of the question papers in his car while they were being transported to exam centres. The images were in his phone. But, Ansari shouldnt have been the one carrying the papers, which are in sealed packages and accompanied by a police officer and an assistant. Former officials from the Mumbai divisional board said that the assistant conductor or custodian is in charge of the papers being transported from main custody to the centres. As per the norms, two students are supposed to be present as signatories when the seal is opened in the exam hall. Utmost care needs to be taken, especially in sensitive areas like Bhiwandi while transporting question papers. If the accused in this case opened the seal in his car before reaching the centre, did nobody see him doing so? Also, it is not easy to put back the seal when it is broken once. In such a case, did the centre not report to the board that the packets they received did not have a seal? asked a former board official. Govind Sharma, founder of a Bhiwandi-based non-governmental organisation named Samvad, said the Mumbai divisional board needs to introspect. A first information report (FIR) in the case was reported almost a week after the first email was sent by us. The board needs to take this issue seriously as more than 30 classes are under the radar, which means a huge number of students might have benefited from this, he said. Sources in Kakatiya High School said that in the absence of an assistant conductor, Ansari was the one who did everything related to the exams. The school has a staff of four people including the principal. The board had assigned the main duties of board exams only to Ansari, Ramesh Pasikanti, chairman of the school said. In addition to being vice principal, Ansari teaches Science and is known as a good teacher. From this year, the board introduced background verification of all staff members involved in exam-related work. Flying squads also visited several sensitive centres to ensure all processes were in place. Board officials, however, said Ansaris background check found him to be clean. There is no incident of malpractice reported against him in the past. We are waiting for the police report for further action, said Sharad Khandagale, secretary, Mumbai divisional board. Bhiwandi police to counsel 6 students The Bhiwandi police will counsel the six students, who were found with copies of question papers in their phones a week ago, during the History and Political Science exam. Police have also confiscated their phones for investigation. We will talk to them and help them understand the situation. They probably took this step under pressure, said Maloji Shinde, senior police inspector, Narpoli police station. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans suggestion that an interim administration in Afghanistan could help end an impasse in talks with the Taliban prompted angry reactions on Tuesday from Afghan politicians, who accused him of interfering in their countrys internal affairs. Afghanistans ministry of foreign affairs summoned the deputy ambassador of Pakistan late on Tuesday over Khans remarks. Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its grave objection on Pakistani PMs recent reckless statements about the peace process and establishment of an interim government, deemed such statements an obvious example of Pakistans interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan, it said, also recalling Afghanistans ambassador from Islamabad for further discussions on the matter. Khan made the remarks during an interaction with the Pakistani media in Islamabad on Monday, when he blamed the Afghan government led by President Ashraf Ghani for the stalemate in talks with the Taliban. The Afghan government was a hurdle in the peace process (as it is) insisting that Taliban should talk to it, Khan was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. The Afghan peace process can succeed only if there is a neutral interim government that can hold free and transparent elections participated in by all stakeholders, he added. Khan also said he had to cancel a scheduled meeting with the Taliban leadership because of objections from the Afghan government. Amrullah Saleh, a former head of Afghanistans spy agency who is Ghanis vice-presidential candidate in the presidential election scheduled for September, tweeted that Khan had asked for the abrogation of the Afghan constitution & demolition of democratic system as a way to break the so-called deadlock in peace efforts. That is the price ISI wants us to pay to appease terrorism, Saleh added, referring to Pakistans spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence. Former Afghan National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar, a presidential candidate, said Khans comments amounted to a wilful interference in Afghanistans internal affairs. The Afghan people, not the leader of a neighbouring country, can decide the future of govt & politics in our country, he tweeted. Though Atmar has himself called for an interim set-up, he condemned the inappropriate statement by Khan and called on Pakistan to respect Afghanistans sovereignty. The formation of a caretaker government after the Ghani administrations term ends on May 22 is strictly a domestic matter, he added. People familiar with developments in New Delhi said Pakistan appeared intent on pushing for the creation of an interim government in Afghanistan that would include Taliban elements. India is keen to ensure that the basic structure of Afghanistans constitution isnt affected by the ongoing negotiations, the people said. China and Pakistan responded to Indias test of an Anti Satellite (ASAT) missile weapon on Wednesday by calling for measures to prevent any arms race in outer space. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India had successfully tested an ASAT missile to shoot down a Low Earth Orbit Indian satellite, located 300 km in outer space, making India the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to have done so. Today, India has become the fourth country to acquire this status as a space power. There can be no bigger moment of pride for every Indian than this, he said. India has no intention to threaten anyone. This is an effort to secure a fast growing India, he said, adding that defending and securing valuable space assets is equally important. In a brief response, Chinas foreign ministry said: We are aware of relevant reports and we hope that all countries will earnestly safeguard lasting peace and tranquillity in outer space. Pakistans Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena. The Pakistani spokesman also took a dig at the Indian governments announcement of the development of an anti-satellite weapon by saying: Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixotes tilting against windmills. A 10-point FAQ sheet circulated by the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that India is a signatory to the principal international treaty on space, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty among others, which prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in outer space, not ordinary weapons. India believes that Outer space is the common heritage of humankind and it is the responsibility of all space-faring nations to preserve and promote the benefits flowing from advances made in space technology and its applications for all, the MEA said. China on Wednesday praised the Communist Party-led leap of development in the Himalayan region of Tibet in the 60 years since an uprising against Beijings rule was put down in 1959, leading to the escape of the 14h Dalai Lama, whom it accused of having ulterior motives and being unworthy of talking about human rights. A top official in charge of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) dismissed the India-based Tibetan government-in-exile as invalid and illegal and blamed them for tarnishing the human rights situation in the remote, mountainous region. The Dalai Lama attacking our human rights totally has ulterior motives. He tramples on human rights, and has no right, no qualifications, and is unworthy of talking about human rights, executive vice-governor of TAR, Norbu Dondrup said. As for some countries slamming our human rights, they either dont understand or believe the Dalai cliques rumours and bewitchments, Norbu Dondrup was quoted as saying by Reuters. Sonam Dagpo, secretary, department of international relations and information of the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala, the Tibetan government-in-exile was quick to deny the charges. What China has said today is simply not true. The international community is witness to what His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) has been doing for world peace and religious harmony. It is completely opposite to what the Chinese are saying. Dagpo added that the Dalai Lama is not seeking independence. He is only demanding general autonomy for Tibetans. Norbu Dondrup was speaking in Beijing at the release of a new policy paper on TAR Democratic Reform in Tibet -- Sixty Years On by Chinas State Council or Cabinet. China calls the Dalai Lama a separatist since he crossed the border into exile in India on March 31, 1959, after the unsuccessful uprising. Norbu Dondrup said the human rights situation in TAR was not only good but very good and claimed it was the Dalai group which had denied rights to the Tibetans before 1959. The white paper criticised the 14th Dalai Lama and then reactionaries in Tibets upper class for attempting to maintain the old system. Rights groups have condemned Beijings hardline policies in TAR, saying Tibetans do not have the freedom to practise religion and are being forced to gradually give up their unique ethnic identity and culture. Norbu Dondrup dismissed the criticism, saying Tibetans enjoy the complete right to religious freedom provided they practise the freedom in accordance with Chinese law. Religion in Tibet should not be influenced by external factors, he said, adding that ...we do not restrict normal religious activities. Religion should not pose a threat to national security, he added. If it is religion, it is not radical; if it is radical, it is not religion, the Tibetan official said answering a question on whether Tibetans were made to attend de-radicalisation courses. The policy paper said the region had seen remarkable development in the past 60 years. Tibets 2018 GDP has reached $22 billion -- about 191 times more than the 1959 figure calculated at comparable prices, said the white paper. Answering a question on holding a referendum in TAR, the official said: The Tibetan independence issue doesnt exist at all, adding that exiled government of the Dalai Lama is invalid, is illegaland is not recognised by any country in the world. The white paper criticised the pre-1959 rulers of Tibet for deliberately keeping the region backward. Under the system, the three major estate-holders (government officials, nobles, and upper-ranking lamas in monasteries) deprived all rights of serfs, held in their hands the serfs life and death, monopolised land, pastures and other means of production, the policy paper said. They also owned and enslaved serfs, exploited them with exorbitant taxes and levies, and exercised strict mind control in the name of religion, it added. Tibet today does not have democracy, human rights, religious freedom or the right to use the Tibetan language. They are facing discrimination and do not even have the right to travel within Tibet. Tibetans are suffering. The situation is completely different from China is saying, Dagpao, the spokesperson for the government-in-exile said. If the situation is so good, why doesnt China allow people to travel freely in Tibet? London: Top officials in Brussels on Wednesday said they could not betray increasing majority in the UK to remain in the European Union, as Prime Minister Theresa May, parliament, MPs and others continued to struggle to find a way out of the impasse. May is widely expected to announce a timetable of her resignation in exchange for Brexit rebels in her party agreeing to support the withdrawal agreement that has been twice voted down in the House of Commons. She intends to introduce it again in the near future. The house was scheduled to debate and vote on a unique procedure in parliamentary history on Wednesday: MPs are to choose from a list of a range of Brexit options in order to discover which option has the most support. May said her government is opposed to what is called indicative votes, insisting that its outcome is not binding and would not commit to honouring it. She reiterated her intention to deliver Brexit through the controversial withdrawal agreement. Noting anti-Brexit moves such as the 1 million-strong Saturdays march in London and a petition signed by 6 million people, European Council president Donald Tusk told the European Parliament that Brussels could not ignore the developments. He said: You cannot betray the 6 million people who signed the petition to revoke article 50, the 1 million people who marched for a peoples vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union. May was due to meet her party MPs in the so-called 1922 committee and likely announce her plans to leave office if it helps gain the support of rebels to the agreement. Some prominent rebels such as Jacob Rees-Mogg have declared their support on the ground that it is better than no Brexit at all. As Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and May jousted during Prime Ministers Question Time on her approach to Brexit, Ian Blackford, leader of the Scottish National Party questioned her about her plans to resign. It is becoming increasingly clear that the cost the prime minister will pay to force her disastrous deal through is the price of her departure. Yet again another Tory prime minister is willing to ride off into the sunset and saddle us with a crisis in the UK and an extreme right-wing Brexiteer coming into Downing Street. Does the prime minister feel no sense of responsibility for what she is about to do, he asked. Mays terse response is seen as an indication that she may not be in office in the near future: It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered, said May. "This is the price of freedom." -- Bill O'Reilly on the Las Vegas massacre "Freedom to be afraid is all you won." -- Gil Scott-Heron from "Gun" Originally, this was going to be a column about Sydney Aiello. She was 19 years old, a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, and she was buried Friday after committing suicide. Her parents said she lost friends in last year's shooting at her school. They said she carried survivor's guilt and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Then the column about Sydney became a column about Sydney and a boy, his identity not yet released, who died of an apparent suicide the day after her funeral. He was a sophomore at her old school. Then the column changed yet again. Jeremy Richman, the father of 6-year-old Avielle Richman, who was killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, was found dead of an apparent suicide on Monday. It seems reasonable to suspect, though at this point not possible to know, that proximity to tragedy played a role in the deaths of the man and boy, as it evidently did with Sydney. So this is a column about the three of them. And the 328 million of us. And the singularly grotesque thing Bill O'Reilly said two years ago after 58 people died and over 500 were wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, a thing that has hovered like smoke over every mass shooting since. "This is the price of freedom," he said. Which is, of course, ridiculous. Canada is free. Australia, Spain and Finland are free. As the nation that gave us the Magna Carta, England might fairly be said to have invented freedom. None of them has anywhere near the level of gun violence America does. But it is not the inaccuracy of O'Reilly's statement that gives it such grim resonance in the wake of this triple suicide. It is, rather, the substance, that idea of paying a price for so-called "gun rights." We think of that price in terms of fallen bodies, blood shining on asphalt. Truth is, that's only the beginning. Long after the bodies have been recovered and the asphalt scrubbed, after the media fold their tents and the nation turns its restless attention elsewhere, there are people left learning to walk again, or talk again. And there are families with holes shot through them, hearts that grieve behind sunny smiles, invisible wounds bleeding. Because each bullet that finds flesh injures not just its victim, but everyone around her until eventually, the whole country is walking blood stained and wounded. We have second-graders with PTSD. We have preschoolers practicing active-shooter drills. In South Carolina, a 7-year-old survivor takes to pulling out her eyelashes and clawing her own skin. In Arizona, a 4-year-old cries "active shooter" as fireworks burst overhead. In Florida and Connecticut, three people are dead by their own hands. This is our new American normal. And for what? "This is the price of freedom," O'Reilly said, trying to imbue mass murder with a sheen of patriotic sacrifice. His absurd words reflect a nation that resolutely refuses to do anything but think and pray about an ongoing national disaster. We regard gun violence like earthquakes and windstorms, acts of God we cannot prevent, but only learn to live with. But gun violence is no act of God. And we can't live with it. That's the whole point. "The price of freedom," he says. Well, that price keeps going higher. And whatever we're buying, freedom isn't it. (Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald.com.) (c) 2019 THE MIAMI HERALD DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. Pakistan on Wednesday sought more information and evidence from India to take forward cooperation in the investigation into the Pulwama suicide attack that was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed and killed 40 troops. Islamabad made the demand for more evidence while sharing with New Delhi its preliminary findings after examining the dossier shared by India on the February 14 terror attack that triggered a major stand-off between the two sides. Indias dossier had contained extensive evidence on JeMs involvement in the bombing carried out by a 22-year-old man from Jammu and Kashmir. It also had information on JeMs Pakistan-based chief Masood Azhar and other leaders of the banned terror group. The dossier was shared after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan promised to act if actionable evidence was provided. A statement from Pakistans Foreign Office said: We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward. There was no immediate response from Indian officials. Pakistans latest demand was similar to its response to the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2016 assault on Pathankot airbase, when Islamabad had sought more evidence from New Delhi. The Foreign Office statement said that after examining the Indian report on the Pulwama incident, the Pakistan government had shared its preliminary findings with Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria, who was called to the foreign ministry by secretary Tehmina Janjua. It added Prime Minister Imran Khan had offered cooperation in investigation if credible evidence was provided by India and that India had handed over a paper on February 27. Pakistan has acted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation. We do so in the interest of regional peace and security, the statement said. Tensions between the two countries soared after the Pulwama attack, with India conducting an air strike on a JeM camp at Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, saying it feared the group was plotting more terror attack. A day later, Indian jet engaged Pakistani fighters along the Line of Control as they attempted to bomb Indian targets. Pakistan downed a MiG-21 flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured across the LoC. Tensions eased after Khan released Varthaman amid growing international pressure on Islamabad to act against terrorist groups on its soil. According to evidence collected by Indian security agencies, and reported by Hindustan Times on March 13, investigations revealed a WhatsApp number associated with JeM spokesperson Muhammed Hassan was used to claim responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack. This number was last active on WhatsApp at 4.42 pm on February 14, with the associated IP address being tracked to a location near Rawalpindi. The evidence collected by India included a series of annexures videos of speeches, pamphlets and social media posts on WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook using Pakistani numbers. Pakistan has told its all-weather ally China to lift the technical hold on the United Nations listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist on the condition that India carries out a military de-escalation on the border and resumes bilateral dialogue with Islamabad on all outstanding issues including Kashmir, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. The time for China to give specific reasons for its technical hold runs out this week after which the US will exercise other options, including discussing the matter in the open UN General Assembly a move that could embarrass China. Azhars JeM has taken responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama terror strike in Kashmir that left 40 Indian troopers dead. According to Indian and US diplomats based in New York, China is understood to have conveyed Pakistans preconditions to the US but the Trump administration was not impressed and Washington told Beijing that the listing of Azhar and the resumption of the India-Pakistan bilateral dialogue are not linked in any way. After China put a technical hold on Azhar listing for the fourth time (this time on a US-France-UK proposal on March 13), the three key members of P-5 of the UNSC asked Beijing to come up with specific reasons for the hold in two weeks. This deadline expires this week and US counter-terror representatives have signalled their intent to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, the diplomats added. Also Watch: Opinion I Pak dictating Chinas decision on UN sanctions on Masood Azhar? Pakistans stance on Azhar has seemed in flux over the past few weeks, with Rawalpindi GHQ telling New Delhi , through back channels on February 27, that Islamabad will ask Beijing not to put a hold on Azhars listing. However, Islamabad subsequently changed its stance, with a military spokesperson denying that Azhar or JeM were present and active in Pakistan. Masood Azhar is bedridden with a life-threatening spinal ailment at Markaz Usman-o-Ali seminary on Railway Link Road in Bhawalpur, Punjab. The terrorist group now functions from Markaz Subhanallah, Karachi Road, Bhawalpur, which contains the grave of Azhars father Allah Baksh Sabir Alvi. Although India has left it to its key allies to get Azhar listed, the US is peeved with Chinas effort on behalf of Pakistan, the diplomats said. Since the February 26 Indian strike on JeMs terror training camp at Balakot, Pakistans military has been deployed on its eastern borders with India, and the country has just lifted (on March 27), strict restrictions on its airspace that were put in place for unhindered military flying. Pakistan is trying to convince the 10 non-permanent members of the UNSC, all of whom were in favour of the listing of Azhar, that Indias military posture is related to the forthcoming general elections in the worlds largest democracy. The Modi government on its part has ruled out any dialogue with either Islamabad or its proxies in Kashmir till the entire terror infrastructure in Pakistan with India as its main target is uprooted. Post-Pulwama, the majority of the international community and intelligence agencies including CIA chief Gina Haspel have backed India for its stand against terrorism and the response at Balakot. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today Rain likely. High near 55F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Rain. Low 52F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Higher wind gusts possible. (CNN) European Union leaders sat down last week for what was supposed to be a summit meeting to discuss China, perhaps the biggest external economic and diplomatic challenge currently facing the EU. Instead, they ended up talking about Brexit, again. That UK lawmakers have spent the last 33 months since the country voted to leave the EU failing to agree on how to do so has thrown multiple spanners into the complicated workings of the bloc, whose leaders desperately need to hash out unified policies on a number of issues, but are instead constantly derailed by the one member state who, at least in theory, doesn't want to be there. Next month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will visit Brussels for a summit with European leaders, before heading for Croatia for a meeting with representatives of a organization of 16 central and eastern European countries, just the kind of grouping some fear could be used to split the wider EU. Ahead of last week's summit meeting, the European Commission said that China "is simultaneously a cooperation partner with whom the EU has closely aligned objectives, a negotiating partner, with whom the EU needs to find a balance of interests, an economic competitor in pursuit of technological leadership, and a systemic rival promoting alternative models of governance." China is the EU's largest trading partner, while Europe is China's second largest after the US, with over $1 billion in trade between the two parties done every day on average. Crafting a unified policy on how to interact with Beijing is a key issue for Brussels, and one the EU can hardly afford to screw up. But there is considerable disagreement within the bloc on how to go about finding this balance, with some members, notably Germany, increasingly hawkish with regard to Beijing, both as an economic and security challenge, while other countries remain eager to embrace Chinese investment. Italy and China That eagerness was on show in Rome this month, as Italian leaders rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping, after becoming the largest European economy, and first G7 member, to sign up to his Belt and Road trade and infrastructure initiative. Italy's participation in Xi's project is not only an economic win for Beijing, but potentially creates a wedge for use against the wider EU on key issues in future, said Lucrezia Poggetti, a research associate at the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). "China is very keen to deal with EU nations separately, rather than as a bloc," she said. "In bilateral relations, China has the upper hand because of its huge economic power compared to individual European countries." She pointed to a move by Greece and Hungary -- both key allies of China's on the continent -- to water down criticism of Beijing over its behavior in the hotly disputed South China Sea, and Athens' intervention in 2017 to block an EU statement critical of China's human rights record. "In both cases, Greece feared upsetting the Chinese government and potentially losing access to economic opportunities promised by Beijing, so it broke ranks with the EU instead," Poggetti said. "Hungary has also been more openly close to China politically." At a meeting in Brussels this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing "firmly supports the European integration process, firmly supports the EU in staying united and becoming stronger, and firmly supports Europe in playing a more important role in international affairs." Chinese carrots While Beijing has historically stronger ties with some European countries (and weaker ones with those nations that once invaded and colonized it), a recent and evolving dynamic has seen EU members allying with China in intra-union squabbles. Writing this week, Bruno Macaes, a former Portuguese minister for Europe, warned that China was both being used as a weapon by European states seeking leverage against each other, and was exploiting divides old and new to its own ends. "The problem is that the EU does not have the effective mechanisms to manage serious conflicts between member states, tempting EU nations to call upon external actors to challenge the status quo for them," he said. In particular, as hostility to the entire European project spreads, affecting not only the UK but also Italy, Hungary and other member states, the opportunities for China to find willing new partners are increasing. "It's even easier for Beijing to drive a wedge between the EU and Eurosceptic governments," Poggetti said. "The EU needs to prepare for pushback from Italy -- an influential member of the EU as a founder of the Union and third largest economy of the Eurozone -- on a common European China policy." Brexit is perhaps the ultimate Euroskeptic wedge in this regard. Both European and British politicians have warned that a UK outside the EU could end up a rival to it, rather than an ally along the lines of Norway or Switzerland, and Chinese investment and trade will be a key area of competition. A successful Brexit-ed Britain, buoyed by new trade deals with China, could also embolden other EU states to go their own way. Jonathan Sullivan, an expert on China at the University of Nottingham, said the "EU's power, such as it is, in international trade and foreign relations, is predicated on acting in unison." "So if any country wants to make inroads in whatever sector in Europe, trying to promote disunity or 'pick member states off' and deal with them individually is a powerful strategy," he said. "Beijing has had difficulties dealing with the EU in numerous sectors for a variety of reasons, and the incentive to try to weaken the EU's capacity to act in a concerted, unified way, is strong." External pressure Macaes and others have highlighted that Beijing is not the only major foreign power seeking to leverage European disunity. US President Donald Trump has also dangled economic and diplomatic carrots for European capitals willing to break with Brussels on areas of disagreement with Washington, such as the Iran nuclear deal. "Trump has tried the method, bashing Germany over defense, dangling long-desired political prizes before Poland and the UK, and lavishing praise on the Italian coalition," Macaes said. "Russia is a long-standing but exceedingly clumsy operator. China understands how to insert itself in these debates." Tackling this challenge will require something that has been strikingly lacking from European policy in recent years: Unity. But while external pressure has so far largely fostered greater division, analysts said it could also help drive the bloc together, as EU member states begin to see the costs of dealing with a player as powerful as China alone, and re-embrace the original purpose of bloc-wide policies. The outside pressure could also help spark long needed reform on just how those policies are made, enabling the EU to benefit all members equally. European leaders just need to sort out Brexit first. And the refugee crisis. And get through the European Parliament elections. And put in a plan for tackling the effects of climate change. This story was first published on CNN.com, "China is the big winner from Europe's Brexit chaos." Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. Pipeline 26 March 2019 Range Developments has entered into an agreement with the Government of Grenada to develop the La Sagesse area in St David's. This is an unspoilt area of remarkable natural beauty with two beautiful beaches. The first of the luxury hotels will be the Six Senses La Sagesse, set on a promontory boasting two beaches and a lake, one of which has been described by The Sunday Times as 'one of the top ten beaches in the Caribbean'. La Sagesse will be an incomparable master-planned development on one of the best locations in the Caribbean, just 15 minutes' drive from Grenada's airport. It will feature two luxury 5-star hotels, oceanfront villas, spas, retail and water-sports' facilities. Range Developments specializes in developing luxury resorts in the Eastern Caribbean, and will be working with award winning Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. As in other of Range's developments, investors will be able to participate in the project, and if applicable, apply for citizenship in Grenada. The project is scheduled to open in 2022, and will create more than 500 jobs during construction and many more during operations. Pipeline 26 March 2019 Martyn Barnes has signed his third IHG-branded hotel, bringing Holiday Inn & Suites to Dandenong, the so-called 'capital' of Melbourne's south-east. Headlining a mixed-use development that includes two levels of office space, the 160-room, design-led Holiday Inn & Suites Dandenong will rise to 11 levels when it opens in 2021, affording great views of the city. It will offer guests an all-day dining and bar experience, a gym, conference and meeting facilities, and retail shopping via separate access. It will also feature a long stay suite component targeting the corporate traveller who is looking to stay for extended periods. The hotel will boast the ideal location, a short stroll from Dandenong train station and the business district, which will enjoy a boost from the State Government's $290-million 'Revitalising Central Dandenong' (RCD), creating demand for a world-class hotel to cater to growing business travel. Dandenong is already considered by many to be Melbourne's second city and the gateway to Gippsland. It's a key employment cluster in Victoria, with its industrial precinct in Dandenong South one of Australia's most significant, employing almost 30,000 people and accounting for around 77% of employment in the area. It is already home to Amazon's first Australian distribution centre, the Australian Tax Office (ATO), Salvation Army regional headquarters, Dandenong Hospital, Chisholm 5 Institute of TAFE and a number of industrial, manufacturing and government offices. Now Open 27 March 2019 IHG's fastest growing hotel brand will make its debut in Newcastle, Australia later this month, with the new Holiday Inn Express Newcastle opening its doors to guests from March 28. Located on King Street in Newcastle's commercial precinct, within close proximity to the city centre, Newcastle Harbour and Honeysuckle, the 170-room hotel capitalises on Newcastle's renewed focus in the area and provides a boost to the local economy through jobs and tourism. The Newcastle property is the fourth Holiday Inn Express to open in Australia by Pro-invest Group following the launch of the Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide properties, with several more in the pipeline including Melbourne, Sydney Airport and Queenstown, New Zealand, in the next 12 months. Pro-invest Group Chief Executive Ronald Barrott says Newcastle's beautiful harbourside and beach setting, together with its growing restaurant and dining scene made it an obvious choice for the group's next hotel. Officially launching at a VIP event on April 4 the hotel, with its striking interior design by renowned architect Joseph Pang, boasts contemporary shared spaces such as The Great Room, with its urban-style fit out featuring timber, pops of colour and quality furnishings. The hotel also features a gym, two flexible meeting rooms, self-serve laundry, onsite parking and a free business centre, in addition to well-appointed rooms complete with a power shower, black-out blinds, high-quality bedding with a choice of pillows, uncapped Wi-Fi and free Express Start Buffet Breakfast or Grab and Go option. Hotel Manager Rob Fahey says Holiday Inn Express Newcastle offers guests more where it matters most from a convenient location in the commercial district and exceptional sustainability-focused facilities and initiatives. The hotel will be officially opened with a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Pro-invest Group Chief Executive Ronald Barrott. Also attending the launch event is City of Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen. Now Open 27 March 2019 On 30 March 2019, the upscale dusitD2 Davao will open in Davao city, in the emerging business district of Lanang, close to the city's shopping malls, business district, and IT Park. DusitD2 Davao will initially offer 60 well-appointed rooms and suites (with 60 more to open later this year) in a vibrant location in the new emerging business district of Davao. Designed by renowned Philippine architect Manny Samson, and inspired by 'the vibrancy of life,' the hotel promises to redefine standards of upscale hotel experiences in the city. From patterns to fabrics to scents to lighting, all details have been curated to reflect Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality while also embracing the cultural richness of the destination. Hotel facilities include a courtyard swimming pool, the Madayaw Cafe all-day dining restaurant, the sophisticated Siam Lounge, and, coming soon, the Namm Spa which offers a range of massage therapies and wellness treatments, and the fully equipped DFiT Fitness Centre. Guests at dusitD2 Davao can also enjoy day trips to The Beach Club at Lubi Plantation Island, Managed by Dusit, a special retreat on a private island just off the coast of the Davao Gulf, only 30 minutes away by boat. Author Dr. Badr bin Hamoud Al Badr is a veteran business leader, serial entrepreneur, a published author, a blogger, and a social activist. The Chief Executive Officer of one of the oldest Saudi publicly listed companies in Saudi Arabia, Dur Hospitality Company, a Saudi Joint Stock hospitality company established in 1976, recognized for its extensive record in managing, developing and operating a wide portfolio of hotels and residential compounds across the kingdom. Prior to being with Dur, Dr. Badr held many leading positions in local and multinational companies, earning him numerous Best Manager awards during his career. He was the CEO of Cisco Systems Saudi Arabia which, under his leadership, won the Best Business Environment Award in Saudi Arabia, he was also the CEO of AwalNet Company and CEO of Al Alamiah Internet and Communication Company. Dr. Badr earned his masters and PHD from Washington University, USA and his B.A degree from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran. An entrepreneur and contributor to leading and developing emerging business, Dr. Badr actively participated in many leadership programs at several renowned universities including Oxford, Cornell, and George Washington University. Dr. Badr sits on the board of directors of a number companies and he is also an activist on social media for knowledge and science dissemination, as well as a spokesperson on several occasions. He preserved his position as the 17th most influential hotelier for the second year in a row in the Middle East on the 2017 Power 50 list issued by Hotelier Middle East, and was ranked 25th in the same list 2015. He also held the 65th position on the list of top 100 CEO in the GCC for the year 2016 by TRENDS magazine and INSEAD international business school. Dr. Badr is a regular speaker at major conferences such as Saudi Arabia Hotel investment conference (SHIC), Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), Global Competitive Forum, Hospitality Summit, and IPD MEA Summit. Press Release 27 March 2019 Paradisus, Gran Melia and Melia Hotels & Resorts are the first Group brands to launch a new project to enhance User-Generated Content Advertisements Melia Hotels International, one of the most influential Spanish hotel companies in social media, has announced the launch of a new marketing strategy based on User-Generated Content (UGC) to provide more authentic messages in its digital contacts with consumers. The company is a world leader in resort hotels and has chosen Flowics as its technology partner for the worldwide, multi-brand implementation of the project. Guests in Melia group hotels worldwide publish tens of thousands of posts on social media every month which are the most authentic way of transmitting the what a stay in the hotels is really like. The project allows this content to be automatically managed and classified and permission obtained from the author so that it can form part of a new multimedia content database and become a key asset for Marketing strategy. After a successful pilot in 2018, Melia Hotels International has started implementation of the new project on the Flowics platform for all of its brands and digital platforms, with the initial focus on its websites and social media profiles. Santiago Garcia Solimei, Global Director of Social Media for Melia Hotels International, stated that "user-generated content has become the best source of inspiration for other travellers thanks to its authenticity and the confidence it inspires. That's why we have made it part of our communication and social media strategy to help promote the discovery of new destinations, our hotels and our brands". Gabriel Banos, Founder and CEO of Flowics, remarked that "we are very excited about our partnership with Melia and the results we have achieved since the launch. The travel, tourism and hospitality industry has magnificent opportunities ahead thanks to the growth of social media and digital platforms, allowing the consumer a voice and unleashing communications that are stronger than ever before." External Article 27 March 2019 A giant Singapore government-run fund has acquired a 25% stake in Dutch hotel company citizenM, providing a cash boost to the owner and operator of microhotels, as it ramps up a global expansion. The sovereign-wealth fund, GIC Pte. Ltd., confirmed the investment but declined to provide financial terms. Its stake brings citizenM's enterprise value, which includes debt, to 2 billion ($2.3 billion), the lodging company said. Supplier News 27 March 2019 Hotels in Germany are poised to benefit from tourism numbers that are outpacing the growth of travel within the EU's most visited country destinations, a new report has found today. State of the Nation 2019: How Big is the Opportunity for Hotel Bookings in Germany? by SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, reveals that Germany's inbound arrivals have almost doubled (96%) in the last 10 years to surpass the growth rates seen across the EU. While France, Spain and Italy continue to lead the EU in total traveller numbers, they trail Germany's 96% growth rate with inbound arrivals that have grown 26%, 65% and 65%, respectively, over the last 10 years. The pace is expected to continue over the next four years with Germany forecast to see a 14% jump in inbound arrivals by 2023 to lead the growth forecast for France (12%), Spain (11%) and Italy (11%), according to data from Euromonitor International. "International travellers to Europe have always flocked to the more traditional, popular destinations of France, Spain and Italy, but I believe we're seeing a shift in traveller preferences that favour a country like Germany for the mere fact that it's less explored. Today's traveller is in constant search for a different kind of experience and Germany represents that to them," says Clemens Fisch, Regional Manager - DACH at SiteMinder. "Only 10 years ago, local hoteliers were competing for the 24 million travellers entering the country; this year it is estimated they will be competing for almost 40 million. The opportunity is big and hotels that aren't already capitalising on the surge in tourism need to seriously start now." Today's findings from SiteMinder look at the makeup of travellers coming into Germany and the country's most visited cities. According to the report, 27 million travellers visit Germany for leisure purposes while 11 million visit for business. Couples make up the largest portion of travellers (35%) followed by families (22%). More than 1-in-10 travel solo. Germany's top five international source markets in 2018 were the Netherlands, Switzerland, USA, UK and Austria. About SiteMinder In an age of rising choice and accessibility for curious travellers, SiteMinder is the name synonymous with the belief that technology can empower any hotel to win in a consumer-led world and unleash their potential. SiteMinder is the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, ranked among technology pioneers for its smart and simple solutions that put hotels everywhere their guests are, at every stage of their journey. It's this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of more than 30,000 hotels, across 160 countries, to generate in excess of 80 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information, visit www.siteminder.com. Opinion Article 27 March 2019 Work smarter, not harder. It's an age-old sentiment that has inspired countless professional and personal agendas over the years. With the help of modern processes and technology, we are continually finding new ways to streamline and simplify. We relentlessly implore brands, co-workers, partners, and family members to adopt updated platforms that curate a more convenient, efficient experience. In simple terms, the more sophisticated the technology, the better our user experience becomes. While this is an exciting realization, it also brings us back to the recurring question what's next? What tech-centric trend is positioned to take over and inspire us to do things differently? From artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to guest intelligence and more, we are entering an era in which intelligent technology is influencing almost every consumer touchpoint across every industry. Hospitality is no exception, as the modern traveler has higher expectations for a hyper-personalized, relevantand ultimately, seamlessexperience from any size or type of hotel property they frequent. So the new question becomes not just can you simplify, but is your hotel intelligent? What is guest intelligence, and how can it transform your brand? Guest intelligence is about producing insight for guests that are both smart and actionable. This intelligence tells decision-makers not just the who, what, when and where, but also the why. It's the knowledge of why guests behave as they do that allows hotels to adapt to meet guest expectations, inspire them to spend more and keeps them coming back. Intelligence is the holistic and flexible understanding of guests that comes from gathering, contextualizing and analyzing data. Customer intelligence means going a step further to place information into context, so we learn that our 33-year-old, grad-school-educated guest has recently married, moved and started a new job. Some hoteliers may think that a CRM is enough and believe that the implementation of a guest intelligence platform may not be necessary. After all, aren't hotel marketing systems and CRMs enough? The simple answer is no, it's not. Consider this: Within today's economic landscape, most primary purchase motivators have changed. We purchase a car because we need to get from Point A to Point B. We buy food because we are hungry. We go to the coffee shop because we want a morning pick-me-up. The demand itself is easy to understand, but what drives the ultimate purchase decision? The car we are likely most motivated to purchase doesn't merely provide us transportation to the office or home; it offers self-driving modes, tells us what route to take, features built-in Wi-Fi, a trunk that opens automatically and so much more. Ultimately, the technology we prefer, the brands we prioritize becomes more than just about the primary product or service they provide, but about the entire experience. We expect more from each product, purchase, and brand interaction than we ever have before, and that perhaps couldn't be more true in the case of hospitality. The success of hotels and travel companies is ultimately founded upon the ability to curate a consistent, exemplary experience that appeals to each guest. We don't book a hotel just because we need a bed in which to sleep. Sure, that need exists, but our booking decision is influenced by the entire experience offered by that hotel. Do they utilize mobile-centric technology to streamline the check-in/check-out process? Do they leverage data-driven insights to design marketing and overall engagement based on a guest's data for a more personalized experience? Do they offer unique local experiences? Do their rooms provide the bare minimum, or do they go above and beyond with novel, upscale amenities? What are other guests saying about that hotel in the social sphere? With this in mind, the case for technology platforms that allow for enhanced guest connection, insight-driven data, instant gratification, and streamlined operational processes becomes undeniable. Studies show that 57% of U.S. travelers want brands to use their data to personalize their travel recommendations and experiences. Also, according to the same source, 36% of these people would be willing to pay more for such a personalized experience. Not only that, Machine Learning (ML) could be responsible for cumulative investments of $58 billion by the end of 2021 and the rapid adoption of AI across global businesses will help the AI market reach about $13 trillion by 2030. Experts predict that the number of hotels and travel businesses implementing artificial intelligence and other personalization services will increase by 30% in the next year. Establishing a Mutually Beneficial Relationship We've addressed the demand for personalization and intelligent platforms on behalf of the guest, but what about hoteliers? The case for AI and machine learning/guest intelligence isn't a one-way street - not only does this technology delight guests and inspire loyalty; it also unleashes previously unrecognized or under-utilized revenue opportunities. Today's innovative and smart technologies within the hospitality realm create a certain 'wow' factor while also enhancing operational efficiency. When previously cumbersome touchpoints are streamlined within an intelligent platform, hotel staff are empowered to focus more intently on creating the best guest experience possible. This represents a marker for repeat business and guest loyalty. It makes personalization easier. In the past, for each staff member to learn a guest's name and understand their lifetime value to the hotel and individual preferences/interests would have been an impossible manual task. However, with the help of new-age, intelligent CRM and PMS platforms, critical guest data is stored and offered to each staff member to ensure their guest service is as effortlessly personal and genuine, as it is responsive and efficient. Intelligent technology makes hyper-personalization accessible, scalable and ultimately profitable, as hotels can benefit from increased guest buy-in with more relevant offers, up-sells, and memorable interactions. The era of guest empowerment demands new tools to learn what guests want. In order to compete today, hotels must look beyond data, using guest intelligence to arrive at actionable business insight. When hotels invest in technology that unlocks meaningful guest insights and empowers guest relationships, they can make smarter decisions, exceed guest expectations and keep them coming back - and that is what intelligent technology is about. Is your hotel ready to work smarter, not harder? JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Ah, technology and revenue... our inexhaustible sources of discussion and research. When we talk about tech innovations, what normally first pops into mind is the investment that these systems require, both from a financial and time perspective. But the reason why were slowly but surely putting a stop to tech-related skepticism is what awaits for us after the finish line: a better guest experience, a significant improvement in reputation, and of course, profit. Ah, technology and revenue... our inexhaustible sources of discussion and research. When we talk about tech innovations, what normally first pops into mind is the investment that these systems require, both from a financial and time perspective. But the reason why were slowly but surely putting a stop to tech-related skepticism is what awaits for us after the finish line: a better guest experience, a significant improvement in reputation, and of course, profit. Working in a highly competitive industry and in a world dominated by smart technologies, the question that arises in every hoteliers mind is What has the most potential for revenue-generation? After all, its only natural to focus on driving the highest profit after making any type of investment. This is exactly why we focused on answering this pressing question and exploring the 5 best revenue-generating hotel technologies. Live Chat Although perhaps not the first tech to pop into mind when thinking about revenue, live chat is actually a blessing in disguise. Often perceived as a means of keeping the hotel-guest communication lines open and as a way of providing on-the-spot customer support, Live Chats benefits go beyond this and can actually result in revenue when leveraged properly. As we have previously discussed in our Tech Stach eBook and this blog post, live chat can be used as a means to encourage more direct bookings. While travelers are browsing the hotel website, they might be in need of assistance or have extra inquiries, regarding bookings. Through live chat, the hotel staff can encourage and help with a direct booking on the brand website instead of losing touch with the user. Keep in mind that either the lack of relevant information or a valid and quick means of communication can lead travelers to different websites, such as OTAs, in order to complete a booking. Internet Booking Engine While on the topic of direct bookings, its essential in todays hospitality business to invest in an efficient internet booking engine (IBE). Every hoteliers objective is to get as many direct bookings as possible, although, to be completely fair, OTAs have become necessary (up to a certain level). In order to achieve a proper online distribution and visibility, any hotel website needs to be listed on third parties. However, that being said, direct bookings are the ultimate goal. What drives travelers towards a direct booking is, first of all, the ability to easily find the brand website upon a simple web search. This is closely related to the websites SEO and online visibility. Second of all, the decision-making factor that derives in a direct booking is the efficiency of the hotels booking engine. In order to encourage users to book direct, an IBE needs to be properly optimized, easy-to-use, quick, and efficient, making the booking process as simple, if not even easier, than on a third-party. The chances of travelers completing a direct booking are automatically higher when they can find a hotels brand website, get valuable info on the spot while browsing it, and are provided with an effective and user-friendly booking engine. AI, Chatbots A few years have gone by since artificial intelligence started to overtake a large portion of businesses, including the hospitality industry. What was perceived as a futuristic concept is now part of our day to day lives; and why wouldn't it be, really? Artificial intelligence can be of huge help to any hotel business and in certain ways, it can prove itself to be extremely cost-effective in the long run. We have reached a point in time when immediacy is a key that determines the satisfaction levels of consumers, which makes complete sense come to think of it: we live in a busy world, so we expect our needs and issues to be addressed on the spot. This is where AI and chatbots fall into place since these technologies can take over when humans might sometimes be unable to. Numerous systems are based on artificial intelligence and chatbots, a topic that we have previously discussed, which enable automated processes and communication, around the clock. Keep in mind that the difference between a gained booking and a missed opportunity lies in being able to quickly and easily request information and receive satisfactory answers on the spot. By making good use of AI and investing in a chatbot for your hotels website, you not only show potential guests that you are up to date with technology trends and that you are willing to go the extra mile for them, but that you are also saving money in the long run. Month-after-month and year-after-year, an actual employee that would normally take care of simple requests and even work around the clock, would add up to a high cost. A chatbot, on the other hand, is more of an investment that requires only a one-time set-up and an occasional update. Not only does this contribute to the revenue of a hotel business by being more cost-effective than a 24/7 staff, but it can also increase satisfaction rates and problem-solving capabilities. Internet of Things Its no secret that travelers have changed and adapted their expectations and behavior around technology. Especially while traveling, we need tech innovations to support our needs and facilitate operations that support our stay at a hotel. Especially younger generations of travelers, like millennials and gen Z, who can easily develop an unsatisfactory impression of a hotel or accommodation if it falls short on the tech front. In hospitality, the Internet of Things (IoT) is one of those relatively newer concepts that has been implemented in order to support the new demands and expectations of tech-savvy travelers. IoT is basically the interconnection between everyday devices which have a computing element embedded, via the internet. This connection allows those devices/objects to send and receive data, basically creating an infrastructure of easily exchangeable information. You can surely already grasp why this technology is useful for the on-site phase of a guest and how it can improve the guest satisfaction rates, as well as the staff operations. IoT is now enabling travelers to connect their own personal devices to different hotel systems. This entire process comes as a win-win since guests are more likely to be positively impressed and hotels can now invest in a tech solution that, in the long run, will pay off financially. Operations that, until recently, required human effort, are now automated and can run smoother and be less prone to errors. Its easy to understand that the implementation and use of IoT can lead to fewer manpower investments, more automated processes, and better satisfaction rates. Feedback Management Platform The proper management of online feedback has quickly moved from a nice-to-have status to being a must-have practice. The world wide web enables millions of opinions, scattered around countless portals - all of them with the potential of growing or harming your business. Its easy to see why feedback platforms are essential nowadays, in order to properly oversee, gather, manage and market online reviews. But how exactly does a feedback management platform lead to profit? First of all, consider that an umbrella type of system, that enables multiple different actions from one place, is automatically saving you money; money that would otherwise be divided between various independent technologies. Second of all, the sole most important goal of feedback management is the better guest experience and an improved online reputation. Both of these can be achieved by properly monitoring, analyzing, and managing reviews. A satisfactory guest stay will usually result in a positive review, which has the power to influence the booking decision of hundreds and thousands of future guests, resulting in more revenue. We are basically talking about a circle, each factor influencing the other and leading towards better results: more positive experiences, an excellent reputation, more bookings, hence more financial gain. You can get even more valuable insights from our eBook: The Hoteliers Tech Stack Guide - Must-have Technologies That Impact The Guest Journey. Laura Badiu Laura is a passionate bookworm and a gifted writer. Since joining TrustYous marketing team, she has embraced topics in the travel and hospitality sector with enthusiasm. Using her degree in Journalism, Laura creatively weaves words into insightful stories with a focus on reputation management. About TrustYou TrustYou, the worlds largest guest feedback platform, empowers hotels with solutions to drive more bookings and improve their hotel product. Through each phase of the guest journey, hotels can utilize guest feedback to enhance review marketing and achieve operational excellence. Guest feedback influences 95% of booking decisions. TrustYou Meta-Review, which incorporates hundreds of millions of hotel reviews, surveys, and social posts for over 500,000 hotels worldwide, powers guest reviews on dozens of travel sites, including Google, Kayak, and Hotels.com.* These reviews also generate actionable insights for hotels to improve their presence along each step of the guest journey, from booking and pre-stay search queries, to real-time guest requests and messages, to post-stay feedback in the form of survey responses and reviews. Through the TrustYou partner program, PMS, CRM, IBE and other hotel software providers can integrate TrustYous guest feedback platform into their products to help their hotel clients positively influence bookings and revenue. Find more information on TrustYou and the guest feedback platform on www.trustyou.com. *TrustYou Meta-Reviews only contain verified reviews and do not include reviews from TripAdvisor Press contact Katharina Sickora katharina.sickora@trustyou.com +49 89 55 27 35 - 116 Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource The Newcastle property is the fourth Holiday Inn Express to open in Australia by Pro-invest Group following the launch of the Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide properties, with several more in the pipeline including Melbourne, Sydney Airport and Queenstown, New Zealand, in the next 12 months. IHG's fastest growing hotel brand will make its debut in Newcastle, Australia later this month, with the new Holiday Inn Express Newcastle opening its doors to guests from March 28. Located on King Street in Newcastle's commercial precinct, within close proximity to the city centre, Newcastle Harbour and Honeysuckle, the 170-room hotel capitalises on Newcastle's renewed focus in the area and provides a boost to the local economy through jobs and tourism. The Newcastle property is the fourth Holiday Inn Express to open in Australia by Pro-invest Group following the launch of the Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide properties, with several more in the pipeline including Melbourne, Sydney Airport and Queenstown, New Zealand, in the next 12 months. Pro-invest Group Chief Executive Ronald Barrott says Newcastle's beautiful harbourside and beach setting, together with its growing restaurant and dining scene made it an obvious choice for the group's next hotel. "Newcastle is gaining traction as a holiday destination for families and a hub for business, so we're pleased to be able to contribute to its vibrancy by offering leisure or business travellers with a simple, smart hotel offering. With so much development underway, including the foreshore, there is so much to look forward to in Newcastle and we're proud to be a part of it, investing in what is already a strong tourism industry," Mr Barrott said. Officially launching at a VIP event on April 4 the hotel, with its striking interior design by renowned architect Joseph Pang, boasts contemporary shared spaces such as The Great Room, with its urban-style fit out featuring timber, pops of colour and quality furnishings. The hotel also features a gym, two flexible meeting rooms, self-serve laundry, onsite parking and a free business centre, in addition to well-appointed rooms complete with a power shower, black-out blinds, high-quality bedding with a choice of pillows, uncapped Wi-Fi and free Express Start Buffet Breakfast or Grab and Go option. Hotel Manager Rob Fahey says Holiday Inn Express Newcastle offers guests more where it matters most from a convenient location in the commercial district and exceptional sustainability-focused facilities and initiatives. "We are passionate about the environment and have introduced a range of sustainable initiatives throughout the hotel including replacing plastic water bottles with refillable glass water bottles, going straw free and offering guests the choice to forego housekeeping if they stay for two nights or more. We're looking forward to showcasing what smart, simple travel is all about and can't wait to welcome both locals looking for a staycation and travellers exploring the region to our hotel." The hotel will be officially opened with a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Pro-invest Group Chief Executive Ronald Barrott. Also attending the launch event is City of Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen. There are currently 2,726 Holiday Inn Express hotels (279,516 rooms) open across the globe. Holiday Inn Express Newcastle is part of a growing portfolio of hotels in Australia and New Zealand being rolled out by investment firm Pro-invest Group in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) under a master development agreement. Given the performance of its 3 existing operating hotels, Pro-invest is planning to add another dozen hotel projects over the next 5 years, meeting the growing demand for the quality select service segment. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Hotel Chicago West Loop has announced the appointment of a new, dynamic leader. At only 31-years-old, Virginia-native Jean-Luc Laramie is (quite possibly) the youngest hotel general manager in Chicago. Hotel Chicago West Loop has announced the appointment of a new, dynamic leader. At only 31-years-old, Virginia-native Jean-Luc Laramie is (quite possibly) the youngest hotel general manager in Chicago. In his role at the independent, 3-year-old dual-purpose property known for its eccentric art initiative, Laramie oversees operations while looking to expand the hotels relationship with Millennial travelers. This is not your typical hotel, said Laramie, whos moved his way up from bellman to GM in less than a decade. While we may not have all the bells and whistles, we have a colorful culture that cannot be replicated. Its exactly the sort of thing todays contemporary traveler appreciates! Branded The Annex, the art concept at the 116-room Hotel Chicago West Loop features a vast permanent collection of 2-D media spread throughout the property in addition to unique exhibitions like guestroom street murals painted by prolific urban artists and a rotating gallery currently features therapeutic artworks by patients with catastrophic impairments from Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. We are Hotel Chicago West Loop, asserted Laramie. The diversity of art represented here is a tribute to the distinct neighborhoods that all together make up this great city. The Annex is open to the public for daily tours, and in support of the arts, 10% of the regular room rate is donated to a local arts non-profit when a guestroom is booked with the special rate code ANNEX. In addition to the hotels art emphasis, Laramie also beams about the diverse staff and the cultural impact they impart on the guest experience. I encourage all of our employees to be themselves, said Laramie. Its about allowing our team to express themselves as individuals, like selecting their own musical choices in the lobby, so they feel comfortable while assisting guests in their own personal way. People remember genuine interaction. Laramie credits Hotel Chicago West Loops management company, Portfolio Hotels & Resorts, for valuing artistic and individual expression. We are excited that Jean-Luc is now leading the team at Hotel Chicago West Loop, said Michael Payne, EVP of Operations for Portfolio Hotels & Resorts. His passion for hospitality and understanding of the Millennial guest is a perfect match for this colorful boutique hotel that celebrates Chicagos artistic essence. Although hes a first-time hotel General Manager, Laramies passion for hospitality runs deep. He admits he always knew he wanted to work in the industry, starting his career in restaurants before entering the hotel world in 2009. Laramie began his hotel career with a manager-in-training program in Amman, Jordan. When he returned to the States, Laramie enrolled at Kendall College in Chicago and studied Hotel Management while working as a bellman at night. After graduation, he rose through the ranks, beginning at the front desk, then moving on to concierge, night audit, manager on duty, supervisor, front desk manager, and operations manager. Laramies strength is interacting with guests, making them feel welcome, and finding solutions that work for both them and the property. Hotel Chicago West Loop employs a unique training regime for new hires which focuses not only on their duties but also shows how each job integrates throughout the business. By involving our employees in our vision, it becomes their vision too, concluded Laramie. Our staff brings together different cultures and different experiences. Like the unique artwork found around the hotel, we celebrate individuality and continually try to learn from each other. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource E20X Europe is on April 9 and features eight startups, expert judges and mentors Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), is pleased to announce the selected hospitality technology startups that will participate in Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at HITEC Europe. The E20X start-up pitch competition is on April 9 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Palau de Congressos in Palma, Mallorca, Spain; all registered HITEC Europe delegates are welcome to attend. The competition is a pre-conference event attached to HITEC Europe, part of the largest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand: HITEC. E20X innovators will pitch their business concepts to a room of HITEC Europe delegates and a panel of judges. At the conclusion of the competition, the E20X judges will determine the winner of the "E20X Judges' Choice Award" grand prize of 2,500. The second prize is the "People's Choice Award," which is determined by popular vote through the event mobile app, concluding on the last day of HITEC Europe on April 11. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the technologies by visiting with the participating startups in the E20X Innovation Lab located on the Mezzanine level in the HITEC Europe exhibit hall. The morning of the competition, E20X mentors will meet face-to-face with the entrepreneur competitors. The mentor session before the competition gives the mentors the chance to share their experience, answer questions and make invaluable connections with the E20X participants. The 2019 E20X Europe pitching companies include: For more information about E20X, email e20x@hftp.org. In addition to HITEC Europe, two other HITEC events are scheduled for 2019: HITEC Minneapolis on June 17-20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA; and HITEC Dubai on November 12-13 in Dubai, UAE. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource TheyAre often alone on a floor, cleaning a vacant room, back to the door, the vacuumAs loud drone silencing all sound. A perfect setup for a horror movie. Housekeepers perform the most physically demanding work necessary to operate a luxury hotel. Theyre often alone on a floor, cleaning a vacant room, back to the door, the vacuums loud drone silencing all sound. A perfect setup for a horror movie. Housekeepers perform the most physically demanding work necessary to operate a luxury hotel. Assigned 10 to 14 rooms a day on average, they strip beds, dump sheets down laundry chutes, remake beds, scrub bathroom floors, clean tubs and toilets, empty trash, polish mirrors, clean glasses, vacuum carpets - and the work does not end there. On top of that, they have to be sexually accosted by guests? Sadly, yes. And more often than youd think. These words lined the beginning of a New York Times article, Behind Closed, Sequentially Numbered Doors, penned by Jacob Tomsky, which detailed the commonly under-reported risk assumed by hotel staff, especially housekeepers. The hospitality industry has been and continues to be, built upon the provision of incredible, guest-centric service, at every opportunity. Hospitality staff work tirelessly around the clock to understand and anticipate the unique needs and expectations of each guest, ensuring they leave a hotel property with a lasting, positive impression. Day in and day out, hoteliers and their staff make it their utmost responsibility to cater to each guest and provide them with a home away from home one that offers every comfort, luxury, and convenience that one expects. It is within this guest-centric model, that staff safety can (even unknowingly and unintentionally) take a back seat. It is also within this model that the weight of guest opinion can wrongfully supersede the well-being and treatment of hotel workers. Identifying the Problem With these realizations in mind, it becomes no surprise that the hospitality industry which is also plagued with notoriously high staff turn-over rates also falls victim to an alarming rate of workplace safety issues. In fact, a recent survey in Chicago shows that 58% of all hotel workers there have experienced sexual harassment by guests and 9 out of 10 hospitality workers say they have suffered abuse. Further, in a 2014 paper in the journal Gender, Work & Organization, a team of researchers interviewed female hotel workers employed by 5-star hotels on the Gold Coast, a city in Queensland. Of the 46 women who participated in the study, 44 had experienced some kind of inappropriate advance from a guest. From assault and harassment to abuse or injury, sweeping guest indiscretions under the rug for the sake of client satisfaction and public reputation had become something of a painful tradition in hospitality. Luckily, that tradition has finally come to a grinding halt. On September 6th, 2018, the CEOs of Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott, and Wyndham joined the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) in announcing the 5-Star Promise. This included a pledge to provide hotel employees with safety devices ensuring hotels are proactive and demonstrative in their efforts to prevent and police harassment towards workers. This promise has led countless properties to their search for solutions and practices to create a more secure workplace for every employee, which brings us to the hotel panic button. Until recently, most hotel panic buttons have been known as noise-makers handheld devices which emit an audible alert/noise to signal an incident or threat. While these were, undoubtedly, a good initial step in the right direction, we arrived at a resounding issue: The size and complexity associated with modern hotel infrastructure call for more robust hotel technology and support platforms and employee safety devices are no exception. The Key to a Safer Workplace? The Next Generation Hotel Panic Button Considering the size and scale of many hotel properties, especially those of the luxury travel segment (as cases of assault tend to be more prevalent in those environments), outdated noise-makers are no longer a suitable solution. If a staff member experiences a medical emergency or impending threat behind the closed door of a room within a multi-level hotel and support is not within range to hear that signal, the old-school panic button simply cannot effectively protect the user. Not only that, but some instances may require a more discrete alert system, to further protect the immediate well-being of the user and ensure the perpetrator doesnt act out in response to the alert. This brings us to the modern employee safety device, one which is better equipped to serve and protect hotel staff, throughout any emergency. So, what does the next generation hotel panic button look like? Were glad you asked. Todays hotel panic button should be more than just an app or a noise-maker; rather, it should be a dedicated safety platform that is configurable and customizable to the unique demands of each individual hotel. Our best-in-class hospitality safety platform is cloud-based, easy to use and integrates seamlessly with a hotels existing property management software to provide location-based alerts in the event of an emergency. In a crisis scenario, hotel staff can press their sidekick panic button, which is paired with a smart device via Bluetooth, to transmit an SOS signal. Utilizing Bluetooth beacons placed throughout the property, support staff can immediately identify the precise room location of an incident to respond in a faster, more effective manner. Those staff members who do not have a smartphone can rely on a standalone LTE panic button which transmits the same, location-specific information to help hoteliers locate an employee within seconds of a distress call. Outside of the hotel, the system relies on GPS coordinates to follow an incident in real time, relaying that information back to support services while also maintaining a digital log of all distress reports and incidents. This technology not only helps to provide immediate response in emergency situations but equips hotels with the software they need to better track and report staff-related incidents and concerns. It is an exciting time to be part of the hospitality industry with the continued evolution of innovative new technology platforms that, not only transform the guest experience, but also work to ensure the safety of employees. After all, as businesses that are centered on serving the public, no issue should be more critical or top of mind for hotels than the security of guests and staff members alike. With improved measures, and the right safety technology in place, hotel personnel can approach their work with new-found peace-of-mind and that is precisely what the industrys important new movement, the 5-Star Promise, was created to achieve. About the Author Robb Monkman is the founder and CEO, of React Mobile, Inc. With experience launching multiple products, from idea to exit, Robb previously headed up the sales and marketing of advanced communications solutions to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Several years ago, Robb was the victim of an armed robbery and hostage situation that left a lasting impression on him. He soon learned that thousands of people every day were in situations where they desperately need help but couldnt make a call. He made it his mission to solve this problem, founding React Mobile to create a simple yet powerful personal safety platform that today is transforming the way people call for help in emergencies. React Mobile is making tomorrow a safer place and already helping people all over the world. About React Mobile Founded in 2013, React Mobile is a global leader in providing panic button solutions for hotels. Their best in class hospitality safety platform helps hotels keep their employees safe. The React Mobile system allows management to deploy response resources to the exact location of an emergency within seconds of an alert, getting help to where they need it fast. In an emergency quick response times are essential. To learn more, visit ReactMobile.com Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource 03 Greedo and DJ Mustard are currently gearing up to release the Wolf Of Grape Street rapper's first project since turning himself in to authorities last year. Still Summer In The Projects is set to drop at the top of April but before its release, the rapper and producer drop off another cut off the record. 03 Greedi and DJ Mustard join forces with Shoreline Mafia for the new single, "Trap House." Greedo and Shoreline link up over a bouncy Mustard production for the track. Greedo's delivers infectious melodious through his autotune-laden vocals. Shoreline Mafia's Ohgeesy and Rob Vicious deliver verses on the track about getting to the money in the trap house. Aside from Shoreline Mafia, Still Summer In The Projects include features from YG as well as Trilliano. Keep your eyes peeled for that. Quotable Lyrics Sleepin' in the trap house, fuckin' in the blackout Still up in the Pyrex, I'm just tryna get a track out Rock out with them racks out and I fuck once, can't run back In and out that trap house, I spend dollars, get funds back It may have been an informal identifier for years, but the Beast Coast is finally mounting up to enshrine their moniker in the annals of hip-hop history. Generally employed as a collective term for Pro Era, Flatbush Zombies, and The Underachievers, Beast Coast is seceding from the ranks of a likeminded collective such as The Universal Zulu Nation or Native Tongues to become a rap crew in the truest sense of the phrase. No longer bound by shared ideology alone, the three entities are consolidating their talents into a full-length project. Announced via the blistering posse cut of Left Hand, the group of Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Powers Pleasant, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, Erick Arc Elliot, Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, Issa Gold and AKTHESAVIOR are leaving the proverbial nest and heading out on a mammoth US tour together known as the "Escape From New York". With the impending album marking the culmination of a long road, it seems like the perfect time to examine their respective catalogs to pinpoint the Beast Coast essentials. Some ground rules before we begin. To prevent this from becoming a blow-by-blow account of their entire discographies, each artist has been limited to a maximum of two projects that define them as artists. Given the sheer level of ingenuity on display, it would be easy to lionize them for their whole catalogs - but that would defeat the purpose of highlighting the cream of the crop. Johnny Nunez/Getty Images Capital Steez - Amerikkkan Korruption Although he took his own life before it could come to fruition, the spirit of Jamal Capital Steez Dewar lives on through the spirit of the movements he spearheaded. Issa previously said that the group was only made possible through the keen mind and foresight of the dearly missed MC. STEEZ is the best thinker I know, he reflects. He taught me how to think. Beast Coast wouldnt exist without him. He was the one who brought the idea to me, that we needed to link all groups. While we as humans tend to embellish an artists legacy after theyve died, the saint-like praise and limitless potential that PRO ERA and their cohorts ascribe to him is by no means unfounded. For evidence of Steezs boundless ambition, youd need only listen to his underground classic Amerikkkan Korruption to see that his cult following is justified. Constructed when he was 18, the 14-song project displayed Steez as a virtuosic wordsmith, communicating with clarity and power beyond his years. Laden with cuts that re-appropriated beats from MF Doom, DJ Premier and Atmosphere alongside original productions from Kirk Knight and Joey Bada$$, the project allowed him to espouse his unifying philosophy on life with charisma and conviction to spare. Essential Tracks: Free The Robots, HYPE/BEAST, Dead On Arrival, Talking S**t Joey Bada$$ - 1999 No record heralded the arrival of BEASTCOAST as combatants quite like Joey Bada$$ 1999. A harmonious marriage of boom-bap revivalism and intricate lyrical acrobatics, the young Brooklynite put the world on notice. Pairing old school tropes with youthful vitality, Joey proved himself a capable lyricist, adaptive and able to embody any type of flow on tracks such as Waves, World Domination and the LA Noire sampling FROMDATOMBS. Charming in its naivety and exuberance, it would take a while for the Josef Badmon that we know today to take on his form. But theres no denying that 1999 put Joey -and by extension, Pro Era- on the map. Essential Tracks: Survival Tactics, Waves, FromdaTombs, Righteous Minds, World Domination Joey Bada$$ - All Amerikkkan Bada$$ No longer dizzied by the spotlight that hed been thrust into as a teenager, the 22-year-old Bada$$ delivered his most consistent and insightful work to date on 2017s All Amerikkkan Bada$$. Released on 4/7 as a homage to his late comrade Capital Steez, the record showed that Joey had more to offer than sheer technical wizardry or punchlines, going toe-to-toe with any conscious rapper in terms of producing pertinent content. Now, the man who once brashly proclaimed f***k government, f**k Listenin and s***t could articulate his point of view and exhaustively outline his vision for a better society. From radio-oriented smashes to bombastic aggression, All Amerikkkan Bada$$ provided something for everyone, all while keeping a cohesive thread throughout. Essential Tracks: FOR MY PEOPLE, LAND OF THE FREE, TEMPTATIONS, RING THE ALARM, ROCKABYE BABY Flatbush Zombies - BetterOffDEAD Between the untapped middle ground of nihilism and hedonism, therein lies The Glorious Dead. Better known as Flatbush Zombies, the trio of Erik Arc Elliott, Meechy Darko and Zombie Juice blazed a trail through the genre, leaving piles of psychoactive residue in their wake. While it wasnt their first project, this BetterOffDEAD showcased the group as purveyors of a strand of hip-hop that was subversive for all the right reasons. Cloud rap without the inanity, horrorcore without the gratuitousness, the Zombies remain impervious to the industrys games and refuse to yield to commercial whims. Instead, the gravelly voiced Meechy, musical savant Erick and the typhoon of energy that is Zombie Juice used BetteroffDEAD to sculpt 2010s hip-hop in their own image. Essential Tracks: Nephilim, G Tearz, Palm Trees, Mraz, Thug Waffle, Drug Parade Flatbush Zombies - 3001: A Laced Odyssey Although 2018s Vacation In Hell was another immersive trip into the shadow realm of The Glorious Dead, it marginally fell short of their full-length studio debut 3001: A Laced Odyssey. Helmed by Erick from the start to the exhilarating twelve-minute crescendo, the trio act as your tour guides into an astral plane containing no shortage of menace. Amid the ethereal touches and Kubrick references, Meechy, Ark, and Juice ensured that the griminess and sinister atmospherics of their breakout mixtape remained scattered throughout. The next logical step in their evolution as artists, this conceptual work bristles with an authenticity that makes you feel that they genuinely loved every moment of its painstaking creation. Essential Tracks: Bounce, R.I.P.C.D, Ascension, Trade Off, This Is It, Your Favourite Rap Song The Underachievers - Indigoism First things first, let me lay it down, young indigo n***a here to take the crown. From the very moment that AKTHESAVIOR doles these bars out, you know that Indigoism is no mere pedestrian mixtape. Imbued with contempt for the rap game as they saw it, The Underachievers debut project was a shot in the dark that put the world on notice. Distributed by Flying Lotus Brainfeeder imprint, the notoriously daring label proved to be a suitable home for AK and Issa Gold to dispense with all constraints and ransack the entire musical world for inspiration. From disorienting weed anthems to jazz-infused ponderings on the inner-workings of the universe, its no surprise that Indigoisms highlights remain fan favorites, occupying their top song spots on streaming services to this day. Essential Tracks: Philanthropist, The Madhi, Leopard Shepard, Herb Shuttles, Gold Soul Theory, T.A.D.E.D The Underachievers - Evermore: The Art Of Duality Often overshadowed in their catalog by Indigoisms hulking presence, itd be a stretch to say that their 2015 record Evermore: The Art Of Duality is objectively better. Still, its an accomplished body of work nonetheless. Concerned with the conflicting aspects of human nature, this sprawling record took Issa and AKs philosophical musings up to new heights. Fixated with the day-to-day struggles to stay on track, it contrasts their unrelenting desire to carve out a better future with the ruinous temptations that risk condemning them to a life of monotony. The meeting point for high-minded ideas and the harshness of reality, Evermore reasserted the duo as a thrilling pair that harbor an unorthodox outlook on life and the construction of hip-hop music itself. Essential Tracks: Rain Dance, Shine All Gold, Chasing Faith, Take Your Place, Moon Shot Nyck Caution - Disguise The Limit Surrounded by acclaimed rappers on all sides, Nyck Caution had an uphill battle to gain recognition as a high-caliber MC within the Beast Coast ranks. Yet against the odds, thats exactly what the self-styled New York City Kid managed to do on Disguise The Limit. Titled as an ode to Capital Steezs Negus, this is but one of several earnest memorials to the Pro Era architect throughout the project. Split between trademark boom bap production and more eclectic fare that touches on rock & electronica, Disguise The Limit is the sound of Nyck Caution pleading his case to come in from the cold, and proof that he could pit his considerable skills against any of the collectives critical and commercial darlings. Essential Tracks: Whats Understood, Out Of Reach, Crucifix, Wordsmith Nyck Caution & Kirk Knight - Nyck @ Knight As concise as it may be, the tandem of Nyck Caution and Kirk Knight embodied everything that makes the Beast Coast hivemind so enthralling. At a little under 25 minutes, Nyck @ Knight could be construed as an album by todays standards, with a linear structure and enough merit to exceed a more long-winded effort. Across eight varied offerings, the pairs innate chemistry allows them to scour the depths of hip-hops stylistic arsenal and consistently deploy new sounds in effective ways. A star-making turn on both fronts, the sheer joy of the Pro Era posse cut Audiopium- which features Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Rokamouth, Dirty Sanchez and an acapella from King Cap- is enough to get anyone enthused about the bright future of the collective. Essential Tracks: Off The Wall, Dial Up, No One Seems To Care, Audiopium, Wake Up Honorable Mentions: CJ Fly- Thee Way Eye See It, Chuck Strangers- Consumers Park, Kirk Knight- IWII/Late Knight Special, Pro Era- PEEP: The Aprocalypse,Clockwork Indigo EP Whats your favorite project in the BEASTCOAST Discography? Let us know below. And just like that, the legalization of marijuana has taken a dark turn since doctors are getting worried about a rise in "cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome," or CHS, Business Insider reports. The new term (that sounds like greening out) was coined in Australia after a rise in emergency-room visits from patients who experienced severe episodes of nausea and vomiting after using marijuana. A team of physicians in the country shared the experience they had with a handful of patients who experienced similar symptoms after smoking or ingesting marijuana-- the cure being a piping hot bath, and to cease smoking and ingesting the substance altogether. The term has made its way to the U.S. where a study was published by Colorado clinicians detailing how more than 2,500 cannabis-related ER visits were made at one hospital, just after the medical legalization of the drug in 2009. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The main symptoms of CHS are stomach issues, before such reactions like severe paranoia. "To see that this was a leading reason for people coming to the ER, that was pretty striking," Andrew Monte, an associate professor of emergency medicine, who led the study, told the publication. "We have to do a better job of educating users on the fact that this phenomenon exists." The King Of New York debate ran rampant in barbershops and social media alike. 6ix9ine declared himself the King Of New York at the height of his short-lived career which sparked the debate in the first place. While many agreed, a few decided to distance themselves from the conversation such as Joey Bada$$. Cindy Ord/Getty Images "All that king talk is cool and all but I just made 100+ racks yesterday off features," he wrote on Instagram in March 2018. "Another quarter mil off ghostwriting. Another 120k off an endorsement (front end). Not to mention the half a mil I brought in from touring about a month ago, plus I'm going on tour AGAIN in April. Plus another 300k in royalties coming in this month...Sheesh and that's just the first quarter." In the debut episode of Joey's new docu-series, The Life I Live, the rapper revisits the conversation. While previewing a new song towards the end of the episode, he previews a new track where he declares himself the king, period. "Fuck the King of New York, I'm the king period," he raps. This isn't the first time he's addressed the King Of New York topic. On his verse on the "King's Dead Freestyle" with XXXTENTACION, the rapper made it clear that he's chasing after the bag, not a title. "I said I made a few millions in some weeks, bitch/ Hey, told the world about it, ain't no secret/ You n***as worried 'bout the crown, worried 'bout the crown/ Fuck it, you can tell them clowns they could keep it," he raps. Peep our "Beast Coast: The Essential Albums" listening guide. Investigators in Jussie Smollett's case were already prepared for the "media frenzy" that would follow the two brothers who claimed the actor paid them to stage his attack. In documents obtained by ABC7, Chicago PD put the Osundairo brothers in a hotel right before they were supposed to testify against a grand jury. Rachel Luna/Getty Images One of the investigators on Jussie Smollett's case suggested that Ola and Abel Osundairo should be put up in a hotel during the investigation in order to avoid reporters and journalists that would be trying to track them down. In the documents, their names are redacted except for one time. Chicago PD made plans to pick up the brothers behind their home to avoid being spotted by the public. The police allowed them to meet with their family before they took them to the hotel where they were reported under a24 hour surveillance and security was provided by Chicago Police OCD.a The brothers were taken to the Chicago South Loop Hotel from Feb. 15th - 21st and were provided with afood and incidentals.a The brothers were actually arrested on the 15th, according to reports, but were released the following day after police started suspecting Smollett staged the attack. In related news, the brothers lost their legal representation, Gloria Schmidt, after they decided to maintain their silence on the Smollett case after the actor's charges were dropped. [Via] We're just scratching the surface of 2019 and it's turned out to be a helluva year thus far, but this Jussie Smollett case is one storyline that was made for television. As you probably already know, all 16 charges filed against Smollett have been dropped. The actor gave a press conference following the news, and he thanked investigators for their time while also maintaining his innocence. "Honestly, one of the worst [times] of my entire life," he said. "But I am a man of faith and I'm a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives, or the movement into a fire like this. I just wouldn't. Now I'd like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life. But make no mistake, I will always continue to fight for justice, equality and betterment of marginalized people everywhere." https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvfuo2eFl4u Over the last few months, the case has drawn its own attention while also shifting focus to the actor's hit show Empire. Because of the controversy, Smollett was written out of the final episodes and there have been reports that he was fired altogether. The recent ratings for the show have been at an all-time low, and fans are left wondering what is in store for the series. 20th Century Fox issued a statement about the charges against Smollett being dropped: "Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified on his behalf that all charges against him have been dismissed: "Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified on his behalf that all charges against him have been dismissed. There have been rumors about how his fellow Empire cast members have reacted to Smollett's court battle. Taraji P. Henson previously called the atmosphere on set "great" through the off-screen drama, and now that Smollett is attempting to rebuild his careerand his overall lifehis Empire family have come forward to show their support. Taraji P. Henson told USA Today: "I'm happy that the truth has finally been set free, because I knew it all along," she said. We're all happy for him, and thank God the truth prevailed. Those little clickbait (reports) weren't enough to deter me from his immaculate track record. I know the type of activism this young man does in his community, I know that he's a giver he's not an attention-seeker." She added, "When I know someone, there's nothing you can say to make me flip on them, and that's what we miss in this world," she says. "We need people that stand by us. Whatever happened to that? Why are we so easy to believe strangers over people we know?" https://www.instagram.com/p/BvelU8iBbPc Gabby Sidibe also shared a photo of Smollett on Instagram and had a questioned the public's loyalty to the Chicago Police Department, an institution that doesn't have the most honorable past. "Its weird that yall decided that the police were being 100% honest about this case." AzMarie Livingston kept things simple and to the point in her statement to People, saying "Im happy his charges are being dropped and look forward to seeing Jussie on set and his character Jamal back on Empire." Kanye West spoke out in support of A$AP Bari last year after the fashion designer was charged with one count of sexual assault. While Bari and 'Ye's relationship seems to be in a better place, the people close to Kanye are advising him to distance himself from the controversial designer. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images According to The Blast, Kanye West's inner circle are concerned that he decided to bring A$AP Bari along with him to Japan. In the past week, Bari's been sharing footage of himself kicking it with Kanye West in Kyoto on social media. People close to Kanye, including close friends and advisors, have suggested that he keeps his distance from Bari, both personally and professionally. However, Kanye doesn't seem to be taking their advice. https://twitter.com/_/status/1110904223133286401 Bari entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual assault which allowed him to dodge jail time, paying fines and restitution instead. However, Bari is still facing a civil suit with the alleged victim. Bari filed a countersuit against his accuser for defamation. After's Bari's arrest last year, Kanye West took to Twitter to pledge his loyalty to the designer, saying, "Bari challenged me when no one else did and when he got in trouble I was scared to say he was my friend just like I did with xxx and that was some pussy shit on my part. Stephen A. Smith was in the news yesterday and for once, it wasn't for one of his ruthless hot takes. Instead, it was because of a turkey vulture that flew into his office window at the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, breaking the window and leaving a complete mess. Luckily, Stephen A. wasn't in the office at the time and wasn't harmed by anything that transpired. While some fans believed the bird was upset and something SAS said on ESPN's First Take, Smith took a different approach, claiming that the bird did it out of love. Clearly it was looking for me, but contrary to what some of you out there might believe, it wasnt coming to do me harm, it wasnt coming at me because it was disgusted with some of my takes, Smith said. It came to my office because it missed me. https://twitter.com/_/status/1110619626424156160 Smith continued by explaining that the bird knew of his love for all types of living beings and that the turkey vulture simply wanted to experience that love. You know why it came to my office? Cuz it missed me because it knows Stevie A. dont just love the kids, he loves animals, too, he loves all types of stuff, too. Any of Gods creatures, Stevie A. loves. Thats what happened," Smith joked. We're just glad that the meme god himself is alright and we can still watch him do what he does best on First Take. https://twitter.com/_/status/1110538521104674816 For weeks, anybody looking for news about Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has had to deal with either his current girlfriend Jade, his daughter's mother Sara Molina, or one of his lawyers. The artist has been locked up for months and it doesn't look like he'll be getting out anytime soon. Tekashi is facing life in prison after getting caught up in a racketeering conspiracy with the rest of the Nine Trey gang. Sara Molina has been giving interviews regarding her ex-boyfriend, accusing him of beating and raping her during a trip to Dubai. She's been silent for the last several days but today, she wanted to spice things up with a thirst trap, uploading an image of herself in her finest lace lingerie. https://www.instagram.com/p/BvPKqq8Fidc Sara Molina has been spotted recently with one of 6ix9ine's former associates, rubbing salt into his wounds while he sits behind bars. The nature of her relationship with Bennie Bates is unclear at this point but he may be the lucky man spending his nights with Molina. The mother of 6ix9ine's baby posted a photo of herself in blue lingerie, adding a sparkle filter for peak shine and glamour. She showed off her blonde locks in the shot, fixing her bangs with one of her hands. Her former partner recently celebrated a victory from behind bars, being allowed to use Lance Lazzaro as his main attorney. As for Molina, she's clearly been feeling herself this week; she claims to have been the reason behind the success of Blueface's song "Thotiana." https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfvvOvloBk This has been a stressful few months for Wendy Williams as the talk show host. She admitted that she's been in a sober living home in order to deal with her addiction temptations and then photos surfaced of her husband, Kevin Hunter, vacationing with his alleged mistress, Sharina Hudson. There were rumors that Hudson was pregnant with Hunter's baby, and news recently broke that Hunter may have given birth in Philadelphia on Monday. Sources have said that Williams was rushed to the hospital following a relapse and that she's struggling to hold it together. The host also was snapped by the paparazzi sans wedding ring, leaving many to speculate about the disbanding of her marriage. If there is this much trouble in marital paradise, things don't look as if they're going to get any better, because according to TMZ, Hunter is the executive producer of The Wendy Williams Show and is on set with her daily. https://www.instagram.com/p/BvR3l23hebI As Williams has continued to show up to work to give the world what they want, reports state that Hunter has been there at every turn. Sources on set told TMZ that the couple is cordial and there doesn't look to be tension between the two. Hunter recently gave a statement to ET about his wife's sobriety, saying they are handling it as a family. "Wendy is doing well. Were doing well as a family. We are moving forward with working on her sobriety and doing the work to help others, not just ourselves, he said. "It is a family process. Anybody that has to deal with this knows this a family process and we are dealing with it and moving forward." The refining and petrochemical industries need more women in Nomex. For those who dont know, Nomex is the fire and chemical-resistant material used to make the overalls worn by people who work in the energy and chemical industries. The uniforms are not exactly flattering, but we should be long past expecting women to wear a skirt and heels to work. Steel-toed boots suited Jana Truett just fine when she started at BASFs plant in Beaumont in 2012. She was finally quenching her curiosity about a plant that fascinated her as a child riding in the back of her parents car. Ive always been interested in how things work, in mechanical things and how that plant worked, the native of Buna, Texas, told me. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas lagging badly in educating workforce Several of Truetts extended family were working in the refineries and petrochemical plants that underpin Beaumonts economy. But it was an aunt who convinced her a manufacturing career was worth trying out. Her interest peaked after high school. I worked at Walgreens and saw everyone coming in with their Nomex on, with the company name on it. I would chat with them and ask them the certain questions I had, she said. Then I started going to school. She attended Lamar Institute of Technology in Southeast Texas, earning an associate degree in process technology that was developed in close coordination with the Beaumont plants. She worked while attending school and avoided adding student debt. Her classmates provided the first clue of the gender imbalance in the industry. Much of the time she was the only woman in the room learning to operate distillation and reactor vessels. It is intimidating being a lady going into a male-dominated field, Truett said. I understand the parents fear, and I understand the teenage girls fear. I had those as well. Instead of encountering resentful men objecting to her search for a career, she found fatherly coworkers willing to show her the ropes and invest in her success. If there is a valve that is difficult to turn, someone is there to help, Truett said. I feel like I have pretty good troubleshooting skills for trying to think something through when something has gone wrong. Truett said she feels like part of the team now. Im the only lady in my group of operators, she explained. They are helpful, protective. They like to pick and have fun, but its a different mentality when you are behind the gates and see how everyone gets along. The truth is that none of these companies can afford to turn away good, well-trained workers of any stripe. The energy and chemical industry is suffering from a shortage of qualified tradespeople with 11,000 Americans turning 70 every day and retiring. Many industry partners are predicting a massive amount of turnover because of the baby boomer exits, said Glenn Johnson, head of Workforce Development for BASF North America. We are trying to prepare for that, and in preparing for that, we want to make sure the workforce is diverse. Johnsons team understands it must broaden the talent pool. They mount large-scale public outreach efforts, keep track of who they contact, who applies for training and who gets hired to make sure no one feels excluded, especially young women. Women are a key demographic area for BASF, Johnson told me. When teams are diverse, ideas and solutions to problems are more creative and innovative. Having diversity within an organization helps people expand their capabilities. Johnson insists the industry pays competitive salaries and excellent benefits, especially compared to other industries with similar education requirements. And Truett said she has always been satisfied with the pay. One reason for a lack of interest, though, is the risk of an accident, like the one in Deer Park that billowed black smoke over Houston for four days. Chemical plants can be dangerous places filled with flammable and corrosive substances that are both explosive and poisonous. On HoustonChronicle.com: Bosses need to check their privilege, a sense of impunity can lead to disaster Truett, who today trains new employees, said workers share a culture dedicated to safety. Working in a chemical facility, I feel safer than when Im driving on the highway, she said. Statistically, she is safer at the plant than in her car. And plenty of studies show that companies with a high percentage of women take fewer risks, break fewer laws and are more profitable. Not everyone is cut out for college or a desk job, including a lot of women. For those who like working with their hands and operating machines, manufacturing is a great option. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy. chris.tomlinson@chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson In terms of why someone today would do this knowing the roadblocks that are standing in the way, its a matter of how they were raised and wanting to follow their faith, Bell said. These are people that have been raised and loved in their faith, and if someone feels they are being called into ministry and now wants to live out that calling its a justice issue. People are going to stay with the process and stand up for their rights and hope the church sees the error of its ways. Dave Cebrero remembers when the inspiration hit him. The Houston filmmaker, graphic designer and web designer had been living in New York City, attending New York Film Academy and working at low levels in the film industry, with a production assistant spot on Ridley Scotts 2007 film American Gangster being his biggest claim to fame. The expense and grind of New York hounded him back to Texas in 2009, but he still wanted to be involved in movies. So he and two other film fans he met here, David Cortez and Pedro Rivas, decided to launch the Houston Latino Film Festival, the fourth edition of which starts Friday and runs through Sunday at MATCH and Talento Bilingue de Houston. (Its happening when there are two other specialty film festivals in town: the International Houston Black Film Festival and the Houston Jewish Film Festival.) It was just a crazy idea back then, he recalls. Coming back here after living in New York, it was like, where are the film festivals here? And (2009) I think was the second year of the Houston Cinema Arts Festival. So I said, OK, this is great. This is a quality film festival. Its grown into what I think is the best film festival in Houston. But, you know, we never had a full-fledged, open-submission, Latino-themed film festival. My inspiration came from attending other Latino-themed film festivals in New York and LA. The first festival took place in 2016 and was just in a single venue, Talento Bilingue de Houston. This year, in two venues, the festival will be showing a variety of films from all over the Latin world, including: Winaypacha, a Peruvian drama in the indigenous Aymara language about two elderly rural Indians lamenting the fact their big-city son wont visit; Fireflies, about a gay man fleeing persecution in Iran who finds himself as a refugee in Mexico; the Cuba-shot horror film Eres Tu, Papa?, and Tejano, Austin director David Blue Garcias thriller about a South Texas man who becomes a drug mule to raise money for his ailing grandfather. Each of these films has picked up awards or nominations at various film festivals around the world. And its a chance for many to see films from the Latin world that dont have the hype of Alfonso Cuarons Oscar-winning Roma. There are also workshops, such as one on utilizing the RED Camera System with cinematographer Orlando Briones and another on directing with director Joel Novoa from the TV series Arrow. From its inception, we wanted it to become sort of a conference. The education aspect of it, we want it to grow, Cebrero says. Its nowhere near where we want it to be right now, but thats the trickier part. Getting commitment from industry folks to come down. We want to add panels with our actors, crews. I mean, every time I attend the Austin Film Festival and I go to their workshops and panels, I just leave mind blown. They have people like John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood, Snowfall) and Cary Fukunaga (Beast of No Nation, True Detective) doing those. And those are great. Houston Latino Film Festival Where: MATCH, 3400 Main; Talento Bilingue de Houston, 333 S. Jensen; Vine Street Studios, 1113 Vine When: Friday-Sunday Details: $11 general, $40 all-access badge; houstonlatinofilmfestival.org Other specialty film festivals this week International Houston Black Film Festival When: Friday-Sunday Where: NRG Center, 1 NRG Park Details: $65 (all access); internationalhoustonblackfilmfestival.com Houston Jewish Film Festival When: Saturday-April 10 Where: Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, 5601 S. Braeswood; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1101 Bissonnet; Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive; MATCH, 3400 Main; Holocaust Museum Houston's Morgan Family Center, 9220 Kirby Details: Admission varies; erjcchouston.org and mfah.org See More Collapse But its also about the films, including blocks devoted to short subjects, as well. Were trying to work ourselves up to be a discovery type of festival, he says. We want to be known as a festival for Latin American filmmakers and non-Latin American filmmakers if the stories involve a Latino character or have something to do with Latin American culture. Cebrero says its that sense of discovery that makes putting on the festival worthwhile. Just hearing people say, I never knew there were short films like this, thats the best form of validation for us, he says. Winter, late 1945. Near the banks of the Elbe River, not far from ravaged, bombed-out Hamburg, a grieving Englishwoman and her German host, whose wife died in the war, stroll through a snow-blanketed forest that looks enchanted fastidiously gorgeous in the patented Ridley Scott manner. (Scott executive produced.) They pause for a snowball fight. They laugh. They will be having sex soon. Destination: the sun-filled attic of the German ex-architects mansion, which has been requisitioned by the womans English colonel husband, the idealistic man in charge of the de-Nazification of Hamburgs British occupation zone. The colonel is played by Jason Clarke, coming off a similar portrait in cuckoldry in Mudbound. Alexander Skarsgard, a walking advertisement for 40s tweed, portrays the cultured ex-architect, a committed anti-Nazi with a troubled teenage daughter. The role of the vulnerable yet hardy woman oscillating between these admirable men goes to Keira Knightley. FOR HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM SUBSCRIBERS: Beyond 'Roma' - Houston Latino Film Festival launches Friday The Aftermath Rated: R for sexual content/nudity, violence including some disturbing images Running time: 109 minutes Where: Landmark River Oaks, Houston ** (out of 5) See More Collapse Taken from Rhidian Brooks 2013 novel, The Aftermath began life as a screenplay, though it first came to fruition in book form. Its movie-ness is baked into its fragile bones. One review of the book after another found plenty of flaws but predicted a satisfying outcome on screen, thanks to the all-purpose WD-40 lubricant of so much cinematic historical fiction: atmosphere. Director James Kents pretty, frustrating picture has atmosphere in spades, and a diamondlike sheen, but its tale of hearts aflame is slowly clubbed into submission by an excess of taste. Working from a script by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse and novelist Brook, its a snow globe of a movie. The affair at its center is absurdly preordained, with Knightleys character, Rachael, going from zero (how dare my husband force us to live under the same roof as these Germans!) to 60 (to the sun-dappled attic!) in record time. Its frustrating because the actors are up to the task and the setting and the complications hold promise. Right away, The Aftermath makes its clear Col. Morgan (Clarke) is an exception to the rule; unlike so many of his callow fellow Britons, he sees German suffering and postwar Hamburg as a human tragedy. His son with Rachael has been dead three years, victim of a Nazi air attack back home. (The novel gave the Morgans a second, surviving child.) The former architect, Herr Lubert, does the best he can with a brooding, motherless 16-year-old daughter (Flora Thiemann), whos mixed up with a vengeful Nazi punk (Jannik Schumann). At home, she answers one of the Morgans attempts at small talk with a sudden, catlike hiss. Rachaels defined by her lingering grief and loss, and in Lubert she finds an alluringly available fellow griever. To its benefit, the story doesnt turn the husbands own emotional devastation over his sons death into stereotypical loutish behavior, for which Clarke is visibly grateful. Knightley, so good in the recent Colette, struggles with an over-indicating streak, though in her quietest moments the grief feels authentically realized. So few page-to-screen adaptations relying on a mixture of sweep, intimacy, sex and war-torn exoticism figure out how to accommodate those warring impulses. Anthony Minghellas The English Patient (1996) certainly did, and in its first half, the film version of Atonement, starring Knightley, did, too. PREVIEW: Get experts picks for concerts, kids stuff, fine arts, movies and more delivered to your inbox weekly. The Aftermath comes from a personal place for novelist and co-screenwriter Brook: His grandfather, a post-WWII governor of a German district, lived for a time in a requisitioned home with a German family. But his invented love triangle lacks the gradations and uncertainties of life. Its strictly movie stuff. Director Kents visual and design team, including cinematographer Franz Lustig, production designer Sonja Klaus and costume designer Bojana Nikitovic, collaborate earnestly and well. You notice the atmosphere, because the movie would float away without it. I kept thinking of Donald Ducks nephews: For all its noble intentions, The Aftermath is dewey, gooey and, even with its moments, hooey. Houston got robbed. Such was the prevailing sentiment after the James Beard Awards nominations for the Oscars of the food world failed to advance a single Houston finalist nomination Wednesday during a much-anticipated event streamed live to an eager foodie world. The giddy atmosphere at Hugos restaurant Wednesday morning where the finalists were announced Houston had 11 chefs, restaurants and hospitality professionals as semifinalists who could have nabbed a coveted nomination for the celebrated prize turned bleak as one category after another was read without a single local name as a finalist for Beards chef and restaurant awards. H-towns culinary elite were in attendance as the James Beard Foundation announced its finalists from Montrose a first for the city. Houston was chosen as the location to make the finals press conference because of its diverse and vibrant culinary and dining scene. Both Houston First, the marketing organization that helped bring the Beard event to the city, and Beard executives praised the regions unique food landscape before the finalists were announced Wednesday and at a sold-out dinner at Caracol on Tuesday night, where the citys four past James Beard Award winners cooked a meal that showed, course after course, our culinary flair. But the hoopla soon turned to disappointment as the nominations were announced. We got skunked, said Chris Shepherd, chef/owner of three of Houstons most celebrated restaurants, who was in contention for Outstanding Chef for his work at Georgia James steakhouse. So what do we do now? We try to do even better. Houston restaurateurs shared Shepherds latter sentiment. The semifinals list brought great notoriety to the citys dynamic dining scene, they said. And that might have been the salve on Wednesdays wound. Im totally happy. I dont feel disappointed, said Tracy Vaught, who co-owns H-Town Restaurant Group (including Hugos, Caracol and Xochi) with her husband, Hugo Ortega, the 2017 Beard winner for Best Chef Southwest. Just to be mentioned with some of these great restaurants, chefs and wine professionals is an accomplishment. Vaught, who was in the running as Outstanding Restaurateur, said Houstons Beard shutout means the restaurant community will only try harder. Next year, and in the coming years, were going to be so good we cant be ignored, she said. Well keep plugging away at it. Trong Nguyen, owner of Crawfish & Noodles in Chinatown (and one of three Houston chefs named as semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest, including Kaiser Lashkari of Himalaya restaurant and Ronnie Killen of Killens Steakhouse), agreed with Vaught. Im a little disappointed for Houston, said Nguyen, marking his second year in a row to make the Beard semifinals list. But this is big for Houston. Its a foundation to pay more attention to Houston. Houston First executives put a positive spin on the Beard announcements. The take-away is that the Beard Foundation recognized Houston as ground zero of a major food fusion scene, said David Mincberg, chairman of Houston First. The fact that the foundation came to Houston speaks for itself as a recognition that Houston is a foodie town. So how did Houston, with 11 chances at a finalist nod, come away with nothing? I cant explain it. We have a process that is independent, said Mitchell Davis, chief strategy officer for the foundation. My guess is that not enough people came to eat here. By people, Davis means the 600 eligible judges throughout the country who can vote on the Beard restaurant awards. In order to cast a vote for a restaurant or chef, a judge must have visited the restaurant. Thats just it, Davis said, people have to come here. The irony in Wednesdays finalist announcement was that the Houston restaurant community believed the city had already arrived in the eyes not just of Beard judges but the countrys foodie population. In his opening statements, Mincberg mentioned the great press Houston has been receiving in national publications as the countrys new culinary capitol. This has been an absolute success for us, Mincberg said. Its a recognition throughout the country of Houston as a food scene. Davis said Houstons 11 semifinalist nods speaks to the citys emergence. Semifinals are huge, he said. Its disappointing, I understand it, but that semifinals list means that 600 judges throughout the country know something they didnt know before. Its a positive spotlight. As a take-away, however bittersweet, its the one Houston has to embrace. Visit Houstons chief marketing officer Holly Clapham-Rosenow said Houston First will again try to woo the Beard Foundation to make its 2020 finalist announcements from Houston. Disappointment? Yes, Clapham-Rosenow acknowledged. In the meantime, we just continue to dine. greg.morago@chron.com twitter.com/gregmorago Fort Bend County Judge KP George on Wednesday sent a statement of support for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo -- in four languages -- after a commissioner criticized her for delivering emergency updates in Spanish during the Deer Park fire. "I support Judge Hidalgo and all the first responders throughout the region who are working tirelessly for the public," said George in the statement. "We are lucky to have a leader who can communicate to a broader audience to keep her county safe." Toy shopping has transformed over the past 100 years, whether because of advancements in the products themselves or the marketplace. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong , from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success. Here are the top holiday toys from the year you were born, counting up from 1920 to today. May they fill your heartand stockings!with joy. Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories. A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Houston Community College that had been filed by one of the Board of Trustees controversial members. Dave Wilson claimed in a lawsuit that the college violated his First and 14th Amendment rights. But in a ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt said Wilson failed to demonstrate any injury-in-fact. Wilson claimed in the lawsuit that the colleges board violated his free speech and due process rights when they voted to publicly censure him in January 2018. The boards censure said Wilsons conduct was detrimental to Houston Community College Systems and its mission. The board members also said Wilson violated the colleges bylaws, failed to engage and respect the boards decision-making process and their differing opinions, and that he did not interact with trustees in a mutually respectful manner. The lawsuit followed years of tension with Wilson and HCC board members. We are pleased with the courts ruling dismissing Trustee Wilsons lawsuit and are grateful for the courts well-reasoned decision, HCC board of trustees chairwoman Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz said in a statement. But we regret that the college has yet again been forced to expend taxpayer funds in defense of another of Trustee Wilsons baseless lawsuits. RELATED: HCC trustee Dave Wilson censured Wilson, a District II trustee, called Hoyts decision a bad ruling and said that he was disappointed that the judge didnt address the fact that he could be censured again. He and his lawyer are considering an appeal, he said. Were still thinking about it, but I wouldnt be surprised at all if I didnt appeal it, he said. When he was censured last year, the trustees also decided that Wilson was not eligible for travel-related expense reimbursements and would need board approval when requesting funding for community affairs programs for the 2017-2018 college year. They also determined he could not be elected for a board officer position in 2018, all of which Wilson said violated his rights, according to court documents. RELATED: HCC trustee Dave Wilson again lashes out over censure But Hoyt concluded that the boards resolution did not infringe upon Wilsons First or 14th Amendment rights because Wilson could freely speak in public and could attend and express his views at board meetings, according to a court document. Fridays ruling is the most recent controversy between Wilson and the HCC board. Wilson has lashed out at his colleagues and HCC administrators on issues ranging from the systems presence at an LGBT pride parade to the nursing school allegedly withholding diplomas from students. In 2017, he paid an outside investigator to probe the college, accused a colleague of violating board rules by casting a vote remotely, and accused another colleague of not living in her district. He was also reprimanded by his colleagues in 2016, when then-board chair Adriana Tamez said he incurred nearly $273,000 in legal fees to the college over two years, a figure Wilson disputes. PHOTOS: Dave Wilson controversies Despite Wilsons volatile relationship with the HCC board, he has no intention of giving up his position as a board member and said he plans to run for re-election in November. He was elected to the board in 2013. I love Houston Community College and what they can do for this community, but I hate the way special interest groups are eating away at it and the students arent the main focus, Wilson said. Trump wanted to drain the swamp. Im going to drain the cesspool at Houston Community College, Wilson said. I got on the board to clean this place up, and Im going to continue to work. brittany.britto@chron.com twitter.com/brittanybritto The Deer Park chemical fire that began March 17 has been extinguished, but the company responsible for it is not off the hook. There may no longer be a menacing plume of black smoke hanging over Houston. Texans are, however, still inflamed over the imbroglio. And Intercontinental Terminals Co., the operator of the Deer Park petrochemical storage facility, may actually face consequences as a result. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board last week announced that it would open an investigation into the Deer Park fire to determine its root cause. The Harris County fire marshal is also conducting a probe. And on Tuesday, the Harris County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to authorize the county attorney to sue ITC for failing to prevent the days-long fire, which by some estimates delivered a $1 billion hit to the regions oil and gas and petrochemical sectors after shutting down the Houston Ship Channel. More striking, however, is that state leaders have vowed to hold the company accountable too. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is exploring all legal options to hold accountable the company that has caused the fires and pollution in Deer Park, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted on Friday. That afternoon, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit on behalf of the states environmental agency, alleging that ITC had released pollution in violation of the Texas Clean Air Act, which prohibits people and companies from causing, permitting, or allowing the emission of contaminants that contribute to air pollution, except as authorized by TCEQ. Schools were closed. Residents were ordered to shelter in place. And after the fire was finally brought under control, a breached containment wall sent contaminants into the ship channel, requiring the busy waterway to be temporarily shut down. ITC has a history of environmental violations, and this latest incident is especially disturbing and frightening, Paxton said in a statement. No company can be allowed to disrupt lives and put public health and safety at risk. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief as well as civil penalties, and it came as a pleasant surprise to the states conservationists. Its unusual in that the state of Texas rarely takes enforcement action against illegal air pollution, said Luke Metzger, the director of Environment Texas. Thats an understatement. In January, Environment Texas released a report examining how the state has responded to accidental bursts of air pollution released by industrial facilities. Such emissions events are common in Texas; in 2017, there were some 4,000 of them across the state, reported by 275 companies. But formal consequences are rare. Looking back over the last seven years, Environment Texas concluded, the total number of enforcement orders filed by TCEQ is less than 3 percent of the total number of emissions events recorded by the agency in that time. State leaders, in other words, appear to have changed their tune. Abbott, in particular, has a long track record of criticizing regulations intended to protect the environment. As Texas attorney general a position he held for 12 years before he was elected governor in 2014 he frequently picked fights with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and made a virtue of doing so. And as governor, Abbott in 2015 filed an amicus brief on behalf of business leaders who had sued over the Clean Air Ordinance adopted by the city of Houston in 2007. The brief emphasized his commitment to protecting Texas businesses from overzealous regulators, at any level of government, who would seek to impose such rules. That wasnt an unreasonable line of argument, on Abbotts part. And Houstons ordinance was struck down in court. The Texas Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, agreed with the plaintiffs that reining in air pollution is the purview of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, even if air pollution itself could be construed as a nuisance for those of us who live in cities that happen to be hubs of the petrochemicals industry. But Republicans leaders such as Abbott and Paxton can hardly expect companies like ITC to comply with laws such as the Texas Clean Air Act if they are hardly ever enforced, such as when the governor suspended Texas environmental rules for months after Hurricane Harvey. Metzger spoke wistfully about a hypothetical version of Texas in which a more robust regulatory regime, in conjunction with routine enforcement of laws already on the books, would give any owner of an industrial facility an incentive to invest in pollution avoidance. As it stands, however, such incentives dont exactly exist. Its all too often easier just to pay the occasional rare, low fine, Metzger said. The Deer Park fire might not lead to real reform. And its not clear why this emissions event has spurred state leaders to enforce its environmental laws. But ITC cast a real cloud over the state; there should be consequences for that, and other industrial polluters should take notice. erica.grieder@chron.com Neither 16-year-old Scot Hayes nor his mother could bring themselves to attend funerals after eight of Scots classmates and two of his substitute teachers were gunned down at Santa Fe High School last May. The pain was too great, especially the tumult that came with the loss of Kyle McLeod, a mischievous 15-year-old Scot had known since Cub Scouts. Since then, his mother said, Scot appears to be handling the aftermath well, showing no symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or survivors guilt. Donna Hayes however, worries about others. She especially is concerned about the students who crouched in terror as their classmates died around them in an art classroom closet, particularly one acquaintance who was stuck there for about 30 minutes until law enforcement arrested the accused gunman. What is her emotional future going to be? Hayes said. We went from being this small, quiet town to having a mass shooting, and now kids are dealing with the loss of their friends, and for some of these kids its their senior year. Its a hard time. Those concerns crescendoed last week after it was reported that two students who survived the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida and the father of one of the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims killed themselves within days of each other. More Information Suicide prevention resources If you or someone you know needs to talk, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24/7 service that can provide suicidal persons or those around them with support, information and local resources. If you live in Santa Fe and want to talk to someone, call the Santa Fe Crisis Hotline at 1-800-595-0869; the hotline is still active and is staffed 24/7 by professional counselors. You also can call or visit the Santa Fe Strong Resiliency Center's offices within the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 13217 FM 1764, Santa Fe. It is open seven days a week. For their hours, visit www.ci.santa-fe.tx.us/resiliency-center See More Collapse James Grassmuck, a Santa Fe ISD school board trustee elected last November, said his district has followed a similar trajectory as the Broward County School District in recovering from their respective shootings, with Santa Fe lagging a few months behind. He pledged to meet with mental health groups and experts to find new ways the Galveston County district could help students combat suicidal thoughts. This is something we need to get ahead of. We dont want to wait until we start seeing things like that happen, Grassmuck said. Our kids were in a war zone. They saw things they can never unsee, and we have to be prepared for that. Mental health will be a centerpiece of the first National Summit on School Safety, which will be held at the Houston-based Region 4 Education Service Center Thursday through Saturday. The mothers of two victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, the co-director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention Office at Nova Southeastern University, Virginia Tech shooting survivor Lisa Hamp and a host of others will speak about creating safer schools and about best practices for dealing with students mental health. As if to underscore the need, about half of Santa Fes 1,200 students have seen counselors at the high school and visited the districts new Wellness Center 3,190 times since the May 18 shooting. Santa Fe ISD Superintendent Leigh Wall said in a statement the district would work closely with mental health providers as the shootings one-year anniversary approaches, but she did not specify any additional actions the district would take as the day nears or in light of the recent suicides of other school shooting survivors. She said the district will continue to tell staff, parents and students about the resources already available. We are also working with our partners to provide staff and families with the tools to appropriately address issues like suicidal ideation with students and information on where they can go for help, Wall said. Four additional counselors were hired to serve high school students in the months after the shooting, who are part of the schools new Wellness Center. The district also trained all counselors in suicidal ideation in November, trained almost all staff members in mental health first aid, set up a monitoring service to check students social media posts for potential issues and began offering parent education courses to help train others to recognize struggling students. Santa Fe ISD officials hold weekly coordinated response meetings with officials from the Region 4 Educational Services Center, the Texas Childrens Hospital Trauma and Grief Center and the Gulf Coast Center. Concerns about the mental health of school shooting survivors escalated in recent days after Sydney Aiello, a recent graduate of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killed herself on March 17. Authorities said a current Stoneman Douglas student took her life days later. Then on March 24, officials in Newtown, Conn., reported that Sandy Hook Elementary victim Avielle Richmans father, Jeremy, was found dead of an apparent suicide inside his office. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, making it among the most lethal public health issues facing students and adults alike. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services warns direct and indirect exposure to suicidal behavior, including an increase in repetitive media reports on recent deaths, often precedes and increase in suicidal behavior among those at risk, especially young adults and teens. Sarah Salazar, who was shot in the arm and neck during the shooting, attends weekly group therapy sessions provided by the high schools Wellness Center with other survivors, according to her mother Sonia Lopez. Those meetings help, Lopez said, but it is becoming evident Sarah will need more counseling to cope with her ongoing battle to overcome mental and physical scars that serve as constant reminders of the attack. I believe the school is doing the best they can at this time, Lopez said. Hayes, however, is unsure if the districts existing resources are enough to help students. She worries the school and district are trying to move past the events of May 18 too quickly, leaving students and staff who were closest to the shooting behind. I just hope that our school district recognizes it. I know the community does, and I hope Santa Fe ISD does too and hope they stop pushing things under the rug, Hayes said. Its like business as usual and were going to move on as usual, like it never happened. Thats just how I feel. shelby.webb@chron.com twitter.com/shelbywebb Local education leaders on Tuesday continued to question the timing of a last-minute directive for Houston ISD to suspend its superintendent search, openly wondering why the state halted the effort one day before a finalist likely would have been named. Texas Education Agency officials have not explained why they chose Monday to stop the search, creating a void of information that has been filled by speculation about the states motives. HISD has been led by Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan since March 2018, when Richard Carranza abruptly resigned the permanent post to become chancellor of New York City public schools. In her order directing HISD to suspend its search, state-appointed conservator Doris Delaney noted her demand, authorized under state law, coincided with the expansion of a state accreditation investigation into the district. The inquiry initially centered on allegations of Texas Open Meetings Act violations, but expanded to include potential procurement-related issues tied to unnamed individuals. Delaney did not say when state officials uncovered evidence that prompted the deeper investigation. HISD Board President Diana Davila said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told her Monday that he felt it was too much to hire a superintendent amid the state investigation, which could trigger severe sanctions against the district. However, the timing of the announcement led to skepticism about the TEAs intentions. HISD Trustee Sergio Lira and Houston Federation of Teachers President Zeph Capo, openly questioned whether Morath caught wind of candidates for the superintendent position and sought to prevent their hiring. It sure seems and feels like, for one reason or the other, that someone in the decision-making process at TEA had knowledge or information regarding who the board was going to choose, and preempted that decision at the last minute, Capo said, adding that he did not have direct evidence to prove the assertion. Its anyones guess at this point. Thats what they should be sharing at this point. Why are we still in limbo? Lira, who criticized Delaneys order as poorly timed and unnecessary, said the reason behind the timing of the directive is the obvious question that remains unanswered. It lends itself to the obvious interpretation of a last-minute ploy, perhaps to keep the interim superintendent, Lira said. TEA officials declined to comment Tuesday on the questions raised by Capo and Lira, as well as Davilas characterization of Moraths comments, citing the ongoing investigation. HISD trustees are in a peculiar position as they seek to replace Carranza amid the looming threat of a state-ordered replacement of HISDs school board. If TEA investigators find serious wrongdoing during their inquiry, or if any one of four chronically low-performing schools fails to meet state academic standards in August, it is widely expected that Morath will remove HISDs locally elected school board and appoint a new governance team. If that occurs, Morath will choose the districts superintendent, with no obligation to keep the incumbent. As a result, Morath could wield significant power over HISDs superintendent search. Candidates are unlikely to leave their current position and accept HISDs top job unless they are confident Morath will retain them. If HISD trustees were planning to hire a superintendent whom Morath would not keep, the suspended search could prevent HISD from installing a leader who would be replaced months after assuming control of the district. At a press conference Tuesday, several prominent Houston clergy and NAACP Houston Branch Education Committee Chair Carolyn Evans-Shabazz hailed Delaneys order, arguing the superintendent search process has not been fair. The group has advocated for retaining Lathan, citing the reduction in schools rated improvement required for low academic performance last year. A majority of the school board has supported a nationwide superintendent search. Even though it was an eleventh-hour move, I think it was very appropriate to make that move, Evans-Shabazz said. Im not just totally in favor of governmental bodies stepping in, but that actually is their job, to make sure that the process and procedure is done appropriately and equitably. HISD trustees were planning a second, final round of interviews with superintendent candidates on Monday and Tuesday before Delaneys order. They have not publicly named the candidates. Davila said trustees do not plan to contest Delaneys order, given that state law allows a state-appointed conservator to direct an action to be taken by a school board. Delaney has served as a conservator in HISD since September 2016. Her role initially involved oversight of the districts longest-struggling campus, Kashmere High School, but later expanded to include monitoring of dozens of lower-scoring campuses and school board operations. Trustees are scheduled to meet Thursday to consider hiring an outside lawyer with expertise in special accreditation investigations, with discussions set for an executive session not open to the public. The new discoveries in the investigation tend to always mention board members, and we only have one legal counsel that works directly with the board, Davila said. Wed like to have someone whos a little more experienced in being able to provide answers on this. Tom Reel, Staff / Staff photographer AUSTIN Teacher pay raises, money for public schools and slowing the ballooning growth of property taxes are expected to take center stage in the Texas House today as lawmakers ink a $116 billion spending plan for the next two years. The House plan would pour $9 billion of new money into education in hopes the funds will help keep more teachers in the profession and lead to stronger student outcomes such as improving third-grade reading scores and readying students for college and careers. The funds would also be used to lower school property taxes. Now that the fires have finally subsided at Intercontinental Terminals Co. in Deer Park, regulators and Houston-area residents are grappling with serious questions about how and why such an incident could have occurred. Detailed answers may take months to obtain, but one fact is already well known to many safety professionals: the regulatory framework governing petrochemical tank farms is an antiquated and ineffective patchwork. For decades, terminal facilities like the one in Deer Park have been treated as a regulatory backwater on the flawed assumption that they pose less catastrophic risk than traditional refineries and chemical plants. The result is a long list of regulatory exemptions that benefit short-term profits at the expense of public safety. For example, the Environmental Protection Agencys risk management rules designed to protect the public from chemical accident dangers fail to cover many of the chemicals involved in the Deer Park fire. Despite their flammability, gasoline and its components, as well as benzene, toluene and xylene, are excluded from coverage in deference to a 1990s petition from the American Petroleum Institute. A faint effort by the Obama administration to beef up the program, issued during the last days of the administration in 2017, was soon put into limbo by President Trumps EPA. Also, OSHA has a regulatory exemption for atmospheric storage tanks the large tanks storing unrefrigerated flammable liquids that dot the landscape around Houston and other cities nationwide containing chemicals such as the naphtha, toluene and xylene in Deer Park. When OSHA wrote its current process safety rules in 1992, it imprudently assumed that the risks from these tanks were already adequately controlled under an even older federal rule governing flammable liquid storage, based on 1969 national fire code standards that have never been updated. The exemption is problematic on many levels. It means that basic safety management systems such as formal preventative maintenance programs, hazard analysis and permitting programs for hazardous activities like welding are not necessarily required at terminal facilities. A 1997 ruling known as the Meer decision compounded the problem by extending the regulatory exemption to storage tanks that are actually connected to hazardous chemical processes, such as reaction vessels or blending equipment. In 2014, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which has investigated many serious accidents involving terminals and tank farms, implored OSHA to move in the opposite direction. It wrote to OSHA that atmospheric storage tanks may pose a catastrophic hazard regardless of their physical connection or proximity to a process. It pointed to a litany of preventable disasters involving such tanks, including a fatal 2001 explosion and environmental release at a Delaware refinery tank farm, a serious naphtha tank fire at a Utah refinery and a huge gasoline explosion and fire at the Caribbean Petroleum tank terminal near San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2009. The latter incident, which blanketed the San Juan area with smoke and particulates for days, bears eerie similarities to what has unfolded in Deer Park. CSB investigations exposed serious deficiencies in all these plants programs for mechanical integrity the proper inspection and maintenance of tanks, piping and associated equipment. Industry groups reacted coolly to the findings, portraying the San Juan facility as an isolated outlier whose archaic safety practices in no way reflected on similar facilities on the U.S. mainland. Those arguments appear increasingly threadbare now that a major fire has struck one of the terminals run by ITC, a company whose president serves prominently with the terminal industrys leading trade association. Deer Park is hardly the first American community to suffer the ill effects of this regulatory neglect. In January 2014, a badly corroded, 75-year-old storage tank at a West Virginia terminal facility began leaking a witchs brew of coal-processing chemicals into the Elk River, just upstream from the sole public drinking water intake for Charleston. For weeks, some 300,000 residents were left without a source of safe drinking water. Congress held hearings and promised action to beef up chemical storage tank safety, only to see the resulting legislation die on the Senate floor. Serious process fires like the one in Deer Park are almost invariably found to be preventable. But to prevent the next one from happening, industry and regulators should finally act on the key lessons from decades of similar disasters. Horowitz, Ph.D., an organic chemist, served as the managing director of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board from 2010 to 2018. This week, the U.S. Senate took a consequential vote for Texas, and the Houston region in particular a vote on a resolution calling for America to adopt a Green New Deal. Not a single Senator voted in favor of it. Framed as a way to fight climate change and invigorate the already thriving economy, the Green New Deal mentions things like creating high-wage jobs, investing in infrastructure and industry and promoting justice and equality. But if you are looking for a roadmap for how to reach these laudable goals, you are likely to be disappointed. Though supporters of the Green New Deal are long on utopian buzzwords, theyre short on details of how to actually achieve these goals. Even more concerning is a lack of ways to pay for them. The Green New Deal is a grab bag of socialist policies, heavy environmental regulations and unprecedented government handouts. Unsurprisingly, most moderate Democrats arent rushing to sing its praises. Forget working to achieve the American Dream the Green New Deal would guarantee every person in the United States a job, health care , education, healthy food and paid vacations. And as one of the authors of the bill noted in an informational document, the government would be happy to foot the bill for anyone who is unable or unwilling to work. Just when you think things cant get any crazier, they do. According to this document, the plan also commits to overhauling every building in America to meet strict new efficiency codes. Every home, airport, courthouse, grocery store, school every single building would have to be updated. Adding to the list of taxpayer-funded expenses is Medicare for All. This proposal sounds good in theory, but the possible negative effects higher taxes, no more private insurance companies, harm to the current Medicare system and possible delays in treatment quickly turns Medicare for All into Medicare for None. It would hollow out the current health care system that seniors rely on, and force the American people to give up their insurance for a government-run plan. One of the most outrageous parts of the Green New Deal and where this hits home for Houston is that it calls for an unachievable energy industry overhaul. Forget reducing greenhouse gas emissions the Green New Deal says we must completely eliminate them within 10 years. Instead of embracing oil and natural gas our most reliable and affordable energy sources they propose generating 100 percent of Americas energy from renewable sources. Last year, renewables accounted for only 17 percent of our total energy sources, but dont waste time looking through the Green New Deal for a tenable strategy on how to quickly scale that number its not there. If the government overreach doesnt concern you, the price may. One report found that the Green New Deal could cost as much as $93 trillion. To put that number in perspective, its more than the United States has spent in its entire existence. Though a host of Senate Democrats sang the praises of the Green New Deal when it was first introduced, that support quickly evaporated once the Majority Leader announced it would receive a vote. As we saw on Tuesday, every single one of those supporters simply voted present. Promoting policies that are unaffordable, unfeasible and unworkable is hardly a good use of time in Washington. Instead, lets start talking about solutions that actually have a chance of becoming law. I recently spoke at the CERAWeek conference in Houston one of the largest energy industry gatherings in the world where I discussed how to reduce the industrys carbon footprint using bottom-up solutions. Americas entrepreneurial minds are our greatest natural resource. We have to get government out of the way and double down on innovation not regulation. Washington must do more to promote the research and development of new technologies that can lower emissions while strengthening our economy and keeping costs low for consumers. Instead of flipping the kill switch on the energy sources that power our country, we should follow an example set by Texas and unleash the power of the private sector. Last month, I visited NET Powers demonstration plant in La Porte to see how the company is using a first-of-its-kind power system to generate affordable electricity from fossil fuels with zero emissions. By encouraging the research and development of new technologies that reduce emissions or capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we can lead the world in smart climate policies without raising the price tag on Texas taxpayers. I voted against the Green New Deal because it is a solution in search of a problem. It would tighten the grip of government and bankrupt our country in the process. It is counter to our Texas values and an insult to hard-working Americans. Cornyn represents Texas in the U.S. Senate. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. The evidence in this case was consistent and it was that there was no question about what happened, he said. The question was always why, and all of the experts who rendered opinions in this case agreed that the why was that Steven is schizophrenic, was in an acute episode, and was unable to appreciate the criminality of his conduct at the time of the offense. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Since 2015, farmers from the Iowa Pork Producers Association have collaborated with researchers from Iowa State University to plant and survey monarch habitat plots on their land. Ben Crawford, Iowa pork producer, describes his three-year experience with the habitat projectand explains why patience was the key to success. As featured on Pork producers collaborate with Iowa researchers to benefit monarchs Hog farmers are collaborating with Iowa State University to provide more habitat for monarch Senator Markey Speaking at BCC's 59th Commencement PITTSFIELD, Mass. U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey will be the keynote speaker at Berkshire Community College's 59th commencement exercises to be held May 31 at Tanglewood in Lenox. Markey, the state's junior senator, is a consumer champion and national leader on energy, environmental protection and telecommunications policy. "On behalf of the students, faculty, staff and board of trustees at Berkshire Community College, we are so thrilled to have Senator Ed Markey as our 2019 commencement speaker," said Ellen Kennedy, president of BCC. "Markey visited our newly reimagined campus in the fall last year and got to tour the new buildings and classrooms and the Gene Dellea turf field with our student ambassadors, some of whom he will get to see again as they walk across the stage this year at commencement." Markey's record of energy and environmental legislative efforts include: Principal House author of the 2007 fuel economy law, which will increase fuel economy standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, the first increase in a generation; Author of the appliance efficiency act of 1987, which stopped the construction of hundreds of coal-fired plants; Author of the law that established the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, ensuring that New England families aren't be left out in the cold when oil prices spike; Author of the law that requires electricity regulators to open up the wholesale electric power market for the first time; Co-author in 2009 of the landmark Waxman-Markey bill, the only comprehensive climate legislation ever to pass a chamber of Congress, and; Current co-author with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York of the Green New Deal resolution, a 10-year mobilization plan with the purpose of creating millions of jobs, providing prosperity and economic security for Americans, and counteracting systemic injustices while addressing the existential challenge of climate change. As a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Markey is a national leader on telecommunications policy, technology and privacy. While in the House, he served for 20 years as chair or ranking member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. He is the House author of the 1992 Cable Act, which increased choices for millions of consumers and enabled satellite-delivered programming to be more widely offered. He also authored the law in 1993 that moved over 200 MHz of spectrum from government to commercial use, creating the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wireless phone companies. Markey authored the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996, ushering competition into the telecommunications marketplace and unleashing private sector investment. Former North Adams Solicitor Fined for Conflict of Interest John DeRosa NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The city's former longtime solicitor has been fined by the State Ethics Commission for doing legal work for nonprofit organizations in redevelopment projects during his time representing the city. Attorney John DeRosa, who stepped down as solicitor last year, has admitted that he violated the conflict of interest law by representing and doing compensated legal work for parties other than the city in connection with proposed North Adams redevelopment projects while he was city solicitor, and by advising the city on those projects as city solicitor during that same time. DeRosa stepped down as solicitor last year after 35 years in the post and a few months after new Mayor Thomas Bernard took office. He has a long history of community and civic involvement. According to a statement from the State Ethics Commission: DeRosa paid a $7,500 civil penalty in a disposition agreement approved by the State Ethics Commission on March 21. While city solicitor, DeRosa was also a trustee of and legal counsel for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Mass MoCA compensated DeRosa for his legal services by giving him a significant discount on office space he rented from the museum, according to the Ethics Commission. In 2011, Mass MoCA was interested in redeveloping Western Gateway Heritage State Park, which is owned by the North Adams Redevelopment Authority, a city agency. In 2011 and 2012, DeRosa, as city solicitor, advised then Mayor of North Adams Richard Alcombright and NARA about the redevelopment of Heritage Park, spoke with the mayor about asking Mass MoCA to do the redevelopment, and worked on two requests for proposals to find a private entity to redevelop the park. At the same time, DeRosa was also advising Mass MoCA about the park redevelopment as the museum's legal counsel. As advised by DeRosa, Mass MoCA, responded to one of the park request for proposals through a nonprofit corporation DeRosa had previously helped the museum create and which he served as an officer until November 2012. NARA accepted the proposal in June 2012, pending approval from state agencies. DeRosa was also a compensated officer and director of a nonprofit organization, the North Adams Partnership, which he helped form in 2011 to support revitalization and redevelopment in North Adams. Acting as NAP president, DeRosa met in 2013 and 2014 with officials from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation regarding the Heritage Park redevelopment project. (He appeared before the Redevelopment Authority in 2012 "for informational purposes" regarding the proposed development, saying NARA would have to hire independent counsel.) After the Heritage Park redevelopment project was abandoned in 2015, DeRosa, as city solicitor, and the North Adams mayor approached Mass MoCA founder Thomas Krens about a new redevelopment project for the park. Krens proposed creating the Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum. In January 2016, DeRosa drafted and filed EMRCA corporate documents on behalf of Krens. As city solicitor, DeRosa edited and reviewed a memorandum of understanding between the city, the partnership and Krens' company regarding the museum. In November 2016, DeRosa, as city solicitor, reviewed an RFP regarding architectural services for the EMRCA. Section 17 of the conflict of interest law requires that a municipal employee represent and be compensated by only the municipality in matters involving the municipality. DeRosa violated this section by receiving compensation from Mass MoCA and the partnership in connection with the proposed Heritage Park redevelopment project, a matter in which he also represented the city as city solicitor; by representing NAP in meetings about the project with DCR officials; and by drafting and filing corporate documents on behalf of EMRCA. DeRosa also violated Section 19 of the conflict of interest law, which prohibits a municipal employee from participating in matters in which he knows a business organization that employs him has a financial interest. DeRosa violated Section 19 when he participated as city solicitor in matters relating to the Heritage Park redevelopment project, knowing his non-city employer, Mass MoCA, a business organization because of its real estate and other business activities, had a financial interest in those matters. Additionally, DeRosa violated Section 23(b)(3) of the conflict of interest law. This section requires that whenever there are circumstances that would cause someone to reasonably conclude that a public employee would be biased or subject to undue influence while performing official actions, the public employee may not perform those actions without first filing a public disclosure that explains the factors that create the appearance of a conflict of interest. While DeRosa filed a disclosure in 2013, that was more than a year after the city approved the redevelopment proposal, and he did not disclose his role as Mass MoCA's legal counsel. The State Ethics Commission is charged with civilly enforcing the conflict of interest law, G.L. c. 268A. When at least three of the commission's five members vote to find reasonable cause to believe a public employee has violated the law, they can also authorize adjudicatory proceedings to determine whether the violation occurred. The public employee then has the opportunity to enter into a public disposition agreement rather than exercising his or her right to a hearing. The commission encourages public employees to contact the commission's Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them. (CNN) A victim of abuse by a Catholic priest in Erie, Pennsylvania was awarded a $2 million settlement on Tuesday. The abuse occurred from 2002 to 2010 by Father David Poulson, according to a news release from the victim's attorney. Poulson was sentenced to up to 14 years in prison after resigning from his position within the church and pleading guilty to criminal charges of corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children in 2018. He was defrocked by Pope Francis earlier this month. Authorities alleged Poulson sexually assaulted a boy repeatedly in church rectories at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Fryburg and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Cambridge Springs. They also alleged Poulson tried to assault a second boy at a remote hunting cabin that he owned with a friend in Jefferson County. The boys were eight and 15 at the time. According to the settlement, the victim was a minor at the time of the abuse. "The Diocese recognizes [the victim]'s tremendous courage in coming forward to report this abuse, apologizes for the horrific acts perpetuated by Fr. Poulson while holding himself out to be a man of God," the settlement said. Poulson was one of more than 300 priests from six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses that a grand jury said in an August report were credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims since 1947. But he was one of only two priests named in the August report to be charged with crimes. The grand jurors said that the rest of the cases were too old to be prosecuted, because of statutes of limitations. This story was first published on CNN.com, "$2 million settlement reached in Pennsylvania clergy sexual abuse case." Visitors to the museum exhibit at the Orland Park History Museum, 14415 Beacon Ave., can see an old streetlight on display, as well as other equipment that had been used by the villages public works department. The political tactics in the contest were less of a surprise to Brendan Houlihan, 56, of Palos Heights. He previously was elected to serve one term on the Cook County Board of Review in 2006. When an objector challenged the petitions of five candidates in the Moraine Valley race, he wasnt shocked. Imperial Valley News Center President Donald J. Trump Is Boldly Putting Americans Back on the Moon Washington, DC - "This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and perhaps, someday, to many worlds beyond." ~ President Donald J. Trump ACCELERATING AMERICAS SPACE EXPLORATION: President Donald J. Trump is setting a bold goal to put Americans back on the Moon by 2024. President Trump has received five recommendations, unanimously approved by his National Space Council, to accelerate Americas space exploration program. President Trump also received four recommendations on streamlining export control regulations that followed a year-long review. The NASA Administrator will provide an update on the implementation of Space Policy Directive-1 (SPD-1) and the recommendations at the next Space Council meeting. The United States will seek to land on the Moons South Pole by 2024, establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028, and chart a future path for Mars exploration. NASAs lunar presence will focus on science, resource management, and risk reduction for future missions to Mars. NASA will create a Moon-to-Mars Mission Directorate and make all necessary efforts to achieve Exploration Mission-1, a foundational uncrewed mission around the Moon. Exploration Mission-1 will take place no later than 2020 and a crewed mission around the Moon, Exploration Mission-2, will take place no later than 2022. NASA will unleash American industry, including through public-private partnerships, to enhance innovation and the sustainability of its space activities. To implement SPD-1, NASA will continue to improve its structure and management, and improve cost and schedule performance, seeking legislative authorization as necessary. The United States will engage with international partners to enable a sustainable lunar exploration and development program. DARING AGAIN: President Trump is building a space program worthy of our great Nation and the American spirit. An American has not walked on the Moon in 47 years, but President Trump is working to change that. To achieve this goal, President Trump is taking action to ensure that American astronauts get to their destination quickly and sustainably. REIGNITING AMERICAS SPACE LEGACY: President Trump is keeping his promise to restore Americas proud legacy of leadership in space. Dive crews and side sonar was used in the search for the young man that Bridges called a hero for jumping in to help a friend who had fallen into Lake Michigan off a pier on the north side of the Waukegan Harbor channel. According to a witness who called 911, Garcia helped his friend, but he was pulled under the water in the process. Waukegan police officers arrived and pulled Garcias friend from the water. A Dutch art detective says he has helped recover a stolen Pablo Picasso painting. Arthur Brand, who has been dubbed the Indiana Jones of the art world, said in an interview with broadcaster RTL that he was passed in confidence the 1938 Buste de Femme, which portrays Picassos fellow artist and lover Dora Maar. The painting was stolen from a private Saudi owners yacht in France in 1999. You fear that it will be fake, but when I had it in my hands, I knew right away: this is real, Brand said. Having received the painting in black trash bags at his house, Brand said he contacted police and handed it to an insurance company for possible return to its owner. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Show all 20 1 /20 20 best Van Gogh paintings 20 best Van Gogh paintings Sunflowers 1886, oil on canvas. The mysterious, so-called 'Lausanne' Sunflowers the first Arles Sunflowers painting with turquoise background. It was created in the summer of 1886 at Van Gogh's studio at Arles, north of Marseille in Provence. It has not been show to the public since 1948. Public domain 20 best Van Gogh paintings The Starry Night 1889, oil on canvas. This painting depicts the view from the window of Van Gogh's asylum room of Saint-Remy-de-Provence. It is one of the most recognised paintings in the history of Western culture. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Irises 1889, oil on canvas. The most recognised of several iris paintings made by Van Gogh at the Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum, in the last year before his death in 1890. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Self-Portrait 1889, oil on canvas. Van Gogh painted over 43 self-portraits, paintings and drawings over a period of 10 years. He wrote to his sister: 'I am looking for a deeper likeness than that obtained by a photographer' and to his brother: 'People say, and I am willing to believe it, that it is hard to know yourself. But it is not easy to paint yourself either. The portraits painted by Rembrandt are more like a revelation.' 20 best Van Gogh paintings At Eternitys Gate Oil on canvas, 1890. This painting was completed in early May, when Van Gogh was suffering a severe relapse of poor health two months before his death. It is based on a pencil drawing, 'Worn Out', from a series of studies he made of a war veteran in 1882. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Cafe Terrace at Night Oil on canvas, 1888. This work was the first in a trilogy of paintings that featured starlit skies, completed over two years. Van Gogh was enthusiastic about the painting and wrote to his sister: 'Here you have a night picture without any black in it, done with nothing but beautiful blue and violet and green, and in these surroundings the lighted square acquires a pale sulphur and greenish citron-yellow colour. It amuses me enormously to paint the night right on the spot... I find satisfaction in painting things immediately.' 20 best Van Gogh paintings The Night Cafe 1888, oil on canvas. The five customers in the scene have described as 'three drunks and derelicts in a large public room... huddled down in sleep or stupor.' Van Gogh told his brother that the cafe owner, Ginoux, had taken so much money it was time to take his revenge by painting the place. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Bedroom in Arles Oil on canvas, 1888. Three authentic versions of this painting were made, easily discernible from the different paintings on the right wall. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Van Gogh's Chair Oil on canvas, 1888. This painting is currently at the National Gallery in London. It was completed after Van Gogh moved from the Hotel Carrel to the Cafe de la Gare at Arles, south France. 20 best Van Gogh paintings The Potato Eaters 1885, oil on canvas. Van Gogh chose this deliberately tricky composition to prove himself as a figure painter, wanting to show the way 'they have tilled the earth themselves with these hands they are putting in the dish... that they have thus honestly earned their food'. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Road with Cypress and Star 1890, oil on canvas. Also known as Country Road, this was the last painting Van Gogh made in Saint Remy, It is part of the large Van Gogh collection at the Kroller-Muller Museum at Otterlo in the Netherlands. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Starry Night Over the Rhone 1888, oil on canvas. Another of Van Gogh's paintings of Arles at nighttime painted at a spot on the bank of the Rhone a few minutes walk from the Yellow House, which he was renting at the time. 20 best Van Gogh paintings The Pink Peach Tree 1888, oil on canvas. In a short space of time during his first weeks at Arles, Van Gogh painted some fifteen orchards, hoping they would sell well because his subject, the glorious blossoms of the flowering trees, had the power to 'cheer everyone up'. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat 1887, oil on canvas. This self portrait is slightly unusual because Van Gogh's face is angled to face straight towards the observer. Most of them depicted the face as it appeared in the mirror he used, so the right side seen in the image was actually the left side of his face. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Almond Blossoms 1888 - 1890, oil on canvas. Van Gogh loved flowering trees, which to him symbolised hope and new life. This painting was created to celebrate the birth of his nephew and namesake, the son of his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Woman Sewing This was part of Van Gogh's preparation for The Potato Eaters, where he attempted to paint a figure against the light. He struggled, telling his brother Theo: 'It's a difficult effect', yet he succeeded in a strong contrast with the almost-black head of the woman and the use of white for the window, which focuses the gaze mainly on the woman's hands. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat Oil on canvas, 1890. This painting, one of several versions by Van Gogh, has exchanged hands several times and was bought by Stephen Wynn in 1997 for $47.5 million. Seven years later, it was sold to American investor Steven A Cohen for more than $100 million. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Two Cypresses Oil on canvas, 1889. In the cypress trees of Saint Remy, Van Gogh found beauty "as regards lines and proportions, like an Egyptian obelisk". He was enraptured but also challenged: 'It's the dark patch in a sun-drenched landscape, but it's one of the most interesting dark notes, the most difficult to hit off exactly that I can imagine'. 20 best Van Gogh paintings The Red Vineyard 1888, oil on canvas. Art historians believe this is the only Van Gogh painting he managed to sell during his lifetime, and has been listed among his major works. It was sold in Brussels for 400 francs (about 3,000) to Anna Boch, an impressionist painter and art collector from Belgium, who was the sister of Van Gogh's friend Eugene Boch. 20 best Van Gogh paintings Wheatfield with Crows 1890, oil on canvas.Commonly regarded as Van Gogh's final painting (with some doubt from art historians due to lack of historical records). Around 10 July Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo and wife Jo Bonger to say he had painted another three large canvases since visiting them in Paris the week before. Two of them, he said, expressed sadness and what he called 'extreme loneliness', but he also believed them to show the healthy and fortifying nature of the countryside. I had it hanging in my house for one night, he said, estimating its value at 25m euros ($28m and 21m). That was exciting ... Its fantastic, so unbelievably beautiful. Brand said he had first heard the painting was in the Netherlands in 2015. He told the broadcaster he believes it may have been traded back and forth 20 times in the Amsterdam underworld, used as collateral in drugs and weapons deals. He said the final owner was a real estate agent who wanted to be rid of it after he realised it was stolen. Brand said two men contacted him and arranged the drop-off at his house. Dutch police told local media they were not taking further action, as the painting has been returned and the statute of limitations in the 1999 theft has expired. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The owner, identified as Saudi businessman Abdulmohsen Abdulmalik Al al-Sheikh, could not immediately be reached for comment. Additional reporting by agencies. The family of Tim Avicii Bergling have launched a mental health foundation in his memory. The DJ and musician died on 20 April last year. At the time, his family released a statement which read: When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. According to Variety, The Tim Bergling Foundation will initially focus on supporting people and organisations working in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention, although it will also be active in climate change, development assistance, and nature conservation. Tim wanted to make a difference, the statement from the family reads. Starting a foundation in his name is our way to honour his memory and continue to act in his spirit. 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 Avicii was a pioneer for the EDM genre and collaborated with artists including Madonna, Robyn, Major Lazer, Daft Punk and Coldplay. In 2016, he retired from live performances after suffering multiple health issues including acute pancreatitis due to drinking alcohol. Just two years before, he had his gallbladder and appendix removed, and he cancelled tour dates in order to recover. For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123. If you have been affected by this story, you can contact the following organisations for support: https://www.mind.org.uk/ https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ Populations of Asian elephants being held in captivity are slowly fading away due to high death rates among calves that have been taken from their mothers. Prioritising the welfare of these young elephants, as well as pregnant females, would not only help preserve this endangered species but also the industry that relies on them, scientists say. In countries like India, Myanmar and Thailand, elephants are used in the timber sector to drag logs, or else as tourist attractions. Currently a third of all Asian elephants are held in captivity in these nations, but the sustainability of their populations has always relied on handlers capturing them from the wild. The scientists worked alongside the Myanmar Timber Enterprise to track how trends in elephant capture influenced a population of 3,500 working elephants over 54 years. The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Show all 7 1 /7 The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort is one of Indias biggest tourist attractions, where elephants, many of whom are blind and lame, are forced to haul tourists up and down the steep fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction More than 100 elephants are kept at Amber Fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Of the 103 elephants, 10 had tuberculosis, 19 were blind in one eye or both, and all suffered foot problems, according to a 2018 health report by the Animal Welfare Board of India Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction When the animals are not forced to give rides to tourists they are often kept alone at night, heavily chained in concrete boxes. The Elephant Village is a few miles from Amber Fort so they have a long distance to walk each day, on roads busy with traffic. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Many show signs of psychological distress, such as repetitive swaying and head-bobbing, experts say Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort attracts thousands of tourists each day, who want to have rides up the steep hills on decorated elephants. Many visitors do not realise the animals are blind or lame. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Tourist elephant rides are a steady business at Amber Fort Moving Animals Our model suggests we may see declines in captive elephants for up to 50 years so we must now work to ensure that the captive population is sustainable, said John Jackson from the University of Sheffield, who led the study. With so many Asian elephants in captivity, we must safeguard both captive and wild elephant populations and the people living and working alongside them for the future of the species. In practice, this means improving captive elephant welfare standards and reducing mortality rates in the young. Recommended Capturing elephants from the wild drastically shortens their lives Calves in Myanmar are taken away from their mothers at the age of five so they can begin training, learning commands and undertaking light carrying work. This process is stressful and is thought to contribute to the elevated death rates. The scientists suggested that helping to improve infant survival by just 10 per cent could mean a growing rather than declining captive elephant population. This could be achieved by modifying the training process to make it less traumatic, as well as reducing stress in reproductive-age females and monitoring newborn calves. Given that taking elephants from the wild in Myanmar has technically been banned since 1994, such measures would also benefit the people who continue to use them for labour by ensuring they still have working elephants in the years to come. Villagers knit jumpers for Indian elephants to protect them from near-freezing temperatures Previous work revealed that taking elephants from the wild drastically shortened their lives. The dependence of captive elephant populations on capture from the wild in the past is truly alarming, said Professor Virpi Lummaa from the University of Turku, who led the research. The problem with elephants is that they take so long to grow and reproduce and have very complex social lives, making them vulnerable to population declines when disturbed. With tourists often encountering captive elephants on trips to southeast Asia, the scientists noted that everyone can play a role in supporting high welfare standards among these populations. Their results were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Wild pollinating insects have vanished from a quarter of their former habitats across Britain, according to a new report. Around a third of bee and hoverfly species across the country have experienced population crashes since the 1980s, raising concerns about food production and biodiversity. The UK is home to hundreds of varieties of pollinators that provide 690m in value to the economy every year. But the rise of industrial farming and pesticide use, combined with disease, invasive species and climate change, threatens the future of these insects and the agriculture they support. Using data collected by volunteers across a 33-year period starting in 1980, scientists from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology assessed the fates of over 350 species of pollinators. The results were not all bad news, with a tenth of species including those considered most crucial for pollinating crops actually showing increases in their habitat size over the same period. Environment news in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Environment news in pictures Environment news in pictures Davos 2019: David Attenborough issues stark warning about future of civilisation as he demands practical solutions to combat climate change Sir David Attenborough has issued a stark warning about climate change to business figures gathered in Davos, telling them that "what we do now...will profoundly affect the next few thousand years". On the eve of this year's World Economic Forum, the renowned naturalist told the audience that the worlds of business and politics should "get on with the practical solutions" needed to prevent environmental damage. "As a species we are expert problem solvers. But we've not yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus it requires. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy, and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan," he said. The broadcaster made his speech after receiving a Crystal Award, which is awarded by the forum to "exceptional cultural leaders". AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures At least 60% of wild coffee species face extinction triggered by climate change and disease Two decades of research have revealed that 60 per cent of the worlds coffee species face extinction due to the combined threats of deforestation, disease and climate change. The wild strain of arabica, the most widely consumed coffee on the planet, is among those now recognised as endangered, raising concerns about its long-term survival. These results are worrying for the millions of farmers around the world who depend on the continued survival of coffee for their livelihoods. As conditions for coffee farming become tougher, scientists predict the industry will need to rely on wild varieties to develop more resilient strains Alan Schaller Environment news in pictures Warming Antarctic waters are speeding the rate at which glaciers are melting The Antarctic ice sheet is losing six times as much ice each year as it was in the 1980s and the pace is accelerating, one of the most comprehensive studies of climate change effects on the continent has shown. More than half an inch has been added to global sea levels since 1979, but if current trends continue it will be responsible for metres more in future, the Nasa-funded study found. The international effort used aerial photos, satellite data and climate models dating back to the 1970s across18 Antarctic regions to get the most complete picture to date on the impacts of the changing climate. It found that between 1979 and 1990 Antarctica lost an average of 40 gigatonnes (40 billion tonnes) of its mass each year. Between 2009 and 2017 it lost an average 252 gigatonnes a year. This has added 3.6mm per decade to sea levels, or around 14mm since 1979, the study shows Nasa/Getty Environment news in pictures Greater Manchester to ban fracking, paving way for confrontation with government over controversial industry Greater Manchester is to effectively ban fracking, raising the prospect of fresh confrontation with the government over the controversial industry. All of the regions 10 councils are to implement planning policies which create a presumption against drilling for shale gas in their areas, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced. Campaigners said the move was the latest sign that the tide was turning against fracking, which has been the subject of multiple legal battles across the country. Critics of fracking say it poses environmental and health risks. Drilling at the UKs only operational fracking site, run by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, has repeatedly been halted due to earth tremors. But ministers support the industry and last year unveiled plans to accelerate the development of new drilling sites Ross Wills Environment news in pictures Japan confirms plan to resume commercial whaling in its waters from next year Japan will resume commercial whaling next year for the first time in more than three decades, in a move that has provoked strong criticism from campaigners and the international community. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume hunting the marine mammals in Japanese waters. However, he stated the activity would be limited to Japans territory and the 200 mile exclusive economic zone along its coasts. This means controversial scientific trips to Antarctica in which Japanese vessels killed hundreds of whales, as well as activity in the northwest Pacific, will stop in 2019 AP Environment news in pictures COP24: Environmental groups criticise morally unacceptable climate deal reached after major Poland summit Diplomats from around the world have agreed a major climate deal after two weeks of United Nations talks in Poland. But climate campaigners warned the deal effectively a set of rules for how to govern the 2015 Paris climate accord agreed between almost 200 countries lacked ambition or a clear promise of enhanced climate action. Activists cautiously welcomed elements of the plan, saying important progress had been made on ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change by individual nations can be measured and compared. But environmental groups were also highly critical of the agreement, warning it lacked ambition and clarity on key issues, including financing for climate projects for developing countries. The COP24 deal, which is aimed at providing firm guidelines for countries on how to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts to reduce them, was confirmed on 15 December, after talks overran Reuters Environment news in pictures Unprecedented changes needed to stop global warming as UN report reveals islands starting to vanish and coral reefs dying Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe, including the total loss of every coral reef, the disappearance of Arctic ice and the destruction of island communities, a landmark UN report has concluded. Drawing on more than 6,000 scientific studies and compiled over two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, released this morning, warn enormous and rapid changes to the way everyone on Earth eats, travels and produces energy need to be brought in immediately. Though the scientists behind the report said there is cause for optimism, they recognised the grim reality that nations are currently nowhere near on track to avert disaster AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures Africas three biggest elephant poaching cartels exposed using DNA from illegal ivory shipments DNA taken from massive shipments of ivory has been used to identify the three largest wildlife trafficking gangs operating at the height of Africas elephant poaching epidemic. Ivory tends to be shipped around the world from African ports in bulk, and scientists have used genetic evidence gleaned from intercepted batches to reveal their origins. Led by Dr Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, they traced a number of these shipments to three cartels operating out of Kenya, Uganda and Togo. Evidence collected by Dr Wasser has already helped convict ivory kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali, and as his team joins the dots between shipments they plan to shore up the cases against more of the continents most prolific smugglers Art Wolfe The team attributed this success to the abundance of oilseed rape for them to feed on, and government schemes encouraging farmers to plant more wildflowers. But study author Dr Ben Woodcock said despite many populations remaining stable, their results revealed a worrying trend that chimed with wider warnings of mass insect extinctions. That is perhaps unsurprising. Youve got ever-intensified agricultural systems, youve got loss of key habitats nationally, youve got climate change there is a myriad of pressures impacting on these populations, he said. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that, on average, each species had disappeared in one out of every four places they were found in previous decades. In practice this meant 11 pollinators lost from each 1km grid square tested since the 1980s. Bees and hoverflies making their home in upland regions had seen even worse declines, from across 55 per cent of their range, potentially in response to shifting climate conditions. While the nation is not in immediate danger of losing its key pollinators, the decline of rarer or more specialised varieties could leave British nature vulnerable in the years to come. This pattern of biodiversity loss is happening everywhere we look, said Dr Lynn Dicks, a pollinator expert at the University of East Anglia, who was not involved in the study. Ball-rolling study shows complex learning patterns amongst bees Its a process of homogenisation and leaves us with a natural world that is far poorer and less resilient to change. Even the relatively successful species showed a dip after 2006, around the time pesticides known to harm pollinators became ubiquitous across the countryside. The recent decline in widespread crop pollinating bees is likely to have been caused by the toxic effects of landscape-wide neonicotinoid use, said Matt Shardlow, chief executive of campaign group Buglife. However, with the dataset ending in 2013, it does not capture the long-term impact of neonicotinoids or the ban that has since been implemented. As the teams data can only provide evidence of presence or absence, experts warned the numbers of insects being lost may be worse than this study suggests. While the report provides a clear warning, the scientists said there was a need for more detailed information about the scale of insect declines and what was behind them. If the downward trajectories that you see here continue for another 40 or 50 years, some species may be lost from Britain, said Dr Nick Isaac, another study author. But we do know quite a lot about how to mitigate those declines in terms of habitat management, so its not inevitable. Responding to the news, a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: Insects are fundamental to the health of the natural world and the decline of these vital species on a global scale is deeply concerning. Thats why we are taking action to restore biodiversity and build on some of the successes recognised in this report. We are improving the status of pollinating insects and other species through our 25-year Environment Plan and National Pollinator Strategy. For example, we are restoring wildlife-rich habitats and supporting science-led restrictions on neonicotinoids to protect bees and other pollinators. It is critical that we act now to ensure that we leave our environment in a better state for future generations. Great swathes of the Amazon rainforest could be wiped out thanks to the bitter trade war between the US and China, scientists have warned. The expanding global market for soya bean has already led to massive deforestation of one of the planets most valuable ecosystems. Now, scientists think the trade conflict between the worlds two biggest economies, championed by US president Donald Trump, may exacerbate this problem. The team at Germany's prestigious Karlsruhe Institute of Technology say an area of rainforest the size of Greece could be destroyed as Brazilian soya bean producers rush to satisfy Chinese demand resulting from the dispute. Last year, the US introduced tariffs of up to 25 per cent on imported goods from China, worth a total of $250bn (189bn). China responded with its own 25 per cent tariffs on US goods, with a total value of $110bn (83bn). Environment news in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Environment news in pictures Environment news in pictures Davos 2019: David Attenborough issues stark warning about future of civilisation as he demands practical solutions to combat climate change Sir David Attenborough has issued a stark warning about climate change to business figures gathered in Davos, telling them that "what we do now...will profoundly affect the next few thousand years". On the eve of this year's World Economic Forum, the renowned naturalist told the audience that the worlds of business and politics should "get on with the practical solutions" needed to prevent environmental damage. "As a species we are expert problem solvers. But we've not yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus it requires. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy, and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan," he said. The broadcaster made his speech after receiving a Crystal Award, which is awarded by the forum to "exceptional cultural leaders". AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures At least 60% of wild coffee species face extinction triggered by climate change and disease Two decades of research have revealed that 60 per cent of the worlds coffee species face extinction due to the combined threats of deforestation, disease and climate change. The wild strain of arabica, the most widely consumed coffee on the planet, is among those now recognised as endangered, raising concerns about its long-term survival. These results are worrying for the millions of farmers around the world who depend on the continued survival of coffee for their livelihoods. As conditions for coffee farming become tougher, scientists predict the industry will need to rely on wild varieties to develop more resilient strains Alan Schaller Environment news in pictures Warming Antarctic waters are speeding the rate at which glaciers are melting The Antarctic ice sheet is losing six times as much ice each year as it was in the 1980s and the pace is accelerating, one of the most comprehensive studies of climate change effects on the continent has shown. More than half an inch has been added to global sea levels since 1979, but if current trends continue it will be responsible for metres more in future, the Nasa-funded study found. The international effort used aerial photos, satellite data and climate models dating back to the 1970s across18 Antarctic regions to get the most complete picture to date on the impacts of the changing climate. It found that between 1979 and 1990 Antarctica lost an average of 40 gigatonnes (40 billion tonnes) of its mass each year. Between 2009 and 2017 it lost an average 252 gigatonnes a year. This has added 3.6mm per decade to sea levels, or around 14mm since 1979, the study shows Nasa/Getty Environment news in pictures Greater Manchester to ban fracking, paving way for confrontation with government over controversial industry Greater Manchester is to effectively ban fracking, raising the prospect of fresh confrontation with the government over the controversial industry. All of the regions 10 councils are to implement planning policies which create a presumption against drilling for shale gas in their areas, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced. Campaigners said the move was the latest sign that the tide was turning against fracking, which has been the subject of multiple legal battles across the country. Critics of fracking say it poses environmental and health risks. Drilling at the UKs only operational fracking site, run by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, has repeatedly been halted due to earth tremors. But ministers support the industry and last year unveiled plans to accelerate the development of new drilling sites Ross Wills Environment news in pictures Japan confirms plan to resume commercial whaling in its waters from next year Japan will resume commercial whaling next year for the first time in more than three decades, in a move that has provoked strong criticism from campaigners and the international community. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume hunting the marine mammals in Japanese waters. However, he stated the activity would be limited to Japans territory and the 200 mile exclusive economic zone along its coasts. This means controversial scientific trips to Antarctica in which Japanese vessels killed hundreds of whales, as well as activity in the northwest Pacific, will stop in 2019 AP Environment news in pictures COP24: Environmental groups criticise morally unacceptable climate deal reached after major Poland summit Diplomats from around the world have agreed a major climate deal after two weeks of United Nations talks in Poland. But climate campaigners warned the deal effectively a set of rules for how to govern the 2015 Paris climate accord agreed between almost 200 countries lacked ambition or a clear promise of enhanced climate action. Activists cautiously welcomed elements of the plan, saying important progress had been made on ensuring that efforts to tackle climate change by individual nations can be measured and compared. But environmental groups were also highly critical of the agreement, warning it lacked ambition and clarity on key issues, including financing for climate projects for developing countries. The COP24 deal, which is aimed at providing firm guidelines for countries on how to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts to reduce them, was confirmed on 15 December, after talks overran Reuters Environment news in pictures Unprecedented changes needed to stop global warming as UN report reveals islands starting to vanish and coral reefs dying Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut almost in half by 2030 to avert global environmental catastrophe, including the total loss of every coral reef, the disappearance of Arctic ice and the destruction of island communities, a landmark UN report has concluded. Drawing on more than 6,000 scientific studies and compiled over two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, released this morning, warn enormous and rapid changes to the way everyone on Earth eats, travels and produces energy need to be brought in immediately. Though the scientists behind the report said there is cause for optimism, they recognised the grim reality that nations are currently nowhere near on track to avert disaster AFP/Getty Environment news in pictures Africas three biggest elephant poaching cartels exposed using DNA from illegal ivory shipments DNA taken from massive shipments of ivory has been used to identify the three largest wildlife trafficking gangs operating at the height of Africas elephant poaching epidemic. Ivory tends to be shipped around the world from African ports in bulk, and scientists have used genetic evidence gleaned from intercepted batches to reveal their origins. Led by Dr Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, they traced a number of these shipments to three cartels operating out of Kenya, Uganda and Togo. Evidence collected by Dr Wasser has already helped convict ivory kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali, and as his team joins the dots between shipments they plan to shore up the cases against more of the continents most prolific smugglers Art Wolfe Crucially, among these goods were soya beans, which led to bean exports from the US to China being slashed in half. The Chinese government can either reduce its reliance on soya, expand its own production or go elsewhere to satisfy its demand. In a commentary published in the journal Nature, the team led by Dr Richard Fuchs suggested the third option is most likely. Brazil, which already supplies around half of Chinas soya, is identified as the most likely source to fill the gap. Recommended Brazil reveals highest deforestation figures in a decade Using United Nations data, the team estimated that the South American nation could ramp up its production by 39 per cent, a move that would require an additional 13 million hectares of forest to be removed. We urge the US and China to adjust their trading arrangements immediately to avoid this catastrophe, the authors wrote. They concluded that governments, producers, regulators and consumers must act now in order to prevent the Amazon becoming the greatest casualty of the US-China trade war. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While there have been political and legal mechanisms that have historically prevented the expansion of soya farming in the Amazon, these have begun to deteriorate under Brazil's new president Jair Bolsonaro. Within days of coming to office in January, he stripped land rights from the countrys indigenous people in a move that could leave areas of forest vulnerable to agricultural expansion. The latest figures show deforestation levels in Brazil have leapt to their highest in a decade and environmental groups are concerned that this trend will continue under Bolsonaros leadership. Road safety and psychology professors are calling for people to avoid using the word cyclist after a study concluded the word dehumanises people who ride bikes and may put them at increased risk of road aggression. The study, conducted by researchers at Queensland University of Technology and the University of Melbourne, Australia, found a link between cyclists and deliberate acts of aggression from drivers. According to the researchers, cyclists have been conceptualised as being not completely human and a minority group by non-cyclists, making them more likely to be targets of deliberate aggression. The study, published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, analysed the attitudes of 442 respondents in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland to cyclists and non-cyclists. To rate perception, researchers had respondents use a graph depicting evolution from ape to man as well as one that showed the stages of evolution from cockroach to human. The 10 best folding bikes Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 best folding bikes The 10 best folding bikes 237521.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237526.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237527.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237528.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237529.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237530.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237531.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237533.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237534.bin The 10 best folding bikes 237532.bin On both scales, 55 per cent of non-cyclists and 30 per cent of cyclists rated cyclists as not completely human. The study also found deliberate aggression is not an uncommon occurrence towards cyclists, with 17 per cent of participants saying they had used their vehicle to deliberately block a cyclist and 11 per cent admitting they had deliberately driven close to a cyclist. Nine per cent of respondents revealed they had used their car to cut off a cyclist. Lead author Dr Alexa Delbosc, senior lecturer in the Institute of Transport Studies at Monash University, said the findings show when you dont think someone is fully human, its easier to justify hatred or aggression towards them, which can set up an escalating cycle of resentment. If cyclists feel dehumanised by other road users, they may be more likely to act out against motorists, feeding into a self-fulfilling prophecy that further fuels dehumanisation against them, Dr Delbosc said. To combat this dangerous attitude of dehumanisation towards cyclists, co-author and QUTs Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety (CARRS-Q) director Narelle Haworth said the word cyclist should be avoided in favour of an identifier such as people who ride bikes - which may humanise bike-riders and reduce aggression. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Lets talk about people who ride bikes rather than cyclists because thats the first step towards getting rid of this dehumanisation, Professor Haworth said. The UK government is considering new rules to ban any anti-vaccine posts from sites like Facebook and Twitter, after a surge across social media in content promoting false information. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said internet firms have a "duty of care" to their users and legislation may be needed to enforce this. Disinformation campaigns from the controversial anti-vax movement have plagued social media firms in recent years, with Facebook among those blamed for helping fuel the misguided belief in scientifically disproven claims that vaccinations are harmful and can cause autism. The issue has become so severe that several vaccine-preventable diseases like measles have seen outbreaks in areas where they were previously almost eliminated. Facebook has already joined other social media firms like Pinterest in cracking down on anti-vaccine content on its platform. The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Show all 7 1 /7 The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Charlie Sheen Sheen fought a legal battle against ex-wife Denise Richards to try and block her from vaccinating their children. Richards of course won and Sheen was reportedly so bitter that he paid the paediatrician bill entirely in nickels Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Gwyneth Paltrow Paltrow's "health and wellness" company Goop hosted a notorious anti-vaccine speaker at their 2018 Goop Summit Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Rob Schneider Schneider demanded the freedom to decline vaccination Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Jenny McCarthy McCarthy has claimed that "people are dying from vaccinations", believes that her son caught autism from a vaccine and has pushed her opinions on the topic publicly for many years AFP/Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Bill Maher Maher has long spoken against vaccines sating on Larry King live that "a flu shot is the worst thing you can do." His stance appears to stem from a distrust of government AFP/Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Alicia Silverstone In Silverstone's book The Kind Mama, she wrote that "there is increasing anecdotal evidence from doctors who have gotten distressed phone calls from parents claiming their child was never the same after receiving a vaccine." Getty The famous faces of the anti-vaccine movement Andrew Wakefield Godfather of the anti-vax movement, disgraced doctor Andrew Wakefield famously published a report in the medical journal Lancet claiming a link between the MMR vaccine and autism in 1998. The Lancet retracted the report in 2010 and Wakefield was struck off the medical register PA Earlier this month the technology firm, who also owns Instagram, said it was "fully committed" to combatting anti-vaccine campaigns and would begin by reducing the ranking of groups and pages behind them. "If these vaccine hoaxes appear on Facebook, we will take action against them," Monika Bickert, Facebook's head of Global Policy, wrote in a blog post outlining the measures the firm is taking. "We are exploring ways to give people more accurate information from expert organisations about vaccines at the top of results for related searches, on Pages discussing the topic, and on invitations to join groups about the topic." Despite these claims, recent searches by The Independent revealed anti-vax articles still rank prominently on searches for vaccines on the platform. Search results on Facebook lead people to articles promoting anti-vaccination myths (Screengrab/ The Independent) Twitter has been less proactive about quelling the spread of anti-vaccination content, with chief executive Jack Dorsey recently causing controversy for appearing on a podcast with a controversial fitness personality who has previously promoted to myth that vaccines cause autism. Twitter denied that Mr Dorsey was aware of the host's views and said his appearance on the show was not an endorsement of such beliefs. When questioned further by The Independent on its stance towards anti-vax propaganda shared on Twitter, a spokesperson pointed to the company's advertising policy. This policy addresses the promotion of controversial health content, though does not make any specific reference to the anti-vax movement that has plagued its platform. Proportion of young children in England who have received the MMR vaccine (Statista) (Statistica) It is unclear what legislation introduced by the UK government might look like, though Mr Hancock said it might fall under the same rules designed to fight material promoting things like suicide, self-harm and terrorism. His comments come as health chiefs in Manchester reported an outbreak of measles in the first quarter of 2019, which was largely caused by unvaccinated children. India has successfully destroyed a satellite in space. This time, it was one of their own as part a planned mission but the moment is a major breakthrough in both space technology and the countrys military might. It was the first time that India has ever successfully tested such technology. And it becomes only the fourth country in the world to have access to it. As such, it comes amid fear over the weaponisation of space and the damage that could be unleashed by any possible war that could take place between countries with the ability not only to cause great destruction on Earth but in space too. The major breakthrough was announced by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, who said the country had now rivalled a major achievement matched only by the US, Russia and China. Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometres away in space, in low-Earth orbit, Modi said in a television broadcast. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region India has made an unprecedented achievement today, he added, speaking in Hindi. India registered its name as a space power. India has already made a series of breakthroughs in its space programme, making earth imaging satellites and launch capabilities as a cheaper alternative to western programmes. That programme has sent missions to Mars and to the moon, and hopes to send people into space by 2022. But the new breakthrough, known in India as Mission Shakti, is notable as a major military achievement as well as an engineering and aerospace one. In statements, the Indian government referred to it as a military technology and fears have been sparked across the world that it could be just one moment in a growing race to become a space power. Why is this so important? The very act of being able to launch such technology aside from the geopolitical implications it might have is impressive. It has been likened to shooting a moving bullet with another bullet, and there are plenty of reasons why only three countries have achieved it until now. In itself, launching a missile into space is complicated enough. But being able to intercept an existing satellite with one means being able to be extra precise, and relies on engineering and aerospace capabilities that is built on top of an already developed space programme. But the engineering and technical achievement is dwarfed in comparison to the power of the moment itself. Having done this is an achievement for the Indian military and space programme but being able to do it again in the future is when the real power becomes clear. How powerful is the ability to blow up other countrys satellites? As much as anything else, Indias successful test is a military breakthrough. It puts it on a closer footing with various other states and, crucially gives them an important ability to undermine any country they wish to. If a country can destroy an enemys satellites, they can knock out crucial intelligence and communications in one go. That can cause intense problems across the country, as well as undermining military operations. With the successful test on Wednesday, India theoretically holds other countries satellites at risk. Neighbouring Pakistan, with which India traded airstrikes last month, has several satellites in orbit, launched using Chinese and Russian rockets. But China, which put dozens of satellites in orbit in 2018 alone, according to state media, could see Indias fledgling capability as more of a threat. India needed to build anti-satellite weapons because adversary China has already done it in 2007, said Ajay Lele of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. More than anything I would say through this India is sending a message to the subcontinent, he added. India is saying that we have mechanisms for space warfare. What happens to all the debris? Theres already a lot of mess in space: old, defunct satellites and various other pieces of space junk fly around and pose an extreme risk to the various bits of technology that are still up there and working. Anti-satellite tests can make this risk even worse: the pieces of blown up satellites are flung through space many times faster than the bullet from a gun. The International Space Station, for example, regularly tweaks its orbit to avoid debris of all kinds. Chinas 2007 test is considered the most destructive. Because the impact took place at an altitude of more than 800 km (500 miles), many of the resulting scraps stayed in orbit. The US test in 2008 did not create as much orbital debris, and because it was at a lower altitude, atmospheric drag caused much of it to fall toward Earth and burn up. Indias foreign ministry said in a statement that its test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure there was no debris in space and that whatever was left would decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks. The US Strategic Command, which tracks objects in orbit for the US military, had no immediate comment on Wednesdays test. How does this compare with other countries tests? The United States performed the first anti-satellite tests in 1959, when satellites themselves were rare and new. Bold Orion, designed as a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile re-purposed to attack satellites, was launched from a bomber and passed close enough to the Explorer 6 satellite for it to have been destroyed if the missile had been armed. The Soviet Union performed similar tests around the same time. In the 1960s and early 1970s, it tested a weapon that could be launched in orbit, approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit research and advocacy organisation. In 1985, the United States tested the ASM-135, launched from an F-15 fighter jet, destroying an American satellite called Solwind P78-1. There were no tests for more than 20 years. Then in 2007, China entered the anti-satellite arena by destroying an old weather satellite in a high, polar orbit. The test created the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation, a group that advocates sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space. The next year, the United States carried out Operation Burnt Frost, using a ship-launched SM-3 missile to destroy a defunct spy satellite. Additional reporting by agencies Huge rivers seem to have been flowing across Mars relatively recently, scientists said. The flowing water came in rivers much bigger and more powerful than those seen on Earth, they said. And they seem to have stuck around far longer than we had realised. The raging water courses carved deep channels into the Martian surface at "hundreds of locations", said scientists. Satellite images and data from Nasa's Curiosity rover indicate that many of the rivers were twice as wide as those on Earth. They may also have persisted until less than one billion years ago, the evidence suggests. Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Show all 13 1 /13 Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Perspective view of ancient river valley network on Mars These images taken by the European Space Agencys Mars Express satellite show the marks that an ancient network of rivers have left on the planets surface. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Ancient river valley network on Mars The valleys formed as they would on earth, with a strong flow of water carving its way through the landscape. What is less clear is where the water came from. Due to a lack of knowledge about the past climate of Mars, scientists can not tell whether it came from groundwater, precipitation, melting glaciers or something unheard of. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Ancient river valley network on Mars This colour-coded topographic view shows the relative heights of the terrain in and around the network of dried-up valleys on Mars. Lower parts of the surface are shown in blues and purples, while higher altitudes show up in whites, yellows, and reds, as indicated on the scale to the top right. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Ancient river valley network on Mars This image shows the landscape in and around a network of dried-up valleys on Mars. The region outlined by the bold white box indicates the area photographed by the Mars Express. NASA MGS MOLA Science Team/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Eberswalde crater delta This dried-up ancient river delta once carried liquid water across the surface of Mars. The photographed area is 31 x 7.5km. Released on February 4 2019. ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Eberswalde crater delta Eberswalde crater formed more than 3.7 billion years ago. The rim of the crater is only intact in the north-eastern part, the rest has been buried by debris from the nearby, more recently formed Holden crater. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Eberswalde crater delta In the left of the image is the Holden crater, which is 140km across. To the right is the Eberswalde crater, which is 65km across. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Korolev crater A perspective view of the Korolev crater, an 82-kilometre-across crater filled with ice found in the northern lowlands of Mars. Taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express satellite. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Korolev crater The Korolev crater, an 82-kilometre-across crater filled with ice found in the northern lowlands of Mars. Taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express satellite. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Korolev crater DisThis colour-coded topographic view shows the relative heights of the terrain in and around Korolev crater, an ice-filled crater in the northern lowlands of Mars. Lower parts of the surface are shown in blues and purples, while higher-altitude regions show up in whites, browns, and reds, as indicated on the scale to the top right. The craters thick deposit of ice can be seen at the centre of the frame. Released December 20 2018 ESA/DLR/FU Berlin Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Water buried under the south pole of Mars ESAs Mars Express has used radar signals bounced through underground layers of ice to identify a pond of water buried below the surface. ESA/NASA/JPL/ASI/University of Rome Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Water buried under the south pole of Mars The brighttop line represents the icy surface of Mars in this region. The south polar layered deposits layers of ice and dust are seen to a depth of about 1.5 km. Below is a base layer that in some areas is brighter than the surface reflections, highlighted in blue, while in other places is rather diffuse. The details of the reflected signals from the base layer yield properties that correspond to liquid water. ESA/NASA/JPL/ASI/University of Rome Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images Water buried under the south pole of Mars The 200km square study area is shown in the left image and the right image shows the radar footprints on the surface of Mars. ESA/NASA/JPL/ASI/University of Rome The findings are a mystery, because scientists had thought the Red Planet was losing its atmosphere and drying out during this time. Dr Edwin Kite, from the University of Chicago, said: "It's already hard to explain rivers or lakes based on the information we have. This makes a difficult problem even more difficult." Recommended Nasa reveals the last thing its Mars rover saw before it died The amount of water gushing through the river channels was estimated at between three and 20 kilograms per square metre per day. The team studied more than 200 ancient Martian river beds criss-crossing the planet. The width and steepness of the channels and size of rounded pebbles they contained provided clues about the volume and force of water that once flowed through them. Oddly, the rivers appeared to have been flowing until the "last geological minute" before the planet became a desert, said the researchers writing in the journal Science Advances. "You would expect them to wane gradually over time, but that's not what we see," said Dr Kite. "The rivers get shorter - hundreds of kilometres rather than thousands - but discharge is still strong. "The wettest day of the year is still very wet." One possibility is that the Martian climate had an "on/off" switch that tripped back and forth between dry and wet cycles, he added. Additional reporting by Press Association The Nasa astronaut who had to pull out of Nasa's first ever all-female spacewalk has said that she recommended that the major milestone did not go ahead. Anne McClain was scheduled to make history as part of the first ever team made up only of women to make journey out into space. But the historic moment was cancelled because there weren't enough spacesuits available to fit the two women, and so McClain had to be replaced by a man. The decision led to condemnation from around the world, including from Hillary Clinton, who suggested that Nasa should be able to make another spacesuit. But McClain said the decision had been made in contact with her. The 39-year-old originally thought a large-sized spacesuit would be fit for purpose, but following a spacewalk last week decided that a medium would be safer. "This decision was based on my recommendation," Ms McClain tweeted from aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region "Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. "We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first." There is more than one medium-size spacesuit torso on board the ISS, Nasa explained, but it would not be able to make it available in time for Friday. To date, spacewalks have all been entirely male-led or a mix of male and females, but never all-female. The space agency has not stated when it will try again to make an all-female spacewalk happen. Additional reporting by agencies The Pradel name carries weight in Naperville, where the patriarch was elected to serve at the helm of the city for four terms after 29 years with the police department. Known to many for his role as Officer Friendly, he founded Napervilles Safety Town, could be seen around the city at various events with a smile on his face and was named Mayor Emeritus after he left his post in 2015. Nasa must return people to the moon within five years "by any means necessary", Mike Pence has said. The US vice president called on the space agency to accelerate its efforts to get people back to our neighbour, aiming for the lunar south pole, in a major speech. Talking to a meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama, he said Nasa rockets and lunar landers will be replaced by private craft, if required. He said: "It's time to redouble our effort. It can happen, but it will not happen unless we increase the pace." The earliest possible landing on the moon by Nasa is not until 2028, Mr Pence said, acknowledging that talent - and money - will be necessary to achieve this sooner. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Mr Pence warned that if Nasa cannot put astronauts on the moon by 2024, "we need to change the organisation, not the mission". He said the US space agency must transform into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organisation, and must adopt an "all-hands-on-deck approach". Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine assured Mr Pence that Nasa will do everything possible to meet the deadline. However, some outside experts were sceptical of the new timeline. Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian centre for astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said: "I will be astonished if this happens." He noted that a lunar lander still needs to be designed, built and tested. "That is a hard challenge on a five-year time scale even without political budget infighting," he said. This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Since Apollo astronauts last walked on the moon in 1972, no country has made a serious attempt to send humans back to the lunar surface. For decades, Nasa has switched focus back and forth from the moon to Mars, a victim of changing presidential administrations. More recently, former president Barack Obama targeted Mars as astronauts' next big destination, while his successor at the White House, Donald Trump, has favoured the moon. In order to get astronauts on the moon by 2024, Mr Bridenstine said the space agency's new megarocket will be needed, but its development and pace will need to be faster. Two weeks ago, he said Nasa was considering using private rockets instead to launch its new Orion capsule around the moon without a crew on a test flight next year. However, he expressed confidence that the SLS, or Space Launch System, would be ready for the job. He also stressed the need for an outpost with astronauts near the moon to serve as a stepping-off point for lunar landings. It took just eight years for Nasa to accomplish everything to put astronauts on the moon in July 1969. It is unacceptable, Mr Pence said, that SLS delays and cost overruns point to a 2028 target date - nearly two decades after the SLS programme began. The vice president instructed Nasa to aim to land on the moon's south pole, where considerable amounts of ice could be used for drinking and making rocket fuel. The US vice president declared: "The exploration of the heavens in this still new century will go forward with or without the United States. But Americans don't do second place. Americans lead, and so we will." Planetary scientist Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute, said 2024 is a feasible target - provided the accelerated effort is funded properly and commercial space systems are fully embraced. However, former Nasa official Scott Hubbard said the five-year time limit seems "awfully short to me", given the lack of national security incentives like the ones that existed during Apollo and the Cold War race to beat the Soviets to the moon. Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner has spoken candidly about her mental health issues, crediting therapy and medication for making her feel "so much better". The 23-year-old opened up about the pressure she feels to be starring as the lead in the upcoming superhero blockbuster X-Men: Dark Phoenix, describing herself as a "nervous wreck". Turner stated she has suffered from depression and anxiety in the past, and continues to experience mental health issues. "Definitely. Depression for sure, anxiety, all those things," the actor tells Rolling Stone magazine. "I still experience it, but I had therapy, I'm on medication, and I feel so much better. The fact that I spoke to someone changed my life." Turner has spoken openly about her views concerning mental health on several occasions in the past. In January, the actor replied to a tweet posted by Piers Morgan in which the Good Morning Britain co-host said that he agreed with the view that celebrities are trying to make mental health problems "fashionable". "Or maybe they have a platform to speak out about it and help get rid of the stigma of mental illness which affects one in four people in UK per year," Turner wrote in response. "But please go ahead and shun them back into silence," she added. The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Show all 7 1 /7 The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Jon Snow The big reveal of Game of Thrones penultimate season (a twist that fan communities had seen coming from before the television adaptation even aired) was the truth of Jon Snows parentage, namely that he is not the bastard son of Ned Stark but the legitimate spawn of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryan. Whilst most viewers were preoccupied with the ickiness of this revelation being juxtaposed against the image of him rolling around in bed with Daenerys (now revealed to be his aunt), the fact is that he now has the most legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. Certainly he has a better claim than his dads sister, to whom hes just sworn fealty (not to mention done things that would make the Pitcairn Islanders blush). Jons biggest issue is that he still doesnt know how hot his stock is, and the only two characters who do are his pal Sam Tarly and his irritating younger brother Bran. Can such an undynamic duo get this crucial information to Jon before its too late? HBO The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Daenerys Targaryan Up until the end of the last series (and provided you hadnt been reading any fan theories) it seemed like Daenerys was fated to end up ruling the Seven Kingdoms. George R. R. Martins series is, after all, called A Song of Ice and Fire, and where the chilly element of that could apply equally to Jon Snow or the horde of frigid zombies, its long been apparent that Dany brings the titular heat. She spent a frustrating amount of time in Essos, honing her military and governance skills (both of which seem to rely on oppressive use of dragon fire) and arrived in Westeros on a seemingly unstoppable quest for the crown. Her claim has been weakened by the discovery that her nephew Jon is the true Targaryen heir, but its also quite clear that she wears the dragon-riding slacks in their relationship. HBO The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Cersei Lannister Cersei is the only villain to survive from episode one to the final season, so credit to her for that. She has already lost her more pragmatic siblings Tyrion and Jaime to the anti-apocalypse cause, and her plan for the endgame seems to involve double-crossing the alliance heading to deal with the zombie threat. It simply cannot end well for her, because any damage wrought against the Targaryens will only pave the way for the Night Kings army, and hes not a man(?) who looks like hed care much about the Lannisters credit rating. Truly the Cnut of the series, shes already on borrowed time. HBO The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Arya Stark/Sansa Stark/Bran Stark The survival of the younger Stark children makes you feel all the more sorry for poor Rickon (why oh why didnt he zigzag?!), who suffered the indignity of never even getting to be a real character before he was dispatched. The reality is that none of the Starks really fancy taking the crown and moving to Kings Landing. They love the North, where you get to wear long fur coats and growl ominous warnings at soft southerners. The best case scenario for Bran is that he gets to live in a castle, not a tree (or the Night Kings body, see fan theories for further details), and, for Sansa, that bizarrely coveted wardenship of the North looks increasingly like it has her name on it. Arya is something of an agent of chaos, and its hard to know what, undoubtedly pivotal, role she will yet play, but and do prove me wrong Arya its hard to see her chatting finance with the Small Council. HBO The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones The Night King Could the Night King be the strong leader that Westeros so desperately needs? It would be fitting for a series that has so willingly taken beloved characters and decapitated them/stabbed them in the heart/slit their throat, to go out with the nihilistic bang of the Night King, astride undead Viserion, perched on the Red Keep. Hes the man to watch if the showrunners decide that they want to go full metaphor. HBO The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Dark Horses There are some characters Varys, Jorah, Theon and Yara Greyjoy who will probably play a significant role in the climactic drama, but without any chance of ending up in the hot seat. A better bet might be Gendry, aka the hot ironmonger from Skins, who has the strongest Baratheon claim to the throne. Other major characters like Brienne, Bronn, Davos and Grey Worm will be knocking about (provided theyre given the screentime in this truncated series) but are subjects, not rulers. Euron Greyjoy has to meet a sticky end at some point, because hes fully evil and also very misjudged as a character. My outside bet, for the connoisseurs, is Beric Dondarrion, the priest of the Lord of Light, who has seemingly survived the breach of the wall at Eastwatch and whose ability to both conjure fire and come back from the dead might be quite useful against the ice zombies. The Iron Throne contenders Game of Thrones Verdict Unless they pull off in a wild, unexpected direction and full credit if they do its going to be Jon and Dany ruling together, and the final shot of the series will, mark my words, be a slow track backwards through the throne room, showing the newly married couple, side-by-side, in a slightly less uncomfortable pair of matching thrones. Incest apologism at its most heart-warming. For my own part, Id like to see a Ministry of All the Talents in Kings Landing, with Arya bossing the Kingsguard, Yara on naval duty, Davos in charge of law and order (justice, Flea Bottom style), Bronn overseeing the treasury (who better than a sellsword?), and Varys back as spymaster. If Robert, Joffrey and Tommen the Baratheon kings have taught us anything, its that its possible to be in office but not in power. When the ice thaws, I hope to see Game of Thrones multifaceted characters given their dues if they make it out alive, that is. Home Box Office The X-Men: Apocalypse star then shared a thread on Twitter shedding more light on the topic, saying that people who joke about mental illness "can't comprehend what it is like to have or know someone with an illness like this". In Glamour magazine's spring/summer 2019 issue, Turner's Game of Thrones co-star and close friend Maisie Williams explained that Turner is a strong advocate of therapy. "I cant tell you the amount of times Sophie said, 'Go to therapy,' before I actually did," Williams. "She really helped me through some messy break-ups and some friend break-ups." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events However, Turner believes therapy is more widely accepted among younger people. Its definitely a generational thing, she says. My mum still asks me, Why do you need a therapist?" If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm10.30pm every day). If you thought you required a steady stomach and a degree in physical science to work with NASA, think again. NASA is currently offer volunteers 14,000 (16,500) for the opportunity to lie in bed for two months to help them understand how artificial gravity can affect the human body. The AGBRESA (Artificial Gravity Bed Rest Study) was launched this week by NASA in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The study marks the first time scientists will investigate the use of artificial gravity as a possible means of preventing the negative effects of weightlessness (the absence of gravity) on the human body. Researchers are looking for 12 female and 12 male volunteers, aged between 24 and 55 to spend 60 days in the beds. All volunteers must speak German. NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Show all 21 1 /21 NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Robert McCalls mid-1970s prediction of NASAs space shuttle building a modular space station is close to what finally happened, except that the real shuttles only flew one at a time. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Ed White photographed by Gemini 4 Commander Jim McDivitt. During the first of 66 orbits, they made an unsuccessful attempt to rendezvous with the spent upper stage of their Titan launch vehicle. On McDivitts advice, White waited one more orbit to recover from the effort of the failed rendezvous, and then exited the Gemini for his historic spacewalk on June 3, 1965. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Apollo 9 CM pilot Dave Scott emerges from the hatch, testing some of the spacesuit systems that will be used for lunar operations. The photo was taken from the hatch of the docked LM by Rusty Schweickart in March 1969. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Mothership Balls Three overflies an X-15 in 1961. Three operational X-15s were constructed and flown for 199 test flights between them, as they pushed at the envelopes of speed and altitude, and reached the very edges of space. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Mercury Control Center (MCC) at Cape Canaveral supervised seven human spaceflights between May 1961 and March 1965, into the beginning of the Gemini era. Meanwhile the more advanced control complex in Houston was taking shape ahead of Apollo. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Technicians working at the base of Alan Shepards Mercury-Redstone 3 launch vehicle are swathed in vapour from vented excess oxidiser gas on May 5, 1961. Subsequent rockets could not be so closely approached when fueling. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Rendezvous Docking Simulator at Langley prepared Gemini astronauts for the strange physics of orbital flight. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Ahead of Gemini 10, Commander John Young explains to the media how copilot Michael Collins will inspect the Agena Target Docking Vehicle during his spacewalk, 1966. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Navy divers prepare to retrieve the Gemini 6A crew on December 16, 1965. Green dye was released by spacecraft on splashdown, making it easier to spot from the air. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The U.S. geological Surveys map of the area around Tycho Crater, famous as the site of a mysterious alien monolith in the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In real life, this chaotic and rugged terrain would have been too difficult for an Apollo mission to access. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot Michael Collins inspects NASAs Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, where rock samples collected by Apollo were analysed. Nitrogen gas protected the rocks from accidental corrosion in Earths oxygen-rich atmosphere. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASA scientists are confident that Buzz Aldrins boot prints from Apollo 11 are still as sharp and distinct today as when they were first stamped down in 1969, because the Moon has no air or rain to erode them. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASAs Anechoic Chambers are among the quietest places anywhere on earth. Walls absorb almost all stray echoes, whether sound or radio. This 1972 model of a shuttle, being tested for radio characteristics, has thruster pods on the wingtips. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Lightning strikes the launchpad of Space Shuttle Challenger on August 30, 1983 prior to STS-8, the first pre-dawn launch of the space shuttle program. Launchpads are surrounded by tall lightning towers and other conductive systems.These create a giant Faraday Cage, diverting the electric charge of strike well away from the spacecraft. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000. Its habitable volume is equivalent to a Boeing 747s. An international crew of six people live and work while traveling at five miles (8 km) per second, orbiting Earth once every 90 minutes. This is the single most complex and ambitious engineering effort in history, even when compared to Apollo. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) is a hybrid of parachute and balloon technology. A new generation of flexible heat shield materials could enable a huge shield to be deployed from a small storage canister just before a spaceraft hits the atmosphere of its target planet. In July 2012 a HIAD survived a trip through Earths atmosphere at 7,600 mph. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives In April 2016, ocean scientists at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, analysing data from Landsat 8, found mysterious lines crisscrossing the vegetation in the shallow waters of the North Caspian Sea.The cause turned out to be ice gouging at the seafloor in winter, before melting in the spring, and leaving just these clues. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Curiosity made this self-portrait on August 5, 2015, by maneuvering the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on the end of a seven-foot-long robotic arm. Multiple overlapping frames were acquired, then digitally stitched together by image analysts at JPL. The arm moved into a new position for each frame but the camera always pointed toward a specific vanishing point to minimize parallax distortions. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Jupiter's moon Io is dwarfed by the planet it orbits, as seen by the Cassini spacecraft en route to Saturn. Cassinis 13-year tour of the ringed planet changed the course of planetary exploration. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives A technician prepares to unlatch a small door built into the guide vanes of the Transonic Wind Tunnel at Langley Research Center in 2010. The vanes prevent turbulent eddies from interfering with the tests. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Courtesy of NASA The beds will be located in :envihab, a medical research facility of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine of the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne. All experiments, meals, and leisure activities will take place lying down during the bed-rest phases. Short-arm centrifuge at DLR's :envihab facility (ESA) The participants will remain at the facility for a total of 89 days, including five days of familiarisation and 14 days of rest and astronaut rehabilitation either side of the 60-day bed-rest phase. During the study, the volunteers will be restricted in their movements to ensure any strain on muscles, tendons and the skeletal system is reduced. The beds will be angled downwards towards the head end by six degrees in order to simulate the displacement of bodily fluids experienced by astronauts in a space shuttle. Half the participants will undergo testing similar to that of an artificial gravity chamber. The testing will involve them being spun around in a centrifuge (a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force) at 30 revolutions a minute with the aim it will force blood back into their extremities. Throughout the test, scientists will test volunteers on their cognitive abilities, muscle strength, balance, and cardiovascular function. Short-arm centrifuge at DLR's :envihab facility (ESA) By comparing the physical deterioration of the two groups, the researchers hope to see data that will help mitigate this effect experienced by astronauts during long-term space travel. Leticia Vega, Associate Chief Scientist for International Collaborations for NASAs Human Research Program, explains: "Both effects are similar to what astronauts experience in space. Although the effects of weightlessness are primarily investigated on the International Space Station, analogues such as :envihab are helpful when studying certain research topics under controlled conditions on Earth. These findings will later be validated on the ISS." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Jennifer Ngo-Anh, Team Leader in Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA, adds that the study allows the researchers to address the issue of muscular atrophy caused by weightlessness as well as other stresses including cosmic radiation, isolation, spatial restrictions. The AGBRESA study will feature two campaigns, with the first batch of test participants having arrived on 25 March followed by a second campaign in early September. Applications for the autumn cohort close on 24 May. If you would like to take part in the test, email probanden-bit@dlr.de. Yasmin Behbehani had just walked into her third-period health class when her friend asked her if she had seen the list. Theres a list of the girls names, her friend Nicky Schmidt, a fellow senior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland, said. And were ranked. Behbehani didnt want to see the list, or know whether she was on it. She had spent the past four years recovering from an eating disorder, working hard to avoid comparing herself with others, she said. But by her sixth-period class on that Monday earlier this month, a text message appeared on her phone with a screenshot of the list, typed out on the iPhone Notes app. It included the names of 18 girls in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High Schools International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, ranked and rated on the basis of their looks, from 5.5 to 9.4, with decimal points to the hundredth place. There, with a number beside it, was Behbehanis name. Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Show all 5 1 /5 Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Thousands skip school to attend climate protest A girl wears a face mask and has a message written on her forehead that reads 'no planet B' during a demonstration against climate change in Brussels on Thursday 17 January 2019. Thousands of students as part of the Youth for Climate movement took time off school to call for stronger action against climate change. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo) Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Students and others hold placards as they march during a demonstration against climate change in Brussels, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. Thousands of students as part of the Youth for Climate movement took time off school Thursday to call for stronger action against climate change. Sign in center reads in Dutch 'shortly everyone will have a house on the sea'. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo) Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Thursday, 17 January 2019. Thousands of students as part of the Youth for Climate movement took time off school to call for stronger action against climate change. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo) Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Students and others hold up placards with climate messages during a demonstration against climate change in Brussels, Thursday 17 January 2019. Thousands of students as part of the Youth for Climate movement took time off school to call for stronger action against climate change. Banner at right in Dutch reads 'we are truant for more forests' and at centre-rear reads 'no money if it melts'. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo) Thousands skip school to attend climate protest Two girls hold up a banner during a demonstration against climate change in Brussels, Thursday 17 January 2019. Thousands of students as part of the Youth for Climate movement took time off school to call for stronger action against climate change. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo) A group of male students in their program created the list more than a year ago, but it resurfaced earlier this month, through text messages and whispers during class. One male classmate, seeing the name of his good friend Nicky Schmidt on the list, told her about it, and within 24 hours, dozens of girls had heard about the list. Lists like this one had silently circulated among teen boys for generations, and it has happened in more recent years at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, too, the students said. But it was happening now, in the era of the #MeToo movement. Women had been standing up to harassment in workplaces and on college campuses and the high school girls, who had been witnessing this empowerment, decided they werent going to let the issue slide. They felt violated, objectified by classmates they considered their friends. They felt uncomfortable getting up to go to the bathroom, worried that the boys might be scanning them and editing their decimal points, said Lee Schwartz, one of the other senior girls on the list. Knowing that my closest friends were talking to me and hanging out with me but under that, silently numbering me, it definitely felt like a betrayal, Schwartz said. I was their friend, but I guess also a number. But there is power in numbers, too. Dozens of senior girls decided to speak up to the school administration and to their male classmates, demanding not only disciplinary action in response to the list but a school-wide reckoning about the toxic culture that allowed it to happen. It was the last straw, for us girls, of this boys will be be boys culture, Behbehani said. Were the generation that is going to make a change. That same Monday, a group of girls reported the list to an administrator, who encouraged the students not to talk about it around school, Schmidt said. The next day, the girls learned that after an investigation, school officials decided to discipline one male student with in-school detention for one day, which would not show up on his record. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Principal Donna Redmond Jones said an investigation revealed the list was made during school hours, and that there was definitely discipline applied, in line with the districts code of conduct, but that she could not give any more information due to privacy concerns. Unsatisfied with the disciplinary action, Schmidt texted about 15 girls she knew, and told them to tell all of their friends to show up at the schools main office the next day during lunch, to tell them we feel unsafe in this environment and we are tired of this toxicity, Schmidt wrote in her text. About 40 senior girls showed up, packing into an assistant principals office as Schmidt read a statement she had written. We want to know what the school is doing to ensure our safety and security, Schmidt said. We should be able to learn in an environment without the constant presence of objectification and misogyny. The girls and administrators agreed that they should have a large meeting with the male students in the program, including the boys who created and circulated the list. That Friday, on International Womens Day, almost all of the students in the IB program about 80 students met in a large conference room for what was supposed to be a 45-minute meeting during fifth period. Instead, the meeting lasted two-and-a-half hours. Several girls delivered personal and impassioned speeches describing not only their presence on the list, but also their previous experiences with sexual abuse, harassment, and objectification, both inside the school and outside of it. I feel it when walking home from school, I get catcalled by a man in a truck who repeatedly asks me to get in his car, and follows me home when I dont, said Rose Frank, one of the senior girls on the list, reading from a letter she had prepared. I feel it when my mother tells me that my third ear piercing will send the wrong message in a workplace setting, and that in the future its best to let my hair down for job interviews. Sitting towards the centre of the room during the meeting was the male student credited with creating the list, an 18-year-old senior in the IB program. After listening to all of the girls speeches, many of which were directed specifically to him, he stood up and spoke to the group, admitting to making the list and apologising for the hurt it caused. It was quite intense, being so directly confronted in front of so many people for so long, the student recalled in an interview with The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of the repercussions he could face. He recalled coming up with the list which began in the 5 range for girls perceived to be average-looking during a brief conversation with a friend during a fifth-period English class last year. He said he never distributed the list to anyone else in the grade, and he didnt know how it began circulating earlier this month. But he took responsibility for what he said was a haphazard, stupid decision. When you have a culture where its just normal to talk about that, I guess making a list about it doesnt seem like such a terrible thing to do, because youre just used to discussing it, he said in an interview. I recognise that Im in a position in this world generally where I have privilege. Im a white guy at a very rich high school. Its easy for me to lose sight of the consequences of my actions and kind of feel like Im above something. While he regrets making the list, he said he was grateful that the girls spoke up. Its just a different time and things really do need to change, he said. This memory is not going to leave me anytime soon. Since that confrontational meeting, a co-ed group of senior students including the boy who created the list have been gathering on an almost weekly basis at lunch time to discuss how to prevent this sort of incident from happening again. Jones, the school principal, said she has been proud to see the students take the lead on the meetings since the list emerged. It takes bravery, it takes being vulnerable, it takes a sense of forgiveness, she said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Bethesda-Chevy Chase students are planning a day next month in which pairs of students one senior girl and one senior guy will go to the younger students classes to talk about toxic masculinity, said Gabriella Capizzi, one of the senior girls taking the lead on the campaign. Some students are also organising a pop-up museum focused on the theme of cultural toxicity. While the event was planned before the list circulated, it has now taken on a new meaning, said Gloria Karekezi, a 17-year-old senior who is working on an exhibit and who has been a part of the ongoing efforts to speak up about the list. With the two months of high school they have left, the seniors hope to set a precedent for the younger grades, Capizzi said. I wasnt surprised by the list, Capizzi said. The kids like the kid who made the list arent the outliers. Its the people who speak up about it that are. And that culture needs to change. Washington Post The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced the birth of their daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. The couples second child was born on Friday in California. Lilibet is more than we could ever have imagined, the Sussexes said in a post on their Archewell website, describing themselves as blessed. Harry and Meghan revealed they were having another baby in February on Valentines Day, announcing the news with a black-and-white photo of them together on social media, which was shot remotely on an iPad from London by their long-time friend and photographer Misan Harriman. The couple already participated in some of the customs that come with the arrival of a royal baby when their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born in 2019. Now that theyve stepped down as senior members of the royal family, its not clear whether they will follow royal protocol, which can dictate what happens in the hours, days and weeks following the birth. From how the Queen finds out to when the babys name is revealed, this is a step-by-step guide of what traditionally happens when a new royal is born: The Queen is the first to know Following the safe arrival of a royal baby, the Queen will always be the first person to be informed. Her Majesty is reportedly contacted using an encrypted telephone to tell her the good news. When Prince George was born, on 22 July 2013, Prince William called his grandmother before contacting Kate Middletons family. The press and public are informed Royal births are traditionally announced via a statement placed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace for the public to see (Getty Images) Next, an official statement is posted on websites such as royal.gov.uk and sent out to media outlets. The royal family will also use the official Twitter account to announce the arrival. Confirmation of the birth is also made via a bulletin placed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace for the public to see. The framed, typewritten note includes details such as the babys gender, time of birth, as well as a short sentence about the wellbeing of the mother and child. For families that have given birth at the Lindo Wing it has also become a tradition for the new parents to pose for photographs with their new arrival on the steps of the hospital ward. The name is announced a few days after the birth The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Register The Birth of Their Son Prince George of Cambridge In London (Getty Images) Over the years it has become tradition for the babys name to be announced in the days following the birth. Both Prince George and Princess Charlottes names were announced two days after they were born, while Prince Louis' name was revealed four days after his birth. It is also common for the child to be given three or four names. For example, Princess Charlotte's middle names are Elizabeth and Diana. The Queen must approve the names of royal babies who are closest in line to the throne. Official photographs are released Prince Louis is seen in this photograph released by Kensington Palace (Reuters) While most royal babies make their first public appearance outside the hospital hours after being born, official photos of the child arent usually released for a number of weeks. Two weeks after the birth of Prince Louis, Kate Middleton shared photos of the new arrival which she had taken herself in the days after he was taken home to Kensington Palace. The images included a snap of the royal baby being cuddled by his big sister Princess Charlotte, and another of him wearing a white outfit propped up on top of a white frilly cushion. The christening takes place Prince William, Kate Duchess of Cambridge with their son Prince George arrive at Chapel Royal in St James's Palace for the christening of the three month-old Prince George (PA) A couple of months later, the baby will be christened wearing a gown that has been passed down through the royal family. Known as the Honiton christening gown, the garment is a replica of the dress that Queen Victoria commissioned for her first-born child, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa. The original gown, which was made from white silk with a handmade lace overlay, was worn by 62 royal babies over the course of its 163 year history. George VI and the Queen wore the white lace dress, as did Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry. The last royal to wear the original gown was Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex's daughter, in 2004. The replica was designed by the Queens personal wardrobe advisor, Angela Kelly, in 2011, and has been worn by all three of Prince William and Kate Middletons children. Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Show all 20 1 /20 Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Prince Harry beamed with pride as he held his son. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pictured with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son, named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle. Chris Allerton/Sussex Royal Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The couple presented their son to the world during a photocall two days after the child's birth in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The proud parents smiled as they presented their son to the world. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The couple were photographed walking into St George's Hall at Windsor Castle with their newborn. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Meghan kept her eyes on her son as the couple walked out Dominic Lipinski/AP Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The pair are photographed looking lovingly at their newborn. PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Archie Harrison appeared to be sleeping soundly during the photocall. Domic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The Duchess of Sussex waved to the camera as she posed with Prince Harry and Archie Harrison. Domic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The couple were in good spirits as they presented their newborn to the world on Wednesday afternoon. Domic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Meghan gazed lovingly at her newborn. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Meghan Markle wore a white sleeveless tuxedo-style, double-breasted dress as her husband posed in a light grey suit. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son The couple smiled for the cameras, with Meghan revealing the baby "has the sweetest temperament, he's really calm". Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Dominic Lipinski/AP Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Harry and Meghan couldn't take their eyes off their son. Dominic Lipinski/PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Meghan said during the photocall: "He's just been the dream so it's been a special couple of days." PA Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Dominic Lipinski/AP Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Meghan planted a hand on the top of Harry's back as they walked away from the photocall with their newborn. AP Archie Harrison: First photos of royal baby revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son Dominic Lipinski/AP It is also expected that the new arrival will have a number of godparents. Prince George has seven, Prince Louis has six and Charlotte has five. Usually, the parents announce whom they have chosen as their childrens godparents. However, Harry and Meghan chose to keep this information to themselves when Archie was born. Michelle Obamas memoir is on track to become the most popular autobiography to date, according to its publisher. The book, titled Becoming, was first published in November and has already sold more than 10 million copies, according to Bertelsmann, Penguin Random House's German division. Im not aware, in my personal experience with Penguin Random House, that we ever sold 10 million units of a memoir, Bertelsmann told a news conference on Tuesday. Bertelsmann Executive Board member Markus Dohle added: We published Becoming simultaneously in 22 countries through Penguin Random House publishers. I reckon Michelle Obamas book has the potential to become the biggest memoir of all time. According to the publishers, the book sold more than seven million copies across all formats in the six weeks to the end of 2018. Michelle Obama over the years Show all 12 1 /12 Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama over the years Appearing at a 'Let's Move' event in 2014 Getty Michelle Obama over the years Speaking at a Clinton campaign rally Getty Michelle Obama over the years August 2016 State Dinner Getty Michelle Obama over the years The Obamas waiting for the 2004 Senate election results Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama hula-hooping at a health fair at the White House Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama speaks at the 2016 DNC Getty Michelle Obama over the years Barack Obama being sworn in to the 109th Congress Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years In London at a Let Girls Learn event Getty Michelle Obama over the years State Dinner October 2016 Getty It also became the best-selling book of 2018, 15 days after it was published, according to NPD BookScan data. In addition, the audiobook, read by Obama, become the fastest-ever seller released by Penguin Random House. In the memoir, Obama opens up about her experiences, both public and private, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as a mother, lawyer, First Lady, and author. In April, Obama will return to the UK for Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama an event which will see the philanthropist discuss her revelations in the book. The event comes months her sell-out first live appearance in the UK, at the Royal Festival Hall in December. Former US first lady Michelle Obama (L) speaks with Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (R) at the Royal Festival Hall in London on December 3, 2018 (Getty Images) Obamas husband, former president of the US Barack Obama, has also signed with Penguin Random House to publish his White House memoir. While Bertelsmann hopes the book will be published this year, a date is yet to be set. Double trouble for Lloyds of London. The insurance market has just announced the second consecutive billion-pound-plus loss while still reeling from a sexism scandal that probably didnt surprise anyone whos worked in or around this industry as much as it should have. First the scandal which involved female employees reporting being leered at and letched over together with repeated incidences of harassment. It was addressed by the announcement of an action plan to create a safe and inclusive working environment. Sanctions, up to and including lifetime bans for miscreants, are now, we are told, on the table. Good talk, but lets see how many of them are actually issued. Those sitting at the City of Londons top table regularly talk a good game, and they spend a lot of money on PR people to add a little extra shine to what they do. Or dont do. It remains to be seen whether the announced measures, which also include setting up a confidential access point for reporting bad behaviour, will actually help to address something that is deeply ingrained within the culture of the market, particularly on the ground, where the bosses rarely venture. If you were shortlisting for the right person to lead a campaign to improve the markets diversity issues, which also include a near 20 per cent gender pay gap, chair Bruce Carnegie-Brown wouldnt exactly be close to the top of names youd consider given his CV. But hes clearly in possession of a first-class honours degree in corporate verbal diarrhoea. Against a backdrop of global macroeconomic instability, performance in the insurance sector... is how he chose to kick off his results statement. You can see how he got the job. The backdrop of bleurrgh that he highlighted meant that Lloyds lost 4.50 on every 100 of premium taken in before taking into account the returns from investing the money. Only three lines of business energy , motor and life produced a positive underwriting result. About the best that can be said of the numbers is that they werent as bad as last years. Japanese typhoons, hurricanes and the awful wildfires that ripped through California all contributed to the deficit in another bad year for catastrophes, some of which had their genesis in the actions of mankind. Insurers, like those operating at Lloyds, are increasingly fretful about climate change, and its capacity to cause disasters, and they are right to be. Lloyds CEO John Neal said he saw green shoots in the numbers, including a fall in the attritional loss ratio of 1.3 per cent and, crucially, a 3.2 per cent increase in renewal prices charged to the markets customers. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. But it has now faced two straight years of greater-than-average catastrophe claims, and climate change is sure to push that average up. In future 19.7bn of claims (gross) may look like a new and nasty normal, and no Im not exaggerating. Just last week Munich Re, the worlds biggest reinsurance outfit, warned that climate change could make insurance too expensive for most people. Set against it, is that 3.2 per cent increase combined with Mr Neals performance plan going to be enough to fix the markets financial underperformance? Again, it remains to be seen. The family that owns brands such as Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread, Pret a Manger and Keurig Dr Pepper has found family ties to Nazi ancestors. The findings were part of a three-year investigation which uncovered the familys use of slave labour during World War II. According to the investigation, Albert Reimann Sr and Albert Reimann Jr used Russian and French prisoners of war as forced labour in their factories. The Reimann businessmen were also openly anti-Semitic and supporters of Adolf Hitler, with the investigation finding a letter from Reimann Jr to a local mayor in which he complained that the French prisoners employed at his factory were not working hard enough and should be in prison, Deutsche Welle reports. Findings from as early as 1931 show the family made donations to the SS, the military organisation under Hitler. Nazi war crimes: the hunt for Doctor Death Show all 2 1 /2 Nazi war crimes: the hunt for Doctor Death Nazi war crimes: the hunt for Doctor Death AP Photo/LKA Baden-Wuerttemberg Nazi war crimes: the hunt for Doctor Death Independent Graphics Reimann Sr passed away in 1954 and Reimann Jr passed away in 1984. In a statement to German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Reimann family spokesperson Peter Harf said the two deceased Reimann relatives were guilty and actually belonged in prison. Recommended Volkswagen boss apologises for Nazi pun We were ashamed and white as sheets. There is nothing to gloss over, he added. These crimes are disgusting. According to Harf, the elder Reimanns did not speak of their past anti-Semitic ties before they died, but family heirlooms prompted younger members of the family to commission a historian from the University of Munich to look into their past more closely. Following the investigation, the Reimann family, which owns the majority of JAB Holding Company and which is reportedly one of the richest families in Germany, will donate $11m (8.3m) to an undisclosed charity on behalf of the crimes of their ancestors. The family also plans to make the findings public once the investigation has been completed. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Independent has contacted JAB Holdings for comment. More than 200,000 nurses have quit the NHS since the Conservatives entered government, with three-quarters of these prior to retirement age, new analysis shows. Across the NHS voluntary resignations have risen 55 per cent since 2011 and 163,094 nurses left the NHS early, figures compiled by the Labour party show. Labour said the analysis, which has been verified by the impartial House of Commons Library, shows staggering numbers quitting because of Tory austerity policies and their failure to address soaring retirements. Across all NHS, staff poor work-life balance was the most rapidly growing reason for leaving; just 6,669 resignations cited it as their primary reason in 2011/12 but this rose 169 per cent, to 18,013 by 2017/18. Resignations for health reasons have doubled, accounting for 4,234 people quitting in 2017/18. In total, voluntary resignations for any reason have shot up from 74,287 in 2011/12 to 114,870 in 2017/18. NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Show all 25 1 /25 NHS in Crisis march: in pictures NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Protesters call on the government to reverse cuts to the NHS. Rex NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators dressed as an undertaker and carrying a fake coffin. Getty Images NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators gather on Gover Street in central London ahead of a march towards Downing Street to protest against underfunding and privatisation of the NHS and demand an end to the winter crisis in the health service. Rex NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Health workers and NHS campaigners march through London to a rally outside Downing Street. Rex NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Thousands of protesters marched during the demonstration organised by 'The People's Assembly Against Austerity' campaign group that called for better funding for the National Health Service (NHS) to end the 'winter crisis' in the national health care system. EPA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures A Boris Johnson impersonator lies in a makeshift hospital bed next to an effigy of Theresa May during a People's Assembly demonstration against the Conservative government's health policy. Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures A demonstrator in a mobility scooter carries a placard. Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators take part in a emergency NHS 'Fix It Now' protest demanding an end to the funding crisis in the Health Service. Rex NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators take part in pro-NHS march and protest towards Downing Street in Central London. EPA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures A protestor carries a placard featuring Britain's Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt. AFP/Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures The demonstration is focused on the current crisis in the National Health Service. Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators hold placards and set off flares . Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures A demonstrator carries a cardboard skeleton wearing an ambulance uniform . Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators hold placards during a People's Assembly demonstration against the Conservative government's health policy Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures The Government will be urged to provide more beds, staff and funds to ease the problems facing the service. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Protestors gather calling for an end to the "crisis" in the NHS. AFP/Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth M joins people taking part in the march. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures A placard reading 'Nurses with fight for the NHS'. AFP/Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Protestors carry placards and shout slogans. AFP/Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures People march through central London. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures People take part in a march in London in support of the National Health Service. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures People hold up a sign in support of the National Health Service to demand an end to the "crisis" in the NHS. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Protestors carry placards featuring Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Britain's Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt. AFP/Getty NHS in Crisis march: in pictures People take part in a march in London in support of the National Health Service. PA NHS in Crisis march: in pictures Demonstrators carry placards . Getty It is utterly staggering that our NHS has lost over 200,000 nurses under the Tories and that voluntary resignations from the NHS is up 55 per cent, Labours shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth is expected to say on Wednesday. We are facing a retention crisis in our NHS and standards which staff should expect enshrined in the NHS Constitution have simply been abandoned. The Labour figures show doctors have seen the largest proportion of staff leave, at 14.6 per cent in 2017/18, followed by nurses and health visitors (10.7 per cent) and midwives (10.6 per cent). However the government stressed that there were more nurses on the wards today than when they entered power. NHS staff pay increases have been capped at just 1 per cent for much of the past decade, meaning many have suffered a real terms pay cut. This has contributed to some frontline staff quitting to work in self-employed agency roles for higher salaries and, in some cases, less responsibility. Along with cuts to training budgets, pension changes which are driving out experienced doctors and managers and record patient demand, the working environment has become more pressured than ever. Last week, a report warned that the NHS is at crisis point and is unable to train enough GPs and nurses to meet demand. The Kings Fund, the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation said the government would miss its target to recruit 5,000 more GPs by 2020 and the only way to cope with the growing workload was to put more pharmacists and physiotherapists into GP practices. While an interim workforce plan is expected next month, it will not set out how new staff roles will be funded until the autumn spending review. Meanwhile the NHSs own long-term plan has made clear that, in the short term, it intends to fill thousands of nursing vacancies by raiding staff from overseas. In a speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Mr Ashworth will pledge that Labour government will invest in staff pay and training, reintroduce nurse bursaries and commit funding to health-related degrees. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) acting chief executive, Dame Donna Kinnair, said thousands of dedicated staff were being lost because chronic staff shortages mean the care they can offer is compromised. The RCN is calling for accountability for staffing of safe and effective care to be enshrined in law in England at the highest levels to ensure we have the right numbers of nurses in the right places across health and social care. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The RCN estimates at least 1bn will be needed to invest in new workforce programmes and to turn the tide of vacancies. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: Our long term plan sets out how we will make the NHS the safest healthcare system in the world and ensure it is a consistently great place to work for our dedicated staff. There are over 15,800 more nurses on our wards since 2010, with 52,000 more in training and we are improving staff retention by promoting flexibility, wellbeing and career development and helping more nurses return to practice. The upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine attract fairly modest attention in the west. Perhaps theres nothing strange in that because everybody is focused either on Brexit, or on the gilets jaunes protests in France, or the fallout from the release of the Mueller report in the United States. But however important all these issues might be, the future of Ukraine is not less crucial for Europe and for the world. The elections of 2019 both the presidential polls in March and April and the parliamentary elections scheduled for October may be the first since 2010 that signal that Ukraine is losing its pro-European momentum and might turn back to some sort of reconciliation with Russia. Since December, board members have had several debates over the issue of prayer at the start of their meetings. Dawn DeSart, an Aurora Democrat elected to the board in November, first brought up the issue in December suggesting the invocation should be eliminated from the boards meetings. DeSart, who is Christian, has said the practice of starting each board meeting with a time for prayer tends to favor those of Christian backgrounds and has, in the past, excluded those from other faiths. Those who supported continuing the tradition of invocations at the start of meetings, pointed to a Supreme Court ruling allowing for the practice and noted all faiths are welcome to participate in the tradition. Two people have been arrested over a series of threatening social media posts directed at MPs, including one sent to Anna Soubry which read REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO JO COX SO BE CAREFUL. The pair are believed to run a Twitter account named Sheffield and Yorkshire Direct Action Brexit Group, which also sent a photo of a crossbow with the caption: We are ready for civil war... are you? The tweet was sent to five Remainer MPs: Ms Soubry, Chuka Umunna, David Lammy, Angela Smith and Sarah Wollaston. A 40-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were arrested in Sheffield after the social media posts were reported to police earlier this week, South Yorkshire Police said. The pair have since been released on bail. Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Ms Cox was the MP for Batley and Spen who was murdered in June 2016. The Twitter pages biography section reads: We need to leave the EU and the politicians are not listening. We want to start a movement to help as many people as possible have their voice heard. Help us. It comes as Ms Soubry voiced fresh security concerns, saying one entrance to Parliament poses a serious threat to safety. Ms Soubry, who left the Conservatives to join the Independent Group over Brexit, said staff were being intimidated near the Palace of Westminster. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Commons speaker John Bercow said representations have previously been made to the Metropolitan Police for a more proactive policing approach to protect MPs, journalists and the public. A woman in her 60s has been pushed in front of an oncoming bus in what police described as an unprovoked attack in Pimlico, London. Her attacker, a woman with two children, reportedly had a verbal exchange with the woman in a Tesco Express before barging the older woman in the shop. While the victim stood at traffic lights on Vauxhall Bridge Road outside Barclays Bank, the same woman came up and shoulder barged the victim into the path of an oncoming bus. Footage of the incident released by the Metropolitan Police shows the victim was thrown forward into the path of an oncoming bus. She hit the passenger doors and as she fell, suffering grazes and bruising to her ankles, shins and knees, a cut to the top of her head and an injury to her shoulders. Detective Constable Samantha Edwards who is leading the investigation said: This was an unprovoked assault which could have had much more serious consequences. London street photography exploring the UK's capital Show all 21 1 /21 London street photography exploring the UK's capital London street photography exploring the UK's capital Regent Street, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital West Norwood, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital On the bus, Central London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Central London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Brick Lane, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Oxford Street, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Rush hour, London Underground Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Brick Lane, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital On the bus through London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital High Street Kensington, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Whitechapel, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Rush hour, Oxford Circus Station Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Brick Lane, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Soho, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Shoreditch, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Trafalgar Square, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Finsbury Park, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Charing Cross road, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Trafalgar Square, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Shoreditch, London Angela Christofilou London street photography exploring the UK's capital Hackney, London Angela Christofilou A number of enquiries have been undertaken to locate the person responsible. If you recognise this woman I would ask you to contact police immediately. Police want to speak to this woman about the incident (Metropolitan Police) It goes without saying that he victim has been deeply affected emotionally by this whole incident. In 2017, in another pushing incident, police released CCTV footage of a 33-year-old jogger apparently being pushed in front of a bus in an unprovoked attack on Putney Bridge. The footage showed that only the bus drivers quick reactions in swerving out of the way saved her from being run over. Despite making national headlines, the man was never found and police were forced to close the investigation the following year. Anyone with information about the latest incident in Pimlico is asked to contact the Serious Crime Unit based at Westminster on 101 or tweet @MetCC. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 if you dont wish to speak to officers directly. A police officer sacked for racially abusing Asian takeaway staff has been given her job back after telling an appeal hearing that drunkenly calling someone a f****** P*** was not the worst kind of racism. PC Katie Barratt was dismissed from Northumbria Police after colleagues heard her saying I wish these f****** P**** would hurry up with my pizza at the Spice of Punjab takeaway in Newcastle after the 2017 staff Christmas party. Following her June 2018 sacking, Northumbria Police condemned what she said as wholly unacceptable, insisting: There is no place for this type of language or any other form of racist behaviour within Northumbria Police. But an independent appeal panel has now overturned her sacking, with the chair Dorian Lovell-Park condemning her racist remarks but wishing her luck in resuming her career. Ms Barratt, in her twenties, will also be entitled to back pay, thought to be worth about 15,000. After two hours of deliberation, the appeal panel upheld the gross misconduct finding against her, but downgraded the punishment to a final warning. Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London A young boy holds a placard reading 'migration is beautiful' during the march against racism demonstration in London. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Warsaw Protesters rally in Warsaw under the slogan 'Tired of racism and fascism'. AFP/Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London An anti-racism demostrators chants with chains around his neck during a march against racism. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Vienna People getting ready to march against racism in Vienna. Twitter/Wriseup Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Glasgow Anti-racism demonstrators take part in a rally through the city centre of Glasgow. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London An anti-racism demostrator holds a placard readin 'Laundry is the only thing that should be seperated by colour'. Getty Images Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Paris Thousand of protesters demonstrate against police brutality and in defense of migrants and those without papers in Paris. EPA Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London Anti-racism demostrators hold placards and chant during a march organised by the group Stand Up to Racism as an expression of unity against racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Athens A girl poses for a photo during a rally against the EU-Turkey deal blocking mass migration into Europe in Athens. AP Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Glasgow Aamer Anwar a prominent Scottish lawyer joins an Anti-racism rally through Glasgow city centre. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London Anti-racism demostrators hold placards and chant in London's march against racism. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Glasgow A man in Glasgow holds a banner reading 'refugees welcome'. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures London Anti-racism demostrators let off flares during the march against racism in London. Getty Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Paris A protester in a grim reaper disguise holds a shield reading 'State racism, no impunity for police brutality against those without papers' in Paris. EPA Anti-racism demonstrations across Europe: in pictures Athens Migrants who live in Greece chant slogans during a rally against the EU-Turkey deal blocking mass migration into Europe, in Athens. AP Her barrister, Guy Ladenburg, had admitted her behaviour in the takeaway had been an abomination. But Mr Ladenburg told the panel Ms Barratt felt she shouldnt have been sacked because it is not the worst kind of racism. Recommended Police officer sacked for using racist language in Newcastle takeaway Instead the lawyer claimed it was a one-off for which she should be given a second chance rather than the nuclear option of dismissal. He added that Ms Barratt had come from a police family, had a promising career before the 2017 incident, and had not touched a drop of drink since. The panel was also told that the takeaway staff had not heard what Ms Barratt said. Only her colleagues heard her remark, with her sacking coming after one of her fellow officers reported it to superiors. Steven Reid, speaking on behalf of the police, said regardless of who heard what, the force felt that racism from an officer on or off-duty was never acceptable. The appellant didnt go out that night to deliberately racially abuse members of the public, said Mr Reid. But the fact remains she did. Her prejudice on that evening leaked out. Seeking to block Ms Barratts return to the police, Mr Reid added that what she said that night could seriously damage the forces reputation: Sadly, it confirms a stereotype that is unfortunately held in some communities about the police. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events After the hearing, Detective Superintendent Sav Patsalos, head of Northumbria Polices professional standards department, said: We acknowledge the decision of the independent panel and will now take some time to review its findings. It is important to recognise that the decision to dismiss PC Barratt was taken by an independent panel and it was within the officers rights to appeal this decision. We expect officers and staff to maintain the highest levels of professionalism at all times and I want to assure the public that we are committed to taking positive action when individuals fall below the expected standards of behaviour. MPs will vote on eight different Brexit options tonight after backbench MPs dramatically seized control of the Commons agenda. Despite opposition from the government, MPs backed a plan for "indicative votes" to try to establish which Brexit outcome is most likely to command a Commons majority. Conservative MPs will be given a free vote on the options, although cabinet ministers will abstain. Labour, meanwhile, has whipped its MPs to support three of the proposals but they will be free to vote as they please on the others. Nigel Farage has likened Theresa Mays Brexit withdrawal agreement to the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War, claiming it represents a betrayal. The former Ukip leader claimed the financial settlement was similar to the reparations imposed in Germany and that the inclusion of Northern Ireland in an EU customs area was like the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine. The post-WWI treaty was key in Adolf Hitlers early rise to power and was central to the right-wing stab in the back myth that Germany was sold out by its civilian leaders. We're witnessing a slow- motion betrayal perhaps the greatest betrayal of any democratic vote in the history of our nation. The reason is of course this withdrawal treaty, Mr Farage said in a speech in the European Parliament. I'll go back to the First World War: we won the war but we had the treaty of Versailles. We have a reparations bill of 39 billion we have to pay, but nothing in return. We have the annexation of a part of our national territory in the shape of Northern Ireland. This treaty is a bad peace, it is unacceptable, it is not Brexit, and it will not pass. In fact, the financial settlement or so-called divorce bill represents commitments already made by the UK government to fund projects and pensions of its own civil servants. Under the final withdrawal agreement plan Northern Ireland would be in the same customs union as the UK, but would have to follow some single market rules. The eurosceptic politician was publicly mocked on Wednesday morning by European Parliament Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt over his failed Brexit protest march which he abandoned, despite grand plans to walk across the UK. Mr Farage is here - this is a surprise to me because I though the was marching somewhere in Britain, a 200 miles march? But he is here? How many miles have you done, two miles, something like that? the Belgian MEP said. "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Show all 15 1 /15 "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage waves from the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus on the march from Sunderland to London Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers pass a sign to "Cuckoo Land" in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher holds up a blue passport as the march passes Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses for a photo in a pub in Hartlepool Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage pays his respects to Tommy, the statue of a First World War soldier in Seaham, County Durham Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march An anti-Brexit van has been graffitied in Sunderland on the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher carries a Union flag reading "Storm Brexit" in Sunderland Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A couple push a Save Our Sovereignty trolley through a tunnel in Easington, County Durham during the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage enjoys a pint with fellow marchers in Hartlepool Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A pro-European counter-marcher lets off a smoke grenade with the colours of the EU flag Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage leads the march in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage takes part in the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses on the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus in Seaham Getty You remind me more and more, I don't know if you know him, of Field Marshall Hague in Black Adder. You know? Sitting in the first World War in his office in London and you're sitting here in Strasbourg while your own people are marching through the rain and the cold. That is the way you're taking your responsibility. Mr Farage quit Ukip in December amid a party meltdown over its links with far-right figure Tommy Robinson. His new Brexit Party is polling around five per cent and has also been rocked by a series of racism scandals, including the resignation of its leader, who shared messages that referred to white genocide. A key ally of Jeremy Corbyn says Labour does not back a motion to deliver a fresh Brexit referendum just moments after its supporters insisted the leader was on board. The partys confused position was plunged into fresh disarray, hours before MPs will vote on a plan for any deal passed by parliament to be put to a public vote. Peter Kyle, one of the Labour MPs who has drawn it up, insisted Mr Corbyn had given his full support, saying: He will order MPs to vote for this. But Barry Gardiner, the shadow trade secretary, rejected the claim, warning: Its not where our policy would be. He argued the idea implies that you are a Remain party because, if the alternative put to the people was Theresa Mays deal, Labour would have to back staying in the EU. Recommended May to face Tory MPs demanding she resigns before crunch Brexit votes Mr Gardiner said Labour only supported a Final Say referendum to stop a no-deal or to stop a bad deal, adding: The Labour party is not a Remain party we have accepted the result of the referendum. Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Show all 24 1 /24 Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent On Tuesday night, Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, had signalled Labour would whip in favour of the amendment tonight, which is down in the name of veteran Margaret Beckett. It says no withdrawal deal, or framework for a future relationship, can be ratified until they have been approved by the people of the United Kingdom in a confirmatory public ballot. In that way, it is designed to cover the prime ministers deal still squeaking through or a softer Brexit emerging from the indicative votes process. Mr Kyle said of Mr Corbyns position: He will order MPs to vote for this. We had a really constructive process of engaging with him. At no point was he instinctively against this. The Hove MP expressed confidence of growing support across the Commons, adding: We do have Tory support. A lot of people will be looking at how the debate unfolds today. But Mr Gardiner told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Some colleagues may have difficulty with that because it would be saying yes, we could accept what we have always said is a very bad deal Therefore, it looks as if the attempt to have public vote on it is simply a way of trying to Remain because nobody likes this deal whether you are a Conservative or Labour party member. The clash came before a beleaguered prime minister faces Conservative MPs demanding she quit, ahead of the historic indicative votes bid to snatch control of the Brexit process. At a meeting of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, Ms May could set out a timetable for her departure from Downing Street, as a last-gasp bid to rescue her deal. Meanwhile, up to 20 junior ministers are thought to be ready to resign if she refuses to grant free votes on all the Brexit options on Wednesday evening. MPs will propose options expected to include a no-deal Brexit, a customs union, single market membership plus a customs union, a simple free trade agreement and revoking Article 50 before the Speaker whittles them down. Votes will be cast on ballot slips, rather than in the traditional way, and MPs can back any number of options, with the results to be declared late in the evening. Anti-Brexit British voters who want to remain in the EU must not be betrayed, the president of the European Council has warned. Donald Tusk said many of the millions of people who had signed a petition to revoke Article 50 or who had marched against Brexit at the weekend might feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament. He said it was the duty of the European Parliament to represent people who disagreed with Brexit, because they are Europeans. The comments come after EU leaders agreed a UK request for a Brexit delay at a meeting in Brussels last week, and left the door open to an even longer extension and participation in EU elections Before the European Council I said we should be open to a long extension if the UK wants to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UKs participation in the European Parliament elections, he told MEPs in an address in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you: let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable. You cannot betray the six million people who signed a petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a peoples vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union. They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber because they are Europeans. The Council president was heckled by British eurosceptic MEPs when he said British people increasingly favoured staying in the EU. Mr Tusks colleague Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, added: If I were to compare Great Britain to a sphinx, the sphinx would be an open book by comparison. Lets see how that book speaks over the next week or so. The EU agreed an unconditional Brexit delay until 12 April, moving the deadline back from 29 March by a fortnight. Additionally, if the UK parliament approves the withdrawal agreement this week as appears unlikely then there will be an extra extension until 22 May to give the government time to pass the necessary legislation. An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Show all 20 1 /20 An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria, 31, holds her daughters, Elena, two, and baby Ioana, weeks old, in her London home A few months after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Maria was told her to go back to her native Romania whilst in hospital by an elderly English woman. You are a foreigner, your place is not here recalls Maria, who was stunned Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria and her husband Adi, 37, take their daughters for a walk in Hampstead Heath near their home The couple are preparing to leave Britain later this year with their two children, fed up with what Maria says is xenophobia and the rising cost of living in London Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Elena holds up British passports belonging to her and her sister. Both children have dual citizenship, but their parents do not want to apply for this despite having permanent residency in Britain Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds daughter Ioana, who is less than a week old, while Elena wipes a table Maria had never faced direct abuse over her nationality in her 10 years in the country until that moment at the hospital Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi spends time with his daughters Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi plays hide and seek with his daughter Elena Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Food is served Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi takes his daughter, Elena, to nursery Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi's sister, Nicoleta, 34, carries her niece Elena in a restaurant after a trip out Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and Maria cook together at their home Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi holds his baby daughter, Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and wife Maria take their daughters for a walk in Hampstead Heath Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Berwyn, a neighbour of the couple, who moved to the UK in the 1980s from Australia, says goodbye to Maria after a visit at her home. Berwyn has dual citizenship - Australian and Irish as she lived in Ireland for a few years before moving to Britain. She calls the family her 'dearest Christian Romanian friends' Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Religious pictures including a portrait of Arsenie Boca, a Romanian Orthodox monk, theologian and artist (top), hang on the wall at the home of Adi and Maria Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria dries Elena after giving her a bath after nursery Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds her baby daughter Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi works with his colleague Alexandru, who is also from Romania, for a removal company Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds her daughter Elena Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Neighbour, Berwyn, holds baby Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and Maria, along with their daughters, leave St Andrews church in Kingsbury after attending a service Reuters If the UK gets to 12 April without a deal it will have to decide whether to hold European Parlaiment elections, which would be in late May. If the UK chooses to participate in these elections it would be able to gain another extension. Mr Tusk added: As I said after the European Council the 12 April is a key date in terms of the UK deciding to hold European Parliament elections. 12 April is a new cliff edge date: before that date the UK still has a clear choice between a deal, no-deal, long extension, and revoking Article 50. Manfred Weber, the leader of the largest group in the European Parliament and the lead candidate to replace Mr Juncker as commission president after the elections, questioned whether a long extension for the UK and participation in EU elections would be a good idea, however. "Those who are fighting for a second referendum, for staying inside the European Union we are on their side, we want to have their success, but for the moment we have a situation where Great Britain wants to leave the European Union. "Having this in mind I think it's also important to explain to our citizens why a country that is leaving the European Union should have a major say in the future of the European Union. That is also one of the questions on the table which we have to answer to our citizens." If the UK takes part in the elections it would have a say in picking the next Commission president, as well as MEPs in the parliament. Over six million people have signed a petition calling on the government to revoke Article 50, effectively stopping or suspending Brexit. Additionally, an estimated one million people marched in London at the weekend against leaving the EU and in favour of another referendum. Polls in a straight in-out referendum suggest a narrow lead for Remain, with a bigger margin if considered against no-deal or the deal negotiated by Theresa May. Close Indicative votes: MPs reject all 8 different Brexit options MPs have failed to unite around any Brexit strategy after a series of indicative votes revealed no majority in the Commons for any plan. Attempts to break the Brexit impasse floundered when MPs rejected eight different options, including a fresh referendum, a customs union and a no-deal exit. In a dramatic day in Westminster, Theresa May told Tory MPs she will resign before the next phase of Brexit talks, in an attempt to secure support for her deal. Addressing the 1922 committee of backbench Conservatives, the prime minister said she would not remain in post for the next phase of the negotiations, making way for a successor once her Brexit deal has passed. Senior Brexiteers including Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith signalled they would pivot to back the prime ministers deal but the DUP dealt Ms May a fresh blow by refusing to support her. How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit Show all 10 1 /10 How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Independent How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Telegraph How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Mirror How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Metro How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The I How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Guardian How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Financial Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Mail How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Express But it seems her offered sacrifice may have been in vain, as the Democratic Unionist Party announced it would not back a deal which poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. In a potentially fatal blow to Ms Mays chances, DUP leader Arlene Foster said the Northern Irish party cannot sign up to the deal because of its controversial backstop provisions. Westminster leader Nigel Dodds made clear the partys 10 MPs will vote against the deal if it is brought back for a third meaningful vote, declaring: The DUP do not abstain on the Union. The decision leaves Ms May in need of the votes of large numbers of Labour MPs or rebel Tory Brexiteers, many of whom are expected to be strongly influenced by the DUPs stance. She has indicated she will only make a third attempt to pass the deal, following its overwhelming defeat by 230 votes in January and 149 in March, if she has a credible chance of success. Follow along with our coverage of how the day unfolded Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Dominic Cummings, the director of the official Vote Leave campaign who was played by Benedict Cumberbatch in a TV docudrama about the 2016 referendum, Brexit: The Uncivil War, has been told off most severely. The House of Commons Committee of Privileges found him in contempt of parliament, and recommended that the house admonish him, for refusing to turn up for a select committee hearing. This may not sound like much of a punishment. You might also ask: as one of the people who got us into this Brexit mess, why can he not be brought to book? Surely MPs could lock him in the clock tower at the very least? Arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he will support Theresa Mays exit deal as long as it gets the backing of the Democratic Unionist Party . The chair of the European Research Group, who has been an influential critic of Ms Mays withdrawal agreement, urged his fellow Eurosceptics to back her deal or face the possibility of not seeing Britain leave the EU. He has previously claimed that the prime ministers deal would leave the UK a slave state and force it to pay the multi-billion-pound divorce settlement for nothing at all. Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Rees-Mogg said: I am now willing to support it if the Democratic Unionist Party does, and by doing so will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others. I have come to this view because the numbers in parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced. How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit Show all 10 1 /10 How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Independent How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Telegraph How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Mirror How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Metro How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The I How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Guardian How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Financial Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Mail How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Express It came after the Somerset MP acknowledged that the choice seems to be Ms Mays deal or no Brexit. Speaking on the Conservative Home podcast, Mr Rees-Mogg said: I have always thought that no deal is better than Ms Mays deal, but Ms Mays deal is better than not leaving at all. He added that Brexit may now be a process rather than an event and it could take time to fully break away from Brussels. In his article Mr Rees-Mogg warned his fellow Conservatives that removing Ms May would harm their cause. A number of Tory MPs think a new leader could swiftly renegotiate but that is almost certainly not true now that parliament has taken control of the House of Commons timetable, he said. It would be even harder for a eurosceptic to manage the current Commons than it is for Ms May. Mr Rees-Moggs change of mind is one sign Ms May was winning over some of her Tory rebels, as it was suggested that Boris Johnson may also be wavering. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The prime minister is preparing for her last-ditch bid to force her withdrawal agreement through parliament by Fridays deadline. However, MPs have taken control of the House of Commons agenda in order to force a number of indicative votes on alternatives to her plan. Jacob Rees-Mogg has mocked fellow Conservative MPs in the House of Commons over the public schools they went to. The leading Eurosceptic, who attended Eton College, said other MPs who went to school at Winchester College were "characteristically...highly intelligent but fundamentally wrong". He made the comments during a debate on Brexit as MPs prepared to hold a series of crunch votes on the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The "indicative votes" on a range of possible Brexit outcomes came after backbenchers, led by Conservative former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles, seized control of the Commons agenda. Mr Rees-Mogg criticised the move, saying it was "constitutionally ill thought-through". He claimed that Tory MPs who did not have faith in the government to manage Commons proceedings should vote against it in a confidence motion. Read more What are the Brexit options MPs are voting on tonight? That prompted Mr Boles to interject to say he was "quite capable of distinguishing between my general confidence in the government...and their specific conduct on this particular issue." The former minister said he had repeatedly supported the government by voting for its Brexit deal, which Mr Rees-Mogg has twice voted against. In response, Mr Rees-Mogg said Mr Boles' argument was "characteristically Wykehamist - highly intelligent but fundamentally wrong". The word "Wykehamist" is used to refer to someone who went to Winchester College. Turning his guns on Sir Oliver, another alumnus of Eton College, Mr Rees-Mogg added: "I must confess I've sometimes thought my right honourable friend for West Dorset was more a Wykehamist than of my own school." Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA Defending his decision to push ahead with the plan for indicative votes, the former cabinet minister had earlier told MPs that the proposal was only needed because "Whitehall has failed". He said: "In an emergency the House of Commons is capable of controlling its own business in such a way as to find a solution the vast majesties of Whitehall and government have not been able to provide us with. "It's because Whitehall has failed, not due to the inadequacy of any individual but due to the basic difficulty of the situation, that the Commons is taking these steps." Theresa May has failed to deny she is about to ride off into the sunset, ahead of a showdown meeting with Tory MPs who want her to quit Downing Street. During prime ministers questions, she was asked if she felt any sense of responsibility for potentially handing over the reins to an extreme right-wing Brexiteer. In a brief reply, Ms May did nothing to dampen suggestions that she will set out a timetable for her departure at a 5pm meeting with all Conservative MPs and used the past tense about her Brexit struggles. Its my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure we deliver on the result of the British people, she told MPs. The comment, to the SNPs Westminster leader, came after the prime minister hinted the third meaningful vote on her unpopular deal would be staged this week. Recommended Labour set to order MPs to vote for second Brexit referendum No 10 still wants it to take place within days, despite the staunch opposition of the Democratic Unionist Party which as it stands makes a third thumping defeat all-but inevitable. Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA In the Commons, no Conservative raised Ms Mays future, ahead of her coming under pressure to say when she will resign at the meeting of the backbench 1922 committee. But the SNPs Ian Blackford said: It is increasingly clear that the cost this prime minister will pay, to force her disastrous deal through, is the price of her departure. Yet again, another Tory prime minister is willing to ride off into the sunset and saddle us with a crisis in the UK and an extreme right Brexiteer in Downing Street. Does the prime minister feel no sense of responsibility for what she is about to do? Later, Ms Mays spokesman, asked if her reply meant her resignation is imminent, replied: The prime minister is totally focused on the job at hand and will remain so. During question time, one anti-EU Tory, Andrew Bridgen, told the prime minister his constituents would never trust her again if the UK failed to leave the EU on 29 March even though that is no longer possible, following the extension agreed. At the last minute, she begs our EU masters for an extension to Article 50, delaying our departure, he said. In response, Ms May said Mr Bridgen and other MPs could still guarantee delivering on Brexit if, this week, he and others in this House support the deal. No 10 hopes the meaningful vote can take place on Thursday or Friday, after key Brexiteers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson hinted they could jump on board. However, the DUP is not shifting and has insisted it will not unless there is an escape route from the Irish backstop, opening up regulatory changes between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The DUP wants to leave the EU in an orderly fashion but this deal will endanger the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK. It is not a price that we as Unionists are willing to pay, MEP Diane Dodds told the European Parliament. Theresa May has told Conservative MPs at a closed meeting that she will step aside as prime minister after she has delivered Brexit. She pledged to quit before the next stage of negotiations with the EU, but only if Tories who have so far refused to back her deal finally fall into line. The emotional announcement at the private gathering of Conservative MPs means that if her deal is approved, it would be a new prime minister that would decide how to approach talks on the UKs future relations with the EU. It comes as Ms May desperately tries to gather enough votes from rebel Tories and the Northern Irish DUP, to try and pass her deal so that the UK can leave the EU on 22 May. At the meeting of the Tory Backbench 1922 Committee on Wednesday Ms May said: This has been a testing time for our country and our party. Were nearly there. Were almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. She added: And I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. I know some people are worried that if you vote for the withdrawal agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I wont I hear what you are saying. But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. The prime minister said that she would leave earlier than intended in order to secure a smooth and orderly Brexit but did not give an exact date at this point. How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit Show all 10 1 /10 How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Independent How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Telegraph How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Mirror How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Metro How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The I How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Guardian How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Financial Times How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Mail How newspapers reported MPs seizing control of Brexit The Daily Express However, reports already have already begun to emerge that if Ms Mays deal is passed, then a leadership contest would begin on 22 May the day Britains EU membership would end. The announcement led some in the meeting to pay tribute to the prime minister, such as ex-chief whip Patrick McLoughlin who said what a wonderful job she had done. Eurosceptic MP Pauline Latham left the meeting confirming that she was now ready to vote for the Brexit deal negotiated by the prime minister. John Bercow issues another warning to Theresa May that Brexit deal still needs changes before third meaningful vote She added: Shes made the right decision, shes read the mood of the party which is a surprise. There was applause and banging of tables as Ms May left the meeting, with Scottish secretary David Mundell tweeting: PM is driven by a sense of duty and public service. Her decision today reflects again her putting the national interest ahead of personal interest. She remains determined to secure our departure from the EU on an orderly basis and will have my full support in doing so. The government must still overcome opposition from speaker John Bercow who has vowed to block a new vote on her deal unless there are changes to the proposition put to the House of Commons. The prime minister must also still secure the backing of the Northern Irish DUP, who only this week have voiced public opposition to the deal. At least five cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged city of Beira in Mozambique. Thousands of people were trapped in submerged villages without access to clean water for more than a week after Cyclone Idai smashed into the country on 14 March. The first cases of cholera were registered in Munhava, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the wrecked port city. "Cholera is an epidemic situation. When you have one case, you expect to have more cases in the community," said Ussene Isse from the country's Health Ministry. Health workers are battling 2,700 cases of acute diarrhoea, which could be a symptom of Cholera, Mr Isse added. Mozambique cyclone Idai Show all 28 1 /28 Mozambique cyclone Idai Mozambique cyclone Idai A young boy makes fire as he plays in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun of efforts to find and help tens of thousands of people after Cyclone Idai devastated a large swath of Mozambique. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Displaced families arrive after being rescued by boat from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun of efforts to find and help tens of thousands of people after Cyclone Idai devastated a large swath of Mozambique. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Children wait as their parents disembark from a boat after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun of efforts to find and help tens of thousands of people after Cyclone Idai devastated a large swath of Mozambique. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A displaced family arrives after being rescued by a boat from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun of efforts to find and help tens of thousands of people after Cyclone Idai devastated a large swath of Mozambique. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A man docks a boat carrying displaced families after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai An elderly woman is assisted disembark from a boat after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Two men rescue an animal using a boat in Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A man holding his child watches a boat carrying displaced familie arrive after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A woman walks along a flooded road in Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Relatives and friends watch as the boat arrives from Buzi disembark from a boat after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A young girl is carried off the boat after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A young girl is carried off the boat after being rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A woman walks along a flooded road in Buzi district, 200km outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A displaced family arrives after being rescued by a boat from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun of efforts to find and help tens of thousands of people after Cyclone Idai devastated a large swath of Mozambique. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Veronica Fatia carries her 2-year-old daughter as they travel in a wooden boat to Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. They left the cyclone-shattered city of Beira for the town of Buzi, which for a week people had been fleeing to with little but their clothes. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A fisherman navigates a wooden boat to Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Children stand in-front of a business building in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Veronica Fatia carries her 2-year-old daughter as they travel in a wooden boat to Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. They left the cyclone-shattered city of Beira for the town of Buzi, which for a week people had been fleeing to with little but their clothes. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A displaced young boy sleeps on the floor at a school in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. People left the cyclone-shattered city of Beira for the town of Buzi, which for a week people had been fleeing to with little but their clothes. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A young boy walks through a muddy walkway in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Passengers of a wooden boat travel to Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Displaced families rest inside a damaged classroom in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai Relatives and friends watch as a boat arrives with people rescued from flooded areas to Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A group of men watch the arrival of a boat carrying displaced families rescued from a flooded area of Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai A young boy sits outside their flooded house in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mozambique cyclone Idai An aerial photo shows a damaged factory following the devastating Tropical Cyclone Idai in Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. AP Mozambique cyclone Idai An aerial photo shows local residents walk on a damaged road following the devastating Tropical Cyclone Idai in Beira, Mozambique, Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. ( AP Mozambique cyclone Idai Displaced families set up their bedding on top of the roof in Buzi district, 200 kilometers (120 miles) outside Beira, Mozambique, on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A second week has begun with efforts to find and help some tens of thousands of people in devastated parts of southern Africa, with some hundreds dead and an unknown number of people still missing. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) The World Health Organisation has warned of a "second disaster" if waterborne diseases such as cholera spread in the devastated region. It said 900,000 oral cholera vaccines were expected to arrive later this week. Health workers apply the same treatment for acute diarrhoea or cholera, with severe cases requiring rapid rehydration through intravenous fluids. Such diseases are a major concern for cyclone survivors now living in crowded camps, schools, churches and any land exposed by the still-draining flood waters. Cholera is spread by contaminated food and water, and can kill within hours if left treated. Some people in the city have resorted to drinking stagnant water by the side of the road, increasing the chances of diarrhoea, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said. Other people are drinking from contaminated wells. "The scale of extreme damage will likely lead to a dramatic increase of waterborne diseases, skin infections, respiratory tract infections and malaria in the coming days and weeks," said Gert Verdonck, the group's emergency coordinator in Beira. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Cyclone Idai killed more than 460 people in Mozambique, destroyed nearly 91,000 houses, and left 1.8 million in need of urgent help. Last week, president Filipe Nyusi estimated 1,000 people had been killed. The UN refugee agency announced its first aid flight had landed in the capital, Maputo, with plans to immediately transport tents, mosquito nets and other items to Beira. Additional reporting by agencies More than 150 people were killed in an attack by gunmen on a Fulani village in central Mali in one of the worst atrocities in the country's recent history, a government spokesperson said. The attack, in which women and children were burned in their homes, marks an escalation in violence between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders that killed hundreds of civilians last year. The violence is now spreading across Africa's Sahel, the region between the Sahara to the north and the continent's savannas to the south. The official death toll is 157, government spokesman Amadou Kotia said on Tuesday. On Saturday, officials said that about 134 had been killed, although they expected that number to rise. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, said this week that the crimes may fall under the court's jurisdiction and that a delegation will be sent to Mali. A UN security council mission was already visiting the country to seek solutions to the violence when the attack took place. An official from a nearby town said that armed men, dressed as traditional Dogon hunters, attacked villages populated by Fulani herders. The Dogon suspect the Fulani of harbouring Islamist extremists, charges the Fulani deny. The attack came less than a week after an assault by jihadists on an army post killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region. That attack was claimed by an al-Qaeda affiliate. Tacit outsourcing of the fight against jihadists to vigilante groups with scores to settle has unleashed ethnic violence across the Sahel. In neighbouring Burkina Faso at the end of December, an ethnic Mossi militia group killed dozens of Fulani in revenge for the killing of a village chief by jihadists. Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita responded to the attack by replacing two generals and disbanding an anti-jihadist vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou, whose Dogon fighters were suspected of being behind the massacre. The group has denied its members were involved and rejected the government's dissolution. Marcelin Guinguere, a Dan Na Amassagou spokesman, told Reuters: We will continue to exert our activities as per usual, ensuring the protection of populations until the state decides to live up to its security role. He said the attack was carried out by Fulani-led jihadists disguised as Dogon. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have exploited ethnic rivalries in Mali and its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years to boost recruitment. Some 4,500 French troops are based in the Sahel, most of them in Mali. The US also has hundreds of troops in the region. Reuters Hunters in Canada want to be allowed to club to death tens of thousands more baby seals each year in an expansion of their annual cull. Hunting groups are lobbying the countrys government to approve a wider slaughter of seals and sea lions for their fur including in a nature reserve. The proposals have prompted anger from animal lovers and fresh lobbying of prime minister Justin Trudeau who already reportedly receives more correspondence on the subject than any other, even climate change. The groups have put forward three proposals to the federal and provincial governments: one would lift curbs on commercial sealing licences, and another would allow the killing of seals in a Quebec nature reserve. The third would launch a mass commercial seal hunt in British Columbia. Tragic photos show beached whales Show all 15 1 /15 Tragic photos show beached whales Tragic photos show beached whales A dead sperm whale lies on Hunstanton beach in Norfolk on 5 February 2016 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Volunteers pour buckets of water over the 80 remaining live pilot whales found stranded on remote Ocean Beach on New Zealand's southern-most Stewart island, 8 January 2003 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Contractors clear away the body of one of the dead 48ft sperm whales that were washed-up on a beach near Gibraltar Point in Skegness, Lincolnshire in 2016 PA Tragic photos show beached whales People pass by a beached whale at the Pointe de la Torche, near Brest in France on 29 November 2011 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A woman touches the tail of a large whale carcass on Wattamola Beach at the Royal National Park in Sydney on 25 September 2018 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Beached humpback whale in California, 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Dead long fin pilot whales at Hamelin Bay on Australia's west coast on 23 March 2009 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A 36ft sperm whale lies dead on the beach at Sutton Bridge, in The Wash, off the Lincolnshire coast, where it became stranded in 2004 PA Tragic photos show beached whales A female fin whale opens its mouth as it lies stranded and alive on the beach at Carlyon Bay, Cornwall on 13 August 2012 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales The lower jaw of a dead sperm whale that stranded itself on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales One of the five sperm whales that were found washed ashore on beaches near Skegness, Lincolnshire over the weekend on 25 January 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Employees at work to skin the remains of a beached 60ft whale on 25 January 2013 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Two long-finned pilot whales are stranded on a beach in the northern French city of Calais on 2 November 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Crowds gather as a sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tens of thousands of seals off Canadas east coast mostly harp, but also hooded and grays are beaten with clubs, shot with rifles and harpooned or stabbed. Most are pups between two weeks and three months old, and the year-round culls spike in spring as the pups are growing. The latest government figures available, for 2016, show 66,800 harp seals were killed that year, and 1,612 grey seals. Wounded seals are often left to suffer in agony Humane Society International Sealing group the Pacific Balance Pinniped Society says waters around British Colombia are plagued by an overpopulation of seals and sea lions and that expanded culls would save fish stocks. The group posted on Facebook: The way things are looking the seals and sea lions are the apex predator that shall control the planet in the near future? Lord knows they are now upon land in the hundreds of thousands taking over our docks, floats and beaches. But scientists dispute that culls help salmon and cod stocks, warning any fall in whales prey could lead to the giant mammals starving. Seals are being used as a scapegoat, just like whales were once blamed for fishery declines, Hal Whitehead, a marine biologist from Halifax, Nova Scotia, told The Guardian. Demand for the fur plummeted after the EU in 2009 banned imports following uproar over clubbing, and hunters are now trying to compensate for lost income. About 6,000 fishermen, mostly from Newfoundland, join the annual hunt. Experts say a small market for seal oil exists, and seal parts are sold in Asia as an aphrodisiac. Humane Society International says: Sealers shoot at seals from moving boats, the pups often only wounded. The main sealskin processing plant in Canada deducts $2 from the price they pay for the skins for each bullet hole they find, therefore sealers are loath to shoot seals more than once. As a result, wounded seals are often left to suffer in agony. Many slip beneath the surface of the water where they die slowly and are never recovered. A man stopped by police on suspicion of drink driving took the unorthodox step of using a can of deodorant as a makeshift breath freshener before facing officers. Efren Mencia-Ramirez was pulled over after he sped past a police car on a road in South Carolina's Spartanburg County, before swerving into another lane. As officers walked towards the 49-year-old, he reached for the can of Axe (branded as Lynx in the UK). Officers saw Mr Mencia-Ramirez spraying Axe body spray in his mouth when [the deputy] approached, to cover the smell of alcohol on his breath, the police report states. They also found him at the wheel with an open can of beer between his legs and nine empty cans on the floor. Another was open and full and one remained unopened. Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Show all 10 1 /10 Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Rick Haira Rick's car span out of control when it was clipped by a train while driving over a signal crossing New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dan Mason Dan had just turned 21 when he was hit by a drunk driver on the route home after a late shift New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Kahutia Foster Kahutia was heading back from his nephew's home when his car rolled on a coner, flipped and hit a tree New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dion Perry Dion was driving in wet conditions when his car span out and landed in a ditch New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Will Giles Will had to learn how to walk and talk again after he was hit from behind at an intersection New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dylan Chirnside Dylan suffered a brain injury when another driver crashed into him New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories James McDonald James was suffering from sunstroke when he crashed into a lorry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Liam Bethell Liam broke most of his ribs, three discs in his back and was comatose for ten days after being hit by a lorry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Will Carberry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Rick Haira Rick's car span out of control when it was clipped by a train while driving over a signal crossing New Zealand Transport Agency The last-minute perfumery could not disguise the overwhelming odour of drink. He smelled of alcohol and exhibited signs of intoxication while talking with officers, the report says. Mr Mencia-Ramirez was arrested on suspicions of driving under the influence after failing multiple field sobriety tests and taken to the sheriffs office headquarters, where he provided a breath sample indicating he was almost twice over the legal limit for operating a vehicle in South Carolina. He was charged with driving under the influence, having an open container, no proof of insurance and no valid drivers license. Lynx body sprays typically contain alcohol, making his attempted concealment methods all the more futile. According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 10,874 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in 2017. The daughter of a former lorry driver who allegedly pretended to be a German heiress to con friends, banks and hotels out of hundreds of thousands of pounds is set to stand trial. Anna Sorokin is accused of living the high life in New York City, staying in luxury hotels and jetting off to Omaha and Marrakech while pretending to be a billionaires daughter named Anna Delvey. The 28-year-old integrated herself into the Big Apples social scene in 2016, rubbing shoulders with celebrities as she wore an expensive wardrobe and doled out $100 (75) tips. The German national, whose family moved there in 2007 from Russia, managed to convince people to put taxi rides and plane fares on their credit cards by telling them she was having trouble moving her assets from Europe, prosecutors said. She allegedly covered her tracks by telling people various stories about her wealth, such as that her father was a diplomat, an oil baron and a solar panel entrepreneur. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The reality was much more mundane. After New York Magazine tracked him down to Eschweiler, a small town around 40 miles west of Cologne, her father told the publication he was a former trucker who now runs a heating and cooling business. Ms Sorokins overall scheme has been to claim to be a wealthy German heiress with approximately $60m in funds being held abroad, prosecutor Catherine McCaw said after her arrest in October 2017. Shes born in Russia and has not a cent to her name as far as we can determine. Ms Sorokin is accused of swindling $275,000 (208,000) over a 10-month period and was scheduled to stand trial on grand larceny (theft) and theft of services charges. Prosecutors allege Ms Sorokin promised a friend an all-expenses-paid trip to Morocco but left her to foot the 47,000 bill. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Russian is also accused of peddling bogus bank statements in a bid to get a $22m (16m) loan after drumming up plans to build a private arts club with exhibitions, installations and pop-up shops. Prosecutors said she succeeded in getting one bank to lend her 76,000 to cover due diligence costs in the start-up of her business but she allegedly ended up keeping 41,000 and frittered away these funds on personal expenses in about a month. A few months later, in May 2017, Ms Sorokin allegedly chartered a plane to and from a Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, but never paid the $35,400 (27,000) bill. Prosecutors said Ms Sorokin pleaded with a police officer that a bailout was on the way after she failed to pay a big bill at a Manhattan hotel in July 2017. According to court documents, she said: I have no money and no credit cards. Im waiting for my aunt from Germany. Shes going to pay. Im not trying to run. Why are you making a big deal about this? Give me five minutes and I can get a friend to pay. AP contributed to this report Jake Patterson has pleaded guilty to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs, killing her parents and holding her captive in a remote cabin for three months. The 21-year-old pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. A count of armed burglary was dropped. The intentional homicide counts carry a sentence of life in prison. Patterson had said he would plead guilty in a letter sent earlier this month to a Minneapolis TV station, saying he didnt want the victim's family to worry about a trial. He admitted to kidnapping the young girl after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, on 15 October at the familys home near Barron, about 90 miles (145 kilometres) northeast of Minneapolis. She escaped in January, after 88 days in Pattersons cabin in near the small, isolated town of Gordon, some 60 miles (97 kilometres) from her home. According to a criminal complaint , Patterson told authorities he decided she was the girl he was going to take after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The victim told police that the night of the abduction, the family dogs barking awoke her, and she went to wake up her parents as a car came up the driveway. While her father went to the front door, she and her mother hid in the bathroom, clutching each other in the bathtub, with the shower curtain pulled shut. They heard her father get shot. Patterson then found her and her mother. He told detectives he wrapped tape around the girl's mouth and head, taped her hands behind her back and taped her ankles together, then shot her mother in the head. He told police he dragged the victim outside, threw her in the trunk of his car, and took her to his cabin, the complaint said. During the victim's time in captivity, Patterson forced her to hide under a bed when he had friends over and penned her in with tote boxes and weights, warning that if she moved, bad things could happen to her. He also turned up the radio so visitors couldnt hear her, according to the complaint. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Authorities searched for Jayme for months and collected more than 3,500 tips. On 10 January, the victim escaped from the cabin while Patterson was away. She then flagged down a woman who was out walking a dog and pleaded for help. Patterson was arrested minutes later. The Associated Press contributed to this report A man who was banned from using his hovercraft while hunting moose in Alaska by the US National Parks Service (NPS) has had the decision overturned in the Supreme Court, allowing him to continue. John Sturgeon of Anchorage had hunted the animals for 40 years along the Nation River, a waterway within the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in northeast Alaska. But in 2007, while gunning down the animals from the amphibious vehicles which can be used in shallow water and over mud, three NPS rangers told Mr Sturgeon it was illegal to use his hovercraft there, so he went home. In 2011 he took legal action against the NPS over the issue and had sued and lost in lower court rulings. But on Tuesday justices unanimously rejected the agencys argument the river was public land and that the agencys water rights interest gave it rule-making authority. Norway's radioactive reindeer Show all 6 1 /6 Norway's radioactive reindeer Norway's radioactive reindeer There are more than 30,000 reindeer in Norway Although the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine happened nearly 30 years ago and more than a thousand miles from Norway, the country's reindeer are still suffering from increased radioactivity. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer A reindeer eats lichen When the disaster happened, larger areas of were covered by clouds of radioactive dust. When it rained or snowed in Norway that dust made its way into the landscape, contaminating everything it touched. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer Semi-domestic reindeer roam freely around Norway's rugged landscape Norway's reindeer feed on lichen, mushrooms and grass. The unusually high radioactivity observed in the reindeer is thought to be linked to this years' bumper crop of mushrooms. Aina Bye Norway's radioactive reindeer Sami heard the reindeer several times a year Norway's indigenous people, the Sami, are known for their reindeer herding. The animals provide a vital source of income for them. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer Reindeer meat is widely eaten in Norway Because of the unusually high radioactivity measured in the reindeer, many are not fit for human consumption and so have been released back into the wild. Aina Bye Norway's radioactive reindeer The legacy of Chenobyl The Sami people of Norway fear that it could be many years before the reindeer return to normal levels of radioactivity. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL We reverse the decision below and wish Sturgeon good hunting, Justice Elena Kagan said in reading a summary of the decision. Mr Sturgeon called it a huge win for Alaska. What it basically said is that the federal government doesnt get the manage in-holdings including navigable waters in any of the conservation units in Alaska, and thats huge, he told the Associated Press. The court examined a 1980 law which had created new parks and reserves covering more than 28,125 square miles of land owned by the state, designated Alaska native lands, and in private hands. The NPS, the Supreme Court said, has broad authority to administer lands and waterways within parks across the country. However, Congress in the Alaska law added a provision only public land the federally owned land and waters would be subject to the federal regulations. Justice Kagan said the federal governments reserved water right in the Nation River allows the NPS to protect it from depletion or diversion but not to ban hovercraft. Mr Sturgeon said: I was very happy that they kind of really understood Alaska. They recognised that the rivers in Alaska are very often our highways, like [Interstate] 5 that goes through California and Oregon and Washington, and the Yukon is kind of our equivalent of I-5. Sturgeon can again rev up his hovercraft in search of moose, Ms Kagan wrote in the court filing. I thought that was pretty cool, Mr Sturgeon said, adding they made the decision feel real human. The car was reported stolen by its owner, an Oak Park resident, two days earlier. According to police, the owner was siting in the Kia at about 6:18 a.m. March 24 in the 600 block of South Humphrey Avenue when a man exited a nearby older white SUV. Police said the man reportedly opened the drivers door to the Kia, displayed a handgun and demanded the drivers property. The Trump administration has expanded its ban on funding for groups that carry out abortions or advocate rights known as the global gag rule. Donald Trump had already expanded the reach of the funding ban to apply to all US healthcare assistance totalling about $6bn (4.5bn). The US president reinstated a policy known as the Mexico City Policy on his fourth day in office which dates back to the Reagan administration requiring foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that receive US family planning funds to certify they do not provide abortions or give abortion advice. But on Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it was expanding its anti-abortion policies cutting funding to the Organisation of American States (OAS) and prohibiting the use of US tax dollars to lobby for or against abortion rights. The extension of the policy will not just cut funding to foreign NGOs directly involved in abortions or abortion rights advocacy, but also those who fund or support other groups which provide or discuss abortion. The move has been fiercely criticised by abortion rights campaigners and Democrats, who say the gag rule infringes on free speech. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty There is no end to the depths of the Trump administration's cruelty. Millions of women ... will be arbitrarily left without care due to this shameful decision, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the only woman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-sponsor of a bipartisan bill to make the Mexico City Policy illegal, said she had asked the administration for more information behind the decision. This administration's obsession with attacking womens reproductive health is egregious and dangerous, she said. Leana Wen, the head of Planned Parenthood, which Mr Trump vowed in his presidential campaign to defund for providing abortions, described the announcement as unethical, dangerous and unacceptable. Studies have found the Mexico City Policy leads to increases in abortion rates because of cuts to contraception use and closures of health clinics. Researchers say the policy leads to more deaths of mothers and babies because it also forces women into having unsafe backstreet abortions. Rights groups say the expansion of the rule means NGOs providing services to prevent and treat malaria, HIV and other infectious diseases have been massively affected. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters the US will expand the global gag rule by cracking down on NGOs that fund other groups that support abortion. We will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry, Mr Pompeo said on Tuesday. We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes and end-runs around our policy. American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions. Hundreds gather in Buenos Aires to protest for legalised abortions State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino said the US would cut about $210,000 in funding from the OAS' Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an autonomous group that promotes human rights within the regional organisation. The rule has been called the Mexico City Policy since it was unveiled at a UN conference there in 1984 and became one of the centrepiece social policies of the conservative administration of Republican former president Ronald Reagan. Rights organisations have accused the Trump administration of attacking womens reproductive rights by reinstating the global gag rule, appointing anti-abortion rights activists to key posts in federal departments which handle women's health and striving to cut Title X funding to health providers that carry out abortions or make abortion referrals. Alarm bells have been raised that Roe v Wade the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide in 1973 could be overturned or radically undermined with new conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh sitting on the Supreme Court. The Trump administration took aim at Planned Parenthood last month by issuing a rule barring groups that provide abortions or abortion referrals from participating in the $286m (215m) federal family planning programme. The move is expected to redirect tens of millions of dollars from the womens health provider to faith-based, anti-abortion groups. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Republicans in a fiery speech after the Senate blocked a motion to take up the Green New Deal, the progressive climate change plan spearheaded by Democrats. The congresswoman delivered a scathing rebuke to a Republican representative who depicted the environmental proposals as elitist during a financial services committee hearing on Tuesday. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said: This is not an elitist issue, this is a quality of life issue. You want to tell people that their concern and their desire for clean air and clean water is elitist? Tell that to the kids of the South Bronx who are suffering from the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. Tell that to the families in Flint, whose kids have their blood ascending in lead levels; their brains are damaged for the rest of their lives. Call them elitist. People are dying This is serious. This should not be a partisan issue. "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Show all 38 1 /38 "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Magdeburg, Germany on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in New York on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Madrid on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Quezon City, Philippines on March 15 Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Vienna on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Dublin on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on march 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Erfurt, Germany on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Zagreb, Croatia on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lisbon on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Florence, Italy on March 15 Sign reads: there is no future without a planet, let's not sell it for money EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Vienna on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Brighton on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cambridge on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Students protest in Bangalore, India on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Students protest in Bangalore, India on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change A student protests in Lucerne, Switzerland on 15 March EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Milan, Italy on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 AFP/Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lund, Sweden on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change A poster with Greta Thunberg, who began the current children's movement at the protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh Getty Footage of Ms Ocasio-Cortez's speech has been watched more than 3.5 million times after being posted on social media. The New York Democrat was responding to Wisconsin Republican Sean Duffy, who had claimed the Green New Deal championed by Ms Ocasio-Cortez would make housing more expensive. If youre a rich liberal from maybe New York or California, it sounds great because you can afford to retrofit your home or build a new home that has zero emissions, thats energy efficient, he said. Recommended Republican says solution to climate change is to have more babies The Green New Deal calls for the virtual elimination by 2030 of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming, which scientists warn is on course to have a catastrophic impact around the world. The plan calls for the US to shift away from fossil fuels such as oil and coal and replace them with renewable sources such as wind and solar power. It has broad support among Democratic activists, and all six of the 2020 presidential contenders currently serving in the Senate have signed on as co-sponsors, putting it at the forefront of the partys sprawling primary race. But Republicans claim the Green New Deal would devastate the economy and lead to a huge tax increase. Addressing that criticism before the committee, Ms Ocasio-Cortez: We talk about cost were going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not. Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we are going to pay. And were either going to decide if were going to pay to react, or pay to be proactive. We have the choice to lower the cost now, because I can tell you the cost of pursuing a Green New Deal will be far less than the cost of not passing it. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to the Fox News 'obsession' with her Senate Republicans forced a vote on the Green New Deal on Tuesday as they sought to divide Democrats by pushing them to take a stand on the issue. The GOP-majority Senate voted 57-0 against a procedural motion to take up the nonbinding resolution, with 43 Democrats abstaining in protest over a vote they condemned as as "sham". Ahead of the vote, Republican Mike Lee mocked the the Green New Deal as ridiculous and displayed pictures of dinosaurs, cartoon characters and babies on the Senate floor. He said he was treating the plan with the seriousness it deserves. His remarks enraged Democrats, who called climate change deadly serious, citing recent floods in the US Midwest, wildfires in the west, and hurricanes in the south. Betsy DeVos was grilled on Capitol Hill this week over her attempts to eliminate federal funding for the Special Olympics nearly a year after it was reported she donated a portion of her salary to a disability nonprofit. The US Secretary of Education has drawn controversy for proposing a 2020 budget which includes a $17.6m (13.3m) cut to the Special Olympics, a programme that allows disabled athletes to train and compete annually in what is the largest event of its kind globally. The proposed cut would effectively eliminate the entirety of the federal governments funding for the Special Olympics. Ms DeVos is also proposing a 10 per cent cut to the total budget for the Department of Education. We had to make some difficult decisions, she said on Tuesday, speaking before the House Appropriations subcommittee on education. As secretary of education, Ms DeVos received $199,700 (150,674) in income last year. According to Elizabeth Hill, a spokesperson for the department, the entirety of that pay was donated to four organisations. Those included the Special Olympics, a faith-based mentoring program, a group providing free eye exams and glasses across low-income communities and an organisation promoting girls entry into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM. Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Show all 20 1 /20 Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet is one the richest in American history, filled with billionaires, conservatives and several career politicians. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pence US Vice President Mike Pence has defended Donald Trump throughout his presidency while walking a fine line to avoid any public involvement in major scandals. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo replaced Donald Trump's previous appointment to the post, Rex Tillerson, and has led talks with North Korea in establishing high-profile summits between the president and Kim Jong Un. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce Wibur Ross raised controversy when he was accused of falsely claiming to have sold stock in a bank and violated a government ethics agreement. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Lighthizer US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been a fixture in Donald Trump's ongoing trade spat with China. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet William Barr Attorney General William Barr replaced Jeff Sessions as the nation's top cop in early 2019 and has refused to commit to recusing himself from the Russia probe despite an unsolicited memo he sent to the Justice Department decrying the investigation. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Rick Perry Energy Secretary Rick Perry has held his post throughout Donald Trump's presidency despite previously undermining the need for the agency he now leads in past public statements. Ken Shipp / United States Department of Energy Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Betsy DeVos Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also held her post throughout the presidency, despite major backlash to her apparent undermining of the nationwide public school system and advocacy for charter programmes. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Steven Mnuchin Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has faced numerous controversies throughout his tenure as the head of Treasury, including costing taxpayers at least a million dollars in travel expenses. AP Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Wilkie was appointed after Donald Trump's White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdrew over allegations he provided prescription drugs to patients without prescriptions. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet David Bernhardt Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt took office in January 2019 after the resignation of Ryan Zinke after previously serving as Zinke's deputy. Before taking office Bernhardt worked for many years as a solicitor for the Department of the Interior. Tami Heilemann / United States Department of the Interior Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Elaine Chao Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has held her post throughout the presidency and has mostly avoided controversy, despite a report claiming her office has been in frequent coordination with her husband's, Mitch McConnell. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Kevin McAleenan Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan took over from Kirstjen Nielsen after she resigned in April 2019. He previously worked as the executive director of the executive director of the Office of Anti Terrorism in the Customs and Border Protection agency United States Customs and Border Protection Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Ben Carson Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was appointed shortly after Donald Trump took office and raised controversy over an exorbitant furnishing bill for his office. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Gina Haspel CIA Director Gina Haspel was appointed in 2018 and faced backlash surrounding her oversight of Guantanamo Bay. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Dan Coats Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats could be the next person to leave Donald Trump's administration over his refuting the president's claims surrounding ISIS. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Sonny Perdue Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been dogged by ethics questions throughout his tenure and faced controversy when emails showed the agency appeared willing to eagerly work with lobbyists under his leadership. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Alex Azar Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is a former pharmaceutical lobbyist and former drug company executive. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has described himself as one of the most conservative officials in the White House. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie has spent his career on Capitol Hill serving in various roles in foreign affairs and defence. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve. Gene Russell / United States Department of Veterans Affairs Multiple lawmakers confronted Ms DeVos over a slate of cuts she has proposed that would disproportionately impact disabled Americans, from scrapping millions of dollars going towards programmes supporting blind children to a reported 26 per cent slash in state grants for special education. I still cant understand why you would go after disabled children, Democrat Barbara Lee said to Ms DeVos during the subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. Its appalling, she added. Democrat Mark Pocan also demanded answers from Ms DeVos on Tuesday about the Education Departments cuts towards programmes for the disabled, including the Special Olympics. What is it that we have a problem with, with children who are in special education? he said, adding that two of his nephews have autism. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Ms DeVos said she was holding the funding at a level amount and in the context of a budget proposal that is a 10 per cent reduction. She also said the Special Olympics was an awesome organisation, and was well supported by the philanthropic sector. Deutsche Bank has been cooperating with the House Financial Services Committees investigation into Donald Trumps finances, according to the top Democrat leading the probe. Chairwoman Maxine Waters confirmed the bank was now providing its records of the presidents finances, after previously rebutting Democrats throughout 2017 and 2018. The bank previously declined to cooperate with Democrats on the committee before they assumed majority power after sweeping the House in the 2018 midterm elections. Confirming the banks cooperation to reporters on Capitol Hill, Ms Waters said on Tuesday the committee was probing everything involving Mr Trumps financial dealings with the bank that was recently fined in a major Russian money laundering scheme. The chairwoman added she was satisfied with its level of cooperation since Democrats took over the investigation, after Republicans previously rejected their efforts to probe Mr Trumps ties to Deutsche Bank. 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 Mr Trump and Deutsche Bank were deeply entwined throughout his rise to prominence as a New York real estate mogul, according to a major New York Times report published earlier this month, which alleged the president inflated the value of his assets by as much as 70 per cent. The extent of Mr Trumps potential involvement in criminal misconduct with Deutsche Bank remains unclear, as investigators probe other possible financial crimes in addition to the banks money laundering. Recommended Democrats discuss impeachment merits as Trump rages at media The bank was previously accused of violating international sanctions, along with money laundering, market manipulation and other illegal practices. It was forced to pay $630m (476) in fines to the Justice Department in 2017. At least two congressional committees are currently looking into the presidents dealings with Deutsche Bank. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The House Intelligence Committee has also launched an investigation into the presidents finances, including his connections with the bank, which has been reported to have lent money to Mr Trump at a time when few other financial institutions were willing to work with him. Felix Sater, property developer, career criminal, FBI informer, and a former business associate of Donald Trump, is due to give evidence before a US congressional committee this week with pursuit of the US president continuing, despite the end of the Mueller inquiry. Sater, who is Russian born, is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee days after a lawsuit was filed claiming that he had plotted to use 440m allegedly stolen from a Kazakhstan bank on a Trump Tower project in Moscow. It has also been claimed he helped hide payments made on three condominiums at the Dominick formerly the Trump SoHo hotel in New York. The lawsuit filed in a Manhattan court by BTA Bank and the City of Almaty on Monday alleges that Sater had personally arranged meetings between Trump and Ilyas Khrapunov, the son of a former mayor of the Kazakh capital, to discuss possible investments. Khrapunovs father-in-law, Mukhtar Ablyazov, a former chairman of BTA, is accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the bank and siphoning it offshore. Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer and confidante, who has cooperated with prosecutors after being arrested in the Mueller inquiry, was at one point hired to act for BTA Bank in the case. Khrapunov is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Trump is not accused of being engaged in any impropriety over the BTA money. In a statement, Sater said he denied BTAs baseless allegations". Ablyazov also denies wrongdoing. Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Show all 20 1 /20 Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet is one the richest in American history, filled with billionaires, conservatives and several career politicians. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pence US Vice President Mike Pence has defended Donald Trump throughout his presidency while walking a fine line to avoid any public involvement in major scandals. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo replaced Donald Trump's previous appointment to the post, Rex Tillerson, and has led talks with North Korea in establishing high-profile summits between the president and Kim Jong Un. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce Wibur Ross raised controversy when he was accused of falsely claiming to have sold stock in a bank and violated a government ethics agreement. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Lighthizer US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been a fixture in Donald Trump's ongoing trade spat with China. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet William Barr Attorney General William Barr replaced Jeff Sessions as the nation's top cop in early 2019 and has refused to commit to recusing himself from the Russia probe despite an unsolicited memo he sent to the Justice Department decrying the investigation. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Rick Perry Energy Secretary Rick Perry has held his post throughout Donald Trump's presidency despite previously undermining the need for the agency he now leads in past public statements. Ken Shipp / United States Department of Energy Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Betsy DeVos Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also held her post throughout the presidency, despite major backlash to her apparent undermining of the nationwide public school system and advocacy for charter programmes. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Steven Mnuchin Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has faced numerous controversies throughout his tenure as the head of Treasury, including costing taxpayers at least a million dollars in travel expenses. AP Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Wilkie was appointed after Donald Trump's White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdrew over allegations he provided prescription drugs to patients without prescriptions. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet David Bernhardt Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt took office in January 2019 after the resignation of Ryan Zinke after previously serving as Zinke's deputy. Before taking office Bernhardt worked for many years as a solicitor for the Department of the Interior. Tami Heilemann / United States Department of the Interior Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Elaine Chao Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has held her post throughout the presidency and has mostly avoided controversy, despite a report claiming her office has been in frequent coordination with her husband's, Mitch McConnell. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Kevin McAleenan Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan took over from Kirstjen Nielsen after she resigned in April 2019. He previously worked as the executive director of the executive director of the Office of Anti Terrorism in the Customs and Border Protection agency United States Customs and Border Protection Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Ben Carson Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was appointed shortly after Donald Trump took office and raised controversy over an exorbitant furnishing bill for his office. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Gina Haspel CIA Director Gina Haspel was appointed in 2018 and faced backlash surrounding her oversight of Guantanamo Bay. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Dan Coats Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats could be the next person to leave Donald Trump's administration over his refuting the president's claims surrounding ISIS. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Sonny Perdue Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been dogged by ethics questions throughout his tenure and faced controversy when emails showed the agency appeared willing to eagerly work with lobbyists under his leadership. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Alex Azar Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is a former pharmaceutical lobbyist and former drug company executive. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has described himself as one of the most conservative officials in the White House. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie has spent his career on Capitol Hill serving in various roles in foreign affairs and defence. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve. Gene Russell / United States Department of Veterans Affairs Sater was also due to appear before the House Intelligence Committee this week, but this has been temporarily postponed. The Committee wants to prioritise the quizzing of FBI and Justice Department officials, and members of Robert Muellers team, following Attorney General William Barrs decision that Trump will not be charged with obstruction of justice, and the Special Counsels conclusion that there was no collusion between the Trump team and Russia. Despite the presidents declaration that he has been completely exonerated by Mueller, and threats of retribution against those who took part in the investigation, scrutiny by Democrat members of Congress and state prosecutors into Trumps alleged Kremlin connections and his business interests continue. In another example of the emphasis of investigations on the money trail, the House Financial Services Committee revealed that Deutsche Bank has started handing over documents about its dealings with Trump. The German bank was one of the few financial institutions willing to work with Trump when others stopped dealing with him. One allegation is that Trump inflated the value of his assets to get loans from Deutsche and then used the funds to pay off other debts. In 2017 the Justice Department fined Deutsche Bank $630m (476m) for laundering money out of Russia. Sater, born Felix Sheferovsky, is a childhood friend of Michael Cohen. The two men were involved in the Trump Tower project in Moscow which, it has been claimed, Trump was determined to see get off the ground. Recommended Mueller report far from the end of scrutiny into Trump Sater was apparently convinced that Vladimir Putin would help Trump get to the White House and that he and Cohen would receive the due credit. Can you believe two guys from Brooklyn are going to elect a president? Sater reportedly emailed Cohen, someone briefed on the exchange told The Washington Post in 2017. He had allegedly said, in earlier messages, that the Russian president would back the development of Trump Tower in Moscow and that this would be part of a grand plan. Our boy can become President of the USA and we can engineer it, said one email, obtained by The New York Times. I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected, said another. Sater had been asked by Trump to squire Donald Junior and Ivanka on a trip to Moscow during which he arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putins chair in the Presidents office in the Kremlin. Ivanka later acknowledged that her trip to Moscow included a brief tour of Red Square and the Kremlin, and this may have involved sitting at Putins desk, although she could not quite remember whether she had done so. Trump on Mueller Decision: People Have Done Evil, Treasonous Things Cohen had made a number of serious allegations against Trump while giving evidence to Congressional Committees, including about the Trump Tower Moscow project. He claimed that Trump had tried to build it after his US presidential campaign began, while publicly denying having done so. Sater worked for real estate firm, Bayrock, which had a suite of offices two floors beneath the Trump Organisations headquarters in Trump Tower for eight years. Bayrock went into partnership with Trump on the construction of the Trump SoHo hotel. The two men appeared at ribbon cutting ceremonies for joint projects and went on business trips together and Sater used Trump Organisation business cards. Before getting into business with Trump, Sater had been convicted, in 1991, of slashing a man with a broken cocktail glass and jailed for a year. He was prosecuted again in 1998 for his role in an investment scam in which Russian and American organised crime groups targeted the elderly, some of whom were Holocaust survivors. Sater avoided prison (and a potential sentence of 20 years) that time by becoming an informer, eventually paying a $25,000 fine. Unsealed Justice Department documents claimed that he had provided information on al-Qaeda, the American mafia and Russian organised crime, as well as activities of foreign governments. Ilhan Omar has responded to Benjamin Netanyahu in an excoriating series of tweets after the Israeli prime minister rebuked her comments about the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) over US politics. Take it from this Benjamin. Its not about the Benjamins, Mr Netanyahu told an audience at Aipacs annual policy conference on Tuesday. The comments, in which he never mentioned Ms Omar by name, were a reference to tweets by the Democratic congresswoman earlier this month in which she claimed much of Israeli support by US politicians was all about the Benjamins a slang reference to money. Asked who she thought was paying members of Congress to support Israel, the lawmaker responded, AIPAC! She later apologised "unequivocally" for the tweets, which critics said featured the antisemitic trope of "Jewish money", but nevertheless on Tuesday she criticised Mr Netanyahus speech, claiming the topic PM Netanyahu chose to focus on was me. Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Show all 10 1 /10 Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police examine a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 Reuters Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A car damaged by the rocket AFP/Getty Images Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 AP We are not even 6 months out from the Pittsburgh massacre. We are not even 2 weeks out from the Christchurch massacre, Ms Omar, who is a Muslim, wrote. Yet the topic Netanyahu chose to focus on was me. White supremacist violence is on the rise globally. Right-wing extremists killed more people in the US in 2018 than any year since 1995. Anti-Semitic violence accounted for 58% of religious hate crimes. Yet the topic Netanyahu chose to focus on was me. Ms Omar went on to criticise Mr Netanyahus failure to mention his alliance with far-right party Jewish Power, and to defend herself against charges she is antisemitic. I like so many othershave not criticized Aipac because of its membership or the country it advocates for. Ive criticized it because it has repeatedly opposed efforts to guarantee peace and human rights in the region, she said, in reference to the plight of Palestinians. Netanyahu and the GOP may want to make this about one Muslim-American refugees views, but I am not alone, she continued, before naming a number of progressive organisations lobbying for a two-state solution. We cannot accept a status quo of perpetual armed conflict and occupation. We must forever strive towards peace. 'We will act against it vigorously and continuously' Netanyahu praises air force after airstrike in Syria In his speech, Mr Netanyahu addressed Israels military response to a rocket attack from Gaza, and praised Mr Trumps decision to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli territory and his pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, before moving onto antisemitism. I have a message to all the antisemites out there whether they live in modern Persia, in the palaces of Tehran or the bunkers of Beirut; whether they march through the streets of Charlottesville or murder worshippers in a synagogue in Pittsburgh; whether they voice their hatred in political parties in Britain, or Europe, or the United States The Jewish people do not bow down. We stand up. We fight. And we win. My friends, ladies and gentlemen, some people will just never get it. Theyll never understand why the vast majority of Americans Jews and non-Jews alike support Israel. Take it from this Benjamin, its not about the Benjamins. Benjamin Netanyahu's speech in full Good morning, AIPAC. Unfortunately, Im not able to be with you in person because I returned to deal with the security situation in Israel after that criminal rocket attack from Gaza on our territory. We responded with great force. In the last 24 hours, the IDF destroyed major Hamas terrorist installations on a scale not seen since the end of the military operation in Gaza four years ago. Now Im just coming from a meeting with our Chief of Staff and our senior command. And I can tell you, we are prepared to do a lot more. We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state. In the midst of these events, I wanted to speak to you and say two words. Thank you. Thank you, AIPAC. Thank you for bringing together 18,000 proud Americans and more than 4,000 American students who stand with Israel. Thank you for working year after year, decade after decade to strengthen the remarkable alliance between our two countries. And I can tell you that alliance has never been stronger. Thank you for working to strengthen support for Israel on both sides of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans alike. That is how it has always been and thats how it should always be. Yesterday at the White House, President Trump again made history. He formally recognized Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Now that deserves enormous applause. The Golan Heights is indispensable for our defense. Its part of our history. When you put a shovel in the ground there what you discover are the ruins of ancient synagogues. Jews lived there for thousands of years and the people of Israel have come back to the Golan. Israel holds the high ground, and we shall never, ever give it up. It is part of Israel. So on behalf of all the people of Israel, thank you, President Trump and thank you for all the historic decisions you have made. Im sure you remember that in 2015, I went to the American Congress. I spoke out against the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran. In 2018, President Trump walked out of that bad deal. He restored American sanctions against a genocidal regime in Tehran that vows to destroy the one and only Jewish state. He recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital. He moved the American embassy there. He put a great ambassador there, Ambassador David Friedman. You just heard him. And with Ambassador Ron Dermer, Israel and the United States have two of the greatest ambassadors on earth. Thank you, Ambassadors. Thank you, President Trump. Ladies and gentlemen, in recent weeks, weve heard a lot about the rise of forces who want to pull America and Israel apart. So I can tell you one thing. I guarantee you this. They will fail. They will fail. Our shared values are too deep. Our shared interests are too strong. Our shared destiny too intertwined. But having said that, I will also tell you we must never take anything for granted. Those who seek to defame this great organization AIPAC, those who seek to undermine American support for Israel, they must be confronted. Despite what they claim, they do not merely criticize the policies of Israels government. G-d Im used to that. That happens every five minutes. They do something else. They spew venom that has long been directed at the Jewish people. Again, the Jews are cast as a force for evil. Again, the Jews are charged with disloyalty. Again, the Jews are said to have too much influence, too much power, too much money. Ladies and gentlemen, you know what the best way to respond to this kind of hatred is? We read it. We read it just a few days ago in the Book of Esther when Mordechai confronted Haman of Persia. The best way to respond to those who hate the Jews is not to bow down to them. Its to stand up to them. So I have a message to all the antisemites out there whether they live in modern Persia, in the palaces of Tehran or the bunkers of Beirut; whether they march through the streets of Charlottesville or murder worshippers in a synagogue in Pittsburgh; whether they voice their hatred in political parties in Britain, or Europe, or the United States The Jewish people do not bow down. We stand up. We fight. And we win. My friends, ladies and gentlemen, some people will just never get it. Theyll never understand why the vast majority of Americans Jews and non-Jews alike support Israel. Take it from this Benjamin, its not about the Benjamins. The reason the people of America support Israel is not because they want our money, its because they share our values. They just dont get it. Its because America and Israel share a love of freedom and democracy. Its because we cherish individual rights and the rule of law. Its because we dont judge people by the color of their skin, their religion or their sexual orientation. I am proud of Israels vibrant democracy, where no one no one is a second-class citizen. All of Israels citizens are first-class citizens. All of Israels citizens whether Jew or Arab, Muslim, Christian, or Druze, have exactly the same individual rights. We vote in the same elections. Were subject to the same laws. We study in the same universities. And we are also treated in the same hospitals. But Israel is also the one and only country on earth in which the Jewish people exercise our collective right of self-determination. And that right is expressed in the Star of David that is on our flag, in the Hatikvah that is our national anthem, in Hebrew our official language and most powerfully, in the right of every Jew across the world to automatically immigrate to Israel and become a citizen if they choose to do so. It is these features of our collective existence that the Nation State bill enshrined into an historic constitutional law. And contrary to the false attacks and allegations, it did not denigrate any individual rights, which remain sacred and equal for all our citizens. And it will always be that way. Israel will always be a democracy, just as Israel will always be the Jewish State, a place where all Jews anywhere can always call home, no matter how they pray or how they wish to conduct their lives. Israel is the home of all Jews. That is why we all celebrate today the democratic, Jewish State of Israel. We know the truth. Ladies and gentlemen, the Jewish state that Herzl envisioned, the Jewish state that Ben-Gurion proclaimed, is the same Jewish state whose future I am working to secure. I hope the people of Israel continue to allow me to lead them for many years to come. And I am as confident as ever, that as Israel takes its rightful place among the nations, you will be there by our side. Youve always been there by our side. America will be there by our side. Thank you AIPAC. Thank you all for standing with Israel. May G-d bless you, may G-d bless America and may G-d bless our great alliance. Thank you all. A Republican senator has told Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that the true solution to climate change is to fall in love, get married, and have some kids. As the Senate voted against a measure sponsored by Ms Ocasio-Cortez and others that sought to push the US towards the use of renewable energy, Republican Mike Lee said their plan the so-called Green New Deal was ridiculous. During a speech that he illustrated with pictures and posters of dinosaurs, cartoon characters, babies and Aquaman, the senator from Utah claimed he was treating Ms Ocasio-Cortezs proposal with the seriousness it deserves. Unfortunately, fear is unavoidable when debating the substance of the resolution before this body today that is climate change, socialism, and the Green New Deal, Mr Lee said. Unlike some of my colleagues, I am not immediately afraid of what carbon emissions, unaddressed, might do to our environment, in the near-term future, or our civilisation or our planet in the next few years. Unlike others, I am not immediately afraid of what the Green New Deal would do to our economy and our government. After all, this isnt going to pass. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez participates in an event with Democratic members of Congress EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures The Democrat senator speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib AP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Senate chamber to watch two votes on January 24, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives with Chellie Pingree at a House Democratic Caucus meeting Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez during Donald Trump's State of the Union address Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures New York State Assembly member Catalina Cruz with Ocasio-Cortez AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Nydia Velazquez talks with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez casts her vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in the Queens borough of New York Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez outside the US Capitol AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez after casting her ballot in the 2018 midterm general election at a polling site in New York EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in Manhattan Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio Cortez looks on at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 16, 2019 AFP/Getty Mr Lee, a staunch conservative, also tweeted a photograph of his presentation. The solution to climate change is not this unserious resolution, but the serious business of human flourishing the solution to so many of our problems, at all times and in all places: fall in love, get married, and have some kids, he wrote. The 29-year-old New York congresswoman, known for her progressive policies and high media profile despite only taking her seat in January, quickly hit back. GOP Senators are using their congressional allowances to print Aquaman posters for themselves to argue that a #GreenNewDeal saving our nation from climate change is a waste of money, she tweeted. She added: Like many other women + working people, I occasionally suffer from impostor syndrome: those small moments, especially on hard days, where you wonder if the haters are right. But then they do things like this to clear it right up. If this guy can be senator, you can do anything. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticises moderate 'meh' policies The Green New Deal likely to emerge as one of the Democrats main talking points as they seek to take control of the White House in 2020. Many of the partys leading candidates seeking the nomination have backed the measure. Senators voted 57-0 against a procedural motion to take up the nonbinding resolution. Four Democrats joined all 53 Senate Republicans in opposing the motion to take up the plan, the Associated Press reported. Forty-three Democrats voted present to protest the GOPs action. Democrats accused Republicans of quashing debate by blocking public hearings and expert testimony about the consequences of inaction on climate change. Donald Trump is embarking on a trip to California next week as part of his re-election campaign efforts and plans to charge up to $150,000 (113,556) for the opportunity to meet him. An invitation to the upcoming event obtained by the local City News Service in Los Angeles, California showed tickets starting at $15,000 (11,351), which price tag only includes dinner. For those hoping to get a photograph with Mr Trump, the event will charge $50,000 (37,845) per ticket. And anyone who would like the chance to speak with Mr Trump as part of a roundtable discussion at the California event will have to pay $150,000 towards his election campaign fund. It remains unclear exactly how many tickets are available to participate in the roundtable discussion, or where exactly the event will be held when Mr Trump is due to appear on 5 April. 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 Presidential travel is usually not disclosed until after the commander in chief arrives at a designated location. The White House did not immediately return requests for comment. The president has routinely held campaign rallies and events throughout the course of his tenure in the White House, though he typically ventures to states he won in 2016 to meet with supporters and reignite his calls for things like border security and American jobs. It comes after it emerged nearly $1.3m (990,000) of donations to Mr Trumps re-election campaign had subsequently been transferred to businesses owned by the US president. The latest approval ratings show Mr Trump with just below 42 per cent of support across the country though, on average, he is much less popular in California than the rest of the country. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The president holds just 30 per cent of support statewide, according to a January approval poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California. Brunei is set to permit the stoning and whipping to death of LGBT+ people under a series of reforms to its penal code that are attracting international condemnation. New laws due to come into effect next Wednesday will see the tiny kingdom become the first nation in southeast Asia to impose the death penalty for those found engaging in same-sex intercourse. Homosexuality was already illegal and carried a long jail sentence in Brunei. However, the country is in the process of introducing a sharia law-style system for criminal punishment. Human rights groups have denounced the move, including Amnesty International, which described the new punishments as heinous and inhumane. It said same-sex relations would become a capital offence that could be carried out by whipping or stoning. LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty Amnesty warned other new laws would permit amputation as a punishment for robbery or theft a sentence that would also be carried out on children. Some of the potential offences should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender, said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a Brunei researcher for the organisation. Brunei must immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments, and revise its penal code in compliance with its human rights obligations. The international community must urgently condemn Bruneis move to put these cruel penalties into practice. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told The Independent Bruneis introduction of the death penalty for homosexuality was an: outrageous backward step that will damage the countrys international reputation. It could have adverse economic effects, he added. Talented LGBT employees will migrate abroad, foreign aid and trade is likely to diminish, and tourism revenue will fall as western tourists stay away. Brunei is a member of the Commonwealth. This law is in violation of the equality and non-discrimination clauses of the Commonwealth Charter. The Secretary General must speak out against Bruneis threat to LGBT human rights. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who rules Brunei by absolute monarchy, first introduced measures under the Sharia Penal Code in 2014, imposing fines or jail terms for offences such as pregnancy out of wedlock or failing to pray on Fridays. However, laws targeting LGBT+ people were shelved following international protests, including a boycott of the sultans exclusive Beverly Hills Hotel in California. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events But it appears the monarch will now implement the legislation, which he has in the past said should be regarded as special guidance from God. Around two thirds of the oil-rich nations 420,000 inhabitants are Muslim, while it is also home to significant Christian and Buddhist communities. There has been no vocal opposition to the new rules in Brunei, where public criticism of the sultan and his policies are extremely rare. The country has long been known for conservative policies such as banning the sale of alcohol and it already issues caning as a punishment under secular laws for several crimes including immigration offences. India has shot down a live satellite in space as part of a successful test of new missile technology, prime minister Narendra Modi has announced. The operation, dubbed Mission Shakti, makes India part of a super league of nations to have achieved such a feat, Mr Modi said, alongside the US, Russia and China. The announcement comes weeks after India engaged in aerial clashes with Pakistan over the disputed border of Kashmir. This new technology is not directed against any particular country, the prime minister said. The target of the test was one of Indias existing satellites operating in lower orbit, a foreign ministry source said, rather than an asset belonging to another country. Experts said a mini-satellite was put into low orbit one month ago, likely for this purpose. Mr Modis address, which he trailed as an important statement on Twitter, was simultaneously broadcast on All-India Radio and all national TV stations. Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Show all 28 1 /28 Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Activists of Al-Badr Mujahideen, an islamic militant group, burn an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an anti-India protest in Peshawar, Pakistan AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures A Pakistani girl holds a light candle during a vigil for peace in Lahore on March 3 AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures School children react as they celebrate the release of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan at a school in Ahmedabad Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan, stands under armed escort near Pakistan-India border in Wagah Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Indian Border Security Force soldiers patrol along the border with Pakistan EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures A videograb allegedly shows the captured Indian Air Force pilot in the custody of Pakistani military SWNS Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani civil society activists hold anti-war signs during a peace rally in Islamabad AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani civil society activists hold anti-war signs during a peace rally in Islamabad AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Activists of Al-Badr Mujahideen, an islamic militant group, burn an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an anti-India protest in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Kashmiri villagers look on at the smouldering wreckage of an Indian fighter jet after it was shot down by the Pakistani military AP Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Indian soldiers and Kashmiri onlookers stand look on as an Indian army helicopter lands near the site where an Indian Air Force jet was shot down by the Pakistani military AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures An Indian soldier gestures near the wreckage of an Indian Air Force fighter jet that was shot down by the Pakistani military AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Supporters of a Pakistani religious group Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba brand Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a terrorist at a rally to condemn Indian aggression AP Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Indian soldiers and Kashmiri villagers look on at the smouldering wreckage of an Indian fighter jet after it was shot down by the Pakistani military AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures India's Border Security Force soldiers patrol along the fenced border with Pakistan on February 26 Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Protesters in Pakistan march against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Indian airstrike on allege Pakistan terrorist camp EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Supporters of India's ruling Bhartiya Janta Party workers hold Indian flags as they celebrate the Indian airstrike on allege Pakistan terrorist camp AP Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Protesters in Pakistan march against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Indian airstrike on allege Pakistan terrorist camp EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures People in India burn an effigy that represents Pakistan as they celebrate the Indian airstrike on allege Pakistan terrorist camp Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Indian soldiers and Kashmiri villagers look on at the smouldering wreckage of an Indian fighter jet after it was shot down by the Pakistani military AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Bhartiya Janta Party workers hold Indian flags as they celebrate the Indian airstrike on allege Pakistan terrorist camp EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani Kashmiris in the border town of Chakoti walk past India-bound cargo trucks that are parked as the road to India is closed AP Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani Army soldiers escort journalists to the scene where Indian fighter jets struck in a violation of Pakistani airspace EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani Army soldiers escort journalists to the scene where Indian fighter jets struck in a violation of Pakistani airspace EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani Army soldiers escort journalists to the scene where Indian fighter jets struck in a violation of Pakistani airspace EPA Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Workers enter a concrete bunker that they have built in a residential area near the border Reuters Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani soldiers and journalists gather at the site where Indian fighter jets struck in a violation of Pakistani airspace AFP/Getty Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jets: Reaction in pictures Pakistani soldiers and journalists gather at the site where Indian fighter jets struck in a violation of Pakistani airspace AFP/Getty India is currently in election season, with polls opening in just over a couple of weeks, and under Indian law the government cannot make any policy or political announcements that might be seen as seeking to win votes. Questions will be raised over the timing of the test, so close to a general election. That India had the ability to do this was already very well known, said Pallava Bagla, NDTVs science editor. Madhavan Nair, the former chief of the Indian space agency Isro, said that Mr Modi has chosen to take this step ... To show that we have capabilities in this area, and that if another country targets Indias satellites, India could respond in a timely manner. He described it as a great achievement for the country. China conducted its first successful anti-satellite test in 2007, prompting protests from other world powers. The US and Russia had both tested similar technology by the 1980s, despite a 1967 UN treaty banning such activities. Washington ended its anti-satellite tests in 1985, citing concerns over the risk of creating large amounts of space debris. A source in Indias foreign ministry said its own test was deliberately conducted in the lower atmosphere to ensure whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto Earth within weeks. The US, China and Russia nonetheless continued to pursue anti-satellite (Asat) weapons, said Brahma Chellaney, a security expert at Delhis Centre of Policy Research. Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, Indias successful kill with an Asat weapon is significant. While India is in campaign mode, announcements by the government relating to national security do not require prior permission from the Election Commission. Nonetheless, Mr Modi concluded his TV statement by listing his administrations security achievements, appearing to blur the lines of what could be considered a political statement. Since Indias clash with Pakistan in February, the prime minister who is seeking re-election has gone to great lengths to make national security one of the key election issues. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last week, he changed his Twitter profile to Chowkidar (Watchman) Narendra Modi, and many of his ministers and supporters followed suit. Opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhis Congress party, have attacked the government on its record of jobs creation, farmers welfare and womens rights. In a tweet from its official account, Congress said it congratulate[s] Isro, DRDO (military research agency) & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. It noted that the Indian space programme and Isro itself were founded by past Congress leaders Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi followed that up with a tweet of his own, saying he was extremely proud of the DRDO research agency before adding a subtle dig at Mr Modi, wishing him a very happy World Theatre Day. Akhilesh Yadav, head of the socialist Samajwadi Party, was among the more outspoken opposition leaders to respond to Mr Modis announcement. The prime minister had, he said, got himself an hour of free TV to divert nations attention away from issues on ground ... By pointing at the sky. (CNN) Social media rumors of child abductions by members of the Roma ethnic minority have sparked a wave of violence in France, although authorities have dismissed the claims as baseless. French police called for calm Monday and said crowds had been attacking people they believed were responsible for the rumored abductions. In a tweet, police said rumors of a white van driving around the Paris suburbs of Nanterre and Colombes attempting to snatch young women had resulted in the false accusation and "lynching" of two people. "Do not share this false information," the police tweet continued. The pair were left with minor injuries after an attack involving around 20 people on March 16, the AFP news agency reported. Police said the rumors were "completely unfounded" and "no kidnapping has been confirmed" in another tweet Tuesday. The rumors were focused on people from the Roma ethnic minority, and police arrested 20 people after a number of attacks on the community, a police source told AFP. In a statement Tuesday, Roma advocacy group La Voix des Rroms said the racist stereotype of a Roma child-thief has been around in France since the Middle Ages. The group likened anti-Roma aggression to the massacre of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and called on people to form citizen protection groups to guard those whose lives are in danger. CNN has contacted the group for further comment. More violence took place on Monday in Bobigny and Clichy-sous-Bois, disadvantaged suburbs northeast of Paris, the source told AFP. There were no reports of injuries in that unrest. The agency said the rumors appeared to originate from Facebook and Snapchat. The attacks are "unacceptable," AFP reported government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux as saying. The incidents provided further evidence of "the absolute need to fight 'fake news,'" he added. "Spreading such rumors in a highly organized and viral way on social media results in violence (and) the stigmatization of a community," he said. In December, police in Versailles, 12 miles south of Paris, tweeted about the punishment for posting false rumors online. Under French law, you can be fined 45,000 to 135,000 ($51,000 to $153,000) for circulating fake news on the internet. The spread of rumors and fake news on social media is a growing problem worldwide. In July 2018, a spate of lynchings was triggered in India by rumors shared on the WhatsApp messaging service. Over six weeks, nearly a dozen people were killed in separate incidents after being falsely accused of child abduction based on WhatsApp rumors. This story was first published on CNN.com "Fake news sparks anti-Roma violence in France" Hendrickson worked for ArcelorMittal in Burns Harbor at the time as a mechanic and welder, and the "nature of his job had him working all over the mill property," court records state. Hendrickson "passed on that knowledge" to his friend Forster and Watkins and Forster committed the thefts, according to court records. Spain has issued two international arrest warrants after the extraordinary details of an alleged attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid were revealed by a judge. Information regarding what happened in the incident at the embassy last month had been scarce, but it was thought to have involved a group identifying themselves as human rights activists working to bring down the regime of Kim Jong-un. Now, a report by a National Court judge in Spain claims that an investigation has found 10 activists forced their way into the embassy using fake guns, knives and balaclavas, tied up and gagged staff including the North Korean envoy and stole hard drives and documents. The judge names suspects in the break-in, and identifies the alleged leader of the activists as Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen and US resident who helped co-found an aid organisation for North Korean defectors. In his report, which was unsealed on Tuesday, Judge Jose de la Mata says Hong Chang and the other activists were able to flee Madrid after the attack - even after a woman escaped the alleged hostage situation - by posing as embassy officials and telling police nothing was wrong. The activists then drove away in embassy vehicles. Members of the group made their way to Lisbon and then flew to New York, according to the judge. Once there, they contacted the FBI and sought to pass on information about North Korea obtained in the raid. The alleged attack, on 22 February, came a week before Mr Kims high profile meeting with US president Donald Trump in Hanoi. There has previously been speculation that the incident was linked to the former North Korean envoy to Spain, Kim Hyok Chol, who is now the countrys top nuclear negotiator with the US. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that a dissident group, Cheollima Civil Defense, had carried out the raid. On its website on Tuesday, the group claimed involvement but said it was not an attack and that the group had been invited into the embassy. The group, which campaigns for the removal of the Kim dynasty in North Korea, said no one was gagged or beaten and that no governments were involved. In his report, the judge said the current North Korean envoy, So Yun Sok, was encouraged by the activists to defect. He was gagged and bound after he refused to do so, it was claimed. In Spain, a High Court judge can order an investigation into an incident with a view to bringing charges. No charges have yet been brought in the case but an official with Spain's National Police told the Associated Press that arrest warrants were issued for Hong Chang and one other suspect. A judicial source also told the Reuters news agency that judge Jose de la Mata plans to request the extradition from the United States of members of the group. His report identified another as YS citizen Sam Ryu, and others as South Korean citizens. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the US government was not involved in the raid. The United States government had nothing to do with this," he told a regular news briefing, stressing that the United States called for the protection of all embassies, adding that further questions should be put to the Spanish authorities. The FBI said in a statement it was "our standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation", adding that the agency had a strong working relationship with Spanish law enforcement partners. Sung-Yoon Lee, a North Korea expert at Tufts University in the US, said it was shocking that the names of those allegedly involved in the raid had been released by the Spanish authorities. He said it put the lives of members of the group at risk of North Korean reprisals. "It seemed clear to me that the FBI had initially taken the position that the intel assets the group had retrieved at the embassy warranted the protection of the identities of the group," he told Reuters. "Observing this extraordinary situation unfold, who in the future would collaborate with the United States government were they ever to come into possession of high-value intelligence on North Korea obtained illegally? Lee asked. Additional reporting by agencies A British fugitive was snared by police after allegedly trying to flee Australia on a jet ski. Police said the 57-year-old was seen launching the jet ski from Pundsand Bay in Cape York, at the most northern point of Queensland, while possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies. A warrant was out for the arrest of the man, who was wanted for alleged drug-related offences in Western Australia. Border force officers believe he intended to travel to Papua New Guinea. The man was arrested on mudflats on the eastern side of Saibai Island, in the Torres Strait, after travelling about 90 miles. 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 He was taken to Thursday Island where he was held by police until his extradition to Western Australia. Commander Jo Crooks, of the Australian Border Force northern command, said the mans arrest was the result of a joint operation between border force, Australian Federal Police (AFP), and Queensland Police. We have the ability to detect a range of border threats, including suspicious movements through the region, said Commander Crooks. Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again. A spokesperson for AFP added: This arrest sends a strong message to would-be fugitives: our reach across Australia is second to none and we will use all our contacts and relationships to find you and bring you before a court. New cars and other vehicles will be sold in Europe with automatic anti-speeding systems fitted as standard from 2022, if new regulations are approved by MEPs. The intelligent speed assistance technology would be one of several innovations introduced in a bid to spur a big leap forward in road safety if voted through by the European parliament. Other systems mandated by the proposed rules include automated emergency braking and electronic data recorders designed to store vital data on the cars status in the moments immediately before a collision, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said. Automatic braking technology is intended to detect cyclists and pedestrians. All mandatory systems will be fitted to cars, vans, buses and lorries. The final shape of the proposed rules, hashed out by the European Commission, parliament and EU member statess representatives, was agreed on Monday night, said the ETSCs executive director, Antonio Avenoso. Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Show all 10 1 /10 Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Rick Haira Rick's car span out of control when it was clipped by a train while driving over a signal crossing New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dan Mason Dan had just turned 21 when he was hit by a drunk driver on the route home after a late shift New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Kahutia Foster Kahutia was heading back from his nephew's home when his car rolled on a coner, flipped and hit a tree New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dion Perry Dion was driving in wet conditions when his car span out and landed in a ditch New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Will Giles Will had to learn how to walk and talk again after he was hit from behind at an intersection New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Dylan Chirnside Dylan suffered a brain injury when another driver crashed into him New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories James McDonald James was suffering from sunstroke when he crashed into a lorry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Liam Bethell Liam broke most of his ribs, three discs in his back and was comatose for ten days after being hit by a lorry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Will Carberry New Zealand Transport Agency Belt Up: car crash survivors share their stories Rick Haira Rick's car span out of control when it was clipped by a train while driving over a signal crossing New Zealand Transport Agency In a statement, he added: There have only been a handful of moments in the last 50 years which could be described as big leaps forward for road safety in Europe. The mandatory introduction of the seat belt was one, and the first EU minimum crash safety standards, agreed in 1998, was another. If last nights agreement is given the formal green light, it will represent another of those moments, preventing 25,000 deaths within 15 years of coming into force. However, the body warned that holding a vote on the plans could take several more months due to upcoming European parliament elections in May. Individual countries must also approve them. Intelligent speed assistance works through video cameras that recognise speed limit signs, or a computer using GPS to advise drivers of the current speed limit, the ETSCs website said. The UKs delegation to the European Parliament said that the system intended for implementation will only alert the driver if they are speeding, not slow down their vehicle. It also said that black box data recorders will be used for research, and not to assign blame in crashes. Information they gather will not be given to insurers, the group added. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Edmund King, the president of the AA, said he welcomed such technology as automated emergency brakes, but told The Times that he believed smart speed limiters can be problematic when you suddenly switch from a 40 to a 30mph zone and there is a taxi right on your tail. Quickly slowing down isnt always the wise thing to do, he told the paper. The ETSCs scheme also includes new rules on sight lines for lorry drivers, and a plan for more easily fitting devices that prevent drink-driving into vehicles. This article has been updated to correct erroneous information regarding the intelligent speed assistance technology intended to be fitted to new vehicles, to reflect that the current proposals do not include devices that will physically slow down a car in motion. The previous version of this article used information about the systems taken from the ETCSs website. A six-year-old boy caught a three-year-old who jumped out of a window while his drunk relatives were asleep. The child, from southern Poland, has appeared on television to telling the story of how he caught the toddler. Footage, which appeared on the TVN24 channel shows the boy, only identified as Maciek, smiling as he shows the window, some 10 feet above ground, that three-year-old Kordian jumped from, in the town of Czechowice-Dziedzice. Maciek and another boy were playing nearby when they saw little Kordian gearing up to jump. Kordian, he said, "jumped and I caught him". World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The police were called and found Kordian's mother and grandfather were sleeping after consuming alcohol. Local police spokeswoman Elwira Jurasz said on TVN24 that Maciek will be rewarded for saving the child from potential injuries. Associated Press Ukraine is the kind of place where the bizarre rarely has the capacity to shock. In a presidential campaign that pits a man trying to find a wife against another trying to escape a suspect criminal history, and another trying to dupe elderly voters, the idea of a candidate holding a non-rally rally might also seem almost normal. Few of the 15,000 crowd who attended a concert by comedian Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraines fourth-largest city on Monday evening were particularly spooked. For many of them, it was an unexpected and free social occasion emboldened by spirits and Mr Zelenskys familiar if primitive brand of feel-good ditties and mother-in-law jokes. But for Mr Zelensky, 41, things have come a long way from such humour. Up until a month ago, his surprise candidacy was considered a technical one: a way, perhaps, for his backers to get leverage on the two front runners, president Petro Poroshenko and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Show all 32 1 /32 Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Activists of opposition parties burn flares during a rally demanding to break an agreement with Russia on the use of the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait, in front of the parliament building in Kiev Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Volunteers with the right-wing paramilitary Azov National Corps light flares during a rally on the snowy streets in front of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev after Russia seized two of their armored artillery vessels and a tug boat in the Black Sea AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Ukrainian Nationalists demand to break the diplomatic relations with Russia and nationalization of Russian property in Ukraine EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Ukrainian activists burn flares during their rally in front of Russian Consulate in Kharkiv EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Seized Ukrainian ships, small armoured artillery ships and a tug boat, are seen anchored in a port of Kerch Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, announced, on 25 November, at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council that they will introduce martial law in Ukraine for a period of 60 days and appeal to the Parliament to consider the move Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Russia seized two small-sized 'Berdiansk' and 'Nikopol' armored artillery boats. The 'Yany Kapu' tugboat has forcibly been stopped Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Children from an orphanage volunteer to help the city defenders strengthen trenches on Ukraine's Army positions near the village of Rybatske 25 km from Mariupol AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Policemen guard at Russian consulate during a protest action in the Black Sea Ukrainian city of Odessa AFP/Getty Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 AFP/Getty Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 With relations still raw after Russias annexation of Crimea and its backing for a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine, the capture of three Ukrainian naval vessels risks pushing the two countries towards a wider conflict. Graphic explains how the naval incident unfolded on a map Graphic News Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Activists of far-right parties burn flares in front of the parliament building in Kiev during a rally to support the Ukrainian navy Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 A Ukraine army APC moves toward on position at an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Ukrainian Nationalists sign a banner with a slogan reading like 'Not retreat and not surrendering!' EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 AFP/Getty Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Activists glue Ukrainian flag on the fence of Russian consulate AFP/Getty Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 A volunteer with the right-wing paramilitary Azov National Corps during a rally on the snowy streets in front of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 A National Guard serviceman extinguishes a torch thrown by a protester during a rally against the seizure by Russian special forces of three of the Ukrainian navy ships Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 A protester throws a smoke grenade during a rally in front of the embassy of Russia in Kiev AP Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Protestors set up paper ships on the tires during their rally near of Russian embassy building in Kiev EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 A man extinguishes a burning car of the embassy of Russia Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 Paper boats are seen placed during a protest Reuters Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 EPA Protests break out after Russia seize Ukraine warships in 2018 EPA At that point, the popular comedians presidential ambitions seemed limited to his fictional lead role in Servant of the People, a long-running TV series depicting a secondary school teacher who accidentally becomes president. But Mr Zelensky seems to be repeating that trajectory in real life. According to the latest poll figures, the performer has the backing of 32 per cent of those certain they will vote nearly twice that for Mr Poroshenko (17 per cent) and Ms Tymoshenko, on 14 per cent. According to veteran pollster Volodymyr Paniotto, director of the International Institute of Sociology, it is now almost certain that Mr Zelensky will make the second round, scheduled for 21 April, if none of the candidates receive 50 per cent of the first vote this Sunday. Given the enormous negative ratings of the other candidates, who are running neck and neck, the showman is favourite to win that too. Zelensky is so far ahead of both Poroshenko and Tymoshenko that they will go through [to the second vote] even if his electorate largely fails to turn up, which is possible given the young demographic, he says. The performers appeal is largely built on solid name recognition and social media presence. Even before the election campaign began, he had 2.8 million subscribers on Instagram and half a million on Facebook. But perhaps his most effective weapon is his ability to mask a political persona behind his happy-go-lucky screen identity. At the Dnipro concert, it was impossible to distinguish where the showman ended and the presidential candidate began. He was the man of the people. He was a man who talked about children and the future. He was the man who sang chirpy songs with names such as Life is Beautiful. And the man who paused the show to reunite a little girl who had become separated from her grandad. What he wasnt was a man of any discernible political policy. This is a concert, not a political rally, remember, Mr Zelensky teased. Ha ha ha. Only at the end of the 90-minute gig did candidate Zelensky briefly emerge. In a short monologue, which also avoided any mention of policy, he declared he was ready to lead Ukraine out of the darkness. Weve lived the last 28 years in a thick, dark forest, where every once in a while someone comes along and says they will show you the light. They promise so much, but they just take us round and round the woods. Raise your eyes, people, and find the light. Were fed up with the dinosaurs who have been with us for 15 years Valya Vladimirova The comedians charismatic manner clearly played well with his audience, who howled his name in delight. Student Valya Vladimirova, 19, says people like her could identify with a man like Mr Zelensky, and predicted he would sweep the youth vote. Were fed up with the dinosaurs who have been with us for 15 years, she says. Alisa Rosenko, 53, said she had heard about the free concert from a colleague at the sewing factory where she works. Originally from nearby Krivoi Rog, the same industrial town where Mr Zelensky spent his childhood, she said all her working-class friends were rooting from him. We want him to save us from the selfish pigs who run this country, she says. When The Independent called in on Mr Zelenskys Kiev campaign headquarters, his chief strategist Dmitry Razumkov insisted the decision to dispense of clear political messaging in favour of such concerts was an accident rather than planning. The concerts had already been scheduled, he insisted; the team had limited funds and, besides, he said, it was not certain that they would have got permission to hold rallies. But later, the strategist conceded it was the plan all along. They wanted to do things differently and that meant avoiding a traditional political campaign. But some question how different the campaign really is. Little, for example, is known about the true extent to the comedians political relationship with controversial oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, whose animosity towards Petro Poroshenko is well known. Mr Kolomoisky has rarely been seen in Ukraine since the forced nationalisation of PrivatBank, where he was the main shareholder, in 2016. Mr Kolomoiskys 1+1 TV channel has been the principle home for Mr Zelenskys creative output over the last 15 years. And a look at the channels schedule leaves little secret of where its sympathies lie. This week sees the timely premiere of the third season of Mr Zelenskys Servant of the People. Then, on Saturday, which according to Ukrainian electoral law is a day of campaign silence, the channel will present a whole day of Zelensky-themed programmes. These will include an hour-long profile of Ronald Reagan, actor-turned-president, voiced by none other than Mr Zelensky. To be honest, Ive ceased understanding what it is you need to shock the Ukrainian electorate Volodymyr Paniotto On Wednesday, Mr Poroshenko said he had filed a libel suit against Mr Kolomoisky and his channel. In a statement, he said he had done so to protect Ukraine from the attacks of a fugitive oligarch who sits abroad and thinks that he can control the strings of Ukrainian puppets. The speculation about the influence of oligarchs does not seem to have had a major effect on Mr Zelenskys chances, says Mr Paniotto. Ukrainians seem to accept politicians are connected with oligarchs, he says. Many larger scandals have failed to have an impact too. To be honest, Ive ceased understanding what it is you need to shock the Ukrainian electorate. Four children have been killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a remote hospital in Yemen, according to Save the Children. Three others were killed during the attack on Tuesday, and at least eight others were wounded after the missile struck a petrol station near the entrance of the rural hospital, around 100km from Saada in the country's northwest, the charity said. Two adults remain unaccounted for. A health worker and their two children were among those killed. The hospital supported by the charity had just opened for the day and many patients and staff were said to be arriving on the busy morning. We are shocked and appalled by this outrageous attack. Innocent children and health workers have lost their lives in what appears to have been an indiscriminate attack on a hospital in a densely populated civilian area, said Kevin Watkins, CEO of Save the Children, who has visited some of the charity's health facilities in Yemen. Attacks like these are a breach of international law. Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem The attack comes as the devastating conflict enters its fifth year, which the UN says had left at least 10,000 dead, displaced more than 3 million people, and left most of the population food insecure. The civil war pits Houthi rebels who control northern Yemen against the Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognised government. UN experts have accused both sides of committing possible war crimes. The damage after a missile struck a gas station near the entrance to Kitaf rural hospital 100 km from the city of Saada, Yemen (SAVE THE CHILDREN) Some 37 children have been killed per month in bombs in the last year, according to Save the Children. The Saudi-led coalition has been accused by rights groups of targeting hundreds of hospitals as part of its aerial campaign against rebels in the north. The coalition denies these claims. Five opposition parties wrote to the British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday, urging the government to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Since the release of the trailer for Us, the latest box-office horror smash from Jordan Peele, the writer-director-producer has been very clear about the intention behind his casting decisions. The main characters in the film a young successful family, the Wilsons, later hounded by their own doppelgangers while on an otherwise idyllic beach-house holiday are black. Not because of any unhidden themes of internalised racism, or the fetishisation of black suffering, as with Peeles 2017 gem Get Out, but because they just are. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the haunting trailer, in which the Wilsons vibe out to an eerie rendering of Lunizs I Got 5 on it in the car before everything descends into chaos, Peele said (as far back as December): Unlike Get Out, Us is not about race. It is instead about something that I feel has become an undeniable truth. And that is the simple fact that we are our own worst enemies. The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us Dead Again Jordan Peele was clearly influenced by the scissor scene in Dead Again. The 1991 movie was directed by Kenneth Branagh and starred his then-wife Emma Thompson, as the murder victim whose husband (Branagh) is found guilty of the crime and condemned to death. The film then jumps from 1949 to 40 years later, with private detective Mike Church (Branagh) begins to investigate the identity of a woman who appeared at the orphanage where he grew up. YouTube/screengrab The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us The Shining Peele has mentioned on several occasions that this is an important film to him. Stanley Kubrick's famous film was adapted from Stephen King's equally famous novel, and stars Jack Nicholson as writer and recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance, who becomes the caretaker of an isolated hotel. Warner Bros The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us The Babadook A terrifying figure from a children's book becomes a living nightmare for a young boy and his mother. The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us It Follows This 2014 supernatural psychological thriller has its characters stalked by an entity who they can only escape from by having sex with someone, who then becomes the next victim. The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us A Tale of Two Sisters South Korean filmmaker Kim Jee-woon made this twisted account of two sisters in the countryside who are haunted by awful visions of their late mother. YouTube The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us The Birds Hitchcock's classic but still-terrifying horror movie stars Tippi Hedren as Melanie, a woman who finds herself the victim of an increasing number of vicious bird attacks. Hedren's account of the gruelling film-making process, where Hitchcock went to great effort to elicit real fear from her, was turned into a movie of its own. The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us Funny Games This dark home invasion thriller is about two men who hold a family hostage and subject them to a series of twisted games. YouTube The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us Martrys In this highly controversial film, a young girl escapes a slaughterhouse where she has been held captive by unknown captors. After being placed in an orphanage, she suffers terrifying visions of a disfigured woman. The film delves deeper into the world of a secret society that shares terrifying ideas about the creation of 'martyrs'. YouTube The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us Let the Right One In The Swedish version (although the US remake was pretty good) is about the friendship between an introverted, bullied young boy and a vampire girl. The 10 horror films Jordan Peele told Lupita Nyong'o to watch for Us The Sixth Sense One of the best works from M Night Shyamalan, master of 'the twist', about a haunted boy sent to therapy because he 'sees dead people'. Getty The story itself isnt some deep foray into the inner workings of racial politics and pain in America; its a fun, albeit expertly crafted, blockbuster largely about duality. But still, it seems a select few are having a hard time accepting that. In some cases, the response could have something to do with Get Outs legacy. Were still reeling from the simultaneous truth and absurdity of it. Of having something so real microaggressions and white supremacy represented so well in such a horrifying, supernatural way. But Id wager that the inability to see this film as a story about the every family delves into something a little deeper: the challenge of placing a group traditionally othered in the west them at the forefront of a universal narrative (Us), forcing everyone whos ever struggled to resonate with people who dont look like them in film to see this all black, all dark-skinned American family as part of a shared experience, their experience, all our experience. Addressing the issue again this month in an interview with Polygon, Peele said: All I wanted to put into place was the simple notion that for every us there is a them. And that whoever the us is that you identify with, there is a way we relate to them. So why are some people struggling with that idea? The horror genre is deeply reliant on our ability to relate to the main characters. In Hollywood, the stars of those stories are almost always white. And thats because whiteness has been presented as synonymous with normality, whereas blackness when its not shaped by black directors and writers usually serves some other secondary purpose. If a characters whiteness doesnt resonate with, say, me, a black woman, the universal themes in their story are expected to. And they do. We gravitate towards the starring roles that we feel represent us, except that luxury rarely extends to people of colour. Were often driven to think about blackness in film in terms of what those experiences can teach us, or what deep feelings of guilt, pain or sadness they can evoke in us. And thats not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it pertains to true stories. But when theres no discernable contrast to that, it means were pushed into a box. Its the same reason the Green Books of the world keep coming out on top during awards season. It also explains why, for so long, white people have shown a selective exposure to movies with casts of colour. They cant see beyond the otherness, and theyre rarely forced to. But that might all be changing. Because yesterday, during a talk at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Peele said he had no interest in casting a white man in the lead of any of his upcoming movies. One of the best, greatest pieces of this story, is feeling like ... a renaissance has happened and proved the myths about representation in the industry are false. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events I couldnt agree more. Really, the act of framing a mainstream horror around a black family and barely ever mentioning it should be revolutionary enough on its own. Not in the sense that its possible to see past race, or that race doesnt have a hand in framing our experiences of the world, but because this is new for so many of us. Were not used to this. The average all-American onscreen family, especially in mainstream horror, has almost always been white. Thats changing now, and clinging on to old tropes wont do anything to bring us more mould-breaking films like these. Very little was surprising about the conclusion of the special counsel's investigation. For one thing, it wasn't surprising that Robert Mueller's probe prompted great commotion a federal investigation involving a sitting president is a momentous event, and concluding it, a historic moment. And most, but not all, of the details in the attorney general's letter of principal conclusions were unsurprising as well. Let's start with the question of collusion. It was never precisely clear what that nonlegal concept meant. If it means what Mueller reasonably took it to mean an agreement, tacit or express, with the Russians to interfere with the 2016 presidential election, or, in effect, a conspiracy with the Russians then it was always virtually unimaginable that collusion, so defined, would ever be found. Russian agents didn't need Americans to help them do what they were doing hacking and posting disinformation. If anything, involving Americans, including some apparently blockish ones, could only have fouled up their plans. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Collusion or, rather, no collusion was bound to become a straw man for Donald Trump and his supporters to knock down with glee. Yet that hardly means that the investigation (which, thanks to Paul Manafort's largesse, actually turned a neat profit) was either a witch hunt or a waste of time. After all, it was a counterintelligence investigation as well as a criminal probe. A core objective the overarching one, really was to find out exactly what the Russians were doing. Another was to find out whether there were links between the Trump campaign and Russia's activities. As matters turned out, and quite surprisingly, we now know from public sources that there were links aplenty. So who knows what we might learn on these subjects from Mueller's still-unreleased report? As Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said: Russia's ongoing efforts to interfere with our democracy are dangerous and disturbing. He added that he would welcome the special counsel's contributions towards understanding them. As for whether the president obstructed justice, that question was always dicey. No one should have been surprised that it raised, as attorney-general William Barr's letter put it, quoting Mueller, 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. On the law, Barr was probably not wrong to suggest, as he did as a private citizen, that there's a difference under the statutes between a president destroying evidence or encouraging a witness to lie and a presidential directive saying: Don't waste your time investigating that. But that doesn't mean the latter can't be an impeachable offence. On the facts, obstruction turns on what's in a defendant's mind often a difficult thing to determine, and especially difficult with a mind as twisted as Trump's. And complicating things even more, paradoxically, is the fact that some of Trump's arguably obstructionist conduct took place in full public view something that, with a normal person with normal moral inhibitions, would have indicated a lack of criminal intent. But in the head of Donald J. Trump, who knows? So it should have come as no surprise that the obstruction case was difficult, and inconclusive. But Barr's letter revealed something unexpected about the obstruction issue: that Mueller said his report does not conclude that the President committed a crime but that it also does not exonerate him. The report does not exonerate the president? That's a stunning thing for a prosecutor to say. Mueller didn't have to say that. Indeed, making that very point, the president's outside counsel, Rudolph Giuliani, called the statement a cheap shot. But Mueller isn't prone to cheap shots; he plays by the rules, every step of the way. If his report doesn't exonerate the president, there must be something pretty damning in it about him, even if it might not suffice to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. And in saying that the report catalogu(ed) the president's actions, many of which took place in public view, Barr's letter makes clear that the report also catalogues actions taken privately that shed light on possible obstruction, actions that the American people and Congress yet know nothing about. At the same time, and equally remarkably, Mueller, according to Barr, said he ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment regarding obstruction. Reading that statement together with the no-exoneration statement, it's hard to escape the conclusion that Mueller wrote his report to allow the American people and Congress to decide what to make of the facts. And that is what should must happen now. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events But whether the Mueller report ever sees the light of day, there is one charge that can be resolved now. Americans should expect far more from a president than merely that he not be provably a criminal. They should expect a president to comport himself in accordance with the high duties of his office. As all presidents must, Trump swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, and to faithfully execute his office and the laws in accordance with the Constitution. That oath requires putting the national interests above his personal interests. Yet virtually from the moment he took office, in his response to the Russia investigation, Trump has done precisely the opposite: relentlessly attacked an attorney general, Mueller, the Justice Department including suggesting that his own deputy attorney general should go to jail. Lied, to the point that his own lawyers wouldn't dare let him speak to Mueller, lest he commit a crime. Been more concerned about touting his supposedly historic election victory than confronting an attack on our democracy by a hostile foreign power. If the charge were unfitness for office, the verdict would already be in: guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Washington Post He pointed out that the former Burlington Coat Factory building has the same square footage that a study conducted last year recommended for a convention center in the region, and that the needed traffic signals, access points and drainage are already in place, resulting in an overall cost savings over starting from scratch. The DUP has said it will not support the British government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because "the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured". Prominent Brexiteer and chair of the influential ERG group of Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be guided on how the DUP acted. He said if the party abstained the deal could get the support required. However, Nigel Dodds tweeted: "The DUP do not abstain on the union". In a statement on Wednesday evening the DUP said good discussions had taken place with the government with progress made on domestic legislation. "All concerned recognise the need to ensure that as we leave the European Union the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is maintained. "However, given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured between the Government and the European Union, and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote." The statement continued: "The backstop if operational has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain. "We want to secure the United Kingdoms departure from, and our future relationship with, the European Union on terms that accord with our key objectives to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom. "In our view the current withdrawal agreement does not do so and the backstop, which we warned this Government against from its first inception, poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and will inevitably limit the United Kingdoms ability to negotiate on the type of future relationship with the EU." Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she would quit if her twice-defeated EU divorce deal passes at the third attempt, making a last-ditch attempt to persuade rebels in her Conservative party to back her, an MP in her party said. Mrs May has told Conservative MPs she "will not stand in the way" of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." Mrs May "will go if deal gets through," said the MP, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Suggests she goes after a deal." Another Conservative member said that while May had not given a date, the impression was that she would go "reasonably soon". Mrs May's announcement is the latest dramatic turn in the United Kingdom's three-year Brexit crisis, but it is still remains uncertain how, when or even if it will leave the European Union. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May's offer to step down in exchange for support for her deal showed her Brexit talks were "about party management, not ... the public interest". "Theresa May's pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest," he said on Twitter. "A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide." Many of the Conservative rebels who want a cleaner break from the EU than May's deal would deliver had made it clear that they would only consider supporting her agreement if she gave a firm commitment and date for her resignation. Mrs May had already promised to step down before the next election, due in 2022. By agreeing to go sooner, she increases the chances of her EU deal passing before the new April 12 deadline. John Bercow has issued a fresh warning that substantial changes are required to allow a third meaningful vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal. The Commons Speaker insisted the Government must "meet the test of change" having previously ruled that another meaningful vote would not be accepted for consideration without substantial changes, which he indicated should include a negotiated change with the EU. His remarks came before Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay revealed the Government would table a motion to enable the Commons to sit on Friday as it bids to secure approval for its deal. Mr Bercow also selected eight of the 16 Brexit alternative proposals tabled for consideration under the indicative vote process. They include a referendum on any Brexit deal passed by Parliament, a new version of the common market, no deal and revoking Article 50. Votes are expected from 7pm. Speaking before the debate on the Brexit alternatives, Mr Bercow said: "I understand the Government may be thinking about bringing a third meaningful vote before the House either tomorrow or even on Friday, if the House opts to sit that day. "Therefore, in order there should be no misunderstanding, I wish to make clear that I do expect the Government to meet the test of change. "They should not seek to circumvent my ruling by means of tabling either a notwithstanding or a paving motion, the tabling office has been instructed no such motion would be accepted." Responding to Mr Bercow's statement, a Government source said outside the chamber that the Speaker was "making it up as he goes along". Mr Barclay later told MPs: "In order to maximise our ability to secure that approval the Government will, later today, table a motion for the House to sit this Friday." He added: "While I appreciate it may cause some inconvenience, I hope all members would agree that it's better to have it and to not need it, than to need it and not have it." Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who led efforts to allow MPs to seize control of the Commons agenda, earlier denied he is leading an "insurgency" and maintained he supports the Government's Withdrawal Agreement. He said of the indicative vote procedure: "Should meaningful vote three pass on Thursday or Friday, there would be no further need for the whole of this process." Speaking in favour of the no-deal amendment, Tory MP John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) said: "Let's back this country and if we can't get a good deal, then let's actually get back to economic reality and realise we already trade profitably with the majority of the world's GDP outside the EU on WTO terms, there is no reason we can't trade within the EU on such terms." Tory former minister Nick Boles, speaking in favour of Common Market 2.0, said he wanted to make the case for "compromise". He said: "After years of paralysing conflict we have a moral duty to open our minds this afternoon and reach for a compromise that will allow us to put the interminable Brexit row behind us." For Labour, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said his party would whip its MPs to back its alternative plan amendment, Tory former minister Ken Clarke's customs union measure, and Labour former minister Dame Margaret Beckett's call for a confirmatory public vote. He said of Dame Margaret's amendment M: "At this stage it's now clear that any Brexit deal agreed in this Parliament needs further democratic approval." Father of the House Mr Clarke said he will vote for what he "can live with", saying the UK is "doomed to leave" the EU in the next two or three years. Outlining support for the common market idea, he said: "My duty now is to exercise my judgment as to what is the national interest that will minimise the damaging consequences and perhaps save some of the better features for future generations." Mr Barclay criticised the amendments brought forward, saying none of them delivered the same benefits as the Prime Minister's deal which, he said, remains the best option. Mr Barclay said: "What we see from the amendments before the house is a range of sub-optimal solutions which either don't deliver on the referendum result or do so in a way that doesn't deliver the benefits of the Prime Minister's deal. "That is why the Prime Minister's deal remains the best way of meeting the biggest vote in our history, delivering on that referendum result, and doing so in a way that is best for protecting business." Tory MP George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth) spoke about Motion H which, he said:"Involves leaving the European union, but re-joining the European Free Trade Association and relying on our existing rights under the treaty establishing the EEA. "It differs from the common market 2.0 proposal in a couple of important areas. "Firstly it does not envisage the need for a customs union, and secondly it does not necessarily require the existing withdrawal agreement that the Prime Minister has been putting to the House." Mr Eustice said using existing treaties would avoid the need to "wade through treacle" with EU legislation which, he acknowledged, moved at a "glacial pace". European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) talks with European Council President Donald Tusk ahead of a debate on the outcome of the latest European Summit on Brexit, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire Theresa May has moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote when the House of Commons passes its judgment on different Brexit options on Wednesday evening. But the British Prime Minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the "indicative votes", whips have indicated. Mrs May was warned she could face "north of a dozen" resignations if she tried to force ministers to toe her line when the Commons votes on eight options, ranging from no-deal to a second referendum, a customs union or revocation of the Article 50 letter triggering Brexit. Meanwhile, Labour MPs have been told to back a motion tabled by former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, which would require any Brexit deal passed during this Parliament to be confirmed in a public referendum before ratification. Jeremy Corbyn's party is also whipping its MPs to back its own alternative Brexit plan as well as a customs union proposals tabled by veteran Tory europhile Ken Clarke. And they are being encouraged to back Nick Boles's "Common Market 2.0" proposal for single market membership and a close customs arrangement, which Mr Corbyn himself will support. Speaker John Bercow selected just eight out of the 16 Brexit options tabled by MPs for a vote, turning down proposals to demand a unilateral right to leave the Northern Irish "backstop" or to require automatic revocation of Article 50 if no deal is reached. The motions selected by Mr Bercow as part of the indicative vote process are: Expand Close Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire B) No deal - moved by Tory MP John Baron. D) Common market 2.0 - moved by Tory MP Nick Boles H) Efta and EEA - moved by Tory MP George Eustice. J) Customs union - moved by Tory MP Ken Clarke. K) Labour's alternative plan - moved by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. L) Revocation to avoid no-deal - moved by SNP MP Joanna Cherry. M) Confirmatory public vote - moved by Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett. O) Contingent preferential arrangements - moved by Tory MP Marcus Fysh. He did not select the Malthouse Compromise Plan A drawn up by backbenchers from Leave and Remain wings of the Tory Party, which would have implemented Mrs May's deal with the backstop replaced by alternative arrangements. Mrs May has said she will not regard the results of Wednesday's votes - and a follow-up session next Monday designed to find a consensus solution - as binding. But Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 5 Live's Emma Barnett that the Prime Minister "would obviously have to be removed" if she ignored a consensus emerging from the indicative votes process. Mrs May is likely to face calls from Tory MPs for her to name a date for her departure as a price for their support for her deal, when she addresses the backbench 1922 Committee before Wednesday's votes. Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom has said there is a "real possibility" there would be sufficient support for the Government to stage a third "meaningful vote", either on Thursday or Friday this week. She said ministers were continuing to talk to MPs - including those in the DUP, who prop up the Government at Westminster and whose votes may be crucial in determining the outcome. Expand Close DUP Leader Arlene Foster. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DUP Leader Arlene Foster. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Mrs Leadsom told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think that there is a real possibility that it does (come back). "We are completely determined to make sure that we can get enough support to bring it back." Securing a "meaningful vote" this week would mean the Government had met the deadline set by the EU for an extension of the Article 50 withdrawal process to May 22 to allow it to complete the preparations for leaving. Otherwise the Prime Minister will have to come forward with an alternative approach by April 12, which would involve either a lengthy delay or Britain leaving with no deal at all. Her comments came as a number of leading Conservative Brexiteers signalled they were ready to fall into line amid fears Brexit could be lost altogether if it does not get through. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group, told Today: "I think that we have got to the point where legally leaving is better than not leaving at all. "Half a loaf is better than no bread." He said his only condition for supporting the deal was that Mrs May wins round the DUP, who continue to hold out against the plan. "I won't abandon the DUP because I think they are the guardians of the union of the United Kingdom," he said. His comments came after Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson hinted on Tuesday he might be ready to swing behind the deal. "If we vote it down again, for the third time, there is now, I think, an appreciable risk that we will not leave at all," he told an audience of Daily Telegraph readers. But the former foreign secretary stressed he was "not there yet" and indicated a change at the top of the party may be required to win him over. "If people like me are to support this deal... then we need to see the proof that the second phase of negotiations will be different from the first," he said. Wednesday's votes are taking place after MPs seized control of the Commons agenda allowing them to consider a range of alternatives. In a highly unusual change to normal procedures, MPs will take part in a paper ballot voting Yes or No to each of the options selected by Speaker John Bercow. Mrs Leadsom again warned the Government would not necessarily be bound by the outcome as some of the options were "undeliverable". "We will look very carefully at it but the reality is that it may not be negotiable and certainly not within the time frame," she said. The architect of the cross-party plan, Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, warned MPs could force the Government to act if it tried to ignore the results. "Those who I am working with across the parties will move to legislate to mandate the Government - if we can obtain majorities in the House of Commons and House of Lords for that - to carry that forward," he told the Today programme. Irish companies are the most pessimistic they have been in eight years as Brexit approaches, according a new survey published this morning. And with the UKs departure from the EU just weeks away, a worrying number of manufacturing and services businesses have still no firm plans to deal with what is arguably the biggest economic upheaval many of them will ever face. The survey, for AIBs business activity report, was undertaken by IHS Markit among 650 businesses in the Irish manufacturing and services sectors. It found that just 16pc of those companies have a written Brexit plan, and only 54pc of them have done some investigating into planning for Brexit. Thats despite numerous Brexit-planning events that have been held all over the country by Government and industry agencies over the past year. Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) will today warn that a global economic slowdown will reduce the pace of expansion here this year and next, regardless of Brexit. In its quarterly report, the ESRI cut its growth forecast to 3.8pc for 2019 from 4.2pc. The economy grew by 6.7pc last year. It expects growth of 3.2pc in 2020 and said there would be a shift from the export-driven growth of recent years to consumption and investment. The ESRI warned yesterday that if Britain left the EU without a deal or transition period, growth would be just 1.2pc this year and 2.4pc in 2020. Brexit is also hitting hiring plans, the AIB survey found. A net balance of just 18pc of firm surveyed said they will continue with staff increases the lowest level since June 2012. And of those expecting to continue hiring, many feel their ability to recruit skilled labour will be hampered, according to the AIB report. However, the ESRI pointed out this week that its reasonable to assume that Ireland will experience higher immigration as a result of Brexit. Good English-language skills are a valuable form of human capital and this factor combined with Irelands relatively favourable growth prospects (even in the context of Brexit), may mean that potential EU migrants will be willing to move to Ireland in the future if they are no longer able to go to the UK, said the ESRI report. AIBs head of business banking, Catherine Moroney, said the survey was undertaken near the end of February, and that uncertainty has probably increased in recent days. Ms Moroney said Irish businesses sentiment still remains positive. Irish businesses are still more optimistic than their European counterparts and positive overall in their outlook, she said. BRITISH MPs have passed secondary legislation to delay the date of Brexit by a 336 majority, but all eight indicative vote options were defeated. The delay vote was carried by 441 yes votes to 105 no votes in the House of Commons tonight. The UK is now on course to leave the EU on May 22 if MPs approve Mrs May's Brexit deal this week. If it is not approved, it is likely that they will leave without a deal on April 12. The results of the indicative vote process were announced without a majority outcome, with the parliament planning to consider the matters on Monday. The results were: B) No deal - moved by Tory MP John Baron. Yes 160 - No 400 Proposes leaving the EU without a deal on April 12. Expand Close Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay speaking in the House of Commons after MPs rejected all eight of the indicative votes chosen by Speaker John Bercow on Wednesday evening. Photo: PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay speaking in the House of Commons after MPs rejected all eight of the indicative votes chosen by Speaker John Bercow on Wednesday evening. Photo: PA Wire D) Common market 2.0 - moved by Tory MP Nick Boles Yes 188 - No 283 Continued participation in the single market and a comprehensive customs arrangement with the EU until a wider trade deal is negotiated. H) Efta and EEA - moved by Tory MP George Eustice. Yes- 65 No- 377 Negotiate a relationship with the EU similar to Norways. J) Customs union - moved by Tory MP Ken Clarke. Yes 264 - No 272 Requires a commitment to negotiate a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU. K) Labour's alternative plan - moved by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Yes 237 - No 307 A close economic relationship with the EU, including a customs union. L) Revocation to avoid no-deal - moved by SNP MP Joanna Cherry. Yes 184 - No 293 Government would have to stage a vote on a no-deal Brexit if Theresa May's deal not voted through. If no-deal is voted down, the Government would then revoke Article 50, bringing a halt to the UK's departure from the EU. M) Confirmatory public vote - moved by Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett. Yes 268 - No 295 A referendum to confirm any Brexit deal passed by the UK Parliament before its ratification. O) Contingent preferential arrangements - moved by Tory MP Marcus Fysh. Yes 139 - No 422 This option mean the government would "at least reciprocate the arrangements put in place by the EU and or its Member states to manage the period following the UK's departure from the EU". After the vote, Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay said tonights results show there is "no easy way forward" and encouraged MPs to back Mrs May's deal. He said: "The results of the process this House has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the Government has negotiated is the best option. "If you believe in delivering on the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then it's necessary to back the Withdrawal Agreement - if we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end. "It's for that reason that I call on all members from across this House in the national interest to back the Prime Minister's deal." This comes just hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that she will quit if her twice-defeated EU divorce deal passes at the third attempt, making a last-ditch attempt to persuade rebels in her Conservative party to back her, an MP in her party said. Mrs May has told Conservative MPs she "will not stand in the way" of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." Mrs May "will go if deal gets through," said the MP, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Suggests she goes after a deal." Another Conservative member said that while May had not given a date, the impression was that she would go "reasonably soon". Earlier this evening, the DUP said it will not support the British government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because "the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured". In a statement on Wednesday evening the DUP said good discussions had taken place with the government with progress made on domestic legislation. "All concerned recognise the need to ensure that as we leave the European Union the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is maintained," Ms Foster said. The results of the votes come as Theresa May announced that she will quit if her twice-defeated EU divorce deal passes at the third attempt, making a last-ditch attempt to persuade rebels in her Conservative party to back her, an MP in her party said. Mrs May has told Conservative MPs she "will not stand in the way" of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." With additional reporting from Reuters Theresa May as she makes a statement on Brexit to the House of Commons, Photo credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA Wire British Prime Minister Theresa May offered on Wednesday to quit if her twice-defeated EU divorce deal passes, in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Eurosceptics to back it. Below are some of those who could be in the frame to replace her: MICHAEL GOVE (51) Gove, one of the highest-profile Brexit campaigners during the 2016 referendum, has had to rebuild his cabinet career after falling early to May in the contest to replace David Cameron, who resigned the day after losing the referendum. Seen as one of the most effective members of cabinet in bringing forward new policies, the high-energy environment minister has become a surprise ally to May and has so far backed her Brexit strategy. Gove teamed up with Boris Johnson during the 2016 Brexit campaign only to pull his support for Johnsons subsequent leadership bid at the last moment and run himself. Betting odds indicate he is the leading candidate to replace May and has a 22 percent chance of being the next prime minister. BORIS JOHNSON (54) The former foreign minister is May's most outspoken critic over Brexit. He resigned from the cabinet in July in protest at her handling of the exit negotiations. Johnson, regarded by many eurosceptics as the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign, set out his pitch to the membership in a bombastic speech at the party's annual conference last October - some members queued for hours to get a seat. He called on the party to return to its traditional values of low tax and strong policing, and not to try to ape the policies of the left-wing Labour Party. DAVID LIDINGTON (62) May's de-facto deputy prime minister supported "Remain" in the 2016 referendum and played a key role in David Cameron's failed renegotiation effort prior to the Brexit vote. Lidington has been touted as a possible interim leader. At the weekend, he said he did not think he had any wish to take May's job. "One thing that working closely with the prime minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task," he said. JEREMY HUNT (52) Hunt replaced Johnson as foreign minister in July and has urged the Conservative membership to set aside their differences over Brexit and unite against a common foe: the EU. Hunt voted to remain in the EU in the referendum. He served six years as Britains health minister - a role which has made him unpopular with many voters who work in or rely on the state-run, financially stretched National Health Service. JACOB REES-MOGG (49) A flamboyant millionaire who cultivates the image of an English gentleman from days gone by, Rees-Mogg has developed a cult following among those who want a more radical departure from the EU than May is proposing. Rees-Mogg, the head of the influential ERG eurosceptic group of lawmakers, announced he had submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister the day after she unveiled her draft Brexit deal. But does he want the top job? Asked immediately after saying he had submitted his letter to depose May, Rees-Mogg said he would not be putting himself forward for the job. DOMINIC RAAB (44) Britains former Brexit minister quit Mays government last year in protest at her draft exit agreement, saying it did not match the promises the Conservative Party made at a 2017 election. Raab served only five months as head of the Brexit department, having been appointed in July. He was seen as a relative newcomer to the top table of government, but had served in junior ministerial roles since being elected in 2010. Raab campaigned for Brexit ahead of the referendum and is a black belt in karate. Asked earlier this month if he would like to be prime minister he said: Never say never. SAJID JAVID (49) Javid, a former banker and champion of free markets, has served a number of cabinet roles and scores consistently well in polls of party members. A second-generation immigrant of Pakistani heritage, he has a portrait of former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on his office wall. Javid voted remain in the 2016 vote but was previously considered to be eurosceptic. DAVID DAVIS (69) Davis, a leading eurosceptic, was appointed to lead Britains negotiations with the EU in July 2016, but he resigned two years later in protest at May's plans for a long-term relationship with the bloc. Last month, he told a magazine he would probably be the Conservative Party leader if the role was like an application for a job as chief executive. "But it isn't. And that isn't the way the decision is done," he said. PENNY MORDAUNT (46) Mordaunt is one of the last remaining pro-Brexit members of Mays cabinet, where she serves as international development minister. Many had expected her to join the wave of resignations that followed the publication of Mays draft withdrawal deal. ANDREA LEADSOM (55) Another pro-Brexit campaigner who still serves in Mays cabinet, Leadsom made it to the last two in the 2016 contest to replace Cameron. But rather than force a run-off vote against Theresa May, she withdrew from the contest. She currently runs parliamentary business for the government. AMBER RUDD (55) Rudd resigned as interior minister last year after facing an outpouring of indignation over her department's treatment of some long-term Caribbean residents who were wrongly labelled illegal immigrants. She could win support from pro-EU lawmakers in the Conservative Party. But she struggled to retain her seat at the 2017 election and has one of the smallest majorities in parliament. European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) talks with European Council President Donald Tusk ahead of a debate on the outcome of the latest European Summit on Brexit, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said "all eyes [are on] the British parliament" now as he said they will "bear the consequences" of the exit process. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Barnier said the EU is "not bargaining". "This is an exit process and Britain will bear the consequences," he said. "It is up to Britain to decide, one way or another." He added; "In all Brexit scenarios, the Good Friday Agreement will continue to apply". Respecting the Good Friday agreement meant preventing the return of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, he told the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "In all scenarios, the Good Friday agreement will continue to apply. The United Kingdom will remain a core guarantor of that agreement and is expected to uphold it in spirit and in letter," he said. "The Commission is ready to make additional resources available to Ireland, technical and financial to address any additional challenges," he continued Mr Barnier spoke as British Prime Minister Theresa Mays deal has been given a new lease of life amid Eurosceptics fears that Brexit is slipping away from them. Expand Close Softening position: Boris Johnson is followed by media after leaving the cabinet office in Westminster. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Softening position: Boris Johnson is followed by media after leaving the cabinet office in Westminster. Photo: PA However, the DUP is key to last ditch efforts to agree a deal, which would rule out a hard border. With Westminster set to vote on a string of possible ways forward, including cancelling Brexit, some of Mrs Mays staunchest opponents are softening their attitudes. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with EC president Donald Tusk. Picture: Getty / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with EC president Donald Tusk. Picture: Getty Boris Johnson indicated he might be willing to vote for this appalling deal rather than risk further delay, confusion and parliamentary jiggery. His comments followed those of Jacob Rees-Mogg, who claimed the choice facing hardliners was now Mrs Mays deal or no Brexit. But Mr Rees-Mogg said he would only vote for the Withdrawal Agreement if the DUP jumped first. Senior Government figures now say they have renewed hope the UK is moving towards a softer Brexit. The head of the European Council Donald Tusk urged the European Parliament not to "betray" the pro-European Britons who want a second referendum. Expand Close DUP Leader Arlene Foster. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DUP Leader Arlene Foster. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire "You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a People's Vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union," said Donald Tusk, who chairs summits of EU leaders. In a tweet released just after his short speech, he added that the parliament should be open to a long extension if Britain wished to rethink its strategy. The European Parliament should not ignore Britons who want to remain in the European Union and should be open to a long Brexit extension, Today, in the House of Commons, the UK government will historically cede power to MPs, who will vote on a range of options. It comes as work continues on solutions to avoid a hard Border if the UK crashes out on April 12. The Irish Independent has learned EU agencies are looking at the use of technology to electronically track goods belonging to trusted traders crossing the Border. However, this will not resolve the question of how to monitor animals. Mrs May will not be bound to follow through on the outcome of tonight's vote in the House of Commons, but it will give her a clear indication of what parliament will tolerate. One motion would compel the government to negotiate a new UK-EU customs union after Brexit. Another proposes a so-called 'common market 2.0', which envisages the UK staying in the EU's single market along with a special customs arrangement. A third motion involves a Norway-style relationship - the single market minus any customs arrangement. Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party has put forward its own plan for a close economic relationship with the EU. The proposal includes a comprehensive customs union with the EU and close alignment with the single market. The Irish Government would welcome a move towards any of these motions that amount to a softer Brexit. However, the spectre of Brexit being watered down has actually given Mrs May a better chance of passing her own deal, which includes the Irish backstop. Several members of the notoriously pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) have hinted that they are close to offering their support to the prime minister. They are likely to reserve their final position after a meeting of the so-called 1992 Committee in Westminster at 5pm today. Speculation is rife that Mrs May will outline her plans to step down as Conservative Party leader in exchange for backbenchers allowing her deal through. This would clear the way for a new prime minister to oversee the next phase of Brexit negotiations, which deal with the future relationship between the UK and EU. MP Daniel Kawczynski, of the ERG, said there had "definitely been a palpable shift". "It was a trickle, now it's a flow. We Brexiteers are playing with fire, and we could get very, very burnt if this deal doesn't get through," he said. Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson last night accused the prime minister of "cravenly handing the helm" to backbench MPs. But significantly, he added: "If people like me are to support this deal, something I bitterly oppose, then we need to see the proof that the second phase of negotiations will be different from the first." Well-known Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg said that he is now prepared to back the Withdrawal Agreement. "I apologise for changing my mind," he wrote in a UK newspaper. "I am now willing to support it if the Democratic Unionist Party does, and by doing so will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others." Mr Rees-Mogg said he change allegiances "because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced". "A long delay would make remaining in the EU the most likely outcome," he said. If more MPs come on board with her deal, Mrs May could try to bring her deal back to parliament for a third vote as early as tomorrow. A major stumbling block remains though in the form of the DUP. Arlene Foster's party says it won't be bullied into backing a "toxic" deal. The party's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said extending Brexit negotiations by one year would be preferable to "volunteering to be locked into the prison of the withdrawal deal with the cell door key in the pocket of Michel Barnier". Other DUP MPs indicated they still favour a cliff-edge Brexit over any other option currently available. The continued movement of animals across the Irish Border is the biggest area of concern for the EU ahead of a no-deal scenario. Officials believe that arrangements can be put in place for tracking ordinary goods brought into the Republic from Northern Ireland to help avoid a hard Border. Sources say EU agencies are looking at a version of 'maximum facilitation', which was once derided by the Irish Government and EU as "magical thinking". The 'max fac' system involves the use of technology to electronically track goods belonging to 'trusted traders' crossing the Border. However, it will not resolve the question of how to monitor livestock and food produce moving between the two jurisdictions. The all-island economy is hugely reliant on the ability of farmers to transport animals and products, including milk, without interruption. However, the only way of avoiding some form of border checks for the agri-food sector will be if Northern Ireland continues to operate under EU rules. "Customs is the one area where max fac could actually work - but the big problem is animals. Agriculture is the trickiest part and there's no solution at the minute except the backstop," said a source familiar with the no-deal preparations in Brussels. The Irish Farmers' Association says thousands of animals and huge volumes of agriculture produce, worth more than 2bn, move over and back across the Border for processing every year. Ministers discussed the impact of Brexit on agriculture at yesterday's Cabinet meeting. Talks have already taken place with the EU about emergency funding for the sector, but an amount has not yet been agreed. The Cabinet was told that no-deal preparations must now be the "absolute priority" for all departments. In the Dail, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar accused Opposition politicians of engaging in "conspiracy theories" when they questioned the detail of these engagements. Mr Varadkar confirmed talks have taken place with the EC but said "nobody knows for sure what would happen" in a no-deal scenario. "I can say that we have made no preparations for a hard Border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and no preparations for physical infrastructure, checks or customs controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Even in the event of no deal, we believe the United Kingdom continues to have obligations under the Good Friday Agreement," Mr Varadkar said. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said that in spite of "months of denials" it now seems there have been "very substantial discussions" with the EU on how cross-Border trade will be handled in the event of a no-deal situation. He noted that Transport Minister Shane Ross was previously caught on tape being "slapped down" by Tanaiste Simon Coveney for saying plans were being drawn up for Border checks. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald has said the erection of a hard Border after Brexit is not an excuse for people "to take up arms". Ms McDonald was asked about recent letter bombs sent to a number of transport hubs in London. Gardai and UK authorities have linked the packages to dissident republicans. The Sinn Fein leader said there are "no circumstances, no excuses, no scenario in which anybody would have a justifiable cause to take up arms". She said people on this island have "embraced a new reality of relative stability". Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in the House of Commons (Photo by HO / PRU / AFP) THE DUP has said it will not support the British government if it tables a fresh meaningful Brexit vote because "the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured". Just hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that she will step down if her EU divorce deal is passed by MPs, Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said that her party will not back it. Ms Foster said that the current withdrawal agreement and Irish backstop pose an "unacceptable threat to the integrity of the UK". In a statement issued this evening, Ms Foster said that "the backstop if operational has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain. "We want to secure the United Kingdom's departure from, and our future relationship with, the European Union on terms that accord with our key objectives to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom." Mrs May said this evening that she would quit if her twice-defeated EU divorce deal passes at the third attempt, making a last-ditch attempt to persuade rebels in her Conservative party to back her, an MP in her party said. Mrs May has told Conservative MPs she "will not stand in the way" of the party having new leadership for the second phase of Brexit negotiations, telling the 1922 Committee: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." Mrs May "will go if deal gets through," said the MP, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Suggests she goes after a deal." Another Conservative member said that while May had not given a date, the impression was that she would go "reasonably soon". Mrs May's announcement is the latest dramatic turn in the United Kingdom's three-year Brexit crisis, but it is still remains uncertain how, when or even if it will leave the European Union. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May's offer to step down in exchange for support for her deal showed her Brexit talks were "about party management, not ... the public interest". "Theresa May's pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest," he said on Twitter. "A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide." Many of the Conservative rebels who want a cleaner break from the EU than May's deal would deliver had made it clear that they would only consider supporting her agreement if she gave a firm commitment and date for her resignation. Mrs May had already promised to step down before the next election, due in 2022. By agreeing to go sooner, she increases the chances of her EU deal passing before the new April 12 deadline. Read More The UK government is now expected to bring the deal back to parliament for a third vote on Friday. Mrs May's deal means Britain will leave the EU single market and customs union as well as EU political bodies. But it requires some EU rules to apply unless ways can be found in the future to ensure no border is rebuilt between British-ruled Northern Ireland and Ireland. Many Conservative rebels have objected to this so-called Irish backstop, saying it risks binding Britain to the EU for years. But given the choice between the backstop and no Brexit at all, more should come round. Some of the party's most influential dissenters had already indicated they would back her deal, agreed after two years of talks with the EU, saying it was the least worst option. Mrs May's deal was defeated in parliament by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on January 15. Read More While Mrs May was telling her lawmakers of her intention to quit in a parliament committee room, MPs in the main chamber debated eight Brexit options ranging from leaving abruptly with no deal to revoking the divorce papers or holding a new referendum. Several options on the table would see much closer alignments with the EU than Mrs May has been willing to consider, including staying in the common market or a customs union. They will vote at 7pm on a ballot paper for as many proposals as they wish. Results will be announced after 9pm. The United Kingdom was originally due to leave the EU on March 29 but last week the EU granted an extension to the divorce date until April 12. In other matters at the March 26 meeting, Town Manager Bruce Spires announced that Merrillville was awarded two Community Crossing Grants from the state, totaling $888,331.88. He said the 50/50 grant would require an equal match from the town. Powerscourt Hotel in Enniskerry County Wicklow has been sold in a deal understood to be worth just over 50m. The five-star hotel, close to the iconic Powerscourt Waterfall, has been purchased from Tetrarch Capital and Midwest Holding by the MHL Collection, a consortium led by US billionaire John Malone. Other members of the MHL partnership are Paul Higgins and developer John Lally. Commenting on the acquisition, Mr Higgins said: We are very pleased to add Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa to the MHL collection, where it joins a five-star line up that includes the InterContinental, the Westin and Glenlo Abbey as well eight superb four-star hotels, all of which have undergone or are undergoing significant investment. The 200-room property was built by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, a no-expense-spared build completed in 2007 at a reported cost of 200m. The hotel first opened as a Ritz Carlton and was synonymous with Celtic Tigre Ireland, hosting a number of celebrity weddings including that of Robbie and Claudine Keane. It entered examinership in 2012 and was sold the following year. Meanwhile, the MHL Collection is made up of 11 hotels around Ireland including The Westin, The Intercontinental, The Trinity City, The Spencer, The Morgan, The Beacon, and The Strand Hotel in Limerick. Fianna Fail has called on the Government to provide exceptional and market disturbance aid for beef as part of a 14-point plan to mitigate against a hard Brexit. Its spokesperson on agriculture, Charlie McConalogue said the Government must seek relaxation of State aid ceilings in order to increase the grant aid permissible to safeguard exposed exporting enterprises and associated jobs from Brexit in the agrifood sector. Launching the plan this morning in Dublin, he said the Government has been "tone deaf" over the last number of months in particular with beef prices. "Many beef farmers are under the water as they stand and the government have not been understanding of that and this is in the backdrop of Brexit when the national message has been to hope for the best but to prepare for the worst. "If you back to the budget that was announced in 2017 Minister Creed announced that day that there was going to be a Brexit loan scheme and support the agri food sector in relation to a hard Brexit and anytime myself or my colleagues have been challenging him since that his big response has already been dont worry we have that loan scheme coming and where has it been? "I see this morning just a few hours before we bring this motion to the Dail, Minister Creed is now announcing that loan scheme. Two years since he indicated it was going to be forth coming." According to McConalogue, prices have been affected and farmers are losing money. "The Government needs to work with the EU to give clarity to what supports will be ready. The one thing the government could have done to try and improve prices was to try and improve export facilities from the country in to France but the Government has been asleep on the job in his department to ensure additional facilities are there. "As a result of that the good markets that are there in France and Spain have not been exploited." Fianna Fail's plan calls on the Government to work with Bord Bia, livestock exporters and French authorities to deliver enhanced lairage capacity at Cherbourg Port in order to increase the live export of calves and to deliver a fully funded, fair, and simpler CAP post 2020 that safeguards direct payments with measures to directly support all low-income farm sectors, the including the beef sector. It also calls for the introduction of a beef market index for price transparency as committed to under the Beef Forum and an examination of the feasibility with stakeholders of requiring processors to report wholesale prices on a regular basis. McConalogue said increased farmer transparency must be introduced, along with more robust measures around carcase trim and grading, including publishing details of on-the-spot fines for factories breaching. Other measures being called for include strengthening the position of the primary producer in the food supply chain and transpose EU Directive on unfair trading practices into Irish law swiftly, and consultation with stakeholders to tackle any barriers associated with setting up beef Purchasing Organisations. He said the beef sector and suckler farmers must be protected in all upcoming EU trade deals and the Government must reject increased beef access in any potential agreement with South American Mercosur countries. The UK's environment secretary Michael Gove has suggested a possible way around creating a hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland would be to have goods from Ireland checked in Europe. While Gove said he's not advocating it, and that it would be a decision for the EU and Ireland, he suggested it would be a way around the imposition of border inspection posts between Northern Ireland and the Republic. "I'm not advocating or saying this the right thing to do," he said, but suggested that products that come from the island of Ireland could be checked at a border inspection post in continental Europe. Gove also conceded that UK's current no-deal Brexit plans would disadvantage Northern Ireland's agri-food sector. Under the plans, EU goods arriving from the Republic and remaining in Northern Ireland will not be subject to tariffs. The Ulster Farmers Union has said that this would drive down prices and hit producers in Northern Ireland. It could also potentially open the door to illegal trade, which would seriously impact on the integrity of the Northern Ireland agri-food industry. Speaking at an environmental and rural affairs committee hearing, Gove said "it certainly puts Northern Ireland's agri-food industry at a disadvantage". He further conceded that other nations may challenge the legality of the UK's current proposals around tariffs. "It is certainly the case that other countries could have an arguable case at the WTO," he said. However, he said the UK Government believes there are specific exemptions because of the broader political and security situation in Northern Ireland underpinning the Good Friday Agreement. But he said that by the time a legal case could be taken to the WTO and a decision made, the UK and EU would have agreed a trade deal. Commentators say the continued movement of animals across the Irish Border is the biggest area of concern for the EU ahead of a no-deal scenario. Officials believe that arrangements can be put in place for tracking ordinary goods brought into the Republic from Northern Ireland to help avoid a hard Border. Sources say EU agencies are looking at a version of 'maximum facilitation', which was once derided by the Irish Government and EU as "magical thinking". The 'max fac' system involves the use of technology to electronically track goods belonging to 'trusted traders' crossing the Border. However, it will not resolve the question of how to monitor livestock and food products moving between the two jurisdictions. The all-island economy is hugely reliant on the ability of farmers to transport animals and products, including milk, without interruption. However, the only way of avoiding some form of border checks for the agri-food sector will be if Northern Ireland continues to operate under EU rules. "Customs is the one area where max fac could actually work - but the big problem is animals. Agriculture is the trickiest part and there's no solution at the minute except the backstop," said a source familiar with the no-deal preparations in Brussels. Farmers and food producers can sell their food-waste and agricultural waste to biogas energy producers and other users across Europe. A new website will allow farmers and food producers sell their waste produce to biogas energy producers across Europe. A team of scientists, led by researchers from UCD, have developed new technologies and products to help reduce the carbon emissions produced on farms - plus offer a new alternative source of income for farmers. Agrocycle will this week launch a new website - the first of its kind in the world - where farmers and food producers can sell their food-waste and agricultural waste to biogas energy producers and other users across Europe. Dr Tom Curran, Assistant Professor in Biosystems and Food Engineering at UCD is leading the Agrocycle project. He says there is a huge potential in the Republic of Ireland for more farmers and food producers to use bio-digester machines - and convert their agricultural waste or food waste into heat and electricity. This new website will not only provide a source of income and information for farmers and businesses. More importantly, it will facilitate smart and sustainable ways to reduce, reuse and recycle agri-food waste, said Dr Tom Curran, AgroCycle Project Co-Ordinator and Assistant Professor in Biosystems and Food Engineering at UCD. Of the 1.3 billion tonnes of waste generated in Europe each year, 700 million tonnes come from agri-food waste. This level of waste is no longer sustainable. Thats why AgroCycle has developed many new products and technologies to give agri-food waste a new purpose. These products are essential for helping create a circular economy, he added. Agrocycle has also invented a range of innovative products to help reduce plastic - such as edible straws (made from rice bran or rice husk), cups and flower pots made from potato pulp and 'Rice-Cream' - an alternative to ice-cream!. Who needs agricultural waste or food-waste? There are many organisations who need agri-waste and food-waste, such as organisations with biodigester machines, to convert waste into biogas energy, livestock feed producers, and start-up companies developing new products which add value to such residues. In recent years, bio-digestion or anaerobic digestion (AD) is becoming a popular diversification for farmers and food producers, as the extra income often subsidises other parts of the business. A bio-digester is a machine that converts agricultural waste into energy, helping reduce carbon emissions from agricultural waste. Farmers for example, take manure from the farm and put it into the machines tank. Microorganisms digest it and produce biogas which is used to generate electricity or heat. There are approximately 150 bio-digester devices in Ireland at present, both North and South of the border. These machines need agricultural waste to generate biogas. The Chinese market opened to Irish beef in June 2018 and demand has been strong. Stock image ABP is extending its range of online beef products for Chinese consumers on the JD.com platform, due to what it described as "extremely" positive demand. The Chinese market opened to Irish beef in June 2018 and demand has been strong. By the end of 2018 more than 1,000 tonnes of Irish beef will have been landed in China, according to Bord Bia. The conditions of access for Irish beef mean only boneless cuts can be exported, and those cuts must come from one of six approved meat plants. Bord Bia has said that the growth in beef consumption in China means there are strong prospects for significant gains in the values and volumes of beef being shipped to China. ABP's announcement was made during the visit of its Chinese distribution partner, Hopewise, to its facility in Clones, Co Monaghan. The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, was also in attendance. Hopewise was the first company to import Irish beef to China. JD.Com is one of the largest business-to-consumer online retailers in China with 301.8 million users. Mark Goodman, managing director of ABP's International Division, said feedback and demand from Chinese consumers about their products on JD.com had been extremely positive. Kilkenny farmer Paul Bowden from Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, was announced as the Teagasc/FBD Insurance Student of the Year for 2018 at a ceremony in Dublin. Kilkenny young farmer Paul Bowden was announced as the Teagasc/FBD Insurance Student of the Year for 2018. Paul attended the Teagasc Kildalton Agricultural College where he completed the Teagasc Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agricultural (Dairy Herd Management) - with distinction. Paul (25) farms on the family farm in Urlingford with his mother Eileen and father Denis. "With the current economic climate it makes the most financial sense to be in dairy. The main challenges in the future for the dairy industry I think are Brexit, climate change and a shift in eating habits," said Paul. "I was involved in various activities in college such as discussion groups and I went to New Zealand which I thoroughly enjoyed. Jennifer Aherne a young farmer from Cappamore, Co Limerick received the First Runner-Up Award. She studied at the Teagasc Education Centre in Ennis and completed a Level 6 Specific Purpose Certificate in Farm Administration - with Distinction. Speaking after receiving her award Jennifer said We were originally a dairy farm however in 2008 we sold all and moved to beef. We now have a pedigree herd of Simmental cattle. "My passion is Simmental and beef cattle. 2017 was our best year with great sales and success with our bulls." Jennifer added that the last few months have been tough with the late spring and drought last year and factory prices have also put pressure on farmers. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed who presented the awards said: These awards are an opportunity to showcase the talent of the modern farming workforce. I believe that people of your calibre will make an important contribution to the future of the country's biggest indigenous industry." The awards are given to the top 16 graduates of Teagasc Level 6 agricultural programmes in 2018. The EU decision to ban chlorothalonil, the active ingredient in key fungicide Bravo, will compound the income crisis in the Irish tillage sector, tillage experts have warned. A majority of Member States - including Ireland - voted in favour of the EU Commission ban. No official EU timeline is available on the phasing out of the fungicide, but the Department of Agriculture told the Farming Independent that "there will be a grace period of up to a year for distribution and use of existing stocks of products containing chlorothalonil". Bravo, manufactured by global agri-chemical giant Syngenta, is most commonly used on cereals, tomatoes and potatoes. Ireland is one of the bloc's major users of the chemical, along with the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. Teagasc warned last year that it could reduce net margins for wheat and barley growers by 50-65pc. Michael Hennessy, Teagasc head of crops knowledge transfer, said: "It is a bad news story for the production of tillage farming. The other side of it is if a product is unsafe to use from a groundwater or health point of view, then farmers do not want to be using products that are not safe." Mr Hennessy said they would have a fuller picture when the exact timing of the product's removal is clearer. He said tillage farmers would be missing one of the key components for an anti-resistance strategy to control ramularia in barley and septoria in wheat. A new chemical is due on the market in 2020 that should aid control. However, Mr Hennessy pointed out the lifespan of those chemicals will potentially be shorter as it will not have the chlorothalonil actives to work alongside it. He stated there was work underway on building varietal resistance to septoria in crops but it was a slow process and can take 10 to 15 years. "We are probably in a scenario where they are banning chemistry before we have the other tools to make up for the loss," he said. Tillage advisor Richard Hackett said it was a science-based decision. "Of course we have concerns. It has been a mainstay mainly of our resistance management programme," he said. Mr Hackett also stressed that breeders were working on varietal resistance, while farmers will have to re-examine their way of sowing crops and pest management. "I think it will have a huge impact but we will adapt to overcome," he said. IFA grain chair Mark Browne said the loss of the product would compound the income crisis in the sector. He called on Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to put supports and measures in place to mitigate the effects of the loss of the active ingredient. Both the IFA and the Irish Grain Growers' Association said the Irish government and MEPs should propose a ban on the import of grains from countries which continue to use the active ingredient. The EU's food safety agency (EFSA) claimed last year that the chemical is "very toxic", even fatal, if inhaled. The European Commission cited "public health concerns" and "serious environmental concerns" in its proposal for a ban, saying it was a danger to humans, fish, amphibians and groundwater. The Commission had been mulling a ban since last year. According to EU sources, only Cyprus, Hungary and Romania voted against it. The number of Irish companies reporting on their carbon emissions fell to 28 last year, from 30 in 2017. This is according to the CDP Ireland 'Climate Change Report 2018'. However, there was an improvement in the quality of emissions reduction, with a 56pc increase in the number of Irish companies achieving a 'B' grade or higher. CDP is the international investor led non-profit that measures environmental impact of companies around the world. It assessed over 7,000 companies in 2018 across a range of different environmental standards, providing investors with verifiable data upon which to base their decisions. Overall and 257 companies reported to CDP in 2018 that are either headquartered or operating in Ireland, up 11pc on the previous year. Irish listed PLCs making the top 10 in the report included AIB, Kingspan, CRH and Kerry Group, while the hotel group Dalata was welcomed as a first-time responder last year. Among the companies asked to respond to the CDPs questionnaire but didnt included Cairn Homes, Paddy Power Betfair, Permanent TSB, and Ryanair. Caroline Pope, chairperson of the CDP Ireland Network, said: "2018 has been a year of progress on climate action, but we still have some catching up to do given Irelands Climate Change Advisory Council has warned that the country is off course in achieving its 2020 and 2030 emissions reductions targets." "We want to see a thriving economy that works for people and the planet in the long term, and this requires companies and investors to build a truly sustainable economy by measuring and understanding their environmental impact" Companies looking to improve their performance in their CDP ranking can do so by making commitments on reducing carbon emissions through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). This initiative sees companies set targets in line with the level of decarbonisation required to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius, consistent with the goals agreed at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference. Setting goals to move towards using 100pc renewable energy also helps to improve CDP rankings. Top 10 Irish Companies: 1. Accenture 2. AIB 3. Kingspan 4. Mainstream Renewable Power 5. Seagate Technology 6. Shire 7. CRH 8. M50 Concession 9. Ingersoll-Rand Co. 10. Kerry Group In a statement Tuesday, Martinez said, I fully support the work being done every day by our county police officers and the members of our local law enforcement community, but if any officer crosses the line, fails to abide by the law and their oath to protect and serve, they must be held accountable as nobody, including police officers, are above the law. THE liquidators of two foreign investment firms found to be insolvent after Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme was uncovered are suing accountants in Ireland who audited their books for two years. In High Court proceedings it is claimed that Deloitte and Touche failed to conduct the audits in accordance with proper standards British Virgin Islands (BVI) registered mutual fund Mount Capital Fund Ltd (MCF), and its subsidiary - Mount Capital Asset Subsidiary Ltd (MCAS) - were found to be insolvent after the Ponzi scheme was revealed, it is claimed. Investments in MCF were in turn invested in MCAS after which a third-party investment manager directed the investment strategy which placed funds in Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities. Madoff's firm had engaged in a 57.5bn Ponzi scam for decades. After Madoff (now 80) was jailed in the US in 2009, MCF and MCAS were liquidated in the BVI. In 2013, BVI joint liquidators, Hadley J Chilton and John Greenwood, sued Deloitte and Touche here over its role as auditor of the firms in 2006 and 2007. It is claimed, among other things, the defendant failed to allocate sufficient resources to each audit and failed to detect that assets of MCAS - with a stated value of 393m in 2007 - did not exist or did not exist in those amounts. Deloitte and Touche deny the claims. On Tuesday, Mr Justice Meenan directed the defendant make discovery in relation to two categories of documents in relation to the audit file. He directed the plaintiffs also make discovery in relation to two categories of documents. The full case will be heard later. The Irish investor buying Patisserie Valerie in the UK is on the hunt for more deals, saying it has 2.5m-10m available for individual transactions. Causeway Capital, an Irish private equity firm, has also invested in the 'BB's' bakery and coffee shop chain, and software firm Bizimply. It said it wants to invest in Irish or UK companies with sales in the region of 2m-50m and ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of at least 500,000. "We are looking for differentiated businesses that lead their sectors, we value innovation, ambition and growth prospects," Causeway said. It said it would finance shareholder exits or management buy-outs, as well as funding organic and acquisition-led growth strategies. It has invested in seven companies in total out of its 50m debut fund. The Patisserie Valerie deal was the most high-profile of those, with Causeway rescuing the coffee and cakes chain out of administration. An accounting scandal had left the company unable to secure funds to pay its debts. Causeway said it would keep open 96 outlets, of around 200. The Nama/NTMA offices in Dublin, Since it was established a decade ago, Nama has acquired loans and assets worth more than 31.8bn. The State has paid a further 500m to buy and tear up a batch of bonds linked to the liquidation of the former Anglo Irish Bank. The debt was bought back from the Central Bank. It was issued in 2013 as part of the liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC). Top date 14.5bn has been spent buying back the bonds. The complex Prom Night IBRC liquidation saw the Central Bank compensated for money it was owed by the former Anglo using a mix of taxpayer funded IOUs including 25.03bn of Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), and 3.461bn of the Irish Government bonds. Taxpayers are on the hook for debt plus interest. The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has been buying the bonds in batches of 500m in order to tear them up. Controversially, the Central Bank destroys the money it receives from the State when the purchases happen as part of its management of the amount of money in circulation. With the latest deal the original 25bn has been cut to 10.5bn. The Central Bank originally received the bonds as part of the liquidation of the IBRC in February 2013 - the so-called Prom Night. It must sell them off because it is not supposed to lend to the State - which in reality is what holding bonds means. In the latest transaction, the NTMA bought and cancelled of 500m of debt due to mature in 2049. If the bonds were sold to another buyer interest would have to be paid. Meanwhile, the European Unions Court of Auditors is to probe State aid given to banks in the European Union. The probe will only cover state aid given since 2013 and so excludes the worst period of the financial crisis. The United Nations has condemned Ireland for allowing multinational vulture funds to buy up vast swathes of properties and then rent them out at sky-high costs. The international body hit out at what it called the "egregious" business practices of the giant private equity and investment firms. It said they were scooping up low-income and affordable homes, upgrading them, and substantially raising rents - forcing tenants out of their own homes. In the past 12 months alone, hundreds of new apartments distributed across several schemes have been acquired by institutional investors here with a view to offering them to the rental market. Massive US-backed fund Blackstone has bought and sold rental properties here, including the Elysian tower in Cork. Canada-backed Ires Reit is the biggest landlord in Ireland, with more than 3,000 houses and apartments. Los Angeles-based Kennedy Wilson is already a big landlord which recently said it has billions of euro to buy more rental properties. US fund Starwood has put together a consortium to spend 1bn on rental properties. In the larger cities, the rental market has already been transformed by the presence of cash-rich funds buying up entire apartment blocks and housing estates. Some of these enjoy extraordinarily low tax bills on rental incomes. UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing Leilani Farha wrote to the Government in Ireland and five other countries. She accused them of facilitating the "financialisation of housing" in their own countries through preferential tax laws and weak tenant protections among other measures. Ms Farha also wrote to the governments in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and the US. "Almost overnight multinational private equity and asset management firms like Blackstone have become the biggest landlords in the world, purchasing thousands and thousands of units in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America," the UN said. "They have changed the global housing landscape. Pouring unprecedented amounts of capital into housing, they have converted homes into financial instruments and investments." The UN said properties often deemed "undervalued" - which generally means affordable to those living there - are being purchased en masse, renovated and then offered at a higher rental rate, pricing tenants out of their own homes and communities. "Landlords have become faceless corporations wreaking havoc with tenants' right to security and contributing to the global housing crisis," the UN said in a statement. The UN said it has heard countless stories of tenants whose buildings had been bought by private equity firms and whose rents had sky-rocketed, sometimes by 30pc and 50pc - making it impossible for them to remain. "What makes this practice particularly egregious is that it is being done without any monitoring or accountability mechanisms in place." The UN said governments have not made the connection that this new form of finance is taking place in an area which is governed by international human rights law, which imposes obligations on them. Blackstone disputed the claims. It said the UN report contains "numerous false claims, significant factual errors and inaccurate conclusions". Having a mortgage market that works effectively is one of the most important ways to ensure we overcome the housing crisis that we all want to see end. To achieve that, we need to strike a balance between the rights of borrowers to fair treatment and the rights of banks to manage the risk they face in providing mortgages. Unfortunately, a number of recent legislative proposals could seriously undermine that balance and be detrimental rather than beneficial to the interests of consumers. Take for example the No Consent No Sale bill 2019 proposed by Sinn Fein, which would require the specific consent of the borrower before the sale of a mortgage loan to a third party. Its supporters view the measure as providing further protection to borrowers. This is wrong in our view. Firstly, the legislation will make it harder for banks to raise funding which means banks will have less money to give out in mortgages. This is because portfolio sales are a necessary and critical component of a lender's ability to raise capital. With this option greatly diminished, if not closed off completely, banks would have less money to lend and fewer people could get the mortgage they need to buy their home. Secondly, the cost of funding will also increase so banks will have little choice but to increase the cost of mortgages for households. It is already comparatively expensive for Irish banks to fund mortgage lending, and this bill would make that situation worse. And thirdly, it will make the Irish market less attractive to new lenders, meaning less competition and less choice for consumers than could otherwise be the case. It should be noted, too, that even in the event of a mortgage sale by a bank to a third party, the Central Bank itself has said that the protections which borrowers have travel with them on the sale of loans to third parties. In other words, all the rights a mortgage holder has with their bank remain if that mortgage is sold to someone else. No exceptions. While everyone wishes it were not so, non-performing loans are a fact of financial life across Europe. The No Consent No Sale bill would very likely undermine our banks' ability to deal with them, maintain a healthy balance sheet and ensure fairness for all who need, and pay, their mortgages. As the ECB stated in its recent opinion (18 February) on court orders for possession of principal private residences, "additional costs (to banks) are likely to be passed on to future borrowers and could result in a significant impact on mortgage pricing and availability". Sinn Fein's bill, although seeking to protect consumers, would have the opposite effect and be very damaging not only for the banking sector but for the very consumers it purports to protect. How does it make sense for such legislation to be promoted? Take also the example of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Amendment) bill 2019 which would make it mandatory for the courts to consider a homeowner's personal circumstances in repossession cases. Once again, the intent here appears to be to provide protection to borrowers. However, a very considerable range of measures already protect distressed borrowers here by comparison with other countries - a viewed shared by a number of independent commentators. As things stand, distressed borrowers are afforded protection under the Central Bank Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears 2013, the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process, the Central Bank's Consumer Protection Code 2012, the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Acts of 2009 and 2013, the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018 and the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 and 2015. Arising from our body of law, once repossession cases get to court, our courts process provides a protection to borrowers, one which is over and above that available in other jurisdictions. The full legal process for repossession in Ireland is considered to be one of the longest if not the longest in Europe. It can typically take as long as three-and-a-half years here, considerably longer than in such countries as Denmark and the UK, where it takes only 18 months. This has the effect of undermining a lender's access to its security or collateral which is the very basis of secured lending at more favourable rates than ordinarily apply to unsecured lending. In effect, the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Amendment) bill 2019 would likely exacerbate the already protracted nature of court proceedings and increase the associated legal costs - including those of borrowers in mortgage arrears. However well-intentioned, these legislative proposals do not serve the interests of borrowers and will make a difficult situation worse for those hoping to get on the housing ladder. They will make mortgages more expensive, harder to get and discourage new entrants from coming into the market. It is vital that TDs and Senators bear these points in mind when considering these flawed proposals. Maurice Crowley is acting CEO of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland Jet sale: Airbuss president of commercial aircraft business Guillaume Faury and China Aviation Supplies chairman Jia Baojun shake hands on a deal for 300 jets at the Elysee Palace in Paris The United States' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will significantly change its oversight approach to air safety by July 2019, US Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel said in written testimony reviewed by Reuters ahead of a US Senate panel hearing. At the same hearing, the FAA's acting administrator, Dan Elwell, will tell a Senate Commerce Committee panel the agency's oversight approach must "evolve" after two fatal crashes involving Boeing Co 737 MAX passenger jets since October. The accidents, which killed nearly 350 people, triggered the worldwide grounding of Boeing's flagship aircraft and ignited a debate over the proper balance between man and machine in piloting the latest version of the 50-year-old 737. Meanwhile, Boeing's main rival Airbus saw its shares rise yesterday after the European planemaker won a deal worth tens of billions of dollars to sell 300 aircraft to China. Airbus shares have risen nearly 40pc so far in 2019. French officials said the deal was worth 30bn at catalogue prices. Planemakers usually grant significant discounts. Back in the US, Mr Scovel's testimony for the hearing, set for today, says that in response to a 2015 inspector general report, the FAA agreed to improve its oversight of organisations' performing certifications on its behalf. By July the "FAA plans to introduce a new process that represents a significant change in its oversight approach," Mr Scovel says in his prepared remarks. "While revamping FAA's oversight process will be an important step, continued management attention will be key to ensure the agency identifies and monitors the highest-risk areas of aircraft certification," he wrote, adding that some issues including how pilots get training to respond when automated flight systems require the FAA's "urgent attention". Mr Elwell will also say the 737 Max will return to service "only when the FAA's analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate". Elwell's testimony discloses that Boeing first submitted its proposed anti-stall software upgrade to the FAA for certification on January 21 and that the FAA has tested "this enhancement to the 737 Max flight control system in both the simulator and the aircraft". Boeing is expected as early as today to unveil more details of the software upgrade. The company said it would carefully monitor the hearing. Reuters An art handler cradles a 1984 Fender Stratocaster 57V electric guitar during a preview of the pre-sale touring exhibition of David Gilmours collection at Christies in London (Jonathan Brady/PA) Pink Floyd star David Gilmours collection of 120 guitars is set to go under the hammer, including one with a Juicy Fruit wrapper left inside. The guitarist is auctioning off his enormous personal collection for charity, saying it is a wrench to let them go. Fellow musicians are thought to have already expressed an interest. It is officially estimated that the collection of more than 120 instruments will fetch over one million dollars during the sale in New York but it is likely it will make much more than that. Gilmours 1969 Black Fender Stratocaster, played on the tracks Money, Shine On You Crazy Diamond and the solo on Comfortably Numb, is one of the biggest gems. Experts say the guitar, instrumental in albums such as Wish You Were Here, The Wall and The Dark Side Of The Moon, was key to Pink Floyds development. Expand Close An art handler cradles a 1954 white Fender Stratocaster (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An art handler cradles a 1954 white Fender Stratocaster (Jonathan Brady/PA) Pop culture specialist Caitlin Graham for the auction house Christies told the Press Association one of the guitars contained a note on a Juicy Fruit chewing gum wrapper dating from when it was bought in 1978. He is a Fender man but occasionally he likes to use something different like his gold top Les Paul because it has a slightly different sound, she said. Video of the Day Hes always trying to make a different sound. And he discovered that inside the cavity, when it was set up by the guitar shop he purchased it from, it had a little note on a bubblegum wrapper from the person who set it up. The note said, Im such a big fan I would love to meet you. David Gilmour and his guitar technician had seen it back in the day, when they originally purchased it They left it in there. They had opened it up to check whether it had any date markings and because he always makes a lot of modification to his guitars. Expand Close An art handler holds the 1969 black Fender Stratocaster (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An art handler holds the 1969 black Fender Stratocaster (Jonathan Brady/PA) Asked how many guitars Gilmour had kept following his decision to sell so many, she said: Hes obviously touring and performing so he has decided to keep some of the guitars. But she added: We have the most significant guitars from his career in this auction. He had a big collection. Hes not able to play them all any more. He felt that guitars are meant to be played so its time to pass them on to someone else There are some he is more attached to than others. Money raised will go to David Gilmours Charitable Trust, which supports a number of philanthropic organisations. The pre-sale touring exhibition takes place at Christies in London until March 31. The sale will be held on June 20 at Christies in New York. Colombian singers Shakira and Carlos Vives have appeared in a Madrid court to answer allegations by a Cuban-born singer and producer that they plagiarised his work in their award-winning hit La Bicicleta. Shakira smiled as she entered the court in Madrid without answering reporters questions. Shakira and Vives rejected the allegations by Livan Rafael Castellanos that La Bicicleta, which means The Bicycle in English, contains lyrics, rhythm and melody similar to those of his 1997 song, Yo Te Quiero Tanto. Expand Close Shakira on stage (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shakira on stage (Ian West/PA) Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, told the judge that Castellanos song is nothing like La Bicicleta, the melody is different, the music is different, the subject matter is different, according to private Spanish news agency Europa Press. My (song) talks about my homeland, its a salute to my homeland Barranquilla, Colombia not Cuba, Shakira said, according to Europa Press. Its different. La Bicicleta won two of the three biggest Grammy Latino awards for 2016, including song and record of the year. Vives told reporters he welcomed the chance to clear his name. Expand Close Shakira shrugged off the claims (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shakira shrugged off the claims (Ian West/PA) Video of the Day Castellanos claimed that music experts supported his claim of plagiarism. Lets see whether we can finally get to the bottom of this and justice can be done, he said in a telephone interview. Sony Music, which released La Bicicleta, made no immediate comment on the case. The court is expected to deliver its verdict in 20 days. Triplett-Hudson began to choke the baby with one hand, and a man hit Triplett-Hudson as he tried to get the baby away, according to the affidavit. The man said Triplett-Hudson yelled for him to give me my baby and that I can do what I want to my baby, the affidavit states. Up to 62 towns across the country will share a 15.5m fund to boost tourism. Failte Ireland will today announce the significant nationwide investment that will be made through local authorities. The aim of the fund is to boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of towns. Through the scheme, every local authority in the country will be able to bid for funding of between 250,000 and 500,000 to develop up to two towns in their area that have the potential to become a 'destination town' for tourists. Minister of State for Tourism Brendan Griffin will brief officials from all local authorities on the new investment scheme at an event in Dublin today. Mr Griffin said the cash would provide a "significant boost" for towns. "This scheme is a great opportunity for towns which aren't fully active in the tourism industry to look at how their local economy can benefit from increased tourism activity," he said. Failte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly added: "There is an undiscovered Ireland, both in places already well established and in those off the beaten track. "In Failte Ireland, as the national tourism development authority, our job is to give thought leadership and to offer practical assistance to ensure our tourism industry is authentically in sync with who we are. "It is to support communities of people and places, where and how they want to live, by diversifying tourism regionally and seasonally. "'Destination Towns' are the target of our new scheme. Valued at 15.5m, it will boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of up to 62 towns." GARDAI are hunting for a burglary gang who left a businessman needing hospital treatment following a violent break-in at his family home. At least four masked men armed with sledgehammers and screwdrivers broke into the home in Shaen, Portlaoise at around 9.50pm last night. The homeowner, who runs a local electronics business, was assaulted during the aggravated burglary. Four other people, believed to be two females and two males including the homeowners daughter, were in the property at the time. It is understood they were also assaulted but did not require hospital treatment. The gang, described as wearing black and covering their faces, fled on foot after taking jewellery and cash from the property. An investigation is underway by gardai in Portlaoise who are attempting to identify the burglary gang. A spokesman said: Gardai at Portlaoise are investigating an aggravated burglary which occurred at Shaen, Portlaoise, Co Laois at approximately 9.50pm yesterday, Tuesday 26th March 2019. Four masked men armed with what is described as sledge hammers and screwdrivers entered house and assaulted occupants ( 3 females and two males) The suspects stole jewellery, cash and other items. One of the injured (male) was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise where he being treated for injuries sustained. Nadege Kibamba, 42yrs, with an address on North Circular Road, Dublin pictured leaving the Four Courts today after she appeared before the Dublin District Court. Pic: Collins Courts A 42-year-old woman, who worked in Dublin using a different identity while she fraudulently claimed more than 10,000 in dole payments, has been given until 2026 to pay it back. Nadege Kibamba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo but with an address at the North Circular Road, Dublin 7 admitted the benefit fraud. Granting the seven-year adjournment at Dublin District Court today, Judge Anthony Halpin said she would get the Probation Act, sparing her a conviction and jail, when she has repaid it all. He said this was because of genuine tragic circumstances of this case which will resume on March 27, 2026. Expand Close Nadege Kibamba, 42yrs, with an address on North Circular Road, Dublin pictured leaving the Four Courts after she appeared before the Dublin District Court.Pic: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nadege Kibamba, 42yrs, with an address on North Circular Road, Dublin pictured leaving the Four Courts after she appeared before the Dublin District Court.Pic: Collins Courts Prosecution solicitor Edel Haughton told the court the woman has paid back 2,250 but still owed 8,058. She said the prosecution involved four counts of making a false declaration while claiming Jobseeker Allowance between November 2010 and January 2014. The fifth charge was for using a false PPS number to obtain employment. One other charge was dropped and she had no prior criminal convictions. The woman, who did not address the court, was paying back the debt at a rate of 100 a week. Pleading for leniency, defence solicitor Siobhan Conlon said Kibamba came to Ireland for asylum in 1999 as a result of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo which left 5.4m people displaced. She had to fend for herself. It was not until 2013 that she was issued a Stamp 4 which indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a specified period, subject to conditions. The solicitor said Kibamba had a false PPS number and used it for employment and she had paid tax when she worked. There was some overlapping with social welfare payments, the court was told. The dole money was used to support her daughter and to go back to Democratic Republic of Congo to renew her passport so she could get a visa to continue living in Ireland. She has regularised her situation, trained as a beautician and was now actively looking for work. Ms Conlon said the accused suffered a lot of trauma and was very apologetic. The offence can result in a fine of up to 2,500 and or a six-month sentence in addition to being made pay back the amount of benefits wrongfully claimed. The court can only consider applying the Probation Act and spare a defendant a criminal record in these type of cases if all the money has been given repaid. A heartbroken family claimed they lost their only daughter in an horrific road traffic incident because Edward O'Shea (19), driving while unaccompanied on a learner permit, lost control of a modified Japanese car while showing off to his friends. O'Shea, 17 at the time of the crash, was jailed for 14 months after being convicted before Waterford Circuit Criminal Court of careless driving causing death and careless driving causing serious injury. Kate 'Katie' Murphy (16) died when the 1.6-litre Japanese car with a specially lowered suspension and low-profile tyres, being driven by O'Shea, spun out of control and crashed side-on with a wall outside a Tramore housing estate on October 5, 2016. Katie's heartbroken parents, Hilary and Vivienne, said their lives have been totally devastated by the loss of their only daughter, who brought joy to so many lives. "In my view, we lost our daughter because Mr O'Shea was showing off driving a high-powered car," Mr Murphy said. The Tramore father described O'Shea as "a very cold-hearted person" who had not spoken to his family, sent a letter, card or flowers over their daughter's death. "He destroyed our lives." Mr Murphy urged Judge Eugene O'Kelly not to adopt a "soft-touch" approach to sentencing and to take the opportunity to send out a deterrent message to other Irish road users. Ms Murphy said the tragedy was every parent's worst nightmare. "Her death is my past, my present and my future. Edward O'Shea's selfish and careless actions have taken away my only daughter," she sobbed. "Katie's bedroom door [in our home] is my biggest nightmare. It holds hope but there is no hope to be found. "When I see the door, I hope for a miracle." Mr Murphy said they had launched a road safety campaign in their daughter's memory - and urged young people worried about a driver's speed to have the courage to demand to get out of the vehicle. "Have the courage to say: 'Stop and let me out'. Your parents will collect you. No parent wants their child to arrive home in a hearse," he said. Scot Murphy said his sister brought joy, love and compassion to so many lives. The Irish citizen accused of being the world's largest facilitator of child pornography led the FBI right to his door by having mail forwarded from the US to his Dublin flat. Details of how Eric Eoin Marques (33) was identified as a suspect are contained in court documents which have been unsealed since his extradition to the US. One of these is an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in 2013 that detailed measures taken by Marques to hide his identity, but also revealed errors he made that enabled the FBI to track him down. These included using his own debit card to pay for the use of an internet server - and also having post from a US billing address forwarded to his flat on Dublin's Mountjoy Square. Born in New York to a Brazilian father and Irish mother, Marques holds dual Irish-US citizenship but has lived most of his life in Ireland. He appeared in a US court on Monday after last week losing his six-year battle against extradition. In the now-unsealed affidavit, FBI special agent Shanna Daniels described how the bureau was investigating an anonymous web-hosting service advertising and distributing child pornography in 2012 and 2013. The "dark web" network allowed users to access websites anonymously, without revealing to the website the IP address of their computer. Unlike the open internet, it was also not possible to publicly look up the IP address of the computer hosting the network. This meant authorities faced considerable difficulty in locating the person allegedly behind it. According to the special agent, an FBI team based in Maryland connected with the network in which they allege Marques was hosting two child exploitation websites. Website A was a bulletin board. It had 7,712 members, 22,230 posts and 2,192 topics relating to child pornography and violent child sexual abuse. Website B contained almost 1.4 million files. FBI investigators downloaded more than a million of these and found nearly all were child pornography. According to the special agent, during 2013 the FBI identified an IP address associated with the anonymous network and the two websites. This gave them a trail to follow that ultimately ended at Marques's Dublin apartment. The IP address was discovered to be associated with a web-hosting company in France. Following a request to French authorities, subscriber information and business records were obtained from the company. The FBI discovered that a single subscriber, Marques, had a contract with the company to use the server. Investigators also discovered Marques paid for this using a debit card in his own name from a US bank. A Las Vegas mailbox was provided as the billing address, but further investigation revealed mail to that address was being forwarded to Marques's apartment in Dublin. Although Marques offered to plead guilty if he was put on trial in Ireland, the DPP opted not to prosecute him. He could now face decades in prison if he is convicted in the US. Patrick Quirke denied "using Mary Lowry in every way", telling gardai that the "that gain was a two-way street". He also rejected a suggestion that he was getting "cash on demand and sex on demand" from Ms Lowry, describing it as "a downright lie". Mr Quirke admitted he had reported Ms Lowry to the social services, claiming his mother-in-law had expressed concerns about Ms Lowry leaving her children on their own at night. Put to him by gardai that having been in love with her, it might have been "more appropriate to talk to her rather than bring a government department down on top of her", Mr Quirke replied: "This was the last straw and she needed to get a babysitter." Patrick Quirke (50), of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan (52), a part-time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight', on a date between June 3, 2011, and April 2013. Gardai put it to Mr Quirke that he had been paying just 1,600 a year for the lease of Ms Lowry's 60-acre farm at Fawnagowan, Co Tipperary, given that the lease was 12,600 and he benefited from a single farm payment of 11,000 per annum. Mr Quirke accepted this, saying: "If you want to use those figures, yes." He agreed this arrangement was "beneficial" to him and gardai informed him this formed part of the allegation against him, putting it to him that he had not suffered any financial risk and had "used Mary in every way". Mr Quirke replied: "That gain was a two-way street." It was suggested to him that "when things turned sour, you turned sour", but Mr Quirke said he had not. "You had her in the palm of your hand," gardai said then, but Mr Quirke said he did not accept that. Detective Garda David Buckley told prosecution counsel Michael Bowman SC that he arrested Mr Quirke on January 20, 2014, on suspicion of harassment of Ms Lowry. Mr Quirke outlined to gardai how, after the death of Ms Lowry's husband Martin, he had taken some of her cows into his own herd. One of these turned out to have bovine venereal disease - described by Mr Quirke as "the bovine equivalent of Aids" - which he claimed infected 12 of his own animals. He said Ms Lowry was "anxious" to compensate him but he did not want to give her a figure, claiming: "I did not want to be seen as extorting money off her." Asked whether he had persisted with his request for compensation, he said he had not but admitted asking her for the money "once a month". Mr Quirke, in Garda interviews, denied the discussion with Ms Lowry over compensation had become heated or that he had used both hands to push Ms Lowry, causing her to fall over in her kitchen, adding: "Absolutely not. I never raised a hand to her or anyone else." He told how Ms Lowry had given him 80,000 to invest in Contracts for Difference (CFDs) - a form of derivative trading - with an agreement to split any profits equally. They made 40,000 each over a period of about 18 months, he said. Gardai suggested to him that this was a "win-win" situation for him. Mr Quirke said he managed the investment and when gardai suggested this was "another example" of Mr Quirke having control over a "vulnerable woman", he replied: "I don't accept that." He said he had worked hard on the investment, asking gardai: "Would you go without pay for a year and a half?" Asked about a provision in Ms Lowry's will for 100,000 to be left to Mr Quirke, he said he had discussed this with her, telling her that if something happened to her, whoever looked after her children would need a bigger car and to build an extension. At one point, he needed to repay a bank loan and told Ms Lowry he would have to sell shares at a loss to make the payment. He said Ms Lowry gave him 20,000 and told him she didn't need it back until her children started going to college. They did not have an agreement on interest to be paid, he said. Gardai suggested to him he had demanded this money, but Mr Quirke replied that he did not demand it, and said if he was able to get 20,000 by demanding it, he would have asked for 200,000. He rejected a garda's suggestion he had taken a 50,000 payment from Ms Lowry as a "downright lie", and challenged them to prove it. He also rejected "taking Mary Lowry to the cleaners". Mr Quirke was asked why he started an affair with Ms Lowry and he replied: "It's a good question that I have asked myself." He said he was in love with Ms Lowry, though he was happy with his wife and remained intimate with her at that time. With Ms Lowry he found "companionship, intimacy, trust and honesty", he said. Put to him that she was vulnerable at this time, Mr Quirke told gardai: "No, I believe she knew what she was doing." He admitted he was "angry at being deceived" when he found out she was seeing Bobby Ryan. The relationship resumed after Mr Ryan went missing, but it "wasn't the same deep down", he said, adding: "I had a trust issue, she probably had a guilt issue." In March 2012, the relationship ended abruptly after Ms Lowry met another man. Asked whether he was hurt, Mr Quirke said: "I wasn't hurt because a leopard doesn't change its spots. I was more disgusted at being made a fool of twice." Gardai questioned him about CCTV footage in the yard at Fawnagowan the day before Mr Ryan's body was found and Mr Quirke claimed that Ms Lowry had "shouted obscenities at him" and told him to tell Mary Dillon to "watch her clothes line", agreeing with a suggestion that this was in reference to "an incident you had with Mary's knickers". The trial continues. A court was told Phuong Nguyen (40) threatened to kill his niece before running at her and her family with the cleaver, smashing a porch door when they fled into a house. A TAKEAWAY owner torched two cars before swinging a meat cleaver at his niece, her husband and two-year-old child in a rampage in a Dublin housing estate, it is alleged. A court was told Phuong Nguyen (40) threatened to kill his niece before running at her and her family with the cleaver, smashing a porch door when they fled into a house. Judge Geraldine Carthy refused bail and remanded the accused in custody for the directions of the DPP to be made available. Mr Nguyen, of Templeview Row in Clarehall, north Dublin is charged with arson of his sister and nieces cars, criminal damage, producing a meat cleaver and threatening to kill his niece. The offences are all alleged to have happened outside his sister Bich Nguyen's home at Templeview Green on March 25 last. Det Gda Niall Gibbs told Dublin District Court that the accuseds reply to one of the charges after caution was I say bullshit to that. He made no reply to the remaining counts when they were put to him at Coolock Garda Station yesterday. Objecting to bail, Det Gda Gibbs said officers responded to a 999 call and arrested Mr Nguyen who was was identified by members of the public and was on a grass verge 300 yards from the scene. It would be alleged the accused had smashed the window of his niece Hanh Dangs 22,000 Ford Focus and set fire to it, along with her mothers 30,000 Nissan Qashquai. Both cars were totally destroyed. Ms Dang told gardai in a statement that while sitting in her car in the driveway, the accused approached and smashed the rear window in on top of her. She managed to escape and on doing so, she describes (the accused) as running at her with a knife, with a really thick knife like they use in a butcher and shouting Im going to kill yous, Im f**king going to kill you, Det Gda Gibbs told the court. Ms Dang had described Mr Nguyen as roaring at us and his behaviour was crazy and insane. Her husband Michael Behan had also made a statement describing Mr Nguyen as swinging the meat cleaver at him, his two-year-old daughter and his wife but he managed to get inside the address and the accused allegedly smashed the porch door, Gda Gibbs continued. It was alleged the accused was caught red-handed, having been identified,and had a meat cleaver on his person, along with a number of other items. It would be alleged there was video footage of him wielding the meat cleaver. Applying for bail, defence solicitor Michael French said the accused had stated he would be contesting the charges. Det Gda Gibbs said Mr Nguyen had made admissions. Its all on DVD, Mr Nguyen interjected from the dock. Det Gda Gibbs accepted that the case may not reach trial until 2022, but said my sole concern is for the well-being of the alleged injured parties concerned. Applying for bail, Mr French said his client was presumed innocent and prepared to abide by conditions, including having no contact with the alleged victims. Gardai had his passport and he would undertake not to apply for any other travel documents. Mr Nguyen had come to Ireland from Vietnam with his mother as an infant just after the war and had a large extended family here. He had run a takeaway and contributed to society. Judge Carthy said Mr Nguyen came before the court an innocent man but ruled that it was reasonably necessary to refuse bail. She remanded him in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on April 3. At Mr Frenchs request, the judge also directed all necessary medical attention while the accused is in custody, including a full psychiatric assessment. Evidence shows that, as learners advance through the education system, levels of engagement reduce significantly. The data from international research shows that, by upper secondary, the level of real engagement has fallen to as little as one third of students. So how will schools meet the challenges faced in preparing young people to contribute to changes in society? The annual conference of the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools, starting today and with the theme 'Promoting Creativity and Engagement', provides the opportunity to reflect on such key issues. Dr Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector at the Department of Education and Skills, has indicated that both 'creativity and student voice' will be components to be captured in a revised quality framework for schools currently being considered in a review of 'Looking at Our Schools 2016'. Leading educationalist Michael Fullan says the key question is how do we engage students in this current period of transformation? Fullan believes the transformation that is occurring now is "more a shift in engaging students as change agents which involves a change in role for the teacher and engagement between the teacher and student as a learner". Sir Ken Robinson, an international advisor on education in the arts, contends that traditional education systems have engaged in the promotion of utilitarian systems aimed at meeting the needs of industry. Industry now tells us these systems no longer meet their needs and they require creative employees who can adapt to change. Robinson also states, "we don't grow into creativity - we grow out of it, or rather we are get educated out of it". He believes that "creativity is now as important in education as literacy". This challenge is further elucidated by the 'Real' David Cameron, a speaker at this year's convention. He recently noted, "employers are no longer looking for compliance nor for employees who will just do a job... changing technologies, aspirations, demands and structural changes in economies mean that jobs will change, and we need workers who can adapt to that". This places challenges on education systems, which need to support students in developing new skills and "creates demand for a broad skills base, for problem solving, creativity and a willingness to engage". The junior cycle framework, with its focus on key skills and active learning methodologies, seeks to address some of these challenges. There's also a continuing significant investment in the continuous professional development of teachers in delivery of this new framework. This training and continued investment in initial teacher education highlights the value placed on educational professionals here in Ireland. A very significant consultation to inform a senior cycle review is ongoing. This poses greater challenges than at junior cycle, given the significance placed on the final assessment and confidence in the Leaving Certificate as a means of entry to third level. However, encouraging students to engage in active learning methodologies and seeking to enhance students' creativity should not diminish their opportunities of success in external examinations. There is a tradition of engagement with external bodies providing opportunities for students to engage in creative projects such as the Young Scientist and Young Social Innovators (YSI). Another speaker will be Professor Luke O'Neill, Trinity College Dublin, author of Humanology - A Scientist's Guide To Our Amazing Existence. He has a most positive message on the human capability to continually adapt. He also defines pedagogy as "the art, science or practice of teaching" and admits: "I love teaching pedagogists." We look forward to an enriching experience at the convention where he will be provided with this opportunity. John Irwin is General Secretary of the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools. UCD students gather around Pepper the robot, which is preparing them for a future where humans and robots work together When Pepper the robot walks into a lecture in UCD, she is giving students of today a taste of the workplace of the future. The humanoid robot, whose artificial intelligence allows her to read emotions and develop empathy, is the newest member of the team at UCD Innovation Academy, the first time she has been deployed in Irish education. Since Pepper's arrival a few weeks ago, more than 200 undergraduate students who are participating in the university's Innovation for Change elective module, have been introduced to her. Pepper is being used to engage students from all disciplines in the changing world of work. She can be programmed directly by the students and will help to prepare them for a future where cobotics - humans and robots working together with the robot taking on repetitive tasks - will be prevalent. While new to UCD lecture halls, Pepper clones have been piloted in service industries around the world, including banks in Japan, a hotel in Italy and an airport in Germany, typically answering standard customers' questions. At Munich Airport, 'Josie' Pepper was positioned at the top of a ramp, welcoming passengers and answering questions about shops, restaurants and flights. A hotel in Italy used 'Robby' Pepper on concierge duties. Pepper cost about 20,000 and UCD Innovation Academy's Founding Director Professor, Suzi Jarvis, said "the democratisation of technology has arrived, with cost no longer being the limiting factor to technology adoption. We hope that by making leading edge technology readily available to our students, alongside developing their creative confidence and thirst for learning, we can equip them to live well in the world". Prof Jarvis said staff at the academy had decided that their Pepper was a she. Visclosky, D-Gary, chairman of the Houses Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, on Tuesday told the Department of Defense, it did not approve a transfer $1 billion from other programs to pay for a wall on the United States southern border. While the Department of Defense is moving forward with moving those funds, Visclosky said bucking of precedent will be remembered. More than 30 of the promised 75 extra hospital beds to relieve overcrowding remain unopened as the number patients on trolleys surged yesterday to 617 - the highest so far this year. The overcrowding was worse than January, when 606 patients were waiting. Worst hit were Cork University Hospital, where 55 were on trolleys, and University Hospital Limerick, which was trying to find beds for 51 patients. South Tipperary General Hospital, which had 48 patients on trolleys, also struggled. The latest gridlock comes as the 30m funding for the winter initiative, to prevent the trolley crisis from reaching new record levels over Christmas and new year, has run out. Hospitals now have to carry out more operations on waiting-list patients, which means there are fewer beds available for people coming from emergency departments. The HSE said yesterday that 43 of 75 planned beds were open, with "the remaining subject to the completion of staff recruitment". A spokeswoman said that while the winter and initiatives were coming to an end, acute hospitals were still seeing growth in attendances not flu-related. "Many of the patients presenting require longer periods of hospitalisation due to underlying conditions and frailty. "Therefore, hospitals are focusing on ensuring patient discharges are being planned in advance, early access to diagnostics is available and that senior clinical decision- makers are seeing patients as early as possible to enable those who do not need to be admitted to leave the emergency department as early as possible." The spokeswoman confirmed the additional funding provided to support the winter initiatives was now complete. She said the "number of patients attending emergency departments continued to increase year on year. "While the majority of patients who attend emergency departments receive treatment and are discharged home, 20-30pc of patients need to be admitted to hospital for further treatment and care. "The number of emergency department attendances this week compared to the same week in the previous year rose from 23,408 to 25,021, representing a 6.9pc increase when comparing 2019 with 2018. "While the flu season has abated, our hospitals continue to see higher numbers of patients who require isolation and critical care, which impacts on available capacity. "Our staff in the emergency departments and the wider hospitals work hard to make sure our patients receive the best treatment and care." The HSE said it regretted any patient should have to wait for admission from emergency department to a hospital ward. "However, it is important to note that once a decision is made to admit a patient, they still remain under the care of the staff in emergency department until they can safely transfer to the appropriate hospital ward for their ongoing care." The number on emergency department trolleys fell to 320 at 2pm. A baby found critically injured underneath his dying mother in a room at a maternity hospital has tragically lost his battle for life. The newborn baby boy died shortly before 7pm last night despite efforts over two days by Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) doctors to stabilise his condition. Shocked CUMH staff found the infant critically injured underneath his unresponsive mother on the floor of a single room in a ward at the hospital on Monday morning. Health chiefs are treating the death of the young woman as a tragic accident. Named locally as Margaret Downey (36), she was originally from Kilmallock in Co Limerick. It is understood the devoted mother had two other children. It is understood that she was a technician who worked in the bio-pharmaceuticals industry. An investigation is now under way at CUMH into the full circumstances of the tragedy. The baby boy was found seriously injured partially underneath his mother by shocked CUMH staff shortly after 7am last Monday. Ms Downey had given birth last weekend and it is believed she was breastfeeding when the freak accident occurred. One theory being considered is that she was suddenly taken ill and may have fallen out of bed as she attempted to seek help or reach a toilet. It is feared she may have suffered some kind of seizure and fallen onto the floor with the tiny baby being partly trapped underneath her. Cause A post-mortem examination was carried out on her remains at Cork University Hospital (CUH) yesterday. However, it is expected to be some time before a precise cause of death is confirmed. A file will be submitted to Cork Coroner Philip Comyn for an inquest to be staged early next year. CUMH was opened just over a decade ago and the Cork facility ranks as Ireland's most modern maternity hospital. It is understood Ms Downey had been checked by CUMH staff just a short time before she was found. She had shown no indications of illness or feeling unwell at the time. When she was later found on the floor, emergency resuscitation was commenced but, tragically, she could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The South South-West Hospital Group of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has described the incident as a tragic occurrence. Counselling and support services are now in place for the woman's family. Paul Higgins with son Zac, who is now being treated in Temple Street Hospital, where he is described as serious but stable A 17-year-old boy arrested in connection with a serious hit and run in Cork has been released from Garda custody this morning. The teenager was detained yesterday under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at The Bridewell (Cork) Garda station. He was released without charge this morning and a file will now be prepared for the information of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Zac Higgins was left seriously injured in the incident which happened at 4pm on Monday in a Caslte Meadows housing estate in Cork. Gardai have renewed their appeal for information and ask that anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who have any information to contact them. Gardai believe there were a number of people in the car at the time of the incident and would appeal to the passengers to come forward. Zac's father Paul Higgins condemned the "heartless" occupants of the blue Mazda car who fled the scene following the incident. Mr Higgins said his son was now making a steady recovery in Temple Street Hospital in Dublin, to which he had been transferred. Mr Higgins posted a Facebook message to thank everyone who had sent messages of support to his family after the horrific accident off Cork's Skehard Road. "I would like to thank everyone who sent well-wishes," he posted. "After the longest four hours in the Cork University Hospital, our little warrior hit the road to Dublin by ambulance. "He will love that when he wakes up to hear it. He arrived at Temple Street Hospital straight for a CT scan which showed good results so far. "To see your child that way is the worst feeling I ever had in my life." Anyone with information or who may have dash cam footage is asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station 021 4522000 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Gardai at Anglesea Street in Cork have recovered the blue saloon car believed to have been involved in his incident. The car was recovered approximately 1 km from the scene of the collision. THE brother of a man who was murdered by his wife has said he finds it unbelievable that politicians have not done something sooner to change the law so killers cant benefit from their crime. Noel Byrne, whose brother Paul was stabbed more than 60 times by his estranged wife Tanya Doyle, became emotional as he delivered powerful testimony to the Oireachtas Justice Committee. Its members are examining a proposed Bill known as Celines Law put forward by Fianna Fail TD Jim OCallaghan. The law has informally been called after production company owner Celine Cawley, who was killed by her husband Eamonn Lillis. It came after Lillis, despite being convicted of manslaughter, maintained he was entitled to ownership of assets he jointly held with his wife, Including homes in Dublin and France. Lillis ultimately won the right to a 50pc share of Irish assets following a High Court ruling. The family of murdered Clodagh Hawe have also recently been outspoken in their calls for changes. Expand Close Celine Cawley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Celine Cawley Mr Byrne told the Oireachtas Committee that his brother Pauls murderer, Tanya Doyle admitted to Gardai that she killed him for his house and money. Doyle, of Pairc Gleann, Trasna, Aylesbury, Tallaght was found guilty of Mr Byrnes 2009 murder and sentenced to life in prison. She was convicted in 2013 and is due to be considered for parole this year. Mr Byrne said his brother worked for a well-known company and his income was more than 100,000 at the time of his death. He gave an explanation on the background of how Paul and his wife had split up. He said his brother was previously stabbed in the back some years before his death. His lung was punctured and he was hospitalised for around two months. He said that on leaving hospital Paul and Tanya went though a separation but Mr Byrne continued to support his estranged wife financially. She later moved to Portugal but they stayed in contact and she told him she had some difficulties. Paul organised flights back to Ireland and she moved into his home where they had separate bedrooms. They were still in the process of going through a legal separation and had reached an agreement on the terms of the settlement. It was due to be signed on the Tuesday after Pauls death. On the day when he was murdered Paul was due to attend a 21st birthday party. Noel had made arrangements to collect Paul on the way but they were running a late and Paul called a taxi. Mr Byrne said his brothers murder was pre-planned. A carving knife was bought in a local shop and Tanya Doyle cancelled the taxi that Paul had ordered. Mr Byrne said: In the coroners report that was read out in court Paul was stabbed over 68 times. Five vital organs were punctured. Any one would have caused his death. He dialled 999 and the eight and three quarter minutes of the remainder of his life was recorded Mr Byrne had to pause to compose himself at this point in his address to the committee. He said he wouldnt outline the conversation from the 999 call while his brother died. But sufficient to say that a number of defensive wounds were critical. There was one slash wound on his arm that peeled skin back off his arm for four inches. He asked Tanya at one point to call an ambulance, that she had stabbed him in the heart. Andi is my belief that the last stab wound happened as he lay on the bed and the carving knife pieced one side of his neck and out the other. As I said it just took under nine minutes for Paul to bleed to death. Tanya was arrested at the house. She was washing herself down and changing clothes. She was just about to leave when the police turned up. That evening under questioning Tanya admitted to the guards that she killed Paul for the house and for his money. She said to guards that there was no point in just stabbing him and her understanding of that was like what happened before because she wouldnt get enough. Tanya was convicted of murder in 2013. He said: After the conviction had taken place and the estate went to probate we received legal advice and that legal advice recommended to us that a settlement was needed to purchase her tenancy of the house He said the financial controller at the company where Paul worked gave the family an undertaking immediately after his death that no monies would be paid to Ms Doyle. However, the financial controller who was also the chair of the pension - changed a number of years later. After the trial the family contacted the new controller and they told us there was an obligation on them them to pay her the spouses portion of the benefit form the pension. All other portions of the pension were paid to the family. The amount of the pension would have been nearly 23,000 a year which the family has estimated would be worth 1m to Doyle over her lifetime. This was why Paul was murdered. For the house and for the money. She had stated this to the police categorically Mr Byrne said the family were in contact with the insurance company that held the pension. The insurance company said they had an obligation to pay this money. We cant understand how an insurance company would pay a convicted murderer who stated that they killed a person for money to receive any benefit whatsoever. He said that in 2016: the trustees of the pension sent us an email stating that they had come to an agreement that no monies would be paid. Its a shame to think that this September will be ten years [since Mr Byrnes death] that a person that commits murder for gain is still in a position to receive that gain. Tanya Doyle will be up for parole again 2019. June I believe is the date. We as a family have been consistently struggling with the events of this murder since 2009. We as a family, myself and my two sisters and my wife cant understand how a person how admitted murdering someone for money can benefit from their crime. Its unbelievable that you as Dail members havent done something sooner. He said research shows ten women a year are killed by a partner or spouse. He added: Since 2009 over 100 people have been murdered by partner or spouse probably finding themselves in the same position as us and having to battle through with the same legal jargon and issues surrounding their death. I really find this very, very distressing adding: nothing has been done about it. Committee chairman Caoimhghin O Caolain thanked Mr Byrne for his very courageous address. The government has promised to call out British ministers if legislation addressing Northern Irelands decades of violence is unfair or unbalanced. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said the political debate at Westminster about the Troubles was one-sided. The British Government is preparing legislation to investigate thousands of unresolved killings during the 30-year conflict. Mr Coveney said: Legacy is complicated and difficult, and in some way the debate is somewhat one-sided. That poses huge dangers and creates real concerns amongst the nationalist community, in particular because of the lack of a voice to create balance in that debate in Westminster. Whatever way you describe it, there is not a balanced debate on this issue. The Secretary of State (Karen Bradley) faces real challenges in ensuring that we have legislation that is fully balanced and fair, and takes into account the sides equally in terms of the balance of that legislation. Mr Coveney addressed a debate on Northern Ireland in the Seanad in Dublin on Wednesday. The British Government has consulted on proposals to create a team of independent detectives to review old cases for new criminal prosecution opportunities. A separate body would seek fresh information about killings to deliver answers for victims families where no prosecution is possible. An oral history archive would allow those affected to tell their stories and a body promoting reconciliation would also begin work. Some MPs have pressed for a statute of limitations exempting retired soldiers from prosecution for crimes committed in Northern Ireland. It represents an amnesty neither the British nor Irish governments accept should be allowed. Prosecutors recently said they would pursue one former soldier for murder over two Bloody Sunday killings in Londonderry early in the conflict in 1972. Northern Ireland Secretary Ms Bradley faced fierce criticism recently after she said killings at the hands of the security forces were not crimes. She later apologised. Mr Coveney said: She knows that she made a real mistake but now she wants to move on in a balanced and fair way. I think Karen Bradley is a good person and I can work with her, so if the legislation moves in the wrong direction we will call that out, we have an obligation to do that. The 2014 Stormont House Agreement between the main political parties in Belfast plus the British and Irish governments originally proposed the legacy institutions. Political disagreement in Northern Ireland and the collapse of devolved power-sharing delayed its implementation. The number of homeless people has crossed the 10,000 mark for the first time. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy released the February figures just minutes after British Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs for her intention to resign. They show that 6,480 adults and 3,784 children needed emergency accommodation last month. This brings the total figure to 10,264 people, the highest figure since the economic crash. The minister described the figures as hugely disappointing. Our plans to fix the supply of both social and private housing are working and this is borne out by the most recent build figures. The latest RTB report also shows rent falling at the end of 2018. And yet still we see more people entering emergency accommodation, he said. Mr Murphy said he is in constant contact with local authorities and working with them to help move families out of emergency accommodation and into sustainable housing solutions. As well as the increased supply of social housing, HAP will continue to play a vital role in providing families with a place to live until supply catches up. We will continue to work with families to demonstrate the benefits of this scheme over emergency accommodation, he said. Further reforms to the rental sector containing new protections for the most vulnerable in our housing sector, including longer notice periods will be coming before cabinet in the coming days. CEO of homelessness charity Depaul, Kerry Anthony, described the figures as "hugely disheartening". "It indicates that many challenges remain with regards to homelessness in Ireland. We need to be continuously looking at and monitoring the reasons behind these increases. However, it is not enough to identify the reasons, we must also act upon this knowledge," he said. For any person or family to find themselves homeless can have a detrimental impact on their lives, no matter how brief their stay in homelessness is. "We need to work together and look at ways of preventing people and families from entering homelessness and moving people out of it as quickly as possible. A tragic accident at Cork University Hospital claimed the lives of Marie Downey (inset) and her newborn son Darragh TRAGIC mother-of-three Marie Downey (36) who died alongside her new born baby boy in a freak tragedy in a Cork maternity hospital is expected to be buried with her infant son cradled in her arms. Locals in north Cork and south Limerick spoke of their utter devastation at the tragedy which claimed the lives of both the devoted young mother and her new born baby son, Darragh. Mrs Downey was hailed as a wonderful mother and a valued work colleague, employed as a laboratory technician with pharmaceutical giants, Novartis, in Cork. Cork Coroner Philip Comyn has now requested the services of a specialist neonatal pathologist to determine the cause of death for little Darragh who was found partially trapped underneath his unconscious mother in a single room at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) last Monday morning. Expand Close Marie Downey / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Marie Downey Darragh had been born a little more than 48 hours earlier. It is believed his mother fell ill and tumbled unconscious out of her hospital bed onto the floor as she either attempted to raise the alarm or reach the bathroom. She was apparently breast feeding little Darragh and the infant somehow got partially trapped underneath her on the floor of the single room. Mrs Downey was discovered by shocked staff shortly before 8am last Monday - and was pronounced dead at the scene despite desperate efforts to revive her. Her baby son was critically ill and lost his brave 36 hour battle for life on Tuesday evening. A post mortem examination was carried out on Mrs Downey at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Tuesday. However, the results of specialist toxicology and neurological tests will now take some time to compile. A precise cause of death for the young mother will depend on the results of those tests. The funeral arrangements for Mrs Downey and little Darragh will be confirmed once the specialist post mortem examination on Darragh is concluded at CUH. The infant's post mortem is scheduled to take place later today. Mrs Downey lived with her husband, Kieran, and two sons, James and Sean, on the Cork-Limerick border at Knockanevin outside Kildorrery. She is originally from Ballyagran in Co Limerick. Just three weeks ago she was one of the proud parents at Kildorrery national school to welcome a visit by the Liam McCarthy Cup with members of Limerick's All-Ireland winning side. Mrs Downey - a lifelong Limerick GAA fan - proudly helped her sons, James and Sean, hold Ireland's most famous hurling trophy aloft. The young woman is survived by her husband and sons, her parents, Jim and Helen, and extended family. Councillor Jerome Scanlan, a friend of Mrs Downey's Limerick family, said the entire community was shocked by what happened. "They are a hugely respected family here and everyone in the community is heartbroken for them. Everyone is shocked by the scale of the tragedy." Novartis issued a special statement last night saying that the thoughts and prayers of all Mrs Downey's colleagues are with her family. "Marie Downey was a valued member of our team here at Novartis, Ringaskiddy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marie's family and friends during this very difficult time. Marie will be fondly remembered here at Novartis Ringaskiddy," a spokesperson said. In Kildorrery, not far from the Downey's home in Knockanevin, Parish Priest Fr Eamon Kelleher said everyone was shocked by the death of the mother and baby. "It is an awful tragedy for the parish particularly for the people out in Knockanevin," he said. "They are a very close community and take great care of each other and everyone feels the Downey tragedy and they are gathering here every morning to pray for the Downeys and to pray for Marie and the little boy Darragh. "They are being surrounded by support but at the same time the whole community feels helpless. "We pray that the Downey's will have the strength to get through this time but the community here will give them all the support. "Her husband Kieran is from Knockanevin. Kieran's sister works in the local national school and their eldest boy is in that school too." "It is a very close knit community and there is immense respect for the Downey's and I know the people there with great sensitivity will do everything they can. "The thing about grief is that it is a very lonely place. Families to a very large extent have to carry that burden on their own. They are in the prayers of all here and I know that there is very practical support too from the local community out in Knockanevin. "But the thing about grief is that there is so little you can do really. We are alone with it. "People have a true Christian spirit and there is deep human affection. And that would be constant even when time goes by. There is terrible sadness that that cross is on the shoulders of Kieran and the Downey family." The South South-West Hospital Group of the Health Service Executive (HSE) have described the incident as a tragic occurrence. Counselling and support services are now in place for the woman's family. Health chiefs have ordered a full review of the precise circumstances of the tragedy at CUMH. Most-struck bridge: The railway bridge between Malahide and Portmarnock, north Co Dublin, was hit seven times last year An increase in railway bridge crashes last year has been described as a 'worrying trend' by Iarnrod Eireann. Considered to be one of the greatest safety risks that Iarnrod Eireann faces and the single most likely cause of a serious rail safety incident on the network, bridges are regularly struck by vehicles which are too tall to pass underneath them. Figures from Iarnrod Eireann confirm there were 95 bridge strikes in 2018, compared to 85 the previous year. One bridge, between Portmarnock and Malahide in north Co Dublin, was the country's most-struck bridge last year with seven incidents reported. Earlier this month, Amiens Street in Dublin had to be closed to road traffic, while train services between Connolly and Tara Street stations were temporarily suspended, after a lorry crashed into a railway bridge. The Irish Rail network comprises around 400 bridges which cross public roads and the company works closely with the Irish Road Haulage Association and local authorities to educate and inform drivers of the dangers. A company spokeswoman confirmed: "There were 95 bridge strikes last year of which 76 were under-bridge strikes; two were under-bridge span strikes; 16 were over-bridge incidents and one was a culvert collision. "It is a worrying trend and we would appeal to all users of high vehicles, to know your height and plan your journey to ensure that you avoid restricted height bridges," she said. Community workers are trying to convince the State that decriminalisation is the only way forward, as fears mount an expert working group may recommend continued criminalisation. The community workers, who have been involved in the National Drugs Strategy, said the Working Group on Alternative Approaches to Criminalisation for Possession, was likely to recommend Ireland continues to respond to people who use drugs, through the criminal justice system. But those supporting a more holistic approach, said recent evidence has highlighted decriminalisation is working. And they say the promotion of criminalisation would be a step backwards for Ireland. The groups point to the drug-related death rate in Portugal, currently at 4 per million compared to 70 per million in Ireland. Since Portugal decriminalised all drugs in 2001, the country has witnessed huge decreases in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime. Director of one of the community networks, CityWides Anna Quigley, said decriminalisation is recognised in the recent statement on behalf of all United Nations agencies, including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organisation. Evidence shows that decriminalisation does not lead to an overall increase in drug use and it does not send out a message that drugs are harmless, Ms Quigley added. In Ireland 72pc of all drug crime incidents recorded in 2017 were for possession for personal use. And yet there is no evidence to support the effectiveness of this use of police, legal and court resources in reducing drug use and its harms. She said that is crucial that this opportunity to change our drug laws so that we stop criminalising people who use drugs not be missed. Niamh Eastwood, executive director of Release, the UK's national centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law, said while diversion programmes recognise that providing access to health and support services is the most appropriate response, such schemes continue to operate in the context of the criminal law, and as such, people who use illicit drugs are still perceived as criminals. It does not make sense to say that, yes, we know treatment and support services are the best way to go, but we will define people as criminals first and foremost, she said. The evidence shows that treating people who use drugs as criminals increases the health and social risks associated with drug use and creates barriers to people seeking support or treatment, and a police diversion scheme will do little to mitigate these risks and barriers. Tony Duffin, CEO of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, said: As a country, we have a real opportunity to say unequivocally that drug use is a health issue, that people who use drugs will not be criminalised just because of their personal use, and that we will work to reduce drug-related harm without using the crude tool of the criminal law to punish people for no good reason. The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning. Fortunestown Lane closed by Gardai. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Gardai have arrested a young woman in relation to the fatal shooting of John Gibson (29) in September 2017. The fitness instructor was gunned down in a car park in Fortunestown Lane, Tallaght, at around 9.20pm on September 18. Gibson was close pals with Darragh Nugent (36), who was shot dead in west Dublin the week before his death. Both men were associated with jailed hitman James Nellie Walsh. Expand Close Gardai at the scene on Fortunstown Lane near the City West Shopping centre where a man was shot dead in a vehicle tonight..Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai at the scene on Fortunstown Lane near the City West Shopping centre where a man was shot dead in a vehicle tonight..Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. An inquest later found that Gibson died died due to multiple gunshot wounds. Gardai in Tallaght arrested a 23-year-old woman in connection with their investigation last night. She is currently detained at Tallaght Garda Station under the provisions of Section 30 Offences Against the State Act 1939. Expand Close John Gibson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Gibson A 22-year-old man who was arrested on Monday has been released without charge. A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. A spokesperson said their investigation is continuing. Shooting It is understood that Gibson was blasted several times as he sat in his car outside Eddie Rockets outlet. A gunman, who was driven to the scene in a van, opened fire on Gibson, who tried to get out of his car and flee. The van was later recovered burnt out on nearby Verschoyle Green. A magazine clip was also recovered from the front seat. Gibson was not considered a major gangland criminal, and had only a number of minor convictions including one for simple possession of drugs when he was caught with three ecstasy tablets in Swords in 2016. However, he had close links to Walsh, who is currently serving a lengthy sentence over firearms. Walsh, backed up by Nugent, became a player in the west Dublin crime scene around seven years ago and ended up getting involved in a bitter dispute with a Clondalkin gang with close links to the cartel. The inside scoop of everything from gossip in the neighborhood to the allure of pastrami, corned beef, blintzes and matzoh-ball soup is featured with wit from deli owners and also notable celebs sharing their own stories on camera, including attorney Alan Dershowitz, CNN broadcaster Larry King, character actor Fyvush Finkel and comedian Jerry Stiller, among the famed names shown chatting about iconic delis like Katzs and Rialto. What was once thousands of neighborhood independent family-owned delis across the United States has now been reduced to fewer than 150 which remain in the U.S. according to the filmmaker. Transport chiefs have refused to put a cost on the MetroLink project, admitting they cannot provide one "with a high degree of accuracy". The light railway was originally planned to have two tunnels stretching 26km from Swords in north Co Dublin to Sandyford in the south and cost 3bn. However, a new "preferred route" has seen a major curtailing of the project which will now have only one 19km tunnel ending at Charlemont in the city centre. Asked if the cost will at least be under 3bn, Hugh Creegan, deputy CEO of the National Transport Authority (NTA), said it was "simply too early to put a firm and realistic cost in place". MetroLink project director Aidan Foley said the plans had changed significantly since last year, admitting: "We can't provide a cost forecast with a high degree of accuracy." Other major changes to MetroLink include: :: It will run below road level along the Swords bypass, rather than on an elevated track; :: The train storage depot will be at Dardistown rather than at Estuary, with the track going over the M50 at this point rather than under it; :: The pitches at Na Fianna GAA club will no longer be used as the launch and extraction site for tunnel boring machines; :: Griffith Park station will now be built under the Home Farm FC pitch; :: Stations at O'Connell Street and St Stephen's Green will be moved slightly to reduce traffic disruption during construction. The project will take between six and seven years to build and trains are due to start running in 2027. An eight-week period of public consultation opened yesterday and runs until May 21. Under the preferred route, the number of homes that will be bought through a compulsory purchase order has fallen from 105 to 85. These include 70 apartments at the College Gate complex and eight rented properties owned by Dublin City Council, all on Townsend Street. They, along with the Markievicz Leisure Centre, will be demolished to make way for a station. Another seven properties in Swords will also be affected. Gordon Rose of the Save College Gate Campaign said residents were "pretty devastated" to learn their building is still in line for demolition. "We're not convinced the reasons given were sufficient," he said. "We're going to challenge Transport Infrastructure Ireland and we will continue with that conversation." The NTA said it had spent significant time and resources investigating alternatives to the location of the station, including mining beneath the apartment complex. However, it said the original plan "remains the most feasible". It said it will help tenants to find alternative accommodation and pay their rent for up to a year. In the case of owner- occupiers, they will be paid "appropriate compensation" and be assisted in finding a new home. The NTA said it is consulting with Dublin City Council, the owner of the leisure centre, about building a replacement. The original MetroLink plan saw it connect with the Luas Green Line at Charlemont. However this would have involved a lengthy closure of the Luas line - up to four years - and provoked a furious backlash from residents. It will now terminate at Charlemont but the tunnel will be continued for another 650 metres farther towards Ranelagh. This will allow the connection to the Green Line to be completed at some point in the future. Transport chiefs said the Green Line won't have to be upgraded for another 20 years and they will improve capacity on trams in the meantime. The newborn baby boy who died after being found underneath his unresponsive mother at Cork University Hospital has been named 'Darragh'. The little boy died shortly before 7pm last night despite efforts over two days by Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) doctors to stabilise his condition. He had been discovered critically injured underneath his unresponsive mother Margaret Downey - who was known as Marie Downey. Ms Downey was a mother-of-three originally from Ballyagran, Co Limerick but living in Kildorrery, Co Cork with her husband Kieran. A death notice published this morning said that she is mourned by her "heartbroken husband Kieran, her adored sons and Darragh's big brothers James and Sean". The notice read: "Marie Downey (nee Cullinane) Knockanevin, Kildorrery, Co. Cork and formerly of Ballyagran, Co. Limerick, unexpectedly on March 25th with her beautiful baby boy Darragh. Deeply mourned by her heartbroken husband Kieran, her adored sons and Darragh's big brothers James and Sean, her loving parents Jim and Helen, parents-in-law Tom and Alma, brother-in-law Patrick, sisters-in-law, Una, Fiona, Ellen and Mairead, aunts, uncles, relatives, neighbours and many friends." Funeral details for both mother and baby will be announced later in the week. Ms Downey's death is being treated as a tragic accident and an investigation is now underway at CUMH into the full circumstances of the tragedy. The baby boy was found seriously injured partially underneath his mother by shocked CUMH staff shortly after 7am last Monday. Ms Downey had given birth last weekend and it is believed she was breastfeeding when the freak accident occurred. One theory being considered is that she was suddenly taken ill and may have fallen out of bed as she attempted to seek help or reach a toilet. It is feared she may have suffered some kind of seizure and fallen onto the floor with the tiny baby being partly trapped underneath her. A post-mortem examination was carried out on her remains at Cork University Hospital (CUH) yesterday. However, it is expected to be some time before a precise cause of death is confirmed. A file will be submitted to Cork Coroner Philip Comyn for an inquest to be staged early next year. CUMH was opened just over a decade ago and the Cork facility ranks as Ireland's most modern maternity hospital. It is understood Ms Downey had been checked by CUMH staff just a short time before she was found. She had shown no indications of illness or feeling unwell at the time. When she was later found on the floor, emergency resuscitation was commenced but, tragically, she could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The South South-West Hospital Group of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has described the incident as a tragic occurrence. Counselling and support services are now in place for the woman's family. Police in North Wales have issued an appeal for a missing Irish woman. Aoife Molloy (41) was last seen on Friday, March 22 in the Bagillt area of Flintshire in Wales. Police in North Wales said that Ms Molloy was last seen wearing a green coat and dark blue jackets. She is also believed to be carrying a rucksack. Ms Molloy is originally from Kinnitty, Co Offaly. We have concerns for Aoife Molloy last seen on the 22nd March in the Bagillt area. Desc as 41yrs old, wearing a green coat and dark blue trousers. She has an Irish accent and was carrying a ruck sack. Itrace 24939 refers. Thank you pic.twitter.com/Mexn1JdnJh North Wales Police (@NWPolice) March 23, 2019 Police have asked anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact them using the following reference number: Itrace 24939. FINE Gael and Fianna Fail have clashed over Carbon Tax in an early start to the annual Budget battle as a cross-party group of politicians seek to thrash out plan to tackle climate change. A draft report of the Climate Action Committee currently includes a recommendation that the finance minister introduce legislation this year setting a trajectory to quadruple Carbon Tax to at least 80-per-tonne by 2030. The introduction of Carbon Tax hikes is set to be a key sticking point in this year's Budget negotiations between the two parties amid the looming general election. Fianna Fail has sought to change the Climate Action Committee recommendation on the pathway to increase the tax ahead of the publication of its final report which is due to take place tomorrow. They argued that there needs to be clearer recommendations on how to alleviate fuel poverty and mitigate the effects of an increased tax on households. Fianna Fails bid to change the report prompted Fine Gael claims the party is seeking to fudge the committees findings. Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fails climate action spokesman, hit back arguing that Fine Gael could have raised carbon tax over the last eight Budgets but failed to do so. The row has played out this afternoon as the committee attempts to finalise its report. The government was criticised last year for not increasing carbon tax which currently stands at 20-per-tonne in Budget 2019. Hiking the tax is among the measures experts deem necessary to help Ireland meet its carbon emissions reduction targets. Fianna Fail sought to change the climate action report with an amendment saying that that the committee acknowledges the advice of the Climate Change Advisory Council and the ESRI in favour of increasing the carbon tax to at least 80-per-tonne. It also wants the impact on low-income families examined before any increase in the tax and a provision that it shouldnt be seen as a solitary solution to cutting carbon emissions. Fine Gael tabled an amendment to the Fianna Fail proposal that would see the committee accept the expert advice that the trajectory of the increases to at least 80-per-tonne by 2030 should be set out in legislation this year. Both attempts to change the report failed to pass votes in the committee this afternoon. Earlier representatives of both parties hit out that the other, in whats likely to be a preview of wrangling ahead of the last Budget to be negotiated under the extended confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Mr Dooley said he wasnt accepting the Fine Gael amendment. He said that while his party supports the carbon tax it was was not good enough to talk about raising it in the report and not talk in any meaningful way on how to assist them [householders] particularly those in fuel poverty. Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon said Fianna Fails bid to change the draft report is really disappointing and accused the party of seeking to water down the report. He argued that it would be an absolute fudge to remove the wording on the trajectory of increases and accused Fianna Fail of not being brave enough to include the measure. He said it was a massive retrograde step for the work that the committee has done since July. Mr Dooley said he believes the wording Fianna Fail was suggesting is adequate and there is a need for absolute certainty for people impacted by the measure to increase carbon tax. In reference to Mr Heydons remarks he added: Somebody talked about bravely Ill take no lecture from anyone in Fine Gael about bravely on climate action. He claimed the government has done nothing to address climate change. He said it was the Fianna Fail-Green Party coalition that introduced carbon tax and Fine Gael could have raised it in recent Budgets but sadly failed to do so. Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy said she was disappointed that Mr Dooley would seek to be so political about this. He says he accepts a carbon tax but wont put a price on it. She said that Fine Gael are very concerned about people in fuel poverty and are seeking to protect them as well. She also mention the "fee and dividend" model of payments to households - similar to carbon cheques mooted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as a means of mitigating the impact of the tax increase on families. With Fianna Fails bid to change the reports recommendation failing and as Fine Gaels amendment to the rival partys amendment also failing to pass, the committees draft finding that the trajectory of Carbon Tax increases to at least 80-per-tonne stands for now. The committee has agreed to returned to the contentious issue tomorrow and spent much of the evening seeking agreement on other measures in the report. Sinn Fein and People Before Profit (PBP) committee members are opposed to any increase in Carbon Tax. Brid Smith, a PBP TD, said what was happening at the committee was an absolute disgrace and said nobody should be fooled by what she claimed was Fine Gael and Fianna Fail dancing on a pin. She claimed Carbon Tax increases would be imposed on ordinary people without taking their circumstances into account whether they need to use a car to drive to work or live in substandard accommodation. Firefighters at the scene on Dublin's north inner city. Photo: Damien Eagers EMERGENCY services are currently dealing with a house fire which has led to road closures near the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Shortly before 10am fire crews were alerted to a derelict building on fire near the hospital on the North Circular Road. Five units from the Dublin Fire Brigade were dispatched to the scene while gardai closed off a section of the North Circular Road outside Mountjoy Prison and the Mater Hospital. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. A DFB spokesman said on Twitter: North Circular Road currently closed as five units deal with a fire near the junction of Dorset St. Diversions in place, avoid if possible. The fire has been contained but emergency services remain at the scene. Significant damage is visible at the front of the building with the roof severely damaged from the fire. Assessments will be done to ensure Isil bride Lisa Smith "doesn't become a threat to life and limb here in Ireland" when she returns home, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. The Taoiseach yesterday confirmed details of the efforts to get the Louth woman and her two-year-old child out of Syria, as first reported by the Irish Independent. Ms Smith's case was discussed by ministers at Cabinet yesterday. Much emphasis was put on the welfare of her daughter, Ruqayya, who is also living in a camp amid extremely poor conditions. In the Dail, Mr Varadkar said efforts were being "stepped up" to ensure the pair were treated humanely. No direct contact has been made between Irish officials and Ms Smith to date. But the Taoiseach said: "As is the case with all Irish citizens, they will be permitted to re-enter the State should they try to do so." He ruled out using the Government jet to fly her home from the Middle East, saying it is not capable of flying that far. Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said Ms Smith had "obviously made very poor choices". But he added: "There's a two-year-old girl, an Irish citizen, who deserves a future." Aid workers in the Middle East have been directed to help secure her release from a camp where she lives in a tent with other war widows. A source in the region who has met Ms Smith said she is aware her case has created publicity in Ireland but does not know the nature of the debate. "They are cut off from the world in there. There is no access to news," the source said. "Lisa wants to go back home. It's now all about her little girl." The Department of Foreign Affairs has decided not to send officials into the region, as is normal practice when Irish citizens find themselves in trouble abroad, as Syria is deemed too volatile for diplomats. However, efforts are being made behind the scenes to get help from aid workers. It is understood Red Cross officials have been consulted with a view to establishing the potential to secure a safe passage for Ms Smith. Sources have said utilising the capabilities and connections of the Red Cross is currently among the main options at the Government's disposal. The permutations were discussed at a senior-level meeting yesterday and will be reviewed again later this week. There are also ongoing discussions between Irish officials and a number of Middle Eastern governments. To date, diplomats have been trying to confirm that Ms Smith wants to return to Ireland. The Government has not had direct contact with her but is now upping its efforts to repatriate her on foot of a brief interview aired on CNN in recent days. 'The stripping is done so there's nothing to hide' What is it? A single storey period home in Co Laois for the price of a brand new Volvo XC90 SUV. Located at Castle, near Ballylynan, and just over the Kildare border, it was vacant for almost two decades and has recently been stripped out for restoration. The owner's attention has been taken by another project and so it's for sale. Tell me more about the place... While the selling agent believes it dates from the 1940s, the house has flourishes in brick and slate characteristic of the earlier Edwardian era. Hall, lounge, kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms. The good news? Expand Close 'The stripping is done so there's nothing to hide' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'The stripping is done so there's nothing to hide' The stripping is done so there's nothing to hide. New windows and a front door have been installed and permission obtained for a septic tank. The roof is thought to be okay though a survey will be required to make certain. It has two-fifths of an acre with its own well. And the bad news? You'll need new concrete floors, central heating, rewiring, replumb, a new bathroom, new kitchen, skimming and a good extension to make a decent three-bedroom family home. How much to buy it? The asking price is 85,000. And to fix it up? Close to 100,000 should sort the whole lot. What will I end up with? For under 200k, a period home of character within reach of Kilkenny, Carlow and Laois, and a short drive from the train to Dublin at Athy. Who do I talk to? Michael Connaughton of Connaughton Auctioneers, (059) 8632815, has the keys. A young Belfast couple have revealed the dangerous lengths they go to for the perfect "golden glow". Hannah Tittensor (22) and boyfriend Benjamin Dunlop use tanning injections to darken her skin - something the Irish Cancer Society recommends against. "It's pure and simple ... it makes me happy," said Hannah. "All the girls I see on Instagram or girls I know all wear fake tan or do sunbeds so why not instead of wearing make-up on your body basically?" Hannah has had a huge reaction to her social media posts. She has gone on to appear on ITVs This Morning after featuring on web series Hooked On The Look. Her episode has had over 6.5million views across social media since its first broadcast. Some of the reaction, however, is abusive, something Hannah has said she has come to terms with. People saying I want to be a black woman trying to switch races just because I am tanning. I dont care, these people dont know me, she told the show saying she is used to the abuse. "Type in blackface in Instagram or Google and my name will come up. All for having a tan... quite an extreme tan. She added: "I'm white and I like to be overly tan." Beauty therapist Hannah started using sunbeds at 17 when she met her boyfriend Benjamin. She had used sunless self-tanning products but stopped because she didn't like the smell or how they went patchy when washed off. She still uses sunbeds. Hannah was first introduced to the injections by her brother who turned up one day a completely different colour. Ben was impressed and immediately started using them. For Hannah it took her some time to come around to the idea of injecting. "It was like 'oh my God, that is quite frightening'. You are injecting something into your body but it is really not that bad... Ok it kinda is," she added. Hannah admits she is obsessed with her tan. "I don't really see it as anything extraordinary really, I just see it as me." Hannah and Ben inject themselves with tanning drug melanotan, a synthetic hormone that increases the levels of melanin in the skin which causes the skin to darken. The couple appeared on ITV's This Morning to talk about their use of the drug. Ben has suffered serious consequences from taking the drug. He suffered a stomach abscess after contacting a bacterial infection from the tan. "I don't buy them online any more. But I just love being tanned," he said. He added: "I just always liked being tanned. On family holidays we used to compare ourselves and see who could get the darkest." Hannah admitted she was not aware of the advice or the regulations surrounding use of the drug. She says it does cause her concern though given how there is a history of cancer in her family. "We do worry about cancer ... my mum thinks I'm an idiot," she added. Hannah's sister Rachel says she believes her image all about her insecurity. "Without all that, she is absolutely stunning and she just doesn't know it," she said. It appears that Attorney General William Barr decided rather quickly that President Trump should not be charged with obstruction. Did he even take the time to read through the reports? It seems like it was a predetermined decision. It seems like thats what the party people were all celebrating Friday night at Mar-a-Lago. How did they possibly know what was going to be decided ahead of time? Metro Link was heralded as one of the landmark public transport projects when it was included in the Government's 116bn National Development Plan (NDP) as part of the flashy Project Ireland 2040 initiative. Metro services to south Co Dublin were very much on the accompanying map. It showed the proposed route running from Swords through the city centre and on to Sandyford through Ranelagh. It's in that leafy neighbourhood where the most fervent opposition arose. And the planned Metro service to growing communities further south has now been shelved for up to two decades. Fine Gael politicians played a part in derailing the proposed route that formed part of their Government's own NDP. Opposition from the community in Ranelagh had the backing of Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and Fine Gael colleague Kate O'Connell. Independent Senator Michael McDowell was another heavyweight local politician who opposed the plan. There were complaints from residents that the closure of a road would lead to a "Berlin Wall" segregating the community during construction. An alternative option that was considered could have seen the Luas Green Line closed for up to four years, and was ruled out by Transport Minister Shane Ross as "utterly unacceptable". There was trouble on the northside as well with outcry that Na Fianna GAA Club would lose the use of three pitches for up to six years during construction. But the pitches have been saved in the revised plan and the changes haven't led to the loss of a whole section of the planned route. As it stands, the trains on the city's southside - when they finally arrive in 2027 - will stop at Charlemont Street and passengers will have to transfer to Luas Green Line services to continue on to Sandyford. National Transport Authority officials have denied the changes to the plans were due to pressure from Government ministers, insisting there was a "technical basis" for the preferred route. But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar noted in the Dail that residents of Ranelagh will "very much welcome" the changes. He also said it wouldn't have been viable to close the Luas Green Line for up to four years. Ultimately, extending the Metro Link farther south may not happen for another two decades but the debate has already begun as to what route it may take. Mr Varadkar suggested in the Dail that it could "make sense" for the trains to go through UCD to Sandyford. His party colleague, Dublin South-West TD Colm Brophy, is already pushing for a service to Firhouse. Don't expect an end to the politics of Metro Link on Dublin's southside any time soon. There is an undiscovered Ireland, both in places already well established and in those off the beaten track. In Failte Ireland, as the National Tourism Development Authority, our job is to give thought leadership and to offer practical assistance to ensure our tourism industry is authentically in-sync with who we are. It is to support communities of people and places, where and how they want to live by diversifying tourism regionally and seasonally. Destination Towns are the target of our new investment scheme being launched today. Valued at 15.5million it will boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of up to 62 towns across Ireland. This announcement is a significant one and will bring practical and tangible value to communities, especially in rural Ireland. Read More Every local authority in the country will be able to bid for funding of between 250,000 - 500,000 to develop up to two towns in their area which have the potential to become a destination town for tourists. Expand Close Westport: A town Failte Ireland cites for its "well-maintained streetscape" / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Westport: A town Failte Ireland cites for its "well-maintained streetscape" Public spaces and squares, streetscapes and markets will be brought to life and enhanced in a way that will engage tourists. A destination town will need to demonstrate at least one visitor attraction of scale to drive tourism demand, a range of things to see and do for two days, a selection of accommodation and a range of food offerings. Tourism is countless strands woven into the fabric of the local community and economy. Research tells us that attractive towns and cities are key motivators for overseas visitors coming to Ireland which means improving public facilities is not just an investment in a better quality of life and local civic pride. Tourism is a bigger industry than almost any other. Its attraction for visitors is a desire to know who we are and how we live. The needs and desires of our core overseas markets are ever-changing but one thing they consistently look for are experiences that are authentic whether its taking a tour from a local guide and learning about an areas unique heritage, visiting a craft persons workshop or indulging in locally-sourced Irish food and drink. What brings people from around the world to Ireland is the sense that what they experience is real. At Failte Ireland, we are working with businesses in every corner of the country, from large attractions and hotels to local restaurants, tour guides and activity providers to ensure we can meet the needs of tourists and provide them with memorable experiences that capture Irish culture. Expand Close Nenagh Castle. Photo: Failte Ireland / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nenagh Castle. Photo: Failte Ireland Our country isnt a theme park, though it has lots of fun places to visit. It is endlessly fascinating and constantly unexpected. We have stunning scenery, interspersed with historic towns. Each has a unique hinterland and history, and a specifically local experience. Our cities have a thousand years of history. There is a welcome that is genuinely personal in accommodation ranging from a hosts own home, to truly great hotels, to B&Bs and Castles. In between, in the time every visitor spends with us, is an experience that is uniquely Irish. Failte Irelands Destination Towns scheme will provide the mentoring and money to support great ideas to enhance those experiences. The towns which reap the greatest benefits from tourism and schemes like this are those where all local tourism players pull together. From local authorities and businesses to the communities themselves, each complementing anothers efforts to create a full and appealing offering for their area. As Brexit looms, now more than ever Im urging local authorities, along with the support of these key local industry and community players, to be innovative and ambitious as they work with us in Failte Ireland to develop compelling visions for their destination towns. 'Certainly, a decade ago the crash made for hard choices a government desperate to get the economy going again flogged all it could to get things moving' Stock photo As far back as the 19th century there has been a campaign to secure rights for tenants on this island. The Land League's rallying cry for the three Fs (fixity of tenure, free sale and fair rent) was supposedly seared into the national psyche. Not deeply enough, judging by the stinging rebuke the country has just received from the UN. In a damning indictment of housing policy, Ireland was one of six countries which the UN accused of "failing to regulate corporate landlords and protect tenants' human right to secure housing". This Government has consistently shown itself to be tone deaf to the need for housing, given the scale of need. The UN salvo could not be more direct: "We remind all states that while gold is a commodity, housing is not, it's a human right." Matters have been made considerably worse by the Government facilitating the hoovering up of swathes of homes by vulture funds. The arrival of the giant foragers from the financial savannas make it virtually impossible for young couples to compete to buy homes on the open market, where they are competing with unlimited appetites with resources to match. In its letter to the US government, the UN zoned in on the way corporate landlords bought thousands of ordinary family houses. In this country it will be a subject of heated debate for many years to come - why so many homes were allowed to be sold off to the vulture funds at such massively discounted prices. Certainly, a decade ago the crash made for hard choices - a government desperate to get the economy going again flogged all it could to get things moving. Yet 10 years on, in the midst of a chronic shortage of new homes, it is reasonable to ask is there nothing we can do in terms of taking steps to secure our limited housing stock for the people who actually live, work and pay their taxes here? As pointed out elsewhere in these pages today, Ireland is rapidly becoming a nation of renters. When a body such as the UN is sufficiently concerned to warn us about "egregious" business practices of the giant private equity and investment firms buying up rental properties, the State should surely pay attention. There are solutions such as the novel one proposed by the Land Development Agency in Shanganagh, Co Dublin. This will see a scheme where homes will be built and rented at cost. The State has been inexplicably and culpably lax about introducing innovative polices which might stimulate social rented housing provision. It has been equally slow to intervene in the private rental sector. As a result, tenants are left on the rack. Remember, we have 80,000 on housing lists and 10,000 homeless. They say home is where you may find a light when all grows dark elsewhere. Too many will continue to be left in the dark unless the State wakes up to its responsibilities and prioritises people's needs. If the UN is taking notice, is it not high time the Government did as well? 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 The Duchess of Sussex leaves after a visit to Mayhew, an animal welfare charity she is now supporting as patron, at its offices in north-west London Baby Sussex's arrival is imminent, but where will we see that first shot of the beaming duke and duchess: on the steps of the uber-plush Lindo Wing, outside their local NHS hospital, or at home with a doula? We still don't know what the plans are for the royal baby, but here's what they can expect, whatever route they choose. The private wing Expand Close The Duke of Cambridge holds the hand of his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, as he carries their newborn son from the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke of Cambridge holds the hand of his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, as he carries their newborn son from the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London The hotel-style birthing experience offered by the private Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, with airy suites, in-house chefs and champagne teas, starts at a basic rate of 5,900 for a normal delivery in a standard room, and 7,435 for a c-section, with consultant's fees, anaesthetics and room upgrades extra, and additional nights from 1,175. Of more concern to the free-spirited duchess than the cost, however, will be that delivering at the Lindo means following closely in the footsteps of her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. The Lindo was opened by the Queen in 1937, as a place for high profile women to give birth in private. Back then, royal mothers still gave birth in their palaces but the Lindo became the royal choice when George Pinker, royal gynaecologist and obstetrician from 1973 until 1990, persuaded the family that giving birth in hospital was safer. He delivered nine royal babies here, from Peter and Zara Phillips to Princes William and Harry. Not only does it offer a stellar array of obstetricians, but the hospital is accustomed to royal protocols and prides itself on privacy, discretion and security. Kerstin Smolcic, a blogger who gave birth in the Lindo in 2017, was impressed to find a waterproof security tag swiftly attached to her newborn, Ava Grace's ankle. "If it gets too close to the maternity ward elevator, it immediately stops working and the area is locked down," she explains. Meghan and Harry might also be swayed by the fact that the Lindo is attached to a major hospital with a neonatal unit. In the hours after giving birth, Smolcic was visited by a paediatrician, a nutritionist and a physiotherapist to teach her how to do pelvic floor exercises. Her suite was kitted out with toiletries and an armchair that folded out in to a bed for her husband. They enjoyed dinner together and then Ava Grace was moved to the optional nursery, where she was cared for by midwives while her parents slept. If Meghan is planning on following the principals of attachment parenting, she won't like the sound of the nursery, but on Mumsnet it's regarded as one of the best aspects; Smolcic says it gave her a chance to rest and recover a little after the birth. "There's a milk menu with various types of formula and if you're breastfeeding the midwives will bring your baby to you at feed times," she says. Patients can stay as long as they like (and can afford): Kate headed home after one night but Smolcic stayed on an extra 24 hours to benefit from the "phenomenal" advice and help from the midwives. "They showed us how to bathe Ava Grace, change her nappies and breastfeed her. Then, feeling rested, refreshed and prepared for parenthood we checked out." The opposite, then, to the way most parents feel as they venture out of hospital with their newborn. Video of the Day - Anna Tyzack The public option The Mulberry Birth Centre at Frimley Park, the other reported contender for baby Sussex's birth, is much like any other NHS maternity unit. There is one birth pool and 14 labour rooms with dimmable lights, birth balls and beanbags, plus a few private rooms - a far cry from the Lindo's wine list and spa menu. But if Meghan does decide to give birth on the NHS, it would not (just) be a ruse to make Kate look precious; Frimley Park is a mere 15 miles from their new home, Frogmore Cottage. The duchess will also have heard great things about it from Harry's aunt, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who credits Frimley's consultant-led labour ward for saving her life when she suffered a placental abruption in 2003 during the birth of her eldest child, Lady Louise Windsor. In 2014 Sophie returned to open the hospital's neonatal unit. What will also matter to Meghan is the hospital's above average natural birth ratio - and that women with uncomplicated births tend to leave within four to six hours. There is no question of roughing it. In fact, patients often compare the Mulberry, Frimley's "home from home" birthing suite, to a hotel. "It was lovely, we had our own room with a double bed that folded up in to the wall to allow for extra room," says Hayley Stainton, who gave birth to her daughter, Isla there in 2017. "There were ropes to hang from, mats to lie on and balls to sit on. As I wanted a water birth, we left our room for the pool, which was equally nice with calming music and coloured lights." Her husband stayed the night in the double bed as their new baby girl slept between them. "It was clean and comfortable and I had my own bathroom. I was brought drinks throughout the night and breakfast in bed the next morning. All on the NHS! I don't think my experience would have been any better in a private hospital." All this is assuming, of course, that the duchess, whose pregnancy is deemed "low risk", doesn't further upstage her sister-in-law by giving birth at home. Home births account for 14pc of births at Frimley, with 98.9pc of these taking place without medical intervention. But if push comes to shove, and Meghan ends up in hospital, there are far worse places to give birth. - Anna Tyzack The LA way "How are you with pain?" asks the doctor. "I'm not a huge fan." "So we're thinking an epidural?" I want to tell the model-turned-anesthesiologist by my bedside that there is no "we" - here in Cedars-Sinai's maternity ward, there's a clear division of labour going on, whereby the women make miniature human beings and he gets given wheelbarrows full of Dead Presidents to inject narcotics into their lower spines. And is that Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Foundation he's wearing? Talk about flawless, poreless perfection. Instead, I say: "Actually I'm thinking a natural birth." And he barks out a laugh: "Honey, in LA a natural birth means giving birth without your makeup on." I'd only moved out to Los Angeles three months before my due date, but in that time I'd understood a few things about the women: these slaves to physical perfection didn't do natural. And unless the promise of enhanced physical beauty was at the end of it, they didn't do pain or hardship either. So how on earth did they do childbirth? Well, by checking into the Chateau Marmont of maternity wards, of course: a place where everyone from the Kardashians to the Beckhams and Britney Spears have paid upwards of $4,000 a night to deliver their offspring in the hospital's five-star, three-bedroom 'birthing suites'. Had the Duchess of Sussex stayed in LA - and remained Megan Markle, jobbing actress - it's likely she would have added her name to the list. Although it's an outlier, if she is planning to break with royal tradition, this would be the place to do it. After all, you might not want one of life's 'great levellers' to be too levelling. You might also want a smoothie maker. Although I didn't feel the need to tick that box on the Cedars 'facilities' form. Nor the luxury 'his and hers' bathrobes, 'hardwood floors', 'recessed lighting' and 'flatscreen TVs' offered in the superior suites, since, last I checked, we weren't actually planning to buy the place. Personal doula? A tough one, but once I'd rephrased the question: "Would you pay $600 for a complete stranger to rub your back and tell you to 'trust your body'?" the answer was obvious. Still, reports that Meghan has already hired a doula, herself - which would make her the first royal in centuries to enlist a birth assistant - suggest she may have been on the Cedars website. Unlike the Lindo, where Kate took her personal hairdresser to style her for the post-birth photo-opp, 'in-room salon services' are offered as part of the birth service. I said yes to the Placenta Apothecary consultant, who can advise on whether it's best to eat my own placenta raw, cooked, in capsule or liquid form, in order to guarantee eternal youth, banish baby blues and replenish iron lost during the birth. And yes, yes, yes to the doctors put in charge of me, who all looked like they'd auditioned for ER - but been rejected on the grounds of being "unrealistically hot." - Celia Walden Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] (From left to right) Apple CEO Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg pose for a photo outside the Steve Jobs Theater during an event to announce new Apple products (Tony Avelar/AP) Apple is entering the battle of the streaming services with the launch of Apple TV+ and will hope to take on dominant forces such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The technology giant has already enlisted the help of Hollywood heavyweights such as Oprah Winfrey, JJ Abrams, Steven Spielberg and Reese Witherspoon to create both content and hype for the launch in the autumn. It has revealed a first look at its original series including The Morning Show, starring Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell, and See, starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, in hopes it will draw viewers to the service. Apple TV+. A new home for the worlds most creative storytellers. Apple (@Apple) March 26, 2019 Both Netflix and Amazon have also revealed ambitious programming schedules as they bid to become indispensable to TV and film enthusiasts. Netflix, which recently staged an aggressive and largely successful Oscars campaign for Alfonso Cuarons passion project Roma, has signed multi-million-dollar deals with Greys Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy for a batch of new shows for the service. Murphy recently revealed his first Netflix project, The Politician, will star Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange and Ben Platt, and he has also confirmed he is working on Ratched with Sarah Paulson, Sharon Stone and Cynthia Nixon, plus another show , Hollywood, about the golden age of Tinseltown. Rhimes, who has reportedly signed a nine-figure production deal with Netflix, is developing eight shows for the platform. Video of the Day These include adaptations of books The Warmth of Other Suns, about migration from the south to the north-east of the US in the 20th century, and Reset, Ellen Paos memoir of her legal battle against sexual harassment in Silicon Valley. The service also has another big budget project in the form of The Crown, with the third series starring Oscar-winner Olivia Colman due for release later this year. It is also making a foray into interactive programming in a new series with Bear Grylls, following on from the success of the Black Mirror project Bandersnatch. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video announced in November 2017 it has made a multi-series production commitment to adapt The Lord Of The Rings. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. #LOTRonPrime pic.twitter.com/7TuQh7gRPD The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) March 7, 2019 Speculation about the value of the deal varies widely from 250 million US dollars (188.9 million) to 700 million US dollars (528.9 million) but the adaptation, exploring new storylines preceding The Fellowship Of The Ring, is due to launch in 2020. The streaming platform also has other big budget shows in the offing in the form of Carnival Row, a fantasy series starring Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom, and Good Omens, starring David Tennant, Michael Sheen and John Hamm. Only this unlikely duo can stop doomsday. #GoodOmens arrives May 31 on @PrimeVideo. pic.twitter.com/g5ytJnb8EK Good Omens (@GoodOmensPrime) March 6, 2019 Good Omens creator Neil Gaiman has also signed an exclusive deal with Amazon and will create further content for the platform following the successful adaptation of his book American Gods. Amazon has also announced an adaptation of Wheel of Time, a multi-book fantasy story by Robert Jordan, and the return of Eco-Challenge, starring Bear Grylls, while its blockbuster show Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski, is also expected to return for a second series this year. There's no such thing as too much @JohnKrasinski and @WendellPierce. Rewatch Season 1 of #JackRyan with Jack and Greer before their next mission begins. pic.twitter.com/uO1s5DlcI3 Jack Ryan (@jackryanamazon) December 18, 2018 While Netflix and Amazon have dominated the streaming landscape for the last five years, yet another contender is waiting in the wings hoping to snatch viewers and subscription fees away from the old guard. Disney will launch its own streaming service Disney+ later this year, offering access to its huge library of film and television projects, including those from Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic and Lucasfilm. This will include the new original Star Wars show, in which see Diego Luna will reprise his Rogue One character Cassian Andor, and another entitled The Mandalorian, created by Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal. Also expected to launch later this year is BritBox, a joint venture between the BBC and ITV into the TV streaming market and said to feature the biggest collection of British content available on any streaming service. Top actress Charlene McKenna (31) has lifted the lid on the lunacy of pilot season in LA. While some Irish actresses are determined to make it big in Hollywood, the Ripper Street actress has said she would be very nervous to return to the bustling city and sell herself to casting agents and directors. Expand Close Pictured at The Premiere of Jesus Christ Superstar at The Bord Gais Energy Theatre last night was; Charlene McKenna / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pictured at The Premiere of Jesus Christ Superstar at The Bord Gais Energy Theatre last night was; Charlene McKenna Ive been living in New York and Im due to go to LA after Ripper Street finishes filming, she told Independent.ie. They want me to go to LA on the back of the Ron Howard job, Clan of The Cave Bear, but I dont know. Im very nervous to go back. "I think the first time I went, I didnt enjoy pilot season. "Theres nothing wrong with Los Angeles. Its grand. But I didnt enjoy 900 meetings a day. Expand Close Charlene McKenna pictured at the opening of the musical Dirty Dancing / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlene McKenna pictured at the opening of the musical Dirty Dancing "Im a perfectionist and there was no time and I felt really frazzled, so thats why Im reticent about going back. I should go though and I will. The Monaghan native, who divides her time between London and New York, added how it was intimidating for any actor to be scrutinized so intensely. "Pilot season is lunacy and Ive yet to meet any actor who says its great or that they love working 900 hours a day. You need a thick skin. Youre just judged, she continued. "Obviously Ive a bigger career in Ireland and the UK, so when you walk into the room theres a bit of weight, whereas over there, they dont really know you and youre torn. Its interesting. Expand Close Vodafone TV launch with TV star Charlene McKenna and YouTube sensation Piggy Sue. Photo: Naoise Culhane / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vodafone TV launch with TV star Charlene McKenna and YouTube sensation Piggy Sue. Photo: Naoise Culhane Video of the Day She added how her American agents are keen for her to attempt to crack America again but that she has to finish Ripper Street first and may fly over afterwards. Busy Charlene, whos currently house-hunting in east London, was back in Dublin this week for the launch of Vodafone TV, a new on-demand TV service. The IFTA-winning actress, who played a prostitute in Ripper Street, added how she still finds the industry deeply unsettling despite all her years of experience. "I was thinking about that just the other day, she said. Ive been doing this, solidly professionally just over ten years. And Ive never done anything else and sometimes its like Ive just started in that because you sort of are nicely going up the ladder a wee bit and it all becomes relevant so its about becoming that job and that job. Expand Close Charlene McKenna arrives the Irish Premiere of The Great Gatsby at The Savoy, Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlene McKenna arrives the Irish Premiere of The Great Gatsby at The Savoy, Dublin. "And so, its not that you really think youll never work again, I think that that (feeling) what if it stops? doesnt go away, mixed with well it shouldnt." "And then like, that going into a mortgage you go, what if that was it then? What do you do? So Im always thinking about what if what if what it but touch all the wood, you just keep going. Mel B and Geri Halliwell accept the Spice Girls award for 'Brits Performance of 30 Years' on stage at The Brit Awards 2010 at Earls Court on February 16, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) Mel B's sex revelation was designed to take her bandmate down a few notches. With an upcoming tour to promote and a memoir (fittingly called Brutally Honest) to sell, it's really no surprise that Mel B was ready to run her mouth during her recent interview with Piers Morgan. The full interview won't be aired until May, but it seems that Mel's revelation that she slept with bandmate Geri Halliwell was much too salacious for Piers to just sit around on. The former tabloid editor shared a teaser of the bombshell moment on Monday's Good Morning Britain and it didn't take long for the short video to go viral. Mel's TV confession certainly makes for a good headline but the interview itself makes for uncomfortable viewing. On one hand we have Piers trying to hide his schoolboy prurience behind the ruse of hard-nosed interviewing. "There were rumours that you and Geri were more than just good friends, that you'd had a little dabble." On the other hand we have Mel B feigning coyness before going full female chauvinist pig. "She has great boobs," she told Piers, who, at this point, was beginning to resemble a salivating bulldog. To top if all off, we have this anachronistic idea that sexual titillation sells. Sure, it may have appealed to a certain market during the lipstick lesbianism craze of the noughties, when pandering to male fantasies was all the rage. But in a post-MeToo world where sexual fluidity is fast becoming the new normal? It just seems old hat. Mel B has never been known for her discretion. In fact, you might even say that the woman known as Scary Spice likes to shock with her sexually liberated soundbites and opinionated rants. Yet watching this clip, there is the feeling that shock-factor is the furthest thing from her mind. Expand Close The Spice Girls are set for a reunion / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Spice Girls are set for a reunion While she knows her revelation will generate plenty of column inches, there seems to be an ulterior motive at play. "She's going to hate me for this," she said of her bandmate, who married Formula 1 racing team boss Christian Horner in 2015, "because she's all posh in her country house with her husband." We'll leave the implication that posh women shouldn't be bi-curious to the side for the moment, and just focus on the fact that Mel B consciously set out to anger her friend and bandmate with her kiss-and-tell. Video of the Day More than that, she seems to want to remind Geri Halliwell about who she was before she reinvented herself as Geraldine Horner. For those who don't know who Geraldine Horner is, we'll need to go back to November 11, 2014. That's the day Geraldine, "daughter of the late Mr L F Halliwell and Mrs A Parkinson", and her husband-to-be "Mr C.E.J Horner OBE" announced their engagement in the Births, Marriages and Deaths section of The Times newspaper. What followed was a reinvention of Pygmalion proportions. Geri moved to a country estate in Oxfordshire, where she took up horse riding and clay pigeon shooting. When she appeared on The Great Sport Relief Bake Off in 2016 - wearing a crisp white shirt and minimal makeup - viewers noticed that she had developed a cut-glass aristocratic accent. Then, two years ago, the couple welcomed their first son, who they called Montgomery. It's all marvellously upwardly mobile, but in class-conscious Britain, you're not allowed to rise from the lower rungs of the social class ladder without being reminded that you're a "working class wannabe from Watford", as one journalist described the new Mrs Horner. The chattering classes had no such issue with Geri's earlier reinvention as an LA yoga bunny. Likewise, they celebrated Posh Spice's second act as a fashion designer and Baby Spice's transition into radio presenting. But becoming a lady of the manor when you were born working class? That's getting ideas way above your station. Mel B said she called her bandmate after the interview to reassure her that it was "all tongue-in-cheek" and that she didn't go into great detail. What she failed to mention is that she provided considerable detail on her friend's all new, "all posh" lifestyle. The headlines will tell you that this is a "sex revelation" but the subtext tells another story entirely. Mel B made a comment on class and social status, and for some people, that's the most titillating part of all. Empire star Jussie Smolletts lawyer is trying to shift attention back to two brothers who told police they were paid by the actor to help stage a racist, anti-gay attack on him. After all 16 charges were dropped against Smollett following allegations he paid the men to stage an assault, his lawyer Patricia Brown Holmes said investigators should look into the role of Abimbola Abel Osundairo and Olabinjo Ola Osundairo, who are of Nigerian descent. Ms Holmes said: The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him. Expand Close All 16 charges against the actor were abruptly dropped (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp All 16 charges against the actor were abruptly dropped (AP) Authorities still believe Smollett concocted the attack in which he said two masked men beat him in Chicago on January 29. He also claimed they said: This is Maga country an apparent reference to US president Donald Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. Smollett, who is black and gay, also said the men doused him with a chemical and put a noose around his neck. Smollett also told a detective that at least one of the attackers was white, according to Chicago police. Cook County first assistant states attorney Joseph Magats told reporters that prosecutors dropped the case because Smollett forfeited a 10,000 dollar (7,600) bond payment and carried out community service. Expand Close Lawyer Gloria Schmidt said her two clients had been paid to stage the attack on Smollett to help his career (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lawyer Gloria Schmidt said her two clients had been paid to stage the attack on Smollett to help his career (AP) Mr Magats also said prosecutors needed to focus their time on violent crimes in Chicago. Video of the Day Authorities have said Smollett created the hoax because he was unhappy with his pay on the Fox show and wanted to promote his career. The Osundairo brothers told police that Smollett paid them 3,500 dollars (2,650) to help stage the attack. Smollett said the 3,500 dollars paid to the brothers was for fitness training. Prosecutors have said Smollett and Abel Osundairo, 25, became friends in 2017 and that Abel Osundairo was a stand-in for a character on Empire. Court documents said Olabinjo Osundairo, 27, also appeared as an extra in the show. The two brothers were initially drawn into the investigation after police released grainy images of two persons of interest in the area the night of the attack. Chicago police detained the brothers in mid-February at OHare International Airport after their return from Nigeria. They were questioned and their apartment in Chicago was searched. Expand Close The star claimed he was beaten and had a noose tied around his neck in Chicago (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The star claimed he was beaten and had a noose tied around his neck in Chicago (AP) Within days, police said the brothers were considered suspects in the attack. Then, the two men were abruptly released and were not charged with a crime. They testified before a grand jury, and soon afterwards Smollett was charged with filing a false report of the attack. The brothers attorney, Gloria Schmidt, said then that the brothers did not testify as part of any plea deal with prosecutors and that they were not granted any immunity from prosecution. Ms Schmidt said: The Osundairo brothers were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceeding in the Jussie Smollett case. In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, she said the brothers regretted their involvement. She said: It started by them having a relationship with Mr Smollett. Mr Smollett being in a position of power over them him being this celebrity person who could pull strings for them and help them in their career. They were thinking: Im going to help my friend. Hes asking for this.' However, Smolletts lawyer said the brothers had backed up the actors version of events. Ms Holmes claimed: The Osundairo brothers said more than once that the 3,500 dollar cheque they received was for exactly what Jussie said. They were his trainers. The Glass Slipper Project is slated to host two boutique Saturdays at multiple locations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 30 and April 6, where junior and senior students in need of prom attire are paired with a volunteer personal shopper who assists in finding a prom dress, shoes accessories and makeup, Kass said. Opioids: Drugs like OxyContin were a factor in 48,000 US deaths in 2017 The maker of OxyContin and the firm's controlling family have agreed to pay $270m (240m) in a deal with Oklahoma to settle allegations that they helped set off the nation's deadly opioid crisis by aggressively marketing the prescription painkiller. It is the first settlement to come out of the recent wave of lawsuits against Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma which has stained the name of the philanthropic Sackler family. The scandal has seen London's Tate museums and the Guggenheim in New York cut ties with the Sacklers. And last week the National Portrait Gallery in London said it would not proceed with a 1m (1.2m) pledge from a charitable organisation with links to the family. Prescription opioids like OxyContin were a factor in a record 48,000 deaths across the US in 2017, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Family members were paid at least $4bn (3.5bn) from 2007 to last year, largely due to profits from OxyContin, papers filed with a Massachusetts court revealed earlier this year. The terms of the settlement meant that associates of Purdue Pharma did not have to testify in court, suggesting it is preparing to settle thousands of other lawsuits filed by state and local governments across America. Earlier this month, bosses at Purdue Pharma acknowledged it was considering filing for bankruptcy because of the crush of lawsuits. The deal comes two months before Oklahoma's lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and other drug companies was set to become the first one in the barrage of litigation to go to trial. The lawsuits accuse the firm of downplaying the addiction risks and pushing doctors to increase dosages even as the dangers became known. ( Daily Telegraph London) Artists including Sir Paul McCartney had campaigned for the measures, accusing tech companies of exploiting the music industry. Photo: PA Artists and publishers were celebrating a major victory over Silicon Valley last night, after the European Parliament approved new copyright rules designed to help them secure a greater share of digital riches. After years of debate, Euro MPs approved updates to intellectual property laws that force platforms such as Google, YouTube and Facebook to police infringements by their users. The reforms signal a potentially significant shift in the economics of the web. As well as liability for infringement, tech giants could also fac bills from copyright holders for carrying snippets in search results or social media feeds. The directive's two most controversial components are Article 11, which will require websites such as Google News to obtain licences for showing extracts of publishers' news stories and which critics have called a "link tax", and Article 13, which will make sites such as YouTube responsible for copyrighted material uploaded by users. The tech industry has lobbied hard against the proposals, which must become national law by 2021. Artists including Sir Paul McCartney had campaigned for the measures, accusing tech companies of exploiting the music industry. Alex Fields Jr was convicted in a deadly car attack on a crowd of counter-protesters (Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail/AP) A man convicted of murder over a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Virginia has pleaded guilty to hate crime charges in a case that stirred racial tensions across the country. James Alex Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, pleaded guilty to 29 of 30 federal charges stemming from the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017. He did not plead guilty to one count that carried a potential death penalty. Fields appeared emotionless, with hands folded in front of him for much of the hearing. He did not speak, except to repeatedly respond yes, sir, when US District Judge Michael Urbanski asked him if he was pleading guilty knowingly and voluntarily. Judge Urbanski scheduled sentencing for July 3. Fields faces a life sentence. Fields, 21, was convicted in December of first-degree murder and other state charges for killing anti-racism activist Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of others. A jury found that Fields intentionally plowed his car into a crowd of people protesting against the white nationalists. The Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2017, drew hundreds of white nationalists to Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen Robert E Lee. Hundreds more turned out to protest against the white nationalists. President Donald Trump sparked a national uproar when he blamed the violence at the rally on both sides, a statement critics saw as a refusal to condemn racism. The car attack by Fields came after violent brawling between the two sides prompted police to disband the crowds. During his state trial, prosecutors said Fields who described himself on social media as an admirer of Adolf Hitler drove his car directly into a crowd of counter-protesters because he was angry after witnessing earlier clashes between the two groups. The jury rejected a claim by Fields lawyers that he acted in self-defence because he feared for his life after witnessing the earlier violence. More than 30 people were hurt in the car attack. Some who received life-altering injuries described them in anguished detail during the state trial. Jurors in Fields state trial recommended a life sentence plus 419 years, although a judge still has to decide on the punishment. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned home from Washington yesterday, going straight into military consultations after a night of heavy fire as Israeli aircraft bombed Gaza targets and Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel. Schools in southern Israel were cancelled following the violence which threatened to escalate into a major conflict just two weeks before the Israeli elections. The fighting had subsided by morning, but the situation remained tense. Israeli troops massed on the Gaza frontier and imposed restrictions on civilian public gatherings after dozens of rockets were fired toward communities in the area, including one that struck a house in the town of Sderot. Overnight, the Israeli air force pounded militant sites of Gaza's Hamas rulers and the smaller Islamic Jihad group. The targets included a multi-storey building in Gaza City which Israel said had served as a Hamas military intelligence headquarters and the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Gaza's health ministry said seven Palestinians were wounded in the air-strikes. Mr Netanyahu went straight to military headquarters in Tel Aviv for consultations on the next steps. He faces the difficult task of delivering a tough blow to Hamas while avoiding protracted fighting which could work against him on election day. Mr Netanyahu has come under heavy criticism from both allies and opponents for what they say has been an ineffective policy of containing Gaza militants, with calls demanding he deliver a devastating blow to Hamas. He has conducted indirect ceasefire talks through Egyptian mediators in recent months, and even allowed the delivery of millions of dollars of Qatari aid to Hamas to ease harsh conditions in the territory, which has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power in 2007. After a meeting with US President Donald Trump, Mr Netanyahu indicated the election would not deter him from acting. "We have responded very, very forcefully. Hamas needs to know that we will not hesitate to go in and take all necessary steps - regardless of anything, any date, other than Israel's security needs," he said. The cross-border fighting was triggered by a surprise rocket fired early on Monday from Gaza which slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Israeli military said it was a locally made rocket with a range of 120km, making it one of the deepest strikes ever carried out by Hamas. The military mobilised two armour and infantry brigades and drafted reserve forces before striking back at militant sites in Gaza. Gaza's Hamas rulers announced later in the day that Egyptian mediators had brokered a ceasefire but the firing continued overnight before calm appeared to return early yesterday. The fighting set the stage for the most serious conflict since a war in 2014. But with no fatalities reported on either side yet, and the quiet holding for the moment, it seemed possible the two sides would step back from the brink once again. Two weeks ago, rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel's densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv, and the Israeli military struck back. Gaza's Hamas leaders said the rocket fire was accidental and the fighting quickly subsided. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in the last decade. Although neither side appears to have an interest in another war, fighting could easily spin out of control. What should have been a giant leap for womankind has turned into a stumble on the path to equality after US space agency Nasa cancelled the first all-female spacewalk due to the lack of a spacesuit in the right size. Anne McClain and Christina Koch had been due to step into history books in a spacewalk on Friday, during the final week of Women's History Month. But McClain will now give up her place on the mission to male colleague Nick Hague. "Mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station," Nasa said. "McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, Koch will wear it." Nearly 60 years after the first human blasted into space, fewer than 11pc of the 500-plus people who have travelled to space have been women, and spacewalk teams have either been all-male or male-female. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max has made a safe emergency landing in Orlando, Florida, after experiencing an engine problem, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The crew declared an emergency after taking off from Orlando International Airport at around 2:50pm local time, and returned to the airport safely. No passengers were on board, and the aircraft was being ferried to Victorville, California, where Southwest is storing the planes. The 737 Max was grounded in the US on March 13 after a deadly crash involving a Max in Ethiopia on March 10. It was the second fatal crash involving the plane. US airlines are allowed to shuttle the planes, but cannot carry passengers. The FAA says it is investigating but the emergency was not related to anti-stall software that is suspected as a cause of the two fatal crashes including one last year involving a plane from Indonesia. Airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell says one of the airport's three runways was shut down for cleaning after the landing. She says it is standard procedure to check a runway for debris after an emergency landing. It was not clear if any parts actually fell off the plane. Ms Fennell says the airport's other two runways remained open, and normal operations were not affected. Southwest did not immediately respond to email and telephone messages left by reporters. All charges against 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett have been dropped, according to his attorneys. Mr Smollett's legal team told The Associated Press the charges alleging that the actor lied to police about being the victim of a racist, homophobic attack have been withdrawn. Lawyers Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement that Mr Smollett's record "has been wiped clean". The actor had been indicted on 16 felony counts related to allegedly making a false report when he told authorities he was attacked by two men. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office offered no detailed explanation as to why the charges have been dropped. "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the city of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," the statement says. Mr Smollett had made a $10,000 (8,870) bond payment to get out of jail after his arrest on the charges. Police and prosecutors had alleged that Mr Smollett orchestrated his own attack because he was unhappy with his pay on 'Empire' and was seeking to promote his career. Mr Smolett has insisted that he is innocent and his legal team have previously referred to the charges against him as "prosecutorial overkill". The actor told authorities in his initial report that two masked men shouted racial and anti-gay slurs, poured bleach on him, beat him and looped a rope around his neck. He claimed they shouted, "This is Maga country" - a reference to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. Police previously alleged Mr Smollett hired two men to attack him and paid them $3,500. Authorities have also claimed that before the attack, Mr Smollett sent a letter that threatened him to the Chicago studio where 'Empire' is shot. The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment on the investigation. It is okay to sell French fries that are not made in France, but a new lawsuit says it is not okay to sell potato skin snack chips that are not made from potato skins. A New York City woman on Wednesday sued TGI Fridays, in a proposed class action claiming that the company, known for its restaurants, misleads consumers by selling "Potato Skins" snacks that contain potato flakes and potato starch, but no skins. The lawsuit by Solange Troncoso said the Idaho Potato Commission and others inside and outside the industry have associated potato skins with healthy eating since they started appearing on restaurant menus a half-century ago. It said TGI Fridays' misleading packaging for its bacon ranch, cheddar and bacon, and sour cream and onion potato skins snacks defrauded Troncoso and other consumers into purchasing an "inferior product," either by mistake or at a "full" price. "The presence of potato skins imparts a further value in the eyes of reasonable consumers," according to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, which seeks unspecified damages. Troncoso said she sued after paying $1.99 last June for a bag of TGI Fridays Sour Cream & Onion Potato Skins at a convenience store in the borough of the Bronx, where she lives. TGI Fridays did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners became majority owner of the Carrollton, Texas-based company in 2014. In a Feb. 2017 Eater article cited in the complaint, Richard Melman, chairman of Chicago-based restaurant company Lettuce Entertain You, said he began serving potato skins in 1971 after his brother read how sailors ate them to stave off illness. A spokeswoman for Melman declined to comment. Evaldas Rimasauskas (50) sent fraudulent invoices to the California-based tech companies between 2013 and 2015, according to the US Justice Department (stock photo) A Lithuanian man who duped Google and Facebook into transferring over $100m into accounts he controlled has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Evaldas Rimasauskas (50) sent fraudulent invoices to the California-based tech companies between 2013 and 2015, according to the US Justice Department. He was involved in running a company that controlled several accounts at banks in Latvia and Cyprus, according to his indictment at a New York Court. Mr Rimasauskas and his unnamed associates were posing as Quanta Computer, a hardware company based in Taiwan that has done business with Facebook and Google. Mr Rimasauskas pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court in Manhattan, where Judge George B Daniels set a July 24 sentencing date. The charge could carry as many as 30 years in prison and a fine of as much as $1m or twice the crime's proceeds. The plea deal Mr Rimasauskas reached with prosecutors said he faces almost certain deportation once he finishes his prison time. "China has realized the dream of gradually lifting its population out of poverty, and that's an incredible achievement," Sonia Bressler, a French writer and sinologist, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "It was my childhood dream to visit China, especially Tibet and the mountains there," Bressler said, who has already made six trips to China. "As a Westerner, the information we've received about China is not always positive... However, I am willing to discover and understand the Chinese civilization, to fulfill my dream," she said. Bressler's first trip to China in 2005 left a deep impression on her. During that trip, she traveled from France across Russia to China by train. "It was just being in China and being close to the Chinese people that changed my perspective on China," she said. Bressler's long train journey took her through Harbin, a northeastern Chinese city. She still remembers the two Chinese women that she met there. "Having noticed I wasn't eating enough, they handed me a tomato. I couldn't express my gratitude to them because of the language barrier, but at that moment, I determined to discover, to understand, and to meet these lovely Chinese people," said Bressler. After finally arriving in Beijing, she was surprised to find out that the modernized China was "completely different" from what she had been told to expect. She decided to introduce a developing China to the French readers in an objective way. She has traveled to Tibet three times since 2007, extensively interviewed local lamas, teachers, doctors, police officers and artists and published books demonstrating a new look at Tibet from the aspects of economy and politics, society, culture and ecological environment, for example in "Journey to the Heart of Tibet." In 2015, Bressler traveled about 8,000 km in one month to Xinjiang and other places along the ancient Silk Road. In early 2017, Bressler established the Silk Road Press to introduce the history of the ancient trade routes to French readers. In her works, China's development is not just about statistics, but about vivid stories. Thanks to her trips to the different parts of China, Bressler has witnessed the great changes brought about by the Chinese dream. China is realizing its dream at its own pace, and through its own vision to shape a brighter future, she said. China cannot develop without the world and vise versa, Bressler said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) connects the Chinese dream to the world's. "The Belt and Road Initiative accorded with the trend of the times," she said. "As a French citizen, I was delighted to see my country is positive about the BRI, and willing to cooperate with China in various fields," said Bressler. "The two countries should take the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to enhance mutual trust and strengthen exchanges and cooperation." "The China-Europe Railway Express has already transported goods between China and Europe. I believe I can continue my train trips to China again in the near future," said Bressler. The Russian government made extensive efforts, through hacking of email as well as information warfare, to help Donald Trump win the 2016 election. Multiple members of the Trump campaign knew of these efforts in advance. Trump himself publicly called on the Russian government to release information that would hurt Hillary Clinton and benefit him. During the course of the election, Trump's campaign chairman exchanged polling data with someone who the FBI has said has ties to Russian intelligence; Trump's son wrote "I love it!" when offered what he thought was dirt on Clinton from Russia; Trump's camp maintained an elaborate business relationship with Russians who had ties to the Kremlin. And in every single one of these cases, the people involved lied extensively when questioned. These are not disputed facts. Even Republicans who have welcomed Attorney General William Barr's summary of Robert Mueller's unpublished report have accepted them. But according to that summary, it seems that they do not amount to an illegal conspiracy. Which can only mean one thing: There is something wrong with the law. I say this even though I have argued for three years that the very worst things about Trump are the things that are public, visible, legal - and immoral. His affinity for dictators, his scorn for American allies, his refusal to support US civil servants and US intelligence even while standing next to Vladimir Putin - these are behaviours that should disqualify him from any sort of public office, let alone the presidency. But in the course of this investigation, we have also learned that we are living in a new world - one in which our public sphere is open to manipulation by anybody, not just Russia; our authoritarian enemies are now wealthy businessmen, not Mao-jacketed communists; and our old-fashioned, fair-play, amateurish ethical norms are insufficient. As Garry Kasparov wrote recently, "Putin and his imitators are good at finding the gray areas of public/private, legal/illegal, media/propaganda". The agents of influence who look like rich businessmen, or "gun rights" activists, or lawyers - these are not the Soviet spies of yore. In this new era, we need much tougher laws on conflicts of interest, and far more resources to enforce them. Washington Post Setback: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi walks from a Democratic Caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Photo: Reuters Donald Trump's former chief adviser has warned the US president is "going to go full animal" after he was partially exonerated by Robert Mueller's investigation. Steve Bannon, who left the White House in 2017, predicted Mr Trump would "come off the chains" and use the special counsel's findings to "bludgeon" his opponents and ignore congressional oversight requests for documents. William Barr, the attorney general, sent a four-page letter to Congress outlining Mr Mueller's conclusions following the sprawling 22-month probe into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia or Mr Trump obstructed justice. Mr Mueller cleared Mr Trump of conspiracy with Russia, but he did not draw a conclusion on an obstruction charge. Mr Barr, though, concluded the evidence in the report - which has not been made public - was not enough to bring a prosecution. "When I saw no new indictments - I thought, Oh my God! They didn't indict anybody regarding the Flynn investigation, they didn't indict Don Jr," Mr Bannon told Yahoo News before Mr Barr submitted his letter on Sunday. "Maybe [Mueller] could have details about obstruction of justice that are not indictable, but are meaningful." Mr Trump yesterday appeared to live up to his former adviser's prediction, tweeting angrily about the media's coverage of the probe. "The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE," he wrote. "For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party!" He also shared a tweet by Tom Fitton, president of conservative activist group Judicial Watch, who claimed the probe was "deep state abuse" and called for a separate investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email use. The House Democrats have ramped up pressure on the Justice Department to provide the full report . Mr Trump accused those responsible for launching Mueller's probe of "treasonous things against our country" and said they "certainly will be looked into". He also said the release of Mueller's full report "wouldn't bother me at all", and Democrats quickly put that statement to the test, demanding that his administration hand over the entire document and not just Sunday's four-page summary. Six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote to Mr Barr that his summary was "not sufficient" and asked to have Mr Mueller's full report by April 2. They also want to begin receiving the underlying evidence the same day. The information is "urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution", they wrote, implying that the information would be subpoenaed if it is not turned over by the deadline. Mr Barr said in his letter to Congress that Mr Mueller did not find that Mr Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election - knocking down arguments from Democrats who have long claimed there was evidence of such collusion. But he also said Mr Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Mr Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out "evidence on both sides" of the question and stating that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him". Absent a recommendation from Mr Mueller, Mr Barr stepped in and decided there wasn't sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. Democrats said Mr Barr's judgment is not the final word. "All I'm interested in is them releasing the full report, the full Mueller report," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Despite Mr Mueller's refusal to exonerate Mr Trump, his spokesmen and leading congressional Republicans all claimed total vindication for the president. Questioned by reporters, Mr Trump said he welcomed Mr Mueller's results but complained he had been abused by the investigation occurring at all and taking too long. "We can never let this happen to another president again," he said. "There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country." The Independent Nutmeg is giving customers the chance to invest in the business under plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign raising up to 10 million (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Digital wealth manager Nutmeg is giving customers the chance to invest in the business under plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign raising up to 10 million. The British start-up said the equity fundraising will launch in the summer, via the Crowdcube platform, to help finance its imminent first overseas launch. It follows the success of crowdfunding campaigns for the likes of app-only challenger bank Monzo. Expand Close Martin Stead is chief executive of Nutmeg (Dominic Lipinski/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Martin Stead is chief executive of Nutmeg (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Nutmeg is not giving an exact figure yet for how much it plans to raise, but confirmed it will be a seven-figure sum. As well as financing its international expansion, the group will also use the funds to invest in products and features on its investment app. Since its launch seven years ago, Nutmeg has already raised around 116 million from investors and manages more than 1.5 billion in assets on behalf of more than 65,000 customers. As part of the crowdfunding plans, customers will be given the opportunity to invest alongside institutional players such as Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs and Convoy, a Hong Kong-based financial advisory firm. Today @thenutmegteam - the UKs largest digital wealth manager - announced plans to democratise company ownership with a #crowdfund this summer, through fellow Balderton portfolio company @Crowdcube. Read more at https://t.co/wIrvZu7D7g pic.twitter.com/Qp8kIG2cqc Balderton Capital (@balderton) March 27, 2019 It comes just two months after Nutmeg secured 45 million in funding in an investment round co-led by Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs and Convoy, ahead of its planned expansion into Asia. Martin Stead, chief executive officer of Nutmeg, said: Nutmeg was the first digital wealth manager to launch in Europe and now were opening up ownership of our business to give eligible customers the opportunity to invest alongside institutional investors, venture capitalists and leading entrepreneurs. This is an incredibly exciting time for Nutmeg, we continue to welcome new customers: both seasoned investors seeking a high-quality wealth management service at a much lower cost; and first-timers, attracted by intuitive technology and a team of investment experts that will manage their portfolios for them. Nutmeg has already launched a waiting list on its platform for customers interested in the crowdfund. The group aims to bring affordable financial advice to customers via its investment platform whether they have 500 to invest or 50 million. Pope Francis pulls his hand away as a woman tries to kiss his ring Footage of Pope Francis repeatedly withdrawing his right hand as a long line of people bowed and tried to kiss the ring on it has gone viral. The video, from the pontiffs visit to a Catholic shrine in Loreto on Monday, drew reaction from both his critics and supporters. The Vatican did not say why the pope was so insistent on not having the ring - a simple silver one with a cross - kissed in the long receiving line of over 100 people on Tuesday. It appears as if the visitors to the shrine in the Italian town of Loreto were not informed of the correct protocol. A close aide to the pope who spoke on the condition of anonymity defended his decision. Pope Francis really doesn't want anyone kissing his ring. This from today, after Mass ... pic.twitter.com/CZUO8ppNfo Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) March 25, 2019 "Sometimes he likes it, sometimes he does not. It's really as simple as that," said a close aide to the pope who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The aide added he was "amused" by all the reaction. LifeSiteNews, a conservative Catholic website that often criticises the pope, called the episode "disturbing" in the headline of an article that included a long history of the rings pope's wear and their significance. "It's high time kissing bishops' rings disappears altogether. It's just ridiculous and has nothing to do with tradition. It's an import from monarchies. Much of the pomp around bishops should be ditched," Tweeted Jesuit priest Russell Pollitt. Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh, a supporter of Francis, countered by Tweeting: "He's making sure that they engage with him, not treat him like a sacred relic. He's the Vicar of Christ, not a Roman emperor." Some Vatican watchers noted that even former Pope Benedict, a hero to nostalgic conservatives, and his predecessor John Paul, did not like having their hands kissed - at least not by long lines of people, for the sake of expediency. The papal ring, worn on the third finger of the right hand, may be the most powerful symbol of a pontiff's authority. As soon as a pope dies, the ring is immediately destroyed in order to indicate the end of his reign. Kissing a papal ring is often freighted with centuries worth of political and religious significance. By Acee Agoyo The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe is declaring an emergency amid record breaking flooding in South Dakota. In announcing voluntary evacuations on Wednesday, Chairman Harold Frazier warned of dangerous conditions on the reservation. Several people have already been forced out of their homes and more are expected to be rescued by helicopter, he said. Residents in the flood area should take our warnings seriously," Frazier said. "The river has never been this high and it is only rising so take the opportunity to evacuate now. You are placing not just your life but the lives of those who will try to rescue you at risk. Drove to Eagle Butte and White Horse today to see the effects of recent floods. The rising water is eroding infrastructure and stranding wildlife. Theres a lot of work to be done here. pic.twitter.com/j431obicH7 Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) March 25, 2019 According to Frazier, the Moreau River set a record height of 27.7 feet over the weekend. Water levels are expected to rise even higher, heading up to 30 feet by Thursday evening. The conditions at Cheyenne River have been seen across Indian Country in two states. Tribes and their citizens in South Dakota and Nebraska have been hit with unprecedented flooding following a record snowfall. Two weeks into the disaster, some tribal residents remain isolated in rural areas of their homelands. In addition to Cheyenne River, the Oglala Sioux Tribe , the Ponca Tribe and the Santee Sioux Tribe are among those affected. President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Nebraska on March 21. The designation includes all of the tribes with trust lands in the state, according to the White House. In a post on social media on Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts (R), who requested the declaration, said he "met with tribal leadership this morning to listen to priorities and express support as recovery continues." Over in South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem (R), who took office in January, has not submitted a similar request to the federal government though she has (CNN) UK Parliament failed to agree any alternative to Theresa May's beleaguered Brexit plan Wednesday as the British Prime Minister pledged to resign in a last-ditch attempt to save it. None of eight alternatives to May's deal won a majority of votes after an unprecedented day of debate when the government had lost control of the parliamentary timetable. The Prime Minister said she would step down once Brexit has been delivered, bowing to intense pressure from her own party, and made the offer to resign in an attempt to persuade lawmakers to back her EU withdrawal deal. MPs then failed to give an outright majority to any of the eight alternative Brexit options considered in non-binding votes in the House of Commons. A vote calling for a second referendum received the most support from parliamentarians, while a permanent customs union came closest to passing. Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, the architect of the plan to hold the votes, faced angry calls to cancel further voting on Monday. 'Desire for a new approach' Earlier on Wednesday, May told the 1922 Committee, the influential group of all backbench Conservative Members of Parliament, that she will make way for another Conservative leader so that lawmakers could complete their "historic duty" and "deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit." "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party," May said on Wednesday according to excerpts of her speech released by Downing Street. "I know there is a desire for a new approach -- and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that." Conservative Party lawmaker Simon Hart said of May: "She has said that she will not stay through to the next phase of negotiations. If they (MPs) back the deal she will go." "No timescale was talked about or given," Hart told CNN. "The implication was if she gets her deal through, that will kick start the process to find a new leader almost immediately." He added that the atmosphere was "respectful" and May "was as animated as I'd ever seen her at committee. She was passionate but not emotional. We are all traumatized at this point by these negotiations." Parliamentary arithmetic Even if May has secured support from the longstanding opponents to her deal including arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg and former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Speaker of the House John Bercow has ruled her deal must be substantively different from the previous two occasions before it can be put forward in the House of Commons for the third time. But parliamentary arithmetic for May's deal still looks difficult as she will need to flip 75 MPs to turnover her loss. Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up May's Conservative government-- cannot support her Brexit deal if it is brought back for a third vote, party leader Arlene Foster said Wednesday. Nigel Dodds, the leader of the DUP in Westminster, also said the party would not abstain on May's deal. Brexit Secretary Steven Barclay implied earlier that MPs will vote May's deal for a third time on Friday. "It remains the government's priority to secure approval of the agreement this week to allow us to leave the EU in an orderly fashion," Barclay told lawmakers in the Commons Wednesday. "It is only by doing this that we can be guaranteed to leave the EU on May 22 and not face a cliff edge in two weeks' time." Lawmakers reacted to the news on Twitter, including Anna Soubry, who recently left the party to join a breakaway cross-party bloc known as the Independent Group. She tweeted that it was "shameful" that "hard Brexiteers will vote for the PMs 'deal' not because it's good for our country and the right thing to do ... but because it gets rid of the PM." Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn called it another example of May prioritizing the Conservative party over the national interest. "Theresa May's pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest," the Labour leader tweeted While others in May's party, like MP Stephen Crabb, commended May on Twitter for behaving with "dignity." This story was first published on CNN.com "Theresa May will stand down as Prime Minister once Brexit is delivered" A photography exhibition titled "Viaggio Fotografico Per La Cina" or "Photographic Journey to China" was unveiled in Rome, Italy on March 22. The exhibit follows the theme of interaction between cities and people, displaying the rapid development of Chinese cities and the subsequent and massive changes in people's lives over recent decades. The exhibition is one of a series of events marking Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Italy. Speakers at the opening ceremony of the exhibition included Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee; Du Zhanyuan, president of the China International Publishing Group (CIPG); Dorina Bianchi, former undersecretary of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism; Alberto Bradanini, Italy's former ambassador to China; and Gilda Bojardi, editor-in-chief of Italy's Interni magazine. Deputy editor-in-chief of CIPG Chen Shi served as chair of the opening ceremony, which was attended by more than 200 people from Chinese and Italian culture, art, design and media circles. Jiang Jianguo emphasized in his address the long history of cultural exchange between China and Italy, saying that the Chinese people have a natural sense of cordiality towards Italy, and that the Italian people also share a special feeling about China, located far away in the East. Jiang went on to say that he hopes the exhibition will contribute meaningfully to Sino-Italian cultural exchange, and that the development of cities like Beijing and Shanghai will leave an indelible impression on China's Italian friends. Dorina Bianchi said that the Italian people have shown greater interest in China in recent years, and such an exhibition from the Chinese side will help Italian people gain a better understanding of China. Noting that President Xi Jinping had already started his visit to Italy, Bianchi also stated that she hoped that bilateral cooperation would scale new heights in the future. Du Zhanyuan pointed out that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, and said that the two countries have strengthened high-level exchanges and deepened cooperation in economic, trade and cultural fields. He said that the exhibition will enhance mutual understanding and promote cultural exchange between the two countries. More than 200 photographs are displayed at the exhibition, with subjects covering three important historical stages of the country: the early days of the People's Republic of China, reform and opening up, and the new era. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The exhibition is divided into three sections. The first focuses on the rapid development of major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Changsha, Xi'an and Sanya; the second on Chinese people working hard for the prosperity of the country; and the third on the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between China and Italy, including stories of friendship between the two peoples. The exhibition has attracted many locals. One visitor named Malena said that she was particularly impressed by the panoramic photo of Shanghai and that she would like to travel to China if she has the chance. The exhibition is jointly sponsored by China's State Council Information Office, the Chinese embassy in Italy, and the China International Publishing Group. It is undertaken by the China Report magazine and the Interni and last to March 26. Indian Health Care Improvement Act would be struck down if courts decide Affordable Care Act is Unconstitutional Indian Health Care Improvement Act would be struck down if courts decide Affordable Care Act is Unconstitutional Indian Country Today President Donald J. Trump tells the world he has been exonerated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller , and the whole probe was a waste of time. (And, of course, the news media is to blame as the official enemy of the people.) Since that story is old, no collusion, the White House has started a new one, an all out attack on the Affordable Care Act , including the Indian Health Care Improvement Act . And the chaos is back. Lets start at the beginning. No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019 The Mueller Report was delivered to the Department of Justice under an official protocol. The president after reading a summary tweeted: Total EXONERATION. The issue is now defined so when parts, or even all, of the Mueller report surface, it will be the attorney generals interpretation, not the actual report itself, that tells the story. Yet even that letter goes beyond the presidential tweet. Attorney General William Barr wrote while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Mueller did not draw a conclusion on that point. The summary goes on to say that Mueller did not write a traditional prosecution document and leaves unresolved the difficult issues of law involving obstruction of justice. Thus its Barr, not Mueller, who concludes there was no crime either on the allegations of obstruction of justice or matters related to Russias interference with the election. The president moved on in a big way. The Justice Department wrote a letter to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said it would file a brief supporting a district court decision to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act . U.S. District Court Judge Reed OConnor, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that since Congress eliminated the individual insurance mandate penalty, the entire law is invalid In a legal development that puts the Indian Health Care Improvement Act at risk of being eliminated, the Trump administration is refusing to defend the Affordable Care Act. The case comes from the same judge who struck down the Indian Child Welfare Act. https://t.co/0sxLn8khhM indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2019 The United States healthcare system touches millions of lives in a daily and deeply personal way. Health-insurance policy is therefore a politically charged affairinflaming emotions and testing civility. But Article III courts, the Supreme Court has confirmed, are not tasked with, nor are they suited to, policymaking, Judge OConnor wrote . And sometimes, a court must determine whether the Constitution grants Congress the power it asserts and what results if it does not. If a party shows that a policymaker exceeded the authority granted it by the Constitution, the fruit of that unauthorized action cannot stand. No matter how the appeals court rules, this matter is likely to be before the U.S. Supreme Court. Striking down the Affordable Care Act would have immediate impact for more than 20 million Americans who are covered by insurance through Medicaid Expansion or insurance exchanges. The law includes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act -- and that would be included in a rollback of the legislation. Its hard to understate the significance of a judicial repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid, for example, is now a significant source of funding for the Indian Health system especially for facilities managed by tribes and non-profit organizations. More than one out of every four Native patients in the Indian health system are covered by Medicaid. A study in 2017 by the Kaiser Family Foundation said Medicaid provisions in the Affordable Care Act led to an increase in coverage coverage gains among American Indians and Alaska Natives and and increased revenue to IHS- and Tribally-operated facilities. Reductions to Medicaid, including loss of the expansion, could result in coverage losses for American Indians and Alaska Natives and reductions in revenue to IHS and tribal providers, limiting access to care, Kaiser found. In addition to the revenue, health systems have modeled the procedures and funding on the 2010 law. If it were struck down there would be nothing to replace the revenue or the health care procedures until Congress enacted a new one. That would mean a law that is as acceptable to the Republicans in the Senate, the Democrats in the House, and President Trump. Just this week Democrats in the House introduced legislation that would expand the Affordable Care Act and add new insurance alternatives for more Americans. That is the opposite direction from the Justice Departments stand. And many Democrats go even further. Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) is a co-sponsor of a bill to expand Medicare to all. The Republican Party will become The Party of Healthcare! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2019 Indeed, that division in Congress was the crux of the judges decision in Texas. He wrote: "In some ways, the question before the court involves the intent of both the 2010 and 2017 Congresses. The former enacted the ACA. The latter sawed off the last leg it stood on." Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) called the Trump administrations action an all out war on the health care of the American people. She said: Democrats will continue to fight relentlessly to protect people with pre-existing conditions and to deliver lower health costs and prescription drug prices for every American. Mark Trahant is the editor of Indian Country Today . He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes . Follow him on Twitter @TrahantReports This story originally appeared on Indian Country Today on March 26, 2019. Join the Conversation Record spring flooding across West River reservations Governor Noem has sent National Guard assistance Native Sun News Today Correspondent RAPID CITY All across West River, but especially on South Dakotas Indian reservations, spring flood waters have left thousands of people isolated, many without water, and some without even food. Two Missouri River tributaries, the Cheyenne River, and the White River cut across West River reservations. The Cheyenne River skirts the southern Black Hills before forming the northern border of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and then turns north, forming the southern border of the Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The White River winds through the heart of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and then north of the Rosebud Reservation, an area many Sicangu families still call home. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) issued a press release on Monday alerting people to the flood stage dangers of the Cheyenne River. According to CRST, ice jams are the source of much of the overflow, and warmer weather has melted the record snowfall, exacerbating the problem. The reservation was especially hard hit by the massive snow storm, which deposited up to three feet of snow, and piled up massive drifts behind 70 mph winds. Over the weekend, I visited Pine Ridge, Porcupine, Oglala, and Wounded Knee to see the impact of the flooding. Thankful to the SD National Guard, tribal leadership, and volunteers who are working hard to help people in need. pic.twitter.com/U02iYuX5Qq Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) March 25, 2019 Another tributary, the Moreau River, which flows across the middle in the Cheyenne River Reservation in a series of elaborate loops and bends, is in the initial stages of dangerous flooding. Crews are struggling to keep BIA routes 2 and 7 open, according to the tribal press release. Crews have been working reservation wide clearing culverts and diverting drainage ditches to flow more efficiently, the Tribe stated. This is being done to decrease the immediate impact of flooding in low lying areas. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has begun stockpiling water removal equipment, sandbags, boats and emergency supplies in anticipation of major flooding in the Moreau River valley. Chairman Harold Frazier also stated, We need to continue to work together, and I commend all of our employees that have been working to ensure that our people can live and travel safely. In the meantime, the White River has been spilling over its banks from Oglala to White River, flooding the Highway 83 Bridge that spans the river between White River and Murdo. Many bridges across West River are similarly compromised, and people have been cautioned about attempting to cross even seemingly traversable overflows, because the submerged roadway is often dangerously eroded. On February 13, the National Weather Service changed the flood level warning stages for West River tributaries, lowering each of the flood reaction levels by one foot, in anticipation of the impact of record snowmelt. On Monday morning, the White River near Oacoma was measured at 22.2 feet, where it was expected to stay with some fluctuations. The flood stage is 15 feet. The Cheyenne River near Wasta was at 13.2 feet, where it was also expected to stay with some fluctuations. The flood stage is 13 feet. Ground frozen, from Rapid City to Chamberlain, to the depth of three feet, does not readily absorb the overflow, and has contributed to the severity of the flooding. Stream gages on area tributaries are currently reporting water levels above flood stage, and according to the national Weather Service, more rain is due midweek. Where the White river crosses over into South Dakota from Nebraska, a new peak streamflow record of 4,000 cubic feet per second has been set, eclipsing the old record of 3,820 cfs set in May of 1991. The United States Geological Service currently has six crews on two reservations keeping timely tabs on the waterflow levels. To find a flowrate as high on the Cheyenne River near Wasta, you have to go back to 1950. James Giago Davies is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. He can be reached at skindiesel@msn.com Copyright permission Native Sun News Today Join the Conversation Related Stories By Acee Agoyo Calling on fellow residents to "vote with your heart," a Native woman is seeking to make history in Rapid City, South Dakota. Native Americans make up more than 11 percent of the population in the city, located in the sacred Black Hills. Yet many feel no one represents them in local government Cante Heart , a Native mother, college student and community organizer, is hoping to change that. She announced her candidacy for Ward 5 on the city council on Tuesday, after rallying residents and collecting enough signatures to appear on the ballot. We are all blessed to live in the Black Hills, one of the most beautiful and sacred places on Earth," said Heart, who is Rosebud Sioux and Winnebago . "Only together, will we fulfill the ideals of dignity, integrity, wellness, and prosperity for all. We were honored to testify in support of Senate Bill 164 to establish procedures for the investigation of certain... Posted by Cante Heart on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Cante Heart, far left, appears at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre in March 2019 to testify in support of a bill to address missing and murdered indigenous people. Dignity for all is a common theme for Heart, which is fitting because she served as one of the models for the "Dignity" statue along the Missouri River in South Dakota. She's carried that vision to her efforts in Rapid City, working with organizations like the Lakota Peoples Law Project and helping raise awareness of issues like missing and murdered indigenous women in He Sapa , the Lakota name for the Black Hills. Her advocacy also includes speaking out against a new anti-panhandling ordinance in Rapid City that many feel discriminates against Native residents . She told members of the council earlier this month that they didn't have the best interests of their residents at heart. "I want you to know that indigenous people on these streets are not homeless people," Heart said at the city council meeting on March 4 . "They are houseless people. These are their homelands." "I believe this ordinance and how youre going about it, is not the way to end homelessness," she said . "These are people in crisis and I think they need resources. They need help. The new law isn't the only issue of concern in the Native community. Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender has put the Human Relations Commission on hold, meaning it can no longer investigate complaints of discrimination in a place long known for its questionable treatment of tribal citizens. < Despite the troubling history , the city in recent years has made it even harder for residents to submit complaints. The commission hasn't met since Allender's decision last October These developments are prompting Native activists to seek stronger representation in their local government. And Heart isn't the only one stepping up -- Natalie Stites Means , a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, is also seeking to make history in Rapid City. Means this week announced her campaign for mayor, hoping to be the first Native woman in the city's highest-elected post. She looking to unseat Allender, who previously questioned why someone was charged for spilling beer on young Native students. He is seeking a third term in office. "Im certified as a candidate for the mayor of Rapid City," Means wrote in a celebratory post on social media on Monday. Natalie Stites Means poses with the signatures she turned in as part of her run for mayor of Rapid City, South Dakota. In order to participate in 2019 municipal election in Rapid City , residents must register to vote by May 20. The election takes place June 4, with any necessary run-offs scheduled for June 25. In Ward 5 on the city council, Heart is challenging incumbent Darla Drew. The mayor's term historically has been three years. Whoever wins the election will serve four years in the post. Join the Conversation Men and women who pose threat to the society are locked in prisons to keep others safe. However, ensuring an inmates safety is also paramount. There have been infinite cases of high-profile criminals getting killed inside cells by fellow inmates. Males and females are easily segregated in jails but what about transgender inmates? At first, the answer might seem simple and clear, they should be allotted a cell according to the gender they identify with. However, a recent case at New Hall jail in England forced the administration to give a second thought to the idea of having a separate cell for transgenders. BBC reported that a transgender prisoner named Karen White had sexually assaulted two women while on remand in Wakefield. White, a convicted paedophile who now identifies as a woman attacked these women in 2017 and has been given a life sentence. Photo: (L) Kate was born as Stephen Wood (R) Kate after transformation/ Dailymail.co.uk Officials informed that three trans prisoners (who were born male but have since changed gender) will not have access to other women at HM Prison Downview (a womens closed category prison). Reports claim that there are at least 139 transgender inmates in only England and Wales and most of them demand being put inside a womens prison. However, their requests are turned down because jail officials believe that women prisons would be too interested in what they have got downstairs. Since, there are no unisex prisons in the country, the authorities face a dilemma regarding where to place them. However, this shouldnt be a dilemma just for the United Kingdom. Infact, the U.K has shed light on this matter and has taken substantial action by opening Europes first transgender prison in Surrey. Photo: Evening Standard/ PA Images All around the globe, the LGBTQ community battle societal taboos and prejudices. If transgenders are convicted of any offence, are the prison officials equipped with the fundamental principles to deal with such cases? In developing countries like India where section 377 has recently been decriminalized, how many of the prisoners have even come out? Does the government maintain proper data and figures regarding the number of trans prisoners? If any transgender prisoner demands a particular type of cell, how often are there requests taken into account? Ministry of Justice of UK reviewed its procedures and drew up new guidelines to ensure the "great majority" of transgender offenders "experience the system in the gender in which they identify", however, Whites case had left them shocked. There are conflicting views regarding the new prison. Lets take a look at the various arguments around the topic: Trans Prison Is Seen Important For Balancing Welfare Of Transgender Offenders With That Of Others The transgender cell in HM Prison Downview although, has been opened keeping individual circumstances in mind, it is not a pilot that would soon apply to all. The administration found this solution most suitable for balancing the welfare of transgender inmates with that of other prisoners. The administration is continuously reviewing its policy on how to handle transgender inmates in general. Since, women prisoners stand at significant risk of being assaulted by prisoners who were born male. Photo: Evening Standard/PA Images Transgender Prisoners Request Are Ignored By Warders The Economist reported that the prison service has twice issued more permissive guidance for transgender inmates since 2011, but a parliamentary report in 2016 found that this advice was sometimes simply being ignored by warders. Policy is inconsistent. For instance, in one prison inmates had to be given The jail runs a risk of putting trans prisoners in either male or female prison. By putting self-declared women in female prisons, other inmates could be exposed to assaults like the one carried out by White. However, forcing these inmates to live in a males prison is even worse. For males who have grown up by identifying themselves as females, it could damage their identity and sense of self in the society. The parliamentary report highlighted the cases of two transgender women who committed suicide while in mens prisons in 2015. Photo: BBC Not All Transgenders Are Comfortable With The Idea Of Separate Wings Transgender movement was fought on principles of equality and freedom. They had the right to identify themselves as per the gender they preferred. Many activists argue that trans women are women and that they should be treated no differently from prisoners who were born female. A transgender campaigner named Debbie Hayton told the Economist that if she was ever jailed then she would rather prefer a mens prison than a jail faraway transgender cell that houses sex offenders. However, for the ministry of justice prisoner safety is their biggest concern. A spokesperson from the ministry said any action taken by them will seek to best manage the risks posed by the offender. Satish Kartan and his wife Sharmistha Barai took advantage of overseas workers, forcing them to work without pay, physically abusing them, and threatening negative repercussions if they tried to leave, said a Department of Justice press release. (representational image/pixabay.com) File photo of Rajat Gupta, former Goldman Sachs Inc. director and former senior partner at McKinsey & Co., exiting Federal court after being sentenced to two years in prison on Oct. 24, 2012 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Scheme of the phenomenon: light, which strikes the films of nanoclusters, promotes the charge flow between the two electrodes. Credit: Galchenko/Klinke: University of Hamburg/Swansea University The finding opens the door to a wide range of potential new applications, from phone displays and flatter screens to wearable technology. Semiconductors are at the heart of modern electronics. Amongst their many uses are in display devices for mobile phones and televisions, light detectors, and solar cells for providing energy. The two main types of particle-based semiconductors already in use are colloidal quantum dots and organic semiconductors. These materials are at the nanoscale. Their tiny size means they are subject to a phenomenon known as quantum confinement, which causes changes to their optical and electronic properties. These changes make them suitable for their intended applications. Metal nanoclusters combine aspects of both these other materials. Like colloidal quantum dots, they are very stable. Like organic semiconductors, they are atomically precise, or molecular, containing a specific number of atoms in their metallic core. However, despite containing all the right ingredients, metal nanoclusters had never before been shown to display semiconducting properties. This is where the Swansea-Hamburg team made the breakthrough. The team devised a way of making films of nanoclusters consisting of 25 gold atoms (Au25). They then observed that the nanoclusters displayed semiconducting properties. Specifically, they observed field effect and photoconductivity in phototransistors made of these films. These unique properties are hallmarks of all semiconducting materials. The team is made up of researchers from Swansea University's chemistry department and the University of Hamburg in Germany. Professor Christian Klinke of Swansea University chemistry department explained the potential applications of this finding: The discovery of semiconducting properties in metal nanoclusters could pave the way for a variety of new applications, from field effect transistors and photodetectors to light emitting diodes and solar cells. These devices could be manufactured on flexible bases. Many metal nanoclusters, including the ones we investigated in this report, have almost infinite stability, which could make them suitable for ink-jet printing applications. We need to build on this finding and refine the technique further. But this discovery points the way ahead. It shows that we can use metal nanoclusters to produce high quality semiconducting films that are easy to assemble. Other researchers from the team explained other potential applications: Dr. Andres Black of the University of Hamburg said: The affinity of the metal core to different molecular functionalities could make them highly sensitive gas sensors Michael Galchenko, also of the University of Hamburg said: The integration with other low dimensional materials could yield heterostructures with new and interesting functionalities. Professor Owen Guy, head of Swansea University chemistry department, said: Semiconductors are a big focus for our work here at Swansea, both in our chemistry department and our Centre for NanoHealth. Christian's work is very exciting for next generation semiconductor materials an area in which Swansea University is leading activity, with our industry partners. These findings, made possible by our close links with Hamburg, are a significant step forward in the field. It shows that for research, as for teaching, our chemistry department is at the forefront. ### The findings were published in the journal, Advanced Materials. Notes to editors: Chemistry research at Swansea University is pioneering multidisciplinary technology development in key themes of energy and environment; health; new and advanced molecules and polymers; nanotechnologies and advanced materials. Find out more: https:/ / www. swansea. ac. uk/ chemistry/ University of Hamburg: Universitat Hamburg is the largest institution for research and education in northern Germany. As one of the country's largest universities, it offers a diverse range of degree programs and excellent research opportunities. The University boasts numerous interdisciplinary projects in a broad range of fields and an extensive partner network of leading regional, national, and international higher education and research institutions. https:/ / www. uni-hamburg. de/ en. html Swansea University is a world-class, research-led, dual campus university offering a first class student experience and has one of the best employability rates of graduates in the UK. The University has the highest possible rating for teaching the Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2018 and was commended for its high proportions of students achieving consistently outstanding outcomes. Swansea climbed 14 places to 31st in the Guardian University Guide 2019, making us Wales' top ranked university, with one of the best success rates of graduates gaining employment in the UK and the same overall satisfaction level as the Number 1 ranked university. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 results saw Swansea make the 'biggest leap among research-intensive institutions' in the UK (Times Higher Education, December 2014) and achieved its ambition to be a top 30 research University, soaring up the league table to 26th in the UK. The University is in the top 300 best universities in the world, ranked in the 251-300 group in The Times Higher Education World University rankings 2018. Swansea University now has 23 main partners, awarding joint degrees and post-graduate qualifications. The University was established in 1920 and was the first campus university in the UK. It currently offers around 350 undergraduate courses and 350 postgraduate courses to circa 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The University has ambitious expansion plans as it moves towards its centenary in 2020 and aims to continue to extend its global reach and realise its domestic and international potential. Swansea University is a registered charity. No.1138342. Visit http://www. swansea. ac. uk When reporting this story, please use Swansea University hyperlinks. For more information: Kevin Sullivan,Swansea University Public Relations Office Tel: 01792 513245, k.g.sullivan@swansea.ac.uk http://www. twitter. com/ SwanseaUni http://www. facebook. com/ swanseauniversity Chinese technology firm Huawei's chief representative to the European Union (EU) said on Tuesday that it welcomes the objective approach of the European Commission's recommendation on 5G security. "Huawei welcomes the objective and proportionate approach of the European Commission's recommendation on 5G security. Huawei understands the cybersecurity concerns that European regulators have. Based on mutual understanding, Huawei looks forward to contributing to the European framework on cybersecurity," said a statement emailed to Xinhua. "We are firmly committed to continuing working with all regulators and partners to make the 5G rollout in Europe a success," read the statement. The statement is attributed to Abraham Liu, chief representative of Huawei to the EU institutions, on the occasion of the publication of the European Commission's recommendation on security for 5G on Tuesday. The European Commission announced a series of operational measures in its recommendation on Tuesday. At the national level, the European Commission said each member state should complete a national risk assessment of 5G network infrastructures by the end of June 2019, after which they should update existing security requirements for network providers and include conditions for ensuring the security of public networks. At the European Union level, the recommendation said member states should exchange information and complete a coordinated risk assessment by Oct. 1 2019. On that basis, member states would agree on a set of mitigating measures that can be used at national level. The recommendation said member states have the right to exclude companies from their markets for national security reasons, and possible risks in relation to third-country should be assessed, but did not single out any particular company or country of origin. Huawei, headquartered in Shenzhen, southern China, is a global leader in information and communication technology. One of Huawei's major businesses is to sell equipment, software and services to telecom operators which provide Internet, broadband, wireless, plus fixed and mobile phone services Huawei's partners in Europe include big-name telecom operators such as Deutsche Telekom, British Telecom, Vodafone, Orange, Proximus and others. The Chinese company has more than 12,000 employees in Europe, over 70 percent of whom are hired locally, according to Huawei. In 2018, the company procured goods and services worth 6.3 billion U.S. dollars from Europe. Huawei has been a target of the U.S., which, despite offering no evidence to support its claims, said the Chinese company could be a security threat to Europe. The U.S. campaign to ban Huawei has been met with suspicion and resistance here in Europe, with heads of businesses saying banning Huawei could put back 5G rollout in Europe. Banning Huawei in Europe would be both "expensive" and "hugely disruptive," putting back 5G's arrival in Europe for "two years," the Chief Executive of Vodafone Nick Read said in February. The European Commission recognized the importance of 5G on Tuesday, saying in the recommendation that "Fifth generation (5G) networks will form the future backbone of our societies and economies, connecting billions of objects and systems, including in critical sectors such as energy, transport, banking, and health, as well as industrial control systems carrying sensitive information and supporting safety systems." "5G is also a key asset for Europe to compete in the global market. Worldwide 5G revenues should reach the equivalent of 225 billion euros in 2025. Benefits of 5G introduction across four key industrial sectors, namely automotive, health, transport and energy, may reach 114 billion euros per year," said the recommendation. The European Commission has a 5G Action Plan that sets the target dates of 2020 for commercial launch of 5G in all member states and 2025 for comprehensive roll-out in cities and along major transport paths. Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. The Japanese insurer sent a staff member, Kazutaka Yoshiyasu (pictured left), to QICs headquarters in Doha to help enhance technical skills, share experiences, and promote best practices, according to a statement from QIC. In return, Yoshiyasu was able to learn from QICs widespread knowledge in various fields of insurance and digitised retail platforms, as well as communicating with a multicultural workforce and customer base in the Middle East. This collaborative partnership highlights QIC Groups reputation and goodwill for which SJNKI has chosen us as the ideal partner, said Ahmed Al Jarboey (pictured right), senior vice president, MENA retail & motor claims. We wish to foster this growing relationship and take it to the next stage of its evolution. It would be our way of cementing the partnership between the two business powerhouses. QIC, which was founded in 1964, was the first domestic insurance company in Qatar. It is now a leading insurer in its home market, as well as in the GCC and MENA markets. Meanwhile, Sompo Japan dates back to 1888 and is one of the largest property and casualty insurers in Japan. This year, the prestigious award was claimed by Adelaide-based Jessica Dametto (pictured), an account broker with Webber Insurance Services. [Dametto] displays an ethical, professional and committed attitude to assist her clients with their insurance needs, said Steadfast broker services manager, Catherine Pettitt. Pettitt also pointed out that the win is particularly impressive as Dametto entered the insurance industry just three years ago, in an administrative role. Her potential was quickly recognised by the brokerages director and she was promoted to a broking assistant role, said Pettit. She is now a fully-fledged broker with her own book of clients and has obtained the full diploma of insurance broking. In fact, Dametto achieved the highest average score in the Steadfast group for completing multiple skills units within the ANZIIF Diploma of Insurance Broking. I feel extremely honoured to be up here receiving this award today and Im sincerely grateful for the recognition of my work even though I am sure there are many other deserving candidates who finished their studies with outstanding results, said Dametto. Dametto also praised ANZIIF and Steadfast for the support both organisations provide individuals and businesses within the insurance space. I am grateful that we have a trusted organisation like ANZIIF to provide such a broad variety of programs, she said. I would also like to extend my thanks to Steadfast for all that they do for our industry Im confident that the tools, training and support provided by Steadfast have largely contributed to me being a recipient of this award today. Finally, Dametto thanked her employer, Webber Insurance Services, for identifying her potential so early in her career and then supporting her to grow professionally. Being a newcomer to the industry just three years ago, Chris, Ahsha, and Daniel have all continued to mentor me and provide constant support for every decision I make, she said. I am extremely grateful for the many opportunities that they provide for me to develop further. Read more: Insurance in superannuation reforms could drive retirement savings At The Australian Financial Reviews banking and wealth summit, Brett Clark, TAL life insurance chief executive, said: Theres going to be a lot of people after July 1 this year who go to make that call [to their superannuation fund] when something bad does happen to them or their families, and theyll be told by their fund sorry we cancelled your cover on July 1, SMH reported. Well do all those things that the law requires us to do, we'll do our best to help them, [but] there will be some people who will anticipate they still have that cover post July 1 and they wont, and theyll go to claim it and there wont be any insurance there for them. There will be some awful stories that well have to deal with, Clark said, as he noted that up to 20% of superannuation accounts would be affected by the changes. The issue here is that's just going to happen automatically on July 1, which means millions of Australians will lose their cover, potentially not knowing theyve lost that cover, overnight, said Damien Mu, AIA Australia and New Zealand CEO. Mu said AIA had still not yet written to affected members, roughly three months ahead of the July 1 deadline. The detail of the policy is still being developed, and then we need to work as an industry and with our superannuation funds to try get as much communication out there as possible, Mu said. The AIA boss said having more time to do it was the appropriate answer to the question of how to best serve the interests of Australians, SMH reported. We dont have to do a lot in terms of the technical part of it, Mu said. Its actually making sure that the communication is appropriate in allowing people to engage and be aware of this. Its important to note that were not disagreeing with the policy position on this, were just thinking [of] how we ensure unintended consequences [don't] happen. Clark did not specify just how much time would be ideal to communicate effectively. The law is the law, and weve got to get it done by July 1, Clark said. Were working hard to get it done. You are here: Business Workers work at a car general assembly line in Cangzhou, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] China's major industrial firms reported falling profits in the January-February period, due to price and seasonal factors, but continued to see progress in structural upgrading and deleveraging, official data showed Wednesday. Combined profits of industrial firms with annual revenues of more than 20 million yuan (about 2.98 million U.S. dollars) stood at 708.01 billion yuan in the first two months of 2019, down 14 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Zhu Hong, an NBS senior statistician, attributed the decline to lower profits in some industries and disruptions caused by the Spring Festival holiday in February. "After being adjusted for the Spring Festival factor, the profits of major industrial firms were basically flat or slightly down from the same period of last year," an NBS statement quoted Zhu as saying. Auto, petroleum processing, steel and chemical industries saw profits markedly pared by falling product prices, dragging the overall industrial profit growth down by 14.2 percentage points, according to Zhu. In addition, compared with the same period last year, the Spring Festival holiday had a longer impact on industrial production as it came earlier this year, the statistician noted. Apart from those factors, the profit decline was also a result of adjustments in the official statistical caliber and stronger efforts to ensure data quality, Huatai Securities said in a research note. In the first two months, state-owned industrial firms' profits dropped 24.2 percent year on year, while private firms' profits slipped 5.8 percent. Companies in manufacturing and mining posted profit declines of 15.7 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively. Among the 41 sub-sectors, 20 saw higher profits and 20 reported lower earnings. On the positive side, consumer product manufacturers and equipment producers maintained relatively fast profit growth, reflecting structural improvement. Major manufacturers of consumer products saw profits increase 5.8 percent year on year in the first two months. Major special-purpose equipment producers recorded a 14-percent profit growth, while electrical machinery and device producers' profits climbed 10.9 percent. The structural change was in line with a shift in China's economic growth drivers from exports and investment to domestic consumption and high-end industries. Meanwhile, Wednesday's data showed progress in the country's bid to help reduce corporate leverage through supply-side structural reform. The asset-liability ratio of major industrial firms continued to decline, Zhu said. The ratio stood at 56.9 percent at the end of February, down 0.2 percentage points from a year earlier. For state-owned industrial companies, the ratio fell 1 percentage point to 58.6 percent, as the deleveraging of state-owned enterprises "produced significant results," as described by Zhu. Chinese authorities have pledged to stick with supply-side structural reform and rolled out a raft of measures to cut taxes and fees for firms, in response to increased downward pressure in the economy. Hu Chi, an economist with the research center under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, believes industrial profits are expected to rebound in the future due to government measures to support production and reduce corporate burden. According to the office of attorney general Maura Healey, Pietro collected insurance premiums from client companies through his company DGP, but failed to remit the premiums to insurance carriers. Due to the alleged theft of these premiums, Pietros client companies had various commercial insurance policies canceled, and they were left uninsured as a result. The attorney generals office alleged that, in total, Pietro had absconded with $270,423 in premiums from client companies. The case is being prosecuted by assistant attorney general Sara Yoffe of the attorney generals Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit. She is assisted by senior financial investigator Philip Mantyla, also from the Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit, victim witness advocate Megan Murphy, and investigators with the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau. No further details of the departure have been provided, only that the CEO agreed to stay until the definitive agreement with Liberty Mutual was signed. Hamilton is purchasing, among others, Liberty Mutuals Pembroke Managing Agency Limited and Ironshore Europe DAC. The signing was revealed on March 14. Read more: Liberty Mutual to shed business units following strategic review In line with the developments, two senior roles have been created. One of them will be filled by Peter Barrett (pictured), former chairman of Lloyds insurance broker Bell & Clements. Based in London, Barrett will serve as global head of specialty insurance and will be in charge of overseeing the integration of the Lloyds and non-Lloyds operations that are being snapped up from Liberty Mutual. Meanwhile Christi Garber, who was tax director of the Americas at Validus Group, has been tapped to join Hamiltons finance team as senior vice president for tax. From her base in New York, Garber will be responsible for all taxation matters including the groups global tax compliance. Following the announcement earlier this month of our transformative deal with Liberty Mutual, Im delighted to welcome Peter Barrett and Christi Garber to the Hamilton team, commented Hamilton group chief executive Pina Albo. Their impressive skills and valuable experience are going to be critical as we complete our transaction and plan for the subsequent integration of the operations were acquiring. The establishment of these two new positions are key developments in achieving our goal of establishing a leading diversified global specialty insurance and reinsurance company. Albo also thanked ODonohoe who is looking forward to a new challenge while wishing everyone well for all his contributions to the group. Tempering our welcome to Peter and Christi is our regret at losing Dermot, said the group CEO. Hes been with Hamilton at Lloyds from the beginning and has steered our agency and syndicate with a steady hand. A release said that the acquisition of Prey Insurance will strengthen Seeman Holtz Property & Casualtys foothold in the Midwest, particularly under its Vincent Urban, Walker division. David Anderson, who runs our Vincent Urban Walker division, was instrumental in identifying and coordinating this acquisition. Prey will provide us additional resources and dramatically add to our client base in Wisconsin, said SHP&C president Marshal Seeman. Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty has always been committed to the Midwest with emphasis on providing quality regional carriers, a connection to farmers and business owners, added SHP&C executive vice-president Eric Holtz. We are happy to have the Prey team join our family of companies. The Pennsylvania attorney generals office charged the co-founder and former executives of an addiction treatment firm and accused them of profiting off addicts by fraudulently billing insurance companies for tens of millions of dollars, with seeming little regard for the welfare of the addicted person. The charges announced by Attorney General Josh Shapiro against 11 people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida, and nine corporations revolve around Liberation Way, a for-profit treatment company with centers in suburban Philadelphia that was sold to a private equity firm in 2017 for nearly $42 million. Shapiro said the two-year investigation found more than $44 million in profits from fraudulent schemes. In some cases, the addicted people returned again and again for treatment, leading to more and more fraudulent billing by Liberation Way, Shapiro said. The attorney generals office began investigating based on information it received from the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, whose inspectors had flagged various violations at Liberation Way facilities. The schemes include billing for substandard, nonexistent or unnecessary treatment, Shapiro said. State charges include dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal conspiracy, insurance fraud and identity theft. Federal conspiracy charges have also been filed. A telephone message seeking comment was left at a number listed for Jason Gerner, a Liberation Way co-founder and one of the people charged. Court officials say no attorney is listed for him. The private equity firm that bought the majority interest in Liberation Way, Fulcrum Equity Partners, absorbed Liberation Ways treatment centers into a company called City Line Behavioral Health. Fulcrum-owned entities last year sued Gerner and others who had sold stakes in Liberation Way, accusing them of failing to disclose violations and other activity that prompted the investigation. The Fulcrum entities won a settlement that City Line spokeswoman Missy Orlando said is confidential. Two of the three former Liberation Way centers remain open, but with an overhaul of the treatment, programming and staff, Orlando said. Authorities said one scheme at Liberation Way involved illegally signing up addicted people for insurance policies and then paying their insurance premiums in ways that hid the source of the money. That included cash, pre-paid Visa gift cards and bank accounts of two non-profit organizations created by Liberation Ways owners, they said. Shapiro also said the company got kickbacks from insurance coverage of unnecessary urine lab tests from a Florida firm and by warehousing addicts in poorly run and unlicensed inpatient facilities that it owned. The schemes often inflicted suffering on the addicted people, Shapiro said. If insurers didnt pay lab fees in full for unnecessary urine tests, Liberation Way had the labs demand that patients and their families pay the outstanding balances, Shapiro said. Meanwhile, one of the treatment homes was known as the party house, Shapiro said. Patients there were in unsavory or even unsafe situations where the temptation to relapse was rampant, authorities said. Patients who relapsed would re-enter treatment at a higher level of care, and Liberation Way billed insurers for higher rates of reimbursement. Liberation Way cycled patients through the treatment process as many times as possible, even as many as eight times, authorities said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Carriers Fraud Abuse Molestation Pennsylvania Hamilton Insurance Group, moving full-speed ahead with its growth strategy, is hiring two executives in newly-created roles, and a third leader is leaving the company. The Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company said it had hired Peter Barrett, a former chairman of Lloyds insurance broker Bell & Clements, for the newly-created position of Global Head, Specialty Insurance. Additionally, Christi Garber, former Tax Director of the Americas at Validus Group, is joining the company for its first-ever Senior Vice President, Tax. At the same time. Hamilton announced that Dermot ODonohoe is leaving his position as CEO of Hamilton at Lloyds. He joined Hamilton in 2015 and oversaw the April 2015 acquisition of Sportscover Managing Agency and Syndicate 3334, as well as the subsequent transformation of both into a fully functioning specialty Lloyds player recognized in the market for its talent, Hamilton said. Hamilton said that ODonohoe had agreed to stay with the company until it finalized plans to buy Liberty Mutuals Pembroke Managing Agency at Lloyds and its Ironshore Europe DAC business, a milestone that hit on March 14, 2019. The New Executives Barrett will be based in London and report to Hamilton Group CEO Pina Albo. Hell oversee the integration of the Lloyds and non-Lloyds, which also includes two MGAs one in the U.S. and one in Dubai. Also, Barrett will guide development of a broader insurance strategy that builds on the operations associated with the pending acquisition. Barrett began his insurance industry career in 1976 and joined Bell & Clements in 1986. He was appointed the brokers Managing Director in 1989 and Chairman in 2004, Hamilton said. Hes also served as a board member of the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) and participated on various National Association of Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) committees. AAMGA and NAPLSO merged in 2017 to form WSIA. Garber will be based in New York and report to Group CFO Jonathan Reiss. In her new role, shell be a key member of Hamiltons finance team and oversee all taxation matters including, but not limited to, developing and maintaining an overall approach for taxation efficiency and operations that support Hamiltons growth strategy. She will also be responsible for all aspects of Hamiltons global tax compliance. Previously, Garber was with Validus Group where she was Tax Director of the Americas. Her 25 years experience in the insurance and financial services sectors also includes eight years as Tax Director and Senior Vice President at Sirius Group, and three years as Vice President, Financial Guaranty Insurance Company. Albo said in prepared remarks that Hamiltons two new executive hires will be important pieces of the companys expansion plans. Their impressive skills and valuable experience are going to be critical as we complete our transaction and plan for the subsequent integration of the operations were acquiring, Albo said. The establishment of these two new positions are key developments in achieving our goal of establishing a leading diversified global specialty insurance and reinsurance company. As far as ODonohoes departure, Albo said the executive has steered our agency and syndicate with steady hand. Source: Hamilton Insurance Group This article first appeared in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Related: Topics Excess Surplus Leadership Lloyd's Carbon emissions from fossil-fuel use hit a record last year after energy demand grew at its fastest pace in a decade, reflecting higher oil consumption in the U.S. and more coal burning in China and India. Those findings from the International Energy Agency mark a setback for the effort to rein in the pollution blamed for global warming just three years after a landmark deal in Paris where all nations committed to cut emissions. The figures showed that natural gas is becoming a preferred fuel for factories and utilities while the pace of installing renewable forms of energy is lagging. The report also indicated the strength of the global economic expansion last year, with gains in electricity consumption and more notably in the U.S. We have seen spectacular growth of the economy in the U.S., said Fatih Birol, executive director of the Paris-based institution advising nations on energy policy. We have seen several new petrochemical projects coming online. Energy demand grew 2.3 percent last year, the most in a decade, according to the IEA. It showed a record 33 gigatons of carbon emissions from energy, up 1.7 percent from the previous year. Global electricity demand rose 4 percent and was responsible for half the growth in overall energy demand. Global coal demand grew for the second consecutive year in 2018, driven by Asias appetite for the dirtiest fossil fuel. Even as coals share of the global energy mix declined, it remains the worlds largest source of electricity. Natural gas use rose 4.6 percent, its fastest growth since 2010. The U.S. increased its use of oil products at a faster rate than any other country for the first time in 20 years, overtaking China. U.S. petrochemicals equipment spending has totaled about $200 billion since 2010 and a new wave of refining capacity in China is expected to take place in 2020 driven by several large crude-to-chemicals projects, according to Wood Mackenzie Ltd. The U.S. boosted oil use by 540,000 barrels a day, a fifth more than China even though the Asian nation has four times the population and is moving toward a less oil-intensive model in order to improve its urban air quality, the IEA said. European oil demand remained stagnant on slowing economic activity and rising prices, the IEA said in its report. Germany saw an important decline in oil demand, which fell 5.4 percent in 2018. The pace of energy efficiency improvements fell, and renewables growth didnt keep pace with surging electricity demand, falling below 50 percent of new power supply last year. Global output of greenhouse gases from energy-related sources rose to a record as energy demand jumped at its fastest pace in a decade. Renewables growth is not keeping pace with the electrification of our society, Birol said on a call with reporters. We need to see more support for renewables. Global energy-related emissions hit an all-time high in 2018 of 33 billion tons of carbon dioxide, a growth rate of 1.7 percent, which represents the fastest increase since 2013. Coal-fired power plants, which are closing across western Europe, were the single largest contributor to the growth in emissions, accounting for 30 percent of the increase, the IEA said. Emissions are still increasing in China and India. The U.S. saw an increase of emissions after they fell in 2017. Germany, Japan, Mexico, France and the U.K. all saw declining output. The world needs to cut the use of coal-fired power to almost nothing by 2050 to get anywhere close to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a panel of United Nations scientists said in a report last year. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics USA Energy Oil Gas China Lloyds of London will publicly name and shame anyone it bans from its insurance market for sexual harassment, according to Chief Executive Officer John Neal. When we do see instances of bad behavior, and lets hope they are infrequent, we have got to be public and decisive about the action that we take, Neal said in an interview on Wednesday. People have got to be really clear that you cannot behave that way. Where we ban someone, we should be very public about it. Neal was responding to a Bloomberg Businessweek article, published last week, which found a deep-seated culture of sexual misconduct in the London insurance market. Drawing on the experiences of 18 women, the report detailed an atmosphere of near-persistent harassment, ranging from lewd and suggestive comments to unwanted touching to sexual assault. This is not the Lloyds that I want to be part of, Neal said. We have got to ensure that everybody, whether its a woman or a man, should feel safe at any time of day doing anything thats associated with the Lloyds market. Im determined that will be the case. One of the women in the Bloomberg article described an experience in which a senior manager drunkenly attacked her in a pub right around the corner from Lloyds. Her employer convinced her it would be bad for her career to pursue a complaint. Other women who experienced similar abuse and had lodged formal complaints said their careers had suffered as a consequence. Neal said it isnt within the jurisdiction of Lloyds to ban alcohol outside of its buildings, but added that he would no longer tolerate it on the premises and would eject anyone who is drunk. Lloyds of London outlined a plan on Tuesday to address the allegations of harassment by setting up an independent whistleblower hotline and laying out potential lifetime bans for anyone found guilty of sexual harassment. The proposals were agreed upon at an emergency meeting of industry executives convened on Monday evening by Neal. Lloyds also committed to having an independent culture survey taken to identify the scale of the issue. While its an incredibly negative position to come from, youve written a story that has galvanized us into more action, Neal said. I think we have to use that as a rallying call. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Excess Surplus Lloyd's London The Trump administration is siding with Obamacare opponents who argue that it is unconstitutional and should be scrapped entirely, initiating a new, more aggressive assault on the health care law that will assure the issue will be squarely at the forefront of the 2020 presidential campaign. The Justice Department shifted its stance, after arguing last year that some parts of the 2010 law but not all of it should be struck down in a case brought by the state of Texas. A federal district judge voided the law in a December ruling that is now under appeal. In a filing late Monday night, the Justice Department said that President Barack Obamas signature legislative achievement should be wiped out. The Department of Justice has determined that the district courts comprehensive opinion came to the correct conclusion and will support it on appeal, DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement. The filing draws renewed attention to Trumps and the Republican Partys stance that Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, should be eliminated. That would include subsidies for coverage and rules popular with voters such as preventing insurers from discriminating against those with pre-existing conditions, limits on coverage and coverage for preventative care. Campaign Issue The Justice Departments action could prove to be a gift for Democrats as they refocus their campaign message on pocketbook issues. The debate over Obamacare which Republicans tried unsuccessfully to repeal in 2017 was a focal point for Democrats in the 2018 midterms when they took control of the House and scored significant wins in state and local elections. Tonight in federal court, the Trump administration decided not only to try to destroy protections for Americans living with pre-existing conditions, but to declare all-out war on the health care of the American people, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said shortly after the administrations filing. Trump on Tuesday didnt directly mention the court filing when he spoke to reporters at the U.S. Capitol after leaving a lunch meeting with Republican senators. But he again hinted at a promise of a replacement that has so far not materialized in the years that the GOP has been vowing to repeal Obamacare. The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care, Trump said. While the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans thats handling the matter is known for its conservatism, Congresss decision in 2017 to remove the penalty for not having coverage means Texas and its allies could have problems proving any harm to give them grounds for their challenge. That would put the issue firmly back in the hands of Congress. The administrations move comes as the White House is celebrating Attorney General William Barrs review of the long-awaited findings by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which he reported didnt find evidence to show the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to meddle in the 2016 election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the Justice Department decision will prove far more detrimental to the Republicans than any political gains they might enjoy from the end of Muellers investigation. Democratic strategist and campaign veteran Jesse Ferguson said Trumps party lost the midterms as a result of its position on health care. Exit polls published by CNN found that health care was the top issue for 2018 voters in House elections across the country. The 41 percent who cited it preferred Democratic candidates over Republicans by a jarring margin of 75 percent to 23 percent. Yet its an issue Democrats have struggled to stay focused on after taking the House in January and effectively neutering the Republican threat to repeal the 2010 law. Trumps vow to repeal the law was a central promise of his 2016 campaign. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said Tuesday the filing moves Republicans one step closer to throwing the financial security and peace of mind of millions not to mention one of the largest sectors of our economy into a tailspin. The Affordable Care Act has extended coverage to about 20 million Americans through private insurance marketplaces and an expansion of Medicaid. It has long been a target of conservatives for its tax hikes, regulations and new spending, which they argue have exacerbated flaws in the health care system. Texas and the states that joined in the suit assert that because Congress in 2017 zeroed out the tax penalty for violating Obamacares individual mandate to buy insurance, the measure is no longer constitutional, and that the rest of the law is inseverable from it and therefore invalid. Several states, including California, New York, Illinois, Connecticut and Virginia have intervened in the suit to keep Obamacare intact. Government Filing The Justice Department wrote in the filing to the appeals court Monday that because the United States is not urging that any portion of the district courts judgment be reversed, the government intends to file a brief on the appellees schedule. In his December decision, U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor said the law had survived its first wave of challenges only because the Supreme Court determined in 2012 that the penalty imposed on those who did not sign up for coverage was a valid exercise of Congress power to tax and spend. When Congress reduced that penalty to zero in 2017, it effectively removed the high courts justification for upholding the act. Timothy Jost, a Washington & Lee University law professor emeritus who has been tracking Obamacare litigation since the measure was signed into law in 2010, said the change actually had the opposite effect, removing any injury for which the suing states could demand redress. He predicted the appellate panel may dismiss the suit on those grounds. How can you be injured by a tax that doesnt exist? Jost said. Jonathan Adler, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, agreed and called the administrations maneuver unconventional. Typically we expect the Justice Department to defend federal statutes, particularly when there are reasonable arguments to be made, Adler said. Here there are reasonable arguments to be made. Adler said that the absence of an actual penalty means the appellate court will likely conclude the states lack the requisite legal injury to pursue their claims. Failing that, it could also reverse OConnors determination that the so-called individual mandate the purchase or penalty provision at the heart of the states suit can be struck down without dismantling the remainder of Obamacare too. At the end of the day, I dont think this is going to have a big effect, Adler said. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wouldnt say Tuesday if he supports the DOJs new position on the ACA, telling reporters he hasnt read the one-page filing, and referred questions to his office. The California Republicans office didnt immediately return a request for comment. The appellate case is Texas v. U.S., 19-10011, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (New Orleans). The lower court case is Texas v. U.S., 4:18-cv-00167-O, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Texas USA Most doctors have a license to practice medicine in just one state. Lindsey Mcilvena can practice in 26. Ive lost track a little bit, she said of all her medical licenses. Mcilvena is a telemedicine doctor, one of a growing number of physicians who prefer to treat patients remotely, from the comfort of their own homes perhaps even while still in their pajamas. They connect with patients by video chat, or through new apps where patients can use their smartphone to talk to a doctor about a cold or a prescription. For Mcilvena, 35, it began as a side gig. She was fresh out of medical school, running her own one-woman practice in Encinitas, California. She started to take telemedicine appointments to help pay the bills as she expanded her brick-and-mortar practice. She liked it so much that in 2015 she made the leap to practicing remotely full time. I was a fan for the flexibility, for being able to work from home and set my own hours, said Mcilvena, who specializes in lifestyle and preventive medicine. Those things dont apply to very many medical positions. At first, she relished the ability to take an afternoon yoga class or grab a midday coffee with a friend. Nowadays, Mcilvena works full-time for the telemedicine startup HeyDoctor, which allows her to treat patients while still spending ample time with her 16-month-old son. Telemedicine is still, by most accounts, a niche occupation. A study published in December in the academic journal Health Affairs combed 2016 survey results from the American Medical Association to find that only 15.4 percent of physicians worked in practices using telemedicine. But that may soon change. Long heralded by the medical community for its potential to make health care more accessible and efficient, telemedicine now seems poised to go mainstream and raise new questions about how medicine practiced through an app compares to a doctors office visit. Private health plans, Medicare, most state Medicaid programs, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs all cover some virtual doctors visits. More than 35 states and the District of Columbia now have laws requiring private insurance companies to reimburse providers for care delivered remotely. In telemedicine, tech-savvy doctors who are good communicators are the ones who thrive. Those changes have led to a boom in well-funded telehealth startups like HeyDoctor, Roman and Hims, the Viagra-selling company that in January was valued at $1 billion. With slick apps and buzzy marketing, the companies are creating fresh opportunities for physicians and bolstering a marketplace anchored by telehealth stalwarts such as MDLive Inc. and Doctor On Demand Inc. And for some of those physicians, especially younger ones who grew up doing almost everything online, telemedicine is no longer a side gig: Its a career goal. American medicine is not great, said HeyDoctor Chief Executive Officer Brendan Levy, who himself is licensed in 30 states. You spend a lot of time just doing paperwork and talking about insurance. You spend the same 15 minutes if someone has a cold as you do if youve got a new diagnosis of cancer. Its not a great way to spend the patients time or your time as a doctor. Many of the conditions for which people go to a primary care doctor, Levy said, can just as easily be treated by talking to a doctor through an app. Levy says that in many scenarios especially conditions that might prompt a visit to an urgent-care center, such as the flu telemedicine technology actually allows doctors to provide better care. At the same time, some doctors worry that virtual visits undermine the doctor-patient relationship, or that they might get paid less. The American Medical Association supports telemedicine so long as its consistent with related in-person services. Among the biggest challenges seems to be discerning when telemedicine should defer to old-fashioned office visits.A number of randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated telemedicine is equivalent to face-to-face treatment, said Ateev Mehrotra, a doctor and professor of health-care policy at Harvard Medical School. Telemedicine, he said, is great for things like mental health or urgent care. Where that gets trickier, he said, is when someones condition requires a physical examination, such as a urinary tract infection or strep throat.Telemedicine is designed to be quick and transactional, but that becomes more complicated when you get into things like testing someone, he said. Hiring Doctors Companies recruit doctors via websites like Drop Out Club, a job board for physicians interested in nontraditional work. A startup entirely dedicated to helping doctors find telehealth jobs, Enzyme Health, launched last year. Michelle Davey, CEO of Enzyme, said the company has found that a doctors great bedside manner doesnt always translate into a great webside manner. In telemedicine, tech-savvy doctors who are good communicators are the ones who thrive. She said the company sees young doctors fresh out of med school looking to earn extra cash, as well as older physicians who want to partially retire without stopping practice all together. About a quarter, she estimates, practice telemedicine full time, though she said that number is growing as the idea of a career working remotely becomes more mainstream. The current system doesnt work. Its inefficient, said Amy Fan, a 30-year-old doctor who recently started her own pediatric telemedicine practice, called Kinder. Fan said that while doing her medical residency, she found the communication between doctor and patient constantly frustrating. Patients couldnt easily reach out to ask simple questions, and doctors couldnt easily follow up. I thought about if I can do everything I do in person online, Fan said. And I came to the conclusion that I can. Mcilvena said she spent about $10,000 getting her 26 medical licenses. Getting the first five, she said, was excruciating, requiring filling out many documents and sending in records and transcripts. Sometimes she would have to wait as long as a year to receive a new license. Then, in 2017, the Interstate Licensure Medical Compact went into effect. It created a centralized body that allows doctors to more easily apply for licenses in multiple states. As of this year, about half of U.S. states are members. More recently, Mcilvena has used Medspoke, a company that, for a fee, handles the hassles of licensing. It is definitely an investment to get licensed in a lot of states, she said. But its worth it. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics InsurTech Medical Professional Liability U.S. regulators plan to revamp rules governing how medicines are manufactured, in an effort to ensure the safety of the nations drug supply as recalls of contaminated imports from developing countries widen. Weve seen a lot of instances of adulterated products contamination, impurities recently, said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who plans to leave his post next month, in an interview. The underlying causes have been traced back to manufacturing, inadequate quality controls and generally poor management oversight. A Bloomberg investigation this year found that manufacturers of generic drugs and their key ingredients in China, India and elsewhere, had in some cases destroyed or hidden testing data revealing quality failures from official records and showed passing results instead. The FDA wants to force drugmakers to do more rigorous testing to make sure that pills used by millions of Americans meets basic safety and effectiveness standards. Currently, the FDA mostly relies on the industry to police itself, only sporadically inspecting manufacturing sites. That approach has been strained by the increasing proportion of generic drugs and drug ingredients made for the U.S. market in countries like China and India, where the regulator has few boots on the ground. The proposed rule changes will focus on the raw materials used to produce drugs. Active pharmaceutical ingredients, or API, are basic building blocks that make drugs effective against diseases and disorders. If they dont meet certain specifications for strength and purity, then the medicines made from them may not work or may even cause harm. Gottlieb said the overhaul is in its early stages and may take several years to complete. More than a dozen companies have recalled drugs known as angiotensin II receptor blockers in the past eight months for containing three different potential carcinogens. One of the most widely used is valsartan, which can be taken on its own or with others to treat hypertension or heart failure. The contaminated active ingredients were bought by drugmakers who used them in pills sold in the U.S. More Drugs Pulled Since the adulterated heart pills first turned up last July, more medicines have been pulled. Most recently, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hetero Drugs Ltd. and Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. all based in India recalled additional cardiovascular drugs for containing probable carcinogens earlier this month. Representatives for the companies couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Western pharmaceutical companies have been increasingly outsourcing the making of active ingredients to India and China, where labor and other expenses are lower and U.S. regulators have less visibility. Drugmakers dont have to say where they buy active ingredients, though the FDA has said that 80 percent come from outside of the U.S. At the same time, production issues with active ingredients have increased. Since 2015, the FDA has issued more than 282 warning letters to pharmaceutical companies related to manufacturing problems, according to data on the agencys website. Of those, 70 involved active pharmaceutical ingredients. The numbers dont include instances when companies were reproached for quality issues but were allowed to fix problems themselves without an official warning. One of the problems with active ingredients is highlighted in a warning letter the FDA sent Pfizer Inc. concerning the drug giants Hospira facility in the state of Tamil Nadu, near the southernmost tip of India. Among other complaints, the FDA said that the facility failed to report accurate results for quality checks on batches of certain active ingredients. The FDA redacted the number of batches involved, but said drugs that had received passing scores from the company then failed quality checks when retested in front of FDA inspectors. Your quality system does not adequately ensure the accuracy and integrity of data to support the safety, effectiveness, and quality of the drugs you manufacture, the agency said in the warning. The FDA banned Hospiras plant from sending drugs to the U.S. in August, four months after it inspected it. Pfizer paused manufacturing at the Hospira facility after the inspection and then decided in January to cease production at the site, the company said in an emailed statement. The decision wasnt due to the warning letter but was based on significant long-term loss of product demand that makes manufacturing at this site unviable, Pfizer said. The FDAs monitoring of drug-manufacturing problems has drawn scrutiny from Congress, as well. The House Energy and Commerce Committee began looking into the agencys manufacturing oversight after Bloombergs investigation revealed that surveillance inspections declined 11 percent in fiscal 2018 from a year earlier. The checks are used to make sure plants measure up to U.S. standards. Gottlieb has previously defended the agencys approach to inspections, saying it reflects a smarter, more surgical line of attack that targets facilities based on a risk score calculated by the FDA. In addition to an enhanced self-testing regime, the FDA wants tougher water-purification requirements, Gottlieb said in the interview. Water is used in sterile-injectable drugs and to mix ingredients used in pills, and if it falls short of cleanliness standards it can introduce contaminants. The FDA last updated its manufacturing standards in 2008, meaning the agency has had to play catch-up with a fast-changing industry. Indian companies accounted for 38 percent of FDA drug approvals in 2018 through October 30, up from 33 percent in 2015, according to Morris Borenstein, a senior analyst at Moodys. Over the same span, Chinese drugmakers accounted for 8 percent of approvals, up from 1 percent, Borenstein said. Weve seen a lot of instances of adulterated products contamination, impurities recently. Dinesh Thakur, a whistleblower who helped the U.S. show systemic data-integrity problems at Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. facilities in India that led to a $500 million settlement in 2013, said updating the standards is a good move but questioned how the FDA can trust companies. In a March 2017 visit to a Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. plant in Andhra Pradesh, near Indias southeastern coast, two FDA inspectors caught employees deleting computer files and lists of recent documents to avoid detection of what inspectors said appeared to be manufacturing records. Company officials initially denied that workers had destroyed data but capitulated when pressed by inspectors. Dr. Reddys didnt receive a warning letter after the inspection, but did receive one for a 2015 inspection of the plant. The company didnt respond to a request for comment. What puts the fear of god in them if you misrepresent to the FDA, if you say things that are not true? Thakur asked. Where is the accountability? I honestly dont know how effective its going to be. Gottlieb, who will be succeeded on an acting basis by Ned Sharpless, director of the National Cancer Institute, said the overhaul was a big deal and that the agency has gotten a lot more sophisticated on data integrity. Its a significant modernization for the requirements that havent been changed in years, Gottlieb said. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics USA China Manufacturing India Drugs Business leaders and experts hailed China's achievements over the past 70 years and discussed how the world can benefit from the country's development at a sideline forum of this year's Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference in China's southern island province of Hainan. Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo first visited China in the 1970s and has long been involved in fostering good relations. She said the seven decades has demonstrated to the rest of the world that there's not only one mode of development. "China has shown the rest of the world, that every country can find its own way to develop according to its own historical experience and own development reality," she said. "In the past 40 years, we have realized that China's development is actually a very good one. China actually taught us a lot in this area." Progress has not occurred in a straight line. The pace of economic change in China has been extremely rapid since the start of China's reform and opening-up over 40 years ago. Former Secretary-General of BFA Long Yongtu said that one of China's biggest achievements was that the country had built the world's largest factory. "We are very proud that Made-in-China could become a high-quality manufacturing brand in the next few years," said Long, who was also former vice minister of China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Dong Mingzhu, chairperson of China's leading appliances maker Gree Electric Appliances, said that the 40 years reform and opening-up had shown the world how excellent the Chinese people can be. She stressed how the Chinese not only care for China's development but also for a better world. She proposed that Chinese manufacturing industry should foster creativity, and change the world with creativity."We share our creativity, the fruits of our harvest with the world," Dong said. Former French President Francois Hollande talked about four challenges that China needs to face. He noted the problems that had occurred during the fast development and listed a number of challenges the world and China needed to face. According to Hollande, China, due to its advanced technology, is not like other developing countries. Therefore, there are more requirements and expectations for China. Another challenge for China is its emerging status as a global power, which will bring new pressures and challenges. He also praised China's efforts in environmental protection. Finally, he called for the need to boost domestic demand and also mentioned the aging problem that China and other developed countries need to face. Houston-based Tokio Marine HCC has promoted Christopher Skarinka, chief operating officer for its Professional Lines and Public Risk Groups, to president of the Public Risk Group, effective April 1. He succeeds Thomas Harmeyer, who will continue to serve the division as executive chairman. Prior to joining Tokio Marine HCC in 2018, Skarinka was a co-founder of Athenium Analytics, a risk analytics company, and served there as president and a member of the board of directors. He previously co-founded Kanopy Insurance, an independent personal lines agency, and worked as an associate for Great Hill Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Skarinka started his career as an analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities. Tokio Marine HCC is the marketing name used to describe the affiliated companies under the common ownership of HCC Insurance Holdings Inc., a Delaware-incorporated insurance holding company. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Tokio Marine HCC is a specialty insurance group with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Source: Tokio Marine HCC Businesses and residents expressed concern on March 25 about the environmental and economic fallout from a fire at a Houston-area petrochemical storage farm that sent huge plumes into the air for days and prompted the partial closure of one of the busiest commercial waterways in the U.S. Officials said it could be several more days before a section of the Houston Ship Channel reopens. Investigators with Harris County, which includes Houston, said they have delivered a subpoena to Intercontinental Terminals Company the firm that owns the facility to preserve any evidence regarding the cause of the blaze. Students returned to class after the fire prompted school closures near the facility. Heres a look at what has happened and what to expect: The Fire and Response A massive fire started March 17 at the ITC plant in the suburb of Deer Park, southeast of Houston. It left several petrochemical tanks damaged or destroyed and thrust plumes of black smoke into the air and burned on and off for days. Its unclear how the blaze began. On March 21, residents were warned to stay inside for their own safety because of high levels of benzene in the air. The chemical evaporates quickly and can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and headaches, with worse symptoms at higher levels of exposure. Some of ITCs tanks leaked oil products and a containment area was breached Friday, leading to the mixture reaching the ship channel, said company spokesman Brent Weber. Authorities shut down part of the ship channel to traffic on March 22 to try and continue the cleanup and contain the spill. U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Kevin Oditt said it could be several more days before that part of the channel reopens. The priorities remain ensuring the safety of our on-scene responders as well as mitigating any impact to the waterway or the environment and reopening the Houston Ship Channel, Oditt said. The San Jacinto River, a waterway leading into the ship channel and located north of ITCs facility, was reopened to barge and tow traffic but only for about three hours on Monday. Oditt said officials have performed several test runs with ships, letting them pass through the affected area to see if they dont interfere with the cleanup and dont get contaminated. Such test runs will help the Coast Guard determine when the channel can be fully opened. Effects on Commerce The Port of Houston is the No. 1 in the U.S. in foreign tonnage and is in the top five in the U.S. in the number of containers it handles. The head of a maritime trade organization representing more than 200 companies at the port said the closure of several miles of the channel has slowed but not stalled commerce. The top products that pass through the ship channel include resins and plastics, chemicals, fabrics, including raw cotton, and steel and metals. Capt. Bill Diehl, president of the Greater Houston Port Bureau, said the port is a manufacturing center for petrochemicals and supporting businesses and that those places are still operating but that products may be slow to come in or out right now. Diehl said the channel is 52 miles long and other sections have remained open. As of Monday afternoon, some ships were being slowly taken through the area that had been closed to make sure they didnt disturb the cleanup. That section, for now, is only open to daylight transits, Diehl said. It has an effect on business, Diehl said, but not as much as youd think. Diehl said that half of the ships that come into Texas come through the Port of Houston. He said on average they move 55 ships a day. Whats Next? ITC is facing legal challenges over the fire and spill. On Monday, seven people who live near the storage facility filed what is believed to be the first civil lawsuit against ITC over the fire. The suit was filed in state district court in Houston. The residents are asking for at least $1 million in damages, accusing ITC of negligence. They allege they suffered a variety of illnesses due to the fire and the release of chemicals into the air, including, bronchitis, pneumonia and itchy, burning eyes. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against ITC on Friday and said the state must hold the company accountable for the damage it has done to our environment. State and other environmental watch dogs also are continuing to test water and air. Water samples from the Houston Ship Channel have been tested, but those results were still not complete Monday, said Jeff Kunze, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Over the weekend, benzene levels in the air were very high near the site of the fire, but dropped significantly, according to monitoring by the Environmental Defense Fund. Tests by the nonprofit the Galveston Bay Foundation over a four-day period starting Friday found benzene in 14 water samples taken from the Houston Ship Channel. But only one sample, from Saturday, had levels of benzene considered to be unsafe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By Monday, all samples tested were at safe levels, according to the foundation. Adam Adams, the federal onsite coordinator with the EPA, said Monday that air monitoring from his agency as well as several others in the last 24 hours had not found any hazardous conditions that would require warning the public. Thats very positive, Adams said. Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Tammy Webber in Chicago contributed to this report. Related: Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas USA Pollution Chemicals Apple analysts are cautiously optimistic about the company expanding its services business, a move they see as offering long-term growth potential. However, the companys big media event earlier this week was seen as lacking key details, and even bulls say it will take a few years for the products to have a material impact on revenue or earnings. The company unveiled a video-streaming service and a credit card, among other initiatives, as part of a plan to build out its service offerings at a time when sales for its iPhone line have shown signs of weakness. Apple derived 15% of its revenue from services in 2018, while more than 60% came from its iPhone. Many analysts cheered Apples plans. Broker Canaccord Genuity said the announcements support Apples ecosystem approach, and the higher-margin services revenue growth will continue outpacing total company growth. It affirmed its buy rating and lifted its price target to $230 from $185, which is one of the highest targets on Wall Street. Big picture, this strategy aligns with our thesis that services, not devices, hold the key to Apple revenue and profitability growth over the next five years, said Morgan Stanleys Katy Huberty. However, while the breadth of the services that were launched was impressive, the lack of pricing detail makes it difficult to evaluate the financial impact. She kept her estimates unchanged but lifted the Apple price target to $220 from $197 and affirmed its overweight rating. At Citi, Jim Suva said the event represented a boost to every angle of its services, but it wont be a major catalyst for the shares as consumers are slow to change their behaviour. He affirmed a buy rating and a $220 price target. Goldman Sachs Rod Hall said the event was materially different than expected, as it had anticipated the TV service to be available immediately, and for more pricing details to be announced. Though all of these services are interesting from a platform churn point of view none seem likely on our calculations to materially impact EPS in the short term, he said. As a result, we expect the focus to return to the slowing iPhone business, he warned. Former US First Lady Michelle Obamas best-selling autobiography helped boost revenue last year at German media giant Bertelsmann to the highest in more than a decade. Bertelsmanns Penguin Random House sold nearly 10 million copies of Becoming, the account of Ms Obamas journey from Chicagos south side to the White House. That helped lift Bertelsmanns total sales to 17.7bn, the highest since 2007. Deutsche Bank is facing resistance from top Qatari shareholders to its planned merger with Commerzbank. The investors are concerned that a deal would dilute their holdings, if Deutsche Bank is forced to raise equity in a share sale to help fund the deal, sources said. The Persian Gulf nation is also seeking to negotiate other concessions, before it backs the deal, they said. Deutsche Bank shares have slumped by about two thirds since Qatar first invested, five years ago. The discontent among key shareholders adds to widening opposition to the deal, which Germany sees as a way to ensure financing to the countrys export-oriented economy during a downturn. Labour representatives on Deutsche Banks supervisory board say a merger would fail to strengthen the bank, while prompting massive job cuts. German newspaper editorials have also blasted the finance ministrys role in orchestrating a deal between two weakened lenders. Not everyone is against the deal. Private-equity firm Cerberus Capital, which owns significant stakes in both Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, favours it. The German government also does. Asset management firm BlackRock, which likewise owns stock in both lenders, indicated it may be sceptical of a deal. What problem are we trying to solve here? the firms vice chairman, Philipp Hildebrand, said last week. That part is yet missing from this discussion. Qatar is understood to be interested in pushing for more bilateral deals with Germany in other industries, as a condition of backing the merger. Qatari entities own more than 6% of Deutsche Bank. Any merger would have practical obstacles to overcome. Cost cuts and where to make them as well as balance sheet risks are set to take a central role in the merger discussions. Commerzbank has large holdings of Italian bonds, which may need to be revalued. Deutsche Banks US political exposure, and the future of its trading unit, will be tough issues, too. Deutsche Bank is in talks with the ECB about the potential tie-up. Regulators remain sceptical of the deal and want to see a viable and profitable business model, before they approve of it. Deutsche Bank has already raised $34bn in the past nine years, from investors, to fund multiple restructurings and may need a further 8bn for a merger with Commerzbank, according to Christian Koch, a DZ Bank analyst. Bloomberg The opening credits for Netflixs first original series House of Cards has been given the Cork treatment and the rebel city has never looked so well. Just for fun, photographer and filmmaker Karl Kachmarsky decided to replace the scenes of Washington D.C frame-by-frame with of some of Corks most noted buildings. The Arts Council has conceded that its work on equality and diversity has been too limited and too compartmentalised. The State body says it is deeply aware that many inequities still exist within the arts in Ireland, and a substantial number of people "continue to experience barriers to engaging with and participating in the arts. Marking the publication of its first equality, human rights and diversity policy, it has paid tribute to movements such as Waking the Feminists and artist and drag queen Rory ONeill for prompting steps towards necessary change. Five years after making the noble call on day-to-day oppression of gay people in Ireland, ONeill, who is better known as Pantibliss, launches the publication of the new Arts Council policy in Galways Palas cinema tonight. Arts Council strategic development manager Monica Corcoran said the policy was to have been completed last year, but a decision was taken to ensure it covered all aspects of equality, diversity and human rights. The strategy comes nine months after Culture Minister Josepha Madigan launched gender equality policies of 10 major theatres and arts organisations. The Arts Council has included socio-economic status as one of ten grounds for ensuring equality of opportunity. The other nine, covered by the public sector duty and equality legislation, commit to equal opportunity, access and outcomes for all those living in Ireland regardless of gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race of membership of the Traveller community. Ms Corcoran said the policy involved looking at the Arts Councils own structures, while also incorporating the situation of artists and those participating in or seeking access to the arts. It includes a three-year plan towards full implementation, she said, as we want this to be an active, living policy . She said it built on a range of existing Arts Council work areas, developments and policies, and paid tribute to movements like Waking the Feminists, Sounding the Feminists and Fair Ple for injecting energy into a process of change. Waking the Feminists was formed in 2015 in response to a male-dominated programme for the 1916 Rising centenary at the Abbey Theatre. Tonight in Galway, Arts Council director Orlaith McBride will say that inclusivity and diversity are at the basis of a policy ensuring art is relevant to contemporary society and a fundamental human right. The Arts Council is hosting a conference entitled Places Matter at NUI Galway tomorrow. Brexit poses an existential threat to the security of Ireland and the peace process, a leading Irish academic has warned. Ben Tonra, Professor of International Relations at UCD, said the immediate and the longer term security threats have not yet been provided for and said there were no signs that the Irish State was prepared to address them. In a Working Paper, entitled Brexit and Irish Security and Defence, Prof Tonra said the prospect of the UK's withdrawal from the EU posed a substantial existential challenge to the Irish state. He said that of the three goals of Irish security and defence policy, aid to the civil power was where the impact of Brexit was most stark (other policy goals being territorial defence and international security operations). He said the Defence Forces once had eight military barracks along the 499km border, stationing up to 1,500 personnel but was more recently experiencing an ongoing personnel crisis with a virtual haemorrhage of mid-career offices and NCOs. Prof Tonra said a post-Brexit border posed three threats: from organised crime and cross-border smuggling; a renewed paramilitary threat targeting new border infrastructures; and a threat to constitutional security arising from a weakening of the peace process. In relation to the peace process, he said the Good Friday Agreement was constructed within the context of Ireland and the UK's membership of the EU. He said Brexit critically weakens the right of people of Northern Ireland under the agreement to hold both British and Irish citizenship. He said Brexit also cuts across myriad forms of cross-border cooperation and the rights of citizens, regardless of passports, to access state services and to pursue employment and training. He said the British and Irish governments had identified 156 specific areas or north-south cooperation underpinned by shared EU membership. In the worst-case scenario of a no-deal Brexit, this entire superstructure is demolished overnight, potentially upending the lives of many thousands of people," Prof Tonra said. He said the Good Friday Agreement was accompanied by an entire underpinning structure of human rights protections and that EU law provided a critical framework sustaining equality provisions, most especially in employment law and non-discrimination rights as enshrined by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. He added: Brexit means by definition that British citizens lose all of their rights under EU law while Irish citizens in Northern Ireland lose the practical expression of those rights within the territory of the UK." He said the critical danger was that Brexit not only changes the geographical scope within which Irish citizens in Northern Ireland can exercise and enjoy their EU citizenship and associated rights (such as voting in European Parliament elections) but that the divergence of rights North and South created barriers to those citizens having equal rights and protections with citizens in Northern Ireland who have elected to opt for British citizenship, creating differential treatment and inequality under the law. In such a scenario where the consequences of Brexit were visibly pulling at the threads of the basic constitutional settlement provided under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement the scope for political mischief from minority/extremist political groups would be enormous, he said. Brexit has clear potential to aggravate the root causes of conflict in Ireland and thereby threaten peace and security on the island. In relation to a second security and defence policy goal of national territorial defence - Prof Tonra said that on the face of it, Brexit's impact was minimal. He said Ireland had the lowest defence spending of the EU 27 member states, which translated into exceptionally limited military capacity. He said: In the absence of any fighter, attack or transport aircraft, combat tanks, heavy artillery or any naval assets beyond eight offshore patrol vessels, Ireland can be said to lack the minimum conventional combat capability necessary to provide for any territorial defence based on credible deterrence. Prof Tonra said Ireland had no meaningful air defence apart from a small ground-based air defence system. Uniquely in the European Union, Ireland lacks the type of radar system necessary to track and identify aircraft in its airspace that are unwilling or unable to use their transponders, he said. Consequently, Ireland has depended on the British RAF through a 2015 Memorandum of Understanding. He said it was understood that as of 2016 there was a formal agreement to permit RAF identification, pursuit and interdiction of aircraft posing a potential security threat which had been reportedly utilised twice to intercept Russian bombers 'probing' air defences. He said a question arose as the whether the MOU provisions will prove to be politically sustainable post Brexit. In terms of international security, he said that the UKs withdrawal from Europe leaves Ireland exposed on several fronts. He said Irelands hesitancy and ambivalence towards EU policy on security and defence may no longer be sustainable and that hard choices were coming into view. Concluding, Prof Tonra said: Notwithstanding the shape of any Withdrawal Agreement and the pursuit of a new bilateral relationship between the UK and the EU, Irelands current security and defence posture is simply unsustainable. The immediate threats of a no-deal Brexit and the medium to longer term security threats posed by any kind of Brexit have yet to be provided for. The Irish state faces profound challenges in this regard and there are, as of yet, no signs that it is prepared to address them. The People's Liberation Army will remain on high alert to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday. Spokesperson Ren Guoqiang made the remarks in response to a news report that a U.S. Navy warship and a U.S. Coast Guard ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on March 24. "We are clear about the passage of the U.S. vessels through the Taiwan Strait and have monitored them from start to end," Ren said, adding that China had expressed concern to the U.S. side. The Taiwan question bears on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is the most important and most sensitive core issue concerning China-U.S. relations, he said. "The U.S. side should strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, prudently handle Taiwan-related issues, and avoid damaging relations between the two countries and two militaries as well as cross-Strait peace and stability," Ren said. Gardai in Limerick are investigating a serious assault and robbery which happened in Dooradoyle on Saturday night. A 51-year-old man was hit on the head and robbed by up to three men at Carrig Drive. Community groups at the frontline of the drugs crisis are making a final push in urging a State group to recommend decriminalisation of possession of drugs for personal use. The move is being made on the back of concerns among pro-decriminalisation organisations that the State group is considering backing a diversion scheme for those caught in possession rather than decriminalisation. The National Drugs Strategy sets out our ambition for a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland and it commits us to developing our responses based on the available evidence we dont believe that opting for a diversion programme meets the requirement to be either health-led or evidence based, said Anna Quigley, director of CityWide, an umbrella body of community drug groups. The Irish Examiner reported in January that the state working group on alternatives to criminalisation for possession had learned of difficulties in decriminalising possession because of the Irish legal system. It is understood the committee heard that possession needed to remain a criminal offence in order for gardai to have legal authority to refer people caught in possession to the health services. The group received a three-month extension in December to finalise its recommendations and report. Ms Quigley said evidence supporting decriminalisation was reflected in recent statements on behalf of UN agencies in relation to repealing laws that criminalise possession. The experience of Portugal supports this view, where the most recent data shows that the drug-related death rate in that country is four per million of the population compared to 70 per million in Ireland, she said. Evidence shows decriminalisation does not lead to an increase in drug use and it does not send out a message drugs are harmless. CityWide is holding a press conference today and will be joined by the Ana Liffey Drug Project, the National Family Support Network and UISCE (which advocates for drug users), as well as Niamh Eastwood, executive director of British campaign group Release and Independent senator Lynn Ruane. Aoife Frances of the National Family Support Network said: Families impacted by drug misuse want their loved ones to access the best possible support they can, to have access to a health response a nurse, a community drugs worker, a treatment or harm reduction intervention; not a criminal sanction. It is crystal clear that regional Ireland must brace itself for permanent disruption whatever the outcome of Brexit, the governor of the Central Bank has warned. Philip Lane said the days and weeks following a no-deal Brexit would see a lot of disruption, and the question is how long it would take to adapt to it. Smaller firms and the regions will be more adversely affected than multinationals, he told the Oireachtas finance committee. We have a large multinational sector here which essentially has a global market, said Mr Lane. Those firms would not be particularly exposed to Brexit risk. So many small firms only export market is the UK, and within agrifood and certain segments within that, the dominant export market is within the UK. There is no doubt these risks are quite concentrated, and given these industries are regionally concentrated, there will be very different effects across the country. Classical music lovers on Leeside are in for a treat this summer with the announcement that Cork Opera House is taking us to the Proms. The inaugural Cork Proms will run for three nights in association with the Cork Midsummer Festival and PwC, and will feature The Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, which was established in 2015. The Cork Proms will kick off on Midsummer Night, Friday June 21, under the baton of Maestro, John OBrien, when the orchestra will perform music by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Vivaldi. The following night will have an American musical theme. The Orchestra, and guest vocalists, will perform hits from the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, and more, conducted by multi-award winning composer and conductor, Cathal Synnott. The third and final night of the Cork Proms on Sunday, June 23 will feature a homage to the world of pop music with performances by Majella Cullagh, Kim Sheehan, Laoise Leahy, Karen Underwood and more. Classics from David Bowie, Queen, Leonard Cohen and more will close out the series. Cork Opera House CEO, Eibhin Gleeson said the event will be an incredible opportunity to create a very special event on Corks annual musical calendar. We are very lucky to have access to an enormous wealth of home-grown talent, orchestral players, musicians, vocalists, and creatives. The Cork Proms will harness all of this in one place over three nights and we are delighted to be working with PwC, she said. The Cork Proms is a new platform for the orchestra to shine, to celebrate what were made of musically and to treat the people of this region to concerts that are truly of an international standard, she said. Tickets of The Cork Proms are available from Cork Opera House at corkoperahouse.ie or 021 427 022 and at Cork Midsummer Festival corkmidsummer.com Pupils at a Dublin city centre primary school say they can see drug users injecting themselves from their classroom window. The pupils of St Audoen's National School, along with their parents, are calling for the country's first supervised injected centre to not be allowed open in proximity to the school. The defence lawyer in a rape trial said the accused man walking away from a woman in a laneway after consensual sex may have been ungentlemanly but that was not what the jury had to decide. Defence senior counsel Barry White said: He might not have been a gentleman on the night walking away but he is not being tried for not being a gentleman or for being a cad. He is being tried for rape. Tim OLeary prosecution senior counsel said in relation to the end of the contact between the two parties behind the van in the laneway in Cork city: At the end of all this he just walks away. It is not consensual in the way of (him saying), take my hand, I will bring you back to your friends or to your house, Mr OLeary SC said what happened instead was the defendant simply walked away and left her in the laneway to be found by gardai in a distressed state afterwards. Mr OLeary said that a witness from an apartment overlooking the lane rang gardai. Something caused her to say, there is a problem here, he said. The prosecution senior counsel said there was evidence of her being highly intoxicated and that she could have been in an even worse condition when the defendant encountered her. Mr OLeary challenged the defendants comments to gardai that what happened was consensual. If she was that drunk she could not consent. He knew or did not care about whether or not she was consenting. At the time she did not consent and he knew she was not consenting or was reckless. He saw his chance down the laneway in behind the back of the van on the ground. And then walking away He said vaginal and oral sex happened and in both cases it was by consent. Regarding the complainants lack of memory about what happened to her, Mr OLeary SC said: She is a witness, she is not the states case. She is not the case in and of itself. Closing his address he suggested the only reason the accused went behind the van down the lane with the complainant was, so he would not be caught. Barry White defence senior counsel said it was farcical of the prosecution to suggest the defendant was down the lane to avoid CCTV cameras when he was seen on camera entering and leaving the lane. Mr White said the complainant was on release from hospital where she was being treated for a mental condition but was given permission to join with friends to engage in the revelries in Cork. Mr White said the prosecution did not call evidence to explain the nature of her condition and the effect of medication and so forth. He said there were a lot of things missing from the prosecution without explanation. The number of whys are mounting up, they must be in double figures. Why have we not got this? Why have we not got the other? It all goes back to the mindset of An Garda Siochana we have our interviews and the jury dont need any more, they can make do with that, Mr White SC said. Mr White characterised the accused as naive and innocent. He was offered the assistance of a solicitor. He declined it. He naively said I dont need to because I am innocent. That is the personality you are dealing with You have a naive young man being open, frank and honest. He is not coming in here to pull the wool over your eyes. Referring to the CCTV he said, There is no question of her stumbling or falling all over the place and him holding her up. Mr White complained that the video evidence on the lane did not continue from when the defendant left until the gardai arrived. Did anyone else come down the lane? Did anyone else have intercourse with her? We do not know. There should be footage and we have not seen it. That should cause you to stop and say I dont like the smell of this case. The defendant who is in his twenties denies two counts of raping the young woman on February 17, 2017 in a laneway in Cork city, once by having sexual intercourse with her and once by putting his penis in her mouth. A jury of four women and eight men will commence their deliberations tomorrow when Mr Justice Alexander Owens completes his speech to them at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. A builder described by a judge as "a poor and self-serving historian with little consideration for the effects on others of his story telling" has been ordered by the High Court to complete the sale of his family home. Mr Justice Tony O'Connor said he did not need to consider whether Gavin Crowley "committed perjury, is delusional or suffers from memory alteration due to strained circumstances". The court only needed to be satisfied to make its decision on the relevant standard of proof which was the balance of probabilities, he said. The judge rejected Mr Crowley's claim that the purchaser of his home - once valued at 1.5m - had offered to make an "under the table" 50,000 part payment towards the price to defraud Revenue of tax due on the sale of the property in Kilsallaghan, near Swords, Co Dublin. The judge was persuaded Mr Crowley "will stop at nothing" to hinder the buyer of his home, Brian Leggett, from completing the purchase. The house was built in 2003 and Mr Crowley lived there with his partner along with his father who, it was claimed, had contributed 50,000 the 600,000 building cost. With a valuation of 1.5m, Mr Crowley used his home as security for loans from Bank of Scotland (BoS) totalling 975,000 to acquire other properties. When the building industry collapsed, BoS appointed a receiver in 2012 over all his properties including his home. He offered to sell his home and BoS said he would have to provide some 445,000 in cleared funds to release the security over his home. Mr Crowley said the asking price was 525,000 Mr Justice O'Connor said the purchaser, Mr Leggett , offered 475,000 and a 10,000 booking deposit was paid. The price was later renegotiated down to 460,000. Contracts for sale were signed by Mr Leggett in January 2014 with a further 36,000 to meet the ten per cent sale price deposit requirement. The contract was executed by Mr Crowley but then an attempt was made to pull out and refund the 36,000. Mr Leggett brought High Court proceedings seeking specific performance of the sale contract by Mr Crowley. In his defence, Mr Crowley claimed, among other things, the contract for sale was unenforceable due to illegality where he alleged a 50,000 cash payment was agreed between him and Mr Leggett. This would mean Revenue and the bank would be told the sale price was 475,000 when it would fact be 525,000. Mr Leggett "calmly but firmly" denied he ever told Mr Crowley this cash would come from his business and properties in Spain and Eastern Europe, the judge said. "There was not a shred of corroborating evidence to support these serious allegations", the judge said. The judge rejected Mr Crowley's argument that specific performance should not be granted because of a boundary dispute over the property. The judge further rejected the Crowley claim that the sale would cause exceptional hardship as his father, who lives in the property, would lose his home and receive no compensation for the 50,000 he put into the house. Mr Justice O'Connor said Mr Crowley entered into the contract willingly in an effort to deal with his bank debts. He was willing to sell his home in 2014 and no exceptional circumstances arose at that time, which is the period the court must look at. He said Smart Mortgages, which took over the BoS charge on the house, is entitled to make representations before the court makes final orders. He adjourned the matter to a later date. Eight sexual health charities and groups in Cork have joined forces to launch a one-stop-shop website to provide information and advice across a wide range of sexual health areas. The mysexualhealth.ie website is the first, fully dedicated site of its kind in Cork to provide information and advice to people on all matters of sexual health, healthy relationships and wellbeing. The groups involved include the Sexual Health Centre, the GUM/STI clinic, the citys Youth Health Services, Gay Project, LINC, the Sexual Violence Centre Cork, the citys Sexual Assault Treatment Unit and Cork HIV Treatment Clinic. They all work in areas that include sexual health and wellbeing, sexually transmitted infections testing, sexuality, HIV treatment and support, sexual violence and healthy relationships. The number of people requesting access to the various sexual health services and seeking information has increased dramatically in the past years. But speaking at the launch of the website in City Hall this morning, the groups said there is still a stigma around sexual health issues. They said the portal aims to ensure that the people of Cork have easy and direct access to the sexual health services by providing an overview of the existing organisations, their focus and contact information. Dr Martin Davoren, executive director of the Sexual Health Centre, said Healthy Ireland funding made available through the Local Community Development Committee and Cork City Council supported this project. Sexual health is an integral part of everyones life. It is fantastic to see the launch of this interagency resource for the people, he said. Further increases to student fees or the introduction of a student loan scheme have been ruled out , the Irish Examiner can reveal. In a highly significant development, the Government has rejected two of three recommendations contained in a 2016 report into how a gaping hole in third-level funding is to be filled. The Government said that it is not enthusiastic or inclined to go down the road of increasing current fees or to introduce a system whereby students take out loans to fund their education. For the first time, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made his hostility to increased fees and student loans clear. I am not enthusiastic about or inclined to go down the road of increased student contributions or a student loan system for that reason, he said. In terms of student contributions, I am very reluctant to see student contributions being raised. I am very reluctant to go down the model of a student loan system because I see in other countries how that leaves students graduating from college with very large debts. To a certain extent that is true in England and it is very true in the United States. That has long-term consequences. One of the reasons healthcare is so expensive in the United States is that people graduate from medical and nursing school with such high debts. That gets reflected on in terms of the cost of healthcare. I just dont want students graduating with massive debts like they do in England and the US. Its hard enough to pay rent or save for a deposit without a big student loan to pay off also. I also see what happens in the US where people graduate with debts of 100k plus. It is inevitably passed on to the consumer in the form or higher costs for services cost of seeing the doctor, cost of legal services, et cetera. The 2016 Cassells report identified the need for an extra 600m a year by 2021 to maintain quality in higher education, rising to 1bn annually by 2030. A further 5.5bn is required for ongoing maintenance, capital upgrades, and equipment renewal. The reintroduction of student fees of around 20,000 through income-contingent loans was one of three proposals in that report. It also suggested a predominately State-funded system and a third option to retain the 3,000 student registration fee. Opposition leaders described the Governments comments as highly significant. Labour leader Brendan Howlin accused the Government of seeking to bury the issue since taking office but said this is an important development. Mr Howlin said his party has always been opposed to student loans, and that he prefers direct state intervention. The Irish University Association said that now the Government has made clear what it does not want, it needs to clarify how it intends bridging the shortfall in funding. Director general Jim Miley said: The comments by An Taoiseach on third-level funding give clarity on what the Government does not want. If this is now official Government policy, it is clear that the only other source of the much-needed funding is the State itself. We would urge An Taoiseach and his Government to act decisively and provide increased funding as it is now almost 1,000 days since the Cassells report was published which clearly identified the needs of the sector. Launching the report in 2016, Peter Cassells stressed that the status quo and the funding model we have at the moment is not an option. The Department of Education is yet to undertake the economic analysis of the three options in the report. It said this will happen in the course of this year. A male teenager arrested in connection with a serious hit-and-run in Cork was released from Garda custody this morning. A toddler was left with serious injuries following the incident. You are here: China China's State Council Tuesday passed a draft regulation on the implementation of the Food Safety Law, detailing the responsibilities of production operators and governments as well as accountability measures. Under the draft rules, law-breaking enterprises together with their legal representatives and responsible personnel will face severer punishments. The draft also optimized food safety standards and risk monitoring systems so as to ensure food safety and better protect the health of the people, according to a State Council statement. Three trade unions, Forsa, SIPTU and CONNECT are joining forces to call for reform of services ahead of the local elections in May. The unions want all political parties to pledge to change and improve funding for waste, water, housing and energy services. The three organisations launched a report today on local government and its future. Local government can be an important source of economic development and local jobs, while local authorities across Europe are playing a leading role in transitioning to low-carbon renewable energy. #MorePowerToYou pic.twitter.com/CXbuDvP0NK Forsa trade union (@forsa_union_ie) March 27, 2019 The research paper, Democracy Works If You Let It by Dr Mary Murphy of Maynooth University, finds that only 8% of Irish public spending occurs at local government level, compared to an EU23 average of over 23%, and that a quarter of the Irish spend is not fully under local authority control. Local government can be an important source of economic development and local jobs, while local authorities across Europe are playing a leading role in transitioning to low-carbon renewable energy. We need to rebuild Irish local democracy and citizen participation to build strong local economies based on good jobs and decent incomes, and to address climate change," Dr Murphy said at this morning's launch. The study says Irish local authorities perform fewer functions than municipalities across Europe, with their roles largely confined to physical infrastructure and environmental and recreational services. Democracy Works If You Let It claims this impacts negatively on local employment, service quality, value-for-money, environmental protection, and local jobs and economic development. It has also contributed to declining local election voter turnout. All over Europe, privatised local services are being brought back under direct local authority provision because publicly-provided services are usually better quality, better value for money, and more environmentally sustainable," said Adrian Kane, SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser. Update 10.24pm A 23 year old woman arrested on March 26 as part of the investigation into the murder of John Gibson has been released without charge. She was detained at Tallaght Garda Station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Two men remain in custody. Update 2.30pm: A 29-year-old man was arrested today in relation to the fatal shooting in Citywest Shopping Centre on the 18 September 2017. Earlier: A 23-year-old woman has been arrested as part of the investigation into the murder of a man in West Dublin in 2017. Father-of-two John Gibson died after being shot a number of times at Fortunestown Lane in Tallaght on September 18 that year. A 22-year-old man who was arrested on Monday in connection with the shooting has been released without charge. A file will now be prepared for the information of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations are continuing. Carol Morley talks to Esther McCarthy about her new supernatural thriller, and her teenage years at the legendary Hacienda nightclub. Patricia Clarkson is on the hunt for a killer in Carol Morleys new film Out of Blue, a police procedural with a daring supernatural twist. Clarkson plays Mike Hoolihan, an unconventional New Orleans cop on the trail of the killer of a renowned astrophysicist found shot in her observatory. As Mike investigates, she finds herself drawn down the rabbit hole of parallel universes and cosmic secrets. Morley describes the film as a radical adaptation of the Martin Amis novel, Night Train isnt she concerned about drawing the ire of fans of the novel? I think actually a lot of the Hitchcock films were adaptations of books but took them quite far away. The themes are true to the book and the intent. But its just as you start working on it you start to own it. I didnt want to make a literal translation or a description of the book. I wanted to take the themes and some of the characters and run with that and create characters. Still, Morley does pay homage to the author a new character, Ian Strammi, is an anagram of Martin Amis. She became so involved in the characters and her story that she actually became confused when she read Amis take on them. I read Martin Amiss memoir Experience which is really good. He mentions Night Train and some of the characters and I couldnt understand how he knew about them because theyd become mine. I mean it was this really weird slippage where I thought: How does he? And then I went: Oh yeah. You start to sort of own it in a really weird way. COMPLICATED ROLE Clarkson is excellent in the leading role and Morley felt she was perfect to play the complicated character. She has this quiet intensity, the character herself is hiding a lot. I did do research and go meet homicide cops and theyre not over demonstrative, lets say, so I really wanted someone that could bring so much to a character without having to labour that. Bring so much to it without the emotion being available all the way. Over the years Ive really fallen in love with her and the characters that she plays, but also the depth she brings to them without labouring. Morley has always been a filmmaker who marched to her own beat. Her psychological drama The Falling, about a mysterious fainting outbreak at a girls school, was effective and unnerving. But it was Dreams Of A Life, the docudrama about a woman, Joyce Vincent, whose body wasnt discovered for three years after she died, which really struck a chord. Carol Morley Actually the Irish Film Board were instrumental in that because they put money into that and the bedsit that you see in the film was filmed in Ireland, she tells me. We used post-production and we filmed here. I think loneliness or being alone is a fear and also a reality for many. But also I think that this rise of so-called connection with social media, certainly hearsay and anecdotally, everybody looks happy or everybody looks like theyre having a great time so I think it does lead to isolation. Dreams of a Life hit because its something core to us all about who we are and where well end up. I had never really thought about it but people were talking about dying alone. "They were very concerned about dying alone. I hadnt really ever thought about that so much but that certainly came out. Many, many people have told her at the time and since that the film prompted them to get in contact with friends, relatives and loved ones. It was beautiful, it was a great legacy for Joyce you know. That was why I wanted to do it, because it just felt wrong, in a way, that somebody should be passed by. PARTY GIRL Carol, the younger sister of top music journalist Paul Morley, grew up in Manchester and experienced a huge trauma in her childhood when her father took his own life. Later in her teens, she turned to partying and later made a documentary about the people she met at that time, called The Alcohol Years. Though she didnt feel it at the time, in hindsight, she realised it was connected to her enormous loss. At the time I think you dont think that. But now you go, yeah of course it was. I was 11 when my dad died and I think that then, also, youre becoming a person and sort of learning about the world so I think at 11, that happening is quite a brutal lesson on the world. Tragedy can make you stronger and make you see things differently. So its definitely informed my films. She was a teenager in Manchester when legendary nightclub the Hacienda opened its doors, and spent a lot of time there in the early days when it was a cultural melting pot. It opened in 1982. It was billed as a 2,000 capacity nightclub based on a kind of New York model but at the beginning about 100 people came. So it would be quite cold and youd all wear overcoats. It was before rave. When it opened and they would have a lot of gigs there and also people doing things. I remember I saw William Burroughs there. So it was like my university at the time, getting exposed to things and finding things out. And then of course when anyone came to play at the Manchester Apollo they would come down to The Hacienda so youd get to see people like Siouxie and the Banshees. It was edgy in the way of being alternative but then later, after my time, it became edgy in terms of drugs and guns and thats why it eventually shut down. LATE DEVELOPER She didnt go to the cinema growing up, watching films on TV at home, and was in her 20s before she decided to study filmmaking. I dont remember going to films as a kid. I saw films on TV like a lot of people. Paul was nine years older, and the culture in the house really was his little bedroom that had 100 albums. His thing was music. Id seen somebody have this passion and so that must have been instrumental. Then he started to write for the NME when he was about 18, 19 and he interviewed Mark Boland and that was his first big interview. So I left school at 16 and I thought: Well Ill just be in a band and Ill make it. And then when I was about 23, I did A-level film studies at nightclass in London which you normally do at 16. I had this teacher. And I just got into film. It was like the power of the teacher. Out Of Blue opens on Friday Black metal act Altar Of Plagues operated on a different level to their peers. They may have formed in Cork but they never seemed of the city. The mystique they acquired was due mostly to the astute guidance of their linchpin James Kelly, who eschewed the treadmill of regular gigging to build something more mysterious. Thanks to their grandiose and uncompromising sound, the band achieved international recognition and respect. Not one for sitting on his laurels, after three albums Kelly disbanded Altar Of Plagues and returned with the dark and soulful electronic project WIFE. Confounding further expectations he emerged last year with Bliss Signal, the unlikely collaboration with grime artist Jack Adams aka Mumdance. Despite being firmly rooted in the underground Kelly manages to make a living from music. The last year or two has seen him produce Hilary Woods album Colt, co-compose the score for the Ryan Philippe television vehicle Shooter, and work with fashion brands like Chanel, Fendie, Dior, as well as on a global campaign for Nike. I feel like the electronic music thing is what maybe opened the door a little bit to that world, but then when it came down to working with them it was also just my ability to deliver what they were looking for, he reports from his studio in Berlin. At the end of the day I am not getting to create some sort of intense heavy metal soundtrack for fashion as much as I very wish that would be the case. Kellys obsession with music began with Nirvana, Metallica and The Prodigy, and his early teenage years were spent hanging around Cork Citys Paul Street area in the early noughties along with hoards of similarly black-clad youths. Its an era he looks back on with a certain fondness. As much as people might like to laugh at or put down what that place was, I think it was very important and much needed, he suggests. The very existence of a hundred teenagers dressed in black clothes, wearing dog collars and nail varnish was very confrontational but very important in a country that is as conservative as Ireland. The dog collars may be discarded but musically Kelly is as confrontational as ever. If ever a name suited a project its Bliss Signal, and alongside Adams he orchestrates ominous sheets of electronic noise and militaristic beats. While Adams wont be present for Bliss Signals Cork debut at Cork Sound Fair their mutual friend Nino Pedone aka techno producer Shapednoise is his replacement Kelly is looking forward to the event. Its been a very long time since I played in Cork so Im quite excited to get back there. It looks like a really nice festival, he enthuses. Im excited to see what a cool line up they have and Im flattered to get to be a part of it. Finally, when asked what the teenage James would have thought of his older self working for fashion brands his response is typically measured. I think Id have been down for it because the thing Im glad for about it is I dont feel Ive ever had to make any compromises that I felt would damage my artistic integrity or that did harm to what would be my ideals as a human in the world. Ive never had to do anything that I didnt feel good about, thankfully. I spent enough time waitering, working in bars, even walking dogs, just to pay the rent in order to keep a roof over my head while really my head was elsewhere and wanted to get musical ideas out of me. So I think teenage James would be very happy to see me where Im at now and actually paying my rent and doing what I love to do. Cork Sound Fair runs from Thursday to Sunday. Bliss Signal play Dali (former Pav) on Careys Lane on Sunday. corksoundfair.com Jo Slevin, of Mr Kite Designs, talks to Aileen Lee about her Cork crafts company. Whats your background? I have a degree in English Literature but spent most of my teens working in bars and restaurants and most of my 20s working in retail. More recently, I have concentrated on raising my two children. I have always loved arts and crafts, particularly sketching and interior decorating. Jade is my partner in Mr Kite Designs. As friends with children around the same age, we found ourselves spending many mornings chatting over the playground swings. Talks about our shared love of craft, design and interior decor soon turned to serious thoughts about starting our own business. We picked our name from a song by The Beatles (Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite) and booked our first Christmas craft fair. It took some time to figure out what products would work but we now have a range of lampshades, cushions, cards and bags that we design and make in our studio. Mr Kite products. Whats a typical workday like for you? Work generally fits in around school drops and collections. We recently joined the Over the Line Studio in Ballyvolane which is a large space that we share with ceramicists, artists and other crafters. After the morning drop-off, I head straight to the studio. We start with a coffee, work out the priorities, make product and discuss projects until its time again for the school run. Its great to have the flexibility to work around the childrens schoolday, even if that often means working from home in the evening. A Mr Kite purse. Tell us about a recent project or design/favourite project or design you have worked on? Its always enjoyable working on a new product or product design, whether it be a new card or cushion or sourcing and choosing new fabrics. We love fabric shopping. It is good to get ideas and feedback from each other and figure out what will work best. At the moment, we are planning lampshade-making workshops which is a whole new and exciting project for us. Whats your design style? Modern, colourful and eclectic. Mr Kite frame, 40. What/who inspires your work? Mainly textiles, it is the starting point for a lot of our work. When we get a new delivery, we always spend time admiring the texture, weight and colour of the fabric. Sometimes we are reluctant to cut it up. I also love the creativity and skill involved in screenprinting. Whats your favourite trend at the moment (if you have any)? Sustainability is definitely a favourite and important topic right now. To think about what we are buying, how it is made, and the materials and waste involved. This is a focus for me in the business and at home. We are currently looking to improve our own packaging and minimise waste. Im also enjoying the deep jewel colours that seem to be well on trend colour is very important. Whats your most treasured possession? Probably my piano keyboard that I rarely get the time to play. Mr Kite Red Swallows 40cm drum lampshade,70. Who would be your favourite designer, or style inspiration? I love quirky illustrators like Lieke van der Vorst, Kristen Solecki and Tara OBrien. Also surface pattern designers like Etsuko Furuya, Leah Duncan and Jen Hewett. What would be a dream project for you to work on? Id love to start printing our own fabrics and work on a collaboration with a printmaker or textile designer to develop a unique range. Its on the to-do list for 2019. Have you any design tips for us? Embrace your own style. Customers often ask us for advice on which fabrics will suit their decor best. I always think that above all you should choose pieces and colours that you really enjoy. I dont believe in following strict rules or taking it too seriously.I also like natural elements in my own homes. I have lots of plants and wooden floors, mixed with plenty of colour, of course. www.mrkitedesigns.com www.facebook.com/mrkitedesigns www.instagram.com/mrkitedesigns Jennifer Rock talks family, the Nerd Network and how to love your skin, writes Ciara McDonnell Jennifer Rock wants us to take the power back when it comes to skincare. No more fearfully approaching beauty counters and handing over our wallets with a shaking hand and a promise of free samples. No more lectures of broken capillary veins and rosacea that can only be fixed with a cream that costs our monthly salary, and is made from the tears of angels. Our skin confidence, says the founder of The Skin Nerd and brand new Irish ExaminerLife/Style beauty columnist, is on the floor. In my column, I plan to bring honesty and an unbiased nature and approach towards skincare and beauty in general, but predominately skincare. I want to empower the readers to make their own choices, she tells me. I think people are tired of marketing-led conversations that are brand orientated, so they are attempting to educate themselves as to what they should be doing as a regime, what they should be doing with ingredients, and deciding what they should do as a result. Jen hopes that her column will give an insight into what its like being a member of her very own skincare community, fondly known as The Nerd Network. If you join us, you are being educated that if youre stressed or have too much sugar or spend a lot of time on the computer, youll find that what goes on inside really does reflect what goes on outside. I say that the skin is the biggest organ in our body, and I wish I lived and died by it but the reality is that I can see it in my own skin, and in our clients skin. Jennifer knows what she is on about. Her passion for skincare was born when aged thirteen, her mother treated her to a facial in order to tackle the bouts of acne that the teenager was dealing with. Steered by the success of her skincare treatments, the young Rock threw herself into education, trying beauty therapy as work experience in transition year, and going on to qualify as a facialist, before making her mark as an award-winning skincare lecturer and brand educator for multiple respected global skincare brands including IMAGE skincare. In June of 2017, Jen launched The Skin Nerd, an online skin consultation service that would provide exactly the kind of holistic skincare service that Rock felt was lacking in the industry. An overnight success, consultations were booked out for months within days of launching. The online service, called The Nerd Network costs 50 to join, and includes a skin consultation via WhatsApp or Skype which will be followed up with your very own Nerdie Homework Sheet, which will explain how and when to use your recommended, results-driven products that are available to buy through the Skin Nerd website. Youll also have access to events, a secret Facebook page and podcasts. So far, so fabulous. The service offered by Rock and her team is different because of its approach. Typically, people get a facial and the consult form would be five minutes of legal signing off, but ours is five pages long and really detailed. We truly believe that asking the right questions is the key to finding what would be right for each individual. The detailed form gives Jen and her team an insight into their clients that enables them to tailor treatment to the whole person. The first question that team Skin Nerd ask their new clients is why they are seeking out their service. Its really emotional, she admits. Well have people who say that they feel lost, who feel like they dont know what to do to feel better. "It can be as frank as saying that they feel awful in themselves and havent let their husband see them without makeup in years. Very rarely does someone say I have beautiful skin and I want to keep it that way; it is usually related to confidence and thats why our tag line is we put the care into skincare. We want to make people feel cared for. Jennifer Rock comes from a caring background, so it makes sense that her business model is based around minding people. Mum to Matt (15), the 34-year old entrepreneur is exceptionally close to her family; her mother Eilish, father Jon and brother Jonathan formed a tight unit that provided a safe place for the young entrepreneur to fly. Last year, Jennifer lost her father Jon suddenly, and his loss is sorely felt by a daughter who idolised her father. At the time, Jennifer paid tribute to her dad, saying, he was the kindest soul, the most thoughtful being, he inspired me to be book smart and articulate - he was the epitome of intelligence in my eyes. He was, and remains today, her greatest advocate and most wonderful mentor. I fear that people say that I say my father was one of my great mentors because he has passed away, but the reality is that he was one of those people who when he spoke, the whole room listened. He spoke little, but the words were of pure quality. Accompanying Jen to every big meeting, he took pride in introducing his daughter to the world of business. He watched as she launched The Skin Nerd, and The Cleanse Off Mitt, a reusable mitt that negates the need for skin wipes, proud as punch to be a part of her success. I had a massive operation two years ago and he sat and read me company law while I was recuperating. I will never forget sitting in the Rotunda hospital, listening to him reading, and being bored to tears! He always had a massive interest in my career and wanted me to grow and grow within it. Her dad may have used words sparingly, but when he spoke, it was in a way that Jen likes to call Real Talk; a trait that she favours when looking to founders that she admires. She cites Oprah and Michelle Obama as constant sources of inspiration, and is deeply inspired by Jane Wurwand, who founded beauty behemoth Dermalogica and her commitment to the importance of education in the skincare arena. In a time where marketing is rampant, my opinion is that education is crucial. I have so much respect for Jane who has never wavered in her commitment to education. In taking up her role as beauty columnist at the Irish Examiner, Jen is adding another string to her communication bow, and this is something that she is extremely excited about. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to chat with readers that I may not ordinarily be interacting with. What does Jen want every single one of us to do every day to look after our skin? Three things. Shield your skin, clean your skin and put goodness on it. Everything else, Im talking lotions and potions and sheet masks and eye creams, are just a luxury. One of the leading republican activists of his generation and often remembered for the circumstances of his death, Terence MacSwineys life reveals a complex character, says Robert Hume Terence James MacSwiney was born at 23 North Main St, Cork City, on March 28, 1879, the fourth of John and Mary MacSwineys nine children. One of his earliest memories is reciting poetry on Sunday afternoons: The more rebellious, the better his father liked it. When John MacSwineys tobacco factory goes bust, he emigrates to Australia, leaving Mary to raise the children. Educated by the Christian Brothers at North Monastery, Terry develops a passion for Irish history and language. Leaving school at 15, he works as a warehouse clerk for Dwyer and Co but becomes utterly sick of office life, and begins studying medicine at night. In 1898, he suffers a breakdown. After graduating from UCC in mental and moral science in 1907, MacSwiney works for the Cork Municipal School of Commerce as a peripatetic teacher of business methods. WRITER By then, he was part of a small group of Republicans, cultural nationalists, and artists, who were challenging the status quo, says historian John Borgonovo. Sharing his mothers strict Catholic principles, he frequently quotes from scriptures and describes Irelands struggle for independence as a religious crusade. A vocal member of the Cork Celtic Literary Society, he criticises the British governments recruitment in Ireland for the Boer War, and during King Edward VIIs visit to Cork in 1902, unfurls a large black flag. As a playwright and co-founder of the Cork Dramatic Society, he seeks to promote a republic through Irish theatre. In The Last Warriors of Coole (1910) he explores the courage to fight in the face of adversity; in The Revolutionist (1914) the hero works himself to death for the cause. Writing in his newspaper, entitled Fianna Fail, he claims Irelands interests are being sacrificed to England and her Empire. There is one straightforward course, and that course must be followed, without swerving, to the end... he declares in Principles of Freedom: The Irish must be shaken from their apathy to form a new Catholic state. SOLDIER Terence James MacSwiney from The Illustrated London News, October 30, 1920 In 1913 MacSwiney helps set up the Cork Brigade of Irish Volunteers. Although they are not involved in the 1916 Easter Rising, a cloud of suspicion hangs over him and he is arrested and imprisoned. While in Bromyard internment camp, Herefordshire, on June 8, 1917, he marries 25-year-old Muriel Murphy from the Cork distilling and brewing family. An Irish rebel and the daughter of a wealthy Catholic family made an unlikely match, but Muriel is taken by this hard-working, handsome young man whose big lock of black hair was always getting over his face I did not get the opportunity to meet Republicans when I was a child! she exclaims. No sooner had they set up home in Douglas Rd, Cork City, that September, when MacSwiney is arrested for wearing an IRA uniform. On June 23, 1918, Muriel gives birth to a baby girl, Maire. Seeing her for the first time, in Belfast prison, her father urges that she be taught Irish. POLITICIAN In December 1918, MacSwiney is elected MP for Mid-Cork. Like other Sinn Fein members, he refuses to take his seat at Westminster, determined to serve in Dail Eireann instead. At home and abroad, he raises funds for an independent Ireland and establishes the Dail Eireann courts the end of English authority in Ireland. On March 20, 1920, police burst into the home of his friend, Tomas MacCurtain, and shoot him dead. Eight days later, MacSwiney succeeds him as commandant of the Cork No1 Brigade of the IRA, and Lord Mayor of Cork. In his inaugural speech he declares: This contest of ours is one of endurance it is not to those who can inflict the most but to those who can suffer the most, who will conquer. The Cork Examiner praised MacSwineys great energy and determination absolute impartiality, lovable and kindly disposition. Francis Costello calls his plans to build houses for working people, and develop technical education: innovative and industrious. MacSwiney worked from 10am until 10pm, snatching meals, seeing very little of Muriel and Maire, only venturing out with a bodyguard. On August 12, City Hall is raided and he is charged with possessing documents likely to cause disaffection to his Majesty, and a cipher used by the RIC to encrypt messages. His court-martial in Dublin which MacSwiney declares illegal takes only 15 minutes to find him guilty of sedition, and imposes a two-year sentence. I shall be free, alive or dead, within a month, he tells the court. HUNGER STRIKER At 3am the next morning, he is taken to Brixton Prison, south London, where he refuses to eat. I am confident that my death will do more to smash the British Empire than my release, he states. Suddenly MacSwiney becomes an international figure, triggering mass demonstrations from Buenos Aires to Boston. Riots break out on the streets of Barcelona, workers down tools in New York. In Ireland, the GAA abandons its fixtures, workers at Jacobs biscuits in Dublin go on strike, and in Dundalk, railwaymen listen to a rosary for a man lying prostrate in an English dungeon. Fearing a martyr on their hands, one British MP suggests putting vitamins into his water. But when MacSwiney survives week after week, some thought his sister, Mary, was secretly feeding him. As he prepares for death, he finds solace in writing poetry and reading Thomas a Kempis manual, The Imitation of Christ. On October 20, he falls into a coma, and five days later after 73 days without food he breathes his last. News of his death causes a riot outside Brixton prison, and a surge of shame across England, writes historian DG Boyce. Terence MacSwiney died in the cause of freedom, says his grandson, Professor Cathal MacSwiney Brugha. In Milan that night, La Scala remained closed because Irish soprano Margaret Burke-Sheridan felt unable to perform. THE FUNERAL Terence MacSwiney's funeral in Cork where more than 100,000 turned out to pay their respects. Some 30,000 people filed past MacSwineys body in St Georges Cathedral, Southwark, most unaware that beneath his IRA uniform he wore the rough brown habit of a Franciscan monk. To avoid demonstrations in Dublin, MacSwiney was taken directly to Cork. The many children who passed the coffin in City Hall were, fortunately, not tall enough to see the emaciated face inside, commented the Manchester Guardian. The St Patricks Society of Montreal, the Bilbao Juventud Vacay Society, and the Chicago Police Lieutenants Club were among dozens of groups worldwide that send Muriel messages of sympathy. Over 100,000 line the streets on October 31 to watch MacSwiney being taken from Corks Roman Catholic Cathedral to St Finbarrs Cemetery, Glasheen, to be buried close to his friend, Tomas MacCurtain. INSPIRATION Ho Chi Minh who worked in London at the time; and Gandhi. North Vietnams future president, Ho Chi Minh, who worked in London washing dishes at the time, said: A nation that has such citizens will never surrender. Corks Padraig O Cuanachain cited him as a catalyst for Indian nationalists Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. In 1981 IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands named MacSwiney as an influence. Today, a community college in Knocknaheeny carries MacSwineys name, as does a road, MacSwineys Villas, off Blarney St, Cork City. They keep alive the memory of a courageous, uncompromising man, whose heroic sacrifice gained victory over the enemies of his countrys independence (Arthur Griffith). Francis J. Costello Enduring the Most: The Life and Death of Terence MacSwiney Dave Hannigan Terence MacSwiney. The Hunger Strike that Rocked an Empire Far-right hate speech is much more common online than Islamist extremism, but governments and law enforcement have not policed it to anywhere near the same extent, say Sasha Havlicek and Zahed Amanullah. New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has ordered an inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the March 15 terrorist attack in which Brenton Tarrant killed 50 people. The world will learn from the New Zealand inquirys findings, but all democracies should have measures to counter far-right extremism before it reaches the radar of intelligence services or police. The Christchurch attack shocked the world, but not those of us who have studied the far-right and its flourishing, transnational online ecosystem. Representing nearly half of all referrals to the British governments counter-extremism programme in 2017-2018 and the vast majority of extremist-related killings in the US in recent years, the far-right has inspired violence within its ranks, while also pushing its ideas out to mainstream audiences largely unabated. Analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, in 2017, of public Facebook pages in the UK, unearthed 40,000 accounts that engage with hateful far-right views, compared to only 2,000 that engage with Islamist extremist views. But despite the clear threat, efforts by governments and the private sector to stem Islamist violent extremism online simply have not been matched by efforts against far-right extremism. Britain, for example, has public and private sector frameworks, and the technology and personnel to deal with a range of harmful content, including child pornography and Islamist violent extremism. But they failed to cope with the thousands of attempts to repost and modify the Christchurch terrorists video so as to bypass filters. While tech giants have come under increased pressure from European governments to remove illegal content, these platforms have struggled to meet the scale of the problem. One urgent need is for the companies to work with experts to train their human and machine-learning systems to better identify far-right content and accounts. However, this will not address the problem posed by the wider online ecosystem. Extremists have increasingly migrated to alternative online spaces, where moderation is either limited or non-existent. Forums such as 4chan and 8chan, messaging apps such as Telegram and Gab, and gaming platforms like Discord, act as virtual safe havens for hateful propaganda and even for the mobilisation and planning of illegal activities. Efforts need to be made by governments to ensure offline laws are applied to all these online spaces. When it comes to existing laws addressing hate speech, harassment, and even terrorism, enforcement focuses heavily on explicit incitement to violence or affiliation with proscribed groups, both of which are a relatively small part of the problematic behavior that drives extremist sub-cultures and ecosystems. So, what do we do about content that sits in a legal grey zone such as the would-be manifesto of the New Zealand attacker that is objectionable and hateful, but not necessarily illegal? Mark Zuckerberg. Firstly, our educational programmes need to be fit for the digital age. Improving digital literacy, and enabling people to identify propaganda and to understand how the platforms serve them content and use their data, is essential. Some programmes do this, but they are not delivered at the scale we need. Governments should integrate digital citizenship education into national curriculums. Our second line of effort must focus on equipping civil society with the tools and skills to compete with extreme voices in our new digital ecosystem. Civil society organisations, like ours, have worked in partnership with tech companies and experts to trial innovative, community-based solutions. These include tools for local authorities to analyse online hate speech in their communities and its impact on hate crimes, one-to-one engagements with those expressing violent extremist views, and promotion of alternative content for those searching for extremist material. These types of projects, however, struggle to get past the pilot phase and need to be scaled up significantly to have an impact on the problem. The virtual elephant in the room, though, is the products and algorithms deployed by tech companies that tip the scales towards hateful, extreme voices over the majority of us who oppose them. Engagement-powered newsfeeds still disproportionately influence public discourse. Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has admitted that users engage with the most controversial content on his platform, and its architecture still encourages this. European governments are moving closer to regulation of social media companies, with Germany having already enacted legislation (NetzDG, which fines platforms if they fail to remove flagged illegal content within 24 hours) and with Britain due to publish its plans in the coming weeks. Their focus, so far, has only been on big tech and on content-moderation. They must also look at ways to encourage changes to the distortive impact of the platforms technological architecture, as well as the wider tech/media ecosystem. Extremism is a pan-ideological phenomenon. We need to apply existing laws more effectively to the online world and dedicate the resources and solutions built up focusing on Islamist-inspired extremism to the far-right threat. Without a more robust effort by democratic countries to come to a consensus on internet governance, virtual hate will continue to have devastating, real-world consequences. Rich people who support the objective of curbing extreme economic inequality should not be silenced by right-wing accusations of hypocrisy, writes Kaushik Basu When wealthy people espouse left-wing causes, such as redistribution of wealth, those on the right often label them hypocrites. If you are so concerned about equality, why dont you give up some of your own income first? is the usual retort. This response can have a powerful dampening effect. Most people do not like to think of themselves as hypocrites. So the wealthy are faced with a choice: either give away some of their assets and then campaign against inequality, or just keep quiet. Most prefer the second option. This is unfortunate, because global inequality is reaching intolerable levels. Whats more, wealth tends to remain in families over time. Inequality is becoming dynastic, with some people born rich and vast numbers who are poor from the moment they appear on Earth. The injustice of this is so grotesque that just thinking and talking about it should prompt us to demand corrective action. But by stopping the most influential segment of society from expressing dissent, the right has stymied the first step in this process. We now have plenty of statistical evidence of inequality, thanks to research by Thomas Piketty, Francois Bourguignon, Branko Milanovic, Tony Atkinson, and others. For example, Oxfams latest annual report estimates that the 26 richest people on Earth own the same wealth, or have the same net worth, as the 3.8 billion people who comprise the bottom half of the worlds wealth distribution. Moreover, according to Oxfam, the combined wealth of the worlds billionaires grew by $900 billion last year, or nearly $2.5 billion per day. Inequality within countries is also spiking. The World Inequality Report 2018 estimates that the sharpest increases in wealth concentration at the top are occurring in the United States, China, Russia, and India. True, a certain amount of inequality is both inevitable and essential to drive the economy. But inequality today far exceeds this Goldilocks level. Regardless of the continuing debate about how exactly to measure wealth and income inequality, there can be little doubt that both are unconscionably high. Walking through big-city slums in developing countries, witnessing the squalor and misery of the poor and homeless in rich countries, and looking at the homes and lifestyles of the rich anywhere, the need to address the current situation becomes clear. Moreover, the right to call attention to that need must not be restricted to the poor. The right-wing response that silences rich people with left-leaning views may look reasonable at first, but it is a non-sequitur. You can be well-off, rich, or super-rich, and unwilling to give up your wealth unilaterally, yet still think the system that has allowed you to earn and accumulate so much is unfair. There is no contradiction or hypocrisy in such a stance. Some of the worlds finest thinkers concur. The British philosopher Bertrand Russell famously argued (clearly with himself in mind) that smoking good cigars should not debar one from being a socialist. And American economist Paul Samuelson made a similar point in My Life Philosophy, an essay he published in 1983. Samuelson became quite wealthy thanks to the phenomenal success of his textbook Economics, which was required reading for undergraduate students all over the world for decades. But he was clear about where he stood politically. Mine is a simple ideology that favours the underdog and (other things equal) abhors inequality, he wrote. At the same time, Samuelson said that when his income came to rise above the median, no guilt attached to that. And he wrote with striking frankness that, although he rejected giving up his wealth unilaterally: I have generally voted against my own economic interests when questions of redistributive taxation have come up. Arguably the most famous historical example of a rich person striving for greater equality was Friedrich Engels, whose father owned large textile factories in the greater Manchester area of England and elsewhere. Young Friedrich became radicalised through seeing child labour and the suffering of the working classes. Later in life, Engels returned to work for his inherited business so that he could support the efforts of his friend, Karl Marx, to put an end to that kind of profit. No matter what one thinks of the desirability or viability of Marxs precise proposal, the yearning to rectify gross social inequalities is surely admirable. There is hope today, too. Several of the super-rich, in the US and elsewhere, openly support the broad left and its objective of curbing extreme inequalities. They are willing to endure allegations of hypocrisy for this larger goal, which makes their cause morally powerful. Progressive individuals who willingly give up their own income advantage are admirable. But, whether or not they take that step, they cannot be silent on the need for collective action to tackle extreme inequality, one of the most pressing global issues of our time. Kaushik Basu, former chief economist of the World Bank, is Professor of Economics at Cornell University and nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Be warned. The robot wars in financial services has started, writes Eddie Hobbs. No one at the branches had a direct telephone number for head office in Dublin. After the fourth attempt I finally surrendered to one of the four unrelated choices. When asked about the nature of my query my answer was truthful: Im at my desk and Im having a mental breakdown trying to reach your head office They still hadnt the authority to give me a telephone number but a few minutes later a senior person from the company rang. Everyone has had these experiences, no telephone line to anyone, even when the names of managers are emblazoned on websites. If you think it is going to get better, let me tell you that it is going to get worse. Following the most recent blizzard of EU financial services Directives, you will shortly have no easy access to human beings, quick financial advice and simple processes. Huge amounts of complex red tape is being squeezed into the consumer contact point and into administration. The outcome is the suffocation of spontaneous interaction and replacement of it with vigorous oversight, recording and taping. The EU objective is to protect consumers and improve transparency but the result is going to be higher costs, the only response to which is the commoditisation of advice with robots. The Directives themselves read like robots, PRIIPS, IDD, MIFID II, IORPS II. Unless you are rich, this new dynamic is set to radically change your consumer experience. Fear is the new currency, inexperienced staff are terrified of making mistakes. It is why you cannot contact anyone with experience anymore, it is why no one can write you a letter and why advice will rigidly stick between the ditches of digital algorithms. Most financial consumers will shortly face advice gaps. Communications will be logged, monitored and parsed for compliance, inbound calls recorded, checked and confirmed by email. The reason is simple, the burden of EU Regulation is increasing the cost of on-boarding new customers beyond the capacity of firms to engage by human contact, except for so-called high value consumers. Low value consumers are to be marooned, losing contact with human judgement, to be dealt with by email, websites and apps instead. Profit will be measured by how well firms remove human contact from customers altogether.What started with ATMs in walls outside banks is to end with digital human shadows on your mobile phone.Financial services is going auto-pilot. State regulators are bursting at the seams with a new breed of lawyers and technicians ready to enforce EU laws, matched inside businesses by lawyers and bureaucrats eager to crown their careers. There is a new authoritarianism and the Irish have taken to it with a zeal unmatched anywhere in Europe. The new game is risk elimination, the trophies business scalps and the doctrine, to shovel out ever more stuff to be measured. Investment in technology designed to mitigate regulation can only be sustained by gaining scale, applying bigger resources to control costs. Privately, regulators are pleased, the task is much easier when there are a small number of firms and diminished competition. The mindset ought to be to encourage innovation, competition and growth but instead it becomes one of limitation, control and restriction. Youll see this when auto-enrollment Pensions arrive shortly because it has a price ceiling that can only be met by robots, where investment choices will be ruthlessly restricted and where no one answers the phone. You can have any auto-enrollment pension scheme you like, so long as its black. This year the IORPS II Directive, EU regulation for occupational pension schemes, is due. It will eliminate small bespoke Irish retirement arrangements, those favoured by small business owners. Self Administered Retirement Trusts are to be banned from investing in property using debt. Elsewhere hundreds of thousands of company pension schemes will be herded into half a dozen master trusts by pummeling them with unaffordable new rules. This, youll be told is a good thing, by regulators. To confuse matters, firms are to have different Regulators for different products and activities. The list includes the Central Bank of Ireland and the Pensions Authority plus a cluster of others like the Data Protection Commissioner and the Dept of Justice.The Directives are being imposed on Credit Unions, Banks, Life Offices, Asset Managers, Stockbrokers, Pension Trustees and Financial Intermediaries, each subject to different rules, some applying different interpretations. Most Irish consumers interact with a variety of these market actors so you can expect a growing blizzard of requests to fill in interminable forms updating your financial data for no credible benefit to you. Spontaneous help will be forbidden in the absence of these financial colonoscopies, evidence that engagement will be profitable and proof that you are neither a criminal nor a terrorist. Naturally authoritarianism is not going to work. Consumer currency is time. Tolerance is thin for wasting it. Across Europe and, most certainly in Ireland, the consumer reaction to the blizzard of print and form filling will be to tell firms to get stuffed. There will be a consumer rebellion because there is zero incentive to engage unless theres a benefit. Regulators will be forced to rethink. In the meantime much like shadow banking, shadow advice will grow in the advice gap. It has already started and marks the opening of the robot wars in financial services. Eddie Hobbs is a Financial Adviser and Writer. Fine Gael came out of its national conference on Saturday night into the last lap of this Governments life span, writes Gerard Howlin. It is ahead politically now, but only just. Events are gathering, not just on Brexit but domestically too. Tomorrow, the Oireachtas committee on climate action reports. People Before Profit and Sinn Fein oppose carbon charges on people and households. That replays their position on water charges exactly. As I write, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael disagree over the sort of carbon charge we need. Tomorrow, the row over carbon will be the politics of selected specifics, chosen carefully out of context, the better to shaft opponents. There is a selection to choose from: A carbon charge of 80 per tonne means the charge on top of the actual price of a 40kg bag of coal increases from 2.10 to 8.40, a bale of briquettes from 0.45 to 1.80 and a litre of diesel increases by 21.2c, up from an existing carbon charge of 5.3c. This is the politics of hard choices, not aspiration. Unlike water charges, which were politically toxic in urban working class areas, carbon is more widespread in its political effect, but especially so in rural areas. That, especially in Munster, is the thinnest ice electorally for Fine Gael, where it must pull ahead of Fianna Fail to deliver extra seats. Unlike nationally, Fine Gael is either level or slightly behind Fianna Fail there, depending on which poll you pick. Now, Fine Gael goes into a general election with a net lead of three seats over Fianna Fail. By-elections after European elections, if this Dail lasts long enough to have them, will change the sums slightly. In the interim, the probable departure of Frances Fitzgerald and the possible election of Andrew Doyle to the European Parliament immediately makes Fine Gael more dependent on Fianna Fail, every Dail vote, every time. Varadkarism is the politics of aspiration. It is unmoored from the manufactured traditions, only recently essential, for presenting an acceptable face of Irish modernity. Where once Fine Gael was the set of those always there, it is now the party of those determined to arrive. His status as the son of an immigrant is happy coincidence. More profoundly, he leads a movement of those doing well, and who want to do better. His is the party of people winning from globalisation. It has colonised and incorporated enough of the children of the Celtic Tiger to allow the national My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding be re-catered, but with more decorum and taste. Personally, I miss the outlandish vulgarity, but there you are. He, in contrast, encapsulates quiet privilege. Thats the move on from Irelands most recent manufactured tradition. His Ireland is a blank slate on which his own success may be emulated by all. Varadkar is a leader with the enviable advantage of having cornered the market in aspiration. That is what the language of tax cuts is for. His opponents, to one degree or another, are all about spending and welfare, but there is a social awkwardness about the political project. References in the Taoiseachs speech last Saturday to the EPP and Ireland 2040 are tell-tale signs of the too young spending too long in too enclosed a space. Out there, that lingo is not everyday speech. Neither are the accents of the sentries. Of five Fine Gael TDs from Dublin who are members of Government, four including Varadkar went to private schools. Paschal Donohoe is the exception. The Taoiseachs challenge is to navigate who he is, and what he stands for politically, in a diffuse electoral system, used by a socially, sensitively calibrated society. Delivering rural broadband, and emoting the concerns of rural Ireland is part of that, but squaring the circle like Dancing with the Stars isnt always decorous. The National Childrens Hospital has permanently damaged a reputation for competence, intrinsic to what Varadkars project is about. The inference is clear. All others are either gombeen men or chancers. Now the distinction is blurred. Yesterdays announcement on the long-delayed Metro for Dublin is a comical case in point. The iron horse will not intrude into Dublin 4, instead stopping at Charlemont Street, at the Grand Canal. An enormous tunnel will bore through Ballymun on the north side, but they have been accustomed to a main road roaring through the community for decades, so presumably are used to the inconvenience. Housing minister Eoghan Murphy, however, wont have Ranelagh in his constituency similarly troubled. Ironically he recently unburdened about having NIMBYd as a councillor years ago. He feels guilty now, he said, but not so sorry as to want to change yet. The cost in terms of housing, in stopping a metro in mid-stream, is the difference between 8,000 passengers per hour and 20,000. That means for miles through south Dublin, to Sandyford and beyond, the scale of housing development possible will either be limited for decades, or go ahead without adequate public transport. In its absence it contributes to a housing shortage, and the increased costs of houses built. If housing development goes ahead regardless, it further clogs a traffic-choked city. That is what the cost of holding a second Fine Gael seat in Dublin Bay South looks like. Its not pretty work, squaring circles. Varadkar cannot present his binary choice, with rural scenery as a backdrop, in a similarly engineered electoral system. Success here is around the edges. A Brexit bounce is probably fully factored into his existing support base. It is telling that, regardless of what is said in public, nobody really believes Varadkar wants another budget, and the responsibility for government for another winter. There is the downside of Brexit as estimated by the ESRI yesterday. The thought of it alone dents confidence, and confidence is political capital. Then there is the fact that the Government, aside from publishing plans, doesnt have any actual purpose except managing Brexit. An aftermath, or a long interlude, would expose that and bring unfiltered focus on the ever harsher realities of bread-and-butter issues. There is great confidence in Fine Gael now about beating Fianna Fail to more seats, on the back of a better campaign and a stellar performance from Leo, but I dont know. Fine Gael unquestionably has a deeper, better front bench, but the campaign will focus on the party leader, and at most two or three others. Varadkar doesnt have an inbuilt advantage over Micheal Martin poll numbers show that and Martin knows how to annoy him: Doing his disappointed daddy to Leos bold boy. Then, there is the ultimate political instrument: Time. Martin can confound Varadkar by agreeing another budget, letting events take their course, and the Taoiseachs margins narrow. Fine Gael is ahead now, but its closer than it seems. The ultimate outcome is to play for. That I think is a fundamental but underappreciated fact. Varadkar doesnt have an inbuilt advantage over Micheal Martin and Martin knows how to annoy him Interview We Hoped a Bilateral Ceasefire Could Be Implemented Arakan Army central committee member Colonel Kyaw Han in Naypyitaw on March 21, 2019. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy The governments National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) held talks with eight non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in Naypyitaw on March 21. The delegates of the Arakan Army (AA), which is currently clashing with the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, in northern Rakhine State, also attended the meeting. Colonel Kyaw Han, a member on the AAs central committee who attended the meeting, spoke to The Irrawaddy about the results of the meeting and the prospects for peace. How were the talks in Naypyitaw? Were they friendly? It has been around six months since we last communicated. The NRPC invited us as a dialogue partner, and the Tatmadaw came and met us as a dialogue partner. It is better to have talks than none at all, so there is a little progress, wed say. Talks at the table were friendly, but we have different standpoints and so we were uneasy. In previous examples, the government has had talks with other ethnic groups, yet clashes have continued to break out between them on the ground. How much can the latest meeting organized by the NRPC contribute to de-escalating conflicts in Rakhine State? Did you reach any agreement? We didnt reach the stage of [making] an agreement. We discussed how we can move forward in the peace process. The Rakhine issue today appears to be an international problem and there is a need for negotiations between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army, and the Myanmar government, the Arakan Army and Arakanese political parties to be able to solve the problem ourselves. We recognize the need to negotiate constructively to find the solution between ourselves, and to prevent it from becoming an internal issue. And we understand that the Myanmar government and Tatmadaw have the same view. Do you think the latest meeting organized by the NRPC will change the situation on the ground? We cant say there will be immediate changes, but I told the military delegates that we, the AA, have not fought in Mrauk-U. We can assure that. There was firing of artillery and small arms both from the ground and mountains in a place where we have not militarized. People suffered and ancient pagodas and stupas were damaged. We asked [the Tatmadaw delegates] to avoid doing such things in the future. We told them that though it is fair to fight fiercely in the battleground, frightening and injuring the people in no-clash areas should be avoided. What did the AA discuss at the meeting in Naypyitaw? We discussed the policy of the FPNCC (Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee), and the policy of the Northern Alliance. Perhaps on Jan. 1, we the Northern Alliance (the AA, the Taang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army) reached an agreement with [the Myanmar military] to sign a bilateral [ceasefire] agreement. We came to [the Naypyitaw meeting with the NRPC] in the hope that that agreement could be implemented at the meeting. What did the AA learn about the standpoints of the Myanmar military at the meeting? Rather than what was said by the Tatmadaw, we can conclude from the opening address by U Zaw Htay that they mean that our presence in Rakhine State can negatively impact the state which is graded as a white state (a term for a peaceful and stable area). [The military] is fighting with small arms on the ground, and artillery on mountains, and jet fighters in the air in northern Rakhine States battlefields. If an area with dense gun smoke is labelled a white area, we wonder what color Naypyitaw and Yangon is. Rakhine used to be a white area, but there are clashes there now. That reality needs to be seen. And there is a need to find out how to negotiate to make it white again. I can assure you that at least 90 percent of [Arakanese] people support the AA. It is not reasonable to say the white status has gone because of the AA which is supported by the people in Rakhine. Id like to urge both the government and the military to find a solution for the sake of truth. Did the AA discuss a bilateral ceasefire agreement or a deed of commitment (DoC)? When we met in [Chinas] Kunming on Feb. 25, we said we could not accept a deed of commitment because we have made compromises regarding our standpoints and released statements about signing a bilateral agreement. We released those statements because the other side promised to sign bilateral agreements if we did so. Then they said that they would not keep that promise because we attacked four border police outposts on Jan. 4. We have to find an answer because there is a conflict. If there is no conflict, we need neither a DoC nor the bilateral agreement. A conflict erupted, but there were promises made prior to that. There is a need to resolve conflict as it is, and keep the promise as it was made. Therefore, wethe four-member Northern Alliancecalled for a bilateral agreement at the (Naypyitaw) meeting. Wed like to sign a bilateral agreement because we will be able to discuss and implement others only after ceasing fire. Its been said that the government is concerned that after signing the bilateral ceasefire agreement, the Northern Alliance would stick to the FPNCC-proposed ceasefire agreement and not sign the NCA. Is this correct? Armed conflict happens when political problems cant be solved politically. To hold political talks, the Tatmadaw has its NCA policy, and the Northern Alliance has the FPNCC policy. We need to hold talks on it. If the two sides are unwilling to talk about each others policies, then we can get no answer. To find out an answer, we need to cease fire first. The government, the military and the AA have started talks. Have you discussed the AAs presence in Rakhine State at these talks? We havent talked about that. For that to happen, first [both sides] need to push for the talks [to take place]. Then we can both share our views of [the AAs presence] at formal talks to find an answer. Has the military accepted the presence of the AA in Rakhine and Chin states? We havent talked about it. Whether they accept it or not, they need to see the reality. If they dont correctly see the reality, then we wont be able to find an answer. There is a Kachin army in Kachin State and a Karen army in Karen State and we need to find out objectively why the Arakan Army is not allowed in Rakhine State. And speaking of public support for the AA, their support [is expected to reach] over 100 percent. If the current government and the current Tatmadaw say we cant stay there, arent they saying and doing what people dont like? If they are the peoples Tatmadaw and the peoples government, they are obliged to fulfill the wishes of the people. I dare say at least 90 percent of the people in Rakhine State support the AA. I can assure you that we can gain more support than the NLD has. How would the AA like to reach an agreement about its troop deployment in Rakhine State? It is early to say. There will be give-and-take at the talks around the table. But what we want to say is we have given a lot and we cant compromise any further. Constitutional amendments are underway at the Parliament. My understanding is that leaders of the Northern Alliance want to enjoy ethnic rights legally. Have the Northern Alliance leaders spoken with the government about amending certain provisions in the Constitution? We heartily welcome that the government is taking the lead role to amend the Constitution. The NLD came to power with its campaign promises to change the Constitution. We dont complain that it has only recently directed its efforts toward it. We welcome that it has got the opportunity and it is taking steps now to amend the Constitution. We welcome that they are taking a lead role in amending the 2008 Constitution which doesnt meet either democratic or federal norms. It is a good step for the whole country. Have Northern Alliance leaders tried to participate in amending the Constitution through the peace process? It will be concerned with the NCA process. According to the NCA process, only when we sign it will we be allowed to participate in the Panglong [Peace] Conference and hold public consultations with local communities. So rather than talking about the changes that wed like to see, we need to get into that process first. There are steps that we have yet to go through in order to officially attend Panglong before talking about the changes that wed like to see. It is still early to talk about that. So you mean the Northern Alliance still has some intentions of signing the NCA? We didnt say that we dont accept the NCA. We said we want to add provisions to the NCA and that we will be allowed to withdraw from the NCA if and when the agreements in it are not implemented. The policy of the FPNCC is not much different from that of the NCA. We need to negotiate these two policies. If each side sticks to its policy, then we will get nowhere. Have you negotiated with leaders of the NCA signatories? As we follow the FPNCC, we havent. But you can see that some ethnic signatories such as the RCSS (Restoration Council of Shan State) and the KNU (Karen National Union) have ceased [negotiations with the government] because agreements in the NCA are not implemented. Authorities should think about why even the NCA signatories cant move forward. Why has it stalled? They need to find out the answer. If they dont move the obstacle away, they cant move forward. The United Wa State Army and Monglas National Democratic Alliance Army which both support the FPNCC enjoy greater power and status though they are not officially legitimate. Do FPNCC leaders want to make compromises with the government to change the Constitution for equality and the sharing of power? It is still early to say. If the leaders of the FPNCC, including the AA, could negotiate a result over either a bilateral ceasefire agreement or a DoC, is it possible for them to be signed under the 2008 Constitution or will they have to wait for the amended constitution to be in place? It is not that we are not interested in the 2008 Constitution. But before talking about constitutional amendment, we cant attend any conference or propose any change if we cant implement a ceasefire. We cant reach the second day without going through the first day. Thats why we dont want to talk about the second day. However, we have already prepared for the second day. Political analysts assess that the NCA is too rigid to be changed to achieve federalism. What is your assessment of it? Yes, we have the same view. But [the government] promised throughout the meetings with the NCCT (National Ceasefire Coordination Team) that it can be changed outside the Parliament, and then the amendment will be sent to the Parliament to seek its approval. They asked us not to worry. If they honor their promise, we wont worry. But if they want to draw the wool over our eyes, we are worried. To what extent can the Arakanese people expect that the conflict will be resolved? Despite the serious clashes, they invited us to talks and we attended the talks so this is a step forward. How much further we will go or where we will stop will depend on the results of future dialogue. Will the clashes de-escalate in Rakhine after you return there? We have told military leaders [about how the fighting can be stopped]. It depends on how much they are willing to implement [our request], and we will reduce attacks depending on their extent of measures to avoid fighting. Only when there is a strong desire to stop the fighting, it will stop. There is a need to walk the walk. Has the AA figured out the governments and the militarys stance towards them from the meeting in Naypyitaw? Im afraid we cant tell the media this. At the moment, the government and the Tatmadaw stick to the NCA and we stick to the FPNCC. We need to find an answer between these two. While we need to assess the pros and cons of the NCA, the Tatmadaw and government should also see what they can accept in the FPNCC. Only then will we be able to negotiate on these two frameworks and move forward. I hope leaders of the two sides will do so. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko Burma Military Warns Against Illegal Charter Change Efforts Vice Snr-Gen. Soe Win inspects troops at the 74th Armed Forces Day commemorations in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy YANGONMyanmar military deputy chief Vice Senior General Soe Win warned that ongoing attempts to reform the Constitution must be constitutional to avoid unnecessary political hardship and its spillover effects in a speech to mark the nations 74th Armed Forces Day on Wednesday. Commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was unable to deliver the speech this year due to a minor last-minute leg injury, according to the military (or Tatmadaw)s information team. Armed Forces Day commemorations, including a major military parade, are held in Naypyitaw annually to mark the day the Burmese military began its fight against occupying Japanese forces in 1945. Democracy is a process bound by laws based on the peoples aspirations. It must also respect the desires of minority groups, he said. He warned that simply implementing the wishes of the majority, without considering whether it is correct or not, is illegal. This can not only create difficulties but also endanger the tranquility of those who want to practice democratic norms systemically, because it is an action that breaks rules and regulations, the vice senior general said. The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), led by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is currently trying to make changes to the Constitution, which was drafted by the military and has been widely criticized as undemocratic. The effort has met strong resistance from the military and its ally, the Union Solidarity and Development Party. They say the charter needs to be reformed but have complained that the approach taken by the NLD is unconstitutional. In his speech, Vice Sen-Gen. Soe Win went on to condemn the Arakan Armys deadly attacks on police outposts in Rakhine State in January. He said such attacks by the AA impair the administrative mechanism and vowed that the military would vanquish them as they pose a threat to national sovereignty. Fighting between government troops and the autonomy-seeking ethnic Arakanese armed group has been intense in recent months, with nearly 100 clashes occurring since the AAs Jan. 4 attacks, according to the military. I would like to assert that the Tatmadaw will eliminate any armed insurgent group [in order to ensure] peace, tranquility and the rule of law in the Union, Vice Sen-Gen. Soe Win said. Despite the ongoing fighting, the deputy military chief also repeatedly urged ethnic armed organizations to negotiate with the governments National Reconciliation and Peace Center and the Tatmadaws negotiation team. He reiterated the militarys promise to deliver peace by 2020. On This Day When Myanmar Threw Off the Yoke of Japanese Empire Allied forces fire on Japanese soldiers from Mandalay Hill. Seventy-four years ago today, people from all walks of life rose up against Japanese overlords who had failed to keep their promise to grant Myanmar full independence after three years of occupation. Orchestrated by Gen. Aung San, the resistance movement was carried out in seven military divisions across Myanmar with the help of the Allied Forces of World War II. Though they planned to launch the resistance on March 27, as Allied soldiers had already reached Upper Myanmar, Col. Ba Htoo had already started his own resistance campaign some three weeks prior, having declared war against Japanese forces on March 8. More than 1,000 battles were fought in the following few months and at least 20,000 Japanese soldiers were killed. March 27 marked the beginning of the final bout of fighting to end more than 100 years of colonial rule over Myanmar. Newspapers from England, France, the United States, India and China praised the resistance movement. World War II came to an end when Japans leaders signed an unconditional surrender on Sept. 2, 1945. At first, March 27 was celebrated nationwide as Antifascist Resistance Day. But at the 10th anniversary, in 1955, Myanmar military chief Gen. Ne Win asked to organize an Armed Forces Day together with Antifascist Resistance Day. Armed Forces Day gradually became the more prominent of the two. But the National League for Democracy party, led by Gen. Aung Sans daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, still marks the occasion by its original name. While delivering the government work report at the second session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing early this month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced that the government will reduce the tax burden and social insurance contributions of enterprises by nearly 2 trillion yuan (about US$298.3 billion) in 2019. Such broad-reaching reforms will significantly promote confidence in the real economy, and fuel the growth of small and micro businesses. A large number of measures to cut the value-added tax (VAT) rates were taken at the State Council's executive meeting which was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on March 20. All these measures reflect the Chinese government's determination to boost its real economy by reducing the burdens faced by corporates. China has been reforming its taxation system for years. China's Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate stands at 25 percent since 2008, which creates a heavy burden on enterprises and has kept some investors away. To attract investment and collect taxes and fees from enterprises more efficiently, China started replacing the business tax with the VAT across the country in 2016, after first conducting trial reforms in Shanghai and several provinces since 2012. The VAT reform starting in May 2018 has greatly benefited businesses across China as capital costs fell when the VAT rate was reduced. The further reform on the VAT also aims to encourage corporates to make larger investments in areas such as technology, innovation and R&D. During the past four decades since its reform and opening-up to the world, the Chinese economy has been experiencing significant changes. In 2009, China overtook Japan as the second largest economy after the U.S. in terms of nominal GDP. However, the "quality" of its economic development still lags far behind the "quantity" of its development, and as a result, China has been facing an economic "new normal" characterized by lower economic growth rates since 2010. Meanwhile, contributions and social surcharges such as educational surcharge and welfare surcharge have become another source of corporate burden for enterprises, thereby stunting their growth. This is exacerbated by the fact that the world economy has been slowing down in recent years, causing some countries to cut their corporate tax to bring manufacturing back to their shores. Facing such complications at home and abroad, China has promised to reduce corporate burdens by a record-breaking amount to stabilize growth and benefit a wider range of businesses. The tax and fees reduction measures in 2019 are the following: Deepening the value-added tax (VAT) reform, reducing the current VAT rate of 16 percent in manufacturing and other industries to 13 percent, and lowering the rate in transportation, construction and other industries from 10 to 9 percent. Significantly reducing enterprises' contributions to social insurance schemes. The share borne by employers for urban workers' basic pension will be lowered, and in various provinces, such contributions may be cut down to 16 percent. Putting employment as a key priority in 2019 to stabilize employment and provide the economy with sufficient workers. Efforts will also be made to help corporations lower their operational costs in terms of searching, recruiting and training their workforce. Restructuring and improving the financial system, and developing private and community banks to better serve the real economy. The first two measures are aimed at directly cutting taxes and fees to help enterprises spur their growth. However, these taxes and fees are not the only burdens businesses face. High financing costs and financing difficulties are also big obstacles to corporate development. It is not easy to lower financing costs as it is not simply an issue of cutting "rates." In this regard, the second and fourth reform measures will bring more profound benefits to enterprises. Lowering financing costs, together with tax and fee reductions will give a leg-up to businesses, which in turn will boost the Chinese economy along its trajectory of higher quality development. The policies, targeted at relieving corporates from their burdens, deal with the problems encountered in the development of a private economy, and will give full play to the role of tax reduction in supporting companies in their development. Moreover, they will allow private enterprises to have a real sense of "reductions" in taxes and boost their confidence in innovation and development. The VAT cuts will take effect on April 1, and the burdens businesses face are expected to be reduced gradually. This will not only boost the confidence of small and micro enterprises, but also drive supply-side structural reform and help the market economy thrive, which ultimately will lead to a win-win situation for business operations, fiscal revenue and mass employment. He Shuquan is a professor at School of Economics, Shanghai University. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, 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. Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 (8:20 am) - Score 3,586 A recent report from the Centre for Cities think-tank has revealed the top ten best and worst cities for coverage of fixed ultrafast broadband (100Mbps+) connectivity across the United Kingdom, which sees Luton rank top with 95% of homes and businesses being within reach and sadly Aberdeen came bottom on 2.3%. According to the report, more than half of UK premises (56.1%) now have access to order ultrafast broadband speeds. In 55 out of 63 cities tested the proportion of properties with access to ultrafast speeds exceeded the UK average (rural areas will drag the national average down). Meanwhile 6 out of the top 10 cities were located in the South of England, whereas only 2 cities in the bottom 10 were in the South (Southend and Milton Keynes). At present the vast majority of ultrafast coverage in urban areas will be due to Virgin Medias soon-to-be 500Mbps capable hybrid fibre coax (cable) and full fibre (FTTP) based network, although Openreach, Hyperoptic, Cityfibre and others ISPs are currently in the process of rapidly expanding the availability of Gigabit capable FTTP networks. Not to mention rising levels of G.fast technology. In fact the pace of progress is so rapid that the table below is already out of date, despite being based on fairly recent Thinkbroadband sourced data from the end of 2018. For example, bottom dwelling Aberdeen (Scotland) is listed as having 2.3% coverage in the table but theyre now up to 5%, thanks in no small part to Cityfibres work to expand full fibre with ISP partner Vodafone (note: Virgin Media has no presence in the city). Similarly the 32.1% figure for Milton Keynes has since jumped to around 40%. Meanwhile we assume that Hull must have just missed out on being included in the top ten table, although KCOM has in fact nearly completed their deployment to cover the entire city. March 26, 2019 Tori Parks, Marketing Career Path Intern POCATELLO The Idaho Museum of Natural History will host its 30th annual overnight Science Trek beginning on April 26 at 5 p.m. and concluding on April 27 at 8 a.m. This annual event, which is open to third to fifth graders, is a gateway for young scientists to learn more about the sciences and explore possibilities for a future career. Pre-registration is required and is open until April 8. The Science Trek is an overnight adventure at the Idaho Museum of Natural History that explores different aspects of science. Students have the opportunity to work with scientists in anthropology, biology, botany, chemistry, geosciences, information technology, nuclear engineering, microbiology, physics and technology. Students will also get to enjoy a science show, hands-on activities, a movie and pizza. Following the evening of exploration, students will get to sleep among the Buzzsaw Sharks in the Buzzsaw Sharks of Idaho exhibit. All students will receive an official Science Trek 2019 t-shirt. We want to cultivate enthusiasm for science and show them what a career in STEM might be like, said Virginia Jones, education specialist for the museum. Interest in science tends to drop off after they reach 11 years of age. We hope that by nurturing their natural enthusiasm for science more students will choose to pursue careers in science. Spots are limited. The cost is $45 per student. If students are unable to pay, scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship, email cindy.lunte@idahoptv.org. The Australian Labor Party has pledged to hold an inquiry that looks into the economic impacts of the Federal Government's encryption law after the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security completes its ongoing review and submits a report on 3 April. The pledge was made by Shadow Minister for Human Services and the Digital Economy, Ed Husic, at a forum in Sydney on Wednesday, organised under the banner of Safe Encryption Australia, and attended by about 320 people either in or associated with the tech industry. Husic acknowledges that his side of politics didnt want to be wedged on Security but insists they will work to include amendments based upon the 17 recommendations #AmendAA Gavin Costello (@gavincostello) March 26, 2019 Husic, incidentally, was the only politician from a major political party to attend the forum which was organised by tech website InnovationAus and StartupAUS. Husic, who was part of the panel for the event, said there were a number of Labor politicians who were aware of the serious implications the law, in its current form, posed to the Australian technology industry. He said that he was aware of the pathetic level of consultation undertaken by the government before the bill was introduced and also the fact that many major players were not consulted. Labor wanted to consult and make changes that would prevent the law from harming the industry, he added. From left: Girl Geek Academy chief executive Sarah Moran, Shadow Minister for Human Services and the Digital Economy Ed Husic, Fastmail chief of staff Nicola Nye, NUIX founder and cyber investor Eddie Sheehy and Atlassian co-founder and chair Scott Farquhar at Wednesday's forum. Eddie Sheehy from @nuix praises the brilliant encryption companies here but says the laws could "crucify them" #AmendAA Rachel Worsley (@Rachel_Worsley) March 26, 2019 Two prominent Australian tech industry representatives Senetas chairman and founder Francis Galbally and Atlassian co-founder and chairman Scott Farquhar stressed that a lack of changes would mean that industries would have to move out of Australia to keep their customers. Atlassian, the biggest Australian tech company, and Senetas, which ships something in the region of $2 billion of product to a multitude of customers, including the Israeli parliament, were not consulted prior to the drafting of the bill. Galbally, who has given forceful presentations to the PJCIS during hearings in 2018, said he did not want to shift his company as he loved the country. But he said he would have no option unless the law officially known as the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 underwent some radical changes. People are telling me I don't know if I can trust you. I will go somewhere else. Customers have put in submissions to the inquiry - Nicola Nye @impishfae @fastmail #AmendAA #aabill Rachel Worsley (@Rachel_Worsley) March 26, 2019 Among the things he listed were definitions for systemic weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and the degree of scrutiny that was carried out before requests were made for changes to existing technologies. Others who participated in the event were Nuix founder and cyber investor Eddie Sheehy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Enterprise) UTS, Glenn Wightwick, and Girl Geek Academy chief executive Sarah Moran who acted as the moderator. The Australian Parliament is expected to discuss the amendments to the law on 2 April when it reconvenes, before the PJCIS submits its report on 3 April. Australian Signals Directorate director-general Mike Burgess has warned private or public companies against hacking back to defend themselves against potential online attacks, as they would be breaking the law. In a speech to the Lowy Institute on Wednesday which was given to the mainstream media a day before it was delivered which he characterised as a recruitment pitch, Burgess said the ASD was able to carry out offensive hacking because it was enabled to do so by the Intelligence Services Act. "I've heard of some board rooms in Australia contemplating the prospect of hacking back to defend themselves against potential attacks," he said. "No corporation or individual should contemplate the prospect of hacking back to defend themselves from hackers, it would be illegal," Burgess said according to a transcript of his speech. "An obligation to protecting corporate assets does not extend to breaking the law." The ASD chief also mentioned that Australians had been involved in degrading the cyber capabilities of Islamic State at the same time when Western military forces were physically attacking the jihadists. Providing some details which mainstream media had already published Burgess said: "At the height of the fight against Daesh (another name for Islamic State), ASD working to the direction of the ADF helped shaped a critical battle. Just as the Coalition forces were preparing to attack the terrorists position, our offensive cyber operators were at their keyboards in Australia firing highly targeted bits and bytes into cyberspace. "Daesh communications were degraded within seconds. Terrorist commanders couldnt connect to the Internet and were unable to communicate with each other. The terrorists were in disarray and driven from their position in part because of the young men and women at their keyboards some 11,000 kilometres or so from the battle." In what appeared to be a pitch to women to join the agency, Burgess detailed the case of a would-be Islamic State recruit who was cajoled into not joining the death cult. "When ASD was alerted to the situation, we stood up a specialist team and developed a sophisticated plan," he said. "The team included linguistic, cultural and behavioural experts, and was led by one of our top operators a highly-trained young woman. A science graduate turned covert online operator." He said ASD had tracked down and reached out to the man over the Internet. "Pretending to be a terrorist commander, our lead operator used a series of online conversations to gradually win her targets trust. Our operative typed in deliberately broken English and was so convincing, she was able to influence the mans behaviour. "To ensure he couldnt be contacted by the real terrorists, she got him to change his modes and methods of communication. Eventually, she convinced the aspiring terrorist to abandon his plan for jihad and move to another country where our partner agencies could ensure he was no longer a danger to others or himself." Social media giant Facebook has announced that it will ban pages that praise, support or represent white nationalism and separatism both on its own site and Instagram, with the ban set to be enforced from next week. In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook said content of this nature was linked to hate groups and had no place on its services. Anyone who searches for terms associated with white supremacy on Facebook and Instagram will be provided a link to a page known as Life After Hate "where people can find support in the form of education, interventions, academic research and outreach", the company said. (See image from Facebook below, right) Life After Hate is "an organisation founded by former violent extremists that provides crisis intervention, education, support groups and outreach". Facebook's move comes in the wake of the 15 Marchin Christchurch where a white supremacist gunman from Australia shot and killed 50 Muslims in cold blood at a mosque. The gunman, Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed his murderous rampage on Facebook and the footage remained there for more than an hour. It was posted on numerous YouTube channels and linked off Twitter as well. The Facebook post said while it had always prohibited content connected to white supremacy, it had not applied the same treatment to "expressions of white nationalism and separatism because we were thinking about broader concepts of nationalism and separatism things like American pride and Basque separatism, which are an important part of peoples identity". The company said, however, it had had conversations over the last three months with ordinary people and academics who were experts in race relations and this had "confirmed that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organised hate groups". "Our own review of hate figures and organisations as defined by our Dangerous Individuals & Organisations policy further revealed the overlap between white nationalism and separatism and white supremacy. "Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism." Small ISP Aussie Broadband has launched a support app for its customers and created a matching version on its online portal. The app is available for both iOS and Android and has a simple, clean interface with no clutter. (Disclosure: the writer has been an Aussie Broadband subscriber since October 2018.) Apart from the bog standard details, the app has a page for service tests where one's connection can be either checked or reloaded, a loopback test carried out and the status of one's network termination device tested. Test results will be attached to [a customer's] account and immediately visible to support staff dealing with the fault, said chief executive Phillip Britt. The app will give customers outage warnings that are specific to their service address, and they can also customise SMS and email alerts on outages. Previously weve been alerting customers to major network outages as part of our no bullsh*t approach to communications, but there can sometimes be tens or hundreds of smaller local outages in NBN Cos network that we havent been able to list, said Britt. The app now takes all that information that we get from NBN Co, matches it to customer addresses, and alerts them when we know something is happening in their area. Customers can also use the app to switch payment methods or even arrange a payment extension. The design probably represents Britt's geekiness, with the necessities on display and nothing else. No bells and whistles at all. Unsurprisingly, it was built in-house. In short, it removes the need for resorting to the online portal apart from times when 4G collapses. And such dropouts are much rarer than the almost predictable NBN dropouts that are part every Australian subscriber's experience. The only downside is that a search for "Aussie Broadband" on the Google Play Store does not bring up the app; one has to search for "myaussie" and since Google helpfully (?) corrects that to "my aussie", locating it takes longer than usual. But fortunately, that has to be done just once. Bollivar 88 Receives Communication Innovator Award March 27, 2019 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Linda Bollivar 88, executive director of the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP), was recently awarded the Communication Innovator Award, one of three Crystal Awards from the Association for Women in Communications - Bloomington/Normal. The Communication Innovator Award recognizes a woman who has achieved excellence in communicating a project, mission, or event that benefits the Bloomington-Normal community. Recipients are marked by their leadership abilities, civic engagement and ability to connect with and inspire audiences. To me, effective communication involves finding the right amount of detail for each situation, said Bollivar. I've worked in a wide variety of settings with people of different ages, religions, cultures, abilities, etc. I always try to think about what information my audience already has, and what is most relevant to them so that I can adapt my message accordingly. For several years, Bollivar has guided the growth of the Multicultural Leadership Program, a non-profit organization that offers professional leadership development for current and aspiring community leaders. Throughout the nine-month program, MCLP participants come to better understand their own leadership style and how to work within a diverse team through seminars, discussions and hands-on experience leading a project to benefit local non-profits. MCLPs location less than a block away from Illinois Wesleyans campus has facilitated a steady connection between the two organizations, linked by shared values. Because of IWU's commitment to diversity and inclusion, the University has been a strong supporter of the Multicultural Leadership Program since it was started in 2009, said Bollivar, who also maintains her ties to the University through her husband, Miner Linnaeus Sherff Endowed Professor of Botany David Bollivar. Our offices have been on IWU's campus since the fall of 2014, which has provided the opportunity for us to partner with wonderful interns over the years. Linda Bollivar has held a number of leadership positions before MCLP, such as director of Faith in Action and program director of Sugar Creek Alzheimer's Special Care Center. Bollivar, who graduated from Illinois Wesleyan with degrees in psychology and French, has found that her broad liberal arts education at Illinois Wesleyan has given her the skills to be successful in a range of leadership roles. In my nonprofit leadership career, I've been amazed at how much of my time is spent writing in a wide variety of formats such as emails, and press releases, in addition to one-on-one communications, presentations and even media interviews, Bollivar shared. The strong liberal arts focus really prepared me well for being able to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences. By Rachel McCarthy 21 March 27, 2019 (Springdale, Arkansas) New Thing, the first single release from sister duo Alicia & Whitney , is headed to Christian INSPO/Soft AC, and Christian AC-formatted radio outlets today. The single is from A Portrait of Worship, an 11-song collection of music written by the sisters. We pray that this song is an encouragement, said Alicia. God is doing a NEW THING and wants to bring healing and wholeness to you and all of your situations. Get ready to experience life in a brand new way! The sisters, who grew up in a musical family, have been singing since they were young. The death of their father when the sisters were young adults rekindled a passion for songwriting as they worked through their grief by writing songs. It was during this time that the young women felt God urging them to go back to the core of who He created them to be and to help others come to know Him and the purpose He has for each person. Their debut album, Core, is a collection of songs meant to help others reflect and heal from the inside out through the love of Jesus. In recent years, Alicia & Whitney have toured throughout the United States, sharing their ministry of music and speaking. They also have traveled internationally to Honduras, Tanzania and Israel. In addition to writing and performing music, Whitney is an author. Her debut book, Beauty for My Ashes, was written to help people cope with grief in a healthy way after losing a loved one. Her second book, Occupy While Waiting, is a singles guide to pursuing God, purpose and healthy relationships. To learn more about Alicia & Whitney, visit aliciaandwhitney.com, like the duo on Facebook and follow on Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to Alicia & Whitneys YouTube channel here. ### Flash China regrets the cancelling of the annual meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), but the responsibility does not lie in China, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Some countries insisted on manipulating the issue of Venezuela and tried to force the participation of Juan Guaido's representative, and as a result, the meeting could not be held as planned, spokesperson Geng Shuang told a press briefing. A few countries continued to stir up the sensitive political issue of Venezuela, rushed into recognition of the new representative appointed by Guaido shortly before the annual meeting amid substantial divergence between IADB members, and insisted on his attendance at the meeting, he said. Geng reiterated China's stance on the Venezuelan issue that all parties should adhere to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, abide by the norms of international law and international relations, and refrain from interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs. Although the representative appointed by Guaido had passed the voting procedure of the IADB, "Guaido himself is not a president who has been elected through legal procedures, and lacks legitimacy, which makes it difficult for China to allow his representative to attend the meeting in China," Geng said. "Changing Venezuela's representative at the IADB will not help solve Venezuela's problems. Instead, it damaged the atmosphere of the IADB annual meeting and disturbed preparations for the meeting," Geng said. "In order to ensure the holding of the meeting, China had demonstrated its prudent attitude toward the participation of the Venezuelan representative, put forward reasonable solutions, maintained in-depth communication with relevant sides and called on them to bear in mind the original intention of the meeting and avoid politicizing it. "This is an act of assuming responsibility." The IADB's 60th annual meeting was originally planned for March 26 to 31 in Chengdu, capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province. China had attached great importance to and made a lot of preparations for hosting the meeting, Geng said. As a meeting of the financial industry, it should focus on financial cooperation and should not be disrupted by controversial political issues, Geng said, adding that most of the IADB members agreed with China's proposition and were very clear about who thwarted the holding of the meeting. "China believes that its cooperation with the IADB and Latin American countries will not be disturbed, and we have full confidence in strengthening cooperation in the future," the spokesperson added. Flash A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max, on its way to be grounded, made an emergency landing at the Orlando International Airport (OIA) Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The plane took off from the airport in Orlando, U.S. state of Florida, shortly before 3 p.m., according to OIA spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell. Airport officials said the plane, with only a pilot and a co-pilot on board, experienced a malfunction and had to return to Orlando for an emergency landing. It landed safely. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, which being ferried to western state of California to be grounded, experienced an engine problem and that it is investigating. The incident came after the global fleet of 737 Max jets was grounded indefinitely this month after two fatal crashes involving the planes. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, earlier this month, killing all 157 people on board, a few months after a plane of the same type, went down in Indonesia, which left 189 people on board dead. Flash The UN Security Council members from the European Union said Tuesday that they do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. The five members -- Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, and Poland -- issued a joint statement after U.S. President Donald Trump's Monday proclamation to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981. "Our position on the status of the Golan Heights is well-known, and we would like to make it clear that this position has not changed. In line with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, notably Resolutions 242 and 497, we do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them to be part of the territory of the State of Israel," said the statement, which was read out to reporters by Belgian UN ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve. "Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. Any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order and the UN Charter." The EU members of the Security Council also raised strong concerns about broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and about the broader regional consequences. Flash A suspect involved in the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese student in Toronto has been arrested, said York Regional Police Tuesday. However, the kidnapped student named Wanzhen Lu has not been located, according to the police. On early Tuesday morning, the police arrested a man aged 35 in the City of Toronto. The man is believed to be involved in the kidnapping of the Chinese student. "His name will not be released at this time as he has not been charged as of yet," said the police in a press release. "With this new development, the suspects are once again urged to release Mr. Lu unharmed. We strongly recommend they seek legal counsel and turn themselves in," the police added in the statement. On Monday, the vehicle involved in the kidnapping of 22-year-old Chinese student Wanzhen Lu in Canada was recovered after the police received tips from the public that led them to a location in Toronto where the vehicle used in the kidnapping was found. The vehicle was not occupied at the time. On Saturday evening, Lu was kidnapped by masked and armed suspects in an underground parking garage of a condo building in Markham of Toronto area when he and his Chinese friend got out of their vehicle. Three armed suspects forced the student into a black minivan and fled from the underground parking garage. Police said that there are four suspects, including the vehicle driver in the alleged abduction. "We have been in close contact and communication with the police, urging them to rescue the kidnapped student as soon as possible. The police said that they are doing their best to solve the case. We have also contacted the student's parents in China," said a spokesman of the Chinese Consulate-General in Toronto. To the roughly 40,000 people who visit the Lowcountrys treasured Angel Oak tree each year, Frank deLoach is an approachable artist, sitting b HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX:ERD; MSE:ERDN) ("Erdene" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its intention to repurchase a 1% net smelter return royalty (NSR) from Sandstorm Gold Limited (Sandstorm) on its Khundii Gold Project in southwest Mongolia by April 14, 2019 for C$1.2 million. Considering the results of our recent Preliminary Economic Assessment and the exploration potential of the Khundii Gold Project license area, the fair value of the 1% NSR is well in excess of the repurchase price. Buying back the NSR will create significant value for our shareholders, said Peter Akerley, Erdenes President and CEO. We would like to acknowledge Sandstorms support during the formative stages of the Khundii Gold Project and look forward to continuing to work with them as we move toward production. As announced on April 21, 2016, Erdene completed a transaction granting Sandstorm a 2% NSR royalty on a select area that included the Khundii Gold Project as part of a C$2.5 million financing transaction. This transaction provided Erdene with a three-year option to buy back 50% of the 2% NSR Royalty for C$1.2 million. Erdene will fund the repurchase from cash on hand. Review of Khundii Gold Project Development Erdenes deposits are located in the Edren Terrane, within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, host to some of the worlds largest gold and copper-gold deposits. The Company has been the leader in exploration in southwest Mongolia over the past decade and is responsible for the discovery of the Khundii Gold District comprised of multiple high-grade gold and gold/base metal prospects, two of which are being considered for development: the 100%-owned Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects. Together, these deposits comprise the Khundii Gold Project (the Project). The Company delivered the Projects maiden mineral resource estimate in Q3 2018 with a Measured and Indicated (M&I) resource of 751,000 ounces (oz) gold at an average grade of 2.3 g/t gold and an Inferred resource of 291,000 oz gold at an average grade of 1.8 g/t gold (cut-off grade of 0.7 g/t gold). This was followed by a National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) Preliminary Economic Assessment in December 2018 which returned an after-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate (NPV5%) and a US$1,200/oz gold price of US$99 million and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 56%. The initial development has a life of mine head grade of 3.42 g/t gold with an average annual gold production of 51,200 oz over an eight-year mine life. Based on the potential for additional discovery and expansion on the current license areas the planned development is considered as a foundation for growth. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious and base metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has interests in four exploration licenses and a mining license in Southwest Mongolia, where exploration success has led to the discovery and definition of the Khundii Gold District. Erdene Resource Development Corp. is listed on the Toronto and Mongolia stock exchanges. Further information is available at www.erdene.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / First Mining Gold Corp. (''First Mining'' or the ''Company'') is pleased to announce the results of an updated mineral resource estimate for its wholly-owned Goldlund gold project (''Goldlund'') in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Updated Goldlund Resource This updated mineral resource estimate, which has an effective date of March 15, 2019, was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (''NI 43-101'') by WSP Canada Inc. (''WSP'') of Sudbury, Ontario. A technical report for this updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund will be filed by the Company under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website, within 45 days of the date of this news release. Only two of seven domains were updated in order to incorporate drilling results from the 40,000 metre infill drill program completed in 2018. The two zones updated are Zone 1 and Zone 7. A summary of the changes in the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund is as follows: Changes to Zone 1: Zone 1 Indicated Resource gold (''Au'') ounces (''oz.'') increased by 37,950 oz. This increase in oz. corresponds to a decrease in tonnage of 625,600 tonnes from 5,508,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.65 grams per tonne (''g/t'') Au to 4,882,400 tonnes at an average grade of 2.16 g/t Au. Zone 1 Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 219,800 oz. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 6,514,000 tonnes, with the number of tonnes decreasing from 17,802,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.36 g/t Au to 11,288,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.54 g/t Au. Changes to Zone 7: Zone 7 Indicated Resource Au oz. increased by 210,750 oz. This increase in oz. represents a corresponding increase in tonnage of 4,161,600 tonnes at an average grade of 1.58 g/t Au from zero tonnes previously. Zone 7 Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 446,560 oz. after adjusting for the proportion of Inferred Resource tonnes removed due to the upgrade of certain tonnes to the Indicated Resource category. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 16,019,000 tonnes, with the number of tonnes decreasing from 17,947,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.28 g/t Au to 1,928,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.29 g/t Au. Overall Changes to the Goldlund Resource: In total, Indicated Resource Au oz. increased by 248,700 oz. This increase in oz. corresponds to an increase in tonnage of 3,595,900 tonnes from 9,324,100 tonnes at an average grade of 1.87 g/t Au to 12,860,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.96 g/t Au. In total, Inferred Resource Au oz. decreased by 628,400 oz., after adjusting for the proportion of Inferred Resource tonnes removed due to the upgrade of certain tonnes and grade to the Indicated Resource category. This represents an overall reduction in tonnage of 22,533,000 tonnes from 40,895,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.33 g/t Au to 18,362,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.49 g/t Au. Daniel W. Wilton, Chief Executive Officer of First Mining, stated, ''This resource update provides a solid foundation upon which we can continue to grow the Goldlund resource. We are pleased with the increase in Indicated Mineral Resources at Goldlund, and with our enhanced understanding of the Goldlund deposit as a result of this latest resource update on the project. While the pit-constrained Inferred Resource contains fewer tonnes and ounces, we have a much greater confidence in the overall resource now that it incorporates an additional 40,000 m of infill drilling. We believe our technical team will benefit from this greater understanding of, and confidence in, the controls on mineralization at Goldlund as we continue to advance this exciting project and further unlock its substantial exploration potential.'' The following table (Table 1) provides a comparison between the mineral resource estimate from the initial NI 43-101 technical report on Goldlund, dated February 7, 2017, that was prepared for First Mining by WSP, and the updated mineral resource estimate that takes into account the additional 138 drill holes in Zones 7 and 1 that were drilled by First Mining during the 2017/2018 Phase 1 and 2 drill programs at Goldlund: Table 1: Undiluted Mineral Resource Estimates Within a US$1,350/oz Whittle Pit Shell Resource Classification WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Ounces Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Ounces Measured - - - - - - Indicated (Zone 1) 5,508,000 1.65 292,197 4,882,400 2.16 330,150 Indicated (Zone 2) 1,642,900 1.76 93,000 1,642,900 1.76 93,000 Indicated (Zone 3) 0 - - - - - Indicated (Zone 4) 1,664,600 2.73 146,100 1,664,600 2.73 146,100 Indicated (Zone 5) - - - - - - Indicated (Zone 7) - - - 4,161,600 1.58 210,753 Indicated (Zone 8) 508,600 2.00 29,200 508,600 2.00 29,200 Indicated (Total) 9,324,100 1.87 560,497 12,860,000 1.96 809,200 Measured & Indicated (Total) 9,324,100 1.87 560,497 12,860,000 1.96 809,200 Inferred (Zone 1) 17,802,000 1.36 778,422 11,288,000 1.54 558,600 Inferred (Zone 2) 1,028,000 1.22 40,000 1,028,000 1.22 40,000 Inferred (Zone 3) 1,385,000 1.61 71,666 1,385,000 1.61 71,666 Inferred (Zone 4) 734,000 2.40 57,000 734,000 2.40 57,000 Inferred (Zone 5) 1,284,000 1.19 49,000 1,284,000 1.19 49,000 Inferred (Zone 7) 17,947,000 1.28 737,004 1,928,000 1.29 79,688 Inferred (Zone 8) 715,000 0.90 21,000 715,000 0.90 21,000 Inferred (Total) 40,895,000 1.33 1,754,092 18,362,000 1.49 876,954 Notes: The numbers in the three columns of the above table under the heading WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate are from the updated mineral resource estimate on Goldlund that has an effective date of March 15, 2019, and that was prepared by WSPs Todd McCracken, P.Geo., an independent qualified person within the meaning of NI 43-101. The numbers in the three columns of the above table under the heading WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate are from the mineral resource estimate on Goldlund that is set out in the technical report titled Technical Report and Resource Estimation Update on the Goldlund Project dated February 7, 2017, which was prepared by WSPs Todd McCracken, P.Geo., in accordance with NI 43-101 and is available under First Minings SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. A base case cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t Au was used for both the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate. For both the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate, resources are stated as contained within a conceptual pit shell using a metal price of US$1,350 per ounce of gold, mining costs of US$2.00 per tonne, processing plus G&A costs of US$15.40 per tonne, 93% recoveries and an average pit slope of 48 degrees. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. In this table, all mineral resource tonnage and contained metal numbers have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the WSP 2019 Updated Resource Estimate and the WSP 2017 Initial Resource Estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding. Since the initial NI 43-101 technical report on Goldlund was filed by First Mining on SEDAR on February 7, 2017, First Mining has completed 40,197 metres (''m'') of drilling on the current resource body at Goldlund across the following two drill programs: A Phase 1 drill program comprising a total of 100 holes (24,300 m of drilling) over the entire Zone 7 portion of the granodiorite dike, with 87 of the holes intersecting intervals of significant gold mineralization. Drill holes were spaced at 50 m along strike by 25 m across strike in order to address the nugget effect of very high gold values. The program confirmed that mineralization presents as free gold and calaverite in a quartz-ankerite pyrite stockwork. The stockwork is very consistent from the hangingwall to the footwall of the granodiorite, whereas the gold distribution occurs irregularly in the stockwork above inflections in the strike of the footwall of the dike. This drill program helped the Company's technical team to delineate additional Indicated resource ounces at Goldlund and to enhance our geological knowledge of the mineral deposit. A Phase 2 drill program comprising a total of 38 new holes (14,961 m of drilling), mostly all in Zone 1 of the resource body, with 33 of the holes intersecting intervals of significant gold mineralization. This drill program targeted existing Inferred resources in the vicinity of the historic underground workings. The constraining wireframes were adjusted by WSP to reflect the additional information presented in the Phase 2 drill hole data. The results of the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs have previously been announced by First Mining (for a comprehensive summary of the Phase 1 results please refer to the Company's news releases in 2017 dated April 25th, May 2nd, May 24th, June 20th, July 10th, July 27th and September 11th; for a comprehensive summary of the Phase 2 results, please refer to the Company's news releases in 2018 dated February 5th, February 8th, April 17th and May 15th). These 138 drill holes in Zones 7 and 1 that were drilled by First Mining during the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs were incorporated by WSP into the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund, nearly doubling the number of holes in Zone 7 that had been used by WSP for their initial 2017 resource estimate. During the course of the Zone 7 drilling, First Mining geologists observed that while the entire width of the granodiorite sill that hosts mineralization was susceptible to the development of stockwork, not all of the stockwork was susceptible to gold mineralization. Gold mineralization was shown to concentrate in the third of the sill toward the footwall. Consequently, the incorporation of this increased geologic understanding resulted in a reduction in tonnes in the "in-situ" model for Zone 7 which was further impacted by the Whittle pit constraint applied to develop the reportable resource. The Zone 1 domain is both larger in area and more extensively drilled than Zone 7, and it also exhibits some zoning of gold mineralization within the granodiorite sill. However, the extent of the spatial concentration of this mineralization is less pronounced than at Zone 7. After incorporating drill data from the Phase 2 drilling, WSP made adjustments to the wireframes of the mineralized zone in Zone 1 to reflect this new understanding of the spatial concentration of the mineralization, which resulted in fewer Inferred Resource tonnes in the pit-constrained resource at a higher average grade. In summary, the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund incorporated more than 40,000 m of incremental drilling, the majority of which was focused on increasing the confidence of the resource in Zone 7. While the increased data density and geological understanding of the deposit resulted in increased confidence of the resource, adding 3,535,900 tonnes into the Indicated Resource at an average grade of 1.96 g/t, it also resulted in a reduction in tonnes and ounces in the Inferred Resource category. The First Mining team believes that the increased understanding of the deposit will assist us in better targeting subsequent drill programs aimed at growing the resource at Goldlund, which remains open along strike to the northeast, to the southwest and at depth. Goldlund Regional Exploration Update In June 2018, First Mining commenced a regional exploration diamond drilling campaign at Goldlund designed to test the extension of the known mineralized trend approximately 10 kilometres ("km") northeast of the mineralized material at the current resource area. The primary objective of this program was to verify historical sampling and drilling results, outline new resources and demonstrate the potential of the northeastern section of the Goldlund land package. The exploration drilling was focused on the Miller and Eaglelund targets. Miller Prospect Results Step-out drilling at the Miller prospect, located 10 km to the northeast of the main Goldlund deposit, yielded gold in a similar geological setting to the current resource area at Goldlund. Eight diamond drill holes at Miller (1,256 m of drilling) all exhibited the Goldlund-style mineralization of quartz-carbonate-pyrite-gold stockwork in a granodiorite dike. The Company has previously released the results for these eight drill holes at the Miller prospect (for a comprehensive summary of these drill results, please refer to the Company's news releases dated August 20, 2018 and September 20, 2018). Highlights of the Miller drill campaign included 108 m of 2.43 g/t Au, and 31.0 m of 4.54 g/t Au in hole MI-18-002; 48.0 m of 1.17 g/t Au in hole MI-18-003; and 49 m of 2.58 g/t Au in MI-18-007, including 21.5 m at 5.54 g/t Au. The frequency of occurrence of visible gold ("VG") at Miller was much greater than encountered in the Goldlund infill holes, with VG observed in seven out of the total eight holes drilled in this program. Final results for all Miller holes are presented below in Table 2, and include all results of metallic screen fire assays which were rerun on selected samples, some of which still had pending assays at the time of First Mining's last news release on Goldlund in September 2018. Table 2: Final 2018 Drill Results from the Miller Prospect Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) 3 MI-18-001 MI-18-001 7.00 114.6 107.60 0.42 inc 15.00 88.6 73.60 0.55 inc 16.00 18.3 2.30 2.01 and inc 18.00 18.3 0.30 9.15 and inc 23.30 29.6 6.30 2.01 and inc 27.30 27.6 0.30 32.12 and inc 77.60 88.6 11.00 1.43 and inc 87.60 88.6 1.00 9.09 MI-18-002 MI-18-002 0.42 142.5 142.08 1.90 inc 1.50 109.5 108.00 2.43 and inc 57.50 88.5 31.00 4.54 and inc 75.50 82.5 7.00 14.66 and inc 81.50 82.5 1.00 88.80 and inc 102.50 109.5 7.00 9.61 and inc 108.50 109.5 1.00 54.47 MI-18-003 MI-18-003 69.00 72.0 3.00 1.19 and 90.00 138.0 48.00 1.17 inc 90.00 90.5 0.50 16.10 and inc 94.00 97.5 3.50 2.42 and inc 105.00 106.0 1.00 3.90 and inc 115.00 130.0 15.00 1.70 and inc 125.00 125.5 0.50 19.10 and inc 137.70 138.0 0.30 11.80 MI-18-004 MI-18-004 34.00 57.8 23.80 0.54 inc 34.00 35.0 1.00 2.56 and inc 52.00 57.8 5.80 1.40 and inc 55.00 56.0 1.00 6.12 MI-18-005 MI-18-005 46.00 47.0 1.00 4.18 and 68.00 78.0 10.00 0.45 and inc 72.00 74.0 2.00 1.25 and 109.00 110.0 1.00 1.00 MI-18-006 MI-18-006 76.00 77.0 1.00 1.38 and 102.00 124.0 22.00 0.70 inc 103.00 109.4 6.40 2.15 and inc 103.62 104.0 0.38 20.80 and inc 109.00 109.4 0.40 5.37 and 145.00 147.0 2.00 1.48 and 169.00 170.0 1.00 3.01 MI-18-007 MI-18-007 66.00 69.0 3.00 4.24 inc 66.00 67.0 1.00 9.16 and 89.00 138.0 49.00 2.58 inc 94.50 116.0 21.50 5.54 and inc 107.50 109.0 1.50 9.17 and inc 114.00 115.0 1.00 94.60 MI-18-008 MI-18-008 135.00 149.0 14.00 0.63 inc 135.50 138.0 2.5.0 1.85 and inc 146.00 147.0 1.00 2.14 Notes: Assaying for the Miller drill program was done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Cochrane and Lakefield, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry (''AAS'') finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Au values in bold text contain results of metallic screen fire assay reruns. The Miller prospect is along strike and contains the same volcanic-intrusive stratigraphy as Goldlund, and thus opens up a 10 km long priority exploration corridor between the current resource area at Goldlund and the Miller prospect, as shown in Figure 1 below. See Figure 2 below for a cross-section of the Miller prospect. None of the drill results from the Miller prospect were incorporated into the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund. Step out and infill drilling at Miller is a priority work program in 2019 with a goal of establishing an initial resource. Figure 1. Priority Exploration Corridor at Goldlund Figure 2. Cross-Section through the Miller Prospect, Looking Northeast Eaglelund Prospect Drill Results In addition to the drilling at the Miller prospect, First Mining also completed a further seven diamond drill holes at the Eaglelund prospect (638 m of drilling), and one diamond drill hole comprising 50 m of drilling at the Miles prospect (see Figure 3 and Table 4 for locations), and the results of this drilling are presented in Table 3 below. The holes at Eaglelund and Miles were targeted close to the locations of historical drill holes that were first drilled in the 1950s and 1980s, several of which reported gold mineralization (although locations and assay results for these holes cannot be verified). Some narrow gold intersections were encountered in this latest drilling, notably in the south west region of the Eaglelund target, with hole EL-18-002 intersecting 1.0 m at 2.22 g/t Au, and hole EL-18-003 intersecting 2.0 m at 6.42 g/t Au. No significant gold mineralization was encountered in the northeast area of drilling; however, mapping and drill logging show that the granodiorite sill, the host rock of gold mineralization, is faulted off and replaced by a sheared feldspar porphyry in this area. The faulted portion of the granodiorite sill has not been located during this drill campaign, hence additional drilling is required to delineate this and to better understand the control and distribution of the mineralization at the Eaglelund and Miles prospects. Table 3. Drill Hole Results from the Eaglelund / Miles Prospects Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t EL-18-001 2.0 3.0 1.0 0.14 and 10.0 13.0 3.0 0.08 and 26.0 41.0 15.0 0.08 inc 33.0 38.0 5.0 0.14 EL-18-002 9.0 10.0 1.0 0.26 and 18.0 19.0 1.0 2.22 and 22.0 23.0 1.0 0.12 and 27.0 28.0 1.0 0.22 and 33.0 35.0 2.0 0.14 and 44.0 45.0 1.0 0.16 EL-18-003 8.0 21.0 13.0 0.12 and 28.0 30.0 2.0 6.42 inc 29.0 30.0 1.0 10.11 EL-18-004 no significant mineralization EL-18-005 no significant mineralization EL-18-006 115.0 117.0 2.0 0.29 EL-18-007 83.0 84.0 1.0 0.31 and 94.0 95.0 1.0 0.28 ML-18-001 no significant mineralization Notes: Assaying for the Eaglelund and Miles drill program was done by SGS at their laboratory in Lakefield, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with AAS finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Figure 3. Plan Map, 2018 Regional Drill Program Table 4. Drill Hole Locations at the Eaglelund and Miles Prospects Hole ID Azimuth Dip Length (m) UTM East UTM North EL-18-001 50 -85 74 556343 5533104 EL-18-002 0 -90 50 556343 5533104 EL-18-003 60 -85 50 556376 5533122 EL-18-004 180 -50 104 556476 5533194 EL-18-005 135 -50 104 556535 5533210 EL-18-006 135 -50 119 556581 5533259 EL-18-007 67 -55 137 556408 5533108 ML-18-001 310 -55 50 554611 5531873 Deep Drilling Encounters Mineralization at Depth In addition to this regional exploration program, as part of the Phase 2 drill program, four holes in Zone 7 that were originally drilled during the Phase 1 program were extended deeper, for an additional 938 m of drilling, demonstrating that gold mineralization at Goldlund continues to considerable depths in Zone 7. Drill holes GL-17-10, GL-17-051, GL-17-106 and GL-17-108 were extended to depths of 629, 629, 455 and 500 m respectively. Drill results for these deep extensions are presented in Table 5 below (also previously reported in the Company's news release dated February 5, 2018). Table 5. Drill Hole Results from Zone 7 Deep Drilling Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t GL-17-010 GL-17-010 389 390.6 1.6 1.49 and 545 628 83 1.35 inc 545 546 1 74.95 and inc 575 580 5 3.19 and inc 576 577 1 13.63 GL-17-051 GL-17-051 369 441 72 0.65 inc 369 371 2 4.87 and inc 398 399 1 6.27 and inc 413 421 8 2.59 and inc 413 415 2 6.18 GL-17-106 GL-17-106 315 371 56 0.4 inc 325 327 2 1.19 and inc 355 357 2 4.74 and inc 369 371 2 1.37 and 401 402 1 5.86 GL-17-108 GL-17-108 366 368 2 1.48 Notes: Assaying for the deep drilling program at Zone 7 was done by SGS at their laboratories in Burnaby, BC, and Red Lake, Ontario. Prepared samples were analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with AAS finish. Multi-element analysis was also undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. Mr. Wilton stated, "The highlight of the 2018 regional exploration program on the Goldlund property is the confirmation it provided to us that the geology and mineralization documented at the main Goldlund resource has also been demonstrated at the Miller prospect, which is ten kilometres northeast and along strike of the main Goldlund resource. As a result, First Mining has a priority exploration corridor located between these two areas. What should not be ignored, however, is the fact that the main Goldlund resource zone remains open along strike to the northeast, to the southwest, and at depth. The deep drilling results in the Goldlund main zone, while they do not fall into a pit-optimized resource, demonstrate the continuity of the ore body and the presence of visible gold at depth and provide another important avenue for potential resource expansion in the future. The total contained interpreted strike length of the geological prospect on the Goldlund property is approximately fifty kilometres, and to date, First Mining has investigated less than 10% of this. We are very excited by the significant exploration upside presented by our Goldlund property." QA/QC PROCEDURES The QA/QC program for the Phase 1 and 2 drilling programs at Goldlund and the 2018 regional drilling program at the Miller, Eaglelund and Miles prospects consisted of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These were inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in this program are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material. Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as coarse' or pulp' duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, were also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. For the Phase 1 and 2 drill programs, additional selected duplicates were submitted for screened metallic fire assay analysis, and for all of the drill programs (including the regional programs), duplicates were submitted to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertook their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. DATA VERIFICATION FOR UPDATED GOLDLUND RESOURCE ESTIMATE First Mining compiled all the data used in completing the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund from original source drill hole documents and from plan and section originals and copies. Goldlund has been tested by 2,195 drill holes, surface trenches and underground channel samples, plus development in the form of underground shafts, ramps, drifts, and an open pit. In addition to the drill hole database, a dataset containing underground wall sampling intervals was included. Wall sampling was conducted as continuous samples on both walls and at times at chest and back heights. The wall sampling data was converted into drill hole format to supplement the dataset. All resource estimations were conducted using SurpacTM version 6.8. Based on historical data and samples collected by First Mining, a specific gravity of 2.81 was assigned to the volcanics and a specific gravity of 2.72 was assigned to the mineralized dikes. Three-dimensional wireframe models of mineralization were developed for the seven zones based on: geology, alteration, a gold cut-off of greater than 0.2 g/t and a minimum 2 m horizontal width. Areas of drift development in mineralization were also created. Sectional interpretations were digitized in Datamine Studio software, and these interpretations were linked with tag strings and triangulated to build the three-dimensional solids by First Mining. WSP imported the Datamine solid files into SurpacTM for use, then updated certain files relating to Zones 1 and 7 where necessary. The mineralized zones are generally contiguous, however, due to several transverse faults throughout the Goldlund project, mineralization may often be terminated or shifted along these planes in one or more directions. The seven zones (Zones 1 through 8, no Zone 6), which are part of the mineral resource, were sampled by a total of 69,272 drill hole and trench intervals and 3,335 wall sample intervals. Individual block models were established in SurpacTM for all seven zones using one parent model as the origin. Drill hole spacing varies with the majority of the drilling tightly spaced from 30 m. A block size of 10 x 10 x 10 m was selected in order to accommodate the more closely spaced drilling and the narrow nature of the mineralization. Sub-celling of the block model was not used. The interpolations of the seven zones were completed using the following methods: nearest neighbour (NN), inverse distance squared (ID2) and ordinary kriging (OK). The estimations were designed for four passes. In each pass, a minimum and maximum number of samples were required as well as a maximum number of samples from a borehole in order to satisfy the estimation criteria. A pit shell was generated using the Lerchs-Grossman (LG) algorithm in Whittle. Table 6 below is a summary of the parameters used in the pit optimization process. WSP has concluded that the optimized pit shell suggests a resource using a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off and a US$1,350 gold price with a 5.8 strip ratio would be acceptable. Table 6. Pit Optimization Parameters for Goldlund Item Unit Amount Gold Price US$/Troy Ounce 1,350 Mining Cost (Open Pit) US$/tonne of material 2.00 Processing Costs US$/tonne of material 12.90 G&A Costs US$/tonne of material 2.50 Metallurgical Recovery Percent 93% Pit Slope Degrees 48 The Goldlund database has gone through several validations including 10% of the total database extant prior to 2010. The error rate of the initial dataset was found to exceed 1% (most errors were insignificant and related to mistakes in transcription). The entire dataset was subsequently examined and corrected and a second review returned no errors. A total of 100% of the assay data received between 2011 and 2014 was checked against the digital assay certificates with no discrepancies found. The same is true of collar coordinates, survey data, and lithology intervals. For the 2017 round of validation, WSP validated 10% of the data set by comparing the assay data with the digital assay certificates, and no discrepancies were found. The same is true of collar coordinates, survey data, and lithology intervals. The drill hole data database underwent a final validation during loading into SurpacTM 6.8, which has a routine that checks for duplicate intervals, overlapping intervals, and intervals beyond the end of hole. No errors were identified. WSP confirmed the locations of 11 surface drill hole collars during the site visit in 2010, an additional 10 collars during the 2011 site visit, and a further 9 collars (with some duplication) during the 2013 site visit. These collar locations were collected using a Garmin GPSmap 60Cx hand-held GPS unit having an accepted resolution of 5 metres. WSP confirmed the locations of 10 new surface drill hole collars during the site visit in 2014, and a further 20 collars during the 2017 site visit. These collar locations were collected using a Garmin GPSmap 62 hand-held GPS unit having an accepted resolution of 5 metres. In 2010 and 2013, a total of thirty-five samples of mineralized drill core were collected and delivered by WSP to Actlabs and Accurassay in Thunder Bay for preparation and analysis. Actlabs and Accurassay are accredited to international quality standards through the International Organization for ISO/IEC 17025 (ISO/IEC 17025 includes ISO 9001 and ISO 9002 specifications) with CAN-P-1579 (Mineral Analysis). The check samples reproduced the grades in the Goldlund drill holes as accurately as would be expected in an Archean lode gold deposit. Pulps from a further thirty mineralized intervals in the 2013-2014 drill program were collected by WSP from the Accurassay facility in Thunder Bay and delivered by WSP to ALS Minerals in Sudbury, Ontario for analysis for gold using a 50 gram aliquot in a FA/AA finish. In addition, a QC test was performed on each sample to test the pulp fineness. WSP did not collect any check samples from its 2017 site visit to Goldlund. WSP has concluded that the sampling practices applied by First Mining at Goldlund meet current industry standards and that the sample database provided by First Mining and validated by WSP is suitable to support the updated resource estimation for Goldlund. QUALIFIED PERSONS Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., Chief Operating Officer of First Mining, is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101 and he has reviewed and accepts responsibility for the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Todd McCracken, P.Geo, Manager with WSP Canada Inc., and the author of the technical report for the updated mineral resource estimate for Goldlund, is an independent "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101. Neither Todd McCracken of WSP Canada Inc. nor any associates employed in the preparation of the technical report ("Consultants") have any beneficial interest in First Mining. These Consultants are not insiders, associates, or affiliates of First Mining. The results of the updated resource estimate for Goldlund are not dependent upon any prior agreements concerning the conclusions to be reached, nor are there any undisclosed understandings concerning any future business dealings between First Mining and the Consultants. The Consultants are paid a fee for their work in accordance with normal professional consulting practices. ABOUT FIRST MINING GOLD CORP. First Mining Gold Corp. is an emerging development company with a diversified portfolio of gold projects in North America. Having assembled a large resource base of 7.3 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and 3.6 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category in mining friendly jurisdictions of eastern Canada, First Mining is now focused on advancing its assets towards production. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States. For further information, please contact Frank Lagiglia, Investor Relations, at 604-639-8824, or visit our website at www.firstmininggold.com. ON BEHALF OFFIRST MINING GOLD CORP. "Keith Neumeyer" Keith Neumeyer Chairman Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the filing by the Company of a technical report for this updated resource estimate for Goldlund under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website, within 45 days of the date of this news release; (ii) the estimated amount and grade of mineral resources at Goldlund;(iii) the Company's belief that its technical team will benefit from a greater understanding of, and confidence in, the controls on mineralization at Goldlund, as a result of this updated mineral resource estimate for the project; and (iv) the potential for exploration upside at Goldlund, both along the 10 km long prospective exploration corridor between the current resource area and the Miller prospect, and further to the northeast of the Miller prospect along strike. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at Goldlund at estimated grades; (ii) the capacities and durability of various machinery and equipment; and (iii) success in realizing proposed drilling programs. Although the Company's management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the material identified as mineral resources from that predicted; (ii) general risks related to exploration drilling programs; (iii) developments in world metals markets; (iv) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; (v) management's discretion to refocus the Company's exploration efforts and/or alter the Company's short and long term business plans; and (vi) the additional risks described in First Mining's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in First Mining's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR. First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. Initial diamond drilling program underway, with the first of six planned 400- metre deep holes completed First hole KTDD0001 intersects 175 metres at 0.28 g/t Au and 0.22% Cu from 259 metres to termination at 433.9 metres, with the hole ending in mineralization A grid soil sampling program over an area of approximately 2 km2 identifies a large coincident gold and copper anomaly VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K92 Mining Inc. (K92 or the Company) (TSXV: KNT; OTCQB: KNTNF) is pleased to provide an update on exploration at the Blue Lake Porphyry Prospect located approximately 4 kms southwest of the Companys Kora deposit at the Kainantu gold mine in Papua New Guinea (see Figure 1). Drilling recently commenced, with the first hole, KTDD0001 intersecting a mineralized silica cap, followed by a broad zone of intense argillic alteration (pyrophyllite/kaolinite), before drilling strong propylitic alteration in diorite, predominantly chlorite, with epidote increasing towards the end of the hole. Significantly, the hole intersected 175 metres @ 0.28 g/t Au and 0.22 % Cu from 259 metres to the end of the hole at 433.9 metres (see Tables 1 & 2 below). The hole was still in mineralization when completed (see Figures 2 & 3). The Blue Lake Project was discovered in early 2017 by the K92 exploration team following a systematic surface mapping and sampling program over the western portion of EL470. Strongly mineralized silicified breccias in outcrop were initially encountered by K92 in September 2017, with samples assaying up to 20 g/t Au and 15% Cu. Since the initial discovery, K92 geologists have mapped (lithology, alteration, structure) the prospect area in detail at 1:1,000, identifying a number of mineralized intrusives and breccias. An equidistant soil grid at 50-metre spacing over an area of approximately 2km2 has been completed, with more than 1,000 samples collected, revealing a large coincident gold and copper anomaly. Petrology of rock chip samples taken from outcrop from widely spaced locations from Blue Lake confirmed a high sulphidation overprint of outer potassic alteration/mineralisation, where enargite, tennantite/tetrahedrite, sulphosalt minerals, cubanite, chalcopyrite, bornite, sphalerite, galena and possible precious metal telluride minerals occur in paragenetic association with pyrophyllite-sericite, mosaic quartz, diaspore, kaolin clay and pyrite, defining an intermediate to high-sulphidation style of mineralisation within tonalite porphyry. The presence of secondary hypersaline fluid inclusion assemblages in primary quartz, ghosting of prograde metasomatic biotite and actinolite/tremolite, and the distribution of resorbed prograde metasomatic bornite and chalcopyrite provide evidence for hydrothermal overprinting of a protore porphyry copper (gold) regime. A significant conductor was identified from previously completed airborne EM geophysics within the Blue Lake Prospect, which is coincident with strong Mo anomalism in soil geochemistry. Integrated datasets (geology, geochemistry and geophysics) all point to a major mineralized porphyry system at Blue Lake. Chris Muller, K92 Vice President Exploration, states, This first hole at Blue Lake has exceeded our expectations, with the mineralized silica cap, together with a long, open-ended interval of equal ratio Au:Cu mineralized propylitic alteration assemblages suggesting proximity to a large, fertile Au-Cu porphyry system. This drilling result combined with the geology, geochemistry, geophysics and petrology make Blue Lake a compelling porphyry prospect. The Company will continue to advance the Blue Lake Prospect by completing this initial 2,400-metre diamond program. At this point we intend to then continue with a further, larger and more targeted drilling program based on the results and interpretations from this initial program. Table 1 KTDD0001 Drilling Results Hole_id From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Gold g/t Silver g/t Copper % Gold equivalent KTDD0001 5 20 15 0.63 4 0.02 0.7126 KTDD0001 259.3 433.9 174.6 0.28 2 0.22 0.6426 Table 2 KTDD0001 Collar Locations and Orientation Hole_ID Easting (AGD66) Northing (AGD66) mRL Bearing (AMG) Bearing (Magnetic) Inclination Depth(m) KTDD0001 371391 9316122 1639 120 115 -60 433.9 K92 Vice President Exploration, Mr. Chris Muller, PGeo, a Qualified Person under the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical content of this news release. Data verification by Mr. Muller includes significant time onsite reviewing drill core, soil and outcrop sampling, artisanal workings, as well as discussing work programs and results with geology personnel and external consultants. About K92 Mining K92 Mining is currently engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver from the Kora/Kora North deposit from the Kainantu Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018 and announced planned expansion of the mine in March 2019. An updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on the property was published in January 2019. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY, John Lewins Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact the Company at +1-604-687-7130. www.k92mining.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. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that address future plans, activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur are forward-looking information, including statements regarding the realization of the preliminary economic analysis for the Kainantu Project, expectations of future cash flows, the proposed plant expansion, potential expansion of resources and the generation of further drilling results which may or may not occur. Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the market price of the Companys securities, metal prices, exchange rates, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry, changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, and regulations and other matters.. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2019) - Walker River Resources Corp. (TSXV: WRR) ("Walker" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a letter of intent ("LOI") with Smooth Rock Ventures Corp. (TSXV: SOCK) ("Smooth Rock"), to enter into an Exploration Agreement with Option form a Joint Venture on the Garfield Flats Project, located in Mineral County, Nevada about 18 miles southeast of the town of Hawthorne, NV. The Garfield Flats Project consists of 106 unpatented mining claims having a combined area of approximately 858 hectares (2120 acres) that covers several past producing small-scale high-grade gold and copper mines, altered and mineralized zones discovered by previous geological compilations and mapping of the historical workings. Historical sampling on the project has revealed the presence of copper, bismuth, and antimony as well as pervasive lower grade gold mineralization, cut by vein structures (some previously mined) of higher-grade gold. Previous induced polarization surveys also denoted the presence of significant coincident I.P. anomalies. These factors clearly demonstrate the potential of this relatively unexplored project for the discovery of significant gold mineralization. The Garfield Flats Project is within the Walker Lane shear zone, a 60-mile-wide structural corridor extending in a southeast direction from Reno, Nevada, located 18 miles southeast of Hawthorne, NV along U.S. Highway 95. The project has excellent year-round access and infrastructure within Mineral County, one of the most pro-mining counties in the pro-mining states and highest-grade gold districts of Nevada. The Garfield Flats Project is located adjacent to New Range Gold Corp's Pamlico project. In close proximity to several past producing mines including the Bodie, Aurora, Borealis, Pamlico, Evening Star, Mabel, Mindoro and Camp Douglas Mines. Held by private interests for most of its history, Garfield Flats remains very underexplored with exceptional potential for new discoveries on several exploration targets with multiple zones. Smooth Rock has signed an "LOI" with Walker River to negotiate a definitive Exploration Agreement with Option to form a Joint Venture on the Garfield Flats Property. Smooth Rock can earn an undivided fifty percent (50%) interest in the Garfield Flats Property by funding $600,000.00 in Exploration Expenditures as follows: (a) for an initial 25% interest of the Garfield Flats project $300,000 in exploration expenditures within a one-year period and (b) for an additional 25% interest $300,000 in exploration expenditures on or before the second anniversary and (c) a 50/50 joint venture will be formed between Walker River and Smooth Rock. Smooth Rock may accelerate any of the above earn-in periods at its option. Walker shall be the operator of the exploration during the earn-in period. The Garfield Property is subject to an underlying 2% Gross Production Royalty. The parties expect to complete their respective due diligence and execute a definitive Exploration Agreement with Option form a Joint Venture to replace the LOI within the next 30 days. The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by E. Gauthier, geol., Eng (OIQ) a director of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Michel David" ________________________ Michel David, Chief Executive Officer and Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Walker River Resources Corp. Tel: 819 874-0030 Fax: 819 825-1199 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.wrrgold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange Nor Its Regulation Service Provider (As That Term Is Defined In The Policies Of The TSX Venture Exchange) Accepts Responsibility For The Adequacy Or Accuracy Of This News Release. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ TORONTO, March 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX | OTCQX: RBYCF) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("2019 Mineral Resource Estimate") for the Phoenix Gold Project (the "Project"). The Company plans to file an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Project within 45 days. Table 1: 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate at 3.0 grams per tonnes of gold ("g/t Au") Cut-Off Grade1 - Effective March 18, 2019 Resource Category Quantity (000'tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces Measured (M) 442 6.99 99,000 Indicated (I) 2,485 6.13 490,000 M + I 2,927 6.26 589,000 Inferred 2,570 6.53 540,000 Effective date for this Mineral Resource is March 18, 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate uses a break-even economic cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au based on assumptions of a gold price of US$1,400 per ounce, an exchange rate of US$/C$0.77, mining cash costs2 of C$97/t, processing costs of C$24/t, G&A of C$6/t, sustaining capital C$20/t, refining, transport and royalty costs of C$57/oz, and average gold recoverability of 95% Mineral Resource Estimate reported from within an envelope accounting for mineral continuity Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not demonstrate economic viability There is no certainty that all or any part of this Mineral Resource will be converted into Mineral Reserve All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates and totals may not add correctly _______________________ 1 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 2 Mining cash cost components include in-stope mining costs, underground utilities, material handling, and development costs. Table 2: Comparison between 20193 and 20184 Estimated Quantities at Reported Cut-Off Grades 3.0 g/t Au, 3.5 g/t Au and 4.0 g/t Au Cut-off Grade Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces Classification 2019 2018 Change 2019 2018 Change 2019 2018 Change 3.0 g/t Au Measured (M) 442 188 +135% 6.99 6.80 +3% 99,000 41,000 +141% Indicated (I) 2,485 1186 +110% 6.13 6.30 -3% 490,000 240,000 +104% Total M+I 2,927 1,374 +113% 6.26 6.37 -2% 589,000 281,000 +110% Inferred 2,570 3,884 -34% 6.53 6.00 +9% 540,000 749,000 -28% 3.5 g/t Au Measured (M) 335 155 +116% 8.18 7.54 +8% 88,000 38,000 +132% Indicated (I) 1,954 964 +103% 6.92 7.01 -1% 435,000 217,000 +100% Total M+I 2,289 1,119 +105% 7.11 7.08 0% 523,000 255,000 +105% Inferred 2,038 3,146 -35% 7.39 6.64 +11% 484,000 672,000 -28% 4.0 g/t Au Measured (M) 267 129 +107% 9.32 8.29 +12% 80,000 35,000 +129% Indicated (I) 1,575 779 +102% 7.69 7.78 -1% 389,000 195,000 +99% Total M+I 1,842 908 +103% 7.92 7.86 +1% 469,000 230,000 +104% Inferred 1,671 2,556 -35% 8.19 7.31 +12% 440,000 601,000 -27% Base case scenario for the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate is at the 3.0 g/t Au cut-off. Other scenarios are shown for comparison purposes. Numbers may not add up due to rounding ________________________ 3 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 4 The 2018 Estimates are not current and should not be relied upon. Key Points: 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate metrics, based on a 3.0 g/t Au cut-off grade: Measured and Indicated Resources increased 110% to 589,000 ounces of gold compared to the 2018 Indicated Resources of 281,000 ounces of gold; Measured and Indicated grades decreased 2% to 6.26 g/t Au compared to 2018 Measured and Indicated gold grades of 6.37 g/t Au; As a result of the successful conversion to Measured and Indicated Resources, Inferred Resources decreased 28% to 540,000 ounces of gold compared to the 2018 Inferred Resources of 749,000 ounces of gold. Inferred grades increased 9% to 6.53 g/t Au compared to the 2018 Inferred grades of 6.00 g/t Au; The increase in Measured and Indicated Resources is mainly attributed to the Company's successful 20,000-metre oriented infill drilling program in 2018, with the primary objective to improve confidence in the Mineral Resources above the 854-metre Level; The Company has increased the Measured and Indicated Resources by 456% over a two-year period from 2016 5 ; and ; and Rubicon commenced a Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "New PEA") on the Project, scheduled to be released in the second half of 2019. The Company will continue oriented infill drilling to expand the Measured and Indicated Resources to a threshold of more than 650,000 ounces of gold, which Rubicon believes is the required level to advance the Project to the Feasibility Study-level stage. General observations and commentary on the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate The Company has observed a relatively robust conversion rate of Inferred Resources to the Measured and Indicated categories; Sparsely-drilled Explore Target areas (greater than 80-metre centres) have the potential of between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of mineralized material grading between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au, mostly at depth; Test trial mining and bulk sampling program completed at the end of 2018 validates the current geological model and supports the parameters and methods used to compile the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate; and Potential to further upgrade the classifications and expand the 2019 Mineral Resources with data from up to 20,000 metres ("m") of oriented drilling planned in 2019. Potential information for consideration in the New PEA (scheduled for H2/19) Phoenix Gold Project mill processing metrics (gained from 2018 bulk sample program): 1,540 tonnes per day (" tpd ") throughput rate (based on 22-hour mill availability) and 1,800 tpd capacity at current configuration, gold recoveries of 95.1% (43.2% from gravity); 1,540 tonnes per day (" ") throughput rate (based on 22-hour mill availability) and 1,800 tpd capacity at current configuration, gold recoveries of 95.1% (43.2% from gravity); Bulk mining and development rates (gained from 2018 test trial mining program): Sublevel longhole mining achieved 8.7% external dilution of test stopes, current development costs, rock mechanics, ground control; Sublevel longhole mining achieved 8.7% external dilution of test stopes, current development costs, rock mechanics, ground control; Surface infrastructure ready for operations: Hoist fully operational, civil and earthworks in place, electric substation operational, and upgrades to the 200-person camp, tailings management facility (" TMF ") and water treatment plant; and Hoist fully operational, civil and earthworks in place, electric substation operational, and upgrades to the 200-person camp, tailings management facility (" ") and water treatment plant; and Significant underground infrastructure: More than 14,000 m of development already in place, including an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface, and an assessment of an underground ramp to surface. More than of development already in place, including an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface, and an assessment of an underground ramp to surface. Uniquely positioned: The existing infrastructure provides the opportunity to move the Project back into potential commercial production in a short time frame and at lower construction risk than development-stage peers, subject to an economic conceptual mine plan. ________________________ 5 The 2016 Estimates are not current and should not be relied upon. Rubicon President and Chief Executive Officer George Ogilvie, P.Eng., stated, "The significant growth in Measured and Indicated Resources, without a significant decline in grade, brings additional confidence and validation for the Phoenix Gold Project and its potential as a commercially viable operation. We are also pleased with the improvement in ounces and grades at the 3.5 g/t Au and 4.0 g/t Au cut-off grades. We will further evaluate the continuity of mineralization at these higher cut-offs, as either of these scenarios could further improve the economics of the Project. We remain firmly on the path to building a conceptual mine plan with new economics for the Phoenix Gold Project, which will be reflected in a New PEA scheduled for the second half of 2019. We believe the New PEA has the potential to show strong economics considering all the new, fully commissioned surface and underground infrastructure already in place. The New PEA will also benefit from real, operational data collected during our recent test trial mining and bulk sampling program, where we implemented actual mining techniques that could be utilized under a potential commercial production scenario while using our own processing facility." "Over the last two years, our management, our site operating and geology teams have delivered on all the major goals towards turning around and bringing confidence back to the Project. We believe our successful 35,000-tonne test trial mining and bulk sampling program in late 2018 validates the geological model and the mineral resources. In the coming months, we plan to enhance value to shareholders by delivering a New PEA and continue oriented infill and expansion drilling to potentially convert Inferred ounces to Measured and Indicated categories and grow the overall mineral resources at depth, where there is high-grade mineralization from historical drilling and where the deposit remains open." "We believe Rubicon is uniquely positioned and has significant upside potential on a go forward basis. With more than 28,000 hectares of prime exploration real estate, we are the second largest property holder in the prolific Red Lake Gold Camp and we hold a very strategic position considering we own newly installed working infrastructure in the region. Combine that with a de-risked and potentially robust Phoenix Gold Project, and a management team with a strong operational and turnaround experience, we believe we have the recipe to increase shareholder value in the near- to long-term." "I look forward to updating our shareholders when the New PEA is completed as it will provide us with a first glimpse at a conceptual long-term life of mine plan for the Phoenix Gold Project." 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate6 (see Table 1 above) benefits from 551,811 m7 of core drilling in 1,631 drill holes. The 2019 Mineral Resource model covers a strike length of approximately 1,200 m and depths down to 1,403 m Level and remains open along strike and at depth. The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate excludes the crown pillar and depleted resources from test trial mining. The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate was evaluated using a geostatistical block modelling approach constrained by mineral and lithologic domains interpreted from the drill hole and mapping data. The block model grades were interpolated using inverse distance cubed ("ID3"), which the Company evaluated as the most representative method. Rubicon assessed other grade interpolation methodologies, including ordinary kriging ("OK"), and determined that the ID3 estimates controlled grade smoothing and achieved an appropriate grade-tonnage profile relative to the characteristics of the deposit. A nearest neighbour (NN) model was interpolated to support model validation. Density data was assigned based on average values for each lithologic unit. The block model was classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014). Drill spacing for the Mineral Resources in the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories were approximately 20 m, 40 m, and 80 m centres, respectively, where geology and grade continuity were reasonably understood. Measured Resources are additionally supported with proximity to sub-level development, mapping, chip samples and supported by the bulk sample reconciliation data, where available. Measured and Indicated Resources are predominantly located near existing underground infrastructure and development. The Mineral Resources are sensitive to the selection of reporting assumptions. The sensitivity of the Mineral Resource estimates to the selection of cut-off grade is summarized as grade tonnage data in Table 3 below. The classified Mineral Resources reported by underground level are tabulated in Table 6 (at the end of this news release). Please refer to Table 5 at the end of the news release for further details on the geological modelling and high-grade treatment strategies, including top-cut values and coefficients of variation ("CV") for each sample population. Please see Diagrams 1, 2, and 3 (at the end of this news release) showing the conceptual plan and longitudinal views of Zones 1 and 2 (the two main mineral domains) of the 2019 Mineral Resource blocks in the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories, and Exploration Target areas. In late 2018, the Company completed more than 35,000 t of test trial mining and bulk sample processing, resulting in a positive reconciliation of mill results to the 2018 Mineral Resource block model estimates for the test stopes mined (for further details, see news release dated November 28, 2018). The results validate the geological model, while the test trial mining the demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping (a bulk mining method) in the mining of the deposit. ________________________ 6 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 7 Excludes certain historic holes drilled from surface angled down-plunge into the deposit. Table 3: 2019 Mineral Resource Sensitivity Analysis at Potential Mining Cut-off Grades8 Measured + Indicated Classification Inferred Classification Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000't) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces (000) Quantity (000't) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces (000) 2.0 5,237 4.57 770 4,526 4.76 692 2.5 3,861 5.41 672 3,315 5.68 605 *3.0 2,927 6.26 589 2,570 6.53 540 3.5 2,289 7.11 523 2,038 7.39 484 4.0 1,842 7.92 469 1,671 8.19 440 4.5 1,510 8.73 424 1,384 9.01 401 5.0 1,263 9.52 386 1,164 9.82 368 *Base Case Scenario: Mineral Resource Estimate uses a break-even economic cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au Comparison Between the 2019 and 2018 Minerals Resource Estimates9 The Company believes the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate brings more confidence, due to the growth of Measured and Indicated Resources compared to the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate (see Table 2 above for the comparison between 2019 and 2018 at different cut-off grades). At the reporting cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au, the 2019 Measured and Indicated Resources' tonnes and gold ounces increased by 113% and 110%, respectively, and grades slightly decreased 2%, compared to the 2018 Measured and Indicated Resources. The 2019 Inferred Mineral Resources' tonnes and gold ounces decreased by 34% and 28%, respectively, and grades increased 9% compared to the 2018 Inferred Resources. The significant increase in the Measured and Indicated Resources is mainly attributed to the Company's successful 2018 oriented infill drilling program of more than 20,000 m and the high conversion rates of Inferred Resources. Rubicon has changed some of the estimation parameters for the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate. The summary of the changes is outlined in Table 4 below. ________________________ 8 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 9 All references to the 2018 Estimates are reported in the Technical Report with an effective date of June 13, 2018 is no longer considered to be current and not to be relied upon. Table 4: Summary of Key Parameters that Contributed to the Changes in Mineral Resources between 2019 and 201810 Parameter 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate10 Material Impact Informing Data Data from drilling and development samples 1,631 core drill holes 551,811 m Chip samples not used 1,343 core drill holes 438,303 m (3,500 m of oriented structural drilling; 20,000 m of oriented infill and step-out drilling) Chip samples included with a 10 m distance restriction Increased drill density in the targeted areas Detailed mapping No Change >9,000 m of underground development and exposure of gold mineralization in test stoping Updated level mapping from accessible levels None Geological Modelling Wireframe/ volumetrics Reviewed and updated based on post- 2017 drilling Broader mineral domains modelled to allow for interpretation of both mineralization and controlling stratigraphy Model representative of mineralization and host lithology resulting in larger zones with increased tonnes, grades, and ounces Block Size No Change 2 m x 2 m x 2 m None High-Grade Treatment Strategy Capping grade of mineral domains Capping of 1.0 m composites grades based on mineralization zone and lithology: Zone 1: High-Ti Basalts ("HTB") 160 g/t Au, Ultramafics ("UM") 70 g/t Au, Felsic Intrusives ("FI") 117 g/t Au Zone 2: HTB 92 g/t Au, UM 60g/t Au, FI 80 g/t Au Zone 3: HTB 4 g/t Au, UM 24 g/t Au, FI 30 g/t Au Zone 4: HTB 23 g/t Au, UM 10 g/t Au, FI 13 g/t Au Capping of 1.0 m composite grades based on mineral domain and stratigraphy: Zone 1: F2 Basalt 70.0 g/t, Talc 35.0 g/t, Felsic 10.0 g/t Au Zone 2: West Limb & Hanging Wall Basalts 70.0 g/t Au, Talc 35.0 g/t, Felsic 35.0 g/t Zones 3 & 4: same as Zone 1 Capping completed on equal length basis and representative of the grade distribution of the host lithologic unit and mineralization domain Radii of influence Outlier samples limited to first pass search range. Outlier samples limited to 10 m Controlled influence of outlier data Estimation methodology Hard boundary HTB. ID3 interpolation using search ellipses based on variogram ranges and orientation of mineralization. Hard boundary mineralization based on stratigraphic and structural interpretations with dynamic search controls using ID3 Model representative of lithologic controls Geological modelling As logged geology units combined into three lithologic units constrained within mineralization envelopes. Stratigraphic block model created and used for mineral domain controls Geological interpretation based on understanding of the nature and controls on mineralization ________________________ 10 All references to the 2018 Estimates are reported in the Technical Report with an effective date of June 13, 2018 is no longer considered to be current and not to be relied upon. New PEA Scheduled for H2/2019 The Company has elected to conduct a New PEA to determine the economic potential of the Project, utilizing information from the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, and the successful test trial mining and bulk sample processing Rubicon undertook in 2018. Rubicon will continue exploration drilling to expand the Measured and Indicated Resources to more than 650,000 ounces, which is the current main threshold that the Company believes is needed to advance the Project to a Feasibility Study. Work on the New PEA for the Project is underway and is scheduled to be delivered in the second half of 2019. The New PEA will provide a preliminary glimpse at a potential production schedule and associated cash flows and will benefit from the following information: Mill processing: Rubicon owns a state-of-the-art mill that was constructed in 2015, with a capacity of 1,800 tpd based on its current configuration. In 2015, more than 40,000 t of mineralized material were processed through its mill, achieving gold recoveries of 91.5%. In 2018, as part of the Company's successful test trial mining and bulk sampling program, Rubicon processed more than 35,000 t of mineralized material through its mill, achieving throughput and gold recoveries of 1,540 tpd (based on a 22-hour mill availability) and 95.2% (with 43.2% via gravity), respectively. Rubicon owns a state-of-the-art mill that was constructed in 2015, with a capacity of 1,800 tpd based on its current configuration. In 2015, more than 40,000 t of mineralized material were processed through its mill, achieving gold recoveries of 91.5%. In 2018, as part of the Company's successful test trial mining and bulk sampling program, Rubicon processed more than 35,000 t of mineralized material through its mill, achieving throughput and gold recoveries of 1,540 tpd (based on a 22-hour mill availability) and 95.2% (with 43.2% via gravity), respectively. Bulk mining: The Company has successfully demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping during its 2018 test trial mining program, achieving external dilution of 8.7%. Average dimensions of the test stopes were 21 m height by 27 m strike length by 6 m stope width, however, Rubicon believes that it has the potential to increase stope dimensions; The Company has successfully demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping during its 2018 test trial mining program, achieving external dilution of 8.7%. Average dimensions of the test stopes were height by strike length by stope width, however, Rubicon believes that it has the potential to increase stope dimensions; Surface infrastructure ready for operations: Rubicon has a fully operational hoist, all the civil and earthworks in place, and a working electrical substation. The Company believes some capital is required for upgrades to the 200-person camp, adding another lift to the TMF to account for bulk mining, and an ammonia reactor (to treat ammonia) upgrade to the water treatment plant. The Company has roughly C$300 million in sunk capital consisting of hard, tangible assets at site, including its new state-of-the-art mill; and Rubicon has a fully operational hoist, all the civil and earthworks in place, and a working electrical substation. The Company believes some capital is required for upgrades to the 200-person camp, adding another lift to the TMF to account for bulk mining, and an ammonia reactor (to treat ammonia) upgrade to the water treatment plant. The Company has roughly in sunk capital consisting of hard, tangible assets at site, including its new state-of-the-art mill; and Significant underground infrastructure: The Project has more than 14,000 m of underground development already in place, included an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface and the capacity to be able to hoist more than 3,000 t of material a day. The Company will assess the economics of completing an underground ramp to surface to exclusively transport personnel and equipment to the underground. Next Steps The Company believes it can potentially improve upon the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate in the following areas: Targeted infill and step-out drilling in areas containing Inferred Resources and Exploration Targets 11 : Rubicon intends to upgrade resources to the higher Measured and Indicated categories by drilling areas at depth of the deposit where existing drill spacing is on 40-m centres or more. Furthermore, Rubicon has identified Exploration Target areas 11 (greater than 80-metre centres) potentially between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of sparsely drilled mineralized material with grades potentially between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au where the Company intends to infill drill. Rubicon has budgeted up to 20,000 m of drilling from the 610 m and 685 m Levels. Rubicon intends to upgrade resources to the higher Measured and Indicated categories by drilling areas at depth of the deposit where existing drill spacing is on 40-m centres or more. Furthermore, Rubicon has identified Exploration Target areas (greater than 80-metre centres) potentially between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of sparsely drilled mineralized material with grades potentially between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au where the Company intends to infill drill. Rubicon has budgeted up to of drilling from the and Levels. Evaluating McFinley and Close Proximity Targets: Rubicon is evaluating Mineral Resource data from the historic McFinley Deposit, located near existing underground development at the Project, using current standards and parameters, which could be potentially included in any future Mineral Resource Estimate. The Company is also evaluating historical drill data from its Close Proximity Targets (Peninsula, CARZ, and Island Zones) located within two kilometres northeast of the Project, which could possibly be included in any future updated Mineral Resource Estimate. Rubicon is evaluating Mineral Resource data from the historic McFinley Deposit, located near existing underground development at the Project, using current standards and parameters, which could be potentially included in any future Mineral Resource Estimate. The Company is also evaluating historical drill data from its Close Proximity Targets (Peninsula, CARZ, and Island Zones) located within two kilometres northeast of the Project, which could possibly be included in any future updated Mineral Resource Estimate. F2 Gold Deposit remains open at depth and along strike: Historical drilling intersected high- grade intercepts to a depth of 1,600 m below surface, well below the bottom of the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate at 1,403 m Level. These intercepts warrant follow up drilling in the future. ________________________ 11 As per 2.3(2)(a) of NI 43-101, the potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature, that there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Qualified Persons and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) The content of this news release has been read and approved by George Ogilvie, P.Eng., President and CEO, and Michael Nerup, P.Geo., Senior Site Geologist for Rubicon, and Tim Maunula, P.Geo. for T. Maunula & Associates Consulting Inc. ("TMAC"). All are Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101. Underground drilling was conducted by Boart Longyear Drilling of Haileybury, Ontario and was supervised by the Rubicon exploration team. All assays reported are uncut unless otherwise stated. All samples reported herein were performed by SGS Mineral Services of Red Lake, Ontario. All NQ core assays reported were obtained by fire assay with AA-finish or using gravimetric finish for values over 10.0 g/t Au. Intercepts cited do not necessarily represent true widths, unless otherwise noted, however drilling is generally intersecting interpreted mineralized zones at angles between -30o and +30o. True width determinations are estimated at 65-80% of the core length intervals for the 305 m Level drilling, and estimated at 75-95% of the core length for the 610 and 685 m Level drilling. Rubicon's quality control checks include insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates to ensure laboratory accuracy and precision. About Rubicon Minerals Corporation Rubicon Minerals Corporation is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls the second largest land in Red Lake consisting of over 285 square kilometres of prime exploration ground, and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com. RUBICON MINERALS CORPORATION George Ogilvie, P.Eng. President, CEO, and Director Table 5: Further Details on Geological Modelling and High-Grade Treatment Strategy Geological Modelling Geological domains were modelled based on broad low-grade mineralization envelopes associated with the three main High-Ti Basalt lenses defined on the property (from mine grid West-to-East including Hanging Wall Basalt, West Limb Basalt, and F2 Basalt). TMAC used block model techniques to estimate gold grade into 2 m x 2 m x 2 m blocks using Geovia GEMS software. All as logged rock types were grouped into three main stratigraphic units consisting of Ultramafic (UM), High-Ti Basalt (HTB) and Felsic Intrusive (FI) as determined by grade distribution analysis of the rock types present. These stratigraphic units were then used as mineralization domains to constrain the gold grade estimates. The High-Ti Basalt was treated as a hard boundary with the other lithologies. Grade estimation was completed using ID3 interpolation using 1.0 m composite samples, with additional search controls based on variography and trends of mineralization. A 4-pass search strategy was used where gold estimates required a minimum of 5 and maximum of 11 samples for the first 2 passes, a minimum of 4 and maximum of 8 samples for the 3rd and a minimum of 3 and maximum of 8 samples for the 4th passes. All blocks were estimated using two drill holes. Search distances were factored for each successive search. Average density values were assigned to the model based on lithology. High-Grade Treatment Strategy High-grade composite samples (outliers) were controlled during the estimation process using a combination of distance restriction and capping (composites capped to a defined maximum value). Within the first pass, samples were capped and limited to the first pass search range. For Passes 2 to 4, the outlier samples were removed from the grade estimation. Cap values were assessed based on cumulative probability, disintegration analysis and decile analysis for each lithology within mineral envelopes for Zones 1 to 4 as summarized below. CVs of uncapped and capped grades for Zones 1 to 4 are also summarized below. Cap Values for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4: Zones Lithology Cap Value (g/t Au) Zone 1 UM 70 HTB 160 FI 15 Zone 2 UM 60 HTB 92 FI 80 Zone 3 UM 24 HTB 4 FI 30 Zone 4 UM 10 HTB 23 FI 13 CV for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 Uncapped: Zone Rocktype ZR Code Count Minimum (g/t Au) Maximum (g/t Au) Mean (g/t Au) Std Dev CV 1 UM 107 5864 0.0025 415.86 0.66 6.52 9.85 HTB 109 12503 0.0025 1,211.40 2.42 19.04 7.88 FI 117 1829 0.0025 53.90 0.54 1.99 3.71 2 UM 207 64248 0.0025 1,918.36 0.33 11.29 34.69 HTB 209 18742 0.0025 1,074.34 1.64 13.19 8.04 FI 217 29159 0.0025 1,526.67 0.78 10.22 13.04 3 UM 307 20480 0.0025 95.97 0.06 1.18 20.23 HTB 309 28 0.0025 3.99 0.37 0.89 2.42 FI 317 3855 0.0025 57.86 0.50 1.58 3.14 4 UM 407 4408 0.0025 68.55 0.05 1.06 21.50 HTB 409 1158 0.0025 72.88 0.65 3.11 4.78 FI 417 470 0.0025 195.94 0.67 9.07 13.58 Std Dev Standard Deviation; CV coefficient of variation CV for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 Uncapped: Zone Rocktype VR Code Count Minimum (g/t Au) Maximum (g/t Au) Mean (g/t Au) Std Dev CV 1 UM 107 5864 0.0025 70.00 0.59 3.27 5.59 HTB 109 12503 0.0025 160.00 2.11 7.21 3.41 FI 117 1829 0.0025 15.00 0.50 1.37 2.75 2 UM 207 64248 0.0025 60.00 0.20 1.84 9.41 HTB 209 18742 0.0025 92.00 1.41 4.75 3.36 FI 217 29159 0.0025 80.00 0.70 2.43 3.49 3 UM 307 20480 0.0025 24.00 0.05 0.67 13.72 HTB 309 28 0.0025 3.99 0.37 0.89 2.42 FI 317 3855 0.0025 30.00 0.49 1.16 2.37 4 UM 407 4408 0.0025 10.00 0.04 0.28 7.90 HTB 409 1158 0.0025 23.00 0.57 1.77 3.11 FI 417 470 0.0025 13.00 0.28 1.03 3.70 Std Dev Standard Deviation; CV coefficient of variation Table 6: Classified 2019 Mineral Resources by Underground Level at 3.0 g/t Au Cut-off Grade12 Measured and Indicated Resource Inferred Resource Below surface (m) Tonnes (000s) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au oz (000s) Tonnes (000s) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au oz (000s) 84 8 7.70 2 8 4.90 1 122 51 7.90 13 29 9.70 9 183 170 5.50 30 21 3.86 3 244 248 6.27 50 14 7.14 3 305 284 6.39 58 25 5.68 4 366 396 7.40 94 14 4.88 2 427 429 6.69 92 61 4.81 9 488 347 6.41 71 136 5.38 23 549 274 5.58 49 96 5.56 17 610 167 5.74 31 100 7.21 23 640 208 5.48 37 147 7.22 34 671 7 5.53 1 7 9.20 2 685 95 5.87 18 79 8.23 21 732 99 5.01 16 60 4.93 9 793 124 5.79 23 162 5.88 31 854 21 5.05 3 166 5.37 29 915 322 6.49 67 976 273 8.11 71 1,037 177 6.27 36 1,098 112 6.59 24 1,159 218 6.00 42 1,220 120 6.61 26 1,281 49 4.51 7 1,342 71 8.88 20 1,403 53 10.37 18 ________________________ 12 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Diagram 1: 2019 Mineral Resource Classification Plan View, 305 m Level (Looking Grid North) Diagram 1: 2019 Mineral Resource Classification Plan View, 305 m Level Diagram 2: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 1 (F2 Basalt) Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Diagram 2: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 1 Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Diagram 3: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 3 (F2 Basalt) Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Diagram 3: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 3 Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the anticipated timing of the filing of the NI 43- 101 Technical Report, the reasons for the increase in Measured and Indicated Resources, the anticipated timing of the release of the PEA, the anticipated future infill drilling to be completed, along with the threshold level of Measured and Indicated Resources to advance the Project to the Feasibility Study-level stage, the potential amount of mineralized material and its grade to be realized from the Explore Target areas, the impact of the data from the 20,000 m of drilling planned in 2019 on the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the potential information for consideration in the PEA, the potential advancement of the Phoenix Gold Project to a viable commercial operation, the potential results of the New PEA, the anticipated outcome of further oriented infill and expansion drilling of the deposit, the defendability of the parameters used in the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the nature of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate when compared with the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate, the potential to expand the Project's mill capacity, the potential to increase stope dimensions of the Project, the estimated value of the tangible assets at the Project site, the potential to improve the quantities and classification of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the further steps necessary to potentially improve upon the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimates, including targeted infill and step-out drilling to potentially convert Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources, using the results from the bulk sampling program for reconciliation and validation purposes, the evaluation of the McFinley Deposit and other close proximity targets for potential inclusion in a future Mineral Resources Estimate, and follow-up drilling of the F2 Gold Deposit at depth and along strike. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 22, 2019 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers Regarding Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources This news release uses the terms "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources and "Inferred" Mineral Resources. The Company advises U.S. investors that while these terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities administrators, they are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of Proven and Probable Reserves. The estimation of "Inferred" resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a "Measured", "Inferred" or "Indicated" mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility studies, pre-feasibility studies or other economic studies, except in prescribed cases, such as in a preliminary economic assessment under certain circumstances. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of a "measured", "indicated" or "inferred" mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Information concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources contained herein may not be comparable to information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2019 / Timberline Resources Corporation (OTCQB: TLRS; TSX-V: TBR) (''Timberline'' or the ''Company'') today announced Phase 2 drilling plans at the Elder Creek Project in Nevada's Battle Mountain mining district. Approximately 2,000 m of drilling are planned in up to four holes to test a strong IP/resistivity (IP) anomaly identified in December, 2018. Two holes drilled by the Company earlier in 2018, located on the periphery of the anomaly, contain significant copper mineralization (see Table 1 and Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6), while shallow historical holes drilled for gold (Figure 3) intercepted material amounts of copper: Table 1. Summary of Elder Creek 2018 Drilling Results The proposed holes (Figures 1 through 6) will test a strong IP anomaly (see press release dated January 8, 2019 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases/) identified by the survey which was completed by Zonge Geophysics. Multiple additional targets have been defined through integrated interpretation of surface and drill-hole geology, re-processed magnetic and gravity data, and the IP survey results. These targets represent follow-up discovery opportunities which are fully permitted and drill-ready. The IP anomaly delineates a concentration of sulfide minerals in a body of rock extending 1,600 m long and approximately 500 - 800 m wide (Figures 1 and 2). The anomaly follows two parallel faults along a N/NE trend, and further north, also follows a NW'ly trend. It occurs within a very large (2 x 4 km) oval-shaped copper-molybdenum-gold-silver system defined by hydrothermal alteration and metal zoning characteristic of porphyry copper deposits. Steven Osterberg, Timberline's President and CEO commented, ''We consider Elder Creek to be a rare opportunity to discover a very large polymetallic porphyry system in Nevada, one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions. The target is particularly compelling being located within the metallogenically well-endowed copper and gold-producing Battle Mountain mining district where immediately infrastructure is excellent. Phase 2 drilling will begin in Q2 and will test the heart of the IP anomaly.'' Figure 1. Elder Creek Project Area Geology, Alteration Zoning, IP Anomaly, and Drilling (2018 and Proposed) Figure 2. Plan View of Elder Creek IP (Chargeability) 2-D data inversion at 1,300 m Elevation Proposed Drilling The initial two proposed holes will test the strong IP anomaly, with locations of the remaining holes contingent upon results. Proposed drill hole 1 (PDH-1) (Figures 1-3) will offset core hole CCEC18-02 and target coincident IP, magnetic (Figure 5), and gravity (Figure 6) anomalies in the area where chargeability is strongest, which likely represents the greatest sulfide mineral concentration. Proposed Drill Hole 2 (PDH-2) will test the core of the IP anomaly N/NE of PDH-1 where coincident anomalies also indicate relatively dense, magnetic rocks (Figures 4 - 6). The Company expects to resume drilling in Q2/2019. Drill sites are fully permitted with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Figure 3. Cross Section Line 3600N showing IP Chargeability Anomaly with Drill Hole CCEC18-02, Historic Drill Holes, and Proposed Drill Hole 1 (PDH - 1). Figure 4. Cross Section Line 4000N IP Chargeability Anomaly with Historic Drill Holes, and Proposed Drill Hole 2 (PDH-2). Figure 5. Elder Creek IP (chargeability) and Magnetics (vertical derivative and magnetic limit), with Alteration Zoning, and 2018 and Proposed 2019 Drill Holes Figure 6. Elder Creek IP (chargeability) and Gravity (horizontal derivative) with Alteration Zoning, Magnetic limit, and 2018 and Proposed 2019 Drill Holes Elder Creek Property Timberline's Elder Creek and adjacent Paiute copper-gold properties lie within the prolific Battle Mountain District of Nevada, approximately 11 miles (18 km) north of Newmont's Phoenix mining complex. Data compiled from over 40-plus years of exploration on the property documents only shallow, historic drilling within a pronounced magnetic low considered to be the core of a large porphyry copper-gold hydrothermal system. Furthermore, only shallow drilling occurred along the north and northeastern magnetic high and primarily targeted gold. Geologic and geophysical characteristics, and rock geochemical sampling results evident at Elder Creek (see press release dated June 18, 2018 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases/) are common to major porphyry copper deposits. Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Mr. Osterberg is not considered independent of the Company as defined in Section 1.5 of NI 43-101. Drill intercepts are reported as drill thicknesses; true widths of intercepts are unknown. About Timberline Resources Timberline Resources Corporation is focused on advancing district-scale gold exploration and development projects in Nevada. These include its 23 square-mile Eureka property, comprising the Lookout Mountain, Windfall, and Oswego projects which lie along three separate structural stratigraphic trends defined by distinct geochemical gold anomalies, as well as being operator of both the Paiute joint venture project with a subsidiary of Barrick Gold, and the Elder Creek joint venture with McEwen Mining. All of these properties lie on the prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Timberline also owns the Seven Troughs property in Northern Nevada, which is one of the state's highest-grade former gold producers. Timberline has increased its owned and controlled mineral rights in Nevada to over 43 square miles (27,500 acres). Detailed maps and NI 43-101 estimated resource information for the Eureka property, and NI 43-101 Technical Reports for the Elder Creek and Paiute Projects may be viewed at http://timberlineresources.co/. Timberline is listed on the OTCQB where it trades under the symbol "TLRS" and on the TSX Venture Exchange where it trades under the symbol "TBR". Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Forward-looking Statements Statements contained herein that are not based upon current or historical fact are forward-looking in nature and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations about its future operating results, performance and opportunities that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the advancement of projects, and exploration potential. When used herein, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," ''upcoming,'' "plan," ''target'', "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to Timberline Resources Corporation, its subsidiaries, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. There are no assurances that the Company will complete the earn-in on the Elder Creek project as contemplated or at all. Factors that could cause or contribute to risks involving forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in the Company's business and other factors, including risk factors discussed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSXV) (AVPMF:US OTC) (8AM:FRANKFURT) is pleased to provide assay results for drill hole SES003 which was drilled on the Alvalade Project in 2014, but not analyzed until now due to its general proximity and similar visible characteristics to drill hole SES002. The SES003 assays were completed now in order to be added into Avrupas 3D model of the 2 Lens. Hole SES002 is the Sesmarias 2 Lens discovery hole, and its assay results are also shown below. SES003 added approximately 18 meters of dip length to the 2 Lens, as calculated in 2014. Results from SES003 are comparable to those from SES002, as shown in the tables below. SULFIDE TYPE FROM TO TOTAL Cu % Ag ppm Pb % Zn % Sn % Co % Massive/semi-massive 132.05 145.70 13.65 1.92 38.8 1.03 1.91 0.03 0.103 FROM TO TOTAL Cu ppm Ag ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm --- Co ppm Weak/moderate stockwork 145.70 152.50 6.80 4133 7.42 3908 11645 --- 296 Table 1. Results from SES003 SULFIDE TYPE FROM TO TOTAL Cu % Ag ppm Pb % Zn % Sn % Co % Massive/semi-massive 151.65 162.50 10.85 1.81 75.3 2.57 4.38 0.13 0.075 FROM TO TOTAL Cu ppm Ag ppm Pb ppm Zn ppm --- Co ppm Weak/moderate stockwork 162.50 168.50 6.00 4514 10.57 1886 4838 --- 528 Table 2. Previously reported results from SES002 (February 27, 2014). To date, Avrupa has drilled seven closely-spaced, shallow core holes in the area of SES002 and SES003 to determine possible extent of the 2 Lens. Avrupa also conducted several types of downhole and surface geophysical surveys. Intercepts of broken massive sulfide mineralization in SES005, SES006, and SES007, along with results from the geophysical work, and review of the actual core material in all of the holes suggested that mineralization comprising the 2 Lens occurred in a fault zone (now understood as the eastern boundary fault described in recent news releases of February 11, 2019 and March 11, 2019). The interpretations from the 2014 drilling program suggested that the possible extents of the 2 Lens were on the order of 100-125 meters dip x 50-75 meters strike, and 5-10 meters thickness, as demonstrated in the following cross section and map view of the mineralization. Figure 1. Simplified interpretive section through SES002/003/004/005. From this interpretation, the massive sulfide horizon strikes northwest, and dips moderately to steeply towards the northeast. Prepared by B. MacFarlane, 2014 Figure 2. Interpretive geologic map above the Sesmarias fence of drillholes. This sub-Tertiary interpretation utilized drillhole data, as well as MALM and DHEM geophysics to produce the map. Prepared by B. MacFarlane, 2014 Work completed during the recent 2018 drilling program, including re-logging of the historic holes, sampling of SES003, drilling of SES030 which encountered the fault zone where sulfide mineralization was anticipated, and a full, computer-driven re-model of all data by project geologist J. Coder suggested similar, slightly enlarged parameters for the 2 Lens. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, stated, Results of all work around the 2 Lens suggest presence of a small, high grade, copper-bearing body of massive sulfide mineralization. Strong indications of further mineralization contained within the bounding fault zone need to be followed-up by drilling along both strike and depth of the fault zone. At this time, we have not identified the source of this massive sulfide mineralization, but it is possible that further blocks of mineralization will be located within the fault. Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a prospect generator model. The Company holds one 100%-owned, self-funded flagship project, the Alvalade VMS Project. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany. For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com. On behalf of the Board, Paul W. Kuhn Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. DENVER, Colorado and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandspring Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SSP, OTCQX: SSPXF) (Sandspring or the Company) is pleased to announce the delineation of three new mineralized vein structures in its Chicharron Project area in Colombia. These structures have been identified as a result of the Phase 1 drilling program commenced December 2018. As set out in the Companys press release of December 19, 2018, the Company is conducting a drilling program on its 100% owned Chicharron silver-gold project located in Segovia, Antioquia, Colombia, within Gran Colombia Gold, Ltd.s gold mining concessions. The program contemplates a 10-20-hole diamond drilling program to an average depth of approximately 100m from surface in areas extending the strike length to the northeast and southwest of the historical underground workings and across the faulted zone to the north. The first phase of the program was planned to consist of ten diamond drill holes totaling approximately 1,175 meters and is focused on the areas southwest of the historical underground workings. The area northeast of the workings will be tested in the second phase of the drilling program. The primary goals of the program were to: (1) increase the geological understanding surrounding the historically productive Guia Antigua (GA) mine; (2) explore for additional high-grade shoots within the known mineralized veins along both the Chicharron shear zone (CCH), and (3) across a NW-SE bounding fault in the adjacent fault block to the southwest of the mine. Phase 1 of the program has been completed, which with modification to extend holes consisted of ten diamond drill holes totaling approximately 1,546 meters. Three drill platforms were constructed from which multiple holes were drilled in varying directions to intersect different targets within the exploration area (see Figure 1). Platform GA-001, DDH 1-4 targeted the Chicharron shear-zone along strike and other structures in the hanging-wall of the shear zone; Platform GA-002, DDH 5-6 drilled into the SW adjacent block to determine both the offset of the NW-SE trending fault and potential location of the GA quartz vein within the adjacent fault block to the southwest of the mine; Platform GA-003, DDH 7-10 targeted both further extension of the Chicharron shear-zone to the southwest and potential continuity of the GA quartz vein in adjacent southwestern fault block. Two of the planned holes were re-entered and extended after initial drill results had been reviewed thereby extending the expected duration of the program and increasing the total meters in the program. Table 1. Highlighted Drill Results* Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Vein / Model Drill Length (m)* Au Grade (g/t) Ag Grade (g/t) GA-ES-001 65.74 67.9 GUP 2.16 2.46 203.45 GA-ES-001 164.5 165.7 CER 1.20 8.57 3298.00 GA-ES-002 102.3 104.41 CCH 2.11 0.16 6.52 GA-ES-003 85.98 90.67 CCH 4.69 0.45 3.16 GA-ES-004 91.12 93.02 CCH 1.90 0.11 4.95 GA-ES-005 19.49 20.87 GAN 1.38 1.07 22.40 GA-ES-005 129.3 129.66 CER 0.36 0.11 1.20 GA-ES-007 69.26 74.38 CCH 5.12 0.29 5.49 GA-ES-007 140.33 140.53 CER 0.20 1.25 0.70 GA-ES-008 142.00 142.17 CER 0.17 0.60 2.60 GA-ES-009 56.20 57.64 CCH 1.44 0.07 2.40 GA-ES-010 103.60 105.30 CCH 1.70 0.09 2.05 * The width as defined in the list of drill intercepts above are the length of core and not the true width of mineralization as the true width of mineralization cannot be determined with the data and information available at this stage of the drill program. Excellent core recovery was obtained from the first phase of drilling at Chicharron. The diamond drill holes were drilled at both HQ and NQ sizes and core recovery to date has averaged greater than 95% through the mineralized zones. A mineralized intercept in DDH GA-ES-001 returned a 1.2m drill length interval grading 8.57 g/t Au and 3,298 g/t Ag from 164.5m to 165.7m drill depth in the hanging-wall of the shear zone. The high-grade intercept is in close proximity to the NW-SE fault. Review of the drilling results suggest this new structure occurs at a higher angle relative to the drill hole, suggesting a steeper dip than the GA vein and the low-angle CER vein described below. The presence of this high-grade intersection on a different orientation to the historically mined GA vein indicates the potential for further discoveries in this area. Further exploration will be undertaken along strike to the northwest targeting extensions of this intercept. Chicharron shear-zone drilling from platforms GA-001 and GA-003 along strike to the southwest of the Guia Antigua Mine intercepted one high grade mineralized interval grading 2.46 g/t Au and 203.4 g/t Ag over a 2.16m drill length from 65.74 to 66.55m in DDH GA-ES-001 which is also in the hanging-wall of the shear zone. This intersection is interpreted to be a new mineralized structure in the hanging wall which has been named Guadalupe (GUP). A third new mineralized structure has been identified in several drill holes in the southwestern fault block. This new Mineralized Structure (identified as CER in Table 1.) is delineated by moderately mineralized intercepts in drill holes GA-ES-005,007, and 008 (see Table 1). The CER mineralized vein lies approximately 95m below the GA vein at a strike of 335 NW and dip of 2 degrees NE and is interpreted as a splay off the Chicharron shear-zone. The structural grade control for the CER Au and Ag vein is currently not well understood due to its different orientation to the GA vein (340 NW Strike & 20 degrees NE dip) or mine and due to the fact that there is a lack of high-grade mineralization when CER approaches the Chicharron Shear (CCH) to the southwest. The CER intercepts appear to be associated with a narrow steeply tensional structure sub-parallel to the structure mined in the Guia Antigua Mine (see Figure 2). The orientation of the new vein is not currently considered to be favorable to high-grades and it is therefore considered a low priority target within the Southwestern Fault Block. The balance of the drill results in the Shear Zone indicate that the Shear Zone in this area is weakly mineralized and does not warrant further drilling at this stage. The lower level of the Guia Antigua Mine was not drilled along strike of the northern mineralization during the Phase 1 drill program. This will be included in the next phase of exploration and that area. Additional on-going validation and referencing of the historical database indicates further potential exists in the hanging wall of the shear zones to the north-west in proximity to the Chicharron mine. These geo-referenced intersections in conjunction with the high-grade intercept and the GUP intersection from DDH GA-ES-001, indicate there is potential to locate additional mineralization in the north, which is now the higher priority. A second phase drilling program will increase the geological understanding of this area and target potential extensions of the mineralization within the GUP and CCH veins from the historical Guia Antigua mining area. (Figure 3). The drilling results support the potential that additional mineralized shoots similar to the Guia Antigua exist along the Chicharron Shear. The discovery of these additional mineralized structures near the historically productive Guia Antigua mine certainly warrants further exploration work. Our exploration team of SRK Consulting and the Gran Colombia Gold exploration group are working now to define the best exploration alternatives for the Project, said Rich Munson, CEO Table 2. Complete Drill Results Complete drill results (Table 2) will be posted as an appendix to the copy of the press release on Sandsprings website at www.sandspringresources.com. Quality Assurance / Quality Control The drill program and sampling protocol is managed by personnel from Gran Colombia Gold Ltd. The diamond drill holes are drilled at HQ and NQ sizes and core recovery to date has averaged 95%. Half core is cut by rock saw and is generally sampled using 1.5 m meter intervals. Sample preparation and analytical testing and reporting of quantitative assays for the Chicharron results reported in this press release was performed independently by SGS (ISO 9001:2008) at their laboratory in Medellin, Colombia, an accredited metallurgical testing laboratory. The half core samples were securely transported by Gran Colombia personnel from the project site to the SGS sample preparation facility. Gold analyses reported in this release was performed by standard fire assay (FA450) using a 50-gram charge with atomic absorption finish and a gravimetric finish for assays greater than 10 grams per tonne. Samples from the geochemical survey were submitted for analysis of ICP 37 elements (including gold) AQ252 30 gram (Aqua Regia digestion - Ultratrace ICP-MS analyses). A system of blanks, standards and duplicates were added by the Company to the sample streams to verify accuracy and precision of assay results, supplementing a variety of internal QA/QC tests performed by SGS. Qualified Persons Review The technical information in this document has been reviewed and approved by Ben Parsons MAusIMM (CP) of SRK Consulting US Inc., a Consultant for Sandspring Resources Ltd., who has experience with the style of mineralization under consideration and is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Sandspring Resources Ltd. Richard A. Munson Director and Chief Executive Officer About Sandspring Resources Ltd. Sandspring Resources Ltd. is a Canadian junior mining company currently moving toward a feasibility study for the Toroparu Project in Guyana, South America with 7.4 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories. A prefeasibility study completed in May 2013 (NI 43-101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study, Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana, dated May 24, 2013 completed by SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc., available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com)) outlined the design of an open-pit mine producing more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually over an initial 16-year mine life. Sandspring and Wheaton Precious Metals (formerly known as Silver Wheaton) entered into a gold and silver purchase agreement for the Toroparu Project. Sandspring also holds a 100% interest in the Chicharron Gold Project located in the Segovia-Remedios mining district, Antioquia, Colombia. Additional information is available at www.sandspringresources.com or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Contact Sandspring Resources Ltd. Richard A. Munson Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 (303)-991-5683 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words potential, suggesting, indicating, will, plans and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information and/or statements. Forward-looking statements and/or information are based on a number of material factors, expectations and/or assumptions that Sandspring has used to develop such statements and/or information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Sandspring believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Sandspring can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such information and/or statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and/or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information and/or statements including, without limitation: the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates; results from drilling and exploration activities; the ability of Sandspring to complete the Transaction; Sandsprings future plans; the availability of financing and/or cash flow to fund current and future plans and expenditures; the impact of increasing competition; fluctuating commodity prices; the general stability of applicable economic and political environments; the general continuance of current industry conditions; uncertainty regarding the market price for gold, silver and copper; uncertainty of conducting operations under a foreign regime; uncertainty of obtaining all applicable regulatory approvals and related timing matters; Sandsprings dependence on management personnel; and/or certain other risks detailed from time-to-time in Sandsprings public disclosure documents. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligations to publicly update and/or revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of additional information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. NOT FOR RELEASE IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES TORONTO, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Sun Mining Inc., (TSX: ESM) (Euro Sun or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing by issuing 10,000,000 units of the Company (each a Unit and collectively, the Units) at a price of C$0.30 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$3,000,000.00 (the Offering). Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one half of a common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of C$0.50 for a period of 24 months from issuance. If at any time after four months and one day from the closing of the Offering, the common shares of the Company trade at C$0.75 per common share or higher (on a volume weighted adjusted basis) for a period of 20 consecutive days, the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days after the Company issues a news release announcing that it has elected to exercise this acceleration right. The gross proceeds of the Offering will be used for general corporate purposes and for the advancement of its Rovina Valley Project. The securities underlying the Units will be subject to a four month hold period that expires on July 27, 2019. Closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of regulatory approval, including final Toronto Stock Exchange approval. The Company paid cash finder fees up to 7% to certain finders. This press release is not an offering of securities for sale in the United States. The Units, Warrants and common shares of the Company have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of that Act. Euro Sun also announces that Mr. Justin Reid has resigned as a director of the Company to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Reid has been a director of the Company since August 4, 2016 and the Company would like to thank Mr. Reid for his valuable contributions. About Euro Sun Mining Inc. Euro Sun is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed mining company focused on the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Rovina Valley gold and copper project located in west-central Romania, which hosts the second largest gold deposit in Europe. Further information: For further information about Euro Sun Mining, or the contents of this press release, please contact Investor Relations at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +1 416.309.4299. Caution regarding forward-looking information: This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Offering and use of proceeds of the Offering and the appointment of a new director. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.eurosunmining.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balmoral Resources Ltd. (Balmoral or the Company) (TSX: BAR; OTCQX: BALMF) announced that drilling aimed at expanding the Companys recent high grade nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE sulphide discoveries within the central portion of the Grasset Ultramafic Complex (GUC) in Quebec has commenced. The new high grade nickel sulphide discoveries are located 7 kilometres northwest of, and along strike from, Balmorals Grasset multi-million tonne nickel-copper-cobalt-platinum-palladium deposit (Figure 1). Drilling in late 2018 resulted in the discovery of a number of new nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE occurrences within the ultramafic volcanic facies of the GUC (Figure 2). Results were highlighted by an intercept of 7.58 metres grading 1.05% nickel, 0.31% copper, 0.05% cobalt, 0.20 g/t platinum and 0.48 g/t palladium, including a massive sulphide intercept which graded 4.14% nickel, 0.26% copper, 0.18% cobalt, 0.81 g/t platinum and 1.93 g/t palladium over 0.65 metres, from one of four new discoveries, each of which returned greater than 1% nickel (see NR19-01, Jan. 17, 2019). Follow-up geophysical work indicated a number of nearby EM anomalies interpreted to represent continuations of the massive sulphide intervals intersected. At least two of these geophysical anomalies will be targeted during the current round of testing. We are excited to begin the process of evaluating the recent nickel sulphide discoveries made by the team within the GUC and by the potential they hint at for the balance of the belt going forward said Darin Wagner, President and CEO of Balmoral Resources. The goal of this program is to determine the controls on the new discoveries so we can quickly expand them and move to target additional nickel sulphide mineralization of this type throughout the belt. Approximately 1,500 metres of drilling is planned in the Central GUC area during the current program. A decision of future drill plans and geophysical work in this area will be made following the completion of this phase of testing. The Company also advises that it has now filed its 2019 Annual Information Form on SEDAR www.sedar.com. Summary Balmoral has commenced a 1,500 metre drill program to follow up on new high-grade nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE discoveries in an area seven kilometres northwest, and along strike, from the Companys Grasset deposit. Balmoral has now filed its 2019 Annual Information Form Qualified Persons Mr. Michael Tucker (P. Geo. B.C., Ont. and Temporary Permit, Que.), Project Geologist for the Company, is the non-independent qualified person for the technical disclosure concerning the Fenelon property in this release. Mr. Tucker supervised the fall 2018 drill program and will supervise the program discussed above. He has worked on the Grasset and Fenelon properties since 2014. Mr. Tucker has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release. About Balmoral Resources Ltd. www.balmoralresources.com Balmoral is a multi-award winning Canadian-focused exploration company actively exploring a portfolio of gold and base metal properties located within the prolific Abitibi greenstone belt. The Companys flagship, 1,000 km2 Detour Gold Trend Project hosts the resource stage Bug and Martiniere West gold deposits and the Grasset nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposit. Employing an aggressive, drill focused exploration style in one of the worlds preeminent mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through the discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets. On behalf of the board of directors of BALMORAL RESOURCES LTD. Darin Wagner President and CEO For further information contact: John Foulkes, Vice-President, Corporate Development Tel: +1 (604) 638-5815 / Toll Free: +1 (877) 838-3664 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, forward looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the nature and potential of certain zones of mineralization, the utility and usefulness of certain geophysical surveys, the correlation of geophysical anomalies to mineralization of interest to the Company, the assay results from sulphide or other mineralization intersected in on-going drilling and anticipated results and timing of the Companys exploration programs in general are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believes, expects, anticipates, intends, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Companys expectations include those related to the mineral tenor of mineralization intersected on the properties, the success or failure of the geophysical contractors to survey individual drill holes and interpret the results from the surveys, factors relating to weather, staffing and costs which may be beyond the control of the Company, metal prices and economic considerations related to mining and exploration, access to financing to continue the Companys exploration activities and the financial stability of the other companies mentioned and the market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration and mining stage companies. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Companys public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Companys mineral properties. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. A Thai policewoman trudges through waste and ruined buildings looking for bodies but she needs only a joystick and a virtual reality headset for the grim task, as technology comes to the aid of disaster management training. As around 40 police officers watch her progress on a large screen, officer Chanika Sookreangs digital double goes from body to body in the ruined city, photographing tattoos, faces anything that can later be used to establish who the victim was. VR is good as it allows us to be trained before we go to the actual scene, says Chanika, who has firsthand experience in relief work from the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) developed the new game and is testing it out for the first time on teams in Thailands Chonburi province in a bid to recreate the daunting challenge of identifying bodies, which can help in repatriating them to families. Dozens of forensic experts from the Red Cross are stationed around the world to help countries respond to tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters. Training for refugee camps and high-risk disaster hotspots like Indonesia have long relied on heavy mannequin models. But a former Swiss army officer turned video gaming enthusiast has recruited graphic designers from the gaming industry to help create the ICRCs first Virtual Reality unit in Bangkok, which will allow teams to reach a wider audience. If you do training in a classroom, like how to put a body into a bodybag, it is excellent because you can have the weight, says Christian Rouffaer, head of the VR team. By contrast, the new simulation is weightless, but what you will have is all the risk factors complicating search-and-rescue missions such as the presence of animals and dangling electrical cables, he tells AFP. In one sequence a rat scurries across the ground as the rescuer tries to retrieve the corpse of a woman, whose arm comes detached when the body is flipped over. Lost Forever To make the training more realistic, the ICRC team worked with forensics specialist Ivett Kovari. She explains that she came up with the idea for the rat because thats what happens in reality. In the field, responders have to search for remains, take notes and photographs, and transport bodies. A diligent inventory of the victims belongings from phones and jewellery to family photos and ID cards is also crucial, Kovari tells participants in Thailand, warning that otherwise this information is going to be lost forever. Virtual reality is increasingly sought after for skills training, from hospitals to industry. Disaster zone rescue is the latest in a series of VR simulations from the Red Cross. Trainees can already visit overcrowded prison cells to check on conditions one of the groups global mandates or plunge into the chaotic world of a refugee camp to assess needs of those displaced by conflict. Some are even intended for mainstream use, such as an immersive first aid game created at the request of the British Red Cross. Another game looking at earthquake response is currently in production. A decade ago the ICRC produced research on gamers committing war crimes in the virtual world, which sparked ridicule. But the uproar led to the agency working with the creators of war video game Arma 3 to create a new iteration that included a more humanitarian perspective, from the workers on the ground to the complex rules of engagement in conflict. Countries like Thailand, which lack big budgets for quick relief response, are keen to take advantage of VRs cost-saving measures. The head of Thailands disaster victim identification department Nithi Bundhuwong attended the training in Chonburi and was enthusiastic about a virtual crime scene immersion program he showed off on his smartphone. In the past, training was based on repeating (the same exercise) again and again, and it was a waste of time and money, he tells AFP. Thanks to virtual reality, we can simulate different scenarios from crime scenes to the chaos of a natural disaster, he added. Philippine authorities said Wednesday they had filed more criminal charges against Maria Ressa, a veteran reporter and prominent critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, six weeks after detaining her overnight. Ressa is the chief executive and editor of online news site Rappler, which has reported extensively on Dutertes deadly anti-drugs crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives and which rights groups say may be a crime against humanity. Ressa has accused Duterte of using prosecutions against her, including ongoing cases of alleged tax evasion and libel, to silence critics and intimidate the press. Ressa insists the site is not anti-Duterte, saying it is just doing its job to hold the government to account. The journalist, together with six other current and former Rappler board members and editors, has now been accused of securities fraud. Rappler said Ressa is abroad. However the six others charged posted bail on the new charges on Wednesday. Ressa, 55, and the six others were accused of allowing foreigners, through a 2015 bond sale, to take control of her media business. Under the constitution, the media is an economic sector which is reserved for Filipinos or Filipino-controlled entities. They were also charged with securities fraud over the bond sale according to a statement issued to the press by a state prosecutor. It said this allowed the buyer, a foreign fund, to intervene in the management, operation, administration or control of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation. Ressas lawyer declined to comment on the fresh cases when contacted by AFP. The countrys corporate regulator revoked Rapplers business licence last year over the bond sale, but the site continued operating as it appealed the case in the courts. Last month, Ressa spent a night in detention but eventually posted bail for allegedly libelling a businessman in a news article written in 2012. Ressa, who has Philippine and US passports, was named a Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2018 for her journalism and her February 13 arrest sparked international censure. cgm/fa TIME INC. A Palestinian volunteer medic was killed by Israeli forces during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said. Sajid Muzher, 17, was killed in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem in the southern West Bank, the ministry said. He was shot by Israeli forces while volunteering as a medic, a ministry spokesman told AFP. The Israeli army did not comment on the death but said troops were responding to a violent riot. In a statement, Palestinian health minister Jawad Awad said the occupations killing of a volunteer medic by shooting him in the stomach is a war crime. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society confirmed he was working with them, saying in a statement he was shot while trying to treat a person wounded in clashes. Israeli forces frequently enter West Bank refugee camps to carry out arrests or other operations, often sparking clashes with residents. In a statement, the army said that during operational activity in Dheisheh Refugee Camp, southwest of Bethlehem, a violent riot was instigated. Dozens of rioters hurled blocks and firebombs at the troops, who responded with riot dispersal means. It said it had received a report regarding an injured Palestinian, without further details. The World Health Organization strongly condemned the killing in a statement, saying the man was killed while providing care to the injured. We are saddened by this tragic loss. Health workers provide critical care and save lives. Their protection must be ensured, said Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the WHO office for the West Bank and Gaza. Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch country director, told AFP that if confirmed the death would mark at least the fourth clearly identifiable Palestinian medic gunned down by Israeli forces in the last year. Routine unlawful killings by Israeli forces and full impunity in Israel highlight the need for the International Criminal Court to open a formal probe into serious crimes committed in Palestine, he said. Gaza has for nearly a year been the scene of massive protests and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers along its demarcation line with the Jewish state. In that time, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed, along with two Israeli soldiers. Here is a recap: First deadly day Protesters stage a mass rally on March 30, 2018, demanding the right to return to homes, now inside Israel, that Palestinians fled or were expelled from in the late 1940s as the Jewish state was created. Tens of thousands of Palestinians converge along the barrier that separates Gaza from Israel. Officially organised by civil society groups, The Great March of Return is backed by Islamist militant movement Hamas, which runs Israeli-blockaded Gaza. Several groups of protesters face off with Israeli soldiers, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Israeli snipers respond with live fire, killing 19 Palestinians. Kites on fire On April 6, thousands of Palestinians gather again near the security barrier. Nine Palestinians are killed and nearly 500 injured. Four days later, the Palestinians employ a new tactic, sending kites across the border, some carrying explosive devices, to set fire to farmland. Similar kites and balloons have since torched thousands of hectares of land and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of damage. Bloodbath On May 14, tens of thousands of Palestinians return to the barrier as the US opens its controversial embassy in Jerusalem after recognising the disputed city as Israels capital. At least 62 Palestinians are killed by Israeli fire in the ensuing violence, with more than 2,400 wounded. On June 13, the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution, opposed by Washington, condemning Israel for the violence. Summer of violence On July 14, Israel unleashes dozens of air strikes, killing two Palestinians, while 200 rockets target Israel. Overnight August 8-9, Hamas fires some 180 rockets and mortars from Gaza, according to the Israeli army, which says it responded by targeting 150 of the movements military sites. After a brief respite, 10 Palestinians are killed in clashes with the Israeli army during demonstrations on September 28 and October 5. Aid from Qatar On November 9-10, as mediation efforts progress, Palestinian civil servants in Gaza receive millions of dollars in salary arrears, funded by Qatar. Since then, four instalments of Qatari aid have been distributed to Palestinians in Gaza. Under UN auspices, Qatar has also financed deliveries of fuel to the territorys only power plant. Escalation On November 11, an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip leaves seven Palestinians and one Israeli soldier dead. In revenge, Hamas the next day attacks an Israeli bus, severely wounding a soldier. It is the beginning of one of the worst escalations in years, with hundreds of rockets and mortars fired at Israel and dozens of Israeli strikes against Gaza positions. Seven Palestinians are killed. On November 13, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire is agreed. A day later, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigns, saying Israel is capitulating to terror. On November 21, four Palestinians are killed by Israeli soldiers. UN probe On February 28, 2019, a UN probe says Israel may have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity in responding to unrest in Gaza, as snipers intentionally shot civilians, including children. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the report outright. Rockets and strikes On March 14, rockets are fired from Gaza towards the region of Tel Aviv. Overnight, Israeli aircraft and helicopters strike dozens of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The organisers of Friday protests along the Gaza-Israel demarcation line say they are calling off this weeks rallies. Three teenage schoolgirls jailed in Burundi for scribbling on a picture of President Pierre Nkurunziza in textbooks have been released on bail, their lawyer said Wednesday. The arrest of the girls, aged 15, 16 and 17, who had faced up to five years in prison for insulting the head of state, sparked an international outcry. The three schoolgirls have been granted bail, their lawyer, Prosper Nyanzira, told AFP. They have just left the juvenile prison where they were detained and were handed over to their parents. The trio has been in custody since March 12. The girls had been accused of defacing photographs of Nkurunziza in five textbooks belonging to their school. Since their arrest, activists have been sharing images of Nkurunziza covered in doodles, including drawings making the president look like a woman and a clown. Burundi has been in turmoil since Nkurunziza in April 2015 sought a fiercely-contested third term in office. The violence has claimed at least 1,200 lives and displaced more than 400,000 people between April 2015 and May 2017, according to estimates by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has opened an investigation. Hong Kong: CEs council of advisers meets The Chief Executive's Council of Advisers on Innovation & Strategic Development held its fifth meeting today to discuss Hong Kongs economic outlook. The council was also briefed on a study that makes recommendations for the future development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the opportunities it offers to Hong Kong. In anticipation of slower global economic growth and external challenges in 2019, members discussed measures to stabilise the economy and how Hong Kong could better leverage the opportunities brought about by the continuous eastward shift of global economic activities. They also provided suggestions on how Hong Kong can strengthen its conventional sectors and promote new growth areas such as innovation and technology. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said while factors including US-China trade tensions, uncertainties surrounding US monetary policy and a hard Brexit may adversely affect Hong Kong's economy, emerging Asian economies will continue to be an important growth engine for the global economy. The Belt & Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development will definitely bring enormous opportunities for Hong Kong. The Government will implement precautionary measures to mitigate the risks of a potential downturn of the global economy and strengthen its role as the facilitator and the promoter to further enhance the development of the Hong Kong economy." Regarding the study Creating the Greater Bay Area of the Future - Opportunities for Hong Kong that was undertaken by the 2022 Foundation, members generally agreed with its recommendations which are in line with the directions set out in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mrs Lam said the Government would refer to the study when formulating policies and pursuing co-operation initiatives with other cities in the bay area. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Every week, I offer a glimpse of the kind of intelligence assessments that are likely to come across the desk of the President of the United States, modeled on the President's Daily Briefing, or PDB, which the director of national intelligence prepares for the President almost daily. Here's this week's briefing: As the President prepares for his meetings with hard-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro this week, and on the heels of the horrific terrorist attack in New Zealand, his team should be preparing an assessment of the rise of nationalist movements around the world. After terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events, presidents often ask their teams for updated threat assessments. They call emergency briefings in order to better understand the cause of an attack and the likelihood that more violence could follow. Those briefings -- based on the best analysis that the US government has to offer -- can be used to develop new strategies to keep the American people safe. We do not know if President Donald Trump asked for a briefing on violent nationalist movements after the Christchurch attack and after the suspected gunman released a manifesto espousing white nationalist views. We do know, however, that Trump minimized the threat of white nationalism on Friday when he said that he doesn't see it as a major threat The President must not have read his own counterterrorism strategy before he signed it, because it specifically talks about the threat of nationalist movements to Americans. Plus, there's open source data shows that far-right terrorism is rising around the world. In the US alone, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) assessed that white supremacist murders in the US "more than doubled in 2017." It also found that far-right extremist groups and white supremacists were "responsible for 59 percent of all extremist-related fatalities" in America in 2017. Any presidential briefing would note that far-right nationalism doesn't just linger in dark corners of the internet. Far-right nationalism is on the rise, publicly and around the world. Many far-right world leaders have -- whether intentionally or not -- become symbols for different nationalist groups and individuals that engage in violence. Brazilian bromance While Trump reacts to the terrorist attack in New Zealand, he's about to welcome the "Trump of the Tropics" -- the far-right President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro -- to the White House. Bolsonaro and Trump have more than a few things in common, including nationalist views. Any profile of Bolsonaro -- whom Trump is expected to first see on Monday -- would include a description of his far-right views. He campaigned on a nationalist platform which included Trump-esque rhetoric, including criticizing the media and the left. He's also known for his racist, homophobic and sexist remarks Since taking office, Bolsonaro has taken a hard-line stance on immigration (he's previously made anti-immigration remarks that echo Trump's, including that "the scum of the earth is showing up in Brazil, as if we didn't have enough problems of our own to sort out") and how it relates to preserving Brazilian sovereignty and culture. Nationalism is trending in Europe But nationalism isn't limited to Bolsonaro. While far right movements in European countries have distinct national flavors, many employ similar rhetoric, including claims about an immigrant "invasion." Trump himself used this term again on Friday when discussing immigration and narcotics flows at our southern border. To make matters more complex, Trump has described himself as a nationalist. But in light of that characterization, he may want to take a look at the company he's keeping. In Europe, far-right nationalist parties are making political gains. As these parties gain more political power, the propensity for people to get inspired by their rhetoric -- and their policies -- is higher. The US intelligence community assessed that ethno-supremacists and ultranationalists in Europe posed a significant enough threat to US interests that they were listed in the latest worldwide threat assessment -- compiled by the US intelligence community -- and if nationalist momentum continues in Europe, we could see that threat increase further. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose right-wing nationalist coalition wields significant power, visited Trump at the White House in July, and the adulation between the two was apparent. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany Party is gaining traction, as is the Freedom Party in Austria, Slovenian Democratic Party in Slovenia, Sweden Democrats in Sweden, and Freedom Party in the Netherlands, just to name a few. In other words, staunchly anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, right-wing parties in Europe are gaining increased traction and along with them, bigoted rhetoric and, potentially, policies. The European Union Parliamentary elections this spring will be another litmus test for just how strong a grip nationalism has on Europe, although the growing right has already made itself apparent in national elections. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban may be one of the most powerful nationalist leaders in Europe. In addition to curtailing democratic freedoms and consolidating power, he has taken staunchly anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim positions (he's called Muslim refugees "invaders" and pledged to protect Hungary from the "rust" of Muslim immigration) and has even begun building his own border fence. His use of Islamophobic rhetoric and conspiracy theories, along with his focus on promoting Hungary's Christian identity, have been trademarks of his years in office. He's heralded by right wing figures throughout Europe, particularly when he equates migrants to terrorists threatening to invade his country. And Orban has found common ground with nationalist officials -- including in Poland's Law and Justice Party -- especially over anti-migration platforms. The leader of Poland's Law and Justice Party (which secured strong gains in Poland's last parliamentary election) has even suggested that migrants could bring "epidemics" to Europe "which don't affect their organisms, but which could be dangerous here." This kind of language could inspire more violence against Muslims and immigrants. Trump has taken a new approach to Orban. While President Barack Obama calibrated his outreach to Orban carefully by largely avoiding high-level contact, Trump, at least according to his ambassador to Hungary David Cornstein, thinks that Orban is "a very strong leader. And our President admires strong leaders and looks forward to this relationship going forward." Trump appears to agree with Orban on the threat that migrants pose to "European culture" -- Trump himself said that immigration is "changing the culture of Europe." And Orban is hungry for friends -- especially ahead of EU Parliamentary elections. Putin's playing too Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has branded himself a nationalist, and he's not going anywhere anytime soon. Since securing another term as President in a deeply-flawed election, Putin is in office until at least 2024, with the possibility of extending his rule beyond that. He's found allies in some of Europe's nationalist leaders, including Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Hungarian President Orban and members of Italy's ruling coalition. As part of his ongoing goal to degrade the US-led liberal democratic order and maintain his grip on Russia, we should expect him to continue doing everything he can to advance his own nationalist agenda. This includes supporting leaders who want to diminish European integration (which nationalist leaders in Europe largely want to do). And we should expect him to inflame tensions over controversial issues like immigration. Meanwhile, Trump's description of himself as a nationalist leaves little doubt about who he aligns himself with ideologically. While he fails to acknowledge any connection between his words and violence, many alleged terrorists, a Klansman (who Trump later disavowed) and other extremists do view him as an inspiration. Regardless of whether other nationalist leaders around the world intend to inspire violence, their positions of power, along with the dangerous rhetoric they employ, are stoking divisions. Given the risks, leaders should think twice before they speak, especially those who know that they are viewed as symbols for violent movements. JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. A man from the town of Gladstone in Clackamas County is in custody on Wednesday afternoon after allegedly leading law enforcement on a 36-mile high-speed chase across Jackson County on Tuesday evening. Dispatch received a 911 call about a reckless driver on Crater Lake Highway near Vilas Road just before 5:30 p.m. "The caller reported a red Honda Civic hatchback was speeding, driving in the center lane, and veering into oncoming traffic. Additional callers reported the vehicle nearly caused a head-on crash in White City and cut off an ambulance as it continued north into Eagle Point," the Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) said in a statement. The dispatchers realized that they had received calls earlier in the day about the same vehicle driving recklessly in two different areas of West Medford. Oregon State Police dispatch said that it had also taken a call about the vehicle "speeding and driving recklessly" on I-5 through Medford. Just minutes later, a JCSO deputy spotted the red Civic heading north on Highway 62 just south of Shady Cove. JCSO said that the deputy tried to get the driver later identified as 28-year-old Shadow Lee Newman to stop, but the driver continued northbound. Thus, the pursuit began. According to JCSO, Newman temporarily stopped his car in the middle of the roadway in Shady Cove "and shouted at the deputy." He then took off again, driving north "in a reckless manner." "Newman stopped again in the middle of the roadway at the 27-mile marker and shouted at the deputy again," JCSO said. Newman reportedly ignored the deputy's commands and kept heading north on Hwy 62, reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. "As Newman passed Prospect, his vehicle began smoking heavily and eventually caught fire," JCSO said. As the Civic began to slow, JCSO said that the deputy was able to execute a PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver, causing Newmans vehicle to spin out and stop on the shoulder of Hwy 62 near the mile marker 55. Still, JCSO said, Newman resisted the efforts of deputies to take him into custody. "A TASER was used to control Newmans movements and deputies were able to place him in handcuffs," JCSO said. Newman was taken to jail without further incident, and his case will be forwarded to the DA's office for prosecution and to review for more potential charges. At present, Newman has been lodged on charges of Attempt to Elude a Police Officer, Reckless Driving, and Recklessly Endangering. SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregon has permanently banned offshore drilling in the midst of a federal push to open 90 percent of federal waters to oil exploration. Gov. Kate Brown signed a measure on Wednesday to extend a temporary 10-year ban that was set to expire next year. There is currently no oil production in the state but the U.S. Department of the Interior recently identified a possible operation site off the coast of Oregon and Washington state. The measure also directs state agencies not to assist with any potential drilling operations in federal waters off the Oregon coast. CLICK HERE for information on a previous executive order issued by Brown that preceded this new legislation. Brown said the move proves Oregon is "taking a leadership role in preventing the erosion of core laws that protect our environment." Six other coastal states have passed similar bans and seven others are considering similar action. WHITE CITY, Or-- The Table Rock Trails are very popular in Southern Oregon. Yesterday the hiker fell off of Upper Table Rock which is the one to the right. Aleece Townsend and Richard Hales are two of the hikers out today. They've done the Upper Table Rock Hike at least 20 times. They weren't shocked when I told them someone fell off yesterday. Richard Hales says, "I've seen plenty of people sitting or standing right on the edge all it takes is you slip on a piece of rock." The rocks and trails can be very slippery at times. Molly Allen the Environmental Education Specialist at BLM says table rock is old and the rock is brittle. It crumbles very easily. Because of the fall, hikers today were concerned about changes that could come. Hales says, "I would hate that they would put fences up that would be awful." I did ask Allen about this concern. Allen says she does not for see the BLM putting railings on the cliffs anytime soon. She also adds the BLM tries to inform the public about the slippery surfaces and brittle rock so everyone can have a safe and enjoyable hike. 443 Shares Share Twenty years of defending doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice cases has made me into a nervous patient. When you see the worst, you look for it. At least I do. Thats why when I was scheduled for a minor elective procedure, I was nervous. I set aside the day, canceling all of my depositions and planning to spend the day on emails and phone calls. My specialists office texted me to confirm the procedure date, which was a week away. Then I received an email from her office with the same date, but a different location. This made my med mal antenna go up, but I told myself to chill. In the days leading up to the procedure I was traveling from NYC to San Francisco to teach, so when I hadnt received any instructions I planned to call the specialists office the day before the procedure. When I did, the assistant informed me that my procedure was scheduled for that day, and to begin in an hour. Since I was in the green room at Dr. Oz at the time, this wouldnt do. I told her that they had confirmed, by text and email, that the procedure was tomorrow. She didnt apologize, but did reschedule me for one week later, on a Wednesday. I asked her to send instructions for the prep. When I didnt receive them by Friday morning, I emailed the office and asked for them. In response, I got an email with a messily scanned page of instructions. They said I couldnt take Advil for a week before the procedure I had taken Advil that morning. They said I needed an escort to and from the procedure I hadnt planned for that. I called the office, and the assistant said that I didnt really need to avoid Advil and I didnt really need the escort. I canceled the procedure. It was all too disorganized, impersonal and messy. Minutes later, the doctor called me. She was very upset that Id canceled my procedure because it messed with her schedule. I tried my best to remain professional in response to her unprofessional behavior. I wanted her to understand something. Doctor, if I had any sort of complication as a result of this procedure, youve provided any good attorney with a way to pursue a case. I once heard a medical malpractice attorney who represents patients give a talk. He said I look for damages. If theres damages, I will take the case. Im a good lawyer. I can create liability. Doctors make it easy for lawyers to create liability when they lack perspective, when they dont have systems in place, and when they are just plain messy. Studies show that there is very little correlation between true negligence and lawsuits. I believe that the best way to avoid lawsuits is with better perspective and better systems. After 20 years of defending doctors, I know how to avoid lawsuits. If I were this doctors attorney, this is what Id tell her. 1. Get a system My specialist clearly did not have a system in place. Systems save lives, as anyone who has read Atul Gawandes The Checklist Manifesto could tell you. But systems also save doctors from lawsuits. If, after all of the issues I described above, Id had a complication during my procedure with my specialist, the jury wouldnt like to see the lack of a system to ensure the patient didnt take Advil and did get home safe. More importantly, the fact that I didnt get the instructions until five days before the procedure could have caused a complication. If I bled as a result of the NSAID, or fell on my way home, the doctor would arguably be responsible. The assistants instruction that I didnt need to follow those instructions also could have caused a complication. I kept notes on our phone calls I bet she didnt. When you dont have a system, and you dont have documentation, you do have a problem when it comes time for trial. 2. Get perspective Had my doctor seen things from my perspective, she never would have called me to berate me for canceling. I was frustrated, nervous and confused. Now I was mad. And mad patients sue doctors. Wendy Levinson has been on the forefront of the work that shows us that patients sue doctors who dont communicate well. Frustrated, nervous, confused patients are just looking for some empathy. If a doctor cant put herself into a patients shoes, she is going to have trouble at trial when she has to put herself in a jurors shoes. And she is far more likely to find herself having to do so. 3. Get clean I dont mean wash your hands, though this goes without saying. I mean dont be messy. When I have to defend a doctor with missing notes, inconsistent practices, and undocumented phone calls, I know Im facing an uphill battle. Messiness gives the patient reason to be upset, and it gives the patients attorney so much to play with in establishing a case. When youre messy, you are making the patients attorneys job fun. Defensive medicine adds $45 billion to the cost of health care. Doctors are ordering more tests, and doing more procedures in an effort to avoid lawsuits. Ive defended doctors for over 20 years. I love and respect health care providers, but I know better than almost anyone how human they can be. And I know that small fixes can make a huge difference. Get a system, put it in place, and stick to it. Get perspective, be empathetic and communicate with your patients. Get clean, and dont allow your practice to be messy and disorganized no matter how busy you may be. This is the best type of defensive medicine, and it is free. Heather Hansen is a communications consultant and attorney. She can be reached at Heather Hansen Presents. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 3K Shares Share Last month I saw Joan, a woman who has had low back pain for years. Shed been through the ringer like every other person in severe pain: countless procedures and medications. She continued to have daily pain that stopped her from staying focused at work, playing with her kids or being the spouse or friend she wanted to be. After our long consultation and review of her records my prescription was simple biofeedback, a non-drug treatment in which patients learn to control bodily processes that are normally involuntary, such as muscle tension, blood pressure, or heart rate, and acupuncture to reduce the pain and spasms that were her most recent obstacles. The response from the insurance company was equally simple: Your requested services are denied as experimental. Experimental? As a physician based close to the border in San Diego I have become an unwilling expert on experimental treatments. I have begged patients not to go to Mexico for ozone or non-approved stem cell therapy because it is experimental. In contrast, the treatments we requested for Joan are far from experimental. In fact, both acupuncture and biofeedback were recently recommended as first list treatments by the American College of Physicians (ACP) evidence-based guidelines for chronic low back pain. What insurers count on are doctors and patients getting tired of fighting the system, a common task that thousands of clinics like ours have to do every day. When the fatigue of appealing for treatments that makes the most sense is beyond what we or the patient can handle, we give up. These insurance denial letters are simply laughable. What is not laughable is that Joans pain is not going away, and yet we know how to help her. For over 15 years, weve been treating patients using a team-based integrative approach that attempts to balance pain treatment by incorporating the best tools, be they medications, procedures, physical therapies or evidence-based non-drug therapies. This approach is clinically effective in reducing pain. Unfortunately, most of this country is not practicing it because of insurance barriers. Even with ACP guidelines, payors continue to routinely deny care using outdated language and are not kept accountable. As a recent analysis of insurers from around the country published in the Journal of the American Medical Association corroborated, insurers routinely deny many evidence-based non-drug treatments for low back pain such as cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture and biofeedback. Our recent analysis accepted for publication with the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University found similarly non-existent coverage for these therapies in state-mandated insurance policies. However, there are spots of hope: some states are working to get non-drug treatments covered. One pilot in Vermont expanded coverage of previously denied treatments, such as acupuncture, to Medicaid recipients with chronic pain. Researchers found that the program reduced pain and medication use while also improving physical and emotional functioning. And there is hope at the national level. I recently advised the congressionally-mandated Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force. They recently published draft recommendations providing some of the most meaningful progress to date in creating a balanced approach to pain as well as the education needed to get there. Their plan includes a comprehensive plan for pain care, including access to treatments such as those recommended for Joan. These draft guidelines are up for comment until April 1 with the final version being presented to Congress later this year. This is the rare opportunity for all Americans to give official input to the Federal Register on how pain care in the US should be transformed. Good pain care will not come to fruition one appeal letter at a time; and it should not exhaust patients and their clinicians. We have the evidence, we know what works and getting treatment to manage pain should not cause as much suffering as the pain itself. Robert Bonakdar is a family physician, a director of pain management at a San Diego-based medical facility, and an assistant clinical professor, University of California San Diego School of Medicine. He can reached on Twitter @DrB_Well. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 468 Shares Share Last week I took the naloxone challenge. I walked up to a pharmacy window, waited in line, and requested naloxone from the pharmacist. She showed a supportive but knowing look, and I became acutely aware of the four people in line behind me. After giving her my name and date of birth, she was able to pull my insurance info from prior visits, and I left with a dose of life-saving naloxone in my pocket. All it cost me was some embarrassment, some privacy, and $30. Naloxone is an antidote to heroin and opioid overdose. While it normally requires a prescription from a doctor, 49 states have created standing orders that allow pharmacists to distribute it without a prescription, but that isnt good enough. Well-intentioned medical directors, pharmacists, and legislators have spent countless hours setting up separate standing orders in each jurisdiction, trying to work around a regulatory framework that makes it easier to buy Rogaine than naloxone. Its a mistake to think that this is the solution. The solution is making naloxone over the counter (OTC) nationally. Patients at risk for opioid overdose often face a significant amount of stigma from family, strangers, and medical providers. They keep their drug use a secret and may be reluctant to go to a neighborhood pharmacy and ask for naloxone under a standing order. They can buy acetaminophen, condoms, even needles, and alcohol swabs online or in an anonymous self-checkout line, but they have to walk into the local Walgreens and give their name to get naloxone. Many emergency departments, clinics, and treatment centers distribute naloxone, but a minority of people at risk of overdose end up there. The stereotype of the addict in an urban ED or a treatment center ignores the reality that opioid addiction is as common as some cancers. Education about the dangers of opioid overdose has increased awareness of naloxone, but increasing safe, anonymous access will keep patients safer. Pharmacies have standard operating procedures meant to keep patients safe and ensure payment. This means linking the medication to the patient chart and insurance and all the issues that come with that. Some have reported difficulty getting life insurance after filling a prescription for naloxone. Children or spouses may be concerned that insurance records may unmask their opioid use. Privacy concerns are very real, especially as patients have discovered that their medication history may be sold by pharmacies to drug companies for future marketing. The lack of an anonymous way to get OTC naloxone discourages people with opioid use disorder and those that care about them from doing the right thing and having naloxone on hand. The barrier to OTC status is largely due to regulatory hurdles and delayed actions by pharmaceutical companies, many of which already make money selling both opioids and the naloxone that reverses them. Because naloxone is already available as a prescription medication, what is required is a prescription to OTC switch. The law requires that a drug being considered for such a switch has labeling that allows someone to self-diagnose and treat overdose, not require a health practitioner, that there is low potential for misuse/abuse, and a high safety margin that benefits outweigh risks. Anyone familiar with opioid overdose knows that this is true about naloxone. It has virtually no effects in people without opioid dependence, and its most severe effects occur when it is used to save a life following an overdose a clear benefit in excess of risk. Recently such a label has been crafted by the FDA, but the FDA does not perform drug trials. Next steps require drug companies who currently make naloxone to apply for the switch. Previous approaches by such companies have led to the talking naloxone auto-injector that seems to complicate rather than solve the problem. Id encourage you to take the #NaloxoneChallenge, give your information to the pharmacist, feel their eyes on you, and walk out with naloxone in your pocket. Youve done nothing wrong, you probably dont have an issue with opioids, but ask yourself how you feel. Wonder if your spouse is going to ask about this charge at Walgreens. And then send a letter to your congressperson asking what theyre doing to get OTC naloxone. Matthew Zuckerman is an emergency medicine physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com NORTH BEND, Ore. -- A couple has been arrested in connection with an arson at an unoccupied home in North Bend on Saturday, Oregon State Police said. Andrew Eastep, 26, and his girlfriend, Breanna Schuster, 22, face charges of burglary, arson, and criminal mischief after OSP said they admitted to stealing items from the residence and property before setting the fire. On Saturday crews from North Bay Fire District, Hauser Rural Fire Department, and North Bend Fire Department responded to a fire at a property at 68163 Highway 101. OSP said there were two separate buildings adjacent to one another on the land. Once the fire was out an investigation revealed suspicious factors, which led to the State Fire Marshals office, Southwestern Fire Investigation Team, and OSPs Arson Unit to get involved. Investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set, and with the help of the Coos County Sheriffs Office, OSP identified Eastep and Schuster as suspects. A large amount of stolen property has been recovered and returned to the owners, OSP said. Additional charges are under review by the Coos County District Attorneys Office. CORVALLIS, Ore. -- A nonprofit against animal testing has fielded a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture against Oregon State University, alleging negligent acts that lead to the death of at least five animals. Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN), an Ohio-based nonprofit, obtained public records that show four sheep and at least one cow died at OSU during a two-year period. Documents show three lambs died after being attacked by coyotes and a fourth sheep died after a surgery. Records also show a cow died after it went down in "head locks" and hung itself. Another public record shows a whistleblower contacted the university after a cow became sick with mastitis, recommending the cow be euthanized. But instead, the whistleblower claims officials refused and "prolonged the suffering of the cow." "We are pushing for the maximum penalty of $10,000 per infraction, per animal," said Michael Budkie, executive director of SAEN. Jolie Dickerson, a senior and animal science major, said OSU takes better care of their animals compared to some private ranchers. "Every class that I've taken, we've had to go through a series of classes on animal welfare and how to handle the animals," Dickerson said. "We're pretty compassionate with what we are doing. We don't want our animals be hurt at any point." The following is a statement from Vice President of University Relations and Marketing Steve Clark: "We dispute these characterizations as not being representative of the facts of the unexpected events, which the university had previously self-reported and positively dealt with. "Oregon State University humanely conducts research and teaching involving animals to advance the knowledge, wellness and care of humans and animals and takes very seriously matters of animal welfare. OSU faculty, staff and students are required to adhere to the highest ethical standards while using animals in research and teaching. "OSU conducts hundreds of research and teaching activities annually involving thousands of animals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, and millions of fish. "In all cases, it is OSUs goal that adverse and unforeseen events are appropriately managed to prevent or minimize animal pain and suffering, as much as possible, and that necessary steps are taken to prevent recurrence. "These cases represent unforeseen impacts to five of the more than 12,000 animals in OSUs care. "OSUs Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and attending veterinarian in the universitys Laboratory Animal Resource Center independently oversee the care and use of animals and related procedures. This oversight is in keeping with federal Animal Welfare Act and regulations, and is in keeping with animal care standards required by funding entities, such as National Institute of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. Unexpected incidents, non- compliance, facility issues and other program concerns are required to be reported to the IACUC. "Unexpected events rarely occur. OSUs systems require such events to be reported and acted upon under IACUC review. Actions that will be taken following the report of an unexpected event include clarification of the events and reason that resulted in an unexpected event and steps to be taken to avoid future incidents. "Mr. Budkie also mischaracterizes OSUs reporting to the U.S. Department of Agriculture information regarding improper surgical procedures involving sheep. "OSU self-reported this matter on Aug. 15, 2018, to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And an investigation and oversight of these matters, including corrective measures, were completed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Since these actions were taken by the university, the federal Office of Laboratory Welfare said in August 2018 that it had determined that OSU had implemented sufficient measures to correct this matter and prevent its recurrence. "As it regards the inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the USDA performed a follow up inspection on May 23, 2018, to evaluate OSUs corrective response to issues identified in its inspection in April 2018. No citations were identified during the follow-up inspection in May." Below is a copy of the complaint SAEN sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture: PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A woman behind an opioid distribution ring has been sentenced, federal prosecutors say. KOIN reports that 60-year-old Julie Ann DeMille was sentenced Tuesday to 48 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for illegally distributing prescription opioids, filing a false tax return and lying to federal agents. In January 2015, DeMille, a nurse practitioner, opened Fusion Wellness Clinic across the street from the Multnomah County Parole and Probation Office. According to court records, she wrote thousands of prescriptions for opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. In 2015, the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program found that DeMille wrote more than 1,940 prescriptions for controlled substances in that year. These prescriptions resulted in the distribution of more than 219,000 pills. About 96 percent of them were opioids, according to the drug monitoring data 1 of 2 Aamir Khan's daughter Ira Khan dating mystery man, post photos Actor Aamir Khans daughter, Ira has shared a bunch of new pictures with a mystery man on Instagram. Tagging one Mishaal Kirpalani, Ira wrote in her post, Hope your Spring Break was sunny and smiley as @mishaalkirpalanis, which of course, I piled onto. The picture show Ira and Mishaal smiling for the camera, and hugging each other. The post has been geo-tagged to Santa Barbera, California. Several people left comments on Iras post, and tried to figure out who Mishaal is. Boyfriend??? one person asked. Hey Mishaal, you are so lucky never break her heart, warned another. Mishaals Instagram bio describes him as an artist, producer and composer. Ira has appeared on Mishaals timeline as well. A post from January shows the two, who are joined by another friend, posing for a selfie. A June 2017 post shows them at a beach. On Valentines Day, Ira shared several pictures and videos of herself with Mishaal. She captioned the post, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! I guess I have a type. They all sing amazingly and are beautiful people. Read More... Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Reps from the design build team hired to construct a Kingstree Police/Fire Station presented information to Kingstree Town Council during a March 18, meeting. Funding for the project and many others throughout the county is made possible through the Capital Sales Project Sales Tax. Pictured from left: Ashleigh Baker, Intern Architect, Goforth Brown and Associates, Gary Brown, AIA, LEES/AP, and Kristopher Muir, Preconstruction Manager, Mashburn Construction Company. Photo by Michaele Duke Melinda Barkley and James Jeter of Republic Services presented Kingstree Town Council with an update on what the company is doing to improve trash service. Photo by Michaele DUKE Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. An innovative business model, a one-of-a-kind database and deep roots in the worlds best mining jurisdiction are Ely Golds three advantages, says CEO Trey Wasser. Wasser spoke to Kitco Mining at the Metals Investors Forum in Toronto this month. Ely Gold Royalties (ELY:TSX.V; ELYGF:OTCQB) is an emerging-royalty company with development assets focused in Nevada and the Western U.S. Its portfolio of 31 deeded royalties and 19 optioned properties, ranging from ranges from fully permitted mines to projects that are being permitted for mine construction, are generating significant revenue. Ely Gold's innovative option/royalty model allows the company to sell 100% of its projects in an outright sale or on a four-year option contract. On every property Ely Gold retains a royalty on future production. All portfolio properties are sold or optioned on a 100% basis, while the company retains net smelter royalty interests. Wasser says the advantage to his model is that onerous work commitments are not placed on the company so the business can keep growing. And the model has also allowed Ely Gold to put more money to work. "With the cash flow from the option portfolio last year we went out and bought two near-term producing royalties," says Wasser. One of the projects was the Fenelon project in Quebec. "The Fenelon is a very exciting project. It has unbelievable grades. They are doing a bulk mining project, which is improving the infrastructure quite a bit." Ely Golds database gives it a leg up in Nevada. The company maximizes value through claim consolidation and advancement using its extensive, proprietary data base. The company can analyze missed development opportunities by uncovering overlapping ownership claims. "The title issues can be very tough to clean up, and that is what we specialize in," says Wasser. Nevada is a mining state, and this year it was ranked the worlds best mining jurisdiction in the world by the Fraser Institute. Ely Gold also got a stamp of approval from a heavy-hitter Sprott Resource Holdings, which now holds 9 %. "While we really didnt need the capital, one of our goals for 2108 was more institutional ownership, so we couldnt have asked for a better institution than Sprott," says Wasser. Sun Metals' deep talent pool is set to do great things in British Columbia, says CEO Steve Robertson who spoke to Kitco Mining at the Metal Investors Forum in Toronto this month. Late last fall, Sun Metals announced that its exploration program at its Stardust project in northcentral B.C. returned a spectacular drill result: Diamond drill hole 18-SD-421 returned a total 100-metre intersection grading 2.51% copper (Cu), 3.03 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) and 52.5 g/t silver (Ag) for a 4.99% copper equivalent (CuEq), including, 36.5 metres of mineralization, grading 3.89% copper (Cu), 4.47 g/t gold (Au) and 84.6 g/t silver (Ag). The 100-metre intersect also includes 22.8 metres of mineralized skarn alteration in the hanging wall of the massive sulphide that averages more than 1% copper equivalent. The mineralized interval in diamond drill hole 18-SD-421 is in a newly identified mineralized area, outside of the current 43-101 resource estimate. "I don't think anyone was expecting us to go out and hit the type of result we did," says Robertson. "That is why we are considering this to be a disruptive discovery." To move the project forward, Sun Metals has assembled a who's who of mining in B.C. Sun Metals director Mark O'Dea is a seasoned geologist and deal maker who runs Oxygen Capital. O'Dea's Aurora Energy Resources sold to Paladin Energy for $260M, and his Fronteer Gold was picked up by Newmont Mining for $2.3B. Robertson himself is an executive at Imperial Metals. His team took Red Chris project, located in northwest B.C., from discovery to mine. Red Chris was recently bought by Newcrest for $1.1B. "This business is a lot about people," says Robertson. "We really do have a star-studded cast." Robertson says Sun Metals is using a science driven approach to analyzing opportunities. It is attracted to data-rich projects with the greatest potential for big discoveries that will grow value for shareholders and communities alike. "No one was expecting Eskay Creekthe highest-grade gold mine in the worldto be found in Northern B.C. because there was nothing else around it at the time," says Robertson, alluding to some of Canada's top discoveries. "Nobody was expecting Chuck Fipke to come up with diamonds in the Northwest Territories." "These things get found and we clearly have a very strong system on our hands." Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Over USD$180 million worth of Asian gold jewelry has been stolen in the U.K. during the last five years, according to a BBC investigation, which uncovered the information through Freedom of Information requests sent to police. Out of 23 police forces that provided figures, Greater London had the highest value stolen - 115.6m [USD$152.6 million], followed by 9.6m [USD$12.8 million] in Greater Manchester, BBC reported after sending requests to 45 police forces. The Asian population was said to be specifically targeted by robbers, the investigation revealed, noting that it is a tradition in British-Asian families to gift gold jewelry during weddings as well as pass that jewelry on from one generation to the next. The exact amount stolen amounted to $186.6 million worth of gold jewelry with nearly 28,000 reported thefts since 2013, BBC added, noting that this the first time such figure has ever been compiled. Police forces in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not respond to the requests, BBC added. The biggest number of thefts has been submitted by Metropolitan Police with 3,300 cases totaling 21.2 million (USD$28 million). Most of the stolen jewelry most likely had a lot of cultural significance, selling specialist of Asian Gold Sanjay Kumar told BBC. People are told by their parents and grandparents 'you must buy gold - it's an investment, it's lucky, he said. It's something that we as Asians do, so people are following the tradition and the culture. Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Gold prices are modestly higher in early U.S. trading Wednesday. Bulls continue to possess the near-term technical advantage, suggesting prices trending sideways to higher in the coming days. There is also a bit of safe-haven demand for gold and silver at present. April gold futures were last up $1.90 an ounce at $1,316.90. May Comex silver was last down $0.024 at $15.405 an ounce. Asian and European stock indexes were mostly down overnight. U.S. stock indexes are also pointed toward weaker openings when the New York day session begins. There is some elevated risk aversion in the world marketplace at mid-week, mainly due to worries about slowing global economic growth. Thats a positive for safe-haven gold and silver markets. In overnight news, the German government auctioned its 10-year note (bund) for an average yield of -0.05% versus a yield of 0.12% for bunds auctioned on Feb. 27, and the first negative yield since 2016. A feature in the marketplace recently has been falling government bond yields in the major industrialized countries. U.S. Treasury yields briefly inverted last week when the short-term 3-month note yield moved above the 10-year note yield. Today, U.S. T-Bond and T-Note futures prices hit contract highs. There was more weak economic data coming out of China today, as its industrial profits for the first two months of this year dropped by 14%--the biggest drop since 2011. Lower factory gate prices and lower sales were blamed. U.S. tariffs on Chinas imports into the U.S. are also likely to blame. The U.S. and China continue high-level trade negotiations beginning Thursday. The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index near steady. Meantime, Nymex crude oil prices are weaker and trading around $59.50 a barrel. U.S. economic reports due for release Wednesday include the weekly MBA mortgage applications survey, the international trade report and the weekly DOE liquid energy stocks report. Technically, the gold bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls next upside price objective is to produce a close in April futures above solid resistance at the January high of $1,331.30. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is pushing prices below solid technical support at the March low of $1,280.80. First resistance is seen at $1,320.00 and then at this weeks high of $1,324.50. First support is seen at $1,310.00 and then at $1,306.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0 May silver futures bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $16.00 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the March low of $14.985. First resistance is seen at the this weeks high of $15.59 and then at last weeks high of $15.65. Next support is seen at the overnight low of $15.345 and then at last weeks low of $15.22. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.5. Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! The consultancy Metals Focus sees a bright outlook for silver demand by the photovoltaic industry. This involves the use of silver to conduct electricity for solar energy. Analysts attended a recent forum on the topic in China. The PV industry exceeded expectations last year, with newly installed capacity reaching a new high of 102 gigawatts, Metals Focus says. The overall outlook for the PV industry remains bright as an increasing number of countries embark on new projects as part of their commitments to long-term renewable energy, Metals Focus says. As such, 2019 is likely to see installations rise. That said, the desire to thrift on silver use will remain ever-present, especially as subsidies start to be phased out in many countries and with the emergence of new technologies that require less silver. Even so, silver offtake is expected to remain broadly steady (and so at record highs), given the balance between the growth in new PV capacity and the offset of the drive to trim installation costs. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Commerzbank: Feb. Chinese Gold Imports Remain Low Chinas gold imports remain historically low but likely will pick up whenever a trade spat with the U.S. is resolved, says Commerzbank. Analysts cite data from the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong government showing that China imported some 33 tonnes of gold on a net basis from Hong Kong in February. This was somewhat less than in January and almost the same quantity as a year ago, Commerzbank says. As such, imports were not quite as poor as the figures for Swiss gold exports to Asia had suggested last week. Nonetheless, Chinese gold imports are at a fairly low level in historic terms. We expect them to pick up again once the trade dispute with the U.S. has been resolved. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com TD Securities: Gold-Price Rally Will Have Some Legs TD Securities envisions a rally in gold and says the move should have some legs. Analysts say conviction in financial markets is growing for the next Federal Reserve policy move to be a rate cut, with interest-rate markets pricing a nearly 75% probability of this before the end of 2019. Analysts see a move toward a $1,360-an-ounce target. With futures prices above our key trigger range, we expect CTAs [Commodity Trading Advisers] to provide a firm bid in gold as systematic trend followers dramatically increase the size of their gold length, TDS says. We think this rally will have some legs, as money managers increasingly look to protect themselves from potential equity corrections, while there are few reasons to fear the Fed, and CTA buying will likely add to upside flow. A columnist at the Telegraph writes: How can we prevent another atrocity like the one in Christchurch? As I have watched New Zealanders of all faiths mourn, this has been the question on my mind. So far, few of the answers offered have come close to the truth. What the massacre revealed was the need for a clear understanding of the weaponisation of ethnic, religious and political identities that is going on throughout the world. This was [the killers] evil aim: to contribute to a polarisation of the West and to a parallel phenomenon in the Muslim world. His actions, which eerily resemble those of Isil and other Islamist terror groups, were calculated to intensify the hostility and suspicion that already exist towards Muslims in the West. They were also designed to elicit a response from Islamists and so encourage a cycle of retaliatory violence. I agree that his attack is like those of ISIS designed to cause further hostility and conflict. The truth, we recognise, is that jihadist doctrine, goals and strategy can be traced to specific tenets of orthodox, authoritative Islam and its historic practice. This includes those portions of Shariah that promote Islamic supremacy, encourage enmity towards non-Muslims and require the establishment of a caliphate. It is these elements still taught by most Sunni and Shiite institutions that constitute a summons to perpetual conflict. It is our firm view that, if Muslims do not address the key tenets of Islamic tradition that encourage this violence, anyone at any time can harness them to defy what they claim to be illegitimate laws and butcher their fellow citizens, whether they live in the Islamic world or the West. This is what links so many current events, from Syria to the streets of London. There is a desperate need for honest discussion of these matters. This is why it worries me to see Western political and intellectual elites weaponise the term Islamophobia, to short-circuit analysis of a complex phenomenon that threatens all humanity. For example, it is factually incorrect and counter-productive to define Islamophobia as rooted in racism, as proposed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. In reality, it is the spread of Islamist extremism and terror that primarily contributes to the rise of Islamophobia throughout the non-Muslim world. Now the usual suspects on Twitter who read this column would no doubt conclude that the author is himself an Islamophobe who is prejudiced against Muslims, and is racist etc etc. How dare he blame Islamophobia on Islamist extremism. But before they tweet their angry 320 characters denouncing him, they might want to read the fine line of the column. Yahya Cholil Staquf is General Secretary of Nahdlatul Ulama, the worlds largest Muslim organisation Which is also a good reminder how obscene it is to regard all Muslims as being the same, defined only by their religion. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Mike Yardley writes: Amid the public outpouring of profound sadness and goodwill for the Muslim community following the terror attack, the high-visibility presence of patched gang members at cordons and vigils has aroused much curiosity. In the wake of such monstrous evil, is it not a little incongruous for the perpetrators of so much everyday evil to down tools for a touchy-feely time-out? The television news media, in particular, has fawned over their gatherings outside mosques to perform haka, pay their respects and offer protection. The Bandidos, the King Cobras, the Headhunters, Black Power and the Mongrel Mob have all turned up, en-masse. People may be unaware but almost many gangs now have a media officer. They have reporters on speed dial and are very proficient at planting stories showing them doing nice things (such as protecting mosques). I do not doubt their expressed empathy, sorrow and grief is genuine. Id like to think they have been summoned by their better angels, rather than Hells angels. But lets not delude ourselves into thinking that gangland is suddenly seeing the error of their pernicious, destructive ways and is mass-converting into a pack of peaceniks. The reality remains that they are responsible for a disproportionate share of violent crime in New Zealand. I note that one of the Mongrel Mobs chapters, The Kingdom, has decided to jettison its Nazi symbolism and its sieg heil rallying cry, in the aftermath of the Christchurch atrocity. But the Mob will continue to bark like feral dogs. The Kingdoms president, Paito Fatu, reckons his chapter is transitioning away from violent crime, domestic abuse and drug crime. The Police Minister remains a doubting Thomas, understandably taking a Ill believe it when I see it approach to such rhetoric. Ive been reading stories about them transitioning since the 1970s. The police Gang Intelligence Centre recently put the national gang count at 5785 members and prospects, supposedly up 1500 on 2016. Gang members comprise 0.1 per cent of the population, but 15 per cent of all general firearms charges. Forty four per cent of identified gang members had been convicted for firearms offences, as of 2016. That seems remarkably high. If correct, it does suggest where the focus should go. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr As with other online platforms, Kiwiblog has been considering what changes in restrictions on commenting are appropriate in light of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. This blog post is to update people on what my thoughts and decisions are. I thought it would be useful to examine and comment on the different aspects of the terrorists actions and purported beliefs. Murder and Violence The terrorist killed 50 people. He believed his beliefs justified violence and killing. There are lots of people with strong beliefs but very very very few who think it is okay to kill innocent people, let alone actually do it. Any incitement to serious violence is of course not acceptable on Kiwiblog, and never has been. In fact I have on two occasions supplied information to the Police when a comment was seen as a serious threat. White Supremacy The terrorist was a white supremacist. He judges people based on their skin colour or where they are born. He doesnt think non-white people should live in European countries Again such views and beliefs are not and never have been acceptable on Kiwiblog. Judging people based on where they were born, their bloodline or the colour of their skin is repulsive. Human beings should be regarded as individuals not just members of a group. It is acceptable to discuss differences between nationalities and races, if done in a considered way. For example why do Asian students do so well at American universities. Why do black athletes dominate certain running categories etc. Anti-immigration The terrorist says he was profoundly anti-immigration, linked to his white supremacy. He claimed Jews were okay so long as they live in Israel. Muslims are okay as long as they live in a Muslim country. Asians are okay so long as they live in Asia. He says that he saw legal immigration as a very bad thing. His views are repugnant to me. I am a huge fan of controlled immigration. I think NZ has a generally excellent immigration system where anyone can qualify for residency regardless of race, nationality or religion. What counts is their education, age, income, wealth, English language proficiency job skills etc. I think immigration is both economically and culturally good for New Zealand, so long as immigrants successfully integrate into New Zealand communities. And the vast majority do, or at least their children do which is most important. But there are a range of legitimate views on immigration. Labour campaigned at the last election to slash immigration numbers by tens of thousands. New Zealand First has campaigned against immigration for decades, and has a history of statements attacking Asian immigration. I may disagree with those views, but if people wish to post in favour of Labour party policy or NZ First party policy on immigration, they should be allowed to do so here. But there is a difference between debating immigration policy and the pros and cons of immigration and scapegoating immigrants who are already here. Statements suggesting people who have chosen New Zealand as their home should not be here will not be acceptable. Islamophobia I use the term Islamophobia here as it is commonly used. But for reasons which will become clear, I find it an unhelpful term. When it comes to religion, it is a fact that there is huge antipathy in many quarters to Islam, compared to other religions. Why is this? Why does Islam have such antipathy which Hinduism doesnt, Buddhism doesnt, Taoism doesnt, Shinto doesnt, Sikhism doesnt, and Bahai doesnt? The obvious answer is because of the number of terror attacks that are done in the name of Islam or motivated by an interpretation of Islam. All religions have some attacks done in their names. Northern Ireland had religious conflict for many decades, for example. But the number of attacks in the name of Islam are exponentially higher than any other religion. A website that tracks such attacks has recorded (and there will be many they miss) 36,958 attacks since 9/11 (the most well known attack). That is over 2,000 attacks a year or 175 attacks a month, 40 attacks a week or 5 attacks a day. The toll from these attacks is monumental. 225,000 innocent victims have been killed. That is equivalent to the population of Wellington. A further 306,000 have been injured equivalent to the combined population of Hamilton and Tauranga. The reason there is antipathy towards Islam in many quarters is because people are scared. They want these attacks to stop. It doesnt matter they still have a higher chance of being killed in a road accident. You cant just tell people to ignore almost 37,000 attacks. And these attacks are not just in a few hot spots. They have occurred in 101 different countries. Do not for a second interpret this as minimising the slaughter in Christchurch. Every human life lost to violence is tragic. The point is that there is a rational basis for some peoples dislike of Islam. And again dont confuse that with saying there is a rational basis to dislike Muslims. They key is to not conflate a religion with its adherents. The Catholic Church deserves condemnation for its cover up of sexual abuse and for having the third highest ranking official in the Vatican as a paedophile. But a negative view of the Catholic Church should not mean one has a negative view of Catholics. The attack in Christchurch was vile not just for the loss of innocent life, but the fact the victims were selected for their religion. Equally vile is that in the last 18 years there have been 1,585 attacks on Christians, motivated by the fact they were Christians, which killed 11,804 people and wounded a further 14,297. There are also other aspects of the Islamic religion that some people find problematic. Sizable minorities support the death penalty for apostates, stoning for adultery, honour killings for pre-martial sex. Islam also differs somewhat from most religions in that it has a political aspect to it, commonly called Islamism. Most Muslims are not Islamists. There are difficult questions about how compatible Islamism (NB not Islam) is with liberal democratic values. So I absolutely reject that one should not be able to criticise the Islamic religion. However it should be done in a way that doesnt stigmatise all Muslims and/or suggests a commonality of view. The one thing which would do the most in the world to reduce so called Islamophobia is a huge reduction in the number of attacks by Islamic extremists. And there is some good news there. The number killed in such attacks has been dropping down from 32,863 in 2014 to 11,769 in 2018. The defeat of ISIL probably has a part in this. That guest post One issue that has been discussed on Kiwiblog is whether there should be a ban on Muslim immigration. I vehemently disagree with such a proposal, and the proponents of it. But does that mean it should be deemed as beyond debate? Well in case it has escaped peoples attention, it was one of the most debated policies of the 2016 US presidential election, and basically the policy of the winner of that election. It was debated vigorously in the US for not just the campaign, but also the two years since as Trump as he has tried to effectively implement it in various forms. It seems ridiculous to me that an issue which had been debated for the last three years in the US, could be deemed beyond debate in New Zealand. The sad reality is that Trump filled a vacuum. Because there are no easy answers to the problems of attacks from Islamic extremists (if there were, theyd be happening) many politicians shy away from even discussing the problem. Then when Trump comes along, he gets support because he is the only person out there with a purported solution. His solution is wrong and stupid but a wrong stupid solution gets more support than a void. Now some may say the US is a country filled with racists so the mere fact theyve been debating a Muslim immigration ban for three years doesnt mean we should allow a blog post on it in New Zealand. So lets look at Europe. Is this topic taboo in Europe? Well far from being taboo a Chatham House poll over 10 European countries found 55% of Europeans support a Muslim migration ban and only 20% disagreed with it. Now Im one of the 20% who disagree but consider the insanity of the demand that such a topic cant even be discussed on a blog in New Zealand when it is supported by majorities in Belgium, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Poland plus pluralities in Spain and the UK. Closer to home a poll in Australia showed plurality support for a ban on Muslim immigration. Again I think theyre wrong but I really think it is dangerous grounds to treat a majority of Germans, French, Italians and Greeks as far right neo-nazi extremists whose views should not even be allowed to be spoken out loud. In fact the sad reality is the growth in support of far right parties in Europe is because the mainstream parties have not come up with credible solutions to issues around immigration and integration. Populist parties will always rush to fill a void. So for the last two weeks some people have tried to close down Kiwiblog because three years ago I allowed a guest post (which I disagreed with) by David Garrett which advocated for a policy that has been debated endlessly in the United States for three years, has majority support in Europe and plurality support in Australia. Media have demanded to know why this post has not been deleted. Ive been labelled a party to the slaughter in Christchurch because of this post. The sheer bile on Twitter has been vile led by certain prominent people. A number of people have contacted me offline to discuss Kiwiblogs moderation policy and the desirability of changes. Those exchanges have been useful. Inciting virtual lynch mobs far less so. The view of some on Twitter is that such a view in opposition to Muslim immigration is so extreme that one cant ever allow someone to read something in favour of it. They really need to get out of their bubbles. Now one should recognise that debating stuff such as an immigration ban on Muslims is hurtful to Muslims. Absolutely it is. And most Muslims are themselves victims of the violent Islamic extremists. They are often both literal victims (ie are killed) but suffer the backlash where they have to worry about their safety in public. They can suffer acts of casual abuse, and feel that elements of their adopted country are hostile to them. And the Christchurch shooting has shown how real those fears can be. So bearing in mind that allowing a debate on stuff such as an immigration ban can be hurtful to many Muslims, why allow it at all? Well as I explained to the media, my preference is for people to be convinced their views are wrong. The thing I like on Kiwiblog is that we have people who comment from across the political spectrum. Views get challenged. My views get challenged every day by commenters. And if you do not allow a debate on an issue, you tend to make people become more convinced of their beliefs. Then they tend to go off to a silo where they only find people who agree with them. And that is how people become extremists and radicalised. There is a huge amount of academic literature on how people on the Internet are self-selecting into silos and how harmful this is to public discourse. In one of the malicious misrepresentations I have ever seen, Russell Brown took this explanation I made to the media, and summarised it was that I tolerate racists and dont want them to go to even more racist websites and I am a piece of shit. Remember that this is about allowing a guest post on a topic that is one of the most debated issues in Europe and North America. So as should be clear I am not deleting the guest post. But I have been reflecting on how I would handle such a request in future. While people can respond in comments to the guest post, they dont have the same reach, as many dont read the comments. So in future with a topic such as this I would commission a rebuttal piece and run then together so people can see the arguments in favour, and the arguments against. I would also be more likely to write the rebuttal piece myself. Of course there are some topics I would not allow a guest post on, even with a rebuttal. The post on Muslim immigration was a borderline call. But in the end my judgement was that one could not pretend this was not a topic that could be ignored as if it didnt exist and have support from majorities in many democratic countries. Muslimophobia As I indicated earlier I dont find the term Islamophobia useful. In fact earlier today I quoted the leader of the worlds largest Muslim organisation saying the term is often used as a weapon to prevent criticisms of extremist aspects of Islam. I have no problems with criticism of Islam (or Scientology or Mormonism or Catholicism). But I do have a problem with people smearing all Muslims as if they all have the same beliefs, same characteristics etc. Some people have an unhealthy antagonism to Muslims, and I would say they should be called Muslimophobes, not Islamophobes. And Muslimophobia is not welcome on Kiwiblog. Judging 1.5 billion people off their religious affiliation is bizarre. Im lucky as I have traveled a lot. Ive met, socialised, and worked with scores of Muslims ranging from the leader of the Arab Youth League to Internet experts from dozens of Muslim countries to friends back home. The best hospitality I had in my Middle East tour was in Iran. Kiwiblog is now applying far far more scrutiny to comments that fail to differentiate between legitimate scrutiny of Islam and are just bile against Muslims. They are not welcome here, and if you cant work out the difference, neither are you. And some (a small minority) need to learn some empathy. When the Prime Minister wears a hijab at a mourning celebration, it is not an Islamic takeover of New Zealand. It is the Prime Minister being a decent human being and respecting the fact 50 people of the Muslim faith were slaughtered. If 50 people had been killed at a synagogue, I am sure a similar gesture would be made. Such a gesture means a hell of a lot to those who have been targeted for their faith. Have a bit of bloody empathy for what it must be like to be a Muslim in New Zealand at this time. Moderation Policy At the end of this post is the new proposed moderation policy for Kiwiblog. It is in fact very little changed from the existing policy. But it has been tweaked to give examples of unacceptable comment and some extra emphasis. You are welcome to give feedback on the policy. Ill listen to feedback but of course the final decision is mine. I note Stuff has announced a new moderation policy also. I was surprised to read that one in three comments submitted to Stuff never appear. That is a huge proportion. My rough estimate of comments being deemed unacceptable by the moderators on Kiwiblog is somewhere between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20. But the more interesting thing with Stuff is they have a list of topics which they simply no longer allow debate on. This includes 1080, beneficiaries, fluoride, immigrants, Israel, Treaty of Waitangi, transgender issues and vaccinations. They are of course entitled to do that, but I find it very sad to have a media outlet rule certain topics as not allowing comments. Again my preference is to convince people they are wrong on 1080, fluoride etc. But again use some empathy when commenting, especially if talking about groups of people. Dont say Muslims if the more correct term is Islamic extremists. Dont talk about any race or religion as if everyone is the same. And most of all bear in mind 50 people were killed in Christchurch and their families, friends and fellow Muslims are going through as terrible time as you can imagine. They are the victims of what happened in Christchurch. You having to comment differently on Kiwiblog doesnt make you a victim. Moderation Process The more substantial change is around the moderation process. The old process was after the fact. All comments would appear automatically. Only if someone submitted a formal complaint about a comment would it be reviewed be me, and if unacceptable deleted or edited. Strikes and suspensions were also given out to repeat offenders. There were three major problems with the old process. The first is that a lot of unacceptable comments were never complained about, so they remained on Kiwiblog despite breaching the comments policy. The second is that it was very time intensive. Id have to locate the comment, review it, if inappropriate edit it, issue a strike, update the strikes page, change the user status so they cant post and set a reminder for when they can post again. This could take 10 to 15 minutes. The third is that the inappropriate comment would remain there until reviewed and in the meantime people would respond to it and things would just get messier. So I changed the process so that comments would be reviewed before they appear. This has a number of drawbacks also, namely: Having to read and approve over 500 comments a day Delays on comments appearing can make threads less useful There is increased legal risk to Kiwiblog if a comment has been approved in advance, rather than appear automatically Less transparency with the moderation However the advantages are: The back end allows you to see all comments awaiting approval and deal with each in a few seconds. While the number of comments is too much for one person to moderate, around a dozen great people have stepped forward to help moderate so as we get up to speed, delays should reduce Far fewer inappropriate comments appear on Kiwiblog Less thread hijacking Commenters who choose to post under their real names or linked to their real identity, will qualify for auto-approve status. This provides an incentive for people to do so, but still allows you to comment with an alias. It is possible at some stage I might extend auto-approve status to others. The system will be reviewed regularly. The moderator have a chat group where we discuss borderline cases. I may post some extracts from that group at some stage so people can see examples of what we are ruling in or out. New proposed moderation policy Commenting on Kiwiblog is a privilege not a right. The privilege will be removed for repeated unacceptable comments. Unacceptable comments include but are not limited to: Defamation Do not make comments that could expose Kiwiblog or yourself to defamation. Trolling Trolling is an attempt to deliberately disrupt a conversation by being grossly offensive or massively off topic. Comments on a post should be a response to the topic of the post. While some thread drift is inevitable, do not try to divert the thread into another topic. Use the daily General Debate for other topics. Personal Abuse Attack arguments, not people. It will generally be unacceptable to call someone a moron, but it will be acceptable to say their argument is moronic. That may seem a fine distinction, but an important one. However dont try and push the distinction to breaking point. If you say that someones argument has the integrity of a syphilitic pygmy (for example), then that would find you with a warning or strike. Abusive nicknames for MPs such as Ardern the liar, Golly G, Simple Simon will be unacceptable. You can critique something they have said or done, but not just repeat an abusive nickname. Gratitious references to attributes people have no control over People cant choose their gender, race, skin colour or sexual orientation. There will be times when those attributes about a public figure can be a legitimate discuss in in relation to an political event. But slagging off someone on the basis of something they cant control is unacceptable. Generalisations Grossly offensive generalisations are not acceptable either. Treat people as individuals. This is not to say one cant discuss group characteristics (such as why certain races are over-represented in crime statistics), but it should be done in a way which is not derogatory of the entire group. Lumping 1.5 billion Muslims all in together is almost certainly going to be unacceptable. One can criticize a religion and/or specific acts or teachings. But dont attribute things to every follower of a religion. Be as specific as you can. If there was an attack by Islamic extremists, say Islamic extremists instead of Muslims. Language There is some tolerance for swearing so long as it is not directed at someone. Calling someone a c**t is almost never acceptable, but the use of the word in other contexts may be. Telling someone to f**k off is not acceptable. Personal Details Give other commenters the courtesy of referring to them by the name or alias they use on this blog. Do not reveal personal details about them such as their name, address, phone number etc. unless it is somehow connected to a public issue. If in doubt, check. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Mostly clear. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. (JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) Governor Mike Parson declared a state of emergency in Missouri on Thursday in response to worsening flood conditions along the Missouri and Mississippi River systems. Parson also activated the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which allows state agencies to coordinate directly with local officials. The rising flood waters are affecting more Missouri communities and farms, closing more roads and threatening levees, water treatment plants and other critical infrastructure, Parson said. We will continue to work closely with our local partners to assess needs and provide resources to help as Missourians continue this flood fight and as we work to assist one another. Governor Parson will be visiting local officials from Buchanan County at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. (WASHINGTON) U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley questioned a military official on Tuesday about the Army Corps of Engineers handling of flooding in riverside communities in Missouri. Hawley, R-Mo., quizzed the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, during a Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C. Tuesday. Hawley making good on the promise he made to his constituents during a weekend visit in Holt County, Missouri. The Republican senator said he would find out if the Army Corps actions were adequate in the weeks leading up to the historic flooding. In response, Secretary Esper said he would send representatives from the Army Corps to Hawleys office following the hearing. Governor Mike Parson and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., also voiced concerns about whether the Corps., had prioritized wildlife and tourism above the life and property of Missouri farmers. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 No Taxpayer Dollars for Abortions NEWS PROVIDED BY Liberty Counsel March 27, 2019 WASHINGTON, March 27, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- Secretary of State Pompeo announced yesterday that the U.S. State Department will enforce, to the broadest extent possible, regulations under the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance program that protects U.S. foreign aid funding from being used to pay for or promote abortion overseas. While the State Department will continue to refuse to provide assistance to foreign nongovernmental organizations that "perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning," the State Department will also refuse to provide assistance to foreign nongovernmental organizations that give to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry. "American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions," said Pompeo. Within a week of taking office on January 23, 2017, President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy, now called the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance, which bans U.S. funding for abortions overseas. The expanded policy prohibits $9 billion in U.S. taxpayer money from funding foreign organizations that perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. The pro-life policy applies global health assistance funding for international health programs, such as those for HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, malaria, global health security, and family planning and reproductive health, but not for abortion. The Mexico City Policy was originally announced by President Reagan in 1984 and required nongovernmental organizations to agree that they "would neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations" before receiving any federal funding. In 2009, President Barack Obama refused to honor the policy, resulting in a portion of over $400 million in federal funds being released to the abortion organizations like IPPF and Marie Stopes International for their foreign efforts. The IPPF reports that its affiliates ended the lives of nearly one million unborn children in 2015 alone and claims to have provided 16.8 million abortion-related services over the past five years. "President Trump and Secretary Pompeo are making significant progress to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund the murder of innocent babies," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "Former President Obama refused to honor the Mexico City Policy and ushered in a bloody eight years by his radical support of Planned Parenthood domestically and abroad. President Trump has now turned off the spigot of taxpayer funding for abortions outside of the United States," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost. SOURCE Liberty Counsel CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org Related Links lc.org/ Judicial Watch Sues for Details of an Intelligence Office Meeting with FBI Regarding Security Threats Caused by Hillary Clinton's Illicit Email System NEWS PROVIDED BY Judicial Watch March 27, 2019 WASHINGTON, March 27, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch announced today that it is suing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) for details of a meeting with the FBI regarding national security threats associated with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's "private" email system. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit after the ODNI failed to adequately respond to a July 13, 2018, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request (Judicial Watch Inc. vs Office of the Director of National Intelligence (No. 1:19-cv-00807)). Judicial Watch seeks: Any and all records regarding, concerning, or related to the meeting between Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) official Frank Rucker, ICIG attorney Jeanette Macmillian, former Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, and other[s] regarding security threats associated with the private e-mail server utilized by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This request includes, but is not limited to, the following: Any and all reports, notes, briefing... Read more... SOURCE Judicial Watch CONTACT: Jill Farrell, 202-646-5188 Related Links www.JudicialWatch.org Share Tweet Barbara Bush says Donald Trump caused her angst during the 2016 election and led her to question whether she was still a Republican in the months before she died. The late former first ladys thoughts about Trump were revealed in excerpts published Wednesday in USA Today of an upcoming biography, The Matriarch. In a February 2018 interview, Bush was asked if she still considered herself a Republican. She replied, Id probably say no today. She died in April at age 92. Advertisement Bush recalled drafting a funny letter to mail after the election congratulating Bill Clinton on becoming a presidential spouse. But Bush said when she woke up, she realized to my horror that Trump had won. A friend gave Bush a clock that counted down the time remaining in Trumps first term that she kept at her bedside. Amazon is developing a series based on Wild Seed, the 1980 novel by science fiction legend Octavia E. Butler. The show is being produced by JuVee Productions, a Los Angeles company led by actors Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, Deadline reported Tuesday. The screenplay will be written by acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor and Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu. Wild Seed is the fourth book, and the first chronologically, in Butlers acclaimed Patternist series of novels. The book follows two immortal beings from Africa: Doro, a murderous entity who takes over the bodies of his victims, and Anyanwu, a benevolent, shape-shifting healer. The novel is one of the best known from Butler, the Pasadena-born author who died in 2006 of a stroke when she was 58. Advertisement The author was the recipient of multiple awards and honors in her lifetime, including Hugo and Nebula awards and a MacArthur Fellowship. Davis, one of the adaptations executive producers, said Butlers book shifted her life. It is as epic, as game-changing, as moving and brilliant as any science fiction novel ever written, she said in a statement. Julius [Tennon] and I are proud to have this masterpiece in our hands. It fulfills our promise and legacy to be disrupters. Octavia Butler was a visionary and we look forward to honoring the scope of her work and sharing it with the world. Okorafor and Kahiu, who are also executive producers of the series, cited Wild Seed as their favorite Butler novel.'Wild Seed stays with you, the writers said. Its a love/hate story of African immortals that connects people on the African continent to the Diaspora. It merges the mystical and the scientific seamlessly. Youre going to see shape-shifting, body-jumping, telepaths, people born with the ability to defy the laws of physics, all in the context of our past, present and future world. Wild Seed isnt the only Butler novel destined for the small screen. Her 1987 novel Dawn is being adapted into a television series by director Ava DuVernay and actor-filmmaker Victoria Mahoney. Health insurer Centene Corp. agreed to buy managed care provider WellCare Health Plans Inc. for more than $15 billion, expanding in the market for government insurance plans just as politicians in Washington are gearing up for another Obamacare clash. Centene, based in St. Louis, offered $305.39 per share in cash and stock for Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare, the companies said in a statement Wednesday. The boards of both companies backed the transaction, which has an enterprise value of $17.3 billion. Both insurers have erected significant businesses around government health programs. Centene is focused on Medicaid and Affordable Care Act markets. WellCare also offers Medicaid and Obamacare coverage and has a large Medicare business. A combined insurer would have 22 million members in government-sponsored health programs across 50 states, the companies said. Centene Chief Executive Michael Neidorffs ambitions dont end there. Advertisement You dont achieve a number and say, I dont need to grow further, Neidorff said on a conference call Wednesday. The more we can add, the more we can grow in this area, the better the recipients are, the better for the investors. Such grand goals have presented obstacles for other insurers. In 2017, the courts blocked mergers between Aetna Inc. and Cigna Corp., and Anthem Inc. and Humana Inc. Aetna eventually merged with pharmacy chain CVS Health Corp., and Cigna bought drug-benefits manager Express Scripts. Neidorff said that he expected the deal with WellCare to get through an antitrust review, despite prior deals getting blocked. There is not all the same issues, all the same issue from a competitive standpoint, he said. While there is some overlap in some of the states, we believe its all very manageable. Investors, however, are signaling doubts WellCares shares were trading more than $35 below the value of Centenes offer after the market opened on Wednesday, a sign traders arent certain the deal will close. The companies said they plan to complete the deal in the first half of 2020. WellCare shares closed up 12.3% to $259.81 on Wednesday. Centene fell 5% to $52.12. The combined company will have about $30 billion in drug spending, making it a major player in the pharmacy-benefit management market. That industry is dominated by Cigna, CVS and UnitedHealth Group Inc. Centene has said it plans to move its pharmacy-benefit contract away from CVS. WellCare CEO Kenneth Burdick said his company, which also contracts with CVS, would also evaluate other options. Therell be some attractive opportunity for us to improve our current position, Burdick said. The companies projected about $500 million in savings in the second year after the deal closes. That includes possible divestitures to appease antitrust authorities. Executives from WellCare are expected to join Centene, though the companies declined to describe the precise roles they would take in the newly combined management team. The first quarter has been the biggest of the last 12 years for health industry mergers and acquisitions globally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.s $89-billion purchase of Celgene Corp., including debt, accounted for much of the $173-billion total for 591 deals announced in the quarter so far. The Centene-WellCare deal arrives just as President Trump and Democrats in Congress are renewing a long-running feud over the Affordable Care Act. The law survived a 2017 repeal effort by Republicans, but 20 conservative-leaning states sued last year to have it repealed on the grounds that changes in tax law invalidated it. Trumps Justice Department this week backed that effort, to the ire of Democrats. On Tuesday, Trump tweeted that Republicans would be the party of healthcare, while Democratic leaders vowed to protect the ACA. House Democrats are also preparing to unveil legislation that would target high-cost drugs and protect people with preexisting conditions. The Affordable Care Act, now 9 years old, has led to sweeping changes in the American healthcare system that have spawned new businesses and reinvented old ones. Overturning the law entirely would mean undoing key planks, including its Medicaid expansion, which has increased access to health coverage for millions of lower-income Americans. An enlarged Centene could be threatened if higher courts uphold the request by the Republican-leaning states and the Trump administration to wipe out the entire Obamacare law, though legal experts have said that outcome is unlikely. The matter is before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Television host Ellen DeGeneres and actress Portia de Rossi appear to be changing course in Beverly Hills, listing an estate they purchased about six months ago for sale at $17.995 million. The Hollywood couple bought the home in September for $15 million, records show. The Hollywood Regency-style residence, formerly the longtime home of actress and philanthropist Marjorie Lord, was designed and built in 1962 by noted architect John Elgin Woolf. Prior to last years sale, the home was restored by Los Angeles-based design firm Marmol Radziner. 1 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 2 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 3 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 4 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 5 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 6 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 7 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) 8 / 8 The 1962 house, where Make Room for Daddy actress Marjorie Lord lived for more than four decades, features elegant design details, a new-look kitchen and city to ocean views. (Jim Bartsch) Advertisement Steeped in Old Hollywood glamour, the single-story house features a circular foyer that opens to a sunlit common area and scaled formal rooms. The 5,100 square feet of living space include open living and dining rooms, a den/office, a breakfast nook, five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Private courtyards sit off each of the bedrooms. Outside, sparsely landscaped grounds hold a covered patio lined with columns, a built-in barbecue and a small swimming pool. Views extend from city to ocean. DeGeneres, 61, has won multiple Emmys for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which premiered in 2003. Last year she co-created and produced the show Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey. De Rossi, 46, has television credits that include the legal drama Ally McBeal and the sitcom Arrested Development. Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency holds the listing. neal.leitereg@latimes.com | Twitter: @LATHotProperty Electricity supply problems continued on Tuesday in Venezuela, more than 24 hours after the first of two new blackouts that have once again left much of the country in darkness, a situation that motivated the Nicolas Maduro government to extend by another day its suspension of work and school activities. The two cuts in electricity service are affecting almost the whole country and are once again being blamed by the government on sabotage. The second of them was accompanied by a fire at the Guri hydroelectric plant, the countrys most important energy facility. In Caracas, business and government services are severely curtailed due to the blackout and there are long lines at the few gasoline stations that have not closed. According to Health Minister Carlos Alvarado, No serious or regrettable incident has been registered at the countrys hospitals, and he added that the electricity plants are equipped to deal with the second massive power outage in less than a month. Outside of Caracas, the blackout is affecting practically the entire country in one way or another. Anzoategui state Gov. Antonio Barreto Sira told EFE that electric service had been reestablished intermittently in some of the 21 municipalities in the eastern state. Its not complete restoration ... The electricity goes out and the water also goes out, he said, adding that he had activated a contingency plan to guarantee that hospitals will continue to be able to attend to patients. Miranda state Gov. Hector Rodriguez said on Twitter that at 1:30 pm power had been restored 90 percent in some areas but only 10 percent in others. Tachira state Gov. Laidy Gomez told reporters that most of the state bordering on Colombia had been without electricity for 25 hours. In addition, we have a collapse of public services, theres no public transport, she said, adding that there are sectors where its been three months since water has been running through the pipes. Zulia Gov. Omar Prieto told state-run VTV television that he had activated a contingency plan for the oil-rich region. The state has also implemented a plan to guarantee lives and property after the wave of looting the state experienced in early March during the earlier blackout, when hundreds of businesses were stripped of their wares and about 1,000 people were arrested. A government official in Nueva Esparta state told EFE that since Monday the region has experienced at least three blackouts that have lasted about six hours. Business activities in all Venezuelan states have been reduced - by 80 percent in some cases - and stores and restaurants that have opted to remain open are taking payment only in US dollars or other foreign currencies. The speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, said that President Nicolas Maduros government did not have a sensible, credible explanation of the blackout, which comes two weeks after the restoration of power following a nationwide outage that last five days. Guaido, recognized by roughly 50 countries as Venezuelas acting president, said during a legislative session that the power failure was a product of poor maintenance, product of corruption. They lie to avoid taking responsibility for this murderous crisis. They are also risking the little thats left of the national electrical infrastructure, Guaido tweeted earlier Tuesday. Maduros leftist government attributed the March 7-12 blackout to cyber-sabotage of the computer system at the Guri hydroelectric complex. The sabotage was carried out by the United States, the government said. The opposition, however, blamed the Maduro government for failures in the system, saying that the governments poor management of the grid was the real cause of the outage. Fifteen people undergoing treatment in Venezuelan hospitals during the March 7-12 outage died due to the lack of electricity, the opposition said, while officials maintain that two people died. Washington was the first country to recognize Guaido as interim president and has ratcheted up its economic sanctions against Venezuela since the opposition leaders Jan. 23 proclamation. There were very few empty seats at Monday Evening Concerts, but Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin recommended that those along the sides of Zipper Concert Hall fill up the few empty spots in the middle. She described Hidden, her mysterious 45-minute score for string quartet and electronics, as a moving landscape for the ears, which turn into eyes. The center of such a musical Cinerama is where you get the full immersive experience. Coincidentally, the next night across the street at REDCAT, we were once again instructed to fill the center seats. In this case, though, it was because the theater was sold out and, like on an airplane, filling the center first would make boarding easier for a program of works by Alvin Lucier. The 87-year-old surveyor happens to be renowned as a pioneering architect of sonic room consciousness. A big attraction here was his performance of his classic 1969 I Am Sitting in Room, a poignant recitation in which his voice interacts with the sonic properties of the space he occupies. Yes, space is absolutely the place. The first really good thing to be said about these demanding concerts which required near meditation on slow, mainly quiet scores with very slight changes was that they did an excellent job of undermining stereotypes of an antsy new generation addicted to constant stimulus and screens. SPRING PREVIEW: Critics picks of the most promising concerts of the season ahead Advertisement Although there was little crossover between the audiences in the halls, in both cases young outnumbered old by a substantial margin. The audiences were attentive and intent. I didnt hear a single cough either night. It was obvious the enticement was to have an experience that was new, intense, challenging and not possible any other way. Not even vinyl will do it. On the other hand, putting too much emphasis on a space can be a very fussy business. Ears may become eyes, but eyes influence ears. So does temperature and smell and touch and leg room and the psychic, physical and aural presence of others. All can enhance, but also distract. At Monday Evening Concerts, the rational for pairing Schumanns Piano Quintet, written 172 years before Czernowins Hidden, was on the fanciful side: the thought of husband and wife. Schumanns wife, Clara, also was a composer, as is Czernowins husband, Steven Kazuo Takasugi. Introducing it all was a three-minute video of a master class with the French pianist Alfred Cortot from probably around 1960 looking and seeming ever the ancient Romantic mystic. The program notes made the point of Schumanns capacity to give transcendence to the funeral march in the second movement, which the ad hoc ensemble led by violinist Movses Pogossian managed convincingly. But this was otherwise conventional chamber music played the conventional way in a conventional concert hall, whereas Czernowin wanted something more. She is a composer who operates around the fringes of sound. The job of the string quartet, here the impressive JACK, is to trick the ears into thinking what is acoustic is electronic. Meanwhile the electronic soundscape tends to make little sonic effects much bigger and thus add to the confusion. Czernowin said in her introduction that she was after the intensity of being, of finding movement in stillness, joy in sadness and, a little less happily, sadness in joy. A lot of that was the sensation of being in nature, the electronics often evoking atmospheric effects, such as wind and rain and swarms of locusts. Some drama you couldnt put your finger on. When the electronic sounds moved around the hall, I dont think it really mattered where you were. I was center left for what thats worth. The lighting was dark and also dramatic. But if the room itself matters, little things, stuff nobody thinks about, can make big differences in perception. The JACK used iPads for scores, which is now commonplace among young performers. In a darkened hall, the devices produced a not ineffective glow; however the first violinists Bluetooth foot pedal had a blinking light that kept a beat, as if trying to put Hidden on life support. Interestingly, Czernowin and Lucier occupy nearby academic space in the Northeast. Shes at Harvard, and hes a longtime fixture at Wesleyan, Luciers lab for his psycho-acoustical experiments. He too has a striking new ensemble, Ever Present Orchestra, to do his obsessive bidding and which was making its West Coast debut. The long first half of the Tuesday REDCAT program included pieces written since 2012, and the first, Ricochet Lady, seemed a test as to whether you would be up for a night of Lucier. Trevor Saint mechanically repeated short patterns at great speed and at considerable volume (speed and loudness being an exception for Lucier) on a solo glockenspiel, causing acoustical phenomena of ringing and beating. It went on for a long time, and the audience appeared to find it exciting. I, though, began to fear the Ricochet Lady was attempting to rewire my brain. There was no such sense of weaponizing sound in the quiet, drone-based pieces Braid, Two Circles, Semicircle and the new EPO 5 that followed for differing ensembles that included saxophones, electric guitars, saxophones, violins, piano and percussion. These tend to operate on the effects of slight mathematically determined changes of pitch on harmony. Very funny things happen but at a snails pace, and they require exceptional concentration on the part of the performers and the understanding patience of the listeners. There were impressive quantities of both. For I Am Sitting in a Room, Lucier, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter hoodie, sat in a chair and read a line of text noting that it would be recorded and repeated over and over (for about 25 minutes in this performance) electronically absorbing the rooms acoustics until his voice was turned into smoothed-out electronic sounds. There is undeniable, if slightly perverse, fascination in hearing Luciers voice be absorbed by the room. But there is also something quite disturbing about this. It sounds as though the composer, who remains motionless and expressionless in his chair throughout, is falling deeper and deeper into a cistern until he is lost. You do, though, get a full realization of how much environment matters too. Anyone wondering about the future of HBO under its new AT&T overlords should take a glance at the press release that snuck into my inbox on Wednesday. HBOs Dragon Wagon lands at AT&Ts Boston flagship store, it said, giving fans a chance to ride in style to the Game of Thrones final season world premiere in New York City. Apparently, folks who visit the big AT&T store in Boston on Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. can enter a sweepstakes and possibly win tickets to the April 3 New York premiere of Game of Thrones, to which they will arrive in style on HBOs Dragon Wagon (luxury bus). As an added bonus, those arriving at noon Tuesday might meet Kristian Nairn, who played Hodor, who will be taking photos and, yes, its true even if I personally CANNOT STAND IT, holding the door. Advertisement Obviously, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros would have lived in perfect harmony if only they had had access to AT&Ts family plan (though frankly, the roaming charges of the Stark children alone would have been fairly steep, and how many bars can you reasonably expect beyond the Wall?). But unless AT&T is announcing a new bundle that includes messages sent by ravens, this is the kind of thing that happens when too many people use the word synergy in too many meetings. Game of Thrones Season 8 documentary will air on HBO after the finale Which is not to say I would not rush to Boyle Street if I were anywhere near Boston, if only to tell Nairn how much I loved his remarkable seasons-long performance and how the Hodor-sized hole left in the show and my heart can never be filled. But really? Youre going to make him hold the door of an AT&T store? The HBO marketing team has always pushed its number one to its limits.The Game of Thrones Exhibition, which began seven years ago with some costumes and props, quickly became an international sensation that included such things as a virtual reality experience of taking the elevator to the top of the Wall. As for activations, which have taken the marketing world by storm, HBO was an early and ardent adapter. At last years SXSW, they worked with Giant Spoon to create a version of the Westworld theme park (sans actual murderous robots). This year, the Game of Thrones exhibit was just as fully immersive but with a different partner the Red Cross and a public service message donate blood. Or, in the parlance of the show Bleed for the Throne. So I guess theres precedence for a Dragon Wagon. But there is also no denying the low-tech (and seemingly hurried creation) of the Boston event or, more important, the stunningly discordant nature of the two brands (although you could argue that bad marriages are one theme of Thrones). AT&T has every right to leverage one business to aid another, but it only works if the match-up doesnt seem ridiculous. And a Game of Thrones event held at an AT&T store is ridiculous, the kind of aggressive state of ownership that one would expect from Joffrey Lannister or Ramsay Bolton, which cannot be the characters with whom AT&T wants to identify. As more conglomerates obtain networks and studios, I suppose we should expect more of this will every show on the new Apple Network feature Apple products? Will F/X shows like American Horror Story or Atlanta now include the obligatory in which they all go to Disneyland episode? With Veep, also entering its final season, will Selena Meyer be hosting an event at the D.C. flagship store? Actually, thats an activation that would be on brand. mary.mcnamara@latimes.com @marymacTV Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuels furor continued Wednesday as he accused actor Jussie Smollett of abusing the city and taking its anti-hate values and turning them upside down and inside out. The politician appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday to discuss the stunning reversal in the Empire actors case from the day before. Thats when prosecutors dropped charges that alleged the actor staged a racial and homophobic January attack against himself and then lied to police about it. Hes saying hes innocent and his words arent true, Emanuel said, citing the opposing narratives among Smollett, police and prosecutors. They better get their story straight because this is actually making fools of all of us. His comments come as a Chicago police union is again calling for an investigation of the matter. Advertisement Its still unclear why prosecutors dropped the charges, but they said they made the move after reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago. But the actor didnt admit to any wrongdoing, which is typically a requirement of such cases. What really happened to Jussie Smollett in Chicago? We still need to know Jussie Smollett waves to supporters before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped Tuesday. (Paul Beaty / Associated Press) Prosecutors maintain that the actor was not exonerated, and they, as well as police, still believe Smollett hired two men to stage the attack to promote his career, then lied about it. Smollett and his attorneys, whove maintained his innocence, said that his record has been wiped clean. Nobody can make sense of this. This is a head-scratcher, Emanuel said, adding, This looks like hes an actor, a person of influence, he got treated differently than everyone else. On Tuesday, Rahm called the debacle a whitewash of justice during a joint press conference with Chicago Police Supt. Eddie T. Johnson, who still believes Smollett is guilty and owes the city an apology. Smolletts attorney Tina Glandian also appeared on GMA on Wednesday in a separate segment and said that her team was ready to proceed with a trial. [The state of Illinois] made the decision to voluntarily discontinue the action altogether, she said. I think if they believed the charges, they would never have dismissed the case. This is such a high-profile matter everyones been talking about it, obviously its made national headlines their actions speak louder than words. Empire star Jussie Smolletts attorney speaks out about the investigation after prosecutors drop charges. https://t.co/BHjpbroTWb pic.twitter.com/p0WbU82mSg Good Morning America (@GMA) March 27, 2019 Meanwhile, the union representing the Chicago Police Department is again asking for a federal investigation of State Atty. Kim Foxx. The Fraternal Order of Police, which originally called for an investigation last week, doubled down on the effort on Wednesday, according to CNN. Foxx, Cook Countys top prosecutor, recused herself from the investigation before Smollett was charged, citing conversations she had with a Smollett family member, the Associated Press reported. The Order said last week that it requested that federal authorities investigate Foxx for her interference in the Jussie Smollett case and her role in several exonerations of convicted killers. A timeline of how the Jussie Smollett case unfolded Ms. Foxx attempted to influence the police investigation at the behest of an attorney and family members of Jussie Smollett, the union alleged. Such conduct merits a review by [U.S. Atty. John Lauschs] office. Private attorneys are not allowed to interfere with ongoing police investigations, particularly at the request of private individuals associated with subjects being investigated by the police, in this case, a subject later determined to be the offender, not the victim, FOP President Kevin Graham said. Foxx did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Follow me: @NardineSaad Each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, except perhaps in the films of the Austrian writer-director Michael Haneke, where domestic misery tends to express itself as a series of repetitive, even ritualistic patterns. He has, in effect, turned this repetition into a kind of joke; in most of his films you are likely to encounter the names Georges and Anne (or Georg and Anna), and maybe the face of his frequent on-screen muse, the brilliant French actress Isabelle Huppert. The forces bedeviling these families vary in nature an apocalyptic disaster in Time of the Wolf, inexplicable suicidal urges in The Seventh Continent, memories of past transgressions in Cache but see enough of them and you will soon realize that every tormentor is a front for Haneke himself. Nearly all his films are predicated on a home invasion of sorts, some of them explicit, as in his twin versions of Funny Games, and some of them metaphorical, as in his 2012 masterpiece, Amour, in which the lethal intruder turns out to be time itself. No locks get broken and no ominous packages are delivered in Hanekes Happy End, an unhappy-family drama every bit as devious as its poker-faced title. This is a more playful, slippery version of a story that Haneke has never really stopped telling: Steadily and ruthlessly, he chips away at an upper-class Western family whose members are ensconced in their own privilege, deaf to the guilty howls of conscience and oblivious to the suffering in their midst. The Laurents are a multi-generational clan living in a large house in the French coastal city of Calais. The patriarch is Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour), a widower just shy of his 85th birthday. His brittle, exceedingly competent daughter, Anne (Huppert told you), runs the familys construction business and tries to groom her volatile man-child son, Pierre (Franz Rogowski), for a prominent role in the company. Annes weaker-willed brother, Thomas (Mathieu Kassovitz), is a doctor with a wife, Anais (Laura Verlinden), and an infant son. Advertisement We meet the Laurents in the wake of two serious crises. A wall collapses at one of the companys construction sites, injuring an employee. Thomas 13-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, Eve (Fantine Harduin), comes to live with them after her mother falls gravely ill. Both inciting tragedies are shown, or at least suggested, by a secondary camera security footage of the construction accident, a series of eerie videos shot on Eves phone and that sense of chilly, detached observation persists inside the Laurents home, where no tragedy seems capable of disrupting the familys routine. Unfolding as a series of brisk, meticulously composed, perfectly acted scenes held together with little or no exposition, Happy End is diffuse in its storytelling no single character emerges as the protagonist and elegantly serpentine in its construction. A single cut can propel the movie forward by untold days or weeks, but the overall narrative progress feels disquietingly circular. The unblinking gaze of the camera, often taking in the action from a deliberate distance, lends even seemingly banal activities a queasy, hypnotic power. (The superb digital cinematography is by Hanekes regular collaborator Christian Berger.) Again and again, the director sows seeds of dread and disaster, only to uproot them before they can blossom into full-on horror. Tension convulses the picture whenever Eve, a disaffected teen played with breathtaking poise by Harduin, finds herself alone with her baby brother. But if Happy End is something of a bad-seed nightmare, it turns out to be an unpredictable one, marked by unexpected flashes of warmth, sympathy and blistering humor. (Its been a while since a Haneke movie left me cackling in horror rather than reeling in it.) A curious bond develops between Eve and her grandfather, Georges, one predicated not on love or affection but rather on a mutual disdain for the adults around them, as well as a shared suspicion that life might not be worth living. That suspicion might be nursed in turn by Pierre, a born troublemaker and teller of ugly truths, who briefly exorcises his demons with a jaw-dropping karaoke performance of Sias Champagne. That leaves it to the older Laurent siblings to keep up appearances. Anne goes into exasperated damage-control mode with every fresh setback, conducting business and romance over the phone with her British attorney, Lawrence (Toby Jones). Thomas, meanwhile, plays the hardworking family man even as he hides the affair hes having with another woman, as we see in regular glimpses of their online correspondence. Haneke has long been fascinated, at least since Bennys Video (1992), by the insinuating, alienating effects of contemporary technology, but here his clever integration of Facebook messages and smartphone apps doesnt feel like a facile anti-internet screed; its symptomatic of a deeper malaise. When Hanekes movie premiered this year at the Cannes Film Festival, it was dismissed by many as a feeble effort from an auteur rifling through his greatest hits, among them The White Ribbon, with its unsparing view of teenage sociopathy, and Amour, which, as Georges hints at one point, may well be this movies prequel. More meaningfully, the repressed ghosts of Cache and Code Unknown are evoked by the African refugees who walk the streets of Calais (an intense focal point of the ongoing migrant crisis), and also by the hardworking, painfully well-behaved Moroccan couple that serves the Laurent household. Tellingly, we notice these characters only when the family does; they are otherwise as invisible to us as they are to Georges, Anne and the rest of their viperous brood. Haneke has often been dinged as both a punishing moralist and a perversely withholding storyteller, and so its fitting that his masterstroke in Happy End, delivered almost with a shrug, is the withholding of punishment. A more redemptive, politically righteous movie might have held its characters to account for their callous indifference, the way Haneke did in Cache, but its as if he doesnt see the point: Up until the movies ghastly, hilarious final tableau, these characters exist beyond the reach of shock, guilt, shame or retribution. Only in a Haneke film, perhaps, could such a reprieve wind up feeling like the most damning judgment of all. ------------ Happy End In French and English with English subtitles Rating: R, for some sexual material and language Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Playing: Laemmles Royal Theatre, West Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang ALSO Mudbound tops Mark Olsens 10 best films of 2017 Call Me by Your Name, The Florida Project lead Justin Changs 12 best films of 2017 Kenneth Turans best films of 2017 include The Shape of Water and The Post Done right, there are few things as restorative as a bowl of noodle soup. Lao Tao, a 25-seat shop on the second floor of Chinatowns Far East Plaza, has an excellent version. But its bowl of Tawainese beef ban mien actually started out as a dry noodle dish before morphing into its current noodle soup iteration. David Wang, who opened Lao Tao in 2016, first served the dish as a heady combination of flat wheat noodles, beef shank and tendon, cabbage and pickled mustard greens. He later added a rich bone marrow broth and, encouraged by friends, put the reworked dish on the menu, where it has become a staple. Wang traces his ban mien recipe to a particular visit to Taiwan shortly before the restaurant opened, when he was blown away by versions of the dish that were nothing like those hed had in America. Advertisement The flavor was drastically different, Wang said. I scratched my recipe and redid everything. He downplayed soy sauce, and took tomatoes and daikon out of the braise. Then he turned his attention to the broth and spices, roasting the bones for the stock and adding galangal to the mix. I refuse to calculate the cost, he said, after describing the three stocks bone marrow, chicken and roasted beef spiked with red jalapenos, chiles and Sichuan peppercorns as well as the beef and dry guan miao noodles he sources from a Rosemead company. I dont want to know. Wang, whose family moved to Los Angeles from Southern China when he was a kid, grew up working in his parents fast-food restaurants and didnt initially want to cook for a living. Instead he got an economics degree from UCLA and worked in the corporate world for seven years before the urge to cook finally overcame him. He filtered some of his initial recipes through his family his parents won a Mercedes in a Ranch 99 raffle, then sold it and used the money to open their own restaurant and then picked up more from research and trips to Taiwan. Hed fallen in love with Taiwanese food early on, he said. He also credits trips to Pine & Crane as an early catalyst. The popular Silver Lake restaurant really inspired me; I didnt know Americans liked Taiwanese food. The beef ban mien, Wang said, is more a passion than anything else. Maybe one day I can open a dedicated noodle soup shop so I can finally put it in its proper place. 727 N Broadway, No. 207, Los Angeles; (213) 372-5318; laotaostreetfood.com. Instagram: @laotaostreetfood. amy.scattergood@latimes.com Instagram: @AScattergood California legislators introduced a bill Tuesday that would tighten the states childhood immunization law, already one of the strictest in the nation. Children in California must be fully vaccinated to attend public or private schools, unless a doctor says they have a medical reason not to have all their shots. But since Californias tough inoculation law was passed in 2015, the number of children with medical exemptions has grown, while physicians have been accused of excusing children from immunizations for questionable reasons such as for having asthma or diabetes. The new bill, SB 276, would address this loophole by requiring the state health department to vet each medical exemption form written by physicians. The department would also maintain a database of exemptions that would allow officials to monitor which doctors are granting the exemptions. Advertisement The bill was introduced by Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), a pediatrician who authored the 2015 vaccine law, as well as Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego). The California Medical Assn. is sponsoring the bill. Currently, no regulatory body in California is charged with ensuring the exemptions are valid, leaving the decision fully in the hands of physicians, Pan said. Unfortunately, a few unethical physicians advertise medical exemptions for cash, Pan said at a news conference in the state Capitol. During the 2017-18 school year, at 105 schools in the state, 10% or more of kindergartners had a medical exemption. That dropped their collective immunity below the 95% threshold that physicians say is needed to prevent outbreaks of highly contagious disease such as measles. Though vaccination rates have jumped overall in California, the number of kindergartners with medical exemptions spiked 441% after the law took effect. Eric Ball, a pediatrician from Orange County representing the American Academy of Pediatrics, said he fears a measles outbreak is on the horizon as medical exemptions increase. His county was at the epicenter of a major outbreak in 2015 linked to Disneyland, which prompted Californias tough vaccination law. What we are seeing in our community and in our state is that our vaccination rate for the first time is going down, Ball said at the news conference. We are seeing that because of the increase in bogus medical exemptions and by false information being spread across the internet. But Rebecca Estepp, who was part of a group that opposed the original vaccine law, said she feels medical exemptions are facing undue scrutiny. Though some schools have higher medical exemption rates, only 0.7% of kindergartners have a medical exemption statewide, she pointed out. This just seems like overkill, Estepp said in an interview. Its oppressive and burdensome, and the fact that [Pan is] going to insert bureaucrats in between the patient-doctor relationship is really troubling. Under the law, officials would rely on federal guidelines to determine which reasons are valid for vaccine exemptions, according to the bills text. Doctors would be unable to exercise their education, their history and their relationship with the patient, something that legislators who passed the original vaccine law had said they would not ban, Estepp said. Gov. Jerry Browns signing message for the law specifies that exemptions are left up to the judgment and sound discretion of the physician. Estepp also worried that a state-run database of exemptions would frighten physicians out of writing them for valid medical reasons, such as a child undergoing chemotherapy. What doctor is going to want their name on a database? she said. Its going to be very difficult to have a doctor want to write an exemption under this sort of scrutiny. California is one of three states the others are West Virginia and Mississippi that does not allow parents to get out of vaccinating their children for religious or personal belief reasons. In West Virginia, each exemption must be vetted by the public health department. Their medical exemption rate is half of Californias. Californias bill would create a standardized form for requesting the medical exemptions that would include the reason for the exemption, physicians name and license number. The bill also calls for all exemptions currently on file at schools to be sent to the public health agency by July 1, 2020 for possible review. Its not often that we say in California that we are going to meet the Mississippi and West Virginia standard but that is what we need to do now, Gonzalez said at the news conference. Gonzalez said she was struck by reports that a doctor in San Diego had written nearly one-third of medical exemptions in the San Diego Unified School District. Since the 2015 vaccination law was passed, only one California physician has been sanctioned for fraudulently writing medical exemptions. Orange County-based Dr. Bob Sears was put on probation last year for excusing a 2-year-old from all vaccines. The medical board, however, is investigating many more doctors. In addition to the complaint that launched the Sears investigation, more than 50 others have been filed against physicians who are accused of improperly writing exemptions in the past four years, according to the state medical board. soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com Twitter: @skarlamangla The warning signs appeared soon after Denise Kawamoto accepted a job at Todays Fresh Start Charter School in South Los Angeles. Though she was fresh out of college, she was pretty sure it wasnt normal for the school to churn so quickly through teachers or to mount surveillance cameras in each classroom. Old computers were lying around, but the campus had no internet access. Pay was low and supplies scarce she wasnt given books for her students. She struggled to reconcile the schools conditions with what little she knew about its wealthy founders, Clark and Jeanette Parker of Beverly Hills. When Kawamoto saw their late-model Mercedes-Benz outside the school, she would think: Look at your school, then look at what you drive. That didnt sit well with us teachers, she said. The Parkers have cast themselves as selfless philanthropists, telling the California Board of Education that they have devoted all of our lives to the education of other peoples children, committed many millions of our own dollars directly to that particular purpose, with no gain directly to us. But the couple have, in fact, made millions from their charter schools. Financial records show the Parkers schools have paid more than $800,000 annually to rent buildings the couple own. The charters have contracted out services to the Parkers nonprofits and companies and paid Clark Parker generous consulting fees, all with taxpayer money, a Times investigation found. Presented with The Times findings, the Parkers did not respond to multiple requests for comment. How the Parkers have stayed in business, surviving years of allegations of financial and academic wrongdoing, illustrates glaring flaws in the way California oversees its growing number of charter schools. Many of the people responsible for regulating the couples schools, including school board members and state elected officials, had accepted thousands of dollars from the Parkers in campaign contributions. Like other charter operators who have run into trouble, the Parkers were able to appeal to the state Board of Education when they faced the threat of being shut down; the panel is known for overturning local regulators decisions. A Times analysis of the state boards decisions has found that, over the last five years, it has sided with charters over local school districts or county offices of education in about 70% of appeals. California law also enables troubled charter operators to escape sanction or scrutiny by moving to school districts more willing to accept them. The Parkers have used this to their advantage, keeping one step ahead of the regulators. Theyre like cats, said Kawamoto, who began working at one of the couples charter schools in 2006. They have so many lives. Yanin Ardila, left, and Denise Kawamoto are former teachers at Today's Fresh Start in Los Angeles who were dismayed by poor classroom conditions. Christina House / Los Angeles Times California now has more than 1,300 charter schools more than any other state. Twenty-seven years ago, when California became just the second state to enact a law establishing charter schools, state leaders framed the experiment as a modest one that would allow only 100 schools at first. Free-market advocates saw charters as a way to empower all students to choose from a variety of schools. Other supporters envisioned them as laboratories for testing new teaching methods and then bringing successes back to traditional public schools. The new, privately operated schools would be government-funded and tuition-free. They would unleash creativity by liberating schools from many of the state education codes rules. But to ensure that they lived up to their promises and spent public money properly, they would have to be vetted and overseen by governmental bodies, beginning with the school districts in which they were located. That was sufficient check and balance for the civic-minded individuals who ran many charter schools. But as the number of charters in the state grew, the same law that allowed many founders to try new ideas with great success created opportunities for others. The law allowed for a multitude of different bodies to serve as authorizers, watching over the new schools. It gave oversight power not just to the state board, but also to each of the states many school districts and county boards of education regardless of whether they had the ability or inclination to properly police the independently run schools. About 330 government entities have the authority to authorize and supervise charters in California. By contrast, Texas, the state with the second-largest number of charter schools, has 18, according to its state education agency. New York has two active authorizers. Los Angeles Unified, the nations second-largest school district, has an entire division devoted to overseeing the charters it authorizes and is considered one of the states most robust monitors. But the roster of charter authorizers also includes school districts with colorful histories of corruption and financial mismanagement. Some are so small that they have fewer than a dozen employees in all, with insufficient resources to be effective watchdogs. The system has given rise to many well-respected charter organizations across the state, including KIPP and Green Dot Public Schools, which reach students in neighborhoods desperate for better options. But it also has allowed unscrupulous entrepreneurs to profit from a fragile and fractured regulatory patchwork. In L.A., the founder of the charter school network Celerity Educational Group recently pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to misappropriate and embezzle public funds. Federal prosecutors found that Vielka McFarlane had used her charter schools credit card to pay for expensive clothing, luxury hotel stays and first-class flights for her and her family. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Oxford Preparatory Academy, a Chino charter, was forced to close in 2017 after an audit determined that the schools founder had been laundering state funds through her private company. Another audit found that a charter network CEO in Livermore had misspent $67 million in tax-exempt bonds and tried to mislead auditors. When the network filed for bankruptcy and closed its four charter schools, 1,500 students were displaced. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation earlier this month requiring more transparency and stricter conflict-of-interest rules for charter schools. Those reforms could lead to changes when they take effect next year. But they are unlikely to fix the structural issues that have allowed problem charter school operators to circumvent oversight. There are wildly different levels of attention being paid to these schools, and charter schools are finding ways to shop around for the weakest oversight, said Greg Richmond, president of the National Assn. of Charter School Authorizers. As long as Californias authorizing structure stays fragmented across more than 300 different entities, youre going to keep having these problems. The Parkers live in a 7,700-square-foot home in Beverly Hills with an estimated value of about $15.3 million. Jeanette Parker is a past president of the Beverly Hills Republican Club, author of the self-published book Will You Marry Me? Jesus Christ Proposes to You! and a regular contributor to L.A.s largest black newspaper, the Los Angeles Sentinel, which publishes her columns on topics such as single motherhood and why eggs come in many colors. As superintendent of Todays Fresh Start, she is paid an annual salary of about $285,000. Her husband, Clark, is a businessman, a vendor of security devices and a real estate developer who, in an online biography, says he has developed hundreds of commercial and residential properties in Southern California. He sits on the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and lists among his accolades the title of honorary consul general of the Central African Republic. The Parkers are in their 70s. Between them, they have two PhDs and a doctorate of theology from the University of Central Arizona (a two-man operation forced to stop conferring degrees in 1980, according to contemporaneous reports in the Arizona Republic), St. Charles University, and Pacific International University. Both St. Charles and Pacific International are listed in Degree Mills: The Billion-Dollar Industry That Has Sold Over a Million Fake Diplomas, a book about unaccredited for-profit colleges accused of selling degrees co-written by Allen Ezell, a former FBI agent who ran a task force on diploma mills. Jeanette and Clark Parker, founders of Todays Fresh Start, pictured in 2015. (L.A. School Report) The Parkers live in this 7,700 square-foot home in Beverly Hills, with an estimated value of about $15.3 million. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Jeanette and Clark Parker, founders of Todays Fresh Start, pictured in 2015. The Parkers live in this 7,700 square-foot home in Beverly Hills, with an estimated value of about $15.3 million. (L.A. School Report; Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) In examining Todays Fresh Start, The Times interviewed 11 current and former teachers and administrators; reviewed hundreds of pages of financial and legal records; and spoke to those responsible for overseeing the organizations schools. It found that there were plenty of reasons to be wary of the Parkers well before the couple opened their first charter school. The couples first foray into education was in 1968, when they opened a collection of day-care centers in South L.A. under the name Golden Day Schools. As director, Clark Parker won lucrative state contracts to enroll children from low-income families until 2011, when state officials cut him off, citing serious, chronic, and systemic program violations. Two state audits of the day-care program accused the nonprofit of falsifying records, padding attendance figures and spending public money to pay above-market rent for properties owned by the Parkers. The organization, which the state said Clark Parker oversaw, had also used public funds to reimburse itself for parking tickets, Clark Parkers personal property taxes and vehicle registration fees for his Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz costs that state investigators determined had nothing to do with child care. In 2003, the Los Angeles County Office of Education approved Jeanette Parkers petition to open a charter school. Over the next 16 years, Todays Fresh Start expanded from a single campus to the three sites it currently operates in Los Angeles, Compton and Inglewood. Enrollment swelled from 282 students to 1,150 in grades K-8 last school year. The vast majority of its students are African American or Latino children from financially struggling families. As soon as we approved them, we started getting signs they werent really operating in the best interests of students and teachers, said Darline Robles, a USC professor of education who was superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education when it authorized Todays Fresh Start. In 2007, a Todays Fresh Start teacher tipped off Robles staff to the possibility that the charter was tampering with the states standardized tests. An investigation ultimately found that something had gone wrong students had been asked to revisit portions of the exams they had already completed. No one could say how many children had participated, or at whose direction, but it was serious enough that county officials proposed sending monitors to oversee testing. Jeanette Parker refused, writing, There is no state law requiring proctors. In response, the county widened its inquiry. Officials learned that Todays Fresh Start was renting buildings owned by the Parkers and paying Golden Day Schools, their state-funded child-care business, to provide food for the charters students. The charter network had also spent most of a $50,000 state grant to hire an unaccredited university to recommend ways to improve its charter schools. That university was founded by Jeanette Parker. Accused by the county of self-dealing, financial conflicts of interest and wrongly administering the state tests, Jeanette Parker rejected the countys findings. She said she already had addressed her financial interest in contracts and leases by recusing herself from voting on them, leaving those decisions to the charter networks governing board. That was an argument that could stand up only if the networks board was independent. But county officials found that more than half of its members who included the Parkers had a financial stake in the schools. Thus, it appears that Jeanette Parker approves her own actions, evaluates her own performance, sets her own salary and single-handedly decides what will occur at TFSCS, county officials wrote in a report laying out the case for revoking the charter. In late 2007, the L.A. County Board of Education voted to close Todays Fresh Start, citing more than 50 legal and regulatory violations. One of three Todays Fresh Start charter school campuses, this one located in Inglewood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Todays Fresh Start Charter School in Los Angeles, one of three campuses overseen by Jeanette Parker. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) One of three Today's Fresh Start charter school campuses, this one located in Compton. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Each of Todays Fresh Start campuses, located in Inglewood (top), Los Angeles (bottom left), and Compton (bottom right). (Mel Melcon and Christina House / Los Angeles Times) In states such as New York or Massachusetts, where the power to authorize and oversee charter schools is concentrated in the hands of a select few regulatory bodies, that might have marked the end of the Parkers journey. In California, it was only the beginning. The Parkers sued the county to try to get its decision overturned and keep their schools open. While that case was pending, they appealed to the State Board of Education, an 11-member body appointed by the governor that has the power to overrule decisions by school districts and county boards. The board often grants appeals to charters that have been rejected elsewhere, sometimes for serious financial and academic failings. Though it is supposed to be a standard-bearer of sorts for other authorizers, the state board has a reputation for leniency. Charter schools approved by the state board win by losing, said Thomas Saenz, a civil rights attorney who sits on the L.A. County Board of Education and voted to revoke Todays Fresh Starts charter. They lose in front of the school district or the county, but they win because they get the state as an overseer, and that means they get less oversight. In 2010, the year they made their case to the state board, the Parkers spent $15,000 on lobbyists. An NAACP representative came out to support them, as did former Lt. Gov. Mervyn Dymally, who in the course of his political career had received tens of thousands of dollars from the Parkers. I might have been lobbied for Todays Fresh Start more than any other vote I cast on the state board, said former state board member Ben Austin, who had misgivings about allowing the charter to stay open. Austin said he was especially troubled by the charters academic performance. Its test scores swung wildly, from lows that landed it on a state list of persistently lowest-achieving schools to large increases in the span of a year. The pressure to approve the charter was intense, he said. Im white. And I was getting lobbied by African American leaders to vote in a way they perceived would serve the African American community, Austin said. Thats a fairly uncomfortable position to be in. Recordings of state board meetings show there was little discussion of the L.A. County Board of Educations findings of self-dealing, regulatory violations and testing irregularities. Problems at the Golden Day centers didnt come up. State Supt. of Instruction Jack OConnell led department staff in recommending that the board keep Todays Fresh Start open, which the board including Austin unanimously approved. The new school year was only weeks away and if the vote had been no, hundreds of students would have had to scramble to find a new school. During OConnells two terms in office, campaign finance records show, the Parkers had donated more than $73,000 to his various political committees. OConnell said the money played no role in his decision. In the case of Fresh Start, it was one of those occasions where I agreed with the state board, he wrote to The Times. The charter served an overwhelming number of low-income, minority kids that I believed would contribute to my overarching focus on closing the achievement gap. Austin wasnt as confident. In retrospect, he said, Im not sure it was the best outcome for kids. Several months after the state board voted to renew Todays Fresh Starts charter, a teacher contacted county and state education officials. I would like to report on a school in Los Angeles that is run poorly and is a danger to their students, wrote Andrew Goudy on the first of nine pages that detailed problems including cracks in classroom walls, broken air-conditioning and heating systems, and cafeteria food served spoiled or undercooked. He had, he wrote, maybe one textbook for every three students. Goudy wrote that hed overheard an administrator call several students a total waste and speak of the opportunity to get rid of those with disabilities. Years later, in an interview with The Times, he said he had never worked at a school that showed so little regard for students well-being. Every day, it was like, what should I do? Goudy said. Should I run in there and call 911? Should I just get out and work at Starbucks? The choice, he said, was made for him. Shortly after he sent the emails, he said, he was fired. A state employee emailed back, promising to address his concerns. Its unclear if anyone did. As years went by, Goudy lost hope that there would ever be consequences. He died in October 2018 at the age of 48. In interviews, former and current Todays Fresh Start teachers echoed his concerns. The more experienced among them said they knew the charter was receiving millions of dollars in government funding each year an amount tied to its enrollment but they could not see evidence of where the money went. When Yanin Ardila was hired in 2009, she arrived to find no workbooks, notebooks or crayons for her students, she said. Half a dozen kindergartners had been plopped into her first-grade class because they didnt have a classroom or a teacher of their own. On a few occasions, she said, she had to intervene to stop the staff from serving children bread that was past its expiration date. When Yanin Ardila was hired at Todays Fresh Start in 2009, she arrived to find no workbooks, no notebooks or crayons for her students. They didnt care about students, it was just about the money, she said of the schools leaders. Christina House / Los Angeles Times In a 2014 interview with Beverly Hills Weekly, Jeanette Parker said her motives for opening Todays Fresh Start were charitable. I wanted to start the charter school personally because I saw the need to educate the inner-city youth, she told the weekly newspaper. She had grown up in Birmingham, Ala., with little money, she said. She wanted to reach students like herself. Ardila saw it differently. They didnt care about students, it was just about money, she said of the schools leaders. After spending a year in a cockroach-infested classroom, she said, she was moved into a nicer space. But the school remained a chaotic place. She left after three years for a job at another charter school. Kawamoto, the former Todays Fresh Start teacher who wasnt given books for her students, said she was suspicious of the odd way in which she was paid. She said she was told to fill out two sets of time cards, making it seem as though she divided her time between the charter school where she worked and one of the Parkers day-care centers, which operated out of the same location. At the end of each month, her salary was split into two paychecks, she said. Goudy and Ardila who had never worked for Golden Day said they also were paid in this way. While Todays Fresh Start was under the county education boards oversight, officials there tried to interest the L.A. County district attorneys office in investigating the Parkers financial practices. Prosecutors began an inquiry but closed it after interviewing two teachers, according to a memo the office provided to The Times. There does not appear to be any fraud involved, they wrote. In its 2011 audit of the Parkers day-care operations, the state reached a different conclusion. It found that as Golden Days director, Clark Parker had been systematically overbilling the state Department of Education and using money meant for his day-care centers to pay the salaries of Todays Fresh Start employees. In court filings, Parker disputed the states account. He said that some of his employees had worked for both the day-care centers and the charter schools. The audit is flawed and it should be dismissed because it is written by Biased Auditors and it is based on speculation, he wrote in a request for an appeal. State officials were not persuaded; they stopped funding the day-care centers. The state Department of Education is currently suing Golden Day and Clark Parker to recover more than $19 million it says the nonprofit misspent. State officials had decided they could no longer trust Clark Parker to run a day-care business, but they allowed his wifes charter schools to stay open. Staying in business required Todays Fresh Start to keep moving from one authorizer to another. In 2009, the Parkers persuaded the Inglewood Unified School District to let them operate a school under its oversight. With the help of a nearly $20-million facilities grant from the state, the couple built a large, boldly colored school building on a stretch of Imperial Highway known for prostitution. Inglewood proved to be unequipped to oversee a charter school. In 2012, with its finances in complete disarray, the district was taken over by the state Department of Education. Overwhelmed and subjected to a rotating cast of state-appointed leaders, it paid little attention to the districts charters. Asked for copies of charter oversight and inspection reports dating back to when it first authorized Todays Fresh Start, the district said it had none. Oversight in Inglewood was so lax that in 2015, when the Parkers asked to have their charter renewed, district officials sat on the request, blowing a 60-day deadline. As a result, Todays Fresh Starts Inglewood charter was automatically renewed until 2020. State Administrator Thelma Melendez, who was chosen in 2017 to lead the district, said that Inglewood doesnt have the staff to oversee its charters as rigorously as a large district such as L.A. Unified. Like many small districts, it cant afford to devote even one employee to the task full time. There are signs, however, that Melendez is paying more attention than her predecessors. Earlier this month, she sent Jeanette Parker a letter expressing concern over the charters test scores and asking for a detailed plan for their improvement. Inglewood gave the Parkers a secure foothold, but it was only a partial answer to their problems. Jeanette Parker had never stopped fighting the countys decision to revoke her charter even though the State Board of Education had taken over the countys supervisory duties. In 2015, when the California Supreme Court upheld the revocation, and other regulatory changes took effect, Todays Fresh Start could no longer operate its schools in South L.A. and Compton under the state boards oversight. The Parkers, looking for a lifeline, turned to the two districts in which the schools were located: L.A. Unified and Compton Unified. Officials in L.A. took a hard look at Todays Fresh Start and saw how the Parkers schools had become more entangled with their financial interests. After five years under state oversight, they were still using public money to rent buildings they owned. Clark Parker was no longer on the board of Todays Fresh Start he was on the payroll. Board minutes showed that his wifes schools had hired him to manage construction of the Inglewood school. His initial contract was for $575,000. In a strongly worded report to the school board, L.A. Unified officials wrote that the Parkers had potentially broken Californias conflict-of-interest laws. They were also concerned about the charters academics. Although officials found Todays Fresh Starts test scores acceptable, they wrote that the charter was struggling with English learners. These students made up 30% of the charters population, yet over a two-year period, not a single one had been reclassified as English-proficient. The Parkers denied any wrongdoing. In a speech to the board, Clark Parker said that Todays Fresh Start should be judged on how much it had raised its students test scores, not on other issues. The schools were trouble-free, he said, not one incident of any problem at all. Clark Parkers wifes charter schools hired him to manage construction of a new site in Inglewood. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times The couples lawyer argued that L.A. Unified was unfairly holding them to a stricter conflict-of-interest law that applied to district-run schools. The law that applied to charters was different. The L.A. school board rejected Todays Fresh Starts petition. If the charter schools were going to stay open, the Parkers would need to find another authorizing body. In July 2015, Todays Fresh Start became the first charter approved by Compton Unified, a district that had been struggling under a cloud of mismanagement and corruption for decades. Compton assumed responsibility for overseeing two of the groups sites one in Compton and one in South L.A. In response to questions from The Times, district Supt. Darin Brawley said that he had visited the schools twice, most recently in 2017. But when asked for records from these visits, district officials said they had none. Nor did they have any of the financial records, such as bank statements, annual tax filings, contracts or lease agreements, that vigilant authorizers use to monitor charter schools. The Parkers became major donors to the political campaigns of two Compton Unified board members. Compton school board races are often small-time affairs. With unions picking up the cost of mailers and phone banking, candidates have raised less than $10,000 and still won. The Parkers wrote large checks over the course of the last several years, they have given more than $21,000 to Compton Unified board President Micah Ali and Vice President Satra Zurita. Neither Ali nor Zurita responded to requests for comment. In late 2017, as Compton was considering whether to renew Todays Fresh Start, district staff prepared a report listing some of the charter petitions deficiencies. They noted that Jeanette Parker had not disclosed who was on her organizations board or whom her charter was doing business with. Please note that the petition is generally vague and inconsistent regarding the details of the programs outlined in the petition, the report said. Still, district officials recommended renewal. They had been assured, Brawley said, that the deficiencies identified in the petition would be rectified. When the charters renewal came up in December, Compton school board members did not discuss the charters academic performance. They did not question the Parkers, who sat before them in the audience. What they did was a foregone conclusion. The board took less than a minute to vote unanimously to renew Todays Fresh Start until June 2023. Zahira Torres, a former Times staff writer, contributed to this report. Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you. anna.phillips@latimes.com Twitter: @annamphillips The family of a 68-year-old grandmother who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in La Mirada last month as she walked her grandchildren home from school is asking for help finding the motorist. Maria Carmen Chavarria, a mother of three and grandmother to 15, was walking two of her young grandchildren home from school Feb. 20 when the trio was hit from behind by a man driving a dark gray Toyota Camry, authorities said. The incident occurred at about 1:15 p.m., authorities said. The suspect never stopped. Chavarria died later at a hospital, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The two children a 7-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl were injured but survived. Investigators on Tuesday released video of the car, thought to be a model released between 2015 and 2017, and publicized a $5,000 reward from the city for information that leads to the driver. Advertisement We need justice for my mom, said Jeannette Chavarria, the mother of the two injured children What this person has done is heartless and inhumane. Maria Chavarria and her two grandkids were walking along the 14800 block of Escalona Road, a two-lane residential thoroughfare without a sidewalk. In a surveillance video released by authorities Tuesday, the trio can be seen walking along the side of the road next to the curb. Sheriffs Capt. James Tatreau said a witness saw the man on a cellphone. The car would have damage to its passenger-side fender and headlight area, he said. For this person to not stop and attend to my kids, my mom, you know, its just horrible, Jeannette Chavarria said. Anyone with information on the case is urged to call the Norwalk Sheriffs Station at (562) 863-8711 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. VIDEO FATAL HIT & RUN Please take a moment to share this video for the Chavarria Family, her husband, 3 children & 15 grandchildren. Were asking for help identifying the driver of this 2015-17 Gray Toyota Camry. Tips to 800-222-8477. #LASD #HitAndRun #LaMirada pic.twitter.com/qb7xt0cCB7 LASD Norwalk Station (@NorwalkLASD) March 26, 2019 javier.panzar@latimes.com @jpanzar Two Inglewood police officers were shot Wednesday when responding to reports of a man with a sword entering the Church of Scientology of Inglewood, authorities said. The suspect died after he was taken to a hospital in critical condition, authorities said. Inglewood Police Lt. Neal Cochran said the suspect entered the church at 315 S. Market St. wearing a hoodie about 3:30 p.m., but he did not describe what happened inside. One officer was shot in the hand, the other in the forearm. Neither injury was believed to be life-threatening. Advertisement No other injuries were reported, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Inglewood Police Lt. Oscar Mejia said at a news conference Wednesday evening that police are still trying to determine whether the suspect had a gun. At this point, police believe that only the man who drove up to the church in his white Bentley and entered the church with a very large sword was involved. There were about five people in the lobby when the suspect entered. Mejia said police have not identified the suspect and did not know how or why he entered the church. He added that to speculate about that would be improper. The Church of Scientology said in a statement: We thank the Inglewood Police Department for their rapid response in protecting our parishioners and staff members. These officers are doing a heroic job protecting the community and keeping houses of worship safe. (Los Angeles Times) Kebron Faris, 35, of Inglewood, rushed over to the church after getting a text message from her friend who was inside the building. Her friend told her that a man entered the church acting peculiarly and was shot by police. Faris said she was initially worried but was glad her friend who was waiting at the police station to be interviewed was not hurt. Witnesses at the scene on Market Street in downtown Inglewood said the area had been closed off by police. Rebecca Hirsch, an employee at a store that sells candles across the street from the church, said she heard a pop like a gunshot about 3:30 p.m. Market Street was then closed off by authorities, she said, and she was told by police she couldnt leave the shop, Botanica La Milagrosa. They took a young man away in the ambulance, Hirsch said. Ron Sigur, 52, goes to the Market Street Bar & Grill every week. When he arrived Wednesday about 4:30 p.m., Sigur was surprised by police tape cordoning off about three blocks. I thought it might have been the bar that was shot up, Sigur said. Sigur said the police presence has been heavy. Two hours after the incident, a group of about 15 law enforcement officers stood near the corner of Market Street and Nutwood Street. The police arent playing around all of them are out here, Sigur said. This is my city, I live in Inglewood. I want to know what happened. This is not the first time a man has entered a Scientology location in Los Angeles County with a sword. On Nov. 23, 2008, a former Scientologist, Mario Majorski, 48, was shot and killed by a security guard after he drove a rented convertible onto the church grounds and confronted guards with two samurai swords. Majorski, a Hollywood native who had moved to Oregon several years before the incident, threatened the guards and said something about revenge, according to a prosecutors report. He dropped one sword and started walking back to his car, but then unsheathed a second sword and said he would kill anyone who tried to arrest him. The guard shot him after he ran with the sword at the guards, according to the report. Majorski had made at least a dozen threatening phone calls to Scientology offices in Oregon and California, according to the church. The Church of Scientology of Inglewood, along with a nearby church community center, opened in late 2011, according to the churchs website. Times staff writers Benjamin Oreskes and Richard Winton contributed to this report. Jennifer Francis was a new DNA analyst in the Los Angeles Police Departments crime lab in 2004 when she took on an old murder case. She tracked down a swab of cells lifted from a bite mark on the victim and began her analysis. The results were curious: The DNA belonged to a woman. The revelation debunked a nearly two decade-old theory that the brutal killing of Sherri Rasmussen in 1986 was the result of a botched burglary by an unidentified two-man team. She called the detective handling the cold case. Was he sure it was a burglary? Could it have been a workplace problem? A love triangle? Advertisement This is a male-female burglary, he told her, she testified. He said the LAPD officer mentioned in the file, a former girlfriend of the victims husband, was not involved. So she dropped it. Four years went by before that officer Det. Stephanie Lazarus was arrested in the slaying. Francis gave her account in a downtown courtroom Tuesday, testifying in a retaliation lawsuit she filed against the LAPD in 2013. She alleged that after she raised concerns of a cover-up, she was forced to undergo a mental health evaluation on a bogus claim that she slept with a gun, was labeled a problematic witness by a deputy district attorney and blocked from testifying in the high-profile Grim Sleeper trial. I feel like a complete pariah in the department. I feel isolated and I feel like Im all by myself, she said, tearing up on the stand. Youre up against this terribly powerful institution and you are its collateral damage. The city argued in court filings that Francis did not report a crime, so her disclosures did not amount to blowing the whistle. It also argued that the mental health referral didnt hurt her career she was not demoted or denied pay, but was recognized for her work in the case. She and several others received a Police Meritorious Service Medal, the highest award for a civilian employee. She remains a criminalist in the LAPD. Not only did (Francis) work on the investigation not harm her, it raised her professional profile and burnished her reputation, attorneys representing the city argued in court papers. This element is where Franciss already-very-weak case is weakest. A supervisor testified this week that he violated department policy by ordering Francis to the psychological evaluation because he wasnt her commanding officer, but that he made the referral to help her through sleep and concentration problems. Rasmussen, the murder victim, was found by her newlywed husband bludgeoned and shot in their Van Nuys townhouse, where overturned furniture and blood on the walls showed there had been an intense struggle. Wounds on her wrist and cords on the floor indicated that she had been tied up. A blanket with bullet holes was nearby. Police suspected the killer used it to muffle the sound of the three gunshots fired at close range into Rasmussens chest. Her stolen car was found a week later, the key in the ignition. About two months after the killing, two men burglarized a home in the area. Detectives developed a theory that they were behind Rasmussens slaying, releasing sketches and publicizing a reward for information. The men were not caught and the homicide investigation went cold. Francis said she took her findings to Det. Cliff Shepard, the cold case investigator in the elite Robbery Homicide Division, early in 2005. The case stalled until February 2009. Thats when Det. James Nuttall took it on, six months after a storage box filled with the murder files mysteriously showed up at his station in Van Nuys. Nuttall said he launched a highly secretive investigation and lacked trust in the investigators who had prior custody of the case. I didnt trust them, Nuttall testified last week. I didnt trust anybody, sir. How could I? Look what happened over 30 years. Over the years, he said, Rasmussens parents and husband told detectives to look into Lazarus. He had been telling us quite often, sir, through the years, Nuttall said of Rasmussens father. He eventually, sadly, gave up. After Nuttall took over the case, he brought Francis into his small circle of trusted investigators. She told him she didnt think the slaying stemmed from a botched burglary. Nuttall agreed. He drew up a list of five women who were possible suspects and, within months, zeroed in on No. 5: Lazarus. Investigators followed Lazarus to Costco and surreptitiously picked up a straw she had used and discarded, Nuttall said. The DNA from the straw was consistent with that of the bite mark swab. Lazarus was arrested about a week later in June 2009. She was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 27 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Shepard, who is now retired, has denied the allegations to The Times, saying in the past that he never discussed with Francis the possibility of a female officer being involved. He couldnt have, he has said, because he was unaware that Lazarus or any female officer had any ties to Rasmussen. But in an email congratulating Francis on a promotion in 2009, he alluded to Lazarus recent arrest in saying he owes her a toast. Also, obviously, to admit that you were on the right track with the love triangle theory, he wrote. Francis testified that she had an ethical obligation to come forward because she might be questioned in open court about why the murder wasnt solved earlier. As time went on, she brought her concerns to more and more supervisors within the department. I feel like Im seen by the department as a problematic employee, she testified. People will quietly support me, but its never out loud. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek A Los Angeles artist has answered President Trumps call for a border wall with Mexico. Vowing to Make America Grate Again, Cosimo Cavallaro is creating a wall of cheese next to the actual border in Tecate, Calif. The first thing that comes to your mind is that its absurd, Cavallaro said by phone on his way to work on the wall, which is already 5 feet tall and 30 feet long. Its a ludicrous effort, he said, referring to both walls. Advertisement To spend all this money to keep dividing the countries, I think is a waste, he said. You see the waste in my wall, but you cant see the waste in [Trumps] $10-billion wall, which in time will be removed? As he set down slabs of cotija a hard, crumbly cows milk cheese from the Mexican state of Michoacan a Border Patrol agent walked by the desert landscape. He gave Cavallaro a thumbs-up. Nice place for a picnic, the agent said, chuckling. Cavallaro said he works with perishable components such as cheese to demonstrate the fleeting and decadent nature of material objects and humankind. Most famously, he created My Sweet Lord, a 200-pound sculpture of Jesus made of chocolate displayed in New York. But one of his favorite materials to work with is cheese, inspired by his Italian roots. He has drenched a hotel room in melted mozzarella and even outfitted the supermodel Twiggy in the dairy product. Cavallaro said he has long wanted to make a wall of cheese, but it wasnt until November 2016 that Trump gave him the inspiration he needed. He set out to find a location along the U.S.-Mexico border and rented a 14-acre piece of land in southeastern San Diego County. This has been on my mind for many years, but when he became president, it became obvious that was the place to do it, Cavallaro said. The exhibit stands just a few feet away from a metal fence topped with barbed wire that divides the United States and Mexico. It was pure coincidence that while Cavallaro was planning his cheese wall late last year and the government was preparing a shutdown in Trumps fight over funding an actual wall at the border that House Republicans called an emergency meeting to discuss cheese. Lawmakers wanted to address a bill called the Curd Act, a proposal to allow some cheeses to be advertised as natural despite having artificial ingredients. At least one legislator was clearly cheesed at the interruption. This is an emergency meeting that were having here and Ive seen some surreal things around this place, but this is really something, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said. Vital parts of our government are about to shut down in just a few hours, and the Republicans have called an emergency meeting on cheese. In other cheesy news, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway mistakenly called Trump the commander of cheese in an interview in June with CNN. Thats what Im talking about, Cavallaro said, adding that he takes inspiration from lifes absurdities. Our cheesy times, he said. While Trump continues to fight with Congress over funding for his wall, more than $1,000 has been raised for Cavallaros. The artist is hosting a GoFundMe campaign and selling mugs and T-shirts with the slogan Make America Grate Again and Make America Say Cheese. Each slab of cheese costs $100, and Cavallaro hopes to raise enough money to stretch the wall along 1,000 feet of the southern border. Despite the obvious comparisons, Cavallaro insists his installation is not political. He simply wants to show that people are better off without walls dividing them and inciting fear. It sounds cheesy, he said, but just love one another. Cosimo Cavallaros cheese wall is just feet away from a barbed-wire-topped fence in Tecate, Mexico. (Alan Shaffer and Sarah Cavallaro / www.cheesewall.com) Concertina wire tops the border wall behind Cavallaros blocks of cheese. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra A 23-year-old man police say was stalking Natalie Portman was arrested outside the actress Los Feliz home Tuesday. Police responded to the actress home about 3:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call requesting assistance. Officers arrested Gregory Edward Pearce on suspicion of violating a restraining order, issued by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in March, to stay away from the Academy Award-winning actress. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County jail records. Portman requested the stay-away order after Pearce showed up outside her house on Jan. 31 and stood there for 20 minutes trying to open the gate. He didnt respond when someone inside the house asked him over an intercom why he was there, so Portman called police, according to the actress restraining order request filed in court. Advertisement When officers arrived, the man told them his name was John Wick a character in a film series about an ex-Russian mafia assassin, according to the filing. He believes that he communicates with [Portman] telepathically, and recently traveled from Colorado to Los Angeles to meet [Portman], the filing states. Authorities placed him on a psychiatric hold in January and discovered a partially assembled Glock-style handgun inside his car, an LAPD detective wrote in court documents. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry The mother of a 21-year-old man who was shot and killed by two Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies in August has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the county and the deputies, according to court documents. Authorities were searching for three robbery suspects at the Nueva Maravilla Housing Community in East Los Angeles early on Aug. 12. One of the robbers had a gun tucked into his waistband, according to a report called in to authorities, and had stolen a mans watch. Deputies tried to detain Anthony Daniel Vargas while searching the housing complex, but Vargas ran and hid, officials said. He ignored deputies orders and resisted their attempts to handcuff him before he pulled a gun from his waistband, Sheriffs Lt. Derrick Alfred told The Times last year after the shooting. Alfred said then that deputies got into a violent struggle with Vargas and that he had a gun in his hand when they shot him. Advertisement Investigators said they found a loaded semiautomatic .22-caliber pistol underneath Vargas body and that the gun had not been fired. The deputies were unable to find the thieves, Alfred said, and investigators do not think Vargas was involved in the robbery. The lawsuit claims that Vargas was unarmed and posed no imminent threat when he was shot. Vargas was not involved in gangs or known to carry a gun, said Humberto Guizar, the attorney representing Vargas mother, Lisa. Vargas led Bible study groups and worked for a church warehouse, he said. It is very suspicious, Guizar said. He was never known to have a gun. How can we not suspect that they planted a gun on him? The suit, filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeks damages from the county, accusing the Sheriffs Department of condoning the shooting of unarmed civilians by deputies. javier.panzar@latimes.com @jpanzar The Los Angeles City Council agreed Wednesday to pay $12 million to Susan Mellen, who spent 17 years behind bars for a murder she didnt commit. After being released in 2014, Mellen and her three children sued former Los Angeles Police Det. Marcella Winn. They contended the detective had been told a witness against Mellen was a habitual liar, but failed to disclose that to the defense. Through numerous legal proceedings, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in August that the suit against Winn should go to trial. A judge ruled Winn withheld the evidence and acted with deliberate indifference or reckless disregard. Advertisement Winn and Mellen could not be immediately reached for comment. The LAPD declined to comment. Innocence Matters, a nonprofit legal organization that helped win Mellens release, did not responded to request for comment. In June 2015, the state of California awarded Mellen $597,200 in compensation for the 1998 conviction. The $12-million settlement isnt the first one involving Winn. She also was the lead detective in the prosecution of Obie Anthony, who was declared innocent after spending 17 years behind bars for a killing outside a brothel in South Los Angeles. The city of Los Angeles paid Anthony $8.3 million in compensation. Meanwhile, the 9th Circuit said Mellen was convicted based solely on the testimony of June Patti, who claimed that Mellen had confessed to her that she killed Richard Daly. The body of the 30-year-old transient and father of two was found near a trash bin in San Pedro. Pattis sister, Laura Patti, a police officer in Torrance at the time, said she told Winn that June was a habitual liar, the court said. Laura Patti said in a deposition that her conversation with Winn was brief, and that the detective did not ask why she believed June Patti was a liar. But it turned out that Laura was right about her sister, the 9th Circuit said. The U.S. surgeon generals office estimates that more than 20 million people have a substance use disorder. Meanwhile, the nations drug overdose crisis shows no sign of slowing. Yet, by all accounts, there arent nearly enough physicians who specialize in treating addiction doctors with extensive clinical training who are board-certified in addiction medicine. The opioid epidemic has made this doctor deficit painfully apparent. And its spurring medical institutions around the country to create fellowships for aspiring doctors who want to treat substance use disorder with the same precision and science as other diseases. Now numbering more than 60, these fellowship programs offer physicians a year or two of postgraduate training in clinics and hospitals where they learn evidence-based approaches for treating addiction. Advertisement Such programs are drawing a talented new generation of doctors and idealists, such as Hillary Tamar. Tamar, now in the second year of a family medicine residency in Phoenix, wasnt thinking about addiction medicine when she first started medical school in Chicago. As a medical student, honestly, you do your ER rotation, people label a patient as pain-seeking, and its bad, Tamar said. And thats all you do about it. But in her fourth year of med school, she happened to be assigned to a rotation at a rehab facility in southern Arizona. I was able to connect with people in a way that I havent been able to connect with them in another specialty, the 28-year-old recalled. Working with patients there transformed Tamars understanding of addiction, she said, and showed her the potential for doctors to change lives. Patients, she said, can go from spending all their time pursuing the acquisition of a substance to being brothers, sisters, daughters [and] fathers making breakfast for their kids again. Its really powerful. When Tamar finishes her residency, she plans to pursue a fellowship in addiction medicine. She sees addiction medicine, like primary care, as a way to build lasting relationships with patients and a way to focus on more than a single diagnosis. I love when I see addiction patients on my schedule, even if theyre pregnant and on meth, she said. More room to do good; its exciting. Doctors with Tamars enthusiasm are sorely needed, said Anna Lembke, medical director of addiction medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and a longtime researcher in the field. Even 10 years ago, Lembke said, I couldnt find a medical student or resident interested in learning about addiction medicine if I looked under a rock. They were just not out there. But Lembke sees a change in the upcoming generation of doctors drawn to the field because they care about social justice. I now have medical students and residents knocking on my door, emailing me, she said. They all want to learn more about addiction. Historically, the path to addiction medicine was through psychiatry. That model started to change in 2015, when the American Board of Medical Specialties considered the gold standard in physician certification in the U.S. recognized addiction medicine as a bona fide subspecialty and opened up the training to physicians from other medical fields. Until then, Lembke said, there had been no way to get addiction fellowships approved through the nationally recognized Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. And that made recruiting young talent and securing funding for their fellowships difficult. Last year, ACGME began accrediting its first batch of addiction medicine fellowship programs. We have an enormous gap between the need and the doctors available to provide that treatment, Lembke said. At least the medical community has begun to wake up, she added, to consider not only their role in triggering this opioid epidemic, but also the ways they need to step up to solve the problem. When Luke Peterson finished his residency in family medicine in Phoenix in 2016, there were no addiction medicine fellowships in Arizona. So he moved to Seattle to complete a yearlong fellowship at Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency. There he learned, among other things, how to treat pregnant women who were in recovery from drug use. I really needed to do a fellowship if I was going to make an impact and be able to teach others to make the same impact, said Peterson, who went on to help found an addiction medicine fellowship program in Arizona. His program is based in Phoenix at the University of Arizonas medical school and its teaching hospital. Arizonas two addiction medicine fellowships received ACGME accreditation last year a stamp of approval that made the programs desirable choices for up-and-coming physicians, Peterson said. Not every doctor who plans to treat substance use disorder needs to do a fellowship, he said. In fact, his goal is to integrate addiction medicine into primary care settings. But a specialist can serve as a referral center and resource hub for community doctors. For example, physicians can learn from a specialist such as Peterson how to provide medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine. Public health leaders have been pushing to get more physicians trained in evidence-based treatment like buprenorphine, which has been shown to reduce the risk of death among people who have recovered from an opioid overdose. As we provide more education and more support to primary care physicians, Peterson said, they will feel more comfortable screening and treating for addiction. Petersons own journey into addiction medicine began during a rotation with a family doctor in rural Illinois. In moments that most doctors find uncomfortable maybe a patient comes in to request pain medication and youre seeing the negative side effects he did not shy away from that situation, Peterson said. He addressed it head-on. It was a formative experience for Peterson one he wants other young doctors to have. And he recognizes the urgency. In 20 or 30 years from now, Peterson said, those medical students are going to look back at my current generation of doctors, and we will be judged by how we responded to this epidemic, in the same way he and his peers now look back at how doctors handled the HIV epidemic. One of the first steps in stopping the epidemic, he said, is making sure there are enough doctors on the ground who know how to respond. Many of todays medical students, people like Michelle Peterson (no relation to Luke), say they feel the calling, too. Shes in her first year at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and became interested in specializing in addiction after working at an outpatient treatment center. She said she was already learning about addiction in her classes, hearing from doctors in the field and seeing others classmates equally engaged. Its definitely not just me, she said. There are quite a few people here really interested in addiction. Its a trend she and her mentors hope will continue. Stone writes for Kaiser Health News. The Border Patrol plans to release large numbers of migrant families in multiple locations along the southern border in coming days, expanding a practice that began last week in south Texas. Something needs to be done, a Border Patrol official said Wednesday, briefing a group of reporters here on condition that he not be identified. We are at full capacity everywhere. Texas Rio Grande Valley and the El Paso area have seen the biggest influx of migrant families. So many have been taken into custody at the border that last week the Border Patrol took the rare step of releasing more than 2,000 migrants in the valley, officials said. Some of the migrants said they and their children had been held for a week in miserable conditions before they were finally set free with notices to appear in immigration court. Advertisement Normally, the agency transfers migrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be processed and placed in detention or released while they wait for court hearings. But as ICE facilities filled, the agency stopped accepting transfers from the Border Patrol. Local shelters, which are already struggling to take care of large numbers of recently freed families, are preparing for even more. Large releases are planned in El Paso, Yuma, Ariz., San Diego and possibly Del Rio, Texas, according to the Border Patrol official. Were woefully underfunded for facilities, he said. It is a liability to have people in our custody for too long. Ruben Garcia, director of Annunciation House shelter in El Paso, said he was scheduled to meet with Border Patrol officials late Wednesday to discuss how many migrants will be released there. Hes not sure where the families will go. Area shelters were already nearly full Wednesday, when ICE released 750 more migrants. We had space for them barely, Garcia said. The total number of migrants caught crossing the border illegally is still well below peaks of the early 2000s. But the surge of families, whose care presents more challenges compared with lone migrants, has overwhelmed U.S. facilities. Of the 66,450 migrants caught last month, more than half were traveling with family. An additional 9,653 migrants arrived at border crossings with their relatives and claimed asylum. The Border Patrol expects the total number of migrants taken into custody this month to reach 100,000, more than double the number last March. About 55,000 will have arrived in families, including 40,000 children. After President Trump declared a national emergency on the border to pay for construction of his long-promised wall, Congress approved $415 million for improved medical care and detention for migrant families, including a new processing center with space for 800 migrants in El Paso. But that wont open for months, and it wont address crowding in other border cities. As of Tuesday, the massive central processing center that holds thousands of migrants in the Rio Grande Valley was at 245% capacity, the Border Patrol official said. Overcrowding had reached similar levels in Yuma, El Paso and McAllen, Texas. Where it used to be just [the Rio Grande Valley], now its spreading, the official said. During a visit to El Paso on Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan warned that the agency had reached a breaking point and was facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our southwest border. We are doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy, he said. But with these numbers, with the types of illnesses were seeing at the border, I fear that its just a matter of time. The Border Patrol was forced to increase migrant medical screenings in December, after two Guatemalan children died in its custody in the El Paso area. State medical examiners have yet to release the childrens autopsy reports. Now, the Border Patrol hospitalizes about 60 migrants along the border each day, McAleenan said. During the last week, he said, infants have had 105-degree fevers, a 2-year-old suffered seizures in the desert, and a 40-year-old man suffering organ failure refused surgery. The Border Patrol is temporarily reassigning 750 customs officers to assist Border Patrol agents processing, transporting and guarding migrant families, McAleenan said. Thats in addition to 85 agents already reassigned this year from the northern border to the southern border. Removing hundreds of agents from the ports will probably cause traffic delays at border crossings during peak Easter holiday traffic, a popular time for cross-border family visits, he said. The Border Patrol also took the unusual step of closing numerous highway checkpoints in its El Paso sector, which includes 268 miles of border in Texas and New Mexico. The Border Patrol official said checkpoints could also be closed in other areas of the border, including the Rio Grande Valley, if the flow of migrant families does not slow. The first female Muslim member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives said Tuesday she was offended by a colleagues decision to open a voting session with a prayer a day earlier that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow. Democratic Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell of Philadelphia said she felt the remarks by Rep. Stephanie Borowicz shortly before Johnson-Harrell took the oath of office on Monday used her religion against her. I thought that for the most part, the entire invocation was offensive, Johnson-Harrell told reporters, noting that her own religion respects Jesus. But to use Jesus as a weapon is not OK. Borowicz, a Republican and associate pastors wife who was elected in November to represent a rural central Pennsylvania district, also thanked President Trump during the Monday invocation for standing behind Israel. Advertisement Johnson-Harrell said she respects everyones right to praise the president, but we cannot weaponize whats going on with Israel and Palestine. Prayer should not be among the things that Republicans and Democrats fight about, she said. It was directly a political statement, and I think we need to be very, very clear that everybody in this House matters, whether theyre Christian, Muslim or Jew, and that we cannot use these issues to tear each other down, Johnson-Harrell said. And not only that, it was made during my swearing in. Johnson-Harrell won a special election earlier this month to fill a seat vacated by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, who had been reelected in November after being convicted of bribery. Her swearing-in drew 55 guests, a majority of them Muslim. A Muslim prayer was said from the House dais during the ceremony. Borowicz defended her remarks Monday, saying, I pray every day. I prayed. She did not immediately return a message seeking a response to Johnson-Harrells comments Tuesday. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, Jesus, that you are Lord, Borowicz said on Monday. Her floor remarks drew a rebuke from Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County, who called Borowiczs invocation beneath the dignity of this House and asked that a group be set up to review the procedure. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday he was horrified by Borowiczs invocation and apologized to Johnson-Harrell on behalf of all Pennsylvanians. I was horrified. I grew up in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn on the basis of freedom of conscience. I have a strong spiritual sense. This is not a reflection of the religion I grew up in, said Wolf, a Methodist. Another Muslim lawmaker, Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-Philadelphia), opened the session on Tuesday by reading from the Koran. His invocation was followed by applause. House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), who controls the daily invocation process, lost a federal court decision last summer that halted his policy of preventing nonbelievers from making the invocations. Turzai is appealing that ruling, and currently has the invocations performed by state representatives themselves. After Borowiczs comments on Monday, Turzai read for House members the guidance that has previously been provided to religious professionals about keeping remarks respectful of all religious beliefs and refraining from commenting on extraneous matters. In the months after Hurricane Maria, which killed an estimated 2,975 people in Puerto Rico, the islands Democratic governor abstained from joining the local chorus lashing President Trump over what they see as a botched federal response. But that fragile alliance has disintegrated, as Trump increasingly insists that aid to the island be cut off, a demand he reiterated to Senate Republicans on Tuesday. In his strongest rebuke yet of the president, Gov. Ricardo Rossello late on Tuesday called Trumps comments below the dignity of a sitting president and irresponsible, regrettable and, above all, unjustified, while suggesting Trump has dodged meeting him. I invite the president to stop listening to ignorant and completely wrong advice, Rossello said in a statement. Instead he should come to Puerto Rico to hear firsthand from the people on the ground. I invite him to put all of the resources at his disposal to help Americans in Puerto Rico, like he did for Texas and Alabama. No more, no less. Rossellos stinging commentary is likely to exacerbate deep-seated arguments about who deserves federal aid in an administration that has turned disaster relief into red-meat political fodder. Advertisement While FEMA admitted to widespread failures after Maria ravaged Puerto Rico in September 2017, Trump has insisted his administration did a fantastic job and criticized the islands requests for billions to rebuild. In January, he said he would reject $600 million in food stamps for Puerto Ricans and asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to look into diverting some of its $13.9 billion in emergency funds for the island to pay for his border wall. One senior administration official recently told the Washington Post that Trumps stance is that he doesnt want another single dollar going to the island. In a closed-door lunch with Senate Republicans on Tuesday, Trump complained that Puerto Rico was getting $91 billion in aid, which dwarfed the disaster relief budgeted for red states like Texas and South Carolina. But that figure is far more than Puerto Rico has actually received, the Posts Philip Bump reported, and its not clear where Trump got the number. Rossello suggested that Trump was getting bad data and urged him to meet in person to talk. I can only assume that Trump is receiving misleading information from his own staff, the governor said. I have now made several requests to meet with the president to discuss Puerto Ricos recovery and reconstruction, but up to this day we havent received a confirmation or a date, even though Trump told me we would meet after his visit to Vietnam earlier this year. OPINION: Puerto Rico needs more than an AOC-inspired morale boost to recover from its disasters The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Rossellos claims. On Tuesday, a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, insisted Trump was committed to helping Puerto Rico, but also noted that the Trump administration will not put taxpayers on the hook to correct a decades-old spending crisis that has left the island with deep-rooted economic problems. Rossello also took issue with allegations that disaster relief has been diverted to help pay off the islands crippling debt. I want to be very clear: Not a single federal dollar has been used to make debt payments, he said. This has been the most transparent recovery in the history of the United States, providing unprecedented access and collaboration with federal agencies. The governor has used FEMAs shaky response to Maria to make a renewed push for Puerto Rican statehood, a theme he struck again in his response to Trump. Without a full say in American politics, Puerto Ricans will always get short shrift in disaster response, he argued. The world knows the unpleasant truth that Puerto Rico is a colonial territory of the United States and are well aware of the democratic deficiencies we endure: We are not allowed to vote for our president nor have voting representation in Congress, he said. The federal response and its treatment during these past months in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria is clear evidence of our second-class citizenship. Trumps public reluctance to send more money to the island has now launched an official probe. On Tuesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development told Congress that its inspector general is investigating whether the Trump administration has actively interfered with disaster aid to Puerto Rico. Rossello closed his statement by insisting that his only request to Trump was for equal treatment. We are not your political adversaries; we are your citizens, he said. We are not asking for anything more than any other U.S. state has received. We are merely asking for equality. Tim Elfrink writes for the Washington Post. President Trump, emboldened after the special counsel said he did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy to sway the 2016 election, has an early target as he seeks recompense from his critics: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), who maintains that hes seen evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. Over the last two years, Schiff, who has led the House Intelligence Committee since January, has emerged as a public foil to Trump and his supporters. He has delivered scathing takedowns of Trump for calling Robert Muellers probe a witch hunt, and he offered similar criticism of Trumps congressional allies now leading a charge to depose Schiff as chairman on the grounds that his bias against the president makes him unfit to lead. Yet even as House Democrats make a clear pivot away from the collusion question, they continue to rally around Schiff who refuses to let the matter go until lawmakers can assess the investigative materials that informed Muellers findings. Undoubtedly there is collusion, Schiff said in an interview this week, after Atty. Gen. William Barr submitted a four-page letter to Congress summarizing key aspects of Muellers report. We will continue to investigate the counterintelligence issues. That is, is the president or people around him compromised in any way by a hostile foreign power? . . . It doesnt appear that was any part of Muellers report. Advertisement A Justice Department official said Tuesday it would take weeks to make at least part of the Mueller report public. House Democrats on Monday gave Barr an April 2 deadline to provide Congress with a copy. RELATED: Mueller finds no Trump-Russia conspiracy but doesnt exonerate Trump on obstruction, attorney general says This week, the Trump campaign singled out Schiff, along with Intelligence Committee member Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin), on a list of people it urged media outlets to avoid booking for interviews after Barr announced Muellers findings, according to reports. The list includes House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and former CIA Director John Brennan, both of whom, like Schiff, have infuriated the president with their public scrutiny and criticism. Though Barrs summary has cast doubt on the premise of the Intelligence Committees Russia probe, at least among Republicans, Democrats maintain that Schiff is not wrong in saying that there was evidence of collusion, even if Mueller determined that the matter did not rise to a level that warranted prosecution. It doesnt mean there wasnt an enormous amount of smoke there, said Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Intelligence Committee. This was a fine legal distinction Mr. Mueller had to make. Still, Schiff has taken steps to put the panels investigation on hold, pending the release of Muellers findings. On Monday, he announced that the committee had indefinitely postponed a planned hearing with Felix Sater, a former business associate of the president who was involved in the pursuit to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Schiff said the pause was temporary, adding that the intelligence panel may still uncover deeply compromising evidence in its counterintelligence investigation that falls outside the scope of Muellers criminal probe. He pledged that his panel, in partnership with the House Financial Services Committee, would continue to explore allegations of money laundering involving Trumps properties and loans his business sought through Deutsche Bank. The House Intelligence Committee was a center of partisan fighting over Trumps alleged Russia ties even before Mueller began his investigation, developing a reputation for discord and sniping during the GOP-led Russia probe that said there was no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. Republicans see Schiffs recalibration as proof that he is wrong to challenge Trump. He essentially spent 22 months lying to the country, said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of Trumps most vocal supporters in Congress. Doyle McManus column: Post-Mueller, Congress must demand answers to important questions that remain Gaetz said that in seeking Schiffs ouster as committee chairman, Republicans were following the example set by Democrats, who in 2017 sought to remove Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), when he led the committee. Democrats called for Nunes to step down as chairman after a controversial visit to the White House in which he reviewed classified reports with administration officials and then told reporters that aides to the president might have been caught up in wiretaps. He was put under ethics investigation and was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, but Nunes stepped aside from running the Intelligence Committees Russia probe. During that episode, Schiff questioned Nunes motivation for the midnight run, as he called it, and later accused Nunes of being misleading in his efforts to portray federal law enforcement officials as corrupt and biased for seeking to conduct surveillance on a former Trump campaign adviser. Republicans consider those episodes important context, Gaetz said, in their own calls for Schiff to step down, which have been voiced by figures as prominent as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, and the presidents son Donald Trump Jr. Thus far, those demands appear to be going nowhere. Schiff has the support of party leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who counts him among her closest confidants and most trusted advisers. Politically, the GOPs focus on Schiff probably helps him, said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a USC communication professor and close watcher of California politics. Youre talking about California, the state that is the fulcrum of the anti-Trump resistance, she said. This will not hurt Adam Schiff in California, period. Karoun Demirjian writes for the Washington Post. President Trump complained in a private lunch Tuesday with Senate Republicans about the amount of disaster aid designated for Puerto Rico as lawmakers prepare for a standoff over funds for the island that is still struggling to recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, according to officials familiar with the meeting. Trumps remarks came during an hourlong, freewheeling soliloquy at the Capitol with Senate Republicans in which he boasted about the end of special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation, encouraged Republicans to take up another legislative effort on healthcare and mocked Democrats over the Green New Deal. Trumps decision to use the occasion to send a message about funding for Puerto Rico underscores his continuing push to limit aid to the island. In the past, Trump has asked advisors how to reduce money for Puerto Rico and signaled that he wont support any more aid beyond food stamp funds. At the lunch Tuesday, Trump rattled off the amount of aid that had been designated for other disaster-hit states and compared it with the amount allocated for Puerto Rico after the 2017 hurricane, an amount he said was too high, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private meeting. Advertisement Trump noted to GOP senators that Texas also battered by a spate of hurricanes was awarded $29 billion in aid, while South Carolina got $1.5 billion to recover from storms. Trump then questioned why Puerto Rico was getting $91 billion, according to two people familiar with his comments, indicating that this was too much compared with compensation for states on the mainland. RELATED: A year after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico still struggles to regain what hasnt been lost for good while fearing the next big one Trump remarked that one could buy Puerto Rico four times over for $91 billion, according to people familiar with his comments. But its unclear where Trump got the figure for Puerto Rico aid. It is similar to estimates of the amount of damage, as opposed to what Congress has approved for relief. One congressional official said the way the money is disbursed made it difficult to quantify how much aid the island received. Democrats have criticized the presidents reluctance to provide more money to help the island recover. On Tuesday, after recent reports about Trumps opposition to providing additional aid, it was announced that the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development would review whether the White House has interfered with hurricane relief funding approved for Puerto Rico as part of a broader examination of the agencys administration of disaster grants. Congress has appropriated nearly $20 billion in HUD relief funds for Puerto Rico which accounts for one type of federal aid that areas ravaged by natural disasters can get. Of that pot of money, $1.5 billion has been approved for spending. A White House spokesman said Tuesday that the Trump administration is committed to the complete recovery of Puerto Rico. The island has received unprecedented support and is on pace to receive tens of billions of dollars from taxpayers, the spokesman, Judd Deere, said. However, the Trump administration will not put taxpayers on the hook to correct a decades-old spending crisis that has left the island with deep-rooted economic problems. On a 90-10 vote later Tuesday afternoon, the Senate advanced disaster aid legislation drafted by Republicans that Democratic leaders have already panned as insufficient. It allocates about $13.4 billion for states that have faced recent natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains $600 million in food stamp aid for Puerto Rico. House Democrats oppose this bill because it does not adequately address disaster relief and recovery in Puerto Rico and the territories, said Evan Hollander, a spokesman for the Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee. If the Senate passes this bill, we will insist on going to conference to ensure that we meet the needs of all Americans. An aerial view of the Amelia neighborhood in the municipality of Catano, east of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 18, 2018. (Dennis M. Rivera / Associated Press) The presidents Puerto Rico remarks were just one bit of what he discussed with Senate Republicans, who described Trump as being in a particularly good mood after the end of the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. According to Atty. Gen. William Barr, the report provided to him by Mueller did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Moscow. Trump has touted this finding as vindication, but Democrats are calling for the full report to be released. Trump invited himself to the Senate Republicans weekly policy lunch because he wanted to speak with senators after the conclusion of the Mueller investigation, according to people familiar with planning. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) described Trumps mood as exuberant. Some White House aides tried to discourage the visit, saying there was no agenda, according to two people familiar with the matter. Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie was scheduled to speak with senators about veterans care legislation at the lunch, but he was knocked off the agenda because of Trumps impromptu visit, according to a GOP official. During the lunch, Trump boasted to senators that Muellers report gave him a clean bill of health, according to attendees while remarking that the investigation was two years of , using an expletive, recalled a person in the room. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) described Trump as talking as if he had a new lease on life, with the president discussing how difficult the process had been on his family and close friends. Trump also discussed a potential trade deal with China and encouraged new efforts to write healthcare legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, senators said. Trump also mocked the Green New Deal, a proposal from some Democrats to fight climate change, and told senators, Dont kill it yet, because he said he wanted to run against it next year as he campaigns for reelection, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and another attendee. I think the president enjoys pointing out the uncomfortable position that some of our Democratic colleagues find [themselves] in, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said of Trumps private comments on the Green New Deal. Trump aired some of his regular grievances during his remarks, which took up the better part of an hour and left time for a handful of questions from Republicans near the end of the session, attendees said. Ahead of NATOs 70th anniversary celebrations in Washington next week, Trump continued his criticism of the alliance venting that NATO costs too much and complaining that its glass headquarters in Brussels was too expensive, people familiar with his remarks said. Trump refrained from reviving his attacks against the late Arizona Sen. John McCain and no Republican raised the topic of the presidents recent criticism of their colleague, who died in August. But Trump who scanned the room and joked to GOP senators that he likes about 90% of those in attendance took veiled shots at two former senators and critics: There were two of you I didnt like last year. One of them, Trump said, is now on television a reference to former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who recently signed a contract with CBS News and the other is getting their real estate license, apparently referring to former Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who amassed significant personal wealth through acquisition of commercial real estate properties before his time in elected office. A person close to Corker responded: I dont think it will surprise you to learn that Sen. Corker actually is not planning to get a real estate license. A White House spokesman said Trump ran through a litany of topics during his visit to the GOP lunch, including his complete and total vindication in the special counsels investigation, healthcare and efforts to rebuild the nations military. He didnt have a prepared text, OK? said Kennedy, whom Trump singled out inside the lunch and praised for his performance on television earlier that day, according to attendees. He talks until he is through talking, and hes very thorough. Hes always high-energy, Cramer said. He had a little extra today. Seung Min Kim, Josh Dawsey and Paul Kane write for the Washington Post. Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, March 27, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES They call it Bibaporru, Beep Vaporu, El Bic, El Bix, El Vickisito. And many think of the sticky, stinky menthol goop as their own, even though its used around the world. In the Latino community, Vicks VapoRub inspires a curious, nostalgic devotion for its many nicknames and uses far more creative than relief for the common cold and muscle pain. If I say to someone, Hey, bring me El Vah-po-ru! theyll know exactly what Im talking about, said Luciano Roldan, 78, of El Sereno, who has been rubbing VapoRub all over, including up his nose, since he was a kid in the countryside of El Salvador. Los Angeles Times Behind the story: Hunting for the mystique behind Beep Vaporu. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Protecting the accused? The eruption of sexual misbehavior claims against powerful, previously unassailable men has done much to make public what used to be private misconduct. But when it comes to upending the power dynamics of Hollywood and other industries, the internal investigation remains an opaque instrument that often favors the company and the accused, advocates say. Los Angeles Times Closing the loopholes L.A. County is expanding its smoking ban to vaping and smoking pot. The Board of Supervisors has updated the countys legal definition of smoke and smoking, expanding an existing ban on using tobacco products at beaches, parks and government buildings to include electronic cigarettes and pot. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter L.A. STORIES Still at school: Olivia Jade Giannulli and Isabella Giannulli, daughters of actress Lori Loughlin, remain enrolled at USC, according to a university spokesperson, amid a sweeping college admissions scandal that has ensnared the elite private university along with other top colleges across the country. Los Angeles Times Plus: Prosecutors are ratcheting up the pressure on parents with new charges. Los Angeles Times Happening at LAX: Federal authorities say about 300 people, including law enforcement officers and volunteers, will take part in an active shooter drill at Los Angeles International Airport over two days this week. Los Angeles Times Didnt know that! How annoyed Hollywood concertgoers sparked the idea for freeway soundwalls. LAist Scary numbers: Three years into Los Angeles Vision Zero initiative a campaign to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025 hundreds of people continue to die each year in crashes citywide. Curbed LA IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER He wants a new trial: Defense attorneys say Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman should get a new trial because jurors improperly followed media coverage of the sensational drug conspiracy case. Associated Press Strained: A surge of migrants strains the Border Patrol, as El Paso becomes the latest hot spot. NPR The latest stats: Daily attempts by undocumented immigrants to cross into the United States from Mexico over the past month surpassed daily averages not seen since fiscal year 2006, according to Customs and Border Protection data. NBC News POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Potentially on the ballot: California voters could be asked to impose an estate tax, replacing the one Trump loosened. Los Angeles Times 2020 watch: Inside Sen. Kamala Harris small-dollar fund-raising operation. New York Times Plus: In the first major policy proposal of Harris presidential campaign, she is focused on an unprecedented investment in teacher pay and toward programs dedicated to teacher recruitment, training and professional development. Los Angeles Times Big picture: What do lawsuits against California unions mean for teachers, public workers? Sacramento Bee Ahoy: Berkeley has some ideas for its new pier and ferry service to San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle Thats what friends are for: Former U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez loaned state Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva $430,000 to buy a house in Orange County an arrangement that some legal experts labeled unusual, but that both politicians said was not improper and resulted from their friendship. CALmatters CRIME AND COURTS Behind the headlines: For Michael Avenatti, a luxury lifestyle built on a purported house of cards. Los Angeles Times Plus: Mark Geragos, attorney to the stars, finds himself on the other side of the law. Los Angeles Times In D.C.: The Supreme Court is closely divided again on whether to stop partisan gerrymandering. Los Angeles Times Discrimination case: A jury awarded $7 million to a former Baldwin Park police chief who sued the city for gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation, affirming that she was fired because she is a woman. Los Angeles Times THE ENVIRONMENT Dont land on me: A couple of super bloom visitors landed their helicopter on the flowers, much to the dismay of officials. Los Angeles Times A couple landed a helicopter on the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. (Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve) CALIFORNIA CULTURE Spoiler alert! The ending of Us: Jordan Peele on who the films real villains are. Los Angeles Times A sinister lens: Us took Hands Across America and made it a death grip. New York Times Farewell: Its the end of an era at the San Diego Zoo as the last two giant pandas will soon leave for China. San Diego Union-Tribune Suspended: San Francisco Giants CEO and president Larry Baer has been suspended without pay through July 1, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Tuesday. An altercation between Baer and his wife, Pam, was caught on video. ESPN Yum: Check out this years edition of the Rogue 99 restaurant list. It will make you hungry. L.A. Taco Hollywoodland: Producer Gavin Polone explains the long-shot way Hollywood writers can win the war on agents. The Hollywood Reporter CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: partly cloudy, 69, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 68, Thursday. San Diego: partly cloudy, 68, Wednesday; partly cloudy, 66, Thursday. San Francisco area: showers, 59, Wednesday; showers, 58, Thursday. San Jose: showers, 62, Wednesday and Thursday. Sacramento: showers, 63, Wednesday; showers, 61, Thursday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Nancy Schmitz: Born in California in 1929 and later questioned in my Virginia high school about safety regarding Indians and Mexican bandits, I would relate early experiences driving on Wilshire Boulevard with empty lots protecting the privacy of the stately homes of Hancock Park. I always looked for the parrot that was housed in a cage in the yard of one of these homes. My grandmothers house was the most fascinating, as it had a basement with a stage, lights and lots of stored items; a discovery trip for a 7-year-old. It was the West Adams area, safe for exploring the magnificent houses of early California developers. A shopping trip to Bullocks would include lunch in their formal dining room with me dressed in appropriate dress, gloves, shiny black Mary Jane shoes and socks that would inevitably disappear into the shoes themselves. Manners were demanded: Sit up, use the right utensil, eat whats on your plate. ... Good memories of a lifestyle long gone. If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. The European Parliament approved a hotly disputed set of copyright rules for the digital age Tuesday, including a provision that shifts the responsibility for detecting and stopping infringement from copyright holders to the online companies that let users upload songs, videos, articles and other content. The rules, which still must be approved by the European Council and then implemented by the EUs member nations, may not spell doom for the open internet in Europe, as critics claim. But what they will do to innovation and competition online is bad enough. One of the stated goals of the directive was to help copyright owners strike more lucrative licensing deals with the popular sites where an enormous amount of music and video are played. Thats especially important to the music industry, whose business model has been walloped by the internet. To that end, the directive would hold sites liable when their users infringed copyrights not just when they uploaded a pirated Hollywood blockbuster or hit single, for example, but also when they shared a recording of their children singing a popular song, or posted a video with a segment cut from a superhero movie. That means sites like YouTube and Facebook will be under pressure to use content-filtering technology to detect copyrighted material and block anything they havent licensed. And because the technology isnt capable of filtering out every copyrighted work, sites will also be under pressure to obtain licenses to let users post content from the vast population of music, television and movie copyright owners a task that critics of the directive say is next to impossible. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement The risk and cost imposed by these provisions is so significant that only companies the size of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are likely to remain open to users posting and sharing content freely. Ironically, the measure could drive off smaller companies that cater to upstart musicians and filmmakers looking for a low-cost way to market and sell their work online, simply because they cant afford the filtering technology and licensing deals theyd need to guard against users infringing someone elses copyrighted material. From that perspective, the balance struck in U.S. law where people posting content are liable if they infringe while the sites are required to take down works when notified of infringements is the better one, even though copyright owners have legitimate complaints about how hard it is to rein in piracy. The U.S. model has allowed companies and creators to innovate without having to seek permission from copyright holders, as long as they do not infringe. The new European Union directive threatens that spirit, to its members detriment. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The Jussie Smollett affair has followed as convoluted a story arc as something out of his hit television show, Empire. If the actor, who is black and gay, was assaulted on a Chicago street late at night by two masked men who hurled racial and homophobic slurs at him and looped a rope around his neck, thats heinous. If, on the other hand, he paid two brothers to stage the assault, as the pair told police, thats heinous and bizarre. If the brothers lied about what happened, thats despicable. And if Smollett concocted this scheme thinking it would somehow jack up his TV salary, as police suggested, thats just pathetic. Now, suddenly and stunningly, the Cook County states attorneys office has dropped all the charges it had brought against Smollett for allegedly filing a false police report. The prosecutors didnt explain why, although they injected a strange note into this tawdry mix Tuesday by saying they acted after reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement So are they saying he didnt commit the crime they initially accused him of? Or do they still think he did it? And how are his volunteer service and $10,000 in bond money facts and circumstances of the case they thought they had against him? Do they think he is guilty of the charges they brought but theyre cutting a deal because hes done some volunteering and forfeited some money? The statement was so suspect that even Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel publicly howled that it was a whitewash of justice. Smolletts attorney said at one news conference, There is no deal. Meanwhile, Emanuel and Police Supt. Eddie T. Johnson both lashed out at Smollett for besmirching the city. The saddest thing about this whole affair regardless of who is at fault is that it made a circus out a hate crime report, and almost certainly will make things more difficult for legitimate victims in the future. The way Chicago officials spun the case certainly didnt help. Theres no question that Chicago officials had a lot of publicity to manage. Smollett was a captivating figure, and his accusations prompted an outpouring of support from stars, fans and politicians, as well as a culture-war dispute between the right and the left involving issues of race, violence, victimhood and believability. The public has the right to know what exactly happened here that changed things so dramatically. Transparency is whats called for not more drama. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Farmers encouraged to Farm as a Business and to maintain Food Security at all times During oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh conceded that extreme partisan gerrymandering is a real problem for our democracy. That was a huge understatement. When legislators manipulate congressional or legislative district lines to favor one party over another a time-dishonored practice that has become more sophisticated in the computer age the party in control can effectively nullify the votes of tens of thousands of citizens. With the decennial redistricting process set to begin again in only a couple of years, its time that the court held that partisan gerrymandering is not just routine political gamesmanship but a cynical subversion of democracy and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The two cases argued on Tuesday demonstrate that gerrymandering is undertaken with a similar fervor by both major political parties. One of the cases involved a congressional map in North Carolina that Republicans admitted was designed to give their party the maximum advantage. The other case came from Maryland, where dominant Democrats designed a congressional map that moved more than 300,000 people in order to capture a seat long held by a Republican. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement In 1986, the Supreme Court said that partisan gerrymandering could be challenged as unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment if it involved intentional discrimination against an identifiable political group and an actual discriminatory effect on that group. More recently, Justice Anthony Kennedy before he retired suggested that extreme gerrymanders might also violate the 1st Amendment because they penalize some voters for their political views and associations. Yet the court has struggled to identify a standard for deciding when a gerrymander violates the Constitution, and some justices have urged that the court stop trying. On Tuesday, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. worried that a multiplicity of redistricting issues are going to potentially end up in court if the justices ruled for the challengers. But Justice Elena Kagan said that if the court were to rule that extreme gerrymandering were unconstitutional, presumably, some actors would change their behavior. If they didnt, then, yes, the court would have to step in just as it has done with redistricting plans that discriminate against racial minorities. Alito and Justice Neil M. Gorsuch also wondered if the challengers in the North Carolina case were demanding that districts be drawn with some form of proportional representation so that the makeup of a congressional delegation would mirror the number of votes cast statewide for each party. That would be a difficult standard to impose because it could conflict with other redistricting principles, such as ensuring that congressional districts are compact and dont split municipalities. But as Kagan noted, its possible to draw maps that eliminate unfair partisan advantage without requiring proportional representation. Finally, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh raised the question of whether the court needed to act at all, given that several states have moved on their own to combat gerrymandering, such as by entrusting congressional redistricting to an independent, nonpartisan citizens commission as California has done. Those developments are welcome, but they dont provide a nationwide solution grounded in the Constitution. The court must stop its agonizing and provide one. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook When special counsel Robert S. Mueller III was still investigating whether President Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia in that countrys interference in the 2016 election, it was obvious that it would be inappropriate even potentially impeachable for Trump to grant pardons to former campaign aides caught in Muellers dragnet. Has the calculation changed now that Mueller has reported that his investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities? Not at all. But Trumps mischaracterization of Muellers findings as a total exoneration raises the question of whether the president might now feel sufficiently liberated to bestow pardons he refrained from granting in the past. Among the potential beneficiaries are former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who has been sentenced to several years in prison for financial crimes, and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who has yet to be sentenced after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement And dont forget coffee boy George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents about his contacts with Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign. Papadopoulos, who served a short prison sentence, has requested a pardon. Citing the end of Muellers investigation and Papadopoulos request, Fox News reported that the issue of pardons is front-and-center once again. On Monday, Trump, asked by a reporter about whether he was considering pardons for anyone in connection with the Russia investigation, replied that I havent thought about it. But in the past the president has expressed sympathy for Manafort, and its not hard to imagine an argument being presented to Trump along the following lines: If it werent for Muellers witch hunt, these men never have been ensnared by the legal system. So pardon them! Of course, the fact that Mueller cleared Trump and his campaign of criminal conspiracy with Russia doesnt mean the investigation was improper, as my colleague Jon Healey noted here. And if, during the progress of a legitimate investigation, other wrongdoing comes to light, prosecutors are free to act on it. Theres a final reason for Trump to refrain from pardoning any of his wayward former advisers: It could be perceived as obstruction of justice. According to a letter sent to Congress by Atty. Gen. William Barr, Mueller didnt come to a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in talking unspecified actions most of which have been the subject of public reporting. (One of those actions may have been Trumps firing of FBI Director James B. Comey.) But Barr and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein decided to answer the question, concluding that the evidence amassed by Mueller is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Thats the Justice Departments opinion. But Congress might take a different view, including in the context of an impeachment investigation, once more of Muellers report is made public. Clemency for Manafort, Flynn et al would give rise to suspicions, fair or not, that they were being rewarded for their loyalty to the president or perhaps even for their silence. Would Trump be foolish enough to stoke such suspicions by issuing pardons? Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook If any politicians lack standing to complain about being mocked or bullied on Twitter, it is staunch supporters of Donald Trump, a president who constantly uses the platform to abuse his political enemies. If any are particularly ill-positioned to sue Twitter over satire or mockery, its Trump-supporting Republicans who also champion the Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act. Yet Congressman Devin Nunes, a staunch Trump supporter who recently co-sponsored the Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act, has filed a $250-million lawsuit against Twitter. The lawsuit makes it very easy to laugh at Nunes not because it exposes him as a hypocrite, but because he was so vexed by two anonymously written Twitter accounts. One parody account falsely purported to be written by his mom. Advertisement In her endless barrage of tweets, Devin Nunes Mom maliciously attacked every aspect of Nunes character, honesty, integrity, ethics and fitness to perform his duties as a United States Congressman, states the legal complaint that he voluntarily entered into the public record. With respect to his fitness for office, it appears that Devin Nunes Mom had a point. Inadvisable as that was, the lawsuit mightve spurred fewer jokes from late-night comedy shows if he hadnt also decided to sue a parody account purporting to be written by his cow. (I could not independently confirm whether any cow owned by his family is literate.) Before the lawsuit was filed, @devincow had 1,200 followers. Now it has 557,000 followers, making it the most followed imaginary cow on the platform, as far as I know. Legal experts whove reviewed the lawsuit are laughing, too. Attorney and free speech expert Ken White declared it unusually buffoonish on the KCRW podcast he co-hosts, explaining that some of its theories are clearly at odds with federal law, and that it targets a lot of material that is definitely protected by the 1st Amendment. Even in an era of stupid lawsuits, this one sticks out, White said. It seems almost like some kind of ritual self-humiliation by Nunes, kind of a jurisprudential streaking. But he added that the lawsuit is serious insofar as it forces the people named as defendants to lawyer up and face the very stressful and expensive prospect of litigation to get rid of it. One of those people, political consultant Liz Mair, an outspoken critic of Nunes, commented that Rep. Nunes and I have starkly different views on civil liberties writ large. She takes exception to a politician suing U.S. citizens for engaging in an American birthright: criticizing politicians. It was the French playwright Moliere who articulated one of the best defenses of preserving the freedom to deploy mockery as criticism. The most forceful lines of a serious moral statement are usually less powerful than those of satire; and nothing will reform most men better than the depiction of their faults, he wrote. It is a vigorous blow to vices to expose them to public laughter. To exempt anyone from comedy, he added, would be much more dangerous than the thing itself. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute I wont defend the substance of every tweet aimed at the congressman, or the character of the most vile. But it isnt clear that any of them meet the legal standard for libel. By filing this lawsuit, Nunes has done orders of magnitude more damage to his reputation than anything contained in all of the tweets that bothered him. The lawsuit also targets all sorts of speech that is neither libelous nor vile. For example, this tweet: The people of Californias Central Valley are upright folk who work hard, look you square in the eye and give you a firm handshake. And then there is @DevinNunes. A congressman who believes it should be illegal to express that opinion doesnt deserve his seat and certainly isnt defending or protecting the Constitution. With respect to his fitness for office, it appears that Devin Nunes Mom had a point. Conor Friedersdorf is a contributing writer to Opinion, a staff writer at the Atlantic and founding editor of the Best of Journalism, a newsletter that curates exceptional nonfiction. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Two weeks into the college admissions scandal, nearly every angle of the news story has been exhaustively covered. Its now time to talk about what colleges need to do in order to restore the trust of regular, hardworking, honest families and the disadvantaged, well-deserving students who have been discriminated against for far too long. This scandal happened for many reasons, and one of them has gone largely unmentioned: Colleges do not have to disclose detailed data about their admissions processes to the public. Indeed, you wont find colleges disclosing much of anything on their websites, in their recruiting materials or to the Department of Education. They dont need to. Its assumed that colleges operate with sound ethics, but the reality is far from that. Take a look at any colleges website. On the admissions page, you are likely to find data about the newest class: the overall acceptance rate, average test scores of those who were admitted, and sometimes a racial breakdown. This information might seem insightful and thorough. But there is shocking variability in all those acceptance rates, depending on when a student applies, what she applies for, and what her background is. Advertisement When low- and middle-income students apply and dont get admitted, they may assume they werent strong enough candidates. But this simply isnt true. For instance, early-decision programs are often regarded as a way for students to demonstrate enthusiasm for a particular school. But such programs effectively favor wealthy students, who have the means to apply without needing to compare financial aid offers. And yet, in most cases, students have no way of knowing how much higher the acceptance rate is for early-decision applicants versus regular applicants. Last year, Dartmouths acceptance rate for early-decision candidates was 28%, while the rate for regular students was 8%. If all applicants knew this, some might not have applied at all. The colleges that compose a university also have different standards of admission. For example, if a university has multiple undergraduate schools, such as business, liberal arts, education and engineering, the admission rates vary depending on the size and quality of the applicant pool. While most universities report the overall acceptance rate, they rarely share the exact rates for each program, even though they are often vastly different. Admission rates vary tremendously at certain need-aware colleges. These are institutions that have a higher bar for students who apply for financial aid. How does a family know if a college is need-aware? They dont. Need-aware colleges dont share this information with the public. When low- and middle-income students apply and dont get admitted, they may assume they werent strong enough candidates. But this simply isnt true. When I became dean of admissions at a need-aware college, I was alarmed that we admitted certain students simply because they didnt need financial aid. Students with straight As and strong test scores who needed aid were passed over in favor of students with Cs, Ds and academic dishonesty issues on their records because they could pay the full freight. And what about students who identify their race? Last year, as the affirmative action case against Harvard was going to trial, the school was quick to share that 22.9% of its freshman class identified as Asian American. That sounds impressive, but not if the admissions rate for Asian Americans is significantly lower than it is for other races at Harvard. We dont know how much tougher it is for students from certain backgrounds, because colleges dont have to share this information. All colleges are supposed to report enrollment, curriculum and admissions data to the Common Data Set Initiative, an independent initiative among data providers in higher education that helps publishers such as U.S. News & World Report determine college rankings. Each colleges most recent data set can usually be found on their website. There is usually some valuable information about a schools admissions process, such as whether it uses demonstrated interest as a factor in the admissions process, or how many students were placed on (and admitted from) the wait list in a given year. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute But no one is ensuring that all these colleges are answering all of these admissions questions, or whether they are answering the questions honestly. Colleges with wait lists thousands of students long often leave that question blank. And I have discovered that several colleges downplay or lie about how influential demonstrated interest is in their admissions process. The public is sufficiently fed up with the current state of college admissions. Our kids are under more pressure than ever before because the cards are stacked against them. Parents are at a loss when it comes to explaining to their children that hard work does not matter when it comes to getting into college. Colleges accept federal funding, and therefore need to be held accountable for whom that funding was intended. When the data are public, families will be more informed, and colleges will be embarrassed by the blatant inequality they have permitted. Only then will colleges become better stewards for the next generation. Sara Harberson is the founder of Admissions Revolution and Application Nation. She was the associate dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and the dean of admissions at Franklin & Marshall College. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook After a stretch of disastrous years that included a recession, a debt crisis, bankruptcy, a hurricane and the exodus of thousands of residents from the island, 2019 is shaping up to be a good year for Puerto Rico or at least for Puerto Rican morale. Several things came together, mostly by chance, to lift the islands spirits and give Puerto Ricans a sense of hope. That is due, in important measure, to two New York Puerto Ricans, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have brought the worlds attention to the island. Mirandas rise to fame in the United States was meteoric, and earlier this year, he reflected some of that glory back onto his familys homeland with a three-week staging of Hamilton in San Juan. The production lured thousands of American and international visitors to the island in January and raised $14 million for Puerto Rican artists and arts institutions. It ended with an epic final performance, after which Miranda tearfully wrapped himself in the Puerto Rican flag and brought down the house. Advertisement And then theres Ocasio-Cortez, who also has Puerto Rican parents and has had her own phenomenal rise to celebrity, culminating with her swearing in as a U.S. congresswoman in January. She has not visited the island since 2016, but has called for the end to the territorys colonial status and was photographed holding up the Puerto Rican flag. Many Puerto Ricans consider statehood the only answer to their islands woes. Her upset victory over a high-ranking incumbent Anglo congressman made her an instant hit in her ancestral home. Love her or hate her, the way she has carried herself reflects well on Puerto Rico, said San Juan attorney and Democratic Party insider Andres W. Lopez. Now, he said, he is waiting to see if Ocasio-Cortez highlights issues that involve Puerto Rico directly. The limelight associated with Puerto Ricos famous progeny, a group that also includes Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, has arguably already brought some benefit to the island. The New York Times, for example, recently named Puerto Rico the worlds No. 1 travel destination for 2019, something hotel consultant Simon Baeyertz says represents a real achievement, and not simply a pity party for the hurricane. But leveraging the recent feel-good moments for long-term benefit will take far more. The bankrupt island is operating under the strict oversight of a federal fiscal panel, which has brought punishing austerity measures. Unemployment is at 8.3%, more than double the U.S. rate overall, and 44% live below the poverty line. The island has to reckon too with an inept and corrupt system of patronage and an over-dependence on government jobs and welfare. On the plus side are attractive tax incentives for investors, affordable property values, a spate of economic activity related to hurricane rebuilding (with $1.5 billion in federal block grants for recovery on the way), and a general sense that the bottom has been hit. Tourism is the most visible sign of better times. Old San Juan is again busy with visitors. Quaint hill towns and beaches in Isabela, Rincon, and Vieques also report increased tourism. And new, high-end boutique hotels are opening in the hotspot Condado district, known as one of the Caribbeans capitals of cool. In a way, its as if the hurricane has connected the island with the mainland in a way I have never felt, said Baeyertz. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute The trick now will be strengthening that connection. For more than a century, Puerto Rico has had a complicated relationship with the United States. Though Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, those living in the island territory cannot vote in federal elections. They also do not pay federal taxes. The island receives less federal aid per capita for programs such as like Medicare, Medicaid and hurricane recovery than states do. Many Puerto Ricans consider statehood the only answer to their islands woes. Last year, Puerto Ricos governor, Ricardo Rossello, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to support the island becoming a state and to abandon territorial-colonialism. But advocates havent successfully carried the fight to the U.S. Congress, which has the final say, and where statehood for Puerto Rico is neither urgent nor favored. Some Puerto Ricans hope that high-profile Puerto Ricans on the mainland will help as will the 5.1 million Puerto Ricans who live on the mainland and can help swing elections in some areas After spending decades as outsiders, in the margins of American society, the fact that everywhere you look in 2019, Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans are in the thick of it that is welcome indeed, Lopez told me. All of these developments have something in common: They place Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans squarely in the middle of the national conversation. Luisita Lopez Torregrosa is a journalist and former editor at the New York Times. She is the author of two nonfiction books, most recently, Before the Rain: A Memoir of Love & Revolution. To the editor: Perhaps Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) might also look to another group of people in addition to immigrants to rescue the Social Security system the 600,000 persons per year who leave American prisons and jails. (Fox News freaks out over Kirsten Gillibrands comments on immigrants and Social Security but shes right, column, March 22) Most return to the towns where they lived before incarceration and want to resume their lives, earn a living and, yes, pay into Social Security. One in 3 American adults has a criminal record. While there have been legislative efforts nationally and in California to help former felons procure employment, persons with a record continue to face barriers to getting a job. Lets look at the relationship between newly employed, previously incarcerated persons and the rescuing of Social Security. Bottom line is that changing not only laws but hiring attitudes so these people can be employed is not only good for the Social Security program, but essential for its fiscal health. Advertisement Carole Urie, Newport Beach The writer is chief financial officer and founder of the Returning Home Foundation. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) should resign? (Republicans and Democrats angle to take the offensive after Mueller report, March 25.) We havent even seen Justice Department Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs report about Russian interference in the 2016 election, but the people going after Schiff act as if we must trust that President Trump has been telling the truth all along and we must put our suspicions behind us. The thought has occurred to me that if Trump was a diabolical genius, he set this whole thing in motion by firing former FBI Directer James B. Comey, acting like a Russian puppet in Helsinki and blasting Mueller, just so he could be vindicated and make his critics look bad. But I subscribe to a simpler theory: Trump acts like he has something to hide because he does. Lets get Muellers full report. Advertisement Jeff Vaughn, Encino .. To the editor: Ive tried to be open-minded about the investigation into the president over the course of nearly two years. Now, Democrats who said all along that they wanted Muellers investigation to play out, evidently believing it would reveal damning information about the president, are calling for further inquiry. I already know Trumps critics do not like him, his policies or the horse he rode in on. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Schiff, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) owe the president and the country an apology for dragging us through this mess. As a consequence of their actions, I will never again vote for a Democrat. Paul Hansen, Artesia Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: I share columnist Steve Lopezs opinion that life in prison without the chance of parole seems in some ways a harsher sentence than the early escape that death brings. I am sure that many in the anti-death penalty camp feel the same way. This is precisely why I feel we need to keep the death penalty in place as the ultimate punishment: If it goes away, the very same people who oppose it may turn their sights on life-without-parole as being unacceptable in our society. It is true that death sentences are not fairly administered, and capital punishment is flawed. Fix that by keeping the death penalty in place and never executing another person; perhaps theyll be exonerated some day, or they will die in prison, as they should, without the states intervention. Kevin Kelley, Valencia Advertisement .. To the editor: I understand that there are people who feel the death penalty would satisfy their longing for justice for the murder of their loved ones. However, in California the death penalty has for all practical purposes been eliminated for decades. Thirteen people have been executed in California since 1992. Not even Sirhan Sirhan, Charles Manson or the Hillside Strangler have been executed. Even if Gov. Gavin Newsom reversed course tomorrow and left the death penalty in place, Dr. Xavier Caro, whose three children were killed by their mother in 1999, would probably never see the execution of his former wife. So what would be gained? Erica Hahn, Monrovia Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook President Trump on Tuesday interrupted his celebration of the end of the Russia investigation to unexpectedly reignite a debate over repealing Obamacare, an issue that hurt his party in the midterm election and immediately gave Democrats hope for some advantage in 2020. The president came to the Capitol to rally with Senate Republicans after Sundays news that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III had found no criminal evidence of conspiracy between Trumps campaign and the Russian government. By renewing the healthcare debate, however, he risked reopening divisions in his party over its inability to agree on a replacement for Obamacare that would, as hes promised, insure everyone. In a closed-door lunch with the senators, the president issued a vague call to them to address healthcare to lower costs, according to several lawmakers in the room. He led off on that and he spent a good bit of time on it. Its clearly on his mind, and its clear to me he wants us to take another run on it, said Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. I thought that hed immediately start talking about the Mueller report or China, the country at the center of Trumps trade agenda. Advertisement In a legal filing late Monday, Trumps Justice Department reiterated the administrations support for a controversial federal lawsuit in Texas brought by Republican state officials that seeks to repeal the entire 2010 law. Yet it went further than before, expressing support for full repeal instead of a portion of the Affordable Care Act. The legal filing and Trumps comments Tuesday gave Democrats, who are divided over how to respond to the Mueller probes conclusion, a renewed political opportunity to turn back to healthcare and defend the increasingly popular law that helped their party retake the House in Novembers election. It certainly gives you a great hook for talking about this, in this moment where you feel a little bit defeated, at least emotionally, said Anna Greenberg, a Democratic pollster. Making significant changes to the law would encounter resistance from Democrats as well as some Republicans, who acknowledge the programs widespread acceptance and the popularity of its coverage protections for people with preexisting medical conditions. Kennedy and other senators said Trump provided no details, nor did he bring up a bipartisan initiative to lower prescription drug prices despite his past suggestions that lowering drug costs is a priority. Lawmakers said he only stipulated that any plan must cover people with preexisting conditions, though he offered no suggestions for alleviating the huge potential cost to insurers. Initially, the Affordable Care Acts mandate that individuals purchase insurance gave companies new customers, offsetting their costs of accepting those with medical conditions. But Trump and Republicans opposed the mandate, which was repealed in the tax bill the party passed in 2017. The president was no more specific in public, telling reporters on the way into the meeting that the Republican Party will soon be known as the party of healthcare, reinforcing the same message he tweeted minutes earlier. With Republican majorities in the House and Senate, Trump spent much of his first year in office trying to fulfill a Republican promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. He came within a vote of getting a repeal bill through the Senate in July 2017; that effort ended when an ailing Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican, gave it a thumbs down. Stung by the defeat and then punished by voters, many Republican lawmakers tried to move on this year. But Trump stewed, railing against McCain as recently as last week, seven months after his death. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who was close to McCain but has become one of Trumps top allies, said he told the president over the weekend that the release of the summary of the Mueller report by Atty. Gen. William Barr would give him valuable political capital. The presidents new healthcare push, Graham suggested, was motivated by Trumps boost in confidence. Graham, echoing other Republicans at the lunch, praised the president and argued that the party could win the debate. If theres a message to be learned from 2018 on policy, its healthcare, he said. No Republican voiced opposition in Trumps presence to pursuing the issue, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. I think he really feels like right now he has some wind at his back; its time to propose serious policy and work on it, and healthcare is one he wants to work on, Cramer said. While many polls show Americans would like to improve the law, only a minority want to dismantle it. This was clearly a winning issue for the left in 2018, said Carlos Curbelo, a GOP critic of Trump who lost his Florida House seat in the November election. It was the issue they ran a lot of generic campaigns on and that yielded them 40 House seats. So if the president wants to double down on that or have a repeat of 2018, then this makes perfect sense. Its just completely reckless and tone-deaf. Democrats agreed. I think that that was the biggest thing that happened in the last 24 hours in terms of the 2020 debate, pushing aside the Mueller debate, said Lanae Erickson, senior vice president for social policy and politics at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank. In a review of 2018 political ads in races where Democrats picked up Republican seats, her group found that a majority were about healthcare. Though Democratic presidential candidates are divided over support forsingle-payer government health plans, they are united in keeping Obamacare unless they achieve that. Over 30,000 Americans could die every single year if Trump gets his way and destroys the Affordable Care Act, Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent running for the Democratic nomination, tweeted Tuesday. Our job is to fight back against his efforts to take healthcare away from millions of people. House Democrats also pounced on the Trump administrations filing in the Texas lawsuit. At a news conference at the Capitol, they highlighted proposals to improve the Affordable Care Act and hammered Republicans for once again threatening protections for Americans with preexisting medical conditions. The GOP will never stop trying to destroy the affordable healthcare of American families, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said, flanked by senior Democratic lawmakers and freshmen, many of whom ran last year on a healthcare platform. The House Democrats measures to improve Obamacare would strengthen insurance markets that have been undermined by the administration and provide more assistance to Americans struggling with rising premiums. Times staff writers Molly OToole, Eli Stokols and Janet Hook contributed to this report. Hollywood Burbank Airport will soon be gearing up to take its rebranding efforts to the next level. David Freedman, the airports director of business, property and administrative services, told commissioners in the operations and development committee on Tuesday that he and his staff are finalizing a few key elements for the second phase of the rebranding project. During their Feb. 6 meeting, committee members will be reviewing the next steps of getting the airports new name out to the public. Caltrans, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and the city of Burbank have all been contacted to change the signage on the freeways and streets to reflect Hollywood Burbank Airport instead of Bob Hope Airport, Freedman said. Join the conversation on Facebook >> This past May, the Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena Airport Authority voted to change the airfields branding name from Bob Hope Airport to Hollywood Burbank Airport as a way to attract more travelers east of the Colorado Rockies. However, the legal name of the facility remains Bob Hope Airport. For about two years, the airport authority has been working with South Pasadena branding firm Anyone Collective to give the airport a new identity. Michael Fiore, one of the co-founders of Anyone Collective, was unavailable for comment on Tuesday. Along with changing the signs to have the new name, Freedman said airport officials will be working with a website design firm to update the airfields site with a new logo, fonts and colorways that Anyone Collective has developed for them. Freedman added that the airport will changing all of its signs once the airport authority gives the green light for the switch. -- Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Every introduction is nearly the same during every meeting, nearly every other week. Former Burbank Unified board president Larry Applebaum states during the public-comment section of board meetings that hes a 58-year resident of the school district that educates his daughter, Lauren, a Burbank High junior. Applebaum served as a Burbank Unified board member for 12 years until 2017 and has helped the district in other capacities. A strong Burbank Unified advocate, Applebaum is on the opposite side held by many friends and former colleagues. The man perhaps most responsible for passage of Measure S, a 2013 bond sometimes referred to as Larrys Bond that raised $110 million for upgrades to district facilities, is opposing the districts latest funding effort. Applebaum is urging residents to vote no on Measure QS, saying its fatally flawed. The measure is a 10-cents-per-square-foot annual parcel tax expected to cost average city residents about $170 per year and raise roughly $9 million annually. He even authored the main argument against Measure QS, co-sponsored by former board members Audrey Hanson and William Abbey, in the voter guide. My former colleagues are not too happy with me, Applebaum said on Oct. 17, the day before he spoke at the latest district meeting. But, there are a lot of people in the community who are happy with me because at least Im standing up and speaking about what I believe needs to be said. Applebaum has, at times, stood alone against a purple sea of Measure QS supporters. He doesnt like that the parcel tax has ties to salaries and doesnt address the districts pension problem, while the measure has no sunset clause and would require a voter repeal to end it. Applebaum said he also thinks key benefactors may reduce their giving levels to Burbank Unified. He cited the new 456,000-square-foot IKEA store as an example. Applebaum said he expects the store will scale back its usual grants and donations totaling around $60,000 a year to the district because the company will have to pay a $46,000 annual tax. Im not against the parcel tax. Im against how theyre using it and how theyre saying theyre going to use it, he said. Once they use it for salary, all the things that theyre saying and the goal sheets, salary will overwhelm all of that and there wont be any of that. The parcel tax is supposed to address several needs, such as buying new band uniforms and helping lower classroom sizes, along with giving teachers and staff a one-time 3% salary raise, in addition to a 2% hike that was recently approved. This measure is being marketed in a way that is not honest because its going for salaries and 3% is already guaranteed, he said. It doesnt take somebody with a brilliant mind to extrapolate that next year when the [unions] go to the bargaining table, theyre going to see $5.7 million of additional revenue and theyre going to want to bargain. Applebaum contends that a 3% salary hike translates into roughly $3.3 million of the annual $9-million Measure QS pot. When I left in 2017, every percent of a salary increase equaled about a $1.1-million increase, so thats where Im getting that number from, he said. So this year, it will be 3%. If the district gives another 2% the following year, then 2% again and 2% again, then in five years, guess what? Theres no money left. Burbank Supt. Matt Hill countered that claim. Measure QS opponent Larry Applebaum sits behind a group of Measure QS supporters at the Burbank Unified board meeting in council chambers at Burbank City Hall on Oct. 18. Public comment during the meeting focused on the Measure QS issue. (Tim Berger/Staff Photographer) Thats just his assumption, Hill said. Theres nothing in the parcel tax language or contract agreement that would say that. Applebaum said that parcel-tax money should have been directed toward fixing the pension problem, which he contends is the real issue. Currently, 88% of the districts operating cost is tied to employee compensation, with pension costs expected to be around $16.5 million for the 2018-19 school year. Five years earlier, the district paid a little over $7 million. While hes fond of Hill, Applebaum said he thinks the former Los Angeles Unified administrator is avoiding making tough decisions. Hes in year four, Applebaum said of Hill. Hes never had to cut as a superintendent. I had to cut several years as a board member. Its not fun, but you do what you have to do. Applebaum said the school district should relax its student-teacher ratio as a way to help offset spending, noting his daughter went from a second grade class with a 20-to-1 ratio to 28-to-1 the following year and shes doing just fine now in 11th grade. He pointed to the district cutting $2 million in 2000 during the dot-com bubble, which was done, in part, by slashing discretionary positions. They did what they had to do, Applebaum said. And guess what? When good times came back, class sizes were lowered again, and some people were hired back. We can do that again. andrew.campa@latimes.com Twitter @campadresports After working for 50 years in the restaurant-service industry, former Burbank council member and mayor Gary Bric has decided its time for last call. For just over 25 years, Bric has been owner of Gary Brics Ramp, a quirky steakhouse nestled next to the 5 Freeway at 7730 N. Hollywood Way. The restaurant has been at that location since 1962 and was purchased by the lifelong Burbank resident in 1993. However, with rising overhead costs and running a business for the last quarter of a century, Bric said it was just time for him to retire and enjoy his life. The last day patrons can dine at the restaurant will be Friday, Nov. 30. I get my Medicare, Ill be signing up for Social Security and Ill be 67 next April, he said. Ive paid my dues, and Ive been doing this day and night for a long time, so its time to hang it up and enjoy what years we have left. Bric was a bartender at the restaurant for more than five years, and, when he was given the opportunity to purchase the business, he said he didnt hesitate. It was his first time running his own restaurant, but he was confident about his new venture. But you think you know everything going in, Bric said. You dont know squat, but with everything you do in life, theres a learning curve and with experience comes the knowledge. Gary Bric outside his restaurant. Ive paid my dues, and Ive been doing this day and night for a long time, so its time to hang it up and enjoy what years we have left, he says. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) Like many businesses, Bric said his restaurant had its ups and downs. Many of his friends told him he was crazy to buy a restaurant, but he proved them wrong. He managed to stay afloat during the recession in 2008 and even after a car crashed into the restaurant in 2013 when he had to shut down the business for more than seven weeks. Bric eventually sold the property to an investor, and he said he thinks its days as a restaurant are numbered. Unfortunately, the profit margin in this business [is thin] and minimum wage [is] going up; its just so difficult, Bric said. Regardless of what was thrown his way, Bric said challenges did not stop him from enjoying his time at the restaurant. He enjoyed seeing the families of his customers grow up and was proud to see many of his employees move on to bigger and better jobs. The most rewarding things were the people that Ive met and customers that Ive served, Bric said. To watch a couple generations of people going through here, to see them grow and mature, has been rewarding. Thats what its all about. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Proposed flight-path changes out of Hollywood Burbank Airport will undergo an environmental assessment, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday. The federal agency posted on its website that it would be evaluating two proposed departure changes from the local airport to see if either will have an impact on the environment and if there are any alternative routes. FAA officials added that the decision was made in light of feedback received during two workshops the agency held in Burbank in November, at which residents from Studio City and Sherman Oaks pleaded with the FAA to conduct an environmental study on the proposed flight-path changes. The proposed paths are designed to adjust where aircraft departing from Hollywood Burbank from the south make their turn toward the north. However, some residents from Studio City and Sherman Oaks have voiced their disapproval of the proposed changes, which would have a waypoint located over Studio City. That waypoint, called JAYTE, would be where a pilot would turn their plane to head north and on to the flights destination. Residents have argued that having that waypoint over Studio City would adversely impact their neighborhoods. Hundreds of residents have appeared at multiple public forums to oppose the current unacceptable level of aviation noise, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) wrote in a statement on Monday. Communities in the San Fernando Valley deserve to be heard and have their concerns completely addressed. For many months, residents from the south side of the San Fernando Valley have raised concerns regarding departing flights from Hollywood Burbank flying over their neighborhoods more frequently than in the past and the increased noise associated with each passing plane. Many people have said they think it is due to the FAAs implementation of its Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as NextGen, which has been installed in airports throughout Southern California. In October, the consulting firm Landrum & Brown determined that departing flights from Hollywood Burbank have been steadily shifting farther south around Studio City. However, its study could not directly link the change in flight paths to the federal agencys new satellite-based navigation system. As Studio City and Sherman Oaks residents continue to put pressure on the FAA, so, too, are members of the U.S. Congress. Last Thursday, Sherman, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Kamala Harris signed a joint letter to Dan Elwell, acting administrator of the FAA, asking the federal agency to create a round table that would include residents, local officials, representatives from the Hollywood Burbank and Van Nuys airports, as well as other stakeholders to address noise and safety concerns. The FAA has the authority and precedent to make changes that will reduce the impacts of aviation over communities in Los Angeles County, while ensuring the safety of both communities and aircraft, the letter states. It should do so. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio A popular music industry conference may have found its new home in Burbank. Throughout this week, A&R Worldwide is hosting its annual MUSEXPO and Worldwide Radio Summit events at the Castaway restaurant, located in the Burbank hillsides. Since 2005, A&R Worldwide founder Sat Bisla has been bringing together artists, producers and other executives in the music industry to talk about the future of their professions. MUSEXPO, now in its 15th year, was held in West Hollywood for many years and several years ago was hosted at venues in Hollywood. Bisla said Burbank was a good fit for his events because of its proximity to major recording studios and labels, as well as its many hotels and the airport his attendees can use. We chose Burbank because its its own municipality, and so many creative things are done in this city, he said. It also has good access to freeways, he added. Bisla has been in the music industry since 1984, starting his career as a radio and club DJ. He has also dabbled in music journalism, venue promotion and artists and repertoire work. While the core fundamentals of the music industry a hit song, great artists and exceptional experience hasnt changed, Bisla said the distribution of the medium has seen a big shift. Residents in some countries still cherish and purchase hard copies of their favorite albums, but streaming services like Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple Music have taken over the distribution landscape. Mobile devices have allowed consumers to listen, see, hear and interact with artists in ways that weve never seen before in one platform, Bisla said. He said he sees these online platforms as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, artists worldwide can upload their songs with the click of a mouse and be heard by thousands of people on the Internet. On the other hand, there are so many people uploading their music that it floods the market, making it more difficult to find good talent and connect with an artist. It used to be that you go on an artists website and everything would be on there, but now you have to go through all their different social platforms, different streaming services or their YouTube page, Bisla said. Record labels have also had to catch up with the times and use social media to ensure their artists and the label itself stays connected with consumers. What Im seeing the music business becoming is a pop-culture business, Bisla said. Its not just music, its every touchpoint connected to the artist and their value. For more information about MUSEXPO, visit musexpo.net. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio When a young cave explorer named Floyd Collins found himself stuck in a Kentucky cavern back in 1925, it wouldve been hard for him to predict hed inspire both a movie (Billy Wilders fictionalized Ace in the Hole) and, much later, a musical docudrama simply titled Floyd Collins, which now occupies the Newport Theatre Arts Center. Occupies is far too mild a word. This gripping saga unfolding under the brilliant direction of Kathy Paladino commands the stage, and its terrific technical aspects match the intensity of its performances. This is a highly ambitious production for such a relatively small theater. Based on an actual incident, Floyd Collins follows its title characters treasure-hunting misfortune and the efforts of his family as well as a few outsiders to free him as the hours, and days, tick away. The music is incidental, although quite effective. Written by Tina Landau with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, Floyd Collins is a challenging project in which the captive writhes in full view as the rescue drama plays out a few feet away. Tempers flare as conflicting methods are proposed. Taking on the title role as well as the task of music director, Stephen Hulsey delivers an achingly powerful performance. Though hes trapped for most of the show, Hulseys character manages to break loose for a few fantasy segments, displaying his full talent range. Jonathan Haidl is captivating as Floyds headstrong younger brother who clashes with an authoritative outsider, strongly interpreted by Eldon Calloway. His sweet-voiced, yet mentally challenged, young sister is beautifully rendered by Victoria Serra. Allison McGuire and Victoria Serra play Floyd Collins family members anxiously awaiting for the results of the rescue. The production will be at the Newport Theatre Arts Center through April 21. (Photo by Ron Yee) Floyds overly religious father is movingly played by David Colley, while Allison McGuire takes a more submissive turn as the lads stepmother. Stan Morrow, Christopher Diem and Robert Dill add credible local color. The young Louisville newspaper reporter, who unwittingly takes a major role in the action, is superbly enacted by Mark Tillman. His strongly likable character is a sharp contrast from his counterpart in Ace in the Hole, played sardonically by Kirk Douglas. Angie Watson exemplifies outside commercial pressure as a high-energy movie director and also joins Eric Anderson and Jake Burnett in background ensemble assignments. While the emphasis is more on words than music, the seven-piece orchestra under the baton of Stella Monshaw aptly sets the emotional tone for the production. Highlights include the tender Heart n Hand duet by Colley and McGuire, as well as Hulsey and Haidls lively Riddle Song expressing brotherly fidelity. Andrew Otero, who has created some fine scenic backdrops for local theaters, has outdone himself with his grimly gritty Newport setting. Increasing the atmospheric effect are the sound and lighting effects of Brian Page and Jackson Halphide, respectively, particularly the huge rear-screen projections. Floyd Collins illustrates the level which community theaters can reach given the right conditions and dedication. Its an artistic high-water mark at the Newport Theatre Arts Center. Tom Titus reviews local theater. IF YOU GO What: Floyd Collins Where: Newport Theatre Arts Center, 2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach When: Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. until April 21 (Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. April 20 only) Cost: $25 Information: (949) 631-0288; ntaconline.com As the new president and chief executive of the Richard Nixon Foundation, conservative political commentator Hugh Hewitt will oversee the legacy of perhaps the countrys most controversial president. And its a legacy, he said, that warrants new consideration. If climate change is the No. 1 issue for the next generation, who is the No. 1 president for environmental protection? Nixon, Hewitt said during an interview Monday at the library. He started the [Environmental Protection Agency] and signed the National Environmental Policy and Endangered Species Acts. Hewitt, 63, said the librarys role is to teach the public about all of the various facets of the ever-complex Nixon, a pragmatic realist who he says should be remembered for issues other than Watergate, such as the EPA and improving relations with China. People ought to know about these things, Hewitt said. Hewitt will take over July 1, replacing President and CEO William Baribault, who oversaw a $15-million renovation of the Yorba Linda-based Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in 2016. Baribault served for about 4 1/2 years. Hugh will lead the Nixon Foundation in its exciting next phase of growth, expanding its presence through national programming with an emphasis on articulating the Nixon legacy of pragmatic realism in domestic and foreign affairs, foundation Chairman James Cavanaugh said in a press release. Its been 50 years since Richard Nixons inauguration as president, and 25 years since his passing; its time to consider and judge President Nixon on the totality of his life and career, and Hugh will help to make that happen. Hewitt is returning to the library, having been selected by Nixon to oversee the construction of the complex, which opened in 1990. Before that project, Hewitt worked for Nixon as a researcher in the 1970s and 1980s, writing the books The Real War and Leaders with the president. He was the best boss I ever had, so I owe him, Hewitt said. The foundation and the National Archives jointly run and operate the presidential library. Hewitt worked as the librarys first executive director from 1989 to 1990. While serving in that role, Hewitt caused controversy when he told a Times reporter that researchers would be screened and that those specifically the Washington Posts Bob Woodward, who won the Pulitzer Prize with Post colleague Carl Bernstein for exposing Watergate deemed anti-Nixon couldnt view Nixons papers and records. Journalists and academics protested, and the screening process was quickly eradicated. Hewitt resigned. That was a stupid mistake, Hewitt said. I was young and stupid. A film that opens with Nixons resignation speech after the Watergate scandal at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda. (Associated Press) Hewitt acknowledged that the library has changed. When it opened in 1990, the library was criticized for glossing over the sins of the Nixon presidency. The Watergate exhibit portrayed Watergate as a coup and accused Woodward and Bernstein of offering bribes to further their reporting. After the library officially entered the presidential library system in 2007, the exhibit was replaced with one more faithful to history. The 2016 renovation overhauled most of the building, expanding existing exhibits and adding new ones. Before opening the library, Hewitt, who lives in Irvine, worked for the Reagan administration in a number of roles. Since his political days, hes worked as an author, lawyer and media commentator, hosting the radio program The Hugh Hewitt Show, providing columns to the Washington Post and appearing regularly on NBCs Meet the Press. Hewitt plans to continue that work, but he is taking leave from teaching law at Chapman University in Orange. The Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the California Department of Parks and Recreation are seeking volunteers to help restore 10,000 square feet of dune habitat in Huntington Beach by adding native plants to sandy areas within a few hundred feet of the coast. Volunteers will help restore the coastal dune habitat along Pacific Coast Highway near Warner Avenue. Volunteers so far have restored portions of the dunes along a pedestrian and bike path near the shore. Parts of the coastal sand dunes are inhabited with invasive plant species that must be removed, and restoring the sand dunes and wetlands plays a significant role in protecting habitat for wildlife that depend on the Bolsa Chica as a stopping point along the Pacific Flyway, spawning ground for fish and filtering polluted water entering the wetlands, Orange Coast District State Park Supt. Kevin Pearsall said in a statement. The Bolsa Chica Conservancy, a nonprofit established in 1990 to help preserve the Bolsa Chica wetlands, and the state hope the restoration project will enlighten the community of the wetlands significance and sensitive ecology. This dune restoration project engages the community and provides access to beach resources like Bolsa Chica State Beach, giving students an opportunity to learn about the connectivity between wetlands and ocean ecosystems, Grace Adams, the conservancys executive director, said in a statement. For more information, visit bolsachica.org/get-involved-2/volunteer. The Newport-Mesa Unified School Districts welcome center has been renamed to honor Karen Kendall, a former Newport-Mesa educator who served as a vice principal, principal and director of the districts English learners program until her retirement in 2014. The name change to the Karen Kendall Welcome Center was unanimously approved by the board of trustees Tuesday night. Kendall began her time in the district in 1994 as vice principal of Newport Elementary School, where she also served as interim principal. She also was vice principal at Whittier Elementary School in Costa Mesa and principal at Harbor View Elementary School in Corona del Mar. By 2001, she was developing and implementing a master plan for the districts English-language learners, which is still in use. Kendall also is credited with starting the welcome center before retiring. The center, at 2045 Meyer Place in Costa Mesa, is designed to help parents and students with Newport-Mesas pre-enrollment process. In a naming application submitted to district staff, former Newport-Mesa employee Mike McGuire said Kendalls name is synonymous with district [English language] programs and initiatives. Several letters were submitted with the petition. Amparo Ames, a former coordinator of school and community relations for the district, said during the meeting that Kendall went from being an unknown administrator to a very beloved administrator in the district. She was always very loving and embracing of the community, of the students. Everything positive. Board President Charlene Metoyer said Kendall gave us a model on how to be gracious. You are happy. You are kind. You like people. So you make them feel like theyre the most important person in the room, Metoyer told Kendall, who was at the board meeting. Kendalls husband, Bob, commented on her behalf because she is now unable to speak. I wanted you guys to know that if she could speak, she would be extremely grateful to every single one of you, he told the board. Shes thrilled being honored like this and she would probably be as emotional about it as I am. Human Relations Task Force In other action, the board adopted a memorandum of understanding regarding the districts partnership with OC Human Relations, a Santa Ana nonprofit that will help the district develop a Human Relations Task Force. Supt. Fred Navarro was directed to create the task force at the boards last meeting March 12, a little over a week after pictures from an off-campus party showed local high school students flashing Nazi salutes over a swastika made of plastic drinking cups. Navarro said the district is thinking about next steps, next meetings to follow an informational meeting set for Wednesday night. He said Kirk Bauermeister, the districts executive director of secondary education, would have recommendations next week on what could be done as the first step with our community, what can we do with a first step in our schools and how do we make sure all of our schools are engaged and how do we make sure were engaging all the marginalized groups in the community? A Newport Beach celebrity dentist who was barred from treating patients this month has relinquished her license to practice dentistry, state documents show. The Dental Board of California suspended Sherri Worths license Feb. 3, pending a disciplinary hearing. But Worth, whose work was featured on the former Fox reality TV makeover show The Swan, surrendered her license effective Friday, according to state documents. The state dental board had filed a complaint against Worth on Feb. 1 based on allegations by six patients that she committed repeated acts of negligence, fraud, incompetence, overdiagnosis and excessive treatment. The patients were not identified by name in state documents. Winter Peterson, a former patient, and her husband, Greyson, filed a lawsuit Thursday in Orange County Superior Court against Worth alleging negligence and fraud. Worths attorney declined to comment Tuesday through a receptionist who answered the phone at his law office. Peterson was Worths patient from October 2016 to January 2017 during which time Worth replaced a bridge and veneers and added other veneers and crowns. The lawsuit alleges that the dental work was ill-fitting, and Worth ground Petersons teeth with a dry drill, resulting in her needing root canals on otherwise healthy teeth. The dental work gave Peterson an improper bite that led to headaches and intense jaw pain, according to court papers. One of Petersons attorneys, Dr. Edwin Zinman, a San Francisco lawyer and dentist, said the 28-year-old paid Worth about $39,000 for dental work. Zinman estimates that Peterson will spend more than $32,000 to repair her teeth. Worth has been licensed as a dentist in California since May 1995. Her website, which has been taken down, previously featured testimonials from Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, actress Anna Kendrick and other stars. On her website, she talked about how shes the doctor of the perfect smile, Zinman said. Shes told patients shes the greatest dentist in the world. Shes definitely self-praising. Zinman also represented another former patient of Worths, who successfully sued the dentist in 2010 for botching $46,000 worth of work, according to court documents. The woman, who saw Worth in 2009 in hopes of fixing a gummy smile, said she experienced intolerable pain after Worth put crowns or porcelain veneers on 22 of the patients teeth. According to a complaint the dental board filed in 2015, many of the fixtures were ill-fitted, and in some cases, Worth removed solid dental work to attach them. According to the complaint, Worth improperly shaved off portions of the womans gums with a laser, enabling food and bacteria to lodge around her teeth. "[Worth] observed the horrible gingivitis in the areas she treated with laser surgery, and the perfectly healthy gum tissue in the rest of the mouth, and inexplicably continued to insist the patients oral hygiene was the problem, the complaint states. Worths case caught the dental boards attention in 2012, when a malpractice insurer notified the agency that it had paid $641,441 in a judgment to the patient. According to the dental board complaint, Worth charged two patients more than $5,000 each for laser gum surgery she didnt perform, digitally altered X-rays to cover up problems she caused and performed expensive and unnecessary restorations on healthy teeth. The dental board also accused Worth of altering or hiding patient records. The complaint states that by improperly placing restorations on teeth, she demonstrated a gross lack of clinical skill and diagnostic ability. Worth could reapply for her license in three years, but would have to pay $93,600 to the dental board for the cost of their investigation. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN An electrode-rigged helmet on her head, 81-year-old Jean Hedrick stared intently at three LED lights as they alternated on and off. A robotic arm slowly started to move. The Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm is one of four prototypes a group of residents at the Morningside of Fullerton retirement community were able to learn about and test through a live demonstration on April 12 from the Cal State Fullerton Bio-Electric Signal Based Systems Laboratory. I thought it was exciting just really neat, Hedrick said. That technology was way advanced from anything Ive ever heard or seen. The program, a partnership between the retirement community and the Cal State Fullerton laboratory, was aimed at educating senior citizens about technology that could be available to them in the not-too-distant future, as well as allow laboratory students to feature their work. Thirteen lab students, in small groups, demonstrated their respective projects to the residents. Demos such as the one we did today helps us showcase the wonderful work our students have been doing at the university, said Kiran George, professor and coordinator of Cal State Fullertons Computer Engineering Program, who oversees the laboratory. Activities such as todays not only provide students an opportunity to share their work, but also boosts their confidence. Furthermore, feedback from the audience potential users can provide rare insights into how their current device could be alternatively designed. The other three prototypes demonstrated to seniors included a self-driving wheelchair, a memory aid for those with Alzheimers disease and Mind-Controlled Home Automation a home automation system used with ALS patients who cant speak. By concentrating on an audio frequency while wearing a 3-D printed device on his head, senior citizen Hans Hennecke was able to turn on a lightbulb during a demonstration by Cal State Fullerton engineering students at Morningside of Fullerton on April 12. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer ) George said laboratory students work on projects that can potentially help individuals with disabilities, those with neuromuscular degenerative diseases, such as ALS and Alzheimers, and senior citizens. He said the main purpose underlying the projects is to develop devices that are accessible both low-cost and easy to use. Some devices that you get on the market [are] so expensive, George said. Morningside of Fullerton Marketing Director Taylor Bentley said the residents enjoy educational lectures. The retirement community has an ongoing partnership with the college, allowing for such events. We have active residents eager for educational opportunities, Bentley said. The key for us is bringing these different generations together to help teach our seniors about what the future may hold. The Cal State Fullerton demonstration isnt the only program aimed at seniors. Cox Communications held an event at the Cox Connected Independence smart home in Lake Forest, which shows how internet-enabled devices give seniors the ability to live independently at home, said Ryland Madison, director of product marketing at Cox Communications. Nearly 90% of adults age 65-plus would prefer growing old in their current home instead of moving to an assisted living facility, Madison said. Given that there is smart home technology readily available on the market today, the ability to age in place is becoming a more realistic option for many aging Americans. Some of the technology demonstrated at the smart home included Cox Contour, which allows for voice-commanded, remote-free viewing; Anova Precision Cooker, allowing for cooking via an app; The HAPIfork, an electronic fork that monitors eating habits; Joy For All Orange Tabby Cat, a realistic model cat that purrs and responds to petting and LiveFine Automatic Pill Dispenser, in which a caregiver can load up to 28 days of medications in sealed compartments that are dispensed on a programmed schedule. A silver tsunami of aging baby boomers is already having a huge impact on consumer purchasing, technology and senior housing, Madison said. Many seniors will be unable to afford a retirement community even if theyd like to live in one especially given the high cost of housing in California and aging in place is a reality for them. Fortunately, staying in their own home is becoming more viable for seniors as a result of smart technology devices and monitoring apps that offer independence through connectivity. Jessica Peralta is a contributor to Times Community News. In the days following the end of the Rwandan genocide, the country was still simmering from the chaos as Bigiria Mustapha Prince David Willy Kirokiro aimlessly walked the streets of his former home. He managed to escape the violence, though it claimed more than 50 of his friends and family, all part of the Tutsi ethnic group. His son and girlfriend were among the dead. She died the first day, said the man commonly known as Kiro. I was going to marry her. They killed her and my son with a machete. They killed her whole family. He thought of the dead as he walked among the old places he used to frequent before the violence. They were different. When he came across a group of homeless boys digging through trash, he ached for them. Meet me at this spot in three days, he told them. When he came back with food for the emaciated boys, they devised among themselves a plan to snatch his bag and run. They didnt realize I speak Rwandese, Kiro said. He broke into the conversation with the local tongue. The boys realized theyd made a mistake. I said, Cmon, you guys, and they said, Awwwwww, Kiro said. Kiro fed the boys and housed them in his friends and familys homes. Strangers before the genocide, Kiro keeps in touch with them today as though they were his own children. They are men now married and working, Kiro said with a big smile during an interview in his Costa Mesa home. Kiro was born in Burundi. He remembers a lot, but his age eludes him. He thinks hes about 70. It doesnt matter. I dont even remember my birthday, Kiro said, laughing. With 17 siblings from his father and five mothers, Kiro had to be resourceful as a child. Hed walk 25 miles through the jungle to get to school. If it got too dark to walk any longer, hed knock on a strangers door to stay the night. They would wake you up in the morning and feed you, Kiro said. Living in Burundi, Congo and Rwanda, Kiro became known for his tam-tam shops, which sold souvenir items. When his father died, he stepped up as the patriarch, financially supporting his siblings and his own children. Then the violence came. Spurred by the Hutu ethnic group, between 500,000 and 1 million Rwandans were killed between April and July of 1994. Kiro, who now lives in Costa Mesa, regularly travels back to Africa to deliver charitable help. (Photo courtesy of Kiro) Coming to the United States under political asylum with only $20, Kiro relied on the kindness of friends he had met through his stores. He lived in Washington, D.C. and New York City, setting up on street corners to sell counterfeit VHS tapes. He moved to Costa Mesa in the mid-1990s and began selling at the the OC Fair & Event Centers regular swap meet. Kiro sold African items and became a kind of curiosity for people. People would ask, Do you eat monkey? I would say, Yep, to whatever they want to hear, Kiro said, laughing. They say, Lets go see this guy who eats monkeys. Then they buy my items. His success led him to open a storefront, African Corner, which closed about three years ago when Kiro retired. I never worked for somebody. I always worked for myself, Kiro said. Thats why I am still alive. Kiro started playing drums at the fairgrounds and eventually started holding drum circles throughout the county. Many attended, including a clothing designer who felt that Kiros face would look good on a shirt. The image he came up with, of Kiros unfurled dreadlocks, characteristic yellow glasses and big smile, became iconic in the Orange County music scene. Kiro regularly hosts a drum circle with volunteers at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. (Photo courtesy of Kiro) His face adorns stickers, shirts and buttons. If you live in Orange County and venture outside, youve likely seen Kiros face. Some of the apparel carries the quote oooops! a catchphrase Kiro came up with after repeatedly dropping his items at the swap meet. Kiros image is iconic in Orange County, almost like the famous Bob Marley picture, said Brandon Hargraves, frontman of the Newport Beach band Low Budget. Youll see his stickers in every O.C. venue, and everybody wears his shirts. I wear his shirts. Kiro is known in the scene for his kindness. He does whatever he can to help bands out and support them. Music has always been a passion for Kiro. Drums in particular hold a kind of spiritual significance to him because they mirror the rhythm by which people live. Drumming is your heartbeat, Kiro said. Its how you walk boom, boom. Everybody has a rhythm. Costa Mesa resident Jerry King met Kiro about eight years ago. Hes been taking part in the drum circles. Kiro makes a real impact, said King. Hes a wonderful human being. Theres something in him that people intuitively recognize. King said when he walks down the street with Kiro, people regularly shout, Kiro! or ooooops! like a rallying cry. Kiro, center, poses with his gym friends and donors, Vikki LePou, bottom right, a 24 Hour Fitness personal trainer, Jerry King, top right, John Waters and his wife Susie pose for a portrait at 24 Hour Fitness in Costa Mesa. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) Kiro has used his financial successes to fund the work he really cares about: returning charity to his homeland. His apartment is a testament to this. Boxes of beads sit underneath a bench in his living room. He will bring them back to Africa on his next trip for the widows in the community who dont have a means to make a living. Those two tons of beads I am taking to Africa will empower the women there, he said. The widows they can make jewelry and sell it. Bags of markers, which will be given to students, are splayed out on the floor. Hundreds of prosthetic feet pack a suitcase. Kiro regularly brings these home for the handicapped. A small bucket sitting on a chair was used to raise money for two schools Kiro started in Africa. He remodeled a third. After the genocide I decided to do something for my country, Kiro said. This happened because of lack of education. If we are educated, you cant kill somebody with a machete. Kiro travels back to Africa several times a year with his charitable items and visits the two schools he started. Hes usually met by swarms of children sporting shirts and buttons with his face on them. The students who attend his schools are called Kiros Kids. I love to do this work, Kiro said. I am never alone in Africa. Its time to spread your wings. Not in a literal sense. Figuratively, of course. And with help from accomplished Mexican artist Jorge Marin. Starting Oct. 27, the city of Santa Ana, partnering with the Consulate of Mexico, is presenting a free outdoor exhibition of nine bronze sculptures by Marin, one of Mexicos best-known contemporary figurative artists. The bronze sculptures will be placed in various locations around downtown Santa Ana, including the Artists Village, Plaza Calle Cuatro and the East End. The exhibit will kick off with a free public celebration at Plaza Calle Cuatro (325 E. 4th St., Santa Ana) on Oct. 27 from 5 to 9 p.m. The event will include commemorations by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, the consul of Mexico in Orange County and a representative from Studio Marin, as well as performances by local mariachi and folklorico students. Music by Downtown Inc. (DTI) will finish off the night. I see this as an international exhibit, Pulido said in an interview. Its coming from Mexico City, but its really international. I see the wings as a part of the angels, los angeles, from el Paseo de la Reforma (a famous street in Mexico City). So much of the heart and the history of Mexico is there, and to bring it here to Santa Ana, Orange County, California, its a big deal. The bird-masked bronze sculpture Split Monumental is one of nine artworks by Mexican figurative artist Jorge Marin that will be part of a public art installation, Wings of the City, in downtown Santa Ana. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer ) Organizers are promoting the Wings of the City exhibit as symbolic of the connections between Santa Ana and Mexico. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Anas population is 78.2 percent Hispanic or Latino, with 71 percent of Santa Ana calling itself Mexican. City officials often state that Santa Ana is home to the largest concentration of Mexicans outside of Mexico, although evidence of that is difficult to verify. We want to create awareness, especially for the younger generations, Pulido said. There are a lot of Hispanics here whose parents or grandparents came from Mexico. This is an opportunity for that community to reconnect, if you will. I think its a very important facet that we dont often think about. Project organizer Jorge Garcia said the Mexican Consulate proposed the exhibit to Santa Ana about one and a half years ago. Even though the city of Anaheim showcased the same exhibit of nine Marin sculptures from July through September of this year, Santa Anas presentation has different objectives, Garcia said. We wanted it to be more of a community display, said Garcia, who also is assistant to the city manager. We wanted this to be a different experience an interactive process, and not just stagnant art. Garcia said the citys recent commitments to immigrants legal and otherwise and so-called Dreamers also play a factor in the display. While the run in Anaheim and other cities was for three months, the sculptures will be on view in Santa Ana for one full year. The nine bronze sculptures pay homage to classic Baroque and Renaissance figures with surreal twists, including men sporting dream-like wings, wearing bird masks and taking on acrobatic poses. One bronze, Abrazo Monumental (2006), depicts a man embracing a woman. In this selection, I want to show all the human emotions, such as happiness, fear and frustration, Marin said with the help of a translator. My sculptures are like a mirror to the public, where they can see themselves, they can see their own fantasies and their own fears. Through sculpture, we dont need a language. The collection debuted with 12 sculptures in 2010 as a public art exhibit on Mexico Citys Paseo de la Reforma. Since 2013, the sculptures have traveled to cities across the country and the world. In Anaheim, they were on view in front of the Convention Center along the Palm Court walkway. One of the pieces, titled Wings of Mexico, consists of two large, outstretched wings and a frame. The artist invites viewers to stand on a pedestal and pose for photos in between the wings. The wings represent for me the potential to motivate, to provoke different sensations for the human being, Marin said. Wings give them that power of questioning. This is for the public to look at, and grab a microphone. I want to encourage freedom, so that they can speak. If You Go What: Wings of the City outdoor sculpture exhibition When: Through Oct. 2018; opening celebration is 5-9 p.m. Oct. 27 Where: Sculptures are placed throughout downtown Santa Ana; celebration is at Plaza Calle Cuatro, 325 E. 4th St., Santa Ana Cost: Free Information: A map of sculpture locations, a walking tour in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and additional information can be found at santa-ana.org/wingsdtsa RICHARD CHANG is a contributor to Times Community News. Authorities have released the name of a man who was shot to death near Ararat restaurant in Glendale on Saturday night, as the suspect behind the shooting remains at large. Burbank resident Suren Tahmazyan, 48, died after a man approached him and another man in his 40s near the far west end of the restaurant and hookah lounges parking lot off of San Fernando Road and Ruberta Avenue and began to shoot, according to Sgt. Dan Suttles, a spokesman with the Glendale Police Department. The shooter arrived on foot from the west and fled in the same direction from the scene in a vehicle that was then driven northbound on San Fernando Road, Suttles said. The vehicle was described as a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Dodge, but it hasnt been definitively confirmed. The name of the man standing next to Tahmazyan, who was only grazed by a bullet, has not been released. Tahmazyan died at the scene. Suttles added that its unknown why the two were shot, or what they were doing in the parking lot. Suttles said there has been no indication this was a gang-related shooting or an attempted robbery gone wrong. After watching security footage provided by the restaurant, Suttles said the shooter, looked purposeful. The valet parking lot was jam-packed with cars at the time of the shooting, with several people in the middle of the parking lot, Suttles said. At first, Suttles said he was confused as to how so many witnesses could provide such a limited description of the event and the suspect. After watching the footage, he said, a lot of people were standing around, but it happened very, very, very fast. He estimated the shooting happened within three seconds. I watched [the witnesses] heads for reactions, Suttles said. The guys all flinched and ducked and then they all kind of relaxed and looked over. By the time they looked over, [the shooter] was gone. Those in the parking lot were separated from the crime by about two rows of cars, Suttles added. According to Ararats owner, who asked to be identified only by his first name, David, the victims were not patrons of the restaurant, which remained open after the shooting. A hedge partially obscures the view between Ararats back patio and the parking lot, and David said that neither he, nor the patrons sitting outside, witnessed the shooting or saw the suspect. However, after hearing three gunshots, David went outside and saw the body on the ground. I immediately understood, he said. The five or so parties underway at Ararat continued, with many not even aware that a shooting had occurred just outside, the restaurant owner said. Andre Babajaniyans, shopkeeper at Tobacco World, located in a complex kitty-corner from the restaurant, said Monday evening he had just heard about the shooting that day. A man claiming to be the friend of one of the victims came into the shop and told Babajaniyans what happened, he said. It seemed like it just randomly happened, Babajaniyans said. Its unclear what the relationship between Tahmazyan and the unnamed victim was. They were talking and standing close to each other at the scene of the crime, Suttles said. An autopsy of Tahmazyan is pending, said Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County coroners office. Andy Nguyen contributed to this report. lila.seidman@latimes.com Twitter: @lila_seidman Last Sunday, my longtime friend Marijane Herbert and I were among 150 guests who arrived at the council rooms of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital to meet multimedia artist Gayle Roski and iPhone artist Kitty Keck, whose artworks are now featured on display in the hospitals corridors. The Satin Trio, a jazz ensemble, played as guests gathered for coffee, tea and mimosas to chat before the official program began. Joyce Ruygrok, left, visits with Robert Moore and Amy Ross during the Jan. 13 art opening at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. (Jane Napier Neely / La Canada Valley Sun) The opening reception brunch, sponsored by the Keck Healing Arts Council, was just lovely. The hospitals executive chef, Jesus Veyna, and his team outdid themselves, presenting an extensive brunch menu that included a made-to-order omelet bar, citrus garlic marinated Atlantic salmon fillet roasted in a crispy citrus herb sauce, sliced oven-roasted strips of tri-tip beef sirloin, and grilled potatoes with onions, tomatoes and peppers. Fresh fruit was also on the menu. Following that repast, guests could sample from the dessert offerings: tiramisu, an assortment of mini pastries, dark chocolate cake and cheesecake. Keith Hobbs stepped to the podium and, in his role as the hospitals chief executive, welcomed guests and introduced the featured artists as well as Dr. Lawrence Douglas Dorr, a USC orthopedic surgeon who spoke about his Operation Walk Teams mission to Guatemala. Roski, a watercolorist, had illustrated a book about the mission. Photographer Kitty Keck, left, and watercolorist Gayle Roski greet guests at the Jan. 13 art reception held at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. (Courtesy of Kenneth Selko) Also speaking at the reception were Sue Wilder, chair of the hospitals foundation board, and Julie Shadpa, art therapist and curator of the Healing Arts Exhibit. Hospital VIPs at the reception were Kerri Yoder Hubbard, executive director at USC VHH Foundation and Stephanie Van Sickel, director of major gifts. Also there to greet guests was Tina Marie Ito, vice chair of the hospital foundation. It was a very nice event and the works by Roski and Keck will surely be enjoyed by patients and visitors to the hospital. Jane Napier Neely covers the La Canada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event. Attorneys representing former school administrator Christine Castillo in a gender discrimination lawsuit against La Canada Unified School District are demanding a formal apology from Supt. Wendy Sinnette and calling on the district to create a maternity leave policy for administrators. The Los Angeles law firm Geragos & Geragos released on Friday the findings of an internal LCUSD investigation conducted in response to an April 2015 grievance submitted by Castillo which states district officials focused on managing news of a then-unmarried Castillos pregnancy and were later annoyed by the administrators repeated inquiries regarding maternity leave. The district lacked a policy to govern maternity leave by administrators, which likely contributed to this reaction, the LCUSDs findings also state. The former La Canada Elementary School principal alleges she was retaliated against by Sinnette and former Associate Supt. of Human Resources Patty Hager after she announced with now-husband La Canada High School Principal Ian McFeat in August 2012, one month after being hired, she was pregnant. Join the conversation on Facebook >> La Canada High School Principal Ian McFeat, left, with wife and former La Canada Elementary School Principal Christine Castillo and their daughter Alissa. (Courtesy of Christine Castillo) In an interview Monday, Castillo said she and McFeat had waited to break the news until the timing felt right, until shed had a chance to meet with LCE teachers and parents, adding some of her own family members hadnt yet heard the news when she met with Sinnette. I would definitely say right after that meeting I felt like it wasnt the same vibe at all, because it had been inviting before that, she recalled. "[Ian and I] looked at each other and our hearts sank. Castillo said her difficulties with Sinnette and Hager continued up to the Dec. 19, 2012, birth of daughter Alissa and in the years that followed, as she sought lactation and other accommodations related to child-rearing. She said she tried to find ways to work from home when her doctor told her to reduce her hours in the weeks leading up to the delivery, but was denied. In the year following Alissas birth by caesarian section, Castillo was informed shed have to attend multiple out-of-town trips and could not bring her daughter, still breastfeeding at the time. All the solutions Id tried really hard to come up with, reasonable solutions, they were denied, she said, recalling meetings with Hager. It was ugly meeting after ugly meeting of no understanding, and I knew there was no point in convincing her. It was ugly meeting after ugly meeting of no understanding, and I knew there was no point in convincing her. Christine Castillo According to the lawsuit, Castillo filed the April 2015 complaint after learning the La Canada school board was considering not reelecting her for the upcoming academic year. That May, with the districts internal investigation results still pending, she received an annual performance evaluation from Sinnette with what she said were unprecedented low marks. She was told the low marks were given for her lack of responsiveness and failure to return emails. My evaluations were always well above average, she said of previous reviews. "(But) when I got my final evaluation after the complaint it was mind blowing. It was like suddenly I was in the red zone. A couple of weeks later, when Castillo visited the district and was told summarily the investigation had determined no discrimination had occurred, she demanded to see a full report of the findings, the lawsuit indicates. Instead, she was called in to speak with Sinnette and was told she was being reassigned to a teaching position and needed to clean out her La Canada Elementary School office. It was just out of the blue, Castillo recalled. It just happened so quickly. I didnt get to say goodbye to my students or teachers. I just fell off the face of the earth. In August 2015, four months after her grievance had been filed, Castillo received a summary report on the investigation findings. The document claimed officials were not displeased with the pregnancy. Former La Canada Elementary School Principal Christine Castillo with her daughter Alissa. (Courtesy of Christine Castillo) Ms. Sinnette concentrated on logistical issues when you and Mr. McFeat first gave the news of your pregnancy, and this gave the impression she was displeased, the results section begins. The investigatorfound no evidence that either Ms. Sinnette or Ms. Hager personally disapproved of your pregnancy. Further, the report indicates Castillos negative evaluation was due to concerns about staff morale and an increasingly negative climate at LCE and that Sinnettes reassignment notice was made for non-discriminatory reasons, including the principals failure of leadership, lack of presence at school, failure to respond promptly to communications, failure to follow through on commitments and over-reliance on delegating important tasks. Officials noted in the findings that LCE staff was challenging and that independent investigator Susan Wooley had noted in her report Castillo had been the schools third principal in nine years. Following receipt of the investigation findings, Castillo sought legal advice at Geragos & Geragos. Ben Meiselas, an attorney working with Mark Geragos on Castillos case, said he considers LCUSDs behavior toward the administrator discriminatory, whether or not they see it that way. An employer should never tell you theyre annoyed by your pregnancy. An employer should never tell you that the community would look down on your pregnancy, the attorney said in an interview Friday. We hope the lawsuit sends a message to other communities and school districts and other superintendents and governing boards who are thinking of making the same mistake. Meiselas said his client hopes to someday be able to return to school administration. He said they also aim to ensure LCUSD develops clear policy regarding maternity leave for administrators. Jeff Davis, the districts current assistant superintendent of Human Resources, said the district currently follows its maternity leave policy for teachers, which allows six weeks of leave for a standard delivery and eight weeks for caesarian deliveries. Further time, up to 12 weeks, is available on an unpaid basis under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or on a partial-pay plan stipulated by the California Family Rights Act, passed in the years since Castillos pregnancy, which allows employees to earn their salary minus what the district must pay for a substitute teacher or administrator. Although LCUSD school board members are precluded from discussing legal matters, Board President Dan Jeffries said in a statement Monday the board will continue to support Sinnette as Castillos case moves forward. The board is unanimous in our strong support for Wendy and we are confident that all decisions and actions taken by Wendy are in the best interests of the students, teachers and staff of the La Canada Unified School District, Jeffries said. Still, Meiselas said his firm is demanding Sinnette make amends to Castillo. One of the things weve called for is for Supt. Sinnette to issue a formal apology, to acknowledge the rights of women to maternity leave and to acknowledge the rights of women who are pregnant, he said. And if she doesnt issue that apology, weve called on the governing board to terminate her contract. -- Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine I first wrote the bulk of these thoughts 12 years ago, and since their message is both timely and poignant, I thought Id revisit them this week. When I was a young whippersnapper the tender age of 60 I was hanging with my boys in some honky tonk bar on Foothill Boulevard. We were throwing down shots of Jose Cuervo. From the corner of my eye I noticed these big ol boys walk in who must have been 9 feet tall. I could tell by their dress they were cowboys and not the drugstore type, if you know what I mean. They left their iron horses, all named Harley, outside. As they sashayed up to the bar I kept them in view. My peripheral vision has always been keen. I have eyes in the back of my head, a skill developed from spending too much time in the jungle. They brought a chill in with them. I sensed something was about to happen and it wouldnt be good. I hadnt felt that way since I was in Lucys Tiger Den in Bangkok. I told my buddy to get the one on the right and Id take out the one on the left. Well, one of the big guys walked up the bar and in a grappled voice and an eye on me said, Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses. You couldve heard a pin drop. I felt a cold stare and slowly began to reach for my pistol until I realized I had none. Since we were out-gunned, I pulled an old trick I learned from reading about Davy Crockett. When confronted by a grizzly, he grinned the bar into submission. This was our only hope! I stared right back with a big old grin wider than the Atlantic Cable. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, the tall guy smiled back. Are you Dr. Joe? he asks. I pulled a line from a John Wayne movie: Who wants to know? Our stares were locked. Neither of us backed down. Suddenly, he extended his hand and said, Thanks, Dr. Joe! Im Staff Sergeant Ramos, 3/5 (3rd Battalion 5th Marines.) Thanks for all those Girl Scout Cookies your scout troop sent us; I recognized you from the Valley Sun. I could not believe what I was hearing. When the cookies arrived in Iraq, the morale of the Marines went through the roof, he continued. When we saw that the cookies came from children, we knew why we were there. Youll never know what a great impact it had on us. He slammed a $50 bill on the bar. Barkeep, a round for these boys! He raised his glass: Heres to us and those like us. Instinctively I answered, Darn few left! His movements were cat-like. He got up, extended his hand once more. Thanks again, Dr. Joe. And then with a smile, he added, Captain. Youd do it for me, Sgt. Ramos. He and his boys left and never looked back. They got on their horses named Harley and rode off into the sunset. Only the story remained. The Girls Scouts of La Canada and La Crescenta are selling cookies. Lots of local girls are making their rounds. Please buy an extra box or two and donate them to the Gift of Caring program, which are in turn delivered to Operation Gratitude and the USO as well as the L.A. Regional Food Bank and other entities. Through this program, many boxes of cookies are sent to the troops. Make it happen. Youll never realize the impact a box of Girl Scout cookies will have on the spirits of our soldiers. If you cant be there with them, this is the next best thing you can do. Over the years, Ramos and I have become fast friends. He struck it big in the West Texas oil fields. I recently visited his ranch called Dark Horse in Alpine, Texas. He has four daughters, all of whom are Girl Scouts making their rounds through the Texas communities of Marfa, Fort Davis and Alpine, selling cookies. Ramos remembered how he felt when years ago he received cookies from Troop 889. Hes just passing on the love. JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us. In 1965, non-violent Civil Rights activists organized a series of voting-rights marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the state capital. African-Americans citizens were disenfranchised across much of the southern United States. A march by about 600 protesters on Sunday, March 7, 1965, was violently broken up by state troopers. Seventeen marchers were hospitalized and another 50 injured. Televised and still images of the authorities beating marchers circulated world-wide. The day, which became known as "Bloody Sunday," is widely credited for galvanizing the nation's leaders and leading to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In the above Associated Press image, foreground right, John Lewis, then-chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and present-day congressman, is beaten by a state trooper. Front page of the March 8, 1965, Los Angeles Times with the story and photo of beatings in Selma, Ala. Several additional wire photos were published inside the paper. ProQuest After the March 7, 1965, beating of civil rights marchers, protests broke out across the United States. In Los Angeles, demonstrators gathered to demand federal intervention to protect the marchers in Alabama. Over the next few days, more than 100 protesters were arrested. The March 11, 1965, Los Angeles Times reported that U.S. marshals arrested 98 defiant civil rights demonstrators Wednesday after two human barricades vitally sealed off the Federal Building most of the afternoon. Three sympathizers threw themselves under buses carrying singing and chanting prisoners to jail. One was injured. Protests and sit-ins continued for a week. On March 13, 1965, more than 6,000 demonstrators marched from Pershing Square to Los Angeles City Hall and the Federal Building. An earlier version of this post was published on March 8, 2015. March 9, 1965: Sit-in protesters are removed from a hallway in the U.S. Attorney General's office in L.A.'s Federal Building. Bruce Cox / Los Angeles Times March 9, 1965: A deputy U.S. marshal, left, struggles with a civil rights demonstrator during a melee that erupted at the Federal Building when the protesters attemped to stage a sit-in there. Bruce Cox / Los Angeles Times March 9, 1965: U.S. marshals drag sit-down demonstrators during melee in the lobby of the Federal Building in Los Angeles. Jack Gaunt / Los Angeles Times March 10, 1965: Three U.S. Marshals one in the photo's upper left, one wearing a checkered shirt at lower left, and one in upper right struggle with demonstrators blocking entry to L.A.'s Federal Building. Ray Graham / Los Angeles Times March 10, 1965: A sit-in demonstrator is lifted by his arm and leg as he is removed from a Federal Building parking lot in Los Angeles. Arrests began after the demonstrators blocked the path of a U.S. mail truck. Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times March 10, 1965: Deputy U.S. marshal, right, speaks to group of demonstrators who are lying across a parking lot entrance to L.A.'s Federal Building. Ray Graham / Los Angeles Times March 10, 1965: U.S. deputy marshals forcibly remove a demonstrator from an entrance to the Federal Building parking lot in L.A. Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times March 10, 1965: As a bus loaded with arrested women prepares to leave the Federal Building in Los Angeles, male demonstrators try to block its departure. The man at left is dragged away from the bus. Marshals then removed the other man from under the bus. Steve Fontanini / Los Angeles Times March 13, 1965: Civil rights marchers leave Pershing Square in Los Angeles enroute to the Federal Building. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here One day after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed, killing all 157 people on board, Chinas civil aviation administration issued an order to ground all Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes. Seven days after the Ethiopian Airlines crash, the Ethiopian ambassador to China paid a visit to Chinas state-owned airplane manufacturer in Shanghai. He tweeted photos of himself sitting in the cockpit of the Comac C919, a new Chinese-built plane aimed to compete with Boeings 737 Max 8 and Airbus A320neo. It will not be so long that we will see them in the blue sky, the ambassador tweeted. Even in my layman observations, I do not think they need 20 years and for sure they will not wait for 20 years. In a cockpit #C919, #C929 of the Commercial Aircraft of China( COMAC) #Shanghai show room. It will not be so long that we will see them in the blue sky. pic.twitter.com/kA9VmS0DQK Teshome Toga chanaka (@TToga9) March 17, 2019 Advertisement Adamu Assefa, the Ethiopian vice consul in Shanghai, said the visit had been planned two weeks prior, before the crash happened. No airplane orders were signed that day, despite the ambassadors praise. Ethiopian Airlines is its own company, Assefa said. Its the companys own right to purchase either Boeing or Airbus or Comac. The delayed response by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in grounding the 737 Max and revelations that the FAA allowed Boeing engineers to certify their own aircraft upended global trust in American aviation safety standards. China, which flies more Boeing 737 Max 8s than any other country and was quickest to ground the planes, looked like a safety leader in contrast. Whether the Boeing fiasco hastens the takeoff of Chinas state-manufactured planes, though, is less certain. Scrutiny of Boeing already has given China a leg up in the trade war. Just three days before the Ethiopian Airlines crash, Boeings chief executive said at an aviation summit in Washington that Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft could be part of a deal to shrink the trade deficit and end the U.S.-China trade war. Those purchases are now under pressure. During a visit by President Xi Jinping to France this week, China agreed to purchase 300 Airbus aircraft worth $34 billion, according to French officials. Thats Boeings worst nightmare, said Neil Thomas, a research associate at the Paulson Institute. China can now frame any potential Boeing purchase as a concession, he said, giving Beijing an upper hand in pressuring Washington for concessions to China in return. China has traditionally divided its aircraft purchases between Boeing and Airbus. That gives China more political and business flexibility, said Clayton Dube, director of the USC U.S.-China Institute. China uses access to its market definitely to reward friends, to punish those whose behaviors, policies and practices they dont like and they have not been bashful about that, he said. A Boeing 737 Max 9 test plane at Boeing Field in Seattle. Boeing accounted for the lions share of the $130 billion in U.S. civilian aircraft and parts exports in 2018. (Stephen Brashear / TNS) The Airbus deal strikes at a particularly sensitive U.S. export category. Last year, the U.S. exported $130 billion in civilian aircraft, engines, equipment and parts, according to data from the federal governments International Trade Commission. China was the top export location, purchasing $18.2 billion. Boeing makes up the lions share of both those figures. Its a high-ticket item, Dube said of aircraft exports. And its not just the jets themselves. Its the replacement parts, its the services, its all of those things that are all bound up. China is expected to overtake the U.S. as the worlds largest aviation market by 2022. Boeing has predicted that China will need to buy 7,000 more planes worth $1.1 trillion by 2036. While Boeing and Airbus jostle to supply those planes, China has also been trying to build its own models, the latest of which is the Comac C919. Though Chinas leadership has stopped talking about the Made in China 2025 industrial development plan, one of its targets was to supply more than 10% of the domestic market with Chinese planes by 2025. Experts say Chinas aircraft are still a far cry from American and European competitors. But Boeings recent struggles and Chinas quick action in response to the crashes have boosted Chinas image. The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second fatal crash of Boeings new 737 Max 8 within 22 months of the models launch. Within hours of the crash, Chinas civil aviation administration issued a brief statement pointing out the two crashes similarities same airplane model, similar crash timing soon after takeoff and ordered a grounding on the basis of zero tolerance for safety hazards. Chinas move led a wave of similar decisions by aviation authorities across the world. The FAA, usually the gold standard for worldwide aviation safety, was the last to ground the planes. A federal investigation of Boeing and the FAA is now underway, as reports from within the aviation industry reveal problems with insufficient training, additional charges for crucial safety features, and the FAA outsourcing aircraft certification to Boeing itself. The main thing that Airbus and Boeing sell is trust in their brand. Boeing has just destroyed that trust, said Edward J. Rehfeldt III, chairman of Lai Fu, a trading company that has sold military and commercial aircraft to Taiwan. Usually, China and the rest of the world follow FAA standards, but now that could change. Chinas aviation safety record is as strong as American and European records, according to Arnold Barnett, an MIT statistics professor who specializes in mathematical modeling of health and safety issues. The chance of being killed on a Chinese scheduled flight is 1 in 50 million or 60 million, he said, on par with flying anywhere in the developed world. U.S. aviation in general is extraordinarily safe. Historically, the FAA has had a lot to do with that, he said. But like a lot of things about America these days, were no longer the worlds leaders. An employee of the Chinese civil aviation administration, the CAAC, who asked not to use his name said that Chinese standards are stricter than international ones, partially because China is trying to prove itself on the global stage. China has to meet international standards. With the C919 airplane, they want to get European and American certifications. So the demands are really high, he said. In America, the Boeing company is checking their own standards. Is that appropriate? Chinas safety record is partially derived from Chinas political structure, which gives the CAAC authority to intervene with airlines as it wants without threat of legal backlash. The FAA is not going to ground a thousand airplanes when they dont have really good proof or reason to do that. Theres a standard in the industry that you dont do things unless the investigation tells you its warranted. Otherwise, in the U.S., people are going to sue you, said Kevin Parker, an engineer and pilot whos worked in the Chinese aviation industry since 2004, including as director of flight training for China Southern airlines. The CAAC can just say, Were doing it, and nobodys going to question it, because they are the government, he said. A Chinese-made Comac C919 takes off in 2017. The plane may not enter service until 2022, said one analyst. (Ming De / EPA) But that authoritarian heavy-handedness is also a stumbling block to Chinas global aviation ambitions, especially in an industry where transparency and accountability are paramount. We can have a conversation about whether Boeing should be less incestuous with the FAA. You cant have that conversation in China, said aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia. While the CAAC has a strong record regulating airlines flying foreign aircraft, he said, it cant be trusted when it comes to regulating Chinese-made airplanes. China exported some 60 models of an earlier state-produced model, the Xian MA-60, for example only to have half of them withdrawn from use after numerous breakdowns and crashes, including fatal ones. Its a government-owned aircraft manufacturer talking with a government agency that has no independence, Aboulafia said. The CAAC has done an awesome job in making Chinese airlines safe, in part ironically because they dont have to use Chinese aircraft. People in the aviation industry know that the Chinese government can order manufacturers to do or not do something, Rehfeldt said. Rule of law and free press are crucial to upholding accountability processes, he said, which are what Boeing and the FAA are undergoing at the moment. Its all coming out in the press. That doesnt happen in China. Stuff gets buried, because they dont want it to come out. Thats not good for the aviation industry, Rehfeldt said. Where theres no free press to expose the stakes, you dont have a good environment for real certification on real controls. In addition to transparency concerns, Chinas aircraft are technologically far behind. The Comac C919 may not enter service until 2022 at the earliest, said Scott Hamilton, founder of aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. When it was conceived, the C919 could have had a good cost advantage over Boeing and Airbus, but those plane manufacturers have since re-engined their respective planes, he said. Its going to take them 10, 15 years to catch up with the metallurgy and all that stuff needed to build the engines properly, Parker said. Speaking of his time working in the Chinese aviation industry, he said, I spent most of my time here explaining concepts 10 to 15 years old to people who have never heard about them. Chinese designers struggle to design new planes because theyre only familiar with old models, Parker said. Thats intentional from Boeing and Airbus, which are careful not to share their most recent technology with Chinese manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted Chinese intelligence forces and hackers on charges of trying to steal aircraft technology from French and American companies, likely the same ones that supply turbofan engines for the Comac C919. Another challenge for Chinese aviation is the global network of logistics, maintenance, and customer service required to support commercial aircraft. If China wants to compete with Boeing and Airbus, it needs to build depots all over the world, supply extra parts and provide multicultural, multilingual technicians who can service planes in remote environments. That kind of network can take decades to build. Making the airplane is only half the battle. The other half is supporting it, Parker said. If China wants to make it globally, it will also have to get state-produced airplanes certified with international authorities, particularly the American and European regulators. Thats where geopolitical interests could come into play. The aerospace industry is one of the major industries of America. So you have a president like Trump, and Boeing goes crying that the Chinese are going to damage their industry, you may find theyll have a problem getting things done in America, Rehfeldt said. Times staff writers Samantha Masunaga, Jim Puzzanghera and Don Lee contributed to this report. Russia is dismissing a U.S. demand that it withdraw its military personnel from Venezuela, saying that their presence in the country is fully legitimate. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement late Tuesday that the presence of Russian military personnel in Venezuela was in strict accordance with the Venezuelan constitution and a bilateral agreement on military cooperation. She said it didnt require approval by Venezuelas opposition-controlled National Assembly. Zakharova did not say how many Russian military experts had gone to Venezuela, but news reports indicated that two Russian planes delivered about 100 servicemen and 35 tons of cargo to Venezuela over the weekend. On Wednesday, Zakharova lashed out at the U.S. call on Russia to withdraw its military personnel, saying President Trump should first honor his own pledge from last fall to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria. Advertisement Some liken the U.S. to an elephant in a china shop, but those animals behave delicately and reasonably, Zakharova said. The United States acts on the international arena more like a cowboy in the Louvre Museum. The U.S. and several dozen other nations have cast their support behind Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and recognized him as interim president, asserting that Nicolas Maduros reelection last year as the countrys president was illegitimate. Russia and China, which invested heavily in Venezuelas oil industries, have staunchly backed Maduro. The rift over Venezuela has further strained Russia-U.S. ties, which have plunged to post-Cold War lows over the conflict in Ukraine, the war in Syria and Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Speaking on Russian state television, Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of Russian Parliament, also defended Moscows military cooperation with Venezuela as fully legitimate. He rejected the U.S. demands on Russia to end support for Maduro as totally unacceptable and invited the U.S. to set a good example by cutting its own global presence. A list of countries outside the Western Hemisphere where America has nothing to do will be too long, Kosachev said on Facebook. And the withdrawal of the global cop will definitely help independence and democracy in those regions much more than its constant military presence. A man killed while trying to hijack a commercial flight in Bangladesh was a 24-year-old passenger from a village near the capital who had been previously arrested in a kidnapping case, officials said Monday. Confusion remained over whether the man had been armed. The plane operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines made an emergency landing in Chittagong on Sunday after the attempted hijacking, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Dhaka. The plane was headed to Dubai via Chittagong. Mufti Mahmud Khan, director of the law and media wing of Bangladeshs Rapid Action Battalion security agency, said the man was listed in its database as Md. Polash Ahmed, and had been arrested in 2012. Khan declined to provide details about the kidnapping case. Officials said Sunday that Ahmed was injured in an exchange of gunfire with special forces, that he had shot at them first and was armed with a pistol. Advertisement But civil aviation authorities cast doubt on that account Monday. When asked about reports that Ahmed had a toy gun, ministry secretary Mohibul Haque said they didnt know whether the pistol was a toy. We dont know if there was any exchange of gunfire, Haque said. Bangladesh civil aviation minister Mahbub Ali told reporters that Ahmed had booked a seat on the flight from Dhaka to Chittagong, and that airport surveillance video showed him going through security with other passengers. There was no signal that he had something when he boarded Sundays flight, Ali said. Khan said when the agencys bomb-disposal unit reached the scene, they found that Ahmed had fake bomb-like material. Officials said Ahmed asked to speak to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina before dying on his way to a hospital. A police chief in Narayanganj outside Dhaka, Mohammed Moniruzzaman, first identified the man as 24-year-old Mohammed Polash Ahmed. Moniruzzaman said Ahmeds parents confirmed his identity, and that residents of the village where he lived said he had a bad reputation. Bangladesh, a majority Muslim nation of 162 million people, has had periodic terrorist attacks in recent years, including an assault on an upscale cafe in Dhakas diplomatic enclave in 2016 that resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including 17 foreigners. The attack prompted a swift crackdown by Hasina, with hundreds of suspected militants arrested or killed in raids across the country. The Rapid Action Battalion has been credited with reducing militant attacks, but international human rights groups blame the elite anti-crime force for the disappearances and extrajudicial killings of dozens of people allegedly involved with radical groups. British lawmakers were preparing to blow open the Brexit process and put a host of rejected options back on the table including keeping the U.K. close to the European Union or even remaining a member as Prime Minister Theresa May defiantly insisted Tuesday that Parliament should approve her twice-defeated divorce deal instead. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote Wednesday on multiple flavors of Brexit, after the House of Commons voted to wrest the parliamentary timetable away from Mays weakened government and hold votes on alternatives to her rejected withdrawal agreement. The largely pro-EU legislators behind the unprecedented move hope to find a form of Brexit that can command a majority in Parliament. Votes are due to be held Wednesday on options that could include remaining in the EUs single market and customs union, calling a new membership referendum and canceling Brexit all ideas that May has repeatedly rejected. They plan to see which ideas have the most support, and then hold another day of votes next week to try to find agreement on a proposal. Advertisement The government, which usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament, said the lawmakers move upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future. The votes will not be legally binding, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC that the government wouldnt pre-commit to accepting the option backed by lawmakers because they may come up with a plan that is impractical. Its also possible lawmakers could support contradictory options, or none at all. If the Commons voted for the sun to rise in the west, the government would not be able to implement that, he said. The best way through this impasse is the one deal that has been negotiated with the EU that can be delivered quickly now, Hancock said, referring to the prime ministers agreement. But government officials acknowledged they were no longer in control of Brexit. Mays authority was hanging by a thread after 30 members of her Conservative Party defied her instructions and voted late Monday for Parliament to take control of the process. Three government ministers resigned rather than vote with the government. Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air. Last week, the EU granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date, saying that if Parliament approved the proposed divorce deal, the U.K. would leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. EU officials, exasperated by months of British political gridlock, welcomed Parliaments move to take control. The EU legislatures top Brexit official, Guy Verhofstadt, said the U.K. lawmakers votes could dramatically alter the course of the U.K.s departure. It is possible now to work in Britain toward a cross-party alliance, he said. An appeals court in Chile ruled Wednesday that the Roman Catholic Church must pay compensation to three victims of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, the countrys most notorious pedophile priest. The court in the Chilean capital said that the church must pay about $150,000 each to Juan Carlos Cruz, Jose Andres Murillo and James Hamilton for moral damage. It also overturned a lower-court ruling that found no proof of a church cover-up. The ruling could prompt hundreds of other people who have reported clerical sexual abuses or cover-ups by the Chilean Catholic Church to seek compensation. This helps all of us who have lived through this horror, and thats why were happy, Cruz said on Twitter. Advertisement The office of the Santiago Archbishopric said in a statement that it was in consent with the courts decision, and that it hoped that the ruling will contribute to the process of reparation of the pain suffered by Fernando Karadimas victims. The ruling said that church officials had harmed victims by dismissing their complaints of abuse rather than investigating them. The Vatican in 2011 sentenced Karadima, a powerful preacher close to Chiles elite, to a lifetime of penance and prayer for his sex crimes, and Pope Francis defrocked him last year. During a 2018 trip to Chile, Francis initially dismissed allegations that a bishop had covered up Karadimas crimes, but the pope later acknowledged grave errors in judgment and asked all active Chilean bishops to offer their resignations. Chilean abuse survivors had long accused Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati and his predecessor in the Chilean capital, Cardinal Javier Errazuriz, of protecting predator priests and discrediting victims. The ruling on Wednesday named them both. The pope removed Errazuriz last year from his informal Cabinet and he replaced Ezzati on Saturday. Part of the evidence that led to the ruling included a 2009 letter from Errazuriz to the apostolic nunciature that showed that he was aware of the abuse. The scandal first erupted in 2009 when victims publicly accused Karadima of molesting them for years. Errazuriz initially shelved an investigation. Pope Francis greeted the faithful at St. Peters Square on Wednesday and allowed nuns and priests to kiss his papal ring during his weekly audience without a hitch, a likely relief to a Vatican encountering sharp criticism this week. The Vatican came under fire from some Roman Catholics after images showed Francis repeatedly pulling his hand away from worshipers who leaned down to kiss his papal ring Monday in Loreto, Italy. In addition, the all-female staff of the Vaticans womens magazine resigned, alleging editorial interference from their male boss. Some Catholics said the so-called baciamano is a sign of respect paid by the faithful to the church, not only the pope. Is it possible that the pope does not understand that the people who wish to kiss his ring wish to honor St. Peter and not him? priest Dwight Longenecker, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Greenville, S.C., wrote on his blog. If he does not, then it would seem that he has not learned one of the basic lessons that every priest should learn that its not all about him. Advertisement Reactions posted on the conservative Catholic website Lifesite News went so far as to describe Francis behavior as demonic and mentally unhinged. Some Catholics are already angered by Francis mercy-before-dogma papacy and his push to allow divorced and civilly remarried divorcees receive Communion. The Vatican did not comment on the images of the pope in Loreto. Austen Ivereigh, who has written a biography of the pope, said the pontiff disliked the air of deference about the ring kissing gesture. The kiss is part of the monarchical trappings of the papacy Francis is keen to abandon, just as Pope Paul VI dropped the three-decker tiara and John Paul II halted the practice of being carried around on a papal throne in favor of the popemobile, he said in an interview. He has stopped people kissing his ring before, but this time he did it consistently, Ivereigh said. He sees these meetings as an encounter, not an act of obedience to a king. Rich Raho, a priest who teaches at St. Patrick High School in Chicago, tweeted, He prefers people not kiss his ring, he would rather kiss their feet. The papal ring, known as the Ring of the Fisherman, is traditionally destroyed when a pope dies, and a new one is made for his successor. Francis ring shows an image of St. Peter holding two keys, one representing power in heaven and the other the spiritual authority of the papacy on earth. The resignations involving the womens magazine staff occurred Tuesday. Women Church World, which is published alongside the Vatican daily LOsservatore Romano, has lifted the lid on scandals within the church, including the cases of bishops and cardinals who compel nuns to cook and clean for them for little or no pay. Last month, the publication exposed the sexual abuse by priests of nuns who are forced to have abortions or give birth to children who are not recognized by their fathers. The article said nuns have kept silent about the abuse for years out of fear of retribution. Francis acknowledged the abuse when asked about it last month, saying, I cannot say no, in my house we dont have this problem. Lucetta Scaraffia, who founded the womens publication in 2012, said a newly appointed editor at LOsservatore Romano, Andrea Monda, who took over in December, had tried to assume editorship at the magazine as well. He had retreated when the staff threatened to resign, but then added new female writers to tone down the coverage, said Scaraffia. We are throwing in the towel because we feel surrounded by a climate of distrust and progressive de-legitimization, Scaraffia wrote in an open letter to Francis, who has often called for a greater role for women at the Vatican. In its final editorial for the magazine, which has yet to be published, the staff said Monda was pitting women against one another. Monda denied the accusation, saying in a statement that he had merely suggested topics and contributors. In her letter, Scaraffia said there was a return to the antiquated and arid custom of choosing women considered trustworthy from on-high, under the direct control of men. Francis has countered arguments that women are underrepresented in the church by claiming, The church is a woman. But Scaraffia told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Wednesday that was not good enough. Its beautiful, but it is a way to turn us into a metaphor. We want to be listened to, contradicted, debated with, as would be the case with men, rather than becoming a metaphor. Vatican officials, she said, live in a male world where no one would think of letting women enter. They cant even conceive of that for them women do not exist. Kington is a special correspondent. Venezuelans reacted with despair and resourcefulness on Tuesday as nationwide power cuts closed schools and businesses, paralyzing a nation that was only starting to recover from its worst blackouts earlier this month. The new outages, which began Monday, forced people to follow now-familiar routines: scour neighborhoods for food in the few shops that were open or seek out the few spots where they could find a signal on their cellphones and get in touch with family and friends. The collapse of the power grid was yet another setback for a country whose oil reserves made it one of Latin Americas wealthiest decades ago. Venezuela doesnt stand a chance anymore, said Johnny Vargas, a frustrated restaurant worker who said he wishes he could leave the country. There is no life here. People cant work anymore; we cant do anything. Advertisement In Caracas, the capital, lights flickered in various districts, raising hopes and then dashing them as people once again reflected on divergent explanations from the government of President Nicolas Maduro, which alleged sabotage, and the U.S.-backed opposition, which said state corruption and incompetence are to blame. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and the U.S. say allegations of sabotage are an attempt to deflect attention from government failures. Jose Aguilar, an expert on the Venezuelan electrical grid, said images of a blaze shared by the government as well as information from engineers there indicate the fire began inside one of three crucial transformers near the Guri dam, which provides most of the countrys electricity. He attributed the blaze to neglect, saying equipment that facilitates an electrical currents passage was not regularly maintained. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said schools and industries would be suspended for a second day Wednesday as officials work to restore electricity. After the last blackouts started on March 7, the situation became increasingly desperate for many Venezuelans who lost access to water because pumps failed without electricity. Looters ransacked hundreds of businesses in the city of Maracaibo. The blackouts eased nearly a week later, but many areas had only intermittent power even after the government said the problem was solved. The new outage appeared to have affected the majority of the 23 states in Venezuela, whose steep economic decline contributed to the flight of more than 3 million people, or one-tenth of the population, to other countries as the crisis escalated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) A C-130 plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) with 122 people on board caught fire minutes before takeoff at the Clark Air Base. PAF Spokesperson Maj. Aristides Galang said no one was hurt in the incident. Galang said the plane's mission was to ferry students of the National Defense College of the Philippines under its Master in National Security Administration Program to Palawan. "I think they will be visiting the Spratly Island(s) as part of the curriculum," Galang said, saying the masteral students were to be ferried to the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa island in the contested area. Pag-asa's international name is Thitu Island. Authorities are still assessing the cause of the fire. - Minister Audu Ogbeh says importers are the real enemies of Nigeria as they wreck efforts to boost local production of goods - Ogbeh says toothpicks and tomato pastes are still being imported into Nigeria and costing the country huge sums - The minister explains how government is doing its best concerning the agricultural sector Nigerias agriculture minister, Audu Ogbeh, has accused importers of being the countrys biggest enemies as he says they are the greatest wreckers of the economy and effort at locally produced goods. Ogbeh, according to Leadership, said this in Abuja when he appeared before the National Assembly joint committee on agriculture to defend the ministrys budget. The minister argued that international merchants including importers of products like toothpick, sugar, vegetables, and pencils had frustrated the governments efforts at ensuring the citizens bought made in Nigeria goods. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda We are a nation of importers. Toothpick every year costs us 18 million dollars, tomato paste costs us 400 million dollars. Meanwhile, a basket of tomatoes is less than N2,000. The farmers are losing money because the processors do not have enough funds to set up factories. Two factories have started off. I am sure by the end of next year we can comfortably tell the importers of tomato paste to stop. Unfortunately, when you do you make enemies; even the importation of rice that we are trying to reduce is creating for us enemies, heavy enemies, people, who can kill if they have the opportunity because you are spoiling their business. Nobody should take this lightly. These guys have hijacked the economy of this country. They have taken it hostage and they have no intention of giving up. This regime is unpopular in part because it is trying to cut down imports and transfer the wealth to another thing. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app I know what I am saying because I have been in this business for 41 years. We import sugar, handkerchief, toothpaste, even pencils. I read in the newspapers recently that the Champagne Ambassador in Nigeria said Nigerians love life. We are the biggest consumers of champagne on planet earth, he said. Legit.ng earlier reported that Audu Ogbeh said good access roads in the country can boost agricultural production, open up business opportunities and further unite the country. Ogbeh said this when he was addressing newsmen in Otukpo, Benue, after an inspection of federal roads. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Angry Nigerian says he needs Atiku to become president and sell the country| Legit TV Source: Legit Newspaper Love is a beautiful thing, when you finds the love of their life all you want to do is have them by your side for the rest of your life. A Nigerian man has taken the bold step to ask the woman of his dreams to stay with him for the rest of their lives. The man identified as Jude Chukwunedum Okafor had taken to social media to share the good news. The young man who proposed to his girlfriend had shared photos of himself and his wife-to-be on Facebook. On the Facebook post, the young man expressed that he has been officially taken off the market. He noted that he found his soulmate in the woman he loves and adores, very much. Nigerian man proposes to his girlfriend of 2 months Facebook source: Jude Chukwunedum Okafor Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Two hearing impaired lovers exchange vows at beautiful wedding ceremony (video) Okafor and his bride-to-be were spotted smiling and laughing in the photos shared on Facebook as the lady showed off her engagement ring. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app The couple have dated for two months Facebook source: Jude Chukwunedum Okafor Source: Facebook READ ALSO: The 25 Wealthiest Families In The United States Revealed In the proposal video, the young man was spotted hugging his girlfriend who looked shy and happy after he proposed. It was gathered that Okafor had proposed to his girlfriend after two months of dating each other. When you know you. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that a final year student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, was proposed to by her boyfriend after writing her last paper in school. The lady was pleasantly surprised as her boo got on one knee. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better How long should it take between a proposal and the actual wedding? - on Legit TV Source: Legit The James Beard Award finalists were announced March 27 and unfortunately the Lehigh Valley nominees will not be advancing. A ceremony was held at Hugos in Houston, a restaurant of previous JBF Award winner, Chef Hugo Ortega. Nominated semifinalists in the restaurant, chef, media and restaurant design categories were told they will be advancing forward. Bolete Restaurant in Salisbury Township was nominated as a semifinalist in the 2019 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant category. They were one of 20 eateries up for the award and it was announced that they have been outrun. The Best Restaurant finalists are Balthazar in New York City, FIG in South Carolina, Jaleo in Washington, D.C., Quince in San Francisco, and Zahav in Philadelphia. Nazareth native, Chef Matt Kern, will also be sitting out in the finals of the Best Chef category. Kern is currently the executive chef at Heirloom in Lewes, Delaware and was among outstanding chefs from the Mid-Atlantic named as a semifinalist for this award. Amy Brandwein of Washington, D.C., Tom Cunanan of Washington, D.C., Cindy Wolf of Baltimore and two chefs in Philadelphia -- Rich Landau from Vedge and Cristina Martinez from South Philly Barbacoa -- will be advancing to the finals. The 2019 James Beard Awards Gala will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 6. Tickets are on-sale at jamesbeard.org/awards/tickets. UPDATE: Lawsuit alleging porn sharing is blatant distortion, Allentown School District attorneys say An Allentown School District administrator allegedly shared photos of minors engaging in sex acts and police failed to prosecute her, according to a lawsuit. District Equity Coordinator Lucretia Brown allegedly shared the images with Raub Middle School parents between November 2016 and January 2017, the lawsuit says. When a school district resource officer reported her to Allentown police a supervisory police official intervened on Browns behalf to prevent charges from being filed, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in federal court. The claims are made by Harrison-Morton Middle School Principal Joseph LiCausi. He says he received reprimands, negative employee evaluations and a three-day suspension in retaliation for speaking out on this matter and other controversial district matters. District solicitor John E. Freund III called the lawsuit garbled nonsense and a string of unsubstantiated grievances going back 13 years. It will be aggressively defended, Freund said. The City of Allentown solicitors office referred questions about the alleged police cover up to the city spokesman, who didnt immediately return an email. LiCausi said he was also retaliated against for complaints made about these matters: He said the U.S. Department of Justice investigated five cases of sexual harassment involving children ages 6 or 7 in the school district between 2006 and 2009. He said other claims were investigated in 2012 and 2014. LiCausi accused Brown of failing to enforce policies to keep children safe. LiCausi said two students brought weapons to his middle school in October and November 2018. The first one wasnt punished, the lawsuit says. The second one was suspended for three days rather than being expelled, the lawsuit says. LiCausi claims he was reprimanded in March 2017 for speaking out on those matters and for complaining about Harrison-Morton Middle School teacher Heather Williams. The lawsuit says Williams threatened and assaulted students but wasnt punished because she is black. LiCausi claims he is discriminated against because he is white. LiCausi received a second reprimand in May 2017 for unprofessional behavior. The lawsuit says he was punished for complaining about a sexual harassment policy he believed was inadequate. His employee evaluation in July 2017 said he needed improvement in four areas, and this furthered the conspiracy to discredit LiCausi, the lawsuit says. He was suspended for three days in December 2017, the lawsuit says. He was denied the right to appeal the reprimands or the suspension, he claims. The lawsuit says LiCausi filed a discrimination complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in May 2018 accusing the Allentown School District of treating Williams and Brown more favorably than him due to his race. LiCausis 10-count federal lawsuit seeks more than $150,000 in compensatory damages, the removal of all reprimands and retroactive satisfactory employee evaluations to replace the ones where he needed improvement. The lawsuit was filed by Allentown attorney Frederick E. Charles against the Allentown School District and a series of administrators accused of conspiring against LiCausi. Those administrators are Brown, Harrison-Morton Principal Daria Custer, Executive Director of Secondary Education Ralph Lovelidge, Interim Director of Human Resources Elizabeth Kelly, Assistant Superintendent Kristin Kruger, Executive Director of Human Resources Serena Edwards and Superintendent Thomas Parker. Freund said the completely improper and defamatory pleading ... indiscriminately names every administrator in the district. LiCausi lives in North Whitehall Township. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A police chief in Carbon County has been arrested and charged with repeatedly raping a girl, joining in on assaults that began when the girl was 4 years old. The defendants terrorized this young victim by assaulting her hundreds of times over seven years, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a news release. My office will listen to survivors and prosecute anyone who sexually abuses children to the fullest extent of the law we are able no matter how much time has passed." Weissport Borough police Chief Brent Getz, 27, and Gregory Edward Wagner Jr., 28, both of Lehighton, were arrested by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office on Tuesday following an investigation that began in 2012. Prosecutors said the girl was 12 when she reported to a teacher that Wagner was sexually assaulting her. The teacher reported it to the Franklin Township Police Department and, after an investigation, no charges were filed at that time, the attorney generals office said. In 2015 the case was reassigned, and police filed a criminal complaint charging Wagner with various crimes, prosecutors said. The complaint was dismissed by a district judge due to a paperwork error and the charges were not refiled. Last August, a Franklin Township officer revisited the case and interviewed the victim. It was at that time the girl disclosed Getz, Wagners friend, had sexually assaulted her as well. The girl alleged Wagner repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted, starting when she was 4 until she was 11 years old. Getz would allegedly join in on the assaults. Agents raided Wagners residence on Tuesday and reportedly found numerous electronic devices, including his cell phone, that had Google searches of terms indicative of child pornography. Wagner was interviewed and reportedly admitted to sexually abusing the victim over the course of several years, prosecutors said. He also allegedly admitted that Getz sexually abused the victim, and that they would do so together. Getz and Wagner were arrested Tuesday, and each arraigned on charges including rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child. Both were sent to Carbon County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail each. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UPDATE: A lot of people are going to miss this place: Damage significant in restaurant building fire (VIDEO) A fire was reported just before 10 a.m. Wednesday in the building that hosts the Seemsville Pub & Grille in Allen Township. A female resident was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township for treatment of minor injuries, Pennsylvania State Police said. It is believed everyone got out of the building, police added. Flames and heavy smoke were initially coming from the second floor and roof of the building, which is owned by Michael and Seham Hanna, of Whitehall Township, according to Northampton County property records. There was significant fire damage in the main building, which was constructed in 1900 or before, and what appears to be a large addition to the rear. There are residences on the upper floor, with the business on the first floor, police said. The building hosting the Seemsville Pub & Grille burns the morning of March 27, 2019, in Allen Township. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com The roof was vented and firefighters battled to get to the remaining fire, according to emergency dispatches. The fire was declared under control at 11:41 a.m., command radioed to dispatch and police confirmed. The township fire company was in charge of the firefighting effort and investigation, police said. East Allen was assisting with the probe, police said. Firefighters from Bath, Northampton, Lehigh Township and Klecknersville Rangers were on the scene as well, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Troopers responded as well and a state police fire marshal was requested, a public information officer said. Reporter Sarah Cassi contributed to this post. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 47-year-old Easton man has admitted to dealing drugs that were later involved in an overdose death in Hunterdon County, the countys prosecutor said Wednesday. Richard J. Ricciardi, no address given, pleased guilty to first-degree strict liability for a drug-induced death. He is scheduled to be sentenced before Superior Court Judge Angela F. Borkowski on May 3, almost one year after the overdose death. The overdose victim, who the prosecutor did not identify in a news release, died May 28, 2018, in Clinton Township. Authorities said Ricciardi sold the heroin and fentanyl that the victim used. The Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office will continue to use all resources available to seek out and prosecute those who deal or distribute drugs in Hunterdon County, Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III, said in the news release. "We have witnessed too many deaths and too much pain caused by the terrible drug epidemic that has swept this country. Those responsible for dealing drugs that result in a fatal overdose will be brought to justice and prosecuted. Ricciardi was indicted on the charge last July. He was free at the time of his indictment, but is now jailed while awaiting sentencing, records say. Attorney Michael Jones represented Ricciardi in the case. He did not immediately respond to a voicemail inquiry about his clients guilty plea late Wednesday morning. The first-degree offense, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison, was created to combat the surge in crack cocaine use in the 1980s, according to a report by our sister website nj.com. But as New Jersey residents began dying from opioid-related overdoses at staggering rates, the charge has been used to take down heroin-slinging dealers, the report says. Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he ordered the rearrest of the suspect in the brutal murder of Cebu student Christine Lee Silawan. Duterte said he personally called the Lapu-Lapu City prosecutor who ordered the release of the 17-year-old suspect. "Sabi ko, recall mo 'yang order ninyo of dismissal and have the guy rearrested kasi piskal ako, piskal ka," he said in a campaign rally in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, adding the release was on a mere technicality. [Translation: I told him, recall your order of dismissal and have the guy rearrested The suspect was released from the custody of the local social welfare office on March 23 - the day of 16-year-old Silawan's funeral - because he was arrested without a warrant and hot pursuit was no longer applicable. "Hindi ako papayag na ganunin mo lang ang tao, especially oppression. Patayin mo ang bata, balatan mo, tapos magsibat ka lang? Mahuli ka after 6 days tapos ma-release ka kasi hindi hot pursuit?" Duterte said. [Translation: I will not allow you to do that to a person, especially oppression. You killed the child, skinned her, and then you just flee? You're caught after 6 days then you will be released because you're not hot pursuit?] But the suspect's lawyer said the chief executive may be "misinformed." Atty. Vincent Isles on Wednesday reiterated there was an "invalid warrantless arrest" against his client. "The President is a lawyer and former public prosecutor. He knows the law. I think he is misinformed. Maybe, what reached him was that there was a proper warrantless arrest," Isles said during an event in Cebu City. He said the prosecutor has already given a preliminary ruling. "So if the prosecutor says there was no valid warrant on this arrest, then the accused, the one arrested is released from detention then they should undergo preliminary investigation. In the same manner that if our motion be denied by the Office of the Prosecutor, we cannot also file a motion for reconsideration because (again) the rule does not allow," he said. Isles added any attempted arrest from hereon would be deemed illegal. He said a recall of a release order will not be allowed-- and that this should also be followed by the President. Silawan was found dead in a parking lot last March 11. She was stabbed and her face was skinned, revealing her skull. Murder charges were filed against the 17-year-old suspect on March 18. The NBI agents anchored the complaint on circumstantial evidence including text and online messages between the victim and the suspect. It was based on the Anti-Cybercrime Act of 2012 since most of the exchanges between the suspect and Silawan were done on Facebook Messenger. It is believed the suspect was the victim's former boyfriend. CNN Philippines' Cebu-based journalist Dale Israel contributed to this report. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a human skull reportedly found March 20 in a wooded area of Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. The investigation broadened Wednesday with troopers from the Fernridge and Stroudsburg barracks assisted by Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist at Mercyhurst University; the Monroe County Coroners Office; and Unmanned Response, which provided overhead drone and mapping of the area, according to a news release from state police. The skull was discovered along Hypsie Gap Road, according to police. Thats in the area of Bethlehem Authority land, southeast of Pocono Raceway off Route 115. Hypsie Gap Road in neighboring Tunkhannock Township is also where 22-year-old Lee Vanluvender was shot to death in an apparent gun battle around the start of the white-tailed deer firearms season, on Dec. 4, 2007. No one was ever charged in Vanluvenders homicide. There was no indication the Monroe County cold case had anything to do with the discovery of the skull. After being called for the initial discovery of the skull, the state police Troop N Major Case Team and Forensic Services Unit responded. "Searches of the area were conducted, resulting in additional information," the Troop N spokesman, Trooper First Class David Peters, says in Wednesday's release. The investigation was continuing and further updates were planned, police said. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Pennsylvania State Police investigation into drug trafficking in Berks County that began in October resulted in 18 arrests and five other arrest warrants after the head of the gang-related organization ordered a shooting, the county district attorneys office reports. A Palmer Township man, Drew Malachowski, 33, was among those taken into custody on drug charges, the district attorneys office said. Police were initially investigating Reading residents Raul Santos and Teresa Gaspar and the probe expanded after authorities learned the pair were involved with a source of significant supply and other mid-level to street-level drug dealers, the district attorneys office said. State police then teamed with narcotics detectives from the district attorneys office and the Reading Police Department, a news release said. On Feb. 13, District Attorney John Adams application for electronic surveillance was approved by a state Superior County judge, the news release said. The investigation revealed that Jordan Jorge and his associates were the principal source of supply of fentanyl and methamphetamine for Raul Santos and Teresa Gaspar, the district attorneys office said. Jorge, of Reading, but who had ties to New Bedford, Massachusetts, was identified as a member with leadership authority in the Latin Kings street gang, authorities said. He could order other gang members to commit crimes, the district attorneys office said. On March 18, investigators learned Jorge, on the behalf of Odaly Portes, ordered the shooting of a person Jorge and Portes had conflict with, the district attorneys office said. Xaviel Quinones and Luis Adorno, who are gang members from New Bedford and werent known to Berks law enforcement, were provided by Jorge with a Taurus Judge handgun and directed to shoot the person, authorities said. Jessica Enes was to help transport the shooters and watch for police, the district attorneys office said. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Reading police officers soon stopped a vehicle containing Quinones and Adorno and another vehicle Enes was driving, the district attorneys office said. The handgun was recovered from the vehicle carrying Quinones and Adorno, authorities said. Jorge was arrested soon after leaving his home in Reading, the district attorneys office said. Search warrants were served at Jorges home in the 1200 block of Hill Road and his grandmothers house at 1530 N. 10th St. in the city, which served as a stash house, the district attorneys office said. One pound of meth, with a street vale of more than $15,000, and ammunition for the handgun were recovered from the North 10th Street home, the district attorneys office said. Jorge associate Irving Montenegro, who lived in the North 10th Street home, was detained, the district attorneys office said. On Monday, a district judge issued numerous arrest warrants ranging from attempted homicide to drug charges and corrupt organization counts, the district attorneys office said. Search warrants were also issued for more residences in the county, the district attorneys office said. The warrants were served early Tuesday morning, authorities said. About three pounds of meth, 100 grams of fentanyl and nine handguns and ammunition were recovered, the district attorneys office said. The following people have been arrested: Jordan Jorge, 27, Reading, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Delivery of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Berks County drug arrests. (Courtesy photos | For lehighvalleylive.com) Luis Adorno, 27, New Bedford, Massachusetts, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Xavier Quinones, 27, New Bedford, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Jessica Enes, 32, New Bedford, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Fentanyl, Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Jose Vega-Garcia, 32, Reading, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Berks county drug suspects. (Courtesy photos | For lehighvalleylive.com) Teresa Gaspar, 32, Reading, Delivery of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Irving Montenegro, 34, Reading, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Raul Santos, 30, Reading, Delivery of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Daniel Moyer, 35, Exeter, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Alicia Snyder, 20, Reading, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Berks County drug suspects (Courtesy photos | For lehighvalleylive.com) Drew Malachowski, 33, Palmer Township, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Erick Nunez, 25, Reading, Delivery of Prescription Opioids; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Prescription Opioids; Possession of Prescription Opioids; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Oscar Cedeno-Santana, 25, Reading, Delivery of Prescription Opioids; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Prescription Opioids; Possession of Prescription Opioids; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Tomas Caminero, 24, Reading, Delivery of Prescription Opioids; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Prescription Opioids; Possession of Prescription Opioids; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Israel Meletiche, 26, Reading, Delivery of Prescription Opioids; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Prescription Opioids; Possession of Prescription Opioids; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Berks County drug suspects. (Courtesy photos | For lehighvalleylive.com) David Concepcion, 39, Reading, Persons not to Possess Firearms, Possession of Methamphetamine Kevin Pichardo, 20, Reading, Possession With Intent to Deliver Heroin Frankie Rosario, 20, Reading, Tampering With Evidence, Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Possession of Marijuana Berks County drug suspects. (Courtesy photos | For lehighvalleylive.com) The following people were still sought: Odaly Portes, 30, Shillington, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Esteban Melendez Jr., 21, New Bedford, Criminal Attempt Homicide; Criminal Attempt Aggravated Assault, Person not to Possess Firearms; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Jonathan Vargas, 27, Reading, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Jose Tinoco-Vargas, 38, Reading, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy Mark Kowalski, 33, Exeter, Delivery of Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; Corrupt Organization; Criminal Use of Communication Facility; Criminal Conspiracy If you have any information about the people not in custody, you are asked to call Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913 or the Berks County District Attorneys Office at 610-478-7171. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Northampton County teenager is accused of sexually assaulting a girl over four years. Dallas Seidel, of the 1200 block of Third Street in North Catasauqua, was arraigned Monday on charges including aggravated indecent assault of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child. Bail was set at $50,000 in sex assault case. Court records show the 18-year-old Seidels bail was revoked March 14 for two previous receiving stolen property cases. He was awaiting a preliminary hearing for those cases. The attorney representing Seidel in the receiving stolen property cases is not listed in the sex assault case, and did not immediately return a message asking if she represents him in the new case. Prosecutors said the victim, now 14, reported the incidents to police in February, and that the assaults began when the accuser was 10 or 11. The girl reported Seidel sexually assaulted her during a game of hide and seek, according to police. Beginning in 2015, Seidel would allegedly rub his genitals on the girls feet while she was sleeping. Police said they were able to see text messages from Seidel where he implicates himself in the crimes. In an interview with Seidel on March 5, police said they showed him the text messages and he reportedly told them he used to abuse Xanax and would forget everything he did. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Firefighters from at least 10 departments in Lehigh and Northampton counties responded to extinguish a stubborn fire Wednesday morning at a building housing a restaurant and apartments. One resident was injured and four people were displaced in the fire reported shortly before 10 a.m. at the home of Seemsville Pub & Grille, 3819 Seemsville Road in Allen Township, township Fire Chief Dale Hassler said. Crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from the second-floor rear of the building, according to Hassler. "There were two apartments upstairs," he said. "The fire was mainly to the apartments and into the attic area. "And there was a lot of construction performed on this building over the years, renovations, so there were a lot of false ceilings and a lot of secondary ceilings so we had to work our way through them and the fire was traveling through the ceilings." The fire was reported under control at 11:41 a.m. and extinguished as of 12:49 p.m., according to Northampton County emergency radio broadcasts. The resident who was injured was a woman who suffered burns, and she was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. Four adults, two from each apartment, were displaced by the fire, Hassler said. The owners of the Seemsville Pub & Grille declined to talk to a reporter at the scene. Firefighters were able to limit fire damage to the upstairs and the attic, but the downstairs barroom, dining room and kitchen saw water damage, according to Hassler. Township residents Richard Frack and Leonard Taves walked up from a nearby mobile home park to survey the damage. The parking lot of the pub was always full around 5 p.m., according to Frack, and Seemsville was known for its large portions. "A lot of people are going to miss this place," he said, "a lot of people." Wednesdays response closed the Seemsville and Old Carriage roads that meet to form a crossroads where the building is located. Hassler said firefighters were expected to remain at the scene throughout the afternoon, checking for hotspots and flareups and investigating. A Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal was going to be brought in to try to determine the fires cause and point of origin, Hassler said. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. by Keydra Manns The toy manufacturing company Mattel created BTS dolls, and fans have mixed reactions. Mattel announced via Twitter that the toy company are excited to release the dolls, which are inspired by the groups Idol music video. The company homed in on the bands costumes from the video and is receiving praise for nailing the garb. But one major concern is the faces of the dolls, which fans say lack details. Are you a fan of Mattels newest dolls or are you horrified? Take a look at the dolls below. MIC Drop, ARMY! For the first time ever, we're thrilled to show you the line of #BTSxMattel fashion dolls! Take a look at V, SUGA, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Jimin and j-hope as dolls inspired by the Idol music video! #BTSDollsOfficial @BigHitEnt pic.twitter.com/0fd1XpLVFF Mattel (@Mattel) March 26, 2019 Some of BTS ARMY is applauding Mattel and say the dolls look just like the K-pop supergroup. You either like them or you don't. You'll buy them or you won't. At the end of the day, I still give @Mattel major props for recognizing @BTS_twt's star power enough to make them into dolls. A+ for effort Mattel! I still appreciate it! the psych perspective (@voixdefleur) March 26, 2019 If we look closely, the faces are totally fine, the hairstyles are funny lol. Anyway, like the others are saying, don't attack under Mattel's tweets. You can give a mature critical review without being rude.@BTS_twt Wandering Shadow (@shadow_twts) March 26, 2019 Other fans argue they appreciate the brand for trying but they failed at replicating the group members hair and facial features. Fans are also pointing out that for Mattel to be such an established toy making company, they expect better. The saddest thing is that you understand that they also worked on this dolls and maybe even worked hard, and youre like...Im not hating really but this just isnt it...some facial features of 4 members actually look similar, but hair kinda ruined it (@sontera14) March 26, 2019 SK telecom really did a better job than Mattel. I'm disappointed pic.twitter.com/znDdSrW6CS yoongles persona (@meanyoongi0309) March 26, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. Teddy Fennelly and Alan Phelan will be giving a talk on the Portlaoise Plane (Aldritts' Monoplane) at the Midlands park Hotel on Thursdasy, March 28 at 8pm. This monoplane was the first airplane built in what is now the Republic of Ireland about 110 years ago. Older Portlaoise residents may remember the wings and fuselage of the plane hung from the rafters in the old Aldritts Garage (now Bankz hair stylists) at Bank Place, Tower Hill. It went missing for 40 years and was rediscovered in a private transport museum in the south of England. Mr Fennelly managed to acquire it and it is now back in Ireland in a warehouse in Dublin awaiting restoration. When it is restored it I hope that it will be put on display here in Co Laois, said Mr Fennelly. He hopes the long promised museum can be its new home. The plane inspired Col James Fitzmaurice to become an aviator and is an important part of Irish aviation history. It is the first of Laois Heritage Society's programme of talks for 2019. Workshop to help find funding Laois Public Participation Network are holding a Funding & Resources Workshop for all Community Groups in Laois, on Monday March 25 from 5pm 9pm in The Midlands Park, Portlaoise. This will be an exhibition style event with different organisations, companies etc, providing relevant information to community groups about grants, supports, resources, training, insurance etc. The now an annual is again expected to draw a large attendance. For further information please call Suzanne OConnor, Laois PPN on 057 8665661 or email ppn@laoiscoco.ie Getting closer to wildlife Laois Offaly Irish Wildlife Trust is hosting its next Biodiversity talkearly at Mueller & O'Connell Bakery, Abbeyleix, at 8pm on March 21 enitled - Local Wildlife - getting closer and getting the photograph with Kevin McCann. Free to attend and all welcome to come along. Funding for talk from the council's Environmental Awareness Office. The branch is grateful for the support. People in Monastrevin and surrounding areas across Laois and Kildare are pulling together as a community to clean up their town. A group of residents met last Saturday, March 23 and carried out a local clean-up in the town centre. A spokesperson for the group thanked all involved and welcomed people to join in their efforts. "Monasterevin Tidy Towns (MTT) would like to thank everyone who gave their time to participate in and support this clean-up. "We would like to invite all residents to join two Spring Clean-Ups. The first will be held on Saturday, March 30 a t10 am. It will occur along the Grand Canal and the meeting point is outside the local playground. The second Clean-Up will be held on Saturday 6th April at 10 am. The meeting point is at SuperValu, Monasterevin," they said. The principal focus of TidyTowns is to inspire communities to enhance their local environment and to make their area a better place to live, work and visit. Monasterevin TidyTowns, like all other TidyTowns groups in Ireland, are committed to improving our local community, to fostering community effort and local pride. Local volunteers and residents enthusiastically strive to enhance the local community under the eight main categories of the TidyTowns national competition. They include enhancing Community Involvement, Streetscape and Public Places, Green Spaces and Landscaping, Sustainability, Tidiness and Litter Control, Residential Streets and Housing Areas, Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes. MORE: Sledgehammers used in 'vicious' attack in Laois The Department of Justice have confirmed the death of an asylum seeker whose body was found near the direct provision centre in Monasterevin on Tuesday morning, March 27. A statement from the Department has said that the Department is aware of the very sad death of a resident from the Hazel Hotel accommodation centre. The circumstances of the death are being examined, it said. Arrangements are being made for friends and family to be informed. Meanwhile the statement added that the "HSE is aware of the tragic circumstances of this very sad situation and is mindful of the understandable upset in the Hazel from both residents and staff. Arrangements are being made to provide appropriate supports for all who require them." Kildare gardai have yet to comment but it is understood that they were called to the scene on Tuesday morning and they are not treating the death as suspicious. The deceased is believed to have been from Eritrea in Africa and had been living at the centre for the past few months. AsIAm, Irelands national autism advocacy charity is delighted to announce its community support talks are heading to Kildare. Read also: County Kildare parents pay more for childcare as insurance claims rise The event will be held in the Iontas Lecture Theatre, Maynooth University April 4 at 7pm. These community support events, proudly sponsored by SuperValu, have been driven by the autism community and are delivered by experts in the field of autism with each event focusing on a different topic. Each event is free to attend, those interested in attending are asked to register for free tickets by clicking here. This talk will focus on the theme Autism: Behaviour and Communication and will be given by guest speaker Yvonne Newbold. Yvonne is a mother; author of The Special Parents Handbook; writer, speaker; trainer; founder of The SEND VCB Project; National Learning Disability and Autism Lifetime Achievement Award Winner 2018, and WHIS ambassador. Yvonne has also developed a series of workshops for parents of special needs children on many of the issues that parents struggle with such as advocating effectively for their child in multidisciplinary meetings, ensuring that the siblings arent left. Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm said We are delighted to be bringing a programme of community support events around Ireland, thanks to the generous support of SuperValu. Our 24 community support events will provide much needed information and guidance to autistic people and our families on issues as diverse as employment, sensory processing and making friends. Often our community can feel isolated and under-supported - these events will bring people together to share experiences, identify possible local supports and listen to subject matter experts." SuperValu Marketing Director, Ray Kelly said,At SuperValu our ambition is to build more inclusive communities across Ireland. Our work with AsIAm for Autism over the past year has opened our eyes to what we can do beyond each and every store to ensure we use our unique position in the heart of Irish towns to make positive changes across the entire community. These seminars will work to support deeper awareness and steps to making the autistic community feel more included right across Ireland. For more details about this event and registration click here. To support World Autism Awareness Month SuperValu, will be offering free online delivery for the autism community in its Kildare stores across the month of April. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is poised to set a 60-kilometer per hour (kph) speed limit on all roads in the metro. MMDA traffic chief Bong Nebrija told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday that all Metro Manila mayors have approved the proposal in a recent Metro Manila Council meeting. But Nebrija said they are still waiting for all mayors to sign the resolution setting a speed limit in Metro Manila. He added that the resolution needs to be published first before they implement it. "This 60 kilometers is basically on lean hours kung walang [if there is no] traffic so that to reduce the speed and avoid accidents," he said. However, he admitted that some mayors doubted that vehicles can even go as fast as 60-kph due to traffic congestion. Once implemented, Nebrija said they will be apprehending offenders using speed guns. CNN Philippines' Multi-platform Writer Xave Gregorio contributed to this report. Leitrims best eateries have been named in the 2019 Irish Restaurant Awards. More than 500 people attended the Connacht Regional Final yesterday evening, Tuesday, March 26, evening. Top honours for Leitrim went to: The Cottage Restaurant, Jamestown which won Best Restaurant and Shamzuri Hanifa also won Best Chef in Leitrim. Synergy Cafe, Carrick-on-Shannon, won the title for Best Cafe. The Best Newcomer Award went to Our Happy Place, Carrick-on-Shannon while Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant went to The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon. Cryans Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon won on the double with Frances Cryan securing Best Restaurant Manager for Leitrim and the hotel also winning Best Customer Service for the county. Carrick-on-Shannons The Barrelstore, secured the title of Leitrims Pub of the Year while St Georges Terrace Restaurant, Carrick-on-Shannon won Best Wine Experience. The Oarsman, Carrick-on-Shannon won Leitrims Best Gastro Pub while the award for Leitrims Best World Cuisine went to Spice India, Carrick- on-Shannon. Drumshanbos Sweet Geranium Cafe took out Leitrim honours in the Best Free From category and also won Best Emerging Irish Cuisine. The Riverbank Restaurant at The Clubhouse Bar, Dromahair won Best Kids Size Meal in Leitrim while Luna Restaurant, Dromahair won Leitrims Best Casual Dining and The Organic Centre, Rossinver won Leitrims Best Local Food Hero. Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said: Now in their 11th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the incredible food that is on offer in the cafes, pubs and restaurants of Ireland, as well as recognising the teams behind these establishments and the hard work and dedication that they put in. Ireland may be a small country but it boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the comfort of traditional Irish food to exploring the world though exotic world cuisine, the Irish restaurant industry has much to offer. We have an appreciation for what we eat and where our food comes from, as well as the dedication of those working in the food industry. Those who won in Leitrim will now compete for the regional and All-Ireland titles on May 13, next. Leitrim talent shines through in Johnny Gogan's drama documentary Prisoners of the Moon which hits cinemas in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing this summer. As the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing approaches (in July), the 75 minute film employs archive, witness interviews and dramatic reconstruction to examine the life of Arthur Rudolph; his central role in the success of the Saturn V moon rocket, his history in Nazi V2 missile production and the US militarys part in covering it all up. The Bandit Films production, which was shot and produced locally asks whether Rudolph was a scientific hero who was badly used by the Nazi regime, or whether he was the driving force behind a V2 slave labour programme that led to the death of 20,000 prisoners of war in an underground rocket factory. It is based on a radio play by journalist Nick Snow. Johnny Gogan told the paper he was approached by Nick Snow to make the movie and they worked on the script together before starting filming 18 months ago. Prisoners of the Moon: Director Johnny Gogan from Bandit Films, Dromahair with cast members Matt Addis, Cathy Belton, Jim Norton and writer Nick Snow at the world premiere of Prisoners of the Moon at the recent Dublin Film Festival In Leitrim they hired a crew of 20 people - all from the region and a cast of 12 with international, national and local talent.Jim Norton (Bishop Brennan from Father Ted), Garrick Hagon (Star Wars), Cathy Belton (Red Rock) perform along side Leitrim's Alan Devine, Paul Gavin and Donal O'Kelly. The original score for the film has been written by Sligo-based Steve Wickham and was recorded at the Glens Centre in Manorhamilton by local musicians. Johnny explains some of the film is archive, he interviewed and filmed at a number of locations in the USA with Nick Snow and the rest is dramatisation of the actual trial of Arthur Rudolf in Canada. The film premiered in Dublin last month and got much press and plenty of positive reviews. The drama-documentary is estimated to have cost 300,000 in production and Gogan is delighted to have his film distributed internationally by Red Arrow Studios - which is a big coup for a locally made movie. Speaking about the film industry in Leitrim, Gogan said despite the county not being in the West of Ireland Wrap Fund, there is still a substantial amount of work going on here by very talented people. Johnny has been making films for 20 years from his studio in Dromahair. He did say not being in the fund puts us and the other companies based in the county at a disadvantage with others in the western region. It sends the wrong signal for the next generation for whom a career in film and tv production is increasingly a prospect here. The film maker said he hopes that negotiations between the council and the fund have not expired as two years is a long time to wait and opportunities could be lost. Gogan does think it is unfair that money for this would be sought from the arts budget alone as filming in the county will bring cash to local businesses. He concluded, As has been seen by the recent production Winter Lake, the spend on local accommodation and catering alone is considerable. Similarly, our own production's spend on cast, crew and services in the local economy would more than justify the figures mentioned (to join the Wrap fund). Prisoners of the Moon is set for a national cinema release date in June. Also read: Fears this Leitrim is missing out on major investment as a film location Dachau to the Dolomites: The Irishmen, Himmlers Special Prisoners and the End of WWII by Tom Wall will launch in The Reading Room, Carrick-on-Shannon this Friday, March 29 at 6.30pm. This extraordinary story documents Irishmen among a group of prominent hostages taken by Himmler during World War II. Dachau to the Dolomites is the dramatic but little-known story of a group of prominent Nazi SS hostages transported from various concentration camps to a remote Alpine valley in the final days of the Third Reich. Five Irishmen were among the 160 prisoners whom Himmler and other SS leaders attempted to use as barter to save the regime or, as a final resort, themselves. As well as eminent international statesmen, aristocrats and clergy, the group contained opposition German generals and civilian relatives of those who had plotted against Hitler, among them the family of Claus von Stauffenberg, who placed the bomb in Hitlers Wolfs Lair. These hostages also included Colonel John McGrath from Elphin, a World War I veteran who had left his job as manager of Dublins Theatre Royal to rejoin the British Army in 1939. This is a free event and the author Tom Wall will attend and answer questions. Proving that dreams really can come true, the historic steam locomotive, 'Nancy', built by the Avonside Engine Company of Bristol in 1908, will return to Ireland on Thursday, March, 28, 2019 following extensive restoration by Alan Keef Ltd. Nancy steamed for the first time in 60 years on March 23, 2019 at Keef's workshop in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire following a complete rebuild from little more than a rolling chassis. Douglas Roberts, Nancy is seen in steam with C&L director Philip Bedford Nancy is a narrow gauge 0-6-0T locomotive built to run on the Ironstone quarries of the Midlands in the UK. She last ran in 1959 at the Eastwell Ironstone Quarry. Nancy will be based at the 3ft narrow gauge Cavan and Leitrim Railway at Dromod, Co Leitrim. The intention is to operate steam services for members of the public at Dromod in the near future with Nancy and their collection of heritage rolling stock. Nancy was sent to Keef's for a rebuild in 1997, which included a brand new boiler, cab, smokebox, water tanks and coal bunker along with heavy restoration to the chassis, wheels and cylinders. 160,000 has been invested into her restoration over the past 20 years through donations. This was the first major Irish railway preservation project to utilise social media as a resource, with the Avonside Nancy Restoration Group partnering with the Cavan and Leitrim Railway to assist in fundraising in 2017, they raised 10,200 within the first five months. Nancys restoration was put on the backburner due to the recession hitting rural Ireland particularly hard circa 2008 and recommenced in anticipation of Brexit. Keefs completed four months worth of work within just three-and-a-half weeks due to the time constraints that had been in place when Brexit had been anticipated to come into effect by March 29 of this year. Nancy will come back to Ireland carrying The Brexit Express headboard atop here smokebox with UK and EU flags pictured on it. Nancy is due to arrive back to Ireland Thursday, March 28, and will be unloaded at her new home in Dromod, Co Leitrim on Friday, March 29. The arrival will have special poignancy as Nancy will arrive back to Dromod in advance of the 60th anniversary of the closure of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway which occurred on March 31, 1959. TWO cousins from Limerick were granted bail after they appeared in court charged with the double rape of a teenage girl almost two years ago. The cousins, who are aged 23 and 24, appeared before Ennis District Court on Tuesday where evidence was given relating to their arrest and charge. Both were arrested at a garda station in Limerick before before being brought to Ennis garda station prior to the court sitting. The rape offences are alleged to have occurred on April 22, 2017 at a location in north County Clare. The alleged injured party was aged under 15 at the time. The 23-year-old defendant, faces a total of four charges including rape. He is also charged with engaging in underage sex contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law Rape (Amendment) Act; sexual assault and sexual exploitation of the same female contrary to Section 3 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act. He made no reply when charged. His cousin who is facing a single charge of rape replied: I dont know what Im being charged with. Free legal aid was granted and the accused men were each granted bail subject to certain conditions. These include having no contact with the complainant directly or indirectly or through social media. The DPP has directed trial on indictment and Inspector Tom Kennedy requested an adjournment to facilitate the preparation of a book of evidence. Judge Patrick Durcan granted the application and remanded both men to appear before the court again in June. A MEDICAL expert at University Hospital Limerick is encouraging members of the public to register as organ donors, ahead of the annual Organ Donation Week. Organ Donation Week, which takes place between March 30 and April 6, highlights the importance of being an organ donor and how it affects lives across the country. To mark the week, An Post has teamed up with the HSE's Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI), and have issued a new stamp to highlight the importance of organ donation. UHL's consultant physician in the intensive care unit, Dr Catherine Motherway is keen that more people carry a donor card. On occasion, and unfortunately for many families, they will lose their relative in our care. Sometimes it is our job to approach families about organ donation. So I would hope if you want to be a donor, that you talk to your family; let them know; sign a donor card; put it on your (driving) licence. Find a way of communicating that wish because these things happen suddenly. "Life is uncertain and short. We do our utmost to help everybody who comes to the unit but for those people who we cannot save; if they would wish to be an organ donor, we would also like to honour that wish at the end of their life," she said. The awareness week is being marked at UHL with an information stand on Tuesday and Thursday being run by Siobhan Brosnan, organ donation nurse manager. Only a small proportion of patients who die in hospital will be suitable for donation, which makes it all-the-more important that people who wish to donate have had a full discussion with their families. In 2018 there were 81 deceased donors with a further 40 living donors of kidneys in Irish hospitals resulting in a total of 274 organ transplants. Ms Brosnan, who has 18 years experience working in intensive care units at home and abroad, said: One person can potentially help a maximum of seven other people to get life-saving operations. Not everybody will donate seven organs but the potential is there for seven. While people may carry an organ donation card or may have ticked the relevant box in their driving licence application, it is essential that they clarify their intentions with their next-of-kin around donation. Ms Brosnan also said We would especially appeal to those members of the public who are in the process of changing their UK drivers licence to an Irish licence in view of Brexit to consider the section of the application form relating to Organ Donation and further discuss this with their next-of-kin. Prof Jim Egan, Director HSE, ODTI added Id like to thank An Post for the creation of this special stamp. It will create more public awareness about organ donation. It is only because of the generosity of the Irish public that patients can receive the life-saving treatment of an organ transplant. Our message is simple: Organ Donation Saves Lives. Designed by Zero-G, the stamp and first day cover feature an hourglass timer to represent the precious nature of time and the gift of life passing from one person to another throughorgan donation. When the stamp is scanned by a smart device with the Cee App installed, users will be redirected to the organ donation web page. ODTI was established to provide governance, integration and leadership for Organ Donation and Transplantation in Ireland. The Office is dedicated to saving and improving lives by improving organ donation rates in Ireland. Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. ENABLING works are due to commence for the crucial 60-bed modular block at University Hospital Limerick this week. This comes after the HSE announced earlier this month that UHL was to receive 2m for the delivery of enabling works for the 19.5m development. But the UL Hospitals Group has yet to confirm, in writing, that the important piece of infrastructure will receive full funding in this years HSE capital plan. Minister for Health Simon Harris has, however, indicated that the 60-bed block will be included in the capital plan, which has yet to be announced. It was originally hoped that the 60-bed block would be ready by autumn 2019. However, the financial framework for the projectsand other capital projectshad to be revisited due to the Governments controversial overrun in the National Childrens Hospital. Senator Kieran ODonnell told the Limerick Leader on March 1 that the 60-bed project will be included in its entirety in the upcoming capital plan. It is understood it will be announced later this month. Senator ODonnell said he has told Taoiseach Varadkar, Minister Harris and Minister Donohoe that any further delay with hospital project would not be acceptable. He said the 2m allocation shows that it is a priority for the Government. I am interested in getting the physical structures on the ground as quickly as possible. Because of the delays in planning, that was always going to be early 2020 before it was completed. The HSE are now saying June 2020, something I will be holding them too, Sen Kieran ODonnell told The Leader earlier this month. SIPTU has hit out at the UL Hospitals Group over the recent closure of a 17-bed ward at University Hospital Limerick. Ward 1A at the Dooradoyle hospital is to close to facilitate the completion of works on a new fracture unit. The plan to close the unit is offset by recently-opened 12-bed surgical short stay unit; three extra cardiology beds opened last week; five bed spaces are being looked at the vacated former acute medical assessment unit; and examining the opening of the 15-bed 4C on weekends, a spokesperson said. He said that staff were fully involved in the process, and that the outcome of this process was to open a new fracture clinic in a part of the old emergency department. This will have a significant benefit for patients attending our busy fracture clinic in terms of reduced wait times and improved patient experience. A Siptu spokesperson said that the union met with senior management on January 9. At this meeting, management said it was proposing to close Ward 1A in order to facilitate the opening of a fracture unit in its place. We pointed out that it was senseless at this point to close a 16-bed unit when the hospital was effectively operating beyond capacity with trolleys on wards every night. Agreement was reached that these beds would remain open and that if there was to be any change, management would re-engage with union representatives. Our members are upset to learn that management proposes to go ahead with the closure of this ward at the end of March. This is despite there being no further discussions on this issue between management and union representatives. A JUDGE has dismissed the case of a Traveller who claimed he fractured two bones in his hand when he fell into a hole at the halting site where he lives. Francis Casey, 26, of Bay 1, Clonlong, Southill, sued Limerick City and County Council for damages arising out of an incident which happened on February 9, 2015. In evidence at Limerick Circuit Court, he told his barrister Philip Moloney he was walking to his fathers home at around 9pm when the accident happened. I fell into a hole, I hurt my hand, he said adding it was pitch dark at the time as the lighting at the halting site was not working. When asked to describe exactly what happened, the plaintiff replied: I tripped over and I hurt the top of my hand. After Mr Casey pointed to the knuckle area of his right hand, Mr Moloney interjected and informed the court that his client boxes and is into martial arts. Judge Sean ODonnabhain noted this and commented that the barrister had taken the words out of my mouth. The plaintiff attended St Johns Hospital the day after the incident where he was x-rayed and had a back-slab applied. Mr Casey, who complained of pain and tenderness, said he still suffers from some pain and that he still cant lift heavy things. Being cross-examined by barrister Thomas Wallace ODonnell, representing the council, the plaintiff insisted he had fractured his wrist in the fall and that it was not as a result of any previous incident. However, Mr ODonnell put it to the witness that he had sustained the injuries some years earlier and that the x-ray taken after the fall was the same as x-rays which were taken at various times over the preceding three years. Mr Casey accepted his hand was hurt a number of years earlier when he received a belt of a baton from gardai but said he had no problems for a long long time. Mr ODonnell submitted there was no evidence before the court that he sustained the injuries as outlined in court papers. He put it to Mr Casey that medical reports suggested he has excellent use of his two hands and that no issues were identified regarding his ability to flex and extend his fingers. There were no new fractures, he said to which Mr Casey replied: I hurt my hand. Dismissing the claim, Judge ODonnabhain said he did not believe the injuries outlined could have been sustained in such a fall. He noted there was no evidence that Mr Casey had broken any bone and he commented that he was familiar with the halting site. The judge awarded the local authority its costs. (CNN) A missing Picasso painting worth $28 million has been recovered by a Dutch art detective, 20 years after it was stolen from the yacht of a Saudi sheikh off the south coast of France. The 1938 masterpiece, entitled "Portrait of Dora Maar" or "Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)," vanished from the yacht of Saudi billionaire Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh while it was being refurbished in the town of Antibes in 1999. The painting previously hung in Picasso's home until his death in 1973 and depicts the artist's muse. The case baffled French police and it was feared that the artwork had been lost forever, until rumors emerged that the painting had surfaced on the Dutch black market. Arthur Brand, a renowned Dutch art detective dubbed "the Indiana Jones of the art world," said he first learned that a stolen Picasso painting had emerged in the Netherlands in 2015, but did not know which work it was. A four-year investigation ensued, which culminated in two intermediaries turning up at Brand's apartment 10 days ago with the missing painting in hand. "They had the Picasso, now valued at 25 million euros, wrapped in a sheet and black rubbish bags, with them," Brand told Agence France Presse. "I hung the Picasso on my wall for a night, thereby making my apartment one of the most expensive in Amsterdam for a day," he joked. Brand discovered that the painting had been circulating the criminal underworld for numerous years, regularly being used as "collateral" and appearing "in a drug deal here, four years later in an arms deal there." He received his best lead earlier this month, when "two representatives of a Dutch businessman" contacted him, saying that their client had the painting. "He was at his wits' end," Brand said. "He thought the Picasso was part of a legitimate deal. It turns out the deal was legitimate -- the method of payment was not." The art detective pursued the lead and told the intermediaries that they had to act quickly to secure the painting in case it vanished once again into the criminal underworld. The intermediaries subsequently delivered the painting to Brand's flat, and Picasso experts from the Pace Gallery in New York flew into Amsterdam to verify it. The painting has since been handed to an insurance company, which is currently determining what to do with it. Christopher Marinello, CEO of Art Recovery International a law firm specializing in the recovery of stolen artworks told CNN that it is "highly significant and very encouraging" that insurance companies are pursuing stolen artworks long after cases have been closed. "It is great to see a work of this importance surface and not be the subject of intense litigation." He noted that it is "urgent" for anyone who has had a piece stolen to report the loss to an international database, such as The Art Loss Register. That enables dealers and auction houses to be aware of whether they are handling stolen artworks. "It is important to show that the market for stolen art is shrinking and that crime, in most cases, does not pay," Marinello said. He added that the robbery of precious artwork has "become an industry" for certain gangs, who "steal artworks and then ransom insurance companies." "Attempts are made by the criminals to cash out quickly. When that becomes impossible, the artwork will be traded at a fraction of its true value (less than 10%) for drugs, guns, etc. Some thieves may acquire stolen works as a sort of a 'get out of jail free' card to use as a bargaining chip if ever arrested. This has worked in the past with prosecutors and still works today." Still, the recovery of the Dora Maar painting is raising some questions, for instance as to whether anyone had been paid. An industry source, who requested anonymity, told CNN that a key challenge in the recovery of precious artworks is the use of payments to tipsters and informants, as this "encourages further theft." "They are just talking about intermediaries did the owner just hand over the painting or were payments made?" The source pointed to reports in 1999 that insurers at Lloyd's Insurance Group offered a reward of 350,000 ($462,522) for the return of the painting intact. The current reward offered for the artwork remains unknown. Brand has recently recovered other priceless artworks, including a 1,600-year-old mosaic which was stolen from a church in Cyprus. In 2015 he also recovered "Hitler's Horses," two bronze statues made by Josef Thorak, one of two official sculptors of the Third Reich. CNN has contacted Brand with a request for comment, but has not yet received a response. This story was first published on CNN.com "Stolen Picasso painting worth $28 million recovered after 20 years" Limerick will be blessed by the upcoming visit of young nuns this week! The Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Sovereign Priest are the female branch of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, the community of canons which moved to the Crescent in 2012 and is currently restoring the former Jesuit church. These sisters will be coming from their convents in Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The highlight of their presence in Limerick will be the Lenten Reflection with Sacred Music and Readings that will be held at the Sacred Heart Church this coming Saturday, March 30 at 6 pm. It will feature some instrumentalists, soloists and congregational hymns. It will end with a blessing of the relic of the True Cross. The sisters will perform some Lenten pieces of Gregorian chant alternating with the choir and congregation. This Sunday the 31st, they will also sing at the 10:30 am Mass. The Sisters Adorers lead a semi-cloistered life. In their convents, which are always next to an apostolate of the Institute, they devote time first to prayer and then to pastoral work. This vocation includes helping the priests in schools, receiving guests in retreat centres and helping with church maintenance, the sacristy, catechism and choirs. Their life is deeply rooted in the Liturgy of the Latin Mass and the daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with a special devotion to the Sacred Heart. They also pray together the Divine Office and support the priests by their prayers. The whole community currently counts 51 sisters, including four Irish ones, where the average age is 32. They will be happy to meet you this coming Saturday after the 6 pm Lenten Reflection at the Sacred Heart Church! (Free admission). Contact: 061 315 812 or visit https://institute-christ-king.ie/ THE public relations officer of a Limerick photography club has appealed for the safe return of his precious camera. Thomondgate man Pat Murphy was out taking pictures of wildlife in Curraghchase this Tuesday when he lost the Canon 7D device, which he has owned for the last five years. The kit contained a telephoto lense, a mono-pod and a camoflauge cover. It was at around 4pm his camera went missing after a two-hour walk around Curraghchase. Taking up the story, Pat, who is with the St Munchins Camera Club, said: I was walking down to the car park to have a cup of tea. Obviously after walking for two hours, I was a bit dehyderated. I was taking off my jacket, and left my camera at the back of my car. Whether I left it on the ground or against the car, im not sure. At that point, an elderly man came over to have a chat. Next thing, I get into the car and drive off. It was only five minutes later, he realised he had left the camera behind in the car park. Unfortunately when he returned to the car park, it was too late the camera had gone. I use it every day. I am in the camera club, and I am in the Limerick birdwatch group. The camera always goes out. Its my hobby, its been my hobby for a long time, Pat added. He has reported the missing camera to gardai at Henry Street, Bruff and Pallaskenry, and has confirmed that a reward is on offer for its safe return. If you come across it, please call Pat at 087-9565907, or drop it into any garda station. Limericks Hermitage Green are set to play a very special one-night only hometown gig at King Johns Castle on Saturday, July 27. The performance is another addition to the popular Live at King Johns Castle experience that is now seen as one of the Irish venue highlights among touring bands. Hermitage Greens upcoming summer gig at King Johns Castle coincides with the release of the bands latest single which is set to be launched on Friday April 19. Speaking at todays announcement, promoter Mick Dolan said: Hermitage Green are a band that have been very loyal to Dolans down through the years. Their success is something we take great pride in. The bands previous King Johns Castle performance was a memorable one and we are delighted to be able to team up with Shannon Heritage once again to recreate this magic. Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green Delighted to be back The castle is one of our favourite venues in the country and we're delighted to be playing it again. Last years gig was so special to us and something we will never forget and we look forward to bringing a whole new show back to Limerick city this summer Niall OCallaghan, Managing Director at Shannon Heritage has welcomed this latest addition to the Live at King Johns Castle concert series. Shannon Heritage have focused significantly over recent years to develop both the King Johns Castle visitor experience and to position the historic castle as a destination venue for a wide range of cultural events, OCallaghan says. We have seen a tremendous reaction to the Live at King Johns Castle concert offering and audience feedback has been consistently positive. To be in a position to welcome back Hermitage Green - a group of local lads who have made such an impact on the Irish music scene is one we take great pride in. We look forward to welcoming the guys back to King Johns Castle in July and can guarantee audiences a night they will never forget, he added. This event is expected to be a sell-out performance so early booking is recommended. Hermitage Green Live at The Castle on Saturday July 27th. Tickets are on sale this Friday and are Priced 30 Euro plus Booking Fee from Dolans.ie and Ticketmaster.ie A TRANSATLANTIC jet made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport this Wednesday afternoon after the crew reported a possible mechanical issue on board. The American Airlines flight AA-104 was traveling from New Yorks JFK Airport to London Heathrow when an indicator light in the cockpit indicated a possible mechanical issue at around 7.30am. The flight landed safely in Shannon Airport, where it was taxied to the gate. The jet was then evaluated and the flight continued on its journey. A fleet of emergency services from Shannon and Ennis Fire Brigade attended the scene shortly after 8am. In a statement to the Limerick Leader, a spokesperson for the airline said: American Airlines flight 104 from New York (JFK) to London (LHR), diverted to Shannon (SNN) after an indicator light in the cockpit indicated a possible mechanical issue. The flight landed safely in SNN, and taxied to the gate. Our maintenance crew evaluated the aircraft and the flight continued its journey, it has since landed at LHR. We never want to disrupt our customers travel plans, and we are sorry for the inconvenience this caused. A forensic anthropologist has told the Patrick Quirke murder trial that he identified human and animal bones and an animal's tooth found in the tank alongside Bobby Ryan's body. Dr Rene Gapert also told the court he was "doubtful" that a fracture of Mr Ryan's femur could have been caused by pieces of concrete falling onto it when gardai removed a slab covering the top of the tank. Dr Gapert was giving evidence in the trial of Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of part-time DJ Bobby Ryan. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013. The prosecution claims Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry (52). Dr Gapert told prosecution counsel Michael Bowman SC that he was asked in January this year to examine bones, nails and a tooth retrieved from the tank by gardai to establish if they were human or non-human remains. He was presented with two cylinders containing the fragments. Inside the first there were 49 bones, a tooth and one toe or finger nail that possibly belonged to a human. Of the 49 bones only one was human. The tooth was non-human. The human bone was the middle bone of a finger and most likely belonged to an adult. He couldn't identify the gender or age. The nail could have come from a finger or toe. The second cylinder contained 19 bones, eight of which were human and three possibly human finger or toe nails. The human bones consisted of different parts of the left and right hands. He identified bones from the tips of the thumbs, middle part of the hand and the tip of a toe, possibly from the left foot. In his overview and summary he said the bones were most likely from a single adult of undetermined age, gender or height. He saw no evidence of physical trauma and on examining what tissue was present he found that the person had died at least a year before the remains were found in the tank and possibly more than two years before. Under cross examination Dr Gapert told defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC that he was not requested to attend the scene in 2013 when Mr Ryan's body was found. He said he would have attended had he been requested and has attended scenes in the past. He previously helped identify victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, bodies found in Berlin dating back to World War II and at a house fire in Derrylin, Fermanagh in February 2018 that claimed the lives of four people. He said it is normal for forensic anthropologists, pathologists and police to work together to form a plan when recovering bodies. He agreed with Mr Staines that in the case of Bobby Ryan, where his body was found in a tank, he could see no reason why there would be time pressure on investigators to remove the body. Looking at a photograph of a fracture identified to Mr Ryan's femur - the upper bone in the leg, he said he was "doubtful" as to whether that could have been caused by pieces of concrete falling onto it when gardai used a digger to remove a concrete slab covering the top of the tank. He said the femur is the strongest bone in the body and without examining the debris that fell onto the body he could not say for certain if the pieces he saw were capable of causing the fracture.. The trial continues in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women. MORE THAN 100 of the best local, national and international tattoo artists gathered for the Limerick Tattoo Convention in the Great National South Court Hotel at the weekend. The event, which was a celebration of all things tattoo related, saw hundreds of ink loving enthusiast flock to the city to get tattooed, meet there favourite artist or just watch. Gary Sparky Molloy, runs Old Town tattoo on Cecil Street. He has been tattooing in Limerick for the past 17 years and was tattooing at the convention on the day. Tattooing is definitely on the rise again in Limerick, and the convention is a great example of that. Ive been here the last three years, I was getting tattooed myself here last year, and to see it grow like this is great, said Sparky. The event is great, its really well organised, Limerick should be proud, he added. Conor Walsh is from the Sands of Time tattoo studio on Lower Shannon Street. He was invited down along side his shop to take part in the convention. The convention is every year, but it is invite only. Our studio was invited down to this years event. Im only tattooing a year and a half, so to be invited here is a massive honour, said Connor. Dawn Lenihan traveled down from Tralee to get a tattoo from one of her favourite artists Lazaros Bront from Athens. I was here last year and I got a lovely rose done, so I decided to come back. Ive always wanted a portrait of Madonna so here I am, Dawn. The glacier known as Jakobshavn, which sits on Greenland's west coast is still contributing to sea level rise, but it's losing less ice than expected. Instead of thinning and retreating inland, its ice is thickening and advancing toward the ocean, the researchers found. The big question: Why is this happening? [Images: Greenland's Gorgeous Glaciers] After much sleuthing, a team of scientists from the United States and the Netherlands found that the glacier is likely growing due to colder ocean currents. In 2016, a current that passes by Jakobshavn Glacier was cooler than usual, making waters near the glacier the coldest they'd been since the mid-1980s. This cooler current came from the North Atlantic Ocean, more than 600 miles (966 kilometers) south of the glacier, according to data from NASA's Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) mission and other observations. The finding took the scientists completely by surprise. "At first, we didn't believe it," study lead researcher Ala Khazendar, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. "We had pretty much assumed that Jakobshavn would just keep going on as it had over the last 20 years." But the cold water isn't a one-off. Data from OMG shows that the water has been cold now for three years in a row. The front of Iceland's Jakobshavn Glacier, where icebergs calve off. (Image credit: NASA/OIB/John Sonntag) It appears that the cold water is the result of a climate pattern known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which makes the northern Atlantic Ocean slowly switch between warm and cold water about once every 20 years, the researchers said. The cold phase just recently started, and has cooled the Atlantic Ocean in general, they said. In addition, some extra cooling of the waters around Greenland's southwest coast helped keep the glacier chilly. But this crisp change won't last forever. Once the NAO climate pattern flips back, the Jakobshavn will likely start melting faster and thinning again, the researchers said. "Jakobshavn is getting a temporary break from this climate pattern," Josh Willis, of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the principal investigator of OMG, said in the statement. "But in the long run, the oceans are warming. And seeing the oceans have such a huge impact on the glaciers is bad news for Greenland's ice sheet." Huge ice loss then small gain Scientists have watched Jakobshavn with concern for decades. After losing its ice shelf in the early 2000s (an ice shelf forces a glacier to flow more slowly into the ocean, like dirt clogging a drain), Jakobshavn began losing ice at an alarming rate. Between 2003 and 2016, its thickness (from top to bottom) dwindled by 500 feet (152 meters). A wider view of the calving front of Jakobshavn Glacier, as seen from a NASA research plane flying overhead. (Image credit: NASA/John Sonntag) But in 2016, the waters flowing from Greenland's southern tip to its western side cooled by more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, the NAO climate pattern caused the Atlantic Ocean near Greenland to cool by about 0.5 F (1 C) between 2013 and 2016. By the summer of 2016, these cooler waters reached the glacier, and they are likely the reason that Jakobshavn slowed its rate of ice loss to the ocean, the researchers said. [Image: Greenland's Dramatic Landscape] In all, Jakobshavn grew about 100 feet (30 m) taller between 2016 and 2017, the researchers found. But, as mentioned, the glacier is still contributing to ocean level rise worldwide, as it's still losing more ice to the ocean than it is gaining from snow accumulation, the researchers said. The findings shed light on how much ocean temperatures can affect glacier growth, said Tom Wagner, a NASA Headquarters program scientist for the cryosphere, the frozen part of Earth. "The OMG mission deployed new technologies that allowed us to observe a natural experiment, much as we would do in a laboratory, where variations in ocean temperatures were used to control the flow of a glacier," Wagner, who was not involved in the study, said in the statement. "Their findings especially about how quickly the ice responds will be important to projecting sea level rise in both the near and distant future." The study was published online March 25 in the journal Nature Geoscience. Originally published on Live Science. Biblical ruins (Image credit: Scott Peterson/Getty Images) Biblical sites draw interest from many people: archaeologists, historians, priests, rabbis, imams and many members of the general public. Sadly, these historical ruins from the time of Jesus also often attract looters, people who illegally excavate a site, often in hopes of selling what they find. War, poverty and demand from artifact collectors, who are sometimes willing to pay large sums for biblical artifacts, help drive the looting. Here, Live Science takes a look at seven biblically important archaeological sites that have been plundered by modern-day looters. Caves near Qumran (Image credit: Shutterstock) Inside 12 caves at Qumran, archaeologists discovered the now-famous Dead Sea Scrolls, which consist of fragments from 900 manuscripts that include some of the earliest copies of the Hebrew Bible. Shortly after the first few scrolls were discovered, in 1947, looters began cleaning out those caves. In fact, looters, not archaeologists, found many of the scrolls. A lot of these scrolls were sold through an antiquities dealer named Khalil Iskander Shahin (also known as "Kando") in Bethlehem. In 2017, a Dead Sea Scroll was found in another Qumran cave, though there was no writing on it. The cave had been looted, with archaeologists finding the remains of what appear to be modern-day pickaxes. Looters have also plundered other caves found since that time, and archaeologists have launched a campaign to find and excavate any caves near Qumran that contain archaeological remains. Nineveh (Image credit: Shutterstock) Nineveh, an ancient Assyrian city located in what is now Iraq, appears numerous times in the Bible. For instance, the Book of Nahum records a prophecy, supposedly given by a man named Nahum, which predicted the destruction of Nineveh. This came to be in 612 B.C., when army made up of troops from Medes (a kingdom in modern-day Iran) and Babylon attacked the city. Sadly, the past decade has not been kind to Nineveh. In June 2014, the terrorist group ISIS (also known as ISIL or Daesh) captured Nineveh and occupied it until January 2017. During that time, the terrorist group destroyed the tomb of Jonah, a holy site for both Muslims and Christians. Looters dug a system of tunnels beneath the remains of the destroyed tomb. It's unclear exactly how many artifacts thieves looted from beneath the tomb. After Nineveh was retaken by Iraqi troops, the remains of inscriptions were found within the tunnels. Dura-Europos (Image credit: Shutterstock) Dura-Europos, an ancient city in southeastern Syria, is home to the earliest known Christian church, dating to A.D. 230. The church has a courtyard, meeting hall and baptistery (a place used for baptisms). The baptistery displays a number of wall paintings of Christian scenes, including one depicting Jesus walking on water. The Syrian civil war has hit this site hard. Analysis of satellite photos taken between 2011 and 2014 reveals that the site was "subjected to extremely heavy looting," a report published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found. The terrorist group ISIS captured Dura-Europos in 2014. The Syrian army recaptured the area in December 2017. At present, it's not certain how much of the city and its early Christian church remains. One consolation is that over 12,000 artifacts from Dura-Europos are at the Yale University Art Gallery in the United States. These items were excavated in the 1920s and 1930s by an archaeological team from Yale and the French Academy of Inscriptions and Letters. Bethlehem (Image credit: Shutterstock) Located in the West Bank, Bethlehem is famous as the biblical birthplace of Jesus; archaeological remains show that Bethlehem and nearby areas have been inhabited for thousands of years. One recently discovered necropolis holds tombs that date back more than 4,000 years, although looting or construction had destroyed part of the necropolis. Quite a bit of looting has damaged the area's ancient tombs and archaeological sites. The looting is aggravated by unemployment, poverty and the limited resources of Palestine's antiquities service. Palestinian archaeologists have noted that the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict worsens the situation, bringing poor security, higher poverty rates, and the damage or destruction of archaeological sites. One study, published in the Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology, found that some looters in the Bethlehem area, in their desperation to find artifacts to sell, have even turned to spirit possession in hopes of finding golden artifacts. Al-Yahudu (Image credit: Shutterstock) When the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II forced a community of Jews out of Judah, they relocated in Al-Yahudu (a name that can be translated to "village of the Jews" or "town of the Jews"). That site is located someplace in what is now Iraq. The settlement is known from the Hebrew Bible, which describes how, after Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians in 587 B.C., the first temple was destroyed and much of the Jewish population was forcibly relocated to Mesopotamia. (Most of Iraq is within the boundaries of the historical region called Mesopotamia.) Tablets from Al-Yahudu have been appearing on the antiquities market over the past 20 years. The tablets describe the lives of some of the people who were forcibly exiled, showing how they retained their Jewish religion and customs while adapting to life within the Babylonian Empire. Despite the importance of Al-Yahudu, archaeologists do not know where the site is within Iraq, although looters do. At present, more than 200 tablets from Al-Yahudu are known to exist. When archaeologists do find the location of this ancient settlement, they will likely find that it has been heavily looted. Nimrud (Image credit: Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock) The Book of Genesis tells how the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud (known in the Hebrew Bible as "Calah") was built by a "mighty warrior" and "mighty hunter" named Nimrod. Genesis also claims that Nimrod was the great-grandson of Noah. Famously, of course, Noah followed God's command and built an ark to house his own family as well as male and female pairs of every animal on Earth, protecting them from a great flood that God created. Modern-day looting and destruction have devastated Nimrud. The city was looted during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, and artifacts from the city that were in the National Museum of Iraq, in Baghdad, were also taken. In June 2014, ISIS captured Nimrud, destroyed much of the ancient city and may also have looted some of it. The city was retaken in November 2016 by Iraqi troops; for more than a month, there was little security at the site, however, and media reports indicate that more looting took place. Tyre (Image credit: Richard Yoshida/Shutterstock) The ancient city of Tyre, located in what is now Lebanon, is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. For instance, a king of Tyre name Hiram sent cedar wood and skilled workers to King David and King Solomon, the Hebrew Bible says. These resources and laborers helped build the first temple, the holiest site in Judaism. The Hebrew Bible also describes how Solomon and Hiram collaborated to create fleets of ships that conducted trade in the eastern Mediterranean and trade with an unknown land called "Ophir" that was rich in gold. Tyre has fallen victim to looting over the last 50 years. Wars and poor economic conditions have hit Lebanon periodically over that time, creating conditions that have permitted large-scale looting. For example, in 1989, a stone sarcophagus at Tyre "was blown up so that broken sculpture chunks could be carried to the marketplace," wrote Helga Seeden, an archaeology professor at the American University of Beirut, in a paper published in the book "The Presented Past: Heritage, Museums and Education" (Routledge, 1994). Then, in 1990, looters discovered and pillaged a cemetery, possibly used for the burial of children. "According to local information, some 200 stone stelae together with several dozens of cinerary urns and other typical Iron Age pottery vessels were unearthed," wrote Helene Sader, an archaeology professor at the American University of Beirut, in an article published in the journal Berytus Archaeological Studies in 1991. More than three years after discovering a never-before-seen subatomic particle, physicists now know how these particles called pentaquarks are put together. New research reveals three completely new kinds of pentaquarks and shows that they are each made of two components: one three-quark cluster called a baryon and one pairing of quark and antiquark called a meson. "We got a much crisper picture, and we said, 'Oh my god, there are things in it that we have actually not imagined,'" said study leader Tomasz Skwarnicki, a physicist at Syracuse University in New York state. [7 Strange Facts About Quarks] Subatomic structure Quarks are subatomic particles that come in six types (up, down, strange, charm, bottom and top). They are the building blocks of protons and neutrons, which are made of three quarks apiece. These three-quark particles are also known as baryons. Another important particle type is the meson; these are each made up of a quark and an antiquark. Antiquarks are the weird antimatter cousins of quarks. In the 1960s, when physicists were first theorizing about all of these quarks, they realized that there was no reason not to have particles made of four or five quarks, Skwarnicki told Live Science. But there hadn't been experimental evidence of five-quark particles, or pentaquarks that is, until 2015, when Skwarnicki and his colleagues discovered the objects among the particles created by collisions in the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva. At the time, Skwarnicki said, the data were a little hazy. Since then, the researchers have increased the amount of data they have on these pentaquarks by a factor of nine. That led to a much sharper picture, Skwarnicki said. Balls of quarks The first thing the researchers discovered was that there are three separate pentaquarks of three unique masses among the LHC particles. One was previously undetected. The two others had appeared as one spike in the spectrum of particle mass in the 2015 study but are now apparent as two separate particles with separate masses. [Photos: The World's Largest Atom Smasher (LHC)] Most importantly, the new data reveal the internal structures of these pentaquarks. Previously, Skwarnicki said, it wasn't clear how the five quarks were arranged inside the pentaquark. Did they all interact with one another? Or were there instead two clusters one three-quark baryon and a meson (the particle made of a quark and an antiquark) that interacted with each other? The structure of a pentaquark, a subatomic particle made of a charm quark, an anti-charm quark, two up quarks and one down quark. (Image credit: Tomasz Skwarnicki) The new data reveal that it is the latter case. Based on how the quarks decay they're unstable and exist only briefly before altering their configurations they must be made of interacting baryons and mesons, Skwarnicki said. The pentaquarks are made up of a charm quark, an anti-charm quark, two up quarks and one down quark. They have different masses because the quarks exist in different quantum states. "The significance of the new observations is that it's now pointing in one clear direction," he said. Each pentaquark is made of a baryon with three quarks inside and a meson with a quark and an antiquark. "It's like two separate balls of quarks sticking to each other," Skwarnicki said. Skwarnicki presented the results March 26 at the physics conference Rencontres de Moriond in La Thuile, Italy. The researchers plan to take further measurements to confirm their findings, Skwarnicki said, and they plan to search for more pentaquark arrangements. "I am actually confident that in the future we will see more of these pentaquark-type particles," he said. Originally published on Live Science. Natalia Rossi is the manager of the Cuba Program for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). This article is part of Women's History Month, and celebrates women in science. Rossi contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. I, a crocodile scientist, am a woman in conservation. As is my colleague Christelle Nguizi, who tirelessly patrols the flooded forests of the Lac Tele Community Reserve in Congo to protect elephants and combat poachers; and my colleague Lilian Painter, who directs the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bolivia Program and working with partners secured the protection of 2.3 million hectares (5.6 million acres), the most biodiverse region for plants and animals in the entire world. My colleague Emily Darling takes coral reef conservation science to a completely new level by linking social and ecological systems to make reefs and coastal communities more resilient. And there are so many others. We are all women in conservation. From every possible angle, we are working to conserve the world's precious biodiversity. We are re-shaping the field and we are not afraid of tackling new challenges. [Photos: 'Giant Crocodile' Egyptian Mummy Is Packed With Baby Crocs] But the path here is not always easy. Despite women's rising numbers in this field, the majority of people in senior positions in conservation worldwide continue to be men. Challenges often begin the moment a woman enters the profession. (For instance, people may ask whether you are capable of withstanding the harsh field conditions that "men do." But I would rephrase that question to ask whether people can withstand the harsh field conditions that women do, as we are hardcore.) As women climb the ranks, these challenges can continue, as your voice is sometimes the only woman's voice in the room. Even in the field, perceptions toward the types of roles and jobs of women are expected to hold may not match your outfit. But a new wave of women scientists is entering the field of conservation, and we are working from the field to the policy-level to address these problems and change attitudes. An adult Cuban crocodile chomps down on a snack. (Image credit: Yoamel Milian Garcia) I am so immensely proud of my female colleagues. But reaching these heights was not easy. At least for me. Adjusting to a new country when I first arrived from Argentina to pursue my dream of studying conservation biology was a tough initial hurdle. Then there were times in the field when being a woman encompassed additional difficulties and even risks. That comes with being a crocodile specialist, of course. You can only imagine the "toughness" that you have to show when getting involved in crocodile conservation, a still male-dominated field. When you jump into muddy waters full of crocodiles and all male eyes are on you, and you feel the silent wonder: Is she going to make it? I imagine that same scrutiny was imposed on so many of the women conservationists of my generation and before. But I do this work because I see so clearly that the interconnection between species, habitats and the health of ecosystems is critical to local communities and our planet as a whole. Where I work in Cuba, two native crocodile species are found: the critically endangered Cuban crocodile and the vulnerable coastal American crocodile. These top predators are not only critical for keeping the food chain in check but also true ecosystem engineers that shape and help maintain mangrove forests through excavating massive underwater caves and canals, which create water dynamics and essential micro-habitats that support a rich diversity of species. The threat of development of the country's coastal areas, along with historical poaching and a restricted range for the Cuban crocodile, jeopardize the survival of both crocodiles and mangroves. For almost a decade, we have been working alongside local partners to better understand crocodiles and design strategies to strengthen their populations. From reintroduction of crocodiles in the wild, to the provisioning of additional nesting sites, to community involvement and outreach, we have been growing our efforts to save crocodile species for future generations. A Cuban crocodile basks in the sun at Zapata Swamp in southern Cuba. (Image credit: Andre Baumgarten) Mentorship matters For so many women across the world, it is still a dream to enter this field, in part because of the pre-conceptions on what women can and can't do on the job. For instance, some may wonder whether women can take on the physical tasks of handling wild animals. Nevertheless, to these women I say things are changing! It is possible! Conservation needs your vision, ideas and strength more than ever. Communication channels between women conservationists are wide open, and there is nothing more powerful than mentorship and sharing. In my case, I have also been blessed with wonderful mentors who were men, including the late John Thorbjarnarson (1957-2010), a world-renowned herpetologist who helped to rescue numerous species from the brink of extinction. John T, as we called him, saw something in me that I could not see at the time. His encouragement, passion and sense of humor made my firsts steps working in Cuba to protect crocodiles and coastal wetlands feel effortless. [Photos: Ancient Crocodile Relatives Roamed the Amazon] Natalia Rossi stands at the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park in Cuba. (Image credit: Ana Luz Porzecanski) I am happy to continue in the footsteps of Thorbjarnarson and my amazing colleagues in Cuba. Using our passion every day to help species, ecosystems and communities thrive gives us a sense of purpose and brings us together. But I truly believe that the strides made by women in the field of conservation will be meaningful only if these achievements by conservation role-models and leaders open up a path for the next generation of young women scientists. Such a path would include more opportunities for matching young female conservationists with mentors, and more concrete avenues that provide that precious "first opportunity" in conservation for aspiring women. I have no doubt this a new wave of women will bring creative solutions to conservation challenges in ways we cannot even imagine today. I had a taste of that at the "The Girls Advancing in STEM Conference" last year. There, 100 high school girls from around the United States gathered to learn about science, technology, engineering and math, the STEM fields. Through mentorship and establishing connections, we can not only let others know about our work but, most importantly, unleash so much potential as a community of women conservationists in the world. Together, we can advance to all levels of leadership and responsibility. One thing is clearer than ever to me today. These are exciting times to be a woman (and a man) in conservation! A baby American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) as it hatches from its shell in Cuba. (Image credit: N. Rossi) The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science. Editor's Note: This article was updated to indicate that the Girls Advancing in STEM Conference took place in the United States, not in Cuba. Jason Fochtman, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle A Lake Conroe regional economic outlook conference will feature economist M. Ray Perryman, PhD, who will provide the keynote address at the March 29 event. The conference starts at 9:00 a.m. and features discussions ranging from healthcare and workforce development to flood mitigation and airport expansion. Perryman will provide an economic forecast for Texas and the Lake Conroe region. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has given Rio Grande LNG the green light in its review of the proposed $15 billion liquefied natural gas export terminal. In a letter of determination made public early Tuesday morning, PHMSA Deputy Associate Administrator Massoud Tahamtani wrote that the proposed project complies with federal pipeline safety standards. Among other safety features, Tahamtani noted that the proposed LNG facility is being designed to withstand winds up to 150 miles per hour. PHMSA's review will be used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to determine if the facility will receive a permit to begin for construction for six production units that will be able to make more than 16 million metric tons of LNG per year. A final permit decision by FERC is expected in July. Momentum: NextDecade lands state permit for Rio Grande LNG project Rio Grande LNG is one of two proposed export terminals being developed by NextDecade Corp. The Houston company is also seeking state and federal approval to build the Galveston Bay LNG export terminal in Texas City. However, as one of three LNG export terminal proposed to be built at the Port of Brownsville, Rio Grande LNG and the supporting Rio Bravo Pipeline face stiff opposition from a coalition of shimpers, fishermen, environmentalists, neighbors and communities working under the banner Save RGV From LNG. Rio Grande LNG and the Rio Bravo Pipeline have nonetheless taken some steps forward. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued state permits for the two projects in December. Earlier this month, NextDecade entered into a 30-year lease to develop the project on 984 acres of land along the north shore of the Brownsville Ship Channel. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox If approved by federal regulators, NextDecade is expecting to make a final investment decision on the project during the third quarter. The liquefied natural gas export terminal and pipeline are expected to result in more than $15 billion of private investment and create more than 5,000 construction jobs. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in downtown Houston, NextDecade employs 36 people and 11 contractors. The company reported closing 2018 with a $43.5 million loss and no revenue. With no plants or facilities in operation, NextDecade has thus far, been funded by investors similar to other LNG companies waiting on permit decisions. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show that the Houston company is still in the black with at least $3.2 million cash on hand and another $72 million in a highly liquid short-term cash management fund. Screwfest is coming to San Antonio's Paper Tiger for the first time this summer. The June 21 event with Lil Keke, Lil Flip, Big Pokey and ESG is part of "the greatest concert series celebrating the screw culture" created to honor the late DJ Screw. It will also travel to Houston, Austin and Addison. More than a week of partying is almost upon San Antonio, something locals have been waiting on for a year. They're circling dates, gathering their squads and hoarding medals in anticipation of the big event. Meanwhile, newcomers might still be trying to figure out why people are eager to stand in long lines for a skewered Tyson chicken patty. Native Texans are always proud to claim our Lone Star State heritage, and we're quick to share our familiarity with the state's history and geography. But even those of us who are fluent in Texan may find that there's some hidden nook left to discover, or maybe just a small town we can't get enough of. There's "weird" Marfa, a far west town stuck in the hippie era, one with a drawl. The growing popularity of this odd, art installation-filled town has some residents concerned that it will soon become another tourist destination with souvenir gift shops proffering flashy key chains. So get there soon, and opt to stay in a yurt, teepee or tent (pictured in the slides above). A Laredo man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for aggravated robbery and his participation in a jail riot that was allegedly caused by Texas Mexican Mafia gang members. Gerardo Javier Fernandez, 27, was sentenced after pleading guilty to the charges. On April 9, LPD received a call of an aggravated robbery that had just occurred. Upon arrival, an LPD detective met with some witnesses that saw a suspicious man wearing a blue hoodie outside of a shopping center in the 1500 of U.S. 83. The detective also interviewed an employee from La Pinguina Loca snack bar who stated she had been robbed at knifepoint. She stated that a man walked into the store and stared at her while he walked toward her. READ ALSO: Police: Man claimed he worked for the Mexican Mafia during arrest in central Laredo As she feared for her life, she tried to open the door, but he said he would kill her son if she did. She then turned around to face him and he punched her. Both parties began struggling until he managed to get up and take her to the register demanding her to open it. At this time, the victim's children started walking toward the door, but the suspect threatened them, stating that if they exited the store, he would kill their mother. With the knife on her back, the victim opened the cash register as he took $80. He ordered her to get on the floor, count to 10 and reminded her that if she called anyone, he would kill her sons. On his way out, he also stole her phone, which was left on the floor during their struggle. After an investigation, Fernandez was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony. RELATED: Sheriff: Nearly $30K in damages after Mexican Mafia gang members start riot in Webb County Jail Fernandez was also involved in a separate case that took place Dec. 11 when a riot ensued at the third floor of the Webb County Jail by Mexican Mafia gang members. As two correctional officers walked into a cell to search for contraband, they were assaulted by several inmates. A riot occurred shortly after where inmates were seen destroying objects and throwing various items at correctional officers. The inmates also caused a fire inside the jail during the riot. Fernandez, a repeat offender, pleaded guilty before the 49th District Court Joe Lopez to aggravated robbery last week and was sentenced to 19 years. He subsequently pleaded guilty to riot participation, a first-degree felony, and was sentenced to five years. The sentences will run concurrent. Assistant district attorneys Rene Benavides and Francisco Mendoza prosecuted the cases. A man wanted for stealing more than $15,000 in perfumes and colognes from a store in Mall Del Norte has been arrested, according to Laredo police. Ray Anthony Garza, 20, was arrested on Saturday and charged with theft. Authorities first arrested Jorge Andres Bernal, 24, on Feb. 22, on the same charge. A man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a couple of vehicles. On Sunday, Jesus Mata Jr., 30, was arrested in the 4700 block of Luka Lane after police pulled over a white minivan for a traffic violation. The patrol officer allegedly recognized Mata from a lookout placed out by the auto-theft task force. Mata was served with warrants that charged him with two counts of burglary of a vehicle and two counts of theft of property. One case unfolded at about 8:18 a.m. March 7, police officers responded to a burglary of a vehicle in the 3400 block of North Arkansas Avenue. A man stated that someone had broken into his white 2016 Ford F-250 and stolen several tools. READ ALSO: Pair of men arrested on drug charges after armed robbery reported along I-35 LPD said that video surveillance showed the suspect taking the tools from a toolbox in the bed of the pickup leaving the scene in a white Kia minivan. Another burglary of a vehicle happened Feb. 20 in the 700 block of Lindenwood Drive. A man stated that someone stole $750 worth of property from a green Chevy Silverado. Police said the suspect was seen leaving in a white minivan. Auto-theft task force handled each case and identified the suspect as Mata. A man involved in a vehicle crash that killed a mother and daughter during a human smuggling attempt in October has been arrested, according to Laredo police. Jose Angel Cisneros, 22, was served with a warrant in connection with the death of the daughter and charged with accident involving death. He was already behind bars on other charges, police said. Court documents show that Cisneros was indicted in January on two counts of accident involving death, an offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. READ MORE: Additional charges filed in fatal crash that killed Laredo mother and daughter The case unfolded at about 10:50 a.m. Oct. 11 when a detective requested a patrol unit to conduct a traffic stop on a black Dodge Ram that was traveling on Flores Street. The investigator noticed people hiding inside the Dodge. The driver of the Dodge then sped away. As the investigator was calling in the license plate number through the radio, he came across a crash involving the Dodge and a silver 2017 Kia Soul at Santa Maria Avenue and Pace Street. LPD said the crash killed the driver of the Kia, Lydia Garcia Velarde, 58, and her daughter, Ana Lee Soto, 25. Authorities said Cisneros was the driver of the Dodge. Several people ran from the area after the crash, according to police. One immigrant had to be taken to Doctors Hospital for treatment, according to police. RELATED: Border Patrol apprehend 16, including alleged human smuggling guide near Laredo A second suspect identified as Jose Antonio Martinez Saucedo, 20, was arrested the day of the crash. He told investigators he was hired to guide four immigrants who had crossed the border illegally by Rio Bravo, according to an arrest affidavit. Martinez Saucedo was indicted in January on a human smuggling charge. Cisneros was arrested on Oct. 13 for the death of Garcia Velarde and for the injured immigrant, according to police. He was released on bond on Oct. 18, according to Webb County Jail records. When commentators rushed to explore New Zealand's gun laws following the Christchurch mosque attack almost two weeks ago, they kept circling back to one role model: Australia. After 35 people were killed in a mass shooting there in 1996, firearms laws were severely restricted, despite the country's previously relaxed approach to guns. The tougher laws have since been widely accepted by the majority of Australians, but a group of far-right lawmakers still hope to go back in time. At a time when Australia's far-right populists' role in stirring tensions with Muslims and other minority groups is under renewed scrutiny, Al Jazeera revealed on Tuesday that senior politicians with the far-right One Nation party may have sought up to a $20 million donation from the U.S. National Rifle Association (NRA) - in return for trying to shift Australia's public opinion on firearms. The revelations triggered a public backlash and condemnations from the highest levels on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison accusing One Nation for having sought "to sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders, to a foreign buyer, and I find that abhorrent." Morrison, from the conservative Liberal Party, defended Australia's strict gun laws, saying "they were put in to protect Australians." The two senior One Nation party members who were secretly recorded seeking gun lobby money, Steve Dickson and James Ashby, defended themselves on Tuesday, saying that they were drunk and that their quotes were taken out of context. "I never, ever, ever suspected in my wildest dreams that this guy was employed by a Middle Eastern country, by Al Jazeera, as an Australian spy to interfere in Australian politics," Dickson acknowledged to reporters after the Al Jazeera piece aired, referring to an undercover reporter who posed as a fake gun lobbyist, Rodger Muller. "This was not about sourcing money from the NRA. This was about sourcing technology, sourcing an understanding of how they operate, but never was it about seeking $20 million from the NRA," Dickson told reporters. According to Al Jazeera, the two lawmakers met with NRA representatives, but it remained unclear if the conversations yielded any outcomes. While hopes for specific amounts of donations are indeed only mentioned during a recorded conversation with fake gun lobbyist Muller, a separate recording appears to also show the two politicians meeting representatives with U.S. corporation Koch Industries, which is a key donor dedicated to a number of conservative causes. In that separate discussion, the two far-right politicians similarly appear to imply that they could help change Australian gun laws by changing the country's voting system. Koch Industries did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. In an emailed statement, Jennifer Baker, NRA director of public affairs, wrote: "A few years ago, representatives of the state-owned anti-gun Al Jazeera network, fraudulently disguised as members of a group called 'Gun Rights Australia,' set up meetings with NRA employees and brought members of an Australian political party to those meetings." "It has been reported that this Australian political party intended to seek funding from the NRA. At no time did the NRA contribute funding to any Australian political party or Gun Rights Australia," Baker wrote. The NRA has long tried to expand its U.S. influence abroad through other means, however, including to countries such as Australia and Brazil. While restrictions on foreign donations may have hampered some gun lobby support efforts, the NRA found other ways to shape public opinion abroad, even though its influence remains limited. "In most countries and at the U.N., it's amusing to see them laughed out of town, with the exceptions of Brazil and Canada," said Philip Alpers, a professor at the University of Sydney who founded a website that tracks gun policy worldwide. The arguments that were promoted by Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro earlier this year to make it easier for civilians to obtain and keep firearms may sound rather familiar to U.S. audiences. "This is so good citizens can at this first moment have peace inside their homes," Bolsonaro said after he approved the new gun laws in January. Compare that to NRA CEO Wayne La Pierre's controversial line: "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." In Brazil, NRA efforts to influence politics go back to at least 2003, when lawmakers toughened gun laws. Politicians deemed susceptible to NRA ideology were supported and trained by the organization at the time and in later years. Subsequent efforts to further crack down on gun ownership were defeated, after mass ad campaigns that reminiscent some of the NRA ads aired in the United States. In a country that suffers from an even higher rate of gun violence than the United States, the NRA's strategic support for pro-gun politicians has helped shape the belief among a large number of people that only more guns are the solution. Not everyone has bought into this rhetoric. A rare school shooting on March 13, in which five students and two employees were killed just outside Sao Paulo, Brazil, once again exposed a heated debate that might have looked very different without the NRA's global reach. Tuesday's Al Jazeera report similarly reminded Australians that they should not take their stricter gun laws for granted, either. For countries that are also major arms exporters, confronting the NRA's global reach has proven awkward at times, however, as they may share the same goals of lowering the criteria for weapons exports. In its push against tougher gun laws worldwide, the organization has at times even battled the United Nations and its Arms Trade Treaty, designed to stop weapons exports to countries accused of "committing genocides or war crimes." To the NRA, that particular crusade may have been all about domestic politics instead of a more sophisticated global objective. In a statement at the time, it warned that passing the treaty would mean that "U.S. firearms policy could become the rest of the world's business and subject to its approval." The perception that tougher gun laws abroad could also threaten the NRA's grip on power in the United States may still be good news for gun advocates in Brazil, Europe and Australia, who can hope for strategic support. But after the Christchurch shooting two weeks ago, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern proved that the U.S. gun lobby's reach has its limits, too. While New Zealand's previous gun legislation may have made the NRA proud, laws were restricted within only six days of the shooting. Tuesday's recordings in Australia and the debate they have triggered are yet another indication that the NRA's global pro-gun campaign could easily turn awkward in countries without a Second Amendment. LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May told fellow Conservative Party lawmakers on Wednesday that she was prepared to resign before the next round of Brexit negotiations, offering up her leadership post in an effort to persuade hard-liners to support her unpopular plan to exit the European Union. May's offer to curtail her political career to save her vision for Brexit was a desperate gambit. Whether it will be enough to pass her withdrawal plan was not clear. What was obvious was that Parliament still does not know its own mind on Brexit. In a special late-night session of "indicative votes," an effort to find new ways to break the impasse, the House of Commons could not produce a majority for any of eight different Brexit proposals put forth by members. The closest vote was for a "soft" Brexit based on a new customs union with the EU. It lost by eight. A call to stage a second Brexit referendum was defeated by 27 votes. On a day when Parliament thought it would take control of Brexit, May and her deal still dominated. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told the House that members' go-nowhere voting demonstrated that "there are no easy options here. There is no simple way forward." Barclay said the best deal on offer was still the one May negotiated, and he urged the House to reconsider it. "If we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end," he warned. May offered no timetable for her possible departure. Some Tory lawmakers said a leadership election within the party could happen over the summer, with May leaving 10 Downing Street by the autumn. Other reports suggested a new leader could be in place by July. Swapping prime ministers within the party would not require a general election. May's announcement was made behind closed doors, at a meeting of backbench - rank-and-file Conservative Party members at the Palace of Westminster. There were no reporters in the room. "I have heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. I know there is a desire for a new approach, and new leadership, in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I won't stand in the way of that," May told the Tory lawmakers, according to excerpts released by Downing Street. "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party," she said. While May's offer to step aside encouraged a number of Conservative rebels to say they now will support for her twice-defeated Brext deal, she still may not have enough votes for the deal to pass this divided Parliament. Crashing out of the European Union without a deal, as well as a long delay, a general election or a second referendum all remain options as the chaos of Brexit continues. The prime minister's surprise announcement was seen as key to getting dozens of hardcore Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, to back her Brexit play. Johnson, May's former foreign minister, suggested to colleagues that he will now support May's Brexit deal, this after months of condemning it as a treaty that would make Britain "a vassal" to Brussels. Rees-Mogg, a Conservative House member who is a power broker in these negotiations, said he would back May's deal as long as Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionists did. He tweeted that "half a loaf is better than no bread." He fears losing Brexit entirely. But on Wednesday night, the DUP said it still could not back May's Brexit, citing a too-great risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped by the arrangements made over how to keep the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic open. Without the DUP, May's deal faces tough odds. It was unclear whether May's promise to resign would be honored if lawmakers do not approve her exit deal. Critics were quick to note the vagueness of her vow to step down. "If I were them, I'd want it in blood," Margaret Beckett, a Labour Party politician, told the BBC. "I've lost track of how many times she's promised she won't lead them into the next election and suddenly it's turned out that she might after all." May was also criticized as focusing on her party and its fractious naysayers. "Theresa May's pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest," tweeted opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. "A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide." The Conservative Party has a long history of leaders being felled by issues concerning Europe. David Cameron, Margaret Thatcher and John Major were all toppled in part because of issues relating to Britain's relationship with the continent. But many lawmakers - of all parties - think May has made a shambles of the exit process. Her right-wing critics say May's Brexit plan could leave Britain too closely tied to European rules and regulations, failing the test of "taking back control" from Brussels. Those who want a softer Brexit say May set down too many red lines during negotiations. May says the withdrawal agreement, negotiated with her European counterparts over the past two years, is the best possible option and honors the results of the June 2016 referendum, in which voters opted to leave the EU by 52 percent to 48 percent. With the news that May could be stepping down, the British chattering class quickly pivoted to speculation over who might replace her. The top contenders, at least on Wednesday, included Johnson and the government ministers Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, David Lidington and Sajid Javid. Before May's announcement, the votes in the House of Commons had been expected to be the main event of the day. Speaker John Bercow opened the debate on different flavors of Brexit by saying he hoped it would "give the House a chance to start the process of positively indicating what it wants." The House's answer was a mush. There was neither a clear majority for a "soft" or "hard" exit from the EU. The Labour Party's plan for an "alternative" Brexit also failed. At the end of the day, the House managed only to continue to convey what it does not want, which includes Britain's leaving the continental trading bloc without a deal. The votes were nonbinding. Another round of such "indicative" voting could occur next week. After the results were announced, Oliver Letwin, the Conservative member of Parliament who helped pave the way for the indicative votes, said he had not expected any option to garner a majority, and he said Parliament should hold another round of votes Monday. Some lawmakers in the chamber jeered at him and could be heard saying "that's ridiculous" and "crazy." On the other side of the English Channel, the Europeans wait and wait. Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, told legislators Wednesday in Brussels that the EU should be open to a long extension if Britain wanted to "rethink" its strategy. "You cannot betray the six million people who signed a petition to revoke Article 50 - the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union," Tusk said. The general division in the British Parliament gave no clear indication to the Europeans what London might favor. Still, European leaders who gathered last week to give Britain a brief respite from its initial Brexit date also said they could extend the clock even further - if only the Britons would hold late-May elections for the European Parliament. Thus far, May, the prime minister, has refused. EU leaders also would embrace a British move to stay in the European Customs Union. Although that possibility was among the proposals rejected Wednesday, it was still one of the more popular choices. Some negotiators have said that arrangements for Britain to stay in the customs union could be made within hours - not days or weeks - and that doing so would ensure that the Irish border remains open. But Britain would be stuck without an independent trade policy, a disappointment to ardent Brexiteers. James A. Fields Jr., an avowed neo-Nazi who rammed his car into a group of counterprotesters at a 2017 white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, is scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday for a change-of-plea hearing on hate-crime charges. Fields was convicted in December in state court of first-degree murder for killing Heather Heyer when he ran his car through a throng of counterprotesters at the Unite the Right rally in 2017. He was charged in June with two federal hate crimes in her death and more than two dozen other related charges. He entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville. One of the counts Fields faces in federal court carries the possibility of the death penalty. When reached by phone Tuesday evening, one of Fields' public defenders, Frederick Heblich, declined to comment on the pending hearing, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in the Western District of Virginia also declined to comment. Such hearings indicate that a defendant may intend to plead guilty in the case, but no plea is final unless both sides agree and it is approved by a judge. Hundreds of white supremacists rallied in the city, nominally in support of Charlottesville's statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, after the City Council had voted to take it down. Fields, who was 20 at the time of the protest, did not deny that he intentionally accelerated his Dodge Challenger into a group of counterprotesters. His attorneys contended at his state trial that he feared for his safety and acted to protect himself. Last year, a jury in Charlottesville Circuit Court found Fields guilty of first-degree murder in Heyer's death and of counts in connection with injuries to other protesters. The jury sentenced him to life in prison on the murder charge, 70 years for each of five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, 20 years for each of three counts of malicious wounding and nine years for leaving the scene of a fatal crash. Judge Richard Moore, who has scheduled formal sentencing for Fields for July 15, can impose a lesser punishment than the jurors called for but is not allowed to increase the sentences. - - - The Washington Post's Paul Duggan contributed to this report. Prepare Your Business To Keep Running If The Worst Happens SRINAGAR, India - He was the kind of professor students adored, always ready to help with books, advice or small loans. His colleagues in the sociology department found him reliable and ambitious, a scholar whose research on consumerism might propel him to a post elsewhere in India. So it was out of character when Mohammad Rafi Bhat failed to attend a faculty meeting at the University of Kashmir one Friday afternoon last year. His family, too, had no idea where he was. Two days later, when his colleagues turned on their televisions, their concern turned to shock: Bhat was dead, having joined a group of anti-India militants who were killed in a confrontation with security personnel. Bhat's brief transition from academia to insurgency was part of a troubling trend. Growing numbers of young Kashmiris turned to militancy in 2018, according to official figures, giving new energy to an armed struggle that as recently as a few years ago appeared to be diminishing. Some of the recruits, like Bhat, are highly educated and have promising careers ahead of them; others are high school dropouts from rural villages. But each one embraced violence, drawn to a three-decade insurgency against Indian rule in its portion of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by India and Pakistan. One of the recent recruits was Adil Ahmed Dar, a 19-year-old suicide bomber who nearly sparked a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Dar drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a security convoy on Feb. 14, killing 40 paramilitary personnel. It was the worst such attack in the history of the insurgency, and Jaish-e-Muhammad, a Pakistan-based terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the bombing. Indian security officials accuse Pakistani authorities of sheltering the leadership of militant groups fighting in Kashmir, as well as providing them with guidance, training and material support. Pakistan denies the accusations but recently launched a crackdown on militant groups inside its borders. While India has repeatedly denounced Pakistan, it has remained nearly silent on the increase in local participation in the insurgency. Last year, 191 Kashmiris joined militant groups, according to an Indian Army official who spoke on condition of anonymity, up 50 percent from 2017, when the same figure was 126. As recently as 2013, the number of local recruits was just 16. Bhat, 31, received his doctorate from the University of Kashmir and began teaching there. His students said they were crushed to learn of his death but described it as a form of martyrdom. "It is a personal choice," said Mohammad Rayees Rafeeqi, 24. "You cannot stop anyone." Kashmir could be "hurtling towards a heightened phase of terrorism," according to an assessment recently published by the South Asia Terrorism Portal, a Delhi-based website that tracks militant groups in the region. Even as the Indian government has clamored for action against Pakistan, "what is being completely overlooked are strategies to restore internal stability and sober governance" to Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. Critics say heavy-handed tactics by India have bred anger and despair. Kashmiris describe a sense of daily humiliation, sometimes petty and sometimes grave, together with a feeling of suffocation by a conflict that shows no hope of immediate improvement. "We can say that Pakistan is fishing in troubled waters," Mehbooba Mufti, who served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir until last year, said in an interview. Last month, "a Kashmiri boy brought the two countries to the brink of war," she added. "It's very important to stop it now rather than wait for another bomb to tick." Today's militancy in Kashmir is smaller and less deadly than it was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Indian security officials say there are around 300 to 400 active militants, most of them operating in South Kashmir. Some of them are locals, while others have crossed over from Pakistani-controlled territory. The lure of militancy for local youths is a "cause of worry," said an Indian security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Militants have used social media to "glamorize gun culture," he said, while at the same time, "the world has become smaller." Events elsewhere in India or around the world now reverberate in Kashmir, feeding a sense that Muslims are under attack. In Srinagar, Kashmir's largest city, paramilitary officers stand guard on bridges and roads against a backdrop of stunning snow-capped mountains. Some walls still bear graffiti with the name "Burhan," a popular militant commander killed in July 2016. His killing sparked massive and violent protests to which India responded with deadly force. Naeem Fazili remembers his son Eisa, a university student, coming to him in an agitated state after a young engineer was killed in the 2016 protests. "You're saying that we should arm ourselves with degrees and knowledge" to help the Kashmiri people, Fazili recalls his son saying. "But what did this degree give him?" A school principal, Fazili placed a premium on education and sent his two sons to the most prestigious private high school in Srinagar. Eisa went on to study engineering at a university in the city of Jammu. Then, one day during his final semester in 2017, he disappeared. The day after Fazili began frantically searching for his son, he received a call from a neighbor. "Uncle, do you know how to use Facebook?" the neighbor asked, and he directed Fazili to a specific page. There, he found a photo of Eisa with an AK-47 rifle in his hands. It was "a bolt from the blue," Fazili said. His son was later killed in an encounter with Indian security forces in March 2018, the authorities said. Umair Gul, a doctoral student who has studied the history of the insurgency in Kashmir, wrote recently that educated Kashmiris have long formed part of the militant ranks. But thanks to social media, such examples are gaining new prominence and serving as a recruitment tool. Since the bombing on Feb. 14, India has sent thousands more security personnel to Kashmir. It outlawed an Islamist socio-religious group and arrested hundreds of its members. Authorities raided the homes of well-known separatist leaders. They also postponed fresh state elections, deepening the crisis of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, whose assembly was dissolved in controversial fashion in 2018. (Also last year, the Indian government began requiring foreign correspondents to apply for permits to conduct reporting in Jammu and Kashmir. The permit received by The Washington Post for this story limited the reporter to Srinagar and included a condition that the reporter not meet with people engaged in "anti-national activities," without defining such actions.) At the University of Kashmir, students in headscarves and hoodies strolled along paths beneath towering Chinar trees, their trunks pale in the winter sunlight. When Bhat disappeared from the campus on a Friday last year, his students didn't know what to think. Some believed he had gone for a job interview in the South Indian city of Hyderabad. Then they worried that he had been detained by the security forces and launched a day-long protest to demand his release. Bhat's father, Abdul Rahim, 64, a retired civil servant, broke down as he recalled the phone call he received from his son early on a Sunday morning last May. The professor turned militant told his parents that he was trapped in an encounter with the security forces and was going to become a martyr, his father recalled. He told them not to worry, that they would meet in the next life. Those who knew Bhat expressed shock that he had turned to militancy but not, ultimately, surprise at his motives. "In Kashmir, anything is possible," said Pirzada M. Amin, chair of the sociology department at the University of Kashmir. "It is a conflict zone. It can influence anybody." - - - The Washington Post's Ishfaq Naseem contributed to this report. Before 10 a.m. on another cold Thursday, Monica Diaz stirred in her tent, filled with dread. It had been two weeks since the last cleanup, and city workers would again be here soon, with their dumpster truck and police cars, to clear out the encampment. Every morning was awful, but these were the worst of all, when Monica, who'd otherwise be resting before work, was forced to confront publicly what she did her best to hide: that she's homeless. That she lives in a tent. That she just turned 40, and that this is somehow her life. "You ready?" Monica asked her husband, after a sleepless night at the base of Union Station, near CNN's Washington bureau, where the noise never stopped and they'd huddled together with their dog, Sassy, against the cold. "Somewhat," said Pete Etheridge, 31, sighing. They looked around their tent, which not only held the sum total of their world but also reflected a way of life that has, over the past decade, fundamentally changed the face of American homelessness. As housing costs climb ever higher in booming urban areas, the significant growth in tent encampments nationwide has become one of the most visible signs of the nation's failure to alleviate widening inequality. In Orange County, California, more than 700 people were cleared out of a tent city along the Santa Ana River last year after thousands signed a petition and Anaheim declared a state of emergency. Seattle, meanwhile, has allowed some tent cities to operate as de facto communities - long-term, regulated, even with phone numbers and addresses. And in Washington, the number of encampment cleanups has surged, according to city data, rising from 29 in 2015 to 100 in 2018. Monica, a stout, wavy-haired woman now living in her seventh tent after cleanup crews tossed the others, looked down the busy street and tried to gird herself for the indignities to come. She needed to place her clothing and blankets into black trash bags, take down the blue and gray nylon tent and wheel everything out of eyesight in a shopping cart. Then she would watch as workers wiped away any trace of her from First Street Northeast, wheel it all back, pitch her tent again, take an ibuprofen p.m. and then sleep it all away until it was time to go to the fast-food restaurant for work. "We got to take it all the way down there," she said, pointing toward the next street. Pete looked over everything that needed packing and was quietly shaking his head when a man in a brown coat approached. He'd come to cover the cleanup for Street Sense, a publication about homelessness, but now told them that the move had been canceled. The city was worried about hypothermia. Monica and Pete wouldn't have to dismantle their lives - at least not today. "It's canceled?" Monica said, putting a hand over her mouth and closing her eyes. "Oh my God! We were just about to move all of our stuff!" She hugged the man, and then Pete, the two of them overcome with such sudden relief that they began to cry. "I love you, baby," he said, pressing his face to hers. "We're going to make it," she said, reaching up to wipe the tears away from his face. Behind them was a sign screwed to a metal post. It showed the date of the next cleanup. Feb. 28, it now said. Ten a.m. Two weeks from today. - - - Life in the tent: Everything looks blue. "Our efficiency on First" they jokingly call it, imagining a different existence. On one side is the "wardrobe closet," where they store the clothing the church people gave them. In the middle is the "bedroom," where they've laid down blankets and sleeping bags. Off to the other side are the "kitchen" and "bathroom," where they put the groceries and toiletries that Monica can manage to buy with the biweekly pay from her job. That was where she had to go one afternoon soon after a cleanup. Just past 3 p.m., she unzipped the tent and awkwardly stepped out into the brightness of day. Eyes puffy, hair ruffled, exhausted, she pulled up the hood of her coat. Pete secured the tent with a padlock, leaving Sassy behind in a cocoon of blankets, and the two of them walked toward Union Station, which, for scores of homeless people like them, functions as the epicenter of daily life. It is where they can use a restroom, buy a cheap meal at the Bojangles' or McDonald's, get warm. Here, there's a largely invisible, parallel reality apart from the thousands of people whooshing through the station each day, catching trains, clutching coffee, going about the business of making it in a city powered by ambition. Some of those people are Monica's customers, and rather than risk seeing them while she was so disheveled, she walked in through a service entrance, hood pulled down low. She passed the spot where the trucks drop off their cargo and where the restaurants throw away their waste, considering again the same question: How did it come to this? She knew that she'd made some mistakes. Some bills went unpaid and debts had accumulated while she tried - unsuccessfully - to get a college degree at Towson University, ruining her credit. Then four years ago, she was charged with distribution of a controlled substance, a case that was dropped. But this? Not that long ago, she'd had a house, a car and a job - one with benefits and potential for promotion to management, at the Price Rite supermarket in District Heights, Maryland. And then Pete - the quiet, big-hearted man who got her phone number seven years ago, after they bumped into each other several times on the streets of Washington, their hometown. He told her they kept running into each other for a reason, and soon he was coming over to her house and that was that. Home for him was now with her. The first place they shared was a one-bedroom apartment in Temple Hills, Maryland. Rent had been an easy $900, which they managed with their pay from her job at Price Rite and his job stocking groceries overnight at a Giant. Monica cooked them Dominican and Guatemalan food most nights, recipes she learned from her mother and grandparents, all of whom had long since died. By May 2016, they'd gotten engaged, with Monica posting a picture on Facebook of the silver rings they bought for each other. But while their world was solidifying inside the apartment, it was fraying outside. Lynnhill Condominiums, where they lived, a massive building filled with mostly low-income tenants, was buckling beneath the weight of housing code violations. In October 2016, the power was cut because of unpaid utility bills, and some residents started leaving. But not Monica and Pete. "I'm basically living paycheck to paycheck," Monica told a television reporter, looking then like a different person - earrings in, hair brushed, glasses on. "I have nowhere to go." Less than a year later, the Prince George's County Fire Department condemned the building. "For your safety, you are being ordered to evacuate," a police offer said into a loudspeaker in the parking lot. But to where? "What did we do to deserve this?" Monica asked in another television interview, frantic. "We paid rent. We worked hard, you understand? So why would you do this to us?" Two years later now, long after they'd wound up on the streets and the condemned building had been sold to a real estate company, Monica and Pete walked up to the Union Station bus terminal. Nearby was a family bathroom. It was where Monica liked to go before work. There, she could lock the door, have a moment of privacy, breathe deeply and make herself clean again. But today the bathroom was under construction and closed. She sighed irritably. She knew how important it was not to look homeless. After Lynnhill was shuttered, and she was living on the streets for the first time, she held onto her Price Rite job for months. But her appearance deteriorated from sleep deprivation and infrequent showering, and she was fired for poor hygiene. Unwilling to let that happen again, she walked downstairs to the women's restroom below. It was as chaotic as she'd feared - tourists, commuters and homeless women, everyone jostling, waiting for a turn at the mirror. Finally, it was hers. Ten minutes later, she came out. Her hood was off. Her hair was up. White earrings shined from each lobe. Lip gloss sparkled. Pete smiled. "That Mulan look," he said of her hair now pulled back in a bun, before they walked up to the H Street trolley, where she'd catch a ride to work. He stood by her, trying to cheer her up, telling her how nice she looked. But she only glared at him. "This is not me, babe," she snapped, then caught herself, expression softening. "I'm just frustrated," she said. "I don't look the way I want to look. You keep telling me I'm pretty, but I don't feel pretty." Not wanting to talk about it anymore, she turned away from him and waited for the trolley to arrive, eyes searching the distance. - - - Days later, it began to snow early one morning, thick globs of it, and nearly everything closed along First Street. Pete was beginning to worry. He hadn't seen Monica for hours, not since she'd walked to Union Station to use the restroom after waking up. He well understood how homelessness can destroy a person - he'd been on and off the streets since he was 13 - and could see the corrosion in Monica. Lately, she'd been disappearing for hours and talking about having "crazy thoughts." What if she needed him now, and he wasn't there? He had to find her. "You seen my wife?" he asked one homeless man near the entrance of Union Station. The man shook his head. He kept on, searching for her in the food court, then on the ground level, going past where the fancy creams and chocolates and juices are sold, then to the McDonald's, whose seats usually were filled with the homeless. Nothing. This is not what he'd promised Monica. During their first night of homelessness inside a bus shelter near a hotel they could no longer afford, he'd told her, "We're going to be okay," and had meant it. Soon they moved to Washington, where Mayor Muriel Bowser had made addressing the city's homeless crisis one of her key issues. Maybe there, in the city where they'd once lived, they could get help. But they quickly learned, after seeking help from the city, that they were never the right type of homeless. They had a dog and weren't willing to leave Sassy behind, so the shelters, almost all of which were gender-specific, weren't an option. They also didn't have children, for whom there are more city resources. Neither had addiction or mental health issues, diminishing their chances of getting housing, because, in the difficult calculations service providers must make, other people always needed help more. "A perfect storm of bad factors," Ann Marie Staudenmaier, a housing lawyer with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, called their situation. "In the grand scheme of things, they're just not a priority." Pete now stopped another homeless man near a Pret a Manger. "You seen my girly?" he asked. One bench to another, this park to the next, he and Monica had slept wherever seemed safe in those first few months, until a woman from a church gave them a tent. It was everything. Finally there was somewhere to store the things that made them feel less homeless - a chain with a gold cross, a pair of Converse shoes that Pete, who loved fashion, had adored. There was a sense of privacy. But then a city cleanup crew came through while they were out, and they returned to find that their tent and all of their things were gone. All around them were other homeless people who'd undergone or would soon undergo the same sudden deprivation. "Crushed" is how one homeless man, Montrel Williams, said he felt after a recent cleanup stripped him of all he had. "They're taking what little we got." To the city, the biweekly sweeps ensure that public places are safe and clean. But to housing lawyers, advocates and the homeless, they're dehumanizing exercises that do little to redress homelessness and leave the people experiencing it worse off, materially and psychologically. Last year, the Washington law firm Covington & Burling filed a class-action lawsuit against the city, alleging it had destroyed unattended property during the cleanups and violated constitutional rights. The suit remains pending. Pete didn't know which discarded tent had stored Monica's Maryland driver's license, but the loss had severed her last connection to her old life. Afterward, the only full-time job she could get paid under the table and less than half of minimum wage, with overnight hours. He'd tried to help, getting some work on construction sites, but they never seemed to get closer to their goal. They needed $2,000, he figured, to pay the first month's rent and security deposit for an apartment to get off the streets. But now the problem was even more urgent: He couldn't find Monica. "Where did she go?" he asked aloud as he walked. "Where did she go?" Then: There, at the bottom of the steps, near the Metro entrance inside Union Station, he glimpsed Monica on her phone, which she charged at the train station and could use only while connected to WiFi. She was laughing, smiling bigger than he'd seen in a long time. Whom was she talking to? "We got to have a girls' night out," she said into the phone. "We're going to get pretty. I'm going to do your nails, and you're going to do mine. We're going to do our hair." It was her half sister, Selena, 12, living in New York with their father, a man Monica barely knew. Monica was asking to come visit for the weekend, to get out of the cold. "Maybe sometime this weekend, if Daddy's not too busy, because Daddy's working two jobs," she said into the phone. "I'm going to try to make it out there. You, me and Sassy, okay? I love you. I miss you so much. Tell Daddy, okay? Because I love you guys so much." She hung up, crying now, knowing she wouldn't make it to New York, that she didn't have the money for a bus ticket. "You okay, babe?" Pete asked. "I'm at my breaking point," she said. Payday was still three days away, she told him, and another cleanup was just after that, and she'd just had to panhandle for money to buy food. Panhandle, she said again, hating the sound of the word. "I'm so at my breaking point, I don't know what to do." So she did the only thing she could, walking slowly with Pete through the snow back to the tent, then laid down atop the concrete, curling up next to her waiting dog to try to rest before her next shift. - - - Not too long ago, Monica had worked at the cash register, chatting with customers as she rang up orders of chicken and fries. It was what she loved most about the job, getting to know the usuals, soaking in how they looked at her - as an equal, not as someone to hurry past on the sidewalk. But these days, Monica had come to trust herself less with that responsibility. A construction project was tearing up the street in front of their tent, and she felt herself fracturing. So she asked to be moved to the kitchen, where she worked late on Feb. 27, the night before the cleanup. Head down, she breaded and fried the chicken, talking to no one. She knew her co-workers didn't understand what had been going on with her lately, why she'd become so withdrawn. "Why are you so tired?" several of them had asked. She wanted to be honest. But fearful that she'd lose her job if she told the truth - that a homeless person was handling food - she lied. It was her younger sister, Selena, she'd say. She was having problems with school, and Monica had to get up early to take her to class. That story seemed to satisfy them, but more and more she could feel the two worlds she'd always kept meticulously separate - the working one and the homeless one - beginning to converge. She worried one night that she'd yell at a customer over nothing and get fired. And then she'd be left not with two worlds, but one, the wrong one. It took all of her effort not to think about that possibility, not to think about the dumpster truck coming the next morning, to keep her focus on her job. Bread the chicken. Prep the fish. Cut the chocolate cake. Stir the collard greens. Box the pastries. Prepare everything for the morning, when the restaurant would no longer cater to the drunks after the bars closed, but to the breakfast crowd. Then it was past 3 a.m., and she was leaving. She walked outside and saw Pete, waiting for her with Sassy. She petted Sassy and gave Pete a kiss, and together they all walked back to First Street, seeing the parked Bobcats looming just outside their tent, waiting for morning. They entered the tent and zipped it. Five hours later, they unzipped it. Monica emerged to see their encampment in upheaval. The man who'd lived beside them for months, who was drunk more often than not, was gone, to who knew where. A woman across the street, who raved at all hours about a Clinton conspiracy and yelled racist things at passerby, had pulled everything out of her tent, which she was taking down. The sidewalks were full: federal workers hustling into the Bureau of Labor Statistics, newscasters heading into the CNN offices, Howard University students who'd come to witness the cleanup. It was 38 degrees outside. As Sassy quivered, Monica piled everything they had into black trash bags, then handed them to Pete. Wordlessly, he placed them into a shopping cart, one after another, until a woman came up to him just after 9:30 and said something softly. He turned back to the tent, where Monica was packing. "It's off," he said of the cleanup. Another hypothermia warning. Inside the tent, she erupted. "Why do they keep doing this to us?" she said. "This is so frustrating!" "Come on," he said, trying to soothe her. "It's cold." But she couldn't stop, not now. Even if she suddenly was the person she'd never wanted to be - homeless, shouting in the streets. Workers in suits streamed past, ignoring the uncomfortable scene. Pete stood there, powerless to hold her together. "I'm so sick and tired of these people treating us like we're idiots!" she said. "I'm tired of being like this. . . . This day has been on my mind for the longest time. I've been looking at that sign, the 28th!" Down she spiraled. "I'm dying out here!" she said to no one. "I'm dying out here! Please, I need help!" "Monica!" Pete finally shouted. "Calm your voice down!" Now she was addressing the people on the streets. "Acknowledge us!" she said. "We're human beings! Please, just acknowledge us!" But people kept passing and, defeated, Monica and Pete slowly began taking the bags out of the shopping cart to reassemble their home. The wardrobe over here. The bedroom over there. Outside, another business day in professional Washington was underway and, inside, all Monica wanted to do was sleep. Nearby, the sign showing the next cleanup changed. March 14, it now said. Ten a.m. Two weeks from today. BALTIMORE - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday that he is looking forward to seeing details of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller but considers the summary issued by Attorney General William Barr to be "good news" for President Donald Trump that does not make him vulnerable to a primary challenge. Hogan, R, is being courted by some of Trump's GOP critics to run against the president in 2020. He has said he considers a primary challenge unfeasible - barring a major change in the political landscape - because of Trump's popularity among Republican voters. Barr's summary, which said Mueller did not establish that there was collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, did not appear to provide ammunition for such a change. Barr and other Justice Department officials say there is insufficient evidence to accuse the president of obstruction of justice. "We're all, I think, anxiously waiting to see more of the details," Hogan said at a news conference where he detailed crime-fighting efforts in Baltimore. The governor has made a point of raising his national profile since being reelected in November, making plans to visit New Hampshire in April and repeatedly drawing a contrast with Trump by calling for civility and bipartisanship in national politics. On Wednesday, however, his focus was on Baltimore, Maryland's largest and most struggling city, and his tone was decidedly partisan. Hogan described the city - where homicides have topped 300 for four straight years, even as homicide arrest rates have plummeted - as being in the midst of a "violent crime crisis." While some Democrats have criticized the governor for not doing more to help, Hogan said his administration is trying its best, increasing state funding for crime-fighting initiatives, sending federal and state law enforcement to help Baltimore police and opening a violent-crime joint-operations task force. He doubled down on his past criticism of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, saying its leaders should have supported a bill he introduced to increase the mandatory minimum sentence to 10 years for repeat offenders who use a gun to commit a violent crime. That legislation has not moved out of committee and is opposed by some who say mandatory minimum sentences worsen disparities in the criminal justice system. "Inexplicably, shockingly and disgracefully, the legislature has failed to support this," Hogan said. "How can anyone be against tough penalties for convicted felons who have been convicted multiple times who keep repeatedly shooting people?" The governor said he supports criminal justice reforms in general, noting that he backed legislation in his first term that reduced mandatory minimums for most crimes. "This is a tiny subset of the most violent repeat felons that we're talking about that just have to go to jail," Hogan said. "That's the only way we're going to keep our neighborhoods safe." Jake Weissmann, chief of staff to Senate President Thomas Mike Miller, D, said the legislative session is still in progress "and our committees are hard at work on many issues, including continuing our work to address crime in Baltimore City." Hogan and Miller both support legislation to create an armed police force at Johns Hopkins University - which more than 60 faculty members have said they oppose. U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D, spoke in support of the legislation earlier this month, telling the Baltimore delegation in the Maryland House that he came to them "to beg you to do something" to curb the violence. Hogan said again Wednesday that he was "shocked and appalled" by the revelation that board members of the University of Maryland Medical system, including Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, D, made business deals with the system that were in some cases worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said he looks forward to hearing what Pugh has to say about the deals, which were first reported by the Baltimore Sun. Pugh was in the hospital with pneumonia Wednesday. Spokesman James Bentley II said she plans to hold a news conference "as soon as possible" after her release. Hogan, who referenced a request by retired public corruption investigator James Cabezas that the state prosecutor's office look into Pugh's contracts, said he supports "getting to the facts and making sure we get all the information as quickly as possible." IRELAND- With just two months to go until the inaugural event, its the last call for businesses across Ireland to enter this years Energia Family Business Awards. Energia are calling on businesses both old and new across Longford to get involved. Entry to the awards is free of charge, and the deadline for entries is 31 March 2019. The first ever Energia Family Business Awards will be held on 24 May 2019 in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin. A recent study from Deloitte conducted on family businesses across 52 countries worldwide, found Irish family businesses tend to be more agile than their peers, and that they are also more likely to perceive themselves as innovative. In addition to this, 2019 research from PWC shows 70% of Irish family businesses grew within 2018 highlighting family business as an integral and vital component to the Irish market. Usually Irish family businesses are small and micro sized operations spanning over Longford. Launched by renowned business commentator and MC for the Energia Family Business Awards Matt Cooper, the event is Ireland's first of its kind, to celebrate generations of Irish family businesses. The awards will recognize businesses of all shapes and sizes across Longford, and all of Ireland. Applications for the Energia Family Business Awards are now being accepted via the awards website. Categories include: Energia Sustainable Family Business of the Year (Sponsored by Energia) Food and Drink Producer of the Year (Sponsored by Baker Tilly) International Family Business of the Year (Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland) Manufacturing / Engineering Family Business of the Year (sponsored by Intertrade Ireland) Tech Family Business of the Year Professional and Business Services Family Business Property and Construction Family Business of the Year Family Business CSR Award The Energia Family Business Awards will celebrate the hard work carried out by family businesses across Longford and all Ireland. It will also highlight family run companies and acknowledge their efforts to reshape the business landscape. Judges include JJ O'Connell, National Director and Co-Chair of Family Business Ireland, Mark Christal, Manager of the Regions and Entrepreneurship division Enterprise Ireland and Glyn Roberts, CEO of Retail NI among others. Speaking about the need for businesses across Longford to get involved, Energia Family Business Awards Event Director Katherine O'Riordan said: We encourage generational businesses from all across Longford to enter this years prestigious awards. We would like to acknowledge and highlight the amount of family businesses that continue to operate in Ireland, in trying times. This is the first year the awards have been held and I would encourage businesses old and new to show us all they have achieved. This week Irelands Got Talent goes live! The judges Jason Byrne, Denise Van Outen, Michele Visage and Louis Walsh, have scoured the length and breadth of the country looking for the best of Irish talent and after 8 weeks of auditions it is now time for 24 semi-finalists to deliver the performance of their lives. Dublins Helix Theatre will play host to two weekends of live shows with the first two semi-finals coming up this weekend Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st March. Just two acts from each semi-final will go straight through to the Grand Final. Among the acts competing the first live semi-final of the series this Saturday is Longfords own Sharyn Ward (33), who blew the judges away with her unique singing voice. The mum of two and proud traveller will stun audiences with her singing performances, which she hopes will change peoples perception of the travelling community. It was Irelands Got Talent presenter, Lucy Kennedy who discovered Sharyns amazing voice and encouraged her to audition for the show. Although hesistant at first, the Longford native, now living in Dublin, received a unanimous yes from the judges after Louis Walsh asked her to sing her second song, Finbar Fureys Sweet Sixteen. Tune into Virgin Media One on Saturday March 30th and Sunday March 31st at 7.30pm for the first of three semi-finals of Irelands Got Talent. For more MOR TALENT, Virgin TV customers can access a first look at some of the following week's episode exclusively on Virgin Media On Demand. A Longford GP has launched a scathing broadside against the cowardly antics of graffiti vandals behind the desecration of his surgery last month, telling them their actions will not drive him out of town. Dr Syed Ali broke his silence for the first time this week over an incident which he described as both terrifying and horrific for his family and patients alike. And, in a thinly veiled attack at those involved in defacing his clinic with anti-abortion graffiti, Dr Ali called on Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to intervene. I believe the people who are behind this nonsense were hoping to discredit and destroy my name but it hasnt worked, he said. Read more: Vandalism to Longford Medical Centre walls branded a 'disgrace' In a direct message to the perpetrators involved, Dr Ali said the countless messages he has received from colleagues, patients and the wider Longford community in the six weeks since, illustrated the level of public support that was now behind him. You wanted to create a problem for me and destroy me but it will never happen. It has had the opposite effect, he said. Dr Ali, who had been holidaying overseas at the time of the incident, told of the profound personal impact the episode has continued to have both professionally and on a personal level. And thats before any thought is given to the fact the incident and its prevailing fallout happened while he was thousands of miles away from home. My wife was all alone. She had never been stressed like this before and she had to call my daughters from Dublin to come and stay with her. My surgery is not the same as it was either. When they made this mess that day my patients who were sick didnt know what to do and some of them went home without seeing the doctor who was there. They were afraid and terrified. Read more: Graffiti attack on Longford Medical Centre condemned In reaffirming his own strongly held Muslim views that flies in the face of Irelands newly introduced abortion laws, Dr Ali said he remains convinced the incident was not the workings of anti-abortion vigilantes. The anti abortion people themselves know that I am against abortion. It is against my religion, he said. I am 100 per cent sure that there was somebody behind this who knew I was on holidays and wanted to create this stress on me. The local muslim leader also called on Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to step in and take a personal interest in his case given the extremely dangerous and divisory questions the incident has thrown up. In doing so, he issued a heartfelt message of thanks to the umpteen messages of empathy and support which have come his way from GPs and patients both locally and further afield. This was done to destroy me and destroy my name, he maintained. But it hasn't worked. It has had the opposite effect and in fact, strengthened my position and standing. These people must not win. They will not win. Read more: 'This is not the norm in Longford' as gardai look to make headway in hunt for anti-abortion graffiti artists Its been 28 years since The Bog Lane Theatre Group first produced the John B Keane classic, Sive, so theres plenty of excitement around the town as the group prepares to bring the popular play back to Ballymahon this weekend. Opening night is this Thursday, March 28, at 8.15pm and the play will run nightly until April 7, with the exception of Wednesday, April 3, when there will be no performance. Formed in 1988, the Bog Lane Theatre Group has been a pillar for the arts in Ballymahon for over 30 years. The group was formerly known as Ballymahon Dramatic Society, but when the group purchased the Bog Lane Theatre in 1988, it gave birth to a whole new movement in the south Longford town. The Theatre is owned by the group and weve staged many productions here in the past, under the direction of Ruairi Stafford who was artistic director for many years, said chairperson of the Bog Lane Theatre Group, Gemma Rowan. But what resonates with this play is that we staged it before. This year is the 60th anniversary of when John B Keanes Sive was first produced and its also our 28th anniversary since we first performed it. A lot has changed in those 28 years. The theatre has been beautifully refurbished, thanks to the hard work of Gerry Quinn (producer/director of Sive), Pat Lloyd (secretary of the Bog Lane Theatre Group) and Frank McGrath (PRO). We are very grateful to Longford County Council for their funding through the Community Enhancement Programme, which allowed us to give our auditorium our new look, Gemma remarked. A youth theatre group has been formed, thanks to the passion of Gemma Rowan and Frank McGrath, and there are plenty of summer camps and events for - and performances by - young people throughout the year. Read also | Playmaking: teaching kids in Longford the language of theatre The theatre also plays host to numerous events from single launches by local musician Katie Gallagher, to annual screenings by Still Voices Film Festival. Mickey Joe Harte will perform at the venue on April 26. The One Act Drama Festival, which sees nine theatres from across Ireland congregate in Ballymahon for three nights every year, is also hosted at the Bog Lane Theatre. What hasnt changed much, though, is the cast of Sive. There are some new faces in the group taking up some of the prominent roles, but three members of the cast in this years performance have been the life and soul of the group since the original production of Sive hit the Ballymahon theatre in 1991. I was the original Sive in the first production, which was 28 years ago exactly this month. That was March 1991, Gemma recalled. Adrian Duncan, who is the President of the Bog Lane Theatre Group, is playing the part of Mike Glavin. He played that role 28 years ago too and he gets to play the same role again. I asked if I could play Sive again but I cant, she laughed. Gemma still has an exciting role, though, this time portraying Mikes wife Mena, who is always in constant battle with Mikes mother Nanna (played by Michelle Doran) and is resentful of Nannas illegitimate grandchild Sive, who has been reared by Mike and Mena since the death of her mother. The third member of the original cast was local personality Michael Conlon, who played Sives love interest, Liam Scuab in 1991 and will this year take up the role of matchmaker, Thomasheen Sean Rua, who is enlisted by Mena to try and marry poor Sive off to an old farmer, Sean Dota, who will be played by Tony Tiernan. Read also: Making theatre available to everyone in Longford There are also two travelling tinkers, Pat Bocock and his son, Carthalawn, who will be portrayed by Paul Foxe (Paul is also artistic director of the Bog Lane Theatre) and Mike Farrell. Liam Scuab, the love interest of Sive, will be played by Nathan Conefrey, a product of the Bog Lane Youth Theatre. Liam is a cousin of Sives father and an educated young man who represents a new generation trying to escape the old ways. The role of Sive herself will be performed by BLT Youth drama groups Muirinn Claffey. This is Muirinns first full-length play and the group is delighted to have her in the cast. Rehearsals are going well. Were down to the wire now. Opening night is on Thursday. We have a cast of nine, which is a big cast to juggle and everyone has worked very hard. Its a tough play, and theres a lot of dialogue in it - but its a very well known John B play and we hope that everyone takes the opportunity to see it in our lovely new auditorium, Gemma explained. On behalf of the Bog Lane Theatre, I would like to thank everyone on an off stage for their hard work, dedication and commitment to Sive. And she has no hesitation in giving her assurances that this production will be unmissable. For tickets (15/10), contact 087 786 2496, send a message to @boglaneballymahon on Facebook, or email theboglanetheatre@gmail.com. Read also: Eimear Reynolds channels her inner Dolly Parton for St Mel's Musical Society, Longford production of 9 to 5 Jessica Thompson speaks to Longford author Darragh Coady about the launch of his debut novel, Temperance. Ernest Hemmingway once said that in order to write about life, first you must live it. Those words of wisdom certainly resonated with Longford town native Darragh Coady who has been besotted with literature for as long as he can remember. It goes all the way back to when I was a kid. I was blessed to have an aunt who loved music, art and books, Darragh reflected. By the time I was twelve I was quoting Oscar Wilde. By fourteen I was reading Ian Fleming. Casino Royale was the first piece of serious fiction I read and that was the moment the lightbulb went off. When I discovered Dylan Thomas and Jim Morrison, that really sealed the deal for me, but the one who inspired all my early efforts at poetry and songwriting was my first girlfriend. She brought out the best in me and shaped me as a writer. Now Darragh's love of writing is coming to fruition as he prepares to launch his debut novel, Temperance, in Longford County Library this evening (Wednesday, March 27) at 7.30pm. There are a lot of elements to what shaped this novel, Longford being the most important. Most writers usually write about what they know or experience and I do the same. The work is fiction and most of the themes within are easily relatable, said Darragh. Read also: Longford author to launch his debut novel The contemporary novel is set in a fictional town called Temperance during a recession and tells the story of Stanley, a young man divided between his fascination of one woman and his love of another. Stanley is a flawed person, a hopeless romantic. Hes the semi-comical, tragic hero of the tale, Darragh explained. I tend to take the quirks and mannerisms of people Ive met and they shape the characters, giving them a more credible voice and persona. Stanley is used to getting the girl, but when he meets a captivating Slovak girl named Violette one summer, he can't quite figure her out and is immediately infatuated. But when summer is over, Violette returns to her country and, sometime later, a newly-wed Polish girl walks into Stanley's life and it's love at first sight. He and the enticing Adelina click almost instantly and their friendship quickly blossoms into a forbidden romance. A few months later, Violette returns to Temperance. She is a changed person and Stanleys world is turned upside down as he must choose between the complex woman he can have and the unavailable woman he cant give up. There are subplots within. Its also about a small group of friends and their escapades, said Darragh. There is a strong sense of comradery amongst them. Their misadventures include botched camping trips, an awkward introduction to a one-night stands mother, several job dismissals and quite a few mammoth hangovers. There are some fisticuffs and betrayals, some laughter and some tears. Indecision is a pretty big theme throughout. Its something almost every character has in common; the decision to stay or leave, follow your heart or your head, the choice of doing the wrong thing even though you feel it is right. Darragh is excited to bring the story to the book-lovers of Longford this evening. Everyone has been very supportive, from the time I was kicking ideas around to finishing and Im overwhelmed by the amount of interest people have shown, especially Mary Carleton Reynolds, he said, praising the Longford County Librarian who offered a helping hand in the organisation of the launch. I am feeling nervous about the launch as Im not much of a public speaker, he added, but Denis Glennon, former principal of St Mel's College, will be the guest speaker. The book will be available at the launch and is available as a paperback and Kindle edition from Choice Publishing and Amazon. Read also: Drunken Love Sober - a short story by Darragh Coady The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has a network of almost 230 shops throughout Ireland including those in Dublin Street, Longford and Main Street, Granard This week SVP has launched a campaign urging people to come forward to volunteer in their shops to help with customer care, general housekeeping, merchandising, sorting and pricing clothing and other donated items. Lynn Byrne manager of the SVP East Region Shops says that volunteering in Vincents shops creates memories and is a great benefit to someoness life experience. It can enhance your skills and knowledge and you get to meet new people. Also by donating your time, talents, and passion you are making a real difference in your local community. There is no barrier to volunteering in terms of age , gender or nationality and to learn more we are asking people to call into the Longford town or Granard Vincents shops or telephone (01) 884 8217 or go online to svp.ie/shops she said. Vincents shops are a hugely important aspect of the service SVP provides to those who seek its assistance. Not only do the shops provide goods at affordable prices, they also provide an income source for the Society, which is directed back into the local community. Profit generated by the shops is recycled into local SVP Conferences to provide assistance to those in need. The shops also facilitate local SVP Conferences who often provide people with Vincents Gift Tokens for clothing and furniture. These gift tokens can be used in any of the Vincent shops. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 26 2019 The defendants are all identified by law enforcement as members of the Leeward clique of the MS-13 gang. Hauppauge, NY - March 27, 2019 - Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, and the Suffolk County Police Department today announced the indictment of six alleged MS-13 gang members in connection with conspiracies to commit two separate murders in Suffolk County. These were not empty threats; weve seen MS-13 gang members commit murders before of rival gang members and of their own associates who are accused of cooperating with law enforcement, District Attorney Sini said. Which is why we do not, and cannot, take the threat of MS-13 lightly. Had it not been for the excellent investigation and partnership of our office, the DEA, HSI and the Suffolk County Police Department, MS-13 would have committed these two murders right here in Suffolk County. Kevin Zuniga, a/k/a Sharky, 20, of Brentwood, is charged with two counts of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a B felony, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, an E felony. Jose J. Portillo, a/k/a Soldado, 28, of Maryland, previously of Central Islip, is charged with two counts of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a B felony, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, an E felony. Kevin Mejia Sandoval, a/k/a Abuelo, age 31, of Maryland, is charged with two counts of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a B felony, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, an E felony. Gerver A. Chinchilla Perez, a/k/a Antonio, 22, of Brentwood, is charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. Emerson Hernandez Escobar, a/k/a Wason, 17, of Brentwood, is charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. Rafael Hernandez Elias, a/k/a Poison, 17, of Brentwood, is charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. The defendants are all identified by law enforcement as members of the Leeward clique of the MS-13 gang. Portillo, Zuniga, and Mejia Sandoval are alleged homeboys in the clique who, as leaders here in the United States, receive orders from MS-13 gang leaders in El Salvador and direct local members to carry out the gangs missions. An investigation that began in the summer of 2018 revealed evidence that Zuniga, Portillo and Mejia Sandoval allegedly conspired to murder a fellow member of MS-13 who they believed was cooperating with law enforcement. This goes to show how ruthless this gang is and is part of their M.O.: They conspire to kill rival gang members, but they also conspire to kill their own when they allegedly violate the rules of the gang, District Attorney Sini said. The investigation also revealed evidence of a second alleged conspiracy by Zuniga, Portillo and Mejia Sandoval, that included fellow gang members Chinchilla Perez, Hernandez Escobar, and Hernandez Elias, to commit the murder of a rival gang member from the 18th Street gang. Our intelligence shows that their plan was to kill him by shooting him with a firearm they planned on purchasing, butchering him with a machete, or by burning him to death, District Attorney Sini said. Mejia Sandoval is alleged to have received permission for the clique to commit both murders from MS-13 leaders in El Salvador. All six defendants are also charged with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree in connection with an alleged conspiracy to illegally purchase a loaded firearm for the clique to use to commit the murders. They would have been successful in obtaining that weapon, and likely successful in carrying out these murders had it not been for the hardworking men and women of law enforcement, particularly the DEA, HSI and the Suffolk County Police Department, District Attorney Sini said. Zuniga and Hernandez Escobar were arrested as part of HSIs Operation Matador on May 30, 2017, and were released on bond on Aug. 1, 2017, and May 4, 2018, respectively. Mejia Sandoval was previously deported twice. The six defendants alleged crimes demonstrate the underbelly of the MS-13 gangs operations by using violence, retaliation and threats, said Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of DEAs New York Division. DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe from drug trafficking and the associated violence. There is no line that MS-13 will not cross, evidenced by their alleged conspiracy to kill even one of their own gang members, said Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York. HSI remains committed to stepping up its efforts to thwart MS-13 violence in Long Island, and by working collaboratively with DEA, SCPD and the Suffolk County District Attorney, we ensured that this alleged conspiracy to commit murder was not accomplished. The Suffolk County Police Department remains committed to maintaining the successful strategies we have in place to decrease and prevent gang violence, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. We will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to collect and share intelligence about gangs. We will not relent until we dismantle this violent street gang. Zuniga and Chinchilla Perez were arraigned on the indictment on Feb. 1 by Suffolk County Acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho. Bail was set for each defendant at $125,000 cash or $250,000 bond. Hernandez Escobar and Hernandez Elias were arraigned on the indictment on Feb. 4 by Judge Camacho. Bail was set for each defendant at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. Portillo was extradited from Maryland on Feb. 14 and arraigned on Feb. 15. Bail was set for Portillo at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond Mejia Sandoval was extradited from Maryland on March 22 and was arraigned today on the indictment. Bail was set for Mejia Sandoval at $500,000 cash or $1 million bond. If convicted of the top count, the defendants face a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison. This case is being prosecuted by Christiana McSloy, Senior Investigative Counsel to the District Attorney, and Assistant District Attorney Melissa Bliss, of the Enhanced Prosecution Bureau. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 26 2019 Emmanuel Paraisy, 14, was last seen leaving his home on Tuesday, March 26. Hempstead, NY - March 27, 2019 - The Missing Persons Squad is investigating a Missing Juvenile from Hempstead that occurred on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 7:50 a.m. and was reported to Police on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 12:20 p.m. According to detectives, Emmanuel Paraisy, 14, was last seen leaving his home on Rhodes Avenue. He is described as a male black, 55 tall and 160 pounds. He has black hair with blonde highlights and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue polo with white stripes, a blue sweatshirt, green jacket and black sneakers. The missing also has braces in his mouth. His possible destination is unknown. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 27 2019 More than a kilogram of heroin, 192 grams of cocaine, one firearm, 22 pounds of marijuana and approximately $220,000 were seized, Singas says. Mineola, NY - March 29, 2019 - Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced today that 14 individuals have been indicted by a grand jury on various charges of drug trafficking, weapons and conspiracy in Nassau County. The 14 defendants are charged with various crimes in one-33-count indictment and a separate three-count indictment including Operating as a Major Trafficker (an A-I felony), Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (an A-I felony) and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree (an E felony). Two of the defendants face 25 years to life in prison if convicted on their top charges. Three defendants have not yet been arraigned. As a result of executed search warrants, more than a kilogram of heroin - approximately 50,000 doses 192 grams of cocaine, one firearm, 22 pounds of marijuana and approximately $220,000 were seized. The heroin sold by this drug trafficking ring has been linked to at least one fatal overdose, underscoring the lethality of the poison that these defendants allegedly sold to line their pockets with illicit cash, DA Singas said. Thanks to the teamwork of the FBI Long Island Gang Task Force, weve removed at 50,000 doses of heroin from our streets and we are committed to ending this epidemic with every tool at our disposal. The spread of dangerous and often deadly opioids is leaving a devastating wake in Roosevelt, and other communities in Nassau County. Our partnerships in Nassau County and with other local, state and federal agencies allow us to use as many resources as possible to put these criminals out of business, said William F. Sweeney, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York FBI. The FBI Long Island Gang Task Force wants this investigation to serve as a warning to all the dealers who hope these arrests leave a void they can fill - we will pursue them, and do all we can to stop their illegal drug trade. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said, Todays announcement of the 14 defendants being criminally charged under this operation resonates the fact that the combined efforts of the Nassau County Police Department, the District Attorneys Office and the FBI Long Island Gang Task Force working cohesively together, did an outstanding job in removing criminals and drugs from our streets. We have removed a major drug trafficker and numerous other dealers off our streets which makes our communities a safer place to raise our families. 50,000 doses of illegal heroin, other dangerous drugs and a firearm off our streets which will never come in contact with the public which ultimately equals lives saved. Congratulations to all of the dedicated investigators and agencies on this case for a job well done. New York State Police Major David Candelaria, Troop L Commander, stated, Drug dealers bring fear and violence to our communities. This investigation is yet another example of a successful interagency cooperation, leading to the removal of dangerous narcotics from our communities and the arrests of those responsible. The New York State Police will continue to work relentlessly with our federal, county, and local law enforcement partners to combat the illicit drug trafficking on Long Island. Freeport Police Detective Sergeant Donnie Ethier said, Over the past six years the Freeport Police Department has seen a significant decrease in crime. This successful multi-jurisdictional collaboration is one of the tools used to accomplish our crime reduction mission. Todays arrests should send a strong message to drug traffickers that law enforcement will spare no resource or expense to protect the communities they serve from the vicious cycle of addiction and despair created by these miscreants, said Inspector in Charge, Philip R. Bartlett. DA Singas said that according to the 33-count indictment, the NCDA and FBI Long Island Gang Taskforce began investigating two alleged narcotics dealers, Darrell Boyd, A/K/A Fab and Jason Costa in March 2018. The indictment alleges that Darrell Boyd operated as a mid-level drug dealer from his Freeport home, assisted by his nephew Jason Costa and an unnamed associate. Costa allegedly sold to customers when Boyd wasnt available and the unnamed associate bagged heroin into glassine envelopes. According to the indictment, in addition to selling from his home, Boyd sold drugs directly to customers from his job as a janitor at the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County. Several of Boyds customers included Joey Bell, Darrell Wilson and Darren Bruce, who allegedly bought heroin for resale, not personal use, based on the quantities they were buying. Over the course of the investigation, defendants Tony McClam, Leonard Forbes, Christopher Thomas A/K/A Poke and Kenta Powell were allegedly identified as Boyds drug suppliers. Boyd allegedly acquired the drugs from his suppliers on a consignment system and repaid the dealers after he sold the drugs. As one of Boyds largest suppliers, McClam is alleged to have large amounts of narcotics shipped to New York from California. On February 25, 2019, a search warrant was executed on McClams home and approximately 1,200 grams of heroin, 19 pounds of marijuana and $890 in cash were recovered. Some of the heroin was found inside a large homemade candle. Additionally, more than $215,000 was seized from his bank accounts. At least one known fatal overdose is allegedly connected to this ring. The investigation is ongoing. The NCDA thanks the following agencies for their assistance on this case: FBI Long Island Gang Task Force New York State Troopers Nassau County Police Department Suffolk County Police Department Rockville Centre Police Department Nassau County and Suffolk County Sheriffs Departments The United States Postal Inspection Service Freeport and Hempstead Police Departments Orange County (California) Regional Narcotics Suppression Program Senior Assistant District Attorney Lee Genser and Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kantor of DA Singas Special Operations Narcotics and Gangs Bureau are prosecuting this case. Police: Two Busted in Connection with Burglaries of Merrick, Oceanside Businesses Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 27 2019 Robert Stoval of Brooklyn, 31, and Juan Grigg of Uniondale, 39, are charged with Burglary and Criminal Mischief, police say. Oceanside, NY - March 29, 2019 - Seventh Squad detectives report the Arrest of two men for Burglary that occurred in Oceanside. According to detectives, while on routine patrol units spotted two suspicious males in the rear of the AT&T store located at 186 Merrick Rd., Merrick. The two men, defendants Robert Stoval, 31, of Brooklyn, and Juan Grigg, 39, of Uniondale, fled on foot and entered a dark sedan. The vehicle fled northbound on Babylon Turnpike. Officers activated their lights and attempted to stop the vehicle. Robert Stoval refused to stop and struck a stop sign in the vicinity of Sunrise Highway. The vehicle continued on Sunrise Highway before finally crashing into a parked car at Mavis Auto Body Shop. Both subjects then fled on foot. Defendant Stoval was placed into custody by officers a short time later. The Nassau County Police K9 Unit assisted officers and apprehended defendant Juan Grigg outside of Saint Barnabas Church located at 2320 Bedford Ave. in Bellmore. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment and evaluation. Investigation revealed the above defendants were responsible for a Burglary that occurred at the Verizon store located at 3337 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside. According to detectives, the subjects broke into the front door and removed merchandise. Defendant Stoval is charged with Burglary 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree, Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer 3rd Degree and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. Defendant Grigg is charged with Burglary 3rd Degree and Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree. They were arraigned at First District Court, Hempstead. The announcement comes five months after the Irish former two-weight UFC champion was defeated by Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov in October. It was his first fight in the octagon in two years. It's not the first time McGregor has claimed to be retiring. In April 2016 he tweeted that he'd decided to "retire young" and was not included on the UFC 200 card. However two days later he issued a retraction, saying he hadn't retired but had fallen out with UFC bosses over promotional work. In September 2018, he launched an Irish whiskey brand, and UFC President Dana White made comments to media that seemed to imply McGregor's departure from the sport was imminent. In recent days he had mentioned a possible return to the UFC in July. Many on Twitter seem sceptical that McGregor is actually retiring, with some speculating it's a promotional move to build anticipation for a 'comeback' fight in the near future. In more recent news, McGregor "is under investigation in Ireland after a woman accused him of sexual assault in December, according to four people familiar with the investigation." - via the New York Times. The allegations have not been proven and the fact that an investigation is continuing does not imply that McGregor is guilty of a crime. McGregor's team have since made a statement on the matter: "This story has been circulating for some time and it is unclear why it is being reported now. The assumption that the Conor retirement announcement today is related to this rumor is absolutely false. Should Conor fight in the future it must be in an environment where fighters are respected for their value, their skill, their hard work and their dedication to the sport" A moving image of a 95-year-old war veteran marching against racism in Auckland last weekend has captured hearts across the world. John Sato was one of only two Japanese servicemen in the New Zealand army in World War Two, and caught multiple buses from his Howick home to attend Sunday's march. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported Sato couldn't sleep after hearing about the Christchurch attack. "I didn't sleep too well ever since. I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people." He said he left his house on Sunday at around 10am to visit a mosque in Pakuranga before deciding to go into the city centre for the march. In a series of powerful photos, Sato is seen flanked by a police officer and a member of the public, as they fell behind the main marching group. The Washington Post said his "journey and presence at the rally have become a small symbol of the emotion that has poured forth in New Zealand." Sato told RNZ he was well looked-after at the march, even got a lift home afterwards. "Policemen took me all the way home, waited down there until he saw me getting up the stairs. The tragedy in Christchurch, look at what it brought out in people. It shows the best of humanity." He said the tragedy in Christchurch was an opportunity to learn. "We all go through our furnace in certain ways and some of the things that happen to us will make you more understanding, I hope." Credit to Alice Webb-Lidall and Newshub. The FBI and Boston Police Department are asking for the publics help identifying four people who are being sought as witnesses in connection with the kidnapping of 23-year-old Jassy Correia. Correia was abducted Feb. 24 after she left a Boston nightclub. Authorities said Louis D. Coleman III, the man charged in connection with her kidnapping and death, was found in Delaware four days later with Correias body in his vehicle. The FBI said the four witnesses were in the area of Tremont and Stuart streets in Boston around the time Correia was allegedly abducted and are not suspected of any wrongdoing. Authorities said they may have information that will help in the case. The agency released a video and photos of the individuals, which show an unknown man with facial hair and a dark jacket with a white undershirt and dark pants. Next to him is an unidentified woman wearing a black dress with a dark green jacket and dark, knee-high boots. The unknown woman next to her is wearing a dark outfit with a tan jacket and black boots, and the last woman is seen wearing a dark jacket over a multicolored dress with black knee-high boots. All four are believed to be in their 20s and appear to have light skin and dark hair. Were asking the public to take a close look at these images to see if they can help us identify these people because we believe they may have information that could enhance our investigation, Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, said in a statement. We want to emphasize that these folks are not suspected of any wrongdoing. We just really want to talk to them to find out if they have seen or overheard something that could help us bring some closure to Jassys family. A social media campaign, including advertisements on Facebook, will run in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island during the next month. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI Boston Divisions Violent Crimes Task Force at 857-386-2000. Tips can also be electronically submitted at tips.fbi.gov. Women in white wedding gowns crowded outside the House chambers at the Massachusetts State House Wednesday morning, calling attention to child marriages that continue in the state. Some wore veils. Some were shackled at the wrists. Not Tammy Monteiro. Ive had to go through years of trying to rebuild my mind and my spirit, said Monteiro, wearing a loose-fitting wedding gown. Its taken literally years, but Ive done it because Im not going to live my life as a victim. Monteiro, 36, of New Bedford, fled the state a year ago to escape a 20-year marriage where she endured spiritual, emotional and financial abuse. She described her husband, who is eight years older, as a member of an extremist religious group that groomed her as a teenager and got a judge to approve him taking custody over her so they could marry. Now a member of the New Jersey-based group Unchained At Last, Monteiro returned to Massachusetts to campaign for bills that would ban child marriages in Massachusetts, proposed by state Rep. Kay Khan, a Democrat fromNewton, and Democratic Sen. Harriette Chandler of Worcester. The protesters marched down the hall to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Bakers office, where they were greeted by a member of his staff. They also testified on Tuesday during a legislative hearing, where Monteiro delivered an impassioned speech about having been groomed for child marriage. Women wearing white wedding gowns and shackles called for the passage of a bill that will ban child marriage in Massachusetts. #MApoli pic.twitter.com/JFXfziuMWZ Steph Solis (@stephmsolis) March 27, 2019 The legal age of marriage is 18 in Massachusetts, but a judge can approve the marriage of minors with consent of a parent or guardian. Those minors cannot leave the marriage until they turn 18 without consent of a parent or legal guardian. Nor can they get help from domestic violence shelters or enter foster care during that time, advocates say. At least 1,231 children were married in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016, Khan said. Eighty-four percent were young girls married to adult men. National statistics show that people who marry before age 18 have a 70 to 80 percent chance of ending up divorced. They also have a higher chance of ending up in poverty, experiencing domestic abuse and dropping out of high school. Khan and Chandler introduced similar bills in 2017 but they died in the Legislature. They re-introduced the bills, H.1478/S.24 in January. This bills time has come," said Fraidy Reiss, executive director of Unchained At Last. "This time, this bill is going to pass, and were going to make sure of it. Reiss, who called child marriage a human rights abuse, was forced into marriage by her parents when she was 19. She got divorced 15 years later and founded Unchained At Last. Her organization helped pass laws banning child marriage in New Jersey and Delaware. Members of Unchained At Last sang as they waited to meet with an aide from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker at the State House in March 2019. The New Jersey-based advocacy group is pushing for the state to pass a law banning child marriage.Steph Solis / MassLive file Children across the country, often teenage girls, have been coerced into marriages by their parents or guardians for reasons ranging from money to immigration to religion or culture, advocates say. Others were primed by older men, like Monteiro. He told me that I was Gods chosen people, that I was chosen, Monteiro said of her now-estranged husband, and that God somehow sent me to him to be his bride. Monteiro was age 16. He was 25. She was in foster care, but the man convinced her mother to give him custody of the teenage girl in court. She spent the next two decades at home raising their eight sons she was told to be a keeper at home, like the Bible states before leaving the state. Her outlook on the relationship changed five years ago after the death of her mother and the suicide of her 15-year-old sister. She spent the last five years trying to get a divorce before walking out one night. "I had to restructure the way that I thought, the way that Id seen the world and the way I had seen God, she said. Sabrina Moldt, director of policy and advocacy at Unchained At Last, said people often mistake child marriage as a practice that only happens overseas. It happens in America, and it happens with shocking frequency, she said, and it happens in Massachusetts. UMass Amhersts surprise acquisition of Mount Ida College last year raised lots of questions, including those about plans for the new campus in Newton. This week, university officials showed that they have fully fleshed out one of their original plans, inviting their undergraduate students to sign up for short-term housing at the Newton campus if they have summer internships or co-ops in the Boston area. Promising great rates, air-conditioned rooms and award-winning UMass Dining, officials reached out to students with an email Tuesday touting the idea of living on the Newton campus for the summer and commuting to work. "A summer internship or co-op in the Boston area provides so much more than just professional experience," the email said. "There's also the experience of city living, filled with action, excitement and opportunities. Of course, you also have to consider the cost and the commute. That's why you should start thinking about living on-campus at the Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst in Newton." There are 820 residential beds on the Newton campus, and a university official confirmed to the News Service that 134 will be available this summer. Urging students to lock down placements, the university sweetened its offer by highlighting free transportation from campus to the MBTA Green Line, "access to our complimentary fitness center, fun activities and even free parking!" In April 2018, after the Mount Ida acquisition was announced, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said the campus would serve as an additional instructional site and would not admit undergraduate students directly. The Newton campus "will serve as a center for student-focused experiential learning and a hub of research industry collaboration that will benefit both the surrounding community and the entire Greater Boston region," Subbaswamy wrote in a letter to lawmakers, pledging programs in Newton that are aligned with demand for workers in health care, business, computer science and STEM fields. Housing revenue derived from the Newton campus was identified as a source to help offset $70 million in debt associated with the deal. A UMass Amherst official said the summer housing initiative was rolled out following talks with officials in the Newton and Needham area and as part of plans to build opportunities for students to connect with jobs. UMass Amherst enrolls 11,000 undergraduate students from the Greater Boston area. Identifying the summer term as May 19 through Aug. 18, the university quoted rates of $1,500 or $150 per week for a single room, and $1,000 or $100 per week for a double. Students who choose to live on the Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst will be required to have a meal plan. The options are: five-day weekday meal plan at a cost of $1,400 or $140 per week, or a seven-day plan for $1,800 or $180 per week. LANESBOROUGH Look at the 27 malls owned by Mike Kohan and his Kohan Retail Investment Group and a pattern quickly emerges. Kohans malls shut down intermittently and without warning as was the case with the Berkshire Mall, which shut down for nearly a week and counting after it lost power. Despite Kohans protestations, the power remained off and the mall remained closed Wednesday. At other properties, taxes and utility bills go unpaid. Sheriffs sales and tax takings are scheduled. In time, redevelopment plans emerge, but with someone other than Kohan in the drivers seat much to the relief of local officials who still, even in the internet age, depend on real estate tax revenue generated by retailers. News reports of Kohan-owned malls not paying taxes, losing stores and failing to attract shoppers date to at least to 2009. Kohan couldnt be reached for comment Wednesday. But in repeated previous interviews he has said the retail industry is tough right now, and thats why his properties are struggling. Mall shopping is down and chain stores are closing. Hes trying, he says, to fill malls with locally owned stores. And hes not sour on the mall business: Kohan has spent $46 million to buy eight malls in the past 18 months, including the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle, Maine, according to media reports of transactions around the country. During that time he also sold malls in Iowa, Pennsylvania and North Carolina and dealt with overdue bills at other sites. At the Washington Square Mall in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kohan paid $1.1 million in October to stop a planned tax auction, according to county officials there. Then theres the Lycoming Mall in Pennsdale, Pennsylvania, where Kohan paid $58,900 in January to settle delinquent water and sewer bills and stop an auction, according to the Lycoming County Sheriff. Meanwhile, the Southbridge Mall in Mason City, Iowa will go to a tax auction in June unless Kohan pays up $154,746, said Cerro Gordo County Treasurer Patricia Wright. Two checks from Kohan totaling $150,000 bounced back in December but Wright said she expects him to come forward with just enough money to put off the tax taking. Hes done it before. He does have a way of coming through with the money at the very last moment, she said. Hes very nice to work with on the phone. He is always talking about plans for the mall, and how he wants to make things right. But the mall is nearly vacant, and Mason Citys government is in negotiations to build an arena and hotel on the property. The deal would move faster if the property sold at auction. The decline of the Southbridge Mall mirrors that of the Berkshire Mall, which had 100 shops and restaurants when it opened in 1988. Today, the 86-acre property has just 17 tenants. The mall has been closed since March 21 due to a power outage the third such instance over the past two years. Kohan, who also goes by other names, including Mehran Kohansieh, said the shutdown didnt include the Berkshire Mall Regal Cinemas 10 and Target store. The shutdown came the same week the towns Baker Hill Road District won a court judgment against Kohan for $294,203. That total includes the tax, accrued interest and costs. Mark W. Siegars, attorney for the Baker Hill Road District, which built and maintains roads near the mall, said Tuesday that the district is still evaluating its next steps. The Berkshire Mall also owes $363,700 to Lanesborough itself, including the new taxes, back taxes and penalties, which are due May 1, according to the town. In 2018, Kohan paid nearly $1 million in back taxes few days before he was to have lost the property to a tax taking, according to the town. Other debts and decay At Great Northern Mall in Clay, New York, Kohan is nearly $3.1 million in arrears on his county, school and local property taxes, said Donald Weber, director of real property tax services for Onondaga County. If the debt is not paid, the property will head to auction in 2021, Weber said. Youll see most of the tenants are leaving the mall, he added. Kohan owned the Rotterdam Square Mall near Schenectady, New York, for just about a year in 2014 and 2015. The mall closed abruptly in January 2015 after he failed to pay the power bill. The Rotterdam Square Mall has since been sold again, and redeveloped as VIA Port Rotterdam. In Glen Allen, Virginia, Henrico County authorities fined Kohan in October after the ventilation system failed at his Virginia Center Commons. He was also cited because the parking lot was in disrepair. In Richmond, Ohio, developer DealPoint Merrill purchased an old Sears and 22 acres of parking lot at the Richmond Town Center Mall last year. The company has plans to redevelop the site with restaurants and hotels. But Kohan owns the rest of the mall, according to a report on Cleveland .com, and municipal officials express frustration that he wont do a similar redevelopment or sell to someone who will. At Berkshire Mall, the town and the Baker Hill District brought in the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to come up with redevelopment plans. Thomas Matuszko, executive director of the regional planning agency, said the town and the district need the property just off busy Route 8 to be economical viable and generating revenue. Its a regional priority, too, with the Berkshires chronically short of jobs. Ideas include housing, agriculture, research and development or warehousing, as well as retail. We are looking at nontraditional uses of that property, he said. We are looking at what parts of the property we can keep and repurpose. He said he'll have results to present in April. Kohan said this week that hes working on redevelopment plans for the Berkshire Mall as well. But he doesnt want to tear down all or even portions of the mall. He said hes in talks with a marijuana entrepreneur. Self-storage might be another idea, he said. SPRINGFIELD Five New England union locals representing together more than 31,000 Stop & Shop employees have returned to the bargaining table with the grocery chain. Members of United Food and Commercial Workers International have been without a contract since the end of February. At a rally last week outside the Chicopee Stop & Shop, union negotiators described the companys wage and hour and benefit proposals as draconian. This week, presidents of all five New England locals FCW Local 328 President Tom Wilkinson, Local 371 President Tim Melia, Local 1445 President Jeff Bollen, and 1459 President Tyrone Housey issued a joint statement. The unions met with Stop & Shop leadership on Tuesday and Wednesday and plan to meet again Thursday. This week marks a critical time in our negotiations with over 31,000 hardworking New Englanders working for over a month without a new contract ensuring their health care, benefits, and take-home pay.," the presidents said. "These vital benefits are what makes Stop & Shop a good place to work and shop and we are committed to making sure workers can provide the great service our communities and customers rely on. We only hope that the company stops being unreasonable and sees how important it is to reach an agreement this week. All five unions have voted to authorize strikes. But the unions havent scheduled strikes. If they do, they could pull workers from one or from a few stores at a time. Negotiations are happening as the states labor market tightens. Statewide unemployment is 3 percent, lowest its been in 15 years, With headquarters in Springfield, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1459 represents about 1,300 Western Massachusetts Stop & Shop workers. UFCW says Stop & Shop is proposing a bad deal for workers that would cut current benefits, including health and welfare and pension plans, replace Sunday time-and-a-half pay with a smaller wage premium and cut paid holidays, vacations and sick days for new hires. The union says the company has proposed bonuses in lieu of cost-of-living wage increases. Union leaders also worry about wage compression now that the legal minimum wage in Massachusetts has risen to $12 an hour as of Jan 1. The problem, Housey said, is that $12 puts new hires at the same rate of pay as some Stop & Shop workers whod worked years to get a raise up from the old minimum wage. Those workers havent gotten raises to keep them above the new minimum wage. The unions also complain that Stop & Shop is replacing union jobs with technology like self-scanners and robots named Marty that now rove Stop & Shop aisles looking for spills and hazards. Stop & Shop management said it wants a deal that will allow it to grow its business in a competitive environment. Stop & Shop is the only large fully unionized food retailer left in New England. Company officials say it must have a deal that allows it to compete with nonunion employers like Big Y, Market Basket, Walmart, Whole Foods/Amazon, Costco and Aldi. Also this week, the UFCW posted on its Facebook page letters of support from Massachusetts two U.S. senators, Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren. Unions like UFCW built Americas middle class and will continue to provide middlee class careers for years to come, Warren wrote. A popular Cape Cod ice cream shop that closed in September has found a new home. The Ice Cream Smuggler, which closed in September after 40 years, received a special permit this week to convert a former Bank of America building in Dennis into a 35-seat ice cream parlor, according to the Cape Cod Times. Wondering if its safe to open up your last Smuggler quarts? It depends on how well you can pace yourself.. The good news is that we are one step closer to opening this season, the business wrote on Facebook. We will share details when they are certain and we have them but for now please know we are working very hard to celebrate our 41st season with our amazing customers! The Smuggler closed its location on Route 6A in Dennis last September after owners Carter and Paul Catalano lost a legal battle with their former property owner, Patricia Hasset, who built and founded the Smuggler in 1979, according to the Times. The Catalanos bought the business in 2005 and wrote on their website that their landlord did not give them the opportunity to negotiate a new lease. Instead, they said that Hasset leased the building to a different ice cream chain Cape Cod Creamery without their knowledge. The Smugglers new location at 1555 Route 6A is 2 miles from its original spot. We would like to thank you- the Smuggler community- for your fierce loyalty, your kindness and your commitment to keeping our store in Dennis, the Catalanos previously wrote on their website. You have rallied around us and we are blown away by your generosity and offers to help." SOMERS-- The Village Players are set to stage their spring dinner theater event, Friday through April 13, with their production of Over the River and Through the Woods by Joe Pietro. Set in Hoboken, New Jersey, this very funny family drama centers around Nick, a young Italian fellow, whose routine is to visit his two sets of grandparents every Sunday for dinner. That is, until he has to tell them hes being transferred to Seattle,Washington for his dream job. His granparents feel betrayed and conspire to find a way to keep him nearby. The performances will be staged at Joannas Cafe and Banquet Facilities at 145 Main St. and includes not only the play but also a social hour with cash bar, and a buffet dinner beforehand. The one matinee on April 7 includes the same formatting with a social hour, buffet lunch and the show. The cast is drawn from around the region, bringing together six actors in an ensemble setting. The dialogue is authentic, witty and poignant, and even in rehearsal, the actors gave it its full due. The production is directed by Daniel Cohn, an actor with both off-broadway and Hollywood experience. This group makes it easy, he said of the cast. Several have performed here before, but some of the actors are brand new to this venue. They are all very professional and take direction very well. Jason Fregeau, the stage manager, who Cohn calls the best stage manager hes ever worked with, said that Cohn is good at coaxing the best out of the actors. According to Angela Taylor, publicist, who has, herself, performed in several past plays, the ensemble has been in rehearsals since mid-January after auditions in December. They started rehearsing twice a week and are now up to three times a week. They are part of a long history of performances by The Village Players, who first organized in 1971, and have staged at least one play every year since then. The group also supports the high school drama club and runs summer theater classes for children. Over the next year, The Players will stage two more shows, Steel Magnolias in the fall and I Hate Hamlet next spring. Tickets for Over the River and Through the Woods must be reserved ahead of time, either online at somersvillageplayers.org or by calling 860-265-3342. The cost is $40 per person and includes the buffet meal and the show. There is also the option of reserving a table for a large group. Detailed information about how to do that is online. For more information about the play and the dinner, or about The Village Players, visit their website at somersvillageplayers.org GREENFIELD Award-winning author and educator Megan Dowd Lambert will present a workshop, How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking About What They See, Saturday, April 6, at Greenfield Community College. The free educators workshop, set for 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the GCC dining room, is open to the public and is based on Lamberts book of a similar name. It deals with incorporating all aspects of picture books as well as the children as participants into a shared storytime for maximum benefit to the child in what is called a Whole Book Approach. It is being sponsored by GCC and Chicopees Elms College to mark the start of the Week of the Young Child, an annual event promoted by the National Association of Educators of Young Children. Workshop participants will receive a certificate of attendance. Lambert says on her website that she thinks of the Whole Book Approach as a means of reading with children, as opposed to reading to them, as it invites children to make meaning of text, art, and design the whole book. A graduate of Smith College in Northampton, where she majored in African-American studies and government, Lambert earned a masters degree in childrens literature at Simmons University in Boston, where she is now a senior lecturer in childrens literature as well as on their satellite campus at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. It was during her 10 years as an educator at the museum that Lambert developed and used the Whole Book Approach model to storytime that the museum, which opened in 2002, has said it continues to use today. Lamberts workshop will deal with ways for storytime to be an engaging reading experience for children as they react to both the art, design and text of picture books and share their reactions. She will also discuss how she developed her Whole Book Approach storytime model in association with the museum. Lambert won a 2016 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor for her first picture book, A Crow of His Own, illustrated by David Hyde Costello (Charlesbridge 2015). Lambert has said her second picture book, Real Sisters Pretend, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell, was inspired by a loving conversation about adoption between two of my daughters after a stranger questioned whether they were real sisters. It was named a Must Read title in the Picture Book/Early Reader category of the 17th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards. A Kid of Their Own, a sequel to A Crow of His Own, with illustrations by Jessica Lanan, is scheduled for release in 2020. Her new beginning reader series about two girls who are best friends is also scheduled for release in 2020. The World Eye Bookstore will have books for sale, and a book signing will follow the workshop. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited. Register by contacting Meghan Keane, Elms College off-campus program coordinator, at keanem@elms.edu or (413) 775-1257 AMHERST -- Two people have been charged in the homicide of a 72-year-old local woman who was found dead in a shallow grave in Jamaica, including a 33-year-old man who had a common-law relationship with the victim. Nancy Hardy was reported missing from her home in Whithall, Negri,l on Nov. 24. Hardy, who is from Amherst, was found four days later in a shallow grave. Police have now charged Kemar Rasta Grant, 33, with her murder. Cedric Smurf Johnson, 32, was also charged on one count of accessory to murder, according to The Gleaner of Jamaica. After Hardy was reported missing, a friend said she was last seen with Grant and the two had a common-law relationship. Police searched the property where Grant was living and found the shallow grave close to the house, the Gleaner reported. Johnson and Grant were arrested on March 12 after police learned Johnson was in possession of Hardy's using a grey 2004 Honda CR-V, according to the Gleaner. Johnson appeared in court on Tuesday and was granted bail of $300,000 Jamaican, which is the equivalent of about $2,400 American dollars, and he must report to the police three times a week. Grant is currently being held without bail, the Gleaner said. WARE Senior Baystate Health officials and hospital staff celebrated the opening of an expanded cancer treatment center with the community here on Tuesday at Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center, where the oncology unit is located. The new oncology unit doubles the number of patient rooms at Baystate Mary Lane, from two, to four, and cost $550,000 to construct, on the fourth floor of the Ware facility. Baystates Eastern Region President Michael Moran said Baystate Mary Lane is important to the Springfield-based health care provider and that the expansion was based on the idea that patients prefer to receive care close to home. He said a $1.2 million expansion of Baystate Mary Lanes radiology unit should be completed by August which will include new 3-D mammography technology. Moran said plans are also being finalized for a new $1.1 million in-house pharmacy that would be located on the fourth floor, which is expected to be operational sometime next year. Lots going on, he said. Baystate Vice President William C. Mertens, MD, the medical director of cancer services, said the oncology unit at Mary Lane began 30 years ago, and said: we hope to be here another 30 years. Lisa Marie Berthel of West Brookfield, a cancer survivor also spoke, and thanked the Baystate Mary Lane staff for saving her life. I had great support, she said. The ladies here were just wonderful. . . Dr. Loke, shes amazing. Dr. Loke Chandra, who is one of the physicians on staff at the Mary Lane oncology unit, told The Republican that the patients are more comfortable being able to receive care close to home. Lisa Ford, a nurse practitioner on staff at Baystate Mary Lane said the center treats all types of cancer. Paul Kszaszcz, 79, of Ware, attended Tuesdays celebration, saying he was diagnosed nearly five years ago with cancer to his kidney, and that he was grateful that he got treatment in town. You know everybody and everybody knows you, he said, describing why he likes Mary Lane. Kszaszcz said that he has made a lot of progress and no longer requires dialysis. He said that back in the 1960s, he used to be a drummer for the popular Happy Louie polka band. Baystate Medical Center President Nancy Shendell-Falik, who is also senior vice president for operations attended the celebration. In an interview, she said: We are very supportive of keeping care in the community. The decision by Cook County, Ill., prosecutors to drop charges against Jussie Smollett has angered Chicagos mayor and police. A grand jury had indicted the Empire actor earlier this month on 16 felony counts for allegedly staging a hate-crime attack two months ago. However, prosecutors decided to drop all charges Tuesday, citing community service performed by the actor since his arrest and his agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond. Of the financial cost to Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel told The Chicago Tribune that this $10,000 doesnt even come close to what the city spent in resources to actually look over the cameras, gather all the data, gather all the information that actually brought the indictment by the grand jury on many, many multiple different charges. This is, without a doubt, a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if youre in a position of influence and power, youll get treated one way, other people will be treated another way, Emanuel said. There is no accountability. It is wrong, full stop. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said he was blindsided by the decision. Do I think justice was served? No, Johnson told reporters. "Where do I think justice is? I think this city is still owed an apology. In dropping the charges, Joe Magats, first assistant states attorney in Cook County, told The Washington Post that his office took into account Smolletts lack of a violent criminal background and the facts and circumstances of the case. (It) should not be considered by anyone as a statement, a signal, a hint, anything, that the case is weak or the case fell apart, he said. We stand by the investigation. They did an outstanding job, and we stand by the decision to charge Mr. Smollett. Smollett, who is black and openly gay, reported to police that on Jan. 29 two masked men shouted racial and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, threw a chemical substance at him and looped a rope tied like a noose around his neck. The charges against Smollett were filed after two men who allegedly took part in the scheme testified before a grand jury. According to police, Smollett paid two men $3,500 to stage an assault as a stunt he hoped would boost his salary. Attorneys for the actor issued the following statement on Tuesday, Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him. Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement ... This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion." Twelve Springfield police officers, one retired officer and a former officer who now works for the Massachusetts State Police have been indicted on allegations of participating in or lying about the 2015 off-duty beating of a group of men after an argument at a Springfield bar. Two men affiliated with Nathan Bills Bar and Restaurant -- co-owner John Sullivan and manager Joseph Sullivan -- are also facing indictments for misleading investigators. The indictments were filed Wednesday by a Worcester-based statewide grand jury. The Attorney Generals Office first put the case before a grand jury in February of 2018, reviving the criminal case after Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni declined to press charges in early 2017. Seven men have been accused of participating in the alleged attack and are facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with serious bodily injury, assault and battery and conspiracy: -Springfield Police Officer Daniel Billingsley, age 30, of Springfield -Springfield Police Officer Anthony Cicero, age 29, of Hampden -Springfield Police Officer Christian Cicero, age 28, of Longmeadow -Springfield Police Officer Igor Basovskiy, age 34, of Springfield -Springfield Police Officer Jameson Williams, age 33, of East Longmeadow -Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz, 54, of Springfield -Nathan Bills Bar & Restaurant Owner John Sullivan, age 34, of Springfield The Sullivans, Diaz and eight other people are accused of lying about or covering up the attack and have been indicted on a range of charges. -John Sullivan: Misleading a federal agent/investigator -Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz: Misleading a police officer/investigator -Springfield Police Officer Darren Nguyen, age 40, of Holland: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Springfield Police Officer Shavonne Lewis, age 29, of Springfield: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Retired Springfield Police Sergeant Louis Bortolussi, age 57, of East Longmeadow: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Springfield Police Officer Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, age 29, of Springfield: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Springfield Police Officer James DAmour, age 42, of Hampden: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Springfield Police Officer John Wajdula, age 34, of Springfield: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Current Massachusetts State Police trooper and Former Springfield Police Officer Nathaniel Perez, age 27, of West Springfield: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator, filing a false police report -Springfield Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez, age 32, of Springfield: Perjury -Bar manager Joseph Sullivan, age 42, of Hampden: Perjury, misleading a police officer/investigator. Gulluni said in 2017 that while Herman Paul Cumby, Jozelle Ligon, Jackie Ligon and Michael Cintron were victims of an assault, their description of their alleged attackers were too inconsistent to hold up in court. But the AGs investigation has already yielded criminal charges against six officers, in addition to the indictments released Wednesday. Officers Daniel Billingsley, Christian Cicero, Anthony Cicero, Igor Basovskiy, Jose Diaz and Jameson Williams are facing counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy in Springfield District Court. All have pleaded not guilty. Mr. Cumby is relieved that the justice system is holding those involved in the incidents of 4/8/2015 accountable, Cumbys attorney Michelle Cruz said in a statment. Its been a long journey. While most of the officers charged have remained circumspect about their cases, Billingsley has forcefully pushed back on the allegations, with his attorney Shawn Allyn saying that Cumby was the aggressor in the fight. The [government] calls the truth perjury but a jury will decide the truth in this case, Allyn wrote in a text message. John M. Fitzgerald, Basovskiys attorney, said his client maintains his innocence. John Sullivans attorney, Jared Olanoff, released a statement after his district court arraignment denying the charges and saying that the AGs Office was seeking to punish him for owning the bar where the verbal argument between the parties occurred hours earlier. After the altercation in April of 2015, few could have imagined it would still remain unresolved nearly four years later. But the case has continued to haunt the department, sparking internal, state and federal investigations as well as lawsuits which have already cost the City of Springfield $885,000 in settlements. The DA's report found that the men were getting drinks at Nathan Bill's when an argument began between Jozelle Ligon and a group of off-duty officers at the bar. Cumby and Ligon have said that Jozelle was whistling at a bartender for a drink, but that Billingsley accused him of whistling at Rodriguez, his then-girlfriend. Billingsley and Rodriguez were at the bar with fellow officers Christian Cicero and Anthony Cicero, according to the departments Internal Investigations Unit report. After a verbal argument, which Cumby and Jackie Ligon said they attempted to defuse, Billingsley allegedly told staff that the men were not welcome in the bar. At that point, the dispute remained tense but peaceful. Uniformed police officers responded to the bar but made no arrests. Cumby and his group left the bar, where they separated, with Cumby walking down the street while speaking to his girlfriend on the phone and the Ligons and Cintron waiting in the parking lot of a nearby store for Cumby to return and drive them home, according to interviews with the alleged victims. Cumby, who has said he was afraid he would be targeted and pulled over if he drove away while the off-duty officers were still at the bar, reunited with the other men around 2 a.m. He saw a crowd of 10 to 15 men bearing down on them, he said. Billingsley was at the head of the pack, Cumby and his cousins alleged in their lawsuits. Billingsley allegedly began yelling at the men and hit Jozelle. Jackie said he threw a punch in return, and Cumby - who has said he was trying to peacefully end the fight -- was allegedly struck from behind by a baton and knocked unconscious. Billingsley disputes this account, with his attorney saying that Cumby struck the officer, causing an injury to his head. According to the departments internal investigation of the incident, six of the officers indicted for allegedly lying about the incident -- Nguyen, Lewis, DAmour, Gentry-Mitchell, Bortolussi and Perez -- were not involved in the altercation but were on-duty and responded in uniform to the scene. Nguyen authored the initial police report on the incident, filing a brief account that did not mention the allegation that off-duty officers were involved in the fight and understating the extent of Cumbys injuries. All appear to have some type of minor cuts and scrapes about their hands and faces, officer Darren Nguyens report said. [They] were offered medical attention. AMR arrived on scene to render services and all refused further medical treatment at the hospital. Mr. Jozelle and others couldnt describe their attackers and was very uncooperative. Cumby had actually suffered a fractured leg and had teeth knocked loose, according to medical records reviewed by MassLive. He initially sought to file a complaint at Springfield Police headquarters, but left after being kept waiting in the lobby for hours, according to both him and internal police emails obtained by MassLive in a public records request. He eventually filed a complaint in May, sparking the series of investigations that led up to Wednesdays indictments. Internal disciplinary measures against a dozen officers who were either allegedly involved in the fight or responded to it afterwards are still on hold, pending the results of the criminal cases. WEST SPRINGFIELD A man was engulfed in flames after a fire pit exploded at a Bosworth Street home Tuesday afternoon. The victim was seriously injured, suffering second- and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and then flown to a burn unit in Boston, Fire Chief William M. Flaherty said. Fire and police responded to the incident at about 3:45 p.m. at 138 Bosworth St. The victim was able to talk to police while being treated in the ambulance, Flaherty said. He was pouring an ignitable liquid on an outdoor fire pit. When he poured that, it flashed back and caught his clothes on fire, Flaherty said. Some neighbors saw him and tried to help. A man then ran up with a fire extinguisher and was able to put out the flames. Investigators are not certain if the man was a delivery driver who happened by or if he was an employee of a nearby business, he said. Danielle Monnier, an employee for Humes Transportation, said she was talking with a friend in the parking lot across the street from the house and saw the man catch fire. He was engulfed. My friend called 911 and I told him to stop, drop and roll, she said. His hair and clothing above his waist were on fire and the flames started spreading to his pants. He ran about 20 feet across the yard before he fell or dropped. A woman ran after him and tried to put out the flames with a jacket, Monnier said. A man then ran up and put out the flames with a extinguisher, said Susan Budzynkiewcz, a driver for the company. She said she was inside when she heard the explosion, which was so loud that she thought someone had driven into the building. Several employees came out but could not come to his assistance immediately because the parking lot is fenced in on the side facing the road, she said. West Springfield Police and firefighters responded and remained on the scene for about two hours. The State Fire Marshals Office is assisting in the investigation, Flaherty said. The incident is considered accidental, he said. I want tell people not to use flammable liquids on an outdoor grill or fire pit. It is dangerous and it will flashback, he said. Flaherty offered his condolences to the victim and his family saying he was seriously injured. LONGMEADOW At the recommendation of the petitioner, voters at a special Town Meeting Tuesday took no action on a petition objecting to changes to the design of a new Council on Aging facility. Some residents have said theyre unhappy with changes to preliminary plans for the senior center that were originally discussed before Town Meeting last May, when voters approved appropriating $14 million for the project. Tuesdays Town Meeting warrant article didnt specify what the petitioner would like to see happen. Tuesday nights meeting was sparsely attended with 109 residents, or about 1 percent of registered voters. Longmeadow resident Larry Star, who spoke on behalf of the petitioner, said that she asked for no action to be taken after reconsidering what the article meant. Even if this were to pass, it has no effect, it doesnt change anything, Star said. (Town Meeting) didnt approve plans, and we didnt commit to a specific design. Marybeth Bergeron, chair of the towns building committee, said the project is ready to go out to bid on April 3 and to break ground in June. (This project) is bigger and better than what you voted for, Bergeron said. I think weve done our job. During previous Select Board meetings, members said theyd heard that some residents were unhappy that the new design wont include space for the Maple Tree Gift Shoppe, or fund an expanded space in its current location. The gift shop sells merchandise like greeting cards and household items and provides funding for Council on Aging programming. Now the plan is to keep the gift shop in its current location in the Greenwood Center, said Select Board Vice Chair Marie Angelides during the boards March 18 meeting. The gift shops current space is 990 square feet and has room to expand. Preliminary plans for the new senior center called for a 275-square-foot space for the gift shop. Moving from a preliminary design to a final design is a complicated and fluid process, Angelides said, adding the building committee has been meeting weekly over the last year during this planning process. In May 2018, voters approved raising and appropriating $14 million for the new senior center. But since that time, the design of the facility has changed significantly, Tuesday nights special Town Meeting warrant article stated. This petition seeks to bind the Town to the articles intent, it continued. Other issues have surfaced concerning the estimated building costs and the way the town supports the gift shop. The gift shop operates rent-free, but that may be in violation of state law, Angelides said. Another problem with going back to the original (senior center) design surfaced in the towns December audit report, when the board learned municipalities cant use town resources to fundraise for private entities, no matter what the cause, Angelides said earlier this month. Town Manager Stephen Crane said Tuesday that the town is looking into whether or not it will need to charge the gift shop rent moving forward. When it became clear that room assignments and space constraints were being driven by a fixed budget, the view of the design committee and me was that the town departments who need to be in the center took priority, and it was always our intent to allow for the Maple Tree Gift Shoppe to remain in its current location and maybe expand once the adult center moves out of Greenwood, Crane said. Angelides also said the town would look into whether rent received from the gift shop in the future could go into the revolving fund for the senior center, which would require a warrant article at the June annual Town Meeting for approval. We value both the gift shop and FOLOCA, and want to find a way to sustain our partnership with them, Crane said, referring to the Friends of Longmeadow Older Citizens Association, which assists in fundraising for the Council on Aging. Angelides said there was also confusion about the square footage of the gym and that some thought the gym would be downsized in the new space. She said the redesigned gym will be larger than anticipated, with the inclusion of an elevated track. Tuesday nights special Town Meeting at Longmeadow High School wrapped up without discussion from audience members in under 10 minutes. Massachusetts voters in 2012 narrowly rejected an attempt to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The Legislature has repeatedly declined to take it up. Now, advocates of physician-assisted suicide, also called medical aid in dying, are trying to legalize it through the courts. As my cancer grows, and having seen people who died similar to the way Im going to die ... its important for people to have the autonomy to be able to decide when their suffering is enough for them, said Roger Kligler, a retired primary care physician with Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer and one of the plaintiffs in a case before Suffolk Superior Court. We all have different tolerances as to what we feel is the amount of suffering that we can withstand. And it should be up to the individual to decide when they are terminally ill, when theres no real future for them, how much they want to be able to withstand. Kligler and Alan Steinbach, a doctor who wants to write lethal prescriptions for terminally ill patients, have sued Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, arguing that criminal prosecution of a doctor for prescribing a lethal dose of medication to a competent, terminally ill patient is illegal under the state constitution. Today, a Massachusetts doctor who prescribes a lethal dose of medication could be charged with involuntary manslaughter. The attorney generals office says it should be up to the Legislature, not the court, to make that decision. The issue has never before been considered by a Massachusetts court, and it is likely to end up before the Supreme Judicial Court. Similar cases in other states have failed to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Assistant Attorney General Robert Quinan said Healey has not taken a position on whether physician-assisted suicide is good or bad policy. But, he said, it is not for Healey or the court to decide. The plaintiffs, he said, want to resolve through litigation a policy dispute thats properly reserved for the Legislature. Suffolk Superior Judge Mary Ames held a hearing Tuesday on motions to dismiss the case. Ames says she understands the strong emotions behind the issue. I dont think any of us have been spared the sadness and the tragedy of having loved ones who have suffered with debilitating illness, with terminal illness, with pain and suffering, Ames said. We all understand how very personal these decisions are. The legal analysis is really what this court must be concerned about. Today, someone in great pain at the very end of their life, and for whom painkillers have not worked, is allowed to ask for palliative sedation. The person is put into a medically induced coma and a doctor can withhold nutrition and hydration until the person dies. Kligler and Steinbach say there is no basis for distinguishing between palliative sedation that will cause death and prescribing a lethal dose of medication. Terminally ill patients who are competent and make a voluntary choice to accelerate their death with their physicians assistance should, at the very least, have the same right to control the time and manner of death as patients who choose terminal sedation, the plaintiffs attorneys wrote in a court brief. During oral arguments, John Kappos, an attorney from the California law firm OMelveny and Myers who represents Kilgler and Steinbach, said patients have a right to choose the medical treatment that is right for them. There is a fundamental right to patients determining their own health care, Kappos said. Kappos said Kligler wants to ensure that when he reaches the end of his life he has the option to die a peaceful death in a humane way should his suffering become unbearable. Even if the court establishes a right to physician-assisted suicide, Kappos said, the Legislature can still enact guidelines and safeguards. Kligler, in an interview, said he has seen his patients suffer at the end of their lives. When he receives a diagnosis that he has less than six months to live, he wants a prescription for medication that would end his life. I dont know that Ill want to do it. I want to have the right to do it, Kligler said. Steinbach said as a doctor, he talks to patients who cannot bear their pain. I can hold their hand, I can do all those things. ... What I cant do is actually do what theyre asking me to do, Steinbach said. In addition to Kappos and his firm, the plaintiffs are represented by Boston attorneys Jonathan Albano and Nathaniel Bruhn, and attorneys from the Oregon-based group Compassion and Choices, which supports physician-assisted suicide. Healeys office said while the courts have established a right to refuse medical treatment, that does not translate into a right to provide medication that causes death. Quinan argued that the intent of palliative sedation is to prevent suffering, not cause death. It is used rarely, in cases when death is imminent, and the sedated patient usually dies of the underlying disease before dying of starvation. He said that is different from prescribing medication when someone is diagnosed with having less than six months to live. He also noted that state law does not permit suicide. He pointed to the conviction of Michelle Carter, who was sentenced to jail for urging her suicidal boyfriend to kill himself. Quinan said the Legislature has chosen not to allow assisted suicide for a variety of rational reasons such as concerns about mental competence, about mistaken prognoses regarding how long a person has to live, about people dying because of a lack of knowledge about palliative care options, or about undue influence by family members or physicians. Disability rights advocates Nancy Houghton and John Kelly oppose physician-assisted suicide. (Shira Schoenberg / The Republican) Disability rights advocates who attended the court hearing warned of the ethical dangers of assisted suicide. Theres no safeguard in place or possible that could prevent the loss of lives due to misdiagnosis, insurer treatment denial, depression and coercion and other forms of abuse, said John Kelly, director of Second Thoughts Massachusetts, a group of disability rights advocates who oppose assisted suicide. Nancy Houghton, who is on the board of the Massachusetts chapter of the disability rights group ADAPT, said she was told she had three to five years to live when she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. That was 15 years ago. If I had listened to the doctors back then, I could be dead now, she said. For years, Me Too movement founder Tarana Burke could not find the strength to say those words herself. Burke, an activist and organizer since she was a teenager in the Bronx, was working at a civil rights summer youth program in Selma, Alabama after graduating college when met a girl she calls Heaven. Burke saw something of herself in her student -- tough, emotional, and capable of passion and troublemaking in equal measure. And she, like Burke, was a survivor of sexual violence, Burke told the crowd at the Springfield YWCAs 150th anniversary benefit dinner on Tuesday evening. But when Heaven tried to tell Burke about her childhood abuse, Burke -- who had long remained silent about her similar experiences -- could not be there for her. In this moment I was paralyzed and scared and had not faced my own reality. I had never said it out loud, Burke said. What was going through my heart was that this happened to me too. But I didnt say it. And I regretted it. Because that little coat of armor that she wore, that tough girl act she had around the campus , she put it right back on. Years later, Burke would launch a Me Too educational program for young women that expanded into a movement to support all survivors. And a decade after that the name of her movement became a hashtag, as the exposure of sexual assault allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein inspired millions of people to share their own experiences with sexual violence. That work is not yet done, said Burke, who is now the senior director for Girls for Gender Equity, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit. And she cautioned against confusing the outing of high-profile abusers with finding real solutions to help people heal from sexual assault and help communities prevent future assaults from taking place. The conversation about the individual bad actors is a distraction. The reality is millions and that is not an exaggeration millions of people raised their hands to say their lives have been affected by sexual violence. And by and large their hands are still raised," Burke said. " 'Me Too the movement is a global community of survivors who are committed to healing and action. Period. Anything else you heard about the movement being a hashtag, whatever, is a distraction. Burkes talk took place in a fitting setting -- a benefit celebrating the 150th anniversary of the YWCA, a Springfield nonprofit that runs the largest shelter for battered women and children in New England. The agency receives more than 10,000 calls each year on its sexual abuse/domestic violence hotline and provides emergency shelter to more than 300 women and children annually. It is a track record that Burke recognized in her talk. Springfield seems like a wonderful place, I might want to come here sometime," she said. In our communities its agencies like the YWCA that are perfectly positioned to take leadership in community healing by exemplifying what working to end sexual violence looks like. Burke launched her nonprofit Just Be, Inc. in 2006, with a mission to support and health and wellbeing of young women of color. While doing programming in Selma, Alabamas schools, she noticed a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse that often went unrecognized and unaddressed. She saw one seventh-grade girl waiting to be picked up after school by her boyfriend, who turned out to be a 21-year-old man. Burke sought resources to support students like that girl and educate them about sexual violence and statutory rape, but found there were no organizations doing that work in Selma. Undeterred, she started what she called the Me Too program, holding workshops about sexual assault prevention, healing and bodily autonomy in middle schools. But when she and her co-organizers made a Myspace page for the program, they started getting messages from adult women across the country, she said. These grown women around the country needed exactly what our girls needed. They needed somebody to hear them," Burke said. "They needed somebody to see them. And they needed somebody to believe them. That movement soon expanded from a focus on young women to all survivors of sexual abuse, including men, boys and people across the gender identity spectrum. And now, with the surge of attention on sexual violence that accompanied the social-media driven #metoo movement in 2017, Burke says that advocates should focus on what she calls community healing -- the laws, policies, material resources and culture changes needed to have a broad impact on sexual violence. She told the audience, who gave her talk a standing ovation, that they could start by holding their own employers and schools accountable, educating their colleagues about sexual harassment policies and pushing organizations to take sexual violence seriously. That, she said, would do more good than the next news story exposing misdeeds by an individual CEO, producer or politician. There is nobody left out of the Me Too movement. There are many of us left out of #metoo," Burke said. Anne-Gerard Flynn contributed reporting to this story. SPRINGFIELD The spot in Brightwood where a woman was stuck and killed by a train on Monday is not far from where construction will begin shortly for a pedestrian tunnel under the tracks. When the $6.3 million project is completed, neighborhood residents will have a safe way to go from Plainfield Street to Birnie Avenue without crossing the tracks. City Councilor Adam Gomez, a supporter of the tunnel project, said he should be happy the project is set to begin this spring after years of discussion. Instead he is upset because someone was struck and killed by a train there. Others have been injured or killed in the same spot, he said. One of his friends lost both legs when he was hit years ago, he said. Thats a dangerous crossing. People have been using it for a couple of decades, Gomez said. The woman who was stuck on Monday was hit by a northbound Amtrak Vermonter just moments out of Union Station. She was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. Springfield police and Amtrak police are investigating. Her name has not been released officially. Attempts to reach her family Tuesday were unsuccessful. Gomez said he has been in touch with the family and they are devastated. Beth K. Toll, a public relations manager for Amtrak, said there were no injuries to any of the 87 passengers and crew on board the train. It was headed to St. Albans, Vermont, she said. The accident was reported at 3:29 p.m. The Vermonter leaves Springfield each day at 3:15 p.m. People who cross the train tracks are considered trespassers. That is the term for any unauthorized people on railroad property. Signs are posted on either side of the pathway near where the woman was killed Monday warning against crossing the tracks and stating that high-speed train traffic goes through the area. But the signs do little to deter foot traffic. In a 30-minute period that a reporter from The Republican was at the crossing Tuesday, perhaps a dozen people crossed the tracks. Teens, old men, a woman pushing a baby carriage. About five minutes before the train came through, some Amtrak police officers arrived to stand near the opening of the path. Their presence was enough to cause four or five people to reverse direction. The officers left after the train passed through, and once they did the footpath became populated again. Gomez said the footpath is well-known throughout Brightwood and all types of people use it, regardless of the danger. I have used it myself many times, he said. Gomez said it has to do with how Brightwood is, in a very real sense, cut off from the rest of the city. The neighborhood is lined by the Connecticut River to the west, Route 20 to the south, and Birnie Avenue and Interstate 91 to the east. By car, he said, Theres only one way in and one way out. That would be Wason Street at Main Street to the north, and Plainfield Street off Route 20 near the North End Bridge. On foot, there are just three ways to go from Brightwood to Main Street, he said. You can walk to Wason Street, where there is a lighted signal gate alerting cars to oncoming trains. A mile to the south is the sidewalk on the elevated bridge on West Street that goes over the tracks. And in the middle is the tunnel running from from Chestnut Accelerated Middle School on Plainfield Street through the German Gerena Community School to Main Street. But when the school is closed, the tunnel is too. The unauthorized footpath over the tracks is the shortest and most direct option. People will take the risk, Gomez said. Massachusetts Department of Transportation spokesman Patrick Marvin said the pedestrian tunnel has been fully designed and the plans are approved. It will be similar to the tunnel installed last year on the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Northampton. The project has been advertised and a low bidder, Daniel OConnells Sons Inc. of Holyoke, has been selected as contractor. Marvin said MassDOT plans to give the contractor notice to proceed with construction later this spring, and the work is likely to continue through next winter. Gomez said if Amtrak wants to keep people off the tracks, there needs to be more safe, convenient means for people to cross them. How many more people have to get hit before they feel we need more access? he said. Following the release of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report that President Donald Trump has claimed as a victory - his campaign sent a memo to television producers asking they use basic journalistic standards before allowing Democrats who spoke critically during the investigation back on their programs. Moving forward, we ask that you employ basic journalistic standards when booking such guests to appear anywhere in your universe of production, the memo, which was shared by an Axios reporter, read. The memo asks television producers to ask a basic question before rebooking the named guests, and others: Does this guest warrant further appearances in our programming, given the outrageous and unsupported claims made in the past? The note, sent broadly to television producers on Tuesday, questioned the credibility of certain guests. Among those guests: Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat; Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat; Rep.Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat from New York and Former CIA Director John Brennan. In the memo, the campaign calls on specific quotes the sources gave during the court of the last two years while Mueller investigated possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. While Attorney General William Barr said Muellers report found no evidence of collusion, it stopped short of saying the president did not obstruct justice. The investigation also led to the indictment of 34 people who served in various roles in federal government and on the Trump campaign. The issuance of these definitive findings comes after two years of Democrat leaders and others lying to the American people by vigorously and repeatedly claiming there was evidence of collusion. They made many of these false claims, without evidence, on your airwaves, the memo reads. The memo requests that if any guests are to reappear on television, producers at minimum should replay the prior statements and challenge them to provide the evidence which prompted them to make these wild claims in the first place. The memo goes on to blame the media for bombarding the public with accusations of wrong doing. At this point, there must be introspection from the media who facilitated the reckless statements and a serious evaluation of how such guests are considered and handled in the future. Senate Democratic leaders announced Wednesday that U.S Sen. Ed Markey, of Massachusetts, will serve on a new special committee charged with examining steps the United States can take to stop climate change and reverse its effects. Markey, a sponsor of the Green New Deal environmental agenda, is among 10 chamber lawmakers named to the Senate Democrats Special Committee on the Climate Crisis. The panel will look at how climate change is impacting the country and world, as well as ways to mobilize action and support for bold solutions, according to Senate Democrats. It is tasked with holding hearings throughout 2019 and 2020 and issuing findings on how inaction on the climate crisis is hurting the United States economic and national security interests; and how acting on climate change presents opportunities for jobs, public health and the economy. Markey said the special committee can help build the political will for taking action to address climate change. We are already seeing, hearing, feeling and suffering the impacts of climate change with increased flooding, deadly forest fires and super-charged hurricanes fueled by climate change, but Republicans refuse to hold the hearings in Congress and invite the expert testimony to debate the issue, he said in a statement. But no matter what Republicans and President (Donald) Trump try to defund, delay or deny, climate change is real and the movement to address it is unstoppable. Senate Democrats, in announcing the panel, added that the caucus wont wait for Republicans to highlight this issue with the urgency it requires. Today were announcing the @SenateDems' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis We wont wait for Republicans to highlight this issue with the urgency it requires We will push to address climate change at every opportunity we canhttps://t.co/t6py9Qm9Z7 https://t.co/LuV2zgQ9CZ Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) March 27, 2019 Other Democrats named to the 10-member panel include: U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz, of Hawaii; Tammy Baldwin, of Wisconsin; Michael Bennet, of Colorado; Catherine Cortez Masto, of Nevada; Tammy Duckworth, of Illinois; Martin Heinrich, of New Mexico; Jeff Merkley, of Oregon; Tina Smith, of Minnesota; and Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island. Senate Democrats unveiled the new panel just one day after Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the creation of a bipartisan Senate select committee on climate change in remarks from the chamber floor. Republicans objected to the Democratic leaders proposal. The GOP-led Senate also voted down the Green New Deal resolution on Tuesday. Markey, who joined Congressman Jim McGovern in promoting his climate change agenda at a Northampton town hall on Sunday, joined U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats in recording their votes as present in protest of the chambers lack of hearings on the controversial measure. Republicans have taken issue with the senators Green New Deal," arguing that it lacks a funding mechanism, offers no tangible framework for transitioning to renewable energy and would cost an estimated $2 trillion. The AFL-CIO has also raised concerns that the Green New Deal is not achievable or realistic." SPRINGFIELD Jose Omar Ortizs motion for a new trial continued Tuesday with a retired city police detective taking the stand to answer questions about an October 1999 interview he and two other officers conducted with a 15-year-old witness as they investigated the slaying of Eddy Reynoso in Springfield. The detective, Michael Kervick, said police didnt beat or scream at the witness, Carlos Rodriguez who testified earlier this week that officers had, and that theyd questioned him without his parents or a lawyer present. But Kervick also answered many questions by responding, I dont recall, saying it was 20 years ago. He reviewed several documents from the investigation but not the whole police file, he said. A Hampden Superior Court jury in 2002 convicted Ortiz, now 39, of second-degree murder in the slaying of Reynoso, who was shot to death in his Liberty Street apartment. Ortiz, then 19, worked with Reynoso downstairs at Tonys Mini Market. A judge sentenced Ortiz to life in prison; he became eligible for parole 12 years later. Ortizs attorneys are seeking a new trial for a number of reasons one of which is that Ramon Santana, already serving life sentences on two other murder convictions, has confessed to killing Reynoso. The lawyers also argue Ortizs alleged confession, presented as a key piece of evidence at his trial, was the product of coercion by police after seven hours of interrogation. Ortiz spoke only Spanish but his signed confession was in English, his lawyers said. Boston lawyer Chauncey B. Wood and Boston College law professor Charlotte H. Whitmore, a director of the Boston College Innocence Program, are representing Ortiz. Students participating in the program are working on the case. Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Shorey is handling the case for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gullunis office. Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara is hearing the motion. Carlos Rodriguez, who was a 15-year-old friend of Ortizs at the time of the shooting, testified last week through an interpreter. Rodriguez was adamant he did not understand the document he signed at the Springfield Police Department after officers interviewed him, which said he was with Ortiz during the shooting. Testifying again this week, Rodriguez said police took him from his home even though no parent or relative was there, and that officers beat and screamed at him in an interrogation room at the police station. He said the statement he signed was in English; he couldnt read it, and it wasnt read to him. Officers told him he had to sign it and presented it as your way out. He testified officers told him Ortiz was trying to pin Reynosos slaying on him. According to defense filings, police told Ortiz that Rodriguez implicated him in the shooting. Rodriguez testified that defense investigators contacted him several years ago, and that he gave a statement in Spanish saying Ortiz was with him the night of the shooting and that Ortiz did not shoot Reynoso. Kervick testified he interviewed Rodriguez with another detective, Dennis OConnor, and patrolman Francisco Otero, who was called in to translate. None of the detectives ever hit Rodriguez, Kervick testified. They only spoke with him in a normal tone and never screamed at him, Kervick said. They never told him Ortiz implicated him in the killing, Kervick said. Kervick agreed police picked up the 15-year-old Rodriguez at his home, brought him to the station, interviewed him and had him sign a statement, all without any parent, lawyer or friend of Rodriguezs present. Rodriguez, who spoke no English, had only moved to Springfield several weeks before. They then brought him home, Kervick said. He said officers picked Rodriguez up again in early November, this time bringing him to the courthouse again with no adult present to question him. Kervick said they only asked him about something Ortizs father had said. Kervick said they had the confession from Ortiz at the time. Wood asked him if they questioned Rodriguez about parts of his earlier statement that differed from what Ortiz said in his statement. Kervick said they did not. Wood asked Kervick when he knew that police had received statements that a woman had had a fight with Reynoso and threatened him to watch his back. The womans sister, who was present for that altercation, was the fiance of Oteros brother at the time of Rodriguezs first police interview, according to the motion for a new trial. Also raised in the motion for a new trial is the fact that 26 hours after Reynosos killing, a Latin Kings gang member named Kelvin Gutierrez shot Alex Rosa in Holyoke with the same gun used in Reynoso murder. Gutierrezs nephew, Jean Carlos Almodovar, shot Rosa with a shotgun. State police could not establish a link between Ortiz and Gutierrez, the motion said. SPRINGFIELD - Hampden Superior Court Judge Francis E. Flannery on Wednesday sentenced a 46-year-old city man to five to six years in state prison. Obdulio Santana pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. Flannery adopted the sentence recommended by Assistant District Attorney Christopher F. Bourbeau and defense lawyer Nikolas Andreopoulos. Andreopoulos said Santana had done state prison stints previously. The sad reality is my client is a drug addict, he said. Were not asking for a slap on the wrist here, Andreopoulos said of the recommended sentence. Bourbeau said police got a search warrant for Santanas South End apartment and raided it on Nov. 1, 2017. They wanted Santana out of the apartment first, and so they developed a ruse, Bourbeau said. They told residents cars were going to be moved for roadwork. Santana came out to move his car and was arrested. Police forced the door to his apartment and found six grams of crack cocaine, 111 bags of heroin, and a revolver with six rounds in the cylinder, Bourbeau said. They also found $1,072, which Santana agreed to forfeit as part of the plea agreement. At the time of Santanas arrest, police said a sign on the rear of Obdulios porch read: Closed Circuit Television and Audio Monitoring on Premises. Added in what appears to be a handwritten message was, You will get shot!! Nothing here worth your life. There was also a depiction of someone being shot in the head. About 30 people were displaced after a 3-alarm fire broke out in a Douglas apartment building early Wednesday morning. Crews from several towns were called to the building on Depot Street just before 3 a.m. Douglas Fire Chief told NECN that one resident woke up to a popping sound followed by fire alarms sounding. "Fire alarms are good. Smoke detectors are good. They save lives," Vinson told the television station. "So it's very important we drive that message home. We have no injuries because of that." Residents were assisted by the Red Cross and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Two alleged Kilby Street gang members were sentenced to state prison on Tuesday after being found guilty in connection with a Worcester prostitution ring that preyed on women addicted to heroin, officials said. Angelo Gonzalez, 36, of Worcester received a sentence of 7 to 9 years. Gonzalez was found guilty of human trafficking for sexual servitude and five counts of deriving support from prostitution. The jury found Gonzalez not guilty of four other counts of human trafficking. Robert Nieves, of Southbridge, was sentenced to 6 to 8 years. Nieves was found guilty on five counts of deriving support from prostitution. The jury found Nieves not guilty of five counts of human trafficking for sexual servitude. The men were charged in 2016 after authorities said members of the Kilby Street gang preyed on young women addicted to heroin. Women were allegedly housed around Worcester County and told to post ads on Craigslist and Backpage. Prosecutors said the suspects forced the women into prostituting themselves and gave the proceeds back to the gang. The women were promised heroin, but sometimes drugs were withheld from the women, prosecutors said. Several men have been charged in connection with the prostitution ring. Police said Elvin Gonzalez, the brother of Angelo Gonzalez, was the leader of the prostitution ring. He reportedly recruited women he knew to be addicted to drugs. He then took the proceeds and paid the women only in heroin. Prosecutors said the gang then withheld drugs to make the women more dependent upon them. Elvin Gonzalez is awaiting trial on seven counts of human trafficking for sexual servitude, five counts deriving support from prostitution, rape, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a pregnant person. Additionally, Fabian Beltran, 25 of Worcester, was sentenced in June to 6 to 8 years in state prison after he was found guilty of human trafficking for sexual servitude and deriving support from prostitution. A co-defendant was found not guilty of the same charges. Chronic kidney disease is a kind of kidney disease in which there is a steady loss of kidney function over a period of months or years. Early on there are usually no symptoms. Later, leg swelling, vomiting, feeling tired, loss of appetite, or confusion may develop. Advance Market Analytics published a new research publication on Global Chronic Kidney Disease Market Insights, to 2025 with 188 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the Study you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market stakeholders. The growth of the Chronic Kidney Disease market is mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Amgen, Inc. (United States), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), Pfizer, Inc. (United States), AstraZeneca Plc (United Kingdom), F. Hoffman La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Sanofi S.A. (France), Kissei Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Japan), AbbVie, Inc. (United States), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (United Kingdom) and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (United States). According to Market Analyst at AMA, the Global Chronic Kidney Disease market may see a growth rate of 3.8%. Scope of the Report of Chronic Kidney Disease Get Free Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Research @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/29997-global-chronic-kidney-disease-market Major Market Developments: On 20 Dec 2018, AstraZeneca, a leading pharma company has announced the Phase III OLYMPUS and ROCKIES trials for roxadustat each met their primary efficacy endpoints for the treatment of patients with anaemia in chronic kidney disease that are either dialysis-dependent or non-dialysis-dependent, respectively. The Chronic Kidney Disease Market report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, geography segment, end use/application segment and competitor segment and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international major industry players in detail. According to the Regional Segmentation the Chronic Kidney Disease Market provides the Information covers following regions: *North America *South America *Asia & Pacific *Europe *MEA (Middle East and Africa) The key countries in each region are taken into consideration as well, such as United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Have Any Questions Regarding Global Chronic Kidney Disease Market Report, Ask Our Experts@ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/29997-global-chronic-kidney-disease-market The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: Distribution Channel: Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies Drug class: ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin-II receptor blockers, Calcium channel blockers, Beta blockers, Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), Diuretics, Others Top Players in the Market are: Amgen, Inc. (United States), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), Pfizer, Inc. (United States), AstraZeneca Plc (United Kingdom), F. Hoffman La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Sanofi S.A. (France), Kissei Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Japan), AbbVie, Inc. (United States), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (United Kingdom) and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (United States) List of players also available in Coverage: Allergan plc. (Ireland) , FibroGen (United States) , Johnson & Johnson (United States) Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/29997-global-chronic-kidney-disease-market Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Chronic Kidney Disease Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Chronic Kidney Disease market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Chronic Kidney Disease Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Chronic Kidney Disease Chapter 4: Presenting the Chronic Kidney Disease Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2013-2018 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Chronic Kidney Disease market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions. Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Chronic Kidney Disease Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Buy the Latest Detailed Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=29997 Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@advancemarketanalytics.com Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Overview An ovulatory disorder is any condition that affects the normal ovulation process, which is necessary to conceive. There are several causes of ovulation disorders. Common causes include hormonal problems when the brain or pituitary gland does not release the correct hormones causing hormonal imbalance which can be caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In some cases, excessive stress, exercise or weight loss can lead to loss of ovulatory cycles. Some women have premature ovarian failure, and others have ovaries that do not develop because they are resistant to the effects of hormones or have been damaged by medication, radiation or surgery. Women with ovulation disorders are typically given fertility drugs as the first line of treatment. Some of the common causes of ovulation disorders include hyperprolactinemia, hypothalamus dysfunction, luteal phase defect, and tumors of the pituitary or adrenal glands or ovaries. Less common causes of ovulation disorders are autoimmune oophoritis (inflammation of the ovaries that results in their destruction), primary ovarian failure, and resistant ovary syndrome. Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Market Dynamics Some significant driving factors for the growth of the ovulation disorder diagnosis market include increasing genetic and hormonal disorders, rising obesity rates, the increasing prevalence of diabetes around the world. Obese and diabetic females are more prone to the polycystic ovarian syndrome, hence will create a demand for ovulation disorder diagnosis worldwide. The increasing adoption of planned pregnancies, decline in fertility rate along with the growing awareness of different ovulation disorders among the public further drive this market. Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Segment Analysis By Ovulation Disorders, the global ovulation disorder diagnosis market is segmented into the polycystic ovarian syndrome, hyperprolactinemia, luteal phase defect, hypothalamus dysfunction, tumors, autoimmune oophoritis, primary ovarian failure, and resistant ovary syndrome and others. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) hold the most significant share in the ovulation disorder diagnosis market as it is the most commonly occurring disorder in women. This syndrome is caused due to a hormonal imbalance in the body and can be characterized by abnormal menstrual periods and an excess of male hormones. According to the Office of Womens Health (OWH), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. By Diagnosis, the global ovulation disorder diagnosis market is segmented into laboratory testing of hormones, CT scan and MRI scan of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, ovarian biopsy, and others. Laboratory testing of hormones dominates this market segment. It is attributed to the fact that most ovulation disorders cause or are caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. Laboratory testing for an ovulation disorder most commonly includes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, testosterone, and free androgen index. Moreover, raising awareness about the benefits of regular check-ups and planned pregnancy will further boost the laboratory testing of hormones share in the diagnosis segment. Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Geographical Analysis North America is expected to account for the largest revenue share in the ovulation disorder diagnosis market owing it to raising awareness regarding planned pregnancy. The high prevalence of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) among North American women and decline in fertility rate and rising first-time pregnancy age are few of the major factors contributing the large share of this regional segment as they are bringing more awareness to the various ovulation disorders. Europe is the second-largest market for ovulation disorder diagnosis. The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market for ovulation disorder diagnosis market as the increasing number of women suffering from lifestyle disorders, increasing healthcare expenditure in these regions are driving the growth of the ovulation disorder diagnosis market. India and China are expected to be the emerging and fastest growing markets due to the increasing population of these countries. To control the growing prevalence of PCOS governments of these countries are focusing on conducting programs that support the diagnosis and therapeutics of PCOS and the needed lifestyle modification. These programs are leading to an increase in awareness of PCOS and risks associated with it, such as the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and in some cases infertility. Request Free Sample Report at https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3792183-global-ovulation-disorder-diagnosis-market-2019-2026 Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Competitive Analysis Some of the key players in the ovulation disorder diagnosis market are Siemens Healthcare, Swiss Precision Diagnostics, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Carestream Health, Genova Diagnostics, and Quest Diagnostics. The key players are focusing on creating awareness related to ovulation disorder and feminine hygiene through government initiatives in developing regions such as the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Other strategies adopted are collaborations and mergers & acquisitions and enter into partnerships to strengthen their position in the market. Why Purchase the Report? Visualize the composition of the global ovulation disorder diagnosis market across each indication, in terms of type and treatment options, highlighting the key commercial assets and players. Identify commercial opportunities in global ovulation disorder diagnosis market by analyzing trends and co-development deals. Excel data sheet with thousands of data points of the global ovulation disorder diagnosis market- level 4/5 segmentation. PDF report with the most relevant analysis cogently put together after exhaustive qualitative interviews and in-depth market study. Product mapping in excel for the key products of all major market players Target Audience: Equipment Suppliers/ Buyers Service Providers/ Buyers Industry Investors/Investment Bankers Education & Research Institutes Research Professionals Emerging Companies Manufacturers Table of Content Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Methodology and Scope Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Market Definition and Disease Overview Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Market Dynamics Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Industry Analysis Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market By Ovulation Disorders Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market By Diagnosis Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market By End-users Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market By Region Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Competitive Landscape Company Profiles Global Ovulation Disorder Diagnosis Market Premium Insights About Us: Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Contact Us: NORAH TRENT sales@wiseguyreports.com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, March 26, 2019 He began his first full day in office by declaring war on the media, and now the President is circulating an "enemies list" asking "the enemy of the people" to bar his most vociferous political opponents from speaking on their airwaves. In a memo first circulated in a tweet by Axios National Political Reporter Jonathan Swan, the reelection campaign's Director of Communications Tim Murtaugh asked TV news producers to bar: * Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) * Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) * Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) * Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) * DNC Chairman Tom Perez * Former CIA Director John Brennan The memo cites Attorney General William Barr's initial sum-up of the Special Counsel's investigation of the President's campaign ties to Russia as proof that his enemies -- who mostly are members of Congress responsible for providing oversight of the President -- lied to the American people and that if they do appear on their news programs, the producers "should replay the prior statements and challenge them to provide the evidence which promoted them to make the wild claims in the first place." advertisement advertisement My first reaction was that this felt like it was part of a prepared campaign strategy to seize on the White House's spin that Barr's summation is the final word, and in the words of the President himself, a "complete and total exoneration," even though Barr's summary included a statement from Special Counsel Robert Mueller saying explicitly that the investigation "does not exonerate him." In other words, the President entered the post-Barr part of his term the way he began the first part: by lying. My second reaction is that the reelection campaign's request to blacklist the President's political opponents is part of a much bigger disinformation campaign that may be the envy of the counter intelligence community. Time will tell what the Special Counsel's investigation actually found, not what the President's hand-picked Attorney General asserts, but the tactics being employed by the White House and the reelection campaign are straight out of the GRU. Trump's campaign may not have actively colluded with Russia, but it's reelection campaign, at least, has studied Russia's tradecraft well, especially its use of so-called "active measures" to attack political opponents by sowing disinformation that creates division within society. What surprises me most isn't that the White House would try to spin Barr's spin, it is the brazen and outlandish way they are doing it. It's more than a war on media. It's more like a war on reality, even if the media are the conduit for it. "The bottom line is that Donald Trump would love to run against the news media," Washington Post Associate Editor David Ignatius observed on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Tuesday morning, adding, "We are his favorite target. And in some ways, we are his most successful target. Beating us up, seems to work. We have a lot of enemies out there. "It's branding for him," added "Morning Joe" co-anchor Mika Brzezinski. "I just think we need to avoid taking the bait," Ignatius added, suggesting, "There are so many important issues facing the country. Hes going to want to make this a daily circus about how terrible the press is. Memo To TV News Producers: Take Ignatius' advice. Don't take the bait. by Melynda Fuller , March 26, 2019 It's no secret local news is in bad shape. Today, The Pew Research Center released a report stating that while 71% of those surveyed believe their local news outlets were doing fine financially, only 14% had paid for access to local news coverage in the past year. Earlier this month, Facebook reported it couldnt find enough local news to fill its dedicated platform called Today In. One in three of its users reside in a news desert, with little or no local reporting to inform the community. Facebooks contribution to these news deserts cant be overlooked, and neither can Googles. However, each has launched projects over the past couple of years hoping to repair the lack of local coverage. Facebook's most recent effort is The Facebook Journalism Project, and now Google debuts its Local Experiments Project. In an exclusive with Axios, Google announced its Local Experiments Project is an attempt to fund local news websites across the country with the intention of going global. The sites, which will number in the dozens, will be editorially independent from Google and will be built by selected partners, the first of which will be McClatchy. Richard Gingras, vice president of news at Google, told Axios: "Everything we do in this space tends to be open-sourced learnings. Our business models are not attached to these efforts. There's no requirement in any of these experiments that the partners use Google advertising tools." Axios reports the partnership between Google and McClatchy, dubbed The Compass Experiment, will result in the launch of three digital-only news operations focused on local coverage and executed across multiple platforms. Google chose McClatchy, in part, because of an already existing relationship. Following the completion of the project, McClatchy will maintain ownership of the sites, which will be funded with millions of dollars from Google. The funding for this project will come from the money invested in the Google News Initiative, launched a year ago, which pledged $300 million over three years targeted at supporting news media transition to digital. To boost those locations hardest hit by lack of news coverage, McClatchys focus will be on three cities that have less than half a million residents. At this time, no plans for new hires across these locations has been announced, though sources tell Axios the plan is to eventually have people embedded in each. At the experiments completion, Google will use the lessons gleaned from McClatchys work to create a network of shared insights available to those across the local news world. McClatchy CEO Craig Forman stated the alliance let the company move "beyond some of the incrementalism" that defines the daily job but "can hold us back from pursuing things related to a long-term vision." by Alan Hart , March 26, 2019 This week on Marketing Today, my guest is Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, a nonprofit trade organization that plays a strategic role working on behalf of digital content companies in managing direct relationships between consumers and marketers. In doing so, DCN provides research and advocacy in guiding established media companies, including The New York Times, NBC, Conde Nast, and ESPN, as well as digitally native organizations like Slate, Vox, and Business Insider. advertisement advertisement During the course of our discussion, Kint outlines DCNs premium digital advertising marketplace, TrustX, and discusses the duopoly of Facebook and Google as well as the issue of trust -- or lack thereof -- when it comes to those two platforms. Talking about privacy practices in the digital realm, Kint says, If you look at the data around user trust, in the digital environment and digital advertising, whether it be banners and buttons or on mobile or any format, its really, really low relative to television and magazines or any other format. Why is that? Because consumers have never gotten comfortable with the way the digital advertising experience works, and this idea that theyre being tracked across the web only makes that worse. Kint goes on to add, And so its something, as an industry, we have to solve for. Highlights from this weeks Marketing Today podcast include: Kint describes the career path that led him to Digital Content Next, and he provides an overview of DCN and its focus on premium publishers. (1:49) The great wall of Facebook and Google: Kint discusses the duopolys impact on content creators. (4:40) Kints take on todays publishing models -- and what those models might look like in the future. (8:50) What happens when billionaires buy media companies. (12:02) DCNs stance on privacy practices. (15:55) Kint on DCNs subsidiary, TrustX: "Thats exactly what TrustX is focused on: one hundred percent transparency, you know where your ads run, and you know where your money is going. (19:47) Kint: The pressure and the discussion around journalism and the press, and protecting it as an institution, has fueled me even more so in the last couple of years. (29:27) Facebook is revealing new details about ongoing efforts to curb foreign misinformation campaigns across its network. Regarding one campaign connected to Iran, Russia, Macedonia and Kosovo, Facebook said it just removed 2,632 Pages, Groups and accounts engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Instagram and its flagship platform. We didnt find any links between these sets of activities, but they used similar tactics by creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing, Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, notes in a new blog post. The people behind this activity coordinated with one another and used fake accounts to misrepresent themselves, and that was the basis for our action, Gleicher explained. advertisement advertisement Within its broader crackdown, Facebook said it removed 513 Pages, Groups and accounts for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior as part of multiple networks tied to Iran. The Page administrators and account owners in question apparently represented themselves as locals and made-up media entities, often using fake account, and impersonating real political groups and media organizations. Separately, Gleicher said his team removed 1,907 Facebook Pages, Groups and accounts for engaging in spam and coordinated inauthentic behavior linked to Russia. The individuals behind these activities used fake accounts primarily to operate Groups and Pages posting spam content. Finally, Facebook removed 212 Facebook Pages, Groups and accounts for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior that originated in Macedonia and Kosovo. The individuals behind this activity operated fake accounts to administer Pages sharing general, non-country specific content like astrology, celebrities and beauty tips. They also ran a small number of Pages purporting to represent political communities in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- and posted about religious and political topics, like nationalism and Islam. by Wayne Friedman , March 27, 2019 Looking to pull in small- and medium-sized marketers that primarily use digital media platforms, A+E Networks is starting a new effort that offers audience-based targeting and reporting platforms across one single network. The initiative, called P1, will allow marketers to target and optimize media plans, as well as earn near real-time measurement on back-end reporting. What we havent seen in a while is the emergence of a big new demand category coming to TV, Peter Olsen, executive vice president, advertising sales, A+E Networks, told Television News Daily. Many of these companies grew up on a digital ad model, and they get comfortable with a certain way of reporting [including attribution modelling], he says. We are trying to create a product and a way that is not daunting from the cost of entry. advertisement advertisement Olsen says what A+E Network brings to the table is not exactly what they get from the tech giants -- but a version they can feel comfortable with in the reporting. We prove a TV campaign can drive a unique contribution to their business growth. A+Es Performance is an attribution product, providing television ascription and cross-screen measurement. Olsen says it could also work for larger companies with smaller brands that don't have ongoing TV media budgets. Over the last year, A+E Network has been pushing a broader plan for its large TV advertisers: TV guarantees based on a marketers predetermined business outcomes, such as website visits or store traffic. To date, around 22 marketers have been involved in these business outcome-based deals. The company operates cable networks, such as A+E, History, Viceland and Lifetime. by Sara Guaglione , March 27, 2019 While most Americans believe local news businesses are stable, few people have actually spent money to support local news in the past year, according to a new Pew Research Center survey Some 71% of the nearly 35,000 people surveyed think their local news outlets are doing very or somewhat well financially." But just 14% of say they "have paid for local news in the past year, either through subscription, donation or membership." "There's really a disconnect there between the public's knowledge and understanding about the industry and how it's functioning, compared with what we see in headlines day in and day out about budget cuts and revenue declines," Pew's director of journalism research Amy Mitchell told Nieman Lab. According to a University of North Carolina report, about 1,800 newspapers have shuttered in the U.S. in the last 15 years. Most Americans think TV represents local news, and 77% of those surveyed say TV is doing very or somewhat well financially. Also, 64% say the same about print. People who prefer print are more likely to pay for news, according to the survey. The biggest reason people dont pay for local news, according to the survey, is the availability of free content (49%). Most Americans surveyed get their local news from TV and online (41% and 37%, respectively), while 13% get their local news from newspapers and 8% from radio. Weather was found to be the most important daily information for those surveyed (70%), followed by crime (44%), traffic (41%) and news about changing prices (37%). Earlier this month, Facebook reported it couldnt find enough local news to spotlight in its new, dedicated aggregation section, Today In. Yet, one in three Facebook users reside in a news desert, according to the company, with little or no local reporting available to those communities. Google announced this week a new initiative called Local Experiments Project, which will fund local news websites across the country. Its first partner is newspaper publisher McClatchy. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 27, 2019 Wireless carriers are urging the Federal Communications Commission to leave in place a recent ruling that effectively allows carriers to block text messages. The Declaratory Ruling is firmly grounded ... and will advance the Commissions goal of protecting consumers from unwanted robotexts, the industry organization CTIA says this week in a new FCC filing. AT&T also weighed in with the FCC in favor of the new ruling. The order, approved by a 3-1 vote last December, declares text messaging an information service -- a move that exempts text-messaging services from the common carrier rules that apply to telephone services, including rules that prohibit censorship. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the move enables carriers to block robotexts. But consumer groups and Senate Democrats dispute that reasoning. They argue that the FCC could have allowed classified texting as a common-carrier service and still allowed phone providers to block unwanted robotexts -- especially given a 2016 FCC ruling that allows telephone carriers to block robocalls. advertisement advertisement In January, a coalition of advocacy groups including Public Knowledge, the Center for Democracy and Technology and Consumer Federation of America asked the FCC to reconsider its order. Among other arguments, the groups said the order could potentially limit the ability of schools and teachers to stay in touch with students and parents. They pointed to a recent dispute (now resolved) between the free service Remind -- used by educators and students -- and Verizon Wireless. Earlier this year, Remind said it was going to be charged a new texting fee by Verizon. Two weeks later, Verizon backtracked and said it wouldn't charge Remind a new fee. In the guise of fighting spam, network management, and similar rationales, major carriers may be poised to make third-party services like Remind untenable, the advocates wrote in their petition to the FCC. While Remind has been able to resolve its highprofile dispute with Verizon for the moment, this ad hoc approach does not scale to all apps, and all carriers. AT&T counters in its filing that the resolution of the Remind-Verizon dispute shows that common carrier regulation is not necessary. For its part, the industry association CTIA maintains the FCC's order will help combat scams. Wireless providers continue to work hard to shield consumers from unwanted messages, such as pay-day lending schemes and fraudulent bank notifications that prey upon the nations most vulnerable consumers, the organization says this week in an FCC filing. The Declaratory Ruling helps to ensure that wireless providers retain the ability to fight back against this malicious traffic and maintain consumers trust in the reliability and convenience of messaging. New research has identified mutations in the DNA code that may affect energy metabolism. It also found a link to major depressive disorder. Share on Pinterest Could mutations in mitochondria cause depression? The World Health Organization (WHO) describe depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide. It affects more than 300 million people around the world. Experts believe that many factors contribute to major depressive disorder (MDD). These include genetics, environmental factors including abuse, brain physiology, and the immune system. One theory is that disturbances in energy metabolism in the brain may contribute to a person developing MDD. Conceptually, this is relatively easy to follow. The brain has a much higher requirement for energy than other organs. Any perturbations to this finely tuned system can have drastic consequences. Medical News Today recently reported on a study in which researchers deleted the gene Sirt1 in forebrain excitatory neurons in male mice. The result was a stark reduction in the number of mitochondria in these cells, accompanied by depression-like symptoms. Mitochondria, the so-called powerhouses of the cell, are specialized compartments that convert the food we eat into the chemical energy that our cells require to function. Each cell has many mitochondria to ensure a smooth supply of energy. If we reduce their number or disrupt the intricate metabolic pathways, cells may die due to energy starvation. In a paper published recently in the journal Nucleic Acid Research, scientists used bioinformatic tools to identify large mutations in the mitochondrias genetic code. They found a significant molecular signature of these in a subset of brain samples with MDD. Identifying nearly 4,500 mutations Genes within the mitochondria and some within the cells nucleus are responsible for keeping the powerhouses going. Mutations in these genetic locations can cause mitochondrial diseases. A person can inherit these mutations, but they may also accumulate during their lifetime. Scientists know that deletions, a type of DNA mutation wherein a large stretch of genetic code is missing, cause a number of mitochondrial diseases. Lead study author Brooke E. Hjelm an assistant professor of clinical translational genomics at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles explained to MNT that researchers had already identified around 800 such deletions in the mitochondrial genome. So, she said, what I did was I exploited a tool that is already available to the research community called MapSplice and developed a process so that it could be used to detect and quantify mitochondrial deletions. This project came to fruition in the laboratory of Dr. Marquis Vawter, at the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine, where Dr. Hjelm completed her postdoctoral training in psychiatric genetics. Dr. Vawter and his laboratory have been studying deletions in mitochondrial DNA for several years, specifically looking at the brain tissue of people with mental health conditions. While Hjelm was confident that her analysis tool would allow her to identify many deletions in her samples, she was surprised to find quite so many. In the 93 human samples which came from 41 deceased individuals included in the study, she discovered nearly 4,500 deletions. However, not all of these mutations necessarily cause disease. If a mutation only occurs in a few of the mitochondria in a persons cell, the rest of the powerhouses can take up the slack. If it reaches a certain threshold, however, the cell may not be able to carry on functioning normally. One thing that I found particularly interesting was that many of the deletions I detected (especially those identified across many samples) had been previously identified in [those] with mitochondrial diseases, Hjelm explained. What this means, she continued, is that there are deletions that had previously only been seen in one or a few [people] with a diagnosed mitochondrial disease suggesting they are rare, when in fact these deletions likely occur in all of us, they just arent present at a high enough rate to cause disease. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick attended the events organized by the Greek Community in celebration of Greece's National Independence Day in Adelaide and Melbourne on the weekend of 24-25 March. In Adelaide, the Deputy Minister attended the Doxology at the Parish of Prophet Elias, officiated by Bishop Nikandros of Dorileou, and laid a wreath at the memorial to the Australian fallen soldiers. The ceremony was also attended by the Governor and Premier of South Australia. Furthermore, along with Cyprus' Presidential Commissioner for Diaspora issues, Fotis Fotiou, they took part in the commemorative events organized by the Greek Orthodox Community. "We trust the judgement of the governments of Greece and Cyprus when it comes to the decisions they make on national issues. And you, the representatives of our two homelands, shall come here with your head held high and you will always be welcome", stressed the President and the Secretary General of the Greek Community, Vassilis Gonis and Panagiotis Pyros, during their speeches. In Melbourne, at the yearly event for Greeces National Independence Day, organised by the Consulate General of Greece, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs read the message the President of the Republic, Mr Prokopis Pavlopoulos, addressed to the Greeks abroad, and later announced the following: "As of 1 August, the "Work and Holiday Visa" Programme is being implemented. Every year, this program will enable 500 young people from both countries to visit each others country, with the right to go on holiday for 12 months, as well as the opportunity to work at the same time. It was a painstaking process, with many technical details to work out along the way. It was finally ratified by the Greek Parliament and sealed by the competent Australian Minister, Mr David Coleman." The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also announced that, as of this summer, the Greek Secretariat for Greeks Abroad will re-start the holiday-in-Greece support programme for children between the ages of 8 and 14 from the Greek Australian Community. Twenty children, five from each city -Melbourne, Sidney, Adelaide, Perth- will take part in the programme. Perth was also the first brief stop of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs during his visit to Australia. There, he met with representatives of Diaspora organizations and attended a working dinner with prominent Greek-Australian entrepreneurs. He also had a meeting with the Minister for Emergency Services, Francis Logan, who proposed the inclusion of Greece in the training programme for personnel and agencies concerned, mainly in cases of fires and floods. Mr Quick's visit to Australia is also related to the "NOSTOS III" Programme, which is being held in Melbourne, in the presence of his counterparts, the Presidential Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, Fotis Fotiou, and the Egyptian Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, Nabila Makram. Finally, Mr Quick contacted the acting Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias, to express his deep condolences for the passing of Archbishop and Exarch of Oceania, Stylianos, on 25 March. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick was received, today, by the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, together with the Presidential Commissioner of Cyprus, Fotis Fotiou, and Egypts Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, Nabila Makram, who were in Melbourne for the NOSTOS III Programme. Victorias Premier referred, inter alia, to the desire on the part of the australian side, in 2021 when the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution of 1821 will be celebrated, for the State of Victoria to organise events befitting this great historic anniversary. In this context, he expressed the States interest in hosting a temporary exhibit of antiquities and historical artifacts from Greek museums. Mr Quick thanked Mr Daniels and assured him that he will brief the Greek Prime Minister, as well as the competent Ministers, in this regard. It should be mentioned that important artifacts from the Benaki Museum are currently on loan to the Melbourne Museum. The Minister of Health of the Government of Victoria, Jenny Mikakos, who is of Greek descent, was also present during the meeting, as were the ambassadors of the three countries in Australia. PIGEON The April 7 showing of the Laker Murder Mystery Dinner Theater has sold out, so Lakers is adding an April 6 show for its fundraiser. The April 6 show will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at the Laker Secondary School office the week of April 1. The prices for advance tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students. SEBEWAING -- Over the course of two and a half days, more than 400 Rotarians from Michigan, Illinois and Ontario gathered at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo to attend the 2019 Great Lakes President Elect Training Seminar. Great Lakes Rotary President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) is one of the largest multi-district PETS in the United States. It was formed with a view to becoming a premier training event with the atmosphere of a mini Rotary International Convention by leveraging the expertise of six rotary districts with clubs in Michigan Indiana and Ontario. DECKERVILLE -- Students of Joyce Reid, of Deckerville, participated in the Michigan Music Student Achievement test, which took place earlier this month at the First Methodist Church in Port Huron. Students who took part and their scores were: McKara Kramer, level 6, and Matthew Pasiak, level 2, of Harbor Beach; Nathaniel Tovar, level 1B, Danny Tovar, level 3, Martin Tovar, level 4, and Julie Tovar, level 7, all of Sandusky. A tale of two cops The state is a machine used by one class to hold down and suppress another class. The 2018 annual reports of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) are revealing. So too are the royal commissions into the financial sector and into trade unions. Even more so is a comparison of how these two bodies operate. Photo: Anna Pha ASIC is the corporate cop responsible for policing the corporate and financial sectors of the economy. It has prime responsibility to enforce the law and regulate companies, financial markets and financial services under a range of acts, including the ASIC Act, Corporations Act and National Consumer and Credit Act. It also has a consumer protection role in relation to financial services banking, insurance, investment products, etc. The section of the ASIC Act on consumer protection outlaws behaviour such as unconscionable conduct, unfair contract terms, misleading or deceptive conduct, false or misleading representations, harassment and coercion all behaviour at the centre of the hearings of the recent Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services chaired by Commissioner Hayne. ASICs governing legislation (Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Act 2001), obliges the corporate cop to: ... take whatever action it can take, and is necessary, in order to enforce and give effect to the laws of the Commonwealth that confer functions and powers on it. Building cop The main objects of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Act 2016 (BCIIP Act) state in part: ensuring that building industry participants are accountable for their unlawful conduct; providing effective means for investigating and enforcing the BCIIP Act and other relevant law. Both cops have responsibility for enforcing the law in their respective areas. They both have considerable powers to summons and interrogate witnesses, demand documents, etc, in pursuing suspected breaches of the law. Both can take matters to court over alleged breaches of the law or in the case of the building cop, it can also take some matters to the Fair Work Commission. In general, their investigative and law enforcement roles and policing powers have many similarities. Crime and punishment The ABCC pursues its enforcement functions with zeal when it comes to workers and trade unions. The building cop boasts in its 2017-18 annual report that courts awarded penalties totalling almost $6.0 million during that year, of which a total of $5.6 million was awarded against the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU). Just a single trade union and its organisers and members! Their alleged crimes included: unlawful industrial action; breaching a Fair Work Commission order that industrial action cease; coercion (such as threatening industrial action in support of a legitimate demand). In one case the court awarded penalties against the CFMMEU and 19 officials of $817,500. The union was fined $551,900 and the 19 individuals received penalties ranging from $37,5002 to $3,500. The annual report states categorically: ... Where the circumstances warrant it, we have not shied away from taking legal action, it is a core function of the ABCC to investigate suspected contraventions and present appropriate matters before the courts. They certainly did not shy away from taking legal action as the above figures indicate! Over the 10 years from 2009-2018, the building cop commenced 184 court proceedings almost all of these against trade unions and their officials. Meanwhile sham contracting and phoenix companies flourished and employers got away with non-payment of superannuation and long service leave contributions, non-payment or under-payment of wages, unsafe working conditions and other criminal acts that only served to boost profits and hurt workers. Personal payments One of the ABCCs most dastardly anti-union achievements was seeking and obtaining a High Court decision confirming that the Federal Court can order a union official to personally pay a penalty and not seek reimbursement from the union. The Federal Court stated: The penalty against the individual must be a burden or have a sting to be a deterrent. In handing down its judgement in favour of the ABCC, the High Court found: ... the principal object of an order that a person pay a pecuniary penalty ... is deterrence: specific deterrence of the contravener and, by his or her example, general deterrence of other would-be contraveners. An order that a contravener must not seek or receive indemnity from his or her co-contravener ... assists in accomplishing the calculated level of sting or burden of the pecuniary penalty ... The aim is clear: to frighten-off trade union members who might be considering industrial action such as taking part in a picket; stopping work over a safety issue or in support of a demand for unpaid wages; or urging other workers to join the union (coercion under the Act). At the time of writing, the decision had been applied twice in cases taken to court by the ABCC. The first was on August 8, 2018 when the Full Federal Court awarded personal penalties of $19,500 against Joe Myles, a Victorian organiser of the CFMMEU. Myles was also targeted in the second case. On December 7, 2018, he was ordered to personally pay a penalty of $44,000 for his unlawful conduct. He was given 90 days to pay or go to jail. The penalties meted out to unions and their organisers are for the crime of doing their job protecting the interests of their members for seeking to regain stolen wages and entitlements, for ensuring workplaces are safe, attempting to enter workplaces on union business, for taking industrial action in support of such issues, etc. Without the ability to take industrial action or to threaten such action, trade unions and workers would be powerless when confronting employers. The right to take industrial action is a basic human right, recognised under international law, but not under Australian law. The ABCC is currently seeking personal payment penalties against more than 20 union officials. During 2017-18, the ABCC commenced 125 new investigations. The principal types of suspected contraventions investigated during that year were 72 freedom-of-association, 71 right of entry, 61 coercion, 37 unlawful industrial action. Crime and punishment The financial services royal commission provided graphic detail of how banks, their investment arms and insurance companies have robbed their customers to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and the endemic nature of this theft. AMP, ANZ, CBA, NAB and Westpac had paid, or agreed to pay, to almost 306,000 customers, combined compensation of more than $216 million for fees charged for no service. The corporate cops approach to applying penalties is demanding repayment of stolen monies and even that falls far short of much of the theft that has occurred. Peter Kell, deputy chair of ASIC, told the royal commission that, most of ASICs work in the [Fees for no Service] project [had] focused on remediation. In other words, demanding that the guilty parties refund what they have stolen from their customers. Where is the sting or burden in remediation! Clearly the corporate cop had no difficulty in shying away from enforcement! On the question of fees-for-no service, Hayne notes in the commissions interim report, that no-one has been subjected to any formal public process of investigation, finding and punishment for this conduct. Only at the last minute before the hearings began, did enforceable undertakings yield public (and then very limited) formal acknowledgment from entities that ASIC had concerns about their conduct and that those concerns were reasonably held. ASIC obtained undertakings from ANZ and CBA. These undertakings went no further than to record ASICs concerns and that the relevant entities acknowledge that those concerns are reasonably held. Not even a rap on the knuckles! Shied away from enforcement With this sort of inaction and approach to enforcing the law, it is not surprising that commissioner Hayne refers to ASICs ineffective enforcement culture. It is in sharp contrast to the zealous pursuit of the most minor of infringements of the law and bad law at that in the courts and desire to inflict personal penalties. The banks and financial institutions are guilty of destroying small businesses, ruining family farms, forcing people out of their homes and destroying lives as people lost their investments and lifes savings. But they have acted with impunity and there is nothing to suggest anything will change. The Act requires giving priority to the clients interests or face civil penalties. These civil provisions have seldom been invoked. It is clear that financial advisers, brokers and others in the industry were looking after themselves, not their clients. It cannot be said that the law is being enforced. ASICs own statistics are telling: between January and June 2018 ASICs enforcement results, excluding small business, were 57 percent administrative; 21 percent enforceable undertakings and other negotiated outcomes; 4 percent criminal and 18 percent civil. That is, they were outcomes carried out in-house by ASIC and not through the courts. Compare this to the number of court proceedings and hefty penalties meted out to trade unions and organisers! This comparison becomes even more significant if the tens of thousands of institutions and individuals that ASIC monitors are taken into consideration. Over the 10 years to June 1, 2018, ASICs infringement notices to the major banks have amounted to less than $1.3 million. By contrast, in one year (the year ending 30 June 2018) one bank, CBA, declared a net profit about 7,000 times greater $9.92 billion. As noted above, just one trade union and its organisers were hit with a staggering $5.6 million in penalties! Their crime was defending the interests of workers against thieving employers, whereas the crimes of the banks and other financial institutions was theft on a grand scale and the destruction of peoples lives and businesses! Same class interests This comparison alone, demonstrates the class interests behind both pieces of legislation. The corporate cop turns a blind eye to the criminal activity of the big end of town, monopoly capital. The building cop pursues the political agenda of the legislation and the employers that it serves, which is to destroy one of the most militant trade unions. It does so by denying union officials right of entry, curbing their ability to organise and recruit, attempting to inhibit industrial action, and bankruptcy in court costs and penalties. It will be interesting to see to what extent, if any, the corporate cop chases up the big four banks and AMP with serious action following the report of the Hayne royal commission. The government sees these powerful financial monopolies as too big to touch. One thing is certain, any amendments to the ASIC Act will be window dressing. Dont hold your breath waiting for the personal payment penalties or effective deterrents with a sting for the robber banks. When it comes to immediate reform, the ABCC must be abolished and the Fair Work Act repealed and replaced with legislation protecting basic trade union rights, including the right to take industrial action. The corporate robbers act with impunity. Those robbed are punished if they attempt to resist the theft. It is called capitalism and it needs throwing out too. STAMFORD A former Stamford man charged with raping and kidnapping two women in Stamford and Greenwich while pretending to be an on-call driver was held Wednesday on $1 million bond. Henrry Revolorio-DePaz, 27, was extradited from Kansas to face two counts each of second-degree sexual assault and kidnapping in the two cases. He was arraigned in Stamford Superior Court early Wednesday afternoon by Judge Bruce Hudock. The criminal affidavit said the suspect had a pattern the modus operandi of impersonating an Uber driver and preying on young, intoxicated women in the downtown area of Stamford, the document stated. In the first case, a 19-year-old woman reported to Greenwich police that on Dec. 16 she had been at a bar in Stamford with friends when she requested transportation home through a ride-sharing app, according to a statement from Greenwich Police Capt. Robert L. Berry. According to court records, the woman contacted Uber at about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 16, after leaving the Hudson Social, but she never made a connection with the driver who went to the location. Police determined that a driver of a GMC Yukon slowed and approached the woman, according to the criminal affidavit, and she entered the vehicle, believing it to be her requested ride. He took her to a location in Cos Cob, but before the woman could get out of the vehicle, the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said. He also allegedly touched her genitals and ripped her pantyhose, the affidavit said She went to Greenwich Hospital later in the morning, and the incident was reported to police. Investigators from Greenwich police conducted a canvass of the area in Stamford and obtained security camera video of the victim entering the suspects vehicle, Berry said. After sharing information from the investigation with other law enforcement agencies, a suspect was developed from similar incidents. The vehicle was subsequently identified and its owner, Revolorio-DePaz, formerly of Carolina Road in Stamford , was identified as a suspect, Berry said. Physical evidence from the scene was forensically tied to him and a DNA match was made, police said. A Stamford judge granted an arrest warrant for Revolorio-DePaz. Greenwich investigators, working with the Kansas Highway Patrol, developed information that Revolorio-DePaz was staying with a relative of his wife in Kansas City, Kan. Greenwich police went to a county detention center in Kansas City to pick up the suspect to face charges in Connecticut. Similar case in Stamford In a separate Stamford case, Revolorio-DePazs arrest stemmed from an incident reported by a Darien woman on July 8, 2016, police said. The woman told police she was drinking with friends at Bar-Q in downtown when she called for an Uber. After waiting for a while, she walked over to a Chevy Suburban, thinking that was her ride, police said. The woman told police she did not recall even looking at the driver or saying anything to him before she got in the vehicle and they drove off. Soon after, the driver stopped the car and a man got into into the back seat and sexually assaulted her, the woman told police. The woman said she was unsure whether it was the driver or another man. She said she was then dropped off at her home, police said. Police quickly determined that the Uber car sent for her outside Bar-Q was not the car that picked her up, the affidavit said. About five days later, a Stamford sergeant spotted the vehicle and pulled over Revolorio-DePaz, who admitted picking up the woman, police said. But he said the woman consented to sex, his arrest affidavit said. When checking the evidence obtained from the woman after she went to Stamford Hospital and reported the rape, Revolorio-Depazs DNA was found to be an inconclusive match, police said. As a result, no charges were filed against him. Tying the case together During the investigation of the Greenwich case, however, it was discovered that the DNA profile from a swab taken from the Greenwich woman matched that of a swab taken from the Darien woman, according to court records. Stamford investigators then resubmitted DNA evidence from the 2016 case for new testing under improved methods. Bureau of Criminal Investigations Lt. Tom Scanlon said he was pleased to conclude the case with an arrest. Certainly the Greenwich case played a role and established additional corroboration that we did not have earlier, Scanlon said. Two years ago we thoroughly investigated the case but fell short because DNA evidence was not what it is today, said Sgt. Paul Guzda, lead investigator on the case. At the time two years ago, we were close to putting the case together and on the heels of the Greenwich investigation, we resubmitted the DNA, which gave us much better results. Police also say that a Fairfield woman helped to identify Revolorio-DePaz as a suspect, on Dec. 2, 2018. In the early morning hours, the woman was picked up by the suspect in Stamford as he posed as an on-call driver, police said. She became concerned and called police when he appeared to be lost. Fairfield police later drove her home, and the incident was recorded. Greenwich and Stamford police ask anyone who believes they were the victim of a sexual assault in Greenwich or Stamford or anyone who has information concerning these cases to contact the Greenwich Police Special Victims Section at 203-622-8030. Victims of sexual assault may also contact the Rowan Center, a sexual assault resource center in Stamford, at 203-329-2929 for support services and consultation. In September 2018, another Stamford man was charged by Greenwich police with criminal attempt at sexual assault and unlawful restraint. Jorge Delgado-Hernandez, 30, of West Broad Street, drove up in a SUV and offered a woman a ride home in downtown Stamford, and allegedly groped the woman in Greenwich, police said. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com Unions target CDP Whole families breached for participating in cultural business, real jobs replaced by modern day slave labour, workplace health and safety issues, bullying and double dipping are just a few of the Community Development Program (CDP) horror stories First Nation Workers Alliance members and educators are dealing with on a daily basis. Community Development Program (CDP) the governments controversial remote work-for-the-dole scheme. Several members of the Australian Council of Unions (ACTU) Indigenous Committee working on the front lines of remote regions across the Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia have committed to change and, with an election looming, they have the Morrison government firmly in their sights. Last month a report, from the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet found that about 60 percent of CDP the governments controversial remote work-for-the-dole scheme participants had recorded at least one suspension from their Centrelink payment and about a third had received a financial penalty during any three-month period. More than 80 percent of CDP participants are Indigenous. Wayne Kurnorth is an organiser for United Voice (originally the North Australian Workers Union) in Darwin, who says his job takes him through a lot of Aboriginal townships where CDP is run. I basically try to communicate with the mobs out on communities about whats going on and why we need to try and fight this, he said. CDP is modern day slave labour and people are getting cut off from financial assistance being punished for not showing up to participate in activities for cultural reasons, for up to eight weeks at a time. That creates a ripple effect. If someone gets penalised, they rely on their families to help them out and up to two thirds of the family might get penalised. Australian Services Union organiser Corey Ah Chee is based in Adelaide and said there was a sense of frustration across the APY lands he visits as part of his work. There are stories of people leaving the APY lands, leaving their homelands, and going down to places like Port Augusta, he said. And sometimes they have families there who can support them and sometimes they dont, so maybe theyll end up living on the streets because they think thats better than where theyve come from. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) organiser Liam Bedford works across the Kimberley in WA. In my role as an educator I try to get them to understand the system, how the CDP actually works and what doesnt work, and how workers are getting exploited, he said. And they know that most people know that theyre not getting a fair go when it comes to working and contractors coming in and that sort of stuff. So I try to talk to them about how they can change things because I see they are scared of change. Theyve seen change happen all the time so theyre wondering, If I do this whats going to happen next? Am I going to get paid? Is this going to happen? Were going to get moved to another community or out of the community. So a lot of them try not to stir the pot. Mr Ah Chee said one of the things they could do was join the FNWA. We have had a bit of a take up from our union members, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal as well, wanting to join because of the whole fair days pay for a fair days work idea, he said. And as workers, we identify with that and people are joining. Mr Kurnorth said the feedback he had was the communities had been waiting a long time for something like the FNWA. So a lot of people just join up, a lot of CDP participants as well, because then they know theres some sort of support base for them, he said. He said they had been lobbying the Opposition, who have pledged to abolish CDP. The Greens are in favour of ending the program. So weve been working really hard over the past couple of years to get our ministers, especially our Indigenous ministers, to step up to this plate, and they have, he said. He said they met with Linda Burney last week in Cairns where the federal opposition MP signed a pledge to encourage people to vote and end CDP. Last month federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion announced some changes to CDP but critics say its far too little, too late. Senator Scullion said the changes will be part of the first phase of CDP reforms, which aim to increase CDP participants attendance and reduce penalties. He said 1,000 subsidised jobs for CDP participants would be available from this month. These 1,000 new jobs will be available throughout remote Australia, Senator Scullion said. There will also be a focus on supporting Indigenous businesses, as these subsidies will help those businesses operating in remote Australia to expand and hire new staff. Koori Mail 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... Taking Issue Wayne Sonter Korea is One The two Koreas together must seek their own path to peace and prosperity The summit held in Hanoi on February 27-28, between the leaders of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the United States of America, was meant to be part of a process to normalise US-DPRK relations and to allow for a stable and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, including its de-nuclearisation. This was in line with the Korean and American peoples desire for peace and prosperity. A man writes an inscription on a Unification flag near the demilitarised zone, in April 2018, ahead of the inter-Korea summit. (Photo: Jung Yeon-Je) This path was set by Presidents Kim and Trump at their first summit, held last June in Singapore. The North Korean government took substantial steps towards these goals between the two summits it suspended ballistic missile and nuclear weapons tests, destroyed a former nuclear testing site and returned the remains of US soldiers from the Korean war. The DPRK is also intensifying cultural and economic relations with the Republic of Korea (ROK). Last September, in Pyongyang, the leaders of the two Korean republics declared that as well as taking military de-escalation measures among other things, they were planning for new economic zones and tourist facilities, as well as aiming to restore and modernise rail and road links between the north and south. The US response was to block this initiative, through its control of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two republics. At the second summit President Kim offered to permanently halt all long-range rocket and nuclear tests and to completely dismantle all nuclear production facilities at Yongbyon, DPRKs primary nuclear enrichment facility, if USA agreed to a partial lifting of sanctions that targeted north Korean civilians. The US government, up to the time of the second summit, had contributed nothing to the normalisation process other than to suspend its provocative military exercises on DPRKs borders. At the second summit the US delegation, fronted by President Trump, listened politely before blowing up the summit by demanding the DPRK not only completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, but, that it also eliminate its chemical and biological weapons capacity, this all to be done under US supervision, before the USA would even consider lifting any sanctions it had imposed on the DPRK, either directly, or through the United Nations. The summit did not make it through its second day. Since then the USA has resumed its joint military exercises, that are rehearsals for invading the north, and beat up a propaganda campaign through the US media, falsely claiming the DPRK was secretly rebuilding its missile facilities. Behind Trump and his words of peace and friendship stands the US foreign policy and military elite and the ruling US capital interests. This cabal lives on war and pillage. The Korean people mean nothing to it, other than how they can serve its purposes. This elite is opposed to the very idea of negotiations with the DPRK, of allowing normal relations between the Koreas, or of ever considering a peaceful, united Korean nation. It wants to preserve the 65 year-long status quo that allows the US to occupy a divided peninsula in a strategically located region. Peace would undermine USAs justification for a permanent and controlling military presence in south Korea and its ability to assert its primacy in the region, short-circuiting its military-economic pivot to Asia strategy that aims to further encircle China and guarantee US domination of the Asia-Pacific for the foreseeable future. The US seeks regime change in the DPRK and its capitulation. It seeks to bring the DPRK under US control, so its socialist-state economy can be dismantled and privatised and its people super-exploited by US corporations the unlimited opportunity Trump offers the DPRK if its opens up to US investment. A Korea unified in this way will only reinforce south Koreas colonial status and serve as a springboard for US confrontation and war with China and Russia. The people of North Korea, like their fellow Koreans south of the DMZ, desire a prosperous, secure future. The two Koreas plan to collaborate in reuniting their people and in integrating and modernising their economies, irrespective of USAs strategic goals, or its efforts to derail the Koreans independent interests that run counter to them. The growing reconciliation between the two Koreas is itself part of an emerging coalition of Eurasian nations participating in massive economic integration efforts such as the Belt and Road Initiative, a multinational infrastructure investment project pioneered by the Peoples Republic of China, that has the potential to accelerate economic growth across Eurasia and beyond. The prospect of a peaceful and unified Korea, that is part of a prosperous, economically integrated, yet diverse Eurasia, forces the USA to confront the fact that the entire region is breaking out of Washingtons orbit and charting a new course on its own, a trajectory that directly undercuts the US strategy to contain China militarily and dominate Asia economically over the next century, in accordance with its dreams of global hegemony. The United States cannot sustain its attempt to impose a self-proclaimed New World Order on the rest of the world the very effort, which requires overwhelming military supremacy to enforce, is at the cost of prolonged underinvestment by the US in the civilian technologies, industries, services and infrastructure that can most effectively meet humanitys emerging needs. It is no longer even meeting the needs of a large part of its own society. Momentum is building for inter-Korean reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. Koreans have the wherewithal to determine their own future, despite US pretensions to control the fate of Korea and the rest of humanity. The United States is losing the authority and legitimacy to prevent Korean reconciliation and unification. It is demonstrating, yet again, before the world, that it does not honour its promises and does not seek peaceful resolution, but rather seeks confrontation and conflict. Complete denuclearisation which should include the removal of the nuclear capable US military forces from the Korean peninsula and out of the ROKs military command structures will come about through the Koreans own efforts to establish the basis for peace, co-prosperity, and eventual unification. They are able to do this as part of a community of common destiny that seeks to improve peoples living standards, through sharing the benefits of technological innovation and modernisation, within a system of mutual respect for the sovereign rights of nations. This is the alternative to being under the thumb of a global corporate-financial hierarchy, backed by ruthless military power. In Australia like in the Republic of Korea our politicians should wake up to the fact that the appeasement of, and collaboration with the US state apparatus, only assists in the furtherance of its war aims. We need to break the links with imperialism, economically, politically and militarily. To start with, our governments should overturn the US-imposed sanctions on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. This article by Jared Keller originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues. Before he left on his deployment to Afghanistan, Army Spc. Joseph P. Collette left a bit of himself behind. Collette -- the 29-year-old explosive ordnance technician who was one of two soldiers killed in combat there Friday -- wrote "about 30 love letters" to his new wife Caela, hiding them in their home for her to discover during his time away. "[He] hid them in random places around the house for me to find, which I found most of them," Caela Collette told Stars and Stripes on the Saturday after his death. "So last night, it was really comforting sitting down, reading through those, because it's almost like he was preparing for this exact scenario." Collette, a Lancaster, Ohio, native assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion, 71st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, at Fort Carson, Colorado, had married in December before his first overseas deployment to Afghanistan. "He told me that as soon as 9/11 happened when we were kids, he knew right then that he wanted to join the Army," his wife told Stars and Stripes. "He was getting out of the Army in February next year and had never been on deployment. He wanted to go on deployment badly." Collette and Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay died from wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan's Kunduz Province, the Pentagon said in a statement Saturday. They are the third and fourth service members killed in combat operations in Afghanistan this year. -- This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. More articles from Task & Purpose: If the Marine Corps had to go to war with the number of amphibious ships the Navy currently has, it likely wouldn't be able to pull off its missions successfully, the general tapped to lead the service warns. Nineteen amphibious ships were ready to sail this week, Lt. Gen. David Berger, head of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, told lawmakers Tuesday, leaving about a third of the amphib fleet pierside. That could leave Marines strapped if they had to fight in a contested maritime requirement tomorrow, he said during a hearing on sea-power projection. "The force we have this afternoon, while we're sitting in here, will not [allow us to compete in that environment] to the degree we need it to," said Berger, who was nominated this week to serve as the next commandant of the Marine Corps. Navy Department leaders are facing scrutiny from lawmakers after the service's 2020 budget request didn't include any funding requests for amphibious ships. Related content: Vice Adm. William Merz, deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems, said the Navy remains committed to building the amphib fleet, including accelerating its plans to deliver future landing helicopter assault ships. But Rep. Rob Wittman, a Virginia Republican, said seeing amphibs left out of the 2020 budget is concerning. "We see no amphibious ship request, no amphibious connectors," he said. "So there's some concern about where we're going to be with the necessary capability in the Navy for Marine Corps operations." Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said earlier this month that he planned to talk to members of Congress about the budget omission, especially as tensions rise in the Asia-Pacific region, where Marines have been told they need to prepare to fight. "It's a maritime theater and ... we have a Marine Corps that comes from the sea," Neller said. "But we can't come from the sea if I don't have a way to get underway." Next year's funding aside, Berger said the Navy and Marine Corps share some of the blame for the fleet's low readiness rates. "When we rode the force hard and deferred maintenance and did that again and again, it didn't just affect the ships, but sent signals to industrial base that we were all over the map in terms of our maintenance," he said. "Just like our cars, if we don't change the oil in time, we're going to pay a bigger price later." Two Wasp-class amphibs were unable to participate in the Rim of the Pacific exercise last year due to mechanical failures, highlighting continued readiness problems with the Navy's amphibious fleet, USNI News reported at the time. The Bonhomme Richard, which was supposed to play a key role in the exercise in and around Hawaii, was sidelined for half the exercise. The Boxer, set to be a key platform in the Southern California portion of RIMPAC, according to USNI News, was sidelined before the exercise began. During Tuesday's hearing, Berger recalled seeing the Boxer at Pearl Harbor. "It was frustrating ... watching that ship be pierside when all the other countries pulled out with their ships," he said. "That's a very capable ship, and it's very frustrating." The services can no longer afford to delay maintenance on its existing ships, he added, but it's crucial that they get new vessels with "the right systems on board." Newer ships offer better protections, he said, and legacy-class amphibs don't have the same command-and-control and offensive systems found on newer vessels. "To a degree, you can put in the Wasp, you can put in the Essex, but you really need the new ships in all type-model-series to give us another level of capability," Berger said. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. A three-star general and career infantry officer who has spent decades leading troops through some of his service's most important strategic operations has been nominated to serve as the next commandant of the Marine Corps, according to a public congressional notice posted Tuesday. Lt. Gen. David Berger has been nominated to receive a fourth star and serve as the service's 38th commandant. Berger currently heads up Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, Virginia, which develops warfighting doctrine. The current commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Neller, will come to the end of his four-year term this fall. Before his current posting, Berger oversaw all West Coast-based Marines as head of I Marine Expeditionary Force. He then led tens of thousands of leathernecks across the Asia-Pacific region as commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific. Berger held those assignments as the Marine Corps reemphasized its amphibious roots in the region amid growing tensions with China. U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Berger, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general, evaluates a rehearsal of concept drill during Steel Knight 2016 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 10, 2015. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Roderick L. Jacquote) Berger has also commanded Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, where all units complete intensive training that prepares them for combat deployments. While overseeing I MEF in California, Berger worked closely with the Marine Corps' top enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green. When Green was named the 18th Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps, Berger told Military.com's Hope Hodge Seck that he respected Green's candor when he felt the general was about to make a mistake. "He will not hesitate to close the door and tell me frankly when he thinks I'm headed down the wrong path," Berger said at the time. "Always professional, always with the goal of helping me make the very best decisions possible for this command and for the Marine Corps." Berger earned his commission in 1981 after graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he studied engineering. He served as a company commander in Desert Storm; a regimental combat team commander in Fallujah, Iraq; and a division commander in Afghanistan. He has long pushed for empowering small-unit leaders and is vocal about cyber and other high-tech threats Marines are likely to face in future operations. In an October interview with Military.com, Berger talked about his priorities at Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and how he wanted to get new gear into Marines' hands faster. With technology change fast and threats from Russia and China on the rise, Berger said he wanted to see Marines testing prototypes that were 65 or 70 percent right, telling him what needed to change, and then getting it into the field quickly. He also detailed plans for new force-on-force-level training to better prepare Marines to take on near-peer enemies. Marines need to understand how future adversaries might use rockets, drones, planes and more, he said. "We need to teach Marine leaders how to think on their feet," Berger said. "We're going to see a lot more of that graduate- or varsity-level thinking leader, and I need them figuring out how they can outthink me." Back in the Pacific, Berger oversaw key changes as the Marine Corps shifted its focus from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to Asia. The size of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin in Australia expanded under his leadership, and the Marines moved MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, capable of carrying troops and gear long distances, into the theater. He also oversaw the first operational deployments of the F-35B joint strike fighter jets, with the 31st and 13th Marine expeditionary units. Throughout his career, Berger also served in several instructor roles, including at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, where aviators train for combat missions, and III Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group. Berger studied international public policy at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and has another master's degree in military studies. He has attended Army Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting. He has also graduated from Army Ranger School, Navy Dive School and Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance School. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage Wednesday over President Donald Trump's plan to take $1 billion from the Army's personnel account to help pay for a border wall, a move the senators say can only hurt military readiness. During a hearing Wednesday, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, accused the president of "building his wall at the expense of the America's military." "On Monday, Congress learned that the $1 billion in excess Army pay and benefits will not go back into the Army and other military priorities but will go to build the president's wall," Durbin said, adding that he is also concerned that the president wants to "cancel $3.6 billion in military construction projects that the Army and other services asked for last year" to fund the wall. "Meanwhile, we have no answers on how the armed forces are going to pay for pressing readiness issues this year, like repairing bases after natural disasters [and] paying the cost of deploying soldiers and the National Guard to our border." Durbin asked Army leaders testifying at the hearing how the service intends "to pay for the $350 million for border activities that were not anticipated." Army Secretary Mark Esper said the $1 billion "came out of surplus personnel money that was not used in the fiscal 2019 budget and will not affect our plan in terms of readiness and modernization." "Going forward ... we will have to assess how we are going to pay for [the border activities]," he said. "Our comptroller is working up those numbers, and we would have to come back to do a reprogramming into those accounts." Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, asked Esper whether the Army has started prioritizing the previously appropriated military constructions projects that will likely be cut. Esper said he had directed the Army staff to begin prioritizing a list of projects based on readiness and power projection. Appearing to grow more agitated, Schatz asked how the effort was progressing. "We are waiting as though we are not appropriators, as though we didn't already decide this, as though it's not our constitutional obligation to do the prioritization," he said. "So at a minimum, it seems to me we should be involved in this process and that it shouldn't be a black box that is dropped down on us." Esper told Schatz that he has ordered his staff to expedite the process. The senator then asked whether the Army would consult with the committee. Esper replied, "If I am permitted to by [the office of the secretary of Defense], I certainly will." Schatz warned Esper that his answers were fraying a relationship between the Army and the committee that has been based on trust. "This makes it very difficult for you to come to us and say, 'All of these needs are high priority. They must be funded for readiness and other things and for the good of the United States Army,' when as it turns out there seems to be $1 billion left over," he said, expressing concern that the service is not using that money for "U.S. Army Pacific's priorities that they just submitted to big Army." "They are saying, 'We need something for Korea. We need something for the Strykers in Alaska. And we need a bunch of things in Hawaii, and we need stuff throughout the region,'" Schatz continued. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, wanted further explanation of the Army's stance on the Defense Department's plans for "raiding" $1 billion intended for pay and benefits to fund the president's wall. "We hear so frequently from the services about problems in readiness and modernization ... and this committee has worked very hard to help you address those problems because, at the end of the day, our service members are at risk. So if this money is truly not needed where it is currently budgeted, would this money not be better spent investing in our soldiers and families, improving their training or modernizing their equipment?" she asked. Esper re-emphasized that the $1 billion was part of last year's personnel account that was not used because the Army missed its recruiting goal for the active force by 6,500 soldiers. "We could not meet [our] end-strength goal of 487,000, so that was allocated to soldiers that frankly didn't exist," he said. "We turned that back into OSD ... and the return of that money came with the recommendations that said 'the FY 2019 budget approved by Congress met our readiness and modernization needs, however, we would like to keep some of that money to further improve readiness and modernization.'" Murray also told Esper she is concerned about future military construction projects in her state, which could be cut to pay for the wall. "I do know you get very limited military construction money, so I expect the Army would not have approved the construction of the new confinement facility at [Joint Base Lewis-McChord] or the tactical equipment maintenance facility at Yakima if they were not truly important," she said. "So I want to ask, are any of these projects less important to military readiness than building a wall on the southern border?" Esper said he will have to assess all the projects and their "relative value amongst one another." "With regard to your question of their value relative to the border wall, that's a decision beyond me," he said. "As I said earlier, my responsibility is to prioritize projects from an Army perspective. The acting secretary of defense has a much broader perspective, and the White House has a much broader perspective from there. ... We follow direction." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Wednesday to Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins, a 10th Mountain Division soldier who sacrificed his life to save his fellow troops from a suicide bomber on a dusty road in Iraq 12 years ago. At a White House ceremony, Trump presented the nation's highest award for valor to Atkins' 22-year-old son, Trevor Oliver, who was 11 years old when his father died. The soldiers that Atkins left behind described him as a tough big brother and a master of his craft that wouldnt ask anybody to do anything he wouldnt. "Today, the name of Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins will be etched alongside the names of America's brave warriors and written forever into America's heart," the president said. "Your father's courage and sacrifice will live for all time." Atkins originally received the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery, but a recent Pentagon review upgraded his award to the Medal of Honor. Related: Split-Second Bravery: Soldiers Recount Fallen Comrade's Medal of Honor Heroism Atkins' unit operated in a "hotbed of terror" in a part of Iraq known as the "triangle of death," Trump said. Atkins' unit was conducting route security on June 1, 2007, when he and three other soldiers stopped two Iraqis on a remote road near the town of Abu Sarnak, Iraq. Atkins and his men stopped two Iraqi men who were acting suspiciously. A struggle broke out between Atkins and one of the men. Using hand-to-hand combat techniques, Atkins got the man down on the ground and deliberately positioned himself so his body would block the blast before the man detonated his suicide vest, according to the award citation and soldiers who witnessed the incident. "The man began to reach for something and Travis knew what it was; he realized the man was wearing a suicide vest," Trump said. "Travis wrapped his arms and his entire body around him and threw him to the ground, away from his troops who were right next to him. "He shielded his men from certain death. The terrorist detonated his suicide vest and Travis was instantly killed." "In his final moments on earth, Travis did not run," Trump said at Wednesday's ceremony. "He didn't know what it was to run." "He rose to the highest calling; he laid down his life to saves the lives of his fellow warriors," Trump added. "In so doing he embodied the deepest meaning to the motto of the 10th Mountain Division -- he climbed to glory." Trevor spoke briefly at the ceremony at Trump's insistence. "It's something that I can't really put into words; it's something that is surreal and I still haven't fully accepted it yet," Trevor said, his voice shaking with emotion. This did not come as a surprise to his mother, Elaine Atkins, who attended the ceremony with Atkins' father, Jack, and other family members. "When he was home on leave, he would talk about what he had to do to instruct them and get them ready," she told a group of reporters Tuesday. "He was always very concerned about that, making sure that they knew what they should do in order to survive, in order to function as good soldiers." Former Sgt. Jared Venable said he was in was Army Basic Combat Training at the time the unit deployed and that he didn't join them in Iraq until late November, early December 2006. "I was 18 years old, and frankly, I was just really scared," he told a group of reporters Tuesday. Upon meeting Atkins, he said he immediately felt a sense of relief. "He made me feel like there was a chance and that I could trust him -- that there was somebody there that knew what they were doing," Venable said. "There was no doubt in mind that he knew what he was doing and that he wouldn't have me doing anything that he wouldn't do himself." Former Sgt. Sand Aijo, who served as the .50 caliber machine gunner on Atkins' Humvee, recalled that Atkins could be "very intense when he had to be ... he had very specific standards and they were nothing that he wouldn't have for himself." "To be honest, when he first became my team leader and squad leader, I hated it; I was a 19-year-old kid -- cocky, you know. I thought I knew everything," said Aijo, who is certain that Atkins saved his life that day. "And he came in and he put me in my place, but he did it in the best way possible." Aijo said he realizes that Atkins was preparing him to survive without him. "When that day happened, I was prepared and reacted appropriately, and I don't know if I would have with anybody else leading me," he said. "No matter how tough he could be, he was like a tough big brother." Before accepting his father's award, Trevor thanked this father's fellow soldiers for the kindness they showed him. "Everything you have said to me over the last few days has meant the world to me and it changes my life," he said with a voice full of emotion. "The medal is something that I take a lot of pride in, but it's the words that are the real prize and what really means the most to me." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Facing concerns over the implementation of the new Mission Act, which consolidates the Department of Veterans Affairs' seven private health care programs into a Community Care Network, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie on Tuesday sought to reassure senators that the department is not looking to outsource most of its medical care. Testifying before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Wilkie said the department's proposed access standards for private care -- which will greatly increase the number of veterans eligible for outside medical services -- do not mean more veterans will seek that care. About 19 percent of the VA's $87 billion proposed fiscal 2020 medical budget is designated for the Community Care Network created by the VA Mission Act, while 81 percent is earmarked for VA medical care, he said. Wilkie stressed that the department is committed to providing quality in-house medical services, acknowledging that veterans -- and veterans groups -- say they prefer VA care. Related content: "The care in the private sector nine times out of 10 is probably not as good as the care you get in VA," he said. "Things are not always greener on the other side of the hill." VA officials have sought to convince veterans, veterans service organizations and the public that it has no intention of privatizing its health care system. The public affairs blitz began shortly after President Donald Trump won on a platform that included allowing veterans to see any doctor they choose, and it has grown in recent weeks since the release of the proposed access standards, which include: eligibility for those who must drive an average 30 minutes to a primary or mental health appointment or 60 minutes for specialty care, or wait 20 days or more for primary care or 28 days for a specialty care appointment. "I argue it is the most transformative period in the history of this department. ... I don't believe we are on the cusp of transformation; we are in the middle of it," Wilkie said. He added that the medical care the VA gives is as "good or better than any medical care in any region of the country. We are proud of it." But Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, said privatization can also occur by neglect. Describing medical facilities in his state that have not been maintained or expanded and a mobile unit that remains inoperable, he said veterans may choose to see a private physician even if they'd prefer to go to the VA. "Even though our intent and the verbal agreement is that we aren't going to privatize, because of starving [these facilities], there won't be these services ... you can see the concern," Manchin said. Wilkie said the VA has a $60 billion facilities maintenance backlog and will need to "be creative" in continuing to provide health care to veterans, pointing to VA medical facilities being established across the country in leased buildings, allowing medical center staff to concentrate on medical care rather than infrastructure. He also suggested the department is considering a program similar to the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps to entice doctors and other medical health providers to move to rural areas to serve veterans. The VA is seeking to implement its access standards for the Community Care Network by June. It has awarded a $55 billion contract for three regions in the network to Optum Public Service Solutions and plans to announce the contract award for the region that covers the western United States in April. Contracts for Alaska and the Pacific Territories will be awarded in the fall. The VA's proposed fiscal 2020 budget includes $220 billion in total spending, up 9.5 percent from fiscal 2019. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, said he wants to lay to rest concerns that the VA plans to outsource its medical care. "We are not going to privatize," he said. "I have no interest in doing so. Let's concentrate on making the VA the best it can be." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. If the U.S. Air Force doesn't receive additional funding from Congress to make repairs to hurricane-damaged Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and flood-damaged Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, the service says it will be forced to stop all rebuilding work at Tyndall beginning in May. Without supplemental funding for base rebuilding efforts, the service also plans to cut 18,000 flight training hours starting Sept. 1. It has already deferred 61 projects in the U.S. and overseas to find the repair money, the service's top civilian said Wednesday. "We desperately need the supplemental funding to recover from the natural disasters that hammered Tyndall and Offutt," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said during a speech at the Heritage Foundation. She added that more decisions would have to be made if the funding doesn't materialize by May or June. "These are just the first decisions that we had to make yesterday 61 projects in 18 states are not going to happen because we have not gotten a disaster supplemental for Tyndall," she said. Related content: After Wilson made her remarks, Air Force officials said they estimate the service will need $1.2 billion in fiscal 2019 and another $3.7 billion spread over fiscal 2020 and 2021 to make repairs at Tyndall and Offutt. Without that funding, adjustments will have to be made, some of which pose a risk to readiness recovery, the service said in a news release. In addition to cutting flight hours, all repairs at Tyndall will stop as of May 1, which will delay a return to full base operations and flight operations, and create obstacles for personnel currently working in "degraded facilities," the release said. "The flight hours would have a bigger impact on readiness. We're trying to go after things that have the least impact on readiness first," service spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said. Though the Air Force is still working to meet former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' 80 percent aircraft readiness goal, on May 15 it will begin cutting the number of aircraft slated for repairs, singling out its E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, according to the release. And it will ground five bombers as early as September, the release said. The service has already delayed 61 projects, including rebuilding the chapel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado; barracks repairs at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas; missile field fuel systems repair at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana; airfield and flight line repairs at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; requests for research on properly housing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lakenheath Air Force Base, U.K.; and multiple heating, ventilation and air conditioning system repairs at its bases. Beginning in July, the service will defer all recovery efforts at Offutt "with the exception of immediate health and safety needs," the release said. That includes delaying additional sweeps of buildings that sustained water damage from the extensive floods that sidelined the base earlier this month, which might mean missing mold growth in damaged buildings. Last week, John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy, told reporters the service is preparing to make more cuts in case lawmakers do not approve additional funding to deal with the unforeseen storm damages. But he said he is hopeful Congress will come through. "We're going through ... the current-year Air Force operations and maintenance funds to do those repairs" to Tyndall Air Force Base under the assumption that there will be supplemental funding or reprogrammed money to assist with the work, Henderson said. "We're kind of counting on that." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri reaches Lahore, talks to media Talking to media outside the Allama Iqbal International Airport soon after his arrival in Pakistan earlier today, PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that he does not want to talk about the judiciary. He said that whatever he has to say about it, he will speak to the judiciary inside the courtroom. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is the first impartial JIT formed in the wake of Model Town tragedy that questioned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, visited the crime scene and conducted the forensic tests of the bullets and arms used during the police brutality. He said that the last two JIT did not even record the statement of the injured. He said that we are committed to waging this struggle for justice and would continue to do so in the future as well. Those who received Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri at the airport included Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Fayyaz Warraich, GM Malik, Syed Altaf Hussain Shah, Nooorullah Siddiqi, Mian Zahid Islam, Jawad Hamid, Mian Rehan Maqbool, Hafiz Ghulam Farid, Mian Kashif and Mazhar Alvi. A large number of the PAT and MQI including women were also present to welcome their leader. They raised slogans and showered rose petals as he came out of the airport. In reply to a question, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is his prayer that Nawaz Sharif remains healthy until the decision in the Model Town case is handed down. He said that important transfer and posting was carried out on a photo state paper one day ahead of the tragedy. He said that none of the JITs set before ever asked Nawaz Sharif as to why an aircraft was sent to Quetta to bring Mushtaq Sukhera to Lahore, what was the emergency and what was going to take place for which he was brought back overnight. He said that the previous rulers were asked these questions for the first time and they are totally nervous. Dr Qadri said that as long as the former rulers remained in power, they did not allow the establishment of an impartial JIT. He said that he also demanded the formation of a neutral JIT with the three-member governments team during the sit-in but they did not accept this demand, adding how we could be expected to give legitimacy to a JIT that was formed by those who ordered the killing of the innocent people. The PAT Chairman said that the new JIT has so far recorded the statements of 150 government officers including Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, Dr Touqir Shah and top bureaucrats. He said that it was on TV that he heard the news of AD Khawaja being appointed as the head of the JIT but he was convinced that a neutral JIT had been set up because it did not have any representation of the Punjab police. He said that the earlier JITs did not ask the killers as to why the transfers of the IG Police and DCO Lahore were important, why the aircraft carrying him was made to circle 11 times in the air and why it was not allowed to land in Islamabad. He said that it is now that these important questions have been asked. Dr Qadri said that he does not know what the JIT will write in its final report but stated in the same breath and he is satisfied with the way it was formed and methods of the investigation. He said that we would express our confidence in its findings as well. He said that it is the court that will pass its verdict in the case and whatever judgment it hands down, we would readily accept it. He, however, stated categorically that a fair investigation of the tragedy is essential to reach the truth. He said that he would hold consultations with the lawyers and address a detailed press conference in a couple of days. He reiterated that our main goal is justice for the martyrs. The road to Havana passes through Caracas Already embarked upon overthrowing Venezuelas socialist government, the Trump administration is now renewing its efforts to squash Cuba as well, and Title III of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act is joining an arsenal of weapons employed by the US in what Cubans regard as genocidal aggression. This is the latest addition to the US long record of implacable hostility toward Cuba, which features terror attacks, military invasion, germ warfare, internal subversion, and almost 60 years of economic blockade. Devoid of natural resources ready for US plunder, Cuba offends by having defended socialism and national independence. A wet Cuba vigil in Sydney this month. The Helms-Burton law is complex, but it centres on tightening the economic blockade against Cuba, preparing for a transition government, and, by means of Title III, inflicting suffering and destabilisation. Title III opens the door for the former owners and the heirs of properties nationalised by Cubas revolutionary government to bring actions in US courts to gain compensation for what they lost. These live in exile, mainly in the United States. Persons or companies presently occupying such properties, or profiting from them, and who are located in third countries, would be required by the courts to pay off the aggrieved parties. Because the properties are in Cuba, the courts would lack direct enforcement capabilities, but that doesnt mean the US cant use the courts decisions to wreak havoc on Cubas drive for foreign investment. In 1996, when the law was introduced, the European Union and other critics insisted that the US government delay implementation of Title III. It did so, and for the next 23 years, at semi-annual intervals, the United States announced one six-month delay after another. But a new era dawned on January 16 when the State Department declared that this time suspended implementation would end at 45 days. Something was up. On March 4, the State Department indicated that in 30 more days Title III would be applied to the foreign and Cuban traffickers in nationalised properties. Also, Title III would, as of March 19, be extended to 200 Cuban enterprises controlled by Cuban security forces or state agencies, many of them connected with Cubas tourist industry. The US government in November 2017 had already put those facilities off-limits to US tourists. As of early April, international investors, aid agencies, and business-persons active or looking to be active in Cuba will be facing vast uncertainties. The former owners of nationalised properties may be suing them in US courts. Concerned about a slippery slope of US disfavour, they may cease involvement with Cuba. And what with unsettling news, foreign lenders may shy away from possibly risky loans for projects in Cuba. Title III promises what Cubans call extraterritorial effects. It further universalises application of the US blockade which, potentially involving all countries, violates their sovereignty. But in a Machiavellian twist, the State Department will apparently wield the trafficking charge selectively. Cuban analyst Reinaldo Taladrid Herrero explains: The road to Havana passes through Caracas. Specifically, They are going to exempt all businesses of countries allied with the United States, above all Canada and the European countries ... Implementation will be centered on adversary countries like Russia, China, and Venezuela. Others share his views. Title III violates international law, according to Russia; Cuba solidarity groups have protested. A few business-oriented US groups oppose Title III out of concern that future US commercial ventures in Cuba would be vulnerable. Cubas government argues that nationalisation was and is legal according to international norms and court decisions in the United States. Cuba has sought satisfaction from the United States for deaths and destruction due to US assaults. Negotiations taking place briefly during the Obama era looked at balancing Cubas claims with US demands stemming from nationalisation. Title III means major trouble for Cuba. The government there is presently mounting an effort to bolster the nations economy. Foreign investors will assume a major role in the project. They would provide $2.5 billion annually toward building or refurbishing Cuban institutions, companies, and infrastructure. But any goodwill on their part may well evaporate once threats loom as to court actions in the United States. The availability to the Cuban people of food, health care, schools, building supplies, medicines, and transportation rests on loans and export income from abroad and on income from joint ventures with foreign entities. By 201,4 Cuba needed $2.5 billion annually in direct foreign investment. The fact that food imports alone currently require an annual outlay of $2 billion suggests that current requirements are greater. Title III contains the seeds for havoc in the event that Cubas socialist government is no more and the United States takes charge. According to Cubas Granma newspaper, Cubans would be forced to return, reimburse, or pay US claimants for the house in which they live, the area on which their communities are built, the arable land where they cultivate produce, the school where their children are educated, the hospital or polyclinic where they receive medical assistance. Cuban Journalist Lazaro Barredo, formerly editor of Granma, summarises: Helms-Burton literally has no precedents in the legal history of the United States. [It] constitutes an attack on sovereignty within the international community [and] represents political terrorism. Helms-Burton would extend US jurisdiction to other countries in an extraterritorial manner with the perverse intention of frightening, scaring, blackmailing, or dissuading persons interested in investing in Cuba. We see a decision to repossess the island, annex it, and move it toward total subordination to the United States. This report closes with a condemnation of the generalised cruelty and cynicism that is rooted in the strategic thinking of U.S. power brokers. For example, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, presiding at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on March 7, heard testimony from Cynthia Arnson of the US-funded Wilson Centre. She agreed with Rubio that widespread unrest is useful, but cautioned that ... starving people dont get out in the streets. In other words, a little starving is OK, but not too much. Peoples World The Angels have acquired infielder Adrian Rondon from the Rays, per club announcements. Cash considerations are headed in the other direction. When he was inked back in 2014 out of his native Dominican Republic to a ~$3MM bonus, Rondon was considered a top talent. Now twenty years of age, he has yet to move past the Class A level and carries only a .206/.271/.321 batting line through parts of four professionals seasons. Rondons outlook on the field is at best uncertain, but the Halos will see if they can unlock some of his former promise. Hell join another fading young prospect with a top-notch pedigree, Kevin Maitan, in the Los Angeles farm system. Ford announced Wednesday, March 27 that it will close three plants in Russia, and exit the passenger vehicle market in the country as it restructures its operations overseas. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automakers manufacturing of passenger vehicles in Russia will stop by the end of June. This means the automaker will turn its full attention to the commercial vehicle business in Russia. Related: Ford to close transmission plant, cut thousands of jobs in Europe in 2019 With this, Ford will close the assembly plants in Naberezhnye Chelny and St. Petersburg in addition to Elabugas engine plant. The Associated Press reports that the Ford Sollers joint-venture in Russia employs about 3,700 people, but that it has not been determined how many people will exit the automaker with these moves. Instead, the automaker said that significant employee separations are required and will be delivered through voluntary programs to the fullest extent possible. This represents an important step towards Fords target to deliver improved profitability and a more competitive business for our stakeholders, Steven Armstrong, president of Ford of Europe, said in a statement. The new Ford Sollers structure supports Fords global redesign strategy to expand our leadership in commercial vehicles and to grow the business in Europe in those market segments that offer better returns on invested capital." Related: Ford reshuffles investment plan in Michigan to spend $900M, create 900 jobs Ford recently announced that Armstrong would shift to chairman of its European operations after appointing Stuart Rowley to the role of president. In its Wednesday release, the automaker points the finger at car market in Russia failing to recover. Ford specifically said that the disappointing returns have resulted in the underutilization of the Ford Sollers manufacturing plants and inadequate returns on invested capital. Ford will not shift its full attention to its Transit vans in the country through the existing Ford Sollers joint-venture. The automaker reports that Sollers PJSC will take a 51 percent majority stake of the venture, after previously being a 50-50 split. Sales of the commercial Transit 2.0 in Russia have continued to grow, according to the automaker, as it maintains a segment market share of 15 percent. While the actions we are announcing today are difficult, they are critical to ensure the long-term viability of the Ford Sollers business, Adil Shirinov, CEO of Ford Sollers," said in the release. The Ford Transit line-up is the leader among foreign commercial vehicle brands in Russia, and has tremendous potential for further profitable growth in the years ahead. A.P. reports that a trade union at the St. Petersburg assembly plant is criticizing the move, and has plans to persuade the regional government to step in. Statistics reported by the news organization show that Ford is the 10th-best selling brand in Russia and that its year-over-year sales are down 45 percent. Meanwhile, the commercial vehicles from the automaker grew by 6 percent in 2018. Related: Ford investing $236M to build second vehicle at Romanian plant In connection with todays announcement, Ford currently expects to record pre-tax special item charges of about $450 million to $500 million," the automaker writes in the release. The charges will include approximately $250 million to $300 million of non-cash charges, primarily for accelerated depreciation and amortization, inventory and deconsolidation adjustments. The remaining charges of about $200 million will be paid in cash and are primarily attributable to separation and termination payments for employees and suppliers. ISLE ROYALE, MI - Early reports show Isle Royales new wolves are settling in well. The remote island and national park in Lake Superior saw its longtime wolf population of two rise to 15 over the past several months, the result of an effort to bring in more wolves from Canada and Minnesota. The latest batch of seven wolves arrived last weekend. One black wolf was net-trapped on mainland Ontario, and the remaining six were caught on Canadas Michipicoten Island Provincial Park, where they had been facing starvation. Like all the new wolves, they were fitted with GPS tracking collars before they were released on Isle Royale. A preliminary look at that tracking data showed they were finding food and starting to explore. It also showed the black mainland wolf caught last weekend wanted to be far away from the other new arrivals. All the GPS collars have sent location data from this past weekend. The wolves are adjusting to their new environment and finding food on the island, visiting carcass provisioning and old predation sites, said Mark Romanski, chief of natural resources for Isle Royale National Park The farthest movement so far was about 4 miles, by the black wolf who traveled southeast from the release site. The scent of the Michipicoten Island wolves may have motivated him to make this journey to avoid conflict. The six wolves caught last weekend on Michipicoten Island included that small packs alpha female. Two other wolves - including that packs alpha male - were caught on Michipicoten a few weeks earlier and released on Isle Royale. With the alphas together again, Isle Royale researchers are likely watching how much of that Michipicoten pack stays together - and if other new wolves brought in from Minnesota and mainland Canada since last fall eventually form new packs. They also likely will be watching to see what this all means for the island-born pair, and if they interact with the new wolves. But the early GPS showed the black wolf in the latest batch preferred to put some distance between himself and the Michipicoten wolves. Park staff said that mainland wolf was in the best physical condition of all the predators caught last weekend. All new wolves destined for Isle Royale are vet-checked, weighed and tagged before being released. One of the Michipicoten Island wolves, caught for relocation to Isle Royale. The six wolves taken off Michipicoten were believed to be the last of their kind on that island. Caribou, once their main prey, had disappeared from the island in northeastern Lake Superior, leaving only hares and beavers as their food options. This left some of them in poor physical shape. But Isle Royale park staff hope the new arrivals will take to moose-hunting. As Isle Royales once-strong wolf population dwindled, its moose population expanded swiftly. About 1,600 moose now roam the 206-square-mile island archipelago, which has led to concerns about their leaf-munching deforesting the wilderness that lures hikers and outdoor enthusiasts in the warmer months. Last fall, the National Park Service launched a plan to bring in 30 new wolves over the next few years to help balance the predator-prey relationship. They hoped to bring in 8-10 over this winter, and surpassed that mark. This successful effort resulted in exceeding our first year population goal while providing a buffer for potential losses," Isle Royale Park Superintendent Phyllis Green said. Importantly, we were able to maintain a balance of males and females. Last weekends capture-and-release of wolves was funded by the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) and International Wolf Center (IWC ). They launched a GoFundMe to cover the costs. No more new wolves are expected to be relocated to Isle Royale this spring or summer. But there could be new arrivals: One of the female wolves released last weekend may be pregnant, park staff said. It would mean the first wolf pups born on the island in years. ROCKFORD, MI The well water at Linda Hatfields home on 10 Mile Road near Jewell Avenue in Algoma Township has tested negative for the local PFAS groundwater contamination caused by shoemaker Wolverine World Wide, but she still wont drink it. She doesnt trust the water or the test results. Hatfield wonders why so many of her relatives living nearby have health issues like cancer or thyroid problems. Down the street, a relative has property with leather debris on it. Its got everybody worried, she said. Hatfield was among the roughly 300 people who attended the 6 p.m. townhall meeting about the ongoing Wolverine contamination investigation hosted by state and federal regulators on Tuesday night, March 26, in the auditorium at Rockford High School. It was the first full public meeting about the Rockford and Belmont area contamination in more than a year, and the first to feature the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has overseen Wolverines investigation into contamination at the companys 76-care House Street sludge dump and the former tannery in Rockford. The EPA and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality jointly hosted the meeting, which follows extensive pollution testing at both sites throughout the latter half of 2018. The two agencies appear to be working on close concert, with the DEQ overseeing Wolverines PFAS testing and the EPA handling more common contaminants like chromium, mercury and arsenic because those are classified as hazardous under federal Superfund law. Michigan has enforceable groundwater cleanup standards for two PFAS compounds, PFOS and PFOA, while the EPA has none although the agency says theyre coming. In Rockford, the EPA recently approved Wolverines investigation report into contamination at the tannery, which was demolished in 2010 and 2011 with minimal pollution testing. The report clarifies the extensive contamination under and around the tannery site, but does not delve into future cleanup actions, which the EPA says have been proposed by Wolverine but which are still under evaluation because health authorities have yet to weigh-in. On House Street, the report is still pending. But Jeff Kimble, on-scene coordinator with the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago, said there are multiple spots where the hazardous waste Wolverine dumped there in the 1960s exceeds either state or federal thresholds for removal. Karen Vorce, an environmental quality specialist with the DEQ remediation division in Grand Rapids, said PFAS concentrations in the sludge waste still in the ground at House Street reach as high as 220 million parts-per-trillion (ppt). Mark Worrall, a geologist in the DEQ office in Grand Rapids, said both the House Street dump and another Wolverine dump site in the Wellington Ridge neighborhood east of Rockford are sending multiple plumes of PFAS in different directions through the groundwater. Worrall said that, although Wolverine disputes responsibility for the dumping in what was an old gravel pit long before Wellington Ridge homes were built, the DEQ has multiple lines of evidence that indicate the companys liquid sludge waste went there. Defining the extent of contamination leaving the House Street and Wellington Ridge dump sites will require drilling hundreds of monitoring wells at various depths, he said. Although neither DEQ nor Wolverine will say so publicly, cooperation between the two entities has become strained in recent months, as evidenced by communications posted online. In February, the state issued Wolverine a public expenditure notice for drilling 61 new monitoring wells in places the DEQ wants better groundwater data on. Wolverine balked at paying for the additional drilling, but agreed earlier this month to do much of the work. Wolverine representatives attended the meeting, but did not speak or have a seat on the panel. The company set up a table in the school cafeteria with maps and copies of its recent blog posts, in which it says Wolverines commitment to helping our friends, family, and neighbors address water quality issues in the area has never wavered. According to public filings, Wolverine has spent $13.3 million out of $36 million set aside for contamination costs, and has budgeted another $11.5 million for this year. Part of those costs involve maintenance on hundreds of whole-house filtration systems installed at contaminated properties. The company is being sued by hundreds of local residents. Its also fighting in court with the state and local governments over paying for an extension of the Plainfield Township municipal water system to homes in the 25-square-mile contaminated zone. Wolverine is suing its insurance companies and its former chemical supplier, 3M, which made PFAS-laden Scotchgard that Wolverine applied to shoe leather at its former tannery. Plainfield estimates it could cost up to $62 million to extend its water system to all areas of Plainfield and Algoma townships where PFAS has contaminated the groundwater. Wolverine says it wont help cover that expense unless 3M chips in. Wolverine argues the whole-house filters it installed in late 2017 are working very well and theres no urgent need for municipal water -- a position at odds with both the DEQ and local townships, which say those filters cant be a long-term safe water solution for hundreds of homes. Although officials largely shied away from talking about the municipal water impasse, several meeting attendees stressed the necessity of bringing water lines to homes with contaminated wells. Deb Havens, a politically-active Rockford area resident who has pushed for more community involvement in the contamination investigation, said large public meetings can be frustrating because residents hear that the problem is getting worse, but dont hear solutions. Were finding more and more (PFAS), but they dont have the power to do what they need to in order to solve the problem, which is install municipal water lines, said Havens. You get a whole lot of people who go, Yea, we know its bad. Who is going to fix it, and how? Michael Shepard, who filters water at his home near 10 Mile and Childsdale Avenue though an under-the-sink unit, called municipal water the only solution. His water is being hit by a plume the DEQ says is moving southeast from the Wellington Ridge area. Weve got to have a legislature that puts pressure on them, Shepard said. We cant spend 20 years digging dirt out. Its already in the soil and its already contaminated. The only solution is municipal water for everybody involved. Shepard and his wife recently had their blood tested as part of the only PFAS exposure assessment study underway in Michigan right now. He said they are concerned about the hurdles they likely face trying to market their property. The township is trying to lay the line on me that it hasnt affected the property values, he said. I just dont believe it. A system designed to save Michiganders time waiting in line at the Secretary of States office has been down for nearly a month, prompting frustration from those visiting the offices. Before, this used to be really fast, to come here, said Heather Rivera, who left the Capital Area SUPER!Center in Lansing on March 22 because she didnt have time to wait in a long line she was told could last two hours. In the past, Rivera and others with business to conduct at the Secretary of State were able to use MI-TIME, a tool that allowed people get in line virtually and then come into the branch office close to their turn. It was active in 43 Secretary of State branches. The Michigan Department of State pulled that part of the system down on Feb. 28 after noticing it was giving customers inaccurate wait times. Its one of a number of things the department is examining and improving as it works to fulfill a campaign promise from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson: a 30-minute guarantee for getting service at a branch office. The wait times had been inaccurate for a long time, said Winnie Liao, Chief Operations Officer at the Michigan Department of State. This year, customers experienced swings of up to 270 minutes between the estimate the system initially gave a customer to how long the customer ultimately had to wait. Before the system was pulled, Liao said, I think people kind of just suffered in silence. The department is no longer measuring wait times in the branches with down MI-TIME systems, Liao said, and cant say if the system being partially down is causing increased wait times. The department is working to improve the system before re-deploying it as part of an overall vision to improve the experience at branch offices. I just want it to be delightful, Liao said. In the meantime, people are getting service for in-person transactions the old-fashioned way by pulling a paper number. Problems with time estimates prompt downtime The MI-TIME system is two-pronged: one component lets people get in line online and the other allows customers to make appointments. Its the first part, getting in line from afar, thats been pulled down. The state purchases the system through a vendor, a California-based company called QLess. And according to both Liao and QLess Founder and CEO Alex Backer, the problem isnt exactly that the system is broken. The incorrect wait time estimates came from a combination of factors, from what the system is predicting to how clerks were calling people earlier for some transactions. Its not necessarily the technology itself, Liao said. The department pulled it from circulation but has re-deployed it in four offices to try and get it right. I would just say that I think that theres a team now that is really intent on improving this, so its getting the attention it deserves, Backer said. The State has contracted with QLess since 2013, state records show. In September, the state extended the contract for a year, adding $853,989 to it and bringing the total contract to $4.3 million. There are always provisions in state contracts for holding companies accountable, said Caleb Buhs, a spokesperson for the Department of Technology Management and Budget that handles much of the states contracting. Buhs said he couldnt speak immediately to the specific contract, but said in general, the accountability can be in the form of financial penalties, termination or other provisions. But in this case, the Michigan Department of State is first seeking to work together with QLess to sort this out, Liao said. Appointment system booking up fast There are two ways to get service at Secretary of State branches now by walking in, or by making an appointment using the portion of MI-TIME that is still functioning. The appointment system has seen increased use with the outage of the other part of the system, said Michigan Department of State Director of Communications Shawn Starkey. But increased use made those appointments harder to snag. At the Detroit New Center SUPER!Center branch, for example, the first available appointments arent until April 12 more than two weeks away. In the Southeast Macomb County PLUS branch in Eastpointe, the next available appointment is April 15. Its affected people like Ramon Garza, who went to the Capital Area SUPER!Center to get a replacement for a lost ID card last week. He lives 35 minutes away in Eaton County, but comes to this one specifically because its one of the locations with the MI-TIME system, which hes used before and had a good experience with. This time he noticed the getting in line function wasnt there anymore, and the next available appointment was weeks away. If they restored the function letting you get in line online, he said, it would be a lot more convenient. System part of a bigger picture Even as the department works to fix the MI-TIME issues, its also focusing on bigger improvements to the overall experience at branch offices. Benson is making it a point to get to each of the 131 branch offices in the state during her first 100 days in office. Its part of an early, fact-finding phase, Liao said, and the department is taking deep dives into the data, as well. In terms of wait times specifically, the averages dont sound bad. In 2018, the average wait time for all services once somebody came into the office, including through online cueing or by making an appointment, was 36.03 minutes. But that number masks deeper issues; an average eight-minute wait at one office could be offset by an average of more than 100 minutes elsewhere. To get at the root of those wait times, which Liao calls unacceptable, the department is focusing on two things: optimization through things like human resources and improving processes, and increasing self-service options that mean fewer people need to come in to a branch office. Branch 2.0 is simply a better version of what we were before, Liao said. Michigan health officials have reported 22 cases of measles in metro Detroit since March 13, the states biggest outbreak of the disease in a quarter century. The outbreak originated from an Oakland County visitor from Israel, according to health officials. Since then, 21 people in Oakland County and one in Wayne County have been infected. Of the 22 patients, three had a record of being vaccinated, said Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. About 1,400 people have gotten vaccinated in Oakland County since the outbreak started two weeks ago, Sutfin said. Heres what people need to know about measles: 1. Measles is highly contagious. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. Its so contagious that a measles patients can cough or sneeze, leave the room, and somebody else can be infected by walking in the room an hour or two later. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90 percent of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected, says the website for the federal Centers for Disease Control. Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, an estimated 3 to 4 million people got measles each year in the United States. Each year, about 400 to 500 people died from measles and 48,000 were hospitalized in the pre-vaccine era, the CDC says. 2. The acute stage of the disease lasts about five to six days. Measles typically begins with a mild to moderate fever, often accompanied by a persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes and sore throat. This stage last two to three days. The next stage is a rash consisting of small red dots and bumps, starting with the face and spreading down the arms and trunk. The fever may spike as high as 105.8 degrees. The rash recedes gradually, fading first from the fast and last from the thighs and feet. 3. Measles can result in serious complications. Measles can be serious in all age groups, especially adults and in children under 5, the CDC says. Among the complications, according to the CDC website: Ear infections occur in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in permanent hearing loss. As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children. About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it. Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby. 4, People with measles can spread the disease before they feel sick. Measles symptoms generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected, although it may take as long as 21 days. The person is contagious for about eight days, starting four days before the rash first appears and ending four days after the rash has broken out. Thats been an issue in metro Detroit, where public health officers have a long list of places where measles patients might have contaminated others. 5. Measles vaccine is between 97 and 93 percent effective. The MMR vaccine -- which covers measles, mumps and rubella -- is about 97 percent effective for who have had two doses and 93 percent effective for those who have had one dose. Even if someone who is vaccinated gets measles, experts say those individuals will likely have a milder illlness and are less likely to spread the disease to others. While the vaccine is highly effective, measles presents a danger to babies too young to be vaccinated, as well as to people who cant be vaccinated because of allergies or compromised auto-immune systems. 6. If youve been exposed, the vaccine will work if given within 72 hours. If you have been exposed to measles and you are not vaccinated, you likely can prevent the disease by getting a vaccine within 72 hours of exposure, Sutfin said. Also, gamma globulin shots are available for high-risk individuals who have been exposed and are not immune to the disease. 7. If you think you have measles, call before heading to your doctors office or an emergency room. Because measles is so contagious, do NOT go to a doctors office or hospital without calling ahead first. Of course, youre first inclination if you have measles is to see a doctor, Sutfin said. But obviously, coming into a doctors office, you could get a whole bunch of other people exposed. So were really stressing the importance of calling ahead and making arrangements. Editors note: This story was updated on May 10 with Zachary Ackermans booking photo after MLive received it through the Freedom of Information Act. Due to system issues, police were initially unable to provide the photo when the story was first published. ANN ARBOR, MI - An Ann Arbor city councilman is serving a year of probation for drunken driving. Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, was sentenced in February for driving under the influence in Novi, northeast of Ann Arbor, court records show. Now, hes apologizing for the incident, calling it the wake-up he needed to be diagnosed with severe alcohol dependency and seek treatment. "I'm sorry that this happened," he said when reached by The Ann Arbor News on Wednesday. "You hope to live your life as a model of how it should be lived, but life is real." And so, I just want to be clear that I never intended to hide this story for malicious reasons. I simply hoped that I could live my private life privately, but I do have to own what happened on the night of Jan. 2. Ackerman, 25, of Ann Arbor, was arrested about 5:35 p.m. Jan. 2, after police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash, said Novi police Detective Sgt. Kevin Gilmore. The councilman was driving south on Beck Road, north of 10 Mile Road when he rear-ended another vehicle, Gilmore said. No one was injured, but Ackerman appeared under the influence, Gilmore said. "Eyes were bloodshot - glossy," Gilmore said. " (He had) slurred speech, smell - odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle and then his person." Ackerman submitted to field sobriety tests but refused a breathalyzer at the scene, Gilmore said. At the jail, testing showed Ackerman had a blood-alcohol level of 0.2 percent - more than twice the legal limit for driving in Michigan - Gilmore said. He was held until about 5 a.m. the next day, Gilmore said. Ackerman was originally charged under the states so-called super drunk law, court records show. The law allows for heftier penalties for those who test at 0.17 or above. However, Ackerman pleaded no contest before the end of January to a misdemeanor charge of operating while ability impaired, court records show. He was sentenced on Feb. 20 to a year of probation and five days of community service, court records show. Ackerman began drinking in college, where he said there was a cultural emphasis on binge drinking, he said, and that carried over into his professional life after graduation. He declined to comment on why the charge was reduced or where he was coming from at the time of the crash, but said he began researching treatment the next day, The arrest was, in fact, a blessing, he said, noting the last three months have been the happiest and healthiest of his life. I am today in recovery, he said. I have not had a drink since that night and Im committed to being able to still say that on my deathbed decades from now. Ackerman said he doesnt plan to resign and doesnt believe that the outcome of an addiction should lead to being removed from council. He remains excited to do important work in the community, he said. As to not alerting his constituents or fellow council members sooner, he believed the incident should be dealt with as a health issue, not a moral issue, he said. I also understand there was a public safety element because of the fact that I got behind the wheel and for that I am sorry, but, again, Im trying to focus on what good can come of that night and not the night itself, Ackerman said. He said he hopes those with concerns about possible substance use disorder can feel comfortable coming to him to talk, and pointed to recovery options at Michigan Medicine, St. Joseph Mercy Health System and Dawn Farm. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor expressed support for Ackerman on Wednesday, saying that though he just learned of the matter, he believed it to be a private concern and not grounds for removal from council. Council Member Ackermans work for Ann Arbor on council and elsewhere has been exemplary, careful and thoughtful, he said. Ackerman has a medical problem for which he has sought and received medical treatment. I support and stand by him. He later added that he supports all members of Ann Arbor's recovery community. Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, too, offered support to Ackerman, also calling the incident a private matter. Though he said he didn't know details of the arrest or Ackerman's health condition, Ackerman had told council members he was going to outpatient rehabilitation as a reason for missing some city meetings. Ackerman confirmed missing meetings, noting he needed to be healthy to better serve residents. "I'm back to full time," he said. The temporary absence from meetings seemed to be the only possible impact on Ackermans role on council, Eaton said. Ackerman has, indeed, been attending more meetings recently. Its unfortunate, Eaton said. Drinking and driving is a huge social problem and Im sorry that he drank and drove I hope that he gets the help that he needs and I look forward to serving with him. Ackerman was first elected to council in 2015, when he became the first University of Michigan student to win an Ann Arbor council race in 23 years. He was re-elected in 2017 to a term until 2020 and now works for Denison Consulting downtown. DEXTER, MI - A longtime Dexter printing and manufacturing company has filed for bankruptcy protection and plans to sell its assets, with at least 80 workers expected to lose their jobs. Thomson-Shore, Inc. is being acquired by Minnesota-based CJK Group, Inc., the company announced in a letter to Dexter Mayor Shawn Keough that was included in a state notice disclosing the planned layoffs. Once the transaction is finalized, CJK will continue operations at the 7300 W. Joy Road facility in Dexter, but will not offer employment to all 177 current employees, according to the notice. Thomson-Shore filed for Chapter 11 protection on Monday, March 25, listing $14.5 million in assets and $11.6 million in debt, according to federal court documents. At least 80 people are expected to permanently lose their jobs starting May 6, which is when the sale is expected to be finalized, according to the state notice. We anticipate that these losses of employment will be permanent. This is not a plant closing, as there will continue to be employees working at this location, for a new employer, CJK, said Lori Minnick, vice president of people development, in the letter. A message seeking comment was left with President and CEO Pete Shima. Shima was hired into the role in January, according to a news release. Thomson-Shore was founded in 1972 and offers services in manufacturing, printing, publishing, production and distribution. In 2010, Thomson-Shore purchased Bessenberg Binding, a custom hand-bindery for special editions, book repairs, specialty bindings for libraries, dissertations and periodicals. The company was previously based in downtown Ann Arbor until Thomson-Shore acquired and moved it to the Dexter facility. TECUMSEH, MI - Its unclear whos running Tecumseh Public Schools after a volatile school board meeting on Monday. Interim Superintendent Ryan Rhoades, given a contract by the board on March 25, was placed on paid, non-disciplinary leave Tuesday, March 26, pending the outcome of an independent investigation, according to an email from Board President Tim Simpson to staff shared on social media. At Mondays meeting, five Tecumseh school administrators issued a vote of no confidence against Rhoades and accused him of creating a hostile work environment, harassing, intimidating and threatening staff. Griff Mills also resigned as the districts interim assistant superintendent during the meeting after discussion about Rhoades proposal to not renew Tecumseh Compass Lower Elementary Principal Carl Lewandowskis contract. Mills said he will stay in his position as Tecumseh High School principal. Simpson did not respond to a request for comment on who is now overseeing Tecumseh Public Schools, which enrolls about 3,000 students in Lenawee County. The Board of Education is working to secure an individual to serve in this role during the investigation period, Simpson wrote in the email to staff. Mondays board meeting was the latest development in a period of uncertainty for the district. The entire school board turned over in January, after a November recall election. The recall was based on dissatisfaction with renaming schools and the move to project-based learning and competency-based grading in the 2017-18 school year. Less than two weeks after taking office, the new school board placed previous Superintendent Kelly Coffin on leave and then reached a mutual separation agreement with her. At that time, Rhoades and Mills were named interim co-superintendents. Rhoades was hired as technology director at Tecumseh schools in December, and he has no previous K-12 education experience, according to a report from lenconnect.com. He is a former corporate executive. On Feb. 28, the school board discussed making Rhoades or Mills the interim superintendent for the 2019-20 school year, rather than complete a search for a permanent superintendent at this time. Rhoades expressed interest in the position, and at a March 11 meeting, the board decided to begin contract negotiations with him. At that time, the board also voted to suspend the part of its bylaws that outlines required qualifications for the superintendent, including experience as a teacher, building administrator and central office administrator. Jake Larson, parent of a Tecumseh fourth grader, said it was mind blowing to see the trustees change the boards bylaws so they could make Rhoades superintendent. There are other Tecumseh schools employees with the qualifications to do the job, he said. It didnt make sense to me because theres no educational background there," Larson said. To me, its a little frustrating to go in and change the rules so they can make happen what they want to happen." At Mondays meeting, the board approved a contract to make Rhoades interim superintendent through June 30, 2020, with an annual salary of $115,000, a $5,000 annuity and the possibility of $10,000 in merit pay. The board agreed to this after hearing the allegations against Rhoades from the principals during public comment. Tecumseh East STEAM Center Principal Melanie Nowak; Tecumseh West STEAM Center Principal Deidra Gamble; Tecumseh High School ninth and 10th grade Principal Jacob Anastasoff; former Tecumseh South Early Learning Center Principal Meghan Way, who was removed from that position last month; and Lewandowski addressed the board together. They accused Rhoades of creating a hostile work environment for school administrators through character assassination and threatening them with non-renewal of their contracts. They asked the board to have an independent third party investigation into the allegations against Rhoades. Based on what we are sharing today, all of us are in fear of our job security and potential retaliation, Nowak said, in a video recording of the meeting. However, teachers have expressed their own job fears and uncertainty as to the future of the district. As leaders in this district, we will not stand by or allow intimidation to distract us from the greater purpose of educating our students. Rhoades could not be reached for comment. The board did not vote Monday on Rhoades proposal to not renew Lewandowskis contract, saying it wanted more time to gather information. Members of the crowd at the meeting booed when the board discussed Lewandowskis contract non-renewal and cheered when Mills resigned as assistant superintendent following the proposal. I didnt sign up for all the drama, to be honest with you, Mills said. Lisa Michelin, parent of two Tecumseh students, is concerned with the inexperience of the school board and said the newly-hired interim superintendent is leading the district in the wrong direction. What these people are doing is ruining this community, she said, adding that shes worried good teachers will leave and parents will pull their children from the district. Anthony Alaniz, parent of a Tecumseh kindergartner, said Tecumseh Schools present situation could make it difficult to find qualified leadership in the future. (Rhoades) lack of any experience in public education is insulting to the community and insulting to the teachers who work so hard in the community," he said. "I dont know why the board thought that was a good idea. Even if we did open up a call for qualified superintendent, I dont know who would want to come work in this toxic environment. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigans Board of Regents is considering a project to expand space inside its A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building to make way for the relocation of germ-free vivarium functions. The Board of Regents is expected to vote on the proposed $19 million project Thursday, March 28. The project involves finishing the remaining 20,000 square feet of shelled space inside the BSRB. The proposed project would expand the existing vivarium - an enclosed area for observation and research of plants or animals - to address current and forecasted growth, while accommodating the relocation of germ-free vivarium functions from UMs Life Sciences Institute to BSRB. Currently, the BSRB has two levels of vivarium space, including an imaging core, surgery space, behavioral testing suite and aquatics suite. The vivarium expansion will provide space for research currently housed at the Life Sciences Institute that focuses on the discovery of the effects of micro-organisms on human health, Michigan Medicine Spokeswoman Mary Masson said. From gut health to understanding the underlying causes of serious diseases, a wide-range of groundbreaking studies in the areas of neurobiology, internal medicine, and cancer research will benefit from expanded space in this location, Masson said in a statement. The Taubman BSRB was built in 2005 and included around 34,500 gross square feet of shelled space for future research support needs, including the space proposed for the vivarium. Approximately 7,000 square feet of the shelled space was finished in 2006 to create an animal imaging facility. Funding for the project would be provided from Medical School resources. If approved, the architectural and engineering firm Lord Aeck Sargent would design the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed in winter 2022. US steals billions in medicines Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the United States of theft last week, saying that Washington is withholding US$5 billion urgently needed for medical supplies. He was speaking at the official relaunch of Venezuelas national pharmaceutical industry, which is one of the central components of the governments Bolivarian Economic Agenda. Mr Maduro blasted the US for its criminal measures, explaining: The government of US President Donald Trump stole from us US$5 billion allocated for medicines and the purchase of the main substances for the production of medicines in Venezuela and their deliveries to hospital networks, pharmacies and ambulance networks. A tremendous effort is made so that free and quality healthcare reaches all the people, to be able to bypass all the aggression of Donald Trumps government, he said at the ceremony at the Jipana Robotic Warehouse in the state of Miranda. It is the largest of five warehouses built with the support of China and intended to improve the distribution of medical supplies for the countrys National Public Health System. Mr Maduro announced that a delivery of several tonnes of medicine and other materials from Russia is expected next week. A plan will be launched in conjunction with the World Health Organisation for the production, distribution and import of medicines. The withholding of funding for medicines comes as the US-led coup attempt against Mr Maduro appears to be faltering, losing support both internally and externally. Juan Guaido, president of the defunct National Assembly who illegitimately declared himself the countrys interim leader in January, began a nationwide tour called Operation Freedom earlier this week. He plans to speak in towns and cities across Venezuela before arriving in Caracas to take office at the presidential palace. Very soon, when we have visited and organised every inch [of Venezuela], we will go to Miraflores [the presidential palace] and reclaim what belongs to the Venezuelan people, Mr Guaido told small crowds at a rally in the city of Valencia. Describing the tour as a new phase in his attempt to oust Mr Maduro, he told his dwindling band of supporters to talk nicely to public officials and members of the armed forces in a bid to win them over. Talk of a phased strike in the public sector announced last week remains vague and the majority of the countrys trade unions remain loyal to Mr Maduro, as do the armed forces. Morning Star ANN ARBOR TWP., MI - For the second consecutive year, students who live, work or own property in Washtenaw County will not see a Washtenaw Community College tuition increase. WCCs Board of Trustees approved tuition rates for the 2019-20 academic year during its Tuesday, March 26 meeting, keeping tuition at $95 per credit hour for its on-campus, in-district students, while online tuition will cost $108 per credit hour. Our college continues to receive significant and much-appreciated support from Washtenaw County residents and, in turn, we continue to provide the people of our community with a high-quality and highly affordable educational opportunity, WCC President Rose Bellanca said in a news release. Were pleased that our multi-year financial forecast allows us to keep in-district tuition rates flat for another year. Out-of-district students will see a 2-percent tuition increase to $164 per credit hour, while online tuition increased 3 percent to $117 per credit hour. Out-of-state students also received a 2-percent increase in tuition to $227 per credit hour and a 3-percent increase in online tuition to $123 per credit hour. International students received a 4-percent rate increase to $268 per credit hour and $124 per credit hour for online learning. WCCs $95 on-campus, in-district tuition rate was the second-lowest among the 28 community colleges in Michigan in 2018-19. The colleges full-time in-district cost per semester has increased just 8.5 percent since fall 2012. FLINT, MI If you want to remember me, organize! The words of labor and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez hung on a wall inside the Flint Farmers Market where nearly 100 people gathered on Monday afternoon to celebrate his memory and share their goals toward a brighter future for the Latinx community. Sixto Olivo, a founding member and board member with the Latinx Technology & Community Center in Flint, called Chavez one of the most renowned leaders in the Latino community of Mexican American extraction. He was the first one to break the barriers in the farm workers plights, championing the cause to ease the burdens and the mistreatment and the unfair wages and everything else that was inherent in being a migrant worker, said Olivo, who hosted Chavez in his Burton home for three days in 1989, four years prior to his death. Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in the early 1960s along with Dolores Huerta, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to form the United Farm Workers. He would have turned 92 on March 31. Most importantly he raised our humanity, he raised the humanity of farm workers who were neglected, condenados, tirados, exploited and help them achieve levels of dignity, better working conditions, better pay and so forth, explained Ruben O. Martinez, the events keynote speaker, a sociology professor and director of the Julian Samora Institute at Michigan State University. He wasnt just a Latino leader. He was a Latino leader for America, Martinez said. He was the voice for the poor and powerless and he made it very clear even though were poor and powerless we can empower ourselves and were never totally without power. Asa Zuccaro, the tech centers executive director, said its important to know about the history of Latinx leaders for the newer generations. Tomas Tello, 15, a freshman at Genesee Early College, and Evelyn Cano, a 16-year-old junior at Flushing High School, provided some words in English and Spanish on Chavez and Huerta during the event that included food from Cocina Mia and performance by the Youth Participants de Descubriendo Cultura. Asa Zuccaro, the centers executive director since March 2018, said the pair took part in the centers youth leadership academy -- one of its four staple programs. It is important that we invest into our youth, into our leaders to make sure they understand how to make a powerful impact in the community, he said. We want to share our culture. We believe its important that we share that with the young ones, cultural pride. Zuccaro pointed out in todays national political climate that We have hate speech against a culture and really, I feel, if you understand the culture and you know the people, you know theres nothing to hate. All we have is love and beauty. The center provides a Spanish and cultural course, American English and cultural integration course, the youth leadership academy, and a Spanish/culture class for elementary-age students. As the tech centers director, Zuccaros goals are to use those programs and information gathered from the community to organize the centers path in bridging the gaps created by language and culture barriers, particularly in health care and education. While noting the importance of immigrants learning English as quickly as possible when they arrive in the United States, Zuccaro also stressed the importance of having resources available to help those newcomers. A year in its a lot clearer what our work looks like, he said. I made sure that I reached out to the community and learned from peoples experiences, learn where those gaps in services are. I was taken aback by some of the experiences that our community members face. Some of those issues include family members including children serving as interpreters for their parents at health care facilities and children not having the necessary resources to advance in their education. We want to make sure education is attainable, said Zuccaro. If youre not learning anything your dreams, hope, and aspiration to go to college might not happen. Your whole life might have a different path. The center has also held meetings with Michigan State Police on interacting with law enforcement and an attorney on how state law differs from federal and to answer immigration questions. It was so beautiful because you could see the interest and wonder about how our community works, how our society works, said Zuccaro. We want our neighbors to be able to talk with their neighbors. We want our health care providers to be able to communicate with their patients, he added. We want our educators to be able to teach young people that are in their classes. Having grown up on the citys east side, Zuccaro said hes humbled and honored to have been chosen to the fill the spot. This is my dream job, he told the crowd. Theres no position Id rather be in. GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, MI -- Grand Valley State University students who want a room to call their own but still long for the community feel of dormitories could soon have a near-campus option. By next fall, Campus View Housing wants to open an apartment building with 24 studio units all connected to 1,500 square feet of community space with a shared kitchen, living room and bathroom. Its a great meeting of having your own private quarters and being able to hang out with the neighbors, said Campus View property manager Ben Jansen. The apartments, tentatively called ViewPoint, at the now-defunct Brians Books still have to undergo a final approval from the Georgetown Township Board of Trustees in April, Jansen said. Should the board approve, Jansen said theyll be going full bore to open the units for fall semester occupancy. Campus View plans to keep the one-story Brians Books building at 4282 Pierce St. intact and build the 24 studio units into the existing space. The location is just south of the GVSU campus and surrounded by the Campus View apartment complex. Each of ViewPoints premium studio apartments are about 250 square feet in size and furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, desk chair, wardrobe, loveseat and end table, according to the Campus View website. All units have their own bathroom, along with a kitchenette that includes a hotplate, microwave, bar sink and mini fridge. Theres a high demand for studios, Jansen said. Its something a lot of people want. In the connected community space, theres a lounge area with a big-screen TV and fireplace, a kitchen with appliances and private storage space, a laundry room, a shared bathroom and a workout room with cardio equipment. Jansen declined to share floor plans and room designs, as they arent yet finalized. The studio apartments run $995 a month for a lease that spans the school year, and $795 a month for a 12-month lease. Because of state housing laws, the company cant forbid non-students from renting. Jansen said the concept of dorm-like apartments with single rooms and shared spaces is kind of something new thats seen in larger metropolitan areas like Chicago and New York. An employees friend who lived in one in Chicago prompted the idea for ViewPoint, Jansen said. The door to ViewPoint would remain locked and accessible by tenant key fobs, Jansen said. Security that patrols the Campus View complex would add ViewPoint to their watch. In the common space, security cameras would be implemented. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The locations of Grand Rapids first medical marijuana facilities will be determined next month through a weighted lottery-type draw. City staff have scheduled the lottery to take place at 2 p.m. Friday, April 26 in the second-floor public hearing room at 1120 Monroe Ave. NW. The event, which will be broadcast live on the citys Facebook page, was previously set for April 11. Meanwhile, the city is sorting through 89 applications submitted before the March 15 deadline. Of those, 82 were for standalone provisioning centers -- also know as dispensaries -- while the rest were multi-use facilities with stacked licenses. As of Wednesday, March 27, there were 17 applications that had been reviewed by city staff and found to be complete. Additionally, 68 were not yet reviewed for completeness, and four required additional information from the applicant. The city lists the status of every application, as well as its address and necessary separation distances, on its online medical marijuana portal. Theres also an interactive map. Grand Rapids adopted its medical marijuana ordinance on July 24 by a 6-0 vote. The ordinance will allow medical marijuana facilities within city limits with special land-use approval, but will limit the potential locations based on established separation distances. To determine who gets the first shot at opening up shop, the city commission established a Marihuana Industry Voluntary Equitable Development Agreement that prospective developers could use to improve their spot in line when applying for special land use approval. Developers get points based on their residency, dedication to improving the local economy, and for not needing a separation distance waiver from a sensitive use facility like a religious institution. Those applicants with the most points will get first priority going before the planning department for approval. The more local you get, the more points and the higher the priority, said Suzanne Schulz, director of the citys planning department. On Nov. 8, voters approved a statewide proposal to allow recreational marijuana. Grand Rapids is still waiting for the states licensing and regulatory department to figure out the logistics and framework for recreational marijuana facilities opening shop. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss has said Grand Rapids has no intention to opt out of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. If you look at the ballot and the voice of our voters, recreational marijuana passed overwhelmingly in our city, Bliss said in December 2018. As an elected official, I really need to listen to the voice of the community. And that spoke volumes to me. The city will continue to accept complete applications for medical marijuana facilities beyond the initial lottery window. KENT COUNTY, MI Skeletal remains found in a wooded area in Alpine Township are being examined by Michigan State Universitys Anthropology Department. The remains were found Sunday, March 24, by a hunter looking for deer antlers near Kenowa Avenue and Six Mile Road. Sheriffs detectives recovered the remains then returned to the scene on Tuesday, March 26, to look for further clues. Obviously, the burning question is, Who could this be? Kent County sheriffs Sgt. Joel Roon said, at the scene. This is a big deal, and somewhere out there is someone who cared for this individual. He said that dental records and DNA would be used in an effort to identify the remains. Police have also contacted area agencies investigating reports of missing people. Roon said police have not determined if foul play is suspected. Trauma could still be detected despite the condition of the remains which have likely been there for some time. Skeletal remains do often show signs of trauma and they will sort of hold that trauma for a long time, he said. The remains are not ancient, but have weathered several seasons, Roon said. They were mostly above ground. Medical examiners think they know the sex of the person whose remains were found but Roon declined to say because the anthropologists should soon provide a definitive answer. He said police consider it significant that no clothing was found near the remains. Were considering all possibilities, he said. He asked people to stay away and would not provide a precise location where the remains were found because police could decide, at some point, to return for further investigation. Police think they have recovered all of the remains. Sheriffs detectives were joined by the MSU Anthropology Department, medical examiners and a state police cadaver-sniffing dog. PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI -- Regulators became frustrated last fall with Wolverine World Wide during efforts to restore running water to a family in a PFAS-contaminated area of Kent County. Emails show the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Kent County Health Department pushed for Wolverine to more aggressively assist in the search for a new water source, but an official says in the emails the company balked at the initial price tag for the fix. The Hula familys well broke last fall and groundwater contamination stemming from Wolverines former tannery operations kept a replacement well from being dug. The Hula family went nearly a month without running water while DEQ, KCHD and Wolverine discussed a solution. It should be Wolverine that comes up with the proposal and it needs to happen now, Brendan Earl, Kent County supervising sanitarian, wrote in a Nov. 6 email to state and local officials. The homeowners are getting anxious and angry. Terry Hula said it appeared state and local officials didnt have a plan to deal with a broken well in a contaminated area. Her husband previously described the 27 days without running water as three weeks of hell. What was concerning to us is we may not be the only person this happens to, and they didnt have a plan in place, she said. They knew that we couldnt put another well in this location and they didnt have a plan in place. Emails obtained by MLive through the Freedom of Information Act show the polluter, Wolverine World Wide, dismissed some options to connect the family to a water tank for multiple reasons. According to a county health department officials email, cost was one of those reasons. Wolverine eventually agreed to pay for a water hauler service, one that they initially passed over, after a cheaper quote was secured by state regulators. Wolverine disputes it gave up on finding a solution at any time or that cost was an issue. These emails demonstrate and support everything that Wolverine has said in the past -- that Wolverine initially contacted more than a dozen vendors who indicated they could not provide the volume of water the Hula family needed, including a means of running the water through the entire house, a Wolverine statement read. Contrary to speculation, cost was not the issue -- the issue was the ability to provide sufficient water to the house. The family, Tom and Terry Hula, and their daughter, Brittany, went without running water from Oct. 27 to Nov. 21 last fall. The county, fearing that drilling might redirect contamination, denied the family a permit to dig a new well because the neighborhood aquifer is polluted. The state and county have regulations that forbid putting water-drinking wells in areas of known contamination. During that time, 63-year-old Tom Hula filled a 55-gallon drum full of water every night after work and distributed it to buckets, jugs and coolers in the house before it could freeze outdoors. They used buckets to flush the toilet and had to boil water in stock pots so they could brush their teeth, wash their dishes and take camp showers. The family worried their home would be condemned because of the lack of running water. County health officials called that the nuclear option. I never want to live through that again, Terry Hula said. Twenty-seven days without water. I dont ever want to do that again. Before the well breakdown, a whole-house carbon filtration system installed by Wolverine in 2017 allowed them to drink the water. Kent County Health Department officials objected to Wolverines posture during the situation at the Hula residence on House Street in Belmont, where the groundwater is polluted with high levels of toxic compounds called PFAS that were in Wolverine tannery waste. MLive sought the email communications between the governmental agencies and Wolverine after the Hula family went weeks without running water. KCHD and DEQ officials previously declined to answer questions about why it took that long to get a fix in place. DEQ and KCHD officials also declined to answer questions when asked about the emails. The agencies offered brief statements stating their commitment to reconnecting the Hula family to water as comment. Wolverine, a Rockford, Michigan-based publicly traded footwear and apparel corporation, owns several brands, including Merrell, Sperry and Hush Puppies. The company posted $2.24 billion in revenue in 2018. Wolverines approach frustrated county health officials, who felt expense shouldnt be an obstacle and the company should have been fixing the problem, not them. It should be responsibility of Wolverine to figure out the logistics and solution to this problem. KCHD and MDEQ should not be the ones making phone calls and figuring this out, Earl wrote on Nov. 6. Earls email was sent to other state and local officials six days after enlisting Wolverine to find a solution which happened two weeks later. Today, the Hula family uses water from a 1,500-gallon refillable tank. We only get a delivery once a week. We have to measure what were using and gauge so we dont run out, said Terry Hula. It has to last us seven days. We have to make it last. Were getting used to how many showers were allowed and how many loads of laundry. Wolverine has declined to say what it has spent so far on the situation. Wolverine pays about $1 per gallon for the weekly 1,500 gallon delivery, according to the last quoted price in the emails. The company also pays for utility fees associated with baseboard heaters that keep the water tank from freezing. Those utility costs are about $100 to $150 a month, Terry Hula said. Im so glad they stepped up, she said. We had no idea what it was going to cost. The Hulas and many neighbors have a whole-house carbon filtration system that Wolverine installed in 2017 after the contamination was discovered. Wolverine also provides Culligan drinking water. After the Hulas well broke, emails show Wolverine called around to find a company which could haul water to the home. John Byl, Warner Norcross & Judd attorney who represents Wolverine, basically said that they struck out on all the companies on the licensed water haulers list, Earl wrote Nov. 7. (Byl) said out of the 30 calls (to water haulers) that he received about 10 responses and those companies either didnt supply the service, didnt have water tanks, or only provided drinking water at a high cost. I do not think that cost should be an issue at this point, Earl wrote. Wolverine denies it gave up on the search and said cost was never an issue when seeking a solution for the Hulas. The premise of the question is simply false, as Wolverine never gave up on finding a water hauler or identifying other water solutions for the Hulas, Wolverine said in a statement to MLive. Anyone implying Wolverine was standing in the way of a solution is ignoring the facts, which we have shared on several occasions. Wolverine says it contacted more than a dozen water haulers and struggled to find a vendor who could provide the volume of water needed, but eventually found J&H Oil, the company which continues to provide the water. Emails show Wolverine passed over J&H Oil early on, when the cost was quoted at $2 a gallon for artesian water. (The price) is most likely why Wolverine did not think it was an option, Earl wrote Nov. 6. Wolverine disputed Earls claim as speculation," saying "the issue was the ability to provide sufficient water to the house. In the Nov. 6 email, Earl said health department officials confirmed J&H Oil could provide water in large quantities. Weeks later, after the per-gallon haul price from J&H Oil was quoted to state regulators at just below $1, Wolverine agreed to pay for the first load of hauled water. The water is sourced from Plainfield Township at a cost of $200 for an annual permit fee and $5 for 1,000 gallons, according to the emails. At some point, Wolverine committed to paying for each weekly haul indefinitely, according to the company. The emails show that Wolverine argued Kent County should allow the Hulas to dig a new well, so they could use water filtered by the whole house system. Wolverines lack of progress and financial commitment to a solution prompted DEQ officials to issue the company an ultimatum on Nov. 8: either commit to helping or the state may recoup costs later. If Wolverine does not agree (to commit funding or provide a water hauler), the state will use emergency funds to procure a water tank, plumbing contract and other associated costs, and may cost recover from Wolverine in the future, Abby Hendershott, DEQ remediation division director in Grand Rapids, wrote on Nov. 8. On Nov. 9, Byl responded that Wolverine would fund any other solution equivalent to what it was already spending on filter operation and maintenance. While Wolverine is not responsible for the well failure and resulting lack of potable water at this residence, when Brendan first reached out to me last week we nevertheless immediately contacted over a dozen vendors to see if any could provide hauled water service and none could do so, Byl wrote in response to the ultimatum. A few days after Byls email, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality began securing emergency funding to pay for the water tank, a heated shed, installment and other costs. After the deadline from DEQ, Byl continued to maintain some contact with state and county officials, suggesting on Nov. 13 a different company that could deliver water for $350 per 1,000 gallons. On Nov. 19, the DEQ forwarded J&H Oil quotes to Byl and asked Wolverine to pay for at least the first load of hauled water. It arrived Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving. Despite the water shipments, life at the Hula house is not quite back to normal. The water tank next to the home is regularly measured to ensure the family doesnt tap out before the following weeks delivery. Laundry and showers are usually the first to be skipped if the water levels are getting low. The conservation issue has been compounded by late shipments in poor weather, such as during the Polar Vortex in January. Attorneys representing the Hulas say their predicament exemplifies the necessity of bringing municipal water to the neighborhood. Wolverine is presently fighting in court against having to pay for extending municipal water to homes on House Street and other areas of Algoma and Plainfield townships where the companys tannery waste dumping polluted the groundwater. Plainfield Township officials said in December that, after months of negotiations, Wolverine changed its position on helping pay for extending municipal water service unless its former chemical supplier, 3M, agreed to contribute to the cost. Wolverine argues the roughly 1,500 whole house filters installed on homes in 2017 negate an urgent need to extend municipal water service. Its now unclear when municipal water will come to the Hula family and others. Township officials said any construction on the lines would start in 2020 or later at the earliest. When officials installed the water tank in November, they told the Hula family it was a temporary solution that would hold them over until municipal lines connected to their house in an estimated six months to a year. Municipal water is our only solution and until then we have to live on weekly deliveries and measured, allotted water usage, she said. Aaron Phelps, a Varnum Law attorney who represents the Hula family, said its only a matter of time before another home encounters an irreparable well failure. Should another well failure happen, there is no way that tanker trucks and outdoor storage systems are going to be an acceptable, long-term, cost-effective solution, and yet thats the only alternative people have over the long run if they dont get municipal water, Phelps said. Varnum is representing the Hula family and hundreds of other clients suing Wolverine in Kent County Circuit Court, alleging lost property value and health issues caused by the contamination. JACKSON, MI A four-story, 53-unit apartment building for low- to moderate-income individuals and families could be coming to the west side of downtown Jackson. Commonwealth Development Corporation of America not affiliated with Commonwealth businesses in Jackson plans to tear down buildings in the 300 block of W. Michigan Avenue for the $10 million development. The current space at 318 and 326 W. Michigan Ave. is partially occupied by Deaks Tire and Auto, which is planning to move, said Commonwealth Vice President Jonathan Nesburg. The location is across the street from the Flagstar Bank parking lot. The 80,000-square-foot project is dependent on receiving state tax credits, Nesburg said. "Just visiting Jackson and seeing all of the revitalization and development that's happening there, we wanted to be a part of that," Nesburg said. Commonwealth wants to begin construction by March 2020 and open in March 2021, Nesburg said. The Jackson City Council unanimously approved a development agreement with Commonwealth at its Tuesday, March 26 meeting. A site plan shows changes in store along West Michigan Avenue with a proposed housing development. The development will have apartments with one, two and three bedrooms. Units are reserved for individuals and families at 80, 60 and 30 percent of the area median income. The area median income for a one-person household is $43,700, Nesburg said, citing state numbers for Jackson County. It increases about $6,000 per extra person. Market studies done by Commonwealth show there is high demand for low- and moderate-income housing in the area. While the business considered other sites, Nesburg said this was chosen because of the disrepair of the buildings and underutilization of this part of downtown. Amenities would include first-floor parking, community space, balconies, green space in the back with a play set and potentially first-floor retail space, Nesburg said. JACKSON, MI A new Jackson business is getting money from an old Jackson business to help other new businesses get started in the city. Consumers Energy announced Tuesday, March 26, its giving a $100,000 grant to Lean Rocket Lab, a business incubator at 133 W. Michigan Ave. in downtown Jackson. It opened in December, sharing a space with the also-recently-opened Fortress Cafe. Lean Rocket Lab is also getting $150,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, as announced in February, and a combined $50,000 from a collaboration of other Jackson businesses. The funds will help Lean Rocket Lab get capital funding to entrepreneurs and provide support services for budding business owners. We want Michigan to know that Jackson is open for business, Consumers President/CEO Patti Poppe said in a news release. With housing and businesses starting up downtown, we are pleased to support the Lean Rocket Lab with a grant that will continue strengthening a foundation for Jackson to thrive, ensuring Michigans economic prosperity. Lean Rocket Lab Founder/CEO Brandon Marken compares his business to Ann Arbor SPARK, TechTown Detroit and the Flint Ferris Wheel. Various businesses and schools have rented out office space at the building and collaborative work spaces are offered for a monthly charge. In addition to funds for Lean Rocket Lab, the MEDC approved funding for another downtown Jackson project: The 200. The $13.5 million high-end apartment complex is receiving a $3 million performance-based loan from the MEDC for its 82-unit apartment space. The MEDC also approved giving more than $750,000 in local and school tax capture to the city of Jackson Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to clean up brownfield conditions at the future home of The 200 at Jackson Street and Louis Glick Highway. K&J Tire and Auto Services and the Jackson Comedy Club used to be on the site. The city purchased the land for $320,000 in 2016 and demolished the buildings. (Update: This story has been changed to reflect that Josephus Anderson was convicted for lying at the evidentiary hearing where he recanted his trial testimony.) JACKSON, MI To get a better deal with prosecutors, the court asked Josephus Anderson to testify truthfully against his brother, who was charged in a home invasion they were involved in together. He didnt. Circuit Judge Susan Jordan sentenced Josephus Anderson, 27, Wednesday, March 27, to serve three to 30 years in prison for one felony count of perjury to run concurrently with his current sentence for his part in the home invasion. Its important you tell the truth in court and you chose not to do that, Jordan said. A jury found Josephus Anderson guilty, Feb. 1, of lying at an evidentiary hearing where he recanted the testimony he made during Willie Anderson IIs, trial in October 2015. During the hearing, Josephus Anderson changed his story and claimed his brother did not commit a violent home invasion he previously testified they were involved in together, court records show. Josephus Anderson testified during the 2015 trial that, while he stayed behind in a car, his 29-year-old brother broke into a home on Mound Avenue in October 2013, and demanded money from a woman he threatened with a gun. The woman said she didnt have any money and ran out of the home, police said. Josephus Anderson later recanted his testimony, saying he committed the robbery with another man as the getaway driver, records show. The victim testified Willie Anderson II was the man who entered her house, and another eyewitness testified she was 95 percent sure she saw him in the victims driveway, records show. Josephus Anderson was convicted for his role in the home invasion before his brothers trial and was sentenced to six to 20 years in prison, records show. While in prison, Josephus Anderson has been a model inmate and has received numerous letters of support asking for leniency in his sentence for perjury, said his attorney Tim Macdonald. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Steven Idema asked for Josephus Anderson to be sentenced beyond the recommended three years, reminding the court the impact the case had on the victim and the court. I dont want to say he wasted the courts time, but he did, Idema said. Because of his actions, his perjury, he put the victim in this case through three trials plus three preliminary examination. The victim said she didnt know (Willie and Josephus Anderson) prior to the incident, yet now she says they are a permanent part of her life. Willie Anderson II was on parole at the time of the home invasion after serving nearly six years for the 2006 shooting death of Harinder Singh Kahn, who was killed in what prosecutors described as a bungled robbery attempt. After a long murder trial in 2008, a jury could not reach a consensus and the judge declared a mistrial. Instead of having another trial, the prosecutors office made an agreement and Willie Anderson II pleaded no contest to manslaughter and was later sentenced to serve six to 15 years in prison. GALESBURG, MI -- City officials in Galesburg are hosting a community forum Monday, seeking public input on whether the city should opt in or out of allowing recreational marijuana businesses to move into the city. The forum runs from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 1, at Galesburg City Hall, 200 E. Michigan Ave. The forum begins an hour before Galesburgs regularly scheduled monthly City Council meeting at 7 p.m. The small town, located just east of Kalamazoo, is weighing the pros and cons of opting in or out, Mayor Lori West said. Its important that we understand what the citizens want, but also important that we protect the city financially as well, West said. After offering the chance for residents to provide feedback, she said, the City Council will meet to discuss the issue. Unfortunately, we dont have really good information on revenue impact in the city or impact on the city budget specific to additional policing, traffic, that sort of thing," West said. And I dont think the state has that information either. The community, like many others across Michigan, is considering its options in the wake of voter approval of a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in November 2018. But marijuana is not a new issue for city leaders, who have previously made decisions about whether to allow medical marijuana facilities in the city. Galesburg City Council voted to opt-out of allowing medical marijuana facilities in February 2018. This decision came two years after, in 2016, the council voted to allow medical marijuana facilities. PORTAGE, MI A medical marijuana dispensary that has operated for years but has been closed recently, is now open after obtaining a long-awaited license from the state of Michigan. Lake Effect, at 8314 Portage Road, is open now, General Manager Jevin Weyenberg said on Wednesday, March 27. Its a big relief to be open and were ecstatic," he said. Were most of all happy that the health and wellness in our community is going to tick up a notch. We look forward to helping moving this industry along in any we can. The business received a license from the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board in March, Weyenberg said. Earlier, in September, the state board denied the business application for prequalification, the first step in the state licensing process. In recent months, the business has spent about $400,000 on remodeling the space in Portage, Weyenberg said. The remodel brought a new waiting room setup and more than doubled the space, he said. The new space has five stations where patients can speak with employees of Lake Effect about the products offered and how each type can help various ailments. There is a private consultation room for a more private setting and another room setup to fulfill pickup orders placed online. A fire suppression system required by the city of Portage was installed recently, Weyenberg said. Lake Effect and other dispensaries are allowed to obtain cannabis from licensed caregivers through the end of this month, Weyenberg said, and caregiver marijuana makes up a portion of the products for sale there now. The company works to find some of the best products available, he said, and he looks forward to having more choices as more medical marijuana businesses are licensed in the state. Lake Effect tries to promote education and political awareness, he said, as a resource about dosing and symptom management, and other cannabis information, because patients dont find it at more traditional outlets. Dignified access to medicine is why we started, he said while giving a tour of the space. With the new setup, patients can move through more quickly and the business is more efficient, he said. Weyenberg was appointed to the governors Marihuana Advisory Panel in July, and part of his role on the board is to be a patient advocate, working to facilitate access to medical marijuana. As the state moves in a new direction on cannabis, Weyenberg said he is hoping to see some more positive changes in the near future, such as the state expunging cannabis crimes on peoples records that occurred before Michigan citizens voted to legalize the adult use of cannabis. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A man with 10 felony convictions, including one for killing and mutilating a bald eagle, committed a string of business break-ins north of Muskegon shortly after being released from prison. Ryan Michael Armstrong, 31, of Muskegon was sentenced recently to more than three years in prison following his guilty pleas in four breaking and enterings that occurred at businesses on Holton Road. Among his prior convictions are five for breaking and enterings, including a string estimated at as many as 78 that was the focus of a special crime task force in 2007. Armstrong had been released from prison, where he had spent more than a decade, a few months before he began committing crimes again. Armstrong admitted in January to four breaking and enterings and received his sentence from Muskegon County Circuit Judge Annette Smedley on March 14. She sentenced Armstrong as a four-time habitual offender to a minimum of 40 months in prison and a maximum of 20 years. The sentencing guidelines for the minimum sentence were 19 to 76 months. The maximum sentence he could have faced is life in prison. Armstrong admitted to breaking into Hometown Creamery, All Hair and Yodels Frozen Yogurt, all of which are located on M-120 Holton Road in Muskegon Township, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat. He also admitted to breaking into Lake Winds Chiropractic, on M-120 Holton Road in North Muskegon, Maat said. Armstrong was on parole at the time of the break-ins. He had been released from prison on July 26, 2018, after serving a sentence of 11 to 40 years imposed in 2007 for eight felonies, including four breaking and enterings, home invasion, safe breaking, resisting police and auto theft. The breaking and enterings were among a string of dozens that triggered a task force and manhunt for the perpetrators. Armstrong and his co-defendant were surprised by police during a break-in and fled in a pickup truck. The truck crashed, and Armstrong ran and broke into a home from which he stole a vehicle, authorities said earlier. Prior to those convictions, Armstrong had served 10 months in jail for shooting a bald eagle in 2004 and chopping it up with a hatchet. The then 18-year-old was convicted with another teen both of whom admitted to shooting and killing two of the protected birds from a small motorboat on the Muskegon River. Armstrong also has a felony conviction for breaking and entering in Mason County. MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI Up to three medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate in certain areas of Muskegon Heights. The city council on Monday, March 25, approved an amendment to the citys existing medical marijuana facilities ordinance to allow up to three dispensaries within citys light industrial and commercial zones. The council has not discussed allowing recreational marijuana dispensaries in the city. Council members in April 2018 passed an ordinance that allows growers, processors, testing facilities and secure transporters to operate in Muskegon Heights if they have obtained a special use permit from the citys planning commission. The council initially banned dispensaries, but became comfortable with discussing medical marijuana retail stores as time went on. A vote to allow dispensaries occurred during a special meeting on Aug. 16, but the citys medical marijuana ordinance still needed to be amended to allow them. According to the recently amended ordinance, all medical marijuana dispensaries, or provisioning centers, must be located in the citys I1 light industrial and C3 commercial zones. Muskegon Heights C3 commercial zones are located in six clusters on the far edges of the citys northwest, southwest, northeast, southeast, east and west borders. The light industrial zones are located mostly in the top half of they city in three clusters to the west, north and around the citys downtown area. This zoning map shows the various land uses allowed in each area of Muskegon Heights. The red and light gray sections detail the commercial C3 and light industrial I1 zones, respectively, where medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate.Courtesy of Muskegon Heights Dispensaries in Muskegon Heights would only be allowed to operate between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and must remain closed on Sundays. Any consumable marijuana product must be kept in a safe when the store is not in operation. All patrons must show a Michigan medical marijuana patient or caregiver ID card and some form of state identification to enter the building. Officials will use a merit system to score and approve applications from prospective pot merchants hoping to set up shop in Muskegon Heights. The merit system includes a scaled rubric which scores applicants on their credentials as business owners and stewards of the community. Pot entrepreneurs would have to maintain the cleanliness of their properties and would be required to get a special use permit from the Muskegon Heights Planning Commission before obtaining an operating permit. They also must carry a $1 million liability insurance policy and maintain 360-degree video surveillance equipment around all areas containing plants, products, equipment and/or cash assets. The city would assess a mandated $5,000 application fee for medical marijuana dispensaries, which is common with its other license types. Like other medical marijuana facilities in Muskegon Heights, each dispensary would be subject to inspections from the city to maintain compliance of those and other rules, such as building and fire code compliance. Smoking cigarettes or pot or consuming alcohol on the premises also is prohibited. Violating the rules would result in a misdemeanor subject to up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine, plus court costs. Muskegon Heights ordinance also allows five licenses for Class C growers, five for medical marijuana processors, two for safety compliance facilities and two secure transporter licenses. The city council must wait a year between any amendments to its medical marijuana ordinance, including the number of licenses and license types. The vote on Monday was a turning point for Muskegon Heights and its perspective on pot shops, as several council members, including Councilwoman Bonnie McGlothin and Councilman Andre Williams, initially opposed them outright. The ordinance that governs marijuana facilities in Muskegon Heights was introduced in 2017 and went through a years worth of revisions and discussion from council until it was finalized. Mayor Kim Sims addressed the delays at the end of Mondays meeting, saying she was grateful for residents who patiently waited until the Muskegon Heights City Council could come up with an ordinance -- and a decision on dispensaries -- that it felt comfortable passing. Thank you for the support, Sims said. Im excited about the progress weve made in the city. Im proud of this council for what we do and for whats best for our citizens. BUENA VISTA TWP, MI Buena Vista Township is seeing growth after a new restaurant opened and plans for two new dollar stores were approved. Officials want to see the trend continue. Taqueria La Michoacana, 3072 East Holland Road, opened in the township in February. The restaurant offers authentic Mexican cuisine including 12 different kinds of tacos. The menu also includes traditionally American fare such as nachos and burgers. Robert Lopez, one of the co-owners of the restaurant, said that the ease of access from Interstate 75 was a deciding factor in choosing the location. Right off the back, I pointed out that it was right off the highway and it was in a charter township, aid Lopez, a native of Orlando, Florida. I said that if we took care of the area, it will come back to us. Lopez also credited Buena Vista officials and inspectors for helping with the process. They helped us understand the process, Lopez said. They were very helping and more informative rather than trying to punish and not allowing us to open. Opportunity zones Township Superintendent Torrie McAfee said that the township has an advantage because of three areas that were designated as opportunity zones. The opportunity zones incentive created by President Donald Trumps Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that passed in December 2017 offers tax breaks to people and corporations that invest their capital gains in real estate and business development in designated areas. The investments need to be made by 2021 to take advantage of the tax breaks. We are starting to attract more businesses and more developers to the area, McAfee said. A new Dollar General will open further up the road from Taqueria La Michoacana near the Taco Bell on East Holland Road, according to McAfee. Another Dollar General was approved to open on North Washington near Wicco Drive. McAfee said construction is expected to start within the next few months. Everybody is just waiting for the weather to break, McAfee said. The former Texan restaurant, 3316 East Holland Road, has been closed for several years, but may have new life if plans fall into place with a new investor, McAfee said. There also are housing developers interested in bringing projects to the area, McAfee said. Those are years away, but at least they are looking to Buena Vista, she said. Home to large employers Buena Vista is home to the countys largest employer Nexteer Automotive. Township Supervisor Christina Dillard said officials are working overtime to attract businesses and people, which is especially difficult since the township lost its school district in 2013. We want our township to grow, Dillard said. We have some prime areas and easy access. We try to incentivize in numerous ways that can be beneficial for any company that decides to locate or relocate in (Buena Vista). Latrice S. Goodwine, community development officer for the township, said the growth spurt in the township will bring more traffic. It brings businesses back to the township and when you have businesses it brings people and more activity, Goodwine said. Ever since the Fort Saginaw Mall left, the activity level and vibrancy has left, but now you see it turning around. Goodwine said that FedEx and a lumber company are both looking to expand their headquarters in the township. Stevens Worldwide Van Lines and Duro- Last Roofing also are headquartered in the township. We even have an airport here in Buena Vista," Goodwine said. "People with private jets fly into (H.W. Browne Airport) and go to their meetings or go shopping in Birch Run. Buena Vista is unique in such a way that it offers opportunities from both the urban and rural sides. There is a lot of opportunity here, McAfee said. We offer a lot of what other communities cant. There is a lot of opportunity for agriculture as well as for development. McAfee said the township owns property that is ready for purchase for anyone considering doing business there. We are always looking for opportunities to partner with businesses and developers. SAGINAW, MI The day after a Catholic priest pleaded no contest to sexual assault and drug charges, prosecutors said it would have been foolish of him to have gone before a jury with the audio recordings they had. The afternoon of Wednesday, March 27, Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mark J. Gaertner and Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Hoover convened a press conference in the Saginaw County courthouse to address the prior days developments for the Rev. Robert J. Father Bob DeLand. He pleaded no contest March 26 to second-degree criminal sexual conduct, gross indecency between two males, and manufacturing or distributing an imitation controlled substance. The most serious charge is second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony. Rolling the dice against tape recordings that we had probably would have been a foolish idea, Gaertner said. The tapes, thats Robert DeLand talking. Thats not somebody saying what he said; thats him saying exactly what he said. Thats powerful evidence. The tapes were recorded by a teenager who filed a police report against DeLand in November 2017, then went undercover in other interactions with the priest, equipped with a recording device provided by investigators. I cant get into the mind of Robert DeLand, Gaertner continued, but I think, finally, when he realized and this is just my opinion that those tapes were going to be played, when his feet were put to the fire, and he knew those tapes were going to be played in court, he decided to make his decision. Tuesday, DeLands attorney, Alan Crawford, declined comment. He could not be reached immediately for an opportunity to comment Wednesday. Gaertner described Tuesdays developments as the culmination of a lot of hard work by the police agencies and our office. DeLands second of three trials was scheduled to begin Tuesday. We worked over the weekend in consultation with Mr. DeLands attorney, Alan Crawford, Gaertner said. Miss Hoover was in contact with him both Saturday and Sunday. A possible plea agreement was discussed and it was finalized late Monday. Even so, prosecutors remained ready for trial Tuesday morning, Gaertner said. DeLands first trial ended Thursday, March 21, with a jury finding him not guilty of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree criminal sexual conduct. The two other cases that were to proceed to trial were stronger, evidentiary-wise, than the first case that resulted in a not-guilty verdict, Gaertner said. The reason being is we did not have corroborating evidence in the first trial. It was a traditional he said, he said-type of case. There was no electronic surveillance, we did not have tape recordings. The events that happened to those victims happened in an isolated part of school and a church. This trial that would have started Tuesday, he continued, and the (third) trial had tape recordings and they were going to be admitted into evidence. They were going to be quite substantial evidence of his guilt, is what we believed. Tuesday was the second time DeLand has pleaded no contest. He pleaded no-contest to all seven charges he faced in September. DeLand withdrew his plea several weeks later after Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson indicated he was not going to follow sentencing guidelines that ranged from 12 to 24 months behind bars. Hoover said Wednesday DeLands new sentencing guidelines have yet to be calculated, though theyre very likely to include prison time. Gaertner said he believes Jackson will give an appropriate sentence. The sentencing is in his hands, he said. He knows what the case is about. Hell have a presentence investigation report that hell rely on. As to which side approached the other with a possible plea, Gaertner said it was a mutual negotiation. We reach out before every trial that we have to see if someone is interested in plea agreement, Gaertner said. That doesnt mean were going to follow through with it, but its a step that you always take into consideration. There was a lot of dialogue back and forth. The plea agreement saw Hoover agreeing to dismiss single counts of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct and furnishing alcohol to a minor. By pleading no contest, DeLand did not state his guilt, with defense attorney Crawford saying he was doing so for reasons of civil liability. A lawsuit had already been filed against DeLand, the Saginaw Diocese, and since-deceased Bishop Joseph R. Cistone by one of DeLands victims. That suit is still pending in Saginaw County Circuit Court. Judge Jackson relied on transcripts from victims prior courtroom testimony to enter convictions on the record. The prosecutors on Wednesday were joined in their press conference by Saginaw Township Police Chief Donald F. Pussehl Jr., Tittabawassee Township Police Chief Dennis Green and Michigan State Police Lt. Brian McComb. Gaertner lauded Hoover and the three police agencies, saying their investigation was instrumental in the cases resolution. We kept our eye on the goal line, Gaertner said. We just hung in there and the police did a good job of following up on everything we asked them to do. We didnt ask for this case. Everybody whos up here, we have lot of other business to do in Saginaw County, as far as serious and violent crime. We have a lot of gun offenses that were trying to tackle. We didnt go looking for this; it came to us. Everybody here did their job. Were duty-bound to follow through and child abuse is child abuse. In early 2018, police formed a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. That team since dissolved, after the Michigan Attorney Generals Office launched its own investigation into the states seven Catholic dioceses. They now are in charge of the case, Gaertner said. Ive spoken with them recently, as (recently) as yesterday. They will be in touch with us from time to time. The prosecutors said the victims are content with the plea agreement. I have conferred with both of the remaining victims, Hooever said. They are satisfied with the outcome. Talking about a trial is a lot different than going through with a trial, and at least one of them got to experience what that was like, in terms of just the pressure and everything else that goes along with it. The victims in this case, all along, have been willing to testify, Gaertner also said. Theyve never wanted to back off. They were wholeheartedly into it. Background During last weeks trial, one teen testified DeLand on May 14, 2017, had attempted to grab his penis in a coatroom within St. Agnes Church in Freeland during a memorial service for a classmate who had committed suicide. A second teen testified DeLand pulled him from class in Freeland High School on Nov. 16, 2017, took him to another room, gave him $20, then slid his hand down his back and touched his left buttock. DeLand himself took the witness stand Thursday morning and professed his innocence in both alleged instances. The jury deliberated about two hours in the case before acquitting DeLand. The second teen was set to testify in DeLands second trial and is the one who went undercover and obtained audio recordings of their interactions. In a prior court hearing, the teen said DeLand gave him multiple cigarette packs and eventually asked him to acquire ecstasy for him. The teen, who was 17 at the time, testified DeLand gave him $100 for the illicit drug. The teen in February 2018 stayed at DeLand's Saginaw Township condo and pretended to take an ecstasy pill, then faked the drug's effects, he said. At the time, he was equipped with a recording device provided by police, who were monitoring him from nearby. The priest massaged the teens feet, chest, and back and put his hand on the teens buttocks for a minute or two, the teen testified. The third trial DeLand was set to face related to a man had claimed DeLand had assaulted him in the summer of 2017. In an April hearing, the then-22-year-old man testified hed accepted an invitation to visit DeLand at his Saginaw Township condo on Aug. 7, 2017. The two drank tequila before the man lost consciousness, he said. He went on to testify he regained consciousness several times, once to DeLand kissing him and another to the two of them standing and facing each other with their pants down as DeLand moved his hand toward the mans penis. DeLand remains free on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on April 25. President Donald Trump will ride into Grand Rapids Thursday on a wave of good news for his first campaign rally after a long-awaited U.S. Special Counsel investigation cleared him of collusion with the Russian government. For more than two years, the president railed against Robert Muellers investigation into whether his campaign coordinated with Russian government interference in the 2016 election. Trump is now likely to use Attorney General William Barrs summary of the report to rally his base in West Michigan, a key region for his 2020 re-election effort, and as a bludgeon against political rivals. I think he is going to make it clear his disdain for the entire investigation as well as Democrats who were supportive of it, said John Hudak, senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution. I think particularly among Republicans that message is going to be a powerful one and an effective rallying cry for them. No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019 Candidates seeking to unseat the president demanded that the full Mueller report be released to the public. However, details released on March 24 were as good for Trump as he could have hoped for, said David Dulio, head of the political science department at Oakland University. The investigation did not establish Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election, according to Barrs summary. Mueller punted on whether Trump obstructed justice, leaving Barr to determine that the presidents conduct was not criminal. Hudak said Trumps upcoming Michigan rally could be described as a victory lap. Trump was met with a warm reception during several visits to Grand Rapids during the 2016 election, including a rally on the morning of the election. The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE. For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2019 Michigan, long considered part of the Democratic blue wall before Trump won the state, will be an important battleground in the 2020 election. Trump narrowly won Michigan by 10,704 votes in 2016, but Democrats swept statewide offices during last years midterm elections. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said in an interview this week Michigan will play a pivotal role in the next presidential election. Stabenow said Michigan will be a bellwether for other states in the region. Democratic presidential hopefuls who visited the state or announced upcoming events include New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Texas U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke, former Maryland U.S. Rep. John Delaney and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Democrats focused early campaign stops around metro Detroit. Trump will be the first to engage voters in West Michigan, where he enjoyed strong support in 2016. Its a conservative area in the state and hell be able to get a friendly crowd, Dulio said. It makes a ton of sense to go there and it also signals the importance of Michigan in the 2020 election. I imagine the Trump campaign really thinks they need to hold Michigan. Trumps message to supporters Thursday at Van Andel Arena, Dulio said, will likely be I told you so." The president celebrated Barrs summary of the report Sunday afternoon, saying it provided complete and total exoneration of alleged crimes. Its a shame that our country had to go through this," Trump told reporters in Florida before boarding Air Force One. "To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this. Trumps interpretation goes farther than the special counsel report, which states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Dulio said the president needs to be careful while declaring vindication. Barrs summary is only four pages long, and the full special counsel report could to contain more details that could reflect poorly on the president. Theres bound to be something unflattering that will probably chip off the 'total exoneration interpretation, Dulio said. The investigation found the Russian government hacked into computers and obtained emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations, then released those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks. It also found attempts by a Russian organization to conduct disinformation and social media operations designed to sow social discord, eventually with the aim of interfering with the election. Bipartisan lawmakers, including Republican U.S. Reps. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township and Paul Mitchell, R-Dryden, called for the Justice Department to make the full report public. Barr said he intends to release as much of the report as possible, but cautioned that some of the report is based on material that cannot be made public. Meanwhile, Trump called the investigation an illegal take-down that failed. Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox also called the investigation a Democrat-led witch hunt, in a statement. The president will find a sympathetic crowd in Grand Rapids, said Peter Wielhouwer, director of Western Michigan Universitys Institute for Government and Politics. Wielhouwer said Trump is right to visit Kent County, where he earned 9,600 fewer votes than 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney. The president needs to boost voter turnout in suburban Grand Rapids and suburban Detroit, he said. Reduced Democratic turnout in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties was one key factor that prevented Clinton from winning Michigan. Dulio said Trump can be expected to campaign across West Michigan and northern parts of the state to fire up his base, but will also try to persuade suburban communities around Detroit. Trump won over blue-collar workers to flip Macomb County in 2016. In addition to basking in the glow of Barrs summary of the investigation, Dulio said Trump can be expected to talk about the improved economy under his administration. The presidents message is already being contested by Democrats who have visited the state. Stabenow said Democratic candidates recognize the importance of engaging with working class families. For me, its all about making sure folks that are working hard every day are rewarded for their work and have a fair shot to succeed for themselves and their families, which is what we as Democrats are focused on all the time," Stabenow said. Another Hindu girl has reportedly been kidnapped in Pakistan after a spate of alleged abductions, forced marriages and conversions to Islam in the country in recent weeks. This case would bring the total number to seven. The latest incident involved 16-year-old Male Kumari Meghwar, who was kidnapped. An unnamed local Hindu leader told the Times of India that local police had refused to launch an investigation into the incident. According to the complaint filed by the girl's father, on the night she was taken, four men broke into her home at roughly 3am local time and dragged her outside to a waiting vehicle and sped off into the night. Also on rt.com 7 arrested after Hindu sisters kidnapped, converted to Islam & married off in Pakistan Reports of the abduction come just days after two sisters, Reena (15) and Raveena (13) were allegedly kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim men. On Tuesday a Pakistani court ordered special protection for the the girls as an investigation is conducted to determine the circumstances of their alleged kidnapping. The girls appeared before Islamabad High Court on Tuesday morning, Farrukh Ali, a police official in their home district of Gothki, said. The court has directed the deputy commissioner to take their custody. Some 10 people, including the cleric who officiated the wedding, have been detained in connection with the case of alleged kidnapping and robbery. Indias Minister of External affairs Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj issued a rare statement on affairs in neighboring Pakistan, sparking a war of words with Pakistans Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! At least seven people have been killed and a further eight injured after a missile struck a rural hospital in northwest Yemen on the conflicts fourth anniversary, charity Save the Children said on Tuesday. The NGO, which supports the facility, said the missile struck a petrol station near the entrance of the Kitaf hospital around 9.30 local time, just half an hour after opening time, when it was busy with patients and staff arriving for the day. A health worker, four children, and a security guard are among those killed. Save the Children said the missile landed less than 50 yards from the hospital's main building. We are shocked and appalled by this outrageous attack, Carolyn Miles, Save the Childrens President and CEO said. Innocent children and health workers have lost their lives in what appears to [have] been an indiscriminate attack on a hospital in a densely populated civilian area. Also on rt.com UK opposition demands end to support for Saudis after special forces casualties in Yemen Miles noted that attacks such as these were a breach of international law, and slammed the complete disregard by all warring parties in Yemen for the basic rules of war. Reiterating their previously released figures that foreign bombs killed or injured on average 37 Yemeni children a month in the last year, the charity called for an immediate cessation of arms sales to those fighting in Yemen and an investigation into the recent attack. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting Houthi Shiite rebels since 2015, after the Houthis toppled the government of Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi the previous year. Fighting has killed thousands while chronic food shortages and disease has left 80 percent of Yemens 24 million people in need of aid, according to UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock. Enjoying almost complete control of Yemeni airspace and backed by the West with arms, intelligence, and logistics, Saudi-led airstrikes have regularly struck schools, markets and medical facilities in Yemen. Even if conducted, probes by Saudi Arabia into its bombing of non-military targets has been criticized by charities in the past. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The US ban on composite materials to Russia has not stopped the production of its MC-21 passenger jet, but has deprived American businesses of up $200 million in revenues, according to the Russian trade minister. Despite Washingtons move putting the brakes on production for at least half a year, Russia has found a way to proceed with development of the Irkut MC-21-300 plane, according to Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov. We definitely wont return to those suppliers who previously had the opportunity to do it [provide composite materials for the jet]. Speaking about the costs, its about $2 million for each plane, the minister said at the 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition in Malaysia on Monday. Given the order of composite supplies could cover up to 100 aircraft, US firms lost a deal worth up to $200 million. Also on rt.com Substitute for Boeing Max? Russian MC-21 passenger jet to debut at MAKS 2019 Air Show US economic restrictions prevented American and Japanese firms from delivering the composite materials used for the wings of Russias new passenger jet, Russian media reported in January. Back then the producer of the MC-21 said that the design of the aircraft would not change because of the setback. The manufacturer found an alternative composite supplier for the jet in South-Eastern Asia, and plans to switch to its own ones in future, according to Manturov. He added that Russia must work with those who do not look back at the American partners. Also on rt.com Russia & China to sign contract of the century for next-generation heavy helicopter Meanwhile, some US allies did not bow to pressure and did not quit the project. Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has continued to work on the Russian project. If it successfully completes certification procedures, the MC-21 has a chance to become a direct competitor to the ill-fated Boeing 737 Max. Russia is currently finishing the tests of the aircrafts alternative composite wings and hopes to finish both domestic and European certification next year. The aircraft is set to start commercial operations in early 2021. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Austrias leader confirmed Wednesday that authorities have found financial links between the suspected gunman of the recent mosque massacres in New Zealand and a local nationalist group, following a raid on an activists home. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz added that the Austrian government was looking into dissolving the group, known as the Identitarian Movement of Austria, after domestic intelligence agents seized electronic equipment from the apartment of its leader, Martin Sellner, on Monday. Our position on this is very clear, no kind of extremism whatsoever whether it's radical Islamists or right-wing extremist fanatics has any place in our society, Kurz said. Also on rt.com New Zealand shooting suspects worldwide trips investigated The chancellors comments follow statements from Hansjoerg Bacher, a spokesperson for the Graz prosecutors leading the investigation under anti-terror laws. Bacher confirmed that Sellners group received 1,500 euros ($1,690) in early 2018 from a donor with the same name as the shooter charged with conducting the Christchurch mosque attacks, which left 50 people dead and scores more injured. Bacher added that the amount donated was surprisingly larger than the usual donations received by the Identitarian Movement, which is usually in the two-to-three figure range. This made it stand out, and the events in New Zealand put a face to this donation, he told the Associated Press on Tuesday. Also on rt.com UK Islamophobic incidents soar 600% in week after Christchurch terrorist attacks Sellner, meanwhile, has denied any knowledge of the attacks. In a video posted to YouTube, he said he would give the money to a charitable organization and suggested the donation may have been a ploy to provoke a clampdown against patriots. Im not a member of a terrorist organization. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him, Sellner said. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Bejing's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will complement the growth of Africa's continental free trade, according to Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority. I am expecting more movements of goods, infrastructure development from the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation slated for April in Beijing, as well as stronger interconnection between Africa and the rest of the world, he told Xinhua News on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum. Hadi explained that projects involving cooperation with China (such as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway and the Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port and international free trade zone) are helping Djibouti promote trade in Africa as well as distribution across the East African region. Also on rt.com Engine of growth: Trade turnover across Chinas One Belt, One Road exceeds $5 trillion since 2013 The official added that more than $40 billion in exports and imports has been recorded through Djibouti ports, which couldn't be achieved without developing proper infrastructure, such as sea ports and railway connections. According to Hadi, proper infrastructure will help trade across the African continent flourish because Djibouti serves as a gateway to big markets outside Africa. He also said the accusations against China made by Western countries about letting some African countries fall into a debt trap due to cooperation on the BRI are complete nonsense, as benefits generated from infrastructure construction will far exceed the investment. Also on rt.com Africa is about to become the worlds largest free trade zone Beijings development and investment BRI megaproject which was announced six years ago by President Xi Jinping covers 152 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. It is expected to significantly boost global trade, cutting trading costs by half for the countries involved. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Germany should keep an eye on Islamists children under the age of 14 who risk being indoctrinated by their parents, the interior minister has suggested, triggering a barrage of criticism against his offbeat proposal. BfV, the homeland security agency, should be able to accumulate intelligence on children whose parents left Germany and joined Islamist groups in the Middle East, according to a policy paper drafted on behalf of Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, which was reported by Die Welt. Existing laws prohibit storing such data on persons who have not yet reached the age of 14, therefore Seehofers paper calls for an amendment in order to be prepared for the risk of children returning to the country, potentially plotting terrorist attacks or spreading Islamist ideology. According to our experience, more and more children and young people found themselves in the jihadist environment, said Hans-Georg Engelke, the ministrys state secretary. He said there is a significant number of minors who are now in Syria and whose German parents are considered a security threat. These children may come back, the top official warned. Separately, the Interior Ministry has sought permission to carry out online searches, wiretapping computers, smartphones or other devices, as well as encrypted chats and voice messages. The paper, which discusses bringing the BfV up-to-date with current security challenges, has been distributed among cother government agencies for comment. However, some of them were unappreciative of Seehofers doument. Justice Minister Katarina Barley has opposed the proposal, arguing that there is no point in giving more surveillance powers to BfV. Likewise, the German Association for Child Protection (DKSB) said putting under-14s on a watchlist is unlawful. Children are never perpetrators for me, at least not children below the age of 14,said Heinz Hilgers, DKSB president. Also on rt.com 'Dresses & braids?' Outrage as German manual shows how to detect 'far-right' KIDS in kindergartens Seehofer is not the first official to advocate placing minors and children linked to Islamists under surveillance. Last year, Hans-Georg Maassen, then BfV director, discussed a similar idea, warning about children who have been brainwashed in the schools and the kindergartens of Islamic State. However, he stated at the time that only a small number of the 290 children and toddlers who left Germany or were born in Syria or Iraq have so far returned to the country. Overall, nearly 1,000 people are believed to have left Germany to join IS militants abroad. Like this story? Share it with a friend! A car escorting Venezuelas self-proclaimed president was ambushed by a group of displeased citizens, a short clip appears to show. Washington blamed the attack on armed gangs allegedly controlled by Nicolas Maduro. The 10-second video, published by a local television channel, shows a car belonging to Juan Guaidos retinue sitting at a traffic light, when suddenly a man rushes the automobile and attempts to open the driver-side door. The door was locked, but there was more in store for Guaidos convoy: a group of bystanders began to pelt the car with projectiles. A cloud of smoke perhaps from some sort of incendiary device can be seen at the end of the video, as the car speeds away to avoid the mob. Responding to the incident, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pinned the blame on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The United States condemns the attacks on Interim President Juan Guaidos caravan and the harassment of National Assembly deputies and members of the media, he said in a State Department press release. We are monitoring reports of these and other acts of intimidation by Nicolas Maduros lawless, armed gangs, known as colectivos. Also on rt.com Back to square one? Washington now says no timeline for regime change in Venezuela (VIDEO) With Washingtons full backing, Guaido declared himself Venezuelas legitimate president in January. The opposition leaders momentum appears to have fizzled out, however. After weeks of insinuating that Nicolas Maduros ouster was imminent, Washington now says that theres no timeline for regime change in Venezuela. Like this story? Share it with a friend! A seventh batch of Integrity Initiative leaks has been dumped by hackers, revealing British government plans to build an umbrella network of organizations across Europe focused exclusively on countering Russian disinformation.' Hackers, claiming to be linked to the Anonymous collective, have been dumping batches of Integrity Initiative (II) documents online since November 2018, gradually uncovering a major UK government-funded project which secretly conducted Europe-wide anti-Russia influence campaigns while posing as a simple disinformation-fighting charity. Earlier leaks led the II to make their public Twitter account temporarily private and to completely wipe their website pending an "investigation" into the situation. NGOs under umbrella of government grants The latest batch reveals a UK-funded program called the EXPOSE Network, which aimed to "upskill" existing counter-disinformation organizations by offering grants and training, while their activities would then be coordinated with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to "ensure effectiveness." Organizations named in the proposal for the project included the UK-based Bellingcat, the Prague-based European Values think tank, and the Digital Forensic Research Lab (a project of the arms-manufacturer-funded Atlantic Council). The hackers claim it was these groups and a couple of others which were among the "most eager" to receive nearly 10 million ($13.2 million) in potential government funding, which would be dished out over three years between the summer of 2018 and March 2021. Andy Pryce, the FCOs head of counter-disinformation and media development, met with two consortia, one of which is known as the ZINC network (and includes Bellingcat and DFRL), in August 2018 concerning their involvement in the EXPOSE Network. The documents, however, are just proposals, and Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins has maintained previously on Twitter that his organization has not received FCO funding. Contractors taking part in the FCO project should be able to "handle sensitive information, have an "awareness of acting on behalf of HMG" (Her Majestys Government), and must sign a "strict" non-disclosure agreement. Contractors should also be able to ensure that the network's outputs are used by a wide range of media outlets and gain prominence on social media. A 118-page report titled "Upskilling to Upscale" examines a number of organizations across multiple regions including the Balkans, the Baltics, central Europe, eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Bogeyman Russia builds artificial reality As with most Integrity Initiative leaks so far, the main target of these British government-funded truth-seeking efforts appears to be Russia, with the very first line of the report denouncing "Kremlin-backed disinformation" and focusing exclusively thereafter on Russian "disinformation." The report also accuses Moscow of trying to "contaminate" the "information ecosystem" of the Western world. In Georgia and the Balkans, the report claims, Russian propaganda is "smuggled into the national consciousness" in the form of anti-EU and anti-Western narratives" a claim that, essentially, anyone who is critical of the EU or the West is a Russian propagandist. Another newly leaked document reads almost like a sci-fi script and explains how "Russian active measures" can be understood and countered. Russia does not just pose a potential military threat to Britain, it says, but a broader information threat designed to "alter population perception" to create an "artificial reality" to benefit Russia. The FCO proposed a budget of 20,000 ($26,375) to cover two specialists at a rate of 250 ($330) per day to identify Russian "active measures" and determine whether there is a "single playbook" from which they are orchestrated. The FCO expected a report detailing the results of the investigation, which would help them "neutralize" these so-called active measures. This particular project was to be "undertaken outside direct government control to minimize the inevitable accusation of being part of an orchestrated state-sponsored active measure." Also on rt.com Influencing human behavior: UK MoD-funded psychological research project leaked UK spies scope out info-warriors As part of the latest dump, the leakers also posted what they said was one of many "strictly confidential reports" prepared for the FCO by British spies "who travel around the world" to "measure the capabilities of potential agents. The partly redacted document appears to provide detailed information on a certain "media monitoring outfit," the name and location of which are redacted. A "key figure" at the organization is named as David Schraven, a German journalist. The report about the monitoring group is broken down into information about its "general reputation," its "corporate verification," its "political exposure [to Russia]," its "issues with the authorities, its "donors" and "potential conflicts of interest." According to his Twitter bio, Schraven works for Correctiv.org, which is listed in another leaked document as one of the German organizations countering disinformation in Europe so it is possible that the entire redacted document is about Correctiv. Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan previously denied that government funding had gone specifically toward funding the II's social media activities (including its attacks on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn) but the leaks have confirmed that the entire organization is a UK government-funded project and growth of its social media profiles was singled out in previous documents as being crucial to its success. In a statement on the new leaks, the hackers said Duncan had shamelessly lied to MPs about the initiative. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. Europe and the US should take care of their own debts to China before advising Italy about the risks of joining Beijings Belt and Road Initiative, said Michele Geraci, undersecretary of state at the Italian Economy Ministry. Italy has become the first G7 nation to join Chinas ambitious plan to revolutionize global trade, making other eurozone majors jealous of the move, according to Geraci. In reality, all European countries want to be part of the Belt and Road, the top official told the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference in Chinas southern Hainan province. According to Geraci, who led Italys talks with China on the memorandum of understanding, other European states will follow suit and sign the document in the near future. Also on rt.com Italy joining Chinas new Silk Road raises eyebrows in Washington His comments came ahead of the EU-China summit in Brussels on April 9, and shortly after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU wants to actively participate in the China-led project. However, nations of the bloc need certain reciprocity from Beijing, according to Merkel, who held a joint news conference after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The EU had previously warned Rome against unilateral negotiations with China. France called for a more unified approach towards Beijing that took advantage of divisions among the European nations. When we were criticized me personally, also for taking care of all of this over the last few months, its because we want to lead, and leading means doing things first, Geraci said, stressing that the outside criticism had helped make Rome even more alert towards the deal with its Chinese partners. According to the official, Italy could become the terminal of Chinas Silk Road, thus affecting major European port cities like Hamburg, Rotterdam, Marseilles. Joining the project may spur Italian economic growth after last years recession. Also on rt.com Germany wants Europe to join China's new Silk Road after criticizing Italy for doing the same Moreover, Geraci advised the EU and the US, which also slammed the move over alleged risks of debt overburden for Italy, should worry about their own debts to China. The US was not very happy, we did what we think is in the interest of our country, the official said. We can be a competitor with China but we also can cooperate because China has the size, and we have the know-how and quality. Were not Greece, were Italy We are a $1.7-trillion economy. How can we fall into a debt trap? It happens in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, maybe Pakistan but it cannot happen in Italy. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section N. Ireland must be treated differently from UK after no-deal Brexit Irish PM Varadkar N. Ireland must be treated differently from UK after no-deal Brexit Irish PM Varadkar Northern Ireland must be treated differently from the rest of the UK immediately after a no-deal Brexit if a hard border on the island of Ireland is to be avoided, Irelands Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday. British commentators had misrepresented Irelands position in recent days by saying Dublin had accepted a hard border could be avoided using technology around the border if Britain crashes out without a deal, Reuters quoted Varadkar as saying. Let there be no doubt in this house or in Westminster that when I talk about special arrangements I mean treating Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK and it is the UKs proposal to do exactly that, the PM told the Irish parliament.Source : RT - Daily news After trashing Theresa Mays Brexit deal as a betrayal, Nigel Farage compared the document to the Treaty of Versailles, which he and many others blame for Hitlers rise to power in Germany. The right-wing MEP told the audience at the European Parliament that Mays withdraw deal was a slow-motion betrayal and perhaps the greatest betrayal of any democratic vote in the history of our nation. I'll go back to the First World War: We won the war but we had the Treaty of Versailles. We have a reparations bill of 39 billion we have to pay, but nothing in return. In other words, despite winning the Brexit vote, Mays watered-down deal has left Leave voters making compromises as though they had been defeated. Also on rt.com Russian collusion: Farage mocks cancel Brexit petition with signatures from Russia In 2014, Farage called the World War I armistice the biggest mistake of the century, which helped to create difficult conditions in Germany that eventually led to Hitler taking power. Unlike the historical treaty, however, he remains confident that Mays deal will be defeated. This treaty is a bad peace, it is unacceptable, it is not Brexit, and it will not pass. Having formerly served as the leader of the Independence Party, Farage recently slotted himself to take charge of his newly formed Euroskeptic Brexit Party, which aims to advocate for the UKs timely exit from the European Union in the face of continued stalling and setbacks. Also on rt.com I will take over as Brexit Party leader: Nigel Farage back on the frontline As Theresa May continues to desperately push her unpopular compromise Brexit bill, rumors are already beginning to circulate that the Prime Minister will announce the date of her resignation when she addresses Tory MPs on Wednesday. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Hours after India declared a successful test of its anti-satellite weapon, Pakistan called on countries to reverse the militarization of space. Boasting advances in space warfare is like Don Quixote fighting windmills, it said. Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena, Pakistans Foreign Ministry said in a statement delivered on Wednesday. Although the Pakistan didnt point a finger at India, it came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed his countrys successful test of a top-notch anti-satellite missile. Also on rt.com India joins space super league as it shoots down satellite by precision missile Modi DETAILS TO FOLLOW UK Prime Minister Theresa May is losing control, as pro-EU sentiment grows and the British public tires of two years of Brexit shenanigans, former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond told RT America. Parliament is set to debate no fewer than 16 alternative Brexit plans on Wednesday, after lawmakers voted on Monday to take the process out of Mays hands. The vote came after the PM tried and failed to push through her third Brexit proposal, even offering to resign in exchange for Brexiteer support. Were undergoing a palace revolution, Salmond said. The MPs, fed up with Theresa May trying to get her own deal through, have decided to have a go themselves. Embattled within parliament, May cannot count on the support of the British people either, who Salmond said are fed up with the shenanigans at Westminster. The pro-European side are starting to get some traction, the former first minister continued. There was a million people demonstrating in the streets of London last Saturday. Thats not an inconsiderable number. Support for May has dwindled, even among former allies. While Euroskeptic Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has indicated that he might back Mays deal to ensure Brexit happens by any means possible, a core of Brexiteers within his European Research Group caucus have held steady on their refusal to back it. Also on rt.com Labour Party tables 'softer Brexit' alternative plan ahead of crunch parliamentary vote The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has also refused to back Mays Brexit deal, based on its inclusion of an Irish backstop, which would see Northern Ireland remain in the EU Customs Union to avoid the reemergence of a hard border on the island of Ireland, effectively making the Irish Sea a customs barrier between NI and the rest of the UK. Worried that such a situation would leave Northern Ireland isolated, the DUP has called Mays deal toxic, and pledged to support alternative plans. [Mays] serious inability to understand Northern Ireland may be the rock on which her prime ministership perishes, Salmond said. If theyre unable to come to any deal the UK would exit Europe in a hard Brexit on April 12. Historically, on April 12 [1912], the Titanic was busy sailing towards an iceberg. Where was the Titanic built? Belfast, in Northern Ireland. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Russia condemns NATO airstrike in Afghanistan that killed 13 civilians Russia condemns NATO airstrike in Afghanistan that killed 13 civilians Moscow strongly condemns the international coalitions airstrike in the Afghan province of Kunduz that claimed the lives of 13 civilians, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said. We strongly condemn another crime committed by NATO troops on Afghan soil. We join the UN missions call for conducting a thorough investigation and demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. It added that Russia is outraged by the fact that none of the previous incidents of this kind has never been investigated properly and no one got the punishment they deserved. Ten of those killed in the airstrike were minor children who belonged to the same family. The fact that the airstrike was carried out amid negotiations between the US and the Taliban on ways of achieving a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, makes it even more cynical, according to the ministry.Source : RT - Daily news Prosecutors in north-eastern Spain have launched an investigation into Catalan leader, Quim Torra, for his apparent failure to remove pro-independence symbols from government buildings in the region. If found guilty, Torra could be removed from office for up to two years, for failing to adhere to a request by Spains electoral committee to remove the symbols, which it deemed political propaganda, ahead of elections on April 28. Yellow ribbons have been hung from apartments, benches and other spaces across Catalonia in solidarity with twelve political and civic leaders currently on trial for sedition after a failed independence drive in 2017. Also on rt.com 'Test of democracy': Catalan leaders on trial amid political turmoil for Spanish government The Catalan government had also joined in hanging yellow ribbons from government buildings, as well as flying the estelada, the flag of Catalan independence. A banner written in both Catalan and English was also hung from the governments headquarters in Barcelona bearing the demand: Free political prisoners and exiles. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Thailands opposition parties form alliance, want end of military rule Thailands opposition parties form alliance, want end of military rule Thailands opposition democratic front of seven parties on Wednesday claimed it had won a majority in the lower house of parliament after a messy election. The opposition alliance says it has the right to try to form a government after five years of military rule, but it would still fall short of being able to elect a prime minister, Reuters said. Under the laws written by the ruling military junta, the party or coalition picking a prime minister requires a combined majority in the upper and lower houses of parliament. With unofficial results of Sundays vote still delayed, the ruling junta showed no sign giving up its goal to keep former army chief and coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha in the premiership.Source : RT - Daily news Ahead of the final season of Game of Thrones, a waiter in Pakistan is being hounded by fans of the worldwide phenomenon due to his uncanny resemblance to, key character, Tyrion Lannister. Rozi Khan, remarkably, had somehow never heard of Game of Thrones until he was bombarded with requests from fans of the hit HBO show due to his striking similarities with the wily Lannister, who is played by American actor Peter Dinklage. The 25-year old is now inundated with photo requests from complete strangers as he tries to go about his business in Rawalpindi. A lot of my pictures have been taken, thats why I have become very famous everywhere, Khan, who stands at exactly four feet and five inches tall (135 cms), the same as Dinklage, told the AFP. Wherever I go, someone says to me: Sir, who is this man with you on Facebook, I say that [Peter] is my friend. He looks like you. I tell them he is my brother. Its not a bad thing. Khan works in a small Kashmiri restaurant in the city in Pakistans Punjab province where he is regularly spotted posing for adoring fans of the show. When he takes a day off or gets sick, people look for him and ask where did he go? They get upset. They love him. There is always a crowd here but it has boomed because of him, restaurant-owner Malik Aslam Pervez told NDTV. Dinklage, who won the Golden Globe for best supporting actor in 2012 for his role as Tyrion Lannister, may have need of a body double given the unprecedented success of the show and his massive fan base across the globe. The long-anticipated final series off Game of Thrones is set to premiere on April 17. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Venezuela is once again finding itself in the dark in another massive power outage, weighing further on the South American country that is struggling to maintain its oil output and oil exports amid US sanctions. Venezuela, in dire need of its oil revenues that are withering on the vine, may be home to the worlds largest oil reserves, but the Maduro government is likely finding that fact of little consolation these days. The most recent blackout marks the second such widespread blacking in less than a month and even reached the capital city and covering more than half of Venezuelas 23 states, according to Time, who was citing social media outlets. Also on rt.com Over $30 billion of Venezuelas assets stolen on Trumps orders official Just two weeks ago, Venezuela suffered a catastrophic blackout that jeopardized the countrys oil production and exports, shutting down its main oil export terminal and its heavy crude processing complex in Jose. These operations affected its minority partners in the projects as well, including Chevron, Rosneft, Total, and Equinor, in what was thought to take offline as much as 450,000 bpd. This time around, Venezuelas oil operations once again could be further jeopardized, although the Maduro government is claiming that many areas have since had power restored. While Maduro points the finger once again at the United States for causing the outage, the White House has denied responsibility. Tensions between the two nations are high as the United States continues to crack down on sanctions, and Venezuelas oil exports to the United States hit zero a couple weeks ago. Also on rt.com Venezuela may divert US-bound oil to Russia & China Tensions between the United States and Russia over Venezuela are also increasing, escalating over the weekend when two Russian planes with 100 troops landed in Venezuela, according to Reuters. The United States was quick to condemn what it felt was an encroachment in South America, while Russia downplayed the incident, hinting that it had routine military contracts to fulfill at the time. This weeks blackout will no doubt impact oil production and exports further, with OPEC likely using the production loss as a win in its drive to lower global oil inventories to see higher prices. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com An NGO co-funded by George Soros was spared prosecution in 2016 after the US urged Ukraine to drop a corruption probe targeting the group, the Hill reported, pointing to potential shenanigans during the US presidential election. Bankrolled by the Obama administration and Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) was under investigation as part of a larger probe by Ukraines Prosecutor Generals Office into the misallocation of $4.4 million in US funds to fight corruption in the eastern European country. As the 2016 presidential race heated up back in the United States, the US Embassy in Kiev gave Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko a list of people whom we should not prosecute as part of the probe, the Hill reported. Ultimately, no action was taken against AntAC. Also on rt.com Top Ukrainian prosecutor attacks US ambassador, hints he may help Trump manage Russiagate Lutsenko told the paper that he believes the embassy wanted the probe nixed because it could have exposed the Democrats to a potential scandal during the 2016 election. A State Department official who spoke with the Hill said that while the request to nix the probe was unusual, Washington feared that AntAC was being targeted as retribution for the groups advocacy for anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine. AntAC wasnt just the benefactor of well-connected patrons at the time it was also collaborating with FBI agents to uncover then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manaforts business dealings in Ukraine. Manafort later became a high-profile target of Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into alleged Russian collusion, and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for tax fraud and other financial crimes. Lutsenko divulged in an interview with the Hill last week that he has opened an investigation into whether Ukrainian officials leaked financial records during the 2016 US presidential campaign in an effort to sway the election in favor of Hillary Clinton. Also on rt.com Ukraine should reimburse Crimea for 25 years of unfair treatment Russian Duma speaker While AntAC may have failed to help the FBI find the Russia collusion smoking gun, the groups activities constitute yet another link between the anti-climactic Russiagate probe and Soros, a Democrat mega-donor who bet big on Hillary Clinton taking the White House in 2016. In 2017, the billionaire philanthropist siphoned money into a new group, the Democracy Integrity Project, which later partnered with Fusion GPS to create the now-infamous Steele dossier. Spokespersons for AntAC and the Soros umbrella group Open Society Foundations declined to comment on the Hills scoop. Ironically, the prosecutor general who had preceded Lutsenko, Viktor Shokin, resigned under pressure from Washington which accused Shokin of corruption. Virtuous US officials continue to make similar demands of Ukraines justice system. Earlier this month, Washington urged the Ukrainian government to fire its special anti-corruption prosecutor, again over accusations of administrative abuse. Like this story? Share it with a friend! The page you are requesting from this event is no longer available. To find out information about upcoming events, feel free to contact the planner directly. To learn more about using Cvent for your next event, visit http://www.cvent.com. Additional Information Apple CEO Tim Cook launched the company's new Mastercard branded credit card, which has new and laudable security features. It can also be used through the iPhone's wallet app, Apple Pay. One of its unique traits is that there are no numbers on the card, a trend which may be adopted by Big Banks in the US. Craig Vosburg, President of North America for Mastercard, told Bloomberg that the no-numbers feature improves safety in case a customer misplaces the card. He said this may encourage other banks to develop similar cards, ditching the old design to make transactions more secure. "We want security to be at the highest level possible across the ecosystem, and we want to do that in ways that don't introduce friction and make payments inconvenient for consumers," Vosburg said in an interview. US payment networks including Mastercard did away with signatures after a transaction on credit cards as the process became ineffective as a security measure after the development of chip technology. Numbers on cards could meet a similar fate. Some banks have already begun testing virtual card numbers like Capital One Financial Corp. In its event on March 25, Apple announced its entry into many new sectors including consumer credit, gaming and video streaming. Analysts told the wire agency that while Apple's efforts to make cards more secure are noteworthy, they may not move the needle very much for the company. Saying that the consumer credit market is full and saturated, experts were uncertain whether those other than brand loyalists would be interested in this new product. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More GMR Infrastructure, that is raising Rs 8,000 crore from Tata Group, GIC and SSG Capital by selling a significant stake in its airport business, is now evaluating demerger of the vertical into a separately listed entity. The board has in principle okayed and advised us this the way forward, said Sushil Kumar Modi, Group CFO, Strategic Finance of GMR referring to the demerger. Modi said the process of demerger would start once the transaction with Tata Group, GIC and SSG Capital is consummated, and the board formally approves it. The company expects the demerger process to take around a year. There are investors who like pure play, they dont like coming into a holding company which is very complex, said Saurabh Chawla, Executive Director, Finance and Strategy for GMR. Energy is a different play, roads is a different play, airports are different, how does he evaluate it. When you have a pure play he will understand the business, become far more comfortable and give a much better valuation. It also helps to broaden the investor base, Chawla added. Even the new investors who are coming on board, are believed to have been aligned with demerger proposal, said the official. After the demerger of airports business, GMR Infrastructure will be left with energy, roads, SEZ and coal mines. Focus on core Airports business generates about two-thirds of GMRs revenues and 90 percent of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the company. For nine months ended December 31, 2018, the airport business generated Rs 3,920.6 crore in revenue, while the other businesses contributed about Rs 1,975.77 crore. The company also said it is evaluating a sale of six road assets, SEZ with a license to build a port in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh and a coal mine in Indonesia where it has 30 percent stake. The company, which was earlier contemplating an initial public offering, had a change of heart, with the funds expected to flow from Tata Group, GIC and SSG Capital. GMR on March 27 said it has signed a binding term sheet with a consortium of a Tata Group company, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC and SSG Capital Management for raising Rs 8,000 crore in its airports business. There will be an equity infusion of Rs 1,000 crore in GMR Airports, while Rs 7,000 crore will be used towards the purchase of its equity shares from the listed entity as well as its subsidiary. The total valuation assuming all earn-outs will be around Rs 22,475 crore. This includes Rs 5,000 crore free cash flows on books of Delhi and Hyderabad airports. The proposed investment is subject to regulatory and lender consents. After the transaction, Tatas will hold a 20 percent stake for Rs 3,560 crore, GIC will have 15 percent for Rs 2,670 crore and SSG 10 percent for Rs 1,780 crore. GMR will provide exit to existing private equity investorsMacquarie-SBI Infrastructure Investments Limited, Standard Chartered Private Equity (Mauritius) III Limited and JM Financial Old Lane India Corporation that hold around 5.8 percent stake. GMR will retain 54 percent controlling stake, with an option to increase it to around 62 percent if it achieves earn-outs of Rs 4,475 crore, by issuing fresh shares. Deleveraging balance sheet The proposed raising of funds is expected to come as a relief for GMR, which is struggling under a pile of debt and has been making losses for years. The deal will help reduce the companys consolidated debt of Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore and bring down the corporate debt substantially. The corporate debt at the holding company level is at Rs 6,500 crore. After the transaction, Modi said the company will turn PAT positive in FY20, with finance costs almost getting halved. The finance cost of the company stood at around Rs 1,900 crore in the nine months of FY19. In addition to the cash pile of Rs 5,000 crore, and the cash generation from aero and non-aero revenues that includes real estate monetisation at Delhi and Hyderabad airports, Modi said the company will be easily fund the capex for ongoing expansion at both the airports, without depending on too much debt. GMR Airports is spending around Rs 14,000-Rs 15,000 crore on expansion of operating airports at Delhi and Hyderabad, in addition, it would need around Rs 4,000 crore for Goa and Nagpur Airports. GMR airport portfolio has around 159 million passenger capacity in operation and under development, comprising of India's busiest Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Mactan Cebu International Airport in partnership with Megawide in Philippines. While greenfield projects under development include airport at Mopa in Goa and airport at Heraklion, Crete, Greece in partnership with GEK Terna. The GMR-Megawide consortium has won the Clark International Airports EPC project, the second project in the Philippines. The company also recently received Letter of Intent for development and operations of Nagpur Airport on PPP basis and development and operation of a greenfield airport at Bhogapuram, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The change in Naresh Goyal's stance was telling. He had been vociferous against the then UPA government's plan to allow foreign direct investment in the aviation sector. The FDI, if permitted timely, would have benefited competitor Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines, which needed immediate funding to clear debts, fly grounded aircraft and re-start truncated operations. But by the time the FDI nod came in September 2012, it was too late. Kingfisher, which was hoping to sell a stake to Etihad Airways, closed operations a month later. Its license was revoked in February 2013. Within a couple of months though, Goyal was singing a different tune. In April 2013, he stood proudly beside senior officials of - surprise, surprise, Etihad Airways - announcing the FDI into Jet Airways. The Abu Dhabi-based airline had taken a 24 percent stake in Jet Airways for Rs 2,050 crore. Goyal, the behind-the-scenes networker, had again got the better of his flamboyant adversary. Then and now And now, six years later, the founder chairman of Jet Airways, has again done what Vijay Mallya couldn't pull off. Circumstances around Jet Airways in the last year couldn't have been more similar to what Kingfisher was facing in 2012. High crude prices and low fares led to piling debt and losses. And a bad acquisition (Kingfisher acquired Air Deccan, and Jet Airways bought Air Sahara) made a recovery an even more uphill task. Goyal has not just managed to keep Jet Airways afloat but also retain a stake in the carrier, while Mallya fled the country. Jet Airways lenders now have two months time to get a new owner for the airline. The rescue deal, not surprisingly, infuriated Mallya. In a series of tweets, the former liquor baron criticised banks for "double standards" and said, "Only wish the same was done for Kingfisher." Many agree. Mallya, who overnight turned from 'king of good times' to poster boy of crony capitalism, has valid reasons to be disgruntled, say industry insiders. "Jet Airways got a lot of support, including from the government, which Kingfisher didn't," says a senior executive from the industry. "He is totally right in complaining," says a former senior executive at a private airline. "Mallya was undone by banks, government and the media," added the person. Different styles The two businessmen couldn't have been more different. One was an inheritor who ably shouldered the family business after the untimely death of his father and built it into the largest liquor business in the country. And Kingfisher Airlines, after its launch in 2003, seemed like a successful diversification. Its brand embodied Mallya's lifestyle, which was by now making more news than the then-billionaire's business. Often pictured chomping on a cigar and with a beer in his hand, Mallya's diamond-studded ears sparkled for the shutterbugs, and he loved to pose with the scantily-clad models of Kingfisher Calendar. Goyal, who was now wary of Jet's fast-growing competitor, was an antithesis of Mallya. Instead of models, Goyal loved to be photographed with ministers and politicians and hosted them in Jet Airways' latest aircraft. His easy access to the power corridors helped Goyal see off many a competition, including the grounding of Tata Sons' aviation dream in the 1990s. While Mallya lived his life under public glare, especially after becoming a Member of Parliament, Goyal, a former travel agent, was away in London, after having turned an NRI. Even as he networked with the who's who of global aviation industry, Goyal preferred to let the professionals in the company brief the media or address analysts. That Goyal has survived - and even has a chance to make a comeback to Jet Airways - and Mallya is still crying hoarse from his English country estate; their stories could be a handbook on how to, and how not to, be a successful businessman in India. Naresh Goyal | The founder of Jet Airways stepped down from the chairman's post on March 25 to protect his company from bankruptcy. The financial condition of the airline was deteriorating for the past six months, with stakeholders demanding Goyals resignation. He finally gave in for the sake of my family of 22,000 employees and their respective families, according to Jet Airways. (Image: Reuters) Binny and Sachin Bansal | The co-founders of Flipkart, India's largest e-commerce platform, exited the company on different occasions. Sachin left when US retail giant Walmart bought controlling stake in the company in 2018. Binny, on the other hand, resigned after an independent probe was initiated against him on alleged sexual harassment charges. (Image: Flipkart) Eduardo Saverin | Along with Mark Zuckerberg, Saverin co-founded Facebook, the largest social networking platform in the world in 2005. Zuckerberg diluted his stake in the company and booted him out the same year. (Image: Reuters) BV Raju | The founder and chairman of Raasi Cements, Raju (inset) faced a hostile takeover bid from India Cements Limited in 1998. Raju and the company put up stiff resistance and at one point, it did seem that the takeover bid would be thwarted. However, some key shareholders, which included close relatives, struck a deal with ICL Chairman N Srinivasan, sealing Raju's fate. Raju had to give in and ICL increased their stake in the company to 85 percent later. (Image: BV Raju/Reuters) Andrew Mason | Groupon was founded by Mason in 2006 and he was CEO of the company until 2013. Trust of the board members depleted in him after he made a series of bad choices for the company, following which he asked to step down. (Image: Reuters) Travis Kalanick | In 2017, Ubers founder Kalanick was accused of sexual harassment in multiple cases, which led to him being kicked out of his company. Kalanick founded the app in 2009. By 2017, Uber was worth an estimated $70 billion. (Image: Reuters) Steve Jobs | He founded Apple, one of the most successful tech companies in the world. However, he was once fired from the company in 1985 after a power struggle with John Sculley, the CEO he had hired. Jobs returned to the company 12 years later and held the position of CEO until 2011. (Image: Reuters) Jack Dorsey | There were reports that the founder of Twitter spent more time pursuing yoga and fashion designing than running the company. This led to his ouster in 2008. He returned to Twitter as Executive Chairman in 2011. (Image: Reuters) Sandy Lerner | After co-founding Cisco in 1984 with her then-husband, Lerner was forced out due to a bad deal with a venture capitalist. She was ousted by the board led by Sequoia Capitals Don Valentine in 1990. (Image: Reuters) announcements Reporter's Take | Will the Apple Card disrupt the industry? Apple has launched a credit card with new and laudable security features. Auto dealers who sell motor insurance policies to people without a valid Motor Insurance Service Provider (MISP) licence could now be penalised. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is cracking down on auto dealers that do not register. The penalty could be up to Rs five lakh. This will be applicable to all dealers selling motor insurance at the time of purchase of a vehicle. Motor third-party insurance is mandatory for all vehicles while the own damage component is optional. Most dealers typically sell a comprehensive insurance package that includes third-party and own damage coverage. There are still many dealers who are selling products without proper registration. Penal action will be taken against such entities after inspections, said a senior official. Third party insurance provides coverage against liabilities of vehicle owners involved in accidents. Own damage insurance covers the vehicle against any external damages. There are a total of 25,000 dealerships in India and an additional 15,000 dealers operating in the market. IRDAI will also be sending a communication to the dealerships and individual dealers discouraging sale through unauthorised means. IRDAI had earlier said no MISP or insurance intermediary can enter into an agreement with the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that has influence or bearing on the sale of motor insurance policies. While in the past, there were multiple instances of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) dictating terms to dealers on the insurance being sold, this will now be under control. Having a MISP registration will mean that these entities will be forced to offer an option of all insurance companies products to customers. Apart from malpractices like dealers overcharging customers for insurance and passing on lesser premiums to the insurers, some companies had also complained of anti-competitive practices. Sources said at least 5 percent of dealers have been found offering single company insurance to customers leaving little choice for customers during vehicle purchase. A mix of domestic and external positive catalysts are expected to benefit rupee bonds, but keeping down the long-end of the yield curve might prove a challenge, according to a report by Singapore bank, DBS Group, on March 27. Global yields have declined in recent weeks, dragged down by the US Federal Reserve's recent dovish pivot. This fall in yields reflect moderating growth expectations in the developed markets, and likely dovish-for-longer central bank policies, the report said. Portfolio investors have returned to the regional high-yielding debt markets, including rupee bonds; after a two-month hiatus, FPIs bought a net debt of $1.6 billion this month, in addition to $4 billion into equities, wrote DBS Group Research Economist Radhika Rao and FX Strategist Philip Wee in the report. Concurrently, a domestic swap measure has helped to reduce foreign exchange implied rates, making it cheaper for companies to raise funding in dollars and attract inflows. The swap auction held on March 26 saw banks offer cumulative $16.3 billion against a planned size of $5 billion; the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accepted $5.02 billion worth offers. The cut-off premium was set at Rs 0.776, not far from prevailing levels, capping forward premiums. The tool, released earlier in the month, will boost liquidity in the system in the midst of a quarter-end and financial year-end squeeze, according to the report. "Add to this, rupee has also staged a relief rally benefiting from easing politics-led uncertainty, though we are less confident that this will sustain," said Rao and Wee. Set against these developments, yields of the most traded 2028 rupee sovereign bond eased back below 7.5 per cent and (generic) two-year yields stayed at sub-6.6 per cent levels. The (generic/new) 10-year yield is back in the 7.30-7.35 per cent range. The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee is expected to lower benchmark rates by 25 basis points at the next week's rate review, according to the duo. Beyond the near term, longer-tenor yields are likely to find a floor as markets seek clarity on the frequency of similar swap auctions, likelihood of bond buybacks in 2019-20, and duration of the rate-cutting cycle. Eyes are also on the borrowing schedule for first half of 2019-20, after the interim budget announced a record quantum of borrowings and bond issuances, according to Rao and Wee. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A complete U-turn seen in the market in late trade caught many by surprise. The Nifty50 put up a strong show in the early trade rising over 100 points on March 27 but bulls failed to keep the momentum going at higher levels. Benchmark indices wiped out some of the gains made in the previous trading session. The S&P BSE Sensex fell by about 100 points while the Nifty50 failed to hold on to 11,500.The final tally the S&P BSE Sensex closed 100 points lower at 38,132 while the Nifty50 closed 38 points down at 11,445. In terms of technical, Nifty50 closed near its 5-day exponential moving average (EMA), which is a good sign because this short term moving average has been acting as crucial support for the index since February 19. Also, the Nifty index picked up steam and reached an intraday high of 11,545 in anticipation of something much more relevant for the markets ahead of PM address to the nation. In an address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India successfully conducted an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test on March 27, becoming the fourth country to do so. The gains started to fizzle out after the announcement and eventually, the index gave up gains to turn negative as traders preferred to book profit at higher levels. Apart from PM address that fell flat for markets, the March F&O expiry due on March 28 is also likely to cause volatility in markets, suggest experts. Market gained in morning trade led by strong global cues and RBIs forex swap that led to some strength in Indian rupee. The fall in the market was led by profit booking and also to some extent a section of the markets might be expecting big bang announcements from the PM address to the nation that fell flat, said Siddhartha Khemka, VP, Head of Research (Retail), MOSL. Given the fact that the announcement was not related to the economy and elections must have triggered profit booking in markets. Investors are advised to use dips to buy into markers, he said. The Nifty index corrected from an intraday high of 11,545 before closing 0.3 percent lower at 11,445. The broader markets outperformed the benchmark as BSE Midcap and Smallcap both registered gains of 0.6 percent each. The sectoral indices witnessed a mixed trend. While banking and consumer durables saw healthy buying, other sectors like healthcare, auto and oil & gas were the top losers. Stocks in news: Shares of Wockhardt added 2 percent after the company received clearance certificate from Ireland drug regulator. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company shares gained 9 percent after its offer for sale issue by promoters received an overwhelming response from non-retail investors. Strides Pharma Science added 3 percent after Macquarie upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral, citing likely strong earnings growth in the next financial year. Shares of Jet Airways gained over 3 percent after media reports claimed that the beleaguered airlines will get back its fleet within two months. Shares of Unitech rose over 4 percent after the company successfully entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Sterling and Wilson Private for sale of entire issued and paid up share capital of Unitech Power Transmission. Global Update: The European markets are trading lower amid fears over potential US recession. Asian indices ended mixed on concerns over global economic growth. Nikkei was down 0.23 percent at 21,378.73, while Shanghai Composite was up 0.85 percent at 3,022.72 Kospi was down 0.15 percent to end at 2,145.62 and Hang Seng was up 0.6 percent at 28,728.25. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Emami shares gained as much as 2.7 percent on Wednesday Credit Suisse said it expects company's growth to pick-up in next financial year. The stock was quoting at Rs 400, up Rs 6.70, or 1.70 percent on the BSE, at 1016 hours IST. While maintaining outperform call with a price target at Rs 480 apiece (implying 22 percent potential upside), the global investment firm said the company is in midst of a weak growth phase, but it expects pick-up in FY20. The company is facing near-term headwinds from an extended winter season, but management targets double-digit volume growth in FY20 as input cost is under control and management is looking at driving cost efficiencies, the brokerage house said. The key trigger for the stock is a revival in volume growth to high single digits, it added. Recently promoters sold 10 percent stake in the company and raised Rs 1,600 crore. Though earlier media speculation suggested a structured credit deal with the US private equity firm KKR, Emami group has instead gone for an equity deal with SBI Mutual Fund, PremjiInvest, Amundi, IDFC, L&T Mutual Fund. Proceeds from the stake sale will be used to reduce promoter debt raised for the groups other businesses such as cement, solar power and others. Hence, the level of pledged shares has come down, Credit Suisse said. Pursuant to the stake sale, the promoter holding in Emami will be down at 62.74 from 72.74 percent earlier. The management clarified they dont plan for any further dilution of stake in the foreseeable future. : The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The liquidity-driven rally in financials pulled IndusInd Bank its highest level since September 2018 at Rs 1,796. IndusInd Bank has rallied over 7 percent so far in 2019 while it rose a little over 16 percent in the last one month. However, it is still nearly 20 percent away from its 52-week high of Rs 2,038 recorded on August 3 on the NSE. In terms of technicals, IndusInd Bank just breached its 5-days exponential moving average (EMA) placed at Rs 1,727 on the upside on March 27. It is also trading well above its 200-DMA. HSBC, which maintains a buy rating on IndusInd Bank, sees the stock rallying towards Rs 1,950 in the next 12 months. IndusInd Bank is one of the fastest growing lenders in India. Its loan market share has more than doubled in the last six years to 1.7 percent. It has a well-diversified loan book with a strong presence in high-yielding niche segments like vehicle financing and micro-finance. HSBC is of the view that the valuation is compelling relative to direct retail-led peers HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Loan growth and ROE prospects suggest that the recent underperformance creates an attractive buying opportunity, it said. The acquisition of Bharat Financial creates opportunities to deepen the banks presence in rural areas, highlighted the note. Overall, HSBC believes the banks strong and diversified balance sheet position will deliver an average ROE of 18.5 percent for FY19-20e. The disclosure that its exposure to stressed IL&FS Group stands at a material 1.8 percent led to the share price underperforming. However, the banks overall exposure to stressed sectors is low and its rating profile is healthy and stable. : The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Here are the stocks that are in news today: Sheela Foam: 2 promoters to sell up to 8.68 percent stake in company via offer for sale on March 27-28. OFS floor price set at Rs 1,100 per share. Jet Airways: Company to reinstate 50 flights from March 31 and to resume operations from Bhuj, Mangalore, Bhopal & Aurangabad - CNBC-TV18 sources. GMR Infrastructure announces proposed investment of Rs 8000 crore by TATA Group, GIC and SSG Capital Management in its airports business Wockhardt: Ireland, UK Drug Regulators cleared Aurangabad unit Mindtree: Board has decided not to proceed with buyback of equity shares of the company and has formed directors panel to evaluate L&T open offer. Bharat Electronics: Board declared a third interim dividend of 70 paise per share of Re 1 each fully paid-up for the financial year 2018-19 and has fixed March 28 as the record date for the payment of interim dividend. Meghmani Organics: Fire broke out at agri manufacturing unit in Dahej. Aris International: Board appointed Sushma Anuj Yadav as Chief Financial Officer of the company. Dish TV board approved appoitment of Anil Kumar Dua, existing CEO of the company, as an additional director PNB - RBI Imposed penalty of Rs 2 crore during assessment of implementation of SWIFT- related operational controls Sanghvi Movers: ICRA, after due consideration, has revised the long-term rating from A to A- and short term rating from A1 to A2+. Unitech: Company successfully entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Sterling and Wilson Private Limited for sale of entire issued and paid up share capital of Unitech Power Transmission Limited. Allahabad Bank: Board approved raising equity capital of the bank by an amount aggregating upto Rs 4,000 crore. Peninsula Land: ICRA revised its rating on company's non-convertible debentures of Rs 520.53 crore to BBB- on account of lower-than-expected sales and collections against the backdrop of delay in receipt of Occupancy Certificate (OC) in some of the company's large sized completed projects. Geojit Financial Services: A P Kurian has tendered his resignation as the Chaiman and Independent Director of the company on account of new compliance requirements under the SEBI Listing Regulations. GOCL Corporation: Board declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per share of face value of Rs 2 each for the financial year 2018-19. Frontline Securities: Board approved proposal for buy back of fuly paid up equity shares of Rs 5 each at a price of Rs 40 per share , aggregating to an amount up to Rs 75.60 crore. SRI KPR Industries: Board approved the sale of 1.5MW wind mill unit situated at Karaichchuttupudur village, Tamil Nadu. Narayana Hrudayalaya: Company proposed to set up a business process and technology consultancy business in United States Of America. Bulk Deals on March 26 (For more bulk deals, click here) Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings Jyoti Resins & Adhesives: Board meeting is scheduled for March 29 to consider the re-appointment of Jagdish N Patel as Chairman and Managing Director of the company. Shoppers Stop: One-on-one meeting with Resham Jain, CO-FM and Vinit Sambre, CIO of DSP Mutual Funds has been scheduled on March 28. NOCIL: Company's official will meet Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited on March 27. Gujarat Natural Resources: Board meeting is scheduled for March 29 to consider and approve the appointment of Hitesh Donga as a Chief Financial Officer of the company. Eris Lifesciences: Company's officials will meet Fundsmith Equity Fund and Taiyo Capital Partners on March 27. PI Industries: Company's officials will meet Emkay Global on March 27 and Batlivala & Karani Securities India on March 28. Aster DM Healthcare: Meeting is scheduled to be held with Taiyo Pacific Partners on March 28 at Bangalore. Tourism Finance Corporation of India: Company's officials will meet analysts/investors on March 28. Bharat Forge: Company's officials will attend Motilal Oswal conference on March 27, meet Hermes Investment Management on March 28 and Lazard Asset Management on April 4. LT Foods: Company's officials will meet Motilal Oswal Securities Limited on March 27. Lincoln Pharmaceuticals: Board meeting is scheduled for March 28 to consider the appointment of CFO and secretarial auditors of the company. Phoenix Mills: Company's officials will attend Motilal Oswal Annual India Ideation Conference organised by Motilal Oswal to be held on March 27. Note: This article has been updated for change in company's name to DSP Mutual Funds (Vinit Sambre, CIO) from DSP Merrill Lynch. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Highlights: - HDFC Bank has been the most consistent performer on the street for years- High earnings growth is sustainable due to 'significant moats'- Its subsidiary HDB Financial Services is rapidly gaining scale- Currently unlisted, HDB can add meaningful value to HDFC Bank- HDFC Bank stock should form part of every investors' core portfolio -------------------------------------------------------- Everest Bank of India -- this was one of the names contemplated while launching HDFC Bank in 1994. Today, it sounds rather silly. Nonetheless, 25 years later, many of HDFC Banks achievements appear as lofty as the highest peak of the world. The bank posted robust profits through 1998 to 2018 with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32 percent for 20 years. In the current financial year (FY19), its net profit is likely to surpass Rs 20,000 crore (it was Rs 15,193 crore in the first nine months), doubling in 4 years. The banks return on equity (RoE) has been more than 15 percent for every single year from 1998 to 2018. Thanks to such stellar performance, the stock has delivered manifold returns since its listing in 1995. HDFC Bank, which got listed at Rs 40, three times its issue price, has generated compounded annual returns of around 29 percent in the last 20 years significantly outperforming the Sensex, which delivered 12 percent CAGR during the same period. The upward journey of the banks stock price is now more than 20 years old. Hence, the most obvious question of investors is: Can the rally continue and wealth be created by investing in HDFC Banks stock today? Well, bull runs in stocks dont die of old age, but from a dearth of earnings. HDFC Bank continues to consistently report 20 percent growth in its net profit every quarter. A lot of value is being created by its subsidiaries: HDFC Securities and HDB Financial Services. Value unlocking in the subsidiaries through an IPO in future will only add to the stocks performance. Next in the line could be HDB Financial Services (HDB), a subsidiary of HDFC Bank (the bank owns 95.9 percent stake in HDB). HDB was set up as a non-bank financing company (NBFC) by HDFC Bank in June 2007 and began operations in FY08. HDB has emerged as one of the larger players in retail financing over the past few years. It has a presence in 831 cities through 1,165 branches as at March 31, 2018. While HDB complements the parent's product portfolio and supports collection activities for the retail portfolio, it functions independently and caters to a customer segment distinct from that of the bank. HDBs asset portfolio stood at Rs 48,014 crore as at September 30, 2018 and has grown at more than 30 percent CAGR in the last four years. The loan book has been diversified with increased presence in commercial vehicle and construction equipment (CV/CE) financing and business loans. As a result, the share of loans against property (LAP) declined to 38 percent as on September 30, 2018, as compared to 60 percent as on March 31, 2016. The unsecured loans segment constitutes around 21 percent of the overall portfolio as on September 30, 2018. The company is aggressively expanding into consumer durable financing and widening its reach to the metros, moving on from the traditional focus on the self-employed segment in non-metros. HDBs profit more than quadrupled during the last four years to Rs 952 crore. Return on assets (RoA) has been around 2.4 percent in the last three years, aided by the healthy net interest margin (NIM) and low credit cost. Its asset quality is reasonably healthy with gross non-performing assets (GNPA) at two percent as on September 30, 2018. The loan book, however, is relatively unseasoned and has to be fully tested across economic cycles. We expect HDB to gain further scale over the medium term due to immense growth potential in the sector and with adequate capital support from the bank. So far, HDFC Bank has cumulatively infused Rs 3,480 crore in HDB. Value unlocking through an IPO of HDB is still some time away. However, given its current size, we have assigned value to HDB for arriving at the fair value for the HDFC Bank stock. Even if we value HDB on a conservative basis (three times FY21 estimated book value), we arrive at a strong upside (around 17 percent) to HDFC Banks stock price (CMP: Rs 2,300). Sources said that investors are buying shares of unlisted HDB around Rs 800-900 per share over the counter, valuing the company at Rs 60,000 -70,000 crore (FY21 estimated price-to-book value of 6-7 times). If we incorporate this into the valuation, the upside to the HDFC Bank stock increases substantially. As market folklore goes, an ace value investor and now the promoter of D-Mart, Radhakishan Damani was accumulating HDFC Bank stock after its listing in 1995. And when he was asked the reason for buying HDFC Bank stock when there were so many other options available at cheaper valuations, his reply was: You cant stay on Pedder Road (one of Mumbais most expensive areas) at Dharavis (Mumbais biggest slum area) rates. The conventional valuation methodology may not apply to an HDFC group entity. The group has incubated many successful financial services businesses (GRUH Finance, HDFC Life Insurance Company, HDFC Asset Management Company), all of which are trading at a significant premium. For instance, GRUH for a long time traded at more than 8-9 times forward P/BV multiple. In fact, HDFC sold GRUH to Bandhan bank at a trailing price-to-book (P/B) of around 14 times. Every business has a '90 percent rule' i.e. that one factor which holds the key to success. In most financial services businesses, that 90 percent rule is 'borrow cheap and underwrite well'. And nobody understands this rule better than the HDFC Group. We see no reason why HDB should not command premium valuations. The impending management change bothers many investors. There is talk about RBI allowing private banks CEOs to continue until 75 years of age (from 70 years now), in line with the corporate sector. But while we await clarity on who would succeed Aditya Puri, CEO transition is expected to be smooth as HDFC Bank is a process driven institution. HDFC Bank enjoys dual moats (competitive advantage) on both the assets as well as the liabilities side. The steady high RoE offers opportunities to the bank to deploy profits at a high rate and compound the book value consistently. We expect the bank to continue to register profitable growth over the next few years as it is garnering market share at an accelerated pace despite its huge size (balance sheet size of Rs 11.6 lakh crore as at December 31, 2018). While HDFC Bank has underperformed corporate lenders (ICICI Bank and Axis Bank) in the last one year, value unlocking of HDB in the next couple of years can significantly add to stocks performance. For long-term investors, HDFC Bank is a must buy and as the great investor Philip Fisher said: If the job has been correctly done when a common stock is purchased, the time to sell it isalmost never. For more research articles, visit our Moneycontrol Research page Disclaimer: Moneycontrol Research analysts do not hold positions in the companies discussed here Moneycontrol Contributors Be it the late Korean artist Nam June Paik who stretched the meaning of multi-media, is known as the originator of video art and one of the earliest champions of the term "electronic super highway" or the feisty Yayoi Kusama, a legendary Japanese contemporary artist who plays with human perception with illusions of infinity in installation art, and also creates art via painting, performance, film, fashion, poetry, fiction, and more, artistic pursuits are no longer limited to one mode of expression. Art today could be anything. It could be the mysterious protest grafitti of the unseen artist Banksy and almost a subversive performance art as when last year after auction house Sotheby had sold a Banksy work for $1.4 million, it spectacularly shredded itself and self-destructed. And of course, there was Andy Warhol who almost single-handedly birthed the visual art movement known as pop art. It was just a matter of time before digital art transcended its limits and began to scramble minds and established notions of artistic creation. You are all probably familiar with this line - It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. It is the opening line of the George Orwell classic alternatively, a Nostradamusian prediction of our current dystopian political climate 1984. OpenAI, a nonprofit research company backed by Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman, Sam Altman, and others, fed that line into its new AI model called GPT2, it followed it up with this: I was in my car on my way to a new job in Seattle. I put the gas in, put the key in, and then I let it run. I just imagined what the day would be like. A hundred years from now. In 2045, I was a teacher in some school in a poor part of rural China. I started with Chinese history and history of science. The tone is futuristic, the style is novelistic, and the intelligence artificial. On this edition of Digging Deeper, we will try and understand the intervention of Artificial Intelligence in the realm of art this time, visual art which once upon a time drew its meaning from the organic relationship between an artist's imagination and his or her tools of creation. What these modern brushstrokes mean for the world of art is what we discuss today with me Rakesh Sharma on Moneycontrol. The rise of the AI artist Fingertips, brushes, sculpting instruments, solid and liquid pigments, tangible surfaces and conventional media that could be touched and experienced in an almost sensual way during creation these have always been the ingredients of art. The human element was at the core of this process but things are changing as a recent exhibition at the HG Contemporary gallery in Chelsea proved. All the images on display there were created by a computer. Ian Bogost, contributing editor to the The Atlantic reported that this exhibition of prints called Faceless Portraits Transcending Time, celebrated the inevitable collaboration between an artificial intelligence named AICAN and its creator, Dr. Ahmed Elgammal. This was a move, says the writer and we quote, meant to spotlight, and anthropomorphize, the machine-learning algorithm that did most of the work. According to HG Contemporary, its the first solo gallery exhibit devoted to an AI artist. Obviously such an enterprise needed some unusual minds to back it and as the piece points out, the players involved were all interesting enough to inspire an ensemble film. The artist is a computer scientist who commands five-figure print sales from software that generates inkjet-printed images. The technogallerist is a former hotel-chain financial analyst. There was a venture capitalist with two doctoral degrees in biomedical informatics; and also an art consultant who put the whole thing together. The Atlantic piece said, Together, they hope to reinvent visual art, or at least to cash in on machine-learning hype along the way. The gallery show might just be a coming-out party for Elgammals venture-backed, fine-art econometrics start-up. The computer scientist has created some legitimately striking pieces. But he and his partners also want to sell AICAN as a solution to art, one that could predict forthcoming trends and perhaps even produce works in those styles. The idea is so contemporary and extravagant, it might qualify as art better than the strange portraits on exhibit at the gallery. That, of course, is a subjective take on what art is, and certainly what better art is, but as the piece informs, The AI-art gold rush began in earnest last October, when the New York auction house Christies sold a piece called, Portrait of Edmond de Belamy, an algorithm-generated print in the style of 19th-century European portraiture, for $432,500. An emerging market As the piece recalls, the art world was shocked because the print that sold for $432,500 had never been shown in galleries or exhibitions before coming to market at auction, which is usually a rarefied channel reserved for established work. What bothered the purists was not just the fact that the winning bid was made anonymously by telephone but also that the so-called art was created by a computer program. We quote, A computer program that generates new images based on patterns in a body of existing work, whose features the AI learns. Whats more, the artists who generated the work, the French collective Obvious, hadnt even written the algorithm or the training set. They just downloaded them, made some tweaks, and sent the results to market. So the connection between imagination and interpretation that we spoke about earlier was neither organic nor inspired. It was merely and quite obviously convenient. Pierre Fautrel, a member of the collective Obvious, however said unpologetically, We are the people who decided to do this, and decided to print it on canvas, sign it as a mathematical formula, put it in a gold frame. Can this level of derivation be called art? In the immortal words of Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, we have to ask ourselves, But is it art, Eddie? As The Atlantic writer opines, A century after Marcel Duchamp made a urinal into art by putting it in a gallery, not much has changed, with or without computers. As Andy Warhol famously said, Art is what you can get away with. As the writer puts it, the best way to get away with something is to make it feel new and surprising. So at a time when using a computer is de rigueur and when machines offer all kinds of ways to generate images that can be output, framed, displayed, and soldfrom digital photography to artificial intelligence, the fashionable choice has become generative adversarial networks, or GANs, the technology that created Portrait of Edmond de Belamy. We quote, Like other machine-learning methods, GANs use a sample setin this case, art, or at least images of itto deduce patterns, and then they use that knowledge to create new pieces. A typical Renaissance portrait, for example, might be composed as a bust or three-quarter view of a subject. The computer may have no idea what a bust is, but if it sees enough of them, it might learn the pattern and try to replicate it in an image. GANs use two neural nets (a way of processing information modeled after the human brain) to produce images: a generator and a discerner. The generator produces new outputsimages, in the case of visual artand the discerner tests them against the training set to make sure they comply with whatever patterns the computer has gleaned from that data. The quality or usefulness of the results depends largely on having a well-trained system, which is difficult. Thats why, says the writer, the folks in the know were upset by the Edmond de Belamy auction. The whole thing reeked of dishonesty because, as the piece points out, the image was created by an algorithm the artists didnt write, and trained on an Old Masters image set they also didnt create. The damning verdict being and we quote, the brave new world of AI painting appeared to be just more found art, the machine-learning equivalent of a urinal on a plinth. Can AI art be original and new? The piece quotes Ahmed Elgammal who thinks AI art can be much more than that. He is a Rutgers University professor of computer science, and runs an art-and-artificial-intelligence lab. At this lab, he and his colleagues develop technologies that try to understand and generate new art with AInot just credible copies of existing work, like GANs do. Elgammal says matter-of factly about of GAN-made images, Thats not art, thats just repainting. Its what a bad artist would do. In direct contrast of GAN, Elgammal calls his approach a creative adversarial network, or CAN. Elgammal said, CAN swaps a GANs discernerthe part that ensures similarityfor one that introduces novelty instead. The system amounts to a theory of how art evolves: through small alterations to a known style that produce a new one. Thats a convenient take, given that any machine-learning technique has to base its work on a specific training set. The results are striking and strange, although calling them a new artistic style might be a stretch. Theyre more like credible takes on visual abstraction. According to Elgammal, ordinary observers cant tell the difference between an AI-generated image and a normal one in the context of a gallery or an art fair. Thats an accomplishment, says the writer and it takes some application to achieve artistic coherence. For instance, Elgammal sent the writer a Dropbox link to 3,000 portraits by varied artists across at least two centuriesTitian, Gerard ter Borch, and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio, among others. To play with such a wide range of contexts, subjects, artists, and styles requires both skill and knowledge that extends beyond technology. But as the writer says, That might be an inevitability of AI art: Wide swaths of art-historical context are abstracted into general, visual patterns. AICANs system can pick up on general rules of composition, but in the process, it can overlook other features common to works of a particular era and style. Does AI miss the fine print? With this preoccupation with imagery and its manipulation, does AI art miss the subtle symbolism that informs certain artistic eras? For instance, John Sharp, an art historian trained in 15th-century Italian painting and the director of the M.F.A. program in design and technology at Parsons School of Design, told The Atlantic how charged with cultural meaning portraiture is. Portraiture across centuries said important things about the cultural, historical and personal contexts of subjects but as the piece says, a neural net couldnt infer anything about the particular symbolic trappings of the Renaissance or antiquityunless it was taught to, and that wouldnt happen just by showing it lots of portraits. We quote, For Sharp and other critics of computer-generated art, the result betrays an unforgivable ignorance about the supposed influence of the source material. The use of preexisting art also begs the question can AI create something that is not derivative? To capture the essence of the time, could it not also be fed information about the period, and perhaps let it conjure an imaginary Count or Duke, and then make a portrait of him? We saw how AI took 1984 forward, could it be too inconceivable that a machine couldnt create the story, history, and a face for an imaginary royal sitting down for a portrait? This, only time will tell. Is AI a threat to visual artists? Some critics of the Chelsea show seemed to think so and an Instagram post said and we quote, What a shame for an art galleryinstead of supporting human beings giving their vibrant vision of our world. Elgammal thinks the worry is misplaced because what he does is collaborative art but as the writer points out with a sense of irony, its odd to list AICAN as a collaboratorpainters credit pigment as a medium, not as a partner. Even the most committed digital artists dont present the tools of their own inventions that way; when they do, its only after years, or even decades, of ongoing use and refinement. Artists like Elgammal possibly think of AICAN as a device or a tool just as a camera is and which is not creative on its own but in the right hands, can produce unexpected results. Though he cant resist adding, Its the first time in history that a tool has had some kind of creativity, that it can surprise you. The writer also cites Casey Reas, a digital artist who co-designed the popular visual-arts-oriented coding platform Processing, who says that the artist should claim responsibility over the work rather than to cede that agency to the tool or the system they create. The idea of the primacy of the human mind over technology is reassuring to many because it shows that art is still a byproduct of agency rather than coding. But how long this human hegemony over agency remains is anyones guess. Ultimately, art is assessed by the audience should the audience increasingly prefer art created by an entity made of 0s and 1s and not one made of C, H, N, O, should we or should we not cede authorship to that entity? Should we or should we not attribute originality to that entity? One might argue that the entity only learnt how to create art based on what it was shown by a sentient human. But is that not also how we, as sentient humans, learn and create ourselves? What aspect of what we say, create, paint, sing, isnt in some way informed by what we learnt or were exposed to? The real murky area is the ethics of it all, but that is for another day, at another time. Big money in AI art? Are we however coming to a point where technology will make more money than the artist who uses it? The writer explains and we quote, Elgammals financial interest in AICAN might explain his insistence on foregrounding its role. Unlike a specialized printmaking technique or even the Processing coding environment, AICAN isnt just a device that Elgammal created. Its also a commercial enterprise. Elgammal has already spun off a company, Artrendex that provides artificial-intelligence innovations for the art market. One of them offers provenance authentication for artworks; another can suggest works a viewer or collector might appreciate based on an existing collection; another, a system for cataloging images by visual properties and not just by metadata, has been licensed by the Barnes Foundation to drive its collection-browsing website. As the piece clearly points out, the companys plans are more ambitious than recommendations and fancy online catalogs. And it is getting attention at the right places. We quote, When presenting on a panel about the uses of blockchain for managing art sales and provenance, Elgammal caught the attention of Jessica Davidson, an art consultant who advises artists and galleries in building collections and exhibits. Davidson had been looking for business-development partnerships, and she became intrigued by AICAN as a marketable product. Davidson also sold the Faceless Portraits Transcending Time show to Hoerle-Guggenheim, who had been looking for an AI-oriented artist to feature in his gallery. Historically accurate or contextual or not, the prints are ambitiously priced from $6,000 to $18,000. But the idea is to transcend the show and as the piece says, the exhibit is also a rhetorical maneuver to lay the groundwork for a larger effort: to use AI to understand, and maybe even define, future visual aesthetics. The show could upend the belief that artistic progress depends on human reason alone and according to Elgammal, AICAN can be a potentially valuable business-intelligence platform. Artrendex could also bring about a shift in an art market that is worth more than $64 billion as a viable data analytics tool that can gauge the potential value of art. We quote, Last year, Khosla Ventures funded the company with a $2.4 million investment to build and market tools for art econometrics. Thats more than the average visual artist will make in a lifetime. Aicans commercial potential turns the tool from a quirky AI-art partner into a potentially valuable general-purpose technology." Elgammal is also establishing an artist-in-residence program to bring in artists to collaborate with AICAN internally and Davidson hopes AICAN will help in building out pipelines to corporate collectionssuch as those of hotels or office buildings, which need art to hang in commercial spaces. Quote: "Given enough data about user preferences for visual images, AICAN and its cousins could, in theory, deduce the hippest looks for the next season, and Artrendex could create and manufacture low-cost editions suitable for hanging in guest rooms or office lobbies. Perhaps the company could even sell a subscription to refresh those images, a kind of Thomas Kinkade of machine-learning art that would produce a regular income to satisfy the expectations of Artrendexs venture-capital investors. But what this enterprise lacks obviously is the bite of social comment that a Banksy brings to his work even though he does not profit from it. And nobody who uses AI as a collaborator will ever be able to avoid being asked if what they are creating is really art or as the piece says, just a tech demo more than a deliberate oeuvre. The article does speculate, if machines will absorb artistic practices entirely but as of now, it seems improbable. We quote, For now, the AI look is interesting and novel, but it will always be an aesthetic bound to a particular time period. The trappings of machine learning look fresh and interesting today, but soon they too will become tiresome, like NTSC-video scan lines and JPEG compression artifacts did after they ceased to be novelties brought into the gallery. Eventually, the most important ones carry on as art history. AICAN is neither a savior nor an annihilator of art. Its just another style, bound by trends and accidents to a moment that will pass like any other. Yes, the writer concedes, the democratisation of art is clear and present with the advent of YouTube, Instagram, DeviantArt etc. but will arts fate depend on which story fetches the higher bid, is open to debate. Automation vs humans The Verge has published a few interesting pieces on AI art and writer Dami Lee, in one such, imagines what would happen to artists if AI-enabled features started painting, editing, and doing other parts of their jobs for them? She also asks, now that AI tools are already starting to automate what used to be time-consuming manual processes could the results be good for artists creativity, rather than potential job killers? She recalls how companies that make industry-standard creative tools like Adobe and Celsys have been adding AI features to their digital art software in recent years in the hopes that itll speed up workflows by eliminating drudge work, and give artists more time to experiment. She mentions machine learning tools that help find specific video frames faster, to features that color in entire works of line art with just a button and concedes that AI is being incorporated in subtle, but surprisingly impactful ways. She cites Tatiana Mejia, who manages Adobes AI platform, Sensei. Tatiana thinks that the best AI features can assist artists and cut out repetitive tasks. We quote, Tatianas assessment comes from a Pfeiffer Consulting study commissioned by Adobe, in which most creatives said they werent worried about being replaced by AI, and that they could see the most potential for AI and machine learning applied to tedious, uncreative tasks. That could mean a smart cropping feature that automatically recognizes the subject of a photo, or automatic image tagging to help people find stock photos faster. Theyll still require an artists control, too. Tatiana says decisively in the piece, Creativity is profoundly human. AI cannot replace the creative spark. Still, there is no getting away from the fact that AI is going where no human has possibly gone before. AI art, an inevitability? Are we depending on machines to colour between the lines in more ways than one? And what kinds of features are being used the most today? The writer points that beyond Adobes big noise advanced concept AI tools, its usually the more subtle AI features that actually ship. We quote, Recent additions include an automated audio mixing feature in Premiere and the ability to create searchable PDFs through optical character recognition in Adobe Scan. Its a lot less flashy than AI automatically removing unwanted objects out of videos, but its enough to take some of the drudgery out of creative work. And there is more to come, she says. More AI features that could enhance human creativity rather than replace it. As she puts it, One feature can take a video of a dog jumping in a pool and generate descriptive tags; another can take a simple doodle of a mushroom and pull up similar-looking photographs, much like Googles experimental Quick Draw and AutoDrawtools that use neural networks to recognize sketches. Other AI tools could have more dramatic implications for how artists work, like an auto-coloring tool designed for comics and animation. A beta version of Celsys manga and illustration software Clip Studio now includes an AI feature that, with just a little guidance from the artist, can automatically color in black-and-white line drawings. The results can be unpredictable and require a little cleanup, but theres huge potential in the way the technology can be used by artists and studios. Applied AI arts? How can AI be applied to varied artistic disciplines? The piece cites animator Joao Do Lago, who has worked on various anime including Netflixs Castlevania and thinks AI coloring tools could play a big role in the future of 2D animation and could give artists room to experiment, by cutting down the time it takes to color each frame. The piece further explains that users could simply fill in line art with hints of where certain colors go, the input data could be sent to Clip Studios servers for processing (a network connection is required for this part), then the results are sent back to the software as a fully colored image. As Lago says, One of the things that makes animation really hard to do is the amount of time it takes to create, which makes it so that most studios just stick to a visual style and formula that has been proven to work before. But when you can automate a big part of that process, you allow more room for different ideas and visual languages to be explored, since you can iterate on them a lot faster. No wonder then that studios have already begun investing in auto-coloring research, including OLM, the production studio behind the Pokemon anime. The consensus being that AI's will play a huge role in the future look of 2d animation. There is no telling where the evolution of AI tools will go. As the piece points Celsys' AI is based on a deep learning method, which combines computer vision tools, like those used in self-driving cars, with visual creation tools that can create extremely realistic AI-generated faces. And Celsys truly believes that the tools its providing are in artists best interests, rather than technologies meant to replace them. Can AI exist without human intervention? In an interesting March piece in The Verge, the writer James Vincent says, Training algorithms to generate art is, in some ways, the easy part. You feed them data, they look for patterns, and they do their best to replicate what theyve seen. But like all automatons, AI systems are tireless and produce a never-ending stream of images. He then cites German AI artist Mario Klingemann, who says, the tricky part is knowing what to do with it all. Klingemann, informs the piece, has created Memories of Passersby I, a video installation that consists of two screens, each using AI to generate a portrait every few seconds. Every image is unique and morphs seamlessly into its successor. Its like watching a lava lamp made of human faces. And yes, it has found its way to Sothebys too. We quote, Auctions like this show that after years of fermentation, AI art is moving into the world of high art. But as it does, it invites questions about the nature of art and creativity. What is the relationship between artist and machine? Can AI programs ever really be called creative? That question is relevant despite AI art that often seems to mimic, as the piece rightly says, the grotesque and unsettling imagery. Chris Peters, a former software engineer and AI artist, says this is a horrible way to approach the medium. Wheres the humanity? he asks and though he too curates images from GANs, he paints them himself. He thinks, this is the best way to honor the original artists who created the work used to train the AI. He says and we quote, I learned in art school it can take hours and hours of careful observation before your mind quiets down to the point you can really see and understand something. I wanted to get inside the AIs head, to achieve some understanding of what it was trying to do. I was able to, but only after days and days of looking at them while painting them. If I just printed out the image, I would not understand 1/100th of what is there compared to standing for hours and hours and days and days painting. Creativity vs appropriation What do you give when you take from art already in existence? The piece gives the example of artist, Robbie Barrat, who recently collaborated with a painter named Ronan Barrot, training a GAN on the latters many paintings of skulls. The GAN outputs were displayed alongside the original paintings, but Barrat also found a way to take advantage of AIs infinite output. He created a peepshow box, which only one person can look in at a time. They press a button and it generates a new image of a skull. There is also a certain kind of magic in the way technology done right interacts with the onlooker. The piece describes how looking at Klingemanns Memories of Passersby I, you would likely see an image that would never exist again. We quote, Its a casual brush with infinity, like the fact that every time you shuffle a deck of cards, youre creating a configuration thats probably never existed in history before. When it comes to AI, the feeling of infinite productivity resonates strongly with the technologys cultural history. World myths are full of machines that reveal the hubris of humans by simply working without end. To use this potential without letting it overwhelm the human element is a fine balance. Many creators like Klingemann, are happy to keep exploring the potential that these machines have. Like he says there is very little to compare to the joy of unceasing production from AI this almost overwhelming output that will never stop. Ask that of an artist, and youll know how useful that could be in the art market. President Ram Nath Kovind invited the diaspora in Croatia to invest in India and be a part of the country's transformational journey. Kovind, the first-ever Indian head of state to visit the country, arrived here on Tuesday along with his wife Savita Kovind on the first leg of his three-nation visit. Speaking at an event here, Kovind told the diaspora: "The Indian economy is today an important engine of global growth. It is the fastest growing major economy, with robust economic indicators...I would, therefore encourage you to visit India, and experience the transformative changes happening." Noting that initiatives like 'Make in India', 'Digital India' and 'Start-up India' provide new business prospects, he said India and Croatia are keen to deepen their relations, particularly on the economic side. "A good foundation has already been laid, with investments by both sides. There is good potential to strengthen trade, investment and technology cooperation. Your support to explore new areas of collaboration would be invaluable," the President said. Kovind said Croatia has had affinity with India for centuries and has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of Indian languages, philosophy, history and culture. "Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore visited here in 1926, and influenced many Croatian poets and writers. The Indology Department of Zagreb University has made an outstanding contribution to the study and promotion of Indian languages, philosophy, history and culture in Croatia. I am impressed to know that it regularly organizes conferences on Vedas and Puranas," he said. Mumbai along with Moscow, Singapore and Paris saw their average real income grow faster than real house prices. Indias financial capital recorded a rise of 20.4 percent in annual household incomes, but the growth in housing prices has been estimated at eight percent only, says a report. San Francisco saw the highest rise in annual income at 25 percent in the five-year period while Amsterdam, at 63.6 percent, recorded the highest rise in housing prices between 2014-18, states the inaugural issue of Knight Franks global report Urban Futures. The report evaluates 32 cities across the world to understand the difference between home prices and income and estimates the gap to be $740 billion in 2018. Knight Frank's Global Affordability Monitor analyses affordability across 32 cities. It takes into consideration three key measures house price-to-income ratio, rent as a proportion of income and real house price growth compared to real income growth. Across 32 cities, there was an average five-year real house price growth of 24 percent, while average real income grew only eight percent over the same period. Overall, New York saw its income growth exceed real house price growth by three percent. Moscow, Singapore, Mumbai and Paris also saw their average real income over the last five years grow faster than real house prices. Moscow saw the largest difference where real income growth outpaced real house price growth by 22 percent. Rank City Housing (% growth) % growth in income 1 San Francisco 41.8 25.6 2 Moscow 0.1 22.7 3 Mumbai 8 20.4 4 Los Angeles 25.5 15.4 5 Singapore -2.8 14.9 6 Auckland 47 14.7 7 Kuala Lumpur 21.8 13.2 8 Dublin 61.9 13.2 9 Bangkok 33.3 12.2 10 Vancouver 57.6 12 Despite being Indias most expensive real estate market, Mumbai emerged as one of the more affordable cities among global peers. Mumbai has seen real household income growth outpace real house price growth by 12.4 percent, indicating an improvement in affordability. Real house prices in comparison have grown at a much slower pace of eight percent, while the real disposable household income growth was over 20.4 percent in the five-year period ending 2018, the report says. Affordability in Mumbai has improved on account of reduced size of units with largely stable prices. Consistent reduction in apartment sizes has also lowered the average ticket price for Mumbai. It is estimated that on an average, newly launched homes are 25 percent smaller between 2014 and 2018. Maximum launches, especially in the last two years (2017 and 2018), have been in the affordable and mid-range segment with ticket prices below Rs 75 lakh. "Mumbais residential housing shortage has been a reason for concern for most urban development agencies including the government. Similar to other global cities, Mumbai adds many new settlers every year making it a difficult place to find housing. However, in comparison to others, Mumbai is distinctly more affordable," says Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India. "The general growth in the economy, increased incomes and reduction in property prices have ensured a more balanced housing situation. Mumbai has seen a drop of close to seven percent in the ticket price of new launch in 2018. With the recent announcement on reducing GST on under construction projects, the effective payout by the buyers is expected to reduce up to seven percent, he adds. File image: Allahabad Bank Shares of Allahabad Bank rallied nearly 2 percent intraday on March 27 after the company board approved raising equity capital of up to Rs 4,000 crore. The bank in its BSE release on March 26 said that the capital would be raised via, "Public Issue, Rights Issue, Qualified Institutions Placements (QIPs) or in combination thereof in one or more tranches in such a manner that the government of India shall continue to hold not less than 52 percent of the paid-up equity capital of the bank." At 1103 hrs, Allahabad Bank was quoting Rs 51.85, up 1.67 percent on the BSE. Shares of UCO Bank gained 5 percent intraday on March 27 after a report said that the special payment mechanism for importing crude oil from Iran granted the state-run bank Rs 13,000-14,000 crore windfall. According to a report in The Economic Times, the bank will use the free-floating funds to boost income. UCO Bank has reported losses in 13 consecutive quarters and has also recently lost the exclusive right as the designated payment bank for Iran oil imports. IDBI Bank now enjoys a similar status. At 1236 hours, UCO Bank was quoting Rs 19.25, up 4.90 percent on the BSE. Former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful test of India's first anti-satellite weapon-(A-SAT). Saraswat, told news agency ANI, "If today nations across the world want to militarise the space, India has the technological capability to match them. We use space only for peaceful purposes and that is what Prime Minister Modi has been saying. This launch is not against any nation. It is basically to create a technological capability in India." Anti-satellite weapons or A-SAT are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Although no A-SAT system has yet been utilised in warfare, a few nations have shot down their own (defunct) satellites to demonstrate their A-SAT capabilities in a show of force. Before India successfully tested A-SAT weapon, the US, Russia, and China have demonstrated this capability successfully. Asked if the project could have been completed earlier, he said, "DRDO had made presentations in this regard during the regime of UPA-II as well as to the then National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. If the nod had been given at that point of time, we would have demonstrated this kind of capability earlier." In reply to a question, Saraswat said, "These discussions were held in the presence of all the concerned authorities. Unfortunately, we did not get the response to go ahead. Since there was no response from the government and no necessary financial resources were provided, we did not go ahead with the programme." "It was during the tenure of Manohar Parrikar as the Defence Minister of India that the proposal was put forth by Dr G Satheesh Reddy, current Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval shared the details with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The importance of such technology was highlighted to him. The PM showed the courage and vision to go ahead with the project," he said. While space scientists collectively hailed the success of 'Mission Shakti' and termed the historic feat as the demonstration of India's space power and political will, members of the Opposition have questioned the timing of the announcement ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, even taking the matter to the Election Commission. Congress veteran Ahmed Patel told media persons that it was the UPA government that had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. "I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh," he added. On the one hand, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee told reporters, "What was the need for Modi at the time of election to violate the model code of conduct to take the credit? Does he work there? Is he going to space?" "It's a political announcement, scientists should have announced it, it's their credit. Only one satellite was destroyed, that wasn't necessary, it was lying there since long, it's the prerogative of scientists, when to do it. We will complain to the EC," she added. CPI (Marxist) writes to Election Commission over PM Modi's address to the nation today on "Mission Shakti"; states,"this announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the PM himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct" pic.twitter.com/xRrTNKtJb1 ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 The CPI(M) also sent a letter to the poll body alleging that the prime minister had violated the Model Code of Conduct. In a special address to the nation on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country just joined the league of space powers by shooting down a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, which was a pre-determined target. An anti-satellite weapon or A-SAT was used to target and bring down a live satellite on a LOE. #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 This mission Mission Shakti makes India the fourth nation after US, Russia, and China, to become a space superpower, as it acquired the technology and capacity to shoot down designated target satellites with anti-satellite weapons. In his address, he said: A short while ago, India has shot down an LEO satellite by an anti-satellite missile. It was conducted under Mission Shakti, which was completed in three minutes. The PM said 'Mission Shakti' was a difficult target to achieve, but was successfully completed within three minutes of its launch. Exhorting the DRDO, the research wing of the armed forces, he thanked the scientists who worked on the project. He also mentioned how we should all be proud of the fact that the mission involved only indigenously developed technology. However, he also mentioned that India has always been against the use of weapons in outer space and that stance shall not change. Modi clarified that the actions are not aimed at creating a war-like situation, nor does it violate any international law or bilateral agreement. Notably, the Prime Ministers special address comes hours after he held a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. While there is no way to establish if the meeting and the announcement were co-related, there are speculations that it was more than just a coincidence. , 11.45 - 12.00 I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 The PM had tweeted: "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media."#Mission Shakti has been trending on Twitter since, as people can't help but gloat about the country's new feat. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday promised to conduct an investigation into demonetisation and revive the Planning Commission if the opposition alliance comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections. Releasing the party's manifesto, Banerjee said the 100 days' work scheme would be increased to 200 days and the wages would also be doubled under it. "We would conduct a probe into the decision of demonetisation and bring back the Planning Commission. The NITI Aayog is of no use," she said. "We would review the present GST. If it is really helping people, we would keep it," she said. Banerjee took exception to appointment of former BSF director general K K Sharma as special police observer for West Bengal and Jharkhand during the Lok Sabha elections. "How can a retired police officer look after the deployment of serving police personnel? During his tenure as the DG, he has attended an RSS program and that too in uniform," she said. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will kick off her poll campaigning from April 4 and will address nearly 100 rallies across the state in 14 days. "I will start poll campaigning from April 4 and will continue it till May 17. I will address nearly 100 rallies. I will also address rallies in Assam," Banerjee said while releasing the TMC's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls. TMC sources said, she will be addressing at least two rallies in each of the 42 constituencies of the state. Banerjee said she will visit Andhra Pradesh on March 31 to campaign for the ruling Telugu Desam Party as a mark of opposition unity. Several other opposition leaders will also be going to Andhra Pradesh to campaign for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP. Banerjee and Naidu share a cordial relationship and the Andhra Pradesh chief minister had taken part in the January 19 mega opposition rally organised by TMC here. Naidu had come to Kolkata again in February to express solidarity with Banerjee when she was on a dharna to protest the CBI's attempt to question the then city police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The TMC will be contesting six seats in Assam, three in Jharkhand, two in Bihar and one in Andaman. Congress President Rahul Gandhi's electoral promise of a minimum income guarantee scheme is not a silver bullet, but if implemented, it can be a game changer in eliminating poverty in India, co-director of the World Inequality Lab at the Paris School of Economics Lucas Chancel said on Wednesday. Welcoming the proposal to increase living standards at the bottom of the income scale, he said, if voted to power, the Congress can impose a 2 per cent annual wealth tax on the top 0.1 per cent super-rich (owning more than Rs 2.5 crore) to fund the scheme. "Given the extreme rise of inequality in India over the past 3 decades, it is welcome that a party comes up with proposals to increase living standards at the bottom of the income scale. "... minimum income guarantee is not a silver bullet, but can be a game changer," the eminent economist told PTI. Asked to comment on the fiscal implication of proposed income guarantee scheme on India's GDP, Chancel said that given the poor quality of Indian inequality data, the estimation of the cost of such a measure is not straightforward. "For a Rs 72,000 minimum income guarantee, we arrive at estimates of the same order of magnitude than those provided by Congress - in fact a bit lower, that is the cost of the measure would be 1.3 per cent of GDP under our estimation. A Rs 100,000 minimum income guarantee would cost about 2.6 per cent of GDP," he said. On Monday, Gandhi had announced in New Delhi that Rs 72,000 per year will be given as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if his party is voted to power in Lok Sabha polls, asserting that it would be the final assault on poverty. Gandhi had said 20 per cent or five crore families belonging to the poorest category with monthly income less than Rs 12,000 would come under the scheme. Gandhi had also said his party had consulted "big economists" including former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan before it came up with the idea of minimum guaranteed income to the poorest 20 per cent households in the country. On funding of the proposed pre-poll scheme, Chancel said that the progressive taxes are proven tools to tackle extreme inequality at the top of the income scale, while providing funding for redistribution. "From an international perspective, India is an under-taxed country and there is a lot that can be done to increase existing income tax compliance as well as to introduce new taxes on the wealthiest (i.e. taxes that would have absolutely no impact on the vast majority of the population). "A 2 per cent annual wealth tax on the top 0.1 per cent (owning more than Rs 2.5 crore) would generate about 1.1 per cent of GDP in revenues for instance, most of the population (that is 99.9 per cent of the population) would not be concerned by this tax at all," Chancel who is also a senior research fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations said. Observing that the top 1 per cent income share rose from just 6 per cent in 1980 to 21 per cent today, turning India into one of the most unequal countries in the world, he said "unequal growth means that the bottom groups do not get as much as they could and that poverty is not reduced as fast as it could. " Chancel, however, stressed that a minimum income cannot be done at the expense of other social expenditures. "Public expenditure on health and education which have been falling if we compare the previous government with this one. A minimum income guarantee cannot come at the expense of these, but must be increased if India wants to catch up with other emerging and rich countries," he noted. Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Abhijit Banerjee said that the Congress party's minimum guarantee income scheme will cost up to 1 per cent of GDP, which is right now outside the scope of the budget. "But our budget is out of whack even without it. The main message is that we need major tax reform. We are under-taxed given our ambitions as a nation," Banerjee said. Eminent French Economist Guy Sorman said that an income guarantee in cash is unanimously considered by economists as the most efficient way to alleviate poverty. Sorman, however, noted that the allocation must be compatible with the global national budget. Former vice chairman of Niti Aayog Arvind Panagariya, however, noted that the bigger problem is that this scheme derives from what he has called 'kamadhenu economics'. "It (scheme) assumes that the economy will keep giving whatever amount of government revenue it is asked for. Unfortunately, the economy is not kamadhenu. "The programme requires Rs 3.6 lakh crore per year, which is 13 per cent of the total budgeted central government expenditure in 2019-20. Which expenditure will the Congress cut to free up this gigantic amount? We simply do not have those details," Panagariya pointed out. India successfully conducted an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test on March 27, becoming the fourth country to do so, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation. #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 The PM congratulated scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for successfully completing the operation named 'Mission Shakti'. "Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve and was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. This was a test operation carried out by India and was not targeted against anyone," said Modi. The US, Russia and China are the only other country to have tested an A-SAT weapon previously. No A-SAT weapon has been deployed for actual military warfare in history. The reaction of other countries to the A-SAT test is awaited, even as PM Modi said the test did not violate international norms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation announcing the success of an an Anti Satellite (A-SAT) operation codenamed Mission Shakti that destroyed a live satellite within three minutes. With this India becomes fourth country to enter the elite group of nations to have successfully shot down a live satellite in low earth orbit. Here is everything you need to know about A-SAT Missile: 1. A-SATs are weapons designed to destroy satellites during warfare or for military purposes. A-SAT weapons have not been used so far during a war and have been only demonstrated to show force or power. 2. Mission Shakti's success propels India into the elite league of space superpowers. The US, China and Russia had successfully launched ASATs and destroyed their satellites. 3. In February 2010, Dr VK Saraswat, Former Director-General and Scientific Advisor of DRDO had said India has all the "building blocks necessary" to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralise hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. Bharath Gopalaswamy, a researcher in the Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Program at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, had claimed in 2011 that Indias scientific community is open to ASAT tests. Rajeswari Rajagopalan, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, had said, India might do an A-SAT test in the next five to 10 years. 4. India tested an A-SAT missile on March 27, destroying a pre-determined target which was 300 kilometres in the low earth orbit within three minutes. 5. The US first developed an A-SAT following reports on the Soviet Unions ability to shoot satellites in space. Several test launches were carried out between May 1958 and October 1959, most of which had failed, leading to the end of the mission. The US Air Force cancelled the A-SAT programme in the late 1980s. 6. The USA was able to successfully launch an A-SAT to destroy its own satellite which was decaying in orbit. USA announced the successful launch of an ASAT missile on February 20, 2008. 7. China had successfully destroyed a weather satellite using an SC-19 ASAT on January 11, 2007. The defunct satellite was orbiting at an altitude of 865 kilometres in the Earths polar orbit. The same missile was test launched previously in 2005 and 2006. After the successful launch in 2007, it was further tested in 2010 and 2013. Russia tested its first A-SAT system on November 18, 2015. The PL-19 Nudol was successfully tested for the second time in May 2016. Russia has since then been carrying out test launches and reportedly launched ASAT missiles in December 2016, March 2018, and December 2018. Campaigning in her brother Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday asked party workers to reach out to the villages and expose what she called was the BJP's "jumlebazi" or empty rhetoric. Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived here via Lucknow to hold a dialogue with the booth level presidents as part of the party's 'humara booth, humara gaurav' campaign, remained closeted with representatives of Amethi for around two hours at the A H Inter College in Musafirkhana. This marked the beginning of the second phase of her election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Clad in a blue cotton sari, microphone in her hand, the Congress leader took centre stage among local leaders, taking feedback from them. The Amethi constituency has long remained a Congress stronghold. In the interactive session, Priyanka Gandhi told workers to reach out to villages in order to respond to the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'jumlebazi' and "expose the reality before the people". Party workers who attended the meeting, later said, Priyanka Gandhi patiently heard ways to effectively reach out to the party's booth level. Till we take the failures of the government to the people, they will not come to know the reality of this government, she told workers. The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern districts said people and Amethi have suffered a lot because of demonetisation, stray cattle menace, stopping MNREGS and snatching of a food park and the Indian Institute of Information Technology. She said it was during the Congress' rule the country achieved expertise in manufacturing matchboxes to missiles, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi was merely undertaking foreign trips even as farmers faced immense problems and were not even getting proper return for their produce. She accused Modi of not fulfilling his "promise" of depositing Rs 15 lakh each into every Indian's account. She said the Congress party does what it says, pointing out that farm loans were waived soon after the Rajasthan government was formed. The Congress leader said her party had promised to give Rs 72,000 yearly to poor families and will show how the scheme works. She assured the people that Amethi was like family and home for the Gandhis and that Rahul will contest the election from here. Speaking on BJP nominee Smriti Irani being pitted against her brother, Priyanka Gandhi said the union minister comes to Amethi for "time pass" as she had nothing to do with the constituency whereas she herself had been coming here since childhood with her father. Priyanka Gandhi, who had undertaken a river route to visit some riverine constituencies earlier this month, said on her visit to Varanasi she had found no development work had taken place and the people were very unhappy. Priyanka Gandhi will be interacting with the booth level presidents of four more assembly constituencies holding a direct conversation with them and passing on vital inputs in preparation for the coming polls before taking a night halt at Rae Bareli where she will hold similar meetings tomorrow. She is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Friday. Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said his expression during his address to the nation betrayed his anxiety that "his time to go has come". Addressing a convention of the party's Other Backward Classes (OBC) department, Gandhi said the prime minister has realised that the Congress will now give justice to the poor. His reference was to the newly-announced NYAY (minimum income guarantee scheme) whereby the party promises to give Rs 72,000 per year to five crore poor families in the country to bring them out of poverty. The Congress president also assured the OBC community that they would see many more MPs and MLAs from among them as the Congress had earlier given two OBC chief ministers to the country. "He (PM) made the country wait for 45 minutes for his announcement, did you look at his face? He has realised that the Congress will now give justice...Modi is now afraid that his time to go has come," he told the gathering at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here, ahead of the April-May parliamentary election. In an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media, Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. Attacking the prime minister, Gandhi said he had lied about giving Rs 15 lakh to people in the run-up to the 2014 election, but the Congress would give Rs 72,000 as part of the proposed income guarantee scheme. "We won't be able to give Rs 15 lakh, but we won't lie. We will give Rs 3.60 lakh crore in the bank accounts of the poor," he said. "What we say, we do. I am guaranteeing your community (OBCs) that in the coming days, the Congress will give you space. Today you see two OBC CMs, you will see much more OBC MPs, MLAs," he said. "We have written in our manifesto that any youth, be it from any category, doesn't need any permission for the first three years for starting a business...We want make in India, not made by Ambani...we want make in India, not made by Ambani in France," he said. Gandhi has been alleging that businessman Anil Ambani has benefitted from the Rafale deal with French defence firm Dassault, an allegation denied by the industrialist and the government. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said the private sector needs to supplement government efforts in bridging the urban-rural divide. He also suggested making it mandatory for MBBS graduates to serve in rural areas for at least three years before getting the first promotion to help overcome the shortage of doctors in these areas. Addressing the third convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences & Technology, the vice president called for medical universities to introduce teachings in human values as part of the curriculum to inculcate moral, social and ethical values in students. "India's educational ethos needs major reforms in the context of changes that are sweeping the country and the world. Educational institutions have to develop a system to impart relevant and right type of education integrated with skills," Naidu said. He asserted that education laid the foundation for the progress of a nation. The right kind of education would inculcate citizenship values, liberate people from ignorance, empower them with knowledge, information, skills and equip them to take up new roles and responsibilities to shape not only their own destinies but also the destiny of the nation, he said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy The YSR Congress on Wednesday said it would file a defamation case against National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah for alleging that Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy offered Rs 1,500 crore to the Congress if it made him Chief Minister of the then united Andhra Pradesh. Abdullah levelled this allegation while addressing an election campaign meeting in support of the ruling Telugu Desam Party at Kadapa on Tuesday. The National Conference leader alleged Jagan Mohan Reddy made the offer soon after the death of his father (former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy). "Jagan once came to my house when AP was united. I want to remind him that he told me he was ready to give Rs 1,500 crore if Congress made him the Chief Minister," Abdullah had claimed. Reacting to this, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that Abdullah levelled the charge as per the direction of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "What is Abdullahs connection with AP? He doesnt even belong to our neighbouring state. What does he know about AP issues.. Naidu brought Abdullah to Kadapa in a bid to garner Muslim votes. We are sending him a defamation notice for making baseless allegations against our leader Jagan," the YSRC general secretary said. Addressing an election meeting in Visakhapatnam district, Jagan Mohan Reddy said a leader was "imported" from Delhi to speak a few lines written for him by the "TDP school of manipulation and management." "That leader utters those words and flies off," the YSR Congress chief said, without taking names. Actor Urmila Matondkar on Wednesday joined the Congress after meeting party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. The Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh is likely to witness a showdown between two former chief ministers of the state. The Indian National Congress on March 24 announced former CM Digvijaya Singh as its candidate from the constituency. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not officially announced its candidate for the seat, it is widely expected that it would field former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan from there. Chouhan has, however, made it clear that he is not keen on contesting the general election. Earlier reports had suggested that Singh was unhappy about being fielded from Bhopal. He wanted to contest from Rajgarh. However, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath dismissed the idea of Singh contesting from Rajgarh as a soft option. Singh has won from the Rajgarh seat twice in 1984 and 1991. Bhopal, on the other hand, is expected to provide a tough contest, since it has been a BJP bastion for more than three decades. Singh has not contested an election since 2003. He was deliberately kept away by the Congress in the 2008 and 2013 state polls to avoid a BJP campaign highlighting his shortcomings during his two-term rule. Battleground BJP has held the Bhopal seat since 1989 winning it consecutively eight times. In 2014, BJPs Alok Sanjar won the seat with a margin of around 3.7 lakh votes. However, it may not be a cakewalk for Chouhan either. In the 2018 Madhya Pradesh state elections, Congress won three out of the seven assembly segments that come under the Bhopal parliamentary constituency. The constituency also has a 20.71 percent. The possible contest between Singh and Chouhan is expected to be fierce. The Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister has said that denial of a ticket to BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi in the Lok Sabha polls does not mean his era was over as he, along with L K Advani, will continue to guide the party. The party respects and honours them, Surya Pratap Shahi told reporters on the sidelines of 'Vijay Sankal Rally' on March 26 night. "The BJP has denied ticket to Joshiji because of certain circumstances but this does not mean that the era of Joshiji and Advaniji is over... They still remain the inspiration and guiding leaders for the party," Shahi said. The party on March 26 dropped its former president Joshi as its candidate from Kanpur for the Lok Sabha polls. To a question on the proposed visit of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi to Ayodhya, Shahi quipped "better late than never". "The BJP has no objection to her visit to Kashi Vishwanath temple or Ayodhya... It's good that she has started believing in Lord Ram," he said, adding "if the Congress, which had earlier denied the existence of Lord Ram, will offer an apology to the God". When asked if the Ram temple will be on the BJP's agenda in the coming Lok Sabha polls, he said the party was committed for the construction of the temple at the Ram Janmbhoomi and accused the Congress of creating hurdles in this task. Curbs on separatists in Kashmir would continue, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said on Wednesday as he hit out at the NC and the PDP for their "pro-separatist statements". "The regional parties are announcing that they will revoke the ban on separatists and terror leadership. The ban was ordered as people here want peace and there is peace now. But these regional parties want the ban to go so that full freedom is given to those who spread violence," Madhav told reporters. "I want to say that this will not be possible even in dreams. The curbs on anti-national, terror and separatist outfits in the valley, which started few months back, will continue," he said. He said the endeavour of the party and the Narendra Modiled government at the Centre was to bring peace and happiness to the peace-loving people of Kashmir and give them development and democratic rights. "We appeal to the people to participate in large numbers in the parliamentary polls and use their vote wisely by making differentiation between nationalists and anti-nationals," he said. Without naming anyone, Madhav said since the Lok Sabha polls were announced, some parties in the valley "are trying to create a new kind of atmosphere here". "Action is taken wherever there is an apprehension of terror activities, but the whole state is calm otherwise. People want peace and democratic processes to move forward, but unfortunately, the regional parties here still do not understand what the people want," he said. Hitting out at the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, the BJP national general secretary said their statements demonstrate their real character. "What statements are they giving? Someone (NC leader Mohammad Akbar Lone) is saying Pakistan zindabad. This demonstrates the character of these regional parties. Some leader is saying that their party workers are the real 'mujahids' (militants). Is it the same militant who kills a 12-year-old? Who tries to rape young girls by forcibly entering their homes?" Madhav said. He demanded an FIR against Lone a senior NC leader and a former speaker of the state Assembly. "I want to ask the NC leadership whether they accept Lone's statement? We demand an FIR against Lone for talking anti-India like this and trying to provoke people. I appeal the people of Kashmir to vote wisely," he said. Asked whether the mainstream parties in Kashmir were trying to occupy the separatist space by making such statements, the BJP leader said "it is a sad commentary about the plight of the two regional parties". He asked the NC and the PDP why they were contesting the Parliament polls when they had boycotted the local bodies' polls in the state last year. The BJP leader said the party has demanded that the assembly polls in the state be held as soon as possible. "We have demanded the Election Commission to conduct the assembly polls as soon as possible. It is our endeavour that people of J-K get their democratic rights. Asked about any possibility of an alliance with either the NC or the PDP in future, Madhav said the NDA was confident of securing a majority. Speaking about the upcoming Bihar Assembly Election, Shah said Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) decided to go solo even though a reasonable number of seats was offered to it and several attempts at negotiations were made. BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability, saying decisive leadership leads to a stronger nation. Congratulating scientists involved in 'Mission Shakti', he said, with its success, the country has registered its presence among the elite space powers. "It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts," Shah tweeted. "Decisive leadership leads to a stronger Nation. With #MissionShakti, India has registered its presence among the elite space powers. A-SAT, an anti-satellite weapon, which successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, is a giant leap in India's national security," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. European Council President Donald Tusk urged EU lawmakers on March 27 to remain open to a long postponement of Brexit while Britain rethinks its position, urging them not to "betray" the UK's pro-Europe voters. "I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European Parliament elections," Tusk said. "And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you. Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable," he told the Strasbourg assembly. At last week's European summit, EU leaders agreed to delay the day of Britain's departure from the bloc by three weeks until April 12, while Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to ratify a withdrawal treaty. But many on the continent -- most vocally France's President Emmanuel Macron -- oppose a longer extension, concerned it would disrupt the European Parliament elections that start on May 23. If Britain is still an EU member on that date, it would have to take part in the vote, and wrangling over Brexit would continue to disrupt the European political agenda for months or years to come. Tusk, who stressed he was expressing his personal view, urged the European parliament to keep faith with those British voters still hoping for a longer delay or even the reversal of the Brexit decision. "You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union," Tusk declared, to cries of "rubbish" from eurosceptic British MEPs. Hundreds of thousands of pro-European British voters marched in London on Saturday, and an online petition hosted by parliament calling on the government to cancel Brexit has gathered 5.8 million names. "They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber, because they are Europeans," Tusk said. India needs to focus on resolution of farm distress rather than loan waivers which kill the credit culture, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said Tuesday. "First we need to worry about why people are so distressed and angry. There is a lot of agriculture distress. I personally believe that farm loan waivers are not the answers. But there are other answers," he said when asked about what should be the focus for the upcoming elections. The other focus area should be creation of jobs which the people want, he said here at the launch of his book -- 'The Third Pillar - How Markets and the State leave the Community Behind'. "I would say that one is start creating those jobs people want. Take care of the distress, but whatever measures you put, put them as a pathway for people to get those jobs rather than standing in the way of getting those jobs...We can talk about the economic reforms that are needed, but jobs are task one," Rajan emphasised. Several state governments have announced loan waivers for farmers. Referring to the issue of farm distress, he said loan waivers cover only those farmers who have taken loans from the formal system. "I do worry about waiving loans because it only targeted to those farmers who have taken loans from the system, not the poorer farmers who have loans from the money lenders or an agricultural worker who never got a loan in the first place. So I would rather have a better targeted system," he said. "That is why I have always said that farm loan waivers are problematic and various bankers have also opined that it kills the credit culture. It's very difficult to lend to those people once again. So they also suffer in credit down the line even though they may get some short-run benefit. So those are my objections," he added. He further said targeted transfers to the very poor have become a staple of capitalism and that is a part of the safety net. "...what we see in this country is a number of political parties are saying we have become wealthy enough to be able to do it. But it still means it has to be done carefully and effectively, not layering one on top of another," Rajan said. When asked whether he would like to return to India in public service or even a political role, he said, "I am very happy where I am. But if there is an opportunity to be of use I will always be there." Rajan is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business in the US. On whether the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a threat to India's composite culture, Rajan said: "I do not have any doubt there are good people in RSS...It is not an indictment of every person there." "But the aim of majoritarian organisations is what I am more worried about. My worry is a very diverse country like India which has so many minorities, religion, ethnic groups, we simply cannot afford to say he belongs and she doesn't". Rajan further said: "We have built a country based on tolerance and respect. And at this time we would be crazy to sacrifice that for a narrow sectarianism that will stand in our way of growth. If you are a true nationalist today you have to say that we have to be a country that respects all." File image of Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi (left) and CM Nitish Kumar The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on March 23 released their list of candidates from Bihar ahead of the Lok Sabha Polls. The BJP and the JD(U), which have decided to field 17 candidates each, have released a precariously balanced list, dominated by upper caste and OBC / EBC candidates. Of 17 candidates, BJP has given tickets to 10 upper castes, five OBCs, one EBC and one scheduled caste candidate. The saffron party has, of course, denied a ticket to rebel MP Shatrughan Sinha from the Patna Sahib constituency and replaced him with Union Minister and prominent Kayastha leader Ravi Shankar Prasad. In addition, the BJP has fielded local MLA and upper caste Brahmin leader Gopalji Thakur from Darbhanga as sitting MP Kirti Azad joined Congress. Another difficult decision taken by the saffron party was fielding Union Minister Giriraj Singh from Begusarai, instead of his bastion seat Nawada, which was given to the ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). The LJP has now fielded muscleman and former MP Suraj Bhans brother Chandan Kumar. However, it will be interesting to see a fight between Giriraj Singh and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting on a CPI ticket from Begusarai. Read Also | Giriraj's reluctance to contest from Begusarai comparable to kids' refusal to attend school: Kanhaiya Kumar While BJP has retained 12 of its winning candidates in Bihar, it has fielded OBC leader Pradeep Singh from Araria, a stronghold of RJD. On the other hand, JD(U) has tried to neutralize the social balance by fielding six OBC candidates, two scheduled caste and one Muslim candidate. The Nitish Kumar-led party is keeping to its EBC and Koeri-Kurmi voter base in Bihar. The party has fielded Vijay Manjhi opposite Grand Alliance candidate Jitan Ram Manjhi from Gaya. Read Also | We never laid claim on any sitting seat of allies : Ram Vilas Paswan The other ally in the NDA the Ram Vilas Paswan led LJP. Out of the six seats given to the party as a part of their seat-sharing arrangement, Paswan has kept three seats, all reserved category, for his family members his brothers Pashupati Kumar Paras and Ram Chandra Paswan will contest from Samastipur and Hajipur, respectively. In addition, his son Chirag Paswan will contest from Jamui. Aspiring to join the league of soldier-turned-politicians such as General VK Singh and Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Major Dr Surendra Poonia joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on March 23, 2019. He now hopes to take on Sonia Gandhi in her home turf in the Lok Sabha election. There are talks that Major Poonia (retired) was hand-picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight the upcoming elections against Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi from her stronghold Rae Bareli. Sonia Gandhi has registered four consecutive wins from the constituency and has been a sitting MP from Rae Bareli since 2004, and has won thrice from there. "It would be a great honour for me if Narendra Modi ji asks me to fight against Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli," he told ANI. Dear Sisters & Brothers I have joined @BJP4India to serve the nation & our people. It is a great honour for me to support & stand with the idea of Nation First against the idea of Family First from partys platform which is led by Honble PM Sh @narendramodi Ji Jai Hindpic.twitter.com/mu2GrceCO5 Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) March 23, 2019 Soon after joining the party, Major Poonia tweeted: Dear Sisters and Brothers, I have joined BJP to serve the nation and our people. It is a great honour for me to support and stand with the idea of Nation First against Family First from partys platform which is led by Honble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Speaking to ANI about PM Modi, he said: "He (Modi) has always kept nationalism and national security first. He has immense respect for security forces. He has worked for needy people, youth and security forces; hence, I joined the party to serve the country." Notably, Major Poonia has been a supporter of the BJP-led governments policies and has expressed his solidarity with the party through various tweets in the past. However, his introduction to politics isnt recent. He had contested Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Sikar constituency on an Aam Admi Party ticket but resigned shortly due to differences with the party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Prior to that, he had also taken part in the India against Corruption campaign led by socio-political activist Anna Hazare. File image With the process of filing nominations coming to a close, battle lines have been drawn in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections in what appears to be mainly a three-cornered contest among the ruling TRS, Congress and the BJP. Telangana, with 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11. Bolstered by its thumping win in the Assembly polls in December last, TRS has set itself a target of winning 16 seats, leaving the Hyderabad seat to its ally All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM). TRS working president K T Rama Rao has said in campaign meetings that neither the NDA nor the UPA is in a position to form a government on its own post-Lok Sabha elections. TRS can play a key role at the Centre and ensure a better deal for Telangana if it wins 16 seats, he had said. In addition to its own strength, TRS has the backing of Owaisi, which is expected to help the party get minority votes. The main opposition Congress is going it alone in the Lok Sabha polls. Still smarting under its humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls (it secured only 19 of the total of 119 seats), the Congress suffered a major blow this month with as many as nine MLAs announcing their decision to quit the party to join TRS. Besides the MLAs, several leaders, including former MLAs, have also joined the TRS. The desertions have left the Congress disappointed and seen an erosion in its ranks. The opposition CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), who are contesting in only a couple of seats each, have declared their support and help to the Congress. However, there is no formal alliance among Congress, CPI and the TJS. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the ruling party in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has decided not to field candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, a first since its formation in 1982. The TDP has in principle acceded to the Congress' request for support. The CPI and CPI(M), who fought the Assembly polls separately, have come together for the Lok Sabha elections and are fighting two seats each in Telangana. Having suffered a drubbing in the Assembly elections (winning only one seat among 119), BJP is contesting all the seats on its own. The party is banking heavily on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Political analyst Telakapalli Ravi feels it will be a cakewalk for TRS as the Congress has lost its strength following desertions. "It appears like a one-sided contest. Instead of consolidating themselves after the defeat in the Assembly polls, they (Congress) have deteriorated. Many key leaders are leaving the party," he told PTI. After its grand success in the Assembly elections, TRS "could not restrain the temptation of encouraging defections", Ravi said. Though Congress has fielded its state unit president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and working president A Revanth Reddy, they may make an impact because of their stature, but winning chances appear slim, he said. Though some TRS candidates are fresh faces, people may vote for the leadership of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said. These candidates come without any baggage, he claimed. There could be anti-incumbency against senior leaders (in the Congress and others) as well, Ravi said. Terming the Congress' minimum income scheme "Garibi Hatao 2.0", BSP president Mayawati on March 27 backed the BJP's assessment that it was a "bluff". But while taking the dig at the Congress' pre-poll promise, she also mocked at the BJP, asking it if the ruling party has the sole right to poll bluffs and promises. "The ruling BJP calling the Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 as bluff is true. But is poll bluff and reneging on poll promises the sole domain of the BJP?" Mayawati asked in a tweet. Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 as bluff is true. But is poll bluff & reneging of poll promises the sole domain of the BJP? In fact BJP & Congress party are both birds of the same feather in betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers & others. Mayawati (@Mayawati) March 27, 2019 "In fact the BJP & Congress party are both birds of the same feather in betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers & others," she added. Mayawati's comment comes days after the Congress promised a minimum annual wage of Rs 72,000 to 20 percent of the poorest in the country if it is voted to power. She called Congress' Nyuntam Aay Yojna (NYAY) "Garibi Hatao 2.0" on the lines of late Indira Gandhi's slogan of Garibi Hatao during the Emergency in the mid-1970s. Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath criticised the previous UPA government over its way to tackle terrorism and asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi what was his "relation with Ishrat Jahan", who was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat Police in 2004. Addressing a huge rally in Ghatlodiya area under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, he also alleged that Gandhi had told the US ambassador that people of India are a "bigger threat" to the country than Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group. "What is your relation with Ishrat Jahan, a terrorist? When Rahul Gandhi met the US ambassador, he told him that the people of India, and not Jaish-e-Mohammad, are a bigger threat to our country," alleged Adityanath. Attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said, "They (Rahul and Priyanka) go to temples only during elections. They do not have time to visit holy sites if elections are not around." "When they learned that over 24 crore people took part in Kumbh mela (held in Prayagraj recently), the new generation (of the Congress) also dropped by," he said. Adityanath was apparently referring to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's recently concluded Ganga Yatra from Prayagraj to Varanasi during which she visited several temples. He said Gujarat had first exposed Rahul Gandhi when he had visited the Somnath temple in 2017. "During that visit, a temple priest asked Rahul to sit properly, as his sitting posture resembled someone offering Namaz," the UP chief minister said. Referring to Priyanka Gandhi upcoming visit to Ayodhya, the BJP leader alleged that Congress leaders who do not believe in the existence of Lord Ram are now talking about visiting his birth place. "Some new Congress leaders (Priyanka) are planning to visit Ayodhya. When the supreme court was hearing the case of Ram Setu, the past Congress government had told the court that Lord Ram never existed. Now, people who do not even believe in the existence of Lord Ram are talking about visiting Ayodhya," he said. He also attacked the Congress over its promise to roll out the minimum income guarantee scheme for the poor, if voted back to power. "Rahul Gandhi now says that his party will eradicate poverty from the country. The Congress should first answer that why they could not do so while being in power for 55 years. The Congress can only increase poverty by making false promises," he said. Adityanath said unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Opposition leaders lacked compassion for the poor. "When your (Rahul Gandhi's) 'abba jaan' was PM, he used to say that out of Rs 100 sent by the Centre, only Rs 10 reaches the poor. That was Rajiv Gandhi's pain. But, nothing was done to correct that situation. We brought in technology to tackle that issue. Now the entire sum of Rs 100 reaches the poor," he said. Adityanath praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 2016 cross-border surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike, which was conducted in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. "Terrorism and anarchy was widespread before 2014. Many terror attacks took place during the UPA rule. China used to transgress into Indian territory. Pakistan was beheading our soldiers. But when people asked that party to respond, they used to say that we will think about it, we might do it. But nothing happened," he said. Adityanath said armed forced had actually carried out two surgical strikes---"one on separatists in the North East region and another in PoK after Uri attack". He alleged that Congress leaders use abusive language for PM Modi while at the same time they show their respect for terrorists by suffixing "jee" to their names. Italian exotic carmaker Lamborghini recently launched the luxurious Urus SUV. While the "Super Utility Vehicle" is the most recent SUV from the Italian garage, it is certainly not the first. That title goes to the LM002, which is a rugged SUV built between 1986 and 1993. Popularly known as the Rambo Lambo, the Lamborghini LM002 was built with the sole purpose of being sold to the military, as well as oil exploration and production companies. The rugged, boxy SUV was developed with Mobility Technology International and was first named the Cheetah. The production version was powered by a 5.9-litre, V8 engine which was sourced from Chrysler. It made 192PS of maximum power and was mated to a three-speed automatic gearbox. However, the SUV was plagued with poor handling as the rear-mounted engine, and 2042kg of kerb weight shifted its centre of gravity against the LM002s favour. Lamborghini shelved the project and handed over the SUV to General Motors, who went on to develop the legendary Humvee. But Lamborghini was not a quitter and restarted the LM002 program, this time remedying its mistakes. The new LM002 was powered by a front-mounted, 5.2-litre V12 engine. This motor made 455PS of power which was enough to propel the massive SUV. This engine was also shared by one of its siblings and one of the earliest supercars, the Countach. Lamborghini offered the SUV as a proper luxury vehicle; complete with air conditioning, leather upholstery and tinted power windows. However, with an increasing demand for the SUV, Lamborghini borrowed a bigger 7.2-litre, V12 motor from a powerboat and installed it in the LM002. It even got wide 325/65 Pirelli Scorpion tyres which had a run-flat tread pattern. Lamborghini halted the LM002s production in 1993 after just 328 units were manufactured. Lamborghini focussed solely on high-performance, exotic hypercars thereon, till the advent of the Urus. Image Source The Brezza became the first compact SUV from Maruti and quickly became the largest-selling SUV in the country. The Brezza is priced at 7.34 lakh and is sold with just a petrol engine with three broad variants. With the changeover to BS-VI Maruti discontinued the diesel variant. (Image: Maruti Suzuki) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The board of Maruti Suzuki, India's largest car maker, has approved companys plans to source its mini SUV Brezza from Toyota, without having to make any investment in its partner's capacity. The Brezza will be manufactured at one of the two factories of Toyota Kirloskar Motors from 2022. Under the arrangement, Toyota will also sell Brezza, but with modifications. This will be the second Suzuki model that Toyota will sell. The first is Baleno, which will be sold by Toyota later this year. The agreement is part of the MoU signed by Toyota and Suzuki in February 2017, under which the two will mutually supply products and components. The MoU also entails business partnership in areas including environmental technologies, safety technologies, information technologies, and mutual supply of products and components. The Brezza, a sub-four meter urban SUV, clocks an average of 13,000 units sales every month. The changes that Toyota intends to make to the Brezza before retailing it through its showrooms, remains undisclosed. "If in future Maruti Suzuki has to rearrange production then it will have the flexibility to source the Brezza from Toyota as per requirement," said an industry source. It has been further decided that Maruti Suzuki will continue to be the sole manufacturer of the Baleno. A derivative of the car will be sold to Toyota Kirloskar. "This will result in incremental sales for the company," Maruti Suzuki said in a statement. Further the maker of Swift and Dzire said that Toyota Hybrid System will be provided in future products of the company, which will help it become a front runner of clean technology in mass market and help in sustainable development of Indian Automotive Industry. Last week, the two companies increased their sphere of partnership to now include joint production, the popularization of electrified vehicles, the sharing of engines and the inclusion of more commonly used car models. Longest serving CEO Further the board also approved the reappointment of Kenichi Ayukawa, the serving managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, for a further period of three years with effect from April, 1, 2019. With this extension Ayukawa will become the longest serving MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki after being appointed first in 2013, surpassing Jagdish Khattar. We hereby intimate that the board approved the following the reappointment of Kenichi Ayukawa as Managing Director and CEO of the company for a period of three years with effect from April 1, 2019 on the existing terms and conditions including remuneration, added the company. The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to stay proceedings before a magistrate court in a 2016 criminal defamation case filed by Nusli Wadia against Ratan Tata and some other directors of Tata Sons. A single bench presided over by Justice Mridula Bhatkar refused to extend her March 18 order whereby she had restrained the magistrate court from hearing the case until Wednesday (March 27). The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Tata and the other directors seeking that the complaint, FIR and the charge sheet filed against them in the case be quashed. While senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represents Tata in the case, sought an extension of such stay, Justice Bhatkar pointed out that the next hearing before the magistrate court was in July this year. She said the HC will hear the quashing matter before July and, therefore, the stay was not necessary. In December 2018, a magistrate court in the city had issued notices to Ratan Tata and other directors of Tata Sons in the criminal defamation case filed by Wadia. Wadia had filed the case in 2016 after he was voted out of the boards of some Tata Group companies. Wadia had claimed that Tata and others had made defamatory statements against him after they removed Cyrus Mistry on October 24, 2016 as the group chairman of Tata Sons. Wadia was on the boards as an independent director of group companies like the Indian Hotels Company that runs the Taj group of hotels, TCS, Tata Motors and Tata Steel among others. He was voted out by shareholders at a specially convened general meeting between December 2016 and February 2017. He said he approached the magistrate court as he was not satisfied with the explanation the respondents (Tata and others) had given him following his letters to them. Wadia, therefore, initiated defamation proceedings against the respondents under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code. Tata and the other directors facing the proceedings, however, approached the HC earlier this month with the plea for quashing. While the case had been scheduled for a detailed hearing in the HC Wednesday, it was adjourned to April 18 following a conflict over the court's roster. Wadia's counsel Abad Ponda argued that as per the current roster of Bombay HC, the case should be heard by a division bench and not a single judge. The HC has now directed the registry to sort out the issue of the roster and post the matter for further hearing before the appropriate bench. Justice Bhatkar also said the HC registry had brought to the court's notice that the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) required the parties in cases such as the above to remain present in court for hearings. Therefore, unless an exemption was granted by the court, Tata and the other directors of Tata Sons facing the above proceedings will need to remain present in the court. The judge, however, said the parties could be granted an exemption from remaining present only under special circumstances, say if one was facing ill-health, or happened to be out of the country at the time of the hearing. Such exemption can be availed of by making an appropriate application before the court. File image The Election Commission of India on March 27 said it has directed a Committee of Officers to examine Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation "in the light of Model Code of Conduct". News agency ANI reported that PM Modi's address on electronic media on the afternoon of March 27 has been "brought to the notice" of the Commission. Dr Sandeep Saxsena, Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) of the MCC division, will head the committee to examine PM Modi's speech, according to News18. PM Modi, in his address to the nation, said India had successfully conducted an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test to become the fourth country to do so. Responding to the development, News18 reported that government sources saying no one could have been informed about the test. "It couldn't have been announced by a bureaucrat or a scientist..." sources told the news channel. Opposition leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had said the party would lodge a complaint with EC over the address. The Communist Party of India (CPM) wrote to the EC stating that the "announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the PM himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct". "Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve and was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. This was a test operation carried out by India and was not targeted against anyone," PM Modi said during his address. The US, Russia and China are the other countries to have tested an A-SAT weapon previously. File image Moneycontrol News Long before talks of an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were on the table, "ally" Shiv Sena had started acting as the Opposition in Maharashtra, raising issues concerning local as well as national matters against the government. One of the issues that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party raised during the period it spent in opposing the government, was infrastructure projects in the state. Sena opposed everything from the Saudi-backed Nanar refinery project in Konkan region to the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi corridor, the pet project of CM Devendra Fadnavis. Officially, the party stated that it had been opposing the projects for the benefit of the public, and had provided an array of reasons defending their actions, but political experts and Sena leaders agree that the main purpose of the posturing was to either gain political momentum or defend its turf. For instance, along with other demands that the Sena had put forth before sealing an alliance with BJP, it had demanded that the Nanar refinery project be completely scrapped. The demand did not come out of the blue. Sena had backed protests against the project in Maharashtra's coastal regions, where environmental and human rights activists had been protesting, arguing that the project threatens the environmental balance in the region. Moreover, according to reports, farmers in the region were not ready to give away their lands. Sena, whose Vinayak Raut represents the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency where the project was being proposed, was at the forefront of the agitation against the project, even more than the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). While all the parties in the region were trying to capitalise on the project one way or the other, considering that the Konkan region plays a vital role in Maharashtra politics, observers said Sena had most at stake. "We should take into consideration one thing, particularly about Nanar... that the BJP accepted Sena's demand is all fine, but was Sena really representing the masses of that place? Sena's opposition to Nanar was more political than being substantial," Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst, told Moneycontrol. According to Jondhale, for the BJP, Nanar was an ambitious project, and the party had created a background narrative in the region, which would have threatened Sena's supremacy since it considers Konkan its citadel. Moreover, Jondhale said Sena wanted to counter both the BJP and Narayan Rane, a Konkan strongman and former Chief Minister who has been associated with BJP, Sena and Congress over the years. Rane has been left in cold this time around by all the parties, and he said he will pitch his son, Nilesh, in the Ratnagiri-Sindhudrug constituency. Nilesh will contest from Maharashtra Swabhimaan Party (MSP) ticket, a party launched by Rane in 2017. "Shiv Sena wanted to retain its political base in that area. Lok Sabha poll calculations, to check Narayan Rane's influence, and maintaining its political position were the priorities for Sena in its opposition against the project," Jondhale said. "It was a pressure tactic that Sena applied," Jondhale added. The pressure tactics using infrastructural projects, a Sena leader said, work both ways: they help in countering the BJP government's development narrative and at the same time allow the Sena expand or firm up its base in the regions concerned. The saffron party targeted its alliance partner during the agitation against the Jaitapur nuclear power plant project as well. Even as CM Devendra Fadnavis asked the French government, with whom India is collaborating on the project, Sena leaders had reportedly said they would up the ante against the project. Jaitapur, too, falls in Ratnagiri in the Sena backyard. To be fair, Sena had been agitating against the Jaitapur power plant for years, and one of its MLAs had also been arrested, but it had reportedly threatened the BJP government against going ahead with the project. Apart from these, the Sena had also been confronting its alliance partner on issues such as the Navi Mumbai airport and Fadnavis' draft development plan. While a lot of political leaders are known to switch parties, particularly before elections, Rajendra Gavit has the honour of having been a part of three major political parties in Maharashtra in a short period of one year. Gavit would have been a senior BJP leader from Palghar had one been writing about him on March 25, but now he is a Sena leader contesting from a constituency he had won about a year ago in a bitter contest with the party he is now a part of. In a twist to the BJP-Sena alliance arithmetic, Gavit joined the Sena on March 26. The switch was reportedly a part of the alliance arrangement, and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray joked that it is a "barter of candidates". The switch, while not unusual, was definitely interesting, observers noted. Gavit had, just about a year ago, contested on a BJP ticket in Palghar, where a bypoll was necessitated after BJP lawmaker Chintaman Wanaga's death. The bypoll had paved way to a tussle between allies Sena and BJP, the former having accused the latter of betraying the Wanaga family, which they claimed had served the party loyally for years, by giving the ticket to Gavit. Sena fielded Wanaga's son Srinivas against Gavit, who himself had switched to the BJP from Congress in May 2018, days before the bypoll. The high-decibel bypoll, which saw rallies by senior leaders from both the BJP and Sena, was clinched by Gavit. This, according to BJP sources, was unacceptable to Sena, which made the seat one of the pre-conditions for an alliance to be sealed between the two parties. BJP had to relent, and, during its alliance announcement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis specifically mentioned that the seat would go Sena's way, but what one did not know back then was that while the seat would be Sena's to win, the winner would be a BJP leader. BJP leaders in Palghar, meanwhile, have stated that they would support Gavit, even though he is a Sena candidate. "We will offer all support to Gavit," BJP Palghar unit chief Paskal Dhanare told Moneycontrol. "Yes, there were problems before, but now we will campaign for the Sena candidate," Dhanare added. The problems he mentioned were of BJP leaders in the region resigning after the seat was given to Sena. Gavit, meanwhile, might as well be the only candidate this Lok Sabha election who has switched three parties in one year. Gavit was a minister of state for tribal affairs during the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government. Hailing from Nandurbar, Gavit has contested from Palghar multiple times, with mixed results. He had left Congress because he was reportedly "tired" of constant "insults" from the party. What about Srinivas Wanaga then? While Wanaga had told Moneycontrol earlier that the decision to field him from Palghar would be taken by the high command, reports suggest that he will now be accommodated during the assembly elections in the state, scheduled to be held later this year. According to reports, Wanaga was not fielded because he did not have the kind of popularity needed to win a seat like Palghar, with varied demography. Moreover, Wanaga was also not acceptable to the BJP cadre in the region, and Gavit joined Sena to find a midlde path to the problem. When Attorney General William Barr sent lawmakers a summary of the key findings in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, members of President Donald Trump's legal team were gathered in an office near the US Capitol. They soon had reason to celebrate on Sunday, perhaps helped by a pivotal strategic decision. Mueller had spent 22 months investigating whether Trump or his aides conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, interviewing 500 witnesses. The Republican president's lawyers made sure he was not among them. The strategy paid off, insulating Trump from the legal jeopardy presented by a sit-down interview with the special counsel's team - an interview that Trump had said publicly he wanted to do. There was even a tentative date for the interview - Jan. 27, 2018 - though one of Trump's lawyers told Reuters he never intended to make the president available to Mueller. And Mueller never issued a subpoena demanding testimony. On Sunday, Trump's lead attorneys - Jay Sekulow, Rudy Giuliani and husband-and-wife team Jane and Martin Raskin - were huddled at a conference table with their computers open, awaiting Barr's summary. When it finally popped up online, they were jubilant. Mueller had found no evidence of conspiracy with Russia, Barr said. The attorney general also concluded there was insufficient evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice by trying to impede the inquiry - an issue the special counsel had left unresolved. The findings provided Trump a big political victory after an investigation that had cast a long shadow over his presidency. Giuliani threw his arm around Sekulow, as Sekulow told Reuters on Tuesday. Sekulow said he told the others, "This is absolutely fantastic." Giuliani told Reuters minutes after Barr issued the findings: "It's better than I expected." Trump's legal team successfully rebuffed Mueller's repeated efforts to get a sit-down interview with Trump and avoided the president being subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury. They agreed instead to have Trump provide written responses, which he did in November. The stakes were high. Some of the lawyers had worried that if Trump had submitted to the interview, it could expose him to claims that he lied to the FBI, or made "false statements," in legal terms. Giuliani publicly called an interview a "perjury trap," especially if Mueller went beyond asking Trump about collusion and strayed into other matters. Trump is frequently called out for misstating facts or simply making things up. For the past year, Trump's lawyers pursued a two-pronged approach that relied on public attacks by Giuliani on Mueller's "witch hunt" on cable TV news alongside backroom negotiations with Mueller's team led by the Raskins, according to two sources familiar with the strategy who spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment for this story. 'WE WEREN'T GOING THERE' When Mueller began his work in May 2017, Trump's legal team initially decided that cooperation was the quickest way to end the probe, according to Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer who handled the inquiry for the presidency at the time. More than 20 White House staff members were made available for special counsel interviews, and the administration handed over more than 20,000 documents. A burning question was whether Trump himself would agree to be interviewed. Despite the tentative date being set, Trump's legal advisers were split. Attorney John Dowd, who at the time represented Trump personally in the inquiry, worried that an interview would be too risky. "We're not going to go in there and make a mistake," said Dowd, a pugnacious ex-Marine, recalling how he pushed back against Trump being interviewed even though the president had expressed willingness. Dowd said he talked to Mueller's team "about what they had done to Flynn and Papadopoulos." Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and a former Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, both ended up pleading guilty to lying to the FBI after submitting to special counsel interviews. "We weren't going there," Dowd said in an interview. Dowd said Mueller told him he wanted to discuss 16 areas in the interview, a scope viewed as too expansive. In agreeing to the tentative interview date, Trump's lawyers had been seeking to draw out Mueller to find out what he already knew, Dowd said. "We wanted to know what was really on their mind. They played it close to the vest. Our purpose was: the more meetings we had, the more we learned. That was the purpose of keeping the talking going," Dowd said, adding that he never intended to make Trump available for an interview. PROTECTING THE PRESIDENT After the interview was cancelled, it was apparent, according to Cobb, that the process would drag on. "Once there was a decision by the president's lawyers in January 2018 not to proceed with an interview at that time - but to keep the possibility open - it was clear this would take some time," Cobb said. The lawyers also faced the daily prospect of a subpoena from Mueller to force Trump to testify. If it came, their plan was to ask a judge to quash the subpoena, expecting the legal fight to reach the Supreme Court. It never came. "We were prepared from the outset in the event of a subpoena to challenge it," Sekulow said. "We felt confident the law was clearly on our side." Although not all experts agree, the legal team's view was that a president cannot be compelled to testify unless the information could not be obtained from other sources and the circumstances were extraordinary. By the spring of 2018, it appeared Trump had two options: either sit for an interview or be subpoenaed. By that point, Trump's team had been reshuffled. Dowd resigned in March. The Raskins and Giuliani came on board in April. Cobb was replaced in the White House by Emmet Flood in May. Sekulow was the only key member remaining throughout. The new legal team pressed Mueller to show them that the investigation had reached a stage that would justify sitting down with the president, a source familiar with the negotiations said. "Are you in a position where you have evidence of a crime?" the source said the team asked Mueller. The Trump legal team argued that because the special counsel had amassed a wealth of information through interviews with White House staffers and others close to the president, Mueller had not reached the high bar necessary for a sit-down interview with Trump. "By providing all the witnesses from the White House and the documentation from the White House and the presidential election committee, my view from the outset was the predicate had not been reached to demand an interview with the president," Sekulow said. "I never thought we should modify from that." The team stuck to that position through the autumn of 2018 while negotiating the deal in which Trump would answer written questions only on a limited subject - potential collusion with Russia before the 2016 election - not open-ended queries that potentially could have spilled into his businesses, finances or other matters. CRITICAL MOMENT Mueller's agreement to submit a list of questions was a critical moment. The special counsel never stopped asking for the interview, the source said, but when Mueller acquiesced to answers in writing, it was a game-changer. "It went from being constantly, 'Are they going to decide to issue a subpoena?' to, 'We're doing some written questions,'" the source said. Trump's lawyers would not entertain questions on the issue of whether Trump had tried to obstruct justice when he fired former FBI director James Comey, then overseeing the Russia probe, and frequently assailed Attorney General Jeff Sessions publicly for not ending the inquiry. The legal team did not think a president could be found guilty of obstruction of justice for firing someone whom he had appointed in the first place to work for the administration. "That was off the table," and negotiations with Mueller continued on answering questions on Russia's interference in the election, the source familiar with the matter said. "At the end of the day, the strategy worked. No interview. No grand jury subpoena," the source added. Trump signed his answers to Mueller on Nov. 20 before leaving Washington to celebrate the US Thanksgiving holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "We answered every question they asked that was legitimately pre-election and focused on Russia," Giuliani told Reuters at the time. "Nothing post-election." Mueller's team had pressed during the negotiations for an opportunity to pose follow-up questions to Trump, possibly in person, Giuliani said. But ultimately the special counsel agreed to accept just the written answers with no conditions and no follow-ups, Giuliani added. By the end of last year, Trump's lawyers had little interaction with Mueller's team. Asked about the team's strategy, Sekulow said, "I guess it worked. The plane landed successfully." The outgoing Lok Sabha passed 240 of the 273 bills introduced during its term. While 10 bills were withdrawn, 23 bills remained pending, said election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Wednesday. On an average, MPs asked 251 questions and attended 221 of the 312 sittings of the 16th Lok Sabha. Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party asked the highest 1,181 questions. Party-wise, the highest number of questions were asked by 18 Shiv Sena MPs, each of whom on an average asked 639 questions, while two National People's Party (NPP) MPs asked the least number of questions, an average of 10. Among states, 50 MPs from Maharashtra asked the highest number of questions with an average of 534 each, while two MPs from Nagaland asked the least number of questions, 12 each. Seven MPs from Delhi had the highest average attendance in the 16th Lok Sabha as they attended 289 sittings. The ADR said the least attendance was recorded by two MPs from Nagaland. On an average they attended 88 of the 312 sittings. Among the political parties, two Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MPs had the highest average attendance and attended 264 sittings. The least attendance was recorded by two NPP MPs, who attended 85 sittings on an average. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. A Delhi Court has issued summons to former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Punjab National Bank Usha Ananthasubramanian and 11 other PNB officials in a case related to violations of of the Banking Regulation Act. Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh in his March 11 order asked Ananthasubramanian, current Managing Director and CEO Sunil Mehta, former Executive Director R.S. Sangapure and former General Managers Rakesh Kumar and Nehal Ahad, among others, to appear before him on May 24. The order was made available on Tuesday. The court was hearing a complaint filed by the Reserve Bank of India, accusing PNB officials of furnishing false and misleading statements to it. RBI on August 3, 2016, issued a "confidential circular" directing banks to strengthen the controls around the operating environment for fund transfers through SWIFT or similar interfaces. It asked PNB to file a report on the compliance of the circular. But, PNB allegedly submitted a false compliance report. In the aftermath of the PNB scam, RBI scrutinised PNB's Brady House Branch in Mumbai where it found that PNB's Core Banking System was not integrated with many critical applications and that there was no online integration of SWIFT with Core Banking System. The Union government has refused to share details under Right to Information (RTI) Act on appointment of Shaktikanta Das as governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), says a report. Replying to an RTI query, the government has declined to share the details, including names of short-listed candidates and file notings related to the appointment of Mr Das as RBI governor. The government has cited a clause in the RTI Act that bars disclosure of information, including records of deliberations of the council of ministers, secretaries and other officers, the report says. On 11 December 2018, Mr Das was appointed as RBI governor for three years replacing Dr Urjit Patel. Dr Patel had abruptly resigned from the post amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of RBI. The RTI application was filed by a correspondent from PTI, seeking copy of any advertisement or vacancy circular issued by the government on appointment of RBI governor, names of all applicants who had applied for the post and those short-listed for the top post from the department of financial services (DFS). The DFS was also asked to provide details on composition of search committee to short-list candidates and copy of minutes of meetings held on deciding the RBI governor. In its reply, the DFS said the selection of RBI governor is done by the appointments committee of the Cabinet on the basis of recommendation made by the financial sector regulatory appointments search committee (FSRASC). The committee is headed by cabinet secretary and has additional principal secretary to prime minister and secretary of the department concerned besides three outside experts as its members, the DFS said, without giving the names of the experts. It had then forwarded the application to the cabinet secretariat. "In this regard, it is informed that the requisite information about appointment of Shaktikanta Das as Governor, Reserve Bank of India, being Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) related file notings/documents/records, is exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1) (i) of the Right to Information Act 205," the cabinet secretariat said in its reply to the RTI application. The Section bars disclosure of "cabinet papers, including records of deliberations of the council of ministers, secretaries and other officers." The section, however, says that the decisions of council of ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete, or over. Mr Das, a 1980-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, retired as economic affairs secretary in May 2017 and was since appointed India's Sherpa to the G-20 and a member of the Finance Commission. India on Wednesday became "a space superpower" by becoming the fourth country to acquire anti-satellite capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday, calling it "a proud moment". "Our scientists, a little while ago, have targeted a live satellite in space 300 km away in low earth orbit," he said in a nationally televised speech. "The pre-fixed target was destroyed by the A-SAT in just three minutes. With this, India has established itself as a space superpower. "Mission Shakti was a difficult operation but a huge success," the Prime Minister added. The operation involved a complicated space manoeuvre, Modi said. Only the US, Russia and China possessed the technology until now, he added. Saying the mission did not violate any international law, Modi said: "This is a proud moment for the country. Our scientists have made this happen. "This new technology is not against anyone. It is only for the progress of India. We are only doing it for our safety and security. "Our aim is to maintain peace and not develop a war-like situation," the Prime Minister said. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. We had mentioned in Tuesdays closing report that Nifty, Sensex might push higher. The major indices of the Indian stock markets were range-bound on Wednesday and closed with losses over Tuesdays close. On the NSE, there were 801 advances, 958 declines and 326 unchanged. The trends of the major indices in the course of Wednesdays trading are given in the table below: The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) on Wednesday opened on a positive note up 200 points, while the Nifty crossed the 11,500 mark. The Sensex of the BSE opened at 38,372.03 points and touched a high of 38,456.86 and a low of 38,372.03 points. The Sensex was trading at 38,445.13 in the morning session up by 200.19 points or 0.52% from its Tuesday's close at 38,233.41 points. On the other hand, the broader 50-scrip Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) opened at 11,531.45 points after closing at 11,483.25 points. It is trading at 11,532.15 points in the morning. GMR Infrastructure on Wednesday said Tata Group, along with an affiliate of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund "GIC" and SSG Capital Management, would invest Rs8,000 crore in GMR Airports Ltd (GAL). The investment marks the entry of the Tata Group into the airport business. "The investment amount of Rs8,000 crore will consist of Rs1,000 crore equity infusion in GAL and Rs7,000 crore towards purchase of GAL's equity shares from GIL and its subsidiaries," it said. After the investment, GMR Infrastructure and its subsidiaries will hold 54% stake in GAL, Tatas will hold 20% stake, GIC will hold 15%, SSG will hold 10%, and Employee Welfare Trust will have 2%. Following the investment, GMR Infrastructure proposes to separate its energy, highways, urban infrastructure and transportation businesses, leading to the separation of its airport business, subject to customary consents, regulatory and corporate approvals, the company said. As per terms of the proposed investment, GMR Infrastructure will retain management control over the airports business and the investors would have customary rights and board representation at GAL and its key subsidiaries. GMR Infrastructure shares closed at Rs19.70, up 1.29% on the NSE. Former MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank (PNB) Usha Ananthasubramanian has challenged the January 31 order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal's (NCLAT) Mumbai Bench that made her a respondent in the PNB-Nirav Modi fraud case. The two-member NCLAT, headed by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya, issued a notice to the Ministry of the Corporate Affairs on her plea. The Centre had requested the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to prosecute Ananthasubramanian in the Rs13,500-crore scam by diamantaire Nirav Modi and the Tribunal had accepted the request on January 31. The NCLAT has posted the next hearing on April 29. Ananthasubramanian headed PNB between August 2015 and May 2017, before she was moved to the Allahabad Bank. She was also the executive director of PNB between July 2011 and November 2013. Punjab National Bank shares closed at Rs93.10, up 0.65% on the NSE. Nearly 80% of Jet Airways' fleet is likely to be back in operation by the end of April, said Civil Aviation Secretary Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola after the airline management on Tuesday assured the Ministry that it would re-induct 40 flights into its fleet by the end of next month. Kharola said the management has also assured the government that it would not ground any more aircraft from here on. The current management led by the State Bank of India (SBI) met the Secretary and DGCA chief B.S. Bhullar here on Tuesday. "By Tuesday, Jet and the lessors should come into an agreement on getting back the grounded flights by the end of April. Jet would be able to fly 40 more aircraft. As on today, Jet is flying 35 aircraft," he said. A total of 75 aircraft are envisaged by April-end which is around 80% of the Jet's total aircraft previously, he said. The meeting took place post the management takeover by the SBI and its subsequent Rs1,500-crore capital infusion for emergency funding on working capital needs. The meeting on Tuesday was focussed on operations of the airline so as to avoid any hardship among the passengers, said the Secretary. The financial part of the problem at the airline is being handled by the lenders led by the SBI, he added. The Ministry's concern is to monitor and cater to the passenger demand during the summer schedule, without any steep fare hike and frequent cancellations. He also said the government is also keeping a close watch on the airfares and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suggested to the airlines not to resort to predatory pricing. "We have advised the airlines that they should not resort to predatory pricing," he said. On Monday, Jet Airways promoter Naresh Goyal stepped down and the SBI-led management took over the daily operations and cash flow. With Goyal's exit and the SBI leading a consortium of banks to take charge of the interim committee, Rs1,500 crore was infused as emergency funding by the lenders to look at immediate issues. Jet Airways has been struggling with cash flows for the past six months because of rising fuel costs and intense competition. It has even delayed payment to lessors, airport operators and oil marketing companies besides a part of its workforce to keep the company running. Around 50 of its aircraft were grounded due to inability to pay rentals. Its pilots and certain sections of the employees have been without pay for some months, leading the pilots to issue an ultimatum on salary payment to the erstwhile management. The airline owes Rs8,000 crore to the SBI-led lenders consortium. The SBI expects Jet to find a new financial investor by the first quarter of next fiscal. Earlier in the day, the management of airline led by state-run SBI to oversee the daily operations and cash flow drew up a plan in consultation with the Civil Aviation Ministry to address the disbursal of pending salaries of employees, sources said. Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube on the sidelines of the meeting said that the stakeholders of the cash-strapped airline are optimistic about the airline's future. Jet Airways India shares closed at Rs279.60, up 3.21% on the NSE. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Tuesday stayed the two notices issued by the Department of Telecom (DoT) to Reliance Communications (RCom) for cancellation of its spectrum licence for delay in payment. A two-member bench, headed by Chairman Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya, also stayed the DoT's letter dated March 20, 2019 to Axis Bank to encash the bank guarantee of Rs2,000 crore given by the Anil Ambani group firm. The appellate tribunal said the show cause notices to RCom and the letter to the Axis Bank by the government were against the order passed by it on February 4, when it had granted protection against any asset sale without its permission. "The show cause notices of March 14 and 15 and letter dated March 20, 2019 by DoT are against the direction passed by this tribunal," the NCLAT said. The appellate tribunal also issued notice to DoT and directed to list the matter on April 8 along with the main case. The direction came over hearing of an application moved by RCom. Earlier on February 4, the tribunal had said that until further orders of the NCLAT or the Supreme Court, no one can sell, alienate, or create third-party rights over RCom's assets. The asset sale agreements, signed on December 28, 2017 and August 11, 2018, were supposed to reduce RCom's debt but regulatory and legal hurdles delayed the completion of the deal. The transactions were called off due to non-receipt of consent and no-objection certificates from RCom's foreign and Indian lenders, who number over 40. This was despite over 45 meetings and the passage of over 15 months, RCom said in a regulatory filing. Reliance Communication shares closed at Rs4.55, down 4.21% on the NSE. India's new policies around personal data protection (PDP) bill may fetch revenues to the tune of $1-2.5 billion for the Reliance Industries, while it will have negative implications for companies like Facebook, Amazon, Google and Walmart, said a Merrill Lynch report. The report noted that the new regulation or policies around the PDP bill and the guidelines on foreign internet companies and draft e-commerce policy will not go well with India businesses of the US companies, including Facebook, Amazon, Google and Walmart. "As and how the new privacy law guidelines become clear, we believe Reliance Industries may be a beneficiary by generating revenues from digital ad (currently not earning any revenues as regulation is not clear). This revenue opportunity could be $1-2.5 billion for RIL overtime," said the Merrill Lynch research report. Explaining it further, the report said that most social media platforms have between 200-300 million active users in India, accounting for 13%-14% of the global base, and with growing influence of these companies on social media platforms, the government is looking to place some checks and balances -- especially as it heads into elections. However, the report added: "Overall, we do not expect any material negative impact on US internet companies and expect them to tweak their business models to comply with the law of the land." Reliance Industries shares closed at Rs1,347.00, down 1.48% on the NSE. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: At time of writing, shares of Lynas Corporation Ltd [ASX:LYC]are up a further 1.91%, trading at $2.14. The latest news out of the company is that it has rejected the acquisition proposal from Wesfarmers Ltd [ASX:WES], citing among other things the value of its Mt Weld ore body. Interested in clean energy stocks? Read this free report before you buy anything. Download now. Lynas rejects proposal and investors seem fine with that Having seen the share price rocket up about 35% yesterday, it appears investors are comfortable with the decision to reject the proposal, as the share price has not been chopped down. As per the announcement, the Lynas Board rejected the proposal based on the fact that its value is derived from strong irreplaceable assets. Other factors leading to the rejection include its status as the only significant Rare Earths miner and processor outside of China, its Mt Weld ore body, and the accrued knowledge and IP that Lynas has developed in-house over the last six years. The decision to reject the Wesfarmers proposal came quickly, indicating that the board would need a massive offer to get them to reconsider, remembering that its share price was in the $20 range as recently as 2011. What does the future hold for Lynas? The company is seeking to resolve issues related to its water leach purification (WLP) by-product/residue at its Malaysia plant and will be looking for further regulatory clarity from the Malaysian government. Lets have a look at its chart: Source: tradingview.com It has hit resistance twice recently in the $2.40 range and support in the $1.50 range. If you are looking for a trade with sustained momentum behind it, this has yet to be fully evidenced in the 50- and 100-day moving averages, as you would expect: Source: tradingview.com Barring an unforeseen announcement concerning the regulatory environment in Malaysia, I would not be surprised to see a short-term pull-back in the Lynas share price as traders cash in on the news. Longer term, it may be wise to wait for a trend to develop instead of buying the news. Regards, Lachlann Tierney, For Money Morning PS: Whats Driving This Green Energy Stock Frenzy? Download this free report to find out. Weve heard it all over the last year or so. How house prices are set to fall. Its all doom and gloom. And the consensus view is that house prices have further to fall. The headlines are full of emotional words like meltdown and plunge and so forth. Houses are unaffordable, they say, and they have to come down. The fact is, when has housing ever been affordable? Land fixed in supply around all the amenities and services we enjoy, will always sell at the red line of what the economy can afford and what the locational advantages give. But rather than give you reasons why property will fall further, heres a couple more reasons why property prices can go higher still Free Guide: How to Invest in the Massive Infrastructure Boom. Download now. The easing of banking regulations Heres some news from the US that may have slipped under the radar. Four top federal regulators in the US have signalled a willingness to ease certain banking regulations. Their getting rid of the leverage rule. Regulators put the leverage rule in place after the last crash. They did this to limit the amount of money banks could borrow and leverage on their capital. This marks a significant change to policy. But see how tighter banking rules finally get whittled away. It happens every time. This is how it goes. The easing of regulations and looser lending standards are all part of the real estate cycle. So lets bring it back home. Leading up to and in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission, lending for property has really tightened. A crackdown in investment loans has somewhat curtailed development. This is something to watch, because that could lead to bit of a housing shortage in a few years time. Dont expect the current tight lending standards to last forever. Watch then, in the years ahead, for a call to ease credit standards. And should credit start to loosen once more, the combination of a potential housing shortage and looser lending will all feed into the bidding up of house prices once more. Keep in mind, its what the bank allows you to borrow that sets house prices. Tighter lending standards has impacted house prices a lot over the last year and a bit. So, should credit standards start to ease, this is one way house prices can go higher. And heres another reason why house prices can go higher still. Innovative ways to bid land prices higher Every real estate cycle throws up new and innovative ways to bid land prices higher. Heres a snippet of news that may have escaped your attention last month. Australian company DomaCom Ltd [ASX:DCL], just entered an agreement with a Big Four bank last month. For those not in the know, DomaCom is an Australian company that provides a platform which allows investors to make fractional investments in property. In other words, it facilitates a pool of investors getting together and purchasing a property of their choosing. The bank will trial DomaComs fractional property investment platform, which, if successful will lead to commercial deployment within the bank. This could lead to mainstream use of the property platform. For the first time it allows Aussie investors to treat property just like equities. Just as you buy shares in a company, youd buy shares in a residential property. The roadblock of a large transaction size for a traditional property investment is gone. And property investors dont have to put all their eggs in one basket anymore. And all the risks that go with that. Property investors can now invest in a number of properties with the money they have. And receive the rents in the proportion of ownership they have. Everyone goes on about how property has become too expensive. That people cant afford to bid up the price on residential real estate anymore. But they can. And fractional property investing only occupies a small percentage of the market at present. This is something that could really take off into the next decade. My guess is it will lead to the bidding up of property prices. Dont be surprised if theres a potential easing of prior lending standards in the years ahead. Its always the way. And that financial innovations like fractional property investing keep property prices on the boil into the next decade. If history is to repeat, house prices are likely to go higher still. Regards, Terence Duffy, Chartist, Phil Andersons Time Trader PS: Download your free report to learn how to invest in lucrative biotech stocks. Plus, youll receive a free subscription to Money Morning. Click here to claim your free report. March 27, 2019 Judge Identifies CIA Related Man Who Led The Raid On North Korea's Embassy In Spain A Spanish judge released new information about a raid on the embassy of North Korea in Spain. The leader of the raid was a shady U.S. 'activist' who earlier reports from Spain associated with the CIA. On March 13 the Spanish newspaper El Pais Spain reported that Spanish authorities identified two CIA related persons who took part in a raid of the North Korean embassy in Madrid. The raid happened on February 22, a few days before the Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi, and seemed designed to influence that event. We asked Who Ordered The CIA To Assault North Korea's Embassy In Spain? The embassy raid was no normal thievery. There were eight people in the embassy when it was raided at 3:00 PM local time. They were bound, bags were put over their heads and some were interrogated. The thieves left with computer hardware and the cellphones of the personnel. The Spanish version of the El Pais piece included this detail (machine translated): After analyzing the recordings of the security cameras in the area, questioning the hostages and analyzing the diplomatic vehicles used in the flight, it has been possible to identify some of the assailants. Although the majority were Koreans, at least two of them have been recognized by the Spanish information services for their links with the American CIA. The indications that point to the US espionage service, in probable cooperation with that of South Korea, are so strong that Spanish interlocutors have contacted the CIA to ask for explanations. The response was negative, but "unconvincing", according to Government sources. Two days after the El Pais report the Washington Post national security reporter claimed that the raid was done by a shady group of allegedly North Korean revolutionaries. The report was based on anonymous sources and a 'former' CIA analyst. The group was identified as Cheollima Civil Defense or Free Jaseon. As the group and its website had all the signs of a CIA regime change front Moon of Alabama headlined: CIA Blames Its Proxy For Its Raid On North Korea's Embassy In Spain We also noted that the British Sun related the group to the South Korean spy service which is essentially a subsidiary of the CIA. Yesterday a Spanish judge lifted the seal of the case and issued arrest warrants against two of the people involved in the raid: De la Mata identified citizens of Mexico, the United States and South Korea as the main suspects being investigated on charges that include of causing injuries, making threats and burglary. He named Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen living in the United States, as the break-ins leader. Hong Chang flew to the U.S. on Feb. 23, got in touch with the FBI and offered to share material and videos with federal investigators, according to the court report. ... While in Madrid, Hong Chang also applied for a new passport at the Mexican Embassy, the investigation found, and used the name Oswaldo Trump to register in the Uber ride-hailing app. ... Others identified as part of the assailants group were Sam Ryu, from the U.S., and Woo Ran Lee, a South Korean citizen. Their whereabouts and their hometowns werent immediately known. None of the suspects were thought to be still in Spain, the judge wrote. The New York Times adds: Mr. Hong Chang left for Lisbon and then boarded a plane to Newark Liberty International Airport, where he landed on Feb. 23, according to Judge de la Mata. He said that Mr. Hong Chang got in touch with the F.B.I. and offered to share audiovisual material obtained during the embassy attack. On March 20 the Cheollima Civil Defense group uploaded a new short video to its Youtube channel. It says "Recently, on our homeland's soil .." and then shows a man, face hidden, taking pictures of the deceased North Korean rulers Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il off a wall and smashing them on the floor. Embassy grounds are considered to be territory of the country they represent. It is likely that the video "on our homeland's soil" was made during the raid on the North Korean embassy in Spain. After the Spanish judge's report appeared, the Cheollima entity published a Facts about Madrid pamphlet that confirmed its role and its contact with the FBI. It claims to feel betrayed: No information about Madrid was shared with any parties with the expectation of any benefit or money in exchange. The organization shared certain information of enormous potential value with the FBI in the United States, under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality. This information was shared voluntarily and on their request, not our own. Those terms appear to have been broken. Some time later, some journalists began writing speculative stories about the incident in Madrid, and the identities or affiliations of those involved, citing US government sources. That information was leaked to the media was a profound betrayal of trust. We ourselves never spoke to the media or shared any information with them. We did not begin this work without full knowledge of the risks we bear. Freedom has already been paid with the blood of families and colleagues. Some of us will be imprisoned, tortured or killed in the course of this fight. But to share information that may help identify any of us who take risks to protect others is to aid and abet the regime in Pyongyang. The leaks and breaches of trust were abhorrent acts pursued in the name of political expediency, in service to a regime who has tortured and killed millions. The person identified as leader of the raiding party, Adrian Hong Chang, is a known anti-North Korea activist. He usually goes under the name Adrian Hong, not Hong Chang as the AP and NYT reports claim: Hong was the co-founder and Executive Director of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an international NGO devoted to human rights in North Korea. In May 2006, LINK helped arrange the first asylum to be given to North Korean refugees by the US. Hong was arrested and deported from China for his efforts to help North Korean refugees living in the country illegally. ... In 2009, Hong was selected as a TED fellow and an Arnold Wolfers Fellow at Yale University. Adrian Hong Chang via TED A 2007 UN Human Rights Council paper (pdf) lists Hong as a member of Freedom House, a neo-conservative infested influence organization largely funded by the U.S. State Department. Over the years Adrian Hong wrote several op-eds for U.S. outlets. A 2011 piece in Foreign Policy calls for violent regime change: The time to topple the criminal government in Pyongyang is now. Here's how to do it. The very progress of our global civilization is for naught if we continue to let the very idea of North Korea exist. North Korea is not a failed state, with warlords fighting for land and treasure. Its atrocities do not stem from factional fighting, crimes of passion, or mob violence. It is on another level entirely a staggering system entirely built and mastered for the express purpose of propagating human suffering and ensuring the continued exploitation of the people so that the very few can benefit. It is a moral obligation of the highest order that the international community intervene. What can be done, we must do and now is the time. Foreign Policy and other outlets introduce Adrian Hong as "Managing Director of Pegasus Strategies LLC". There are several companies under that name but none that seems to be related to Adrian Hong. Cheollima, as the Adrian Hong's related regime change entity calls itself, is a mythical winged horse in Asian folklore. Pegasus is a winged horse in Greek mythology. A 2016 San Diego Union Tribune piece introduces him as: Hong, a San Diego native, is president of the Joseon Institute, an independent think tank undertaking policy-relevant research and planning in preparation for dramatic change on the Korean peninsula. He was imprisoned in China in 2006 for helping North Korean refugees escape. At one point the Cheollima Civil Defense Group renamed itself to "Free Joseon". The Joseon dynasty ruled Korea from 1392 to 1897. It went down when Japan tried to gain control of the country which it achieved a few years later. The Joseon Institute in New York(?) is preparing for regime change in North Korea: The Joseon Institute draws on on cutting-edge research from the Korean Peninsula and the region, as well as international best practices and learnings from other sudden transitions in the past century, successful and failed, to best prepare for a new North Korea. A core team of scholars and staff in New York City works with a wide-network of world-class scholars, resident and non-resident fellows, policymakers, practitioners, researchers and volunteer collaborators around the world. While much of the effort remains highly sensitive, the resulting research, blueprints and action plans will be provided to key government stakeholders invested in the future of the Korean Peninsula. Full cooperation, information sharing and assistance will be offered by the Joseon Institute to whatever entity is presiding over change. While the Union Tribune introduces Adrian Hong as "president of Joseon Institute", the 'Institute's website says that the 'Leadership' of the group is "To be announced." Its 'Senior Fellows' and 'Fellows' are "Undisclosed." The site lists twelve 'Planning Commissions' and four 'Task Forces' but zero content or persons related to them. It lists more than 23 'currently available positions' but seems to have hired no one. The two 'Events' listed at the site are from 2015. It says that Facebook hosted an event on April 1 2015 in New York about Education In A New North Korea. The 'Event Overview' lists a "Introduction to the Joseon Institute - Adrian Hong". There is no evidence that the event took place. The latest 'News' item on the site is an August 10, 2017 Update From The Joseon Institute with lots of claims of work done but zero content or links that provide evidence of such work. The board of advisors of the Joseon Institute consists of a former prime minister of Libya who was "elected" after the murder of Muhammad Ghaddafi, a former prime minister of Mongolia, and the conservative Member of the British Parliament Fiona Bruce. A 2011 Financial Times piece - Christian Tories rewrite party doctrine - associates Fiona Bruce with evangelical Christians. Evangelicals are involved in "rescuing" North Korean defectors in China, something that Cheollima entity and Adrian Wong also claim to have done. One wonders if any of these persons know of the high honor bestowed on them by being named as advisor to the empty hull of a regime change 'Institute'. The other persons involved in the raid, Woo Ram Lee and Sam Ryu, are unlike Adrian Hong not easily identifiable. The case of Adrian Hong and the raid on the embassy in Madrid will likely escalate. The Washington Post notes that the Spanish judge seeks their extradition from the United States to Spain where they will face up to 28 years in prison. The NYT adds that the group has evidently prepared for a legal fight: Lee Wolosky, a former national security and State Department official in several American administrations, said he had been retained as legal counsel by the group, which he said was called the Provisional Government of Free Joseon, or Cheollima Civil Defense. Wolosky is a high caliber lawyer who for many years served on the National Security Council. As private lawyer he was involved in several legal cases related to 'national security'. He at least once used a variant of graymailing, 'a defensive tactic in an espionage trial whereby the accused threatens to reveal secret information unless the charges are dropped': Wolosky has led or co-led some of the firm's high-profile matters in recent years, including [...] Restis v United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a precedent-setting private defamation case in which the United States Government asserted the state secrets privilege, resulting in a victory for Wolosky's client UANI. Should Wolosky defend Adrian Hong in a legal fight against the Spanish extradition request he might threaten to reveal secrets the U.S. would not like to have published. The case would then be put down. Hiring Wolosky must be expensive. Adrian Hong and the Cheollima group, if it exists at all, have no apparent sources of income. One wonders through which routes the U.S. and/or South Korean secret services finance this game. Posted by b on March 27, 2019 at 18:21 UTC | Permalink Comments 2degrees is asking its staff to avoid checking emails and messages outside of work hours, after a three-month trial of the scheme was successful. The telecommunications company started the "screens off" trial in October 2018 and told Newshub staff responded positively to the changes. "Seventy-six percent of our people made a conscious effort to reduce the amount of after-work hours emails that they sent," chief people officer Jodie Shelley told Newshub. "Seventy percent of those who did reduce their out of office emailing noticed a reduction in their stress levels." Shelley said the business is well aware staff are committed to the job, even if they weren't constantly available. "They don't have to answer emails after hours just to show they're committed, we know that they are committed to us and I think this is just a really positive move to release people from that obligation." She said she thinks it's the right move. "I think it's really easy for technology to provide us with constant access, but that can become difficult to put boundaries around and I think by doing this we've really got that conversation started." See more from Newshub. Speaking in British Columbia earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted new measures in the federal budget aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing. While affordable housing is a major issue for many Canadians, it is a bigger concern in British Columbia. The province is currently in the midst of a tight housing market, with a recent study showing that the average monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced single-family home in the Vancouver CMA was approximately 101.5% of the regions average household income level. To help ensure British Columbians have the housing they need, the 2019 budget proposes support for the Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability. The Expert Panel a joint initiative of the government of Canada and the province of British Columbia will examine trends in rental and homeownership. It will consult with stakeholders to provide advice on new approaches to better meet the future housing needs of B.C. There was a decline in housing starts in February but behind the headline figures there were some optimistic signs. Total starts were down 8.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1.16 million units as the single-family sector dropped 17% to 805,000 while multifamily starts gained 17.8% to 357,000 according to figures from the US Housing and Urban Development and Commerce Department. The overall lower starts numbers are somewhat deceiving given the revised single-family starts figure in January was at a post-recession high, said Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington, AVP for Forecasting and Analysis at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Absent the surge last month, the drop in single-family production in February is not as huge as it appears. Still, builders continue to remain cautious due to affordability concerns, as illustrated by the flat permits data. Online mortgage company Better Mortgage has announced that they are now offering government-backed Federal Housing Administration (FHA) home loans to consumers through their website. FHA loans require lower minimum credit scores and down payments than conventional mortgages, making them appealing for first-time homebuyers and millennials saddled with student debt. The companys announcement follows a Realtor.com report that showed millennials surpassing Generation X as the group that was responsible for most new mortgages in the US. Millennials make up 42% of all mortgages originated in the country, but one in five Americans with student debt were denied conventional mortgages because of low credit scores and an inability to provide down payment. Oil continued its torrid start to the year as bullish supply news from the world's second-biggest producer and disruptions to refiners along the Houston Ship Channel kept crude on pace for its best first quarter since 2002. Futures rose 1.9 percent in New York. In the morning, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters in Moscow that Russia will likely reach its pledged output cut of 228,000 barrels a day by the end of the month. OPEC and its partners, led by Saudi Arabia, have been cutting supplies to counter a global supply glut. Meanwhile, a four-day closing of the Houston Ship Channel following a tank fire and subsequent chemical spill has further disrupted supply networks. "We're back in rally mode," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC, a New York hedge fund focused on energy. "We're seeing a steady supply decline that's getting us back to $60 and everyone is trying to figure out the fallout from the refinery snags in Houston and the disruption in the Houston Ship Channel." EARLIER: Oil ends volatile day lower as yield-curve jitters linger Crude futures have rallied 32 percent this year as OPEC and its allies implement production cuts to stave off a global surplus. American sanctions on Iran and Venezuela have further squeezed supplies, making for a tighter market more susceptible to disruptions like those in Houston. "The expectation is very much that OPEC+ will stick to its 1.2 million barrel a day reduction plan for as long as one would expect for that market to come into balance," said Bart Melek, head of global commodity strategy at TD Securities in Toronto. West Texas Intermediate for May delivery gained $1.12 to settle at $59.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On HoustonChronicle.com: Ship Channel closure could cost energy industry $1 billion Brent for May settlement advanced 76 cents to $67.97 a barrel at settlement on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude was at a premium of $8.03 to WTI. Meanwhile, the U.S. administration is deeply divided as a deadline approaches for a decision on whether to exempt some countries from sanctions on Iranian crude. The division -- primarily between John Bolton's National Security Council and Michael Pompeo's State Department -- has led to rising frustration and flared tempers. Above the fray, at least for now, is President Donald Trump, who must weigh competing priorities. While Trump wants to make good on his "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and strong-arm the country into meeting U.S. demands, there's also concern that squeezing Tehran too much will lead to a spike in oil prices that could raise gasoline costs for U.S. drivers as the 2020 election approaches. --With assistance from James Thornhill, Grant Smith and Sharon Cho. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Midland Police Department made nearly 19,000 stops last year. Of that total, officers knew the drivers race beforehand in less than 1 percent of the stops, according to the departments 2018 Racial Profiling Analysis. The report also shows a higher percentage of whites and Hispanics were more likely to receive one of the 9,999 citations handed out during the year. The report states that of 18,938 stops were made: 18,525 were for moving traffic violations, 215 were for violation of the law, 169 were for vehicle traffic violations and 29 were for pre-existing knowledge. The results of the stops included 9,999 citations, 822 arrests, 561 written warnings, 252 citations and arrests and seven written warnings and arrests. There also were 7,297 verbal warnings. During a presentation Tuesday at the Midland City Council meeting, it was reported that 50 percent of Asians stopped received verbal warnings, while 48 percent of African-Americans stopped received verbal warnings. The results also show 37 percent of whites and Hispanics received verbal warnings. In 2018, 71.3 percent of the 7,858 warnings were verbal. There also were 561 written warnings. The analysis shows that 47.9 percent of the 18,938 stops involved Hispanic drivers, 38.7 percent involved white drivers and 12.1 percent involved African-American drivers. Eric Fritsch, a professor in the University of North Texas Department of Criminal Justice, told the council Tuesday that law enforcement must collect more information including race and reasons for the stop. He said that having more data collected is a good thing. That information also includes whether the officer knew the race or ethnicity of the driver before making the stop. In 2018, MPD officers did not know the race or ethnicity 99.1 percent of the time. Fritsch said that percentage is around the national norm. From a racial profiling standpoint, the officer cant be profiling if he or she didnt know the race, Fritsch said. PermiaCare, a nonprofit serving eight counties in Texas including Midland and Ector, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The organization, established in 1969, focuses on helping the most ignored populations and serves about 10,000 people a year, said Megan Newman, special projects coordinator. The health of our communities depends on how well we take care of those in need, she said. Our goal is to provide services to those individuals so that way they can be healthy and contributing members of our community. PermiaCare has five major programs, Newman said, with the largest being its mental health program. Both adults and children can receive mental health treatment, she said. There are psychiatrists, therapists and case managers on staff. Individuals can receive treatment regardless if they have insurance. For those with lower incomes, the costs of treatment are often covered by the state. Otherwise, costs are based on a sliding scale, Newman said. One major aspect of the mental health program is the crisis team, which has a one-hour turn-around time, she said. If PermiaCare is told someone is in danger of hurting themselves or others, our team will go out and do a crisis assessment for them, make sure that theyre safe and if they need it, get them into a hospital so that way they can be stabilized and come back to their home once theyre stable, Newman said. If the crisis team believes an individual is safe, they will ask the person to sign a no-harm agreement, make sure that person has a safety plan and support system in place, then set up appointments at PermiaCare for a later date, she said. If the team doesnt believe an individual is safe and the person doesnt agree to go to a hospital, then they will seek a court order to place the person in a hospital. A lot of times just the act of going through that assessment and talking to someone about what was going on and whatever the situation is that made them want to hurt themselves is enough to choose the path of life, Newman said. The next largest PermiaCare program is its substance abuse program. At the Midland location, PermiaCare offers outpatient treatment, including opioid medication therapy, Newman said. The Odessa location has a rehabilitation facility open to anyone in Texas and geared toward people with lower incomes, according to Newman. The nonprofit also offers intellectual and developmental disability services and early childhood intervention services. For those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, PermiaCare provides case workers and medical staff who assess their needs, then sets them up with housing and employment opportunities, as well as group homes and nursing care if necessary, Newman said. The early childhood intervention staff teaches families with infants and children up to 3 who are born with congenital diseases, birth defects or other developmental delays how to work with their children and get them caught up to their peers, Newman said. Our therapists teach the parents different techniques to help their baby develop properly and get caught up, she said. The goal is that once theyre preschool age theyre caught up with their peers, which sets them up for better outcomes later in life once theyre adults. Another program offered by PermiaCare is Basin Assistance Services, which helps individuals get tested for HIV, as well as provides treatment for those diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. Theyll go to a lot of strip clubs and do testing or go to colleges and do testing, Newman said. If someone tests positive, we get them a case manager and we get them set up on their medications. Our goal is to get their viral load down to an undetectable level, she said. If a persons virus is undetectable on blood tests, HIV cant be transmitted, Newman said. Newman said she thinks what makes PermiaCares programs unique is their case managers, who customize clients services based on their needs. Case managers teach clients how to keep a job, how to keep a house neat and tidy to not get evicted, why medications are important and budgeting, she said. She said that many clients receive government assistance and need training on how to purchase healthy and nutritious food while staying on budget. PermiaCare also offers mental health first-aid training, which teaches individuals how to recognize someone who is dealing with mental illness and how to seek help for someone who is suffering, according to Newman. The training is free for anyone employed by a school district, she said, and people from other nonprofits or those who work with high-risk individuals often take the training course as well, she said. PermiaCare is hosting a building dedication ceremony on Friday at the Midland location in honor of the late William Bill Morrow, who was a member of the PermiaCare Board of Trustees and served on the PermiaCare Foundation Board. He was instrumental in purchasing the building at East Illinois thats being dedicated to him, Newman said. A metal plaque with a portrait of Morrow will be placed inside the building near the main entrance after the ceremony, she said. U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway is expected to attend the dedication event. Newman said the Permian Basin would be a very different place if PermiaCare was never created. Our services are essential to the foundation of the community, she said. If we were to remove our services and all of the services we have done for the last 15 years, there would be a big hole here. There would be a lot missing, so were very proud to be able to do what we do. DUNCANVILLE -- David Mojica, 14, recently spent his lunch hour walking around his school cafeteria, asking his fellow students if they could save his life. In exchange, he offered a chocolate-chip cookie. Or a glazed donut. Last year, a blood test revealed David had aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder. The diagnosis in May quickly put David in desperate need of a bone-marrow transplant. You cannot only help me, but you can help others, David said as he went from table to table urging students to register as bone marrow donors. Davids chances of beating the disease are lower because of his Latino ethnicity. With bone marrow transplants, genetic markers are used to determine a suitable match. For David -- and for thousands of patients in the U.S. with blood diseases such as aplastic anemia, leukemia or sickle cell anemia -- survival depends on finding a donor with a similar ethnic background. But the pool of minority donors, for complex social and scientific reasons, is simply smaller. Davids story was featured in The Dallas Morning News. The Duncanville High School student council took up the cause after hearing from a recruiter from Be The Match, a nonprofit that maintains the worlds largest registry of potential bone marrow donors. Recently, the school hosted a bone-marrow drive during its three lunch periods. The student council, which hosted the drive, had volunteers ready to give away the cookies and donuts for those who registered. One of the first to sign up was Davion Lester, an 18-year-old senior. He said his decision was a matter of enlightened self-interest: If it was me who needed a donor, Id want someone to help me out, Davion said. Several of Davids friends were also among those who registered. Weve been friends with him and his family for a long time, said Jorge Aguilar. I wanted to help. The volunteers, wearing bright yellow T-shirts with Be The Match, encouraged students with signs and a megaphone. Stephanie Turrubiates, 21, a nutritional science major at the University of Texas at Austin, held up a sign in the middle of the cafeteria that said Be The Match in big pink letters. Turrubiates said shes known David and his family for a long time. Im on spring break right now, and I wanted to support David, she said. David, a freshman honor student at Duncanville High School, used to spend his spare time shooting hoops, rolling through his neighborhood on his skateboard and playing the oboe. But last spring, after David started to see spots on his body, his mom took him to the doctor for a blood test. His diagnosis of aplastic anemia means his bone marrow doesnt make enough blood cells for his body. That reduces his level of blood platelets, which are needed to form clots to stop bleeding. A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 400,000. Around the time of his diagnosis, Davids platelet count had dropped to 1,000, putting him at great risk of internal bleeding. Neither of Davids two brothers was a marrow match. Doctors started David on a regimen of medications to raise his platelet count. The therapy has been partially successful, said his physician, Dr. Kathryn Dickerson, a hematologist at Childrens Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center. If the current medical regimen stops working, David will need a transplant. His doctors have already conducted a broad donor search for him in registries such as Be The Match. They came up empty. (At least) 33 people who were the required minimum age of 18 signed up -- most of them students, said Duncanville ISD spokeswoman Lari Barager, who helped arrange the drive with Be The Match. Thats such a small group that were even eligible, so the fact that we got 33 who registered --Im impressed, Barager said. To drive up the numbers, David and his friends worked the room like politicians, talking to students one on one or in small groups. If you go around and talk to them about it, you can explain it, so they get a better understanding and see what its all about, he said. Davids mother pitched in with offers of treats. Davids friends Isaac Rea and Andrew Ledesma walked around with him while asking if anyone was 18. I am, said Paul Zamora, a senior. After David explained about his condition and why people like him need bone-marrow transplants, Zamora agreed to register. My cousin has aplastic anemia, and I want to help and support the cause, Zamora said. I want these people to have a chance at a full life. David grinned and shook Zamoras hand. Thanks! David said. No worries, Zamora said. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency MRT file photo Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter has been elected president of the Western State Sheriffs Association, according to a press release on the Midland County Sheriffs Offices Facebook page. WSSA is comprised of sheriffs and their command staff from 17 Western States that include Washington, Wyoming, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, California, Arizona, Nevada, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, according to the release. The Association was formed in 1993 in an effort to allow Sheriffs to assist each other in fulfilling their duties and obligations related to law enforcement in their respective counties. The United States recently surpassed Russia to become the worlds top oil producer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That milestone isnt just an economic success story its a foreign-policy victory as well. Americas growing energy dominance is already strengthening our hand in negotiations with unfriendly regimes. Safeguarding this geopolitical advantage will require reforms that bolster our energy industry and keep oil and natural gas production booming well into the future. The advent of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling has unlocked previously untapped oil and natural gas resources from shale rock formations across the country. This technological revolution has made America a global leader in energy production. In fact, the Energy Information Administration credits fracking for Americas title as top global oil producer: U.S. crude oil production has increased significantly during the past 10 years, driven mainly by production from tight oil formations using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. In January, the United States produced about 11.7 million barrels of crude per day up from 5 million barrels a decade earlier. Additionally, our nation currently produces more natural gas than any other country. We are now a net exporter of natural gas, which has caused a surge in Americas energy exports. In late November, America exported more crude and refined oil than it imported for the first time since 1973. These trends represent a huge win for American workers. Hydraulic fracturing alone has created 1.7 million jobs and is expected to create 3.5 million more by 2035. This newfound energy dominance has also reshaped global politics to Americas advantage. A world full of eager customers is turning to the United States to meet its energy needs. European nations are increasingly buying U.S. liquified natural gas, helping them reduce their energy reliance on Vladimir Putins Russia. At the same time, the global influence of less stable energy-producing countries, such as Libya, Nigeria, and Venezuela, is on the wane. A glut of domestic energy resources has also left the U.S. government better equipped to impose effective sanctions against countries like Russia and Iran. No longer does punishing these oil-rich nations whether for supporting terrorism, meddling in elections, or abridging human rights come with severe political and economic risks. This significant global influence cant be taken for granted. Its up to our leaders in Washington to enact policies that keep Americas energy industry strong. President Trump has already done important work with policies to do just that. For instance, his 2017 tax overhaul contains new incentives to invest in pipelines and other oil and gas infrastructure projects. Earlier in his administration, he also approved the stalled Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines and reduced many regulatory impediments to energy production. Such reforms should remain a top priority in the months and years to come. As long as political leaders lend a helping hand, Americas ability to export energy around the world will only grow as will our influence. Jerome Danner is a contributing writer for the Western Free Press and the host of the Thinking It Through with Jerome Danner podcast. He is a teacher as well as a member of Project 21, a leading voice of black conservatives for over 25 years. This column originally ran in InsideSources. Does New York City allow residents to have gender-neutral birth certificates? The idea seems so absurd that the question was posed to Snopes the website best known for debunking various urban legends. In this case, however, the claim that New Yorkers can select a gender-neutral option on their birth certificates received a rating of True. According to the citys Board of Health, the city first allowed those who identify as transgender to alter their birth certificates in 1971 but only if the individual both obtained a court order changing his or her name and underwent convertive surgery. The latter clause was generally interpreted as requiring genital surgery. In 2014, the Health Code was amended to eliminate the surgery requirement. Instead, all that was needed was an affirmation from a physician or mental health practitioner declaring that the requested change more accurately reflects the applicants sex or gender identity. Though praised as a model in a 2017 article in the journal LGBT Health, this policy apparently wasnt enough for transgender activists. After the previous policy had stood for 43 years, the new one lasted only four before the New York Board of Health and the City Council worked together to liberalize the process for amending birth certificates even more. The justification for the change was somewhat contradictory. On the one hand, they worried that requiring a doctors note was a potential barrier to obtaining a revised certificate. On the other hand, they acknowledged, Anecdotal evidence suggests that practitioners simply comply with their patients requests when asked to affirm or attest to a patients request for a change of gender. The new policy signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio on October 9 and effective on January 1, 2019 requires only a signed and notarized statement from the applicant requesting a change to female, male, or X in order to conform to the applicants gender identity. The new X designation is used to indicate a sex that is not exclusively male or female. Carrie Davis, chair of the citys Advisory Board on Gender Marker Change Requirements, told the media when the legislation was signed that it was neither radical nor unique. Perhaps it was not unique the mayors press release said that Oregon, California, Washington and New Jersey already had the third X gender option for birth certificates. Recent news reports indicate that even some more conservative states, such as Indiana and Utah, have begun offering the option for drivers licenses and state IDs. But the idea certainly is radical as recently attested by Jamie Shupe, who gained fame in 2017 as the first person in the nation legally identified as non-binary in gender. He has now returned to identifying with his birth sex as a male. The Associated Press reported that the bill will also allow parents to choose the X designation for their newborns, but that appears to be inaccurate. However, if someone under the age of 18 wishes to adopt a gender identity different from his or her birth sex, parents can submit on the childs behalf a request to change the gender marker to reflect the true gender identity of the registrant. The problem with this as with the entire policy is simple. There is no gender marker on New York City birth certificates. What birth certificates identify is the registrants sex. Sex is not the same as gender identity. The American Psychiatric Association defines sex as, Biological indication of male and female (understood in the context of reproductive capacity). Gender identity, on the other hand is a category of social identity. Does the existence of intersex people those whose indicators of biological sex are not consistently male or female justify the X designation? No certificates at the time of birth can already be designated male, female, unknown and undetermined. But as the Board of Health notes, These are sex categories and not gender categories. The effect of a policy like New York Citys is not to make birth certificates accurately reflect who people are, but to do the opposite to conceal the objective biological reality of sex, identifiable at birth, and replace it with the nebulous and entirely subjective concept of gender identity. This is not progress it is a war against reality. Peter Sprigg is senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. Ill never forget the day my new drivers license came with a shiny F in the gender field. I opened it, crying with joy, and danced around the bedroom of my tiny basement apartment. I was so sweaty from my bike ride home in the Virginia heat that I got the papers wet as I tore them out of the envelope. It was the first time Id held an official document that reflected my transition. But Ill also never forget the next time I tried to buy a bottle of rum. The attendant insisted that the F gender marker on my license was evidence that my ID was fake. Even after I tried explaining the deeply personal details of my medical history I was a trans woman at the beginning of my transition he refused to sell me alcohol. Nobody doubted I was of age. So I cant help but wonder: Why did the gender marker need to be there at all? What business does the government have with my gender or my sex? A handful of states and the District of Columbia have made life a lot easier for some trans and gender-nonconforming people by allowing them to change their gender and/or sex markers on official documents at will. And some of these institutions allow people to select an X option in lieu of an M or F. On the face of it, this is pretty good. Trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming (or GNC) people do, in fact, exist. Policies that recognize their cultural, historic and scientific realities and make our documents more accurate often keep us safer. With laws like this, a trans woman like me doesnt need to explain away an M marker to a prospective employer, renter or bartender. This is a big deal, because trans people can still be legally denied employment, housing and access to spaces of public accommodation in more than half of U.S. states. Make no mistake, these laws are definitely good when they protect the agency, privacy and safety of trans and GNC people. But they can also put a target on our backs. In addition to my trouble buying rum, Ive had officers of the law and bartenders alike use the marker on my IDs to belittle me in public and question the legal authenticity of my name. Those who choose an X marker could face similar humiliation and discrimination from those who refuse to understand non-binary identities. These painful interactions are completely unnecessary. Our photos, names and dates of birth all serve to confirm or deny our identity more than sufficiently. My doctor sometimes needs to be informed about my medical history and the ways it intersects with my gender, but does my employer? Does my landlord? What about the bartender or the police officer? When was the last time someone asked you about the gender on your drivers license instead of just looking at you? I celebrated getting the gender marker changed on my drivers license, birth certificate, passport and Social Security card. Its nice to have the state validate my identity. But it also hasnt changed anything about the way I move through the world. It hasnt made going through TSA, or doing anything else as a trans person, any easier. The government doesnt use this information for much, so why do they need it to begin with? Doctors can assess necessary details around a persons sex and medical history by talking to their patients and examining them as appropriate, and most law enforcement doesnt actually pay attention to ID documents in assigning people to gendered facilities. Just about the only party who does seem to care about what marker is on a drivers license is auto insurance companies, who use the information to overcharge young men and older women for auto insurance. In the end, an X option can be both relieving and safer for some trans and GNC people. It can make them feel seen and recognized, reduce administrative confusion and even keep people out of harms way. But making a tri-nary out of a binary is hardly a solution. The government doesnt need to know my gender, and neither does my bartender or landlord. If we want a real solution that makes everyone safer, lets cut the paperwork and just get rid of the thing. Robin Carver is a development associate at the Institute for Policy Studies and a writer of short fiction. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. You can sue the media for ... Washington, DC President Donald Trumps southern border Emergency Declaration will stand after the House of Representatives yesterday failed to garner a two-thirds majority to overturn a veto. The final vote was 248-181. Mother Lode Congressman Tom McClintock is pleased with the result, as one of the no votes, and he addressed the issue on the US House floor. You can view his speech transcribed below or click on the video box to view it: Mr. Speaker: For 43 years, the President of the United States has had the statutory authority granted by Congress to declare a national emergency and to re-program unobligated military construction funds to meet that emergency. Fifty-eight times, previous presidents have invoked this authority to address such matters as civil unrest in Sierra Leone and Burma. Only when THIS President invoked his authority for the 59th time to address the most serious national security risk our country has faced in our lifetimes the collapse of our southern border do we hear protests from the left and its fellow travelers. Under our Constitution, the Congress appropriates money but cannot spend it and the President spends money but cannot appropriate it. He spends it according to laws given him by Congress. In this case, Congress appropriated funds, and delegated to the President precisely the authority to spend those funds that he is now exercising. Whether Congress should have delegated this authority is a separate question that no one has raised in 43 years. But while that authority exists, the President has both a right and a duty to use it to defend our country. We also hear protests that the Presidents act will divert money from other military projects. Listen to what these people are saying: they care more about defending the Iraqi border than defending our own. Such people should not be entrusted with the defense of our country. I stand with the President who is acting within our Constitution to preserve, protect and defend it, and against the radical left in this house that would dissolve our borders entirely if given the chance. History warns us that nations that cannot or will not defend their borders arent around very long. Let that not be the epitaph of the American republic or the Constitution that created it. CA Lawmakers Trying To Make It Easier To Pass Local Tax Measures California State Capitol Building View Photos Sacramento, CA Currently local bond and tax measures require a two-thirds majority of the votes to pass, but some state lawmakers would like to see the percentage reduced. A group of Democratic leaders are pushing for a constitutional amendment to be placed on the 2020 state ballot measure to reduce the figure to 55-percent. Democratic Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry argues that the two-thirds requirement allows a small minority to derail needed projects. However, some state taxpayer organizations are voicing early opposition, arguing that it would hurt property owners. The change would apply to local ballot measures raising revenue for infrastructure projects like parks, libraries, fire and police facilities and affordable housing. AP file photo WASHINGTON Barbara Bush says Donald Trump caused her "angst" during the 2016 election, and led her to question in the months before she died whether she was still a Republican. The late former first lady's thoughts about Trump were revealed in excerpts published today in USA Today of an upcoming biography, "The Matriarch." The fourth times the charm, right? If the stars align, 2019 will be the year for Cured restaurant chef and owner Steve McHugh, whos been nominated for the fourth time as a finalist for the cooking worlds highest honor: a James Beard Award. Its the fourth year in a row that McHughs been in the finalist ring for Best Chef: Southwest for his work at his highly regarded Pearl restaurant Cured, named for his love of nose-to-tail charcuterie and his own triumph over cancer. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday called for American astronauts to return to the lunar surface within five years, a bold and exceedingly difficult challenge that would push NASA to its limits. In a fiery speech in Huntsville, Alabama, Pence repeatedly said the space agency needed to act with a renewed sense of urgency to land humans on the moon for the first time since 1972. And he cast the mission as part of a new space race against superpowers such as Russia and China, which landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon earlier this year. But most of all, Pence said that NASA and its major programs have been stifled by a crippling bureaucracy that has prevented it from moving more boldly in its human exploration endeavors. "It's not just competition against our adversaries," Pence said. "We're also racing against our worst enemy: complacency." Pence did not provide any details on how the agency would achieve landing humans on the moon in the five-year time frame, a monumental goal that NASA had been hoping to achieve by 2028. He provided no details on the cost or how the mission would unfold. He added that he had only learned the details of NASA's plans five minutes before stepping onstage. NASA did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the plan. In his speech, which came during the fifth meeting of the National Space Council, Pence took a shot at the rocket NASA is developing, known as the Space Launch System. With Boeing as the prime contractor, the rocket is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. Recently, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate hearing that its first flight was going to be once again delayed and, as a result, the agency would look at sidelining it in favor of commercial rockets. Companies such as SpaceX, the United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin are all developing new, very capable rockets that, while not as capable as the SLS, would be far less expensive. Pence doubled down on the idea of bypassing the SLS Tuesday, lamenting how the program has "been plagued by bureaucratic inertia, by what some call the paralysis of analysis." He said he was saddened to hear that the first flight of the rocket would be pushed to 2021. "Now that would be 18 years after the SLS program was started and 11 years after the president of the United States directed NASA to return American astronauts to the moon," he said. "Ladies and gentlemen, that's just not good enough." He also took aim at NASA's bureaucracy, saying the agency "must transform itself into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organization. If NASA's not currently capable of landing American astronauts on the moon in five years, we need to change the organization, not the mission." Pence's speech comes at a time of increased activity and competition in space. The White House has pushed the creation of a Space Force to help the military combat potential adversaries in orbit. Earlier this year, China landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon and plans to return another spacecraft later this year. India and Israel also plan to land spacecraft on the moon this year. The White House, however, has been looking to make a big splash in space, hoping to send an Orion spacecraft, without crew, in a trip around the moon in the first term. The landing of humans on the moon would happen in a second term, should Trump be reelected. "If commercial rockets are the only way to get American astronauts to the moon in the next five years then commercial rockets [it] will be," he said. "Urgency must be our watchword. Failure to achieve our goal to return an American astronaut to the moon in the next five years is not an option." Bridenstine said that he believed that Boeing and the other contractors, working alongside NASA, could accelerate the schedule so that SLS could be launched in 2020. And he said the agency was dedicated to meeting the White House's goal. "Our agency is going to do everything in its power to meet that vision, to meet that deadline," he said. "We got it loud and clear." Two Judson Independent School District campuses were briefly placed on lockdown Wednesday afternoon while Bexar County sheriff's deputies tracked down two suspects who allegedly evaded authorities. The lockdowns were lifted around 3:30 p.m. Three suspects ran from deputies in the 7200 block of Kingsland during a traffic stop, according to the sheriff office's Facebook post. Three others who remained in the car were also detained. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox One of the fleeing suspects was quickly caught, while two others ran toward Woodlake Elementary and Metzger Middle schools, which led to a lockdown. It was lifted less than an hour later, according to the sheriff's office, after deputies brought the suspects into custody. However, deputies are still searching for the weapons the suspects were last seen with, according to the post. "Parents please make sure your property is clear before children go outside," the post read. It's unclear what charges the suspects face. Anyone who comes across a weapon is asked to call the sheriff's office at 210-335-6000. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA The City of New Braunfels put the brakes on e-scooters this week. The New Braunfels City Council on Monday voted 6-1 to indefinitely prohibit electric scooters and other "shared mobility devices" from the city. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox City Engineer Garry Ford said the decision was primarily motivated by safety concerns and a lack of infrastructure necessary for scooters to be feasible. "A lot depends on the infrastructure," he said, "San Antonio and Austin have extensive bike lanes and sidewalks. That's something for us to look at and evaluate." In January, New Braunfels Assistant Chief of Police Joe Vargas issued a 90-day ban on the vehicles, hours after a scooter company set up two of them in the city's downtown area for a test run. ON EXPRESS-NEWS.COM: The rise of e-scooters and the lawsuits that follow The ban was put in place to allow City Council to make a decision on the devices, which they now have. Ford said the vote was not for a permanent ban and that they may be open to allowing them into the city sometime in the future. "Let's look at best practices," he said during Monday's council meeting. "Not only in the area, but in the country." San Antonio is currently in the midst of a trial run with e-scooters and dockless bikes. In February, the city council, which initially said it wanted to try a "light touch," voted 10 to 1 to tighten regulations on the devices after widespread complaints. The city will make a decision on how to permanently regulate them in May, at the conclusion of the pilot program. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns A San Antonio man involved in the pharmaceutical industry has been charged with fraud, money laundering and tax evasion over allegations that he scammed investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and hid income from the IRS. Edward C. Wagner ran limited liability companies or pharmaceutical sales entities known as Pharmacogenetics, EcoChem, Leaf 24 and NutrECS, according to a news release from federal authorities. A federal grand jury indicted him last week on 11 counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering and six counts of tax evasion. Wagner, who was arrested and released on bond Friday, is accused of offering proprietorship to investors in order to pump money from them, which he then allegedly misused. On ExpressNews.com: Feds arrest ex-business partner of San Antonio philanthropist Bill Greehey A federal public defender was appointed for him, and hes scheduled for arraignment April 4. Our capitalist system works only when our legal rules against fraud are vigorously enforced. That is why DOJ relentlessly pursues those who defraud investors, said U.S. Attorney John Bash. Wagner is charged with exploiting his investors trust by using those monies meant for his businesses for his own personal gain, said Sarah Kull, special agent in charge of the Houston field office of the IRS Criminal Investigation division, which also covers San Antonio. In this case, IRS-Criminal Investigation is not only enforcing the nation's tax laws, but also holding an individual accountable for violating the trust of his investors. The indictment alleges that from June 2011 to September 2016, Wagner collected $645,000 from company investors under false and fraudulent pretenses and spent it on personal expenses. On ExpressNews.com: Luxury cars seized in San Antonio money laundering investigaton The indictment also alleges that he evaded paying taxes from 2007 to 2016. From 2007 through 2010, Wagner accrued $744,186 in unpaid taxes and penalties based on taxable income of $1.4 million, the indictment alleges. The indictment also said that Wagner intentionally disguised his actual income by hiding his sources of income, using nominee financial institution accounts, dealing extensively in cash and cashiers checks, and creating a false loan document. He is also accused of failing to file an income tax return from 2013 through 2016. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud charge, up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering counts and a maximum of five years in prison for each tax evasion count. Guillermo Contreras covers federal courts in San Antonio and international legal issues. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland A Florida man who claimed to be "Instagram famous" lured a missing San Antonio teenager to his Apopka home, held her against her will and sexually assaulted her, according to police. Richard Edward Brown, 25, was arrested Thursday on six counts of sexual battery or sexual assault of a child and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Orange County Jail records showed. Though the girl's age was not specified in the affidavit, the charges Brown faces indicate the victim was 16 or 17. She had been missing since March 5. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The girl called police early Thursday morning after she was able to escape Brown's bedroom in the home where he lives with his parents, the affidavit says. For roughly three days she had only been allowed to leave the room when he walked her to the bathroom or when they went out to eat, she told police. The two allegedly began trading messages months ago on Instagram. Brown told the girl he was wealthy and would take care of her if she came to live with him, police said. Brown paid for the girl's cross-country Uber trip from San Antonio to Florida, and the girl arrived to his home on March 17, according to Brown's arrest affidavit. The girl told police she realized Brown had lied to her about his age, fame and financial status, but she had no way of escaping, the affidavit says. He also forced her to have sex with him, according to police. "(The girl) said that Brown would force the sex act as she was going to sleep and told her that she owed him for bringing her to Florida," police wrote in the affidavit. RELATED: Navy vet, ex-Astros player among arrests in underage-sex sting During one of their trips out to eat, the girl noticed a fire station near the home, according to the affidavit. She planned on sneaking out of the home while Brown was asleep and going to the fire station to ask for help. When she did leave the home, she contacted her mother through FaceTime and told her what happened to her. The call ended when the girl lost Internet connection. The girl made it to the same street she remembered the fire station being on but realized she wasn't as close as she thought she'd be. She called 911, according to the affidavit. When police interviewed Brown, he told them "he was happy that she was okay." He claimed he and the girl were only friends and that he thought she was 18 years old and in need of a place to stay. The girl was returned home to her parents, according to the police report. Brown's bail was set at $40,000, and he remained in jail as of Wednesday. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA A man claimed he was driven off the road early Wednesday on the Northwest Side and crashed into a building, police said. The driver was traveling westbound in the 8600 block of Fredericksburg Road just before 3:30 a.m. when a black car ran him off the road, according to police. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Trade Chinas secretive lending to Africa [Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum]. Questions are swirling around Chinas financing of Ethiopian Airlines (ET), and whether it was part of the countrys secretive lending to Africa. While it is difficult to obtain hard facts about Beijings involvement, there are indications that Chinese banks, in particular the China Export Import Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Financial Leasing, have lent large amounts to Ethiopian Airlines. The tragic crash of ET Flight 302 on 10 March shone a light on Chinas involvement in Africa. Once its causes become clearer, it may lead to a reassessment of the risks of lending to a fast-expanding airline. It is possible western creditors will react faster than their Chinese counterparts. Regardless of the extent of ETs fault in the crash, lenders will probably continue to support the airline. This is particularly true of Chinese investors as part of Beijings going global strategy; Ethiopia plays an important role as a transport hub in Africa. Any retrenchment would have a knock-on effect on Chinas strategy elsewhere on the continent. Chinese airlines are in no position to fill the gap if the country downscaled its commitment to ET. In addition, the airlines success has made it a profitable Chinese investment. Chinas airplane ambitions get a boost from Boeing fallout [Los Angeles Times]. Seven days after the Ethiopian Airlines crash, the Ethiopian ambassador to China paid a visit to Chinas state-owned airplane manufacturer in Shanghai. He tweeted photos of himself sitting in the cockpit of the Comac C919, a new Chinese-built plane aimed to compete with Boeings 737 Max 8 and Airbus A320neo. It will not be so long that we will see them in the blue sky, the ambassador tweeted. Even in my layman observations, I do not think they need 20 years and for sure they will not wait for 20 years.' Politics But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51 They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune 2020 Buttigieg: Show me an example of Buttigieg standing up to power. Corporate power. I know he wants to do good. Give me an example of him wanting to fight bad. Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) March 27, 2019 Although I like Buttigieg better than I did Im still suspicious of anybody who thinks that a Rhodes Scholarship, McKinsey, and the military is the royal road to the Oval Office Stoller is correct to pose this question. Sanders (1): Discrimination has no place in our society. I am proud to display this flag as a symbol of my support for transgender people across the country. We must stand with transgender people in all of our communities. pic.twitter.com/W6Esa16vzP Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 26, 2019 Sanders (2): Big if true: 2020 Alabama Democratic Primary Sanders 27% O'Rourke 17% Harris 16% Booker 14% Warren 12% Buttigieg 4% Klobuchar 2% Hickenlooper 1% Yang 1% Castro 1% Gabbard 1% Gillibrand 1% Inslee 1% Delaney 1% Williamson 0% Messam 0%@ChangePolls 3/20-23 Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) March 27, 2019 Sanders (3): Bernie Sanders on eliminating private health insurance: get rid of the insurance companieshttps://t.co/96QSsI7QZH pic.twitter.com/yzkWfOGN8J RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 27, 2019 The RNC keeps coming up with Sanders gotchas that are, in fact, excellent things that should be done. ORourke: Beto ORourkes Free Ride on Charter Schools Wont Last for Long [The Intercept]. ORourke stayed conspicuously silent on the topic of charter schooling during his Senate campaign, and his backers in the education establishment decided not to press him on it. While most Democratic candidates are likely to face questions about charter schools on the trail to the White House, that likelihood is greater for Beto ORourkes than most, given his wifes stature in the charter school movement. Amy ORourke is a former charter school leader and currently sits on the board of a local education reform group that supports expanding charter schools in El Paso. As Nevada lags behind in 2020 visits, Silver State Democrats warn about ignoring the state [CNN]. According to data collected by CNN, the 14 candidates running for the Democratic nomination in 2020 have made 13 trips to Nevada since the 2018 midterms, a number that dramatically trails behind Iowa, a state that has received 49 trips, New Hampshire with its 46 trips and South Carolina, which has had 26 visits since November 2018. RussiaGate MSNBCs Trump-Russia Ratings Fizzle: Time to Pivot to 2020 [Daily Beast]. Within MSNBC, theres an acknowledgement that the Trump-Russia narrative on which the cable networkand especially its primetime star Maddowbuilt monster ratings has fizzled for the moment. Insiders also claim not to be surprised that the conclusion of the long-awaited Mueller reportor at least the Trump-appointed attorney generals summarywas a whimper, not a bang for an outlet that has invested so much time and energy, in primetime and throughout its dayparts, in the notion that Trump is unworthy of the Oval Office and might at some point be forced to give it up. And its also possible that the Mueller disappointment drove loyal viewers away in much the same way that people avoid looking at their 401(k)s when the stock market is down. Maddow, who has consistently vied for the first or second top-rated cable news program, was sixth on Monday evening, down almost 500,000 total viewers from the previous Monday, as was MSNBCs second top-rated program in primetime, The Last Word With Lawrence ODonnell. So, the insiders knew there was a problem, but kept stoking the madness until the last possible moment? Consortium News Record on Russia-gateA Series of Articles on How CN Covered the Scandal: No. 1The Sleazy Origins of Russia-gate [Robert Parry, Consortium News]. From March 29, 2017, and how long ago that seems: Despite the dubious quality of Steeles second- and third-hand information, the June report [which included the piss tape] appears to have won the breathless attention of Team Clinton. And once the bait was taken, Steele continued to produce his conspiracy-laden reports, totaling at least 17 through Dec. 13, 2016. The late, great Robert Parrys prose is lucid and calm. This is one of a series of re-posts, a well-deserved victory by Consortium News (another victim of the skeevy, WaPo-promoted propornot scamsters). The Paranoid Center [Ross Douthat, New York Times]. The Iraq war was fiercely opposed by paleoconservatives and antiwar libertarians as well as by the antiwar left, and the strongest skeptics of the Russiagate narrative have been left-wing journalists. And: This pattern points to the essential difference between paranoias of the fringes and what Reasons Jesse Walker once called the paranoid center. Because the center believes in the basic goodness of American and Western institutions, the basic wisdom and patriotism of their personnel, its threat matrix is always attuned to Great Enemies outside and radicals within, and its greatest fears tend to involve the two groups working together whether that means Middle Eastern dictators and Islamist sleeper cells after Sept. 11 or the grand alliance of Putinists and homegrown white nationalists thats blamed for Donald Trump. Meanwhile the extremes, in different but sometimes overlapping ways, are much more skeptical about American institutions, much more unpatriotic in the way that David Frum once dismissed right-wing critics of the Iraq war, and thus much more likely to be skeptical of any narrative that asks you to simply trust the wisdom and good intentions of, say, figures like James Comey and John Brennan. Notice the tri-partite, non-binary structure. What a world were living in, when Douthat approaches making sense. We know Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Will anything be done to stop it in 2020? [Think Progress]. Still on the bandwagon. Ive seen those Internet Research Agency memes. If they had the effect CAP thinks they did, then every Democratic strategist should close up shop, because the Russians are better, and far, far cheaper. Why not offshore campaign messaging to Russia? Taibbi: As the Mueller Probe Ends, New Russiagate Myths Begin [Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone]. After the 2016 election, the storyline instantly became that Trump was an illegitimate president, a foreign operative whod cheated his way into office and would therefore need to be removed ahead of schedule. You could call that a storyline. Or, given the involvement of the intelligence community, after and before Election Day, you could call it a soft coup. Brennan and Clapper and the faceless intelligence community represent have been getting off remarkably lightly in all the victory laps (though I cant say Ive double-checked everything Parry wrote). Except here The Reckoning Finally Arrives for the Trump Resistance [Bloomberg]. The deck: With Muellers investigation over, Democrats, the news media and the national security state have a lot to answer for. This: Finally, there is that handful of former officials who validated the worst fears of Americans about Trump without ever providing actual evidence. The best example is former CIA Director John Brennan. For the last two years, Brennan has been a frequent guest on cable TV to spread the innuendo that Trump is compromised by Russia. Just this month, he speculated that Mueller would be indicting members of Trump world for criminal conspiracy, even as he insisted he had no inside knowledge of Muellers deliberations. That last part, at least, turns out to have been true. I dont believe for a moment that its only former officials who was doing all the leaking? and it was Clapper, too, not just Brennan. I certainly wouldnt mind having the intelligence communitys wings clipped with a Senate investigation, though it would be nice if they could avoid creating a Benghazi-style omnishambles. 2019 AOC on environmentalism as an elitist issue: Watch every second of this @AOC is so incredibly spot on. pic.twitter.com/ESP4dC5TTo Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 27, 2019 French Socialist Edouard Louis on Failed Centrism and the Rise of AOC [New York Magazine]. With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, my first reaction was, Finally, she talks about reality! When I was a student, I would open the papers or turn on the TV, and see politicians speaking, and I would think, What kind of society are they talking about? Its not the society that I live in! When they were saying these words obsessively, like responsibility, what does it mean? My father had an accident at the factory when he was 35. He couldnt walk for a few years. His back was destroyed. But then, according to the French state, he was supposed to go back to work. The only job for someone like him was to be a street sweeper, because he had no education or diploma. The work destroyed his back even more. And so when you say responsibility, what are you talking about? I cant even answer to that kind of language, because it has nothing to do with reality. And so when Ocasio-Cortez talks about corruption, when she talks about pain, when she talks about rage, I think that finally someone is talking about reality. Very interesting on the French context that gave rise to the GJ as well. Realignment and Legitimacy Second man found dead in Ed Bucks apartment died of accidental meth overdose, authorities say [Los Angeles Times]. The second man to die in Democratic donor Ed Bucks West Hollywood home died of a methamphetamine overdose, authorities confirmed Monday He was the second black man to die of a methamphetamine overdose in Bucks apartment. Buck, 64, who is white, is a former fashion model, self-described retired multimillionaire and onetime West Hollywood City Council candidate. He has long been a contentious figure in town, where he was best known for his animal rights and LGBTQ activism, and his donations to Democratic politicians and causes . Looks like donor class impunity at work. Liberal Democrats think they own your vote, and they also think they own their seats: In New York, opposition to publicly financed campaigns is coming from Democrats in the Assembly who are worried about primary challengers. Not a good justification for a corrupt system. Get yr Assembly member on the record for fair elections this year. 3 days til the budget. Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) March 27, 2019 I guess they prefer servicing donors? Stats Watch Readers, Im sorry to be so light on business links, but RussiaGate is eating the earth (and also my brain). Hopefully things will be back to normal, if normal is the word I want, soon. lambert International Trade, January 2019: Januarys trade deficit came in much lower-than-expected as exports rose [Econoday]. Details show a very welcome rise in food exports, which had been shrinking in prior months, as well as a gain for vehicle exports. Imports of capital goods fell, which is good for the deficit but a negative for business investment, while imports of industrial supplies, reflecting a decline for oil, fell. Current Account, Q4 2018: As a percentage of GDP, the current account deficit rose to a still moderate 2.6 percent vs 2.5 percent in the third quarter [Econoday]. State Street Investor Confidence Index, February 2019: Global institutional investors continued to reduce their exposure to global equities in March [Econoday]. Risk aversion by North American and European institutional investors continues to be fed by concerns regarding the potential breakdown in US-China trade talks, a potential hard Brexit, and potential populist wins in European Parliament elections, according to State Street. Retail: Boo light special? Market defends self against ghost claim [Associated Press]. A spokeswoman for Market Basket says in a statement to The Boston Globe that as far as we know all of our stores ghost-free after someone posted on social media this month about seeing an apparition at a store in Wilmington, Massachusetts. The person said the ghost was an old Victorian era woman in her nightgown near the frozen peas. Hundreds of people weighed in, including others who claimed to have seen a ghost in the store. Tech: Forget Photoshop. Adobe Is a Marketing Company Now [Bloomberg]. Chief Executive Officer Shantanu Narayen has upended Adobes business model and quietly transformed it into that of a marketing company. Adobe has been working full crank to track every interaction a consumer has with a brand: tallying her visits to a brick-and-mortar store and what she buys; using cookies to monitor her web activity and figure out how many devices she has; analyzing her interest in emails about sales or promotions; and incorporating social media monitoring to see what she says about a brand. Adobe can combine all of this with other companies data about a persons income and demographics to try to predict the triggers that would make her buy a new phone or pair of shoes. In essence, Adobe is trying to know a consumers decision-making process better than she may know it herself. No doubt their Software-as-a-service model helps them. Gentleman Prefer Bonds: Heres Why U.S. Bond Yields Plunged So Much Over the Past Week [Bloomberg]. The Federal Reserves surprise policy shift last week shook markets, but, even still, the intensity of the ensuing drop in U.S. bond yields has puzzled many observers. A massive wave of hedging in the swaps market helps explain the scale of the eye-catching move. The sharp move in rates since the FOMC decision can be attributed to mortgage convexity receiving hedging, Citigroups head of U.S. rates strategy wrote in a March 22 report. The 10-year Treasury yield falling below 2.5 percent likely triggered convexity flows, which is typically done by servicers, REITs and money managers, he added. Swell. It everything goes pear-shaped, dull normals like me will have to figure out what the heck a convexity flow is. Yay! The Biosphere Coal, oil, and natural gas demand hits record high in 2018 [Grist]. Demand for coal, oil, and natural gas hit new all-time highs in 2018, according to a worrying new report from the International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization that compiles statistics on global energy use. The report provides further evidence that the worlds two biggest emitters, the United States and China, are choosing to switch from coal to natural gas, not coal to renewables. While natural gas is often touted as being lower in CO2 emissions than coal, it still releases plenty of CO2 as well as methane an even more powerful greenhouse gas. The move could lock in decades of emissions. China added more than six times the amount of renewable energy to its grid than the United States did but even that is nowhere near enough to offset continued investment in fossil fuels. Stopping Human-Caused Air Pollution Would Prevent 5.6 Million Air Pollution Deaths Per Year: New Study [Weather Underground] (original). If humans stopped emitting air pollution, an astonishing 5.6 million premature deaths per year due to global outdoor air pollution could be prevented, according to research published Monday. About 65% of these deaths are due to burning of fossil fuels, with the remainder due to such activities as biomass burning and agriculture. Eliminating human-caused air pollution would also significantly reduce drought in monsoon regions, but it would allow more sunlight to reach the surface, increasing Earths surface temperature by at least 0.36C (0.65F). Overall, the effects would be hugely beneficial. Yikes: "This is the real solution to climate change: babiesthe solution to so many of our problems at all times and in all places is to fall in love, get married, and have some kids." @SenMikeLee on @AOC and @SenMarkey's Green New Deal pic.twitter.com/QdDEZJFIYs Justice Democrats (@justicedems) March 26, 2019 Love your kids so much you want them to grow up in the swirling fumes of an anthropocene hellscape Volcanic threats to global society [Science]. When Mount Tambora in the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, erupted in 1815, more than 100 km3 of volcanic pyroclasts and ash were discharged into the stratosphere up to altitudes of over 40 km. The volcanic gases and ash dispersed over the Northern Hemisphere, causing what was called the year without a summer in Europe, with severe starvation, famine, mass migrations, and an estimated several tens of thousands of casualties. The 1815 Tambora eruption was large, but far from extreme. Its size is classified as 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), which is a relative measure of the magnitude of volcanic eruptions. In the past 2 million years, there have been 27 so-called supereruptions (VEI 8, with an eruption volume >1000 km3) (3), the most recent of which occurred at Taupo volcano, New Zealand, about 27,000 years ago. Although more than 800 million people on Earth live within 100 km of an active volcano and are directly exposed to detrimental short- to medium-range effects of volcanic eruptions (7), the occurrence of a supereruption in todays interconnected world extends that number to virtually the entire world population. there is a need to develop a strategy for enhancing human resilience and for safeguarding the critical nodes and elements necessary to defend the level of progress and civilization that humans have achieved. One more thing to worry about! (Super-eruptions follow a Poisson distribution, so the fact that 27,000 years have passed since the last one does not affect the probability of the next one (if I understand a Poisson distribution aright). Health Care 5 Women on What Its Actually Like to Have Universal Health Care [Elle]. We talked to women in five countries with universal health care systemsCanada, Iceland, Taiwan, Australia, and the UKabout their daily interactions with their countrys medical systems. While conditions varied, and there were certainly shortcomings, most of the women that ELLE interviewed could agree on one thing: at least they didnt have to deal with the health care system in America. For example: In your own words, describe how your health care generally works. If Im sick, from a basic point of view, I just call my doctors office in the morning, they have walk-in hours in the afternoon and then I go to the doctor. For my baby, he goes to see the doctor more frequently than me, those are just check-ins that dont cost anything. He just gets vaccines and gets weighed and the doctor asks us questions to make sure everythings okay. He hasnt had to get any prescriptions yet and not all prescriptions are free for kids, but a lot are free under the age of 25. Thats a newer thing in Ontario the past few years. Amazing that we arent looking at these systems, copying what they do, and trying to do better. Democracy Matters in Global Health [Council on Foreign Relations]. Democracy has historically played little role in driving global health. Autocracies, such as China and Cuba, are famous for providing good health care at low cost. Many countries that experienced the greatest improvements in life expectancy and child mortality over the last fifteen yearssuch as Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Rwandaare also among the least democratic nations [PDF] in the world.. The past may not be prologue, however, when it comes to democracy and global health. The health needs of low- and middle-income countries are changing: infectious diseases and child mortality rates are declining New research published in the Lancet shows that, between 1980 and 2016, the democratic experience of a nationan indicator of how democratic a country has been and for how longwas more responsible for reductions in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, transportation injuries, cancers, and most other noncommunicable diseases than the level of gross domestic product (GDP) or urbanization in that nation, or the amount of international aid it received (see below). By contrast, democracy had little effect on mortality from most infectious diseases and deaths associated with giving birth. The one exception is tuberculosis Health insurance horror stories (1). Thread: I was in the ER with a health scare recently and while they were taking blood & I was wondering if I'm dying, a lady came in to tell me my copay and I had to dig for my credit card. Every day this system continues to exist is a crime Online Influencer (@InternetHippo) March 24, 2019 Because everybody loves their private health insurance. Health insurance horror stories (2). Thread: THREAD: Lets talk about how awesome private insurance is. My doctor called me last week to let me know my insurer had declined to pay the bill for my last appointment, because they claimed I had a second health insurance provider. (Spoiler alert: I dont) Ari Rabin-Havt (@AriRabinHavt) March 26, 2019 These two threads are actually a genre on Twitter; and others always chime, each new tweet always being more brutal and stupid and ridiculous than the last one. Medicare for All Is Missing a Vital Group: The Incarcerated [Marshall Project]. No one is talking about making federal health insurance truly for all by extending eligibility to the 2.2 million people incarcerated in this country. The original Social Security Act of 1935 prohibited the payment of federal dollars, either directly or via state pass-through, for services for inmates of a public institution. This means that federal dollars cannot be used to pay for healthcare or other services for incarcerated people in local jails or in state prisons, except when they are hospitalized for more than 24 hours in a separate healthcare facility. Incarcerated people have up to 12 times the risk of death within the first two weeks after release, and up to four times within the first year. Lack of continuity of care certainly contributes to this horrifying statistic. Sanders and Jayapal should fix this. Its not only humane, its good politics (as, for example, the Florida referendum restoring voting rights to felons shows). House Democrats new plan to strengthen Obamacare, explained [Vox]. Among other things: The Democratic bill is a smorgasbord of provisions to expand health care and undo the Trump administrations regulatory actions to weaken the ACA: It expands the tax credits available under the law, both reducing costs for lower-income families and expanding eligibility so middle-class Americans can receive federal assistance. Oh. Tax credits. What a hill to die on. New York Suburb Declares Measles Emergency, Barring Unvaccinated Children From Public [New York Times]. An executive order pulled close to 6,000 unvaccinated children out of schools. Nearly 17,000 doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (M.M.R.) vaccine were given in 26 weeks. There was a public health campaign in which community officials, doctors and rabbis testified to the importance of immunizations. None of those efforts stemmed the severe measles outbreak that has been plaguing Rockland County in New York since October. So on Tuesday, in an extraordinary step, the county executive, Ed Day, declared a state of emergency, effective at midnight, that would bar children and teenagers who are not vaccinated against measles from public places. As county officials tried to trace the outbreak, they were dismissed by some members of the community who refused to answer questions and even hung up the phone , Mr. Day said. Mr. Day cited this behavior, which he called shockingly irresponsible, as justification for his order. Thank you, anti-vaxxers! Guillotine Watch At $50,000 a Year, the Road to Yale Starts at Age 5 [Bloomberg]. The words are whispered under a cone of silence in moneyed Manhattan: cutthroat, ruthless, Darwinian, cruel . Whispered, too, are the shimmering prizes: the future keys, its said, to Harvard, Princeton or Yale. Welcome to the quest to win a spot at New Yorks Baby Ivies, the private preschools and kindergartens where big money and bigger egos clash over whose three- or five-year-old will gain the first edge. Cutthroat, ruthless, Darwinian, cruel. So, good training, no? Class Warfare The Impact and Malleability of Money Design [Law and Political Economy]. Finance during reconstruction: We pick up the story. in the post-Civil War South, a monetary wasteland by any measure. Banks there collapsed along with the Confederacy and its currency. According to Lawrence Goodwyn, the per capita money supply in Arkansas was thirteen cents; in Rhode Island, it was $77.16. Bridgeport, Connecticut had more banks than the states of Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina combined, while Massachusetts alone had a national bank circulation that was five times that of the entire South. Behind the numbers rose the system of debt peonage that came to shape production for millions of poor Southerners, white and black. Bereft of cash, farmers turned to furnishing merchants for supplies: everything from clothes to tools, seeds to hardware. The goods came on credit and that credit was extremely expensivemerchants routinely charged exorbitant rates, 100 to 200% annually. In return, each merchant took a lien on the farmers crops. Once the lien attached, the merchant virtually monopolized that farmers connection to the market. As to consumption, the farmer could buy only from the merchant who held the crop lien because no other lender would advance credit without collateral. And as to production, the farmer had to turn over his crop to the merchant for sale to pay off his debt. The trap was, in fundamental ways, a monetary one. The devastation of the Souths financial infrastructure was only the beginning. After the Civil War, the federal government settled on a long-term deflationary policy; by limiting the amount of money in circulation, it aimed to drive down prices so that it could resume convertibility of the fiat currency that still circulated. From Mehrsa Baradaran, The Color of Money. Damn, another book to read! Complex societies precede moralizing gods throughout world history (letter) [Nature]. From the abstract; Although previous research has suggested an association between the presence of moralizing gods and social complexity, the relationship between the two is disputed, and attempts to establish causality have been hampered by limitations in the availability of detailed global longitudinal data. To overcome these limitations, here we systematically coded records from 414 societies that span the past 10,000 years from 30 regions around the world, using 51 measures of social complexity and 4 measures of supernatural enforcement of morality. Our analyses not only confirm the association between moralizing gods and social complexity, but also reveal that moralizing gods followrather than precedelarge increases in social complexity. Somebody tell Mike Lee. Succeeding While Black [Boston Review]. Michelles book: Yet despite all the optimism and goodwill that Obama embraces and inspires, I find Becoming troubling. Sticking to her strategy for success, Obama reassures her reader repeatedly that she is not a political person. Instead Obama describes herself as a child of the mainstream who never stopped reading People magazine or let go of my love for a good sitcom. . . . And to this day nothing pleases me more than the tidy triumph delivered by a home-makeover show. But as someone who has been around politics since she was a child (her father was a precinct captain in the Democratic Party) and is now, domestically and internationally, one of the most well-known ambassadors of the United States, this denial is not modesty, it is misleading. Indeed, far from being apolitical, Obama is politically sophisticated, and any reader of her book should treat her that way. A New Male Birth Control Pill is Being Tested. Heres What to Know [Time]. The new pill, which works similarly to female contraception, passed initial safety tests and produced hormone responses consistent with effective birth control in 30 men, according to research presented by the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Washington at the Endocrine Societys annual meeting. (The study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.) ike female birth control pills, which typically build in a week of placebo pills to allow for menstruation, the male version would need to be taken every day to keep sperm counts low. Oh. News of the Wired Why the cult of the early riser still captivates [Financial Times]. To spare you having to read [leadership guru Robin Sharmas] 300-page manifesto, it boils down thus: club members must get up as soon as the alarm goes off at 4.45am before launching into The Victory Hour, which breaks down into 20 minutes of movement and hard physical exercise, 20 minutes of reflection, such as prayer, meditation or journal writing, followed by 20 minutes of growth, during which you might listen to a podcast about leadership or consume an audiobook. No. No I am not going to listen to a podcast about leadership, and I would listen to an audiobook, not consume it. My Victory Twenty Minutes consists of rising, showering, packing my man-bag, and emerging into the daylight in quest of caffeine and a lap-top surface. I dont have time for this growth nonsense. Who reads this stuff? Today we call them memes: A STEREOTYPE was originally a printing plate that could be used to duplicate text as many times as required. Because the type could be mass produced and circulated without change, in the 19th century the word came to be used of any well established, widely perpetuated image. pic.twitter.com/FkFG1RCQvW Haggard Hawks (@HaggardHawks) March 27, 2019 Domino theory: A domino can knock over another domino about 1.5x larger than itself. An awesome mechanical chain reaction https://t.co/T0rCujQP74 pic.twitter.com/jmowo1uFlX Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) March 27, 2019 * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (via): Rosa George Lawrence Price * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click below! (The hat is temporarily defunct, so I slapped in some old code.) Or Subscribe to make a monthly payment! Yves here. A minor quibble. While this post provides grist for discussion about the importance of cooperation, anyone who treats venture-capital-backed companies as representative of entrepreneurship needs to recalibrate. Only about 1% of all companies are VC funded. New ventures are typically funded bysavings, borrowing (vendor finance at best but credit cards are way more common), and friends and family. Entrepreneurship expert Amar Bhide studied Inc. 500 companies over many years, and ascertained that even among these high fliers, only 25% had gotten funding from VC firms. Thats before you start looking into how much of what Silicon Valley has been doing over the last decade is really innovative. Apps? Really? Marianna Mazzucato in her book The Entrepreneurial State describes how much innovation, particularly on breakthrough technologies, is government funded, and how contrary to popular perception, the way agencies work with universities and key private sectors players is dynamic. So while Turchins conclusions may be valid, hes still working from a sample that may not be as representative as he contends. By Peter Turchin, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Connecticut and Vice President of the Evolution Institute. He is author of Ages of Discord. Web site: http://peterturchin.com/Twitter: @Peter_Turchin Originally published at Peter Turchins blog; cross posted from Evonomics One of the chief reasons I became an advocate of the Cultural Multilevel Selection (CMLS) theory is that it wonderfully clarifies the relationship between competition and cooperation. Competition between groups (up to whole societies) fosters within-group cooperation. Competition within groups (between their members) destroys cooperation. If you wanted a two-sentence summary of Ultrasociety this would be it. Ive been applying these principles in my research on the evolution of complex societies (and a lot more is to come, now that the Seshat Databank have come of age and is generating a tremendous volume of empirical resultswhich you will see in a year or two, as academic publication mill-stones grind sooo slowly). But I have also felt that the CMLS theory tells us a lot not only about political organizations like the states, but also about economic organizationsfirms competing in markets. This goes very much against the grain, especially as far as economists are concerned. Milton Friedman, of course, always argued that economic agents should strictly follow their material interests; there is no place for extra-rational motives in business. Most economists today feel the same way, although few are willing to state it as boldly as Friedman did. Thus, it was very refreshing to receive two years ago an email from Branko Milanovic, an economist whom I greatly admire, in which he was willing to go on record and state this position very forcefully (I published Brankos letter as a guest blog on Cliodynamica). I also invited two economist friends to comment: Bob Frank and Herb Gintis, as well as writing a response myself. The whole exchange was recently re-published by Evonomics and generated a lot of discussion. More recently Branko wrote a review of Kate Raworths new book Doughnut Economics. A central question in the ensuing debate between him and Kate (see it here) is the same we debated two years ago (see also a good summary on Vulgar Economics). Heres what Branko wrote about the human nature under hyper-commercialized global capitalism: Here I respectfully decline to be moved by the results of any of the games that Kate cites and that are supposed to reveal human nature. These games are indeed games; they are not the way people behave in real life. Games are good in generating publishable papers but they tell us nothing about how the same people would (or do) behave in real life. Two years ago I wouldnt know how to respond to Branko on this point, but fortunately recently I finished reading a remarkable book, which provides me all the ammunition I need. Before discussing it, lets define the question more explicitly. I agree that most people much of the time, and some people all of the time, are motivated by very rational calculations. When I decide which supermarket I am going to go for food, I try to minimize the amount of money I will pay and the amount of time I will spend, while maximizing produce quality and selection. Its a very straightforward optimization problem. But capitalism is not just about buying and selling thingspeople have been doing commerce for millennia before capitalism. Surely the amazing capacity of capitalism to transform knowledge into innovation, and innovation into economic growth is one of the central of its attributes? So lets talk about such successful innovation hotspots, as the Silicon Valley. What are the motivations driving successful entrepreneurs within such hotspots? If you want to find out the answers to these questions, read The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley by Victor Hwang and Greg Horowitt. Now, Hwang and Horowitt are not scientists, and their book is not a rigorous scientific study. But they spent decades bringing together venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, both in their native California and all over the globeJapan, Taiwan, Scandinavia, and New Zealand, Mexico, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Territories. Given their enormous experience, the empirical base, with which they operate in the book, transcends the dismissive academic characterization as anecdotal. A central theme that recurs throughout the book is that successful entrepreneurs, and the successful innovation systems in which they operate, such as the Silicon Valley or Route 128 in Massachusetts, are the antithesis of the rational businessperson postulated by Branko, one who is solely motivated by money. In fact, Rainforests [their term for successful innovation systems] depend on people not behaving like rational actors. For Rainforests to be sustainable, greed must be restrained. Predatory venture capitalists might win a few in the short run, but they do not last long in the business and are unable to build lasting firms. The evolutionary logic of entrepreneurship, according to Hwang and Horowitt, is precisely the opposite of that posited by Branko. Predatory, super-competitive individuals and firms are eliminated by natural selection, and only cooperative ones survive. They write: Extra-rational motivationsthose that transcend the classical divide between rational and irrationalare not normally considered critical drivers of economic value-creation. These motivations include the thrill of competition, human altruism, a thirst for adventure, a joy of discovery and creativity, a concern for future generations, and a desire for meaning in ones life, among many others. Our work over the years has led us to conclude that these types of motivations are not just nice to have. They are, in fact, must have building blocks of the Rainforest. Many successful entrepreneurs (think Steve Jobs or Elon Musk) clearly were not motivated solely by money. Naturally, they did not give their billions away, and for some other very successful innovators, perhaps, all they wanted was to become filthy rich. But the point that Branko makes, that capitalism is a system really built on the best use of our vices, including greed is clearly wrong. This is why when governments and corporations try to incentivize innovation by focusing on financial mechanisms, the overall result is failure. By the end of the book, Hwang and Horowitt boil down their own recommendations as to what makes successful Rainforests thrive. They are four. First, diversity, which brings people with very different knowledge and skills together, such as a scientist, a venture capitalist, an engineer, a sales specialist, and an administrator (a CEO). Second, extra-rational motivations, because self-regarding rational actors are simply unable to cooperate to launch a successful innovation enterprise. Third, social trust, because successful cooperation is the only way to beat the terrible odds against a successful innovation startup, and cooperation requires trust. Fourth, a set of social norms that regulate the behavior of various cooperating agents, and willingness both to follow them and to enforce these rules by various sanctions. In other words, Hwang and Horowitt describe a system that uses precisely the same components to bring about cooperation that have been studied in other settings (a foraging group, a military troop, a religious sect, and a state), and in the abstract, by cultural evolutionists. The Rainforest, then, provides ample empirical material to reject the theory that economic growth, which is based on innovation, is moved by self-interested rational agents. Butand it was one of the real eye-openers for meit also explains why this is so. Yves here. This post not only describes the current US row with the International Criminal Court, but also our messy history with it. By Rebecca Gordon, who teaches at the University of San Francisco and is the author of American Nuremberg: The U.S. Officials Who Should Stand Trial for Post-9/11 War Crimes. (Some of the material in this piece has been adapted from that book.) Her previous books include Mainstreaming Torture: Ethical Approaches in the Post-9/11 United States and Letters from Nicaragua. Originally published at TomDispatch Events just fly by in the ever-accelerating rush of Trump Time, so its easy enough to miss important ones in the chaos. Paul Manafort is sentenced twice and indicted a third time! Whoosh! Gone! The Senate agrees with the House that the United States should stop supporting Saudi Arabia in Yemen (and Mitch McConnell calls this attempt to extricate the country from cooperation in further war crimes inappropriate and counterproductive)! Whoosh! Gone! Twelve Republican senators cross party lines to overturn Trumps declaration of a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, followed by the presidents veto! Whoosh! Gone! Delegates to the March 2019 U.N. Environment Assembly meeting agree to a non-binding but important resolution drastically reducing the production of single-use plastic. The United States delegation, however, succeeds in watering down the final language lest it endorse the approach being taken in other countries, which is different than our own! Once again, the rest of the world is briefly reminded of the curse of American exceptionalism and then, whoosh! Gone! Under the circumstances, it wouldnt be surprising if you had missed the Associated Press report about Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announcing that the United States will revoke or deny visas to International Criminal Court personnel seeking to investigate alleged war crimes and other abuses committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan or elsewhere. In fact, said Pompeo, some visas may already have been denied or revoked, but he refused to provide details as to who has been affected and who will be affected (supposedly to protect the confidentiality of visa applicants). National Security Advisor John Bolton had already signaled such a move last September in a speech to the Federalist Society. In what the Guardian called an excoriating attack on the International Criminal Court, or ICC, Bolton said, The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court. By unjust prosecution, he clearly meant any attempt to hold Americans accountable for possible war crimes. An exception even among exceptional nations, the United States simply cannot commit such crimes. Hence, by the logic of Bolton or Pompeo, any prosecution for such a crime must, by definition, be unjust. In calling it this illegitimate court, Bolton was referring to the only international venue now in existence for trying alleged war criminals whose countries cannot or will not prosecute them. By our allies, Bolton appeared to mean Israel, a supposition Pompeo confirmed last week when he told reporters, These visa restrictions may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis. And when it came to threats, Bolton didnt stop there. He also suggested that the U.S. might even arrest ICC officials: 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. We will do the same for any company or state that assists an ICC investigation of Americans. This is a dangerous precedent indeed, as the director of the American Civil Liberty Unions Human Rights Project, Jamil Dakwar, told Democracy Now. Its outrageous, he pointed out, that the U.S. would prosecute judges and the prosecutors of the ICC for doing their job and for doing the job that the United States should have done that is, to investigate, credibly and thoroughly, war crimes and crimes against humanity that were committed in the course of the war in Afghanistan. Whats all this about? The story goes back to December 2017, when Fatou Bensouda, the ICCs chief prosecutor, announced an investigation into the possibility that U.S. military and CIA personnel had committed war crimes during Americas Afghan War or in other countries that have a nexus to the armed conflict in Afghanistan. These included some of the countries that hosted the CIAs so-called black sites, where, in the earlier years of the war on terror, detainees were held incommunicado and tortured. Specifically, the ICC opened an investigation into the possible commission of war crimes, including torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape, and other forms of sexual violence by U.S. armed forces and members of the CIA on the territories of Afghanistan, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania. When Bensouda made her announcement, it looked as if at least some Americans might finally be held accountable for crimes committed in the post-9/11 war on terror launched to avenge the criminal deaths of 3,000 souls in New York City and Washington, D.C. That never-ending war has seen the United States illegally invade and occupy Iraq; directly kill at least 210,000 civilians (not to mention actual combatants) in Iraq and Afghanistan; torture an unknown number of prisoners; and continue to detain without trial or conviction 39 men at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. But wait. Arent U.S. personnel immune from ICC prosecution, because Washington never ratified the treaty that created the court? Thats true, but the alleged crimes didnt take place in the United States. They were committed in Afghanistan, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania, all of which have ratified the treaty. Note that Thailand, site of egregious CIA abuses, doesnt appear on the ICCs list, nor does Iraq (the site of the now infamous Abu Ghraib prison, among other things), presumably because neither is a signatory to the treaty. However, before it could prosecute such crimes, the ICC would have to investigate any potential charges, interview possible witnesses, and gather the evidence necessary to prepare an indictment. That would undoubtedly require its investigators to visit the United States. This, say Bolton and Pompeo, will never be permitted. What Is the International Criminal Court and Why Does It Matter? The ICCs origins go back to the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War II. In 1943, the leaders of the Allied powers England, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union met in Tehran, Iran. One subject on the table: how, once the war was won, the Allies would deal with Nazi war criminals. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin is said to have proposed simply lining up and executing 50,000 Nazis. American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt reportedly tried to break the resulting tension by jokingly suggesting that 49,000 might be sufficient. Two years later, at wars end, confronting evidence of barbarism on a scale previously unseen in history, the wars victors found themselves responsible for bringing accountability to the perpetrators of genocide and some modicum of justice to its victims. It was decided then to establish a tribunal, a court, where such criminals could be tried. The problem the Great Powers now faced was how to create a process that the world would consider something more than vengeance masquerading as righteousness, something more than victors justice. The solution was to demonstrate that their prosecutions had a basis in the Geneva Conventions and other international treaties in, that is, the already existing laws of war. In the process of designing those prosecutions, they consolidated and advanced the meaning and power of international law itself, a concept particularly needed in a postwar world of atomic weapons and a looming U.S.-Soviet conflict. Three-quarters of a century and many wars and weapon systems later, enforceable international law still remains humanitys best hope for adjudicating past war crimes and preventing future ones but only if great nations like the United States do not declare themselves exceptions to the rule of law. In addition to the verdicts rendered, the Nuremberg tribunal produced other enduring results, including the 1950 Nuremberg Principles, commissioned and adopted by the new United Nations. Those principles established that actions violating international law were punishable crimes, whether they violated any specific countrys domestic laws or not. Even heads of state or other high government officials were not considered immune from prosecution for such war crimes or crimes against humanity. And no one could be exonerated for them on the sole grounds of following the orders of a superior. In the end, however, was Nuremberg really anything more than victors justice? There were those who said that was all it was, invoking what was called the tu quoque (Latin for you did it, too) argument. After all, hadnt the allies also committed war crimes? Hadnt the British and Americans, for example, firebombed the German city of Dresden, killing 25,000 civilians in one night and destroying 75,000 homes? Indeed, its been argued that, because the Allies didnt want to answer for Dresden, they excluded the earlier German air war against England from the charges brought at Nuremberg. Nevertheless, many observers there believed that, after rendering verdicts for Nazi crimes, a more permanent tribunal would turn its attention to the crimes of the Allies. It might even, for example, have taken up the legality of the U.S. use of the worlds first atomic weapons to obliterate the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This, of course, never happened. Nor has any court ever prosecuted those responsible for the U.S. firebombing of 67 Japanese cities. Those lesser-known attacks killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and reduced many of that countrys largely wooden urban areas to ashes. Robert McNamara, secretary of defense under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson (and an architect of American policy in Vietnam), described those attacks in Errol Morriss brilliant documentary The Fog of War. Reflecting on his own actions in World War II when, as an Air Force captain, he served in the Office of Statistical Control (where he analyzed the efficiency of bomber aircraft), he told Morris: What one can criticize is that the human race, prior to that time and today! has not really grappled with what are called the rules of war. Was there a rule that said you shouldnt bomb, shouldnt kill, shouldnt burn to death a hundred thousand civilians in one night? [General Curtis LeMay, who oversaw the firebombing campaign in Japan] said if wed lost the war, wed all have been prosecuted as war criminals. What does any of this have to do with todays International Criminal Court? The ICC is itself an outgrowth of the Nuremberg process. Even during the original Nuremberg trial, observers expected that the newly established United Nations would create a permanent war crimes court as one of its earliest actions. In the end, it took more than half a century, but in 1998, at a United Nations General Assembly convention in Rome, 120 countries adopted the Rome Statute, which established the court at The Hague in the Netherlands and described its jurisdiction and rules of operation. (Among the 148 votes, there were 21 abstentions and seven no votes, including the United States.) The ICC officially opened in 2002, when 60 nations ratified the Rome Statute. It took up its first prosecution in 2005. Today, about 120 member states back its role on this planet. (A side note: The International Criminal Court is often confused with the International Court of Justice, commonly called the World Court. The ICC deals with the criminal prosecution of individuals. The World Court deals with civil disputes between nations. Unlike the ICC, the United States is a member of the World Court, although its record of abiding by that courts decisions is spotty at best.) The United States and the International Criminal Court a Strange Dance Despite having participated in the work of formulating the Rome Statute, the United States never ratified it or joined the court. The first administration to deal with it would take a confusing and contradictory stance. In 1999, President Bill Clinton signed a Foreign Relations Authorization Act that included language prohibiting federal funding for the ICC and the extradition of any U.S. citizen to a country that might surrender him or her to that court for prosecution. The following year, however, Clinton actually signed the Rome Statute, the treaty creating the International Criminal Court. In fact, the United States had been instrumental in drafting the courts procedures, rules of evidence, and definitions of various crimes. In spite of that Foreign Relations Authorization Act, it looked as if the U.S. was on the way to future full participation in the ICC. The year 2000, however, saw the election of George W. Bush. In 2002, the Bush administration rescinded Clintons signature and notified the United Nations that the United States would not ratify the treaty. It was hardly a surprising move given that the Bush-Cheney administration had already begun torturing detainees in its newly born war on terror. (Torture techniques would even reportedly be demonstrated to some of those officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, in the White House.) It was John Bolton, then Bushs undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, who sent the notification letter to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and personally trekked to U.N. headquarters in New York City to unsign the Rome Statute. That, of course, is the very John Bolton who now is Donald Trumps national security advisor and who attacked the ICC at the Federalist Society last September. This was hardly surprising, since his record of opposing any international constraints on Washington has been long and consistent. In fact, when George W. Bush tapped him as ambassador to the United Nations in 2005, the Senate refused to confirm him. It took a recess appointment to get him the job. The Senates reluctance was reasonble, given Boltons contempt for the institution. (Hed once said that if its headquarters building lost ten stories, it wouldnt make a bit of difference.) In 2002, Bush signed the American Servicemembers Protection Act (ASPA), which, as the American Bar Association explains, contained several provisions meant to prohibit or otherwise complicate U.S. cooperation with the ICC. These included restricting U.S. participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, and prohibiting use of any appropriated funds to support or cooperate with the Court. They also included a provision authorizing the use of military force to liberate any American citizens held by the Court, leading it to be dubbed by critics the Invade The Hague Act. And yet even the ASPA demonstrated an American ambivalence towards the ICC. It had an amendment allowing the U.S. to cooperate with the court in order to bring other foreign nationals accused of genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity to justice. In other words, the ICC was considered good enough to try other countries accused war criminals, just not ours. Under President Barack Obama, the United States began a rapprochement with the court, opening diplomatic relations and starting to attend meetings of its Assembly of States Parties as an observer, which it continues to do today. In 2011, the U.S. sent a delegation to an ICC meeting in Kampala, Uganda, where important language was adopted defining the crime of aggression. Making an aggressive war was the first of the three categories of crimes under which Nazi leaders were charged at Nuremberg. At the time, Washington officials strongly advocated for the position that all other Nazi atrocities sprang from that initial crime. The same could well be said of the Bush-Cheney administrations decision to invade first Afghanistan and then Iraq. Cooperation with the ICC continued under Obama, who also signed a law providing rewards of up to $5 million for the capture of individuals indicted by the court. It should be noted that the ICC is not without its critics. African nations in particular have rightly complained that the only people who have stood trial so far are from that continent, leading some to threaten to withdraw. In 2017, Burundi did leave, but so far no other African members have followed suit. Nonetheless, the ICC remains a court of last resort when it comes to bringing war criminals to justice. Reversing Course Under Trump Given Trumps America First rhetoric, it should hardly be surprising that the ICC is among the international organizations he and his top foreign-policy officials particularly despise. As a result, his administration has already rolled back Obamas rapprochement and then some. In view of the presidents lack of attention to detail (not to mention his short attention span), it seems likely that John Bolton is the true architect of this latest move. Its the State Department that grants (or doesnt grant) visas, so Mike Pompeo made the official announcement, but this approach fits Boltons M.O. The poison now seeping out of Washington continues to spread. On March 18th, Rodrigo Dutertes Philippines became the second country to leave the ICC, where it, like the U.S., is being investigated for possible crimes in its case, against its own people. As the Washington Post reports, the country is under preliminary examination [by the ICC] for thousands of [domestic drug war] killings since Duterte rose to the presidency in 2016. In its menacing rejection of the court, the Trump administration is turning its back on the system of international law and justice the United States helped establish at Nuremberg. The rule of law must not hold only, as hotelier Leona Helmsley once said about taxes, for the little people. If Donald Trump had truly wanted to make America great again, he would have recognized that international law is not just for the little countries. The greater a world power, the more consequential is its submission to the rule of law. The attacks of John Bolton and Mike Pompeo on the ICC, however, simply represent a new spate of lawless actions from a lawless administration in an increasingly lawless era in Washington. By Julie Rovner, the Robin Toner Distinguished Fellow, is Chief Washington Correspondent for Kaiser Health News. Previously, she worked for NPR, National Journals Congress Daily and for Congressional Quarterly on health policy. She is also the author of the critically praised reference book Health Care Politics and Policy A-Z. Originally published at Kaiser Health News The Mueller Report is so last weeks news. Health care has returned in force as the dominant political issue in Washington, reflecting what voters have been telling pollsters for the past year. The Trump administration moved Monday night to get more in line with President Donald Trumps voter base by endorsing a Texas federal judges December opinion that the entire Affordable Care Act should be struck down as unconstitutional. After he arrived at the Capitol for lunch with Republican senators Tuesday, Trump endorsed the change, suggesting it will usher in Republican priorities instead. The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care! he told reporters. Less than two hours later, House Democrats unveiled their proposals to not only protect the health law, but also expand it including extending help paying premiums and other costs to families higher up the income scale than those now eligible and reinstating cuts made by the administration for outreach to help people sign up for coverage. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that, since taking control of the House in January, Democrats have been fighting to preserve the health law and voted on Day One to file a motion in the Texas court case to support the ACA. The arguments are a return to one of the key battles during the 2018 midterm elections. Democrats hammered their Republican opponents on the GOPs two-year efforts to repeal the ACA and especially its popular protections for people with preexisting medical problems and Medicaid expansion and credited those attacks for big gains the party scored in the House and legislatures around the country. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said those Democrats were elected to protect and expand the health law. He warned Republicans not to undermine it, saying, Americans dont want to see the ACA protections undone. The new filing in the Texas case marks an about-face for the Justice Department. The Republican attorneys general and governors who brought the case argued that when Congress zeroed out the tax penalty for people who lacked health coverage as part of the 2017 tax bill, the entire Affordable Care Act was rendered unconstitutional. In December, U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor agreed with them, although he put his ruling on hold while the case is on appeal. At that time, the Justice Department did not endorse the GOP plaintiffs argument. It suggested instead that the elimination of the tax penalty should invalidate only those parts of the health law most closely associated with it notably, the provisions requiring insurance companies to sell to people with preexisting conditions and not charge them more. The health law is being defended by a group of Democratic attorneys general, led by Californias Xavier Becerra. They filed their brief Monday night, just before the Justice Department issued its position change. The Affordable Care Act is landmark legislation that has transformed the nations healthcare system, said the brief. Striking it down would strip existing healthcare coverage from millions of Americans and it would make a mockery of the dramatic votes in which the same Congress rejected earlier efforts to repeal or substantially revise the ACA. The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the change of position, which was filed as part of the appeal process. Kerri Kupec, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, said the department has determined that the district courts comprehensive opinion came to the correct conclusion and will support it on appeal. Trump has repeatedly called for the law to be repealed and replaced, but when Republicans controlled Congress they could not muster the necessary votes. Just last week, the president lashed out Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who died in August, for failing to support that effort. If the law is invalidated, it would not only directly affect the 11 million people who purchase insurance through the ACA marketplaces, but also millions of low-income people who gained coverage under the expansion of the federal-state Medicaid health program. The Urban Institute estimates full repeal would result in nearly 20 million more uninsured Americans. The ACA also includes substantial changes to the Medicare program, extends protections to people with employer-provided insurance and includes such seemingly unrelated provisions as requiring calorie counts on restaurant menus and making it easier to make generic copies of expensive biologic drugs. Health analysts warn that the law is so embedded into the fabric of the nations health system that eliminating it could have consequences well beyond the things it created. The act is now part of the plumbing of the health-care system, wrote University of Michigan law professor Nicholas Bagley in a post for the Incidental Economist website. Which means the Trump administration has now committed itself to a legal position that would inflict untold damage on the American public. Democrats, who already had their health event scheduled for Tuesday, were quick to pounce on what they see as a GOP weakness. In two short sentences, the Trump administration crystallized its position that the health care coverage enjoyed by nearly 20 million people, as well as the protections by tens of millions more with preexisting conditions, should be annihilated, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the floor Tuesday morning. Democratic presidential candidates also voiced their opposition. Ill say it for the zillionth time: We will not let the Trump administration rip health care away from millions of Americans. Not now. Not ever, tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said in an interview on MSNBC that health care is one of the biggest most critical issues facing American families. the existence of preexisting conditions and that being a barrier to people having access to health care. We decided as a nation that it was wrong, she said, to deny someone with a preexisting condition access to health care, and that the Republicans latest move amounts to playing politics with peoples public health. (Natural News) Amherst Colleges Office of Diversity and Inclusion last week issued a 40-page glossary of terms officials said they had created to spell out a common agreement on how to define words and phrases often used at the small liberal arts campus. (Article by Christian Schneider republished from TheCollegeFix.com) The Common Language Guide, emailed to the roughly 1,900 undergrads at the private college, broke down pages of terms under categories such as isms, race and ethnicity, gender identity, class, politics and policy, global power and inequality and disability. This project emerged out of a need to come to a common and shared understanding of language in order to foster opportunities for community building and effective communication within and across difference, the guide states. Within a day, the school quickly rescinded the document, replacing it on the Amherst website with a statement from college President Biddy Martin claiming she had no prior knowledge that the guide was going to be drafted and circulated. The Common Language Document produced by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and circulated yesterday at Amherst takes a very problematic approach, Martin stated. When the approach assumes campus-wide agreement about the meaning of terms and about social, economic, and political matters, it runs counter to the core academic values of freedom of thought and expression, wrote the president of Amherst, a school where tuition, room and board runs nearly $73,000 per year. The incident took place one day before President Donald Trump signed an executive order that pledged to punish colleges and universities for censoring students. The Amherst Office of Diversity and Inclusion did not respond to a request from The College Fix on Friday seeking comment. The College Fix has obtained a copy of the Common Language Guide. The document defines capitalism as an economic system that leads to exploitative labor practices, which affect marginalized groups disproportionately. It criticizes white feminists, declaring white feminism is predicated upon the erasure of women of color and the ways in which racism and sexism converge and compound one another. The Common Language Document also derides use of the term equality. An equality emphasis often ignores historical and structural factors that benefit some social groups/communities and harm other social groups/communities, the document reads, seeming to dissuade students from treating each other equally. According to the document, race is a social construction (not a biological phenomenon) developed by European (white) scientists intended to rank humans based on perceived biological differences rooted in appearance, skin tone and ancestral homelands. The entry explains the idea of race is intricately linked with the practice of white supremacy, which continues to have damaging impacts on communities of color globally. The guide includes terms regarding sexuality, including the definition of a packer, explained as a phallic object worn in the underwear to give the appearance of having a penis. Packers range from padded forms to rolled-up socks to prosthetics. They are most often used by trans men or masculine-presenting people who were not assigned-male-at-birth. The speech code also frowned on discussion of biological determinism, defined as the idea that all human behavior is innate, determined by biology. Biological determinism has been used to oppress marginalized groups (e.g. as a justification for slavery, the displacement and genocide of native populations, and denying womens suffrage) using biased science, reads the document. It has been associated with scientific racism, eugenics and the maintenance of strict gender roles. Thus, it stands to reason any student who believes in innate differences between males and females and how those differences might alter their life choices could have been running afoul of campus ideological policy had the document not been rescinded. Brantley Mayers of the Amherst College Republicans told The College Fix via email on Friday that the speech document hints at an overwhelming liberal bias on campus. I do not believe there is any formal discrimination present, said Mayers, but an atmosphere that is hostile towards Conservative thought is prevalent on campus. Many of our members, as well as others throughout the college, fear retribution for proclaiming their opinions. We are working to create events that will enhance the dialogue among all viewpoints on campus, as we find this is the best way to both come to a better understanding of those we disagree with as well as better the learning environment for all, he said. Even though the document has been officially rescinded by the university, students may face repercussions for using language that other campus members deem biased or hateful. The campus features a community standards reporting system which allows students and faculty to file anonymous reports against other campus community members for alleged incidents of bias. These incidents could include use of words frowned on by the universitys diversity office. Some other terms defined by the Common Language Guide: Homonationalism A concept introduced by Jasbir K. Puar to name the political deployments of certain kinds of LGBTQ+ people in the service of U.S. nationalist and imperialist agendas. Used to explain the ways in which cis-gay and lesbian veterans of the Iraq War were celebrated as proof of American exceptionalism in contrast to racist/orientalist discourse about Iraqi combatants and other people in Central Asia racialized outside of U.S. understandings of whiteness. Heterosexism A pervasive system of beliefs and practices that manifest across societal/cultural, institutional and individual domains that centers and normalizes heterosexuality. Enacts violence against all other sexualities through their erasure, pathologization and invalidation. Provides various advantages to heterosexual/straight folks. Exoticism The representation of another cultural group as mysterious, exciting and radically different from ones own. This is particularly common in the context of power imbalance and results in a distorted, exaggerated or essentialized understanding of the exoticized group. Misogynoir A term coined by black queer feminist scholar Moya Bailey to describe the specific way anti-black racism and misogyny work together to oppress black women. Similarly, transmisogynoir refers to the experiences of racialized misogyny towards black trans women. Transmisogynoir and misogynoir can be perpetuated by anyone, though it can only be experienced by black women. Reverse Oppression There is no such thing as reverse oppression. Oppression is predicated upon access to institutional power. Marginalized communities do not have access to institutional power. For example, women can be as prejudiced as men, but women cannot be just as sexist as men, because they do not hold political, economic and institutional power. Cissexism The system of belief that cisgender individuals are the privileged class and are more natural, normal or acceptable than transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary and/or gender-nonconforming people. This belief manifests as the systematic denial of rights to trans and nonbinary people and their routine mistreatment. Ableism The system of beliefs and practices that perpetuate institutional, structural and individual limitations and violences against disabled folks/people with disabilities in physical, sociopolitical and economic environments. Women of Color Political term coined by, and intended to connect and build solidarity amongst, self-identified racially minoritized women. This term has undergone many variations including people of color queer/trans people of color (QTPOC), youth of color, and (commonly heard on campuses across the country) students of color and faculty/staff of color. Fragile masculinity A state of requiring affirmation of ones masculinity and manhood in order to feel power and dominance. Rooted in sexism, heterosexism and misogyny, fragile masculinity is the fear of being associated with femininity and queerness, or any traits that oppose those which are socially constructed as masculine. For example, men being hesitant to cry is an example of fragile masculinity. Note: The intent of these terms is not to erase the unique individual experiences of people and specific racial/ethnic groups but rather to build solidarity amongst various communities experiencing oppression under white supremacy. [Emphasis in the original document.] Read the full document here. Read more at: TheCollegeFix.com (Natural News) Western medicine still hasnt solved the scourge of cancer. In fact, the Western medical system continues to push toxic chemotherapy, deadly radiation and radical surgery as the only official treatments for cancer. None of them work. They all cause more cancer. But what if cancer has already been solved outside the narrow-minded, pharma-corrupted system of Western medicine? A 7-part documentary, with registration launching today, brings you answers found across Eastern Medicine. The professionally-produced documentary is called Eastern Medicine Journey Through Asia, and its an exclusive look at natural cancer treatments, available only through our film partner linked below (Netflix and Amazon are now banning all films about holistic health, believe it or not). But you dont have to miss out this incredible documentary event. Register now at this link and youll be able to watch the full documentary at no cost, directly from the website of the film producers who journeyed across Asia to capture this spectacular film event. The real answers to cancer are found outside the United States, and outside the corrupt pharma-controlled sick care system Documenting an incredible journey through 7 Asian countries, this extraordinary film delves into the answers for cancer that have been valued and practiced throughout Asia for literally thousands of years. Remember, nearly 5,000 years ago, Chinese Medicine had already figured out how to stop viral pandemics using potent anti-viral herbs. Since then, knowledge about natural medicine has blossomed even further, and individual nations have perfected their own forms of naturopathic medicine that Western doctors would consider miraculous in its safety and effectiveness. The power of the elements: Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors or alcohol. Learn more at the Health Ranger Store and help support this news site. The countries visited in the filming of this documentary include: Japan Taiwan Philippines Singapore Malaysia Thailand India The 7 episode are titled: EPISODE 1 Land of the Rising Sun EPISODE 2 The Beautiful Island EPISODE 3 Pearl Of The Orient Seas EPISODE 4 The Lion City EPISODE 5 The Land Of Indigenous Malay EPISODE 6 The Land Of Smiles EPISODE 7 The Land Of Jambu Trees Register now at this link to watch the full documentary. (Registration is free.) Preserving human knowledge that can save lives and end suffering I strongly recommend this high production value documentary film for anyone who wishes to prevent or reverse cancer. If you know someone who has battled cancer or even already beat cancer and wants to live cancer-free this knowledge is beyond invaluable its lifesaving. With the tech giants increasingly censoring all information about healing, disease prevention, nutrition and naturopathy, it is critical that we spread the word about this documentary and get this knowledge into the hands of those who need a miraculous healing gift. Mother Nature, it turns out, provides an abundance of miracles. We simply have to be wise enough to recognize them. Spread the word. Eastern Medicine Journey through Asia registration begins now, and the film goes live on April 3. Register here. And share the following link with anyone else who can benefit: https://www.naturalnews.com/Truth-About-Cancer-Eastern-Medicine.html We either take down Facebook and Google and turn them into tightly regulated transparent public utilities available to all or they will destroy what little is left of American democracy. (Article by Charles Hugh Smith republished from CharlesHughSmith.blogspot.com The RussiaGate Narrative has been revealed as a Big Con (a.k.a. Nothing-Burger), but whats dangerously real is the censorship thats being carried out by the for-profit monopolies Facebook and Google on behalf of the status quos Big Con. This site got a taste of Facebook-Google-Big-Medias Orwellian Authoritarian-Totalitarian censorship back in 2016 when a shadowy fake-news site called PropOrNot aggregated every major alt-media site that had published anything remotely skeptical of the coronation of Hillary Clinton as president and labeled us all shills for Russian propaganda. Without any investigation of the perps running the site or their fake-news methodology, The Washington Post (Jeff Bezos plaything) saw fit to promote the fake-news on Page One as if it were journalistically legitimate. Why would a newspaper that supposedly values the integrity of its content run with such shameless fake-news propaganda? Because it fit the Posts own political agenda and biases. This is the essence of Facebook-Google-Big-Medias Orwellian Authoritarian-Totalitarian censorship: sacrifice accepted journalistic practice, free speech and transparency to promote an absurdly obvious political and social agenda. If there was any real justice in America, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai should be wearing prison jumpsuits for what Facebook and Google have done to American democracy. Both of these monopolies have manipulated news feeds, search results and what individuals are shown in complete secret, with zero public oversight or transparency. The damage to democracy wrought by Facebook and Google is severe: free speech no longer exists except in name, and what individuals see in search and social media feeds is designed to manipulate them without their consent or knowledgeand for a fat profit. Whether Facebook and Google are manipulating users for profit or to buy off Status Quo pressures to start regulating these monopolistic totalitarian regimes or to align what users see with their own virtue-signaling, doesnt matter. What matters is that no one can possibly know how Facebook and Google have rigged their algorithms and to what purpose. The typical corporation can buy political influence, but Facebook and Google are manipulating the machinery of democracy itself in three ways: 1. They are secretly censoring alternative media and skeptics of the status quo narratives. 2. They are selling data and ads to anyone interested in manipulating voters and public opinion. 3. They are providing data to the National Security organs of the state which can then use this data to compile dossiers on enemies of the people, i.e. skeptics and dissenters who question the approved context and narrative. Thats a much more dangerous type of power than buying political influence or manipulating public opinion by openly publishing biased commentary. We all understand how Americas traditional Corporate Media undermines democracy: recall how every time Bernie Sanders won a Democratic primary in 2016, The New York Times and The Washington Post reported the news in small typeface in a sidebar, while every Hillary Clinton primary win was trumpeted in large headlines at the top of page one. But this sort of manipulation is visible; what Google and Facebook do is invisible. What their algorithms do is invisible, and the shadow banning and other forms of invisible censorship cannot be easily traced. A few of us can trace shadow banning because we have access to our sites server data. Please consider the data of Google searches and direct links from Facebook to oftwominds.com from November 2016 and November 2018: Nov. 2016: Google Searches: 36,779 Nov. 2016: links from Facebook: 9,888 Nov. 2018: Google Searches: 12,671 Nov. 2018: links from Facebook: 859 Oftwominds.com has been around since 2005 and consistently draws around 250,000 page views monthly (via oftwominds.com and my mirror site on blogspot, which is owned/operated by Google. Interestingly, traffic to that site has been less affected by shadow banning; Coincidence? You decide.). Given the consistency of my visitor traffic over the years, its interesting how drastically the sites traffic with Google and Facebook has declined in a mere two years. How is this shadow banning not Orwellian Authoritarian-Totalitarian censorship? Its akin to Chinas Orwellian Social Credit system but for private profit. It wouldnt surprise me to find my photo airbrushed out of group photos on Facebook and Google just as the Soviet propaganda organs did when someone fell out of favor in the 1930s. Fortunately, oftwominds.com isnt dependent on Facebook or Google for its traffic; other content creators who were skeptical of RussiaGate are not so fortunate. One of the implicit goals of shadow banning and filters is to destroy the income of dissenting sites without the content creators knowing why their income plummeted. Strip dissenters of their income and you strip them of the ability to dissent. Yea for free speech controlled by for-profit monopolies! Wheres the level playing field of free speech? As long as Facebook and Google are free to censor and filter in secret, there is no free speech in America. All we have is a simulacrum of free speech in which parroting approved narratives is promoted and dissent is censored/bannedbut without anyone noticing or even being able to tell whats been filtered, censored or banned. So when are we going to tackle privately held monopolies which are selling user data to the highest bidder, obliterating free speech in secret and manipulating news feeds and search to promote hidden agendas? Ive argued (see links below) that the solution is very simple: 1. Regulate Facebook and Google as public utilities. Ban them from collecting and selling user data to anyone, including federal agencies. 2. Allow a modest profit to each firm via display adverts that are shown equally to every user. 3. Require any and all search/content filters and algorithms be made public, i.e. published daily. 4. Any executive or employee of these corporations who violates these statutes will face criminal felony charges and be exposed to civil liability lawsuits from users or content providers who were shadow-banned or their right to free speech was proscribed or limited by filters or algorithms. There is no intrinsic right for privately held corporations to establish monopolies that can manipulate and filter free speech in secret to maximize profits and secret influence. We either take down Facebook and Google and turn them into tightly regulated transparent public utilities available to all or they will destroy what little is left of American democracy. (Natural News) While Democrats lost a couple of seats in the Senate, the party managed to wrestle control of the House from the GOP during the 2018 elections. House control, were told, often shifts parties during off-presidential year midterms. So practically no one at the time gave the shift from GOP to Democratic control in the lower chamber the first time Democrats have controlled the House since 2011 much thought. Well, with the exception of blaming the House GOP losses on POTUS Donald Trumps unpopularity, which is nothing new. Then again, we were asked to believe our lying eyes and not various surveys indicating that the presidents polling numbers are not just high but higher than his predecessors approval ratings at the same time in his presidency. Whats the disconnect? How could opinion polls and approval ratings have been so wrong again? Enter Google and the Left-wing establishment media. Months before the 2018 midterms, Google was found to be manipulating search results to harm conservative media voices and Republican-supporting pundits. In fact, according to revelations unearthed by The Daily Caller, Google engineers and marketing employees were conspiring as early as 2017 to censor search results to undermine POTUS Donald Trumps first travel bans. In March 2018, a researcher with the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology, Dr. Robert Epstein, released a study that found not only did Google and the other social media behemoths alter search results and shadow ban conservatives, doing so could severely impact election outcomes. And since the big tech giants are all run by Left-wing fanatics, guess which candidates were going to be helped by the search results? Hint: Not Republicans. (Related: Google RIGGED search results and now faces a $7 billion fine from EU authorities.) We should redo the 2018 midterms I can tell you we should be paranoid because what Google and Facebook can do is really mind-boggling, Epstein told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. What Google can do is really off the scale. Our studies show that Google can take a 50-50 split among undecided voters and change it into a 90-10 split with no one knowing they had been manipulated and without leaving a paper trail. Was he right? Probably. Epstein released additional findings this month in which he and his research team conclude that at least three congressional races in California were skewed to the benefit of Democrats. As for Google in particular: Analysis of this data showed a clear pro-Democrat bias in election-related Google search results as compared to competing search engines. Users performing Google searches related to the three congressional races the study focused on were significantly more likely to see pro-Democrat stories and links at the top of their results. At the same time, elected Democrats and their sycophantic supporters in the establishment media were hawking Trump-Russia collusion 24-7, non-stop on a daily basis for months ahead of the 2018 midterms. Its hard to imagine the incessant harping about how close Mueller was to laying the allegation bare and indicting the president did not have an effect on voters, given that there really is a faction of voters in our country who are independent and do not reflexively pull the lever for one party or the other. But as we now know officially the narrative was a hoax. Special counsel Robert Mueller last week filed his mandated report on his near-two-year investigation with the Justice Department and said his team found no Trump-Russia collusion, yet this is all Americans heard on whatever news broadcast you turned on since the president was inaugurated. The purposeful attempts to subvert our democratic electoral processes by social media and regular media constitute justification to hold new midterm elections. We wont hold our breath. Sources include: NaturalNews.com TheNationalSentinel.com DailyCaller.com RobertMueller.news (Natural News) If you live in Chicago and you dont have to remain there for your work, it might be a good idea for you to find somewhere else to live. And while youre at it, you might just vacate Illinois altogether. The Land of Lincoln is broke, buried under a mountain of debt thanks to unrealistic pension obligations. In sum, the state owes at least $133 billion in pension and health benefits to retirees. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the justice system is no better than it was in the 1930s: Its just a corrupt, just as two-tiered, and just as liable to prosecute innocent people as it is to let the guilty go free. Only these days, its not a mob connection that will get you off, its your status. And, perhaps, your skin color. You may recall that black, gay actor Jussie Smollett was recently brought up on charges for staging a hate crime. In all, Chicago PD charged him with not one, not three, but 16 counts of disorderly conduct after he allegedly hired two Nigerian men to beat him up so he could claim that a couple of white, MAGA hat-wearing, bigoted supporters of POTUS Donald Trump did it. Had he ever been convicted for half of those, he would have spent more than a decade behind bars. Well, those charges have magically vanished. On Wednesday, Smollett and his lawyers spent less than five minutes in court, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, before prosecutors dropped all charges and Cook County Circuit Judge Steven G. Watkins sealed the case. So not only is this a farcical injustice, Chicagoans wont even get to see who is responsible for committing this naked corruption. Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie Johnson, the Sun-Times added, was in the middle of a police cadet graduation when he heard the news that Smollett was going to walk. The paper said he was furious because the case against the Empire actor was rock solid. (Related: It was a HOAX! Jussie Smollett hate crime attack was staged, say police actual police work unmasked flimsy plot to stoke racial hatred across America UPDATED.) Enter Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who is also black. The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has asked for a federal investigation into her conduct after she interfered in the case by asking Johnson to turn it over to the FBI at the request of a former Obama administration official, Christina M. Tina Tchen. From 2011 to 2017 she served as an assistant to the former president and was first lady Michelle Obamas chief of staff. Private attorneys are not allowed to interfere Two weeks ago, the Sun-Times and other sources reported that Tchen also a Chicago attorney (and remember where the Obamas hail from Chicago) reached out to Foxx via email and made the request. The fact is, according to Chicago PD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, the FBI was involved in the case from the outset because it involved federal hate crime allegations. But, he added, there was never any thought to turning the case over to the feds. Now, however, is a different story; the Chicago FOP is exactly right. Foxx eventually recused herself from the Smollett case after making her request to Johnson, but apparently that recusal was only temporary. According to CWB Chicago, in a letter to John R. Lausch, the U.S. Attorney in Chicago, FOP President Kevin Graham wrote that private attorneys are not allowed to interfere with ongoing police investigations, particularly at the request of private individuals associated with subjects being investigated by the police. Calling Foxxs recusal late and wholly insufficient, Graham continued: In order for Ms. Foxx to properly charge and try this case, her entire office should have recused itself and a special prosecutor been appointed. Speaking of Obama, remember when he and his attorneys general sicced the Justice Department on local police agencies they believed had behaved unethically or were racially biased? Well, turnabout is fair play; the Trump Justice Department really needs to look into this travesty of justice. The case began as one about skin color; looks like its going away for the same reason. Read more about the rampant corruption in Chicagos justice system at Corruption.news. Sources include: CWBChicago.com DavidHarrisJr.com Chicago.SunTimes.com TheNationalSentinel.com (Natural News) A pregnancy test from the 1960s and the 1970s could have caused serious birth defects to the children of the pregnant women who used it, new research suggests. The pregnancy test, which is called Primodos, could possibly have been prescribed to 1.5 million women in the U.K. According to earlier studies, it increased the danger of having a disabled child by five times. The study was done after a recent review concluded that there was scientific evidence that did not support a causal association between taking hormonal pregnancy tests and birth defects or miscarriage. Critics called the review, which was done by the Commission on Human Medicines, a whitewash, claiming the technical working group did not assess all of the available evidence regarding the use of the said drugs. On Primodos Primodos works by causing a fast increase in progesterone levels, which further results in small spotting-like bleeding in women who are not pregnant. Because pregnant women are said to have higher amounts of progesterone, there was the assumption that these excess hormone levels would be balanced out in expecting mothers. Primodos is linked to the incidents of infants livers not being able to develop fully because of the excess progesterone. Its vital we take concerns such as these seriously. Thats why weve asked the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to conduct a thorough scientific review of the evidence, said Health Minister Lord O Shaughnessy said in May 2017. Professor Bill Inman, who created the Drug Research Safety Unit, conducted research in 1975 that illustrated the gravity of Primodos risks. However, these findings were only submitted to the drugs manufacturer, Berlin, Germany-based Schering AG, and was not blown out in public. The study also showed that the hormone pills were never properly tested before they were sold in the market. (Related: Hormone-based pregnancy test prescribed by doctors caused horrific birth defects huge cover-up.) More on pregnancy tests There are two types of pregnancy tests: those that use a urine sample and those that use a blood sample. Both tests look for the presence of the hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This hormone is made by the placenta after the embryo is formed in the uterine lining and builds up rapidly in a womans body during the first few days of pregnancy. Urine tests can either be performed at your house or in a clinic. A woman collects her urine in a cup and dips a stick into the urine. Another way to do a urine test is to place a stick to catch ones urine midstream. Blood tests, on the other hand, have two types: a quantitative blood test finds out the exact amount of hCG in the blood, while a qualitative hCG blood test just identifies whether one is pregnant or not. For more stories regarding pregnancy and reproduction, visit WomensHealth.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk AmericanPregnancy.org (Natural News) Its not just curry thats widespread in India: Unfortunately, millions of unapproved antibiotics are sold in the country, according to researchers from the Queen Mary University of London and Newcastle University. The study, which appeared in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, also revealed duplicitous practices from multinational companies in particular, its stay on the manufacture of many formulations that were unapproved despite earlier commitments to address rising cases of antimicrobial resistance. The findings also highlight the challenges faced by those treating antimicrobial resistance in the area, considered to have the highest rate of antibiotic consumption in the world. To determine the extent of the problem, researchers scoured regulatory records in India, the U.K., and the U.S. to establish the approval status of fixed-dose combination (FDC) made of two or more drugs in a single pill and single drug formulation (SDF) antibiotics. They found that out of 118 FDC antibiotics sold in India from 2007 to 2012, at least 75 of these were not approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the countrys regulatory agency for pharmaceutical drugs. In India, manufacturing and distributing medicines that have not been approved by the CDSCO is illegal. To make things worse, only four percent of FDCs in India received approval in the U.S. and U.K. These were also sold under more than 3,300 brand names by almost 500 pharmaceutical manufacturers of which 12 were multinational companies. The report showed that Lake Bluff, Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories; Brentford, U.K.-based GlaxoSmithKline; Switzerland-based Novartis; the recently merged Sanofi-Aventis; Cambridge, U.K.-based AstraZeneca; Deerfield, Illinois-based Baxter International; Indianapolis, Indiana-based Eli Lilly and Co.; Kenilworth, New Jersey-based Merck & Co.; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Wyeth manufactured 45 percent (53 pieces) of the 188 FDCs under 148 brand names. Of these, 62 percent (33 pieces) were CDSCO-approved, and just eight percent (four pieces) had U.K. or U.S. regulatory approval. Of the 38 percent (20 pieces) of FDC formulations manufactured by multinational companies which had no CDSCO approval, 90 percent (18 pieces) were manufactured by Abbott. From 2011 to 2012, FDCs comprised of a third of total antibiotic sales in India, with 34.5 percent of FDCs being unapproved formulations. (Related: Researchers identify natural weapons in the fight against antibiotic resistance.) Selling unapproved, unscrutinized antibiotics undermines measures in India to control antimicrobial resistance. Multinational companies should explain the sale of products in India that did not have the approval of their own national regulators and, in many cases, did not even have the approval of the Indian regulator, Queen Mary Universitys Dr. Patricia McGettigan, who is also the lead author of the study, said. A better approach to healthcare should be instituted to discourage non-prescription sales as well as research to comprehend why doctors make problems complicated by prescribing unapproved antibiotics. Limiting microbial resistance is a strategic goal of the WHO and countries worldwide governments and regulators must take all necessary steps to prevent the production and sale of illegal and unapproved medicines and scrutinize the actions of multinational companies, Newcastle Universitys Professor Allyson Pollock, who is the director of the universitys Institute of Health and Society. For more stories regarding pharmaceutical drugs and updates about them, visit DangerousMedicine.com. Sources include: ScienceDaily.com TimesofIndia.IndiaTimes.com How can any free-thinking person ever again trust the media, the FBI, or the intelligence community after the debunking of this two-year Russia Collusion Hoax? (Natural News) This thing was not only a total hoax, a total lie, and total fabrication based on absolutely nothing, and not only a total hoax, a total lie, and total fabrication based on lies, it was also something that everyone knew was a total hoax, a total lie, and total fabrication. (Article by John Nolte republished from Breitbart.com) Hoping Dirty Cop Robert Mueller would find something-anything, or that President Trumps approval rating would dive to where hed be easy to impeach, the media lied-lied-lied; the Dirty Cops in the FBI leaked-leaked-leaked, and the elders and veterans of the intelligence community infested our TVs screaming about treason and indictments as they swore up and down the Trump campaign had never been spied on or wiretapped when they knew damn well it had. That was an actual conspiracy, an actual act of collusion to overturn a legal and constitutional presidential election which means it was a conspiracy to screw the American people. Even if you didnt vote for Trump, even if you hate Trump, it was still a crime against your God-given right to choose your own leaders. And this attempted coup against We the People is only the latest outrageous hoax committed by these three corrupt institutions. Look at the medias history over the last five or so years. Trayvon Martin Murdered By Racist White Man Michael Brown Yelled Hands Up, Dont Shoot! Before Racist Cop Murdered Him Brett Kavanaugh: Serial Rapist The Racist White Boys from Covington High School Trump Cant Defeat Hillary Trump Is a Russian Manchurian Candidate As for the FBI, even before those Dirty Cops began a series of criminal leaks and acts of perjury and the leaking of classified documents, they had already disgraced themselves by letting a true criminal, Hillary Clinton, off the hook as they played footsie with Obamas corrupt Department of Justice. And we have probably not heard the last of the outrages committed by a gang of Dirty Cop Rogues we call James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, etc People who dish the kind of dirt they did to protect Hillary and to fabricate an insurance policy to overturn a presidential election are dirty people period, bad guys, villains and never when it comes to just one thing. There is almost certainly more to come. If I was a defense attorney representing a client convicted of anything having to do with James Comey and his merry band of traitors, I would be filing a flurry of appeals right now. As far as the intelligence community, perjurer and liar James Clapper was our Director of National Intelligence; perjurer and liar John Brennan was the director of our CIA. My God think about that! Clapper not only perjured himself in front of the U.S. Congress, he sat on Meet the Pressand lied to the world by flatly denying the Obama administration spied on the Trump campaign when he knew that wasnt true. Brennan not only perjured himself in front of the U.S. Congress, he regularly appeared on TV screaming ad hominem attacks about treason and the Trump familys imminent arrest. At the very least you could argue the WMD fiasco was an intelligence failure, and a widespread one throughout the Western world. There was no deliberate attempt to mislead the American people that we know of. But It was still a massive and tragic failure that led us into a disastrous war and now, with RussiaGate, the intelligence community *did* deliberately lie, *did* deliberately deceive the American people, *did* seek to overturn a presidential election. The media, the FBI, the intelligence community a den of thieves and liars, a hiding place for unelected, power-hungry bureaucrats and peacocks. These institutions are irredeemable and can never-ever-ever-ever again be trusted. Read more at: Breitbart.com Mine Countermeasures vessels from eight NATO and ally navies are scheduled to gather in the Baltic Sea at the end of May to take part to the "Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise". Mine Countermeasures vessels from eight NATO and ally navies are scheduled to gather in the Baltic Sea at the end of May to take part to the "Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise". Eight navies will take part to the Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise (Picture source : German Navy) The Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise was conceived as part of the Baltic Commanders Conference, a union of navy commanders from Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Germany. Therefore, the eight navies to take part to the exercise are obviously Germany (taking the lead) along with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and EU partners Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The military drill is scheduled to take place from Monday 1st of April to Friday 12th of April, in the Baltic Sea, and will involve seamanship and mine neutralisation exercises.The German Navy's 3rd Mine Minesweeping Squadron that will host the event will deploy tender FGS Rhein and FGS Donau, and its minehunters FGS Weilheim and FGS Bad Rappenau. The Russian Navy is introducing an innovative system to train its pilots to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. This will include duel combat between pilots and submariners on special simulators which imitate real combat conditions. Anti-submarine aircraft crew members will therefore be trained in submariner centers. The Russian Navy is introducing an innovative system to train its pilots to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. This will include duel combat between pilots and submariners on special simulators which imitate real combat conditions. Anti-submarine aircraft crew members will therefore be trained in submariner centers. The Yasen-M SSGN K-561 "Kazan", built for the Russian Navy at JSC "Production Association" Northern Machine Building Enterprise ", heads out from Severodvinsk for the first time under its own power for sea trials, September 24, 2013 (Picture source : CrazyMk / forums.airbase.ru) The training of antisubmarine pilots under the new method will begin in 2019 in the Naval Academy center in Obninsk, the main Navy commandement said. The idea to jointly train antisubmarine crews and submariners appeared long ago, but there was no technical capability to implement it, Rear Admiral, ex-commander of a submarine and Hero of Russia Vsevolod Khmyrov said. "Computer technologies provided such a possibility. It is a major advantage for combat training. The Navy currently combines heterogeneous forces - surface warships, submarines and aviation. Joint training and the knowledge of each others tactic will make the fleet more effective. Naval pilots and submariners will understand the logic of the adversary," he said. The Naval Academy trains and retrains crews of submarines of all classes. Servicemen are trained in all specialties, including commanders, weapons experts, communication and acoustic experts, and navigators. A complete crew is trained and 17-24 crews are trained each year. There are sixty men in a diesel-electric sub and 170 in a nuclear one. Naval cadets also study there. Submarine officers upgrade skills there for four months after five years in a naval school. The center has classrooms with real and imitated devices used on submarines of various types. Simulators imitate the operations of the coning tower and bridge. The torpedo class teaches the design of modern torpedoes and antisubmarine missiles. The center in Obninsk trained submariners who launched Kalibr cruise missiles in Syria. The center was initially created to train crews of nuclear submarines. Its main simulator imitates a nuclear reactor and control, servicing and verification equipment. Computerized simulators were supplied in the past years to train bilateral combat of pilots and submariners. "Pilots and submariners have to know joint actions against adversary groups of warships, search and destruction of submarines and strikes at coastal objects," expert Valentin Selivanov said. "They have to study theory and experience of a joint search, the targeting rules and joint strikes. Such operations demand good cohesion. Pilots and submariners have to identify a warship and select weapons for destruction. The information goes to the commander who orders an attack," he added. It was decided in 2019 to upgrade Il-38 antisubmarine aircraft operational in the Northern fleet and two regiments of the Pacific fleet in Primorye and Kamchatka. The onboard equipment will be fully replaced. The modernization of the Il-38 fleet has to be completed in 2025, the Izvestia said. Copyright 2019 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. US Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer decided to name a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG-131) in honor of a Korean War veteran and Navy Cross recipient, Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, the secretarys public affairs officer said in a March 26 release. US Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer decided to name a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG-131) in honor of a Korean War veteran and Navy Cross recipient, Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, the secretarys public affairs officer said in a March 26 release. The future USS George M. Neal, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (Picture Source : US Navy photo illustration) Neal, a Springfield, Ohio, native, served with Helicopter Utility Squadron One (HU-1), a Navy helicopter rescue unit embarked from Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney during the Korean War. At significant risk to his personal safety, Petty Officer Neal distinguished himself by volunteering to go into harms way into North Korea to rescue a fellow service member, Spencer said. He was a hero, and I am proud his legacy will live on in the future USS George M. Neal. Neal was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on July 3, 1951, when while serving with HU-1, he and pilot Lt. j.g. John Koelsch attempted to rescue Marine Corps Capt. James Wilkins. Wilkins crashed near Yondong in North Korea after his Corsair took antiaircraft fire. Koelsch and Neal located Wilkins and, under increased enemy fire, lowered the rescue sling. However, the helicopter was disabled and crashed. For nine days, Neal assisted Koelsch and Wilkins in evading enemy forces before being captured and held as a prisoner of war. Koelsch died during captivity but Wilkins and Neal were released and returned to the United States in 1952 with more than 320 fellow POWs. Koelsch was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. The future USS George M. Neal will be a Flight III destroyer capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapons systems designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities. The ship will be built at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots. A lack of oversight and enforcement in Oakland is allowing landlords to frequently evade tenant protection laws, leaving renters vulnerable to fraud. More than two years after Oakland enacted tough housing regulations to combat wrongful evictions, roughly three out of four landlords appear to be violating those very laws, according to an analysis by the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit. While Oaklands housing regulations allow for pricey fines, NBC Bay Area has learned not a single landlord has been cited. Evicting rent-controlled tenants can mean big bucks for landlords Skyrocketing rent prices have created a huge financial incentive for landlords to evict longtime, rent-controlled tenants, since finding a new tenant often means a bigger payout for landlords. Property owners, however, are not legally allowed to kick out rent-controlled tenants or dramatically raise rent prices simply because they want to make more money. Despite those restrictions, some landlords have gone to pretty bizarre lengths to dodge those rules. In an attempt to keep the citys most vulnerable residents in their homes, the Oakland City Council passed a series of sweeping housing reforms over the past several years to protect tenants. Adoption and enforcement of those regulations, however, has often been slow or nonexistent. Many of those reforms focused on "owner move-in evictions," which allow landlords to evict tenants if the landlord, or, in some cases, the landlords relative, intend to move into the home and continue living there for at least three years. The evictions, while legal, have been used by some landlords as a fraudulent method to evade rent control laws. For example, landlords have claimed to move into a home after evicting a tenant, but instead rented the apartment to a new tenant at a much higher rent. Tougher tenant protection laws went into effect two years ago In early 2017, concerned by a significant spike in "owner move-in evictions" and tenants fears that landlords were abusing the system, the City Council amended Oaklands housing regulations to require property owners sign paperwork, under penalty of perjury, that they actually intend to move into the home after evicting their tenant. The new rules also required landlords to submit evidence, such as a utility bill, on an annual basis to prove they are continuing to live in the home for at least three years following an owner move-in eviction. A years worth of owner move-in evictions Eviction records obtained by NBC Bay Area under the California Public Records Act show fewer than 25 percent of landlords complied with the new rules. The records, which took Oaklands Housing and Community Department nearly a year to provide, reveal only 16 landlords submitted the required documents after filing owner move-in evictions last year, despite a total of 71 owner move-in evictions. Not a single landlord cited Landlords who fail to submit the required documents to the city following an owner move-in eviction can face fines of up to $500. Despite the widespread lack of compliance, however, not a single landlord has been cited, or even contacted by the city, for ignoring the now two-year-old regulations, which went into effect in March 2017. The director of Oaklands Housing and Community Development Department, Michele Byrd, said her agency is focused on educating landlords on the rules and regulations governing owner move-in evictions. The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit, however, has learned Byrds agency has not contacted any of the dozens of landlords who have failed to comply with the citys own eviction regulations, which... 'We dont want to be the housing cops' "We want to educate individuals and make sure that they are aware of their rights so that we can prevent any displacement from taking place," said Michele Byrd, director of Oaklands Housing and Community Development Department. "We dont want to be the housing cops if there are individuals where we feel that things are not meeting the regulations, then we will look into it." City Council President Rebecca Kaplan, who helped spearhead the push for more transparency and enforcement around owner move-in evictions, called the lax oversight "unacceptable." "Its not adequately being enforced, and thats of grave concern to myself and to the hundreds of tenants who continue to suffer," Kaplan said. "I mean, people are being pushed out. If we dont know whether or not the owner is actually moving in, then we cant judge whether that eviction was legal or not." Aramark 'We are losing segments of our community' Theres too much at stake, Kaplan said, for the citys tenant protection efforts to be ignored. "We are losing whole segments of our community," Kaplan said. "Weve disproportionately lost a large share of the African-American community in Oakland, and its gotten to the point now that our schools cant retain teachers, our hospitals cant retain nurses, because the eviction crisis is so severe." Byrd, however, repeatedly defended the lack of enforcement, stating her department is focused on educating landlords about the requirements, rather than penalizing them for a lack of compliance. "We dont want to be punitive," Byrd said. "We want to work and ensure that were not displacing individuals. And first and foremost is to do education and outreach and make sure that we have made well aware to those individuals involved what the requirements are." Byrd said that education and outreach process has already begun. "We have started working with landlords, yes," Byrd said. "We have systems in place." Byrds comments, however, are not accurate. An Oakland spokesperson confirmed Byrds department has not contacted a single landlord in violation of these laws, either in an effort to issue fines or "educate" them. Following months of questions from NBC Bay Area, however, Oaklands Housing Department hired a company on Jan. 31 to help educate landlords and tenants on the various requirements surrounding owner move-in evictions and other housing regulations. The nonprofit group Housing and Economic Rights Advocates will receive $50,000 as part of the yearlong contract. Byrd also said her department has a new manager and other additional staff to help implement and enforce the bevy of new housing laws. "Staffing is critical," Byrd said. "You cant put systems in place, you cant operate the database, you cant oversee a website, you cant track forms without staff." Byrd said previous staffing shortages were to blame for the slow implementation of aspects of Measure JJ, which Oakland voters approved in November 2016. In addition to expanding "just cause" eviction protections to Oakland tenants, the ballot measure also required city officials to track eviction data and make it publicly available online. Despite the new requirement, it took city officials 11 months to provide the "owner move-in" eviction records requested by NBC Bay Area in April 2018. Vulnerable tenants The lack of oversight, according to tenants and tenant rights advocates, puts Oakland renters at risk of being illegally evicted from their homes. The financial incentives to break housing laws are considerable. If a landlord can rid themselves of a rent-controlled tenant, they can potentially make thousands of dollars more per month in rent by finding a new tenant willing to pay the current market rate for the same unit. Currently, no city agency routinely investigates whether landlords actually move into their homes following an owner move-in eviction. As a result, it remains difficult to quantify the number of wrongful owner move-in evictions in Oakland. However, there is significant evidence of abuse. A 2016 NBC Bay Area investigation into "owner move-in" evictions in San Francisco found hundreds of residents may have been wrongfully kicked out. NBC Bay Area surveyed more than 100 residents at homes where an owner move-in eviction had recently occurred, and in 24 of those cases nearly 1 in 4 evictions the landlord or family member was not living in the home, despite records indicating their requirement to do so. NBC Bay Area has been unable to do such a survey in Oakland because, up until recently, the city was unable to provide a database of owner move-in evictions. But anecdotes of potential abuse are plentiful. Last year, NBC Bay Area spoke with Josephine Hardy, the matriarch of three generations occupying each unit of a West Oakland triplex. A new owner recently purchased the home and immediately used an owner move-in eviction to evict Hardys son from one of the units. Up until recently, a loophole allowed landlords of owner-occupied duplexes and triplexes to strip tenants of "just cause" eviction protections. As a result, the landlord evicted Hardys family from the other two units in the building. Hardy said the landlord failed to move into the unit within the three-month window required by law and remained skeptical he ever intended to do so. The landlord declined to speak with NBC Bay Area on multiple occasions. Jacquelyn Martin/AP, File Couple records 3,000+ hours of video in fight against landlord Last fall, the tenants of a West Oakland triplex ran their own surveillance operation in order to demonstrate they were being wrongfully evicted by a landlord claiming to have moved into their building. He was attempting to evict them using the same practice, which the city has since abolished, allowing landlords in owner-occupied duplexes and triplexes to evict their tenants without cause. Those tenants recorded more than 3,000 hours of surveillance video, which they say showed the landlord rarely ever spent time at their triplex. They argued the landlord was actually living in a single family home he owned in a wealthier part of town. The landlord denied the allegations. Following the NBC Bay Area investigation, however, the landlord never followed through with his eviction attempt. [[499045941, C]] Landlord accused of 'faking' where he lives to raise rent Then theres the case of Salvador Sotelo, who says his landlord, Rong Fu Lee, tried to illegally triple his rent to $3,000 per month by claiming he suddenly lived in the bottom unit of his West Oakland duplex. Until a recent moratorium on the practice, Oakland landlords who live in their own duplexes or triplexes could legally raise rent prices beyond whats allowed under rent control. Sotelo, whos lived in the same unit with his family for the past 16 years, said he didnt believe his landlord actually lived in the same building. "When someone is living downstairs, its easy to hear a little noise," Sotelo said. Sotelo, who said his family would be forced to leave Oakland if the rent increase was allowed, took his case to the tenant rights group Centro Legal de la Raza, which agreed to take on his case. Sotelo was able to collect other evidence, which he believes proves his landlord wasnt living downstairs, such as video shot by a relative that allegedly shows the landlords father unloading trash bags from his van into garbage cans at the same home where his son, the landlord, claimed to be living. Sotelo said it was an effort to make it look like someone was actually living in the downstairs unit. "Obviously, they [were] pretending to live here," Sotelo said. NBC Bay Area Centro Legal de la Raza brought the case to the Oakland City Attorneys Office, which filed suit against the landlord for "abusive" and "fraudulent behavior." The city even obtained utility bills for the landlords apartment, which show Lee went more than two months without using a single drop of water during the time he claimed to be living in the apartment. NBC Bay Area reached out to Lees attorneys but never heard back. A trial in the civil case is currently scheduled for October. Sotelo says he is one of the lucky ones. The city stepped in to help him and his family. Yet, he worries the lack of oversight and enforcement means many other families remain at risk of losing their homes. "The city of Oakland needs them," Sotelo said. "I think they deserve to be protected." ______________________________________ Watch the entire series in this NBC Bay Area investigation: Part 1: SF Landlords May Have Wrongfully Evicted Hundreds of Tenants Part 2: SF Fails to Prosecute Landlords for Certain Wrongful Evictions Part 3: San Francisco Considers New Eviction Laws Following I-Unit Series Part 4: NBC Bay Area Investigation Leads to Government Hearing Part 5: SF Eviction Crackdown Passes After Investigative Unit Series Part 6: SF Mayor To Sign Law After NBC Bay Area Investigation Part 7: SF Mayor Inks New Law to Combat Wrongful Evictions Part 8: Lake of Oversight Puts Oakland Tenants at Risk of Eviction Part 9: Oakland Voters May Get Say on When Landlords Can Evict Renters Part 10: Expansion of Eviction Protections Heads to Ballot in Oakland Part 11: Oakland Couple Uses Hidden Camera to Fight Eviction Part 12: Landlords Frequently Ignore Oakland Eviction Laws Part 13: Oakland Housing Director Defends Department Part 14: Oakland Housing Chief "Fired," Says Source Three-year-old Macie Opperman died last October after a play structure toppled onto her as she played outside at Park Side preschool in Newark. The Investigative Unit first broke the story in this report, detailing what happened according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Macies parents Jeremy and Leanne Opperman. The preschool filed a response denying any wrongdoing. Now an attorney for the Department of Social Services, has filed an accusation requesting the revocation of Park Side Preschools license to operate a day care center. Inspectors went to Park Side after Macies death and issued two Type A violations against the preschool in November. The report noted the play structure was not anchored to the ground, which allowed it to tip over and there was no cushioning to absorb falls. Inspectors stated both violations posed an immediate health and safety risk to children. Park Side declined to be interviewed but said in an email, the preschool decided to close voluntarily. A statement posted to the Park Side preschools Facebook page reads, in part, we received a letter from the state notifying us that our license to operate has been reviewed and they plan to revoke it. We could choose to address the licensing boards concerns but have chosen not to appeal their decision. Our hope and prayer is that by choosing to close the school at this time, we will not only provide all the families, children, staff and entire community affected with a more peaceful environment to grieve and heal because of this tragedy. But six days after posting that message, Park Side attorney Sarah Truong filed an appeal for the school to keep its license. Truong declined to answer questions about why she filed the Notice of Defense, to appeal the states revocation action. She said the school will close April 19, 2019. According to Michael Weston, a spokesman for the Department of Social Services, Park Side is scheduled to discuss its appeal at the Office of Administrative Hearings on June 10th. Truong confirmed she would be at the June hearing to represent the school but declined to answer further questions about why the school would need that hearing if it is voluntarily closing by April 19. The school has no plans to re-open at this point, Truong said. President Donald Trump greenlighted the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline on Friday, declaring it a "great day for American jobs" and siding with energy advocates over environmental groups in a heated debate over climate change. The presidential permit comes nearly a decade after Calgary-based TransCanada applied to build the $8 billion pipeline, which will snake from Canada through the United States. Trump's State Department said the project advances U.S. national interests, in a complete reversal of the conclusion President Barack Obama's administration reached less than a year-and-a-half ago. "It's a great day for American jobs and a historic moment for North America and energy independence," Trump said, standing alongside TransCanada's CEO in the Oval Office. Keystone will reduce costs and reliance on foreign oil while creating thousands of jobs, he said, adding: "It's going to be an incredible pipeline." The decision caps the long scientific and political fight over a project that became a proxy battle in the larger fight over global warming. And Friday's decision, while long foreshadowed by Trump's public support for Keystone, represents one of the biggest steps to date by his administration to prioritize economic development over environmental concerns. TransCanada, Trump said, can now build Keystone "with efficiency and with speed." Though it still faces other major hurdles, including disputes over the route, the president said the federal government was formulating final details "as we speak." The 1,700-mile (2,735 kilometers) pipeline, as envisioned, would carry oil from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. It would move roughly 800,000 barrels of oil per day. Environmentalists, Native American groups and landowners who've opposed Keystone expressed outrage, and Greenpeace said the U.S. was "moving backwards" on climate and energy policy. "Keystone was stopped once before, and it will be stopped again," vowed Annie Leonard, the group's U.S. director. Obama in 2015 rejected the pipeline after years of study, saying it would undercut U.S. credibility in the international climate change negotiations that culminated later that year in a global deal in Paris. He echoed the argument of environmental groups that Keystone would encourage use of carbon-heavy tar sands oil, contributing heavily to global warming. Relying mostly on the same information, the Trump administration reversed Obama's decision Friday. In a lengthy report, the State Department alluded to the Paris deal as one reason. Because many other countries have pledged to address climate change, it said Keystone can proceed without undermining the overall effort to slow global warming. The Paris agreement compels the U.S. and other countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions in coming decades. Keystone would strengthen U.S. energy security by increasing access to Canada's "dependable supply of crude oil," said the State Department, which had jurisdiction because the pipeline crosses the U.S.-Canada border. But the level of those benefits has been the subject of exhaustive debate in recent years. Obama argued the oil wouldn't stay in the U.S. because it would be exported after being processed in American refineries. TransCanada insisted Keystone "is not an export pipeline." Many energy experts insisted the truth was somewhere in between. Environmental groups argued Canada's tar sands oil should stay in the ground. But Keystone's backers said that wouldn't happen even if the pipeline wasn't built. Without a pipeline, they said the oil would move by rail or truck, more dangerous methods which themselves contribute greenhouse gas emissions. How many jobs Keystone will create is also widely disputed. TransCanada promised as many as 13,000 construction jobs and Trump once predicted it "could be 42,000 jobs." The vast majority would be "indirect" jobs other industries gain from the influx of dollars and construction workers. Other estimates predict just a few thousand jobs, lasting only for the few years the pipeline is being built. And after that, only a few dozen workers would be needed to maintain the pipeline. TransCanada CEO Russ Girling said Friday that thousands of people are "ready and itching to get to work." Trump boasted as recently as this week that Keystone would be built with American steel, which he has required for new or expanded pipelines. But his administration has already given Keystone a pass. TransCanada has already acquired the steel for the project, and the White House has said it's too difficult to impose Trump's requirement on a project already under construction. Although portions of Keystone are already built, it still faces obstacles to completion. In Nebraska, for example, the route must still be approved and opponents have repeatedly thwarted TransCanada's attempts to access the necessary land. A commission is expected to review the matter later this year. Trump, told of the hiccup, pledged his help. "Nebraska? I'll call Nebraska," he said. For months, a family expecting an adorable Central Asian Shepherd puppy watched videos of him and waited. The anticipation was excruciating for Ani and Alex Avetisian, ages 8 and 7. A family friend in Greece was sending the puppy to them as a gift, and they'd already fallen in love with him. They received video updates almost daily. Their father Andranik Avetisian was also excited when he drove to the Air France-KLM terminal at LAX to pick up the pup following an 11-hour flight from Amsterdam, caged in a jetliner's cargo hold. His children had already named the dog "Bear." But when Avetisian walked in, he could read concern on an employee's face. "She told me, 'unfortunately, the puppy didn't make it,'" Avetisian said. That was seven days before Tuesday. Now the family has an attorney, and wants answers, because the animal hadn't been turned over to the family. "We don't have Bear. We don't know where Bear is," he said. The airline said an investigation was launched. "Not only did the family never see the dog, the family was never permitted to get the cage back," said attorney Evan Oshan. Avetisian said he never dreamed an entire week would pass and they still would have no answers. "It's like [they're] hiding something," Avetisian said. The family wants an independent necropsy to determine cause of death, but they can't do anything until they have his remains. The Avetisian children also want to say goodbye to the beautiful puppy that they never got to meet. The airline released the following statement regarding the death: "KLM expresses condolences for the death of the dog onboard KL601 on March 19th. We take matters of animal welfare very seriously. KLMs Cargo Department is in contact with the owner of the dog, and for reasons of customer confidentiality, we cannot release further details around the current investigation." Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan injected herself into Berkeley politics on Tuesday by urging the Berkeley City Council not to give final approval to a plan to ban overnight RV parking. The Berkeley City Council voted 6-3 on Feb. 28 to approve the ban and is scheduled to vote at its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday on whether to give final approval, in which case the ban would immediately go into effect. The ban would prohibit RV parking on city streets between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., but the city also agreed to create a permitting system that would give two-week exemptions to some RVs. Berkeley city staff members wrote in a report before the Feb. 28 hearing that the city "is experiencing an increasing number of RVs parking for long periods of time, impacting public safety, health and the parking needs for Berkeley residents and businesses." Staff members said the city has received more than 1,500 complaints from businesses and residents about people who live in RVs, including the loss of parking and the illegal dumping of trash, debris and human waste onto city streets, sidewalks and waterways. Kaplan said in a news release that she is calling on Berkeley "to refocus on identifying viable alternative sites for RVs, rather than immediately adopting a vote on a ban at today's council meeting." Kaplan said she also is calling for increased regional collaboration on homeless solutions and is helping to seek applicants to operate allowable RV sites on public land in Oakland, with sanitation and service. In a letter to Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and the City Council, Kaplan wrote, "Citing RVs and making them move from location to location has not resulted in a decrease in the number of individuals who are homeless. In fact, it can exacerbate the situation by creating debt and instability for families and individuals who have already experienced displacement." Kaplan said, "By designating allowed, managed locations we can have waste collection and prevent sewage from getting into the streets, and provide more humane solutions. I ask you to pause on this vote, and instead identify adequate alternative locations for RVs." She said she has been encouraging the development of expanded housing options, including use of faith-based properties and providing sites for RVs, and those proposals were approved by the Oakland City Council last year. The Berkeley City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Berkeley Unified School District board room at 1231 Addison St. Despite raucous opposition, Berkeley city leaders Tuesday night gave final approval of a ban on overnight parking of recreational vehicles. The City Council voted 6-3 on Feb. 28 to approve the ban and gave the final approval at Tuesday night's meeting. The RV ban took effect immediately. The ban prohibits RV parking on city streets between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., but the city also agreed to create a permitting system that would give two-week exemptions to some RVs. Many ban opponents at Tuesday night's meeting carried signs and chanted in protest. Among those were hundreds of homeless right sactivitst as well as Berkeley residents. One proposal offered up was not allowing an eviction until city staff offers to help find alternative housing. Berkeley city staff members wrote in a report before the Feb. 28 hearing that the city "is experiencing an increasing number of RVs parking for long periods of time, impacting public safety, health and the parking needs for Berkeley residents and businesses." Staff members said the city has received more than 1,500 complaints from businesses and residents about people who live in RVs, including the loss of parking and the illegal dumping of trash, debris and human waste onto city streets, sidewalks and waterways. In a letter to Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Berkeley council members, Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan urged the city leaders not to give final approval to the ban and instead "refocus on identifying viable alternative sites for RVs." A 34-year-old man was arrested last week and charged Monday with four counts of indecent exposure stemming from multiple incidents in Berkeley last year, according to police. David Forrest Chandler Herrington was identified last week as the suspicious person investigators and patrol officers had been looking for after several reports of a man exposing himself and masturbating in public in the area of Dwight Way and Etna Street, police said. Berkeley polce initially detained Herrington in November, at which time the indecent exposure activity stopped, police said. After further investigation, an arrest warrant for Herrington was obtained, and Berkeley police and California Highway Patrol officers arrested him Saturday. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office charged Herrington with four counts of indecent exposure, police said. It was not clear if Herrington was still in custody or released on bail. Facebook is extending its ban on hate speech to prohibit the promotion and support of white nationalism and white separatism. The company previously allowed such material even though it has long banned white supremacists. The social network said Wednesday that it didn't apply the ban previously to expressions of white nationalism because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism such as American pride or Basque separatism (which are still allowed). But civil rights groups and academics called this view "misguided" and have long pressured the company to change its stance. Facebook said it concluded after months of "conversations" with them that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups. Critics have "raised these issues to the highest levels at Facebook (and held) a number of working meetings with their staff as we've tried to get them to the right place," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a Washington, D.C.-based legal advocacy group. "This is long overdue as the country continues to deal with the grip of hate and the increase in violent white supremacy," she said. "We need the tech sector to do its part to combat these efforts." Though Facebook Inc. said it has been working on the change for three months, it comes less than two weeks after Facebook received widespread criticism after the suspect in shootings at two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people was able to broadcast the massacre on live video on Facebook. Also on Wednesday, a man convicted on state murder charges in a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges. The bloodshed in 2017 prompted tech companies to take a firmer stand against accounts used to promote hate and violence. But apparently not enough. Now, Facebook is trying to do more. As part of Wednesday's change, people who search for terms associated with white supremacy on Facebook will be directed to a group called Life After Hate, which was founded by former extremists who want to help people leave the violent far-right. Clarke called the idea that white supremacism is different than white nationalism or white separatism a misguided "distinction without a difference." She said the New Zealand attack was a "powerful reminder about why we need the tech sector to do more to stamp out the conduct and activity of violent white supremacists." Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, says the racial justice group warned Facebook to the growing dangers of white nationalists on its platform years ago and that he was glad to see Wednesday's announcement. "Facebook's update should move Twitter, YouTube, and Amazon to act urgently to stem the growth of white nationalist ideologies, which find space on platforms to spread the violent ideas and rhetoric that inspired the tragic attacks witnessed in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and now Christchurch," he said. Twitter does not currently ban white nationalists or white separatists, though its hateful conduct policy forbids the promotion of violence or threats against people on the basis of race, gender, religion and other protected categories. It also bans the use of "hateful images or symbols" in profile or header images. YouTube also bans hate speech and says it removes content promoting violence or hatred on the basis of these categories. Amazon has an "offensive products" policy that does not allow the promotion or glorification of hatred, racial violence or sexual or religious intolerance. The three companies did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Wednesday. Madihha Ahussain, a special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry at the nonprofit Muslim Advocates, said what's needed now is more information on how Facebook will define white nationalist content and how it will enforce its new rules. "Now, the question is: how will Facebook interpret and enforce this new policy to prevent another tragedy like the Christchurch mosque attacks?" she said. A 1-alarm fire at a home in Concord early Wednesday morning has been contained and one person has been sent to a hospital, according to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District fire officials. The victim suffered a burn injury in the fire first reported at a home in the 3700 block of Bon Homme Way around 2:40 a.m., Fire Captain Tracie Dutter said. Firefighters contained the blaze around 3:20 a.m. What to Know Edwin Hardeman, 70, is the second plaintiff to go to trial of thousands who claim Monsanto's weedkiller caused their cancer In August, a jury awarded another man $289 million after determining Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma A federal jury in San Francisco began deliberating Tuesday on whether Monsanto Co. is liable for the cancer of a Sonoma County man who sprayed Monsanto's Roundup on poison oak and weeds on his property for 26 years. The six-person civil jury has already determined that the Roundup herbicide was a substantial factor in the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman. The jurors must now decide whether Monsanto is legally liable and if so, how much financial compensation to award Hardeman. Hardeman's attorneys are also seeking a punitive damage award on grounds of the agrochemical company's alleged willful disregard of his safety. Monsanto attorney Brian Stekloff contended during his closing argument Tuesday morning that the company is not liable because no regulatory agency or health organization concluded that Roundup was carcinogenic as of 2012, the year Hardeman stopped using the product. "Monsanto, consistent with science, did act responsibly and should not be held liable," Stekloff told the jury in the court of U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria. Hardeman's lawyers allege that Monsanto decision makers sought to manipulate scientific conclusions and public opinion and in some cases ghostwrote studies that said that a link to cancer was unlikely. Attorney Jennifer Moore urged the jury, "Send that message to Monsanto loud and clear: 'No more. You have to be responsible.'" Moore asked the jury to award $200,000 in economic damages and $1 million per year for pain and suffering for the four years since Hardeman's diagnosis in 2015 and the 14 years of his expected remaining life span. She asked for a punitive award for Monsanto's alleged recklessness but did not specify an amount. Hardeman, who now lives in Santa Rosa, testified he used Roundup from 1986 to 1988 on a property in Gualala in Mendocino County and from 1988 to 2012 on a 56-acre property in Forestville in Sonoma County. His lymphoma is now in remission following chemotherapy and other treatment, but could make him vulnerable to future illness. Monsanto was acquired by Bayer AG of Germany last year for $63 billion. In August, a San Francisco jury awarded another man $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages after determining Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hardeman's case is the second to go to trial among 760 federal court lawsuits pending against Monsanto. The lawsuits were filed in U.S. district courts around the nation and transferred to Chhabria's court for judicial efficiency. Other cases are pending in state courts. A disgruntled former nursing student who was sentenced to life in prison for killing seven people at Oikos University in Oakland in 2012 has died while in custody, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. One Goh, 50, died on March 20 at California State Prison - Sacramento, according to the CDCR. The Sacramento County Coroner's office will determine how Goh died. Seven people were killed and three were wounded when the then 43-year-old former student opened fire at the East Bay university. Goh was charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, but psychiatric evaluations concluded he suffered from long-term paranoid schizophrenia and was unfit to stand trial. In 2017, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Horner gave Goh seven life sentences without the possibility of parole. He then tacked on 271 years to life for the shooting deaths. Goh previously pleaded no contest to killing the seven people and injuring the other three during the rampage. A jury in a Contra Costa County coroner's inquest found Tuesday that an Oakland man who died in a crash following a police pursuit last year in Orinda died as a result of an accident, according to a spokesman for the sheriff. Lawrence Martin, 20, was transported to a hospital after a police pursuit and crash near the Orinda BART station Saturday, July 21, 2018. Orinda police had attempted to stop a Nissan Altima for vehicle code violations in the vicinity of St. Stephens Drive and Tahos Road around 9 a.m. The driver of the Nissan allegedly sped away, leading officers onto state Highway 24. Officers lost sight of the vehicle, but it subsequently crashed near the BART station. All westbound lanes of Highway 24 were closed Friday morning following a police chase that ended with an overturned vehicle on the freeway in Orinda, according to the California Highway Patrol. Martin and a second man in the vehicle, later identified as 20-year-old Danny Lockett of San Francisco, were both transported to a hospital. Martin died and Lockett was arrested on suspicion of felony evasion and violating the terms of his probation. According to Jimmy Lee, who issued a statement on behalf of the sheriff's office, the inquest jury unanimously determined that the death had been accidental, based on witness testimony. The coroner convenes inquests any time a person's death involves a peace officer. Juries have the option to rule the death an accident, suicide, death by natural causes or death at the hand of another by a manner not considered an accident. The suspected gunman in a San Francisco shooting that left a teenager hospitalized is now in custody after exchanging gunfire with police in Southern California, officials said. California Highway Patrol officers in Southern California early Tuesday spotted the suspect's car abandoned on the freeway near the Arizona border. A short time later, officers spotted the suspect walking on the side of the road. Police said there was an exchange of gunfire, but officers eventually took the man in custody. The man is tied to a Monday shooting inside a building that houses the Department of Corrections in San Francisco. The victim in that shooting, an 18-year-old who was on pretrial release, remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police said. Large police response to shooting inside Dpt. Of Corrections building in SF at 13th and So. Van Ness. Witness says man came in to CA Conservation Corps classroom and shot a man who started the program today. @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/0E51XXwjdC Jean Elle (@nbcjeanelle) March 26, 2019 A Canadian court granted bail Tuesday to a top Chinese executive arrested at the United States' request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Hours before the bail hearing in Vancouver, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the Dec. 1 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of the company's founder. After three days of hearings, a British Columbia justice granted bail of $10 million Canadian (US$7.5 million) to Meng, but required her to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The decision was met with applause in the packed courtroom, where members of Vancouver's Chinese community had turned out to show support for Meng. She left the courthouse late Tuesday surrounded by a security detail and was driven away in a black SUV without responding to questions from reporters. Amid rising tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed earlier that a former Canadian diplomat had been detained in Beijing. The detention came after China warned Canada of consequences for Meng's arrest. "We're deeply concerned," Goodale said. "A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China. ... We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety." Michael Kovrig, who previously worked as a diplomat in China and elsewhere, was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing, said the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig works as North East Asia adviser. Rob Malley, head of the Brussels-based non-governmental group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access to Kovrig. He thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters and was definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Meng' arrest. The Canadian province of British Columbia canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians to put pressure on Ottawa over Meng's detention. "In China there is no coincidence," Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said of Kovrig's detention. "Unfortunately Canada is caught in the middle of this dispute between the U.S and China. Because China cannot kick the U.S. they turn to the next target." Earlier in the day, China vowed to "spare no effort" to protect against "any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi didn't mention Meng by name. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng's. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters in Washington "the charges against Meng pertain to alleged lies to United States financial institutions" about Huawei's business dealings in Iran. "It is clear from the filings that were unsealed in Canada, Meng and others are alleged to have put financial institutions at risk of criminal and civil liability in the United States by deceiving those institutions as to the nature and extent of Huawei's business in Iran," Palladino said. Meng has denied the U.S. allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the United States. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings," Huawei said in a statement. "As we have stressed all along, Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate, including export control and sanction laws of the UN, US, and EU. We look forward to a timely resolution to this matter." Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, is the target of U.S. security concerns. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. The U.S. and China have tried to keep Meng's case separate from their wider trade dispute and suggested Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But President Donald Trump undercut efforts to distinguish between trade talks and the Huawei case. In an interview with Reuters, he said Tuesday that he would consider intervening in the Justice Department's case against Meng if it would be in the interest of U.S. national security or help forge a trade deal with Beijing. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called Trump's comments troubling. "Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a U.S. extradition request," Paris tweeted. The Chinese government said its economy czar had discussed plans with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries' differences. Lighthizer's office confirmed he had spoken by phone with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. The news that trade negotiations may resume lifted stock markets around the world. The United States has slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports in response to complaints Beijing steals American technology and forces U.S. companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on $200 billion of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 percent to 25 percent on Jan. 1. But Trump agreed to postpone those by 90 days while the two sides negotiate. AP writers Matthew Lee and Joe McDonald contributed to this report. Curtis Flowers has been jailed in Mississippi for 22 years, even as prosecutors couldn't get a murder conviction against him to stick through five trials. Three convictions were tossed out and two other juries couldn't reach unanimous verdicts. This week, the Supreme Court will consider whether his conviction and death sentence in a sixth trial should stand or be overturned for a familiar reason: because prosecutors improperly kept African-Americans off the jury. The justices on Wednesday will examine whether District Attorney Doug Evans' history of excluding black jurors should figure in determining if Evans again crossed a line when he struck five African-Americans from the jury that most recently convicted Flowers of killing four people. In overturning Flowers' third conviction, the Mississippi Supreme Court called Evans' exclusion of 15 black prospective jurors "as strong a prima facie case of racial discrimination as we have seen" in challenges to jury composition. This time around, though, the state's high court has twice rejected Flowers' claims, even after being ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court to take another look. Wednesday's arguments at the high court are the latest stop on a twisting path that began on July 16, 1996. That's when four people were found dead inside Tardy Furniture in downtown Winona. Shot in the head were 59-year-old owner Bertha Tardy and three employees 45-year-old Carmen Rigby, 42-year-old Robert Golden and 16-year-old Derrick "Bobo" Stewart. It was months before officials arrested and charged Curtis Flowers for the murder. Prosecutors say Flowers was a disgruntled former employee who sought revenge against Tardy because she fired him and withheld most of his pay to cover the cost of merchandise he damaged. Nearly $300 was found missing after the killings. Defense lawyers, though, say witness statements and physical evidence against Flowers are too weak to convict him. A jailhouse informant who claimed Flowers had confessed to him recanted in recorded telephone conversations with American Public Media's "In the Dark" podcast. There's a separate appeal pending in state court questioning Flowers' actual guilt, citing in part evidence that reporters for "In the Dark" detailed. Flowers, now 48, has been imprisoned at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman since 1997, following his first conviction. That and two subsequent convictions were overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Then two hung juries couldn't reach verdicts. Finally, Evans won conviction in Flowers' sixth trial, in 2010, the case at issue here. The first two cases were overturned in part because Evans impermissibly introduced evidence relating to all four deaths in cases where Flowers was on trial for killing only one person. In the second trial, Evans got into trouble for striking black jurors, with a judge overruling one of the strikes. Then, the state Supreme Court overturned the third verdict, again citing racial bias in removing jurors. Lawyers for Flowers argue the guilty verdict from the sixth trial should be tossed for the same reason, noting Evans has overwhelmingly used his ability to strike individual jurors to remove black people. "Mr. Evans has a history of keeping black folks off the jury ... so he can guarantee himself a victory, pretty much," said Ray Charles Carter, who represented Flowers in his last four criminal trials. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Jim Hood's office declined to comment. Evans did not reply Monday to a request for comment. In the course of selecting a jury, lawyers question potential jurors and first try to weed out people for specific reasons including unwillingness to impose a death sentence or personal relationships with people involved in the case. Both sides also can excuse a juror merely because of a suspicion that a particular person would vote against their client. Those are called peremptory strikes, and they have been the focus of the complaints about discrimination. Evans has removed black jurors at 4.5 times the rate that he struck white jurors, according to an "In the Dark" analysis of 6,700 jurors in 225 trials over 26 years. The U.S. Supreme Court tried to stamp out discrimination in the composition of juries in Batson v. Kentucky in 1986. The court ruled then that jurors couldn't be excused from service because of their race and set up a system by which trial judges could evaluate claims of discrimination and the race-neutral explanations by prosecutors. Justice Thurgood Marshall, who had been the nation's pre-eminent civil rights attorney, was part of the Batson case majority, but he said the only way to end discrimination in jury selection was to eliminate peremptory strikes. Flowers' case had previously come to the U.S. Supreme Court's attention. In 2016, the justices ordered Mississippi's top court to re-examine racial bias issues in Flowers' case following a high court ruling in favor of a Georgia inmate because of a racially discriminatory jury. But the Mississippi justices divided 5-4 in upholding the verdict against Flowers. The state, defending the conviction, argues that justices must narrow the focus from Evans' broader record to the case at hand. "Any potential relief must be confined to the events of this, his most recent conviction and sentence," Assistant Attorney General Jason Davis, who will argue the case for the state, wrote in a brief. The state argues that each of the five black women who were removed from the jury were struck for legitimate reasons that they knew Flowers, worked with his relatives, had been sued by Tardy Furniture, or opposed the death penalty on principle. "The race-neutral reasons provided by the state were valid and were not the result of pretext," Davis wrote. An executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei is suing the Canadian government, its border agency and the national police force, saying they detained, searched and interrogated her before telling her she was under arrest. Lawyers for Meng Wanzhou said Sunday they filed a notice of civil claim in the British Columbia Supreme Court. Canada arrested Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, at the request of the U.S. on Dec. 1 at Vancouver's airport. She is wanted on fraud charges that she misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. The suit alleges that instead of immediately arresting her, authorities interrogated Meng "under the guise of a routine customs" examination and used the opportunity to "compel her to provide evidence and information." The suit alleges Canada Border Service Agency agents seized her electronic devices, obtained passwords and unlawfully viewed the contents and intentionally failed to adviser her of the true reasons for her detention. The suit said only after three hours was she told she was under arrest and had right to counsel. "This case concerns a deliberate and pre-meditated effort on the part of the defendant officers to obtain evidence and information from the plaintiff in a manner which they knew constituted serious violations of the plaintiff's rights," the claim says. Meng is out on bail and living in Vancouver awaiting extradition proceedings. On Friday, Canadian Justice Department officials gave the go-ahead for her extradition proceedings to begin. Meng is due in court Wednesday to set a date for the proceedings to start. It could be several months or even years before her case is resolved. Meng's arrest set off a diplomatic furor and severely strained Canadian relations with China. Beijing has accused Washington of a politically motivated attempt to hurt the company. China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor on Dec. 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng. A Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier. Kovrig and Spavor haven't had access to a lawyer or to their families since being arrested. Nicolas Dorion, a spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency, said it's not a practice of the agency to comment on legal matters that are before the courts. A justice department spokesman referred comment to the border agency, and a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were unlikely to comment Sunday. Gary Botting, a Vancouver extradition lawyer who is not representing Meng, said Canada's Border Services Agency tends to overstep. "They took her under custody without telling her why," Botting said. "They disguised the real reason why they detained her. Her rights were violated." Botting said they had no reason to detain her as she had travelled to Canada many times before. "They are trying to get all this information ahead of time and they know ultimately an arrest was in the works," he said. Julian Ku, senior associate dean for academic affairs at Hofstra Law, noted the civil action is separate and apart from Meng's extradition proceeding. He said the lawsuit will allow her to argue she is being unfairly treated and support her broader public relations claim that the detention is part of a U.S and Canadian political conspiracy against Huawei. Lynette Ong, an associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto who focuses on China, quipped that the detained Canadians should take Beijing to court for violation of basic human rights, taking a leaf from the Meng lawsuit. "The violation of their human rights is so much more grave than violation of her constitutional rights," Ong said. "But that's not even possible for them. The fact that they were denied a lawyer in the first place means they are not entitled to any justice." The U.N. system's chief scientist on weather and climate warned Friday that climate change has "a multitude of security impacts" and is increasingly regarded as a national security threat with global warming records broken in 20 of the last 22 years. The Maldives' foreign minister, Abdulla Shahid, told a U.N. Security Council meeting on "the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security" that there is no bigger security threat than climate change which endangers the Indian Ocean island nation's very existence. But the acting U.S. ambassador, Jonathan Cohen, never even mentioned the words "climate change" or "security" in his council speech. And Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia objected strongly to discussing climate change in the Security Council, saying it is not a threat to international peace and security and should only be discussed in specific cases where it is a risk factor. More than 80 of the 193 U.N. member states spoke at the day-long council meeting and virtually everyone except the United States agreed that climate change was happening. Russia's Nebenzia said it should be discussed elsewhere in the U.N. system by experts, but the U.S.' Cohen spoke only of "natural disasters" like hurricanes and floods that "frequently lead to breakdowns in social order and spikes in crime, violence and instability." Professor Pavel Kabat, chief scientist of the World Meteorological Organization, recalled that the first warnings of the world's changing climate were issued at its First World Climate Conference in 1979. And he began his speech saying this week's World Economic Forum in Davos ranked extreme weather, natural disasters, climate change and water crises as the top four existential threats in its new Global Risks Report 2019. Kabat said the global average greenhouse gas concentrations of carbon dioxide which causes global warming continued rising to record levels in 2018-2019. "The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of carbon dioxide was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3 degrees Celsius warmer and sea level was 10-20 meters higher than now," Kabat said. In December, countries agreed on a set of rules to ensure that the target set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) is met. At the talks in Poland, many countries wanted to formally back a more ambitious temperature goal of 1.5 C (2.7 F) which scientists say is safer, but opposition from countries including the United States delayed any change. Kabat, the first representative of the World Meteorological Organization ever to address the Security Council, said the global average temperature is already nearly 1 degree Celsius (1.8 F) above the pre-industrial era and posing threats. Rosemary DiCarlo, U.N. undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, told the council that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report in October predicting more heat waves, heavier rain events, higher sea levels and severe damage to agriculture represents "a security risk for the entire world." But she said "their consequences are felt most strongly in regions that are already vulnerable, where climate change and extreme weather compound existing grievances and threats." As examples, she pointed to the impact of hurricanes on small islands in the Caribbean and tensions between herders and farmers in Africa's Sahel region fueled by climate change and competition for land, forage and water. The Maldives' Shahid recalled speaking at the Security Council at its first-ever debate on the impact of climate change on peace and security on April 17, 2007. "I reminded the council on that day that climate change is not only an everyday fact of life for the Maldivians, but an existential threat," he said. "I reminded the council that a mean sea-level rise of two meters would suffice to virtually submerge the entire Maldives under water. That would indeed be the death of a nation." Twelve years later, Shahid said, "I am still repeating the same message" and "prospects for our future are far worse than we ever imagined." "While we are still busy trying to decide which form of the United Nations must address which aspect of climate change, our lakes are drying up, depriving fresh water to tens of millions of people. Unseasonal droughts are leaving millions of people homeless. Hunger and displacement are leading to conflicts, and entire nations are sinking under water," Shahid said. "What is a bigger security threat to us than this?" he asked. China called the U.S. arrogant and selfish on Friday after two Chinese citizens were charged with stealing trade secrets and other sensitive information from American government agencies and corporations. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying accused the U.S. of undermining other countries' development in order to defend its own hegemony. "The U.S. is a world superpower, and it's quite arrogant and selfish," she said during a regular press briefing. Alluding to other accusations the U.S. has made against China, she said: "They believe that a lie repeated a thousand times will become the truth, but I want to tell them that a lie is still a lie even after it has been repeated ten thousand times." Hua, in a written statement issued earlier Friday, said the U.S. was "fabricating facts." The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday announced the indictment of Chinese nationals Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong for allegedly carrying out an extensive cyberespionage campaign on behalf of Beijing's main intelligence agency. Besides the alleged U.S. infiltration, Zhu and Hua are also accused of breaching computers linked to companies in at least 11 other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and India. Among the cyberespionage maneuvers detailed in the indictment is the alleged use of a phishing technique which sent emails that appeared to be coming from legitimate email addresses but were in fact from members of "Advanced Persistent Threat 10," the China-based hacking group to which Zhu and Zhang purportedly belong. The indictment says the pair worked for the Huaying Haitai Science and Technology Development Company in the northeastern port city of Tianjin and acted in association with the city's Chinese Ministry of State Security bureau. A public company registry states that Huaying Haitai's work involved the development of computer software, consulting and business related to a variety of technical equipment. Zhu and Zhang's current whereabouts are unclear. China does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. "There is some cooperation under the framework of Interpol, but if the Chinese government doesn't agree with the U.S. charges, there is no way to extradite the accused," said Li Fangping, a Beijing-based criminal lawyer. Li added that if Zhu and Zhang travel to other countries that have signed treaties with the U.S., they could be detained and later extradited, as was the case with Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou's arrest in Canada. James Gong, a cybersecurity senior associate at the Herbert Smith Freehills law firm in Beijing, said the announcement of the charges has already had an impact. "The allegation itself will give rise to some suspicion, at least, among the international public, that these hacking activities are actually supported by the Chinese state," he said. Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker contributed to this story. A meeting of House Democrats turned contentious Wednesday as some new members who helped deliver the House majority confronted leaders over a resolution implicitly rebuking Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota over her comments on Israel. In the party's weekly closed meeting, Democrats protested the way Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders tried to rush out a resolution this week responding to Omar's latest remark about Israel. Omar last week suggested the Jewish state's supporters are pushing lawmakers to pledge "allegiance" to a foreign country. The draft of the resolution condemning anti-Semitism has angered Omar's fellow freshmen and their liberal supporters. Pelosi had already said the measure would be broadened to decry anti-Muslim bias. But that didn't quiet the ranks, and the party's first major dissension broke out in an uncomfortable confrontation, according to three officials familiar with the episode, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters. Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut complained that Pelosi left Democrats out of the loop on the resolution's details. "My comments were about the process we are using when concerns arise," Hayes said in a statement. "As a member of Congress I should not get important information from cable news." Two people with knowledge of the situation said Hayes was engaged in conversation with a colleague when Pelosi asked her a question. The congresswoman did not respond because she did not hear the speaker address her, these people say. Most lawmakers had left the room at the time. Then Pelosi said, "If you're not going to listen to me, I'm done talking," according to a person in the room. A senior Democratic aide said Pelosi had earlier acknowledged the issues and said the resolution was not final. One person in the room quoted the speaker as saying the leaders had tried to increase communication so that members stay united and have "a clearer understanding of what our purpose is as a caucus, how we proceed." Some Democrats hugged Omar, one of two Muslim women in Congress, during the meeting, according to other officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. She's also received powerful boosts from fellow Democratic freshmen Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif., said she spoke up in a leadership meeting earlier this week about the original draft being "reactionary" to Omar's most recent comment. The dissention over the issue, Hill said, "has been building for a while." Many have pointed to the fact that Omar was the target of an anti-Muslim poster that appeared last week at the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, with her picture over an image of the World Trade Center's burning towers. "We're very concerned about that and we want that paid attention to," said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif. "Many members of the D caucus are concerned and concerned over the general rise in hatred that we have seen. And so we want to make clear that we make a stand against all forms of bigotry and hatred." That sounds straightforward enough, especially for a party that has celebrated its diversity, criticized Republicans of their lack of it and bristled over racially sensitive remarks from President Donald Trump. But much about the resolution remains up in the air, including what it will say, whether it will name Omar and whether it will get a vote on the House floor this week as Pelosi originally intended, Democrats said. Also unclear is whether Omar will get to keep her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. There was clear dissention among the Democrats on whether a resolution condemning anti-Semitism was even necessary, given that the House voted on a similar measure already. "I'm not sure we need to continue to do this every single time," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the co-chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The upheaval was a striking change from the heady first days of Democratic control, which installed Pelosi as speaker for the second time. Omar is among the most prominent freshman, as evidence by her appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone's March issue with Pelosi, Hayes and Ocasio-Cortez. The resolution has created friction among Pelosi and all three of the women in the photo. Omar, one of two Muslim women in Congress, has declined to comment, but a series of remarks about U.S.-Israel policy have forced the Democrats to respond. Pelosi, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and other Democrats condemned Omar's remarks about divided loyalties. She did not apologize. Young people have rallied at the Rhode Island state house in support of gun-control measures. More than 100 people attended the event on Saturday, one year after the massive March for Our Lives rallies were held in Washington D.C. and cities across the country. Those demonstrations followed the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people. Tori Richard is co-founder of March for Our Lives Rhode Island and an organizer of Saturday's rally. She told The Providence Journal that they want to show that "young people are still serious.'' Richard says activists are "going to get stuff done.'' Rhode Island lawmakers are debating several gun bills, including a measure that would ban people from taking concealed weapons into schools. Virginia Drozd planned on enjoying a relaxing vacation at sea but instead found herself fearing for her life. The cruise, exploring the coast of Norway, turned into a nightmare when the ship hit rough waters on Saturday causing it to lose power and its engines. "I was laying in my bed," Drozd, who is from Chicago, told NBC 5. "And my bed just flipped with me in it." She and her cousin made their way to a lounge where the situation went from bad to worse. "All of a sudden there was a loud crash and a wave came into the room we were in and it was completely flooded," she said. "I was drenched up to my waste and even got a mouth full of salt water." It was just moments later that the mayday call went out. Drozd and other passengers put on life jackets and prepared to evacuate. "I had a moment there where I said I dont know if im going to survive this, this might not be survivable," she said. Dramatic video shows the rescue: passengers evacuated two at a time into a helicopter hovering above. "I kept thinking I was going to hit the helicopter when I get there," Drozd said. Drozd says the passengers were then taken to a shelter where Red Cross workers provided food and dry clothing. A new experience for the retired Chicago police captainwho is used to giving aide, not receiving it. "It makes you feel really humble to be the recipient of all that kind of care," Drozd said. Drozd suffered some cuts and bruises. Her cousin thinks she broke her rib. Drozd says she is just happy to be alive. The Creature From the Black Lagoon this isnt. An ashen hand was seen sticking out of an Indiana pond Thursday, prompting concerned residents to call emergency responders to the scene. Lake County sheriff deputies and Lake Ridge firefighter arrived in the 3200 block of West 53rd Avenue in Merillville about 5 p.m. where the limb was seen protruding from the murky waters. Lake Ridge Fire Chief Mike Redd told the Times of Northwest Indiana he braved the waters to pull the hand outonly to discover it was fake and attached to a white plastic pipe. Lisa Harron told the paper she was cleaning up for dinner when authorities showed up at her home and told her there were reports of a hand in the pond on her property. Every year we do a Halloween party and we have a 'zombie walk' in the backyard, one of the decorations must have blown into the water, Harron told the Times. Redd told the paper the most recent legitimate water rescue the department has done was pulling a deer from freezing water. He said hes never responded to a zombie arm in a pond before. What to Know All criminal charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett were dropped Tuesday, his legal team said Smollett pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct earlier this month Chicago police alleged he staged a hate crime attack on himself in January The Chicago Police Department released several documents, including the lengthy redacted police report, related to the investigation into "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett Wednesday. The documents were obtained by NBC News via Freedom of Information Act request and can be viewed in full below. [[507725471, C]] The report appears to detail developments in the case as they occurred, with detectives filing updates on witness interviews, evidence collection, Smollett's arrest, and more. All criminal charges against Smollett were dropped Tuesday, nearly two months after the actor was accused of orchestrating a hate crime attack on himself. The surprise decision to dismiss all charges, which was celebrated by Smollett and his legal team and blasted by the city's mayor and police department, came during an "emergency court appearance" where prosecutors not only dropped the charges against Smollett but agreed to expunge the actor's record. Smollett pleaded not guilty to multiple disorderly conduct charges earlier this month. He was initially charged with one felony count of disorderly conduct in filing a false police report in February, with Chicago police alleging that he staged the attack the month before because he was "dissatisfied with his salary." A Cook County grand jury then indicted Smollett on 16 felony counts. "Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment," Smollett's attorneys Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement. [[507675032, C]] Smollett maintained his innocence, saying after court that he has been "truthful and consistent on every single level since day one." Smollett reported the alleged attack to police on Jan. 29, claiming to have been beaten by two men who shouted racist and homophobic slurs, beat him, put a noose around his neck, and poured bleach on him, according to the indictment. Initially investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, Chicago police said new information "shifted" their approach to the case, leading them to allege that Smollett orchestrated the assault by hiring two brothers who worked on "Empire" to execute it. [[507680792, C]] Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Supt. Eddie Johnson hammered the decision to dismiss charges against him, saying they were unaware it was happening. "At the end of the day it's Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax. Period. If he wanted to clear his name the way to do that was in a court of law so that everyone could see the evidence," Johnson said. "I stand by the facts of what we produced. If they want to dispute those facts the place to do that is in court." Emanuel called the decision a "whitewash of justice." "Where is the accountability in the system? You cannot have because of a persons position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else," he said. [[507695232, C]] In a statement, the Cook County State's Attorneys office said the decision came after reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollets volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago." "We believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," the statement read. A Maryland woman whose death last year was blamed on an attack by a panhandler was actually killed by her husband and his adult daughter, police said Sunday. Keith Smith, 52, had told police that his wife, Jacquelyn, an engineer from Harford County, was trying to give money to a panhandler at a traffic light when she was robbed and fatally stabbed. Her death attracted national attention and prompted many to regard panhandlers warily. Even Oprah Winfrey, whose early career included several years covering Baltimore news, commented that she would "think twice" about giving to panhandlers after reading about Jacquelyn's death. But at a news conference Sunday, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the panhandler story is not true. He announced first-degree murder charges against Keith Smith and his daughter, Valeria Smith, 28. Both were arrested in Harlingen, Texas, near the Mexico border. Harrison said the two were preparing to leave the country. Baltimore police sent out national notifications upon learning that the Smiths had left Maryland. Harrison did not explain at the brief news conference what specific roles police attribute to Keith and Valeria Smith, nor did he articulate a possible motive. He said at the news conference that the concocted story took advantage of negative perceptions of Baltimore crime and credited detectives for their work in solving the crime. Oftentimes we have these negative depictions about our city, and its rather unfortunate when people take advantage of these negative perceptions, Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn Mosby said. "Like everyone in our city, state and across this nation, we mourned the senseless killing of Jacquelyn Smith. To now learn that family members staged this brutal killing is beyond belief and represents a double tragedy," Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh said in a statement. "They were responsible for taking Jacquelyn's life with unconscionable cruelty and contrived to do so in our city under the guise of random violence, exploiting the legitimate fears of our residents." When Smith's Dec. 1 death was initially reported, police said she lowered her car's front passenger side window to give $10 to a young woman who appeared to be holding a swaddled infant and a cardboard sign reading: "Please help me feed my baby." It was then that a man supposedly approached the car and struggled to take her wallet. He then supposedly stabbed her and ran off along with the female panhandler. After his wife died, Keith Smith gave numerous media interviews and lobbied the city to pass legislation to ban panhandling at city intersections. He said he wanted the law to be named for his wife. It wasn't immediately known if Keith Smith and Valeria Smith had attorneys who could comment for them. Ever since NBC Connecticut Investigates broke the story about a patient abuse case at Connecticuts maximum-security psychiatric hospital, there has been discussion of video evidence. The public got to see that evidence for the first time Tuesday during a jury trial for one of the hospital staffers. Former forensic nurse Mark Cusson is the first of 10 former Whiting Forensic Divisions staffers to elect a jury trial on patient abuse charges. The judge has not decided if, or when, he will allow the videos to be released. The videos are from a birds eye view camera in patient Bill Shehadis room. On the top of the screen you see Shehadi in his bed, and one or two staffers in the room with him. A police officer assigned to Whiting helped investigators identify the staffers going in and out of Shehadis room, including Cusson. In the video you could see someone, apparently Cusson, taking a mop and putting it on Shehadis head. He also appears to have kicked Shehadi off his bed. In another clip, Cusson appears to have ripped Shehadis sheet away from him, and then threw it back at him. The officer who identified Cusson in the videos still faces cross examination from Cussons attorney. A construction company in New Britain celebrated its 85th year in business by giving back to the community. On Tuesday there was a big announcement at Downes Construction Company in New Britain. I think its going to bring about togetherness, John Downes, Downes Construction Company president, said. Downes unveiled an expanded community giving program as the company marks 85 years in business. Were told the initiative was modeled after the Ana Grace Project, which was founded after the Newtown tragedy and has a motto, Love Wins. Its all about love. There is so much hate and negativism in the world today. So we just wanted to emphasize the love of life, Downes said. On Tuesday, the company opened its heart and handed out big donations. Downes is writing $1,000 checks to each of the 12 elementary school in the New Britain school district. And on Tuesday they honored teachers from three of the schools. I was in shock. I was very grateful and very humbled, Cathy Scanlon, Gaffney Elementary School, said. We work with students who are in need. So as a district this will give us a great opportunity to provide education and incentives for them, Tamika Anderson, New Britain Transitional Center, said. The money will help buy supplies for the kids. Downes is also writing a $5,000 check for the next five years to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Hartford and helping with a training program at The WorkPlace of Bridgeport. Decades of hard work are now helping to raise future generations. Rather than us celebrating our accomplishments what we thought was it would be a good opportunity for us to give back to the community, Joe Desautel, Downes Construction Company CEO, said. Hartford police have arrested two parents accused of abandoning their 6-week-old baby on a city sidewalk during an argument. Police said officers were called to the area of 716 Maple Ave. around 7:30 p.m. Friday for a reported domestic argument. According to police, the two suspects, identified as 22-year-old Kenya Anderson and 54-year-old Eddie Stevens, got into an argument and chased each other up Maple Avenue on foot, leaving their 6-week-old baby behind in a carrier on the sidewalk. A witness saw the baby and brought her inside a laundromat. Police said it was 34 degrees outside at the time. According to police, around a half hour later Anderson came back and told the Good Samaritan to keep the baby because she didnt want to Catch another DCF case. Anderson, who police said appeared intoxicated, was arrested. Stevens was found at his mothers house several blocks away and also arrested. The Department of Children and Families responded and took custody of the baby. Both Anderson and Stevens were charged with child abandonment, risk of injury to a minor, second-degree reckless endangerment, and second-degree breach of peace. Both were issued $10,000 bonds and later released on a promise to appear after their arraignments Monday. Update: Abaynesh "Abby" May was found safe on Thursday. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is asking for the public's help finding a 13-year-old girl who has been missing from Dayville since Sunday, and now her father has a message for his daughter: He just wants her to come home. Abaynesh "Abby" May jumped out of a window sometime between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. and is believed to have gotten into an unknown vehicle, according to her dad. Police brought in search dogs, but lost her scent on a nearby road, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said in a release. Her father said that she left a note when she left, but they are not sure the circumstances or where she was planning to go. "We want to get a message out to Abaynesh that we love her and we really want her to come home. Whatever circumstances that drive you to run, to go away, we can work out. We just really want you to come home," he said. Abby did not take her glasses, which she needs and she does not have a phone, her dad added. He said she does not have a cell phone. "To anybody who may have taken her or picked her up or whatever she could be with, just understand that you have a beautiful young little girl there. Shes very naive for her age. Shes homeschooled. But shes articulate and bright and shes really loved by her family and friends and we really want her home," he said. She is 5'1" and weighs 90 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Abby was last seen wearing unknown clothing with white sneakers. A Silver Alert has also been issued for Abby. If you have any information, you should call 911, NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678 or Connecticut State Police at 860-779-4900. Connecticut lawmakers have confirmed Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's nominee for economic development chief, despite initial concerns about the former Goldman Sachs executive's possible role in the national mortgage meltdown. The Senate voted 28-8 Wednesday in favor of David Lehman, who met privately with lawmakers, assuring them he did nothing untoward during his 15 years at the investment bank. Todays vote was a critical step towards our aggressive commitment to growing Connecticuts economy through strategic policies and programs in support of all facets of our diverse economy, the governor said in a statement, following the 28-8 vote in the State Senate. Three democrats and five Republicans opposed Lehmans appointment. Lehman faced much scrutiny because of his close ties to Goldman Sachs, where he most recently was a partner. During his early years at Goldman, he was involved with the packaging of some securities which were marketed and sold, and they were later realized to be worthless, contributing to the Great Recession. Goldman profited, as those who purchased the securities did not. Lehman and the Lamont administration beat back the criticism, explaining that his role in those transactions was limited. Lehman met with all but two members of the state Senate, before winning over more than two thirds of them in his confirmation. Sen. Martin Looney, (D New Haven), the top member of the Senate, had been non-committal over Lehmans appointment for weeks, even delaying the vote to allow Lehman more time to meet with members. On Wednesday, Looney voted for Lehman to run the DECD, and said the governor is entitled to have the people he wants running state agencies. "With that electoral mandate comes the responsibility and also the discretion to assemble an administration to implement the vision and programs that he's elected to pursue, he said. One Republican, Sen. Rob Sampson, (R Wolcott), spoke publicly to oppose Lehmans nomination. Sampson had less to say about Lehman specifically, than to chastise Connecticuts, and others states approaches to economic development through offering incentives and tax breaks to companies. "I believe our economic development policy ought to be based on the American principles and ideals of creating an environment that is conducive to business, Sampson said. Lehman succeeds Catherine Smith, who ran the department under Gov. Dan Malloy. Amanda Somerset reached out to NBC Connecticut Responds after she says Southwest Airlines refused to help transport her from the airlines boarding gate to the jet bridge during her flight connection from Hartford to Baltimore. The Kensington resident relies on a wheelchair, cane and her daughter to get around because of a debilitating accident. Its been frustrating, Somerset said. Whats even more frustrating for Somerset, is a recent situation she experienced with Southwest airlines. My daughter and I looked for the wheelchair for someone to come and wheel us down to security into the gate. And no one ever showed up. So, Somersets daughter ended up helping her mom through security, despite Somersets request for assistance. When she went to make her connecting flight in Baltimore to Raleigh, North Carolina, Somerset said a gate agent told her there was no one to help her. I cant push you down and no one else can push you. Can you walk? Somerset claims the agent said. Somerset replied: I had the cane next me and, I said, not really. According to Somerset, the agent insisted: Well, you need to get up and walk down the jet way. I said, well, I hope I dont fall, added Somerset. She said shes never experienced something like this before. She expressed her concerns to Southwest airlines, asked for a full refund and was offered a $200 travel voucher. I just didnt feel that was right, said Somerset. So, she turned to NBC Connecticut Responds. Southwest airlines released this statement which reads in part: We take allegations like these seriously and we will take appropriate actions should there be any concerns with the results of our internal review. To accentuate our apologies, we have offered a $200 voucher good to use toward future travel on Southwest Airlines. Somerset received a letter from Southwest apologizing for the situation and the airlines issued an additional $200 voucher for her daughter. Youre the best news station that can get the job done, she told NBC Connecticut Responds. The cashiers at Palapas Tacos in Anaheim say they take orders in English and Spanish. The signs showing menu items are bilingual. But apparently something got lost in translation when it comes to the restaurant's daily specials. A security camera captured a customer's outburst at the restaurant counter Monday, when he tried to order the Friday special. Confusion appeared to stem from banners hanging outside the store advertising each day's special with the day of the week in Spanish. For example, the Friday special -- fish tacos for $1.99 -- is identified on the outdoor banner as "Especial de Viernes." Owner Juan Del Rio said the man apparently was upset because he was charged full price for the Friday special. "He saw the receipt and he saw that it was full price," said Del Rio. "That's why he gets mad." The cashier tried to explain that the Friday special was only good on Fridays. "It says it in Mexican," the customer told the cashier. "We're not in Mexico. We're in America." An employee also showed the man a sign that displays the daily specials in both English and Spanish. The rant spilled into the parking lot, where he threatened to call immigration authorities, claiming Del Rio was "not legal." It was that last comment that upset Del Rio, who said he has never seen that type of reaction from a customer in the two years he has owned Palapas Tacos. "People thinking you're illegal, just because you're Mexican, you know?" Del Rio estimated that about 75 percent of his customers are Spanish-only speakers. Until the Monday confrontation, he said he didn't realize the banner specials had not been translated into English. NBC4 was unable to identify the customer and contact him for a comment. A ghost-sighting at Massachusetts Market Basket has created a stir as customers keep a lookout for the Victorian-era specter in the frozen food aisle. The grocery store in Wilmington was drawn into the spotlight this month after one of its employees posted about her ghost sighting in a local Facebook group. Christiana Bush, who works in the stores bakery department, claims to have seen an older woman in Victorian-era nightgown and hair cap standing in the frozen food aisle. Bush looked down and when she looked back up, she said the woman had disappeared. She looked kind of like melancholy and a little angry. So it was kind of a creepy kind of sense, but it was something, Bush said Monday. Something odd was captured when we joined a Boston paranormal investigator inside the Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts. It is the oldest wooden structure in America and plenty of people have reported ghostly experiences. Did the investigators capture the image ghost from the past, an entity or something else... She searched up and down the aisles to find the woman, but Bush said she was nowhere to be found. She believes the woman was a ghost and asked the Facebook group whether anyone else had a paranormal experience in her store. "This is going to sound really strange.but has anyone seen a ghost in the Wilmington market basket?" she wrote. The post attracted plenty of attention from both believers and skeptics, but others also claimed to have seen something ghostly in the grocery store. It soon became the talk of the town. "I had no idea it was going to blow up," she said. "I mean I just posted a random status on Facebook saying, 'Hey has anyone seen a ghost because I just wanted to connect with people.'" We went to Salem, Massachusetts for a Q&A with actual practitioners of witchcraft to dispel myths and learn more about their beliefs. Customers at the store Monday were aware of the ghost story and were on the hunt to see if they could catch a glimpse of the rumored visitor. "We are looking, we are trying to find her but we haven't seen her," said Tiffany from Billerica. "Maybe she is from the area, maybe she is looking for someone, maybe she's just not crossed over." Others are not so sure that anything paranormal is happening in the store. "I just don't believe in ghosts," said Dawn from Wilmington. "I've been coming here for 35 years and haven't seen a ghost." U.S. Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts even tweeted about the local ghost story. Apparently a ghost is haunting the Wilmington Market Basket... I thought I only needed to worry about witches and ghouls in #Salem! https://t.co/Mfu78krRwG TeamMoulton (@teammoulton) March 24, 2019 Market Basket officials say that, to their knowledge, their stores are free from ghostly visitors. "As far as we know, all of our stores are ghost-free," said Justine Griffin, a spokesperson for the company. "But if there's anything to it, she's probably attracted to our Victorian-area prices." Bush said she had never believed in ghosts, but this experience definitely changed her mind. She hopes to one day see the ghostly woman again, and maybe even strike up a conversation. "I guess I would want her to come back maybe, and like, I could talk to her, she said. "I don't know if you can talk to ghosts, but I think it would be cool to see what she is up to." Ride-hailing service Uber announced on Tuesday it has acquired its Mideast competitor Careem for $3.1 billion, making it the largest-ever technology purchase in the region. Uber said in a prepared statement that the $3.1 billion purchase consists of $1.7 billion in convertible notes and $1.4 billion in cash. Under the deal, Careem will keep its brand as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber, operating as an independent company led by its original founders. The Dubai-based Careem is among the Middle East's most successful startups. Careem quickly became popular across the Middle East, particularly in countries like Egypt and Pakistan, in part because it introduced the option for riders to pay by cash rather than just credit card. It also launched in the region in 2012, three years before Uber. Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the deal expands the U.S.-based company's strength around the world. "With a proven ability to develop innovative local solutions, Careem has played a key role in shaping the future of urban mobility across the Middle East, becoming one of the most successful startups in the region," Khosrowshahi said. Careem's CEO and co-founder Mudassir Sheikha described the deal as a "milestone" for the company and for budding entrepreneurs in the region, as well as local and global investors. Sheikha will lead Careem's business under Uber and report to a board made up of three representatives from Uber and two from Careem. Saudi-based Kingdom Holding, one of Careem's early investors, said the acquisition is an opportunity for both companies to expand and benefit from the region's rapid growth. What to Know Rockland County declared a countywide State of Emergency relating to the ongoing measles outbreak Tuesday A ban went into effect at midnight, Wednesday, barring any unvaccinated minor from public places for 30 days or they are vaccinated As of last Thursday, there are 151 confirmed reported cases of measles in the county, according to Rockland County Rockland County has declared a state of emergency and banned children who are unvaccinated against the measles from public places after a local outbreak entered its 26th week the longest since the disease was eradicated in the United States in 2000, according to officials in the New York. The ban went into effect at midnight, Wednesday, barring anyone younger than 18 who is unvaccinated against the measles from public places until they receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The ban expires in 30 days. Those unable to be vaccinated for documented and confirmed medical reasons are exempt from the declaration. "We believe this to be the first such effort of this kind nationally and the circumstances we face here clearly call for that," said Rockland County Executive Ed Day at a Tuesday press conference. "Rockland will lead the way in service and safety to the people here." The outbreak started after seven unvaccinated travelers with measles entered the county in early October, Day said. As of Tuesday, there were 153 confirmed cases. Rockland County has been grappling with a measles outbreak in recent months affecting residents in Spring Valley, New Square and Monsey. Officials had previously asked students who are unvaccinated not to attend school. Still, Day said county officials have been met with "pockets of resistance" from people unwilling to comply with health department advice and this played a part in the decision to enact a ban. Anyone found in violation could face six months in jail and/or a $500 fine, Day said. However, he added that the county is not looking to arrest people, but rather a means to grab the public's attention. Measles is a highly contagious disease. Young children, the immunocompromised and non-immune pregnant women are at highest risk for severe complications. Measles is transmitted by airborne particles, droplets and direct contact with the respiratory secretions of an infected person. Measles typically presents in adults and children as an acute viral illness characterized by fever and generalized rash. The rash usually starts on the face, proceeds down the body and may include the palms and soles. The rash lasts several days. Infected individuals are contagious from four days before rash onset through the fourth day after the rash appears. Rockland officials encourage everyone to be up-to-date with the MMR vaccine to help protect them in case of any future exposure to measles in Rockland. Rockland health officials have urged those who are ill with a fever, rash, or conjunctivitis (red watery eyes) to stay home, not have visitors and not go out in public. To further prevent the spread of illness, the Rockland Health Department said individuals who have symptoms consistent with measles should contact their health care provider, a local clinic or local emergency department before going in person to prevent exposing the illness to others. The Rockland County Department of Health is coordinating its response with the New York State Department of Health. The Department of Health will also host free MMR vaccination clinics Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. One in Pomona and another in Spring Valley. Barbara Bush says Donald Trump caused her "angst" during the 2016 election and led her to question whether she was still a Republican in the months before she died. The late former first lady's thoughts about Trump were revealed in excerpts published Wednesday in USA Today of an upcoming biography, "The Matriarch." In a February 2018 interview, Bush was asked if she still considered herself a Republican. She replied, "I'd probably say `no' today." She died in April at age 92. Bush recalls drafting a funny letter to mail after the election congratulating Bill Clinton on becoming a presidential spouse. But Bush said when she woke up, she realized "to my horror that Trump had won." Bush disliked Trump for decades and described him as "greedy, selfish and ugly," according to the book. A friend gave Bush a clock that counted down the time remaining in Trump's first term that she kept at her bedside. Students in Fort Worth could soon see safer walking routes to and from school. The city of Fort Worth has received a $3.3 million grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments to implement safe routes to seven elementary schools. The city will add $6.5 million to the project, bringing the total to $9.8 million. The "Safe Routes to School" grant will fund the design and construction of new sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, signs and bicycle facilities within a 1/4 mile radius of the selected schools. "Sidewalks would be great! It would be a lot safer with the amount of traffic between the two elementary schools," mom Suzanne Scruggs said. "I think that would be a huge improvement." The goal is to have all of the improvements completed within three years. "Whatever transportation needs they have, we want to make sure they'll be able to walk to school safely," said Interim Director of Transportation & Public Works Department of Fort Worth. "We are 60 percent done with the designs. We hope to be completely finished with the plans by 2019, and start construction 2020." City leaders will host several informational meetings within each community surrounding the selected schools. The meetings are open to the public: As North Texas continues to grow at a furious pace, so must the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that keep our communities safe. It's why dozens of them will be at DFW Airport Wednesday for a massive hiring fair. "It's about moving mountains," said DFW Airport Assistant Police Chief Lonnie Freeman. "And those mountains are vacancies at police departments all over the country." The Dallas Police Department tends to grab most of the headlines when it comes to staffing shortfalls and recruiting. But most area law enforcement agencies say recruiting is a never-ending cycle for them as well. And though they regularly find themselves competing for recruits through salaries, benefits, pensions, etc, they hope Wednesday's event, bringing them all together in one place, shows that keeping North Texas safe trumps everything else. "We want all of our communities to be safe and secure," said Freeman. "And so this is one of the ways we can bring more people into the family. Because that's what this is. You're looking at a law enforcement family. And we're trying to grow that family." The hiring fair will take place at the Drive Nation building (2550 Rental Car Drive) near the south entrance of DFW Airport from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The event is free to attend. No prior law enforcement experience is needed. A Massachusetts woman napping on a couch was awoken by a pickup truck that crashed into her house and just missed hitting her by inches on Thursday, according to Templeton police. "Thank God I have my guardian angels watching over me," said Tracy Samuels, the woman on the couch. At approximately 11:22 a.m., police received multiple 911 calls reporting a vehicle collision into a house at 315 State Rd. An investigation determined a pickup truck driven by Simon Quero-Luna of Gardner, Massachusetts, veered off the road and collided with the house, according to police. "I got up and I went, 'Oh my God, what in the world is going on?'" Samuels said. "I turned and I looked and I went 'why is there a pickup truck in my living room?'" The truck traveled through the entire length of the house and collided with a parked vehicle in the driveway on the opposite side of the house before the truck came to a stop. Samuels said Quero-Luna got out of the truck and started running around. "He turned around and he saw me and went, 'Oh my God, are you OK?' and I said, 'Yeah, I'm fine, are you OK? she recounted. Miraculously, nobody was injured, but the house sustained major structural damage and was condemned by the Templeton building inspector. Life throws you a curveball. Throws you a lemon. Do what you need to do. Try to keep an upbeat attitude," Samuels said. "And as for Christmas? Its a day. Its a day you spend with your friends and family. Thats what Im gonna do. The incident is being investigated by Templeton police. Since the Justice Department announced that Robert Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, President Donald Trump has urged Americans to toss the whole Russia investigation aside as a waste of time. It's true the special counsel didn't find an agreement between Trump's campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 election, and he decided not to make a call on whether the president obstructed justice. But Mueller did find other crimes including some committed by people close to the president and he exposed a coordinated assault on American democracy aimed at helping Trump win. Over a 22-month investigation, the special counsel's team put together perhaps the most definitive story of the Trump campaign and Russia. As Attorney General William Barr decides how much the public will get to see of Mueller's confidential report, here's a guide to what the special counsel has revealed so far. RUSSIA TRIED TO HELP TRUMP The Kremlin directed a large-scale effort to help Trump during the 2016 election. According to U.S. intelligence agencies and lengthy indictments brought by Mueller's team, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a multipart influence campaign aimed at hurting Democrat Hillary Clinton's candidacy, undermining American democracy and helping Trump get elected. That effort included the hacking of the Democratic National Committee, Clinton's campaign and other Democratic groups. Russian intelligence officers then coordinated the release of stolen emails and internal documents using the false online personas Guccifer 2.0 and DCLeaks, and later the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. While the hacking was being carried out, Mueller has also accused a Russian troll farm, known as the Internet Research Agency, of using fake social media accounts to flood the American public with disinformation. That social media effort began in 2014 with a goal of sowing discord by trumpeting extreme positions on divisive political issues. But as the presidential campaign progressed, the Mueller team says the effort began supporting Trump and disparaging Clinton. WikiLeaks has denied that Russia was the direct source of the material it released. One defendant in the troll farm case has denied the allegations. PEOPLE AROUND TRUMP WERE RECEPTIVE TO THE HELP Donald Trump Jr., Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone and Trump himself all sought to benefit politically from Russia's efforts. In the middle of the campaign, Trump Jr. took a meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer thinking he would be getting "dirt" on Clinton. Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting, which included Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, despite it being described to him as part of a Russian government effort to help his father. Stone sought to help the Trump campaign benefit from damaging material released by WikiLeaks. After the DNC pointed the finger at Russia in its hacking, Stone pitched himself as a WikiLeaks insider in discussions with the Trump campaign. According to Mueller, Trump's campaign kept in contact with Stone about the timing and content of any releases of Clinton documents that could be damaging to her campaign. Trump himself also publicly welcomed Russia's help. During a political rally, Trump called on Russia's hackers to help find emails scrubbed from Clinton's private server, saying: "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing." Court documents show that on that same day, Russian intelligence officers tried to hack into email accounts hosted at a domain used by Clinton's personal office, as well as email addresses used by her campaign. TRUMP WAS TRYING TO DO BUSINESS IN RUSSIA DURING THE CAMPAIGN In fact, he wanted to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Court documents in the case of Trump's longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, show the Trump Organization pursued the project even after Trump had secured the Republican presidential nomination. As part of that effort, Cohen spoke with an assistant to the Kremlin's spokesman about finding the land and financing for the building's construction. He also pitched Trump on visiting Russia during the campaign as part of the business proposal. The potential deal ultimately fell through, but Cohen discussed the project with Trump and his family even as the GOP candidate was publicly claiming that he had nothing to do with Russia. HIS CLOSE ADVISERS SOUGHT RUSSIAN BACK CHANNELS DURING THE TRANSITION Former national security adviser Michael Flynn , in particular, was a conduit, according to court documents . In the waning weeks of the Obama administration, Flynn had several conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., involving two issues important to Mueller. On Dec. 22, 2016, at Kushner's direction, Flynn asked Kislyak to delay or vote against a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, a request Russia rebuffed. A couple days later, President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its election interference efforts. But in discussions with Kislyak, Flynn asked that Russia not escalate the situation and only respond "in a reciprocal manner." Putin ultimately decided not to respond in kind, which Kislyak said was the result of Flynn's request. LOTS OF PEOPLE AROUND TRUMP LIED TO INVESTIGATORS His national security adviser, campaign chairman, personal lawyer and three other aides or advisers: All of them have been accused of lying to federal agents or Congress. Flynn lied about his contacts with Kislyak. Cohen lied about the Trump Tower Moscow deal. Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos lied about his contacts with a Maltese professor who told him the Russians had dirt on Clinton in the former of thousands of emails. Mueller also accused Stone of lying to Congress about his discussions regarding WikiLeaks, though Stone denies any wrongdoing. BUT MUELLER DIDN'T FIND A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY WITH RUSSIA There were Russia contacts but they weren't a crime. In his letter , Barr says Mueller uncovered "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign." But the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." To make that determination, Mueller's investigation used a specific definition for "coordination." According to Barr's letter, the special counsel looked for evidence of any agreement "tacit or express" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government regarding election interference. They found none. EVIDENCE ON "BOTH SIDES" ON OBSTRUCTION On obstruction, Mueller decided not to decide. "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Mueller wrote in his report according to Barr. Instead, the special counsel laid out the evidence on "both sides" of the question. According to Barr, Mueller left unresolved "difficult issues" of law and fact regarding whether Trump's "actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction." Without a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in. Barr, who was appointed by Trump, says he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there wasn't sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. He stressed that the decision was based on the facts related by Mueller and not a reflection of the Justice Department's view that a sitting president can't be indicted. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS There's still a lot unknown about Mueller's report. Barr laid out the main findings and revealed the report's title "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election." He said it is made up of two main parts, one on Russia election interference and one on obstruction of justice. But he didn't say what episodes the special counsel specifically evaluated or why Mueller chose not to take a position on the question of obstruction. He didn't even say how long it is, and the Justice Department still won't. Barr has said he's still reviewing what can be released to Congress. And for now, Americans will just have to wait. Nearly 50 people who work at the Texas Capitol have been vaccinated this week because a page contracted whooping cough, a health scare that comes as legislatures around the country grapple with the extents to which parents should be allowed to not vaccinate their children. Texas health officials have been offering the vaccinations since Monday, three days after lawmakers were notified that a page had come down with the highly infectious disease. At least two House members and their staffs received vaccinations, and one representative who often takes her 9-month-old to work called her pediatrician to check what precautions she should take. The whooping cough case is being held up as a warning in the Texas House, where politically active vaccination opponents have tried to claim territory. "I know it's on people's minds," said state Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston. "People speculate about which members are going to come down with it because they didn't get vaccinated." Vaccinations are a recurring fight in statehouses, including in Washington state, where a measles outbreak has lawmakers trying to limit vaccine exemptions. A bill in New York would let minors get vaccinated without parental consent, while a California proposal would give state health officials -- instead of local doctors -- the power to decide which children can skip vaccinations before attending school. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection also known as pertussis that often starts with what feels like a mild cold, followed by weeks of intense coughing fits. The disease gets its name from the sound some people make at the end of a coughing jag when they gasp for breath. There are about 10,000 to 40,000 cases of pertussis reported each year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Forty-seven people in the Texas Capitol received pertussis vaccinations supplied by state health officials Monday and Tuesday, said Lara Anton, a spokeswoman with the Texas Department of State Health Services. She said she could not disclose any details about the person who contracted whooping cough, citing privacy, but House pages are typically children around middle-school age. "It was a large number of people who were potentially exposed," Anton said. In Texas, the number of schoolchildren claiming vaccine exemptions has surged from about 2,300 students in 2003 to more than 56,000. Some legislation filed this year would make it easier to opt out of vaccines or prevent state health officials from tracking exemption data. On Wednesday, worries over vaccination exemptions in Texas could even creep into a vote over a new $250 billion state budget. A Democrat filed one amendment that would study vaccination levels at child-care facilities. "That a case of pertussis was confirmed on the House floor should be a wake-up call," said Rekha Lakshmanan, director of advocacy and public policy for The Immunization Partnership, based in Houston. "The fact it happened inside lawmakers' own house should give everyone a reality check." S Band Radar & Maps | Forecast | Weather Alerts Traffic | Send Us a Photo/Video | Live Cams We are quickly moving into the busiest time of the year for severe weather in North Texas. Already this year we have had three tornadoes along with severe storms that have produced damaging wind gusts and very large hail. Since 1950 tornadoes have occurred in every month of the year in North Texas. Clearly our busiest months are April and May, with a decrease in tornadoes in June and the rest of the summer. Based on this information, now is the time to make sure you have a severe weather plan in place to protect your family. The latest video forecast from NBC DFW team of Weather Experts will appear in the player above. Keep up with the latest changes to the weather by downloading the NBC DFW smartphone App for iOS and Android! If you follow these two rules, your odds of surviving the majority of storms is very high: 1. Get as low as you can 2. Put as many walls in between you and the outside as possible In most homes the location that most satisfies these rules is a bathroom or a closet. Finding adequate shelter is the key to storm survival. While tornadoes are frightening, the good news is that the vast majority of tornadoes that have occurred since 1950 have been on the lower end of the intensity scale. The typical strength of tornadoes is EF0 or EF1. These are tornadoes with winds up to 110 mph. Certainly strong enough to cause some damage, but weak enough to survive. The more violent tornadoes such as EF 4 and EF 5 have occurred less than one percent of the time. So as spring storm season arrives, make sure you have a plan. Be prepared for the worst but take comfort in knowing that most of our North Texas tornadoes are survivable. Get the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here. The man previously behind the San Diego Zoos famous panda exhibit said he doubts the beloved bears will ever make a return to the city following the zoos announcement that its last two giant pandas are headed to China. Dr. Donald Lindburg represented the San Diego Zoo in negotiations with China that eventually allowed pandas to come to San Diego, becoming one of the first U.S. zoos to house them. He went on to serve as the head of the giant panda team for a decade when the animals first came to the city in September 1996. Lindburg still remembers the moment Bai Yun arrived at it to her new home. She came bounding out of her cage, you know, and she did a summersault on the hillside, and everybody was going, Oooh, aaah, he said. Now, more than two decades later, Lindburg fears it might be the end of an era for the San Diego Zoo. I rather doubt that this will happen again, Lindburg told NBC 7. It will be difficult to outdo what the pandas have done for us. They were very unique and drew huge crowds -- lots of publicity, lots of financial support. That, I think, is an era, more or less, ended. The San Diego Zoo announced that its last two remaining giant pandas will head to China. NBC 7's Melissa Adan has more on why they have to go. As for a replacement animal to the pandas, Lindburg doesnt think they can be beat. I dont know if there is another animal that will be adored and loved as much as the pandas were. There might be, he said. The pandas have always been popular, and, in fact, if you were to go to the zoo today, you might have to get in line. Lindburg said the love for the pandas came from the community following each moment of their journey in San Diego. Every step of our work was publicized, the community really supported us, and it was just a wonderful episode in recent years to have all of this happen. Its sad to me that its all going to end, Lindburg told NBC 7. Panda Portraits: A Look Back at San Diego's Beloved Bears Lindburg said San Diego Zoo CEO Douglas Myers put him in charge of the incoming pandas in the 1990s because Lindburg had success getting cheetahs to breed in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. In a career sense, it couldnt have been better, Lindburg said. Once I was given a position of responsibility, I thought, How lucky can I get? Though, Lindburg said it was a somewhat difficult start with the first two pandas that came to the San Diego Zoo, Bai Yun and Shi Shi. When we did get the pair, we were delighted with the female (Bai Yun), Lindburg said. However, Lindburg said the male panda, Shi Shi, was totally disinterested in anything but feeding. Lindburg noted that Shi Shi was also very old when he arrived in San Diego. The panda expert said he wanted to replace Shi Shi, but the contract between China and the San Diego Zoo said a replacement could only be offered if a panda dies. With the remaining giant pandas to leave the San Diego Zoo for China, many are wondering how it will impact business. NBC 7's Danny Freeman has more. Why dont we declare him dead? Lindburg said. During meetings with officials in Beijing, Lindburg brought up this idea to declare Shi Shi dead to provide a second male panda to San Diego. They were scratching their heads, laughing a little bit, looking at each other, and finally they said OK, Lindburg told NBC 7. That was a big moment for us, you know, that we could count on having a male that knew what he was supposed to do. Enter Gao Gao, who would go on to spend more than 14 years at the zoo. At that time, it showed a growing relationship with China, Lindburg said. Another moment that strengthened their bond, he said, was when the San Diego Zoo developed a formula to help abandoned panda cubs. When pandas have twins, the mother tends to abandon one, Lindburg told NBC 7. So, to help both cubs survive, the San Diego Zoo developed a formula that would keep baby pandas alive when theyre in the incubator state. That changed everything. The Chinese were very happy with us, because they were no longer losing every second twin, Lindburg said. It helped greatly to improve our relationship with the Chinese. They realized we were serious. On August 21, 1999, Hua Mei was born, marking the first time a panda cub survived in captivity in the U.S. She was the product of artificial insemination between Bai Yun and Shi Shi. From the NBC 7 Archives, reporter Adam Freed talks with panda expert Donald Lindburg about the birth of a cub who would later be named Hua Mei in 1999. It was the first success of the breeding program in the U.S. aimed at saving the giant panda from extinction. Being the first one, this baby was a real celebrity, Lindburg said. The national interest to the birth of the first baby panda in the United States is mind-boggling. Since then, the San Diego Zoo saw five more cub births, all born by Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Many of Bai Yuns cubs only stayed in San Diegos exhibit for a few years. Hua Mei stayed for nearly three and a half years, Mei Sheng stayed four years, Su Lin stayed five years, Zhen Zhen stayed three years, and Yun Zi stayed nearly three and a half years. Xiao Liwu was Bai Yuns last cub. Born in 2012, Xiao Liwu would have almost been at the San Diego Zoo for seven years, but he and his mother will leave for China at the end of April. They were the last two giant pandas at the zoo. Itll be a sad day when we dont have pandas anymore, Lindburg said. The last day residents and tourists can see the beloved pandas will be April 27. The Henry Avocado company in Escondido is voluntarily recalling whole avocados that might be contaminated with the listeria bacteria at the company's North County packing facility. Henry Avocado said the recall covers conventional and organic avocados grown and packed in California. The company said the avocados subject to recall were in stores before March 22. The questionable fruit was sold in bulk to retailers in California, Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina and New Hampshire. Phil Henry, president of the avocado company, told NBC San Diego that avocados imported from Mexico are safe to eat and are not being recalled. The types of Henry avocados can be easily identified by the small stickers on their skins (Pictured Above). One sticker has the words "Organic" and "California" and the number 94225. The other has the words "California" and "Bravocado" and the number 4770. There have been no reports of any illnesses associated with the avocados. The company says it issued the voluntary recall after a routine inspection of its packing plant revealed samples that tested positive for listeria. The company says avocados imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry are not being recalled and are safe. Listeria is a bacteria that can cause fever and diarrhea, and more dangerous complications in pregnant women, and the frail and elderly. "This voluntary recall is being conducted and overseen by a third party expert," company president Phil Henry told NBC San Diego. "Henry Avocado is focused on thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing our Escondido facility. This will be followed by comprehensive environment sampling before we begin packing there again." The San Diego Farm Bureau said the avocado recall is a good reminder of the importance of washing all fruits and vegetables -- including avocados -- before eating. "Because the concern with an avocado is very simple," said Farm Bureau spokesman Eric Larson. "You peel the skin off, so people assume that it's completely safe (to eat). But if you put a knife through it, you can take whatever's on the skin and put it onto the fruit." California lawmakers will discuss the future of high-speed rail Tuesday and seek answers from the Newsom administration about the governor's vision for the long-delayed project. The Senate Transportation Committee's oversight hearing will be lawmakers' first public discussion on the project since Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested changes last month. California voters approved nearly $10 billion in bond money in 2008 to build a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The total cost now stands at $77 billion with a completion date of 2033. The state does not have nearly enough money to complete the project. Newsom in his state of state speech said there wasn't a path for the project as planned and said he's instead focus immediately on completing and expanding a line through the Central Valley, adding about 50 miles of track to a line already under construction. He also said he'd continue environmental work on the full line and has since said he's committed to a train from San Francisco to Los Angeles. A background paper put together by Senate staff says Newsom's comments left people "perplexed" about his plans. His administration has not provided any additional details, including how much his new plan will cost, according to the paper. The California High-Speed Rail Authority will lay out more details about Newsom's plan in a May 1 report. Sen. Jim Beall, a San Jose Democrat who heads the transportation committee, said lawmakers want to be proactive in discussing the project's future instead of waiting for Newsom's administration to offer more clarity. "We can't be passive," he said. Set to testify are Lenny Mendonca, Newsom's appointee to head the board that oversees the rail project; the head of the project's peer review group; the state auditor and the legislative analyst's office. The Senate background briefing outlines the project's challenges, including the risk of losing roughly $3.5 billion in federal money that the Trump administration has threatened to rescind or withdraw. The state has spent about $2.5 billion and is waiting for about $929 million more. A roughly 119-mile segment of track in the Central Valley must be completed by 2022 to keep that money, and environmental reviews on the entire line must be finished. The Senate paper says the rail authority will have to work twice as fast as it has been to meet the deadline. Australia's prime minister on Tuesday accused an influential minor political party of trying to "sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders" by asking the U.S. gun lobby for donations. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was responding to an Al Jazeera documentary that reported One Nation party officials Steve Dickson and James Ashby flew to the United States for meetings with pro-gun interests including the National Rifle Association and political donors Koch Industries in September last year seeking money to undermine Australian gun laws. Dickson and Ashby later told reporters that they had not secured any U.S. money. They also said they had been quoted by Al Jazeera out of context and often after drinking. The trip took place weeks before the Australian Parliament banned foreign political donations with laws that took effect Jan. 1. Morrison said the revelations were reasons why Australians should not vote for One Nation at general elections due in May. "We have reports that One Nation officials basically sought to sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders to a foreign buyer and I find that abhorrent," Morrison said. Morrison said his government had made laws to "criminalize taking foreign political donations so foreign lobbyists cannot seek to influence our politics." Opposition leader Bill Shorten, whom opinion polls suggest will be prime minister after the election, accused One Nation of a "betrayal of the Australian political system." "The idea of One National political party operatives going to the United States, seeking millions of dollars, promising to water-down gun law protection in Australia that was absolutely horrifying," Shorten said. The Al Jazeera documentary used secret recordings made by a journalist posing as gun lobbyist Rodger Muller with a hidden camera. One Nation, an anti-Muslim party that had four senators after 2016 election but has been left with two after defections, said in a statement that all party members "have always complied with the law." One Nation also suggested the Qatar-owned Al Jazeera had breached new laws that prohibit covert foreign interference in Australian politics. The party said it had had complained to Australia's main domestic security agency and police "due to concerns of foreign interference into Australian politics in the lead up to the imminent federal election." "Al Jazeera are a state owned propaganda arm of the Qatari government that supports Islamic extremist groups and are not a legitimate media organization," the statement said. "One Nation was invited by Rodger Muller, who has now been outed as a foreign agent working for Al Jazeera to meet with the NRA, American business leaders and attend the Congressional Sportsmen's Dinner" in Washington, the statement said. The NRA did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Ashby, who is party leader Pauline Hanson's chief of staff, is recorded saying that the party would "own" both the Australian Senate and House of Representatives with a $20 million donation from the U.S. gun lobby. This means the party would hold the balance of power in both chambers and influence a government's legislative agenda. Ashby also warned that if such a donation became public, it would "rock the boat." He told reporters on Tuesday that the U.S. trip had been a fact-finding mission to learn campaign tactics. "These conversations with the NRA were to look at nothing more than their techniques. This was not about sourcing money from the NRA. This was about sourcing technology, sourcing an understanding of how they operate, but never was it about seeking $20 million dollars from the NRA," Ashby told reporters. The news followed the mosque attacks in New Zealand on March 15 for which an Australian white supremacist has been charged with murder. New Zealand has responded by banning a range of semi-automatic weapons and foreshadowing a government-funded buyback of newly outlawed guns. The country's response is similar to how Australia strengthened its gun laws following the murders of 35 people by a lone gunman in 1996 in Tasmania. One Nation state president Steve Dickson, who is a Senate candidate at the next election, traveled with Ashby and Muller to the United States to ask for political donations, Al Jazeera reported. Dickon told NRA officials that the Australian gun control model "will poison us all, unless we stop it," Al Jazeera reported. Dickson told reporters on Tuesday he supported Australia's gun laws. He said had not solicited donations in the United States, but conceded his party was not wealthy. "I will tell you the absolute, humble truth. When I was asked: 'Do we need money to run election campaigns?' I said: 'Yes,'" Dickson told reporters. A former One Nation senator who is now an independent lawmaker, Fraser Anning, has been widely criticized for blaming Muslim immigration for the New Zealand massacre. Hanson, One Nation's leader who was criticized for wearing a burqa in the Senate, voted for the ban on foreign donations in November. "Overseas money should not have an influence in our political scene .... so I believe foreign donations should be stopped," Hanson told the Senate. Ashby and Dickson said Hanson did not speak to the media on Tuesday because she was unwell. Bitter cold is setting in after a major winter storm blanketed a wide swath of the country in snow, sleet and rain this weekend, creating dangerously icy conditions that promise to complicate cleanup efforts and make travel challenging on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Some of the coldest temperatures felt so far this season started to set in across the Midwest and Northeast Sunday and are expected to plunge further overnight. Wind chills will bring temperatures into teens in the New York City area and down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 degrees Celsius) in upstate New York, the National Weather Service predicted. In New England, they'll fall to as low as 20 F (29 C) below zero around Boston and as low as 35 F (37 C) below zero in parts of Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire, the service said. Temperatures across the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic will drop 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average, the service said. "It's life-threatening," said Ray O'Keefe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany. "These are dangerous conditions that we're going to be in and they're prolonged, right through tomorrow." The freeze will follow the weekend's run-ins with power outages, canceled trains and planes, overnight stays at the airport and traffic jams. Local officials warned residents to limit their time outside to prevent frostbite and to avoid treacherous travel conditions. They also said places could see strong wind gusts, flooding and further power outages. Utilities in Connecticut reported more than 20,000 customers without power by Sunday afternoon. "We had more freezing rain and sleet than we expected," Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Sunday as public works crews across the state raced to clear and treat major roadways before dangerous black ice could form. Amtrak canceled trains across the Midwest and Northeast over the weekend, but promised full service would resume Monday. Boston's transit system urged commuters to allow 10 to 15 minutes of extra travel time and warned of icy conditions for pedestrians come Monday. The storm caused by the clash of an Arctic high-pressure system with a low-pressure system coming through the Ohio Valley wreaked havoc on air travel and other forms of transportation all weekend. More than 1,500 flights were canceled nationwide Sunday, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking company. Among the hardest hit was Boston's Logan Airport, where stranded passengers lingered Sunday as typically bustling security lines, ticketing counters and baggage claims were largely deserted. Xavi Ortega, a 32-year old engineer from Spain, said he and his wife slept overnight at the airport after their Saturday night flight home to Barcelona was canceled. He said the couple hoped to board a flight Sunday night. "We've been sleeping, playing Candy Crush," Ortega said when asked how'd they been passing the hours. A ferry service route across Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York was also closed Sunday and flights were mostly cancelled at major airports in Vermont and New Hampshire. In the Midwest, where it dumped 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow in parts, the storm caused a plane to skid on a slick runway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Saturday, though no injuries were reported. In Kansas, a snowplow driver was killed when his vehicle rolled over, and in southeastern Missouri, slippery conditions caused a 15-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 on Saturday. One saving grace of the storm: heavily populated coastal communities from New York to Boston largely escaped major snowfall after days of sometimes dire predictions. Manhattan saw mostly rain while places along Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts' coast recorded 2 to 5 inches (5 to 13 centimeters) of snow. Mountain regions saw significantly more, to the delight of ski resort operators. New York's Adirondacks registered up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) while western Massachusetts' Berkshires saw as much as 10 and parts of northern New England were on track to approach 24 inches of snow. Nicholas Nicolet and his 6-year-old son Rocco welcomed the fresh powder as they cross-country skied on the sidewalks of Montpelier, Vermont early Sunday morning. "We think it's great," Nicholas Nicolet said during the storm. President Donald Trump urged Americans affected by the winter storm to "be careful" in a tweet early Sunday. But, as he's done in the past, Trump conflated the short-term weather phenomenon with longer-term climate change. The White House's own National Climate Assessment recently rejected the idea that a particular plunge in temperatures can cast uncertainty on whether Earth is warming. "Amazing how big this system is," Trump tweeted. "Wouldn't be bad to have a little of that good old fashioned Global Warming right now!" Associated Press reporters Bob Salsberg, Deepti Hajela and Lisa Rathke contributed to this story. Spain has issued two international arrest warrants for members of a self-proclaimed human rights group that allegedly led a mysterious attack on the North Korean Embassy in February before offering data stolen during the raid to the FBI. National Court judge Jose de la Mata on Tuesday lifted a secrecy order in the case, announcing it had found evidence of various crimes, including trespassing, injuries, threats and burglary committed by "a criminal organization" at the embassy in a leafy northern Madrid neighborhood. He identified a Mexican, an American and a South Korean as main suspects in the case. The judge named Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican national and resident in the United States, as the leader of a gang of 10 people who escaped on Feb. 22 after stealing computers and documents from the embassy, where they shackled and gagged its staff. De la Mata said the assailants identified themselves as "members of an association or movement of human rights for the liberation of North Korea" and that they urged So Yun Sok, the embassy's business envoy and only diplomat, to defect. He refused to do so and was also gagged. That group is the Cheollima Civil Defense, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the incident. The shadowy activists have the self-declared mission of helping defectors of the North Korean regime. The court document said Hong Chang flew to the U.S. on Feb. 23, where he got in touch with the FBI and offered to share material and videos with federal investigators. The Spanish investigation didn't say what the content of the material was, or whether the FBI accepted it. The document added that most suspects were believed to be outside of Spain. The FBI said in a statement that its standard practice is not to confirm nor deny the existence of investigations but added that "the FBI enjoys a strong working relationship with our Spanish law enforcement partners." A police spokesman who wasn't authorized to be named in media reports confirmed to The Associated Press that arrest warrants had been issued against Hong Chang and one other suspect. No formal charges have yet been brought into the attack. So, the North Korean diplomat, didn't respond to written questions from The Associated Press and declined to talk to reporters during a recent encounter outside his embassy in northwestern Madrid. Others identified as part of the assailants' group were Sam Ryu, from the U.S., and Woo Ran Lee, a South Korean citizen. Their whereabouts and their hometowns weren't immediately known. The South Korean Embassy in Madrid said it had no knowledge of the events and couldn't offer further comment. The assailants purchased knives and handgun mock-ups when they visited Madrid in early February, according to the investigation, and later used them for the attack. While in Madrid, Hong Chang also applied for a new passport at the Mexican Embassy, the investigation found, and used the name "Oswaldo Trump" to register in the Uber ride-hailing app. The North Korean Embassy hasn't pressed charges in Spain, and officials in Pyongyang haven't officially commented on the attack. Spanish police first found out about the incident after the wife of one of the embassy's workers managed to escape by jumping from a window. When confronted by Spanish police officers who went to check on the embassy, Hong Chang posed as an embassy official and said everything was normal. That paved the way for the group's escape in the embassy's cars. The attack's timing, barely a week before a high-stakes U.S.-North Korea summit on denuclearization derailed in Hanoi on Feb. 28, had led many to speculate that it was an attempt to obtain data related to the North's former ambassador to Spain. Kim Hyok Chol, who was expelled from Spain in September 2017 following Pyongyang's sixth round of nuclear tests and missile launches over neighboring Japan, has become North Korea's top nuclear negotiator with the U.S. When asked if Washington had anything to do with the embassy raid, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said Tuesday that "the United States government had nothing to do with this." Palladino also said that "regarding the specifics of what's going on, the Spanish authorities are investigating. The investigation is still underway. For any details on their investigation, I would have to refer you to Spanish authorities." Spanish authorities have kept the events of the embassy attack out of the public eye until Spain's El Confidencial news site first revealed some details on Feb. 27. A police investigator with knowledge of the case told the AP that "this attack, whatever it is, would have gone unnoticed if it wasn't for the woman who escaped." Last week, the rights group that allegedly led the attack posted a short video on its website allegedly showing a man shattering against the floor portraits of North Korean late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The group said the video had been filmed recently "on our homeland's soil," in what could be a reference to the North Korean Embassy in Madrid. AP writers Deb Riechmann and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. An artist is making a political statement at the U.S.-Mexico border in a unique way: with cheese. Cosimo Cavallaro is sculpting a giant wall in Tecate, California out of spoiled cotija cheese. The project is just feet away from the border. "This is a wall that is perishable," said Cavallaro. "It will dissolve in time, like all walls should, because walls are fear." Cavallaro has been raising money through crowdfunding online. He already has 200 blocks of cotija. Each block weighs 50 pounds and costs about $100 to make. "I teamed up with a chemist to make a paste that we can shape into a brick," said Cavallaro. The goal is to make the wall 1,000 feet long and 6 feet high. Cavallaro is leasing the land near the border from a private owner for one year. "It's food so it is obvious it is a waste," said Cavallaro. "In the [border fence] you can't see the waste. The cheese wall uncovers the truth." The project is called 'Make America Grate Again.' If you would like to donate money to the cheese wall, click here. Premiums for the most popular "Obamacare" plans are going up an average of 34 percent, according to a study out Wednesday that confirms dire predictions about the impact of political turmoil on consumers. Window-shopping on HealthCare.gov went live Wednesday, so across the country consumers going online can see the consequences themselves ahead of the Nov. 1 start of sign-up season for 2018. The consulting firm Avalere Health crunched newly released government data and found that the Trump administration's actions are contributing to the price hikes by adding instability to the underlying problems of the health law's marketplaces. President Donald Trump puts the blame squarely on "Obamacare" saying the program is imploding, while ignoring warnings that his administration's actions could make things worse. The Avalere analysis is for the 39 states using HealthCare.gov. Along with the increase for silver plans, premiums also are going up by double digits for different levels of coverage, including bronze (18 percent), gold (16 percent), and platinum (24 percent). Many states had higher increases. Avalere found that average plan silver premiums will go up by 49 percent in Florida, 43 percent in Missouri, and 65 percent in Wyoming. Consumers eligible for income-based tax credits will be protected from rising premiums but those who pay full-cost face a second consecutive year of sharp premium increases. Only three states will see declines Alaska, Arizona, and North Dakota. Avalere said market instability is driven by Trump's recent decision to end subsidy payments to insurers, the continued debate over "Obamacare" repeal and replace, and a presidential executive order that could open a path for lower cost plans outside of the Obama-era law. "You put all that together, and there are a lot of additional forces on top of market forces driving high premium increases for 2018," said Chris Sloan, a senior manager with the health industry consulting firm. Significant increases also are expected in states that run their own health insurance websites. Starting Nov. 1, new customers can submit applications, and returning ones can make changes to their coverage. Open enrollment will end early, on Dec. 15, about half the time allotted under Barack Obama's administration. Sign-up season comes after the president abruptly pulled the plug on federal payments that reimburse insurers for reduced copays and deductibles they're required to provide to people of modest means. That exposes insurers to a potential $1 billion loss for the remainder of this year. A federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday denied a request by state attorney's general to order the payments immediately restored. Administration officials say the payments were not properly approved by Congress and Trump is following the U.S. Constitution by denying them. Bipartisan legislation to resolve the problem is pending, and the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday said the bill would reduce federal deficits and have no major impact on coverage. But the legislation by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash. faces an uncertain future. Trump has sent mixed signals about whether he would support it. Restoring the funds may have little immediate impact on 2018 premiums, but the bill calls for insurers to rebate money to the government and consumers if they collect too much. Avalere's Sloan said that consumers who receive subsidized premiums would generally be protected from premium increases. That's not the case, however, for an estimated 7 million unsubsidized customers, most of whom buy individual plans outside the government markets. "There is a danger that middle-class people who don't get government help in paying their premiums could be increasingly priced out of the market," said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. About 10 million people currently have private health insurance through government-sponsored markets like HealthCare.gov. More than 8 in 10 customers receive tax credits to help pay their premiums, and that aid is still available despite the political turmoil. Unlike the Obama years, the Trump administration has set no enrollment goal for 2018. "We are really focused on having a smooth consumer experience," said Randy Pate, director of the HHS office that oversees the program. "That is our target for this year." Administration officials say they have made a series of improvements to the sign-up process unheeded in the acrimonious political debate over health care. More than 20 years after a woman was murdered in a South Florida consignment shop, police have arrested a man they say is responsible for her killing after authorities said fingerprints he submitted to a potential employer matched those found at the scene. Todd Barket, 51, was taken into custody Wednesday morning on a first-degree murder charge in the August 1998 killing of 68-year-old Sondra Better, Delray Beach Police officials said. Police say Better was working at Lu Shays Consignment Shop on South Federal Highway alone when she was violently stabbed and bludgeoned to death. The killer left blood at the scene and fingerprints on a heavy decorative ball, police said. The killer's fingerprints and blood samples were entered into national databases but there were no matches until December 2018, when Barket submitted his fingerprints for a background check by a potential employer, officials said. Not only did the fingerprints match, DNA found at the scene also matched Barket, authorities said. Barket, who was 29 years old at the time, lived in nearby Lantana at the time of the killing and matched the description of a man who was seen by a witness discussing the price of a couch with Better at the shop just before the murder, police said. Barket was being held in the Hillsborough County jail without bond Wednesday, and will be extradited to Palm Beach County. Attorney information wasn't available. Over 30,000 Broward County residents have power again after a lightning strike hit a Florida Power & Light substation, sparking a huge fire Tuesday night. Police confirmed the strike hit the substation at 426 NW 6th Avenue at around 8 p.m. Witnesses said they heard explosions and users on social media posted videos and pictures of flames and dark smoke rising to the sky. Shortly after 4 a.m., FPL tweeted that power had been restored while telling NBC 6's Julia Bagg that it will take several days to clean up the substation. As many as 34,000 people were without power in Broward County at its peak. A video showed restaurant patrons sitting in complete darkness on Las Olas Boulevard, and the opening night performance of the musical "Dear Evan Hansen" at the Broward Center was cancelled due to the outage. No injuries were reported. A teen staffer at a Colorado camp fought off a bear after waking up Sunday to find the animal biting his head and trying to drag him away. The 19-year-old woke up at around 4 a.m. to a "crunching sound" with his head inside the mouth of the bear, which was trying to pull him out of his sleeping bag as he slept outside at Glacier View Ranch 48 miles (77 kilometers) northwest of Denver, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said. The teen punched and hit it and other staffers who were sleeping nearby yelled and swatted at the bear, which eventually left, she said. The staffer, identified only as Dylan, was treated briefly at a hospital and released. The teen told KMGH-TV that the bear dragged him ten to 12 feet before he was able to free himself. "The crunching noise, I guess, was the teeth scraping against the skull as it dug in," said the teen, who teaches wilderness survival at the camp owned by the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. Dylan and the other staffers were near teepees where 12- and 13-year-old campers were sleeping. None of them were hurt. Black bears aren't usually aggressive but have attacked several people in the West in recent weeks. A woman and her dogs were attacked on Tuesday after they apparently surprised an adult bear and her cub in a huckleberry patch in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Last month, black bears killed two people in Alaska in separate attacks. Sixteen-year-old Patrick "Jack" Cooper of Anchorage was killed after he got lost and veered off a trail during a mountain race south of Anchorage. Mine contract worker Erin Johnson of Anchorage died and her co-worker was injured in a mauling about 275 miles northeast of Anchorage. Black bears will defend their young and have been known to paw and bite tents with food inside. After the Colorado attack wildlife officers did not find any food that would have attracted the bear so they have set bear traps in the area and plan to continue a search for the bear with scent dogs on Monday. The bear's behavior was so atypical that any bear found in the traps in the next few days will likely be euthanized and officials will test later to see if it was the same bear involved in the attack using DNA evidence, Churchill said. What to Know Edwin Hardeman, 70, is the second plaintiff to go to trial of thousands who claim Monsanto's weedkiller caused their cancer In August, a jury awarded another man $289 million after determining Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma A U.S. jury on Wednesday awarded $80 million in damages to a California man who blamed Roundup weed killer for his cancer, in a case that his attorneys say could help determine the fate of hundreds of similar lawsuits. The six-person jury in San Francisco returned its verdict in favor of Edwin Hardeman, 70, who said he used Roundup products to treat poison oak, overgrowth and weeds on his San Francisco Bay Area property for years. The same jury previously found that Roundup was a substantial factor in Hardeman's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Agribusiness giant Monsanto says studies have established that the active ingredient in its widely used weed killer, glyphosate, is safe. The company said it will appeal. "We are disappointed with the jury's decision, but this verdict does not change the weight of over four decades of extensive science and the conclusions of regulators worldwide that support the safety of our glyphosate-based herbicides and that they are not carcinogenic," according to a statement from Bayer, which acquired Monsanto last year. A different jury in August awarded another man $289 million, but a judge later slashed it to $78 million. Monsanto has appealed. Hardeman's trial may be more significant than that case. U.S. Judge Vince Chhabria is overseeing hundreds of Roundup lawsuits and has deemed Hardeman's case and two others "bellwether trials." The outcome of such cases can help attorneys decide whether to keep fighting similar lawsuits or settle them. Legal experts said verdicts in favor of Hardeman and the other test plaintiffs would give their attorneys a strong bargaining position in any settlement talks for the remaining cases before Chhabria. Many government regulators have rejected a link between cancer and glyphosate. Monsanto has vehemently denied such a connection, saying hundreds of studies have established that the chemical is safe. Monsanto developed glyphosate in the 1970s, and the weed killer is now sold in more than 160 countries and widely used in the U.S. The herbicide came under increasing scrutiny after the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a "probable human carcinogen" in 2015. Lawsuits against Monsanto followed, and thousands are now pending nationwide. Monsanto has attacked the international research agency's opinion as an outlier. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is safe for people when used in accordance with label directions. A woman who pleaded guilty to pushing her 16-year-old friend from a bridge at a popular swimming area near Vancouver has been sentenced to two days in jail and 38 days on a county work crew. Clark County District Court Judge Darvin Zimmerman sentenced 19-year-old Tay'lor Smith on Wednesday, saying she should do some jail time in light of Jordan Holgerson's serious injuries. Smith pleaded guilty earlier this month to misdemeanor reckless endangerment as part of a plea agreement. Smith pushed Holgerson off the bridge Aug. 7 at Moulton Falls northeast of Vancouver. Video posted on YouTube that was widely viewed shows Holgerson being pushed. The 50-foot (15-meter) fall broke Holgerson's ribs, caused severe bruising and punctured her lungs. In court Wednesday she said she's still dealing with physical therapy, pain, anxiety and panic attacks. Holgerson started to cry during her statement to the judge and an advocate then read it for her, saying Holgerson was terrified when she was pushed and when she was in the water thought she was going to die. "We feel lucky today that she is alive," Genelle Holgerson told the judge of the incident involving her daughter, adding that she'd like to see some jail time. "It has cost me and my family lost wages not to mention stress and heartache." Smith apologized to Holgerson in court saying Holgerson has been in her thoughts and that she has and will continue to do her best to right her wrongs. She broke down in tears when a deputy handcuffed her and led her out of the courtroom. The battle over releasing the special counsel's report intensified Wednesday as Democrats in Congress insisted Attorney General William Barr must quickly release its full findings. Barr said he'll release at least a partial version in April. Skepticism mounted over Barr's four-page synopsis, which was released Sunday and found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. The longer it takes to release the full findings from special counsel Robert Mueller, the more Democrats, in particular, warn they will question the legitimacy of Barr's actions. The push came as the House moved ahead with its own oversight of the Trump administration, including an Intelligence Committee hearing scheduled Thursday on Russia's role in the 2016 election. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said he was "disappointed" Barr would take weeks, not days, to release the report. "The president has now an opportunity for weeks, it sounds like, to do these victory laps," said Cummings, noting that Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, is among those headed to jail as a result of the probe. "Cohen goes to jail, the president runs a victory lap." The attorney general told the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., that he's combing through Mueller's report and removing classified, grand jury and other information in hopes of releasing it to Congress. Graham told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had dinner the previous evening with Barr, who said he is willing to testify before the committee after he sends Congress the report. Trump also has said he's fine with releasing the findings. "The president said, 'Just let it go,' and that's what's going to happen," Graham said. What's clear, though, is that Barr will miss the Tuesday deadline set by six House committee chairmen to see the full confidential report and its underlying documents. They have suggested they may eventually need to subpoena it. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said he was "very concerned" Barr would not provide the material by the time set. Nadler upped the oversight Wednesday by placing a call to Bar. Over 10 minutes, the chairman asked whether Barr would accede to Congress' demand for the full report by April 2. Barr said no, according to Nadler. Nadler asked if Barr would release a report to Congress without redactions. "He wouldn't commit to that," the congressman said. He also told reporters that Mueller's report was "very substantial" and fewer than 1,000 pages. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has urged caution so as not to "throw innocent people who've not been charged under the bus," is blocking legislation to force the disclosure of the Mueller report. Other Republicans, however, insisted on Congress being able to review it. "I want to see it all," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. "I think we should see the entire report." The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, was confident a full picture of Mueller's report would emerge. "People are going to be very surprised," Collins said. "Barr is going to put out a lot of stuff." Beyond Mueller's findings, House Democrats are pursuing multiple investigations into the president's political, business and personal dealings, as they press on with their oversight agenda. Part of their work is to determine if anyone sought leverage over Trump, his family or associates. Those probes, including a push to release his tax returns, are not fully dependent on whether the report backs up Barr's conclusion. By Barr's account, Mueller made no finding on whether the president obstructed justice. Though Barr cleared Mueller of obstruction, the question is now in Congress' hands. The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the Mueller report will "guide us in terms of what has been fully investigated by the special counsel, what has gone uninvestigated." Schiff said, "It's very difficult to make those decisions in the absence of really knowing what's in that report." The panel expects to "tailor" its investigation to focus beyond Mueller, said one member of the panel, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Releasing the report has become the immediate focus on Capitol Hill amid concerns from Democrats that what has been made public so far is tilted positively toward Trump. Questions about Barr are amplified by his unusual role as a lawyer who advocated an expansive view of executive power, suggesting in an unsolicited letter to the administration before being hired that the president cannot be found to have obstructed a Justice Department probe. Schiff has said Barr was all but auditioning for the job a sentiment shared by other Democrats in Congress. Mueller's role as a special counsel is different from the independent counsels that investigated earlier administrations, including Kenneth Starr's probe against President Bill Clinton. The law authorizing the independent counsel was allowed to lapse after that and Mueller, as a special counsel, conducted his work under the Justice Department. "I would hope the attorney general would not be acting as a political operative for the president," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Judiciary Committee. "The Department of Justice should not be involved in a cover-up of what's actually in the report," he said. "It's great for a banana republic, it's not great for a constitutional democracy." Barr wants to make sure nothing is released that could compromise national security or intelligence sources and methods, Graham said. He said Barr also told him he wants to check with prosecutors who have cases associated with Mueller's Russia investigation. Mueller had referred cases to other federal courts as part of his probe. Republicans have said it's time for Congress to move on from the Russia probe, but Democrats indicated they are not worried about overreaching as they push ahead with both their oversight agenda and other legislative priorities. "I haven't read the Mueller report, but if it clears President Trump, I see that as nothing but a relief for our country," said Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa. "It's the dream of the Founding Fathers that we have a separation of powers," he said. "Checks and balances." Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting. The battle began Monday as White House aides and allies blanketed television news broadcasts to trumpet the findings and claim that Trump has been the victim in a probe that never should have started. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump will let Attorney General William Barr decide whether the special counsel's Russia report should be publicly released, though she adds that "he's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out." Trump cheered the Sunday outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said. Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear. Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start whether his campaign worked with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. That could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid. But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey. According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favor. The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts like firing his FBI director that he was legally empowered to take. Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted. Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the last two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment, his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign, his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser, and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year. The special counsel's investigation did not come up empty-handed. It ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts. Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation. Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet. Sunday's summary and its suggestion that Mueller may have found evidence in support of obstruction sets up a fight between Barr and Democrats, who called for the special counsel's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigations. "Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's own claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added. Trump was at his Florida estate when lawmakers received the report. Barr's chief of staff called Emmet Flood, the lead White House lawyer on the investigation, to brief him on the findings shortly before he sent it to Congress. Mueller submitted his report to Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department. Barr did not speak with the president, Mueller was not consulted on the letter, and the White House does not have Mueller's report, according to a Justice Department official. Though Mueller did not find evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russian government, Barr's summary notes "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign." That's a likely reference not only to a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Donald Trump. Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Clinton from a Kremlin-connected lawyer, as well as a conversation in London months earlier at which Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was told Russia had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see "all the underlying evidence." He said on Twitter, "DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work." Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses. Trump answered some questions in writing, but refused to be interviewed in person by the Mueller team. Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses. In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trump's actions constituted a federal crime that prosecutors could prove in court. ____ Associated Press writers Jonathan Lemire in New York, Deb Riechmann in Palm Beach, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report. What to Know A private, gated apartment complex on Long Island went up in smoke early Tuesday Multiple fire departments were called to fight the blaze at the Fairfield Courtyard at Coram on Country Club A 71-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment after the flames were extinguished; a cause of the fire is under investigation A 71-year-old woman was found dead after a raging blaze gutted a private, gated apartment complex on Long Island Tuesday, authorities say. Homicide detectives responded to the fiery scene at the Fairfield Courtyard at Coram on Country Club Drive, but a preliminary investigation indicates no criminality was involved. Multiple fire departments were needed to extinguish the inferno, which broke out around 2:30 a.m. It was under control 90 minutes later. It appeared the fire was contained to one building, but the siding of a neighboring building was beginning to melt away, video from the scene showed. The woman who died, Susan Harelick, lived in one of the apartments in the burned building, authorities said. A cause of the fire wasn't clear. One person was also taken to a hospital in unknown condition. Police evacuated nearby buildings out of an abundance of caution as firefighters saved pets from the burning complex and worked to reunite them with owners. One woman, Dotty Carpin, told News 4 she and other neighbors believed the fire started in an apartment below hers, where a resident who uses an oxygen tank lived. It wasn't immediately clear if that resident was Harelick. Carpin says the flames consumed the building so fast she barely had time to get out -- and now she says she has lost everything. "The whole front of the building was engulfed in flames," she said. "I had to duck and run out ... so shocking ... horrible ... horrible." At least 10 people, including Carpin, were displaced by the blaze. The Red Cross says it was assisting them with temporary lodging. What to Know MTA acting chair Freddy Ferrer admitted he never phoned the family of a young mother found dead in a Manhattan subway station in January Malaysia Goodson's death was ruled to be related to a pre-existing condition, but it raised questions about a lack of subway elevators Malaysia Goodson, of Stamford, Connecticut, was found unconscious at the bottom of stairs at the Seventh Avenue station on Jan. 28 The MTA chair has admitted he never phoned the family of a young mother found dead in a Manhattan subway -- a decision he now says he regrets. Malaysia Goodson, a 22-year-old mom from Stamford, was found dead at the bottom of subway station steps inside the Seventh Avenue B D E subway station on Jan. 28, a stroller with her 1-year-old daughter Ryhlee in it still in her arms. The city's Chief Medical Examiner later ruled that Goodson had no signs of "significant trauma," and it appeared her death could be related to a "pre-existing medical condition." Regardless of the cause, Goodson's death -- at a station that does not have an elevator, just two escalators that go up -- prompted mass calls for increased accessibility across the city's transit system, including from the mayor himself. At an MTA board meeting Wednesday, MTA acting chair Freddy Ferrer acknowledged that neither he nor New York City Transit Authority president Andy Byford ever called the Goodson family to offer condolences, and said it was a mistake. He said the MTA made public statements offering sympathies but did not contact the family. Its generally customary that police officials do that. Let me cut to the chase. Sorry that it didnt happen. Thats regrettable," he said. "What happened with Ms. Goodson was unbelievably tragic...and that's why we're redoubling our efforts to make our system a lot more accessible." Goodson's cousin Dontaysia Turner was also at the board meeting Wednesday to honor her cousin's memory and join protesters fighting for accessibility in the subway system. "The station where Goodson fell has no elevators. She was going down the stairs but that station only has escalators that go up. Goodson did what so many parents are forced to do: struggle up and down the New York subway stairs with a child and stroller and hope for the best," organizers said. At the time of the incident, Mayor Bill de Blasio said her death never should have happened. "The subway system is not accessible for everyone and that's an environment the MTA should not allow," he tweeted. What to Know Alien has been adapted for the stage by the students at North Bergen County High School The production had 24 cast and crew members and took about 7 months to prepare, according to art director Steven Defendini Alien: The Play garnered major national attention after their performances on March 19 and 21 Sci-fi fans rejoice! Just before its 40th anniversary, the popular 1979 classic, "Alien," has been adapted for the stage by the students at North Bergen County High School. The production had 24 cast and crew members and took about 7 months to prepare, according to art director Steven Defendini. "Alien: The Play" garnered major national attention after the students' performances on March 19 and 21. Defendini told NBC News that the students are excited about the buzz surrounding the show. The trailer for the play has drawn rave reviews from celebrities including Patton Oswald and Paul Scheer. Writer and director Joss Whedon, meanwhile, liked a video of the play on Twitter an especially validating moment for students who consider him one of their favorite directors, the New York Times reports. While the original film production cost about $10 million, "Alien: The Play" consisted of mostly found-objects and donations with a budget estimation of about $3,500, according to the Times. The production also received praise from the the Official Alien Twitter Page. Defendini said that they are looking into doing future performances, but nothing is set yet. What to Know A 27-year-old Kansas man has been accused of kidnapping and sex attack charges in Greenwich, Connecticut His arrest stems from the night of Dec. 16, 2018, when a woman told Greenwich cops she requested a ride home from a bar and got into his car He took her to her vehicle in Greenwich, but before she could get out, cops say he sexually attacked her A 27-year-old Kansas man has been extradited to Connecticut to face charges he kidnapped and sexually attacked a woman who mistook him for her ride-share driver when she left a bar in December. Henry Revolorio-DePaz, formerly of Stamford, was brought to Greenwich Tuesday and is expected to appear in court Wednesday. His arrest stems from the night of Dec. 16, 2018, when a woman told Greenwich cops she requested a ride home from a bar and got into Revolorio-DePaz's vehicle, thinking it was her lift. He took her to her vehicle in Greenwich, but before she could get out, cops say he sexually attacked her. Afterwards, she left and filed a report. Investigators found security camera video of the woman getting into Revolorio-DePaz's car. They shared information with other law enforcement agencies and developed a suspect based on past similar incidents. Then they were able to identify the suspect's vehicle -- and its owner, Revolorio-DePaz. Investigators say physical evidence from the scene also forensically tied Revolorio-DePaz to the case. In addition to the Greenwich case, Stamford cops have a warrant for Revolorio-DePaz in a separate sex attack. It wasn't immediately clear if Revolorio-DePaz had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. What to Know Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air The EU granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date to April 12, or May 22 if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal British Prime Minister Theresa May offered up her job in exchange for her Brexit deal Wednesday, telling colleagues she would quit within weeks if the agreement was passed and Britain left the European Union. May's dramatic concession that "there is a desire for a new approach - and new leadership" was a last-ditch effort to bring enough reluctant colleagues on board to push her twice-rejected EU divorce deal over the line. It looked like it might not be enough, as a key Northern Ireland party said it would not be supporting the deal. May's announcement came as lawmakers held an inconclusive series of votes on alternatives to her unpopular deal. It was the first step in an attempt by Parliament to break the Brexit deadlock and stop the country from tumbling out of the bloc within weeks with no exit plan in place. May has been under mounting pressure from pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party to quit. Many Brexiteers accuse her of negotiating a bad divorce deal that leaves Britain too closely tied to the bloc after it leaves. Several have said they would support the withdrawal deal if another leader took charge of the next stage of negotiations, which will determine Britain's future relations with the EU. In a packed meeting of Conservative legislators described by participants as "somber," May finally conceded she would have to go, although she did not set a departure date. "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party," she said, according to a transcript released by her office. Anti-EU lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has clashed with May throughout the Brexit process, said she had been "very clear" that if Britain leaves the EU as foreseen on May 22, she will quit soon after. He said the prime minister had been "very dignified." "She put her case well, and reiterated that she had done her duty," he said. It was unclear whether May's offer to resign would be enough to win backing for her deal, which was defeated by 230 votes in January and by 149 votes earlier this month. High-profile Brexiteer Boris Johnson announced soon after May's statement that he would support the agreement, which he has previously called a "humiliation." Johnson is a likely contender to replace May as prime minister. But other hard-liners said they would continue to reject the deal, and Northern Ireland's small but influential Democratic Unionist Party refused to budge in its opposition to the deal. The DUP's support was seen as key to persuading other Brexiteers to back the deal. But the staunchly pro-British party fears a provision designed keep an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland after Brexit would weaken the bonds between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. "We cannot sign up to something that would damage the Union," DUP leader Arlene Foster told Sky News. Asked if the party might abstain instead, DUP lawmaker Nigel Dodds tweeted: "The DUP do not abstain on the Union." Two years ago, Britain triggered a countdown to departure from the EU that ended Friday, March 29, 2019. With that date approaching and no Brexit deal approved by Britain, the EU last week granted a delay. It said that if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal this week, the U.K. will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do: leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. With May clinging to her Plan A getting her deal approved lawmakers this week seized control of the parliamentary timetable for debate and votes Wednesday on a range of Brexit alternatives. The results underscored the divisions in Parliament, and the country, over Brexit. None of the eight plans received a majority of votes. The most popular were a proposal to remain in a customs union with the bloc, which was defeated 272-264, and a call to hold a public referendum on any divorce deal, which fell by 295 votes to 268. Both ideas got more support than the 242 votes secured by May's deal earlier this month. A call to leave the EU without a deal was supported by 160 lawmakers and opposed by 400. The plan is for the most popular ideas to move to a second vote Monday to find an option that can command a majority. Parliament would then instruct the government to negotiate it with the EU. May has said she will consider the outcome of the votes, although she has refused to be bound by the result. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay urged lawmakers to back May's deal, saying the ambiguous result "demonstrates that there are no easy options here." Barclay said he had introduced a motion to have Parliament meet Friday if needed for a vote on May's agreement, but it remained unclear whether it would go ahead. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would not accept another vote on the twice-rejected deal unless substantial changes were made. Wednesday's votes produced inconclusive results, but could push Britain in the direction of a softer Brexit that keeps Britain closely tied economically to the EU. That would probably require the U.K. to seek a longer delay, although that would mean participating in May 23-26 European Parliament elections. Many EU officials are keen to avoid the messy participation of a departing member state. But the chief of the European Council told European lawmakers that the EU should let Britain take part if the country indicated it planned to change course on Brexit. Donald Tusk said the bloc could not "betray" the millions of Britons who want to stay in the EU. "They may feel they are not sufficiently represented by the U.K. Parliament but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber. Because they are Europeans," Tusk said. Gregory Katz, Tobie Mathew and Raf Casert contributed. The clamor for the resignation of Virginia's top two politicians seemed to die down Monday, with some black community leaders forgiving Gov. Ralph Northam over the blackface furor and calling for a fair hearing for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax on the sexual assault allegations against him. Over the past several days, practically the entire Democratic establishment rose up to demand fellow Democrats Northam and Fairfax immediately step down. But the tone changed markedly after the weekend. A Democratic state lawmaker who had threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Fairfax, Virginia's highest-ranking black politician, set the idea aside after running into resistance. At the same time, several black clergy and civic leaders made clear they are willing to give both Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring a second chance, while urging due process for Fairfax. Herring, like Northam, has admitted putting on blackface in the 1980s. As the scandals engulfing Virginia's top three elected Democrats developed, it became increasingly clear that it could look bad for the party if Fairfax were summarily pushed out and the two white men managed to stay in power. "The sort of irony that makes your head spin is that Herring and Northam are in trouble for behavior related to Virginia's racial past. And yet it may be the only African-American statewide officeholder who, at the end of the day, gets in trouble," said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Virginia's Christopher Newport University. "This may get worse and more uncomfortable before it gets better if it does get better." If Northam stepped down, Fairfax would become Virginia's second African-American governor in history. If all three Democrats resigned, a Republican could become governor: GOP House Speaker Kirk Cox is next in the line of succession. Late last week, amid widespread calls for Fairfax's resignation, Democratic Del. Patrick Hope, who is white, announced plans to introduce articles of impeachment against the lieutenant governor on Monday. But Hope relented, citing both reaction from colleagues and online accusations he is a racist. Hours later, a group of eight black clergy and community leaders said during a news conference that they forgive Northam and want to give him a second chance. Former Richmond City Councilman Henry "Chuck" Richardson called Northam a "good and decent man" who has stood with African-Americans on important issues. Separately, a set of black leaders listed steps they said Northam and Herring should take to redeem themselves during their remaining three years in office, including removing Confederate statues and raising more money for Virginia's historically black colleges. "In our opinion, it is not enough for you to simply apologize," the black leaders said in a letter. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus did not withdraw its earlier call for Northam to resign. But its chairman, Del. Lamont Bagby, signaled willingness to work with the governor on issues of importance to black lawmakers. "My caucus, I can tell you, they're fired up to get this stuff done," Bagby said. A recent poll found a majority of black Virginians support Northam remaining in office, with Virginians overall split about evenly on the question of whether he should step down. The poll was conducted last Wednesday through Friday by the Washington Post and George Mason University. Of the three politicians under fire, Herring appeared to be in the least danger of being forced out. Black leaders have said they felt he earnestly apologized. However, in a sign of the difficulties Fairfax will face in staying on the job, four of his staff members have resigned. In interviews published Monday, Fairfax repeated denials of sexual assault allegations by Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they are victims of sexual crimes, but both women have come forward. Fairfax said he has never sexually assaulted anyone and deserves a chance to defend himself. "Everyone deserves to be heard. ... Even when faced with those allegations, I am still standing up for everyone's right to be heard," he told The Washington Post. Watson has said Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000. Tyson, a California college professor, has accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex on him at a Boston hotel in 2004. In an interview broadcast Monday, Northam provided a fuller explanation of his handling of the crisis, set off Feb. 1 by the discovery of a photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page of someone in blackface standing next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. Northam initially said he was in the photo, then denied it a day later, while admitting he wore blackface to a dance contest that same year. Northam, 59, told "CBS This Morning" that he mistakenly took responsibility for the picture because had never seen the image before. Northam, who worked as a pediatric neurologist before entering politics when he was nearly 50, said: "When you're in a state of shock like I was, we don't always think as clearly as we should." Contributing to this report were AP National Writer Errin Haines Whack and Associated Press reporters Denise Lavoie, David McFadden, Julie Pace and Michael Biesecker. President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans to revive the effort to quash the Affordable Care Act, handing Democrats an opportunity to unite in defense of the law as they try to move past the Russia investigation and win the White House in 2020. Trump's administration is asking a federal appeals court to strike down the entire health care law. The president vowed on Tuesday to make the GOP the "party of health care" and told Senate Republicans to lean into their own agenda on the issue as they head into next year's election. The moves could help Trump rally his conservative base as he celebrates Attorney General William Barr's summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report that said there was no evidence that the president or his associates colluded with Russia in the 2016 campaign. But the push also poured political kerosene on an issue that many Democrats credit with powering their midterm election victories in November. Top Democrats, including presidential candidates, said health care is an issue that resonates with voters more than the Mueller investigation. "This is something that Americans care deeply about," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, a White House hopeful. "I may not have been asked about the Mueller report at town hall meetings, but I was sure asked about health care." Other Democrats appeared to relish the chance to shift to health care. Asked if the Trump administration's court filing allowed Democrats to turn the page on Mueller, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would have been talking about health care no matter what. "We have been dealing with health care constantly," the California Democrat said. "The public attention has been on the Mueller report, but we have been focused on health care." Another 2020 contender, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, said if Trump "wants to have a fight on health care, it's a fight we're willing to have. And it's a fight he is going to lose." That confidence is in part because health care was a big political winner for Democrats last year. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters nationwide, nearly 4 in 10 Democratic voters identified health care as the most important among a list of key issues including immigration, the economy and the environment. A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday found 55 percent of Americans supporting the improvement and not the replacement of the nation's health care system. The Supreme Court has twice upheld President Barack Obama's health care law, known as "Obamacare." Five justices a majority who upheld the law in 2012 are still on the bench. Trump's effort to repeal Obamacare narrowly failed in the Senate in 2017. Nearly two years later, it's unclear where the White House plans to focus its health care efforts. Trump's most recent budget backs one piece of the legislation that stalled in the Senate. Republicans gained Senate seats last fall, but there's no indication that GOP senators want another fight over repealing Obamacare particularly not those up for re-election next year. The GOP also lost control of the House, which means any attempt to dismantle the law could not pass Congress. One White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to address still-early talks, said discussions are ongoing with Pelosi's office on legislation to lower prescription drug prices, but no substantive path forward for a broader health care bill has emerged. As the debate plays out on Capitol Hill, the White House made a surprising legal argument for eliminating the health care bill. In a Monday court filing, the administration said the entire health care law should be struck down as unconstitutional after Congress repealed fines on people who remain uninsured. That's at odds with previous statements by leading congressional Republicans who said they didn't intend to repeal other parts of the law when they cut out its fines, effective this year. It's also a departure from the administration's earlier stance in a lower court, where it had argued that only federal safeguards for people with pre-existing medical conditions and limits on premiums charged to older, sicker people should be struck down. Repeal of Obamacare in its entirety would risk making more than 20 million people uninsured. That includes some 12 million low-income people covered through its Medicaid expansion and some 11 million purchasing subsidized private health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-run insurance markets. Some Republicans say that wouldn't happen because the Trump administration's "repeal and replace" plan would send grants to states for them to run their own health insurance programs. However, during the 2017 congressional debate over repealing the health law, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the GOP replacement plans would result in steep coverage losses. Several GOP senators said Tuesday that Trump told them to ensure those with pre-existing conditions stayed protected as they work on an Obamacare replacement. Republicans appeared ready to back up the president on health care for now. Trump is "thinking that's the issue that defines us as conservatives," Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told reporters after the president addressed a closed-door meeting of GOP senators. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, said Democrats have "misled" voters about the benefits of Obamacare. "They were misled about collusion with Russia," said Scalise, R-La. "The same people that have been misleading on all those other issues want to try to mislead people on health care costs." The sudden focus on the health care law comes as Democratic presidential candidates have embraced a move toward a single-payer health care system known as "Medicare for All." The momentum for that effort could wane if congressional Democrats instead have to focus on defending Obamacare. House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled legislation to shore up the Affordable Care Act and expand enrollment to millions more people. "For (Trump) to bring this back up is traumatic, and it shines a real light on what the contrast is going to be between him and whoever the Democratic nominee is," said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the Democratic group American Bridge. The group's planned $50 million investment in deterring swing-state voters from backing Trump in 2020 will focus in part on health care, as well as other economic issues, Bates said. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Zeke Miller, Kevin Freking, Mark Sherman and Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report. It was a conversation with a very candid customer in the early 1990s that set Jeff Taylor, president and co-owner of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters Inc., out to find the best coffee in the world. The man, in his 50s, had stopped by one of two PTs Coffee Roasting Co. locations, which Taylor owns in his native Kansas. When Taylor asked him how he enjoyed his cup of joe, the gentleman indiscreetly responded, actually, your coffee sucks. I was devastated, said Taylor, then 30. It was then I realized business was good because it was a social phenomenon there werent any other coffee shops in the neighborhood then. But the product just wasnt good. At that point, Taylor made it his mission to make sure the coffee he was providing his customers was top quality. He first taught himself how to roast his own coffee. Then he began traveling to places like Guatemala, Colombia and Africa and forging direct-trade partnerships with the best coffee growers he could find. It was a huge undertaking, but, for Taylors intents and purposes, it worked. Today, Taylor not only owns three PTs Coffee locations, which recently received a 93/100 rating from Coffee Review, in 2017 he purchased San Diego-based Bird Rock Coffee Roasters for an undisclosed amount. In March, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters also received a 93/100 rating from Coffee Review. Jamie Scott Lytle Direct Trade Forte Our niche is that we curate the best coffee, said Taylor of the companys success. Smaller roasters may not have the resources to do direct trade it takes a lot of resources and relationships We are able to go to the farms and see the conditions and all that. Though I work with some importers to buy coffee direct trade is our forte and we do that by finding the right farmers. With Taylor as president, Bird Rock has grown from three locations to six, and the sales of the privately-owned company have doubled in the last two years. In February, Bird Rock signed a distribution deal that brought its products to all 27 Gelsons Markets in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Orange County. Bird Rock also signed a contract with Karl Strauss Distributing, a division of Karl Strauss Brewing Co., that will introduce Bird Rock Coffee Roasters nitro cold brew to over 100 restaurants and bars in Southern California. In mid-March, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, in partnership with Santa Barbara-based Frinj Coffee, sold the first California-grown coffee. The varietal, a certified organic Cuicateco, scored a 92 from Coffee Review and sold out within hours. We got the only harvest this year, said Taylor. There were 500 pounds, but most of it was kept back for replanting. There was about 17 pounds left to sell and we bought it. It sold out in record time. The Right Partner Lindsay Mesta, co-founder and chief operating officer of Frinj Coffee, said Bird Rock Coffee Roasters was the right partner to introduce the first California-grown coffee because of its meticulous operation and also because of its Morena Boulevard roastery location. They handle the coffee with such care and did a fantastic job roasting, clearly from the Cuicateco Coffee Review, said Mesta. Their location was the icing on the cake as far as being a great fit for showcasing the California coffee experience they sit right in the middle of the largest coffee-growing region in our state. Twenty farmers and more than 25,000 trees are currently planted within 15-20 miles of the Bird Rock roastery. Bird Rock offers its customers choices, said Mesta, ranging from the everyday coffees and unique and rare coffee experiences such as private cupping events. Mastering the Craft Taylors path to better coffee has not been an overnight success. When he began his search, it took him two years to perfect roasting. After realizing he needed to take his research one step further, he began traveling to various parts of the world to better understand the process. What he found was that disgruntled farmers just werent taking coffee-growing seriously because they were underpaid. So, around 2001, Taylor and a handful of other coffee enthusiasts from around the world set out to encourage these growers so that they could get better coffee. In business, you try to cut costs. In our situation, we wanted to pay those farmers more so they would take better care of their coffee, said Taylor, adding that at the time it wouldnt be uncommon to get molded, defective cups of green coffee. We started making arrangements, telling them, if you take a small piece of your property a micro lot and make sure that the harvest and the process is perfect, I will give you $2.20 a pound, versus the $0.47/pound farmers were typically paid then. We wanted to see how good the coffee would be if we just started to take care of it. Around the same time, Taylor started to get involved with the Alliance for Coffee Excellence organization and its annual Cup of Excellence competition. The idea was to encourage growers to take a small piece of land and treat it like a child by nurturing it and taking good care of it, said Taylor, and then submit those beans to the competition. The Cup of Excellence would invite Taylor and others like him to rate the coffee and whatever coffee got the highest rating would be auctioned off to specialty coffee roasters, including Taylor, on the internet. Fast Facts About Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, Inc. President: Jeff Taylor Revenue: N/A (privately owned), doubled sales over the past two years No. of Employees: 113 Headquarters: Linda Vista Year Founded: 2006 Company Description: Roasters of direct-trade and locally sourced coffee with six brick-and-mortar coffee retail stores in San Diego County. Additional stories from the San Diego Business Journal are available here. Sign up for their free daily email newsletter. The leader of a Tijuana motorcycle gang pleaded guilty Tuesday to leading a sophisticated vehicle theft scheme that targeted Jeep Wranglers north of the border. According to court documents, Jimmy Motas Josue Martinez and his gang, the Hooligans, are responsible for stealing more than 150 Jeep Wranglers within this county alone since 2014. Martinez, 33, admitted that he and other gang members hacked security systems in the trucks and used secret codes and duplicate keys to take $4.5 million worth of Wranglers, some right out of the driveways of unsuspecting owners. The jeeps were taken and transported south of the border to Tijuana where they were sold or stripped for valuables, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. As part of his plea agreement, Martinez admitted to stealing Jeeps in Pacific Beach, Serra Mesa, Chula Vista, Mission Valley, Ocean Beach, Hillcrest and North Park. He also admitted to leading a theft crew of his own. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Martinez and other gang members obtained VIN numbers for Jeeps they wanted to steal, obtained codes pertaining to those trucks and made duplicate keys for them. Then, while stealing the Jeeps, crews would disable the security system and reprogram the duplicate keys to the trucks computer. CHP gives demonstration on how Hooligans MC gang stole Jeep Wranglers. #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/TORmXzZp5D Artie Ojeda (@ArtieNBCSD) May 30, 2017 Without the security system making any noise, crews were able to drive away without drawing any attention. Last May, the U.S. Attorneys office announced the arrests of three members of the gang and demonstrated how theft crews used the secret codes and duplicate keys to steal the Jeeps. San Diego Police Department officers attempted to arrest Martinez in November of 2014, but he refused to pull over and instigated a pursuit. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Martinez drove at speeds faster than 120 mph on Interstate 805 toward the U.S.-Mexico border, and when he reached the port of entry, repeatedly rammed vehicles in front of him so he could make his way through into Mexico. The joy ride is over for Mr. Martinez, said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. These thefts were audacious and sophisticated and created hassle and heartache for scores of Jeep owners. I congratulate prosecutors Andrew Galvin and Joseph S. Green, the FBI and members of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force for putting together a strong case against a gang that, unfortunately, has lived up to its name. Martinez and eight other Hooligan gang members were charged in May of 2017 in a Grand Jury indictment. Of the nine, six have pleaded guilty and three remain at large. According to that complaint, the Hooligans used similar means to steal motorcycles in and around San Diego County and sell or strip them in Tijuana. Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24. South Africa: Minister condemns City of Cape Town Transport Minister Blade Nzimande has refuted the City of Cape Town's appointment of Rail experts to assist with the takeover plan for passenger rail in Cape Town. The intention by the City of Cape Town is dishonest, opportunistic and absolute political maneuvering that seeks to undermine the enormous efforts by the government to change the rail landscape of South Africa, which has been characterised by decades of disinvestment by the apartheid regime, Nzimande said. In terms of the Legal Succession to the South African Transport Service Act, the Department of Transport is the only legitimate transport authority to ensure that rail commuter services are provided within, to and from the Republic in the public interest. For the City of Cape Town to reinvent the wheel and interfere with the mandate of another sphere of government will not be able to assist rail commuters to have an improved, accessible, reliable and cost-effective public transport, the Minister said. In dealing with the legacy of disinvestment in rail, the government has invested billions in resuscitating this important mass based mode of public transportation which is used by the majority of South Africans, blacks in particular. Our immediate and urgent task is to stabilize and provide a predictable Metrorail service within current capacity, measured by increased ridership, customer satisfaction and efficiency, the Minister said. The Department of Transport said government has progressively restored operational stability in Western Cape Metrorail. With the Cape Town Corridor requiring about 110 full train sets, in the 2019/2020 financial, we have commenced to operate 88 fully configured trains. PRASA is also undertaking extensive infrastructure work focusing on, amongst others, fixing of perways and signalling, the department said. The Minister has appointed a stakeholder relations managers from my office based here in Cape Town, Gauteng, eThekwini, and East London (where Metrorail has operations) to act as a direct link between my office and various stakeholders, including commuter and community organisations. In the Western Cape, the Minister has established the Metrorail Security Enforcement Team working together with the very same municipality and the provincial government. Critical as well is for us to ensure that we provide our demand driven services according to customer travel needs, coupled with predictability and reliable information dissemination, the Minister said. Minister Nzimande is currently in the process of meeting the Board and Labour Unions to find common solutions to the operational challenges facing PRASA. These engagements will culminate in the Minister making announcements on the interventions from government to stabilise PRASA. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Heightened security measures are being put in place around some North County Islamic centers, ahead of what's expected to be a heavily-attended Muslim Sabbath this week. Members of the Muslim community met Tuesday with police to discuss added protection after an alleged arson attempt Sunday at the Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque in Escondido. The fear and chills that went through everyones spine is hard to explain, said Jusef Miller, a member of the Muslim community in Escondido. That fear motivated Miller and a member of the mosque to meet with Escondido police Tuesday ahead of Sabbath at three area Islamic centers. In order to secure that safety, Escondido police say they plan to have extra security on Friday. They'll also have extra insight. We gave them the customs and the timings and layouts of our buildings so they know how to come in and what to do," said Miller. The fire at Dar-ul-Arqam broke out at 3:15 a.m. in what authorities are investigating as both arson and a hate crime. "If its an arson, its possibly a hate crime as well," Escondido Police Department (EPD) Lt. Chris Lick said. Miller told NBC 7 worshipers were fortunate the fire happened before the morning prayer when there weren't as many people at the mosque. Police do not have a description of the suspect, and no arrests have been made at this time. The FBI, ATF and the San Diego County Sheriffs Bomb/Arson Unit also responded to the fire. There was visible scorching to one of the mosque's exterior walls and It appeared that the fires damage was contained to that area of the mosque, according to an EPD official. The mosques security camera spotted an unidentifiable person breaking a lock to a parking lot gate and then pouring a flammable liquid near a side door and setting it on fire. Seven people were inside the mosque for religious purposes at the time of the fire, police said. They were able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived on the scene. There are people who sleep there overnight, Miller said. They heard the sounds, they smelled some funny smells, and there was a letter saying something connecting to New Zealand at the same time. So, this made everybody especially on edge. Police said the suspect left a message in graffiti in the mosques parking lot. EPD did not reveal what the graffiti said, only noting that it referenced the New Zealand terror attack days prior. The graffiti was covered in dirt to block out the hate-filled message. Anyone with information may call the EPDs Community Safety Tip Line at (760) 743-8477. Hours after the New Zealand terrorist attacks on March 15, San Diego Muslims unified in worship during a prayer at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Days later, a vigil was held at Balboa Park in honor of the victims of the New Zealand massacre. More than 1,000 people were feared dead in Mozambique four days after a cyclone slammed into the country, submerging entire villages and leaving bodies floating in the floodwaters, the nation's president said. "It is a real disaster of great proportions," President Filipe Nyusi said. Cyclone Idai could prove to be the deadliest storm in generations to hit the impoverished southeast African country of 30 million people. It struck Beira, an Indian Ocean port city of a half-million people, late Thursday and then moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi with strong winds and heavy rain. But it took days for the scope of the disaster to come into focus in Mozambique, which has a poor communication and transportation network and a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy. Speaking on state Radio Mozambique, Nyusi said that while the official death toll stood at 84, "It appears that we can register more than 1,000 deaths." Emergency officials cautioned that while they expect the death toll to rise significantly, they have no way of knowing if it will reach the president's estimate. More than 215 people were killed by the storm in the three countries, including more than 80 in Zimbabwe's eastern Chimanimani region and more than 50 in Malawi, according to official figures. Hundreds more were reported injured and missing, and nearly 1,000 homes were destroyed in eastern Zimbabwe alone. Doctors Without Borders said rivers have broken their banks leaving many houses fully submerged and around 11,000 households displaced in Nsanje, in southern Malawi. U.N. agencies and the Red Cross helped rush emergency food and medicine by helicopter to the stricken countries. Mount Chiluvo in central Mozambique was badly hit by flooding. One resident said he heard a loud noise, like an explosion, and suddenly saw a river of mud rolling toward his home. "I was indoors with my children, but when we looked we saw mud coming down the road towards the houses and we fled," Francisco Carlitos told Lusa, the Portuguese News Agency. The family lost their home and possessions but safely reached higher ground. The country's president, who cut short a visit to neighboring Swaziland over the weekend because of the disaster, spoke after flying by helicopter over Beira and two rural provinces, where he reported widespread devastation. "The waters of the Pungue and Buzi rivers overflowed, making whole villages disappear and isolating communities, and bodies are floating," Nyusi said. The United Nation's humanitarian office said the government issued flood warnings and said heavy rains were forecast for the next 24 hours, including in areas already hit hard by Idai. The Red Cross said 90 percent of Beira was damaged or destroyed. The cyclone knocked out electricity, shut down the airport and cut off access to the city by road. U.N. officials cited reports that Beira Central Hospital's emergency room was flooded and without power, and that much of the building's roof had collapsed. Doctors Without Borders said it had completely ceased operations in Beira hospital, local health centers and throughout the community. The destruction in Beira is "massive and horrifying," said Jamie LeSueur, who led a Red Cross team that had to assess the damage by helicopter because of the flooded-out roads. The U.N. also warned of devastation outside Beira, in particular of livestock and crops. "As this damage is occurring just before the main harvest season, it could exacerbate food insecurity in the region," the U.N. humanitarian office known as OCHA said. Mozambique is a long, narrow country with a 2,400-kilometer (1,500-mile) coastline along the Indian Ocean. It is prone to cyclones and tropical storms this time of year. In 2000, Mozambique was hit by severe flooding caused by weeks of heavy rain, a disaster made much worse when a cyclone hit. Approximately 700 people were killed in what was regarded as the worst flooding in 50 years. Mozambique won independence from Portugal in 1975 and then was plagued by a long-running civil war that ended in 1992. Its economy is dominated by agriculture, and its exports include prawns, cotton, cashews, sugar, coconuts and tropical hardwood timber. More recently it has been exporting aluminum and electric power, and deposits of natural gas were discovered in the country's north. Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations. A Texas county commissioner has apologized for saying that the Latina heading the state's most populous county should "speak English" after she spoke in English and Spanish at a news conference about a massive chemical fire, NBC News reported. The commissioner, Mark Tice, of Chambers County, posted a comment saying "English this is not Mexico," after Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo the first Latina and first woman elected as the county's top executive addressed constituents and reporters from English and Spanish language media outlets on a briefing Monday that was streamed on CBS affiliate KHOUs Facebook page. In the same comment, Tice said Hidalgo was "a joke." Tice confirmed to The Houston Chronicle that he had posted the comments, saying: "Its real simple. This is the United States. Speak English." The immediate backlash following Tices comments pushed him to issue a response. Uber Technologies Inc. faced a fresh round of turmoil Thursday, with its global operations chief resigning and a major investor suing the ride-hailing company's former CEO. Ryan Graves told Uber staff in an email Thursday that he will transition out of his role as senior vice president of global operations in mid-September. Graves will remain on Uber's board. That board and its support for former CEO Travis Kalanick was the subject of a lawsuit filed Thursday in Delaware Chancery Court by Benchmark Capital Partners. Benchmark holds 13 percent of Uber's stock. It claims Kalanick is trying to pack Uber's board with his allies and eventually return to his post as CEO. The venture capital firm says that would harm Uber's shareholders, employees, drivers and customers. A spokesperson for Kalanick said the lawsuit is "completely without merit and riddled with lies and false allegations." In the lawsuit, Benchmark claims Kalanick concealed material information from investors when he created three new board seats in 2016 and gave himself the right to appoint people to those seats. Among other things, Benchmark said, Kalanick knew Uber might be accused of stealing trade secrets from Waymo, Google's self-driving car unit. Waymo sued Uber earlier this year. The lawsuit also says Kalanick didn't discuss his failure to curb Uber's pervasive culture of discrimination and sexual harassment. Kalanick resigned under pressure in June after a monthslong investigation into harassment and other behavior problems at the San Francisco-based company. But he quickly appointed himself to one of the three board seats. The other two remain vacant. Benchmark says Kalanick has acquired "a disproportionate level of influence over the board, ensuring that he would continue to have an outsized role in Uber's strategic direction even if forced to resign as CEO." The firm says Kalanick has already interfered in the board's attempts to hire a new CEO. Benchmark wants to remove the three additional seats and return the board to eight members. It's also asking the court to prevent Kalanick from participating in board meetings. Uber said it had no comment on the lawsuit. But in a statement, Kalanick's spokesperson said the lawsuit is an attempt to deprive Kalanick of his rights as an Uber founder and shareholder. "Travis will continue to act in the interests of Uber and all of its stakeholders and is confident that these entirely baseless claims will be rejected," the statement said. Police in Arlington County, Virginia, announced Wednesday nine arrests related to human and sex trafficking in Northern Virginia. The two-day operation on March 21 and 22 was conducted by both the FBI Washington Field Offices Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and police officers from ACPDs Criminal Investigations and Operations Sections to find victims of trafficking. The goals of this proactive operation...were to attempt to locate any juveniles being exploited into sex trade and help raise awareness about sex trafficking in our community, the police department said in a news release. Five of the people charged are from the District or Virginia, while four are from Arkansas, California, Nevada and New York Marquilla Braxton, 21, from the District, Ashley Kibler, 22, of Washington, Virginia, Debbie Sanchez, 26, of Sacramento, California, and Wanxiu Kang, 45, of Flushing, New York, were charged with misdemeanor prostitution. Kayle Rolle, 22, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was charged with misdemeanor prostitution and detained on outstanding out-of-state warrants. Faith Horton, 22, of Front Royal, Virginia, was charged with misdemeanor prostitution and felony child endangerment. Lillian Moody, 22, also of Front Royal, was charged with misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Katherine Haberman, 22, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged with misdemeanor prostitution and possession of marijuana. And Gary Dulaney, 70, of Clifton, Virginia, was charged with felony use of a vehicle to promote prostitution. Police said they identified advertisements promoting prostitution in Arlington to find the nine suspects. Police ask anyone with information about potential trafficking in the county to call 703-558-2222 or provide anonymous tips to 866-411-8477. The FBI says the 2017 fatal shooting by U.S. Park Police of an unarmed Virginia motorist is a complex case and that its 16-month investigation is not unusual. The bureau's comments came in a March 15 letter to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who has questioned why the FBI is taking so long to investigate the shooting death of 25-year-old Bijan Ghaisar of McLean. The FBI said it can't provide a detailed response while the investigation is ongoing. Ghaisar died after a November 2017 car chase on the George Washington Parkway, police footage shows. Ghaisar, an accountant and Virginia Commonwealth University graduate, was unarmed when police shot him in the head three times, his family says. Ghaisar's family filed a federal lawsuit seeking $25 million and answers about what happened. The lawsuit describes the incident as "egregious, senseless and unlawful" and spoke of "two out-of-control law enforcement officers." A video released by Fairfax County Police shows officers shooting Ghaisar after he stopped his car, then started to drive off. A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a man who claims he killed a Virginia store manager because he thought the victim was a werewolf. Jurors had deliberated for three days in the trial of 34-year-old Pankaj Bhasin, who is charged with murder in the July 13 death of Bradford Jackson. They told the judge Wednesday morning that they were hung and couldn't reach a unanimous decision. The judge told them to take a break and to continue to deliberate. But after about three hours of further deliberation, the jurors said they were deadlocked. The prosecution and defense agreed on some key issues during the trial. Attorneys for both sides said Bhasin viciously slashed and beat Jackson. Both also said he is mentally ill. But they differed on Bhasin's state of mind on the day of the brutal killing. The question is not whether the defendant is mentally ill..of course he is, a prosecutor said during closing arguments. What matters is was he insane on July 13? The final two witnesses in the trial said Bhasin was legally insane at the time. A forensic psychologist and forensic psychiatrist testified for the defense that Bhasin suffers from bipolar disorder. They said they believe he was in the midst of a psychotic episode and suffering from delusions when he killed Jackson. Bhasin had checked out of a psychiatric hospital just days before he left his New Jersey home and drove to the D.C. area, according to his attorneys. Attorneys said his first stop was at the Four Seasons in Georgetown. The hotel staff called security when he told them, "People are going to die." He also said, "It's going to be a bad day." Two hours later, he drove to Old Town and walked up a flight of stairs to Jackson's office at Window Universe. Bhasin said Jackson asked him "What are you doing here? Get the f*** out," according to the forensic psychologist who testified. Bhasin then allegedly picked up a box cutter and stabbed Jackson 53 times. He also beat him and broke his neck, police said. For Brad Jackson, it wasn't just a bad day. It was his last day ... because of what the defendant did to him," a prosecutor said during closing arguments. Prosecutors said Bhasin's threat at the Four Seasons is proof of premeditation and urged jurors to find him guilty of first-degree murder. But the defense claims Bhasin had no idea what he was doing and called for him to be found not guilty by reason of insanity. Jackson's close friends found the defense's argument difficult to believe. "All we do is just hope that Brad didn't die in vain and this won't be, you know, a man who gets out in a couple years and has a life to live and spend time," Andrea Milliken said. "I dont buy it. I mean, he parked around the back. He walked to the front and he's trying to say he's killing a werewolf?" Jackson's friend Erin Kennedy told News4 outside the courthouse Tuesday. They described Jackson as kind and mild-mannered. "Wrong place, wrong time. Brad was a great guy. He would have never instigated anything with anyone. I would never ever see that coming from him. And to have this guy beat the life out of him, stab him post mortem is disgusting," Kennedy said. A Liberian woman living in Maryland for almost 30 years could be forced to return a country where her family was killed if an immigration deadline passes Sunday. About 4,000 Liberians are in the U.S. under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), and for almost 30 years U.S. presidents have extended their stay, protecting them from war, Ebola and a broken economy. So many of my family, my siblings were deceased, were killed in the war, including my kids, my mother, my father, Frances Baysah said. She grew up in Liberia but fled to the U.S. in her early 20s during her country's civil war. She's a pediatric nurse living in Fort Washington, if President Donald Trump does not extend DED, she will lose her legal status and will not be able to work in the U.S. They have no other place in the world, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said. They came here literally seeking refuge. Trump provided a 12-month extension last year that ends Sunday unless something changes. U.S. senators and representatives from Maryland and state legislators are asking the president to extend the deadline and consider citizenship for Liberians who have been in the U.S. for decades. Speed limits on Maryland Route 97 (Georgia Avenue) in Wheaton and Silver Spring will be reduced this week to enhance pedestrian safety, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA). The coming changes are part of the MDOT SHAs new program focused on improving driver and pedestrian safety in business districts with dense populations, such as Georgia Avenue, which is considered a hotspot for deadly pedestrian crashes. The program plans include speed limit reduction, upgraded crosswalks and narrowed lane widths across Prince Georges County and Montgomery County, according to MDOT SHA. MDOT SHA is approaching pedestrian safety differently than we have before, Greg Slater, MDOT SHA Administrator, said in the departments press release. Beginning this week, speed limits will be reduced at the following locations along Maryland Route 97: Between Maryland Route 586 (Veirs Mill Road) and Arcola Avenue in Wheaton from 35 mph to 25 mph Between Glenallan Avenue and Maryland Route 185 (Connecticut Avenue) in Silver Spring from 45 mph to 35 mph Between Maryland Route 185 and Cherry Valley Drive from 50 mph to 45 mph This is not the first highway in Maryland to be a part of this program. Speed limits were already reduced on Maryland Route 190 and Maryland Route 187 in Montgomery County. MDOT SHA plans to improve other highways this year, including Maryland Route 410 and 188 in Montgomery County, as well as Maryland Route 210, Maryland Route 410 and US 1 in Prince Georges County. NEC Big Data Solution ready for trial at Medco Power plant 27th March, 2019 Medco Power Indonesia NEC Corporation Medco Power Indonesia (through its subsidiary) and NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE:6701) announced today that they will begin proving trials as of April for a system to detect equipment malfunctions and breakdowns at the predictive stage, under the assumption of full-scale introduction of the system by Medco Power Indonesia. The trials will be conducted using invariant analysis technology, one of NEC's "NEC the WISE" (*1) AI technologies. Invariant analysis technology collects and analyzes large volumes of time-series data from numerous sensors installed in large-scale complex systems such as power plants, manufacturing and petrochemical plants. It then uses the results of these analyses to visualize the system's operational status and detect abnormalities at the predictive stage. In recent times, there are calls for a more stable supply of power in Indonesia due to an increase in the demand for electricity. Medco Power Indonesia has been providing operation and maintenance (O&M) service in the past years and now is taking a further challenge to utilize advanced AI technology to achieve greater reliability in its plant operations. In the trials, complex plant datasuch as temperature, oscillation, pressure, gas flow volume, and power output datawill be collected from thousands of sensors installed at power plants, which form the core of Medco Power's business operations. AI technology will fully automate the most complex analysis to recognize unusual patterns and detect anomalies early for engineers to take preventive action rather than corrective action. "Looking ahead, NEC will continue to contribute to improving the safety of social infrastructure such as power, petroleum and chemical plants, which form the basis for daily life in modern society," said Makoto Akura, General Manager, Trading and Service Industries Solution Division, NEC Corporation. *** What to Know U.S. Rep. Mia Love said her Josh Holt's imprisonment took a major emotional and financial toll on the family. The cause of Laurie Holt's death is not yet known. She is survived by her husband and four adult children. Laurie Holt, a Utah woman who struggled for nearly two years to get her son freed from a Venezuelan jail, died on Sunday. She was 50 and died less than a year after her son returned to the U.S. Holt died unexpectedly at her home in the Salt Lake City suburb of Riverton, former U.S. Rep. Mia Love said Monday. Laurie Holt's husband Jason Holt went to wake her for church at about 11 a.m. and found her unresponsive, Love said. The cause of death is unknown and Holt had no known illnesses, said Love, who became Holt's friend while working with other politicians to help win freedom for Josh Holt. He returned to the U.S. with his Venezuelan wife, Thamara Caleno, in May 2018 after he was imprisoned in June 2016 on weapons charges that the Holts and U.S. politicians said were invented. Holt went to the South American country in June 2016 to marry Caleno, who he met online while looking for a Spanish-speaking Mormons to help him improve his Spanish. He had planned to spend several months in Caracas with his new wife and her two daughters to secure their visas so they could move with him to the U.S. Instead, the couple was arrested and accused of stockpiling weapons. Venezuelan authorities suggested the case was linked to unspecified U.S. attempts to undermine President Nicolas Maduro's rule amid deep economic and political turbulence. Laurie Holt vehemently denied the accusations on her son's behalf and raised awareness about her son's incarceration by hosting rallies and fundraisers and doing media interviews. Holt and Caleno were held in a notorious Caracas prison and Laurie Holt said her son suffered numerous health problems in jail, including kidney stones and respiratory problems. Their release came after secret backchannel talks between an aide to Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and close allies of Maduro. President Donald Trump hosted the Holts at the White House to commemorate the release. U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch on Sunday retweeted a video taken that day in his office of the moment when Laurie Holt first saw her son again, leading to a long and tearful hug. Laurie Holt is survived by her husband and four adult children. "We are devastated to announce the tragic passing of our sweet Mama Bear Laurie Holt this morning," the family said in a statement on her Facebook page. "She had a gigantic heart and we will miss her dearly." Love said Josh Holt's imprisonment took a major emotional and financial toll on the family, leaving Jason Holt with debts to lawyers they hired to try to win Josh Holt's freedom. Love has launched an online fundraising drive to help raise funds for the funeral. Love said Laurie Holt was relieved and happy to have her entire family back together, and was very excited about the August due date for Josh Holt and Thamara Caleno's baby. "It's sad to me that she really only had a few more months with her family and her son," Love said. "She's going to be missed dearly." A Virginia woman woke up early Saturday to a stranger in her bed kissing her on the cheek, according to Arlington police. The victim was asleep when the man entered her unlocked apartment in the 3400 block of Columbia Pike before 3:30 a.m., police said. When officers arrived on scene, we determined that the female victim was asleep in a residence when she was awoken to an unknown male suspect, who kissed her on the cheek, said Ashley Savage of Arlington police. The man left when the woman confronted him, police said, but terrified he might still be in the apartment, she quickly texted 911. When we arrived on scene, she was obviously very distraught from the incident, Savage said. Officers located a man matching the description still in the apartment building. They arrested 37-year-old Dominus Dayton and charged him with unlawful entry and assault and battery, police said. He was held without bond. The woman was not injured. Authorities say a car that was fleeing police blew a stop sign in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and crashed into another car, killing its driver. Surveillance footage shows a suspect's speeding Chevrolet Malibu trying to evade police before the crash that killed 68-year-old Janet Murphy, a New Bedford woman who was driving a Toyota Corrolla. A male passenger who was in that car was critically injured. "Just a horrific scene," said one eyewitness. "Very sad and scary thought. There's a school here, and hours earlier, there were all kinds of schoolchildren here." Police responded around 9:45 a.m. to the two-vehicle crash at Ashley Boulevard and Tallman Street. Two victims were pulled from a Toyota Corolla. Murphy was pronounced dead while she was being taken to Rhode Island Hospital, according to the Bristol County District Attorneys Office. Murphy's passenger was also taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition. Police said one occupant of the second vehicle, a Chevrolet Malibu, remained at the scene. The second occupant is believed to have fled. State police said they were searching for James Bennett Werra. Investigators say Werra is transgender and most likely dressed as a female, going by the name Janaya Love. Werra allegedly cut off a GPS monitoring bracelet Tuesday. An initial investigation showed that Fairhaven police had attempted to stop the Malibu, but the vehicle drove into nearby New Bedford. It was then that the driver failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with the Corolla, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing. An off-duty firefighter from a neighboring community is being credited with helping to rescue residents from a burning home in Lynn, Massachusetts on Wednesday morning. The fire was reported at 56 Essex St. around 9:15 a.m. Nahant firefighter Robert Barreda, who was off-duty at the time, was driving down Essex Street when he noticed the fire. He stopped his vehicle, called 911 and then entered the burning building to evacuate the residents. Fire officials all six adults and seven children who live in the 3-story building all escaped safely. No injuries were reported. Nahant Fire Chief Michael Feinberg issued a statement commending Barreda "for his lifesaving actions." Neighbor Jack Fenton also rushed to the scene to help get his neighbors out of harm's way. "I yelled at my wife to call police and she had said to go up and try and get the people out of the house, so I did," recalled Fenton. "It was fast. It was really fast." Patty LeBaron, whose daughter escaped the fire, said there is nothing left in her apartment. "She just lost everything they had there... there's nothing left," LeBaron said. "My son-in-law opened the back door and the flames just came flying in, he said." The fire was declared under control shortly before 11 a.m. The heat from the fire melted the siding of other buildings nearby, according to Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation but authorities are looking at the second floor of the building. Residents who live on either side of the building who also suffered damage have been allowed back inside their homes. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show former Maine Gov. Paul LePage pardoned his late mentor's grandson and people convicted of everything from drug trafficking to embezzlement. The state released the list of 112 people who were pardoned in response to a request by the AP made under the state's Freedom of Access Act. The state had previously confirmed only one name. Past Maine governors routinely released the names of individuals pardoned in high-profile cases. But the secretary of state's office this year said a 2017 change in state law prevented the release of pardons made by LePage, a Republican. The state has since reversed course. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a March 15 executive order allowing for pardons to be made public. A message was left seeking comment from representatives for LePage, who left office in January. Two young girls had to be treated at a Massachusetts hospital Tuesday afternoon after being stuck by a used, discarded syringe while playing outside of an Arlington middle school. Police responded to the Gibbs Middle School at 4 p.m. after receiving a medical call. Upon arrival, the director of the Arlington Recreation Kid Care program told officers that a 5-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl had been playing when one child picked up a syringe and was stuck in the hand by the needle. The second girl then removed the needle from the first girl's hand and she was stuck as well. Both girls were treated at the scene until first responders arrived. The children were then taken to Winchester Hospital for tests and treatment. Authorities said further tests will be conducted on the syringe to determine if the children may need further care. Town officials plan to meet Wednesday morning to discuss the incident and come up with a plan of action. Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Bodie issued a statement saying she was extremely concerned of the improper disposal of the syringe. "It is extremely concerning that a hypodermic needle would be so carelessly disposed of on the ground of a school, where children constantly gather, walk and play," Bodie said. "We are instructing facilities staff at all of our buildings to conduct extensive and scheduled searches of the grounds and perimeters to ensure that if anything else is out there, that it is immediately and safely disposed of." The real estate sales in Massachusetts have increased over last year. The Massachusetts Association of Realtors said Wednesday that closed sales for single-family homes and condominiums this past February increased over last February's totals. Home sales rose about 9 percent while condo sales rose about 7 percent. The association also reported that the median price for a single-family home increased in February over last year but the median price for condominiums declined. The median home price in Massachusetts rose nearly 8 percent to $377,000 while the median condo price dropped 3 percent to $349,000. A pedestrian was injured Tuesday in a road rage incident in Lynn, Massachusetts. Police responded Tuesday night to a pedestrian crash on Winnepurkit Avenue. A victim was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries, police said. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash has been taken into custody and is facing multiple charges. Lynn Police did publicly not name the suspect Tuesday. Authorities described the case as a road rage incident, but did not give further details about what happened. A Massachusetts man is facing federal charges after he allegedly used Snapchat to pose as a teen girl to extort nude photos from a middle school boy. Matthew Murphy, 22, of Whitman, was arrested and charged Tuesday in federal court in Boston with two counts of sexual exploitation of children. Prosecutors said Murphy posed as a teenage girl to get a Massachusetts middle school-aged boy to send him nude photos, and that federal investigators acquired parts of Murphy's Snapchat account that he made using a fake identity. Investigators also said they found evidence that Murphy was extorting other minors nearby. When authorities executed a search warrant at his home, Murphy allegedly admitted the fake account was his. Investigators also allegedly found evidence on some of his personal electronic devices. In court documents, Murphy denied meeting any of the boys he communicated with but told agents he would "befriend" one at a time. He also admitted he helped out at local Boy Scout events and met one child and his father through the organization. The Boy Scouts of America issued a statement on Murphy's arrest: "This individual's behavior is reprehensible and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands. Upon learning of these reports, we removed this individual and prohibited him from any future participation in Scouting," read a statement from Bryan Feather, Scout Executive/CEO, Mayflower Council of Boy Scouts of America. "Nothing is more important than the safety and protection of children in our programs it is our top priority." If convicted, Murphy faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years behind bars. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Investigators said they're still trying to identify additional victims, and anyone with questions or information related to the case is asked to call 617-748-3274. A pair of Maine lawmakers want stray balloons to be labelled as litter. On Wednesday, the idea was presented as draft bill L.D. 937 to the state legislature's joint Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The bill would make balloon releases, sometimes done at weddings, funerals and other special celebrations, illegal in Maine. Anyone who sends a balloon up into the air would be fined $250 for littering. The proposal would also require Maine balloon retailers to provide a warning to customers that balloons are a choking hazard and harmful to the environment. Jan Partridge says businesses like her shop, Balloons and Things in Belgrade Lakes, would be negatively impacted if the bill became law, with customers being deterred from buying balloons altogether. "They just don't get it," Partridge said of lawmakers and lobbying groups like the Natural Resources Council of Maine that support L.D. 937. "We are all for the environment, but when you're taking something that is fun, natural, it's not fair." The law also makes no distinction between balloons made of latex and balloons made of mylar, a shiny plastic. Latex is technically not a plastic, which is why Partridge and others in the balloon industry argue it is biodegradable. Environmentalists disagree, and the debate has been cited as controversial as far back as a 1990 New York Times article. For lawmakers like Rep. Lydia Blume, a Democrat from York and a co-sponsor of L.D. 937, the matter is simple: animals in the ocean need to be protected, and balloon releases are putting them at risk. "They can still sell balloons," Blume said of concerned retailers. "They just have to say they're a hazard to the environment and to children." The balloon bill will still need to be approved by Maine's legislature and governor for it to become state law. With representatives of several New England police agencies watching on, a Vermont man was sentenced to a year in prison Wednesday for his role in the death of a longtime Massachusetts officer. He taught us to live our lives with grace, compassion, and a damn good sense of humor, Kathleen Rebello said of her late husband, Joe, in a victim impact statement read at the sentencing of Frank Sargent. Joe was a man of action and purpose, who led by good example. He was the type of person who elevated all around him to his high standards. Joe Rebello had retired from a more than 30-year career in Massachusetts law enforcement, including jobs as chief of police in the towns of Kingston and Stow, when he and several buddies went on a motorcycle trip to Vermont in June 2014. Who would have thought that doing the thing that he loved would be death for him, Donna Arsenault, Joe Rebellos sister, asked rhetorically in her victim impact statement. The longtime officer was killed when Sargent crossed the center line on Route 14 in Woodbury and crashed into the group. No one knows exactly what happened, but prosecutors insist Sargent was negligent. The office of the Washington County States Attorney said Sargent failed to take an anti-seizure medication and was driving a substandard car while very tired. Retired Hudson, Massachusetts police chief Richard Braga was on that motorcycle ride, too, and lost his left leg below the knee. Braga delivered a victim impact statement that described the lasting emotional, physical, and financial impacts to losing his close friend and suffering life-altering injuries in the crash. Id argue that delayed justice is no justice, Braga told Judge Mary Morrissey, referencing how nearly five years have passed since the crash. In short, Frank Sargent ruined my life. In a prior hearing, Sargent pled no contest to negligent operation with death resulting and told Judge Morrissey that he is a good and hardworking person, who never intended for any of this suffering. I am very sorry for the loss and pain I have caused, Sargent told the court, as well as friends and family of Joe Rebello. Sargent noted in a letter he read aloud that he, too, has been forever changed by the crash, and recognized that he caused heartbreak and several serious injuries. A friend of Sargents also addressed the court, asking the judge for leniencyarguing that the crash was an accident likely caused by a medical concern, and adding that she is certain Sargent wouldnt intentionally hurt someone. After taking a recess to consider all the victim impact statements and other information she was presented, Judge Morrissey imposed a sentence of one year and one day in prisonand a longer term of probationwhich was the maximum prison time called for under a plea agreement. After Sargent is released from prison, hell have to take a safe driving course and prove that he stays on his medications for two years before he can get his driving privileges back, Judge Morrissey said. Friends and relatives of Joe Rebello hugged after the sentence was announced. Hybrid cloud is pretty much the de facto way to go, with only a few firms adopting a pure cloud play to replace their data center and only suicidal firms refusing to go to the cloud. But picking the right balance between on-premises and the cloud is tricky, and a mistake can be costly. Enter Right Mix Advisor from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, a combination of consulting from HPE's Pointnext division and software tools. It draws on quite a bit of recent acquisitions. Another part of Right Mix Advisor is a British cloud consultancy RedPixie, Amazon Web Services (AWS) specialists Cloud Technology Partners, and automated discovery capabilities from an Irish startup iQuate. Right Mix Advisor gathers data points from the companys entire enterprise, ranging from configuration management database systems (CMDBs), such as ServiceNow, to external sources, such as cloud providers. HPE says that in a recent customer engagement it scanned 9 million IP addresses across six data centers. HPE Pointnext consultants then work with the clients IT teams to analyze the data to determine the optimal configuration for workload placement. Pointnext has become HPEs main consulting outfit following its divestiture of EDS, which it acquired in 2008 but spun off in a merger with CSC to form DXC Consulting. Pointnext now has 25,000 consultants in 88 countries. In a typical engagement, HPE claims it can deliver a concrete action plan within weeks, whereas previously businesses may have needed months to come to a conclusion using a manual processes. HPE has found migrating the right workloads to the right mix of hybrid cloud can typically result in 40 percent total cost of ownership savings. Although HPE has thrown its weight behind AWS, that doesnt mean it doesnt support competitors. Erik Vogel, vice president of hybrid IT for HPE Pointnext, notes in the blog post announcing Right Mix Advisor that target environments could be Microsoft Azure or Azure Stack, AWS, Google or Ali Cloud. New service providers are popping up every day, and we see the big public cloud providers constantly producing new services and pricing models. As a result, the calculus for determining your right mix is constantly changing. If Azure, for example, offers a new service capability or a 10 percent pricing discount and it makes sense to leverage it, you want to be able to move an application seamlessly into that new environment, he wrote. Key to Right Mix Advisor is app migration, and Pointnext follows the 50/30/20 rule: About 50 percent of apps are suitable for migration to the cloud, and for about 30 percent, migration is not a good choice for migration to be worth the effort. The remaining 20 percent should be retired. With HPE Right Mix Advisor, you can identify that 50 percent, he wrote. Rather than hand you a laundry list of 10,000 apps to start migrating, HPE Right Mix Advisor hones in on whats most impactful right now to meet your business goals the 10 things you can do on Monday morning that you can be confident will really help your business. HPE has already done some pilot projects with the Right Mix service and expects to expand it to include channel partners. The Every Day is Different campaign will aim to encourage young people to consider a career in the sector WEST Berkshire is supporting a new Government national recruitment campaign to help fill 110,000 vacancies in adult social care. The Every Day is Different campaign will be promoted on social media and online platforms to encourage those under 40 to take up jobs such as care workers, therapists and activity coordinators. The campaign focuses on promoting the wide range of career opportunities in the sector and highlights how, in adult social care, no two days are the same. It comes as young people in England are being targetted by the Government in a bid to recruit thousands of more care workers and asks young people to consider whether a career in the sector is for them by taking a short quiz. There are currently more than 100,000 vacancies in the sector a figure which some warn may rise after Brexit. West Berkshire Councils executive member for adult social care Graham Bridgman said: Were keen to support and actively promote this campaign because recruiting carers is vitally important. Working in the care sector is very rewarding. In fact, 96 per cent of care professionals feel their work makes a difference to peoples lives. The flexibility of the work is also a draw for parents who can work during school hours, but need to be available to drop off and collect their children. If you, a family member or friend are considering a career in adult social care, there are a variety of rewarding care roles here at the council that provide careers with plenty of progression opportunities and professional development to enable you to follow a clear career path. West Berkshire Council, along with other local authorities across the country, is calling for a national review of how adult social care is funded. Local authorities nationally are facing significant financial challenges relating to the funding of adult social care budgets, increasing demand on services and rising costs of commissioning care. Earlier this month, West Berkshire Councils executive committee voted to release 609,000 from its adult social care risk reserve to support its in-year overspend, which currently stands at 1.1m. The council is also slowing its expenditure in other areas over the remainder of the current financial year as a response to the adult social care overspend. The shortage of adult social care workers was a topic also stressed by West Berkshire Councils chief executive Nick Carter, at a business networking event earlier this month. Just months after senior council representatives warned West Berkshire has a demographic time bomb on its hands as result of its ageing population, he had a stark warning for the adult social care sector and its dwindling employer numbers. Mr Carter said: The health service is the biggest employer in Berkshire. It is extremely difficult to find care workers whats the big area of growth? Old people we cannot find them at all. For me, thats our big issue. Weve been on a daylong hunt with rock hounds, the folks who find the most ancient Earth treasures in abandoned mines, construction cuts and even state park sites. Its a dirty hobby, but the men and women who do this prospecting and collecting typically clean up nicely for a rock swap or show. The New Haven Mineral Club will celebrate its 46th annual show on Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7, at Amity Middle School in Orange. There will be minerals and gems, of course, to dazzle visitors, but the show also serves to promote the study of mineralogy, geology, paleontology (fossils), lapidary and other sciences, says club representative Arthur Doyle. Bourbon is an American whiskey, a barrel-aged, distilled spirit made primarily from corn, in case you were wondering. The cool thing about Mohegan Suns Whiskey Union isnt just the variety of whiskey, scotch, bourbon and rye but the chance to hear from distillers reps on the differences between the whiskeys and the methods that make them. Then you sip, maybe rinse with water and repeat. While legislators and juvenile justice advocates have been sparring over proposed legislation aimed at reining in juveniles accused of car thefts, Fairfield Police Chief Chris Lyddy has been watching videos. We have one case where a high-end vehicle was stolen out of Fairfield, Lyddy said. We have video from the next day with a juvenile hanging out of the sunroof in the same car firing a gun in Bridgeport. Whats clear, according to a recent report given to juvenile justice advocates last week, is that smaller and medium-sized towns are seeing increases in the number of car thefts while larger cities have experienced a steady decline in recent years. Whats not clear, according to Kenneth Barone, project manager for Central Connecticut State Universitys Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, who drafted the report, is who is actually stealing the cars. His report indicates that only about 14 percent of car theft cases result in an arrest each year. Barone claims the small percentage of arrests is making it impossible to determine if juveniles are driving the increases in car thefts. But officials in towns like Fairfield, which saw the largest increase in motor vehicle thefts in 2017 in more than a decade, are pretty clear about who they are dealing with routinely. Were seeing almost exclusively juveniles, Lyddy said. We stopped a car weekend before last and caught four, three were juveniles and one 18-year-old. Were seeing juveniles from cities in Connecticut. They come in, hit a neighborhood, try the doors and take the unlocked cars with the key fobs inside. We havent seen any sophisticated technical means of stealing cars. We have video after video. The kids have no qualms about telling arresting officers that they will be back at it the next day, Lyddy said. There are no consequences, he said. The juveniles we are catching are the same juveniles over and over again. In 2017, Greenwich, Fairfield, Trumbull and Shelton experienced the worst year for car thefts in more than a decade. Car thefts are down overall in Connecticut from 8,823 in 2008 to 7,310 in 2017, according to the latest data available from the Central Connecticut State Universitys Institute of Municipal and Regional Planning. But since the car thefts hit a low of 6,100 in 2014, the numbers have steadily climbed statewide and nationally, Barone said. Barone concluded that car thefts in the states major cities dropped by double-digit percentages from 2008 to 2017. The lone exception was Waterbury, where there was a 91 percent increase in car thefts during that period. At the same time, suburban communities with populations less than 25,000 people have seen a 20 percent increase during that span. Central Connecticut towns like Wethersfield, Rocky Hill and Newington also had the most car thefts in a decade in 2017. Barone presented his findings Friday to the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, which requested the data as legislators and law enforcement examine ways to address the rising rate of car thefts. Of the 93 municipalities Barone examined in his report, 27 experienced the highest number of car thefts in 2017 than the previous 10 years. Another 10 municipalities saw the highest number of car thefts in more than a decade in 2016. Four of the states largest cities, New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford and New Britain, along with 14 other municipalities, saw the largest number of car thefts in 2008 with the incidents declining in the past decade. Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane told the Judiciary Committee that hes not attributing the increase to the legislatures decision to raise the age of adult prosecutions to 18 in 2012. But the states top prosecutor said action needs to be taken to address these crimes, which have in some cases led to deaths as the suspects attempted to evade police. It should be clear that we are not stating that the raise-the-age legislation is responsible for the recent increase in juvenile auto thefts, but acknowledging that the problem does exist and must be addressed, Kane said. There is currently no effective means available for law enforcement and the juvenile justice system to respond immediately to the threat these small number of serious repeat juvenile offenders are posing to themselves and others. Even child advocates are split on how to handle the cases, according to testimony provided to the Judiciary Committee. The states Child Advocate Sarah Healy Eagan supports a bill sponsored by Sen. Len Fasano, R-North Haven, that would suspend delinquency proceedings for juveniles charged with car theft in favor of treatment. If the juvenile successfully completed services under the watch of a probation officer, the case would be dismissed. If the juvenile racks up three car theft offenses, the teen would face more serious consequences, including being sent to a detention center, according to the proposed bill. Connecticut legislators through the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee have asked for fewer juvenile incarcerations, said Abby Anderson, executive director of the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance, which successfully campaigned to raise the age for adult prosecutions. But at the same time, Anderson pointed out Monday in her testimony to the Judicial Committee that lawmakers have provided less funding for services for at-risk youth which she said is now driving calls for legislation to incarcerate more teens accused of stealing cars. Passing regressive legislation to put more youth in detention as a result of our states failure to fund and implement appropriate alternative interventions is ineffectively holding young people accountable for their behavior while refusing to acknowledge our own responsibility in how we got to where we are today, Anderson said. Lyddy acknowledges there are no easy answers. Its a tough situation, he said. I believe in juvenile justice reform. But at the same time, there has to be consequences. Stealing cars, using cars in crimes and using handguns, there has to be consequences. Following are some of the scholarship funds currently accepting applications from students in Greater New Milford this year. Gaylordsville Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary scholarship: Deadline: April 1. Open to graduating high school seniors residing in the Gaylordsville fire district. Applications available at New Milford High School or by calling 860-355-9390. New Milford Community Ambulance Gail P. Carlson Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: April 1. Available to a New Milford resident enrolled in or planning to attend college or technical school and pursue a medical course of study. Applications available at NMHS guidance office. Bridgewater Grange Scholarship: Deadline, April 8. Open to full-time residents of Bridgewater, Roxbury, Washington, New Milford or Woodbury and have a plan to attend, or are currently attending, a recognized program of study to further their agriculture-related education. Award will be made to a student who demonstrates hands-on knowledge of and interest in farming through extra-curricular activities, work experience, family background, or other, and who embodies the Grange values of character, citizenship, and community service. Applications available at www.bridgewatergrange.org. Completed applications, including reference letters, must be received by April 8. For more information, email info@bridgewatergrange.org, attention Peggy Zottola. Greater New Milford Board of Realtors Jay Solomon Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: April 10. Open to high school seniors who reside in New Milford, Sherman, Kent, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Washington and Warren. Applications available at guidance offices and at www.gnmbr.com. Washington Environmental Council scholarship -- the Ken Williams Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: April 12. Grants of up to $1,000 to middle, high school and college students who live in Washington, Roxbury and Bridgewater, provided they attend or attended school in Washington, and who would like to attend environmentally oriented programs during the summer. Washington residents will have preference, but all other application factors will be equal. For more information, visit www.wec-ct.org/scholarships. Applicants will be notified by May 1. Washington Environmental Council scholarship -- Mary Anne Erichsen Memorial Scholarship (college scholarships): Deadline: April 12. Grants of up to $2,000 available to students from Washington, Roxbury or Bridgewater who are in sound scholastic standing, provided the student attended or has attended high school in Washington, and are interested in pursuing environmental studies in college. Residents of Washington will have preference, all other application factors being equal. Applications available at www.wec-ct.org/scholarships. Applicants will be notified by May 1. Roxbury scholarships: Deadline: April 22. Open to those who are Roxbury who have been accepted into an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or state approved school for trade instruction or special occupational training that offers a degree or certification. Part-time students with extenuating circumstances will be considered. Applications available at town hall, Minor Memorial Library, the guidance office at SVS and online at www.roxburyscholarshipfoundation.com. For more information, email roxburyscholarshipfoundation@gmail.com. Applications must be returned to Roxbury Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 106, Roxbury, CT 06783. Gaylordsville Historical Societys Alan S. Farnham Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: May 1. A $500 scholarship is open to a graduating senior who lives within the Gaylordsville fire district. Scholarship is in memory of Alan S. Farnham. Lt. Farnham, who attended the one-room schoolhouse in Gaylordsville and died in combat in Vietnam. Applications are available Gaylordsville Post Office and at New Milford High School, Henry Abbott Tech and Nonnewaug. Roger Sherman Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship: Deadline: May 1. Open to New Milford High School seniors who will graduate this year and plan to go to college. Applications available at NMHS Career Center, through Naviance or by emailing merryall@sbcglobal.net. To have a scholarship listed, mail or drop the information off to Deborah Rose at The Greater New Milford Spectrum, 45B Main St., New Milford, CT 06776; fax it to 860-350-6794; or email drose@newstimes.com. Populations with a high prevalence of AIDS-immunocompromised people are more likely to see the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, according to a study coauthored by researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and published in PLOS One. "People with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to opportunistic bacterial infections and are therefore frequently prescribed antibiotics to prevent or treat these infections," said Nina Fefferman, a professor in UT's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and coauthor of the study. "This increases the exposure of those bacteria to antibiotics, giving them more chances to evolve to become resistant to the medication and contributing to the current serious public health threat of drug-resistant diseases." The research was led by Ashley DeNegre, who at the time of the study was an ecology and evolutionary biology PhD student at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Kellen Myers, research assistant in UT's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the UT-based National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, also participated in the research. For the study, scientists used mathematical models to integrate and extend results from many previous studies to consider the effect on the emergence of antibiotic resistance in two populations: the African nation of Swaziland, where there was a reported HIV/AIDS prevalence of 27.4 percent of the population, and Indonesia, in southeast Asia, where there was a much lower reported HIV/AIDS prevalence of 0.46 percent. The results provide a better understanding of epidemiological patterns in populations with a high number of immunocompromised people due to AIDS and HIV, with special attention to low-income communities in the developing world. "This work will hopefully help inform public health decision makers about how antibiotic stewardship should be tailored differently in high-prevalence AIDS-affected communities to help combat the rising global risk of drug-resistant infections," said Fefferman. Source: https://news.utk.edu/2019/03/26/study-aids-immunocompromised-populations-see-more-antibiotic-resistant-infections/ Critical Path Institute (C-Path) announced today that a formal consultation between its Predictive Safety Testing Consortium (PSTC) and Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) has resulted in an agreement on a first-of-its-kind approach to compare the levels of eight novel urinary kidney safety biomarkers in healthy Japanese volunteers to data collected on these same biomarkers in healthy Western volunteers in a bridging study. Results from the project are expected to provide clinical evidence for PMDA evaluation to support utilization of these biomarkers to help guide decisions in early-stage clinical trials to ensure the safety of trial participants. The new study, to be conducted in Japan by PSTC member companies beginning in late 2019, will compare healthy Japanese volunteers with subjects enrolled in a similar U.S.-based study conducted by PSTC from 2011-2012 completed to support U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) submissions on these novel kidney safety biomarkers. Results from the Japanese study will inform subsequent work in Japan to be defined during future consultations between PSTC and PMDA. Biomarkers to be measured in Japanese subjects in this study include clusterin (CLU), cystatin C (CysC), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), osteopontin (OPN), albumin (ALB) and total protein. More information on the bridging study is available here. "Drug-induced kidney injury is a serious issue that can occur during drug development," said John-Michael Sauer, Ph.D., C-Path Biomarkers Program Officer and Executive Director of PSTC. "Results from this and other PSTC clinical safety biomarker projects are designed to generate critical data to support safety decisions about whether to pause or discontinue early phase clinical trials at the tested dose and duration." PSTC has a successful track record of qualifying kidney safety biomarkers to support clinical drug development. In August 2010 PSTC qualified seven novel biomarkers, with PMDA for use in rat studies for the detection of drug-induced acute kidney injury. In August 2018, the FDA issued its first-ever qualification of a clinical safety biomarker, a single composite measure of six urine biomarkers to be used in conjunction with traditional measures of kidney function, to PSTC and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium. "The recent FDA qualification of a clinical kidney safety biomarker and our latest interactions with PMDA exemplify C-Path's expanding global reach and our role as a catalyst in the development of new approaches to advance medical innovation and regulatory science," said C-Path President and CEO Martha Brumfield, Ph.D. "All of this is critical for our mission to speed development of safe drugs and facilitate development and qualification of tools that shape clinical trials, advance research and help create a healthier world." PSTC's global reach will be showcased at its 2019 Japan Safety Biomarker Workshop to be held April 17-18 at the RIKEN Institute's Yokohama Campus. Presentations, panel discussions and a poster session will address emerging and important topics in this rapidly-evolving field, including the role of miRNA, and small-circulating RNA as safety biomarkers; safety testing, drug efficacy and disease diagnosis; genomics and epigenetics; and evidentiary considerations across regulatory agencies in Japan, the European Union, and the U.S. Joint replacements are among the most common elective surgeries -- but around one in 100 patients suffer post-surgical infections, turning a routine procedure into an expensive and dangerous ordeal. Now, researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a "self-defensive surface" for these implants that release targeted micro-doses of antibiotics when bacteria approach, potentially sharply reducing infection rates. The work, led by Matthew Libera, professor of materials science at Stevens, describes a method for coating implant surfaces with a lattice of microgels: flecks, each 100 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, capable of absorbing certain antibiotics. The microgels' behavior is regulated by electrical charges, and the electrical activity of an approaching microbe causes them to leak antibiotics, preventing infections from taking root. Microgels could be applied to a wide range of medical devices, including heart valves, tissue scaffolds, and even surgical sutures -- and with the market for hip implants alone forecasted to reach $9.1 billion by 2024, the technology has significant commercial potential. The United States Army, which helped fund the research, is also interested in deploying the technology in field hospitals, where infections currently occur in a quarter of combat injuries. "The potential impact for patients, and for the healthcare system, is tremendous," said Libera, who chairs the Stevens Conference on Bacteria-Material Interactions. Stevens doctorate candidate Jing Liang and biomedical engineering professor Hongjun Wang collaborated on the study, which appears in the journal Biomaterials. Post-surgical infections are tough to beat because as microbes colonize surfaces, they form antibiotic-resistant layers called biofilms. Libera and his team disrupt this cycle by killing microbes before they can gain a foothold. "It only takes one bacterium to cause an infection," Libera said. "But if we can prevent infection until healing is complete, then the body can take over." Unlike conventional treatments that flood the whole body with antibiotics, the Stevens team's approach is highly targeted, releasing tiny amounts of antibiotics to kill individual bacteria. That dramatically reduces the selective pressures that give rise to antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" -- a big improvement over both systemic treatments and local approaches such as blending antibiotics into bone cement, releasing orders of magnitude less antibiotic into the patient's system. Other self-defensive surfaces currently in development rely on microbes' metabolic byproducts to trigger the release of antibiotics -- a less surefire approach than the Libera's method, which can kill even dormant bacteria. The team's microgels are also remarkably resilient, surviving ethanol sterilization and remaining stable for weeks at a time. Microgels also respond appropriately to human tissue, retaining their antibiotic load until it's needed and promoting healthy bone growth around treated surfaces. To apply microgels to a medical device such as a knee joint, surgeons could dunk the device in a specially prepared bath for a few seconds; a brief dip in a second bath would then charge the microgels with antibiotics. In theory, surgeons could prepare devices on demand, immediately before implanting them, using antibiotics tailored to a patient's specific risk factors. So far the approach has been tested in vitro, and the team is still working to fine-tune the microgels and enable them to deliver a wider range of antibiotics. Securing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be tricky, given the innovative nature of the technology, but Libera's team is working with industry partners to plan further demonstrations. Family planning for women might one day be as simple as putting on an earring. A report published recently in the Journal of Controlled Release describes a technique for administering contraceptive hormones through special backings on jewelry such as earrings, wristwatches, rings or necklaces. The contraceptive hormones are contained in patches applied to portions of the jewelry in contact with the skin, allowing the drugs to be absorbed into the body. Initial testing suggests the contraceptive jewelry may deliver sufficient amounts of hormone to provide contraception, though no human testing has been done yet. A goal for the new technique is to improve user compliance with drug regimens that require regular dosages. Beyond contraceptives, the jewelry-based technique might also be used for delivering other drugs through the skin. "The more contraceptive options that are available, the more likely it is that the needs of individual women can be met," said Mark Prausnitz, a Regents Professor and the J. Erskine Love Jr. chair in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "Because putting on jewelry may already be part of a woman's daily routine, this technique may facilitate compliance with the drug regimen. This technique could more effectively empower some women to prevent unintended pregnancies." This proof-of-concept research was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under a subcontract funded by FHI 360. Contraceptive jewelry adapts transdermal patch technology that is already used to administer drugs that prevent motion sickness, support smoking cessation, and control the symptoms of menopause, but have never been incorporated into jewelry before. Contraceptive patches are also already available, but Prausnitz believes pairing them with jewelry may prove attractive to some women - and allow more discreet use of the drug delivery technology. "There is a lot of experience with making and using conventional transdermal patches," he said. "We are taking this established technology, making the patch smaller and using jewelry to help apply it. We think that earring patches can expand the scope of transdermal patches to provide additional impact." Postdoctoral Fellow Mohammad Mofidfar, Senior Research Scientist Laura O'Farrell and Prausnitz tested the concept on animal models, first on ears from pigs. Test patches mounted on earring backs and containing the hormone levonorgestrel were also applied to the skin of hairless rats. To simulate removal of the earrings during sleep, the researchers applied the patches for 16 hours, then removed them for eight hours. Testing suggested that even though levels dropped while the earrings were removed, the patch could produce necessary amounts of the hormone in the bloodstream. The earring patch tested by the researchers consisted of three layers. One layer is impermeable and includes an adhesive to hold it onto an earring back, the underside of a wristwatch or the inside surface of a necklace or ring. A middle layer of the patch contains the contraceptive drug in solid form. The outer layer is a skin adhesive to help stick to skin so the hormone can be transferred. Once in the skin, the drug can move into the bloodstream and circulate through the body. If the technique ultimately is used for contraception in humans, the earring back would need to be changed periodically, likely on a weekly basis. The contraceptive jewelry was originally designed for use in developing countries where access to health care services may limit access to long-acting contraceptives such as injectables, implants and IUDs. However, Prausnitz says the technology may be attractive beyond that initial audience. "We think contraceptive jewelry could be appealing and helpful to women all around the world," said Prausnitz. The researchers tested patches adhered to earring backs, about one square centimeter in area, and placed them tightly on the skin of the test animals. Earring backs and watches may be most useful for administering drugs because they remain in close contact with the skin to allow drug transfer. The dose delivered by a patch is generally proportional to the area of skin contact. "The advantage of incorporating contraceptive hormone into a universal earring back is that it can be paired with many different earrings," Prausnitz noted. "A woman could acquire these drug-loaded earring backs and then use them with various earrings she might want to wear." Though transdermal drug-delivery patches have been available since 1979, testing would be required to determine whether the earring patch is safe and effective. In addition, research would be required to determine whether the concept would be attractive to women in different cultures. "We need to understand not only the effectiveness and economics of contraceptive jewelry, but also the social and personal factors that come into play for women all around the world," Prausnitz said. "We would have to make sure that this contraceptive jewelry concept is something that women would actually want and use." The technique could potentially be used to deliver other pharmaceuticals, though it would only be suitable for skin-permeable drugs that require administration of quantities small enough to fit into the patches. "We think there are uses beyond contraceptive hormones, but there will always be a limitation that the drug has to be effective with a low enough dose to fit into the limited space in the patch," Prausnitz said. "It also should be a drug that would benefit from continuous delivery from a patch and that is administered to a patient population interested in using pharmaceutical jewelry." The earring patch is designed to add another contraceptive option for women. "Pharmaceutical jewelry introduces a novel delivery method that may make taking contraceptives more appealing," he added. "Making it more appealing should make it easier to remember to use it." Patients with severe aortic stenosis who have no symptoms may benefit more from an aggressive strategy of early valve replacement than from a conservative watch-and-wait approach, according to new research published today online in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. "We know that surgery carries a small risk and that has been one of the reasons to wait until a patient is experiencing symptoms," said S. Chris Malaisrie, MD, of Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. "However, our data support the role of early valve replacement for asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis." Dr. Malaisrie and colleagues evaluated data from echocardiograms performed at Northwestern Medicine from January 2005 to December 2013. The researchers identified 265 patients who had severe aortic stenosis and were asymptomatic. Of these patients, aortic valve replacement (AVR) was recommended in 104 (39 percent), while watchful waiting (WW) was suggested for 161 (61 percent). The researchers found that two years after the recommended approach, survival in the AVR group was 92.5 percent compared to 83.9 percent in the WW group. In addition, the probability of the patients in the WW groups either dying or undergoing surgery was 43.9 percent by two years. While this study demonstrated a "safe" period for WW (for up to one year), the data at two years suggests there is a benefit to early AVR. "For both the AVR and WW groups, undergoing AVR was associated with significantly higher overall survival," said Dr. Malaisrie. "It is important for patients to know that severe aortic stenosis, even when there are no symptoms, carries a poor outcome, if left untreated." Aortic stenosisone of the more serious and most common valve diseases in the United Statesoccurs when the heart's aortic valve narrows, preventing the valve from opening fully. Blood flow into the main artery of the body (aorta) is blocked or reduced and the heart is forced to work harder as it pumps blood to the body. Symptoms associated with severe aortic stenosis include shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, fainting, dizziness, and palpitations or heart pounding. "If confirmed, these findings would reflect a dramatic potential difference in survival affecting tens of thousands of Americans," said Todd K. Rosengart, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who was not directly involved with this study. "The results of this study suggest a fundamental change is needed in how we care for patients with narrowing of the aortic valve. "This advance would mirror what we already know and practice in caring for disease of the other major heart valve-the mitral valve-that you don't need to and probably shouldn't wait until symptoms develop to correct significant dysfunction of the heart valves," Dr. Rosengart added. Clinical guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recommend "active surveillance" in asymptomatic patients, unless stress testing can expose symptoms.In this study, less than 30 percent of patients were referred for stress testing. Dr. Malaisrie agrees that stress testing can be a key differentiator when considering early surgery for asymptomatic patients and he encourages clinicians to continue utilizing it when determining treatment strategies. Historically, the management for asymptomatic patients includes the accepted practice of WW and delaying AVR until the development of symptoms. However, the WW strategy requires that patients recognize and promptly report any symptoms and that they return to the hospital for a follow-up echocardiogram. "The onset of symptoms often can be subtle, and patients may attribute important changes to old age without notifying their doctors," said Dr. Malaisrie. "They need to know the symptoms and report them to the heart team right away. Also, if patients fail to follow-up with recommended imaging, progression of stenosis and features of heart failure can be missed." For patients with severe aortic stenosis who have symptoms, the traditional treatment is minimally-invasive AVReither surgical or transcatheterwhich reduces the risks associated with open heart surgery and decreases the recuperation time, explained Dr. Malaisrie, making it a viable option for earlier treatment of patients who have no symptoms. "Patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis need to maintain close follow-up with their heart team and have a discussion about all of the available treatment options," said Dr. Malaisrie. "We hope that our study will influence guidelines and discussions about the earlier treatment of severe aortic stenosis, especially in asymptomatic patients. The chairman of the Senate health committee on Tuesday backed new federal regulations to remove roadblocks patients can face in obtaining copies of their electronic medical records. "These proposed rules remove barriers and should make it easier for patients to more quickly access, use and understand their personal medical information," Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, said in a statement prepared for a hearing on the rules that kicked off Tuesday at 10 a.m. The rules, proposed last month by the Department of Health and Human Services, take aim at so-called information blocking, in which tech companies or health systems limit the sharing or transfer of information from medical files. Alexander said HHS believes the new rules should give more than 125 million patients easier access to their own records in an electronic format. "This will be a huge relief to any of us who have spent hours tracking down paper copies of our records and carting them back and forth to different doctors' offices. The rules will reduce the administrative burden on doctors so they can spend more time with patients," Alexander said. The proposal requires manufacturers to fashion software that can readily export a patient's entire medical record and mandates that health care systems provide these records electronically at no cost to the patient. Congress jump-started the nation's switch from paper to electronic health records in 2009 using billions of dollars in financial stimulus funding to help doctors and hospital purchase the equipment. Officials expected the shift to cut down on medical errors, reduce unnecessary medical testing and other waste and give Americans a bigger role in managing their health care. Yet in the decade since the rollout, critics have argued that the government spent billions financing software that can cause some new types of errors and typically cannot share information across health networks as intended. "Botched Operation," a recent investigation published by KHN and Fortune, found that the federal government has spent more than $36 billion on the initiative. During that time, thousands of reports of deaths, injuries and near misses linked to digital systems have piled up in databases while many patients have reported difficulties getting copies of their complete electronic files. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), ranking member on the committee, cited two patients profiled in the article to illustrate the potential dangers from EHRs that can't exchange information. "It's patients who get hurt. Like the man in California, who suffered brain damage after his diagnosis was delayed because a hospital's software couldn't properly interface with a lab's software," she said at the hearing. "Or the woman in Vermont, who died of a brain aneurysm that might have been caught if a software problem hadn't stopped the order for a test she needed." Jonathan Lomurro, a medical malpractice attorney in New Jersey, said his clients usually have to go to court to get their complete medical record. The information that health care providers fight most bitterly to keep from them, he said, are the audit logs or the data that show every time a record has been accessed or edited, and by whom and when. That "metadata," he and other plaintiff attorneys argue, is critical for patients to understand the history of their care, particularly in cases where something has gone wrong. In an interview prior to Tuesday's hearing, Lomurro criticized the HHS proposal, saying it limits a patient's ability to obtain these logs. While the proposed rule requires the systems to share most data from a medical record with a patient, it excludes audit trails from that classification. "While the proposal talks about the need of patient access they then strip the greatest protections from the patient," said Lomurro. "I am at a loss on how this could ever be a beneficial change to the rules and help patients." Seema Verma, who heads the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, agreed that patients should be entitled to audit log information. "At the end of the day, it's all of the patient's data. If it affects and touches their medical record, then that belongs to them," Verma said in an interview last month. The HHS proposal also encourages doctors and other users of EHR technology to share information about software problems they encounter by prohibiting "gag clauses" in sales contracts. Critics have long argued that the clauses have prevented users from freely discussing flaws, including software glitches and other breakdowns that could result in medical errors and patient injuries. In 2012, an Institute of Medicine report blamed the confidentiality clauses for impeding efforts to improve the safety of health information technology. But a major remaining problem in wiring up medicine is the lack of interoperability across rival data systems, said Christopher Rehm, chief medical informatics officer of LifePoint Health, a hospital system in Brentwood, Tenn. In testimony prepared for the Tuesday hearing, Rehm called it "the equivalent of telling people they must buy cars and move those cars from place to place, but there are no roads and no agreed-upon design for the roads, let alone the funding to actually pay for the construction." According to Rehm, the average-sized community hospital (161 beds) spends nearly $760,000 a year on information technology investments needed to meet federal regulations. He said the costs "are crushing our industry where margins are already thin." [Update: This story was updated at 2 p.m. ET to include Sen. Patty Murrays reference to the joint KHN-Fortune magazine investigation.] Pittcon, the worlds leading conference and exposition for laboratory science, is pleased to announce the selection of nine finalists in the annual Pittcon Today Excellence Awards conducted by CE Communications, the official publishers of Pittcon Today and the Pittcon Buzz. These awards recognize innovations at this years exposition and offer a channel for exhibitors to showcase their scientific advancements. From titrators, wireless temperature sensing, and chromatography columns, to time-saving innovations, judges viewed all types of scientific products and selected finalists out of a diverse pool of submissions. When asked to comment about the Pittcon Today Excellence Awards, Mark Donaghy, VP Sales & Marketing, Raptor Photonics stated: We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the 2019 Pittcon Today Excellence Awards for our OWL 1280 VIS-SWIR detector. It supports our belief that we are designing and manufacturing some of the best InGaAs cameras on the market today and this is very much reflected by our customers around the world, who are pleased with the high resolution, ultra-sharp images they are seeing with the camera. The Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were categorized in three groups based on company reported sales. The winning companies and products were: Less than $10,000,000 in sales category: GOLD: Gate Scientific, Inc. - SmartSENSE pH Sensing Stir Bar SILVER: Lumex Instruments.- AriaDNA BRONZE: Pendar Technologies Pendar X10 $10,000,000 - $100,000,000 in sales category: GOLD: Raptor Photonics Ltd.- OWL 1280 HD VIS-SWIR InGaAs detector SILVER: Tosoh Bioscience LLC - TSKgel FcR-IIIA-NPR Affinity HPLC Column for Fast Evaluation of ADCC Activity of Monoclonal Antibodies BRONZE: Metrohm USA - OMNIS Karl Fischer Titrator Greater than $100,000,000 in sales category: GOLD: Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Nexera UC Prep SILVER: Phenomenex - Zebron ZB-624PLUS GC Column ZB-624PLUS GC Column BRONZE: Bruker AXS Inc S6 JAGUAR Benchtop WDXRF Gold Excellence Award recipient Shimadzu Scientific Instruments commented: We, at Shimadzu, are honored to have been chosen as a finalist for the Pittcon Today Excellence Award. Pittcon 2019 is a banner event for Shimadzu as we announce several innovative, ground-breaking products. Shimadzus Semi-Prep SFC is the fruit of a collaborative effort by pharma and private industry, serving as the model for future impactful product design." The blue chip panel of judges, consisting of thought leaders from across academia, industry and trade media selected this years winners based on the products ingenuity, creativity, implementation and outcomes, as well as the projected impact on the industry and wider public. President and CEO, Edward Colihan of Metrohm USA stated: We are beyond excited to be a finalist considered for Pittcons Excellence Award. Such an honor reinforces Metrohms commitment to innovation that is scalable and improves the safety of people working in the lab. The OMNIS KF Titrator and Sample Robot is the latest in a history of products developed with the user in mind that also makes advances toward a large goal of reducing the impact on our environment. This years finalists were among the exhibitors at the Philadelphia event. Pittcon attracts attendees from industry, academia and government from 90 countries worldwide. Pittcon 2020 will be held March 1-5, 20 in Chicago, Illinois. Source: https://pittcon.org/ Shoppers whose supermarket trolleys are stacked with food and drink offered on special promotions have more than a 50% increased chance of being obese, according to a Cancer Research UK report published today. This puts them at a greater risk of 13 different types of cancer including bowel and breast. The study, which looked at the habits of more than 16,000 British households, found that people whose shopping baskets contained around 40-80% of goods on special offer have a greater chance of piling on the pounds. The research also found that almost half of all chocolate, crisps, popcorn, and savoury snacks were bought on promotion. Bargain-loving shoppers also bought 30% less fruit, and nearly 25% fewer vegetables. This equates to nearly 6kg less of fruit and veg every month than shoppers more inclined to shun the special offers. Around 3 in 10 food and drink products in shoppers' baskets are bought on promotion in Great Britain, according to the findings. And the people who purchased the most items on offer bought 25% more food and drink high in fat, salt or sugar, equating to approximately 11 extra unhealthy items a month. Obesity was almost 30% higher among people from households which bought the most food and drink on special promotions compared to those who bought the least. Obesity is a national epidemic and the leading cause of preventable cancer in the UK after smoking. Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK's prevention expert, said: "Promotional items offer people a wealth of tempting yet unhealthy food and drink choices when doing their weekly shop. With cut-price deals on things like chocolate, biscuits, cakes and fizzy drinks, it's no surprise that people who buy more on promotion have a greater likelihood of being obese. "With young children frequently being the ones who suffer from the effects of these purchases, introducing restrictions is important for their future health. We know that more than one in five enter primary school overweight or obese, yet the number worsens to around one in three when they leave." Alison Cox, director of cancer prevention at Cancer Research UK, said: "The government's proposed 9pm ban on junk food ads is a step forward in fighting childhood obesity. Now we want to see restrictions on price promotions for unhealthy food and drink items, as well as those strategically-placed at checkouts. This will help families to make healthier choices. "There isn't one magic fix for the problem, but removing these incentives to buy unhealthy food is key to changing it." A smartphone device could help millions of people avoid drinking water contaminated by arsenic. Researchers have developed a biosensor that attaches to a phone and uses bacteria to detect unsafe arsenic levels. The device, developed at the University of Edinburgh, generates easy-to-interpret patterns, similar to volume-bars, which display the level of contamination. Researchers believe there is an urgent need to provide simple, affordable, on-site solutions for contaminated water sources. In resource-limited countries, there is a lack of sufficiently skilled personnel and healthcare facilities to test water for contamination. Researchers say new devices could replace existing tests, which are difficult to use, need specialist laboratory equipment and can produce toxic chemicals. The contamination of water by heavy metals is a worldwide health issue. UNICEF reports that arsenic contaminated drinking water is consumed by more than 140 million people worldwide. Researchers tested the arsenic sensors using environment samples from affected wells in Bangladesh, which suffers from some of the world's highest levels of arsenic-contaminated ground water. An estimated 20 million people in Bangladesh - mostly rural poor - drink contaminated water. Long-term exposure to unsafe levels of arsenic leads to skin lesions and cancers and is linked to 20 per cent of all deaths in the worst-affected regions. Researchers developed the biosensor by manipulating the genetic code of the bacteria Escherichia coli. They added genetic components to act as amplifiers when arsenic is detected. Water samples were fed into a plastic device containing bacteria suspended in a gel. This produced fluorescent proteins that were visible in the presence of arsenic. Researchers believe that the approach could be used to detect other environmental toxins, diagnose diseases and locate landmines. The study published in Nature Chemical Biology, was funded by BBSRC, Leverhulme Trust and Wellcome. Lead researcher Dr Baojun Wang, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences, said: "We tested our sensors with samples from wells in a village in Bangladesh. The arsenic levels reported by the sensors was consistent with lab-based standard tests, demonstrating the device's potential as a simple low-cost-use monitoring tool." The Trinamool Congress released its poll manifesto on Wednesday, promising to probe the demonetisation exercise if the opposition alliance comes to power. Mamata Banerjees party has also promised to revive the Planning Commission, which was dissolved by the Narendra Modi Modi government, review the Goods and Services Tax, and promise to double 100 days work scheme to 200 days, and also double the wages. BJP chief Amit Shah today announced that Union minister Giriraj Singh, who was miffed with the party over changing his seat from Nawada to Begusarai in the upcoming elections, will contest from Begusarai where he faces CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar. Singh had said his self-respect was hurt as no other MPs seat was changed in Bihar. It was decided without talking to me. State BJP leadership should tell me why it was done. I've nothing against Begusarai but I can't compromise with my self-respect, Singh had said. Meanwhile, actor Urmila Matondkar met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and joined the party today in the presence of Mumbai unit chief Milind Deora, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Sanjay Nirupam. It is likely that Matondkar will be fielded from Mumbai North constituency where she will be up against BJP candidate Gopal Shetty. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. Former finance minister P Chidambaram today defended the Congresss proposed income scheme Nyay, saying the Indian economy had the capacity to implement the scheme, which would be rolled out in phases. Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram also hit out the Narendra Modi government, saying no one questioned the Prime Minister on the math of his 2014 poll promise where he said Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in the bank account of every Indian. He added that existing schemes for the poor like ICDS will not be scrapped and thus people had nothing to fear. Subsidies which have been granted to achieve special socio-economic objectives will not be affected by NYAY, Chidambaram said. The senior Congress leader, while explaining the scheme, said: It's a standard transfer of Rs 6,000 per month to five crore families, which is Rs 72,000 per year. This will be transferred to the account of the women in household. With this, tax revenues will rise and GDP will rise. Some taxes are scrapped and some taxes are imposed. But the given the tax and non-tax revenue of central and state governments and the GDP, this scheme is perfectly doable. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ram Madhav said the BJP has asked the Election Commission to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir as early as possible. Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar is expected to join Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi today. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit the party bastions of Amethi, Rae Bareli and Faizabad beginning today, in her next leg of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. In West Bengal, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee is expected to release her party's manifesto in the state capital. Earlier this month, Gandhi had taken river route to visit parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi. She will arrive in Amethi, the parliamentary constituency of her brother Rahul Gandhi, and hold a meeting with booth-level party presidents. The leader is said to interact with 1,965 party booth presidents at the AH Inter college in Musafirkhana. After the meeting, she will leave for Rae Bareli where she will hold a programme on Thursday. The AICC general secretary's visit to Faizabad has been rescheduled for March 29. She was earlier scheduled to visit the temple town on March 27. The detailed programme of the Congress leader is being worked out, party sources added. Meanwhile, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee is expected to release her party's manifesto in Kolkata today. The party is expected to include solution for Kashmir issue in its poll paper. Besides that, issues ranging from unemployment to farmers' policy may also find a mention in Trinamool's poll promise. ECA Unveils Containerized Minehunting Drone System The page you requested is only available to subscribers. 1. If you are a Premium Service subscriber, please log in here to access this story: Log-in : Password : 2. If you are not a subcriber, you can: -- buy access to this page: unlimited access for seven days costs 3.00 EUR + VAT (at 20%) if applicable. Clicking on the "Ok" button below will place the item in your shopping cart and return you to our home page, where you will be able to select additional stories. -- select additional stories and services from our home page and pay for them at the same time. -- see your shopping cart. You can also see the contents of your shopping cart at any time by clicking on the "Order" tab on the navigation bar at the top of any page, or by clicking on the "Your order" light blue link in the top right-hand corner of our home page, immediately under the log-on box. GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Wonder Woman "Trial of the Amazons" crossover to elevate Themiscyra to Gotham City and Metropolis status Three of the masterminds behind DC's upcoming Woman Woman Trial of the Amazons crossover open up about what to expect Sorry! This content is not available in your region The San Diego-based Cookie Club of America is seeking funding to begin production to support military families and nonprofits through the sale of a buttery, vanilla shortbread cookie imprinted with the emblem of every branch of the United States Armed Forces. The cookies salute all seven service branches as a tribute and in recognition of their dedication of service to the country and its citizens: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army National Guard and Air National Guard. Clifford Smith Courtesy Cookie Club of America plans to wholesale to all military nonprofits through an affiliate model that easily and inexpensively maximizes fundraising efforts by providing a sell-through channel. Founder and CEO Clifford Smith said the more than 45,000 military-related nonprofits in the country will be able to raise money in support of their own programs by reselling the cookies. Additionally, the cookies could be sold direct to consumers through the website and would be available in retail stores, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the National Military Family Association. Smith comes from a family with a long line of military service, including two brothers who served in Iraq. His brother Dave is a retired Marine sergeant, brother Steve is a retired Army colonel, and his nephew is a Marine sergeant currently stationed at Camp Pendleton. It is because of this selfless service to country and the millions like them that we launched our company with a mission to support our military personnel and their families in a unique way, said Smith, whose background includes founding a San Diego tech company and a 27-year career in hospitality with Marriott International. Smith first launched the Cookie Club of America in 2003, motivated to support the military after 9/11. He obtained special authorization from all of the U.S. military branches to be able to use their emblems on the cookies.The cookies were successfully introduced and tested in 22 states through 12 large grocery retailers. The company supported the National Military Family Association (NMFA) through donations and branding on every packageSmith said the extra exposure helped the organization bring in millions more in direct donations. Tons of cookies were shipped to troops and to bring comfort to recovering service men and women at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Hospitals and VA Hospitals around the world. The original boxes had cookies from all branches in one box and Smith said he fielded numerous requests for just a Navy box or just an Army box. At the time he could not do it due to the requirements of the bakery but that is his goal with the relaunch. In 2008, he stopped production of the cookies. A lot has changed since 2008, said Smith, noting that technology has improved for e-commerce, there is improved profitability and theres more social media marketing. We now have the opportunity to really do it correctly, he said, adding that he has assembled a team dedicated and driven to make the venture succeed with partnerships that reach across the country and around the globe. Smith said 46 major chains have expressed interested in the product, separated into the different boxes. Ideally, the cookies would sell twice a year in the retail space, from Military Appreciation Month in May through July 4 and then again in November for Veterans Day through the holiday season when people are looking to remember those serving far from home. The Fort Wayne, Indiana bakery that the Cookie Club expects to use has a capacity to make 2 million cookies a day and Smith believes there is so much opportunity for the company to help support military nonprofits in a big way. What were looking to do right now is the reformation of the company. Our goal is $250,000 to get into the market, to get these cookies made and sold, Smith said. San Diego is an extremely patriotic place I should not have to leave San Diego to find the partners. Lets get it done in our town and we can make a significant impact on the lives of the men and women who serve our great nation. To help bring the cookies to market contact cookieclubofamerica.com or call (619) 850-0854. Members of the Carmel Valley Community Planning Boards transit subcommittee have been pushing to reinstate public transit in Carmel Valley and surrounding areas, hoping to get two new bus lines included in this years update of the 2050 SANDAG Regional Transit Plan (RTP). The group will be taking a slight detour following the announcement that the plan will be delayed two years as SANDAG rolls out a new vision under new Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata. Phil Trom, SANDAG senior regional planner, said before Ikhrata arrived in December they were set to approve this years update of the plan, which they had been working on for the last two years. However, they were having trouble trying to meet the states more rigorous targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and were going through the transition with the new executive director. We hit the reset button and were going to be looking at the transportation system from a holistic perspective, said Trom at the Carmel Valley planning boards February meeting. Theres a new energy and new blood in the region for transportation and its an opportunity to work with all the communities to rethink transportation. On Feb. 22 the SANDAG Board of Directors unanimously approved an action plan to develop a new vision for the RTP that completely transforms the way people and goods move throughout the San Diego region, quite different from previous efforts. According to Trom, the new vision for the future could consider cutting edge technologies and some very drastic changes, such as hyper loops and high-speed vehicles and integrating autonomous vehicles and pods. Trom said Hassans vision is to dream first, figure out a solution and then talk about a way to fund it. He thinks its more compelling and is a more productive use of peoples time to ask them what they want and find a way to pay for it. Work on the new plan will continue over the next two years. From April through June 2019, SANDAG plans to launch the vision development effort, conducting outreach with all San Diego communities to set goals and priorities on alternatives to the car that provide real choices that are equivalent in terms of travel time. Trom said they are considering November 2019 to release a conceptual framework of what would be included in the network and they will work on developing tools, data and models through September 2020. It takes a full year to do an environmental impact review so Trom said the new RTP would not be adopted until November 2021. It sounds like a lot of time but were going to be running fast and furious to work with the communities to find these different solutions that everybodys been clamoring for, said Trom. This is the opportunity to do it. While autonomous pods sounded exciting, Carmel Valley planning board Chair Frisco White had just a simple question: realistically what were the chances of getting some basic bus or shuttle services in Carmel Valley? Whats going to happen to us now? We have a great employment center, we have 50,000 to 60,000 people here. The only transportation option that we have here is do we take our SUV or the convertible, White said. The previous 2050 RTP had rapid transit connections in the area by 2035. Board member Ken Farinsky offered that he would like to find some transit solutions for the area that serve people that are not commutersTrom said his point was well taken as there are more non-work trips than work trips in a household. Adding a rapid transit bus that stops through Carmel Valley once or twice a day is going to do nothingits total waste of time. But if you could add something that connected the villages that are forming like Pacific Highlands Ranch, Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Solana Beach, to me that would be great, Farinsky said. There are some great bus routes that would pick up a lot of kids. We have 10,000 kids who go to school on Del Mar Heights Road. Trom said he did not want to speculate on when the area could get transit or what the mode would be, however, he said by SANDAG recasting its net, there is an opportunity for more and different. He encouraged people to stay engaged in the regional plan process at sdforward.com, Its a long commitment, its going to be a two-year process, but I think a very important one, he said. With SANDAG rewriting its plan, transit subcommittee member Sonya Solinsky said they are now shifting their focus to working with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). MTS is currently conducting a feeder study to look at possibly realigning its system with the Mid-Coast Trolley Line from La Jolla to Old Town that is set to open in 2021. One of the subcommittees proposed new transit routes for the area would start on El Camino Real/Via de la Valle and go south on El Camino Real through Carmel Valley, past SR-56 to Carmel Mountain Road in Torrey Hills toward Sorrento Valley, connecting with the Sorrento Valley transit station and possibly making the connection up to Genesee Avenue and the future Mid-Coast Trolley Line. MTS is also looking at a ballot measure in 2020, a sales tax increase for transit projects. We have to take advantage of the feeder study and ballot measure that will maybe open doors for us sooner rather than later, Solinsky said. Solinsky also continues to collect data on how many people will use transit in the North West San Diego area that includes Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Torrey Pines, Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Hills, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, Torrey Highlands, Black Mountain Ranch and Rancho Penasquitos. She is collecting data through an online survey tinyurl.com/sdtransitsurvey that will be open through the summershe encourages everyone to participate. Without that data, our voice is not heard and we need to have our voice as loud as possible when they are making decisions regarding transit in this area, said Solinsky who hopes to work with City Councilmembers Barbara Bry, Chris Cate and Mark Kersey to advocate for new bus connections. While there is now a delay as SANDAG is taking a few steps back, Solinsky said she believes that it could result in a stronger transportation system that will make for a stronger city. We do have other options so were not giving up, Solinsky said of her efforts. Were stronger and were more connected with all the other communities than ever before. Dubai: Global ride-hailing service Uber will acquire its Middle East rival Careem for $3.1 billion, the two companies announced on Tuesday. "Careem and Uber are joining forces. We have reached an agreement in which Uber will acquire Careem for $3.1 billion," a joint statement said. Under the deal, Careem will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Uber but will continue operating independently. Careem will retain its branding, services and separate app. Uber will pay $1.4 billion in cash and the remaining $1.7 billion in convertible notes, the statement said. "Uber will acquire all of Careem's mobility, delivery, and payments businesses across the greater Middle East region, ranging from Morocco to Pakistan, with major markets including Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates," the statement said. "This is an important moment for Uber as we continue to expand the strength of our platform around the world," Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said. Careem chief executive and co-founder Mudassir Sheikha welcomed the acquisition, saying it will be good for customers. "Joining forces with Uber will help us accelerate Careem's purpose of simplifying and improving the lives of people, and building an awesome organisation that inspires," Sheikha said. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Mumbai: In a major step to partly recover outstanding dues from Vijay Mallya, a PMLA court Tuesday rejected United Breweries Holdings' plea to stay the proposed sale of shares worth around Rs 1,000 crore of its erstwhile subsidiary United Breweries (UBL) by a court-appointed liquidator. Special judge MS Azmi rejected their plea on the ground that the court may not have the powers to grant a stay on the proposed sale. This is the first sale of Mallya's confiscated assets by the authorities since he left the country in March 2016. United Breweries shares closed over 2 per cent up on the BSE at Rs 1,347.90 Tuesday and the sale of 74,04,932 shares at this price would fetch around Rs 999 crore. Beer major Heineken is the largest shareholder of UBL with a 44 per cent stake. Earlier this month, it approached SBI to sell them, following which the bank moved the Karnataka High Court seeking rights over a 2.8 per cent stake in UBL on March 18. The shares are currently held by a court-appointed liquidator and was previously owned by UBHL, the erstwhile holding company of all firms owned by Mallya. UBHL is currently owned by the world's largest liquor company Diageo of England. Earlier this month, the Debt Recovery Tribunal transferred the shares (about 7.4 million) to a court-appointed liquidator. These shares were earlier attached by the ED, which is investigating allegations of money laundering against Mallya. UBHL last Friday moved the special PMLA court to stop the sale of 74,04,932 shares of UBL scheduled for Wednesday. These shares were pledged as collateral by the then owner Mallya through one of his companies UBL. Mallya was declared as a fugitive economic offender by domestic courts earlier this year. Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines, which ceased operations in December 2012, owes over Rs 9,000 crore to a clutch of lenders led by State Bank of India. UBHL had sought a stay on the share sale pointing out that these shares along with other properties are already attached by the ED and have multiple claimants including the ED, the banks and DRT. They also claimed DRT and banks ignored the order passed by the Karnataka High Court stating that the sale of the shares would be subject matter of the special PMLA court. The Bengaluru bench of the DRT had on March 11 issued a notice to sell these shares. The DRT had stated that shares were being sold to partly recover the secured debt of Rs 6,203.35 crore towards the loan taken by Kingfisher Airlines. Along with interest and penalties banks are demanding Rs 9,000 crore from Mallya. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra will declare the result for MAH CET 2019 on March 31. The entrance exams for MBA programmes which is being offered at different participating institutes of MAH CET was conducted in online mode on March 9 and 10. How to check MAH CET MBA 2019 Result? Step 1: Visit the official website of the institute i.e. mahacet.org. Step 2: Click on MAH MBA CET tab given on homepage. Step 3: The link for the result will be given towards the right side of the page. Step 4: Click on the result link and enter login details. Step 5: Result will be displayed on the screen. Step: Download or take a print out for future reference. Here is the list of colleges that accept MAH CET score for admissions: All Maharashtra Government Management Education Institutes University Departments of Management Education University-managed Education Institutes All Un-aided Management Education Institutes covered as per Act Following the release of the result, Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra will release the cut-off. The cut-off will be based on the marks secured by candidates in the entrance test. Candidates who qualify the cut-off can appear for the counseling process which will be held for the admissions to the different programmes. About MAH CET 2019 Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAH CET) is held every year for admission to full-time Post Graduate Degree Courses in Management (MBA/MMS). Candidates who clear the entrance exam, they would have to appear in the counselling which will be held in June. New Delhi: The Election Commission sent a notice to the producers of Prime Minister Narendra Modis biopic PM Narendra Modi after the Opposition parties including the Congress and the CPM questioned the timing of the films release hinting at a violation of the model code of conduct ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next month. The film is scheduled to be released across the country in early April, close to the first phase voting beginning April 11. The Congress delegation comprised Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, RPN Singh, and Randeep Singh Surjewala who demanded that the film's release be deferred till the last phase of voting, i.e. May 19. "The purpose of this film is only political -- to get some extra mileage in the elections. We believe, it is not just a corrupt practice, but the very launch of the film is motivated," Sibal told reporters outside the Election Commission (EC). He alleged that three of the producers belonged to the BJP and actor Oberoi was also from the ruling party. "So, the whole purpose is to gain advantage. This is violative of all norms. This is no artistic venture. It is a political venture and that is what we have told the Election Commission and should not be allowed. It does not allow for a level playing field," the senior Congress leader said. "It violates the spirit of article 324 of the Constitution, it violates the cable network rules, it violates section 126 of the representation of people act," he said. The Congress has requested the EC to give a "reasoned order" on why its representation is either accepted or rejected. "The content, timing and motive (of the movie) are political," Sibal said. Meanwhile, the Delhi Chief Electoral Office said it was awaiting a reply from the makers of the biopic after it felt that the film was allegedly violating the model code of conduct. On March 20, East Delhi Returning Officer K Mahesh suo motu issued notices to the production house and music company behind the film and two leading newspapers for publishing advertisements of the biopic. Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said the concerned parties have been given time till March 30 to reply and they will examine it and take action accordingly. New Delhi: Ahead o the Lok Sabha Elections, the political parties in Kashmir have been advised to avoid holding road-shows. Public rallies should only be held after proper security clearance, officials said on Tuesday. Political parties must inform the concerned deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police before embarking on a road travel or choosing a place for a public convention. This should be done prior to the date of the proposed rally so that all the necessary security arrangements are put in place, local daily Greater Kashmir quoted a police officer as saying. According to the advisory, no roadshows will be allowed in any Lok Sabha constituency as it involves greater security threat, GK quoted another police official said. Public rallies will also be allowed at designated places only, that too after proper security clearance, he said. On Monday, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah filed nomination papers from Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar-Budgam constituency. Farooq Abdullah filed the papers at Deputy Commissioners office in Srinagar and was accompanied by NC vice president Omar Abdullah, party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar and various other party leaders. 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. The polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote Assembly elections will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had said. However, elections for Jammu and Kashmir assembly have been deferred, the EC said citing security reasons. Polling for parliamentary and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal and Sikkim will be held in the first phase on April 11. Parliamentary and assembly polls will be held in Odisha across the first four phases. Twenty-two states and union territories (UTs), including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, will have Lok Sabha election in a single phase while it will be spread across seven phases in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will kick off her next leg of her three-day campaigning in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. She will reach Lucknow by air on Wednesday morning from where she will travel by road to visit her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi, according to party leaders. Congress president Rahul Gandhi may decide on the alliance between the party and AAP. Here are all the highlights related to the Lok Sabha Elections 2019: 22:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress President Rahul Gandhi to release party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on 2nd April at the party headquarters. 22:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress workers are calling me and saying that I'm sure to win (Lok Sabha elections) and that they are with me. They say that physically they might be campaigning for Congress but mentally they are with me, says Nitin Gadkari. 22:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's allegations against her government, saying "he is just a kid". 22:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Mandya: More than 300 IT officials are on their way to Bengaluru, they may start raids tomorrow. It's vengeance politics by the central govt, we know it's happening because of elections, if they continue like this, we'll do what West Bengal CM did. pic.twitter.com/S73FcpAXuI ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 20:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In EC sets up panel of officers to examine PM Modi's address to nation in light of model code which is in force. 20:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Former Union Minister and RJD leader Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi: I have been with Lalu through all the highs and lows since the last 30 years, I'm party to many of his secrets. I have humbly sent my message, If I'm not getting the ticket then I should be told the reason. pic.twitter.com/99RPaDiQML ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 19:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on UP CM saying Rahul and Priyanka remember temples only during elections: How does he know where I go and when? How does he know I don't go during non-election time? pic.twitter.com/ByY2eiklti ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2019 18:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Trinamool Congress releases manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections 2019. 18:28 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The names of BJD candidates are - Arup Patnaik (Bhubaneswar), Rabindra Jena (Balasore), Debasis Marandi (Mayurbhanj), Anubhav Mohanty (Kendrapara), Sasmita Sethi (Jajpur), Manjulata Mandal (Bhadrak), Pinaki Mishra (Puri), Nalinikanta Pradhan (Sambalpur), Rajashri Mallick (Jagatsinghpur). 18:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Naveen Patnaik's BJD announced candidates for nine Lok Sabha seats in Odisha. The party fielded former Mumbai top cop Arup Patnaik from Bhubaneswar, while Rajya Sabha MP Anubhav Mohanty will contest against Jay Panda from Kendrapada. 17:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bombay High Court to hear plea against the release of the film 'PM Narendra Modi' on 29 March 2019. 17:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In For a long time, our scientists desired to develop A-SAT missiles, but then UPA govt did not give the permission to work on the project. When Agni V was launched in April 2012, Dr VK Saraswat said "We now have the capacity to develop an A-SAT but govt hasn't permitted us." pic.twitter.com/fZjUFhsTEh BJP (@BJP4India) March 27, 2019 16:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee on #MissionShakti: What was the need for Modi at the time of election to violate the model code of conduct to take the credit? Does he work there? Is he going to space? pic.twitter.com/WIy9iPglRk ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 16:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I would like to state here, BJP is taking legal advice. We're taking every possible advice so that institutions & individuals who are part of this conspiracy to defame BJP, we will take them to the court. We will take action on them legally, says Nirmala Sitharaman 16:27 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Director of this website is a Romanian. Exposure on demonetisation y'day was showed on this website only. This website is registered for only a year. Maybe Congress has planned to close it after elections. Congress has adopted a conspiracy-driven election campaign, says Nirmala Sitharaman 16:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "The truth is, our proficient scientists always had the talent and capability, all that was needed was the go ahead from the government. UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people, NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so," tweets Amit Shah. 16:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "The Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt. After spending a lifetime of humiliating our soldiers, Leaders of the Opposition have expanded their influence to ridiculing our scientists. Well done!" tweets Amit Shah. 16:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers - drama Success of scientists - drama Masquerading as leaders, all that The Dynasty has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. https://t.co/vXYFLWO7MN Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 16:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress did a sting operation and made it public y'day, through TNN World, a website-based news portal. This was the same website which showed live Kapil Sibal's press conference on EVM, in January. This website was registered in December 2018, says Nirmala Sitharaman. 16:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In these Lok Sabha elections, Congress has chosen conspiracy as their campaign, says Nirmala Sitharaman. 15:54 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Amit Shah: Giriraj Singh will contest Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai. Party organization will solve all the issues he told me about. I wish him for the elections. 14:47 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "I am guaranteeing the OBC community. Congress will give you your deserved space. We have given you two OBC CMs," says Rahul Gandhi. 14:47 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Aat the AICC OBC National Convention party chief Rahul Gandhi says, "Congress promises you that when we come to power we will deposit Rs3.5lakh over a period of 5 years. We will give you NYAY. We talk about Nyay while they talk about Anyay." 14:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Urmila Matondkar joins Congress in presence of party President Rahul Gandhi. 13:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrives at Congress OBC programme. 13:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP releases a list of 3 candidates for Gujarat. Parbatbhai Patel to contest from Banaskantha, Ramesh Dhaduk from Porbandar, and Ratan Singh from Panchmahal. 13:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Trinamool Congress says it will approach the Election Commission over the timing of the announcement of Mission Shakti. 13:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Anshul Verma, BJP's sitting MP from Hardoi, joins Samajwadi Party (SP) in presence of party president Akhilesh Yadav. Anshul Verma, BJP's sitting MP from Hardoi, joins Samajwadi Party (SP) in presence of party president Akhilesh Yadav pic.twitter.com/o97klVRn1G ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2019 13:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Goa Governor accepts the recommendation by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to remove MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar (in pic) from Council of Ministers. Dhavalikar who was also the Deputy Chief Minister has been removed with immediate effect. 13:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Communist Party of India (Marxist) announces a list of five candidates in Bihar, Rajasthan and West Bengal. 13:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav meets Akhilesh Yadav at Samajwadi Party office in Lucknow. 13:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Ex-PDP leader and MLA Javid Mustafa Mir has joined Shah Faesals party Jammu Kashmir Peoples Movement. 12:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu in Kurnool: EC has transferred 3 police officials without any reason. We will fight against CEC's decision at national level. CEC taking one sided decisions is not good for the democracy. 12:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Narendra Modis address to the nation to begin in approximately 8 minutes. 12:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Modi Cabinet meeting underway at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. 12:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Ex PDP leader and MLA Javid Mustafa Mir has Joined Shah Faesals party Jammu Kashmir Peoples Movement. 11:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Minimum Income Scheme announced by Congress President Rahul Gandhi: I don't answer to 'Sheikhchillis' (day-dreamer). 11:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bhojpuri singer and actor Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirhua' joins BJP. Seen here with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 11:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Actor & BJP leader Ravi Kisan: I will contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections but the party will decide from where. 11:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha will join the Congress. He will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi at 11:30 am tomorrow. 11:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mumbai North West Lok Sabha candidate Sanjay Nirupam, Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar, MLA Aslam Shaikh and MRCC general secretary Bhushan Patil have reached Delhi airport. Matondkar will officially join the Congress today in the presence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi. 10:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Advocate & BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay mentions his plea before the Supreme Court seeking direction for Election Commission to put restraint on candidates against contesting from more than one seat. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde posts the plea two weeks later, for hearing. 10:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress General Secretary for eastern UP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrives in Lucknow, to visit Amethi & Rae Bareli today & tomorrow and Ayodhya on March 29. 10:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In EC sends notice to four producers of film PM Narendra Modi. Congress and CPM had complained to the Election Commission about the film's release, saying it's being done with political intent. The EC had sent notices to two newspapers on March 20 over publishing the film's poster for promotions. 10:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In News 18 reports, ahead of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Amethi visit, posters such as these can be seen: 10:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In Madhya Pradesh, sitting BJP MP from Shahdol constituency Gyan Singh announces that he will be contesting as an independent candidate after being denied a ticket. 10:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Muzaffar Hussain Beig, PDP: We are ready to offer Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front legal assistance, whether in Jammu & Kashmir High Court or Supreme court, provided they trust us. Muzaffar Hussain Beig, PDP: We are ready to offer Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front legal assistance, whether in Jammu & Kashmir High Court or Supreme court, provided they trust us. (26.03.2019) pic.twitter.com/KRl6hTez3x ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 10:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir: We have asked Election Commission to hold Assembly Elections in the state as early as possible. 09:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Chhattisgarh: 'Vote daalne jana hai, apna farz nibhana hai' stamped on OPD registration forms at the district hospital, Jagdalpur, to create voter awareness. Lok Sabha elections in the state will be held in three phases on April 11, April 18 and April 23. 09:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Election Commission writes to Ministry of Railways & Ministry of Civil Aviation, asking them why have the pictures of PM Modi not been removed from rail tickets & Air India boarding passes even after Model Code of Conduct has come into effect. They've been asked to submit a reply within 3 days. 08:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Telugu Desam Party said the decision of the Election Commission to transfer three IPS officers in Andhra Pradesh is "the culmination of a well-hatched conspiracy" by YSR Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Bharatiya Janata Party. 08:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 24 crore devotees had come to Kumbh Mela. When Congress got to know that there was such large turnout, their new generation dropped in too. They used to say Ganga is not clean, but when they saw people consuming its water, they did the same, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in Ahmedabad. 07:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In K Rammohan Rao: Andhra CM is having highest level of security threat having suffered an assassination attempt, missing very narrowly&hence is covered by Z+ security.DG intelligence directly supervises his security&during height of election campaigning is jeopardising his security. 07:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In MGP MLA Deepak Pauskar after the merger of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Legislative Party with BJP: We have happily joined BJP. Oath-taking ceremony will take place at 12 PM (today) in the presence of Goa Governor. We will accept whatever ministry will be given to us by Goa CM. MGP MLA Deepak Pauskar after merger of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Legislative Party with BJP: We have happily joined BJP. Oath-taking ceremony will take place at 12 PM (today) in the presence of Goa Governor. We will accept whatever ministry will be given to us by Goa CM. pic.twitter.com/INSKKIkQCa ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2019 07:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In K Rammohan Rao, TDP: Decision of EC to transfer 3 IPS officers, comprising Director General Intelligence superintendent police Kadapa, superintendent of police Srikakulam of Andhra govt is the culmination of a well-hatched conspiracy by YSRCP, TRS and BJP. K Rammohan Rao, TDP: Decision of EC to transfer 3 IPS officers, comprising Director General Intelligence superintendent police Kadapa, superintendent of police Srikakulam of of Andhra govt is the culmination of a well hatched conspiracy by YSRCP, TRS and BJP. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mN4N4HEX4G ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019 07:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jammu and Kashmir: The Election Commission has organised a training programme for around 1,800 Presiding Officers and Polling Staff in Doda district from March 25 to April 1 for Lok Sabha Elections 2019. Training session includes videos demonstrating duties of polling personnel and hands-on training on the use of EVMs amd VVPATs. 07:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In As the uncertainty over an alliance with the Congress continued, the Aam Aadmi Party stepped up its campaigning with plans to rope in 1.5 lakh volunteers for the Lok Sabha election. 07:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Two of the three MGP MLAs in Goa early Wednesday merged their party's legislative wing with the BJP, which now has 14 legislators in the 40-member state Assembly. 07:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will reach Lucknow by air on Wednesday morning from where she will travel by road to visit her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Partys national general secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday said the party hopes to perform better in Jammu and Kashmir in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls than it did in the 2014 parliamentary elections. Hitting out at the National Conference-Congress alliance, Ram Madhav called the seat-sharing pact a drama. "This drama that is going on that they are in alliance in Jammu, but fighting in Kashmir. They are trying various types of exercises against Modi and the BJP, let them do it. We will win two seats in Jammu and one in Ladakh and will try our best in Kashmir so that our candidates go forward," he said. Unfortunately, regional parties dont understand the aspirations of local people here, he said. They are repeating old policies for their own benefit. During municipal election they asked people to boycott, giving reasons like 370 or 35-A, we havent changed any stand on these issues, he said. Character of regional parties is evident from a fact that their elected Parliamentary candidate praised Pakistan? There should be a FIR against Akbar Lone for his pro-Pakistan statement. They call themselves Mujahideen? Dont these (Militants) rape women and kill teenage people in Kashmir, he said. Commenting on reports that Pakistan will allow a corridor for Sharda Peeth pilgrimage in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Madhav said the Centre would take a decision on that "but terrorism is the biggest challenge. All other issues will be resolved once the issue of terrorism is tackled," he said. 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. The polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote Assembly elections will also be held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had said. However, elections for Jammu and Kashmir assembly have been deferred, the EC said citing security reasons. New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said that she will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if the Congress wants her to but she has not decided yet. "I've not decided yet. If my party asks me to contest, I will definitely contest. My wish is to work for the party," she said. Ahead of the Congress announcing its candidates in Uttar Pradesh, speculations were rife that Priyanka may feature in the list of party candidates for the general election. But the first list of canidates features Rahul and Sonia Gandhi who will contest from Amethi and Rae Bareli respectively. Earlier, party workers speculated that Priyanka Gandhi, who continues the Gandhi family's legacy of active politics, may contest the polls from her mother Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli Piyanka's appointment is seen as an attempt by the Congress to gain some importance in the state as it was in a "bad shape" after being left out of the SP-BSP alliance. Party workers feel that Priyanka's personality would woo voters, especially the youth. However, the BJP claims that the entry of Priyanka Gandhi into active politics will not have any impact on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the politically crucial state. Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived in Amethi to hold a dialogue with the booth level presidents as part of the party's 'humara booth, humara gaurav' campaign, also congratulated the DRDO scientists for the "Mission Shakti" in which India demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. She, however, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing politics over scientists' achievements following his address to the nation announcing successful test of an anti-satellite missile. She also hit back at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had alleged that Priyanka and Rahul only visited temples during election time. Yogi's remarks came on Priyanka's scheduled visit to Ayodhya on Friday. "How does he know where I go and when? How does he know I don't go during non-election time?" she said. Earlier in the day, Priyanka asked party workers to reach out to the villages and expose what she called was the BJP's "jumlebazi" or empty rhetoric. The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern districts said people and Amethi have suffered a lot because of demonetisation, stray cattle menace, stopping MNREGS and snatching of a food park and the Indian Institute of Information Technology. She said it was during the Congress' rule the country achieved expertise in manufacturing matchboxes to missiles, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi was merely undertaking foreign trips even as farmers faced immense problems and were not even getting proper return for their produce. She accused Modi of not fulfilling his "promise" of depositing Rs 15 lakh each into every Indian's account. She said the Congress party does what it says, pointing out that farm loans were waived soon after the Rajasthan government was formed. The Congress leader said her party had promised to give Rs 72,000 yearly to poor families and will show how the scheme works. In April this year, Rahul appointed Priyanka as general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, which also comprises Lok Sabha seats of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Long known as a natural in politics who inherited her grandmother Indira Gandhi's charisma, Priyanka Gandhi was earlier actively involved in key decision making in the party along with her mother and brother, including the selection of new chief ministers for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh recently. New Delhi: NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumaras tweet against Congressa minimum income promise has landed him in trouble. The Election Commission has reportedly slapped a notice and demanded an explanation from Kumar over his social media posts. On March 25, the day Congress chief Rahul Gandhi announced the scheme, Kumar took to Twitter and slammed the Grand Old Party of India for making false promises to win elections. aTrue to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will burst fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented,a Kumar said in a series of tweets. A True to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will burst fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented. (1/2)#MinimumIncomeGuarantee @PMOIndia @FinMinIndia a Rajiv Kumar YY (@RajivKumar1) March 25, 2019 Complete with the Tricolour and a blue tick, Kumaras Twitter bio reads, aVice Chairman @NITIAayog | Founder @PahleIndia | Senior Fellow @CPR_India | Economist, Author, Columnist who loves travel, sufi music and sahaja yoga meditationa. And this is what has drawn the Election Commissionas ire that how can a current member of an official agency talk like a politician. According to PTI, sources in the poll panel said, since Kumar is part of "bureaucratic executive", such remarks may be violative of the model code. "It is not a case of one politician attacking the other or one party attacking the other," said a functionary. He had also tweeted, saying "The proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline test and execution test". In another tweet, Kumar had claimed that, "true to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will bust fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented." Kumar is reported to made similar remarks in an interview also. At a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income if Congress comes to power. A A aCongress party promises that India's 20%,most poor families will get yearly 72,000 rupees in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme. 5 crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world,a Gandhi said during a party press conference in Delhi.This was sort of a formal announcement of partyas mega poll promise. Earlier, in a rally in Dehradun, Gandhi had spoken extensively about his plan to provide dignity to the poor of the country. The announcement comes at a time when Narendra Modi government launched ambitious aPM-KISAN schemea during its last Budget. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) was announced in the interim Budget 2019-20 on February 1, 2019. Under the Scheme, Rs 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of up to 2 hectares. The amount will be given in three installments of Rs 2000 each. New Delhi: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said she would lift the ban on Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) if voted to power. Banning organisations, like the JKLF and the JeI, would have far reaching consequences and such measures would increase the alienation and frustration of the people, she said. Following the Pulwama attack, the Central government declared the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Jammu and Kashmir as an 'unlawful association' under Section 3 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for alleged anti-national and subversive activities. The ban was ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after a high-level meeting on national security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On February 14, at least 42 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 30 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district that also left many critically wounded. More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora in south Kashmir. "In a democracy, ideas are allowed to flourish and not choked. By taking such undemocratic, unconstitutional and unnatural measures, the government is trying to show its electorate how tough it is against the Muslims and against Jammu and Kashmir. "If our party is voted to power, we will make efforts to undo the BJP's wrongs and lift the ban imposed on the JeI and the JKLF," Mehbooba Mufti said. On February 22, the state police detained over 100 of Jamaat's cadres, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz. Detainees include Advocate Zahid Ali (spokesperson), Ghulam Qadir Lone (former secretary general), Abdur Rouf (Ameer Zila Islamabad), Mudasir Ahmad (Ameer Tehsil Pahalgam), Abdul Salam, Bakhtawar Ahmad, Mohammad Hayat (Tral), Bilal Ahmad, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, and others. New Delhi: Ashita, the celebrated Malayalam poet and writer, has died. She was 63. Undergoing treatment for cancer, Ashita breathed her last at a private hospital in Keralaas Thrissur. According to an Indian Express report, the hospital confirmed the news at 12:55 am. The literary giant was especially known for her short stories and had more than 20 books under her name. aVismaya Chhihnangal,a aApoorna Viramangal,a aAshithayude Kathakala aMazhameghangal,a are some of her noted works. She was conferred with prestigious Edaserri Award (1986) and the Lalithambika Antharjanam Award (1994) and the Kerala Sahithya Akademi award. Ashita is survived by husband KV Ramankutty and daughter Uma Praseeda. A Day starts horribly. Ashita no more. Sad beyond words. a N.S. Madhavan UU. U. UUUU (@NSMlive) March 27, 2019 Malayalam writer NS Madhavan took to Twitter to express his grief. aDay starts horribly. Ashita no more. Sad beyond words,a he said on micro-blogging site. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the launch of 'ASAT' programme. "The Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt...After spending a lifetime of humiliating our soldiers, Leaders of the Opposition have expanded their influence to ridiculing our scientists...Well done!," Shah tweeted.A "Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage...Masquerading as leaders, all that aThe Dynastya has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation," Shah said while retweeting Gandhi's tweet. Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers - drama Success of scientists - drama Masquerading as leaders, all that aThe Dynastya has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation. https://t.co/vXYFLWO7MN a Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks - All the nation's a stage! Mocking PM Modi, Congress chief wished him "happy World Theatre Day" after his address to the nation during which he announced that India had shot down a live satellite using anti-satellite missile technology. Gandhi also congratulated the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day," he said on Twitter. The truth is, our proficient scientists always had the talent and capability, all that was needed was the go ahead from the government. UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people, NDA under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so. a Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 27, 2019 Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. "India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti," the prime minister tweeted later. He said the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the nation where he announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. Soon after the announcement, opposition leaders across the party took to twitter and congratulated DRDO and ISRO scientists for successfully conducting the test. They however, took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the credit. Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his sarcastic tweet wished PM Modi on aWorld Treaters Daya. aWell done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day,a he tweeted. Todayas announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. 3/4 a Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Research, space management & development are a continuous process over the years. Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers. 2/4 a Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 Indiaas Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India , other research & space organisations. 1/4 a Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019 West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in a series of tweet congratulated DRDO scientists for the successful accomplishment of Mission Shakti but also slammed PM Modi for doing limitless drama and publicity mongering. Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground a #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity aA by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro a this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer. a Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019 aToday @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground a #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity a by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro a this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer,a Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. What announcement will fit within the code of conduct guidelines of the election commission of India? a Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 27, 2019 What announcement will fit within the code of conduct guidelines of the election commission of India?, tweets Omar Abdullah. Congratulate scientists of #ISRO and DRDO on successfully demonstrating ability of anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, as part of #MissionShakti. The scientific feat will significantly bolster countryas security in space. a Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) March 27, 2019 Congratulate scientists of #ISRO and DRDO on successfully demonstrating ability ofA anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, as part of #MissionShakti. The scientific feat will significantly bolster countryas security in space. A proud moment for India as we enter our name as an elite space power today.a Our scientists have achieved a great feat by carrying out #MissionShakti in under three minutes. Congratulating @isro and @DRDO_India for this remarkable accomplishment. a N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 27, 2019 A proud moment for India as we enter our name as an elite space power today. Our scientists have achieved a great feat by carrying out #MissionShakti in under three minutes. Congratulating @isro and @DRDO_India for this remarkable accomplishment, tweets Chandrababu Naidu.A BSP supremo Mayawati Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability.A "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi. Her remarks came a few hours after Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. "The honourable election commission should definitely take cognizance of this," Mayawati said in her tweet.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In one single tweet, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi not only congratulated the DRDO for aMission Shaktia but also took a sharp swipe at PM Modi. Without saying much, Gandhi deftly drove home the point that the timing of space mission announcement was just a drama. aWell done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day,a Gandhi said on the micro-blogging site. Prior to this, the Congress had also said that while the Indian scientists must be hailed for the stellar work, but the nation must not forget Indiaas first Prime Minister. A Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. a Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019 aWe congratulate @isro @DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1962 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud through its achievements,a the Congress said on Twitter. a@DRDO_India set up in 1958 under Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first govt. agency to begin defence research & development. It has played a pivotal role in equipping our defence forces with the latest technological developments,a the party added.A Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that, atest isn't directed against any country. Indiaas space capabilities don't threaten any country nor are they directed against anyone. At the same time, govt is committed to ensuring countryas national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies.a aThe capability achieved through the Anti-Satellite missile test provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles,a the statement added. A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A request would be sent to the US to seek details from a service provider of virtual SIMs which were used by the JeM suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers, officials said. Piecing together probe from the site of the militant strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, they said. On February 14, at least 42 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 30 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district that also left many critically wounded. More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora in south Kashmir. India retaliated after the strike by bombing the Jaish groups hideout in Balakot across the Line of Control. It was a fairly new modus operandi where militants across the border were using a virtual SIM, generated by a service provider in the United States. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone. The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code generated by these networking sites is received on the smartphone and the user is ready. In case of Pulwama, Dar was in constant touch with the Jaish handler as well as Mudassir Khan using the same technology, the officials said. They said the numbers used were pre-fixed with +1, the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number used for the United States. The request to the US will include details of phone numbers that got in touch with the Virtual SIM and who had activated it, they said, adding that Internet Protocol addresses would also be sought. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Terrorists on Wednesday shot dead a civilian in Kachdoora village of Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district. He has been identified as Tanveer Ahmed (24) from Bemnipora, Shopian. Police have registered case has been registered and an investigation has been started. Security forces have cordoned the area to nab the attacker. On Monday, a terrorist hideout was busted in Jammu and Kashmirs Shermal Shopian. Incriminating material and other items have been recovered from the site, an official said. Hideout has been blasted so that terrorist can't use the hideout in future, he said. Jammu and Kashmir police has filed a FIR has and further investigation is going on, he added. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested three terrorists affiliated to the proscribed terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) near a check-point at Narabal on the Srinagar-Baramulla Highway based on a credible input. Incriminating material, including ammunition and live rounds, were recovered. The police have registered a case. "Three car-borne terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM (were) arrested by police and security forces at Lawaypora (on Srinagar-Baramulla road) (based) on a credible input today," a police spokesperson said. The spokesperson said ammunition, including live rounds, was seized from the three terrorists. They were identified as Rayees Hurrah, Shahid Bhat and Ishaq Lone. Last week, a joint party of police and security forces busted a hide-out in a residential house in Yaripora area of Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district. Police claimed to have recovered arms and ammunition including grenades and live rounds. Police has registered a case in the matter and investigation has been initiated. One person Mohammad Ayoub Rather of Yaripora has been arrested in this connection, official had said. At least 20 terrorists, including eight from Pakistan, have been neutralised in the last 21 days since the terror attack in Pulwama which had claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans, the Indian Army said on Monday. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Come April 1, alcoholic beverages will have a statutory health warning much like the macabre looking prints on cigarette packages that will say Drinking Is injurious to health. This health warning which was carried from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)in 2018 issued that all liquor bottles will carry cautionary messages on their labels will now come to effect from April 1. As per the food regulator's specifications, alcoholic beverage bottles of up to 200 ml should carry the labeled warning message with capital letters no less than 1.5 mm high while the bottles larger than 200 ml will have letters 3mm tall. "Alcoholic beverages are also regulated under the food safety Act. However, there were no labelling regulations created under the Act so far because of which the manufacturers used to follow the excise laws and standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Now that we have created regulations, these will have to be adhered to," Pawan Aggarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI told Hindustan Times. The new regulation called the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages Standards) Regulation, 2018 will apply on all distilled alcoholic beverages including brandy, country liquor, gin, rum, vodka and whisky, liqueur or alcoholic cordial, wines and beer. In addition to the statutory warning, alcoholic beverages containing more than 0.5% alcohol also carry a label declaration about the alcohol content, no nutritional data, no health claim, will not have any nutritional data, health claim and will steer away from words like non-toxicating or the likewise. Washington: Boys with obesity, or excess belly fat, enter puberty at an earlier age than average, scientists have found. Researchers from the University of Chile conducted the study on 527 Chilean boys ages four to seven years. They found that both total body obesity and central obesity, or excess belly fat, were associated with greater odds of starting puberty before age nine. "With the increase in childhood obesity worldwide, there has been an advance in the age at which puberty begins in girls," said Maria Veronica Mericq, the lead investigator of the study. "However, in boys the evidence has been controversial," said Mericq. Some studies have found that obesity delayed puberty, whereas another study showed that only overweight but not obesity-induced earlier puberty in boys. Early puberty -- called precocious puberty -- is linked to possible problems including stunted growth and emotional-social problems, researchers said. The team found that the prevalence of total obesity increased with age, from 22 per cent of boys ages 6 to 7 years to 28.6 per cent at 11.4 years, the average age at onset of puberty for this group. Central obesity also increased in that timeframe, from 11.8 per cent to 17.4 per cent. Precocious puberty reportedly occurred in 45 boys, or nine per cent. Total obesity and central obesity from ages four to seven raised the odds of early puberty compared with having a healthy weight. For instance, among boys age five or six, those with obesity had nearly 2.7 times the odds of starting puberty early, and those with central obesity had almost 6.4 higher odds of puberty before age nine, Mericq said. She explained that central obesity more closely relates to fat mass, because a higher BMI may reflect increased muscle, especially in athletes. "Early puberty might increase the risk of behaviour problems and in boys could be related to a higher incidence of testicular cancer in adulthood," Mericq said. "Our results suggest that controlling the obesity epidemic in children could be useful in decreasing these risks," he said. For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Others News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Michelle Obama, the former First Ladys book, Becoming is en route to becoming the best-selling memoir of all time. Since its release in November, the book has sold over 10 million copies, the parent company of publisher Penguin Random House announced on Tuesday. "We believe this could be the most successful memoir in history," said Thomas Rabe, the chief executive of Bertelsmann, a parent company of Penguin Random House, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We believe that these memoirs could well become the most successful memoir ever," said Thomas Rabe, chief executive of the German firm. Michelle Obama's book, which opens up to a candid lay-out of her childhood experience from the South Shore neighbourhood of Chicago, to her first boyfriend and the then the meeting of the then aspiring-lawyer, Barack Obama, whom she never thought would one day become her POTUS to her FLOTUS, to her work, motherhood and her time in The White House, the book has been praised for its universal appeal across genders and ages. Becoming which sold more than 1.4 million copies in the first week according to Penguin Random House also has the longest streak at No. 1 for any book since Fifty Shades of Grey came out in 2012, according to Amazon. New Delhi: An Australian engineer in one of the rarest of the rare lawsuit charges has filed a case against his ex-boss for farting on him repeatedly whilst working under him. David Hingst, a 56-year-old engineer from Melbourne, Australia, has sued his former employer Construction Engineering for bullying stating that the fart was intentional as his supervisor would lift his bum and fart on him at work. Hingst said, "I would be sitting with my face to the wall and he would come into the room, which was small and had no windows. He would fart behind me and walk away. He would do these five or six times a day. Hingst told the court that the flatulence had caused him severe stressand is seeking $1.8million (970,761) in compensation also adding that flatulence was a form of bullying. He maintains that his boss, Mr Short now Mr.Stinkys behaviour was part of a conspiracy to get rid of him and said his time at Construction Engineering caused him psychiatric injuries. The case was thrown out by the Supreme Court of Victoria last April but Hingst is appealing the decision. Justice Rita Zammit found that even if the farting occurred it would not necessarily amount to bullying. The case came before the Court of Appeal on Monday where Hingst reiterated his farting claims, saying He thrusted his bum at me while hes at work. Justice Priest has however said farts were not the key issue in Hingsts original claim, as it had focused more on alleged bullying phone calls. Hingst, who has represented himself throughout the trial and appeal, is seeking leave to appeal on several grounds. For all the Latest Offbeat News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. San Francisco: Computers have become so smart during the past 20 years that people dont think twice about chatting with digital assistants like Alexa and Siri or seeing their friends automatically tagged in Facebook pictures. But making those quantum leaps from science fiction to reality required hard work from computer scientists like Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun. The trio tapped into their own brainpower to make it possible for machines to learn like humans, a breakthrough now commonly known as artificial intelligence, or AI. Their insights and persistence were rewarded on Wednesday with the Turing Award, an honor that has become known as technology industrys version of the Nobel Prize. It comes with a $1 million prize funded by Google, a company where AI has become part of its DNA. The award marks the latest recognition of the instrumental role that artificial intelligence will likely play in redefining the relationship between humanity and technology in the decades ahead. Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society, said Cherri Pancake, president of the Association for Computing Machinery, the group behind the Turing Award. Although they have known each other for than 30 years, Bengio, Hinton and LeCun have mostly worked separately on technology known as neural networks. These are the electronic engines that power tasks such as facial and speech recognition, areas where computers have made enormous strides over the past decade. Such neural networks also are a critical component of robotic systems that are automating a wide range of other human activity, including driving. Also Read | From 'Operation Shakti' to 'Mission Shakti': India's journey from nuclear giant to space power Their belief in the power of neural networks was once mocked by their peers, Hinton said. No more. He now works at Google as a vice president and senior fellow while LeCun is chief AI scientist at Facebook. Bengio remains immersed in academia as a University of Montreal professor in addition to serving as scientific director at the Artificial Intelligence Institute in Quebec. For a long time, people thought what the three of us were doing was nonsense, Hinton said in an interview with The Associated Press. They thought we were very misguided and what we were doing was a very surprising thing for apparently intelligent people to waste their time on. My message to young researchers is, dont be put off if everyone tells you what are doing is silly. Now, some people are worried that the results of the researchers efforts might spiral out of control. While the AI revolution is raising hopes that computers will make most peoples lives more convenient and enjoyable, its also stoking fears that humanity eventually will be living at the mercy of machines. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun share some of those concerns especially the doomsday scenarios that envision AI technology developed into weapons systems that wipe out humanity. But they are far more optimistic about the other prospects of AI empowering computers to deliver more accurate warnings about floods and earthquakes, for instance, or detecting health risks, such as cancer and heart attacks, far earlier than human doctors. One thing is very clear, the techniques that we developed can be used for an enormous amount of good affecting hundreds of millions of people, Hinton said. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "India is now a major space power. In less than three minutes, a made-in-India anti-satellite missile shot down a satellite in the LEO (Low-Earth Object) satellite." "India has achieved a big feat today... this time in space sciences," PM added. Mission Shakti, which was led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, was aimed at strengthening India's overall security, he said. He said the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. The prime minister did not say who owned the satellite but added that India does not breach any international laws or treaties. Anti-satellite missiles (ASAT)- US In July, 1982, President Reagan called for measured response to the Soviet military space threat in order to protect U.S. and Allied security interests. The two aspects of the Soviet space program of greatest concern in 1982, remain today -- their ability to destroy U.S. satellites and to use satellites for targeting of U.S. and Allied air, land and sea forces. On 14 February 2008, it was reported that the United States Navy had been instructed to fire an RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 ABM weapon at it, to act as an anti-satellite weapon. The U.S. ASAT program is focused explicitly on those Soviet satellites which most threaten U.S. and Allied terres- trial interests in times of crisis or limited war. Anti-satellite missiles (ASAT)- Russia The successful flight test of Russias direct ascent anti-satellite missile, known as PL-19 Nudol, took place November 18, 2015, according to defence officials familiar with reports of the test. In May 2016, Russia tested the Nudol for the second time. It was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome test launch facility, located 500 miles (800 km) north of Moscow Three more launches were reportedly held in December 2016, in March 26, 2018 and in December 23, 2018 - the latter two from a TEL. A new type of ASAT missile was seen carried by a MiG-31 in September 2018. Anti-satellite missiles (ASAT)- China In early 2007, China successfully conducted a test of its first ASAT (anti-satellite) weapon sending shock waves across the globe and seriously jolting the Indian defence establishment into thinking on strategies to counter China's destabilizing agenda. In 2006, the U.S. government released a report claiming that China had tagged some U.S. observation satellites with a high-power laser system. Although no major damage was done to the satellites, it later emerged that the laser was not directed at the optical lenses, which could have rendered the satellites useless. In 2008, when the Shenzhou-07 was in orbit, the Taikonauts on the mission released a BX-1 micro satellite. The BX-1 flew within the 1000-mile secure radius of the International Space Station (the ISS is programmed to change trajectory and orbit should this happen). Although no harm was done, this demonstrated Chinas ability to deploy micro satellites with ASAT capabilities. Anti-satellite missiles (ASAT)- India India entered the elite club of global space power to have its own satellite weapon. In a highly-anticipated address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced about ultra-secretive Mission Shakti, which lasted for just three minutes. A while ago, India achieved a historic feat. India today registered itself as a space power. Till now, 3 countries of the world- America, Russia and China had this achievement. India is the 4th country to have achieved this feat. Mission Shakti was led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, was aimed at strengthening Indias overall security, PM Modi said. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Following the success of 'Mission Shakti', former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said on Wednesday that India had anti-satellite missile capability way back in 2007 but there was no political will at the time to demonstrate it. Nair said when China shot down an ageing weather satellite by launching a missile in 2007, India had the technology to undertake a similar mission. Led by the DRDO, the operation code-named as "Mission Shakti" was completed in just three minutes in which an anti-satellite weapon ASAT successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit (LEO). The satellite used in the mission was one of India's existing satellites operating in lower orbit while a ballistic missile defence interceptor was used to hit it. "...Now (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji has taken the initiative and he had the political will and courage to say that we will do this. We have now demonstrated this to whole world," Nair said. He had headed the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), Space Commission and was Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. Asked if India could have demonstrated the anti-satellite missile capability in 2007 itself, Nair said "certainly", but it could not be done due to absence of "political decision" to go ahead with it at that time. "Now, Modiji has courageously taken the decision," he said. Meanwhile, former DRDO chief Vijay Saraswat said that India had the capability to carry out anti-satellite missile test in 2012-13 but there was no political clearance to it. The prime minister on Wednesday announced India had demonstrated the capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. India is only the fourth country to have such a specialised capability after the US, Russia and China. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Data mining, artificial intelligence (AI) and social media have strengthened sectarian identity, reinforced biases and sharpened societal divides rather than promoting cross-cultural understanding and dialogue, claims a new book. Kiran Karnik, a former NASSCOM president and ex-member of Prime Minister's Scientific Advisory Council and the National Innovation Council, discusses all these issues in recently-released "Evolution: Decoding India's Disruptive Tech Story". He says initially it was hoped that the exchange of content and views through social media would provide a platform to discuss differing viewpoints and perspectives. "Reality, though, has turned out differently," he remarks. Karnik argues that increasingly these new platforms and their ever-increasing versatility are used for exchanging inanities ('Look at this ice cream that I am eating!') or passing on unverified reports which resulted in the rapid propagation of rumours and falsehoods through the amplifying effect of "forwards". "Anecdotal evidence indicates that the more sensational or outrageous the post, the faster and wider it gets circulated, with the impact multiplied by the echo chamber effect. This has encouraged the planting of fake news, which is capable of not only creating fear, enmity and hate, but even triggering riots. As a result, there is growing global concern over fake news," he says. Data mining and clever algorithms verging on AI enable platforms like Google, which take into account the interests and preferences of users, are now being used to customise news. "Reading news true or fake that interests you and matches with your world view obviously adds to the echo chamber effect. There is also concern about trolling, abuse and threats on social media," he says in the Rupa Publications' book. The author notes that rooting out fake news, rumours and abuse is not easy. These developments, and the way social media tends to be used, have done little for the promotion of cross-cultural understanding, or reflection and dialogue based on varied perspectives. "Instead, in many cases, they have strengthened sectarian identity, reinforced biases and sharpened societal divides. The hope that these technologies would democratize, empower and enlighten seems to have been thwarted. Maybe it was a false dawn, after all, he says. But not everything about the social media is gloomy, according to Karnik as he argues that technology has also provided common interest platforms, identity strengthening and the sharing of a viewpoint, which help in mobilising people and creating mass movements. "In India, this power of social media was first strongly seen after the horrific Nirbhaya incident, when tens of thousands of people assembled for protest demonstrations, mobilised primarily through social media, he says. "The fact that this force is also used for negative purposes is not necessarily the fault of social media. Yet, there are concerns regarding the dangers of polarization and majoritarianism that social media engenders, and the effect of controversial content? whether true or doctored on groups already susceptible to a certain viewpoint," he added. New Delhi: Xiaomi Mi 9X is one of the most anticipated smartphones and some reports have been making rounds over the internet revealing some of its features and specifications. The handset is expected to arrive to get released in April. The Mi 9X is expected to come with 6.4-inch Full HD AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch at the top front and also with in-screen fingerprint scanner. The upcoming smartphone is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC and is paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Mi 9X runs on MIUI 10 along with Android 9 Pie. On optics front, some reports suggest that Mi 9X will feature three-camera setup at the back with 48-megapixel primary camera (Sony IMX586 sensor), 13-megapixel super wide-angle sensor, and an 8-megapixel sensor depth or telephoto visibility. For selfies, rumours suggest that it will boasts a 32-pixel Samsung S5KGD1 sensor. The price of the smartphone is still unknown, but it is expected but it is expected to arrive and begin at a price range of CNY 1,699 which is Rs 19,000 approximately. Recently, three new Xiaomi devices were launched with codenames pyxis, bamboo_sprout and cosmos_sprout which also feature d in-display fingerprint sensor. Xiaomi Mi 9X is expected to be backed by a 3300mAh battery along with 18W fast charging. Apart from this, the Chinese smart device maker announced its foray into the digital payment segment with launch of MiPay app and expansion of its mobile manufacturing. We have introduced our innovative MiPay service for our consumers in India. MiPay serves as the ultimate solution to a variety of consumer payment needs, hence empowering millions of Xiaomi users with access to digital payments. Thus, acting as an equaliser providing a seamless experience across all smartphones, Xiaomi India Chief Operating Officer Muralikrishnan B said. Xiaomi announced partnership with electronics manufacturing services firm Flex to expand its mobile production in the country. Vatican City: The all-female editorial team behind the Vatican's women's magazine have resigned over what they describe as attempts to stifle their reporting and bring in more "obedient" journalists, its founder said Tuesday. "We are throwing in the towel because we feel surrounded by a climate of distrust and progressive de-legitimisation," Woman Church World founder Lucetta Scaraffia wrote in an editorial published by Italian religious news blog Il Sismografo. The magazine -- which has not shied away from tackling hard-hitting issues such as the sexual abuse of nuns by priests -- began life seven years ago as an insert and is published along with the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper. Scaraffia said the new editor of L'Osservatore, Andrea Monda, was attempting to "weaken" the monthly by bringing in external collaborators in a bid to control the editorial line. "They are returning to the practice of selecting women who ensure obedience... (and) giving up that 'parresia' (freedom to speak freely) that Pope Francis so often seeks," she said. Monda released a statement denying that he had selected any collaborators, female or male, based on their obedience, and saying Woman Church World would continue. In an open letter to the pope, Scaraffia defended the monthly, saying stories that may have raised hackles in the Vatican had only been covered after the story had already broken and the facts were in the public domain. "Now it seems a vital initiative has been reduced to silence, and we return to the antiquated and barren custom of selecting, under direct male control, those women considered trustworthy," she added. Last month, Pope Francis had opened a landmark sex abuse prevention summit by offering senior Catholic leaders 21 proposals to punish predators and keep children safe, warning that the faithful are demanding concrete action and not just words. The tone for the high stakes, four-day summit was set at the start, with victims from five continents --- Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and North America --- telling the bishops of the trauma of their abuse and the additional pain the churchs indifference caused them. Francis, the first Latin American pope, called the summit after he himself botched a well-known sex abuse cover-up case in Chile last year and the scandal reignited in the US. With his own papacy and the Catholic hierarchy at large facing a credibility crisis, Francis has now vowed to chart a new course and is bringing the rest of the church leadership along with him. The summit was meant as a tutorial for church leaders around the globe to learn the importance of preventing sex abuse in their churches, tending to victims and investigating the crimes when they occur. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it had shot down one of India's own satellites in a demonstration of its growing power in space, the Pakistan government issued a call against military threats in outer space on Wednesday. Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena, Pakistans foreign ministry said in a statement. We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space, it said, without mentioning India by name. Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixotes tilting against windmills, it said, in a reference to the delusional hero of the 17th-century Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. "India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti," the prime minister tweeted later. Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. Addressing the nation, the prime minister said India's action was not directed against any country. Shooting down a low earth orbit satellite is a rare achievement for the country, he said. The satellite was orbiting at an altitude of 300 km, he said, describing India as a space power. Mission Shakti, which was led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, was aimed at strengthening India's overall security, he said The prime minister had advertised his address to the nation on Twitter, calling it an important message. "Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," he said, setting off speculation across the country on what the topic was likely to be. Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security had met at the prime minister's residence. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A huge explosion was heard in the Swedish capital of Stockholm on Wednesday morning. Several buildings have been damaged in Vallingby including a hotel. However, the cause of the blast is yet to be known although it is not being treated as suspicious, the Daily Star reported. The police said that five people had been injured with two taken to hospital. There was a loud bang and a screaming sound, a witness reportedly said. The police have been on the scene since 5 am local time with forensic scientists and bomb experts investigating. Horrified witnesses say they were woken up around 1am local time as the explosion rattled their windows and doors. Thick black smoke could be seen billowing over Stockholm this morning as cops launch a probe to establish the cause of the explosion. Police say it caused significant damage to cars, homes and businesses in the area but they are not yet treating it as a crime, The Sun reported. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: The strategic partnership between India and the US is advancing at a historic pace, a top American commander said, asserting that the two largest democracies are natural partners on a wide range of political, economic, and security issues. Noting that the inaugural 2+2 Ministerial and signing of the COMCASA in 2018 were pivotal moments in US-India relationship, Admiral Phil Davidson, Commander of the US Indo Pacific Command, said he expects the trajectory to continue. "The US-India strategic partnership continues to advance at an historic pace as we continue to increase our interoperability and information-sharing capabilities," Davidson told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing. "The US and India are natural partners on a range of political, economic and security issues," he said. With a mutual desire for global stability, support for the rules-based international order, and a Free-and-Open Indo-Pacific region, the US and India have an increased agreement on interests, including maritime security and maritime domain awareness, counter-piracy, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and coordinated responses to natural disasters and transnational threats, Davidson said. Over the past year, the militaries of the two nations participated in five major exercises, executed more than 50 other military exchanges, and further operationalised the 2016 Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), he said. The LEMOA enables the US Navy to replenish supplies from Indian navy logistics platforms. The US Indo Pacific Command is working with the Indian military to operationalize the COMCASA, which will boost interoperability between the militaries, Davidson said. "Defence sales are at an all-time high, with India operating US sourced platforms such as P-8s, C-130Js, C-17s, AH-64s, CH-47s, and M777 howitzers. Additionally, India recently agreed to a USD 2.1-billion purchase of MH-60R multi-role sea-based helicopters and is considering a number of additional US systems for purchase," he said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Reacting to India's announcement of shooting down a live satellite with a missile a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers Pakistan on Wednesday said that it was against the militarisation of outer space. "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena," Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement. He said Pakistan was a "strong proponent of the United Nations resolution on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space". "Boasting of such capabilities (to destroy satellite) is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," he said, describing India's test as like fighting imaginary enemies. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," Faisal said, without naming any country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India successfully test-fired an anti-satellite missile by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. We are against the weaponisation of Outer Space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets," the MEA said. Meanwhile, China reacted guardedly to Indias anti-satellite missile test an expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a written response to a question from PTI on India successfully test-firing an anti-satellite missile, said: "We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space". China conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a defunct weather satellite. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington : US President Donald Trump demanded on Wednesday that Russia drop support for Venezuelas leader Nicolas Maduro after Moscow deployed troops and equipment to bolster the hard-left government. Russia has to get out, Trump said at the White House alongside Fabiana Rosales, wife of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by the United States and more than 50 other countries as Venezuelas interim president in place of Maduro. Rosales was given a high-profile reception in the Trump administrations latest bid to boost Guaido, who is under severe pressure from Moscow-backed Maduro. On Thursday, she will meet with US First Lady Melania Trump in Florida. Trump said all options are on the table when asked by journalists if the United States was considering military action to back up a major campaign of economic sanctions aimed at crippling the Maduro governments finances. Theyve got a lot of pressure right now. They have no money, they have no oil, they have no nothing. Theyve got plenty of pressure right now. They have no electricity, he said. Other than military you cant get any more pressure than they have ... All options are open. Earlier, Rosales met separately with Vice President Mike Pence, who plays a major role in the administrations aggressive stand against Maduro, and also called out Russia. Also Read | UK Prime Minister Theresa May says she will quit once Brexit is delivered He said the United States views Russias arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and we call on Russia today to cease all support for the Maduro regime. Guaido is the only legitimate president of Venezuela. Venezuela is in crisis after years of dictatorship and oppression, Pence said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Democrat-led congressional committee challenged on Tuesday the Pentagons plan to divert US dollar 1 billion to support President Donald Trumps plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. Earlier, the Pentagon has notified the US Congress that it has authorised the transfer of $1 billion for Donald trump's border wall along Mexico. The funds have been diverted from the US army corpus to build the 58 miles fence, the Daily Beast report said. I have decided to undertake Yuma sector projects 1 and 2 and El Paso sector project 1 by constructing 57 miles of 18-foot-high pedestrian fencing, constructing and improving roads, and installing lighting as described in your February 25, 2019 request, acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan said in a letter to homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. It was the newest challenge to Trumps February 15 declaration of a national emergency at the border in order to obtain more than USD 5 billion to build a frontier wall to keep out illegal immigrants and drug smugglers, after Congress denied him the funds. The Defence Department is attempting to circumvent Congress and the American peoples opposition to using taxpayer money for the construction of an unnecessary wall, and the military is paying the cost, said committee chairman Adam Smith. This needs to stop.... The Administration should stop using our service members as a political tool and instead focus on building military capabilities and readiness and areas where we should focus our defence resources. Congress will act as necessary to defend its Constitutional prerogatives, Smith warned in a statement. Late Monday Shanahan said he had authorized the move of the funds to help the Homeland Security Department build 57 miles (92 kilometres) of 18-foot (5.5-meter) fencing, to construct and improve roads, and install lighting to support Trumps emergency declaration. Addressing concerns that the US military was straying out of its mission into domestic civilian operations, Shanahan cited US law that authorizes the military to support the counterdrug activities of other federal agencies. For two years Trump has battled Congress for as much as USD 25 billion in funds to fortify the Mexico border with a massive wall. After Congress voted earlier this month to nullify the emergency declaration, Trump vetoed it, allowing the Pentagon to reallocate billions of dollars to the border emergency. Smith said some limited amount of reprogramming of Pentagon funds for emergency needs without congressional approval is normally allowed. But the shift of USD 1 billion, he said, is a violation of that trust. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa stressed the crucial role of culture as a bridge to strengthen interstate relations and bolstering positive cooperation. He made the statement as he attended the Thai Culture and Food Festival, stressing the importance of events and exhibitions in highlighting cultures and civilizations and expanding co-operation. HRH the Premier was received on arrive at the festival by Advisor to the Thai Foreign Minister Chaisiri Anamaran. He toured the festival and the accompanying events, which reflect long-standing Thai history and civilization. Bahrain and Thailand boast millennia-old civilizational heritage which represents an enriching asset that contributes to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields, he said. Thai Authority for Tourism Authority of Thailand Middle East held the festival at the Gulf Hotel, in partnership with the Thai Embassy in Manama and Gulf Air. The 2019 edition of ArtBAB, Bahrains premier international art platform, was marked by a triumphant engagement of new ideas and new avenues to take Bahraini artists to bigger global platforms. Held under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeekha bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King, the show saw eleven countries participating in the fair this year: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Russia, Bulgaria, Argentina, India, Belgium, UK, Italy, and Portugal. The 16 participating international galleries recorded sales of BD93,156. This year, the annual fair also saw a rise in sales overall, ringing in BD257, 700 in overall sales. Of this, Bahraini artists recorded sales of BD156, 097 which is a jump over last years BD 147, 900 and the highest recorded so far at ArtBAB. Participating in local galleries and universities recorded total sales of BD11,050. The Bahrain-based galleries and universities included Baghdad Art Gallery, the Bahrain Contemporary Art Association, Art for Heart, the University of Bahrain and the Royal University for Women. This year there were 17 artist stands and a BAAB Pavilion of Bahraini contemporary art show framing the works of 30 selected Bahraini artists. The success of the Bahraini artists, especially the emerging talent, is a sign that ArtBAB as a movement has clearly helped to elevate the recognition levels and commercial victory of Bahraini art which is increasingly finding a place in some of the most prestigious collections around the world, commented Fairs and Programme Director Kaneka Subberwal. She added, The growing weight of excellence that the ArtBAB shows have brought to international attention, has resulted in many significant collaborations and exposure. Ten Bahraini artists will be participating in an artists residency programme in New York, founded by well-known art authority Nathalie Angles. The eighteen-month programme which begins in September 2019, will be a valuable insight for our artists on trends and techniques of the contemporary art scene internationally. The artists will attend the residency in two batches of five artists each. A new blackout swept across Venezuela on Monday, including much of Caracas, sowing alarm two weeks after a nationwide outage that paralyzed the country. The power cut in the capital occurred around 1:20 pm (1720 GMT) and knocked out electricity in the city center. After nightfall, many apartment buildings in the Caracas metro area -- home to around six million people -- were aglow again and traffic lights were back on, but people reported they were still in the dark in many other states. Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez blamed the latest blackout on an attack on the charging and transmission center at the Guri dam, which supplies 80 percent of the power to the country of 30 million. What (last time) took days, now has been taken care of in just a few hours, Rodriguez said, saying the fix had been made in record time. Earlier, a local newspaper reported that the power was out at Venezuelas main international airport outside Caracas. Cellphone signals were disrupted and television was blanked out. Shops hastily lowered shutters, fearing looters. President Nicolas Maduros government blamed the outage on an attack targeting the Guri hydroelectric plant. Rodriguez told state television that the opposition was responsible, claiming it wants to plunge the population into profound unease. Juan Guaido, the opposition leader recognized as Venezuelas interim president by the US and many of its allies, countered on Twitter that Maduros government uses these moments to disinform and create anxiety. He said at least 17 of the countrys 23 states were affected, as well as much of the capital district covering Caracas, retweeting a graphic by web monitoring organization NetBlocks showing the internet down for 57 percent of Venezuela. Anxious Twitter users who were online said several big cities in the west of the country including Barquisimeto, Maracaibo and Barinas were impacted. Not another blackout, no God, no, tweeted Flore Melero, a 29-year-old resident in the town of Ocumare del Tuy southeast of Caracas. During last blackout which started on March 7 and lasted a week, more than a dozen patients in hospitals died, public transport came to a halt, production slowed in the vital oil sector and water supplies were interrupted, forcing citizens to turn to sewage outflows and polluted water sources. On a recent afternoon, the horse tracks of a small northeastern town had the looks of an impromptu music concert for mostly older women, with large crowds packed around a makeshift stage near what seemed to be an unused racing lane. By my count, some 15,000 locals, many of them farmers with weathered skin, had gathered there for a rally of the Pheu Thai party, which calls for better health care, a higher minimum wage and subsidised agriculture prices. An heir to populist parties led by two former prime ministers who were deposed Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck Pheu Thai is said to be the front-runner in the March 24 general election, the first since the military coup of 2014. These residents of Khon Kaen many of them disadvantaged people from rural areas, like other so-called red shirts had come to cheer on Sudarat Keyuraphan, Pheu Thais leading candidate for prime minister. Some 77 parties are running in the election, including Palang Pracharat, a proxy for the military, which has nominated Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former general who led the 2014 coup, as its candidate for prime minister. Sudarat struggled to make it to the racetrack: Too many cheering supporters blocked her way. When she finally got onstage, she seemed bowed down by the many orange flower leis they had placed around her neck. Are you happier now than you were five years ago? she asked. Do you want to sell your agricultural produce on Mars? a reference to Prayuths comment once, amid a global glut in rubber, that Thai farmers may have to sell theirs on that planet. But the crowd didnt want to hear just about politics, and Sudarat knew that. You can hug me! You can kiss me! she said playfully. But please dont pinch me! Im bruised from all the pinching! A few days earlier, on the other side of town, a group of academics, business owners and aging democracy activists had met with Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, a young leader of the Future Forward Party, to discuss the fledging partys long-term strategy in the region. Future Forward created only a year ago by the 38-year-old billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is popular among young, tech-savvy voters and progressives who want to break with old-school politics and players (including the Shinawatras). The party also wants to keep the military out of politics for good and reverse decades of centralisation by giving more power and more money to local authorities. The Northeast represents about one-third of the countrys population of more than 68 million, and for nearly two decades the way the Northeast has voted, Thailand has too. That outcome seems less certain this year largely, the governments opponents say, because it has rigged the system in its favour. In a recent survey of voters in the Northeast by the E-Saan Poll project at Khon Kaen University, two-thirds of respondents said they were likely to vote for Pheu Thai or Future Forward in Sundays election. But according to a study by the Nation media group early this month, pro-democracy parties looked like they would fall short of securing a majority of seats in the 500-member House of Representatives (and that was before one of those parties was dissolved). I have met leaders of all the main pro-democracy parties in recent weeks, and they were cautiously optimistic that together they could nonetheless take a majority of seats in the lower house. But even if they win, they could be relegated to being, curiously, a kind of majority opposition: Under the military-drafted 2017 constitution, the next prime minister is to be selected by a vote of the full Legislature which also includes 250 senators nominated by the military. The Constitution does allow a majority of the lower house to hold a no-confidence vote on the prime minister meaning that Prayuth, even if selected for the post, might not be certain to keep it for long. On the other hand, the constitution also reserves major, overriding powers for unelected, military-controlled bodies for example, the one tasked with overseeing a vast 20-year development plan. And at least until a new government is formed, the Constitution can be superseded altogether thanks to a document that predates it. Section 44 of the 2014 interim constitution essentially allows the head of the junta today, Prayuth to do anything he deems necessary for the sake of not only national security, but also the monarchy, national economics or public unity and harmony, among other things. But Prayuth, or other generals, would be resorting to such strong-arm tactics at their own risk, for opposition to their regime is deepening and becoming more sophisticated. Many Thais live at the countrys periphery, geographic and otherwise, and the periphery still wants democracy. The March 24 election is unlikely to bring anything like that, but the campaign has shown that pro-democracy parties continue to make strides, strengthening their popular appeal and refining their platforms. The great unknown of this election is what role Thailands relatively new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, might play, if only symbolically. (The Thai royal family is, avowedly, above politics.) Since coming to power in late 2016, King Vajiralongkorn has surprised some observers with his assertiveness, especially toward the military. Last month, another member of the royal family also defied expectations. The kings older sister, Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Varnavadi, announced her intention to run for prime minister and on the ticket of the decidedly grassroots, northeast-centered Thai Raksa Chart, another party thought to be aligned with Thaksin. Her candidacy lasted only a few hours, before the king and later, the election commission dismissed it. (Although Ubolratana renounced her title as princess years ago, her foray into politics was deemed to be inappropriate.) Then, the military-dominated constitutional court disbanded Thai Raksa Chart, disqualifying its members from running in the March 24 election. The partys dissolution was a setback for Thai democrats, of course. But looking past the twists and turns and apparent tensions exposed by this episode, it also seemed to suggest within the royal family a growing sympathy for a tranche of Thai society well beyond its traditional base, the generally moneyed and powerful, Bangkok-based hypermonarchists known as yellow shirts. To put the point differently: Thailands election on March 24 may not be quite what it seems. More than a vote of confidence in the military, it may be a test of the monarchys willingness to listen to the majority. The board of Frontier Communications has created a new committee that among other duties would weigh any possibilities for strategic alternatives in the words of a regulatory filing on Wednesday, installing the former chief financial officer of Sears Holdings to lead it. Based in Norwalk and with an operations center in New Haven, Frontier offers broadband and TV service in Connecticut and 28 other states, with the company among the larger employers in its home state with more than 3,000 workers at last report. Frontier lost $643 million last year, with revenue off 6 percent to $8.6 billion. Late last year, the board scrapped a retirement plan committee and created a finance committee to oversee the companys capital structure, as well as consider strategic alternatives for Frontier and its shareholders, a phrase often taken to signify the exploration of a sale of assets or an entire company. Multiple outlets reported last year that Frontier was considering selling off portions of its broadband territories nationally, as it worked to reduce a debt load of more than $17 billion and simplify its operations. The new finance committee is led by Rob Schriesheim, the former chief financial officer of Sears who runs Truax Partners today advising investors in large companies undergoing transformations. Frontiers board is chaired by Pamela Reeve, with Frontier paying the Massachusetts technology industry veteran nearly $400,000 last year of $2.2 million in compensation for all its board directors. In its annual proxy to investors published Wednesday, Frontier noted the departure last year of a third of its senior-most executives. The company attributed the exodus to its scrapping bonuses in recent years coupled with a plunge in value of its stock, with Frontier company now emphasizing cash incentives rather than stock-based compensation in an attempt to retain those who remain. Frontiers compensation committee is led by Virginia Ruesterholz, a retired former executive vice president of New York City-based Verizon Communications. Despite Frontier shares dropping precipitously last year, the broadband provider awarded CEO Daniel McCarthy a $1.1 million increase in his compensation to $7.1 million, including assumptions on the value of its shares in future years. Frontier shares were down another 6 percent on Wednesday afternoon to under $2.10, with the issue trading above $7 on an adjusted basis a year ago. Frontier estimated a drop in McCarthys actual realized pay to under $3 million, based on the actual performance of its stock last year, and noted that he had made less than 40 percent of the total compensation for which he had been eligible the past three years. The company used the $7.1 million compensation figure, however, to calculate a pay-ratio requirement under Securities and Exchange Commission rules that disclose the median pay of rank-and-file workers. With the median Frontier worker making $77,000 last year, McCarthy total estimated compensation amounted to 93 times that of the companys median pay. Frontier has yet to replace on a permanent basis its former chief financial officer Perley McBride, who made $2.9 million through August last year before leaving Frontier to become CFO of Cox Communications in Atlanta. As a privately held company, Cox does not make public the compensation received by its executives. For a third consecutive year, Frontier will run its annual meeting for shareholders as a webcast, with the event scheduled for May 7 starting at 10 a.m. Mutual fund giants BlackRock and Vanguard are the companys two largest stakeholders, owning more than a quarter of Frontier shares outstanding as of the second week of March. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman WASHINGTON Rep. Rosa DeLauro used her new clout as an Appropriations subcommittee chairman to tussle with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday over a report by an education advocacy group accusing her agency of not providing effective oversight of federal charter school funding. DeVos was the sole witness at a hearing before DeLauros subcommittee to answer questions about the Trump administrations latest budget request for the U.S. Department of Education, which would boost federal charter school funding by $60 million while cutting $7 billion, or 10 percent, of its budget this year from other programs. DeLauro grilled DeVos about the findings of a report by the non-profit advocacy group Network for Public Education that said the U.S. government has wasted up to $1 billion on charter schools that never opened, or operated for a short while and then closed because of mismanagement. DeVos initially tried to deflect the question. It sounds like you are saying, This is not our job, DeLauro said. Can you explain how you think not stopping known waste fraud and abuse in the Charter School Program is not the departments job? Charter schools are publicly financed but privately operated, and are a part of the school choice movement supported by the Trump administration. Before joining the administration, DeVos was the chairman of the pro-school-choice advocacy group American Federation for Children, and a force behind the spread of charter schools in her home state of Michigan. DeLauro continued to ask DeVos what the Education Department was doing to recover the lost federal money. DeVos said her department is very aware of the issues raised by the report and that the practices at the charter schools long predate this administration. We are very keen to ensure that the concerns raised are addressed, DeVos said. but you are always going to have schools that dont make it. DeVos also said that shes looking to Congress to authorize more flexibility for charter schools. That was not what DeLauro wanted to hear. Madame Secretary, it would appear to me that based on this report and other reports that charter schools have enormous flexibility, and there seems to be no one who is overseeing how that flexibility translates into the use of federal dollars, DeLauro said. Thats irresponsible in terms of your job with regard to oversight. The report, titled Asleep at the Wheel said, Of the schools awarded grants directly from the department between 2009 and 2016, nearly one in four either never opened or (soon) shut its doors. The report detailed the failures of dozens of charter schools, including one in Connecticut. It said that in 2013, Path Academy opened in Windham and that its charter management organization, called Our Piece of the Pie, received a $585,800 grant to open the school. Within a few years the school was opening up unauthorized satellite campuses as well as falsifying enrollment and attendance data resulting in a $1.57 million overpayment to the school, the report said. Before the state Education Department pulled its charter, the school surrendered its charter. The school surrendered its charter last July, about two months after the state board of education voted to begin the revocation process. DeVos was also questioned by Democrats on the panel about proposed Education Department cuts and plans to eliminate programs like the Special Olympics. They also pressed DeVos on her proposed rule changes on campus sexual misconduct and her decision to rescind Obama-era discipline guidance to schools aimed at protecting minority students. DeVos said her department had to make difficult decisions, but was bound by a directive to cut the federal deficit. I do not understand how you can support this budget and be the secretary of education, DeLauro said. This budget under-funds education at every turn. A fellow Democrat running against Fairfax County, Virginia's top prosecutor in the primary is attacking the incumbent for criticizing the party's criminal justice policies while seeking to strike a potential juror in a 2005 trial because the man's wife was a prominent Democrat. Raymond Morrogh, a Democrat who was at the time chief deputy commonwealth's attorney, told a judge he didn't want the man to be on the jury, because the man's wife was a member of the Democratic National Committee, according to a transcript of jury selection. The judge ultimately rejected the motion. "I see where his wife is on the Democratic National Committee, and that's basically the reason I struck him," Morrogh said, according to the transcript. "I think their policies towards criminal justice seem to be kind of left-handed, and that's the only reason I voted no." The campaign of Steve Descano, a former federal prosecutor, highlighted the exchange in a statement on Tuesday, saying it is time to demand "new thinking and real reform" from the Fairfax County prosecutor's office. Descano has tried to position himself as a progressive alternative to Morrogh, who is in his third term. Morrogh was first elected commonwealth attorney in 2007 and has been a Democrat since the 1980s, his campaign said. He has been a prosecutor for more than 30 years. "Someone with that type of outdated thinking won't bring the reform we need and shouldn't be leading our criminal justice system," Descano said in a statement. "Someone who would strike a Democrat for just being a Democrat can't be trusted to fight for all of our community." Kyle Shivers, campaign manager for Morrogh, said it was the practice of the commonwealth's attorney Morrogh served under to sometimes try to strike jurors for their political affiliations. Shivers said Morrogh has stopped the practice since becoming the county's main prosecutor. "Our opponent is attempting to mislead Democrats throughout Fairfax County by picking one case out of the hundred thousand Ray has handled," Shivers said. "Ray has a record of making very progressive reforms since he was elected." Morrogh attempted to remove the juror during the trial of a man accused of getting into a gun battle with a police officer following a robbery in 2005. The man, who was facing a charge of attempted capital murder of a police officer, pleaded guilty to lesser charges. A public defender challenged Morrogh's attempt to strike the juror on the grounds that Morrogh made the motion because the man was black. Morrogh insisted that he wanted to remove the juror because of his wife's politics. "The Democratic National Committee generally has a - one of their platforms is that the criminal justice system is not fair in this country for a variety of reasons," Morrogh said, according to the transcript. "Whether they're right or wrong, I just don't want people who may be exposed to that kind of thinking on the jury." Descano has called for expanding alternatives to prosecution for drug addicts, the mentally ill and teens. Morrogh has highlighted his experience and efforts to help establish drug and veterans courts in Fairfax County. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 11. Open floor plans have been a trend for years so much so that it's nearly impossible to watch a home renovation show that doesn't involve tearing down the walls to give a space more "breathing room." But firefighters are warning that opening things up opens you up to a huge safety risk. When your main living areas are just one big, open space, a small fire can spiral out of control much faster than in a traditional house, because it has fewer barriers (or walls) to burn through, Gilbert Fire Battalion Chief Josh Ehrman told Arizona's 12 News in 2018. Firefighters demonstrated this for the news station, lighting a controlled fire behind a chair in a living room and showing how quickly it spread. In 30 seconds, the fire alarms were blaring and in less than 10 minutes, the fire was billowing so much smoke it was no longer safe for people to breathe, so firefighters extinguished their experiment. By then, the entire living room and kitchen had been destroyed. Britwind and mCloud sign MOU to target upgrades of an Endurance E-series fleet of over 1,000 wind turbines. mCloud enables Britwind to offer the upgrade as a subscription service with zero capital outlay by wind turbine owners on a typical 5-year term. Upgrades will allow Britwind customers to take advantage of mCloud's AI and analytics capabilities to improve wind turbine performance and reliability. VANCOUVER, March 26, 2019 /CNW/ - Universal mCloud Corp. (TSX-V: MCLD) (OTCQB: MCLDF) ("mCloud" or the "Company"), a leading provider of asset management solutions combining IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence ("AI"), and analytics, is pleased to announce the signing today of a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with Britwind Ltd, an affiliate of Ecotricity ("Britwind") the world's first green energy company. Britwind is a full-service company in the small and medium-size wind segment with proven excellence in wind energy production, operations, and maintenance. In collaboration with Britwind partner Norwin Energy, Britwind has designed an upgrade to a fleet of over 1,000 Endurance E-series turbines, for which Ecotricity acquired IP rights in 2017 and addresses structural risks present in the installed fleet. Through the upgrade, called rEsolve, mCloud and Britwind are working together to offer Britwind customers a complete end-to-end upgrade solution on a subscription basis. The solution will include the opportunity to use mCloud's AI and analytics to enhance the operation of their wind turbines alongside a 5-year warranty. The rEsolve solution enables E-series owners, most based in the UK, to extend the life of the E-series machines and improve turbine performance for the benefit of both owners and the environment. "mCloud's expertise in AI and analytics for wind applications complements Britwind's strengths in the manufacturing and maintenance of wind turbines," said Costantino Lanza, mCloud's Chief Growth Officer, who is also leading mCloud's activities in the Smart Wind segment. "Our AssetCare for Wind solution will connect Britwind turbines to help their customers achieve peak performance." "Britwind is committed to providing the best care to our customers, and mCloud's innovative solution has the potential to extend the life of any Endurance E-series turbine," said Radek Fedyk, Britwind's Head of Operations & Maintenance. "By partnering with mCloud, who can leverage third-party capital through its subscription model, we can offer a zero-upfront capital solution that is further enhanced with mCloud's AssetCare for continuous monitoring and performance assessment." The Endurance E-series rEsolve upgrade will be available later this year. Interested E-series owners are encouraged to contact Britwind at +44 (0) 1453 790 210 for more information. About Universal mCloud Corp. Universal mCloud is creating a more efficient future with the use of AI and analytics, curbing energy waste, maximizing energy production, and getting the most out of critical energy infrastructure. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with technology and operations centers in San Francisco, CA and Bristol, PA, mCloud takes advantage of IoT sensors to bring data from connected assets into the cloud, applying AI and analytics to maximize their health and performance. Today, mCloud offers complete asset management solutions to four distinct segments: smart buildings, wind energy, utilities, and oil and gas. With over 100 blue chip customers and more than 28,000 assets connected in thousands of locations worldwide, mCloud is changing the way energy assets are managed. For more information, visit www.mcloudcorp.com. About Britwind Britwind is an affiliate of Ecotricity, Britain's greenest energy company delivering 100% green energy, headquartered in Stroud, Great Britain. Britwind is a step up for the small wind industry, delivering and servicing windmills to landowners and business across Britain. Britwind brings big wind performance to small wind. The company unites experts with experience and ability from both the big and small wind industry. In 2017, Britwind acquired Endurance Wind Power IP and initiated work and collaboration programs on creating retrofit designs to support the E-Series fleet owners with the design issues found in the turbines. For more information, visit www.britwind.co.uk. Forward-Looking Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. An investment in securities of the Company is speculative and subject to several risks as discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" on pages 29 to 46 of the Company's filing statement dated October 5, 2017. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Universal-mCloud Corp For further information: Heidi Christensen Brown, NATIONAL Capital Markets, T: 416-848-1389, [email protected]; Russ McMeekin, Chief Executive Officer, Universal mCloud Corp., T: 415-635-3500 "Houseplant is a passion we've brought to life through drive and dedication," said Seth Rogen, Co-Founder of Houseplant. "Every decision we've made for the business reflects the years of education, first-hand experience and respect we have for cannabis." "We are so proud to be launching in Canada, our home," said Evan Goldberg, Co-Founder of Houseplant. "After spending five years diligently preparing for the launch of this company, we're excited to be able to share our passion for cannabis with Canadians in this way." Houseplant is dedicated to product quality and consumer education; delivering only the highest quality cannabis product for Canadians. From the strategic partnership with Canopy Growth (the leader in Canadian cannabis production) to ensuring its product is grown in the best facilities where experts carefully oversee each plant's growth, Houseplant strains are designed to satisfy both expert and new users. To ensure an intuitive shopping and consuming experience for customers, Houseplant is launching three strains over the coming months, each with a straightforward nameHouseplant Sativa, Houseplant Hybrid and Houseplant Indicaand an easily identifiable design. The first strain, Houseplant Sativa, will be available for purchase in early April 2019 through provincially regulated retailers and online in British Columbia. The Houseplant Hybrid and Houseplant Indica strains along with softgels and pre-rolled joints will follow throughout the year, and will soon be available across all of Canada. As Houseplant's partner and the leader in cannabis production in Canada, Canopy Growth is contributing their expertise to support Houseplant's creativity and vision through its cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and infrastructure. "We have been getting to know the Houseplant team for quite a while now and continue to be impressed by their understanding of the cannabis consumer, attention to detail, and drive towards their vision," said Mark Zekulin, President and Co-CEO of Canopy Growth. "We could not be more excited to partner with them and work towards our shared goal of making Houseplant one of the largest cannabis brands in the world." With overall consumer education at the center of its mission, Houseplant is committed to providing a responsible and enjoyable cannabis experience for all. As leaders in cannabis, we also have an obligation to build an industry that commits to changing everything that's been wrong about cannabis. We are aware of the racial injustices that exist and will work closely with other industry leaders, legal teams, politicians and non-profits to help those unjustly incarcerated. About Houseplant Houseplant is a Canadian cannabis company founded by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and partners. Houseplant is owned in partnership with Canopy Growth Corporation and offers strains of dried flower cannabis, softgel capsules and pre-rolled joints across Canada. The company is operated by a proud team of Canadians out of Toronto and is dedicated to quality, education, guidance, and elevation of cannabis to enhance the lives of Canadians. To learn more, please visit www.houseplant.com . About Canopy Growth Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis and hemp company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. The Company has operations in 12 countries across five continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and through its partly owned subsidiary, Canopy Health Innovations, has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Through partly owned subsidiary Canopy Rivers Corporation, the Company is providing resources and investment to new market entrants and building a portfolio of stable investments in the sector. From our historic public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing shareholder value through leadership is ingrained in all we do at Canopy Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names including revered heavy-hitters Houseplant, founded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, cannabis icon Snoop Dogg, breeding legends DNA Genetics and Green House seeds, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates ten licensed cannabis production sites with over 4.3 million square feet of production capacity, including over 500,000 square feet of GMP certified production space. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com . Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX:WEED, NYSE: CGC) ("Canopy Growth" or the "Company") SOURCE Houseplant For further information: [email protected] Syracuse, N.Y. -- Doug Thompson, 68, has been tapping maple trees since he was a kid growing up in the North Country. Like many long-time maple producers in Upstate New York, Thompson says things are changing. Weve been making syrup here my whole lifetime, said Thompson, who taps about 9,000 trees in and around Gouverneur, in St. Lawrence County. In general, were seeing the maple season starting two weeks earlier than when I was a kid. Syrup producers also say theyre contending with more unpredictable weather than they did decades ago. The weather has more dramatic swings, said Helen Thomas, a Central New York producer and president of New York Maple, the industry organization. Youll have 60-degree days in the middle of March, and or youll have last year when the entire month of March was below freezing. Producers and researchers say climate change is already affecting the production of maple syrup, an industry that dates back centuries and now has revenues of $141 million a year in the United States. And in the future, they say, a warming planet could make it harder for producers to tap trees and shift northward to the ideal climate for the slow-growing, long-lived trees. Unfortunately, the future of sugar maple in northern hardwood forests seems highly uncertain, according to a 2015 study in the online journal Ecosphere. The impacts of climate change on maple syrup are difficult to predict, but there are ominous signs. Maple trees are already in trouble, some researchers say: Trees are dying, theyre not getting enough food, and theyre not regenerating as fast as they used to, the study said. One study suggests that by 2100, half to 84 percent of sugar maples in Vermont will suffer moderate to severe stress, a separate study predicted last year. Vermont, with a climate similar to New Yorks, is the biggest producer of maple syrup in the U.S. What growers like Thomas are seeing in their stands of maple trees are being buttressed by science and data. While those 60-degree days in mid-March Thomas mentioned have always happened, they are becoming more frequent. According to National Weather Service records, before 1980 Syracuse saw an average of three months of March per decade when temperatures hit 60 at least once. Since 1980, that has increased to 4.5 months of March per decade an increase of 50 percent. (For our purposes, the middle of March is defined as March 10-20.) Maple tree researchers have found that the maple season has inched a week earlier since 1970 and could move up a month in the next century. Climate scientists say New York could eventually have the same climate that Virginia has now. Theres no commercial syrup production in Virginia because its too warm. Maple syrup production is especially sensitive to changes in climate, because the trees need below-freezing temperatures during the winter and a range of temperatures during late winter or early spring to produce sap. The fate of maple trees worries producers and consumers of maple syrup, a $141 million industry in the United States. Canada, whose flag bears a maple leaf, produces more than three times as much syrup as the U.S. The northern U.S. and eastern Canada is the only region of the world with a major commercial harvest of maple syrup. Among the possible causes for that uncertain future, the Biosphere study said, are microbes, insect pests, acid rain and climate change. Acid rain and climate change may pose the greatest historical and future threats to the species across its range, said the studys authors, which include a professor from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Last years National Climate Assessment says that New England, the epicenter of U.S. maple syrup production, has warmed by about 3 degrees since 1901. Thats the biggest jump in the Northeast. There are other signs of a warming and changing climate in Upstate New York. Since 1998, for example, Upstate New York cities have set twice as many high temperature records as low temperature records. The length of the frost-free season in the Northeast has been extended by 10 days, according to the Northeast Regional Climate Center. And extreme rainfall defined as more than an inch of precipitation in one day has grown by 36 percent in Syracuse since 1914. Sugar maples range from Tennessee to Nova Scotia, but its only in the right climate belt that they produce enough sap to tap. The sweet spot, so to speak, for maple syrup production is the north-central part of that range, in New England and Canada. Quebec produces the vast majority of syrup in the world, with Vermont, New York and Maine the major U.S. producers. The seeds are sensitive to temperature: They need about 120 days of below-freezing temperatures in the winter, and 35 to 90 days of slightly above freezing temperatures to germinate. The optimum temperature for seeds to germinate is 34 degrees, but at 50 degrees germination essentially stops, said the USDA. The sap is also temperature-dependent. Maples need below-zero nights during winter so sugar can concentrate in the sap. The sap, which is boiled to produce the syrup, runs best when temperatures are in the 40s during the day and 20s at night. Warmer temperatures can slow or even halt the flow of sap, and can spoil the sap before producers have time to boil it down to syrup. Many sugar makers like myself are working other jobs, and if you have your sap running and youre trying to store it in the tank when its 60 degrees outside, you run the risk of your sap spoiling, said Steve Gabriel, owner of Wellspring Forest Farm near Ithaca, on a recent March day when temperatures climbed toward 60. It wouldnt have been normal 10 years ago to have a day this warm this fast. A 2016 study shows that as the climate warms, the area of the U.S. suitable for sugar maples and sap will decline, resulting in lower production of sap and syrup. Producers would need to add 5 million more taps to make up for the lower production, said the study, published in the International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management. The problem for maples isnt just a warmer climate, but one with more extreme rainfall and dry periods, and greater peaks and dips in temperature that can affect seed germination and sap production. Climate change is making sugar maple tapping more challenging by increasing variability within and between seasons, the climate assessment report said. Extreme weather causes changes in the sap that can make life difficult for syrup producers. The sap usually is usually about 2 percent sugar, but the spring after the severe 2016 drought, Gabriel said, it was just 1 percent. It was so hot and so dry they didnt photosynthesize as much and didnt produce as much sugar, he said. The maple syrup industry is especially vulnerable to climate change for several reasons. The industry relies largely on a single species the sugar maple, or Acer saccharum for the vast bulk of syrup production. The trees are long-lived and slow-growing: They generally cant be tapped until theyre 40 years old, and reach peak production in their 80s and 90s, said Helen Thomas, executive director of New York Maple, the producers association. A tree can live several hundred years. And of course, trees cant uproot and move to find a better climate. They can, though, extend their range northward through seeds blowing northward. In fact, theyve been marching northward for millennia. We know that during the ice ages, maples were into the Southeast, south of the ice, and theyve been in the Northeast for the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, Chabot said. According to the USDA, the U.S. produced about 4.2 million gallons of maple syrup last year. Vermont produced nearly 2 million gallons. New York, the second-leading state, produced 700,000 gallons. The average number of days that sap was collected in New York was 52, up from 43 in 2017 and just 36 in 2016. The interplay of maple production and climate change are complicated, according to a 2017 study that looked at maple syrup production in 13 states. In the southern range of the sugar maple, including Kentucky and Ohio, the study said, trees will be hard-pressed to survive and produce sap. In the short term, producers could keep making the same amount of maple syrup by tapping more trees. There are an estimated 9.3 billion sugar maples in the eastern U.S., according to the USDA, but just 4 percent are big enough to be tapped. (Trunks need to be about a foot in diameter to produce enough sap.) Maples that are 20 inches or less in diameter generally have one tap, while bigger trees can have two. U.S. Producers have about 450 million taps in production now, according to the 2017 study. The true effect of climate change on maple production wont be known for decades, and it will depend on just how much greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, produce. But Chabot says producers should prepare for earlier and earlier seasons. Thirty years ago, they would start tapping on St. Patricks Day, said Chabot, a Cornell University professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology. For many producers, that was the trigger to start tapping. Thats no good anymore. By 2100, his research suggests, syrup producers will be tapping their trees closer to Christmas. Thomas thinks climate change is real, but its not what keeps her up at night. The threat to maples right now is much more from invasive species than it is by changes in climate, she said, singling out the Asian longhorn beetle. The 1.5-inch beetle, which feeds on and damages a variety of trees, including maple, arrived in the New York City area in the late 1990s and has been found in central Massachusetts, but not yet in Upstate New York. Buoyant demand, inelastic supply and the future of India's beef trade Amid booming domestic consumption, encroaching industry restrictions and maxed out slaughter rates, Indian beef will find it difficult to retain its world market niche. An eFeedLink Hot Topic The good news for Indian beef suppliers is that after five years of stagnation, exports are rising for the first time since 2014, when India briefly became the world's leading beef supplier. The bad news is that this weak recovery is based more on falling consumption growth than rather than higher productivity, competitive advantage or a transformation of their dairy-based, religiously restricted business model. The good news for Indian beef suppliers is that after five years of stagnation, exports are rising for the first time since 2014, when India briefly became the world's leading beef supplier. The bad news is that this weak recovery is based more on falling consumption growth than rather than higher productivity, competitive advantage or a transformation of their dairy-based, religiously restricted business model. From 2000 through 2018 inclusive Indian beef output, consumption and exports grew at average annual rates of 5.9%, 4.8%, and 8.8%, respectively. They are not growing anywhere near these rates today, nor will they do so in the future. Last year's strong economy caused beef consumption to skyrocket 10.3%, from 2.487 million tonnes in 2017 to 2.744 million tonnes in 2018. Even though beef's price rose 7% in 2018, 12% in 2017, supply-side constraints kept output to a mere 1.2% increase, from 4.20 million tonnes in 2017 to 4.25 million tonnes last year. With consumption rising a much faster 10.3%, exports to fell for a fourth straight year, by 11.4% to 1.556 million tonnes, their lowest volume since 2012 and down 25.3% from their 2014 peak of 2.082 million tonnes. Moreover, based on Ministry of Commerce and Industry data, export revenues dropped twice as fast as volumes shipped, declining 20.6% from US$4.17 billion to US$3.31 billion down 33% from their peak of US$4.94 billion in 2014. Falling export volumes and revenues were mainly due to Beijing's crackdown on the illegal smuggling of beef into China via its land border with Vietnam a majority of Indian beef "shipments to Vietnam" actually end up in China. As a result, from 1.1 million tonnes in 2017, beef exports to Vietnam/China fell 32% to 747,000 tonnes last year, but still accounted for 48% of export volumes. Chinese market losses were to a small extent counterbalanced by export gains in Indonesia, where beef shipments skyrocketed from under 10,000 tonnes three years ago to 125,000 tonnes last year. While it accounted for 8% of 2018 exports, the industry puts much long-term hope in Indonesia, which has only given export permits to 3 of the 27 Indian beef processing plants it approved. With almost ten times more people, Indonesia has the potential to buy much more beef than Malaysia, the current second-ranked buyer, which imported 171,200 tonnes last year, accounting for 11%. A poor man's supplier of expensive red meat, the USDA notes that while other top suppliers mostly export to Japan, South Korea, Britain, or China, "Indian sales were destined for developing countries, which are mostly price-sensitive markets." Indian beef's 2018 export destinations include China/Vietnam (48%), Iraq (78,000 tonnes, 5%), Philippines (66,000 tonnes, 4%), with Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, UAE, and Egypt each buying 3% of Indian beef exports and importing 46,000 to 60,000 tonnes each. Alongside faltering Chinese demand, there are serious, intractable supply-side related reasons for declining Indian exports. Already banned in most of India, an additional six states have banned cow slaughter since 2014, when India's current Hindu nationalist government took power. Other Indian states broadened existing cattle slaughtering bans to include bulls and bullocks. After 2015, many Indian states passed laws that punish anyone caught eating beef or transporting either beef or cattle with heavy prison sentences. According to Human Rights Watch, this coincided with vigilante action that saw 44 cattle farmers murdered and hundreds assaulted or injured over the last three years. Along with a ban on all cattle sales intended for slaughter that was subsequently overturned by India's supreme court, these circumstances deeply disrupted beef production and forced smaller, illegal abattoirs out of business. On one hand, these measures disrupted beef production growth, which was already decelerating due to its religiously constrained industry model. From 7.4% in the ten years to 2010, beef output expansion slowed to 5.6% in the five years to 2015. After Modi's government got elected, this slowed to 1.5% in the four years ending in 2019 inclusive. On the other hand, while Indian beef output slowed down, meat consumption accelerated. After rising only 0.8% annually due to high feed costs from 2010-15, Indian beef consumption rose at a 6.2% annual rate from 2015 through 2018. As the accompanying graph shows, even when beef output grew far more rapidly than it does today, exports only grow rapidly when consumption is growing slowly or vice-versa. Severe feed driven cost-push inflation during the late 2000s and early 2010s caused consumption to fall and exports to skyrocket. As the accompanying graph shows, even when beef output grew far more rapidly than it does today, exports only grow rapidly when consumption is growing slowly or vice-versa. Severe feed driven cost-push inflation during the late 2000s and early 2010s caused consumption to fall and exports to skyrocket. Since 2014, the opposite has occurred: Demand-pull inflation driven by rapid consumption growth and falling exports has taken place. With post-2014 consumption rising eight times faster than production, there were two microeconomic consequences. First, beef went from being the cheapest meat line to its most expensive. In 2012, beef sold at a 25% discount to fish, was 10% cheaper than chicken and 5% cheaper than mutton. While the feed cost inflation of 2010-13 boosted beef's price, by 2014, it still sold at a discount to these other meat lines. From 2015 onwards, strong demand growth made Indian beef pricey in its own market. This demand-pull inflation was made worse by the new restrictions on cattle slaughter: They resulted in the closing down of smaller slaughterhouses that catered to the domestic market. By 2016, the price gap between beef and inland fish had narrowed to 15%, while poultry meat and mutton sold at a 6% to 9% premium. By 2017, beef achieved price parity with chicken and mutton. By early 2019, beef was approximately 5% more costly than fish and 15% more expensive than both chicken and mutton. As the attached graph shows, Indian beef exports skyrocketed when consumption stagnated for five years beginning in the late 2000s. After 2014, skyrocketing domestic consumption limited the supply of exportable beef, causing exports to decline and stagnate. On one hand, several years of beef price inflation has finally tamed domestic demand: 2019 will see beef consumption fall back 1.6% to 2.70 million tonnes; the first decline since 2014 and the largest since falling 2.2% in 2013. This is allowing 2019 exports to rise by 6.7%, to 1.66 million tonnes, the first increase since 2014, when the consumption boom began. On the other hand, this is 20% below its peak 2014 export volume and prospects for boosting exports above 2 million tonnes are bleak. That's because as the accompanying graph shows, India boosts beef production by raising slaughter rates while cattle inventories stay constant. Over the long run, this is mathematically unsustainable. Cattle inventories entered 2019 at a USDA estimated 306.4 million head. Due to the high dairy demand, a rising number of dairy cattle will push inventories to 307.9 million head by the end of 2018. That is only 1.8% above their 2009 level, but beef production will have risen 30% and exports nearly tripled at one point, with almost no increase in carcass yields. Hemmed in by restrictions on the slaughter of female bovines, beef production growth has been sustained by sharply boosting male cattle slaughter rates. The attached graphs make clear that rising beef production closely tracked rising slaughter rates amid near-flat cattle inventories. After 2010, male slaughter rates approached their natural peak levels. Since 2015, Indian cattle slaughter and beef production has only been increasing in proportion to small, nominal increases in cattle inventories. Scope for cattle inventory increases is constrained by post-2014 government restrictions on the industry, which reduce returns and create uncertainty. For religious reasons, only aging water buffaloes or bulls can be slaughtered. Because the supply of cattle eligible for slaughter is detached from market demand, the surges in beef output and exports were not based on rising inventories. From 2011 through 2015, beef production expanded 24%, exports by 42% while domestic consumption rose 12.5% --but India's cattle herd increased a measly 0.9%, from 300 million in 2011 to 302.6 million in 2016. In the previous ten years, beef production had doubled but its cattle inventory rose a mere 7.4% over eight years, from 284.8 million head in 2000 to 306 million in 2008, before falling back to 302.6 million by 2010. Consequently, exporters face a declining quantity of males eligible for slaughter and numerous restrictions on female slaughter. A projected, dairy-demand driven increase in bovine female inventories (due to rising dairy demand) will result in slower growth in the supply of beef available. All this makes India's international beef trade a zero-sum game: One where producers can satisfy rapid consumption growth, rapid export demand, but not both at the same time. Coincidentally, India's economy is entering a stage when growth in personal incomes and red meat consumption typically hit historic peak levels. Constrained by a dairy-driven business model amid growing legal restrictions on slaughter and near peak male cattle slaughter rates, India's increasingly inelastic beef supply is being challenged by highly elastic, fast-growing domestic demand. In a population-dense, pastureland poor, water scarce nation like India, beef production could, in theory, be boosted in two ways. One would be by allowing the slaughter of female bovine animals (which is politically unthinkable). Another way would be by boosting cattle productivity. Theoretically, there is great scope for getting much more beef out of Indian cattle: With 30 million cattle or 90% fewer animals than India, Australia produces 50% as much beef as India's 306 million cattle. If India could make its cattle 60% as efficient as those in Australia, beef production would triple. Unfortunately, all this is impossible in the current political climate. It is also unlikely that any future election would bring in a government liberal enough to allow a radical enough restructuring of Indian cattle farming to legally and economically justify boosting cattle productivity, much less allow female bovine slaughter. Under such constraining circumstances, something has to give and it will likely be Indian beef's position in the world market. There are many factors holding back Indian beef production and far fewer constraints on per capita income growth or red meat consumption. Formerly the top exporter, the number three beef supplier may find itself soon falling behind the United States in world beef export rankings. It will, however, becoming a leading world market for beef consumption. All rights reserved. No part of the report may be reproduced without permission from eFeedLink. STAMFORD A Connecticut senator questioned the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation on Wednesday on a proposed budget that would cut funding for the Northeast Corridor. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., challenged Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on the cuts, which he said are incongruous with the administrations own description of the corridor as the life blood of the region. Help me figure out how I explain to my constituents why were going to be levied with these enormous cuts even though the administration seems to recognize that this is a vitally important transportation corridor, Murphy said, during a meeting of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and other Related Agencies. Chao responded by saying the cuts are not actually cuts, but rather proposed appropriations that are comparable to previous years. The Fiscal Year 2020-21 proposed budget calls for roughly $325 million for Northeast Corridor grants. Thats half of the amount that was enacted in the previous fiscal year, which provided for $650 million in grant funds. But, as Chao noted, the budget proposal in Fiscal Year 2019-20 called for only $200 million even though more was later allocated. Before that, in Fiscal Year 2018-19, the proposed budget for the corridor was $235 million. The enacted amount that year, however, was also $650 million Chao said Amtrak, which runs trains along the entire corridor, receives about $1.5 billion overall from the federal government and $325 million for capital needs is consistent with previous budget requests from the White House administration under President Donald Trump. Amtrak has more than almost $1 billion in cash if you look at their balance sheet, she said. That is still money on the books that they can be drawing down upon as well. Murphy said that while the budget proposal may be similar to years past, it still constitutes a cut. How we measure cuts is what we got last year versus what we get this year, he said. We feel like we have been targeted by this administration and the president for specific cuts in infrastructure funding. The proposed $325 million would fund infrastructure replacement, payments on Amtraks legacy debt, information technology, upgrades and repairs to stations. The Northeast Corridor is a railroad line that runs from Boston to Washington, D.C., and travels through a number of Connecticut cities, including New Haven and Stamford. The Metro-North Railraod commuter rail service runs through the corridor. The proposed budget would also eliminate a line item for the State of Good Repair program, a partnership with states and the federal government that was funded at $400 million in the current fiscal year. That is going to make it fairly impossible for us to even maintain the state of good repair on what is the busiest rail corridor in the country, Murphy said. We carry about half of the countrys passengers on a stretch of rail that is relatively short compared to the size of the nation. Your budget ... eliminates the State of Good Repair program, which is a federal- and state-match program that benefits us greatly in the Northeast Corridor. ignacio.laguarda@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN A second defendant arrested in connection with a mass overdose from a batch of K2 on the city Green last summer has been sentenced to serve three years in prison. John A. Parker, 53, of New Haven, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell narcotics and sale of controlled substances. As part of the plea agreement, the state dropped several other narcotics-related charges. Superior Court Judge Philip Scarpellino imposed a sentence of seven years in prison, to be suspended after three years, on the possession with intent to sell charge. On the second charge, Parker received a three-year prison sentence. Scarpellino made the sentences concurrent, for a total of three years to serve. After his release, Parker will have two years of conditional discharge. Parker previously was convicted on charges of possession of a controlled substance, violation of probation and second-degree threatening. A co-defendant in the New Haven Green case, Felix Ayala Melendez, 37, of New Haven, was sentenced Feb. 21 to serve 18 months in prison. The overdoses on the Green last August became national news because there were dozens of victims and more than a hundred overdose incidents in the citys historic central gathering area. Police and medical personnel quickly responded, which prevented any of the overdoses from being fatal. Police said all of the K2 samples that were tested contained Fubinaca, a synthetic cannabinoid. In a news release last August, police spokesman David Hartman said Parker and Melendez were identified by victims or witnesses on the Green. Both have been directly linked to the sale and/or distribution of K2 to some of those victims, Hartman said at the time. Assistant States Attorney Karen Roberg, the prosecutor in Parkers case, could not be reached for comment Wednesday, nor could Parkers attorney, Jason Goddard. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN A bookstore will celebrate its opening in New Haven today. Grey Matter Books is opening at 264 York St. at The Shops at Yale in downtown. This is the second location for Grey Matter Books. Owner and operator Sam Burton opened his first location in 2009 in Hadley, Mass. after launching his business online years earlier, according to a release. Related: Randall Beach: Get ready for a new bookstore in New Haven Grey Matter Books buys and sells new and used books. Burton is planning to bring in about 15,000 used books into his new space and will be hiring several employees to help him run the store. I am excited to expand my business into New Haven. I love being surrounded by so much art, culture and learning, and hope Grey Matter Books can become an integral component of it, Burton said in the release. The property has been vacant for a few years; its revolving tenants have included clothiers and a Wawa convenience store. But its surprisingly spacious, containing 1,700 square feet, and has a marvelous parquet floor. Grey Matter Books is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. We are delighted to support entrepreneurs in opening up stores in New Haven, Lauren Zucker, Yale University associate vice president for New Haven Affairs and University Properties siad in the release. Yale Universitys community investment program supports independently-owned businesses, bringing jobs to New Haven residents and expanding the citys tax base. British lawmakers voted Wednesday on alternative ways to address the U.K.'s Brexit strategy that's been delayed only to fail to gain majority votes in eight proposals. Proposals sought to clarify the U.K.'s course to leave the European Union. Parliament is trying to find an alternative to Prime Minister Theresa May's twice-rejected EU divorce deal. A murder trial is moving forward for a Florida man who threw his 5-year-old daughter off a Tampa Bay area bridge. Prosecutors made opening statements Monday afternoon at the Pinellas County Courthouse. It took a week for lawyers to agree on 12 jurors and four alternates to decide the fate of 29-year-old John Jonchuck. No one disputes that Jonchuck dropped his daughter Phoebe 62 feet into Tampa Bay on Jan. 8, 2015, and prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty. If convicted of first-degree murder, hell automatically go to prison for life. Jonchucks lawyers are using an insanity defense. They must convince jurors his mental illness was so severe that he didnt know what he was doing. If his attorneys insanity defense works, he would be sent to a psychiatric hospital and its unlikely he would ever be released. To be eligible, he would have to prove he was no longer mentally ill or dangerous. Pinellas County Public Defender Bob Dillinger told the Tampa Bay Times he knows of no Florida case where a killer was found not guilty by reason of insanity of first-degree murder and eventually released. Hell be in a state prison for the rest of his life, or a state hospital for the rest of his life, Dillinger said. Jonchuck did have a long history of mental problems before he and his daughter ever reached the Dick Misener Bridge - his family told the Times he had been involuntarily committed 27 times - and seemed to be having a breakdown. Twelve hours before Phoebes death, Jonchucks divorce lawyer, Genevieve Torres, called a state child protection hotline, fearing for the girls safety. Torres told the Department of Children and Families operator that Jonchuck had driven to three churches in his pajamas with Phoebe in tow that morning, called Torres God and asked her to translate his stepmothers century-old Swedish Bible, which he carried and had become obsessed with. The attorney said Jonchuck was also paranoid that Phoebe wasnt his child. Hes calling the office every five minutes and saying these religious things and saying the child might not be his - it just really concerns me, Torres told an operator. She added, Its all craziness and it doesnt make any sense and hes out of his mind. Torres also told the operator, who was inexperienced, that the department had an open investigation after an earlier caller accused Jonchuck of violence, substance abuse, and inadequate supervision. But the operator thought the attorney was more worried about Jonchucks safety than the girls and did not report the call to authorities. Just after midnight the next day, Jonchucks PT Cruiser raced past officer William Vickers, who was heading home from his shift in his patrol car. He started following Jonchuck, but never got close enough to read the license plate and didnt know Phoebe was inside. As they reached the bridges crest, Jonchuck stopped and got out. Vickers, fearing an ambush, stopped behind him, pulled his gun and yelled at Jonchuck to show his hands. He saw no weapon. Jonchuck yelled at the officer, You have no free will. He grabbed Phoebe from the back seat, held her over the side momentarily and then dropped her. Vickers thinks she screamed. Jonchuck drove off, but was soon arrested. Vickers scrambled down a ladder to a dock below the bridge, but couldnt see Phoebe in the dark water. A marine rescue boat was summoned and her body was found hours later. In court Tuesday, Phoebe Jonchuck's grandmother wore bright pink and a butterfly necklace for the little girl who had called her MawMaw, the Tampa Bay Times reports. It was the first time she had seen her son in three years. She had reportedly agonized over how her son could kill his daughter. How could he have done that to Phoebe? she wondered. And what made him do that? Her testimony took only a few minutes as lawyers asked if Phoebe knew how to swim. She liked to go swimming and everything, Michele explained in a gravelly voice. But she wanted you to hold her and she wouldnt go without floaties or anything. NEW HAVEN A former New Haven employee fired for alleged misuse of a city credit card and arrested, and who then sued for wrongful termination, has settled the case she brought against the city, according to court records. Attorneys Steven D. Jacobs and Christopher Neary, representing Bianca Bowles and the city, respectively, filed a motion for settlement Monday, according to federal court records. The parties in the case stripulated that the matter can be dismissed with prejudice, the attorneys wrote. According to WTNH, which first reported the settlement, the city agreed not to seek $11,000 from Bowles and to change how her leaving her position is classified from a firing to a dismissal as part of the agreement. The city government fired Bowles Aug. 23, stating she had used the credit card without permission. Her lawsuit alleged she wasnt given due process after her termination, indicating she was not afforded a Loudermill hearing to present her case before she was fired or given a post-termination hearing. The suit also alleged Bowles was not rightfully paid for her accrued vacation and sick time. Bowles has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree larceny, charging more than $500 on a revoked payment card and first-degree identity theft brought in connection with the matter. She is next scheduled to appear in court April 26. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com A Lithuanian man who duped Google and Facebook into transferring over $100 million into accounts he controlled pleaded guilty to wire fraud last week. Evaldas Rimasauskas, 50, of Vilnius, Lithuania, entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan, where Judge George B. Daniels set a July 24 sentencing date. The charge could carry as many as 30 years in prison and a fine of as much as $1 million or twice the crime's proceeds. The plea deal he reached with prosecutors said Rimasauskas faces almost certain deportation once he is released from behind bars. Rimasauskas was extradited in August 2017 to New York from Lithuania after his arrest there in March 2017. He has been detained since. According to court documents, Google sent over $23 million and Facebook nearly $100 million to bank accounts he controlled. Google, of Mountain View, California, has said it has recouped its money. Facebook, of Menlo Park, California, has said it recovered most of its money. According to a plea agreement, Rimasauskas has agreed to forfeit $49.7 million, including money in financial accounts in Cyprus and Latvia. The plea agreement also recommends that he be sent to prison for at least nine years. In a release, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said Rimasauskas devised "a blatant scheme to fleece U.S. companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe." "Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison," Berman said. In court, Rimasauskas said he carried out the scheme from October 2013 to October 2016. Prosecutors said he created a company in Latvia that bore the same name as an Asian-based computer hardware manufacturer and then sent fraudulent phishing emails to Google and Facebook to steer money to his accounts that were supposed to go to the legitimate hardware company. Once the money arrived, Rimasauskas transferred funds to bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary and Hong Kong, prosecutors said. He then used forged invoices, contracts and letters to make it appear that executives at Facebook and Google had authorized the transactions, the government said. "I fully understand these actions were fraudulent," Rimasauskas told Daniels through an interpreter. NEW HAVEN One week after parents and experts told an aldermanic committee about the importance of increasing playtime in early education, Worthington Hooker parents told the Board of Education that playtime has been a problem in schools. Several parents from the school, in a sleepy part of the East Rock neighborhood, told the school board that students were being punished with the loss of recess for speaking in hallways and that a teachers absence has left sixth-grade students without stability. I understand rules; Im a parent, said parent Valerie Horsely, as she showed the school board a photo she took of a sign in the school that promises students recess time contingent upon several behavior-related conditions. I understand the need for controlling our children, but we also need to be able to foster proper social interactions in our schools. Parent Illisa Kelman said the behavior expected of students in hallways is akin to national security. Stay in line, do as youre told and dont act out, she described it. Parent Caleb Kleppner said students at the school regularly lose recess if they make noise in the hallway or in the lunch room. That is a direct violation of written recess policy of New Haven Public Schools, he said. It is state law that elementary school students receive 20 minutes of physical exercise during school days, and school boards are required to have their own policy addressing whether any school employee can prevent students from participating in recess. The districts most recent policy on student nutrition and physical activity, last updated on April 24, 2006, is unclear as to whether employees can withhold recess from students. Multiple requests for comment to Superintendent of Schools Carol Birks were not returned. The concerns follow a presentation to the Board of Alders Education Committee this month, during which school officials acknowledged the importance of play to brain and cognition development in young children. Were building an approach and a philosophy that hasnt completely come into play quite yet, but we are very hopeful, New Haven Deputy Superintendent of Schools Ivelise Velazquez said at the hearing. Worthington Hooker Principal Margaret Mary Gethings referred a request for comment to central office. Witholding recess apparently is not exclusive to Worthington Hooker. Ambar Santiago-Rojas, a sixth-grader at Engineering and Science University Magnet School, where she is student council president, said students receive lunch detention for speaking in the halls on the way to lunch. This is a little disturbing, said board member Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, chairwoman of the school boards committee responsible for drafting policy. Florence Caldwell, a former janitor in the district, expressed some sympathy toward the need for keeping order in the school. For a teacher to teach and for a child to learn, there must be quiet in the hallway, she said. However, she tempered that by reminding the school board that state law mandates recess. Under no circumstances should a child be punished and not allowed to have recess. Worthington Hooker parents also said the district has not been sufficiently transparent about a teacher who has been placed on administrative leave. Parent Alice Kustenbauder said students at the school have had three principals this year as one departure led to the hiring of an interim principal before Gethings was hired and sixth-graders have had four teachers in one of their classrooms, several of them substitute teachers. Parent Ashley Stockton said parents were made aware that a teacher at Worthington Hooker was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 4, but they have not been given further information about future plans. As a parent, I have the right to information, she said. Kathryn Slanski, a Worthington Hooker mother, said parents want to see the district act on its legal obligation to educate students. School board President Darnell Goldson said emails have been circulating about the teacher placed on leave at Hooker, and brought up an allegation that the teacher, while on leave, used a school-based application to contact a student. Birks demurred, calling it a personnel issue, until Goldson re-framed it in more general terms. Is there a policy that allows teachers or any other school-based staff on administrative leave to communicate with students officially? he asked. Birks said when teachers are placed on administrative leave they are advised not to be on school grounds or to have any contact with students. However, they do plan lessons, because we can still control their time because were still paying them, she said. But they should not be communicating with the students. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Indian shrimp refused by EU diverted to US? Are massive quantities of potentially harmful Indian shrimp exports rejected by the EU's strict phytosanitary controls being diverted to the US market? Senator Bill Cassidy (Republican-Louisiana) at a recent hearing before the Senate finance committee pointed out in his questions to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer the harm allegedly caused by a flood of Indian shrimp imports, the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) reports. In response, Lighthizer said the domestic industry could seek the imposition of countervailing duty orders to address the government of India's significant subsidisation of its shrimp industry. "Generally in a situation like this you're better off bringing litigation", he added. Cassidy asked Lighthizer to take steps through a Section 301 proceeding or through the review of India's eligibility for benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme. Last year, the volume of India's frozen, non-breaded warmwater shrimp exports to the US increased by another 16% over the previous year, with India now accounting for 39% of total shrimp import volume into the country. Remarkable growth The SSA noted: "The continued remarkable growth of Indian shrimp imports in the US market has occurred simultaneous to substantial actions taken by the European Union to prevent contaminated Indian shrimp from reaching European consumers". As the SSA previously documented, the EU has placed limits on the shrimp farms and shrimp processors that can export shrimp to Europe and has further required that all shrimp sent to Europe be tested for banned antibiotics prior to shipment. In addition to these controls, the EU has mandated the testing of half of all shrimp shipments imported into the 28-member bloc and recently called on member countries to expand the scope of their testing. Data showed that Indian shrimp exports to the US and Vietnam exploded between 2014 and 2017, while exports to all other markets have remained relatively stable. In 2014, the US imported 26% more shrimp from India than the EU. By 2017, the US was importing 154% more shrimp from India than the EU. Over that timeframe, the volume of India's shrimp exports to the EU increased by 5%, while that to the US increased by a whopping 111%. The table below shows India's shrimp exports to the US and Vietnam (which, in turn, packages Indian shrimp for export to the US) versus India's shrimp exports to the rest of the world as reported by UN ComTrade for the four-year period 2014 to 2017 (2018 data not yet available). A California woman was awarded child support from her ex-husband nearly 50 years after she claims he left her alone with a 3-year-old daughter. Toni Anderson tells 10 News she doesn't apologize for going after the man she refers to as her "deadbeat ex." Anderson said her ex-husband chose to go to Canada rather than pay his court-ordered child support in the 70s. "I kind of put it on the back burner and just kind of forgot about it over the years," said Anderson. She supported her daughter while working as an interior designer at a firm her daughter now runs. "I'm not negating the fact I was able to send my daughter to college, Paris. We traveled and had a good time. But the money runs out," she said. Since retiring, Anderson began to feel her budget stretched thin. "I realized in the middle of the night one night last year, 'Hey, there's no statute of limitations on child support,'" she said. She contacted her ex, who is now living in Oregon, now seeking more than what he was asked to pay decades earlier. What would have been $30,000 is now more than $170,000. "He was only supposed to give me like $160 a month. Well, that was 50 years ago. That today is a lot more money," she said. "I don't think enough women get this. And I think they're afraid." She feels her victory is a warning to others who skipped out. "I think he's a little bit panicked," said Anderson. "And I'm very happy because I was panicked all these years. Now, it's his turn." Toni Anderson's lawyer said a private hearing resulted in a settlement of $150,000. By Yahoo, March. 26, 2019 Caracas (AFP) - President Nicolas Maduro blamed "terrorists" for a new, near-nationwide blackout that gripped Venezuela Tuesday, two weeks after a similar outage caused deaths and chaos. In a statement on Twitter, Maduro said a deliberately set "large-scale fire" on Monday hit facilities around the Guri hydroelectric plant in the south of the country that supplies power to 80 percent of Venezuela's 30 million inhabitants. Tameka Lawson, 38, caused her husbands death during a drunken crash in 2017. Now, shes admitted her guilt and is looking at a potential prison sentence of seven years. Lawson, of Mount Laurel, pleaded guilty Monday to vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated in Superior Court in Mount Holly, according to the Burlington County Prosecutors Office. The Nov. 12, 2017 crash in Delran took the life of Jamar Rentie, 38, who was in the passenger seat. The prosecutors office said Lawsons car veered off of Hartford Road, went airborne, struck a utility pole and overturned. Her husband died on scene. Lawson had to be cut from the vehicle by emergency workers, and was released from the hospital after being evaluated, the office said. Blood was drawn at the hospital, the office said, and the subsequent toxicology test resulted in the criminal charges. In the plea deal Monday, prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of seven years in prison. She would have to serve at least 85 percent, or nearly six years, before being eligible for parole. Sentencing will be May 17. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A municipality in Gloucester County has suspended its director of public works one day after a lawsuit was filed alleging he sexually harassed a subordinate. Charles Bosco was suspended with pay pending an investigation, township administrator Nancy Brett said Wednesday. The decision was taken after a one-hour, closed-door executive session during a township commissioners meeting Tuesday. It was a unanimous decision by all five commissioners, Brett said. Bosco, 53, of Malaga was also charged last week with criminal sexual contact and official misconduct from the incident. He denies the allegations. The civil lawsuit filed this week by a co-worker who he supervised said in court papers she was the only female employee in the department. Brett said township officials have been advised to have no further comment because of pending litigation and because it is a personnel matter. Bosco said he would love to tell his story when reached by phone Wednesday, but then said he had been advised by his attorney not to speak. He agreed to read a statement he had also read at the township meeting Tuesday before the decision was reached to suspend him. The charges against me are false and without merit, he said. They are in retaliation on my reporting on unlawful activity and are based upon political affiliation and are a violation of my constitutional rights. In addition to the sexual contact charge, Bosco is also accused of selling public works scrap at a local scrap yard, then, instead of turning the money over to the township, spending it at local restaurants and stores. Police reviewed 2018 and 2019 receipts from the scrap yard and petty cash records which revealed multiple receipts for cash expenditures at local dining establishments and retail stores, according to the complaint. The woman told police that Bosco repeatedly harassed her and in one incident allegedly grabbed her by the back of the head and forced her head down to his groin, where her face touched his penis on the outside of his clothing. She has sued Bosco and the township, and said Franklin officials did nothing to protect her from her supervisors abusive behavior. The woman, who has worked for the township as an administrative assistant since 2015, accused Bosco and the township of violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination through harassment, creating a hostile work environment and retaliation. On top of the allegations described in the police report last week, she offers additional details in her suit, describing how Bosco repeatedly tried to convince her to have sex with him. In addition to grabbing her by the waist and rubbing his groin against her backside, grabbing her breast, and talking about his sex life, Bosco has told (her) that if she will just have sex with him that her life at work will be easier, according to the suit. Among the allegations, she also claims Bosco routinely grabbed Tyciak by her ponytail and described it as a good holding knob. Bosco also allegedly commented on her appearance in front of male employees and told them he wanted to have sex with her. He had a camera installed above her desk in order to watch her, the plaintiff alleges. When the woman complained to township officials that Bosco was using the departments female restroom, he went into the room and urinated all over it, including the walls, she claims, so that she couldnt use it. Attorney Arykah A. Trabosh, who is representing the woman, said she filed the suit after the township ignored two letters she had sent in an effort to resolve the issues. The woman is still employed with the townships public works department, but has been transferred to another building, her attorney said. Boscos salary is $71,875, according to state pension records. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. About 200 supporters of the Paterson public school district went to Trenton on Wednesday, seeking an additional $28 million in state aid that they say is needed to save 232 jobs and prevent steep programming cuts. Six representatives from the K-12 district, including Superintendent Eileen Shafer, testified at an Assembly budget committee hearing on the potential impact of the preliminary 2019/2020 budget adopted eight days earlier by the Paterson school board. In addition to the job cuts, the budget would slash SAT preparation courses, vocational educational services, textbook purchases, science lab upgrades, art and music instruction, and additional support for students struggling with reading and math, district officials said. Average class sizes would rise to up to 40 students, and Shafer told the committee that more than half of the positions that would be cut involve teachers. Instead of planning on building on the progress we have made, we will have to prepare for huge budget cuts," Shafer said. Following the hearing, the group from Paterson held a brief rally outside the state capitol building. Supporters of the Paterson NJ school district, facing steep cuts and seeking an additional $28 million in state aid, are speaking out today at the state capitol building in Trenton pic.twitter.com/XYptBDnGEp Rob Jennings (@RobJenningsNJ) March 27, 2019 The head of the teachers union, John McEntee, declared, This fight is not over. New Jerseys controversial school funding formula is prompting wide-ranging outcomes in districts -- including those that are threatening teaching and other jobs throughout the state. About 200 districts are facing cuts to state funding. Though the district is set for a $13.2 million increase in state aid next year, its still about $70 million less than it would get if the state fully funded its formula for school aid. The district also contributes about $50 million less in local tax revenue than the states formula recommends, leaving officials in a budget nightmare. Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly, a former Paterson city councilman and current member of the budget committee, offered support to the group at the rally. We need to make sure that we have $28 million, to make sure that nobody is cut, that no programs are cut, and that our kids receive a fair and efficient education, Wimberly told the group. No other members spoke, or indicated how likely an increase in state aid might be. While advocates from other school districts spoke at the hearing, including Newark Superintendent Roger Leon, none appeared to approach the size of the Paterson turnout. Four buses departed from the city after 7 a.m. Rosie Grant, executive director of the Paterson Education Fund, was among those testifying before the committee. Grant referenced a recent audit finding that city students have far fewer options in a wide range of areas - from advanced placement courses to science classes - than students in suburban districts. Due to many years of underfunding, Paterson is well behind when it comes to providing a thorough and efficient education, as mandated by our Constitution, Grant said. This budget will set our children even further behind. Proven best practices that are being implemented and are showing real results, sadly, will be eliminated unless we get additional state aid, she said. School board president Oshin Castilo testified about the districts infrastructure challenges - she said 13 buildings are more than 100 years old - and the costs involved with serving English Learner Language and special education students. She referenced a text message, reportedly circulated among some students, about the possibility of losing a popular teacher. We all need to work together to save our schools. Our students shouldnt have those concerns, she said. Paterson is scheduled to adopt its budget by May 14. Staff reporter Adam Clark contributed to this report. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters Its an epidemic that claimed more than 3,000 lives in New Jersey last year and another 500 in the first three months of this year. And now state and federal officials say its time to join forces to combat the public health epidemic of our lifetime: the opioid crisis. On Wednesday, law enforcement, health experts and policy leaders gathered for the Knock Out Opioid Abuse summit to figure out how to work together to end the epidemic. The summit, led by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, kicked off a series of 21 town halls across the state as part of a two-year program to tailor solutions to specific communities. This is the first time in 100 years weve had two and three years of decreasing life expectancy, said Dr. Rita Noonan, deputy director for Non-Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats perspective. Drugs are significantly affecting our life span in the U.S. Most people in the state know somebody who has been affected by the growing opioid problem. Its such a horrible disease and there are no solutions that are actually working today, said Suzanne Kunis, director of behavioral health for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield NJ. There are a lot of services available but the system is kind of broken. We have to invest in making significant change. .@SenBooker couldnt make it but here he is in a video message. He promises to be a partner in combatting opioid epidemic bc too much is at stake. pic.twitter.com/7g3wdYPrbY Karen Yi (@karen_yi) March 27, 2019 Health experts agreed they could not arrest their way out of the problem or treat their way out," but had to break their silos to find ways to reach potential and current opioid abusers. Federal law enforcement representatives said theyve launched drug take back programs and the nations first opioid abuse prevention and enforcement unit at the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Jersey. Dr. Noonan said the crisis began with doctors overprescribing opioids around 2010. It really primed our population to have a taste for opioids, she said. Then the first major wave of heroin-related deaths began; heroin was cheap as the drug market exploited rising demand. Now, overdose deaths are increasingly linked to synthetically-manufactured opioids, like fentanyl. Noonan predicts a fourth wave of overdose deaths caused as fentanyl is increasingly mixed into the cocaine supply. Thomas Vincz, a state spokesman for Horizon, said the two-year program will include parent and prescriber education programs and better focus on communities where the opioid epidemic is worse. In 2018, 3,118 people died from drug overdoses in the state, a majority of which were opioid related. More than half involved fentanyl. For more information and a list of the town hall meetings, visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org. 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. The joy of a day off from school because of snow last month wont turn into a shortened break following Easter next month in the Kingsway Regional School District. Thats because administrators are trying out a cyber day of instruction with students and teachers working on technology-based assignment outside of school to make up the snow day. The 7-12 grade district with 2,300 students in Gloucester County is rolling out the experiment even though cyber instruction does not count toward a state requirement of 180 days a year of school instruction. Its only one day so we thought we would give it a shot, Superintendent James Lavender said. In Kingsway, we require 181 days of instruction in the school year. So we are able to try this experiment in blended instruction. Kingsway teachers will assign a project for students to complete over the 8-day spring break. It will be due by the end of the week the students return. Lavender said students who dont have access to computers or mobile devices to complete the assignment will be given an opportunity during the school day when they return to do it. Lavender said the district will also evaluate how many students dont have access to reliable internet and digital equipment to be able develop a capacity to expand the program. Internet instruction is accepted by the state department of education for instruction of students who are not able to attend school, Lavender said. In those cases, he said the district is able to contract with a service that provides equipment that can deliver instruction and measure the amount of time a student is on the device. He said his district cannot afford to provide a similar arrangement to make up snow days with remote learning. Lavender said the district makes up its calendar at the beginning of the school year and includes alternative days, such as shortening spring break, to make up days in which the school has an unscheduled closing. He said using Monday, April 22, the day after the observance of Easter this year, typically would have had an absentee rate of 15 percent, or three times normal. A school district that fails to open for the minimum 180 days would lose all state aid. The state law does permit the commissioner, "for good cause shown," to waive any penalties on a district that falls short. But, exceptions are rare, said Frank Belluscio, communications director for the N.J. School Boards Association. Even after Superstorm Sandy resulted in extended school closures in the fall of 2012, then-education commissioner Christopher Cerf declined to waive the 180-day rule. As a result, about one in 4 districts shortened spring break, and 40 percent extended the school year further into June 2013. Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-37th District, reintroduced a bill Feb. 16 that would permit up to three days of virtual instruction when schools close due to weather or other emergencies. She introduced the same bill in 2016 and it never went to a vote. Staff writer Rob Jennings contributed to this report. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A 26-year-old New Jersey woman was killed Monday night when her vehicle veered off Route 55 and struck multiple trees in Gloucester County, authorities said. The woman was driving south near milepost 59.6 in Deptford around 9:15 p.m. when the car went off the road to the left, according to Trooper Alejandro Goez, a State Police spokesman. She was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, the trooper said. Emergency workers pronounced her dead at the scene at 9:41 p.m. Her identity was not released pending notification of her family. The cause of the crash, which closed a lane for about four hours, remains under investigation. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. JERSEY CITY More than 30 residents were displaced from their homes as Jersey City firefighters battled three multi-alarm blazes over a 10-hour period overnight. None of the 33 affected residents were injured in the fires, which included a four-alarm blaze on Wegman Parkway that damaged three homes. The Wegman Parkway blaze, which started 63 Wegman Parkway, broke out at 5 a.m. Tuesday and was finally placed under control at 7 a.m. A firefighter suffered burns to his neck in the fire. Earlier Tuesday, a three-alarm fire was reported at 22 Rutgers Ave. and Monday night firefighters handled a stove fire on the 17th floor of a Newark Avenue high-rise. It was very busy day for firefighters, said Fire Department Chief Steve McGill at a press conference Tuesday morning. The chief said his firefighters all did an excellent job, but noted that fighting three fires in 10 hours is taxing, without a doubt. The fire at 63 Wegman Parkway spread to a building on its left, gutting both. The flames also damaged another building to the left of those structures, but did not do significant damage, McGill said. All three are 2-story buildings. The chief said residents in the third building may be able to return home. In total, 21 residents in the buildings were displaced, including five children. The injured firefighter suffered second-degree burns to the back of his neck and was treated at a local hospital. The chief said the cause of the fire may have been related to electrical issues, but that remains under investigation. At about 9:30 p.m. Monday, a three-alarm fire broke out in a 2.5-story building at 22 Rutgers Ave. and flames racing through the building burned through the roof. By the time it was under control at about 10:50 p.m., 12 residents had been displaced, McGill said, adding that the cause of that fire also remains under investigation. Finally, a two-alarm kitchen fire broke out in a unit on the 17th floor of a building at 730 Newark Ave. at about 1 a.m. Tuesday. Firefighters knocked down the flames by about 1:35 a.m. and McGill said residents may be able to return home. While Jersey City firefighters fought the flames at the three locations, city firehouses were manned by firefighters and trucks from Harrison, Kearny, Bayonne and North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, McGill said. Representatives of the American Red Cross responded to the Rutgers Avenue and Wegman Parkway fires to assist those displaced. There was a report that a dog had been rescued from the Wegman Parkway fire, but McGill could not confirm that. If you missed North Bergens contentious municipal election in 2015, dont worry. This years race features the same players and much of the vitriol. Its four years later and the 28-year incumbent Mayor Nick Sacco is once again challenged by Larry Wainstein, the local businessman who has spent the last four years preparing for his rematch with Sacco. Im looking forward to having a victory on May 14, Wainstein said. There are so many things that need to be corrected. Wainstein, whos running on the Time for Change platform, said his five-member slate filed nearly 3,500 petitions. He will be joined by Juan Almanzar, Alcides Siri, Diana Ortiz and Franklin Fabre, who are running for commissioner seats in the towns May 14 election. In the commission form of government, up to five candidates can be on a ticket. Five commissioners are elected and then select a mayor among themselves. Wainstein, 48, said some of the key issues he would focus on are lowering taxes, fixing sidewalks, rebuilding parks and providing social services to the town of 63,000. Born in Argentina, Wainstein owns a number of businesses in New Jersey, including a laundromat in Union City. Married with three children, Wainstein in 2010 founded the North Bergen Concerned Citizens, an advocacy group that has been critical of his rivals administration. In the 2015 election, he garnered a surprising 4,904 votes to Saccos 8,465. The contentious race was plagued by allegations of voter fraud and constant name-calling between the candidates. Poll workers even said they felt scared on Election Day. This years race kicked off with a similar tone. During a campaign rally last this month, Sacco told supporters he will destroy his opponents as he stood on stage in front of Gov. Phil Murphy and other elected officials from Hudson County. They have to go, they hurt North Bergen by their existence, they have to go. Lets go out to war... Lets go out and finish them," said Sacco, who has been been mayor since 1991 and state senator since 1994. "Lets get rid of these people. Lets do what we have to do, let them be destroyed once and for all through your power, and lets have a great election. When asked if Saccos language seemed dictatorial, Saccos spokesman Phillip Swibinski said he wouldnt really agree with that, adding that at the rally Sacco said hes glad Wainstein is running. (Sacco is) glad they filed because there will be an election now, Swibinski said. With all of the false personal attacks Wainstein has made against the Mayor and his family over several election cycles its natural that there would be some bad feelings." Wainstein has repeatedly pointed to what he calls the Saccos administrations corruption. Two former commissioners under the Sacco administration pleaded guilty in 1995 and 2002 in corruption cases. Two North Bergen parks and recreation employees were indicted in 2015 for allegedly faking timesheets for hundreds of work hours authorities said they did not complete. Swibinski said Sacco has a record of keeping North Bergen affordable for its residents, and a strong commitment to education, municipal services, and diversity. Meanwhile, Wainstein said hes running once again because he wants to bring change to the town. I found so many injustices in North Bergen, he said. We need a government thats going to be honest and move the town forward and help the people" In response to Saccos remarks at the rally, Wainstein said, its sad. Anybody in office, especially in his capacity as mayor and state senator, its appalling and a total lack of respect to human beings, Wainstein said, adding hes looking to have an election about the people of North Bergen. Its not about Sacco, and its not about me. I strongly believe we can do a lot better and we can return the government and its honesty back to its people." Aya Elamroussi may be reached at aelamroussi@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @aya_elamroussi. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. NEWARK A three-judge appellate panel seemed hostile on Wednesday to arguments that state statute permits Jersey City teacher union officials to be paid by taxpayers for their full-time union jobs. The judges were hearing an appeal in a lawsuit that seeks to have release time an agreement that permits union officials to stay on the public payroll while working for their union declared unconstitutional. The panel has not ruled yet, but all three judges sharply questioned an attorney for local teachers union the Jersey City Education Association when he argued in favor of release time. When youre hired as a teacher, you should be teaching, Judge Jose L. Fuentes told the unions attorney at one point. Theyre being paid to do the unions work and nothing else, Judge Francis J. Vernoia said later. Teachers are supposed to teach, Judge Scott J. Moynihan added. The roughly hourlong hearing took place in an 11th floor courtroom in Newark. How the judges rule in this case could have implications across New Jersey, which the JCEA attorney referenced, saying release time is so widespread throughout the state." The initial case was filed by conservative watchdog the Goldwater Institute on behalf of two New Jersey taxpayers who argued that release time violates the New Jersey Constitutions ban on public gifts. In Jersey City, the JCEA president, Ron Greco, and a vice president, Tina Thorp, are paid roughly $100,000 each to run the union full time. The practice is required by the districts contract with the teachers union. The plaintiffs lost at the trial court level when Hudson County Superior Court Judge Barry P. Sarkisian ruled in October that they would not have been able to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, which the plaintiffs argued Wednesday is not the standard they have to meet. Release time, the plaintiffs attorneys argued, amounts to a transfer of public assets to a private organization. They added that school district officials have no control over how the teachers on release time spend their day. They were pulled out of a very important job, which is teaching, to work for a private agency, Goldwater attorney Jon Riches said Wednesday. The JCEA argues that the school district is permitted to pay teachers who act as union officials under a state statute governing leaves of absence. The unions attorney, Kenneth Nowak, struggled to convince judges that the statute applies to release time. What the association officers do as release term personnel is they work with the administration, Nowak said. They are meeting with the superintendent, with the supervisors, with principals. In other words, theyre not absent. Theyre there, Fuentes said. Absence means not there. No, absence means not teaching, Nowak said. Absence means absent, Fuentes said. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. A Hudson County judge on Tuesday delivered a major blow to Hobokens ballyhooed Hilton Hotel plan, ruling the city improperly agreed to accept over $4 million in so-called community givebacks from the developer in exchange for changes to a redevelopment plan. The planned payments, which critics of the deal called a blatant quid pro quo, violate public policy, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Anthony V. DElia said in the March 26 ruling. Requiring money in exchange for planning amendments create an unacceptable possibility for abuse and fraud, DElias decision says The ruling hobbles the citys hope for a new waterfront hotel and a privately funded renovation of the River Street post office, a highly publicized plan Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced in October. Bhallas announcement of the deal specifically noted the $4 million in payments DElia said are improper, payments slated for the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, Hoboken Community Center and the citys charter schools. Hoboken spokesman Vijay Chaudhuri said the city will aggressively pursue the next steps to defend its position on the merits and believes it will ultimately prevail in court. None of the payments have been distributed yet, according to Chauduri. The hotel deal furthers the redevelopment of the city, provides the community with unprecedented benefits and continues to be a priority for my administration, Bhalla said in a statement. We are confident that the city will ultimately prevail, our city will be revitalized and our community will realize all benefits agreed to in this deal. The City Council approved the redevelopment area changes for the Hilton project and the redevelopment agreement between the city and Hilton developer KMS in the fall. In November, the companies behind two buildings located near the Hilton site, Hoboken Land Building and 2 Hudson Pl., sued the city, the council and KMS in Hudson County Superior Court seeking to have the agreement and amended plan thrown out. The city filed a motion asking DElia to throw out the lawsuit. DElia on Tuesday ruled against the citys motion, meaning the lawsuit can move forward. As part of that decision, DElia ruled that the city has no authority under the state Local Redevelopment and Housing Law to require givebacks or condition approval of a redevelopment area plan on such givebacks. He said the LHRL does not allow municipalities to ask for money for off-tract expenses or public improvements, meaning items unrelated to the area in need of redevelopment. The risk of bad faith, favoritism and the unlimited range of discretion, which would be afforded to municipalities in exacting off-tract contributions from redevelopers, is too great, the judge said. The plaintiffs attorney, Paul Schneider, told The Jersey Journal, "We're very pleased with the ruling" The ruling came on the eve of a Hoboken Planning Board meeting where the hotel plan was scheduled to receive final approval. That hearing was postponed. Bhalla characterized the payments in October as the citys taking bold steps to make real progress and said the city leveraged the redevelopment process to inject private money to support public education. Council members who have generally been critical of Bhalla supported the project but raised concerns back in October about the legality of the financial arrangement, according to emails obtained by The Jersey Journal. In them, Councilman Mike DeFusco asks an attorney working on behalf of the city, Joseph J. Maraziti Jr., whether any language in the agreement with KMS opens us up to litigation. Maraziti responded that the state Legislature has from time to time adopted specific statutes that permit such payments. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY Wallet, phone and car keys were the only items Addison Wade got away with when he woke up to a blaze inside his house on Tuesday morning. There was no time to save anything else, he said. Everyone was yelling, trying to get everyone out of the house." Wades home at 61 Wegman Parkway is one of two houses that went up in flames in a four-alarm fire Tuesday at 5 a.m., displacing 21 people, five of whom are children, according to Fire Department Chief Steve McGill. The fire started at 63 Wegman Parkway and then jumped to Wades two-story house before causing some damage to a third house. None of the residents were injured but one firefighter suffered second-degree burns to the back of his neck and was treated at a local hospital, McGill added. As construction workers placed plywood on areas of the house Tuesday afternoon, Wade leaned on a car and gazed at the rubble and the loosely packed items in black trash bags sitting in front of the house. We all pretty much woke up in a frantic, Wade said as he stood outside his house between Garfield and Ocean avenues. When we got out the house, we looked into the alleyway, and we saw that the house next to us flames just coming out the house. When I first saw the flames, my first reaction was to make sure everyone was OK. Everyone (had) to get out. The house suffered significant damage, Wade said, adding the vicious flames destroyed everything from the basement all the way up to the attic. Wade, 29, said the house has been in the family for nearly 60 years. Although he said hes now focused on moving forward, the loss of a home where so many memories were created is difficult and painful. We have a lot of memories in this house ... my entire family grew up in this one house ... to see it go up in flames over an accident we didnt really cause, its hard. Its hurtful," Wade noted. Wade said his family is still trying to figure out where to stay, adding that neighbors have been helpful and supportive. Nobody wants to go through this process. I would hate to see anyone else going through this ordeal, he said, pointing out that hes grateful everyone got out safely. You just gotta continue moving forward." Wade advised: If it happens to anyone else in the future, dont worry about whats inside ... their safety is first. Aya Elamroussi may be reached at aelamroussi@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @aya_elamroussi. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. *Please Share & Encourage Others To Do The Same* Our Family's response to today's denial of 'Jake Honig's Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act'. We want patients, caregivers, siblings and parents to know that we will NEGU (Never Ever Give Up) #belikejake Posted by Jake Honig on Monday, March 25, 2019 When state lawmakers named the bill expanding New Jerseys medical marijuana program after 7-year-old Jake Honig, who used cannabis oil to control excruciating pain before he died from cancer last year, his parents were deeply grateful. But gratitude turned to frustration this week after top leaders in the state Senate and Assembly postponed a vote on the medical marijuana bill many lawmakers agree could have passed overwhelmingly months ago. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, are adamant that until theyve secured enough votes to pass a bill legalizing marijuana for adults 21 and older, they will not post the medical expansion bill for vote. Theyve publicly acknowledged they are tie-barring, or linking, the two bills, hoping support for improving the restrictive medicinal program will bring some yes votes for the recreational weed. The legislators priorities are misplaced, said members of the Honig family and friends via Facebook. We are putting patients in New Jersey behind pleasure-seekers, Mike Honig said in the 3-1/2 minute video. We are putting our own personal agenda ahead of the terminally ill child. We ask that you untie medical marijuana from recreational. Because whether you think recreational marijuana is a good thing or a bad thing for the state is irrelevant, Honig said in the video. Everyone can agree a patient, especially a child, deserves the medication they need to be comfortable. Jake was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2012, a cancer that traveled to his brain. He underwent dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, proton radiation and surgeries at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. His parents, Mike and Janet Honig of Howell, bought dried cannabis and made their own oil for their son, and would run out of medicine halfway through the month. The medicinal marijuana law enacted in 2010 set a strict two ounce monthly purchasing limit. The Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act would allow terminal and hospice patients unlimited amount of cannabis. Other patients would be able to buy 2.5 ounces a month for the first six months after the law takes effect and rise to 3 ounces six months later, according to the bill (S10). Knowing how his son suffered when the cannabis oil ran out, Honig said he is frustrated that lawmakers would delay relief for other patients. When Jake was off his medical marijuana, he would vomit, he would be nauseous. He was would be in so much pain, he couldnt walk, he couldnt sleep. He was agitated," Honig told NJ Advance Media. When we would start to run low, we would substitute it with oxycotin or morphine and he became angry and belligerent. The side effects ... would make him cry, he said. Jake died Jan. 21, 2018. Spokesmen for Sweeney and Coughlin could not immediately be reached for comment. Leaders are hoping to post the recreational weed bill, the medical cannabis bill and the expungement bills in May. On Wednesday, Murphy backed off a plan to expand the number of cannabis providers from the current six at Sweeney and Coughlins request, so not to detract from the efforts to pass the legalization bill. There is language throughout the medical marijuana expansion bill that ties it to the passage of the legalization bill. One example includes includes the creation of an independent commission contained in the recreational cannabis bill, which will oversee the medicinal program. If the delays in passing both bills continue, said Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, one of the prime sponsors of the medicinal legislation, he could envision portion of his bill could move separately. There are elements of the medicinal bill that are outside the purview of the commission, which include expanding the amount of cannabis patients may buy every month, Vitale said. Asked if he, too, is frustrated the two bills have been packaged together, Vitale replied: It is what it is. I understand the strategy. I cant change the ways things are. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. EDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue. Barely 24 hours after a vote in the state Legislature to legalize marijuana in New Jersey fell apart because of a lack of support, lawmakers are already eying a potential vote this spring. Five legislative sources told NJ Advance Media the hope is to hold a vote by the end of May that is, if Gov. Phil Murphy and his fellow Democratic leaders can swing a handful of votes by then. Murphy and the two leaders of the Legislature state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin have downplayed the setback of Mondays vote being canceled and said they would make another go at passing the bill. They just havent publicly specified when. History is rarely made at the first attempt, Murphy said during a news conference only hours after the vote was scuttled. History is often a bumpy road of fits and starts and setbacks. Mondays vote was called off because the state Senate could not get the 21 votes needed for passage. Two sources said leaders have 20 soft yes votes in the chamber, meaning theyd need to secure only one more. But how Murphy & Co. try to get those final votes will be crucial. Its unclear whether theyll have to make major alterations to the bill or simply amp up negotiations with lawmakers leaning no or on the fence. NJ Advance Media reported Monday that one of the reasons the legalization vote fell apart was expungement language in the bill that would allow people with convictions of possession of up to 5 pounds of marijuana to clear their records. That language was introduced just last week and put off a number of lawmakers, including state Sen. Kip Bateman, R-Somerset. But if lawmakers target Bateman or others as a swing vote by tweaking the expungement language, they risk upsetting other legislators who didnt officially support legalization until those expungement provisions were introduced. If they change it, they could add a couple of votes while risking other votes. It will be a delicate dance. Murphy said Tuesday he doesnt believe leaders will have to make wholesale changes" to the pot bill. My gut tells me its more tweaking than not, the governor said at an unrelated news conference in Newark. He added that his staff plans to meet with the staffs of Sweeney and Coughlin on Wednesday morning to do a post-op on whats next. The next day both the Senate and the Assembly will hold voting sessions at the Statehouse in Trenton is May 13. But three sources say if the vote doesnt happen in May, it will likely be pushed until the end of the year the "lame duck period after the November elections. That, the sources say, is because leaders dont want to gum up negotiations over the state budget, which is due July 1. And after that, they dont want to put pressure on Assembly members who are on the ballot in November. Earlier this year, there was chatter that if lawmakers couldnt legalize marijuana before the budget passed, theyd put it on the ballot for voters to decide this November. But Sweeney has said that likely wont happen because these elections are likely to draw a low turnout of largely older voters, which makes pot passage risky. Putting something like that on the ballot this year would almost guarantee it to fail," Sweeney said. "If it was a presidential year, I wouldnt hesitate. NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this story. Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider. A driver who slammed into a Little Caesars Pizza shop in North Brunswick and an employee cleaning the windows inside the restaurant were injured Wednesday morning and taken to the hospital. The man, whose name was not released, drove through the intersection of Georges Road at Milltown Road and into the building located at 707 Georges Road for reasons unknown, according to a release from the North Brunswick Police Department. Police arrived and found the man heavily entrapped in his car but fire and EMS were able to free him and take him to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, the release stated. Police did not comment on the severity of his injuries. The female employee, whose name was not released, was also taken to the hospital for her injuries, which were not believed to be life-threatening, police said. We do expect charges to be filed against the driver, but those charges are pending at this time, North Brunswick Police Capt. Brian Hoiberg said in the release. The crash was still under investigation Wednesday night. The building was significantly damaged and repairs were being made Wednesday evening, Hoiberg said. Photos provided by North Brunswick police show a heavily damaged vehicle hit the stone facade of a Little Caesars on Georges Road. The impact punched a hole in the outside wall of the building. The intersection of Georges Road at Milltown Road was closed for over two hours while police investigated the crash. The front of a North Brunswick pizzeria was damaged in a crash on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A former Rutgers medical school professor facing 160 criminal charges, including recording women in a bathroom, has filed a lawsuit, claiming he was framed by the school and colleagues after speaking out against potential fraud and the schools pivot to a more profitable business model. Dr. James Goydos and his wife, Dr. Maria Martins, allege he was falsely implicated for the misdeeds of another in a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday. It names Rutgers, the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, RWJ Barnabas Health, attorneys at the Saiber law firm and other high-up Rutgers doctors. It describes the 58-year-old melanoma specialist as a selfless man who has made a life and career out of saving lives, yet he is now faced with the fight for his own and sudden personal and professional ruin." A 160-count indictment was returned in December, charging the former professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School with more than 100 counts of invasion of privacy, official misconduct, burglary, computer theft, impersonation, wiretapping, falsely implicating another, coercion, hindering, possession of an assault rifle and possession of a prohibited device. It states Goydos entered the offices of four people in the Cancer Institute of New Jersey during 2016 and stole information from their computers in a scheme to defraud, or to obtain services, property, personal identifying information or money. He then impersonated the employees to get benefit for himself or another, or to injure or defraud another, according to the indictment. He was also accused of photographing or filming 26 women and three others whose genders were not identified in a bathroom. The lawsuit elaborates on the allegation, saying Goydos was accused of connecting a camera in the bathroom to a point in the office of Dr. Steven Libutti, director of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Senior Vice President on Oncology Services at RWJ Barnabas Health, in an attempt to frame him. Libutti is also named in the suit. But the suit filed by Goydos tells a different story, one where his coworkers conspired against him to clear the name of Libutti, whom he says encouraged fraud. He alleges the investigation was initially headed by a Florham Park Law firm, Saiber LLC, and involved attorneys William Maderer and DanaLynn Colao, who acted like law enforcement officials, hiring retired FBI agents to conduct investigatory interviews and ordering the search and seizure of electronic records. They also allegedly ordered the evidence destroyed. The findings, which were otherwise innocuous, were then given to police and prosecutors on a silver platter," prompting officials to delve into Goydos, according to the claim. Marderer, speaking on behalf of himself and Colao, said in a statement that they had not yet reviewed the lawsuit and had no comment. That investigation allegedly allowed officials to get search warrants based on faulty claims, which led police to arrest Goydos in March 2018 after finding a firearm in his home. While in custody, Goydos received a letter from Chancellor Dr. Brian Strom of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Rutgers University, who is also named in the suit. It stated Goydos would be placed on administrative leave and should have no contact with the campus or those affiliated with the university. Goydos alleges the harm didnt stop with him and his wife, but also extended to his patients. The university declined to give him a list of patients so that he could provide notes for the physician who would be taking over their care, according to the suit. In December, he learned the university was attempting to rescind his tenured position. He resigned Dec. 14, the claim states. Goydos earned a salary of $437,500 while working at Rutgers, according to public records. But before this all started, Goydos contends he was the subject of rumors and retaliation dating back to 2014. He alleges nothing was done when he tried to speak out about potential fraud, and that it lingered into 2017, when Libutti assumed his new role at Rutgers. The suit paints Goydos as a whistleblower who drew ire from top doctors, at least one of whom instructed researchers to lie when seeking grant money. When he spoke out against fraud, as well as the direction the university was headed toward a more profitable business model with in its affiliation to RWJ Barnabas Health, he was labeled as a troublemaker, according to the suit. Thats when the investigation, fraught with misconduct and ill will, according to the suit, began. His attorney, Shaun Blick, declined to comment. Rutgers doesnt comment on pending litigation, though we will certainly indicate that the record speaks for itself and that we will defend ourselves against these claims, Peter McDonough Jr., a spokesman for Rutgers, said in a statement. He noted the school had referred the matter to the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office and cooperated with the investigation. RWJ Barnabas Health said it would not comment on pending litigation. Goydos is expected back in court to face the charges against him May 20. An initial hearing was postponed earlier this month after authorities seized 11 computers that had yet to be analyzed. Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Before sunrise on Friday, Nashon Brown posted a picture of his big cousin on Facebook with the caption, Happy birthday to the big fool. His cousin al-Tariq Brown, a man so close he called him his brother, was gunned down almost a year ago to the day in a Maplewood restaurant. Damn, I miss you, he wrote. Less than 24 hours later, following a birthday bash honoring al-Tariq, Nashon, 31, was gunned down in the parking lot of an Edison restaurant, according to a statement from the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office. Prosecutor Andrew Carey said the shooting happened just before 2 a.m. Saturday outside Akbar Restaurant on Cortland Street, where a Reggae event was being held. But Nashon Browns brother, Malik Brown, said the party was to celebrate al-Tariq, who would have turned 32 on Friday. A flier circulating on social media billed the event as an official birthday bash for Rich, the G.O.A.T. of N.J. Nightlife, referring to al-Tariqs nickname. A woman who answered the phone at Akbar Restaurant said, Theres no issue with the restaurant itself. We were closed. Whatever happened, it was outside. She declined to give her name and hung up the phone. Law enforcement officials stressed the investigation is in its early stages but said authorities are exploring a Newark connection. Another man, a 40-year-old Newark resident who was not identified, was shot in the head and remains hospitalized. On Tuesday, the prosecutors office released surveillance video footage of three men entering the restaurant. These men, authorities said, are wanted for questioning in connection to the shooting. Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey called the incident tragic and upsetting, and pledged in a statement that the Edison Police Department and Middlesex County Prosecutors Office will bring to justice the person or persons responsible. Nashon Brown was a fun, loving, very happy and playful person," his brother said. He loved his family, loved his son, nephews, nieces, everyone, he continued. He had a smile of gold and a heart of gold. Nashon Brown, left, poses with his cousin, al-Tariq Brown. (Courtesy of Rashid Brown) Nashon Brown grew up in the Clinton Arms apartment complex in Newarks South Side neighborhood. Several of his Facebook photos are tributes to his older cousin, al-Tariq. Though the two were cousins, they grew up together and were best friends. Neshon Brown, his brother said, wanted to be an entrepreneur and had dreams of opening up a dance club. He liked to go out once in a while and have a drink and dance and let loose, he said. Nashon also had a criminal record that involved stints in state prison for aggravated assault and selling drugs, according to jail records. Nashon Brown's prison mugshot. (Department of Corrections) In 2009, Brown was indicted for his role in a shooting spree that left three people dead, including a mother of three children. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to five years in prison. While on parole, Brown was charged with selling drugs and spent another four years behind bars. He was released from prison in March 2018. Nashon has his fair share with the law, his brother said, but he has turned his life around and started doing things the right way earning an honest living. His cousin, Al-Tariq Brown, was shot inside a restaurant on Springfield Avenue in Maplewood on March 23, 2018. He was a self-published author who wrote a book, Secret Indictment, about escaping the crime-plagued life on the inner-city streets. He apparently became a victim to the world he fictionalized in his book. The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made, an Essex County law enforcement official said. Authorities with the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office asked anyone with information to call the Edison Police Department at 732-248-7531 or the prosecutors office at 732-745-3245. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Richard Isaksen has been clamming and crabbing in Raritan Bay and fishing lower New York Bay for 50 of his 63 years. Its a hard life, but its the only one he knows, and all he wants for himself and his fellow fishermen is to be able to keep plying those waters. We aint asking for nothing, said Isaksen, of Middletown, whos the skipper of the 65-foot fishing boat Isaetta and president of the Belford Seafood Coop in Monmouth County. We just want to make a living. But that could get much tougher, Isaksen said, if state regulators join federal counterparts in approving the so-called Rarian Loop, a 23-mile underwater natural gas pipeline that would run along the sea floor across Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay to Brooklyn. Theyre going to interrupt everything in the bay, said Isaaksen, whose Monmouth County fishing cooperative belongs to a coalition of environmentalists, fishermen and elected officials opposed to the project. Theyre going to rip up the clam beds. Theyre going to destroy the crab beds where the crabs bed down. And then it goes out to Brooklyn, south of the Rockaways, right? Thats where we do our fluke fishing. The Williams Companies, Inc., a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company, has already been granted permits by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the Raritan loop, part of Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement project, a $1 billion expansion of the 10,000-mile Transco Pipeline network stretching from Texas to New York. Richard Isaksen, president of the Belford Seafood Coop in Monmouth County, said a gas pipeline along the Raritan Bay flood would "rip up the clam beds." (Clean Ocean Action) The Raritan Loop is a 26-inch pipeline that would form a loop with an existing gas pipeline, built in 1951 and operating at capacity, that also stretches across the Raritan and New York bays. The existing pipeline was meant to serve a much smaller market. A Williams spokesman, Chris Stockton, said the new stretch of the pipeline would serve a dual function: provide redundancy, or reliability, for the existing 1.8 million gas users in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and other parts of Long Island; and increase capacity to that market, which is expanding through new development and through some 8,000 customers converting each year from oil heat to natural gas. Stockton added any disruption to shellfish beds or fisheries would be temporary. Following completion of a final environmental impact study by Williams, FERC issued a finding on Jan. 25 that the project would not have a significant environmental impact, though the agency did conclude that it may affect, and is likely to adversely affect, right whale, fin whale, and Atlantic sturgeon. The project still needs approvals from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which is now weighing its decision following a public hearing on March 18 in East Brunswick. The coalition has asked the DEP to hold another public hearing, this time somewhere along the Raritan Bayfront, and to extend the comment period, now set to expire April 17, in order to let those most impacted by the project voice their concerns. Asked Tuesday whether it would grant those requests, the DEP said no. DEP has held two public hearings on this, including one last week, a DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said in an email. The DEP is under a statutory deadline to render a decision by (around) May 19. As part of its review, the DEP will consider public comments received both in writing and during the public hearings. Isaksen and other opponents of the project, including Clean Ocean Action and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th), said the pipeline can only hurt New Jersey by disrupting marine life, damaging the local fishing industry, and risking gas leaks or explosions, while providing few lasting benefits. I dont see what were getting, Isaksen said. But the company says New Jersey will get $240 million in economic activity, largely from construction jobs, as well as $16 million in annual state and local tax revenues. Stockton also said it was misguided to view the project on its own, noted its part of a nationwide network of pipelines owned and operated by Williams that provides New Jersey with half of its natural gas, through utilities including PSE&G and others who pay Williams by volume to distribute their gas. "The concerns expressed are legitimate concerns, Stockton said. But I think weve demonstrated with our past projects and the plans weve put for that we can install and operate this safely. Clean Ocean Action Executive Director Cindy Zipf with fishermen and others opposed to an underwater natural gas pipeline from New Jersey across Raritan and Lower New York bays to Brooklyn. (Clean Ocean Action) Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) A county in New York Citys northern suburbs is banning unvaccinated minors from public places to fight a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since October. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says at a news conference that the state of emergency taking effect Tuesday night is intended to persuade parents to have their children vaccinated to reverse the trajectory of the diseases spread. The county is experiencing New York state's longest measles outbreak since the disease was officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. Health officials say the best way to stop the disease's spread is a high vaccination rate in the community. A federal judge this month denied a request from parents to let 44 unvaccinated children return to the Waldorf School in Rockland County. In New Jersey, officials declared a measles outbreak is Lakewood earlier this month. Officials have also warned of possible measles exposure for travels at Newark airport. If New Jerseys public colleges want more state funding, they will have to prove theyve earned it, state officials announced Tuesday. In what could be the first step toward an overhaul of higher education aid, the state will offer $35 million in performance-based funding for four-year colleges as part of wide-ranging new state plan for higher education. The plan calls for the state to look at how many degrees a college awards in a year, how many of those degrees go to under-represented minority students and how many low-income students are enrolled in a college. Using a new formula, it will then divvy up that funding to its public colleges. Of the more than $700 million in direct state aid to public colleges, the $35 million is just a sliver. But its a major sign the state is ready to consider a better system for funding colleges, said Michael Klein, interim executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Its an important signal to New Jerseys college students that the administration understands the role that it plays in college affordability, Klein said. And they are interested in doing something about it. College officials have long complained that New Jerseys funding system for public colleges is outdated and illogical. Instead of awarding money based on specific metrics, such how many students a college enrolls, state funding is primarily given to public colleges based on how much they have received in the past. For years, all colleges have generally received the same percentage increase or decrease or saw flat state funding across the board, regardless of how much their campuses have grown or changed. And college presidents have been sure to mention that when raising tuition, which continues to go up year after year. But the new master higher education plan Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled Tuesday says the state can make college more affordable by taking a new approach to funding. It suggests exploring a new funding formula that considers an institutions size, mission, and outcomes. To make the most strategic use of limited state funds, the state should direct funding toward areas of excellence at each institution," the plan says. "Only by ensuring colleges are building on their strengths and not unnecessarily duplicating programs can the state move forward with a rational system of funding that leads to lower prices for students and their families." That could mean setting goals for Rutgers University in research or for Kean University in enrolling first-generation college students, and then tying funding to whether those goals are met, Klein said. Institutions know what they are good at, Klein said. And they ought to be rewarded for doing that well. The initial $35 million in outcome-based funding includes $20 million in new aid and $15 million in reallocated aid. It also comes with strings attached. To be eligible, colleges would need to create a Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, clearly showing costs and potential financial aid in a way that can be compared to other colleges. They would also need to share program-level spending information with the state, which officials could use to find a better rationale for funding colleges. The changes are part of the states first new comprehensive plan for higher education in more than a decade. Murphys administration wants to focus on improving both access to college and the number of students who complete a degree, especially among low-income families. The plan calls for reaching a goal of 65 percent of working-age adults having attained some type of college degree by 2025. Currently, that figure sits close to 50 percent. Pitched as a student-centered vision, the plan also creates a new student bill of rights that says all students should be guaranteed clear and comprehensible financial information about colleges, affordable and predictable education costs and high quality academic programs, among other supports. The announcement fulfills state Secretary of Higher Education Commissioner Zakiya Smith Ellis goal of establishing a new master plan in a state where colleges operate with great autonomy and little state oversight of their missions. Its not that people are doing a bad job right now, Smith Ellis said. Its that we have no plan. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A man who acted as a violent enforcer in a ring of brothels staffed by unauthorized immigrant sex workers was sentenced Wednesday to life plus 20 years in prison for his role in the criminal enterprise that stretched from Essex County to South Jersey. A federal jury in June convicted Wilmer Charmin Chavez Romero of all eight counts in an indictment that included charges of racketeering, conspiracy to harbor aliens, weapons-related crimes and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. The 29-year-old worked as muscle for the sex ring, which helped funnel unauthorized immigrants to be prostitutes throughout Cumberland, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. Prosecutors say the ring was led by fellow New Brunswick residents Juan Fredy Hernandez-Zozaya, 40, and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Rojas, 37. Documents filed in the case and evidence at trial detailed the violence that came with maintaining the illicit business. In recorded interviews with authorities, Chavez Romero described killings, beatings, shootings and other attacks to crush competition for the network. Working as a hired gun for the operation, a gun-toting Chavez Romero went to rob a rival brothel in Trenton, according to federal authorities. The hold-up ended in a shooting that left one person wounded and another dead Sept. 4, 2012. In another Trenton attack, Chavez Romero was again armed with a gun when he tried to rob a competing brothel Jan. 23, 2013. The robbery led to a brawl that ended with the fatal shooting of another person. Chavez Romero described his role in those killings during interviews in 2012 and 2014, authorities previously said. He was initially arrested in November 2012 when agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office raided a Bridgeton brothel where he worked. After being released on bail, he briefly cooperated with law enforcement officials. Despite a warning from investigators "not to go on the job" for the ring, Chavez Romero returned to violent crime. The crime syndicate ran brothels in Trenton, Orange, Asbury Park, Lakewood and Bridgeton, according to federal officials. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents with Homeland Security Investigations, Trenton police, along with the Mercer and Cumberland County prosecutors offices with investigating the case. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters By Ronsha Dickerson, Byheijja Sabree and Sue Altman George Norcross has been busy lately, promoting the idea of a Camden renaissance in public appearances and opinion articles but there is little evidence for these claims. According to Norcross, an insurance broker who holds no elected position and yet wields an incredible amount of political power in New Jersey, handing billions of dollars in tax breaks out to major companies (including his own) while privatizing the education system, is the answer to Camdens challenges. But what evidence does Norcross have when he says Camden is rising? The answer is, very little. Few claims by the insurance broker can be directly attributable to the disruptive, anti-democratic and expensive policies he has pushed in Camden. School graduation rates have not improved faster than other under-resourced cities in New Jersey. Violence has improved, but not as drastically as Newark, which moved from 51st Most Dangerous City in America in 2016 to 85th in 2018. (In the same time period, Camden has improved very slightly, from No. 2 to No. 4 in the same rankings.) While Norcross-driven policy changes have not done much for the people who live in Camden, there is plenty of evidence that these policies, which benefit Norcross himself, have lacked transparency and accountability to the public who funds them. Norcross claims about jobs and return on investment are overblown and unproven. Since 2013, when legislation to authorize these obscene tax subsidies were passed, a jaw-dropping $1.74 billion in tax subsidies were awarded to Camden. In fact, Conner Strong and Buckelew, Norcross brokerage firm, will receive $86 million alone! Other companies who received these breaks were also closely connected to Norcross. For example, Norcross sits on the board of Holtec, a company that received a record-breaking $260 million tax credit in 2014. This is not a coincidence. Meanwhile, a recent audit by the state comptroller revealed that the accounting mechanism and internal controls used by the state Economic Development Authority, which oversees the program, are inadequate. This means that not even the state has been able to determine whether these giveaways have had any positive impact on Camden residents or the state, in terms of jobs or any other measurable metric. Why then, would Norcross speak with such certainty about these policies? Norcross victory lap about education in Camden also demands scrutiny. Accountability and transparency remain a problem. Another state audit found that Renaissance Schools are violating the Urban Hope Act. And, the removal of electoral power from Camden citizens as a way to facilitate privatization is another example of the electoral disenfranchisement of communities of color. Self-serving cronyism in the form of politically connected tax credits is not progressive and certainly does not lead to a stronger Camden. A better vision of community development shows a commitment to strengthening (not replacing) public education, assistance for those facing eviction, and a plan to improve housing, so community members who have lived here for generations can build stronger lives. Any plan for Camdens future should also include making capital available to small business owners, not just politically-connected corporations. And we must take care to measure the impact of policies, not make boastful, self-serving claims beyond the evidence we have. To make unfounded claims of miracle improvements, such as those made by Norcross and his sycophants, is either woefully uninformed, or irresponsible and misleading. For too long, people across South Jersey have been afraid to speak out against top-down policies enacted on behalf of Camdens residents. Though it is not visible from the corporate headquarters along the waterfront, activists, organizers and residents are forming coalitions and building on their long legacy of advocating for education, housing and civil rights to truly affect change. When Camden rises, it will be a result of community members stepping into their rightful political power and demanding better accountability from their elected officials. It will not be because the community feared speaking out against a powerful unelected political figure. It is time to demand true progressive change. Change rooted in equity, human rights, empirical evidence and democracy for Camden and all of South Jersey. Ronsha Dickerson is a national organizer with Journey for Justice Alliance. Byheijja Sabree is a founding member of the Camden Parents Union. Sue Altman is on the leadership board of South Jersey Women for Progressive Change. All three women reside in Camden. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. By Michael Mautone In 2004, despite claims he sexually abused minors, Rev. Kevin Gugliotta was assigned to Saint Bartholomews in Scotch Plains, where his duties included youth ministry. He's seen here, at left, in a police mugshot after a 2016 arrest in Pennsylvania for disseminating child pornography, and at right when he was assigned to the Archdiocese of Newark. File photosFile photos I am the first known victim of priest Kevin Gugliotta. I am no longer Mr. X. My name is Michael Mautone. In the past I have come forward anonymously to report the assault by Gugliotta and speak out against the churchs failure to protect others from him. Today, I go public for many reasons. First and foremost I stand in support of all victims to encourage them to come forward not necessarily go public as I am doing today to come forward and report the crimes of your abusers. I stand in support of change to systems and organizations that failed to address this issue and instead allowed perpetrators to repeat their offenses. I stand to hold accountable those in power who directly took action or inaction in a choice to protect abusers over a choice to protect children and young adults. And I stand to finally hold accountable Kevin Gugliotta for his crimes against me and others. I am deeply pained and saddened by the recent news that another victim has come forward to report being assaulted by Kevin. In 2003, I filed a complaint with the Newark Archdiocese alleging that Gugliotta had abused me in the 1980s when he was a Boy Scout leader. He later became a priest. Following my complaint in 2003, Gugliotta was suspended from ministry. The Newark Archdiocese reinstated him in 2004, ruling that he could not be punished because the abuse occurred before he became a priest. Immediately after reinstating Gugliotta, Archbishop Myers allowed him to be assigned to Saint Bartholomews in Scotch Plains, a parish less than 3 miles from my home, where his duties included becoming a youth minister. It is there that Kevin is alleged to have abused this new victim. The knowledge that Kevin has harmed others is very distressing to me. In 2017, he was permanently removed from ministry after pleading guilty to disseminating child pornography. Kevin was my Scout leader. I believe Kevin took advantage of Catholic values of forgiveness and not judging others, as well as scouting values, which I held dear at a young age. I also believe Kevin counted on such values to keep his secret as long as possible. Michael Mautone op ed Kevin also picked his victim well. I was raised as a devout Catholic. In a large family of gregarious Italian Catholics, I was the quiet, serious, and sensitive one. Kevin was a close family friend. He did many good things for me and my family long before, during and even after the abuse. Likewise, the church veils its shortcomings behind its many good deeds. Kevin took time and effort to groom me and my family, and then subtly began to abuse me, and at that time my first response was disbelief. This disbelief lasted many years, long after distancing myself from him. Perhaps another obstacle for me to overcome was some myths about the negative impacts of coming forward. When I reached the point of seeing things clearly enough to know others may be at risk and knowing that I had to do something to protect them, the first thing I did as a Catholic was seek the advice of a good priest. His advice to me included a warning that if I came forward to report the abuse to the authorities, my story would quickly go public and my name would be dragged through the mud. I now know all of these myths to be untrue. Because of my personal experience, I understand many of the reasons victims do not come forward. While coming forward may be difficult, I would share that coming forward has mostly been a healing experience for me. Furthermore, coming forward simply feels like the right thing to do. To all the victims of Kevin Gugliotta I would like to say this: We did nothing wrong, Kevin did! This is not our secret, it is Kevins! And now it is Archbishop Myers secret and the Archdioceses secret! I refuse to keep this secret any longer! Be brave and come forward. I am here for you and I stand with you! I urge you to call your local county prosecutor or the New Jersey attorney generals hotline at 855-363-6548 to share your story. You are not alone, and you will be believed. Mautone is a 49-year-old father who lives in Union County. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Endangered historic sites always face a day of reckoning after which there is no return. Either some sort of savior arises to preserve and/or restore the building or artifact, or it meets its end by falling too far into disrepair, a process sometimes aided by wrecking ball and bulldozer. Two recent stories demonstrate just how fine the line can be. The Barnegat Lightship, built in 1904 at Camdens New York Shipbuilding Co., is wasting away at a small marina a few miles north in the city. Just last week, the ships owner and a prime preservation advocate, Rodney Sadler, passed away. The Barnegats fate remains uncertain. Meanwhile in Salem City, a house that was built in 1740 has found an army of volunteers who intend to make its preservation the founding project of an ongoing effort to rehabilitate older buildings in the vicinity, bringing new life to a challenged neighborhood. An interesting thing about each site is its fairly small stature. Neither has the cache or the natural constituency of larger odes to history, the Battleship New Jersey being the best local example. Also built at New York Ship, the New Jersey began its service in World War II, continuing through the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Hundreds of soldiers who served aboard it were still around by the time it was taken out of service in 1984. While its future was threatened for a time, the Big J actually was the subject of a bidding war between groups in Bayonne and Camden that wanted it as a floating museum and port attraction. Camdens Home Port Alliance won out and, today, the restored battleship is a prime tourist destination. Its in sharp contrast to the Barnegat Lightship, which, as its name suggests, employed its steam power to warn other ships away from shallow Atlantic Ocean coastal waters in the days before GPS. Its place in maritime history was also sealed by service in World War II, when it was used to help board larger military ships. The Camden County freeholder board and the Delaware River Port Authority, plus some volunteer groups, have expressed interest in saving the Barnegat, but nothing has jelled so far. Sadlers death may have temporarily paused the movement, but it is buoyed by the lightships appearance on Preservation New Jerseys 2018 Top Ten List of endangered historic places. Its the only ship on the list, but, as Preservation New Jersey Director Courtney Mercer states about the sites, We list them. We arent the ones who have a lot of capacity to save them. Encouragement may be found in the network that came together for 67 West Broadway in Salem, a three-story brick house that was built before the Declaration of Independence. Salem County College President Mike Gorman was a catalyst, bringing in Salem City Mayor Charles Washington Jr., and people in the countys vocational school system and its cultural and heritage commission. Once restored, the property could be used as a museum. Plans are to return to colonial glory four or five additional homes nearby. The Barnegat could benefit from similar sweat equity, even if the lightship doesnt have the makings of a stand-alone museum. Moving it closer to the New Jersey, and maybe making it part of the battleships tour, could lift it out of relative anonymity. A salute is due here to all who look at a rusting hulk or a decrepit building with a past, and envision a positive future. It doesnt always work out, but, when it does, an entire community benefits. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. By Essma Bengabsia I am an unapologetic Muslim American woman of color, and I am fed up with the bandage-allyship my elected officials have served me and my community. I find it particularly fitting to call the double standards out today, on International Muslim Womens Day, and to express my deepest disappointment in these elected officials betrayal of Muslims, women of color, and marginalized communities in America. To all of you who fall guilty of this, and particularly to my congressional representative Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.) and Senator Robert Menendez, I refuse to allow your tokenization of me and my community to continue henceforth. For years, you have showed up to my communitys events, held the microphone to share messages of solidarity for a few minutes, tweeted bandage messages of sympathy for my Muslim community when we are the victims of racism and Islamophobia. Then, weeks, sometimes days, later you perpetrate the same rhetoric of racism, Islamophobia, and Zionism that we suffer from in the first place. For instance, on Feb. 11, Sires issued a press statement condemning Congresswoman Ilhan Omars criticism of AIPAC. In it he mentioned that her rhetoric is deeply concerning. Ironically, shortly before this statement, on Jan. 27, Congressman Sires stood with me at a local Muslim community event and commended me after I spoke about the empowerment of Muslim women in America and highlighted the bravery, intelligence, and leadership of Congresswoman Illhan Omar. He explicitly thanked me for doing a great job. So which is it? Let us be clear that this same local Muslim community that the congressman claims to support is predominantly Palestinian, the majority of whom are refugees and children of refugees displaced by the Israeli occupation in Palestine. In addition, for the second year in a row, the office of Congressman Sires has declined to meet with me and other 8th District constituents for Palestine Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. His staff scheduler claimed there was not one person who was available to meet with us the entire day. Senator Bob Menendez is another screaming example of these double standards. He has attended a number of immigrant rights rallies to fight inhuman policies instituted by the Trump administration over the past several years. In fact, he and I both spoke at the Faith in New Jersey Immigrant Justice event in Newark in 2017. At the time of that event, I was leading a campaign to free one of my close undocumented friends who was detained by ICE. Every elected official we contacted attempted to help us with the exception of Senator Menendez, whose office did not even return our calls. For this reason, I was appalled and shocked to see him speaking glorious words of immigrant justice at the event. Sires and Menendez, and all other elected officials tokenizing us - I say to you loud and clear that I reject your hypocrisy. I refuse to let you get away with basking in the glory of positive media coverage when much of what you do behind the scenes severely undermines immigrant justice and the rights of some of the most vulnerable: Palestinians, undocumented immigrants, Muslim women, communities of color, and marginalized groups in America. You cannot march with us against the Muslim Ban as you condemn Congresswoman Omar and sign off large military packages to an apartheid state. You cannot show up to our events when you reinforce policies that displaced many of our own community members from their homelands. You cannot smile for cameras in our safe spaces as you renew contracts with private prisons that chain, lock and kill black and brown bodies. I also write this to address the rest of our communities and beloved allies in the 8th Congressional District of New Jersey to communities of all ethnic, racial, religious, abled, and sexual backgrounds. If Sires, Menendez and our other elected officials will not hear our concerns, then we will shake the status quo. We will raise and empower and embolden our own versions of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley. If these elected officials do not serve their constituents the honesty, integrity, and justice we deserve, we will #VoteThemOut. Essma Bengabsia serves on the board of The Muslim Network and the Youth Council of Faith and is a regular speaker at her local masjid, North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, as well as local marches for immigrant justice, racial justice, and gender justice. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. First, an alarming audit said our economic officials promised massive tax breaks to companies that didnt deserve them. Now we learn the Christie administration may have blown past the rules, in a rush to approve politically connected businesses. This is what a top official at the Economic Development Authority testified under oath, as part of a whistleblower lawsuit obtained by WNYC. Under the best-case scenario, the EDA was understaffed and had to rely on the word of companies and their hired lobbyists. In the worst, it turned a blind eye to falsified applications, a whistleblower alleged, and approved them. Was this just a dysfunctional state agency? Or one complicit in white collar crime? This much, we know: Billions in tax discounts were awarded with very little oversight. And so far, lawmakers have focused on grilling the auditor, not the people who made the improper awards. Thats telling. Its why a legislative probe is not enough. We also need Gov. Phil Murphys special panel of experts on financial fraud, set to hold its first hearing on Thursday. We deserve to know if the law was broken, and how. Did companies fake their threats to leave New Jersey if they did not receive millions in tax breaks? And did the EDA look the other way, allowing taxpayers to be swindled? The whistleblower, Veyis "David" Sucsuz, filed suit claiming he was fired from the EDA after refusing to approve improper tax breaks. Even if you believe he was fired for another reason, as the EDA successfully argued, it doesnt mean he was lying. Consider the testimony from his supervisor, John J. Rosenfeld, who remains at the EDA, and was the head of the incentives program at the time. Rosenfeld described a bonanza in which billions in tax discounts were doled out by just a handful of staffers under pressure from the Christie administration. At one point, he said under oath, an approval letter was mistakenly sent to a company for more than $3 million in tax breaks. Because the EDA had already sent the letter, it went along with the award, which it had intended to deny. The governors business office was also pushing hard for certain applicants, at a time when they were probably less concerned with the rules and regulations, Rosenfeld said. "I will tell you that early on, I think the members of the Business Action Center wanted to take me out back and, you know, physically harm me,'' he said in the sworn deposition from 2017. "Theyll say we have to do this, that or the other thing. Ill say no we dont.'' The whistleblower, Sucsuz, said companies threatened to move to non-existent phantom locations out of state and were approved anyway. He claimed he was ordered to cook the books for some applicants. This demands further investigation. But Steve Sweeney, the most powerful man in the Senate, seems disinclined. He argues that Murphys criticism of the EDA program has put an enormous chill on businesses in New Jersey. The head of the N.J. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Bracken, is another naysayer. Lets move on, its over, he told ROI-NJ. The audit results showed what happened. We dont need to beat a dead horse. Yet if the politically-connected can simply circumvent our regulations, how is that fair to other companies? Thats what could hurt our business climate. We dont want an incentives program that depends on the good behavior of those who are in charge, as Brandon McKoy, the president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, put it. The safe has been emptied, whether officials were outmanned, or something darker. And unless we can figure out what went wrong, rest assured: This is New Jersey. It will happen again. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The Paterson officer who admitted striking a man in a hospital and selling drugs while on duty will head to prison for more than five years. Ruben McAusland, 27, pleaded guilty last year to selling marijuana, heroin, and powder and crack cocaine that he stole from a crime scene. McAusland sold the drugs to a person working with law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a statement. Later, McAusland sold that person two pounds of marijuana, and pills that resembled Percocet but were actually made of heroin. He also lost his temper on March 5, 2018 at a hospital with a man who had just attempted suicide. The fire department took the man to St. Josephs Medical Center in Paterson and McAusland and another officer met him there. McAusland first met the man, who was in a wheelchair, in the hospital waiting room. He pushed the man and punched him in the face, Carpenito said. Later, in the mans hospital room, McAusland put on a pair of gloves and struck the man twice in the face. The man had multiple facial injuries from the beating, including an eye injury that required surgery. The other officer, Roger Then, is awaiting sentencing on charges that he filmed the hospital room assault on his phone and falsified reports to hide the beating. U.S. District Judge William H. Walls levied the sentence Wednesday in Newark federal court. McAusland will face three years of supervised release and must pay $32,892 in restitution. Through prosecutions like this one, police officers like McAusland who dealt drugs, stole from a crime scene, and viciously attacked a person who sought help from the Paterson Police Department are removed from positions where they can violate the public trust and deprive others of their civil rights under color of law, Carpenito said in the statement. -This story has been updated to reflect that the man was not in handcuffs when McAusland struck him. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A 44-year-old New Jersey woman was killed and five others injured in a single-vehicle crash along Interstate 4 in Florida on Tuesday evening, authorities said. Eyesenia Webb, 44, of Paterson, was a passenger in an eastbound SUV that veered into the center median, struck a cable barrier and overturned just before 6:30 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol said. The SUV landed in on the westbound side of the road, according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins. The crash took place in Lakeland, about 35 miles east of Tampa. The driver of the SUV, a 21-year-old man, and four other passengers, including a baby girl, were treated for minor injuries at an area hospital. All are are Lakeland residents. Webb and one other passenger were the only occupants of the vehicle not wearing seat belts, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Authorities in New Jersey on Wednesday announced four major lawsuits accusing chemical giants DuPont and 3M of wrecking the states natural resources at four industrial sites across the state and failing to clean up their mess for decades. The suits, filed in state Superior Court, seek unspecified millions of dollars in natural resource damages claims for contamination of water, wetlands and soil with toxic cocktails of cancer-causing solvents, mercury, lead and other hazards. The suits target DuPont for the pollution and, in two cases, 3M for producing some of the materials, known as PFAS chemicals (short for polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances), which were used in the creation of Duponts Teflon products and have been linked to various cancers. Among the sites named in the complaints is DuPonts former facility in Pompton Lakes, where residents and environmental advocates for decades have accused state and federal officials of failing to make sure the company remediated the pollution left behind by an operation churning out gunpowder and explosives. Local residents cheered at a Totowa press conference Wednesday morning where state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, joined by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe, said the state was taking on DuPont. Were sending a strong message to polluters that no matter how big you are, or how powerful you are, or how long youve been getting away with contaminating your states natural resources, we are going to hold you accountable in court, Grewal said. The Pompton Lakes site saw decades of production of munitions materials, the byproducts of which were dumped in pits and lagoons around the companys property and found their way into the surrounding environment, authorities said. More than 300 homes in the small Passaic County town still have filtering devices installed to prevent harmful chemicals from seeping into their basements. Grewal said DuPonts leaders knew, or at the very least should have known, that its actions were contaminating New Jerseys resources and harming the local community. A spokesman for DuPont, Dan Turner, said the company had not yet been served with the lawsuit. DuPont has worked under the direct oversight of NJDEP and (the federal Environmental Protection Agency) for more than two decades on remediating soil, sediment and groundwater both on and offsite at these locations, Turner said in an email. "Fulfilling our remediation responsibilities has been and will continue to be a priority for DuPont. The other sites targeted in the suit include: The DuPont Parlin site in Sayreville, where the company manufactured a wide array of products including camera film and car paint since the early 20th century. Authorities say the site is tinged with PFAS chemicals, which have been detected in the surrounding soil, water and air. The Repauno site in Greenwich Township, the location of DuPonts first research laboratory, where the company produced dynamite and chemicals for more than a century and, according to the suit, left behind a diverse and significant amount of hazardous waste" dumped into unlined landfills, sand tar pits, pipes and ditch basins. The Chambers Works site in Pennsville and Carneys Point in Salem County, where gunpowder and other explosives were manufactured, along with various dMurpes and chemicals. This location is rife with metal contaminants, pesticides, PFAS and other cancer-causing materials and authorities now call it one of the most contaminated sites in New Jersey. The announcement comes days after the DEP directed five companies, including DuPont and 3M, to disclose to the state all information related to their use and discharge of PFAS chemicals in New Jersey. The suits marked a major reversal for authorities in New Jersey, who under former Gov. Chris Christies administration declined to go after corporations over their legacies of pollution. It also spurred optimism among local residents, who have sparred with Gov. Phil Murphys administration over how to address the problems in Pompton Lakes. State and local authorities have resisted calls to have the Pompton Lakes site declared a federal Superfund and downplayed the hazard to local residents, even after a report from The Record newspaper and NorthJersey.com last year showed contamination was far worse than the company had acknowledged. A spokeswoman for 3M, Fanna Haile-Selassie, said in an e-mail the company acted responsibly in connection with PFAS and will vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal appears alongside Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe at a press conference announcing new environmental lawsuits brought against companies accused of polluting in the Garden State. New Jersey authorities are also suing Chemours, which was spun off from DuPont in 2015 a move critics saw as an effort to shed DuPont of its hefty environmental pollution baggage. A spokesman for that company, Thom Sueta, said in an e-mail Chemours was surprised and disappointed by the suits, which appear to be coming out of left field. Sueta said the Pompton Lakes and Greenwich Township sites were closed for years by the time the company inherited them from DuPont, and said company officials were cooperating with state and federal authorities in cleanup and redevelopment efforts. Lisa Riggiola, a founder of Citizens for a Clean Pompton Lakes and a former council member in the town, spent years alongside other local activists urging government officials to take action. She sat in the front row at the attorney generals press conference, and said afterward the effort had been a long haul. I dont want any generation besides the ones that are living there now to ever have to go through this again, she said, adding that she recently moved from the town after selling her home at a loss. Riggiola said she was heartened by the lawsuits, but wanted to see DuPont officials criminally investigated over their efforts to resist more robust cleanups and local residents compensated for their plummeting property values. The New Jersey lawsuits seek compensation for damage to the states natural resources and do not include claims related to local homes and businesses. The DuPont lawsuits mark another effort by Grewal to increase his offices enforcement of New Jerseys environmental laws since he was appointed by Murphy last year. The attorney general said Wednesday that while the state for more than a decade avoided taking on new environmental lawsuits, his office has filed nine in the last year alone. In addition to building up a unit within the office devoted to environmental suits, the attorney general has brought on four outside law firms to handle the pollution cases on a contingency basis, according to retention agreements obtained by NJ Advance Media. Grewal said after years of the state ignoring environmental cases, he would eventually like to see his office be able to handle such lawsuits on its own. The reason it took us 14 months to bring these cases is we had to rebuild that capacity, he said. Staff writer Michael Sol Warren contributed to this report. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON When Democratic challenger Andy Kim ousted a House Republican incumbent last fall, health care was a big reason. Just last week at a town hall meeting in Cinnaminson, health care was the top issue on voters minds. Health care was central not only to the campaign but the reason why I got into this race, said Kim, D-3rd Dist. Health care is such a worry to so many people. Kim on Tuesday joined fellow New Jersey Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. and Tom Malinowski in introducing legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act. Their action came a day after President Donald Trump asked the federal courts to throw out the entire bill, taking health insurance away from millions of Americans and eliminating protections for those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer or diabetes. The Democratic bill would expand tax credits to help buy Americans buy insurance and prevent the sale of policies that do not provide basic coverage for all policyholders, including those with pre-existing conditions. This comprehensive proposal follows through on our commitment to make health care more affordable and to defend critical protections for the more than 133 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions, said Pallone, D-6th Dist., the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee with jurisdiction over health issues. Kims opponent last fall, incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur, played a major role in the House GOP effort to adopt an alternative that the Congressional Budget Office said it would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured and jeopardize coverage for those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer or diabetes. MacArthur claimed during the campaign that he fought to protect pre-existing conditions but independent health care experts said his legislation did the opposite. Democrats across the country ran on improving rather than repealing the health care law and won 40 seats and a House majority. More than 4 in 10 voters listed health care as their top priority and supported Democratic candidates over Republican ones, 75 percent to 23 percent, according to network exit polls. Protecting people with pre-existing conditions, access to health care and controlling health care costs were on everybodys mind, said Malinowski, D-7th Dist., who defeated GOP incumbent Leonard Lance. The legislation proposed Tuesday stood in contrast to the Medicare for All proposals embraced by several Democratic presidential candidates including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. and the partys progressive wing. At its extreme, the proposal envisions eliminating private insurance altogether in favor of a government-run plan. The Democratic efforts to improve the current health care law also contrasted with Trumps efforts to kill the existing law. Trumps Justice Department on Monday urged a federal court to throw out the entire health care law, despite the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court already has upheld it. In addition, proposed budget for the 12 months beginning Oct. 1 calls for repealing the current law. Even so, he declared, The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care," as he joined Senate Republicans at their weekly lunch at the Capitol on Tuesday. Trump promised during the campaign to provide health coverage to everyone. But after embracing the failed Republican attempt to repeal the health care law and and leave as many as 32 million more Americans without coverage, he administratively took steps that raised insurance premiums for most policies while approving lower-cost alternatives that offered little coverage. In addition, the Republican tax law did away with the requirement that all Americans buy insurance or pay a penalty. New Jersey then imposed its own individual mandate. The Energy and Commerce health subcommittee on Wednesday is scheduled to consider several pieces of legislation to lower the costs of prescription drugs, including making it harder for companies to refuse to provide samples so generic competitors can make lower-cost copies The subcommittee also will consider bills rolling back Trump administration rules that allow policies that do not protect those with pre-existing conditions, and restoring funding to help consumers choose proper health care plans. Trump has a history of broken promises on health care and were the opposite, Pallone said. Were actually taking action and doing things. Were just doing what we promised. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON More than 9 in 10 U.S. voters want anyone buying a gun from anywhere to undergo a background check. Yet there is no indication that the Senate will take up legislation to do just that, even as the House acted last month and passed its first gun control bill in a quarter-century. Nor is a ban on assault weapons on the agenda, even though two-thirds supported it in a February Quinnipiac University poll. Thats angered U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate Cory Booker, who supports both measures and once joined a filibuster to force votes on the issue. Theres something really wrong with a society that cant get things done where overwhelmingly the majority of people agree that we need to get it done, Booker, D-N.J., said Tuesday. Im tired of seeing sidewalk shrines to dead children in my community and in cities all across America and people doing nothing to put gun safety laws in place that we agree with in terms of getting it to a vote we agree with in terms of getting it to a vote in this body." Booker made his comments during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on what are known as extreme-risk or red-flag laws, which allow people to petition judges to take guns away from others deemed to be immediate threats. A candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Booker supports bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. He also backs the expanded background checks, as well as efforts to prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns. He was on the Senate floor in June 2016 when Democrats staged a filibuster to force the Republican majority to bring up gun legislation for votes. This is something that is very painful to me that we cant do something to address these issues, he said. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON The number of New Jerseyans who dont have health insurance would grow by 595,000 under President Donald Trumps plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, according to a new study. The Urban Institute, a Washington research group, said the ranks of the uninsured in the state would be 1.3 million without the health care law in place, an 81 percent increase over the 732,000 currently without insurance. The loss in federal funding to the state: $2.7 billion, 40 percent less than the current $6.7 billion New Jersey now receives in subsidies to help lower-income residents buy insurance and to cover the expansion of Medicaid to insure more people. Washington has put thousands of New Jersey families at risk, said Dan Bryan, a spokesman for Gov. Phil Murphy. Murphy has worked to shore up protections for state policyholders under the health care law against efforts by Trump and congressional Republicans to weaken them. But that wouldnt stop residents from losing their coverage, said Ray Castro, health policy director for New Jersey Policy Perspective, a progressive research group. Its helpful but it wont solve the problem. Its the funding issue," Castro said. These protections are not going to be sufficient to avoid a major loss in health coverage because of the loss of federal funds. NJPPs 2017 study, conducted when Trump and congressional Republicans first tried to repeal the health care law, found 839,000 New Jerseyans at risk of losing health coverage, costing the state $4 billion in federal funds. The #ACA has directly protected health care for millions of New Jerseyans, including countless residents w preexisting conditions. No way to sugarcoat it @RealDonaldTrump's new attempt to destroy the law puts these residents' health and lives at direct risk. Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 27, 2019 After a midterm election where voters said health care was their top concern and House Democrats won 40 seats and a majority, Trump again called for doing away with the Affordable Care Act, which, among other things, protects those with pre-existing conditions. If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, well have a plan that is far better than Obamacare, Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday. The Republican Party will become The Party of Healthcare! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2019 Trump, whose proposed in his budget to repeal the health care law, asked a federal appeals court earlier this week to declare the entire measure unconstitutional. That didnt sit well with New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over health care. In the past, the president certainly suggested that he was supportive of parts of it, supportive of not discriminating against pre-existing conditions, Pallone said. Its totally hypocritical. I cant believe anything the president says any more. House Democrats on Tuesday introduced legislation to reverse steps taken by Trump and congressional Republicans to roll back the laws protections. That also was the subject of bills considered by Pallones health subcommittee on Wednesday. Today, in my health subcommittee, we are marking up 12 bills that will make health care and prescription drugs more affordable, protect people with pre-existing conditions and reverse the Trump Administrations sabotage of our health care system. #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/Jpq6PjFvCc Rep. Frank Pallone (@FrankPallone) March 27, 2019 Murphy is doing the same thing in Trenton. A new state law requires residents to have insurance or pay a penalty, reinstating the individual mandate that Republicans eliminated nationwide in their tax law. Murphy announced that the state would run its own exchange to sell health policies rather rely on the federal government, allowing the state to publicize insurance options and get people to sign up. The Trump administration has slashed funding for such outreach. In addition, Murphy asked the legislature to pass a law ensuring that insurance policies sold in the state do not discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions, prohibit lifetime and annual limits, require all plans to provide certain health benefits, and allow children to remain on their parents policies until age 26. "By transitioning to a state-based exchange and codifying ACA protections in state law, Governor Murphy is taking control of the states future away from a hostile presidential administration, protecting the states residents, and preserving access to life-saving medical intervention for those who need it most, Bryan said. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Chick-fil-A fans looking forward to the location at New Orleans new airport terminal may have to wait a bit longer to get their fix. The restaurant is one of a handful of vendors that may have a delayed opening, airport officials say. Crews are currently hustling to finish the $1 billion terminal before opening day on May 15. The new facility will completely replace the existing airport following an overnight move. Hungry travelers will note the new facility introduces a mix of local and national food brands the current airport doesnt have such as Chick-fil-A and Shake Shack. In a Friday (March 22) update, the New Orleans Aviation Board and executives overseeing the project said construction work on the new terminal and its three concourses is on pace, save for one stretch of concessions: Leahs Kitchen, a concept from local chef Leah Chase, and a food court area that includes Chick-fil-A and Ye Olde College Inn. That section of concessions appears likely to open closer to late May or early June, officials said. Its a race to the finish, said Doug Thornton, a board member and executive vice president with SMG, the company that manages the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. For many New Orleanians, the next flight they take out of the city will be from the new airport facility, which is currently under construction on the north side of the airport property. As of Wednesday, the May 15 deadline for the terminal was 49 days away. Airport officials will oversee an overnight move into the new facility after the last flight leaves May 14. The first flight from the new 35-gate terminal will leave early in the morning on May 15. Airport officials released a map of food and drink options last September. Four groups will oversee concessions, including Delaware North-Chase Catering and Concessions, and HMS Host-Coaxum Enterprises-Kaleidoscope Strategies. The vendor lineup includes local names like Mondo, Midway Pizza, Cure, MoPho and The Munch Factory, as well as national chains, including Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack and Starbucks. Chris Spann, the consultant overseeing the $1 billion project, noted six separate contractors are working under the four concessions management groups to complete work on eateries, bars and newsstands throughout the airport. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Why the Chick-fil-A delay? Thornton said Leahs Kitchen and the food court area where the restaurant is located include a more extensive buildout. The area is located over key parts of the terminals baggage handling system, which means contractors had to use extra care when coring the concrete for drain lines, vents and other equipment, he said. Theyre doing everything they can to accelerate the pace, Thornton said. As work continues inside the new terminal, crews are in the process of paving the roads that will lead into the facility. The terminals entrance road is moving along well, with curbs poured and asphalt going in, said Charlie Prewitt, project executive for Hunt-Gibbs-Boh-Metro, the joint venture building the facility. Crews are installing light poles and signage at the traffic circle where drivers will choose whether to approach departures or arrivals, which are located on opposite sides of the new facility. A big concern for many is how the new terminal will affect traffic on Loyola Drive in Kenner, which drivers will have to take to access the new facility. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is currently overseeing work to add lanes to Loyola Drive between Interstate 10 and Veterans Memorial Boulevard, but state officials have started warning travelers to prepare for traffic, especially in the weeks immediately following the opening. The long-term plan for a flyover ramp connecting I-10 to the airport wont be finished for several years. Spann praised efforts by the state and the City of Kenner to relocate and demolish a fire station that had stood in the way of the proposed Loyola Drive widening. Spann confirmed the fire station has been demolished. Prewitt added crews have already poured the curbs for the new expansion lanes on the former fire station site. Take a look inside New Orleans' new $1 billion airport terminal Jennifer Larino covers residential real estate, retail, tourism and other consumer and business news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Reach her at jlarino@nola.com or 504-239-1424. Follow her on Twitter @jenlarino. Seven people, including six New Orleans area residents and a Hammond man, are accused of insurance fraud after state police say the group staged a pair of crashes in the city. Those arrested include Hayward Howard, 32; Jasmine Howard, 28; Eddie Ellis, 19; Hayward Carter, 51; Jodie Davis, 20; and Neichell Raymond, 42, all of New Orleans, along with 19-year-old Dante Carter of Hammond. The arrests, which began in January and continued through Monday, capped a months-long investigation by detectives with the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Units New Orleans Field Office. Investigators believe the crashes, which occurred in February and May of 2018, were orchestrated by Hayward Howard, Troop B spokesman Monroe Dillon said. Investigators were tipped last August that Hayward Howard, Jasmine Howard, Dante Carter and Ellis had staged one of the crashes. In that crash, reported Feb. 28, 2018, at Constance and Bordeaux streets in Uptown, Hayward Howard backed a rented U-Haul truck into Jasmine Howards vehicle, occupied by Ellis and Carter. All occupants filed claims for damages and injuries, state police said. In the second crash, which took place May 31, 2018, at Bender Drive and Seine Street in Algiers, Howard purposefully drove a rented U-Haul truck into a Cadillac owned by Ellis. In that crash, which investigators also determined was staged, three more people Hayward Carter, Raymond and Davis filed claims for damages and injuries, authorities said. The seven were booked into the Orleans Justice Center jail over a roughly two-month span. None remain in jail, according to jail records. Hayward Carter was booked Jan. 25 with one count each of insurance fraud and filing false public records. His bond was set at $2,000. Davis was booked Feb. 4 with one count of insurance fraud. His bond was set at $500. Ellis was arrested Wednesday on two counts of insurance fraud and one count of filing false public records. He was released on his own recognizance by an Orleans Parish magistrate judge, according to court records. His bond was set at $3,000. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Dante Carter was booked Thursday with one count of insurance fraud and also released on his own recognizance by a judge. Court records show no bond set for Dante Carter. Jasmine Howard was arrested Sunday on one count each of insurance fraud and filing false public records. She was released on her own recognizance, and court records show no bond set for her. Hayward Howard was booked Monday with two counts of insurance fraud, court records show. His bond was set at $5,000, and he was released on his own recognizance by an Orleans Parish magistrate judge. Raymond is accused of one count of insurance fraud, state police said. She did not appear in court records. Davis also has pending charges in Orleans Parish of intimidating a witness and resisting an officer in connection with an outburst during a pre-trial hearing for his brother, who is accused of murder. Davis was arrested Jan. 7 and formally charged Jan. 24. He has pleaded not-guilty to the charges and is set for trial April 24. Booking photos of the group were not immediately available Tuesday night. To tip state police to suspected staged vehicle crashes or other forms of insurance fraud, call the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit at 504-310-7100 or email insurance.fraud.unit@dps.la.gov. This post was updated Wednesday afternoon (March 27) with new details from state police. Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and can be reached at 504-655-6571 and lmcknight@nola.com with tips. The case against Kelly Folse, the River Ridge veterinarian accused of fatally shooting her next-door neighbors dog, remains ongoing as the Jefferson Parish Court awaits a ruling from the Louisiana Supreme Court. Folse, 36, was booked in December 2017 with aggravated animal cruelty and illegal discharge of a firearm after investigators said she shot her neighbors 15-month-old American bulldog in the head. Folse has repeatedly denied the crime, but the Sheriffs Office has remained confident in their allegations against her. After Folses arrest, detectives executed a search warrant of her belongings and confiscated her iPhone, which investigators believed contained data relevant to the case. However, in the weeks that followed the phones seizure, the phone sat in police custody without any data being downloaded from it, court records show. When Folse, who had been released on $45,000 bond, arrived at the sheriffs office to retrieve her phone, detectives informed her that they had yet to search the device. She told them her passcode. They downloaded the data and returned the phone to her that day, according to court records. River Ridge veterinarian didn't shoot dog; arrest ruined her life, attorney says Shortly after, Folse filed a motion to suppress the information seized from her phone, arguing that the search was unlawful since its warrant was expired at the time of execution. Officers must execute a search warrant within ten days from the day it is issued. The district court denied her motion, but Folse successfully sought review of the decision from the states Supreme Court. She appeared before the bench Tuesday (March 26), represented by attorney Frank DeSalvo. Paul Connick Jr., Terry Boudreaux and Darren Allemand represented the sate. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In addition to raising whether or not detectives acted in good faith when mistakenly executing the old search warrant, the case also raised thorny questions about the lawfulness of phone searches. Police intended to use Folses fingerprint to open the iPhone, an action which dabbles in a legal gray area complicated by continued advances in technology. This all leads me to ask if our statutory law has kept up with technological changes, said Associate Justice Scott Crichton. If the Supreme Court rules in Folses favor, investigators will not be able to use the information seized from the iPhone. The prosecutions case could rely in part on this evidence, since Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto said Folse had sent aggressive and hostile messages and video to the dogs owner in the months before the shooting. In addition to the animal cruelty and gun charges, Folse was also accused of possessing of a controlled dangerous substance and possessing of a drug without a prescription. Detectives discovered the anti-anxiety medication diazepam, better known by the brand name Valium, and methacarbomol, a muscle relaxant, inside Folses home. She did not have proper prescriptions for either drug, according to authorities. Folse was fired from Abadie Veterinary Hospital after the allegations. Her arrest made national news, with stories appearing in The Washington Post and the New York Post. Folses previous attorney questioned the veracity of the investigation, citing the lack of witnesses and ballistics evidence. He also accused Lopinto of using the case to score political points ahead of his March 2018 sheriffs race. It is unclear when the Supreme Court will issuing a ruling in the case. In the meantime, the Jefferson Parish case against Folse remains stalled. A Marrero inmate who is on the run after escaping from a state work release program is considered the key witness in the upcoming trial of the man accused of murdering the inmates infant son. Oklahoma Arbys manager accused of killing customer who spit on her Police in northern Louisiana have been searching for Xevion Davis, 20, since March 4 when he walked off from City of Faith, a transitional work program in Monroe that was contracted to house him as he served a three-year sentence for drug convictions, according to the Louisiana Department of Corrections. But Davis disappearance could mean a delay in the second-degree murder trial of Jonathan Manuel, 29, which is scheduled to begin in a Jefferson Parish courtroom on April 2, according to court records. Davis has been a primary but reluctant witness in the case against Manuel, who is accused of killing Davis 10-month-old son, XyAhir Nemo Davis, and wounding a teenager in the 2016 Marrero shooting, authorities have said. I think the state may try to get a continuance because of this, Manuels defense attorney, Kenneth M. Willis said Wednesday (March 27). Were going to heavily object to that. Mr. Manuel has maintained his innocence from the outset of this investigation, and hes eager to have his day in court to be fully exonerated. The Jefferson Parish district attorneys office declined to comment on the matter because it involves an open case. Chermaine Davis Payne, Xevions mother and XyAhirs grandmother, said she does not know where her son is hiding. But she has long urged him to help get justice for XyAhir. This is so upsetting to me, right now, Payne said Wednesday. I need him found. I want him found. If I could do anything to find him, I would do it. In addition to second-degree murder, Manuel is charged with attempted second-degree murder and two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon. Authorities say Davis was inside a home in the 2100 block of Caddy Drive in Marrero with XyAhir and at least two others on the afternoon of Dec. 3, 2016, when gunmen opened fire while standing in the front doorway. XyAhir and a then-16-year-old boy were shot multiple times. But the teen survived his injuries while XyAhir died a short time later. Xevion Davis was not wounded in the shooting. He eventually identified Manuel as one of the gunmen, but the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office described him as a reluctant witness. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The Sheriffs Office arrested Davis in February 2017 on a grand jury material witness warrant to secure his testimony, court records said. The grand jury indicted Manuel on April 6, 2017. A second suspect, Andre Houston, was arrested and booked with with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and intimidation of a witness, but he was never formally charged by the district attorneys office. Davis was then released. But he was rearrested on various charges in 2017 and 2018. Judge Conn Regan of the 24th JDC sentenced Davis to a total of three years in prison on Dec. 17 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine, aggravated flight from an officer, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and two counts of drug possession, court records said. Davis was transferred into the custody of the state Department of Corrections where he qualified to take part in a transitional work program, according to spokesman Ken Pastorick. The program allows state inmates with six months to four years left on their sentence to work a job and earn money ahead of release while spending nights at a secure facility. Davis was sent to City of Faith in Monroe on Jan. 22, Pastorick said. Davis and another work release inmate, Toby Jackson, 20, of Caddo Parish, left the facility on the morning of March 4, as usual, but never returned, according to City of Faith Director Ollie ONeal. They did a random count and discovered (Davis and Jackson) were missing that night, ONeal said. The pair never showed up for work that day at their respective jobs. The Monroe Police Department issued an alert about the escape, but Davis and Jackson were still on the run as of Wednesday. Payne spoke with her son when he once called her from a private number. She demanded to know why he left the work release program, but Davis had no answer for her. I havent heard from him no more, she said. Though she cant say for sure, Payne suspects its possible Davis left the facility to avoid testifying at trial. While housed at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna the same place Manuel is being held Davis told his mother that Manuel would have other inmates start fights with him. But her sons reluctance is something Payne has never been able to understand. I dont know why you dont want to go forward and just tell the people who done this to your child and get it over with, she said. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Xevion Davis or Toby Jackson or details about the shooting death of XyAhir Davis is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or toll-free at 877.903.7867. Callers do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment. The family of Donald Ducky Adams has asked for tips from the public about the fatal shooting of the slain TSA agent and avid New Orleans Saints fan, and theyre increasing the reward for information, Crimestoppers GNO announced. Adams was shot dead in Little Woods on Dec. 20 at age 29, New Orleans police said. His cousin Rashawn Johnson said Adams had been thrilled about the Saints top NFC standing and was looking forward to the playoffs when he was killed in his Briarwood Drive home. He attended most home and away games, she said. Crimestoppers GNO announced Tuesday (March 26) a $7,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or indictment of a person or people responsible for Adams death. The $2,000 increase from a reward of $5,000 typically offered by Crimestoppers in homicide cases was provided by Adams family, Crimestoppers president and CEO Darlene Cusanza said. 'Its a tragedy: Man shot to death in Little Woods Anyone who provides information to Crimestroppers can remain anonymous, the organization said, and would not have to testify to earn a reward. The reward expires March 25, 2021. Adams grew up in New Orleans, graduating from McDonogh 35, and attended Southeastern Louisiana University, according to an online obituary. He worked for the Transportation Security Administration at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, where Johnson said his TSA colleagues hosted a ceremony last week to honor his memory. WDSU reported Adams coworkers presented his family with a plaque at the March 18 ceremony, recognizing his service. Agents spoke of Adams smile, positive attitude and humor, the TV station reported. Adams mother, Rachelle Gilliard, told WDSU she prays about receiving an answer to who killed her son. Even though that will not bring him back, I know that will help, she told the station. A Mobile, Alabama, man was convicted of second-degree murder Wednesday (March 27) for stabbing his girlfriend 12 times in the back while she slept in a Jeep in 2014 and dumping her body in the woods south of Covington. The jury deliberated for about 1 1/2 hours before finding Johnathan Nall, 39, guilty of murdering Melinda Denny, 26, also of Mobile. Nall was also found guilty of terrorizing, a charge that stemmed from a two-hour standoff he had with St. Tammany Parish sheriffs deputies at a convenience store on Feb. 22, 2014. Nall faces an automatic sentence of life in prison on the murder charge. State Judge August Hand set sentencing for May 15. The jury rejected the defenses contention that Nall was insane at the time of the killing. While a several experts agreed that Nall suffered from substance abuse psychosis, a mountain of evidence showed he knew the difference between right and wrong at the time, Assistant District Attorney Holly McGinness told jurors in her closing arguments. Authorities in 2014 said Nall and Denny were traveling from Mobile to Texas and were stranded in a grocery store parking lot on Louisiana 21 south of Covington with no money for gasoline. At Nalls mothers request, sheriffs deputies checked on them but eventually left them alone after they appeared to be OK. The couple left the parking lot around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 22, and around mid-day Nall showed up at a convenience store on Louisiana 1077 with a gun, threatening to kill himself. A two-hour standoff with deputies ended when they shot Nall with bean-bag rounds and were able to subdue him. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Denny, a mother of four, was nowhere to be found, however, and investigators suspected foul play was involved. Her body was discovered five days later in a wooded area along Brewster Road, and Nall was booked with her murder. McGinness told jurors that after the killing, Nall hid Dennys body, threw away the knife, changed clothes and lied to his mother about Dennys whereabouts all evidence that he knew what he did was wrong. During the defenses closing argument, Nalls attorney Kevin Linder described Dennys death as a tragic, tragic event. There was no reasonable explanation or motive for what occurred, he said. Its mental illness folks. Mental illness, pure and simple. A man was shot in the back after denying a man a dollar in Pines Village Tuesday night (March 26), according to New Orleans police. Two men, ages 20 and 19, were walking in the 6500 block of Morrison Road in Pines Village around 11:20 p.m. when four people in a silver SUV asked them if they wanted to buy drugs. The duo declined, but the SUV continued to follow them. One of the passengers exited the car and asked the 20-year-old for a dollar. He declined, prompting another passenger to exit the car and shoot him in the lower back. The 19-year-old fled and hid in a bush until the SUV left the scene. The 20-year-old was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. NOPD also reported a violent home burglary and four robberies, one involving an 87-year-old woman, within 12 hours Tuesday: 12:08 p.m.: A 43-year-old man was pumping gas in the 1600 block of Elysian Fields Avenue in the 7th Ward when two men approached him. One of the men put a knife to the 43-year-olds throat and demanded his keys. The man fought the two men and was cut in the arm. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 5:22 p.m.: Two men and a woman were inside a home in the 4800 block of Corinne Street in the Read Boulevard West when two unknown men entered the house and demanded the trio lay on the floor. The burglars struck each of them with a gun and then covered them with sheets. They stole property from the house before fleeing. 6:35 p.m.: An 87-year-old was leaving a business in the 3200 block of Gentilly Boulevard in Gentilly when a silver SUV with two women inside approached her. The duo snatched the 87-year-olds belongings. The 87-year-old chased after them, but was pushed away from the car. 11:16 p.m.: A 42-year-old man was taking a photo in the 700 block of Iberville Street in the French Quarter when 43-year-old Franklin Jennings ran by and snatched his phone from his hand. Jennings was later arrested in the 100 block of St. Charles Avenue. 11:51 p.m.: A 59-year-old man was driving on St. Bernard Avenue toward North Derbigny Street when a man flagged him down. When he pulled over, the man flashed a knife and demanded the 59-year-olds belongings. The 59-year-old driver complied, but the man cut his left index finger before fleeing. A man was shot in the leg and robbed during a botched drug deal and robbery in Mid-City Monday afternoon (March 25), according to an initial report from New Orleans police. Police said Michael Warren, 26, attempted to purchase drugs from a 35-year-old man in the 600 block of Salcedo Street around 6:30 p.m., but the 35-year-old refused. The duo then reportedly entered a car together, where Warren pulled out a gun and demanded the 35-year-olds property. When the 35-year-old reached for the gun, it fired and a bullet struck Warren in the left leg. The 35-year-old then gained control of the gun, prompting the injured Warren to flee to a nearby hospital, police said. Warren arrived at the nearby hospital and refused to tell investigators his name or the location of shooting. While being treated at the hospital, Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office deputies took him into custody. He was booked into Orleans Parish jail for attempted armed robbery, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. NOPD did not immediately respond questions about whether the 35-year-old would face any charges in connection with the shooting. Warren has an extensive history of drug charges in Orleans Parish, pleading guilty to possession and distribution charges in 2018, 2016, 2013 and 2012. Police also reported the robbery of a man in the Bywater and a gas station hold-up in Pines Village within two hours of each other Tuesday morning (March 26). Around 2:40 a.m., a 48-year-old man was struck in the head in the 1000 block of Poland Avenue and robbed of his bicycle, police said. Less than two hours later, three armed men entered a Discount Zone in the 4900 block of Downman Road and robbed the convenience store, police said. It was not immediately clear what exactly they took. Update: This story has been updated to include the name and criminal history of the man arrested in the attempted armed robbery case. Weve got Where NOLA Eats picks for food and drinks events around New Orleans. Looking for Lenten fish fries? See our online guide. Thursday (March 28) Food Styling talk Elle Simone, chef and food stylist, will explain about how to make picture-perfect food in a talk at Dillards Georges Auditorium (2601 University Blvd). Simone has worked with The Food Network and The Cooking Channel and is a cast member of PBS Americas Test Kitchen. Free. 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sicilian Wine Dinner Andreas (3100 19th St., Metairie) celebrates the food and wines of Sicily with a four-course dinner. $49. 6:30 p.m. Call 504.834.8583 Friday (March 29) Hogs for the Cause The annual barbecue cook-off behind UNOs Lakefront Arena benefits children with brain cancer. Friday night is bacon night, where teams vie to make (and sell) the best bacon dish. Music by American Aquarium, Trampled by Turtles, Boyfriend and more. $30; $55 for a two-day pass; other packages available. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. See hogsforthecause.org. Saturday (March 30) Sweet 6-Bean Street Party Red Bean Madness pits restaurants against each other in a tournament-style competition. Bud Rips Bar (3200 Burgundy St.) hosts a block party where 16 restaurants face off. The final eight will be picked by people at the party. Music from Happy Talk Band, the Tin Men, Treme Brass Band and more. Free. 127 p.m. Hogs for the Cause The annual barbecue cook-off behind UNOs Lakefront Arena continues. On Saturday, the teams sell the barbecue they have also prepared for the judges. Music by Samantha Fish, War & Treaty, Lukas Nelson and more. $30; other packages available. Gates open at 11 a.m. See hogsforthecause.org. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Sunday (March 31) Jamie Galloway Crawfish Boil Master boilers Jason Seither and James Clesi make the mudbugs for a block party on the 8300 block of Oak Street. The event benefits the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. Price includes crawfish and access to Maple Leaf. $30; $100 VIP ticket also includes beer, a T-shirt and more. Mark Your Calendar April 37: The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience features some of New Orleans best chefs and restaurants along with wine tastings and seminars. See www.nowfe.com. April 9: For the next Todd Price Taste Club presented by French Market Coffee, chef Brad McDonald of Couvant created a menu of signature dishes from three-star Michelin restaurants in France and Hong Kong. See www.ToddPriceTasteClub.com April 11-14: At French Quarter Fest, restaurants from New Orleans set up to feed the fans out to hear local live music. See frenchquarterfest.org. April 2528: The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds is as much about food as music. See www.nojazzfest.com. May 25: Jazz Fest returns for a second week. See www.nojazzfest.com. Have a food or drink event for the calendar? Email foodevents@nola.com. The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its annual culinary awards on Wednesday morning (March 27). The awards, which recognize chefs, restaurants, authors and food journalists, are considered the highest honors in the culinary world. New Orleanians received 13 nominations in 2019. Donald Link of Herbsaint, Cochon and Peche Seafood Grill, was nominated as Outstanding Chef. Link, who won James Beard Awards in 2007 as Best Chef: South and in 2010 for his cookbook Real Cajun, has been nominated in this category five times before. For the third year in a row, Kelly Fields of Willa Jean has been nominated as an Outstanding Pastry Chef in the country. Fields is working on her first cookbook. Brigtsens, run by Frank and Marna Brigtsen, received a nomination for Outstanding Service. The restaurant has been a semifinalist nine times in previous years for this award but has never been a finalist before. Frank Brigtsen was named Best Chef: Southeast in 1998. JoAnn Clevenger of Upperline, who created the now-classic dish fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade, received her fourth nomination for Outstanding Restaurateur. Bacchanal, the wine bar, restaurant and Bywater fixture, for the second year in a row is a finalist for Outstanding Wine Program. Ana Castro of Coquette is a finalist to be this years Rising Star, which recognizes a chef 30 years or younger. Castro will soon be the co-sous chef at Thalia, a new restaurant from the owners of Coquette. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In the category of Best Chef: South, New Orleans received three nominations. The local finalists are Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus of Coquette, who were finalists in 2018, Slade Rushing of Brennans, who has been nominated in this category four times before, and Isaac Toups of Toups Meatery, who was a finalist for this award in 2016. (Full disclosure: The author is a voting member of the James Beard Foundation.) In the media awards, our critic Brett Anderson was nominated for the Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award, which honors writers who best tell the stories of their cities. Justin Nystrom, a historian at Loyola University, was nominated in the restaurant, history and scholarship category for his book Creole Italian. In the investigative reporting category, New Orleans-based Boyce Upholt was nominated for his story A Killing Season published by The New Republic. Food scholar Jessica Harris, who lives part-time in New Orleans, was also nominated for the book she co-authored with Albert G. Lukas, Sweet Home Cafe Cookbook. The cookbook has recipe from the restaurant at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The book and media winners will be announced on April 26, while the culinary award winners will be revealed at a gala in Chicago on May 6. Got a tip? Know some restaurant news? Email Todd A. Price at TPrice@NOLA.com or call 504.826.3445. Follow him on Twitter (@TPrice504) or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/groups/wherenolaeats. A 10-year-old girl in South Carolina died Wednesday (March 27), two days after she sustained injuries during a fight in her classroom at Forest Hills Elementary School, WMBF-TV reports. The Colleton County School District posted the following statement Wednesday afternoon on the school districts website in response to the death: Our community has suffered a tremendous loss. We are deeply saddened that Raniya Wright, a fifth-grade Forest Hills Elementary School student, has passed away. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with this family in the difficult days ahead. The District has been communicating with the family to provide support and assistance, and we will continue to do so going forward." East Ouachita Middle School teacher recorded battering student: report WMBF reported that Raniya was in the nurses station following Mondays fight and was unconscious but breathing. School district spokesman Sean Gruber told the station one student was suspended in connection with the fight. 9-year-old with autism handcuffed to chair at Franklin Parish school: report Read WMBF-TVs full story. Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. Community college students will now have the opportunity to participate in what officials call an innovative and unprecedented mechatronics apprenticeship program thanks to a partnership with three companies in the Greater New Orleans area. Students in the program will receive technical classroom instruction and on-the-job training over the course of two years, according to higher education and business leaders Wednesday (March 27) morning at the Delgado Community College River City Site and Advanced Manufacturing Center. Students in the program will also earn money with training costs covered completely by the employer. Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, lauded the program as robots, widgets and gadgets churned and flashed at the Avondale campus. Representatives from Elmer Chocolate, Laitram, and Zatarains each signed a contract alongside the chancellors of Delgado Community College, Northshore Technical Community College, and Nunez Community College to finalize the agreement. Libertys Kitchen partners with Delgado to offer free college readiness class Were really pumped to be a part of this, said Robert Nelson, CEO of the Ponchatoula-based Elmer Chocolate candy company. This is just the beginning. Nelson said a joint study released last November by the Deloitte accounting company and The Manufacturing Institute found manufacturers will need to add 4.6 million manufacturing jobs 2.4 million of which may go unfilled over the next ten years. Nelson said their program will create a pipeline of employees who will be able to fill the needs of the regions advanced manufacturing jobs. Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that combines skills and knowledge in electrical and mechanical systems, electronics, robotics and control systems. Experts in this field get employed in jobs that include manufacturing for plastics, aerospace and engineering. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Apprentices will alternate between eight weeks of classroom work and eight weeks at their chosen company. Class work ranges from blue print reading and lessons in customer service, sales and skills, to maintenance installation, repair and lessons in hydraulics and power transmission. University of Holy Cross aims to make transfers easier for Delgado culinary students Zatarain's general manager Raj Nair said the New Orleans-based food products supplier is committed to helping its partners address one of our states most pressing problems. Nunez chancellor Tina Tinney stressed the partnership supports the mission of community colleges to prepare students for good jobs. Together we are creating better prospects for students and a stronger workforce in our city and state, Nair said. Delgado interim chancellor William Wainwright lauded the Greater New Orleans, Inc. and Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission economic development agencies for their critical support in bringing this program to scale. Wainwright called the program, which is being led by Greater New Orleans, Inc., a model for the nation. Wainwrights comments were echoed by Michael Hecht, president & CEO of Greater New Orleans, which convenes the three schools and three companies. Daniel Roberts, Northshore Technicals provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs, said information sessions will be offered in April for residents to learn more about the program, the application and the selection process. See below for information on those sessions. Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. From winning the Rhythm on the Route in a pair of Metairie parades to bringing the magic to Disneys Magic Kingdom, its been an exciting time for the Chalmette High School Marching Band. This carnival season, the 88-member CHS band placed first in both Excalibur and Centurions in Metairies Battle of the Bands competition. Director Jason Rusk said competing against so many other great bands was a lot of fun, but taking first in two different parades was a huge honor. He also said having the schools dance team, the Charmers, marching and performing for the crowds is an annual highlight. One of the best things about being in a parade is the exposure, Rusk said. We play for a local, national and international audience, and it always makes me so proud to see our CHS students entertaining the crowd and representing our principal Mr. Warner, our school and our parish. Rusk, who has led the CHS band for 15 years, said part of the fun is selecting music that appeals to all ages of parade goers. It seems a crowd favorite has been Sweet Caroline. They always sing along and participate with that one. In addition to the accolades and first place trophies, the band also earned a $3,000 payday for each of its first place victories. The extra money will certainly come in handy, and I think its awesome that Metairie is committed to providing this competition, Rusk said. The influx of cash to the band program also helped defray some of the costs for its trip to Disney World. On Mardi Gras, the group was honored to lead the daytime parade throughout the grounds, finishing the march on Main Street, USA. Rusk described the experience as an exhilarating march through the Magic Kingdom. Being in the Magic Kingdom with all of our band members and families is truly magic for us, Rusk said. Watching the students who are having their first trip to Disney World and Universal Studios is always a treat and a great way to celebrate another successful year. Rusk said his CHS band has take seven trips to Disney over the last decade and that the journey really brings the group together, but raising the money to travel is a year-long challenge. Just our transportation alone was $17,000, Rusk said. He was quick to credit the chaperones and parent volunteers for their tireless efforts in supporting the band. Our chaperones worked so hard every minute of the day to make sure these students had a good time, Rusk explained. Their help and assistance takes our group to a higher level by taking care of the students and allowing them to focus on their job in the band. You just cant put a price on something like that. Next up for the Owl Band is its annual spring concert taking place on April 2 at 7 p.m., in the Chalmette High School Cultural Art Center. The concert, called Movie Music, will feature tunes from beloved hits from the silver screen. Admission is free. Rusk said organizing such a large group requires a great deal of commitment, dedication, and patience from everyone, but he said the work is very rewarding. When you put that kind of time and effort into something, its one of the greatest feelings in the world to be successful and reach your ultimate goals. This year has truly been one to remember. Barry Lemoine writes about people and events in St. Bernard Parish. To reach him, email barrylemoine@gmail.com. A 3-year-old boy first noticed the flames inside his familys Franklinton mobile home early Wednesday morning (March 27) and alerted his father. The boy and his father, along with an adult woman and two other children successfully escaped the fire, but a 10-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy perished inside the home, according to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal. Franklinton Fire and Rescue responded to the fire call in the 4500 block of Beau Drive in Washington Parish around 12:45 a.m. When they arrived, they saw two adults and three children outside a mobile home. After escaping with his 3-year-old, the man had removed two more children from the flames. However, both the family and authorities were unable to successfully rescue the two other children. Firefighters later located their bodies inside the mobile homes bedrooms. The three rescued children were airlifted to Baton Rouge-area hospitals. The 4-year-old remains in critical condition, the 6-year-old is in the intensive care unit and the 3-year-old is in stable condition, according to the state fire marshals office. The man suffered minor injuries and the woman was unharmed. The adults and three of the children were residents of the mobile home. The two additional children are cousins of the family. The deceased 10-year-old lived in the home, while the deceased 6-year-old was visiting for the night, according to the state fire marshals office. Investigators believe the fire began in a bedroom in the center of the home. The exact cause remains under investigation. Official identification of the victims and preliminary causes of death are pending autopsies being conducted by the Washington Parish Coroners Office. Traffic concerns are a hot-button issue in St. Tammany Parish these days, as drivers fume and crawl along major arteries slowed by thick congestion. Next week, youll have your chance to ask questions about western St. Tammany traffic tie-ups during two evening meetings in Mandeville. On Monday (April 1), a number of elected officials are expected to be on hand to discuss traffic congestion and road construction projects in western St. Tammany. On Wednesday (April 3), the state will host another open house for the long-discussed Interstate 12 widening project through the Covington area. Mandeville City Councilman Clay Madden said he put together Mondays gathering in an effort to get city, parish and state officials in the same room to discuss area highway projects and traffic concerns. Madden said DOTD representatives are expected to attend, as well as state Rep. Reid Falconer, Parish President Pat Brister, Parish Council members Mike Lorino and Maureen OBrien, and Madisonville Mayor Jean Pelloat. Topics will include work on East Causeway Approach, Monroe Street, Louisiana 22 and I-12. I wanted to try and get all the different people (involved with highway construction) in the same room, Madden said Mondays gathering is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mandeville Lions Club, 720 Lafitte St. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up U.S. 190 and those left turns The I-12 open house is the second the state Department of Transportation and Development has held in the past two years. The agency in July 2017 unveiled drawings of its proposal to add lanes to the interstate between Louisiana 1077 and Louisiana 59, including over the Tchefuncte River, a chronic chokepoint. That total project is estimated to cost more than $100 million, and DOTD officials have said the money isnt there to complete it. But in the wake of last Mays deadly, multi-vehicle crash claimed four lives and shut down eastbound I-12 at the La. 21 overpass for hours, local officials doubled their push to get the project off the drawing board. The parish partnered with DOTD to win a $25 million federal grant that will be combined with parish and state money to begin a segment of the I-12 work between La. 21 and U.S. 190, including the area near the Tchefuncte River where a confluence of bridges, on- and off-ramps and busy retail combine to cause chronic snarls and slowdowns. Brandie Richardson, a DOTD spokeswoman, said this week that a contract for that segment of the project is expected to be let in the first quarter of 2020. In an email response to questions about the meeting, Richardson said DOTDs second I-12 open house is because the scope of the overall I-12 project has been altered to include widening a bit farther west than originally planned. Now, the additional lanes will go all the way to La. 1077, where before the plans stopped the work east of that interchange. Richardson also said DOTDs traffic noise study has been completed, and the agency will be able to show the public proposed sound barriers. DOTDs open house is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the St. Tammany Parish Council Chambers, 21490 Koop Drive, Mandeville. Youve probably heard that Warren Buffett is called The Oracle of Omaha. But do you know about the Soothsayer of Silicon Valley? His name is Jim Coulter, and he co-founded TPG in 1992. TPG now has more than $103 billion of assets under management, and their investments include Uber, Airbnb and scores of successful, high-growth ventures. He is also someone with a passion for New Orleans. Jim has done far more than invest in New Orleanss startups, though. He invested in our city itself. Heres one of Jims predictions: Often cities that have gone through difficult times become boom cities, in part because they need to be rebuilt. I actually think 5-10 years from now there could be a potential step forward for New Orleans around education and entrepreneurship That could happen around Tulane (University), around Idea Village. He said that seven years ago. Talk about timing. That dream of New Orleans becoming a boom city fueled by entrepreneurs is one we deeply believe in at The Idea Village and the Freeman School of Business. Its why we partnered this year to sustain and grow New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), which started when Jim paid for a group of Stanford MBAs to come help after Katrina, and which today has become an incredible asset for our community. Thursday and Friday (March 28-29), world-renowned innovators, investors and startup executives will come together for the NOEW Summit. They include Netscapes Jim Barksdale and Jim Clark, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis, author Casey Gerald, investors Shelly Porges and Natalia Oberti Noguera, and many more. This is also the first year that we will host the summit at the Ace Hotel all free of charge to the public thanks to support from generous sponsors. The successful regional companies that we are celebrating this week Lucid, Waitr, Align, Levelset, AxoSim, KREWE and others are joined by national startup executives (many of them Tulane alumni) who have led the way at trend-setting companies like We Company, Netflix, Taste Beauty, Shopkeep and NVE Experience Agency. Theyre all here because of the shared vision and values that Jim Coulter and many local leaders have believed in for more than a decade. Patrick Comer, the CEO of Lucid, board chairman of The Idea Village and 2018 Tulane Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year, described these values in a recent interview: The remarkable thing about a startup in New Orleans is that there are two passions at play. Its really normal for a startup company or a new company to get excited about the mission of the business But theres always been this other passion, this other thing, which is the importance of contributing to the community, that our work was really helping the community, and job by job, hour by hour, rebuilding something. Consider what Patrick has accomplished in the past eight years. In 2011, he was an unsuccessful contestant in the Coulter Challenge/IDEApitch; this year, he will join Jim Coulter as a judge and investor in the next generation of startups. That is a testament to the incredible pace of change in New Orleans, as well as the important role that entrepreneurship plays in creating new leaders for our city. Together, Tulane and The Idea Village are fully committed to that build-it-bigger and pay-it-forward mentality. We hope NOEW 2019 will add immediate value to our innovation economy, while planting new seeds for tomorrows entrepreneurs. Its not really about me the things that I do, the success that Ive had with Lucid, Patrick said. Its really about influencing and impacting the people around me. Thats our goal, too. We know the shade were sitting in today exists only because others planted trees long ago. This year, well grow even more, while also planting more new seeds for our city. We hope youll join us. Jon Atkinson is the CEO of The Idea Village and co-founder and administrator of Lagniappe Angels. Rob Lalka is professor of practice at Tulane Universitys A.B. Freeman School of Business and the executive director of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, says he will use a rarely employed parliamentary procedure next week to force action on legislation that requires doctors to care for babies who survive abortions. Scalise announced Tuesday (March 26) that he is filing a discharge petition for the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which is being blocked by the Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The petition needs 218 votes to pass, meaning that Scalise will have to get all 197 Republicans to sign on, along with 21 Democrats. GOP members are expected to be unified, but it's not clear how many Democrats will cross over. Opponents say Scalise's move is just a ploy to rally the Republican base and force Democrats to take a vote that could be controversial back in their districts. Scalise says it's nothing of the sort. As Speaker Pelosi refuses to allow a vote on this legislation to defend and protect innocent life, we are taking matters into our own hands," he said Tuesday. "This effort is not just about going on the record, its about taking concrete action to end infanticide." The bill would make it a felony for a doctor to harm or neglect an infant who survives an attempted abortion. Critics say the legislation is not needed because infanticide already is a crime in all 50 states. But recent events have raised questions about what happens during an abortion procedure. The issue came to the fore early this after New York passed a law loosening restrictions on third-trimester abortions and Virginia sought to follow suit. During legislative debate on the Virginia legislation, the sponsor said her bill would allow an abortion even at the point when a woman was showing signs of labor. Delegate Kathy Tran later said that she misspoke in the committee hearing, and that I should have said: Clearly, no, because infanticide is not allowed in Virginia, and what would have happened in that moment would be a live birth." But Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who is a pediatric neurologist, contradicted that narrative when he was asked to explain his support for the measure. If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen, Northam said. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. This would seem to take the "it's a decision between a woman and a doctor" to an extreme that most people would find questionable. The Born Alive legislation: "Requires that health care practitioners who are present at the live birth exercise skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child the same degree of care that would be offered to any other child born prematurely the same gestational age. After those efforts, the health care workers must transport and admit the child to a hospital. "Requires health care practitioners and hospital employees to report violations to law enforcement authorities, reducing the number of born-alive abortions that go unreported. "Penalizes the intentional killing of a born-alive child through fines or up to five years imprisonment. "Gives the mother of the abortion survivor a civil cause of action and protection from prosecution, recognizing that women are the second victims of abortion and promoting the dignity of motherhood." Democrats who vote against Scalises discharge petition will need to explain their opposition to that. Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com. The Times-Picayune Editorial Board makes the following recommendation for Saturdays election (March 30). ORLEANS PARISH Elderly Services Tax Proposition To levy a 2-mill property tax for five years for services for senior citizens No Its clear that New Orleans should do more to provide services to senior citizens in the city. The Bureau of Governmental Research points out that the 74,000 city residents 60 and older have greater income instability, are more likely to be disabled and are more likely to live alone than their peers in other cities. The Council on Aging says it has a waiting list of 1,200 people who need Meals on Wheels. No one in New Orleans wants an elderly neighbor to go hungry, and the city should help ensure that they dont. But this tax proposal is flawed. Mayor LaToya Cantrell asked the City Council last fall not to put the measure on the ballot because she wants to take a more holistic approach to services, including early childhood and mental health. BGR recommends voting against the tax because of a lack of details on the citys priorities for the money and how it would be spent. The tax proposition doesnt designate where the money would go. The City Council has said it will come back with a statute to define how the money can be spent, but voters should know more of those details before the election. The city currently provides $1.4 million per year for senior services through the Council on Aging, and the expectation is that the nonprofit would receive the additional money. The Council on Aging provides services that include midday meals at senior centers, a homemakers program to help seniors do household chores and transportation, among others. Their homemakers program has a waiting list of 500 people, according to a presentation made to the council last fall. Those are important services. But this tax would greatly increase the publics investment, adding an estimated $6.6 million per year, without a broad discussion of the needs or priorities for senior services. There is a wide range of potential uses of the millage revenue, from essential daily care to social activities and senior information fairs. Without a more complete picture of the City Councils intent, BGR cannot determine whether the tax is appropriately sized, BGR said in its analysis of the proposal. The tax would vault New Orleans over Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes in spending and would more than double what Jefferson Parish spends per elderly resident. The City Council also hasnt assessed the proposed tax in the context of other municipal revenue needs, BGR said. The City administration, which opposes the new tax, points to a broader range of public health needs, including those of families, youth and senior citizens. It plans to comprehensively address these needs with a millage proposal after 2019. If the tax passes, the owner of $359,000 house the citywide average with a homestead exemption would pay $56.80 more in property taxes annually. A home valued at $200,000 with a homestead exemption would pay $25 more per year. That doesnt sound like much, but it should be viewed as part of the total cost of living in the city and the other needs for tax dollars. If this tax is added, will voters be willing to pay more for other essential services like drainage, for example? And what is the best way to pay for social services from birth to old age for New Orleanians? That is what the mayor was trying to get the council to consider. Voters should say no to this tax and let Mayor Cantrell and City Council start over. Today Mainly clear. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. A report out of Korea has suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 could end up being a button-less phablet. It appears the South Korean manufacturer has been considering a partnership with a Chinese company called NDT that specializes in force touch solutions, so the eagerly anticipated flagship might come with a pressure-sensitive display or frame. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker The rumors about the Galaxy Note 10 are slowly starting to increase, and the latest one is quite a surprise. But if it is true, then Samsung owners can finally wave goodbye to the much-derided Bixby button, regardless of its new remapping capabilities. A report from ET News states that industry sources believe the upcoming phablet will be keyless, and it will incorporate some form of touch or gesture control system. There have been other attempts at removing buttons from smartphones: Vivos Apex 2019 coped without buttons and ports. But the Galaxy Note 10 (actual name still not confirmed) wont be treated as a concept device just to show off new technology or design ideas. Its an upcoming product that will be aimed at the consumer market so whatever user interface it eventually implements needs to function seamlessly. According to the report, NDT (Shenzhen New Degree Technology) is one of the firms being considered by Samsung to assist with creating a pressure-sensitive input system, whether thats through the main display or the Galaxy Note 10s frame. NDT claims to be a leading supplier of force touch solutions, so if the ET News article is accurate, then it looks like yet another novel technology is coming the Note 10s way. Figure 4. US Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby proclaimed ratification of the 19th Amendment from his house in Washington, DC, on August 26, 1920, as announced in that citys Evening Star the same day. Reference to 50 Year Struggle counts back to ratification of the 15th Amendment. Woman suffragists did not act in a political vacuum but were influenced and constrained by national politics. In the South, the withdrawal of federal troops as part of the Compromise of 1877 closed Reconstruction and reversed the progress toward political participation made by African Americans in that region. Elections in southern states were occasions of racial violence. Federal enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment ceased, and white southerners regained power in Congress. States in the former Confederacy set about rewriting their constitutions to put obstacles in the way of African American men registering to vote. Beginning with new constitution of 1890, the states defined an assortment of ways to block or significantly reduce Black enfranchisement. At about the same time, after the Senate vote on a woman suffrage amendment in 1887, discussion began about merging the two suffrage associations before their leaders died. There were lots of reasons, but the defeat of the amendment seemed to signal the end of an old divide and a chance for suffragists to unite around state action. Through merger, the National American Woman Suffrage Association came into existence in 1890. Attention to federal protection for a citizens right to vote or any federal amendment waned. It happened, then, that in 1890, woman suffragists stopped seeking federal protection for voting rights at the same moment that southern states formalized the exclusion of Black men from the franchise. Their complicity went further. To gain ground in the white South, the National American Woman Suffrage Association affirmed in 1903 its belief in the Souths prerogative to legislate white supremacy: the association resolved, it seeks to do away with the requirement of a sex qualification for suffrage. . . . What other qualifications shall be asked for it leaves to each State. [14] The political equality of all citizens was no longer the organized movements objective. Woman suffragists turned back to the goal of a constitutional amendment in 1913 and the Senate voted on the measure in 1914defeating it again. But this time, despite a persistent interest in keeping the focus on state actions and despite a new divide between two suffrage groups, women stayed the course and kept up pressure until both houses of Congress approved the measure in June 1919. It is this last phase, from 1913 to 1919, that produces the most striking stories and martyrology of woman suffrage history, with jail sentences, hunger strikes, and forced feeding. The images shocked contemporaries and clothed the federal government as oppressor. Less colorful was the fact that by 1919 women in fifteen states had gained full voting rights and were electing senators and members of Congress. The men who were accountable to female constituents voted overwhelmingly in support of the amendment. Like any amendment proposed to the Constitution, this one needed three-quarters of the states (thirty-six at the time) to ratify it. Those many steps took more than a year and came down to one vote in one statein in August 1920. It had taken decades and generations to eliminate the presumption that men had a right to govern for women. Activists had changed both law and political culture because they believed that manhood suffragefull voting rights for men and only menmade a mockery of self-government. (Figure 4) This huge step toward a more perfect union left standing the judicial decisions that a right to vote was not a fundamental right of American citizenship. Although the National Womans Party had referred to the Nineteenth Amendment as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, it did not reflect her convictions about a citizens right to vote. The difference was underscored immediately in the fall of 1920 by the federal governments decision that the women of , despite their US citizenship, were not enfranchised by the amendment because citizenship did not guarantee a right to vote. [15] Their woman suffrage movement lasted until 1935. The amendment also left in place states rights to exclude citizens from the rolls of eligible voters provided that the reasons for doing so were not those itemized in the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments. This bow to states rights was a part of the amendments political appeal and is a part of its legacy to this day. This amendment simply meant that the state must discriminate equally. As the Equal Suffrage League of reassured the white public in 1916, speaking of the devices by which African Americans were kept at bay, as these qualifications restrict the negro mans vote, it stands to reason that they will also restrict the negro womans vote. [16] In northern states, African American women embraced their new right to vote and used its power to press for racial justice and equality. The experience of African American women in states of the former Confederacy was not uniform, and it took several years for officials to complete the job of disfranchisement. Some women managed to register and vote in the presidential election in 1920. But across much of the South, equal discrimination subjected African American women to well-practiced tactics designed to discourage and/or disqualify them as voters. William Pickens, of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, reported on voter registration in Columbia, , a state where African Americans made up the majority of the population. Registrars were surprised at the high numbers of Black women who lined up to register, he wrote. They relied on a familiar tactic, white people first, leaving women of color standing for hours. On the second day, these women were made to read and even to explain long passages from the constitutions and from various civil and criminal codes. [17] White supremacists of South Carolina followed the path etched in Ward Hunts conviction of Susan B. Anthony, the same one later ratified by the National American Woman Suffrage Associations promise to the South in 1903, that states could invent whatever qualifications for voters they desired, so long as there was no sex qualification. It took forty-five years to win the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that protected the rights for people of color, women and men, across the South. Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park NPS/Jim Peaco Overview Yellowstone National Park contains a diversity of near-pristine surface water features, including over 600 lakes and ponds, 2,500 miles of streams and rivers, and seasonal wetlands. The park's iconic waters provide recreational opportunities, plant and wildlife habitat, and scenic vistas. While these water resources are largely unimpaired and of high quality, water chemistry in the park is nearly as varied as the geologic terrain. Water quality is affected by numerous human and natural influences, including geothermal inputs and water from mountain snowpacks. While park waters are protected, there are several potential human threats, including high visitation, sewage treatment discharges, and dated infrastructure and utility systems. Park waters are also threatened by various symptoms of the changing climate, including changes in the hydrologic cycle resulting from less precipitation as snow and earlier snowmelt. Documented low-flow conditions and elevated air temperatures in the park also influence water temperatures. This in turn may influence visitor experiences in the park. For example, the park may issue seasonal fishing closures to protect fish populations when water levels are low and water temperatures are high. Air and water temperature increases may trigger additional ecological changes, including shifting biological communities and increasing threats from invasive or nuisance aquatic species. The National Park Service Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network monitors water quality and flow in the Yellowstone, Lamar, and Madison rivers as an early warning of undesirable changes and to track long-term trends in these special aquatic systems. National Park Service firefighters manage a prescribed fire within Valley Forge during the spring of 2018 March 26, 2019 Contact: Jonathan Parker, 610-342-5182 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA Final preparations are underway for a 135-acre prescribed fire at Valley Forge National Historical Park, currently scheduled for early April. Last year the park successfully completed prescribed fire treatments on 126 acres across four meadows to control exotic invasive plants. This spring the park plans to burn two distinct meadows, located between and along PA Route 23 and Gulph Road. Fire operations could take up to one week to complete depending on field and weather conditions. The specific date of the prescribed fire depends on weather conditions falling within required parameters, such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity, and may be as early as April 1. The specific dates will be posted immediately to go.nps.gov/vafofire once selected. Visitor facilities, trails, and roads will remain open and public viewing areas adjacent to the fire will be available. Vehicle traffic on PA Route 23 and Gulph Road may experience slight delays due to smoke. Valley Forge National Historical Park contains over 1,500 acres of meadows that provide vital habitat for birds and mammals. In recent years these meadows have been overtaken by exotic invasive plants which degrade the habitat and cannot be adequately controlled by mowing or herbicide. Prescribed fire has proven to be a successful tool to manage non-native vegetation and to promote native species, especially when used in conjunction with other treatments. The area for the burn is within the Grand Parade area, a high priority habitat area with a diverse mixture of native and non-native plant species that will be assessed following the burn. Fire will help control high priority invasive plants including Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) and Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). Valley Forge National Historical Park is coordinating the prescribed fire with National Park Service staff from the Mid-Atlantic Fire Management Area based at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and local municipalities. The perimeter of the prescribed fire will be mowed and wetted with water prior to ignition. National Park Service staff will monitor air quality and smoke impacts as well as visibility on Gulph Road and PA Route 23. Copies of the prescribed fire plan, maps, a Frequently Asked Questions, and other public resources are available online at go.nps.gov/vafofire. For further questions, please contact Jonathan Parker, Public Information Officer, by email or phone at Jonathan_Parker@nps.gov or 610-783-1008. You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Everyone eligible should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. Vaccination should be voluntary but those who don't get vaccinated should be frequently tested for COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel and employment. Both vaccination and testing should be voluntary and not required as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. I defer to the judgment of lawmakers as long as they base their decisions on a consensus of medical professionals. Vote View Results Social media companies face increasing scrutiny for amplifying fringe anti-vaccine sentiment amid measles outbreaks in several states like Washington. In response, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest recently made headlines by announcing initiatives to reduce vaccine misinformation on their platforms. But the focus on anti-vaccine content on social media can obscure the most important factor in whether children get vaccinated: the rules in their home states, which are being revisited in legislative debates across the country that have received far less attention. A teenager testified before Congress on Tuesday that he got vaccinated in defiance of his mother, who he said got her anti-vaccination views from social media. Although this kind of misinformation can endanger public health, its not obvious that social media is substantially increasing overall vaccine hesitancy. Despite rapid growth in the proportion of Americans using social media sites, flu vaccination rates and infant immunization levels have largely remained stable in recent years. Moreover, fears about and resistance to vaccination are not new; they date to the late 18th century, when the first vaccine was developed. One of the dismissed claims centered on statements that Peter Gelb, the Mets general manager, made after The New York Times and New York Post published articles in 2017 in which several men accused Mr. Levine of abusing them as teenagers or young men. Mr. Gelb told The Times then that the Met was awaiting the outcome of an investigation it had commissioned, and made reference to a tragedy for anyone whose life has been affected. He later wrote to the Mets supporters, calling the period a sad moment in the companys history and a tragedy for anyone whose life may have been affected. Mr. Levines lawsuit claimed those statements were defamatory. Justice Masley disagreed, writing: The reasonable interpretation of those statements by an average reader in the whole context is that, true or false, defendants were sympathetic to anyone negatively affected or harmed in connection with the accusations; that is, the situation was trag[ic] whether the accusers were harmed by alleged conduct or Levine and the Met, Levines longtime employer, were harmed by false accusations in the press. She also dismissed the claims that two other statements were defamatory on the grounds that they were made by the Mets lawyer in response to Mr. Levines lawsuit. One centered on the statement by the lawyer, Bettina B. Plevan, that the Met had conducted an in-depth investigation of Mr. Levine that uncovered credible and corroborated evidence of sexual misconduct during his time at the Met, as well as earlier. The other was her statement that the Met had made Mr. Levine music director emeritus when it became obvious that Levine was no longer physically capable of carrying out his duties as music director. (The company had announced the change in his position in 2016, when Mr. Levine was 72 and having complications related to his Parkinsons disease.) Does everyone pay? State legislators are considering several possible exemptions for drivers who are low income, have disabilities or are going to medical appointments. Assemblyman David I. Weprin, a Democrat from Queens and a leading opponent of congestion pricing, has called for an exemption for all city residents, which seems unlikely. Though details are being worked out, fees are expected to apply to people driving into the congestion zone from elsewhere in the city, including parts of Manhattan north of 60th Street and other boroughs, as well as beyond. Drivers who live in the congestion zone would not pay when they drive within the zone or when they leave the zone, but they will when they return from elsewhere. Of course, that could change if an exemption or discount is granted to residents of the congestion zone. For instance, London offers a 90 percent discount for registered residents of its congestion zone. But more exemptions could mean higher tolls for everyone else. After all, the fees are supposed to generate $1 billion a year. Every exemption you provide is less revenue coming into the system, said Kate Slevin, a senior vice president for the Regional Plan Association, a research and advocacy group that supports congestion pricing. Alex Matthiessen, the head of a grass-roots campaign to support congestion pricing, said too many exemptions could hollow out the plan, making it ineffective. Now we must guard against a race to the bottom as legislators seek carve-outs and exemptions for every class of driver. Instead, he suggested taking other measures, such as offering discounts on commuter railroads for city residents and subsidizing ride-app services like Uber for those with disabilities, to ensure more people benefit from congestion pricing. In January, the Modern Language Association made an astonishing announcement in The Chronicle of Higher Education: From 2013 to 2016, colleges across the United States cut 651 foreign language programs. French was the hardest hit, losing 129 programs, followed by Spanish with 118, German with 86 and Italian with 56. Once these programs close, they are very hard to reopen. According to a Pew study from last year, only 20 percent of K-12 students in America study a foreign language (compared with an average of 92 percent in Europe), and only 10 states and the District of Columbia make foreign-language learning a high school graduation requirement. The decline in language education could have devastating effects for generations to come. With fewer options for learning a foreign language in school, a sharp decrease in interest is likely to follow. According to the Modern Language Association, enrollment in college-level foreign-language courses dropped 9.2 percent from 2013 to 2016. The association says these changes are most likely a direct result of the 2008 recession, which hit foreign-language degree programs harder than many other humanities programs. As programs shrink so does the supply of qualified teachers. Its a vicious cycle. [Watch the full remarks in the video above.] Mayor Rahm Emanuel: This is a whitewash of justice. One thing is, not only do I support the hard work of our police officers, the detective unit, Id like to remind everybody a grand jury indicted this individual based on only a piece of the evidence that the police had collected in that period of time. So the grand jury, actually, brought the charges. I think there are two things, three things Id like to say. One, on financial cost, this $10,000 doesnt even come close to what the city spent in resources to actually look over the cameras, gather all the data, gather all the information that actually brought the indictment by the grand jury on many, many multiple different charges. Second, is what I would call the ethical cost. The ethical cost is as a person who was in the House of Representatives when we tried to pass the Shepard legislation that dealt with hate crimes, putting them on the books, that President (Barack) Obama then signed into law; to then use those very laws and the principles and values behind the Matthew Shepard hate crimes legislation to self-promote your career is a cost that comes to all the individuals. Gay men and women who will come forward and one day say they were a victim of a hate crime now will be doubted. People of faith Muslim or any other religious faith who will be a victim of hate crimes; people of also, of all walks of life, of backgrounds, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, now this casts a shadow of whether theyre telling the truth, and he did this all in the name of self-promotion. And he used the laws of the hate crime legislation that all of us collectively over years have put on the books to stand up to be the values that embody what we believe in. This is a whitewash of justice. A grand jury could not have been clearer. To then say, not only is the cost $10,000 doesnt come close financially, but all the other repercussions of this decision made, I mean, where is the accountability in the system? You cannot have, because of a persons position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else. [Read the full remarks by the mayor.] The parents of a woman who was fatally shot in San Francisco by an undocumented immigrant in 2015 cannot sue the city for freeing the man without telling federal immigration authorities just months before the shooting, a federal appeals court ruled this week. President Trump has highlighted the case in his attacks on illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. Kathryn Steinle, 32, was shot by Jose Ines Garcia Zarate in July 2015 as she was walking on a San Francisco pier. Mr. Garcia Zarate, an undocumented immigrant who had been deported several times, had been freed by the San Francisco Sheriffs Department less than three months earlier after charges against him were dropped in a separate drug case. In a trial that lasted more than five weeks, Mr. Garcia Zarate was acquitted by a jury in November 2017 on murder and manslaughter charges but convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He said he had fired the gun by accident, and evidence presented at the trial indicated the bullet had ricocheted. Mr. Garcia Zarate was sentenced in January 2018 to the three years he had already served in prison pending trial. He faces two federal firearms charges in a separate case stemming from the July 2015 shooting. He has pleaded not guilty. A man who was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Pennsylvania received $2 million in a settlement with the Erie diocese that the priest was a member of, the victims lawyer said on Tuesday. The priest, David L. Poulson, pleaded guilty in October to two felony charges for sexually assaulting one boy and trying to assault another. In January, he was sentenced to up to 14 years in prison. According to the office of Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvanias attorney general, Mr. Poulson assaulted one of his victims 20 times in church rectories between 2002 and 2010 and had the victim talk about the abuse in confession with him. Mitchell Garabedian, the lawyer for that victim, who received the settlement, said his client preferred not to be named. Beyond those bottom-line conclusions, Mr. Muellers full report has yet to be released, and it remained unclear if it ever would be. House Democrats have demanded that it be sent to them by next Tuesday, but the Justice Department outlined a longer schedule, saying that it will have its own summary ready to send to lawmakers within weeks, though not months. So far, there are no plans to give a copy of the report to the White House in advance of any public release, according to a Justice Department official. At the heart of the obstruction question is when a presidents use of his otherwise legitimate authority under the Constitution becomes an abuse of power. When the House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment against Mr. Nixon for covering up the Watergate burglary and other crimes, it asserted that he knowingly misused the executive power by interfering with agencies of the executive branch, including the F.B.I. and the Justice Department. In effect, the result was to draw a line that subsequent presidents steered clear of, no matter how frustrated they might be at times with investigators pursuing them. To prevent a repeat of Mr. Nixons actions, including his order firing the Watergate special prosecutor, Congress enacted a law creating an independent counsel who would not report to the president. But both parties grew disenchanted with independent counsels after the experience of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush during Iran-contra and Bill Clinton during Whitewater and the Monica S. Lewinsky affair, so they let the law expire. When presidents did use their pardon power in cases close to them Mr. Bush granting clemency to Caspar W. Weinberger shortly before leaving office and Mr. Clinton doing the same with Susan McDougal in his last hours in the White House it was considered an egregious violation of the norms. In the absence of an independent counsel law, Mr. Mueller was appointed as a special prosecutor who still answered to the Justice Department, meaning he had less latitude, could not indict the president even if he thought it merited and could be fired by the president he was investigating, as Mr. Trump threatened to do repeatedly. On Twitter, Mr. Trump has continued his usual drumbeat against the news media, but has cast a wider net by calling all mainstream journalists the enemy of the people. The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party! In a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans at a policy lunch on Tuesday, where he promoted his emboldened administrations decision to try to strike down the Affordable Care Act, Mr. Trump praised Mr. Barr for releasing such a quick summary of Mr. Muellers report. I love the A.G. He works fast. I love this guy. You told me I would, Mr. Trump told the group, according to a person familiar with his remarks, before suggesting that he would not like to see any leaks coming from the meeting. He also shared his reasoning for doubling down on his targets. People love it when you attack the press, he told the group. The presidents targets include individual Democrats and law enforcement institutions. Senator Lindsey Graham, a White House ally, said he would investigate anti-Trump bias at the F.B.I. and Justice Department, presumably shifting the focus back to Mr. Trumps Democratic opponent from 2016, Hillary Clinton. Some of the targets have been happy to hit back. Representative Adam B. Schiff, a California Democrat and vocal critic of the administration who heads the House Intelligence Committee, is among those facing pressure from the White House to resign. Asked by a reporter Monday evening whether he feared that Republicans would keep up the pummeling in a public hearing on Russia hosted by his committee on Thursday, Mr. Schiff laughed. A hospital in Yemen supported by Save the Children was hit Tuesday by a deadly airstrike that charity officials blamed on the Saudi-led coalition, an attack carried out on the wars fourth anniversary. At least seven people were killed, including four children, when a missile struck a gasoline station only yards from the entrance to the Kitaf hospital in rural northwest Yemen about 60 miles from the city of Saada, Save the Children officials said. The attack damaged the waiting rooms and occurred at the busiest time of the morning for the hospital, said Jason Lee, Save the Childrens deputy director in Yemen. He said the organization had lodged a strong protest over the airstrike with the Saudi-led authorities, who had the coordinates of the hospital and should have known to avoid the area. PRAGUE For the Czech sculptor Anna Hulacova, sometimes art is a family affair. Her husband, Vaclav Litvan, whom she met when they were students at Pragues Academy of Fine Arts and who is also a sculptor, sometimes works with her on the technical side of her pieces, and he often helps install her works in museums and galleries for shows. Her aunt, Zdenka Kucerova, who is a beekeeper back in Ms. Hulacovas home village of Kasejovice (about a 90-minute drive southwest of Prague), has also had a hand in helping the 34-year-old artist with her conceptual art over the years. They designed a way for Ms. Hulacova to put some of her works, with hollowed-out middles, on top of beehives so the bees over time created intricate honeycombs inside the cavities of her sculptures. Ms. Hulacova a keen environmentalist and her aunt also made sure that once the sculptures were removed, there was little disruption to the bees and hives. Meanwhile, her father, Josef Hulac, a furniture restorer and farmer, and her brother, Jan Hulac, have done intarsia (a form of wood inlay similar to marquetry) work for a few of her installations. A wooden skateboard and table, where they used 15 different types of wood including cherry, oak, mahogany and ash, were part of the installation Graceful Ride, which was exhibited last year at Kunstraum, a London gallery. There you are in Hong Kong, making your way through the convention center and this newest iteration of Art Basel. Ah! Theres a group of bamboo and rattan sculptures by Sopheap Pich, the Cambodian artist, inspired by trees in his homeland. And there, at the same booth, a new map shed call it a cartographic work by Tiffany Chung, the Vietnamese artist. Maybe its a new addition to The Vietnam Exodus Project, whose images Holland Cotter described in The New York Times as personal, political and ineradicable. The gallery name may be a surprise. These works didnt come from an exhibition across the harbor in Kowloon or from Tokyo, Jakarta or Saigon. Mr. Pich and Ms. Chung (who now lives in Houston) are represented by Tyler Rollins Fine Art in New York, a gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, half a block or so from the West Side Highway. Its no longer unheard-of for artists from one end of the earth to be represented by dealers from the opposite end. Huge kudos to Tyler for doing this, Adeline Ooi, the Asia director of Art Basel, said in a telephone interview from Hong Kong. His sole commitment to Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific is unparalleled. BANGKOK Next to a row of luxury hotels in a bustling business district here in Bangkok, the art gallery Nova Contemporary occupies a former storage area at the base of a high-rise apartment building. Theres no gallery area per se in Bangkok, so this is fairly normal, said Novas cheery owner, Sutima Sucharitakul, of the location of her sleek space. Everything is fairly spread out. On view at Nova through Sunday is a conceptual exhibition called The Uncertain, featuring works by the Thai artist Jedsada Tangtrakulwong. By design, the show changes depending on the weather: On sunny days, some of the works are not available to be seen, remaining hidden in various ways, and the response to that offbeat approach has been mixed. Some visitors have been angered and have shared their feelings emphatically with Ms. Sucharitakul and her staff. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox. Bill Barr Has Been Busy The actor Jussie Smollett, facing charges of falsely reporting a hate crime in Chicago, was delivered an unexpected win on Tuesday when the Cook County states attorney dropped all 16 counts against him. Both Stephen Colbert and James Corden drew a parallel between this and another bit of recent news: Attorney General William P. Barrs interpretation of a report filed by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, investigating collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. In his memoir Omaha Blues, Joseph Lelyveld, the former executive editor of The Times, recalled getting a survey in the mail. Have you ever heard of Hattiesburg, Mississippi? it began. Lelyveld checked yes. He proceeded to the next question: If yes, in what context? My father was beaten there with a tire iron in the summer of 1964, he wrote. Lelyvelds father, Rabbi Arthur Lelyveld, had traveled to Hattiesburg as part of the Freedom Summer drive to register black voters. The kind of racist violence that resulted in an image of the bleeding Rabbi Lelyveld transmitted across the news wires was as old as Hattiesburg itself, the historian William Sturkey writes in Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White. By 1964, though, something was changing. The old tactics, Sturkey notes, were losing their edge. Brutality had long been deployed by white supremacists as a weapon and warning, but now, instead of stifling morale among Hattiesburgs black residents and civil rights activists, it was strengthening their resolve. Sturkeys book is a study in unintended consequences a portrait of a Mississippi town from its founding in 1882 through the depredations of racial apartheid, ending with a brief coda on the civil rights movement. The close-up view affords us the chance to learn how segregation operated on the most intimate level, in the everyday experiences of Hattiesburgs residents. The personal histories of black and white townspeople are recounted in alternating chapters, showing the unexpected points at which they diverge and intersect all the better to understand what the historian C. Vann Woodward called the strange career of Jim Crow. It was sold as a next generation aircraft. But it has now been involved in two fatal crashes in just five months. The Boeing 737 Max 8 entered the market in 2017, a part of the 737 Max class, and became an instant hit. Within the first six months, more than 4,000 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes had been ordered. It quickly became the companys best-selling plane ever. The new model was advertised as a rare win-win for both airlines and passengers. Its going to give them max efficiency, which leads to profitability; max reliability, and to the flying public: max passenger appeal. The demand for something new. Boeing debuted the new planes in response to market pressures. In late 2010, Boeings archrival, Airbus, had just announced a new fuel-efficient version of its best selling A320. Boeing countered with the introduction of the 737 Max The Max uses 14 percent less fuel than current 737s its own version of fuel- and cost- efficient aircrafts. Their message to customers was: These are new planes that arent that new. Boeing 737 Newest arrival in the Boeing family of airliners, the 737 attracts a crowd. Boeings first 737 model took off in 1967. A new queen of the sky. For the Max class, Boeing upgraded the engine and design. They added more cabin space, bigger windows and multicolored ceiling lights to help modernize the planes. But the company kept the 737 name because it evoked a legacy of reliability and built trust. Ill tell you what, its just a beautiful, beautiful airplane. Not only were they able to modernize the airplane with new engines, and new winglets, but they were able to keep that classic iconic 737 look. But that isnt the whole story. The new model was also designed to help carriers save money. Which means CEOs like the Max. Really like the Max. Major changes to the plane would have required pilots to be retrained. But Boeings position was that the new models handled enough like the old ones. Though the 737 Max 8 planes did actually have a number of changes, including the size and location of the engines. The higher and more forward position of the larger engines can cause the planes nose to pitch up, a potential danger. To compensate for this, Boeing added a computerized system called MCAS to prevent the planes nose from getting too high and causing a stall. But the F.A.A. initially said pilots did not need to be informed of this system update. Experts say that the lack of training for the new system may have helped cause a deadly crash with a Max 8 off the coast of Indonesia in October, killing 189 people. All of the Boeing 737 Max 8s in the world are believed to have been grounded, while a second crash in Ethiopia is investigated. Boeing said it supported the decision to ground the planes and is cooperating with investigators. But Boeing provided no timetable for the return of the model, which is grounded around the world. The F.A.A. must first approve the new software and the training. Then, Boeing said, each 737 Max will need to be manually upgraded. Finally, Max pilots will need to receive a 30-minute training program about the software. Even if the F.A.A. does approve the new software and training soon, regulators in other nations might move more slowly. Certification around the world will be at the discretion of those regulators around the world, and so we cant comment on timing, Mr. Sinnett said. Boeing stressed that no final conclusions have been made about what caused the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia in October and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 this month. Investigations into both crashes are continuing, but preliminary flight data and other evidence have suggested similarities between the two accidents. Investigators are examining whether the anti-stall system may have been partly to blame. In his prepared remarks, Mr. Sinnett seemed to acknowledge that, based on the available information, there appeared to be a link between the new anti-stall software on the Max, known as MCAS, and the crashes. The rigor and thoroughness of the design and testing that went into the Max gives us complete confidence that the changes were making will address any of these accidents, he said. At the same time, Mr. Sinnett said that Boeing had faith in its design and engineering. The 737 is a safe airplane, he said. The 737 family is a safe airplane family. And the 737 Max builds on that tremendous history of safety. Facebook said on Wednesday that it would ban white nationalist content from its platforms, a significant policy change that bows to longstanding demands from civil rights groups who said the tech giant was failing to confront the powerful reach of white extremism on social media. The threat posed by white nationalism on Facebook was violently underlined this month when a racist gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand, using the platform to post live video of the attack. Facebook removed the video and the gunmans account on Facebook and Instagram, but the footage was widely shared on YouTube, Twitter and Reddit. The company had previously banned white supremacist content from its platforms but maintained a murky distinction between white supremacy, white nationalism and white separatism. On Wednesday, it said that its views had been changed by civil society groups and experts in race relations and that it now believed white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups. Kristen Clarke, the president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which helped Facebook shape its new attitude toward white nationalism, said the earlier policy left a gaping hole in terms of what it provided for white supremacists to fully pursue their platform. A New Jersey jury ruled unanimously for Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday in the latest lawsuit to reach a verdict over accusations that the companys talc-based powder products contained asbestos and caused a consumers cancer. The jury, in Middlesex County Superior Court, not far from Johnson & Johnsons New Brunswick headquarters, found that Ricardo Rimondi hadnt proved that he was exposed to asbestos, a carcinogen, via the companys baby powder. Mr. Rimondis lawyers argued during the monthlong trial that years of exposure to products like baby powder had caused his mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the internal organs that is associated with asbestos. Monica Cooper of the Lanier Law Firm, which represented Mr. Rimondi, said in a statement that her team was obviously disappointed by the outcome, particularly in light of the overwhelming scientific and documentary evidence supporting the claims of the Rimondi family that J & Js talcum-based baby powder is laced with asbestos. But the announcement was also greeted with some skepticism. An expert on restaurant lobbying who requested anonymity because of McDonalds power in the industry said the chains repositioning appeared to be at least in part a political publicity stunt. More than 90 percent of McDonalds restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent franchisees, according to the companys website. It is those franchisees, not McDonalds Corp.s bottom line, that the expert worried could be most affected. Officials with the National Owners Association, an independent advocacy group of McDonalds franchisees, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. A spokesman for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it would not comment on individual company decisions. The National Restaurant Association has argued that only a small fraction of food service workers earn the federal minimum wage, and that most get a raise within six months. The National Restaurant Association is the largest food service trade association in the world, representing every aspect of the industry, the association said in a statement on Wednesday. Our members are as diverse as the communities they serve, and the economies of every region are different. McDonalds, the association added, is a valued member. In her letter, which was first reported by Politico, Ms. Gent, the McDonalds vice president, said the average starting wage in the companys corporate-owned stores is already more than $10 per hour, above the federal minimum set a decade ago. Though the company does not control the wages franchisees pay their employees, she said the average starting wages for those workers were likely similar. We recognize that overall wages reflect the realities of different communities and that elected leaders have the responsibility to set, debate and change mandated minimum wages, the letter said. Terrence Wise, a McDonalds worker in Kansas City and a leader of the Fight for $15 campaign, said its fight would continue even after the announcement. Workers have long called both for a $15 minimum wage and union rights, he said, and were not going to stop marching, speaking out and striking until we win both. YOKOHAMA, Japan A committee formed to address failings of Nissans corporate governance recommended an overhaul of the Japanese automakers board on Wednesday as it seeks to move past the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn. The recommendations laid the blame for the companys failings squarely at the feet of Mr. Ghosn and his close associate, Greg Kelly. Japanese prosecutors detained both men in November on suspicion that they had conspired to underreport Mr. Ghosns compensation. In the months since, Mr. Ghosn has been arrested and rearrested on charges of financial wrongdoing from 2010 to 2018 while leading Nissan. He was released this month after paying bail of 1 billion yen (roughly $9 million) and agreeing to strict conditions on his activities, including limits on his contacts with people involved in the case. The news media in Japan and abroad have published allegations of financial excesses while Mr. Ghosn led the automaking alliance of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, including luxury homes in three cities, expensive personal trips, lavish parties at Versailles and most recently college tuition at Stanford for his four children. The details raise questions about how he and the companies he ran managed their affairs. LONDON Saudi Arabias oil company, Saudi Aramco, said on Wednesday that it would buy a 70 percent stake in a state-controlled petrochemical giant for $69.1 billion, in what appears to be an alternative to a much-delayed initial public offering. The deal, which involves three entities controlled by the Saudi government, largely accomplishes the primary goal for Aramcos share offering helping to finance an ambitious campaign to modernize the kingdom. Aramco will buy the stake in the petrochemical company, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, known as Sabic, currently held by the countrys sovereign wealth fund. The remaining 30 percent of Sabic will continue to be listed on Saudi Arabias Tadawul stock exchange. The transaction would give Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who had been the main proponent of selling a portion of Aramco to public investors, a chunk of the cash he needs to diversify the Saudi economy, which is heavily dependent on oil. The prince hopes both to buffer the economy from oil price fluctuations and invest in industries that will provide income for the kingdom if demand for its oil wanes. Barbuto, the chef Jonathan Waxmans vibrant fusion of a casual neighborhood hangout and a destination restaurant, will close at the end of May after 15 years in a former garage in the West Village. Industria, the building it occupies on a corner just south of the meatpacking district, was sold last year, and Mr. Waxmans lease ran out at years end. In an interview on Wednesday, he said the buildings owners no longer wanted a restaurant in the space. Barbutos last day is Friday, May 31. Barbuto was more than a success, Mr. Waxman said. I regard it as the crowning glory of my career. He said he was looking for another space in the neighborhood, and would like to reopen Barbuto by the end of the year. I hope to find a silver lining in all of this, he said. Until that happens, many diners are likely to be as dismayed by the loss as they were by the closing of the Red Cat in Chelsea last year, which the restaurateur Jimmy Bradley opened before there was a High Line and art scene in that neighborhood. Mr. Waxmans thriving restaurant also predated the High Line, the Whitney Museum of American Art and other developments that brought throngs of tourists and new residents to the West Village. Good morning. There is a lot of delicious prose in the Food section of The Times that we shipped off to the printer on Tuesday, so it could slide into the blue bags we throw at subscribers doors in the dark early Wednesday when no ones out but street cats and cant-sleep joggers. Whap! Good reading: Ligaya Mishan on the business and culture of global food tours; Pete Wells on Violet, a Manhattan restaurant inspired by the food of Rhode Island; Eric Asimov on the pleasures of modern Australian wine; Sara Bonisteel on the history and preparation of Nanaimo bars, one of Canadas most popular desserts, made entirely from packaged ingredients. And a lot of great recipes, too: among them, David Taniss spring vegetable stew (above), served with brown-butter couscous, and Melissa Clarks polenta with blue cheese and crispy leeks. On Wednesdays, of course, we dont always cook with recipes, preferring sometimes to follow the no-recipe recipe route instead, and improvise off a theme. Todays is rice and beans, the beans of the canned variety, jazzed up with whats sitting around your pantry and fridge. My latest: a sofrito of chopped bacon, pickled banana peppers, shallots, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt and orange juice, all of it cooked down into a kind of syrup, with a can of black beans mixed into it, served over rice, with hot sauce, lime and buttered toast. This was an excellent dinner. (You can find more no-recipe recipes here.) In mid-January, Bridelux Atelier, a high-end bridal expo that started in London four years ago, came to the United States for the first time to showcase at the InterContinental hotel, on East 48th Street in Manhattan. Promising the cognoscente of the wedding industry while capitalizing on royal wedding fever, Bridelux brought speakers like the florist Philippa Craddock, who was involved in the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Among the other vendors: Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes; the celebrity event planner Bryan Rafanelli; the stationers Ceci New York; and the veil maker Monvieve Milano. Wedding expos can be found in many cities around the country. Theyre often held in chain hotels like the Marriott Marquis and Grand Hyatt, as well as event and convention spaces like Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Some rotate locales, others remain in the same space month after month. Wedding Salon hosts nine shows a year, setting up in Miami, Washington, Chicago and New York. The Long Island Bridal Expo does 36. Some expos are intimate, highlighting three dozen or so vendors for 150 attendees; others showcase 100 or more businesses to crowds of 600-plus. In an Instagram world, where entire weddings are booked and created completely from sources found online yes Zola and Etsy, we know many people may wonder how and why expos still exist. The answer is simple: They offer brides and grooms in-person contacts, not to mention prizes and swag bags stuffed with wedding items and discounts. In the Kentucky case, Judge Boasberg said the states plan, with only minor changes since his last ruling, has essentially the same features as it did before. He said that Mr. Azars review and approval of the Kentucky program were fatally flawed because federal officials did not adequately consider the coverage-loss consequences of the work requirements. The rulings presented a serious setback not only for President Trump and Mr. Azar, but for Ms. Verma, who has led the call for conditioning government health coverage on work. She has insisted that Medicaid must not be used as a vehicle to serve working age, able-bodied adults. And she affirmed her goals Wednesday evening after the latest rulings came out. We will continue to defend our efforts to give states greater flexibility to help low income Americans rise out of poverty, Ms. Verma said. We believe, as have numerous past administrations, that states are the laboratories of democracy and we will vigorously support their innovative, state-driven efforts to develop and test reforms that will advance the objectives of the Medicaid program. Both states plans are aimed at hundreds of thousands of working-age adults who became newly eligible for Medicaid when the Affordable Care Act allowed states to expand it starting in 2014. Arkansass version requires most Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19 and 49 to spend 80 hours a month at a job or in community engagement activities, like volunteering or training for a job. Kentuckys, which has not yet been rolled out because of the court case, does the same for people between 19 and 64. Both the Kentucky and Arkansas rules allowed exemptions for people deemed too sick to work, pregnant women, full-time students or primary caregivers of dependent children or disabled family members. The Trump administration had asserted that some people in Kentucky who lost Medicaid would gain commercial insurance coverage. But Judge Boasberg appeared skeptical, writing that federal officials cited no research or evidence that this would happen. On March 10, The New York Times reported that under the Trump administration the American military had drastically increased airstrikes in Somalia against the Shabab, an insurgent group affiliated with Al Qaeda, even as it scaled back counterterrorism operations in other parts of the world. In recent years, Africa Command has acknowledged using unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are mainly armed with Hellfire missiles and 500-pound guided bombs. But as far back as November 2017, the Pentagon deployed Air Force variants of C-130 Hercules cargo planes with dispensers called common launch tubes, or C.L.T.s, to launch a new kind of guided weapon at Somali targets, according to a report released by Amnesty International on March 20. While Africa Command would not confirm to The Times its use of ground-attack aircraft in the region, Amnesty International found photographs of an American airstrike site that showed the remains of a GBU-69 Small Glide Munition, a bomb that can be dropped only using a C.L.T., which in this instance was fitted to an AC-130 gunship. [For more stories about the changing nature of warfare, sign up for the weekly At War newsletter.] The escalation of airstrikes, as well as the introduction of manned gunships, has transformed the Defense Departments Africa Command, based in Germany, into a war-fighting element akin to Central Command, which directs the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Africa Command, which was created only in 2007, has stressed that its role on the continent is to focus on training and equipping allied troops on the continent, but the rise in strikes points to a change in both posture and mission. Current and former American officials previously told The Times that there wasnt one clear reason for the increase, but they noted that the drawdown of American military operations elsewhere in the world has given Africa Command more drones and gunships to use in Somalia. The loosening of regulations under the Trump administration on using force in the country has also contributed to the rise. At just four feet long and slightly less than seven inches in diameter, the launch tube attached to these manned gunships dispenses a type of air-to-ground weapon that the Pentagon is buying in greater numbers. These tubes can, according to manufacturers websites, be fitted onto much of the Defense Departments fleet of previously unarmed surveillance planes to enable covert attacks and thus potentially vastly increase the number of aircraft capable of carrying out airstrikes, allowing the American military to discreetly move converted gunships around the world. A bit strong. You can add in vain, if you like. The London production of King Lear, directed by Deborah Warner, was austere, Brechtian and British, with a sly indictment of Blairism. The set was constructed of white, portable panels, and actors carried their chairs on and off the stage. Jackson delivered her opening lines with her back to the audience. The Broadway play as envisioned by the director Sam Gold, however, is lush; the set, a jewel box, with brassy, Trumpian accents. Jacksons Lear not only faces the audience but plays to us and plays with us. In the opening scene, Lear divides his kingdom among his daughters conferring them on younger strengths while we/Unburdened crawl toward death. Jackson rolls the rs in crawl, stretching the word long and louche, a purring lion, all easy, unstrained dominance that flares into spectacular explosions of rage. At 82, she does not look whittled, wizened or weathered or any one of those wheezy words we use for old bodies. She does not look diminished she looks distilled, unwrapped, the long bare branches of her body mesmerizing. Glenda is so lean, and I dont just mean that physically, the actor Elizabeth Marvel, who plays Goneril, told me. I mean that emotionally, intellectually. All the fat is burned off, and you just have this brilliant diamond core. Jackson is not the first woman to play Lear, nor does gender enter your mind as you watch her. She herself has spoken of how differences between the sexes fade with age, but her authority has always transcended any notion of gender; it has always felt like law. The first time she played Shakespeare, in 1965, one review was headlined Ophelia, Prince of Stratford. There arent a lot of actors in the world that you can cast in a part like this, who can just enter the room and bring so much power with them, Gold told me. They dont have to work or earn it, they just have it. What is the source of that power? Jackson is the smallest person on stage, but you wont notice it she arrives cascading over the language, dominating it. In this way Jackson gives us the only truly contemporary interpretation of Lear Ive ever seen, a king whose command relies not on brute might but in the ability to manipulate words. The actor playing Lear must not only embody authority but also slough it off in front of us, almost presenting the aging process brutally sped up. The ritual aspect of this transformation is of particular interest to Gold, who has directed stripped-down interpretations of Shakespeare, including Othello in 2016. Glenda is going to do something very intense, very special, very big, he said. She is going to go through something most people dont go through. Youre all invited. Glenda Jackson is going to endure this, and youre going to witness it. For most of its history, this ritual has been considered too traumatizing for the stage. Shakespeare himself worried the conclusion was too bleak; he appears to have softened it slightly a few years after the play was first put on. Still, for 150 years an adapted version, with a happy ending, was performed. In the kingdom of Lear, there is no consolation. Characters learn to see the truth only after their eyes are gouged out; they learn to love their children only as they mourn them. Lear dies of heartbreak, annihilated, his last line a howl. It is a play of such immensities of sorrow and language that it has been described as too big for the stage, a literary achievement and not a dramatic one, or even a natural phenomenon in its own right: a volcano to the essayist Charles Lamb, a hurricane to the poet Samuel Coleridge and to the critic William Hazlitt, the sea: swelling, chafing, raging, without bound, without hope, without beacon, or anchor. This is not to mention the deep, dislocating strangeness of the play itself. The improbabilities in the plot alone have kept scholars busy for close to 400 years. It is set in 800 B.C. yet all signs point to the Middle Ages. Lear and the villain, Edmund, never interact. There is an odd lack of stage directions and that superfluous subplot, the story of Gloucester, which just echoes the main action (a father betrayed by his child). The deepest strangeness of all: None of this matters. Critics have argued that the play is greater for these inconsistencies more vast, as capricious and real as the world itself. Lear remains the crowning role of the most powerful actors of their generations. When youre younger, Lear doesnt feel real, Laurence Olivier once said. When you get to my age, you are Lear in every nerve of your body. Most performances follow in the footsteps of Paul Scofield, who played the king as a grizzled military man in the 1962 Peter Brook production, later a film. Ian McKellen put his slant on the role, making Lear a priestly figure; Christopher Plummer played him as a dementia patient. Thats great poetry, Moondog says near the end of The Beach Bum, delivering a verdict on his own work. A bit later, after a literally explosive bacchanal during which bales of cash and a sailboat are set alight, he declares the evening a blast, inserting an expletive for emphasis. Those two statements pretty much sum up what this movie, the latest from Harmony Korine, thinks of itself. Chronicling a hectic season in the life of its hero (a defiantly unkempt Matthew McConaughey), The Beach Bum is intoxicated by its own shaggy lyricism and committed to an ethic of unapologetic hedonism. Moondog is a genius. He will be the first to tell you so, but everyone else is quick to agree: his wife, Minnie (Isla Fisher); their daughter, Heather (Stefania LaVie Owen); Moondogs agent (Jonah Hill, doing an accent somewhere between Truman Capote and Foghorn Leghorn); the judge (Jo Marie Payton) who sends the poet off to rehab. Moondog quotes D.H. Lawrence and Charles Baudelaire from memory, so theres nothing wrong with his taste. Twice he shares a verse of his own, a brief paean to his penis. He takes the stage at bars and parties in Key West and other parts of South Florida, reciting off-the-cuff odes that, if you were drunk enough, might put you in mind of Walt Whitman, Allen Ginsberg or maybe Henry Miller. Even with all the tequila in Margaritaville, I will never be that drunk. Speaking of which, Jimmy Buffett is in this movie, playing himself. Snoop Dogg is in it, too, as Moondogs drug-dealer best friend, Ray (short for Lingerie), and the high point comes when the two musicians collaborate on an impromptu ballad in Moondogs honor. There is some other fun stuff, too beautiful shots of the evening sky over Miami; good-time music that takes you back to the 70s and 80s; Zac Efron and Martin Lawrence in manic cameos but nobody sitting in the theater or on the couch will experience as much pleasure as the people onscreen. Available evidence suggests that the movie was a total blast to make. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] More than 200 education jobs cut, including 150 teachers and 23 vice principals. Class sizes would balloon. Art and music classes would be erased. The budget proposed by the school board in Paterson, the third largest city in New Jersey, offered a staggering package of cuts. Officials said they have no choice but to make the cuts that stand to undo years of gains by the long-struggling school district. The boards recent vote has plunged this economically distressed city into a wrenching debate about how its schools are funded, who controls the education of its nearly 29,000 public school children and what it will finally take to lift Paterson a once-thriving industrial center from its bleak past. The upsetting thing about it is the district was in a rebound, said Rosie Grant, the executive director of the Paterson Education Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group. They have put in early reading programs, math programs, different interventions, and we were seeing some results from that. Dr. Lieberman not only helped shape the mission of LaGuardia, a two-year college that now enrolls some 45,000 students from 150 countries; she also established collaborations with other educational institutions to attract high school students who had struggled academically, or who had to hold down jobs while taking classes, or who could not afford a four-year college. Janet had a strong feeling that we in education were snobs and our bar was too low, and that race and class were factors in that, said Richard K. Lieberman (no relation), a LaGuardia history professor and director of the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, a repository of mayoral and other municipal records that Janet Lieberman helped organize. She knew that if we raised the bar, the students would come up to meet it, he said. In 1974, at a time when city officials were alarmed by plummeting high school graduation rates, Dr. Lieberman, in cooperation with the citys Board of Education, founded the Middle College High School at LaGuardia, with support from the Ford Foundation. The school, which couples small class sizes with intensive counseling, combines the last three years of high school with the first two of college. Typically after five years (but sometimes four), students graduate with an associate degree and can enroll in a four-year college, often transferring credits. The idea broke so many rules for whom community colleges should be serving, and how they might reach young, at-risk populations, Anne-Marie McCartan wrote in Unexpected Influence: Women Who Helped Shape the Early Community College Movement (2017). Linda Gregg, who explored beauty, loss, struggle and desire in award-winning poetry that was spare but intense and deeply evocative, died on March 20 in Manhattan. She was 76. The poet Timothy Liu, a longtime friend, said the cause was cancer. Ms. Gregg found poems in nature, in urban settings like a shelter for homeless women, in broken relationships. The Night Before Leaving, from her 1985 collection, Alma, was about the end of an affair: We surface in a kind of dream. The boat touches ground. Grinds onto the rocks. We get out, And it floats again. Ms. Gregg did not publish her first collection, Too Bright to See (1981), until she was almost 40. But once she did, she drew quick attention in poetry circles. The poems are stunning, taken singly, but the book is much more than the sum of its parts, Ann W. Fisher wrote in The Chicago Review. Too Bright to See is a spiritual autobiography, a search for the ground of being and for a condition of wholeness within the shards of time. Some poems in that volume allude to Ms. Greggs long relationship with the poet Jack Gilbert, with whom she spent several years living in Greece and Denmark in the 1960s, often in spartan circumstances. The two remained friends after their romantic relationship ended; Mr. Liu said Ms. Gregg had served as Mr. Gilberts literary executor after his death in 2012. Ranking Roger, a vocalist for the popular British ska band the Beat in the late 1970s and early 80s who carried on that groups infectious sound in subsequent bands and solo projects, died on Tuesday in Birmingham, England. He was 56. An announcement on his current groups website said he had received a cancer diagnosis last year. Ranking Roger, whose real name was Roger Charlery, was one of two frontmen for the Beat, along with Dave Wakeling. The group, which was known as the English Beat in the United States to avoid confusion with a California power-pop band of the same name, had a brief but influential run after its founding in 1978, expanding on the ska sound, a lively precursor to reggae that had first migrated to England from Jamaica in the 1960s. Ska is their base, The Boston Globe wrote of the Beat in 1981, but its infused with satisfying pressure-cooker-like tension and cut with reggae, pop and soul elements. Neil Strauss, looking back on the groups heyday in a 1995 article in The New York Times, described the Beats sound as Jamaican ska informed by punk rock. Mr. Charlery, who was black, and Mr. Wakeling, who is white, complemented each other: Mr. Wakeling was a more traditional vocalist, while Mr. Charlery toasted, the Jamaican version of rapping. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court once again took up the issue of partisan gerrymandering, hearing two cases that could allow the justices to put an end to the practice of drawing legislative maps for no other reason than to give an electoral edge to the party doing the drawing. Or as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has described it, the drawing of legislative district lines to subordinate adherents of one political party and entrench a rival party in power. Voting rights advocates fear that an emboldened conservative majority on the court may not be open to policing politically motivated gerrymandering, in turn barring federal judges from considering future lawsuits. One of the cases before the Supreme Court this week comes from North Carolina, where Republicans won barely 50 percent of the vote in the 2018 midterms but took nine of 13 congressional seats. ( That count does not include the Ninth Congressional District, which remains contested as a result of rampant election fraud.) In a lengthy ruling addressing these disparities, which arose from a map drawn in 2016, a panel of federal judges in August said that the states Republican-controlled General Assembly violated the Constitution by drawing districts to give Republicans a partisan advantage. The other case is from Maryland, where a different panel of judges ruled that the Sixth Congressional District was unconstitutionally drawn because Democrats specifically targeted voters who were registered as Republicans and who had historically voted for Republican candidates. The judges found that Republican voters rights were violated because the gerrymander effectively moved about 30 percent of them out of the district, which for nearly two decades had been represented by a Republican congressman, and replaced them with Democratic voters. Jones wrote in an email that, according to the new General Society Survey data, today, the religiously unaffiliated outnumber white evangelical Protestants by nearly 7 percentage points. The decrease in the percentage of white evangelicals began, Jones continued, during President Barack Obamas eight years in power. According to Jones, the anxieties that produced about a changing country and white evangelicals place in it were actually integral to pushing white evangelical Protestants toward support for Donald Trump in 2016. So these changes are not just now upon us; theyve been an engine driving the political dynamics for some time. But the new G.S.S. data shows them continuing unabated. In other words, in the short term, as they feel they are being eclipsed, white evangelicals become more politically engaged, more assertive and more dangerous to their opponents. Burge claims, however, that the long-term future of the conservative evangelical movement could be in doubt: Its going to run into a demographic brick wall going forward. 81 percent of evangelicals in 2018 were white, compared to 72.4 percent of the overall population. Among younger voters 18 to 25, only 60 percent are white, according to Burge. Ultimately, Burge argued, hitching their wagon to Trump may stave off some losses now, but it may be a fatal strategy in ten or twenty years. While the trends highlighted in the Cooperative Congressional Election Study and General Social Survey are generally favorable to the Democratic Party, they also point to obstacles Democrats face. Stephen Ansolabehere, a political scientist at Harvard, noted that more than two thirds of sitting presidents have been re-elected. He went on to point out that presidential second term elections are driven strongly by the economy. Ansolabehere maintains that if the economy is steaming along Trump will have the wind in his sails. The presidents who faltered in recent memory are Carter and Bush senior, both of whom faced weak economies. Brian Schaffner, a political scientist at Tufts, raised another issue. There is certainly some good news for Democrats, he wrote, but the caveat seems to be that opinion is mostly moving for the people who were already inclined to support Democrats, before adding: What we dont see is much movement among Republicans. Schaffner, who serves along with Ansolabehere as a principal investigator at the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, also cautioned in an email against putting too much stock in the data showing that some voters who had cast ballots for Trump switched to Democratic House candidates in 2018. The C.C.E.S. data do show that about twice as many Trump voters flipped to supporting Democrats in 2018 as Clinton voters switched to Republicans, Schaffner wrote, which suggests that a lot of those blue wall states from 2016 may be leaning against Trump slightly as we head to 2020. He warned, however, that all of these shifts are relatively small in the aggregate, which means we arent necessarily too far from where we were in November, 2016. While Trump in 2016 benefited from a decent amount of luck in losing the popular vote but winning the Electoral College, it is certainly possible that it could happen again absent some larger shift in opinion. This article is part of David Leonhardts newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. During a 10-day break for the Supreme Court in April 2012, several justices left Washington to give lectures or take short vacations. But both John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy remained in Washington, and Roberts used the time to try to win over Kennedy on Obamacare. The court had heard arguments on the law a month earlier, and Kennedy had already told the other justices he considered it unconstitutional. He wanted to strike it down. Roberts had a different view, wanting to invalidate some of the law and keep other parts. During their conversations that April, the two of them talked through the substantive issues that the case involved, like the laws health insurance mandate, the cost of insurance premiums and so on. This scene is part of Joan Biskupics new biography of Roberts, The Chief. The book contains a description of the justicess behind-the-scenes maneuverings on Obamacare thats more detailed than any other to appear so far. To the Editor: Re Whats the U.S. Role in NATO? (Op-Ed, March 11 ): Barry R. Posen is certainly right that in the decades since the Soviet Union fell, NATO harmed itself by adding more than a dozen new members, and engaging in out-of-area military misadventures in places like Libya. But his prescription an American pullback from NATO and returning the European allies to full re sponsibility for their futures is a bridge too far. Lets reme mber that NATO was necessary not just because of the Soviet threat, but because the two most destructive wars in history began in Europe in the 20th century, with both requiring large-scale American intervention. As Lord Ismay, the first NATO secretary general, said, NATO was created t o keep the Russians o ut, the Americans in, and the Germans down. Russia is now a marginal threat compared with the dark days of the Cold War, and Germany is a robust liberal democracy. But American involvement in NATO perhaps reduced, and perhaps along with new enforced limits on NATO expansion and missions remains as critical today as it was in the post-World War II era. It would all have been a lie coming from him pretty much everything is a lie coming from him but that kind of speech and that kind of approach would have been the start of completely changing his image and launching a formidable re-election campaign. It would have cost him none of his base, and it could have won over a portion of the middle, maybe enough of it to secure a 2020 victory. But thats not what he did. Instead, he began immediately hinting at retribution, saying, There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, some bad things, I would say some treasonous things against our country. He said that some of those people will certainly be looked at. Trump has no idea how to ride a win. He seems to see every news cycle as him starting from scratch. He couldnt even let the Mueller findings breathe before suffocating them. Within days, the Trump administration reversed itself on an Affordable Care Act lawsuit, announcing that it now supports a complete court-ordered annihilation of the law. For millions of Americans dependent on this act, it repositioned Trump as the destroyer and Democrats as their protectors. The gun with which Trump keeps shooting himself in the foot has an extended clip. He will continue to do this because thats what he does. By the time the election comes around, the Mueller report will be but a footnote. Perform this thought experiment: Try to remember what the big news was around last March 24, a year ago Sunday. You cant. Let me remind you. We were in the aftermath of the tragic shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. The massive March for Our Lives happened on March 24. On March 23, Trump pledged in a tweet: Obama Administration legalized bump stocks. BAD IDEA. As I promised, today the Department of Justice will issue the rule banning BUMP STOCKS with a mandated comment period. We will BAN all devices that turn legal weapons into illegal machine guns. Collusion or a lack of it turns out to have been the rhetorical trap that ensnared President Trumps pursuers. There was no need for detailed electoral collusion between the Trump campaign and Vladimir Putins oligarchy because they had an overarching deal: the quid of help in the campaign against Hillary Clinton for the quo of a new pro-Russian foreign policy, starting with relief from the Obama administrations burdensome economic sanctions. The Trumpites knew about the quid and held out the prospect of the quo. Run down the known facts about the communications between Russians and the Trump campaign and their deal reveals itself. Perhaps, somewhere along the line, Russians also reminded the Trump family of their helpful cooperation with his past financial ventures. Perhaps, also, they articulated their resentment of Mrs. Clinton for her challenge as secretary of state to the legitimacy of Mr. Putins own election . But no such speculation is needed to perceive the obvious bargain reached during the campaign of 2016. Early on, emissaries of the Russian oligarchs sent word of their readiness to help embarrass and undermine the Clinton candidacy. And in June 2016, the Russians lured the Trumpites to a meeting in Trump Tower with a promise of dirt against Mrs. Clinton only to use the meeting to harp on their hunger for sanctions relief. As the Trump family openly acknowledged, the Russians spoke at that meeting of a desire to again allow Americans to adopt Russian children. Since the adoptions were halted to retaliate against the American sanctions, it required no dictionary to interpret the oligarchs meaning: dirt for sanctions relief. That relief and a warm new relationship with Russia were then freely discussed in public and in private. There was even an effort to concoct a grand diplomatic bargain by which the Russians would be allowed to legalize their seizure of the Ukrainian Crimea. Michael Cohen and other Trump advisers promoted the idea of letting the Russians lease the seized territory for up to 100 years so as to sanitize the reciprocal lifting of the sanctions that Mr. Obama had imposed to punish the land grab. American racing can pull itself from the cross hairs, but there needs to be a huge overall change, and fast. The major difference between American racing and the sport in the rest of the world, including here in France, is the excessive use of medications, practically from birth. Breeders need to get the highest price possible for a yearling, so in addition to corrective surgery to fix defective legs, they use steroids to add bulk and sheen, and bisphosphonates to stabilize the bone structure . But these bisphosphonates also limit new bone growth, impairing the young horses ability to adapt to the stresses of training and racing. Once the horse has fetched that high price, there is huge pressure on American trainers to get it racing as soon as possible to cover the costs of the purchase and training fees. That means the young racehorse is treated with endless rounds of so-called therapeutic medications: phenylbutazone, known as bute, to help with the aches and pain; clenbuterol to keep the lungs clear (plus theres that added steroidlike side effect, which keeps them eating and keeps the weight on); and the diuretic Lasix every time before fast workouts and races, ostensibly to prevent bleeding in the lungs. There is little science that says Lasix actually does that job, but quite a lot of science identifying Lasix as a performance-enhancing drug. American trainers and veterinarians instantly bristle at the accusation that horses are overmedicated. Were helping them cope with the rigors of training, just like any other athlete, they say. Its like you taking an aspirin, they say. Without Lasix, horses will drown in their own blood, and nobody wants that, right? Except that somehow, in the rest of the world, horses race medication-free. Theyre not hobbling from pain or drowning in their own blood. In defense of the medication proponents, they are merely adapting to a system of racing that isnt particularly horse-friendly. Courses in the United States are generally quite small, uniformly oval and flat with a dirt surface that favors speed above all else. Horses are typically trained and raced on the same surface, and always in one direction: counterclockwise. Most races are over short distances, a mile or less. There is some racing on natural turf, but only when the ground is firm. Most tracks move turf races to the dirt if it rains. [music] This is a story about a guy and a term he likes to think he invented. Really, the word I think one of the greatest of all terms Ive come up with is fake. I guess other people use it, perhaps, over the years. But Ive never noticed it. Its only been around for a few years. But youre probably as sick of it as we are. Well, the thing is, fake news is actually really old. Its just that, once, it went by a very different name. [ding] [non-English speech] Because really, this story is about a virus, a virus created decades ago by a government to slowly and methodically destroy its enemies [water sloshing] from the inside. But its not a biological virus. Its more like a political one. And chances are, youve already been infected. [music] If you dont know who to trust anymore, this might be the thing thats making you feel that way. If you feel exhausted by the news, this could be why. And if youre sick of it all and you just want to stop caring, then we really need to talk. Ready? [music] O.K., so to start, lets go back to July, 1983 and all the way over here: New Delhi, India. This is when a remarkable story appears in a newspaper called The Patriot. It claims the H.I.V. virus was secretly created by U.S. government scientists as a weapon to kill African-Americans and gay people. It even names a facility, Fort Detrick in Maryland, where the virus was supposed to have been concocted. Its a crazy allegation printed in a small newspaper no big deal, right? But fast forward just a couple of years, and look whats happening. The story is spreading all over Africa. The scientific reports even published by two East German biologists who say they can prove AIDS is made in the U.S.A. All these articles are from just a few months at the end of 1986. And then, somehow, it ends up here. [drums beating] A Soviet military publication claims the virus that causes AIDS leaked from a U.S. Army laboratory conducting experiments in biological warfare. Thats Dan Rather reading a fake news story to millions of unwitting Americans on national TV. But dont be too hard on Dan. This was one of the greatest cons ever carried out on the global scale. And were going to show you how it was pulled off. [music] But first, let me introduce you to a few authentic grifters. Stashed away on some old videotapes, we found interviews with a bunch of ex-spies. This guy, Ladislav Bittman. This guy, Stanislav Levchenko, and this guy, Yuri Bezmenov. They all worked for the KGB during the Cold War before defecting to the U.S. And its thanks to them that we know so much about one of the KGBs most secretive departments. Only about 15% of time, money and manpower is spent on espionage as such. The other 85 percent is a slow process, which we call either ideological subversion or active measures, [speaking Russian] in the language of the KGB. So active measures, its a euphemism for, well, bullshit but not just any bullshit, the most strategic, masterful, toxic bullshit you could possibly imagine, made with one goal. To change the perception of reality of every American to such an extent that, despite of their abundance of information, no one is able to come to sensible conclusions in the interests of defending themselves, their families, their community, and their country. Within the KGB is a department that specializes in planting false stories and forged documents. We know it was run from Department A right at the top of the KGB. And it had a multimillion-dollar budget. At least 15,000 people, who, in the Soviet Union and outside of the Soviet Union, are involved in that kind of actions on a regular, daily basis. You heard that right 15,000 people. Thats more than the entire staff at the State Department after 9/11. Now these days, KGB defectors who are still breathing are a little hard to come by. But we tracked down one to a small town in Massachusetts. Well, my original name was Ladislav Bittman. These days, he goes by Larry Martin. Hes 87 years old. Its a collage He likes to paint. with Putin. And he was boasting about his riches. And of course, he has a girlfriend down in Florida. Hello! Hello, hello. I am still busy. But back in the day, he was a director at one of the most legendary active measures outposts reporting to Moscow. And when it comes to bullshit, Larrys done it all. His first ever con It was an operation to establish a whorehouse in Germany. That was to catch politicians in compromising situations. And once, he even planted a treasure chest of Nazi papers at the bottom of a lake. Now original Nazi documents. That was to stir up anti-German sentiments. Larrys expertise, though, was a special kind of bullshit, something called Disinformation. Basically, it means deliberately distorted information that is secretly leaked into the communication process in order to deceive and manipulate. [dinging] All right. Just to avoid any confusion, lets pause here quickly to unpack all these different flavors of bullshit. Now at the top, youve got your active measures, right? These are basically any kind of covert operations against another country short of starting a war. This includes forgeries and even kidnappings. But disinformation was the heart and soul of it for the KGB. You might be thinking, thats just a fancy word for propaganda. But its not. Propaganda tries to convince us to believe something. Disinformation is a highly organized attempt to deceive us into believing it. Today, everyone calls this fake news. But thats become such a loaded term no thanks to this guy that its basically useless. Anyway, well get on to him later. All right, [dinging] lets get back to it. Disinformation it was such a big deal that every KGB agent was required to spend 25 percent of their time coming up with ideas for false stories. And in a year-end review yes, KGB agents had year-end reviews, too every agent was evaluated on How many proposals for disinformation operations he submitted. Youve gotten to be fairly good at this when you were Czech intelligence, didnt you? Unfortunately, I have to admit, yes. Just how good were these guys? Well, that rumor that the C.I.A. shot J.F.K., the story about how the C.I.A. tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II, and the one about rich Americans buying poor kids from Latin America to harvest their organs but as the first cases of AIDS spread fear around the world, the KGB saw an opportunity for their biggest con yet. [clicking] All right, so lets go back to 1983. And were going to show you what really happened here. So remember this story started with an article in The Patriot newspaper? AIDS, the deadly mysterious disease which has caused havoc in the U.S. is believed to be the result of the Pentagons experiments to develop new and dangerous biological weapons. Theres the crux of the crap. Its time you met Kathleen Bailey and Todd Leventhal. They were part of a U.S. government team that first pieced this story together back in the 80s. [ding] This is just the perfect example of a very effective disinformation campaign. Well, almost perfect. There are some obvious grammar mistakes here, which tip off experts like Kathleen. Like, in English wed say flu virus, not the virus flu. So its written by a non-native English speaker. And it probably was written by a Russian-language speaker. They said, oh, the Indian newspaper, The Patriot which we knew the KGB used this as an English language newspaper as a way to get stories out. This was a classic Soviet tactic. Oleg Kalugin is another ex-KGB agent we found. He told us, theyd always try and place the story in a third-world country somewhere like say, in India, Thailand where journalists could be easily tricked or bribed. So that gave the story acceptability when nobody was searching about the origin. [music] The KGB let this story go quiet for a couple of years after India. But with AIDS still making scary headlines in 85, they revived it, this time in a prominent Moscow newspaper. And the source for this story? You guessed it. [ding] Its brilliant, really. Theyve repeated the story but concealed their hand, distancing themselves from the lie they started. So were now into 1986. And the KGB want to add gravitas to this lie. So they look around for a scientist, a human face, someone who could back up the lie with data. And no joke this is the dude they found. This is Dr. Jakob Segal. Remember I said the reports had two authors? Well, here comes the co-author now. Its his wife, Lilli. Believe it or not, these two wrote that report that claim to have evidence AIDS was created in a U.S. government lab. This scientific gobbledygook and you know, read this stuff, and who can understand it? But it purports to be proof. The thing is, it worked. The KGB made sure the Segal report was read by journalists all over Africa. And they kept on pushing it until it went, well, viral. [ding] Its appeared in 200 reports in 80 countries. Even The Daily Express in London runs with it. And finally, on March 30, 1987, the KGB hits the jackpot. A Soviet military publication [echoing] claims the virus that causes AIDS leaked. This campaign had a KGB code name. They called it, Operation Infection. Good afternoon. I would like to begin the introduction to this report by stating that the U.S. image abroad is damaged. And U.S. foreign policy is complicated by disinformation. Wow. Huh. Thats a half a lifetime ago. This was handed out at a demonstration. I was so angry that they accused the United States of creating the AIDS virus, because I knew how effective that was going to be as a tool against us. And it angered me deeply. And it empowered me. It motivated me. It fired me up. I was pissed. [music] Operation Infection, one of the most audacious and successful fake news stories ever created and for America, the impact was toxic. Foreign governments actually believed that the U.S. was creating this biological warfare agent. For them to think that damages their view of the United States not only as a culture, but it taints all of our policies. Its in the back of their minds every time they discuss anything with us. Now with so much at stake, you might be wondering what the U.S. response to this was. Well, youre watching it. The primary origin of disinformation about the United States abroad is the Soviet Union. Kathleen and Todd were both part of something called the Active Measures Working Group. Nicknamed Truth Squads, it was a team that tracked and tried to expose Soviet disinformation. Everybody was working part time on the issue. It was not funded lavishly. We all sat around a table once every week or two. And those who could volunteer their time to come in did. Yup, thats right. In the face of thousands of KGB agents with a multimillion-dollar budget, we had some part-time workers propping up poster boards on C-SPAN. I see that it wasnt very well attended. And I remember that now that I see this. But it did have an impact. They didnt have the budget or the time. But they were motivated by truth and did what they could, responding to the fire hose of falsehoods, calling them out, one lie at a time. So they were working at this day, after day, after day. I think we were kept busy just knocking these things down. But repeated exposure didnt just lead to a couple of article corrections. Kathleens report exposing and debunking Operation Infection made its way right to the top of the Kremlin into the hands of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev himself. Secretary of State George Shultz was in the room when Gorby read it. And youre spreading all this bum dope about AIDS and the United States pushing it. And I said, come on. So we had a good, heated exchange. And theres nothing wrong with that. And days later, Gorbachev did the unthinkable. He bowed to pressure, apologized to President Ronald Reagan, and promised to stop spreading the fake AIDS story. When we in the Active Measures Working Group heard about Gorbachev having read the reports thats cool. That is really cool. He couldnt deny what we put in the report. And he didnt deny it. Yet, it was the military who prevented the hard-line coup from succeeding. And then came the year 1989, 1990, when the Communist regime collapsed. Nobody believed that the Russians would continue using this weapon in future. Our governments view was, problem solved. As the Soviet Union was collapsing, Todd wrote this final report for Congress, a warning that would fall on deaf ears. The formidable Soviet active measures and disinformation apparatus, which has manipulated world opinion for decades, has disintegrated. But many large fragments of their apparatus continue to exist and function, for the most part now under Russian, rather than Soviet sponsorship. Dont forget. KGB agents spent 25% of their time creating disinformation. And that was true of the entire agency during the Cold War, including a young agent from St. Petersburg who enrolled into the KGB in 1975 and who would one day go on to greater things. [music] We also asked YouGov Blue to survey the Green New Deal. Our YouGov survey asked, Would you support or oppose a Green New Deal to end fossil fuel use in the United States and have the government create clean energy jobs? The plan would be paid for by raising taxes, including a tax on carbon emissions. With this framing, 43 percent of registered voters expressed support, with 38 percent opposed and the rest unsure. 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. Not all parts of the Green New Deal are popular. In our polling with Civis, a full shift to electric cars by 2030 and the phasing out of all power plants by 2035 were both underwater. And there is no doubt that some additional parts will lose support after facing a right-wing onslaught. On the other hand, policies like green jobs, drinking water infrastructure and reforestation were wildly popular. Clean water had net support in every state in the country, and reforestation is underwater in Wyoming only. In other words, there is no part in the country where at least some aspects of the Green New Deal will not be winning issues. New polling from 350 Action and Data for Progress conducted by YouGov Blue shows that rejecting fossil fuel money is popular (49 percent support their representatives refusing campaign contributions from fossil fuel PACs, with 19 percent opposed and the rest unsure). A keep it in the ground approach to energy policy that would phase out fossil fuel infrastructure in favor of renewable alternatives garnered even more support (56 percent in support, 26 percent opposed). Climate policy might befuddle Democratic leadership, but the grass roots knows whats up, Julian Brave Noisecat, a policy analyst for 350 Action, told me. The core challenge the Green New Deal faces is not so much on the merits of the concept or even its political feasibility; it is that many of its Democratic supporters have met an aggressive and one-sided onslaught from the right with very little by way of response. According to data shared with The Times from Navigator, a progressive polling project, 37 percent of Republican viewers of Fox News had heard a lot about the Green New Deal, compared with 14 percent of all registered voters. Only 6 percent of non-Republican, non-Fox viewers had heard a lot about the Green New Deal, and 40 percent had heard nothing at all (compared with 14 percent of Republican viewers of Fox News). Across all registered voters who had heard about the Green New Deal, 32 percent reported seeing mostly negative coverage, 12 percent mostly positive, 42 percent a mix and the rest couldnt recall. (Among Fox-viewing Republicans, its 68 percent, 4 percent, 24 percent and 4 percent.) Were seeing in real time the impact of right-wing attacks. When asked simply, Based on what you know, do you support or oppose the Green New Deal?, 22 percent of respondents are in support, 29 percent are opposed and 49 percent are not sure. But 74 percent of Fox-viewing Republicans oppose the Green New Deal (65 percent strongly), and only 21 percent have not formed an opinion. Among people who are not Republicans and not Fox viewers, 32 percent support the Green New Deal, 8 percent oppose it and a whopping 61 percent have not formed an opinion. (Navigator polling shows that Fox News viewers are also far more likely to deny climate change.) Though many components of the Green New Deal are popular, the Republican propaganda machine has already reshaped the narrative, and it has done so with virtually no coordinated pushback from progressives, or certainly nowhere near enough, a worrying pattern. Tuesdays Senate vote, where Democrats were urged by their leaders to take no stance at all and vote present, however expedient, is indicative of the broader trend a defensive crouch from Democrats in response to an onslaught from the right. The Green New Deal is the future of the Democratic Party: Among likely Democratic primary voters in our Civis polling, 71 percent supported the Green New Deal and 14 percent opposed it. Democrats should not be afraid to embrace it, and Republicans who mess with it despite the temporary success of their aggressive tactics will do so at their own risk. Sean McElwee (@SeanMcElwee) is one of the founder of Data for Progress. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Bill Mullen, a fashion stylist and illustrator, wants you to know that he used to wear a belt made out of teeth, skulls on every finger and cataracts of crosses, his exotic turnout once spurring a stranger to bellow, Go for it, space monkey, go for it. Solange Knowles is touting Metatronia," an architecturally inspired performance piece conceived to explore the relationship of movement and architecture. It's been a dream, she confides, to build modular sculptures that can tour, interact, and engage with the public. And Caroline Calloway, a writer and eyebrow-raising social-media diva, is happy to share what may be more than you ever wanted to know about her relationship with her father: Scary, she confides, to see a parent living in a home full of dirt and trash and hoarded things. Famous or possibly hoping to be, they are members of a chorus, voices resonating in supersize captions, some as long as 300 words, published not on Facebook or Tumblr, as you may suspect, but on their Instagram feeds. New York always had wonderful small independent theaters, and we went to them all the time, Patti Smith, the writer, performer and 1970s icon, said at the Metrograph cinema on Ludlow Street on Thursday night. The first independent cinemas were, like, 42nd Street theaters where you paid 50 cents, she added. You could watch Fellini and Bergman movies all day long, but without subtitles. Ms. Smith was among the dozens of creative luminaries who celebrated Metrographs third anniversary and its new distribution arm. Founded by Alexander Olch, a designer with a boutique nearby, it is a symbol of both the gentrification and creative regeneration of the Lower East Side, a neighborhood that has the been the crucible of artistic movements as diverse as Yiddish theater and punk rock. In One Good Meal, we ask cooking-inclined creative people to share the story behind a favorite dish they actually make and eat at home on a regular basis and not just when theyre trying to impress. In Spanish, the word cachete roughly translates to slap in the face which is exactly the impact that the Spanish illustrators Nuria Bellver and Raquel Fanjul, better known as the duo Cachetejack, hope to have with their work. Their pieces arrive in a riot of color and movement, enlivening ad campaigns, animating childrens books and adorning outdoor walls. Clients have included everyone from Hermes to McDonalds to the Neighborhood, a new monthly dinner series curated by the New York restaurateur Gabriel Stulman. Held at the Freehand Hotel in Manhattan and ticketed via Resy, the series entails a one-night-only visit from a buzzy chef like Nina Compton (of Bywater American Bistro in New Orleans), Asaf Doktor (of Dok in Tel Aviv) and Omar Koreitem and Moko Hirayama (of Mokonuts in Paris). Included in the ticket price is a Cachetejack poster made custom for each evening. [Coming later this spring: the T List newsletter, a weekly roundup of what T Magazine editors are noticing and coveting. Sign up here.] SEATTLE Microsoft took control of 99 websites that it said Iranian hackers had used to try to steal sensitive information from targets in the United States, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. By taking over the sites, Microsoft can stop future cyberattacks and monitor how previously infected computers were compromised, the company said. The hackers specifically directed their attacks on people in Washington, Microsoft said in the filing. The hacking group typically has targeted the personal email accounts of people working in both the public and private sectors, including dissidents and workers in government agencies, Microsoft said in court documents. People working in the Treasury Department and similar agencies in other Western governments were among those targeted, according to a person with knowledge of the attacks who spoke on the condition of anonymity. We met once a week, Dr. Hinton said in an interview. Sometimes it ended in a shouting match, sometimes not. Neural networks had a brief revival in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a year of postdoctoral research with Dr. Hinton in Canada, the Paris-born Dr. LeCun moved to AT&Ts Bell Labs in New Jersey, where he designed a neural network that could read handwritten letters and numbers. An AT&T subsidiary sold the system to banks, and at one point it read about 10 percent of all checks written in the United States. Though a neural network could read handwriting and help with some other tasks, it could not make much headway with big A.I. tasks, like recognizing faces and objects in photos, identifying spoken words, and understanding the natural way people talk. They worked well only when you had lots of training data, and there were few areas that had lots of training data, Dr. LeCun, 58, said. But some researchers persisted, including the Paris-born Dr. Bengio, 55, who worked alongside Dr. LeCun at Bell Labs before taking a professorship at the University of Montreal. In 2004, with less than $400,000 in funding from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Dr. Hinton created a research program dedicated to what he called neural computation and adaptive perception. He invited Dr. Bengio and Dr. LeCun to join him. Citizen science travel, or trips where the traveler is encouraged to participate in scientific research through observation and data collection, is growing in popularity thanks in part to an increasing number of ecotourists who want to support research initiatives around the world. These travelers also want to contribute positively to the destinations they visit. Expedition operators with scientific missions Earthwatch The environmental charity Earthwatch has been sending volunteers on research trips for nearly fifty years, with tours focusing on climate change, ocean health, wildlife and ecosystems. Ecotourists collect and analyze environmental data that is used in the hope of advancing conservation efforts on a global scale. Weve seen a 20 percent rise in participation over the past five years, said Scott Kania, Earthwatchs chief executive. Citizen science offers people the opportunity to own ecological problems and be a part of the solution. According to a 2017 Earthwatch report, scientists and participants have discovered new species and gathered data that have been influential in establishing nature reserves and protecting endangered wildlife, like leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica. The firms latest expedition takes citizen scientists to Peru on a weeklong journey to photograph, measure and collect genetic samples of giant manta rays with the goal to help halt overfishing. Earthwatchs Peruvian expedition is $2,750 per person, and includes room and board, research permits, scientific equipment, airport and land transfers, and medevac insurance for the duration of the expedition. Being Texans, though, many of the people who live between the fence and the river say they dont count exclusively on the government to keep them safe. One recent afternoon, a retired refrigerator repairman wearing camouflage clothing strolled south of the wall with a handgun in a holster on his hip. Mr. Monsees was even more heavily armed as he spoke outside his home while sitting in his pickup truck. This is a single-shot .410, and thats a single-shot .22, and I keep the pistol between the seats, he said. In another buffer-zone community along the river about 50 miles northwest of Brownsville, on a muddy dirt road outside the town of Donna, Arturo Munoz, 72, sat in the carport of his house just south of the border fence, sipping a Bud Light. His dog Max lay at his feet. Its just about the same as on the north side, said Mr. Munoz, a retired welder and Vietnam veteran, though he conceded that he has no mail service, no landline telephone and no cable television. He said he bought the property nearly 15 years ago because he grew up nearby and feels a connection to the area. When it came time to build the border fence, he said, the government made him an offer he could refuse, and he did. He stayed put, and the wall went up just north of his white-brick home, right behind a line of trees in his back yard. Its a lot safer than in town, he said. I lived in town. I was renting, and got broke into three times. He described riding his bicycle near his house one day and seeing a few migrants walking along. He said he waved to them and pedaled on. They had crossed the river on their journey to America, and had found it. Sort of. [Read more about how Jaymes disappearance shook her hometown.] She managed to escape 88 days later, on Jan. 10, and sought help from a passer-by, who took her to a nearby house and got word to the authorities. Within hours, sheriffs deputies had arrested Mr. Patterson. He was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, one of kidnapping and one of armed burglary, and was ordered held on $5 million bail. Mr. Patterson pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the two homicide counts and kidnapping; the burglary charge was dropped. Mr. Jones said Mr. Patterson rejected the other options his lawyers offered him, including trying to persuade the court to set aside his confession, The A.P. said. Jaymes disappearance and the killing of her parents baffled the authorities for months. The case attracted national media attention, as scores of detectives fanned out across Wisconsin looking for the girl while her photo was circulated online and on missing-person posters. The case shook the rural county where she lived, and residents of tiny Gordon were shocked to learn that she had been held captive there unnoticed. Investigators said in a criminal complaint that Mr. Patterson, who was apparently not a suspect until the day he was arrested, told them he had carefully prepared for the abduction, and had killed Jaymes parents with a shotgun stolen from his father so there would be no witnesses to help track him down. They said he spoke of slowing down on the highway to let police cars race by on their way to the Closs house as he drove away with Jayme in his trunk. Jayme told detectives that Mr. Patterson kept her imprisoned in the cabin in Gordon, and confined her under a twin bed in his room when he left the cabin or when anyone else was there sometimes for 12 hours at a stretch without a break to eat, drink or relieve herself. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos faced scathing criticism this week over a budget proposal that calls for eliminating funding for the Special Olympics, as members of Congress voiced opposition at a hearing that drew widespread attention and stoked a strong defense of the organization across the internet. I still cant understand why you would go after disabled children in your budget, Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, told Ms. DeVos during the hearing on Tuesday, held by a House subcommittee. You zero that out. Its appalling. The $17.6 million in proposed cuts to the Special Olympics comes as the Education Department faces an overall budget reduction of 10 percent. President Trumps budget for next year proposed cutting funding to education for the third year in a row, as he places a priority on the military, as well as the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico. As Ms. DeVoss exchange with skeptical House Democrats took off online, the proposal drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Democratic presidential candidate, called the proposed cuts unbelievable. John Kasich, the former governor of Ohio and a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, said they were outrageous. The three-year war ended with the Treaty of Nanking, which gave Britain control of Hong Kong and opened several new trade ports in China. British merchants were allowed to come to China and trade freely with no restrictions. That was just the beginning. By the 1850s, the United States, Russia and France signed treaties with China with the same terms, allowing foreigners to sell goods with low tariffs and giving them privileged status in mainland China. Rather than show respect for the superiority of Chinese culture, China was forced to adhere to the traditions of Western diplomacy. The influx of foreign culture reoriented Chinas economy, eventually leading to the dynastys downfall in 1912. Some historians, such as William C. Kirby, a professor of Chinese studies at Harvard Business School, argue that the unequal treaties did have benefits for China such as modernizing its institutions and its education system. However, that does not always mean that trade pacts are mutually beneficial. One should always be cautious that what is good for you, you imagine is good for the other party automatically, Mr. Kirby said. It might be, it might not be. Trump administration officials have tried to make the case that the changes it wants China to make will benefit everyone. The kinds of things that were asking for are not anti-Chinese at all, Mr. Lighthizer told NPR this week. In fact, the reformers would say its pro-Chinese. It will help their economy, not hurt their economy. Despite suggesting that their interests are aligned, it has been difficult for the United States to push China to make changes without coming across as bullying or insensitive. After talks stalled in February, Larry Kudlow, the director of the White Houses National Economic Council, said that Mr. Lighthizer read the riot act to Liu He, Chinas vice premier and the countrys top trade negotiator. Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat of Delaware who was part of an unsuccessful 2017 effort to head off a Republican change that eliminated the 60-vote filibuster against Supreme Court nominees, said Democrats instead should focus on passing legislation with Republican help. The most important, the most significant, the longest pieces of reform in American history have been bipartisan, Mr. Coons said in an interview. We need to get back to passing meaningful legislation with bipartisan support. Those who think it is a solution, Mr. Coons said about eliminating the filibuster, should spend some time serving in the House. That was a pointed reference to the strong majority rule that exists across the Rotunda in the House, where the minority is often steamrollered and treated as irrelevant by the party in charge. Both Mr. Coons and Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, also part of the 2017 effort to preserve the Supreme Court filibuster, say that expanding the court will only add to the intensifying political aura around what is supposed to be a nonpartisan branch of government. They say they recognize that Senate Republicans, led by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, have strong-armed two Trump appointees Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court after blocking President Obamas nomination of Judge Garland for almost a year. But they say that doesnt mean Democrats should respond in kind. I know it is tempting to imagine everything we could do with 51 votes, but we also have a responsibility to consider everything Republicans could do and undo, said Mr. Bennet, who is weighing his own run for the Democratic presidential nomination. The lower-vote threshold has degraded the quality of judicial nominees and cabinet appointees many of whom would never have been confirmed under the previous standard. Other Democrats worry the rising cry for structural changes such as ending the filibuster and eliminating the presidential Electoral College another emerging theme will allow Republicans to paint Democrats as a sore-loser party that pushes to change the rules when it cannot win elections. They fear it will turn off voters leery of tinkering too much with the United States governing institutions. The reaction was even more intense in the Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, had planned to use the week to publicize his floor vote to force Democrats to take a stand on progressives Green New Deal an important party-building exercise for Republicans after Mr. Trumps decision to declare an emergency at the border sparked an insurrection in their ranks this month. Members of Mr. McConnells leadership team were incensed at Mr. Mulvaney and allies like the acting White House budget director, Russell Vought, for rekindling a fight that served Democrats so well in 2018 and could harm vulnerable incumbents in 2020, according to two senior aides with direct knowledge of the situation. The maneuver may make it much less likely that Mr. Vought, the chief of staffs handpicked successor to head the Office of Management and Budget, will be confirmed by the Senate, the aides said. And Democrats pressed their advantage. The equivalent of a nuclear bomb fell on our country when the president said what he said this week, Representative Anna G. Eshoo, Democrat of California, said Wednesday as her House subcommittee began pushing through health care legislation. This is deadly serious. But Mr. Trump doubled down while talking to reporters in the Oval Office. He predicted that the Texas decision would be upheld by the appeals court, then go to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, well have a plan that is far better than Obamacare, he said. [What happens if Obamacare is struck down? Read more.] White House press aides did not immediately respond to a request for comment. And one official, who asked for anonymity to speak about the meetings, insisted that Mr. Mulvaney had simply been convening people with various views so that the president could make his own decision. But Mr. Mulvaney was described as leading the charge to back the suit, in an account of the two meetings that was described by a half-dozen people with knowledge of what took place. Politico first reported that Mr. Mulvaney pushed Mr. Trump to get involved in the suit. Mr. Barr did not favor the move but did not object to the White House decision once it had been made, people familiar with what took place said. And one White House official said the administration faced a deadline imposed by the court if it wanted to support the suit. 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. But Justice Breyers remark nonetheless underscored a split on the court over whether to defer to expert agencies or to insist on independent judicial review of their actions. The precise question in the case was whether the court should overrule a pair of decisions that required judges to defer to agencies reasonable interpretations of their own ambiguous regulations. The decisions Bowles v. Seminole Rock & Sand Co. in 1945 and Auer v. Robbins in 1997 have been the subject of much criticism, and several justices have urged the Supreme Court to revisit them. Justice Elena Kagan, perhaps thinking of other decisions that may be at risk as well, said the court should not lightly overrule its precedents. We need a good reason for it, she said, particularly when Congress is free to address the matter. I mean, she said, we used to. The case, Kisor v. Wilkie, No. 18-15, concerned a regulation of the Department of Veterans Affairs concerning disability benefits. In ruling against James Kisor, who served in Vietnam as a Marine and later received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, a federal appeals court relied on the departments interpretation of one of its regulations. Paul W. Hughes, a lawyer for Mr. Kisor, said that shifting agency interpretations, made without notice to the public or comment from it, were at odds with federal law and fairness. The governor of Puerto Rico signed an executive order on Wednesday banning so-called conversion therapy for gay or transgender minors on the island. The decision came after Puerto Ricos House of Representatives refused to vote on a bill that would have prohibited conversion therapy, a discredited practice that proponents claim can change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. The measure passed the Senate this month. I firmly believe that the idea that there are people in our society who need treatment because of their gender identity or whom they love is not only absurd, it is harmful to so many children and young adults who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, Gov. Ricardo A. Rossello said in a statement last week announcing his plans. The original bill, introduced by Senators Eduardo Bhatia and Zoe Laboy Alvarado last spring, sought to ban conversion therapy among licensed medical professionals and in religious institutions that receive state funding. BEIRA, Mozambique The first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, Mozambique, officials announced on Wednesday, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people who lack clean water and are sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions. The five cholera cases were discovered in Munhava, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the port city, the national director of medical assistance, Ussene Isse, told reporters. The city of some 500,000 people is still struggling to provide clean water and sanitation after Cyclone Idai roared in on March 14. You know, cholera is an epidemic situation. When you have one case, you expect to have more cases in the community, Mr. Isse said. The World Health Organization has warned of a second disaster if potentially lethal, waterborne diseases like cholera spread in the devastated region. On Tuesday, it said 900,000 oral cholera vaccines were expected to arrive this week. It wasnt just about the encounter of two cultures, Mr. Lopez Obrador said. It was an invasion. Thousands of people were murdered during that period. One culture, one civilization, was imposed upon another to the point that the temples the Catholic churches were built on top of the ancient pre-Hispanic temples. But what caught the attention of his many critics in Mexico was his call for an apology. The Spaniards who stayed in Spain bear no responsibility for what happened here 500 years ago, wrote one columnist, Sergio Sarmiento. Some noted that Cortes conquered the Aztecs in alliance with other indigenous communities, raising a question about whether Spain was the only one at fault. Do we properly know who is us and who is them? wrote Jorge G. Castaneda, a former foreign minister. Is this a Pandoras box we want to open? Or is it pure demagogy? Mr. Lopez Obrador was accused of trying to create a distraction to divert attention from Mexicos problems, including brutal gang violence and a slowing economy. One reporter asked the president why he was not demanding that France and the United States, which also invaded Mexico, apologize as well. And if Spain should apologize, critics said, should Mexico not apologize as well for its treatment of indigenous groups since independence? Mr. Lopez Obrador said he planned to do that. In Spain, Mr. Borrell made a similar argument. Could Spain ask France to apologize for crimes committed during the Napoleonic wars, he asked, when the French invaded the Iberian Peninsula? Could France itself ask for an apology from Italy for the way the Romans conquered the Gauls under Julius Caesar? Detailing an increasingly desperate situation in Venezuela, the United Nations made a confidential plea on Wednesday to the countrys two rival leaders to end a political battle over humanitarian aid that has blocked shipments of food and medicine. A copy of a report delivered to representatives of both sides, obtained by The New York Times, casts no specific blame for worsening a crisis in Venezuela that by some estimates has plunged nearly the entire population of 32 million into poverty. But it suggests that measures carried out by the government of President Nicolas Maduro, such as blockading Venezuelas borders and imposing restrictions on aid organizations, have made the crisis more acute, as have sanctions put in place by the United States and others. When Hazara civilians were killed and forced from their homes during Taliban offensives last fall, Mr. Ruttig said, the attacks were not motivated solely by hostility toward the ethnic group. The Taliban were extending their so-called emirate, under which they tax residents, including Hazaras. The insurgents also improved their military position for leverage at peace talks in Doha, Qatar. Even so, Mr. Rutting said, We need to see proof from the Taliban that they do not have an anti-Hazara or anti-Shiite policy. Mr. Naji, the Hazara political leader, also cited what he said had been pervasive neglect of Hazaras by the Pashtun-dominated Afghan government. He said the authorities had provided few public services to west Kabul, where Hazaras have no hospital but have built their own private schools, computer academies and successful small businesses. Hazaras exhibit more liberal attitudes toward womens rights than other Afghan groups, and many Hazaras serve in the police and the army, Mr. Naji said. Women would be subjected to punitive restrictions and Hazaras would be purged from the military and government if the Taliban returned, he said. The new Taliban generation is even more fundamentalist than the old one, said Mr. Naji, who arrived for an interview in an armored vehicle accompanied by a bodyguard. At Al Zahra mosque nearby, Mr. Sufi held court as a cluster of Hazara men and women sat cross-legged on the floor, listening intently as he cataloged the perils of negotiating with the Taliban. They can talk all they want in Doha, Mr. Sufi said of the peace talks. But there can be no good result. NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday that India had test-fired a rocket that shot down one of its own satellites, escalating the countrys rivalry with China and Pakistan, and demonstrating a strategic capability in space that few countries possess. This technological leap, which was confirmed by the Pentagon, puts India in an exclusive club of nations, along with the United States, Russia and China, that have proved their ability to destroy targets in space. But it has potentially ominous repercussions, accelerating the space race with China and destabilizing the uneasy balance of power between India and Pakistan, which are both armed with nuclear weapons. It could allow India essentially to blind an enemy by taking out its space-based communication and surveillance satellites. Shooting down a satellite is no easy feat. In this case, scientists estimate that the satellite that India blasted apart was moving around the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour. Mr. Acierto, who once led the forces anti-narcotics division, said he submitted a report to his superiors in December of 2017 warning that two Chinese nationals who knew Mr. Duterte were suspected of involvement with narcotics. One of the two men, named Michael Yang, later became a presidential adviser, although he lost that status last year, Mr. Dutertes office has confirmed. But Mr. Duterte and officials in his government have denied that Mr. Yang is involved with drugs. In a speech on Tuesday, Mr. Duterte said Mr. Yang was a telecommunications businessman whose enterprises in the southern Philippines had created many jobs. He accused Mr. Acierto of corruption and various crimes. Why would I give importance to his report? he said. He should have done his job. Mr. Acierto was dismissed from the force last year over a scandal involving illegitimate licenses for assault rifles. He was one of several officers accused of issuing such licenses, for weapons that reportedly ended up in the hands of Communist insurgents. He refused to discuss the matter on Sunday, saying it was being litigated. Aaron Aquino, the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, confirmed that he had received Mr. Aciertos report on the two Chinese men in 2017 and sent it on to Mr. Dutertes office. He said Mr. Yang and the other man named in the report did not appear to be on any of the lists of supposed drug suspects, many of them in positions of authority, that Mr. Duterte has made public in the past. Mr. Acierto, however, said that Mr. Yang was involved with a methamphetamine manufacturing operation in the southern city of Davao as early as 2004. The other man named in the report worked with him, he said. At the time, Mr. Duterte was the mayor of Davao. LONDON In a last-ditch effort to try to get Parliament to pass her plan for Britain to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday offered to step down and allow another prime minister who has the confidence of her party and lawmakers to negotiate the final details. Mrs. Mays stunning overture to her fellow Conservatives came just as Parliament tried to sideline her and come up with its own plan for Brexit, as the process of leaving the bloc is known. But when lawmakers held a series of nonbinding votes on Wednesday night on eight different options for Britains future relationship with the European Union, none mustered a majority. Mrs. May is so unpopular and has lost so much authority within her party that her offer to step down, if her plan is approved, was greeted with relief by Tory lawmakers. To improve road safety, you can design roads in certain ways to limit speed, enforce speed limits and use vehicle technology, Dudley Curtis, a spokesman for the European Transport Safety Council, said in an interview on Wednesday. He said the newly proposed rules were just one aspect of improving safety. Mr. Curtis also noted that this was not new technology that would be imposed by the European Union: Some carmakers have already been selling new models fitted with it. The latest Ford models available in Europe have a system that, when enabled, uses a camera to recognize traffic signs and set the maximum speed according to local limits. Volvo Cars said this month that starting in 2020 it would limit top speed on all its cars at 112 miles per hour. It cited data from American regulators showing that 25 percent of traffic deaths in the United States in 2017 had been caused by speeding. As humans, we all understand the dangers with snakes, spiders and heights. With speeds, not so much, Jan Ivarsson, a safety expert with Volvo Cars, said in a statement earlier this month. People often drive too fast in a given traffic situation and have poor speed adaptation in relation to that traffic situation and their own capabilities as a driver. Despite European Union-wide safety rules, inequalities between member states persist. According to bloc statistics, death rates on roads were more than twice as high in Bulgaria and Romania, among the blocs poorest members, compared with some of the wealthiest nations, including Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden. One of the factors that divides Europe is an economic one, said Mr. Curtis of the safety council. Newer cars come to the richer countries first. There are also issues to do with infrastructure. Romania, for example, has few highways, which are generally considered among the safest areas of road transport. LONDON The European Union has moved one step closer to scrapping seasonal time change after a substantial majority of lawmakers voted to end the requirement to move clocks ahead by one hour in spring and then back in the fall. Under the current law, which has been in place for member states for two decades, clocks are moved ahead one hour on the last Sunday in March to create daylight saving time, and then moved back to standard time on the last Sunday in October. The European Parliament voted 410 to 192 on Tuesday to back a draft law to abolish the twice-a-year switch. Under the draft law, each of the 28 countries in the bloc (although Britain may have left by then) will have to choose before 2021 whether it will follow daylight saving time throughout the year or maintain standard time. That may seem to be a recipe for confusion, but Violeta Bulc, the European commissioner for mobility and transport, sought to allay concerns. DUMBARTON, Scotland I was sure she was dead, Lottie Mackinnon said quietly. Ms. Mackinnon was sitting huddled in the corner of a cafe with her two children, sipping hot chocolate as she described the day three years ago when she was walking with her Border collie, Bonnie, over the Overtoun Bridge in Dumbarton, Scotland. Something overcame Bonnie as soon as we approached the bridge, Ms. Mackinnon said. At first she froze, but then she became possessed by a strange energy and ran and jumped right off the parapet. A bewitched dog lured to leap off a bridge by a malevolent force? It sounds like a preposterous scene straight from an old Twilight Zone episode. But Ms. Mackinnons dog is one of hundreds that Scots insist have suddenly been compelled to throw themselves off the gothic stone structure since the 1950s. Many have ended up dead on the jagged rocks in the deep valley bed below. JERUSALEM The Israeli election on April 9 was supposed to be a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Facing indictment on bribery charges and a stiff challenge from a career soldier who retired as the militarys chief of staff, Mr. Netanyahu, for the first time, was both deeply vulnerable and unable to persuade Israelis that he was clearly the best prepared to keep them safe. Again and again this past week, Mr. Netanyahu appeared to lay bare those weaknesses. Yet suddenly it is the fitness of his opponent, Benny Gantz, that is being questioned. Nothing played out as expected when Mr. Netanyahu flew to Washington on Sunday. It had promised to be a crowning moment, in which President Trump would proclaim United States recognition of Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and Mr. Netanyahu would remind voters back home of his mastery of international diplomacy. But a Gaza rocket strike north of Tel Aviv on Monday not only set off a new round of violence, it also reminded voters that Mr. Netanyahus policy in Gaza, such as it is, has been to count on the Iron Dome antimissile system, order largely symbolic retaliatory airstrikes that cause few casualties, hope for cooler heads to prevail, and then do little if anything until the next flare-up. Chris Riley comes from a coal town and a coal family, but he founded a company that could hasten coals decline. Lee Van Horn, whose father worked underground in the mines, spends some days more than 300 feet in the air atop a wind turbine. They, and the other people in this story, represent a shift, not just in power generation but in generations of workers as well. They come from places where fossil fuels like coal provided lifelong employment for their parents, grandparents and neighbors. They found a different path, but not necessarily out of a deep environmental commitment. In America today there is more employment in wind and solar power than in mining and burning coal. And a jobs a job. His Great-Grandfather, Grandfather and Father Mined Coal. He Wants to Replace It. Its not ideology. Its just math. Chris Riley, entrepreneur | Utah Chris Riley grew up in the tiny mining town of Clawson in Utahs coal country, population 163, and half of them named Riley, he said. He grew up poor, raised by a single mother with help from food stamps and the local church. The Hunter Plant in Castle Dale, Utah, near Clawson. Mr. Rileys great-grandfather came to the United States from England to work in the regions mines. Mr. Rileys grandfather, Robert Riley, now 94, also spent his working years in the mines, as did his father, Mike. Mining memorabilia in the Riley home. On the day I met Mr. Riley, he was driving to Clawson from Salt Lake City for a visit. Mr. Riley is the first member of his family to graduate from college, and he did not seek employment in the local mines. My family pushed me pretty hard to find a way to get out of town, he said. After serving in the Navy, where he commanded the patrol ship Sirocco, and graduating from Harvard Business School, Mr. Riley and friends founded Guzman Energy. They want to disrupt the energy business by helping communities in the West find alternatives to the relatively expensive power provided by rural electric cooperatives and their coal-burning plants such as cheaper, renewable energy sources. His sales pitch, he said, is not about enlisting these towns to fight climate change. Its not ideology, he said. Its just math. Mr. Riley with his aunt Carey Bloomer and grandfather Robert Riley. As we sat around his grandparents dinner table, he laid out for his family the implications of his business plan for the first time. He explained that helping his customers would inevitably hurt towns like Clawson. Its not like you put a wind farm in and it turns a coal plant off, he told them, but youre making coal plants not needed as much. They listened intently. Like many Westerners, they say that environmental concerns are overblown and that they dont trust government initiatives like President Barack Obamas Clean Power Plan, designed to curb emissions from coal plants. This, however, was different, said Mr. Rileys uncle Wade, who has moved from Utah to West Virginia and back again because of mine closures. Youre not coming in and saying we want to shut that down because we want to put this in as part of government meddling, he said. Eventually its going to happen, because thats the way nature is. In Venezuela, His Father Worked in Oil. He Worked on the Paris Climate Deal. Pursuing my family background in oil was not the way to go. Luis Davila, solar executive | California Luis Davila grew up in Punto Fijo, Venezuela, and Curacao, the son and nephew of oil executives. And he grew up around oil refineries. We were deep in the oil economy, he recalled. Dads role was to go around refineries and upgrade them, both in South America and the Caribbean. Mr. Davilas father, in blue shirt, at an oil refinery in Barrancabermeja, Colombia. via Luis Davila Assuming that oil would be his career, he took an internship after his freshman year of college working in a Curacao refinery, but was unhappy with the conditions for workers. I breathed in all the gases and learned what it was like for them, he said. Back at Seton Hall University, he learned about climate change. It changed my life, he said. Pursuing my family background in oil was not the way to go. He sought work in foundations that focused on climate action, making his way to the United Nations climate change agency, where he worked to build support internationally for the Paris climate agreement. After nine years with the agency, he decided it was time to work to implement the agreement through concrete measures. And so he came to Sunrun, a major solar company, where he is the companys director of campaigns and advocacy. He works in San Francisco, where the company is about to move into the old Standard Oil Building. Her Grandfather Worked in Coal. Her Grandmother Begged Her Not To. She told me not to break myself down like my grandfather did. Jess Varney, construction worker | West Virginia Jess Varney grew up in Mingo County, W.Va., deep in Appalachian coal country, with many family members who worked for mining companies. She came to Coalfield Development, a local job training organization, to learn other trades. She is working on construction crews with the group today, largely on projects that retrofit buildings for energy efficiency and solar power. She had thought she might work in the mines herself someday, but my grandmother begged me not to do that, she said. Her grandmother had raised Ms. Varney, and had seen too much death and disease in her family to want her granddaughter to follow that path. She told me not to break myself down like my grandfather did. Jess Varney and her great-grandfather. via Jess Varney She said she was not motivated by environmental concerns, but by a desire to provide for her family her partner, her child and stepchild in a region where the economy doesnt offer many opportunities. He Was a Marine in Iraq. His Father Suggested Wind Farms. I dont like heights, but I trust my dad a lot. Jake Thompson, wind farm manager | Texas From the top of wind turbine No. 48 near Stanton, Tex., 300 feet above the ground, you can see lines of wind towers curving into the distance. But closer to the ground, the infrastructure of oil and gas stands out: bobbing pump jacks and drilling rigs. This is the heart of the Permian Basin, the second most productive oil field in the United States. A wind boom coexists here with the oil boom; Texas now produces more wind power than any other state. Jake Thompson is the manager of this wind farm, owned by Invenergy. A former Marine, he served six years, with deployments that took him to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. He expected that after he got out, he would work, as his father had, in the oil fields. But his father, who had been laid off and rehired in several of the industrys cycles, had a different suggestion for his son: wind. Their hometown, Snyder, he told Jake, was almost completely surrounded by turbines. I kind of laughed at him at first, Mr. Thompson said. I dont like heights. But he found that many of the skills hed mastered working on helicopters in the Persian Gulf were similar to those in turbines. He applied, and got hired. The first time his fellow employees had him climb the ladder to the top of a tower, he said, I was still in pretty good shape from the military, so the climb didnt bother me, as it does many first timers. And then there was that view. I looked out at the top, he said, and decided that was going to be my career. He says hes still afraid of heights. He Wants to Hold On to Traditions. So Hes Studying Renewable Tech. When was the last time someone baked crude oil into bread? Levi Kudrna, student | North Dakota Levi Kudrna was barely into his teens when the North Dakota oil boom started. He grew up in a farming family and loved that life. What oil did to his state, his community, the local way of life, troubled him. He recognizes that the money has been helpful; his school got a library addition from tax proceeds. But hes also seen highways packed with semi trucks hauling frac sand and heavy equipment and leaving choking dust in their wake. Hes seen the night sky marred by the glare of flaring gas. Now, Mr. Kudrna is taking classes in an energy industry training program at Bismarck State College. He said he hoped to find a local job in renewables that would provide a steady income to let him continue farming and ranching as a second job. Many local neighbor people lost their focus on farming and ranching, which once was the driving force behind our state wealth, and began working oil field jobs paying so much better than farming ever could, Mr. Kudrna said. Many of these people lost part of that neighborly connection they once held. Her Grandfather Embodied Mining. Shes a Vice President at a Solar Company. We look at it as a common thing. Were all in the energy business. Miranda Barnard, solar marketing | Utah Miranda Barnard comes from the small coal mining town of Price, the seat of Carbon County, Utah, less than an hour away from Chris Rileys hometown. Like the Rileys, her family boasts four generations of coal miners. Its just kind of the family business, she said. Her grandfather, Juan Antonio Valdez, was even in a magazine advertisement about coal mining in the 1970s. Her father was a mine foreman. Left image via Miranda Barnard Today she works as vice president of marketing at Vivint Solar, a company in Lehi, Utah, near Salt Lake City. In her office, shes proudly hung the old ad with her grandfather; her familys ties to the industry are important to her, she said. I am probably one of the few people who work in solar who went to sleep at night knowing all the hard work that went into being able to turn the lights on and off, she said. Her choice of career has not caused tension with her family members. We look at it as a common thing, she said. Were all in the energy business. He Was Raised in a Coal Town. He Manages a Wind Farm Overlooking a Mine. I just feel we are really making a difference here. Lee Van Horn, wind farm manager | Pennsylvania Lee Van Horn grew up in northeast Pennsylvania and lives in a village, or patch, called Park Place. Its anthracite country, and his father worked in the mines there for a time. Across the street from Lees elementary school stood the St. Nicholas Breaker, a huge coal processing plant. It was painted white, but was coated black with coal dust. Just about everything was back then, Mr. Van Horn said. It is a region steeped in industry history. In Shenandoah, just down the hill from the wind farm he manages, there a memorial to miners and road names like Coal Street. He worked for 24 years with Western Electric and then at other companies, switching to wind power in 2006; he is now manager of Locust Ridge 1 and 2, owned by Avangrid Renewables. He recalled watching a wind farm go up near his home and thinking, Here we are in the coal region and theyre building wind farms, of all places. Like many wind farms, Locust Ridge sits on high ground. In this case, its two mountains in one. Nature created the rock mass that the turbines stand on, but resting against it is a mountain just as high, formed of tailings from the areas mines, chunks of hard anthracite and softer, flaky lower-grade stuff. Looking out over the valley below, with the turbine blades whooshing overhead, the cuts in the mountain from the old mines stand out, as do the tall smokestacks of the remaining coal-burning plants. In Boston from 2010 to 2015, there were 221 gun homicides. Research suggests that one change could have lowered that number by 40 percent: smaller bullets. A study last year, published in JAMA Network Open, examined the type of weapon used in every fatal and nonfatal shooting in the city. It found that regardless of the time of day, the number of wounds or the circumstances of the crime the size of the bullet affected which gunshot victims lived and which ones died. Effect on homicide rate if all wounds had been from guns with a ... At the center of the debate about gun control lies the question of whether the availability of deadly weapons increases the seriousness of crime. Critics of gun control contend it doesnt. As the popular bumper sticker argues: Guns dont kill people. People kill people. The study set out to test that slogan -- and found it wanting. The type of weapon matters, said Philip Cook, an emeritus professor of public policy at Duke University, and one of the studys co-authors. If all the shooters in Boston had used the types of guns in circulation with the biggest bullets, the homicide rate could have been 43 percent higher, the researchers calculated recently, even with the same people committing exactly the same crimes. Criminal shootings in Boston, 2010-2014 For shootings in which there is a recorded caliber. Caliber classification determined by researchers. Over recent decades, the size of bullets fired by the typical handgun has increased. Changes in design have made it easier to fire big bullets from concealable weapons, and manufacturers have marketed more powerful guns as better tools for self-defense. In the 1970s and 1980s, the guns most commonly used in crime tended to be revolvers or small, inexpensive pistols that fired .22-caliber rounds, so-called for their 0.22-inch diameter. a .22-caliber round 2 cm. 1 cm. But regulations meant to reduce crimes committed with these cheap, disposable guns, sometimes called Saturday night specials, pushed them out of gun stores. And advances in gun technology caused a new generation of weapons to hit the market and eventually the streets. The newer guns, which started to become common in the 1990s, were semi-automatic. They could fire multiple rounds more quickly, and tended to be able to store more bullets in their magazines, meaning they required less reloading in long shootouts. And instead of buying guns that fired smaller bullets, people started purchasing ones that fired rounds that were 9 millimeters wide, about 0.35 inches, then 0.40 and 0.45 inches. a 9mm-caliber round 2 cm. 1 cm. Guns that fire big bullets used to also be big. But improvements in technology have meant that large-caliber weapons are now available as pistols that can be more easily carried and hidden. These advances, intended for the legal self-defense market, have spread to the criminal one, too. Although data about the guns owned and used by criminals is imperfect, evidence suggests that criminals buying preferences are not substantially different from that of the general public. A recent study of guns used by criminal gangs, also in the Boston area, found that gang members paid the most for large-caliber semi-automatic pistols, which they often bought secondhand at prices much higher than those paid by legal purchasers in gun stores. Police seizures of guns in other cities, including Chicago, also show a growing share of large-caliber handguns. a .45-caliber round 3 cm. 2 cm. 1 cm. In general, the criminals who are using guns in crime do want the higher-caliber, more lethal weapons, and want the newest and sexiest, said Roseanna Ander, the founding executive director of the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago. But there is a big markup, and they sometimes cant get them. A foundational statistical study in 1972 looked at detailed crime records in Chicago and first documented a relationship between weapon type and outcome. Franklin Zimring, a professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, said he had been surprised to see so much similarity in the circumstances between fatal and nonfatal shootings. What made the difference, he said, appeared to be some combination of luck, aim and the weapon involved. Mr. Zimring called that paper The Medium Is the Message, but said he had been urged to title it The Bigger the Bullet, the Bigger the Hole. In the decades since, little has been done to replicate its results. The police dont always collect information about the caliber involved in shootings. Detailed data about all the particulars of nonfatal shootings is particularly rare. But when Anthony Braga, the director of the school of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University, and Mr. Cook learned that Bostons Police Department was collecting information about caliber as part of an effort to improve its homicide clearance rate, they decided to retest that earlier thesis. It took five years of shootings for the researchers to collect enough data to draw firm conclusions. Bigger rounds can have their drawbacks for shooters, particularly when loaded into compact handguns. Because the bigger ammunition tends to fire with more explosive power, the .40- and .45-caliber handguns that some Boston criminals were using can have strong recoil that can make them hard to handle or to aim subsequent shots. The trade-off between caliber and aim is, in part, why the F.B.I. and many police departments carry 9-millimeter guns rather than larger alternatives. But accuracy seemed a less important consideration for the Boston criminals in the data the researchers examined. Unlike police shootings, most of the shootings in the sample involved a single bullet wound. Their aim is terrible, fortunately, Mr. Cook said. A lot of these cases are drive-bys or cases where you just wouldnt expect that theres any sharpshooting going on. If people are determined to kill someone, will they find a way? Critics of the studys conclusion contend that the choice of gun itself can be an expression of a criminals intent. As far as I know, everyone in the field believes bigger-caliber handguns are more lethal than smaller-caliber handguns it's a nonissue," said Gary Kleck, a professor emeritus of criminology at Florida State University, in an email. But he said the study failed to take into consideration that a larger gun might signal a more determined killer. "The authors' implied claim that lethality of the shooter's intent has no effect on victim death is bizarre." There are no serious current proposals to regulate or limit the sale of handguns by caliber size. A recent anonymous survey of gun researchers by the nonpartisan RAND Corporation found that the field remains divided on the question of how much weapons matter in crime Its true that the era of larger-caliber handguns has also been an era of declining violent crime. Homicides in most major American cities peaked in the early 1990s, just before larger-caliber pistols became common. The homicide rate has fallen nearly by half since then. But the research about weapon caliber suggests it could have dropped by even more. BioFishency Ltd., an Israeli aquaculture solutions provider, completed an investment round of $2.4m. The primary investors in the round were a private investor from China, Aqua-Spark, a global investment fund based in the Netherlands, and The Trendlines Group. The company intends to use the funds to set up a Chinese operation and to continue R&D to provide additional aquaculture solutions for the market. Founded in 2013 by Cobi Levanon and Igal Magen, BioFishency is an aquaculture solutions provider focused on increasing growers productivity and sustainability through its innovative technologies and knowhow. The company develops and produces water treatment systems for use in land-based aquaculture and sells its SPB Single Pass BioFilters (SPB) in various capacities as a plug-and-play, complete systems, and manages projects. BioFishencys systems operate in countries around the world, including Israel, Congo, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and China. With over $1.3 million in sales for 2018, the company has more than doubled its total 2017 revenues. BioFishency is a portfolio company of The Trendlines Group Ltd. (Trendlines) (SGX: 42T) (OTCQX: TRNLY). FinSMEs 27/03/2019 The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) announced Shane OBrien as the new region four director to the REINZ Board. OBrien brings more than 25 years of real estate industry experience to the REINZ Board. He previously worked with Bayleys Real Estate, where he was manager, director and shareholder. In 2008, he became a fellow of REINZ. Currently, OBrien is the director of Northington AgriCapital Limited and the national director of Colliers International Rural & Agribusiness. We are delighted to welcome Shane as our newest regional director, REINZ Board chair Bridget Coates said. He brings a wealth of experience and local knowledge of the Canterbury/West Coast region. I look forward to working with him closely moving forward. Confirm BioSciences, a San Diego, CA-based provider for high-quality diagnostic testing and health & wellness solutions for both the corporate community and individual consumers, secured impact financing from HCAP Partners. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to scale the business with channel expansion (including the recent launch of HairConfirm in the retail market), upcoming new products serving the corporate customer and individual consumers alike, as well as international market expansion. Launched in 2008 and led by Zeynep Ilgaz, CEO, Confirm BioSciences provides corporate and personal wellness through instant and lab-based testing solutions, educational resources, and results reports for concerns ranging from drugs of abuse to health and well-being. The product portfolio ranges from instant and lab-based testing solutions for drugs of abuse, including HairConfirm (hair-based) and Drug Confirm (urine-based), to HealthConfirm, a line of testing solutions for health & wellness hormones and neurotransmitters, with all results delivered in user-friendly reports. The testing tools are utilized by over 10,000 business customers and sold to consumers directly at many major retailers and online at https://testcountry.com and https://livewelltesting.com The company donates 5% of its profits to homeless shelters. FinSMEs 27/03/2019 SELAMAT DATANG DI MESINSLOT. SITUS JUDI CASINO DAN SLOT TERBAIK DI iNDONESIA - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: Global Gaming pada 2021-02-26 dari 10:00 AM sampai 2031-02-26 10:00 AM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, Global Gaming permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan. - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: Asia Gaming pada 2021-04-07 dari 1:00 PM sampai 2021-04-08 11:00 PM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, Asia Gaming permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan. - Pemeliharaan Terjadwal: S128 Cockfight pada 2021-02-26 dari 12:00 PM sampai 2031-02-26 12:00 PM (GMT + 7). Selama waktu ini, S128 Cockfight permainan tidak akan tersedia. Kami memohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan yang mungkin ditimbulkan. Nodin (Formerly called Appli), a Denver, CO-based AI-driven augmented analytics platform, completed an initial round of funding of $5m. Backers included Liberty Global Ventures and the Anschutz Ventures Group. The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand operations. Led by Jeff Allen, CEO, Nodin will soon launch a SaaS-based, AI-driven augmented analytics platform for executives and business analysts to get access to a set of capabilities that provides clear, automated business insights about what is happening in a business, why it is happening, and what to do next. Developed over the last eighteen months, the platform has been tested and refined through pilot projects with several prominent companies in the U.S. and Europe. FinSMEs 27/03/2019 The Lyalls wren was a species of small, flightless birds that once thrived on Stephens Island, in New Zealand. Its one of the many species that have been rendered extinct by the reckless introduction of predators in their natural habitat, but what makes this birds story unique is that it was allegedly both discovered and wiped out by a house cat named Tibbles. The lighthouse on Stephens Island was built in 1892, but the existence of a yet-undiscovered species of bird on this small patch of land was only reported a couple of years later, when assistant lighthouse keeper David Lyall moved in, along with a small staff and his pregnant cat, Tibbles. Lyall was a passionate naturalist and amateur ornithologist, and was looking forward to pursuing his hobbies on this previously uninhabited island, but little did he know that he would go down in history as the man who discovered the Lyalls wren and indirectly caused its extinction, both in less than a year. Photo: bogitw/Pixabay According to All About Birds, Lyalls pet, Tibbles, was the first cat to set foot on Stephens Island. In fact, before her arrival, in 1894, there had never been any mammalian predators on the island. Once there, all she had to do was follow her predatory instincts to cause havoc among the local bird population, including a particularly rare species now known as Lyalls wren. No one knows how Tibbles was like as a pet, but if she was anything like most cats, she probably loved roaming the island in search of prey, and the story goes that she quickly started bringing David Lyall some of her catches, including whole, or partially eaten specimens of a small bird he didnt recognize. The Lyalls wren has been extinct for over a century, but records describe it as a flightless bird small enough to fit in the palm of a persons hand, featuring an olive-brown plumage with a distinctive yellow stripe through the eye. Its chest lacked a keel to anchor the muscles necessary for flight, and its wings were small and rounded, with loose feathers that werent airtight enough for flight. David Lyall described it as an almost nocturnal bird running around the rocks like a mouse and so quick in its movements that he could not get near enough to hit it with a stick or stone. Unfortunately, it wasnt fast enough to escape his cat. When the assistant lighthouse keeper examined some of the birds Tibbles had brought him as trophies, he found that he didnt recognize the species. After writing to several ornithologists in New Zealand, describing this mysterious bird, he learned that they couldnt identify it either. He managed to preserve over a dozen wrens, by taking out their insides and letting them dry in the sun, and sent them to prominent ornithologists like Walter Rothschild, Walter Buller, and H. H. Travers. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain) Experts started writing about this new species of bird discovered on Stephens Island in journals, and one reportedly paid a small fortune for a few of the preserved specimens. Many of them suggested that the new species be named Traversia lyalli, in honor of David Lyall, the man who had first spotted the birds, and H.H. Travers, the ornithologist who helped him spread awareness about them. But while experts were writing about the Lyalls wren and deciding on the species scientific name, Tibbles the cat continued hunting the poor flightless birds, whose speed couldnt save them from her sharp claws and teeth. To make matters worse, the cat, who was pregnant when she arrived on Stephens Island, had a litter of kittens, who started reproducing as soon as they became old enough to do so. If an unrelated mate is not available, cat siblings will eventually mate with each other and even with the mother. Female cats can produce litters of up to eight kittens, and can be impregnated again just a few days after giving birth. Cats tend to breed rapidly and often, so its not that unsurprising that in just a few months time, the Lyalls wren went from having to survive one efficient predator, to dealing with dozens of them. Photo: LawrielM/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Before David Lyall even realized the danger Tibbles and her brood posed to the flightless bird he had discovered, the Lyalls wren was almost completely wiped out. In a letter he sent to the mainland in February of 1895, the lighthouse keeper wrote the cats have become wild and are making sad havoc among the birds. By the time the letter was sent out, there had been just two sightings of live birds, the other being corpses brought by Tibbles. A month after Lyall expressed his fears in his letter, an editorial in Christchurch newspaper The Press confirmed ornithologists biggest fear: there is very good reason to believe that the bird is no longer to be found on the island, and, as it is not known to exist anywhere else, it has apparently become quite extinct. This is probably a record performance in the way of extermination. Of all the Lyalls wrens that once thrived on Stephens Island, only the 15 specimens once preserved by David Lyall himself remain, exhibited at nine different museums around the world. They act as sad reminders of the devastating effects that the introduction of a single invasive predator in a species ecosystem can have. Photo: Avenue/Wikimedia Commons (GNU Free Documentation License) As for the cats of Stephens Island, they continued to reproduce and feast on whatever prey was available for years. In 1899, a new lighthouse keeper was installed on the island and he reportedly shot and killed over 100 feral cats in the first nine months there. However, Stephens Island only became completely cat-free in 1925. Dennis Muilenburg Boeing turned to Sard Verbinnen for crisis support in the days following the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, according to the New York Times. The aerospace giant had been roundly criticized for its slow and lackluster response to the crisis, keeping its well-connected CEO Dennis Muilenburg out of sight as countries throughout the world banned 737 Max planes from their airspaces and airlines grounded fleets. Richard Levick, DC crisis pro, told the Times that Boeing's initial response was "very engineering-esque," and lacked a "human face." He faulted Boeing for responding to the crisis as a "business-to-business company, rather than a business-to-consumer" issue. "Consumers now care about what plane they are on," said Levick. The Times noted that Boeing, which keeps SVB on retainer, has become more assertive since the New York-based firm took command of the response to the 737 Max crash. Muilenburg released a statement and video on March 18 to express regret for the Ethiopian and October Lion Air Flight 610 crashes and emphasized the company's commitment to safety. The company followed up with full-page ads in the NYT, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. The Senate kicks off hearings today on aviation safety. Boeing is now engaged in a "charm offensive" with customers and news media to discuss changes made to the 737 Max, reported the Times. SVB has not responded for comment. Country star Robert Mizzell is set to meet and greet fans at the Bridge Centre in Tullamore on Saturday, March 30. He will be appearing at the Ballymore Country Music Festival stand in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore. Living in Westmeath, Robert has made the midlands his home since arriving in Ireland from his native Louisiana over 20 years ago. With twelve studio albums to his credit, and a genuine down-to-earthiness that has seen Irish fans take him to their hearts, Robert has become one of the landmark figures on the Irish country scene. He's also just released his new single, The Farmer, written by Nuala Woods, a track that seems certain to be another hit and one of his most requested by the time he takes to the stage at the Ballymore Country Music Festival in August. Tickets for the festival will be on sale in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore on Saturday, March 30, with Robert expected to make a special appearance to meet and greet fans between 3pm and 5pm in the afternoon. This will be a great chance for country fans of all ages - but especially those in the younger or older age groups who can't always make it to gigs - to get an autograph from or a selfie with a man who has a reputation as being one of the nicest people in the business, as well as being one of the country scene's top entertainers. The Ballymore Country Music Festival is regarded as one of the premier outdoor events on the country music calendar, and this year's line-up is set to continue that long-established tradition. Joining Robert in the Westmeath town on the August bank holiday Monday will be Nathan Carter, who will be treating fans to a full-set with his own band, Dancing With The Stars finalist Cliona Hagan, Michael English, Jimmy Buckley, Johnny Brady, and the Sheerin Family band. Tickets for the festival are also available from the official website, www.ballymorecountrymusicfestival.com. Midlands group, the Wrafter Family Band, earned the plaudits of all three judges on TG4 show Realta Agus Gaolta as they were voted winners of their round of the competition last Sunday night. They will now advance to the semi-finals of the search for Ireland's most talented family. The Wrafters, from Kilbeggan, performed their version of the song, Farewell To The Rhondda, with their musical ability and versatility impressing judges Sinead Ni Uallachain, Irial O' Ceallaigh and Jim Lockhart. Commenting after the Wrafter's performance, judge Irial O' Ceallaigh remarked, "That was 100%. I couldn't say anything that would make that better." Having experienced the disappointment of not making it past the first round last year, dad of the family, Peter Wrafter, explained that winning their round this year was both a relief and another experience to build upon. "We certainly didn't take anything for granted, I don't think anyone could do that. Everyone who is involved in the show is there on their own merits, and because they have talent to begin with." "Last year, we had the experience of things ending for us at the first hurdle, so to speak. But I don't think anyone can be involved in a show like this, definitely not one as well put together as we've seen Realta Agus Gaolta to be, without learning from it, and being better because of it." "And to always be learning, and getting better, that's the most important thing. That being said, we were delighted to get through, and it was a nice surprise - and I suppose a relief as well - to hear our name called at the end." Peter continued, "It's been a lovely experience for us again this year, everyone from Sile [Seoige, the host] to the judges, to everyone behind the scenes, have been fantastic to work with. The plan now is just to keep enjoying our time on the show, and to see how far it goes." Realta Agus Gaolta is broadcast every Sunday night at 8.30pm on TG4. Offaly's Lough Boora Parklands have received more national recognition after picking up the 'Best Day Out' category at the Irish Hospitality Awards 2019. The National Hospitality Awards are the pre-eminent pan-industry awards for the Irish hospitality sector. The awards are open to operators working in the Irish hotel, restaurant, pub, bar, nightclub and contract catering sectors. The National Hospitality Awards are a distinctive and prestigious recognition of the efforts of the very best in the business. The awards are judged by industry professionals, to a rigorous standard, and winners are establishments that have really excelled in both front and back of house. Lough Boora was honoured to win the award and in a statement, said: "Thank you to all who voted and nominated us in a very competitive category which included a range of other great places such as Fota Wildlife Park and the National History Museum." "Well done to all who organised and thank you to the public for your continuing support. Keep visiting us, there is so much to see and do in Lough Boora." Fianna Fail TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen, has called on the government to take immediate action to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers in the beef sector. Deputy Cowen was speaking ahead of a Fianna Fail private members motion which will take place this evening. Deputy Cowen said: For too long this Government has sat on its hands while the beef sector and suckler farmers suffer. With prices on the floor and potential no deal chaos on the horizon, the government must take swift action to safeguard the sector." Successive Fine Gael led Governments have reneged on commitments under the Beef Forum, including the introduction of a market index for price transparency. A hard Brexit and any potential Mercosur deal would be disastrous for the beef sector and would see many livelihoods go to the wall. Farmers all across Offaly were feeling the brunt of Fine Gael inaction long before Brexit was ever a thought. Now, however, they are being warned to brace for the worst when they are already at rock bottom." The Fianna Fail motion puts forward 14 key measures we believe the government should take to alleviate some of the challenges the beef sector is facing. These include seeking market disturbance aid from the EU as pertained under CAP; opening the Brexit Loan Scheme for farmers; increasing live exports of calves by enhancing lairage capacity; ensuring that the next CAP is fully funded to provide a 200 suckler cow payment as well as the introduction of a beef market index," Barry explained. These are small steps the government could take to show that they are concerned with the situation and that they have a desire to fix it. So far we have seen neither and it demonstrates yet again the Government ambivalence toward the farming sector and rural Ireland in general, concluded Deputy Cowen. Rad Power Bikes, a North American electric bike brand, secured a round of private funding of undisclosed amount. Backers included Darrell Cavens and Mark Vadon, Seattle-area entrepreneurs and investors known for building and scaling ecommerce brands such as Zulily, one of a few ecommerce retailers to reach $1 billion in annual net sales in five years. They are both joining as advisors, with Cavens also being added to Rad Power Bikes Board of Directors. The resources will immediately be put toward growth initiatives including product innovation, inventory, staffing, and operations. Led by Mike Radenbaugh and Ty Collins, Rad Power Bikes offers feature-rich fat tire, commuter, folding, and cargo ebikes operating consumer and commercial divisions throughout the U.S., Canada, and 30 European cities. The investment will accelerate the growth of the global consumer direct business, which is projected to more than double revenue again this year to exceed $100 million. FinSMEs 27/03/2019 Talkoot, a Portland, Oregon-based cloud content production platform for global brands, closed a $1.65m seed funding round. The round was led by Seven Peaks Ventures, joined by Cascade Angels, Willamette Valley Capital and a number of individual investors. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate sales and marketing and drive product development. Brian Hennessy, co-founder and chief operating officer, Talkoot provides a software as a service (SaaS)-based product content production system designed to allows brand teams to write, edit, approve, translate and deliver copy globally. The platform, which plugs into existing enterprise resource planning, content management and product lifecycle management systems without creating redundant functionality or costs, is already in use by leading consumer-centric brands including Adidas, Mountain Hardwear, Dr. Martens, Burton Snowboards and Under Armour. The company also has offices in Hood River. FinSMEs 26/03/2019 Trellis Research, a Los Angeles, CA-based research tool for litigators, raised $2M in seed funding. The round was led by Okapi Venture Capital, with participation from Craft Ventures and Sequoia Scout, Revel Ventures and Intrepid Ventures, Earthlink founder and CEO Sky Dalton, former Federal Communications Commissioner Julius Genachowski, Clutter CEO Brian Thomas, and Wayne Cheng, who sold Crashalytics to Google. The company intends to use the funds to expand into additional markets. Created by CEO Nicole Clark, Trellis leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to allow attorneys to research issues and judges, prepare motions targeted to their trial judges preferences, and predict settlement ranges and class member payouts. When Trellis launches in New York in late 2019, the platform will be available to 25 percent of the nations 3 million lawyers. Clark is a career litigator who developed the idea for the tool for her own use while litigating at an AM100 law firm in Los Angeles. Trellis is a graduate of Techstars LA 2018. FinSMEs 27/03/2019 Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label. AAP leaders to visit Ram Lalla shrine before Ayodhya yatra, first list of UP candidates soon AAP to contest all seats in UP assembly polls, not in talks for any alliance: Sanjay Singh AAP- Congress alliance in offing India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, March 27: After much dilly-dallying, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have almost finalised the terms of alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The sources say that the announcement of the alliance can be made as early as this week. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had been expressing keenness on an alliance with the Congress for 'defeating the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo' in the May 12 polls in the Capital. It's notable that reports of Congress and AAP alliance were doing the rounds before the Lok Sabha elections schedule was announced. The seat-sharing formula couldn't be finalised because the AAP, with a majority in assembly seats (66) in Delhi, was demanding five seats for self and was ready to give two for the Congress in Delhi, say sources. Delhi has seven seats currently represented by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). [AAP doing the right thing by going solo? Here's what Delhiites have to say] The Congress was not ready for the AAP's offer and had offered a '3+3+1' model: three seats each for both the parties and one for a celebrity. The AAP was ready for this offer provided the Congress gives it two seats each in Punjab and Haryana. Punjab has 13 and Haryana 10 parliamentary seats. Sources tell One India that the likely alliance with the AAP will take a final shape as the former Delhi Chief Minister and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Sheila Dikshit has given up her resistance. Last month, Dikshit had ruled out chances of an alliance with the AAP in Delhi. But since then she has had two meetings with Rahul Gandhi over this issue. Dikshit and other Congress leaders were opposed to Lok Sabha alliance with the AAP in Delhi because it would mean sharing the burden of anti-incumbency against Kejriwal government, more so when the Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled within months after the general elections. Former DPCC chief Ajay Maken and Congress' Delhi in-charge PC Chacko have been pressing for alliance with the AAP in Delhi. However, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is still not ready to embrace Kejriwal's party in Punjab, say sources. The AAP is facing internal crisis in Punjab that had given four Lok Sabha seats to it in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Two rebel AAP leaders-Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Jaitu MLA Baldev Singh, besides senior lawyer H S Phoolka - quit the party recently. The sources say that the Congress has agreed to give one or two seats to the AAP in Haryana and both the parties are likely to contest three seats each in Delhi and on one seat a celebrity will be fielded who will contest on the Congress symbol. 'Vehicle was signalled to stop but it tried to flee': Amit Shah explains how the Nagaland firing unfolded Amit Shah's final call: Giriraj Singh will fight polls from Begusarai India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Mar 27: Notwithstanding Giriraj Singh's reluctance to contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president on Wednesday made it clear that the Minister of State for MSME would contest from Begusarai parliamentary seat in Bihar. Giriraj Singh earlier expressed disappointment with the BJP leadership for changing his seat from Nawada, from where he is a sitting MP, to Begusarai in Bihar without consulting him. Singh, after meeting with the senior BJP leaders in Delhi, reportedly refused to contest from the Begusarai seat and demanded to contest only from Nawada, where the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has named an Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) representative, Chandan Kumar. Denied ticket from Nawada,Giriraj goes into a sulk "Shri Giriraj Singh will contest Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai. Party organization will solve all the issues he told me about. I wish him for the elections," Shah said on Wednesday. NDA had on Saturday announced the list of candidates and their respective seats to be contested by its three constituents -- the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. As per the announcement, the BJP and the JD(U) will contest 17 seats each and six seats were allotted to the LJP. Kanhaiya Kumar likens Giriraj Singh to a school kid "I don't have any issue with the people of Begusarai. My only issue is with the state party management. I want to ask the high-command why my seat was changed from Navada to Begusarai. And why only mine? I cannot compromise with my self respect," Singh had reportedly told a TV channel. Taking a jibe at Singh, former JNU students' union president and CPI candidate from Begusarai, Kanhaiya Kumar, wrote in a Facebook post that the minister's behaviour could be compared to a kid's refusal to attend school after failing to complete his homework. Got an idea of what was to come, former Pak envoy on meeting Ram Madhav BJP demands FIR against Akbar Lone over 'anti-India statements'; Asks why NC, PDP contesting LS poll India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Mar 27: Taking a strong exception to National Conference leader Akbar Lone's controversial remarks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav, who is in Srinagar today, demanded that action be taken against Lone. Madhav further said that the National Conference leadership should clarify if they agree with Lone's statement or not. Lone, who is National Conference's Parliamentary candidate from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, had on Saturday (March 23) allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans at a rally in Kupwara district and called Pakistan "his Muslim nation on the other side". He also allegedly threatened to abuse anyone who abuses Pakistan. "I would like to ask National Conference leadership if they agree with the statement of Akbar Lone over Pakistan? We demand that the administration registers FIR against him over such anti-India statements to provoke people. Action should be taken against him," Madhav told media in Srinagar today (March 27). Madhav called both the NC and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) "selfish" and asked as to why both parties are gearing up for Lok Sabha elections now when they had boycotted the last year's local body polls. BJP set to contest all seats in Jammu and Kashmir "There has not been any change in our stand on the two issues.Why are they liking Lok Sabha elections now? They do not want to provide democratic rights to people of this state. But when it comes to their own political future, Farooq sahab and Mehbooba ji want to contest. They are selfish," he added. The NC and the PDP boycotted Municipal and Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir held in 2018 citing Centre's stand on Article 35-A as the reason. Both the parties had then asked the Centre to clear its stand on it and also take "effective steps" to protect it. "I would like to ask the two regional parties who announced their candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, when municipal elections were being held here they were asking people to boycott it. They said Article 35A and Article 370 are under threat due to Modi government," Madhav said today. NC patron Farooq Abdullah had in September 2018 announced that it will not participate in the civic polls "unless and until the Government of India and state government clears its position, and takes effective steps to protect Article 35 A in and outside the court". The PDP also distanced itself from the local body elections, soon after. Article 35-A is a constitutional provision given to J&K that allows the assembly to define the 'permanent residents' of the State. The Article, often referred to as the Permanent Residents law, prohibits non-permanent residents from permanent settlement in the state, meaning, non-residents cannot buy immovable property, or take government jobs, scholarships and aid. Chidambaram backs Nyay scheme, says nobody questioned Modi's Rs 15 lakh math India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 27: Former finance minister P Chidambaram today took a strong defence of the Congress' proposed income scheme Nyay, saying the Indian economy had the capacity to implement the scheme, which would be rolled out in phases. Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram also hit out the Narendra Modi government, saying no one questioned the Prime Minister on the math of his 2014 poll promise where he said Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in the bank account of every Indian. "Existing schemes for the poor like ICDS will not be scrapped and thus people had nothing to fear. "Subsidies which have been granted to achieve special socio-economic objectives will not be affected by NYAY," Chidambaram said. Congress keeps suspense over Sivaganga, Chidambaram's stronghold The senior Congress leader, while explaining the scheme, said: "It's a standard transfer of Rs 6,000 per month to five crore families, which is Rs 72,000 per year. This will be transferred to the account of the women in household. With this, tax revenues will rise and GDP will rise. Some taxes are scrapped and some taxes are imposed. But the given the tax and non-tax revenue of central and state governments and the GDP, this scheme is perfectly doable." He also said that the Congress party has consulted economists and experts before making the income guarantee poll promise. "We have consulted enough economists, enough experts on the subject. All of them have agreed that India has the capacity to implement such a scheme." Clerical objections: Arun Jaitley hits back at Opposition over missile launch India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 27: Amid claims by the Opposition that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the successful testing of an anti-satellite missile was nothing but "publicity mongering" ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said it was a matter of national security and not an election stunt. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons. What is Anti-satellite (ASAT) Missile? "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 27 announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. In Parliament today: Pharmaceutical Education and Research Bill to be tabled In Parliament today: Bill to amend CVC and Delhi Police Special Act to be tabled today Parliament roundup: On day 5, Mansukh Mandaviya slams politics being played over Covid management Parliament roundup: On day 7, Rahul demands Centre to provide compensation to kin of farmers & more Parliament roundup - Day 9: Rajnath's statement on chopper tragedy, Opposition calls off strike & more Delhi MPs attended Lok Sabha the most, Nagaland least: Report India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 27: Out of 273 bills introduced in the 16th Lok Sabha, 240 were passed, 10 bills were withdrawn and 23 bills remain pending. The performance of the MPs were analysed by the Association for Democratic Reforms. Also Read | Meet 'Star Performer' and 'Non-Performer' MPs of 16th Lok Sabha Here are the highlights: In 16th Lok Sabha, on an average, 562 MPs have asked 251 questions and attended 221 out of 312 sittings. 7 MPs from Delhi have the highest average attendance in the 16th Lok Sabha. On an average they have attended 289 out of 312 sittings. The least attendance has been recorded by 2 MPs from Nagaland. On an average they have attended 88 out of 312 sittings. Among the states, 50 MPs from Maharashtra have asked the highest number of questions in the 16th Lok Sabha. On an average each of them have asked 534 questions. Among the states, 2 MPs from Nagaland have asked the least number of questions. On an average they have asked 12 questions. Among the political parties, 2 MPs from INLD have the highest average attendance in the 16th Lok Sabha. On an average they have attended 264 out of 312 sittings. Among the political parties, the least attendance has been recorded by 2 MPs from NPP. On an average they have attended 85 out of 312 sittings. 18 MPs from SHS have asked the highest number of questions in the 16th Lok Sabha. On an average each of them have asked 639 questions. 2 MPs from NPP have asked lowest number of questions. On an average they have asked only 10 questions. In the 16th Lok Sabha, Smt Supriya Sule from NCP, a MP from Baramati, Maharashtra has asked the highest number of questions i.e. 1181. EC identifies 110 expenditure probe constituencies: TN, Gujarat top the list India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Mar 27: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified nearly 110 Lok Sabha constituencies as 'expenditure sensitive.' The data compiled by the ECI states that these constituencies are prone to being influenced by money power. To tackle this, the ECI would sent expenditure observers to these constituencies. The Multi Department Election Intelligence Committee (MDIC) will also keep a close tab on these constituencies. The agency would coordinate with the state units to ensure that cash is not doled out to influence the voters. Constituencies, especially in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, have been placed under the radar. In Tamil Nadu, 39 such constituencies have been identified. In AP, 16 constituencies are on the watch, while in Telangana it is 17. In Bihar there are 21 while in Gujarat it is 28. Lok Sabha polls 2019: EC appoints special observers for eight states The EC is yet to receive a list of such constituencies from the state authorities in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, Kerala among other states. The EC has identified money power as one of the biggest challenges in the upcoming elections. In 2014, the Election Commission had seized Rs 1,200 crore worth goods and Rs 300 in cash. MGP should first pull out its ministers from Goa cabinet, says Shiv Sena Post 2 am switch, Goa CM drops his deputy India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Panaji, Mar 27: Chief Minister of Goa today Pramod Sawant today dropped his deputy Sudhin Dhavalikar, hours after two of the three MGP MLAs in Goa early Wednesday merged their party's legislative wing with the BJP, which now has 14 legislators in the 36-member state assembly. Legislators Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar gave a letter to merge the MGP legislature party with the BJP to officiating Goa Assembly Speaker Michael Lobo at 1:45 am. Probe ordered into 'purification' of place where Manohar Parrikar's body was kept However, Sudin Dhavalikar, the third Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA, had not signed the letter. I have dropped Sudin Dhavalikar from the cabinet. The decision on filling up the vacant seat will be taken soon, Sawant told PTI. The recommendation has been accepted by Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha. As two out of the three MLAs have merged the legislative wing, they are saved from inviting anti-defection law, which makes it mandatory that two-third of the strength should agree for merger. The legislators broke away from the MGP and formed a group, MGP (two) on Tuesday. They have now merged the legislative unit with the BJP. Lobo confirmed that he received the letter at 1:45 am from both the MLAs for merging their legislature party with the BJP. The signature of Dhavalikar is not there on the letter, he said. The mid-night political drama has increased the strength of the BJP from 12 to 14 in the 36-member House, bringing them on par with opposition Congress which has an equal number of MLAs on the floor. The MGP is an alliance partner of the BJP in Goa since 2012. Pawaskar said the resolution to split from the MGP and create another faction was taken by him and Ajgaonkar at 5 pm Tuesday. New BJP govt in Goa wins floor test, CM Sawant proves majority "After adopting the resolution, we approached Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with the letter, who instructed us to submit it to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo," he told PTI. The letter was finally handed over to Lobo at 1:45 am Wednesday, Pawaskar said. The decision to split the legislature party and merge it with the BJP was taken "in the interest of the people", the MLA said. "People from my constituency wanted that I should join BJP. We were also resigned to the fact that we could not take the MGP forward in the state," Pawaskar said. He claimed that he would get a ministerial berth in the Pramod Sawant-led Cabinet. MGP is an ally of the BJP in the Sawant government with all the three MLAs supporting him along with legislators from Goa Forward Party and Independents. Sawant, who faced floor test last week after the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, was supported by 20 MLAs as against 15 from opposition. The political development came, hours after MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar, had threatened to withdraw from Sawant-led government citing conspiracy. Speaking to PTI, he on Tuesday alleged that one of his party's officer-bearers was "made to issue a letter" to the governor and speaker declaring authority over the entire legislative affairs of the outfit. Dipak Dhavalikar said the MGP central committee would meet on Wednesday afternoon to chalk out its future course of action, which, he claimed, can decide the fate of the state government. The Congress has sharply reacted to the merger. "BJP has proved that it is a threat to all its allies," Congress's Goa chief spokesman Sunil Kawthankar said. "This is a clear indication to all NDA partners all over country just before Lok sabha election that any partnership with BJP will be detrimental to the existence of their own party," he added. As Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Cong says such posturing for personal ambition will help BJP What exactly is home ministry doing: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Nagaland incident Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again Here is why search for second seat for Rahul is on India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, March 27: Congress President Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest from two seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections because his party is anticipating defeat from Gandhi family bastion Amethi, say sources. It is being reported that there has been lots of pressure on Gandhi to also fight from a southern state seat apart from his current Amethi seat to maximise the party's gain in key southern states. However, the Congress insiders say that search for a secure second seat for Rahul is on because Amethi may not prove as a secured seat as it used to be for the Gandhi family. One of the main threats for Gandhi is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani. She had given a very tough fight to the Gandhi scion in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Irani had secured 3,00,748 votes and her vote share was 34.38 per cent, a plus of 28.57 per cent from 2009 general elections. Consulted 'big economists' including Rahuram Rajan over minimum income scheme: Rahul Though Rahul had won the seat but his vote share percentage dropped. He had secured 4,08,651 votes with a vote share of 46.71 per cent, a minus of 25.07 per cent from 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Despite losing the elections, Irani regularly visited Amethi and developed people to people contact. She, as Union Textiles Minister, launched development projects worth over Rs 67 crore in Amethi on November 19, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also dedicated the Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Limited, situated in Amethi, to the nation. The factory is to manufacture the latest series of the iconic Kalashnikov rifles. He also unveiled 17 development projects worth Rs 538 crore. These relate to power generation, education, health, and manufacturing sectors. These projects will be of direct benefit to Amethi region as well as Uttar Pradesh. A source tells OneIndia on the condition of anonymity that not only Irani and BJP but other factors too have worried the Congress strategists. "Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Chandra Parkash Mishra has joined the BJP, who had fought against Rahul in Amethi in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Since the BSP and Samajwadi Party (SP) have announced not to field candidate against Gandhi, Mishra may help in swinging the hardcore BSP votes in favour of Irani. There are approximately 6000-70000 staunch voters of the BSP in Amethi," says the source. The announcement of a former Congress leader's son to contest against Rahul has also worried the Congress. Haji Mohammed Haroon Rashid, son of former Amethi Congress leader Mohammed Sultan, has announced that he would contest against Rahul as the Congress did nothing for Amethi in the last 70 years. Old Congress loyalist's son to take on Rahul in Amethi Mohammed Sultan worked with Rahul's father Rajiv Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi. Haroon says that there are 6.5 lakh Muslim voters in Amethi who would vote against the Congress. If Haroon's claim is true then the anti-BJP votes will be divided and it will harm the Congress' prospects, says the source. Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: PM to take part in 'cruise baithak'; witness Ganga 'aarti', fireworks on ghats UAE to be first foreign destination of PM Modi in 2022 India tests anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, establishes itself as major space power: Modi India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Mar 27: India on Wednesday shot down a live satellite with an A-SAT missile, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that with this India has established itself as a major space power. "Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch," he said in an address to the nation today. The PM's address was not a planned one. PM Modi tweeted around 11 am that he would make an announcement to the nation between 11.45 am to 12 noon. "An anti-satellite weapon, A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite in a low earth orbit. India has established itself as a major space power," said Modi. Modi said the test was carried out successfully. The technology to shoot down a satellite in orbit is something that only a few nations have. With this India has demonstrated its technical capabilities. "India accomplished Mission Shakti under 3 minutes. India 4th nation to achieve that," said PM. [What is Anti-satellite (ASAT) Missile?] Asserting that India's trial does not violate principles of the international law, the Prime Minister said 'Mission Shakti' is an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 #MissionShakti was a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of Indias outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 India becomes only the fourth nation after the United States, Russia and China to be able to target objects in space, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi said A-SAT missile's sucessful test will give significant impetus to India's space programme. Modi assured the international community that India's capability is not aimed against any nation, adding, "It is purely the nation's defence initiative for its security." "We're against arms race in space. This test won't breach any international law or treaties," the PM said. #MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern capability. (2) Entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2019 PM Modi's announcement about his address to the nation followed a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, said reports. PM Modi began his speech by saying that India has successfully registered its name among major space powers. "I congratulate all involved in Mission Shakti as it has achieved all parameters. Our mission is now a huge success," he added. [What are Indian Low Earth Orbit satellites?] Research into anti-satellite systems began after the Soviet Union launched the world's first satellite, Sputnik, way back in 1957. The US conducted its last test in 1985, destroying a satellite at an elevation of roughly 350 miles. In January 2007, China became the third country to conduct a successful test when it launched a ballistic missile to an altitude of more than 530 miles-roughly the altitude used for U.S. and Japanese imagery intelligence satellites-and destroyed an inactive weather satellite. This important technological acheivement drew praise from all quarters. The Congress party congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the government of India for the country's latest achievement. "We congratulate @isro & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1961 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud with its ground breaking achievements," tweeted the Congress party. Former DRDO chief VK Saraswat hailed the A-SAT test, and termed the Anti-satellite weapon as a 'fantastic capability to have'. "Anti-satellite weapon A-SAT is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities," Dr VK Saraswat told ANI. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that testing of Anti-satellite weapon system "has thrown Pakistan electronic guidance of their jet fighter into blindness." "Tremendous achievement by Namo Govt. It has thrown Pakistan electronic guidance of their jet fighter into blindness. Even Pak airforce jets flying over Pak territory can be shot down by blinded Pak radars. Congratulation to Namo's l," Swamy tweeted. If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here J&K: Terrorists shoot dead a civilian in Shopian India oi-Vikas SV Srinagar, Mar 27: Terrorists on Wednesday shot dead a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian. The incident took place at Kachdoora village in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Wednesday afternoon, said reports. The victim has been identified as one Tanveer Ahmed Dar, 24-years-old, from Bemnipora. Dar was fired upon by masked gunmen near Masjid Noor at Kachdoora village this afternoon, said reports. The attack took place very close to Dar's residence and he was immediately rushed to hospital, but the doctors pronounced him dead. The motive behind the attack is yet to be ascertained and a cordon-and-search operation has been launched. Brutal: Terrorists kill another civilian in J&K On March 19, a 25-year-old man was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama district of J&K. The terrorists fired upon Mohsin Wani near his residence in Reshipora area of Tral in the south Kashmir. Wani succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital. On January 28, a terrorist had reportedly shot at a civilian in J&K's Pulwama region. The person was identified as one Tariq Ahmad Wani from Reshipora. Last year in October, unidentified terrorists shot a man in Srinagar's Hyderpora area. The victim, identified as Muhammad Amin Dar, sustained grievous gunshot wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries. Jobs top concern, political parties least trusted says survey India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Mar 27: Jobs remain the top concern for the voters. A survey conducted by the Politics and Society Between Elections 2017-2019, which was released by the Azim Premji University and Lokniti CSDS suggests that the top concern is employment. Over 24,000 respondents across 12 states were interviewed for the survey and 20 per cent said that jobs is the major concern. 49 per cent of the youth who voiced their concern are in the age group of 18 and 35. After jobs, the next big concerns raised were development, law and order, governance and corruption. Jobs down as national security takes over as key concern says survey Further the survey that was conducted in November 2018 suggested that the Indian Army remained the most trusted institution, followed by the judiciary. The Election Commission was third on the list, while the political parties were least trusted. On the choice of candidate at least 50 per cent said that they would chose a leader from their own caste or religion. The report also stated that," unemployment as an issue finds more support when one moves from non-literate voters to highly educated voters. For the college educated respondents, unemployment is an issue for 25 per cent of the respondents. The corresponding figures for the matriculate, the primary educated and the non-literate were 19, 13 and 12 per cent respectively. The biggest issue clearly differs across education." The report while stating that jobs is the biggest issue, there was an exception among the Muslims and Adivasis. The Adivasis stated that physical infrastructure was the biggest concern. Muslims on the other hand stated development, growth and poverty as their top concerns. On the job front, the concern has risen from 6 per cent in 2014 to 19 per cent in 2018. On the issue of price rise there was a steep decline from 20 per cent in 2014 to 11 per cent in 2018, the survey states. In the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland, law, corruption, governance were the top issues. In the Tamil Nadu, people complained about the lack of infrastructure. Farmer related issues also was a major concern in the state. As Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Cong says such posturing for personal ambition will help BJP Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again Lok Sabha Elections 2019 updates: Anti-BJP front gains momentum, Naidu meets Sonia Gandhi India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, May 19: Andhra Pradesh Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday met BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, continuing his efforts to put together a coalition to form the next government at the Centre. He reached Lucknow after meetings in New Delhi with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, CPI leaders G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and LJD leader Sharad Yadav. The Telugu Desam Party chief has already held several rounds of discussions with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to Uttarakhand today with a visit to Kedarnath shrine. The prime minister is also expected to offer prayers at Badrinath tomorrow before returning to Delhi in the afternoon. The prime minister's visit to the holy shrine came a day before the last phase of the marathon Lok Sabha elections. Fifty nine parliamentary constituencies, including Varanasi, will go to polls in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections and the results will be announced four days later, on May 23. Stay tuned for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 UPDATES: Who was MP Abani Roy? The senior RSP leader who passed away at 84 Bengal: Dissent against yet another BJP candidate; poster calls Barasat nominee lunatic India oi-Shubham Ghosh Kolkata, March 27: The inner rift in the BJP in West Bengal over the nomination of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha election has got exposed once again, this time in Barasat. Party workers have protested the candidature of Mrinal Kanti Debnath and demanded that district president Pradip Banerjee be fielded instead. What is even more embarrassing for the saffron party is that the dissenting party workers have pasted posters in the public seeking replacement of Debnath who they also described as a "lunatic". The poster was seen in the railway station premises in Habra, one of the Assembly segments under Barasat Lok Sabha constituency. According to local media reports, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) took a dig at the BJP's internal feud while the saffron party called it a conspiracy by the ruling party. A few days ago, pictures of posters protesting the candidature of Sayantan Basu in Basirhat constituency became viral on the social media. The posters spoke about not voting for "outsiders". Rahul Gandhi attacks Mamata: The high command's Bengal dilemma Now, the same has been seen in Barasat and even the dissenting workers have threatened that if Banerjee is not fielded from the constituency in North 24 Parganas district, the party cadres will vote for NOTA (None of the Above). The local BJP leadership said it was a conspiracy against the BJP which he said is a party with discipline. In 2014, Ghosh Dastidar defeated magician PC Sorcar Junior Debnath, who is not a known face in politics, has been fielded against two-time TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. Last time, Ghosh Dastidar defeated magician PC Sorcar Junior, who had contested on the BJP's ticket, from the same seat. While Sorcar finished third, Ghosh Dastidar defeated her nearest opponent - Forward Bloc's (FB) Mortaza Hossain by 1.73 lakh votes. In 2009, the TMC candidate defeated FB's Sudin Chattopadhyay by 1.22 lakh votes. The TMC is confident that Ghosh Dastidar will complete a hat-trick from Barasat constituency this time and the lesser-known candidate from the BJP will be easily routed. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 8:17 [IST] MCC violation: EC issues notice to Railways, Civil Aviation ministries over Modi's picture India pti-PTI New Delhi, Mar 27: The Election Commission (EC) is learnt to have issued a show cause notice to the Railways and Civil Aviation ministries over the use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pictures on rail tickets and Air India boarding passes, as prima facie it violates the model code of conduct. The code came into force on March 10 when the poll body announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls beginning April 11. Sources in the poll panel said prima facie the railways and Air India have violated the model code of conduct, and referred to clause VII of the code which states that "issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer ... regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided". In a complaint to the EC, the Trinamool Congress had recently claimed that the "...railway tickets issued by the Indian Railways contain achievements of the party in power at the Centre (BJP) with regard to Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is being displayed at the cost of public exchequer and obviously to influence minds of the voters." [Poll code violation: TN orders inquiry on Rahul's interaction with students] The display of photograph was part of an Urban Development Ministry advertisement campaign. A portion of the back side of tickets is often used for advertising. The railways had last week decided to withdraw the tickets carrying the photographs of the PM, sources in the ministry said. Nearly one lakh such tickets were printed and a few were remaining in the lot. The ministry is likely to reiterate the same position to EC, they said. The railways had said all its 17 zones have been directed against using the tickets carrying the picture of the prime minister. A boarding pass issued by Air India had pictures of PM Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. [No manifesto in last 48 hours before polling, EC tells political parties] The airline had said the passes featuring the photographs, which were third-party advertisements, would be withdrawn if they were found to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Former Punjab DGP Shashi Kant on Monday tweeted a photograph of his boarding pass issued at the New Delhi airport, questioning how pictures of the two leaders could be on it. An Air India spokesperson earlier said the boarding passes seemed to be the ones printed during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit held in January and the photographs were part of the advertisement from 'third parties'. PTI Mehul Choksi says not related to firm involved in PNB fraud, claims innocence India pti-PTI New Delhi, Mar 27: Mehul Choksi, one of the two businessmen allegedly involved in perpetrating India's biggest ever banking fraud, on Wednesday said he was not a partner in any of the firms under scrutiny for the scam, claiming he had quit them in 2000. In a statement issued by his lawyers, the raids against him were on the basis of "an old and dated 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) document" submitted by him to the Punjab National Bank in 1995. "Mr Choksi had sought to correct the details of this KYC on several occasions. He was not a partner in any of the firms under scrutiny for the purported scam being investigated at that time. In fact, Mr Choksi had quit all these firms way back in 2000," it said. He said he was presently not able to repay loans because of the asset freeze orders. "In such a scenario, Mr Choksi cannot be expected to service any outstanding loans. Mr. Choksi has banked with the PNB for over 25 years, and not once in the said period has he defaulted on a single loan. He doesn't intend to do so now," it said. [Mehul Choksi moves new application in PMLA Court, mentions long history of ailments] Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, both owners of jewellery store chains, are alleged to have colluded with two employees of PNB in the alleged fraud. ''Choksi had called up PNB officials as well and was given the impression that the issue could be amicably resolved. PNB chose to ignore these repeated requests and calls, instead the bank went so far as to make this old and out of date KYC document the very basis of their allegations," the statement said. It alleged that PNB in a "desperate attempt to save their own skin" diverted attention away from the role of the bank and the cracks in their own system. "In doing so they targeted and destroyed a Rs 12,000 crore business that had been built up over a period of 25 years. With brands like Nakshatra, Ginni, Asmi, and Gitanjali, Mr Choksi occupied a huge space in the public imagination and the gems and jewellery business in India. By tarring such a brand, PNB attempted to divert attention from its own shenanigans elsewhere," the statement said. His lawyers said he didn't just write to PNB to correct the KYC record but made representations to the National Stock Exchange and the BSE as well on February 7, 2018. "The same representation was repeatedly made to the Central Bureau of Investigation as well, but in vain," the statement said. In the 25 years of the business, Gitanjali Gems did not default on its loan repayments even once, it said adding a loan exposure of Rs 6,000 crore was easily serviceable for the company with a topline of over Rs 12,000 crore. Choksi and Modi allegedly secured loans from overseas branches of mostly Indian banks against illegal letters of undertaking (LoUs) from PNB over a seven-year period. Choksi owns Gitanjali Gems, which has also denied involvement in the alleged fraud. "The cruel, unwarranted and simultaneous raids across his homes and offices took place on false presumptions and in panic. Choski's assets were confiscated, and his businesses brought to naught," the statement said. "Following these raids, a campaign of falsehoods was spread in the media, prompted by a slew of unverified and outright false information that was supplied by officials at the PNB at the highest level." "For 25 years, we strove to create an Indian jewellery brand that would rival the best in the world, and in two weeks the company was destroyed by the bloody-mindedness of a cynical system," Choksi said. In 2017, Deloitte named Gitanjali Gems in its list of top 50 global luxury firms. The company was the highest ranked Indian firm in the list, which included just two other Indian names. "Despite no tangible proof, the PNB authorities, instigated by a panic-stricken Chairman, Sunil Mehta, created a malicious case against a high-profile target - Gitanjali Diamonds and its proprietor Mr. Mehul Choksi," the statement said. In the aftermath of the raids, all of his 6,000 plus employees have left; his belongings and properties, along with his receivables and goods on consignment worth over Rs 10,000 crore, the brand value of Rs 8000 crore destroyed. "All this even though PNB has never been able to supply direct and tangible proof linking Choksi with the supposed 'scam' that they claim exists," it claimed. "Despite his unblemished track record, Mr. Choksi is being painted falsely. Truly, a lie gets around the world before the truth can even get its pants on!" PTI On minimum income guarantee, Moily says not a political stunt India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Hyderabad, Mar 27: Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said that the opposition parties may not have come together to fight the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in all states but would join hands post-poll to form government. The former union minister said he was not at all disappointed that the opposition alliance to take on the BJP has not materialised in some states. "...idea-wise, spirit-wise, they (opposition parties) are all united against (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. Common agenda is: he (Modi) should go", Moily said and claimed the opposition would form government. The Congress has strong presence in many states, where the party has no option but to fight other parties which are also opposed to the BJP, according to him. He cited the political landscape in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF and CPI-M-anchored LDF are in direct fight, as an example to drive home his point. "In Kerala, it's UDF versus LDF, there is no BJP at all. Guaranteed minimum income scheme if we come to power says Rahul Gandhi BJP's presence is totally negligible. There, we have to fight against each other. We cannot make alliance with LDF", Moily told PTI. On the issue of opposition alliance, the former Karnataka chief minister argued that each and every State has to be "analysed" on its own merit and one can't generalise. "There will be pre-poll alliance in some States, post-poll alliance in some other States. Such arragement is not opposed to the principle of opposition unity", he claimed. "Common objective is to defeat BJP everywhere. There cannot be hard and fast rule in every State. It differs from State to State", Moily said. Asked if the Left parties would join hands with the Congress after the elections, he said: "That will inevitably happen, when fighting against the BJP". On the minimum income guarantee scheme announced by the Congress President Rahul Gandhi yesterday, Moily said it's a "great way forward" towards lifting the poor out of poverty. Asked if this announcement would pay rich electoral dividends to the Congress in the polls, he said: "Definitely. Manifesto is always taken by the people seriously. Since it is targeted at the poorest of the poor, they look forward with lot of expectations. It's not an election stunt". PM Modi unlikely to contest from Vadodara India pti-PTI Ahmedabad, Mar 27: Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to contest election from Vadodara is spite of the demands from the BJP's Gujarat unit, a party leader here has said. Modi had won from Vadodara and Varanasi in 2014 and chose to retain the latter. As BJP president Amit Shah will be contesting from Gandhinagar, the chances of another national-level leader contesting from the state are very slim, a state BP leader said on the condition of anonymity. [Inheritor of dynasty sees drama in success of scientists, Amit Shah's dig at Rahul] "I do not think that they will field two national leaders from one state. There is no chance of Modi fighting from a seat in Gujarat," the BJP leader said. State BJP leaders have requested Modi to contest from Gujarat to boost party workers' morale, especially in the aftermath of the 2017 Assembly elections when the Congress managed to restrict the BJP to 99 seats, lowest in two decades, and increased its own tally by 16 seats to 77 in the 182-member Legislative Assembly. Till Tuesday, rumours were doing rounds in BJP circles that Modi was going to contest from Surat, but party sources said it was not true. The BJP is yet to declare its candidate from Surat. Gujarat will vote on April 23. The last date of filing nominations is April 4. PTI Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: PM to take part in 'cruise baithak'; witness Ganga 'aarti', fireworks on ghats UAE to be first foreign destination of PM Modi in 2022 Poll results, Imran Khans BP, Dawood: Twitter buzz ahead of PMs address to nation India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 27: While the nation waited for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, anxiously counting the minutes before his "important message", speculation spiralled -- would it be about bringing back Dawood Ibrahim or killing Masood Azhar? As the designated hour of 12 noon came and went, jokes on Twitter gathered strength. With memories of that fateful November 2016 evening, when PM Modi announced the demonetisation of high value currency notes, still fresh, jokes about people running to the ATM and counting cash started doing the rounds. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," the Prime Minister tweeted on Wednesday morning, sending Twitteratti into a tizzy. 'Happy World Theatre Day': Rahul's dig at PM Modi over 'Mission Shakti' The address finally started at 12.25 pm, and social media users bombarded Twitter with their theories while they waited. Among them was former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah who tweeted, "He's declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying." "Dawood arrested brought back? Hafiz Saeed or Masood Azhar eliminated?#PMtoaddressnation," added social media user, Sagar Rai. "#PMModi ji is going to address the nation today. I am already at the ATM," said a user Amir Pathan. "Another #Demonetisation? Did they catch Masood Azhar or Dawood? Are we taking over Pakistan? OMG I am #anxious now," Twitter user Gaurish Salunke said. One Twitter user posted a picture of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan getting his blood pressure checked. "#PMModi's announcement to address the nation just tested Imran Khan's BP for a while," read the caption. "Congress has already sent a delegation to Election Commission to complain model code violation, Rahul preparing for Press Conference #PM to address the nation," another user tweeted. PTI UPA govt didn't give clearance in 2012: Ex-DRDO Chief on Mission Shakti India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 27: Former DRDO chief VK Saraswat on Wednesday said that India could have developed an anti-satellite missile in 2014-2015, had the UPA government given clearance in 2012. Former DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat said,"We made presentations to National Security Adviser and National Security Council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned, unfortunately, we didn't get positive response (from UPA), so we didn't go ahead." "When proposal was put up by Dr Satheesh Reddy & NSA Ajit Doval to PM Modi, he had the courage and based on that he gave a go ahead. If the clearances were given in 2012-13, I'm quite certain that the launch would have happened in 2014-15," Saraswat told ANI. [India's A-SAT weapon capability to serve as deterrent, not threat] Meanwhile, Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said that India had the anti-satellite missile capability more than a decade ago but there was no political will at the time to demonstrate it. He said when China shot down an ageing weather satellite by launching a missile in 2007, India had the technology to undertake a similar mission. "...now (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji has taken the initiative and he had the political will and courage to say that we will do this. We have now demonstrated this to whole world," Nair told PTI. He had headed the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), Space Commission and was Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. Earlier in the day, Narendra Modi announced that Indian scientists have successfully demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, a war of words has erupted between the BJP and the Opposition. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. (with PTI inputs) Watch simulation: How BMD interceptor missile tracks and zeros in on target satellite India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Mar 27: India's test of shooting down a live satellite in the low earth orbit (LEO) using an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile is truly a historic achievement. The technological capability that India exhibited today is quite advanced and complex. Only the US, Russia and China have demonstrated this capability to hit a live target in space till now. This test of A-SAT weapon system not only shows that India can develop highly complex space technologies on its own, but also adds a new dimension to country's warfare capabilities. What is Anti-satellite (ASAT) Missile? A three-stage interceptor BMD missile was used for the test. First, a radar tracked down the satellite to be hit, then it tracked the movement of the target satellite. After this, the interceptor missile was launched from a launcher. The missile then hurled towards the sky, and while closing in on the target, the first and the second stages of the interceptor seperated. As the final module approached the target, it locked on the satellite to be destroyed using the tracking information provided by the radar. Then it hit the target which was an out of service Indian satellite. Here is the simulation of how A-SAT BMD interceptor missile works and hits the target: India said that its anti-satellite (A-SAT) weapon that successfully destroyed a decommissioned Indian satellite on a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), is not directed against any country and its space capabilities do not threaten anyone Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/S1iLVFBE5W pic.twitter.com/Wl4dCx5tQM ANI Digital (@ani_digital) March 27, 2019 'Mission Shakti' operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch. India's A-SAT weapon capability to serve as deterrent, not threat DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy said they have mastered anti-satellite capability and have shown that the satellites at long ranges can be hit with a few centimetres accuracy. No country has used an A-SAT against another nation till date. In all the instances, the nations testing anti-satellite missiles have targeted one of their defunct satellites to showcase their space warfare capabilities. Travesty of truth: Chidambaram slams MEA assertion that new farm laws passed after full debate India takes up with Canada reports of threats to Indians, asks Canadian authorities to ensure safety Grateful to US for its support: MEA on receiving COVID-19 consignment More than 3,000 Indian citizens died in 70 countries due to COVID-19: MEA 'Were against weaponisation of outer Space', says MEA on Mission Shakti India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 27: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. "We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. We are against the weaponisation of Outer Space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets," the MEA said. India's A-SAT weapon capability to serve as deterrent, not threat Earlier in the day, Narendra Modi announced that Indian scientists have successfully demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, a war of words has erupted between the BJP and the Opposition. The test makes India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. After India entered the elite space club of four countries that have anti-satellite missiles with a test launched today, its neighbours Pakistan and China reacted differently to India's 'Mission Shakti'. While China expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space, Pakistan said that countries should use space technologies only for socio-economic development. Pakistan called on the international community to condemn the act and strengthen international laws regarding the militarization of space. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 19:08 [IST] Be present in Lok Sabha, RS says BJP in 3 line whip to its MPs Will win all three seats in Jammu and Ladakh says Ram Madhav India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Srinagar, Mar 27: The BJP hopes to perform better in Jammu and Kashmir in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls than it did in the 2014 parliamentary elections, party's national general secretary Ram Madhav said here. He exuded confidence that the BJP will win all the three seats in Jammu and Ladakh. The BJP is hopeful of getting a result better than what it got in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in J&K, Madhav told reporters after a meeting with senior party leaders, including party candidates from the three seats in the valley, during which election preparations were reviewed. He hit out at the National Conference-Congress alliance in the state and dubbed its seat-sharing pact as a "drama". 'Congress might win election in Pakistan': Ram Madhav's jibe "This drama that is going on that they are in alliance in Jammu, but fighting in Kashmir. They are trying various types of exercises against Modi and the BJP, let them do it. We will win two seats in Jammu and one in Ladakh and will try our best in Kashmir so that our candidates go forward," he said. "We want that all the valley seats should go to those who stand for unity of the country," he said, adding that those politicians who indulge in doublespeak should be kept away. "People have seen what statements are given here... The whole country knows which party has what agenda. The people of Kashmir know as well and they will understand it," the BJP leader said. On reports that Pakistan will allow a corridor for Sharda Peeth pilgrimage in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Madhav said the Centre would take a decision on that "but terrorism is the biggest challenge". "All other issues will be resolved once the issue of terrorism is tackled," he said. Delimitation will happen, J&K statehood to be restored: Amit Shah in Srinagar India requests Pakistan government to allow Srinagar-Sharjah flight to use its airspace Wing Commander Abhinandan returns to squadron in Srinagar India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Mar 27: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan last month and returned to India two days later, has gone back to his squadron in Srinagar though he is on a four-week sick leave, official sources said Tuesday. They said Mr Varthaman preferred to stay with his squadron in Srinagar than going to his family home in Chennai while on leave. The IAF pilot went on leave around 12 days ago after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing after his return from Pakistan. Abhinandan Varthaman could have gone to his family home in Chennai to spend time with his parents. But he chose to go to Srinagar where his squadron is based," the sources said. After his four-week sick leave period, a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top brass decide whether he can return to fighter cockpit as desired by him. De-briefing over: What next for Abhinandan Varthaman He was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit. Mr Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan. After he was captured, Mr Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 5:55 [IST] California bound Boeing 737 MAX aircraft makes emergency landing in Orlando International pti-PTI Washington, Mar 27: A Boeing 737 MAX aircraft operated by Southwest Airlines made an emergency landing on Tuesday after experiencing an engine problem as it was being ferried from Florida to California, the US Federal Aviation Agency said. "The aircraft returned and landed safely in Orlando," the FAA said in a statement, adding that no passengers were on board the aircraft, which was being transferred to Victorville, California for storage. "The FAA is investigating," added the agency, which grounded the Boeing 737 MAX on March 13 following two deadly accidents involving Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air but continues to allow the planes to be ferried from airport to airport. [Boeing 737 MAX to face first congressional hearing] Southwest said the plane experienced an engine problem "shortly after takeoff." "The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport" around 3:00 pm (1900 GMT), spokesman Chris Mainz said. "The Boeing 737 MAX 8 will be moved to our Orlando maintenance facility for a review." It was the latest setback for Boeing's flagship narrow-body plane following October's Lion Air crash and the Ethiopian Airlines accident earlier this month, which together killed 346 people. The accidents, which shared similarities, led authorities across the world to ground the aircraft. Boeing has since conducted test flights of its 737 MAX to evaluate a fix for the MCAS stall prevention system targeted as a potential cause for the deadly crashes, two sources familiar with the matter said. The system has been criticized since it can malfunction and make it difficult for pilots to control the aircraft. Both of the recent crashes occurred moments after takeoff. A Senate Commerce Committee panel will hold a hearing Wednesday to question FAA Acting Administration Daniel Elwell and Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel The officials are expected to face questions from lawmakers on the FAA's certification of the 737 MAX and whether regulators have become too cozy with the company, and fast-tracked some approvals. The session is expected to be followed by a second hearing at a later date with Boeing, airline pilots and other stakeholders, the committee said. PTI Syria seeks urgent UNSC meeting on Golan International pti-PTI United Nations, Mar 27: Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday in which the United States recognized Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan. In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolution by a permanent member-state." [Syria urges UNSC to uphold resolutions on Golan Heights] The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request. On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan. The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump's decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East. Two of Washington's closest allies -- Britain and France -- joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. [IS documents reveal sinister plan to execute attacks in Europe, West Asia: report] Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognized internationally. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on the Middle East that Washington had made the decision to stand up to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran. "To allow the Golan Heights to be controlled by the likes of the Syrian and Iranian regimes would turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Assad regime and malign and destabilizing presence of Iran in the region," said Cohen. There "can be no peace agreement that does not satisfactorily address Israel's security needs in the Golan Heights," he added. China and Russia spoke out against the US decision during the council meeting, as did Indonesia and South Africa, two countries that strongly support the Palestinians, along with Kuwait, a US ally in the region. PTI Wales may become first UK nation to ban parents from smacking kids International oi-Shubham Ghosh London, March 27: Wales might become the first country in the UK to ban parents from smacking their children as ministers in Cardiff aim to remove the common law defence of 'reasonable punishment' that the guardians can use when accused of assault against a child. Scotland is also looking to do the same with a new bill proposed by John Finnie, Green Minister of Scottish Parliament, reported Lad Bible. A voting is due to be held in the Scottish parliament next year on the issue. In Wales, if the new bill published on Monday, March 25, is passed, it will not stop a parent from grabbing a child about to step out onto a busy road or brushing a child's hair against its will, but as the country's Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services Julie Morgan has said, smacking which has been deemed appropriate in the past is 'no longer acceptable', the Lad Bible report added. "We are sending a clear message that the physical punishment of children is not acceptable in Wales," Morgan was quoted as saying. Russia: Man tries to board flight naked saying clothes make him 'less aerodynamic' "What may have been deemed as appropriate in the past is no longer acceptable. Our children must feel safe and be treated with dignity." A number of children's organisations have backed the bill. Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health was quoted as saying: "Research tells us that children who are physically punished are more likely to have poorer mental health and physical well-being and when they grow up, are more likely to engage in self-destructive or antisocial behaviour. Hurting a child isn't acceptable and it is a form of child abuse." However, there are also campaigners who feel that such law will also criminalise doting parents. If the proposal gets the nod, Wales will join 54 other countries that have already banned causing physical punishment to children. Sweden was the first to do so in 1979 and it has been followed subsequently by Greece, Latvia, Albania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya, the Lad Bible report added. Free Resources Stay Connected with your favorite Ministry Newsletters and Devotionals Running to Win Episode Reminder Get a sneak-peek into each new show, delivered straight to your inbox! In addition to your newsletter(s), you will receive email updates and special offers from Oneplace.com. Free Resources Stay Connected with your favorite Ministry Newsletters and Devotionals Wisdom for the Heart Episode Reminder Broadcast Reminder! Get a sneak-peek into each new show, delivered straight to your inbox! A Wisdom Retreat Waters of refreshment for the despondent, restoration for the delinquent, and reflection for every disciple who seeks to know God more deeply In addition to your newsletter(s), you will receive email updates and special offers from Oneplace.com. Global Spandrel Glass Market Expected to Witness a Sustainable Growth over 2024 Top Key players like Top Key players like AGC,NSG Group,Saint-Gobain,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/388358/global-spandrel-glass-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/388358/global-spandrel-glass-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Spandrel Glass Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:Spandrel glass is used to prevent materials or construction elements from being viewed from the exterior of a building. The primary function of spandrel glass is to cover non-visible areas including the areas between floors, hung ceiling areas, knee-wall areas below vision lights, and sometimes even columns or partitions.The classification of Spandrel Glass includes Ceramic Frit Spandrel Glass, Silicone Coated Spandrel Glass and Others, and the proportion of Ceramic Frit Spandrel Glass in 2018 is about 46.86%.Spandrel Glass is widely used in Residential, Commercial and Public Building. The most proportion of Spandrel Glass is Commercial Building and in 2018 with 61.13% market share. The trend of Industrial emissions is stable.Asia is the largest consumption place, Following Asia, Europe is the second largest consumption place with the consumption market share of 25.63% in 2018.According to this study, over the next five years the Spandrel Glass market will register a 3.8% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 2470 million by 2024, from US$ 2050 million in 2019. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Spandrel Glass business, shared in Chapter 3.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAGC Inc.NSG GroupGuardian Glass,LLCSaint-GobainTaiwan GlassViraconTrulite Glass & Aluminum SolutionsVitrum Glass GroupToro Aluminum Group of CompaniesJ.E. BerkowitzPadiham Glass LtdNorthwestern Industries, IncMarket Segment by Type, coversCeramic Frit Spandrel GlassSilicone Coated Spandrel GlassOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercial BuildingResidential BuildingPublic BuildingFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024United States Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024Global Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024China Spandrel Glass Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market Emerging Growth and Top Key Vendors to Watch- Reade International, APC International, Ricoh Company, KYOCERA Corporation in 2017-2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/11571 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/11571 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/chemicals-and-materials/11571/piezoelectric-alloy-powder-global-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market: IntroductionSmart materials have the ability to amend one or more properties when a controlled external stimuli like magnetic & electric fields, stress, pH, temperature and moisture are applied on the material. Piezoelectricity helps certain crystals to generate voltage in response to applied mechanical stress. Properties like conductivity, viscosity and volume can be altered as per requirement in end-use applications. These desired characteristics have been fulfilled by Piezoelectric Alloy Powders. Piezoelectric alloy powders are adaptive to different operational and environmental conditions. The high investments in research and development to innovate new smart materials has resulted a wide area of application of piezoelectric alloy powder in chemical, automotive, aerospace, construction and healthcare industries. The research is being conducted to increase the elasticity of smart materials for application in healthcare industry to manufacture artificial muscles in prosthetics. Piezoelectric alloy powders find useful applications in the ultrafine focusing of optical assemblies, generation of high voltages, detection and production of sound, electronic frequency generation among others.Get Sample Copy of this report @Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market: DynamicsGrowing technological advancements has given rise to increased use of developed materials in place of conventional materials like glass, polymers and metals in wide area of industries for instance, healthcare, automotive, consumer electronics and others. The property of smart materials to change one or more of its properties owing to external stimulus is driving the usage of piezoelectric alloy powder market for wide area of applications like actuators & motors, structural materials, transducer and, others.For smart materials a restraint lies in manufacturing costs for huge quantities at operational yields for wide area of applications. The high cost of investment in research and development & manufacturing of smart materials is anticipated to hamper the growth of piezoelectric alloy powder market. Various non- governmental and governmental bodies are concentrating on growing awareness and fuel uptake of smart materials. The growing demand for substitutes including inherently conductive polymers and dielectrics in manufacturing actuators owing to the product innovations is expected to hinder the industry expansion thereby, restraining the growth of piezoelectric alloy powder market globally.Piezoelectric alloy powder provides superior advantages and finds usage in areas of autofocus assemblies used in microelectronics productions. The piezoelectric alloy powder are also used in emerging applications like generation of high voltages, ultrafine focusing of optical assemblies, electronic frequency generation among others which provides opportunity for the market growth of piezoelectric alloy powder during the forecast period.Large number of manufacturers follow a trend and are focused towards offering innovative products to enhance their market share. The piezoelectric alloy powder is anticipated to have a lot of market potential and new prospects for these kind of smart material products is projected to find applications in engineering sector for manufacturing self-diagnostic, control devices and self-detection and, other devices.Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market: SegmentationOn the basis of type, the global piezoelectric alloy powder market can be segmented into:Crystal-based piezoelectric alloy powderCeramic based piezoelectric alloy powderOn the basis of application, the global piezoelectric alloy powder market can be segmented into:Structural materialsSensorsActuators and motorsTransducersOthersOn the basis of application, the global piezoelectric alloy powder market can be segmented into:Consumer electronicAutomotiveIndustrialAerospace & defenseHealthcareOthersRequest For TOC Report @Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market: Region-wise OutlookOwing to the improved standard of living in emerging economies, growing automotive and electronics sector in India and China owing to high investments on domestic level is anticipated to increase the demand for electronics accessories including motors, the Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market for smart materials thereby, creating opportunities for piezoelectric alloy powder market. Europe is anticipated to hold a major market share owing to the growing energy sector, electronics and automobile industry.Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified across the value chain of the Global Piezoelectric Alloy Powder market are Reade International Corp, APC International, Ltd, Ricoh Company Ltd, KYOCERA Corporation, Morgan Advanced Materials, AVX Corporation, TDK Corporation, Shanghai DBM Company, S. L. Industries, MPI Ultrasonics, Noritake Co., Limited, Piezo Kinetics, Inc, TRS Technologies, Inc, Ceramtec Gmbh and, others.MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.The report provides the following information:Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectoryMarket segments based on products, technology, and applicationsProspects of each segmentOverall current and possible future size of the marketGrowth pace of the marketCompetitive landscape and key players strategiesThe main aim of the report is to:Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on itUnderstand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting themAssess the overall growth scope in the near termStrategize effectively with respect to production and distributionMRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.Get Complete Report @About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global North America Sleep Apnea Market will multiply at impressive CAGR of 7.7% by 2024 & Top Key Players are ResMed, Philips Healthcare, Becton Dickinson and Company (CareFusion) and Fisher and Paykel https://www.kennethresearch.com/sample-request-10077584 https://www.kennethresearch.com/report-purchase-id-10077584 https://www.kennethresearch.com/report-details/north-america-sleep-apnea-industry-country-specific-market/10077584 North America Sleep Apnea Device Market is estimated to witness a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period 2018-2024North America Sleep Apnea Market Drivers, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecasts: 2018-2024Overview: Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing for few seconds at night either due to airway blockage or due to no signal from brain. In severe condition a person stops breathing more than 10 times an hour. American Journal of Epidemiology stated that, in 2013 around 26% of adults aged 30-70 have some type of sleep apnea, where 16% of them have mild sleep apnea and 10% have severe sleep apnea.Among the diagnostic devices, the current gold standard for OSA is polysomnography. But the market adoption rate is high for actigraphy devices, and hence is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Among the therapeutic devices, the PAP machines occupy significant share. Along with this, the market for their consumables is also high. But nasal obstruction, discomfort of the PAP masks, and nose & mouth dryness are some of the unmet needs of sleep apnea.The market for North America sleep apnea devices is growing due to the factors such as rising usage of oral appliances, growing awareness of ill effects of untreated sleep apnea in developed countries, and increasing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, and obesity. However, alternative treatment for the sleep apnea, and stringent regulatory approval are hampering the market.Request For Free Sample @Market Analysis: The North America Sleep Apnea Device Market is estimated to witness a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period 2018-2024. The Sleep Apnea Devices market is analyzed based on three segments Device types, end-users and regions.Regional Analysis Geographically, US dominated the North America sleep apnea devices market, followed by Canada. These two regions collectively occupy a share more than 90.0% of the total market. This was due to availability of technologically advanced sleep laboratories and increasing awareness of sleep apnea in these regions. Moreover, high obesity rate and good reimbursement facility are accelerating the growth of the market.Device Types Analysis: Polysomnography (PSG), home sleep titration, and CPAP titration are the sleep apnea diagnosis techniques in the market. The market is dominated by the PSG diagnosis due to the high accuracy rate in the diagnosis of the condition. Nevertheless, the growth rate is majorly seen in the actigraphy devise segment owing to its high sensitivity during the sleep study process.Therapeutic devices such as positive airway pressure (PAP) devices, and oral appliances are widely used in the market, where PAP devices are the first line of treatment. However, nasal obstruction and discomfort of the PAP masks, and nose & mouth dryness are some of the unmet needs of sleep apnea. Oral appliance is used to address the unmet need of the CPAP devices.End-Users Analysis: Among the end users, large market share is occupied by hospitals and sleep laboratories. Technological advancements in the devices are giving rise to user friendly and compact products. These factors are making the market of home sleep study products to grow at a high rate.Key Players: The market leaders for sleep apnea devices are ResMed, Philips Healthcare, Becton Dickinson and Company (CareFusion) and Fisher and Paykel. Other leading players in the market includes SomnoMed ltd, Compumedics ltd, Cadwell Laboratories, Imthera Medical, Itamar Medical, and BMC Medical.Competitive Analysis: Though sleep apnea is one of the most common conditions in the society, many people are unaware of its effects and symptoms, which has led to large undiagnosed population. Increasing awareness of the of the ill effects of the disorder among people, will widen the opportunity for the sleep apnea device manufacturer in the North American region. Availability of reimbursement will further help in the growth of the market.Benefits: The report provides complete details about the usage and adoption rate of sleep apnea in various verticals and countries. With that, key stakeholders can know about the major trends, drivers, investments and vertical players initiatives. Moreover, the report provides details about the major challenges that are going to impact on the market growth. Additionally, the report gives the complete details about the key business opportunities to key stakeholders to expand their business and capture the revenue in the specific verticals to analyze before investing or expanding the business in this market.Buy This Premium Report Now @Key Stakeholders:Table of Contents1 Industry Outlook1.1 Industry Overview1.1 Total Addressable Market1.1.1 Industry Trends1.2 Pest Analysis2 Report Outline2.1 Report Scope2.2 Report Summary2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Report Assumptions3 Market Snapshot3.1 Market Definition Infoholic Research3.2 Segment Addressable Market3.3 Industry Trends3.4 Related Markets3.4.1 Nebulizers3.4.1.1 Industry Trends3.4.2 Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)3.4.3 Respiratory Drugs3.4.3.1 Trends of Respiratory Drugs Market3.4.4 Anti-Snoring Devices3.4.4.1 Industry Trends4 Market Outlook4.1 Evolution4.2 Types of Sleep Apnea4.3 Market Segmentation4.4 Porter 5 (Five) Forces5 Market Characteristics5.1 Market DynamicsRead More @About Kenneth Research:Kenneth Research is a reselling agency providing market research solutions in different verticals such as Automotive and Transportation, Chemicals and Materials, Healthcare, Food & Beverage and Consumer Packaged Goods, Semiconductors, Electronics & ICT, Packaging, and Others. Our portfolio includes set of market research insights such as market sizing and market forecasting, market share analysis and key positioning of the players (manufacturers, deals and distributors, etc), understanding the competitive landscape and their business at a ground level and many more. Our research experts deliver the offerings efficiently and effectively within a stipulated time. The market study provided by Kenneth Research helps the Industry veterans/investors to think and to act wisely in their overall strategy formulationContact UsName: DavidEmail : Sales@kennethresearch.comPhone: +1 313 462 0609 Bakery Processing Equipment Market Offered in New Research Forecasted through 2026 || Key Player - GEA Group AG, Buhler Holding AG, John Bean Technologies Corporation, Ali Group S.r.l. mrrse https://www.mrrse.com/sample/17164 https://www.mrrse.com/bakery-processing-equipment-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/17164 https://www.mrrse.com/ Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has recently updated its massive report catalogue by adding a fresh study titled Bakery Processing Equipment Market Offered in New Research Forecasted through 2026. This business intelligence study encapsulates vital details about the market current as well as future status during the mentioned forecast period of 2026.The report also targets important facets such as market drivers, challenges, latest trends, and opportunities associated to growth of manufacturers in global market for Bakery Processing Equipment Market. Along with these insights, the report provides the readers crucial insights on the strategies implemented by leading companies to remain in the lead of this competitive market.Request Free Sample Report @The bakery processing equipment market report provides analysis for the period 20162026, wherein 2018 to 2026 is the forecast period and 2017 is the base year. The report covers all the major driving factors and key trending topics impacting the bakery processing equipment market growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the restraints and opportunities expected to influence the market during the aforesaid period. The study provides a comprehensive outlook on the bakery processing equipment markets growth throughout the forecast period in terms of revenue (in US$ Mn) and volume (Thousand Units), across different geographies, including Asia Pacific, South America, North America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).The report covers the entire overview of the market including the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, opportunities, and trends that are predicted to leverage the existing nature and prospective status of this market. The relationship between diverse industries is explained under the ecosystem analysis. Furthermore, the several internal and external factors affecting the bakery processing equipment market are studied through the industry SWOT analysis. The various economic, political, and environmental analysis is studied through PESTEL analysis. The competitive position of the bakery processing equipment market is studied through the Porters Five Forces Analysis. Additionally, current indicators of diverse macro-economic factors are contextualized under key market indicators.The bakery processing equipment market has been provided in (US$ Mn) in terms of revenue and (Thousand Units) in terms of volume, as well as the CAGR (%) for the forecast period 2018 to 2026. The bakery processing equipment market is a global report studied on the basis of type, end-use, application, and region. Additionally, under the regional sections, the price trend has been incorporated to ascertain the regional impact of the same. The incremental opportunity analysis has been figured out in order to determine the most attractive segment in the upcoming years. Based on regions, the market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.The report also highlights the competitive landscape of the bakery processing equipment market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their geographic presence and recent key developments. The comprehensive bakery processing equipment market estimates are the result of our in-depth secondary research, primary interviews, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affecting the growth of the bakery processing equipment market. Besides, competition matrix and market share analysis has been included under the competitive landscape to understand the top players contribution to the bakery processing equipment market. Each company is studied on the basis of basic information, financial highlights, revenue highlights of regional contribution and segment contribution, and product portfolio. Additionally, the company strategy and recent developments if any are also incorporated under each company profile section.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The global bakery processing equipment market report has profiled the top players having a global presence such as GEA Group AG, Buhler Holding AG, John Bean Technologies Corporation, Ali Group S.r.l., Heat and Control, Inc., Meyer Industries, Inc., Baker Perkins Limited, Markel Food Group, ANKO Food Machine Co., Ltd., Erika Record LLC, Gemini Bakery Equipment Company, Rheon Automatic Machinery Co., Ltd., Global Bakery Solutions Ltd., Peerless Food Equipment, and Allied Bakery Equipment.The bakery processing equipment market is segmented as below.Bakery Processing Equipment MarketBy TypeBread SystemsBread SlicersMixersOvens & ProofersDivider & RounderSheeter & MouldersPan GreasersDepositorsBy End-useRetail BakerWholesale BakerBy ApplicationBreadsCookies & BiscuitsCakes & PastriesPizza CrustsOthersBy GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeGermanyU.K.FranceRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of MEASouth AmericaBrazilRest of South AmericaEnquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Industry Prospects Global Ferroelectric Ram Market | TI, Cypress Semiconductor, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., IBM, SK Hynix, Inc. Global Ferroelectric Ram Market https://tinyurl.com/y3vym2ac https://tinyurl.com/yxm9ff4g https://tinyurl.com/y2ygw72l www.globalmarketers.biz Global Ferroelectric Ram Market Report helps the readers to maximize their profits and business making ventures by gaining complete insights of Global Ferroelectric Ram Industry. The latest developments and growth opportunities in Ferroelectric Ram market are covered. Development trends, revenue analysis, Global Ferroelectric Ram market share and market dynamics are presented to optimize the business. The vital Ferroelectric Ram insights, opportunities in existing and emerging segments are explained. An in-depth analysis on the present state of Ferroelectric Ram, progressive future trends, and comprehensive analysis based on Ferroelectric Ram type, application, players and regions are covered. The report thoroughly analyzes the Ferroelectric Ram competitors, SWOT analysis, industry chain structure and production process view.Request A free Sample Copy Here:The growing demand, opportunities in Global Ferroelectric Ram market, industry plans and policies and technological advancements are explained. Top companies and leading providers of Ferroelectric Ram are:TICypress SemiconductorSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.IBMSK Hynix, Inc.Toshiba CorporationFujitsuGlobal research on Global Ferroelectric Ram Industry presents a market overview, product details, classification, market concentration and maturity study. The market value and growth rate from 2013-2023 along with industry size estimates is explained. The latest advancements in Global Ferroelectric Ram industry and changing market dynamics are key driving factors to depict tremendous growth. Also, the risk factors which will have a significant impact on Ferroelectric Ram industry in coming years are listed in this report. The revenue-generating Ferroelectric Ram types, applications and key regions are evaluated. Top growing regions and Global Ferroelectric Ram Market presence cover Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East, African countries and South America. This study also analyzes the top countries in these regions with their market potential.The latest Global Ferroelectric Ram Market news, industry plans and policies are covered in detail. The upstream raw materials analysis, major industry players, cost structures and downstream buyers are explained. The Global Ferroelectric Ram marketing channels, raw materials analysis is portrayed. The market share and Ferroelectric Ram value for each product type, various applications and regional level are explained. Furthermore, the import-export, production and consumption statistics for each region is examined in this report. The competitive profile of top Ferroelectric Ram players, product details, gross margin status, and market share of 2017 is studied.The business approach and growth statistics implemented by Global Ferroelectric Ram industry competitors will lead to a competitive edge in the industry. The production and demand statistics of Ferroelectric Ram driven by evolving market segments across different regions, type and application are mentioned in this report. The value chain analysis and market share for varied Ferroelectric Ram players are covered. The consumption statistics for the mentioned type, applications and regions are enclosed in the report. This report will help you in analyzing the industry scenario and characteristics of Global Ferroelectric Ram market.The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:Types of Global Ferroelectric Ram Market:4Kbit16Kbit64Kbit256Kbit1MbitOthersApplications of Global Ferroelectric Ram Market:Wireless devicesBattery-powered wireless sensors.OthersTo know More Details About Global Ferroelectric Ram Market Report Please Click On The Below Link:The Ferroelectric Ram competitive factors leading to heavy market demand and development scope is analysed thoroughly. Also, a special focus on distributors, manufacturers, traders and suppliers is provided. The 5-year forecast industry scenario will gauge the Global Ferroelectric Ram industry potential. The market value, volume and consumption forecast by region, type and application is portrayed in the study. Up-to-date qualitative and quantitative market aspects with sales numbers are presented. Also, the detailed analysis of past performance of Global Ferroelectric Ram market and business-related moves with the present scenario is studied.Main Highlights Of Global Ferroelectric Ram Market Report:1.The report offers an analytical study on various global Ferroelectric Ram industries to provide decisive data.2.The top market segment analysis and Global Ferroelectric Ram market drivers are explained in this report.3.A mix of primary and secondary research methodology provides authentic and reliable data.4.A separate section is dedicated for Ferroelectric Ram competitive scenario and market statistics.5.The clear and concise study on Ferroelectric Ram dynamics, cost structures will yield useful results.6.Latest developments and trends in Ferroelectric Ram are evaluated in this report.7.This study offers past, present and forecasts information on Global Ferroelectric Ram Market. The data is represented in form of tables, infographics, charts to provide an easier view.Report Summary:In the first section, the Global Ferroelectric Ram Market report presents industry overview, definition and scope. The second part briefs about the Global Ferroelectric Ram industry bifurcation by Type, Application and Geographical regions. The top industry players, market share, revenue analysis and sales margin is explained. The raw materials analysis, production and consumption scenario is specified. The SWOT analysis by players, the growth rate for each type, application and region is covered. A 5-year forecast GLobal Ferroelectric Ram industry perspective will lead to profitable business plans and informed moves. Towards, the end data sources, research methodology and findings are offered.Inquiry Here For Detail Report @Global Marketers is a research hub to meet the syndicate, custom and consulting research needs. Our company excels in catering to the research requirements of commercial, industrial and all other business enterprises.Global Marketers is the trusted brand when it comes to satisfying the research needs of any industry vertical located across the globe.Contact Us:Company Name: Globalmarketers.bizContact Person: Alex WhiteEmail: inquiry@globalmarketers.bizPhone: +1(617)2752538Website: Rising Key Aspects of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market |Key Players - Kenexa Corporation, Randstad Holding Company, Accolo, Inc., Atterro Human Capital Group, Kelly MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/755 https://www.mrrse.com/south-east-asia-rpo-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/755 As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) Market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Market Research Reports Search Engine would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Get Report Sample Copy @Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is a type of business process outsourcing (BPO) which includes the outsourcing of different recruitment functions of an organization to third-party vendor. The RPO solutions primarily include screening of the candidates, interview scheduling, job posting, offer execution and other important activities in the recruitment process. The major difference between the RPO providers and staffing companies is the proficient recruitment process management and responsibility of its results by the RPO providers. Outsourcing recruitment processes to a RPO provider enables the client organization to focus on their core competencies. In addition, outsourcing these processes is highly beneficial for reducing the operating costs of the organization related to the recruitment functions. This is the most significant factor fuelling the adoption of RPO solutions among different end-use industries.The market for recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is segmented, based on the type of engagement, into on-demand and end-to-end RPO service. On-demand RPO refers to the RPO service in which some of the recruitment services are outsourced to the RPO provider. On the contrary, end-to-end RPO refers to outsourcing of all the recruitment processes to the RPO providing company. On-demand RPO enables the client organization to have better control over the recruitment processes as only a part of recruitment process is outsourced to the providing company. Moreover, the cost of on-demand RPO is lower as compared to the end-to-end RPO solution. Due to these advantages and higher flexibility and scalability, the penetration of on-demand RPO services is currently high as compared to the end-to-end RPO solutions.This report studies the current scenario as well as the future market potential for recruitment process outsourcing in Southeast Asia. The market for recruitment process outsourcing has been segmented into six major end-use industries, namely, banks, financial services and insurance (BFSI); information technology (IT), IT enabled services (ITeS), and telecommunication; manufacturing; healthcare and pharmaceuticals; hospitality; and others. The others segment comprises aerospace, marine and construction industries. The market for these recruitment process outsourcing systems has been extensively analyzed on the basis of factors such as types of engagement service and countries in Southeast Asia region. On the basis of engagement type, the market has been segmented into on-demand RPO and end-to-end RPO. The market size and forecasts in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) for each of these segments have been provided for the period 2010 to 2020, considering 2012 and 2013 as the base years. The report also provides the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for each segment of the market for the forecast period 2014 to 2020.Browse Complete Research report with Industry Key Players Analysis @Geographically, the market for RPO in Southeast Asia has been segmented into four regions, namely, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Rest of Southeast Asia (RoSEA). The market size and forecast for each region has been provided for the period 2010 to 2020 along with the CAGR (%) for the forecast period 2014 to 2020. The study also includes qualitative analysis of the competitive scenario in these regions. The overview section of the report comprises qualitative analysis of the overall market highlighting the factors determining the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints and opportunities, along with the key trends analysis.The report also provides a section on the competitive landscape, wherein the market positioning analysis of the leading players in Southeast Asia RPO market in 2013 has been discussed. The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the Southeast Asia RPO market such as Kenexa Corporation (an IBM Corporation Company), Randstad Holding Company, Accolo, Inc., Atterro Human Capital Group, Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group, Cielo, Inc. (Pinstripe, Inc.), ManpowerGroup Solutions, Pontoon Solutions, Zyoin Web Pvt. Ltd., Futurestep (a Korn Ferry Company), TalentFusion, Inc., Alexander Mann Solutions and Hudson Global, Inc.Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Segmentation:Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market, by Engagement TypeOn-demand RPOEnd-to-end RPORecruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market, by End-use IndustryBanks, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)IT, ITeS and TelecommunicationManufacturingHealthcare and PharmaceuticalsHospitalityOthers (Aerospace, Marine and Construction Industry)Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market, by Geographic RegionThailandIndonesiaVietnamRest of Southeast Asia (RoSEA)Enquire Now @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com The UK Health & Beauty Market 2017-2022 | Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Superdrug, Morrisons, Debenhams, Waitrose, Savers, LloydsPharmacy, The Body Shop, H&M ReportsWeb https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011075790/sample https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011075790/buying The UK Health & Beauty Market 2017-2022Summary"The UK Health & Beauty Market 2017-2022", report offers comprehensive insight and analysis of the market and categories (including forecasts up to 2022), the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes. It provides in-depth analysis of the following: the hot issues impacting the market (beauty innovations, latest ingredients, online pureplays and pharmacy funding cuts), strategies for success, market and category sizes and forecasts, retailer profiles, retailer market shares, consumer data and future outlook.Request Sample Copy atThe health & beauty market is forecast to grow by 21.1% over the next five years, in part driven by inflation which is set to reach 2.1% in 2017-the highest level since 2000. While some shoppers will rein in self treating and gifting purchases, the essential nature of the sector protects spend from being diverted elsewhere. Boots is forecast to remain as the market leader in 2017, though its share continues to drop owing to further price pressure from general merchandisers and discounters as well as store environment upgrades at the department stores.Companies Mentioned:Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Superdrug, Morrisons, Debenhams, Waitrose, Savers, LloydsPharmacy, The Body Shop, H&M, ASOS, New Look, Primark, Cult Beauty, Amazon, Feelunique, AllBeauty, Lookfantastic, B&M, MAC, Nars, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, L'Oreal, Palmolive, Aldi, Lidl, Holland & Barrett, Myprotein, Zipvit, eBay, Poundland, Marks & Spencer, Wilko, Savers, John Lewis, AvonScope-Stores remain the primary purchase channel, with 93.5% of sector shoppers buying instore. However, spend continues to shift online, with sales forecast to grow 65.9% out to 2022, to reach 11.6% of the market.-Skincare is forecast to be the fastest growing subsector out to 2022, with much of this due to product innovation in both the mass and premium markets. We expect skin preparation products such as masks, serums and primers to outperform.-The health & beauty market remains very female dominated, with 78.0% of females buying into the category in the past year, compared to 41.5% of males. Retailers need to better exploit males' interest in health, wellness and fitness by encouraging them to buy into other categories such as skincare.Make an InquiryReasons to buy-Identify the retailers which are best placed to take advantage of ingredient and beauty innovation trends for 2017/18 to understand the competition in the market and inform new product development.-Understand what The Body Shop needs to do to build its market share and regain relevance under its new owner, Natura Cosmeticos, and what this means for other established retailers in the market.-Recognise the impact of the online pureplays such as feelunique, Cult Beauty, Lookfantastic as well as ASOS and Amazon in the health & beauty market to adapt your online strategy, and understand how to compete against these retailers.-Understand the impact of community pharmacy funding cuts on pharmacy retailing and how it will benefit retailers, particularly leaders, in the health & beauty market.-Identify the drivers in the market such as the health & wellness trend and continued rise of bloggers, celebrities and fitness personalities which are broadening the appeal of health products, and understand which categories are performing well to aid range planning.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Pune, India Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers Market 2019 Industry Overview, Challenges and Forecast 2023 by Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Siemens AG, Eaton, Shanghai Liang Xin Electrical Co., Ltd. Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6927 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/low-voltage-circuit-breakers-market-6927 Market Research Future (MRFR) has announced a new release on the global low-voltage circuit breaker market. The global low-voltage circuit breakers market is expected to rise to a value of USD 1657.2 million by 2023, growing at a 4.54% CAGR over the forecast period. Dynamic analysis of the market is provided in the report to explain the role of the various factors working to create this movement in the global low-voltage circuit breakers market. Various economic factors affecting the market are profiled in the report, including a detailed elaboration on the markets key growth drivers and restraints.Get Free Sample Copy @Competitive Analysis:Leading players in the global low-voltage circuit breakers market include ABB, Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Siemens AG, Eaton, Shanghai Liangxin Electrical Co. Ltd., Delixi, HangShen Electric, CHINT Group, Hyundai Electric and Energy Systems Co. Ltd., Fuji Electric FA Components and Systems Co. Ltd., Changshu Switchgear Mfg Co. ltd., Hager Group, Shanghai Electric Co. Ltd. (Peoples Electric Appliance Factory).Industry HighlightsThe rising demand for new electrical distribution infrastructure is likely to be a prime driver for the global low-voltage circuit breaker market. The reliability and efficiency of modern grid systems is of paramount importance, leading to a high need for security devices such as low-voltage circuit breakers.The growing demand for electricity and widespread grid connectivity in developing regions is likely to be a major driver for the global low-voltage circuit breakers market over the forecast period. Several key governments have taken up long-term projects to provide electricity to all of their citizens, resulting in a growing demand for electrical components and devices.SegmentationThe global low-voltage circuit breakers market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and region.By type, the global low-voltage circuit breakers market is segmented into molded-case circuit breaker (MCCB), miniature circuit breaker (MCB), and air circuit breaker (ACB).By application, the global low-voltage circuit breakers market is segmented into energy allocation, automatic circuit shutoff, and others.Geographically, the global low-voltage circuit breakers market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Central & South America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa.Browse Complete Report @List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers Market: Market StructureFigure 2 Research Process Of MRFRFigure 3 Top-Down and Bottom-Up ApproachesFigure 4 Forecast ModelFigure 5 Us Construction Market, 20122017 (USD Million)Figure 6 Growth of Transmission Lines In India, 20122018 (Circuit Km)Figure 7 Us: Electric Distribution System Costs for Major Utilities, 20112017 (USD Billion)Figure 8 Driver Impact AnalysisFigure 9 Restraint Impact AnalysisFigure 10 Supply Chain: Global Low-Voltage Circuit Breaker MarketFigure 11 Porters Five Forces Model: Global Low-Voltage Circuit Breaker MarketFigure 12 Marketing Channel of The Global Low-Voltage Circuit Breaker MarketFigure 13 Manufacturing Process of Low-Voltage Circuit BreakersFigure 14 Global Low Voltage Circuit Breaker Market Share, By Type, 2017 (%)ContinueAbout Market Research Future:MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Business Strategy of Printed Battery Market in Global Industry 2019 To 2023 | Analysis by Top Key Players - Blue Spark Technologies, BrightVolt, Jenax, Green Power Energy Printed Battery Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/139469 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/139469/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/139469 New report on: Global Printed Battery Market 2019-2023. The report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends. The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.This Report covers the Major Players data, including: shipment, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better market. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Printed Battery market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 0.124746113142 from 20.0 million $ in 2014 to 36.0 million $ in 2018, market analysts believe that in the next few years, Printed Battery market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2023, The market size of the Printed Battery will reach 260.0 million $.Printed batteries are mainly used for low power source and short lifespan applications. Key areas of application for thin film batteries include RFID tags, medical implants, electronic wearable devices, hearing aids, and wireless sensors etc.The global printed battery market is estimated to make substantial inroads into flexible electronic devices over the forecast period. Technological proliferation and the lightweight and compact structure of these batteries are expected to drive market growth.The flexible Battery type is expected to dominate the global Printed battery market between 2019 and 2023. Thin-film batteries are used widely in applications such as smart packaging, smart cards, wearable devices, and medical devices. The trend of miniaturization in the products used in these applications has increased the demand for Printed batteries, thereby driving the growth of thin-film battery market significantly. Thin-film batteries have a low self-discharge rate and cost less than lithium polymer batteries. Thus, they have a huge demand in electronics devices, thereby driving the growth of the Printed battery market.Geographically, APAC is expected to be the fastest-growing market for Printed battery during the forecast period. Major consumer electronics manufacturers in this region are innovating their product designs to run on thin power sources for compatibility with the flexible designs of their products. Thus, the advancement of technology in the smart packaging, consumer electronics sector, and the growing popularity of wearable devices in this region ate the major factors fueling the growth of the Printed battery market in APAC.Moreover, the penetration of Internet of Things (IoT) in medical devices and the miniaturization of wireless devices would further drive the demand for thin and Printed batteries in this region.Purchase this report online with 125 Pages, List of Tables & Figures and in-depth Table of Contents on Global Printed Battery Market Outlook 2019-2023 @Segments and sub-segments of the Global Printed Battery Market by:Key Players:1 Blue Spark Technologies2 BrightVolt3 Jenax4 Green Power Energy5 Enfucell Oy6 Flexel7 Imprint Energy and more.......Regions:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Product Types:1 Rechargeable2 Single UseIndustry Segmentation:1 Smart Packaging2 Smart Cards3 Wearable Electronics4 Medical Devices5 RFIDGrab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @Key questions answered in the report include:1 What are the key factors driving the global Printed Battery market?2 What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global Printed Battery market?3 Who are the key vendors in the global Printed Battery market?4 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Printed Battery market?5 What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global Printed Battery market?6 What are the challenges to market growth?Table of Content:1 Printed Battery Product Definition2 Global Printed Battery Manufacturer Share and Market Overview3 Manufacturer Printed Battery Business Introduction4 Global Printed Battery Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Printed Battery Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)6 Global Printed Battery Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Printed Battery Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Printed Battery Market Forecast 2019-20239 Printed Battery Segmentation Product Type10 Printed Battery Segmentation Industry11 Printed Battery Cost of Production Analysis12 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 What's driving the Wireless Charging Market growth in 2026? With Top firms like- include Integrated Device Technology, Mojo Mobility, Powercast Corp., Texas Instruments, Energizer Holdings, Leggett & Platt, Incorporated https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1695152?utm_source=openpr.com&utm_medium=PC https://www.marketstudyreport.com/enquiry-before-buying/1695152?utm_source=openpr.com&utm_medium=PC https://www.marketstudyreport.com/securecheckout/paymenta/1695152?utm_source=openpr.com&utm_medium=PC?msfpaycode=sumsf The Wireless Charging market research collated by Market Study Report, LLC, offers a comprehensive analysis of growth trends prevailing in the global business domain. This report also provides definitive data concerning market, size, commercialization aspects and revenue forecast of the industry. In addition, the study explicitly highlights the competitive status of key players within the projection timeline while focusing on their portfolio and regional expansion endeavors.The key players operating in the market include Integrated Device Technology, Mojo Mobility, Powercast Corp., Texas Instruments, Energizer Holdings, Leggett & Platt, Incorporated, Qualcomm Incorporated, Powermat Technologies Ltd., ConvenientPower, and Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.Request a sample Report of Wireless Charging Market at:The wireless charging market is anticipated to reach around USD 95.6 billion by 2026 according to a new research. In 2017, the consumer electronics segment dominated the global market in terms of revenue. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the leading contributor to the global wireless charging market revenue during the forecast period.Asia-Pacific generated the highest revenue in the market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global wireless charging market throughout the forecast period. The economic growth in countries such as China and India, leading to rising living standards and high disposable income has increased the penetration of smart phones and other mobile devices in the region, thereby increasing the demand for wireless charging. The increasing environmental concerns and depletion of traditional fuel sources have encouraged consumers to use electric vehicles in the region. China exhibits the highest penetration of electric vehicles, which supports market growth of wireless charging.Enquiry about Wireless Charging market report before Buying at:The wireless charging market has substantial potential for the present and future applications, owing to the rise in the mobile phone usage across the world, especially emerging regions such as India, China and South-East Asia. The growing demand for mobile devices and consumer goods drives the growth of the market during the forecast period. The wireless charging market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period owing to increasing popularity of electric vehicles. Wireless charging has multiple applications in the EV technology including fuel supply, and in-car electronics.However, factors such as lack of standardization of mobile devices and their charging potentials, longer charging duration, and limited portability hamper the market growth to a certain extent. Growing demand from emerging economies, increasing adoption of IoT and smart devices are expected to provide numerous growth opportunities in the coming years.Wireless Charging Market share by Major regions included:United StatesNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeMiddle East & AfricaPurchase full report of Wireless Charging market at:Table of Contents1.Overview and Scope1.1. Research goal & scope1.2. Research assumptions1.3. Research Methodology1.3.1. Primary data sources1.3.2. Secondary data sources1.4. Key take-away1.5. Stakeholders2.Executive Summary2.1. Market Definition2.2. Market Segmentation3.Wireless Charging Market Insights3.1. Wireless Charging ? Industry snapshot3.2. Wireless Charging - Ecosystem analysis3.3. Wireless Charging Market Dynamics3.3.1. Wireless Charging ? Market Forces3.3.1.1. Wireless Charging Market Driver Analysis3.3.1.2. Wireless Charging Market Restraint/Challenges analysis3.3.1.3. Wireless Charging Market Opportunity Analysis3.4. Industry analysis - Porter's five force3.4.1. Bargaining power of supplier3.4.2. Bargaining power of buyer3.4.3. Threat of substitute3.4.4. Threat of new entrant3.4.5. Degree of competition3.5. Wireless Charging Market PEST Analysis, 20163.6. Wireless Charging Market Value Chain Analysis3.7. Wireless Charging Industry Trends3.8. Competitive Ranking Analysis4 Wireless Charging Market Size and Forecast by Technology, 2018-20264.1. Key Findings4.2. Inductive4.3. Radio Frequency4.4. Resonant4.5. OthersAbout Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study ReportPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.com New Study on Package Tracking Software Market Industry Trends, Growth and 2019 - 2026 Future Outlook | SendSuite, Notifii, Envoy Deliveries, ParcelAlert, PackageLog, Qtrak etc. https://www.qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=106282 https://www.qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=106282 https://qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying?report-id=106282 www.qyreports.com Package tracking software, also known as delivery management or mailroom management software, tracks individual packages and deliveries in office space, in collaborative buildings (such as a collaborative workspace), or in residential buildings. Package tracking software simplifies the process of tagging delivered packages, communicating delivered packages to employees or residents, accepting digital signatures, and releasing packages. In addition to providing asset and inventory tracking along with management capabilities, package tracking software can also generate the history of signatures and transactions provided. Ultimately, package tracking software ensures responsibility for mail and packages during the entire delivery life cycle. Package tracking software is not intended for courier delivery or supply chain management, and the solution simplifies package operations, but does not organize delivery logistics or operations.This statistical surveying report on the Worldwide Package Tracking Software Market is a comprehensive investigation of the business parts cutting-edge structures, industry improvement drivers, and wrist bindings. It gives showcase gauges to the coming years. It contains an investigation of late amplifications in innovation, Doorman's five power demonstrate examination and propelled profiles of hand-picked industry contenders. The report also articulates a study of minor and full-scale factors charging for the new candidates in the market and the ones starting at now in the market alongside a systematic esteem chain exploration.Get sample copy of this report at:Major Key Players in this report are: SendSuite, Notifii, Envoy Deliveries, ParcelAlert, PackageLog, Qtrak etc.In like manner, this examination is especially portrayed generally recollecting the assorted sections of this market. It correspondingly assesses the present scene and a complete aftereffect of the market by utilizing the discernment prospect. The guess is dissected in light of the limit and income of this market. The instruments utilized for inspecting the Package Tracking Software Market investigate report incorporate Watchman's five powers examination and SWOT investigation.Pediatrics area is depended upon to observe the speediest improvement in the midst of the estimated time span. Creating selection as a result of extending care, accessibility of reimbursement, and lesser holding up time, when stood out from adults, are the factors that drive the market in the midst of the check time span. The US advertise alone is figure to be worth $XX billion of every 2025, representing XX% of the general Package Tracking Software showcase.Get discount at:According to the geology, the Worldwide Package Tracking Software Market was dominated by the Americas, which spoke to over XX% of the aggregate bit of the general business in the midst of 2017. In the Americas, the US was the greatest salary patron as it spoke to a basic offer of the overall market. Factors, for example, the nearness of great repayment strategies in this locale and the high purchasing intensity of the masses in North America will goad the prospects for showcase development in this area. Europe represented the biggest offer of the considerable number of areas in 2015. This can be credited to the high penetration of inserts, favorable wellbeing framework of the European Association, and nearness of a vast patient base in the area.For Enquiry OR Any Query? Ask to our Expert @What our report offers: Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments Market share analysis of the top industry players Strategic recommendations for the new entrants Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsAbout QYReports:We at, QYReports, a leading market research report published accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers includes prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into the analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:Name: Jones JohnContact number :+(1) 786-292-8164204, Professional Center,7950 NW 53rd Street, Miami, Florida 33166sales@qyreports.com In a legislative session already overflowing with power plays, shifting alliances and palace intrigue, the most surprising battle may be unfolding outside the Capitol. Intel and Nike, Oregons two largest corporations, find themselves on opposite sides of the debate over Kate Browns proposed $2 billion business tax hike. Actually, its Intel and much of the rest of the business community against Nike, which alienated some usual allies by teaming with the public employees unions. The battle of business titans has slowed the tax debate to a crawl. Gov. Kate Brown and other political leaders are waiting for the sign that the private sector has agreed upon a plan. While both Intel and Nike have reasonable assumptions about the various proposals, we really need specific bill language and evaluation by state revenue officials before going further, said Nik Blosser, Gov. Kate Browns chief of staff. No one wants to pick sides between two of our states most important companies. Notably, neither company is expressly opposed to a tax hike. Nike is actually leading the charge at the head of an unusual coalition of businesses and labor groups seeking more money for Oregon schools. The fight, rather, is over how to structure the tax and who will pay the most. And the outcome will have big implications for Oregons economy, schools and businesses of all sizes. Nike and key lawmakers are pushing for a gross-receipts tax like the one Oregon voters rejected two years ago when they turned down Measure 97. They say that mechanism would spread the burden of the new tax evenly across industries, albeit at a much lower rate than Measure 97 suggested. Intel and the states largest business organization, Oregon Business & Industry, complain that a gross-receipts tax would wallop manufacturers by layering taxes at each stage of the supply chain, a phenomenon known as pyramiding. Theyre promoting an alternative known as a value-added tax, which would tax corporate purchases at a higher rate than a gross-receipts tax but then allow companies to subtract capital spending and their purchases from other businesses. A tale of two taxes Gross receipts tax: Also called a commercial activity tax (CAT), it would levy a tax on the value of most business transactions. Advocates say its a fair tax because its spreads the burden broadly at a relatively low rate. Critics say its especially hard on manufacturers because it layers taxes on top of one another at each step of the supply chain. Value added tax: Also called a business activity tax (BAT), it would tax commercial transactions at a higher rate than a gross receipts tax but would exempt purchases from other firms and capital spending. Advocates say it is a fair approach because it avoids the layers of taxation that come with a gross receipts tax. Skeptics say its complex and untested no other state has such a tax. The tax hike is the biggest issue before the Legislature this spring but its not a foregone conclusion, despite the Democratic supermajority in both houses of the Oregon Legislature. The wrangling over how to structure a tax might delay or derail the legislation. And many businesses are opposed to any new taxes, at least until Oregon addresses its $27 billion public pension crisis. Oregon has some of the lowest business taxes in the nation, owing to the absence of a state sales tax. And its corporate tax income taxes have a minimal effect on companies like Nike and Intel, which do most of their business outside the state. Both Nike and Intel locked in that tax structure for three decades through deals with former Gov. John Kitzhaber in 2012 and 2013. In addition, Intel enjoys Oregon property tax breaks worth nearly $200 million a year. Nike and Intel arent saying much publicly about their tax fight. The Oregonian/OregonLive learned of each companys positions through discussions with lawmakers, lobbyists and members of the business community privy to the debate playing out behind closed doors. And that debate is increasingly contentious. When Nike hosted a recent meeting of businesses intended to allay concerns about its tax proposals, for example, Intel refused to attend. Thats according to three people familiar with the meeting who asked not to be identified discussing confidential conversations. Muddying the waters, Oregons business lobby is badly fractured. Efforts to unify it under one organization, Oregon Business & Industry, backfired when the new group splintered over issues of taxation, climate change and the states chronic urban-rural divide. Amid that disarray, Nike shocked other businesses last year by forming an alliance with labor organizations to promote new taxes for schools. Nike has attracted just a handful of companies to its Coalition for the Common Good, but the combination of Oregons largest corporation and the states powerful public employee unions make the coalition a force in Salem. Among other businesses, though, theres a suspicion that Nike is promoting a tax hike that will have a minimal effect on the shoemaker. A gross-receipts tax would presumably take a relatively small bite on Nike, which has little commercial activity in the state. Most of their manufacturing is overseas so they tend to have a little different view on a variety of issues than the majority of the manufacturing community, said Shaun Jillions, a veteran Oregon lobbyist and executive director of new industry group called Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce. By comparison, Intel may spend billions of dollars in a given year supplying and upgrading its Oregon factories. A gross receipts tax is very unfair to manufacturers because at every step in the supply chain youre applying the tax, Jillions said. Both Jillions manufacturing group and Oregon Business & Industry, the states largest business group, still insist any tax hike should be paired with legislation to curb the states rising pension costs. He said its irresponsible Nike is promoting a tax hike that isnt contingent on curbing pension costs. Were disappointed that theyve chosen to partner with the public-employee unions rather than other businesses, Jillions said. Oregon Business & Industry warned in a letter last week, signed with 21 other business associations, that it will ardently oppose a gross-receipts tax. We think the gross receipts tax is very harmful, would do a lot of damage. Wed rather look at other options, said Sandra McDonough, OBIs chief executive. OBI wants the Legislature to address Oregons spiraling pension deficit in conjunction with any tax increase, according to McDonough. But she said her organization isnt opposed to all business taxes just to a gross receipts tax. Our preference is you work with us on something thats fair for business, McDonough said, that isnt disproportionately favoring one industry over another. Julia Brim-Edwards, the Portland school board member and Nike executive leading the companys efforts in Salem, is on vacation in the Netherlands with her mother. She referred questions to Nike, which referred questions to the Coalition for the Common Good, the lobbying group it has formed with labor. That coalition appears uninterested in the business lobbys efforts to promote the value added tax. No other state currently uses a value added tax Michigan had one, but repealed it and critics have said it could add complexity to Oregons business tax code. Key criteria include a business tax that has been tested and used in other states that raises the Legislatures goal of $2 billion in investments, provides economic stability, is administratively feasible and can win the support of advocates, the Legislature and Oregonians. The VAT does not appear to meet these criteria, the coalition said in a statement. Intel issued its own, brief statement: We think it's important to find a policy proposal that works for Oregon. We're actively engaged in discussions, and looking forward to seeing more details on potential legislation. Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, is chair of the powerful Senate Revenue Committee and co-chair of the subcommittee crafting the tax package for schools. Two months into the legislative session, he said lawmakers must pick a direction in the next two weeks. In prior sessions he has supported a gross receipts tax similar to the one Nike and its coalition favor this time. Still, Hass said he hopes any tax could be designed to mitigate the effects on any one business or industry. Intels obviously the big dog, he said. (Its) worth looking at ways to lessen that blow to companies in that category. In Ohio, for example, he said a gross receipts tax similar to the one he favors in Oregon included exemptions for capital investment. But Hass said hes not sure the business community understands the complexities of a value-added tax and would really get behind it. Its extremely complicated. No other state is doing it. And the one that tried it junked it, Hass said. I dont want to question their sincerity. I think Ive got to take them for what theyre saying, for now. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 -- Jeff Manning FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Tragedies like the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Sandy Hook Elementary school massacres eventually fade from view, blunted by other mass shootings and the passage of time. But for the survivors, the pain can never end. The father of a Sandy Hook victim killed himself Monday, just days after two Stoneman Douglas students also took their lives. The Florida deaths have officials in Parkland and nearby Coral Springs renewing their communities' focus on the suicide prevention and mental health resources that remain available 13 months after a gunman killed 17 people at the high school. In Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 first-graders died along with six staff members six years ago, the body of 49-year-old Jeremy Richman was found outside his office Monday morning. Richmans daughter Avielle was fatally shot at Sandy Hook. He had visited Florida last week and met with the parents of Stoneman Douglas victims, said Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa died there. Richman and his wife oversaw The Avielle Foundation, a group they started dedicated to preventing violence by better understanding brain health. "Our hearts are shattered, and our heads are struggling to comprehend," the foundation said in a statement. "Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need." Multiple suicides among mass shooting survivors can be alarming, but mental health experts said the Florida deaths are not surprising. They come amid a rising nationwide trend: More than 47,000 U.S. suicides occurred in 2017, at the highest rate in at least half a century 14 per 100,000. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among U.S. teenagers. "One of the big risk factors for suicide is exposure to violence," said Dr. Louis Kraus, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Even if they weren't hit by bullets or didn't see shots fired, "anyone who was at that school is at risk," Kraus said, and should be screened. "The scars simply don't go away with a fresh coat of paint," he said. Psychologist April Foreman, a board member at the American Association of Suicidology, said survivors are more prone to suicide and thus must be vigilant about mental health check-ups just as if they had a family history of breast cancer or heart disease. With help, people can overcome their suicidal impulses, she said. "It's not a foregone conclusion that this will happen to everyone who's been exposed to this and the majority of people who are suicidal don't go on to die. They go on to recover and live," she said. The first suicide took place March 16. Cara Aiello told WFOR-TV last week that her 18-year-old daughter Sydney had suffered from survivor's guilt her friend, Meadow Pollack, died in the attack. Sydney had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled to attend college because she feared being in a classroom, but never asked for help, her mother said. Coral Springs police officer Tyler Reik confirmed Monday that a Stoneman Douglas sophomore apparently killed himself Saturday, but said an official determination had not been made pending an autopsy. The boy's name was not immediately released. Community leaders, government officials, parents, police and others held an emergency meeting Sunday after the second student suicide, Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky said. The biggest push will be to alert parents to talk to their children about whether they are having suicidal thoughts and outline the danger signs for them, such as personality changes or a preoccupation with death, she said. The groups also want students to look out for each other, and noted that the community counseling and resource centers that opened after the attack still remain available. The task has been made more difficult as Stoneman Douglas students are on spring break. Hunschofsky said that while there is concern the two suicides could lead to more, it is more dangerous not to discuss what happened. "We cannot be afraid of talking the only way we are going to identify people who need help is to talk about it," she said. A 16-year-old Stoneman Douglas sophomore who was in a classroom where three students died on Feb. 14, 2018, told The Associated Press on Monday that she tried to kill herself four times before she entered therapy. At first, she was ashamed, she said, fearing that accepting counseling would mean she "couldn't' handle my problems" and "I was broken." But her attitude changed with the support of therapists, family and friends, said the girl, who the AP is not naming because of her age. The girl said she fears not every Stoneman Douglas student who needs counseling is getting it and noted that some teachers seem uncomfortable talking about suicide and simply want to move on. In Connecticut, Richman was among the Sandy Hook relatives suing Infowars host Alex Jones for contending the Newtown shooting never happened. Neil Heslin, whose son, Jesse Lewis, was killed at Sandy Hook, said the families' grief has been compounded by such conspiracy theories. "Every day you get up, you expect to get punched in the chin," Heslin said. "I give Jeremy credit for what he accomplished with his work and his amazing strength that grew through the years." Newtown Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said Richman left a suicide note, but did not disclose its contents. On Monday, residents streamed into the Resiliency Center of Newtown, which was set up shortly after the shooting as a place for therapy and for people to gather to talk. Richman worked with the center in providing "brain health" first aid for children and others. His friend, Stephanie Cinque, the center's executive director, said people are angry, sad and shocked by his death. "There's mixed feelings throughout town," she said. "Grief is complicated. It's very sad for the family, the children, the entire community. So today we're letting people know it's OK to have those feelings." The emotional scars survivors feel last for decades. Columbine High massacre survivor Heather Martin was not physically injured in the 1999 shooting that left 13 dead, but said she took years to emotionally overcome the attack. She helped form the Rebels Project, named after Columbine's mascot, to assist mass trauma survivors. "Resilience is connecting with other people and gaining strength from other people," Martin said. "You don't always have to be the strongest person." Editors note: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 800-273-8255. The Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 crisis support by text. Text 741741 to be connected to a trained counselor. Students from Broward County schools can text FL to 741741. Richard F. LaMountain LaMountain, a former vice president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, was a chief sponsor of 2014s Ballot Measure 88. He lives in Cedar Mill. The keenest observation in the history of politics is that of English historian Lord John Acton: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Nowhere is that truth on fuller display than in the effort by Oregon Democrats -- now possessing supermajorities in the Legislature -- to nullify state voters' recent, overwhelming mandate against driving privileges for immigrants who are here illegally. In April 2013, two-thirds of Oregon legislators voted to grant four-year driver cards to people here illegally. But in November 2014, via the citizen-initiated Ballot Measure 88, two-thirds of Oregon voters -- more than 983,000 people -- rejected those driver cards. On any issue, rarely has our state's system of direct democracy manifested a clearer disconnect between Oregonians and those they elect to represent them. But last year, via Ballot Measure 105, Oregon voters defeated an attempt to repeal the state's sanctuary law -- a result, unsurprisingly, that was construed broadly by apologists for illegal immigration. The outcome, indeed, proved Oregonians now understand "immigration and diversity in a much better way" than in 2014, according to Andrea Williams, executive director of CAUSA -- the self-described "immigrant-rights organization" whose agenda is gospel to legislative Democrats. What's followed, predictably, is this: In the Legislature's 2019 session, almost every House Democrat has cosponsored Rep. Diego Hernandez's House Bill 2015, which would give Oregon's illegal immigrants the driving privileges Oregonians rejected decisively not a half-decade ago. Question: If legislative Democrats claim to be able to divine Oregonians' will on "immigration and diversity" on the basis of one ballot measure, why didn't they do so four years ago, after voters' decisive repudiation of illegal-immigrant driver cards? Given its two-to-one drubbing, legislators could plausibly have regarded Ballot Measure 88 as a rejection not just of driver cards, but of all government-sanctioned benefits for illegal immigrants. Did they? No. Over the next four years, instead, the Legislatures Democratic majority operated as though Ballot Measure 88s outcome had been the opposite. It plowed forward with laws that credentialed college students here illegally to compete with U.S. citizens for taxpayer-funded scholarships; extended Oregon Health Plan coverage to 14,000 additional illegal immigrants; broadened sanctuary protections; and granted illegal immigrants enrolled in Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program the right to renew Oregon driver licenses. So: With laws they passed in regard to illegal immigrants, legislative Democrats paid no mind to the outcome of Ballot Measure 88. But when voters affirmed the sanctuary law via Ballot Measure 105? Why, that outcome was carte blanche for legislators to bring back the illegal-immigrant driving privileges those same voters had annihilated four years before! There's a word for this: hypocrisy. Here's the truth: Ballot Measures 88 and 105 were apples and oranges. The first would have awarded illegal immigrants the driving privileges they did not, at the time, have; the second would have repealed a law that already had been on Oregon's books for a third of a century. Though both dealt with illegal immigration, each treated a significantly different aspect of the issue, and in a different way. Oregonians' support of the sanctuary law, then, cannot honestly be interpreted to repudiate their rejection of illegal-immigrant driving privileges. Certainly, lawmakers should be able to revisit issues and, if they determine past approaches to some of them no longer work, enact new laws or repeal old ones -- even if, many years before, a majority of voters may have favored those past approaches. Four years and the outcome of a single ballot measure, however, do not suffice for lawmakers to make sweeping assumptions about voters' broad thinking on major issues -- and, on the basis of those assumptions, negate decisions those voters had made not a half-decade before. Legislative Democrats attempt to overturn voters recent, overwhelming mandate against illegal-immigrant driving privileges is a striking abuse of the majoritys power and a betrayal of Oregons system of direct, citizen-initiated democracy. Oregonians should tell their legislators to reject House Bill 2015 and let the outcome of Ballot Measure 88 stand. Updated Wednesday March 27 A Sunriver police officer fired this month faces criminal charges after prosecutors allege he abandoned his patrol duty last year, drove to Bend to be with his mistress after she told him shed been sexually assaulted and never reported what the woman told him. Kasey S. Hughes, 39, also didnt interview any witnesses to the alleged crime and collected no evidence, the Deschutes County District Attorneys Office said Tuesday. The agency said in a statement that an investigation of Hughes was initiated by Sunriver Police Chief Cory Darling. Darling told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Hughes was fired this month but wouldnt say when. He said Hughes was the only Sunriver officer on duty when he left his post for one to two hours in November. Darling declined to say more about the incident, citing the criminal case and an ongoing internal investigation. Hughes was hired by Sunriver police in 2005, state records show. The department has 12 sworn officers, including the chief. Hughes was married to a fellow Sunriver police officer when he was having an affair with another woman, the district attorneys office said. According to Oregon court records, Hughes wife filed for divorce in December after 12 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in February. The girlfriend called Hughes for help while both he and his then-wife were on patrol duty, the district attorneys office said. He waited until his wife stopped working before he drove in his patrol car to the girlfriend in Bend, prosecutors say. Mr. Hughes was charged today because the actions he took to conceal his affair put the residents of Sunriver at risk by leaving them without police protection for many hours, District Attorney John Hummel said in a statement. Hes also charged because his failure to investigate a sexual assault put all of Deschutes County at risk by potentially allowing a violent person to walk the streets instead of being held accountable for his actions. Hughes is accused of first-degree official misconduct. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in county circuit court April 11. An investigation of the sexual assault is still ongoing, Hummel told The Oregonian/OregonLive Wednesday. He said Bend police were informed of the incident days later and believe they could have a suspect in the case. Weve lost a lot of witnesses because of the delay, Hummel said. The woman reported being attacked by a man she didnt know at a downtown Bend bar. She said the man had been buying her drinks and she was impaired when she was sexually assaulted, the district attorney said. The woman remembered what she was drinking and how much she drank. Hummel said investigators got a search warrant to look through all the bar credit card receipts from the night of the assault to link the drinks the woman said she received to a buyer. -- 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. BEND Police say the Jefferson County jail was shut down for several hours Sunday evening after they say an inmate started a fire in a holding cell because she was cold. The Bulletin reports 48-year-old Chanelle Jackson of Warm Springs has been charged with arson and criminal mischief. A Jefferson County sheriff's deputy says he saw a blanket on fire in Jackson's cell and put it out with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived. The deputy says she told him she was cold. Police say a jail nurse examined Jackson after the fire and found a lighter. There were no injuries. Court records show Jackson was brought to jail Sunday afternoon after police say she was intoxicated and refused to pay for a hot dog, beer and a pack of cigarettes at a Madras convenience store. She is not yet represented by an attorney. -- The Associated Press SALEM First-graders in Oregon public schools could receive firearms safety training in the classroom under a bill up for a public hearing in Salem on Wednesday. Students would not be taught how to use firearms. Instead, theyd learn what to do if they find a gun, and about the difference between video-game violence and real life violence. Senate Bill 801 specifies that instructors may not use real firearms, and that the class must be nonpolitical and may not encourage or discourage possession or ownership of firearms. The class could be taught by a teacher, law enforcement officer, or first responder. Even if you dont believe in guns, and dont have them in your homes, that doesnt mean your child wont eventually be somewhere where they find one, said Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, who is one the bills chief sponsors. The measure would allow schools -- but not require them -- to offer the 30-minute class, which would be held no more than once a year. It also wouldnt require students to attend, since parents would be given advance notice with the choice of having their child opt out. The class would be held during recess, so that kids who arent participating would have a place to go. Knopp said he doesnt know of any law preventing these classes from happening already, but he said typically, direction from the legislature toward school districts tends to bring more attention to an issue. The idea is the brainchild of Derek LeBlanc of Eugene. In 2014, LeBlanc founded the Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation. The letters stand for Safe Around Firearms Education. As head of the non-profit, LeBlanc said hes taught firearms safety classes to thousands of children in Oregon, Washington and California. His sessions are typically held in outdoors stores and at community groups. LeBlanc, a father of two, said he teaches kids a mantra for what to do if they encounter a firearm. Stop. Dont touch. Run away. Tell a grown up, he said. Thats what we teach. Thats the nuts and bolts of Senate Bill 801. He said he tells children to always assume a firearm is real. If we dont know, we dont touch it, he said. The measure would not require schools to use materials from LeBlancs organization. It also wouldnt require instructors have any experience teaching firearms safety. That caught the attention of the Oregon Firearms Federation, an organization that opposes gun control bills in Salem. On its website, the group said Senate Bill 801 has enormous potential but that people who teach firearms safety should have a background in teaching firearms safety. There are probably not a lot of first grade teachers with this kind of training. Another group thats active in firearms legislation opposes the bill. Ceasefire Oregon sent an email urging its supporters to contact lawmakers to ask them to block the measure. Why is the burden of gun safety placed on six-year-olds but not on adult gun owners in the form of safe storage, training, and other regulations proven to reduce gun violence? said the email. Some of those issues are addressed by other bills pending in the legislature this year, although its unclear whether lawmakers will sign off on any of them. Theres also a bill that would create a firearms safety program for Oregon sixth-graders, but that measure has not been scheduled for a hearing. Along with Knopp, Senate Bill 801 is sponsored by Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield, and Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R-Scio. Through spokespeople, both Beyer and Sprenger declined to be interviewed in advance of Wednesdays hearing. An aide for Sprenger said the lawmaker preferred to wait until after the hearing in order to gauge the level of support for the measure. LeBlanc, the gun safety instructor, said he hopes the bill doesnt get caught up in the political skirmishes that usually surround firearms legislation at the Oregon capitol. He said if even one child is prevented from accidentally shooting a gun, his efforts will be worth it. We have to educate them, he said. Whether you like guns or dont like guns, thats kind of a moot point. SALEM Oregon lawmakers tasked with raising $2 billion to spend on education are exploring a type of business tax they described Tuesday night as hybrid between two other methods being promoted by competing advocacy groups. The states public employee unions have pushed since at least 2016 for the state to adopt a gross receipts tax, which is calculated based on business sales within the state. Nike and the long-term care industry have joined forces with the unions and are also supporting the concept this year. On the other side is the states largest business association, Oregon Business & Industry, which says it would prefer a value-added tax, which is calculated on a business sales minus capital inputs. The group has said this would avoid a phenomenon called pyramiding that occurs when the cost of a gross receipts tax multiplies through the supply chain. Oregon Business & Industry also said Democrats goal of using the tax to raise $2 billion per two-year budget cycle is too much. At a meeting Tuesday night, the public got a first look at a tax scenario that could combine elements of both ideas. For the first time were going to look at perhaps a hybrid of the two, said Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Student Success Subcommittee on Revenue. The hybrid is a gross receipts tax that would allow businesses to subtract a percentage of either their labor or capital costs from their total sales, before applying the tax rate. It was unclear from the brief, high level discussion Tuesday night how much such a subtraction would mitigate the impact of pyramiding, although Legislative Revenue Officer Chris Allanach said that is the goal. The intent here is to really explore whether theres some middle ground between the (value-added tax) thats been discussed and a straight up (gross receipts tax), Allanach said, noting that Texas has a similar business tax. The subcommittee is scheduled to meet again Thursday evening, but Allanach said he did not expect to complete modeling of the potential economic impacts of such a hybrid tax until next week. Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. The Oregon Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would standardize how courts handle orders to admit people to the state mental hospital, a small but significant fix to the states unlawful practice of allowing criminal defendants ordered for psychiatric treatment to languish in jail. A Feb. 24 investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive found that courts, county sheriffs and Oregon State Hospital officials collectively allowed more than 200 people to sit in jail long past court-ordered deadlines while awaiting admission to the hospital since January 2018. [Read our investigation of Oregon State Hospital admission practices here.] The deadlines, which give officials seven days to admit a defendant ordered to the mental hospital for competency treatment, were established by a 2003 federal court order and later upheld in federal appeals court. Those limits were created to uphold defendants constitutional right to due process. But Oregon does not comply, the newsroom found by reviewing Oregon State Hospital admission data. State officials offer several reasons why: Too few beds for people in need of treatment. Jail commanders drive inmates to the hospital only on select days. And courts operate carelessly when handling judges orders for hospital treatment. For example, The Oregonian/OregonLive identified instances where court clerks forgot to fax paperwork or lost it altogether, leaving defendants in need of treatment sitting in jail for many weeks in violation of their rights. Senate Bill 25 would give courts one day to send admissions paperwork to the proper officials. Lawmakers goal is to speed up the process and make sure no one falls through the cracks. Senators passed the bill 24-6 with six Republicans opposed: Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger of Grants Pass, Brian Boquist of Dallas, Fred Girod of Stayton, Dallas Heard of Roseburg, Alan Olsen of Canby and Chuck Thomsen of Hood River. The bill now heads to the state House, where its fate is uncertain. As of Tuesday, no hearings on the measure have been scheduled. The Oregonian/OregonLive also found an ineffective and expensive system in place where mentally ill people, many of them homeless, are charged with low-level crimes and sent to the Oregon State Hospital for trial competency treatment. [Related: Ways to lower costs, improve outcomes for Oregons mentally ill.] Stories detailing that system and ways to change it have led some officials, including Multnomah Countys prosecutor, to say they will change policy. Lawmakers have also introduced bills to address some problems the newsroom found, but they have not passed. -- Gordon R. Friedman GFriedman@Oregonian.com UPDATED Thursday, March 28: Officers found Allen Salois after being called to the area of Southeast Holgate Boulevard and 103rd Avenue late Wednesday, according to Portland police. He was taken to a hospital for a precautionary assessment, police said, and his care home was notified. *** Police are asking for help finding a missing man who was last seen Monday near his Northeast Portland care home. Allen Salois, 64, suffers from dementia and is prone to getting lost, according to Portland police. There are no signs of foul play. Salois was last seen in the area of the 4400 block of Northeast 38th Avenue. He was wearing black sweatpants and a gray jacket. He is missing upper teeth. Salois is physically fit, able to communicate and knows his name, police said. They ask anyone who sees him to call 911. The Clackamas County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday also asked for help finding a missing Lake Oswego man who had been gone nearly 24 hours. The agency said about 10 a.m. that he had been found Wednesday morning and was safe. -- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. The Flint Regional Science Fair (FRSF) hosted its 63rd annual fair on the campus of Kettering University, welcoming more than 300 students in grades 4-12 including from Bay, Genesee, Lapeer, Midland, Saginaw, Shiawassee, St. Clair and Tuscola counties. Eighty finalists across Elementary, Junior, and Senior divisions were rewarded for their efforts with cash prizes, awards, trips and certificates. Five Senior Division students won all-expense paid trips to attend the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Phoenix in May. Seventeen Junior Division finalists were nominated for the Broadcom MASTERS competition that is held in Washington, D.C. in the fall. Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Congolese sectoral executives, and civil society experts on Tuesday adopted here a national strategy to strengthen the capacities of civil society and non-governmental organizations, and agro-pastoral groups, official sources told PANA New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday declared its full support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Libya, Ghassan Salame, and the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) as they seek to mediate a political way forward in Libya that would lead to credible and peaceful elections New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday congratulated the Guinea Bissau people and Government, as well as political leaders and civil society organizations, for the peaceful conduct of 10 March legislative elections When Trader Joes opened its first store in 1967 in Pasadena, CA, it quickly fostered fierce loyalty for its low-cost, high-quality products. The empire has since expanded to include more than 470 stores across 43 states and the District of Columbia, and while the famed Two Buck Chuck California wine has seen its prices rise slightly, its still a goldmine for thrifty shoppers looking to score decent beverages at a low price. And that also applies to its line of private-label beers, which are sourced from a handful of well-known breweries across North America. And though the breweries listed on the Trader Joes bottles are often aliases, a bit of sleuthing can unpack the beers true origins. Heres a handful of em with cool labels and decoded origins. This German Altbier comes from JosephsBrauat least according to the label. That brewery is actually a stand-in for CA-based Gordon Biersch, who used a special Alt yeast to mirror the dark, light-bodied style that originate in Dussendorf. Trader Joes offers two Simpler Times beersa lager and a pilsner, both originating from Minhas Craft Brewing in Wisconsin, which operates a contract brewing and private label program in addition to their own brews, served in both Monroe, Wisconsin as well as an outpost in Calgary. The brewery also makes private-label beers for other big-box retailers like Costco and Walgreens. This dark ale says its from Black Toad Brewing, but actually originates from Chicago craft beer mainstay Goose Island. In many ways, its more stout than ale, and pours with a rich, creamy head with an approachable 5% ABV. Ascribed to Kennebunkport Brewing, this brisk IPA actually originates from Shipyard Brewing out of Portland, Maine. They also provide the chain with a handful of other brews, including apricot and blueberry wheats and a pumpkin ale. This beer originally came from Goose Island, though production moved to Gordon Biersch in early 2011. The Irish-style stout obviously takes its inspiration from Guinness, but most agree it falls a bit short in equaling that iconic brew. This longtime TJ staple is produced by Steinhaus Brewing / JosephsBrau of Monrovia, CA, along with other styles such as blonde and black ales, as well as a hefeweizen. Theyre also behind Trader Joes Fat Weasel Ale, Jumping Cow Amber, Frugal Joes Ordinary Beer, and the Gila Monster Amber Lager. This bomber-sized American Pale Wheat Ale brewed with cucumbers is one of three large-format beers sold by Trader Joes, ascribed to Campanology Brewing, which is made under contract by Octopi Brewing in Waunakee, Wisconsin. Another Campanology/Octopi brew, the name of this pineapple IPA references a ringing or tinkling sound, as its label reinforces. With a modest 5 percent ABV, it drinks more like a regular pale ale, with the pineapple standing as a flavor note on the nose and palate, rather than the fruity/bitter hop bomb typical to other beers in this style. White nationalism should not be classified as normal speech, because its thesis infringes upon other peoples freedom. According to Hitler, someone like Martin Luther King Jr. has no room in his utopia. This ugly truth was on display in the horrific mosque attacks in New Zealand that killed 50 Muslim worshippers. That event, streamed on Facebook Live, is the logical conclusion of white nationalism. Which means that companies like Facebook, YouTube and Amazonwho have all elevated white nationalism thanks to their algorithms and the scale of their platformshave a hand in these heinous acts committed in the name of white supremacy that is whipped up on their platforms 24/7. Today, some good news finally broke on the dystopia beat, as Motherboard exclusively reported that Facebook is banning white supremacy. Per Motherboard: In a major policy shift for the worlds biggest social media network, Facebook banned white nationalism and white separatism on its platform Tuesday. Facebook will also begin directing users who try to post content associated with those ideologies to a nonprofit that helps people leave hate groups, Motherboard has learned. Last year, a Motherboard investigation found that, though Facebook banned white supremacy on its platform, it explicitly allowed white nationalism and white separatism. After backlash from civil rights groups and historians who say there is no difference between the ideologies, Facebook has decided to ban all three, two members of Facebooks content policy team said. Weve had conversations with more than 20 members of civil society, academics, in some cases these were civil rights organizations, experts in race relations from around the world, Brian Fishman, policy director of counterterrorism at Facebook, told us in a phone call. We decided that the overlap between white nationalism, [white] separatism, and white supremacy is so extensive we really cant make a meaningful distinction between them. And thats because the language and the rhetoric that is used and the ideology that it represents overlaps to a degree that it is not a meaningful distinction. If you have information or documents about a policy inside a social media giant you're concerned about: Signal: +44 20 8133 5190 Wickr: josephcox SecureDrop: https://t.co/rBx17eFJyP Don't use a work phone or computer. Joseph Cox (@josephfcox) March 27, 2019 This is a big deal. We have become conditioned to dismiss stuff that happens on the internet as confined to some digital space walled off from the real world. The problem is that we live in a world where the tangible reality around us has interwoven with the digital space we all spend most of our time in. There is no distinction between the two, and one affects the otheras the Christchurch mass shooting proves. Tech platforms need to take this seriously and they simply have not done so yet. Hopefully, the murder of 50 worshipers amplified by and disseminated on these platforms has awoken the executives from their slumber. Facebook and YouTube are two of the biggest forces for white nationalist radicalization today (outside of the Republican Party). Their algorithms push people towards this content because it clearly makes them money. It is really not a stretch to call what these people are raking in blood money, given that white supremacist terrorism is really the only kind of terrorism that modern America experiences. This is an important first step by Facebook in a long, long journey to treat an ideology responsible for the murder of millions (billions?) as the existential threat to humanity that white supremacy has always been. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Nate Bargatzes new Netflix special, The Tennessee Kid, brings with it a proportional helping of the fidgety energy that made his episode of Netflixs The Standups so enjoyable. Its a special filled with quiet, shifty confrontations with authority, all of which leave Bargatze displaying the nervous confusion of a smart kid who knows what the adult in the room is saying doesnt make sense, but also doesnt know if its worth it to correct them. When Bargatze is told a clerical error with JetBlue would require his birth certificate to solve, hes simply left to frown and say I thought I was the proof of my birth. Its this disbelieving attitude that makes Bargatze an extremely agreeable presence, especially since he doesnt put the kind of spin on the ball that would turn the approach sour or smarmy. Even in a bit where he tries to reassure us that we shouldnt need to worry about climate change given the state of every other planet in the solar system, he appreciates the value of sincerity. Its unbelievable, he says of the other planets. Theyre nowhere right now. This all makes The Tennessee Kid a real leisurely Sunday Brunch of a special. When Bargatze announces that hes close to wrapping things up, you check your watch, certain that this cant be true. Bargatze tells stories deliberately but at an extremely steady pace, essentially blitzing through bits on his father trying to incorporate his comedy into his own magic act (when you do comedy in front of people not expecting comedy, it doesnt sound like comedy. It sounds like a mean speech.) or accidentally being forced to attend a Vanderbilt game three hours early. Though The Tennessee Kid builds its many merits around the success of Bargatzes half-hour, its also the source of the specials main weaknessa good portion of the final third is dedicated to giving the audience postmortem details on stories they had enjoyed a few years prior to this. Unfortunately, in the process, the rhythms of the show are interrupted, and Bargatzes considerable ability to bake caveats to his own material into the pie are tested. But Bargatze is too talented a comedian to not stick the landing by the time it counts, and even viewers who begin this segment feeling out of the loop should leave satisfied. Its just one of those things he can pull off. The Tennessee Kid is now streaming on Netflix. Graham Techler is a New York-based writer and comedian. Youd be doing him a real solid by following him on Twitter @gr8h8m_t3chl3r or on Instagram @obvious_new_yorker. A real solid. A U.S. trade judge on Tuesday recommended Qualcomm Inc be granted a request for an import ban on some iPhones sold by Apple Inc though the judges initial determination was not binding and will be reviewed by the agency. The final ruling may come as early as this afternoon (5PM Eastern), according to Reuters. Yet according to patent analyst Florian Mueller, Apple has already defeated Qualcomm's first ITC complaint with a workaround in iOS 12.1 and later, blessed by Qualcomm's CTO. But of course it's not always that simple and you should check out Mueller's full report here for a full analysis of this latest development. A final (apart from a possible appeal) Commission decision just came down at 5 PM Eastern Time in the investigation of Qualcomm's first ITC complaint against Apple. The final ruling is that there is no violation. Apple's petition for a review of the infringement holding had been granted in December, while Qualcomm's petition for review had been denied. As a result of the ITC finding that the sole remaining patent-in-suit being invalid, any further public-interest analysis has became unnecessary. Apple's official response to today's ruling: "Were pleased the ITC has found Qualcomms latest patent claims invalid, its another important step to making sure American companies are able to compete fairly in the marketplace. Qualcomm is using these cases to distract from having to answer for the real issues, their monopolistic business practices. They are being investigated by governments around the world for their behavior and we look forward to detailing the many ways theyre harming consumers and stifling innovation when we present our case in San Diego next month. The ruling is noted in the Scribd document below. Qualcomm Apple PDF by Jack Purcher on Scribd For more analysis on this case, be sure to check out Florian Mueller's full report here. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. A motorist saw a frightening sight: a 3-year-old girl standing naked and cold outside in near-freezing temperatures earlier this month. The little girl had only a towel covering her, it was around 9 a.m. and the temperature was 35 degrees, police say. The driver did the right thing, stopping and helping the child, then calling 911. As TribLive reports, the female motorist walked the girl inside her Homewood, Pa., row home, only to find more children in distress: A baby was alone on a couch with a soiled diaper that had not been changed in hours, according to Pittsburgh Police. Now a mother of three in western Pennsylvania is facing some serious charges after all three of her children were found living in filthy conditions. As TribLive reports, the mother Stevatezia Terrelle Cha Mickel, 23, of Homewood, Pa., allegedly had her children, ages 1, 3 and 6, in deplorable conditions with little food in the house. As a result, Mickel is facing two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children. (Story continues below) Woman driving by called 911 after seeing the 3-year-old girl standing on the sidewalk in front of the rowhouse with only a towel covering her https://t.co/wilXZj2COa TribLIVE.com (@TribLIVE) March 26, 2019 Details from TribLive and WPXI: Police said they found filthy conditions when they searched the home, including feces, dirt and filth on almost everything, the station reported. There was little food in the home. WPXI reported that Mickel told police that she was in the bathroom when the 3-year-old, who knows how to open doors, went outside. All the children were placed in protective custody, according to WPXI. Pennsylvania is a leader in craft beer. It also has a rich history of residents serving in the military. So, Breweries in Pennsylvania, a group devoted to craft brewers in the state, is bringing the two together with a special collaboration beer. Twenty of the states veteran owned craft breweries will join in mid-April to brew a Double IPA, scheduled to be released on Memorial Day weekend at the participating breweries. This beer will be brewed by veterans dedicated to the service and sacrifice of veterans, according to a press release. On April 15, the breweries, including Tattered Flag Brewing in Middletown, will gather at Newfangled Brew Works in Lower Paxton Township to begin the collaboration. Newfangled, owned by Adam Cole, is donating the use of its equipment including fermenters. Other veteran owned businesses - Deer Creek Malthouse in Glen Mills, GEMS Hop Farm in Carlisle and First Sip Brew Box in Pittsburgh - are also participating in the collaboration. Proceeds from the beer sales will go directly to a yet-to-be-named charity. Participating breweries include: Aston Abbey Brewing in Aston, Black Forest Brewing in Ephrata, Blueprint Brewing in Harleysville, Burghers Brewing in Pittsburgh, Couch Brewery in Pittsburgh, Cox Brewing in Elizabethtown, Collusion Tap Works in York, GearHouse Brewing in Chambersburg, Imprint Beer Co. in Hatfield, McAllister Brewing Co. in North Wales, Newfangled Brew Works, Root Down Brewing in Phoenixville, Seven Sirens Brewing in Bethlehem, Shubrew Brewing in Zelienople, Stonebridge Brewing in Johnstown, Stony Run Brew House in York, Tattered Flag Brewing in Middletown, Ten7Brewing in North Wales, Union Brothers Brewing in Harmony and Whitehorse Brewing in Berlin. DEAR ABBY: I love my mother, but our relationship has been awkward since I came out to her when I was 13. After I told her I was gay, she grew more and more distant. She went into full grandma mode for my sister and her sons and, in my eyes, neglected me. She was seldom home, and when she was, we would argue about everything. It got so bad that I left and moved in with my aunt, who was like a mom to me. My sister told me she thinks Mom is in denial because every time my sister would want to talk about it, Mom would clam up. Mom and I have NEVER talked about it. I clearly recall the day I came out. When I told Mom, she said she already knew. Then she added, "It's just a phase." I'm sad that even after 12 years she still hasn't accepted that this is who I am and who I have always been. It upsets me that she doesn't know all of me. Should I have a sit-down talk with her like the adults we are? -- SAME SON AS ALWAYS DEAR SAME SON: Only you can make the decision to have that important conversation with your mother. Before you do, Im advising you to contact an organization called PFLAG. PFLAG helps to build bridges of understanding between families and their LGBTQ members. You can find it by going online to pflag.org. If your concern is that your mothers position may force you to end your relationship with her, prepare in advance by making sure you have a loving support system around you. DEAR ABBY: I am the caregiver for my 88-year-old mom and 89-year-old dad. It has its challenges. It would help if doctors would provide writteninstructions, diagnoses and directions rather than rely on me to follow through. I take notes, but my parents hear what they want to hear. Without an actual note from the doctor, they tend to dismiss my notes as thats not what he/she said. Im sure I am not the only caregiver with this problem. Recently, Mama's gynecologist advised her to see a urologist. It took me more than a month to convince her that it was what he said, and now we are looking at a urinary tract infection, which is not a good thing for an older woman. My parents are not at the point where I can simply kidnap them. I realize doctors dont get paid enough for their time by Medicare, but it sure would help us keep our elders healthy. -- NOTE TAKER IN GEORGIA DEAR NOTE TAKER: May I offer a suggestion that might prove helpful? When you take your parents for doctors visits, record what you are told on your cellphone (in notes/memos). That way, you can replay the doctors words verbatim regarding any diagnoses, instructions, etc. to your parents as necessary. DEAR ABBY: When my daughter and her husband eat in a restaurant, he insists they order the same thing. If he thinks her plate looks better, he switches them. This baffles me. Does this happen to anyone else? What do you think of this? -- BAFFLED IN ILLINOIS DEAR BAFFLED: I think your son-in-law has no consideration for your daughters feelings, and that people who are greedy and inconsiderate about food are usually the same about other things. (He could also be controlling and/or have OCD.) Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Shoppers can help one national retailer give away free prom dresses to those in need through the nonprofit, Beccas Closet. For every regular-priced prom or social dress purchased in one of Macys stores or on its website, this Saturday, the retailer will donate a new prom dress, up to 5,000 dresses, to Beccas Closet to give to a girl in need. This is the third year, that Macys is partnering with Beccas Closet, a nonprofit organization based in Florida that donates formal dresses to high school girls who are unable to purchase them for homecoming dances, military balls and proms. Actor, producer and environmental activist Pierce Brosnan will deliver Dickinson Colleges Commencement address. The address will take place on Sunday, May 19. Brosnan, 65, will also receive a Doctor of Environmental Advocacy honorary degree, according to a news release. Among his career as an actor, one of his more notable roles includes British spy James Bond in the films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Dickinson College will also present The Sam Rose 58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism. This years recipient is the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). That award will be accepted by Brosnan and Joel Reynolds, NRDCs western director and senior attorney, according to the release. By Greg Stohr Bloomberg News (TNS) WASHINGTON Chief Justice John Roberts refused to halt a new federal ban on ownership of bump stocks, the attachments that can make a semiautomatic rifle fire more rapidly, like a machine gun. The ban went into effect Tuesday. Two separate groups of challengers filed papers at the high court Monday, seeking emergency intervention to stop the prohibition while the legal fight goes forward. In the other challenge, Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked the other side to file a response to the challenge by 4 p.m. Washington time. The lawsuits contend that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives improperly expanded the governments longstanding definition of machine guns to include bump stocks. Machine guns have been heavily regulated in the U.S. since 1934 and virtually banned since 1986. Bump stocks, previously an obscure gun accessory, became infamous after they were linked to the Las Vegas concert massacre on Oct. 1, 2017. The gunman owned multiple such devices, law enforcement authorities said. Fifty-eight people were killed in the attack, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. Gun-rights advocates say U.S. residents possess 500,000 bump stocks, valued at more than $100 million. The driver accused of killing three people after slamming into their SUV after Philadelphias Mummers Parade is facing more serious charges. Prosecutors have now leveled charges of third-degree murder against Keith Campbell, 29, NBC 10 is reporting. Campbell had been facing three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, but the new charges were introduced because of the extreme recklessness that (Campbell) showed in the speed in which he was driving, as well as the lengthy pursuit by police, Ben Waxman of the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office told NBC 10. According to reports, the crash occurred around 1:45 a.m. Jan. 2 when Campbell slammed into an SUV on Packer Avenue in South Philadelphia, killing Joseph Ferry, 36, his fiancee, Kelly Wisely, 35, and their friend, Dennis Palandro, 31. Palandros wife suffered serious injuries. Ferry and Palandro were members of the South Philadelphia String Band and had just taken second place in the Mummers Parade. Just prior to the crash, Campbell was speeding and driving erratically after police tried to pull him over on Interstate 95, reports indicate. Police called off the chase, but 30 miles away in South Philadelphia, he drifted into the opposite lane and crashed into the SUV, police say. Police found him with 15 to 20 apparently self-inflicted stab wounds to his chest, along with a knife and a note containing rambling statements, according to reports. Two years after she was charged, the former branch manager of a West Shore bank has struck a tentative deal with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to committing a $379,000 loan scam. The agreement calls for Karen E. Ramm, 52, of Camp Hill, to plead guilty to bank fraud, a charge that carries a penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine. It also requires her to pay restitution for the crime against Commerce Bank. Her plea deal wont be final unless it is approved by U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones III during a hearing scheduled for next week. Investigators said Ramm originated seven bogus loans between 2001 and 2007 while she was a branch manager and loan officer for the bank. The loans were originated with her former domestic partner, the feds contend. They said Ramm kept some of the money. She was arrested after a probe by bank officials and the FBI. The federal charges were filed against Ramm two years after a legal snag sank an attempt to prosecute her in Cumberland County Court. A county judge and the state Superior Court nixed that case after finding county detectives missed a statute of limitations deadline for arresting Ramm. In the county case, investigators said Ramm came under suspicion in June 2010 when her former partner accused Ramm of forging her name on loan documents. Ramm resigned from the bank that same year. SELINSGROVE There is a honey thief on the loose at Susquehanna University and it is a repeat offender. The thief is believed to be a black bear that, on consecutive nights, wrecked one of the three beehives outside the Center for Earth and Environmental Research in a search for honey. The bear on the night of March 17 tore apart one of the universitys three beehives and dragged some of it including the box containing the bees about 50 feet. A second hive was overturned and the wrapping on the third was scratched. All three hives were wrapped to protect the bees from the cold The hive was torn apart was reassembled; the other damaged hive was set upright and returned to its pallet. On the second night, the bear attacked only the hive it had previously torn apart. Fearing the bear would try again, Lloyd Knouse, a bee keeper who mentors Susquehannas program, had the hives moved to his Richfield property. He also donated an electrificed fence to the university. Once the fence is in place to protect the hives, theyll be returned to the university. Thats expected to happen this weekend. These hives at Susquehanna University recently were damaged by a honey-seeking black bear. Knouse, 74, is downsizing after losing 26 hives last year to what is called a mysterious syndrome called colony collapse disorder, which involves a sudden disappearance of most of a hives worker bee population. The bear may have gotten 10 pounds of honey and some larvae but it appears the bees survived, said Derek Straub, an associate professor of earth and environmental science and beekeeping club adviser. That includes the queen in the box that was dragged away, he said. Some of bees in the hive that was overturned died from exposure but the rest survived, he said. It was a bit disheartening, Straub upon seeing the damage on March 17 because he assumed the bees were lost. His mood changed when he discovered the bees were there, he said. The state Game Commission set a trap with doughnuts as bait in hopes of catching the thief but it has been removed because it was needed elsewhere, he said. Students were surprised a bear was so close to campus, Straub said. There have been no other bear sightings, he said. The university developed a sketch of the honey thief that it placed on is webpage. A surveillance camera has been installed at the bee hive location. Susquehanna last summer became the first university in Pennsylvania to be certified as an affiliate of Bee Campus USA program. Its beekeeping club organized two years ago maintains the hives. Between 12 and 15 students are regulars at meetings, Straub said. They are interested in beekeeping and have a desire to create sustainable habitats for pollinators that are needed for the reproduction of plants and crops, he said. Three gang members who planned the shooting of another man were among 23 people charged after the investigation of a Berks County drug ring, according to authorities. Jordan Jorge, a member of the Latin Kings gang, and those working with him circulated drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, in the area, according to officials at the Berks County District Attorneys Office. Authorities said they began their investigation in October, after Raul Santos and Teresa Gaspar of Reading were identified as upper-level drug dealers, who supplied dealers operating on a smaller scale. Jordan Jorge Investigators said they used electronic surveillance to find that Santos and Gaspar were getting drugs, specifically fentanyl and methamphetamine, from Jorge and his associates. Through his involvement in the Latin Kings gang, Jorge established ties in the Reading area, as well as in New Bedford, Mass., investigators said. Jorge held status within the gang, which allowed him to operate through other members of the gang, and orchestrate them to commit acts upon his order, investigators said. On March 18, Jorge used his ties to arrange for two New Bedford men, Xavier Quinones and Luis Adorno, to shoot another man, investigators said. Jorge and an acquaintance, Odaly Portes, had a conflict with the target of the shooting, investigators said. These people were charged this week for their suspected involvement in a Berks County drug ring. Jorge arranged for Quinones and Adorno to be transported to the Reading area and supplied them with a loaded Taurus Judge handgun, investigators said. Because investigators were aware of the plot, Reading police were able to stop a vehicle carrying Quinones and Adorno before the shooting could take place, according to officials at the district attorneys office. Jorge was later arrested near his home on the 1200 block of Hill Road in Reading. Investigators said they also searched Jorges grandmothers home on the 1500 block of North 10th Street, which was used as a stash location. Inside, investigators said they found a pound of methamphetamine, which could be sold for more than $15,000. They also found ammunition for the Taurus handgun, investigators said. On Monday, arrest warrants were issued by a district judge for 23 people who are accused of playing a role in the drug ring, shooting plot or both. On Tuesday, area police officers began making arrests, according to a news release. The following people have been arrested and charged: Jordan Jorge, 27, of Reading - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; delivery of fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Luis Adorno, 27, of New Bedford, Mass. - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy These people were charged this week for their suspected involvement in a Berks County drug ring. Xavier Quinones, 27, of New Bedford, Mass. - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Jessica Enes , 32, New Bedford, Mass. - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl, methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Jose Vega-Garcia, 32, of Reading - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Teresa Gaspar, 32, of Reading - delivery of fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy These people were charged this week for their suspected involvement in a Berks County drug ring. Irving Montenegro, 34, Reading - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Raul Santos, 30, of Reading - delivery of fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl and methamphetamine; possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Daniel Moyer, 35, of Exeter - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the Intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy These people were charged this week for their suspected involvement in a Berks County drug ring. Alicia Snyder, 20, of Reading - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Drew Malachowski, 33, of Easton - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Erick Nunez, 25, of Reading - delivery of prescription opioids; possession with the intent to deliver prescription opioids; possession of prescription opioids; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Oscar Cedeno-Santana, 25, of Reading - delivery of prescription opioids; possession with the intent to deliver prescription opioids; possession of prescription opioids; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy These people were charged this week for their suspected involvement in a Berks County drug ring. Tomas Caminero, 24, of Reading - delivery of prescription opioids; possession with the intent to deliver prescription opioids; possession of prescription opioids; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Israel Meletiche, 26, of Reading - delivery of prescription opioids; possession with the intent to deliver prescription opioids; possession of prescription opioids; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy David Concepcion, 39, of Reading - persons not to possess firearms, possession of methamphetamine Kevin Pichardo, 20, of Reading - possession with intent to deliver heroin Frankie Rosario, 20, of Reading - tampering with evidence, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, possession of marijuana The following people have been charged but have not yet been arrested: Odaly Portes, 30, of Shillington - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Esteban Melendez Jr., 21, of New Bedford, Mass. - criminal attempt homicide; criminal attempt aggravated assault, person not to possess firearms; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Jonathan Vargas, 27, of Reading - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Jose Tinoco-Vargas, 38, of Reading - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy Mark Kowalski, 33, of Exeter - delivery of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; corrupt organization; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy As a result of all of the arrests, investigators said theyve seized about three pounds of methamphetamine and 100 grams of fentanyl. Investigators have asked anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspects who have note been arrested to call 877-373-9913 or 610-478-7171. What started out on Monday as a day filled with excitement for Movita Johnson-Harrell turned into one that proved unforgettable for reasons she never imagined. The newly sworn-in Democratic state representative from Philadelphia, who happens to be the first Muslim female member of the House, anticipated she would encounter bigotry and discrimination when she came to Harrisburg. But I did not expect it on my actual first day in the House and in front of my children and my grandmother and my mother, said Johnson-Harrell, during an interview on Tuesday in her Capitol office. Prior to Johnson-Harrell taking the oath of office to the seat she filled in a March special election, Republican state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz stepped up to the rostrum at the front of the House chamber to deliver what some lawmakers called a divisive opening prayer that espoused Borowiczs Christian views. Seated before Johnson-Harrell in the well of the House chamber were her 55 family members and guests most of them Muslim and others Jewish and Christians who came to witness this important moment for their family member and friend but also a historic moment for the state. Borowicz, whom Johnson-Harrell has not yet met, started to pray. Out of respect, I bowed my head not knowing I was being attacked," Johnson-Harrell said. After maybe 30 seconds, I looked at her [Borowicz], and she would not make eye contact with me. Johnson-Harrell said she became uncomfortable with Borowiczs calling on the name of Jesus and mention of forefathers who owned slaves and Israel and the president to weaponize my swearing-in. A member on the Democratic side of the House shouted objection at one point during the prayer as Borowicz called on Jesus as our only hope" and said every knee should bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Johnson-Harrell was not only offended by Borowiczs words that she perceived as a political attack but said she became discouraged House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County, allowed Borowicz to continue as long as she did, although Turzai did seem to make a movement to cut her off as she was wrapping up. She noticed Borowicz immediately left the House chamber after her prayer along with a couple of other members who denied their absence from their House seats had anything to do with the prayer or Johnson-Harrells swearing-in. Messages left in Borowiczs Capitol office on Monday and Tuesday were not returned. I would encourage our state rep to actually educate herself on Islam because if she knew anything about Islam, she would know how important Jesus is in the religion, Johnson-Harrell said. The young lady really should be ashamed of herself. She added that she was amazed at afterward how the entire Democratic caucus came to apologize to her and her guests for Borowiczs prayer that they felt tarnished Johnson-Harrells day. But the newly seated representative said she had a hard time focusing on the apologies because she was worried about her guests, some of whom got heated over Borowiczs words. That wasnt the only part of Mondays session that caused an uproar. As Johnson-Harrells swearing-in ceremony began, an imam recited the Al Fatiha, the first surah of the Quran, in Arabic. That struck some Republican members, including state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler County, as inappropriate since the imam did not offer an English translation as rabbis have done in the past when they offered a prayer in Hebrew. (On Tuesday, Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia, who also is a Muslim, recited the Al Fatiha in Arabic followed by the English translation.) It was offensive that the speaker would have allowed someone to carry on in a different language offering what he was proclaiming to be a prayer that no one else around him could understand other than a few people who were guests with him, Metcalfe said. He further excoriated House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County for his remarks on the House floor about Borowiczs prayer. Dermody said Borowiczs words were neither uniting nor inspirational but rather "beneath the dignity of the House, drawing prolonged applause from Democratic members. Metcalfe said Dermodys comments coupled with "the Democratic members turning around and staring at Representative Borowicz using their eyes and body language to intimidate were below the dignity of the House and should have been reported. As for Borowiczs prayer, Metcalfe said, Many of our forefathers who stood up on the House floor and prayed the way she prayed and probably even stronger prayers. He said he is seeking support from other Republican members to have Johnson-Harrell censured for accusing other House members of being Islamophobic in a Capital Star story about Mondays prayer controversy. Meanwhile, Johnson-Harrell said she is looking to make peace. I welcome the opportunity to engage those people and have those conversations because I think when we are able to get up close and personal, were able to dispel some of that bigotry, Johnson-Harrell said. That includes having a conversation with Borowicz, who she sensed avoided her on the House floor on Tuesday by turning down an aisle as Johnson-Harrell was walking in her direction. I dont have time to be angry and vengeful, Johnson-Harrell said. I came here to do work. I came here to represent the people of the 190th District to improve their quality of life. By improving their quality of life Im improving the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. So Im here to work. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. You need more than headlines. Sign up for Good Morning, Pennsylvania. You cant blame Bert Hudson for trying. Hes serving a life prison term for shooting and killing a man during a home burglary in 1978. Yet, in a well-argued appeal to the state Supreme Court, he contended that, at the age of 64, he should be eligible for parole. The high courts answer can be summed up as, No, no, no, no! It was issued in an opinion by Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor. Hudsons problem, Saylor wrote, is that he is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, a crime that in Pennsylvania is one of two offenses that have no provision for parole. The other is first-degree murder. First-degree murder, in a nutshell, is a deliberate premeditated killing committed with malice. Second-degree murder applies to a homicide that occurs during the commission of another felony. In Hudsons case, that other felony was the fatal burglary he committed in Beaver County 41 years ago. Hudson made several creative points in his plea for parole, Saylor shot each of them down. First, Hudson contended he should be eligible for immediate parole because the county judge who sentenced him did not specify a minimum term for his prison stay. In sentencing for other crimes that dont have mandatory life sentences, Pennsylvania judges are required to set minimum and maximum prison terms, with the minimum sentence being no more than half of the maximum. For example, a convicted robber sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison would have a minimum sentence of 5 years behind bars. His eligibility for parole would begin with the completion of the 5-year minimum. Parole is not guaranteed, however, and the state parole board can decide to make inmates complete all or most of their maximum sentences before being released. Under (Hudson) theory, in the case of second-degree murder sentencing courts should impose a minimum sentence of no greater than one-half of the mandated life sentence. This, however, would be impossible of execution because a sentencing court cannot know, at the time of sentencing, the number of years the defendant will live, Saylor countered. Nor did Hudson get far with his argument that the judge who imposed his life term didnt specifically state that he would never be eligible for parole. Therefore, Hudson contended, the parole option must be on the table. That omission doesnt matter, Saylor found, because on a second-degree murder conviction a court is required to impose total confinement for life. A life sentence, he wrote, expires when the prisoner dies, not after a specified number of years. On Monday when a Pennsylvania legislator offered up a prayer before the start of the House of Representative session, she unwittingly thrust the state back into the enduring debate of separation of state and church. At issue was not the fact that freshman Rep. Stephanie Borowicz bowed her head and prayed, a chamber tradition dating hundreds of years. Rather it was the content and seeming evangelically fervent tone of the Clinton County Republicans prayer that fueled outrage. Opening prayers should be inclusive and respectful to the whole community, said Alex Luchenitser, associate legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. They should never be divisive. They should not proselytize. (Mondays) prayer ran afoul of those guidelines. It was proselytizing, divisive and disrespectful to first female Muslim member in what should have been a very special day for her. Borowicz delivered her controversial prayer on the same day that the House swore in its first Muslim women member, Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, a Philadelphia Democrat. In her prayer, which was captured on video and has been seen by thousands of viewers, Borowicz invoked Jesus 13 times, God six times, and Lord four times. The argument fermenting over the prayer must arguably be framed against two legal benchmarks set by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1983 Marsh v Chambers case, the high court ruled that the Nebraska Legislature did not violate the Constitution with its tradition of opening session with a prayer by a paid chaplain. The high court ruled that it was OK for legislative bodies to have prayers at the start of their sessions, even noting the long-standing precedent set by Congress. But over the years, the issue of prayer, and in particular, the reciting of the Lords Prayer or use of the name of Jesus in prayers at public forums engendered furious debate. In 2014, SCOTUS once again ruled on the constitutionality of prayer at public meetings. By a 5-4 majority that year, the justices ruled in Greece v Galloway that the Constitution not only allows for prayer at government meetings, but sectarian prayer as well. At issue was whether the Christian prayers policy of the town of Greece, N.Y. violated the Constitutions Establishment Clause, which forbids the government from endorsing a religion. The lawsuit against the town, filed by a Jew and an atheist, charged that the prayers excluded many citizens. The establishment issue remained even after the town began to invite non-Christians to give invocations. In writing for the majority then-Justice Anthony Kennedy opined that the towns policy did not violate the Constitution, meaning elected officials could pray in the name of Jesus to open public meetings. But the high court specified that prayers must not threaten damnation, or preach conversion. Alan Garfield, a constitutional law expert at Widener University Delaware Law School is of the mind that Borowicz crossed the line with her prayer. The whole point of the Establishment Clause is to avoid religious divisiveness, he said. The framers knew Europe had been plagued for centuries by religious wars. What that legislator did only foments divisiveness, which is why it is getting the reaction is getting. It certainly does not seem to be in the spirit of why the court allowed prayer...They were thinking more of something that brings people together even if it has sectarian elements. She did the opposite. The debate over Mondays House prayer comes at a time when that chambers prayer policy is already under scrutiny. A federal judge last year found that the Houses policy barring nontheists from delivering the opening prayer was unconstitutional. U.S. Middle District Judge Christopher Conner ordered the House to allow nontheists, who do not believe in a supreme deity, the opportunity to offer the opening invocation. The House has appealed the ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In the interim,the chamber is relying on its own members to offer the opening prayer on session days. Its equally disturbing that while House is fighting our clients efforts to be included, the House has allowed this proselytizing and divisive prayer to be delivered by a House member, said Luchenitser, who is representing the Dillsburg Area Freethinkers and the Pennsylvania Nonbelievers in their lawsuit against the House. Over the years, the groups have been repeatedly denied requests to deliver the opening invocation in the House. Borowiczs prayer has polarized people and groups on all sides. This is Exhibit A for why invocations at public events are unwise, said Reginald T. Shuford, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. Once you open that door, there is no way to define what is "appropriate" prayer to open a government proceeding and it is inevitable that some will use it as a platform for their own purposes. Shuford evoked a 1984 opinion by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who famously said that such invocations sends a message to nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community. On Tuesday, Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia, delivered the opening prayer. Hank Butler, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, commended the House leadership for taking swift action to address the issue. Its a non denominational speech, Butler said. Its always been a nondenominational welcoming start to the sessions...to be more embracing of all religions and cultures in our society. I think everyone was surprised by the prayer but as the Leader and speakers have said, there needs to be more discussion on prayers. Others applauded the Clinton County Republican. I thought she was right on, said Diane Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania. I applaud her for having the courage to ask forgiveness for the many missteps that this nation has taken. It was refreshing to hear a politician give such a heartfelt prayer. I dont believe her intention was to demean or divide. It was a heartfelt prayer seeking Gods guidance and forgiveness. Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said the individuals offering the opening prayers should be free to pray as their faith and conscience dictates. He said he would hope their words would not be censored. A Christian praying out loud to Jesus and speaking his name should not be a surprise to anyone, nor viewed as offensive, Geer said. From the days of William Penn and Benjamin Franklin, prayer is at the centerpiece of Pennsylvanias founding and flourishing, and we must never abandon it. Across the country, only a handful of states, among them Colorado, Hawaii and Massachusetts have done away with opening prayers in one or both chambers of their state assemblies. Invocations in the Connecticut Senate are delivered by staff members and often do not contain theistic messages or references to God. Its an idea Rabbi Peter Kessler of Temple Ohev Sholom in Harrisburg would support. I have always felt uncomfortable with the idea of a religious invocation prior to a session at any governmental agency, he said. I have given invocations at such meetings in the past, but only because I felt the need to invoke a religion other than Christianity. "I am very uncomfortable hearing in Jesus name in the state House or in Congress, so I have invoked God from an interfaith perspective, rather than hearing a concept more suited to a particular faith. If I had my way, however, the law that separates church and state would be followed, and the idea of any invocation in such instances would cease. Two men, one of whom is a police chief, are accused by the Pennsylvania attorney general of sexually assaulting a girl hundreds of times over the course of seven years. Brent Getz, 27, and Gregory Wagner, 28, both of Lehighton, were charged on Tuesday with rape of child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of child, and several related charges. Getz is the chief of police for Weissport Borough Police Department in Carbon County, according to a news release from Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The defendants terrorized this young victim by assaulting her hundreds of times over seven years, Shapiro said in a news release. My office will listen to survivors and prosecute anyone who sexually abuses children to the fullest extent of the law we are able no matter how much time has passed. Im grateful for the work of my agents to bring these predators to justice and prevent them from harming anyone else. No charges were filed at the time of an initial complaint that was made against Wagner in 2012. In 2015, the case was reassigned and police prepared a criminal complaint charging Wagner with various crimes, according to a news release from Shapiros office. The complaint was dismissed by the magisterial district judge due to a paperwork error. The charges were never refiled. An officer with Franklin Township, Carbon County, revisited the case in August and asked the girl to come back in for another interview. It was then that the girl claimed that Getz had also sexually assaulted her, according to the release. According to the criminal complaint: ChildLine and Children and Youth Services in Carbon County received a complaint on May 10, 2012, in which the girl said that when she was left alone with Wagner, he touched her inappropriately. The girl also said she was afraid to go home. The girl said Wagner began his assaults when she was about four years old, when he would inappropriately touch the girl and had her perform oral sex on him, according to the complaint. When interviewed in 2018, the girl said that beginning when was six years old, Getz became a participant in the rapes, according to the complaint. The girl also said Wagner would have pornography on in his room during the assaults, the complaint says. A doctor conducted a physical exam on the girl in May 2012, and concluded that many of the symptoms the girl complained of were consistent with inappropriate sexual contact, according to the complaint. Wagner was interviewed on May 18, 2012, but stopped the interview after a few minutes to speak with a lawyer, according to the criminal complaint. He was questioned again on June 20, 2013, with his lawyer present. Wagner denied ever showing the girl pornography, asking the girl to have oral sex with him, or showing her his genitals, the complaint said. When he was asked if he ever touched the girls breasts, Wagner replied not in a sexual way, according to the complaint. A relative of the girl provided investigators with a cell phone video sometime in 2018 that showed Wagner showing the girl pornography, the complaint said. The girl obtained the video a few months after she made the initial complaint against Wagner because nobody believed her and she wanted to show people proof," according to the complaint. The Carbon County District Attorneys Office referred the investigation of Getz to the Attorney Generals office in September 2018. The investigation of Wagner was referred in January 2019. A search warrant was executed at Wagners residence in Lehighton on Tuesday, during which investigators seized several electronic devices and a cell phone. A preliminary review of the phone showed several search terms indicative of child pornography, according to the complaint. In an interview after the search warrant was executed, investigators said Wagner admitted to having sexual contact with the girl on at least three occasions. Wagner also told investigators that Getz also engaged in sex with the girl while Wagner played video games in the room, according to the complaint. Wagner and Betz were each jail at Carbon County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail, according to court documents. Andrew Auell says hes open to anything that will make his pain bearable opioids, non-opioids, physical therapy or a combination of approaches. The Fayette County man has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease that weakens the tissues holding his bones and joints in place, causing painful dislocations and buckling. He also has lasting injuries from a car crash and a physical assault. Yet he says his doctor is willing to prescribe only a small dosage of an opioid, to use at night. He says it leaves him in such pain hes been unable to sleep for three consecutive nights. Right now Im under-medicated, says Auell, the director of research for Chronic Illness Advocacy and Awareness Group, Inc., which has advocated on behalf of pain patients. Right now Im struggling just to walk my dogs. Its hard for me to just make myself food. Auell is among the chronic pain sufferers who say they are casualties of the crackdown on painkillers such as Oxycodone and Vicodin that has arisen from the national crisis of addiction and overdoses caused by opioids. Were trying so hard to address one tragedy that weve created another, he says. Sales of opioids in the United States more than tripled between 1999 and 2010. Deaths caused by opioids more than quadrupled during that time, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Much of the crisis is attributed to aggressive marketing, overprescribing and unnecessary use of opioid painkillers, which can be highly addictive. In response, health insurers have limited lengths of opioid prescriptions and require special authorization for the most powerful versions. States have passed laws governing opioids. Doctors are being monitored and, in some cases, prosecuted. Pain sufferers and their advocates say doctors have become far less willing to prescribe opioids, sometimes out of fear of being charged with crimes. There are those patients whose lives are dependent on pain relief. Now the doctors are afraid to even have those patients, says Twila Brase, a registered nurse and head of Citizens Council for Health Freedom, a patient advocacy organization. Some have been dropped by their doctors. Some have turned to illegal street drugs out of desperation. Some have committed suicide, say Brase and others. This month, 300 health care experts told the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the opioid guidelines it recently issued are hurting some patients. Taken in combination, these actions have led many health care providers to perceive a significant category of vulnerable patients as institutional and professional liabilities to be contained or eliminated, rather than as people needing care, the experts said in a letter to the CDC. Doctors have become skittish as a result of actions such as those by David Freed, the U.S. attorney based in Harrisburg, who this month wrote to 300 Pennsylvania doctors, informing them they are prescribing volumes of opioids outside the norm. Freed said the main purpose is to spur the doctors to take a closer look at their prescribing habits. He didnt rule out the possibility of some of the doctors eventually facing charges. In 2017, 47,600 deaths in the United States were blamed on opioids, up from 8,048 in 1999, according to the federal government. However, pain sufferers and their advocates stress the majority, about 30,000, involved illegal opioids such as heroin or illegally-obtained prescription opioids Efforts to address the crisis are unfairly penalizing people who are using opioids as prescribed, they say. Harrisburg-area resident Bill Gregory says the situation caused seven-and-a-half months of hell for his family, including fears a close relative would turn to street heroin or commit suicide. Gregory says the relative, who doesnt want to be identified, was prescribed opioids for years for pain from multiple medical problems, including lasting injuries from a car accident. Last year, his relatives doctor said he wasnt comfortable doing it anymore and [the relative] would have to find someone else, according to Gregory, 64. After receiving a final, one-month prescription, the family contacted about a dozen doctors and forwarded medical records, but none was willing to take a patient who was on such a high dose of opioids, Gregory said. His relative experienced opioid withdrawal and severe pain and at times couldnt get out of bed. The relative resorted to illicitly obtaining suboxone, which can hold off withdrawal, and went to emergency rooms to plead for opioids. One doctor, after providing treatment for a short period, demanded the relative immediately enter drug rehabiliation, which the relative wouldnt do for reasons including the fact the dependence wasnt caused by illegal drugs. Gregory says he missed many days of work as he contacted doctors and patients rights advocates. Finally, they wound up at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where a doctor reviewed the overall medical situation, called in assorted specialists including a physical therapist, and began a process to manage the pain while reducing the opioids. It was inhumane, Gregory says of the ordeal. In 2016, the CDC issued guidelines aimed at informing doctors that opioids shouldnt be the first choice for treating short-term pain. The guidelines, among other things, further advise doctors to carefully access patients addiction history before prescribing opioids, and to prefer an array of non-opioid pain relievers, ranging from medications to physical therapy to acupuncture. In general, the guidelines say most people shouldnt be on opioids for more than seven days. The guidelines make clear they are intended for patients dealing with short-term acute pain, such as from an injury or surgery, and not people facing things like cancer or terminal illness. Still, advocates including Brase argue the CDC guidelines have taken on the weight of law. They have led to state laws limiting the use of opioids, and caused doctors who prescribe outside the guidelines to be viewed as criminals, she says. Brase says its an overarching attempt to tell the doctor how to practice medicine or face consequences, and those folks who will give the consequences are not in the exam room. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers passed a law barring doctors from prescribing more than seven days of opioids to minors, although there are exceptions for situations such as children with cancer. They passed another law banning emergency room doctors from prescribing more than a seven days worth of the drugs. Dr. Vitaly Gordin, the chief of pain management at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, says he supports the CDC guidelines as a necessary response to a crisis. However, he feels they dont allow sufficient leeway for patients who have long been on high doses of opioids and cant abruptly be cut off. Beginning about 20 years ago, Gordin said, doctors bought into the marketing push to prescribe more opioids, despite a lack of data and medical science to support it. Following injuries or surgeries, including minor ones, doctors commonly prescribed weeks of opioids, pretty much telling patients to take them as needed. Now, years later, the danger of doing that is obvious. If the patient is taking it four to six times a day for four to six weeks, they will become dependent, he says. Doctors also upped the dose as the patient developed tolerance another disastrous approach. When people exceed the equivalent of about 90 milligrams of opioids a day, Gordin explains, they are at high risk for assorted serious medical problems, including respiratory failure. As it stands, the 2017 opioid death toll includes 17,029 deaths attributed to prescription opioids, up from 3,442 in 1999. Gordin views the CDC guidelines as a necessary way of informing doctors about the safest means of addressing their patients pain. But he also believes the CDC must understand what doctors face caring for patients who, after years of following their doctors advice, are taking dangerously high doses of opioids. These patients cant be abruptly be cut off, Gordin says. They are at risk of withdrawal sickness, turning to street drugs and suicide. Physicians are between a rock and hard place, he says. We want the government and the authorities to understand this cannot be enforced in the same way as criminal law. It has to be done in a very careful, patient-oriented fashion. The situation can leave doctors, especially pain specialists with high concentrations of patients who legitimately need opioids, in fear of being prosecuted. Its very worrisome for a physician to get a letter from the U.S. attorney, he says. For patients with long-term pain, Gordin says, the best approach often involves a combination of treatments, such as physical therapy, lifestyle changes, non-opioid pain relievers, and relaxation techniques to manage the pain while reducing reliance on opioids. Its an involved process that can require multiple specialists and take considerable time more time, and expense, than taking a pill. And that points to another conundrum. Two decades ago, before the surge in opioid prescribing, there were plenty of pain management clinics devoted to helping people use a range of tactics, including physical therapy and lifestyles changes, to manage chronic pain with the least possible reliance on medications. But as author Sam Quinones explained in Dreamland: The True Tale of Americas Opioid Epidemic, those clinics were all but driven out of business by the rise of opioids. Such clinics show signs of resurgence. The approach they offer, while more expensive and requiring more effort than simply relying on opioids, can offer the healthiest path for people with chronic pain. We need to help people become more proactive and more responsible for their health, Gordin says. A state trooper who claimed he shot and killed a familys dog because he feared it was preparing to attack him is legally immune from a lawsuit filed by the animals owners, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. In making that decision, U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane freed Trooper Jeremy Corrie from the suit Jeffrey and Lindsey Bletz filed over the May 2014 death of their Rottweiler-Lab mix Ace at their York County home. Kane found Corries decision to shoot the dog didnt violate the Bletz familys civil rights. Aces death occurred while Corrie was with a team of law enforcement officers who were executing a search warrant at the Bletz home in Lower Windsor Township. Ace had just been let out of the house to defecate when Corrie encountered him, Kane noted. She cited Corries testimony that Ace jumped toward him and snarled. The trooper fired one shot from his pistol, which missed the dog, and then backed away, Kane wrote. Corrie claimed Ace began circling around him in a aggressive posture, snarling and showing its teeth, the judge noted. The trooper said he believed an attack was imminent and fired twice more, hitting Ace with one bullet. The dog yelped, went over the Jeffrey Bletz, laid down at its owners feet and died, Kane wrote. The Bletzes filed suit in 2016, claiming, among other things, that Corrie had violated their right against unlawful search and seizure by killing their pet. Corrie should have developed some other non-lethal plan for handling Ace, they contended. They insisted the dog never actually posed a threat to the officer. Kane noted that none of the family members were in a position to see what transpired between Corrie and their dog. The court finds that (Corrie) acted reasonably in using the one option he felt would protect himself from serious bodily injury opposite a dog whom he viewed as preparing to attack him, the judge wrote. Dottie Schaffer is not just an elementary academic and behavioral intervention specialist at Steelton-Highspire School District. Shes also a waitress. Her second job requires her to wait on tables at the Millworks in Harrisburg for a six-hour shift from one to five nights a week, whenever shifts are available on weeknights or weekends. Her students know it because she often has to tell them she cant stay after school to tutor them because she has to get to her other job. She also doesnt have time to do as much research as shed like to do to be better at her job because Im tired. But Im not allowed to be tired. You cant be tired. Shed prefer not to have to hold down a second job but she has to make ends meet. She is in the same boat as about 3,100 other educators across the state who make less than $45,000 a year. She came to the Capitol on Tuesday along with dozens of other educators to call on lawmakers to support to Gov. Tom Wolfs call to raise the states $18,500 minimum teacher salary to the $45,000. Schaffer is in her third year at Steelton-Highspire and makes about $40,800. What she thinks people dont understand when it comes to education is that teachers are required to have college degrees and then after five years in the profession, must earn 24 post-baccalaureate credits in order to maintain their teacher certification. So on top of the student debtload we already have to get our bachelors, were required to go get more schooling, she said. A lot of us work two jobs in order to make ends meet. A bi-partisan band of lawmakers are saying it is time to more fairly compensate teachers. The state last raised its minimum teacher salary 31 years ago. Legislation sponsored by Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks County, in the Senate and Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne County, in the House would have the state pick up the $13.8 million tab to cover the cost of the salaries and associated pension, Social Security and Medicare costs to raise salaries of teachers earning less than the $45,000 to that level. They pointed out not only are teachers working two and three jobs but also are using their own money to buy supplies for their classrooms. This is causing some to leave the profession or move from lower-paying school districts to ones that pay more. Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks County, shown here at Tuesday's news conference surrounded by dozens of educators and state Reps. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne County, and Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna County, is advocating for raising the minimum teacher salary to $45,000. We all should have a personal interest in this proposal. Research has shown student achievement increases when teacher turnover is reduced. Our future depends on a well-educated populace, said Schwank, a former teacher. In 2017, a statewide median salary of a Pennsylvanian with a bachelors degree was $47,000. Toohil said its time that teachers pay is brought up to the level that similarly educated professionals receive, particularly given the many challenges teachers face today, she said. Given the absolute crucial role teachers play in the lives of our students, our Pennsylvania students, they should not have to scrape by to make ends meet, Toohil said. Joining the bill sponsors at the news conference was Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-Lackawanna County, who pointed out that the state is facing a teacher shortage and low wages are major contributing factor. Between 2009 and 2016, the state saw nearly a 70 percent decline in the number of teachers requesting licensure, he said. Whats more, the number of requests for emergency teacher certifications to allow teachers to teach outside the area in which they are certified to teach is on the rise. There were 3,016 requests last year, 2,800 the year before and 1,900 in 2015-16, he said. Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey said the higher minimum salary proposal has broad support among likely voters. A poll conducted by Harper Polling for the teachers union found that 66 percent of the 600 voters surveyed favored increasing the minimum teacher salary to $45,000 with 29 percent opposing it. Of that 66 percent, he said nearly 50 percent strongly favored the proposal. Askey further pointed out that the 3,100 teachers earning below $45,000 are not fresh out of college. About half of them have more than three years of experience and an average age of 33. Most of them are women and many carry significant student debt. Clairton City School District fifth-grade math teacher Stacie Baur offered herself as an example of that. Despite having nearly 10 years of teaching experience, she is making $43,000 and half of each months pay goes toward paying down her $130,000 student loan debt. To help her and her husband get by, she supplements her income by teaching English to Chinese students online. More fairly compensating teachers will keep teachers in the classroom and allow them to focus on their students to learn and grow, instead of trying to hold down a second or third job, Askey said. Responding to the criticism that some lawmakers have voiced about that the proposal having a ripple effect that will lead to higher teacher pay in districts next round of contract talks, Schwank said history didnt show that to be the case. In the four years before the minimum teacher salary was set in 1988-89, the average teacher pay rose 3.1 percent and in the four years after it took effect, it only rose 2.8 percent. It doesnt necessarily follow that everything in terms of salaries is going to ratchet up because of this modest proposal to try to raise the minimum teacher salary, Schwank said. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. Start your day in the know. Sign up for Good Morning, Pennsylvania. A new exhibit by the Historical Society of Dauphin County commemorates the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor on March 28, 1979, with samples of mutated plants from the Mary Stamos collection, photographs from the societys Allied Pix collection, and various TMI ephemera. The entire plant collection gathered by Mary Stamos has been accepted by Smithsonian Institutions Natural History Museums Department of Botany. The individual pieces will be analyzed to ascertain if radiation from TMI caused the cellular structure of the plants to be altered. The partial meltdown remains the nations worst nuclear accident. And it left an indelible mark on Pennsylvania. Today, the plant is slated to be shut down, although lawmakers are working on solutions to keep the plant open. Other parts of the exhibit remain as a pop culture time capsule of the TMI incident. Button, poster, t-shirts and record singles such as Three Mile Island by Al Shade and Jean Romaine, Three Mile Island by The Tyme-Aires, featuring Jack Griffith, and Goodbye T.M.I. by Gary & The Outriders, are on display. The exhibit is jointly curated by the Historical Society of Dauphin County and TMI Alert. The exhibit, at the societys John Harris-SImon Cameron Mansion, can be visited from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, and from 12-2 p.m. the second Sunday of each month. It will be available for viewing until at least June 1, 2019. If you go: John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion and Alexander Research Library 219 South Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17104 (717) 233-3462 If youve missed some of the coverage, heres a roundup of our stories on TMI, with links to our coverage. TMI and public health PennLive and WITF have produced a pair of stories examining at the lingering questions surrounding TMI and its impact on public health. Government officials and scientists have long maintained no one died or was harmed due to the accident. Many who live in central Pennsylvania reject that conclusion, citing cancers and early deaths of loved ones. PennLives Ivey DeJesus details the long history of medical studies around TMI and the suspicions of illnesses and deaths that endure four decades later. WITFs Brett Sholtis looked at the 2017 Penn State study pointing to a correlation between TMI and a certain type of thyroid cancer, a study that only stoked fuel to the ongoing debate. Saving Three Mile Island? Lawmakers and lobbyists are working feverishly to keep Three Mile Island open. Some say the plant is a key component of the regions economy and Pennsylvanias energy portfolio. Critics say they dont want what they see as a bailout at the expense of consumers. PennLives Charles Thompson details the effort to preserve TMI. In a separate story, Charles examines if the Keystone State energy market and environment can do without Three Mile Island. The question of nuclear waste If Three Mile Island shuts down, what happens to the plants nuclear waste? PennLives Wallace McKelvey examines the plants plans to deal with the nuclear waste. If TMI closes, then what? WITFs Ed Mahon examined the impact of TMIs closure on the businesses and lives of communities surrounding the plant. A PennLive story explores another consequence if TMI closes: the plants surrounding counties could lose financial aid for emergency planning. Some also say those emergency planning efforts should continue even if the plant shuts down. What would a TMI evacuation look like today? When the accident occurred in 1979, more than 144,000 people in central Pennsylvania hit the road. If there was a need for a mass evacuation today, it would be very challenging, since the regions population has surged over the past four decades. This PennLive piece looks at the daunting challenges of an evacuation. How Hollywood foreshadowed TMI Less than two weeks before the accident, The China Syndrome opened in movie theaters and delivered the chilling scenario of a nuclear emergency. A PennLive piece recalls the eerie timing of the Hollywood blockbuster. They covered the TMI accident A few of The Patriot-News reporters who covered the accident recalled their experiences. John Troutman shared his stories of covering one of the most staggering events in the commonwealths history as a very young reporter. Roger Quigley explains what it felt like when all hell broke loose. Bill Blando relayed the confusion and chaos at the time. PennLive/Patriot-News columnist Nancy Eshelman shared how the TMI accident unfolded amidst unimaginable terror in her personal life. As we come to the end of Women History Month, it is fitting that we pay tribute not only to the great women of Pennsylvanias past, but to the women today who are writing its modern-day history and shaping its future. We know our Commonwealth is not perfect, and there is a lot of work to do before women in Pennsylvania can truly feel they are on equal footing with men. We know women are underrepresented in political office in this state and ranks almost at the bottom in terms of elected officials. In fact, only Mississippi ranked lower. And, yes, we need to do more to support working women and to ensure equal pay. In more than 65 percent of households in Pennsylvania, women are the sole, primary or co-breadwinners, and they often work the same jobs for lower pay than their male counterparts. But there is also good news about being a woman in Pennsylvania, as many women who live here will tell you. PennLive asked several women some prominent and others not so to tell us whats great about being a Pennsylvania woman. They all pointed to the quality, character and pure grit of the women they meet on a daily basis, and of the opportunities they see in Pennsylvania to develop their talents and to pursue their dreams. Michelle Weber Michelle Weber, student government association coordinator at the Milton Hershey School, feels lucky to have relocated to Pennsylvania. She credits the many women she encountered in this state who encouraged and supported her as she stepped into her role at the school, where she in turn, helps to mentor girls into adulthood. At the age of sixteen, my family left Puerto Rico and moved to Pennsylvania, Weber said. It was through this challenging transition that I learned the importance of connections. From mentors to family members, I am forever indebted to female role models who built, empowered and strengthened my self-worth as I struggled to redefine myself in Pennsylvania during my teenage years. Una Martone Una Martone, president and CEO of Leadership Harrisburg Area, credited the many opportunities she has had to develop her leadership skills in her community of Central Pennsylvania. I especially appreciate the size and scale of Central PA where one can strive to make a difference and see the results, Martone said. People here seem particularly supportive of women and Ive found myself included at the table and encouraged to have a voice on the issues that I care most about. Rogette Harris, Chair of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee Rogette Harris, chair of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee, looked back to thank the trailblazing women of Pennsylvania. From Betsy Ross, to Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, to Billie Holiday, Patti LaBelle, and Tina Fey, who paved the way for women in the arts, women in PA have made their mark in history, Harris said Josephine Ferro, president of the Federation of Republican Women What is great about being a Pennsylvania woman is the knowledge that I am in the company of many who are strong, dedicated and compassionate not just about making their communities better but also their Commonwealth and their nation," said Josephine Ferro, president, of the Pennsylvania Federation of Republican Women. "Pennsylvania women see the challenges and dont see obstacle. Velma Redmond, Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania Velma Redmond, honored in 2016 as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania, spoke of her deep pride in the accomplishments of so many women in the history of the Commonwealth. I am inspired by the rich legacy of extraordinary Pennsylvania women who have had significant impacts on their communities, our beloved Commonwealth and the wider world, she said. Pennsylvania women from all walks of life, have excelled in almost every field imaginable. Redmond also noted the can-do attitude that she believes is pronounced in women of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania women have a roll up your sleeves and lets get to work attitude, Redmond says. They get things done. Gov. Tom Wolf, with wife Frances at his side, shown here taking the oath of office in January 2015. Pennsylvanias First Lady Frances Wolf put it this way: To be a woman in Pennsylvania is to be aspirational. It is knowing that the possibilities for determining our own lifes path currently are greater than theyve ever been. And it is knowing that the opportunities and embrace for us to engage in solving problems are there for the taking. Pretty inspiring words from the first lady of our commonwealth. So while Pennsylvania is far from perfect, there are many women who see far more positives than negatives. And they wouldnt call anywhere else home. Turnover sink Petoskey in Saturday matchup with Menominee PETOSKEY The early portion of the season always comes with lessons and learning curves, some of which are learned the hard way. "Calm Bomb" bath bomb including 50 mg of hemp extract from Mary's Nutritionals is sold through Free People for $12. Read more Marys Nutritionals, a well-established luxury CBD beauty and wellness brand, announced this month that its products will be available at Free People, including $12 hemp-infused bath bombs, a $45 CBD-infused mud mask with minerals only found in the Dead Sea, and a $95 CBD-infused hyaluronic serum to moisturize skin. Marys popular transdermal hemp patch is also sold on Free Peoples website for $10 and is said to use CBD to ease various bodily aches for 8 to 12 hours. However, none of the seven Marys products online will be shipped to Free Peoples home state of Pennsylvania. Free People is a subsidiary of the Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters lifestyle brand and Urban Outfitters also offers CBD products. The product also wont be shipped to New Jersey and Delaware. The Marys product descriptions on Free Peoples website come with the disclaimer that each item contains CBD and ships only to the following states: California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The products will be offered only in-store at the Palm Springs, Calif., and Burlington, Vt., locations. Representatives from Marys and from Free People said they could not immediately comment. Lynn Honderd, the CEO of Marys, said that the company could be buoyed through a partnership with a brand such as Free People. In signing the 2018 Farm Bill, President Donald Trump legalized hemp, making way for the legal sale and production of CBD, the extract cannabidiol, which comes from hemp. CBD stands to become a bigger part of almost all product categories after the passage of the Farm Bill, Honderd said in a release. >>READ MORE: Selling CBD in food is illegal, FDA says. So why are so many retailers selling it? Marys says that its products are sold at more than 400 outlets, including several in the region, such as Shade & Seeker Beauty in Ardmore, Arrowroot in Bryn Mawr, New Jersey Alternative Medicine in Moorestown, Turnersville and Princeton, Cool Breeze Distributors in Feasterville, and Bailey Family Chiropractic in Downingtown. Free Peoples online beauty and wellness selection shows such posts such as This Tool Transformed My Hair, Down-There Beautification, Find Your Perfect Vibrator, and, most recently, Current Obsessions: CBD." This selection mirrors the vastness that is the wellness category, sweeping up everything from scalp massagers to exfoliating scrubs to the cannabis oil compound CBD. >> READ MORE: Self-love as self-care: Rebranding sex toys as womens wellness products If consumers are curious about why Free People would sell these products in addition to bohemian tops, flare jeans and maxi dresses, the company sums it up on its site: Meet CBD: a potent super-plant with natural powers to relax, restore and repair. Like detoxifying charcoal or inflammation-fighting turmeric, CBD offers blissful not buzzy benefits and can be a therapeutic addition to your daily routine. Urban Outfitters also offers select CBD products. Free Peoples movement, wellness and beauty categories have been a priority for the brand, Sheila Harrington, the Free People brand president, told investors on a November earnings calls. These three categories combined comprise almost 20 percent of the brands total growth that quarter, Harrington said. Within these categories, the Free People brand has a unique opportunity to create product specific to the customers lifestyle and we believe offers a strong growth opportunity for the brand, she said. While Free People expands its product offering, it is also seeking to educate customers how they can use CBD. Free People and Marys will be hosting launch events this week and next week at the store offering the products on its shelves that include yoga classes, chair massages, and product demonstrations, all incorporating CBD. Pennsylvania is home to three of the fastest growing craft breweries in America. Read more Pennsylvania is officially home to three of the fastest growing craft breweries in America. Thats according to the Brewers Association, an industry trade group, which released its list of the top 50 fastest growing craft beer companies in the United States for 2018 on Wednesday. Organized by growth in production, the list includes small, independent craft breweries from 27 states. Pennsylvania nabbed three spots on the list, thanks to Bonn Place Brewing in Bethlehem (#8), western Pa.s ShuBrew LLC (#25), and Chatty Monks Brewing Co. out in West Reading (#26). New Jersey had one brewery on the list with Hillsboroughs Flounder Brewing Co., which placed 22nd. Rehoboth Beachs Fins Big Oyster Brewery was the regions fastest growing craft brewery at number two on the list, behind only Lake Time Brewery out of Clear Lake, Iowa. While the BA did not provide data for individual breweries, the organization did note that the median growth for brewers on the list overall was about 163 percent. As a result, the 50 craft companies on the list account for about 10 percent of total craft beer growth by volume for 2018. Pennsylvania wasnt the only state with three breweries on the list. Other states also had similar showings, including Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida. California, meanwhile, had the most breweries on the list at six overall. That may be surprising, considering that Pennsylvania is the top producer of craft beer in the nation at 3.7 million barrels per year, according to the Brewers Association. California, meanwhile, produces 3.2 million barrels of craft beer annually. The state is also home to D.G. Yuengling & Son, which the Brewers Association named the biggest craft beer company in America by sales volume for 2018 earlier this month. The company, which celebrates its 190th year in business this year, has topped the list every year since 2014. Michael Schulson, who has been on a tear of late with splashy restaurants, just rolled out a steakhouse. What's he thinking? Also this week, our stops include a Central American BYOB in South Philly and a microbrewery with a quirky back story in Glenside. Not to be outdone, editor Alison Smith heads to the inviting Malvern Buttery for brunch. If you need food news, click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips, suggestions, and questions here. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you like what youre reading, sign up here to get it free every week. Michael Klein Meet Schulsons new steakhouse "Bigger" is the operative word in restaurants. More seats (assuming you can fill 'em) means more potential revenue. Then why has Michael Schulson opened a steakhouse with only 40 seats? Because he can. He views Alpen Rose (116 S. 13th St.), which forms the end of a row of Schulson restaurants in Washington Square West (Sampan/Graffiti Bar and Double Knot), as a chance to complement his portfolio with something bold yet intimate. Library-like decor, beneath crystal chandeliers, has that predictable steakhouse richness, but the mismatched plates and cutlery help provide a homey touch. You can see the open hearth in much of the dining room. Under chefs Leo Forneas and Michael Le, Alpen Rose has a room for 14- to 120-day dry-aging. Steaks start at $35 for an 8-ounce grass-fed filet, and there are numerous sharing options, up to a 48-ounce Tomahawk for $110. Sides include the familiar (creamed spinach), the artistic (a tower of beer-battered onion rings), and the creative (roasted cauliflower "steak," which can be made vegan). Figure on about $75 a person, maybe a couple bucks less than the Center City chains. Find more details here. Hours: 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. This Weeks Openings Alpen Rose | Washington Square West See above. Big G's Chicken Shack | West Philadelphia Soul-food destination Big George's Stop N Dine offers chicken and sides at this takeout at 5148 Locust St. Bill's Best | Glenside See below. Buena Vista | Ardmore Western suburbs Mexican chainlet has opened at 5 W. Lancaster Ave. Chuan Kee | Chinatown Skewers and hot pot are the specialties of this Chinese restaurant at 927 Race St. from a partner in Ting Wong. Lunar Inn | Port Richmond Two couples have opened this bar/bottle shop on Richmond Street near Allegheny Avenue. Pholosophy | Narberth Modern/industrial-look Vietnamese at 226 Haverford Ave. Pizzeria Beddia | Fishtown New location, complete with bar, for Philly's most hyped pizzeria, at 1313 N. Lee St. Songsan | Ardmore Tabletop BBQ and Korean cuisine, plus beer and soju cocktails, at 66 Rittenhouse Place. Sterling Pig Public House | West Chester Media's barbecue/brewpub has opened at 113 W. Market, replacing a Japanese restaurant Up-Ryse | Bryn Mawr Bagel shop at 22 N. Bryn Mawr Ave. U.S. Hotel Bar & Grill | Manayunk The longtime bar-restaurant at 4439 Main St. has set an April 1 reopening under new owners. Yanako | Manayunk Moon Krapugthong has moved her Japanese restaurant to 4345 Main St., next to Chabaa Thai. No reported closings this week. Where were brunching Malvern Buttery, 233 E. King St., Malvern This sunny bakery/coffee shop/lunch spot down the street from SEPTAs Malvern station serves a great latte, house-made pastries (Craig LaBan calls them some of the best croissants in Philadelphia, and hes not wrong) and sandwiches all on the honor system. Grab a seat at one of the big community tables. Order a drink from the barista. (Theyll bring it to you when its ready.) Wander over to the food, displayed in front of the open-air kitchen. Load up a board (Malvern Butterys answer to plates) with pastries, quiches, grain salads, toast, cookies ... the selection rotates before your eyes. Keep a running list of what you grabbed on the Buttery-branded notepads scattered around the room. When youre ready to head out, stop by the register near the coffee menu, and tell them what you ate so they can charge you accordingly. Its not a system that would work everywhere, but it works here. Alison Smith Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (Closed Monday.) Where were eating El Bocado, 1005 E. Passyunk Ave., 267-758-2390 Jackie Martinez, a young mom whose Salvadoran/Honduran family has been in the local restaurant business for several years, oversees this cozy, family-friendly BYOB at the crossroads of East Passyunk Avenue and Seventh Street, just north of Washington Avenue in Bella Vista. Menu takes in Honduran and Salvadoran cuisine, though Martinez told me that she felt obliged to include more familiar Mexican dishes just to keep the locals happier. You'll see the Central American accent in the enchiladas ($9), served Salvadoran style with crispy tortillas, ground beef, coleslaw, roasted tomato sauce, hard-boiled eggs, tomato, and Parmesan cheese. Chuleta asada ($12) is a tender grilled pork chop served with rice and beans and salad. For rib-sticking indulgence, try the pollo con tajadas ($12), a platter of fried chicken, fried bananas, cabbage, roasted tomato sauce, pico de gallo, Parmesan cheese, and a mayo dressing. Wash it all down with horchata and other fresh juices. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday to Wednesday (closed Thursday). Bill's Best, 57 S. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-517-6970 How's this for a back story: Family creates delicious barbecue sauces, based on the recipes of patriarch Bill Fehon. Son Jason, a producer and weekend DJ on WMMR, has a passion for beer. There's space at Bill's Best's production facility in Glenside. Why not start a microbrewery, and invite the neighbors in for beers and pork barbecue sandwiches topped with the sauce? Two weeks ago, Jason and his mother, Diane, opened the doors to the warehouse-like space, and the crowds have been packing the bar and tables for budget-priced cocktails, local beers, and notably brewer Synn Estvedts three changing tap selections. The other day, I enjoyed a Due North, an NEIPA (7.2% ABV) with forward flavors of melon and pineapple, to accompany a pork sandwich, basically the only food on the menu. The Fehons use pork from Stryker Farm near Allentown (a wholesale sauce customer) and build it on a brioche bun. You can choose five toppings, making for a delicious messiness that the accompanying photo conveys. The honey barbecue sauce, one of three, is available for purchase by the bottle. Hours: 5-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Dining Notes Where have all the oyster crackers gone? Original Trenton Crackers were a staple in oyster houses all over the region. When the manufacturer stopped making them, it caused outrage among lifelong customers. Delco landmark Charlies Hamburgers, whose beefy creations routinely appear on best-burger lists in the region, is moving five minutes down the road. You can use Dogfish Heads new beer to develop Kodak Super 8 film, and they made a video featuring Philly to prove it. Critic Craig LaBan is on assignment. Email questions here. A glass of oyster crackers sit on the bar at the Oyster House in Center City Philadelphia. Read more For decades, patrons at Philadelphias seafood houses happily nibbled on crunchy, biscuit-like orbs known as oyster crackers, piling dabs of tangy horseradish on top. Often served in large glass goblets on the bars of oyster houses, the crackers were as much a part of the citys fabric as soft pretzels. But about a year and a half ago, owners of local establishments say, the cracker they knew began to crumble. The shape morphed from spherical to rectangular, said Sam Mink, owner of the Oyster House at 1516 Sansom St. The taste changed and the texture was softer, like a regular cracker. It didnt break into hard crumbs when cracked over soup. Then, in the fall, the company that produced the crackers stopped making them, forcing businesses like Minks to scramble for a replacement. He ended up with Westminster Crackers, which are small, come wrapped in packets of 10 or so, and taste more like saltines. People went crazy, Mink said. They were just so upset. This has been the number-one topic at this restaurant for the past six months. Amazon and the cracker companys website have been bombarded with scathing reviews from customers who arent pleased. Raised in the Philly burbs, OTCs were a childhood staple," one wrote. They have ruined that memory!...BOO! Phillys original oyster crackers were first made in 1847 by a Trenton company founded by a British immigrant who sold them out of his wagon. During the Civil War, the company supplied crackers to the Union Army, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The company eventually was named OTC (for Original Trenton Cracker) and supplied seafood houses in Philadelphia, where patrons stirred them into oyster stews. The company moved to Lambertville in the 1970s. For at least 30 years, we used OTC, said Dave Braunstein, co-owner of Pearls Oyster Bar in Reading Terminal Market. People loved reaching into the jar; theyd grab a few." But as ubiquitous as the crackers were here, they werent widely known beyond the region. A 1986 Inquirer article noted that 80 percent of OTCs oyster crackers were consumed within a 120-mile radius of Philadelphia. Local restaurateurs say the trouble started about two years ago, when the bakery responsible for making the crackers dropped them. OTC, now owned by Panorama Foods in Massachusetts, found another bakery. But according to a statement posted by president Ken Meyers on the companys Facebook page in July 2018, the equipment that once churned out the crackers no longer meets safety standards. Recreating a custom machine of this sort is simply not possible for a small company such as Panorama Foods, the statement reads. Given that, the original shape is, likely, gone forever. That, however, is no reason not to continue to strive for a perfect match as regards taste and texture. We, and the new bakery are working, with each production run, to do just that but, clearly, some of you feel we havent crossed the finish line quite yet. Panorama did not return requests for comment. Mink, a third-generation owner of the Oyster House, said OTC crackers and horseradish have been on the restaurants bar since the 1940s. There was a backlash after the shape and taste changed, but it was nothing compared to what ensued after the Oyster House started serving different crackers. Patrons try to dress nickel-size crackers with horseradish, making a mess. Every day, Mink said, someone asks to speak to the owner of the restaurant about the crackers. After hearing the explanation, some suggest the Oyster House make its own. You imagine a whole team of people rolling out dough, all for a product thats a freebie, Mink said. I thought about it, of course. The Olde Bar, the restaurant that served OTC crackers for years when it was the Old Original Bookbinders, now uses another brand. Pearls has switched to Westminster. OTC is making the crackers again, but fewer of them, and suppliers have given local restaurateurs no hope of getting any. The recipe is still being tweaked, if recent online comments are to be believed: (My oyster stew was mediocre at best with the new crackers, one said). These crackers have been such a big part of what we do," Mink said. You sometimes dont realize how passionate people are until you change something. But at the end of the day, its good that theyre passionate. It means that they care. Students at Temple University line up outside of Mitten Hall for a free MMR vaccine following a mumps outbreak at the university on Wednesday. The outbreak has sickened more than 100. Read more On its first day, Temple Universitys free vaccine clinic delivered 2,285 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to students and faculty in the wake of a campus mumps outbreak that has sickened 106 people. The clinic comes two months after the initial case thought to have been contracted outside the area and brought on to campus was reported. Since then, individual cases have popped up on other campuses. On Wednesday, the University of Pennsylvania reported its first case: an undergraduate student living off campus. Officials said it was not connected to the Temple outbreak. Public health experts say a vaccine clinic should be one of the first steps a university takes to stop an outbreak. You should have this at the ready, said Rupali J. Limaye, an associate director at the Institute for Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Its in the universitys best interest to immediately set up vaccination clinics. The vaccine takes about two weeks to become effective, so the sooner universities start vaccinating students, the better chance they have at limiting spread, Limaye said. Mumps is a contagious viral disease with symptoms ranging from swollen salivary glands to fever and headache. Although serious complications are rare, especially in people who were vaccinated as children, mumps can cause inflammation of the brain, deafness, or sterility. Its typically spread through saliva in shared food or drink making college campuses, where many students live together, particularly vulnerable. The demand at Wednesdays clinic far exceeded the 1,800 doses officials were expecting to deliver. Steven Alles, director of disease control for the Philadelphia health department, said this will help inform how many vaccines they order for the next free clinic, which will take place Friday in Mitten Halls Great Court from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vaccines are being offered for free to all Temple students, faculty, and staff. Mark Denys, director of Temples student and employee health services, said his team spent the early weeks of the outbreak focusing on isolating infected individuals and getting booster shots to people in close contact with them. But as the outbreak continued to grow about five additional cases are reported each day, Denys said they decided opening a vaccine clinic was necessary. The clinic at Temple was run by 55 staff from the school and the Philadelphia Public Health Department. At times, the line outside the clinic snaked down the block with dozens of students filling out paperwork to prepare for the shot. Most students had received the MMR vaccine as children, but were eager to get the booster for extra protection. Research has shown the vaccine loses strength over time. Itd be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity, said Zareen Johnson, a junior. Amrit Kaur, a senior who lives in the city with her family, said she hasnt had any symptoms but is worried about spreading mumps from campus to her home. Her brother has diabetes, so hes more susceptible to developing infections. Ive been going home late the last several weeks, Kaur said. Im trying to limit contact, not share anything with them just in case. Getting the vaccine gave her a sense of relief, she said. Freshman Karsten Noziere felt the same way. Being in elevators with people who were coughing and sneezing the last few weeks has made him worry he might have been exposed. Hearing about all the cases, I figured I might as well get the booster, Noziere said. As of Tuesday, the Philadelphia health department reported 18 confirmed cases of mumps and 88 probable cases. Most are at Temple, but a handful are in surrounding counties. West Chester University and Drexel University have also reported one case each. Those cases have all been linked to Temple, Alles said. Although city health officials said theyve most likely identified Patient Zero the person who started the outbreak they have not provided any details about the persons vaccination status. None of those infected have been hospitalized. Students said rumors were circulating around campus about who had been infected or exposed, but for the most part, there was little panic about the situation. Sophomore Mackenzi Hockensmith said she received an email from student health services informing her that shed been exposed to the virus and should get the booster shot. Theyve mostly done a good job of making us calm, she said of the universitys response. But she wished updated case numbers were sent out more frequently so she didnt find herself having to Google information about the outbreak. Freshman Alex Lucke said shed decided not to visit a fraternity after learning from campus officials that mumps can easily be spread at parties through shared drinks and snacks. Although mumps cases in the United States have declined by 99 percent since the vaccine was introduced in 1967, theres been a resurgence in recent years driven by college students. In 2016, outbreaks at universities in Iowa and Illinois affected several hundred students. In 2017, Pennsylvania State University had an outbreak of more than 40 cases. Researchers at Harvard University have suggested requiring mumps booster shots might help protect students as they enter college. As of now, the CDC recommends a third dose only during an outbreak such as the one at Temple. Since the outbreak, Temple announced a new policy that will require all incoming freshmen to be up to date on the MMR vaccination series, as well as the chicken pox, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines. Previously, the university did not require immunizations for admitted or enrolled students. That will make a large difference, said Laura Siminoff, dean of Temples College of Public Health. Many universities already require vaccinations, and theres nothing preventing others from enacting such rules, she said. Its probably an oversight when a university doesnt. Seen here in his Middletown, Del., Thompson today is "happy, healthy, and living without opioids." Read more Independence Day, 1969, changed my life. That day catapulted me from the sunny world of an optimistic, newly minted physician into a hell I could never have foreseen. A horrific traffic accident totaled my car and fractured my back. My doctor predicted that I had dodged immediate surgery thanks to my youth and strong physical condition, but that in the years to come, I would meet the knife. Over the next years, I practiced my profession, radiology. But one day in 2010, early in my retirement, excruciating left-leg pain signaled the doctors prophecy had come true. With age, weight bearing placed pressure on my sciatic nerves. Rather than risk permanent nerve damage, I consented to my first surgery, in 2011. A neurosurgeon performed a nine-hour operation on my spine. That procedure failed, leaving me in more pain than before. A pain doctor prescribed oxycodone. Eight months later, I was no better, and consented to two more surgeries. Over the next three years, my pain worsened. My pain doctor added a second narcotic, fentanyl, to the oxycodone. The opioids kept my pain in check, but seized control of my mind. I became withdrawn and paranoid. My thinking became muddled, and I was always depressed. How could this have happened to me? I anguished. I am a board-certified physician. Now, Im a drug addict struggling to stay alive. I rarely went out, but reluctantly attended a family wedding in New York. While there, as I went to change my fentanyl skin patch, I discovered the box was empty. I had brought the wrong package. The full box was still at home. I freaked. Impatient for its regular fix, my body revolted. Severe muscle aches, exploding headache, nausea, sweating, hot and cold flashes, chronic fatigue, and worsening low-back pain wracked my body. I called my pain specialist. He wasnt much help, only cautioning that if I were going to stop taking narcotics by using medical marijuana, as I proposed, do it gradually over a one-year period. Desperate to kick the habit, I ignored his advice. Thirty days later with cannabis, sheer determination, and a lot of prayer, I was completely off both the oxycodone and fentanyl. But for the next year, I hurt so bad I could hardly get out of bed. Always exhausted, I couldnt sleep. Struggling to recognize the slightest hints of improvement, I kept a daily log that has grown into the memoir I am writing about escaping the stranglehold of prescription narcotics. Today, almost a year and a half after beginning to free myself of opioids, Im improved but not completely pain-free. Standing for any length of time and walking for more than one mile produce discomfort in my back. My energy remains low. So I minimize standing, limit walking, and rest as necessary. Still, Im better now than I could have imagined. I take an occasional ibuprofen but no longer require opioids. It seems that my bodys own defenses, previously suppressed by the narcotics, have risen to the occasion. I no longer need marijuana. But I credit cannabis with letting me discover the real source of my suffering. It was not my original injury or multiple surgeries. It was the superimposed effects of the opioids. I no longer have to arrange my life around addictive substances or suffer on the edge of withdrawal. I no longer feel secretive and ashamed, or fearful that I could run out of the prescription opioids I need to avoid the pain of withdrawal. I am no longer haunted by the terror of possibly having to resort to the streets for my drugs because the doctor will no long prescribe. Drug-free, I now am content. To be clear, my personal experience arises from the perspective of a patient, not in this case, as a physician. I offer no assurance that what worked for me will work for others. Years of practicing medicine have taught me that for many burdened with horrible medical conditions, around-the-clock opioids are an unfortunate necessity. For six years, I feared I was one such person. My particular experience has taught me that with grit, perseverance, strong spiritual faith, and medical marijuana, I was able to unshackle myself from what I thought would be an irrevocable life sentence of narcotic dependence. Today, I am happy, healthy, and living without prescription opioids. Though retired, I am once again the doctor and no longer a patient. Today, as on that beautiful July Fourth before my life-changing accident so many years ago, I am free. Noble L. Thompson Jr., M.D., is a retired, board-certified neuroradiologist who practiced mostly in the Philadelphia area. He is the author of Never Give Up: My Struggle to Become a Doctor. Apparently some people know what cities look like from the sky. Read more Did you hear about the airplane that was supposed to fly to Dusseldorf, but instead landed in Scotland? Theres so much I love about this news story I dont know where to start. Heres what happened. Everybody was on British Airways Flight 3271 from London going to Dusseldorf in Germany, but when the flight was over, the plane had mistakenly landed in the capital of Scotland, which is Edinburgh. You knew that, didnt you? I didnt, but thats what this column is about, because when I read the story, I realized how many people know so much more than I do. So getting back to the airplane that flew to the wrong city. The newspaper said the plane flew to the wrong city because an incorrect flight plan was issued, but I dont even understand how that works. It suggests that you load the flight plan into the plane and you cant override it if necessary. Beware the robots, friends. Were going where they say. One passenger realized the plane was heading to Edinburgh by mistake before land was even in sight. Reportedly, he said, I saw on Flightradar that the flight was flying north instead of south, but I assumed it was a system error of some sort." Well. Thats the first genius in the story. I dont even know what Flightradar is. It sounds like a made-up word, especially Mashedtogether. I never consulted Flightradar. I generally leave all radar-consulting duties to the pilots, who, even if they land in the wrong city, are still doing a way better job than I ever would. But that may be my system error. Somebody else on the plane said, When we started descending, I saw some taller hills and mountains, and I didnt think that this is how eastern Netherlands or western Germany should look, but I assumed we took some small detour." That would be the second genius, familiar enough with eastern Netherlands and western Germany to tell them apart. From the sky. GENIUS. When Im on a plane, Im too afraid look out the window, and even if I do, its a color. If its the sky, its blue. If its a cloud, its white. If its the land, its green or brown. Beyond that, I dont know. They say God is in the details. They also say the devil is in the details. So what do they know? Not geniuses. You know who isnt in the details? Me. The last thing I want to do when Im 30,000 feet up is stare at the ground and try to figure out whats on the bottom. In fact, I have flown into Philadelphia every time I have returned home all of my entire life. And you know whats outside the window? The eastern Netherlands, for all I know. But back to the plane of geniuses. Another passenger on the flight said that while he was flying, he thought the terrain was unfamiliar, so he checked Google Maps. I have never checked Google Maps on a plane. I dont even know how you get Google Maps to work on a plane. I have a really hard time with airplane mode in general. Im the only person in the world who still turns the phone completely off on an airplane, because Im afraid Im going to kill everybody. So if I ever crash, you know it wasnt me. It was some show-off on Flightradar. Generally, how a phone works on the plane is mysterious. Like the last time I had to fly, the flight was really bumpy and I thought I would distract myself with some music. So I went into my phone, but I couldnt listen to any of my music, because there was a cloud next to each song. And I was in the cloud at the time. So I assumed my phone knew I was in the cloud. Wow! But, no. As it turned out, my music was in the cloud at the same time I was in the cloud, yet I still couldnt get my music. We were in different clouds. Do you know what I did during the turbulence? I bit my phone not to cry out with fear. And I cracked the screen. And I got glass between my teeth. Im not kidding. Dont put your phone in your mouth, not to get through turbulence or even to hold it for a minute while you get your keys and hold your coffee Yeti. Because you will eat glass. Really expensive glass. And your phone will look like youre in middle school. And a boy. Anyway, I couldnt use Google Maps on an airplane to determine that I was landing in the wrong major European city. I couldnt even find Dusseldorf on a globe. Does anyone even know what a globe is anymore? This was the planeload of the smartest people ever. And they sound so nice. One of the passengers even said, Most of us found this situation quite funny." This would be the European approach to life. The American approach would be litigation. So the story has a happy landing. And a happy ending. Look for Lisa and Francescas humor collection, I See Life Through Rose-Colored Glasses, and Lisas number-one best-selling thriller, After Anna, and her Rosato & DiNunzio novel, Feared, in stores now. Also look for Lisas new novel, Someone Knows, coming April 9. lisa@scottoline.com. Community College of Philadelphia faculty and staff recently advocated for more city funding at a hearing in City Council chambers. Members are voting Wednesday on whether to authorize union leaders to call a strike. Read more Faculty and support staff at Community College of Philadelphia voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to let their leaders call a strike as soon as next week, after negotiations that started three years ago failed to yield a contract. Union officials said more than 90 percent of the members voting were in favor. The exact count, however, was not available Wednesday night. A strike could halt classes for the colleges 27,800 students just weeks before the semesters end. If our members vote yes to strike tonight, it will be because they understand the future of the college is at stake, union co-president Junior Brainard said Wednesday morning before the vote was tallied. Theyre not simply striking for themselves but for Philadelphians to have access to high-quality, affordable higher education in Philadelphia. The union on Tuesday made a new pre-strike offer to the administration with concessions on some of the thorniest issues dividing the two sides. The administration wants new faculty to teach five courses per semester; they currently teach four. The union proposed that faculty be allowed to opt in to teaching five courses for a three-year period for extra pay, Brainard said. The college currently allows faculty to opt in each semester, and nearly a third already teach five courses. The union also has agreed to slightly higher out-of-pocket costs for health insurance, he said. Members continue to seek salary increases, especially for the lowest paid. That offer is a way for them to avoid a strike, he said. But the administration said in a statement last night that the offer made by the union was too costly and didnt include some of the changes it felt were necessary. The first five years of the unions contract proposal would cost $20 million more than the administrations proposal, the administration said. While the college deeply appreciates the work and contributions of its employees, these negotiations will lay a foundation for future student success, the school said in a statement. They will affect how much more tuition students will pay, not only in the next academic year but also for years to come. The strike-authorization vote was the latest development in negotiations that have stalled, largely over issues of faculty workload, health insurance, and compensation. School president Donald Guy Generals in January said the college was considering imposing a contract on union members, its so-called last best offer, which was released last May. Union members have been operating under the terms of the contract that expired in August 2016. Generals said last month that if a strike were to occur, the college would try to maintain the class schedule. But if not enough faculty showed up, classes would not be held, he said. Last month, the union, which represents 1,200 faculty and support staff, voted in favor of holding Wednesdays strike vote. Ninety-one percent voted for the move. Meanwhile, City Councilman David Oh earlier this month introduced a bill to increase city funding for the college. The bill would transfer $19.25 million from the citys general fund to the college, raising the citys funding level to one-third of CCPs operating costs. When the state law establishing community colleges passed in 1963, local sponsors were supposed to provide one-third of the funding, with another third coming from the state, and the final third from students. But that hasnt happened, and students consistently have shouldered a larger share of the burden. Deja Lynn Alvarez is the first transgender woman to run for Philadelphia City Council. Read more Deja Lynn Alvarez, the first transgender woman to run for Philadelphia City Council, stood outside City Hall on Tuesday and railed against what she described as transphobic bullying in the Democratic primary. Alvarez was speaking to an LGBTQ-friendly crowd. But not everyone there was a friend. Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, campaign manager for Sherrie Cohen, a lesbian also running in the May 21 Democratic at-large primary, started heckling Alvarez, accusing her of faking her ethnic identity. Youre white, Deja, Muhammad yelled as Alvarez kept speaking during the event, held to mark the raising of a trans pride flag. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white. Youre white." How dare you stand here and tell a trans woman that she is not who she is, Alvarez responded, her voice rising, the crowd rousing. Youre bullying!" By the end of the day, Muhammad was no longer serving as Cohens campaign manager. Muhammad said that was because of threats that Cohen could lose political endorsements. Cohen declined to be interviewed. In a statement, she said that Muhammad decided to step back from the campaign last week and that the comments had been solely in an individual capacity and absolutely not part of her run for Council. She also apologized for any hurt or confusion that has resulted from these statements. Muhammad, after the City Hall confrontation, said there have been rumors for years that Alvarez is not Latinx, the gender-neutral name for Latinos and Latinas. Asked for proof, Muhammad offered none. This is not something that is new, said Muhammad, who is nonbinary and once worked for the same LGBTQ health care organization as Alvarez. This is something Ive been saying. Alvarez said her father, Peter George Alvarez, who was born in the United States, was of Mexican descent. Documents from her name change and a 2001 lawsuit back up her claim, she said, that she has always used Alvarez as her last name. My mother is white, she added. So what? Now being white is something that everyone should hate? Alvarez said Cohen recently shrugged off a complaint about Muhammad. She called Muhammads tactics Trumpian. This is exactly what [President Donald] Trump does, Alvarez said. He knows things are not true, and he puts them out there anyway and doesnt care, because he knows its going to stick with some people. Demetrius Anderson, a Philadelphia native, was arrested in New Haven, Ct., in March 2019 because federal authorities in Pennsylvania said that due to a clerical error, he never served a 16-month prison sentence for crimes he committed in 2001 and 2003. He and his attorneys are fighting to prevent his belated incarceration, which they say could wipe out a life that now includes two jobs and involvement in a local church. Read more Demetrius Anderson was barely out of the shower last week when he saw cops outside his apartment in New Haven, Conn. Confused, the 43-year-old Philadelphia native grew more bewildered when they knocked on his door, identified themselves as U.S. marshals, and said they were looking for him. Within minutes, Anderson said, he was handcuffed and taken to court to learn why. Authorities had determined he had been mistakenly freed early from prison 13 years ago, and now he owed them more time behind bars. As soon as next week, Anderson may have to begin serving an additional 16 months in federal prison, all because of a scenario he and his lawyer have called unusual and unjust: an apparent clerical error that enabled him to be paroled early from a Connecticut prison despite counterfeiting and identity-theft crimes he committed in the Philadelphia area more than 15 years ago. Its bleak, its dark, its unimaginable, its scary as hell, Anderson said in a telephone interview Tuesday, describing how another prison sentence could upend a life that now includes two jobs, an apartment, and involvement in a local church. I couldnt see how to even possibly rebuild at all from it. ... I think it would literally just wipe me out. Anderson and his lawyer are scrambling to try to prevent his belated incarceration, the roots of which remain something of a bureaucratic mystery. Robert Clark, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said that Andersons surprise apprehension was triggered after an internal audit of custody detainers, and that arresting him again was a way to ensure he was brought to face justice. James Burke, the U.S. Marshals chief deputy in the district, added that such audits are conducted periodically, but said he did not know why Andersons case was discovered 13 years after his release. Burke said that the Marshals Service places detainers on inmates in state prisons awaiting federal sentences to ensure that they can be held until a transfer is ready. Andrius Banevicius, spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Correction, said Wednesday that his agency had no record of anyone lodging a detainer against Anderson, which apparently cleared the way for his release over separate forgery counts in November 2006. Burke disagreed, saying: Its our belief the detainer was issued at the time and [Anderson] was mistakenly released. Anderson said he assumed at the time that his federal sentence had simply run concurrently to his imprisonment in Connecticut. After his release, he said, he went about rebuilding his life in New Haven and currently works with the citys parks and recreation department and for a nonprofit in human resources. Hes worried that could all fall apart next week. Andersons original crimes were committed in Philadelphia, Plymouth Meeting, and Cherry Hill in 2001 and 2003. Court documents provide this chronology: Anderson twice tried to use someone elses identity in September 2001 to submit credit applications to buy cars. When police were about to arrest him at a Mazda dealership, he sensed a problem and drove away, striking a police officer who was there to arrest him. He later was sentenced to five to 23 months in prison for simple assault. In September 2003, Anderson twice tried to use counterfeit bills worth a total of about $4,000, the documents say. He pleaded guilty to the crimes in 2005, court records say, and U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond ordered that Anderson be sentenced to up to 16 months in prison. Andersons defense attorneys at the time acknowledged in sentencing memos that any federal sentence would begin after his Connecticut incarceration, but Anderson said he figured when he was let out in 2006 that he had served all his necessary time. I couldnt free myself, he said, adding that he stayed in the area and reported to a parole officer afterward, behavior that he said was hardly indicative of someone trying to hoodwink the system. His life has not been without difficulty since being released; his parents were murdered near Richmond, Va., in 2015. But he said he has worked hard and has never experienced the level of anxiety hes felt since being arrested last week. Afterward, Anderson was released on bond and ordered to appear April 4 before Diamond in Philadelphia. Diamond known as one of the regions toughest federal judges has not spoken publicly on the case, but could rule that Anderson be taken into custody again to fulfill his unrealized sentence. Andersons New Haven-based attorney, Michael Dolan, said hes never encountered a similar situation, and he hopes Diamond might at least consider postponing a ruling so that Anderson can file a motion asking for the case to be dismissed. Dolan also said he plans to file a petition asking President Donald Trump to commute Andersons sentence, and he and Anderson have spoken with media outlets in Connecticut, including the New Haven Independent, which first reported on the case Tuesday. Imprisoning him again, Dolan said, would be counterproductive and flout the idea that the justice system is designed to rehabilitate defendants. Hes demonstrated that hes rehabilitated, Dolan said. The correctional system has performed its task. Whatever the goals of a criminal sentence ... this is beyond cruel, and theres no rehabilitative component here. Anderson said he has owned his past and has not sought to avoid accountability under the law. But he doesnt believe he should pay the price for an apparent clerical error that someone else committed more than a decade ago. Everything shouldve happened when it shouldve happened," he said. "Its not fair to say, Oh, we made a mistake. Now come back and do it. Dwayne Thorpe, holding his daughter in an undated photo, won a new trial after a judge ruled Friday, Nov. 3, that a detective fabricated a witness statement that was used to convict him of first-degree murder in 2009. Read more A Philadelphia man who has served 10 years of a life sentence without parole for a 2008 murder in Kensington, and who claims he was framed by a tainted city homicide detective, was ordered released from state prison Wednesday after the District Attorneys Office withdrew the charges. Dwayne Thorpe, 35, had maintained his innocence since his 2008 arrest in the fatal shooting of Hamin Span in the 2000 block of Elkhart Street on July 4 that year. He won the right to a new trial in 2017 after making his allegations against the detective, James Pitts. In throwing out the murder conviction in November 2017, Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina ruled that a statement Pitts took from witness Allan Chamberlain that led to Thorpes arrest was coerced, and that testimony Pitts provided during the trial was prejudicial. The District Attorneys Office could have tried Thorpe again next month, but prosecutors Wednesday told Common Pleas Court Judge Gwendolyn Bright in front of 15 of his relatives that the office wanted to drop the charges, and the judge granted the request. Ben Waxman, spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner, said the office had determined that the key evidence in the case was based on a suggestive photo array. Were duty bound to only prosecute cases where we believe that we can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and that standard was not met in this case, Waxman said. Thorpes attorney, Todd Mosser, said two photo arrays that Pitts showed a 15-year-old witness to the murder were highly suggestive because Thorpe was the only man out of 16 who did not have a dark complexion. The witness, Nafis Robinson, was the half brother of the murder victim. Assistant District Attorney Michael Garmisa on Wednesday cited the suggestive nature of the photo arrays and Robinsons reluctance to come to court again among the reasons his office decided to drop the case. I think they deserve credit for recognizing that the case should have been dismissed, Mosser said of the DAs Office. They did an extraordinary amount of work re-investigating the case and they came to the right conclusion. Mosser, who represented Thorpe pro bono, presented evidence from 10 unrelated cases in which Pitts allegedly used coercive tactics to get witnesses to make false statements. Chamberlain, a friend of Thorpes, alleged during the trial that Pitts had punched him in the stomach and threatened to take his son away if he did not give a statement saying Thorpe told him that he was going to shoot someone hours before the killing of Span. Pitts recently was reassigned to a position in which he has no contact with the public. Thorpes mother, Michelle Evans, expressed joy at the decision to free him. Im just overwhelmed, Im happy, Evans said in an interview. I never stopped believing in God and that the DA would do the right thing. Im just disappointed in the Philadelphia Police Department having Detective Pitts on the force. Hes allowed to destroy lives and families. Evans said that her son recently became a follower of Islam and is looking forward to putting prison behind him, but shes concerned that a decade behind bars will impact his ability to find employment. I pray my son is able to make it out here, because its so hard for the black man, she said. I pray my son is able to come out and take care of himself, take care of his daughter, and be loving to his family. But thats my boy. I love him and I never gave up on him. The grisly terror-attack docudrama Hotel Mumbai opens with heavily armed jihadists entering the city, boosting their resolve with pep talks and prayer God is great, says one. Inside the targeted Taj Hotel, the executive chef Hemant Oberoi (Anupam Kher) invokes a Hindu saying that serves as his guiding principle for the staff: The guest is God. The contrast is stark and deliberate, and deepens as the movie goes about its bloody business of recounting the 2008 attacks (more than 170 killed during four days of coordinated Lashkar-e-Taiba attacks on multiple sites). This could easily be framed as a clash of civilizations, but the movie tilts it a different way, as a clash between religious nihilists and civilization itself, with the Taj as the microcosm of all that is cosmopolitan, accommodating, and tolerant. The cinematic idea of the posh hotel as a busy, blended hub of humanity goes all the way back to 1932 and Grand Hotel, and Hotel Mumbai has a more direct descendant in the docudrama Hotel Rwanda, where the hotel served as a refuge of sanity and decency in the midst of frenzied genocidal slaughter. Mumbai also has less reputable lineage, inherited from disaster movies we see quick introductions to a mostly sympathetic cast of potential victims and survivors, crosscut with images of armed gunmen preparing for assault. Armie Hammer and Nazanin Boniadi, for instance, are a wealthy couple with an infant son in the care of a nanny, and director Anthony Maras sees no shame in showing a terrorist pulling an AK-47 out of a backpack, then cutting immediately to the nanny giving the baby his bottle. The exhausting Whos Next tension only intensifies as the movie proceeds with its unsparing presentation of the close-range, double-tap assassination of dozens of people. This is borderline unendurable, but it does provide context for the parallel and more adroitly handled drama of hotel employees who volunteer to stay on duty, and who work diligently and bravely to save as many guests as possible. Somewhere, some Twitter revolutionary will probably write this off as a conditioned underclass reflexively and obsequiously tending to capitalist overlords, but Hotel Mumbai is exploring something deeper here. The guest is God this expresses not only a cultural belief but a larger idea of hospitality as a mode of conduct that, across nations and centuries, has been a keystone of pluralistic societies. The staff is not guided or motivated by transactional considerations. Which is not to say that those who volunteer to stay and protect the guests do not deserve an amazing tip. One is Arjun (Dev Patel), working extra shifts because he has a pregnant wife at home. He puts his life on the line several times, yet is calm enough to gently deal with a terrified guest who thinks he might be one of them. Hotel Mumbai sometimes surrenders to melodrama and action-genre imperatives, and it mixes actual people like Oberoi with fictional composites in a way that strays from the stringent just-the-facts discipline of a docudrama like United 93. But there is value, too, in its subjective approach. It is used here to celebrate ordinary heroes, and its hard not to conclude that they deserve it. Hotel Mumbai Directed by Anthony Maras. With Dev Patel, Anupam Kher, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, and Jason Isaacs. Distributed by Bleecker Street. Running time: 2 hours, 3 minutes Parents guide: R, violence Playing at: Area theaters FILE - Michael J. Bransfield, a former Philadelphia priest and ex-bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, pictured in 2005. In a new lawsuit, his former personal secretary claimed Bransfield sexually assaulted him in 2014. ( Dale Sparks / AP ) Read more In a new lawsuit, the former personal secretary for Roxborough native and ex-West Virginia Bishop Michael J. Bransfield described his former boss as a sexual predator prone to binge-drinking orange liqueur and venting his lust on priests and seminarians. The plaintiff, a onetime seminarian in his early 20s identified in court filings by the initials J.E., says that Bransfield exposed his penis and groped him while they were traveling together on church business in 2014. His suit marks the first time any of the bishops accusers have publicly offered an account of the type of alleged misconduct that led the Vatican to oust Bransfield, 75, from his position last year. But in an interview Wednesday, the retired prelate dismissed the mans claims and those of his other accusers as nothing more than a money grab. Theyre all out to destroy me, said Bransfield, who has been living in Roxborough since he left Wheeling. I wasnt even that friendly with this person. Since his resignation in September, Bransfield has been beset by a growing list of legal problems, including a lawsuit filed last week by West Virginias attorney general, alleging he and his predecessors within the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese had knowingly harbored pedophiles. He was previously accused of abusing a minor during his time as a priest in Philadelphia a claim Bransfield denied. Both prosecutors and the archdiocese reviewed the allegation; neither ultimately took action against him. But even amid the current scandal, J.E.s claims paint a particularly unflattering portrait of the man reared by a devout family of Philadelphia priests and named in 2004 as the Catholic Churchs top official in West Virginia. The former bishop, the suit alleges, drank up to a bottle of 80-proof, orange-flavored Cointreau per night and then drunkenly hugged, kissed, and groped any seminarian within his reach. Bishop Bransfield was a sexual predator with a lustful disposition, says the lawsuit, filed in a West Virginia court. After being placed in a position of trust by [the church, he] sexually abused, molested, fondled and assaulted J.E. and other adolescent and adult males. J.E.s lawyer, Bobby Warner, said his client first came forward six weeks ago, as a Vatican-sanctioned investigation led by Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori was concluding its work. He met with church administrators for hours, but Warner said he did not know whether his clients claims were among those Lori sent to Rome for review this month. According to the lawsuit, J.E. first caught Bransfields eye in 2008, when the bishop had the teen assigned to be his personal altar server at St. Josephs Cathedral in Wheeling. Later, Bransfield selected the seminarian to serve as his personal secretary and sought to have him moved full-time into his residence a step the lawsuit claims was blocked by a diocesan official in Wheeling who was concerned about the bishops alleged proclivities for young men. For J.E., the situation came to a head during the 2014 church trip to Charleston, W. Va. Bransfield stumbled home drunk after celebrating Mass one night and locked himself out of the parish where they were staying, the lawsuit claims. When J.E. went to let him in, the bishop allegedly grabbed him, exposed his own penis and then began rubbing his hands on the young mans chest and genitals. J.E. struggled free of Bishop Bransfields grasp, ran into another part of the parish and locked himself in his room until daylight, the suit states. He was mortified and emotionally traumatized by the attack. The following morning Bishop Bransfield acted as if nothing had happened. Warner said his client left the church soon after that incident and had been too afraid to speak out until after the former bishops ouster last year. In the interview Wednesday, Bransfield told The Inquirer that the plaintiff did work for him but declined to identify the man. He insisted the lawsuit grossly misrepresents the events of the Charleston trip. It is just totally untrue, he said. I was not drunk. I went to bed on one side of the house, and he went to bed on the other side of the house. Nothing happened. He alleged his accusers have been conspiring together for years in an attempt to ruin him. In addition to Bransfield, J.E.s lawsuit names the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and several other unnamed church officials as defendants and seeks damages for psychological injuries, loss of employment, and humiliation. A diocesan spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit. In this Sunday, March 24, 2019, photo, former Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto gestures during a clandestine news conference for the first time with a select group of journalists in Manila, Philippines. Acierto, who was assigned in various units of the police anti-illegal drugs for 18 years, is now in hiding after being included in President Rodrigo Duterte's so-called "matrix" list of persons allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Read more MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday accused a dismissed police colonel, who had publicly criticized him and his deadly anti-drug campaign, of criminal involvement and said he wanted to know why the former officer "is still alive." In a late-night televised speech, Duterte condemned dismissed Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto, who told reporters over the weekend that the president had been repeatedly photographed with two Chinese men involved in drug trafficking. Duterte defended one of the two Chinese men, saying he had accompanied China's premier on a visit to the Philippines and was a businessman who traveled to the country in 1999 to sell Chinese-made cellphones. Acierto, a veteran anti-narcotics officer before his dismissal by an anti-graft agency last year, said he submitted a report to top police officials and Duterte's office about the two Chinese to warn the president of their background. But he said he was never informed if the two were ever investigated. "In my investigation, I discovered that our president ... is often accompanied by two people deeply involved in illegal drugs," Acierto told a news conference late Sunday in Manila, adding that he was later accused by authorities in a criminal complaint of involvement in drug smuggling instead of the Chinese men. Duterte said Acierto was the only police official who has made the allegations against the two men. He said Acierto was an "idiot" allegedly involved in corruption, drug smuggling, kidnappings of Chinese nationals and the killing of a South Korean man. "Don't ever believe specially this Acierto," Duterte said in a speech in southern Koronadal city. "What if I ask the military and the police, 'Why is this son of a bitch still alive?" Acierto denied any wrongdoing. The president mentioned Acierto while talking about his efforts to combat corruption, including corrupt policemen. He also criticized and ridiculed opposition senatorial candidates running in mid-term elections in May. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino told The Associated Press on Monday that he received Acierto's report and sent it to Duterte's office, adding that both his office and that of the president took steps to validate the allegations against the two Chinese. He said the two were not on any list of drug suspects. Aquino played down the photographs showing Duterte with the two Chinese men, saying officials often get approached by all sorts of people for group photographs without being able to rapidly check their background. He questioned the credibility of Acierto, who he accused of being linked to drug smuggling. Profiles of the two Chinese provided by Acierto to reporters said they were involved in the "manufacturing, financing, the importation, transhipment and local distribution of meth or shabu," referring to the local name for methamphetamine, a stimulant. Acierto said he initially welcomed Duterte's passion to combat illegal drugs. But he said he later realized that the president's deadly crackdown took a wrong approach by targeting mostly poor drug suspects instead of going after powerful drug lords and traffickers. More than 5,000 drug suspects have been killed in what police say were gunbattles that ensued during drug raids under Dutertes crackdown, alarming Western governments and human rights groups. This Wednesday, March 13, 2019 photo show a general view of the North Korea's embassy in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday March 13, 2019. A Spanish court is accusing an American, Mexican and South Korean part of a 10-strong group that led an attack on the North Korean Embassy in February, saying the FBI was offered stolen data. National Court judge Jose de la Mata on Tuesday, March 26 lifted a secrecy order, announcing it had found evidence of various crimes, including trespassing, injuries, threats and burglary committed by "a criminal organization." (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Read more MADRID (AP) Spain has issued at least two international arrest warrants for members of a self-proclaimed human rights group who allegedly led a mysterious raid at the North Korean Embassy in Madrid last month and offered the FBI stolen data from the break-in. A National Court judge who lifted a secrecy order in the case Tuesday said an investigation of the Feb. 22 attack uncovered evidence that "a criminal organization" shackled and gagged embassy staff members before escaping with computers, hard-drives and documents. The intruders also urged North Korea's only accredited diplomat in Spain, business envoy So Yun Sok, to defect, Judge Jose de la Mata said in a written report on the Spanish investigation. So refused to do so and was gagged, according to the report. The assailants identified themselves as "members of an association or movement of human rights for the liberation of North Korea." That group is the Cheollima Civil Defense, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the incident. The shadowy activists have the self-declared mission of helping defectors from North Korean. De la Mata identified citizens of Mexico, the United States and South Korean as the main suspects being investigated on charges that include of causing injuries, making threats and burglary. He named Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican citizen living in the United States, as the break-in's leader. Hong Chang flew to the U.S. on Feb. 23, got in touch with the FBI and offered to share material and videos with federal investigators, according to the court report. The document did not say what type of information the items contained or whether the FBI accepted the offer. The FBI said in a statement that its standard practice is to neither confirm nor deny the existence of investigations. The agency added that "the FBI enjoys a strong working relationship with our Spanish law enforcement partners." An official with Spain's National Police who wasn't authorized to be named in media reports confirmed to The Associated Press that arrest warrants were issued for Hong Chang and one other suspect. No one had been charged as of Tuesday. The assailants purchased knives and handgun mock-ups when they visited Madrid in early February and used them during the attack, according to the investigation document. While in Madrid, Hong Chang also applied for a new passport at the Mexican Embassy, the investigation found, and used the name "Oswaldo Trump" to register in the Uber ride-hailing app. The North Korean Embassy hasn't pressed charges in Spain, and officials in Pyongyang haven't officially commented on the attack. Spanish police learned about the break-in after the wife of an embassy employee escaped by jumping from a window. When officers went to check on the situation, Hong Chang allegedly greeted them at the door and pretended to be a diplomatic official, the investigation found. He sent the officers away with assurances everything was fine, paving the way for the invading group to make a getaway in the embassy's cars. A police investigator with knowledge of the case told the AP that "this attack, whatever it is, would have gone unnoticed if it wasn't for the woman who escaped." So, the North Korean diplomat, didn't respond to written questions from The Associated Press and declined to talk to reporters during a recent encounter outside the Madrid embassy. The timing of the incident, which happened less than a week before a high-stakes U.S.-North Korea summit on denuclearization derailed in Hanoi on Feb. 28, led to speculation the incursion was carried out to obtain data related to North Korea's former ambassador to Spain. Kim Hyok Chol, who was expelled from Spain in September 2017 following Pyongyang's sixth round of nuclear tests and missile launches over neighboring Japan, has become North Korea's top nuclear negotiator with the U.S. Asked Tuesday if Washington had any connection to the embassy break-in, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino answered, "The United States government had nothing to do with this." Palladino said that "regarding the specifics of what's going on, the Spanish authorities are investigating. The investigation is still underway. For any details on their investigation, I would have to refer you to Spanish authorities." The South Korean Embassy in Madrid said it had no knowledge of the events and couldn't offer further comment. Others identified as part of the assailants' group were Sam Ryu, from the U.S., and Woo Ran Lee, a South Korean citizen. Their whereabouts and their hometowns weren't immediately known. None of the suspects were thought to be still in Spain, the judge wrote. Spanish authorities tried to keep information about the attack from becoming public until Spain's El Confidencial news site revealed some details on Feb. 27. Last week, the rights group that allegedly led the attack posted a short video on its website allegedly showing a man shattering portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the floor. The group said the video was filmed recently "on our homeland's soil," wording that would accurately apply to the North Korean Embassy in Madrid. ___ AP writers Deb Riechmann and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. HARRISBURG A controversial Christian prayer delivered in the House of Representatives earlier this week just before the chambers first Muslim woman was sworn into office has reignited a years-old debate about who should deliver the opening invocation and how. On Monday afternoon, Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, a Republican from Clinton County, spoke for just under two minutes and mentioned Jesus 13 times, at one point describing him as our only hope and professing that as a nation, weve lost sight of you. She also briefly referenced Israel, President Donald Trump, and Gov. Tom Wolf, among others. Near the end, Borowicz said: Every tongue will confess, Jesus, that you are Lord. Someone yelled, Objection! and she concluded the prayer and left the podium. Her prayer came a short time before Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, a Democrat from Philadelphia, was sworn in, using the Quran that belonged to her late son. She won a special election March 12. That wasnt a prayer, Johnson-Harrell said Wednesday. She initially wasnt fazed. She said she was raised to bow her head, show respect, and stand, noting that her mother exposed her to different religions. But when Borowicz began referencing Trump and Israel, something changed, she said. At that point, Im saying, This aint a prayer, this is a political statement masked as a prayer.' It felt intentional, and it felt planned, Johnson-Harrell said. Then, she said, she began worrying about the 55 people including some of her relatives who were in the chamber that day for her swearing-in. The prayer, she has said, was Islamophobic, xenophobic, and absolutely degrading and should have been stopped earlier. She was far from alone in her outrage. The prayer drew criticism from people both inside and outside political circles. Wolf said he was horrified and apologized to Johnson-Harrell. Several Democratic state representatives said they, too, were offended and struggled to remember another prayer like it being recited on the House floor, where a prayer is said at the beginning of every session day. Like Johnson-Harrell, Tokunbo Adelekan, an associate professor of theological ethics at Palmer Theological Seminary in St. Davids, questioned whether Borowiczs invocation can even be described as a prayer. Is it Christian language, or code language? Shes not so much worshiping as waving to a group of people. Its almost like her audience is not God, Adelekan said. Borowiczs primary offense was not so much mentioning Jesus repeatedly, said Zain Abdullah, an associate professor of religion at Temple University. It was the state representatives use of the Christian savior to politicize religion and promote an agenda that was offensive, Abdullah said. Jesus Christ is revered by Muslims, Abdullah said. He is mentioned more than 30 times in the Quran. You cant be a Muslim and not believe in Jesus. But the substance of that belief differs markedly from Christian theology. Although Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, they do not believe that he was the son of God to be worshiped. For Muslims, Jesus was a man, the son of Mary, and one of the most important prophets in a long line that begins with Adam and ends with Muhammad, said Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, education and outreach director at the Philadelphia branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Borowicz did not respond to a message left in her Capitol office. This is not the first time the centuries-old tradition of an opening prayer for legislative sessions has caused contention in Pennsylvania. In 2016, a group of atheists and self-described nonbelievers sued the speaker and others in the House, saying they believed they had been improperly barred from offering the invocation. There is just one significant difference between people whom the defendants allow to give opening invocations and the plaintiffs: the former believe in God, while the plaintiffs do not, an attorney for the group wrote in a complaint in a federal lawsuit filed in Harrisburg. A federal District Court judge sided with the group, and House leaders have appealed the decision to the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Arguments have not yet been scheduled in the appeal case. The Houses operating rules list a prayer at the beginning of the daily order of business. They do not specify who will give the prayer or how. Currently, representatives take turns delivering the prayer. After Borowiczs prayer, House Speaker Mike Turzai invited one of Johnson-Harrells guests to recite an Islamic prayer during her swearing-in ceremony, according to several people familiar with the situation. The prayer, delivered from the same rostrum where Borowicz had said hers earlier in the day, lasted about a minute. Her guest chose the first Surah in the Quran a prayer known as the Al-Fatiha. The significance of the Al-Fatiha is that it is the beginning, Johnson-Harrell said. This was a new beginning for not only me as a new state representative, but for the commonwealth." At some point, Turzai also reminded representatives that they should aim to deliver a prayer that is suitable for all faiths. He cited the chambers guidelines. The Members of this House come from a wide variety of faiths, those written guidelines say. We believe its important to respect this diversity. Your efforts to deliver an inter-faith prayer are greatly appreciated. The next day, State Rep. Jason Dawkins, a Democrat from Philadelphia who is Muslim, offered the opening prayer for the House. He translated into English the verses from the Quran that had been used during Johnson-Harrells ceremony. Praise belongs to God, God of all works, Dawkins recited. The world of mercy, the giver of mercy, master of the day of judgment, it is you we worship, it is you we ask for help. Guide us to a straight path, the path of those you have blessed. A day later, Johnson-Harrell spotted Borowicz in a Capitol hallway. They hadnt yet spoken. Borowicz dropped her gaze as the two approached each other, Johnson-Harrell said. I stepped in front of her, Johnson-Harrell said. She said she introduced herself, said she looks forward to having a conversation, and received a hug from Borowicz. As of Wednesday evening, the two hadnt scheduled a time to talk. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe announce the filing of four lawsuits against DuPont, Chemours, and 3M for contamination on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. (Office of the Attorney General/Tim Larsen) Read more Two days after New Jersey environmental officials ordered five companies to pay what will likely be hundreds of millions to address chemical contamination caused by the discharge of PFAS compounds, the states attorney general sued some of the companies over cleanup. In two lawsuits filed in Superior Court, the state alleged DuPont and Chemours sent the harmful chemicals flowing into the air, water, and soil, and asked the court to force the companies to pay for investigating and restoring the contaminated sites. The same companies also discharged other dangerous substances, including lead and mercury, at two sites in Gloucester and Passaic Counties, two additional lawsuits filed Wednesday say. They decided to put profit above the safety of New Jerseys residents, and we wont stand for it, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said at a news conference. Were holding polluters accountable for decades of misconduct. The various chemicals in question cause cancers and other health issues. Contamination at the sites has affected local residents and the state alleges DuPont and its spin-off company, Chemours, knew the dangers and did not act. After talks with the state over decades, the companies cleanup has been inadequate, officials said. New Jersey hopes to force payment from the companies for restoring all four sites as well as for damage to natural resources. Chemours said in a statement Wednesday that the lawsuits appear to be coming out of left field and that the company was disappointed. Chemours has consistently stepped up to its responsibility and worked cooperatively with state and federal officials regarding any environmental issues at our manufacturing and remediation sites in New Jersey, a spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement. [W]e are particularly surprised by this action since DuPont and NJDEP agreed in June 2005 to resolve groundwater natural resource matters in New Jersey. DuPont and Chemours representatives said they had not seen the lawsuits early Wednesday afternoon. DuPont has worked under the direct oversight of NJDEP and U.S. EPA for more than two decades on remediating soil, sediment, and groundwater both on and offsite at these locations," said Dan Turner, a DuPont spokesperson. "Fulfilling our remediation responsibilities has been and will continue to be a priority for DuPont. The state also sued 3M, which was the primary manufacturer of PFAS. In a statement late Wednesday, 3M said it acted responsibly in connection with PFAS and will vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship. PFAS chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been found in drinking water, groundwater, and soil near military bases in Bucks and Montgomery Counties and near military facilities and manufacturing plants in New Jersey. At its Parlin facility in Middlesex County and at Chambers Works in Salem County, DuPont released massive amounts of chemicals including PFAS for decades, the attorney general alleged. The Salem County site is one of the most contaminated sites in New Jersey, the lawsuit said; DuPont was supposed to be cleaning up. [I]t has recently become clear that DuPont has not been working in good faith to address the contamination, the lawsuit alleges. Instead, DuPont knowingly concealed the true nature of the chemicals it discharged, while simultaneously moving forward with corporate reorganization that shifted its PFAS product lines and liabilities to Chemours from DuPont. On Monday, the Department of Environmental Protection directed 3M, DuPont, DowDuPont, Chemours, and Solvay to provide detailed accounts of their use of PFAS chemicals in New Jersey within 21 days. The DEP estimated the companies would be asked to fund hundreds of millions in cleanup costs. In Gloucester County, DuPont disposed of hazardous waste including TCE, aniline, benzene, and PCBs at its Repauno facility.. And at Pompton Lakes Works, Passaic County, where DuPont manufactured explosives, residents contended with contaminated private drinking wells and compromised air quality due to DuPonts dumping of lead, mercury, TCE, and PCE. DuPont and Chemours are remediating the Pompton Lakes site, but, state officials said, contamination continues to harm the community. Jovaun Patterson, the West Philadelphia man already serving a state prison sentence for shooting and critically wounding a beer deli owner with an AK-47 rifle last year, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges lodged against him for the same crime. Patterson, 29, was brought from the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township in central Pennsylvania to the federal courthouse in Center City for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Rice. While waiting to appear before the judge, he looked toward the gallery and smiled at his mother. Patterson had shot and nearly killed former West Philadelphia beer deli owner Mike Poeng during an attempted robbery on May 5 outside the store at 54th and Spruce Streets. Under a Nov. 15 plea deal between the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office and Pattersons attorney, S. Philip Steinberg, Patterson had been sentenced to 3 to 10 years in state prison on charges of aggravated assault, robbery, and possession of an instrument of crime. The plea deal, before Common Pleas Court Judge Rayford Means, was considered lenient by many in law enforcement, and also was criticized because the DAs Office failed to notify Poeng, then 50, of the hearing, in violation of the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act. On Feb. 28, U.S. Attorney William McSwain, citing public safety concerns, announced that a federal grand jury indicted Patterson on charges of attempted robbery under the federal Hobbs Act and with carrying and using a firearm in a crime of violence. McSwain contended that District Attorney Larry Krasners lenient policies, including giving sweetheart deals to violent defendants, emboldens criminals on the street to "think they can literally get away with murder. Pattersons case was the first during Krasners tenure in which federal prosecutors filed charges after a defendant was already convicted and sentenced in the citys courts. Steinberg, meanwhile, in anticipation of the federal indictment, on Feb. 26 filed a request in Common Pleas Court asking Means to grant a motion by the DAs Office to vacate the negotiated state prison sentence. The DAs Office filed its Dec. 7 motion after criticism emerged of the deal. Means has yet to officially rule on the DAs motion, though he has acknowledged that there is no legal basis for him to undo a deal that the DAs Office itself negotiated. He has not ruled on Steinbergs request. I certainly think its not appropriate for Patterson to serve two separate sentences for the exact same crime, Steinberg said after Wednesdays brief federal court hearing. If convicted under the federal firearm statute, Patterson would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence he is to serve. A 46-year-old Sicklerville man pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Camden to defrauding $1.5 million in postage from the U.S. Postal Service, prosecutors said. Steven Kaczorowski admitted to one count of mail fraud and faces a maximum 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 9. Kaczorowski was the manager of a bulk-mail business in Gloucester County and schemed with the companys owner, Anthony L. Bucolo, to defraud the postal service and bill clients as if the postage was paid, said Craig Carpenito, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. Bucolo pleaded guilty in November but died before sentencing. The business is no longer operational. Tameka Lawson of Mount Laurel pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide for a 2017 crash that killed her husband. Read more A 38-year-old Mount Laurel woman has pleaded guilty to causing the death of her 38-year-old husband in a car crash while driving intoxicated, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said. Tameka Lawson will be sentenced to seven years in New Jersey state prison as part of a plea agreement with the Prosecutors Office. Her formal sentencing is scheduled for May 17. Lawson was driving on Hartford Road in Delran on Nov. 12, 2017, when her car veered into a utility pole. Jamar Rentie, who was seated in the passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lawson pleaded guilty Monday to vehicular homicide and to a motor vehicle summons for driving while intoxicated. #MuellerReport was not even trending on Twitter in Washington by Monday afternoon. It certainly was not in Pennsylvania and other swinger states where potential voters might care about a few other issues. Even after we see more of the report, those are the things Democrats will win or lose on. For starters, whats the Democrat plan for dealing with the 76,000 refugees crossing our southern border every month? I, for one, will be looking forward to the candidates opinions. Editorial cartoons from this week include: In large cities and in small towns, in coastal states and middle America, in locales red and blue," communities benefit when their public schools thrive and they suffer when their schools struggle. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania home to the birthplace of our nation which also has the unfortunate distinction as having the most inequitable school funding system in the entire country. In the Keystone State, education equity is too often determined by a childs zip code, and our poorest school districts are in the midst of a facilities crisis that has literally poisoned our schoolchildren and put their lives in danger. Thats why we have joined the Fund Our Facilities Coalition, a group of elected officials, labor organizations, and community groups, to present a commonsense approach to ensuring that every child in our state and across the country has the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential in healthy schools. Together, with Philadelphia Delegation Chair Rep. Jason Dawkins; City Council President Darrell L. Clarke; City Council members Helen Gym, Cherelle L. Parker, Mark Squilla and Derek Green; State Sen. Larry Farnese; Pennsylvania State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler; Philadelphia AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding; and David Masur of the Philadelphia Healthy Schools Initiative, we formed the Fund Our Facilities Coalition with a laser focus: securing the funding we know is necessary to make sure that our school buildings are safe, clean, and comfortable. In Philadelphia, this is simply not the reality for many schoolchildren. The Philadelphia Inquirers Toxic City series told the gut-wrenching stories of students like Dean Pagan, who was poisoned from lead paint in his first-grade classroom. The series featured letters sent to State Sen. Vincent Hughes from fourth graders at Cassidy Elementary, where Chelsea Mungo described her school like being in a prison or a junkyard. More than an hour away, elevated lead levels were discovered in Lancaster public schools. And just this September, districts in counties from Lehigh to Westmoreland were forced to delay the start of the school year due to mold hazards in school buildings. These are unacceptable conditions. We cannot expect our students to thrive and learn under these conditions. We cannot allow our children to walk into classrooms where they may get poisoned. These conditions are a tragic contradiction to the message we should all want to convey to our students: They are valued. This week, well gather to launch our campaign outside of a neighborhood school in Philadelphia and share our vision for securing a $170 million investment to improve Philadelphia school buildings. Our efforts dovetail with the American Federation of Teachers proactive Fund Our Future public education campaign. We know real change is possible through our collective efforts. For years, we have all worked to call attention to these issues. We know that now, more than ever, we must unify in our call for a resolution to this crisis. Were launching our campaign in Philadelphia, but understand that this is part of a larger movement. Every child in Pennsylvania is constitutionally entitled to a thorough and efficient public education, and every child in the U.S. is entitled to a public education free from discrimination. When we invest in our school facilities, we invest in our schoolchildren. When children walk into a school each morning and are met not only by their teachers smiling face, but also by a healthy, clean, and safe environment in which to learn, we do more than simply tell them they matter. We show them that, as a society, we mean it. Jerry T. Jordan is president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. State Sen. Vincent Hughes is Democratic chair of the Appropriations Committee. FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2018, file photo Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, speaks at The Economic Club of Washington's Milestone Celebration in Washington. The Wall Street Journal reports that the National Enquirer's publisher paid $200,000 to obtain intimate texts between Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his mistress Lauren Sanchez. American Media Inc., the supermarket tabloid's publisher, reportedly paid that sum to Michael Sanchez, Lauren's brother. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) Read more As a nine-year old boy in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp in Germany, my Jewish friends and I climbed over dead bodies in the bitter cold as we awaited our fate at the hands of the Nazis. Anne Frank and her family were in Bergen Belsen at the same time. I was one of the lucky ones who got out. Ms. Frank famously did not. Even at 83 years old, I have a heightened sensitivity to the shibboleths of anti-Semitism. After hearing so much lately about the newly-reformed Saudi Arabia, I was recently shaken when I read about Saudi-sponsored internet posts describing the founder of Amazon.com and the richest man in the world as The Jew, Jeff Bezos. My reaction, aside from revulsion, was a common one by Jews of my generation: Who knew that Bezos was Jewish? As it turns out, hes not, but the powers that be in Saudi Arabia saw some advantage in identifying him as such. Presumably they didnt like how The Washington Post, which Bezos owns, was investigating their countrys human rights abuses. I found it unnerving to find that tweets like this were being heavily promoted on Twitter and Facebook: We as Saudis will never accept to be attacked by The Washington Post in the morning, only to buy products from Amazon and Souq.com by night! Strange that all three companies are owned by the same Jew who attacks us by day, and sells us products by night! A related post included the term filth to describe Bezos. Anti-semitic campaigns have historically been anchored in two devices. The first is dehumanization characterizing Jews as lower forms of life deserving of elimination. Or, filth. The idea is to encourage the larger population to grow comfortable with isolating the dangerous outsider. Jew becomes a synonym for enemy. Another method of differentiating Jews lands at the opposite end of the organic hierarchy: positioning Jews as being all-powerful and in control of the major institutions in our daily lives, mainly commerce and media. Bezos may not be technically Jewish, but his vast success with Amazon and his ownership of the influential Washington Post make him a crypto-Jew worthy of the derision and fear associated with actual Jews. Liberal financier George Soros has endured similar characterization in multiple media, simultaneously identified as both a finance-controlling Jew and, yes, a Nazi collaborator. The charges of Soros alleged Nazi collaboration have since been debunked. As a Holocaust survivor who still retains faith in humanity, I would have thought by now that anti-semitism would have greatly receded. But anti-semitic incidents increased by 60 percent in 2017 according to the Anti-Defamation League. In France alone, attacks on Jewish people and institutions were up 74 percent in 2018 according to the Wall Street Journal. A Polish newspaper recently ran a headline that read: How To Recognize a Jew, adding, How to defeat them. This cannot go on. I have no illusions at this stage in my life about my power alone to fight bigotry. The best I can do is tell my story in the time that I have left, commemorate the victims of anti-Semitism through public awareness and the creation of memorials and speak loudly when I see ominous signs on the horizon. What begins with the rhetoric of conspiracy and dehumanization ends in subjugation and violence. That rich and powerful men like Bezos are tagged with the Star of David does not mean that only the mighty are vulnerable. Thats always where hate begins: With the swindle that only the powerful are villains so that the rest of us let our guards down. The willful targeting of Bezos by the Saudis with impunity gives me both fear and hope. I am fearful because hatred is still alive in our supposedly enlightened age and I have borne witness to where hatred can end after a seemingly harmless beginning. I am hopeful because if anyone can help draw attention to this scourge, it is a man with Mr. Bezos resources and resolve. Emil Fish is the Founder and President of the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee and serves as a member of the United States Commission to the Preservation of Americas Heritage Abroad. He spends his time between Philadelphia and Los Angeles. State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell (D., Phila.) is sworn in with her hand on a Quran that belonged to her late son Charles Johnson, as her husband Yancy Harrell and grandsons Khalif (center) and Chad Johnson look on. Read more Im no preacher, nor a pastors wife. But I know how to pray. And the so-called prayer that was delivered from a podium inside the Pennsylvania statehouse in Harrisburg on Monday was offensive, insulting, and anything but Christian. Freshman Rep. Stephanie Borowicz (R., Clinton County) had the audacity to stand before a government body and utter the most divisive prayer Ive heard in a long time. State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell (D., Phila.), who has been Muslim for 42 years, was among those listening. With the newly elected representative were 55 friends and family members, many of them Muslim as well. They had gathered to see Johnson-Harrell sworn in as the first Muslim woman in the Pennsylvania House. There was no ignoring Johnson-Harrells presence in the chamber. She had arrived dressed in full Islamic garb and with a copy of the Quran that had belonged to her late son, Charles Andre Johnson, a 2011 victim of gun violence. Many of those with her were similarly attired, their heads covered and wearing bright orange ribbons for gun-violence prevention in memory of Charles. It was to have been Johnson-Harrells big moment. But her excitement quickly turned to something else after Borowicz rose and began to speak. I wasnt there to see it, but I can only imagine how Johnson-Harrell felt as Borowicz began calling out the name of Jesus. She did this over and over again 13 times in a minute and a half. (I watched the prayer on YouTube and kept score.) It was incredibly insensitive, considering how many non-Christians were in attendance. Muslims recognize Jesus as a great prophet but not as the savior. But Borowicz, who was elected in November, ignored the diverse crowd, declaring, At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, Jesus, that you are Lord. The wife of a pastor at a Christian church, she strangely brought up George Washington a president who will always be remembered for holding Africans in bondage. At the time of his death, he owned more than 300 human beings. She also threw in the Founding Fathers and Abraham Lincoln and Gov. Tom Wolf, and went so far as to thank God that President Donald Trump stands behind Israel unequivocally. Thank God for the discreet arm tap by House Speaker Michael Turzai (R., Allegheny County) that brought the so-called prayer to a merciful end. By then, though, the damage had been done. A special moment had been forever marred by a junior representatives appalling attempt to foist her limited religious perspective on a crowd of various religious views. Afterward, Johnson-Harrell told me that she was outraged but that Borowicz could never steal my joy. Johnson-Harrell said that because she had grown up Muslim her mother converted when Johnson-Harrell was 10 she was used to that kind of thing. Her concern was more for her guests and other members of the House who had witnessed it. It blatantly represented the Islamophobia, xenophobia, and bigotry that exists among some leaders, Johnson-Harrell wrote to me on Facebook Messenger. It was planned and meant to be insulting to me and my guests and was done in the name of Jesus, which is blasphemy. Amen to that. Kahlil Williams, shown here outside of Reading Terminal market, is running for city commissioner. Read more Friends, lets pour one out amid the circus that is this City Council primary: We can no longer vote for Willie Singletary. Yes, Willie for Philly, the disgraced traffic judge who spent 20 months in federal prison for lying to the FBI, is off the at-large council ballot, at least for now. So is Mike Stack, he of the plasticine hair, who was drummed out of the lieutenant governors race last year after he and his wife verbally abused and mistreated employees. Stack survived challenges to the nominating petitions he collected to run for an at-large Council seat, only to be rebuffed by Philadelphias cruelest mistress, the Horn & Hardart coffee can, from which sprung forth a ballot number too unfavorable for our Mike. At least Singletary made it that far. As my colleagues Chris Brennan and Julia Terruso have chronicled, his old Traffic Court buddies, Thomasine Tynes and Mike Lowry, also imprisoned in the 2013 sting, generated nominating petitions for their own piece of the City Council pie but never submitted them (Lowry now insists he never intended to run). Singletary promises to appeal. We can take solace with Bobby Henon, whos literally under federal indictment. But a challenger in his Council race? We dare not speak the words. Primary season! That blessed time when the entrenchment of Philadelphias Democratic machine and the shamelessness that goes with it fully reveals itself. The sheer gall of party hacks, some of them convicted of abusing their offices, who still somehow feel they are owed a Council seat in the countrys sixth-largest city. Who see a place in City Hall not as an honor, but a retirement plan, and are furious to be denied it. So pour one out for our fallen friends, and then turn your eyes to the rest of the crowded field, where exciting new candidates, some already far overqualified, are running against those relics of the past, embodying the contradiction that defines our city in 2019: the pull between the status quo and actual change and the energy and diversity that come with it. Take the City Council at-large race. Its full of firsts and first-timers. Theres Erika Almiron, a tireless activist for the immigrant community in a city whose welcoming policies have been directly challenged by the president. Theres Deja Lynn Alvarez, a member of the Mayors Commission of LGBT Affairs, who would be Phillys first trans councilperson, and who Tuesday, in a scene embodying the worst of Philly politics, endured the taunts of a rival campaign manager who questioned her ethnic identity. Theres Justin DiBerardinis, son of a longtime public servant, and someone whos done real work in neighborhoods. Then theres the City Commissioner race, which, thanks to Anthony Clark, has the lowest possible bar for entry. To do a better job than Clark, whos mercifully not running for reelection, you literally need only show up occasionally and remember to vote. Even in this race, the talent pool of challengers runs deep. Theres Jen Devor, a respected South Philly reformer, and Moira Bohannon, a former education lobbyist who helped draft the Dream Act. And Kahlil Williams, a 40-year-old attorney at Ballard Spahr with such deep experience in voting-rights work that he seems almost comically overqualified for the job Clark treated like a chore. After Penn State and Penn, he earned his law degree at Columbia, squeezing in stints at the Brennan Center for Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 2006, as a fellow for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, he helped to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was his job to prep witnesses for questioning, including the attorney of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Williams doesnt think hes overqualified. Just the opposite. The qualifications I have are exactly what are required of the office, he told me. We have to set our expectations higher. And thats part of what this election is about. People are going to be on the ballot that really do represent the best of what Philadelphia has to offer. Hes right. You just have to look past the circus. With fewer than 300 students occupying a hulking complex built for 1,700, Strawberry Mansion High School's days as a comprehensive school are numbered. Come September, there will be no new ninth graders at the school, which counts the rapper Meek Mill among its alumni. Strawberry Mansion will graduate its final class in 2021. But the building will not close, the Philadelphia School District says. Instead, it will get repurposed as an alternative education center, with a night school and accelerated school locating there beginning in the fall. In the future, other programs could land there as well, including workforce development and those patterned after the district's Workshop School, which encourages project-based learning, and YouthBuild, a program that reengages students who have dropped out. The community, which is now seeing signs of gentrification, will be briefed on the project Wednesday night at a meeting at the school. The project has a powerful ally: Council President Darrell L. Clarke, who five years ago joined the community to fight against a planned closure of Strawberry Mansion. "I think it's a reasonable approach," said Clarke. "I relish the fact that we can have more successful programs in the Strawberry Mansion community." One thing is clear, said Clarke, who attended Strawberry Mansion for junior high: "There's no way in the world that I'm going to let it close." But continuing the school in its current state is not possible, district officials said. "A comprehensive high school program at Strawberry Mansion is no longer sustainable," reads a slide to be presented to the community Wednesday. Built in 1964, the school that once graduated hundreds had 394 total students in 2015-16, and was down to 294 as of Oct. 1. And despite some academic interventions it was a "Promise Academy" for a time, and then was placed in the district's "Turnaround Network," with more supports and scrutiny it has struggled. Last year, it scored just 5 out of 100 on the School Progress Report, an internal measure of academics, climate and culture. Its graduation rate hovers around 50 percent. About 87 percent of its students live in poverty. In 2013, it was featured in an ABC World News report with Diane Sawyer, and decried as one of the most dangerous high schools in the country. Seventy-five percent of high school students in Strawberry Mansion's catchment area go to other high schools, and because enrollment is so low, "there is not access to a full set of high school opportunities," according to district documents. Students who would have attended Strawberry Mansion, at 31st Street and Ridge Avenue, for their freshman year will be routed to other options in consultation with their families, and feeder patterns will be redrawn, officials said. The School Reform Commission is scheduled to vote on a resolution in June to eliminate ninth grade at Strawberry Mansion. Joe Antonio, the school system's director of school transitions, said the plan would be the least disruptive to students while still recognizing the building's important role in the community. "The overall vision is to bring more academic and community programming into the Strawberry Mansion complex," Antonio said. "It's currently way underutilized." Antonio said the district was close to locating an accelerated school provider for the complex and would work in the future to attract appropriate tenants for other parts of the space. The coming end to her school program saddens Novilette Jones, a 1993 alumna of Strawberry Mansion. "It was a great all-around school," said Jones. "I would love for it to stay open as it was." Judith Robinson, a North Philadelphia community activist, said she's a realist, but she believes not enough was done to try to salvage the current Strawberry Mansion program. "We understand change, and we understand that the school is large and needs to be filled up," she said. "But they set us up for failure. They've not done much to support the efforts of trying to turn the school around." Robinson is frustrated that a proposal was formulated behind the scenes and then presented to the community as fact before it had been widely aired. But still, her ears are open. She'll attend the Wednesday meeting, and will be part of the plan if she thinks it has merit. "But many projects are going on, and they had better not want to shut down our history as the community is gentrifying," said Robinson. Andria Moore, president of the Strawberry Mansion alumni association, has been very involved at the school, with her organization paying for class dues, prom expenses, and even college deposits for a dwindling number of seniors no more than 50 this year, fewer than 70 last year. Still, Moore said, "this was a shock." "Our focus," she said, "is, how do we continue to help our students? What is the picture going to look like for current Strawberry Mansion students? How does this benefit the community?" Is Strawberry Mansion High School closing? It depends whom you ask. The Philadelphia School District says no. Officially, it describes what is happening at the hulking complex at 31st Street and Ridge Avenue as a "gradual phase-out" of a neighborhood high school program that "is no longer sustainable." The building will remain open, with alternative programs locating there beginning this fall, and others landing in 2019 that will give the 2,000-plus high-school age young people in the neighborhood a viable educational option close to home. Don't tell that to Tanya Parker, a neighborhood resident who shows up at events in a black "Forever Mansion" T-shirt. She's among a group of activists who believe the school has been deliberately ignored, starved of resources, and then blamed for failing to attract students. Now that the neighborhood is showing signs of gentrification, drawing white and middle-class people, some longtime residents say the community is being asked to give an eleventh-hour blessing to a plan they say was hatched by officials, designed to please others, and kept from them for too long: that a building with some new programs is more palatable to new residents. "They always wanted to close Mansion, and now they're closing it," said Parker, who graduated from the school. "This was systematically done. It's about gentrification." Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. dismisses that idea wholesale. "This is all about making sure that the 2,267 children also have an option in their neighborhood," Hite said. "This did not just start last year or the year before that. This has been going on for some time." The fight over Mansion Mansion, which opened in 1964, is often the last stop for students who carry many burdens. Nearly all of its students live in poverty, and some have returned from disciplinary schools, incarceration or mental-health placements. It was spared from closure five years ago, after supporters, including City Council President Darrell L. Clarke, fought hard to keep it open. Diane Sawyer and a camera crew then spent a year chronicling turnaround work at the school. But the school, rapper Meek Mill's alma mater, still sits in one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. And in many ways, it symbolizes some of the school district's struggles: a needy student body, low academic achievement, a tough reputation, enrollment eroded in part by competition from charter schools, and, lately, encroaching pressure from a changing city. Ninety percent of the 2,267 high-school age kids who live in the Strawberry Mansion catchment area, or attendance zone, already think the school isn't their best option; They attend charter schools or other public schools farther from home. Over 1,000 opt for night-school programs in other parts of the city, the district says. Built for 1,700, the school now enrolls just 235. Come fall, there will be no ninth grade, a plan unveiled only in March. The School Reform Commission will vote to shrink Strawberry Mansion's grade span this month; initially, officials said the plan was for the SRC's successor, the Board of Education, to continue to remove grades until the last class graduates from Mansion in 2021. Those officials now say what is being phased out is the school as it currently exists, and that traditional graduating classes will resume again in 2023. But some in the community are confused and not convinced. North Philadelphia remembers the fate of the old William Penn High School, which "temporarily" closed in 2009 with promises to re-tool and re-open. Instead, it was sold to Temple University and demolished. With home prices rising in the neighborhood and new businesses and developments cropping up on the edges of Strawberry Mansion, Parker and others say they believe that the district is taking their school away and remaking it to attract newcomers, cutting them out. Former principal Linda Cliatt-Wayman, whom Sawyer's coverage vaulted to prominence for her frank talk and personal investment in students, said the plan to pause admissions doesn't make sense. "This plan would only be brought to the table for poor African American children," said Cliatt-Wayman, who said she would be an evangelist for changes if she believed in them. "But there is no concrete plan. How can they move forward until they have a plan that educators and people who know the Strawberry Mansion kids come up with?" On Cliatt-Wayman's watch, Mansion added or strengthened programs sports, culinary arts, building maintenance, an honors program. The rapper Drake donated money for a music studio. Kids went on field trips and attended proms and pep rallies. The school came off the federal "persistently dangerous" list schools with a high rate of serious incidents and saw its test scores, graduation rate, and college-bound rate inch up. But even with a charismatic leader and some progress, Mansion still struggled. It scored just a 5, 4, and 7 out of 100 in the three most recent years of the district's internal report card for schools, based on factors including test scores (just 10 percent of students met state standards in reading, and 4 percent in math) and attendance (more than half of students attended school less than 80 percent of the time). Its enrollment plunged 40 percent in three years, and its last principal, Tony Oyola, was removed after complaints about his stewardship. (District officials confirmed his removal, but said they could not discuss the personnel matter.) Hite said Mansion, which was put in a special district program, the turnaround network, to give it more support and scrutiny, had more resources per student than other schools in the district. But those who were there in the last five years say that designation meant little, and Mansion needed more. "It gets the students that they put out of charters and other schools," said Jacquelyn Fritz, who taught at the school for several years and left in 2017. "The population has so much else going on other than school, and we never got the resources for that type of student." No ones first choice Fritz and Cliatt-Wayman say Mansion fell off a cliff when she retired in March 2017. It has the fancy music studio, but no full-time music program. It has no culinary teacher, no building maintenance program. Substitute teachers staff some classes. Entire floors of the building are now unused. This month the senior class about 50 students will graduate in the un-air conditioned auditorium, because there's no money for a better venue. The district and Clarke, who is on board with the plans for Mansion, say what's coming will be an asset to neighbors, even the ones who now protest it. "To not do anything is unacceptable, given the significant decline in population," said Clarke. "There was too much effort put into keeping that school to let it wither." But during the same years that Mansion seemed to be faltering as a neighborhood school, the community, like other pockets of the city, showed signs of being on the upswing. Between 2012 and 2017, no neighborhood, at least defined by zip code, showed stronger sales growth. In 2017, more than 540 properties were sold in Strawberry Mansion's neighborhood, up from 217 five years earlier, the data show. Now that home prices are rising, and new businesses and developments are cropping up on its edges, residents are wary of the district's promises and avowals that their plan has nothing to do with a changing neighborhood. "Have any one of you ever even spent any time in Strawberry Mansion High School or community?" one skeptic, Mansion graduate Shirley Hooks, asked the schools commission this spring. "The community is on the rise, and so is gentrification. Is this all part of the plan, as well, to phase out the school and make room for the new and improved upscale community?" For now, the building will remain open it is even slated for extensive physical upgrades beginning this summer and neighbors will be consulted as possible options are considered for the 2019-20 school year. Among those that have been mentioned as contenders are programs for workforce development programs and those patterned after the district's Workshop School, which encourages project-based learning. YouthBuild, which re-engages students who have dropped out, has also been suggested. The school system has not said whether the programs would be run in-house or by outside providers, as was done at nearby Vaux Big Picture High School. The fewer than 50 incoming ninth graders who had listed Mansion as their first-choice school this fall will be routed either to Ben Franklin High, about 2.5 miles away, or Roxborough High, more than 4 miles away. The programs the district has said might eventually come to the Mansion sound fine in theory, said Julie Nicols an English teacher at the school for the last three years. But Nicols wonders why they couldn't have been brought in years ago. "The kids are saying, 'You can't close our school when you've done nothing to make it better,'" said Nicols. "They feel like things are being done to them, and they feel confused, because the message has been so unclear." For as long as they've been at the school, a group of Mansion students said this month, they've felt neglected by the district. Mansion was no one's first choice, they said, but it's their school. "It's messed up altogether," said Nikki Butler, 15, a freshman at the school. "They just want to come in here and take our building. Why do they care about us all of a sudden?" It seems to be unfair, said Cliatt-Wayman. When changes needed to be made at Science Leadership Academy, a well-regarded Center City magnet, parents and students were consulted early on. SLA will move from a leased building to share space at Benjamin Franklin High School; a committee is spending two planning years working on what the co-located space will look like. "That's not the way it happened here," said Cliatt-Wayman. The district stresses that the future direction of the school will be determined by the community; a Strawberry Mansion working group, made up of anyone interested in joining, has already begun making visits to other schools to scope out future possibilities for the neighborhood high school program it says will re-open in 2019. That doesn't convince Cliatt-Wayman. "For every breath I draw in my body," she said, "I will travel this country and talk about how a district destroyed its own school." Top House Democrat Adam Schiff, left, continues to insist hes seen evidence President Donald Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 election. Read more Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is continuing to insist hes seen evidence that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia, contradicting the summarized findings of special counsel Robert Mueller. Undoubtedly, there is collusion, the California Democrat told the Washington Post. We will continue to investigate the counterintelligence issues. That is, is the president or people around him compromised in any way by a hostile foreign power? . . . It doesnt appear that was any part of Muellers report. Attorney General William Barr quoted Mueller in his four-page summary of the special counsels investigation: [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. Since Barrs memo was released Sunday, Schiff has attempted to parse the difference between Muellers refusal to indict the president and the possibility evidence could exist that Trump and his campaign attempted to collude with Russia. Mueller did not find sufficient evidence to establish conspiracy, notwithstanding Russian offers to help Trumps campaign, their acceptance, and a litany of concealed interactions with Russia, Schiff wrote on Twitter earlier this week. I trust Muellers prosecutorial judgement, but the country must see the evidence. House Democrats have demanded Barr released Muellers report to Congress by April 2, but a Justice Department official told reporters it would be weeks before Muellers report would be made public. Schiffs continued insistence that there is evidence Trump colluded with Russia during the election has drawn intense criticism from Republicans, including the president himself, who reportedly referred to the California Democrat as pencil neck multiple times during a meeting with Republican lawmakers on Tuesday. Schiff has also been criticized relentlessly on Fox News over the past two days, highlighted by Trump on Twitter. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) has called on Schiff to step down from the House Intelligence Committee, saying he owes an apology to the American people. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Schiff should resign from Congress over his continued insistence the president colluded with Russia. He's saying there was evidence of collusion in plain sight, that he knew of it, Conway said of Schiff on Fox News Tuesday. If he's got evidence, put him under oath. While other Democrats have been more reserved on the issue of Russian collusion following Barrs summary of the Mueller report, they have defended Schiff and dismissed the criticism as partisan attacks. Chairman Schiff has done an outstanding job and thats the reason why hes subject to these ridiculous attacks," Ashley Etienne, spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement. Democrats arent going to be intimidated by the White House or Congressional Republicans, were not going to be distracted from securing the release of the full Mueller report and the underlying evidence, and we will continue to pursue legitimate oversight because thats what the Constitution requires. It doesnt mean there wasnt an enormous amount of smoke there, Rep. Peter Welch (D., Vt.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told the Post. This was a fine legal distinction Mr. Mueller had to make. A man climbs up the remains of the only bridge over the Arecibo River connecting Rio Abajo to the Puerto Rican town of Utuado Thursday, November 2, 2017. Read more WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump complained in a private lunch Tuesday with Senate Republicans about the amount of disaster aid designated for Puerto Rico as lawmakers prepare for a standoff over funds for the island that is still struggling to recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, according to officials familiar with the meeting. Trump's remarks came during an hourlong, freewheeling soliloquy at the Capitol with Senate Republicans in which he boasted about the end of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, encouraged Republicans to take up another legislative effort on health care and mocked Democrats over the Green New Deal. Trump's decision to use the occasion to send a message about funding for Puerto Rico underscores his continuing push to limit aid to the island. In the past, Trump has asked advisers how to reduce money for Puerto Rico and signaled that he won't support any more aid beyond food stamp funds. At the lunch Tuesday, Trump rattled off the amount of aid that had been designated for other disaster-hit states and compared it with the amount allocated for Puerto Rico after the 2017 hurricane, an amount he said was too high, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private meeting. Trump noted to GOP senators that Texas - also battered by a spate of hurricanes - was awarded $29 billion in aid, while South Carolina got $1.5 billion to recover from storms. Trump then questioned why Puerto Rico was getting $91 billion, according to two people familiar with his comments, indicating that this was too much compared with compensation for states on the mainland. Trump remarked that one could buy Puerto Rico four times over for $91 billion, according to people familiar with his comments. But it's unclear where Trump got the figure for Puerto Rico aid. It is similar to estimates of the amount of damage, as opposed to what Congress has approved for relief. One congressional official said the way the money is disbursed made it difficult to quantify how much aid the island received. Democrats have criticized the president's reluctance to provide more money to help the island recover. On Tuesday, after recent reports about Trump's opposition to providing additional aid, it was announced that the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development would review whether the White House has interfered with hurricane relief funding approved for Puerto Rico as part of a broader examination of the agency's administration of disaster grants. Congress has appropriated nearly $20 billion in HUD relief funds for Puerto Rico - which accounts for one type of federal aid that areas ravaged by natural disasters can get. Of that pot of money, $1.5 billion has been approved for spending. A White House spokesman said Tuesday that the Trump administration is committed to "the complete recovery" of Puerto Rico. "The island has received unprecedented support and is on pace to receive tens of billions of dollars from taxpayers," the spokesman, Judd Deere, said. "However, the Trump administration will not put taxpayers on the hook to correct a decades-old spending crisis that has left the island with deep-rooted economic problems." On a 90-10 vote later Tuesday afternoon, the Senate advanced disaster-aid legislation drafted by Republicans that Democratic leaders have already panned as insufficient. It allocates about $13.4 billion for states that have faced recent natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains $600 million in food stamp aid for Puerto Rico. "House Democrats oppose this bill because it does not adequately address disaster relief and recovery in Puerto Rico and the territories," said Evan Hollander, a spokesman for the Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee. "If the Senate passes this bill, we will insist on going to conference to ensure that we meet the needs of all Americans." The president's Puerto Rico remarks were just one bit of what he discussed with Senate Republicans, who described Trump as being in a particularly good mood after the end of the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. According to Attorney General William Barr, the report provided to him by Mueller did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Trump has touted this finding as vindication, but Democrats are calling for the full report to be released. Trump invited himself to the Senate Republicans' weekly policy lunch because he wanted to speak with senators after the conclusion of the Mueller investigation, according to people familiar with planning. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., described Trump's mood as "exuberant." Some White House aides tried to discourage the visit, saying there was no agenda, according to two people familiar with the matter. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie was scheduled to speak with senators about veterans care legislation at the lunch, but he was knocked off the agenda because of Trump's impromptu visit, according to a GOP official. During the lunch, Trump boasted to senators that Mueller's report gave him a "clean bill of health," according to attendees - while remarking that the investigation was "two years of bulls---," recalled a person in the room. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., described Trump as talking as if he had a "new lease on life," with the president discussing how difficult the process had been on his family and close friends. Trump also discussed a potential trade deal with China and encouraged new efforts to write health care legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, senators said. Trump also mocked the Green New Deal, a proposal from some Democrats to fight climate change, and told senators, "Don't kill it yet," because he said he wanted to run against it next year as he campaigns for re-election, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and another attendee. "I think the president enjoys pointing out the uncomfortable position that some of our Democratic colleagues find (themselves) in," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said of Trump's private comments on the Green New Deal. Trump aired some of his regular grievances during his remarks, which took up the better part of an hour and left time for a handful of questions from Republicans near the end of the session, attendees said. Ahead of NATO's 70th anniversary celebrations in Washington next week, Trump continued his criticisms of the alliance - venting that NATO costs too much and complaining that its glass headquarters in Brussels was too expensive, people familiar with his remarks said. Trump refrained from reviving his attacks against the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and no Republican raised the topic of the president's recent criticisms of their colleague, who died in August. But Trump - who scanned the room and joked to GOP senators that he likes about "90 percent" of those in attendance - took veiled shots at two other former senators and critics: "There were two of you I didn't like last year." One of them, Trump said, is now on television - a reference to former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who recently signed a contract with CBS News - and the other is "getting their real estate license," apparently referring to Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who amassed significant personal wealth through acquisition of commercial real estate properties before his time in elected office. A person close to Corker responded: "I don't think it will surprise you to learn that Senator Corker actually is not planning to get a real estate license." A White House spokesman said Trump ran through a litany of topics during his visit to the GOP lunch, including his "complete and total vindication" in the special counsel's investigation, health care and efforts to rebuild the nation's military. "He didn't have a prepared text, OK?" said Kennedy, whom Trump singled out inside the lunch and praised for his performance on television earlier that day, according to attendees. "He talks until he is through talking, and he's very thorough." Hes always high-energy, Cramer said. He had a little extra today. Alterra Property Group has acquired whats now the site of a half-demolished Gothic-style church in University City as part of a new westward push for the developer of apartment projects such as Lincoln Square in South Philadelphia and the Icon tower in Center City. Center City-based Alterra paid $17 million for the nearly one-acre property along the eastern side of 43rd Street, between Chestnut and Ludlow Streets, where the 19th-century Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church is being dismantled, according to records filed with the city. The purchase follows Alterras $9.9 million acquisition last year of a 16,300-square-foot former auto-maintenance-garage property about a block to the east, at 4125 Chestnut St., where a 130-unit apartment building is nearing completion, records show. Alterras activity in the area comes amid a flurry of construction in a section of West Philadelphia that had until recently been off the beaten path for many University City developers. Other recent work in the area includes Campus Apartments newly built student-housing project at 41st and Sansom Streets and plans by U3 Ventures and Stockton Real Estate Advisors to redevelop a pair of buildings at 40th and Chestnut Streets into a mix of residential units, visitor accommodations, and restaurants. We believe in the extension of U City westward and want to be a part of delivering sensibly priced, modern housing, primarily to graduate students, retained graduates, and young professionals, Alterra managing partner Leo Addimando said in an email Tuesday. Alterra acquired 4125 Chestnut St. after archaeologists surveyed a 19th-century African American burial ground that had been discovered at the site as it was being cleared for development. The six-story apartment project there, to be called "LVL 4125, is scheduled for completion by June, Addimando said. It will be the states tallest building to be completed using wood-framed modules that are manufactured off-site, which makes construction faster and less costly, he said. Plans for the Christ Memorial Church site call for something similar to the LVL 4125 project, but with more units and likely some commercial space, Addimando said. Before Alterra bought that property, it had been advertised for sale by brokerage Rittenhouse Realty Advisors as being able to accommodate a pair of two-story apartment buildings with 323 units between them. The demolition of the Gothic-style church at the 4233 Chestnut St. site frustrated preservationists, including a team that had been working to have the building protected as a historic asset when a former owner, developer Guy Laren of West Philadelphias Constellar Corp., secured a permit to raze the structure. A Laren affiliate sold the property in June 2018 for $10.5 million to a group involving Philadelphia- and New York-based real estate investor Christopher Rahn, according to records filed with the city. Rahns group sold the parcel to Alterra in February. Alterra also had acquired the former garage site at 4125 Chestnut St. from a Rahn affiliate after Rahns group bought the property for $5.4 million in July 2017 and secured permits to build apartments there. The project is being completed by Union County-based construction group Johns Buckley LLC, which specializes in modular buildings. More deals in the area involving Rahn appear to be on the way: A corporate entity that shares an address with his past businesses is named on a demolition notice posted on two rowhouses at 4240-56 Chestnut St., where the Intercultural Family Services Inc. human services agency operates a health center, likely indicating he has a contract to buy that property. Meanwhile, another business entity registered to a Rahn address is named after the location of the Intercultural Family Services headquarters 4225 Chestnut St. across the street from the health center and beside the church site, suggesting he may have an interest in that property, as well. A message left with Intercultural Family Services was not immediately returned. Rahn declined to discuss the properties. Other real estate bought and sold by Rahn affiliates in recent years include sections of the old Northeastern Hospital in Port Richmond, which have since been acquired by a group involving Daniel Govberg, scion of the 103-year-old family-run Govberg Jewelers watch business. Govbergs group, BG Capital, plans to redevelop the land into a medical-office complex that its calling the Commonwealth Campus, according to a website for the project. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Mace with her bagpipes and fellow bagpipers from around the world pose on board the cruise ship "Harmony of the Seas" Cruise. Marti L. Mace self taught herself to play the bagpipes as a means of relaxation, and while there is family history for bagpipes she is the first in five generations to play. Mace was selected to play in France at the 75th Commemoration of Raid of August 19, 1942 with other bagpipers. She was the only American selected. She traveled to France and participated at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Mace can be found often at the Veteran's Hospital, and plays at final service for the fallen military. She also plays for nursing homes and assisted living facilities that house veteran... Growing strong entering their second year, the Pine Bluffs Girl Scouts Troop 1431 recently exhibited their skills in promoting their Girl Scout Cookies! Troop Leader Kyla Gortney helped the Girl Scouts form a troop in Pine Bluffs. Troop 1431 has grown to twelve girls and are hoping with the news and activities in the community more will join. "Last weekend we had an overnight trip to the Denver Zoo, and are planning a big campout this summer. We are hoping to campout at Laramie Peak west of Wheatland." Gortney stated. The first known cookie sales by an individual Girl Scout unit were by th... Farmers State Bank of Burns started in the banking business May 5, 1919. There were 32 stockholders that incorporated the bank. According to Andrew L. Kendig, Cashier, he had to ride from Torrington in a snow storm and trade horses at Horse Creek in order to reach Burns to open the bank. Mr. Kendig operated the bank until about 1930 when he left to run the Federal Land Company which was the forerunner of the Federal Land Banks. Clarence Schliske took over the operation of the bank in 1930 and in about 1955 he purchased controlling interest in the bank and continued until the end of 1970 wh... Some of our readers may already be aware of the physician gift ban legislation introduced in the Illinois State House by Representative Michelle Mussman. The legislation is intended to prohibit a pharmaceutical marketer from providing any promotions, including travel and prizes, to a physician to induce the physician to prescribe Tier 1 medications. Initial Introduction During the initial introduction of the legislation, it was simply worded that a pharmaceutical marketer may not provide a physician with any promotions, including, but not limited to, paid travel and prizes, to induce the physician to prescribe Tier 1 medications. First Amendment A little over a month after the initial introduction of the legislation and its assignment to the Prescription Drug Affordability and Accessibility Committee, Representative Mussman filed House Committee Amendment No. 1, which was then referred to the Rules Committee and subsequently referred to the Prescription Drug Affordability & Accessibility Committee. In the first amendment, Mussman changed the language to include a definition of gift and promotion. A gift was defined to include any item or other thing of value that is given without receiving equal or greater value in return, while a promotion was defined as a gift that is given to induce the physician to prescribe a medication. The promotion definition then outlines specific examples of what will not be considered a promotion, including non-cash items of minimal value that will directly benefit the physicians patients; funding provided to academic institutions and residence and fellowship programs to support the participation of medical nursing, physician assistant, and pharmacy students, residents, and fellows in professional meetings, including educational meetings, as long as the program identifies such funding recipients based on independent institutional criteria and the funds are distributed to recipients without specific attribution to sponsors; reasonable honoraria to a physician and payment of the reasonable expenses of a physician at a professional or educational conference or meeting; or any other item or thing of value that is consistent with the current federal Office of Inspector General Compliance Program Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and the current PhRMA Code on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. The amendment also includes the penalty that violations of the Act would receive: a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each violation. Second Amendment One day after introducing the first amendment, Mussman introduced the second amendment, which is identical to the first, with the exception of the violation provision the second amendment excludes any mention of punishments for violations. Hearing on the Legislation The legislation is expected to be discussed during the Prescription Drug Affordability & Accessibility Committee Hearing scheduled for March 27, 2019, at 10:00 am, though it currently looks as though the discussion will center around the first amendment of the legislation, not the second amendment. The language in the second amendment still remains in the House Rules Committee and has not been referred out to the Prescription Drug Affordability & Accessibility Committee. It is interesting that this legislation began as a bill to ban everything under the initial language, but through revisions has fallen more in line with restricting those items not allowed by the HHS OIG guidance and the PhRMA guidance. Readers who are interested in watching the discussion of the Prescription Drug Affordability & Accessibility Committee on March 27, 2019, may be able to do so here. 1.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rising Democratic candidate and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, said on Tuesday that he is mystified by Donald Trumps decision to try once again to take health care away from millions of Americans. In an interview with MSNBCs Chris Hayes, Buttigieg laughed off the presidents prediction that the GOP will soon become the party of healthcare. Im mystified that the president thinks this will help them become the party of health care, the mayor said. I dont know how you can become the party of health care when youre now making it abundantly clear that your position on health care is to take it away from millions of Americans. Video: .@PeteButtigieg says Trumps new attacks on health care are reminding us why so many of us are Democrats. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/3JWONzoX7w PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 27, 2019 Buttigieg said: As a matter of policy, Im not surprised because this seems to be the position they hold deep down. Just take this health care coverage away from millions of Americans. As a matter of political strategy, Im a little bit surprised because most Americans want this and so at this moment when they were going to take a victory lap around what was happening in Washington, suddenly theyre reminding us why so many of us are Democrats. One thing Ive been thinking about is the amazing shift between 2010, when I was a young nominee for state treasurer and watching as a Democrat on the ticket how we were getting absolutely beat up. I mean health care and the ACA was a toxic issue for the Democrats. And then by 2018, it was the winning issue for Democrats. What happened in those years? Well, its very simple. The bill was actually implemented and people liked it. Back in 2010, they were talking about all these theoretical things that might be like death panels. By 2018, in the town halls that happened then, you had regular Americans getting in the faces of members of Congress saying this is what this bill has done to make my life better. And it turns out its just harder to lie to somebody about their everyday life. So the idea that they would want to do this is a little strange to me politically. But again, this is their policy. They call themselves Im mystified that the president thinks this will help them become the party of health care. I dont know how you can become the party of health care when youre now making it abundantly clear that your position on health care is to take it away from millions of Americans. Trump is handing Democrats a giant gift While much of the media attention has been fixed on the Attorney General William Barrs cherry-picked summary of Robert Muellers report which still hasnt been released to the public Trump seems to have forgotten that health care is the issue that fueled the blue wave in 2018. Not to mention, as CNNs Harry Enten pointed out on Tuesday, Trumps approval rating hit its lowest point during his presidency when he and Republican lawmakers were trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. One other note The Presidents approval rating has been quite stable during his presidency One thing that did move it? The ACA repeal try in the summer of 2017. It was that point Trumps approval rating hit its lowest point among voters. (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) March 26, 2019 In making another effort to take health care coverage away from millions of Americans, Trump is guaranteeing that Republicans will never become the party of health care and he is handing Democrats a giant gift ahead of the 2020 election. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rachel Maddow said that the Trump administration made two major decisions on Tuesday that could doom his reelection chances come 2020. The first, of course, is to try again to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and take health insurance coverage away from millions of Americans. The second move by the administration was to take money from the United States military to for the construction of a wall on the southern border a wall, I might add, that is incredibly unpopular. Maddow sarcastically called Trumps moves a nice double-barrelled strategy for the presidents reelection campaign. Video: Maddow says Trump has managed to hand Democrats two giant gifts in one day. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/tY7YuutSBC PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 27, 2019 Maddow said: So you take those two things together and I mean, it has been a day with lots of news in it, but its also been a day when a lot of news that broke is big news. I mean, among other things, we learned today that the Trump administrations legal firepower from here on out, from here at least until the next election in 2020, is going to be devoted in the courts to trying to take health insurance away from tens of millions of Americans, to make them all uninsured and theyll be fighting to take money away from U.S. troops to instead build Trump a wall that most Americans do not want. Which is, I guess, a nice double-barrelled strategy for the presidents reelection campaign, Im sure they think that is. Trump is making a major miscalculation ahead of 2020 Trumps strategy for 2020 appears to be to double down on what he has spent his presidency doing, which is to appeal only to his political base. In other words, his math skills arent so good, because his base somewhere between 30 to 40 percent of the country does not represent a majority of the population. It is this same strategy of firing up his base remember the caravan? that failed in 2018 after Democrats saw their biggest gains in the House since 1974. In the end, it turns out that whining about an unpopular border wall and working to take health care away from 20+ million Americans isnt just bad policy; its horrible politics. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 652 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard A former adviser to Barack Obama, Ben Rhodes, tore into Donald Trump on Tuesday for attacking his predecessor and accusing the Obama administration of all kinds of things with no specifics. Rhodes reminded the president that despite his victory lap dozens of people in his orbit were indicted in the special counsel investigation that just wrapped up. Barack Obama in eight years, there were zero indictments in our administration, Rhodes said. Video: Rhodes said: The presidents proclivity to attack his enemies with no basis I mean, Chris, in the clip you played, accusing the Obama administration of all kinds of things with no specifics. This a man who criticized a very thorough investigation as a witch hunt, then standing there with absolutely nothing to back it up, accusing his predecessor of high crimes and misdemeanors with absolutely no supporting evidence. The fact of the matter is, Barack Obama in eight years, there were zero indictments in our administration. This special counsel investigation yielded many indictments of people around Trump. Frankly, his lawyer was caught committing a crime that Trump directed him to commit. Trump doesnt want to talk about that. He wants to talk about the people he wants his supporters to attack, and thats not a way to lead this country. We are watching the cover-up in real time Of course, Ben Rhodes remarks came hours after Trump went to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with his GOP lapdogs in the Senate. During his visit, the president told the press that Obama should be investigated for launching the Russia investigation. I think what happened is a disgrace, Trump said, painting himself as the victim. I dont believe our country should allow this ever to happen again. As his administration continues to slow-walk the release of Muellers report, Trump is clearly trying to get a head start on the PR war. That means declaring victory before the report has even been released, doubling down on his attacks on the media and distracting the public with delusional comments about Barack Obama. As PoliticusUSAs Jason Easley wrote on Tuesday, Trump is in full cover-up mode, and he is trying to distract the country by calling for a baseless investigation into Obama that isnt fooling anyone. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard While Donald Trump and his loyalists continue to take victory laps after Attorney General William Barr released his summary of Robert Muellers report, the American people arent satisfied. According to a survey conducted by Quinnipiac University, a whopping 84 percent of the country believes Muellers findings should be made public. In other words, voters dont think Barrs four-page public relations document is enough. They want to see the actual report, not a few cherry-picked fragments. Special Counsel Robert Muellers report should be made public, American voters say 84 9 percent in a Quinnipiac University National Poll released today, the polls press release noted. Support for releasing the special counsel report to the public was seen across every demographic polled. Republicans say 75 17 percent the report should be made public and every other listed party, gender, education, age and racial group supports making the report public by even wider margins. The Mueller report must be released immediately Donald Trump and his allies wasted no time in overplaying their hand following the release of Barrs summary on Sunday. Since the four-page letter was released, they have been wrongly claiming that Trump is fully exonerated, when one quote from Muellers report says just the opposite. They have also waged an assault on the media for having the nerve to cover the still-suspicious contacts the Trump campaign had with Russia during the 2016 election. While the Trump teams activity in 2016 may not be criminally chargeable, according to Mueller, it was still evident that they knew Russia was meddling on their behalf, and they were welcoming these actions. At the end of the day, the American people dont seem as jubilant about Barrs summary as the White House does. They still want to see Muellers full report and the underlying evidence. They dont want to be spoonfed political spin from William Barr, a man who was installed as attorney general for the very purpose of protecting this president. The longer this administration slow-walks the release of the report, the more hollow Trumps celebrations look. If Donald Trump and his shameless Republican allies in Congress have nothing to fear in Muellers report, they should release it in full to the public immediately. Anything short of that is unacceptable. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 3.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard As Fox News and Republicans call for his resignation, Adam Schiff is doubling down on his claims that there was collusion between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign and he will be able to prove it. He told the Washington Post in a new interview that he believes evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia undoubtedly exists. The House Intelligence Committee Chairman also said that he and his committee will eventually uncover Trumps collusion. Attorney General William Barrs summary of Robert Muellers investigation proved nothing, even though Barr decided that no criminal charges could be filed. Schiff told the Post that the special counsels investigators did not look at whether Trump was subject to the influence of foreign powers, but his committee would look into those matters. He said he would continue to aggressively investigate whether Trumps presidential campaign conspired with Russia (or other countries) during the 2016 election. Undoubtedly, there is collusion, Schiff told the Post. We will continue to investigate the counterintelligence issues. That is, is the president or people around him compromised in any way by a hostile foreign power? It doesnt appear that was any part of Muellers report, he continued. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a strong right-wing supporter of Trumps, told the Post that Schiff had told falsehoods about the Russia investigation and his committees progress. Schiff essentially spent 22 months lying to the country, Gaetz said. Ever since Barr released his four page summary on Sunday White House allies have been demanding Schiffs resignation as chairman of the Intelligence Committee. Adam Schiff should resign, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said. He has no right as somebody who has been peddling a lie day after day after day unchallenged. Unchallenged and not under oath. Somebody should have put him under oath and said you have evidence, where is it? The Republican attacks of course did nothing to dissuade Schiff from pursuing truth and justice for Donald Trump, who many believe is a traitor to the United States. Im more than used to attacks from my GOP colleagues and I would expect nothing less, Schiff said. The Mueller investigation, which lasted for almost two years and resulted in dozens of criminal charges for Trump associates unrelated to accusations of collusion with Russia, ended over the weekend with no further indictments being issued by prosecutors. Trump and his allies have since claimed victory, accusing Democrats and the media of spinning stories about the investigation to conclusions not supported by the facts. Muellers Counterintelligence Report Has Not Yet Been Released, And It May Prove Trump Crimes Most people are not aware that Mueller will issue a second report called the counterintelligence report that cant be kept from either Congress or the public by William Barr or anyone else. When this report is issued, Adam Schiff will see it. Since Barrs summary memo did not deal at all with national security issues, there is no basis to conclude that Donald Trump has been cleared of the crime of conspiring with Russia. When information is released concerning Muellers counterintelligence findings, Adam Schiff will undoubtedly be proven correct. And when that happens America will learn that the President of the United States did in fact collude with Russia as they helped him become president. Both indictment and impeachment of Donald Trump are still very much on the table. 642 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos was on CNNs New Day show on Wednesday and claimed that he was horrified after being told by an alleged Russian agent that the Russian government had obtained emails that would damage Hillary Clintons campaign. Then he got yelled at by his host. In retrospect, of course, I probably should have gone to some authority when this person told me this information, says ex-Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, convicted in the Mueller probe, about the professor who claimed dirt on Hillary Clinton. Video: In retrospect, of course, I probably should have gone to some authority when this person told me this information, says ex-Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, convicted in the Mueller probe, about the professor who claimed "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. https://t.co/CQzlbdyzuR pic.twitter.com/y6IeFYv2su New Day (@NewDay) March 27, 2019 During the interview New Day host John Berman strongly questioned Papadopoulos about whether he really felt alarmed about these revelations. He charged the convicted felon of just saying that now to rehabilitate his reputation and to sell copies of his new book. You write in your book youre horrified, Berman said. How horrified? So horrified that you went and told authorities? Thats a great point, Papadopoulos admitted. And I told the FBI when they came to my house during my initial interview. Berman, however, wasnt buying it. He pointed out that the interview referred to took place many months after Papadopoulos had been told that Russia had obtained Clinton-related emails. In fact, it took place after Donald Trump had already been elected president. Telling the FBI when they come to your house to ask you questions is different than volunteering it, Berman challenged. He then raised his voice, expressing his disgust with Papadopoulos by saying: You did not go to the FBI or local police or anybody with the information that someone came to you with information that the Russians had Hillary Clintons emails, correct? Papadopoulos then was forced to admit that Berman was right. He did not volunteer any information to the FBI. He did, however, weakly claim that he deserves credit for telling the FBI about it at all. Of course when he did, it was too late to make a difference. Berman ended the interview by shouting: You didnt notify them until they came and knocked on your door! George Papadopoulos is trying to get a presidential pardon, and he is trying to make himself out to be the victim of a Deep State conspiracy against him. That line of argument might work with Trumps conspiracy nut, right-wing supporters. But it certainly wont work with the majority of American voters. If Donald Trump pardons George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, or anyone else convicted as part of the Mueller probe he will certainly pay the price politically. Any pardons he issues will do nothing but make certain that the defeat he will suffer in 2020 will be even larger. CLICK HERE to watch the interview on CNN By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. Senate Republicans on Tuesday defeated the Green New Deal resolution that called for tackling climate change by moving the United States off fossil fuels, while Democrats said the vote was a political stunt on an issue that will not die. The vote was 57 against the resolution in the 100-member chamber, with 43 Democrats voting present, avoiding an up-or-down vote. Republicans won over Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and one independent senator, Angus King, who usually votes with that party. The Green New Deal, introduced last month by Democrats, marked an initial attempt to define legislation to create government-led investments in clean energy like wind and solar power, infrastructure and social programs. Democrats have said the plan, which is backed by most of the partys presidential candidates, was designed to spur debate during the 2020 campaign on the intricate problem of how to tackle climate change while boosting the economy, not to force the party to take sides in a quick vote. But Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell forced a vote before the plan had the chance for a national debate or hearings in Congress. In a move that likely previews their wider strategy ahead of next years presidential election, Republicans used the plan to try to sow discord among Democrats, painting their rivals as shifting to socialism and embracing extreme policies. McConnell wrote on Twitter that Americans would see which senators are against the deal and which are so fully committed to radical left-wing ideology that they cant even vote no on self-inflicted economic ruin that would take a sledgehammer to Americas middle class. Asked before the vote whether he believes climate change is happening and if humans are contributing to it, McConnell said: I do. The question is how do you address it. He said the way to fight climate change was by encouraging private companies to innovate. The non-binding Green New Deal resolution sought to speed a transition of the U.S. economy away from burning oil, gas and coal and emitting greenhouse gases from cars and industry blamed for climate change. Its name referenced Democratic President Franklin Roosevelts Depression-era New Deal that used massive government-led investments to lift the economy. Democratic Senator Edward Markey, who unveiled the plan with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, told reporters that McConnell and other Republicans fail to understand that the Green New Deal is not just a resolution, it is a revolution. TO FIGURE IN 2020 CAMPAIGN Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein was criticized by Green New Deal supporters after she was filmed last month telling children she opposed the resolution because it was too expensive. But she sided with the majority of Democratic senators in voting present, to show unity in the party. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat running for president in a crowded field, told reporters that most Republican lawmakers were treating climate change like a political stunt. Gillibrand said most Republican lawmakers were lockstep in support of President Donald Trumps policies of rolling back environmental regulations and withdrawing from the 2015 Paris international climate agreement and have refused to put forward any real plan to address climate change in any meaningful way. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican, has offered a response to climate change that proposes to engage innovation by doubling research funding in 10 technologies including advanced nuclear, batteries and capturing carbon for burial underground, a plan critics say does not act fast enough. Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper became the first 2020 Democratic candidate to oppose the plan, writing in the Washington Post that it would give the government too much power in investment decisions. To spur innovations needed to curb climate change, government must not shun the private sector, Hickenlooper said in the piece. As scientists say climate change is causing billions of dollars worth of damage by making floods, storms and droughts more intense, debate is expected to amplify ahead of 2020. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters the Green New Deal was discussed with Trump at a party lunch on Tuesday. Graham said Trump told Republican senators: Make sure you dont kill it too much because I want to run against it. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney and Susan Thomas) 2.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The Republican claims that Robert Mueller is done arent true, as his grand jury is still hard at work on ongoing cases. Politico reported: The special counsel grand jury that investigated Russian collusion into the 2016 presidential election is continuing robustly despite the end of Robert Muellers probe, a federal prosecutor said in court Wednesday. The revelation while laced with uncertainty indicates that the ongoing cases Mueller handed off after concluding his probe could still feature significant developments, legal experts said. Robert Mueller handed in his report, but his cases are still going on Trump and the Republicans are trying to proclaim the Russia investigation finished when it turns out that this isnt the case. Mueller is done with his part of the process, but the evidence he gathered and cases that he built have been turned over to others so that they can pick up where he left off and move forward. The Mueller investigation has entered a new phase. One that Donald Trump wants to pretend doesnt exist. Trumps total exoneration has fallen apart, and what is left behind is an ongoing investigation and prosecution that is likely to cause the president headaches through his 2020 reelection campaign. No collusion and total exoneration have been replaced by a robust grand jury and more prosecutions. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 4.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), the subcommittee chairman who sets the funding levels for the Department of Education told reporters that Trump and Betsy DeVoss proposed cuts to Special Olympics arent happening. Here is what Sen. Blunt told reporters: NEW: In stmt, Sen @RoyBlunt, who chairs the Approps Subcmte which sets funding levels for Dept of Education, says of cuts to Special Olympics in Trump budget: "Our Department of Education appropriations bill will not cut funding for the program." pic.twitter.com/MIXHyUchPk Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) March 27, 2019 The Special Olympics Cuts Were A Budget Proposal, Not A Reality Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos made it sound like the cuts were a done deal when she discussed them, but the cuts were only part of Trumps budget proposal. They were part of the administrations fantasy wish list. Just like the yearly effort by Republican presidents to get rid of NPR and PBS, these are pipe dreams that will never get through Congress. Republicans in Senate dont want to cut Special Olympics, and there is no way that a Democratic House is going to pass a budget that will end funding for Special Olympics. People got outraged over something that was never going to happen. Trumps desire to cut Special Olympics speaks volumes about how this administration views people with disabilities. This administration doesnt care about the American people, and voters need to keep all these examples from the Special Olympics to Trumps new move to kill Obamacare when they go to the polls next year. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red has posted its financials for the full year ended December 31, 2018, and it was a busy 12 months for the Polish company. Although overall net revenues fell to $94.3 million from $121.2 million, and net profits dropped to $28.5 million from $52.4 million, CD Projekt still managed to invest heavily, and sank nearly $26.2 million into the development of games and new technologies. Overall, the cumulative balance of the firm's research and development expenditures topped $65.4 million by the end of 2018, with the studio particularly keen on scaling up its production capabilities on home soil. "Over the past year we greatly expanded our creative potential, both in Warsaw and at the Krakow studio," commented CD Projekt president and CEO, Adam Kicinski. "We were also joined by a highly talented team from WrocAaw, as well as by developers from Spokko -- a newly established company currently working on a yet unannounced project targeting mobile devices. With regard to strengthening our creative capabilities, 2018 marks the most intensive period in the Groups history." In a separate conference livestream discussing its financials, CD Projekt also revealed The Witcher 3 together with the Thronebreaker expansion is still selling well, with the acclaimed RPG generating $28.6 million in revenue during 2018 -- that's hardly a bad showing when you consider it launched almost four years ago. The company also seemed pleased with the performance of its Witcher spin-off, Gwent, and said it plans to bring the card battler to smartphones in Autumn 2019. Gwent was the most important product in terms of sales revenue for the firm's digital marketplace, GOG.com, which generated a net profit of $7,800 on $34.5 million in sales revenue during 2018 -- the rest of the cash was spent on R&D. Looking ahead, CD Projekt claims E3 2019 will be the most important conference in its history, which likely means we'll be seeing a lot more from Cyberpunk 2077, which was first unveiled all the way back in 2012. Those interested can watch the entire earning conference (dubbed in English) over on YouTube. Food editor and chief critic Eating all of the chicken livers just as fast as I can. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Kalyn Oyer is a Charleston native who covers arts & entertainment and food & bev for The Post and Courier. She's a music festival & concert photographer and used to write about music for the Charleston City Paper, among other publications. Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine. Lowcountry Oyster Co. operates one of South Carolina's five floating-cage oyster farms in the region. Growers say it's the most reliable way to farm oysters, but some boaters and waterfront property owners are opposed to them. File/Provided Thomas Novelly is a political reporter based in Charleston. He also covers the military community and veterans throughout South Carolina. Previously, he wrote for the Courier Journal in Kentucky. He is a fan of Southern rock, bourbon and horse racing. Gollum or Smeagol, who will have the upper hand in the upcoming stealth-action adventure? Coming to PC and consoles in 2022 Next steps The Joint Bond Review Committee's subcommittee is expected to meet again at 9 a.m. April 3 to hear from Charleston County on recent deal that revives the Interstate 526 extension project. Once the subcommittee is done, the full committee is expected to vote on the deal. LEWISTON Daley Farms filed suit against Winona County for the Feb. 21 denial of a variance request by the Winona County Board of Adjustments for the planned expansion of the Lewiston-based dairy. The lawsuit, filed in Winonas Third Judicial District Court on Thursday, listed four main areas of legal contention, including the deprivation of the rights of Daley Farm owners, a violation of due process, factual and legal errors, and bias and prejudgment. The dairy was requesting a waiver of the countys 1,500-animal unit cap as part of an expansion project that would put nearly 6,000 animal units on their feedlot. The project was approved by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. However, the denial by the Winona County Board of Adjustments would, if upheld, put an end to the plans. A date for a trial has not yet been set. "This is about the next generation of our family who has returned to the farm and want to continue being an integral part of the community and want to continue our familys legacy," said Ben Daley, one of the family members who owns the dairy that now is being worked by the sixth generation of Daleys over the past 160 years. "We must explore all options to make their dream a reality." Part of the issues Daley Farm has with the decision is the three board members who were appointed and approved by a 3-2 vote of the Winona Count Board of Commissioners on Jan. 8. Those three Board of Adjustments members are all members of the Land Stewartship Project, an organization that has filed its own lawsuits against the planned dairy expansion. "The fact that three members of the Board of Adjustment are members of a multi-million-dollar special interest group that has taken a strong stance in opposition to the Daley familys plans calls into question their credibility," said Matt Berger with the law firm Gislason and Hunter, which represents Daley Farm in the case. Berger said board members Cherie Hales, Wendy Larson and Rachel Stoll are members of the Land Stewardship Project and each publicly expressed opposition to the project prior to considering the Daleys variance request. That prejudgment should have required the trio to recuse themselves from debate, input and voting on the Daleys variance request. "The public has the fundamental right to expect that variance requests will be decided by fair and impartial decision makers based on facts and science rather than the predetermined beliefs of handpicked activists," Berger said. Ben Daley said the decision of the Board of Adjustments was apparent in January when the three urban-district members of the county board voted against the two rural district board members to install board member Marie Kovecsi as president of the county board so she could chose the new members of the planning commission and direct the voting on the board of adjustment membership. Superior Court Judge Elyze Iriarte on Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit filed by former Guam Regional Medical City CEO Margaret Bengzon against the private hospital. On Nov. 29, 2018, Bengzon filed a request for a temporary restraining order and both a temporary and permanent injunction against the hospital. In her complaint, Bengzon sought reinstatement as chief executive officer of the private hospital and a return to the "status quo" before she was ousted "until such time as the issue of shareholder ownership may be resolved by the (Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission) or Philippine courts." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Bengzon maintained that the dispute in the Philippines over ownership of the private hospital's parent company was putting "the vital ongoing financing process" at GRMC at risk. And she argued that it "ultimately threatens the financial viability of Guam's only private hospital. However, in her decision, the judge ruled that Bengzon lacks standing to raise claims concerning harm to GRMC. In addition, the judge found that Bengzon fails to state a claim for relief concerning the termination of her employment at GRMC. The court, therefore, grants defendant GRMC's motion to dismiss, the judge concluded. The ownership dispute in the Philippines pits 83-year-old Dr. Alfredo Bengzon, a former secretary of the Philippine Department of Health during the Corazon Aquino presidency, against his nephew, Jose "Eckie" Gonzales. Alfredo Bengzon and Gonzales are fighting over control of PSI Healthcare Development Services, a Philippine corporation that controls The Medical City in Metro Manila and its health care network, which includes GRMC. At a Superior Court hearing before Iriarte last month, GRMC attorney Todd Thompson argued that Margaret Bengzon's claim "must be dismissed" because she did not have a contract with Guam Healthcare Development Inc. which does business as GRMC. He maintained that Margaret Bengzon was an "at-will" employee at GRMC and that left her vulnerable to dismissal at any time. Thompson also said Margaret Bengzon "is a shareholder of a foreign company, not before the court." And there is no doubt that she "is not a shareholder of the Guam company," he said. Andrea Maanao Cruz, the former Guam Department of Education teacher accused of issuing fake diplomas, has been confined after testing positive for methamphetamine. Cruz has missed at least two hearings, one on March 8 and one prior to that. The attorney representing her on March 8 told Judge Anita Sukola that she wasn't able to appear in court due to "medical reasons." Cruz allegedly started a home-school and "credit recovery academy" in 2017, called Believe, Achieve, Motivate, or B.A.M. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. She is accused of issuing to students about 300 fake diplomas that allegedly used the GDOE logo. Students attempted to enroll at Guam Community College using B.A.M. diplomas and transcripts. GDOE has denied any affiliation with Cruz's venture. 'Ice' possession In addition to theft charges, she is accused of possessing meth, or "ice." Investigators searched Cruz's former classroom at George Washington High School in October 2017. She was wearing a pink pouch around her waist that allegedly contained a pipe with black-and-white frosty residue, court documents stated. A second glass pipe was found inside a vehicle, which was operated by another person. Both Cruz and the other individual denied knowledge of the pipe, court documents stated. Cruz allegedly said a student had left the pipe in her classroom and meant to report it to administrators but lost track of time. She also allegedly confirmed that she had an "ice" problem when she lived in Nevada. Investigators also found an embossing plate with the B.A.M. logo, two laptop computers and numerous B.A.M. documents inside the vehicle, according to court documents. Documents seized by investigators included receipt books. One book allegedly showed Cruz receiving more than $4,000 in cash for B.A.M. tutoring, proctoring and tuition. Ombre Ga'chong As we head into the Christmas and New Year season it is imperative that all residents take an extra moment and adjust and increase their perso Read more NORRISTOWN A teenage boy adamantly claimed to a jury that a former Limerick man had indecent and sexual contact with him on multiple occasions while he visited the mans onetime residences in Limerick and Upper Providence. He put his hands in my drawers. I was so shocked, the 17-year-old Philadelphia boy testified on Wednesday in Montgomery County Court, recalling an alleged encounter during which Angelo Dunkerly-Adams groped him when he was about 9-years-old and was visiting the mans Orchard Court apartment in Upper Providence. Id never been in that kind of predicament. I didnt know what to do. I was stuck there, the witness stated. The teenager, testifying for Assistant District Attorney Matthew Brittenburg, subsequently recalled two other alleged incidents that occurred on Dec. 30, 2017, during which Dunkerly-Adams performed a sex act on him and had other sexual contact with him while he was visiting Dunkerly-Adams then residence along Pruss Hill Road in Limerick. The boy was 16 at the time, according to testimony. I was so shocked by it. I didnt know what to do. I didnt know what to say to anybody, the teenager testified, adding Dunkerly-Adams also offered him alcohol and a Viagra pill during the encounters, which he declined. I was just confused. You could tell by my face I didnt want it to happen. When defense lawyer Megan Schanbacher suggested during cross- examination that the teenager had given inconsistent statements during the investigation and was not being truthful, the teenager adamantly shot back, I know what he did. I remember what he did. He did it. He needs to accept that. Theres no reason for me to lie about anything. I dont need to lie. The teenager added to Schanbacher, Youre confusing me. Youre making me mad. Dunkerly-Adams, 41, faces charges of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor in connection with alleged inappropriate contact he had with three underage boys between 2009 and 2017. The boys were between the ages of 7 and 16 at the time of the alleged incidents, which occurred when each of the boys was in Dunkerly-Adams company and alone with him, according to prosecutors. Dunkerly-Adams knew the families of the each of the boys and the families often visited the Limerick home, testimony revealed. The youngest alleged victim, also of Philadelphia, testified when he visited the Limerick home in November 2017, that Dunkerly-Adams showed him nasty photos of his private parts and then groped him as they were seated on a couch playing video games. The boy was 7 at the time, according to testimony. The third Philadelphia boy testified Dunkerly-Adams performed a sex act on him when he was 14 and was visiting the Limerick home in August 2016. That teenager told the jury he felt frozen and scared during the alleged assault. Schanbacher did not reveal if Dunkerly-Adams will testify during the trial. The jury of eight men and four women could begin deliberations in the case on Thursday after hearing the testimony of any defense witnesses and getting legal instructions from Judge Todd D. Eisenberg. During the trial, prosecutors argued Dunkerly-Adams was in a position of trust and exploited the trust to sexually abuse the boys. Prosecutors argued Dunkerly-Adams ingratiated himself into the lives of some of the boys by playing video games with them when they visited the Limerick home. But Schanbacher suggested prosecutors dont have sufficient evidence to prove the charges and suggested the boys are not being truthful. Brittenburg and co-prosecutor Lindsey Mills wrapped up their case on Wednesday with the testimony of Limerick Police Detective Ernie Morris, who took statements from Dunkerly-Adams during the investigation. During a Jan. 15, 2018, interview, Dunkerly-Adams, who worked for a local bank and restaurant, admitted to having some sexual contact with the 14-year-old and 16-year-old boys, describing his memories as flashes. However, he denied having inappropriate contact with the 7-year-old boy, according to Morris. When Morris asked Dunkerly-Adams why he engaged in the activity he allegedly responded, I dont know the answer to that or how to answer that, according to testimony. When asked how he felt about what he did, Dunkerly-Adams allegedly responded, Disgusting, according to Morris. He agreed to speak to me without an attorney. He seemed to understand everything that I was saying. He was cooperative, Morris testified. The investigation began about 5:23 a.m. Dec. 31, 2017, when Limerick police were dispatched to the Pruss Hill Road home to investigate the report of the sexual assault of the 16-year-old boy. The alleged assault was witnessed by another adult who resided in the home and that man called police. The allegations of the 7-year-old boy and the 14-year-old boy came to light as detectives investigated the alleged Dec. 31 assault of the 16-year-old boy. Dunkerly-Adams potentially faces decades in prison if convicted of the charges. POTTSTOWN Moved by a shooting incident Sunday that grew out of an ongoing conflict among Pottstown Middle School eighth-graders, one resident wants the community to stand up against bullying. Monique Basile, the mother of two Rupert Elementary students, is organizing a Band Against Bullying rally on Sunday, April 28. The rally, which will be held at Smith Family Plaza next to Pottstown Borough Hall, is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Speakers and events are still being organized. She is also organizing a peaceful protest at Pottstown High School from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. prior to the school board meeting on Thursday, April 25. Im trying to make a difference, said Basile. Everybody feels helpless when they cant help their child. The incident that convinced Basile she needed to get involved came to head on Sunday when police responded to the 500 block of West Street for reports of shots fired around 8:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they found ballistic evidence in the street indicating multiple shots had been fired. Residents of 552 West St. told authorities the home had been struck several times. There were no injuries reported by anyone in the home or elsewhere. Police are asking anyone with information in regard to this investigation to contact them at 610-970-6570. Pottstown Police Chief Michael Markovich said Wednesday that the investigation is continuing. On Facebook, a parent who said it was her house that was shot, and whose name is being withheld to protect the familys identity, said her child has been the target of bullying by a group of Pottstown Middle School girls for six months. The parent also said her daughter was receiving Instagram death threats from boys as well, and that she had contacted the police and school administration multiple times. She said police took no action and her daughter got in trouble for fighting back. However, Markovich said that police are familiar with both sides of the ongoing dispute; and that arrests have been made on both sides previously, although none related to Sundays shooting incident. In fact, he said, throughout the course of the school year police make multiple arrests connected to misbehavior and fighting among middle school students after school gets out. But because they are minors, the details of the arrests are never made public. He said once the police get involved, it is the tail end of a problem that began somewhere else, at some other time. Police look to parents to teach their children to avoid getting into fights, but Markovich said increasingly officers arrive at a fight and involve the parents, only to find the parents encouraging the children to fight. Then they really have no choice but to arrest everyone involved, Markovich said. In a fight at Pottstown High School March 15 in which a student, teacher and parent were all injured, adults reportedly arrived at the scene of a dispute between students and joined the fight. Pottstown arrested two adults from Philadelphia, Elias Khalil-Abdul OHannon and Alfonso Tillman, along with two minors in connection with that incident. But sometimes parent involvement can have the opposite effect of the one intended. Basile said her daughter was punched by a second grader and she got involved to make sure the matter was resolved. As a result, she said, her daughter is reluctant to tell her if another bullying incident occurs. Kids are afraid to be looked at as a snitch,' Basile said. Thats why an anonymous reporting system, similar to the Safe 2 Say Something program established statewide to report threats of violence, should be put into place in Pottstown schools to report bullying incidents, said Basile. She also said she believes parents should be cited and fined when their children are involved in a bullying incident. A lot of parents dont want to believe their child is a bully, or sometimes that child is bullied in the home, she said. Basile knows the bullying and child behavior is complicated. Its not just in Pottstown. This is a nation-wide problem, she said. She is no stranger to official intervention. Growing up in Yonkers, N.Y., Basile said she was a troubled child beyond the control of her grandmother who was raising her. As a result, when she was 12 a family court judge put her into a state program called Person in Needs of Supervision, which required her to report weekly to a probation officer. Ultimately, Basile was sent to a residential treatment facility in the Hudson Valley, where therapy failed to calm her. Released when she was 18, it took many years for her to settle down and move to Pennsylvania to start a family. I was bullied and upset I was abandoned by my mother and my father, so I was acting out, she said. But whatever the root cause of bullying, other children should not bear the impact of another childs problems, she said. A child should not be afraid to go to school, and families should not have to move out of a school district because bullying is out of control, Basile said. A child shouldnt have to her fiends, a family should not have to be uprooted because of bullying. A school district should be able to get control of it, she said. Its not being addressed from kindergarten up, the way it should be, Basile said. Our children are getting hardened hearts, they dont care about consequences anymore. Basile said she realizes she is echoing sentiments voiced by many in the community, and thats perhaps why the response Ive had to holding this rally and protest has been huge. She has established a Facebook page to help inform the community about the event and to rally volunteers to help. Its gotten bigger than I expected it to be, she said. POTTSTOWN School officials attempted to reassure the community Tuesday in the wake of a shooting incident Sunday that is related to an ongoing problem with eighth-grade bullying at Pottstown Middle School. In one of two emails sent home Tuesday, Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez said it is the school districts position that all the perpetrators of this incident should be arrested and held accountable so it never happens again. Tensions are high given that rumors of a student coming to school Tuesday with a gun were circulated and resulted in a police response. I would like to inform you that we received a report that a middle school student brought a gun to school this morning, Rodriguez wrote. Police were immediately contacted and came to the school to help in the investigation. It was quickly determined that the student in question had no weapon and was not involved in any of the recent concerns from this weekend. The student was interviewed and searched, along with his locker and book bag, according to John Armato, the districts director of community relations. After interviews, the investigation proved the rumors to be baseless, Armato said. In another email sent home and mirrored by a Facebook post, Rodriguez wrote there is a lot of concern right now about the gun violence that took place over the weekend which stems from an ongoing issue between a group of eighth-grade students. Anytime guns are involved, its a serious and concerning issue. He insisted that the district and school building administration and staff dont bury issues, ignore bullying, or pretend that everything is fine. They work to resolve disagreements between students, teach them social and emotional skills, in addition to academic instruction! But replies to Rodriguezs posts on the districts Facebook page disputed that assertion. There was an instance with bullying that happened a few weeks back that I dont believe as a parent was handled properly. There should have been serious repercussions and there were not, posted Lauren Hewitt. Our children are worried about going to school, I am worried about my children and my mother and husband who work at the schools, she wrote. I moved my daughter out of Pottstown Middle School because of how the admin treated a very serious incident that they refused to take seriously, posted Stephanie Brown. Uprooted my whole life and moved school districts to get my daughter out. Jennine Lisa Sinni posted she left this district after my concerns and repeated visits to middle school were met with a blind eye. Children can not learn when they are in fear. Teachers can not teach when they are in fear. This is more than just bullying, this is a systemic problem that needs swift action, Sinni posted. Im happy that I no longer live in fear for my kids and that they are thriving and learning again but the PTSD that they have (and I have too) is a real thing and will be with us forever Those posting comments are not just taking aim at the district administration. When there was fight about to happen about two weeks ago I called the police. And the officer says how do you know there is going to be a fight?' posted Heather Quiles. I said are you serious? We live here we know when a large group is just standing around with phones out something is about to go down, Quiles wrote. And sure enough they went up the street and tried to start drama up near the high school. Concerns about middle school behavior erupted this week on a wider basis after Pottstown Police responded to the 500 block of West Street for reports of shots fired Sunday around 8:30 p.m. Upon arrival, ballistic evidence was found in the street indicating multiple shots had been fired. Residents of 552 West St. told authorities the home had been struck several times. There were no injuries reported by anyone in the home or elsewhere. Police are asking anyone with information in regard to this investigation to contact them at 610-970-6570. We are fully cooperating with the Pottstown Police Dept. What happened Sunday night was a serious crime, which could have been deadly, Rodriguez wrote. We increased security coverage so that both arrival and dismissal will have security personnel on site, he wrote adding that, the police department will also be present during arrival and dismissal for the time being. Armato noted that searching of the entire student body and their book bags as they enter school was not done today. It is a tool that we have used in the past and we will continue to use it on an unannounced basis. Rodriguez promised that prompt communication will continue in order to keep our parents and community informed, and he added, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. That will continue to be the standard. The shots being fired at the house also comes at a time of increased concern about behavior issues at Pottstown Middle School. Just last week, Principal Brian Hostetler updated the school board on the methods being used to control behavior problems there, including a chart showing that discipline referrals have been down in the past three years. Hostelers presentation came in the wake of a series of three town hall meetings the district held to gather input on a proposal that the former Edgewood Elementary School, last used in 2014, be re-opened as a fifth grade center in order to pull the fifth grade out of the middle school building. No decision has been made on that matter. To say that it has been a tough week for the Democratic Party is an understatement. Yesterday Mitch McConnell obliged grandstanding Democrats by bringing the Green New Deal resolution up for a vote in the Senate. The Democrats regarded this as a dirty trick, evidently because they do not intend their policy proposals to be taken seriously. The Senate vote was 57-0 against the Green New Deal. Almost all Senate Democrats voted present, taking a leaf from the Obama playbook. The six senators who are running for presidentBernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrandall co-sponsored the Green New Deal resolution, yet all voted present. All Republican senators voted against the resolution, joined by Democrats Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, Doug Jones and Angus King. The Democrats are coming in for a lot of well-deserved ridicule. Fir example: I dont know how Im supposed to tell my 8 year old Minerva that Democrats today had a chance to save our planet and her future. And now instead her future will be drinking motor oil. Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) March 27, 2019 Also this: Booker compared the Green New Deal to fighting the Nazis. Gillibrand compared it to the moon landing. Harris called it sound & important. Klobuchar called it aspirational. But given the chance to vote on it, they all courageously voted: Present!https://t.co/MUc6O94gJD Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) March 27, 2019 Yesterdays vote reminds one of when the Senate voted 95-0 against the original anti-global warming measure, the Kyoto protocol. Al Gore famously was among those who voted no. Was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, principal author of the bill to kill the cows, ban air travel and abolish the automobile, outraged by her fellow Democrats failure of will? Of course not. She is as much a phony as the rest of them. She denounced the Senates holding a vote on her resolution as a disgrace. There are several serious problems with global warming alarmism. One of them is the disconnect between the problem, as described by alarmists, and their proposed solutions. That is, if you believe the models projections, the measures they support will do virtually nothing to avert catastrophic warming. If you believe the models, the Green New Deal doesnt go anywhere near far enough. If the models are right (they arent, they absurdly overstate the importance of CO2, as has been proved by observation) the United States could cease to exist and it wouldnt make much difference. In order to save the Earthif the alarmists models are correctsomething must be done about India and China, where hundreds of coal-fired power plants are now under construction. If the Democrats really believed that climate change is an existential threat to the planet, they would advocate invading China and India in order to destroy their power plants (and, I suppose, murder their cows and force them to stop driving cars). Or perhaps the coal-fired plants could merely be bombed from the air. But the Democrats dont advocate these measures. Climate change alarmism is a joke. It exists only for purposes of domestic politics, and as an excuse to feather the nests of green entrepreneurs who support the Democratic Party. Its often said that the U.S. has two criminal justice systems, one for the well-to-do and one for ordinary folks. This may be true. It certainly seems to be the case if were talking about well-to-do celebrities who are black and gay and hate President Trump especially if they fall out with the law in Chicago. Im referring, of course, to Jussie Smollett. Today, we learned that the actor who claimed, almost certainly falsely, to be the victim of a hate crime by Trump supporters will not be prosecuted for any of the 16 counts on which he was indicted. The Cook County States Attorneys Office declared: After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts volunteer service in the community [note: it reportedly consisted of a few hours on two days] and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case. Smollett wasnt even required to admit wrongdoing. Instead, he was able to claim, reading from notes that I have been truthful and consistent from day one. His lawyers were even more emphatic. They pronounced Smollett a victim, the precise status he apparently hoped to attain through his report to the police of being assaulted by MAGA hat wearers. This may be the biggest fold since Alex Acosta offered Jeffrey Epstein his sweetheart deal. Its a wonder that Cook County didnt return Smolletts bail bond and apologize to the guy. Chicago officials were not amused. No less of an authority on political fixes and Chicago shenanigans than Rahm Emanuel stated: From top to bottom, this is not on the level. Emanuel suggested that Smollett was given special treatment because of his celebrity. He also scoffed at the $10,000 Smolletts bond money given to the city as part of the deal, noting it wouldnt come close to the citys expenditures for investigating the alleged attack. Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, an African-American, was even more upset. He said: Do I think justice was served? No. Ive heard that [Smollett and his team] wanted their day in court with TV cameras so America could know the truth. And now they chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system. Area Central Detective Cmdr. Edward Wodnicki, whose detectives led the investigation, said prosecutors gave no heads up to police that the charges would be dropped. He also expressed concern that the prosecutors decision left it looking like the police mishandled the investigation. Wodnicki said that his detectives uncovered overwhelming evidence against Smollett. He described the prosecutions decision as absolutely a punch in the gut. First Assistant States Attorney Joseph Magats was the lead prosecutor in the case. He took charge of it after States Attorney Kim Foxx stepped aside because of a conflict of interest. Foxx had lobbied Superintendent Johnson to drop the Smollett case and hand it over to the FBI. She did so after being contacted by Tina Tchen, a leftist operative and former chief of staff for Michelle Obama. Foxx also communicated with a member of Smolletts family about her efforts on his behalf. George Soros reportedly donated $408,000 to Foxxs 2016 campaign for States Attorney. Magats insisted that he did not drop the charges against Smollett due to lack of evidence. Its a mistake and its wrong to read into the decision that there was something wrong or that we learned something about the case that we didnt already know, he insisted. Magats added, the bottom line is we stand behind the investigation, we stand behind the decision to charge him. But the abrupt and secretive decision to drop the Smollett prosecution in exchange for virtually nothing invites one of two conclusions. Either (1) there was indeed something wrong with the evidence and/or new information came to light that undercut the case against Smollett or (2) the decision wasnt on the level, to use Rahm Emanuels words. At this point, we cant say for sure which of these conclusions is accurate, or whether the explanation lies elsewhere. However, Im betting on not on the level. UPDATE: David Axelrod, well-schooled in the Chicago way agrees with Rahm Emanuel. He tweeted: Unless some better explanation surfaces, heres the lesson of this weird turn in the Smollett case: You can contrive a hate crime, make it a national news, get caught and-if you are a well-connected celebrity-get off for $10K and have your record expunged and files sealed. However, I think Axelrod overlooks the fact that, in addition to being a well-connected celebrity, Smollett is a minority group member (actually a two-fer) who was peddling an anti-Trump narrative. If youre an American supporter of Israel, these are the good old days. We have to deal with the resurgence of anti-Semitism on the left among Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and the regressive left, but the Trump administration represents a new level of American support of Israels cause. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is not only on board with the critical elements of the administrations support, he obviously feels it at deep level. He put it all on display in his 18-minute speech at the AIPAC Policy Conference under way in Washington. The annual conference brought 18,000 American supporters of Israel to town. On Monday Pompeo delivered a heartfelt speech expressing the administrations support of Israel. The State Department has posted a transcript of the speech. Pompeo even delivered a powerful condemnation of the resurgence of anti-Semitism among Omar and her friends on the regressive left. The Washington Free Beacons Adam Kredo focused on this thread of Pompeos speech. The Times of Israel reported on the speech here and posted the video below. The video is must viewing. Quotable quote: So, friends, let me go on record: Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. NBC imported the idea for the satirical news show That Was The Week That Was from the BBC in 1964. I cant find a kinescope of the American version on YouTube, but you can come up with an episode of the British original as well as a 2006 BBC documentary about the BBC show. Its only Wednesday a.m. and yet we already have a week overfilled with news this is the week that is. Sunday gave us the release of Attorney General William Barrs four-page letter summarizing the findings of the Mueller Switch Project. The findings absolved Donald Trump of collusion and obstruction by Mueller and/or Barr. Take that, Democrat liars and lefty media morons. We should have had all week to chew on and digest the findings. We need to get back to them, but the Democrats and their media arm will talk but they will not digest. They will dwell on the obstruction of the investigation into the collusion nobody in Trumpworld committed while the investigation continued to the bitter end. Shine on, crazy left-wing morons. That was Sunday. Then came Monday and the arrest of creepy Democrat porn lawyer Michael Avenatti. Avenatti was arrested on charges of trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike and was charged in a separate federal case of embezzling a clients money in order to pay his own expense and debts, and of defrauding a bank in Mississippi. The charges against Avenatti had a bicoastal and cosmopolitan feature. Avenatti was arrested on extortion charges in New York. He was indicted on the federal charges in Los Angeles. CNBC has a good story posted here along with a link to the federal complaint. That was Monday. Then came Tuesday. Tuesday brought us the outrageous dismissal of charges against Jussie Smollett. Smollett staged the phony hate crime that consumed Chicago law enforcement until they discovered the hoax. The dismissal of charges appears to represent a variation of the Chicago way that may bring Michelle Obama into the picture. Oh, goody. And thats not all. The dismissal was supported in part by Assistant Cook County Statess Attorney Joseph Magats is this by way of Charles Dickens? on the ground of the community service performed by Smollett. Smolletts community service, it turns out, was 18 hours spent over two days in the offices of Jesse Jacksons Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Speaking of hoaxes The dismissal elicited the denunciation of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Chicago Superintendent Eddie Johnson. They did not sugarcoat the outrage. They treated it with righteous indignation. Its only Wednesday morning, isnt it? The week continues through Saturday night. It cant get any better, can it? Even so, we can make it better with a look at Secretary Pompeos speech on Monday at the AIPAC Policy Conference. Andy McCarthy criticizes Robert Muellers for abdicating on the issue of obstruction of justice that is, leaving it to Attorney General Barr to decide whether President Trump committed that criminal offense. I made the same point here. McCarthy highlights the fact that Mueller knew Barr would find no obstruction of justice by Trump. Mueller knew this from Barrs commentary on the issue as a private citizen. Barr argued that the obstruction theory Muellers staff appeared to be pursuing is constitutionally infirm. He contended that an indictment of a president for obstruction could properly be based only on plainly corrupt acts like tampering with evidence and witnesses, not on constitutionally ordained exercises of presidential prerogative like firing an FBI director. Because there was no evidence of such plainly corrupt action, Mueller must have assumed Barr would conclude Trump did not obstruct justice. Barr did so conclude. However, he made it clear he was not basing this conclusion on constitutional consideration, but rather on the lack of sufficient evidence establishing the elements of obstruction, especially the element of intent. Why did Mueller punt? In theory, there are at least four possibilities. First, he didnt think it was his job to state a firm conclusion. Second, he concluded that there is no sound basis for recommending the prosecution of Trump, but didnt want to say so. Third, he concluded that there is a sound basis for recommending the prosecution of Trump, but didnt want to say so. Fourth, he couldnt make up his mind. Without knowing much about whats in the report, weighing the plausibility of these theories requires a good deal of speculation. My speculation is below. For those who want the short version, I speculate that Mueller concluded there is no sound basis for prosecuting Trump, but didnt want to say so, probably at least in part to satisfy his staff. The first and fourth possibilities seem quite implausible. Nothing I know of about Mueller suggests that hes too indecisive to make big calls even in cases he considers close (theory #4). Nor could Mueller rationally have concluded that it wasnt his job to make a recommendation (theory #1). As I pointed out here, the very point of having a special counsel is the view that judgments as to whether the president committed a crime should be made by someone independent of the president, rather than by a presidential appointee. As to the third theory, it doesnt seem likely that Mueller concluded there was a sound basis for prosecuting Trump, but didnt want to say so. For one thing, if thats what happened, word of it would likely come out, and Mueller would be disgraced in the eyes of the media and the left. For another, Mueller knew that leaving the decision to Barr would result in him finding no obstruction, meaning that the outcome Mueller viewed (in the theory #3 scenario) as incorrect would prevail. Thus, I think the most likely explanation for Muellers punt is that he believed Trump didnt commit the offense of obstruction, or that the evidence that Trump did wasnt strong enough, but didnt want to say so. There are several reasons why Mueller might not want to give Trump a complete exoneration. These reasons are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they may be overlapping. First, Mueller might believe that Trump, though not provably guilty of a crime, committed serious misconduct, and therefore didnt deserve a full bill of good health. In this scenario, we can compare Muellers position to that of James Comey in the Clinton email investigation. Comey apparently thought that Clinton engaged in serious misconduct. Thus, rather than give her a complete pass, he broke with Justice Department practice and criticized her at some length before concluding she did not commit a crime. Mueller similarly might not have wanted to give Trump a full pass for conduct that, in his view, approached (but did not reach) illegality. Second, Mueller might simply deplore Trump too much to give him a full pass. He might have been strongly predisposed against Trump. Moreover, the president repeatedly called Muellers investigation a witch hunt, attacked Muellers team members as partisans, and refused to be deposed. Im sure this did not sit well with the special counsel. In my view, though, it is unfair to assume that Mueller acted out of personal animus towards Trump. His reputation for integrity cuts against that assumption. But what about Muellers staff of partisans? Given the highly partisan backgrounds of some staff members, I think its fair to assume that they didnt invest more than a year-and-a-half of their life to issue a report that fully exonerated Trump. Mueller must have been under considerable internal pressure not to issue such a report. This may have caused him to stop short of issuing such a report. If so, Mueller not only failed to do his job, he failed to do it for a very bad reason. At the same time, given what I suspect to be the high degree of partisanship within Muellers team, perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that Mueller at least exonerated Trump of collusion the main issue he was tasked with considering and the main issue in the publics mind. The Ethiopian government on Wednesday revealed that over 16,000 of its citizens die due to HIV/AIDS every year. The new study, which was released by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, reviewed the status of HIV/ADIS in the country. It revealed that there were some 16,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS annually, while the virus caused in excess of 16,000 deaths every year. Some 450,000 people across the East African country are also currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted the Ethiopian Public Health Institute as saying. Ethiopia, since 2016, has been working to prevent more than half a million HIV/AIDS-related deaths and up to 80,000 new HIV infections by 2020. The target is part of the second five-year national Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II), effective from 2016 to 2020. According to figures from the HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention Office (HAPCO), the East African country, during the first five-year GTP-I, was able to reduce new HIV infections from 0.28 per cent in 2010 to 0.03 per cent in 2015. The HAPCO was established in 2002 as an agency of the Ministry of Health and the executive arm of the National AIDS Council (NAC). NAC, chaired by the President of Ethiopia, spearheads the multi-sectoral forum composed of government, private, non-governmental, religious and civic society representatives and people living with HIV/AIDS. Ethiopian governments HIV prevention activities since 2010 mainly focused on people most at risk of infection, with activities that targeted on identifying places and people with a high risk of HIV infection, it noted. (Xinhua/NAN) The Afghan Special Forces have killed eight militants and arrested three others in two provinces, the military said in a statement on Wednesday. Eight Taliban insurgent group members were killed. Two others were arrested following an operation conducted by 3rd battalion of Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps in Nahri Sarraj District of southern Helmand Province on Tuesday, it said. The military also said in the statement that elimination of the targeted militants would help security forces provide safety for local citizens. It said a local Taliban leader Qari Farid, was also arrested. The arrested Taliban leader had been involved in several targeted killings of police officers in Logar Province, it said. The Afghan security forces recently beefed up security in the country as spring and summer, known as the fighting season, draws near. The Taliban, however, is yet to comment on the reports. (Xinhua/NAN) Suspected bandits stormed a public hospital in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State and abducted an expatriate physiotherapist attached to the hospital. The victim, a North Korean, was identified as Jeng Sunail. He was whisked away from the hospitals staff quarters on Sunday. Mohammed Shehu, the Zamfara police spokesperson, in a press statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES late Tuesday, said the command has received a report of the kidnap. He said another expatriate doctor reported the incident to the police. On 26th March, 2019 at about 0945hrs, one Dr LI Dong also attached to the same hospital as a medical doctor reported the missing of the expatriate to Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Tsafe Division. He informed the DPO that on same date, the officer who lives in staff quarters of the hospital was not seen in his room inside the house he shares with three (3) other staff of the hospital. The DPO led a team of detectives to the quarters where the main entrance gates of the house and his room were opened with no sign of break-up or struggle, the police spokesperson wrote. Mr Shehu said the Commissioner of Police, Celestine Okoye, has as a matter of urgency directed the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID), State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and Anti-kidnapping Squad to commence a discreet Investigation as well as to conduct search and rescue operation with a view to rescue and unravel the circumstances behind the missing of the expatriate. Zamfara has in the past few years become a haven for bandits who attack villages at will and also kidnap for ransom. Their activities have continued and spread to neighbouring states despite the deployment of more soldiers to the state. A plot that would extend the stay of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, and other top officials, is breeding disquiet within the ranks of staff of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC). The extension plan is also causing murmur among civil servants who say the proposed changes have far-reaching implications on the wider civil service regulations and laws guiding employment and pensions in Nigeria. The planned extension of stay for the top officials is being considered among the proposed condition of service of National Assembly staff which has been laid before two chambers of the National Assembly for approval. The proposal, which an official said is being promoted through the backdoor, would enable Mr Sani-Omolori and others to retire only on attaining 65 years or after 40 years of service. Some senior civil servants express fears over the legality of the new proposal as retirement is not determined by staff condition of service, which only clarifies agency-specific mundane issues. The key Nigerian civil service laws peg retirement age at 60 years of age or 35 years in service, with the exception of judges and professors. The exception for judges and professors was only in relations to the expected wisdom that comes with age in those professions. Even in the judiciary, it is only the judges that have that special condition. But normal civil service is nothing that requires those exceptions, said a director in the office of the Head of Service who pleaded not to be named as he is not authorised to speak on the matter. Aside from Mr Sani-Omolori, other officials who could benefit from the proposed plan are the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Giwa Anonkhai, and Secretary of the NASC, Olusanya Ajakaiye. The three officials have between four to 21 months to retire. Though the trio would not be the only beneficiaries of the new proposal, they are alleged to be in the forefront of pushing for the new service terms which could see them stay longer in their plump posts. Mr Ajakaiye is due to proceed on terminal leave in May, as he is set to retire in August. He was born on August 19, 1959. Mr Sani-Omolori, who was born on May 7, 1961 started work on February 6, 1985. He is therefore expected to retire in February next year when he attains 35 years in service. The House or Representatives Clerk, Mr Anonkhai, is due to attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 next year. He was born on November 25, 1960. Smuggled resolution Insiders accused the three senior officials of smuggling the proposal into the condition of service tabled before the House of Representatives on December 12, 2018. Section 8 of the proposed conditions of service which deals with the subhead, Leaving the Service, as published by the Houses votes and proceedings, contains the controversial clause. The compulsory retirement age for all officers of all grades in the service shall be 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier, the first clause of the section reads. This is however in contravention of the original position of the National Assembly Service Commission which was transmitted to the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, earlier in the year. The NASC had in May written to the two National Assembly leaders forwarding the draft condition of service for their approval. Senior workers say the decision to write to the lawmakers was out of courtesy and for notification, as the commission is empowered to work on those regulations. But in a letter dated May 23, 2018, the then Executive Chairman of the NASC, Adamu Fika, wrote to the two leaders forwarding the condition of service for consideration by the National Assembly before bringing it into effect. Relying on Section 61(a) of the National Assembly Service Act 2014, which empowers the commission to formulate and implement guidelines functions and Section 19Ii) which empowers it to issue regulations on conditions of service, Mr Fika informed the two leaders about the changes his commission was bringing. The Commission has reviewed all the areas of the Conditions of Service for the National Assembly Service as required. In carrying out the review, the Commission considered the provisions in the Conditions of Service in the wider Public Service and the allowances that are applicable in the Public Sector in the Federation, Mr Fika wrote. The letter went on to explain the key highlights of the review. We have recommended the retention of the retirement age to be 35 years of service or attainment of 60 years of age in view of widespread unemployment in the country, the commission explained. Two other highlights stated in the communication are additional retirement benefits to mitigate the long delays in accessing Pencoms retirement benefit, and pegging of leave allowance at 10 per cent of consolidated salary. Based on the submission, the Senate, on December 6, 2018, approved the new condition of service maintaining the recommended retirement age as contained in the communication by the commission. Curiously, however, different figures emerged for the retirement age a week later in what the House of Representatives approved as the new condition of service on December 12. Battle Shifts to Harmonisation Committee With the two chambers passing different versions of the document, the two have formed a harmonisation committee consisting of six members from the Senate and seven from the lower chamber. On January 17, 2019, the Senate announced the chairperson of its Committee on Establishment, Emmanuel Paulker, to lead the harmonisation of the two positions. Other senators to work with Mr Paulker were Binta Garba, Ahmed Ogembe, Stella Oduah, Abdulfatai Buhari and Ibrahim Gobir. The House of Representatives, on the other hand, appointed Simon Arabo, Chika Adamu, Mohammed Abdu, Daniel Reyerieja, Uzoma Ahuta, Sunday Adepoju and Bashir Baballe. Pressure is said to be mounting on members of the committee, with interested parties lobbying for and against the proposed regulation. A member of the committee who pleaded not to be named in order not to annoy his colleagues told PREMIUM TIMES that already a draft harmonised document containing the altered retirement age is being circulated by two members of the committee for the rest to sign. Some of us have decided not to endorse the illegality. How can you even begin to circulate document for assent when there was never a meeting to discuss the grey areas? he said. Meetings called to harmonise the two positions are yet to hold as members were yet to form a quorum. On Monday, the committee again failed to meet following the quorum failure. The sitting was then shifted to April 2. Clerk, Others Ignore Inquiries PREMIUM TIMES spent days trying to get the response of Mr Sani-Omolori and other principal actors on their alleged roles in the saga. Calls placed to known telephone lines of both Messrs Sani-Omolori and Ajakaiye were not answered. The spokesperson of the National Assembly Service Commission, Janet Mambula, did not also answer repeated calls placed by our reporter. The three officials have also not responded to text messages sent to them. The presidential election petition tribunal has granted a request by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, to serve President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress with copies of the petition challenging the February 23 elections through substituted means. A three-member panel of the tribunal, led by Appeal Court justice, Abdul Aboki, granted the request on Wednesday, following an application by the PDP through its lead counsel, Chris Uche. Mr Uche and his team of lawyers had approached the tribunal with their petition after analysing the items used by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to reach the conclusions announced following the February 23 election. Mr Abubakar had rejected the results and asked the tribunal for permission to access the items used for collation of the same by INEC. After the request to analyse the election materials was granted, Mr Abubakar said his team of lawyers found that he had defeated Mr Buhari with over 1.6 million votes. In the fresh ex-parte application on Wednesday, Mr Uche said they had written in a petition filed at the tribunal on March 25, a request to allow the PDP serve Mr Buhari and his party through substituted means. Mr Uche said the reason for their application was because the petitioner has not been able to serve the respondents with their petition. According to the application, the PDP also asked for permission to serve the APC through any of its senior officers at the secretariat of the party, located off Ademola Adetokumbo crescent, Abuja. Mr Aboki ruled that it was in the interest of justice for the application to be granted. The computation of presidential election results filed before the elections petition tribunal by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, shows that all accredited votes cast in 33 states of the federation were shared between him and President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Buhari was declared the winner for a second term of four years with 15,191,847 votes to defeat Mr Abubakar who polled 11,262,978 votes. The two got lion share of the 27,324,583 valid votes recorded in the election. Over 1.2 million votes were also voided in the course of the election. However, excerpts of court filings published by PREMIUM TIMES give Mr Abubakars state by state breakdown of votes which, he claims, placed him ahead of Mr Buhari with 18,356,732 against the incumbents 16,741,430 votes. The result is exclusive of figures from Rivers State. The Flaws Mr Abubakars purported result implies that no invalid votes were recorded in the 33 states, and none of the 71 other presidential candidates obtained any score. In three states; Abia, Bauchi and Cross River, the documents show that the two candidates collectively got votes higher than the number of accredited voters. Mr Abubakar claims that he obtained the results from the server of the electoral commission, INEC. The document is included in the petition filed by Mr Abubakar in a suit seeking his declaration as the validly elected president. The purported result shows that Mr Abubakar defeated the incumbent president by a margin of 1.6 million votes. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the alleged figures as a product of the oppositions hallucination. Mr Buharis campaign later accused Mr Abubakar and the PDP of gaining illegal access to the INEC server. An analysis of the alleged INEC server result by PREMIUM TIMES show that the figures given as total accredited voters in at least 33 of the 36 states and the capital, Abuja, show a clean sweep of the entire figures between the two major candidates. A different result Contrary to Mr Abubakars computation, INECs official result obtained from the electoral commissions website show that all the 73 candidates who participated in the election scored some votes. The result showed that 71 other candidates in the election shared the remnants of 869,758 valid votes collated. The person who came a distant third in the election, Felix Nicholas, of the Peoples Coalition Party (PCP) scored a total of 110,196 votes. He was followed by Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who polled 97.874. Gbor Terwase of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) clinched the fifth position with 66,851 votes. Candidates with least scores are Angela Johnson of Alliance for a United Nigeria (AUN) with 1,092, Abah Elaigwu of Change Advocacy Party (CAP) with 1,111 and Edosomwon Johnson of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP) with 1,192 votes. The Atiku result In Mr Abubakars home state of Adamawa, where INEC officially declared Mr Abubakar winner with 412,266 against Mr Buharis 377,488, Mr Abubakar claims that he got 646,080 out of the total 815,680 accredited voters with Mr Buhari scoring 161,600. The result show only the two got all the possible votes. In Akwa Ibom, Messrs Abubakar and Buhari, according to the computation, received all the votes by the 925,370 accredited voters with Mr Abubakar polling 587,431 votes ahead of Mr Buharis 337,939. President Muhammadu Buhari It is another clean sweep in Enugu as Mr Abubakar claimed that the states 965,940 accredited voters gave him 698,119 as against 267,821 for Mr Buhari. The 1,169,303 voters accredited in Sokoto State, according to the purported result, all shared their votes between Mr Abubakar (552,172) and Mr Buhari (617,131). Mr Abubakars 442,380 votes allegedly polled in Taraba and Mr Buharis 188,389 votes put together represent 630,769 total accredited votes for the state. Yobes 750,745 accredited votes, Mr Abubakar claims, were shared in total between him and Mr Buhari who got 443,904 against Mr Abubakars 306,841 In Zamfara, the result shows that total accredited votes of 792,796 were shared between Messrs Abubakar and Buhari with the former having 379,022 while the latter got 413,774. Irregularities? Aside the exactitude between summation of figures for the two candidates and the number of accredited voters, there are other issues that are either arithmetic errors or over voting. In Abia, for example, 853,050 were recorded as accredited voters (actual) but the sum of the votes allotted to Messrs Abubakar and Buhari alone, outshot the accredited voters by 10,000. Mr Abubakar, according to the result, polled 664,659 while Mr Buhari obtained 198,391. It is a similar case in Bauchi, where the total for Messrs Abubakar and Buharis purported votes outnumber total accredited voters by 287 votes. Mr Abubakar claims 187,668 votes a far cry from 854,037 the document said Mr Buhari obtained. The summation comes to 1,041,705 while the document gives the total accredited voters as 1,041,418. In Cross River, the document shows that votes obtained by the two leading candidates amount to 691,640 which is higher than the 690,890 accredited voters figure by a total of 750 votes. Tribunal Continues Sitting The presidential election petition tribunal has continued to hear Mr Abubakars petition against Mr Buharis victory. On Monday, the tribunal granted Mr Abubakar and the PDP the permission to serve the petition on Mr Buhari and the APC through substituted means. State Registered Voters Accredited Voters (Actual) Atiku Abubakar Muhammadu Buhari ABIA 1932892 853050 664659 198391 ADAMAWA 1973083 815680 646080 169600 AKWA IBOM 2119727 925370 587431 337939 ANAMBRA 2447996 1157378 823668 333710 BAUCHI 2462843 1041418 187668 854037 BAYELSA 923182 466264 332618 133646 BENUE 2480131 670252 529970 140282 BORNO 2315956 1131496 281897 849599 CROSS RIVER 1527289 690890 572970 118670 DELTA 2845274 877572 778369 99203 EBONYI 1459933 857608 565762 291846 EDO 2210534 1212781 677937 534844 EKITI 909967 373263 154032 219231 ENUGU 1944016 965940 698119 267821 FCT 1344856 786151 419724 366427 GOMBE 1394393 799302 684077 115225 IMO 2272293 909428 485627 423801 JIGAWA 2111106 1084753 539522 545231 KADUNA 3932492 1430145 961143 469002 KANO 5457747 2068140 522889 1545251 KATSINA 3230230 1715836 160203 1555633 KEBBI 1806231 1074456 493341 581115 KOGI 1646350 935787 504308 431479 KWARA 1406457 732816 353173 379643 LAGOS 6570291 2526203 1103297 1422906 NASARAWA 1617786 726691 344421 382270 NIGER 2390035 1080526 576308 504218 OGUN 2375003 920198 438099 482099 ONDO 1822346 818215 451779 366436 OSUN 1680498 685033 337359 347674 OYO 2934107 1000608 527873 472735 PLATEAU 2480455 421299 273031 148268 RIVERS 3215273 ******** ********* ********* SOKOTO 1903166 1169303 552172 617131 TARABA 1777105 630769 442380 188389 YOBE 1365913 750745 306841 443904 ZAMFARA 1717128 792796 379022 413774 TOTAL 84004084 35098162 18356732 16741430 The founder of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, has been released after he was questioned for about two hours on Wednesday at the Abuja Office of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Mr Dokpesi who has been accused of corruptly receiving N2.1 billion from ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was initially detained by the State Security Service (SSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja upon his return from a medical trip from Dubai on Friday. He was released after about an hour of interrogation. The AIT boss was then invited by the immigration service. He was told to come with his passport. Mr Dokpesi arrived at the Abuja Immigration office a few minutes before 2 p.m. on Wednesday. He was detained and interrogated for about two hours before he was released. PREMIUM TIMES cannot immediately confirm reasons for the questioning. But a source familiar with the matter said the politician was asked to produce his passport for scrutiny. Mr Dokpesi, however, told his interrogators that his passport was in the custody of the court which granted him bail in his trial. He told them he returned his passport to the court on return from Dubai as directed by the trial judge, the source said. But the interrogators were unimpressed. They suggested he should retrieve it and submit it to immigration because it is a property of the federal government. The Comptroller-General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, who escorted Mr Dokpesi out of the premises restrained journalists from interviewing him. The AIT boss, however, said he had nothing to say at the moment as the reason for his interrogation was over. James Abraham, the Public Relations Officer of the Immigration service did not pick calls to his phone or respond to a text seeking clarification as at press time. Corruption trial Mr Dokpesi, the owner of Nigerias first private radio station is facing a six-count charge of money laundering at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Before his prosecution, he was arrested and detained for weeks by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving N2.1 billion from the office of the embattled ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, prior to the 2015 general elections. The money is believed to be part of the mismanaged billion dollar funds earmarked to purchase weapons for the military, in a scandal now known as #Dasukigate. Upon his arraignment, the politician was granted bail by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court for N200 million and two sureties. Last May, Mr Dokpesi told the court that he would be making a no-case submission to wrap up his trial after the EFCC closed its corruption case against him. But the judge, John Tsoho, at the resumption of the hearing last November struck out the no-case submission. He said the defendants argument that he has no case to answer is false. I hereby strike out the application, the judge said. Mr Dokpesi, who denies the allegations against him, has also accused the federal government of defamation of character. The Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approved a memorandum from the Minister of State (Petroleum), Ibe Kachikwu, for the design of a new head office for the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The design for the proposed 12-floor building, according to Mr Kachikwu, will cost N1.4 billion. He also said the contract for the design has been awarded to a Nigerian firm. Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of FEC chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Kachikwu said the government has decided to move the head office building of DPR from Lagos to Abuja. Asked if N1.4 billion is not too much for the design, the minister said the projected cost of the whole project is expected to cost N35 billion. The FEC also approved three memos submitted by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed. The memos are in respect of procurement for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). Mr Mohammed, who also briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said the council approved over N293 million for the purchase of cameras, microphones and TV packs for the NTA. The official said in the last 20 years only two attempts were made to upgrade equipment for the NTA; in 1999 and 2009 when the country hosted major sporting events. The minister said FEC also approved the purchase of 15 Peugeot vehicles for NAN at the cost of N148 million. He said the council also approved N561.4 million for the purchase of 12 10kw FM transmitters for the FRCN and another N311.6 million for the purchase of outdoor broadcast vans for the FRCN. He said the total sum approved for FRCN is N873 million. Nigerias ruling party has vowed that there is no going back on its choice of Ahmed Lawan as Nigerias next Senate President. The APCs stance comes a day after Ali Ndume, another APC senator and senator-elect, questioned the mode of adoption of Mr Lawan and vowed to continue with his quest to become the Senate President in the next National Assembly. The APC also says it will be an exercise in futility for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to nurse the ambition of producing the next Senate President. Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC National Publicity Secretary, stated these at an interactive session with reporters on Wednesday at the partys national secretariat in Abuja. Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC would not share legislative powers with the PDP because according to him, it is capable of running the government alone. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the PDP earlier insisted its members will contest for top legislative positions in the next assembly despite the APCs majority among newly-elected senators. The APC has over 60 members of the incoming 109 senators. On Wednesday, the APC said that in every democracy any party that had the majority number automatically produced the President of the Senate, and that Nigeria would not be an exception. Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC already had the number to produce the President of the Senate and other leadership positions in the Senate and House of Representatives. Nigerians had given us more than we had in the outgoing Senate, so we have enough in terms of numbers of senators to elect all our officers. It will be an exercise in futility for the PDP to want to share from what Nigerians had taken away from them. We dont need a single vote from the PDP, and in any case, we dont envisage any election on that day, the official said. He said that all the APC needed to do was to present its members to occupy the leadership positions in the Senate and House of Representatives as a collective decision of the party in line with its constitution. Mr Issa-Onilu, however, said that the PDP was free to also nominate its candidates if it desired, but stated that the APC would not contest any position in the Senate with it or any other opposition party. Choice of Lawan According to him, Mr Lawan remained the APCs choice for the president of the Senate in the 9th Senate. He said that the decision had not been controverted since it was taken by the partys leadership. Senator Ahmed Lawan [Photo credit: Thenigerialawyer] The APC spokesman said that notwithstanding the party had several other elected and returning senators with a huge pedigree to choose from, Mr Lawan was favoured among them. There is nothing Lawan has in the open that others dont have, but we have to make just one choice, he said. On Ali Ndumes reaction to the partys choice of Mr Lawan as the next president of the Senate, that the decision was not democratic, Mr Issa-Onilu said he (Ndume) was free as an individual to air his grievance. He said that as a respected member of the APC, though Mr Ndume had a right to his views, the senator must nevertheless abide by the partys decision following the principle of party supremacy. PREMIUM TIMES reported Mr Ndumes stance on Tuesday. He accused the APC of not consulting among its elected senators before endorsing Mr Lawan. He also said he believes the enjoys the support of a large number of the partys incoming senators. Mr Ndume said the APC should have acted democratically by zoning the Senate presidency to a region and allowing its members from that zone to contest among themselves. Senator Ali Ndume Both Messrs Ndume and Lawan are from the North-east part of Nigeria. Mr Ndume is a senator from Borno State, while Mr Lawan is a senator from Yobe State. Zoning For Other Positions On Wednesday, the APC spokesman said the partys leadership was considering the zoning arrangement for other leadership positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives. He re-emphasised that the APC would not share any committee chairmanship position with the opposition PDP. What the PDP called juicy committees which we prefer to call strategic committees is exclusive to the APC. We are not going to share power with the people that Nigerians have rejected or compromise on the promises we have made to Nigerians. Nigerians cannot give us a mandate, and we go (and) share the mandate with those they rejected, he said. Other matters On the non-issuance of the certificate of return to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC could not intervene in the issue. The party cannot take any action because he is in the first instance on suspension and until that is vacated, we cannot step in on his behalf, he said. Speaking on the alleged involvement of Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation in Rivers politics, Mr Issa-Onilu said the minister had not engaged in any anti-party activities. He added that though the APC does not have governorship candidate in Rivers, the people of the state were very important to the party. Former governor, Rochas Okorocha [Photo Credit: Twitter @GovernorRochas] If we have the opportunity of working with a party that will abide by our principles, it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure that we free the people of Rivers from hardship. Whatever has happened in Rivers, and whatever Rotimi Amaechi has done, is completely normal and acceptable to this party, the scribe said. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over the 2019 and previous budget estimates and procedure. Mr Dogara in his opening remarks at a public hearing on the 2019 budget said the budgets over the years have only reflected the selfish wish of its drafters. He said the budgets have repeatedly excluded national values and interests. He also criticised the late submission of budgets to the National Assembly by the Executive. Over the years, the main problem with our budget as submitted by the Executive is that it does not reflect national values and priorities. The budget, more often than not, only reflects the values and priorities of those who help the president in drafting it. The integrity of the project selection process has always been the bane of our national budgets. I regret to say that until we eliminate these problems, we will always have non-implementable national budgets which cannot be relied upon by policymakers in establishing spending priorities, he said. Mr Dogara bemoaned a situation whereby budgets only mutter less than average performance. He exonerated the National Assembly from delays in the passage of budgets. It is very painful that for some years now, our budget process has been an exercise in either or a combination of audacious optimism and/or hypocrisy involving key actors putting together a budget that they fully know will at best be implemented up to 45 per cent, which is by all standards below average. How many of us will be proud of a child who consistently performs below average in his exams? How many of us here are proud of our below average budget performance all these years? Our below average budget performance is the main reason why Nigeria has remained a major promise as our national potentials cannot be realised without effective budget planning and execution. The budget is the most important law that is passed yearly, consequently, no parliament anywhere in the world rushes it. Let me re-emphasise that this parliament can never be a rubber stamp and neither are we prepared to surrender our constitutionally assigned rights of checks on the Executive. President Muhammadu Buhari It is unfortunate, however, that many commentators always ignorantly accuse the National Assembly of delaying the Appropriations Bill as if we are meant to urgently rubber stamp whatever budget estimates that is submitted to us by the Executive. If we fail to scrutinise the budget proposals, it will not only amount to an abdication of our constitutional responsibilities as legislators but a betrayal of the mandate of our constituents. Let me also add that it is very unfair for the Executive to consistently and repeatedly blame the National Assembly of delaying passage of the budget while failing to address the issue of late budget submission on its part. The Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, provides that the Appropriations Bill be submitted not later than September of the preceding year which will give the parliament ample time to process the document and pass it in good time. Unfortunately, the 2019 Appropriations Bill was submitted on December 19, 2018, just 12 days to the end of the year and the earliest time an Appropriation Bill has ever been presented to the National Assembly in this dispensation was on November 7, 2017. He urged the executive to honestly and diligently implement the 2019 budget. Earlier, the chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, said the public hearing was important to promote an all-inclusive and active participation in the process of passage of the 2019 budget. He noted that the public hearing, in its third year, had in the past birthed meaningful policies that added value to the budget. Nigerias ruling party on Wednesday reacted for the first time to the controversy trailing the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Rochas Okorocha Senator-elect. The party said it cannot intervene on behalf of Mr Okorocha, because the outgoing Imo governor is still serving a suspension. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja. He said the governor has also not informed the party of the problem with the electoral management body probably because he is aware of his suspension. The party cannot take any action because he is in the first instance on suspension and until that is vacated, we cannot step in on his behalf, Mr Issa-Onilu said. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Okorocha was declared the winner of the Imo West senatorial election. The presiding officer, Innocent Ibeawuchi, however, said he was forced to make the declaration under duress. It is based on that that the electoral commission removed Mr Okorochas name from the elected senators list and said it is reviewing the situation in the district. Mr Okorocha has, however, questioned INECs decision to remove his name from the list of elected senators. Last Wednesday, he filed a suit at the Federal High Court Abuja to compel the electoral commission to issue him with a Certificate of Return as the senator-elect for Imo West. Apart from not being recognised as a senator-elect, Mr Okorochas party, APC, suspended him from the party two days after President Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner of the February 23 Presidential polls. The governor was suspended for anti-party activities after he supported the governorship candidate of another party, Uche Nwosu of Action Alliance. Mr Nwosu eventually lost the governorship election to Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party. Justice Angela Otaluka of the FCT High Court, Apo, on Wednesday sentenced a 43-year-old native doctor, Clement Joseph to a total of 97 years in prison over N5.6 million fraud. Joseph, also known as Dr Omale, was arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Delivering judgment in the case, Mrs Otaluka held that the prosecution had proved its case against the defendant and subsequently found him guilty as charged in all seven counts. She, therefore, sentenced him to seven years on count one without any option of fine and sentenced him to 15 years each on counts two to seven without any option of fine. The judge, however, ordered that the sentence is to run concurrently, excluding the two years he had spent in prison custody before being convicted. Also, Mrs Otaluka ordered the convict to make a restitution of the sum of N5. 6 million to Bola Akinbola, the nominal complaint in the case. In his allocutus before the sentence, counsel for the defendant, Johnbull Adara, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the court should take into account the fact that the convict has been in custody since August 5, 2016. While pleading that the court should give minimum sentence to the convict, Mr Adara urged the court to consider the fact that Clement is a first-time offender. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has sent warm felicitations to the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on his 67th birthday which comes up on March 29. The president described Mr Tinubu as one of the strong pillars of Nigerias democracy. The president in a statement Wednesday by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina joined the APC family in celebrating the former governor of Lagos, who is also the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, for his selflessness in serving his country, and making life better for many. The president recalled some of the sacrifices of the party chieftain to include standing up against injustice in 1993 when the June 12 elections were annulled, which led to his going on political exile for many years, and a protracted legal battle with the federal government when funds for Lagos were withheld. Mr Buhari affirms that Asiwajus uncompromising posture in the face of injustice and refusal to follow the path of least resistance for personal gains stand him out today as a rare breed and one of the cornerstones of Nigerias democracy, especially with his track record of persistence, consistency and effective leadership. As the father of modern Lagos State, the president commends the visionary and inclusive leadership style that the Asiwaju provided for the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria for eight years, laying the foundation for a modern and technologically driven city, and ensuring that every successive leader in the state sticks with the masterplan of a greater Lagos, the statement said. It also said Mr Buhari rejoices with family members, friends, political and business associates of Mr Tinubu on the auspicious milestone, which is further brightened with the many successes recorded at the recently concluded polls by his strong leadership. The president believes the best years of the APC National Leader are still ahead, praying that the Almighty God will grant him long life, good health and more wisdom to keep serving the country he loves so much, the statement said. The absence of Ebun Shofunde, SAN, defence counsel to Dele Belgore, SAN, has stalled his trial in the N450 million money laundering charge filed in a Federal High Court in Lagos. Mr Belgore is standing trial by the EFCC for allegedly benefiting N450m from the sum of $115m which a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly doled out to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections. The EFCC had alleged that himself, and his co-defendant, a former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Sulaiman, went to a branch of Fidelity Bank in Ilorin, Kwara State on March 26, 2015, to sign for and collect the N450 million. The defendants had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails. The case which was earlier slated on Wednesday, for continuation of trial, could not proceed as planned, as the court was informed that Mr Shofunde was indisposed. Counsel who appeared on behalf of Shofunde, prayed the court for an adjournment on this ground, after informing the court of the position. The prosecution did not object to the oral application. Justice Rilwan Aikawa, consequently, adjourned the case until April 10 for continuation of defence. The EFCC had since closed the case for the prosecution after calling several witnesses and tendering exhibits. The defence had accordingly, opened his case, and is still leading evidences. At the last adjourned date, the court had viewed electronic evidences in the case, which included two video clips, and the court adjourned for continuation of trial. In the nine-count charge, EFCC, accused the defendants of making cash payments to a Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). The commission said they made cash payments without going through any financial institution. EFCC said they directly took possession of the sum N450 million, which they allegedly indirectly spent, adding that they reasonably ought to have known (that the money) forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act. The sums, the commission said, exceeded the amount authorised by law and violated the provisions of sections 1(a) and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, of 2012. (NAN) With Africa estimated to be losing over $80 billion annually through illicit financial flows, the Nigerian government has called for international cooperation to combat the trend and strengthen practices on asset return. The call was made by the Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps, Pius Osunyinkami. He spoke at the Second High-Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation held in Buenos Aires, Argentina between March 20 and 21. Mr Osunyinkami led the Nigerian delegation to the conference, according to a statement Tuesday by his special assistant, Shehu Mohammed. The director-general told member countries of the South-South Cooperation to take concrete steps at tackling illicit financial flows as a strategy to tackle poverty and accelerate growth among the developing nations. The South-South Cooperation consists of developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Illicit financial flows distort the growth and development of countries, drain foreign reserves, undermine genuine investment and eliminate resources that would have been used for poverty alleviation, Mr Osunyinkami said while making a presentation on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the statement. The official said ending illicit financial flows is one of the most cost-effective strategies for facilitating the timely implementation of the 2030 Agenda and other development priorities of the affected countries. I, therefore, call on all member states and corporate entities participating in this conference to commit to scaling up international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return. For over a decade, Nigeria has been receiving in tranches, billions of stolen funds seized from the family of the late former head of state, Sani Abacha, by the Swiss government in a rigorous asset return process. While drumming support for the South-South and other similar cooperations, Mr Osunyinkami said Nigeria had been providing volunteer assistance to various countries in need of relevant expertise. He said the gesture has challenged the view that Africa was only at the receiving end. This scheme and other such schemes in Africa, have challenged the commonly held perception that Africa is only a recipient of aid. It is gratifying that Nigerias volunteer service has over the years made positive contributions to the socio-economic development of many African, the Caribbean and The Pacific Countries. Since the deployment of the first batch of volunteers in 1987, the scheme has sent tens of thousands of volunteers to over 36 countries, to bridge the human resource gap in the areas of education, judicial services, health care delivery, agriculture, engineering and public service. The official recommended that all international cooperation should respond to needs and support the development priorities of developing countries and economies in transition. The academia, policymakers and practitioners have been urged to work together to facilitate entrepreneurship towards birthing an era of growth and prosperity in Africa. This theme engaged participants on Monday at the first Nigeria Entrepreneurship Research Workshop (NERW), convened by a UK-based Nigerian academic expert, Seun Kolade, at the University of Ibadan (UI). The workshop was organised by the De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester, UK, in collaboration with the UI. It brought together scholars and practitioners from across disciplines to facilitate ideas on entrepreneurship research and practices in Nigeria. Mr Kolade said that over the past decade, a new narrative of growth opportunities, value creation and inclusive development was taking hold in Africa, replacing the heart of darkness image. While significant challenges remain, stakeholders are moving away from the old model of top-down interventions to embrace a new paradigm of partnership underpinned by the agency of African people. Entrepreneurship is at the heart of this drive to transform challenges into shared opportunities, and launch a new era of growth and prosperity in the continent. However, in order to actualise this grand vision of a prosperous Africa, three key stakeholders must work together. These are the scholars and researchers in academia, the practitioners in the industry, and the policy makers and executives in the government. For long, these stakeholders have tended to carry out their activities in isolation, and invariably at cross-purposes, to the detriment of public interest. At best, where and when there is contact among these stakeholders, it is often underpinned by top-down patronage and clientele orientation. This paradigm of interaction is outmoded and not fit for purpose in the 21st century. For one, the functional categories are not, and should not, be fixed. Mr Kolade, a senior lecturer at DMU, also spoke on the impacts of university scholars in the society beyond knowledge creation, and the importance of the industry practitioners. Scholars in academia should not be seen only as producers of knowledge, but also as users and learners. In effect, university researchers should fully and unashamedly embrace the enormous opportunities to learn from industry practitioners, as well as share knowledge with them. For good measure, university scholars should not be viewed merely as producers of academic knowledge that is of little practical value. In the same vein, industry practitioners should not be cast only as knowledge users or viewed as incapable of generating important theoretical and academic knowledge. Rather, they should be valued as equal and important partners in the co-creation of knowledge. He called on the Nigerian government to embrace its role as the critical link between academic scholars and industry practitioners. Speaking on entrepreneurship research, policy and practice in Nigeria, the keynote speaker, Willy Siyanbola, a professor at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, emphasised the need for a process to understand the complex behaviour of entrepreneurs, the policy environment and the process of business development. Many prominent entrepreneurship research institutions have developed indicators to profile practising entrepreneurs, including their demographics, motivations, ambitions, attitudes, abilities and business characteristics. These institutions have reliably developed global entrepreneurship index to monitor the strength of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and other framework conditions with a view to improving them. The various initiatives and observations highlighted above put special demands on higher educational institutions (HEIs) to design and deliver appropriate curriculum for building entrepreneurship capacity among students and faculty. This is consistent with the third mission objective of HEIs which requires them to contribute to economic activities of their region through knowledge generation and transfer as well as technology commercialisation. At the same time, strong entrepreneurship institutions, incentives and policy are necessary to create positive ambience for robust entrepreneurship ecosystem. He decried the incoherent entrepreneurship policies and programmes operating in Nigeria as hindering the progress of an effective entrepreneurship ecosystem. We note, for instance, that the introduction of entrepreneurship education policy in Nigerias higher institution for more than a decade has not been supported with necessary practical entrepreneurship facilities which would have encouraged/stimulated actual practice among students and faculty. Entrepreneurship practices in Nigeria are also hampered by poor business climate, lowly venture capital, and poor reward/incentive system for academic entrepreneurs, town-gown dichotomy, high corruption rate and huge infrastructural deficits among others. From the policy perspective, most entrepreneurship policies in Nigeria are largely deficient in the areas of formulation, monitoring, implementation and evaluation. This is reflected in the underdeveloped nature of small businesses and the attendant poor contribution to gross domestic products (GDP), he said. The Nigerian Enterprise Workshop: A Synergy among Institutions The Director of Centre for Enterprise and Innovation, University of Ibadan, Ayotola Aremu, said the workshop was put up to foster synergy among institutions private, public and academic institutions for the promotion of entrepreneurship in the society. The programme is a collaboration between De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester and the University of Ibadan through Dr Seun Kolade. The whole idea is to foster the collaboration between higher institutions here represented especially UI and the entrepreneurship research network in DMU Leicester so that we can work together to impact the society through entrepreneurship. We have researchers here from different universities, meeting together to talk about how entrepreneurship can be integrated into our universities and how it can be promoted in society. One of the outcomes we expect from this programme is a collaboration between the institutions that have attended, both private and public and academic institutions. When all of us come together to synergise, to affect the curriculum and to advocate concerning entrepreneurship, we know that there will be a great uptake from the society, she said. DMU had in the past week organised entrepreneurship boot camp for budding student entrepreneurs across Nigerian universities, including UI, Lead City University, Ibadan, and Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State. The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday, said the allegations of cannibalism, sexual abuse, sucking of human blood and existence of a cult at the School for the Deaf, Kuje, Abuja was unfounded and baseless. Mr Adamu, however, confirmed that a police report as part of the investigations confirmed that a student was sexually assaulted by a staff of the school. The minister said this in Abuja after receiving the report of the special committee of investigations on allegations of sexual abuse of vulnerable minors at the FCT (Abuja) school for the deaf. The minister said a petition was received from Hannatu Ayuba alleging, among others, the sexual hasrassment of her child at the school, a special school owned and managed by the Abuja administration. He said a joint committee of the ministries of education and FCT was set up with the inclusion of security agencies to ascertain the veracity of the petitioners claim. A 17-member committee with membership drawn mainly from external stakeholders was constituted with the target of establishing the medical condition of Imran Kanun to determine the alleged abuse and ascertain whether similar abuses were prevalent in the school. He said the committee was also tasked to ascertain the veracity of other claims such as murder, cannibalism, cultism, substance abuse, poor feeding and poor care. He said the Federal Ministry of Education had told Mrs Ayuba that the committee had submitted their report. Rather than laying her grievances with either the permanent secretary or the minister, she went to the media and the news broke in the Human Rights Radio, he said. The committee recommended that CCTV should be installed in all special schools to help in monitoring the schools. False Allegation? The minister said security reports did not lend any credence to the allegations alleged to have taken place in the school or in Kuje area. According to the minister, a police report submitted as part of the committees report revealed that no parent reported any missing child or children dying in the school at least for the past five years. The medical team, which comprised of twelve doctors from both the public and private sectors, carried out a random medical examination on 170 out of the 630 children of the school and did not find any evidence to support these claims, the minister said. Mr Adamu said the police report contained in the committees report stated that they were able to obtain a confession from Sani Filo, the alleged abuser of Imran Kanun and a staff of the school. The police said Filo admitted abusing the child and they have since commenced prosecution and remanded Sani Isah Filo in Keffi Prison, Mr Adamu said. On allegations of poor feeding and children eating faeces, the minister said the committee discovered that children were reasonably fed and that there was no evidence of malnutrition as observed and confirmed by an independent medical team. Imrans parents didnt appear The minister expressed worry over the petitioners failure to appear before the committee despite several invitations extended to her. We still invite Dr Hannatu (Ayuba) to come forward and shed more light on her allegations but she did not come, he said. Dr Ayubas reaction In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Ayuba, an oncologist, said she referred the committee to police reports on the matter. When the committee invited me to appear before them, I wrote to them that the police already conducted a comprehensive interrogation and that asking me and my son to appear before the committee is subjecting me and my son to further trauma, she said. According to her, what I want is an inclusive education system for children with special needs. I want my son to learn with the other kids in class. If they can achieve it in secondary schools, the government should find a way to make it work in primary school, she said. Mrs Ayuba said the medical report from the National Hospital, Abuja and the police confirmed that my son was abused and assaulted The news of the irregularities in the school was broken on Brekete Family, a radio programme in February. Mrs Ayuba and Salamatu Maina, Imrans mother and grandmother respectively, for over an hour on the radio programme gave sordid details of what allegedly happened to their ward to the utter amazement of listeners. Since then, the school fe deaf in Kuje area council of Abuja has come come under public scrutiny with many residents calling for action against its management. A group of environmental activists has called for a dismissal of the proposed bill to expand the scope of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act to include evolving aspects of biotechnology such as gene drives, gene editing and synthetic biology. But the agency fired back at the critics, waving such calls as ill-conceived. With this, the protracted dispute over the application of genetically modified food crop in Nigeria has once again reignited. The demand to call off the bill was made in a letter dated March 22 and addressed to the Committee on Environment and Habitat, House of Representatives and signed by Nnimo Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF). The group warned that Nigeria should not dabble into these evolving aspects of biotechnology because we are still struggling with regulating the basic aspects of the technology the first generation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Mr Bassey described as tremendously dangerous proposal, enlarging the scope of the NBMA Act to include evolving aspects of biotechnology. He said it would compound the risks already posed by the basic application of the first-generation technology. The letter was submitted the same day the Chairman, House Committee on Environment and Habitat, Obinna Chidoka, who sponsored the bill, along with other lawmakers, visited the NBMA office in Abuja. In his address during the visit, Mr Chidoka, who represents Idemili North/South Federal Constituency in Anambra State, stated that all those working against NBMA must keep in mind that the agency is acting in accordance with the law and is completely backed by the National Assembly. The Bill Amending NBMA Act The copy of the bill titled An Act to Amend the National Biosafety Management Agency Act, 2015 to enlarge the scope of the application and include other evolving aspects of the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria with a view to preventing any adverse effect on human health and the environment; and for Related Matters, was sighted by PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday. The bill seeks to amend Section 43 of the NBMA Act by predominantly inserting the three advanced biotechnology methods which Mr Basseys HOMEF is kicking against. They are: Gene drive a genetic engineering technology that can propagate a particular suite of genes throughout a population by adding, deleting, disrupting and modifying genes. Gene editing a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted, modified or replaced in the genome of a living organism using scientific techniques. Synthetic biology a field of study that encompasses the design and engineering of biological components that can be used to construct a variety of biological systems. The last item on that section proposed for amendment is biosecurity which means measures to prevent, respond to and recover harmful biological substances or genetically modified organisms that may threaten the health of humans, animals, the environment and the economy. A public hearing on the bill which has passed first and second reading will be held on the floor of the house today (Wednesday). The Concerns In the letter, HOMEF raised concern over the three major components of the proposal. Mr Bassey argued that use of gene drive organisms has the potential of wiping off whole species of organisms. At this time there is no agreement on how to carry out risk assessments or establish risk management measures for gene drive organisms Until a global agreement is reached on how to carry out risk assessments exist; we would be concerned that any new framework enabling new gene-edited changes might also have the effect of creating loopholes Going by the definition of Synthetic Biology, in the bill, Mr Bassey argued that doors will be open for all sorts of synthetic organisms to be released or experimented in Nigeria. Our stand on this proposed bill is that the current regulatory system should first be strengthened. Or better still, we recommend an outright prohibition of the dangerous, evolving technology. We ask Hon. Obinna Chidoka and other supporters of the NBMA Amendment Bill to call it off in consideration of the highlighted risks that adoption of extreme biotechnology poses to food webs, ecosystems, biodiversity, our national economy and overall human and environmental safety. NBMA tackles HOMEF HOMEF also argued that adequate capacity for advanced bio-technology is yet to be built. It said it believes that Nigeria is ill-prepared to handle these extreme technologies. But Rufus Ebegba, the NBMA director waved HOMEFs concerns as ill-conceived. What is their statistical evaluation to say that Nigeria does not have the capacity to handle the technology? what is their competence to talk on that matter? Mr Ebegba queried Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES. What capacity are they talking about when we have research institutes in this country. We have a full-fledged NABDA (National Biosafety Development Agency) to manage and promote the technology. There is a trade war ongoing. All I am saying is that Nigeria has the capacity to regulate this technology The National Assembly has the authorities to make laws. Scientists guided them to come up with the bill so if there are issues and inadequacies in the law, its a living document and it can be amended. Do they want a lawless nation? the official further asked those kicking the bill. In that law, the National Assembly is looking ahead. Nigeria needs to have a law because the technology is coming up and our research institutes have been empowered to go into it. Even though its a new sector we are saying let there be a law so that when it comes we can properly check them for risk assessment, Mr Ebegba noted. GMO: The Protracted Debate Nigeria officially signed the Biosafety Bill into law in 2015, making it eligible to join the league of nations that are already using genetic engineering (GE), also called genetic modification (GM), to boost food production. Since then, there has been a protracted debate over the application of genetically modified crops into the food system of the country. HOMEF and its affiliates who are now commonly referred to as anti-GMO groups have criticised the application citing health and safety concerns. They say applications and approvals are granted without proper considerations. But GMO promoters would often wave such concerns, insisting the technology is scientific and research-based with years of rigorous safety procedures before commercialization. Ask them to provide scientific evidence, they would argue referring to concerns raised by the anti-GMO groups. While the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) promotes the technology, NBMA is the government agency that regulates and grants approval for GMO in Nigeria. NBMA has been repeatedly criticised over its method of granting permits for commercialisation of GM food crops into the country. Critics say the agency hastily grants approvals without putting into considerations safety concerns raised by Nigerians. Last month, the agency issued a permit to the Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea, genetically modified to resist the pest Maruca Vitrata, making it the first GM food crop to be approved in the country. This is coming two months after it approved commercialisation of transgenic cotton varieties. There have also been calls for amendment of the NBMA act. HOMEF in the letter alluded to the need for an amendment. It, however, said such amendment should be to protect the health, environment and economy of the Nigerian people and not to enlarge the avenue to be used for riskier experimentations. The NBMA Act, 2015 in its present form has flaws that must be addressed such as the absence of provisions for strict liability and redress which mandates that the biotechnology corporations take responsibility for immediate and forthcoming negative impacts of use of their products as is the case in a similar Act in Uganda. A former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has indicated interest to contest for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the soon to be constituted ninth National Assembly. Mr Kalu also wants the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position to the South-East in the interest of equity and justice. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abia North senator-elect made the disclosure while speaking with journalists on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. He said he was aware that the APC, which had the majority in the Senate, had zoned the senate president position to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West. Mr Kalu said: I am a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the senate presidency position to the North-East and I want to respect the partys will. But the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East. So, as far as I am concerned, in the South-East, I am going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President. I am not going to listen to the party neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party. I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I am committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House. According to him, Article 50 of the Constitution and Article One of the constitution make it clear that the members of the National Assembly in-House can elect their principal officers. He said it was only fair that the position was retained in the South-East, stressing that both President Muhammadu Buhari and APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, were well aware of this. So, if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-East and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-East. The chairman of the party is from South-South. The President is from North-West. The Vice-President is from South-West and also the Senate President will come from North-East. Whether it is Senators Ahmed Lawal or Ali Ndume, this will be decided on the floor of the House. So, for me, the tripod in Nigeria is Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa and we are going to get the deputy senate president and I will fight on the floor of the House like no other person has fought. That is not challenging the party but this is about looking for justice. Buhari said recently after the elections that he will be addressing issues of injustice and this is part of the issue, Kalu said. He further maintained that he was qualified for the position having being a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and also a two-time governor. Mr Kalu said: I know the nook and crannies of how legislators operate. I have dealt with them and I am not a newcomer. So, it is going to be impossible to edge me out or edge a whole zone out by claiming we are newcomers. What I am fighting for is justice, fair play and for Nigeria to continue to be one. I have suffered in fighting for the unity of the country. They cannot use National Assembly or petty House officers to divide the country. I have sweated. All my investments are in the North, in the West and the South and we must protect these things and live in peace. He, however, warned that he would be forced to contest for the position of the Senate President if the APC failed to do the needful. I have the capacity for lobbying. I am well-known in East, West, and North. If the party continues this way, I will run for the Senate President if justice is not done to say South-East bring the Deputy Senate President. I can assure you that there are over 56 Senators in my kitty now for either the Senate President or the Deputy Senate President that have already signed to what I believe in. It is only just to unveil it on the floor of the House, Mr Kalu added. (NAN) Nigerias Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says some cities in Nigeria can now boast of constant power supply. He said this on the Sunrise Daily programme of Channels Television on Wednesday. Sitting down here I can tell you some states that have almost 24 hours Kebbi, Yobe. Some have five, some have 10 and there are still outages, he said. He said the constant power supply in some states is due to the increase in the transmission capacity. The transmission capacity has grown, he said, adding that the figure was about 8,100 watts as at December 2018. The generation capacity is also increasing, he said. It is a value chain where the distribution is not matching up the available power and from time to time, there are slacks, Mr Fashola said. He said the Ministry of Power has moved forward but needs to implement the short term goals it set. The short term goals are incremental power and stable supply in some places, he said. The government has decided that as 40 per cent holder of everything in the distribution of power, we have our programme to invest N72 billion which will involve installing transformers and all of that, he said. We created a metre access provider regulation. What it does is to create a new plan of investment programme. We manufacture, produce, supply and install metres and fill the gap the distribution companies cannot raise capital to fill. They cannot do so alone, they must do so under a procurement policy with the distribution company, he said. The minister said the federal government will solve the problems of poor power supply in the country and will also keep informing citizens on the watts being consumed in the country. We are applying many solutions at the same time. So when we were talking about how much megawatts is being used, we have created a new page which will bring solution, he said. Mr Fashola recently sparked outrage by saying the federal government should not be blamed for poor electricity supply across the country. The minister said business people operating in the sector should be blamed for the poor state of electricity supply to Nigerians. He argued that since the sector has been privatised, it was not the Nigerian governments fault if citizens fail to enjoy stable electricity supply The minister also denied that he once said a serious government would fix power sector challenges within six months. He challenged anyone to produce any video where he made such a comment. The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday resumed talks on the 2009 agreement. Wale Babalakin, the Chairman, Federal Government Re-negotiation team, while briefing journalists in Abuja, after a meeting that lasted six hours said he was hopeful the meeting would yield positive results. Mr Babalakin said there are lots of issues on the table. He said the ASUU team presented more than 20 issues that were being looked into. He said both sides were determined to put an end to the lingering problems in the system. We are hopeful that we are on a positive path to finalising the negotiation. There were very hectic discussions on topical issues, and both sides had extensive contributions for the benefit of the university system, he said. It is the same negotiation, we had an interim discussion, that is over now, and we are back to where we left off. So it is a continuous negotiation. ASUU submitted its timetable today, and there are more than 20 issues in that timetable. It is not a single issue, but they will all be discussed, Mr Babalakin said. A confidential agreement PREMIUM TIMES reported how the 2009 agreement was reached after two years of negotiation between the lecturers and a government team appointed by the then Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili. The government team was led by the then Pro-chancellor, University of Ibadan, Gamaliel Onosode, while ASUUs team was led by its then president, Abdullahi Sule-Kano. Details of that agreement were viewed as confidential by both ASUU and the government, thus leaving the public to feed on sparse information thrown out at negotiation meetings. PREMIUM TIMES had obtained a copy of the agreement and made it available for public viewing since 2013. In the latest round of negotiation, ASUU said it is not comfortable with Mr Babalakin being the chairman while alleging that Mr Babalakin did not relate with the union as a negotiator but as a judge. He was always trying to overrule, Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU national president alleged. According to Mr Ogunyemi, Mr Babalakin dismissed ASUUs report. That kind of person cannot be a negotiator because he believes that his opinion should be superior. Thats not a good trait of a good negotiator, and thats unbecoming of him. Dr Wale Babalakin has an ideological position in terms of how to fund Nigerian education. But the federal government through the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, said the union cannot decide for the government. Dr Babalakin will still lead the negotiation committee, he said. Efforts to get a reaction from the union was not successful at the time of this report as a representative of ASUU, declined comments at the end of the meeting. The national president in a text message said he would get back to PREMIUM TIMES. Unsavoury past The Nigerian government and ASUU have been at loggerheads since 2009. Over that period, agreements and promises were made but broken. The university education has been left to haemorrhage. Between 1999 and 2018, PREMIUM TIMES checks revealed ASUU had gone on strike for over 40 months a grim reality that the federal government says it wants to turn into a forgettable past. In February 2017, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, constituted a committee to engender sustainable peace, industrial harmony in tertiary institutions and resolve impending issues. The 16-member Federal Government/Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) 2009 Agreement Renegotiation Committee, had as chairman Mr Babalakin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, has explained why the federal government proposed a smaller 2019 budget than that of 2018. Speaking at a public hearing on the 2019 budget on Wednesday, Mr Udoma said the cut was necessary to manage the debt of the country. While the 2018 budget was N9.1 trillion, the 2019 budget was reduced to N8.8 trillion. Even the 9.1 trillion (2018 budget) is small given the needs of the country. We have to make sure that the budget can be financed and it is to ensure that we do not increase the level of borrowing that is why we have brought down the budget size so as to keep the deficit within the financeable limit. That is why we have a budget of 8.8 trillion, he said. Mr Udoma said the government decided to increase the recurrent expenditure of 2019 to enable it to pay pensions and the new minimum wage. He added that the emphasis of the budget is on completion of the 2018 budget. The minister said the 2018 budget performed well as recurrent expenditure was fulfilled 100 per cent while capital releases stood at N1.226 trillion. He said the federal government had realised N3.96 trillion as at the end of 2018, forming 55 per cent of projection. Of this amount, N2.32 trillion was derived from oil. Other sources of revenue include; Company income tax N637.25 billion, Value Added Tax (VAT), N148.92 billion and customs collection of N303.91 billion Mr Udoma said the federal government will not alter the oil benchmark which was pegged at N60 dollars per barrel despite recent fall in prices. He noted that the executive will liaise with the National Assembly if eventually there is a need for a review. On our own analysis, and we consulted extensively working with NNPC, our analysis was that the downward trend in oil prices was just for short term, that oil prices will average about 69 to 70 dollars. So, we felt that 60 dollars was a fair price. So far, it looks as if we are correct. Oil price is now at 65 to 66 dollars. However, the president did say, that we will continue to monitor. We will engage the National Assembly, even as we are processing the budget if we get information that this price is not feasible, even now as we are considering the budget. But for now, there is no reason to reduce the price from 60 dollars. He urged members of the National Assembly work in cooperation with the executive to achieve the January-December budget cycle. Gunmen on Wednesday attacked Suleiman Abubakar, Chairman of Correspondents chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Nasarawa state and abducted his wife, Yahanasu Abubakar. Mr Suleiman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident happened at about 7 p.m. along Gudi-Garaku road in Akwanga Local Government Area of the state. According to Mr Suleiman, the gunmen shot at the union bus they were travelling in from Keffi, where his wife went to register at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp. He said the bus ran into a ditch after being shot at while the gunmen swooped on them, took his wife, the wife of a former state assembly member, who they gave a lift as well as two other women from another vehicle during the attack. Meanwhile, Samaila Usman, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, said the command had mobilised officers to the area to search and rescue the abducted women. (NAN) Travelstart, Africas largest online travel agency, is celebrating seven years of providing cheap flight deals in Nigeria with Sale-A-Brate promo. Kicking off March 25 2019, the seven-day sale which ends on March 31, gives customers cheap flights to various destinations including Dubai, London, New York, Johannesburg, Toronto, Monrovia as well as local flights. Since their opening in 2012, Travelstart customers have enjoyed booking cheap flights online on the website www.travelstart.com.ng to their favourite local and international destinations. The online travel agency entered the market to relieve the stress and inconvenience customers had to go through from booking the traditional way. By using Travelstart, intending travellers no longer have to sit through traffic to get a quote, search the market tirelessly or wait for a call to get a price. As the solution provider, Travelstart believes that every customer that is capable and wants to travel should be able to do so. By making the flight buying process easier, cheaper and more secure, Travelstart customers are able to spend the rest of their time on other more important activities. Commercial Manager, Travelstart Nigeria, Bukky Akomolafe noted that through the Sale-A-Brate promo, Travelstart will be providing even cheaper flights to their customers favourite destinations in partnership with Emirates Airlines, Air Namibia, Air-France, KLM, Etihad Airways and more. This year, our campaign is simply tagged, Sale-A-Brate with us. Because we have recorded huge wins over the last seven years, we have decided to celebrate our most important people, our staff and customers. Akomolafe stated. She adds through this campaign, we will also be giving our Day 1 customers lounge access and spa vouchers for use at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria. Just another way, we are saying thank you to our loyal customers With international return flights as low as N144,899, Travelstart is bringing their customers even more savings from a wide selection of flights for their next trip. The Sale-A-Brate promo ends at 8pm on 31 March 2019. Book now on the website at www.travelstart.com.ng or call 01-280-0661 before the sale ends! Jeremiah Useni, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9 governorship election in Plateau State, has said the party had overwhelming evidence to ensure success in its fight to recover the mandate it got at the polls. Governor Simon Lalong of the APC was declared winner of the governorship race on Sunday after the supplementary elections that took place on Saturday. Mr Useni, in a speech at the expanded meeting of the campaign council held on Wednesday in Jos, vowed to give the legal fight all it takes so as to ensure that votes given to his party were not wasted. He advised supporters and officials of the PDP to remain calm, prayerful and supportive as the battle for the governorship seat moves from the ballot box to the tribunal. The candidate said hope was not lost, and promised that he would continue to give effective leadership to the party toward achieving the task of rescuing Plateau from hunger and poor leadership. I will not allow the party to disintegrate just because we are not in government. We have a duty to make Plateau better than it currently is. I will always give purposeful guidance, he said. Jonah Jang, a former of the state, in his remarks, advised PDP members to intensify prayers and not be discouraged. He expressed support for the decision to challenge the outcome of the election in court, and urged members to be supportive of one another. Also speaking, a former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, called for unity of purpose among party members. Mr Mantu cautioned against internal wrangling that could derail the focus and cause confusion, mutual distrust and disaffection among members. The state chairman of the PDP, Damishi Sango, in his remarks, urged PDP members to be wary of fake news claiming that officials of the party were bribed to compromise the mandate. He appealed to PDP members to channel their observations and suggestions through the appropriate organs rather than unveiling and discussing them on the social media. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the partys legal team later briefed members on the progress so far made in the filing of the case challenging the outcome of the governorship election. (NAN) The Police Command in Niger State on Wednesday said it has dispatched its personnel to Lapai Local Government Area to investigate issues of alleged kidnapping in some villages in the area. Mohammed Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made this known in Minna in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). We are making efforts to find out what is happening in Lapai. Right now our headquarters has directed the area commander to go there and find out what is happening, he said. Mr Abubakar said reports for now indicated that there was peace in the area and the people are going about their normal businesses. NAN reports that some vigilante groups from the area, who refused to be named, had told reporters in Minna that some villages in the local government were under the kidnappers siege. We have regrouped ourselves now to fight about 40 kidnappers armed with sophisticated weapons since the government cannot help us, a member of the group said. The unidentified local security personnel numbering five did not say whether they have contacted the police or not over the issue. They, however, said the criminals have been terrorising Mute, Egba, Gupa Abugi villages in Lapai for one week now without any challenge. The vigilantes said that the kidnappers had demanded for ransom from the families of their victims. (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday presented certificate of return to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and withheld certificates of returns of four Assembly constituencies due to pending court cases. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of the 29 constituencies in the Assembly, four constituencies were not issued certificate of return due to pending cases in court. The four constituencies denied certificate of return are: Ethiope East (APC); Ughelli North I (APC); Ughelli North II (APC); and Ukwuani Constituency (PDP). At the presentation ceremony in Asaba, the National Commissioner of INEC in charge of South-South, Mohammed Lecky, urged politicians to place the nation above self even in time of victory. This is the only way the dividends of democracy for which many have paid the supreme price can truly be within the reach of voters, majority of who went through enormous troubles to exercise their franchise, he said. Mr Lecky, while congratulating the governor-elect and the state Assembly members, said, Section 75(10) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended provides for the issuance of certificate of return to elected candidates by the chairman of INEC. In his address, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Cyril Omorogbe, commended security agencies who worked tirelessly to tackle threat to peace and security in the course of the election. Mr Omorogbe, however, regretted the loss of lives and destruction of property that accompanied the exercise in some voting centres in the state. According to him, we share in the grief of families and friends of the deceased and those who lost property. Responding, Mr Okowa thanked God for making his victory possible. He commended INEC for conducting an election in the state that was adjudged very peaceful. Mr Okowa also commended INEC for being firm in the discharge of its duties and noted that there was also room for growth and improvement of the nations democracy. According to him, our democracy can only grow when we as notable politicians are ready to partner with INEC and learn to put the interest of the country first. The interest of this country is that we must conduct election in such a way and manner that the global world will be able to also see Nigeria as a growing democracy. To that extent we will attract more investors into this country to invest and that will help to create jobs for our people, he said. The governor while commending the people of the state, gave an assurance that in the next four years, we are going to do much more than we did in the last four years. Mr Okowa, therefore, called for full participation of the people of the state in good governance and in ensuring that the dividends of democracy were delivered to the people. According to him, we realised that we cannot do the job alone and we need the collaboration of all Deltans to enable us to achieve that which we want to achieve. (NAN) It was a black Sunday in Amasiri, Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi State, as a man shot dead a 50-year-old woman in front of a new generation church in the area. The police have confirmed the incident and said a suspect was in its custody. Chinyere Agwu, a mother of seven, was at the Solution Ground International Church, Amasiri, in the company of two other women for an intercessory prayer at about 5 a.m. when she was shot by the gunman. On approaching the church door, the women were said to have spotted a man they identified as Paul with their torchlight. He was holding something in his hands which they could not see very well. As they made to enter the church, he began shooting sporadically in their direction. Mrs Agwu was hit by some bullets while a bullet grazed the shoulder of another woman before the gunman took to his heels. The general overseer of the church, Michael Uche, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was alerted by the cry of his mother who was one of the victims. He said she ran home after the gun attack. Mr Uche said he immediately went to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at Amasiri Junction in the area to report the matter. An assistant pastor in the church, Emmanuel Onyiagha, said they tried to rescue two of the victims while they awaited the arrival of the police. Mr Onyiagha said Mrs Agwu was rushed to a hospital where she was discovered to have suffered multiple bullet wounds before she died. The police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, said the suspect is in police custody while the body of the deceased is in a mortuary. In front of one church Solution Ground, two women were going to the church for a prayer session they called intercession prayer between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. According to the two women that saw Paul when they were coming to the church, they said he ran and hid somewhere. Paul has been arrested by us and he is claiming that he is innocent. But the deceased was calling Paul to the extent of calling his surname before she gave up, Ms Odah. The bullet wound in her was so much that her abdomen and that of her chest including her breast was badly affected with bullet wounds and because of that, she could not survive. I tried to find out from the pastor what could be the problem between Paul and the deceased and he said it was not the deceased that was Pauls target. He said the person Paul was targeting was his (pastors) mother. He said the mother has a previous problem with the suspect s wife. Right now, the investigation is on, at the end of the investigation, we should be able to know what has happened. There is an ongoing protest in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, over the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal which sacked Gboyega Oyetola as the governor of the state. The protesters, who came together under the banner of Osun Concerned Citizens on Wednesday, were seen with placards with inscriptions describing their displeasure with the verdict. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the protest started around 12 noon at Ayetoro junction and at the time of filing this report, the protesters were already at Old Garage, Osogbo. One of the protesters, Ismail Alamu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the protest became necessary in order to get our stolen mandate. We are not stopping here. We shall also express our displeasure in Abuja and make sure justice is done by the higher court, he said. Before now, the PDP in Osun state had alleged the APC of planning to sponsor protests against the election tribunal verdict, an allegation which the APC tagged as fabrication. The tribunal last week declared the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, as the winner of the September 22, 2018, governorship election. The tribunal held that the rerun election conducted on September 27 was illegal. Mr Oyetola has, however, proceeded to appeal the judgement. Mr Oyetola will, however, continue in office until all appeals are exhausted, including up to the Supreme court if he so chooses. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday in Ibadan presented Certificates of Return to the Oyo State Governor-Elect, Seyi Makinde, his deputy, Aderemi Olaniyan and the newly elected 32 State House of Assembly members. In his remarks at the occasion, Mr Makinde promised to work with all members of the state legislature in order to move the state forward. He assured the people of the state that his administration would ensure development in the state. Mr Makinde lauded the efforts of the security agencies for the unbiased roles they played before, during and after the general elections in the state. He also thanked the people of the state for being supportive in their determination to ensure that he emerged as governor through their votes. Earlier, Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, had admonished the elected officials not to play down the dreams, feelings and expectations of their respective constituencies and the electorate in general. The voters, in some cases, risked their lives, sacrificed their comfort, shunned intimidation and harassment to cast their ballot for you. You cannot afford to disappoint them, elections are designed to renew or withdraw mandate and always have it in your minds that 2023 is around the corner, Mr Agboke said. He disclosed that out of the 32 members-elect of the House of Assembly, only two have their mandates renewed while the rest were new entrants. Adedeji Soyebi, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Osun and Ekiti States, noted that 50 per cent of the registered voters in the state participated in the last general elections. He urged political parties to start sensitising their members on the need to participate in the nations electoral processes ahead of the 2023 general elections. Mr Soyebi congratulated the people of the state for the successful and peaceful conduct of the polls. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the occasion was the presentation of Certificates of Return to the governor-elect, his deputy and the 32 members-elect of the state Assembly by Mr Soyebi. NAN also reports that only one female, Wumi Oladeji (ADP-Ogbomosho North) was among the Assemblys members-elect. (NAN) The police in Lagos have arrested a 29-year-old ex-soldier for allegedly stealing mobile phones at Express View Hotel, Ijanikin, where he lodged. The arrest was made after the hotel staff filed a complaint against the former soldier. Zubairu Muazu, Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, said while briefing journalists Wednesday that two infinix Hot 4 smartphones valued at N86,000 were said to have been recoverred from the ex-soldier and other items which include an axe, a cutlass, and a knife. The ex-soldier, who was identified as Shedrack Christopher, possesses the Nigerian Army warrant card and an army uniform, the police said. According to Mr Muazu, police investigations revealed that Mr Christopher deserted the Nigerian Army in 2017 after he left Maiduguri in 2017 as a signal officer. While speaking with journalists, Mr Christoper he said he was a signal soldier posted to Maiduguri before he left. He said he got to the hotel at 11:30 (p.m.) to meet a female friend who had earlier been checked in. He said when he got to the hotel, he saw the phones on a table which were not being charged and took them since there was no one there. Nobody dey there and I say anybody who get am will get it tomorrow morning, he said. When asked why he was in possession of an axe, knife, and cutlass, he said he brought the cutlass from Maiduguri but he collected the axe when there was a fight in Mile 2 Under Bridge, and the knife was collected when he carried market, turkey, from Seme border to Alaba market. I no carry them waka, I drop them inside motor before police packed them, he said. Mr Muazu said the suspect confessed that he partcipated in killings at Igando, Lagos, and in Edo state in 2017 after deserting the army. The suspect, however, said he never made such confessions. The police in Lagos have arrested five fraud suspects who posed as house agents for swindling a newly wedded couple of N900,000 in Ikeja, Lagos. Among the five suspects is a 61-year-old man who poses as a house owner to defraud unsuspecting victims, Zubairu Muazu, the state police commissioner, said in a press conference on Wednesday. According to Mr Muazu, the police received a complaint from the newly wedded couple after they were defrauded by the suspects. The couple saw an advert on a wall from a house agent and they called the number. The supposed agent told the couple that he had travelled out of Lagos but introduced them to his partner whose contact he gave to the couple. After contacting the partner, he took them to an unoccupied three-bedroom apartment at Agindingbi, Ikeja and afterward took them to Elabor Aruoya, a 61-year old man at a Catholic church in Ikeja who claimed to be the owner of the house. The police boss said after meeting the fake house owner, the fake agent gave the couple a GTB account where they paid a sum of N900,000 for the apartment. However, when the couple went to the apartment the next day to take possession, they met with the rightful owner who chased them out of the house. This led them to report the case to the police, after they had tried the agents contact but not available. The police, however, arrested five suspects all linked to the case. Mr Muazu, however, added that investigations revealed that the same gang defrauded a pastor in Lekki of N3 million for a duplex at Ikeja GRA on December 15. While speaking to Mr Aruoya, the alleged fake house owner, he said that agent job is a business one does not need to have a place or have an office, you can just paste notice everywhere. Adesina Abegunde, 54, who is also one of the suspects, said that he gave the bank account they used. Anyone can call me for account, my own is just to give to them, Mr Abegunde said. The account is for one Abayomi Adekunle who is at large. He said that was the second time they called him for an account but he didnt participate in the N3 million fraud. Olamide Ojajinu, 42, another suspect who claimed he studied estate property and who is responsible for taking people to unoccupied properties said he started the business because he wants to buy a drug for diabetes. Mr Muazu said the suspects would be charged to court. The almost three-month-old industrial action by non-academic staff of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, took a new dimension on Wednesday as the striking workers locked the three gates to the 40-year-old institution against students, staff and visitors. The workers began the industrial action on January 20 over what they described as the wrong implementation of Consolidated Tertiary Institution Salary Structure (CONTISS) 15 migration by the management of the school. They had allowed academic staff and students to go about their businesses without harassment until Wednesday. But they barred members of the institutions management, led by the Rector, Samuel Sogunro, from their offices since the strike started. The complete shutdown of the polytechnic on Wednesday, according to the leadership of the campus chapters of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), was a reaction to the managements decision to pay the March salary of the academic staffers and leave them out. But the management has told PREMIUM TIMES that the latest action is part of the lingering crisis rocking the institution and that a 14-member panel set up by the states Head of Service, Akeem Okunola, is looking into the matter. The striking unions, in a joint statement issued recently, had accused the Sogunro-led administration of being responsible for the prolonged unrest on the campus. They said before Mr Sogunro was appointed in 2015, the institution was adjudged one of the most peaceful in Nigeria. They accused Mr Sogunro of corruption, highhandedness, zero tolerance for dissenting views, financial recklessness and maladministration. The statement, which was entitled: LASPOTECH on the Brink of Collapse, and jointly signed by SSANIP and NASU chairmen, Abiodun Awoyemi and Semiu Fasasi respectively, reads in part; We are not surprised at Sogunros display of arrogance and tyrannical tendencies, his antecedence speaks volume. Unfortunately, the staff members do not have any contribution to the process that produce a rector for the polytechnic, otherwise, someone like him; throughout his time as a junior lecturer till he rose to the pinnacle of his career as a chief lecturer, could not have passed the test within the community for the position of a rector. Sogunro twice lost elections to represent the congregation on the Governing Council of the Polytechnic (the 9th and 10th Governing Council). Against NBTE directives and conditions for the implementation of CONTISS 15 migration as implemented in October 2016, the Sogunro-led management reversed the implementation in January 2019 for all staff on CONTISS 11 and below to pre-migration status (September 2016) and beyond. Not even the newly engaged 89 staff who were employed based on the advertised migrated salary scheme were spared. Also, officers on levels 13 and above across academics and non-academics were equally demoted and a rough estimate shows that over 800 staff members were affected with many going home with negative salaries. They accused the rector of interdicting and suspending staff without following due process over the CONTISS 15 migration crisis. The unions alleged that the vice chairman of SSANIP, Oluseye Ero-Phillips; immediate past NASU chairman, Ogungbayibi Adebayo; Treasurer of SSANIP, Ayanda Abiodun; and others including Ibuowo Jelili, Adeniji Yusuf, Abimbola Alawada, Samuel Ogunsanya and four others from Mass Communication Department were demoted based on the wrong implementation of CONTISS 15 by the management. The unions also accused the rector of appointing his relations and friends to positions of authorities, and what they tagged illegal payment of N100,000 as court sitting allowance for the rector and the governing council members, among other allegations. But in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the polytechnics Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Olanrewaju Kuye, said the crisis was being resolved by the 14-man committee. He declined to comment on the allegation of selective payment of March salary, saying he could not confirm it. Mr Kuye said; There is no new development. It is still part of the lingering crisis over CONTISS 15 migration. The truth is that when there are issues, there will be so many allegations flying in the air both founded and unfounded. As am talking to you I havent been able to go into my office for weeks due to the strike and so there is little information at my disposal. But I can assure you that all hands are on deck to amicably settle the matter. An Ondo State High Court on Wednesday sentenced Seidu Adeyemi to death by hanging for killing Khadijat Oluboyo, the daughter of a former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lasisi Oluboyo. Mr Adeyemi was said to have committed the crime on July 2, 2018, in his room located at Aratusi, Oke-Aro area of Akure. Miss Oluboyo was found buried in the room of the convict who was reportedly her boyfriend. Miss Oluboyo was a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba Akoko (AAUA). The judge, Samuel Bola, said the prosecutor and the state governments counsel had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Adeyemi committed the offence. Mr Adeyemi, a graduate of Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), was arrested by the Ondo State Police Command last July. He was suspected of carrying out the killing for money ritual. The judge held that by criminal law, the convict had committed a capital offence and should die by hanging. After the verdict, leader of the prosecution team and state Attorney General, Kola Olawoye, expressed delight. He, however, described the circumstances leading to the death of the deceased as unfortunate. Mr Olawoye noted that the state government was interested in the case because of the circumstances leading to the death of Khadijat Oluboyo and the judgement would serve as a deterrent for other criminals. The father of the deceased, Mr Oluboyo had earlier told reporters when the incident happened that he would not be interested in pursuing litigation on the matter. The state government then took up the issue and charged Mr Adeyemi to court. The Daisy Lane Parade started in 1953 when Gertrude Whittle worked with the Long Beach City Council and Council of Churches to help decorate the grass median on Daisy Avenue with a Christmas Village and nativity scene, according to the... 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. NEW YORK, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Nations Human Rights Commission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently released a report concerning election violence in the City of Yumbi Within the Mai-Ndombe province. i The UN investigation team was able to verify that at least 535 men, women and children died and 111 others injured in Yumbi town, Bongende village and Nkolo II village. The report highlighted attacks carried out at four locations between December 16-18, 2018 and regarded them as potential crimes against humanity. The Governor responsible for the province encompassing Yumbi at the time of these attacks, Gentiny Ngobila is currently a candidate in the Kinshasa province elections due to be held April 10, 2019 and there are local questions as to whether his involvement in this situation makes his candidacy as a prospective Governor for the next Five years legitimate. On February 23rd, 2019 Charges were filed against the ex-Governor Gentiny Ngobila by the Auditor General of the DRC Military, the FARDC. ii A recent interview with the DRC Minister for Human Rights, Marie-Ange Mushobekwa, stressed the seriousness of the situation for former Governor and Kinshasa Candidate Gentiny Ngobila, "It is evident that the Governor who was on duty had to take steps to stop the massacres, and in any case, it would be a key witness for the time of the trial. He will have to explain why the massacres could not be stopped." iii The UN report stresses that the violence was facilitated by the absence of action to prevent it, noting "provincial authorities appear to have failed to protect the population." iv "In spite of clear signs of rising tensions and increased risk of violence, no steps were taken to reinforce security ahead of the attacks and police were removed." v i Office of the High Commissioner, UNHR office, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/CD/Report_on_Yumbi_March2019.pdf ii Auditor General of the FARDC February 26th 2019 1.320/A12 "Mr Gentiny Ngobila et. al. in relation to the situation of the genocidal massacres in Yumbi and its environs against the banunu-bobangi people" iii RFI, "DRC: ending arbitrary arrests" March 22nd, 2019 http://m.rfi.fr/emission/20190322-rd-congo-fin-arrestations-arbitraires-ministre-droits-humains-mushobekwa iv SOURCE: AP, March 12 2019, "UN: December massacre in Congo left 535 people dead" v SOURCE: UN News, March 12 2019, "DR Congo: 'New waves of violence' likely, UN warns, unless State acts to prevent intercommunal reprisals" https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/03/1034511 CONTACT: Peter Ellison, p.ellison@lmg.com Paratus Country Manager Marius van Vuuren: "Tower rentals have become more affordable since we mount only one base station TEL AVIV, Israel, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RADWIN (www.radwin.com), the global wireless broadband provider, today announced that the Paratus Group, a pan-African Telecom operator, deployed the revolutionary JET DUO PtMP dual-band solution in Zambia to boost wireless connectivity for SMEs and large corporations. JET DUO incorporates 3GHz and 5GHz radios in one unit, delivering unparalleled capacity of up to 1.5Gbps. Carmel Telecom CY, RADWIN's certified partner, was in charge of project design and delivery through its local Zambian distributor Beacon Telecom. Paratus Country Manager Marius van Vuuren commented: "Over time, our legacy 3.xGHz WiMAX network became heavily congested. Having used RADWIN JET and knowing the benefits, it made business sense to migrate WiMAX customers to JET DUO dual-band radio, so we could boost our network capacity and coverage." Van Vuuren says switching over to JET DUO allows Paratus to realise significant benefits. "We serve SME customers on the 5.xGHz and use the 3.xGHz band to provide SLA services to large corporates using a single base station. Tower rentals have become more affordable since we mount only one base station. By moving everything to RADWIN JET, we now have one management platform for all base stations and subscriber units deployed across Zambia, ensuring better management, monitoring and support for our customers," he explained. See the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMfGpOS11hw&t=15s Beacon Telecom CTO Helit Bauberg added: "We have been working closely with Paratus Zambia for the past 9 years and recommended JET DUO for this deployment from the get-go, knowing it will give Paratus the most flexible, cost effective solution they need to optimise their services and operations." Peter Turvey, GM Middle East, South & East Africa, RADWIN: "We're excited to work with Beacon Telecom to serve a forward-thinking operator such as Paratus and scale with them over the years as their network needs evolve. We're continuously injecting innovation into our product portfolio, and JET DUO addresses service providers' challenges and their need to boost capacity while reducing CAPEX and OPEX." About RADWIN RADWIN is a leading provider of Point-to-Multipoint and Point-to-Point broadband wireless solutions. www.radwin.com RADWIN Sales HQ: +972-3-769-2820 Email: sales@radwin.com Media Contact Tammy Levy Tel: +972-3-766-2916 Email: pr@radwin.com Related Links http://www.radwin.com SOURCE RADWIN CHAMPAIGN, Ill., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Seventeen award-winning authors, illustrators, and storytellers will soon arrive in central Illinois to share their love of books, literacy, and more during the College of Education's biennial Youth Literature Festival (YLF), March 28-30. College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign During the festival's first two days, YLF authors will travel throughout central Illinois visiting nearly 60 schools and libraries in Champaign-Urbana and the surrounding communities. Making literatureand, popular authorsaccessible to schools and students throughout the community is one of the most unique and powerful aspects of the Festival, said professor Nancy O'Brien, head of the Education, Health, and Social Sciences Libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Many of the schools participating in the festival have high percentages of low-income student populations. O'Brien has served in various capacities on the festival's planning committee since 2008 and has first-hand perspective of the impact and inspiration the festival brings to area students. "What excites me is how these authors present information in new and different ways, and children get to escape into new worlds and learn new things because of it," said O'Brien. "And I love the fact that the festival reaches out to families and promotes reading and literacy. Evidence shows that when you read and get a wider understanding of the world, you can better articulate and find more success in life." The festival culminates with the popular Community Day Celebration on Saturday, March 30, bringing all 17 participating artists together under one roof for a day of fun activities. The day's line-up features readings, live music, an appearance from Super Why! of PBS Kids, book signings, author talks, take-home crafts, art displays, and more. Community Day is a family-friendly event, open to the public, and all ages are welcome. Admission and parking are free for Community Day, happening 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the I Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 S. First St., Champaign. Local and national artists for 2019 include storyteller-authors Dan Keding and Crystal Chan; graphic novelists Stacey Robinson and Julia Alekseyeva; and young adult authors Sharon Flake and Greg Neri. Neri, who goes by the pen name G. Neri, is a Coretta Scott King honor-winning author whose books have been translated into multiple languages in more than 25 countries. Neri's novel "Ghetto Cowboy" was recently adapted as a screenplay and is currently in production as a film starring Idris Elba of Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Star Trek Beyond fame. "The festival focuses on diversity, as well as literature," said Youth Literature Festival coordinator Vivian Dixon. "Diverse authors, as well as diversity in stories being told. It's important that students and families who are participating in the festival can see themselves represented and connect with characters' similar experiences and interestsfictional or otherwise." The Youth Literature Festival is an initiative of the Center for Education in Small Urban Communities within the College of Education at the University of Illinois, in collaboration with the University Library and WILL/Illinois Public Media. The festival and would not be possible without the generous support of individuals, publishers, local businesses as sponsors. Hundreds of visitors are anticipated at the 2019 Youth Literature Festival's Community Day Celebration. A full list of this year's participating artists, a complete Community Day schedule, and more information is available online at go.illinois.edu/youthlitfest. Or visit facebook.com/youthlitfest for more details. Media contact: Ashley Lawrence [email protected] 217-244-2588 Related Images youth-literature-festival.jpg Youth Literature Festival, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign youth-literature-festival.png Youth Literature Festival, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign youth-literature-festival.jpg Youth Literature Festival, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign youth-literature-festival.jpg Youth Literature Festival, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Related Links Youth Literature Festival College of Education at Illinois Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkP6ooj7WtM SOURCE College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign DETROIT, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Aircraft Screws Market by Aircraft Type (Commercial Aircraft, Military Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, and Helicopter), by Material Type (Titanium Screws, Stainless Steel Screws, and Other Screws), by Application Type (Airframe, Interiors, Engine, Flight Control Surfaces, and Others), by End-User Type (OE and Aftermarket), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2019-2024. This market report, from Stratview Research, studies the aircraft screws market over the trend period of 2013 to 2018 and forecast period of 2019 to 2024. The research report provides detailed insights on the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market. Aircraft Screws Market: Highlights Screw is an essential member of the fasteners family and is heavily used during aircraft manufacturing. Screws used in the aircraft industry are of very high grade as compared to those used in general industries. Screws currently account for less than 5% of the total aircraft fasteners market but is one of the fastest-growing fastener types in the industry. As per an in-depth study conducted by Stratview Research, the market for aircraft screws is projected to grow at a healthy rate over the next five years to reach US$ 649 million in 2024. Increasing production rates of key aircraft programs, such as B737, B787, A320, and A350XWB; introduction of variants of the best-selling aircraft programs (A320 neo, B737 Max, B777x, and A330 neo); market entry of new aircraft (C919 and MC-21), rising global aircraft fleet size, and increasing demand for lightweight and corrosion-resistant screws are the major growth drivers of the market. Click Here and Run Through the Detailed TOC of the Report The research's findings suggest that commercial Aircraft is likely to remain the growth engine of the market during the forecast period. Both, Boeing and Airbus, are raising the production rates of their respective best-selling commercial aircraft programs of B737 and A320. Further, there is also an increase in the production rate of next-generation aircraft program B787 and A350XWB, which is also likely to spur the growth of the segment. Based on the application type, airframe is projected to remain the largest application segment of the market during the forecast. Fuselage and wings cover a large surface area and have thousands of screws deployed in them, which makes airframe the most dominant segment. However, the interior segment is projected to grow with the highest rate during the forecast period, driven by growing replacement or refurbishment of cabin interiors. Register Here and Ask for a Free Sample on the Report Based on the material type, titanium is likely to remain the most dominant material type in the market over the next five years, propelled by increasing usage of titanium in manufacturing of screws by replacing traditional steel and aluminum screws. Titanium offers significant weight-savings advantage along with excellent corrosion resistance as compared to the other competing materials. In terms of region, North America is expected to remain the largest market for aircraft screws during the forecast period as the region is the manufacturing capital of the aircraft industry with the presence of several large- to small-sized aircraft OEMs, tier players, screw manufacturers, and distributors. However, Asia-Pacific is likely to depict the highest growth during the same period. China and India are the growth engines of the Asia-Pacific's aircraft screws market. The key aircraft screws manufacturing companies are Acument Global Technologies, Inc., Arconic Inc., B & B Specialties, Inc., Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing LLC, Lisi Aerospace, Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), and TriMas Corporation. Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors This report studies the screws market in the global aircraft industry and has segmented the market in five ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the five ways in which the market is segmented: Aircraft Screws Market, By Aircraft Type Commercial Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Military Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Regional Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) General Aviation (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Helicopter (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aircraft Screws Market, By Material Type Titanium Screws (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Stainless Steel Screws (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Other Screws (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aircraft Screws Market, By Application Type Airframe (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Interiors (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Engine (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Flight Control Surfaces (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aircraft Screws Market, By End-User Type OE (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Aftermarket (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aircraft Screws Market, By Region North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico ) Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , The UK, Spain , Russia , and Rest of Europe ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , China , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Rest of the World (Sub-Region Analysis: The Middle East , Latin America , and Others) Stratview Research has number of high value market reports in the global aerospace & defense industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Aerospace & Defense Industry Some of our other premium market reports in the aerospace & defense industry: Aircraft Seals Market by Aircraft Type, by Application Type, by Motion Type, by Function Type, by Material Type, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2024 Aircraft Brackets Market by Aircraft Type, by Application Type, by Bracket Type, by Material Type, by End-User Type and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2019-2024 About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. For enquiries, Contact: Stratview Research E-mail: [email protected] Direct: +1-313-307-4176 SOURCE Stratview Research NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowley Law PLLC is investigating potential claims against WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) and its board of directors for breach of fiduciary duty concerning the proposed acquisition of the company by Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC). Stockholders will receive $120.00 and 3.38 shares of Centene Corporation common stock for each share of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. stock that they hold. The transaction is valued at approximately $17.3 billion and is expected to close in the first half of 2020. If you are a stockholder of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, please visit us at: http://www.rowleylawpllc.com/investigation/wellcare. You may also contact Shane Rowley, Esq. at Rowley Law PLLC, 50 Main Street Suite 1000, White Plains, NY 10606, by email at [email protected] , or by telephone at 914-400-1920 or 844-400-4643 (toll-free). Rowley Law PLLC represents shareholders nationwide in class actions and derivative lawsuits in complex corporate litigation. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.rowleylawpllc.com . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Rowley Law PLLC Related Links http://rowleylawpllc.com NEW YORK, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market: Overview This comprehensive reportanalyzes and forecasts the automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market at the global and regional levels.The report provides analysis for the period from 2018 to 2026, wherein 20182026 is the forecast period and 2017 is the base year. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05760673/?utm_source=PRN Data for 2016 has been added as historical information about the market.An in-depth and unbiased market assessment has been made to offer readers comprehensive and accurate analysis. Based on application, the market has been broadly classified into passenger and commercial.The report emphasizes all major trends likely to be witnessed in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market from 2018 to 2026. It also focuses on restraining factors, market drivers, and opportunities for the automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market during the forecast period. The study provides a complete perspective about the automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market, in terms of value (in US$ Mn) and volume (in thousand units), across various geographies including Asia Pacific, South America, North America, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Europe. The report includes detailed value chain analysis, which is focused to offer a widespread view of the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market.Porter's five forces analysis has also been provided to help understand the competition scenario in the global market. The study incorporates market attractiveness analysis, wherein application and regional segments of the market have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and market attractiveness. In order to offer a complete analysis of the overall competition scenario in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market, every geographical region mentioned in the report has been provided with attractiveness analysis. The market overview chapter in the report explains market trends and dynamics including restraining factors, drivers, and the current and future opportunities for the automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market.Market outlook analysis has also been provided in the report. Moreover, the report provides analysis of different business strategies being adopted by leading players in the automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market. The market introduction chapter assists in getting an idea of different trends in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market. Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market: Scope of Report The study provides a decisive view of the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market, by segmenting the market in terms of application and region.Based on application, the market has been segregated into passenger and commercial. The report provides detailed region-wise segmentation of the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market by categorizing it into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America, thereby providing valuable insights at micro and macro levels. The report further highlights the competition scenario in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market, by ranking all major players according to their geographical presence and key recent developments.The insights into the market is a result of our extensive primary interviews, secondary research, and in-house expert panel reviews. The market estimates have been analyzed by considering the impact of different economic, political, social, legal, and technological factors. In terms of country, the North America automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market has been divided into Canada, the U.S., and Rest of North America. Furthermore, the Europe market has been categorized into the U.K., Germany, and Rest of Europe. The APAC automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market includes China, Japan, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Middle East & Africa covers Turkey, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa. Similarly, South America includes Brazil and Rest of South America. This report provides all strategic information required to understand the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market. Also, the report provides insights into the market in geographical regions mentioned above. Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market: Research Methodology The research methodology is a perfect combination of primary research, secondary research, and expert panel reviews. Secondary sources include annual reports, company websites, SEC filings, investor presentations, national government documents, internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases, relevant patent and regulatory databases, government publications, and statistical databases. Primary research involves telephonic interviews, e-mail interactions, and face-to-face interviews for detailed and unbiased reviews of the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market.Primary interviews are usually conducted on an ongoing basis with market experts and participants in order to obtain the latest market insights and validate the existing data and analysis. Primary interviews offer new information on important factors such as market trends, market size, competition landscape, and growth trends.These factors help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. Moreover, the data collected and analyzed from secondary and primary research is again discussed and examined by our expert panel. Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market: Competition Dynamics The research study includes profiles of leading companies operating in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market.Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, business strategies, and recent developments. Major players operating in the global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market are TOYODA GOSEI Co., Ltd, Shinko Nameplate Co., Ltd., ZANINI AUTO GRUP, S.A., Toyota Motor Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, and ROHDE & SCHWARZ GmbH & Co. KG. The global automotive millimeter wave compatible emblem market has been segmented as follows: Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market, by Application Passenger Commercial Global Automotive Millimeter Wave Compatible Emblem Market, by Geography North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America Europe U.K. Germany Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Japan China Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) Turkey South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa South America Brazil Rest of South America Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05760673/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com EAST LANSING, Mich., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Burgess New Venture Challenge (BNVC) today announces finalists for its first annual contest. A collaboration between Spartan Innovations and the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, BNVC is an early-stage pitch competition bringing together student entrepreneurs and small business supporters from across Michigan's entrepreneurial ecosystem to celebrate Michigan State University's entrepreneurial spirit and highlight top talent. BNVC finalists will pitch their ideas to a panel of expert judges on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at the Jackson and Christman Lounges, Wharton Center for the Performing Arts in East Lansing. Selected teams will compete for the chance at over $40K in total cash prizes. The competition's top prize, sponsored by the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, is $15K. "BNVC is more than a competition," said Ken Szymusiak, managing director of the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. "Our goal is to create a valuable learning experience for student entrepreneurs here at Michigan State." Merging two pitch competitions, GreenLight Michigan and the Broad Business Model Competitions, BNVC requires interested students to complete a battery of workshops, receive feedback from business leaders and mentors, and form collaborative teams around submitted ideas. Paul Jaques, director of student and community engagement at Spartan Innovations, has been helping Michigan State University students build their businesses for nearly a decade. "We wanted to create a program that culminates in a competition, where students spend time refining their ideas, building their skills, and taking interesting risks that lead to innovation," said Jaques. "The Burgess New Venture Challenge celebrates a year of hard work for these finalists." Burgess New Venture Challenge Finalists The teams to be showcased at the Burgess New Venture Challenge, on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, starting at 5.00pm at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts are: BioSolution Innovations LLC Team: Traverse Jurcisin ([email protected]), Josh Murray ([email protected]), and Jonathan Ristola ([email protected]) BioSolution Innovations makes smart technology for professional plant growers. Through automating the irrigation and fertilizer management process, they help growers reduce costs, increase yields, and eliminate crop loss from mismanagement. Brightside Coffee Co., LLC Team: Marisa Weyn ([email protected]) and Hunter Shoemaker ([email protected]) Brightside Coffee is a mobile pop-up cafe serving events in and around the Greater Lansing and Grand Rapids areas. Find us contributing to Michigan's rapidly growing coffee culture while we strength our community's connections with local small businesses. Burgundy Labs Team: Charlie Kolacki ([email protected]) and Trevor Murphy ([email protected]) Burgundy Labs is a software development company aimed at innovating the technology used on college campuses. Their current product, TimeSlot, is targeted at learning centers on campuses, providing an easy-to-use scheduling software with many industry-leading features. Classii LLC Team: Simeon Goolsby ([email protected]) and Cam Korzeck ([email protected]) Classii serves as a social learning network aiming to strength our academic community. By parsing publicly available data, students can find other students in their classes, ask questions, and form study groups at their university. Crown Mallard Team: Austen Malczewski ([email protected]), Torre Crown ([email protected]), and Gavin Hubbard ([email protected]) Crown Mallard is solving the problem of disposable glove cross-contamination. Their products, the AutoGlove and the AutoGlove dispensing system, keep unused gloves from being exposed to outside contaminants and dispenses one pair of gloves at a time in a user-friendly and cost-efficient way. Datashapes Team: Cory Wilson ([email protected]) Datashapes is an applied research and product development company that designs novel packaging products aimed at solving problems in healthcare. The company specializes in creating market disruptive intellectual property that is licensed or sold to manufacturing companies. EMAGE Technology Team: Deepak Kumar ([email protected]) and Saikat Modal ([email protected]) EMAGE Technology is building a wireless auto-diagnostics tool to provide a solution to ongoing pipeline safety and reliability problem in industrial settings. The solution automates the inspection procedure and provides vital pipeline information (leaks, cracks, corrosion, material degradation, pressure, etc.) frequently and wirelessly. HealthOpX Team: Wesley Ma ([email protected], Katie Sydlik ([email protected]), Jose Hernandaz ([email protected]), and Daniel Ofori-Dankwa ([email protected]) HealthOpX is the kayak of international medical travel. We provide access to a variety of medical treatment options around the world at low cost and great quality. HelpCustomers.ai Team: Wesley Berry ([email protected]) HelpCustomers.ai is a business-to-business customer assistance robotics company that offers customers a fast, easy way to locate products in a brick-and-mortar retail setting. Meido Team: Peter Ro ([email protected]) Meido brings the latest innovations in AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data to cost conscious industries like casting and automotive supply chain. They aim to provide a pathway to utilize smart factories within the auto industry at an affordable rate with little loss of quality, efficiency, and speed. Perch Team: Han Wang ([email protected]) and Akira Nishii ([email protected]) Perch is an online talent solution for academic research groups, university departments, programs and industrial R&D companies. Using a proprietary matching algorithm, Perch connects applications with employers to build great research groups. Portal-OS Team: Josh Murray ([email protected]) Portal-OS organizes your digital life, making it simple to operate within the complex, web-based world. Log on to your personal portal from any device to manage, access, and visualize all of your digital content in one place. SKOOP Team: Malik Jackson ([email protected]) SKOOP specializes in mobility advertising. Our electric bike taxi fleets move passengers from point A to B. Each vehicle has digital advertising displays attached to the exterior and interior. Our screens are always on the move displaying advertising content around town, subsidizing the cost of the ride for the passenger. Sugoi Audio Team: Sean Hansen ([email protected]) and Jonathan Ristola ([email protected]) Sugoi Audio is a company which works to create unique electronic products while reducing e-waste from returned electronics. We do this by acquiring still working returned products and reorganizing the hardware into an attractive and unique housing. Zonder Team: Demi Yang ([email protected]) and Niki Yang ([email protected]) Zonder is a mobile application that gamifies traveling and creates a unique travel profile for each user. It automatically rewards experience to users for visiting places so they can level up, earn badges, and compete with friends. The Burgess New Venture Challenge is part of MSU Innovation & Entrepreneurship Week, April 1519, celebrating student and faculty startups, research, and innovations. For more information, registration details and more, please visit https://entrepreneurship.msu.edu/ieweek. About the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is the hub for entrepreneurship activities within the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. We empower emerging innovators to take action on their ventures through experiential learning opportunities and research in entrepreneurial development. Read more at broad.msu.edu/burgess-institute About the Burgess New Venture Challenge The Burgess New Venture Challenge is a collaboration between Spartan Innovations and the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, promoting entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation at Michigan State University. The yearlong challenge identifies strong startup teams, provides mentorship and team development workshops, culminating in a year-end showcase event. Register to attend at https://entrepreneurship.msu.edu/burgessnvc About Spartan Innovations Spartan Innovations provides the educational and financial support necessary to turn Michigan State University research technologies and student startups into successful Michigan businessesand spur entrepreneurship in the Michigan economy. www.spartaninnovations.org SOURCE Burgess New Venture Challenge Related Links https://entrepreneurship.msu.edu/burgessnvc NEW YORK, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tax refunds are arriving just in time for the spring travel season and CheapOair, an online travel agency and leading provider of cheap flights, has analyzed trends and booking data to reveal the top destinations that travelers are jet-setting to with their extra cash. This year, travelers from different age groups are planning getaways to big cities, warm weather destinations, European hot spots, and more. Travelers in Generation Z, aged 18-23, are cashing in their tax refunds to travel to some adventurous international destinations, including Paris, Barcelona, Cancun, and even Bangkok. Domestically, young globe trotters are heading to Orlando, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, New York City, and Miami1. This year, a top destination for millennial travelers aged 24-38 is Zagreb, Croatia, among other European hotspots like London and Rome. CheapOair also found that millennials are traveling internationally more than any other generation, specifically to big cities across Europe and Asia, including Bangkok and Tokyo2. While the younger generations are jet-setting off to big cities, CheapOair found that Generation X and Baby Boomers, travelers aged 39-73, are taking this opportunity to relax and travel to popular warm-weather destinations. These destinations include many cities in Florida, like Orlando, Miami, and Fort Myers, in addition to international destinations like Cancun, Madrid, and the Philippines3. "This year, travel is a very popular way for Americans to spend their tax refunds, as they're receiving them right in the middle of the spring travel season," said Tom Spagnola, Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations at CheapOair. "Many parents are also using this opportunity to plan a spring break vacation for their families, while younger generations are using their extra funds for spring break trips to big cities and popular beach destinations within the U.S. and the Caribbean." By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair's mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. For more information, please visit cheapoair.com, cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, facebook.com/cheapoair and twitter.com/cheapoair. About CheapOair CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-800-566-2345) or live chat. Part of Fareportal's family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less. 1 Based on booking data for passengers ages 18-23 departing from all U.S. gateways from 3/1/19 5/31/19 as of 2/26/19 2 Based on booking data for passengers ages 24-38 departing from all U.S. gateways from 3/1/19 5/31/19 as of 2/26/19 3 Based on booking data for passengers ages 39-73 departing from all U.S. gateways from 3/1/19 5/31/19 as of 2/26/19 SOURCE CheapOair Related Links http://www.cheapoair.com Robert Bodak, Director, Process Equipment & Engineering, will present on "Process Control for the Pretreatment Industry." This presentation will demonstrate the benefits of an automated control process by optimizing the control parameters, and how Chemetall can help design a customized automated system through process digitalization. Kirk Beaster, Application Specialist, will present on "Best Practices for Manual Pretreatment Applications." This session will offer recommendations to achieve consistent results when using manual equipment for pretreatment application. Tomasz Slezak, Market Manager, Surface Treatment will present "Savings in Pretreatment Process" on how to reduce cost before powder coating with focus on savings through process optimization, changeover to thin-film technologies, reduction of carbon footprint and utilization of auxiliary equipment to extend bath life and process automation in line with Industry 4.0. Visit Chemetall Booth #6 to speak with Surface Treatment experts on the Chemetall "Cut It. Clean It. Coat It. Control It. Conserve It." product portfolio. For more information on Chemetall's product offerings, visit www.chemetallna.com. About BASF's Coatings division The Coatings division of BASF is a global expert in the development, production and marketing of innovative and sustainable automotive OEM and refinish coatings, decorative paints as well as applied surface treatments for metal, plastic and glass substrates in a wide range of industries. The portfolio is completed by the "Innovation Beyond Paint" program which aims at developing new markets and businesses. We create advanced performance solutions and drive performance, design and new applications to meet our partners' needs all over the world. BASF shares skills, knowledge and resources of interdisciplinary and global teams for the benefit of customers by operating a collaborative network of sites in Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific. In 2018, the Coatings division achieved global sales of about 3.86 billion. Solutions beyond your imagination Coatings by BASF. For more information about the Coatings division of BASF and its products, visit www.basf-coatings.com. About BASF At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around 63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com. SOURCE Chemetall Related Links https://www.chemetallna.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chiquita Brands International, the world's leading banana company, announced a new partnership with Snapchat, the global multimedia messaging app, which will allow consumers to have fun with Chiquita in honor of World Banana Day on April 17th. Through the end of May SnapCodes will appear on 200 million Chiquita Blue Stickers, allowing fans of the brand to virtually "peel back" the sticker to tap into three exciting new experiences. Chiquita and Snapchat Partnership 2019 The Snapchat campaign includes: World Lens, Face Lens and a Gamified Lens. The World Lens turns Snapchatters into a dancing Chiquita Banana character. The Face Lens turns their faces into a Chiquita Banana. The Gamified lens invites Snapchatters to catch the falling Chiquita Bananas into a fruit bowl to score points. "Bananas are among the top sellers across grocery stores, making them present on almost every kitchen counter or table across the country," said Jamie Postell, Director of Sales North America for Chiquita. "Chiquita will be the first brand to bring Snapchat visual recognition technology in the fresh produce aisle. This provides Chiquita a unique opportunity to leverage its iconic Blue Stickers as a powerful touchpoint with the Millennial and Gen Z consumers to interact with the brand in a fun, and relevant way." With support from creative agency Dffrnt Media, this Blue Sticker-Snapchat campaign will launch at the beginning of April in the United States and rolls out worldwide in the following weeks, staying on shelves for a four-week period. For decades, Chiquita has produced special editions of its iconic Blue Sticker and this latest campaign with Snapchat exemplifies the brand's ability to connect Chiquita bananas and consumers in a playful and fun way. In addition to fun, Chiquita also reminds its fans that its iconic Blue Sticker stands for high-quality, delicious bananas, and above all sustainable bananas. For this reason, the "Behind the Blue Sticker" initiative includes various innovations in farm management and logistics with an impact on waste, emission reduction CO2 and water footprint, and much more. For more information about this partnership, please visit www.chiquita.com or share on social media using the hashtag #ChiquitaBanana. About Snapchat Snap Inc. is a camera company. We believe that reinventing the camera represents our greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world and have fun together. About Chiquita Brands International Chiquita is a leading global produce company employing 20,000 people across 25 countries. Serving nearly 70 countries, Chiquita provides consumers and customers with the highest quality of fruit and service, making Chiquita the banana of choice. Chiquita helps create a positive impact by implementing the principles of sustainability in all its business practices under the "Behind the Blue Sticker" initiative. Starting in the 1990s, Chiquita was the pioneer in promoting good farming practices and continues to help protect the environment and support farming communities by working under better-than-industry standard agricultural work practices. Chiquita bananas are fat-free and cholesterol-free and are a great source of potassium and vitamins. SOURCE Chiquita Brands International Related Links http://www.chiquita.com Specimens from the site will form the basis for a major expansion of what is already the world's largest children's museum. To accomplish this, The Children's Museum has two Extraordinary Scientists-in-Residence to lead the project, called Mission Jurassic. They are Professor Phil Manning and Dr. Victoria Egerton of the University of Manchester (Manchester, UK). The project is made possible through a lead gift from Lilly Endowment Inc. The Children's Museum will serve as the Mission Jurassic leader. It is partnering with The Natural History Museum (London, UK), the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, Netherlands) and the University of Manchester (Manchester, UK). As a result, more than 100 scientists from three countries will join forces to work in what scientists call the Morrison Formation in Wyoming to reveal dramatic new secrets about the worldmillions of years ago. Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, President and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis stated, "We are bringing together an extraordinary international team for the first time that will critically analyze portions of the Morrison Formation in new ways." Patchen went on to say, "This project reflects a natural synergy between three world-renowned museums, their research scientists and highly-respected research universities, each providing unique elements to complete one of the most interesting chapters in the evolution of Earth." THE "JURASSIC MILE" Project leaders are calling the fossil-rich, mile-square plot of land, "The Jurassic Mile." There are four main quarries within the multilevel, 640-acre site that offer a diverse assemblage of Morrison Formation articulated and semi-articulated dinosaurs. The site also has many other animals, marine life, fossil plants and rarely associated dinosaur trackways of the Late Jurassic Period, 150 million years ago (before the Cretaceous Period). Nearly 600 specimens, weighing more than six tons, have been collected from this site over the past two years of fieldwork, despite the fact that only a fraction of the site has been explored. Included in that are the bones of an 80-foot-long Brachiosaur and 90-foot-long Diplodocid. A 6-foot, 6-inch Brachiosaur scapula (shoulder bone) and several jackets containing articulated bones are among the material collected during the 2018 field season. A 5-foot, 1-inch femur of a Brachiosaur was revealed at the announcement on March 25, 2019. A WORLD-CLASS INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP The Children's Museum has selected paleontological experts from top natural history museums and universities around the world to form an international team with requisite scientific knowledge and experience to tackle the many questions raised by the new discoveries from the Jurassic Mile site in Wyoming. THE MISSION JURASSIC TEAM: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis ( Indianapolis, IN , USA) will serve as the Mission Jurassic project leader. The museum's current Dinosphere exhibit has captivated more than 15 million visitors since it opened in 2004, inspiring new generations of explorers and scientists. Visitors are introduced to some of the finest examples of past life including a rare mummified dinosaur named Leonardo and Dracorex hogwartsia . The first T. rex ever documented with a wishbone (furcula) and a Gorgosaur with a brain tumor are among other amazing fossils found there. A working Paleo Prep Lab at the museum allows visitors to touch real fossils while paleontologists work on real bones and learn the stories behind them. ( , USA) will serve as the Mission Jurassic project leader. The museum's current exhibit has captivated more than 15 million visitors since it opened in 2004, inspiring new generations of explorers and scientists. Visitors are introduced to some of the finest examples of past life including a rare mummified dinosaur named Leonardo and The first ever documented with a wishbone (furcula) and a with a brain tumor are among other amazing fossils found there. A working Paleo Prep Lab at the museum allows visitors to touch real fossils while paleontologists work on real bones and learn the stories behind them. The Natural History Museum ( London, UK ) and its founder, ground-breaking paleontologist Sir Richard Owen , first coined the term 'dinosaur' meaning 'terrible lizard' in 1842. The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science research center, and through its unique collection and unrivalled expertise it is tackling issues such as food security, eradicating diseases and managing resource scarcity. It is the most visited natural history museum in Europe and the top science attraction in the UK, welcoming over five million visitors each year and its website receives over 850,000 unique visitors a month. Acting Director of Science Richard Herrington says, "The reports from the first excavations reveal it is an exceptional area for further scientific explorationfrom the fossils already exposed, the quality of the discoveries so far and the existence of rarely-associated dinosaur trackways." ( ) and its founder, ground-breaking paleontologist Sir , first coined the term 'dinosaur' meaning 'terrible lizard' in 1842. The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science research center, and through its unique collection and unrivalled expertise it is tackling issues such as food security, eradicating diseases and managing resource scarcity. It is the most visited natural history museum in and the top science attraction in the UK, welcoming over five million visitors each year and its website receives over 850,000 unique visitors a month. Acting Director of Science says, "The reports from the first excavations reveal it is an exceptional area for further scientific explorationfrom the fossils already exposed, the quality of the discoveries so far and the existence of rarely-associated dinosaur trackways." The Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, Netherlands ) is dedicated to exploring our planet's biodiversity through past and present. With a collection of 42 million specimens and over 200 researchers working across the globe to describe and understand biodiversity, the center plays an important role in biodiversity discovery and outreach. Their brand new, state-of-the-art museum that will reopen this summer, will host an impressive dinosaur exhibit. The museum houses one of the world's best-preserved Tyrannosaurus specimens, which was excavated by their in-house team of paleontologists in 2013. Resident dinosaur expert Professor Anne Schulp has visited the Jurassic site and is optimistic about what may be found there. His team will bring expertise and enthusiasm to the site and hopes to return with a fuller understanding of biodiversity in the Jurassic period. At the very least, the team expects to unearth a better understanding of the species composition and biodiversity in the Jurassic, but the hopes are up for something bigger. "Typical dinosaurs of the Jurassic include well-known creatures such as Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus . It would be marvelous if we could bring one of those impressive beasts to Naturalis," Schulp said. "The science is at a crossroads where it is now possible to ask new questions about some of the most enigmatic creatures to have walked on Earth, the dinosaurs." (Leiden, ) is dedicated to exploring our planet's biodiversity through past and present. With a collection of 42 million specimens and over 200 researchers working across the globe to describe and understand biodiversity, the center plays an important role in biodiversity discovery and outreach. Their brand new, state-of-the-art museum that will reopen this summer, will host an impressive dinosaur exhibit. The museum houses one of the world's best-preserved specimens, which was excavated by their in-house team of paleontologists in 2013. Resident dinosaur expert Professor has visited the Jurassic site and is optimistic about what may be found there. His team will bring expertise and enthusiasm to the site and hopes to return with a fuller understanding of biodiversity in the Jurassic period. At the very least, the team expects to unearth a better understanding of the species composition and biodiversity in the Jurassic, but the hopes are up for something bigger. "Typical dinosaurs of the Jurassic include well-known creatures such as and . It would be marvelous if we could bring one of those impressive beasts to Naturalis," Schulp said. "The science is at a crossroads where it is now possible to ask new questions about some of the most enigmatic creatures to have walked on Earth, the dinosaurs." The University of Manchester ( Manchester, UK ) provides two of its academic staff working with The Children's Museum of Indianapolis . They are Prof. Phil Manning (Chair of Natural History) and Dr. Victoria Egerton (Research Fellow). Dr. Egerton explained that, "The preservation quality and sheer amount of plants at the Jurassic Mile is extraordinary. During this period, there were no flowering plants and this site provides significant insight to what these giant animals ate and how they may have grown to be so large," said Prof. Manning. "It is splendid that such an important site has been discovered at just the right time, as the science of paleontology is adapting existing and new imaging techniques to unpick the fossil remains of extinct life." ( ) provides two of its academic staff working with The Children's Museum of . They are Prof. (Chair of Natural History) and Dr. (Research Fellow). Dr. Egerton explained that, "The preservation quality and sheer amount of plants at the Jurassic Mile is extraordinary. During this period, there were no flowering plants and this site provides significant insight to what these giant animals ate and how they may have grown to be so large," said Prof. Manning. "It is splendid that such an important site has been discovered at just the right time, as the science of paleontology is adapting existing and new imaging techniques to unpick the fossil remains of extinct life." SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center) National Accelerator Laboratory , a key partner working with the University of Manchester team, will shine some of the brightest X-rays on Earth onto the fossils being excavated from Wyoming at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL). SSRL produces extremely bright X-ray light for probing our world at the atomic and molecular level. New imaging techniques being developed by the team have already resulted in multiple high-impact scientific publications. "Our primary instrument at SSRL is unique because it can do elemental imaging, which tells us where the elements are in fossils, and it can also do absorption spectroscopy, which tells us what chemical state they're in," says Uwe Bergmann , a distinguished SLAC scientist. "It allows us to detect a wide range of important biological and geochemical elements, from light elements like phosphorous and sulfur, all the way to the transition metals." , a key partner working with the University of team, will shine some of the brightest X-rays on Earth onto the fossils being excavated from at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL). SSRL produces extremely bright X-ray light for probing our world at the atomic and molecular level. New imaging techniques being developed by the team have already resulted in multiple high-impact scientific publications. "Our primary instrument at SSRL is unique because it can do elemental imaging, which tells us where the elements are in fossils, and it can also do absorption spectroscopy, which tells us what chemical state they're in," says , a distinguished SLAC scientist. "It allows us to detect a wide range of important biological and geochemical elements, from light elements like phosphorous and sulfur, all the way to the transition metals." ESRI GIANTS OF THE JURASSIC EXHIBITS Specimens from the well-preserved fossil remains at the "Jurassic Mile" site will form the basis for a major expansion of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis' permanent Dinosphere exhibit by adding creatures from the Jurassic Period. The project is already utilizing cutting-edge science, from particle accelerators to some of the most powerful computers on the planet, to help resurrect the Jurassic dinosaurs and add momentum to the process of unearthing the lost world and forgotten lives of the Jurassic. Fossils discovered at the site may also be shared with the Natural History Museum of London and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands for possible display and/or traveling exhibitions in the future. NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Dinosaurs captivate imaginations and are often a child's first exposure to science. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and its museum partners will now bring the excitement of exploration and discovery to youngsters all over the world as it inspires the next generation of scientists and explorers. There will be more information about how The Children's Museum of Indianapolis hopes to change the educational landscape in significant, hands-on ways the end of this summer. CONTRIBUTORS Mission Jurassic, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis' $27.5 million project, would not be possible without the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc., which made a $9 million grant to support the project. "The Children's Museum of Indianapolis consistently creates exceptional learning experiences for children and their families," said Rob Smith, Lilly Endowment's vice president for community development. "This project promises to further that mission by significantly enhancing the museum's iconic Dinosphere exhibit and fostering strong collaborations with world-renowned scientists, museums and research universities." Honorary Trustee Susie Sogard and her husband Jack Sogard have also made an extraordinary lead gift to support this project. Toyota generously shared vehicles to safely haul our fragile fossils in an off-road adventure to The Children's Museum. Additional funds will be needed to create extraordinary family learning experiences resulting from the research and exploration and all institutions will be actively fundraising to make that possible. The Children's Museum would also like to thank the museum's official partnersRiley Children's at Indiana University Health, Old National Bank and Ice Miller LLP. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.com/IndyTCM. Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly familyJ.K. Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr.through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders' wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. SOURCE The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Related Links http://www.childrensmuseum.org LAKE MARY, Fla., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by its mission to fight military spouse underemployment, Freedom Learning Group, LLC (FLG), an educational content and services provider, is maintaining a blazing >170% growth rate, now moving into its third year of operations. FLG has introduced the largest untapped resource of subject matter experts (over 50,000 in their networks) to publishers and universities looking for high quality content and curriculum. The result: since 2017 FLG, has rapidly gained market share hand over fist against established offshore competitors, emerging as a formidable powerhouse in the eLearning and content services industry capable of large-scale operations. Recognizing the need for reliable and qualified talent in the industry, FLG employs military spouses with advanced subject matter expertise to bridge the talent gap with a model that provides onshore quality at a competitive cost. The company is committed to improving the quality of online teaching and learning materials by bringing underemployed military spouses and veterans into the quickly expanding eLearning space. In just two years FLG surpassed the $1 million mark in earnings paid out to military spouses. Research and Markets projects eLearning to grow to a US $325 billion industry by 2025. "Our clients range from small edtech companies to the world's largest educational publishers, universities, and workforce training and licensing corporations - they appreciate both our social mission and our ability to combine instructional design acumen and subject matter expertise. Our IDs are industry experts in their own right, and it shows in the quality of the content they produce. We're giving higher quality, at a more competitive rate, and a faster pace than is typically seen elsewhere in eLearning," said Nathan Ecelbarger, FLG's CEO and a Marine reservist. Moving into 2019, FLG announced an initiative with Colorado State University Global to provide internship opportunities for military spouse professionals enrolled in CSU-Global's Graduate Certificate in Digital Instructional Architecture. For FLG, the partnership aims to establish a scalable supply chain of content developers for FLG's clients and an expanded workforce of military spouse instructional designers. Both CSU-Global's Provost and FLG's Chief Academic Officer continue to advocate for military spouse employment in Washington, D.C. "As a state University, CSU-Global provides access to high quality online education resulting in meaningful employment," said Dr. Karen Ferguson, CSU-Global Provost. "Our military, and their families, deserve the opportunity to learn and grow while experiencing the flexibility that an online state institution like ours can provide. Military spouses represent who we aim to support." FLG's Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Amy Taft, currently serving as a member of Second Lady Karen Pence's working group to fight underemployment of military spouses, said "FLG's solution for military spouses is unprecedented, unique, and the best answer on the market for professionals who have already invested heavily in their career path. While options like data science and tech continue to emerge, the military spouses who already possess advanced degrees in their field want the opportunity to actually use them. FLG gives them that opportunity." FLG's vast network of subject matter experts brings an exclusive, close to proprietary competitive advantage in an industry continually seeking reliable talent. Since 2017, FLG has invested in meaningful relationships and partnerships with military spouse and veteran groups, networks, and organizations - networks that are largely closed and inaccessible to FLG's competitors. "We've earned their trust, which isn't taken lightly," said Stacey Ecelbarger, FLG's Co-founder and President. "Military spouses are particularly wary of predatory employers who target them simply out of a public relations strategy without understanding their culture or true needs. We didn't start a military spouse employment 'initiative' in an existing organization. We founded an entire organization around a military spouse employment mission, and they can see the difference." Last year FLG joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring Our Heroes' new Hiring 100,000 Military Spouses campaign, which aims to place 100,000 military spouses in jobs by 2021. As a fast-growing veteran and military spouse-operated business, FLG has committed to hire 1,000 military spouses. "FLG's services and products live in an industry that pulls together all disciplines and backgrounds - the educational industry - and allows military spouses to repurpose their passion and profession, instead of reinventing it," said John Jordan, FLG's Director of Strategic Partnerships, and one of a handful of experts on the team without a direct military affiliation. "I am surrounded by great people of high integrity working to make a difference. I am proof of the great integration and openness of the company. ELearning and publishing are well known to be difficult industries; the Ecelbargers and the team are making it a great place for many people to thrive." John also added that, "while there are many great companies in our space, it generally reassures our clients that we're US-based, and bring a 'get it done' attitude to everything. I've seen military-like mission accomplishment first hand, it's very impressive." About Freedom Learning Group: Freedom Learning Group, LLC is a leading full-service digital courseware developer, service provider, and education consultancy supporting publishers, colleges and universities, and OER learning companies. FLG specializes in eLearning content creation, ADA/Section 508 accessibility solutions, online program management, and curriculum design and development. As a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), FLG is powered by a global instructional design team of military spouses and veterans with advanced subject matter expertise. Connect with FLG at www.freedomlearninggroup.com and on social media through Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . Contact FLG directly at 407.965.2000 or [email protected] . For more information, contact: Stacey Ecelbarger, 407-965-2000 [email protected] SOURCE Freedom Learning Group Related Links http://www.freedomlearninggroup.com NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Lilli Hadsell was awarded a total of $7,020,000 in damages in her gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation lawsuit against the City of Baldwin Park, where she worked as the first Baldwin Park female police chief in a unanimous verdict. Hadsell was represented by Los Angeles-based law firms Dordick Law Corporation and Shegerian & Associates. Hadsell was hired by Baldwin Park in 1999 and employed there for nearly 14 years, until December, 2013. During the last five years of Hadsell's tenure, she acted as chief of police, working under city Chief Executive Officer Vijay Singhal as her direct supervisor. According to the lawsuit, Hadsell was promoted to chief of police by the city council in 2008, due to her stellar work performance and her token status as a female officer. After her promotion to police chief, Hadsell's subordinate Michael Taylor and city council member Ricardo Pacheco made comments to her subordinates that "a woman cannot do this [chief of police] job" and that she "took Mike Taylor's job." Similar comments were made throughout Hadsell's career as chief of police. Taylor continuously referred to Hadsell as "Dear" in an effort to demean and disparage her, and was consistently insubordinate to her orders. Hadsell informed Singhal about the bullying behavior and complained to the Mayor, as well as to Taylor and Pacheco themselves. In 2009, following an election of city council members, Hadsell removed Taylor from the chain of command. Shortly after, she received a phone call from Pacheco, during which he screamed at her, demanding that Hadsell resign and threatening to make her resign if she didn't do so herself. In 2013, a city council seat opened up and Pacheco chose a political surrogate to run for election and take the seat. Pacheco's surrogate won, giving him the majority. On December 10, 2013, Hadsell was "dismissed without cause" by the city council. One of those involved in Hadsell's termination informed her via text message that her firing constituted retaliation. Carney Shegerian, the founder of Shegerian & Associates, has weighed in on the lawsuit. "The jury's verdict in favor of Hadsell is both a win for her, and for all victims of gender discrimination in the workplace," Shegerian says. "No one should have to endure demeaning and harassing behavior on the basis of their gender." About Shegerian & Associates: Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $300 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York. Media Contact: Pace Public Relations Caroline Kropke [email protected] SOURCE Shegerian & Associates ATLANTA, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A Georgia state court judge has rejected attempts by Johnson & Johnson to exclude three medical experts from testifying about links between Baby Powder use and ovarian cancer, setting the stage for a July trial in which J&J will again face questions about the safety of the company's talc-based products. Attorneys for Johnson & Johnson had challenged the credentials, expertise, and scientific methodology of three experts who are expected to testify on behalf of the family of a Georgia woman who died of ovarian cancer. According to the lawsuit, Fulton County resident Diane Brower used J&J's Baby Powder for feminine hygiene twice a day beginning when she was a teenager. She was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer in 2013 and died three years later at age 65. Georgia state courts follow the same standard as federal courts to qualify witnesses as experts. Lawyers for J&J sought to exclude testimony of Laura Plunkett, PhD, a board-certified pharmacologist, toxicologist and regulatory expert; Dr. John Godleski, a pathology professor in the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard School of Public Health; and Dr. James Barter, director of Gynecologic Oncology Research at Holy Cross Hospital in Rockville, Maryland. In her March 26 ruling, Judge Jane Morrison rejected those challenges and will allow all three to testify in the upcoming jury trial, scheduled to begin on July 15. "These medical experts are world-class in their specialties, and their opinions are based on expertise sharpened through rigorous and objective scientific training," said trial attorney Ted Meadows of the Beasley Allen Law Firm. "For too long, J&J has ignored concerns from the medical community about Baby Powder and cancer. We're pleased that jurors will have an opportunity to hear from these experts." The case is The estate of Diane Brower et al. v Johnson & Johnson Inc. et al., Case No. 16EV005534 in the State Court of Fulton County Georgia. The trial will be the first time a Georgia jury will hear such a case. Juries in six previous talc-ovarian cancer trials in other states have agreed that J&J's Baby Powder contributed to an ovarian cancer diagnosis, and that the company knew of the association and failed to warn consumers. In July, a St. Louis jury returned a $4.69 billion verdict including $4.14 billion in punitive damages on behalf of 22 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson has appealed the verdicts, some of which have been overturned based on technical challenges regarding jurisdiction, but none have been overturned on the question of cancer causation or the company's wrongful conduct. About the Beasley Allen Law Firm Headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., Beasley Allen is comprised of more than 70 attorneys and 200 support staff. One of the largest Plaintiffs law firms in the country, Beasley Allen is a national leader in civil litigation, with verdicts and settlements in excess of $26 billion. For more information visit www.beasleyallen.com. Contact: Barry Pound 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Beasley Allen Law Firm Related Links https://www.beasleyallen.com After Christchurch attack : Muslims in Bonn worry about their safety BONN After the attack on two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand, Muslims in Germany are also worried about their safety. A visit to a place of worship in Bonn. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A roundish bright room lined with red carpet. This is the prayer room of the Al-Muhajirin Mosque on Bruhler Strasse in Bonn. Two men kneel under the green-golden dome. Their hands are stretched out and their eyes are closed as they face Mecca. Community leader Mahmoud Kharrat climbs the steps to the prayer pulpit. From here he often speaks to his congregation. "Allahu Akbar," it sounds through the interior. A peaceful place, a devout moment before Allah. But is the place still so peaceful? The attack on two mosques in New Zealand has left traces. The uncertainties in the communities have grown. How safe are Muslims still in Germany? How is the state reacting and what is being done against imitators? Mayzek demands more protection For Aiman Mazyek, the state has not done enough so far. The chairman of the Central Council of Muslims (ZMD) is alarmed and calls for more protection in an interview with the "Heilbronner Zeitung": "In the Muslim communities confidence in the work of the security authorities is now fading. Many have the feeling that their concerns and their understandable need for security are not being taken seriously. Horst Seehofer also admitted to the "Bild" newspaper after the attack on the two mosques in Christchurch that religious institutions could be the targets of terrorists. The Minister of the Interior promises increased security if there are indications of a possible danger. A step forward for the ZMD, which welcomes the words of the Federal Minister of the Interior on his website. How much influence can Seehofer exert? Looking at the police structures in Germany, however, the question arises as to how much influence Seehofer can have on regional security in the first place. A spokesman for the NRW Ministry of the Interior made it clear to the General-Anzeiger that the security of Muslim communities was the responsibility of the individual German states and that the protective measures were handled differently from authority to authority. Every authority in NRW has a local contact official from Muslim institutions who is there as a police contact for the Muslim communities. "We have known for years that Germany is in the crosshairs of terrorism. Accordingly, the protection measures are at a high level. No indications of danger in Bonn Responding to the recent events in New Zealand, the spokesman said that all police authorities had been immediately urged to be even more sensitive in Muslim communities and to check security there. The press officer of the Bonn police did not want to reveal exactly what the measures for Bonn would look like. "The places in question are visited by us, and we include them increasingly when on patrol. However there is no concrete reference point for an endangerment in Bonn, said the sppokesperson. "We have one responsible official per authority, who is interacts with the Muslim communities. "The mosque is open to all In the Al-Muhajirin mosque, community leader Kharrat sits behind his desk. The windows of the office have bars and small screens in the background. Not far from the desk is Sabri Shiref, a member of the board. Thoughtfully, he stirs his coffee. "The police has often visited the mosque," says Kharrat. They had good conversations. A few days ago, other policemen were there. "They asked about the prayer times and said that they would patrol in front of the mosque. There was also a new contact given to us, whom we can call. Kharrat puts the business card on the table and points to the screens: "Of course we are afraid of Salafists and do not allow radicals in our mosque, or generally people who want something bad. There are cameras everywhere on-site. There are three people watching and controlling strangers." Shiref agrees with him: "The mosque is open to everyone. We still have to be careful and always keep our eyes open." But since the opening of the church six years ago nothing has happened yet, Kharrat affirms. Emotional question about the future Both are emotional about the future of Muslims in Europe. Shiref raises his head: "Since 2001 we Muslims have been regarded as terrorists. Yet terror can hit anyone. When I hear what happens to Muslims on the street in Europe, I feel fear for my daughters. They wear headscarves. I always tell them, be careful! It is a pity that something can happen to them here. For Kharrat the matter is clear. The media are mainly to blame for Islamophobic violence: "There are radicals who are heated up by the media. Fears are being played with and people are told that there are too many Muslims in Germany. We simply want to live and let others live. The media pick out what they want and twist the facts." Shiref says it even clearer: "I am German and have no other citizenship. This is also my country. We have to be careful that things don't end up the way they did with the Jews back then." Kharrat, who has lived in Germany for 40 years and describes the country as his home, demands: "We must keep more together as a society. Fear for one's own children Friday prayers are coming up. Little by little cars with families drive to the parking lot of the mosque. A man gets out with his two little daughters and walks to the entrance. The 38-year-old is afraid for his children. "Of course Im thinking about the assassination, but it won't stop me from coming here." Also, a young woman doesn't want to be forbidden from praying: "I just live on normally," she says and disappears into the mosque. Two young people proudly show off their headscarves. They won't be afraid, and they didnt have to experience violence yet, the 16-year-olds say. PALO ALTO, Calif., March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HGGC, a leading technology-focused private equity firm, today announced several promotions and new hires in the wake of receiving a strategic investment from Dyal Capital Partners. These moves recognize contributions from current team members and enhance talent across the firm as it continues to build its portfolio and execute its successful 'Advantaged Investing' strategy. "Steve Young and I are excited to have five team members join us in the partnership group of HGGC," said Rich Lawson, Chairman, CEO and co-founder of the firm. "Les, John, Steven, Harv and Lance have taken strong leadership roles within our firm to drive the success of our model of true partnership among our portfolio companies, our global investors and our team." The HGGC team members promoted to Partner include: Les Brown joined HGGC in 2007 and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for HGGC's Fund III investment in Nutraceutical International Corporation. He was previously a member of the Board of Directors for HGGC's Fund II investment in Dynata, and the exited investments in Serena Software and hybris Software. John Block joined HGGC in 2010 and is active in the firm's Fund III investment in Mi9 and HelpSystems, Fund II investments in Aventri, Davies Group, Integrity, FPX and Pearl, as well as Fund I investment in Innovative and MyWebGrocer. He previously was involved with the firm's exited investments in Citadel, Hollander and hybris Software. Steven Leistner joined HGGC in 2009 and is active in the firm's Fund III investments in Nutraceutical International Corporation and Denodo, Fund II investments in Selligent and Dynata, as well as Fund I investment in iQor. He previously was involved with the firm's exited investments in Serena Software, Power Holdings, MaMa Rosa's and Sunquest Information Systems. Harv Barenz joined HGGC in 2008 and leads HGGC's business development efforts globally and focuses primarily on sourcing new platform investments and assisting portfolio companies with add-on acquisitions. Harv is also responsible for developing and managing the firm's intermediary relationships and plays an integral role in the HGGC ecosystem. Lance Taylor joined HGGC in 2014 and serves as the Chief Financial Officer of HGGC overseeing the Firm's finance and accounting operations. Prior to joining HGGC, Lance was Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Calera Capital. "Rich and I are incredibly proud of the talented team here at HGGC," said Steve Young, President and co-founder of HGGC. "Not only are these professionals smart and hard-working, they also continue to learn and grow to the benefit of our firm, our portfolio companies and our investors. We are happy to recognize their contributions, and to welcome five new additions to the team." Kurt Krieger joined HGGC in 2008 and has been promoted from General Counsel to Chief Legal Officer. Kurt serves as the Corporate Secretary of the firm's portfolio holding companies and fund entities. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of HGGC's affiliated private foundation. In addition, he serves or has served on the boards of various HGGC portfolio companies. Jay Tabu joined HGGC in 2010 and has been promoted from Vice President to Principal. Prior to joining HGGC, Jay was the Manager of Information Technology at Mayfield Fund, a venture capital firm in Menlo Park, California. Chris Schulze joined HGGC in 2016 and has been promoted from Senior Associate to Vice President. Prior to HGGC, Chris was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, where he advised clients primarily in the technology, consumer and retails sectors. Peter Cozzi joined HGGC in 2017 and has been promoted from Associate to Senior Associate. Prior to joining HGGC, Peter was an Investment Banking Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he focused on leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions and debt offerings. Neha Vaidya joined HGGC in 2017 and has been promoted from Associate to Senior Associate. Prior to joining HGGC, Neha was an Investment Banking Analyst at Evercore, where she worked on mergers and acquisitions, activism defense and IPOs. New additions to HGGC include: Greg Caltabiano and Lindsay Sparks join HGGC as Executive Directors who will work directly in support of HGGC's portfolio companies. Lindsay Sparks is a seasoned Senior Executive who has extensive experience building and running a diverse set of businesses. As a former Officer of Microsoft Corporation and a multi-time founder and CEO, Lindsay has extensive experience scaling and guiding businesses to industry leading returns. Lindsay also sits on a number of boards and provides strategic guidance to large investment firms and selected companies. Greg Caltabiano has deep knowledge of the technology ecosystem and over 30 years of operating experience in the US, China, Japan, Korea, and Europe. Previously, he was President and CEO of Teknovus, which was acquired by Broadcom, President and CEO of ACCO, and President and COO of SOMA Networks. Greg holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University, where he graduated with highest honors and Phi Beta Kappa. Mo Gulamhusein, Vice President, joins following his graduation from Harvard's MBA program and a 2018 summer internship at HGGC. Prior to business school, he spent 3 years in the direct private equity group of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and 2 years in investment banking at CIBC World Markets. Gulamhusein graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Holland Reynolds, Investment Associate, joins from Cambridge Associates where she worked as an investment analyst and investment associate focused on U.S. Private Equity. Reynolds earned Bachelor's Degrees in Spanish and Art History from Colgate University. Chandni Shah, Fund Accountant in the Operations Team, joins from CITCO Fund Services where she held the same position. Prior to Citco, she was a Fund Analyst at Northern Trust. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois At Chicago. About HGGC HGGC is a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on technology investments with $4.3 billion in cumulative capital commitments. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., HGGC is distinguished by its "Advantaged Investing" approach that enables the firm to source and acquire scalable businesses at attractive multiples through partnerships with management teams, founders and sponsors who reinvest alongside HGGC, creating a strong alignment of interests. Over its history, HGGC has completed more than 120 platform investments, add-on acquisitions, recapitalizations and liquidity events with an aggregate transaction value of nearly $20 billion. More information is available at www.hggc.com. SOURCE HGGC Related Links https://www.hggc.com OTTAWA, Ontario, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- InGenius Software Inc., a computer telephony integration (CTI) solution innovator, is pleased to announce a new integration for InGenius Connector Enterprise with Unified Service Desk (USD) for Microsoft Dynamics 365. InGenius Connector Enterprise with Unified Service Desk for Microsoft Dynamics 365 With the new integration, the InGenius interface is brought into the USD window for a "single pane of glass" experience for contact center agents. InGenius allows agents to take advantage of features such as click-to-dial, screen pop, automated call logging and screen transfer without leaving the CRM, resulting in an increase in efficiency and personalized service for customers. Unified Service Desk for Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a desktop solution that provides a synthesized, 360-degree view of customer data for users. USD makes use of Microsoft's Unified Interface framework, which uses responsive design to ensure a good user experience on every screen size. This framework also gives USD the ability to load URLs or pages from Dynamics 365, and ensures InGenius fits alongside CRM data, but does not cover it. "As a Silver Microsoft Partner, we've been able to work with the Microsoft team to ensure we provide a seamless user experience for contact center representatives within Unified Service Desk for Microsoft Dynamics 365," said Kari Simpson, Vice President, Product Management and Marketing at InGenius. "Our CTI solution allows sales and service teams of all sizes to take advantage of productivity enhancements. Empowering agents with effective tools translates to profound results when looking across an entire enterprise organization. We're very pleased to be working alongside Microsoft to break down data silos and streamline business processes for modern contact centers." InGenius Connector Enterprise supports integration for Unified Service Desk version 4.0 for Microsoft Dynamics 365 version 9.1. Supported phone systems include Avaya Aura Communication Manager, Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise, Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise and Genesys PureEngage. InGenius helps users reduce clicks and easily view a consolidation of phone and customer data in the CRM. With standard features and flexible configurations, InGenius helps users decrease their call handling time while providing a better experience to their customers and prospects. InGenius Software is a Silver Microsoft Partner and a Microsoft Partner member of D365UG/CRMUG. The company's CTI solution, InGenius Connector Enterprise, is a published app on Microsoft AppSource. For more information about InGenius, see https://www.ingenius.com/integrations/microsoft-dynamics-365/. About InGenius InGenius Connector Enterprise expertly integrates existing telephone systems into leading CRMS, with an enterprise-proven solution. Using innovative computer telephony integration (CTI) that offers maximum configuration flexibility and security, InGenius easily adapts to unique contact center needs. Contact centers use InGenius to increase productivity and enhance the customer experience. Visit ingenius.com for more information. Media Contact Kari Simpson InGenius VP, Product Management and Marketing (613) 591-9002 x2550 [email protected] SOURCE InGenius Software Inc. Related Links http://www.ingenius.com KERRVILLE, Texas, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- James Avery Artisan Jewelry, a family-owned jewelry retailer based in Texas, announces the upcoming opening of its newest store at Belterra Village in Austin on Wednesday, April 10. To celebrate the opening, visitors of the new store may enter a drawing for a chance to win one of thirty James Avery gift cards valued at $50, $100 or $500. James Avery's Vice President of Real Estate and Development, Howell Ridout, says "James Avery Artisan Jewelry has a strong commitment to quality both in our jewelry and the shopping experience our Customers enjoy. With our enhanced store design, we strive to make each visit to our new store in Belterra village convenient, inviting and memorable for Customers." The Belterra Village James Avery Artisan Jewelry store is under the direction of Manager Lisa FransBurgess and is located at 164 Belterra Village Way, Austin, Texas 78737. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday. About James Avery Artisan Jewelry James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, gemstones and leather wallets designed by our own skilled artisans in Kerrville, Texas. We are a multi-channel retailer with 87 James Avery stores in five states. Our jewelry is also available in more than 215 Dillard's stores in Texas and 28 additional states, and nationwide through JamesAvery.com. James Avery crafts jewelry in Texas workshops in Comfort, Fredericksburg, Hondo and Kerrville. For more information, visit JamesAvery.com or facebook.com/JamesAvery. About the Drawings *FREE James Avery gift to the first 100 Customers making purchases at our Belterra Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 20. Limit one gift per Customer. Non-returnable. No cash or credit back. **Odds of winning depend on total number of entries received. Thirty James Avery gift cards will be awarded: twenty-four $50 gift cards, three $100 gift cards and three $500 gift cards. Entries accepted April 10 April 20. Hourly drawings held April 20 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the grand opening celebration. No purchase necessary. Must be at least 13 years old to enter. Only one entry per person per day. Winners not eligible to win a subsequent gift card in the same promotion. Winners need not be present to win; however, if prize is not claimed within 14 days of drawing, prize will be awarded to an alternate winner. James Avery Associates and immediate family members not eligible for this gift card promotion. SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry Related Links http://www.JamesAvery.com RESTON, Va., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin Edwards, global manager of the diversity and inclusion program at Bechtel, has been named a recipient of the National Society of Black Engineers' (NSBE) Golden Torch Award. Edwards is being recognized for his leadership of the company's efforts to strengthen its hiring, retention, and advancement of minorities and women. He will be presented the Golden Torch Award at the NSBE annual convention's gala on March 30 in Detroit. Kevin Edwards, global manager of diversity and inclusion at Bechtel, will receive a Golden Torch Award from the National Society of Black Engineers for guiding the company's achievements in recruitment, retention, advancement and employee training. Edwards also will deliver the keynote address on March 28 at the general session of the NSBE's 45th annual convention before an audience of roughly 15,000. The NSBE has more than 20,000 professional members and 15,000 student members worldwide. "Kevin has been a wonderful partner and consummate advocate for diversity for over a decade," said NSBE executive director Karl Reid. "He's been named an NSBE Champion of Champion multiple times over the course of a decade, which speaks to his advocacy for facilitating a progressively deepening strategic partnership between Bechtel and NSBE." Bechtel is among the companies and universities working with the NSBE in support of the organization's goal to increase the number of African Americans graduating with bachelor's degrees in engineering to 10,000 per year by 2025. Currently, about 3,620 black engineers graduate per year, according to the NSBE. "I'm honored to receive a Golden Torch Award," said Edwards. "We deeply appreciate the enormous value of our partnership with NSBE because diversifying our workplace depends on increasing the number of students enrolling in engineering at the university level, and then supporting them through graduation. Bechtel's continued growth as a leading global engineering, construction, and procurement company greatly depends on our ability to develop these talented students and propel them to rewarding careers. At Bechtel, Edwards is responsible for the development and execution of the corporation's diversity and inclusion program. Since assuming the role in 2018, he has successfully guided the company to achieving its strategic goals in recruitment, relationships with key universities and organizations such as the NSBE, employee training, talent management and promotions, and the support of employee resource groups. Edwards has held a variety of managerial and project engineering roles since joining Bechtel in 2000, including manager of the Quality and Six Sigma function for Bechtel's Infrastructure business unit and field engineering manager of the Washington, D.C. area's Metrorail Dulles corridor project. Edwards earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Rutgers University and a master's degree in environmental engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds a Six Sigma master black belt certification. About Bechtel Bechtel is one of the most respected global engineering, construction, and project management companies. Together with our customers, we deliver landmark projects that foster long-term progress and economic growth. Since 1898, we've completed more than 25,000 extraordinary projects across 160 countries on all seven continents. We operate through four global businesses: Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; Oil, Gas & Chemicals; and Mining & Metals. Our company and our culture are built on more than a century of leadership and a relentless adherence to our values, the core of which are safety, quality, ethics, and integrity. These values are what we believe, what we expect, what we deliver, and what we live. www.Bechtel.com Media contact: Corey Dade O: +1 571 262 7067 M: +1 571 283 9363 [email protected] SOURCE Bechtel Related Links http://www.bechtel.com Due to Vietnam's cheap cost of labor and services, foreign investment is flowing inside the country. Vietnam is also known for its tourism industry. With these in mind, Khanhalect attempts to provide foundation knowledge of languages to the underprivileged children. The newly acquired knowledge will hopefully create a demand for the children's skills. Khanhalect is now focusing on teaching Japanese with the help of Chie Semba, a Japanese teacher who is experienced in teaching Japanese to Vietnamese university students. Khanhalect chooses Japanese because of the increase in Japanese business interests in Vietnam. Khanhalect has around 10 students at Mai Am Anh Sang orphanage. The students are in the age of 16-25, and are relying on the resources of the orphanage. Khanh and Chie have worked together on the Japanese curriculum and taught the students at Mai Am Anh Sang. They've taught Hiragana and Katakana with the help of volunteer teachers. Students are now learning intricate Japanese grammar and will soon learn Kanji. Biweekly, the volunteer teachers travel to Mai Am Anh Sang to teach Japanese, and also to help expose the students to Japanese culture and mannerisms. Chie also holds a workshop for the volunteer teachers twice a week in order to help them deliver lessons smoothly. Khanhalect's short-term goal is to expand its Japanese classes to an online platform where the learning will be made more accessible, and also to find more students and volunteers. Aside from its current mission, Khanhalect is known to have established a fund with the support of Japanese NPOs in November last year, called Foundation No. 1. Khanhalect also took part in a charity event on December 11th at the Hotel Grand Arc Hanzomon (Japan) where it delivered a speech to Japanese politicians. Khanhalect takes part in charity events hosted by World Support 21, a Japanese NPO. Yearly, Khanhalect receives a JPY200,000 (about US$2,000) contribution from World Support 21 for activities that bring more opportunities to underprivileged young people through foreign language education. These funds will be used for free-of-charge foreign language courses (directly or online) to young people who want to change their lives. People who are interested in the project can visit https://khanhalect.com to learn more about the volunteer recruitment, donation, and the organization's overall information. SOURCE Khanhalect Related Links https://khanhalect.com ALBANY, N.Y., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Shouting, "End corporate welfare, pass public works!" hundreds of union activists and day laborers flooded the halls of the Capitol today, urging legislators to act before it's too late on legislation that would grant raises to thousands of construction workers on publicly subsidized projects. Leafleting throughout the Capitol, pulling Senators off the floor, and distributing packets of information at legislators' offices, activists are asking the Legislature to move the prevailing wage policy as a part of ongoing budget negotiations. "The clock is ticking," said Patrick Purcell, Executive Director of the GNY & NYS Laborers-Employers Cooperation & Education Trust. "How much longer will construction workers have to wait for wage justice? This isn't about union or non-union workers, it's about setting a strong wage standard that benefits all construction workers and levels the playing field for in-state, responsible contractors. Delaying this measure until after the budget will be akin to denying a raise to thousands of workers." While opponents of the legislation are voicing drastic, all-or-nothing concerns, the sixteen states that have already passed similar legislation have seen continued economic development. A1261/S1947 will bring New York onto equal footing with neighboring states New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, for example, who each have the public works policy already codified in law. "Today, day laborers and immigrant construction workers stand together with our brothers and sisters from organized labor, to show a force of unity and send a powerful message. In the face of mounting pressure on our communities, Governor Cuomo and our state Legislators have the opportunity to pass historic protections for construction workers and their families throughout New York State," said Manuel Castro, Executive Director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE). "By providing a fair definition of public works, New York will ensure safe working conditions and a living wage for construction workers, union and non-union alike, in state-supported projects across our diverse state. By enacting this change, New York will demonstrate that our core values of opportunity and justice for all are more important than quick profits and corporate greed. As a grassroots organization, working directly with some of the most abused workers in the construction industry, we stand united in this effort." "The Legislature has a simple decision to make: do blue-collar workers deserve an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, or do developers deserve to grow their bottom-lines using our tax dollars?" asked Michael Hellstrom, Assistant Business Manager of the Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York. "This is about ensuring our tax dollars are no longer used to line the pockets of out-of-state contractors who exploit workers and drive wages down. The clock is ticking and construction workers need to know what the Legislature's decision will be." "Definition of public work is about empowering workers, of all skill levels, upstate and down," said John Hutchings, Executive Director of the New York State Laborers Political Action Committee. "Developers have been allowed to exploit New York's lax public work law to reap maximum taxpayer-funded subsidies for too long. We implore the Assembly and Senate to seize the opportunity we have now through the budget to pass this legislation and grant workers this long overdue raise." "Public subsidies must come with public responsibility," said Joseph Azzopardi, Business Manager of New York State District Council 9 IUPAT, Painters and Allied Trades. "The public work legislation is a common-sense solution to ensure taxpayer-funded subsidies finally have a responsibility to the construction workers on the projects these dollars support. Now is our strongest moment to accomplish this policy for New York's construction workers, another day of delay will be an additional giveaway to real estate interests." "As Chair of the NYS Senate Labor Committee, I am the proud sponsor of the Public Works Bill so we can begin to end the race to the bottom in the construction industry," said New York State Senator Jessica Ramos. "Those working on publicly financed projects must be paid a prevailing wage. We must include the Public Works Bill in this year's budget to ensure that the people who build our state can afford to call it home." "The New York State Constitution makes clear that labor is not a commodity and the hardworking men and women on public works projects must be paid a prevailing wage. Unfortunately, these requirements have been watered down through a bureaucratic process that allows contractors to get out of their obligation to pay our working families the wages they deserve," said New York State Assembly Member Harry Bronson. "Simply put, this bill would create a transparent method for determining which projects are considered public works, bringing our state policy in line with the spirit and intent of our constitution. I look forward to working with Senator Ramos and the men and women of New York's construction industries to pass this vital legislation in this year's state budget." "We have a responsibility to ensure that projects that receive taxpayer money are providing good paying jobs," said New York State Senator Jim Gaughran. "A prevailing wage would ensure that workers are treated fairly and paid a living wage." "As Chair of Cities Committee and a member of the Labor Committee, I stand with the Laborers and their Union siblings from across the Building Trades to affirm the importance of a clear definition of Public Work," said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. "It's ridiculous that our taxes are going to support public works projects given to employers who are not bound by any meaningful standards. Only developers who are prepared to treat their workers with dignity and pay a fair wage should be eligible for projects funded by taxpayer dollars. That's just common sense." "All construction workers deserve a fair and decent wage," said New York State Senator Diane Savino. "There is no reason that New York should lag behind while other states see the economic benefits of policies like this. As we work to finalize the budget I will continue to advocate for this so that hard working New Yorkers are paid a fair wage for their work." "We need a fair definition of public works so that everyone understands that people doing public works jobs will be paid a fair wage," said New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. "Everyone will benefit - the apprentice, the structure when completed will be safe and cost-effective, the local economy and the working men and women." "Public work projects exist in large part to benefit local communities," said New York State Senator James Skoufis. "We have a responsibility to ensure these projects are employing good-paying jobs. A prevailing wage will boost the local economy and ensure construction workers are paid a respectable, living wage." "As I have said time and again, we need a clear definition of public work in law and we need it now," said New York State Senator Rich Funke. "We are spending billions on economic development in our state and when taxpayer dollars are invested prevailing wage must be attached. The men and women of the building trades work hard every day, they pay their taxes, they contribute to our communities and they never ask government for a dime. In this case, they are simply asking that we deliver on previous promises to ensure that a fair wage is paid for a fair day's work. I am proud to stand with them and I urge the Governor and the leaders of both houses to include this in the final budget." "Paying workers on publicly supported construction projects a fair wage is good public policy and the best type of 'economic development,'" said New York State Assembly Member Thomas Abinanti. "Prevailing wage standards are crucial to providing local jobs to our friends and neighbors and protecting the local economy," said New York State Assembly Member Karl Brabenec. "Many employees building public works are performing tasks that require a high degree of education and experience and they deserve to be compensated fairly for their expertise and diligence. Investing in public works is a long-standing tradition in New York State that has many far reaching benefits to our economy and broader society. I stand behind these employees in their efforts and offer my sincere support." "It is imperative that we clarify the definition of 'public work' in state law so that developers working on projects paid for by New York taxpayers will stop using current loopholes to circumvent paying their employees prevailing wages and maintaining safe work sites," said New York State Assembly Member Michael DenDekker. "Ensuring we have prevailing wage requirements is crucial to protecting good paying, middle-class jobs in many sectors of our economy, especially on Long Island," said New York State Assembly Member Mike LiPetri. "It is important that taxpayer money lifts up local families and enriches the community in which it is invested." "As the budget is soon to be finalized, I am committed to fighting for this provision to ensure wage fairness for all New York construction workers," said New York State Assembly Member Walter Mosley. "This legislation achieves just that, and we should not wait any longer to make sure it becomes law." "It is our responsibility to ensure workers are paid a fair wage on sites where taxpayer money is used," said New York State Assembly Member Sean Ryan. "A prevailing wage would give workers increased financial stability and make sure our tax dollars stay here in New York instead of going into the bank accounts of out of state contractors and developers. This would set a strong standard that will benefit blue collar workers and their families across New York State." "It is of the utmost importance that hard-working construction workers throughout the State of New York are compensated fairly," said New York State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon. "I am proud to stand with labor unions and construction workers to demand that New York clearly defines public works this year." The Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York is the 17,000-member umbrella council, representing five local unions affiliated with the Laborers International Union of North America: General Building Laborers Local 66; Asbestos, Lead & Hazardous Waste Laborers Local 78; Construction & General Laborers Local 79; Waste Material, Recycling & General Industrial Laborers Local 108, and: Lay Faculty Association Local 1261. The New York State Laborers' Union represents over 40,000 members employed in the construction industry and other fields throughout the state, and organized into more than 24 local unions and 5 district councils. SOURCE Mason Tenders District Council NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Loeb, founder and CEO of Loeb.nyc, the New York City-based venture collective, recently participated in a fireside chat during Brandweek's Challenger Summit at New York City's Grand Hyatt. Loeb made his remarks in front of roughly 600 attendees gathered at the first annual Challenger Summit, a two-day event focused on companies that are pioneering new waves of innovation in today's ever-shifting brand landscape. Michael Loeb of Loeb.nyc speaks at Brandweek's Challenger Summit Lisa Granatstein, Adweek's editor and SVP of programming, conducted the one-on-one interview with Loeb to kick off the Summit's second full day. A Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame inductee, Loeb shared a variety of stories ranging from his creation of The Synapse Group, a multichannel marketing company that revolutionized the world of magazine subscriptions, to his time spent incubating Priceline.com. He also discussed the unique cultural attributes of Loeb.nyc, the venture studio that he oversees in midtown Manhattan. During the discussion, Loeb described Loeb.nyc as a place where entrepreneurs are truly allowed to foster their ideas and build their companies. He derided the fact that, in his words, "most entrepreneurs spend half of each day raising money or keeping investors happy." Loeb added that he is drawn to companies that have the right founder, explaining that: "The right founder will find a way they will go through it, tunnel under it, figure it out. They will not be denied." Loeb joined other industry leaders who participated in Brandweek's two-day Challenger Summit, including Tim Armstrong, former CEO of both Oath and AOL, Tom Cortese, co-founder of Peleton, Betheny Frankel, CEO of Skinnygirl, and Eduardo Luz, CMO of KraftHeinz. The complete discussion between Loeb and Granatstein is available here . An active philanthropist and angel investor, Loeb encourages startups to reach him and his team at Loeb.nyc. ABOUT MICHAEL LOEB Michael Loeb is a New York-based veteran entrepreneur and Direct Marketing Association Hall-of-Famer who has backed, built, or funded over fifty successful companies. Chief among his successes are Priceline.com--known for its travel deals and travel search engine, and Synapse (acquired by Time, Inc.). Loeb now leads Loeb.nyc and Loeb Enterprises, a startup laboratory and private investment platform, respectively, based in New York City. A leading New York philanthropist, Loeb donates to a variety of charities, and he's donated the location fees related to his Hamptons home being used as a set for the Showtime television series Billions. ABOUT Loeb.nyc The venture arm of Loeb Enterprises and founded by CEO Michael Loeb, Loeb.nyc is a startup lab and early-stage private investor built on the belief that aligning the right people with the right ideas creates successful companies. More information can be found at www.loeb.nyc. Press Contact: Shea Communications Richard Shea (212) 627-5766 SOURCE Loeb.nyc Related Links http://www.loeb.nyc WASHINGTON, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Tuesday's announcement by Vice President Mike Pence, at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council, about putting American astronauts back on the Moon in the next five years: Vice President Mike Pence speaks about NASAs mandate to return American astronauts to the Moon and on to Mars at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council March 26, 2019, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "Today, I joined leaders from across the country as Vice President Mike Pence chaired the fifth meeting of the National Space Council. Vice President Pence lauded President Donald J. Trump's bold vision for space exploration and spoke to NASA's progress on key elements to accomplish the President's Space Policy Directives. "Among the many topics discussed during our meeting at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, was to accelerate our return to the Moon: NASA is charged to get American astronauts to the Moon in the next five years. We are tasked with landing on the Moon's South Pole by 2024. Stay on schedule for flying Exploration Mission-1 with Orion on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket next year, and for sending the first crewed mission to the lunar vicinity by 2022. NASA will continue to 'use all means necessary' to ensure mission success in moving us forward to the Moon. "It is the right time for this challenge, and I assured the Vice President that we, the people of NASA, are up to the challenge. "We will take action in the days and weeks ahead to accomplish these goals. We have laid out a clear plan for NASA's exploration campaign that cuts across three strategic areas: low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars and deeper into space. "I have already directed a new alignment within NASA to ensure we effectively support this effort, which includes establishing a new mission directorate to focus on the formulation and execution of exploration development activities. We are calling it the Moon to Mars Mission Directorate. "Earlier today I was also at Marshall Space Flight Center for an all-hands to reinforce our commitment to SLS with the workforce. We discussed my recent announcement that NASA would consider all options to fly Orion around the Moon on schedule. I shared the analysis we conducted to asses flying the Orion on different commercial options. While some of these alternative vehicles could work, none was capable of achieving our goals to orbit around the Moon for Exploration Mission-1 within our timeline and on budget. The results of this two-week study reaffirmed our commitment to the SLS. More details will be released in the future. "There's a lot of excitement about our plans and also a lot of hard work and challenges ahead, but I know the NASA workforce and our partners are up to it. We are now looking at creative approaches to advance SLS manufacturing and testing to ensure Exploration Mission-1 launches in 2020. We will work to ensure we have a safe and reliable launch system that keeps its promise to the American people. "I know NASA is ready for the challenge of moving forward to the Moon, this time to stay." To learn more about NASA's Moon to Mars plans, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/moon2mars SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov TOKYO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fujita Kanko Inc. announced the appointment of Yoshihiro Ise as its new president, effective today. Ise becomes the 13th president of Fujita Kanko in its 64-year history, succeeding Akira Segawa. The appointment was officially approved at today's shareholder meeting and board of directors meeting. Ise previously served as Senior Managing Executive Officer, Fujita Kanko's number two position. Yoshihiro Ise was appointed as new president of leading Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko Inc. on March 27th, 2019. During his 36-year tenure with Fujita Kanko, Ise has held a broad range of positions at both corporate offices and hotels, which have progressively grown to encompass greater responsibilities. He has managed several key properties as General Manager, led multiple corporate initiatives, and developed new properties and brands. This year, under Ise's direction, the company will announce its medium-term management plan beginning 2020. The new president is expected to revitalize and strengthen the company's management and business practices. "This is an exciting and critical time for us," said Ise. "The number of international visitors to Japan hit a record-high again in 2018, and shows no signs of decreasing. While we have tremendous opportunities, competition for market share remains fierce, and the industry faces a talent shortage. We are accelerating efforts to diversify our offerings as well as our talent pool." In terms of new ventures in 2018, Fujita Kanko launched its glamping business with two brands; opened a halal Japanese restaurant; and expanded the Hotel Gracery brand into Asia. This year it will launch "Tavinos," a new hotel brand featuring AI, a serviced apartment in Indonesia, and a special temple lodging in Fukui. "We think and act both globally and locally, achieving high quality and efficiency in our businesses," said Ise. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of Fujita Denzaburo Trading Company, the predecessor of Fujita Kanko. "We are gifted with our rich heritage. We own priceless properties like Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo and Taiko-en because of our roots in the Fujita Conglomerate. However, we are determined to continue evolving, remaining an innovator and pioneer." About Fujita Kanko Fujita Kanko Inc., established in 1955, is a publicly-traded tourism industry corporation headquartered in Tokyo. Besides its core hospitality business, it operates wedding and banquet facilities, high-end resorts, leisure facilities and related services. It has 70 properties/facilities, including its flagship, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, and 35 mid-priced hotels in the Hotel Gracery and Washington Hotels groups. Contact: Keiko Okano [email protected] +1-212-583-1084 (U.S.) SOURCE Fujita Kanko Inc. Related Links https://fujita-kanko.com President Kagame said Africa's hopes of achieving regional integration and economic growth would not be realized without modern technology. He also commended the success Globacom has made. The Rwandan leader who had in his opening remarks at the forum called for "open, responsive and accountable governance" on the continent, said the private sector was critical to growth because of its ability to "envision on what needs to be changed to achieve desired improvement in the private and public sectors". Mrs Disu said Globacom's Glo 1 armoured submarine cable and digital solutions such as mobile money, artificial intelligence, E-Health, Smart Cognitive Learning and Smart Energy, could help Africa achieve a digitalized economy. "I commend President Kagame for his exemplary leadership and for the tremendous success Rwanda has achieved under him. Like President Kagame, I have no doubt that greater integration will lead to continental growth and a more prosperous Africa. Globacom is committed to Africa's economic renaissance," Mrs Disu stated. The Globacom EVC also chaired a session on "Women in Business" on the opening day of the forum. She called for more gender parity on the boards of companies and applauded Rwanda's policy of 50% female representation in appointments as a good model. "There are no two ways about it, women must continue to advance. After all, we make up more than half of the world's population. "My charge to women is to keep climbing the career ladder. Climb it anxious. Climb it confidently. But just keep climbing. And when you get to the top, because you will - give a helping hand to the women coming behind you - this is how we grow," Mrs Disu said. The opening session was attended by Cote d'Ivoire's Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly; Ethiopian President, Sahle-Work Zewde; Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbe; President of Congo Democratic Republic, Felix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister of Rwanda, Edouard Ngirente, and over 1800 leading decision makers in the private and public sectors in Africa. SOURCE Globacom Limited Search by air and with dogs : Police looking for person in Bonn-Rottgen BONN A helicopter circled over Bonn-Rottgen during the night to Wednesday. The police were looking for a man and also used a dog for the search. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The police searched for a man in the area of Villiper Allee in Bonn-Rottgen during the night to Wednesday and also used a helicopter. According to police spokesman Simon Rott, the man had left his apartment after an incident of domestic violence at midnight and threatened to hurt himself. The alarmed police, who also used a dog for the search, were able to end the call-out a short time later. "We were able to establish contact with the man and removed him from the apartment," said Rott. In addition to the police, the fire brigade was also on duty to provide administrative assistance. Further information is not known at present. IRVINE, Calif., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Savage Enterprises' backing of Hemp products coincides with the anticipated signing of the 2018 Farm Bill which contains provisions for legalizing industrial hemp. Removal of industrial hemp as a designated controlled substance would legalize the crop under federal law if grown by a licensed grower in compliance with state and federal regulations. With wide bipartisan support, President Trump is expected to sign the historic new Farm Bill into law before year-end. See https://brook.gs/2EtMykJ Having originally entered the vaping marketplace to help people stop smoking, Savage quickly recognized the value of after it has been shown in small studies to alleviate nausea, insomnia, muscle pain, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. CBD is also the active ingredient in a seizure medication recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. According to Savage CEO Chris Wheeler, "Hemp may be flying under the radar for the mainstream consumer right now, but we have seen massive growth over the last few months and we expect huge growth as it spreads into health stores and international markets. That's why we're excited about our full spectrum of hemp extract products like capsules, tinctures, infused edibles, lotions, salves, vape oils, and pre-filled vape cartridges, all of which come in a variety of size formats and flavors." Because Savage has positioned itself so strongly in the hemp market back in late 2015, leaders from other industries are coming to them to manufacturer their hemp infused products. Savage is also very recognizable as it is in most major distribution channels in the vape and tobacco space. Savage is quickly becoming the go to company for all hemp products. All Savage Hemp products have a certificate of analysis from SC labs whose team of chemists, microbiologists, and quality control experts have developed the industry's first testing standards. Savage employs SC Labs to test all products their content. About Chris Wheeler In 2014 Chris owned a vape shop, OC Vapor Chamber, with his business partner Matt Winters. With an entrepreneurial spirit pushing him forward, Chris transitioned from mixologist to manufacturer and distribution in 2015 when Savage Enterprises was conceived. Although he started his business in a small 5 by 10 vape shop, Wheeler now manages a 20,000 square feet enterprise with a focus on quality control, marketing, customers, margins, and distribution. About Savage Enterprises An FDA registered facility founded in Orange County, CA, in Irvine, Savage began its journey with a desire to help people stop smoking. It strives to provide the highest quality products in the vaping industry and aims to set the bar in consistency, safety, value, and product quality. In an industry where standards are not standard, Savage Enterprises sets itself apart with a vision of providing products that are held above the government requirements, and consumer expectations. Savage's all-natural hemp offers top quality, lab tested, natural alternatives at affordable pricing. Each batch is carefully tested to ensure quality, consistency, taste, and authenticity so consumers are confident and empowered to maintain their healthy lifestyle. From the corporate office to the quality control, compliance and manufacturing teams, Savage has been a leader in the manufacturing processes, quality standards, and internal structures to provide an affordable price point for their consumers. For more information, see www.savageenterprises.com For media inquiries, please contact: Brittany Warner 7146121091 [email protected] SOURCE Savage Enterprises Related Links http://www.savageenterprises.com LAS VEGAS and HENDERSON, Nev., March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The greater Las Vegas region is now on the cutting edge of household leak detection and water monitoring technologies, thanks to a new rebate program provided by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. "As the driest state in the nation, expanding our incentive programs to include home leak detection technology provides Southern Nevada residents with more tools for efficient water use," said Doug Bennett, conservation manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority. With that in mind, the Southern Nevada Water Authority is rolling out the rebate program this spring, with 50 percent savings on emerging technologies designed to put the power of real-time water usage monitoring in the hands of homeowners. "This is a game changer for anyone who cares about the costs of their water consumption," said Joe Fazio, VP of business development for Flume, Inc., makers of one of the rebated devices. "You no longer have to wait for your water bill to know where you stand, and you no longer have to worry about leaks going undetected." Household Leaks and Water Usage Finally Revealed Flume is one of the first innovators to move into the household water monitoring space, uniquely offering indoor and outdoor home water monitoring with a patent-pending device that easily straps over the existing water meterno pipe cutting or plumbers needed. "Until now, the only thing you knew about your water usage was all after the fact, via a monthly water bill," said Eric Adler, co-founder and CEO of Flume, Inc. "People say it feels magical to finally unlock this informationto see exactly what you are using, detect leaks, set budgets and gain peace of mind." Flume allows homeowners to (1) accurately track their daily water use both inside the house and across outdoor irrigation systems; (2) detect small unknown leaks before they inflate water bills and cause damage; and (3) receive real-time alerts on suspicious water activities while away from home. Flume's real-time water data is delivered to users via a free companion app available on Apple iOS and Android devices. There are no subscription fees to use Flume. The Flume Home Water Sensor was invented by Adler and two fellow California graduate students who were inspired by the recent drought to create a new technology that would be a win-win for homeowners and the environment. Rebate for Southern Nevada Residents Flume Home Water Sensor now costs just $99.50 for local residents who redeem the exclusive rebate. The rebate for the Flume Home Water Sensor is now in effect for residents of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City and unincorporated Clark County. Rebate availability is limited on a first-come basis. See below for rebate links. Rebate Details: What: Flume Home Water Sensor Rebated Cost: $99.50 (50% savings) Get the SNWA rebated Flume: www.FlumeTech.com/snwa Flume SNWA rebate FAQ: https://help.flumetech.com/frequently-asked-questions/snwa-rebate-program-faq Southern Nevada Water Authority rebate page: https://www.snwa.com/rebates/smart-device/index.html Flume is a first-of-its-kind device that puts the power of daily water use monitoring into the hands of homeowners. The Flume home water sensor straps around a home's water meter, providing intelligent leak detection and real-time water usage via the dedicated mobile app. The Flume home water sensor installs easilyno need to cut any pipes. Learn more at FlumeTech.com. Media Contact: Sean Weir (805) 239-0020 [email protected] SOURCE Flume Related Links https://www.flumetech.com TRUE BLUE, Grenada, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, St. George's University announced that it will award New Jersey resident Timothy Malone a 2019 CityDoctors scholarship on behalf of Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center. "We're excited to provide this scholarship to Timothy," said Dr. G. Richard Olds, President of St. George's University. "It's a priority for us at St. George's to make medical school accessible and affordable to aspiring doctors from a variety of backgrounds who are intent on returning home to New Jersey to practice." Timothy Malone Hackensack University Medical Center became a partner in St. George's CityDoctors scholarship program in August 2012. The scholarship is available to students seeking admission to the January class of the St. George's University School of Medicine. Malone's scholarship will cover four years of tuition. "We are pleased to continue our unique and successful partnership with St. George's University," said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, president and chief hospital executive of Hackensack University Medical Center and executive vice president, Population Health at Hackensack Meridian Health. "We are very proud of Timothy, who is so deserving of this scholarship which will enable him to attend medical school. We are excited for his future and look forward to learning about his accomplishments in the field of medicine." Residents of Bergen County, as well as Hackensack University Medical Center employees and their immediate family members, are eligible for this particular CityDoctors scholarship. Applicants must have already been accepted to St. George's. Other partners in the CityDoctors Scholarship Program include NYC Health + Hospitals and Jersey Shore University Medical Center. St. George's is one of the leading providers of doctors to New Jersey -- and the third-largest source of doctors for the entire United States. In 2018, more than 110 St. George's University graduates began residencies in New Jersey. About St. George's University St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, and business. St. George's is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. The University's over 20,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. The University programs are accredited and approved by many governing authorities and repeatedly recognized as the best in the region. For more information, visit www.sgu.edu. MEDIA CONTACT: Madeline Auerbach (202) 471-4228 ext. 101 [email protected] SOURCE St. Georges University Related Links https://www.sgu.edu PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GoFly, an international human flight competition, has named TechFarms startup Dragonair Aviation as a finalist for its $1 million grand prize. GoFly, sponsored by Boeing, challenges inventors worldwide to make human flight a reality by building the world's first personal flying device. More than 800 teams entered, and GoFly today named Dragonair Aviation as one of five finalists. The company, founded by entrepreneur-inventors Mariah Cain, Jeff Elkins and Ray Brandes, earned the spot with its AirBoard 2.0, a battery-powered, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Dragonair was formed in December 2018, but the team has been working on the AirBoard at TechFarms for about three years. Elkins, lead engineer, began working on the craft in 2015. Cain soon joined on as co-designer and pilot. Brandes, also an engineer and machinist, is the team's design specialist. The teams will have about 10 months to finalize their designs, with the assistance of GoFly mentors leading experts in aircraft designer, engineering, fabrication, testing and finance before their inventions take to the sky for the Final Fly-Off in February 2020. At the internationally televised event, each team will fly its device through an obstacle course. "It's the event that's gonna ignite the future of transportation," said Cain, the only female team captain among the finalists. "It's something that's showing off, getting everyone excited about what the future is turning toward a festival of innovation." At stake is a $1 million grand prize, along with smaller awards for quietest craft, smallest craft, and innovation. "We are so grateful to have this opportunity," Cain said. "The fact that we get to do this and be here and be one of the few people in the world that get to be a part of this ... we're making history." The other four finalists are Team Aeroxo (Russia and Latvia), Team Silverwing Personal Flight (Netherlands), Team Texas A&M Harmony (US), and Team Trek Aerospace (US). Each team will take home a $50,000 prize. See: GoFLyPrize.com. About TechFarms: Located in Panama City Beach, FL, TechFarms is a technology incubator that provides office space, prototyping equipment, mentoring, access to capital, and other amenities to assist entrepreneurs. See: TechFarms.com. Media Contact: Steve Millaway, CEO TechFarms, (850) 896-2871, [email protected] SOURCE TechFarms LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) announced today a total of US$800,000 in grants for food banking organizations across the globe through the Zero Hunger Food Bank Challenge. The grants - made possible by a generous contribution from the General Mills Foundation and additional funding provided by the PIMCO Foundation aim to strengthen food banks' contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 2 which is to eliminate global hunger by 2030. An estimated 821 million[1] peopleone in ninego hungry, while 1.3 billion[2] tonnes of edible food is wasted. The grants will be awarded to nine food bank organizations in Africa, South and Central America and Australia to help sustain and grow their food banking models to alleviate hunger and reduce waste. GFN is an international non-profit organization that strengthens food banks in more than 30 countries. The organization plays a vital role in redirecting surplus, wholesome food to the hungry and reducing food insecurity in nations and communities around the world. Lisa Moon, GFN President and CEO, said: "Tackling food waste and world hunger are two of the most pressing issues facing global communities today. These grants will go directly to organizations on the frontline, helping them scale operations, ultimately helping more people over the next year. The grants will range from US$40,000 to US$100,000, making this the largest distribution of funds since GFN's inception in 2006, which is a sign of the increasing focus placed on hunger and food waste around the world." The grants were announced at the GFN Food Bank Leadership Institute (FBLI), the annual international conference for food bank leaders now in its 13th year. The three-day event featured panel discussions on tackling hunger and food waste with key note addresses from Tesco CEO, Dave Lewis and 2018 World Food Prize Laureate, Lawrence Haddad. Nicola Dixon, Executive Director, General Mills Foundation, a funder and partner of GFN said: "When it comes to addressing world hunger and making the global food system more sustainable, few philanthropic investments have a greater impact than food banks. With investments like this one, we aim to ensure that good surplus food can increasingly be used to nourish hungry people, rather than go to landfills. That's why General Mills has philanthropically invested 17.6 million (US$20 million) since 2010 to expand food bank capacity around the world food banks that enabled 3.8 billion meals for hungry people last year leveraging good surplus food." Organizations awarded grants include Foodbank Australia - Northern Territory, to help expand the food bank's service area to include rural communities and hard-to-reach indigenous populations, and Banco de Alimentos Panama, to develop a program that increases the recovery of fresh produce to enhance the nutritional servings delivered to hungry people. Additionally, food bank organizations in Argentina, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and South Africa will receive funding to expand, establish and increase food bank operation and feed more people facing hunger. About The Global FoodBanking Network The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is an international non-profit organization based in Chicago that nourishes the world's hungry through launching and strengthening food banks in more than 30 countries. GFN focuses on combating hunger and preventing food waste by providing expertise, directing resources, sharing knowledge and developing connections that increase efficiency, ensure food safety and reach more people facing hunger. Last year, GFN member food banks rescued and redirected food to more than 9 million people facing hunger. About General Mills General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2018 proforma net sales of US$17.0 billion, including US$1.3 billion from Blue Buffalo. In addition, General Mills' share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totalled US$1.1 billion. Full List of 2019 grant recipients Red Argentina de Bancos de Alimentos, Argentina - To build capacity of the food sourcing and fundraising functions of the national network and better support member food banks through compliance audits and training. - To build capacity of the food sourcing and fundraising functions of the national network and better support member food banks through compliance audits and training. Foodbank Australia - Northern Territory, Australia - To expand the food bank's service area to include rural communities and hard-to-reach indigenous populations. - To expand the food bank's service area to include rural communities and hard-to-reach indigenous populations. Banco de Alimentos Quito , Ecuador - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse. - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse. Banco de Alimentos Diakonia, Ecuador - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse. - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse. Banco de Alimentos de Honduras - To increase the quantity of food, and diversify the food sourced and distributed by establishing cold chain capabilities at BAH's three logistics centers. - To increase the quantity of food, and diversify the food sourced and distributed by establishing cold chain capabilities at BAH's three logistics centers. Bancos de Alimentos de Mexico - To equip food banks in five cities with cold chain and provide food sourcing training to all food banks in the Mexican network. - To equip food banks in five cities with cold chain and provide food sourcing training to all food banks in the Mexican network. Banco de Alimentos Panama - To establish a food bank location in the central market of Panama City to increase the recovery of fruits and vegetables. - To establish a food bank location in the central market of Panama City to increase the recovery of fruits and vegetables. Banco de Alimentos Peru - To establish a food bank location in the central market of Lima that will enable the distribution of an increased amount of recovered fruits and vegetables. - To establish a food bank location in the central market of that will enable the distribution of an increased amount of recovered fruits and vegetables. FoodForwardSA, South Africa - To expand its agricultural recovery program, specifically in Durban . Sources [1] FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building Climate Resilience for Food Security and Nutrition (Rome: FAO, 2018). [2] FAO, Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention (Rome: FAO, 2011). SOURCE The Global FoodBanking Network PRINCETON, N.J. and TEL AVIV, Israel, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvo Group today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received the PregSense remote monitoring application for the company's first De Novo classification. If granted clearance, the remote platform would be marketed under the name Invu by Nuvo. Invu is an investigational device under FDA review designed for remote pregnancy monitoring. The patented technology is designed to non-invasively measure and display fetal heart rate (FHR) and maternal heart rate (MHR), creating a digital dashboard. It is indicated for women who are in their 32nd week of gestation (or later), with a singleton pregnancy for both in-clinic and at home use. The submission is based on clinical and scientific validation stemming from pivotal and usability trials. A pivotal study compared the investigational platform to cardiotocographs (CTG) the most widely-used fetal monitoring system. Results from the multi-center study of 149 women showed that Nuvo's platform was able to accurately extract both fetal and maternal heart rates consistent with CTG, while offering the real-time convenience of a remote monitoring solution. As Nuvo's first De Novo submission, this regulatory milestone paves the way for the company's vision of advancing maternal-fetal connected health by creating a connected pregnancy. "We are pleased to have submitted our De Novo application for FDA review and look forward to working with the FDA to complete the review process," said Oren Oz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nuvo Group. "Our goal is to enable a connected pregnancy, where mothers' visits are seamlessly connected across the home, workplace, doctor's office and hospitals." About Nuvo Group Nuvo Group is committed to transforming pregnancy care for a new generation. Proprietary software solutions combined with innovative product design utilize big data analytics to optimize pregnancy healthcare on a global scale. Nuvo Group leadership is comprised of dedicated data engineers, medical professionals, software designers, and proud parents who share a collective vision to create new solutions for both patients and doctors, creating an immediate impact on maternal care worldwide. Nuvo's initial product offering for healthcare providers has completed clinical investigation to support FDA De Novo clearance but is not yet available for sale in the United States. For more information, visit: www.nuvocares.com SOURCE Nuvo Group LTD Related Links http://www.nuvocares.com DUBLIN, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Wireless Ambulatory Telemetry Market Report - United States - 2019-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Over the forecast period, the total market will continue grow steadily alongside the interest in investing in patient-worn monitors across unmonitored lower-acuity hospital settings. Acute care areas where telemetry is seeing increased adoption include the recovery and general care floors, where continuous monitoring helps to reduce avoidable complications, as well as critical care settings, such as the cardiac care unit (CCU). On the other hand, new efforts to combat excess strain on hospital resources and alarm fatigue are expected to temper future growth. The market value is thus projected to increase steadily, albeit at a diminishing rate, over the forecast period. The telemetry monitoring device market includes wireless patient-worn monitors and the associated wireless central stations. Telemetry monitors have traditionally been used for monitoring one or two parameters. However, ongoing advancements have enabled these devices to monitor, on average, three or four parameters. The patient-worn monitors allow for continuous monitoring of ambulatory patients within the area of coverage. Signals from the patient-worn device are transmitted to a central station, where nurses can monitor patient vital signs. Wireless ambulatory telemetry is most commonly found in cardiac care areas, including stroke units, coronary care units and step-down units, where the ability forpatients to be mobile is especially important. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary U.S. Patient Monitoring Equipment Market Overview Competitive Analysis Market Trends Market Developments Markets Included Key Report Updates Version History Research Methodology 2. Wireless Ambulatory Telemetry Monitoring Market 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 Wireless Ambulatory Telemetry Monitors 2.1.2 Central Stations 2.1.3 System Infrastructure 2.2 Market Overview 2.3 Market Analysis And Forecast 2.3.1 Total Patient-Worn Monitor Market 2.3.1.1 Hospital Patient-Worn Monitor Market 2.3.1.2 Alternate Patient-Worn Monitor Market 2.3.2 Wireless Ambulatory Telemetry Central Station Market 2.4 Drivers And Limiters 2.4.1 Market Drivers 2.4.2 Market Limiters 2.5 Competitive Market Share Analysis 3. Abbreviations 4. Appendix: Company Press Releases Companies Mentioned Philips Healthcare GE Healthcare Spacelabs Healthcare Nihon Kohden Mindray Medical Drger Medical Fukuda Denshi and Welch Allyn For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pmzfhf/united_states?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com "The response in our inaugural year was nothing short of inspiring," said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. "Now it's time to build on that momentum. We want to reach more veterans and communities as we strive to empower those who have served." Every participant has a story. Three sailors in San Diego exemplified the spirit, taking turns carrying each other. Volunteers cheered as a father, with his young son perched on his shoulders, waved a flag, while others carried weights across the finish line. There were countless smiles and pictures of supporters who provided a snapshot of perseverance and patriotism. "With all of the hundreds of people that are here supporting us, it really warms my heart to know this is the country we live in," said one veteran at the Carry Forward event in Nashville. Here's where the stories will unfold this year: San Diego Aug. 24 Nashville Sept. 21 San Antonio Oct. 5 Jacksonville Nov. 9 Virtual now thru Dec. 15 If you can't attend an event, don't worry there's another way to participate. Virtual runs or walks give you the flexibility to create your own Carry Forward event on a date and location that's most convenient for you. Follow this link to see how you can set up your own event: https://carryforward.woundedwarriorproject.org. All proceeds of Carry Forward help veterans on their journeys to recovery. Warriors don't pay a penny for WWP programs, because they paid their dues on the battlefield. WWP's free services in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care change lives. To donate or read more about WWP, visit https://wwp.news/GiveBack. For updates on Carry Forward events, follow WWP Carry Forward at https://www.facebook.com/wwpcarryforward. About Wounded Warrior Project Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us. SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project Related Links https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org TUCSON, Ariz., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- After having visions of a strange land since childhood, Cat Parenti left New York and headed for the rugged landscape of Afghanistan, which felt like time traveling to the 12th century. There she fell in love with the people, the culture, and a tall, dark stranger. Book Cover Cat Parenti In her new book, Afghanistan: A Memoir from Brooklyn to Kabul (Forchianna Publishing), the first of a two-book series, she offers a rare opportunity to understand Afghan life, culture, and beliefs before the Soviet invasion, the civil wars, and the Taliban. She also recounts what it was like to be a gutsy, independent woman thriving in a male-dominated world. Parenti, who has been interviewed by American media extensively on Afghanistan and wrote four previous books on the country, can talk about: The sights, sounds, smells, food, ritual and beliefs that led her to fall in love with Afghanistan before the Soviets, the mujahedeen civil wars and Taliban came along. before the Soviets, the mujahedeen civil wars and Taliban came along. Being an empowered woman in a male-dominated Muslim world. Falling in love with a nobleman Demystifying western beliefs about Afghan/Muslim culture Praise for Afghanistan: "Building bridges of cultural understanding and respect ... I thank you for giving voice to the wonderful history and culture of the region." Hillary Rodham Clinton "The author takes readers through an innovative personal journey ... a magnetically hypnotizing adventure that is alternately mysterious and unique ... If you want to know what Afghanistan was like before the Soviet invasion and the rise of the Taliban, then [this book] is for you." Abena Agyeman Fisher, senior editor, NewsOne "The real story here is the author's love affair with an Afghan from a prominent family ... with vivid writing and an engaging story that kept me on the edge of my seat. It takes a brave woman to do [these] things." Monica Bauer, award-winning playwright About the Author Cat Parenti grew up in Brooklyn and lived in Afghanistan on and off for 20 years. She survived the political twists and turns of Afghan history from King Zahir Shah through the rise of the Taliban and started a successful business selling antique clothing and jewelry to U.S. museums and museum shops. She has given presentations on Afghanistan, including at the U.N., and taught Afghan cooking. She currently lives with her daughter in southeastern Arizona. Contact: Cat Parenti, (520) 508-0211; [email protected]pr.com; www.catparenti.com SOURCE Cat Parenti Related Links http://www.catparenti.com SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Achronix Semiconductor Corporation , a leader in FPGA-based hardware data acceleration devices, today announced that it has completed testing and is now demonstrating the 112 Gbps SerDes that will be used in its next-generation FPGAs. Fabricated on TSMC's 7nm FinFET process technology, these 112 Gbps SerDes provide true multi-standard support for a wide range of digital serial communications standards with data rates ranging from 1 Gbps to 112 Gbps. The results from the 112 Gbps SerDes validation chip show that the transmitter generates clean eye diagrams and exhibits excellent linearity, jitter, and signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) with sharp rise and fall times at multiple data rates up to the SerDes' maximum rate of 112 Gbps. The SerDes' receivers employ advanced DSP techniques including constant modulus algorithm (CMA) adaptive equalization and decision-based adaptation to deliver the best possible receiver performance at low power. "Achronix's 7nm generation data acceleration FPGAs will include the industry's most advanced, high-quality, low-cost and low-power SerDes for high-end data acceleration applications," said Robert Blake, president and CEO of Achronix Semiconductor. "Achronix has shown once again that it can design, build and demonstrate the highest-performance, fully functional semiconductor products on the most advanced processes technology available." These SerDes are optimized for power efficiency and die size while delivering optimal performance, which is critically important for high-performance applications including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), high-performance computing (HPC), high-performance network switching for cloud-scale and telco data centers, 5G cellular base stations, and edge networking. These high-performance applications demand ever-increasing amounts of bandwidth, straining the existing networking infrastructure in data centers, 5G installations, edge systems, and IoT networks. Early adopters developing equipment and installations for these applications are already installing 400 GbE ports to reduce the amount of cabling needed to meet bandwidth requirements. Very often, these high-speed ports are created by aggregating multiple, lower-speed ports such as ten 40 Gbps or eight 50 Gbps ports. Upgrading to 100 Gbps ports is a sorely needed option to reduce cabling and installation costs. 112 Gbps SerDes reduce lane and port count, current consumption, and heat dissipation, thus reducing the costs associated with building next-generation hyperscale network infrastructures. The 112 Gbps SerDes on Achronix's silicon validation device are based on Alphawave's AlphaCORE Multi-standard SerDes (MSS) IP and support virtually all data center and telco serial communications standards including the many versions of Ethernet, PCI Express (PCIe), CPRI, and many others. Said Tony Pialis, Alphawave's founder and CEO, "We are pleased that Achronix is using our latest generation of 112 Gbps long-reach SerDes IP for their next-generation FPGA products. Tier-one companies, creating equipment for data centers and other networking applications, that are starved for bandwidth, wanted to see that we had a compelling, flexible, and robust solution that works in real Silicon. This test chip, developed in partnership with Achronix, demonstrates that we can deliver robust 112 Gbps IP solutions for next-generation data centers." About Alphawave Alphawave is a team of technology industry veterans and engineers with a nearly 20 year history of building successful Silicon/IP teams. The company's unique, DSP based, multi-standard connectivity Silicon IP solutions leverage years of experience and R&D to build the most power efficient, high performance solution available on the market to enable devices of the future. Founded in 2017, Alphawave has already seen strong success and impact in delivering proven Silicon in leading 7nm process. Profitable since day one, Alphawave is investing heavily in existing and future products. This has already resulted in Alphawave building one of the most technologically exciting and fastest growing businesses in the history of semiconductors. Find out more at http://www.awaveip.com About Achronix Semiconductor Corporation Achronix Semiconductor Corporation is a privately held, fabless semiconductor corporation based in Santa Clara, California and offers high-performance FPGA and embedded FPGA (eFPGA) solutions. Achronix's history is one of pushing the boundaries in the high-performance FPGA market. Achronix offerings include programmable FPGA fabrics, discrete high-performance and high-density FPGAs with hardwired system-level blocks, datacenter and HPC hardware accelerator boards, and best-in-class EDA software supporting all Achronix products. The company has sales offices and representatives in the United States, Europe, and China, and has a research and design office in Bangalore, India. Find out more at https://www.achronix.com Follow Achronix Website: www.achronix.com The Achronix Blog: https://www.achronix.com/blogs/ Twitter: @AchronixInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/57668/ Contacts Alok Sanghavi Achronix Semiconductor Corporation 408-889-4142 [email protected] Achronix and Speedster are registered trademarks, and Speedcore and Speedchip are trademarks of Achronix Semiconductor Corporation. All other brands, product names and marks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Achronix Related Links https://www.achronix.com/ Written by: Diana West You can say that again, @Comey. I'll start with this question: How did you, a lifelong devote of Reinhold Niebuhr's Christianity-cloaked Marxism, ever become Director of the FBI, and, before that, Deputy Attorney General of the United States? The short answer is perhaps twofold. First, no one bothered to explore your intense admiration for Niebuhr's anti-Constitutional conception of government-coerced "justice"; second, few among the cynics and manipulators in charge of the US government find anything alarming about it. On the contrary, it gave you instant entree into Club Deep State. No wonder you and you "law enforcement twin" Robert Mueller) were seen in the Clinton Justice Department as "rising stars mentored and guided by Eric Holder in the 1990s." Transformative change is a mutli-generational, two-party thing. Truth be told, I didn't know much about Reinhold Niebuhr when I began studying Comey -- along with Nellie Ohr the Stalin apologist, Christopher Steele the "confirmed socialist," John Brennan the Gus Hall voter, and other anti-Trump conspirators whose ideological portraits including "red threads" are now unveiled in The Red Thread: A Search for Ideological Drivers Inside the Anti-Trump Conspiracy. In a nutshell, Niebuhr's conception of "justice" is totalitarian, which is probably not what most Americans want in their Deputy AG or FBI Director. As the Trump-Russia hoax tells us, however, these amoral and anti-democratic beliefs are common, if kept quiet, at the highest levels of our government. James Comey not only wrote a college honors paper on Reinhold Niebuhr in 1982, he was still talking about Niebuhr's influence on ascending to the No. 2 slot at the Justice Department in 2003. He used "Reinhold Niebuhr" as his secret alias on Twitter until 2017, and, in 2018. in response to a question in about influential books he had read, he named two titles by Niebuhr. So what? To begin with, both books were written during Niebuhr's most militant years, when, as a member of the Socialist Party, he lobbied for US normalization of relations with the Bolshevik regime in Moscow in 1933, and carried the following message to students on campus, according to the AP: "Urges Use of Force for New Social Order." Incidentally, that was just the beginning for Niebuhr's hard Left "activism." He would go all in for the "Red Decade" of the 1930s, hopscotching among Communist front groups, as identified by FDR Attorney General Francis Biddle. These included a stint on the advisory board of he American League for Peace and Democracy. At one time boasting 7.5 million members, this Communist super-front group was identified by AG Biddle in a strictly confidential memo as an organization established in the United States in an effort to create public sentiment on behalf of a foreign policy adapted to the interests of the Soviet Union. What a fabulous role model for a a future "Republican" FBI Director destined to participate in a failed coup against the duly elected POTUS! But so it was that Comey, as a self-identified communist in the early 1980s at William & Mary, found his intellectual crush. It was just the beginning of his own Red Thread. Three people dead, including Erik Meijs : Truck driver jailed after horrific fatal crash DUSSELDORF The Autobahn 3 resembled a debris field after the impact of the 40-ton truck. Three people, including the Beuel badminton player Erik Meijs, died when a truck driver drove into the end of a traffic jam without slowing down. Now he has to go to prison. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken After a devastating rear-end collision with three fatalities on the Autobahn 3 near Ratingen, a former truck driver is to go to prison. On Tuesday, the Dusseldorf District Court found the 43-year-old man guilty in three cases of negligent killing and sentenced him to two years and eight months in prison. In addition, he is banned from driving a car for five years. The accident occurred in November 2017. Badminton player Erik Meijs of 1 BC Beuel also died in the crash. The judge said that the truck driver's carelessness had wiped out three lives within seconds. Anyone driving a 40-ton truck must take special care. The Hungarian had confessed to having hit the end of the traffic jam. However, he could not remember the impact. He suspected that he had fallen asleep for a few seconds. He had listed all his driving and rest times before the accident and had only taken a break shortly before, said the 43-year-old. After the serious accident, he had returned to his old job as a plumber despite considerable salary losses, he said. His client apologised to the parents of badminton player Meijs and said how sorry he was, his lawyer explained. A donations account was set up for the deceased Beuel man. On 16 November 2017, the truck driver had hit a tailback with his articulated lorry. The impact caused a mass collision near the Breitscheid motorway junction with two trucks and five cars. According to the investigations, the accident driver was driving at at least 94 kilometers per hour, so too fast on impact, instead of the permitted 80 kilometers per hour. Alcohol or drugs played no role. The court found in his favour that he had not been previously convicted, had not glossed over anything and had shown genuine remorse. The defence attorney had demanded a suspended sentence. ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: AMPE) today announced that on March 11, 2019, the Company resubmitted a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a confirmatory Phase III clinical trial of its biological drug, Ampion, for the treatment of patients afflicted with Osteoarthritis of the Knee (OAK). Mr. Macaluso, Ampio's CEO added, "After a series of interactions with the FDA, we believe we have addressed and answered all questions regarding trial design. The FDA confirmed they would respond to our SPA submission no later than April 25, 2019. The FDA guidance regarding our trial design was in agreement with the advice we received from multiple independent statisticians who analyzed our clinical results of nearly 1,000 KL4 patients. These patients, taken as a group, provided statistically significant results compared to patients receiving the saline control. "As site recruitment and patient identification for the trial are currently underway, we will provide an update and commence the trial as soon as practicable after the SPA is awarded. The Company believes the anticipated cost of the trial is manageable and within the range of our other OAK trials and we are reviewing all possible financing alternatives including encouraging investors to exercise the outstanding warrants. "As recently stated in our 10-K, Ampio will focus all our clinical and financial resources on the approval of Ampion. However, we plan to continue seeking a partnership for Optina." Receipt of Audit Opinion with Going Concern Qualification The Company is required under the NYSE MKT Company Guide Sections 401(h) and 610(b) to publish certain disclosures. As previously disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 18, 2019, the Company's audited financial statements contained a going concern explanatory paragraph in the audit opinion from its independent registered public accounting firm. This announcement does not represent any change or amendment to the Company's financial statements or to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. About Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is an incurable and progressive disorder of the joints involving degradation of the intra-articular cartilage, joint lining, ligaments, and bone. Certain risk factors in conjunction with natural wear and tear lead to the breakdown of cartilage. Osteoarthritis is caused by inflammation of the soft tissue and bony structures of the joint, which worsens over time and leads to progressive thinning of articular cartilage. Other symptoms include narrowing of the joint space, synovial membrane thickening, osteophyte formation and increased density of subchondral bone. About Ampio Pharmaceuticals Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a development stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of Ampion to treat prevalent inflammatory conditions for which there are limited treatment options. Forward-Looking Statements Ampio's statements in this press release that are not historical fact, and that relate to future plans or events, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ampio's expectations with respect to Ampion and its classification, as well as those associated with regulatory approvals and other FDA decisions such as the SPA, whether the FDA will approve the same and the timing thereof, the Biological License Application (BLA), the ability of Ampio to enter into partnering arrangements for any of its products, including Ampion and Optina, clinical trials and decisions and changes in business conditions and similar events, all of which are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties involved include those detailed from time to time in Ampio's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation, under Ampio's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ampio undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact Phone: (720) 437-6500 [email protected] SOURCE Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Related Links http://www.ampiopharma.com HASSELT, Belgium, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the NAB Show, Eurofins Digital Testing , a global leader in end-to-end quality assurance (QA) and testing services, has announced it will be showcasing a new conformance test suite at the show. Arreios for ATSC 3.0 enables the certification and testing for ATSC 3.0 features, such as Ultra High Definition (UHD) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video over broadcast and broadband, Interactive Applications, Targeted Advertising, Emergency Alerts and Content Recovery, and Watermarking. ATSC 3.0 brings together many advanced technologies in the physical, transport, application and service layers of this new broadcast and broadband transmission system. Eurofins' Arreios for ATSC 3.0 provides a suite of automated test tools that enable device manufacturers and their supply chain to reliably and efficiently test a range of scenarios to verify conformance and correct implementation for the wide-range of technologies set-out in ATSC 3.0. "For ATSC 3.0 services to be compelling and meet consumer expectations, devices must be interoperable and key features must be correctly implemented," said Johan Craeybeckx, Business Line Director, Eurofins Digital Testing International. "Working with Pearl, NAB, and other ATSC stakeholders, Eurofins is proud to help scale the collaborative rollout of ATSC 3.0 by offering a suite of test automation tools that verify conformance with the features set forth therein." "ATSC recognizes the importance of conformance to the success of ATSC 3.0, and its role in facilitating the introduction of high-quality systems and devices meeting the specification," said Lynn Claudy, Senior VP of Technology at NAB and ATSC Chairman. "Conformance test suites, such as Eurofins', will help drive adoption and ensure consumers experience the vast benefits this standard promises." "Based on an industry-wide effort and collaboration, ATSC 3.0 provides groundbreaking opportunities for broadcasters to bring consumers more content, choice and other next-gen TV services," said Anne Schelle, Managing Director of Pearl. "We applaud Eurofins for their role in helping to advance ATSC 3.0, which is critical to facilitating future innovation in the broadcast TV industry." Pearl TV is a business organization of Cox Media Group, the E.W. Scripps Company, Graham Media Group, Hearst Television Inc., Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, Raycom Media, and TEGNA, Inc. Pearl TV's 300+ local broadcast members, along with its network partners, are working together to broadly launch ATSC 3.0 by 2020, concurrent with the anticipated introduction of consumer TV products equipped to receive ATSC 3.0. In preparation, Pearl TV is conducting a "Phoenix Model Market" pilot project for English and Spanish-language TV stations in Phoenix, the nation's 11th largest TV market, to provide an open test bed and proving ground for ATSC 3.0 technology, implementations, and new services. Specifically, Eurofins' Arreios for ATSC 3.0 Conformance Test Suite includes: Complete lab test environment for device black box testing; Built-in automation and intuitive UI for managing test execution; ATSC 3.0 test plan and test information (i.e. test assertion, procedure and specification references); Video capture and automated video playback recognition; AV Data Processing Unit for verifying Audio/Video synchronization and frame rate detection; Dynamic stream packaging and playout (ROUTE/DASH and MMT); Integrated web server for hybrid scenarios, including applications and broadband video use cases; and Integrated test report generation for QA teams and conformance/certification use. At the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas, NV, April 6-11, Eurofins Digital Testing will showcase its test solutions for ATSC 3.0 at the show's emerging technologies area, "Futures Park," in North Hall Booth N1335, as well as its suite of automated test tools, cyber security testing services and more in Westgate Director C. Following the preview at the NAB Show, Arreios for ATSC 3.0 will be available to purchase beginning May 1st, 2019. Eurofins Digital Testing helps companies worldwide reduce development, testing and deployment cycles to accelerate service delivery, and support a more continuous delivery environment. Through its suite of automated test tools, professional testing support services, staffing of onsite personnel, and training, Eurofins helps increase test coverage and consistency to provide service validation, insights into the end-user experience, and performance monitoring for quality assurance. Additional information about Eurofins Digital Testing and its ATSC 3.0 Conformance Test Suite is available at: http://www.eurofins-digitaltesting.com/ . About Eurofins Digital Testing: Eurofins Digital Testing is a leader in end-to-end Quality Assurance (QA), providing test tools, test services, training, and cyber security to validate and secure digital systems for service providers and manufacturers worldwide. Eurofins Digital Testing operates globally with test lab facilities in Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, UK, US, Poland, and Hong Kong, and serves companies including Com Hem, Conax, Freesat, Freeview, Hisense, Kabel Deutschland, KPN, LG, Liberty Global, Panasonic, Sky Deutschland, tivu, Vestel, Vodafone Group, Zenterio, and many others. For more information, visit: http://www.eurofins-digitaltesting.com/. The company is part of the larger Eurofins Group, a leading provider of multi-industry analytical services, with an international network of more than 800 laboratories in 47 countries, 45,000 staff members, and sales of more than 3 billion euros. SOURCE Eurofins Digital Testing Related Links https://www.eurofins-digitaltesting.com/ Most recently Block served as chief operating officer at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, the flagship facility for OhioHealth's nationally-recognized neuroscience, heart and vascular, and oncology service lines. Prior to OhioHealth, Block was an executive at WakeMed Health, responsible for operational, financial and strategic performance. Previous positions included Moses Cone Health Systems in Greensboro, UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and Cleveland Clinic. This appointment also serves as a "coming home" for Block. Early in her career she served as director of the heart center at Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy, where she chaired the Cardiac Services Committee, leading improvements in continuity of care and operational efficiency between the cardiac catheterization lab, emergency room, operating room and nursing units. "We are very pleased to welcome Vicki back to the Atrium Health family," said Ken D. Haynes, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Atrium Health. "Vicki is an excellent strategic and operational leader with proven success leading high-performing teams. And not only is she an exceptional administrator, she is also a dedicated and active member of the communities where she serves." "I could not be more thrilled to be returning home to Atrium Health to lead the Central Division," said Block. "Carolinas Medical Center, Levine Children's Hospital and Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy are medical bedrocks in the Charlotte community, and I look forward to working side-by-side with the teams here to continue fulfilling Atrium Health's mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing for all." Block currently serves on the American Heart Association's Central Ohio Board of Directors and has long been a leader and supporter of the organization's work in the community. She is also active with the American Red Cross, serving on both their Board and Philanthropy Committee. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Business Journal's 12th Annual Women in Business Award. Block is a published author, whose work has appeared in the Journal of Electrocardiology and the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. She holds a B.S. in Biology from The University of Akron and a Masters of Hospital and Healthcare Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The largest hospital in the region, Carolinas Medical Center is a world-class facility offering a full range of services to the Charlotte community and beyond. Carolinas Medical Center serves as the region's only Level 1 Trauma center and is an approved transplant center for heart, kidney, pancreas and liver. It also serves as one of North Carolina's five Academic Medical Center Teaching Hospitals, providing residency training for more than 200 physicians in 15 specialties and serves as a satellite for the medical school at UNC-Chapel Hill. Levine Children's Hospital, consistently ranked among the top 50 children's hospitals in the nation, is recognized in six specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy is a full-service community hospital, specializing in the care of seniors and in complex foot and ankle surgery, hip and knee surgery, bariatric surgery and women's pelvic health. About Atrium Health Atrium Health, previously Carolinas HealthCare System, one of the nation's leading and most innovative healthcare organizations, provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout the Southeast region. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services. Atrium Health works to enhance the overall health and well-being of its communities through high-quality patient care, education and research programs, and numerous collaborative partnerships and initiatives. SOURCE Atrium Health B2Gold's Directors have approved the Expansion VANCOUVER, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO, NYSE AMERICAN: BTG, NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce very positive results from the Expansion Study Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Fekola Mine located in Mali and that the Company is proceeding with an expansion project to increase processing throughput by 1.5 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa") to 7.5 Mtpa from the current base rate of 6 Mtpa. All dollar figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated. The Expansion Study PEA was conducted to evaluate the life-of-mine ("LoM") options for expanded mining and processing to maximize the value of the substantially increased Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource at the Fekola Mine (see news release dated October 25, 2018) (see also the Company's current AIF, filed on SEDAR on March 20, 2019, which reflects 2018 gold production). Results of this study recommend an expansion of the existing plant to process an additional 1.5 Mtpa, resulting in a baseline capacity of 7.5 Mtpa without requiring an additional ball mill or additional power generation capacity. Based on the new optimized mine plan, the mining rate at Fekola will also be increased, along with additional mining equipment to accelerate the supply of higher-grade ore to the expanded processing facilities. As a result of the project and Mineral Resource expansion, the Fekola Mine will produce more gold over a longer life, with more robust economics and higher average annual gold production, revenues and cash flows than the previous LoM. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Expansion Study PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources. Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves. Consequently, there is no certainty that the Expansion Study Preliminary Economic Assessment will be realized. Highlights of Fekola Expansion Study PEA Assuming an effective date of January 1, 2019 , a gold price of $1,300 per ounce and a discount rate of 5%, Project Economics highlights from the Expansion Study PEA include: , a gold price of per ounce and a discount rate of 5%, Project Economics highlights from the Expansion Study PEA include: Estimated optimized LoM extended into 2030, including significant estimated increases in average annual gold production to over 550,000 ounces per year during the five-year period 2020-2024 and over 400,000 ounces per year over the LoM (2019-2030). Projected gold production of approximately five million ounces over the new mine life of 12 years of mining and processing (including 2019). Prior to 2019, the Fekola Mine produced more than 550,000 ounces. The Fekola Mineral Resource remains open to the north. An increase in project NPV of approximately $500 million versus the comparable amounts in the Company's latest AIF Mineral Reserve LoM model (filed on SEDAR on March 20, 2019 ). versus the comparable amounts in the Company's latest AIF Mineral Reserve LoM model (filed on SEDAR on ). Forecast LoM pre-tax net cash flow of approximately $2.8 billion . . Forecast LoM pre-tax net present value of over $2.2 billion . . Revised projected LoM cash operating cash costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) and all-in-sustaining-costs ("AISC") (see Non-IFRS Measures) remain low, below $500 and $700 per ounce respectively despite mining a larger open pit at slightly lower gold grade. This is due to economies of scale arising from increased mining and processing rates and the new optimized mining schedule. During the five-year period 2020-2024 under the new optimized LoM, AISC are expected to average approximately $630 per ounce. and per ounce respectively despite mining a larger open pit at slightly lower gold grade. This is due to economies of scale arising from increased mining and processing rates and the new optimized mining schedule. During the five-year period 2020-2024 under the new optimized LoM, AISC are expected to average approximately per ounce. Forecast expansion capital payback period of less than one year. Estimated processing plant expansion capital cost of approximately $50 million over a period of approximately 18 months for processing expansion and upgrades (through Q3 2020). Half of this capital is expected to be spent in 2019 with the remaining half in 2020. It is anticipated that this will be financed from existing Fekola Mine cash flows . over a period of approximately 18 months for processing expansion and upgrades (through Q3 2020). Half of this capital is expected to be spent in 2019 with the remaining half in 2020. It is anticipated that this will be financed from existing Fekola Mine cash flows Projected annual mining rate increased to a baseline of approximately 54 Mtpa and subsequently stepped up to approximately 76 Mtpa to support the increased processing and stockpiling necessary to maintain plant feed grade. Staged mining fleet additions totalling approximately $56 million over the LoM are expected to be equipment loans/lease financed over respective 5-year periods, on terms similar to the existing Fekola fleet loan/lease terms. Projected annual processing rate increased to a baseline of 7.5 Mtpa (current capacity of 6 Mtpa plus 1.5 Mtpa). Ongoing drilling continues to infill the existing Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources. Mineralization remains open to the north and down plunge, indicating the potential to further increase Fekola Mineral Resources and Reserves. A large exploration drilling program will commence in Q3 2019 to further test the Fekola North, Cardinal and Anaconda zones. During the expansion study other upside opportunities were identified and are currently under review. These will be incorporated into an updated Fekola LoM plan when related studies are complete and if they show an increase in overall project value. Upside opportunities identified to date include renewable energy (focused on a solar plant), alternative tailings storage (co-disposal, paste, dry stack, and others), waste mining (various fleet options vs. in-pit crushing and conveying) and the potential incorporation of material from the Anaconda Mineral Resource. Basis of the Study On October 25, 2018, the Company announced a substantial increase in the Mineral Resource for the Fekola Mine, and positive results from the conceptual stage of the expansion study. B2Gold reported an Indicated Mineral Resource of 92.8 million tonnes at a grade of 1.92 grams per tonne ("g/t") containing 5.73 million ounces and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 26.5 million tonnes at a grade of 1.61 g/t containing 1.37 million ounces (see news release dated 10/25/2018) (see also the Company's current AIF, filed on SEDAR on March 20, 2019, which reflects 2018 gold production). This expanded resource, coupled with positive results of an internal conceptual study, formed the basis of, and motivation for, the Expansion Study PEA. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Based on positive results of the conceptual Fekola expansion study the Company continued testing and design with the same Lycopodium-Brisbane team which performed engineering and design work for the current Fekola mill and infrastructure, and contracted Whittle Consulting ("Whittle") to work together with the Company's technical team to conduct an Enterprise Optimization study of the Fekola Project. Results have confirmed the value of the processing expansion and recommend a corresponding increase in mining capacity. Whittle evaluated mining production rates, pit and phase scheduling, dynamic cut-off grades, ore stockpiling, blending, and dynamic processing throughput and recovery to maximize project NPV. These parameters will continue to be optimized during the next phases of project design and implementation. In the meantime, the Company is nearing completion on Front-End Engineering and Design ("FEED") for the expansion with a focus on long lead items. The project schedule indicates that the processing expansion will be fully operational by Q4 2020. B2Gold is currently investigating the potential to accelerate this schedule based on the availability of long lead items. As currently envisioned, the processing upgrade will focus on increased ball mill power, with upgrades to other components including a new cyclone classification system, pebble crushers, and additional leach capacity to support the higher throughput and increase operability. The capital costs of this mill expansion are estimated to be less than $50 million, with spending evenly split between 2019 and 2020. Critical path items include ball mill motors and the lime slaker, both of which will be commissioned in Q3 2020. In parallel with the expansion, B2Gold is studying the addition of a solar power plant, which would reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The current on-site power plant has sufficient capacity to support the expanded processing throughput, with or without the solar plant. The current mining fleet consists of four Caterpillar 6020B excavators with haul trucks, drills, and support equipment to match, and mines an average of 36 Mtpa. The Whittle results currently indicate that mining production rates ranging from 54 Mtpa to 76 Mtpa are optimal to support the expanded processing rates over the LoM and optimize head grade during the period 2020-2024. Increased production will be achieved with the addition of two to four excavators with corresponding trucks, drills, and support equipment. Large front-end loaders would also be included to maintain fleet flexibility. Mine fleet expansion timing and scale will be optimized during Q2 2019 and will generally be equipment loan/lease financed over a five-year period. The study has included $28 million for expansion to 54 Mtpa and an additional $28 million (for a total of $56 million) to go to 76 Mtpa. In parallel with the Whittle study, B2Gold is reviewing in-pit crushing and conveying as a means to reduce operating costs and potentially implement tailings and waste co-disposal at the Fekola Mine. B2Gold is also considering the option of transporting the nearby Anaconda saprolite material to Fekola for processing (see news release dated 06/15/2017). With the combination of the increased Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource, and implementation of the processing expansion and mining expansion, the Fekola Mine will see a substantial increase in annual and LoM gold production and revenues. Revised LoM cash operating cash costs and AISC are estimated at below $500 and $700 per ounce respectively despite mining a larger open pit at slightly lower gold grade. Under the PEA, low costs are forecast to be maintained through the new extended Fekola mine life due to economies of scale arising from increased mining and processing rates, and the optimized mining schedule. During the five-year period 2020-2024 under the new optimized LoM, AISC are expected to average approximately $630 per ounce. Current PEA expansion estimates indicate approximate annual gold production averaging over 400,000 ounces per year over the new LoM (including 2019) with over 550,000 ounces per year over the five-year period 2020-2024. Total processed tonnage currently included in the Expansion Study PEA consists of approximately 84 million tonnes processed over the LoM period 2019-2030 at a grade of 1.9 g/t, producing approximately 5.0 million ounces (prior to 2019, the Fekola Mine produced more than 550,000 ounces from its operations since inception. The Fekola Resources remain open to the north and down plunge). Head grade may be optimized to an average of up to 2.3 g/t over the period 2020-2024 with an increased mining rate and ore stockpiling. Under the current Expansion Study PEA assumptions, mine life extends to 12 years including 2019 (into 2030) even with the increased processing rate of 7.5 Mtpa. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Upside Potential B2Gold's technical team, along with Lycopodium, Whittle Consulting, and others, continues to study and optimize several components of the Fekola Mine. Ongoing studies include optimizing the mine production schedule and stockpile strategy, adding solar power, reviewing various tailings and waste disposal strategies and the potential to process material from the Anaconda Project, located to the north, through the Fekola plant. These studies will continue through Q2 2019 and will be incorporated into a revised Fekola LoM plan which is expected to be available by the end of Q1 2020. Since January 2019, up to seven drill rigs have completed 27 drill holes focussed on infill drilling the inferred portion of the new Fekola Mineral Resource (21%) to Indicated so that an updated geologic and grade model can be completed in late 2019. This will allow the engineering group to complete an updated design pit and new Mineral Reserves, along with an updated Fekola LoM plan by the end of Q1 2020. Once infill drilling is completed at the end of Q2 2019, B2Gold plans to immediately dedicate exploration drill rigs to test several targets with the potential to expand the Mineral Resources. These targets include the Fekola North area beyond the current resource boundary that remains open along strike and down plunge, the Cardinal structures west of the operating mine and the Fekola South area where previous wide spaced drilling has shown potential for additional mineralization below the main Fekola orebody. In addition, in early Q3, drill rigs will be mobilized to the Anaconda region to continue efforts to expand the previously announced shallow saprolite resource as well as further tests for hard rock mineralization targets below the saprolite resource. About B2Gold Corp. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, B2Gold Corp. is the world's new senior gold producer. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has five operating gold mines, and numerous exploration and development projects in various countries including Nicaragua, the Philippines, Namibia, Mali, Burkina Faso and Colombia. B2Gold will maintain a strong and profitable production profile in 2019 with consolidated gold production forecast to be between 935,000 and 975,000 ounces. Based on current assumptions, consolidated cash operating costs are projected to be between $520 and $560 per ounce and consolidated AISC are projected to be between $835 and $875 per ounce. The Company continues to maximize cash flows by optimizing its impressive operational and financial performance from existing mines. In addition, the Company will balance its ongoing program of debt reduction with pursuing expansion opportunities at existing operations. Also, B2Gold will remain focussed on adding shareholder value through growth driven by the exploration, development and expansion of its impressive pipeline of existing projects. Potential acquisitions will focus on exploration opportunities. Qualified Persons Tom Garagan, Senior Vice President of Exploration at B2Gold, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information regarding exploration matters and the Mineral Resource estimate contained in this news release. Mr Garagan has visited the Fekola mine site a number of times since 2015 and has reviewed and approved the exploration practices that B2Gold conducts on site. John Rajala P.E., Vice President of Metallurgy at B2Gold, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information regarding mineral processing related to Fekola expansion studies. Mr Rajala has visited the Fekola mine site multiple times since 2017 and has reviewed the technical aspects of the Expansion Study that form the basis for this release. Peter D. Montano P.E., Project Director at B2Gold, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to operations matters contained in this news release. Mr Montano has visited the Fekola mine site several times since 2015 and has reviewed the mining operations and has reviewed the technical aspects of the Expansion Study that form the basis for this release. ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP. "Clive T. Johnson" President & Chief Executive Officer For more information on B2Gold please visit the Company website at www.b2gold.com or contact: Ian MacLean Katie Bromley Vice President, Investor Relations Manager, Investor Relations & Public Relations 604-681-8371 604-681-8371 [email protected] [email protected] The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news release. Production results and production guidance presented in this news release reflect the total production at the mines B2Gold operates on a 100% basis. Please see our Annual Information Form dated March 20, 2019 for a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines B2Gold operates. This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates; and other statements regarding future or estimated financial and operational performance events, gold production and sales, revenues and cash flows, capital and operating costs, including projected cash operating costs and AISC, and budgets; statements regarding future or estimated mine life, metal price assumptions, ore grades or sources, stripping ratios, throughput, ore processing; statements regarding anticipated exploration, drilling, development, construction, permitting and other activities or achievements of B2Gold; and including, without limitation: the Expansion PEA, the timing and effects thereof; mining production being expanded, along with associated mining fleet increases, to accelerate the supply of high grade ore at the Fekola Mine; the Fekola Mine producing more gold over a longer life, with greatly improved annual gold production, revenues and cash flows; an increase in project net present value being approximately $500 million; forecast pre-tax net cash flow being approximately $2.8 billion; forecast pre-tax net present value being over $2.2 billion; forecast expansion capital payback period being less than one year; estimated processing plant expansion capital costs and the timing thereof; the source of financing of capital to satisfy such capital costs; projected annual mining and processing rate increases; low costs being forecast to be maintained through the new extended Fekola Mine life; staged mining fleet additions being expected to be lease financed over respective 5 year periods and the projected cost thereof; estimated LoM being extended into 2030; exploration drilling commencing in Q3/2019 to test the Fekola North, Cardinal and Anaconda zones; upside opportunities identified during the expansion study being incorporated into an updated Fekola LoM when related studies are complete and if they show and increase in overall project value; the timing of availability of such studies; the processing expansion being fully operational by Q4 2020; the processing upgrade focusing on increased ball mill power; the timing of commissioning of the ball mill motors and the lime slaker; increased production being achieved with the addition of two to four excavators with corresponding trucks, drills, and support equipment; large front-end loaders also being included to maintain fleet flexibility; mine fleet expansion timing and scale being optimized during Q2 2019; an updated geologic and grade model of the new Fekola Mineral Resource being able to be completed in late 2019; such allowing the B2Gold engineering group to complete an updated design pit and new Mineral Reserves, along with an updated Fekola LoM plan by the end of Q1 2020; once infill drilling is completed at the end of Q2 2019, B2Gold planning to immediately dedicate exploration rigs to test several targets with the potential to expand the Mineral Resource; drill rigs being mobilized to the Anaconda region and the timing thereof; B2Gold maintaining a strong and profitable production profile in 2019; B2Gold remaining focused on adding shareholder value through growth driven by the exploration, development and expansion of its impressive pipeline of existing projects; and potential acquisition being focussed on exploration opportunities. Estimates of mineral resources and reserves are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production, should a production decision be made. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Gold's control, including risks associated with or related to: the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold's common shares; changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing materially from the estimates in B2Gold's feasibility studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; the current ongoing instability in Nicaragua and the ramifications thereof; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; the ability to replace mineral reserves and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of companies acquired by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential restrictions imposed on B2Gold's operations as a result thereof and the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign laws, including those associated with operations in Mali, Namibia, the Philippines, Nicaragua and Burkina Faso and including risks related to changes in foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or resource nationalization generally; remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country risks, including local instability or acts of terrorism and the effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; the lack of sole decision-making authority related to Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate Project; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for B2Gold's operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; the final outcome of the audit by the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources in relation to the Masbate Project; the ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as required by law, including Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other similar measures; social media and B2Gold's reputation; as well as other factors identified and as described in more detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in B2Gold's most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold's current Form 40-F Annual Report and B2Gold's other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which may be viewed at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively (the "Websites. The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect B2Gold's forward-looking statements. B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to B2Gold's ability to carry on current and future operations, including: development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; B2Gold's ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry. B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Measures This news release includes certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), including "cash operating costs" and "all-in sustaining costs" (or "AISC"). Non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and should be read in conjunction with B2Gold's consolidated financial statements. Readers should refer to B2Gold's Management Discussion and Analysis, available on the Websites, under the heading "Non-IFRS Measures" for a more detailed discussion of how B2Gold calculates certain of such measures and a reconciliation of certain measures to IFRS terms. Cautionary Note to United States Investors The disclosure in this news release was prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), which differs significantly from the current requirements of the SEC set out in Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, such disclosure may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report in accordance with Industry Guide 7. In particular, this news release may refer to "mineral resources," "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources". While these categories of mineralization are recognized and required by Canadian securities laws, they are not recognized by Industry Guide 7 and are not normally permitted to be disclosed in SEC filings by U.S. companies. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of a "mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource" or "inferred mineral resource" will ever be converted into a "reserve." In addition, this news release uses the terms "reserves" and "mineral reserves" which are reported by the Company under Canadian standards and may not qualify as reserves under Industry Guide 7. Under Industry Guide 7, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the mineralization can be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the "reserve" determination is made. Accordingly, information contained or referenced in this news release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be compatible to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of Industry Guide 7. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Further, while NI 43-101 permits companies to disclose economic projections contained in preliminary economic assessments and pre-feasibility studies, which are not based on "reserves", U.S. companies have not generally been permitted to disclose economic projections for a mineral property in their SEC filings prior to the establishment of "reserves." Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian reporting standards; however, Industry Guide 7 normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by Industry Guide 7 standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Historical results or feasibility models presented herein are not guarantees or expectations of future performance. SOURCE B2Gold Corp. WHIPPANY, N.J., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer released the following statement in reaction to the phase two verdict in favor of the plaintiff in the case of Hardeman v Monsanto, a trial conducted in the federal glyphosate multi-district litigation before Judge Vince Chhabria in the Northern District of California. "We are disappointed with the jury's decision, but this verdict does not change the weight of over four decades of extensive science and the conclusions of regulators worldwide that support the safety of our glyphosate-based herbicides and that they are not carcinogenic. The verdict in this trial has no impact on future cases and trials, as each one has its own factual and legal circumstances. Bayer will appeal this verdict. "The jury in this case deliberated for more than four days before reaching a causation verdict in phase one, an indication that it was very likely divided over the scientific evidence. The legal rulings under which the court admitted expert scientific testimony from the plaintiff that it called 'shaky' is one of several significant issues that the Company may raise on appeal. Monsanto moved to exclude this same evidence before trial. "We have great sympathy for Mr. Hardeman and his family. Bayer stands behind these products and will vigorously defend them." "Roundup products and their active ingredient, glyphosate, have been used safely and successfully for over four decades worldwide and are a valuable tool to help farmers deliver crops to markets and practice sustainable farming by reducing soil tillage, soil erosion and carbon emissions. Regulatory authorities around the world consider glyphosate-based herbicides as safe when used as directed. There is an extensive body of research on glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides, including more than 800 rigorous studies submitted to EPA, European and other regulators in connection with the registration process, that confirms that these products are safe when used as directed. Notably, the largest and most recent epidemiologic study the 2018 independent National Cancer Institute-supported long-term study that followed over 50,000 pesticide applicators for more than 20 years and was published after the IARC monograph found no association between glyphosate-based herbicides and cancer. Additionally, EPA's 2017 post-IARC cancer risk assessment examined more than 100 studies the agency considered relevant and concluded that glyphosate is 'not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,' its most favorable rating. As Health Canada noted in a very recent statement, 'no pesticide regulatory authority in the world currently considers glyphosate to be a cancer risk to humans at the levels at which humans are currently exposed.'" For more information on Roundup, visit https://www.bayer.com/en/glyphosate-roundup.aspx. For more information on the Roundup litigation, visit http://www.glyphosatelitigationfacts.com/main/ Bayer: Science For A Better Life Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2018, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of 39.6 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.6 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.us . Media Contact: Chris Loder Bayer U.S. (201) 396-4325 [email protected] SOURCE Bayer Related Links http://www.bayer.us PARIS, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As previously indicated in our March 18 press release (see link below), Artprice has today revealed the Chinese brand name it will use in Artron's launch of its official spring campaign with a new baseline in Chinese. The name is: . [ Follow the link to read the Chinese name: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-chinese-brand.png ] Decided after much discussion with art market professionals in China, this name evokes Chinese confidence in art and the "Dao of Art"... i.e. the path of wisdom to which knowledge of the Art Market leads. The Chinese baseline says "Master the Global Art Market". [ Follow the link to read the Chinese baseline: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/artprice-maitriser-le-marche-mondial.png ] As thierry Ehrmann says, "by becoming a Chinese brand for China taking into account the specific tastes of Chinese art lovers, collectors and professionals Artprice is blending into the history and daily life of China's thousand-year-old culture, thereby boosting its notoriety and its sales turnover more quickly". At the end of this March, this new initiative will allow Artprice to achieve optimal exposure in China's colossal domestic market and to capture its economic potential with a 'permeability' that relates to China's multi-millennial history of art. Again, as Mr Ehrmann puts it "in order to conquer China you have to immerse yourself in a culture that goes back 4,000 year, and you have to approach the country with both humility and constance. In collaboration with Artprice, Artron has strengthened Artprices's road-map by the creation and implementation of a payment structure in order to comply with the new Directives from the Chinese government announced in February 2019. The strategic moves prompted by these Directives have slightly postponed Artprice's initial targets, which otherwise remain unchanged (See Press Release of 18 March 2019). Artprice's strategy is therefore part of the framework for trade and partnerships defined during President Xi Jinping's visit to France and largely commented in Emmanuel Macron's speech on 25 March 2019 marking the 55th anniversary of China's diplomatic relations with France. In his editorial for the 21st Global Art Market Annual Report co-published by Artprice and Artron last week, Mr Wan Jie, Chairman of Artron Group, Artprice's Chinese Institutional partner, stated: "This growth (of the art market) over time, like that of Artron's partnership with Artprice, will continue to accelerate as we integrate our resources, optimize our data, upgrade our Internet technology and diversify our business cooperation models. The result will be a New Silk Road connecting the different art worlds and the markets of the East and the West." We are therefore talking about a 'New Silk Road for the Art Market' in the framework of China's "One Belt, One Road"(OBOR) or "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) as presented by President Xi Jinping this week in France. Artprice is now accredited by the Chinese authorities as a major player alongside Artron in the project to construct an Art Market SiIk Road, thereby confirming at the highest level the agreements reached during the official visit of Artprice's management to Beijing in November 2018. The Belt and Road Initiative covers approximately 65 countries in Asia and Europe, for a total estimated cost of 55% of global GDP. It involves 70% of the global population 4.4 billion people and 75% of the world's energy reserves, with the total estimated investment period spanning 30 to 35 years for all the projects to be completed. The estimated value of the initial projects is around 900 billion dollars and China is apparently considering making loans for the completion of future infrastructures in the different countries along the new Silk Road that could amount to 8 trillion dollars. Moreover, as the country's population gets richer a phenomenon that is progressing at an astonishing pace China's Art Market is expected to enjoy phenomenal growth. By 2020, Asia should account for roughly 70% of the global Art Market. According to a study published by Bain & Company on 20 March 2019, China alone consumed 33% of the world's Luxury Goods in 2018. As the Art Market has very strong correlations with the Luxury Goods market, this figure corroborates Artprice's and Artron's forecasts for China's Art Market. In fact, according to the same study, China's consumption of Luxury Goods is already greater than that of Europe and the USA combined. To build stronger institutional relations with China, Artprice has become a member of the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons because the French city is one of the historical final destinations of Silk Roads since the Renaissance. Lyons is in fact the most visited French city by Chinese leaders. Created at the initiative of the City of Lyons, the Lyons Chamber of Commerce and the ADERLY, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons has already brought together many institutional and private partners like Groupe SEB, Institut Merieux, Huawei, Sanofi, EDF, Bank of China and Veolia. It defines itself, among other things, as a networking facilitator for contacts at the highest levels in France and China for over 80 years. The Institute's mission is the international promotion of France and of the economic attractiveness of the Lyons region by advertising the economic advantages of Lyons in China and encouraging Chinese investment in the Rhone-Alpes region. Moreover, after launching, in 2013, the project for an "Economic corridor traversing countries crossed by the old Silk Road", in 2014, President Xi Jinping made an official visit to the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons in the framework of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with France. Indeed, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons was revived precisely in this context, and it intends with its historical connections (since 1921) to give new impetus to the future of relations between Lyons and China. On 25 March 2019, the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons was the subject of a long article in the Figaro. Apparently China's President Xi Jinping is at the origin of the initiative to revive the New Franco-Chinese Institute of Lyons because a large section of China's historical elite has been educated in Lyon since 1921. No other place in Europe can boast this kind of historical link to the Middle Kingdom. To boost its visibility in China, Artprice will be present (for the first time ever) at Asia's largest Contemporary Art fair... the 7th edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. Alongside Artron, the two groups will occupy a prestigious stand and will promote their exclusive Decision Support Tools. Likewise, Artprice will also be present with Artron at Art Beijing from 26 to 29 April 2019. Lastly, Artprice's Facebook page has just reached 4 million followers worldwide. This represents an exceptional success on the world's leading social network, with a growing level of uptake at each publication, thereby spreading Artprice's databanks and services to new potential clients all over the world. On 30 June 2017, Artprice informed its AGM that it had 345,000 followers worldwide and it promised to reach 1 million by end-2018. That promise has now been largely superseded with an additional 3,655,000 followers, equivalent to a 1,061% increase in less than two years. With its unequalled audience on social media, Artprice is now giving Artron Western exposure just as Artron, at the beginning of April, will open its numerous networks with several tens of millions of members for Artprice (with its new Chinese name) including notably WeChat, but alsoTencent, QQ, Sina Weibo, Baidu and Tieba, among others. March 18 press release: https://www.actusnews.com/fr/ARTPRICE/cp/2019/03/18/artprice-and-artron-are-adapting-their-2019-strategy-to-the-art-market-dimension-of-china_s-belt-and-road-initiative-bri-that Copyright 2019 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/artist/23640/baishi-qi Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription About Artprice: Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Founded by thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/03/2019-bio-whoswho-thierry-ehrmann.pdf). Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2018 published last March 2019: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2018 Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner. About the Artron Group: "Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website." Artron's Web: www.Artron.net Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2018 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2018 Artprice's press releases: http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Artmarket News: https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 4 million subscribers http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/ Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video, which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos: https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 https://vimeo.com/124643720 The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.6 million subscribers Contact: thierry Ehrmann, [email protected] SOURCE Artprice.com Related Links http://www.artprice.com The tour's companion (same-titled) poetry book and also the new CD, The Flowers of the Forest is available for purchase at http://www.music.egmusic.com/music/the-flowers-of-the-forest . Inspired by the 100 Fridays of performing weekly for veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. The CD boasts traditional Scottish, Irish and American music along with several brand-new original compositions by the Galilei artists themselves. QUOTES: Founder of Ensemble Galilei Carolyn Surrick says, "Neal and Anne have spent years covering wars. They have heard the explosions, seen men fall, and they have dreamt in the echoes of their memory. They know clearly the things that only the people who have been in battle will ever understand." "Each story is like a postcard, letting people on the outside see what I was able to see on the inside." "These days we're not talking as much about our fellow citizens who are in combat. Some of them come back with injuries that are profound. We need to remind people that this conflict is still going on every day." Neal Conan Surrick says, "The Flowers of the Forest, which both opens the show and is the title track of this CD was written for the thousands of Scottish soldiers who died in battle on September 9, 1513. It is a tune that is played today when a soldier from England or Canada is killed in Afghanistan. They live on in the music and in our performances." Ensemble Galilei musicians: Carolyn Surrick / viola da gamba; Ryan McKasson /fiddle; Jackie Moran /bodhran and banjo; Sue Richards / Celtic harp; Preston Wilde /uillian pipes, Irish flute. musicians: / viola da gamba; /fiddle; /bodhran and banjo; / Celtic harp; /uillian pipes, Irish flute. Neal Conan (NPR's All Things Considered; NPR's Talk of the Nation) During the Gulf War, Neal was captured and detained for a week by the Iraqi Republican Guard. Conan currently produces & hosts Truth, Politics and Power, a podcast for public radio. by the Iraqi Republican Guard. Conan currently produces & hosts a podcast for public radio. Anne Garrels (NPR, ABC News, NBC News) is a George Polk Award winner for Radio Reporting in Iraq and she has published the memoir, Naked in Baghdad and a second book, Putin Country: A Journey into the Real Russia. TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.egmusic.com/calendar/ Between War & Here Ensemble Galilei in concertFeaturing NPR's Neal Conan & Anne Garrels: March 30/ 7:00 pm : Baltimore, MD The Church of the Redeemer : The Church of the Redeemer March 31/ 3:00 pm : Philadelphia, PA St. Paul's Episcopal Church : Episcopal Church April 3/ 7:00 pm : Norfolk, CT - The Church of Christ Congregational : - The Church of Christ Congregational April 4/ 7:00 pm : Hartford, CT Infinity Theater : Infinity Theater April 5/ 7:00 pm : Washington, D.C. St. Mark's Episcopal Church : St. Mark's Episcopal Church April 6 / 7:00pm : Cambridge, MA First Parish in Cambridge Unitarian Universalist Church Contact: Vanessa Butler; 213-446-0774; [email protected] SOURCE Ensemble Galilei Related Links http://www.egmusic.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BitTorrent, a leader in peer-to-peer technology, today began offering early access to its new BitTorrent Live streaming service, which lets consumers create live content and connect on mobile devices to people who share common interests. BitTorrent Live will provide a social media platform for people to express their creativity and connect with others around the world through live video. The service will allow for continuous live streaming anywhere users can get internet access. "Imagine chatting with your favorite athlete, becoming immersed in a music festival, or meeting new friends to share your passions - all by simply firing up the BitTorrent Live app," said Justin Sun, CEO of BitTorrent. "Our strong foundation of decentralized technology will allow us to fulfill our vision of a boundary-free internet while being at the forefront of a new content experience." Users initially will be able to search for subjects that interest them, and then engage directly with the broadcasters to give instantaneous feedback and likes. In the coming months, BitTorrent Live also will incorporate blockchain technology that returns privacy and ownership to users while also enabling cryptocurrency to be used as a new payment option. BitTorrent Live will be rolled out globally in phases. It will be available for beta testing download in Q2 2019. People interested in enrolling in the early beta program can sign up at https://www.bittorrent.com/live. About BitTorrent, Inc. Founded with a leading peer-to-peer sharing technology standard in 2004, BitTorrent, Inc. is a consumer software company based in San Francisco. Its protocol is the largest decentralized P2P network in the world, driving 22% of upstream and 3% of downstream traffic globally. Its flagship desktop and mobile products, BitTorrent and Torrent, enable users to send large files over the internet, connecting legitimate third-party content providers with users. With over 100 million active users, BitTorrent products have been installed on over 1 billion devices in over 138 countries worldwide. About TRON Founded in September 2017 by Justin Sun, TRON is dedicated to creating a boundary-free internet that inspires innovation across industries. TRON and its subsidiary BitTorrent give users direct access to applications, content and media by combining best-in-class blockchain approaches with innovations in peer-to-peer sharing and other technologies. The TRON Protocol, one of the largest blockchain-based operating systems in the world, offers public blockchain support of high throughput, high scalability, and high availability for all Decentralized Applications (DApps) in the TRON ecosystem, with average daily transactions of more than 3 million. The July 2018 acquisition of BitTorrent further cemented TRON's leadership in pursuing a decentralized ecosystem. For more information, visit https://www.bittorrent.com/live . Stay up to date on the latest news about BitTorrent token on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . Contact: Cliff Edwards TRON [email protected] 415.699.2755 SOURCE BitTorrent, Inc. Related Links https://www.bittorrent.com/live CHICAGO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] will release its financial results for the first quarter of 2019 on Wednesday, April 24. Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg and Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Enterprise Performance & Strategy Greg Smith will discuss the results and company outlook during a conference call that day at 10:30 a.m. ET. The event will be webcast at http://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1954051/702E91CB3BF8EDCF6A45C589847D00EC. The event can also be accessed by dialing 1-800-230-1074 within the U.S. and by dialing 612-234-9960 outside of the U.S. The passcode for both is "Boeing." Individuals should check the webcast site prior to the session to ensure their computers can access the audio stream and slide presentation. Instructions for obtaining the required free downloadable software will be posted on the site. A Boeing news release and presentation materials will be posted online prior to the event. Contact Investor Relations: 312-544-2140 Communications: 312-544-2002 SOURCE Boeing Related Links http://www.boeing.com "This year's data highlights how workplace empathy can bridge the gap in belonging and support true, holistic employee well-being," said Businessolver's Chief Strategy Officer, Rae Shanahan . "But it also reinforces yet again that organizations will see better talent attraction, retention, and employee engagement, and in today's labor market, these business outcomes are more valuable than ever." Leaders struggle to "walk the walk" The 2019 State of Workplace Empathy Study indicates that leaders understand the value of empathy in their organizations. This year, 72 percent of CEOs surveyed say that empathy in the workplace needs to change a 15-point increase in just two years. At the same time, more than 90 percent of employees say they're more likely to stay with an empathetic employer, underscoring just how much they value empathy in their workplaces. Yet even as leaders are getting the message about empathy, they overestimate how well they're showing it. In fact, 92 percent of CEOs say their organization is empathetic, but only 72 percent of employees agree (a 6-point decrease from previous years). This gap may exist because CEOs don't necessarily know how to exhibit empathy to their employees. This year, 58 percent of CEOs say they struggle with consistently demonstrating empathy in the workplace. Leaders are also more likely to say empathy results in improved financial performance, whereas employees believe empathy helps people in their daily working lives. "These disconnects, what we call the 'Empathy Gap,' show that while leaders know that empathy is important, they don't necessarily understand their employees' point of view," said Businessolver President and CEO Jon Shanahan. "Leaders need to make real connections with their employees so that they have the opportunity to listen to the things that employees are concerned about, to the ways that employees want them to demonstrate empathy and by learning from their employees, leadership can keep them engaged, productive, and staying with their organization for the long term." Employers play a key role in employee well-being Despite the growth of corporate wellness programs in recent years, employee well-being hasn't improved in a corresponding way. The 2019 State of Workplace Empathy Study shows that employees want companies to empathize with their day-to-day working lives and support their overall well-being. The study found that 90 percent of employees believe employers should do more for employee well-being, and HR professionals (85%) and CEOs (94%) overwhelmingly agree. Programs and benefits that help employees balance the myriad responsibilities and priorities they have are rated as most empathetic. Those responsibilities are increasingly varied, now that four generations are actively in the workforce. Benefits centered on family ranked as most empathetic by employees, with 95 percent of employees saying daycare and flexible work hours are empathetic, and 94 percent saying paid parental leave shows empathy. But it's not just parents 93 percent of respondents indicate extended bereavement leave is empathetic, showing that employees care about having time with their families in times of birth, death, or when caring for a relative. Nine out of 10 Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials say the value of flexibility is crucial for empathy demonstrating how "Sandwich Generation" employees need flexibility to care for younger and older relatives, and how employees of all ages are working to find true work-life balance. Supporting holistic employee well-being and addressing stress that comes with competing responsibilities is increasingly important an estimated 40 million Americans are coping with some form of anxiety. In the 2019 State of Workplace Empathy Study, 8 in 10 employees, HR professionals, and CEOs stated that companies see people suffering from a mental health issue as a burden. This persistent stigma around mental health is significant: nearly half (47%) of employees report experiencing a mental health issue in the last year. Benefits directly addressing mental health, and broader programs that support flexibility and family priorities, foster the culture of empathy that organizations need to improve total employee well-being. Respecting and embracing diversity leads to empathy Diversity encompasses race, gender, generation, and more, and today's workplaces must embrace this and create a sense of belonging and inclusion for all employees. The 2019 Study shows that empathy is the connective tissue that helps employees feel valued, and this must be expressed in every facet of a workplace's culture. There is no one initiative or benefit that will create empathy it must be a thorough and authentic value exhibited across the entire organization. For example, diversity in leadership remains a key factor for demonstrating empathy. This year, 75 percent of employees, 92 percent of HR professionals, and 87 percent of CEOs say companies would be more empathetic with more diverse leadership. Likewise, as mentioned, benefits that support employees of different generations are rated as most empathetic. By tuning in to the diverse needs of their employee population, employers can help everyone feel welcome at work and overcome the loneliness and stress that are increasingly prevalent. In 2019, nearly a quarter (22%) of study respondents said they can't bring their true selves to work, so the need for an empathetic, inclusive environment is greater than ever. Without empathy, employers are falling behind When evaluating the last four years of State of Workplace Empathy Study results, the connection between empathy and positive business outcomes has never been stronger. Ninety-three percent of employees state they are more likely to stay with an empathetic employer, and 82 percent would consider leaving their job for a more empathetic organization. Furthermore, employees also report that they are more engaged, with 78 percent stating they would work longer hours for a more empathetic employer. "Year-over-year, we see how employees, HR professionals, and CEOs alike are counting on empathy to make their working lives better by being more productive and engaged, retaining talent, and reaching business goals," said Businessolver's Rae Shanahan. "While leaders now have increased awareness of the fundamental need for and value of workplace empathy, they've reached a new hurdle in understanding how to develop a holistically empathetic workplace environment." To learn more about this year's findings and what organizations and leaders can do to demonstrate empathy, read the 2019 State of Workplace Empathy Executive Summary at https://www.businessolver.com/resources/state-of-workplace-empathy Follow and contribute to the social conversation at #EmpathyAtWork. These findings are part of the fourth annual State of Workplace Empathy Study of more than 1,850 U.S. employees, HR professionals and CEOs that evaluates the state of empathy in American workplaces, conducted by Businessolver. About Businessolver Since 1998, Businessolver has delivered market-changing benefits administration technology supported by an intrinsic responsiveness to client needs. The company creates client programs that maximize benefits program investment, minimize risk exposure, and engage employees with easy-to-use solutions and communication tools to assist them in making wise and cost-efficient benefits selections. Founded by HR professionals, Businessolver's unwavering service-oriented culture and secure SaaS platform provide measurable success in its mission to provide complete client delight. Media Contacts Kristin Korzen, Edelman (on behalf of Businessolver) [email protected] 312-233-1278 SOURCE Businessolver Related Links http://edelman.com/ VANCOUVER, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone") (TSX:CS) will release its first quarter 2019 financial results on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 after market close, followed by an investor conference call to be held on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 11:30 am (Eastern Time). Capstone will no longer be pre-releasing production results on a quarterly basis. Conference Call and Webcast Details Date: Thursday, April 25, 2019 Time: 11:30 am Eastern Time (8:30 am Pacific Time) Dial in: North America: 1-888-390-0546, International: +416-764-8688 Webcast: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1956178/343D6AA390A9765A5423F329A4121095 Replay: North America: 1-888-390-0541, International: +416-764-8677 Passcode: 147100# The conference call replay will be available until May 2, 2019. Following the replay, an audio file will be available on Capstone's website at https://capstonemining.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx. Filing of Proxy Materials On March 18, 2019, Capstone filed on SEDAR a Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular in connection with its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held at the offices of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, 595 Burrard Street, Suite 2600, Three Bentall Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at 1:00 pm (Pacific Time). Capstone encourages shareholders to read the meeting materials, which have been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and are on our website at www.capstonemining.com. About Capstone Mining Corp. Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our two producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US and the Cozamin polymetallic mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico. In addition, Capstone has the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo development project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation, the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada currently on care and maintenance, as well as a portfolio of exploration properties. Capstone's strategy is to focus on the optimization of operations and assets in politically stable, mining-friendly regions, centred in the Americas. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at www.capstonemining.com. SOURCE Capstone Mining Corp. Related Links www.capstonemining.com DENVER, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc. a top 10 national home builder, was nominated for 36 Top 10 Eliant Homebuyers' Choice Awards, the most of any builder, winning eleven premier awards (1st, 2nd or 3rd) in Design, Purchase Experience, Construction Representative of the Year, First Year Customer Service Experience and Quality, and Percentage of Sales from Referrals categories. Century Communities also won six additional as Honorable Mention awards in Design, Purchase Experience, Percentage of Sales from Referrals, Most Improved Builder, Construction Representative of the Year, and Design Representative of the Year. Homebuilders who provided their customers with the best purchase and ownership experiences according to surveyed homebuyers have been honored in the 23rd Annual Eliant Homebuyers' Choice Awards. For 2019, the winning builders were determined by analyzing the results of 125,000 surveys administered to homebuyers from more than 150 major homebuilders across the U.S. Ralph Baja, Century Communities' national vice president of customer engagement and safety, said, "These results validate Century Communities' commitment to the customer experience. We are especially honored that the recognition comes directly from homeowner feedback. It's homeowner feedback that helps shape our processes processes designed to deliver our brand promise: 'A Home for Every Dream.'" "Without question, Century Communities is a leader in the homebuilding industry with its customer-centric approach," said Bob Mirman, founder and CEO of Eliant. "For a builder as large as Century to have consistently strong results across its geographic footprint is remarkable." Eliant recognizes individual performance of the nation's top performing field representatives in the areas of Sales, Construction, Design and Customer Service as voted by recent homebuyers. From among thousands of their peers, several Century Communities representatives were identified. Melvin Barahona (construction) and Paul Drake (customer relations) received 1st place individual awards, James Coleman placed 3rd amongst Sales Representatives, and Elvia Ramirez received an Honorable Mention nod in Design. "It's an honor to recognize the individuals on the frontlines who deliver extraordinary customer experiences every day, as identified by real homeowners," stated Fernanda Luick, Eliant's Vice President of Operations and Client Relations. About the Homebuyers' Choice Awards: For nearly 25 years the Eliant Homebuyers' Choice Awards has been the arbiter of superior customer experience in the homebuilding industry. Powered by Eliant's best-in-class technology, reliable data, and actionable insights, the awards consist of 12 categories, each reflective of the values, opinions and experiences of more than 125,000 recent homebuyers from 150+ major new homebuilders across the U.S. For a complete list of winners and detailed selection criteria, visit www.Eliant.com/choice-awards. About Eliant: Established in 1984 as the original homebuyer survey company, Eliant has evolved into a full-service experience management partner to the homebuilding industry. Powered by superior assessments and best-in-class technology, Eliant offers homebuilders, vendors, trades, lenders and consumers reliable answers to their most critical homebuilding and home buying questions. Headquartered in Aliso Viejo, CA, Eliant is the parent of the annual Homebuyers' Choice Awards, arbiter of homebuyer satisfaction in the homebuilding industry. About Century Communities: Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE:CCS) is a top 10 national home builder. Century Communities is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding, including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Colorado-based Company sells its Century Communities and Wade Jurney Homes in 15 states across the West, Mountain, Texas and Southeast U.S. regions and offers title, insurance, and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loan subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities please visit www.centurycommunities.com. SOURCE Century Communities Related Links www.centurycommunities.com BEIJING, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- China Synergy Fund, co-managed by CICC Capital and TPG, today announces that it has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Impala to acquire Electropoli, a leading provider of surface treatment services in Europe, notably for the automotive industry. Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, President of Silk Road Fund Wang Yanzhi, and CICC UK CEO Xia Xinhan attended the signing ceremony and gave speeches. China Synergy Fund has co-led this investment with Trail Capital, a Paris-based European private equity firm. Headquartered in France, Electropoli has successfully developed into a pan-European company, benefitting from a strong technology and industrial process know-how. The company operates seven manufacturing sites in France, the Czech Republic and Poland and one R&D center based in France. Electropoli serves the premium segment of the automotive industry as well as the aerospace and energy industries with a comprehensive range of metal treatment products and services. Post acquisition, China Synergy Fund will actively help Electropoli expand into the Chinese market, bringing better products and services to Chinese clients and higher environmental protection standards to the service treatment industry in China. Ding Wei, CEO of CICC Capital, said: "As a partner of Trail, we will allow successful European companies to grow into China with the benefit of CICC's vast investment banking resources and strong experience as a leading private equity manager. China Synergy Fund is well-positioned to help transform small and mid-size European companies into global champions with strong operational presence in China." Xavier Marin, Managing Partner of Trail, said: "Together with our strategic partner of CICC, we form a powerful investment global platform with strong local footprints and experience in Europe and China." About China International Capital Corporation (CICC) CICC is China's first joint-venture investment bank and a pioneer in international best practices in China. Since CICC's inception in 1995, our commitment has been to provide high quality, value-added financial services to our clients. We have established full-service business model offering investment banking, equities, FICC, wealth management services and investment management - all based on our solid research coverage. Our headquarters is in Beijing and we have subsidiaries throughout Mainland China, company branches in major cities including Shanghai and Shenzhen, and more than 200 securities branches in 28 provinces and municipalities nationwide. We are also active overseas with branches in Hong Kong, New York, Singapore, London, San Francisco, and most recently, Frankfurt. In 2015, CICC listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. About CICC Capital Management Co., Ltd. (CICC Capital) CICC Capital is the flagship platform of China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC) for its global private equity businesses. The Firm is committed to becoming a globally leading private equity manager with an impactful brand, a large and stable investor base, superior investment capabilities, and prudent and efficient mid-and-back offices. The Firm's product portfolio has been expanding steadily along three dimensions - investment strategy, industry focus, and geographical area. Currently, the Firm runs government-backed funds investing in emerging industries, funds focusing on restructuring of traditional sectors, USD and RMB funds of funds, and USD and RMB private equity funds with various strategies including venture capital, growth, buyout and distressed investment. With a total AUM of around RMB300 billion and over 200 high-caliber professionals in its staff body, CICC Capital has become a leading private equity brand in China. Looking ahead, CICC Capital will continue to explore different asset classes, develop innovative business models, broaden its investment capabilities, strengthen its operation systems, and enhance the value of its brand, so as to deliver strong returns to the investors of its fund products over the long term. About China Synergy Fund China Synergy Fund is an investment platform set-up jointly by TPG, the leading global alternative asset firm, and CICC Capital, the private equity arm of China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC), China's preeminent investment bank. This fund targets investment opportunities both in China and overseas that will benefit from the key trends in the Chinese economy, underpinned by the sponsors' strong cross-border investment and business development capabilities. About Trail Trail is an independent European private equity investment firm, set-up in 2007 with over 750 million cumulated capital managed to date and investments made in 12 companies. In 2016, Trail formed a strategic partnership with Silk Road Fund and CICC to set-up a unique Euro-China investment platform. Trail's team helps high performing small and mid-size European companies scale up in size, scope and geographical boundaries with a specific focus on China. Trail is committed to long-term, responsible and value-creating investment. Trail has three offices in Paris, Luxembourg and Beijing. SOURCE China International Capital Corporation Limited Brandi Nichols, business owner, dance instructor and mother of three, got her start in dance at 7 years old, performing tap, jazz and ballet in her hometown of Newport, Oregon. Years of dancing and instruction with master dancers followed and Brandi accumulated expertise in everything from West Coast Swing to West African dance. In 2011, she became an instructor at Gotta Dance Studio in Bend. "I had been teaching dance at Gotta Dance for five years when out of the blue, the owners asked me if I'd be interested in purchasing the Studio," says Brandi. "I had just completed my Master's in Education and with my love of dancing, the opportunity to own the business felt like a wonderful fit." Brandi discussed buying the business with husband Sean. After some hesitation, the couple made the leap and purchased the existing Gotta Dance Studio in 2016. As a small business owner, the biggest challenge Brandi faced early on was how to attract new customers. The Gotta Dance Studio had been a long time fixture in the Bend community and was associated with a different type of dance culture and instruction. Brandi worked hard to market her vision for a new type of instructional dance studio, but start-up costs ran high. She realized she needed additional capital fast. "After a few days of searching online, I found OnDeck and decided to apply. Their application process was really easy and everyone I interacted with was very helpful," says Brandi. "Once approved, we received the line of credit funds on the same day via our business debit card. We feel very lucky to have found OnDeck and its instant funding capability." Brandi used the line of credit from OnDeck to pay down expenses and make investments in marketing. She also fixed the air conditioner and the Gotta Dance storefront sign. With bills paid and a few maintenance holes plugged, Brandi was now able to concentrate on attracting new students. Today, Gotta Dance has 10 instructors and approximately 250 new students. The studio offers a wide selection of classes, from Contemporary to Ballet and Musical Theater. Its most popular class is Pre-Hip Hop, for children ages 5-7. "My main vision is to create a large school for performing arts," says Brandi. "We are currently collaborating with Ovation Performing Arts in Bend, to add dance to their classes in voice and acting. I would love to see this school become a center for instruction in dance, music and acting. The hope is that Bend will become a true hub for people who are looking to learn and advance in the arts." To learn more about Brandi Nichols and her students at the Gotta Dance Studio and Company, visit: www.gottadancestudioandcompany.com. To see a video of Brandi and students at work in the studio, visit: https://youtu.be/mEXheXbC4G0 "OnDeck is proud to have been there with Instant Funding for Gotta Dance at a crucial time in the growth of their business," says Andrea Gellert, chief revenue officer, OnDeck. "Brandi's passion for dance is evident in the joy she brings to teaching children and adults. She has built a thriving small business doing what she loves and is touching the lives of so many people in her community." OnDeck was the first online lender to small business to offer instant funding of lines of credit to small business owners via their debit cards. To learn more, visit: https://www.ondeck.com/press-releases/ondeck-collaborates-ingo-money-visa-enable-real-time-loan-funding-small-businesses The Small Business Spotlight series from OnDeck is designed to highlight and reinforce the vital importance of small businesses. Every month, OnDeck spotlights the achievements of its small business customers and how they are thriving as a result of receiving capital from OnDeck. To learn more about Brandi Nichols' small business journey, visit: www.ondeck.com/smallbusinessspotlight About OnDeck OnDeck (NYSE: ONDK) is the proven leader in transparent and responsible online lending to small business. Founded in 2006, the company pioneered the use of data analytics and digital technology to make real-time lending decisions and deliver capital rapidly to small businesses online. Today, OnDeck offers a wide range of term loans and lines of credit customized for the needs of small business owners. The company also offers bank clients a comprehensive technology and services platform that facilitates online lending to small business customers through ODX, a wholly-owned subsidiary. OnDeck has provided over $10 billion in loans to customers in 700 different industries across the United States, Canada and Australia. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is rated 5 stars by Trustpilot. For more information, visit www.ondeck.com. OnDeck, the OnDeck logo, OnDeck Score and OnDeck Marketplace are trademarks of On Deck Capital, Inc. SOURCE On Deck Capital, Inc. DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover Fueling Solutions ("DFS"), a part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) that delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, fleet systems, automatic tank gauging and wetstock management, is pleased to announce it has entered into a three-year agreement to provide wetstock monitoring services to Mountain Express Oil Company ("MEO"), of Acworth, Georgia. Founded in 2000, MEO is involved in the wholesale distribution of gasoline, diesel fuels, racing fuels, renewable fuels, oils, lubricants, real estate, quick service restaurants, and c-store operating businesses in the southeastern United States. It provides petroleum products to stores it owns and third-party locations at approximately 400 locations across nine states. After first purchasing the ClearView solution wetstock monitoring services in July 2015, MEO has just signed a new, three-year agreement with DFS to continue its use of the ClearView solution. Commenting on the company's experience with the ClearView solution, MEO Executive Vice President of Strategic Business Development Lamar Frady, noted, "The ClearView solution has been able to not only ensure that our locations receive all the fuel we purchase, but also manage our inventory control more efficiently and with much more accuracy. The ClearView solution identifies an issue when it occurs and significantly diminishes the chasing of issues." "We are thrilled to continue supplying Mountain Express Oil Company with the ClearView solution," said DFS Sales Representative Ray Melendez. "This family-owned organization has accomplished so much in its nearly 20 years of operation, and I look forward to seeing what the next three years of this partnership will hold." For more information about Dover Fueling Solutions' wetstock management and monitoring services, visit doverfuelingsolutions.com. About Dover Fueling Solutions: Dover Fueling Solutions ("DFS"), part of Dover Corporation, is comprised of the product brands of ClearView, Fairbanks, OPW Fuel Management Systems, ProGauge, Tokheim, and Wayne Fueling Systems, and delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, automatic tank gauging and wetstock management solutions to customers worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DFS has a significant manufacturing presence around the world, including facilities in Brazil, China, India, Italy, the UK, and the USA. For more information about DFS, visit doverfuelingsolutions.com. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, specialty systems, consumable supplies, software and digital solutions, and support services through three operating segments: Engineered Systems, Fluids and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 60 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. SOURCE Dover Related Links http://www.dovercorporation.com NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Drilling Fluids Market - Overview According to International Energy Agency, approximately 65,176 wells were drilled for oil & gas in 2017.This has increased the demand for drilling fluids. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05760666/?utm_source=PRN High oil prices and greater cost efficiency in offshore projects are driving the demand for exploration activities.This, in turn, propels the demand for drilling fluids. Drilling fluids play a crucial role in oil & gas exploration activities.It is a mixture of water, oil, clay, and several chemicals. Drilling fluids are also known as drilling muds. This fluid performs numerous functions such as cooling the drill bit and lubricating its teeth while drilling, carrying drill cuttings to the surface, and reduces drill pipe stuck problems. Drilling fluids help maintain hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering the wellbore. Newly developed state-of-the-art drilling fluid treatments offer superior reliability with efficient results for the energy industry. Implementation of stringent regulations to minimize harmful carbon emissions is propelling the demand for water-based muds and synthetic-based muds.Increase in offshore drilling activities has increased the consumption of drilling fluids. Therefore, governments of several countries are funding and supporting development and adoption of the latest technologies to manufacture environment friendly drilling fluids. Several companies are actively developing synthetic-based muds for the use in complex geological formation.Rise in demand for water-based muds due to its cost effectiveness is expected to drive the global drilling fluids market during the forecast period. Developed and developing countries are investing significantly in offshore drilling. Demand for drilling fluids in Asia Pacific is gaining momentum due to the rise in offshore and onshore drilling activities, especially in countries such as China, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. This report analyzes and forecasts the drilling fluids market at the global, regional, and country level.The market has been forecast based in terms of volume (thousand bbls) and revenue (US$ Mn) from 2018 to 2026, considering 2017 as the base year. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global drilling fluids market.It also encompasses the impact of these drivers and restraints on the demand for drilling fluids during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the drilling fluids market at the global and regional level. The report includes detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global drilling fluids market.Porter's Five Forces model for the drilling fluids market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein type, application, and region are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness. The study provides a decisive view of the global drilling fluids market by segmenting it in terms of type, application, and region.In terms of type, the drilling fluids market has been classified into water-based muds, oil-based muds, and synthetic-based muds. Based on application, the market has been bifurcated into onshore and offshore.These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes current and forecast demand for drilling fluids in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report provides the actual size of the drilling fluids market for 2017 and an estimated size from 2018 to 2026.The global drilling fluids market has been provided in terms of volume and revenue. Market numbers have been estimated based on type and application of the drilling fluids market. Market volume and revenue have been provided in terms of global, regional, and country level markets. The report comprises profiles of major companies operating in the global drilling fluids market. Key players operating in the drilling fluids market include Schlumberger Limited, Halliburton, BASF SE, Clariant International, DowDuPont Inc., Akzo Nobel N.V., Solvay S.A., Newpark Resources, Royal Dutch Shell Plc., and Gumpro Drilling Fluids Private Limited. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments. The global drilling fluids market has been segmented as follows: Global Drilling Fluids Market, by Type Water-based Muds Oil-based Muds Synthetic-based Muds Global Drilling Fluids Market, by Application Onshore Offshore Global Drilling Fluids Market, by Region North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. Netherland Norway Russia & CIS Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Indonesia China India Pakistan ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia Oman Nigeria Rest of Middle East & Africa Key Takeaways Drilling fluids are used in several functions such as control of downhole formation pressure, avoidance of damage to producing formation, cooling and lubrication of the drill bit, and scavenging cuttings generated by drill bit from boreholes. Drilling fluids are essential during drilling operations. Discovery of unconventional shale formation in the areas such as Bakken, Marcellus, and Texas, in the U.S. is boosting the demand for drilling fluids Countries in Europe, such as U.K., Norway, and Russia & CIS, have increased their expenditure on onshore and offshore drilling activities. This is propelling the augments demand for drilling fluids in the region. The consumption of drilling fluids is expected to be in demand owing to the drilling activities in the offshore areas in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, South China Sea, and Gulf of Oman. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05760666/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com PALO ALTO, Calif., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Earnin, an app that allows anyone with a job and a bank account to get paid the minute they leave work, announced today the launch of a new and free service called Balance Shield Alerts. The service will be used to help its community members avoid overdraft fees by alerting people if their bank balance is in danger of being overdrawn. By turning on Balance Shield Alerts, customers will be informed via a push notification when their bank balance falls below an amount they specify, which can range from $0 to $400. Like the rest of the app, the new service is free to all customers. Community members can also use an existing feature of Balance Shield in order to automatically cash out up to $100 each time their balance falls below $100. "Of all the unfair things about the American financial system, overdrafts affect those of us struggling with our finances and can bury us in fees," says Ram Palaniappan, CEO of Earnin. "With Balance Shield Alerts, our community members can take even more control of their finances and actively ward off unfair fees - for free." In 2000, the median overdraft fee was $18. In 2017, it was up to $30. Last year, Earnin helped affected community members save $20 million in overdraft fees. With the launch of their new service, the company expects to help even more people avoid overdraft fees. To learn about Earnin and how Balance Shield Alerts work, please visit www.earnin.com or read our blog, Worried About Overdraft Fees? We Got You Covered. Did you know? Every year banks rake in billions in overdraft fees. In 2018 alone, consumers paid a whopping $34.3 billion in overdraft fees the most they've paid since 2009, during the end of the Great Recession, according to a new report from research firm Moebs Services. About Earnin Earnin is the new, faster way to get your paycheck. Unlike traditional, rigid paychecks that only show up every two weeks, Earnin gives you access to your pay as you earn it -- any time, any day, right from your smartphone. Earnin charges no fees or interest for using the service; instead, with each transaction, users have the opportunity to pay what they believe is fair. Launched in 2014, Earnin leverages mobile technology to drive consumer-empowered finance. The company aims to break open more than $1 trillion held up in America's pay cycle. Current funding partners include Andreessen Horowitz, Matrix Partners, Ribbit Capital, Felicis Ventures, March Capital. To learn about Earnin and how we are building a financial system that works for people, please visit www.earnin.com. Contact: Alexea Candreva, [email protected] SOURCE Earnin Related Links http://www.earnin.com EL PASO, Texas, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Action El Paso - a coalition of concerned business and community leaders - launched a campaign to push back against U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) plan to open a warehouse style processing center in El Paso. News broke about CBP's plans for a processing center last month when the General Services Administration (GSA) posted a bid request looking for a 250,000-square-foot facility to lease in western El Paso as early as April 15. Despite CBP's quick timeline of taking occupancy in June 2019 to open a processing center in El Paso, the community and business members have not been consulted by CBP or GSA about the facilities they are considering. "We have all seen photos and videos of the conditions that children and families are subjected to within these warehouse style facilities," said Jon Barela, Chief Executive Officer of The Borderplex Alliance, a member of Action El Paso. "The idea of having a facility that forces children to sleep on the floor or neglects families the basic things like access to separate bathrooms, showers or health services goes against the values that define El Paso and residents of the Borderplex region. If a processing center is to open in our community, it must be well-equipped and prioritize the humanity of migrants, and that requires careful planning and time." As part of the campaign, Action El Paso launched a petition demanding that before any facility is opened in El Paso, City leadership and the community must be consulted on the location of the processing center and specifically designed to ensure the humane treatment of migrants and the efficient processing of their asylum requests. "At a time when our region is experiencing tremendous growth and economic development, we cannot allow for this new processing center to disrupt the momentum and positive economic energy in El Paso," said David Jerome, President & CEO of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, a member of Action El Paso. "The proposed processing center should NOT be placed near our schools, businesses, and residential neighborhoods. El Paso city and federal representatives, along with the larger El Paso community, should be consulted to fully weigh the costs and negative impacts that it might create to our economic and civic well-being." Barela added, "The RFP is flawed and is unnecessarily limited in geographic scope. Locations throughout El Paso County and Southern New Mexico should be explored. I urge the GSA and CBP to reissue the RFP so that a more permanent and humane solution can be found, thus ensuring a competitive bidding process and prudent usage of taxpayer money." Action El Paso members want to ensure that the new migrant processing center in El Paso serves as the prototype for how to efficiently process asylum seekers and migrants, and offers a real long-term solution for the influx of migrants arriving at our borders. Action El Paso is requesting a meeting with CBP and GSA to make their demands clear. To learn more about this campaign and the petition that the campaign is circulating, click here . SOURCE Action El Paso COSTA MESA, Calif., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's successful businesses rely on the latest market intelligence and the most up-to-date consumer insights. Since launching less than eighteen months ago, the Experian Ascend Technology Platform has been helping businesses, including 15 of the world's top financial institutions, stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behaviors by leveraging the power of data, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The Ascend Analytical Sandbox was the first solution built on the Ascend Technology Platform. Like the name suggests, a sandbox is an environment that contains all the data and analytics tools needed to create, build, and gain insight from data. Experian's hybrid-cloud system gives businesses instant access to more than 17 years of depersonalized credit data on more than 220 million U.S. consumers, as well as alternative data, commercial and auto data and other exclusive data assets. With the Ascend Analytical Sandbox, businesses also have access to industry-leading analytics and data visualization tools, including SAS, R, Python, H2O, Tableau and others, to mine and manipulate data, combine it with their own and view accurate consumer stories in near real-time. "The Ascend Analytical Sandbox has truly been an incredibly successful product launch for Experian. The benefits available through this tool are exactly what businesses have been asking for faster and more informed lending decisions with greater accuracy," said Alex Lintner, Group President Experian Consumer Information Services. "It's not just traditional lenders who are benefitting. Our partners in FinTech, retail, mortgage, auto and insurance are also seeing how we are connecting everything the data, the technology and the insights to create real business opportunities." MORE INFORMED DECISIONS, IN LESS TIME OneMain Financial, a lender with over $16 billion in assets, turned to Experian to improve its risk modeling and credit portfolio management capabilities. Since using the Ascend Technology Platform, the company has seen significant improvements in reject inferencing a process that looks at the performance of loan applicants who were denied in the underwriting process. This process has traditionally been expensive, manually-intensive and time consuming. According to OneMain Financial, the Analytical Sandbox on Experian's Ascend Technology Platform has shortened the process to less than two weeks from up to 180 days. "Experian's Ascend Technology Platform and Analytical Sandbox is an industry gamechanger," said OneMain Financial's Senior Managing Director and Head of Model Development Michael Kortering. "We're completing analyses that just weren't possible before and we're getting decisions to our clients faster, without compromising risk." Like many businesses, OneMain Financial sees Experian's Ascend Technology Platform and Analytical Sandbox having an impact beyond core risk modeling. For example, the company also uses the platform to gain market insights and understand market share. Through the anonymized database in the Analytical Sandbox, OneMain Financial calculates its share percentage in various loan categories, including credit score and geography, to make more informed decisions around business and marketing strategies. "The use cases available through Experian's Ascend Technology Platform are endless," added Kortering. To request a demo and learn more about Experian's Ascend platform and suite of products including the Analytical Sandbox, please visit http://www.experian.com/consumer-information/ascend.html About Experian Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organizations to prevent identity fraud and crime. We have more than 16,500 people operating across 39 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group. Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Contact: Leisl Pillay Experian Public Relations 714-830-3184 [email protected] SOURCE Experian Related Links http://www.experian.com "We're thrilled to have FORTUNE and Great Place to Work recognize us as one of the Best Workplaces in America," said Rick Arvielo, CEO of New American Funding. "It's an honor to make this list for the fourth consecutive year. We couldn't be more excited to know that our employees love working for New American Funding!" Great Place to Work compiled the list by gathering feedback from more than 726,000 employees at leading financial organizations across the country. The firm used a Trust Index survey to have employees anonymously rate their companies in several key areas including leadership strength, pride in their organization, opportunities for professional growth, and work-life balance. Of the New American Funding employees who were surveyed, 91% said they have a great workplace environment. Employees say that New American Funding is a great place to work because of the "family-like feel," "the great NAF360 culture and atmosphere," and the "amazing support that they receive from their team leaders." Employees also think that when joining New American Funding, "you're made to feel welcome" and the "leadership team embody the best characteristics of the company." This ranking is the latest recognition the company has received for its exceptional work environment. New America Funding has received notable accolades including Best Workplaces for Millennials by FORTUNE and Great Place to Work and Top Mortgage Employers by National Mortgage Professional. About New American Funding New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 115,000 loans for $28 billion, approximately 205 branches, and about 3000 employees. The company offers several niche products, and has made Inc. 5000's list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America five times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including apps GoGo LO and GoGo Partner. SOURCE New American Funding Related Links https://www.newamericanfunding.com/about/our-culture/ DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Ventricular Assist Devices Market 2019-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The market research report predicts that the global ventricular assist devices market will grow at a CAGR of 13.8% during the forecast period. The market has witnessed steady growth in the past few years and development in technology with the introduction of innovative products have increased the acceptance of heart assist devices in the market. The market is fueled by increase in the incidence of heart failure, lack of heart donors for transplantation, and increasing elderly population. The market continues to grow and is one of the most widely used devices for the functioning of heart in cardiac failure and weakened heart patients. The market is getting revolutionized with the advancement in technology. Vendors are focusing towards new product launches, product approvals, and targeting towards end-users perspective. The market generates the revenue from the key players operating in this field and some of vendors are Medtronic plc, Reliant Heart Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Berlin Heart GmbH, Jarvik Heart, Inc., and ABIOMED, Inc. According to the authors analysis, North America accounted for the largest share of the global ventricular assist devices market in 2018 and will retain high position during the forecast period. According to American Heart Association, an estimated 92.1 million population in the US have at least one type of CVD and by 2030 it is projected that 43.9% of the US adult population to have some form of CVD. Favorable reimbursement policies, availability of advanced technologies, and growing cardiovascular diseases will increase the adoption and demand of the devices in this region. The Asia Pacific is expected to grow during the forecast period, owing to factors such as high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, increasing healthcare expenditure, and presence of huge population base. By Product: Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) Right Ventricular Assist Devices (RVAD) Biventricular Assist Devices (BIVAD) In 2018, the left ventricular assist devices segment occupied the largest share and is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing number of patients suffering from last-stage heart failure, advancement in technology such as effectiveness, high survival rate, and decreased risk of the devices makes the segment the most common among other VAD devices. By Design: Transcutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices Implantable Ventricular Assist Devices In 2018, the implantable ventricular assist devices segment occupied the largest share and is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. By Application: Bridge-to-Transplant (BTT) Therapy Destination Therapy Bridge-to-Recovery (BTR) Therapy Bridge-to-Candidacy (BTC) Therapy By application, the bridge-to-recovery (BTR) therapy generated the maximum revenue, thus accounting for more than 35% of the global ventricular assist devices market in 2018 and the segment is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. The destination therapy segment is expected to be the second highest growing segment during the forecast period. By Regions: North America Europe APAC ROW The market is dominated by North America, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. US occupied the major share of the North American market due to the increasing disease prevalence and availability of advanced technologies. Ventricular Assist Devices Market Research Competitive Analysis The global ventricular assist devices market has massive growth opportunities in both developed and developing regions. The advancement and upgradation of devices will increase the competition among vendors. Many vendors are focusing on product approvals and developing innovative products to strengthen their product portfolio that intensifies the market competition. In October 2018, FDA approved HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device developed by Abbott, as a destination therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. The approval device supported by the Momentum 3 trial showed a survival rate of 82.8% at two years with rates of suspected pump thrombosis at only 1.1%. Health Canada issued a Class IV License with conditions to HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist system developed by Thoratec Corporation in 2018. In 2018, Calon Cardio-Technology has launched a clinical trial of the UK's first artificial heart pump. In addition, other leading players are focusing in huge investments on research and development activities to develop new products to attain maximum share in the market. Key Vendors: Medtronic plc Abbott Laboratories ReliantHeart Inc. Berlin Heart GmbH Jarvik Heart, Inc. ABIOMED, Inc. BiVACOR Calon Cardio-Technology Ltd. LivaNova PLC Evaheart Medical USA , Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corp.) , Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corp.) Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (XENIOS AG) Maquet GmbH (Getinge AB) Key Competitive Facts The market is highly competitive with all the players competing to gain market shares. Intense competition, rapid advancements in technology, frequent changes in government policies, and the prices are key factors that confront the market. The requirement of high initial investment, implementation, and maintenance cost in the market are also limiting the entry of new players. Key Takeaways Understanding the potential market opportunity with precise market size and forecast data Detailed market analysis focusing on the growth of ventricular assist devices industry Factors influencing the growth of ventricular assist devices market In-depth competitive analysis of dominant and pureplay vendors Prediction analysis of ventricular assist devices industry in both developed and developing regions Key insights related to major segments of the ventricular assist devices market Latest market trend analysis impacting the buying behavior of the consumers Topics Covered 1 Industry Outlook 1.1 Industry Overview 1.1.1 Geography 1.1.2 Medical Technologies 1.1.3 Industry Trends 1.2 Total Addressable Market 2 Report Outline 2.1 Report Scope 2.2 Report Summary 2.3 Research Methodology 2.4 Report Assumptions 3 Market Snapshot 3.1 Market Definition 3.2 Device Benefits 3.3 Segmented Addressable Market (SAM) 3.4 Trends in the Ventricular Assist Devices Market 3.5 Related Markets 3.5.1 Stents 3.5.2 Interventional Cardiology 3.5.3 Angioplasty 4 Market Outlook 4.1 Regulatory Status 4.2 Reimbursement 4.3 Market Segmentation 4.4 PEST Analysis 4.5 Porter Five Forces 5 Market Characteristics 5.1 DRO - Global Ventricular Assist Devices Market Dynamics 5.1.1 Drivers 5.1.1.1 Upsurge in the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) 5.1.1.2 Growing geriatric population 5.1.1.3 Dearth of heart donors across the globe 5.1.2 Opportunities 5.1.2.1 Increased approvals, fun ding, and pipeline products 5.1.2.2 Upsurge in healthcare spending and demand for better treatment in emerging economies 5.1.3 Restraints 5.1.3.1 High cost of the devices 5.1.3.2 Strict regulatory policies 5.2 DRO - Impact Analysis 5.3 Key Stakeholders 6 Product: Market Size and Analysis 6.1 Overview 6.2 Left Ventricular Assist Devices 6.3 Right Ventricular Assist Devices 6.4 Biventricular Assist Devices 7 Design: Market Size and Analysis 7.1 Overview 7.2 Transcutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices 7.3 Implantable Ventricular Assist Devices 8 Applications: Market Size and Analysis 8.1 Overview 8.2 Bridge-to-Transplant (BTT) Therapy 8.3 Destination Therapy 8.4 Bridge-to-Recovery (BTR) Therapy 8.5 Bridge-to-Candidacy (BTC) Therapy 9 Regions: Market Size and Analysis 9.1 Overview 9.2 North America 9.3 Europe 9.4 Asia Pacific 9.5 Rest of the World 10 Competitive Landscape 11 Vendor Profiles 11.1 Medtronic PLC 11.1.1 Overview 11.1.2 Business Units 11.1.3 Geographic Presence 11.1.4 Business Focus 11.1.5 SWOT Analysis 11.1.6 Business Strategies 11.2 Abbott Laboratories 11.3 Reliant Heart Inc. 11.4 Jarvik Heart Inc. 11.5 Berlin Heart GmbH 12 Companies to Watch For 12.1 BiVACOR 12.2 ABIOMED, Inc. 12.3 Calon Cardio-Technology Ltd. 12.4 Maquet GmbH (Getinge AB) 12.5 LivaNova PLC 12.6 Evaheart Medical USA, Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corp.) 12.7 Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (XENIOS AG) For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9jrd7b/global?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Xealth enables clinicians to prescribe and monitor digital health care content, apps, devices, and services from within their electronic health record (EHR) charting interface, and to integrate the interaction into a health system's existing patient portal. These capabilities, along with the ability to onboard new digital care vendors in a fraction of the time, enable the delivery and measurement of digital care solutions to improve patient care. "With these new partners joining our existing investors and customers, Xealth will be serving virtually every sector of the health care industryproviders, payors, pharma, devices and supply chain," said Mike McSherry, chief executive officer of Xealth. "The Xealth platform is quickly becoming the preferred 'digital formulary.'" Originally incubated and launched at Providence St. Joseph Health in 2017, Xealth works with UPMC, the Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, Baylor Scott and White, Duke and other leading health systems. More than 30 digital health solutions and over a million patient interactions are being prescribed and monitored by these partners to connect patients with educational content, transportation, meal delivery, e-commerce product recommendations and other services needed to improve health outcomes. "Xealth delivers a win for both patients and clinicians, while driving digital engagement with patients," said Aaron Martin, chief digital officer, Providence St. Joseph Health. "Clinicians can recommend apps, content, products or services directly from the EMR dramatically expanding their tool set for improving patient care and engaging patients digitally." Xealth's newest investors will be supporting the application of innovative digital tools to transform multiple segments of the health care industry. ResMed, a world leader in connected health, has integrated sleep apnea therapy data into more than 1,000 third-party systems, including hospitals' EHRs, enabling clinicians to access data faster, provide more immediate care and improve patient outcomes. For these reasons, ResMed was an early partner of Xealth at Providence to help care for the 40,000 Providence patients who are using CPAP machines. Physicians use CPAP data to help patients better prepare for upcoming procedures, as well as monitor how well the device is working to maintain health. Xealth enables physicians to see relevant data at the point of care, without requiring a complicated EHR integration. Philips, a global health technology leader, recognizes Xealth's tremendous potential to help manage patients with chronic conditions at home, as well as those who need extra support and monitoring outside the hospital. Xealth has already demonstrated the ability to deploy digital, remote monitoring programs and integrate the resulting data into the patient workflow. McKesson Ventures sees Xealth as a player in the emerging "digital supply chain" that makes it possible to prescribe and monitor digital therapies, and makes the associated data streams actionable. Xealth helps to bridge the existing drug and health care products supply chain with the digital, which opens up a new set of digitally-based treatment options that either stand alone or are in combination with traditional therapies. Most importantly, the data feedback loop Xealth creates can empower care teams to make better care decisions and help stakeholder partners improve product offerings. About Xealth Xealth is a digital health prescribing platform that enables clinicians to easily integrate, prescribe and monitor digital health tools for patients from their EHR workflows. These can include patient education, online third-party apps and programs, device monitoring, and non-clinical services such as ride shares, food delivery and e-commerce product recommendations. Using the Xealth platform, care teams and physicians can monitor patient engagement and analyze the effects of more engaged patients. Xealth spun out of Providence St. Joseph Health in 2017, raising $8.5 million from a variety of investors including Threshold Ventures (formerly DFJ Venture), Providence Ventures and other health systems such as UPMC and Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network. For more information, visit www.xealth.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. SOURCE Xealth Related Links http://www.xealth.com SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hubitat, Inc. announced today they have added support for Iris by Lowe's Version 1 Zigbee Devices. Lowe's announced recently that they would be closing the Iris platform on March 31, 2019. After this date, their closed cloud platform would no longer work, and that Version 1 devices could not be used with other platforms. Early Iris customers bought devices (contact sensors, motion sensors, plug-in outlets, key fobs and more) that were unable to be used on other systems until now. One Hubitat engineer figured out how they communicated with the Iris cloud based system. Mike Maxwell, Principle Engineer, realized that the flexibility of Hubitat Elevation allows local control and communication with these devices directly. After two weeks of work, Mike had a working prototype and showed his proof of concept in a YouTube video . Parallel to Mike's efforts, Hubitat received hundreds of inquiries asking if their Iris Version 1 devices would work with Hubitat Elevation. Despite the closed cloud based system, Mike and the rest of the Hubitat team were able to take his proof of concept and integrate it into the platform and release it as part of the 2.0.8 software release available today. "We are doing the impossible, supporting Iris Version 1 Zigbee sensors on a platform that doesn't require the cloud or an internet connection to work," said Patrick Stuart, Vice President of Product and Business Development. "We have an experienced yet scrappy team that just doesn't take no for an answer." Iris users who purchased these v1 Zigbee sensors that could not be moved to other platforms were offered prepaid Visas for those sensors. Those users can now use that money to buy Hubitat Elevation, which normally retails for $149.95 USD in the US and Canada, at a discounted price of $99.95 and free shipping at hubitat.com. Availability and Pricing Hubitat Elevation is available from hubitat.com starting at $99.95 in the U.S. and Canada. Hubitat Elevation is also available in the UK, Europe and Australia. About Hubitat, Inc. Hubitat is changing how people live with smart devices by enabling them to "Elevate Their Environment." By combining the advantages of local automation processing with cloud IoT connectivity, Hubitat's innovative Hubitat Elevation hub ensures personal data privacy and is more reliable and responsive than competitive cloud-based solutions. Hubitat Elevation is compatible with popular home automation devices, comes with a variety of built-in apps, and has an active user community to share ideas, insight and solutions. The Scottsdale, AZ based company was founded in 2016. For more information, visit hubitat.com . Product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Hubitat disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Contact: Patrick Stuart Hubitat, Inc. 612-695-2320 [email protected] SOURCE Hubitat, Inc. Related Links http://hubitat.com LINCOLN, Neb., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AuctionTime.com is currently accepting bids in a notably large online-only auction featuring over 2,200 pieces of construction equipment, agriculture equipment, commercial trucks, trailers, and other assets from qualified auctioneers, dealerships, and other sellers across the U.S. and around the world. The sale will extend over two full days, through tomorrow, March 28th. AuctionTime.com is an online-only auction platform powered by Sandhills Publishing (the Nebraska-based tech company behind such brands as Machinery Trader, TractorHouse, Truck Paper, CraneTrader, and others). Online auctions are held every single week, attracting bidders from across the country and around the world. Bidder registration is free and easy, and new auction listings are added constantly. Buyers can track assets of interest and place bids online anytime, anywhere using a computer or smartphone. Farmers, contractors, fleet owners, dealerships, auctioneers, or anyone with equipment, trucks, or trailers can sell on AuctionTime.com. Find a local auctioneer online at AuctionTime.com or by calling (800) 334-7443. For Sale this Week: 2011 Deere 544K Wheel Loader Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Ellis Equipment View Auction Listing 2016 Bobcat T750 Skid Steer Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: White Star Machinery View Auction Listing 2015 Cat 320ELRR Excavator Opening Bid: $1,000 (USD) Seller: Snider Equipment, LLC View Auction Listing 2014 Doosan DX140 LC-3 Excavator Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Michael's Equipment Co. View Auction Listing 2011 John Deere 1790 CCS Planter Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: JW Equipment, LLC View Auction Listing 2013 Case IH Steiger 500 Quadtrac Tractor Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Peterson & Associates Auctions View Auction Listing 2012 John Deere 8335R Tractor Opening Bid: $1,000 (USD) Seller: Kevin DeWitt Equipment View Auction Listing 2013 Kenworth T700 Truck Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: AAA Trucks, LLC View Auction Listing 2012 International ProStar+ Truck Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Lakeside International Milwaukee View Auction Listing 2012 Peterbilt 388 Truck Opening Bid: $500 (USD) Seller: Equify Auctions, LLC View Auction Listing 2008 Trail King TK 110 Hydraulic Detach 2 Axle W3RD Lift Trailer Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Banta's Midwest Trailers View Auction Listing About AuctionTime.com Powered by Machinery Trader, CraneTrader, ForestryTrader, Truck Paper, TractorHouse, and MarketBook, AuctionTime.com is a product of Sandhills Publishingan information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. AuctionTime equipment listings appear both online and in print across Sandhills' trade publications and corresponding websites to reach buyers around the world in the trucking, agriculture, construction, and heavy equipment industries. Contact Us 120 West Harvest Drive Lincoln, NE 68521 [email protected] (800) 334-7443 (402) 479-2119 SOURCE AuctionTime.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Impetus Technologies, a big data software products and services company, will exhibit the latest in automated data warehouse transformation at the Strata Data Conference, the leading event for data industry visionaries held in San Francisco, Calif., March 25 28. Impetus will demonstrate their unique automation capabilities for transforming legacy EDW/ETL workloads to big dataeither on-premises or in the cloud at booth #1109. Attendees are encouraged to stop by the booth to learn more about the company's platform, discuss current data warehouse modernization and cloud migration trends with Impetus executives and receive demos of the product. Along with being an Impact sponsor of the event, Impetus will also co-host a session with Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management. The session "The New Frontier: Marsh's Data Voyage into the Public Cloud," will be introduced by Praveen Kankariya, CEO at Impetus Technologies, and will provide a deep dive into Marsh's pioneering journey to the public cloud as well as how the move to a cloud data warehouse has helped the company further unleash the business value of its data program. Complete session details are below: When: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 2:40 3:20pm Pacific Daylight Time Where: Hall 2003 - Moscone Center - 747 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94103 Speaker: Stephen Dantu, head of big data capabilities at Marsh, will talk to attendees about the company's journey and how the shift has helped empower the organization with a variety of self-service utilities and further promote his vision of democratizing data "We're pleased to once again be sponsoring this year's Strata Data Conference, as well as showcase some of the innovative ways we're already helping some of today's largest businesses transform their data initiatives," said Praveen Kankariya, CEO at Impetus Technologies. "As more companies look to transform into truly data driven enterprises, finding the right partner to help navigate and future proof this journey is becoming more important, and we're excited to share our experience with all attendees." About Impetus Technologies Impetus Technologies is a software products and services company that exists to create powerful and intelligent enterprises through deep data awareness, data integration and advanced data analytics. Impetus products and services are designed to empower the real-time data driven enterprise to help clients compete and win in the modern world of digital transformation. Impetus is proud to partner with such Fortune 100 clients as American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Fannie Mae, McKesson, Toyota, United Airlines, Verizon and more. The company is headquartered in Los Gatos, California with international offices in India, Australia and Canada. To learn more, visit: www.impetus.com or write to: [email protected], and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/impetustech and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impetus. Media contact Brianna Bruinsma LEWIS for Impetus Technologies [email protected] SOURCE Impetus Technologies Related Links http://www.impetus.com NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Food and agriculture are at a pivotal point an increased interest by consumers about where their food comes from and how it is made is driving critical change on the business side, and propelling the investment opportunities into the limelight. With strong fundamentals for investing in agriculture where patient capital yields long-term gains insightful investors are looking to Global AgInvesting (GAI) events to examine the plethora of options in the burgeoning sector. The 2019 schedule of events includes: Global AgInvesting 2019, Grand Hyatt, New York City, April 1-3 Global AgInvesting New York is the world's preeminent gathering of agriculture investment stakeholders where more than 700 attendees will converge for a comprehensive overview of the ag investment landscape and a clear idea of where the real money is moving in the space. With the growth of ag as a mainstream asset class over the last decade, increasing interest from private and institutional investors has given rise to over 400 investment funds, up from 38 in 2005, with AUM in excess of $73 billion, according to the 2018 Global Food Agriculture Investment Outlook by Valoral Advisors. Consequently, international investors, asset managers, agribusiness executives and entrepreneurs are heading to GAI for insight on strategic allocations to the sector, and to network with some of the industry's most influential ag-sector investors, operators and innovators. The agenda highlights agriculture opportunities in specific regions, the growth of organic and sustainable farming, agtech, institutional perspectives, macro drivers and more. www.gai-nyc.com AgTech Nexus USA, The Standard Club, Chicago, July 22-23 An industry focus on sustainability and efficiency, as well as estimates that food production needs to double by 2050 to meet increasing population has innovators and large corporations alike honing their attention and research on agriculture technology solutions. In fact, according to Finistere Ventures 2018 AgTech Investment Review, the last five years have seen $6.7 billion invested in ag technologies, with another 4,000-plus opportunities identified. This year's AgTech Nexus, co-hosted for the first time with the Illinois Soybean Association, will feature the latest developments in data-driven farm management tools; and advances in genetics, robotics, blockchain technology, predictive agriculture and AI platforms. Thanks to the move of the conference to the Midwest, more growers will participate in the conversation between investors and entrepreneurs than ever before. There also will be technology demos, equipment exhibitions and distillery tours on a farm just west of Chicago. www.agtechnexus.com Global AgInvesting Asia, Tokyo American Club, Tokyo, September 12-13 Asia's population, wealth, GDP and food/protein consumption continue to grow, and companies and asset managers are looking to follow suit with influential Japanese institutional investors who have already made allocations to the sector. "While Intra-Asian/ASEAN agri-food-agtech deals are well understood, Asian investor allocations into the Americas and Europe are often under the radar," said Greg Mellinger, CEO of HighQuest Group, an agricultural and food sector consulting firm that is also the host of GAI. "I expect this to change rapidly, and for many more Asian industry and financial investors to allocate significant sums outside of Asia via funds, M&A and greenfield options." Join multinational agribusinesses, ag-focused private equity and venture capital fund managers, as well as institutional LP investors at they discuss farmland, agtech plays and infrastructure opportunities around the globe at this 9th annual event. www.gai-asia.com Global AgInvesting Europe, The Landmark Hotel, London, December 9-10 Hundreds will gather for the 10th anniversary Global AgInvesting Europe, which will have a renewed focus on climate-smart and regenerative agriculture. Ag producers, scientists and policy makers alike are calling for more attention to be paid to the environmental challenges attributed to global climate change, and regenerative agriculture provides a solution that is inspiring new investment opportunities. The conference also will feature Professor David Hughes, an international speaker on global food and drink industry issues, who will present Consumer Driven Megatrends and Their Implications on Agriculture Investment. Other topics to be addressed include assessing farmland investment opportunities in Western Europe, Africa and Australia; implementing ag private equity strategies; and demonstrating the impact of agriculture technologies. www.gai-eu.com Learn more about all GAI 2019 events at www.globalaginvesting.com. Global AgInvesting, a brand of HighQuest Group, is the world's most well attended agricultural investment conference series and leading resource for news and insight into the global agricultural sector. www.globalaginvesting.com CONTACT: Michelle Pelletier-Marshall [email protected] +1.978.887.8800, x117 SOURCE Global AgInvesting Related Links http://www.globalaginvesting.com SAN DIEGO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- iProspect, a leading global digital performance agency, announced today the promotion of Jon Leicht to SVP, Managing Director of Corporate Development. Effective immediately, Leicht will report directly to Belle Lenz, Chief Marketing Officer for iProspect US. "Jon's radical client empathy and strong experience leading client teams across multiple categories and verticals are invaluable as he steps into this new role," said Lenz. "His keen understanding of how to drive brand growth through performance, coupled with his deep knowledge of our products and his role shaping our culture, make him a natural fit." Leicht, who is based in iProspect's San Diego office, is responsible for leading business development and driving net new business growth across the agency. "Corporate development is not a 'rinse and repeat' strategy it is finding a way to share iProspect's capabilities in new lights that make sense for each brand," said Leicht. "Being able to look beyond the brief and really dig into the business and marketing challenges allows us to create a meaningful approach that works best for our clients. We are an agency that specializes in one-to-one connections, and we're bringing that to everything we do, right down to corporate development, and that is incredibly exciting for me." Leicht, who has more than two decades of experience, came to iProspect following the 2014 acquisition of Covario, where he had previously worked in both client service and project management positions for more than six years. Most recently, Leicht served as SVP of Product Integration, where he was responsible for driving strategy for the agency's products and ensuring personalization and audience alignment were at the forefront of all work done with clients. In this position, he worked across a number of iProspect's roster of clients, including NRG, Allstate, and GM. Additionally, Leicht was heavily involved in the integration of Leapfrog Online, acquired in 2017, and its LFX technology. Leicht remains a part of iProspect's leadership team, which has grown significantly over the past several months. Earlier this year, iProspect named Doug O'Reilly SVP, Head of Data and Insights. The agency also made several significant promotion announcements in 2018, including Brittany Ricther to SVP, Head of Products and Services, and Charlotte Polci to the newly-created role of VP of Integrated Solutions. For further information, contact: Gabriella Berman Director, Public Relations 646.880.3187 [email protected] About iProspect iProspect is the first truly global digital marketing agency, with 4,300+ employees in 93 offices across 55 countries. A trusted partner with an in-depth understanding of consumer behavior, iProspect reshapes brand strategies to meet the fast-paced demands of the convergent world with a focus on exceeding the client's business objectives. Our global reach, in-depth knowledge of diverse local markets, and expertise produce award-winning, performance-based marketing strategies for leading brands such as General Motors, Hilton, Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, and many others. In 2017, iProspect was named a leader in Forrester Research Inc.'s "The Forrester Wave" Report for search marketing agencies. iProspect has also been listed as the "Best Agency for Performance Marketing" by iMedia three years in a row, MediaPost's 2015 Search Agency of the Year and iMedia's Best Agency for Search. For more information, visit www.iProspect.com or follow us on Twitter @iProspect. SOURCE iProspect - USA Related Links http://www.iprospect.com "We're finding that travelers are looking for more in-depth and meaningful experiences when they travel, which often involves more customization or personalization to their itineraries," said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network . "Whether it is a weekend getaway, a trip overseas or across the country, consumers can use their tax refunds to enhance their vacation with experiences such as private dining, upgraded hotel accommodations or a private guided tour or personal car and driver." Here are several tips from Travel Leaders Network on how consumers can use their tax refund to boost a vacation experience, from added amenities to immersive experiences. Get VIP Treatment at Popular Theme Parks. Experience the Private VIP Tours at Walt Disney World Resort or the VIP Experience at Universal Orlando Resort . These options give travelers a more in-depth experience. For example, a Universal Express Pass in Orlando and the Universal Express Unlimited allow guests to skip certain lines. A VIP Experience at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood gives guests an exclusive, multi-hour guided behind-the-scenes tour, free valet parking, free breakfast and lunch in a private dining venue and other benefits. At Walt Disney World Resort parks, VIP visitors can experience a multi-park adventure where they receive door-to-door service in a private vehicle and can watch shows and parades from special reserved viewing areas alongside a VIP Tour Guide. Ask your travel advisor about staying at a resort on-property to get even more perks. Experience Fine Cuisine. A recent Travel Leaders Group Travel Trends Survey found that splurging on special meals and incorporating local culinary and beverage experiences into a journey ranked high on consumers' list of preferences. A memorable way to spend a tax refund while enjoying fine cuisine is to hire a private chef for a night during the journey or take a cooking class offered at the hotel or in the local town. An Irish Foodie Tour, bookable through a Travel Leaders Network advisor, includes a tea tour through Dublin, whiskey tasting at a Dublin distillery, a cooking class and friendly cook-off in Dublin's premier cooking school, cheese tasting at an artisanal goat farm, seaweed foraging and a whiskey and chocolate pairing dinner. Enhanced Cruise Experiences. Those looking to take a cruise may want to consider a Distinctive Voyages experience. Available only through a Travel Leaders Network agency, travelers will receive the services of a Distinctive Voyages Host, an invitation to a private welcome reception and a private shore event. Distinctive Voyages are offered on over 300 departures across 10 cruise lines each year. Private Car and Driver. A chauffeur experience allows anyone to feel as if they are traveling in the lap of luxury, especially when exploring ashore during a cruise. For the discerning traveler, The Distinctive Voyages Hosted Cruise Collection, offered in conjunction with six luxury cruise lines, features the additional option of a private car and driver with a choice of either a pre-arranged tour or a guest-determined itinerary. For additional information on these options and other travel ideas, contact a Travel Leaders Network travel advisor at www.TravelLeaders.com. About Travel Leaders Network Travel Leaders Network (www.TravelLeaders.com) assists millions of leisure and business travelers annually, and is one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the travel agency industry, with approximately 6,600 travel agency locations across the United States and Canada. Travelers also have access to The Travel Collection by Travel Leaders Group, a selection of travel offers and discounts available at no additional cost to holders of select American Express cards. SOURCE Travel Leaders Network Related Links https://www.travelleaders.com MIAMI, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Latin Trade, the Latin American business publication, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019. As part of this special year, the company just relaunched its website to bring new content every month that will aim to celebrate the past quarter of a century, as well as the next 25 years for Latin America, its companies and people. The relaunch of the website is also a homage to Latin Trade's columnists. No other publication in the world has such a distinguished group of analysts on Latin America. They come from think-tanks and institutions including Brookings, The Wilson Center, Inter-American Dialogue, Atlantic Council, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, the OECD, and universities such as Harvard, Oxford, Princeton, MIT and Columbia. Among them are Deborah Ancona, Professor of Management and Founder of the MIT Leadership Center, at the MIT Sloan School of Management; Andres Velasco, former presidential candidate, former Finance Minister in Chile and professor at Columbia University, and Dan Restrepo, former principal advisor on Western Hemisphere issues at the White House. Tools to better understand the region The telecoms sector has slowly lost its shine in Latin America, according to the most recent results of Latin Trade's Multilatina Index. This year's index was based on calculations for 400 companies, as opposed to the previous year's 25. "We've made statistical experiments that show how the new index can be used to make tremendously accurate GDP predictions in the region, months before official figures are published," said Santiago Gutierrez, Latin Trade Executive Editor. These results have found that, on average, sectors such as oil, retail, energy, food and drinks have recovered in 2018 compared with 2016, while sectors such as telecom have slowed down since 2014. The new website has many indexes that allow business leaders interested in the region to anticipate the direction of the biggest trends. Along with business intelligence products, videos and newsletters (CFO, Daily News, Asia-Latin America Monthly, Latin Business Traveler) readers will also find exclusive interviews with top leaders including Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex; Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras; Ana Paula Assis, CEO at IBM Latin America and former Mexican President Vicente Fox. About Latin Trade Latin Trade is a leading provider of information and business services to companies operating in Latin America. It publishes award-winning content in Spanish and English for distribution throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States through print and online media. Latin Trade publishes Latin Trade magazine and Latintrade.com. RELATED LINKS http://latintrade.com Media contact: David Buchanan [email protected] Phone number (Mexico City): (0152) 55 62 43 49 24 SOURCE Latin Trade SOURCE Latin Trade The April 4 th seminar at LIU Brooklyn's Kumble Theater will highlight the works of some of the Polk winners, including Madeleine Baran, winner of the Polk Award for a podcast that made a compelling case for the innocence of a Mississippi death-row inmate tried and convicted six times for the same crime in a case now before the U. S. Supreme Court; Julie K. Brown, winner of the Polk Award for Justice Reporting for exposing how a prosecutor arranged for a hedge fund manager who sexually abused under-age girls to avoid a federal prison in a deal now ruled illegal; and Ginger Thompson, winner, with others, of the Polk Award for Immigration Reporting for dramatic coverage of the separation of children and parents at the Mexican border, a policy the U.S. has since changed. The seminar will be moderated by Charlayne Hunter-Gault, award-winning broadcast journalist, currently special correspondent for the PBS NewsHour series Race Matters: Solutions. On Friday, April 5, at The Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, Long Island University will host the 70th Annual George Polk Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. Beginning at 11 a.m., journalists, guests and other luminaries from the Fourth Estate across all media will gather to celebrate the work of the winning reporters. Following a short reception, ticketed guests will enjoy lunch while hearing from the reporters themselves as the Polk panel of judges confer their awards. History of the George Polk Awards In 1949, Long Island University established a new journalism prize to memorialize George Polk, a CBS correspondent who was killed while covering the civil war in Greece. The mission of the George Polk Awards, as distinguished from other journalism honors, is focused on recognizing not the news organizations or the publishers, but on the investigative reporters themselves. Much about journalism has changed in the six decades since the inaugural Polk Awards, including the rise of the Internet and the technological disruption it has caused. But one constant has endured and even thrived: intrepid, courageous reporters committed to doing whatever it takeseven at risk of their own life and libertyto uncover matters of critical importance to an informed public and uphold the very foundation of a democratic society. As the only major American journalism prize that has always honored work across all media platforms, the Polk Awards has consistently been at the forefront of the changing ways we access news and information. The list of Polk winners includes some of the biggest names in journalism. Seymour Hersh, Christiane Amanpour, Jimmy Breslin, Walter Cronkite, Thomas Friedman, Edward R. Murrow, Bill Moyers, A.M. Rosenthal, Jane Mayer, Sidney Schanberg, Pete Hamill, I. F. Stone, Studs Terkel, and the teams of Woodward and Bernstein and Barlett and Steele are all Polk laureates. About Long Island University (LIU) LIU, founded in 1926, is a nationally recognized teaching and research institution which continues to redefine higher education. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, as well as accolades and recognitions from US News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. LIU's network of 200,000 alumni includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. LIU's renowned faculty, the LIU Promise student mentoring program, innovation in engaged learning, further distinguish LIU as a leader among the nation's most respected universities. Visit liu.edu for more information. --- David J. Steinberg Seminar, "Honoring Reporters Who Seek to Right Wrongs" Featuring panelists and George Polk Award Winners Madeleine Baran of APM Reports, Julie K. Brown of The Miami Herald, and Ginger Thompson of ProPublica. Moderated by Charlayne Hunter-Gault of PBS. Thursday, April 4, 2019, 6:30 p.m. The Kumble Theater at LIU Brooklyn One University Plaza, Brooklyn NY 11201 Free and open to the public but registration required by emailing [email protected]. --- 70th Annual George Polk Awards Ceremony Luncheon Award citations read by Charlayne Hunter-Gault of PBS Friday, April 5, 2019 The Roosevelt Hotel 45 E 45th Street, New York, NY 10017 Tickets begin at $150 and can be purchased by following this link: https://community.liu.edu/polk70, or by emailing [email protected]. Support for the 70th Annual George Polk Awards is provided by: Canon Solutions America, The New York Times and Reuters SOURCE Long Island University Related Links https://www.liu.edu STAINES-UPON-THAMES, United Kingdom, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that it will report first quarter 2019 earnings results for the period ending March 29, 2019, on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. A conference call for investors will begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. The call can be accessed in three ways: At the Mallinckrodt website: http://www.mallinckrodt.com/investors. By telephone: For both listen-only participants and those who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is (877) 359-9508. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is (224) 357-2393. Callers will need to provide the Conference ID of 9885338. Through an audio replay: A replay of the call will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, and ending at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Dial-in numbers for U.S.-based participants are (855) 859-2056 or (800) 585-8367. Participants outside the U.S. should use the replay dial-in number of (404) 537-3406. All callers will be required to provide the Conference ID of 9885338. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business consisting of multiple wholly owned subsidiaries that develop, manufacture, market and distribute specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. The company's Specialty Brands reportable segment's areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; and analgesics. Its Specialty Generics and Amitiza reportable segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and AMITIZA (lubiprostone). To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com . Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Investor Relations Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Vice President, Investor Relations and IRO 314-654-3638 [email protected] Media Daniel Yunger Kekst CNC 212-521-4879 [email protected] Mallinckrodt, the "M" brandmark and the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company. 2019 03/19 SOURCE Mallinckrodt plc Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com Ortiz will award winners of the Pro League Bikini and Men's Physique division. After the competition, Tito will meet fans and take photos while attending the Mon Ethos Pro Athlete Management After Party. Athletes and guests of the event are welcome to attend the after party free of charge as space is available. "This is sure to be an exciting event. Mon Ethos manages three of the professional athletes competing Saturday. And we are proud to bring such a celebrity as Tito to the event," remarked David Whitaker founder of Mon Ethos Pro Consulting, LLC of Boston MA when asked about the event. Spectrum Fitness Productions is one of the leading IFBB Pro League event promotional companies for the past 33 years. Mon Ethos Pro manages athletes, is a Platinum Sponsor of all Spectrum Fitness Productions events, represents some of the top athletes competing in the sport today, and is looking to sign new athletes after the event. Media & Agent Contact: Mon Ethos Pro Phone: 888-575-2664 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Mon Ethos Pro Related Links http://www.monethos.com FLORHAM PARK, N.J., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MoleSafe USA LLC, the provider of the SKIN SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM (SSP) - the world's leading skin surveillance program for the early detection of skin cancer, today announced Mark Kaufmann, MD, associate clinical professor in the department of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, as chief medical officer (CMO). Kaufmann was in private practice for 23 years and, until recently, served on the board of directors of the American Academy of Dermatology and continues to be active on many academy committees, including as an advisor to the Academy RUC team. MoleSafe USA LLC "Dr. Kaufmann brings substantial clinical leadership to MoleSafe. The MoleSafe Skin Surveillance Program (SSP) has provided full-body screenings to over 300,000 patients worldwide and is used by over 600 dermatologists across the United States. MoleSafe is executing on a national expansion in partnership with dermatologists and primary care providers, making the SSP available to over 50 million individuals at risk of skin cancer across the nation," says Kevin Sheridan, CEO MoleSafe. "Dr. Kaufmann has been highly instrumental within the field of dermatology and we look forward to expanding the depth of our operations with his guidance and knowledge." "At MoleSafe, we pride ourselves on being an innovative, caring company that makes life-saving skin surveillance technology available to all those at risk of skin cancer. Our goal is to protect and improve their quality of life," says Dr. Mark D. Kaufmann, CMO. "There are over 1,250,000 individuals who have been diagnosed with melanoma in the USA and millions who are considered high risk for melanoma. Our world-class SSP combines total-body photography, with clinical and dermoscopic imaging of atypical moles/lesions, allowing MoleSafe to more accurately distinguish between benign lesions that require clinical follow-up and those suspicious enough to warrant a biopsy. Most importantly, the evaluation is undertaken by a team of board-certified dermatologists who are pigmented lesion experts." "My vision for MoleSafe is to work with dermatologists and primary care physicians to make the MoleSafe SSP available to the millions of patients that have been diagnosed with skin cancer or are at high risk of developing skin cancer. Early detection not only saves lives but will lower overall healthcare costs," remarks Kaufmann. In addition to receiving his M.D. from New York University and completing his dermatology residency at Albert Einstein College Hospital, Dr. Kaufmann's contributions to the American Academy of Dermatology have been recognized by his receiving a Presidential Citation in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. MoleSafe USA MoleSafe is the leader in advanced skin screening diagnostic services through our exclusive Skin Surveillance Program (SSP). Combining the latest technology in total-body photography, serial digital dermoscopic imaging (SDDI) and expert diagnosis by world-renowned dermatologists, the SSP has the accuracy to reveal changes in a patient's skin to detect skin cancer at the earliest possible stage for fast, effective treatment. For more information about MoleSafe, please see www.molesafe.com. PRESS CONTACT: KEVIN SHERIDAN, CEO, MoleSafe USA [email protected] Office: 1-877-665-3723 Direct: 908-838-0339 Cell: 973-432-2725 www.molesafe.com www.molesafeUSA.com Related Images dr-mark-kaufmann-md.jpg Dr. Mark Kaufmann, MD molesafe-logo.jpg MoleSafe Logo molesafe.jpg MoleSafe Related Links MoleSafe website MoleSafe USA website SOURCE MoleSafe USA LLC Related Links http://www.molesafeUSA.com FOR EUROPEAN MEDICAL AND TRADE MEDIA ONLY Study will enrol 200 adult patients with limb trauma who are rescued by helicopter Efficacy, tolerability and practicality of use of the inhaled analgesic in hostile mountain environments to be investigated CAMBRIDGE, England, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mundipharma network of independent associated companies announced today that the first patient has been enrolled into a new study investigating the efficacy of Penthrox (methoxyflurane, MEOF) in conscious, stable adult patients with moderate-to-severe trauma-related pain rescued from hostile, mountainous areas.1 The METEORA trial is a Phase IIIb, prospective, single-arm, multicentre trial in 200 adult patients with limb trauma who are rescued by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in Italy.1 The trial will assess the reduction in pain intensity (using the visual analogue scale [VAS] 0-100 mm) for patients treated with inhaled MEOF; and whether additional pain-relieving medication is needed.1 The practicality of MEOF use in an emergency rescue situation, patient satisfaction and any adverse events will also be evaluated.1 The primary endpoint is the percentage of patients achieving at least 30% improvement in VAS pain intensity within the first 10 minutes of MEOF administration.1 Lead Investigator, Professor Franco Marinangeli commented: "In emergency rescue situations rapid, effective pain relief is vital. Not only does it reduce the patients' stress and discomfort, it can also make it easier to assess, treat and transport them. Research shows that under-treatment of trauma pain in the pre-hospital emergency setting remains a significant problem. I am pleased to be leading this study into the use of Penthrox in this new setting." Antonella Sblendido, Medical Advisor, Mundipharma added: "Penthrox has been widely used by Ambulance services in Australia since 1975 and is now approved in Europe for the emergency relief of moderate to severe trauma-related pain in conscious adults. Given its portability, ease of use and rapid onset, we felt it was important to investigate its use in hostile environments, where more pain-relief options are needed." Giovanni Sbrana, Principal Investigator, Grosseto Helicopter Emergency Medical Service said: ''We are excited to be involved in the study and to have enrolled the first patient. Our Helicopter Service operates in a rural area in Tuscany with a very low-density population where we perform more than 1,000 rescue missions a year. Helicopter is the only way to reach some patients and to give them lifesaving therapies and pain relief. As was the case with our first METEORA patient, we often have to deal with challenging weather conditions which means that we need to stabilise the patient quickly and remove them in order to avoid a helicopter becoming unavailable. Therefore we need a treatment with fast onset and convenient administration, and we look forward to seeing the results as the study progresses." To find out more about the study visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-018-0816-8 To read the full press release please visit: www.mundipharma.com/media/news/ This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get to your local medicines regulatory authority. PENTHROX is a registered trade mark of Medical Developments International Limited and is used under licence. Reference [1]. Marinangeli F, et al. Adv Ther 2018;35:2081. JOB CODE: MBL/PROX-19004A(1), DATE OF PREPARATION: MARCH 2019 SOURCE Mundipharma Related Links https://www.mundipharma.com/ WASHINGTON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty-four percent (44%) of social media users still have a negative opinion of Facebook because of the Cambridge Analytica data breach, according to a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website. In March 2018, news broke that political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica acquired and used 50 million Facebook users' personal data without their express permission. Despite some social media users' negative view of Facebook after Cambridge Analytica, nearly 60% still use Facebook the same amount or more, according to new survey data from The Manifest. Nearly half of social media users surveyed (44%) said their view of Facebook became more negative after Cambridge Analytica, according to new data from The Manifest. People became distrustful of Facebook because of Cambridge Analytica, and Facebook has not gained back some users' trust. "Facebook really tried to give an image that this type of thing wasn't happening, that their data was safe," said Steve Pearson, CEO of Friendemic, an online reputation company. "To see something like this come out, it was a blow to many consumers who were otherwise trusting." People view Facebook more negatively since the Cambridge Analytica data breach, but that doesn't mean the scandal deterred people from using the platform. People Still Use Facebook, Despite Negative Opinion The Cambridge Analytica scandal didn't permanently affect people's use of Facebook. Although people still view Facebook negatively, just 37% use Facebook less often than they did before the data breach. "While they may say they have concerns, I don't think it's been enough for many of them to use Facebook less," said Chad Richards, vice president of social media services at Firebelly Marketing, a social media marketing agency. "That 'Quit Facebook' movement lost steam." People are still upset with Facebook but not enough to leave it. Some businesses, too, still value Facebook and use it as often as before the breach. "We continue to use Facebook as frequently as we did before," said Katharine Pebworth, a digital marketer at Alexander Advertising. "We haven't seen a huge difference in our engagement rates and continue to incorporate Facebook into all our digital marketing campaigns and strategies." Cambridge Analytica Deterred More Millennials Than Older Generations Older generations were less likely to decrease their Facebook use as a result of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Forty-one percent (41%) of millennials use Facebook less because of the data breach, compared to 37% of Generation Xers and 24% of baby boomers. Older generations depend more on Facebook than younger generations, who use a variety of platforms. "When [millennials] leave Facebook, they don't fully lose the information and sense of belonging that they have on social media," said Josh Krakauer, founder and CEO of Sculpt, a social media marketing agency. "It doesn't feel like a lifeline was totally cut off for some of them, where it might for an older user." The Manifest's 2019 Consumer Social Media Survey included 521 people in the U.S. who use social media at least once per week. Read the full report here: https://themanifest.com/social-media/how-people-view-facebook-after-cambridge-analytica-data-breach For questions about the survey, a comment on the findings, or an introduction to the industry experts included in the report, contact Kristen Herhold at [email protected]. About The Manifest The Manifest is a business news and how-to website that compiles and analyzes practical business wisdom for innovators, entrepreneurs, and small and mid-market businesses. Use The Manifest as an approachable tour guide through every stage of the buyer journey. With three main offerings data-driven benchmarks, step-by-step guides, and agency shortlists The Manifest strives to make your business goals a reality. Contact Kristen Herhold [email protected] (202) 840-6690 SOURCE The Manifest Related Links https://themanifest.com DALLAS, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study suggests that businesses that do not have a flexible workspace* policy risk losing out on top talent. Research conducted by leading flexible workspace provider, IWG, shows that 80 percent of workers in the U.S. would choose a job which offered flexible working over a job that didn't, and almost a third (30 percent) of people value being able to choose their work location over an increase in vacation time. In light of these findings, it's unsurprising that 74 percent of respondents believe that flexible working has become the new normal. As a result, in the past ten years, 83 percent of businesses have introduced a flexible workspace policy, or are planning to adopt one. "Last year our Global Workspace Survey talked about reaching a tipping point, but what we are seeing now is that flexible working is considered by many to be the new norm for any business that is serious about productivity, agility and winning the war for top talent," said Mark Dixon, CEO of IWG. "Indeed, over half of all our respondents claim to work outside their main office location for at least half of the week." While many businesses have or are planning to implement a more flexible workplace policy, existing company cultures may inhibit full adoption of these changes. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed say that changing the organizational culture is the main barrier to implementing a flexible workspace policy, particularly within businesses that have a long-standing, non-flexible working approach. Over a third (43 percent) say that fear of how flexible working may impact the overall company culture is the biggest obstacle. "Companies around the country are facing multiple challenges, including ensuring that their business is agile enough to adapt to change," continues Dixon. "Our research shows that businesses that haven't already considered the financial and strategic benefits of flexible workspace need to do so now. Otherwise, they face being seen as out of touch, both with their competitors and with the demands of the modern workforce, which means losing out on the best talent." Attracting and Retaining Talent Findings show that 78 percent of businesses think that offering flexible working enables them to expand their talent pool. In fact, many (81 percent) businesses are adapting to improve talent retention by introducing flexible working. From an employee's point of view, more than a third of people would say that flexible working is so important, they would prioritize it over having a more prestigious role (35 percent). Perhaps this is due to an increasing focus on work/life balance: flexible working is seen to improve this balance by 82 percent. The findings also show that flexible workspace is seen to encourage a more inclusive working environment, with benefits for returning parents, older workers, people suffering from stress or struggling with mental health issues. Elevating Productivity Flexibility not only makes workers happier and healthier but makes workforces more productive. Eighty-five percent of businesses confirm that productivity has increased in their business because of greater flexibility. What's more, 63 percent of those surveyed report at least a 21 percent improvement in productivity because of flexible working. Increasing Agility and Cost Savings In these uncertain times, it's clear that businesses are prioritizing agility and cost efficiencies. Fifty-nine percent of businesses surveyed said they are looking to be more agile in 2019. A third of businesses are looking to expand internationally this year, and the majority of respondents (62 percent) say that they have chosen flexible working because it accelerates speed to market in new countries. Seventy percent also choose flexible working to help them to scale. Flexible workspace has also been chosen by 65 percent to reduce capital and operational expenditure. The same number of respondents have adopted flexible workspace to help manage risks, and to consolidate their portfolio. The New Normal For many employers and employees, flexible working is now the norm. More than half (52 percent) of those surveyed state that they now work outside their company's main location for at least half the working week or more, and for 71 percent of people, a choice of work environment is a key factor when evaluating new career opportunities. The findings also reveal that more than two-fifths of U.S. workers see commuting as the worst part of their day (45 percent) and more than half of respondents (53 percent) believe that it could be obsolete in a decade (2030). Pressure has been mounting as commuters are increasingly disgruntled by their journey to work, and close to one in five (17 percent) respondents would say that they are 'regularly late' for work due to travel disruptions. Almost half (49 percent) of workers spend their commute working, and as a result, over a third (36 percent) feel that official working hours should include time spent on their journey, as this does not constitute 'free time' in their day. For more information about IWG, its range of flexible workspace companies and the Global Workspace Survey, visit www.iwgplc.com *For the majority of those surveyed, the definition of a flexible workspace policy is the ability to choose and change their workplace location. About the Global Workspace Survey The IWG Global Workspace Survey has been running for 10 years. Over 15,000 professionals from a range of different industries in 80 countries were surveyed in the IWG Global Workplace Survey. Respondents were canvassed online in January 2019 and contacts were drawn out of a pool of customers, prospects and business leaders from over 80 countries. The survey was independently managed by MindMetre Research. Respondents were asked for their views on the changing workplace and flexible working. To read the full research report click here. About IWG IWG is leading the workspace revolution and its companies, which include Regus and Spaces, help more than 2.5 million people and their businesses to work more productively. They do so by providing a choice of professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces, communities and services. Digitalization and new technologies are transforming the world of work. People want the personal productivity benefits of living and working how and where they want. Businesses want the financial and strategic benefits. IWG customers are start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large multinationals with unique business goals, people and aspirations. They want workspaces and communities to match their needs. They want choice. IWG's companies - Regus, Spaces, No18, Basepoint, Open Office and Signature create personal, financial and strategic value for businesses of every size. From some of the most exciting companies and well-known organizations on the planet, to individuals and the next generation of industry leaders, each is able to harness the power of flexible working to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility and market proximity. Learn more at www.iwgplc.com. SOURCE IWG Related Links http://www.iwgplc.com Only half of middle-income Americans believe their financial security will improve in the next five years. Just one-in-four Americans feel aware enough to be very comfortable determining how much they need to save for retirement on their own. Half have never met with a financial professional. And the Monitor's Financial Security Scorecard which measures individual financial security preparedness found that only 31% of Americans earn an A or B for preparedness based on answers to key indicators. "The survey confirmed our experience in the middle market. Most working families don't feel confident enough to take the steps necessary to achieve financial security. As a result, they are not optimistic about their financial futures," said Glenn Williams, Primerica CEO. "Primerica's representatives are focused every day on helping middle-income families across North America. We break down financial concepts into straightforward language and provide a financial roadmap to help families determine the right next steps to a more secure financial future." Costly Financial Mistakes and the Value of Financial Guidance. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (61%) acknowledge making at least one really bad financial mistake, with an average loss of more than $27,000. The Benefit of a Financial Professional to Long-term Preparedness. To measure long-term financial preparedness, the Monitor included a Financial Security Scorecard. Survey respondents were graded based on whether or not they engage in the following financial preparedness fundamentals: Making more than the minimum payment on credit card bills every month; Having $50,000 or more in life insurance coverage; or more in life insurance coverage; Saving every month, regardless of amount; Investing some of their money in accounts outside traditional savings accounts; Having enough savings to cover three months of expenses if the primary breadwinner loses his or her job. Close to half (43%) reported doing two or fewer of these financial fundamentals. But those who have met with a financial professional showed stronger results: 76% of those who have met with a financial professional earned a C or better, compared to just 39% of those who have not. FINANCIAL SECURITY SCORECARD RESPONSES Percent of Population Answering YES Financial Fundamental Grade All Met with Professional Did Not Meet with Professional A = All 5 10% 16% 4% B = 4 21% 32% 11% C = 3 26% 29% 23% D = 2 20% 14% 26% F = 1 or less 23% 10% 36% * Percentages rounded to nearest whole number. Biggest Financial Fear is Being Ready for Retirement. The No. 1 fear among middle-income Americans is not saving enough for retirement (43%). When asked why they don't save more, half (50%) say it's because they don't make enough money to save. Many Concerned About Credit Card Debt. High credit card debt is the second-rated concern, with one in three middle-income Americans saying it's their biggest financial concern. More than half do not pay off their credit card balance every month, and one-in-five make just the minimum payment or less. The average credit card debt of all respondents is nearly $3,000. The third biggest concern is paying medical bills (22%), followed by worries about stable income (20%). More to Do to Prepare for Emergencies. Just over one-third are confident they could pay for an emergency expense, and 69% worry about how their families would cope financially if faced with a major medical expense, or if a significant economic recession were to hit (67%). Millennials Not Comfortable 'Going at It Alone' Online. The Monitor survey also examined differences in attitudes and behaviors towards personal finance across generations. Although they are the first generation to grow up as "digital natives," millennials are the most uncomfortable of any age range doing personal financial tasks online. These respondents, between the ages of 18 and 34, are the least likely to be comfortable opening an investment account, buying insurance, completing taxes or tracking their financial progress without working directly with a financial professional. Feeling comfortable completing personal finance tasks online, unassisted, is highest among Gen Xers (the 35-54 age range). "The finding that millennials are not comfortable managing their personal finances electronically is surprising, because we know they are very tech savvy," Williams noted. "The idea of 'going at it alone' with their personal finances can cause a lot of anxiety, and they need in-person support from a financial professional to feel confident about their decisions especially those who are just starting out." Unity in Financial Security Concerns The Monitor survey revealed that while there are some differences regarding overall financial know-how and habits, financial anxiety and uncertainty was prevalent among all groups. "Our Financial Security Monitor confirms that financial security is something that everyone strives for and most people would benefit from the assistance of a financial professional in mapping a course toward that goal," Williams added. "Due to our 40 years of experience helping middle income families prepare for their financial futures, Primerica is uniquely positioned to provide that critical part of the financial equation." About the Primerica Financial Security Monitor This survey was conducted by Quadrant Strategies, an independent research firm, on behalf of Primerica. The nationally-representative online survey polled 1,000 middle-income Americans, including oversamples of African Americans and Hispanic Americans. The poll was completed in February 2019 to better understand their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to their personal finances. Respondents were ages 18 and older and had total annual household incomes between $29,000 and $106,000. The margin of error is about 3 percent on the total sample and greater for data specific to subgroups. All data from the survey was weighted to match the U.S. Census on race, gender and age. About Primerica, Inc. Primerica, Inc., headquartered in Duluth, GA, provides financial services to middle-income households in North America. Primerica licensed representatives educate their clients about how to better prepare for a more secure financial future by assessing their needs and providing appropriate solutions through term life insurance, mutual funds, annuities and other financial products. Primerica insured approximately 5 million lives and had over 2 million client investment accounts at December 31, 2018. Primerica, through its insurance company subsidiaries, was the #2 issuer of Term Life insurance coverage in North America in 2017. Primerica stock is included in the S&P MidCap 400 and the Russell 2000 stock indices and is traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PRI". SOURCE Primerica, Inc. Related Links http://www.primerica.com DENVER, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nodin has completed an initial round of funding of $5 million and will soon launch an AI-driven augmented analytics platform with a set of capabilities that have never been available to executives and business analysts. Formerly called Appli, Nodin has developed a SaaS-based platform that provides clear, automated business insights about what is happening in a business, why it is happening, and what to do next. Data-driven insights are one of the most important emerging success factors for businesses. A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study reviewed in the Wall Street Journal reported that nearly all of the 300 executives interviewed consider data-driven insights to be "critical or important" to their businesses. Another recent Wall Street Journal article reported Gartner Research findings that augmented analytics "will be a dominant driver of new purchases of analytics and business intelligence" by 2020. The conclusion of that research and other studies is clear: organizations that base their decisions on data-driven insights will grow faster than those who do not. "Most analytics platforms only highlight what has already happened, with virtually no insight into WHY something happened. In contrast, Nodin's platform explains why things are happening in your business at the pace your business is moving," said Jeff Allen, CEO of Nodin. "Once you understand why something happened, you can make better decisions about what to do to optimize results." Allen added: "Nodin's platform also solves one of the biggest challenges for companies looking to make data-driven decisions: automating the process of gaining insights from the mountains of data their businesses are generating. Analysts need tools that can augment their expertise and capacity to extract value from growing, disparate data sets, and that is exactly what Nodin delivers." Nodin will launch its platform in April. It was developed over the last eighteen months and has been successfully tested and refined through pilot projects with several prominent companies in the U.S. and Europe. "Nodin delivers business insights in ways that help companies make decisions faster and with greater confidence," said Bruce Dines, Partner at Liberty Global Ventures, which conducted a pilot project with the company. "Nodin is the first analytics platform (among many that we have reviewed) that allows decision makers to understand why changes are happening and simulate the impact of potential decisions before taking action. This is imperative for growing revenue, driving operational efficiencies and increasing profitability. Nodin's vision is bold, and we are excited to partner with them as they change the nature of data analytics." Nodin's initial funding round included participation from institutional investors, including Liberty Global Ventures and the Anschutz Ventures Group. For more information, visit www.nodin.ai. About Nodin Nodin makes it possible for companies to make faster, better-informed decisions by using AI to automate the delivery of business insights. Nodin's platform doesn't simply tell you what is happening with your business. It is the only platform that tells you why it is happening and gives you the guidance you need to decide what to do next. Nodin's SaaS offering delivers real-time business insights that were not previously available to executives and business analysts, and it does so at a speed and with a level of automation that is transforming how businesses make data-driven decisions. For more information, visit www.nodin.ai. Media Contact Rich Miller Miller Strategic Communications, Inc. Phone: 303-877-3966 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Nodin Related Links http://www.nodin.ai As the pinnacle event during NYC Fleet Week 2019, Side By Side will be a fun-filled day of musical performances, military exhibits, inspirational conversation and more at Rockefeller Center. Later that evening, GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum band Imagine Dragons will play Radio City Music Hall and Northwell Health will be providing free tickets to hundreds of military service members, veterans and their families. "This is an opportunity to reflect on the joy of being free and alive in America, and extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who have served our country as well as the families who support them. It's not the celebration itself that's important, but never forgetting the sacrifices of veterans and their families," said Michael Dowling, President & CEO of Northwell Health, who more than a decade ago created an Office of Military and Veterans Liaison Services, now headed by U.S. Marine veteran Juan Serrano. Since 2006, Northwell has been serving and supporting active-duty personnel, veterans and their families as a proud, military-friendly employer and provider of both medical care and behavioral health treatment for those struggling with PTSD, while also recruiting and assisting newly returned veterans trying to find a job and acclimate back into civilian life. Northwell hires hundreds of veterans a year, and over the past decade has also awarded more than $1.7 million to employees who were mobilized and deployed overseas funds that represent the difference between their military pay and the regular salaries they would have earned at their Northwell jobs. In recognition of its efforts, Northwell is ranked as the nation's seventh top nonprofit employer by the veterans advocacy group "Military Friendly." Beginning at noon on Saturday, May 25, Side By Side will welcome veterans, active military and their families to Rockefeller Center for the first half of the celebration, which is free and open to the public. All will be treated to performances by a variety of musical acts, including Boyz II Men, Gavin DeGraw, The U.S. Navy Band, and cast members from Jersey Boys and Wicked. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with actual U.S. Navy equipment and activations, as well as hear veterans like Northwell Health's 2019 Patriot Award recipient, Dusty Kirby, tell their extraordinary stories. Tickets for the evening concert with Imagine Dragons at Radio City Music Hall will go on-sale this Friday, March 29 at 12 p.m. EST via Ticketmaster.com. For all details regarding Side By Side please visit SideBySideNYC.com. About Northwell Health Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, nearly 700 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 68,000 employees 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners are working to change health care for the better. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu. For more information on Side By Side: A Celebration of Service created by Northwell Health, please contact: Barbara Osborn | Northwell Health [email protected] 212-434-2400/6074 Fran Curtis | Rogers & Cowan [email protected]&cowan.com 212-878-5002 Cristina Parvu | Rogers & Cowan [email protected] 212-878-5026 For images please go to https://bit.ly/2FtkJZ2 For video please go to https://bit.ly/2U0P8qC or visit SideBySideNYC.com SOURCE Northwell Health Related Links https://www.northwell.edu HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OIL held its 2019 Shareholder's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, March 21st at the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda. During the meeting, it conducted the review and approval of the 2018 annual financial statements as well as the election of directors. For 2018, OIL recorded a $404.6 million underwriting loss. After factoring in net investment losses and administrative expenses, OIL's net loss for the year was $675.6 million. For additional information about OIL's 2018 financial results, please visit www.oil.bm to view our audited financial statements. After the review of the year-end financials, shareholders approved the financial statements and the re-appointment of KPMG as auditors for the fiscal 2019 year. In addition, the Company reported at the AGM that the Board of Directors had declared a dividend in an aggregate amount of $250 million to all shareholders on record as of January 1, 2019 payable on or before August 30, 2019. Theodore Guidry II, Chairman of the Board, explained, "The Board decided to authorize the $250 million dividend after carefully reviewing the company's multi-year Capital Management Plan. Despite the 2018 financial results, the plan clearly indicated that there was capital available to pay a dividend without negatively compromising the capital and financial strength of the company. As in the past, it is our policy to return available capital to the shareholders when prudent to do so." Lastly, the shareholders approved two changes to the Shareholders Agreement. The first decision protects the company from future potential credit losses. Commencing in 2019, all shareholders must be investment grade if they wish to elect or continue to elect the Retrospective Premium Plan that allows a shareholder to retroactively purchase up to 40% of the $400 million limit on a strict dollar of premium for dollar of loss basis over the subsequent five-year period. The second decision eliminates the need for shareholders to declare assets located in the Offshore Region of the Gulf of Mexico for purposes of determining pool percentages in the Offshore Designated Named Windstorm pool. This decision was warranted as a matter of equity given that OIL excluded coverage for Offshore Gulf of Mexico Windstorm starting in 2018. Bertil C. Olsson, President & CEO, commented that, "While 2018 turned out to be financially challenging, OIL is focused on creating long term value and we continue to enjoy a strong commitment and belief in the system by our dedicated shareholder base. Including 2018, OIL has charged its shareholders $2.1 billion in premium over the last five years while returning $1.8 billion of dividends during that same period. While premiums did increase in 2019, the recently announced dividend will offset a significant amount of that increase for our members. OIL continues to operate from a position of strength and will continue to offer long-term value to the world's leading energy companies." George Hutchings, Senior Vice President & COO, stated that, "The most important accomplishments of 2018 were operational. Several strategic initiatives were completed including delivering on our promise to provide our shareholders with detailed Data Analytics at the Annual General Meeting, further improvements to our offering for the Renewable Energy industry as well as Standard & Poors upgrading OIL by one notch to "A" Stable in September 2018. We also continue to see strong interest from energy companies around the world and are pleased to announce that Braskem S.A. joined the mutual in December 2018 as our first South American member." After the AGM adjourned, the Board of Directors met and elected Theodore Guidry II as Chairman of the Board and Fabrizio Mastrantonio as Deputy Chairman for 2019. For more information about OIL's property coverages and related value go to www.oil.bm. Oil Insurance Limited (OIL) insures over $3.0 trillion of global energy assets for more than fifty members with property limits up to $400 million totaling more than $19 billion in total A- rated property capacity. Members are medium to large sized public and private energy companies with at least $1 billion in physical property assets and an investment grade rating or equivalent. Products/coverage offered include Property (Physical Damage), Windstorm (excluding Offshore GOM), Non Gradual Pollution, Control of Well, Removal of Wreck, Terrorism, Cyber, Construction and Cargo. The industry sectors that OIL protects include Offshore and Onshore Exploration & Production, Refining and Marketing, Petrochemicals, Mining, Pipelines, Electric Utilities, Renewables and other related energy business sectors. SOURCE Oil Insurance Limited Related Links http://www.oil.bm AUSTIN, Texas, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is open for the inaugural 2019 Texas Women's Summit (TWS), a one-day event dedicated to women who want to break barriers, build bonds and step into leadership positions. On April 29 at the Austin Fairmont, over 600 inspiring female professionals, including a speaker lineup of influential CEOs, presidents and female board directors from around the U.S., will gather to discuss the challenging topic of women on corporate boards and provide practical tips for breaking gender barriers and enriching networks. Speakers at the 2019 Texas Women's Summit include a roster of influential female leaders actively working to build bonds and break barriers for women, such as: Laura Chinchilla, former president of Costa Rica; Gay Gaddis, founder and owner T3; Bridget Brennan, CEO Female Factor; Sandra Beach Lin, director on several corporate boards; and many others. These bold leaders will discuss topics imperative to advancing women, such as mentoring, leading through change, developing one's passion and assuming board directorships. "We are delighted that California has now passed legislation requiring female representation on boards; and we believe other states, including Texas, will not be far behind," said TWS Co-Founder, Teri Lucie Thompson. "These mandates make it more imperative than ever that women are prepared for board roles. This Summit aims to do just that, by making the process more transparent, building connections, and helping women be more intentional and strategic in managing their careers so they are ready for the boardroom." "This annual gathering will enable women to build powerful networks, increasing their access to opportunities and information," said TWS Co-Founder Liliya Spinazzola. "Attendees will take away practical resources to incorporate in their career planning right away." Symbolic of the theme of this year's Summit, Kendra Scott, Designer, CEO and Philanthropist, will have a pop-up booth where she will donate her recently-launched Women Empowerment Charm with every purchase. The Texas Women's Summit is also now accepting nominations for the "Breaking Barriers" Leadership Award, an award that will recognize females who have broken barriers to pave the way for the professional leadership advancement for women in Texas. Apply online here. To register or learn more about The Texas Women's Summit, visit www.txwomensummit.org and follow TWS on LinkedIn and Facebook. (Event Hashtag: #TXWS2019). SOURCE Texas Womens Summit Related Links http://www.txwomensummit.org Chubb's Financial Lines Division in Bermuda has been handling underwriting and claims in the excess marketplace for nearly three decades. "Rick Porter is a recognized leader in the insurance industry with an outstanding track record for achieving results," said Ms. Gonsalves. "We see tremendous opportunities to provide our clients with the most comprehensive set of solutions for meeting very specific needs, and believe Rick's deep legal, risk management and insurance background, in addition to his considerable experience with both claims and compliance, will help further strengthen our ability to deliver superior Financial Lines solutions and services to the marketplace." Mr. Porter has more than two decades of U.S. and international industry experience. Before this appointment, he served as General Counsel for Chubb Bermuda, where he oversaw legal and compliance matters for the company and served as counsel to the underwriting teams in financial lines, excess liability, and property. Mr. Porter joined the company as Associate General Counsel in 2011 and was promoted in 2016 to General Counsel of Chubb Bermuda, where he also provided legal oversight for its affiliates in Dublin and London. Before joining Chubb Bermuda, Mr. Porter was Partner with Wilson Elser in New York, NY where he worked for ten years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and earned his Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School. About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris, and other locations, and employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at chubb.com. For additional information about Chubb Bermuda's insurance products, please contact a Bermuda or non-US-based broker. The information contained in this document is intended for general marketing purposes and information only. For terms and conditions of coverage, please refer to the specific policy wording. The Bermuda Monetary Authority regulates Chubb Bermuda. It is not licensed in the U.S. as an admitted insured nor is it an eligible excess and surplus lines insurer. SOURCE Chubb Bermuda Related Links http://chubb.com TSX: RMX |OTCQX: RBYCF TORONTO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX |OTCQX: RBYCF) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("2019 Mineral Resource Estimate") for the Phoenix Gold Project (the "Project"). The Company plans to file an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Project within 45 days. Table 1: 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate at 3.0 grams per tonnes of gold ("g/t Au") Cut-Off Grade1 - Effective March 18, 2019 Resource Category Quantity (000'tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces Measured (M) 442 6.99 99,000 Indicated (I) 2,485 6.13 490,000 M + I 2,927 6.26 589,000 Inferred 2,570 6.53 540,000 Effective date for this Mineral Resource is March 18, 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate uses a break-even economic cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au based on assumptions of a gold price of US$1,400 per ounce, an exchange rate of US$/C$0.77, mining cash costs2 of C$97/t, processing costs of C$24/t, G&A of C$6/t, sustaining capital C$20/t, refining, transport and royalty costs of C$57/oz, and average gold recoverability of 95% Mineral Resource Estimate reported from within an envelope accounting for mineral continuity Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not demonstrate economic viability There is no certainty that all or any part of this Mineral Resource will be converted into Mineral Reserve All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates and totals may not add correctly _______________________ 1 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 2 Mining cash cost components include in-stope mining costs, underground utilities, material handling, and development costs. Table 2: Comparison between 20193 and 20184 Estimated Quantities at Reported Cut-Off Grades 3.0 g/t Au, 3.5 g/t Au and 4.0 g/t Au Cut-off Grade Quantity (000' tonnes) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces Classification 2019 2018 Change 2019 2018 Change 2019 2018 Change 3.0 g/t Au Measured (M) 442 188 +135% 6.99 6.80 +3% 99,000 41,000 +141% Indicated (I) 2,485 1186 +110% 6.13 6.30 -3% 490,000 240,000 +104% Total M+I 2,927 1,374 +113% 6.26 6.37 -2% 589,000 281,000 +110% Inferred 2,570 3,884 -34% 6.53 6.00 +9% 540,000 749,000 -28% 3.5 g/t Au Measured (M) 335 155 +116% 8.18 7.54 +8% 88,000 38,000 +132% Indicated (I) 1,954 964 +103% 6.92 7.01 -1% 435,000 217,000 +100% Total M+I 2,289 1,119 +105% 7.11 7.08 0% 523,000 255,000 +105% Inferred 2,038 3,146 -35% 7.39 6.64 +11% 484,000 672,000 -28% 4.0 g/t Au Measured (M) 267 129 +107% 9.32 8.29 +12% 80,000 35,000 +129% Indicated (I) 1,575 779 +102% 7.69 7.78 -1% 389,000 195,000 +99% Total M+I 1,842 908 +103% 7.92 7.86 +1% 469,000 230,000 +104% Inferred 1,671 2,556 -35% 8.19 7.31 +12% 440,000 601,000 -27% Base case scenario for the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate is at the 3.0 g/t Au cut-off. Other scenarios are shown for comparison purposes. Numbers may not add up due to rounding ________________________ 3 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 4 The 2018 Estimates are not current and should not be relied upon. Key Points: 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate metrics, based on a 3.0 g/t Au cut-off grade: Measured and Indicated Resources increased 110% to 589,000 ounces of gold compared to the 2018 Indicated Resources of 281,000 ounces of gold; Measured and Indicated grades decreased 2% to 6.26 g/t Au compared to 2018 Measured and Indicated gold grades of 6.37 g/t Au; As a result of the successful conversion to Measured and Indicated Resources, Inferred Resources decreased 28% to 540,000 ounces of gold compared to the 2018 Inferred Resources of 749,000 ounces of gold. Inferred grades increased 9% to 6.53 g/t Au compared to the 2018 Inferred grades of 6.00 g/t Au; The increase in Measured and Indicated Resources is mainly attributed to the Company's successful 20,000-metre oriented infill drilling program in 2018, with the primary objective to improve confidence in the Mineral Resources above the 854-metre Level; The Company has increased the Measured and Indicated Resources by 456% over a two-year period from 2016 5 ; and ; and Rubicon commenced a Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "New PEA") on the Project, scheduled to be released in the second half of 2019. The Company will continue oriented infill drilling to expand the Measured and Indicated Resources to a threshold of more than 650,000 ounces of gold, which Rubicon believes is the required level to advance the Project to the Feasibility Study-level stage. General observations and commentary on the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate The Company has observed a relatively robust conversion rate of Inferred Resources to the Measured and Indicated categories; Sparsely-drilled Explore Target areas (greater than 80-metre centres) have the potential of between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of mineralized material grading between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au, mostly at depth; Test trial mining and bulk sampling program completed at the end of 2018 validates the current geological model and supports the parameters and methods used to compile the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate; and Potential to further upgrade the classifications and expand the 2019 Mineral Resources with data from up to 20,000 metres ("m") of oriented drilling planned in 2019. Potential information for consideration in the New PEA (scheduled for H2/19) Phoenix Gold Project mill processing metrics (gained from 2018 bulk sample program): 1,540 tonnes per day (" tpd ") throughput rate (based on 22-hour mill availability) and 1,800 tpd capacity at current configuration, gold recoveries of 95.1% (43.2% from gravity); 1,540 tonnes per day (" ") throughput rate (based on 22-hour mill availability) and 1,800 tpd capacity at current configuration, gold recoveries of 95.1% (43.2% from gravity); Bulk mining and development rates (gained from 2018 test trial mining program): Sublevel longhole mining achieved 8.7% external dilution of test stopes, current development costs, rock mechanics, ground control; Sublevel longhole mining achieved 8.7% external dilution of test stopes, current development costs, rock mechanics, ground control; Surface infrastructure ready for operations: Hoist fully operational, civil and earthworks in place, electric substation operational, and upgrades to the 200-person camp, tailings management facility (" TMF ") and water treatment plant; and Hoist fully operational, civil and earthworks in place, electric substation operational, and upgrades to the 200-person camp, tailings management facility (" ") and water treatment plant; and Significant underground infrastructure: More than 14,000 m of development already in place, including an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface, and an assessment of an underground ramp to surface. More than of development already in place, including an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface, and an assessment of an underground ramp to surface. Uniquely positioned: The existing infrastructure provides the opportunity to move the Project back into potential commercial production in a short time frame and at lower construction risk than development-stage peers, subject to an economic conceptual mine plan. ________________________ 5 The 2016 Estimates are not current and should not be relied upon. Rubicon President and Chief Executive Officer George Ogilvie, P.Eng., stated, "The significant growth in Measured and Indicated Resources, without a significant decline in grade, brings additional confidence and validation for the Phoenix Gold Project and its potential as a commercially viable operation. We are also pleased with the improvement in ounces and grades at the 3.5 g/t Au and 4.0 g/t Au cut-off grades. We will further evaluate the continuity of mineralization at these higher cut-offs, as either of these scenarios could further improve the economics of the Project. We remain firmly on the path to building a conceptual mine plan with new economics for the Phoenix Gold Project, which will be reflected in a New PEA scheduled for the second half of 2019. We believe the New PEA has the potential to show strong economics considering all the new, fully commissioned surface and underground infrastructure already in place. The New PEA will also benefit from real, operational data collected during our recent test trial mining and bulk sampling program, where we implemented actual mining techniques that could be utilized under a potential commercial production scenario while using our own processing facility." "Over the last two years, our management, our site operating and geology teams have delivered on all the major goals towards turning around and bringing confidence back to the Project. We believe our successful 35,000-tonne test trial mining and bulk sampling program in late 2018 validates the geological model and the mineral resources. In the coming months, we plan to enhance value to shareholders by delivering a New PEA and continue oriented infill and expansion drilling to potentially convert Inferred ounces to Measured and Indicated categories and grow the overall mineral resources at depth, where there is high-grade mineralization from historical drilling and where the deposit remains open." "We believe Rubicon is uniquely positioned and has significant upside potential on a go forward basis. With more than 28,000 hectares of prime exploration real estate, we are the second largest property holder in the prolific Red Lake Gold Camp and we hold a very strategic position considering we own newly installed working infrastructure in the region. Combine that with a de-risked and potentially robust Phoenix Gold Project, and a management team with a strong operational and turnaround experience, we believe we have the recipe to increase shareholder value in the near- to long-term." "I look forward to updating our shareholders when the New PEA is completed as it will provide us with a first glimpse at a conceptual long-term life of mine plan for the Phoenix Gold Project." 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate6 (see Table 1 above) benefits from 551,811 m7 of core drilling in 1,631 drill holes. The 2019 Mineral Resource model covers a strike length of approximately 1,200 m and depths down to 1,403 m Level and remains open along strike and at depth. The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate excludes the crown pillar and depleted resources from test trial mining. The 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate was evaluated using a geostatistical block modelling approach constrained by mineral and lithologic domains interpreted from the drill hole and mapping data. The block model grades were interpolated using inverse distance cubed ("ID3"), which the Company evaluated as the most representative method. Rubicon assessed other grade interpolation methodologies, including ordinary kriging ("OK"), and determined that the ID3 estimates controlled grade smoothing and achieved an appropriate grade-tonnage profile relative to the characteristics of the deposit. A nearest neighbour (NN) model was interpolated to support model validation. Density data was assigned based on average values for each lithologic unit. The block model was classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014). Drill spacing for the Mineral Resources in the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories were approximately 20 m, 40 m, and 80 m centres, respectively, where geology and grade continuity were reasonably understood. Measured Resources are additionally supported with proximity to sub-level development, mapping, chip samples and supported by the bulk sample reconciliation data, where available. Measured and Indicated Resources are predominantly located near existing underground infrastructure and development. The Mineral Resources are sensitive to the selection of reporting assumptions. The sensitivity of the Mineral Resource estimates to the selection of cut-off grade is summarized as grade tonnage data in Table 3 below. The classified Mineral Resources reported by underground level are tabulated in Table 6 (at the end of this news release). Please refer to Table 5 at the end of the news release for further details on the geological modelling and high-grade treatment strategies, including top-cut values and coefficients of variation ("CV") for each sample population. Please see Diagrams 1, 2, and 3 (at the end of this news release) showing the conceptual plan and longitudinal views of Zones 1 and 2 (the two main mineral domains) of the 2019 Mineral Resource blocks in the Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories, and Exploration Target areas. In late 2018, the Company completed more than 35,000 t of test trial mining and bulk sample processing, resulting in a positive reconciliation of mill results to the 2018 Mineral Resource block model estimates for the test stopes mined (for further details, see news release dated November 28, 2018). The results validate the geological model, while the test trial mining the demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping (a bulk mining method) in the mining of the deposit. ________________________ 6 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 7 Excludes certain historic holes drilled from surface angled down-plunge into the deposit. Table 3: 2019 Mineral Resource Sensitivity Analysis at Potential Mining Cut-off Grades8 Measured + Indicated Classification Inferred Classification Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Quantity (000't) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces (000) Quantity (000't) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold Ounces (000) 2.0 5,237 4.57 770 4,526 4.76 692 2.5 3,861 5.41 672 3,315 5.68 605 *3.0 2,927 6.26 589 2,570 6.53 540 3.5 2,289 7.11 523 2,038 7.39 484 4.0 1,842 7.92 469 1,671 8.19 440 4.5 1,510 8.73 424 1,384 9.01 401 5.0 1,263 9.52 386 1,164 9.82 368 *Base Case Scenario: Mineral Resource Estimate uses a break-even economic cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au Comparison Between the 2019 and 2018 Minerals Resource Estimates9 The Company believes the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate brings more confidence, due to the growth of Measured and Indicated Resources compared to the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate (see Table 2 above for the comparison between 2019 and 2018 at different cut-off grades). At the reporting cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au, the 2019 Measured and Indicated Resources' tonnes and gold ounces increased by 113% and 110%, respectively, and grades slightly decreased 2%, compared to the 2018 Measured and Indicated Resources. The 2019 Inferred Mineral Resources' tonnes and gold ounces decreased by 34% and 28%, respectively, and grades increased 9% compared to the 2018 Inferred Resources. The significant increase in the Measured and Indicated Resources is mainly attributed to the Company's successful 2018 oriented infill drilling program of more than 20,000 m and the high conversion rates of Inferred Resources. Rubicon has changed some of the estimation parameters for the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate. The summary of the changes is outlined in Table 4 below. ________________________ 8 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 9 All references to the 2018 Estimates are reported in the Technical Report with an effective date of June 13, 2018 is no longer considered to be current and not to be relied upon. Table 4: Summary of Key Parameters that Contributed to the Changes in Mineral Resources between 2019 and 201810 Parameter 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate10 Material Impact Informing Data Data from drilling and development samples 1,631 core drill holes 551,811 m Chip samples not used 1,343 core drill holes 438,303 m (3,500 m of oriented structural drilling; 20,000 m of oriented infill and step-out drilling) Chip samples included with a 10 m distance restriction Increased drill density in the targeted areas Detailed mapping No Change >9,000 m of underground development and exposure of gold mineralization in test stoping Updated level mapping from accessible levels None Geological Modelling Wireframe/ volumetrics Reviewed and updated based on post- 2017 drilling Broader mineral domains modelled to allow for interpretation of both mineralization and controlling stratigraphy Model representative of mineralization and host lithology resulting in larger zones with increased tonnes, grades, and ounces Block Size No Change 2 m x 2 m x 2 m None High-Grade Treatment Strategy Capping grade of mineral domains Capping of 1.0 m composites grades based on mineralization zone and lithology: Zone 1: High-Ti Basalts ("HTB") 160 g/t Au, Ultramafics ("UM") 70 g/t Au, Felsic Intrusives ("FI") 117 g/t Au Zone 2: HTB 92 g/t Au, UM 60g/t Au, FI 80 g/t Au Zone 3: HTB 4 g/t Au, UM 24 g/t Au, FI 30 g/t Au Zone 4: HTB 23 g/t Au, UM 10 g/t Au, FI 13 g/t Au Capping of 1.0 m composite grades based on mineral domain and stratigraphy: Zone 1: F2 Basalt 70.0 g/t, Talc 35.0 g/t, Felsic 10.0 g/t Au Zone 2: West Limb & Hanging Wall Basalts 70.0 g/t Au, Talc 35.0 g/t, Felsic 35.0 g/t Zones 3 & 4: same as Zone 1 Capping completed on equal length basis and representative of the grade distribution of the host lithologic unit and mineralization domain Radii of influence Outlier samples limited to first pass search range. Outlier samples limited to 10 m Controlled influence of outlier data Estimation methodology Hard boundary HTB. ID3 interpolation using search ellipses based on variogram ranges and orientation of mineralization. Hard boundary mineralization based on stratigraphic and structural interpretations with dynamic search controls using ID3 Model representative of lithologic controls Geological modelling As logged geology units combined into three lithologic units constrained within mineralization envelopes. Stratigraphic block model created and used for mineral domain controls Geological interpretation based on understanding of the nature and controls on mineralization ________________________ 10 All references to the 2018 Estimates are reported in the Technical Report with an effective date of June 13, 2018 is no longer considered to be current and not to be relied upon. New PEA Scheduled for H2/2019 The Company has elected to conduct a New PEA to determine the economic potential of the Project, utilizing information from the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, and the successful test trial mining and bulk sample processing Rubicon undertook in 2018. Rubicon will continue exploration drilling to expand the Measured and Indicated Resources to more than 650,000 ounces, which is the current main threshold that the Company believes is needed to advance the Project to a Feasibility Study. Work on the New PEA for the Project is underway and is scheduled to be delivered in the second half of 2019. The New PEA will provide a preliminary glimpse at a potential production schedule and associated cash flows and will benefit from the following information: Mill processing: Rubicon owns a state-of-the-art mill that was constructed in 2015, with a capacity of 1,800 tpd based on its current configuration. In 2015, more than 40,000 t of mineralized material were processed through its mill, achieving gold recoveries of 91.5%. In 2018, as part of the Company's successful test trial mining and bulk sampling program, Rubicon processed more than 35,000 t of mineralized material through its mill, achieving throughput and gold recoveries of 1,540 tpd (based on a 22-hour mill availability) and 95.2% (with 43.2% via gravity), respectively. Rubicon owns a state-of-the-art mill that was constructed in 2015, with a capacity of 1,800 tpd based on its current configuration. In 2015, more than 40,000 t of mineralized material were processed through its mill, achieving gold recoveries of 91.5%. In 2018, as part of the Company's successful test trial mining and bulk sampling program, Rubicon processed more than 35,000 t of mineralized material through its mill, achieving throughput and gold recoveries of 1,540 tpd (based on a 22-hour mill availability) and 95.2% (with 43.2% via gravity), respectively. Bulk mining: The Company has successfully demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping during its 2018 test trial mining program, achieving external dilution of 8.7%. Average dimensions of the test stopes were 21 m height by 27 m strike length by 6 m stope width, however, Rubicon believes that it has the potential to increase stope dimensions; The Company has successfully demonstrated the amenability of sublevel longhole stoping during its 2018 test trial mining program, achieving external dilution of 8.7%. Average dimensions of the test stopes were height by strike length by stope width, however, Rubicon believes that it has the potential to increase stope dimensions; Surface infrastructure ready for operations: Rubicon has a fully operational hoist, all the civil and earthworks in place, and a working electrical substation. The Company believes some capital is required for upgrades to the 200-person camp, adding another lift to the TMF to account for bulk mining, and an ammonia reactor (to treat ammonia) upgrade to the water treatment plant. The Company has roughly C$300 million in sunk capital consisting of hard, tangible assets at site, including its new state-of-the-art mill; and Rubicon has a fully operational hoist, all the civil and earthworks in place, and a working electrical substation. The Company believes some capital is required for upgrades to the 200-person camp, adding another lift to the TMF to account for bulk mining, and an ammonia reactor (to treat ammonia) upgrade to the water treatment plant. The Company has roughly in sunk capital consisting of hard, tangible assets at site, including its new state-of-the-art mill; and Significant underground infrastructure: The Project has more than 14,000 m of underground development already in place, included an operational shaft down to 730 m below surface and the capacity to be able to hoist more than 3,000 t of material a day. The Company will assess the economics of completing an underground ramp to surface to exclusively transport personnel and equipment to the underground. Next Steps The Company believes it can potentially improve upon the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate in the following areas: Targeted infill and step-out drilling in areas containing Inferred Resources and Exploration Targets 11 : Rubicon intends to upgrade resources to the higher Measured and Indicated categories by drilling areas at depth of the deposit where existing drill spacing is on 40-m centres or more. Furthermore, Rubicon has identified Exploration Target areas 11 (greater than 80-metre centres) potentially between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of sparsely drilled mineralized material with grades potentially between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au where the Company intends to infill drill. Rubicon has budgeted up to 20,000 m of drilling from the 610 m and 685 m Levels. Rubicon intends to upgrade resources to the higher Measured and Indicated categories by drilling areas at depth of the deposit where existing drill spacing is on 40-m centres or more. Furthermore, Rubicon has identified Exploration Target areas (greater than 80-metre centres) potentially between 0.9 million to 1.2 million tonnes of sparsely drilled mineralized material with grades potentially between 5.0 to 7.0 g/t Au where the Company intends to infill drill. Rubicon has budgeted up to of drilling from the and Levels. Evaluating McFinley and Close Proximity Targets: Rubicon is evaluating Mineral Resource data from the historic McFinley Deposit, located near existing underground development at the Project, using current standards and parameters, which could be potentially included in any future Mineral Resource Estimate. The Company is also evaluating historical drill data from its Close Proximity Targets (Peninsula, CARZ, and Island Zones) located within two kilometres northeast of the Project, which could possibly be included in any future updated Mineral Resource Estimate. Rubicon is evaluating Mineral Resource data from the historic McFinley Deposit, located near existing underground development at the Project, using current standards and parameters, which could be potentially included in any future Mineral Resource Estimate. The Company is also evaluating historical drill data from its Close Proximity Targets (Peninsula, CARZ, and Island Zones) located within two kilometres northeast of the Project, which could possibly be included in any future updated Mineral Resource Estimate. F2 Gold Deposit remains open at depth and along strike: Historical drilling intersected high- grade intercepts to a depth of 1,600 m below surface, well below the bottom of the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate at 1,403 m Level. These intercepts warrant follow up drilling in the future. ________________________ 11 As per 2.3(2)(a) of NI 43-101, the potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature, that there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Qualified Persons and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) The content of this news release has been read and approved by George Ogilvie, P.Eng., President and CEO, and Michael Nerup, P.Geo., Senior Site Geologist for Rubicon, and Tim Maunula, P.Geo. for T. Maunula & Associates Consulting Inc. ("TMAC"). All are Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101. Underground drilling was conducted by Boart Longyear Drilling of Haileybury, Ontario and was supervised by the Rubicon exploration team. All assays reported are uncut unless otherwise stated. All samples reported herein were performed by SGS Mineral Services of Red Lake, Ontario. All NQ core assays reported were obtained by fire assay with AA-finish or using gravimetric finish for values over 10.0 g/t Au. Intercepts cited do not necessarily represent true widths, unless otherwise noted, however drilling is generally intersecting interpreted mineralized zones at angles between -30o and +30o. True width determinations are estimated at 65-80% of the core length intervals for the 305 m Level drilling, and estimated at 75-95% of the core length for the 610 and 685 m Level drilling. Rubicon's quality control checks include insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates to ensure laboratory accuracy and precision. About Rubicon Minerals Corporation Rubicon Minerals Corporation is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls the second largest land in Red Lake consisting of over 285 square kilometres of prime exploration ground, and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com . RUBICON MINERALS CORPORATION George Ogilvie, P.Eng. President, CEO, and Director Table 5: Further Details on Geological Modelling and High-Grade Treatment Strategy Geological Modelling Geological domains were modelled based on broad low-grade mineralization envelopes associated with the three main High-Ti Basalt lenses defined on the property (from mine grid West-to-East including Hanging Wall Basalt, West Limb Basalt, and F2 Basalt). TMAC used block model techniques to estimate gold grade into 2 m x 2 m x 2 m blocks using Geovia GEMS software. All as logged rock types were grouped into three main stratigraphic units consisting of Ultramafic (UM), High-Ti Basalt (HTB) and Felsic Intrusive (FI) as determined by grade distribution analysis of the rock types present. These stratigraphic units were then used as mineralization domains to constrain the gold grade estimates. The High-Ti Basalt was treated as a hard boundary with the other lithologies. Grade estimation was completed using ID3 interpolation using 1.0 m composite samples, with additional search controls based on variography and trends of mineralization. A 4-pass search strategy was used where gold estimates required a minimum of 5 and maximum of 11 samples for the first 2 passes, a minimum of 4 and maximum of 8 samples for the 3rd and a minimum of 3 and maximum of 8 samples for the 4th passes. All blocks were estimated using two drill holes. Search distances were factored for each successive search. Average density values were assigned to the model based on lithology. High-Grade Treatment Strategy High-grade composite samples (outliers) were controlled during the estimation process using a combination of distance restriction and capping (composites capped to a defined maximum value). Within the first pass, samples were capped and limited to the first pass search range. For Passes 2 to 4, the outlier samples were removed from the grade estimation. Cap values were assessed based on cumulative probability, disintegration analysis and decile analysis for each lithology within mineral envelopes for Zones 1 to 4 as summarized below. CVs of uncapped and capped grades for Zones 1 to 4 are also summarized below. Cap Values for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4: Zones Lithology Cap Value (g/t Au) Zone 1 UM 70 HTB 160 FI 15 Zone 2 UM 60 HTB 92 FI 80 Zone 3 UM 24 HTB 4 FI 30 Zone 4 UM 10 HTB 23 FI 13 CV for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 Uncapped: Zone Rocktype ZR Code Count Minimum (g/t Au) Maximum (g/t Au) Mean (g/t Au) Std Dev CV 1 UM 107 5864 0.0025 415.86 0.66 6.52 9.85 HTB 109 12503 0.0025 1,211.40 2.42 19.04 7.88 FI 117 1829 0.0025 53.90 0.54 1.99 3.71 2 UM 207 64248 0.0025 1,918.36 0.33 11.29 34.69 HTB 209 18742 0.0025 1,074.34 1.64 13.19 8.04 FI 217 29159 0.0025 1,526.67 0.78 10.22 13.04 3 UM 307 20480 0.0025 95.97 0.06 1.18 20.23 HTB 309 28 0.0025 3.99 0.37 0.89 2.42 FI 317 3855 0.0025 57.86 0.50 1.58 3.14 4 UM 407 4408 0.0025 68.55 0.05 1.06 21.50 HTB 409 1158 0.0025 72.88 0.65 3.11 4.78 FI 417 470 0.0025 195.94 0.67 9.07 13.58 Std Dev Standard Deviation; CV coefficient of variation CV for Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 Uncapped: Zone Rocktype VR Code Count Minimum (g/t Au) Maximum (g/t Au) Mean (g/t Au) Std Dev CV 1 UM 107 5864 0.0025 70.00 0.59 3.27 5.59 HTB 109 12503 0.0025 160.00 2.11 7.21 3.41 FI 117 1829 0.0025 15.00 0.50 1.37 2.75 2 UM 207 64248 0.0025 60.00 0.20 1.84 9.41 HTB 209 18742 0.0025 92.00 1.41 4.75 3.36 FI 217 29159 0.0025 80.00 0.70 2.43 3.49 3 UM 307 20480 0.0025 24.00 0.05 0.67 13.72 HTB 309 28 0.0025 3.99 0.37 0.89 2.42 FI 317 3855 0.0025 30.00 0.49 1.16 2.37 4 UM 407 4408 0.0025 10.00 0.04 0.28 7.90 HTB 409 1158 0.0025 23.00 0.57 1.77 3.11 FI 417 470 0.0025 13.00 0.28 1.03 3.70 Std Dev Standard Deviation; CV coefficient of variation Table 6: Classified 2019 Mineral Resources by Underground Level at 3.0 g/t Au Cut-off Grade12 Measured and Indicated Resource Inferred Resource Below surface (m) Tonnes (000s) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au oz (000s) Tonnes (000s) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au oz (000s) 84 8 7.70 2 8 4.90 1 122 51 7.90 13 29 9.70 9 183 170 5.50 30 21 3.86 3 244 248 6.27 50 14 7.14 3 305 284 6.39 58 25 5.68 4 366 396 7.40 94 14 4.88 2 427 429 6.69 92 61 4.81 9 488 347 6.41 71 136 5.38 23 549 274 5.58 49 96 5.56 17 610 167 5.74 31 100 7.21 23 640 208 5.48 37 147 7.22 34 671 7 5.53 1 7 9.20 2 685 95 5.87 18 79 8.23 21 732 99 5.01 16 60 4.93 9 793 124 5.79 23 162 5.88 31 854 21 5.05 3 166 5.37 29 915 322 6.49 67 976 273 8.11 71 1,037 177 6.27 36 1,098 112 6.59 24 1,159 218 6.00 42 1,220 120 6.61 26 1,281 49 4.51 7 1,342 71 8.88 20 1,403 53 10.37 18 ________________________ 12 There is no certainty that the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources will be converted to the Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve categories and there is no certainty that the updated Mineral Resource statement will be realized. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; the estimate of Mineral Resources in the updated Mineral Resource statement may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Diagram 1: 2019 Mineral Resource Classification Plan View, 305 m Level (Looking Grid North) Diagram 2: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 1 (F2 Basalt) Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Diagram 3: 2019 Measured and Indicated, and Inferred Mineral Resource Classification Zone 3 (F2 Basalt) Longitudinal View Looking Grid East Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the anticipated timing of the filing of the NI 43- 101 Technical Report, the reasons for the increase in Measured and Indicated Resources, the anticipated timing of the release of the PEA, the anticipated future infill drilling to be completed, along with the threshold level of Measured and Indicated Resources to advance the Project to the Feasibility Study-level stage, the potential amount of mineralized material and its grade to be realized from the Explore Target areas, the impact of the data from the 20,000 m of drilling planned in 2019 on the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the potential information for consideration in the PEA, the potential advancement of the Phoenix Gold Project to a viable commercial operation, the potential results of the New PEA, the anticipated outcome of further oriented infill and expansion drilling of the deposit, the defendability of the parameters used in the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the nature of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate when compared with the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate, the potential to expand the Project's mill capacity, the potential to increase stope dimensions of the Project, the estimated value of the tangible assets at the Project site, the potential to improve the quantities and classification of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate, the further steps necessary to potentially improve upon the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimates, including targeted infill and step-out drilling to potentially convert Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources, using the results from the bulk sampling program for reconciliation and validation purposes, the evaluation of the McFinley Deposit and other close proximity targets for potential inclusion in a future Mineral Resources Estimate, and follow-up drilling of the F2 Gold Deposit at depth and along strike. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 22, 2019 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers Regarding Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources This news release uses the terms "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources and "Inferred" Mineral Resources. The Company advises U.S. investors that while these terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities administrators, they are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of "Measured" and "Indicated" Mineral Resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of Proven and Probable Reserves. The estimation of "Inferred" resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a "Measured", "Inferred" or "Indicated" mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility studies, pre-feasibility studies or other economic studies, except in prescribed cases, such as in a preliminary economic assessment under certain circumstances. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of a "measured", "indicated" or "inferred" mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Information concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources contained herein may not be comparable to information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Rubicon Minerals Corporation Related Links www.rubiconminerals.com For more than 40 years, the Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker contest has celebrated kids' active lives that is, the truly offensive-smelling footwear resulting from so many of the things kids like to do! Today, kids from all over the U.S. look forward to showing off their foul-smelling sneakers for a chance to win a trip to New York for the national competition. This event is the ultimate test the worst of the worst and each year demonstrates how smelly kid's sneakers can get while they're doing what they enjoy. This year's contestants had to work hard to win over the judges because our veteran panel knows what it takes to win this competition. Our professional judges include NASA "Master Sniffer" George Aldrich, Chemical Specialist for NASA space missions, Rachel Herz, Ph.D., an expert and author on the psychology of smell, and Buck Wolf from the Huffington Post. This year Senneca was the grand prize winner of $2,500, out-stinking other contestants including Abigail Wood (Wheaton, IL), Mia Tyler (Aurora, CO), Thira Roberts (Manchester, VT), Rope Jackson (Bellville, TX), Cynthia Lee Nicklaus (Las Cruces, NM), and Asa Kone (Bronx, NY). The champion confessed that her sneakers got dirty and smelly because she wore her sneakers for 2-1/2 years running, playing sports, plus her brother's dog enjoys chewing them up. Cynthia Lee Nicklaus from Las Cruces, New Mexico was the runner-up. Senneca also received an additional two-night stay in New York City, tickets to the Broadway Show ALADDIN, the Golden Sneaker Award, and a supply of Odor-Eaters products to kick out the odor from her new sneakers. Senneca rotten sneakers will also be enshrined in the Odor-Eaters "Hall of Fumes". For more information about the Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest or Odor-Eaters products, visit www.odor-eaters.com. Media Contact: Joy Robinson 914-715-8072 [email protected] SOURCE Blistex Inc. NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating the Board of Directors of AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation ("AmpliPhi" or the "Company") (NYSE: APHB) related to the sale of the Company to C3J Therapeutics, Inc. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, AmpliPhi stockholders will own 30% of AmpliPhi common stock upon completion of the transaction. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/ampliphi-biosciences-corporation. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. The investigation focuses on whether AmpliPhi and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, 2) whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company by and 3) failing to disclose all material financial information in connection with the upcoming shareholder meeting on May 8, 2019. Monteverde & Associates PC is a national class action securities and consumer litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders and consumers from corporate wrongdoing. Monteverde & Associates lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions, whereby they protect investors by recovering money and remedying corporate misconduct. Mr. Monteverde, who leads the legal team at the firm, has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017 and 2018 an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017 and 2018 Top Rated Lawyer. If you own common stock in AmpliPhi and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341. Contact: Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405 New York, NY 10118 United States of America [email protected] Tel: (212) 971-1341 Attorney Advertising. (C) 2019 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC Related Links http://www.monteverdelaw.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SigFig , a financial technology company that is reimagining customer experiences in financial services, today announced the launch of SigFig Atlas, a financial advice and software-guided sales platform for banks and customers. The platform empowers banks to provide consistent, personalized financial advice and engage in high-quality customer conversations - improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. "After years of working closely with our banking partners, we found an opportunity to take our experience in innovation and customer experience and apply it to solve other needs of banks and their customers," said Mike Sha, CEO and Co-founder of SigFig. "One of the challenges for today's banks is improving banker-customer conversations and delivering a better sales experience. We believe SigFig Atlas solves the need for a dynamic, user-friendly, digital needs assessment system that supports branches, online and contact center channels." SigFig Atlas provides an interactive digital experience that fully identifies customer needs and connects them to the products and services that are the best fit. This starts with an engaging discovery experience designed to uncover a customer's financial needs, followed by a series of algorithms that process the customer's unique situation to recommend the right products and services. Whether it's accessed in-branch or online, SigFig Atlas helps customers receive a level of personal financial advice that was not previously possible. Refined over SigFig's more than decade long history working with some of the world's leading financial institutions, the install process requires zero integration lift for banks - making implementing and rolling the solution out to customers quick and easy. About SigFig SigFig's mission is to reimagine financial services by making it more customer-centric and helping people to achieve their financial goals. SigFig combines design, data science, and technology to create experiences that empower banks, financial advisors and consumers. Through partnerships with some of the world's largest and most innovative financial institutions, SigFig reaches over 70 million consumers. SigFig is backed by top-tier venture capital firms, including General Atlantic, Bain Capital Ventures, Union Square Ventures, DCM, and Nyca Partners and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Learn more at www.sigfig.com . Contact info: Press: [email protected] SOURCE SigFig Related Links http://www.sigfig.com WILLOW GROVE, Pa., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, the spend management team at Source One, a Corcentric company, will collaborate with the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) to sponsor and host the ExecIn Forum. A private component of ISM's Annual Conference in Houston, ExecIn is designed specifically for senior-level procurement and supply chain professionals with a curated agenda featuring high-impact discussions and unique networking opportunities. ExecIn is a part of ISM2019's Executive Experience. Taking place April 8-9th, the program includes additional private sessions with the conference's keynote speakers: former Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen and former Hewlett Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina. Alongside moderator Jan Griffiths, Founder and President of Gravitas Detroit, they will provide Supply Management's most forward-thinking professionals with their insights on some of today's most thought-provoking subjects. "The ExecIn Forum never fails to bring peers and competitors together as one for high-powered discussions aimed at addressing some of the most prevailing supply management challenges," says VP of Operations, William Dorn. "In years past, we've seen spirited conversations around retaining world-class talent, elevating the role of Procurement, and identifying real-world applications for of digital solutions. This year's sessions promise to inspire a similar level of enthusiasm." ExecIn's 2019 agenda will encourage the innovators in attendance to reflect on both their pain points and their ambitions for Supply Management's future. The presentations and discussions at ExecIn will focus on three primary themes: building an effective team, leveraging emerging technology, and leaving behind the right legacy. Griffiths, a proponent of purpose-driven leadership, also expresses her enthusiasm. "We live in exciting times," she remarks. "New technologies promise to make next-generation Procurement a reality, but only if we continue to invest in the function's people. I hope to remind everyone at ExecIn that no tool will ever replace the human element." The registration period for ISM2019 and ExecIn is underway. Contact Carole Boyle ([email protected]) today to express your interest. About Source One, a Corcentric Company Source One, a Corcentric company, is the premier procurement services provider and spend management consulting firm. Since 1992, our team of spend management experts has supported world-class businesses in optimizing their procurement and sourcing capabilities and achieving more value from their supply base. We serve as an extension of our clients' existing teams, saving them time and resources by applying our experience, tools, cross-industry best practices, and custom-built supply management solutions. To learn more about Source One and our efforts to elevate Procurement, visit us online at: https://www.sourceoneinc.com/consulting-tools/sourcing-and-procurement-services/contingency-based-cost-reduction/. Press Contact: Bennett Glace Marketing Associate Source One, a Corcentric Company 1015 N. York Road Willow Grove, PA 19090 P: 267.913.6275 [email protected] www.sourceoneinc.com SOURCE Source One, a Corcentric Company DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "State of College Course Materials 2017-2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The College Course Materials Market Trends & Forecast annual report provides an overview of the changing market for instructional resources in higher education in the U.S. This new edition continues that tradition in two parts. The first part, State of College Course Materials 2017-2018, is now available and focuses on two main areas: the current market landscape and the competitive environment for publishers and distributors of instructional resources for college programs. In State of College Course Materials 2017-2018, examines the changing dynamics of the higher education market that impact the industry and how the industry is responding, focusing on the time period of 2017 and the first half of 2018. Topics covered in this report include: Student enrollment by institutional type, 2016 Continued decline of the for-profit career-college market segment and initial steps the industry is taking toward a revival Growth in appeal of distance learning for college students State fiscal support for higher education in fiscal 2018 and how state support has continued to be tepid Solidification of federal student aid and expanding access through fiscal 2019 Course materials sales by segments (all new course materials, print textbooks, etextbooks and digital media, used textbooks and total market) for 2016 and 2017 with 2018 projections Changing balance of print and digital media Impact of open educational resources (OER) on publishers and distributors Powerful relevance of textbook rental programs and inclusive access on the shifting balance in distribution of course materials as publishers try to gain more control of the process Competitive analysis of four leading course materials providers Growth of publisher ecommerce channels The second half of the report - College Course Materials Trends & Outlook 2019-2021 - to be published at the end of 2018 - will update trends building steam in 2018 that are likely to persist into the next several years. The report also will provide the outlook for the higher education publishing industry and sales segment projections through 2021. Key Topics Covered: Methodology Executive Summary Introduction Market Size & Structure Institution Types and Numbers For-Profit/Nonprofit Split among Private Institutions Two-Year vs. Four-Year Where Students Are Enrolled Almost 80% of Students Attend Public Institutions Enrollment Grows at Four-Year Institutions Full-Time vs. Part-Time Student Demographics For-Profits Work on Improving Their Position The Appeal of Distance Education Degrees of Choice Spring Term 2018 Policy & Funding Introduction Costs of Attending College in 2017-2018 Table Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, 2017-2018 vs. 2016-2017 Federal Education Budget Passes $4.9M for Open Educational Resources for Open Educational Resources Regulation Reform Is Slow to Take Effect Slowing State Support for Higher Education Free-Tuition Programs Continue to Spread Course Materials Introduction Student Spending on Course Materials Continues to Decline Health Predominates in Spending on Course Materials Stability Returns to Publishers in 2017 Segmenting Industry Sales The Resilience of New Print Textbooks Demand continues for Digital Media Publishers Adjust to Changing Landscape New Options Hit Pearson Rental Preference and Digital Hit Cengage Revenue New Copyrights Help Mitigate at McGraw-Hill Education Wiley Continues to Invest in Education Increasing Digital Metrics More Digital Progress in H1 2018 OER Continues to Make Headway in College Market Cengage Launches OpenNow Macmillan Launches OER Course Service Carnegie Learning Partners with OpenStax in Developmental Math OpenStax Continues OER Growth Distribution Competitive Campus Store Landscape Follett Is Largest Campus Bookstore Operator Barnes & Noble Moves into Student Services Amazon Tempers Move on Campus Shifting Campus Store Landscape Ed Map Provides a Cautionary Tale Publishers Assert More Control of Sales & Distribution Publishers Enter the Textbook Rental Market Publishers Grow eCommerce Publishers Expand Inclusive Access Cengage Unlimited Goes Live For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rhh9z8/state_of_united?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com As part of the Global Compact, the Action Platform's aim is to create opportunities for industry-leading organizations to work together with the goal of driving business action to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals set by the UN, each with a list of targets to achieve ranging from poverty, health, education, gender equality, environment and social justice. As a part of the Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business, SDG #13, Climate Action, and SDG #14, Life Below Water, are of the utmost importance and StormGeo's primary focus. Per-Olof Schroeder, StormGeo CEO, has been heavily involved in the company's participationattending the UN Global Compact Leader's Summit in New York in September 2018. "As a mid-sized, tech-driven company, it is a great honor for StormGeo to be selected as a participant amid multi-national global companies," said Schroeder. "We have an established track record of contributing to ocean sustainability by virtue of the business that we're in, particularly in shipping, where we're able to provide fuel-efficient weather routing for more than 60,000 voyages annually, contributing to a yearly atmospheric reduction of 3 million tonnes of CO2." Close to 75% of the work done by StormGeo supports ocean industries. With strong footholds in shipping and renewable energy, StormGeo will be contributing a depth of knowledge built for more than 20 years, that includes weather intelligence, ocean science, climatology, the effects of business operations on the ocean and algorithms for decision support. "The Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform gathers leading businesses in the ocean industries together with experts, civil society, Governments and UN partners to explore and define how ocean-based companies can deliver on the UN Global Goals," said Erik Giercksky, Head of Action Platform for Oceans. "During the next three years, this leading and diverse group of multi-stakeholder platform participants will aim to deliver leading action on ocean sustainability and advance shared ocean priorities." To learn more about StormGeo's contributions to sustainability, go to www.stormgeo.com/sustainability. Other participating companies include Nike, Cermaq, DNV GL, Equinor ASA, Maersk, Wilhelmsen and Hewlett Packard. About StormGeo StormGeo is a global provider of weather intelligence and decision support services, with leading solutions for shipping, oil and gas, renewable energy, utilities, cross industry and aviation. Our products and services help clients manage risk, optimize performance, reduce costs and increase revenue. As a participant in the UN Global Compact for Sustainable Ocean Business, StormGeo's passion for weather and the protection of natural resources is a motivation to support its clients in making informed, environmentally responsible business decisions. The company is ISO 9001 certified and is dedicated to providing the best possible support and quality of service. For more information, visit www.stormgeo.com. SOURCE StormGeo Related Links http://www.stormgeo.com/ LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CleanEquity Monaco 2019, the forum for emerging sustainable technology and resource efficiency companies, hosted by Innovator Capital and the Monaco Economic Board, closed on Friday, 15th March with the Awards Ceremony in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. An independent panel of judges, chaired by His Serene Highness, selected SUN Mobility as winner of the award for Excellence in the Field of Environmental Technology Commercialisation. Mungo Park, Chairman of Innovator Capital commented: "SUN Mobility are showing us a way forward for transportation and we wish them well in scaling their solution in India and worldwide." SUN Mobility is a 50:50 joint venture between Maini Group and SUN Group, pioneers in electric mobility and clean energy. It is co-founded by Chetan Maini, founder of India's first electric car, Reva (now Mahindra Electric) and Uday Khemka, Vice Chairman of SUN Group, two of India's well-established leaders in the new energy economy. By 2030, the transportation business is going to be a $250 billion industry in itself, with a lot of key players accelerating their involvement in the electric vehicles (EVs) segment. India will soon have over 400 million vehicles on its roads, and an estimated 30-40% of them are likely to be EVs. SUN Mobility recognized this opportunity to fast-track their mass adoption, and through its open-architecture Energy Infrastructure Solution, is offering a faster, more convenient and more affordable way of 'refuelling'. It is currently focused on shared mobility vehicle segments such as 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, eRickshaws and buses that undertake around 85% of daily urban commutes in a country like India, and is keen to deploy its services on a global scale in the near future. The innovative approach of separating the battery from the electric vehicle and offering it on a 'pay-as-you-go' model enables the price of EVs to be cheaper than their ICE equivalents, and the cost of energy to be lesser than that for fossil fuel per km. By creating Smart Batteries which are swappable and enabling them to be swapped in a few minutes through a network of Quick Interchange Stations powered by its Smart Network, SUN Mobility is addressing the key issues facing electric mobility the world overhigh cost, range anxiety and long-refuelling time. This unique value proposition, for the first time, can truly enable mass adoption of electric vehicles. It has an in-house team to design, develop and manufacture their proprietary Smart Batteries and Quick Interchange Stations, and manage the Smart Network. It has several patents under process in India and outside for the technology used to develop these, along with secure interfaces, battery life management and swapping infrastructure development. SUN Mobility has also partnered with leading automotive manufacturers (OEMs) such as Ashok Leyland, shared mobility solution providers (fleet operators) such as Smart E, advanced battery technology companies, renewable energy generation companies and cities. It has successfully commenced commercial deployment of its energy infrastructure solution for electric mobility that will help move masses in an efficient, pollution-free and cost-competitive way. For more information, please visit: http://www.sunmobility.co.in Chetan Maini of SUN Mobility said: "It was an honour to be presented the 'Excellence in the Field of Environmental Technology Commercialisation' award at CleanEquity Monaco, 2019 by H.S.H. Prince Albert II. The forum was a great opportunity to discuss SUN Mobility's vision, achievements and goals and meet so many people from all over the world, who are potential game changers in the Clean Tech sector. " He added, "The market for reliable, clean mobility solutions has immense global potential. SUN Mobility is on track to accelerate EV adoption in India via its open-architecture energy infrastructure solution, and we are proud to be powering growth in this area." CleanEquity thanks, in particular: Prince Albert II of Monaco's Foundation, APCO Worldwide, Cision, Covington & Burling, Cranfield, Hobbs & Towne, Monaco Economic Board, Parkview International and Reliance Industries. CleanEquity Monaco will be returning to the Principality of Monaco in March 2020. Follow us on twitter to keep up to date with the news: @CleanEquity. www.cleanequitymonaco.com SOURCE Innovator Capital VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunniva Inc. ("Sunniva", the "Company", "we", "our" or "us") (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF), reports that it has been named in a class action lawsuit, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Natural Health Services Ltd. ("NHS"), in connection with a privacy breach of the Electronic Medical Record ("EMR") system used by NHS. Sunniva and NHS will defend this action. NHS identified that there was a data breach in the EMR system between December 4, 2018 and January 7, 2019, during which period NHS records containing personal health information of approximately 34,000 patients were accessed without authorization. The breach did not involve any financial, credit card or social insurance number information as NHS does not collect that information from its patients. NHS has been working with privacy protection and law enforcement authorities to investigate and respond to this breach. NHS has notified the patients whose data was accessed, provided details about the breach and its investigation to date, and guidance for other steps that patients can take to protect themselves. NHS has established its own dedicated hotline to field patient inquiries at 1-888-297-0573. NHS has taken the following steps to protect personal health information in its care from further harm or similar circumstances: initiated a privacy investigation, with an independent third-party consulting firm which specializes in cyber security forensic services; and addressed operational and technology updates triggered by the incident to improve the protection of patient personal health information. "We value our patients and understand the importance of protecting personal information and apologize to the patients whose personal information has been improperly accessed and for any frustration or inconvenience that this may cause," said Dr. Mark Kimmins, President of NHS. "We are taking this situation very seriously and are taking the necessary steps to prevent a situation like this from happening again. In addition, we are working with law enforcement and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta to investigate this matter." About Natural Health Services Ltd. ("NHS") NHS owns and operates a network of seven clinics in Canada specializing in medical cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Canada). NHS connects patients with safe and effective medical cannabis products through Licensed Producers ("LPs"). NHS has in-house physicians and nurse practitioners specializing in the endocannabinoid system providing expert consultation, education, and recommendations for patients. NHS' proprietary technology infrastructure assists physicians, patients and LPs to comply with the rules of Health Canada. NHS currently has approximately 105,000 registered patients. About Sunniva Sunniva, through its subsidiaries, is a vertically integrated cannabis company operating in the world's two largest cannabis markets California and Canada. Sunniva is focused on creating sustainable premium cannabis brands supported by our large-scale, purpose-built cGMP designed greenhouse and extraction facilities. We offer a steadfast commitment to safety and quality assurance providing cannabis products free from pesticides, which uniquely positions Sunniva in California as a leading provider of safe, high quality, reproducible products at scale. Through production from Phase One of our strategically positioned 325,000 square foot high technology greenhouse which is nearing completion and our fully operational extraction facility in California, we are launching Sunniva branded products in various product categories and price points including flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges and premium concentrates. Sunniva branded products will be showcased within our flagship dispensary located at the greenhouse and our in-house marketing and distribution team will ensure the placement of Sunniva branded products at licensed dispensaries throughout the state. Sunniva's management and board of directors have a proven track record for creating significant shareholder value both in the healthcare and biotech industries. This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"), including, but not limited to: statements relating to the Company's intention to file a statement of defence; taking steps to prevent against future data breaches; working with law enforcement and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta; the Company's focus on creating sustainable premium cannabis brands supported by the Company's large-scale, purpose-built cGMP designed greenhouse and extraction facilities; the launch of Sunniva-branded products; the showcase of these products within the Company's flagship dispensary; and the placement of Sunniva-branded products at licensed dispensaries throughout California. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Company Contacts: Sunniva Inc. Natural Health Services Ltd. Dr. Anthony Holler Dr. Mark Kimmins Chairman and Chief Executive Officer President Phone: (866) 786-6482 Phone: (866) 786-6482 Investor Contact: Media Contact: Phil Carlson / Erika Kay Katelyn Tumino / Tony Forde KCSA Strategic Communications KCSA Strategic Communications Phone: (212) 896-1233 Phone: (212) 896-1252 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Email: [email protected] / [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sunniva-reports-filing-of-class-action-lawsuit-regarding-privacy-breach-at-natural-health-services-ltd-300819797.html SOURCE Sunniva Inc. DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Switchgear Monitoring System Market by Switchgear Type, Component, End-user, Voltage, Monitoring Type, and Region - Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The switchgear monitoring system market is projected to reach USD 2.0 billion by 2023 from an estimated USD 1.4 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 7.83%. Growing investments in renewable energy and demand for safe and secure electrical distribution systems have increased the demand for switchgear monitoring system. However, high cost of monitoring devices and stringent regulations for SF6 switchgears could act as a restraint for the market. The gas insulated switchgear segment is expected to be the fastest growing market from 2018 to 2023. The gas insulated switchgear (GIS) segment is expected to hold the largest market share in 2018 and is projected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. They are mainly used in industrial areas to fulfill high-energy demands through a space-saving design of minimum cost. GISs are deployed in various industries, serving different needs at varying voltage levels. Many developed countries have also started improving their T&D network to ensure safety and security with the help of switchgear monitoring system. The hardware segment by component is expected to be the largest market from 2018 to 2023. The hardware segment is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period because these devices can be controlled or automated from the control room by the control system/software, and are essential in monitoring operations. Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest market for hardware with rapid adoption in countries such as China and India. Rapid expansion of power plants and transmission lines to meet the growing electricity requirements is expected to drive the utilities segment market between 2018 and 2023. The utilities segment, by end-user, held the largest market share in 2018 and is estimated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period because the utilities segment is responsible for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. Electric utilities include investor-owned and publicly-owned cooperatives and nationalized entities, which are the major providers of electricity in most of the countries, worldwide. Europe: The second fastest growing market for switchgear monitoring system. The European region is expected to be the second fastest growing market for switchgear monitoring system by 2023. The European power generation, transmission, and distribution systems are comparatively mature. Therefore, the EU is focusing on upgrading its aging infrastructure, integrating renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, and building interconnections to enable more efficient power and energy trading. This would also require replacement of switchgear from electromechanical to digital by installing switchgear monitoring system. The leading players in switchgear monitoring system market are Schneider Electric (France), Siemens AG (Germany), ABB (Switzerland), General Electric (US), and Emerson (US). Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the Switchgear Monitoring System Market During the Forecast Period 4.2 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Region 4.3 Asia Pacific Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Monitoring Type & Country 4.4 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Switchgear Type 4.5 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By End-User 4.6 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Component 4.7 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Voltage 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Demand for Safe and Secure Electrical Distribution Systems 5.2.1.2 Demand for Continuous Monitoring of Switchgears 5.2.1.3 Revival of Investments in the Construction Sector 5.2.1.4 Growing Investments in Renewable Energy 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 High Cost of Monitoring Devices 5.2.2.2 Stringent Environmental and Safety Regulations for Sf6 Switchgears 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Growth of Data Centers 5.2.3.2 Execution of Performance-Based Incentive Schemes and Definite Service Programs 5.2.3.3 HVDC Transmission 5.2.3.4 Aging Power Infrastructure 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Cybersecurity 5.2.4.2 Delays in Grid Expansion Projects 6 Switchgear Monitoring System, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 GIS 6.2.1 Asia Pacific Holds the Largest Region for GIS Switchgear Monitoring System Market 6.3 AIS 6.3.1 Asia Pacific is Expected to Grow at the Fastest CAGR From 2018-2023 7 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Component 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Hardware 7.2.1 North America is the Second Largest Market for Hardware Segment 7.2.1.1 IED 7.2.1.1.1 Relay Devices 7.2.1.1.2 Recloser Controllers 7.2.1.1.3 Circuit Breakers 7.2.1.1.4 Switches 7.2.1.2 Distribution Network Feeders 7.2.1.3 Others 7.3 Software & Services 7.3.1 Constant Upgrades in Switchgear Monitoring Modules is Expected to Drive the Software & Service Segment 8 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By End-User 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Utilities 8.2.1 Rising Investments in T&D Networks is Expected to Drive the Utilities Segment 8.3 Industries 8.3.1 Reduced Industrial Downtime and Improved Efficiency are Major Factors Driving Growth of Switchgear Monitoring System in Industries Segment 8.4 Commercial 8.4.1 Asia Pacific Holds the Largest Market for Switchgear Monitoring System in Commercial Segment 8.5 Others 9 Switchgear Monitoring System, By Voltage 9.1 Introduction 9.2 High Voltage 9.2.1 Asia Pacific is the Largest Market for High Voltage Switchgear Monitoring Systems 9.3 Medium Voltage 9.3.1 Asia Pacific is Expected to Grow at the Fastest CAGR During the Forecast Period 10 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Monitoring Type 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Temperature Monitoring 10.2.1 North America is the Second Largest Market for Temperature Monitoring Segment 10.3 Partial Discharge Monitoring 10.3.1 Improved Reliability, Safety and Efficiency are Major Factors Driving the Partial Discharge Monitoring Segment 10.4 Others 11 Switchgear Monitoring System Market, By Region 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Asia Pacific 11.2.1 China 11.2.1.1 Increasing Investment in Digital Substation and Switchgear is Expected to Drive the Chinese Market 11.2.2 India 11.2.2.1 GIS Segment is Expected to Dominate the Indian Market 11.2.3 Japan 11.2.3.1 Strong Emphasis on Energy Efficiency and Security Through Smart Grids is Expected to Drive the Japanese Market 11.2.4 Australia 11.2.4.1 Rising Investment in Renewables, Distribution Infrastructure and Connectivity Will Drive the Australian Switchgear Monitoring System 11.2.5 Rest of Asia Pacific 11.2.5.1 Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia are Expected to Lead the Rest of Asia Pacific Market 11.3 North America 11.3.1 US 11.3.1.1 Large Planned Capex in Power Generation Infrastructure Will Drive the US Market 11.3.2 Canada 11.3.2.1 GIS Segment is Expected to Be the Fastest Growing Market in Canada 11.3.3 Mexico 11.3.3.1 Investments in Electric Power Infrastructure and Smart Grid Have Created Opportunity for the Mexican Market 11.4 Europe 11.4.1 Germany 11.4.1.1 Investments in Renewables, Government FocUS on Energy Efficiency, and Replacement Opportunity 11.4.2 UK 11.4.2.1 GIS Segment is Expected to Dominate the UK Switchgear Monitoring Market 11.4.3 Russia 11.4.3.1 Strong Investment in T&D Infrastructure is Expected to Drive the Russian Market 11.4.4 France 11.4.4.1 Utilities Segment is Expected to Dominate the French Market 11.4.5 Rest of Europe 11.4.5.1 Italy and Spain are Expected to Lead the Rest of Europe Market 11.5 Middle East & Africa 11.5.1 Saudi Arabia 11.5.1.1 GIS Segment is Expected to Be the Fastest Growing Market in Saudi Arabia 11.5.2 UAE 11.5.2.1 Utilities Segment is Expected to Dominate the UAE Switchgear Monitoring Market 11.5.3 Kuwait 11.5.3.1 Strong Investment in Power Generation and Distribution is Likely to Drive the Kuwaiti Market 11.5.4 South Africa 11.5.4.1 Rising Investment in Power Capacity Addition and Energy Efficiency Will Drive the South African Market 11.5.5 Rest of Middle East & Africa 11.5.6 Qatar, Nigeria and Algeria are Expected to Drive the Rest of Middle East & Africa Market 11.6 South America 11.6.1 Brazil 11.6.1.1 GIS Segment is Expected to Dominate the Brazilian Switchgear Monitoring Market 11.6.2 Argentina 11.6.2.1 Utilities Segment Will Dominate the Argentinian Switchgear Monitoring Market 11.6.3 Rest of South America 11.6.3.1 Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay and Chile are Expected to Lead the Rest of South America Market 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Competitive Scenario 12.3.1 New Product Development 12.3.2 Mergers & Acquisitions 12.3.3 Contracts & Agreements 13 Company Profiles ABB Eaton Emerson Fortive General Electric Independent Power Engineering Consultants Koncar - Electrical Engineering Institute. Inc Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Schneider Electric Senseor Siemens AG Tiara Vibrasindo Pratama TrafAG For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nkslwz/switchgear?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "China Agriculture Equipment Market & Sales Volume, Mergers & Acquisitions, Recent Trends, Key Company Profiles - Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. China's agriculture equipment market is valued at around US$28 Billion in 2018 and is expected to reach nearly US$50 Billion by 2025. China has always attached great importance to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, as agriculture is the primary industry of the national economy. In 2004, China entered a new era in its approach to agricultural policy, as it began to subsidize rather than tax agriculture. As a result, since 2004, China's agricultural market has maintained its growth momentum both for production and sale volume. The government has reiterated its commitment to support agriculture and increase the allocation of funds for the development of the rural economy. This has led to a continuous rise in the income level of farmers, increasing their ability to buy agriculture equipment. China's agricultural equipment industry is characterized by a large number of mostly unspecialized manufacturers producing low technology machinery. The country has over 2,500 agricultural equipment manufacturers, mainly concentrated in Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, and Zhejiang provinces, but due to the lack of resources like human capital, funding and the infrastructure necessary to develop sophisticated farming machines, China still relies heavily on foreign imports for high-tech farming machinery. According to the China Agricultural Machinery Distribution Association (CAMDA), the top five domestic manufacturers accounted for less than 25 percent of the market. Key Highlights China's small tractor sales have been continuously declining since 2011. The agricultural mechanization rate of China exceeded 66% in 2017 and is expected to surpass 70% at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. The central government has spent more than 200 Billion Yuan ( US$ 29 Billion ) on farm equipment subsidies. ( ) on farm equipment subsidies. Starting in 2019, all agricultural machinery in China will be eligible for government subsidies regardless of country of origin. will be eligible for government subsidies regardless of country of origin. China Agriculture Equipment Market - Segment Analysis In terms of value, China agriculture equipment market is dominated by large & medium sized tractors. In volume terms, small tractors, because they are more affordable and practical for the average farming household, will continue to lead the market. Harvesting machinery captured the second highest share of the China agriculture equipment sales volume. China's small tractor market has been continuously declining since 2011. Trans-Planter machinery captured the smallest share of the total China agriculture equipment market. Harvesting capability is an issue among farmers, they prefer one machine that can harvest multiple crops, but most of the models making their way to market are specific to one crop. Combine harvesting machines are one of the most expensive types of agricultural equipment in China with the average unit price of around US$ 19,000 . with the average unit price of around . Combine harvesting machinery market is dominated by rice combine harvesters. Mechanization is most advanced for wheat, reaching 82% for seeding and 92% for harvesting. Key Topics Covered 1. Executive Summary 2. China Agriculture Equipment Market, Sales Volume and Forecast (2014 - 2025) 2.1 China Agriculture Equipment Market and Forecast 2.2 China Agriculture Equipment Sales Volume and Forecast 3. China Agriculture Equipment Market and Sales Volume Share Analysis (2014 - 2025) 3.1 China Agriculture Equipment Market Share - Segment Analysis 3.2 China Agriculture Equipment Sales Volume Share - Segment Analysis 3.3 China Agriculture Equipment Harvesting Machinery Market Share - By Types 3.4 China Agriculture Equipment Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume Share - By Types 3.5 China Agriculture Equipment Combine Harvesting Machinery Market Share - By Types 4. China Agriculture Equipment Market, Sales Volume and Forecast - Segment Analysis (2014 - 2025) 4.1 China Large & Medium Tractor Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.1.1 China Large & Medium Tractor Market and Forecast 4.1.2 China Large & Medium Tractor Sales Volume and Forecast 4.2 China Small Tractor Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.2.1 China Small Tractor Market and Forecast 4.2.2 China Small Tractor Sales Volume and Forecast 4.3 China Large & Medium Towing Farm Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.3.1 China Large & Medium Towing Farm Machinery Market and Forecast 4.3.2 China Large & Medium Towing Farm Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 4.4 China Motorized Threshing Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.4.1 China Motorized Threshing Machinery Market and Forecast 4.4.2 China Motorized Threshing Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 4.5 China Trans-Planter Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.5.1 China Trans-Planter Machinery Market and Forecast 4.5.2 China Trans-Planter Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 4.6 China Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 4.6.1 China Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 4.6.2 China Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 5. China Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast - By Type (2014 - 2025) 5.1 Single Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 5.1.1 Single Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 5.1.2 Single Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 5.2 Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 5.2.1 Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 5.2.2 Combine Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 6. China Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast - By Type (2014 - 2025) 6.1 China Rice Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 6.1.1 China Rice Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 6.1.2 China Rice Combine Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 6.2 China Wheat Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 6.2.1 China Wheat Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 6.2.2 China Wheat Combine Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 6.3 China Corn Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 6.3.1 China Corn Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 6.3.2 China Corn Combine Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 6.4 China Other Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Sales Volume Forecast 6.4.1 China Other Combine Harvesting Machinery Market and Forecast 6.4.2 China Other Combine Harvesting Machinery Sales Volume and Forecast 7. Agriculture Industry - Major Mergers and Acquisitions 7.1 2019 7.2 2018 7.3 2017 8. China Agriculture Equipment Market - Key Company Profiles 8.1 John Deere 8.1.1 Business Overview 8.1.2 John Deere Strategy 8.1.3 Initiatives / Recent Developments 8.2 AGCO Corporation 8.3 CLAAS KGaA 8.4 First Tractor Company Limited 8.5 Kubota Corporation 9. China Agriculture Equipment Market - Growth Drivers 9.1 Government Agricultural Policies Boosts China Agriculture Equipment Market 9.2 Increasing Adoption of Latest Technology in Agricultural Equipment & Growing Population Drives Market Growth 10. China Agriculture Equipment Market - Challenges 10.1 Heavy Dependency on Foreign Imports for High-Tech Farming Machinery 10.2 Expropriation of Farmland for Urban Construction, High Cost & Large Replacement Cycle of Agriculture Equipment 10.3 Concerns for Theft of Intellectual Property For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c9ldl9/the_agriculture?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com BALTIMORE, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Virus Network (GVN), a worldwide coalition of preeminent virologists engaged in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, exiting and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, has launched the Anticipation & Preparedness Taskforce (A&P Taskforce). The A&P Taskforce is led by Dr. Christian Brechot, President of the GVN, and Co-Chaired by Elodie Ghedin, PhD, Director of the Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, and Professor of Biology and Global Public Health at New York University, and Giuseppe Ippolito, MD, the Scientific Director of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) "Lazzaro Spallanzani" in Rome and Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for clinical care, diagnosis, response and training on Highly Infectious Diseases at INMI. The Taskforce is comprised of more than a dozen experts from GVN Centers of Excellence and Affiliates and its mission is to develop and employ innovative and pioneering approaches to identify and elucidate the impact and magnitude of future viral epidemics by coalescing mathematic modelling with epidemiology, genomics, medicine and public health. The Taskforce will work closely with public health authorities, existing networks and institutions as well as disseminate vital clinical and scientific information on best practices for the diagnosis and management of virus-related pathogens. Said Dr. Brechot, "The identification of emerging, re-emerging and unknown infectious diseases and surveillance of viral pathogens humans and wildlife is critical for early prediction of future disease outbreaks and epidemics. This must be based on science and the best of research activities on these topics. Analyzing these viral pathogens as well as the host response to these pathogens will enable us to build models for rapid diagnostics and thus early identification as well as prompt clinical management of suspected cases. The Taskforce will also facilitate and expedite the development of critical epidemiological protocols and guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of emerging, re-emerging and unknown viruses, as well as training healthcare professionals in all geographical areas to deal with infectious diseases caused by such viruses; being science-driven it will work in close interaction with the other organizations at stake on this major issue." A recent article published by the BBC titled, "The Mystery Viruses Far Worse Than the Flu" (Gorvett, 2018), emphasized the critical and timely need to anticipate and prepare for the next human pandemic; and this is one of the primary mandates for the formation and implementation of the Anticipation & Preparedness Taskforce. In addition, the A&P Taskforce will develop standardized practices and protocols for global biodefense and biosecurity. Of all the challenges that pose a clear and present threat to public health, biosecurity poses one of the greatest global risks. The GVN is the only single institution in the world that has specialist expertise in all emerging, re-emerging and unknown viruses, and the GVN is now a member of the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. Furthermore, following a recent meeting between Dr. Brechot and representatives from the WHO in Geneva, the GVN will closely interact with the WHO on the development, standardization and implementation of biosecurity standards and practices. The Taskforce's biodefense and biosecurity initiative will be led by James LeDuc, PhD, the director of the Galveston National Laboratory and a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Said Dr. LeDuc in his recent article, "Network for Safe and Secure Labs" (LeDuc, 2018), published in Science, "Dangerous diseases exist in many corners of the world and that they can cause substantial human suffering and financial devastation locally and internationally. In response, institutions and nations are constructing maximum biocontainment laboratories (MCLs) to address these threats. MCLs operate at the highest level of biological containment to diagnose, perform research on and validate cures for life-threatening diseases like Ebola. The global proliferation of these facilities raises questions about how to ensure safe and secure operations while enhancing their contributions to science and global health. One solution is to establish an MCL network that enables the sharing of best practices, collaboration, transparency and exchange of specimens and technology." The A&P Taskforce, as well as eight new Virus Watch Groups, were adopted by the Leadership Committee of the GVN at the organization's tenth international meeting in Annecy, France in the Fall of last year. The objective of the Virus Watch Groups is to establish regular communication and collaboration between the GVN's experts, further highlighting the GVN as the go-to organization for virus science expertise in the event of an emerging epidemic. The Virus Watch Groups will enable rapid responses to threats in the following categories: Arboviruses; Gastrointestinal; Hemorrhagic Fever; Herpes; Oncogenic; Respiratory; Retroviruses; and Zoonotic. During the course of the meeting, which was hosted by the Merieux Foundation and University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, attendees discussed the challenges posed by emerging and reemerging viruses, in the context of political instability and burgeoning refugees, deforestation and urban expansion, inadequate and incomplete vaccination and the lack of consistent and standardized biosafety measures, among other critical factors. About the Global Virus Network (GVN) The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, exiting and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprised of eminent human and animal virologists from 45 Centers of Excellence and seven Affiliates in 29 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org. Follow us on Twitter @GlobalVirusNews SOURCE Global Virus Network (GVN) Related Links https://gvn.org LITTLETON, Mass. and ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CyGlass, a SaaS AI-driven network-centric threat detection solution, and The SPECTRUM Group, a cyber security assessment and risk mitigation leader, are proud to announce the addition of Network Defense as a Service (NDaaS) powered by CyGlass to further strengthen their clients' cyber defenses and protect clients' sensitive customer data and digital assets. CyGlass NDaaS enables: The SPECTRUM Group Automatically identify assets on your network and prioritize layered security zones Receive Smart Alerts, prioritized event notifications, on suspicious network activity Gain visibility of your network threat landscape and respond quickly to malicious insiders or motivated attackers Detect network anomalies with proven scalable AI that continuously learns while monitoring your network activity without additional hardware, software, or people Create comprehensive reports on threats, assets and network behavior "CyGlass provides an affordable SaaS solution for network anomaly detection a critical tool in the fight against threat actors, who cannot hide in the network," noted Ed Jackowiak, CEO of CyGlass Inc. "Traditional security tools are valuable, but do not track or identify unusual behavior within the network. In contrast, our easy-to-deploy NDaaS solution contains a dashboard that can be used by security analysts, management, and even boards of directors to visualize the network's current state and cyber security personnel's current progress in identifying and remediating any attacks. Cyber Risk is one of the biggest challenges facing firms today, including those in aerospace, healthcare, energy, and law: more than 50% of recent breaches were due to advanced cyber threats. Existing security technologies largely fail to provide visibility and detection of unknown attacks and rogue assets on networks, and continue to depend on security analysts sifting through vast volumes of logs and alerts. Relying on signatures or rule-based security products leaves organizations more exposed, inundating their Security Operations Centers (SOCs) with false positives and no methods for identifying and blocking real threats. The result? An estimated 70% of these advanced threats go undetected. "The SPECTRUM Group has significant expertise in cutting-edge cybersecurity tools and digital assets, and constantly seeks innovative solutions to improve client technology risk management and enable our clients to protect their networks," said George Close, President of The SPECTRUM Group. "CyGlass's AI-based platform allows our Cyber Security Team to leverage machine learning and smart automation for enhanced visibility, real-time insights, and actionable intelligence to enable better client network security." Today's corporate networks risk being breached by advanced network threats unless quick and intelligent security tools can respond tools that become ever-smarter through comprehensive AI applications and self-learning technologies. The CyGlass NDaaS tool focuses on the most critical threats, while leveraging AI to provide enhanced visibility, improved productivity, and greater precision in defending client networks and assets from cyber-attacks. By incorporating the CyGlass NDaaS solution into its comprehensive cyber security solution portfolio, The SPECTRUM Group continues to support its global client base with the advanced network protection and enterprise network security capabilities needed to detect and mitigate today's and tomorrow's cyber security threats. ABOUT CYGLASS INC. CyGlass is a network behavior anomaly detection solution that uses artificial intelligence to surface and prioritize unknown threats within your network. By deploying Network Defense as a Service (NDaaS), CyGlass provides visibility and understanding of your network behavior and the behavior of your critical assets. Based on unsupervised and supervised machine learning, CyGlass leverages a layered algorithmic approach to analyze network traffic and builds an illustrated story of how each threat has emerged over time. NDaaS Smart Alerts are prioritized by confidence level and threat score to save your security operations critical time in mitigating a surfaced threat. Learn more at www.cyglass.com ABOUT THE SPECTRUM GROUP THE SPECTRUM Group, now in our 26th year, has built our reputation as a leading provider of security services in both federal and commercial spaces by helping clients assess, plan, and implement successful security strategies and solutions. Our more than 100 expert consultants, working across the U.S. and around the globe, deliver viable answers to our clients' most challenging business and policy questions. Across defense and aerospace, healthcare, bioscience, energy, and government sectors, we provide strategic security solutions to protect our clients' valuable intellectual property and assets. Please visit www.spectrumgrp.com Media Contacts: Ed Jackowiak CyGlass Inc. 1.978.665.0280 [email protected] MG George Close, USA Ret. The SPECTRUM Group 1.703.683.4222 [email protected] SOURCE CyGlass Inc Related Links https://www.cyglass.com NEW YORK, March 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The need to manage KYC compliance, and mitigate money laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) activities to drive the transaction monitoring market Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05761032/?utm_source=PRN The transaction monitoring market size is expected to grow from USD 8.3 billion in 2018 to USD 16.8 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.1% during the forecast period The factors expected to drive the transaction monitoring market are the need to manage KYC compliance, and mitigate money laundering and CTF activities; and the use of advanced analytics to provide proactive risk alerts.However, the difficulties in managing cross-border and multi-jurisdictional AML-compliance is still a concern for organizations. Furthermore, lack of risk analysis professionals is expected to restrain the market growth. The services segment to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period The transaction monitoring market by service includes consulting, integration, training and education, and support and maintenance.These services help clients understand their solutions and related processes. The solution segment is expected to hold a larger market size during the forecast period. The transaction monitoring solution is being deployed by a large number of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises to secure their organizations from the increasing money laundering and CTF attacks. Increasing strict AML regulatory compliances and adoption of proactive security approach by SMEs to drive the growth of the SMEs segment during the forecast period The SMEs segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR, owing to the rising deployment of the transaction monitoring solution by SMEs to proactively monitor the suspicious transaction and comply with various strict government regulations.SMEs are small in terms of their size, but cater to a large number of customers globally. The robust and comprehensive transaction monitoring solution is not implemented in SMEs, due to financial constraints in these organizations.Weak security measures and low budget make the SMEs more susceptible to financial losses, information loss and money laundering attacks. However, the large enterprises segment is estimated to hold a higher market share in 2018. APAC to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period Asia Pacific (APAC) includes major economies, such as India, China, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan, which are the biggest hub for various big banks that are rapidly deploying the transaction monitoring solution.APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The APAC transaction monitoring market is gaining traction as it provides proactive security measures for securing the customer accounts and financial transactions.SMEs as well as large enterprises in the APAC region have become more aware of transaction monitoring services and started adopting them to combat cyber threats. Furthermore, North America is estimated to have the largest market size in 2018. In-depth interviews were conducted with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), marketing directors, innovation and technology directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in the transaction monitoring market. By Company Type: Tier 1: 35%, Tier 2: 45%, and Tier 3: 20% By Designation: C-Level: 35%, Director Level: 25%, and Others: 40% By Region: North America: 45%, Europe: 20%, APAC: 30%, and Others: 5% The report includes the study of key players, such as NICE (Israel), Oracle (US), FICO (US), BAE Systems (UK), Fiserv (US), SAS (US), Experian (Ireland), FIS (US), ACI Worldwide (US), Refinitiv (UK), Software AG (Germany), ComplyAdvantage (US), Infrasoft Technologies (India), ACTICO (Germany), ComplianceWise (Netherlands), EastNets (UAE), Bottomline (US), Beam Solutions (US), IdentityMind (US), and CaseWare (Canada). Research Coverage: The report covers the transaction monitoring solution and services across segments.It aims at estimating the market size and growth potential of this market across segments, such as components, application areas, functions, deployment modes, organization size, verticals, and regions. Furthermore, the report also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market, along with their company profiles, product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies. Key Benefits of Buying the Report: The report would help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with information about the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall transaction monitoring market and its subsegments.It would help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better their positions and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. It also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information about key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05761032/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com ALBANY, New York, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) predicts that the global thermal insulation market is highly fragmented as the market features a strong presence of the number of global and local players. Some of the key players including Armacell, BASF SE, Asahe Kasei Corporation, Johns Manville, The Dow Chemicals Company, Covestro AG, DuPont Insulcon Group, and Isolatek International are operating in the global thermal insulation market. According to TMR, the global thermal insulation market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.4% to attain a value of US$77,770.7 mn by 2025-end. The market acquired a value of US$48,288.3 mn in the year 2016. Based on foam type, the rigid board segment accounted for more than 30% of share in the overall market in 2016. Based on the end user, the building & construction segment held the largest share of 50% in the same year. Based on the region, the Asia Pacific dominated the global thermal insulation market by accounting more than 35% share in 2016 the overall market. The region is expected to retain its dominance over the forecast period and is accountable for a revenue of US$34535.8 mn by 2025-end. This growth of the industry in the region is attributable to growing industrialization and urbanization, which is encouraging demand for thermal insulation materials. Request a Sample of Global Thermal Insulation Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=33167 Growing Demand for Green or Zero Tolerant Buildings to Propel Market Growth Thermal insulation material reduces the absorption of outdoor heat within buildings. A Rising temperatures globally is creating a need for the use of proper building isolation. Use of this material lowers the dependence on air conditioning, which is leading to cost cutting of energy consumption. Thereby, numerous governments are engaging in initiatives to endorse the use of energy efficiency and efficient developments, which has an important role in growth of the thermal insulation market. Additionally, rising demand for effective insulation mainly from residential and non-residential buildings for cutting the energy cost is boosting demand for advanced thermal insulations. Moreover, growing awareness about benefits and its availability globally, mainly in developing regions is driving growth of the global thermal insulations market. Especially, growing demand for the green or the zero tolerant building mainly from the residential sector is driving acceptance for thermal insulation material, which in turn fuels market growth. Request For Multiple Chapters: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=33167 Growing Support from Numerous Government to Propel Market Growth Growing industrialization globally mainly in the developing countries is boosting the demand for metal powders in numerous end-use industries. Widening applications across the industries such as aerospace and automotive are fuelling growth of the thermal insulation market. Additionally, the European Commission's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has graded the materials over its efficiency, ease of use, and environmental impact that is directing the use of thermal insulations. Such support is bolstering growth of the thermal insulation market. However, the thermal insulation market growth is hindered due to the high price of insulation materials, which is reflecting negatively on the adoption of thermal insulation material. Nonetheless, growing advancements in materials, which makes the material suitable to be used in a range of industries. Further, usage of thermal insulation material is soaring across numerous industries such as iron powders in numerous industries including machinery manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, automotive, and rail. This is offering numerous lucrative opportunities for growth of the global thermal insulation market. Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=33167 This information is encompassed in the report by TMR, titled, "Thermal Insulation Market (Product - Cellular Material, Fibrous Material, and Granular Material; Foam - Rigid Board, Rigid Foam/Foam Board, Flexible Foam, Sprayed Foam, Batts, Loose Fillers, and Barriers; End-user - Building & Construction, Oil & Gas, Aerospace & Aviation, Mechanical Systems, Clothing, Automotive, and Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 2025." For the study, the thermal insulation market has been segmented as follows: Product Type: Cellular Material Fibrous Material Granular Material Foam Type: Rigid Board Rigid Foam/Foam Board Flexible Foam Sprayed Foam Batts Loose Fillers Barriers End-User Type: Building & Construction Oil & Gas Aerospace & Aviation Mechanical Systems Clothing Automotive Industrial Geography North America o U.S. o Canada o U.S. o Canada Europe o U.K. o Germany o France o Spain o Italy o Rest of Europe o U.K. o Germany o France o Spain o Italy o Rest of Asia Pacific o China o Japan o Australia o India o Rest of Asia Pacific o China o Japan o Australia o India o Rest of Latin America o Brazil o Mexico o Rest of Latin America o Brazil o Mexico o Rest of Middle East & Africa o South Africa o Saudi Arabia o Rest of Middle East & Africa Browse Chemicals & Materials Market Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Thermal Ceramics Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/thermal-ceramics-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/thermal-ceramics-market.html Subsea Thermal Insulation Materials Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/subsea-thermal-insulation-materials-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/subsea-thermal-insulation-materials-market.html Building Thermal Insulation Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/building-thermal-insulation-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision." Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: https://cmfenews.com SOURCE Transparency Market Research OAK BROOK, Ill., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) will host an audio Webcast of its first quarter earnings results conference call on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Steve Oakland, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Matthew Foulston, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the results for the first quarter and the outlook for the balance of 2019. An earnings release will be issued before the market opens on the same date. The Webcast will be accessible by visiting http://www.treehousefoods.com and by clicking on "Investor Relations," "Investor Overview." In order to listen to the Webcast, users will need to have installed either Real Player or Windows Media Player software, which can be detected and downloaded by visiting the site. A Webcast replay will be available for 180 days following the event within the "Investor Relations," "Earnings Call Archives" section of the Company's website. ABOUT TREEHOUSE FOODS TreeHouse Foods, Inc. is a manufacturer of packaged foods and beverages with over 40 manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada and Italy that focuses primarily on private label products for both retail grocery and food away from home customers. We manufacture shelf stable, refrigerated, frozen and fresh products, including beverages and beverage enhancers (single serve beverages, coffees, teas, creamers, powdered beverages and smoothies); meals (cereal, pasta, macaroni and cheese and side dishes); retail bakery (refrigerated and frozen dough, cookies and crackers); condiments (pourable and spoonable dressing, dips, pickles, and sauces) and healthy snacks (nuts, trail mix, bars, dried fruits and vegetables). We have a comprehensive offering of packaging formats and flavor profiles, and we also offer natural, organic and preservative free ingredients in many categories. Our strategy is to be the leading supplier of private label food and beverage products by providing the best balance of quality and cost to our customers. Additional information, including TreeHouse's most recent statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, may be found at TreeHouse's website, http://www.treehousefoods.com. SOURCE TreeHouse Foods, Inc. Related Links http://www.treehousefoods.com LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripalink, a start-up company focusing on building a co-living community for millennials, successfully raised $5 million in its series A+ funding round, the second time funding round within six months. This funding round was led by Calin SJG Fund, L.P., with the participation of K2VC, e-Broker, and Tekton Ventures. "We are inspired by the concept of WeWork. And we'd like to bring this idea of space sharing into young people's daily life by creating a co-living community," says CEO Donghao Li. Tripalink U-Living Space Tripalink V-Living projects coming soon As a start-up in Los Angeles, Tripalink, linking the eastern and the western culture, advantaged with its deep understanding of the international rental market. Its rapid growth is to a large extent the result of the insight into the great market potential and firm belief in the value of connectivity fostered by Co-living community. In 2019, millennials are expected to take up the largest percentage of the living adult population, with their numbers increasing to 73 million. For this generation in the United States, Co-living is the trendiest lifestyle in recent years. While ensuring the personal private space, a Co-living community also provides spacious and versatile common areas to fully meet the residents' demands in social interaction. "Compared to hotels and traditional student apartments, Tripalink's high-quality one-stop service and core value of building a Co-living community free all our residents from chores and set their mind at ease, offering a supreme living environment and experience," Li introduces. Currently, Tripalink has two main products: U-Living and V-Living. With a long-term cooperation with experienced real estate developers and homeowners, Tripalink provides high-quality and personalized U-Living units. Combining REITS and high-net-worth individuals LP, analyzing the data and the market, Tripalink offers finely designed and state-of-the-art V-Living apartments. Up to now, Tripalink has served over 4,000 youths, with an average renewal rate amounting 75%. Two V-Living projects have finished, and 13 more are under construction. It is expected that by the end of 2019, the number of the bedspace available will exceed 3,000, and at least 10 new V-Living apartments will be delivered for use. By far, Tripalink has expanded its business in Pittsburgh and Seattle, and it will enter Austin and Philadelphia this year; the number of all community members is foreseen to reach 20,000 by 2020. "Los Angeles is where we set off, the destination is yet to come." Media contact: Chanron Guo [email protected] 323-382-6375 SOURCE Tripalink Related Links http://www.tripalink.com LITTLETON, Colo., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSE American:URG) (TSX:URE) announces that its Chairman, Jeffrey Klenda, will present at the Spring Investor Summit (formerly, The MicroCap Conference) to be held April 1-2, 2019 at the Essex House in New York City. Mr. Klenda, Chairman and CEO, will present at the conference, providing an overview and update of UrEnergy's business, including Lost Creek operations, and on the pending Section 232 trade action regarding the impact of uranium imports on national security. Mr. Klenda also will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings. Ur-Energy's presentation will begin at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at the Essex House. The presentation will be webcast and can be accessed live or in archive following the presentation at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2038/29948. To schedule a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Klenda, please request a meeting after registering for the conference or contact [email protected]. The Spring Investor Summit is an exclusive event dedicated to connecting small and micro cap companies with high-level, institutional and retail investors. The upcoming conference will feature 200 presenting companies, 1200 institutional and retail investors, 2000 one-on-one meetings, expert speakers, and industry panels. To request free registration to the conference, please go to www.springinvestorsummit.com, and click the "Registration" button. For more information about the conference contact Ashley Allard at [email protected]. About Ur-Energy Ur-Energy is a uranium mining company operating the Lost Creek in-situ recovery uranium facility in south-central Wyoming. We have produced, packaged and shipped approximately 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 from Lost Creek since the commencement of operations. Applications are under review by various agencies to incorporate our LC East project area into the Lost Creek permits and to operate at our Shirley Basin Project. Ur-Energy is engaged in uranium mining, recovery and processing activities, including the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of uranium mineral properties in the United States. Shares of UrEnergy trade on the NYSE American under the symbol "URG" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "URE." Ur-Energy's corporate office is in Littleton, Colorado; its registered office is in Ottawa, Ontario. Ur-Energy's website is www.ur-energy.com. For further information, please contact: Jeffrey Klenda, Chair and CEO 8669814588 [email protected]Energy.com SOURCE Ur-Energy Inc. Related Links http://www.ur-energy.com He added: "In more than 100 countries, from Iran to Eritrea, over 245 million Christians confront intimidation, imprisonment, forced conversion, abuse, assault or worse simply for holding onto the truths of the gospel. In Iraq, we see monasteries demolished, priests and monks beheaded, and the 2-millenia-old Christian tradition in Mosul clinging for survival. In Syria, we see ancient communities burned to the ground and believers tortured for confessing the name of Christ. It's heart-breaking to think that the Christian population in Syria has been cut in half in just the past six years, and many of those who remain have been displaced from their ancient homes. In Iraq, the followers of Christ have fallen by 80 percent in the past decade and a half." The Vice President went on to highlight the impact of the ministry of Help The Persecuted, which is helping many of these believers who are now returning to their communities in the Middle East, having been driven from their homes by ISIS: "We couldn't be more grateful for the heroic efforts of the men and women who work with, and invest in, this organization, because Help The Persecuted, each and every day, puts hands and feet on our faith. You provide physical and spiritual support to those who are literally standing outside the gates because of their faith and who they are." Help The Persecuted has supported over 30,000 Christians since 2011. Their President, Joshua Youssef, said he was deeply humbled to have Vice President Pence join them for this significant gathering: "It was one of those pinch yourself moments to have Vice President Pence address our Inaugural Summit. From the very beginning of this administration, the Vice President has been a passionate champion for the cause of the persecuted Church and for religious freedom around the world. To have him get behind our organisation was very humbling, and I just feel honoured." Joshua believes many who attended the Summit had their eyes opened to what was really going on in this difficult region and were deeply moved: "We heard the remarkable story of how our ministry is not only helping persecuted Christians to return to their homes in Iraq, but also supporting them as they reach out in mercy and love to the widows of ISIS fighters the men who had quite literally destroyed their homes and forced them to flee. These once persecuted Christian families are now giving out food baskets and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they tell us that the ISIS widows only wish that their husbands were with them to hear the good news!" Joshua concluded by sharing plans to increase the impact of the ministry in the coming year: "Our vision is to help an additional 10,000 persecuted Christians with practical and spiritual needs by the end of this year. This will include the expansion of our work in Syria, helping the many Christians in Pakistan who are facing blasphemy trials, as well as expanding our ministry centres and network of safe houses for families whose lives are under threat." To find out more about the work of Help The Persecuted go to: www.HTP.org. Media Contact Corey Fleeman Director of Marketing and Communications [email protected] 833-777-6247 SOURCE Help The Persecuted Related Links http://www.HTP.org Venus ET Fleur's new Bridal Collection bouquets and accessories are handcrafted by a floral design specialist who creates custom patterns using the finest roses. Bridal Collection arrangements provide stylish and quality options available in an extensive palette of colors to choose from, allowing for bouquets and bridal accessories to fit with a desired wedding color scheme. Sourced from Ecuador, the production and treatment process for the Bridal Collection is environmentally friendly, perfect for the modern bride who buys consciously and ethically. Venus ET Fleur's Bridal Collection is inspired by co-founder Seema Bansal's own wedding planning experience. In the months before her wedding to her Venus ET Fleur Co-Founder Sunny Chadha, Seema struggled to find a bouquet that reflected her personal style. Instead of compromising, Seema decided to design her own bouquet with Venus ET Fleur roses. She knew that they would look and last up to a year after the wedding as a reminder of the special day. Commenting on the new collection, Venus ET Fleur Co-Founder Seema Bansal said, "We are so excited to be able to share Venus ET Fleur's expertise and quality combined with my bridal experience to create something truly unique in the market." Venus ET Fleur's Bridal Collection offerings will be available this Spring at the Venus ET Fleur ateliers in Los Angeles, New York and London, as well as through VenusETFleur.com. Offerings start at $849 for bridal bouquets and $429 for bridesmaid bouquets. Boutonnieres and corsages start at $88. For more information visit: VenusETFleur.com \ @venusetfleur Contact: Purple PR | [email protected] About Venus ET Fleur Venus ET Fleur has become a household name thanks to their innovative and stunning designs loved by A-list celebrities including; the Kardashian sisters, the Hadid's, Drake, Cardi B, Sarah Jessica-Parker and Paris Hilton amongst others. Venus ET Fleur is an internationally recognized luxury brand that has developed an extensive and dedicated client following. With over 460,000 Instagram followers, numerous television appearances and media features, the brand has garnered the attention of high profile celebrities such as the Kardashian sisters, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Shay Mitchell, Heidi Klum and Oprah to name just a few. Founded in the US in 2015 thanks to a love story between entrepreneurs and husband and wife, Sunny Chadha and Seema Bansal, Venus ET Fleur has fast become the leader in its field and with the founders being knowledgeable tastemakers in the bridal industry, exemplified by their recent wedding, their new collection is not to disappoint. SOURCE Venus ET Fleur Related Links http://www.VenusETFleur.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Whitehead Institute, the world-renowned nonprofit research institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research, has announced that Institute Director David C. Page a Whitehead Institute Member since 1988 and Director since 2004 will complete his current term as Director and President in summer 2020. An international search has been launched for Page's successor. "David's tenure as Director has been a period of incredible richness for Whitehead Institute," says Charles D. Ellis, Chair of the Board of Directors, Whitehead Institute. "It has been rich in the path-breaking science that our researchers have done; in the intellectual ferment and creative environment that Whitehead Members have fostered; and in the sense of community and common purpose that David has nurtured. He has led us with great skill and vision through a dynamic period of growth and continuous exploration, and he will pass to his successor an organization primed to tackle the challenges offered by a swiftly evolving bioscience landscape." Since its founding in 1982, Whitehead Institute has been one of the world's most influential biomedical research centers producing a continual stream of significant discoveries and new research tools and approaches. Whitehead Institute is a legally and financially independent organization closely affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Whitehead Institute Members hold MIT faculty appointments. The 17 Whitehead Institute Members include two National Medal of Science winners, nine National Academy of Sciences members, four National Academy of Medicine members, and four Investigators of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In addition, the Institute's prestigious Whitehead Fellows Program has fostered generations of biomedical science leaders including Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley, celebrated MIT cancer researcher and professor of biology Angelika Amon, Broad Institute President and Founding Director Eric Lander, and NASA astronaut and space biologist Kate Rubins. Whitehead Institute and MIT have been David's professional home since he earned an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program and completed research in David Botstein's lab at MIT in 1984. After serving as the Institute's first Whitehead Fellow, he became a Whitehead Member and MIT faculty member in 1988. Page was appointed Associate Director of the Institute in 2002, Interim Director in 2004, and Director in 2005. Throughout his 35 years at Whitehead Institute, Page has run a thriving and productive research lab. His groundbreaking studies on the Y chromosome changed the way biomedical science views the function of sex chromosomes. That work earned him wide recognition, including a Macarthur Foundation Fellowship and a Searle Scholar Award; and he has been an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute since 1990. His research twice earned inclusion in Science magazine's "Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year," first for mapping a human chromosome and then for sequencing the human Y chromosome. Today, his lab is pursuing a deep understanding of the role of sex chromosomes in health and disease work with the potential to fundamentally change the practice of medicine and improve the quality of care for women and men alike. As Director, Page has made a mark on all facets of the Whitehead Institute organization. During his tenure, he oversaw the creation of the Institute's Intellectual Property Office; strengthened its core facilities; and established new platforms, such as the Metabolomics Center. He also enhanced the leadership structure by appointing three associate directors; and he supported the creation of the child care center. Perhaps most important for the long run, Page has guided a robust renewal of faculty and has helped to prepare the organization for the eventual retirement of the Institute's founding generation of Members. The search for Page's successor will be guided by a committee of noted leaders in education, biomedical research, and nonprofit organizations, including: Susan Hockfield, Ph.D. (Chair) Professor of Neuroscience and President Emerita at MIT Laurie H. Glimcher, M.D. President and Chief Executive Officer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and former Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College Alan Grossman, Ph.D. Praecis Professor of Biology and Department Head, MIT Department of Biology Paul L. Joskow, Ph.D. Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics Emeritus at MIT Amy E. Keating, Ph.D. Professor in the Departments of Biology and Biological Engineering at MIT David Sabatini, M.D., Ph.D. Whitehead Institute Member and Associate Director, and Professor of Biology at MIT Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D. Nobel Laureate, Institute Professor and Professor of Biology at MIT Sarah Williamson Chief Executive Officer of FCLT Global, and former Partner at Wellington Management Company (Joskow, Sharp, and Williamson are also members of the Whitehead Institute Board of Directors.) The committee will be assisted by global executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. "Whitehead Institute is one of the world's premier research institutions," says Hockfield. "It possesses an innovative and collaborative culture; rich talent and intellectual capital; a robust relationship with MIT; and a place at the heart of the Kendall Square innovation community. These factors make it an ideal opportunity for a director with vision, scientific courage, and a passion to address basic biomedical science's most significant challenges." "The scientists of Whitehead Institute have helped to drive biomedical research forward and onto exciting new paths," says Page. "In coming years, the Institute itself will experience a generational evolution, and my successor will help define the organization's future and by extension, help shape the direction of biomedical research for decades to come." The new Director will have an impressive line of predecessors: Whitehead Institute's Founding Director was Nobel Laureate and former California Institute of Technology President David Baltimore; he was succeeded by globally respected researcher and science enterprise leader Gerald Fink, and then by National Medal of Science recipient, Susan Lindquist Page's immediate predecessor. Whitehead Institute is a world-renowned nonprofit research institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. Wholly independent in its governance, finances, and research programs, Whitehead shares a close affiliation with Massachusetts Institute of Technology through its faculty, who hold joint MIT appointments. SOURCE Whitehead Institute Related Links www.wi.mit.edu DUBLIN, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Food Automation Market by Type (Motor and Generator, Motor Control, Rotary Products), Application (Packaging, Palletizing, Processing), Industrial Vertical (Dairy Processing, Bakery, Beverage, Meat Products) - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global food automation market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2019 to 2025, to reach $14,303.2 million by 2025. The market is primarily expected to be driven by the increasing food safety regulations, rising demand for processed and advanced packaged foods, and increasing technological advancements in the food industry. Further, rising demand for advanced automated systems like robotics will fuel the growth of food automation market across the globe. However, high capital investment hinders the growth of the market; whereas the lack of a skilled workforce and training poses a great challenge to the penetration of automation in the food industry. Key Questions Answered Growing dairy processing industry to drive the adoption of food automation How does the penetration of food automation in the dairy processing industry differ from the food and beverage industries? What impact does this have on the adoption of food automation in comparison to other niche applications? Which are the high growth market segments in terms of mode of operation, type, application, and region/country? Cryogenics account for a relatively small proportion of all applications of food automation, globally What factors contribute to the infrequent usage of food automation in cryogenics? Conversely, which geographic segment is expected to experience the fastest growth for cryogenics? The Asia-Pacific food automation market favors both larger and local manufacturers that compete in multiple segments What are the top competitors in this market and what strategies do they employ to gain shares? What is driving growth and which market segments have the most potential for revenue expansion over the forecast period? What strategies should new companies looking to enter this market use to compete effectively? What are the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and trends in the global food automation market? Who are the major players in various countries and what share of the market do they hold? What are the geographical trends and high growth regions/ countries? Recent partnerships, acquisitions, and expansions have taken place in the food automation space What companies have recently merged/acquired and how will these unions affect the competitive landscape of the food automation space? What companies have created partnerships and how will these partnerships promote a competitive advantage? Who are the major players in the global food automation market and what share of the market do they hold? What are the local emerging players in the global food automation market and how do they compete with the global players? Key Topics Covered 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Ecosystem 1.2. Currency and Limitations 1.2.1. Currency 1.2.2. Limitations 1.3. Key Stakeholders 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Process 2.1.1. Secondary Research 2.1.2. Primary Research 2.1.3. Market Size Estimation 3. Market Environment 3.1. Technology Trends 3.2. Trending Business Models in Food Industry 3.3. Funding Scenario 4. Industry Structure 4.1. Key Distributors 4.2. Market Share Analysis, by Key Players 5. Executive Summary 6. Market Insights 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Market Dynamics 6.3. Drivers 6.3.1. Increasing Food Safety Regulations 6.3.2. Rising Demand for Processed Foods and Advanced Food Packaging 6.3.3. Growing Technological Advancements in the Food Industry 6.4. Restraints 6.4.1. High Capital Investments 6.5. Opportunities 6.5.1. Increasing Demand for Advanced Automated Systems in the Food Industry 6.6. Challenges 6.6.1. Lack of Skilled Workforce and Training 7. Food Automation Market, by Product Type 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Motors and Generators 7.3. Motor Controls 7.4. Discrete Controllers and Visualization 7.5. Rotary and Linear Products 7.6. Others 8. Food Automation Market, by Application 8.1. Introduction 8.2. Packaging & Repackaging 8.3. Palletizing & Depalletizing 8.4. Grading & Sorting 8.5. Pick & Place 8.6. Processing 8.7. Others 9. Food Automation Market, by Industry Vertical 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Beverages and Distilleries 9.3. Dairy Processing 9.4. Bakery and Confectionary 9.5. Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products 9.6. Fruits and Vegetables 9.7. Others 10. Food Automation Market, by Geography 10.1. Introduction 10.2. North America 10.2.1. Increasing Adoption of Automated Dairy Systems Expected to Propel the Market for Automation in Dairy Industry 10.2.2. Growing Demand for Processed Meat Products to Drive the Adoption of Automated Systems in the Meat Processing Industry 10.2.3. Reduction in Manufacturing Cost Expedite the Adoption of Automated Systems 10.2.4. U.S. 10.2.5. Canada 10.3. Europe 10.3.1. Rising Minimum Wages Impels the Growth of Automation in Food Industry 10.3.2. Food Safety Regulations Expected to Propel the Adoption of Automated Systems 10.3.3. Growing Trend of Automated Systems in Manufacturing Lines to Bolster the Market 10.3.4. Germany 10.3.5. France 10.3.6. U.K. 10.3.7. Italy 10.3.8. Spain 10.3.9. ROE 10.4. Asia Pacific 10.4.1. Growing Demand for Processed and Advanced Packaged Foods Propel the Market for Automation in the Asia-Pacific Region 10.4.2. Growing Investments in Indian Food Manufacturing Sector to Boost the Market 10.4.3. Emerging Economies to Surge the Automation Market in this Region 10.4.4. Japan 10.4.5. China 10.4.6. South Korea 10.4.7. India 10.4.8. Indonesia 10.4.9. Taiwan 10.4.10. Australia 10.4.11. RAOPAC 10.5. Rest of World 10.5.1. Latin America 10.5.2. Middle East and Africa 11. Competitive Landscape 11.1. Introduction 11.2. New Product Launches 11.3. Partnerships and Acquisitions 11.4. Expansions 11.5. Collaborations and Upgradations 12. Company Profiles (Business Overview, Financial Overview, Product Portfolio, Strategic Developments) 12.1. Rockwell Automation Inc. 12.2. ABB Group 12.3. Yaskawa Electric Corporation 12.4. Siemens AG 12.5. Yokogawa Electric Corporation 12.6. Fanuc Corporation 12.7. Schneider Electric SE 12.8. Destaco (Subsidiary of Dover Corporation) 12.9. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation 12.10. JLS Automation 12.11. GEA Group 12.12. Proleit AG 12.13. Emerson Electric Co. 12.14. Falcon Autotech Pvt. Ltd. 12.15. Food Automation Pty. Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/h2vxn3/world_food?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com TRUMBULL, Conn., March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Two years ago, Yoga Lily Studio opened its doors offering yoga, barre and aerial fitness to the Trumbull community. Since then, they've expanded their class offerings , opened a second location, and partnered with local organizations and business owners to build an empowered community. To kick off their second anniversary , they'll be celebrating with events that are open to the public at both their Trumbull and Shelton locations. On Saturday, 4/6 through Monday, 4/8 you can enjoy the following... Saturday, 4/6: Join them for complimentary morning mat classes, get membership discounts and a free evening workshop! Join them for complimentary morning mat classes, get membership discounts and a free evening workshop! Complimentary Triple HIIT, Women's Serenity and Studio Flow classes available Intro to Astrology Workshop - Yoga Lily hosts For the Love of Saturn's Intro to Astrology Workshop. Receive a fun and informative reading of your astrological map and let it give you a deeper understanding of yourself. Registration is required and attendees must bring their exact time of birth. Sunday, 4/7: Try Aerial Yoga with $10 per class 'drop-in' pricing, today only! Try Aerial Yoga with per class 'drop-in' pricing, today only! Beginner Aerial at 10:30AM in Shelton in Aerial Level Up at 12:00PM in Shelton in Aerial Studio Flow at 2:30PM in Trumbull in Please note: Their Anniversary Aerial classes are offered on a first come, first served basis due to limited hammocks so pre-register at [email protected] and arrive 15 minutes prior to start time. Learn more about aerial yoga, get class descriptions, and FAQs here. Monday, 4/8: Bring a friend day, and receive a complimentary class as their gift to you! Bring a friend day, and receive a complimentary class as their gift to you! Power Vinyasa at 9:30AM in Trumbull in Women's Serenity at 5:45PM in Trumbull in Aerial Fly Up (advanced) at 6PM in Shelton in Gentle Sunset at 6:30PM in Trumbull "Yoga has always had a special meaning in my life. Celebrating this milestone with our students, teachers and studio friends means so much to me. I hope to share our positive and healing energy, gifts and gratitude with everyone who walks through our doors this week and beyond," says Kelly Paige, owner of Yoga Lily Studio. For more details on their anniversary events, mission or locations please visit: https://www.yogalilystudio.com. MEDIA CONTACT Kelly Paige Founder, Owner & Yoga Teacher of Yoga Lily Studio Email: [email protected] Phone: (203) 275-6694 Website: https://www.yogalilystudio.com SOURCE Yoga Lily Studio Related Links https://www.yogalilystudio.com Yangon, March 27 : Myanmar military posts have been attacked by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine state, leaving casualties on both sides, the Defense Services said on Wednesday. In two incidents on Sunday and Monday, the military conducting security operation near Yaysoe Chaung and Kyiyapin villages in Yathedaung and Kyauktaw towns, were attacked by dozens of these ethnic insurgent members with small and heavy weapons. While Sunday's clash was carried out by a small group, on Monday a 150-strong Arakan Army mounted the attack that caused casualties on either side, Xinhua quoted the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services as saying. The attacks have been escalating since the beginning of March. New York, March 27 : A county in New York state has declared a state of emergency following a severe outbreak of measles. Tuesday's announcement followed other outbreaks of the disease in Washington, California, Texas and Illinois. Rockland County, on the Hudson River north of New York City, has barred unvaccinated children from public spaces after 153 cases were confirmed, CNN reported. Officials said the order, which bans unvaccinated children from places such as schools, shopping centres, restaurants and places of worship, would last 30 days. Violating the order would be punishable by a fine of $500 and up to six months in prison. Vaccination rates have dropped steadily in the US with many parents objecting for philosophical or religious reasons, or because they believe misleading information that vaccines cause autism in children, the BBC reported. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement. "This is a public health crisis and it is time to sound the alarm." The outbreak in Rockland County was largely concentrated in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, the New York Times reported. It is believed it could have spread from other predominantly ultra-Orthodox areas around New York which have already seen outbreaks of measles. Measles is a highly infectious disease and can cause serious health complications, including damage to the lungs and brain. The World Health Organization has declared the anti-vaccine movement to be one of the top global health threats for 2019. Lucknow, March 27 : Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Wednesday hit out at the ruling BJP and the Congress for their 'garibi hatao' promise calling it a bluff. She accused both of the parties of being "birds of the same feather" who betray people, despite such eradicate poverty slogans which comes to nothing after the votes are over. Mayawati said: "Ruling BJP calling Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 a bluff, is true. "But is poll bluff and reneging of poll promises the sole domain of the BJP?" "In fact BJP and Congress party are both birds of the same feather. They betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers and others," Mayawati tweeted. The Dalit leader's remarks came after the ruling BJP described Congress' minimum income scheme 'NYAY' announced by party chief Rahul Gandhi for elimination of poverty a "bluff". Gandhi had on Monday announced to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 25 crore poor families of the country. The BSP, which had earlier announced no alliance with the Congress across the country is fighting the 2019 elections along with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The BSP, which scored a nil in the 2014 elections is contesting on 38 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The SP which won five seats is contesting on 37 and it's other alliance partner, the RLD is contesting on three seats. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance has left two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli for the Congress in the state. The BJP-led NDA had won 73 seats from Uttar Pradesh in 2014. The seven phased Lok Sabha polls are scheduled from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 : Whether Congress President Rahul Gandhi will contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala will become clear on Wednesday, a senior Congress leader here said. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the decision was expected later in the day. "We all want him to contest from Wayanad," he added. Ever since Congress General Secretary and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy broached the subject last week, the CPI-M led Left and the BJP-led NDA have been taking pot shots at the Congress, for spreading "fake news" as no announcement has come from Delhi. Mumbai, March 27 : Actor Rajpal Yadav, who came out of prison late February after serving a sentence in a case of non-repayment of a loan, says he is healed, happy and excited to go back to a film set and start shooting all over again. "I will soon start the shooting of the film 'Time To Dance' (alongside Sooraj Pancholi and Isabelle Kaif). We shot the film abroad. A small part of it remains. We will finish that. It could have been finished before, but I am really thankful to the producers and directors who waited for me to come back. "That apart, I am also wrapping up 'Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan'. I am also in talks to work with David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. I can't wait to go back on a film set now," Rajpal told IANS here. In November 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced him to three months in prison for non-repayment of a loan of Rs 5 crore that his company took to produce a film in 2010. "I think the law is equal for everyone and no one is immune from the law of the nation, the legal system. So I followed the court's decision as a law abiding citizen," Rajpal said. "I think I trusted a few people who later misused my trust. But I do not want to comment much on that. I want to move forward as I know life has a lot to offer," he added. He was lodged at the Tihar Jail, and there was news that he had also performed during a cultural programme held for the prison inmates. "There was a lot of discipline that we all had to follow. But I always tried to engage my mind with something or the other. I used to interact with the fellow prisoners during recreation activity; I used to conduct an interactive session that we named 'Rajpal Ki Paathshala'. "I gave a motivational speeches. Did exercise in the morning. We had access to the library and I used to sit there and read." The actor is known for playing some interesting characters in films like "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "Waqt: The Race Against Time", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", "Partner", "Bhagam Bhag" and "Judwaa 2" among several others. He has shared screen space with actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Govinda and Varun Dhawan. Rajpal has worked in independent and small budget films for many years while balancing roles in commercial potboilers. What does he think of the evolution in Hindi cinema? "I think this is the time we have waited for 'especially when we started making small budget content-driven films where the story was the hero. Earlier those films use to be called -- one of', now these films are mainstream alongside big budget masala films." (Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in) Seattle, March 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WatchGuard Technologies, a leader in advanced network security solutions, today announced that it has opened a new office in Noida, India. The new office represents the companys latest investment into its aggressive R&D and IT Development initiatives, and will focus on designing and building key features within the WatchGuard Cloud platform. Information security industry veteran Awanti Singh is spearheading development initiative and the offices rapid growth targets. It is an exciting time to be at WatchGuard for those hungry to build cutting-edge technology, as the company continues to transform the network security industry and redefine the security market. I couldnt be more thrilled to be leading the companys new presence in India, said Awanti Singh, vice president of engineering and head of India. The primary focus for our new team will be to drive R&D for new WatchGuard Cloud platform features and to provide IT Development for our key product initiatives, enabling the company to continue its already impressive pace of product innovation. With more than 20 years of experience in the IT products and services space, and 17 years in the security industry, Singh joins WatchGuard from Gemalto, where she held various leadership roles in engineering, project management, process migration, professional services and client services. Prior to Gemalto, Singh took part in the service industry at InterraIT Technologies, delivering innovative business and technology solutions to Fortune 1000 companies. Along with her extensive professional resume, Singh has been president of the Gemalto Connected Women India chapter, focusing on initiatives to support women in technology and leadership. She is also an active member of GIC NASSCOM, her local NCR chapter and President Rotaract Club. WatchGuards unrelenting commitment to product innovation relies heavily on our global engineering teams growing R&D capabilities, which is why our decision to add more fuel to the fire by launching the new India office came easily, said Prakash Panjwani, CEO of WatchGuard. We believe that our people are this companys most important asset and I know that the vast engineering and leadership experience Awanti brings to the table, along with the immensely gifted team shes building in India, will be instrumental in the continued development of WatchGuard Cloud and to our accelerated growth and momentum in 2019 and beyond. WatchGuard has been a leader in the network security space for more than 20 years and has showcased its penchant for developing revolutionary technology in recent years with exciting new additions to its product portfolio including advanced multi-tier, multi-tenant management systems, secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence solutions. As the companys first office in India, the new location enhances the companys ever-expanding global presence and was strategically selected due to the abundance of skilled engineering talent, the business environment and culture, and WatchGuards existing relationships in the region. The office is centrally located at Advant IT Park, Sector 142, Noida and is easily accessible by public transport. The new Metro Aqua line is just 30 meters away. About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in network security, secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence. The companys award-winning products and services are trusted around the world by nearly 10,000 security resellers and service providers to protect more than 80,000 customers. WatchGuards mission is to make enterprise-grade security accessible to companies of all types and sizes through simplicity, making WatchGuard an ideal solution for distributed enterprises and SMBs. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com. For additional information, promotions and updates, follow WatchGuard on Twitter, @WatchGuard on Facebook, or on the LinkedIn Company page. Also, visit our InfoSec blog, Secplicity, for real-time information about the latest threats and how to cope with them at www.secplicity.org. Panaji, March 27 : Deepak Pauskar, one of the two MGP MLAs, who split and merged the legislative unit of their regional party and joined the BJP in the early hours of Wednesday, is likely to be sworn-in as a cabinet minister. In his first reaction to the dramatic development Deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar indirectly warned the two MLAs that their political future may well be over. BJP sources said that Dhavalikar, now the lone MGP MLA in the 36-member state Assembly, is likely to be dropped from the cabinet to make way for Pauskar in the 12-member cabinet. "I have been assured that there will be a swearing-in at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday afternoon. I will be happy with any ministry of the Chief Minister's choosing," Pauskar told reporters at the Assembly complex. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also said that the swearing-in of Pauskar would be held on Wednesday. At 1.45 a.m. on Wednesday, the two MGP MLAs Pauskar and Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar engineered a split in the three-member MGP legislative unit and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Sawant and state BJP president Vinay Tendulkar. Dhavalikar said: "I am only telling my two MLAs that people have seen what they have done. Beyond this, I do not want to say anything." The Public Works Department Minister also said that in the past two MGP MLAs -- Ramakant Khalap and Prakash Velip -- had switched over in the 1990s and their political careers virtually ended after that. "They could never become MLAs again." The move takes the legislative strength of the BJP to 14, at par with the Congress which also has 14 legislators. The merger came on the heels of a growing discomfort between the BJP and the MGP over share of ministerial berths as well as the latter's decision to field its state president Dipak Dhavalikar as a candidate for the upcoming Assembly bypoll in Shiroda against BJP's candidate Subhash Shirodkar. New Delhi, March 27 : Inspired as he was by the cooking of his grandmother, it shouldn't be a surprise that French Chef Julien Royer, who was in India recently to unveil his magic, should be the co-owner in Singapore of a two-Michlen-star fine diner named after her. "My grandmother Odette is one of the greatest influences in my life. Watching my grandmother cook, I realized the kind of joy and love you can demonstrate through food. The kind of emotions that can be passed through food was the impetus for me to start cooking. "I wanted to tell stories through my food. People want comfort. Good food is always the best way to put a smile on your guest's face," Royner told IANS on the sidelines of the Masters of Marriott, a platform to exchange knowledge with a team of expert chefs, at which he served up a four-course repast. Royner, 35, also took the opportunity to detail his journey down the years. "My first venture into the kitchen was under the legendary Michel Bras in (French town) Laguiole who instilled in me a respect for the integrity and purity of each ingredient in every dish. "I then moved to Durtol (also in France), where I worked for Chef Bernard Andrieux who helped reinforce my reverence. I then traveled to London, where I was sous chef to Antonin Bonnet at Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant, The Greenhouse," Royer explained. Thereafter, he moved to Singapore in 2008 to take on the role of Chef de Cuisine at JAAN at Swissotel the Stamford, which received numerous accolades including 11th place on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2015 guide and 74 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2015 long list. "Then the opportunity to open Odette showed itself and the rest you can say is history," Royer said. How would he describe his singature dishes? "Rosemary smoked organic egg, heirloom beetroot variation and Kegani crab are some of my signature dishes. I featured these from the Odette menu at the dinner in Delhi," Royer said. Elaborating on the Delhi event, Royer said: "What I truly loved about Masters of Marriott is that it celebrates the pursuit of consistent innovation and excellence as well as global talent. With over 5,000 chefs across 200+ restaurants in India, it provides an extended arm of exposure to renowned international chefs." At the bottom line, Royer remains a purist. "As the dishes we serve at Odette are very much anchored by produce and tradition, we are not very influenced by trends in general. Focus on quality and purity of ingredients remains the driving force for us. At Odette, we have always intentionally gone against the stereotype of fine dining as stiff and unwelcoming while presenting the very best of produce in its purest form," Royer explained. (Vishnu Makhijani can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) New Delhi, March 27 : India on Wednesday became "a space superpower" by becoming the fourth country to acquire anti-satellite capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday, calling it "a proud moment". "Our scientists, a little while ago, have targeted a live satellite in space 300 km away in low earth orbit," he said in a nationally televised speech. "The pre-fixed target was destroyed by the A-SAT in just three minutes. With this, India has established itself as a space superpower. "Mission Shakti was a difficult operation but a huge success," the Prime Minister added. The operation involved a complicated space manoeuvre, Modi said. Only the US, Russia and China possessed the technology until now, he added. Saying the mission did not violate any international law, Modi said: "This is a proud moment for the country. Our scientists have made this happen. "This new technology is not against anyone. It is only for the progress of India. We are only doing it for our safety and security. "Our aim is to maintain peace and not develop a war-like situation," the Prime Minister said. New Delhi, March 27 : GMR Infrastructure on Wednesday said Tata Group, along with an affiliate of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund "GIC" and SSG Capital Management, would invest Rs 8,000 crore in GMR Airports Ltd (GAL). The investment marks the entry of the Tata Group into the airport business. GMR Infrastructure has signed a "binding term sheet" with the investors pursuant to which the investors have agreed to invest the amount in the airport business, the company said in a regulatory filing. "The investment amount of Rs 8,000 crore will consist of Rs 1,000 crore equity infusion in GAL and Rs 7,000 crore towards purchase of GAL's equity shares from GIL and its subsidiaries," it said. After the investment, GMR Infrastructure and its subsidiaries will hold 54 per cent stake in GAL, Tatas will hold 20 per cent stake, GIC will hold 15 per cent, SSG will hold 10 per cent, and Employee Welfare Trust will have 2 per cent. Following the investment, GMR Infrastructure proposes to separate its energy, highways, urban infrastructure and transportation businesses, leading to the separation of its airport business, subject to customary consents, regulatory and corporate approvals, the company said. As per terms of the proposed investment, GMR Infrastructure will retain management control over the airports business and the investors would have customary rights and board representation at GAL and its key subsidiaries. Islamabad, March 27 : Days after two minor Hindu sisters in Pakistan were allegedly kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam, another Hindu girl has been abducted by armed men in Sindh province, media reports said on Wednesday. According to a FIR lodged by her father on Tuesday, his 14-year-old daughter was seized from their house by four armed men - three of them unknown to him - on March 17, the Dawn newspaper reported. Some reports said the crime happened on Monday night. One of the four suspects, who purported to be the girl's husband, denied her father's claim that she was a minor and claimed that the girl was 19 years old. The complainant, a member of the Hindu community in Jam Khan Pitafi village, said that his daughter's life was in great danger and asked the authorities to take immediate steps to recover the girl. The latest case has emerged days after two Pakistani Hindu girls in Sindh province were allegedly kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim men. But the girls claimed in a video that they had embraced Islam willingly. On Wednesday, a court in Islamabad, ordered the government to take custody of the girls and ensure their safety till their case was decided. Mumbai/Hyderabad, March 27 : What would Jaya Pradas film long and fruitful innings as an actor have been if Sridevi was not around? Throughout her career, and not just in Hindi films but also in Tamil and Telugu, Jaya Prada was pitched against the much-missed iconic Sridevi and found to be lacking...in what, one cant say. Because Jaya Prada could dance as well as Sridevi, and Jaya also had the classic chiseled features of a perfectly carved Durga idol which prompted Satyajit Ray to call out Jaya's exquisite face as one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. Jaya could have been another Waheeda Rehman. But she always wore a mask...and I don't mean just the garish makeup which hid her immaculate features. There is always a sense of incompletness in Jaya Prada's performances. As though her aspirations were constantly stopped by distractions. Somehow, Jaya never reached the zenith that her all-round combination of talent beauty and grace promised. Starting out in Telugu cinema in 1974 she quickly garnered a reputation for being both saleable and assailable with blockbuster films "Manmatha Leelai" and "Seetha Kalyanam". Renowned directors like K. Balachander, K. Vishwanath and Bapu cast her repeatedly. "There's something very pure very graceful and poised about Jaya Prada," Bapu had once raved. Unknowingly he pinned down the lack oomph in her personality that all female superstars are known to possess. When Jaya Prada moved to Hindi cinema she was an instant hit in the underrated blockbuster "Sargam". The film and its songs were super-hits. And Jaya Prada was soon approached by every major filmmaker in Mumbai. However, "Sargam" remained her career's highest point in Hindi. Sadly Jaya Prada's most ambitious film, "Sur Sangam", a striking spectacular homage to Indian classical dance and music sank without a trace. The Telugu version of the same film was a game-changer in Andhra Pradesh. Hindi cinema didn't seem to respect her virtuous personality. Jaya Prada was heartbroken, as she was quickly typecast as the typical long-suffering Sita-reincarnated wife in forgettable family dramas produced in the South with street-side arrow-pointers like "Swarg Se Sundar" and "Ghar Ek Mandir" as titles. A very successful leading man of the 1970 and 1980s who worked with both Sridevi and Jaya Prada compared the two rather ebulliently. "Jaya was more the domesticated wifely type while Sridevi could be anything she wanted. Jaya was restricted and typecast." The constant comparisons with Sridevi soon got to her and her career. A string of Amitabh Bachchan starrers in the 1980s, where she had little to do except wait while the hero fought all odds, including the mega-hit "Sharaabi" only reiterated Jaya Prada's beautiful-but-dull image. She soon gravitated to politics where she found a mentor and guiding force in Amar Singh, then a top honcho in the Samajwadi Party, but not without a hiccup. She initially joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1994 at the invitation of founder and former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao. After N. Chandrababu Naidu led a revolt against his father-in-law NTR and took over the reins of the government and the party in 1995, she backed the Naidu camp. Naidu made her the president of Telugu Mahila, the women's wing of the TDP and also nominated her to Rajya Sabha. When she was denied a second term in 2002, she distanced herself from the party and moved to Uttar Pradesh to join the Samajwadi Party at of Amar Singh's invitation. In 2004, Jaya Prada was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rampur, a seat which she retained in 2009. A year later, then Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled her and Amar Singh for anti-party activities. Amar Singh and Jaya Prada then floated a new political outfit - Rashtriya Lok Manch - in 2011 but it came a cropper in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held a year later. Since then, she had been living in political oblivion. On few occasion, she dropped hints of making a comeback to Andhra Pradesh politics. "My heart and soul are always with the people of my home state," she had said. There were indications that she may come back to The TDP. YSR Congress Party had also sent her the feelers - but on Tuesday, she chose otherwise by joining the BJP. In sum, Jaya Prada never relinquished cinema. It was more the way Hindi cinema could never properly fit Jaya in. This applies to politics also, where she always seems a little uncomfortable as though caught in the boogie of an express train. What she lacked in her film career was a guiding force like Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor. Jaya's scandalous marriage to the already-married producer, Srikanth Nahata, in 1986, plummeted her stock in Bollywood even further. I remember sitting with Manmohan Desai in his office when news of Jaya Prada's marriage came in. "Oh damn, why did she have to get married? Now she will get pregnant," Desai couldn't hold back his anger. He was worried about his Bachchan-Prada starrer "Ganga Jamuna Saraswati" that on release was an ambitious flop. Jaya Prada was never lucky in love or career. Let's hope the change to saffron will bolster her so-far bleak innings. London, March 27 : Former US First Lady Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" has sold over 10 million copies globally to date and is on track to becoming the most successful memoir in modern publishing history. The memoir sold more than two million units in all formats and editions in the US and Canada during the first 15 days of its publication on November 13, 2018, the publisher Penguin Random House had said. "Overall UK sales of Obama's book currently stand at more than 600,000, ranking it 11th on the list of bestselling memoirs and biographies since sales records began in 1998," The Guardian on Tuesday quoted Nielsen BookScan, a book sales tracking service, as saying. "The title was the book giant's biggest success of last year," said Thomas Rabe, chief executive of the German media group Bertelsmann, parent company of the publisher. "We believe that these memoirs could well become the most successful memoir ever," he added. "'Becoming' has been a global sales juggernaut since being launched in 31 languages simultaneously in mid-November. The audiobook, read by the former First Lady, has become the fastest-ever seller put out by Penguin Random House," the publisher said. In the book, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on Chicago's South Side to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, and to her time spent at the White House. Wife of the 44th US President Barack Obama, who held the office from 2009 to 2017, Michelle Obama is a graduate from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. Chicago, March 27 : All charges against Jussie Smollett, the actor who had been accused of staging a hate crime against himself, have been dropped. Smollett was back in Chicago court on Tuesday for what his representatives called an emergency appearance, reports hollywoodreporter.com. "All criminal charges against Jussie were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him," his lawyers said. "Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment," they added. Last month, police alleged that the 36-year-old "Empire" actor hired two acquaintances to attack him along a street here in January to promote his career and then filed a false police report. Shortly after the charges were dropped, Smollett said: "First of all, I want to thank my family, my friends, the incredible people of Chicago and all over the country and the world who have prayed for me, who have supported me, and who have showed me so much love." Now, Smollett wants to get back to work and move on with his life. "But make no mistakes, I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalised people everywhere." The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said: "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case." Srinagar, March 27 : Militants on Wednesday shot and killed a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said. Tanveer Ahmed Dar, 24, who belonged to Bemnipora village, succumbed to critical injuries instantly, a police officer said. Kolkata, March 27 : West Bengal could be on the threshold of a new chapter in its post-independence political history with the coming Lok Sabha polls likely to throw up a new political polarisation between the opposition BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress, pushing the Left Front and Congress further into the margins. The polarisation about which analysts have been speaking about in more clear-cut terms, particularly after the collapse of the seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Left Front, could on a shallow reading seem abrupt, but to the more discerning observers it is the culmination of a process latent in the history of the state and long-term efforts to create a narrative for the political right wing. With large streams of Hindu refugees arriving in West Bengal from East Pakistan after partition, and their numbers only getting bolstered during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971, Bengal was always a fertile ground for the Hindu right wing forces to spread their influence. But the emergence of the Left parties, led by the Communist Party of India, and later the CPI-M, and their success in establishing their sway over the refugees spoiled the chances of the Hindutva forces to take wing. The situation remained somewhat similar during the 34-year rule of the Left Front, but changed once the Trinamool came to power in 2011. The decision of the Mamata Banerjee government to give monthly allowances to Imams and Muazzins created deep resentment among the Hindu middle-class against the government's "selective benevolence" and created fissures in the society. It was here that the RSS and other Sangh Parivar organisations stepped in and increased their footprint in the eastern state. In 2015, the RSS disclosed before the media here that the number of its 'shakas' had doubled in West Bengal over the previous three years. Last year it said the membership strength in Bengal was one of the highest in the country. The Banerjee government's decision to halt the Durga Puja immersion on the day of the Muslim religious occasion of Muharram as a precautionary measure to prevent any breach of peace was exploited by the BJP and Parivar to raise a shrill cry against the government's "anti-Puja stance". Soon after, the city and the districts were witness to grand Ram Navami rallies - many of them displaying tridents, swords and spears. Then followed the Hanuman Jayanti rallies. The high-voltage observation of religious occasions, some of them till then not very popular in Bengal, gave a push to religious polarisation, that got further accentuated as the state saw a series of communal disturbances in places like Asansol, Kharagpur, Basirhat and Dhulagarh. The BJP started making inroads, capitalising on the people's deep disenchantment with the LF. On the other hand, the BJP's growth suited Banerjee, as the saffron party started chipping at the LF and Congress votebank, and drawing their leaders and supporters who wanted protection from the violence let loose on them allegedly by goons backed by the Trinamool. In the process, the opposition votes got divided. There was, however, a temporary stop in the Left and Congress cadres gravitating to the BJP during the 2016 assembly polls, when the LF and the two parties entered into a tie-up. But as the alliance came a cropper, the BJP's pull increased and since then it has been coming up as the main challenger to the Trinamool Congress in a series of assembly and parliamentary by-polls and last year's Panchayat elections. A very significant happening since the 2016 assembly polls was the BJP's success in roping in Mamata Banerjee's close lieutenant Mukul Roy. A man highly-rated for his organisational skills and credited with having played a stellar role in ensuring the Trinamool's stunning electoral successes, Roy was also a champion in causing defections from other parties. He used the same skills after joining the BJP, where he has been made coordinator of the party's election management committee. Trinamool MPs Saumitra Khan and Anupam Hazra, the party's four-time legislator Arjun Singh, Congress MLA Dulal Bar, Khagen Murmu of CPI-M, and Bharati Ghosh - a retired IPS officer once close to Mamata Banerjee - are among those who have crossed over to the saffron camp at Roy's behest. Khan, Hazra, Singh, Murmu and Ghosh have been nominated by the BJP to contest the Lok Sabha polls. "Roy now is the one who is heard by our national leadership. In candidate selection, he has offset the other frontline state leaders. Apart from Roy's chosen candidates, the RSS has had a considerable say in pushing the case of some of the candidates," a BJP source said. Roy's prime backer is said to be Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party general secretary in charge of Bengal. RSS pracharak Arvind Menon, the co-incharge for the state, and the party's joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash are the other key men. "The key decisions are now being mostly taken by these four leaders and then communicated to others," the source said. Bengal, with its 42 seats, has the third largest share in Lok Sabha after Uttar Pradesh (80) and Maharashtra (48). The BJP, which had bagged 71 seats in UP in 2014, is unlikely to repeat the success following the formation of the BSP-SP alliance. On the contrary, the party had won only two seats in Bengal five years back. Having made considerable inroads in the state now, and with the Congress and LF rather weak, the BJP has high hopes from Bengal. According to political analyst Bimal Shankar Nanda, the direct fight with the BJP in most of the constituencies, has the potential of making the Trinamool vulnerable in upto 23-24 seats. In that way, the political battle for Delhi can be won or lost in Bengal. (Sirshendu Panth can be contacted at sirshendu.s@ians.in Danish English Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Lasse Pilgaard, is named new Chief Financial Officer, as TDC Group continues to deliver on its new business model. Following TDC Groups new strategy with a new business model separating the corporation into two distinct companies, TDC Group is announcing that CFO Stig Pastwa will step down as of March 28. TDC appoints Lasse Pilgaard new CFO as of March 28, merging Group Finance and Group Strategy into an integrated function. I am delighted to announce that the Board of Directors have appointed Lasse Pilgaard as the new CFO of TDC Group. His experience from the industry and deep insight into TDCs heritage and transformation, makes him the perfect candidate for the job and the journey ahead, says Allison Kirkby, President and CEO of TDC Group. Lasse Pilgaard was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2018 as Chief Strategy Officer, after starting his career at TDC in 2016. He holds an M.Sc. in Business and Economics from Aarhus University. Prior to joining TDC, he has held senior positions in McKinsey & Co, Venture Capital investment Funds and as COO in a leading Danish tech startup. Lasse Pilgaard replaces Stig Pastwa, who has served as Chief Financial Officer for TDC Group since 2016. I would like to thank Stig for his contributions to the TDC Group since 2016, and wish him luck in his new ventures, says Allison Kirkby, President and CEO of TDC Group. For inquiries regarding the above please contact TDC Group Investor Relations, on +45 6663 7680 or investorrelations@tdc.dk. Attachment Ranchi, March 27 : Jharkhand's ruling BJP is facing rebellion from Ranchi MP Ram Tahal Choudhary as the party is likely to deny him ticket for the Lok Sabha polls. Ram Tahal is a five-time Lok Sabha member. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its candidates for 10 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats last week. The BJP put on hold the names of nominees for Ranchi, Chatra and Koderma. Sources in the BJP say that all the three sitting MPs may be denied tickets. The BJP has already denied ticket to former Lok Sabha Speaker Karia Munda from Khunti and Rabindra Pandey from Giridih. Karia Munda has been replaced by former Chief Minister Arjun Munda and Giridih parliamentary seat has been given to NDA ally All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) party. "If the party denies me ticket, I will fight as an independent candidate. I have been part of the Jan Sangh when no one wanted to be associated with it. My political career is spotless. I have relatives in all Assembly constituencies of Ranchi," Ram Tahal told reporters. "There are five lakh voters from my caste in Ranchi," he added. Sources in the BJP say it is looking for a suitable Vaishya candidate for the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat. The probable names doing the rounds are senior BJP leader Aditya Sahu and Hatia legislator Naveen Jaiswal. The BJP is likely to field Annapurna Devi from the Koderma Lok Sabha seat. She was state president of the RJD and four-time legislator from Koderma. She joined the BJP on Monday. Machakos : , March 27 (IANS) Fourteen people were killed and several others injured in a road accident early on Wednesday when a bus rammed onto a stationary truck in Machakos county in eastern Kenya. A police official said the commuter bus was speeding towards Nairobi when it hit the truck, killing 11 men, two women and a child on the spot at around 5 a.m, reported Xinhua news agency. An estimated 3,000 Kenyans die in road accidents annually despite concerted efforts by the state and the private sector to promote safety on the highways, according to the National Transport and Safety Authority of Kenya. Moscow, March 27 : Expanding its malicious operations on Apple's macOS, the North Korean hacking group Lazarus is targeting financial sectors, especially the cryptocurrency businesses. The hacking group has been using Microsoft-owned task automation and configuration management framework -- PowerShell -- to control Windows systems and macOS malware for Apple users, Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. "They have developed custom PowerShell scripts that communicate with malicious command-and-control (C2) servers and execute commands from the operator," the post said. The malware then gets distributed via documents prepared to attract the attention of cryptocurrency professionals. "Apple products are popular among successful Internet startups and fintech companies, and this is why the malicious actor built and used macOS malware," it said. The hacking group also appears to be working with the same developers to expand to other platforms, because some of the features have remained consistent as its malware evolves. "We'd therefore like to ask Windows and macOS users to be more cautious, exercise extra caution when dealing with new third parties, installing softwares and never 'Enable Content' (macro scripting) in Microsoft Office documents, received from new or untrusted sources," the post informed. Lazarus has been linked to a string of cyber attacks on businesses, banks and government agencies across the world, including the 2016 Sony hack and the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in 2017. New Delhi, March 27 : Telecom regulator TRAI has asserted that the new broadcast tariffs have put in place a system of transparency, non-discrimination and fairplay, while reducing the bills of the average TV watcher. "The implementation of the new broadcast tariff regime is working out very well. The monthly bills of thousands of consumers have also been reduced. The consumer's bill is a function of how much he watches, if he or she watches hundreds of channels obviously the bills will go up. If someone watches 25 channels, the bill will come down to one-third," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman R.S. Sharma told IANS in an interview here. "The objective of the regulations is to essentially bring out a regime of transparency and allow the customers to choose channels which they want to watch, and then allow the market forces which were not in play earlier," he said. The market, earlier, was focused on broadcasters, distributers and operators, while theconsumer was not a participant. Now, the regulation has brought the market forces into play and removed some of the issues of transparency and non-discrimination, Sharma said. The TRAI Chairman's remarks come amidst complaints that the new charges are higher than those under the previous framework for an average consumer. Sharma said that after the implementation of the new tariff regime, there is no difference between the small operator and a large operator, as they both get the channels at the same rate from the broadcasters. "Transparency, non-discrimination and fair play are larger principles. And once the market starts playing, then, hopefully, the problem that some consumers have got higher bills also might be solved," he noted. According to the regulator, the basic objective of the new norms was not to reduce or increase the bills but to create a buffet of channels where everyone is charged the same. "We introduced also a la carte model and you will pay for that and should not be asked to pay for something which you don't watch," Sharma said. Asked about the shift from the old system to the new one, he said there is around 100 per cent conversion rate. "Most of them have subscribed to the new regime or some of them have been put to a 'best fit' package. As the deadline of 31st March approaches, everybody will come onto the new platform," he said. The Chairman also said there is no change on the deadline of shifting to the new system. "The deadline stays", he said. Earlier in February, ratings agency CRISIL had also mentioned an increased monthly bill for most subscribers of television channels. "Our analysis of the impact of the regulations indicates a varied impact on monthly TV bills. Based on current pricing, the monthly TV bill can go up by 25 per cent from Rs 230-240 to about Rs 300 per month for viewers who opt for the top-10 channels, but will come down for those who opt up to top five channels," Sachin Gupta, senior director, ratings at CRISIL had said. CRISIL's analysis assumes a scenario where subscribers opt for the top-10 channels by viewership in addition to the free-to-air (FTA) ones. Sharma had countered the CRISIL report saying it was prepared with an "inadequate understanding" of the TV distribution market and it was incorrect. A consumer association expert said TRAI's formula to bring down cost for consumers is based on low usage. In its frequently asked questions (FAQ) page, TRAI says, "80 per cent subscribers, as per the viewing pattern given by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), either view or flip 40 or less number of channels. (Anjana Das can be reached atAanjana.d@ians.inAand Rituraj Baruah can be contacted atArituraj.b@ians.in)A Bhubaneswar, March 27 : Senior BJP leader Subash Chauhan, who quit the saffron party on Tuesday after being denied a party ticket, joined Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday. Chauhan ended his 30-year association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following denial of ticket to contest from the Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency. He joined the BJD in presence of party President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. "Chauhan's joining will strengthen the party's position in the state, especially in western Odisha," said Patnaik. "Chauhan will be given a good position in the party". Chauhan said he had put no conditions for joining the regional party and maintained that he would not contest the elections this time. Even though BJP had appointed him the state Vice President, he declined the offer. The BJP has given ticket to Suresh Pujari for the Bargarh seat, ignoring Chauhan, who had lost the last election to BJD's Prabhas Singh by 11,178 votes. Meanwhile, three former Congress MLAs of Kalahandi district resigned from the primary membership of the party over alleged partiality in ticket distribution on Wednesday. Former Junagarh MLA Gobardhan Dash, former Narla MLA Kumar Mani Sabar and former Dharmagarh MLA Jugaram Behera sent their resignation letters to Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik. They alleged that they were ignored and sidelined by the party during selection of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Dehradun, March 27 : The police on Wednesday said it arrested four persons and filed cases against state Education Minister Arvind Pandey and his supporters after he allegedly abused and thrashed policemen. On Tuesday, the Uttarakhand police seized some vehicles of a businessman in Kashipur town of Udham Singh Nagar district. After hearing this, Pandey along with his supporters reached the Kundeshwari police post where he allegedly abused the in-charge, Arjun Giri, and other policemen. It is also alleged that Pandey and his supporters roughed up some policemen. "A total of 100 people have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for creating unruly scenes. We have also named 20 people, including Arvind Pandey, in different cases related to the incident," said a police officer. Efforts are on to nab the other 16 accused. Beijing, March 27 : China will prosecute former head of Interpol Meng Hongwei for allegedly taking bribes, China's Communist Party said on Wednesday. He was expelled from the party and stripped of all government positions, according to the party's watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the BBC reported. Meng's disappearance in September prompted international concern. He was reported missing by his wife during a trip back to China. The 65-year-old, who had been living in France, resigned as Interpol President after being detained by the Chinese authorities. In October, Chinese authorities said Meng was being investigated for suspected bribe-taking. Chandigarh, March 27 : Sister of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who died in a Lahore hospital after a brutal attack on him in 2013, has sought a BJP ticket for contesting Lok Sabha elections from Haryana, party leaders said on Wednesday. Dalbir Kaur wants to contest from Sirsa, a senior party leader told IANS. Refusing to divulge the details, he said it was for the party leadership to take a call. "I have met several BJP leaders, including state President Subhash Barala. If given a chance, I will win the election," Kaur told reporters here. She formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 25, 2016. "Even before joining the BJP, I was close to party leaders and campaigned for their leaders in Haryana," Kaur said. Her brother Sarabjit Singh, 49, died after a brutal attack on him by fellow prisoners on April 26 inside Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was a resident of Bhikhiwind town in the border district of Tarn Taran in Punjab. He was on death row in Pakistan since 1990 after being convicted by Pakistani courts for bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan, which left 14 persons dead. Elections for the 10 Lok Sabha polls in Haryana are due on May 12. Bangkok, March 27 : Leaders of six of the seven Thai parties met, here on Wednesday, to sign a joint declaration on common plan to form a coalition government following Sunday's election. They claimed to have support of 255 MP seats and planned to form a coalition government, reported Xinhua news agency, adding a few others might join in at a later date. The Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, which has reportedly won 137 MP seats, is practically justified to become core of the planned coalition government, endorsed by 255 MPs who will obviously make a majority in the 500-member House of Representatives, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, head of the party's strategic campaign team. The seven parties include, the Pheu Thai Party (137 MP seats), the Future Forward Party (88 MP seats), the Thai Liberal Party (12 MP seats), the Prachachart (people's nation) Party (7 MP seats), the New Economics Party (6 MP seats), the Pheu Chart (for country) Party (5 MP seats) and the Palang Puangchon Thai (power of Thai people) Party with one MP seat, according to Pheu Thai secretary general Phumtham Wechayachai. They also urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to dump his alleged design to head a minority coalition government with the Palang Pracharath (power of people's state) Party, which has reportedly won 116 MP seats, as its core. The election of the Prime Minister in Parliament needs a simple majority among the 750 lawmakers, comprising 500 MPs and 250 senators, in accordance with the 2017 Constitution. Meanwhile, leaders of six parties and other executive party members visited the Election Commission's (EC) headquarters on Wednesday and pressed for prompt announcement of results of Sunday's polls in all constituencies to make it clear for parties to see exactly how many MP seats they have made. So far, the EC has only announced unofficial results of 95 per cent of the votes, prompting parties to urge the poll panel to perform in accurate, transparent and just fashion. Pyongyang, March 27 : A secretive group committed to ousting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has claimed its role in a raid last month at the North Korean Embassy in Spain. Cheollima Civil Defense, a self-styled human rights group, reportedly fled with computers, a phone and hard discs. It denied using force, saying it was "not an attack", the BBC reported on Wednesday. The break-in occurred on February 22, days before the key summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean top leader in Hanoi, Vietnam. A Spanish high court judge said the 10 assailants shackled, beat and interrogated embassy staff. Three of the intruders were identified as Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican who lives in the US, Sam Ryu of the US, and South Korean Woo Ran Lee. It remains unclear why the raid took place. The group wrote online it had "responded to an urgent situation in the Madrid embassy". It said it had "shared information of enormous potential value" with the FBI -- the US intelligence agency -- "under mutually agreed terms of confidentiality". Judge Jose de la Mata said the group had "identified themselves as members of a human rights movement seeking to liberate North Korea". Cheollima Civil Defense, also known as Free Joseon, is committed to overthrowing North Korea's ruling Kim dynasty. A video posted on its website and YouTube page shows one of the intruders smashing portraits of North Korea's communist leaders at the Madrid embassy. English Norwegian STOCKHOLM - 28. of March 2019 - ContextVision, a medical technology company specializing in image analysis and artificial intelligence, is pleased to announce that Fredrik Palm will become CEO of the Company as of April 1, 2019. Fredrik Palm has since 2012 been the Company's V.P. of sales and was instrumental in growing sales significantly under his tenure. Fredrik Palm will succeed Anita Tollstadius, who in October 2018 announced her intent and wish to step down to dedicate more time to her family. "We are very pleased that an experienced industry executive like Fredrik Palm will become our new CEO and lead the Company into what we expect to become a transformational and exciting period for the Company going forward. We are now positioning the Company to become a world leader within Digital Pathology with our first product now expected close to market introduction. Fredrik's experience, vision and strong leadership will be extremely valuable to the Company during this period as many of our concept products become ready for the market", says chairman Erik Danielsen. "I am humble, but also ready for the tasks that stand before me. The whole team here at ContextVision has done a remarkable job in recent years, which has not only resulted in record sales within medical imaging, but also in developing a ground-breaking product for digital pathology based on artificial intelligence. I believe this, and future products, are well positioned to capitalize on a large market opportunity as healthcare services become more and more digital", says Fredrik Palm. "We want to thank Anita Tollstadius for her leadership and many achievements as CEO of ContextVision over the last 9 years. She has built a strong organization and created a corporate culture that is focused on innovation and the development of next-generation products. This, in addition, to ensuring that the Company's existing Imaging Enhancement business has continued to grow profitably, thus leaving the Company well positioned for the future", says Danielsen. "It has been a fantastic journey, both for me and the entire ContextVision team, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved togehter. I wish Fredrik and the rest of the team all the best for what I believe will be both an exciting and successful future!", says Anita Tollstadius. Fredrik Palm has over 20 years of experience from companies within life science, where he has mainly worked from the marketing and sales side in a global perspective. Since 2012, he has led the marketing and sales activities at ContexVision, where revenue during the period has increased from SEK 60 million to more than SEK 90 million last year. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information is information that ContextVision is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, on March 27, 2019. ### For further information, please contact Fredrik Palm, cell: +46 76 870 25 43, E-mail: fredrik.palm@contextvision.se ### About ContextVision ContextVision is a medical technology software company that specializes in image analysis and artificial intelligence. As the global market leader within image enhancement, ContextVision is a software partner to leading medical imaging manufacturers around the world. Its cutting-edge technology helps doctors accurately interpret medical images, a crucial foundation for better diagnosis and treatment. As an industry pioneer for more than 30 years, ContextVision has developed state-of-the-art capabilities in the latest artificial intelligence technologies. By combining these with its well-established GOP technology, the company is introducing a new generation of image enhancement products. ContextVision is also approaching the growing digital pathology market with new AI-based decision support tools for pathologists. The company is based in Sweden, with local representation in the U.S., Russia, Japan, China and Korea. ContextVision is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker COV. Amethi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi interacts with party workers during a party meeting at Musafirkhana in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Amethi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi interacts with party workers during a party meeting at Musafirkhana in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Lucknow/Amethi, March 27 : It was all dust and scorching heat for a Congress worker on Wednesday afternoon before party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra obliged him with an unexpected gesture -- she joined him and his friend in a video chat on his mobile phone. Priyanka had arrived in the morning at Lucknow's Chaudhry Charan Singh airport to kick start campaign covering Amethi, Rae Bareli and Faizabad in UP, when her cavalcade stopped on a busy road. The Congress leader earlier completed a three-day river ride campaign, from Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, on March 21. Sensing an opportunity, a young party worker, who was on video call with his friend, came close to her car requesting that she speak to his friend. And the Congress leader readily obliged. She also posed with many school students for selfies on her way to Amethi, the parliamentary constituency of her brother and party President Rahul Gandhi. The cavalcade made more than 16 stops between Lucknow and Amethi, with Priyanka sending her security staff into a tizzy several times when she stepped out of car to meet people. In Amethi, she met Mohammad Lalit, a cancer patient, and assured all help to his family. Accompanied by party leaders Pramod Tiwari, P.L. Punia and his son Tanuj Punia, Priyanka, visiting Amethi for the first time after being appointed the party general secretary and eastern UP in-charge, received a rousing welcome everywhere. There was some bitterness too as posters branding her a "visitor" and accusing her of neglecting Amethi were spotted in the constituency. The posters, which read "Dekha chunav, pehenli saree, nahi chalegi ye hoshiyari", were put up under the name of Samajwadi Party leader Jai Pratap Singh Yadav. However, Yadav denied putting up the posters and alleged it was the handiwork of some miscreants. The SP-BSP-RLD alliance has not fielded any candidate in Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, the Gandhi family turfs. The Congress, which won only two seats in the 2014 elections, is going it alone in the state this time. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) New Delhi, March 27 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that it will file chargesheet against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar before April 1 in a case related to irregular seat-sharing on Air India's profitable routes. A Division Bench, comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel, listed the matter for April 4. The court, meanwhile, said it will not hear Talwar's plea challenging certain sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act because the Supreme Court is hearing these issues. The court, however, said it will continue hearing Talwar's petition challenging his detention. Talwar has been accused by the ED of acting as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines in the matter of seat-sharing on Air India's profitable routes. The ED is also probing various other cases related to money laundering against Talwar, deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 30. New Delhi, March 27 : The outgoing Lok Sabha passed 240 of the 273 bills introduced during its term. While 10 bills were withdrawn, 23 bills remained pending, said election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Wednesday. On an average, MPs asked 251 questions and attended 221 of the 312 sittings of the 16th Lok Sabha. Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party asked the highest 1,181 questions. Party-wise, the highest number of questions were asked by 18 Shiv Sena MPs, each of whom on an average asked 639 questions, while two National People's Party (NPP) MPs asked the least number of questions, an average of 10. Among states, 50 MPs from Maharashtra asked the highest number of questions with an average of 534 each, while two MPs from Nagaland asked the least number of questions, 12 each. Seven MPs from Delhi had the highest average attendance in the 16th Lok Sabha as they attended 289 sittings. The ADR said the least attendance was recorded by two MPs from Nagaland. On an average they attended 88 of the 312 sittings. Among the political parties, two Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MPs had the highest average attendance and attended 264 sittings. The least attendance was recorded by two NPP MPs, who attended 85 sittings on an average. Beijing, March 27 : China on Wednesday reacted to India's successful testing of an anti-satellite missile and hoped that New Delhi will earnestly maintain peace and tranquility in the outer space. "We are aware of relevant reports and we hope that all countries will earnestly safeguard lasting peace and tranquility in the outer space," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India had become "a space superpower" as its anti-satellite missile successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit in just three minutes. With this, India joins the US, Russia, and China in the elite club. London, March 27 : Michel Bacos, Air France captain hailed as a hero for refusing to abandon his passengers when Palestinian and German hijackers seized the plane in 1976, died in Nice (France). He was 95. Awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest civilian order of merit, Bacos had said as captain "it would be impossible for me to leave my passengers, unimaginable", the BBC reported on Wednesday. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said: "Michel was a hero. By bravely refusing to give in to anti-Semitism and barbarity, he brought honour to France." The youngest of the hijack survivors, Benny Davidson, said Bacos was a role model and had taken a leading position on behalf of all the hostages. He said the pilot's fearless attitude served as an inspiration to the children caught in the hijack. "He set an example as a role model and how to behave even though all hell is breaking loose around you." On June 27, 1976, the plane carrying 260 people from Tel Aviv to Paris had stopped in Athens, where the hijackers got on board and demanded it change course. They forced Bacos and his crew to fly to Benghazi in Libya. The hijackers demanded release of 54 militants and a $5 million ransom. The hostage crisis ended six days later at Entebbe airport in Uganda when Israeli commandos stormed the plane. New Delhi, March 27 : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday dubbed India's "Mission Shakti" as "historic" and said the achievement is a "milestone" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to advance country's security doctrine. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also hit out at the Congress for taking credit for the anti-satellite missile A-SAT and claimed that the scientists had the capability to build the missiles a decade ago but the then government had not given them the permission. "It's a historical day. The capability we have achieved today, was earlier only with the US, Russia and China," Jaitley told reporters, hours after the Prime Minister announced that an A-SAT missile successfully targeted a live satellite in space 300 km away in a low earth orbit. Jaitley said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April 2012, then DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. "Indigenous technology and scientists were ready since last decade. The government had no clarity to give permission. Those, who are patting their back for their failures, should remember that there are many footprints in their stories. The process started in 2014 after the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) gave the permission. ` "It's a huge achievement... Not only we have become space power but we are now in Big 4. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars. It has happened in country's interest and its speciality is that it is 100 per cent indigenous. India has got the power to destroy," Jaitley said. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had earlier said the "building blocks" of this mission were laid in 2012 during the UPA rule. Jaitley said: "It's a milestone in his (Modi) vision of making India's security doctrine advance. Not only our security has been strengthened but we are also able to compel others to maintain peace in this region. It's a monumental step forward as far as India is concerned." He rejected the opposition charges that the Prime Minister announced the DRDO success for publicity mongering and that it is in violation of the model code of conduct (MCC). "This has something to do with India and not the BJP. From days of Jan Sangh, nationalism is at its core and it is that philosophy which is guiding the Prime Minister in taking the steps further... The very fact that he is a leader who is thinking of tomorrow, not only in relation to economy, not only in relation to national security but also in terms of technology, shows PM's vision. It shows the country is in safe hands," Jaitley said "The lower they go, stronger we will emerge," he added. The Finance Minister said that as far as the charge related to violation of MCC is concerned, India's nuclear programme is not new but a continuing programme. "It can't be put to a halt because it does not suit to West Bengal Chief Minister or any other political leader. It will continue 365 days a year -- be it elections or not. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier accused Modi of violating the MCC, calling it another "limitless drama" and publicity mongering by the Prime Minister. "After their historical blunder during Pulwama and Balakot, the history had given the opposition an opportunity to rectify their mistakes. When scientists strengthened country's security, they should have stood behind it as it is a matter of national security and geopolitical situation. "It is regrettable that elementary lessons of national security are not known. National security prevails over every other consideration," he said. Attacking the opposition, in a lighter vein, Jaitley said: "The word I am going to use is not for any political friend but it reminds me of a similarity of the proverb that when a wise man points at the moon, an idiot looks at his finger." Kolkata, March 27 : A 39-year-old man from the Howrah district in West Bengal was arrested for burning his wife to death, police said on Wednesday. Samir Karmakar, a resident of Liluah's Kunjapara, set his wife Rupali Karmakar afire on Tuesday, a Howrah district police official said. "We recorded the woman's statement before she succumbed to injuries," he said. The police is looking for the in-laws of the deceased based on a complaint lodged by her family members. Aurangabad : , March 27 (IANS) If no Lok Sabha seat, then office chairs are fine. That seemed to be logic for Aurangabad Congress MLA from Sillod, Abdul Sattar A. Nabi, who was denied a nomination for the Aurangabad parliamentary constituency. In a huff, Sattar and his supporters on Monday carted off 300 plastic chairs from the local party office and he later announced his resignation from the Congress. An aide confirmed the developments and justified it on grounds that Sattar had paid for those chairs a few years ago and hence they belonged to him. Since he had quit the party, there was no point leaving his chairs behind which he would need again. So they were shifted to his private office, the aide told IANS. At a joint meeting held on Monday at the NCP office here, the Congress decided to field a Legislative Council Member Subhash Zhambad, amid protests by a fuming Sattar who later announced his decision to quit. Shortly after submitting his resignation, he sparked speculation of moving to the Bharatiya Janata Party by calling on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but clarified it was to thank him for his cooperation during his four-year tenure as a Sillod MLA. Later, he also met Congress leaders who are now toying with the idea of giving Sattar the Aurangabad nomination. "Whether Sattar contests on Congress ticket or as an independent, or with some other party, will be decided by our workers at a meeting scheduled here on March 29," his aide said. Islamabad, March 27 : Religious minorities are more vulnerable than safe in Pakistan, a leading newspaper said on Wednesday. An editorial in the Dawn newspaper made the comment after two Hindu sisters, both minors, were allegedly abducted, forced to embrace Islam and married. "The state has a responsibility to preserve and protect the right to freedom of religion, guaranteed under Article 20 of our Constitution," the editorial said. "But it is impossible to deny the fact that religious minorities are, in many ways, more vulnerable than safe in Pakistan." The editorial said that last week's abduction of Hindu sisters Reena and Raveena from their home in Daharki "is one of only a handful of the many claims of forced conversions in Sindh that actually gain public attention. "Too often, officials casually lean into the suggestion that such incidents are simply a matter of women deciding to convert and marry of their own free will, a 'family dispute' that should be resolved privately, ignoring the power dynamics that make this so suspect. "The fact is that the majority of new converts in Sindh are young women or minor girls from socio-economically vulnerable Hindu families," the daily said. "The nexus of power - politically influential families, clerics and seminaries - behind this phenomenon are also well known to all, while religious minorities have repeatedly pointed to a lack of appropriate concern displayed by police and judicial officers. "In this case, too, despite the fact that an FIR was registered under the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013, the police seemingly attempted to minimize the allegations by pointing to a video of the two girls claiming they had chosen their fate voluntarily." Colombo, March 27 : Sri Lanka on Wednesday said it has halted its artificial rain project in drought-hit areas due to lack of moisture in the clouds. The Power and Energy Ministry said that following the success of its pilot project carried out above the Maussakelle Reservoir last week, which caused heavy rains for 45 minutes, the project has been temporarily halted because clouds did not contain sufficient moisture to trigger artificial rains, Xinhua news agency reported. "As far as triggering artificial rains in the Maussakelle and Castlereight catchment areas is concerned, we have to further examine whether it is worthwhile to continue as there is no moisture in the clouds," General Manager of Ceylon Electricity Board S.D.W. Gunawardana said. The Sri Lankan government on March 22 successfully tested artificial rains above the Maussakelle reservoir area to provide clean water to hundreds of families. An Air Force helicopter was used to spray chemicals on the clouds, 8,000 feet above the reservoir, resulting in 45 minutes of rains. Hundreds of families remain affected by months of severe drought due to lack of rains and delayed monsoon rains in central parts of Sri Lanka. OTTAWA, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX-V: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF), today announced it is ready to submit its PPP001 cannabinoid-derived drug as a herbal medicinal product to the European Medicines Agency. The pre-marketing application of PPP001 as a herbal medicinal product specifically for the European market in no way changes Tetras planned schedule to restart its Phase 3 Oncology Drug Development program for advanced cancer pain that was temporarily suspended in February 2019. Tetra Bio-Pharma has gathered impressive scientific, clinical and safety data on PPP001, a dry pellet made of 3 strains of cannabis that generates a unique composition of medicinal products when administered to patients with Tetras class II medical devices and by smoking or vaporization. The European Union has shown an increased interest in the potential of both cannabinoid-derived drugs and medical cannabis as a means of alleviating a range of health conditions, says Guy Chamberland, CEO and CSO of Tetra Bio-Pharma. I am confident that our data on PPP001 gives us a unique and strong advantage that will result in marketing authorization in the European Economic Union with the current formulation. However, let me be clear that Tetra Bio-Pharmas core strategy is about cannabinoid derived prescription medicines and we are working hard to restart our clinical trial as planned." About Tetra Bio-Pharma: Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX-V: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF) is a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development with a Health Canada authorized, and FDA reviewed, clinical trials aimed at bringing novel prescription drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. The Company has several subsidiaries engaged in the development of an advanced and growing pipeline of Bio Pharmaceuticals, Natural Health and Veterinary Products containing cannabis and other medicinal plant-based elements. With patients at the core of what we do, Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on providing rigorous scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies. For more information visit: www.tetrabiopharma.com Source: Tetra Bio-Pharma Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding: the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction for Tetra; completion and expected timing of the Proposed Transaction; whether the terms of the Proposed Transaction will be as described in this press release; whether the Proposed Transaction will be successful; the receipt of required regulatory approvals (including stock exchange) in respect of the Proposed Transaction)are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company's business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, the success of the Company's research and development strategies, including the success of PPP001, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion and uncertainties related to the regulatory process including the applications for Orphan Drug Designation, the timing of clinical trials, the timing and outcomes of regulatory or intellectual property decisions and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. No definitive documentation has yet been signed by the parties and there is no certainty that such documentation will be signed. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation. Mumbai, March 27 : The ED on Tuesday said it has got custody of businessman Vijay Kothari who illegally remitted foreign exchange worth Rs 500 crore outside India through banks in 2012-13 by submitting forged bills of entry and other forged import documents. The ED said that Kothari had been absconding for last two years and now surrendered before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court which granted the agency his custody till March 29. In October 2017, the court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Kothari for his non-appearance. The agency said that Kothari was involved in layering of funds in his five companies by carrying out web of transactions through these companies and also other shell companies floated by him. "Kothari had control over scores of such bank accounts and had managed to illegally remit funds outside India." The ED initiated investigation based on FIR registered by Mumbai Police against Yogeshwar Diamonds Pvt Ltd, Shree Charbhuja Diamonds Pvt Ltd, and Kanika Gems Pvt Ltd for illegal remittance of foreign exchanges through IndusInd Bank's Opera House Branch in the city. "Accused persons had arranged foreign outward remittances by submitting forged bills of entry, having resemblance to original bills of entry and dishonestly caused the IndusInd bank to send foreign exchange remittances outside India to various companies accounts in Hongkong to the tune of Rs 500 crore," said the ED. The ED so far has arrested four persons in the case. Those held identified as Anil Chokhara, the owner of Yogeshwar Diamonds, Shree Charbhuja Diamonds and Kanika Gems -- Sanjay Jain, an ex-director of Raghukul Diamonds, and Saurabh Pandit, the director of Hongkong-based firms Sky Light, and Link Fai and Companies. The ED has also arrested a Co-operative Bank Manager, Machindra Khade, who had assisted in opening dummy bank accounts to infuse funds into the banking system. "During investigation, all the arrested accused persons have named Vijay Kothari as the mastermind behind the criminal activity of money laundering and fraudulent remittances of foreign exchange outside India by way of submitting forged import documents with various Banks in India," said the ED. The agency said it has attached Rs 20 crore properties in the case and that investigation is still in progress. Chennai, March 27 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday declined interim relief to Vedanta Ltd to take up maintenance work at its copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi. The court posted the case to April 23 for next hearing. Hearing the petition filed by Vedanta, the court said the state government is undertaking the maintenance work and refused to grant the company the relief it had sought. The Tamil Nadu government had ordered the closure of the copper smelter plant last year. Beijing, March 27 : China on Wednesday said it hoped that India's successful testing of an anti-satellite missile will help maintain peace in the outer space. "We are aware of relevant reports and we hope that all countries will earnestly safeguard lasting peace and tranquility in the outer space," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India had become "a space superpower" as its anti-satellite missile successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit in just three minutes. India became the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to shoot a low orbit satellite, joining the club of space superpowers. Modi said the test of the weapon was not aimed at against any country. China in 2007 achieved this feat by shooting its weather satellite. China is an emerging superpower in the outer space. It launches scores of satellites as President Xi Jinping wants China to surge ahead of the US and Russia. It is the only country which has landed on the far side of the moon. New York, March 27 : Three researchers have won the 2018 Turing Award, known as the "Nobel Prize of computing", for conceptual and engineering breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI). Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun were named the recipients of the award on Tuesday by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The award, which carries a $1 million prize, is named for Alan M. Turing, British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing. "Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society," said ACM President Cherri Pancake. "The growth of and interest in AI is due, in no small part, to the recent advances in deep learning for which Bengio, Hinton and LeCun laid the foundation," Pancake said. Bengio is Professor at the University of Montreal in Canada, Hinton is Vice-President and Engineering Fellow, Google and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, and LeCun is Professor at New York University and Vice-President and Chief AI Scientist at Facebook. Working independently and together, Hinton, LeCun and Bengio developed conceptual foundations for AI, identified surprising phenomena through experiments and contributed engineering advances that demonstrated the practical advantages of deep neural networks. In recent years, deep learning methods have been responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, robotics and other applications. While the use of artificial neural networks as a tool to help computers recognise patterns and simulate human intelligence had been introduced in the 1980s, by the early 2000s, LeCun, Hinton and Bengio were among a small group who remained committed to this approach. Though their efforts to rekindle the AI community's interest in neural networks were initially met with skepticism, their ideas recently resulted in major technological advances, and their methodology is now the dominant paradigm in the field. Bengio, Hinton and LeCun are scheduled to receive the award at ACM's annual awards banquet on June 15 in San Francisco, California. Chhindwara : , March 27 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has said he is handing over the responsibility of Chhindwara to his son Nakul Nath and people are free to take him to task if he fails to live up to their expectations. Kamal Nath, on a three-day visit to Chhindwara -- from where he has been elected nine times to Parliament -- was attending a tribal meet on Tuesday. In a lighter vein, the Chief Minister said: "Since I have the responsibility of the entire state, I am handing over the responsibility of Chhindwara to Nakul Nath. Agar ye kaam nahin kare to iske kapde fadiyega (If he doesn't perform well, take him to task)." According to political analysts, the Congress is likely to field Nakul Nath from his father's seat for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "In 2019, the MP government will move in a new direction. We'll ensure that development work is initiated wherever required," he said. Wednesday is the last day of his visit to Chhindwara. In the last two days, he attended a number of programmes in the area. Amaravati, March 27 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday protested against the manner in which the Election Commission (EC) transferred three police officials, saying the order was biased and violated the principles of natural justice. Naidu, in his letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, said he was shocked over the EC's order to transfer Director General (Intelligence) A.B. Venkateswara Rao, Srikakulam Superintendent of Police Venkata Ratnam and Kadapa Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President alleged that the poll panel's order was deliberately aimed at benefiting YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aided by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. The EC on Tuesday had ordered transfer of three top police officials and directed that they should not be assigned any election-related work. Naidu wrote it was sad that the EC ordered the transfer of the officials based on just a complaint by the YSRCP and did so in less than 24 hours of the complaint without even a preliminary inquiry. He said the EC in its order had not even mentioned the reasons for transfers. "The EC, which has been assigned with the authority of conducting free and fair elections to safeguard democracy, itself conducts its business in the most unfair and undemocratic manner," he said. Naidu said that the Director General (Intelligence) was not connected with the conduct of election but was responsible for providing security to him, his cabinet colleagues and senior political leaders. "Transferring the DG, Intelligence at this hour is nothing but a deep rooted well orchestrated evil design born out of criminal conspiracy hatched by (YSRCP chief) Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, duly abetted by K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Narendra Modi," said Naidu, alleging that the EC had joined the list of constitutional bodies which are no longer independent. Pointing out that DG (Intelligence) is not a designated officer under Section 28A of the Representation of People's Act 1951, Naidu said the EC had no jurisdiction to transfer him and seek a panel of three names from the government to fill the vacancy. He said Kadapa Superintendent of Police Sharma's transfer was highly objectionable as he was probing the murder of former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. Ranchi, March 27 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday arrested a government school principal for accepting Rs 3,000 bribe in Ranchi, said an ACB statement. Binod Kumar Singh, principal of a government school in the Kanke area, was caught red-handed by ACB officials accepting the bribe. According to ACB officials, Bibha Kumari, a teacher in his school, had complained that the principal had allegedly sought money to clear her housing allowance, which had been pending for two years. According to her, he had allegedly demanded 10 per cent of the total amount. The ACB laid a trap and arrested the principal when the teacher was giving him Rs 3,000. Singh is the 16th government employee arrested accepting bribe in Jharkhand this year. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses at the National Convention of OBC Department, at Indira Gandhi Stadium, in New Delhi, on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi during the National Convention of OBC Department, at Indira Gandhi Stadium, in New Delhi, on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 27 : Taking potshots at the Modi government over rising unemployment and for "destroying" the country's economy, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, the 'Nyay' income guarantee scheme would be a surgical strike on poverty and its announcement has ensured the BJP's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said several lakh crore rupees were given to corporates by the current regime, while people were given false hopes of Rs 15 lakh in their accounts. "I had said the promise of Rs 15 lakh is not possible. We will give Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of the poorest. It will bring 25 crore people out of poverty, " Gandhi said while addressing the national convention of the party's OBC unit. "It is fine if I say I cannot give you Rs 15 lakh. But I am truthful when I say Rs 72,000 will be given. I do not lie, I am not Modi," he said. The scheme will help eradicate poverty in the 21st century, he said. Gandhi said the announcement about the "historic" Nyay scheme by the Congress had scared Modi. "Have you seen his face today? I saw fear. His time is up," he told the gathering, adding the Modi government was going to lose the elections to the Congress. Gandhi said Modi gave financial assistance worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore to "his corporate friends" but he did not have money for the youth who want to start businesses. "Modi ji has handed over bank keys to those who wear suits worth Rs 15-20 lakh, travel in Mercedes. The economy has been destroyed by Modi ji through demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax. We do not want such an India. Justice should be done with everyone," said Gandhi. He said the unemployment rate in the country was the highest in the past 45 years. If Congress comes to power, it will exempt young entrepreneurs from taking permission from the government for the first three years of the venture, he said. He said in the present BJP government people have to undergo a lot of problems to seek permission for their businesses. Gandhi said his party and its chief ministers listened to everyone and worked together. "Delivery of justice by Congress has started," Gandhi said referring to the Nyay scheme and fulfilment of the promise of farm loan waiver in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Sudney, March 27 : A Melbourne man has become the first person in the Australian history to win the same national lottery draw twice, netting 46 million Australian dollars ($32.7 million). "Well, it's extraordinary, isn't it?" an official from Australian lottery provider, the Lott, told the Seven Network on Wednesday, reported Xinhua news agency. "Seventy million Australian ($49.75 million) dollars, three winning entries, but only two winners. This man has been marking his entry for about 30 years with the same numbers," the official added. Stunned by his incredible luck, the winner said he planned to share the spoils with his family but was unsure about what to spend it on. "I might think about retiring. First, maybe a new home or a holiday," he said. Patna, March 27 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), part of the ruling combine in Bihar, on Wednesday asked two senior party leaders who had filed nomination papers as Independent to pull out. BJP state vice-president Devesh Kumar in a letter asked former MP Putul Kumari and MLC Ashok Agrawal to withdraw their nomination papers that they had filed from Banka and Katihar Lok Sabha seats, respectively. The BJP warned both that if they don't withdraw their nomination papers, the party would take action against them. The party also asked them to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates. Putul, wife of former Janata Dal (United) MP and former Union Minister Digvijay Singh, filed her nomination papers from the Banka seat as Independent after the seat went to the JD-U under the NDA seat-sharing pact. According to BJP sources, Putul was keen to contest from Banka, a traditional seat of her late husband. Similarly, Ashok, a popular BJP leader in Katihar, filed nomination papers as Independent after the seat went to the JD-U under the NDA seat-sharing formula. SEATTLE, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CFN Media Group (CFN Media), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry announces publication of an article featuring the Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1). The company is a licensed producer with a 440,000 sq. ft. facility in Kincardine, Ontario, recently secured Health Canadas approval for six additional flowering rooms. The new additions bring its total square footage up to 180,000 sq. ft. across 18 flowering rooms. Canadas cannabis industry continues to experience a supply shortage, according to Cowen & Co. , which found that nearly half of all items remained out of stock on five provincial e-commerce websites. With the legalization of edibles expected in October, these supply shortages could increase as the industry broadens its customer base. These dynamics have created opportunities for licensed producers expanding their production capacity. Ramping Up Production Supreme Cannabis has 180,000 sq. ft. of production capacity following Health Canadas approval, which translates to an estimated 26,250 kilograms per yeara 50 percent increase from its prior production estimates. The company hopes to further expand its production capacity to 50,000 kilograms per year, which would make it one of the largest licensed producers in the country during a critical supply shortage. With 18 of 25 flowering rooms at 7ACRES now approved by Health Canada, production space at our facility is near the finish line, said Supreme Cannabis President and Founder John Fowler in the press release announcing the expansion. With our multi-award winning 7ACRES brand now available in 8 out of 10 provinces, we look forward to completing construction of the facility so that cannabis enthusiasts coast to coast will be able to enjoy what we believe to be the highest quality cannabis grown at scale in the country. The companys 7ACRES brand has received multiple cannabis industry awards, including Brand of the Year at the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards. In addition, the companys provincial supply agreements consistently list the brand in the highest brand category available to recreational consumers. The company believes that premium categorizations are leading to higher profit margins than many of their competitors that target the low end of the market. Launching Oil Products Supreme Cannabis also announced that it expects to launch cannabis oil products into the recreational market beginning next month. Cannabis oil sales have been significantly outpacing cannabis flower sales as the market matures. According to Health Canada , licensed producers sold 4,455 kilograms of cannabis oil to consumers in September 2018 (the last reported data) compared to just 1,755 kilograms of cannabis flower. Premium oils require premium cannabis, says Supreme Cannabis CEO Navdeep Dhaliwal. Our formulation will leverage supercritical CO2 technology to produce a high quality, purified cannabis oil which we reformulate with the naturally occurring cannabis terpenes from our 7ACRES High-End Cannabis. The result is a unique, plant-based cannabis oil that carries the award-winning qualities of our flower into an oil product for consumers looking for a premium cannabis oil experience. The company plans to initially ship oil products to select markets before expanding distribution of its cannabis oil line to additional provinces by June 2019. Each bottle will contain a proprietary blend of highly purified cannabis oils and terpenes derived from plants grown by 7ACRES, which differs from the bulk oils produced by many other cannabis oil manufacturers in Canada and around the world. Looking Ahead Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) is well positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for cannabis across Canada. With growing production capacity and near-term plans to enter the high-margin cannabis oil business, investors may want to take a closer look at the stock over the coming quarters. For more information, visit the companys website at www.supreme.ca . Please follow the link to watch the full interview: https://www.cannabisfn.com/supreme-cannabis-scales-up-production-into-higher-margin-product-lines/ About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed. Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8 Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com Disclaimer CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the Site) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news. The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/ Frank Lane 206-369-7050 Flane@cannabisfn.com Islamabad, March 27 : As India successfully test fired its anti-satellite missile A-SAT, Pakistan on Wednesday said militarisation of space should be avoided. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal told the media: "Pakistan has been a strong proponent of prevention of arms race in outer space." "Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this arena." He stressed the "need to address gaps in the international space laws" to ensure no one threatens peaceful activities and applications of space technologies for socio-economic development. "We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space," he said, after India's A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite on low earth orbit. New Delhi, March 27 : Former State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Arun Kumar Purwar tops the list of probables to head the interim board of Jet Airways, among others, sources told IANS. The other names doing the rounds include Janaki Ballav and Arundhati Bhattarcharya, both former chairpersons of SBI, according to people privy to the developments. Banking sources said that Purwar's chances of heading the board are higher and he could be one of the two nominees on the Jet board, which became vacant after former Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepped down on Monday. The other vacant seat could go to one of the other lenders -- IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank or Yes Bank. The decision, once taken by the lenders, would need the approval of the current board which is still in the process of being reconstituted. People in the know of things said that the SBI-led management is likely to soon approve the names of the would be Chairman and the other member of the board. Thereafter, the newly constituted board will formally approve the next Chairman. "The SBI wants to appoint a Chairman to head the interim board fast, as it does not want the baord to remain headless and also wants to start work on finding a buyer at the earliest," a source said. On Tuesday, the Civil Aviation Ministry had a meeting with the representatives of the SBI, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Jet Airways whereby the airline assured that it would not ground any more flights and would talk to lessors to operationalise as many as 40 grounded aircraft by April-end. Jet Airways has been struggling with cash flows for the past six months because of rising fuel costs and intense competition. It has even delayed payment to lessors, airport operators and oil marketing companies (OMCs) besides a part of its workforce to keep the company running. Around 50 of its aircraft were grounded due to the inability to pay rentals. Its pilots and certain sections of the employees have been without pay for some months, forcing the pilots to issue an ultimatum to the erstwhile management on salary payments. The airline owes Rs 8,000 crore to the SBI-led lenders' consortium. The SBI expects Jet Airways to find a new financial investor by the first quarter of the next fiscal. San Francisco, March 27 : The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has recommended that Qualcomm, the biggest provider of mobile chips, be granted its request for an import ban against Apple in the ongoing legal war between the two tech giants, with the ban preventing some iPhone models from being imported into the US. In the first findings published, Administrative Law Judge MaryJoan McNamara said Apple has infringed on Qualcomm's patent, which relates to power management in computing devices. "The technology improves performance of the power on/off on a device's control network and processor while also reducing power consumption and improving battery life. Qualcomm accused Apple's A10, A11 and A12 chips, which act as brains of iPhone 7 to the iPhone XS, of infringement," the CNET reported on Tuesday. The ITC ruled in two cases in the fight between Apple and Qualcomm. In one case, the iPhone maker was found to be in the clear, but in another case the judge ruled that the Cupertino-headquartered company has infringed on a Qualcomm patent. Notably, the ruling isn't final and will go to a panel of judges, which would issue a decision by July 26. "We appreciate Judge McNamara's recognition of Apple's infringement of our hardware patent and that she will be recommending an import ban and cease and desist order," Don Rosenberg, General Counsel, Qualcomm, said in a statement. Qualcomm and Apple have been involved in a fight over licensing since January 2017. Apple wants to pay a lower amount for using Qualcomm technology in its devices. Qualcomm responded by suing Apple for patent infringement and seeking a ban on sales, the CNET report added. Chandigarh, March 27 : Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib MP Harinder Singh Khalsa has topped among the 13 lawmakers with the fund utilization over the allocated amount as high as 97.23 per cent under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) in the past five years. According to official figures on fund allocation by the MPs, Khalsa has allocated Rs 22.87 crore, while the unspent balance with the district authorities is Rs 2.45 crore, the second lowest among his contemporaries. "This is the public fund and we are its custodians. My priority while sanctioning the grants is the local necessity and its utilisation in the past," Khalsa, a suspended MP of the Aam Aadmi Party, told IANS. Under the MPLADS, each MP has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for development works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum in one's constituency. Despite the optimum sanction of funds, most of the road stretches in interiors of Fatehgarh Sahib (Reserved), once the traditional stronghold of the Congress and Akalis, are full of large potholes and the road is virtually non-existent at a number of places. Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Dalit face and Union Minister of State Vijay Sampla, whose chances of getting re-nominated from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat is not easy owing to his inaccessibility, was second among the MPs whose fund utilization over the allocated amount was 92.24 per cent. Sampla, who headed the state party till Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik replaced him in 2018, has allocated Rs 21.10 crore in his constituency and the unspent balance with the government is Rs 2.11 crore, the lowest among the MPs. Another Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's fund utilization over the allocated amount was 84.43 per cent. The unspent balance with the district authorities is Rs 3.77 crore, the fifth lowest among the lawmakers. She has allocated Rs 17.75 crore in her Bathinda constituency, the stronghold of the Akalis. Her husband and Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal is likely to contest the Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat, while she may be in the fray from Bathinda, the constituency she has represented twice. In the 2014 general elections, then Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Kaur had defeated her brother-in-law Manpreet Badal, who is now the Finance Minister in the state government led by Congress leader Amarinder Singh. This time Kaur is banking on big Central projects like the AIIMS that she managed to bring to her constituency. Sunil Kumar Jakhar of the Congress, who got elected from Gurdaspur in 2017 by-election necessitated with the death of actor Vinod Khanna, has recommended Rs 10.20 crore in his brief stint. His fund utilization over the allocated amount was 41.72 per cent. The unspent balance with the district authorities is Rs 12.08 crore, the highest among the lawmakers. Jakhar, the only prominent contender so far from the Congress, is likely to be pitted against Kavita Khanna, widow of Vinod Khanna. In all, 13 MPs utilized 80.92.83 per cent of the funds released under the MPLADS. The government released Rs 264.21 crore of the Rs 325 crore from 2014 to 2019 and the expenditure of the district authorities stood at Rs 63.54 crore. Punjab will vote on May 19. (Vishal Gulati can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in) Bengaluru, March 27 : Riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the "achievements" of the NDA government, the BJP is upbeat on winning more seats than the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) combine in Karnataka in the 2019 general elections. Polling for the 28 parliamentary seats in the southern state will be held in two phases on April 18 and April 23, with 14 seats in each phase. Five seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and two for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) The vote count in all the constituencies is on May 23. "We are in a strong position to win at least 20 seats across the state this time, as majority of the people want Modi to continue as Prime Minister for the stability, growth and development the NDA government provided during the past 5 years," BJP state unit spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS. As a gateway to south India, Karnataka has been a harbinger of the right-wing party over the last 15 years and consolidated its presence in the coastal, northern and central regions of the across state, besides Bengaluru. After suffering a humiliating defeat in the May 2013 assembly elections due to a split, the party bounced back in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, winning 17 seats against 9 by the Congress and 2 by the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). Maintaining the momentum, the party won 104 of the 224 seats in the May 2018 assembly elections. But its government bowed out after 3 days on May 19, as it fell nine seats short of the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority in the lower house. The Congress had won 80 seats and the JD-S 36 in the house. As it lost the mandate at the hustings, the Congress entered into a post-poll alliance with the JD-S and formed a coalition government on May 23 after contesting against each other in the May 12 state elections. "Our seat-sharing has been decided on winnability and to prevent division of votes. We are confident of getting more on the basis of performance of our 9-month-old coalition government in the state," state Congress spokesman K.E. Radhakrishna told IANS. Unfazed by the prospects of facing joint candidates, the BJP is betting on the "lack of chemistry" between their cadres of the Congress and JD-S at the booth level and dearth of cadres in many constituencies across the state to woo the voters. Though the allies agreed to contest in the ratio of 20-8 seats, the JD-S gifted one more seat (Bangalore North) to the Congress, as it has no winnable candidate and lacks cadres and resources to take on the BJP's outgoing member and Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda from the constituency. "After much bravado, the JD-S agreed to contest from only 7 seats than 12 or 10 it had hard bargained for earlier with the Congress. It has fielded Pramod Madhwaraj, a former Congress minister, from Udupi against our sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje," Vamanacharya pointed out. The Congress gave tickets to 8 of the nine outgoing members, denying re-nomination to its Tumkur member S.P. Muddahanumegowda, as JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda opted to contest from there after fielding his other grandson, Prajwal, from his traditional Hassan seat. With the old Mysore region being a stronghold of the JD-S over the years, the regional outfit is contesting in four of the 14 seats in the first phase and in three in the second phase. To retain the Mandya seat, the JD-S fielded Nikhil, grand son of Deve Gowda and son of state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, against multi-lingual south Indian actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, contesting as an Independent with the support of the BJP. Karnataka is also the only southern state where the BJP came to power on its own in May 2008 after sharing power with the JD-S in 2006-07 in the state's first coalition government. "We don't have to or want to make the recent surgical air strike in Pakistan an issue to seek votes. The achievements of the BJP-led government and Modi's strong leadership are enough for the people to repose faith in our party," Vamanacharya explained. The BJP is also hoping to capitalise on the sympathy its traditional voters have for being denied an opportunity to form the government in the state by the Congress-JD-S, which formed a post-poll alliance to keep it out of power. On the other hand, the Congress and the JD-S, are fielding joint candidates to win more seats than they had (11) separately in the 2014 general elections in straight contests. After contesting against each other in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections over the last 30 years (since 1989-90), the warring parties came together when the May 2018 assembly elections threw up a hung house and formed the coalition government after the 3-day BJP government fell on May 19, 2018. "As our joint vote share is more than the BJP, we are in a better position to win more seats this time than our rivals and perform better than last time," Radhakrishna explained. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP's vote share was 43 per cent, while the Congress had 40.8 per cent and JD-S 11 per cent. The combined vote share of the allies was 51.8 per cent. (Fakir Balaji can be contacted at fakir.b@ians.in) Amaravati, March 27 : Defying the Election Commission of India, the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday cancelled its earlier order transferring Director General (DG), Intelligence, A.B. Venkateswara Rao. Within 24 hours of an order transferring three officials including the DG, Intelligence, on the direction of the Election Commission, the state government issued two fresh orders on Wednesday. Under one of the orders issued by Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha, the transfer order issued on Tuesday night was cancelled. As per the latest order, only Srikakulam Superintendent of Police Venkata Ratnam and Kadapa Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma were transferred. The Chief Secretary also issued a separate order to exclude DG, Intelligence and other officials not related to election duty from the purview of the Election Commission. As per this order, the government has designated police officers under Section 28-A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 for the purpose of law and order and other duties related to the conduct of elections. It lists police personnel from constable to the Director General of Police but excludes DG, Intelligence. The orders were issued even as Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu shot off a letter to the Election Commission, protesting the manner in which the transfer of three officials was ordered. He accused the poll panel of bias and termed the transfers, especially of DG, Intelligence, a conspiracy by opposition YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy abetted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. Naidu wrote that the DG, Intelligence is not connected with the conduct of election but is responsible for providing security to him, his cabinet colleagues and senior political leaders. Naidu said the Commission has no jurisdiction to transfer the DG, Intelligence and seek a panel of three names from the government to fill the vacancy. Jaipur, March 27 : Veteran Congress leader Suresh Mishra on Wednesday urged the Election Commission (EC) to stop the release of "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic based on the life of the Prime Minister. The film is scheduled to be released on April 5. In a letter to the EC, Mishra said, "The release of the film during the Lok Sabha elections is a pre-planned strategy. The BJP is violating the model code of conduct by promoting the PM's story and trying to cash in on his reach." "The world's eyes are on India during elections. The release of the film at this time will be a mockery of our democracy," he said. Mishra also accused Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore of misusing his position to get the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance for the film and have it released during elections. The film is being promoted through posters, banners, TV, newspapers and magazines. As per the EC rules, expenses on these should be included in the election publicity funds, he wrote in the letter. New York, March 27 : People in the US are tweeting much more about embarrassment since US President Donald Trump took office, new research has found. "Beyond embarrassment, there is a slight positive correlation between Trump and the words disgust, shame and anger," said study co-author Dar Meshi, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the US. "This means when people tweet these words, there's a higher probability that they are tweeting about Trump," Meshi said. For the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Communication, the researchers analysed Twitter traffic sent from US accounts between June 2015 and June 2017. "The Twitter data across America are really powerful. People are tweeting far more about embarrassment now than they were during the pre-Trump inauguration," Meshi said. "Overwhelmingly, the number one thing most consistently related to spikes of the word 'embarrassment' on Twitter is Trump," Meshi said. The researchers identified instances when embarrassment mentions spiked and aggregated the tweet content during that time. Then, they created word clouds to see what words were most linked to embarrassment. Three of the most-prominent peaks took place on October 10, 2016, March 18, 2017 and May 26, 2017, the findings showed. These are the dates of the final 2016 presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, when Trump denied German Chancellor Andrea Merkel's handshake at her visit to the White House and the date Trump pushed Montenegro Prime Minister Dusko Markovic at the NATO Summit, respectively. The study showed there has been a 45 per cent increase in people tweeting about embarrassment since Trump took office. Bengaluru, March 27 : The Income Tax department on Wednesday arrested a prominent tax defaulter for allegedly not paying Rs 5.4 crore tax dues. "The defaulter, who contested in the Assembly elections twice and once in the Parliament polls, has not paid Rs 5.4 crore tax dues or filed returns of income as per time allowed under the Income Tax Act, 1961," the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka, said in a statement here. The IT Department, however, did not name the tax defaulter or where or when he contested the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. "A search and seizure operation were conducted in the case of the defaulter, who admitted the income on the basis of evidence unearthed during the raid," said the statement. Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 : Ramesh Chennithala, leader of Opposition and Congress veteran, here on Wednesday hit back at Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac, after he called Rahul Gandhi's minimum monthly income scheme (Nyay) a bluff. "It is not like the KIIFB scheme of Issac. In fact, the KIIFB scheme, launched by Issac, is the real bluff and one which will never reach anywhere. Issac perhaps thought the scheme is similar to the utopian KIIFB programme, where he says with Rs 6,000 crore, he will implement Rs 50,000 crore projects," Chennithala said. Chennithala slammed Issac and reminded him the about the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government coming out with the rural employment guarantee scheme. "When that was launched, Issac asked from where will the money come. And just see how that programme has changed the lives of people. The minimum monthly income scheme is an extension of that scheme and it's one which is well grounded and hence Issac need not fear anything," said Chennithala. The KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) was set up in 1999, but Issac modified its objectives with money for development to be raised from the market through bonds and from financial institutions to fund critical and large infrastructure projects in the state. Issac said Gandhi's programme is similar to the one where Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced giving Rs 15 lakh to everyone, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "The Gandhi who has been demanding tax on luxury goods used by the super rich to be reduced to 18 per cent, now says the Rs 72,000 annual payment to the poor will be raised from the rich. All these are nothing but just election gimmicks," he said on Tuesday. New York, NY, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Cannabis Testing Market by Product and Software (Products and Software (Cannabis LIMS)), by Method of Testing (Potency, Heavy Metal, Terpene Profiling, Microbial Analysis, Pesticide Screening, Residual Solvent Screening, and Genetic), and by End-User (Cannabis Testing Laboratories, Research Institutions, Cultivators, and Drug Manufacturers and Dispensaries): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2017 2024. According to the report, the global cannabis testing market was valued at approximately USD 910 million in 2017 and is expected to generate revenue of around USD 2,012 million by the end of 2024, growing at a CAGR of around 12.0% between 2018 and 2024. Cannabis testing detects active ingredients like terpene and cannabinoids by using chromatographic or analytical testing. The increase in the legalization of cannabis in various countries, growing awareness through various conferences and seminars and an increase in the technological advancements related to cannabis testing are fueling the expansion of the global cannabis testing market. Browse through 105 Tables & 31 Figures spread over 110 Pages and in-depth TOC on Global Cannabis Testing Market Size & Share 2017: By Industry Type, Growth, Trends Analysis and Forecast to 2024. Request Free Sample Report of Global Cannabis Testing Market Report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/cannabis-testing-market Cannabis is a type of psychoactive drug that has recreational and medicinal uses. Cannabis mainly consists of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that causes changes in perception, increases appetite and sensation of euphoria. There are different types of cannabis, such as topical cannabis, inhaling cannabis, solid edible cannabis, and liquid edible cannabis, which are tested during the cannabis testing procedure. The increase in the use of medical cannabis for various applications, such as reduction of nausea caused after chemotherapy, stimulation of appetite in patients suffering from AIDS, and controlling of muscle spasms, is fueling the demand for cannabis globally. This increase in demand has led to the legalization of cannabis by governments in various countries. For instance, Australia legalized medical cannabis in 2016, which is fuelling the growth of the global cannabis testing market. The rise in adoption of the cannabis software namely LIMS in the cannabis testing labs and the rise in the number of awareness programs such as workshops and conferences in various countries is also driving the global market for cannabis testing. However, the high cost of instruments and the lack of skilled professionals are hampering the development of the global cannabis testing market. Download Free Report PDF Brochure: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/cannabis-testing-market The global cannabis testing market can be divided based on product and software, a method of testing, and end-users. Based on product and software, this market can be classified into products and software. The product segment is further divided into analytical instruments, which includes spectroscopy instruments, chromatography instruments, and others, and consumable includes standards and CRMS, chromatography columns, sample preparation products, and supplies and accessories. In 2017, the product segment acquired the largest market share. On the basis of the method of testing, this market can be categorized into potency, pesticide screening, microbial analysis, genetic, heavy metal, residual solvent screening, and terpene profiling. The potency segment is anticipated to dominate the market in the forecast timeframe. Based on end-users, the cannabis testing market can be fragmented into research institutions, cannabis testing laboratories, drug manufacturers and dispensaries, and cultivators. The cannabis testing laboratories segment is projected to lead the end-user segment of the cannabis testing market in the forecast timeframe. North America is projected to lead the cannabis testing market in the upcoming years, due to the legalization of cannabis by major states in the U.S. and Canada and the presence of major market players. Asia Pacific region is anticipated to show the highest growth rate for cannabis testing market. The rise in the use of cannabis to treat diseases, growing awareness about cannabis among the population in developing countries, and an increase in the number of cannabis testing labs are driving the growth of the cannabis testing market in the Asia Pacific region. Browse the full "Cannabis Testing Market by Product and Software (Products and Software (Cannabis LIMS)), by Method of Testing (Potency, Heavy Metal, Terpene Profiling, Microbial Analysis, Pesticide Screening, Residual Solvent Screening, and Genetic), and by End-User (Cannabis Testing Laboratories, Research Institutions, Cultivators, and Drug Manufacturers and Dispensaries): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2017 2024" report at https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/cannabis-testing-market The main players in the global cannabis testing market are AB Sciex LLC, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Waters Corporation, CannaSys, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, GenTech Scientific, Millipore Sigma, PerkinElmer, Inc., PharmLabs, LLC, and Cannabix Technologies, Inc. These companies focus on the introduction of new technologies that can be used for cannabis testing. For instance, in November 2016, Waters Corporation introduced CORTECS Shield RP18 and CORTECS T3, which are used to analyze complex samples at low costs. Inquire more about this report before purchase @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/cannabis-testing-market This report segments the global cannabis testing market as follows: Global Cannabis Testing Market: Products & Software Segment Analysis Products Analytical Instruments Chromatography Instruments Liquid Chromatography Gas Chromatography Others Spectroscopy Instruments Mass Spectrometry Atomic Spectroscopy Other Analytical Instruments Consumables Chromatography Columns Standards & CRMS Sample Preparation Products Supplies & Accessories Software (Cannabis LIMS) Global Cannabis Testing Market: Method of Testing Segment Analysis Potency Heavy Metal Terpene Profiling Microbial Analysis Pesticide Screening Residual Solvent Screening Genetic Global Cannabis Testing Market: End-User Segment Analysis Cannabis Testing Laboratories Research Institutions Cultivators Drug Manufacturers and Dispensaries Global Cannabis Testing Market: Regional Segment Analysis North America The U.S. Europe UK France Germany Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil The Middle East and Africa Related Reports: Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Software Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/pharmacovigilance-drug-safety-software-market Drug Discovery Services Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/drug-discovery-services-market Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Pressure Ulcers Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/diabetic-foot-ulcers-and-pressure-ulcers-market Contract Research Organization Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/contract-research-organization-market Gene Therapy Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/gene-therapy-market About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Follow Us LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zion-market-research Follow Us Twitter: https://twitter.com/zion_research Blog: http://zmrindustryjournal.us | http://zmrresearchnews.us | http://zmrmarketjournal.com | http://zmrindustrynews.us | http://zmrnewsmagazine.com | https://zmrnewsblog.com | http://zmrmarketresearch.com | http://zmrindustryanalysis.com Contact Us: Joel John 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N202 New York, 10001, United States Tel: +49-322 210 92714 USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651 Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.com Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com New Delhi, March 27 : Several states will witness multi-cornered contests in the coming Lok Sabha elections with the BJP expected to gain in some seats due to lack of opposition unity and fragmentation of votes against it. Incumbent parties could also gain on some seats due to fragmentation of votes. Several states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir will witness triangular or multi-cornered contests. In Uttar Pradesh, where Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal have formed an alliance, the Congress is keen to put up a serious fight and has brought in Priyanaka Gandhi Vadra as a star campaigner. Though Congress is expected to draw some upper caste votes of the BJP, it will also divide opposition votes and attract some of those who have already made up their mind to replace the ruling party at the Centre. The Congress has good candidates on some seats who had put credible performance when the BJP swept the state in 2014 by winning 73 of 80 seats with its allies. The BJP had gained in the last parliamentary polls in the state as opposition votes were split between the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Congress. Analysts said that BJP will gain if opposition votes split. They said that several opposition parties have similar vote base and a division in vote share causes problems. The BJP had polled around 31 per cent of vote in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and got full majority. The analysts also said that electoral scene across states was different and multi-polar contests will play out differently. In West Bengal, the BJP is keen to emerge as a force to reckon with and has set a target of 23 of 42 Lok Sabha seats. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool, which is leading party of the opposition alliance, has set its eyes on winning all 42 seats. The state will witness a multi-cornered contest with CPI-M and the Congress failing to reach an understanding. While the CPI-M had won two seats in 2014, Congress had won four. In Haryana, the main contest is likely to be between the BJP and Congress but AAP is also keen to put up a challenge. The Indian National Lok Dal has split into two and the two factions have strongholds in certain pockets of the state. In Tamil Nadu, both the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK have formed their alliances but Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan is challenging them on all the seats. In Punjab, the main contest is between the ruling Congress and SAD-BJP combine but AAP is also a player and had won four seats in 2014. The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), which is seeking to emerge as the third alternative in the state, is also fielding candidates on several seats. PDA comprises of Punjab Ekta Party, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and Punjab Manch. Andhra Pradesh will also have a multi-cornered contest with Congress and the ruling TDP deciding to go it alone in the state. The TDP is facing a serious challenge from YSRC party with BJP also trying to make its presence felt. In Odisha, where BJD leader and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been beating anti-incumbency, the BJP has been gaining strength at the cost of Congress. The Lok Sabha election result will show how far the BJP has been able to penetrate in the state and if it emerges as the main opposition party in the state. Though there is an understanding between Congress and National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, the two parties will also go for "friendly fights." The PDP has also put up candidates in the Valley as has People's Conference of separatist-turned-mainstream leader Sajad Lone. However, the BJP will face tough contest on Jammu and Udhampur seats as PDP, like National Conference, has decided against putting up candidates to prevent division of "secular votes". Bengaluru, March 27 : The Income Tax department on Wednesday arrested a prominent tax defaulter for allegedly not paying Rs 5.4 crore tax dues. "The defaulter, who contested in the Assembly elections twice and once in the Parliament polls, has not paid Rs 5.4 crore tax dues or filed returns of income as per time allowed under the Income Tax Act, 1961," the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka, said in a statement here. The IT Department, however, did not name the tax defaulter or where or when he contested the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. "A search and seizure operation were conducted in the case of the defaulter, who admitted the income on the basis of evidence unearthed during the raid," said the statement. The department said that even after it served him notice and initiated recovery proceedings, the defaulter did not pay taxes even on the income he admitted in the returns filed after the search and seizure exercise. When the defaulter did not respond to the show cause notice, a search warrant was served on him through the police and he was arrested and produced before the tax recovery officer. He was sent to the Bengaluru central jail after a medical check-up, the statement said. The department had arrested and jailed a businessman for defaulting on Rs 7.35 crore tax dues on February 16 and another businessman on February 12 for defaulting on Rs 11.94 crore tax dues. Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accompanied by the state's Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, addresses during a meeting with Secondary School Certificate (SSC) candidates in Kolkata, on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accompanied by the state's Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, addresses during a meeting with Secondary School Certificate (SSC) candidates in Kolkata, on March 27, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 27 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Wednesday met agitating School Service Commission (SSC) candidates and said the government would try to find a solution in the first week of June, after conclusion of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Wednesday was the 28th day of the hunger strike by SSC candidates. She also urged them to end the hunger strike. Over 400 successful SSC candidates in Bengal are on the hunger strike at Mayo Road, here, since February 28, accusing the state government of irregularities in appointing assistant teachers at state-run schools. They are demanding that recruitments be made immediately against the numerous vacancy in across the state. Banerjee also asked State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee to include five of the agitating candidates in the expert committee, headed by Education Department Secretary Manish Jain, to make a comprehensive report. "Please include five members from among the candidates in the expert committee. It would be easier to understand each other's issues. I have no problem if a one-time solution could be found. I would request you to discuss it among yourselves and withdraw the hunger strike," she said. Stating that nothing can be done immediately as that would violate the model code of conduct, Banerjee said, "We cannot do something arbitrarily as that would be challenged in court. Something has to be done within the policy. My sympathy is with you. Give us a chance to work out a solution. Give me some time. "I am instructing Partha da (Chatterjee) to do something by the first week of June. You can keep faith in me," she said. The agitating candidates, all of whom have successfully cleared both SSC written test and interview more than a year ago, urged the state government to publish the list of qualified candidates along with marks obtained by them. Also, notify the exact number of vacancies for teachers in state-run schools, they said. Nearly 80 agitators, many of them women, have fallen ill and two would-be mothers suffered miscarriage. Two others got infected by dengue during the hunger strike. Kolkata, March 27 : Arjun Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, who recently switched to the saffron outfit from the Trinamool Congress, claimed on Wednesday that 100 legislators from his former party would join the BJP "very soon". "Around 100 legislators from the ruling Trinamool Congress are ready to join the BJP," Singh, a four-time MLA from Bhatpara, told mediapersons. He said some of the lawmakers would come into the saffron party's fold before the Lok Sabha elections while the others would cross over after the polls. Singh said the legislators were keeping regular contact with the BJP leaders. However, he refused to give a categorical reply when asked if some of the Trinamool ministers too were in the queue to join the BJP. "I won't make any comment on this because the moment I say yes, these ministers will be sacked," he said. Meanwhile, the Trinamool dismissed Singh's claims, saying the BJP leader has lost his mental balance. "It seems Arjun Singh has lost his mental balance. Have you seen a single Trinamool MLA so far who has followed him to the BJP," asked Jyotipriya Mallick, state Food and Supplies Minister and Trinamool's North 24 Parganas district President. Bhopal, March 27 : Calling the Pulwama attack an intelligence failure, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said, here on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no explanation for it and his party was instead busy inciting Hindu-Muslim tensions. Singh, Congress candidate from Bhopal, was addressing party representatives using Shakti app. "The Pulwama martyrs' families are asking why weren't they airlifted when the government had alert of an attack. The Prime Minister hasn't given them an answer. This is the biggest proof of an intelligence failure," he said. "The international media is asking questions, but the government has no reply. The only strategy the BJP has now is to create tension between the Hindus and Muslims," the former Chief Minister said. According to Singh, communal polarisation had been the BJP's strategy since 1990. In 1947 during Partition, the Bhopal Nawab stopped Muslims from leaving the country. The city saw its first riot in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. Chennai, March 27 : The Tamil Nadu government has declared April 18 as a public holiday as polling for Lok Sabha and by-elections for 18 assembly seats is scheduled on that day. The state government passed an order on Wednesday under the Neotiable Instruments Act. New Delhi, March 27 : A 33-year-old member of an active gang of touts in the Connaught Place area was arrested here for cheating a Canadian woman after posing as a government authorised travel agent offering customised tour packages, a police officer said on Wednesday. "Idrees Shamshad Bhat was arrested on Tuesday from his residence in south Delhi's Jangpura area after a police raid following a tip off," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Madhur Verma said. "A native of Srinagar, Bhat had on March 18 cheated a Canadian national, Jonrong Wang, by misleading her by posing as a government authorised agent," Verma said. "He offered Wang customised tour packages in India. Wang had booked a luxury trip to Rajasthan and was asked to pay huge amount of money in advance. Bhat took all money but later did not deliver the tour package," he added. "The victim filed a police complaint of cheating against Bhat on March 20," Verma said, adding that two other accomplices of Bhat have been identified who were still at large. "During interrogation, Bhat said he had been cheating foreign tourists in Delhi since 2007. He along with his accomplices would lure innocent foreign tourists by offering them attractive and customised tour packages and then collect all the money in advance without delivering ont their promise," Verma said. Bhopal, March 27 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday blamed the Pulwama attack on the government's intelligence failure and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no explanation for it and his party was instead busy fanning Hindu-Muslim tensions. Singh, Congress candidate from Bhopal, was addressing party representatives using Shakti app. "The Pulwama martyrs' families are asking why weren't they airlifted when the government had alert of an attack. The Prime Minister hasn't given them an answer. This is the biggest proof of an intelligence failure," he said. "The international media is asking questions, but the government has no reply. The only strategy the BJP has now is to create tension between the Hindus and Muslims," the former Chief Minister said. Attacking the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, Singh said, "The RSS calls itself a Hindu cultural organisation. It says it is not into politics. If it works for Hindus, why does it hate me?" Amaravati, March 27 : The Walmart Foundation will provide $750,000 to an irrigation project of International Development Enterprises - India (IDEI) aimed at raising the income of 10,000 small farmers in 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh, it was announced here on Wednesday. The programme aims to introduce sustainable irrigation products and practices and create a complementary support ecosystem that will boost farm yields, reduce negative environmental impact and increase market access and income of farmers with small holdings, the Foundation said in a statement. The programme is expected to generate an additional $7.4 million in annual farming income in the state at the end of the project period, with individual gains of $400 per smallholder farmer household per year. Substantial water savings in agriculture are also anticipated, amounting to 33.4 million m3 of water saved for the state during the programme. "Income poverty affects 1.3 billion people around the world and is a huge challenge. But simple solutions, like affordable modern irrigation, can make a massive difference. We have already helped more than 8 million people of farming families improve their output and standard of living, and we are determined to now do the same for tens of thousands of smallholders in Andhra Pradesh," IDEI Chief Executive Amitabha Sadangi said. The IDEI grant is a part of the Walmart Foundation's commitment, announced in September 2018, to invest $25 million (approximately Rs 180 crores) in philanthropic initiatives to improve farmers' livelihoods in India over the next five years. Under this commitment, a $2 million groundnut processing facility was unveiled at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Andhra Pradesh last year. "We are pleased to support organisations such as IDEI who have expertise and a solid track record in strengthening farmers' agricultural skills. This approach helps to create sustainable livelihoods for farmers by increasing production and helps to preserve important natural resources for the future", Walmart Foundation Senior Director Karrie Denniston said. Reason for correction: Total number of shares held by primary insider updated in attachment. 27 March 2019: Nordea Markets has today, on behalf of Scatec Solar ASA, sold 50,904 shares to employees participating in the Company's Share Purchase Programme. Following the transaction, Scatec Solar ASA holds no own shares. The price was based on the average volume weighted share price on Oslo stock exchange over the five days period from 18 March to 22 March 2019, resulting in a price per share of NOK 86.93. 76% of the employees in Scatec Solar ASA participated in the Companys first Share Purchase Programme. Attached is an overview of the primary insiders' share purchases in connection with the programme. For further information, please contact: Ingrid Aarsnes, VP Communication & IR Tel: +47 950 38 364, Ingrid.aarsnes@scatecsolar.com About Scatec Solar Scatec Solar is an integrated independent solar power producer, delivering affordable, rapidly deployable and sustainable clean energy worldwide. A long- term player, Scatec Solar develops, builds, owns, operates and maintains solar power plants and has an installation track record of more than 1 GW. The company has a total of 1.7 GW in operation and under construction in Argentina, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and Ukraine. With an established global presence and a significant project pipeline, the company is targeting a capacity of 3.5 GW in operation and under construction by end of 2021. Scatec Solar is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 'SSO'. To learn more, visit www.scatecsolar.com. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Attachment New Delhi, March 27 : The Supreme court on Wednesday awarded a Mumbai-based lawyer Mathews Nedumpara three months' suspended jail sentence after it found him guilty of contempt of court and for browbeating the judges of higher judiciary. The bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice Vineet Saran said the jail sentence would remain suspended in view of his unconditional apology and the undertaking given to the court through his affidavit. Nedumpara is a prominent face of the National Lawyers' Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms. The court also barred Nedumpara for one year from appearing in the top court. However, that was not the end of Nedumpara's woes, as taking cognizance of a report from the Bombay Bar Association and another entity, the apex court issued fresh contempt of court notice to him and three others. The court directed its registry to place the matter before Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi for its listing before an appropriate bench. In the pre-lunch hearing of the matter, Justice Nariman told Nedumpara: "You know I have a daughter who practises law and she is not allowed to enter this court by me." "Fali Nariman is not the issue. Father of Justice U.U. Lalit practises here. If the matter was issue based, why was the name of Justice Lalit not mentioned?" Justice Nariman said. The top court had on March 12, 2019, held Nedumpara guilty of contempt of court when he mentioned the name of senior counsel Fali S. Nariman -- father of Justice Nariman -- during his argument, which the court had objected to. Arguing against the practice of Supreme Court designating advocates as "seniors" through a writ petition, lawyer Mathews Nedumpara mentioned the name of Fali S. Nariman, himself a distinguished Supreme Court lawyer, which the two judge-bench found to be contempt in the face of the court. "Conduct of this kind deserves punishment which is severe. Though we could have punished Nedumpara by this order itself, in the interest of justice, we issue notice to Nedumpara as to the punishment to be imposed upon him for committing contempt in the face of the court," the court had said in its March 12 judgment. The court hearing on Wednesday was limited to the punishment for contempt. Hyderabad, March 27 : A young farmer from a remote village in Telangana on Wednesday received a phone call from no less than Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who reacted after the farmer's Facebook post about his land problem went viral. Sharath, through his FB live on March, had complained how his seven acres in Nandulapalli village in Mancherial district was allotted to others by the Village Revenue Official (VRO) after manipulating the land records. He said the problem was not solved though he had been running around the government offices for 11 months. Sharath wanted his Facebook post to be shared by all so that it reaches the Chief Minister. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, took note of the farmer's plight and spoke to him over phone. He told the farmer that officials will reach him in half-an-hour. On the direction of the Chief Minister, District Collector Bharati Hollikeri launched an immediate inquiry and rushed to the farmer's house to gather all details. She said steps were initiated to restore the farmer's land. The Collector ordered suspension of the VRO and a revenue inspector for allegedly manipulating the record. She also provided financial assistance to the farmer under 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme. Under this scheme, every farmer is being provided Rs 8,000 per acre annually. Kolkata, March 27 : A total of 63 nominations were found valid in the five Lok Sabha constituencies going to the hustings in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, a state election officer said on Wednesday. Eight nominations were rejected during the scrutiny. "For the first phase, validly nominated candidates from Coochbehar (SC) constituency are 11 and in Alipurduar (ST), seven. In Alipurduar, one nomination has been rejected," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu told reporters here. The scrutiny of nomination papers for the second phase of elections got over on Wednesday. Basu said there are 12 valid nominations from Jalpaiguri (SC) while four nominations were rejected. In Raiganj, 14 nominations were cleared and one rejected. "There are 19 valid nominations after the scrutiny in Darjeeling. Two nominations were rejected," he said. Since the announcement of the election, over Rs 10 crore has been seized by the police and the Election Commission, he said. "As per the reports of the Income Tax department, the cash value of total seizure of precious metals including gold and silver is Rs 9,745 crore," Basu said. Sharing the details of 'c-Vigil App', he said that as many as 1,689 complaints have been registered so far out of which 1,074 have been found correct and action taken. Also, 760 complaints were received via the poll panel's National Grievance Services (NGS) portal and 319 of these have been resolved. The citizens portal of the NGS recorded 1,079 complaints out of which 505 have been addressed, he said. Rome, March 27 : Tensions within the European Union are a worry for the world, but none of its 28 member states or parties have called the bloc into question, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said on Wednesday. "The European Union is currently a cause for global concern, but none of its current political forces contests its very concept," he said. Moavero admitted, however, that there existed "very different visions" of the EU, as is shown by the "incredible" case of Brexit. The minister was speaking at a seminar on Italian economy and geo-economic scenarios organised by Italy's main business lobby Confindustria. Bengaluru, March 27 : Karnataka's 28 lawmakers of the 16th Lok Sabha on the average utilised 79.3 per cent of the funds released to them under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) during their five-year term from 2014 to 2019, said the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. "Of the Rs 452.50 crore cumulative funds released by the Central government for the 28 parliamentary constituencies, Rs 358.70 crore was spent, which is 79.3 per cent," said the Ministry in a report. As each member is entitled to Rs 25 crore for five years at the rate of Rs 5 crore per year, the cumulative entitlement for 28 of them was Rs 700 crore. Cumulative funds, including the interest available with the respective districts, were Rs 465.40 crore, the cumulative amount recommended by the members for various works was Rs 500.83 crore and the cumulative amount sanctioned by the respective districts was Rs 438.31 crore. "Of the Rs 465.40 crore cumulative funds with the 30 districts in the state, Rs 106.71 crore was the cumulative unspent amount," said the report. Under the scheme, as the members role is limited to recommending the works, the respective district is responsible to sanction, execute and complete the works within the stipulated period. Of the 28 MPs elected in May 2014, 17 belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 9 to the Congress and 2 to the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). B.R. Sreeramulu of the BJP emerged at the top by utilising 96.52 per cent (Rs 16.89 crore) of the funds (Rs 17.80 crore) released, with Rs 91 lakh as unspent amount in his Bellary constituency. JD-S supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda utilised 95.49 per cent (Rs 11.94 crore) of the funds (Rs 12.69 crore), with Rs 76 lakh as unspent amount in his Hassan constituency. Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D.V. Sadannda Gowda of the BJP utilised 86.08 per cent (Rs 17.22 crore) of the funds (Rs 20.30 crore), with Rs 3.08 crore as unspent amount in his Bangalore North seat. Union Minister of State for Skill Development Ananth Kumar Hegde of the BJP utilised the least -- 62.73 per cent (Rs 7.84 crore) of the funds (Rs 12.76 crore) -- with Rs 4.92 crore as unspent amount in his Uttara Kannda constituency on the state's west coast region. BJP members B.S. Yeddyurappa from Shimoga and B.R. Sreeramulu from Bellary (ST) and JD-S member C. Puttaraju from Mandya resigned on being elected to the state assembly in the May 12, 2018 elections. As a result, bye-election was held in November 2018, in which the BJP lost the Bellary seat to V.S. Ugrappa of the Congress, while Yeddyurappa's son B.Y. Raghavandra won for the BJP to retain the Shimoga seat. JD-S too retained the Mandya seat with its candidate L.R. Shivarame Gowda winning. The scheme was formulated in December 1993 to enable elected members of Parliament to recommend development works in their constituencies with a view to creating durable assets based on locally felt needs. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been administering the scheme since October 1994. New York, March 27 : The United Nations Security Council has urged a national conference taking place in Libya in mid-April to "engage in good faith" in efforts to forge a roadmap for "credible and peaceful" presidential and parliamentary polls in the chaos-stricken country, the UN said in a statement on Wednesday. "The National Conference provides a crucial opportunity for all Libyans to put aside their differences, exercise restraint for the good of the country, and achieve peace and prosperity for the Libyan people," said a statement issued by the UNSMIL mission. A session of the UN Security Council late on Tuesday "called upon all those attending to come together to engage in good faith in this Libyan-led, Libyan-owned process", the statement said. Security Council members gave their full backing for UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame and to UNSMIL "as they seek to mediate a political way forward in Libya that would lead to credible and peaceful elections," the statement said. They also called upon all UN member states and regional organisations to unanimously support Salame "during this critical phase of Libya's transition", according to the statement. The Security Council members recalled Libyan leaders' commitments to "work constructively" with UN-backed efforts to stabilise the North African country made at the international conferences in Paris on May 29 and in Palermo on November 12-13 last year, the statement added. Beira : , March 28 (IANS/AKI) United Nations World Food Programme chief David Beasley on Wednesday called on the world to step up aid for nearly two million people who are in urgent need of food and other basic items in cyclone-battered Mozambique. "These people's lives have been devastated, they have no livelihoods now, they've lost their homes, they've lost their farms, they've lost their crops, they've lost loved ones," Beasley said after a two-day visit to Mozambique. Survivors of the cyclone, which killed at least 468 people in Mozambique, will need help at least for the next six to 12 months "to get back on their feet", he said. "I urge the international community to respond quickly and generously, because lives are truly in the balance right now." Cyclone Idai struck Mozambique on March 14, where it devastated the populous port city of Beira and then tore inland through Zimbabwe and Malawi, killing a further 300 people in those countries. An estimated 400,000 hectares of crops - primarily maize - were washed away in Mozambique just weeks ahead of the main April-May harvest. Other key sources of income, including livestock and fisheries, have also been badly affected, according to the WFP. Victims will need sustained support to recover from the cyclone, which in the case of subsistence farmers will not be until the next main harvest in mid-2020, the UN agency noted. "We need to work together with the Government of Mozambique and the communities to ensure rehabilitation is done in a way that will prevent this devastation happening again, build better everything: houses, schools and health centres to stand the shocks," Beasley added. Cyclone Idai has demonstrated how vulnerable communities are to climate shocks and the disaster will inevitably push up already high malnutrition rates, WFP warned. WFP said it hopes to reach "as soon as possible" all 1.7 million Mozambicans urgently in need of food. It said has provided food assistance to more than 150,000 people since Idai hit and intends to reach half a million "in the coming weeks". Homeless cyclone victims sheltering in scores of schools and churches in Beira and surrounding areas have received easy-to-prepare fortified blended food, WFP said. Sixty metric tons of high energy biscuits airlifted into the country have been dropped by helicopter to people stranded by the floodwaters, said the agency. With 86,000 metric tons of commodities needed in the next three months, WFP is sourcing large quantities of cereals, vegetable oil and fortified blended foods elsewhere in southern Africa, and shipping and trucking them into Mozambique. WFP has deployed to Beira three MI-8 transport helicopters and a freight aircraft to support the broader humanitarian response and has been working to re-establish vital networks that can accelerate the response by government and humanitarian agencies. Almost 60 additional WFP staff have been deployed to Mozambique, and 45 more are on the way: emergency coordinators, air operations managers and programming, logistics and telecommunications experts. WFP requires $140 million for the next three month and has designated Mozambique a level-three emergency, placing it on par with Syria, Yemen and South Sudan. The UN has appealed for $282m to help cyclone victims in Mozambique. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called the cyclone "one of the worst weather-related catastrophes in the history of Africa". Panaji: Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs Manohar Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar submit merger letter to Goa Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo in the presence of Chief Minister and BJP leader Pramod Sawant and the party's state president Vinay Tendul Image Source: IANS News Panaji, March 28 : Newly-inducted BJP MLA Deepak Pauskar, one of the two MGP legislators who joined the ruling party earlier on Wednesday, was inducted into Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's cabinet while the other, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, elevated as Deputy Chief Minister Pauskar, a legislator from the Sanvordem assembly constituency in South Goa, was sworn-in by Governor Mridula Sinha late on on Wednesday at Raj Bhavan. Earlier on Wednesday, the now lone Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Sudin Dhavalikar was stripped off his post of Deputy Chief Minister and dropped from the cabinet. "We have joined the BJP, a national party because the future belongs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The MGP, which was meant to be a party for the bahujan samaj has been reduced to an outfit which is run by one family (Dhavalikars), which is also why both me and Deepak quit the MGP," Ajgaonkar told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony. At 1.45 am on Wednesday, two out of the three MGP lawmakers split the legislature party and merged into the BJP, alleging victimisation by their leaders. Chief Minister Sawant has maintained that the BJP did not split the MGP and insisted that it was the two MLAs, who expressed their desire to join his party. The merger takes the legislative strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party to 14, at par with the Congress which also has 14 legislators. The strength of the 40-member assembly has dipped due to deaths and resignations of several legislators. The development comes on the heels of a growing discomfort between the BJP and the MGP, over share of ministerial berths as well as the latter's decision to field its state president Deepak Dhavalikar as a candidate for the upcoming assembly bypoll at Shiroda against BJP's candidate Subhash Shirodkar. New Delhi, March 28 : Delhi Police busted an illegal firearms racket and arrested one of its member here with ten country-made pistols, which he had planned to supply to criminals, police said on Wednesday. "Samsuddin was arrested on Tuesday night on a tip-off by a team of Crime Branch when he came to deliver ten country made pistols to his contacts in west Delhi's Dwarka area,"Additional Commissioner of Police AK Singla said. "During interrogation, he (Samsuddin) disclosed that he had procured these illegal pistols from his associate in Mathura. He also informed about people, who had bought firearms from him in Delhi," Singla said. "We have set up a team as part of our ongoing special drive to seize illegal arms supplier in view of upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he added. "These illegals firearms were manufactured and supplied from Mewat, Mathura and Madhya Pradesh to criminals in Delhi and adjoining districts," he said. Samsuddin, 41, is a native of Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district. He along with his brother, Mufeed was involved in supplying illegal weapons to criminals in Delhi and adjoining districts. Washington, March 28 : US President Donald Trump said that Russia should pull back its presence in Venezuela, a day after Russia defended its position on the issue. "Russia has to get out," Trump on Wednesday told the press in the Oval Office, where he met with Fabiana Rosales, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Trump added that Russia understands US stance "very well", Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier Wednesday, US Vice President Mike Pence called on Russia to cease talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and said Russia's military move was "an unwelcome provocation." Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela on Saturday, carrying nearly 100 troops and 35 tons of materials, according to media reports. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the presence of Russian specialists in Venezuela is in line with a military-technical cooperation agreement between the two countries, which does not need the approval of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Trump also said that the Venezuelan government was under "plenty of pressure right now," noting that "other than military you can't get any more pressure than they have ... all options are open." The US has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Guaido. 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. Venezuela has been plunged into political tension since January 23 when opposition leader Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's interim president and was recognised by the US and some other countries. PHOENIX, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via Network Wire For The Earth Corporation (the Company or FTEG) (OTCMKTS: FTEG), an emerging vertically integrated CBD producer and retailer, is excited to announce the acquisition of the Block and Tackle sunscreen brand (blockandtacklesunscreen.com), a branded sun care product known for its long-lasting efficacy and strong environmental record. The acquisition includes all related Block and Tackle assets and formulas. We like to move on value, and we believe there is huge value in Block and Tackle, commented FTEG CEO Nelson Grist. The sunscreen boom isnt talked about a whole lot, but our research suggests this is a big and growing multi-billion-dollar market. Block and Tackle is Gluten Free and environmentally friendly and has clear differentiation in the marketplace as a high-quality brand with strong marketability toward key segments of the end market. Management notes that Block and Tackle Sunscreen is free of dangerous oxybenzone, which has already been outlawed in Hawaii (beginning in 2021) due to its destructive effects on reef life. It is also packaged for minimal environmental impact. In addition, professional Bass Master Open Tour Angler Ron Johnson, and professional fishing guide, is an avid fan and user of Block and Tackle Sunscreen. Ron Johnson-Facebook According to recent analysis from Transparency Market Research, the global sun care market continues to show robust growth and is set to reach $24.9 billion in total sales by 2024. Mr. Grist continued, Differentiation is everything in the sunscreen space. Block and Tackle has differentiated itself by its popularity in the fishing market and its environmentally friendly composition, packaging, and image. We strongly feel this acquisition lines up very well with our For the Earth branding image and should provide important revenue flows as we continue to emerge as a leading vertically integrated CBD producer and retailer. About For The Earth Corporation For The Earth Corporation is an emerging integrated CBD producer and retailer in the United States. The Company is in the process of establishing a vertical framework that will extend from cultivation to extraction and production to a strategic retail footprint that includes multiple locations in Las Vegas and New York featuring mall kiosks, vending machines, e-commerce, and full store locations serving both the human and pet CBD markets. Two mall leases have been signed recently in Las Vegas, with another vending machine location secured in New York City. The Company plans to expand its New York vending machine penetration by the end of 2019. In addition, the Company has begun early-stage work to establish a state-of-the-art CBD extraction and production facility in Eugene, OR. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties. See For The Earths filings with OTC Markets, which may identify specific factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflect management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include: general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions, sector changes and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services; changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, including codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Press & Media Inquiries: EHC Branding Agency Info@EHCBrandingAgency.com (626) MJ-BRAND Corporate Contact: For The Earth Corporation 20 East Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85012 USA Contact: Nelson Grist Telephone: 602 612-8300 Email: INFO@FTEGCORP.COM WEBSITE: WWW.FTEGCO.COM Westpac are seeking to take market share as interest-only loans approach their expiry by offering a $2,000 rebate to new customers refinancing with them. Westpac and its subsidiaries will offer the $2,000 rebate for anyone refinancing with a loan amount of over $250,000, according to the Australian Financial Review. The group is also offering a $1,000 purchase rebate for every property bought with a loan amount of over $250,000. A record $170 billion of IO loans are set to expire over the next two years. Around 45 percent of the Westpac loan book last year was made up of interest-only loans, followed by Commonwealth Bank, the nation's biggest lender, who had around 40 percent. According to a recent analysis by investment bank Morgan Stanley, IO lending is expected to fall from around 40 percent of the big four's total loan book at the height of the real estate boom in 2017 to around 20 percent by next year. This year around 25 percent of major lenders' IO loans, which equates to around $104 billion, is set to expire, the investment bank's analysis showed. Melbourne designer Bernadette Pimenta Couture has committed to a refurbished office space to be used as a showroom for her bridalwear selection. Bernadette Pimenta has been a fixture in the fashion industry for more than 27 years. The designer has moved into the prime section High Street Armadale and will use the space for their new design and fitting studio for its hand-crafted gowns. The move highlights the high demand for retail space in Armadale's tightly held, coveted High Street precinct. Fitzroys James Spencer leased the refurbished 187 sqm space at Level 1, 1062 High Street on a three-year deal with a three-year option at $50,000 per annum net. Spencer said the floor had been used in the past as an office, but the overwhelming demand from independent and international retailers for a prime location in one of Melbournes most prized shopping strips has seen this transformed into a boutique retail space. According to Fitzroys Walk the Strip, Armadale saw retail vacancies fall by 7.9% over 12 months to 4.1% during 2018, making it one of the best performers of Melbournes shopping strips. High Street Armadale is one of the strongest retail strips in Melbourne at the moment, supported by major retail brands. The sheer lack of retail space available in the strip underpinned the decision to turn the beautiful office space into a retail showroom experience for retailers, he said. We are consistently talking to reputable retailers who want to be on High Street, Armadale and the outlook for demand and the strip is bright. The shopping strips strong catchment and inner-city location has attracted high-end independent and international fashion retailers, with ACNE Studios, Carla Zampatti, Zimmermann and Scanlan Theodore all located in the prime section and within a few metres of Bernadette Pimentas new space, as well as the recently opened bespoke store of H&Ms upmarket sister label Cos. International model Erin McNaught and her DJ husband Example have snapped up a Queensland stunner, as they bid farewell to London to re-connect with family. The couple have secured a uber-modern home in her home town costing $2.8 million. It was on the market for just a day, having taken two years to build. It is in Brisbane's inner city Paddington, not far from Kenmore when McNaught went to school. Her parents, Andy and Lindy, live in neighbouring Milton and Example's parents live on the Gold Coast, and his sister in Sydney. McNaught has been settling in to life in Brisbane, and the move into the new home late last month. Since the new year she's visited the Koala's at Australia Zoo and she's been frequenting the Sanctuary Cove Country Club for some workouts. She says the weather's a bit different than in London. "Tried to cool off by lying on some tiles," she wrote to her 177,000 Instagram followers. "They were lukewarm which is still colder than scalding, which is what everything else in Australia seems to be right now." When flying home for Christmas, McNaught, accompanying a picture on a plane with her youngest son Ennio, captioned the photo "Home. (Note to self: NEVER LEAVE)" The Canberra-born model has been married to the London-born Example, whose real name is Elliot Gleave, for six years. The pair met in 2011 when Erin interviewed Example for MTV Australia, some five years after her crowning as Miss Universe Australia. They wed near Ballina, outside of Byron Bay in 2013 and honeymooned at Bora Bora. The move back was foreshadowed as long back as 2012 when McNaught told the Daily Telegraph they wanted to move to Australia in 'a year or two.' .8 million Paddington home" /> In 2014 Example tweeted of plans to move to Australia by 2018 at the latest. More recently McNaught confirmed the family, now with two young boys Evander and Ennio, would be back despite describing London as an amazing city. It was having children that McNaught realised it was time to come home as everything is so much more accessible. At one point she tried to book her boys into swimming lessons, but there was a four-month waiting list. The home, dubbed The Russet House due to its copper and russet toned finishes, was designed and built by the in demand pairing of Tim Stewart Architects and Graya Construction, who have penned their names to some of Queensland's most contemporary houses in recent times. The home was sold by Rob Gray, one of the brothers who make up Graya Constructions. Gray and wife Meghan paid $986,000 for the modest 1920s home before its complete two year rebuild. .8 million Paddington home" /> The Russet House spans four levels and has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, an underground four-car garage and a number of outdoor decks, including a rooftop viewing terrace, with views of the city. The loft-style mezzanine on the second level overlooks the open-plan kitchen. In the 445 sqm grounds is a swimming pool. The home was sold quietly by Ray White New Farm agents Matt Lancashire and Josh Brown. This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. The peripatetic stylist Sibella Court has sold her Vogue Living-featured Bellevue Hill apartment. As she seeks a sea change in Sydneys southern suburb of Bundeena, the designers redundant pad had been offered with $1.7 million hopes through Phillips Pantzer Donnelley. It was given a makeover after it was bought in 2016 for $1.65 million which had followed the sale of her Victorian-era shopfront home in Paddington for $1.34 million. The two-bedroom Blaxland Road, Bellevue Hill top-floor space was marketed as a creative fusion of beautiful natural materials and vintage treasures. One of only five in a revived Art Deco block, the house-like residence offered 168 square metres of indoor/outdoor living space. She had CWF Constructions remove a wall dividing the living area and its very little kitchen which then had Winchester Interiors fit out the new kitchens joinery, There was a handmade Moroccan tile splashback along with the Smeg appliances. It sold for an undisclosed pre-auction price, highlighting a trend that regularly sees more pre-auction sales than actual under the hammer Saturday auction success stories across Sydney this year. Court snapped up a Bundeena four-bedroom, two-bathroom home with ocean views for just over $2 million through Highland Real Estate. Court also spends a lot of time in Byron Bay, where partner Ben Harper is a director of McTavish Surfboards. Working at Bergdorf Goodman, Donna Karan, Anthropologie and Saks Fifth Avenue, Court spent about 15 years in New York as a homewares stylist before gaining prominence in the ABCs Restoration Australia series. These days Court travels both Australia and the world for inspiration as it fuels her product development and stock for her shop. It helped create her third book, Nomad: Bringing your travels home. Her clients have included the Bullo River Station, The Blue Room Bondi, MsGs and El Loco. This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. The Bellevue Hill mansion of fashion designer Camilla Freeman-Topper and husband David Topper, secretly sold off market, has settled at $16.5 million to Melbourne buyers Nick Leos and his wife Emma. It was sold on Christmas Eve with settlement just coming through registrations this week. The Toorak-based Leos heads Evolution Precast Systems, which produces architectural precast concrete walls, concentrating on high-quality bespoke projects. After more than 20 years experience within the precast industry in Victoria, the 48-year-old has recognised a growing demand for precast across NSW. The couples purchase secured a 1930s home with Mediterranean touches on Rupertswood Avenue, which last sold in 2013 for $6 million. Since then it has been renovated by Luigi Rosselli Architects with Freeman-Topper adding her flair to the interiors. Freeman-Topper went on a research trip to Milan during Salon de Mobile with her interior designer, Romaine Alwill of Alwill Interiors, Architectural Digest noted. Camilla and Marc recently opened its 11th boutique in Australia. However, given Camilla and Marcs expansionary US commitments, she is relocating to Los Angeles for a few months. They sold their home after accepting an offer they could not refuse, the pair said in a statement. The Topper-Freemans are looking forward to the next exciting chapter of their journey. The deal reportedly included the mansions furnishings right down to the cutlery. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom house sits on an 800 square metre cul-de-sac block. This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. Rod Leaver has been named the new CEO of Knight Frank. Leaver, the former CEO of Lendlease Australia and later CEO of Lendlease Asia, has been an independent real estate advisor since returning from his role in Asia in 2016. He has been advising groups on real estate strategy, portfolio governance and urban regeneration projects. While CEO, Leaver successfully formulated and executed a new strategy for Lendlease Asia, securing two major urban regeneration projects in Singapore and Malaysia totalling US$6 billion, and its first Senior Living development in China. Leaver said he is delighted to be joining Knight Frank. "The focus on delivering outstanding client service by providing the best professional advice together with developing outstanding talent accords very much with my own approach to business," Leaver said. "As a partnership, Knight Frank encourages a sense of entrepreneurship amongst its people while also taking a long-term perspective. "I am very much looking forward to starting in May. Leaver was named CEO of Lendlease Australia in 2010 and took the top job at Lendlease Asia a year later. He had previously been Lendlease's global head of investment management. Leaver will replace outgoing chief executive Stephen Ellis who will retire from the firm in June 2019. Knight Frank chairman and senior partner Alistair Elliott thanked Ellis for his contribution to the partnership over the past nine years. "His energy and enthusiasm have been central to the success of the Australian business and we wish him well in his retirement. "I would also like to welcome Rod, whose credentials are absolutely aligned with our desire to substantially grow the Australian business over the next few years. Its for the kids. Id do anything for the kids., Aberdeen Heights Assisted Living resident Ron M. For Aberdeen Heights Assisted Living resident Ron M., crochet took a little time to pick up. Not quite getting the hang of it right away, he took instructions, yarn and a needle back to his apartment. Practicing his loops, knots and chains technique at meals, while waiting for the community bus or as he relaxed in common areas, he learned the craft. These days, he seldom needs help working the yarn into a blanket edge. He asked about learning to crochet when he knew what it was for, said Aberdeen Heights Assisted Living Lifestyles Director, Amber Lowrey. A few of us showed him. He was determined and learned it mostly on his own. It warms my heart when residents come in weekly with a desire to do something for someone else. Especially someone like Ron, who has never crocheted before. He stepped out of his comfort zone for something he cares about. Aberdeen Heights Assisted Living residents are crocheting the edges on small comfort blankets with a local charity, Joy in the Cause (Tulsa, Oklahoma). The blankets are packed into backpacks with books, a plush toy (which calms children in frightening situations), colored pencils, a special T-shirt, toiletries, sandals and a flashlight that doesnt require batteries. The supplies are given to local police, fire and care flight crews which are given to a child in a crisis. These days, Ron sits with his friends when they come together to finish projects. Occasionally, he gets teased by other residents about sitting with the ladies. Its for the kids, Ron says. Id do anything for the kids. Even if it means being the only man in the group. The volunteers say their crocheting is rewarding and they plan to keep up the good work. About Sagora Senior Living Sagora Senior Living, based in Fort Worth, Texas, currently operates 39 retirement communities in five states, each with a unique focus on retirement lifestyle choices including independent living, assisted living, respite and memory care. The companys mission is to serve and celebrate the wisdom of their residents and family members by enriching their lives with a Resident First philosophy developed locally within each community. For more information about Sagora Senior Living, visit http://www.Sagora.com. Adair Technology Management announced today that it has achieved Elite status by leading MSP Business Development Group, The 20. This distinction acknowledges the highest-achieving managed service providers nationwide and is a testament to Adair Technology Managements growth and success. "Adair Technology Management is proud to be a member of The 20 and to achieve Elite status," said Mark Adair CEO of Adair Technology Management. "The 20 is the most renowned MSP business development group in the industry. Attaining elite status among the top 20% of MSPs is an exciting accomplishment." The 20 is a results-oriented business development group for the IT Industry focused on ultimate scalability and aggressive growth for Managed Service Providers. Based on the 80/20 rule, which states that 20 percent of companies in any given industry dominate that industry, The 20 provides a proven multi-million dollar sales model, collective expertise, a standardized singular model for maximum efficiency, and unified resources to propel MSPs into the top 20% of the IT industry. We are pleased to honor Adair Technology Management as an Elite member of The 20, said Tim Conkle, CEO of The 20. Only top-performing MSPs are selected for the Elite program and we look forward to continuing to help Adair Technology Management thrive with The 20s proven model. The 20's singular platform and infrastructure allows all MSPs to maintain their individuality while being able to effectively support clients throughout North America. MSPs with a small on-site team can now provide services that were once offered only by larger MSPs without the same risks and investments. To learn more about The 20 and membership requirements visit http://www.the20.com. For more information about Adair Technology Management, visit https://adairtechnology.com. About Adair Technology Management Adair Technology Management (http://www.adairtechnology.com) provides Managed IT Services, Business Continuity, VoIP, Network Security, and Cloud Services to companies in northeast Oklahoma. About The 20 The 20 (http://www.the20.com) is an exclusive business development group for Managed Service Providers (MSP) aimed at dominating and revolutionizing the IT industry with its standardized all-in-one approach. The 20's robust RMM, PSA, and documentation platform ensures superior service for its MSPs' clients utilizing their completely US-based Help Desk and Network Operations Center. Extending beyond proven tools and processes, The 20 touts a guaranteed sales model, a community of industry-leaders, and ultimate scalability. The addition of their med-mal expertise compliments our practice in the west and the Midwest. We are excited to welcome Phalanx to Alera Group. Alera Group, a leading national insurance firm, today announced its acquisition of Phalanx Healthcare Solutions, LLC (Phalanx), effective March 1, 2019. Located in New York City, Phalanx is a leading insurance and reinsurance broker of medical malpractice insurance for healthcare facilities, large physician groups, and individual physicians predominately in New York and New Jersey. With over 10 years of experience in one of the most prominent med-mal markets in the United States, the firm focuses on finding solutions for their clients, including insurance and reinsurance structures, captives, self-insurance plans, insured trusts, and risk retention programs. The comprehensive experience of the Phalanx team creates distinctive expertise in highly specialized, complex formations and deal structures, making their team a trusted authority in the market and reliable partners for healthcare clients throughout the region. We are excited to welcome Phalanx to Alera Group. The addition of their med-mal expertise, particularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, compliments our practice in the west and the Midwest, said Alan Levitz, CEO of Alera Group. The Phalanx team combines professionalism, collaboration and industry experience to create exceptional outcomes for their clients. This approach is aligned with Alera Groups goal to create exceptional client experiences throughout the region and across the nation. As part of Alera Group, our team will be able to expand our dynamic and highly analytical approach through a network of national resources and partners to meet the complex and evolving needs of our clients, said Paul Curtis, Managing Partner of Phalanx. We are excited to be an Alera Group company and look forward to our future collaboration. All Phalanx employees will continue operating out of the firms existing location under the name Phalanx Healthcare Solutions, an Alera Group Agency, LLC. Alera Group was formed in early 2017 and is one of the nations foremost independent insurance agencies. For more information on partnering with Alera Group, visit Partner With Us at http://www.aleragroup.com. About Alera Group Based in Deerfield, IL, Alera Groups over 1,500 employees serve thousands of clients nationally in employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management. Alera Group is the 15th largest privately held firm in the country. For more information, visit http://www.aleragroup.com or follow Alera Group on Twitter: @AleraGroupUS. M&A Contact Rob Lieblein, Chief Development Officer Email: rob(dot)lieblein(at)aleragroup(dot)com Phone: 717-329-2451 With only ash left of his home and some of his closest loved ones missing or hurt, one Norwegian man must find out what happened in Steinar Kruses new novel Ashes to Strength: Criminals Never Forget (published by AuthorHouse UK). Kruse is embarking on a new marketing campaign to expand the books reach. The day Nils Henrik Elefsrud finds out his cabin exploded and burnt down, severely injuring his 9-year-old daughter TJ, leaving no trace of his wife and son is the day his life changes forever. While sitting with his daughter in the hospital, Nils wonders if traveling to America to fulfill his childhood dream was worth it. Reflecting on what led him to this point in his life, leads Nils to question if a strange conversation overheard in New York could be connected to the tragedy. Determined to investigate, Nils just might meet his end before discovering the answers he seeks. Fascinated of the stories from the gold rushes and Yukon, Kruse traveled there to experience it, which in turn inspired him to craft a chilling story intended to entertain crime and adventure book lovers. The book is available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Strength-Criminals-Never-Forget/dp/1546294996. In addition to being in physical and ebook format, the book will soon be accessible as an audio book. Ashes to Strength By Steinar Kruse Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 408 pages | ISBN 9781546295006 Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 408 pages | ISBN 9781546294993 E-Book | 408 pages | ISBN 9781546294986 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Steinar Kruse was born in Norway on August 13, 1951. He later moved to the U.S. and Canada. The author obtained Canadian citizenship in late 1980. Kruse has spent most of his life on the ocean, but he also spent three years in the Norwegian Army. Kruse is married to Olga. NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via CannabisNewsWire Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB:WLDFF) (CSE:SUN) today announces its placement in an editorial published by CannabisNewsWire ("CNW"), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company for private and public entities in the cannabis industry. To view the full publication, titled, CBD Going Mainstream amid Flood of New Products, Celebrity Endorsements, and Emerging Consensus about Benefits, please visit: http://cnw.fm/FpDf2 Wildflower Wellness has even partnered with Bridges General to take that companys reimagined convenience store concept to the next level. The partnership fuses together the popularity of the Bridges General design-centric retail space that delivers convenience for the on-the-go urban professional with an engaging opportunity to experience and learn about the benefits of CBD. The partnership is already serving some of the most innovative minds in tech at its Lower Manhattan store, as well as its Madison Avenue Bridges General store. The company has also engaged Retail Worx to establish shop-in-shop retail availability at more than 20 locations in the heart of New York Citys booming cannabis market. About Wildflower Brands Wildflower Brands is a company headquartered in Vancouver building reputable brands and quality products that incorporate the synergistic effects of plants and their extracts. For more information, visit the companys website at www.WildflowerBrands.co About CannabisNewsWire (CNW) CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is a specialized information service that (1) aggregates cannabis news, (2) provides CannabisNewsBreaks that quickly updates investors in the space, (3) enhances corporate press releases, (4) helps companies with distribution and optimization of social media, and (5) delivers comprehensive corporate communication solutions. CNW is uniquely positioned in the cannabis market with a strong team of journalists and writers who can help private and public companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public through our ever-growing dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. CNW is bringing unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the cannabis industry. For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Corporate Communications: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) Denver, Colorado www.CannabisNewsWire.com 303.498.7722 Office Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com As we move forward we will continue to focus on keeping small businesses more competitive by lifting the financial management and working capital burden with technology, Todd Ehrlich, BAMFi CEO and founder. BAMFi, a leader in the financial technology space, announced today that the company has funded more than $1 billion in transactions for small businesses across the U.S. Backed by Wells Fargo, who recently increased the companys senior credit line to $90M, BAMFi continues to push the small business fintech frontier. BAMFis fintech and cash flow platform provides customers with access to technology and capital to streamline back-office operations and scale faster. BAMFi processes thousands of transactions per day through its proprietary software, giving clients the tools needed to compete with the larger companies in transportation, oil and gas, construction, and staffing. By applying world-class financial technology to the traditional funds transfer and advanced payment process, BAMFi clients see improved days to pay which frees up working capital to re-invest in growth for themselves. This improved financial and credit base enables small businesses to build stronger vendor relationships while increasing cash flow. BAMFis software has provided our clients with an exponential increase in overall business financial performance by enabling them to outsource the majority of their back office needs, said Todd Ehrlich, BAMFi CEO and founder. As we move forward we will continue to focus on keeping small businesses more competitive by lifting the financial management and working capital burden with technology. BAMFis mission is to remove barriers to entry and enable growth for small and midsize businesses. Its propriety fintech and transportation management software have been key to spearheading change in the typically less sophisticated markets where BAMFi enables small business growth. To learn more about BAMFi and its most recent news, visit http://www.bamfi.com. About BAMFi BAMFi is a leading provider of cash management and working capital solutions for transportation, construction, oil and gas and temporary staffing service providers, committed to helping clients increase their financial performance through operational efficiency. BAMFis proprietary payment processing and cash management engine, BAMwire, allows businesses access to capital more quickly, reducing days to pay, improving credit scores and building stronger vendor relationships while increasing cash flow. Unlike traditional bank lending or factoring arrangements, BAMFi uses proprietary technology to improve access to capital across industries and service providers. Learn more at https://www.bamfi.com. Jim Saxon, President and COO, and Tom Hosack, President and CEO, represent Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty at the 2019 Berkshire Hathaway HomeService convention. To be ranked #7 in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network which boosts over 300 other companies with nearly 1,400 offices is an incredible feat, states Tom Hosack, President and CEO. Southwestern Pennsylvanias leading real estate company, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty, was honored this month at the 2019 National Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Convention in Las Vegas, NV. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty was named #7 in transaction sides and the #11 company in the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. To be ranked #7 in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network which boosts over 300 other companies with nearly 1,400 offices is an incredible feat, states Tom Hosack, President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty. It is a true testament to the hard work and dedication put in by our sales associates and staff. This provides even more motivation to continue to grow our business in 2019. In addition to the companys recognition, top local sales professionals also received awards. Chuck Swidzinski from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realtys Butler Regional office was ranked #51 in sales units, Scott Ludwick from the Greensburg Regional office ranked #59 in units, Michael Reed and John Shutey III from the West Regional office were named #63 in units, Rich Dallas and Sharon Fincham from the Peters Township Regional office ranked #79 in units and The Barbara Baker Team from the Mt. Lebanon Regional office ranked #93 in units out of over 48,000 sales associates nationwide. With over 48,000 agents in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network, it is an incredible honor to have five of our agents/teams in the top 100, says Jim Saxon, President and COO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty. These individuals are hardworking, dedicated and strive to provide the best service to their clients. They are at the top of their game and well deserving of this national recognition. In conjunction with the national convention, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty held a local awards ceremony to honor its award-winning agents. Best Chicago SEO Agencies Recently, 10 Best SEO announced this month's winners of the Best SEO Agency Award for companies in the Chicago area, recognizing Straight North as the top winner. Each month, 10 Best SEO recognizes firms that do outstanding work in the search engine optimization field. These top-performing SEO companies are experts in researching the marketplaces in which their clients compete. The companies are able to develop keywords and phrases that will allow their clients to achieve a high ranking when online searches are performed. One top Chicago SEO business recognized by 10 Best is Straight North. This company has been doing business since 1997. In addition to its work in the SEO field, Straight North also helps clients with website development, email marketing and pay-per-click campaigns. Straight North provides a free SEO audit for each client. The company has a team of professionals who work to create the content and build the links that are required to allow the client's website to be found easily when online searches are performed. At Straight North, the goal is to increase the visibility, sales and return on investment for each client. Leading SEO agency SEO Valley is another firm recognized for their outstanding work by 10 Best. This firm has been doing business for more than 15 years. SEO Valley employs a team of over 115 professionals, and it has clients from more than 50 countries. SEO Valley helps clients in a number of industries, and it provides services to non-profit groups as well. The team at SEO Valley recognizes that the client needs their SEO services in order to attract more customers. SEO Valley works to bring more customers to the client in order to increase the client's sales. The team strives to bring each client's website onto the first page when online searches are performed by potential customers. Finally, top SEO firm Zadro Web has received recognition from 10 Best. Zadro Web is a digital marketing agency founded in 2007. Zadro Web's team of SEO experts wants to increase website traffic for each client. The professionals at Zadro Web have the know-how to produce the keywords and phrases that will allow the client's website to be noticed so that the client can see an increase in sales. For more information about this months winning firms, visit http://www.10bestseo.com. Best Dallas Web Design Firms 10 Best Design recently announced the winners of its Best Dallas Web Design Awards for March 2019, giving Thrive Internet Marketing Agency the top honor. 10 Best Design is a reputable and trusted organization on the Internet. The 10 Best Design team puts a lot of effort into analyzing all of the finest digital marketing companies that exist at the moment. If an individual is trying to explore all of the greatest options in businesses that concentrate on website design work, then the 10 Best Design team can help him do so with confidence. 10 Best Design meticulously evaluates all of the most acclaimed website design agencies monthly. It determines which website design agencies are the most deserving of meaningful acknowledgement as well. The organization's new awards can come in handy for people who want to make well-rounded and logical website design firm choices no matter what. People who want to unveil Dallas' greatest web development businesses can do so with the detailed assistance of the 10 Best Design crew. In March, Thrive Internet Marketing Agency was recognized as one of the top Dallas web development agencies by 10 Best Design. It is a digital marketing powerhouse that has been in existence since around 2005. It previously was called MLB Web Design. The business has collaborated with clients that hail from all different corners of the globe. Some of these are the United States, Hong Kong and Germany. Magic Logix is a top web design firm that earned 10 Best Design's second-place slot. This is a renowned website design staple in Dallas. The professionals who represent Magic Logix regularly assist clients with thorough design work. They frequently assist them with development practices as well. Top web design firm Runner is the third web design firm that's on 10 Best Design's radar right now. Runner is a trustworthy digital marketing company that caters to businesses that are trying to get off the ground. The professionals at Runner have a lot of proficiency that relates to fields like B2B (short for "Business 2 Business") marketing, medical care marketing and spine marketing. Companies that concentrate on the orthopedic universe frequently team up with the Runner staff. Identity branding is yet another significant aspect of the Runner marketing approach. The professionals at Runner comprehend all the components that are part of interacting with consumers. For more details about the winners for this month, visit http://www.10bestdesign.com. Blubrry Podcasting This partnership with Audioburst is exciting for our Blubrry customers said Todd Cochrane, Blubrry CEO. The audio bursts, automated transcripts and indexing of audio content will allow Blubrry customers to reach new listeners and engage with a wider audience. Blubrry Podcasting and Audioburst today announced an evolutionary partnership that will allow Blubrry hosting customers to have access to Audioburst's suite of tools and the Audioburst library of searchable voice "bursts." This library uses technology to listen, understand, segment and index the content to be searched and generate new cross-platform distribution. "Our mission is to empower podcasters and radio professionals with a robust solution for monetization, distribution, and discovery," said Amir Hirsh, co-founder, and CEO of Audioburst. "The integration of our Audioburst Creators platform gives Blubrry's thousands of creative community members the unmatched tools to transcribe, increase exposure and earn money." Blubrry hosting customers will be able to obtain full episode transcripts, create short clips called bursts of their audio or video content and then share those bursts on social media platforms. This extends the life of their content using modern AI programming to highlight specific segments of that can further earn Blubrry creators revenue and listenership. This partnership with Audioburst is exciting for our Blubrry customers as Ive been a big fan of their technology for some time, said Todd Cochrane, Blubrry CEO. The audio bursts, automated transcripts and indexing of audio content will allow Blubrry customers to reach new listeners and engage with a wider audience. Blubrry hosting customers can sign up for Audioburst free within their podcast dashboard and have their personalized content created within minutes. Bursts, transcriptions and new content can be found on any one of Audiobursts distributions platforms where users specify topics and categories for results. About Blubrry: Blubrry Podcasting provides professional tools and services for the podcast industry, including the largest podcast directory with over 700,000 shows. Founded in 2005, it gives creators the ability to distribute via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more. Blubrry provides monetization opportunities and IAB certified-compliant podcast statistics, plus managed web hosting using its WordPress plugin provides a turnkey solution. About Audioburst: Audioburst is a voice-search technology suite that makes talk content discoverable in a personalized, original-voice, real-time and screen-free venue via dynamic "bursts." It uses AI, NLP and NLU to listen, segment, index, deliver and learn from millions of minutes of daily talk content. This translates into powerful metadata and personalization capabilities for the brands we partner with and an enhanced user experience for their users. Audioburst is partnering with the worlds biggest tech, media and automotive brands including Samsung, LG, Bytedance, Nippon Broadcasting Inc. and now Blubrry. Bringspring Meehealths strong support of hospitals across China combined with Ambient Clinicals products, which are based on Mayo Clinic technologies, make a strong combination to improve healthcare through the use of the advanced clinical capabilities of CERTAIN. Bringspring Meehealth and Ambient Clinical Analytics announced today the launch of CERTAIN, an advanced clinical decision support system with evidence-based diagnostic checklists. CERTAIN (Checklist for Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Illness and Injury), now available for use in hospitals across China, was developed using technology licensed from Mayo Clinic in collaboration with Ambient Clinical Analytics. CERTAIN technology was tested in 30 countries through a Mayo Clinic research project over the past 5 years. Bringspring Meehealth team worked with Ambient Clinical team to enhance the product, and adapted it to the Chinese medical systems requirements. This is the first of the new products for China and the world markets from the collaboration agreement signed between Bringspring Meehealth and Ambient Clinical in 2017. CERTAIN not only assists clinicians in acute and critical care, but also provides a platform for them to share their knowledge and experience, build a medical knowledge graph together and develop professional expertise, which will improve healthcare and eventually benefit more people. That is exactly the mission of Meehealth and also the reason we brought CERTAIN to China., Dr. Jiwu Zhang, CEO of Meehealth. We are excited to work with Bringspring Meehealth to launch CERTAIN for China and other global health IT markets," said Al Berning, CEO of Ambient Clinical Analytics. Bringspring Meehealths strong support of hospitals across China combined with Ambient Clinicals products, which are based on Mayo Clinic technologies, make a strong combination to improve healthcare through the use of the advanced clinical capabilities of CERTAIN. CERTAIN, a Mayo Clinic physician-researcher led global research and quality improvement project, was designed and developed to standardize the approach to evaluate and treat acutely ill patients. The CERTAIN implementation aim was to minimize preventable death, disability and expensive complications in their sickest patients, in diverse acute care environments around the world. The design and content were informed by the survey of clinicians from diverse international settings. CERTAIN has the ability to guide, time and document real-time interventions. Using CERTAIN has shown improved mortality rates, reduced ICU length of stay and expenditures. According to Ognjen Gajic, M.D., Mayo Clinic investigator and member of the CERTAIN development team, The first hours a patient enters the healthcare system are crucial errors and delays can result in poor outcomes in these golden hours. CERTAIN provides evidence-based diagnostic checklists, guided practice support, and educational modules for performing critical procedures, while timing and documenting real-time interventions to assist in these initial hours. The care assisted by prompting with the checklist and guided practice tool (CERTAIN) will improve the processes and outcome of critically ill patients. We are excited to see CERTAIN commercially launched in China," said Rahul Kashyap, M.B.B.S., a member of the CERTAIN development team at the Mayo Clinic. Bringspring Meehealth, recognized as one of China's leading hi-tech companies specialized in medical and healthcare services, is known for its global vision and focused on the research and development of intelligent medical software products. It leads the market of clinical information application in operating room, ICU and emergency department, and serves customers across the well-known 3A hospitals in China. With strong technical capabilities in data processing, data modeling, system architecture design, etc., the company has entered the field of healthcare big data, AI, and other innovative research applications. By collaboration with the research center in Boston, USA and world-class scientific research talents, the company has made remarkable achievements in the intelligent healthcare field, effectively improving the efficiency and quality of medical services, and benefiting more people's health. Ambient Clinical Analytics was founded by a Mayo Clinic academic clinical team and seasoned technology entrepreneurs. The company has licensed Mayo Clinic technologies which include over 1,000 rules and algorithms to give critical care providers real-time access to vital process-of-care information and analytics at the point-of-care, as well as from a central Clinical Control Tower. Using those technologies, Ambient Clinical commercialized the AWARE - CERTAIN platform and has worked with Bringspring Meehealth to develop CERTAIN product being launched today. The CERTAIN product provides critical clinical resuscitation information in the first Golden Hours of critical care. Bedside based alerts for conditions like Sepsis allow physicians and medical personnel to spend more time with patients rather than reviewing data. Ambient Clinicals products are designed to support a hospitals Lean Quality and Six Sigma initiatives. Ambient Clinical has achieved FDA Class II Clearance for the AWARE and Sepsis DART software platform. Mayo Clinic, Ognjen Gajic, M.D and Rahul Kashyap, M.B.B.S. have a financial interest in the technology referenced in this news release. The revenue that Mayo Clinic receives is used to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education and research. About Bringspring Meehealth Bringspring (300290) is a technology listed company established in 2005. Driven by ongoing innovative, the company is focused on health data and intelligent cloud services areas, and provides excellent products and services applying cloud computing, big data, IoT, AI and other cutting-edge technologies. With more than ten years efforts, Bringspring is committed to building a better intelligent and healthier world, and has grown into a company with considerable investment value and development potential. In 2017, company jointly launched the China health big data Limited company, led by National Health and Family Planning Commission, to build healthcare big data ecosystem. Meehealth is a leading healthcare IT company that supports hospitals across China. The company has professional technical and management teams from world-renowned healthcare IT companies. Based on a thorough understanding of the industry and the prospective studies, Meehealth provides Emergency Clinical Information System (ECIS), Intensive Care Clinical Information System (ICIS), Anesthesia Clinical Information Management system (AIMS), Hospital Unified Information Solution (HUIS), Mobile Ward Rounds System, and other medical industry IT system products. Furthermore, combined with cloud computing, big data, IoT, AI and other new generation of information technologies, Meehealth also provides the acute and critical care cloud platform, regional emergency collaboration cloud platform, and other healthcare information total solutions. In 2016, Bringspring wholly owned Meehealth, which has strengthened the company's leading edge in the field of clinical application subdivision. Bringspring integrates high-quality resources, and actively explores the medical AI and big data application platform, build healthcare big data ecosystem, and promote more new service models of intelligent health. http://www.meehealth.com/en/ About Ambient Clinical Analytics Ambient Clinical Analytics sells powerful real-time bedside healthcare data assimilation, communication, and analytics based clinical decision support tools that support the general hospital floor, Emergency Department, ICU and other critical care areas. At Ambient Clinical Analytics, we understand the power of data to save lives and our analytics based, real- time, point-of-care solutions like Sepsis DART rely on real-time data to improve Sepsis detection and the monitoring of Sepsis treatment. Our business model is supported by software license fees, SaaS, Cloud and system integration support. Ambient Clinical Analytics has an MD and executive team with strong track records in medicine, clinical research and informatics, medical products and IT. Ambient Clinicals investors include Social Capital, Mayo Clinic, Waterline Ventures, Bluestem Capital, Noaber Ventures, Rock Health and Rochester Area Economic Development Inc., Additional information about Ambient Clinical Analytics and AWARE indications for use can be found by visiting: https://www.ambientclinical.com. The impact of Mr. Cardones generosity will be felt for quite some time to come. Business expert and social media influencer Grant Cardone is known for being generous, and on Tuesday he just gave $113,000 to Boy Scouts of America. It is one of the largest donations in the history of the Cape Fear Council in Wilmington, North Carolina, one of the leading Boy Scout councils in the Southern region of the United States. The entire Cape Fear Council Scouting community wishes to extend our sincerest appreciation to Mr. Grant Cardone for his incredibly kind and generous financial gift. Mr. Cardones beneficence will be invested to further the time-tested programs of the Boy Scouts of America which have been fostering leadership, character development and a duty to God and country in our young people for over a century. The Cape Fear Council serves an eight-county area in southeastern North Carolina and the impact of Mr. Cardones generosity will be felt for quite some time to come. Jonathan P. Widmark, Scout Executive and CEO While Cardone hasnt discussed many of his donations publicly, the Boy Scouts fit within his broad style of philanthropy. The donation came about from a live-stream video on January 2nd over social media where Cardone promised to give the first caller half of the days entire sales proceeds from his online store to the callers charity of choice. The other half would be donated to the Cardone Foundation, which is Grants not-for-profit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes, including providing mentoring and financial literacy education to underserved and at-risk populations. My dad died when I was ten years old and it left a massive void in my life, said Cardone. I want to give kids a chance to grow and develop in ways that I never had the opportunity to. Cardone also donated $465,000 to the Cardone Foundation on February 3rd with portions of sales from his Cardone University during the 10X Growth Conference 3, the largest entrepreneur conference in the world. To learn more about the Cardone Foundation, visit https://cardonefoundation.com/ About Grant Cardone Grant Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author, the #1 sales trainer in the world, and an internationally renowned speaker on leadership, real estate investing, entrepreneurship, social media, and finance. His 5 privately held companies have annual revenues exceeding $100 million. Forbes recently named Mr. Cardone #1 of the "25 Marketing Influencers to Watch". Grants straight-shooting viewpoints on the economy, the middle class, and business have made him a valuable resource for media seeking commentary and insights on real topics that matter. He regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, and MSNBC, and writes for Forbes, Success Magazine, Business Insider, CNBC, and Entrepreneur. He urges his followers and clients to make success their duty, responsibility, and obligation. He currently resides in South Florida with his wife and two daughters. Cloud migrations are complex for large companies, requiring new skills, expertise and modern architectures. Together, Cazena and Clairvoyant address these challenges, empowering enterprises to drive faster business results and maximize their investments in big data and analytics in the cloud. Clairvoyant and Cazena, today announced a partnership and new solution for enterprises migrating big data and analytics to the cloud. The Cloud Migration Accelerator will speed up projects and help ensure successful outcomes as enterprises implement hybrid data architectures or move existing workloads to cloud providers AWS and Microsoft Azure. The partnership marks an innovative collaboration between data and decision engineering company Clairvoyant, and Cazena, the leader in Big Data as a Service. The companies made the joint announcement today in San Francisco, where they are together for the Cloudera Partner Kickoff and Strata Data Conference happening this week. "Clairvoyant has a long, successful history with delivering data platforms and analytics solutions to enterprises. Cazenas technology is proven to help enterprises migrate and modernize in the age of the cloud. Clairvoyants expertise in data engineering, machine learning and analytics, and application support models will be paired with Cazenas technology to deliver robust solutions for our customers in an accelerated fashion, said Shekhar Vemuri, Co-Founder and CTO, Clairvoyant. The new Cloud Migration Accelerator includes services from Clairvoyant, and leverages Cazenas Fully-Managed SaaS for Cloudera. The result is the fastest, most efficient and low risk solution for enterprises to migrate to Cloudera on AWS or Microsoft Azure, as well as on-premise. This provides enterprises with a solution thats fully-managed and delivered in four weeks or less. With Cazena and Clairvoyant, enterprises can reduce overall project costs, improve time to market by 50%+, and do not need to hire any additional staff for deployment or operations. Former Hortonworks customers can also accelerate their path to the new unified Cloudera Data Platform. The Cloud Migration Accelerator includes: An assessment to discover and recommend the most appropriate architecture and migration process. A private, single-tenant Cloudera stack, delivered as SaaS on AWS or Microsoft Azure, with 24x7 support and all production operations (upgrades, backup, etc). Enterprise security, compliance, monitoring and resolution. Data migration services and tools for efficient workload migrations. Support for any analytics, and access to the Cazena AppCloud for new capabilities. 24x7 Application support and system tuning capabilities, to ensure reliability and performance. "We are excited to team up with Clairvoyant to offer a seamless migration experience for enterprises. Cloud migrations are complex for large companies, requiring new skills, expertise and modern architectures. Together, Cazena and Clairvoyant address these challenges, empowering enterprises to drive faster business results and maximize their investments in big data and analytics in the cloud," said Prat Moghe, Founder & CEO, Cazena. Learn more about the Cloud Migration Accelerator here or contact either company for more information. About Clairvoyant Clairvoyant is a data and decision engineering company that helps organizations navigate, realize, and maximize the value of big data. The company provides managed services, big data and analytics consulting, for the Hadoop ecosystem to some of the worlds largest brands. Clairvoyant clients rely on its deep vertical knowledge and best-in-class services to build products and platforms using data, analytics and the cloud. Founded in 2012, Clairvoyant is headquartered in Phoenix with offices in the U.S, India, and Canada. For more information, visit http://www.clairvoyantsoft.com. About Cazena Cazena is the Only Fully-Managed Big Data as a Service, with private SaaS solutions for enterprises that are deployed on-demand, radically reduce costs and require zero admin time. Enterprises around the globe rely on Cazena for production-ready data lakes, analytics, data science, machine learning, data engineering, data warehousing and hybrid cloud expansions. Solutions combine Cloudera, Microsoft Azure, AWS and other best-of-breed software along with cloud automation, storage, analytics engines, enterprise security, 24x7 monitoring, hybrid capabilities, built-in DevOps and more. Cazena was founded by the industry veterans behind the popular Netezza data appliance. Learn more at https://www.cazena.com. OTJ Architects is pleased to announce that noted Washington, D.C. metropolitan area interior designer Christine (Christy) Garrity, IIDA, LEED AP, has joined the practice as Partner and Senior Director. Prior to this role, Ms. Garrity served as Associate Principal and Vice President for architecture and planning firm Davis Carter Scott (DCS) where she led the groups commercial interiors division. Ms. Garrity is recognized for her ability to leverage strategic planning, branding, and workplace standards in the development of design solutions that unify and consistently represent her clients distinct corporate identity even across multiple national locations. Ms. Garrity began her interior design career at OTJ over twenty years ago, at a time when its staff numbered less than a dozen individuals. Her return underscores the industry wide recognition of the firm as an established design leader and strategic business partner to many of the regions most notable public and private organizations. Managing Partner Lance Jaccard, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP, remarked: We are thrilled to welcome Christy back to the diversified and far-reaching practice we have become. Christys addition to our leadership team will measurably advance our recent efforts to expand upon the quality and geographic reach of our service offerings. Ms. Garritys project experience includes the Arlington, VA, and Austin, TX, offices of Cvent, totaling over 100,000 SF, the 300,000 SF renovation of Finnegans Washington, D.C., offices, the 180,000 SF Baltimore, MD, headquarters of Venable LLP, as well as workplaces for leading professional services firm CohnReznick, LLP, in cities such as Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, Charlotte, NC, Los Angeles, CA, and Sacramento, CA, to name a few. Ms. Garrity is a graduate of Virginia Tech where she received a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. About OTJ Architects: OTJ Architects is a premier interior architecture and design firm that creates award-winning projects nationwide from its offices in Washington, D.C. and New York, N.Y. For nearly 30 years, OTJ has partnered with leaders in the commercial real estate, corporate, government, and non-profit sectors to help organizations meet their human, operational, and business objectives through the power of the built environment. Signature recent projects include workplaces for Adobe, BMW, and United Way as well as Innovation Centers for Booz Allen and Capital One. For more information, please visit http://www.otj.com. Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution Specifically, we seek to finance development of assisted living homes for disabled individuals and additional educational facilities and post-secondary vocational training programs in persistent poverty counties. We aim to help improve these communities by investing in the people who live in them. Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution (Clearinghouse CDFI) announced today that it received two awards totaling $1.25 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). Both awards will be used to further Clearinghouse CDFIs community and economic development mission. The first awardan $850,000 Financial Assistance (FA) awardwill be used to finance educational and vocational projects in underserved areas. Clearinghouse CDFI will also leverage the FA award funds fivefold to produce roughly $10 million in lending. The second awarda $400,000 Disability Opportunity Fund (DF) awardwill be used to finance single-family group homes and multi-family assisted living projects for disabled individuals. The FA and DF awards were both received through the fiscal year (FY) 2018 round of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program). We are grateful to the CDFI Fund for these awards which will allow us to increase educational and vocational opportunities in underserved communities, and better serve the needs of disabled individuals, said Douglas J. Bystry, President/CEO of Clearinghouse CDFI. We will leverage the FA award dollars more than fivefold to maximize dollar-for-dollar impact. The Disability Funds-Financial Assistance (DF-FA) awards allow CDFIs to sustain and expand their financial products and services. CDFIs that qualify for the awards program must match the award with funds from a non-federal source. This helps build capital to attract further investment. The combined amounts are then to be used for lending capital, loan loss reserves, capital reserves, financial services, and development services to achieve specific objectives. DF-FA award objectives must include at least one of the following: increase volume of current products or services provide new products or services expand operations into a new investment area service new targeted populations Specifically, we seek to finance development of assisted living homes for disabled individuals and additional educational facilities and post-secondary vocational training programs in persistent poverty counties. We aim to help improve these communities by investing in the people who live in them, said Bystry. Clearinghouse CDFI has funded $1.73 billion in total loans for over 1,860 community projects over the past 22 years. These projects have created or retained more than 20,000 jobs and benefit over 1.8 million individuals. This includes the rehabilitation of more than 18 million square feet of blighted properties. These projects have benefited over 662 separate underserved communities throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Indian Country. About Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution: Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution (Clearinghouse CDFI) is a mission-based financial institution addressing unmet credit needs in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Indian Country in the Western United States. For over 22 years, Clearinghouse CDFI has helped bridge the gap between conventional lending standards and the needs of low-income and distressed communities. Clearinghouse CDFI is also a B Corp - a certification received from the nonprofit B Lab. B Corps are companies who meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, and use business as a force for good. More information is available at: http://www.ccdfi.com. About the CDFI Fund: Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has awarded more than $2.5 billion to CDFIs, community development organizations, and financial institutions through the Community Development Financial Institutions Program, the Native American CDFI Assistance Program, and the Bank Enterprise Award Program. In addition, the CDFI Fund has allocated $50.5 billion in tax credit allocation authority to Community Development Entities through the New Markets Tax Credit Program, closed guaranteed bonds in the amount of $1.1 billion through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, and awarded more than $171 million through the Capital Magnet Fund. To learn more about the CDFI Fund and its programs, please visit the CDFI Fund's website at http://www.cdfifund.gov. Portland, OR, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global Specialty Pulp and Paper Chemical Market accounted for $16.48 billion in 2017 and is projected to reach $22.82 billion, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2017 to 2023. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global specialty pulp and paper chemical market, covering aspects such as current market size and share, market classification, market drivers, restraints and opportunities, and competitive landscape. The information in the report is a result of an extensive primary and secondary research. Growth Drivers and Industry Trends This report is a complete study of the industry growth drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the market. These factors help identify the various trends which are expected to influence the market growth during the forecast period. Factors such as increasing use of functional chemicals to enhance paper performance, growing use of specialty papers such as tissue papers, diazo papers, laminations, magazines, envelopes, and others, and rise in consumption of recycled paper drive the market. Nonetheless, stringent regulations on specialty chemicals and volatility in the price of raw materials restrict the market growth. On the other hand, use of specialty pulp and paper chemicals for energy conservation and use of next generation enzymes for paper manufacturing offer new opportunities for the growth of the market. Request Report Sample at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4586 Segmentation Analysis of the Industry The specialty pulp and paper chemical market report evaluates each of the segments and its sub-categories in detail. The market is segmented into type and region. Based on type, the market is divided into bleaching & RCF chemical, process chemical, functional chemical, coating chemical, and pigment & filler. The bleaching & RCF chemicals segment generated the highest share of 29.5% and would dominate the market through 2023. Geographically, the market analysis covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. Asia-Pacific would grow at the fastest CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period, 2017-2023. Industry Key Players The report also includes an analysis of the leading market players who are proactively investing in their development and business expansion to effectively cater to the needs of consumers. They include AkzoNobel N.V., Ashland Inc., Buckman Laboratories International, Inc., BASF SE, Buckman Laboratories International, Inc., Kemira Oyj, SNF Floerger, The Dow Chemical Company, Evonik Industries AG, Nalco Holding Company, and Shell Chemicals. About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business -consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Tommy Daly I chose this organization because I was looking for a way to give back to our military community. I also wanted to make a local impact that could truly be felt, and not choose a national organization because I wanted profits to go back to those who serve for us. The Special Forces Foundation, aka the Green Beret Association, serves and supports members of the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and their families. It also helps warriors transition from military service to civilian life by providing career counseling, support and mentorship. I chose this organization because I was looking for a way to give back to our military community, said Daly, author of Wealthy Home Seller Secrets. I also wanted to make a local impact that could truly be felt, and not choose a national organization because I wanted profits to go back to those who serve for us. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. Army Special Forces have shouldered a heavy burden of carrying out numerous complex missions around the world. Subsequently, they have suffered a high number of casualties. During times of tragedy, the foundation provides immediate financial relief and offers counseling and services to those left behind and the special operations community. The Special Forces Foundation also provides a range of programs aligned with the United States Special Operations Command Preservation of the Force and Family Program, which is designed to address the fraying of the force after over 15 years of combat. In addition to donating to the foundation and the military community, Daly attends and assists each Soldier Memorial on Fort Carson and shows his support through the Family ORD Days. To donate directly to the Special Forces Foundation, please visit https://www.specialforcesfoundation.org/donate. About Tommy Daly, RE/MAX Properties, Inc., Tommy Daly Home Team Tommy Daly works with both buyers and sellers and has over 25 years of experience in the business and military communities. He has co-authored five books for buyers and sellers. For more information, please call (710) 722-0080, visit http://www.TommyDalyHomeTeam.com or email him at Tommy.Daly@WeSellMore.net. Tommy has five office locations in Colorado Springs and works primarily out of his Tenderfoot Hill St. location, just five miles from Fort Carson and nine miles from Peterson AFB. His RE/MAX Properties, Inc. office is located at 2630 Tenderfoot Hill Street, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361. Tourism Newfoundland and Labrador Travelers will discover the warm hospitality of Newfoundland and Labrador with new experiences based on the Broadway Musical Come From Away. The friendly faces of the locals, who are known for their music, storytelling, and culinary traditions, are the same people who welcomed nearly 7,000 stranded passengers into their homes when 38 planes were grounded in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, during 9/11. The epic musical tells the story of these stranded passengers and the locals who welcomed them. Located at the northeastern edge of North America, named one of the four corners of the world by Canadas Flat Earth Society in 1970, the province is home to 10,000-year-old icebergs, the largest migrating population of humpback whales, and 35 million seabirds making it the seabird capital of North America. Live music is always being played, and a combination of English, Irish, French and Indigenous heritage creates more varieties of English spoken than anywhere else in the world. On the heels of the success of Come From Away, this off-the-beaten-path destination offers true live like a local activities for every traveler looking for a warm welcome and immersive experience. Meet the Flynns The new Meet the Flynns experience invites guests to visit home of Derm and Dianne Flynn to drink tea and listen to their story of the day that the airplanes landed in Gander. Derm Flynn was the mayor of nearby Appleton during 9/11 and is one of the characters portrayed in the musical. The Flynns also take guests to visit to the Appleton Peace Monument and Park, where a piece of steel from the World Trade Center sits today. The experience is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays throughout 2019, starting at $49 CAD per person. Visit Fogo Island Inn Fogo Island Inn, a coastal 29-guestroom property with floor-to-ceiling windows, is offering a Come From Away itinerary which includes a half-day island orientation led by a community host, a tour of Gander, all meals at the Inns award-winning dining room, and two-night stay (extensions available). The award-winning Inn is known for its contemporary luxury, offering guided geology hikes, open boat iceberg viewing, foraging expeditions, and more. The itinerary is available in 2019 starting at $4,080 CAD for two people. Take a Tour Maxxim Vacations six-night Come From Away itinerary offers a tour of Gander, a visit to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, and an interpretive tour of the Prime Berth Fishing Heritage Center. The trip includes six nights at a country bed & breakfast in the Gander area and a car rental, so travelers can explore more of Newfoundland and Labrador by driving along the coast. The experience is offered throughout 2019 starting at $1,139 CAD. Visitors can also take a one-day tour by Beyond Words that showcases many of the key locals, places, and events during 9/11 in Gander. The itinerary includes a tour of the Gander airport, the Townhall, and more. The tour is available June through August 2019 starting at $39 CAD. Make an Ugly Stick Travelers can create their own ugly stick, just like the ugly sticks featured in the Come From Away, with Coastal Cottages on the Baccalieu Trail. An ugly stick is a traditional Newfoundland and Labrador musical instrument fashioned out of household and tool shed items, including mops, bottle caps, tin cans, and other noisemakers. A drumstick is used to strike the ugly stick as the musician lifts and drops it in a rhythmic fashion. The musical instrument is used to entertain guests and locals at community events, social gatherings, and kitchen parties. This experience is available throughout the year by booking in advance, a minimum number of participants and other fees may apply. To plan a trip and more information on Newfoundland and Labrador, visit http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com. About Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism (ACAT): This project has been made possible through funding provided by the Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism (ACAT). ACAT is a nine-member pan-Atlantic initiative comprising the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the four Atlantic Canada Tourism Industry Associations, and the four Provincial Departments responsible for tourism. For more information on the four provinces, visit these websites or follow on social media: New Brunswick Web: http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca Instagram: @DestinationNB Twitter: @SeeNewBrunswick Facebook: @DestinationNB Nova Scotia Web: http://www.novascotia.com Instagram: @VisitNovaScotia Twitter: @VisitNovaScotia Facebook: @NovaScotia Newfoundland and Labrador Web: http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com Instagram: @newfoundlandlabrador Twitter: @NLtweets Facebook: @NewfoundlandLabradorTourism Prince Edward Island Web: http://www.tourismpei.com Instagram: @tourismpei Twitter: @tourismpei Facebook: @tourismpei MEDIA CONTACT: Gina Dolecki/Ashley Mindnich Redpoint 212.229.0119 dolecki@redpointspeaks.com mindnich@redpointspeaks.com Cream City Home Buyers Logo We are dedicated to creating win-win solutions for homeowners in Milwaukee and surrounding areas who need to sell quickly Cream City Home Buyers founder Josh Martin wants to help Milwaukee homeowners sell their homes quickly. He certainly knows how because hes been working with clients in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the surrounding area who are facing issues that require them to sell their home quickly and at a fair price, including divorce, foreclosure, relocation, bankruptcy, home repairs, or a job transfer since 2016. He and the rest of the Cream City Home Buyers team are excited to continue doing so for many years ahead in an effort to revitalize Milwaukee houses and neighborhoods with their recent launch of their online solution to sell your home quickly in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Cream City Home Buyers is dedicated to creating win-win solutions for homeowners in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas who need to sell their homes quickly. They are also proud to be a part of the communities they do business in, and want to provide the same quality home buying services to anyone in the area who needs it. Josh went to school in Milwaukee and takes great pride in helping local homeowners and neighbors achieve their goals by selling their home quickly and for a fair cash price. When Milwaukee County homeowners are facing issues such as foreclosure, tax liens, bankruptcy, divorce, financial trouble, lack of equity, mold damage, inheritance, or a job transfer, Cream City Home Buyers can help get the house off their hands quickly. They are a real estate investment company that specializes in buying houses for cash in as-is condition, so you dont have to worry about making expensive upgrades or repairs beforehand. That also means they can buy your house on your schedule and make sure you get a fair offer that you feel comfortable with. Most important, they always want to make sure the transaction is done with accuracy, professionalism, and transparency. Cream City Home Buyers hopes that knowing their services are available in the Milwaukee area will give local homeowners the peace of mind that comes with having that resource available if you need to sell your house but cannot list with a Realtor. Milwaukee County homeowners dont have to deal with the struggles and hassles that come with a house that they cant sell. We make it really simple and easy to get a cash offer on your house, no matter the situation, said Cream City Home Buyers founder Josh Martin. All you need to do is call us or submit your information via our website. Well schedule a meeting at your home as soon as possible to discuss the process and possibilities, and then well schedule the closing when you want to do it. Its that easy to sell any house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The company has already helped dozens of homeowners sell their distressed or troubled homes who were saying I need to sell my house fast in Milwaukee but didnt know how. Josh and Cream City Home Buyers made selling my house really easy., raved one recent client. He was fast, professional, and took over a house I had to give up on. Id recommend if you have a house you need to sell quick and want to work with someone who is serious. Cream City Home Buyers doesnt just understand the home buying process, they also understand the specifics that come with selling a house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are very familiar with all of the local laws, taxes, and documents that come with selling a house here. They arent just people doing business here, they call it home as well. So they understand what it means when you come to them looking for the easiest way to sell your house fast. Cream City wants to make it clear that we buy houses in Milwaukee, WI and will do so at a fair price without a commission. About Cream City Home Buyers Cream City Home Buyers is a real estate investment company that buys and sells houses in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as the surrounding areas. Contact Josh Martin for further information via email at josh(at)creamcityhomebuyers(dot)com, or call to speak directly with him at (414) 488-0082. You can also visit their website at https://www.creamcityhomebuyers.com/ The Joseph Effect: an insightful glimpse into the life of a prophet, is the creation of published author Darryl G. Blackwell, an ordained minister and pastor. He also serves in law enforcement as detective, sergeant, investigator, and chief of police Blackwell writes, The life of Joseph provides several life lessons to be applied to our lifes journey. For me, the account of Joseph is probably the closest experience to compare with my life. I believe as you read this book, you will find this to be the case in your life as well. I find it very interesting that prior to any written form of instructions or commandments, Joseph knew what it meant to conduct his affairs in a way that I consider to be supernatural. Although he found himself in very difficult situations, Joseph possessed an ability to find the solution to his problems by listening to voice of God through his dreams and the dreams of others. As believers, we recognize Josephs experiences as divine favor. We recognize and acknowledge Josephs experiences to be as being part of the unmerited favor and grace of God. It is obvious that Joseph recognized and effectively walked in this divine favor by exercising his trust in God to fulfill His promises. Although the Holy Spirit did not indwell man at the time of Josephs era, the gift to interpret dreams performed the same operational affect as one of the gifts of the Spirit given to the believer today. I believe that gift to be the word of wisdom. Today, believers can operate in this gift when interpreting dreams and visions. There are several examples in Scripture before and after the resurrection of Messiah where dreams and visions were interpreted before fulfillment. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Darryl G. Blackwells new book is a remarkable read that promotes the idea that interpreting ones dreams and visions was a practice of the children of Israel, a practice that will yield much for those blessed with the gift today. View a synopsis of The Joseph Effect on YouTube. Consumers can purchase The Joseph Effect at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about The Joseph Effect, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Risk assessment and building up supply chain resilience is a crucial part of our customers business. Wherever they operate, the reports insights will make the re-evaluation of the respective risk environment easier.., says Tobias Larsson, CEO Resilience360. DHL Resilience360 has released its first annual Risk Report. The report, based on risk and incident data collected by DHLs cloud-based risk management system, Resilience360, examines last years major supply chain challenges and identifies trends that will shape the risk landscape in 2019: Companies may face additional costs and uncertainty due to raw material shortages, possibly more recalls and safety scares and increasingly tougher environmental regulations. In a rapidly evolving supply chain risk environment, successful risk assessment is a significant challenge for companies in all sectors. The Resilience360 Annual Risk Report is based on the experience and insights of in-house analysts, who monitor hundreds of risk events each day. DHL experts help companies proactively manage disruptive events, from political violence to cargo theft, and minimize business interruption. The Resilience360 Annual Risk Report sums up our expertise to our customers benefit in a very comprehensive way. Risk assessment and building up supply chain resilience is a crucial part of our customers business. Wherever they operate, the reports insights will make the re-evaluation of the respective risk environment easier and thus complement the existing Resilience360 offer, says Tobias Larsson, CEO Resilience360. Key supply chain disruptors in 2018 The first Resilience360 Annual Risk Report examines the major supply chain risks that companies experienced in 2018 including uncertainties concerning trade flows, cyber security incidents, and climate change paired with extreme weather conditions. Uncertainty in trade increased due to disputes between the US and other countries, in particular China, including new unilateral import tariffs. The still-open question of the UKs withdrawal from the EU is also contributing to uncertainty, as companies fear border congestion and delays at ports in the event of a disorderly departure. In the realm of cyber security, a rising number of incidents involving supply chain and transport infrastructure showed how actors are intent on obtaining trade secrets, engaging in blackmail, or causing economic disruption. Lastly, climate change presented a myriad of severe weather-related disruptions in 2018, which was the fourth warmest year on record. Wildfires, droughts, low water levels and melting ice had the most significant impacts on supply chains. Anticipating supply chain risks in 2019 The report also highlights an array of potential threats that could threaten businesses in 2019 and beyond. First, rising demand for raw materials, coupled with a fragile supply caused by political instability and supplier shutdowns, may result in raw material shortages for crucial materials such as lithium, cobalt, and adiponitrile. Second, recalls and safety scares may increase, as wider public awareness of quality issues and stricter enforcement by regulators in highly regulated sectors such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices subject products to higher scrutiny. Lastly, anti-pollution measures may be expanded in 2019 to a broader range of industries across Asia. The US Environmental Protection Agency is also expected to announce new requirements. As a result, tougher environmental regulations will increase costs for businesses in a number of industries. All of these developments have the potential to put suppliers under threat and force significant changes throughout supply chains. Modern supply chains are vulnerable. Transportation delays, theft, natural disasters, inclement weather, cyber-attacks and unexpected quality issues can disrupt cargo flows, creating short term costs and delivery challenges, added Shehrina Kamal, Director Risk Intelligence, Resilience360. Resilience360 strives to understand these risks and gain a common understanding of how they impact supply chains across countries, regions, industries and organizations in measurable ways. Major disruptors in United States, Canada and Mexico in 2018 The U.S., Canada and Mexico were affected by a large number of supply chain incidents due to the regions position with approximately 28% of the worlds gross domestic product and as the No. 1 export and import partner for many countries worldwide. Civil unrest caused the most disruptions with 28% of incidents. Protest activities were directed against the Trump administration in the U.S. and tied to organized labor and the July 1 general elections in Mexico. The overall number of natural disasters and weather-related incidents declined in 2018, but fires were a major concern. High-impact events included train accidents and derailment as well as earthquakes with severe consequences for supply chains. The number of cargo theft incidents in the US fell. Trade regulations and restrictions also affected supply chains. Trade negotiations between the US and Mexico, and then between the US and Canada, led to the United-States-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Detailed findings from 2018 and an overview of the coming challenges in 2019 are available in the full report which can be downloaded at http://www.resilience360.dhl.com. About Resilience360 Resilience360 is an innovative, cloud-based platform that helps companies to visualize, track and protect their business operations. The solution facilitates intuitive supply chain visualization, tracks assets, suppliers, orders and shipments, and enables near real-time monitoring of incidents capable of disrupting or delaying supply chains. Resilience360 easily integrates with business systems and helps companies keep track of risk in combination with their business performance indicators. It enables companies to better ensure business continuity, building risk profiles based on over 30 risk databases, and identifying critical hotspots using heat-maps to mitigate risks and to turn potential disruptions into a competitive advantage. Media Contact: Bea Garcia bea.garcia@dhl.com 1-786-853-4783 Note: If you are interested in setting up an interview with Tobias Larsson, CEO Resilience360, please contact me. On the Internet: http://www.dpdhl.de/press Follow us at: http://www.twitter.com/DeutschePostDHL DHL The logistics company for the world DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as The logistics company for the world. DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 61 billion euros in 2018. Dr. Howard Abrahams Offers Same-Day Denture Repairs and Full Dentures in Miami Beach, FL Maxillofacial prosthodontist, Dr. Howard Abrahams, and his associate, Dr. Stan Frohlinger, provide qualified patients with same-day dentures, denture repairs, and partial dentures in Miami Beach, FL. Their practice has served the community for years as one of the only South Florida dental locations that has a certified prosthodontist. Referred to as a dentists dentist, by Dr. Abrahams, prosthodontists use their specialized training to focus on high levels of care in all cosmetic rehabilitation and reconstructive dentistry cases. In some circumstances, they are called on to assist patients who are missing some or all their teeth and who therefore require partial dentures or same-day dentures. According to statistics from the American College of Prosthodontists, 36 million adults living in the United States have lost all their natural teeth. Roughly 15 percent of those individuals have some type of denture made to help them reclaim dental function and appearance. While Dr. Abrahams and Dr. Frohlinger sometimes recommend traditional removable dentures for patients, they can also place same-day dentures stabilized by dental implants. Same-day denture restorations are made onsite at the Dental Implants Miami Beach laboratory. Patients with adequate bone density generally qualify for immediate loading of their dental implants and can receive same-day denture restorations right after surgery. This eliminates the normal waiting period of months between implant placement and denture attachment. Depending upon the situation, patients may be candidates for same-day dentures in Miami Beach, FL, even if they require tooth extractions right before implant placement. In addition to same-day dentures, Drs. Abrahams and Frohlinger proudly offer partial dentures and onsite denture repairs. Patients interested in learning more about the newest types of dentures in Miami Beach, FL, should contact Dental Implants Miami Beach at 305-921-0082 to arrange an initial consultation. About the Practice Dr. Howard Abrahams is an esteemed prosthodontist who specializes in a wide variety of dental concerns, from simple to the most complex. He has completed a three-year specialty program in advanced prosthodontics with a focus on dental implant and cosmetic rehabilitation. Dr. Abrahams is a member of the American College of Prosthodontists, The Academy of Osseointegration, American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, South Florida District Dental Association and American Dental Association. To learn more about Dr. Abrahams or the services he offers, please visit his website at http://www.dentalimplantsmiamibeach.com or call 305-921-0082 to schedule an appointment. HOLLOWAY AMERICA, a leading producer of pharmaceutical tanks with 150 employees, recently welcomed long-time Director of Marketing Randy Colwell as the companys new president. HOLLOWAY AMERICA, a leading producer of stainless steel pressure vessels with 150 employees, recently welcomed long-time Director of Marketing Randy Colwell as its new president. Colwell took over the leadership position from David Simpson, who is now HOLLOWAY AMERICAs chief executive officer. Colwell has worked in the Springfield, Mo. stainless steel fabrication community for close to 20 years. A 2002 graduate of Missouri State University, Colwell began his career as a sales engineer at Precision Stainless in 2000. In 2006, Colwell joined HOLLOWAY AMERICA. For the past 13 years, Colwell has been a key member of HOLLOWAYs sales team in addition to his marketing and day-to-day management roles. In his new role as President, Colwell will retain much of his day-to-day focus on sales and customer relationships and will gradually take on more management of high-level company operations from Simpson. For the past 13 years, Ive had my sights set on growing HOLLOWAY as a leading provider of pharmaceutical tanks, equipment, and components. I want our product and service innovations to be top-of-mind across the industries we serve, said Colwell. Im blessed to be part of a company where everybody shares that dedication to going above and beyond. Im looking forward to continuing us down that path. Plans for Future Growth HOLLOWAY AMERICAs drive to grow as an innovative provider of stainless steel pressure vessels and pharmaceutical tanks remains steadfast as its leadership transitions into a new era. Were as committed as ever to crafting and engineering product innovations that push industry boundaries. Our goal has always been to solve our clients problems in ways they never thought possible, said Colwell. He continued, Well be debuting some of our latest innovations throughout 2019 at trade shows like INTERPHEX in New York City. Trade shows are always a great way to showcase our latest and greatest developments and meet new client partners who can benefit from them. An Unwavering Commitment to Quality and Ethics In addition to its status as one of Missouris few certified companies in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)s SHARP safety recognition program, HOLLOWAY AMERICA was recently presented a Better Business Bureau (BBB) TORCH Award for BBB Serving Eastern & Southwest Missouri & Southern Illinois. The award reflects HOLLOWAY AMERICAs ongoing commitment to excellence in customer service, workplace standards, and quality products. HOLLOWAY AMERICA also has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. At HOLLOWAY, having an ethical approach to the experience our employees, customers, and suppliers have with our company is second nature, said Colwell at the time of the award. From exceptional career benefits for our 150 employees to personal relationships with our customers, the cornerstone of HOLLOWAYs mission is to make life better for every person whose life we touch. About HOLLOWAY AMERICA HOLLOWAY AMERICA provides pressure vessel fabrication services and stainless steel pressure vessels for a multitude of applications and industries, from pharmaceutical to chemical to food and beverage. HOLLOWAY AMERICA partners with associations representing the steel fabrication and engineering industries, including ASME and ISPE, as well as holds an R Stamp Certificate of Authorization for repair and/or alteration of boilers, pressure vessels, and other pressure-retaining items from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. For more information about HOLLOWAY AMERICAs Torch Award recognition or to learn more about its products and services, contact a representative at 417-863-0077 or by email at info(at)HollowayAmerica(dot)com. Unused OR time is wasted opportunity for many health systems. Our Surgeon Access capabilities revolutionize the process of identifying waste and engaging surgeons and service line leaders to use this time before the opportunity is lost. Hospital IQ, the leading provider of predictive hospital operations software, today announced its Surgeon Access module as part of the Hospital IQ Operations Management software platform. Using machine learning algorithms, this functionally identifies OR blocks that will not be used, allowing surgeons and surgical staff to easily find, request or release OR blocks from their mobile device or desktop computer, as well as see customizable surgeon scorecards that show important performance KPIs, such as block use type, on-time first starts and same-day cancellations. The module enables hospitals to better engage with surgeons to proactively identify hidden OR time and make it available to surgeons while eliminating the traditional back and forth with central scheduling. The result is increased surgical volume and OR utilization. Using the Surgeon Access module, hospitals can expect to capture hundreds of hours of wasted OR time per month, resulting in a significant opportunity to grow volume at times that work for surgeons, patients and surgical staff. Unused OR time is wasted opportunity for many health systems, said Rich Krueger, CEO, Hospital IQ. Our Surgeon Access capabilities revolutionize the process of identifying waste and engaging surgeons and service line leaders to use this time before the opportunity is lost. This, combined with our perioperative management capabilities that are now used by over 1,000 operating rooms in the US alone, provides the most comprehensive solution for healthcare organizations and perioperative departments to simplify the process of growing volume, improving performance and throughput. Hospital IQ will be demonstrating its Surgeon Access module, along with the other capabilities of its Operations Management software platform, at two upcoming trade shows in April: Beckers Hospital Review 10th Annual Meeting, April 1-4, Chicago Booth 912 AONE 2019, April 10-13, San Diego Booth 1626 Hospital IQs Perioperative Solution applies hospital-specific policies, machine learning and optimization algorithms to perioperative data to accurately forecast OR usage and make recommendations that will improve block, OR and staff utilization, and grow volume. Leading hospitals and health networks have deployed the solution to improve productivity and grow volume without increasing costs. Perioperative customers using Hospital IQ reported improvements, such as: 13% increase in OR utilization 4% increase in surgical volume 7% decrease in labor costs About Hospital IQ Hospital IQ provides an operations management software platform that gives hospitals and health systems the visibility and actionable insights they need to make informed, data-driven operational decisions that improve patient access, clinical outcomes and financial performance. Our cloud-based software platform combines advanced data analytics, machine learning and simulation technology with an easy-to-use, intuitive user interface to deliver optimized surgical resource alignment, patient flow, and scheduling capabilities. Leading institutions including Boston Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center Des Moines, and Miami Cancer Institute rely on Hospital IQ to help them make the right operational decisions the first time, every time. To learn more, visit http://www.hospiq.com The HRS Team Celebrating the Fast Company Award The HRS team is thrilled to have been recognized for our work in transforming the healthcare space. All of us are united under a common goal to improve patients lives. We are proud of how far we have come, and we are excited to continue improving the healthcare system. Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) has been named to Fast Companys prestigious annual list of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies for 2019. The list honors the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in todays volatile world. Half of the companies on this years MIC 50 list are appearing for the first time. The HRS team is thrilled to have been recognized for our work in transforming the healthcare space. All of us are united under a common goal to improve patients lives. We are proud of how far we have come, and we are excited to continue improving the healthcare system, said Jarrett Bauer, CEO of HRS. HRS has been quickly accelerating through the digital health world. Over the past year, HRS has launched a new version of its Clinician Connect software, expanded telehealth offerings to include tablet and mobile options, and worked with clients to improve overall user experience. Over the next several months, HRS is looking to drive product and market reach through the use of artificial intelligence and deep learning. HRS has made this a priority in order to reduce gaps in clinical workflows, while also allowing clinicians to identify readmission indicators earlier and more clearly. By examining everyday aspects of a patients life and using information from historical trends, HRS can use data to provide stronger indications of change in a patients health. This year, Fast Companys editors and writers sought out groundbreaking businesses across 35 industries and every region. They also judged nominations received through their application process. The Worlds Most Innovative Companies is Fast Companys signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides both a snapshot and a road map for the future of innovation across the most dynamic sectors of the economy. Established players are showing the same kind of nimbleness that weve generally associated with startups, said Fast Company deputy editor David Lidsky, who oversaw the issue with senior editor Amy Farley. Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies issue (March-April 2019) is now available online at https://www.fastcompany.com/MIC. The hashtag is #fcmostinnovative. ABOUT HEALTH RECOVERY SOLUTIONS Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) supplies leading hospitals and home care agencies with the most advanced remote monitoring platform focused on changing patient behavior to reduce readmissions and improve clinical outcomes. HRS disease-specific engagement kits are customized with educational videos, care plans, and medication reminders. The software is integrated with disease specific Bluetooth peripherals to engage patients and encourage patient participation. For clinicians, HRS' software allows for the management of high-risk patients and provides seamless communication with them through video chat, wound imaging, and text messaging. For family members and caregivers, HRS' software gives them the ability to be fully involved in their family member's care and well-being. To learn more about Health Recovery Solutions, visit https://www.healthrecoverysolutions.com/ or call (347) 699-6477. ABOUT FAST COMPANY Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for Magazine Of The Year, Adweeks Hot List for Hottest Business Publication, and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at http://www.fastcompany.com. Dr. Marianne Urbanski and Dr. Gregory Toback Host Shoreline Periodontics Hygiene Study Club Prestigious periodontists in New London, CT, Drs. Gregory Toback and Marianne Urbanski host the next Shoreline Periodontics Hygiene Study Club event on April 11, 2019. This event will feature infection prevention specialist and national speaker and educator, Jessica Wilson. Wilson will present the topic Infection Control: What You Really Need to Know. The hygiene study club event is specifically designed for dental hygienists, doctors and dental assistants looking for continuing education (CE) credits for infection control; this course offers three CE credits. During this Shoreline Periodontics Hygiene Study Club, Wilson will discuss the three critical factors for increasing practice profitability as well as how to create an efficient process for sterilization, instrument processing, inventory management and team communication. As an infection prevention specialist, she will talk about new infection control principles and best practices in the dental setting. The Shoreline Periodontics Hygiene Study Club was created by Drs. Toback and Urbanski, experienced periodontists in New London, CT, to promote education and training to dental hygienists. The full membership features one, full-day session with synergy members and three additional sessions throughout 2019. Those who attend all four events will earn 15 CE credits as well as hear from prominent speakers and leaders in the dental field. Drs. Toback and Urbanski provide periodontal services at their practice, Shoreline Periodontics and Dental Implants, at their two locations in New London, CT and Westerly, RI. This team is known for expert care in the fields of periodontics and implantology, and always strives to acquire and implement the latest advanced technology. Drs. Toback and Urbanski also host study clubs for dentists and specialists through the Shoreline Periodontics Synergy Study Club events, which give participating doctors 24 CE credits. Those interested in learning more about the Shoreline Periodontics Hygiene Study Club or would like to get in contact with Drs. Toback and Urbanski are encouraged to call 860-443-2428 for the New London, CT office or 401-596-0000 for the Westerly, RI office. About the Practice Shoreline Periodontics is a periodontal practice offering personalized dental care for patients since 1998 and is located in New London, CT and Westerly, RI. Leading board-certified periodontist, Dr. Gregory A. Toback, received his B.A. from St. Johns University and his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the University of Connecticut. He also received advanced training in periodontics and dental implants at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Marianne Urbanski has been voted one of Connecticuts top dentists for more than seven years by Connecticut Magazine. Dr. Urbanski graduated cum laude from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts where she earned a Bachelors degree in Biology. She also received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and her Masters of Dental Science degree from the University of Connecticut Dental School. Dr. Urbanski and Dr. Toback pride themselves on offering caring, professional treatment to each patient. Dr. Toback and Dr. Urbanski focus on minimally invasive surgeries including LANAP laser gum surgery and are certified to offer the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique for treatment of gum recession. To learn more about Shoreline Periodontics and their dental services visit their website at http://www.shorelineperio.com or call 860-443-2428 for the New London, CT location, or 401-596-0000 for the Westerly, RI office. Dublin, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "China Space Industry 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. China Space Industry 2018 provides a deep-dive analysis of the current Chinese space ecosystem and future expected evolutions. Focuses include the value-chain, the strategic priorities of the government space program and dynamics by application domain including science & exploration, satellite communications, satellite navigation and Earth observation. The report also analyzes the Chinese space ecosystem and the policies impacting it, providing an overview of four of the fastest-changing space markets in China: satellite manufacturing, the launch industry, satellite communications and IoT & EO. For each of the markets, we look at key current and potential future players expected to have an impact on the ecosystem, including details on their strategies, funding, technological competencies and potential future plans, with in total profiles of close to 30 companies. Highlights of the report The China space value chain had an estimated size of more than $16 billion in 2017, with the downstream market accounting for just over 85%. Satellite Navigation, one of the key satellite applications in China, was the main revenue generator in 2017, ahead of Satellite Communications and Earth Observation. This premier edition of the report provides a deep-dive analysis of the current Chinese space ecosystem and future expected evolutions, from upstream to downstream, and covers each of the key satellite applications in China: Satellite Manufacturing, Launch, Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, Satellite Navigation and Space Exploration. For each of the markets, key current and potential future players expected to have an impact on the ecosystem are profiled, including details on their strategies, funding, technological competencies and potential future plans. China's space industry is rapidly evolving, with an increasing number of nominally private companies competing in different parts of the space industry in both China and abroad, with the Chinese space industry starting to play a bigger role in cutting-edge technology. Changes are occurring at a rapid pace across the value chain, for both upstream and downstream activities and for all application domains. The current changes in the space ecosystem are being brought about using different strategies, such as the opening of some markets to private enterprises and greater competition among incumbents, all of which are aimed at fostering greater innovation among companies within China. Moving forward, it is expected that the Chinese government will continue to open different parts of the space industry. Indeed, with the state-owned giants more recently focusing on grander ambitions, such as China's space station, the Chang'e moon mission, and eventually human missions to the Moon and Mars, it is possible that much of what is considered traditional commercial space, and even new space, will become more open to the private sector as the state sets its sights on bigger targets. Included in the Report: Focus on the value chain, the strategic priorities of the government space program and the dynamics by application domain, including science and exploration, satellite communications, satellite navigation and EO Analysis of the Chinese space ecosystem and the policies impacting it Overview of four fast-changing space markets in China: Satellite manufacturing, the launch industry, satellite communications and IoT & EO For each market, we look at key current and potential future players expected to impact the ecosystem, including details on their strategies, funding, technological competencies and potential future plans For Each Market: The author looks at key current and potential future players expected to have an impact on the ecosystem, including details on their strategies funding, technological competencies and potential future plans, with in total profiles of close to 30 companies. Who will Benefit from this Report? Satellite & launch vehicle integrators Satellite & launch vehicle parts manufacturers Satellite operators Space & other government agencies Key Topics Covered: 1. STRATEGIC DYNAMICS OF CHINESE SPACE ACTIVITIES Overview of Chinese space industry: Introduction Value chain overview Strategic priorities of the government space program Dynamics by application domain: Science and exploration Satellite communications Satellite navigation Earth observation 2. THE CHINESE SPACE ECOSYSTEM Mapping of the Chinese space ecosystem Map of main cities and clusters Policies impacting the space ecosystem: Belt & Road Initiative Made in Chine 2025 China's 13th Five-Year Plan 3. SATELLITE MANUFACTURING GEO satellites overview NGSO satellites overview Established satellite manufacturers: Overview Profile: CASC Profile: CASIC Smallsat and start-up satellite manufacturers - Company benchmark Company profiles: Mino Space Spacety Zero Gravity Lab 4. LAUNCH INDUSTRY Suppliers of launch solutions overview Access to space overview China launch infrastructure Profiles of public suppliers of launch solutions: CALT SAST CGWIC Private suppliers of launch solutions overview Private suppliers of launch solutions - Future expected trends Company profiles: ExPace i-Space LandSpace LinkSpace OneSpace 5. SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND IOT INDUSTRY Involvement of national telecom operators - overview Satellite operator licenses Focus of national telecom operators in IFC services Operators of geostationary satellite systems - overview Market shares in China in 2017 Benchmarks of key players Chinese operators: Activities outside of China Company profiles: APT Satellite AsiaSat China Satcom Profiles of new entrants: APT Mobile Satcom CCT Satcom Tatwah Smartech LEO satellite constellation projects overview Constellation projects - company benchmarks CASC and CASIC's LEO ambitions Company profiles: Commsat Galaxy Space LaserFleet OK Space 6. EARTH OBSERVATION Established operators of EO systems - overview Remote sensing market - overview Chinese Earth observation program Benchmark of key players Company profiles: 21AT Charming Globe (Chang Guang) HEAD Aerospace Qian Sheng Exploration Space View Zhuhai Orbita Aerospace Companies Mentioned 21AT ABS Amos - Spacecom Anchorage Capital Group Apax Partners APT Mobile Satcom APT Satellite Arab Satellite Communication Organization Arianespace Arqiva Arsat ASI AsiaSat Astrium Avanti Communications Bain Capital BC Partners Boeing Satellite Systems CASC and CASIC's LEO ambitions CAST CCT Satcom Center of Space Communications in Kazakhstan Charming Globe (Chang Guang) China Great Wall Industry Corporation China Satcom China Satellite Communications CIB Citigroup Global Markets Inc. CNES Cobham Microwave COM DEV International Commsat Company profiles: Constellation projects - company benchmarks Convergence Partners CPPIB Crdit Agricole Crdit Suisse CSA Cyfrowy Polsat S.A Deutsche Bank EBU Echostar Electronic Telecommunications Research Institute Ericsson ESA Eutelsat ExPace Fidelity Investments Galaxy Space Gazprom Space Systems Gilat Satellite Networks Globecast Goldman Sachs International GSO Capital Partners GT Satellite Systems S.A. HEAD Aerospace Hispasat Hughes Network Systems iDirect Technologies ING Inmarsat Intelsat i-Space ISRO ISS Reshetnev JAXA Jefferies & Company Khrunichev State Research & Production Space Center Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Korea Telecom-Kt Sat LandSpace LaserFleet LEO satellite constellation projects overview LinkSpace Lockheed Martin Macquarie Capital MDA Measat Merrill Lynch Mino Space Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Morgan Stanley National Operator of Satellite Communications CJSC NEC Corporation Newtec Northrop Grumman O3b Networks Ocean Rich Technology OK Space OneSpace Onex Corporation Optus Perella Weinberg Partners Profiles of new entrants: PT Telkom Qian Sheng Exploration Raytheon Company RRsat Global Communications Network RSCC SES Shumway Capital Partners Singtel SK Telecom SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation Skyware Global Socit Gnrale Space View Spacety SpaceX Spectrum Venture Management SSL Star One S.A. TA Associates Tatwah Smartech Telecom Telenor Telesat Telespazio Temasek International Tesat-Spacecom Thales Alenia Space The Blackstone Group Turksat A.S. UBS Investment Bank Unison Capital VEGA Deutschland Wavestream Yahsat Zero Gravity Lab Zhuhai Orbita Aerospace For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9f4tdd/china_space?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Interact Marketing Introduces High Availability Cloud Hosting Service When you compare dedicated servers to cloud hosting, reliability is the key difference. -Jacques Warnon, Senior account manager of Web Development Leading New York digital marketing agency, Interact Marketing, launched a new cloud-based hosting option for premium hosted clients. Revolutionary high availability cloud hosting enables website owners to worry less about their site crashing due to high volume or other site failures. Through the use of enterprise grade hardware and the Elastic Cloud, high availability cloud hosting performs when other hosting methods traditionally fail. Multiple caching methods improve response time and reduce the load on the server, which means a website can load quickly for whomever accesses it. With the LiteSpeed Server Application Programming Interface, communication between the LiteSpeed Web Server and third-party web applications is streamlined and optimized. In order to foster a secure environment, this high availability cloud hosting option comes with the installation of a 256bit SSL certificate which establishes secure connections from a web server to the browser. In addition to that, SSL ensures secure transactions on the site, data transfers, and protects usernames and passwords. To address hacking concerns, live malware scanning and removal is performed, and the use of an open source, cross-platform web application (WAF) firewall will allow real time monitoring and logging capabilities. Secure SSH access allows for remote access from one computer to another, and other industry leading security features can keep the website secure. The principal benefit of cloud hosting is that existing vulnerabilities with Linux-based servers do not pose a problem in the cloud. Sites are isolated within the server, meaning that users only have access to their own safe files. Senior account manager of Web Development at Interact Marketing, Jacques Warnon, helped spearhead this service offering for premium hosted clients. When you compare dedicated servers to cloud hosting, reliability is the key difference; you are removing the single point of failure which a dedicated server represents, while also adding the additional benefit of load balanced traffic, remarked Warnon. Its no wonder then that the industry is shifting to the cloud. A key feature of Interacts cloud hosting service is self-managed complete account backups. These backups are conducted hourly to identify issues before they become disasters. In the case of a mishap, there will be an option to restore the full site or select DNS records, files, emails and more from any point in time with one click. Other features of high availability cloud hosting includes: -MySQL databases, wizard and support will be used to manage a website. -phpMyAdmin will be used to manage the MySQL database and to easily change, delete, import or export database tables from MySQL. -FTP access, File Manager and Web Disk Access to easily control files. -Domain name management of unlimited alias domains to lead customers to the right place, time and time again. -Purchasing affordable domain registrations, along with the option to park domains for future use, and DNS management. Contact Interact Marketing if you would like to learn more about high availability cloud hosting. About Interact Marketing Interact Marketing is a full-service New York digital marketing agency based in the Hudson Valley in New Windsor, NY. The agency specializes in organic search engine optimization (SEO), pay per click advertising (PPC), website design and development, content and social media marketing, and online reputation management for brands and executives. Interact Marketing is also a Google Partner Agency. It is one of the fastest growing agencies in New Yorks Hudson Valley region with 472% organic revenue growth in five years (2010-2015). Hope for a Better World: Growing Up Quaker in the Midwest: a compelling glimpse into the Quaker way, is the creation of published author James Walton Blackburn PhD, a born and raised member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). He holds a masters degree in city planning and a PhD in public administration, working for the Illinois Department of Human Services. He is retired with his wife in Omaha, Nebraska. Blackburn writes, This book tells the story of how I grew up in a Wilburite Quaker family in Ohio and attended Scattergood Friends School in Iowa. I give an overview of Quakers who originated as the Religious Society of Friends in seventeenth-century England. I tell about Wilburite Friends, which are much different from most Quakers. Their practices are close to early English Friends. I tell how the Blackburn Family lived out Quaker beliefs. I tell about Scattergood Friends School in Iowa. I present my personal faith. An inspiration for this book is A Quaker Book of Wisdom Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service, and Common Sense by Robert Lawrence Smith. He states, It is my ever-growing conviction that the compassionate Quaker message badly needs to be heard in todays complex, materialistic, often unjust, and discriminatory society. Every day brings new public debate over issues Quakers have always addressed: war and peace, social justice, education, health care, poverty, business ethics, public service, the use of world resources (Smith, xiixiii). Published by Christian Faith Publishing, James Walton Blackburn PhDs new book is an engaging and comprehensive guide, part memoir and part values primer, focused on the core principles and beliefs that shape the Quaker community, one that may just end up changing society at large. View a synopsis of Hope for a Better World: Growing Up Quaker in the Midwest on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Hope for a Better World: Growing Up Quaker in the Midwest at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Hope for a Better World: Growing Up Quaker in the Midwest, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Align Above: My Passionate Dance At Life!: a beautiful testimony of a battered soul learning to dance again, is the creation of published author Kristin Hagen, an artist, organist, Miss Idaho USA contestant, and dancer with national acclaim. Hagen writes, Kristin Hagen, original artist; a national winning organist; a talented local, state, and national Team USA competitive dancer; and a previous contestant of Miss Idaho USA, found herself at the young age of nineteen an original survivor of a serious automobile accident. It was not the accident itself, rather her injuries were caused by the force behind a violent deployment of an original first-generation high-powered airbag (1994). A few years later, during her recovery, she was confronted by yet another airbag. This time it was the re-designed second-generation airbag (1997). Always a high-performing athlete, and healthy and vivacious individual, in an overnight twist, Kristin experienced severe, immediate debilitation due to the sudden and sheer force of the airbags. Through the lack of definitive wellness plans available across America, Kristin had to forget the kind of complete freedom that fullness of mind, body, and spirit can bring you, and the feeling real mobility enables you. Through Gods hands, and original design, she was able to successfully reverse, cure, and re-awaken the modern miracle of being truly well, truly mobile, and being whole once again. Its time to make a movement; its time to make a change. Its time to be truly well. So, join me, and lets all be whole in wellness together! Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Kristin Hagens new book is an empowering testimony from a strong-willed artist navigating Americas health care system and embarking on a journey to peak health, fueled by her own determination to recover. By sharing her personal story and her courses of action, Hagen offers a practical wellness plan to help others in her circumstances overcome their obstacles. View a synopsis of Align Above: My Passionate Dance At Life! on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Align Above: My Passionate Dance At Life! at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Align Above: My Passionate Dance At Life!, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. With our growing presence in this part of the world, European-based clients appreciate the regional adjacency, cultural familiarity, and most importantly, our expertise in global regulatory and compliance requirements. David Lonza Lachman is sponsoring the event on April 1-4, where they will be located in booth #60 at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin, Ireland. The executive team on site will be available to discuss strategies and tactics to support Facilities of the Future and Pharma 4.0, two key tracks on the agenda this year. Executives from Lachman participating at this years conference include Fran Zipp, President & CEO, Linda Evans OConnor, Vice President & Chief of Staff, and Dave Lonza, Head of EU. David Lonza leads the recently-opened affiliate office in Luzern, Switzerland and oversees Lachmans European-based resources. Were excited to be back at ISPE Europe, as our industry is growing and innovating at such a rapid rate throughout the region, Lonza states. That growth is driving the installation and retrofitting of facilities, equipment, and the processes to support them. With a large number of European-based consultants, Lachman is well positioned to meet the growing demands of our industry throughout the region now, and well into the future. Lachman brings noteworthy experience and excellence to supporting companies in all consultative aspects of Facilities Design, Qualification, Validation, and Quality Systems Implementation. Using a dedicated single-point-of-contact approach, multi-disciplinary groups of accomplished FDA and industry experts are assembled and involved from the firms Compliance, Regulatory, and Science and Technology Practice Groups to evaluate, advise, strategize, create protocols, and help fulfill requirements wherever needed. Teams are selected and assigned according to each clients specific set of objectives, needs, and circumstances. Europe has been a significant growth region for our company for some time, notes Lonza. The company is currently working on establishing a local presence in Ireland, with plans for extending the firms presence in other locations to ensure that the firm is strategically positioned to provide even more comprehensive support to the regions dynamic pharmaceutical industry. Lonza adds, With our growing presence in this part of the world, European-based clients appreciate the regional adjacency, cultural familiarity, and most importantly, our expertise in global regulatory and compliance requirements. Lachman will be highlighting its strength in Biotechnology and Medical Devices and is particularly excited that the meeting is being held in Ireland, a global growth center for both industries. Visitors to Lachman Consultants booth #60 will have the opportunity to meet with company executives to gain valuable insight into the companys services. ABOUT LACHMAN CONSULTANTS Founded in 1978, Lachman Consultants maintains three practice groups: Compliance, Regulatory Affairs, and Science and Technology. Each practice offers industry-leading experience and expertise in its area of focus. Lachman Consultants serves emerging-to-enterprise organizations on a worldwide basis in the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Biologics, Device, and Related Life Science Industries. Lachman Consultants deliver solutions that include FDA-Related Services, Audits, Quality Assurance & Controls, Scientific and Technical Assistance, Systems Evaluation, and Training, which consistently exceed client requirements and expectations. For additional press information, please contact: Ilena Della Ventura Delia Associates T. 908-534-9044 E. Idellaventura (at) delianet (dot) com In honor of National Nutrition Month, Lajollacooks4u has collaborated with the San Diego Food Bank to raise awareness on the importance of healthy meals and good nutrition. This month, Chef Jodi Abel appeared on two segments on KUSIs Good Morning San Diego as the Food Banks volunteer chef. The first segment addressed the nutritional value of USDAs MyPlate, a nutrition guide that simplifies the somewhat confusing visuals of the Food Pyramid. Along with Nurse Lisa Roberts from UnitedHealthcare, Chef Jodi showed that by following the model set by MyPlate, one can incorporate all four food groups for a nutritious low-budget and healthy meal. A week later, Chef Jodi joined the Food Bank again for another fun and informative on-air segment. Together with Monique Knight from UnitedHealthcare, the two discussed the importance of learning about nutrition at a young age and shared how to make fun and healthy snacks for kids. Chef Jodi prepared a delicious alternative to potato chips, combining raw vegetables, like cucumber, carrots and jicama, with a tablespoon of chili lime seasoning and 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice. The result was a savory snack that kids and adults, alike, could crunch with delight. She also shared another kid-friendly recipe that families could make together: apple rounds covered in peanut butter, and topped with shredded coconut and raisins. Being in the food industry, I am so passionate about feeding the hungry," said Chef Jodi. "Its so inspiring to have such an amazing organization like the San Diego Food Bank in our community that helps those who are in need. Im honored to be able to partner with them again and share my wisdom, insight and passion. For more of Chef Jodis healthy and nutritious recipes, visit the Lajollacooks4u blog at http://www.lajollacooks4u.com/blog. For a link to one of the on-air segments, please visit https://sandiegofoodbank.org/news-category/blog/nutrition-month-fun-healthy-snacks-for-the-kids-in-your-life/ About Lajollacooks4u: Lajollacooks4u is San Diegos premiere team-building and cooking events company. Since 2008, it has hosted companies from all over the globe, providing guests with a collaborative and one-of-a-kind culinary experience. With skilled facilitators, farm-to-table cuisine and a stunning view overlooking La Jolla, Lajollacooks4u has consistently been ranked one of the areas top attractions by Trip Advisor, having been awarded its Certificate of Excellence four years in a row. For more information about the companys hands-on team building events and gourmet cooking classes, visit http://www.lajollacooks4u.com or contact jodi@lajollacooks4u.com. We were clear about our expectations and ability to deliver from day one, said Donald King Loop, based in Augusta, Georgia has been named a winner of the 2018 Pinnacle Group Premier Partner Award for their contributions to the Unisys MSP account. Pinnacle Group, a global workforce solutions provider, recently announced the inaugural class of winning suppliers for its Premier Partner Award Program. Eight companies were selected from Pinnacles supply base as the top suppliers. They were evaluated based on their service to Pinnacle Groups managed services provider (MSP) clients during 2018. The criteria used to identify the winners focused on program market-share, year over year growth within the account, candidate quality, customer and program office satisfaction, and industry and community leadership. Loop began its partnership with Pinnacle Group and Unisys in 2017. This coincided with a push by Loop to establish itself as the premier supplier of talent for firms operating in IT, Cyber, and Digital Marketing. Donald King, Loops Director of Staffing, identified communication as the key to their successful partnership with Pinnacle. We were clear about our expectations and ability to deliver from day one, said King. Weve maintained our commitment to deliver the highest level of service and communicate effectively in our day to day efforts. The Pinnacle team maintains the same level of standards, which keeps us aligned on both a tactical and strategic front. Pinnacle and Loop intend to continue their collaboration on workforce solutions for the foreseeable future. Due to their contributions to explosive growth in recent years, Pinnacle Group wanted to honor the significant contributions of its suppliers. Recipients of the Premier Partner Award are trusted partners who are committed to Pinnacle Groups two core values: delivering impeccable service to our clients and putting people at the heart of everything we do, said Pinnacle Groups Chairman and CEO Nina Vaca. As the contingent workforce industry becomes increasingly complex, these firms have tackled challenges and provided proven solutions while giving back to the communities where they live and work, just as Pinnacle has done since its founding. About LOOP Connecting people, professions, and innovative ideas, LOOP offers a full circle of Human Resource Solutions including Professional Recruitment, Contingent Staffing, and HR Advisory Services. To learn more about LOOP and how we help businesses and job seekers, please visit http://www.looprecruiting.com, call (706) 922-7654, or email info(at)looprecruiting.com. About Pinnacle Group Pinnacle Group is a leading provider of workforce solutions in the core verticals of Managed Services (MSP), Staffing and Payrolling. Founded in 1996, Pinnacle Group provides innovative services and strategies to iconic global brands with a focus on program transformation and emerging technology. Consistently named one of the fastest-growing companies in the country by renowned organizations, Pinnacle Group has become one of the largest providers in its industry providing services across the globe. For more information, visit pinnacle1.com. Channeling spirit guides, archangels and ascended masters, Lynn Baribault offers an intuitive and practical guide for parents to use when raising their children. How to Raise Your Children with Wisdom and Awareness: A Channeled Book (published by Balboa Press) combines shared wisdom, exercises and prayers to guide parents in their role of raising children. Baribault is launching a marketing campaign to broaden the reach of her book. Parents and children can learn a lot from one another and through How to Raise Your Children with Wisdom and Awareness, parents are given insight into how to best achieve this. Parenthood has its challenges as each parent and child brings with them their individual personalities and experiences. Baribault hopes her book provides assistance and guidance in its own unique way. Baribault states, This channeled book is our gift to you as the moment has come for families to energetically connect as individuals to each other. We are all part of some kind of a family, the one we are born into or the one forged out of necessity, as we seek for love in its purest form. The book is available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Your-Children-Wisdom-Awareness/dp/1504383737. How to Raise Your Children with Wisdom and Awareness By Lynn Baribault Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 106 pages | ISBN 9781504383738 E-Book | 106 pages | ISBN 9781504383745 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Lynn Baribault's first vision came to her when she was approximately 6 years old. It was not until she became a volunteer living and working in Laos that her intuitive abilities actually started to take up more time in her life. Over the years, Baribault has attended many courses on intuition and energy healing. She is a qualified ohana generational healing practitioner, quantum crystalline energy practitioner and a preseli healing with the ancestors practitioner. How to Raise Your Children with Wisdom and Awareness is her first book. Born in Quebec City, Canada, Baribault now resides in Guelph, Ontario, Canada with her two daughters. She is also a teacher who continues to thoroughly enjoy teaching and learning from children. A MaintenX Woofing Pack member pauses for a photo at the 32nd annual Bark at the Park. MaintenX believes that giving back to the community is one the most important things we can do as an organization. The MaintenX Woofing pack raised $800 for The Humane Society of Tampa Bay for their 32nd Annual Bark in the Park event. While MaintenX is known for being one of the largest national facility maintenance and repair companies in the US, theyre also known for their strong commitment to charitable efforts across the Tampa Bay region. MaintenX believes that giving back to the community is one the most important things we can do as an organization, said Bill Schaphorst, MaintenXs VP of Business Development. We like to make sure we support our four-legged friends in addition to the two-legged ones. Bark in the Park is a family- and dog- friendly event that helps raise funds that support the Humane Society of Tampa Bays programs and services. Pets could win costume contests for most chic, best pirate and most creative outfits. Pups and their humans enjoyed a day full of splash pools, treats and lots of slobbery dog kisses. In addition to Bark in the Park, MaintenX also supports charitable organizations such as Salvation Army Angel Tree, Skills Center of Tampa and Habitat for Humanity. In fact, MaintenX is currently sponsoring a Habitat Home Build for a local family. In addition to financial support, the team will be supplying over 200 volunteer hours to make the home a reality. When facility managers need facility maintenance, whether a small repair or a total renovation, they trust the skilled technicians at MaintenX to help. To learn more about MaintenX, visit http://www.maintenx.com. ABOUT MAINTENX INTERNATIONAL: MaintenX International is a fully licensed, facilities repair company. As one of the largest national self-performing facility maintenance and repair companies in the U.S., MaintenX has created a wide network of knowledgeable and professional technicians throughout the country. With their team of well-trained technicians, MaintenX self-performs and manages facility maintenance for their clients. In the event there is not a MaintenX technician in an area, the company has established a network of preferred vendor partners throughout the country for continued superior service for their clients. For more than 40 years, MaintenX has been expertly serving multi-location retail stores, restaurant chains and Fortune 500 companies nationwide. We are pleased to recognize all of the MEDA Award winners, said Pam Ruff, MEDA executive director. We applaud these exceptional projects, programs and campaigns as well as the people behind them that show how dedicated our members are to economic growth across the State of Maryland. The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) announces the recipients of the 2019 MEDA Awards, which celebrates the people, programs and projects that are transforming lives across the State of Maryland. MEDA Awards showcase efforts to attract new businesses, assist existing businesses, redevelop business districts, market communities and support economic development throughout the state. We are pleased to recognize all of the MEDA Award winners, said Pam Ruff, MEDA executive director. We applaud these exceptional projects, programs and campaigns as well as the people behind them that show how dedicated our members are to economic growth across the State of Maryland. The 2019 MEDA Project/Program Awards Winners Are: Seawall Development/R. House wins in the Economic Development Project category for large community. Seawall was challenged by chefs to bring them under one roof for collaboration. The result was R. House in Baltimores Remington neighborhood that revitalized an abandoned auto shop into a community hub with a food hall as well as a space for community-based activities. The project was nominated by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Dominion Energy earns the award in Economic Development Project in small community for its Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal in Lusby, Md. The expansion allows Dominion Energy to liquefy natural gas onsite and load into transport ships for international export. The project was nominated by Calvert County Department of Economic Development. Vehicles for Change Inc. is awarded the Economic Development Programs in large community. As the largest program of its kind in the country, Vehicles for Change repairs donated cars while providing training for individuals, most of whom were recently incarcerated. The Baltimore-based organization was nominated by Governors Workforce Development Board. AgPitch is the winner of the Economic Development Programs in small community. Through a Wouldnt it be cool if campaign, AgPitch earmarked issues that werent being solved by the business community and challenged agricultural community members to find solutions. The AgPitch program was nominated by MidAtlantic Farm Credit. Open for Business Campaign is awarded the Economic Development Marketing for large community. The campaign raised awareness of Maryland as a place to do business by highlighting the states assets. The campaign was nominated by the Maryland Department of Commerce. Making Connections Campaign wins in the Economic Development Marketing Category for small community. The campaign formed a partnership with four private/public businesses to bridge new and continued development in Washington County. The campaign was nominated by the Washington County Department of Business Development. Charm City Night Market receives honorable mention in the Economic Development Marketing category in large community. The campaign highlighted the history and heritage of Baltimores once-thriving Chinatown, while also giving a voice to the citys growing Asian American Pacific Islander population. The campaign was nominated by the Baltimore Development Corp. The 2019 MEDA Individual Awards Winners Are: MEDA 2019 Volunteer of the Year: Robert Black. As president and co-owner of Catoctin Mountain Orchard, Black has supported economic development throughout Maryland. Blacks volunteerism reaches back to the late 1970s as a member and past president of the Agricultural Business Council; served on the Visit Frederick Board of Directors and a member of Thurmont Economic Development Committee; and is a longtime member of the Frederick County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Black was involved in the creation of Frederick Farm Guide. He has been at the forefront of pest research, as well as devotes his time to developing new apple varieties. MEDA 2019 Rising Star: Patrick Terranova. As senior director of Baltimore Development Corp. (BDC), Terranova was the project manager for BDCs $660 million Port Covington TIF project, which is the largest in the citys history and is projected to add nearly 35,000 new permanent jobs. He created a pilot program to improve the exteriors of industrial buildings in the Carroll-Camden industrial park. The program assisted nine businesses and leveraged additional private capital dollars, as well as improved the public visibility and marketability of those businesses. He also is active in community service as, among other things, vice chairman of the Monsignor ODwyer Retreat House. MEDA Hall of Fame: Pradeep Ganguly. A member of MEDA since 1984, Ganguly has more than 30 years of service in economic development. Ganguly was most recently the executive vice president of the Prince Georges County Economic Development Corporation. He is also a former director for the Department of Economic Development in Montgomery County. He spent 21 years with DBED, which is now known as the Maryland Department of Commerce. Through it all, Ganguly has given what time he has to MEDA while balancing the demands of a busy job. He also makes it a point to give back to the community. In 1988, Ganguly founded MKK-USA, a nonprofit organization that provides educational support and humanitarian aid. Sponsored by Miles & Stockbridge P.C., the awards will be distributed during the MEDA Annual Conference April 28-30, at Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Md. To learn more about the awards and these outstanding projects, visit http://www.MEDAmd.com. About MEDA MEDA is a nonprofit organization of economic development professionals. Established in 1961, MEDA members promote the economic well-being of Maryland by working to improve the states business climate and the professionalism of those in the field of economic development. MEDAs membership includes economic development practitioners employed by government, businesses, and chamber of commerce and other professionals with interest in the economy of Maryland. Through its regular meetings, special programs and projects, MEDA members address such diverse issues as local planning, workforce, transportation, international trade, tourism and finance. MEDA members work diligently transforming lives by creating opportunities, inspiring innovation and enriching communities in Maryland. To learn more about MEDA, visit http://www.MEDAmd.com. Is hogging a table at Starbucks or telling a little white lie to get out of an appointment really a breach of integrity? Brody recommends counting promises as a way to avoid thinking and acting automatically. Facing any decision, we must ask Have I made a promise to another, person, either expressly or implied in our relationship with that person, that creates an expectation that I will keep the promise? Hogging a table at Starbucks, telling a little white lie to get out of an appointment, using a disabled parking permit though able-bodied, or listening regularly to public radio without donating are some of the ways many of us have breached integrity. If we want to see integrity restored to public life, we must start with ourselves and these harmless habits, says author Stuart H. Brody. In his new book, The Law of Small Things: Creating a Habit of Integrity in a Culture of Mistrust (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, $19.95 paper, January 15, 2019), Brody reimagines integrity as the habit of keeping promisesan antidote to a culture of permitted promise-breaking, white lies, and other small deceptions. Brody raises questions about how reliably any of us act with integrity. Our culture doesnt really ask much in the way of practicing integrity, Brody says. Staying out of trouble is all that it really demands. In this view, integrity is no more than a collection of techniques to avoid embarrassment. For Brody, integrity is a practice of discerning promisesexpress and implied, large and smalland fulfilling the duties they create on the pathway to personal authenticity. This habit of decision-making must be applied to all matters, even the seemingly inconsequential. Integrity is not a state of moral perfection, it is a commitment to engagement. It is a rigorous but uplifting way of moving through the world, Brody says. As much as we like to think otherwise, we are not naturally skilled in discerning the right thing. We operate under what Brody calls illusions of moral competence that allow us to breach integrity in small ways without acknowledging that were doing so. Were not good at acting with integrity because we dont practice, Brody says. Discernment, or figuring out the right thing, is indispensable. Brody recommends counting promises as a way to avoid thinking and acting automatically. Facing any decision, we must ask Have I made a promise to another, person, either expressly or implied in our relationship with that person, that creates an expectation that I will keep the promise? In The Law of Small Things, Brody focuses on solutions. In each chapter, he poses an ethical dilemma from personal life, the workplace, or politics. He explains why even a seemingly mundane habit like hogging a table at a coffee shop poses a significant social problem, and offers a way to change the behavior. Theres even a quiz you can take to measure your IQ (Integrity Quotient). Surprisingly, the person who taught Brody the most about integrity was a politician: the late Philip J. Rock, a state senator from the Chicago area with whom Brody worked in the 1980s. Brody recounts how facing a tough decision, his moral sense defaulted to loyalty without a thought of his duty to the people. Phil redefined loyalty as truthfulness. He suspended his self interest and urged me to do the same. It would be years before I heard any political leader speak like that. And mean it. Bio Stuart Brody is the founder of Integrity Intensive, a consulting firm concentrating on decision-making, leadership training, and the practice of integrity. His thirty-five-year career as a lawyer took him before the Supreme Court. He has held leadership positions in the Democratic Party, held numerous public offices, and advised presidential candidates. His speeches and workshops have brought his work to thousands of public officials across the country. Press Release As the sole telecom provider, Nokia will assure full 4G and 5G New Radio coverage for the experimental factory Collaboration with industry leaders across German automotive industry to develop use cases for Industry 4.0 and digital factories of the future 27 March, 2019 Stuttgart, Germany - Nokia has recently become member of ARENA2036, a collaboration of automotive industry leaders to create a flexible research factory model for production of the next generation of automobiles. As the sole telecom provider of ARENA2036, Nokia will provide full private 4G/LTE and 5G New Radio coverage for the joint experimental factory. Nokia will also validate use cases for the industry along with key players including Daimler, Bosch, TRUMPF. ARENA2036 is an ambitious research program from the University of Stuttgart with a long-term horizon of developing a lightweight automobile design with integrated functionality and sustainable engineering to mark the 150th anniversary of the automobile in 2036. The venture is based on the University of Stuttgart Campus and already has a flourishing ecosystem of around 35 participating enterprises. One of the prerequisites for the next generation of production technology is a 5G Industrial Wireless Solution provider to facilitate a more flexible production line. Industrial digitalization and automation can already start today with private 4G/LTE infrastructure, evolving to 5G as spectrum and industrial devices become available. Nokia has already started with the installation of private 4G/LTE and 5G Industrial trial systems. Nokia will look to validate key use cases with industry leaders and partners, including solutions for Secure Remote Access, Mobile Manipulation, Massive Sensor Networks, Wireless Safety, Truck-to-X-communication, Localization and Industrial Edge Cloud implementations. Peter Froeschle, Managing Director ARENA2036 said, "5G is the essential building block of the factory of the future where moving robot arms, automatic guided vehicles and production cells that can be reconfigured overnight are the norm. Nokia's end-to-end 5G solution fulfils the stringent requirements we had in terms of availability, latency and reliability to create a flexible and cost-efficient production line that will enable large scale rollouts of next generation customizable cars." Wolfgang Hackenberg, Managing Director, Nokia Germany said, "The factory of the future will be more automated, flexible, and as a result, more productive. This can only be achieved with ultra-reliable wireless connectivity between machines, robots and vehicles in all steps of the production process. ARENA2036 is an ambitious project and a prestigious venture to be part of. It will help us in strengthening our partnerships with major industry players and further advancing our campus solutions." Learn more about Nokia's enterprise solutions at Hannover Messe 2019 in Hall 6, H10. About Nokia for Industries Nokia has deployed over 1,000 mission-critical networks with leading customers in the transport, energy, large enterprise, manufacturing, webscale and public sector segments around the globe. Leading enterprises across industries are leveraging our decades of experience building some of the biggest and most advanced IP, optical, and wireless networks on the planet. The Nokia Bell Labs Future X for industries architecture provides a framework for enterprises to accelerate their digitalization and automation journey to Industry 4.0 About Nokia We create the technology to connect the world. We develop and deliver the industry's only end-to-end portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing that is available globally. Our customers include communications service providers whose combined networks support 6.1 billion subscriptions, as well as enterprises in the private and public sector that use our network portfolio to increase productivity and enrich lives. Through our research teams, including the world-renowned Nokia Bell Labs, we are leading the world to adopt end-to-end 5G networks that are faster, more secure and capable of revolutionizing lives, economies and societies. Nokia adheres to the highest ethical business standards as we create technology with social purpose, quality and integrity. nokia.com Media Inquiries: Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Pamela is murdered, and her ex-husband MJ goes searching for the killer only to realize he might be the next target and must become bait to close the case in Arthur Days new detective novel, Death at Dawn: LGBTQ Meets Main Street (published by Archway Publishing). While authorities hunt for her killer, so, too, does her ex, Michael McCaal, and a friend, Dianne Vargas. But, their investigation falls flat without additional resources or clues. In the process, MJ falls in love with Dianne and then discovers that she is a non-operative, trans female. To get help, they agree to work with the sheriff of Rockmarsh County, John Buckmaster, and come to a horrible realization. Pamelas murderer is now hunting MJ. To draw the killer out, Dianne and MJ must act as bait. The country is currently divided into artificial politically correct segments but we all bleed red when cut. What would be the result of a person from one segment meeting and falling in love with a person from a different segment? Day asks, reminding readers that We are one. We are strong. We are all Americans. We all start out with a blank slate and each of us writes on it differently. The book is available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Dawn-Lgbtq-Meets-Street/dp/1480866547. Death at Dawn By Arthur Day Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 318 pages | ISBN 9781480866522 Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 318 pages | ISBN 9781480866546 E-Book | 318 pages | ISBN 9781480866539 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Arthur Day was born in Baltimore but raised in Connecticut. He currently splits his time between homes in Simsbury, Connecticut, and Greensboro, Vermont, with his wife and an old English bulldog named Rocco. Day has also published Samson and Deliliah and When Fear Knocks. A young Costa Rican bred to be a National Security Agency covert operative sets out on a 30-year journey to fulfill dangerous missions that test his morals and fortitude in Wren Richards political thriller, NSA Unzipped and Exposed (published by Archway Publishing). As a child growing up in Costa Rica, Angelo Lopez harbors dark secrets that eventually send him spiraling downward into alcoholism at age 6. But everything is about to change when Angelo turns 17, suffers a family tragedy and is sent to the United States to attend school. As soon as he arrives at Fort Benning, Georgia, Angelo learns that his father has paid for the school to transform him into a man. While Angelo endures a rapid-fire question and answer session with an army colonel, he has no idea that he is already being bred to be a covert NSA operative. As he acquires special skills and proves himself loyal to the cause even when it conflicts with his personal morals, Angelo embarks on missions that lead him through 30 years lined with incredible danger and psychological events that intensify as time moves forward. Now only time will tell if all his sacrifices are worth it, especially when it comes to love. Americans should not take for granted civil liberties, freedom of speech, rights of privacy, property rights, and freedoms to invent and to create, Richards says. The book is available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Nsa-Unzipped-Exposed-Wren-Richards/dp/1480871443. NSA Unzipped and Exposed By Wren Richards Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 362 pages | ISBN 9781480871434 Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 362 pages | ISBN 9781480871441 E-Book | 362 pages | ISBN 9781480871458 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Wren Richards is a political activist who promotes civil liberties and womens rights. She ran for the Texas senate, served as a Wyoming delegate, and directed political campaigns for a Wyoming representative, senator, and governor. In addition to her public service, Richards supports and promotes the arts, serving as director of performing arts schools in Wyoming and Texas for over 36 years. Today Richards is a sculptor living in Galveston. PACENation has announced the election of four new Board members: Deborah Burke of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Keith den Hollander of the Christian Coalition, Robert Giles of PACEfunding, and Brad Knyal of E3. Cisco DeVries has been elected to serve as Chairman of the Board of PACENation. I am thrilled to welcome these new members to our Board of Directors. Each brings a unique perspective and depth of experience that will make them an excellent resource and advocate for PACENations stakeholders, said Jeff Tannenbaum, PACENations founder and Chair Emeritus. I am also delighted to announce that Cisco DeVries, the inventor of PACE and a visionary in clean energy finance, will be taking on the role of Board Chair. It has been an honor to Chair PACENation, to have worked with so many committed and talented individuals, and to leave the organization with such capable leaders. PACENation is leading the charge to make energy efficiency, renewable energy, and resiliency a choice for all building owners, said Cisco DeVries. I look forward to working with PACENations members as we continue to strengthen PACE as an industry. Cisco DeVries is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Titan Grove. For over two decades, Mr. DeVries has nurtured new ideas, created policy, built companies, and inspired change. In 2008, Mr. DeVries co-founded the firm Renew Financial, which under his leadership became one of the largest dedicated clean energy finance companies in the United States. As CEO of Renew, he raised over $2 billion in private capital that financed energy efficiency and clean energy projects in nearly 100,000 homes. Previously, he spent five years as the Chief of Staff to Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates where he managed the Mayors environmental agenda and developed the first PACE program. In 1996, he was appointed to the administration of President Bill Clinton, and served as an aide to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, held roles at the White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation, and organized the roll-out of key Presidential and Secretarial policy initiatives throughout the U.S. and internationally. Deborah Burke is Program Associate for the Rockefeller Brother Funds Sustainable Development program. Prior to joining the RBF, Ms. Burke was part of the research team at New York Universitys Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. She has extensive legislative experience from her role as the senior policy advisor to Oregon State Representative Jules Bailey, and was honored to support the West Lancashire Member of Parliament Rosie Cooper as a parliamentary researcher in the United Kingdoms House of Commons. Robert Giles is the Chief Executive Officer of PACEFunding. PACEfunding is a leading energy efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy finance company that provides PACE to homeowners. Mr. Giles brings 25+ years of experience in public finance banking and solar photovoltaic sales channel management and finance, and was the founder and CEO of Ready Solar, which he sold to SunEdison in 2010. Prior to Ready Solar, Mr. Giles was a Managing Director in the Municipal Finance Groups at both Bank of America and Merrill Lynch for a combined 18 years. Keith den Hollander joined the Christian Coalition in 2013 after nearly 8 years in the insurance industry. Since 2013, he has held the roles of Michigan State Chairman, Midwest Director, and his current role as National Field Director. Keith also volunteers as the commanding officer of Training Ship Windward, a unit of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corp, a youth leadership program. He serves on the Michigan Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and sits on the National Leadership Council for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Keith lives in Michigan with his wife, Rebecca, and four children. Brad Knyal is Chief Executive Officer of Energy Efficient Equity (E3). Founded in 2015, E3 has benefited Californias homeowners by providing streamlined access to cost-efficient capital for critical clean energy, water, and resiliency upgrades to their properties. Mr. Knyal joined E3 as the CEO and Member of the Board in May of 2017. Previously, Mr. Knyal was the CEO and co-founder of Wireless Capital Partners. WCP was one of the largest aggregators cell tower ground leases in the US. Over a 15 year period WCP acquired and sold over 7,000 assets in all 50 States. Mr. Knyal is a graduate of Arizona State University with a B.A. in Political Science. ----- PACENation is the national, independent non-profit organization that advocates for PACE within the United States and in growing markets abroad and provides information, resources, and advice to PACE market participants from the government, non-profit and for-profit sectors. Its annual Summit has become the must attend event for PACE market participants and those intent on providing it. This year's Summit will be held in Austin on April 3-5. For more information and to register, visit http://pacenation.us/summit. The Wests leading provider of office solutions expects continued growth for this location, which currently employs 42 employees. Pacific Office Automation recently opened its newest branch in Southern California, the companys first foray into an entirely new market. The Wests leading provider of office solutions expects continued growth for this location, which currently employs 42 employees. The branch, located southeast of Los Angeles in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., offers a full suite of office equipment and the custom-tailored office solutions that make POA a choice partner. The team looks to grow its employee base to keep up with increased sales as the office continues to reach more customers in Los Angeles County. Management at the Southern California office is currently seeking Sales Representatives eager to build a career in this fast-paced but rewarding industry. POA doesnt require past business development or sales experience for this entry level role, but the company will provide its top-tier sales training to all new employees. This role is open and hiring; apply online and join the team at Pacific Office Automation in Southern California. About Pacific Office Automation Pacific Office Automation (https://www.pacificoffice.com) is a leader in managed printing solutions and document management software. Since 1976, POA has grown to become the industrys largest independent dealership with 30 locations throughout Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho and Colorado. The company is also one of the largest independent distributors, carrying brands such as Sharp, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, Lexmark, Xerox, Muratec, Canon and HP copiers, printers, faxes and multifunctional devices. POA believes in providing custom print solutions that are fast, efficient and secure so customers can confidently say, Problem Solved. ### "Pendar XA is designed to assist personnel in pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries in discovery and scale-up to quickly and safely analyze a wide variety of known and unknown substances." The Pendar XA system for real-time Raman quantification was announced as the Bronze winner of the Pittcon Today Excellence Award (in the sales of under $10 million category). Pendar XA is designed to assist personnel in pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries in discovery and scale-up to quickly and safely analyze a wide variety of known and unknown substances. Pittcon Today is the official magazine of the Pittcon conference and exposition, the premier annual event for laboratory science. The Pittcon Today Excellence Award presented to Pendar was one of nine total Excellence Awards presented during Pittcon 2019. The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges looking to recognize product innovations and ingenuity. We have just introduced the Pendar XA and are thrilled to have its breakthrough capabilities recognized with this award, said Dr. Daryoosh Vakhshoori, Pendars CEO and President. Our potential customers have been very impressed with the product so far; having a panel of industry leaders recognize the vast potential of our system is gratifying. The Pendar XA is the first Raman platform that can analyze the kinetics of almost all reactions, even if the reaction has fluorescence. The system does not need a probe, which makes it possible to do real-time monitoring of very small volumes of reactants. In addition, the Pendar XAs advanced algorithm converts complicated Raman spectra into actionable information on the chemistry and structure of both known and unknown molecules. About Pendar Technologies LLC Pendar is a privately-held company with a mission to create intelligent chemistry systems. We fuse innovative hardware with machine learning algorithms guided by expert knowledge of molecular spectroscopy. Our team previously brought handheld spectroscopy to the field, founded two successful venture-backed companies, and pioneered Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs). We are a vertically integrated company of scientists, engineers, and innovators building our own software, spectroscopy platforms, and laser systems from the ground-up. Our solutions enable users to focus on their primary objectives: discovering and scaling-up new chemistries, responding to emergencies, and saving lives. More information available at http://www.pendar.com. Repaired and ready-to-go: Penetron technology is completely non-toxic and free of volatile organic compounds (VOC), ideal for potable water applications like the Pullox Hill project. When applied topically, like the Pullox Hill project, maintenance costs are virtually eliminated when compared to a membrane, and the Penetron System is half the cost of resin-based chemical products, as well. In March 2019, the large water storage tanks at the Pullox Hill facility were returned to service after extensive repairs to the damaged concrete tanks. Penetron crystalline technology was tapped as a more economic and durable alternative to a membrane or surface-applied coating system. Anglian Water, a water treatment company in Pullox Hill near Luton, England, needed to find a way to repair damaged concrete structures (and a compromised membrane) for their drinking water storage tank. The tank, located near the village of Pullox Hill, is used to store drinking water for the surrounding communities. The balancing tank holds approximately 250,000 gallons of water as a water supply buffer to compensate for the daily spikes in local water consumption during mornings and evenings. The concrete tank was originally constructed in 2008 and waterproofed with a membrane held together with bitumen fillets. Over the past 10 years, the damage sustained by the waterproofing membrane allowed the ingress of water through the roof slab of the storage facility, which leaked into the drinking water tank. Penetron UK realized that to permanently eliminate any future leaks at the Pullox Hill site, the client needed a cost-effective waterproofing solution with materials approved by the DWI (UK Drinking Water Inspectorate). Correct Surface Prep is Crucial The repair work on the Pullox Hill water storage tank was carried out by Betonbauen Ltd. from Caerphilly, South Wales, a certified Penetron contractor. To ensure a successful repair, the concrete surface was cleaned and fully exposed before any Penetron repair products were applied. The first step was the complete mechanical removal of the existing waterproofing membrane system, any residual primer and adhesive coatings, as well as the underlying screed, done with the help of diamond-planing. Once clear, the exposed concrete surface needed to be prepared. All cracks (larger than 0.5mm) and perimeter upstand/slab interfaces were saw cut and routed out. All areas to be treated with a topical coating were then high-pressure-washed to open the concrete matrix in preparation for the Penetron treatment. PENECRETE MORTAR was used to fill the notches cut along the construction joints and cracks. A coating of PENETRON slurry was applied to the whole surface of the water storage tank and allowed to cure. During the curing process, the insoluble crystals grow into the concrete structure, sealing all hairline cracks, pores and capillaries within the concrete matrix, resulting in a waterproof and durable slab. Virtually Eliminating Maintenance Costs Currently, the Penetron team in the UK is seeing a lot of similar projects, where waterproofing membranes are being torn out and replaced with integral solutions, explains Stephen Mather, Manager of Penetron UK. When applied topically, like the Pullox Hill project, maintenance costs are virtually eliminated when compared to a membrane, and the Penetron System is half the cost of resin-based chemical products, as well. A coating of PENETRON slurry was applied to the whole surface of the water storage tank and allowed to cure. During the curing process, the insoluble crystals grow into the concrete structure, sealing all hairline cracks, pores and capillaries within the concrete matrix, resulting in a waterproof and durable slab. Non-Toxic and VOC-Free Because Penetron technology is non-toxic and completely free of volatile organic compounds (VOC), Penetron crystalline products are 100% safe for use in potable water applications. In addition, Penetron products are approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) and have been widely used in LEED-certified and Green Building Initiative (GBI) projects around the world. The repair work at Pullox Hill was a complete success, adds Stephen Mather. And the client was also very pleased that our solution drastically reduced any time needed for future maintenance, thanks to the self-healing capabilities of the crystalline technology. The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels. For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700. David Kalinowski, President of Proactive Worldwide, will host the workshop Foundations in Competitive Intelligence at SCIP 100/200 Boot Camp, which will take place in Baltimore, Maryland on March 27 and 28, 2019. The boot camp is an interactive event thats intended to give participants the opportunity to learn and interact with one another as a part of their professional development. The workshops will teach them the core competencies that are needed to achieve intelligence-enhanced decision-supporting capabilities. The workshop Foundations in Competitive Intelligence fulfills the requirements for the CAP-I Certification. Designed for professionals in search of a refresher course and individuals who are new to competitive intelligence (CI), its full of practical takeaways about the fundamentals of CI. When these fundamentals are consistently applied, they contribute significantly to organizational success. Workshop participants will hear stories, watch videos and discuss case studies, as well as participate in role playing and other breakout exercises. After completing the workshop, participants will know how to implement an intelligence capability model to build their CI function, and theyll understand the various strategies for managing stakeholder expectations. Theyll gain insights into conducting primary and secondary research and learn about constructing a network. Theyll also develop and practice their analytical skills, outline the various components of an Early Warning program and know how to demonstrate the value of competitive intelligence. With nearly 30 years of experience in research, competitive intelligence and consulting, Kalinowski oversees all of Proactive Worldwides consulting services. He regularly lead numerous successful engagements for domestic and international organizations. In addition, as an expert in CI Function Development and Counterintelligence, he regularly advises executive boards plus, he frequently acts as a facilitator at war gaming events for strategic leadership teams. Hes a dynamic presenter and a 2005 recipient of the SCIPs Catalyst Award. About Proactive Worldwide Proactive Worldwide, Inc., is a global strategic intelligence and research firm that has been providing data-driven, useful information within the domains of customer insights, market intelligence and competitive intelligence to its clients for more than 23 years. Its professionals offer services that include but arent limited to competitor research and assessment, user experience studies, customer experience studies, war gaming simulations, market entry and defense strategies, and scenario planning events. For more information, get in touch with us today. Al Matulis Quinn Snacks, a Boulder, CO-based natural foods company dedicated to producing reimagined, classic snacks with a focus on ingredient transparency, announced today that it has named Al Matulis as the Companys Vice President of Sales. Quinn Snacks is known for its award-winning microwave popcorn and gluten free pretzelsall made with real ingredients that can be traced to the source as a part of the Companys Farm-to-Bag ingredient transparency promise. Mr. Matulis will focus on expanding the brand across all channels and accounts. We are incredibly excited to welcome Al to the Quinn team, said Kristy Lewis, Founder of Quinn Snacks. His experience with brands in the snack and popcorn categories will be a tremendous asset as we focus on accelerating sales and building out our growing sales organization here at Quinn Snacks. As a foodie and a snack fan, I am particularly excited to help Quinn Snacks expand their brand beyond clean microwave popcorn into gluten free, Whole Grain Pretzels, said Mr. Matulis. This new category offers us an opportunity to introduce consumers to the brand in multiple channels, with the latest innovation in filled pretzels already providing tremendous opportunities for growth. Al joins Quinn Snacks as VP of Sales from his most recent role as VP of Sales at Chicago Custom Foods, a private equity owned specialty foods company focused on seasonings in both the popcorn and hot cereal category. Prior to his tenure at Chicago Custom Foods, he spent five years with the Kellogg Company running retail and account teams on both the Snacks and Morning Foods businesses in the Eastern Region. After completing his MBA in Finance at University of Denver, Al worked at Advantage Sales & Marketing. He began his career with the Kimberly Clark Corporation after completing his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University. About Quinn Snacks Quinn Snacks (http://www.quinnsnacks.com) believes in using only real ingredients from trusted farmers & suppliers so we can lessen our environmental impact and create crazy delicious snacks of which families can be proud. Quinn Snacks can be found in more than 6,000 stores in 49 states. Current retail partners include Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Wegmans, Publix, Albertsons Safeway, HEB, and countless other natural and specialty retailers. Quinn Snacks is working to transform our food system by reimagining snacks, one ingredient at a time. Simply put, transparency is the most powerful force for good in food. Future Intel Xeon Scalable processors are another significant step that Intel is making towards the optimization of AI and HPC workloads, said William Bell, Executive Vice President of Products at phoenixNAP. phoenixNAP, a global IT services provider offering security-focused cloud infrastructure, dedicated servers, colocation, and specialized Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) technology solutions, today, announced its participation in the early ship program for future Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Future Intel Xeon Scalable processors are architected for high-performance computing (HPC), artificial Intelligence (AI), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) workloads. Some of the features of future Intel Xeon Scalable processor include extended memory with support for Intel Optane DC persistent memory, improved inference acceleration with Intel Deep Learning Boost (including Intels Vector Neural Network Instructions). As part of Intels early ship program, phoenixNAP will be one of the first Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers to offer servers with the new generation processors from multiple global locations. The innovative features of future Intel Xeon Scalable processors will bring ground-breaking changes in the data center space, said Ian McClarty, president at phoenixNAP. With up to 28 high clock speed cores per socket and Intel Optane DC persistent memory, future Intel Xeon Scalable processors provides more power, better security, and high-performance processing. We are excited to work with Intel to enable earliest access to their new workload-optimization technology. Future Intel Xeon Scalable processors are another significant step that Intel is making towards the optimization of AI and HPC workloads, said William Bell, Executive Vice President of Products at phoenixNAP. We are proud to be a part of the innovation as one of the first companies to offer access to the new processors. The ability to support 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB Intel Optane DC persistent memory modules alongside DRAM is a key enabler for applications working with large in memory datasets, said Martin Wielomski, Director of Products Infrastructure Services at phoenixNAP. The implementation of Intel Deep Learning Boost, future Intel Xeon Scalable processors drastically increases its performance for Deep learning and AI inference workloads. phoenixNAP is a Premier Service Provider in the VMware Cloud Provider Program and a Platinum Veeam Cloud & Service Provider partner. phoenixNAP is also a PCI DSS Validated Service Provider and its flagship facility is SOC Type 1 and SOC Type 2 audited. About phoenixNAP phoenixNAP is a global IT services provider with a focus on cybersecurity and compliance-readiness, whose progressive Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions are delivered from strategic edge locations worldwide. Its cloud, dedicated servers, hardware leasing, and colocation options are built to meet always evolving IT businesses requirements. Providing comprehensive disaster recovery solutions, DDoS-protected global network, hybrid IT deployments with software and hardware-based security, phoenixNAP fully supports its clients business continuity planning. Offering scalable and resilient opex solutions with expert staff to assist, phoenixNAP supports growth and innovation in businesses of any size enabling their digital transformation. Our continued participation and acceptance at the prestigious SIOP conference highlights the scientific research and integrity behind SkillSurveys solutions that is unmatched by any other provider of online reference checking, said Ray Bixler, President and CEO of SkillSurvey SkillSurvey, the leading provider of cloud-based solutions that help organizations hire with faster, more reliable insights, announced today that members of its Analytics Team are presenting results of two new research studies, one on college student career readiness and the other on factors impacting a job references willingness to respond to reference requests at the Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). The conference takes place April 4-6, 2019, at the Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center, National Harbor, Maryland. This year marks the teams 14th presentation to be accepted at the conference and the third symposium it will co-chair. Our continued participation and acceptance at the prestigious SIOP conference highlights the scientific research and integrity behind SkillSurveys solutions that is unmatched by any other provider of online reference checking, said Ray Bixler, President and CEO of SkillSurvey. We rigorously study and test that feedback provided by others within our solution is job related and predictive of on-the-job success. Its very exciting to present this new study that validates our online reference-checking solution and provides more insights as to why references may or may not respond to requests. Said Dr. Cynthia Hedricks, Chief Analytics Officer at SkillSurvey. Were also very proud to share new data from the Career Readiness Program that weve launched in conjunction with the NACE Center for Career Development and Talent Acquisition to create a consistent method that will allow institutions to compare and evaluate a college students job-related competencies. Session information: Friday, April 5, 12-12:50pm Prince Georges Exhibit Hall D Will They or Wont They? Factors Affecting Compliance With Reference Check Requests This study examined factors affecting compliance of potential reference providers with reference check requests. A quasi-experimental scenario was used to assess the impact of candidate job performance, relationship to candidate, and method of providing the employment reference on hypothetical compliance. Results indicated that performance and method impact reference compliance. Dr. Disha D. Rupayana and Dr. Cynthia A. Hedricks, SkillSurvey, Inc.; Peter A. Fisher and Dr. Chet Robie, Wilfrid Laurier University Saturday, April 6, 1:30-2:20pm Chesapeake J-L Symposium/Forum: The Road to Work: Understanding College-to-Career Transitions All adult workers face the experience of school-to-work transition, yet our understanding of this process remains incomplete. The symposium addresses key topics relevant to the study of such transitions. Dr. Cynthia A. Hedricks and Dr. Disha D. Rupayana, SkillSurvey, Inc., and Matthew Brink, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) will present Career Readiness: Feedback from Supervisors and Coworkers of College Interns which discusses evaluations of over 2,700 students currently attending one of 42 institutions. About SkillSurvey SkillSurvey applies the science of human behavior and smart technology to create a fuller picture of the people our customers engage. SkillSurvey solutions help employers save time and money, grow revenues, and bring the right employees onboard faster; and help students and higher education institutions gain insight about individual skills and career readiness. SkillSurvey Reference is proven to reduce first-year turnover for cause and uncovers behavioral competence; SkillSurvey Source offers new ways to build a pipeline of talent; SkillSurvey Credential OnDemand helps healthcare organizations onboard skilled practitioners faster with digital peer referencing. We serve more than 2,000 companies, institutions & organizations. Our 11,000 users are connecting with hundreds of thousands of job candidates, references, students, evaluators and peers each month. Visit SkillSurvey at http://www.skillsurvey.com, and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SkillSurvey is a registered trademark of SkillSurvey Inc. or its affiliates and registered in the U.S. and other countries. 2019 SkillSurvey Inc. and its affiliates. SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Smart Cannabis Corp. (OTC: SCNA) has announced completion of a Yolo County installation which involved retrofitting 24,000 square feet of greenhouse space and equipping the facility with the companys elite SMART App technology and progressive equipment specifically designed to ensure high quality, high volume cannabis yields year-round. Revenues are reportedly $676,000. The fully operational cannabis cultivation site is already halfway through their first grow cycle. This feat is reported to be especially notable because the cannabis crop flourished mid-winter, an often challenging, low-productivity time in the cannabis industry and wherever temperatures are low. This prosperous outcome is being attributed to the revolutionary technology and specialized equipment installed to ensure bountiful, year-round yields. The entire cultivation site is equipped with raised beds utilizing the companys SMART Micro Boilers, automated Dosatron irrigation, automated distribution of Dyna-Gro liquid nutrient concentrate, the SMART Multi Spectrum LED Cultivation Lights, and the companys SMART App which allows for the full automation features to be managed remotely, reducing overhead in personnel and utilities for the client. "Next Generation Farming transformed our property of bare, incomplete greenhouses into a functional, operational cannabis cultivation site in just a few months. They have demonstrated exceptional professionalism, fulfilled commitments, and equipped us with top-of-the-line technology and equipment. We're extremely satisfied with the outcome and look forward to contracting them with them again as we work toward expanding this facility. Planning and project development with the Next Generation team is already underway," declared Kyu Kim, Co-Founder and CFO of CompassLeaf LLC. Smart Cannabis Corp. further reports that preliminary drawing of designs for the possible expansion of this project site are underway. More information is expected to be delivered on this news in late Spring 2019. Images and information on the project can be viewed here: https://smartcannabis.com/next-generation-farms/projects/yolo-2/ Smart Cannabis (OTC: SCNA) is a public equity corporation advancing the agriculture and cannabis industries and growing through acquisition, strategic alliances, and proprietary intellectual property. The companys wholly owned subsidiary, Next Generation Farming Inc., provides turnkey, automated, commercial greenhouses systems that efficiently improve yields and decrease water consumption for cultivators of organic food and cannabis crops. The company websites are http://smartcannabis.com https://sapinvestments.com https://smartcannabis.com/nextgenfarming Disclaimer: The Company relies upon the Safe Harbor Laws of 1933, 1934 and 1995 for all public news releases. The company may make forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are estimates that reflect the companys best judgment based upon current information. All investments involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all such factors. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the company include, but are not limited to, government regulation; managing and maintaining growth; the effect of adverse publicity; litigation; competition; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the companys public announcements. Contact: Smart Cannabis Corp. info@smartcannabis.com (424) 732-7646 This campaign will present readers with tips for spring cleaning, staying healthy this season while remaining sustainable along the way. As spring approaches, Mediaplanet announces the launch of its newest campaign Spring Home & Health: The Sustainability Edition. This campaign will present readers with tips for spring cleaning, staying healthy this season while remaining sustainable along the way. This campaign will assist families in cleaning and preparing their homes and outdoor spaces for the springtime. Additionally, it works to highlight companies that are taking steps towards more sustainable business practices and protecting our planet. Finally, the campaign also advocates for a healthier lifestyle and discusses how you can get out and get active this spring! The print component of Spring Home & Health: The Sustainability Edition is distributed within todays edition of USA Today in the New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, South Florida, Atlanta markets, with a circulation of approximately 250,000 copies and an estimated readership of 750,000. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, click here. Author and Netflix star Marie Kondo graces the cover, with her editorial showcasing her top tips for tackling clutter in your home while also discussing the nuance of sparking joy. This organizing queen will help you overcome four challenges that we tend to have when trying to keep things neat and tidy. In addition, Mediaplanet teamed up with the home organization company, mDesign, even further to create a custom microsite focusing on creating home solutions with style. This campaign was made possible with the support of the National PTA, American College of Cardiology Newsletter, American Heart Association Newsletter, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Cleveland Clinic Newsletter, Marie Kondo, Jessica DeSiato, National Association of Professional Organizers, Environmental Protection Agency (Energy Star), The Container Store, ClosetMaid, Costco Products, Telescope Casual Furniture, Henry Hanger, Centurion, mDesign, Creative Cedar Designs, Center for Sustainable Energy, Electrolux Green Field Fitness, LifeTime, Method, and Wisdom Natural Brands. About Mediaplanet Mediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit http://www.mediaplanet.com for more on who we are and what we do. Press Contact: Madison Donovan; madison.donovan(at)mediaplanet.com Kaitlyn Eda; kaitlyn.eda(at)mediaplanet.com SPS - Smart Packaging Solutions Jean-Baptiste Leos, Marketing Director, Banking Products at SPS, declares: We are enthusiastic to see the adoption of dual interface cards worldwide. With SPS eBoost PAY technology, we provide card vendors with the utmost support to fulfill even the most unusual requirements from card issuers. Thanks to its well-recognized eBoost PAY product using inductive coupling technology, SPS, a world leader in contactless and dual interface card manufacturing technologies, has been working in close collaboration with smart card vendors for years. Now, on a global basis, payment cards are evolving to dual interface technology. While some regions have already switched to dual interface, Latin America, North America and Asia, have not yet migrated and are undergoing this transition in 2019 and 2020. This migration represents a huge growth opportunity for card manufacturers. While technology is evolving, the bank cards portfolio is becoming more and more complex and card offers are more and more targeted with regards to the card user population. Financial institutions are segmenting their clientele to maximize card penetration and to adapt each card to the desires of its cardholder. SPS eBoost PAY inductive coupling technology brings a maximum flexibility to card manufacturers and allows them to answer all banks requirements: Module size: when designers have defined a card based on a large (8 contacts) or small (6 contacts) micro-module, they are often not willing to change their design. SPS eBoost PAY comes with either Dual 8 or Dual 6 micro-modules, allowing to keep the same design for dual interface cards as for legacy contact cards, without any change on the previously approved artwork, Foil technologies are used to bring differentiation to cardholders. SPS eBoost PAY is compatible with metallic and non-metallic foils that allow a wide variety of text and designs on mid-range and high-end cards, Colored edges are increasingly demanded by banking card designers: as of now, on some markets, over 50% of cards are issued with colored edges. Manufacturers can build their cards using SPS eBoost PAY technology colored cores leading to an easy implementation of cards with colored edges, Transparent cards and transparent windows in opaque cards: SPS designs its pre-laminated antennas according to each customer request. SPS antennas can be designed using totally or partially transparent materials allowing card vendors to propose transparent cards to financial institution designers, Metal cards: financial institutions want to reward their high-end customers with metal cards marketed as a status symbol. As SPS eBoost PAY uses inductive coupling technology between the chip and its antenna, communication between the card and the reader is unhindered by interference issues that may arise when making metal cards with other technologies, Heavy cards: another status symbol used in payment cards is adding a heavier weight within the card. Thanks to SPS eBoost PAY flexibility, making cards heavier than usual is easy as additional material can be added without interfering with the card communication functionalities, Non-standard format cards: financial institutions are using cards that are not fully following the ISO 7810 ID-1 format as they include curved edges and other patterns. As SPS designs antennas for each demand, the eBoost PAY process is fully compatible with these non-ID-1 format cards. This way card vendors can answer all requirements from card issuers. Jean-Baptiste Leos, Marketing Director, Banking Products at SPS, declares: We are enthusiastic to see the evolution of the market towards dual interface cards on a worldwide basis. With SPS eBoost PAY technology, we provide card manufacturers with the utmost support to fulfill not only all known demands but even the most unusual requirements from card issuers. Based on inductive coupling, SPS eBoost PAY technology is based on electromagnetic coupling between the antenna and the module (no physical connection between the chip and the antenna). SPS eBoost PAY ensures the cards are significantly more reliable and durable than cards manufactured with other technologies. In addition, SPS eBoost PAY brings card industrialists a total flexibility as the same process is used to manufacture contact, contactless, dual interface and hybrid payment cards. SPS eBoost PAY technology is certified by major brands, Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover and supports all payment-dedicated chips and OS (Operating System) delivered by major suppliers. Smart Packaging Solutions will be exhibiting on booth 105 at ICMA Expo, a trade show taking place from March 31st to April 3rd 2019, in Orlando, Fla., USA. Visit our booth to have the opportunity to obtain more information about our offer and meet our experts. About SPS With the SPS brand, IN Groupe opens its secure components technology to all card and document manufacturers. SPS (Smart Packaging Solutions) is specialized in the design, manufacturing and sale of contactless solutions dedicated to ID cards, e-passport and dual interface banking cards. Headquartered in Rousset, France, with a subsidiary in Singapore, SPS employs 140 people. The company specializes in contactless and dual-interface products, with a recognized micro packaging expertise. SPS has filed over 120 patents supporting its exclusive technologies. More information at http://www.s-p-s.com SPS is part of the IN Groupe. About IN Groupe A partner of the French government for close to 500 years, IN Groupe offers identity solutions and secure digital services, at the leading edge of technology and integrating electronics and biometrics. From components to services and from documents to interoperable systems, IN Groupe is a global specialist in identity and secure digital services. The institution plays a daily role in facilitating everyone's life: helping states exercise their sovereignty, citizens protect their identity and businesses preserve their integrity. Whatever the issue, IN Groupe, a company for digital sovereignty, contributes to asserting a fundamental right for everyone: the right to be you. Based in Paris, the IN Groupe has two production centers and employs more than 1000 employees, of which over a third is dedicated to technology development. Follow us on: http://www.ingroupe.com Startpage.com - The world's most private search engine It's not necessary to track people to attain award-winning service and profitability. Stiftung Warentest, Germany's equivalent to Consumer Reports in the U.S., has awarded Startpage.com top honors in a battle to determine the best search engine. The world's most private search engine beat out eight competitors, including Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing and Yahoo for the win. We are honored to achieve first place in this test, said Startpage.com CEO Robert Beens. "It shows that private search has come a long way and that it's not necessary to track people to attain award-winning service and profitability. Startpage.com offers Google search results in privacy. No personal information is logged, sold or shared. In addition, Startpage also offers its Anonymous View proxy that lets users visit the web pages they find anonymously. These features combined with great search results and a crystal-clear privacy policy helped the company edge out competitors for the top spot. The testing involved comparing 50 search queries, that in some cases included typos, vague descriptions, and other ambiguities. Then the relevance of the first six search results was evaluated. The quality of the results were then reviewed in light of other search engine features and policies. Stiftung Warentest, like Consumer Reports, is known for its unbiased assessment of consumer goods and services. It was founded by the German government as an independent foundation and remains impartial by funding its work through sales of its magazine, books and other publications. It also receives funding from the German government in exchange for not running advertising, which might otherwise influence its independence. A cleaner community is a happier community and we should all take pride in the places we live. On Sunday, March 24, California travel tech startup Prontopia, in coordination with Associazione Alberoni, collectively as a team of 200 Venetian residents joined together to clean up over 300 bags of trash from beaches in the Venice Lagoon at Lido di Alberoni. The theme of the event was Toppling Castles of Plastic. The majority of the trash collected was plastic. According to the Institute of Marine Science National Council of Research, Recent studies have highlighted that there is a massive spread of trash in all world seas, especially of plastic, which is 70% of it. Highlighting the need for awareness of ocean conservation in high-traffic tourist areas like Venice, Italy, is of paramount importance to implementing sustainable solutions. Prontopias vision for responsible travel and sustainable cities centers on a community model of people helping people. The companys innovative app provides on-demand help to travelers in walkable cities, when and where they need it. As a peer-to-peer platform, they value the opportunity to raise awareness about local problems of overtourism and contribute to grassroots solutions among travelers and residents. A cleaner community is a happier community and we should all take pride in the places we live. Davide Poletto, Project Officer of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe Venice, notes that the, Venice lagoon, for its conformation, nature and specially for the high impact human activities coming from massive tourism and in its continuous growth, is specifically exposed to the diffusion of plastic trash and relative micro-plastics. Prontopia is an app that connects travelers with vetted on-demand locals who arrive by foot to provide expert assistance any time the need arises. The locals on the Prontopia app know the best way to get to city lodging and meeting points, or to a departure point on time when door-to-door by car is not an option. Using Prontopia takes the stress out of transitional moments in travel when a smile and knowledgeable support from a Local, as if you are met by a long lost cousin, make all the difference. The app works like Uber, but without cars, with an emphasis on the importance of human connections in the city, and is available today in Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy. The initial launch city, Venice, Italy, was selected because it is the quintessential pedestrian city, where truly one must walk to get to where they need to go. In Venice, visitors often encounter stresses that they could not have anticipated until their arrival. Just a little bit of help getting from point A to point B, or finding a simple comfort in an unfamiliar city, goes a long way when traveling abroad. In Venice, Prontopia engages with local organizations and businesses in proactive change efforts to ensure the city remains a living city for residents, creating measurable solutions to the problems of overtourism. We knew that by providing these local connections in the service, we would have a golden opportunity to also provide a model for corporate responsibility," said Prontopia Founder and CEO, Shannon Kenny. When travelers connect to locals in a way in which they are oriented toward respect extending a hand to say Welcome to the city, I live here, that is the first step toward global citizenship, and caring about the place. Kenny continues, We are incredibly proud as a company with the amazing number of our Prontopia Locals who participated in the Venice lagoon trash clean up. What I appreciate the most about this event is the heightened awareness it raised in traveler understandings that we should try to leave no trace wherever we are. If we all travel conscientious about the local problems of pollution around the globe, we can leave each city a little better than we found it. This is our biggest hope for Prontopia. Today in Venice, Florence, and Rome an exceptional community of Prontopia Locals enjoys helping visitors to the city with getting where they need to go easily. Along the way, travelers can learn special details about local life, and discover unique places to eat, shop, and learn about local culture and daily life. The economical service is available for as little as 15 minutes, at a pay-as-you-go rate equivalent to 20 euro/hour. In addition to practical help, the Prontopia app is a unique opportunity to get to know the city from the perspective of a local. The app serves as a citizen platform, empowering local citizens to use tourism to make their city a better place to live. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, treating visitors as temporary residents helps ensure that residents, hosts, and guests all serve the common good by relating to each other respectfully. This perspective helps prevent problems of overtourism, occurring when the interests of tourism override those of the local community. Tags:Venice, Florence, Rome, Travel Apps, Overtourism, Responsible Travel, Prontopia, Walkable Cities, TrashTag, TrashChallenge For further info in English, contact: Shannon Kenny, shannon(at)prontopia.com +1-805-680-7913 For further info in Italian, contact: Ilaria Nardone, ilaria(at)prontopia.com +39 3407888444 With the opportunity for seniors to live with dignity in their own apartments and receive the assistance they need, we are proud to say we continue to set the standard for assisted living in the Metro East area. Past News Releases RSS Gardant Employee Named National... Heritage Woods of South Elgin... New Assisted Living Community... Cambridge House of Swansea is celebrating 10 years of service to area seniors and their families with an anniversary party from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on March 28 at the community, which is located at 3900 Sullivan Drive. Since the beginning, Cambridge House of Swansea has established itself as the premier affordable assisted lifestyle community, said Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant Management Solutions, the company that manages the community. With the opportunity for seniors to live with dignity in their own apartments and receive the assistance they need, we are proud to say we continue to set the standard for assisted living in the Metro East area. Over the past decade, Cambridge House has spent more than 5 million minutes touching lives and providing love, compassion and care for residents. The community has served more than 500 families since opening its doors. Cambridge House also has a significant impact on the local economy and employs nearly 60 people. Much of the success can be attributed to the people who work at Cambridge House of Swansea. During the celebration, the community will recognize employees who have been with the community for the past decade: Tracy Baer, CNA; Lee Bohannon-Smith, administrator; Deb Dumas, CNA; Rachel Gullett, housekeeping; Teresa Harris, CNA; Mandy Hawkins, CNA; Ed McCabe, maintenance director; Deb Sparks, CNA; and Patty Vogt, business office manager. Jane Bohannon and Ruth Leveling -- residents who have lived at Cambridge House since the building opened will be honored as well. Cambridge House combines residential apartment home living with the availability of personal assistance, help with medications and a variety of convenience and support services. We provide a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home, explained Cambridge House Administrator Lee Bohannon-Smith. Residents live in private apartments that they furnish and decorate to their tastes. Each of the one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans includes a kitchenette, spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually controlled heating and air conditioning, and emergency alert system. Certified nursing assistants, working under the direction of a licensed nurse, are on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Meals, housekeeping and laundry are among the included services. Residents also benefit from all of the opportunities that are available to socialize with friends and neighbors and participate in activities and special programs, said Bohannon-Smith. Cambridge House of Swansea is fully certified to operate through the Illinois Supportive Living Program. Gardant Management Solutions is the largest provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and the 10th largest provider in the nation. Gardant also manages the Cambridge House communities in Maryville and OFallon, the Heritage Woods communities in Benton, Flora and Mt. Vernon and Prairie Living at Chautauqua in Carbondale. For more information about Cambridge House of Swansea, call 618-234-8910. Asian-inspired fast-casual franchise Teriyaki Madness, best known for its beefed-up bowls, now has the executive team to match. Over the course of the last three years, TMAD has recruited top-notch talent to every area of brand leadership. The result: a completely stacked team with the expertise to skillfully lead Teriyaki Madness as it prepares to double in size in 2019. Comprised of eight individuals with extensive industry knowledge and experience working both with franchisors and as franchisees, the Teriyaki Madness executive team oozes expertise. Led by CEO Michael Haith, an entrepreneur who specializes in emerging franchises who has invested in brands such as Pour La France!, Maui Wowi Hawaiian, Doc Popcorn and Kidcreate Studios, the brand assembled a slew of leaders with the specialization necessary to meetand exceedTMADs development goals. In the early days, we all wore a lot of hats and had to be very scrappy to get things done, Haith said. It took committing to a multi-year rebuild to get us exactly where we want to be as we take on the next few years of incredible growth. We invested in the infrastructure to form a best-in-class franchisor with a common goal; providing a robust and thorough support system for our franchisees. Jodi Boyce, Teriyaki Madness VP of Marketing, brings 20 years of franchise marketing leadership experience to the TMAD executive team, with stints at Quiznos and Smashburger on her resume. Legend has it she also drove the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. CFO John Miller comes to TMAD having served in senior- and executive-level financial roles, including CFO, with brands such as Chipotle and McDonalds and even a role on the franchise side with Carls Jr. Rounding out the executive team are Janice Branam (VP of Operations) was the Senior VP of Operations Excellence for Smashburger and Senior VP of Training for Quiznos, Joe Gordon (VP of Supply Chain) was head of Supply Chain for Portillo's and Noodles & Company and held key supply chain leadership positions for Wendy's, Erin Hicks (Chief Operating Officer) was Executive VP for Maui Wowi, Peter Harding (VP of Real Estate) was Sr. Director of Real Estate for Einsteins and Caribou and Hank Janik (VP of Real Estate) was head of Real Estate for Moes Southwest Grill and Schlotzskys. Like we said, STACKED. For some brands, having this many teriyaki cooks in the kitchen might result in disharmony. TMAD isnt one of those brands. Each executives area of expertise perfectly complements that of the others, creating a synergistic operation that is propelling the brand to new heights thanks to a shared vision for the future. Our team is cohesive because we all fit the brand culture, Boyce said. No one person dictates how things should be; its truly a team effort. We are all comfortable discussing our challenges, raising our concerns, offering our opinions and contributing our ideas. We communicate a lot, and we do so very well. We really weigh out the pros and cons of any decision before finalizing anything. When youre growing as fast as Teriyaki Madness, its essential to have people in place who know what theyre doing. Fortunately, the brand is knocking it out of the park in that regard. The team weve assembled brings so much to the table. Each members unique skills make us efficient, nimble and capable of supporting our franchisees as we continue to scale in 2019 and beyond, Haith said. As the brand continues pushing forward at warp speed, this team mentality and culture of collaboration is an integral component to Teriyaki Madness equation for system-wide success. Its so important that leadership starts at the top, Boyce said. The presence of a great executive team has a trickle-down effect so that greatness at every level of the company will follow. We put in the work defining and solidifying processes, and now each of our leaders is building out their own teams and truly assembling the best of the best. ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS Teriyaki Madness, an Asian-inspired fast-casual concept, serves made-to-order teriyaki dishes prepared with fresh ingredients, house-made sauces and marinated and grilled meats. With hearty portions and reasonable prices, Teriyaki Madness is committed to providing customers with a one-of-a-kind meal in an atmosphere thats as fun as its food is delicious. Founded in 2003 in Las Vegas, the Madness is spreading rapidly with 50 open units and plans to double in size in 2019. For the past three years, from 2017 through 2019, Teriyaki Madness ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list and was recently awarded as one of Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers. For more information on franchising opportunities, visit http://www.franchise.teriyakimadness.com. The Quinism Foundation has called upon a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine investigating the long-term effects of mefloquine to conduct its own independent review of the medical records of several veterans who have suffered chronic and disabling effects from the drug, noting that these case reports have gone unpublished in the medical and scientific literature. "Over fifteen years ago, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promised that these veterans' cases would be investigated," said Remington Nevin, MD, MPH, DrPH, executive director of The Quinism Foundation. "In 2003, ten years prior to the U.S. FDA's decision to add a 'black box' to the drug's label warning of permanent adverse effects, both DoD and CDC knew that mefloquine was the cause among veterans of chronic disability linked to brainstem dysfunction. In large part due to these organizations' failure to act in a timely manner to properly investigate and publish evidence of these effects, tens of thousands more U.S. veterans were needlessly exposed to mefloquine over the next decade, during which time the U.S. military maintained mefloquine as its drug of choice during large-scale operations." Dr. Nevin noted that several veterans previously diagnosed by the U.S. military with chronic brainstem dysfunction from mefloquine will be travelling from across the country at their own expense to Washington, DC, to attend the second meeting of the committee on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in the hopes of providing three minutes of testimony regarding their own conditions. "At its second meeting, committee members must make time to hear from Jim Loyd, a U.S. Army Special Forces medic who endured months of crippling nightmares from mefloquine while deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, only to return home with permanent brainstem dysfunction for which he was medically separated from the military," said Dr. Nevin. "Committee members must also make time to hear from Bill Manofsky, a U.S. Navy Commander who received a VA disability rating retroactive to 2003 for a central visual disorder and a central vestibular disorder attributed to mefloquine brainstem neurotoxicity." "There are dozens more veterans with similar documentation of central nervous system dysfunction that has been attributed to mefloquine that the comitteee could chose to hear from," noted Dr. Nevin. "Unfortunately, the VA, in their remit to the committee, did not mandate a review of individual veterans' medical records, and the committee has yet to agree to study these veterans' medical records independently." In addition to expressing its concern that these veterans' cases are being overlooked by the committee, The Quinism Foundation has raised additional concerns with the National Academies over possible conflicts of interest among certain committee members, and has been critical of several of the key speakers whom the committee has invited. Dr. Nevin noted that scheduled testimony from entrenched interests who have long denied the harmful effects of mefloquine among veterans has dominated the public sessions held to-date. "The committee should be hearing from veterans who can share the truth about this drug," said Dr. Nevin. "Instead, at the committee's first meeting, the DoD's representative, Colonel (Dr.) Andrew Wiesen provided the committee with misleading, incomplete, and inaccurate testimony regarding the scope of mefloquine use within the U.S. military. Dr. Wiesen obfuscated the truth by incorrectly stating that mefloquine 'was never the primary agent... for prophylaxis for large-scale operations', and that 'up until Malarone [atovaquone/proguanil] was in use, mefloquine was used as the primary agent', 'primarily for operations in sub-Saharan Africa'." "Dr. Wiesen failed to correctly advise the committee that despite the widespread availability of atovaquone/proguanil since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, mefloquine in fact remained a drug of choice for large-scale operations until 2013, and was widely used in both Afghanistan and Iraq, by at least tens of thousands of personnel," said Dr. Nevin [1]. "However, neither Dr. Wiesen, nor anyone in DoD, has any idea precisely how many tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of U.S. personnel were exposed to mefloquine during large-scale operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, because DoD acknowledges that documentation of mefloquine prescribing has been incomplete." The Quinism Foundation also reiterated its call that the VA not further delay long-overdue action on mefloquine pending the completion of the committee's 18-month study. The Quinism Foundation has previously called upon the VA to publicly provide accurate information to veterans on the acknowledged adverse health effects of mefloquine [2]; to begin screening veterans for a history of symptomatic mefloquine exposure [3]; and to ensure VA disability examiners are considering the acknowledged long-term adverse effects of mefloquine when conducting disability evaluations for PTSD and related conditions [4]. About The Quinism Foundation The Quinism Foundation, founded in January 2018, in White River Junction, Vermont, promotes and supports education and research on quinism, the family of medical disorders caused by exposure to quinoline drugs, including mefloquine and tafenoquine. Dr. Nevin is a board-certified occupational medicine and preventive medicine physician and former U.S. Army medical officer and epidemiologist. He is author of more than 30 scientific publications on malaria and the quinoline antimalarials, including Neuropsychiatric Quinism: Chronic Encephalopathy Caused by Poisoning by Mefloquine and Related Quinoline Drugs, to be published in the upcoming Springer Nature book, Veteran Psychiatry in the US," (https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783030053833). 1. Nevin RL. Mefloquine and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In: Ritchie EC, ed. Textbook of Military Medicine. Forensic and Ethical Issues in Military Behavioral Health. Washington, DC: Borden Institute; 2015:277-296. 2 The Quinism Foundation. The Quinism Foundation Calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to Update its Mefloquine Website. June 26, 2018. Available at: https://quinism.org/press-releases/the-quinism-foundation-calls-on-the-department-of-veterans-affairs-to-update-its-mefloquine-website. 3. The Quinism Foundation. The Quinism Foundation Calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to Screen Recent Veterans for Symptomatic Mefloquine Exposure. May 29, 2018. Available at: https://quinism.org/press-releases/the-quinism-foundation-calls-on-the-department-of-veterans-affairs-to-screen-recent-veterans-for-symptomatic-mefloquine-exposure. 4. The Quinism Foundation. The Quinism Foundation Expresses Concern That Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disability Examiners Are Misattributing Chronic Adverse Effects of Mefloquine to PTSD. November 29, 2018. Available at: https://quinism.org/press-releases/the-quinism-foundation-expresses-concern-that-department-of-veterans-affairs-va-disability-examiners-are-misattributing-chronic-adverse-effects-of-mefloquine-to-ptsd. Following September 2018 authorization to export to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has approved MPLs application to export to non-FTA countries. The authorizations allow Mexico Pacific Limited (MPL) to export US gas to Mexico and to export such gas from Mexico in the form of liquified natural gas (LNG). The conversion from a US gas to Mexican LNG product will take place at the MPL owned facility at Puerto Libertad, in the state of Sonora on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Leveraging existing pipeline routes to liquefy low cost U.S. shale gas on the Pacific coast of Mexico, the FTA and Non-FTA authorizations reinforce MPLs supply synergy with Asia Pacific customers. Were applying disciplined focus to deliver a world class project with highly competitive landed pricing into Asia, said Josh Loftus, President of MPL. We are pleased to receive the ongoing regulatory support of the US and Mexican governments as we build momentum towards taking a final investment decision in H1 2020 and start up in H2 2023. About Mexico Pacific Limited LLC MPL is a Pacific Coast North American liquefaction facility that has substantial cost and logistical advantages when compared with other US LNG facilities serving the Pacific Basin. Based just south of the U.S border at Puerto Libertad in the state of Sonora, Mexico, MPLs site has a deep-water port and is connected with the U.S. shale gas grid by multiple operating natural gas pipelines. The Company is permitted for up to 12 MTPA of LNG with the initial construction of up to 4 MTPA using modular LNG technology. MPL is a joint venture of DKRW Energy Sonora Holdings, LLC and AECOM Capital Private Infrastructure. The 'Ready Set Go!' sales event is going on now at Toyota of Hattiesburg. Toyota of Hattiesburg is currently offering the Ready Set Go! sales event to their customers. This limited time offer includes savings on a variety of new Toyota vehicles that the dealership has in its inventory. Savings for this sales event include Customer Cash options, lease specials or 0% APR financing. Some of the Toyota vehicles that are included in these savings are the 2019 RAV4, the 2019 Tundra, the 2019 Camry, the 2019 Tacoma, the 2019 Corolla and the 2019 C-HR. A few examples of the savings that are going on with this Toyota savings event include receiving $2,000 Customer Cash on a new 2019 Corolla, $1,000 Customer Cash on a new 2019 Camry, $1,000 Customer Cash plus $1,000 Special Edition bonus on a new 2019 Tacoma Special Edition, 0% APR on the 2019 Tundra Special Edition and the 2019 C-HR for72 months, lease specials on the 2019 RAV4 and more. All of these deals are available to qualified buyers only. In order to qualify, shoppers must finance through TFS (Toyota Financial Services). These offers are only available until April 1, 2019, at Toyota of Hattiesburg. Along with offering the Ready Set Go! sales event, the Toyota of Hattiesburg also offers other savings on their inventory and their service department. All of these savings opportunities can be found under the Specials tab on the dealerships website (http://www.toyotahattiesburg.com). Customers who are interested in learning more about the Ready Set Go! sales event can contact Toyota of Hattiesburg by calling the sales team at 601-255-0887. The dealership is located at 6461 US Hwy 98 in Hattiesburg, Miss. and is open Monday through Saturday. Our honorees have partnered with UNCF to strengthen our HBCUs and further our mission of securing better futures for us all, said Diego Aviles, vice president of development, UNCF. NEW YORK (March 26, 2019)UNCF (United Negro College Fund) celebrated its 75th anniversary just a few days ago in the Big Apple. While always a significant player in the organizations fundraising efforts, New York City has also had a unique tie to UNCF75 years ago, the organization was founded and incorporated there with the help of many noted business leaders and philanthropists of the time. The March 21 event honoring supportive New York corporations and philanthropists, including long time UNCF advocate and education changemaker former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, raised more than a half a million dollars to invest in UNCFs historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the deserving students that attend them. Edward Lewis, co-founder of Essence magazine, served as honorary co-chair, during which Bloomberg accepted the UNCF Lifetime Achievement Award for being a long-time advocate of UNCF. The UNCF Shirley Chisholm Award was presented to CUNY Trustee Dr. Una S.T. Clarke by her daughter, U.S. Rep Yvette Clark (D-NY). For its continuous support over the years, Delta Air Lines was honored with the UNCF Corporate Partner Award. There are millions of Americans who, over 75 years, have invested in UNCF and better futures for our students, and through that success, for all of us, said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of UNCF. Tonight, we raised the resources our HBCUs need to do their invaluable work. Tonight, we fund scholarships that narrow the gap between college costs and family resources. And together, we change the narrative of our HBCUs, which help strengthen and elevate a new generation of young, black and gifted students. Our honorees have partnered with UNCF to strengthen our HBCUs and further our mission of securing better futures for us all, said Diego Aviles, vice president of development, UNCF. Their contributions to education for the underrepresented have opened the doors to a college education for students who could not otherwise have afforded it. Since its founding, UNCF has raised more than $4.8 billion and has helped nearly half a million students earn college degrees at UNCF-member HBCUs. Theres another message in UNCFs 75th anniversary celebration, Lomax added. In a country whose population is rapidly trending majority-minority, and at a time when a college education is more importantand more expensivethan ever, UNCFs biggest challenges are ahead. UNCF annually awards more than 10,000 scholarships, Lomax noted, but for every scholarship it awards, it must turn away nine potential leaders for lack of funding. We oweand our country owesthose nine the support they need to go to and through college, Lomax said. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we commit to fulfilling that obligation. More than 350 people attended the celebration, including state Sen. Kevin Parker (D-NY); Councilman Robert Cornegy, Jr. (New York City); and HBCU Jackson State alumnus Demarco Morgan, CBS correspondent. Major event sponsors were Delta Air Lines and Citi. Grammy Award-winning artist Christopher Jackson finished the evening with a rendition of Nina Simones To be Young, Gifted and Black. To view images from this event, visit UNCF.org/NewYork. Follow UNCF New York on social media @UNCFNY #UNCF75 #UNCF. About UNCF UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 17 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF New York on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNCFNY. Mirage software automates design of optical metamaterials ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New software lets users design science-fiction-like materials with the same efficiency that architects draft building plans. Sandia National Laboratories has created the first inverse-design software for optical metamaterials -- meaning users start by describing the result they want, and the software fills in the steps to get there. The modern design approach takes guesswork out of engineering as-yet theoretical technologies like ultracompact, high-performance cameras and cloaking armor that could make wearers invisible to detection. Sandia uses the design aid, called Mirage, in its research and development programs and released a test version to select collaborators last year. Now, researchers working on government metamaterial projects can request a license at no cost. Man-made, optical metamaterials have been touted for more than a decade for their ability to manipulate light in extraordinary ways. In theory, satellite imaging and interstellar telescopes could be dramatically smaller with metamaterial lenses one hundred times thinner than conventional ones. Or, the technology could someday lead to cloaking materials that deflect light around them, rendering objects impossible to see. Mirage simplifies and automates the design process for materials that would be necessary for those technologies. Mirage takes guesswork out of design The field of optical metamaterials has so far struggled to deliver on all its perceived promise of revolutionizing optics. One difficulty for engineers has been that metamaterials are made of tiny building blocks, called meta-atoms, which can be designed in countless variations. A certain shape, collectively, might bend light. Change that shape, the size, the spacing or the material and that might amplify the effect or diminish it or cause something entirely different to happen, like twist the light one direction or another or change its intensity or color. "Predicting what the bulk 'homogenized' properties will be has been very hard to determine until now," said Mike Fiddy, a program manager in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which funded the software's development. Other software can simulate what meta-atoms will do to light, but that only allows researchers to use intuition to experiment with different designs until they stumble upon or tediously work out the behavior they want. Despite the challenge, some researchers have had success creating imaginative metamaterial devices. Sandia invented a device that converts heat to electricity, potentially for more fuel-efficient engines, and a light-mixing technology that could lead to a new, changeable, multicolored light source, which could accelerate all kinds of research from archeology to biomedicine. But on the whole, said Sandia scientist Ihab El-Kady, the metamaterial enterprise has needed a boost. "We cannot possibly solve this problem by trial and error," said El-Kady, who conceived Mirage. "Instead, we could do the opposite. We could say: 'Here is the behavior I want. Now tell me what the metamaterial looks like.'" No tool used this inverse-design approach. So, El-Kady and his team at Sandia's National Security Photonics Center built one. User-friendly instructions to exploit 100-plus templates Mirage lets users start by telling it the optical property they want -- how their metamaterial needs to interact with light -- and their starting materials. Mirage generates designs that match those criteria from a library of more than 100 templates. Or, users can draw their own designs, and the program will check them for errors. "A more systematic approach for designing metamaterials should greatly accelerate their adoption in various application areas," eliminating more commonly used, intuition-based approaches, Fiddy said. DARPA featured Mirage as a premier technology at the agency's 60th Anniversary Symposium in Fort Washington, Maryland, showcasing its far-reaching uses. "Mirage is an all-in-one tool," El-Kady said. "Not only does it tell you what the metamaterial looks like, it allows you to explore various configurations, simulate the system, validate the chosen behavior, visualize its response and optimize its functionality within your fabrication constraints." Software refines powerful ideas On top of that, said Sandia senior scientist Igal Brener, who uses the software in his metamaterial research, Mirage is useful because it includes algorithms that help researchers get the best performance from their inventions. Brener's team previously created a material that can mix two lasers to produce 11 colors at once, including infrared and ultraviolet light. Potentially, this technology could be developed into tunable lasers that replace single-color ones. But some of those colors are too dim to be useful, so he's exploring ways to brighten the output. Other software packages Brener has used include simple optimization algorithms. However, to use more advanced algorithms he must supplement those packages with his own coding. Not so with Mirage. "Optimization techniques come in many different flavors," he said. "Mirage is the only software package I know of that has the complex optimization techniques I need built in." If the initial launch is successful, Sandia plans to develop a second version of Mirage, tentatively called Mirage Elite, that would introduce a surge forward in optimization by automatically morphing meta-atoms into bizarre and outlandish shapes in the hunt for undiscovered behaviors. Researchers interested in a copy of Mirage are invited to contact Sandia for more information. To be eligible for a free copy, recipients must first have a valid research contract with the U.S. government. Mirage runs on Windows and can be configured to operate on laptop, desktop and multicore machines. ### Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California. This story has been published on: 2019-03-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Dublin, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Prospects for Space Exploration" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global government investment in space exploration totaled $14.6 billion in 2017, a 6% increase compared to 2016. Prospects for Space Exploration is an economic and strategic assessment of the space exploration sector, including an analysis and benchmark of government and commercial space exploration programs worldwide. The report identifies existing and upcoming new entrants in space exploration, global trends related to space exploration, and analyzes collaborative undertakings for exploration. Highlights of the report Fifteen leading space programs worldwide are estimated to contribute to this global investment, with the U.S. accounting for 74% of the total. Global expenditures have grown in the past five years driven by programs in leading countries and new countries investing in space exploration. In a still constrained budgetary environment, global space budgets for space exploration are expected to grow to over $20 billion by 2027. Future funding for space exploration is expected to grow to support the ambitious plans of the next decade. Nonetheless, national investments will remain constrained by their public finance environments that should dictate realistic and pragmatic investment strategies. Space exploration is attracting not only the interest of an increasing number of governments but also the private sector; start-ups to large companies seek to exploit the commercial potential of exploration activities. Space agencies are increasingly seeking to leverage partnerships with the private sector to achieve their goals more cost-effectively while fostering sustainable space exploration. Over the past ten years, 19 planetary exploration missions were launched by six countries/agencies (the U.S., ESA, Russia, Japan, China, and India). Over the next decade nearly 80 missions are expected to be launched, of which 63% will correspond to government missions. The next decade will also see the rise of commercial exploration initiatives, with close to 30 commercial missions forecasted by 2027, primarily driven by lunar initiatives. In terms of applications, Moon exploration is expected to account for the majority of missions to be launched by 2027, as lunar exploration becomes the focus in the strategy of private and public stakeholders. A total of 18 missions are anticipated to be launched for other deep space exploration, while the remaining missions will be dedicated to Mars exploration. Included in the Report: Government funding in space exploration of leading space agencies. Two periods of reference are considered: 2013-2017 for historical trends and 2018-2027 for forecasts Government and commercial space exploration missions launched and to be launched over 2008-2027 Five applications analyzed in detail, including: Transportation, Orbital Infrastructure, Moon Exploration, Mars Exploration, and Other Deep Space Exploration Profiles of key commercial and government organizations involved in space exploration Who will Benefit from this Report? Satellite & launch vehicle integrators Satellite & launch vehicle parts manufacturers Launch & service providers Banks, investors & insurers Satellite operators Space & other government agencies This report provides an assessment and benchmark of space exploration programs. It does not assess the market value of the commercial exploitation of space resources. The report concentrates on programs in LEO orbital programs and beyond LEO, excluding suborbital programs. Key Topics Covered: 1. STRATEGIC ISSUES & FORECASTS Space exploration: The context in 2018 Global trends for government funding in space exploration Leading government space exploration programs Space exploration missions launched and to be launched Government cooperation Public-private cooperation Commercial organizations involved in space exploration Challenges and enablers for commercial organizations Overview of each application area, including Prospects for the application Government funding Missions roadmap 2. TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS The context in 2018 Government transportation programs Commercial transportation programs 3. ORBITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS The context in 2018 The ISS: Program & future scenarios Future government orbital infrastructure programs Commercial initiatives: Commercial utilization of the ISS Commercial initiatives: Space stations 4. MOON EXPLORATION PROGRAMS The context in 2018 Government programs Commercial initiatives 5. MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAMS The context in 2018 Government programs Commercial initiatives 6. OTHER DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAMS The context in 2018 Government programs Commercial initiatives 7. PROFILES OF LEADING SPACE AGENCIES United States China ESA Japan Russia European National Programs UAE India Canada South Korea 8. PROFILES OF PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS Astrobotic PTScientists Moon Express ispace Blue Origin Masten Space Systems Deep Space Industries Planetary Resources Axiom Space Bigelow Aerospace Made In Space NanoRacks SpaceX Sierra Nevada Corporation Thales Alenia Space Airbus Defence & Space Lockheed Martin MAXAR Technologies Boeing Northrop Grumman Companies Mentioned ABS Airbus Defence & Space Amos - Spacecom Anchorage Capital Group Apax Partners APT Satellite Arab Satellite Communication Organization Arianespace Arqiva Arsat ASI Astrium Astrobotic Avanti Communications Axiom Space Bain Capital BC Partners Bigelow Aerospace Blue Origin Boeing Satellite Systems CAST Center of Space Communications in Kazakhstan China Great Wall Industry Corporation China Satellite Communications CIB Citigroup Global Markets Inc. CNES Cobham Microwave COM DEV International Convergence Partners CPPIB Crdit Agricole Crdit Suisse CSA Cyfrowy Polsat S.A Deep Space Industries Deutsche Bank EBU Echostar Electronic Telecommunications Research Institute Ericsson ESA Eutelsat Fidelity Investments Gazprom Space Systems Gilat Satellite Networks Globecast Goldman Sachs International GSO Capital Partners GT Satellite Systems S.A. Hispasat Hughes Network Systems iDirect Technologies ING Inmarsat Intelsat ispace ISRO ISS Reshetnev JAXA Jefferies & Company Khrunichev State Research & Production Space Center Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Korea Telecom-Kt Sat Lockheed Martin Macquarie Capital Made In Space Masten Space Systems MAXAR Technologies MDA Measat Merrill Lynch Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Moon Express Morgan Stanley NanoRacks National Operator of Satellite Communications CJSC NEC NEC Corporation Newtec Northrop Grumman O3b Networks Ocean Rich Technology Onex Corporation Optus Perella Weinberg Partners Planetary Resources PT Telkom PTScientists Raytheon Company RRsat Global Communications Network RSCC SES Shumway Capital Partners Sierra Nevada Corporation Singtel SK Telecom SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation Skyware Global Socit Gnrale SpaceX Spectrum Venture Management SSL Star One S.A. TA Associates Telecom Telenor Telesat Telespazio Temasek International Tesat-Spacecom Thales Alenia Space The Blackstone Group Turksat A.S. UBS Investment Bank Unison Capital VEGA Deutschland Wavestream Yahsat For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/x8ch79/prospects_for_the?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. (L-R) Vice Chairman Nick Royer, Professor Dave Ragan, Rebecca Boyle, Chairman and CEO H. Stephen Bailey I come away so enthused by this competition and know that the industry as a whole has a bright future....Barry Dayley, MRFC, Executive Vice President Money Concepts International Past News Releases RSS Fall Issue of Financial Academic... Benefit Strategy Review Available... Women in Financial Service Industry... The student finalists presented their plan to a fictional couple and were judged by an audience of experience Financial Consultants. The results: First Place: Rebecca Boyle from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX David Ragan Professor Second Place: Nick Urban and Drake Uplinger from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI Mark VanVoorhees Professor Third Place: Kylee Nelson and Bailey Misbach from Utah Valley University in Orem, UT Dr. Luke Dean Professor. The students worked incredibly hard on this extracurricular activity taking a case narrative given to them by the IARFC and turning into a viable financial plan. As for the experience itself, when asked what they learned Everything, commented Bailey Misbach from Utah Valley University. I felt like I understood all the concepts we went over in class, but it was another thing to internalize it well enough to teach it to someone else it was a good learning experience. With professional consultants weighing in as judges, the teams felt the challenge of being critiqued by experienced financial professionals nerve wracking but beneficial. IARFC Board Member Michael Markey, MRFC and his wife Vanessa Markey portrayed the fictional couple who needed the financial plan and pummeled the students with questions. First place winner Rebecca Boyle related about creating a plan for her fictional clients. I learned the importance of having a process for doing this, about the order of which things need to be done and how things affect each other. The competition is possible with the help of this years corporate sponsors, Money Concepts International and Money Guide Pro. I am always impressed at the professionalism of the individuals who compete. observed Barry Dayley, MRFC Executive Vice President of Money Concepts. We need qualified young people to enter the profession. I come away so enthused by this competition and know that the industry as a whole has a bright future. MoneyGuidePro is proud to be part of the competition and support these students by donating the use of the software, commented Training Specialist Colin Yackel of MoneyGuidePro. I wish them continued success in a calling where they can truly affect peoples lives. The IARFC National Financial Plan Competition is also supported by individual members of the Association. If you want to help the next generation of consultants, consider donating to the competition, relates IARFC Chairman and CEO H. Stephen Bailey, MRFC. Our industry needs events like these to encourage students as they follow a financial services career path. For more information on the IARFC and the National Financial Plan Competition, visit https://www.iarfc.org/events/nfpc. Best accident law firms in South Texas An important part of our job is to communicate clearly. That means ensuring everyone understands our services and how we support our clients. The Villarreal Law Firm, professional personal injury attorneys for Cameron County and the Rio Grande Valley, is proud to announce a website upgrade to support the firm's mission. The goal to be one of the best accident law firms in South Texas includes a clear objective in supporting the community. A new footer describes the legal team's skills and a list of personal injury services. "An important part of our job is to communicate clearly. That means ensuring everyone understands our services and how we support our clients," explained attorney Javier Villarreal, managing partner at the law firm. "The new footer is a special addition designed to meet this objective. Those in need of a personal injury lawyer can review what we do anywhere on the page. Now, that includes the footer location." To review the updated page go to https://www.jvlawfirm.net/. Cameron County residents can review a listing of personal injury cases the law firm manages. Cases include: offshore drilling accidents, boat crashes, 18-wheeler accidents, and dog attacks. Information for work-related slip and fall as well as oil rig accidents can be reviewed by the public. To learn more from one of the best car accident law firms in South Texas, please go to https://www.jvlawfirm.net/practice-areas/auto-accidents/. Recent improvements include easier navigation, clear photos and video content. BEST ACCIDENT LAW FIRMS IN SOUTH TEXAS COMMUNICATE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Here is the background for this release. Communication may seem simpler with the rise of social media, yet essential information can become lost in a cacophony of text and images on a company page. If the public cannot understand what a service offers, it can cause confusion and waste time. Persons seeking one of the best accident law firms in South Texas may need quick answers. Clear images and an easy-to-review list of services can save the public time in deciphering a company's purpose. Readers can find an informational footer at the bottom of each page. The footer clearly explains a list of personal injury cases handled by the firm including motorcycle, 18-wheeler and boating accidents. Persons can read about support for work-related services such as offshore drilling accidents and slip and fall cases. A personal injury issue can require immediate attention from a top legal team. One of the best accident law firms in South Texas communicates services from the top to the bottom of a web page. ABOUT THE VILLARREAL LAW FIRM The law firm of Javier Villarreal offers a team of attorneys, considered among the best personal injury attorneys in Brownsville, Texas, and surrounding cities in Cameron County. Whether a person is looking for an auto or car accident attorney, a lawyer with broad experience in trucking accidents and litigation (including 18 wheelers), or a lawyer for injuries that resulted from motorcycles, boating, or other forms of accidents (including slip and fall), the Villarreal team of attorneys can help. The attorneys fight for client rights throughout Cameron County - and are known as the top personal injury lawyers in Brownsville and Harlingen, from Los Fresnos to San Benito, and in all of South Padre Island. Web. https://www.jvlawfirm.net/ Tel. 956-544-4444. 2019 Product of the Year Award Logo The Product of the Year honor signifies how hard we work and how well our core product helps businesses of all sizes." -Paul Hammond, VirtualPBX CEO VirtualPBX, developer of the Dash Business Phone System, has been awarded the 2019 Product of the Year Award from TMC and INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine. Commenting on his companys standing in the communications market, VirtualPBX CEO, Paul Hammond, spoke about his companys receipt of this respected award the 10th one to sit atop the companys shelf: Its nothing less than exciting to see how this company performs on the global stage, Hammond said. The Product of the Year honor from INTERNET TELEPHONY signifies how hard we work and how well our core product helps businesses of all sizes. It is, once again, a pleasure to be announcing our recognition as a top-tier company among the giants in communications. The Product of the Year award means to address companies that both create an excellent product and innovate within their markets. VirtualPBX Business Phone Plans set the benchmark for what cloud-based communications should be. They offer entrepreneurs to enterprises a host of bespoke features, including Automated Attendant, Call Recording, Ring Groups, and Email-to-Fax. VirtualPBX then builds on that constancy by offering enterprise add-ons like ACD Queues and Salesforce Integration. It makes sure every business has a full-featured phone by including its Web Phone with all plans. And it sets the standard for customer service with 24/7 Support across phone, email, and live chat. This full package of core product, powerful features, and always-available support show that VirtualPBX can create an excellent phone system that moves the market forward. Rich Tehrani, the CEO of TMC, commented on this reality: I am honored to recognize VirtualPBX with a 2019 Product of the Year Award for its commitment to excellence and innovation, Tehrani said. In the opinion of our judges and editorial team, the Dash Business Phone System has proven to be among the best communications and technology solutions available on the market. I look forward to continued leadership from VirtualPBX. About VirtualPBX VirtualPBX was founded in San Francisco in 1997 and brought some of the first commercially available hosted PBX service to market for small business owners. Born from the advent of the hosted telecom industry and driven by the innovative vision of its founders, VirtualPBX continues to deliver leading edge telephony products for business. Backed by award-winning, local, in-house support teams, VirtualPBX offers an array of services including disaster recovery, network monitoring and optimization, and professional system management. VirtualPBX Contact: Rachel Anderson, Vice President of Design & Marketing 888.825.0800 Ext. 339 Rachel.Anderson@VirtualPBX.com About INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine INTERNET TELEPHONY has been the IP Communications Authority since 1998. Beginning with the first issue, INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine has been providing unbiased views of the complicated converged communications space. About TMC Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. Leading vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. William Tauro, a dedicated and prolific author, has completed his new book Stealing Somerville: The Death of an Urban City: a gripping account that discusses the prevalence of defamation and abuse of authority in the government at a local level. Author Tauro sheds light to the negative impact of greed and covetousness that destroys moral foundation. Stealing Somerville: Death of an Urban City is an expose of abuses, a compilation of articles from Somerville News Weekly, a local newspaper. William Tauro is investigative journalist and publisher of newspaper. Tauro shows pervasive effects of Mayor Joseph Curtatones six terms in office. Sources claim exit ramps leading to small businesses were closed to drive them out, as well as houses and properties being taken by eminent domain. The mayor and development partners do not give market value for properties. Land is appropriated by city and housing is built under the aegis of local government. People who want to build use companies approved by the mayor. Bids of contractors and vendors are tampered with so negotiations favor municipal administrators. The mayor charges firefighter candidates $10,000 to secure employment. One case resulted in death. The candidate, a navy SEAL, and scoring high on the entrance exam, was turned down. His father refused to pay the fee. The candidate took his life. Cover-ups are made by the police for the mayor. A policeman, the mayors cousin, attempted to rob a deceased victims valuables. A gay policeman was denied rights to address negative treatment. His pension is questioned. The mayors drug usage fuels problems. No rebuttals or charges have been filed against Tauro. An investigation by the federal government is under consideration. The mayor was reelected for a seventh two-year term. The Board of Aldermen was replaced by new blood due to Tauros publications during election. Hopefully, this change will reach the mayors office. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, William Tauros thought-provoking narrative evokes rational thinking in understanding the undesirability of corruption and its adverse effects upon the society. Readers who wish to experience this intellectual work can purchase Stealing Somerville: The Death of an Urban City at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Offices at Stonelake Site Plan We are pleased with this acquisition that increases our position as the market leader for office space in Austin. World Class Property Company, one of the nations largest privately-owned real estate investment firms, announced today it has closed on the acquisition of the Offices at Stonelake, a five-building, 123,761 square-foot office project located less than a mile from the Domain in northwest Austin, Texas. The Offices at Stonelake is situated on 8.3 acres along Braker Lane between Stonelake Blvd. and MoPac. The office complex is part of the Quarry Business Park, a mixed-use development featuring restaurants, fitness center, hike and bike trails and access to Quarry Lake. It is located directly across MoPac from the Domain, and provides ease of access to many of Austins most traveled thoroughfares. The demand for office space in Northwest Austin, from growing technology and software companies, continues to outpace supply, said Nate Paul, President and CEO of World Class. Stonelake is a great fit for our value-oriented investment philosophy and long-term investment horizon. We are pleased with this acquisition that increases our position as the market leader for office space in Austin. World Class plans to enhance the tenant experience with property upgrades and renovations as space comes available. Current tenants in the Offices at Stonelake consist of primarily technology companies. The Offices at Stonelake is located approximately 1 mile from Arboretum Crossing, another recent acquisition by World Class Property Company. About World Class Property Company World Class Property Company is a privately-held, diversified real estate investment company headquartered in Austin, Texas. World Class owns, operates and develops office, retail, multifamily, industrial, mixed-use, hospitality, and self-storage assets. The companys portfolio of development sites in unparalleled, with entitlements for over 75 million square feet of potential development in its existing holdings in the nations most dynamic markets. World Class Property Company is committed to the long-term ownership of a high-quality portfolio, and a disciplined approach to actively managing our properties to create long-term value. World Class ability to prudently acquire, develop and operate assets in high-growth markets is unmatched in the industry. Additional information can be found at http://www.worldclassproperty.com. World Class Property Company is a subsidiary of World Class Holdings. World Class Holdings is a multi-billion dollar holding company that owns a diverse portfolio of assets and operating companies. World Class utilizes proprietary processes, a disciplined operating playbook, and a data-driven approach to creating long-term value at its companies. World Class has mastered the art of scaling businesses while maintaining an entrepreneurial culture. Additional information can be found at http://www.world-class.com. Contact: Anthony Gallegos 512-327-3300 agallegos@worldclassproperty.com Nonfiction Apr. 1 Kahlil Gibrans Little Book of Secrets by Kahil Gibran, edited by Neil Douglas-Klotz (Hampton Roads, $15.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-57174-834-8). This bite-size volume of wisdom is a collection of Gibrans words on lifes big questions and the mysteries of the spiritual path. Fish Sandwiches: The Delight of Receiving Gods Promises by Troy Schmidt (NavPress, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-63146-841-4). Schmidt, former writer on The Mickey Mouse Club, strives to reveal the life lessons within one miraculous moment in the Bible, when Jesus takes a few fish and loaves of bread and feeds an entire village. Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels, edited by Katie West and Jasmine Elliott (Weiser, $16.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-57863-670-9). This is a collection of personal essays from 21 authors that delve into the rituals they use to bring themselves power in a world that threatens them. Apr. 2 Conversations with the One Made Flesh by Robert Benson (Abingdon, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4267-4959-9) provides a 30-day sequence of Gospel lessons created by grouping and paraphrasing the words of Jesus into 30 readings for prayer and reflection. Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You by Alexandra Kuykendall (Baker, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8010-7537-7). Kuykendall, speaker and cohost of The Open Door Sisterhood podcast, follows practices outlined in the first chapter of 2 Peter in this guide for loving ones neighbor. Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do About It by David Zahl (Fortress, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-5064-4943-2). Zahl, founder of Mockingbird Ministries, provides readers with strategies geared toward bringing back the meaning once provided on Sunday morning. Gods Favorites: Judaism, Christianity, and the Myth of Divine Chosenness by Michael Coogan (Beacon, $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8070-0194-3). Coogan, lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, explores how the claim of divine choice has been used, from ancient times to the present, to justify territorial expansion and prejudice. I Choose Honor: The Key to Relationships, Faith, and Life by Rich Wilkerson (Charisma, $17.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-62999-569-4). Through biblical examples and personal stories, pastor Wilkerson aims to help readers grow closer in their relationships with Jesus in order to better appreciate the people around them. Dwelling: Simple Ways to Nourish Your Home, Body, and Soul by Melissa Michaels (Harvest House, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7369-6319-0). Blogger Michaels posits that, by making a series of small, intentional choicesincluding food and cleaning products, but also attitudes and ideasreaders can create a nourishing home life. The Buddha in Jail: Restoring Lives, Finding Hope and Freedom by Cuong Lu (OR, $18.95, ISBN 978-1-949017-13-7). Cuong, a prison chaplain, describes speaking to inmates about faith and shares his strategies for transforming an inmates sense of self. Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily P. Freeman (Revell, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-8007-3652-1). Freeman asks readers to simply do the next right thing. With practical advice, she aims to help readers with making decisions and finding the courage to stop second-guessing. Most Important Point: Zen Teachings by Edward Espe Brown (Sounds True, $17.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-68364-160-5). A Baker, cook, and Zen priest, Brown offers essays on Zen, food, and living a good life. A Love Letter Life: Pursue Creatively, Date Intentionally, Love Faithfully by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff (Zondervan, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-310-35362-1). The Roloffs, stars of TVs Little People, Big World, share what they learned from their dating journey in an effort to better equip readers to build faith-filled relationships. Wild Mercy by Starr Mirabai (Sounds True, $17.95 paper, ISBN 978-1683641568) explores stories of feminine mysticism from across cultures and throughout history to provide a much-needed alternative to the religion and spirituality presented under masculine rule, according to the publisher. The Shot Caller by Casey Diaz (Thomas Nelson, $17.99 paper, ISBN 978-0785224389). Diaz, a former gang leader who grew up in Los Angeles, recalls his incarceration, an encounter with God, and his new life as a business owner and church teacher. A Sin by Any Other Name by Robert E. Lee (Convergent, $25, ISBN 978-0525576389). Lee, a descendant of the Confederate General, confronts privilege and racism as he reflects on his childhood as a white Christian in the South. Apr. 8 A Saint of Our Own: How the Quest for a Holy Hero Helped Catholics Become American by Kathleen Sprows Cummings (Univ. of North Carolina, $28, ISBN 978-1-4696-4947-4). Though canonization may be fundamentally about holiness, it is never only about holiness, argues historian Cummings in this chronicle of American sanctity. Apr. 9 On Faith: Lessons from an American Believer by Antonin Scalia (Crown Forum, $22, ISBN 978-1-984823-31-1). This is a collection of the late Supreme Court justices reflections on his own faith, on the challenges that religious believers face in modern America, and on the religious freedoms protected by the Constitution. Fire by Night by Melissa Florer-Bixler (Herald, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-1513804187). Pastor Florer-Bixler offers a new reading of the Old Testament that leads to thoughtful musings on issues including white supremacy, immigration, and the treatment of people with intellectual disabilities, according to our starred review. Apr. 11 Dangerous Illusions: How Religion Deprives Us of Happiness by Vitaly Malkin (Arcadia, $30, ISBN 978-1-911350-28-6). Russian billionaire Malkin sets out to explore the irrational demands of religion, scrutinizing such topics as asceticism, celibacy, evil, pleasure, sex, and suffering. Apr. 16 The Gospel of Our King: Bible, Worldview, and the Mission of Every Christian by Bruce Riley Ashford and Heath A. Thomas (Baker Academic, $22.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8010-4903-3). This overview from two professors of theology aims to show how the Bible provides an overarching story about God the King and explain how the Christian mission addresses the totality of human life. Whats Next? The Journey to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference by Chris Hodges (Thomas Nelson, $17.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7180-9156-9). Pastor Hodges offers Christians four steps to spiritual maturity: knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference. Reforesting Faith: What Trees Teach Us About the Nature of God and His Love for Us by Matthew Sleeth (WaterBrook, $21.99, ISBN 978-0-7352-9175-1). Sleeth suggests inspirational and practical ways to express love for God and ones neighbors by planting physical trees and spiritual roots in every community. Apr. 17 Christ Walk Crushed: A 40-Day Journey toward Reconciliation by Anna Fitch Courie, with David W. Peters (Church, $19.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-64065-115-9). Nurse and Army wife Courie provides a 40-day course that aims to bring God into the healing process for readers suffering from moral injury, illness, or emotional trauma. Apr. 22 In a Pure Muslim Land: Shiism between Pakistan and the Middle East by Simon Wolfgang Fuchs (Univ. of North Carolina, $34.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-4696-4979-5). Centering Pakistan in a story of transnational Islam stretching from South Asia to the Middle East, Wolfgang Fuchs offers an in-depth ethnographic history of the intellectual production of Shiis and their religious competitors. Apr. 26 Gospel for the Poor: Global Social Christianity and the Latin American Evangelical Left by David C. Kirkpatrick (Univ. of Pennsylvania, $55, ISBN 978-0-8122-5094-7). Kirkpatrick makes the case that the Lausanne Congress was influential because, for the first time, theologians from the global South gained a place at the table of the worlds evangelical leadership. Apr. 30 Religion in the Modern World: Celebrating Pluralism and Diversity by Keith Ward (Cambridge Univ., $28.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-108-49249-2). Ward, professor of religious studies at University of Roehampton, examines how religions have evolved over time, and how they are reacting to the challenges posed by new scientific and moral beliefs. Americas Holy Ground: 60 Faithful Reflections on Our National Parks by Brad Lyons and Bruce Barkhauer (Chalice, $21.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8272-0075-3). Journalist Lyons and pastor Barkhauer share spiritual reflections and more than 160 color photos from each of the 60 American national parks. Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the Worlds Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin (Crossway, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-4335-6423-9). Addressing 12 controversial issues about Christianity, McLaughlin, cofounder of Vocable Communications, seeks to show how current psychological and scientific research aligns with teachings from the Bible. Buddhism: An Introduction to the Buddhas Life, Teachings, and Practices by Joan Duncan Oliver (St. Martins Essentials, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-250-31368-3). Oliver, editor at Buddhist magazine Tricycle, aims to provide a modern guide to the essential teachings of Buddhism, with overviews of central teachings including the four noble truths, the eightfold path, and the role of meditation and mindfulness. Fiction Apr. 2 Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury (Howard, $25, ISBN 978-1-4767-0743-3). This story of redemption set in the Baxter Family series centers on a couple who are desperately waiting to bring their adopted child home and a young mother about to make the biggest decision of her life. Silken Thread by Kim Vogel Sawyer (WaterBrook, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7352-9012-9). Laurel Millard, the youngest of seven children, is expected to stay home. But operating a silk loom at the International Cotton Exposition at the Atlanta Exposition might change her fortunes. The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House, $15.99 paper, 9780764232831). Sylvia Miller unlocks her fathers old tinderbox and unknowingly reveals secrets that set off a major change in her Amish community. Apr. 30 The Heart of a King by Jill Eileen Smith (Revell, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-2240-1). Smiths biblical novel takes readers to ancient Israel, centering on four women close to King Solomon: Naamah, the desert princess; Abishag, the shepherdess; Siti, the daughter of a pharaoh; and Nicaula, the queen of Sheba. The Refuge by Ann H. Gabhart (Revell, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-2927-1). When Darcie and Walter Goodwin hear of a new cholera epidemic sweeping the area near Harmony Hill, they join the Shakers, whose villages seem immune to the disease. YPSILANTI, Mich., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 39th annual Undergraduate Symposium, an inspiring and engaging reflection of the academic year at Eastern Michigan University, will be held on Friday, March 29 in the EMU Student Center. Robert Murkowski is the keynote speaker at the Undergraduate Symposium luncheon. The Symposium features the exceptional academic work of EMU undergraduate students, showcasing their research and creative projects from a wide variety of disciplines. The event features oral presentations, exposition of posters, and the Crossing Lines Design Expo. This years Symposium features 109 faculty members serving as mentors to 337 unique student participants. All EMU colleges are represented at this annual highlight of undergraduate research and academic excellence. A highlight of projects includes: Ethan Smith, political science major, presenting The Keys to Life: A More Humane Policy Prescription for Global Pharmaceutical Trade and Manufacture, in room 204 at 9 a.m. Scout Bostley & Mackensi Crenshaw will highlight, Teach What You Preach: Practical Application for English Language Arts Social Justice Curriculum, in room 204 at 3:15 p.m. Macallan Winning, from the Department of Visual and Built Environments, will present The Showroom VR: An Introduction to Building in Virtual Reality, at the Design Expo. Dallas Hassoun, a biology major, will present a poster from 2:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. representing their work, Behavioral Response to Flooding in Tropical Tarantulas. Leith Quasem will discuss Alzheimers Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and the Arab-American Community, at 11:30 a.m. in room 350. Sean Ryan, from the Department of Geology and Geography, will discuss, Interpreting Difficult History in the Context of 21st Century Museums, in room 330 at 3:15 p.m. Jordan Seija will present a poster from 9 a.m.- 10 a.m. representing work from the Psychology Department in a project titled, Augmented Reality Exposure Treatment for Specific Phobias. Oral and poster presentations begin at 9 a.m. and run through 4:15 p.m. on the third floor, with a short break from noon to 1:15 p.m. for a private luncheon. The Crossing Lines Design Expo, which displays projects that are more visual in nature, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The keynote speaker at the Symposium luncheon will be EMU alumni Robert Murkowski, a partner at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC, Michigans largest law firm. Murkowski graduated from EMU in 2006, the same year in which he served as student emcee for the Undergraduate Symposium. During his career at EMU, Murkowski was Student Body President and a member of the EMU Mock Trial Team. A two-time Symposium presenter under the mentorship of Professor Barry Pyle, Murkowski was awarded EMUs Outstanding Young Alumni award in 2011 and has served on the EMU Alumni Association Board of Directors. For more information about the Undergraduate Symposium please visit the symposium website . The Student Center is located at 900 Oakwood, Ypsilanti, 48197. The event is free and open to the public. About Eastern Michigan University Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 18,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website . Contact: Geoff Larcom Eastern Michigan University glarcom@emich.edu 7344874401 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8fcd7bbe-34ca-4d3e-b2f9-b8fd45be4321 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: SIX MAN TAG MATCH, A FEUD OVER A JACKET?, AND MORE We start off with a look at Cedric Alexander laying the framework for what would happen after Tony Nese became the opponent for Buddy Murphy at Wrestlemania. We are in Uncasville, Connecticut and your announcers are Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, and Aiden English. Kalisto welcomes everyone to 205 Live and he says let's get ready for a fiesta because it is Lucha Time. Match Number One: Gran Metalik, Kalisto, and Lince Dorado versus Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher, and Humberto Carrillo Metalik and Humberto start things off after Jack and Drew give him some instructions. They lock up and Metalik with a waist lock take down but Carrillo with an arm drag and Metalik lands on his feet. They lock up and Carrillo with a hammer lock but Metalik with a flying mare. They lock up and Metalik with a waist lock but Carrillo with a wrist lock. Metalik with a reversal. Carrillo with a reversal. Metalik with a side head lock take down. Carrillo with a head scissors but Metalik escapes. Carrillo with a side head lock and Metalik and Carrillo with a series of flips and both men with handspring back flips. Gulak tags himself in and he tells Carrillo to get out of the ring and stay on the mat. Metalik with a drop kick and then Gallagher is sent the apron. Dorado with a drop kick that knocks Jack and Drew off the apron. The Lucha House Party tease dives but flip into the center of the ring. Gulak and Metalik lock up and Metalik with a forearm and Kalisto tags in and hits a double sledge from the turnbuckles. Metalik tags in and hits a double stomp to the arm. Dorado goes up top and hits a double sledge to the arm. Drew with a punch but he runs into a boot. Dorado with a moonsault for a near fall. Dorado with a drop kick and Kalisto tags in followed by Metalik. Dorado with a slam and Kalisto with a dive off Dorado's shoulders. Metalik with a springboard drop kick for a near fall. Dorado tags in and he chops Drew. Dorado with a hammer lock. Drew gets into the ropes and Drew with an Irish whip. Drew misses a punch and Dorado with a punch. Dorado goes to the apron and Gallagher pulls the ring skirt to distract Dorado. Gulak drop kicks Dorado off the apron into the announce table. Gallagher punches Dorado and then Gulak sends him back into the ring. Gallagher tags in and he punches Dorado. Gallagher with a head butt to the midsection followed by a snap mare. Gallagher with a reverse chin lock. Gulak tags back in and he chops Dorado and gets a near fall. Dorado with a forearm and punches. Gulak with a side head lock and he catches Dorado on a leap frog attempt and sends Dorado to the mat. Drew with a clothesline and he gets a near fall. Gallagher tags in and he punches Dorado. Dorado with a rollup after landing on his feet on a suplex. Metalik tags in and hits a springboard move but Gallagher goes for the mask. Carrillo tags in and he kicks Metalik. Carrillo hot shots Metalik and hits a springboard round kick for a near fall. Drew criticizes Carrillo's offense. Carrillo with a front face lock and Gulak tags in and kicks Metalik. Gallagher holds Metalik for Drew to punch him. Drew knocks Kalisto and Dorado off the apron. Gulak and Gallagher choke Metalik in the corner. Gallagher tags in and then Gulak tags in. Gallagher with a hot shot and Drew with a clothesline for a near fall. Gulak with a front face lock while he has the arm in a hammer lock using the leg. Gulak with forearms and a boot to the back. Gallagher tags back in and he connects with a European uppercut. Carrillo tags in and kicks Metalik. Carrillo with an Irish whip and clothesline followed by a snap mare and drop kick for a near fall. Gulak tags back in and he takes over on the wrist lock. Gallagher tags in and Metalik with a handspring double back elbow. Carrillo and Kalisto tag in and Kalisto with a springboard seated splash and springboard corkscrew splash. Carrillo with an Irish whip but he misses a splash. Kalisto with a spike rana for a near fall. Kalisto sends Gallagher and Gulak to the ropes and they are sent ot the floor. The Lucha House Party with stereo dives to the floor. Kalisto goes up top but Carrillo with an enzuigiri . Drew and Carrillo go for a double superplex and they stop Dorado from getting involved. Metalik with a sunset flip power bomb. Dorado with a shooting star press to Drew. Kalisto with a handspring round kick to Carrillo and everyone is down. Kalisto runs into boots from Carrillo. Carrillo goes to the turnbuckles and Drew tells him to get down. Drew scolds Carrillo and tells him to get down. Carrillo tells Drew to let him do his job. Kalisto with Salida Del Sol for the three count. Winners: Lince Dorado, Kalisto, and Gran Metalik We go to the back for Mike and Maria Kanellis. Maria says they are not relieved. She does not doubt her husband. Maria is asked about distracting Tozawa to help Mike win. Mike reminds Kayla that he was the one who pinned Tozawa. Maria says whoever is trying to besmirch his name is a hater. Drake Maverick shows up and he says he is not a hater. He feels that if Mike will use his sixteen years of experience to have his wife help him win. Drake tells Mike that he helped keep Tozawa from attacking him after the match. He says Mike will face Tozawa again and Brian Kendrick will be in Tozawa's corner. Buddy Murphy says hello to Tony and he says he is at the WWE Performance Center. He is not there to protect Tony and his match at Wrestlemania. Buddy says Tony is looking for revenge and that means that Buddy will try to hurt Tony. Last week was not to hurt Tony but wake him up. You are the blueprint of what a cruiserweight should be but Buddy says he is a hybrid and the greatest Cruiserweight of all time. We see Tony in the hallway behind Buddy and before Buddy can finish his comments, Tony attacks Buddy, but some of the wrestlers and Norman Smiley try to separate them. We go to commercial. Match Number Two: Cedric Alexander verus Ariya Daivari Before the match starts, Oney Lorcan makes his way to the ring and he will join the announcers for the match since there is a chair at the table. They lock up and Daivari with a side head lock and he blocks a hip toss. Daivari sends Alexander to the mat. They lock up and Daivari with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Daivari misses a stomp when Alexander moves. Alexander with a side head lock and take down. Daivari uses the hair for a head scissors but Alexander escapes. Daivari with another head scissors but Alexander with an elbow. Alexander with a drop kick and he gets a near fall. Alexander with a chop. Daivari sends Alexander to the apron and Daivari with a leg sweep that sends Alexander to the floor. Daivari sends Alexander back into the ring and he gets a near fall. Daivari with punches in the corner. The referee warns Daivari. Alexander with forearms and chops. Daivari with a clothesline for a near fall. Daivari with a reverse chin lock. The referee warns Daivari before Daivari returns to the reverse chin lock. Alexander lands on his feet on a suplex attempt and Daivari blocks a Lumbar Check. Daivari with a series of kicks and he gets a near fall after a reverse DDT. Daivari sets for the Million Dollar Dream but Alexander with a snap mare. Alexander with a kick and enzuigiri followed by clotheslines. Alexander with a knee followed by a kick to the head. Daivari sends Alexander to the apron and Alexander with a springboard Flatliner for a near fall. Daivari sends Alexander to the apron and Alexander goes for a springboard move but Daivari knocks Alexander onto the turnbuckles. Daivari with punches followed by a cross arm slam. Daivari with a forearm and chop but Alexander with a chop of his own. Alexander iwth a forearm. They go back and forth. Alexander with a near fall after a back elbow. Daivari goes to the apron when Alexander charges into the corner. Alexander is sent into the turnbuckles and Daivari with a frog splash for a near fall. Daivari misses a hammer lock clothesline and Alexander gets a near fall with a rollup. Alexander with a plancha onto Daivari in front of the announce table and Lorcan gets up from his chair. Lorcan yells at Alexander for touching his jacket. Alexander sends Daivari into the ring and Daivari with a rollup for the three count. Winner: Ariya Daivari After the match, Lorcan with a running back elbow to Alexander and then he kicks Alexander. Alexander with a double leg take down on the floor. Lorcan punches Alexander while the referee was holding Alexander back. We go to credits. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! Content studio and global distribution company servicing linear, digital and branded platforms, GRB Studios has announced a host of sales from its catalogue including a variety of genres ranging from true crime to paranormal to docu-series. Leading the slate is ten-episode true crime, paranormal investigative series Occult Crime which will make its debut in English-speaking Canada with Blue Ant. The series offers viewers an exclusive look into the evil minds of some of the most unpredictable and dangerous killers in history. Claiming to take their orders from the devil, these real-life demons are determined to gain immortality by committing heinous murders.Frances Planete+ CI-acquired tragic celebrity obsession series, Stalker Files, will now continue its European tour after SuperRTL Germany took the series last year. The 10 x 60' programme showcases celebrity high-profile stalking crimes involving Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg, and others. Each episode features two seemingly separate timelines that build to a climax as the case is presented through expert interviews, recreations, and case files.Weapons 18 x 60 docu-series, Man at Arms Art of War is headed to Africa after a multiple-season deal was done with AETN UK for their African territories while CBS Chellozone UK has acquired multiple seasons of Auction Kings for its EMEA feed. The deal for the latter comprises S1 20 X 30; S2 26 X30, S3 26 X30 plus 1 X 60. GRB Studios is thrilled to share our intriguing, top-quality programs with the world, from Africa to Canada to Europe and work with long-standing partners AETN UK, Blue Ant, Planete+ CL and CBS Chellozone UK, commented VP of international, Mehmet Gunduz. We are truly confident that their viewers will embrace these exciting and engaging stories. Global travel community Tripoto has created a travel web series in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). The seven episode digital series, Trails 2 Passion - Singapore Redefined, will follow actors Naveen Kasturia and Veer Rajwant Singh as they explore Singapore.Available from 1 April, each episode of six to seven minutes promises an upbeat look at Singapore, covering food, exploration, adventure, culture with useful information and an illustrated trail map of the theme at the end of each episode.Tripoto and STB are collaborating to showcase a different side to Singapore. It is an amalgam of exciting culinary experiences, adrenaline pumping adventures and beautifully diverse cultures packed into one city. Singapore now appeals to the global experiential traveller. Our new web series Trails 2 Passion is the story of two friends traveling through Singapore and discovering their passions along the way. Its entertaining, fun and informative; just as great immersive travel content should be, said Michael Lyngdoh, co-founder, Tripoto Singapore Tourism Board regional director (South Asia Middle East and Africa) GB Srithar said: With a high penetration of smart phones and growing number of digital native young consuming content online, there are new, exciting opportunities to connect with them. Our partnership with Tripoto is a creative way of telling Singapore tourism stories We are happy to have two cool millennials Naveen and Veer showcase their recent trip. Trails 2 Passion Singapore Redefined tells their stories, in their own voices. Their escapades will entice Indian travellers to enjoy our diverse offerings and live up their own passions, he added. Until last month, the main reason for the U.S. ending its support for the Saudi-UAE-led war against the Houthis in Yemen was the humanitarian catastrophe it was causing. Since the Saudis began bombing Yemen in March 2015, more than 50,000 people have died, mostly from U.S.-supplied combat weapons; 14 million peopleor about half the entire Yemeni populationare on the brink of famine; 85,000 children under the age of five have already died from hunger and disease; each week there are 10,000 new cases of cholera; and 22.2 million peopleabout three-quarters of the populationare in need of humanitarian aid. In the summer of 2018, the Saudi coalition even bombed a school in the northern town of Dahyan, killing 54 people, including 44 children, and wounding dozens more. Seeing these horrible statistics, the Republican-controlled Senate, over strong opposition from the Trump administration, has twice taken the unprecedented steps of voting to end U.S. support for the Saudi-UAE coalition, first in December and then again this month. The House, controlled by the Republicans in December, refused to take up the measure. But now that the Democrats control the lower chamber, it is expected that it will vote overwhelmingly to support the Senate bill. It is doubtful that President Trump, who unabashedly supports the current regime in Saudi Arabia, will approve such a measure when it arrives on his desk. Not surprisingly, many members of the Trump administration and some in Congress believe that the U.S. should maintain its support for the Saudis because their intervention in Yemen aids our national security by preventing the Houthis, who receive aid from Iran, from gaining control of Yemen, and thus increasing Irans influence in the region. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), called the recent Senate vote, inappropriate and counter-productive. While there is no doubt that the humanitarian devastation that has already happened is reason enough to end our support for the Saudi-led coalition, its opponents in Congress and the Administration must also heed two recent reports, which demonstrate convincingly that in addition to using U.S. weapons to inflict incredible harm on civilians, much of the U.S.-supplied equipment is falling into the hands of unaccountable militias, many of whom are sworn enemies of the U.S., and to the Houthis themselves. On February 5, 2019, CNN reported that Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have transferred American-made weapons, some very sophisticated, to Al Qaeda linked fighters, hardline Salafi militias, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and other factions engaging in war in Yemen. According to CNN, the Saudis did this even though such practices violate the agreements that they have made with the U.S., which prohibit them from transferring U.S. weapons to such groups. These weapons include not just guns but anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles including mine-resistant armored vehicles (MRAPs), heat-seeking lasers and artillery, or, as President Trump calls them, beautiful military equipment. Not only do these groups inflict unspeakable damage on innocent civilians with these weapons, but we now know many of these weapons have also fallen into the hands of the Houthis, who are the enemies of the coalition. As a result, the Houthis can not only exploit their vulnerabilities, but also reverse engineer these weapons, making their weapons more lethal, and most disturbingly pass on these technologies to Iran itself, which the Trump administration considers the major threat to American interests in the region. The CNN report was followed a day later by one from Amnesty International. It too demonstrated convincingly that the UAE, Saudi Arabia's primary partner in this conflict, is "recklessly arming militias in Yemen with advanced weaponry supplied by the U.S. and other states." According to Amnesty, the UAE is actually transferring such items as armored vehicles, mortars, and machine guns to several unaccountable groups, many of whom are accused of war crimes. Meanwhile, the Pentagons response to these reports has been to state that the U.S. has not authorized the Saudis nor the UAE to make such transfers and therefore cannot comment on any pending investigation. How did they not know? Willful ignorance of this magnitude must be called out. These humanitarian and strategic concerns make it clear that the U.S. must immediately end all its military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen and end all its arms sales to the Saudis and UAE, as several of our NATO allies, including Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands have already done. The longer we wait, the more our values and security will be compromised, and the more lives of innocent Yemenis will be lost. And to what ends? Dr. Lawrence J. Korb is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and served as assistant secretary of defense from 1981 through 1985. On March 25, Acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan notified Congress that he would redirect $1 billion in funding for military pay to build a 57-mile portion of the border wall. This laundering of border wall funding through the defense budget negatively impacts immediate military readiness. It could also result in Congress eliminating the very discretion the President is now using to the long-term detriment of the Pentagon and the militarys ability to manage its budget in a sound and prudent way. The Pentagon is following the direction of the White House, which announced that it would use Section 284 Pentagon counterdrug authority to fund portions of the wall before it begins to pilfer military construction projects under Section 2808 and the emergency declaration. Because the Section 284 counterdrug account is currently almost empty, the White House directed the Pentagon to find money elsewhere in the military budget to fill the account. Secretary Shanahan found this money and redirected it using reprogramming authority, a process that affords the Pentagon crucial financial flexibility in a fast-paced threat environment. Under this process, the military sends reprogramming requests to Capitol Hill stating why it needs to move funds from unexpectedly lower-priority programs to unexpectedly higher-priority programs. For instance, last year, the Pentagon redirected $18 million from programs with testing delays to buy spare parts for Marine Corps RQ-21 Blackjack drones because theyd been used more frequently than expected in Iraq and Syria. Reprogramming requests normally redirect less than one percent of defense funding in any one given year, but they are the militarys primary tool to adjust to changing threats and circumstances. By longstanding bipartisan custom, all reprogramming requests above a minuscule threshold require approval from the chairmen and ranking members of the Appropriations and Armed Services committees in both the House and the Senate eight total members of Congress. Any one member can nix a request. But for the first time ever, the Pentagon will reprogram this $1 billion without asking Congress for sign-off. The $1 billion of military pay being used is unexpectedly lower-priority because the Army failed to meet its recruiting target by about 9,500 soldiers, so the money originally budgeted isnt needed to pay them. These sorts of hiccups occur every year: recruiting is slow, weapons programs experience testing or development delays, combat operations drop fewer bombs than expected. But this money does not go unused. Normally, the military would send a reprogramming request asking Congress to use the money to address emerging urgent needs. Failing that, the appropriations committees rescind money and use it on what they view as high-priority programs. A favorite of Congress and what this $1 billion might likely have been spent on is using unneeded funds to buy new equipment for National Guard and Reserve units they perceive as perennially underfunded by the Pentagon. Theres plenty of high-profile immediate military needs this $1 billion of funding could meet. Just last week, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller sent a memo to Shanahan indicating that the Corps faces fiscal challenges without precedent and will have to cancel major training exercises to pay immediate bills for repairing Camp Lejeunes hurricane damage and supporting border operations. In a normal year, the $1 billion in unused money would be quickly moved to pay unanticipated bills like those the Marine Corps faces. The Air Force faces similar bills for hurricane damage to Tyndall Air Force Base and flooding damage to Offutt Air Force Base. Beyond hurricane damage, the military just sent Congress a $10 billion list of high-priority unfunded projects that this $1 billion in unused military pay funding could be used for. The Pentagons reprogramming of at least $1 billionand possibly another $1.5 billioncreates massive immediate financial uncertainty that detracts from the militarys ability to respond to emerging threats. Those immediate effects pale in comparison to the long-term military consequences of this unprecedented unilateral reprogramming request. By breaking the longstanding agreement with Congress that enables this flexible authority, the White House risks the permanent loss of military reprogramming authority. Congress cannot prevent this current redirection of funds. But already, congressional Democrats have indicated their objection and intent to strip this authority from the Pentagon in the upcoming 2020 budget fight. From their perspective, allowing the Pentagon to continue reprogramming military funding for the border would amount to funding new portions of the wall beyond what theyve approved, a policy issue undergirded by core questions about the power of the purse. This is no small matter, and many Republicans may end up agreeing. As Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed noted, Were setting up for a constitutional issue of significant importance. While the White Houses plan to use military construction funding to build the wall has garnered the most attention so far, this unprecedented unilateral reprogramming request could prove even more damaging to the military both immediately and in the long run. By simultaneously laundering wall money through the military and ignoring Congress in the process, the White House has placed the entire defense budget in jeopardy at a time when the military stands to lose hundreds of billions of dollars over the next two years. Rick Berger is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he works on the defense budget, the National Defense Authorization Act, military appropriations and acquisition reform, as well as on other national security budget-related issues. @bergerrichard This article appeared originally at AEI. BOSTON, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tier One Partners, LLC, an award-winning, full-service PR, digital, and content agency, today announced veteran agency executive Derek Delano has joined as senior vice president. For nearly 25 years, Delano has advised global and emerging brands on a number of strategic communications and brand development initiatives. For much of his career, Delano has helped global leaders like IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Cognizant, Mastercard, and Cisco build brand preference and improve customer engagement through integrated communications strategies. He brings deep messaging and crisis communications experience, helping a number of clients navigate issues, refresh brand identities, and build executive platforms. A master storyteller, Delano also has extensive experience working with C-level executives and subject matter experts to engage with key audiences while delivering key corporate messages and company updates. Delano is a graduate of Bentley University where he earned a bachelors degree in business communications. A Massachusetts native, he resides in Burlington, MA with his family. In addition to Delanos appointment, Tier One has promoted Colleen Irish to vice president and Ashley Tate to content director. Irish has 18 years of experience managing multinational brand-building and award-winning media relations and communications programs for high tech companies including Entegris, Prophix, Collibra, Nanoco, Mobiquity, SAP, and more. Before joining Tier One in 2011, she spent three years directing PR for Cambridge Technology Partners. In her new role as vice president, Irish is a key member of Tier One's management team, helping to further grow and develop the agency through strong client relationships, new business development, and team member mentoring with a focus on company culture. With 15 years of storytelling experience, Tate has created independent, branded, and marketing content for award-winning publications and innovative companies. Tates vast media experience ranges from national magazines to digital startups, including Real Simple magazine where she worked for 10 years. She has also written for numerous publications, including Money, O: The Oprah Magazine, Womens Health, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Ozy, and PureWow. In her new role, she will be leading Tier Ones fast-growing content business unit, working with a stable of writers and designers on clients across the agency. About Tier One Partners Tier One is an award-winning PR, digital, and content firm that works with challenger brands in technology, digital health, and financial services to promote bold new ideas and solutions for a better future. Learn more at tieronepr.com. Media Contact: Cassie Morris 708-870-0814 cmorris@tieronepr.com The United States would need to reconsider how it shares critical information with its allies if they adopt fifth-generation wireless technology (5G) offered by Chinese telecom giant Huawei, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said at the Atlantic Council in Washington on March 25. If our allies and partners go with a Huawei solution, we need to reconsider how we share critical information with them because we want to make sure that that is secure information, Lord said. The Trump administration has consistently warned against the adoption of Huaweis 5G technology, which Washington fears will allow Beijing access to private, public, commercial, and military communications between the United States and its allies and partners. Lord specifically warned of the threat a Chinese-dominated 5G infrastructure could pose for the U.S. military. We cannot depend on a third party for our communications, she explained, as we need to make sure that when we send a critical message, that others arent hearing it. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said at the Atlantic Council on March 21 that Chinese mastery of 5G could not only affect potential vulnerabilities in our systems but also exchanging information with our allies and partners. U.S. warnings against Huawei adoption, however, have had mixed reactions abroad. Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet, announced on March 26 that it would develop a new 5G network using Huawei technology. Despite constant lobbying from the United States, the European Commission has decided not to ban Huaweis 5G technologies, although it has publicly acknowledged the significant threat a Chinese-dominated 5G system could pose to communications with its allies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also ruled out explicitly banning Huawei, saying on March 19 that she does not believe that her country should exclude a company simply because its from a certain country. Lord conceded that U.S. efforts to convince allies about the dangers of Huawei have fallen short. We can do a better job at talking about the risks, she said. She said that the United States does not currently have a clear path forward to develop a 5G architecture and infrastructure, while competitors, such as China, are very quickly doing this. Lord described the development of 5G as a huge opportunity, but it is also a huge threat. If we dont embrace it and apply it towards our goals, we could be overcome quickly with technical overmatch. We cant allow that to happen, she warned. Despite the importance of this new infrastructure, the United States has quickly fallen behind China; Huawei is already rolling out 5G infrastructure around the world. Meanwhile, Lord explained, there is no U.S. supplier of 5G infrastructure. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James L. Jones, Jr., executive chairman emeritus of the Atlantic Council, explained 5G technology will become the bedrock of the digital infrastructure for the 21st century allowing the transmission of data at speeds one hundred times faster than the 4G networks we use today. Those who establish and control this digital infrastructure will be able to capture and exploit the vast informationpublic and privaterunning through it, he said. In my mind, the race to develop secure 5G infrastructure is no less important than the race to put a man on the moon or to complete the Manhattan Project of the 1940s, Jones added. Despite the current disagreements with allies, Lord focused on the possibility that the United States could come together with like-minded nations to come up with a whole system that we can both work together to develop. She argued that the United States always work[s] with our allies and partners and would like to leverage them as much as possible so international support could be part of our national solution. In the short term, she said that the U.S. Department of Defense is already talking to Swedish and Finnish companies Ericsson and Nokia about providing 5G infrastructure. Time is not on our side here, Lord warned, but she reported that the Trump administration and all of the relevant government agencies have made 5G a top priority. The United States needs to come up with a plan to secure and promote a secure 5G network or, Lord said, we could be left behind. David A. Wemer is assistant director, editorial, at the Atlantic Council. Follow him on Twitter @DavidAWemer. This article appeared originally at Atlantic Council. Editor's Note: The United States is once again considering designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. This would not be the first time that it has considered slapping such a label on the Iranian military branch. As Stratfor wrote in 2017, the functional effects on the IRGC of being designated as a foreign terrorist organization would be limited. But this time, the United States is also considering adding sanctions against some Iranian-trained militias operating in Iraq. Because many of the consequences and limits of targeting the IRGC are the same today as they were then, we are updating this analysis that originally published on Oct. 15, 2017, with the addition of three key areas that have evolved since then. Update When the United States considered labeling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization in 2017, then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and national security advisor H.R. McMaster were still with the Trump White House. In their places now are Iran hawks Mike Pompeo and John Bolton. The White House's national security team is, therefore, more heavily in favor of taking a more aggressive stance toward the Islamic republic. With the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, no influential voices remain to back a moderate course of action. Neither the Pentagon nor the CIA support applying the terrorism label to the IRGC, but their sway is less than it once was. There is now a higher probability that the United States will follow through with the designation. If the State Department does indeed label the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, it would mark the first time in U.S. history that it would have singled out a branch of a foreign military for such treatment. On the question of targeting Iranian allies, the United States could designate several Iran-trained militias operating as part of Iraq's security architecture as terrorist groups under one of several laws. But the consequences of doing so could be high. Although those designations could fall short of provoking Iran to target U.S. personnel in the region, such a decision would stoke anti-U.S. sentiment in Iraq, where these groups have become more entrenched in recent years, and could inspire Iranian-backed popular mobilization units or other groups to lash out at U.S. military, diplomatic and economic targets in Iraq. It would also strengthen the push from Iran-allied politicians in the Iraqi parliament to amend or revoke Iraq's agreement with the United States to maintain troops in the country. Enforcing such a designation would create a complex problem of monitoring compliance for U.S. and other Western companies given that many of the Iranian-backed militias also have political wings. Earlier this month, the United States designated the Iranian-trained Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba militia in Iraq a terrorist group in what could mark the initial phase of this strategy. Tehran would certainly respond to the designation of the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization, but would likely opt for a pragmatic response, following the same path it has ever since the White House withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018. Even though the United States is no longer a participant in the plan (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA), Tehran has remained in the agreement while refraining from restarting prohibited nuclear activities. Neither has Iran, for instance, carried out a high number of ballistic missile tests or harassed U.S. military personnel in the region. Driving Tehran's restraint has been the expectation that a harsh Iranian response would provoke robust retaliation from the United States that could include a limited military strike on a key Iranian target. Indeed, with more Iran policy hard-liners in the White House, the chances of such a response become more likely. As opposed to expressing violent displeasure, Iran has increased its global cyberwar activities and used additional asymmetrical means that do not draw a ready retaliation. With many of the 2020 presidential candidates from the U.S. Democratic Party staking out policy positions that favor rejoining the JCPOA, Tehran has decided to try to wait out U.S. President Donald Trump in hopes of having an easier time in dealing with a different president in 2021. But until the U.S. presidential election is decided, Iran is likely to continue its strategy of overt pragmatism. Original Analysis In a diplomatic dispute that seems to be growing more heated by the day, the United States has taken another swipe at Iran. On Oct. 13, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to forgo the certification of Iran's nuclear deal with the West, just two days before the deadline, and to slap a new round of sanctions on a portion of the government in Tehran. As mandated by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017, Trump also labeled the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) one of Iran's most powerful military branches a terrorist group. He stopped short, however, of listing the corps as a foreign terrorist organization, an option the White House was rumored to have considered earlier this year. Though largely symbolic, the new label will draw considerable ire in Iran. Blowback could come from any number of the IRGC's units the aerospace, naval and overseas operations divisions, to name a few that the designation targets. And much to the United States' dismay, the move will likely backfire by uniting Iran's divided political factions behind the group now in its crosshairs. The Cornerstone of Iran's Strategy The White House has set its sights on the IRGC because of how indispensable the group has become to Iran's modern strategy in the Middle East. Under the monarchy that ruled Iran in the 1970s, the country boasted one of the strongest militaries in the region, equipped with advanced hardware it had purchased from its erstwhile ally, the United States. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, however, then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini deeply distrusted the country's regular army because of its close relationship with the shah he had helped to depose. Eager to form a force loyal only to him, Khomeini established the IRGC, and the once-formidable army began to languish amid a lack of funding. Today its conventional weapons and tactics are weak relative to those of its Turkish and Saudi counterparts. Quds Force commander Gen. Qassem Suleimani attends a celebration marking the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Feb. 11, 2016 in Tehran. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Instead, Iran has built its security strategy around the asymmetric capabilities of the dominant IRGC, in part to avoid the type of overt conflict that would expose the country's vulnerabilities in conventional warfare. A critical component of this approach is Iran's support for militant groups across the region, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Kataib Hezbollah all of which the U.S. State Department has declared to be foreign terrorist organizations. The IRGC (and, in particular, its Quds Force unit) is the primary caretaker of these relationships, providing support and funding to proxies in exchange for action against Tehran's rivals. Hamas and Hezbollah, for instance, are useful means of squeezing Israel from its southern and northern borders, respectively. In much the same way, Iran can lean on Yemen's Houthis and Bahrain's Al Ashtar Brigade to put pressure on Saudi Arabia. But perhaps most concerning to the United States is Iran's partnership with Iraq's Shiite militias, some of which Washington is currently working with. The United States fears that with nudging from Iran, these groups could start to target U.S. military personnel in Iraq. Other core parts of Iran's asymmetric strategy are the ballistic missile and space programs that the IRGC's aerospace force leads. Though Iran probably won't be able to deliver a warhead to the United States in the near future, it can use ballistic missiles much like its proxies to strike at or deter attacks from nearby rivals with better-equipped conventional forces. The IRGC's navy is also designed to conduct rapid attacks, missile attacks and mining operations in the Persian Gulf, which could easily disrupt global shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and take a heavy economic, physical and psychological toll on Tehran's enemies. Cyberspace has proved to be a theater in which Iran can thrive as well. The country is believed to have been behind the Shamoon cyberattacks that swept across the Arab Gulf states in 2012 before resurfacing in a modified form last year. Though the IRGC doesn't formally own Iran's cyberwarfare program, it controls many of the program's leadership functions. And in July, the IRGC arrested 23 officers for revealing evidence that the unit was responsible for several cyberattacks that hit Turkey in 2014-15. Clearly, the IRGC has a hand in many of Iran's covert activities throughout the Middle East, and the United States is determined to curb them all. By default, then, any comprehensive U.S. policy for countering Iran must restrict the movements of the IRGC in some form or fashion. Supporters of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah militant group wave flags bearing portraits of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini (L) in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Oct. 4, 2017. (MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images) What's in a Name? But assigning the label of "terrorist organization" is no trivial matter. According to U.S. law, there are two ways in which Washington can designate groups as terrorist organizations, each with its own implications. The first is using the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 to label a group a "foreign terrorist organization." It can be difficult to pursue since the term is narrowly defined as an entity that engages in terrorism or terrorist activities, or has the capability and intent to do so. The act is thus designed to target the culprits who are actually pursuing terrorist activities, rather than the individuals, companies or state actors providing them with material support. Because overseas proxy groups, rather than Iranian organizations such as the IRGC, carry out operations against Iran's rivals at its behest, the United States cannot easily dub the country's military branch a foreign terrorist organization. The second option is to designate entities as "terrorist groups" (or individuals as "supporters of terrorism") under Executive Order 13224, as Trump declared on Oct. 13 that he intended to do. Signed by former U.S. President George W. Bush in the wake of 9/11, the order is meant to broaden the legal basis for the pursuit of terrorist support networks. Not only are the groups in the first category routinely considered to be terrorist organizations under this ruling as well, but so are their financial backers. Iran has held a spot on this list since 1984 as a state sponsor of terrorism, and the executive order will continue to be the United States' most logical legal mechanism for targeting Iranian citizens and groups. From a practical standpoint, joining the ranks of Executive Order 13224's designees will do little to hamper the IRGC's activities. Because the United States has leveled punitive measures related to terrorism, human rights abuses and ballistic missile development against several of the group's members, associates and wings, the IRGC is already one of the most heavily sanctioned organizations in the world. Moreover, the unit's Quds Force has been on the executive order's "Specially Designated Nationals" list since 2007, which has frozen its U.S. assets and barred U.S. citizens and companies from interacting with it. Ironically, a designation under the executive order deals a heavier financial blow than that of the foreign terrorist organization. But the latter label carries one critical advantage: criminal charges. Anyone, including non-U.S. citizens, who provides lodging, financial services or other aid to a foreign terrorist organization faces the possibility of prosecution in the United States. It's easy to imagine the economic and diplomatic problems that might arise if Washington were to add the IRGC to its list of foreign terrorist organizations. The employees of international firms doing business in Iran would have to tread carefully to avoid the threat of jail time, as would government officials receiving Iranian delegations traveling abroad, which often include members of the IRGC. Moreover, the United States has never designated a military unit of a sovereign state a foreign terrorist organization; should it break that pattern, other countries may follow its lead, perhaps even eventually treating prisoners of war as terrorists. Aware of these potential complications, the U.S. Defense Department and State Department have pressured the Trump administration not to rely on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 to target the IRGC. Of course, punishing the IRGC under the auspices of the executive order could have some influence over the group's capabilities. After all, the organization boasts an array of enterprises and shell companies that span the Iranian economy, and foreign firms will have to give extra due diligence to their operations in the country to ensure that they don't run afoul of Western sanctions. Nevertheless, Iran's foreign investment won't dry up, even if the IRGC becomes a less attractive partner for many international companies. The Iranian government, moreover, will replace any revenue streams that the IRGC loses access to. In fact, the group's funding may even increase, thanks to its central role in the nation's security strategy and to the empowerment of Iran's hard-liners, who will oppose any attempt by President Hassan Rouhani to erode the IRGC's political and economic clout. United Against the United States Rouhani is not the IRGC's only domestic opponent, however. The group's pervasive power is a divisive issue in Iranian society, and the president has found the popular support needed to block some of its funds. That said, the IRGC's importance to the country's security hasn't generated the same amount of controversy. And as the United States has stepped up pressure on the IRGC over the past week, a rare display of unity has emerged between moderates like Rouhani and the conservative military group. That show of support will likely yield a boost in the IRGC's budget in the weeks ahead, just as Iranian lawmakers funneled $300 million to the Quds Force and the IRGC's ballistic missile program after the United States began ratcheting up tension earlier this year. Still, it remains to be seen whether the IRGC's hard-line allies will be able take advantage of the political climate to boost their standing at home. In the last three elections, the country's hard-liners made a poor showing, and they remain in disarray today as they struggle to connect with the majority of Iranian youths. Perhaps it's no surprise that the camp has begun to pursue publicity stunts that were previously unheard of among conservatives, such as meetings with rappers and social media campaigns. The United States' renewed pressure against Iran may be the fuel they need to drive a rebranding of their image among voters. If so, Iran's hard-liners could make a comeback that enables them to block Rouhani's attempts to crack down on the IRGC's influence in Iranian politics. And if the United States is not careful, its effort to isolate the powerful military branch will only succeed in banding Iran's political factions together against it. This article appeared originally at Stratfor Worldview. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 11/24/2021 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Which couples are still together and which MAFS couples have broken up and divorced? And where are they now? 's first twelve seasons featured 44 different couples getting married at first sight -- so which couples are still together, who has broken up and divorced, and where are they all now?Each season of -- which premiered in the United States seven years ago and is based on a Danish series -- features couples (previously three couples, but four couples on Seasons 8 and 9, and five couples beginning with Season 10) being matched together by relationship experts and agree to marry when they first meet.Complete strangers become husband and wife in a matter of minutes, and the couples' lives are then documented by TV cameras over the course of the next four to eight weeks (eight weeks, in the case of 's most recent seasons).The couples typically enjoy their first night together in a hotel after exchanging vows -- with some couples deciding to consummate their marriage immediately -- and then embark on a honeymoon, move in together, and simply attempt to deal with the struggles of daily life as man and wife.At the end of the extreme marriage experiment, each couple must decide whether they'd like to stay married or get a divorce on "Decision Day."has experienced very mixed results over the years. While a significant number of couples decide to stay together and continue their new marriage at the end of their season, the real world seems to hit them hard after the cameras leave, resulting in the couple splitting up only months later.Do cast members see a different side of their spouses once cameras are gone, or do the romances naturally fizzle over time?Some couples are still together to this day and are extremely happy. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from Season 1, for example, have had two children.Several other couples have also had children -- including Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd Deonna McNeill and Greg Okotie , and Jessica Studer and Austin Hurd However, there are also relationships that ended badly. Jessica Castro from Season 2, for instance, accused Ryan De Nino of alleged death threats, and she went on to file a restraining order and lawsuit against him.Some couples have also never even made it to "Decision Day" and ended their marriage prematurely, including Season 4 couple Heather Seidel and Derek Schwartz as well as Season 6 couple Molly Duff and Jonathan Francetic Are the remaining couples now lovers, friends or enemies?! What about early season couples like Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion, Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, Vanessa Nelson and Tres Russell, Sonia Granados and Nick Pendergrast, and Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson?And how about more recent season couples like Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon Jaclyn Schwartzberg and Ryan Buckley Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana , and Tristan Thompson and Mia Bally Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth , and AJ Vollmoeller and Stephanie Sersen Click thelink below to see photos of each couple and find out! BEGIN GALLERY >> Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. Atlanta, Georgia, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ashton Woods USA L.L.C. and Ashton Woods Finance Co. (collectively, the Companies) announced today the results as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 26, 2019 (the "Early Tender Date") of their previously announced tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase any and all of their 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 (the "Notes"). As of the Early Tender Date, $204,756,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes had been validly tendered and not withdrawn. All of the Notes tendered have been accepted for purchase on the terms set forth in the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal, each dated March 13, 2019 (the Offer Documents). Holders of Notes validly tendered as of the Early Tender Date and accepted for purchase in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offer will receive payment of the Total Consideration ($1,002.86) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the settlement date, today. The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer, which are set forth in the Offer Documents, remain unchanged, including the withdrawal deadline, which was 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 26, 2019. Tendered Notes may no longer be withdrawn. The Company is making the Tender Offer only by, and pursuant to, the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer Documents. The Tender Offer will expire at 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, at the end of the day on April 9, 2019, unless extended or earlier terminated (the "Expiration Date"). Subject to applicable law, the Tender Offer may be amended, extended, terminated or withdrawn. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell any notes or an offer to purchase any Notes. Any offer to purchase the Notes will be made by means of an offer to purchase and related letter of transmittal. No offer or purchase will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or purchase would be unlawful. The Companies have engaged J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to act as dealer manager and D.F. King & Co., Inc. to act as tender agent and information agent for the Tender Offer. Persons with questions regarding the Tender Offer should contact J. P. Morgan Securities LLC at (212) 2706091. Requests for documents may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (212) 269-5550 or (866) 829-0135 (toll-free) or ashton@dfking.com. ### Ashton Woods is one of the nations largest private homebuilding companies, delivering over 40,000 homes to homeowners over the course of its 30 years in business. The company markets its homes through its two award-winning brands, Ashton Woods Homes and Starlight Homes. The Ashton Woods brand is known for blazing new trails in design and personalization to build homes as unique as the people who live in them, thanks to its industry leading experience at The Studio. The Starlight Homes brand builds homes specifically for the first-time homebuyer, offering affordable homes with thoughtful designs and quality finishes for buyers looking to make the dream of home ownership a reality. The companys commitment to innovation and continually The 22 projects equate to approximately $127.5 million and would incur a $784,400 increase in annual operating costs. Included in the rejected projects which didnt make the cut were an arena for the Classic Center, in the amount of $58.9 million, and a renovation to the Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail, in the amount of $13.6 million. More than one month after a viral video showing a verbal conflict between a philosophy teaching assistant and student was posted on Facebook, people are still waiting to see the outcome of the racial and legal implications of the employees speech. Political science professors at UGA conduct their own research about campaigns, elections and political psychology. Some of their research will study the political opinions and attitudes exhibited during the fast-approaching 2020 presidential election. But what happens when the researchers themselves have to vote? 'Once we are past this electoral season, during which all promises are presented as free lunches, could we bring such non-populist issues into focus?' 'Like fixing the problems of the public sector?' points out T N Ninan. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com One of the major reform initiatives of the outgoing government is the introduction of an effective bankruptcy process that -- so far -- has taken place in only the private sector. Why not subject government-owned companies to the transparency and clear-cut decision-making of the same or a similar bankruptcy process? Handing over the matter to a judicial body like a tribunal, with all parties getting a fair hearing, can remove the political sting involved in such sensitive decisions -- and also enforce some rationality. Once we are past this electoral season, during which all promises are presented as free lunches, could we bring such non-populist issues into focus? Like fixing the problems of the public sector? 'Fix' as in: Let the good ones be, salvage the troubled ones with an approved programme that has finite budget limits, sell those that can't be salvaged, and shut down the rest. Among the prime candidates to be looked at is Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, which says its mission is to be the leading telecom service provider and the most admired telecom brand. Yet, BSNL has been losing revenue, market share, money and relevance. In five of the last seven years, BSNL has lost Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) or more, and will do so again this year. Its twin, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd, operates in the most attractive markets of Delhi and Mumbai, but has costs that are twice revenue, and lost nearly Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) last year. BSNL last earned a profit 10 years ago, its revenue today is much less than it was then, and both companies are now unable to pay salaries. BSNL's share of the telecom market is down to 10 per cent. Consider the issue step by step. Can these companies be salvaged? In the bitterly competitive telecom market, a turnaround seems impossible. The next option is to sell both companies. But, like Air India, they might find no buyers. The only non-economic reason for not moving on to the final option (shutting down, like many private telecom players already have) is the very human one that BSNL has about 180,000 employees, and MTNL another 25,000. But a bail-out for the employees would be cheaper than repeated bail-outs of the companies, and could take the form of a lump sum plus an annuity. The bill, even if steep, would be a bargain, considering what the government pumps into these companies. BSNL got Rs 7,500 crore (Rs 75 billion) two years ago. The latest proposal is for another Rs 14,000 crore/Rs 140 billion (which the NITI Aayog sensibly opposes). Bear in mind that the two companies have spectrum valued at several thousand crore rupees. In addition, BSNL is sitting on freehold land that was re-valued a couple of years ago at Rs 70,000 crore/Rs 700 billion. That is the value that can be unlocked if the employees are taken care of. Subjecting these companies to something like the bankruptcy process for the private sector would force the government to explain why it continues to pour money into these bottomless pits, in preference to the other options that it should logically consider. No political party can address such issues at election time, and it is unrealistic to expect such hara-kiri (though the witless Rahul Gandhi seems to be committing it anyway). But is there any time at all when the elected government can deal with those issues that can't be packaged as free lunches? So far Narendra Damodardas Modi has carefully ducked all issues that involve trade-offs which may hit voters. Hence the patchy reform record on labour, trade, agriculture and other issues, which (you could argue) has resulted in the lack of economic momentum outside of manufactured statistics. Take the nationalised banks that have got sums approaching Rs 2 trillion as fresh capital from the government, but have seen much of that disappear in the market valuation metrics. We have seen 'Recognition' of these banks's problems, and we have got 'Recapitalisation' (with more to come, doubtless), but what about the forgotten 'R': Reform? And reform of government-owned entities in their totality? Forget value creation, can we at least stop large-scale value destruction? Jet's operating fleet reduced from 103 planes in October 2018 to 35 now, leading to massive cancellations and a surge in airfares Jet Airways is putting together a plan to restore its flight schedule, following an emergency funding from lenders and by April-end it will have an additional 40 planes in operation. The airline's management, led by chief executive officer Vinay Dube, deputy chief executive Amit Agarwal and State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Rajnish Kumar, met civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola on Tuesday and apprised him of the developments at the airline. Kharola said the aviation ministry was keeping a close watch on the developments at Jet Airways. "The airline has assured us that it will operate 75 planes by April-end. It has said there will be no more grounding now," he said. The airline has been asked to submit a report by next Tuesday. A few of the grounded planes are already being readied for operations as lessors have lifted notices, it is learnt. Jet underwent a change of guard on Monday. An interim management is being formed to look after its daily operations and cash flows. While lenders are hopeful of selecting a new investor in the airline by May-end, the priority of the management is to revive the operations. Jet's operating fleet reduced from 103 planes in October 2018 to 35 now, leading to massive cancellations and a surge in airfares. Other private airlines are seeking airport slots as Jet has pulled out from various routes. On Monday, lenders took majority control of Jet Airways and decided to provide a loan of Rs 1,500 crore, which will be used to make urgent and overdue payments to the staff, lessors and other suppliers. The banks will also get nominees on the airline board, after receiving 114 million fresh shares in the company. The names of the new board members will be finalised in a couple of days. Lenders are searching for a new investor and an expression of interest will be floated by April 9. "The new investor in Jet Airways needs to bring around Rs 4,500 crore. We see a lot of interest in the airline including foreign investors," said a senior executive from a public sector bank. Meanwhile, the airline's pilots union has approached SBI, seeking its help in securing their pending salaries. "We humbly request you to alleviate some of the hardships that we and the engineers have been facing by ensuring that the new management does not further delay the release of our pending salaries and clears our dues at the earliest," wrote Captain Tej Sood, general secretary of National Aviators Guild, to the SBI chairman on Tuesday. Photograoh: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colorectal Cancer Alliance (Alliance) CEO Michael Sapienza today announced that Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross will provide $500,000 tin support of the March Forth Philadelphia Prevention Project, which seeks to save lives by promoting increased colorectal cancer screening in the Philadelphia region. Sapienza made the announcement with Independence Blue Cross CEO Dan Hilferty at Independences Philadelphia headquarters, during a breakfast presentation to local business, healthcare, and community leaders about the prevention project. Colorectal cancer claims more than 50,000 lives each year in the United States, yet it is highly preventable. Screening and early detection can save lives. The colorectal cancer screening rate in some Philadelphia communities, however, is nearly 25 percent lower than the national average of 67 percent. Philadelphia has a lower screening rate than other cities with contributing factors such as poverty and access to care. A transformational gift of this magnitude has the ability to save lives and prevent needless suffering from colorectal cancer in this region, Sapienza said. With world-class healthcare institutions and a commitment from companies like Independence Blue Cross, Philadelphia will serve as a nationwide model for how to significantly increase screening and change the dynamics of colorectal cancer in this community. The March Forth project is a national effort to attack colorectal cancer by driving up screening rates, starting in Philadelphia. Working with partners, families, and advocates across the country, the initiative intends to close the screening gap and save 100,000 lives in the next 10 years. The grant will assist in funding the prevention projects four-pronged strategy to increase screening rates, which includes supporting patients and families, conducting outreach to vulnerable communities, raising awareness, and educating and collaborating with health systems." It is unacceptable that in some neighborhoods in our city, more than half of people who should be screened for colon cancer may not be getting this lifesaving intervention, and we are pleased to help raise awareness through the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, said Daniel J. Hilferty, CEO of Independence Blue Cross. Tackling this problem in our community is an expression of Independences mission to enhance the health and well-being of the communities we serve. The grant announcement occurs during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. With its Dont Assume public awareness campaign, the Alliance is challenging the assumptions and myths surrounding colorectal cancer. About Colorectal Cancer Alliance The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; eagerly raise awareness of preventive screening; and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. For more information, visit ccalliance.org. Attachment AIBOC in a letter to the Prime Minister, has said the government should not expect the banking fraternity to join the political campaign of #MainBhiChowkidar unless issues related to merger of banks, salary revision and staff recruitment, among others, are addressed. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff,com Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent tweet, had urged doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, IT professionals and bankers to join the Main Bhi Chowkidar campaign. Not everyone has lapped up the idea. The All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), the largest union of public sector bank (PSB) officers, in a letter to the Prime Minister, has said the government should not expect the banking fraternity to join the political campaign of #MainBhiChowkidar unless issues related to merger of banks, salary revision and staff recruitment, among others, are addressed. A copy to the letter has been sent to the department of financial services (DFS) and Indian Banks Association (IBA). AIBOC comprises about 320,000 officers in PSBs, representing about 85 per cent of the officers in the banks. Without addressing the genuine issues of one million bank officers and employees, along with the entire banking fraternity, for which they are aggrieved against the policies of your government, you cannot expect the participation of the banking fraternity to join your political campaign of #MainBhiChowkidar, the letter said. One of the issues with bankers is the stern opposition to the merger of Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank and Bank of Baroda. AIBOC has already filed a writ petition against the amalgamation in Delhi high court. Another sore point is related to the bipartite settlement for wage negotiations. The IBA had proposed to link salaries of higher level executives (grades six and seven) with the performances of banks, which the officers have opposed. This is for the first time that the IBA has proposed performance-linked pay for certain grades in PSBs. The IBA had said remuneration of grades six and seven should be linked to the return on assets (ROA) and operating profit of banks. The employees in grades six and seven include GMs and DGMs - about 2,500 in total. This apart, PSBs are facing shortage of staff due to austerity measures. In 2018-19, 14 PSBs declared zero vacancy in probationary officers/management trainee category. This apart, one of the long-standing demands of the officers bank unions has been to introduce pay parity of bank officers with central government officers. The bankers also want the National Pension System (NPS) be withdrawn and replaced with conventional pension system. Other demands include five-day working schedule and publication of the list of wilful defaulters by banks. AIBOC in its letter also said the officers of the bank were also playing the role of Aarthik Chowkidars (financial watchman) and had been instrumental in rolling out key government schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra and demonetisation. We, in PSBs, believe that we are part of the government and its extended arm to carry out the wish list of government policies, despite severe constraints and even at the cost of severe personal inconvenience, as we consider ourselves to be the financial army of the nation, the letter said. How will the Modi Sarkar's likely return to power affect other nations? Sanjeev Nayyar attempts an answer. Then prime minister Indira Gandhi talked of the 'foreign hand' often. Now that poll dates are announced, the foreign hand in India's 2019 elections might become more visible. Also, there are many within and outside India who believe that the 'Idea of India' (read, Jawaharlal Nehru's vision for India) has been challenged for the first time since 2014. In such a scenario it would be interesting to indulge in some crystal ball-gazing, country-wise, on whether they want the Modi Sarkar to have another term, if a country can make the government's re-election difficult and, lastly, why some Indians want Modi to occupy the Opposition benches. At the outset I must state that this article is based on an evaluation of events and is not meant to cast aspersions on nations or individuals referred to herein. Further, I do not seek to make a case for this government's re-election. So, let us look at countries who matter to India. Notwithstanding China's burgeoning trade surplus vis-a-vis India, it would be happy to see a non-BJP government in Delhi for four reasons. One, this government's refusal to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative has upset the Chinese no end. Since then there have been numerous articles in the State-run Global Times tabloid, considered as a mouthpiece of China's Communist party, on how beneficial BRI would be to India, including for Kashmir. Two, the Chinese did not expect India to stand up to them during the Doklam encounter. The manner in which India, particularly the ministry of external affairs, handled the incursion is worthy of praise and noticed globally. Three, India's stand against Pakistan (China's 'irreplaceable all-weather friend') significantly hardened post the initial honeymoon period. IAF aircraft crossed the Line of Control for the first time since 1971 and the government took the fight inside Pakistan. An unstable Pakistan and an even more unstable Baluchistan are against Chinese interests. Therefore, the Chinese might make fresh incursions in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand near Char Dham, Siliguri or even launch a joint attack with Pakistan to seize the Siachen glacier. Why Siachen? Simply put, occupying the glacier means the Chinese overlook Leh. Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch wrote (external link), 'The strategic significance of the Saltoro Ridge particularly with China sitting in our territory in the Shaksgam Valley and Aksai Chin and Pakistani and US media indicating Pakistan is leasing out Gilgit-Baltistan region to China for 50 years, plus the fact that withdrawal from Saltoro would open the floodgates of infiltration into Ladakh by Pakistan's State sponsored non-State actors.' If the China-Pakistan combine succeed in occupying strategic space on Siachen, the Supreme Court may be immediately petitioned that the government be restrained from responding since the model code of conduct is in force. Four, it was in 2011 (external link) that the Vietnamese government first formally sought the Brahmos supersonic anti-ship missile from then prime minister Manmohan Singh. Reports of this government selling this missile appeared in 2016-2017, but nothing has moved since. Brahmos is important because it enables Vietnam and every other offshore State in the South China Sea to power project its deterrent capability 300 km away from its furthest ships which would act as an impediment to Chinese hegemony in the region. The Chinese are aware that the Modi Sarkar has the potential to break free from the past, and export Brahmos. After all, how long can Masood Azhar and the Wuhan spirit co-exist! In spite of century-old cultural relations between the two nations, China dislikes India. I experienced this first hand while working with the Chinese at the regional headquarters in Hong Kong in 1997. Probably, they are aware of India's contribution to their civilisation which even Indians don't know, or of her hidden potential. When Pakistan is pushed into a corner, like post-September 11, it seeks to deflect attention to India. In an article titled Did Godhra save Pakistan? Colonel Anil A Athale wrote, 'The brain behind the Godhra incident knew it would trigger riots, which in turn would force such a redeployment. In fact, an entire division (40,000 soldiers) had to be moved, while another division was kept on alert to move into other areas if necessary.' This time round, Pakistan might use its sleeper cells to plant bombs at crowded places or election rallies, most likely in BJP ruled states, or even hijack planes. After all, was not the timing of Pulwama an attempt to tell Indians that Modi is a paper tiger who has failed to rein in Pakistan? For China and Pakistan, Modi's nationalist positioning has to be dented. Notwithstanding the US president's tweets on India's unfavourable trade policies and protests by the church, Trump would want Modi to be re-elected. Here are some reasons. One, India purchased crude for the first time from America in 2017. Two, the government signed defence contracts like for example the $3 billion deal for 15 Chinook utility helicopters, 22 Apache helicopter gunships and Rs 5,000 crores for 145 M-777 howitzers, Rs 7 billion contract to supply 72,000 assault rifles and is in talks for US MH-60R Naval Utility Helicopters and Sea Guardian armed drones, all worth $4 billion. Three, a strong leader would keep the pressure on Pakistan's eastern border and up the ante on Baluchistan, forcing it to be reasonable as the US seeks to exit Afghanistan. Four, Trump empathises with Modi in some way because like Modi, he to is fighting the equivalent of Lutyens Delhi in Washington, DC. Russia has joined hands with China to take on the US. It is working with like-minded countries to have a favourable regime in Afghanistan, for which it needs Pakistan. This and the China factor have made it soften its stand on Pakistan. Conversely, it has a longstanding friendship with India. The Russians will remember that this government signed the $5.4 billion S-400 deal. To this, add an estimated $2 billion contract to build 200 Kamov 226T light helicopters. Senior India Today journalist Sandeep Unnithan wrote, 'Lease, worth over $3 billion for the Chakra-3 submarine. Last October, India and Russia inked a $1.5 billion deal to buy two Krivak class frigates. In January, India approached Russia to purchase 18 additional Sukhoi Su30MKI aircraft worth approximately Rs 5,000 crores. Last month, the MoD opened talks with Russia for a $800 million purchase of 21 mothballed MiG29 airframes.' Russia needs Indian orders to keep its factory lines buzzing. So notwithstanding the US being its primary adversary currently, it is not lost on the Russians that these orders are flowing in spite of the threat of US sanctions. Russia might also appreciate this government's ability to make friends with countries that oppose each other, for example Russia vs the US, Saudi Arabia vs Iran, and Israel vs Palestine. Putin might be happier dealing with a known leader for whom the national interest is paramount. Noted conservative strategist Bharat Karnad says, "The Russian government is indifferent about Modi returning as PM because it is convinced that India has nowhere else to go for frontline military hardware and strategic technology -- the central pillars of Indo-Russian relations, and that its alliance with Washington is a ploy to gain political manoeuvring space against China, which is not at Moscow's expense." "Further," adds Dr Karnad, "that to contain China -- and Putin believes Beijing needs containing -- may require separate and conjoined efforts of India, Russia and US. Whether it is Modi again or someone else in his place, this basic reality won't change." Going by current trends the Saudis might, notwithstanding Modi being an unapologetic Hindu, be happy to see his return. That would keep Pakistan under pressure, dependent on the Saudis and amenable to Saudi demands. The prime minister's personal equation with Gulf rulers could make India a balancer in Saudi Sunni vs Iran Shia differences. Harsh V Pant, professor of international relations, department of defence studies, King's College London, says, "My sense is that both Putin and Saudis would be much happier with a weak government in Delhi... A strong PM puts them in a difficult position as then they will have to be explicit in making choices." "The British government is in too much of a turmoil to think of Modi but most Europeans would prefer Modi given his tendency to work towards specific outcomes," Pant adds. The Indo-French relationship has two significant milestones. It was Modi and then French President Francois Hollande who unveiled the International Solar Alliance (external link) in 2015. To this, add the Rs 590 billion Rafale order. Both countries also share geopolitical interests of dealing with China's rise and its moves in the Indian Ocean, etc. It is a relationship with huge potential. Let us now explore why select groups would want Modi to occupy the Opposition benches. For the Congress party and the ecosystem popularly known as Lutyens Delhi, it is a do or die election. One can survive being out of power for five terms, but ten? Lawyers have managed to stay out of the gambit of service tax and GST. If chartered accountants are service providers, how lawyers are not is a mystery. Perhaps because past and present finance ministers P Chidambaram and Arun Jaitley are both lawyers. If Modi returns and the next FM is not a lawyer, then there is every possibility that lawyers would be brought under GST. The Left Liberals and those who believe the 'Idea of India' is under threat would surely not want to see Modi to return. The emergence of numerous digital platforms and social media have challenged their intellectual dominance. Notwithstanding the delays, promoters of companies, especially those affected by the Insolvency and Banking Code and beneficiaries of phone banking, are an unhappy lot. It was the Modi government which notified the 1988 Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act in 2016. Owners of benami properties are not pleased, for sure. As of October 2018 this government cancelled the FCRA registrations (external link) of approximately 20,000 NGOs since it came to power. Simply put, these NGOs cannot receive foreign contributions. Why do NGOs oppose the Modi government? A domain expert says, "The government has punctiliously enforced the FCRA rules. Thousands of organisations that were not submitting their returns regularly were penalised and had their registration revoked. Some prominent NGOs that had openly carried out proselytisation were penalised and were unable to receive money from abroad." "The new Darpan portal made the trustees and key players openly available. In many cases, conflicts of interest were identified and the organisation lost its registration or was revoked from the prior permission category." "However, this has not reduced the fund flows. The remaining registered NGOs have had their fund flows unaffected." In 2000, NDA 1 formed a panel headed (external link) by Justice V S Malimath to suggest an overhaul of the century-old criminal justice system. Nothing much came out of the report submitted two years later. Was it put in cold storage due to protests then or otherwise is unknown. At an Off the Cuff event recently Sanjeev Sanyal, principal economic advisor, Government of India, said the government is considering judicial reforms. Even though details were not spelt out, speedy justice surely is one of its objectives. This might be opposed by those lawyers who have benefitted from the 'tarik pe tarik' way of working. These are only some examples of groups adversely affected by this government. One thing is for sure -- 2019 is going to be the most hotly contested election in recent times. It shall decide the future of India in more ways than one. Sanjeev Nayyar is an independent columnist, founder, www.esamskriti.com and a chartered accountant. Twitter handle: @sanjeev1927 'You don't want to harm the satellites of other countries, but you also don't want your own satellite to be harmed.' Professor Rajaram Nagappa, former associate director Indian Space Research Organisation, specialised in aerospace propulsion and has worked extensively in the design and development of solid propellant rockets. His interests are in missile technology and space weaponisation. The space scientist -- who is currently a a professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru -- patiently explains Wednesday's space achievement in lay language to Rediff.com's Archana Masih. India shot down a live satellite today -- what does that mean? What other countries have demonstrated something similar? Anti satellite capability is not new, the Russians and Americans did a number of experiments during the Cold War. In 2007, the Chinese killed one of their brother satellites. But that was at a high altitude -- at 860 km. The debris that was created would have stayed in orbit for tens of years and poses a danger to other satellites in the 600 to 900 km orbit. There would be many other satellites in that orbit. Subsequent to that, a year later, the Americans did another test. They killed the USA 193 reconnaissance satellite that had gone out of control. They destroyed it a low altitude at 247 to 250 km. Even in this, debris was created, but being at a low altitude, the debris re-entered the earth's atmosphere and burnt up. In a couple of months, I think there was no debris left. What are the dangers posed by space debris? The danger with any interception is that when you collide with a satellite cruising at 8 km per second, you create a lot of debris. A responsible state ensures that this debris does not cause harm to other satellites. India would have also done that interception at a lower altitude. DRDO said it was done at 300 km. The debris will burn up very fast in a few weeks. The debris will also be travelling at 7 to 8 km per second. It loses altitude and when it re-enters the atmosphere at that velocity it burns up. So, it is not likely to fall on our heads? No. Gravitational pull will draw it to the earth, but it also has velocity so it will burn up. Where does this capability put India in the community of space faring countries? We have a lot of space assets. Our assets in space are going to keep on increasing. Everybody accepts that the militarisation of space has already happened. Some of the statements made and certain activities undertaken by China, Russia, the USA in space could lead towards weaponisation. This answers the deterrence measure -- it helps you to protect your own space assets. We have the capability to protect our own space assets. You don't want to harm the satellites of other countries, but you also don't want your own satellite to be harmed. It is a signaling of capability. Does it primarily show India's deterrence capability? We have no designs on anybody else's satellites and don't want to harm any other satellite. What repercussion will it likely have on other countries with space technology? There could be criticism, but it will be muted if the debris created is is at a low altitude and not likely to hurt other satellites. There will be plus statements and minus statements, but that should not concern us very much because we have no ill intentions towards anyone else. We are just demonstrating a certain capability to satisfy ourselves that this can be done. How long has India had this capability? DRDO has been building anti-ballistic missile weapons so they have demonstrated missile interception capability. This is an extension of that, but difficult to answer how long they have had this capability. It is another step taken by DRDO in the appropriate direction. IMAGE: >Actor Urmila Matondkar meets Congress chief Rahul Gandhi before joining the party. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter Actor Urmila Matondkar on Wednesday joined the Congress after meeting party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence in New Delhi. Gandhi welcomed her in the party fold and wished her the best. Later, at a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party. "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections," she told reporters. "I am here to stay," she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections. Yet another surgical strike? India's Osama bin Laden moment? A fresh demonetisation exercise? What could it possibly be? India was on edge for a nerve-racking 32 minutes on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for an 'important message' to the nation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As time slowed to a tedious crawl, imagination hurriedly took wing. Yet another surgical strike? India's Osama bin Laden moment? A fresh demonetisation exercise? What could it possibly be? Speculation swirled about what message the prime minister could give amid the hustle and bustle of a gruelling Lok Sabha election. TV anchors heightened the suspense when they repeatedly insisted that the prime minister cannot make any policy announcement when the model code of conduct was in force for the election. It began with a tweet by Modi at 11:23 am: 'I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 am - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media.' As the appointed hour came and went with no sign of the prime minister on their screens, debate intensified -- in homes and offices, buses and metro trains, on Twitter and television channels. News channels broached the subject of action that might have been taken against fugitive Mumbai ganglord Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, who is believed to have taken shelter in Pakistan. They also spoke about the possibility of the chiefs of Pakistan-based terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed or Lashkar-e-Tayiba being targeted. One English news channel even referred to then United States president Barack Obama announcing the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a televised address in May 2016 as it tried to guess what the prime minister could possibly announce in his address. Speculation about a possible security-related announcement gained traction when some channels reported that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had gone into a huddle at the prime minister's residence. While TV presenters worked themselves into a frenzy over what message the prime minister could possibly give, people had existential concerns on mind. Memories of that fateful November 2016 evening, when Modi announced the demonetisation of high value currency notes, were still fresh. "I was about to enter a doctor's chamber for a meeting when I came to know about the upcoming address of the prime minister. I immediately made a dash for the nearest ATM counter to withdraw some cash," said Mainak Mukherjee, a sales manager with a pharmaceutical company in Kolkata. On Twitter, jokes about people running to the ATM and counting cash started doing the rounds. Social media users also bombarded Twitter with their theories while they waited. Among them was former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah who tweeted, 'He's declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. #JustSaying.' 'Dawood arrested brought back? Hafiz Saeed or Masood Azhar eliminated?#PMtoaddressnation,' added social media user, Sagar Rai. Pictures of former prime minister Indira Gandhi addressing the country to announce the imposition of Emergency were also circulating on the microblogging site. 'Have added my CA on the speed dial list #PM to address nation,' said Niharika Rana. 'Another #Demonetisation? Did they catch Masood Azhar or Dawood? Are we taking over Pakistan? OMG I am #anxious now,' Twitter user Gaurish Salunke said. In Mumbai, there were avid discussions on local trains and offices. Tweets were read out aloud in offices and local trains as people tried to get their hands on any information they could. Information in social media about the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting Wednesday morning upped expectations of the PM's announcement being security-related. "The visit to the ATM can be deferred," said a commuter in a Churchgate-bound train as humour took centrestage in the absence of any credible lead. Some discerning ones noticed a sharp correction in the equity markets 10 minutes after Modi's tweet. "We all were very speculative about the important message and clients were concerned about the reaction of the market after the address," said Jaipur-based stock broker Vishnu Nalawat. Hemraj Sharma, a government teacher, was on a Rajasthan Roadways bus on his way from Bagru in the state to Jaipur when a passenger announced loudly that Modi would be addressing the nation. "The general reaction was that it could be either a big action against Pakistan or something like Emergency. Most passengers got busy trying to log into the net to stay informed," he said. Excitement also built up around a tea stall in Lucknow's Hazratganj area. Rinku, the tea vendor, said he overheard discussions before while sipping tea before the announcement. Sanity returned only when Modi appeared on multiple screens -- phone, TV and others -- at 12.17 pm and declared that India had demonstrated its anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite which had catapulted the country into an exclusive club of space superpowers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday dropped deputy CM Sudin Dhavalikar after two MLAs of the latter's Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party broke away and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Dhavalikar, the lone MGP MLA who did not break away from the party, hit back, terming the development as "dacoity by chowkidars". In a communication addressed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Sawant informed her about dropping Dhavalikar. "I have dropped Sudin Dhavalikar from the cabinet. The decision on filling up the vacant seat will be taken very soon," Sawant said. The CM's recommendation to drop Dhavalikar was accepted by Sinha. "The governor is pleased to accept the recommendation of chief minister that Sudin Dhavalikar shall cease to be a minister in the council of ministers headed by chief minister, with immediate effect," an official notification said. Dhavalikar said, "People are stunned the way, in the middle of the night, chowkidars conducted dacoity on the MGP. People are watching and they will consider their course of action," he said. He claimed the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party was an outfit of the masses and would not be eliminated by such moves. Dhavalikar was allotted portfolios of transport and public works which would be now looked after by Sawant. Governor Sinha, who is in New Delhi now, has cut short her visit and would be arriving in Goa later during the evening to administer the oath to the new minister replacing Dhavalikar. During the wee hours Wednesday, two of the three Maharashrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs-- Manohar Ajgaonkar and Dipak Pawaskar-- gave a letter to officiating Speaker Michael Lobo, merging their party's legislative wing with the BJP. Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter. On Tuesday, MGP president Dipak Dhavalikar had claimed that his party was the target of a conspiracy by opponents. He had said moves were afoot by rivals to wean away Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar, and in the process isolate Sudin Dhavalikar. "Any attempt to disturb our MLAs will be viewed seriously and we won't mind pulling out of the government," the MGP chief had said. India had a record voter turnout of 66.4 per cent in 2014. This is still lower than the global median of 68.03 per cent, reports Sachin Mampatta. IMAGE: Voters stand in queues outside the polling station to cast votes in Jaipur. Photograph: PTI Photo India's 900 million voters will take part in the world's biggest democratic exercise when the country goes to elections next month. However, an analysis of the data from across the world suggests that India is behind several countries when it comes to the number of people turning out to vote. The analysis is based on data from 184 elections across the world which pegs the median voter turnout at 68.03 per cent. The median denotes the middle value in a data-set. This means that there are an equal number of elections which had higher voter turnout than this median figure, and an equal number with lower turnout. The data is from the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). Business Standard's analysis looked at voter turnout in the most recent polls. Elections in 2014 or later were considered to make the numbers more comparable with India. India had a record voter turnout of 66.4 per cent in 2014. This is still lower than the global median of 68.03 per cent. India also lags many of its neighbours, including Bhutan and Sri Lanka. One way to increase the participation rate could be greater gender parity. The voting rate among women has been lower than men in every poll since the Independence. Also, more female participation would result in a higher overall turnout figure. The implications of higher female participation may also be felt politically, suggested a June 2013 paper by Mudit Kapoor and Shamika Ravi in an Indian School of Business study. Women may be more likely to vote for change. "Our results strongly suggest that an increase in the female voters turnout negatively... (affected) the probability of re-election for a political party in a given constituency. And in contrast, the results also show that male voters increased the probability of re-election of political parties," said the authors. IMAGE: Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor missile being launched by DRDO in an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test 'Mission Shakti' engaging an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a 'Hit to Kill' mode from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo India's successful anti-satellite missile test on Wednesday showed that the country now possesses the capability to strike satellites in outer space with centimetre-level accuracy and precision, Defence Research and Development Organisation chairman G Satheesh Reddy said on Wednesday. Reddy, who oversaw the top secret operation, said the government accorded clearance to the project around two years ago with an aim to deter threats to the country's space assets. In a major feat, a DRDO-developed missile destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a critical test that catapulted India as a space power alongside the United States, China and Russia. "It is a great achievement for India as the technology used for the test has been completely developed indigenously," Reddy told PTI in an interview. "The test was a reflection of India's growing capability to develop critical technology and it will act as a good deterrence," he said adding India was the fourth country to go for an anti-satellite missile test after the United States, Russia and China. The DRDO said a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a 'Hit to Kill' mode. "The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. Tracking data from range sensors has confirmed that the mission met all its objectives," it said. The test was conducted, under 'Mission Shakti' operation, from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. Reddy said the test has demonstrated India's capability to defend its assets in outer space and is a reflection of the country's growing capability to develop critical technology. "The shooting down of a satellite with a missile reflected that we have matured to develop technology which could achieve accuracy in terms of centimetres," said Reddy, adding clearance for the project was given over two years back. "The project was implemented in the fastest way possible and it showed the DRDO's capability in doing such programmes," he said. Reddy said the technology used has been completely developed indigenously and now India stands as one of the four nations to have it. India is emerging as a major technologically advanced nation in space sector, he said. The DRDO said the test has once again proven the capability of indigenous weapon systems. India is yet to have a comprehensive national security doctrine. However, a joint operational doctrine for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, released in April 2017 had proposed to set up a 'Defence Space Agency' to deal with issues relating to outer space. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs said the test was not directed against any country and that India has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. "The test is not directed against any country. India's space capabilities do not threaten any country and nor are they directed against anyone," the MEA said in a 10-point explainer on the anti-satellite missile test. ***** India had anti-satellite missile capability in 2007, but no political will: Ex-ISRO chairman Former Indian Space Research Organisation chairman G Madhavan Nair said on Wednesday that India had the anti-satellite missile capability more than a decade ago but there was no political will at the time to demonstrate it. He said when China shot down an ageing weather satellite by launching a missile in 2007, India had the technology to undertake a similar mission. "...now (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji has taken the initiative and he had the political will and courage to say that we will do this. We have now demonstrated this to whole world," Nair told PTI. He had headed the ISRO, Space Commission and was Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. Nair joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in October 2018. Asked if India could have demonstrated the anti-satellite missile capability in 2007 itself, Nair said 'certainly', but it could not be done due to absence of 'political decision' to go ahead with it at that time. "Now, Modi ji has courageously taken the decision," he said. The prime minister on Wednesday announced India had demonstrated the capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers. India is only the fourth country to have such a specialised capability after the US, Russia and China. Opposition leaders on Wednesday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of indulging on threatrics and playing politics over scientists' achievements following his address to the nation announcing successful test of an anti-satellite missile, while some parties complained to the Election Commission alleging violation of the model code. Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Modi wishing him 'happy World Theatre Day' even as he congratulated the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). 'Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day,' he said on Twitter. Other Congress leaders credited successive governments led by their party for the achievement. 'The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh,' senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Modi's announcement was 'limitless drama and publicity mongering', amounting to 'gross violation' of the model code of conduct. She also accused the prime minister of making the announcement to 'reap political benefits' and said her party will move the EC. Speaking in the same vein, allies Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party alleged it was a diversionary tactic while the Communist Party of India-Marxist lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, terming the prime minister's action as a 'violation' of the model code of conduct. However, sources in the Election Commission said on Wednesday that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct. "There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. "We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission," the TMC supremo said. 'Today's announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct,' Banerjee tweeted. Pointing out that research, space management and development 'are continuous processes', Banerjee said, "Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers." In a complaint to the EC, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in the midst of polls. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said. "This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate. This is clearly a violation of the model code of conduct," he added. BSP supremo Mayawati accused Prime Minister Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. 'Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable,' she said in her tweet in Hindi. 'The honourable Election Commission should definitely take cognizance of this,' Mayawati said on Twitter. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said Modi got himself an hour of free TV and diverted nation's attention away from issues on the ground. 'Today Narendra Modi got himself an hour of free TV and divert(ed) nation's attention away from issues on ground Unemployment Rural crisis and women's security by pointing at the sky,' he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," Modi said in an unprecedented broadcast to the nation on television, radio and social media. His address came as campaigning intensifies for Lok Sabha elections that start on April 11. Launching a counter attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked 'capability and clarity'. Addressing a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons. "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack. BJP chief Amit Shah too hit back at the opposition parties saying 'the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt' and alleged that the "The UPA did not have the courage to back its institutions and people", while the 'NDA (National Democratic Alliance) under PM Modi has shown the conviction to do so'. At the All India Congress Committee briefing, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said such achievements are not new for the DRDO. "So these are the achievements of our scientists, obviously they have the support of every government," he said and alleged that Modi wants to 'shut down Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which works in tandem with DRDO'. Experts said India has possessed the anti-missile technology for several years but needed the political go-ahead to actually test it in live conditions. IMAGE: School students cheer as they hold flags and placards to celebrate the success of DRDO's Mission Shakti, in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo The anti-satellite missile capability demonstrated by India on Wednesday will be a deterrent in the event of a war where space may be the theatre of action with countries seeking to down enemy satellites, experts explained. "The message goes strong and loud that if any of our satellites is harmed, we possess the capability of destroying yours (the adversary)," said Ajay Lele, senior fellow with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). The former Air Force officer and other experts said India has possessed the anti-missile technology for several years but needed the political go-ahead to actually test it in live conditions. They said the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) received the green signal to prepare for the test two years ago, which came to fruition on Wednesday. In 2012, India conducted simulated tests, establishing the capability but the then Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government had not given permission for a live test, likely over concerns that a destroyed satellite would result in debris that would damage satellites of other countries. Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva, said on Wednesday's test destroyed a satellite at an altitude of 300 km. 'It was not a good sign for LEO (low earth orbit)... which has telecommunication and earth observation satellites and also the International Space Station", which cruises at a height of 400 km, he said. 'The test was done at 300 km, so pretty low, meaning most of the debris will slowly come down. However, lots of objects near that altitude... Not a good sign for all those LEO constellations. 'Also, if any debris damages other objects, India will be liable under the Liability Convention (if attribution is established),' Porras tweeted. Former Indian Space Research Organisation chairperson G Madhavan Nair, who was also secretary, Department of Space, from 2003 to 2009, said the DRDO had anti-missile technology, including the algorithms required for setting the trajectory to hit the moving target. "Marrying the two technologies (of ISRO and DRDO) was required which happened over the last few years," Nair, who joined the BJP in October 2018, told PTI. He said it would have taken about two years for scientists to perfect the missile launch once the go-ahead for the test was given by the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that the test, named Mission Shakti, was not directed against any country and the disused Indian owned satellite was a pre-determined target. In an address to the nation, Modi also said India has not breached any international law or treaty. India is only the fourth country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability after the United States, Russia and China. There has been no instance of a space war but the countries have demonstrated their capabilities by testing on their own satellites, like India did on Wednesday. The UNIDIR defines ASAT (Anti-Satellite) as 'any capabilities aimed at destroying or disabling space assets for any reason, whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive'. Lele of IDSA said India had already developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) technology and along with it came the know-how behind ASAT. "Testing the Anti-Satellite missile at LEO at 300 kilometres was only to demonstrate capacity. "This is also a deterrence mechanism in the event of a space war, similar to what India has developed in the nuclear domain," he said. Lele added that a political decision was required as conducting anti-satellite missiles tests could attract international criticism over issues of adding to debris in space and accusations of militarising space. In an era where defence forces rely on satellites for different aspects of security, including intelligence gathering, having ASAT missile capability sends a strong signal to adversaries, he said. Rajeshwari Pillai Rajagopalan, senior fellow and head of the Nuclear and Space Initiative, Observer Researcher Foundation (ORF), said Wednesday's development reflects India's desire to not make the mistake it did in 1974 when it conducted its first nuclear test in Pokhran. The tests were conducted four years after the Nuclear Proliferation Test (NPT) Treaty came into force in 1970. There is no similar international treaty for space. "The successful test also acts as a deterrent in event of a space war. The technology was available, so it was high time India tested it. "Political will was also needed behind taking the decision," Rajagopalan said, referring to the possibility of an international backlash. In 2007, China destroyed its FengYun 1C weather satellite with an SC-19 missile, leaving behind space debris consisting of 3,280 pieces of trackable debris, as well as up to 32,000 pieces that are non-trackable. The following year, during Operation Burnt Frost, the US destroyed its own satellite, USA-193, with an SM-3 interceptor creating 174 pieces of trackable debris, plus non-trackable shards. Now, the spectre of space war has spilled over from the realm of Hollywood fiction into Indian reality. TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has been awarded the prime contract to develop the next generation cluster of formation-flying microsatellites for HawkEye 360 Inc. of Herndon, Va. The HawkEye Constellation, comprised of multiple clusters of three satellites each, is the first of its kind to detect and geolocate radio frequency (RF) signals for maritime, emergency response, and spectrum analysis applications. SFL built the platforms and integrated the HawkEye 360 Pathfinder cluster which was launched into low-Earth orbit in December 2018 and commissioned early this year. The three formation-flying Pathfinder microsatellites have successfully demonstrated geolocation of VHF, emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), automatic identification system (AIS) and marine radar signals. Through the development, launch and commissioning of our Pathfinder cluster, SFL demonstrated exceptional ability to deliver the solution we required, said HawkEye 360 Founder and Chief Technology Officer Chris DeMay. Their customer-first approach and engineering prowess resulted in the first-of-its-kind RF analytics we are generating today. We are proud to continue partnering with SFL on the development of our next set of spacecraft as we expand on-orbit capacity and enhance our capability to meet customer demands. SFL is developing the next-generation cluster to service more sophisticated payloads as HawkEye 360 broadens its detection and geolocation capabilities. The cluster will incorporate SFL technologies that make on-orbit formation flying possible. Most prominent of these technologies is the high-performance attitude control system developed by SFL to keep micro- and nanosatellites stable in orbit. The microsatellite bus selected by HawkEye 360 for the next-gen cluster is one we developed specifically to address the economics of commercial space activities, said SFL Director Dr. Robert E. Zee. SFL satellite technology was selected for the HawkEye 360 Pathfinder mission due to the importance of formation flying by multiple satellites for successful RF signal geolocation and analysis. The relative positions of each satellite in the constellation must be known to accurately geolocate the transmission sources of the radio frequency signals. SFL first demonstrated affordable on-orbit formation control with smaller satellites in the 2014 Canadian CanX-4/CanX-5 mission. We have developed compact, low-cost formation flying technology for commercial exploitation that is unmatched by any other satellite developer, said Zee. Established in 1998 as a self-sustaining specialty lab at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), SFL has built 25 nano- and microsatellites with nearly 100 cumulative years of successful operation in orbit to date. About Space Flight Laboratory (www.utias-sfl.net) SFL generates bigger returns from smaller, lower cost satellites. Small satellites built by SFL consistently push the performance envelope and disrupt the traditional cost paradigm. Satellites are built with advanced power systems, stringent attitude control and high-volume data capacity that are striking relative to the budget. SFL arranges launches globally and maintains a mission control center accessing ground stations worldwide. The pioneering and barrier breaking work of SFL is a key enabler to tomorrows cost aggressive satellite constellations. (www.utias-sfl.net) Follow SFL on Twitter @SFL_SmallerSats. About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360 is a Radio Frequency (RF) data analytics company. We operate a first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to identify, process, and geolocate a broad set of RF signals. We extract value from this unique data through proprietary algorithms, fusing it with other sources to create powerful analytical products that solve hard challenges for our global customers. Our products include maritime domain awareness and spectrum mapping and monitoring; our customers include a wide range of commercial, government and international entities. (www.he360.com) Contacts: Dr. Robert E. Zee SFL Director 1-416-667-7400 info@utias-sfl.net Adam Bennett Product Marketing Director HawkEye 360 Inc. adam@he360.com +1 (571) 203-0360 IMAGE: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addresses booth workers in Amethi on Wednesday. Photograph: Courtesy @INCIndia/Twitter Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said she will contest the elections if her party asks her. However, she said her own wish is to work for the party's organisation. "If my party asks me to contest the polls, I will definitely do so. But my personal wish is to work for the party's organisation as a lot of work needs to be done," the Congress leader told reporters. She said, "I have told party workers that it is very important you campaign properly this election. You should go to each and every house, and tell people that this election is to save the nation. Not Rahul Gandhi, but the nation should win this election." Taking on UP Chief Minister's Yogi Adityanath's jibe that she visits temples only during elections, Priyanka Gandhi asked whether he knows anything about her. The Congress general secretary in-charge of the state's eastern districts kicked off second leg of her campaign on Wednesday with the visit to Amethi, her brother Rahul Gandhi's constituency, and is scheduled to reach Ayodhya, where the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is located, on Friday. When asked whether she will visit the makeshift temple which houses the idol of Lord Ram or 'Ram Lalla (infant Ram)', Priyanka Gandhi said, "I haven't checked my schedule." In an oblique reference to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dig at the Congress' minimum income promise, she said her party preaches what it practices. "See the Congress had said that it will waive off the loans of farmers, and within 10 days of coming to power in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was done," Priyanka Gandhi said. Hitting back at BJP's criticism of previous Congress governments failing to remove property, she said, "Obviously all the problems have not been solved. Obviously some people are still poor. A large number of people are suffering. But there is a lot of work that has been done." She said the issues on which her party is fighting this elections are farm distress and lack of jobs. "I think the defining issue is that farmers are suffering. They have got no help from the government, they say that they do not get seeds and fertilisers on time. In some places, seeds are costing them more than their crop. "They are in debt, and there is nobody to support them and nobody to help them," she said. "There is gross unemployment. Jobs were promised, they were not given. There are thousands of young people who are unemployed. "I see them everywhere, I see them everywhere I go. When I ask have you got a job, they say 'no'," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that no government has performed as badly on employment as the National Democratic Alliance has. She also said that a number of issues have been politicised, which should not have been done. The Congress leader also congratulated DRDO scientists for successful testing of India's anti-satellite missile capabilities. "I am very very proud of DRDO, which is one of India's great institutions founded by Jawaharlal Nehru," she said. Urimai Kural, part of the Gram Vaani community radio station that spans 15 states, serves as a much-needed helpline for harassed garment factory workers. A Ganesh Nadar reports. IMAGE: Women record their voices for Urimai Kural community radio. Photograph: Kind courtesy Urimai Kural Urimai Kural is the name of a very popular MGR movie of yore. Urimai means rights and Kural is voice. Literally, that translates into the voice of your rights. It is also the name of a popular radio station that garment workers in Tamil Nadu are listening to. The garment trade is said to be worth $40 billion annually, and Tamil Nadu is a topper among the states in this trade. Sadly, the workers in this prosperous trade are not so prosperous, as the most vulnerable section of humanity, young women, are employed in this sector. To address their concerns, we have a community radio station accessed via mobile phones. Aaditeshwar Seth started Gram Vaani from IIT-Delhi in 2009. It is currently operational in 15 Indian states. In Tamil Nadu, one of its stations is called Urimai Kural under Lamuel Enoch, project director, Gram Vaani. "It is not your usual radio. When you call our number, it's a missed call. The system will call you back in three seconds. You are given various options and if you want to say something, you choose option 3 and record whatever you like," says Enoch. "In the day, from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, our staff listens to the calls on the headphone and also see it on the computer screen. It can be tagged according to name if the caller gives it, location if it is mentioned, or topic depending on what the caller says," Enoch adds. "If it is a grievance call we send it to the trade unions, if it is something that is of value to the rest of the community we publish it, meaning whoever tunes into our station can hear it," Enoch explains. "When you call the number, you have options," points out Orlanda Ruthven, Enoch's superior in Delhi, "but even if you don't choose any, it will start playing like your playlist one after the other." "Most of our listeners put their phones on speaker mode and listen to it while they go about their daily chores," Ruthven adds. Gram Vaani has three stations in Tamil Nadu -- Urimai Kural, TTCU Kural and Tiruppur Kural. "We popularise our phone number 9266616777 by partnering with trade unions. In Chennai we have partnered two unions, Penn Thozhilalar Sangam and GAFU, of garment workers," says Enoch. "We publish (that is, air) within 12 hours of receiving it, after 5.30 in the evening. The recordings remain in the system, I can access it from my laptop and decide what to do with it whenever I log in, Enoch adds. When there is a complaint about sexual harassment it is sent to the trade union which acts on it after verifying that it is a genuine complaint. Some call about provident fund dues, others about long working hours, non-payment of wages on time. Some even call and sing a song. Some relate interesting things that happened in the community. "We get in touch with PF managers to solve the problem and usually they are very cooperative and helpful," says Ruthven. "We also have grama sabha meetings four times a year." "In our dramas which they can listen to, there will be a message, but it will be put across in an entertaining manner. Our basic aims are to create awareness of rights and entitlements at the workplace," Ruthven adds. "We have Indian and international donors who fund our project. In Chennai and Dindigul we are working with unions, and in Tiruppur with referral partners and committed advocates who help us to solve the problems of our callers," Enoch explains. Discussing a particular intervention, Enoch says, "At 10 am we got a call from a lady who said she was going to commit suicide. Someone had told her to call us. I immediately called our people in Dindigul who contacted her, met her and counselled her. We saved her." IMAGE: A promotional poster for Urimai Kural radio. > "We keep politics out of our services, anyone says anything political, we don't post it," says Palani Bharati, the radio station's community manager who works with workers, encouraging them to air their grievances. "We also don't publish attacks on the government or anybody else." "The content generated by users is a separate option on the interface. We are special in that we are an interactive radio station," adds Bharati. Sujata Mody, leader of a women workers union in Chennai, says Urimai Kural has helped the union in various ways. The first is that it gives workers information about labour issues. Secondly, it gives the community a platform to communicate their grievances and also with each other. The community radio gives visibility to the union leaders and gives the workers a platform to share their experiences. "Thirty per cent of our union members listen to Urimai Kural every day," says Mody. "A worker from Perumbakkam was listening to a psychologist speak about alchoholism and how to tackle it. This lady had been separated from her husband and she was taking care of her children." "She brought her husband back and did what the psychologist had spoken about on the radio broadcast," adds Modi. "It worked and the couple is back together." About the grievances forwarded to her union by the radio station, Mody says, "We have received seven cases of sexual harassment. We have solved one and the others are in various stages (of resolution)." "We are careful when we deal with these cases as we don't want the lady to lose her job. Most women don't want their families, particularly their husbands, to know about this as they might react violently." More women have begin participating in grama sabha meetings after Urimai Kural started its broadcasts, says Mody. "Among grievances we pay serious attention to sexual harassment," says Dhivya Rakini, who heads the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union. "Though we name the harasser, we never name the victim. "One woman named the harasser. That man was dismissed," says Rakhini. "In three other cases, the men were transferred to other departments. In two factories they appointed senior women monitors to keep an eye on the young women." "Factories were not paying wages when women stopped working. Some were working without a lunch break and others were working for 11 hours in an 8 hour shift," says Rakhini. "We first talk to the management, the factory unions. Finally, we go to the labour commissioner." The three radio stations each get 100 to 300 calls a day and have launched a revolution in the lives of garment workers. Unbelievably, all this has been achieved with Gram Vaani's five employees in Tamil Nadu. 'Rejection of bail means they want him to die.' Jyoti Punwani reports. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay high court on Monday rejected the bail application of Professor G N Saibaba, the Delhi University professor of English convicted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in March 2017 on the charge of being a member of a banned organisation, the CPI (Maoist). The professor, who is 90% disabled, was a vocal critic of Operation Green Hunt, the policy initiated by the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre and the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh, which was aimed at eliminating Maoists from the forests of Bastar and getting the tribals there to give up their lands to corporates. Wheelchair-bound because of post-polio paralysis of the legs and suffering from a variety of ailments such as spinal pain, a weak heart and high blood pressure, Professor Saibaba has been serving his life sentence in Nagpur jail for the last two years. Earlier, as an undertrial, he had been in jail twice. Both times, his health deteriorated to such an extent that all his time out on bail -- granted by the Supreme Court -- was spent in and out of hospital. When he was convicted, he had just come out of the ICU and had been advised 10 days bed rest before a scheduled surgery to remove his gall bladder. Since then, Professor Saibaba's health has only gotten worse. In his latest letter from prison dated March 19, he writes: 'I am half-dead by now... the escort police have to literally lift me in their hands to shift me to the vehicle, to the wheelchair and to the hospital bed... They are untrained and reluctant, fearing inadvertent wrong handling resulting in further damage.' 'Similarly, the two helpers in my cell have turned increasingly reluctant to continue as my position has been increasingly vulnerable... They are no longer in a position to handle me.' In his letter, Professor Saibaba writes that the prison's chief medical officer in consultation with the doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital, decided to send him to three departments immediately: Cardiology, neurosurgery and neurology. But, as already recorded during his previous imprisonment in 2014, and again in 2018, adequate facilities for investigation were not available at the Government Medical College Hospital or even in its super speciality hospital. Professor Saibaba writes of 'unbearable pain in the damaged muscles' of his left hand, frequent and complete blackouts, round the clock dizziness and 'heavy pressure in my brain and sleeplessness due to the shooting pain. Drugs have turned ineffective and sedatives have stopped working.' Yet, the doctors decided to send him for different therapies daily. It was not possible he writes, for him to avail of even minimum medical treatment for a number of reasons. He was not in a position to travel everyday nor could his family be present every day. The departments were not equipped to treat him and treated only out patients. They were ready to admit him only if he agreed to undergo surgery for removal of the gall bladder, and he was unwilling to trust the Government Medical College Hospital to conduct this surgery. Advocate Mihir Desai placed the professor's medical reports before the Nagpur Bench of the high court. Desai told the court that the reports of the Government Medical College Hospital Nagpur had been shown to Professor Saibaba's doctors in Hyderabad who said he needed urgent treatment and therapy. They needed to physically examine him to decide on the course of treatment. But Judges P N Deshmukh and Rohit B Deo relied on the reply filed by the prison authorities in which they said Professor Saibaba was getting adequate treatment. Doctors treated him regularly and had found his condition satisfactory. They also told the court that Professor Saibaba had refused to go to the hospital many times. Even on merits, the court rejected his bail application, pointing out that he had been convicted of the serious crime of aiding Maoists. IMAGE: Professor G N Sai Baba with his wife Vasantha Kumari. Vasantha Kumari, Professor Saibaba's wife, told Rediff.com that they would appeal against the order in the Supreme Court. The bail application had been filed last year and had taken 14 months to be heard, she said. Meanwhile, Surendra Gadling, Professor Saibaba's lawyer, was himself arrested last June by the Pune police, in connection with the violence on January 1, 2018 at Bhima Koregaon. "Every time before the court hearing, the police perform a big drama as if they are seriously attempting to provide him treatment. Then they tell the court there is no threat to his life," Vasantha Kumari says. "But in fact, his left hand has stopped working." "Rejection of bail means they want him to die," she says, breaking down. Vasantha, who lives in New Delhi, last met her husband on February 19. "The meeting lasts just 20 minutes and the guards insist that we speak either in English or Hindi. I am not fluent in either, so the 20 minutes go in just trying to frame sentences. It took me almost half an hour to convince them to let me converse in my mother tongue Telugu." "For this reason I have not been able to meet him oftener. I also have to look after my mother-in-law and daughter," she says. "Those convicted of mass murder such as Babu Bajrangi and Maya Kodnani have been granted bail on medical grounds," says Vasantha. "My husband's only crime was to fight for the rights of tribals and raise his voice against the government's treatment of them." "On two occasions after his arrest," she adds, "he refused to sign on a blank paper though the police told him doing so would get him his freedom." The US Coalition to Free Prof Saibaba has decided to hold a protest in London and outside the Indian consulate in New York on April 6. Last June, United Nations human rights experts urged the government to release Professor Saibaba in a statement issued by the UN high commissioner for human rights. Market Potential Estimated at $7.1 Billion New York, NY, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- GoIP Global Inc. (OTC Pink: GOIG) announced today that the European-based market intelligence and strategic consultancy firm Prohibition Partners latest report states Africas legal cannabis industry could be worth more than $US 7.1 billion annually by 2023 if legislation is introduced in a number of the continents major markets: www.prohibitionpartners.com. Ahead of the launch of the report, Daragh Anglim, Managing Director at Prohibition Partners, explained, A regulated legal cannabis market could be transformative to patients, farmers and economies across Africa. From a financial standpoint, Africa could reap significant rewards through the legalization of cannabis, with international demand offering a strong commercial opportunity for cannabis cultivation. As the first mover on the African continent, the Kingdom of Lesotho aims to capitalize on its green bounty by encouraging international investment not only in cultivation but also processing. We want to export finished products. So the plan is to cultivate and manufacture pharmaceutical products, nutritional products, cosmetics, and extraction of active pharmaceutical ingredients," says Masello Sello, legal adviser at the health ministry, the department responsible for issuing licenses. Lesotho's entry into the medicinal marijuana market has encouraged other countries to get involved. Zimbabwe has also legalized its cultivation and a number of other African governments are considering it as well. As with every other part of the world this is a process. In South Africa, the Constitutional Court legalized the growing and smoking of marijuana for personal consumption in a landmark ruling last year. Malawi is set to become the latest African country to legalize marijuana farming in a bid to boost its economy. It comes as its major foreign exchange earner tobacco starts to see the impact of a decades-long global anti-smoking lobby led by organizations including the World Health Organization. The countrys parliament has drafted a bill on legalizing industrial and medicinal hemp and is expected to be tabled with the national assembly soon. In Kenya, GoIP is working with authorities to legalize and permit the growing of cannabis for Export. As an update to the previous press release by the company, GoIP has received positive initial response for a license, and is diligently working towards a final initiative to grow and export cannabis and industrial hemp. The process is underway and the government requested prerequisites are being addressed. GoIPs team plans to revisit Kenya shortly to further pursue this initiative, and together with Attorney Robert Hoban, an expert Cannabis lawyer that works with governments worldwide to address legislation for Cannabis legalization, work towards that end. Ike Sutton, CEO, stated, After receiving the approval to move forward, and seeing how quickly the cannabis industry is evolving on the world stage, Im excited and highly confident regarding our initiatives in Kenya. Im looking forward to getting back to Kenya next month and working to finalize this project. In other news, GOIP is working diligently on a domestic opportunity which we hope to be able to share developments shortly. The company is sensitive to the excitement and speculation of our shareholders, but must work in a compliant and productive manner to deliver the best results, which the team is doing currently. About GoIP Global GoIP Global is engaged in acquiring Hemp and Cannabis cultivation & export licenses, offering top tier management and developing partnerships for supply chain sales, and worldwide logistics pipelines. For more information, see www.gocannaglobal.com. Safe Harbor Statement Information in this news release may contain statements about future expectations, plans, prospects or performance of GoIP Global, Inc. that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor Provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words or phrases "can be," "expects," "may affect," "believed," "estimate," "project," and similar words and phrases are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. GoIP Global, Inc. cautions you that any forward-looking information provided by or on behalf of GoIP Global, Inc. is not a guarantee of future performance. None of the information in this press release constitutes or is intended as an offer to sell securities or investment advice of any kind. GoIP Global, Inc.'s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, some of which are beyond GoIP Global, Inc.'s control. In addition to those discussed in GoIP Global, Inc.'s press releases, public filings, and statements by GoIP Global, Inc.'s management, including, but not limited to, GoIP Global, Inc.'s estimate of the sufficiency of its existing capital resources, GoIP Global, Inc.'s ability to raise additional capital to fund future operations, GoIP Global, Inc.'s ability to repay its existing indebtedness, the uncertainties involved in estimating market opportunities and, in identifying contracts which match GoIP Global, Inc.'s capability to be awarded contracts. All such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which such statements were made. GoIP Global, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which any such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Contributed photo 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. WASHINGTON Just as the Trump administration notified a federal court it would challenge the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, Connecticut joined other states in stepping up their legal defense of Obamacare. In a filing Monday with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Justice Department said it agreed with 15 Republican attorneys general that the elimination of the individual mandate, the requirement that most Americans have health insurance, invalidated the entire ACA. That was a surprising shift in policy for the Trump administration, which had argued in a brief in June that the tax penalty for not buying insurance repealed by Congress in a federal tax overhaul was legally distinct from other provisions of the law, which could still stand. The administration said there were only grounds to strike down the laws consumer protections, including those for people with preexisting health conditions, but the rest of the health care law, including its expansion of Medicaid, were still constitutional. Now the administration says it agrees with a ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor that the entire ACA is invalid because of the elimination of the individual mandate. That decision has been appealed to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal. This is a cruel attack on Connecticut families and on the American people. Its pure political cruelty, said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who is fighting the legal challenge to the ACA at the court of appeals. Connecticut, and 20 other Democratic attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, filed an opening brief on Monday in the 5th Circuit in defense of the health care law. My colleagues and I 21 of us are standing as the firewall for people in Connecticut and the American people, Tong said. The Democrats brief argues that the individual mandate can be severed from the rest of the ACA. The Democratic attorneys general also argue that the rival group of Republican attorneys general, led by the state of Texas, have no legal standing to bring the suit. Timothy Jost, professor emeritus at Washington and Lee School of Law and an expert on the ACA, said that is a strong legal point. The question of standing in a federal court only is granted if the case is brought by someone who is injured, Jost said. No one is injured here. No one was hurt by the elimination of the individual mandate. The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has also intervened to ask the ACA be upheld in its entirety. And the nations health insurers have also filed a brief in support of the ACA. The insurers decried the Trump administrations decision to join those seeking a legal end to the health care law. We said before that the district courts decision was misguided and wrong, said Matt Eyles, president of Americas Health Insurance Plans. This harmful position puts coverage at risk for more than 100 million Americans that rely on it. Jost said the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, is possibly the most conservative in the country and could agree the ACA is unconstitutional. On the other hand, the position that Texas and the administration is taking is so absurd that I think theres a very good chance the lower courts decision would be reversed, Jost said. The final arbiter of the fate of the Affordable Care Act may be the Supreme Court, which is more likely to hear an appeal if the 5th Circuit agrees with the lower court, Jost said. Impact felt in Connecticut An elimination of the ACA would have a huge impact in Connecticut, which enthusiastically implemented Obamacare. It would be catastrophic, said Ted Doolittle, Connecticuts health care advocate. Right off the bat, the popular parts everyone wants to keep would be thrown out having kids on the policy until 26, no annual limits, no lifetime limits along with the parts people object to. Connecticut law prohibits insurers from denying coverage to residents with pre-existing conditions in most of the policies they sell here. But that protection, as well as the state-mandated essential health benefits all insurers in the state must provide, is predicated on the existence of the ACA and would be vulnerable to repeal if the health care law no longer existed. More than 267,000 low-income adults aged 19 and older without minor children - have coverage through the ACAs expansion of Medicaid, known as HUSKY D in the state. Tens of thousands of other Connecticut residents get help purchasing a policy with premium subsidies through the ACAs health care exchange, AccessHealth CT. That is all likely to disappear if the ACA does, dramatically increasing the numbers of uninsured people in the state. Last year, Ben Barnes, the former head of Connecticuts Office of Policy and Management, said the end of those two key provisions of the ACA the federal tax credits that help those who qualify to purchase insurance and the federal payments to states for expansion of Medicaid would result in the loss in of about 35,900 jobs across many industries in Connecticut. Barnes also said the dismantling of those provisions would result in a loss of $12.5 billion in federal funds, $39.1 billion in business output, $23.3 billion in gross state production and $748 million in state and local taxes in the five-year period from 2019 to 2023. Three local, longtime firefighters join the list of honorees for the 11th anual Hall of Fame Dinner of the Conneticut State Firefighters Association, set for Thursday, April 4 at Aqua Turf in Southington. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person and must be purchased with payment by April 1. To reserve, call the association office at 860-423-5799; William Davin at 203-650-4432; or William Halstead at 203-948-7129. Class of 2019 Inductees include James C. Koser Litchfield Fire Company; Marquam R. Johnson Barkhamsted Fire District; James M. Eastwood, Fairfield Fire Department; Denis McCarthy, Fairfield Fire Department; Louis DeMici, Danbury Fire Department/UPFFA; John Brett McAllister, Waterbury/Colebrook Fire Department; John Sullivan, Naugatuck Fire Department; John Oates, East Hartford Fire Department; William DeFord, Connecticut Fire Academy; Joseph C. Armstrong, Andover/Columbia Fire Department; and Daniel Keogh, Poquonnock Bridge/Mashantucket Fire Department. James Jim C. Koser: At the time of his Induction, Koser has been a member of the Litchfield Fire Company for over five decades, beginning his service in 1961. During those years with Litchfield, he held a multitude of different ranks, including driver, lieutenant, ladder captain, engine captain, deputy chief, chief of department and commissioner. Additionally, he served as a member of the building committee and three apparatus replacement committees. He was also the co-chair of the host committees of the Connecticut State Firefighters Conventions in 2009 and 2014. In 2015, he was honored as the recipient of the Litchfield Fire Companys Choice Award. Also very active in a number of regional and state-wide fire service organizations, Koser has been a member of the Litchfield County Fire Chiefs Association for more than 40 years, where he is a life member. He has served that association as president, as well as having been a member of their legislative, school and board of directors committees. Also a member of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association and the Connecticut State Firefighters Association, he has served the Connecticut State Firefighters Association as Litchfield County Vice President and as a member of the Merit Awards Committee. Koser is a longtime member of the Connecticut State Firefighters Irregulars Association, where he has served in the offices of president, vice president and sergeant at arms. On the national level, he held memberships in the New England Fire Chiefs Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He is also the recipient of several other awards and recognitions, including the 1975 Junior Chamber of Commerce Award for Outstanding Agricultural Service, the 2003 Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award, the 2004 Litchfield Public Service Award and the 2007 Litchfield Beautification Commissions Certificate of Merit. Locally, Koser also served his community by serving on the Litchfield Inlands Wetlands Commission, the Water Pollution Control Authority, the Litchfield Bridge Committee, the Litchfield Capital Improvement Committee and the Litchfield Lions Club. John Brett Mcallister: McAllister served the communities of Woodbury, Colebrook and Winsted as a volunteer firefighter and as a career firefighter and officer with the Wallingford and Waterbury Fire departments. He also served the Waterbury Firemens Aid Association, as their treasurer. McAllister is a certified Firefighter I, Fire Service Instructor I, Fire Officer I & II and as an Emergency Medical Technician. He holds an associates degree in Fire Technology and Administration, from Waterbury State Technical College, and bachelors and masters degree in Fire Science Administration from the University of New Haven, plus work pertaining to several certificate programs. Very well respected by his peers in each of the departments in which he served, it is said that he leads not only by word, but also by deed. During his years of service, he has also been recognized with a significant number of service and heroism awards, including the Connecticut State Firefighters Associations Distinguished Service Award, the Firefighters Heroism Award, the Firehouse Magazine Heroism and Community Service Award, the Connecticut State Firefighters Associations Bravery and Meritorious Service Awards and numerous unit and personal citations for his service. In 1986, he was named the Waterbury Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1339s Firefighter of the Year and in 1987, he was given the Waterbury Exchange Clubs Firefighter of the Year Award. He also was given the State of Connecticut Secretary of State Public Service Award and the Local 1339 Medal of Commendation. Marquam R. Johnson: Johnson began his extensive fire service involvement as a member of the Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1973. As a member of Collinsville, he filled the roles of Lieutenant, Deputy Chief and ultimately as Chief of the Department from1984-1986. Beginning in 1979, Johnson was a career member of the West Hartford Fire Department, ultimately leaving there in 1991, with the rank of station captain. While with West Hartford, he developed training programs for haz-mat and incident command, served on the 1989 Fire Station Location Study Committee, implemented a computerized ladder truck inventory system and served on their public education committee. In 1991, he was appointed chief of the Torrington Fire Department, serving there until 2001. Among his accomplishments in Torrington, he was credited with bringing the entire career and volunteer force into OSHA compliance. There was also the creation and implementation of numerous, written policies and procedures, as well as an officer training program. During his time as chief, he also oversaw the creation of both a haz-mat team and a rope rescue squad. Also, the Torrington Fire Department succeeded in raising its ISO Rating by one grade. In 2001, he became a daytime driver for the Barkhamsted Fire District. Johnson is also very well known and respected for his extensive involvement in fire service training. From 1989 through 1996, he was an adjunct faculty member of the National Fire Academy. Beginning in 1982, he joined the faculty of the Connecticut Fire Academy, holding the title of senior instructor. At the academy, he is credited with developing a number of programs, including Improving Your ISO Rating, Rural Water Supply I & II, Fire Officer I & II, Rural Tactical Operations and Fire Fighter III - Building Construction. He has also instructed, for many years, at both the Litchfield County and Hartford County Regional Fire Schools. Johnson serves in the roles of Statewide Fire Coordinator Alternate and Litchfield County Fire Coordinator. He is also a member of the Connecticut Incident Team 3 and is the founder and team leader for the Riverton Regional Rope Rescue Team. A graduate of Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, with a bachelors degree in Building Sciences, he is also certified as a Firefighter III, Officer I, Instructor II and Safety Officer and attended numerous state and national training programs. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association, the Connecticut Career Chiefs Association, the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, the National Society of Fire Service Instructors, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Connecticut Fire Department Instructors Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters. It is said that Marq was always one of the most progressive leaders in Connecticuts Fire Service, always encouraging people to think outside the box and to look for new solutions to existing problems. He always taught everyone to think ahead of the fire and not just to react. NEW HAVEN The 2020 presidential election could turn out to be the year that young voters make the difference. The Yale University chapter of Every Vote Counts, a nationwide nonpartisan student network, is working to make sure more members of their generation register and make their voices heard in the voting booth. And at Yale, theyre in the vanguard of making sure voters preferences are heard, helping to get ranked-choice voting approved for this years elections for officers of the Yale College Council, which represents undergraduates. Nationally in 2018, about 31 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted on Nov. 6, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, 10 points higher than in 2014, the last midterm election, and the highest rate of young voter turnout in a quarter century. Those voters from Generation Z, as those born after 1996 have come to be known, chose Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives over Republicans by a 2-1 margin, CIRCLE reported, which almost certainly helped Democrats take over the House, according to its website. Harold Ekeh, who co-founded Yales Every Vote Counts chapter in 2017, is president of the national executive board. His co-founder, Thomas Rosenkranz, a 2016 Yale graduate, is also on the national board. The chapter got 1,100 students to commit to vote in 2018, including 800 first-time voters. On Election Day itself we went into every single entryway on the campus and put up posters, Ekeh said. At City Hall, they didnt anticipate the high amount of interest. New voters who wanted to register on Election Day had to do so at City Hall, and at 4 p.m., individuals were being told to turn away and go home, said Ekeh, a senior and Nigerian immigrant who lives in Elmont, New York. That was active voter disenfranchisement. If youre in line by 8 oclock, they cant tell you to go home, but sometimes they do, said Phil Hinkes, a sophomore from Chicago who is president of Yales chapter. Through our efforts, hundreds of people got to vote on Election Day. The energy behind getting students to vote is high at Yale, which, Hinkes said is the first chapter so we are the most active chapter. The chapter counts 80 members in its ranks. Yales chapter is looking beyond New Haven, however. Were dedicated to increasing voter turnout nationwide and expanding voter access through civic education, legislative advocacy and voter engagement, Ekeh said. The group is advocating for early voting and voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles, both of which are on Secretary of the State Denise Merrills agenda. Ekeh got involved in increasing voter participation when he was interning with the Congressional Black Caucus in the summer of 2017 and found that 23 states had passed laws that were meant to suppress voting rights. When he arrived at Yale that fall, Ekeh found that Yale students voted at a lower rate in 2014 than those at Harvard University. Now, through Every Vote Counts efforts, TurboVote, an online app that allows voter registration in two minutes and keeps track of absentee and vote-by-mail rules in every state, was incorporated into Yales Student Information System. The goal is to integrate into the first-year onboarding register for classes, register to vote. Very simple, Ekeh said. Thats important for students in a digital age who have to get absentee ballots if they want to vote in their hometowns. A lot of them dont know how to use stamps and envelopes, he said. You have to Google where the stamp goes, Hinkes said. Every Vote Counts has been putting its efforts especially into ranked-choice voting, a system that allows voters to list candidates in multiple-candidate elections by preference, eliminating the concern that voting for a third-party candidate will take votes away from the Democrat or Republican who may be more likely to win. Also known as instant runoff, the system is used to elect the Australian Parliament, the president of Ireland, mayors of London, San Francisco and Portland, Maine, as well as on 50 college campuses, according to instantrunoff.com and fairvote.org. Its also the system used to nominate and pick winners for the Academy Awards. In traditional elections (though not the vote for president, in which the Electoral College is used), the candidate with the most votes may win with a plurality but less than a majority. The winner is first past the post, Hinkes said. There were 14 candidates in Chicagos Feb. 26 mayoral election, with the highest two vote-getters, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle, moving on to an April 2 runoff. Lightfoot received 17.54 percent of the vote and Preckwinkle won 16.04 percent, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Under ranked-choice voting, the candidate with the least number of votes would have been eliminated and his votes distributed to his voters second-choice candidate. The process would continue until one candidate gained a majority. If you dont want to vote for a candidate, you dont have to, said Lucy McCurdy, vice president of Yales chapter of Every Vote Counts. This allows you to vote for third parties without throwing away your vote. It reduces polarization because youre also competing for peoples second-choice vote. Hinkes said the system eliminates strategic voting, in which voters choose the candidate they believe will win rather than the one whose policies they most agree with. It incentivizes instead to look for common ground, he said. Theres typically less negative attack ads, said McCurdy, a sophomore from Washington, D.C., who is registered in Connecticut and voted at the Ives Memorial Library in November. She added that the biggest obstacle to implementing the system is educating voters that it is fair. Hinkes said that in Minnesota, where it is used to elect the mayors and city councils in Minneapolis and St. Paul, more than 95 percent of voters like the system. Those who oppose the system think that youre giving voters more than one vote, which youre not, he said. The ballot isnt necessarily who the voters are voting for, its just giving who their preferences are. In the 2000 presidential election, in which Floridas electoral votes decided the election in favor of George W. Bush, the recount gave Bush 2,912,790 votes, 48.847 percent, to Vice President Al Gores 2,912,253 or 48.838 percent. Many have blamed third-place finisher Ralph Nader, a Winsted native who received 97,488 votes, for taking votes from Gore. There were seven other candidates on the Florida ballot with 40,575 votes total, so if ranked-choice voting had been used, all those candidates votes, split between Bush and Gore, would not have been enough to give either a majority and Naders votes would have come into play. Hinkes said voter apathy and suppression, with voters being removed from the rolls for various reasons, is another big problem. I think if you look at 2016, the total votes between Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin was 78,000 that decided that election, and 120 million people didnt vote or couldnt vote. Thats basically the size of Darien, Connecticut, deciding the leader of the free world, and that is kind of crazy, he said. Voting is the best way to be represented in our government and, no matter what issues you care about, voting is the best way to make your voice heard, McCurdy said. Turnout doesnt match enthusiasm But while young people are some of the most engaged voters their level of enthusiasm is not reflected in their voting level, Hinkes said. How do we get their level of turnout to match their enthusiasm? he asked. Accomplishing that is Every Vote Counts mission. According to Hinkes, the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created Pell grants and other government scholarships, contained a provision that said universities need to make a good-faith effort to register students. He said Northwestern University is like the gold standard for voting. The Evanston, Illinois, school requires students to opt out of registering, so close to 99 percent of students are registered, he said. I think Yale students in general want to vote and will vote when its not unnecessarily difficult, McCurdy said. Theres all these things that get in the way, like missed deadlines and misinformation that Every Vote Counts is well situated to address. One issue is the high number of out-of-state students at Yale and confusion about where to vote and whether registering in Connecticut cancels an out-of-state registration, because states arent good at talking to each other, Hinkes said. The thing that we always say is, Just vote once, McCurdy added. The Yale students understand how important the right to vote is and how it is threatened. Hinkes referred to the Supreme Court case of Shelby County v. Holder, in which an Alabama county succeeded in having a portion of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 struck down as unconstitutional. That was something that people got beaten up and tear-gassed for, Hinkes said of the 1965 law. It was something that a generation of activists fought for to make the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal a reality. To just have five justices strike that down 50 years later because it was outdated that was untenable. Getting ranked-choice voting approved for five elected officers of the Yale College Council was Every Vote Counts most recent achievement. Council Vice President Heidi Dong, who oversees elections, met with the group and was persuaded that it would be both fairer and easier than the system used in the past. That system required a candidate who doesnt win a majority to have 40 percent of the vote and at least five percentage points more than the second-leading candidate or, if less than 40 percent, more than 10 percentage points more than the nearest candidate. Otherwise there would be a runoff. We found that it works but its definitely difficult to run, said Dong, a junior from Peoria, Illinois. She and YCC President Saloni Rao presented the plan to the council Senate, which is made up of two members from each of Yales 14 residential colleges. Everyone seemed pretty supportive, Dong said. Im definitely excited to see how it turns out. She said she hopes Yale will start a trend within the Ivy League. One of the challenges was technical. We started out with a simple Excel file with manual counting, said Saul Roselaar, a sophomore from Appleton, Wisconsin, and Every Vote Counts legislative director. Then one night I just sat down and wrote an R algorithm. R is an open-source computer-programming language. He then worked with the council to draft an explanation of ranked-choice voting and the new voting system for candidates to use, he said. Dong said the number of candidates can vary. Some years we have as many as five for a position, some years fewer. The registration deadline for candidates for next years board is April 4 and the election will be held April 11 and 12. Dong and Rao wont be running for re-election. Traditionally, the president and vice president of the YCC are juniors. Rao, a junior from Washington, D.C., said, On a small scale Im just really happy that the Yale College Council was able to be a part of pioneering this change, which she hopes will be a springboard to extend ranked-choice voting to elections in the local, state and federal level. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382. NORFOLK Gravestones stand quietly in cemeteries around the nation and the world, symbols of a familys loss and remembrance of a loved one. Older monuments are often made of limestone, marble and slate, while newer ones, often made with granite, are sandblasted, with curved edges and shiny surfaces, adorned with names, dates and often photographs or other images embedded in the surface. Adam Paul Hellers monuments are made by hand from start to finish, using the ages-old method of chiseling Roman lettering and sometimes a decorative embellishment. The process is a slow one, compared to the modern-day method of sandblasting, which is used with granite because of the thickness of the stone, and its tendency to shatter easily. Slate is the best, Heller said, speaking from inside his stone carving studio on Grace Street in Norfolk an old barn, converted into a workshop below and an art studio above, where he works with clients to design a headstone for a deceased family member or even a pet. The reason I like slate is because its a layered stone and its easier to work with than harder ones like granite or marble, Heller explained, showing a headstone in progress. The deceased persons name was finished, with elegant capital letters and a carved cardinal and three Japanese maple leaves above it. The stone itself is rounded on top, leading down on either side to the straight edges that have also been chiseled to enhance the sides of the piece. Heller demonstrated his carving technique, holding a fine-edged chisel in one hand and rhythmically tapping it with a small hammer in the other, leaving a fine dusting of slate powder behind and tiny marks on the surface of the stone. When the lettering and decoration are completed, the stone is polished over and over, revealing its beauty and simplicity. The studio is quiet and warm, with a wood stove feeding heat into its high ceiling; Hellers 1-year-old, pony-sized poodle, Toby, sniffing around; and a black cat named Stella warming herself nearby. The mood is serene and calm, as Heller chips away at his latest project. An accompanying slate bench, about the size of a twin mattress, will accompany this particular monument when its installed, giving visitors a place to sit. Coming to Connecticut Heller, 45, moved to Norfolk with his wife Sara, a therapist, in 2014. The couple met in Bethlehem and settled in Rhode Island Hellers home state but visited Falls Village and like Litchfield County so much that they eventually moved there. Its a wonderful town, and a great community, Heller said, adding that he and his wife and their children, Mia, 5, and Liam, 11, are very happy in Norfolk. But before that big step, Heller had to find his niche. He attended the University of Vermont in Burlington and earned a degree in art. He studied in India and other parts of Asia for a year, and realized he wanted to be a maker, to create, to use a method that followed a great tradition. I did a residency in funerary art at (the Abbey of) Regina Laudes (in Bethlehem), for stone carving, with a nun there, and then I went to Newport and studied with Nick Benson, who works in the John Stevens Shop, a stone carving shop thats been there since 1705, Heller said. At that time, things were changing from stone carving (headstones and monuments) by hand to sandblasting, which is a huge shift. I worked there for two years in the late 1990s, and then I worked with another stone carver after that. I got the training, and I really didnt see it as a business yet. It was just something that I wanted to do. But when his son was born in 2007, Heller realized he needed to have more stability and steady work. I was doing small commissions by then, and I opened my own studio and worked with another artist, he said. I tried it out, but I realized I needed to be the captain of my own ship. By then it was 2008 and Heller had been carving stone for 10 years. It was an important step, moving here and opening my own studio, he said of the move from Rhode Island to Norfolk in 2014. It was a golden age at the time ... the Internet wasnt so dominant with designs and everything else. I have a website, but I really depend on word of mouth, recommendations from other clients, to contniue to work. Its going very well. Heller keeps to New England for the most part when it comes to his customers. Every so often, someone from the West Coast will contact him to do a piece, but his pieces are mostly found in Connecticut and upper New England, he said. An art When I started all this, I thought Id do sculpture, but when I did the work in the John Stevens Shop, I learned about carving stone and I liked it. So many artists have to sacrifice a lot to make art, and I was able to do something that I loved to do and make a living. Learning the lettering and putting it on a stone is probably the biggest challenge for a novice stone carver, and its easy to imagine piles of ruined stones on the floor as the artist learns the craft. But Heller is an expert. He demonstrated the technique lettering for the monument is first drawn on a piece of thick paper, using a special ink brush that is a sculptural tool itself, then transferring those drawn letters, stencil-like, by carving them into the stone. The result is a clean, simple name, a remembrance of a person departed. I love the process of my work, Heller said. Its become so simple to do. The best part is, I get to work with amazing people. Its very rewarding to make something thats so deeply meaningful, and honoring someone that way. Heller also is honored to have learned this techique, which is steeped in history and tradition, he said. Most people who find me have seen what I do, and decide they want something for themselves or a family member, he said. Its locking into an older tradition, with a little bit of New England austerity, and I think people really like that. His tools come from England, and are specific to the type of stone he is using for his project. For his favorite stone, the slate, the chisels appear to be smaller and finer that a larger set nearby. Slate is a very strong stone, and even when its only about two inches thick, its enough, he said. Granite has to be thicker, because it shatters. Not that I dont use it, but I do prefer a stone that can stand up and is easier to work with. Heller also strives to keep simplicity in his art, by designing the most attractive piece he can for his client without overdoing it. Even if I do more than letters if there are images that are more contemporary Im still a designer and theres a nod to history with what I do, he said. Thats why we use Roman greco design. Its a deeper cut into the stone. Grief has a lot of layers, and so do the stones. Making a monument can take up to two years or longer to finish, but most customers have waited a while before considering what to put in the cemetery, so they arent in a hurry. And thats good, because Heller cant be rushed. Choosing the right stone is only the beginning of the process. The slate stone, for example, came from Virginia. For people who want it now, right now, thats fine, but I want to make something that will last a long time, he said. I pay homage to the tradition that took a long time to create; to make something that will continue to speak through time. He says he enjoys the long, drawn out process of making the monument. Im patient that way, he said. It give me time with the stone and the design, and it gives the family time to be in conversation about their loved one. Its OK if it takes years. One of my clients has taken six years to get (the monument) done. Theres something spiritual about it. I think its so cool to have things that are made by hand, Heller said. A monument is an intimate piece of peoples lives. Learn more about Adam Paul Heller at http://www.adampaulheller.com/ TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sparton Resources Inc. (TSXV.SRI) ("Sparton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the test results conducted on their behalf by Central America Nickel Inc. (CAN) on the vanadium mineralization hosted in black shale from Jiangxi Province in China, using the CANs Ultrasound Assisted Extraction technology (UAEx). The material tested was taken from the Quankeng Stone Coal Mining License in the Xiushui area of Jiangxi, which has been under evaluation by the Company for a number of years and is currently in acquisition negotiations. Excellent results were achieved with the testing and additional work is planned on more samples to be supplied by the Company. TEST PROGRAM Test work was completed on a 400 gram sample of flotation tailings from the Quankeng licence, with a grade of 1.18% V 2 O 5 . The test using UAEx produced recoveries of 85.31% V 2 O 5 . The material had been ground to 80%, passing a 200 mesh screen for earlier flotation tests, in order to remove sulphide phases from the mineralized samples taken from a drill program at Quankeng (the program was completed earlier by Sparton subsidiary VanSpar Mining Inc). DISCUSSION CANs patent-pending technology has proven to be extremely effective at recovering in solution in excess of 90% of scandium, vanadium, nickel, cobalt, copper, iron and other minerals, in less then one hour and without the use of heat or pressure. CAN has tested over 30 different deposits using its ultrasound assisted technology. While further detailed work is necessary, it is clear that UAEx has the potential to significantly lower vanadium recovery costs by decreasing the leaching time and acid consumption, as well as by producing clean water waste from its application. CANs technology has the potential to reduce the number of leached elements, and in the case of vanadium, a much cleaner V 2 O 5 product with fewer trace metals that can be, for example, detrimental to manufacture of vanadium flow battery electrolyte. COMMENTARY The next steps will involve the construction of a pilot scale plant by CAN, capable of limited commercial production in Quebec (Canada). If the technical and economic viability of the process can be established at a commercial scale, Sparton believes that the application of UAEx may substantially reduce vanadium production costs and provide more robust economic performance for any vanadium related production project. The management of the Company looks forward to additional positive results from the test work. GOING FORWARD Sparton will provide additional vanadium bearing stone coal (black shale) material to CAN from the Jiangxi deposits in China for UAEx testing. The Company is currently in discussions with CAN for signing a licensing agreement, in order to use the technology for vanadium recovery from this style of mineralization. Discussions are also currently under way for the acquisition of one or more Vanadium Mining Licenses in Jiangxi. Information about several of these opportunities has been previously reported by the Company in various news releases and presentations and is available on www.sedar.com or the Company website www.spartonres.ca . ABOUT CAN CAN is a Canadian corporation focused on the processing and purification of energy metals using patent pending technologies, in partnership with strategic partners. CAN has directly or through joint ventures access to energy and alloy metals, such as nickel, cobalt, scandium and vanadium within substantial tailings deposits. CANs key projects are the Punta Gorda Tailings project, conducted in partnership with the Cuban Government, as well as a joint venture with Auxico Resources Canada Inc. on optioned coltan properties in Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. A. L. Barker M.A.Sc., P. Eng., P. Geol. is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101 for the technical information in this news release and has reviewed all available data for the results reported and approved the contents of this news release. For more Sparton information contact: For more CAN information contact: A. Lee Barker, M.A Sc., P. Eng., P.Geol. Pierre Gauthier, President and CEO Chairman & CEO Tel./Fax: +1 647-344-7734 Tel: +1 514-299-0881 Mobile: 416-716-5762 Email: info@spartonres.ca Email: pg@centralamericanickel.com Website: www.spartonres.ca Website: www.centralamericanickel.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release involves forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, financings and transactions being pursued, and all such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although the Company believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such forward-looking statements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein. We Seek Safe Harbour Divert and Attitude Control System on Raytheon Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) successfully performed its mission-critical role First salvo test for the GMD program Flight test further demonstrated the reliability of an important line of missile defense EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a first-of-its-kind flight test of the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program, in partnership with prime contractor Boeing, Aerojet Rocketdynes Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS) supported Raytheons Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) in its intercept of an ICBM. The test, designated FTG-11, was the first salvo test for the GMD program. During the test, both interceptors, carrying the Raytheon-built EKVs, were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, following the launch of a threat-representative ICBM target from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The Aerojet Rocketdyne DACS helped to successfully maneuver an EKV to destroy the incoming target. This flight test further demonstrated the reliability of DACS and its role on the GMD system, an important element of our nations ballistic missile defense, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. Aerojet Rocketdyne has been a part of GMD since its inception, and we look forward to continuing to support the system. About Aerojet Rocketdyne: Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AJRD), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion systems and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, and tactical systems areas, in support of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com. Follow Aerojet Rocketdyne and CEO Eileen Drake on Twitter at @AerojetRdyne and @DrakeEileen. Media Contacts: Bill Bigelow, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 256-971-2661 william.bigelow@rocket.com Eileen Lainez, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 703-650-0291 eileen.lainez@rocket.com Jeremy Richman, who took his life on Newtowns community stage, made it clear since his daughter died in the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012 that he wanted others to feel his pain. A parent who loses a child asks Why? Richman relentlessly pursued an answer. He pointed to the void of empathy shared by the shooters behind Americas killing spree. A neuropharmacologist, he wanted to understand what prompts the mentally ill to kill. He wanted to save others. In his own way, he managed to summon a measure of empathy for those capable of murder. While gun advocates stubbornly redirected the conversation to focus on mental health, Richman did just that. If we can know why, with that knowledge, we can prevent similar atrocities from claiming the lives of vulnerable loved ones, he told lawmakers in Hartford seven weeks after Adam Lanza killed Avielle Richman and 25 others at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Richman said that while burying his daughter, he was already shaping the concept of the Avielle Foundation, which has a stated mission to prevent violence and build compassion through neuroscience research, community engagement, and education. Since then, he repeatedly invited us, challenged us and implored us to step inside the curtain of his grief: I miss Avie more every day, he said four months after she died. Who owns this tragedy? We argue that we do. It was bought and paid for in the most tragic of ways, he said in November 2014. The brain is just another organ and you dont have to be a neuroscientist to recognize that it can be healthy, it can be unhealthy, and that you need to feel comfortable advocating for your own brain health and the brain health of your loved ones. We feel that the failure to do that led in large part to the tragedy at Sandy Hook, he said in 2016 . It doesnt do any good to support research and know the mechanics of brain science that lead to violence or compassion if you cant give it to the everyday citizen in a way that is tangible. Our job is to connect the dots for people who dont see the lines in-between, he said in November, on the stage where he died. We wanted to prevent others from suffering the way that we were suffering, and continue to suffer to this day, he said in a videotaped interview last week. Richman left his job as a pharmaceutical researcher to focus full-time on the work of the Avielle Foundation. His suicide occurred days after two teenage survivors of the mass shooting at a Florida high school killed themselves. He tried to save lives by challenging us to imagine the worst. As he wrote on the first page of the final report of the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, As hard as horrible as it sounds, we need people to imagine what it is like. Jeremy Richman believed his crusade could save others. It still can. The decline of Saskatchewans oil and gas, mining and forestry sectors have depleted the provinces real estate market of its once-buoyant activity, but one agent has reinvented himself to remain a top producer. Prince Albert-based Jesse Honch, a sales agent with Coldwell Banker Signature, recounts the turbulence in the province that atrophied the industrys workforce. In light of the B-20 mortgage qualification rules that took effect at the beginning of last year, first-time virtually disappeared overnight. We have 41 realtors in Prince Alberta and our trade area, which is down from 94 almost four years ago, so 60% of our realtors have left the industry, Honch told REP. Getting hit with the full realm of the stress test, not just the initial changes in 2016, was pretty tough for us to handle in combination with the weak western economy where weve lost so many jobs. Its also resulted in a combination of fewer buyers and desperation in the industry. Prior to the rule changes, Honch dealt with a consistent flow of first-time homebuyers, who have since been removed from the market, however, he has managed to reinvent himself and inject new life into his business. Id always been a top-selling agent because I dealt with a lot of buyers, but I changed my marketing to become a top lister, he said. I grew my listing portfolio, carrying an average of 20 to 25 properties in 2016-17, to 70 to 80 properties in 2017-18. In doing so, I was getting more calls on listings and capitalizing on buyers contacts as well. Our largest buying pool here is going to be the new-to-Canada pool. Sixty percent of properties sold last year were to people who arrived in Canada over the last five years. There is more to Honchs techniques as a sales agent than merely standing between sellers and the buyers they look for. He describes himself as an advisor, as an atypical agent. The way things were done in Prince Albert real estate was through pressure tactics, where top realtors were successful bullyish agents. I consider myself more of an advisor. Im not here to sell, necessarily; I provide information and with the new-to-Canada market, they value that approach because theyre all about information. We live in an information age and being able to provide everything they need and not be biased in the properties I show. Maybe the property wont work for them but I still retain them as a buyer. Honch shows properties blemishes as much as he shows their virtues and his clients appreciate it. Last year, Honch had 327 evaluations for individuals who considered listing their homes and he also managed an impressive 132 sales in a depressed market. Often, a property wouldnt even make it to market because Honch was able to match buyer and seller. Such is the benefit of being a real estate advisor. An international rights group has called on the Hong Kong government to drop charges against nine leaders of the city's 2014 pro-democracy movement, saying the prosecutions were "politically motivated." "Amnesty International urges the Hong Kong government to drop the charges against the nine leaders of the Umbrella Movement as they stem solely from the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," the group said in an annual review of the human rights situation in Hong Kong. "The government should stop using politically motivated prosecutions and other legal procedures against peaceful protesters to silence critical voices and deter people from participation in the public sphere," it said. The report said current public order laws in Hong Kong fail to respect or protect citizens' rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, as guaranteed by international human rights covenants. Hong Kong's trial of nine pro-democracy activists accused of "inciting" the 2014 Occupy Central, or Umbrella, movement ended in December, with a verdict expected on . Movement initiators Benny Tai, Chan Kin-man and the Rev. Chu Yiu-ming stand accused of causing a "public nuisance" by encouraging the protests. Amnesty called the charges "vague and ambiguous." Fellow defendants included barrister and lawmaker Tanya Chan, former lawmaker Lee Wing-tat and democracy activists Eason Chung, Raphael Wong and Tommy Cheung. All nine pleaded not guilty. Protections deteriorated severely' in 2018 The Amnesty International report said that human rights protections in Hong Kong had "deteriorated severely" during 2018, especially with regard to the city's traditional freedoms of expression and association. "The Hong Kong government deprived the civil and political rights of individuals or groups advocating a change of government or government policies," the report said, citing the banning last September of the Hong Kong National Party (HKNP) for its pro-independence views. "The concept of 'national security' as used by Hong Kong government lacks clarity and legal predictability and is arbitrarily applied to suppress dissent and political opposition," Amnesty said. "These restrictions have a chilling effect on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression in the city." It said the ban on the HKNP was "a dangerous blow" to freedom of association and expression with potentially far-reaching consequences. "To use sweeping references to national security to silence dissenting voices is a tactic favored by repressive governments," the report said. Individual bans on would-be election candidates Agnes Chow, Lau Siu-Lai and Eddie Chu were also violations of citizens' rights to freedom of expression, it said. "The Hong Kong governments decision to disqualify them appears to discriminate against a particular opinion on political grounds, which would be a violation of freedom of expression," Amnesty said, adding that the bans had sparked further self-censorship among others. Pelosi voices concerns Meanwhile, U.S. House Speaker and Democratic Party lawmaker Nancy Pelosi expressed concern over planned changes to Hong Kong's extradition laws, saying the move could affect the safety and interests of U.S. citizens and businesses in the city. Pelosi made the comment during a meeting with former colonial-era second-in-command Anson Chan and pro-democracy lawmakers Dennis Kwok and Charles Mok during their visit to Washington, government broadcaster RTHK reported. Pelosi also said she was deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Hong Kong, adding that the city's promised autonomy under "one country, two systems" was under tremendous pressure due to increasing intervention by Beijing, RTHK reported. Hong Kong political commentator Willy Lam said the visit was particularly sensitive for Beijing. "Of course this particular trip is sensitive because of the Sino-U.S. trade war," Lam told RFA. "A lot of people are hoping that the U.S. will make a lot of moves that increase pressure on Beijing." He said there is a long history of visits by Hong Kong's democratic politicians to the U.S., however. "They want to get the attention of U.S. members of Congress and U.S. politicians," Lam said. "The U.S. won't put obvious pressure on Beijing over the undermining of one country, two systems, or increasing [Chinese] control over Hong Kong, but the end result could be that it does indeed put pressure on China ... not to erode Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy." Reported by Han Jie for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Lau Siu-fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Boulder, Colo., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brewers Association (BA)the not-for-profit trade group representing small and independent craft brewerstoday released its second annual list of the 50 fastest growing small and independent1 craft brewing companies of 2018. Representing 27 states across the U.S., these small and independent breweries experienced a median growth of 163 percent with the median size being 1,350 barrels of in-house production in 2018. Breweries on the list range from 50 barrels to more than 40,000, and grew from less than 70,000 barrels collectively in 2017 to more than 170,000 barrels in 2018. As a group, these brewing companies represent approximately 10 percent of total craft growth by volume for the year, and include 13 brewpubs, 35 microbreweries and two regional craft breweries. "Even as market competition continues to increase, these small and independent breweries and brewpubs demonstrate there are still growth opportunities across a diverse set of regions and business models," said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. View & Download Map of Top 50 Fastest Craft Brewing Companies Methodology: The list presented includes only small and independent breweries. Growth is measured based on production at their own facilities. Breweries must have opened by December 31, 2016 or earlier to be considered. It only includes breweries that reported 2018 production to the Brewers Associations annual Beer Industry Production Survey; breweries with staff estimates or data from state excise tax reports were not considered. Breweries also needed a validated production figure for 2017, either via the production survey, or state excise tax data. A comprehensive State of the Industry report will be delivered during the 2019 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, held from April 8-11 in Denver, Colorado. The associations full 2018 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available in May 2019. 1 An American craft brewer is a small and independent brewer. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Brewer: Has a TTB Brewers Notice and makes beer. About the Brewers Association The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 4,800-plus U.S. breweries. The BAs independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew Con, and National Homebrew Competition. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and Brewers Publications is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BAs American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru mobile app. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor. Attachment A court in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo has handed down a 14-year jail term to country's former internet czar for corruption, state media reported. Lu Wei, once dubbed the "father" of the Great Firewall of government internet censorship, had pleaded guilty to taking 32 million yuan (U.S. $4.6 million) in bribes, state news agency Xinhua reported. A former Xinhua journalist, Lu rose to become the agency's vice president from 2004-2011, and vice mayor of Beijing from 2011-2013. He was tried last October by the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court. "The money and property that he had received in the form of bribes, as well as any interest arising from them, will be sought and recovered before being turned over to the state treasury," Xinhua quoted the court as saying. Lu, who was also fined three million yuan, stated his acceptance of the judgment in court and said he would not appeal, it said. The court judgment largely focused on his use of power to solicit money and property, in a judgment that was considerably blander in tone that the initial conclusions of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's own disciplinary arm, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). "Lu was found to have taken advantage of his positions to help certain organizations and personnel with internet management, running enterprises, personal promotions and job transfers between 2002 and 2017," the court said. No judicial independence Chinese courts are tightly controlled by the ruling party, and are frequently criticized for their lack of judicial independence. The CCDI had earlier listed a litany of Lu's transgressions that included political, ideological and moral failings, including "weak party spirit," indiscriminate self-promotion and sexual misconduct. Lu was also earlier accused of plotting against certain officials and recruiting others to his side, and departing from the party's hymn sheet when it came to discussing central government policy. Zhejiang-based rights activist Zan Aizong said Lu had annoyed plenty of people. "Online comments say that he was often verbally abusive and was given to fits of temper," Zan said. "If people working for him failed to carry out orders, he would often criticize them publicly." But Zan said he didn't believe Lu's problematic management style was behind his political downfall. "I am guessing that he just picked the wrong person to follow," he said. "His rock then disappeared, so he was detained on the pretext of corruption." "Sadly for the internet, he wasn't detained because he cracked down on online freedom of expression," he said. 'A tool of an authoritarian regime' Hunan-based rights activist Ou Biaofeng agreed. "He was a tool of an authoritarian regime, and nothing more," Ou told RFA. "In the 13 years that I've been online, internet censorship has gotten progressively worse and worse." "The controls have been particularly strict since the 18th Party Congress," Ou said, referring to the nationwide party conference during which Xi Jinping took control of the Communist Party. Lu, a former Xinhua journalist and Beijing city government propaganda official, also presided over the active recruitment of some 10 million online web opinion makers, known colloquially as the 50-cent army, to post pro-government articles, videos, and tweets. He publicly called on China's youth to become "staunch defenders of internet sovereignty," they said. Lu, 59, was last seen in public on Oct. 24, on a Shaanxi-TV prime-time news bulletin, lauding President Xi Jinpings "vision," Caixin reported. He was greeted in Mandarin by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg during a trip to the United States, during which he also told Apple's Tim Cook that Beijing would decide whether to allow products to enter the Chinese market. Reported by Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hu Lihan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Armed conflict has raged in northern Myanmars Kachin state for the past eight years following the breakdown of a bilateral cease-fire between the government military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the countrys second-largest ethnic armed group. The KIA, which controls large sections of the state, joined forces with three other ethnic armed groups in 2016 to form the Northern Alliance in their battle against Myanmar forces. An estimated 107,000 civilians have been displaced by fighting in Kachin and neighboring northern Shan state since 2011. Because of its ongoing hostilities with the Myanmar Army, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KIAs political wing, has not signed a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) with the government to end the fighting, though last week it participated in collective informal discussions with government peace negotiators and seven other ethnic groups. Meanwhile, the KIO and leaders from other Kachin organizations have come under increased pressure from China to allow the resumption of the controversial China-backed Myitsone Dam project. The U.S. $3.6-billion, 6,000-megawatt hydropower project at the confluence of the Mali and NMai rivers in Kachin state was put on hold in 2011 because of widespread opposition over its environmental and social impacts. In early February, thousands of Kachin residents staged a protest in the state capital Myitkyina, calling on the government of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to permanently suspend the project. In an exclusive interview with reporter Elizabeth Janmar of RFAs Myanmar Service, General Gwan Maw, vice chairman of the KIO, talked about opposition to the Myitsone Dam project, negotiations concerning the NCA, and prospects for peace in Kachin state. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. RFA: How is KIOs relationship with China, which has been increasing pressure on the Kachin public and the KIA for the resumption of the Myitsone Dam project? Gwan Maw: Officials from the Chinese government and the company building the Myitsone project have always openly said that they want to implement the project whenever they have met with the KIO. They particularly highlighted their [financial] losses. The KIO has always responded that it mainly needs to find a solution with the government because the Myitsone project had initially started in consultation with the government. We told them that the Kachin public, including the KIO, wishes to see openness to the public. [We] want the companies involved in the project to negotiate with the Myanmar government and give a public briefing in a place like Myitkyina. Then the public can address their views directly to the companies. The companies also need to address the publics concerns. Thats what we advised. What we can facilitate is that we can convey to the public if the companies wish to express their view. Likewise, we can convey messages from people across Myanmar to those who implement the Myitsone project. We would provide information to both sides in order to be more transparent. RFA: What would you do if the Chinese companies continue building the Myitsone Dam project? Gwan Maw: We would inform the public if they say they will build it, by all means. They have been saying so far that they would like to build it, so we explained this to the Kachin public when we met. We also explained the fact that the KIO cannot issue a decision on the Myitsone project. We dont have a say if the public and the government accept it. But, right now, the public doesnt accept it, so we recommended that a plan ... to explain it to the public be systematically arranged. RFA: What would the KIO do if the current government forges ahead with the Myitsone project? Gwan Maw: The KIO will rely on public opinion. We cant object if they accept it. We cant force the people if they dont accept it. RFA: There are two different views among the public that some are in favor of and some are opposed to the KIO/KIA signing the NCA. Gwan Maw: We always conduct public surveys on this matter, but they are not comprehensive. A high percentage [of participants in the survey] mostly recommended that we do not sign the NCA under the current circumstances. Its because this issue has not been explained to the public from the beginning. Even those who signed the NCA are having a hard time. So, most [survey participants recommended that we hold discussions to have a better and more comprehensive NCA before we sign it. RFA: Have the government, religious leaders, and the KIO held talks about the thousands of civilians who have been displaced by armed conflict in Kachin state? Gwan Maw: The KIO considers and wishes that return of the IDPs be implemented whether or not the NCA is signed. But the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] and the government said the matter will be discussed once the NCA is signed. So, we have to hold negotiations on the issue. The KIO believes that there are many villages to which people can return whether or not we sign the NCA. So, [the KIO] wishes that [the IDPs] return to those villages and that proper assistance is provided to those who still cannot return. We have to continue our negotiations on the matter. RFA: There are reports that some civilians who were forcibly recruited by the KIA in Shan state have returned, while others have not. What can you say about this? Gwan Maw: Thats correct. Troops heading to the front lines for military operations take recruits along the way. They didnt have enough time to screen the recruits in the first place, so they were freed once [the troops] returned back to their bases. RFA: What is your view of current fighting in Rakhine state? Gwan Maw: We want the fighting to end as soon as possible. The fighting cannot be stopped by looking for the culprit who started it. The Arakan Army [AA] attacked police posts on [Jan. 4], so the government and the Tatmadaw said they cant sign a bilateral agreement with [the AA]. The matter should be discussed so that the attacks are not repeated in the future and that they can move forward for the better. I advised them that there would be an impasse if they reject a cease-fire agreement by just taking into account the fact [that the AA had attacked]. Of course, there was fighting, but I dont want it to think theres no way out because of the fighting. Instead, they should not repeat what has been done in the past and continue to move forward by holding talks. RFA: Hostilities between the AA and Myanmar Army are now very intense in Rakhine state. Is there any plan for the KIA to help the AA, a fellow member of the Northern Alliance coalition of ethnic armies fighting the government military in the north? Gwan Maw: We would not get involved in the fighting. Its so far away from us, and we dont have enough strength to offer help in Rakhine state. But we will help each other with moral support. RFA: Any final thoughts? Gwan Maw: Our position is mainly to continue the dialogue, but we will thoroughly discuss the definition of peace with the government or the military. Peace cannot be achieved by just stopping the fighting. The fighting must be stopped in order to hold peace talks. We would like to sign a bilateral cease-fire agreement as a first step. We would like to continue the dialogue on how to move towards the NCA. We have plans to achieve peace gradually. Reported by Elizabeth Jangma for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Nandar Chann. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The deputy commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military on Wednesday said the countrys constitutional reform efforts should be in line with existing law, and warned that any effort to change the charter, written by the military to guarantee its political dominance, through popular power rather than legal means would disrupt Myanmar's stability. Vice Senior General Soe Win, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Army, made the comments about the newly formed constitutional reform committee spearheaded by the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) government at a ceremony marking the country's 74th Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyidaw. He warned against implementing the desire of the majority without considering what other stakeholders want, calling it a violation of the rules. Democracy is a process bound by laws based on the peoples aspirations, he said. It must also respect the desires of minority groups. Insisting on something by the desire of one majority alone is a violation of the rules, he said. It will make those who play by the rules unwilling to cooperate. As evidenced by what has happened in history, it will disrupt stability in the country. Lessons should be learned. The civilian-led NLD government pushed for the formation of the joint constitutional reform committee to determine which parts of the current 2008 charter, drafted by a military junta that previously ruled the country, should be amended to remove elements considered undemocratic. Lawmakers from the military and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) oppose the panel which will likely propose changes that will erode the political power of the armed forces. They have argued that that the committees formation was not in accordance with the constitution. The current charter gives military members of parliament an automatic 25 percent of seats, a crucial veto over proposed changes to the charter, and control of three defense and security ministries. RFAs Myanmar Service was unable to reach NLD spokesmen Myo Nyunt, Nyan Win, and Monya Aung Shin for comment. NLD lawmaker Aung Kyi Nyunt, who submitted an urgent motion to parliament in January to form the committee and now sits on the panel, was also unavailable for comment. Another NLD lawmaker, Myat Nyana Soe, who serves as secretary of the 45-member committee, declined to comment, saying that he had not yet reviewed Soe Wins speech. A statement issued by the NLDs Central Executive Committee to commemorate Armed Forces Day said that the party is working steadfastly to amend the constitution through parliament with support from the people. We would like to urge the people, nationalities, political parties, and the military to strive in unity to bring about amendments to the 2008 constitution, national peace, and a democratic federal union as envisaged by the people in the resistance to the fascists 74 years ago," the statement said, referring to the Myanmar military's fight against Japanese forces that occupied the country in 1945 the event Armed Forces Day commemorates. Peace conference not over yet Soe Win also said that the Union Peace Conference, also known as the 21st Century Panglong Conference, was not over yet and that constitutional amendments would be effective only if they covered new issues that might come out of future rounds of talks. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi began holding the series of peace talks among government representatives, the Myanmar military, ethnic armed groups, and political parties in 2016 to try to end seven decades of armed conflict that have stymied Myanmars transition to a democratic federal union. During his address, Soe Win also stressed that ethnic armed groups that have not signed the governments nationwide cease-fire accord (NCA) must do so to complete the political engagement processes. I would like to appeal to all ethnic armed groups to participate in the political engagement by joining the NCA, so that we can have free and fair elections and avoid any wrongdoing, he said. He also urged ethnic armies to participate in future sessions of the Union Peace Conference and make step-by-step progress towards joining the NCA. Only 10 ethnic armed organizations have signed the NCA. Eight others held collective talks with Myanmar peace negotiators last week in a bid to jump-start the countrys peace process, which has been stalled by ongoing fighting in ethnic regions of the country. With regard to the current armed conflict between Myanmar forces and the Arakan Army (AA) in western Myanmars turbulent Rakhine state, Soe Win said, We are working on restoring peace and order in northern Rakhine state, where stability was disturbed due to interference by external forces. I want to make it clear that the military will eradicate any rebel group that disrupts stability and the rule of law in the country, he added. Myanmars commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing could not deliver this years speech at the ceremony and military parade because of a minor leg injury, the militarys information team said. Reported by Win Ko Ko Latt for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Malaysian forensic team members inspect remains found in an unmarked grave outside Wang Kelian, Malaysia, near the border with Thailand, May 26, 2015. A human trafficking syndicate committed crimes against humanity between 2012 and 2015 against Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees trying to flee to Malaysia and Thailand, two Southeast Asia-based human rights groups said in a report on Wednesday. In the joint 121-page work titled Sold Like Fish, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and the Bangkok-based Fortify Rights provides accounts of survivors who were deceived by the traffickers, believing they were boarding boats to seek refuge abroad. Once on board, the captive Rohingya suffered abuse at sea. On-board conditions were dire, as there was inadequate space, food and water. Many were the victims of torture or rape, and some were murdered or committed suicide during the voyage. Their lot did not improve once they arrived on shore, as victims were held in what the Fortify Rights describes as conditions of enslavement. Members of a transnational criminal syndicateincluding in some cases government officialsconceived, managed, supported, and operated camps in Thailand and Malaysia where traffickers deprived Rohingya men, women, and children of their liberty and treated them as chattel, the report said. The study is based on 270 interviews with both survivors and officials who describe experiences in internment camps near the Thai-Malaysian border. The Malaysian government has appointed a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the dumping of dead victims in Perlis state in 2015. That report is due to come out in June. The victims of these crimes and their families suffered tremendously, and these horrific crimes should never happen again in Malaysia and anywhere else for that matter, said SUHAKAM Commissioner Jerald Joseph. This report provides new evidence that we hope will help ensure justice for victims, accountability for perpetrators, and policy changes to strengthen the Malaysian and regional response to human trafficking, he said. The report details how victims were beaten with various objects, tortured with tasers and nails, or other methods. The torture intensified if the victims had no ability to pay for their release. When I was unable to pay the money to the men, they poured boiling water on my head and body. I have wounds and scars. Then they took green chilies and rubbed them under my eyes, said one of the victims, Rahim Ullah, who was 16 at the time of the abuse. He was not able to pay $2000 that the traffickers demanded of him, nor could he arrange for family members or friends to send money to bail him out. He went on to describe how he and others were intimidated with guns and made to lie on the ground as guards walked on their necks. The report estimated that traffickers made between $50 and 100 million from the victims. Many who could not secure their release died in captivity. "For years, this was a calculated business and coordinated transnational attack on the Rohingya community," said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights. "The massive scale and horrific severity of these operations were never properly documented or fully prosecuted. This new evidence demonstrates the need for accountability." In April 2015, Thai authorities discovered a mass grave in a camp near the Malaysian border containing more than 30 corpses that they suspected were Rohingya and Bangladeshi victims of human trafficking. One month later Malaysian police found 139 graves and 28 camps in Wang Kelian, Perlis State, Malaysia. International crimes against the Rohingya within Myanmar have been reported widely, but this report is the first to shed light on the extent of crimes against them outside of the country. In 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya were driven out of Myanmars northern Rakhine during a massive military counter-offensive, which the United States and the U.N. described as ethnic cleansing. The retaliatory operation took place after Rohingya militants attacked Myanmar security outposts, sparking an exodus of refugees into Bangladesh. The report recommended that the government of Malaysia and the Royal Commission of Inquiry move quickly to investigate and gather evidence while avoiding delays that would affect evidence. They also called for the prosecution of all people responsible for the crimes or who are proved to have intentionally delayed the investigation in Wang Kelian to destroy evidence. The rights groups also want the government to ensure that investigative procedures align with international standards, and that victims are legally protected and afforded rights in accordance with their legal status. The report also calls for transparency by the royal commission and that any trafficking victims held in immigration detention facilities be immediately released and with all immigration-related charges immediately dropped. Theres fresh political will in Malaysia to right these wrongs and ensure justice and accountability for Rohingya and all victims of these heinous crimes, said Joseph. The international community should do everything in its power to address the root causes of this crisis in Myanmar. Malaysias Home Ministry office, former Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar and the Royal Malaysian Police did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment when contacted by Benar News, an RFA affilated online news service. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... Oh, wait, no. Actually, it was yesterday in the Russian city of Belgorod... That's when the music used to introduce the newly elected mayor at his oath-swearing ceremony was the Main Theme from Star Wars. Video circulating on social media of the March 26 incident captured the moment when Yuri Galdun, 56, was introduced to take his oath of office after being elected to the post by Belgorods city council: After Galduns name was announced, all of the people in the public hall were asked to Please stand up. Then, as Galdun walked out onto the stage, the public- address system blared out a short snippet of the Star Wars theme by composer John Williams the song heard at the beginning of all the episodic Star Wars films. Galdun, a former deputy governor of the Belgorod region, did not appear surprised as he placed his right hand on the Russian Constitution and said: I take upon myself the highest and most responsible duties of the mayor of the city council for the city of Belgorod, I swear. Russias Baza channel on the Telegram instant-messaging app reported that the music was selected by a group of local officials that included Lyudmila Grekova, who heads the Belgorod city administrations Department of Culture. We decided to replace the music normally used for oath-swearing ceremonies in order to make it more modern, Baza quoted Grekova as saying on March 27. Grekova told Baza that the decision was made by the group of city administrators, who listened to the brief snippet of music without knowing where it came from. There was no malicious intent, Grekova said, adding that she usually demands Russian culture be represented rather than foreign content. The Star Wars theme is considered the most recognizable melody in the series of Star Wars films. In addition to opening each of the films, it also forms the basis of the music heard during the end credits. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service and Meduza Crimean Tatars confronted Russian security forces as homes were searched in and around the city of Simferopol. Twenty people were detained in what Russian officials said was a sweep for suspects of a banned Islamic group. But many believe Crimean Tatars have been targeted for speaking out against Russian rule in the peninsula annexed from Ukraine. SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine -- Russian authorities who control Ukraine's Crimea region say they have detained 20 Crimean Tatars following house-to-house searches, in what rights groups call a persistent clampdown on a minority group whose members mostly opposed Moscow's takeover of the peninsula in 2014. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on March 27 that the detainees were suspected of being members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group. Crimean Solidarity, a human rights group that has members in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine, said that the searches were conducted on March 27 in the regional capital, Simferopol, and nearby districts. The FSB said its officers, police, and National Guard troops had searched the homes of people suspected of being members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group. Since Russia seized the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, Russian authorities have prosecuted 31 Crimean Tatars for allegedly belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir. In February, the FSB branch in the Black Sea region launched probes against eight alleged members of the group accused of plotting to seize power in Crimea. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global organization based in London that seeks to unite all Muslim countries into an Islamic caliphate. The group can operate legally in Ukraine. However, Russia's Supreme Court banned it in 2003, branding its supporters "extremists." Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Russian-imposed authorities in Crimea who are targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar community and others who have spoken out against Moscow's seizure and takeover of the peninsula. Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after sending in troops, seizing key facilities, and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by at least 100 countries. Moscow also backs separatists in a war against government forces that has killed some 13,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Ford has announced that its joint venture in Russia, Ford Sollers, is closing two assembly plants and an engine plant -- a move that it said would lead to "significant" job losses in St. Petersburg and Russia's Republic of Tatarstan. In a March 27 statement from its European headquarters in Cologne, Germany, Ford said it will end its production of all passenger vehicles in Russia by the end of June. It said the decision was made because "the Russian passenger vehicle market has been under significant pressure in recent years," leading to "inadequate returns" on Ford's investments in Russia. It said "underutilized" passenger vehicle assembly plants would be closed in St. Petersburg and the city of Naberezhnye Chelny in Tatarstan, as well as an engine plant in the town of Yelabuga, also located in Tatarstan. "Significant employee separations are required and will be delivered through voluntary programs to the fullest extent possible," the statement said, without giving details about the number of expected job losses. Ford Sollers employs around 3,700 people in total in Russia, Ford said. The statement said Ford expects to make about $200 million in cash payments for the "separation and termination" of employees and suppliers. The closures are part of a broader restructuring of Ford's European business aimed at streamlining operations in a region that has brought down the company's earnings for years. Ford is also closing a transmission factory in Bordeaux, France, and cutting its staff in Germany and Britain. Ford will now focus exclusively on commercial Transit vans in Russia through Ford Sollers. Russian partner Sollers will take 51 percent majority ownership of the joint venture, which was previously equally owned by both parties. Ford of Europe President Steven Armstrong said the commercial vehicle business in Russia offers "better returns on invested capital." "While the actions we are announcing today are difficult, they are critical to ensure the long-term viability of the Ford Sollers business," Ford Sollers CEO Adil Shirinov said. Ford Sollers said it would continue to meet its warranty and service obligations for "existing and future owners of all Ford branded vehicles purchased in Russia." A Russian court has ordered a former Russian cabinet minister seen as an ally of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held in pretrial detention until May 25 on embezzlement charges after his arrest on March 26. Mikhail Abyzov pleaded not guilty during his first appearance in court on March 27 and told officials hes willing to cooperate with the investigation. Abyzov's lawyers asked the judge at Moscow's Basmanny District Court to release their client on 1 billion rubles ($15.5 million) bail, while prosecutors asked for pretrial detention after his arrest a day earlier. "The court ruled to impose a measure of restraint on Abyzov in the form of custody until May 25, 2019," Judge Natalia Dudar said, reading the ruling. The Russian Investigative Committee also said three other suspects had been detained and charged in the criminal investigation surrounding Abyzov. It identified them as as Aleksandr Pelipasov, chairman of the First Construction Fund; Nikolai Stepanov, president of the Novosibirsk Regional Sambo Federation and ex-director-general of the Ru-kom group; and Galina Fraidenberg, director for economy and finances at the Remis company. It added that a fourth suspect, Sergei Ilyichev, was abroad when the arrests were made and has been placed on the wanted list. It said they have been charged with "creating, managing, and participating in a criminal community with the use of their official position." Abyzov's arrest surprised close watchers of Russian politics, who saw it as another warning sign by Russian security and intelligence agencies against liberal-leaning political figures, many of whom are linked to Medvedev. The Investigative Committee said earlier that Abyzov was allegedly involved in a criminal group that embezzled 4 billion rubles (about $62 million), from the Siberian Energy Company and Regional Electric Grid in Novosibirsk. Investigators alleged that Abyzov and five accomplices stole the money and transferred the funds abroad. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin had been informed in advance about the suspicions against Abyzov. Liberal-Leaning Abyzov served as a cabinet minister in 2012-2018, and is considered a close associate of Medvedev, who was president between 2008 and 2012. After Putin resumed the presidency in 2012, Medvedev returned to become prime minister. Abyzov retained his position in Medvedev's government until last year. Investigators alleged that Abyzov founded the criminal enterprise in April 2011 -- a year before he was appointed as Minister for Open Government Affairs, whose duties included trying to make the Russian government transparent and accountable. Abyzov also held several executive positions at major Russian energy firms since the mid-1990s, including a role on the board of directors at the electric power holding company RAO UES. In 2017, anti-corruption activist Aleksei Navalny reported that Abyzov owns a mansion in Italy worth about $11.7 million. Navalny reported that Abyzov amassed his wealth through his energy-sector connections in Novosibirsk. Abyzov is one of several liberal-leaning former or current government officials who have been targeted in criminal investigations in recent years. The 2016 arrest of economics minister Aleksei Ulyukayev was also interpreted as a move by hard-line factions in Russian political circles -- specifically, the head of the state-oil company Rosneft Igor Sechin -- against liberal factions. Ulyukayev was sentenced to eight years in a prison camp in 2017. With reporting by RIA Novosti, TASS, and Interfax Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Russia to quash the convictions and sentences against an 18-year-old activist who became this week the first person in the country punished under a 2018 law that prohibits adults from encouraging minors to take part in unauthorized protests. In a statement on March 27, the New York-based human rights watchdog said that Ivan Luzin's prosecution and the fines imposed on him violate the rights to freedom of assembly and expression. "The Russian authorities have found a new way to crack down on peaceful assembly, trying to prevent the next generation from forming democratic habits early in life," said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at HRW. Denber added that Luzin's sentence should be "quashed immediately, and these ridiculous provisions scrapped." On March 15, a court in the Baltic port city of Kaliningrad fined Luzin, a supporter of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny and a member of the unregistered Libertarian Party, 20,000 Russian rubles ($310) for "organizing an unsanctioned protest." And on March 25, the court ruled that Luzin violated a law signed by President Vladimir Putin in December by involving two 16-year-old girls in the demonstration and fined him 30,000 rubles ($465). Both charges stem from a February demonstration in Kaliningrad in which he and two girls held posters expressing support for a pair of jailed activists who claim they were tortured in custody. Under the December 2018 legislation, offenders can be punished by jail terms of up to 15 days, community service, and fines of up to 50,000 rubles ($775). The law was proposed and passed amid apparent Kremlin concern over the participation of teenagers in several protest in recent years, including demonstrations organized by Navalny. In February 2018, Putin called on the Interior Ministry to "vigorously put an end" to the activities of groups he said encouraged teenagers to participate in unsanctioned protests. Denber said that Russia showed "little respect" for many of the rights covered by the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Russia is a party to. "The Convention on the Rights of the Child specifically protects children's rights to freedom of expression and of association, and Russia should comply," she added. 27.03.2019: Borregaard ASA ("Borregaard", OSE ticker: BRG) Reference is made to the stock exchange notice of 1 March 2019 where Borregaard announced the intent to repurchase up to 300,000 of its outstanding common stock. Borregaard has today purchased 8,000 own shares through broker at an average price of NOK 84.28 per share. After this transaction Borregaard holds a total of 408,996 own shares, representing 0.41% of total shares outstanding. Contact: Lotte Kvinlaug, Investor Relations Officer, +47 922 86 909 This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Iranian President Hassan Rohani has promised compensation to all those affected by flash floods, as the nationwide death toll from what he called an "unprecedented" natural disaster reached 37. Rohani and several cabinet ministers traveled to the northern province of Golestan on March 27 to inspected damage caused by the floods triggered by heavy rain. Officials said that 37 people had been confirmed dead and hundreds suffered injuries in the floods since last week, according to local media. Nineteen of the deaths took place in Shiraz, the capital of the southern Fars Province. The semiofficial Tasnim news agency quoted Rohani as saying that the floods affected 25 of Iran's 31 provinces and that the scale of the disaster had overwhelmed emergency services in some areas. "We will rebuild Golestan just as it was before, and we will stand by your side," the president said. Iran's hard-liners have accused Rohani's government of not doing enough to tackle the disaster. Golestan Province's governor, who was abroad when the disaster hit, was dismissed on March 23 amid public outrage over his absence from work. Emergency services have been hampered by last week's celebrations marking Norouz, the pre-Islamic Persian new year, with many employees on vacation. Based on reporting by Reuters, Tasmin, and ISNA Pakistani police have arrested a man in the eastern city of Lahore for allegedly beating his wife in public after the incident sparked wide condemnation and uproar on social media. Mohammad Faisal is believed to have been habitually beating his wife, to whom he has been married for four years, police official Mahboob Hussain said, adding that the arrest took place on March 27. A second man, whose identity was not revealed, was also arrested in the case. Faisal's wife, Asma Aziz, complained that he had stripped her naked, beat her, and shaved her head for refusing to dance for his friends at their home. Police said in a statement that the incident had taken place in Lahore's Defense Housing Authority area, a neighborhood originally built for army officers. The date the incident occurred is unclear. In a video circulating on social media in which she appears with a shaven head and bruises on her face and head, Asma claims that her husband had "always hit her a lot." Domestic abuse of women is common in Pakistan, but it is seldom discussed in public or on social media. Hussain says police are also looking for any of Faisal's friends who witnessed the beating. With reporting by AP and dawn.com MAGAS, Russia -- Police on March 27 forcibly dispersed hundreds of demonstrators in Magas, the capital of Russia's North Caucasus region of Ingushetia, where they staged an unsanctioned protest against a controversial border deal with neighboring Chechnya. Several people were injured in the clashes. The clashes came a day after thousands attended a protest approved by authorities against land swaps with Chechnya, where demonstrators called for Ingushetia's head, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, to step down. One of the protesters, Zarifa Sautiyeva, told RFE/RL that hundreds remained at the site on March 27 as police "charged" against the demonstrators three times since early morning, using rubber batons and shields. The protesters used chairs brought to the site for elderly people and other items to repel the attacks, Sautiyeva said. Several protesters suffered injuries in the ensuing melee. Demonstrators left the site after authorities promised to allow them to hold another rally in five days. Local journalist Izabella Evloyeva posted a video taken during the clashes on Facebook. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters blocked a major highway near Ingushetia's largest city, Nazran, on March 27, also demanding Yevkurov's resignation and the cancelation of the land swap deal with Chechnya. A spokeswoman for Ingushetia's Interior Ministry refused to comment on the situation to RFE/RL. Deal Behind Closed Doors Large protests were held in Ingushetia in September after Yevkurov and the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, signed the deal behind closed doors. The new rallies appear to put increased pressure on Yevkurov over the border deal. In an apparent bid to appease Ingush who oppose the agreement, Yevkurov on March 20 withdrew proposed legislation that would cancel the need to hold referendums on any changes of the regional border. Yevkurov and Kadyrov said the agreement was approved by the parliaments of both republics several days later, despite protests against what some see as the illegal handing out of territory to Chechnya, Ingushetia's larger neighbor to the east. Protesters have called for a public referendum on the deal. On October 30, Ingushetia's Constitutional Court ruled that the agreement was illegal because "it changes the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia," something it said requires approval by referendum. But Yevkurov took the issue to the Federal Constitutional Court in Moscow with a request for support for the agreement, which the court did in December. The issue has raised concerns about the possibility of a regional conflict in Russia, which is home to a large number of ethnic groups. With reporting by Caucasian Knot It has been a year in coming, but it appears there is finally an official split in the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), the largest party in Kyrgyzstans parliament and the party of the current president and his immediate predecessor. The problem appears to be the result of a very public rift between current President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and former President Almazbek Atambaev that could pack serious ramifications for the entire country. In the latest sign that the personal feud is spreading, the SDPK announced on March 18 that it was joining the opposition. The SDPK has 38 seats in the 120-member parliament. It had been partnering with the Kyrgyzstan Party and its 18 legislative seats; the Onuguu-Progress party with 13 seats; and the Bir Bol (Be United) party with a further 12 seats. Founded in 1993, the SDPK is one of Kyrgyzstan's oldest political parties. Atambaev has led it since 1999, outside of 2011-17 when he was president and resigned his chairmanship in accordance with the constitution. Atambaev was reelected SDPK chairman at the end of March 2018 and emerged from the party congress telling the media he wanted to offer some brotherly advice to Jeenbekov. That counsel turned out to be mostly criticism of Jeenbekovs roughly four months as president. Atambaev warned Jeenbekov of the perils of family rule, recalling that, as one of the reasons, former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev was chased from power in 2010. Atambaev had supported Jeenbekovs candidacy for president, even suggesting several times during the presidential campaign that Jeenbekov would continue his policies if elected. Such talk led to speculation that Atambaev planned to continue governing the country through his successor. But after Jeenbekov took the oath of office in November 2017, he gradually dismissed most of the key holdovers from Atambaevs government. The head of the presidential apparatus, Farid Niyazov, was among the last to go and his dismissal in March 2018 came barely three weeks before the SDPK congress. By that time, several investigations were under way into alleged corruption during Atambaevs tenure. The investigations were said to have been prompted by the disastrous accident at the Bishkek Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in January 2018. The Bishkek TPP had been repaired and upgraded using Chinese loans of some $386 million but went offline during some of the coldest temperatures Kyrgyzstans capital had seen in many years. Prosecutor-General Otkurbek Jamshitov said his office determined that some $111 million of the Chinese money had been stolen. Increasing numbers of Atambaev-era officials, including several former prime ministers, were called in for questioning, and some were taken into custody. There was speculation that the investigation might be leading toward Atambaev. In April 2018, Jeenbekov dismissed the last high-level official from Atambaevs government, Prime Minister Sapar Isakov, and Isakov was arrested less than two months later to face ongoing corruption charges. May 2018 brought the first call for stripping Atambaev of his immunity as a former president, an appeal that was repeated in the months that followed. It looked like the escalating battle between the two men would only get uglier. And it has. On March 17, Kyrgyzstan marked the 17th anniversary of the Aksy tragedy, an event widely regarded as the first time blood was shed in independent Kyrgyzstan in the name of politics, resulting in six deaths when police fired on protesters demanding the release from custody of a local politician. Atambaev addressed a crowd marking the anniversary in Bishkek and asked attendees to forgive him for his role in bringing Jeenbekov to power. "Sooronbai Jeenbekov...you are dividing the people," Atambaev said. "I brought you from Osh Province, Kara-Kuldja, so that the people would not be divided into north and south and would be united." It was not the first time Atambaev claimed credit for Jeenbekov's rise to the presidency, nor the first time he mentioned Kyrgyzstans north-south issue. He repeated those points in an interview on the Aprel TV station, which Atambaev partially owns, in December. They are powerful statements, since many Kyrgyz were surprised when Jeenbekov received enough votes (54 percent) to win outright in the first round of the presidential election in October 2017. Polls ahead of the election had suggested a second round would be necessary. The campaign was plagued by accusations that administrative resources were being diverted to support Jeenbekov, and state television reports appeared to have damaged Jeenbekovs main rival, Omurbek Babanov, who still received 33 percent. Though he has not fully clarified how he managed to "bring" Jeenbekov to office, Atambaevs continued assertions have raised concerns about the legitimacy of the election. In his speech in Bishkek on March 17, Atambaev again suggested that Jeenbekov was practicing "family rule." Jeenbekovs brother Asylbek is an SDPK deputy in parliament and a former speaker of parliament (from December 2011 until his brother was named prime minister in April 2016). Atambaev said Asylbek seemed to rule over the deputies in parliament. Some deputies, he said, were like a small child with a runny nose.... Asylbek says, Suck in the snot,' and they suck in their own snot. If he says, 'Blow your nose,' they do that." President Jeenbekov was in Bospiek on March 17, the village that was the scene of the Aksy violence, where he told the crowd that the events of March 2002 had galvanized the people of Kyrgyzstan, opening the road to changes in the country. Jeenbekov said Aksy became a model for popular struggle against injustice and lawlessness, alluding to the revolution of 2005 that ousted first President Askar Akaev and the 2010 unrest that ousted Bakiev. Jeenbekov was accompanied to Bospiek by Bektur Asanov, a political opponent of Atambaev's who had been imprisoned for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government when Atambaev was president. Asanov, who always denied the charges against him, was released on parole in February. Also in Bospiek with Jeenbekov was Azimbek Beknazarov, one of Kyrgyzstans most fiery politicians and the local politician whose freedom protesters in Bospiek were demanding in March 2002. Symbolism is prevalent in the Jeenbekov-Atambaev dispute, and the ghosts they are raising are likely to haunt next years parliamentary elections. The SDPK now appears in disarray. RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk, reported that some deputies from the SDPK faction in parliament support Jeenbekov and others support neither Atambaev nor Jeenbekov. There is an SDPK faction that supports an "SDPK without Atambaev." But according to SDPK Deputy Chairwoman Irina Karamushkina, Atambaev will head the partys list of candidates in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Atambaev announced that the SDPK would hold its next congress on April 6, the eve of the anniversary of the 2010 revolution that chased Bakiev, a southerner, from power. SDPK parliamentary faction leader Isa Omurkulov, meanwhile, announced his SDPK grouping would hold a party congress on April 3. Parliament is also splintering as the Jeenbekov-Atambaev continues. On March 21, parliamentary speaker Dastanbek Jumabekov of the Kyrgyzstan Party responded to Atambaevs March 17 comments by saying the credits and grants that Kyrgyzstan received from abroad were not arranged by parliament and parliament was not responsible for any eventual cases of abusing power, fabricating criminal cases, [or] persecuting...opponents." The head of the Onuguu-Progress faction in parliament, Bakyt Torobaev, called for an official response from parliament to Atambaevs remarks. The fact that Atambaev, who is from northern Kyrgyzstan, chose to speak in Bishkek on the Aksy anniversary, and Jeenbekov, who is from southern Kyrgyzstan, was in southern Kyrgyzstan on that day will not be lost on some. It is possible that the two men were simply in the places they believed they needed to be for the occasion; but the divide between northern and southern Kyrgyzstan is a sensitive issue. The feud between Jeenbekov and Atambaev also threatens to cast doubt on the credibility of other politicians. The persistent allegations of corruption, nepotism, and cronyism bring into question deals with foreign business partners and investors, as well as the results of the 2017 presidential election. Public trust in public officials has never been high in Kyrgyzstan, but such faith as has survived is surely taking a beating. Perhaps more importantly, these allegations risk creating a toxic political atmosphere ahead of parliamentary elections next year in a country that has already seen political volatility. RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service contributed to this report. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL. A Kazakh military helicopter has crashed on a training flight, killing all 13 people on board, the Defense Ministry said. The ministry said the helicopter went down on March 27 in the Zhalagash region in southern Kazakhstan, east of the Aral Sea. The Mi-8 helicopter was part of a group of aircraft flying from Aktau on the Caspian Sea to Shymkent near the border with Uzbekistan. It wasn't immediately clear if there were any survivors, the ministry said, but interim Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev later tweeted that all those aboard had died. Toqaev said he has ordered an official probe into the reasons for the crash. With reporting by AP and Interfax The United States has removed Uzbek cotton from a list of products that are produced with forced child labor. Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry welcomed the change in a statement issued on March 27. In a notice in the Federal Register on March 25, the U.S. Labor Department said it was removing Uzbek cotton from a list of products that U.S. authorities have "a reasonable basis to believe might have been mined, produced, or manufactured by forced or indentured child labor."* It said that following a review, the Labor Department, the State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security "have determined that the use of forced child labor in the cotton harvest in Uzbekistan has been significantly reduced to isolated incidents." Goods on the list are not banned from the United States, but U.S. government contractors that import them are required to certify that they have made a "good faith effort to determine whether forced or indentured child labor was used to mine, produce, or manufacture" the goods. Meanwhile, Uzbek cotton remains on the Labor Department's list of goods produced with forced labor or child labor -- as opposed to the narrower category of forced child labor. For many years, Uzbek authorities regularly forced children to pick cotton, one of the Central Asian country's biggest exports, but forced child labor in the cotton fields has decreased in recent years amid persistent pressure from human rights groups. In May 2018, President Shavkat Mirziyoev's government issued a decree aimed at completely ending forced labor. Rights groups say that despite improvements, the practice has continued in the cotton industry and other sectors. Mirziyoev has undertaken reforms since he came to power following more than two decades of repressive rule under Islam Karimov, whose death was reported on September 2, 2016. Mirziyoev used his UN General Assembly speech in September 2017 to address the problem of forced labor in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is the fifth largest cotton producer in the world. It exports about 60 percent of its raw cotton to China, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Iran. Uzbekistans cotton industry generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue, or about a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. *This story has been corrected to clarify that goods on the list are not banned from the United States. NEW YORK, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone , a real estate lending, investment, and advisory company, announced it has provided an $11,250,000 Fannie Mae Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS) loan to refinance a 302-unit multifamily property in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The transaction was sourced by Cary Belovicz, executive managing director of Greystone Bel Real Estate Advisors, and originated by John Marr, a managing director at Greystone. The $11.3 million Fannie Mae loan carries a 10-year term and 30-year amoritization period. Located in the heart of Ypsilanti, the Ranches of Rosebrook offers 302 market-rate, 650-square foot two-bedroom, 1-bath ground level units within easy access to downtown Ypsilanti, I-94, Depot Town, Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw College. Residents of the pet-friendly property enjoy access to on-site laundry and parking in a convenient, quiet neighborhood setting. When it came time to refinance, our client trusted in us because of the breadth of our access to an extended lending platform, but importantly, because of the trusted relationship he had built with our team through prior transactions, said Mr. Belovicz. Our team was able to exceed client expectations by quickly securing the financing needed to continue with ongoing property management, as well as monetize a portion of his equity. About Greystone Greystone is a real estate lending, investment, and advisory company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Our range of services includes commercial lending across a variety of platforms such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS, FHA, USDA, bridge and proprietary loan products. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc., Greystone Funding Corporation and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greyco.com . PRESS CONTACT: Karen Marotta Greystone 212-896-9149 Karen.Marotta@greyco.com Arlington, VA, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What: Media Opportunity at Cyber Patriot National Finals Competition When: Competition: Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Awards Dinner: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Full Agenda Where: Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor 300 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Media Contact: Bridget Dongu bdongu@afa.org 703-247-5818 The recent cyberattacks on Marriott International and the Equifax data breach exposed the personal information of nearly half the US population. These threats increase by the day as technology only grows more advanced and dangerous, leaving countless global businesses and individuals feeling helpless. What can we do? Luckily, there are thousands of middle and high school kids learning every day how to defend computer networks against attacks through the National Youth Cyber Education Program. CyberPatriot, the nation's largest and fastest growing youth cyber program, is dedicated to strengthening cyber skills among American youth to build a generation of cyber defenders. Beginning in 2009 with only eight teams from the Orlando, FL area, CyberPatriot now has over 6,387 teams of high school and middle school students from around the United States and international DOD Dependent Schools participating annually in the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. Watch the eleventh competition unfold April 8-10, 2019 in Baltimore, MD. The competition puts teams of high school and middle school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. In the rounds of competition, teams are given a set of virtual images that represent operating systems and are tasked with finding cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the images and hardening the system while maintaining critical services. CyberPatriot is making strides unlike any other youth organization to teach American youth the importance of STEM education and to defend our nation from serious cyberattacks. The CyberPatriot National Commissioner will be available for interviews during the week of the competition. Media are welcome to attend the competition, Opening Ceremony and Awards Banquet. Find the full agenda here. For all media inquiries, please contact Bridget Dongu at bdongu@afa.org or 703-247-5818. Resources: Short overview video from 2018 CyberPatriot X National Finals List of current CyberPatriot Sponsors Recent CyberPatriot media coverage For more information on CyberPatriot, visit our website Since its creation in 2009, CyberPatriot has: Expanded from a pilot with only eight teams (all in Florida) to more than 6,387 teams of high school and middle school students representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Department of Defense Dependent schools in Europe and the Pacific Published the first known cybersecurity storybook, Sarah the Cyber Hero Assisted with the deployment of CyberCenturion, a version of CyberPatriot, in the United Kingdom and Cyber Taipan in Australia Developed an AFA CyberCamp program, which is now allowing schools and educational organizations to engage students in cybersecurity education year round Launched an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative in 2015 which has been downloaded more than 7,800 times Developed CyberGenerations, an initiative designed to promote cybersecurity best practices to for seniors in every community ---- CyberPatriot the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air Force Association (AFA) to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation's future. The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. University Park and Harrisburg, PA, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Penn State Alumni Association and PSECU, Pennsylvanias largest credit union, proudly announce a 10-year partnership recognizing PSECU as The Official Credit Card and The Official Financial Services Provider of the Penn State Alumni Association. Effective April 1, the agreement unlocks an array of benefits for Alumni Association members, including eligibility for membership within the credit union and access to its high-quality products and services. We at the Penn State Alumni Association are very excited to begin a new chapter in our member benefit offerings with such a partner as PSECU, stated Penn State Alumni Association CEO Paul J. Clifford. As the largest alumni association in the country, our 174,000 members have very high expectations for the services we bring to them. The customer first approach, and excellent products and services PSECU provides, align very well with our mission. We are delighted to partner with another Pennsylvania-based organization to bring our alumni and members the quality services that Penn Staters deserve. Upon official launch of the joint program, anticipated for summer 2019, Alumni Association members will be able to benefit from PSECUs cooperative, people helping people model. As a credit union, PSECU is able to offer competitive financial services to the over 174,000 members of the Alumni Association. In addition, all new members of the Alumni Association are qualified to become members of PSECU and will be able to benefit from PSECUs long-standing reputation of helping members save money. This relationship is really about two highly respected Pennsylvania membership organizations coming together to provide outstanding value to the members we serve, said PSECU President Greg Smith. When PSECUs founders started the credit union 85 years ago, they did it with the intention that pooled resources would be used for members collective benefit. In all we do today, we aim to uphold that principle by offering the best banking value and service possible to help our more than 450,000 members keep their money where it belongswith them. Were extremely proud to partner with the Penn State Alumni Association to broaden our reach and extend PSECU membership to their members. Penn State alumni will receive communications from the Alumni Association and PSECU with details about the program in the months to come. The nearly 700,000 graduates and friends of the world-renowned public research university interested in being the first to know when the program launches are encouraged to complete the dedicated information request form on the Alumni Associations website. We look forward to welcoming Penn State Alumni Association members to PSECU and to serving them as their trusted financial partner, added Smith. About Penn State Alumni Association Established in 1870, the Penn State Alumni Association serves more than 174,000 members and 692,000 alumni worldwide. Its mission is to connect alumni to the University and to each other; provide valued services to members; and support the Universitys mission of teaching, research and service. For more information about the Penn State Alumni Association, visit alumni.psu.edu. About PSECU Opened in 1934, PSECU was founded by 22 ordinary people who made an extraordinary commitment to each other: To create a financial institution where pooled resources benefit all members. Today, we are a full-service credit union serving more than 450,000 members and have over $5 billion in assets. As a not-for-profit financial institution, our goal remains to help our members and their families achieve a better life. For more information about PSECU, visit psecu.com. View our Community Report Card to learn how we contribute to the greater good. INSURED BY NCUA. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER. ### Maya Kaan to become next tourist destination for state Maya Kaan, Q.R. The region of Maya Kaan in the south of the state is set to become the next tourist destination now that a collaboration with Amigos de Sian Kaan and Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Quintana Roo has been formalized. Dario Flota Ocampo, director of the Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Quintana Roo said We are looking how to link the attractions in the area around the biosphere and turn them into tourist products and find marketing networks and channels to make it happen to help members of the community that will benefit them, adding that they are looking to promote the flow around tourist attractions so as not to affect the beauty of the place. Photo: Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Quintana Roo The collaboration comes after Amigos de Sian Kaan began promoting the area as a destination in 2014. The goal is that the new agreement will help boost the brand and attract sustainable tourism. Flota Ocampo says that their goal as promoter will be to give the area its own identity, to generate traffic and promote the regions Mayan culture. What sets it apart from the rest of the Caribbean is the legacy of the Mayan culture, which is also a living culture that can be experienced, he said. Our job will be to make it appear on tourist maps with its own identity, its own accounts in social networks and we will generate the traffic, he added. Gonzalo Merediz Alonso, director of Amigos de Sian Kaan, spoke about what the agreement means for this project. It is not a new project. It is something that we have been working on with the Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Quintana Roo for a long time and now we have come to formalize this working relationship around Maya Kaan so that the destination is driven by them, he said. The idea is to have a work plan with very specific goals such as creating the managing body of the destination. It also guarantees that the brand will be used by the state government. Before, the collaboration was done through the Consejo de Promocion de la Riviera Maya, but now that everything is integrated into one council, there became an opportunity to do it formally, he explained. Merediz Alonso said that as for the destination, Many visitors arrive. There are locals trained in bird watching. We work with hoteliers of (Felipe) Carrillo Puerto and Jose Maria Morelos. There has been a lot of activity for several years, noting that between 100,000 and 120,000 visitors arrive each year with the majority arriving at Sian Kaan. He added that in regard to Maya Kaan, they do not want mass tourism, but one that is profitable and that generates economic benefits. Palm Coast, FL, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- XYZ Hemp Inc. (OTC Pink: GRPS) and RushNet, Inc. (OTC Pink: RSHN) jointly announce XYZ Hemp Inc.s acquisition of New Earth Development Corporation (New Earth), with a significant profit participation by RushNet Inc. New Earths focus will be Large Scaled Carbon Farming and the Production of Nano Superconductors and High Performance Materials through the growing of a carefully tested and specially selected strain of hemp. With its team of agricultural scientists, New Earth is cultivating a low CBD/THC cultivar, high in fiber and active carbon. The team of engineers and technology partners has more than 20 years experience in biofuel, high performance composites and bio-chemical engineering. And the team is now implementing the most efficacious design to best harness and extract the biofuels from these cultivars. New Earths CEO, Joshua Spooner was quoted: We have the leaders in the industry and innovative technology, for clean, sustainable and efficient harnessing of this precious resource. With our relationships in China, Japan, in Manchester, UK and in Germany for Technology Transfer, we have designed the best equipment for the United States to convert bio waste into high performance carbon products. Given the superconductivity, being extremely lightweight, while also being the strongest materials known to mankind, its use is as unlimited as the demand. Mr. Spooner continued: New Earth is extracting the Active Carbon from the cultivars at scale approximately 100m/t per day (phase I). We have the Leaders in Nano and Carbon Science on our team with more than 20 years of experience in research and development. Our principal products will be Nano Superconductors, Hemp Graphene and Active Carbon materials. Through our parent corporation (XYZ Hemp, Inc.) and RushNet, we have been in contact with The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense, seeking to fulfill their respective needs, while simultaneously seeking substantial grants in pursuit of this venture. Mr. Spooner added: The particular active carbon materials and processes will be disclosed in the not-too-distant future. The superconductivity and the extreme strength of the Active Carbon Nano Materials has caught the attention of the Department of Defense. The rate at which the unique growth of the Hemp Plant Structures permanently stores carbon dioxide, reducing carbons within the atmosphere that piques the interest of the EPA, the value of which can be integrated into the EPAs Carbon Sinks plan, consistent with a 2016 report. Our Mission is be the largest full scaled Bio chemical Hemp Technology Development in the World - Carbon Fiber and Structural Superconductor manufacturing. We will repeat this model throughout the United States in many states. We start in Arizona where we have identified our first growing and processing facility which will be a 500,000 acre grow operation to produce high output of fiber rich and hydro carbon-rich plant cultivars - approximately 22 tons per hectares. This will accompany a 500,000 square foot state of the art facility to process and produce our biomass and house our cultivating and manufacturing processes. Dr. Richard Goulding added, We have confirmed with Leaders in Aerospace and Automotive industry the demand for our finished product. We will not disclose the names at this time. Forecasts will be provided in the not-too-distant future. Other recently consummated acquisitions will also be announced shortly. About RushNet, Inc.: RushNet, Inc. is an edibles and beverage based company with stand-alone products, including most enhanced with CBD. Currently, we have developed 12 Products that will take advantage of the natural and non-GMO grow, pristine mineral water enhancement and natural CBD. About XYZ Hemp Inc., formerly Gold River Production Services, Inc.: XYZ Hemp is a top of the line medical CBD company. With innovative products targeting specific disease states as supplements, XYZ Hemp, along with RushNet, is poised to take CBD to the next level. With two of its top officials being not only medical doctors, but well-versed in the field of cannabis, a team of scientists and technical experts have joined forces to utilize all that CBD and Hemp has to offer. About the joint venture between XYZ Hemp Inc. and RushNet, Inc.: This joint venture is a unique effort to secure all areas of hemp production from cultivation to extraction and retail with an emphasis on unique products and high-quality CBD. RushNet is more focused on product development, particularly edibles and beverages. XYZ Hemp addresses the more scientific elements of these pursuits, using the same formulations as nutraceuticals. Together, they are able to facilitate the vertical integration envisioned. Both are acquiring and joint venturing with companies in all aspects of the cannabis field as they jointly pursue a full integration cannabis and hemp business model. Safe Harbor Statement: This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words estimate, project, intend, forecast, anticipate, plan, planning, expect, believe, likely, should, could, would, may or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the companys actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Companys ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Companys operating history and resources, economic, competitive, and equity market conditions. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osisko Mining Inc. (OSK:TSX, "Osisko") and Chantrell Ventures Corp. (NEX:CV.H, Chantrell) are pleased to provide further details regarding the binding letter agreement made at arms length between them dated as of February 19, 2019 (the Letter Agreement), as previously announced on February 20, 2019. The Letter Agreement outlines the proposed terms and conditions upon which Osisko will effect a business combination that will result in a reverse takeover of Chantrell by Osisko (the Proposed Transaction). Unless otherwise noted, references to $ or dollars in this press release are to Canadian dollars. Chantrell is a corporation under the laws of British Columbia with its securities listed on the NEX Board of the TSX Venture Exchange. It has 24,011,587 common shares outstanding and options to acquire 1,780,000 common shares outstanding. These securities will be subject to the consolidation described below. Description of Subject Assets The Osisko assets to be acquired pursuant to the Proposed Transaction include: (i) the Marban deposit (located in Quebec's Abitibi gold mining district between Val-d'Or and Malartic); (ii) the Garrison deposit (located in the Larder Lake Mining Division in north east Ontario); (iii) certain other exploration properties; and (iv) a portfolio of selected marketable securities (collectively, the Transferred Assets). (i) Garrison On February 19, 2019, Osisko provided a mineral resource estimate for its 100% owned Garrison gold deposit, located in Garrison Township, Ontario. This mineral estimate is the result of 1,115 drill holes (342,874 metres) in the resource area completed by previous operators on the project since 1985 and includes 197 new drill holes (87,251 metres) completed by Osisko between 2016 to July 2018. Osisko expects to file a full technical report in relation to the Garrison deposit shortly. Osisko acquired Garrison through its acquisition of Northern Gold Mining Inc. on December 22, 2015. Details regarding the Garrison project are set out in a technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101, entitled "Technical Report on the Golden Bear Project - Garrison Property: Larder Lake Mining Division, Garrison Township, Ontario, Canada" dated December 30, 2013, with an effective date of December 30, 2013 which is filed on www.sedar.com under the profile of Northern Gold Mining Inc. (ii) Marban Portions of the Marban deposit located in Quebec's Abitibi gold mining district between Val-d'Or and Malartic hosted historic gold mining operations from 1965 to 1966 and 1989 to 1992. The Marban deposit was acquired by Osisko when it acquired NioGold Mining Corporation in 2016. Details regarding the Marban deposit may be found in the technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 entitled Updated Mineral Resource Technical Report, Marban Block Property, Quebec, Canada dated August 15, 2013 (effective date: June 1, 2013), which is filed on www.sedar.com under the profile of NioGold Mining Corporation. (iii) Other Assets Other exploration assets of Osisko are included in the transaction with a value of approximately $5 million. The subject marketable securities are all shares and warrants in public and private companies which are valued at approximately $10 million. All values are the $ book value of the assets as held by Osisko, valued in a manner consistent with the value such assets are carried on the audited financial statements, with the exception of the securities which are valued at current market prices. Financial information for both Chantrell and Osisko is available on their respective SEDAR profiles at www.sedar.com . Terms of the Proposed Transaction The Proposed Transaction will be completed by way of plan of arrangement with approval of shareholders of Chantrell. The final structure of the Proposed Transaction will be described in an information circular of Chantrell which will be mailed to shareholders in connection with the meeting to consider the Proposed Transaction. The Osisko assets to be transferred include the Marban deposit, Garrison deposit, exploration properties and a portfolio of selected securities. Pursuant to the Proposed Transaction, the Transferred Assets will be transferred at a value of approximately $99.9 million to Chantrell in exchange for approximately 25,747,000 post consolidation shares of Chantrell. Osisko intends to continue to be a shareholder, and control person of the issuer following completion of the Proposed Transaction. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, negotiation and execution of definitive documentation, receipt of all necessary shareholder, third party and regulatory approvals, satisfactory completion of due diligence, and conditional listing approval to list the resulting issuer (the Resulting Issuer) on the TSX Venture Exchange under the category of Mining Issuer. In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Chantrell will be required to, among other things: (i) change its name to O3 Mining Corporation or such other name as may be acceptable to applicable regulatory authorities; (ii) replace all directors and officers on closing of the Proposed Transaction; (iii) receive conditional listing approval for the Resulting Issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange; (iv) consolidate its common shares on a 40:1 basis, subject to adjustment; (v) cooperate in the offering of Subscription Receipts; and (vi) seek a waiver or exemption from the TSX Venture Exchanges sponsorship requirements. Chantrell may, from time to time, acquire further assets in exchange for shares or cash in connection with the Proposed Transaction. The Proposed Transaction does not constitute a non-arms length transaction. The initial officers of the Resulting Issuer are proposed to be Jose Vizquerra, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Blair Zaritsky, Chief Financial Officer. Biographies of the President and Chief Financial Officer are as follows: Jose Vizquerra-Benavides: President, Chief Executive Officer and Director: Mr. Vizquerra is currently Executive Vice President of Strategic Development & Director at Osisko Mining. For over four years, Mr. Vizquerra served as the President & CEO of Oban Mining Corp. (Oban), where they successfully changed the business strategy that resulted in Obans acquisition of Corona Gold Corporation, Eagle Hill Exploration Corp. and Ryan Gold Corp. to form what is now Osisko. Mr. Vizquerra previously worked as Head of Business Development for Compania de Minas Buenaventura, prior to which he worked as production and exploration geologist at the Red Lake gold mine. He is currently a board member of Alio Gold Inc., Sierra Metals Inc. and Discovery Metals Corp. Mr. Vizquerra holds a M.Sc. from Queens University in MINEX, and is a Qualified Person (AIGP). Mr Vizquerra is currently advancing the General Management Program (GMP) at the Wharton School of Business. Mr. Vizquerra was awarded the Peter Munk Award for Young Mining Professional of the Year in 2018 by the Young Mining Professionals. Blair Zaritsky: Chief Financial Officer: Blair Zaritsky is a chartered professional accountant with more than 15 years of professional experience, of which have been mostly in the mining sector. Blair joined Osisko in June 2012 and completed the Initial Public Offering shortly after in December. In August 2015, he was a key part of the successful merger of four companies that helped obtain the flagship Windfall Lake assets that has significantly grown Osisko to over $1-billion market capitalization. Blair joined INV Metals in 2008 as a Corporate Controller and developed and managed all accounting and legal functions in both Namibia and Brazil. Prior to INV Metals Inc., Blair worked as a Senior Manager for Collins Barrow LLP (now RSM Richter Inc.). Blair is currently a member of the CPA Canada-PDAC IFRS committee that produces Viewpoints on IFRS accounting issues for the mining industry. Blair received his C.A. designation in 2003 with Collins Barrow LLP (now RSM Richter Inc.) and holds a Bachelor of Arts, (Hons.) Economics from the University of Western and a Bachelor of Accounting, (Hons.) from the University of Brock. In addition to Mr. Vizquerra, the board is proposed to include John F. Burzynski, Keith McKay, Bernardo Alverez Calderon, Amy Satov, and Murray John. The board will be majority independent. All of the initial directors, other than Mr. John, also serve on the Board of Osisko. John F. Burzynski: Chairman: Mr. Burzynski holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in geology from Mount Allison University, and a Master of Science in exploration and mineral economics (MINEX) degree from Queens University. He is a registered P.Geo. in the province of Quebec, and has over 35 years experience as a professional geologist on international mining and development projects. As well as serving as President and Chief Executive officer of Osisko, John has been a Director of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd since its inception in June 2014. Mr. Burzynski was one of the three original founders of Osisko Exploration/Osisko Mining Corp., and up until 2014 was the Vice President, Business Development. Among other awards, Mr. Burzynski was a co-winner together with Sean Roosen and Robert Wares of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canadas Prospector of the Year Award for 2007 and the Northern Miners Mining Men of the Year for 2009. John currently serves as a Director with Osisko Mining Inc., Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd., Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd., Osisko Metals Inc. and Major Drilling. Keith McKay: Director: Mr. McKay is a Chartered Professional Accountant with extensive experience in the mining industry, including public company reporting requirements, financing, and merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. McKay was previously the Chief Financial Officer at Continental Gold Limited, Chief Financial Officer of Andina Minerals Inc., Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Aurelian Resources Ltd., Senior Vice President of Financial Operations with an international engineering and project management services firm and Controller at Rio Algom Ltd. Bernardo Alvarez Calderon: Director: Mr Alvarez Calderon is founder and CEO of Analytica Mineral Services where he has managed the exploration, development and operation of 3 underground gold mines currently operating in Peru. He has also been actively involved in mineral exploration throughout Peru. Mr Alvarez Calderon holds a Bachelor of Science in geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and has taken the Owners/President Management Program at the Harvard Business School. Amy Satov: Director: Ms. Satov, B.A., LL.B., M.B.A. is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Litron Distributors Ltd., a national lighting distributor. Founded in Montreal, Litron expanded across Canada in 2014, adding locations in Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. Litron has experienced exponential growth since inception. For the 12 years prior to Litron, Ms. Satov was the Executive Vice President of Legal, Compliance and Distribution and Corporate Secretary of Dundee Wealth, a wealth management company with $80 billion dollars of assets under management that was acquired by The Bank of Nova Scotia in 2011. In her role as EVP, she was in charge of all legal and compliance matters, was actively involved in Dundee Wealths expansion into Europe and the U.S. and sat on various subsidiary boards. Ms. Satov advised on all M&A activities as well as securities, regulatory and all other corporate commercial matters. In 2010 Ms. Satov was recognized by Strathmores Whos Who for excellence and achievement in her profession. Ms. Satov is also a member of the McGill University Chancellors Advisory Group. Ms. Satov is a director and the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee for Osisko Metals Inc. Murray John: Director: Mr. John is a director of Discovery Metals Corp. Prior to retirement in December 2015, Mr. John was President and Chief Executive Officer of Dundee Resources Limited, a private resource-focused investment company and Managing Director and a portfolio manager with Goodman Investment Counsel, where he was responsible for managing resource and precious metals focused mutual funds and Flow-Through Limited Partnerships. Mr. John is a former President and Chief Executive Officer of both Corona Gold Corporation and Ryan Gold Corp., and a former director of Dundee Precious Metals Inc., Osisko, and of several other public companies. He has been involved with the resource investment industry since 1992 and has worked as an investment banker, buy-side mining analyst, sell-side mining analyst and portfolio manager. Mr. John graduated from the Camborne School of Mines in 1980 and has extensive industry experience working as a mining engineer for Strathcona Mineral Services Ltd., Nanisivik Mines Ltd. and Eldorado Nuclear Limited. He also received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto in 1992. Proposed Financing On February 21, 2019, Chantrell announced that it has entered into an agreement with Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the Lead Underwriter) and a syndicate of underwriters (together with the Lead Underwriter, the Underwriters) to issue, on a bought deal private placement basis, 3,100,000 subscription receipts (the Subscription Receipts) at a price of $3.88 per Subscription Receipt (the Issue Price) in the capital of Chantrell for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $12,028,000 (the Offering). The Offering has been upsized and is anticipated to be a minimum of $18,266, 217. Each Subscription Receipt will be automatically converted, without payment of additional consideration, into one unit in the capital of Chantrell (a Unit) in connection with the completion of the proposed business combination between Chantrell and Osisko that will result in a reverse takeover of Chantrell by Osisko to form the Resulting Issuer. The gross proceeds of the Offering (including commissions and expenses) will be held in escrow pending satisfaction of the escrow release conditions which includes completion of the Proposed Transaction. In the event that the Offering is not completed, the gross proceeds will be returned to subscribers. The Underwriters will be paid a cash commission equal to 5.0% of the gross proceeds and receive broker warrants to acquire such number of shares as are equal to 5.0% of the Subscription Receipts issued. Each Unit shall be comprised of one post-consolidation common share in the capital of Chantrell (a Common Share) and one post-consolidation warrant of Chantrell (a Warrant). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one additional Common Share (a Warrant Share) for a period of 36 months following the effective date of the Proposed Transaction at an exercise price of $4.46 per Warrant Share. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Resulting Issuer for exploration and development of the Marban and Garrison deposits as well as general corporate purposes. The Subscription Receipts will be issued on a private placement basis in certain provinces of Canada, in each case, pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws and such other jurisdictions as may be mutually agreed upon by Canaccord Genuity and Chantrell. It is anticipated that the Offering will close on March 27, 2019 and anticipated closing of the Reverse takeover in May, 2019. The Offering remains subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Trading Halt Trading of Chantrells common shares will be halted pending further filings with the TSX Venture Exchange. Further information will be press released by Chantrell when available. Technical Information The scientific and technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Pascal Simard, Eng, B.Sc. Exploration Manager, Northern Quebec for Osisko Mining Inc, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Osisko Mining Inc. Osisko is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal resource properties in Canada. Osisko holds a 100% in the high-grade Windfall Lake gold deposit located between Val-d'Or and Chibougamau in Quebec and holds a 100% undivided interest in a large area of claims in the surrounding Urban Barry area and nearby Quevillon area (over 3,300 square kilometres), a 100% interest in the Marban project located in the heart of Quebec's prolific Abitibi gold mining district, and properties in the Larder Lake Mining Division in northeast Ontario, including the Jonpol and Garrcon deposits on the Garrison property, the Buffonta past producing mine and the Gold Pike mine property. The Corporation also holds interests and options in a number of additional properties in northern Quebec and Ontario. Cautionary Statement Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and, if applicable disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Definitive Agreement will be executed or that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Chantrell should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about the Proposed Transaction; and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be forward-looking information. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, interpreted, managements view, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Corporation, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of the parties to execute the Proposed Transaction. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the parties cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither party nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Neither party undertakes, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. CONTACT INFORMATION: Osisko Mining Inc. John Burzynski President & Chief Executive Officer (416) 363-8653 Chantrell Ventures Corp. Paul Parisotto President, CEO and Director 416.874.1702. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. UNDETERRED fracking protesters vowed to fight on after councillors withdrew an objection to drilling in Woodsetts. Planning board members voted to remove their concern about highways three months before the appeal by chemical firm Ineos is heard. Action group Woodsetts Against Fracking called the move a huge betrayal of the community and an affront to democracy. The board have twice rejected proposals for a 2,800-metre exploratory well latterly in September when road and environment dangers were cited. WAF spokesman Richard Scholey told last Thursdays meeting that there had been four traffic accidents between the village and Owday Lane in two weeks one involving an air ambulance being called after a pedestrian was knocked down. He added: In September, this board came to a decision that this scheme represented an unacceptable risk to vulnerable road users. Since that date, nothing has materially changed. There does appear to be a tendency, among transport officers in particular, to set their own bar at a level others find perplexing. One could be forgiven for thinking theres a certain amount of protectionism here on the part of planning officers. Officers said they had struggled to find external consultants who would defend the highways objection at the appeal. They also noted the potential costs involved. But Mr Scholey said: Those few thousand pounds will be nothing compared to what the local authority will incur if you allow fracking to get a foothold in the borough. The resultant and long-term health costs, costs of repairing roads and policing costs, to name but a few, will be huge in comparison. Planning board member Cllr Jenny Whysall said: At the meeting where we refused, I cant actually see any reason to change the view that we put forward. Ive thought long and hard about this. I think we have to look at what we do as a planning board. It seems to suggest that we are superfluous if we accept that officers are always right. I say that with admiration for our team but I think on this one we have a moral obligation. We are not professional planners but we do know the places that we represent. Thats got to have validity. But fellow board member Cllr John Williams said: Weve got to have confidence that the council has a good chance of winning that appeal. To do otherwise is irresponsible. Whats changed is that the council has made an effort to find consultants to defend that reason. Theres been five that have said no and only one shown any interest in taking it on. Its serious evidence that we have to consider. Ineos Shale chief operating officer Tom Pickering said the firm was pleased by the boards decision. He added: This has been a waste of time and money for everyone involved and we are disappointed that this objection was mounted in the first place. The council has acknowledged that defending a planning inquiry on the grounds it presented was a futile exercise that would incur significant cost and that dropping it was pragmatic and appropriate. We regret that this outbreak of common sense didnt occur earlier. The exploratory well could lead to fracking if underground conditions are found to be favourable. A SCHOOL had to shut its doors to pupils after damage was caused by burglars attempting to steal a safe. Police said three offenders broke into Brampton Ellis School on Brampton Road, West Melton, in the early hours of Friday. "The offenders entered the school by breaking a window, before injecting expandable foam into the alarm boxes in an effort to silence them," said a spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police. "It is thought the offenders were attempting to steal a safe from inside the school building." PC Brett Thompson said: "So much damage was caused during the incident that the school had to remain closed on Friday. "This caused significant inconvenience to staff and parents who had to make alternative arrangements to care for children who should have been at school. Anyone who has information which could help the police is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 28 of March 22. You can also pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The Cannabis Industrys Most Influential to be Honored at Gala in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- High Times, the most well-known brand in cannabis, today announced the second edition of its High Times 100 awards, honoring the most influential individuals in the legal cannabis industry. Widely recognized as the most coveted honor for a cannabis executive or entrepreneur, the gala will blend conversation and celebration into a unique experience to remember. The invite-only event promises to leave guests with a better understanding of the burgeoning marijuana landscape, the influencers driving it, and the innovations soon to come. Following the success of 2018s inaugural class, the High Times 100 has returned to induct a second set of honorees, and introduce new awards that celebrate the lifeforce driving our industry forward. The High Times 100 honorees are nominated by High Times pool of writers, and editors, and were compiled due to the honorees leadership, growth, stature and advancements within the cannabis industry. Most notably focusing on how these individuals are innovating and developing the legal industry, these honors include everyone from executives to politicians to celebrities. Additionally, this year the gala includes the first awarding of the new Dennis Peron Humanitarian of the Year Award. This award will be given for the first time to commemorate the trailblazing path of Dennis Peron, and will be accepted by his partner, John Entwistle. The full list of the High Times 100 honorees can be found here . About the Event: High Times will present an Awards Gala tonight to celebrate all of its new HT100 honorees. Featuring host Jim Belushi of Belushis Farm, the night includes a green carpet entrance, a slew of celebrity guests, dinner & drinks, and demos from sponsors like Privateer Holdings, Select and CannaPaid. This invite-only event returns to Exchange LA, and promises to be an enjoyable night of celebrating amongst the Industrys most significant players. Who: High Times What: An Awards Gala to Celebrate the 100 most influential people in Cannabis When: Wednesday March 27th Where: Exchange LA (618 S. Spring St. LA, CA) For more information, or to request a ticket to the High Times 100, please reach out to mediateam@hightimes.com . About High Times For more than 44 years High Times has been the worlds most well-known cannabis brand - championing the lifestyle and educating the masses on the benefits of this natural flower. From humble beginnings as a counterculture lifestyle publication, High Times has evolved into hosting industry-leading events like the Cannabis Cup and the High Times Business Summits, while providing digital TV and social networks, globally distributed merchandise, international licensing deals, and millions of fans and supporters across the globe. In the world of Cannabis, High Times is the arbiter of quality. (L-R): North Dakota National Guard Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, North Dakota State Senator Dale Patten, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and North Dakota House Representative Keith Kempenich listen to input from Fairview residents impacted by the flooding. BISMARCK, N.D. Gov. Doug Burgum and emergency services officials toured flood-affected areas along the Yellowstone River in western North Dakota and eastern Montana on Wednesday and met with residents displaced by the floodwaters. Local officials report more than 40 families and homes have been impacted by the flooding near the North Dakota-Montana border, where ice jams have backed up the Yellowstone River. Floodwaters have submerged a section of Highway 200, which remains closed from Cartwright, N.D., to Fairview, Mont. Burgum was joined on the tour by North Dakota National Guard Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, the state's adjutant general; District 39 state legislators; Governor's Office staff; McKenzie County Emergency Manager Karolin Jappe; and other local officials. The officials met at 8:05 a.m. CDT Wednesday, March 26, at the Fairview Fire Hall at 412 S. Central Ave. before touring the flooded areas. ---------- McKenzie County Commissioner, Thomas McCabe, speaks with Governor Doug Burgum in regards to the flooding near Fairview. There will be free daily lunches offered at the Fairview Fire Hall to help those affected by the flood. An account has been set up at Merchants Bank for anyone who would like to donate money. Additionally, donations may also be made at the North Dakota Community Foundation's McKenzie County Flood Relief webpage: https://ndcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=1512 Full photo album can be found here. Sanjay Dutt Mumbai, Mar 27: Actor Sanjay Dutt has denied reports that he would be contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019. The actor took to Twitter to clear the air surrounding the reports that claimed he was set to follow in his father, late actor-Congress MP Sunil Dutt's foosteps and contest polls from Ghaziabad. Sanjay Dutt dismisses rumours about contesting Lok Sabha polls Advertisement "The rumor about me contesting for the Loksabha elections is not true (sic)" Dutt tweeted Monday. He further extended his support to his sister, Congress MP Priya Dutt ahead of the general elections. "I stand with my country and in full support for my sister @PriyaDutt_INC. I urge everyone to come out in maximum numbers and cast their vote for our nation!" Dutt wrote. "As much as I admire you, I will stop you telepathically from doing this - and believe me I am capable of executing it." Best known for bending spoons 'with his mind', and supposedly stopping Big Ben, Uri Geller has now set his sights on stopping Brexit by essentially beaming into Theresa May's mind telepathically. In an open letter addressed to May, Geller claims to have already stopped Corbyn from ever entering 10 Downing Street as prime minister, and says that he has already "influenced many high ranking officials around the world." He also claims that his powers "have been validated by the CIA, MI5 and Mossad". Shockingly, this appears to be at least partially true - an old document available on the CIA website states: "As a result of Geller's success in this experimental period, we consider that that he has demonstrated his paranormal perceptual ability in a convincing and unambiguous manner." That said, the document refers to experiments wherein Geller attempted to perceive what another person was drawing - a far cry from controlling their mind from across a continent. Geller's open letter reads: Calgary, AB, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Calgary Economic Development, in partnership with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), will release the findings of its Tech and Digital Skills Gap report and launch an online platform for displaced Energy professionals and employers. Technology is transforming all sectors of the economy, and the potential for talented workers to transition to digital occupations is mutually beneficial for job seekers and businesses. This platform will provide displaced job seekers, particularly those in the energy industry, with detailed knowledge of in-demand jobs and local educational resources for upskilling. There is a skills gap that needs to addressed if Calgary wants to take its rightful place in the new economy and lead the industrial transformation, said Mary Moran, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development. This platform aligns with the three Rs of our talent strategy - recruit, retrain and retain. The digitalization of energy and other sectors is making Calgary companies increasingly big players in big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence and other technologies. Talent is critical in this environment, which is why its one of the four pillars of the economic strategy, Calgary in the New Economy, along with place, innovation and business environment. The goal of the strategy is for Calgary to be the destination for talent in Canada. Our challenge as a city will be to fill the talent with people possessing the skills required as innovation and unprecedented technological advances create new employment opportunities across all sectors of our economy. "We are delighted to work with Calgary Economic Development and launch this granular skills mapping exercise and web platform to assist Energy professionals to transition to in-demand tech jobs in Calgary. This is a unique and pivotal initiative for narrowing the skills gap and preparing the workforce for fast growth sectors in Calgary. Namir Anani, ICTC President and CEO. Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Location: Nucleus Calgary, Ballroom, 4th floor 100 6 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta About Calgary Economic Development Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgarys growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets, and feel at home in our community. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. Were exhilarated about our role in shaping and sharing Calgarys story and were proud to be part of the energy. For more information, please visit our website at www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com and follow us on Twitter @calgaryeconomic. SEATTLE, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEWMEDIAWIRE -- CFN Media Group (CFN Media), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces publication of an article discussing Harvest One Cannabis Inc. (TSX-V: HVT) (OTCQX: HRVOF), and its savvy business plan. The nature of the compelling stories in the cannabis industry has changed over the last few years. Remember when a late-stage ACMPR applicant was all the rage? Then it was production expansion and funded capacity. Now, all of that potential is turning to the reality of any market - who can sell product and generate revenue? One company that is making that turn in fine form is Harvest One Cannabis Inc. (TSX-V: HVT) (OTCQX: HRVOF). After building the foundation of a diverse cannabis company with capabilities, both domestically and internationally, in medical, recreational, and nutraceutical markets, Harvest One has launched into the execution phase of its plan. Appointed in July 2018, CEO Grant Froese is utilizing his extensive retail and business management expertise gained over a 30+ year career at Loblaw Companies Ltd. to lead the company with a comprehensive brand and distribution strategy. Please click here to receive an investor presentation and corporate updates. Harvest One History Harvest Ones Licensed Producer subsidiary, United Greeneries, was awarded its first license, to cultivate, in Canada in 2016. The company focuses on indoor cannabis production, featuring two premium brands: Captains Choice and Royal High. United Greeneries has distribution agreements in place with four provinces and anticipates reaching supply levels of 20,000 kg/yr by the end of 2019 through its fully funded expansions. The company does not intend to scale up in an attempt to compete with larger producers, focusing instead on the premium niche and on more profitable development of derivative products for medical, recreational, and nutraceutical markets. Still, its worth mentioning that Harvest Ones Q2 2019 financials reflect the success of United Greeneries brands. Net revenue came in at $3.7 million for the quarter, reflecting a 123% increase over the previous quarter due in large part to initial shipments of premium cannabis under the supply agreements with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Gross margins came in at a healthy 53% for United Greeneries products. These revenues are in line with some of the larger Canadian LPs. Another Harvest One subsidiary, Satipharm, was established in 2015 as the medicinal and wellness division of the company. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Satipharm develops and sells cannabinoid-based products which are currently manufactured in a GMP-certified facility in Switzerland. Utilizing its Gelpell technology to boost bioavailability and ensure consistent dosage, the company is now distributing CBD 10mg Gelpell capsules in many European countries. Satipharm products are also sold in Australia, one of the first brands to be approved in that emerging medical cannabis market. In a sure sign of Harvest Ones comprehensive approach to the medical and nutraceutical markets, Satipharms Gelpell formulations have been tested in two clinical trials by another of the companys subsidiaries, Israeli-based Phytotech Therapeutics. One trial proved that Gelpell technology increased the bioavailability of CBD, and the other showed promising results in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy. In 2018, Harvest One acquired Dream Water, another major subsidiary. Dream Water is distributed widely to large retailers throughout North America, offering sleep and beauty aids in the form of all-natural liquid shots and powders. Please click here to receive an investor presentation and corporate updates. Executing the Plan With the foundation described above, Mr. Froese was brought on to unify and execute a comprehensive international brand and distribution strategy. A review of recent developments shows Harvest One doing just that. For the medical market, regardless of jurisdiction, Harvest One is uniting all products under the Satipharm brand. The companys recent supply agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart is a prime example of how it works. United Greeneries provides the flower product in a number of varieties, and those varieties are marketed using Satipharms color-coded system indicating THC/CBD content levels. Three days after the initial announcement, the first shipment was completed, and the first two varieties are already available through Shoppers cannabis web portal. In November, 2018, Harvest One entered into an agreement with Valens GroWorks, a leader in cannabis extraction and derivative product development. United Greeneries supplies the flower, Valens extracts the resin and oils, and Valens helps Harvest One develop products like beverages, vape pens, nutraceuticals, and personal care products based on the extracted oils. With Canada set to legalize derivative products later in 2019, and many US markets already showing that derived products are extremely popular with a diverse set of consumers, Harvest One is positioned to capitalize on the highest value segments of the cannabis market. The company already has plans to introduce a CBD version of Dream Water where legal, and with more than 30,000 storefronts throughout North America currently carrying Dream Water it is easy to imagine a broad and successful rollout for the new product lines. In another move that anticipates Canadas legalization of cannabis-infused products, Harvest One recently agreed to acquire Delivra Corp., makers and distributors of LivRelief branded topicals and creams designed to help control pain. Those products feature delivra transdermal delivery technology designed to effectively transport active ingredients in a controlled manner through the skin. Harvest One anticipates leveraging both the extensive distribution network and the delivery technology for the successful launch of its own cannabis-derived products once legal. Please click here to receive an investor presentation and corporate updates. The Sum of the Parts Harvest One is an international cannabis house of brands, backed by scientific product development that adheres to the strictest production standards in the world. It has established distribution networks throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. These networks cover not only medical cannabis but consumer-oriented outlets like Walmart, Kroger, and Loblaws, just to name just a few. New management has demonstrated retail sales, marketing, and management experience, and the developments are coming fast and furious. Investors may come to the Harvest One party for the companys solid financial footing. They will likely stay for the tremendous upside represented by the execution, currently underway, of its comprehensive international brand and product marketing strategy. Click here to read the full article: https://www.cannabisfn.com/harvest-one-execibution-strategy/ About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the global cannabis industry, helps companies operating in the space attract investors, capital, and publicity. Since 2013, private and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada have relied on CFN Media to grow and succeed. Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8 Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com Disclaimer CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the Site) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news. The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/ Frank Lane 206-369-7050 flane@tdmfinancial.com A former Russian government minister has been arrested on charges of embezzling $62 million, fueling speculation about possible fallout for the prime minister who was his political patron. Mikhail Abyzov is accused of presiding over a criminal group that allegedly siphoned 4 billion rubles from two energy companies in Siberia and deposited the money in foreign banks. Abyzov, 46, was a member of the Russian Cabinet as the minister for open government affairs during 2012-2018, overseeing information technologies and efforts to increase the governments transparency. He has been charged with forming and leading a criminal group, abusing his office and large-scale fraud. Abyzovs lawyer told Russias Interfax news agency that his client categorically denies the charges. Advertisement Abyzov was a close associate of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who was in office during 2008-2012 when term limits forced Vladimir Putin to move into the prime ministers seat. After Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, Medvedev became prime minister and put Abyzov in the senior Cabinet position. Abyzov left the Cabinet last year, but continued to advise the government as a member of a working group that was developing proposals for enhancing state oversight of public spending. Russian news reports said Abyzov recently had lived in Italy and the United States and before his arrest was lured back to Russia by a birthday party invitation from a longtime colleague. Interfax said Abyzov was arrested immediately after he arrived in Moscow on a business jet Tuesday. A court in Moscow is set to rule Wednesday on whether he should be kept in custody. The current charges, carrying a maximum 20-year prison sentence upon conviction, relate to Abyzovs business activities from 2011 to 2014. But Russian investigators have signaled an intention to review his tenure as a government minister for possible wrongdoing. That could have consequences for his political patron, Medvedev. Some pundits have suggested Medvedev may hope to return as president after Putins current six-year term ends in 2024. Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the president had been informed about the charges against Abyzov in advance. Medvedevs spokesman, Oleg Osipov, said the prime minister was aware of Abyzovs arrest. In a statement carried by Russian news agencies, Osipov noted that the charges related to Abyzovs activities as a businessman. He added that if Abyzov retained control over his commercial assets as a minister it would have violated the law. Abyzov started in business as a student in the early 1990s, importing food from Bulgaria. He bought several engineering and construction companies during the 2000s, eventually combining them to form the E4 Group, one of the biggest private construction subcontractors in Russias energy industry. Forbes magazine listed Abyzov as having $1 billion worth of assets in 2014, but he dropped off the list the next year. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A man whos been campaigning for years to get California to lift a ban on ferrets as household pets finally got a chance to make his case to the Encinitas City Council Wednesday, but only won one vote. And, even that lone supporter -- Councilman Tony Kranz -- declined to keep the Ferrets for Dummies book hed been given, saying hed only made it through a few pages. Thats not a good sign, ferret advocate Pat Wright said as he took back his book and the council began its deliberations on his proposed ferret resolution, which called for supporting statewide efforts to legalize ferret ownership. Tiny relatives of weasels and wolverines, ferrets typically weigh less than 5 pounds and are less than 18 inches long. Theyre banned as pets in California and Hawaii, but allowed in the other U.S. states. Domesticated pet ferrets in the U.S. are descended from a European species, but there also is a native, non-domesticated ferret in the United States -- the black-footed ferret, which is considered one of North Americas most endangered mammals. Advertisement Wright, who lives in La Mesa but owns property in Encinitas and grew up in the city, has been trying for decades to get California to end its ban on pet ferrets, which dates from the 1930s. Over the years, hes tried everything from legal action to direct appeals to state officials. His latest campaign involves trying to get city officials to approve resolutions supporting efforts to legalize ferret ownership. In 2017, La Mesas City Council approved such a resolution and Wright hoped to make Encinitas next on the list. That effort failed Wednesday. The citys mayor and the three other council members all told Wright they could not back the proposed resolution before them that night. They said they knew the proposed city resolution wouldnt make it legal to have ferrets now in Encinitas -- that would be against current state law -- but said they worried about long-term impacts if the state ever does end up legalizing ferrets. They werent the only ones raising concerns about whether pet ferrets might escape, set up feral ferret families, and ultimately displace native species. Several Encinitas residents whove been active in environmental issues urged the council to stay out of this ferret fight, noting that the state Department of Fish & Game has opposed ferret legalization. Jim Wang, an Encinitas Environmental Commission member, told the council that legalizing ferrets could have pretty grave consequences and said much more scientific research needs to be done before taking any action. Thats because once an unwanted exotic animal or plant establishes itself in a new habitat, its almost impossible to eradicate it, Wang said, noting that Australia is now over-run with non-native rabbits. Leucadia resident Dennis Lees and his wife Kathleen agreed. Dennis said that rabbits have created a world of problems for Australia, while Kathleen said she once worked in a university research lab that had a population of ferrets. Ferrets are very smart and thats why they would be a danger if they established themselves in the wild, she said. Several people sported pro-ferret legalization T-shirts at Wednesday council meeting, but only Wright spoke to the council in favor of the resolution. He said he often felt out-gunned when he spoke up for ferret ownership because hes facing off against wildlife agencies that fear theyll be sued by environmental attorneys if they agree to lift the ban. I always feel like Bambi verses Godzilla, he said. The Port of San Diego and the city of Chula Vista held a public design workshop March 20 for one of two signature parks connected to the citys billion-dollar Bayfront development project. Almost 100 attendees had a chance to tell designers what features theyd like to see in Sweetwater Park, a 51-acre space east of E Street that connects the Living Coast Discovery Center to Bayside Park. Unlike Harbor Park, which will be much larger and feature amenities designed to make it a destination where families can spend hours, Sweetwater Park will appeal to people who want to connect with nature and explore the natural resources. Port Commissioner Ann Moore, who represents Chula Vista, said this environmental component makes Sweetwater Park special. Advertisement I know all the parks are special in their own way but Sweetwater Park is particularly special because it is adjacent to very sensitive habitat, Moore said. Residents who didnt attend the meeting still have a chance to weigh in on the parks design elements online. The Port of San Diego will accept input until April 3. I think its great that they are getting public input, said Chula Vista resident Michael Cronin. Designers envision Sweetwater Park as a place where people can connect with the areas natural wetland habitat and San Diego Bay. The mock-ups showed walking and hiking trails and several outlook points featuring views of the bay, Coronado and downtown San Diego. During Wednesdays workshop, designers presented the audience with two design options and asked them to choose elements from each one. The main point of the workshop was for designers to get a clear idea of which design features are most popular so they can begin prioritizing the final design. We do not have the budget to do everything as shown, so you need to help us prioritize the elements we bring in, said designer Mike Singleton. So its very important for you not to say, love it on everything. Both design concepts had a parking lot, public restrooms, trails and activity areas. One design featured more active elements, such as playgrounds and outdoor gyms, while the other design tried to highlight the areas natural elements with more lookout points and hiking trails. Hope Dills, another Chula Vista resident, liked elements from each design but said she preferred the more natural version. I love nature, she said. The Port of San Diego plans to return to Chula Vista in June for a follow-up workshop during which designers will reveal updated versions of Sweetwater and Harbor parks. Residents will have another chance to provide feedback on those designs. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter A pickup truck headed the wrong way up Interstate 5 barreled across the U.S.-Mexico border into San Ysidro on Wednesday morning, leading to a chase and the arrest of at least one person, a federal spokesman said. About 6:30 a.m., a white Dodge Ram drove into the United States while heading north on the southbound I-5 freeway lanes, Customs and Border Protection spokesman Ralph DeSio said. CBP officers are stationed in the area on standby mode in case of such an event, he said. Officers threw out a spike stripe in hopes of stopping the pickup, and also notified the California Highway Patrol and Border Partrol agents. Advertisement The pickup continued north for about three miles before getting off the freeway at Tocayo Avenue and heading west. The chase headed into a residential neighborhood before the pickup riding on the rim, the back passenger-side tire gone came to a rest against a retaining wall at the end of Honestidad Road, a cul-de-sac south of Tocayo. Authorities arrested one person, and were seeking at least one more suspect as of mid-morning Wednesday. No one was injured, and the vehicle was towed to the San Ysidro Port of Entry for inspection. DeSio noted the peril in such crossings. They endanger the driving public, DeSio said, adding that the action puts profit over the safety of others. Figueroa writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. teri.figueroa@utsandiego.com A Customs and Border Protection officer was recovering from his injuries after being thrown from a van being used in an attempt to smuggle a Chinese man through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry over the weekend. Two people have been charged with human smuggling in the incident: driver Betty Mae Taulbee and passenger Markquiste Nathaniel Morgan, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in San Diego. The duo pulled up to the port of entry about 5:10 p.m. Saturday, presenting IDs from Arizona and California, according to the complaint. Taulbee told the officer at the primary inspection booth they were headed to Chula Vista. When the officer opened the sliding passenger side door for a cursory inspection, he saw a person hidden in a large blue bin behind the drivers seat, the complaint states. Advertisement The officer radioed for assistance and asked Taulbee to turn off the engine. Instead, Taulbee accelerated forward and made a hard left turn. The officer was thrown from the van, and the person and bin also slid out onto the ground. The van continued, making a right turn for the west exit but was stopped by traffic and a system of flashing lights and sirens alerting officials to a port runner. The officer was admitted to a hospital. The Chinese man was treated at an emergency room and discharged. The man told authorities that he was going to pay $2,000 to be smuggled into the U.S. and intended to find work in New York. Taulbee told authorities that she took the smuggling job for $1,000 and that she was supposed to take the man to Plaza Bonita mall, the complaint states. Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com California officials are investigating cases of Legionnaires disease at a prison in the Central Valley after an inmate died of the disease. A prisoner at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton a state facility for inmates with health issues died at a hospital recently and was then discovered to have been infected with Legionnaires, the state corrections department said. Legionnaires is a type of pneumonia. Upon learning the inmates diagnosis, corrections officials administered Legionnaires tests to 16 other patients at the Stockton facility who also had pneumonia, the corrections department said in a news release late Tuesday. One tested positive for Legionnaires and 14 tested negative. One inmates results are still pending, officials say. Advertisement The prison has a total of 2,704 inmates. Legionnaires disease spreads when people breathe in water droplets containing bacteria known as Legionella. Outbreaks typically occur when a buildings water or cooling system becomes contaminated. The illness does not spread from person to person. The source of Legionella is still under investigation, the corrections statement said. In an abundance of caution, CHCF is providing bottled water for drinking and hygienic functions, halting the use of any aerosolizing equipment, shutting down the use of showers in specific areas and providing education to both staff and patients. Most people who come into contact with Legionella dont know. People most susceptible to developing Legionnaires disease are those 50 and older, smokers, people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems or those with cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 6,000 people are diagnosed with Legionnaires disease nationwide each year, and about 1 in 10 die from it, according to the CDC. The last major Legionnaires outbreak in California was in 2017 and centered on Disneyland; 22 people fell ill and one died. In that outbreak, state officials pointed to the amusement parks air-conditioning system, which carried high levels of Legionella bacteria. soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com Twitter: @skarlamangla Its the end of an era at the San Diego Zoo as the last two giant pandas will soon leave for China. In an announcement Monday, zoo officials said the pandas, Bai Yun, 27 a fixture at the zoo for 23 years and her son, Xiao Liwu, 6, would leave San Diego because a multiyear agreement with the Chinese had ended. Zoo officials said sending the pandas back was always planned for April and was not prompted by any sudden request from the Chinese government. The iconic black-and-white bamboo eaters have had a consistent presence at the zoo since 1996. The last day pandas can be viewed by the public is expected to be April 27. How the San Diego Zoo helped unlock the mystery of panda sex and parenting Advertisement With their impending departure, it is unknown if or when new pandas might inhabit the zoo again. Zoo officials are unable to say whether the wait is a matter of months or years. We have high hopes for pandas returning, but I dont know that we have any set date when they might return, said Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for the San Diego Zoo. There are still pandas at Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Zoo Atlanta and the Memphis Zoo. In the two decades since the first pandas arrived in San Diego, the animals have become intertwined with the image of the zoo. Their likenesses grace T-shirts and postcards promoting the region, and they had a featured role in the 2004 Anchorman movie. In the comedy, a San Diego news team chronicled the impending birth of a panda with the Panda Watch. Although the prospect of no new pandas for the indefinite future might alarm fans, there is a promising sign: The zoo has no plans to take down the animals exhibit. And several zoo officials are planning to travel to China in the coming months for in-person negotiations with leaders of the countrys panda program. The pandas departure may sadden the community, Dixon said, but its a time for celebration. They are going home to their home country. It truly is a celebration of all the work we have done. The San Diego giant panda program has been very successful by most measures, producing six cubs and developing techniques now used around the world to keep young pandas alive. At the time pandas first came to the zoo in 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species as endangered. Within 20 years, their status had improved to vulnerable. Two decades ago, the wild population of pandas was estimated to be less than 1,000. As of the latest count in 2014, there were 1,864 pandas living in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Another panda at the zoo, 28-year-old Gao Gao, returned to China in October. Gao Gao and Bai Yun produced five cubs together, including Xiao Liwu. All three will be back together at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan. Dont expect much of a reunion pandas are very solitary and arent expected to interact. Pandas are only native to China, so all pandas in American zoos are on loan from the Chinese government. Even those born on American soil are considered property of China. Its unclear from zoo officials what their negotiating strategy will be with the Chinese, or if whatever program comes next will involve breeding. Young male panda Xiao Liwu was born at the San Diego Zoo. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) The species is the rarest of all bears and lives among damp bamboo forests in southwestern China. Most of the decline in numbers has largely been attributed to human encroachment, but pandas are also notoriously difficult to breed. They only mate one to two days a year, and successful pregnancies are rare. It is unknown exactly when the pandas will leave. Bai Yun and her son Xiao Liwu will travel by plane and be attended to by numerous keepers and veterinarians. Bai Yun is expected to go into a retirement wing of the center, and Xiao Liwu will eventually be put in a breeding situation. Zoo officials said it was bittersweet to say goodbye to the pandas but that they were proud of everything that was accomplished over 23 years. The intent was to prevent the extinction of the species. This program can be looked at as one of a handful of programs that have actually prevented the extension of a key species, said Carmi Penny, director of husbandry sciences at the zoo. Despite tension with the Chinese government and the Trump administration over tariffs, zoo officials say that sort of issue doesnt filter down to those who are working with pandas. A storied panda history Giant pandas first took San Diego by storm in 1987 when two of the animals Basi and Yuan Yuan stayed for 200 days. The pandas were a sensation, drawing more than 2 million visitors, the zoo said. A 1987 article in the San Diego Evening Tribune described their arrival as a fanfare usually saved for humans as news reporters, TV cameramen and zoo employees fawned over the pair. The price of a one-day adult ticket at the time was $8.50 and $2.50 for children. Now it is $56 for an adult and $46 for a child (ages 3 to 11). Pandas did not return again until 1996, when Bai Yun and another panda, Shi Shi, arrived at the zoo from the Wolong Nature Reserve in China. Both were supposed to stay 12 years, although Bai Yun remained 13 years longer. The pandas, in special traveling crates, were loaded onto a moving truck and escorted by the California Highway Patrol to the zoo. Things were rocky at first with Shi Shi, who was not interested in mating with Bai Yun. Bai Yun gave birth to her first panda, Hua Mei, in 1999 by artificial insemination. That panda became the first born in the United States to survive and grow into adulthood. In 2003, Gao Gao showed up and quickly began a successful pairing with Bai Yun. A son, Mei Sheng, was born in 2003. Four other cubs followed: Su Lin in 2005, Zhen Zhen in 2007, Yun Zi in 2009 and the last, Xiao Liwu, in 2012. Under the agreement with the Chinese government, most young pandas born in other countries are supposed to go back to China when they are around 3 years old. Xiao Liwu, though, has now stayed longer than expected, as has Bai Yun, who was allowed to remain because of how much success she had in breeding. Xiao Liwu, shown at 7 months, tries to get mom Bai Yun to play in 2013. (Peggy Peattie / Peggy Peattie) Bob Wiese, chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo, said several of the six cubs had gone on to have children of their own, building on a lineage originating in San Diego. At the time the pandas were brought to the United States in 1996, the survival rate for cubs was 10% to 20%, Wiese said. Now, there is a 95% likelihood they will survive, he said, and part of that is because of work done at American zoos. One of those advances came from a San Diego Zoo nutritionist who developed a milk formula for cubs that is now in widespread use. The formula is especially useful if the mother panda is not giving her cub enough milk. The milk that panda newborns need to survive is much more nutrient-dense than that of many species and is crucial for survival, making neglect by the mother potentially disastrous. Xiao Liwu, star attraction More than 100 people waited in line Friday to see Xiao Liwu on a cool 64-degree day. The line slowly snaked through the exhibit until the end, where adults and children crowded around the 6-year-old pandas enclosure. Xiao Liwu climbed around the tree-fort-style area and plopped down in one of his favorite spots to sit. A ray of sunshine illuminated the top of his head as he leaned back with a bamboo stalk. He put the stalk in his mouth and peeled off outer layers to begin his meal. Visitors were squeezing against each other to see the panda, although he didnt seem to notice. Hes right there, yelled 6-year-old Brooklyn Putich, of Chino, as she finally got her first glimpse of the panda and climbed on the railing for a better look. Families of young children made up much of the crowd, leading to the occasional baby-stroller traffic jam. Stephanie Toscano, of Tucson, Ariz., said she was in town for a wedding and decided to take her 4-year-old daughter, Adynn, to the zoo. Shes waited all day for this, Toscano said. She wouldnt stop talking about it. Zoo officials said none of the staff that worked with the pandas would be laid off but would work with other animals. Still, it may be tough for those employees to say goodbye, especially to Bai Yun, the 23-year resident. She was the perfect panda, said Penny, the husbandry director. She was behaviorally stable, very intelligent, very inquisitive, not aggressive. Just a nice, good animal. Bai Yun was not on display for much of Friday, but no one seemed to notice with Xiao Liwu content to put on a show. He got up from his sitting spot, climbed across logs in the enclosure, grabbed another bamboo stalk, leaned back and started to chew again. Each movement was captured by dozens of smartphones. Molnar and Bradley J. Fikes, who contributed to this report, work for the San Diego Union-Tribune. phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com English Icelandic At its meeting on Tuesday last, the government of Iceland approved the motion by Asmundur Einar Daason, the Minister of Social Affairs and Children, that the operations of the Housing Financing Fund be divided into two sections. This means that the part that relates to financial management for the Fund's older loan portfolio will be separated from the Fund's main activities as it is today. Since 2012, when the Fund's general lending to the public for housing purchases was largely discontinued following the EFTA Surveillance Authority's (ESA) ruling, that the loans were in conflict with the rules of the EEA Agreement, it has been apparent that measures would have to be taken that would affect the operations of HFF. A committee, appointed last September, has been evaluating changes to the fund's operations, and the committees conclusion was to make the proposal to the minister that this action be taken. The role of the Housing Financing Fund has changed considerably in recent years with changes to the Housing Act, and is today the institution that carries out the implementation of housing policy in Iceland. That includes policy formulation and research on the housing market, overseeing public housing support and the provision of social housing loans. Following the division of HFF operations, a powerful housing institution is created that will play a key role in the housing market, conducting housing implementation and coordination in housing policy throughout Iceland, as well as being a powerful partner for local government in their housing planning. At the same Government meeting, the minister, Asmundur Einar, also announced that it would be an option to merge the Icelandic Construction Authority with the main activities of the Housing Financing Fund as it is today. The Minister intends to appoint a committee in the very near future, which will examine in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the mergers of these two institutions. The proposal for the merger of these institutions comes as a result of a new division of assignments between the ministries of the Government, as building and construction issues were at the end of last year, transferred entirely to the Ministry of Social Affairs. On that occasion, Asmundur Einar said it was important to further strengthen the administration of the housing and construction market, so that situations in the housing marked can be met more quickly. A massive explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China with a long record of safety violations has killed at least 47 people and injured hundreds of others, 90 of them seriously. Thursdays blast in an industrial park in the city of Yancheng, north of Shanghai, was one of Chinas worst industrial accidents in recent years. State-run television showed crushed cars, blown-out windows and workers leaving the factory with bloodied heads. Schools were closed and nearly 1,000 residents were moved to safety as a precaution against leaks and additional explosions, the city government said in a statement posted to its microblog. The blast created a crater and more than 900 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the fire that burned into the night. Advertisement Windows in buildings as far as 4 miles away were blown out by the force of the blast, which caused a magnitude-2.2 seismic shock. A resident of the community of Chenjiagang, about 3 miles from the plant, said neighbors were injured by glass from windows smashed by the blast force. At the time of the explosion, I was almost deafened and I was terribly frightened, said the woman, who gave only her surname, Zhi. Chinese President Xi Jinping, on a state visit to Italy, demanded all-out efforts to find and rescue victims, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Relief work must be well done to maintain social stability. Meanwhile, environmental monitoring and early warning should be strengthened to prevent environmental pollution as well as secondary disasters, Xinhua quoted Xi as saying. Xi said local officials need to learn the lessons of a recent series of industrial accidents to preserve lives and property, signaling a likely crackdown on safety violations at a time when many Chinese companies are being hit by a downturn in sales that is squeezing profit margins. The death toll, raised late Thursday from an initial report of 44 but with no change in the number of injured, suggested rescue crews were still finding bodies at the blast site. The Yancheng city government statement said 3,500 medical workers at 16 hospitals were mobilized to treat the injured, dozens of whom remained in critical condition. The cause of the blast was under investigation and people responsible for operations at the plant have been placed under control, Xinhua said. It wasnt clear whether anyone had been formally arrested. State media said the State Council, Chinas Cabinet, had been ordered to oversee the investigation. China experiences frequent industrial accidents despite orders from the central government to improve safety at factories, power plants and mines. Among the worst accidents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers. That blast was blamed on illegal construction and unsafe storage of volatile materials. In November, at least 22 people were killed and scores of vehicles destroyed in an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northeastern city of Zhangjiakou, which will host competitions in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Thursdays disaster occurred at a factory run by the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. Located among a cluster of chemical factories in Yancheng, it has a dismal safety record: In February 2018, Chinas State Administration for Work Safety cited 13 types of safety hazards at the company, including mishandling of tanks of toxic benzene, the source of Thursdays explosion. Those violations came despite the plant having racked up 1.79 million renminbi ($267,000) in fines since 2016 for violations of environmental regulations, according to a judgments issued by local county and city environmental protection bureaus. Those included improperly dealing with hazardous waste and evading air pollution supervision. A 2017 explosion that killed 10 at a nearby plant prompted the State Administration of Work Safety to dispatch inspectors. They discovered over 200 safety hazards at chemical factories in Yancheng and four nearby cities, including 13 at the Tianjiayi plant. Safety hazards cited included leaks and drips, employees who didnt understand safety procedures, and a lack of emergency shut-off valves on tanks carrying flammable chemicals. In 2014, the companys chairman, Zhang Qinyue, and Wu Guozhong, its former supply chief, were arrested on suspicion of dumping and burying hazardous waste byproducts near a temple and a village landfill, according to a Jiangsu court criminal judgment. They were convicted in 2017 and the company was fined 1 million renminbi ($149,000). U.S.-backed Syrian forces on Tuesday seized control of an encampment held by Islamic State in eastern Syria, after hundreds of militants surrendered overnight, a spokesman said, signaling the groups collapse after months of stiff resistance. A group of suspects involved in a January bombing that killed four Americans in northern Syria were among militants captured by the Kurdish-led forces. The taking of the Islamic State camp was a major advance but not the final defeat of the group in Baghouz, the last village held by the extremists where they have been holding out for weeks under siege, according to Mustafa Bali, the spokesman for the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. Still, the groups fighters were starting to celebrate. Im happy its over. Now I know my people are safe, said a fighter who identified himself as Walid Raqqawi who fought in the camp Monday night. He said he is returning to his hometown of Raqqah to rest. Comrades from his unit sang and danced in celebration at an outpost in Baghouz, all saying they were looking forward to going home. Advertisement An unknown number of Islamic State militants still clung to a tiny sliver of land trapped between the Euphrates River and the encampment now held by the Syrian Democratic Forces, officials in the force said. U.S.-backed militia captures two American militants in battle with Islamic State in Syria The militants have been putting up a desperate fight, their notorious propaganda machine working even on the brink of collapse. On Monday, Islamic State issued a video showing its militants furiously defending the encampment, a junkyard of wrecked cars, motorcycles and tents. In the footage, they shoot nonstop with AK-47s and M-16s from behind trucks, vehicles and sand berms. A group of children could be seen at one point amid the fighting. My Muslim brothers everywhere, we did our best, the rest is up to God, a fighter said to the backdrop of black smoke rising from behind him. The complete fall of Baghouz would mark the end of Islamic States self-declared territorial caliphate, which at its height stretched across much of Syria and Iraq. For the last four years, U.S.-led forces have waged a destructive campaign to tear down the caliphate. But even after Baghouzs fall, Islamic State maintains a scattered presence and sleeper cells that threaten a continuing insurgency. The battle for Baghouz has dragged on for weeks and the encampment has proven a major battleground, with tents covering foxholes and underground tunnels. The siege has also been slowed by the unexpectedly large number of civilians in Baghouz, most of them families of Islamic State members. They have been flowing out, exhausted, hungry and often wounded. The sheer number who emerged nearly 30,000 since early January according to Kurdish officials took the Kurdish-led forces by surprise. In the last two weeks, many Islamic State militants appeared to be among those evacuating. But Syrian Democratic Forces commanders have stopped speculating when the battle may finally be over, saying they dont know how many more may still be left, hiding in tunnels beneath the war-scarred village. In the seizure Tuesday of the encampment, hundreds of wounded and sick militants were captured and evacuated to nearby military hospitals for treatment, Bali, the SDF spokesman, said in a Twitter post. Still, he cautioned, this is not a victory announcement, but a significant progress in the fight. There were conflicting reports from SDF commanders on the ground about the extent of the Islamic State surrender. Commander Rustam Hasake told the Associated Press that SDF fighters advanced on four fronts Monday night and were inside the camp when the last Islamic State fighters surrendered at dawn. He said the last fighters were pushed out of the camp and were now in an open patch of land by the Euphrates River and were being processed and detained. Another commander, however, said some militants continue to hold a tiny area in an open patch of land in the village, outside the encampment. AP journalists in Baghouz reported sporadic gunfire echoing and jets circling overhead. At a command post in Baghouz on Tuesday, a Humvee pulled up and unloaded weapons captured from Islamic State, including sniper and hunting rifles, pump action shotguns and grenades and ammunition. Five trucks hauling 10 trailers full of people were seen coming out of Baghouz. A child could be heard wailing from inside one. At least 100 people, nearly all of them children, have died in the truck trips from Baghouz on the way to a camp in northern Syria, or soon after reaching it, according to the International Rescue Committee a sign of how miserable conditions were inside Baghouz during the siege as supplies ran out. These children escaped from ISIS captivity, but there is no joy in their return home Bali, in a separate Twitter post Tuesday, said the SDF captured a group of suspects involved in a January suicide bombing that killed four Americans in the northern town of Manbij. He did not elaborate on the number of suspects or whether they were among the most recent militants to surrender. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast outside a popular restaurant in Manbij, which killed at least 16 people, including two U.S. service members and two American civilians. It was the deadliest assault on U.S. troops in Syria since American forces went into the country in 2015. In an audio posted online Monday, the Islamic State spokesman, Abu Hassan Muhajer, issued his first message in six months, calling for revenge attacks by Muslims in Western countries in retaliation for the attack on two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people. He also ridiculed U.S. declarations of the defeat of Islamic State, calling the claim of victory a hallucination. But Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrated as if the final collapse were imminent. At the SDF outpost in Baghouz, a commander danced with his soldiers. Fighters said remaining militants didnt put up much resistance. We fired on them with our rifles and heavy weapons and they didnt shoot back. So we walked into the camp and they didnt shoot at us, said Orhan Hamad, from the northern province of Hassakeh. I tell the martyrs, it wasnt for nothing. Using an Arabic term for Islamic State, he said: With Gods permission, weve finished Daesh. Islamic State wives want to come home. But what were they doing while they were away? Militia fighters descended on a village in central Mali before dawn Saturday, killing at least 115 people in the latest deadly attack blamed on an ethnic militia, local authorities said. The massacre in the village of Ogossogou left the village chief and his grandchildren dead in the ethnic Peulh community, according to a local official who had received detailed accounts from the remote area. The victims included pregnant women, young children and the elderly, according to Abdoul Aziz Diallo, president of a Peulh group known as Tabital Pulaaku. It was not immediately possible to independently corroborate the toll given by those in contact with survivors from the Peulh village. The U.N. mission in Mali confirmed reports of an attack but gave no figures. Advertisement Militants from a Dogon group known as Dan Na Ambassagou have been blamed for scores of attacks over the past year, according to Human Rights Watch. The umbrella group comprises a number of self-defense groups from the Dogon villages among others. The growing prominence of Islamic extremists in central Mali since 2015 has unraveled relations between the Dogon and Peulh communities. Members of the Dogon group accuse the Peulhs of supporting these jihadists linked to terror groups in the countrys north and beyond. Peulhs have in turn accused the Dogon of supporting the Malian army in its effort to stamp out extremism. In December, Human Rights Watch had warned that militia killings of civilians in central and northern Mali are spiraling out of control. The group said that Dan Na Ambassagou and its leader had been linked to many of the atrocities and called for Malian authorities to prosecute the perpetrators. Malis Dogon country with its dramatic cliff landscapes and world renowned traditional art once drew tourists from Europe and beyond who hiked through the regions villages with local guides. The region, though, has been destabilized in recent years along with much of central Mali. ___ Associated Press writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this story. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Gunmen set off a suicide car bombing and then stormed a government building in Somalias capital Saturday, killing at least five people including the countrys deputy labor minister, police said. It was the latest attack by Islamic extremists in the troubled Horn of Africa nation. After an hours-long gunbattle, Somalias security forces took back control of the building in Mogadishu on Saturday afternoon from at least five attackers who forced their way into the government building that houses the ministries of labor and public works, police Capt. Mohamed Hussein told The Associated Press. Saqar Ibrahim Abdalla, Somalias deputy minister of labor and social affairs, was killed in his ground-floor office shortly after gunmen entered the building, he said. Hussein said at least 10 other people were wounded in the attack, which the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility for. Advertisement Dozens of people were inside the building at the time since Saturday is a working day in Somalia. The building is not far from the headquarters of the Somali intelligence agency. As the attack unfolded, gunfire could be heard from inside the building. White smoke billowed from the scene, according to witnesses. A similar attack targeting a busy area in Mogadishu at the end of February killed at least 24 people. Al-Shabab, Africas most active Islamic extremist group, has been fighting for years to take power and create an Islamic state in Somalia. It frequently carries out suicide bombings targeting public places, hotels and government offices despite being pushed out of Mogadishu. It mostly operates from rural areas in the countrys south. African Union peacekeepers stationed in Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country have helped Somali forces to keep al-Shabab fighters at bay. The extremist group has also carried out many deadly attacks in neighboring Kenya in retaliation over the countrys deployment in 2011 of peacekeepers in Somalia. The U.S. military has carried out a number of deadly airstrikes in recent months against al-Shabab. ___ Associated Press writer Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Jordanian prince and the family of a slain 3-year-old boy and were among those who visited a New Zealand mosque Saturday when it reopened for the first time since a terrorist killed dozens of people there. Hundreds of people stopped at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch to lay flowers or pray after police removed a cordon and those running the mosque decided to reopen. Inside the mosque, there were few signs of the carnage from eight days earlier. Crews had replaced windows that worshippers smashed in a desperate attempt to escape when the attacker mowed them down during Friday prayers. Bullet holes were plastered over and painted. There wasnt time to replace the carpet, which was pulled out and buried because it was soaked in blood. Shagat Khan, the president of the Muslim Association of Canterbury, said they hadnt planned to open the mosque so soon but when they saw the crowds gathering after the police cordon was removed they decided to allow people to enter in managed groups so the mosque will be alive again. Advertisement Those who lost their families are of course quite emotional, he said. And those who were present here during the incident, of course the memories come back. The flashbacks. The gunman killed a total of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, in the nations worst terrorist attack. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder in the attacks and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on April 5. Abdullahi Ibrahim Diriye, the uncle of the youngest victim of the shooting, 3-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim, visited the mosque with the boys father. Diriye said he helped lift the boys coffin to a gravesite Friday as Mucaads mother wept. The coffin was very light with such a young child inside, he said. Always he was a happy boy, and he liked every person he met, not only Muslims, Diriye said. Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, who traveled to New Zealand to pay his respects, hugged a man at the entrance of the mosque and told him to be patient. He was crying deeply from his heart for a loved one he had lost, the prince later explained. And I was saying, this is Gods will, be patient. Because only through patience can you endure. Prince Hassan said in the Middle East there have been wars every decade. To feel that this form of violence and cruelty is visited on you, living in this idyllic part of the world, is deeply, deeply moving, he said. Human dignity is being assailed on all fronts by extremists, he said, and people need to stand together as human beings. Officials say four Jordanian nationals died in the attack, while a 4-year-old Jordanian girl is also recovering in an Auckland hospital. Jereeth Abdeen, who was visiting from Auckland, said a friend of his escaped the attack. He said he found it hard to walk through the mosque, especially after glimpsing the gunmans livestream of the attack after it was sent to him on social media before quickly closing out of the link. Its terrible, he said. Nobody should do that in this world. Abdeen said he took some comfort that those killed were in a holy place and were about to pray. The sad thing is the way they died, he said. But our belief is they will be in paradise. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Pakistan celebrated its national day on Saturday with a military parade showcasing its missiles, tanks and aircraft, even as the prime minister and his Indian counterpart exchanged goodwill messages in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered best wishes to his counterpart Imran Khan ahead of Saturdays celebrations. Khan welcomed the statement late Friday and called for a comprehensive dialogue on all issues, including the disputed Kashmir region. Tensions between India and Pakistan flared last month after a suicide attack killed 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. The Indian air force launched an airstrike inside Pakistan, saying it was targeting militants it blamed for the bombing. Pakistan retaliated and said it shot down two Indian air force planes. One pilot was captured and later released. India says it lost only one plane. Advertisement Pakistans President Arif Alvi marked the national day by saying the region needs peace, not war, and that Pakistan wants to live peacefully with its neighbors. He said Pakistans war is against hunger, poverty and unemployment. Our desire for peace shouldnt be construed as our weakness. Lets end the hatred and sow the seeds of peace in this region for prosperity of the people, Alvi said. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was the chief guest of the parade, in which troops marched through the streets of Islamabad and warplanes staged acrobatic flyovers. Authorities suspended mobile phone services and blocked roads as part of security precautions. Later Saturday, President Alvi held a ceremony in which he honored military officers and accomplished civilians in their respective fields. The presidency also announced that Naeem Rashid, who was killed trying to stop the gunman who attacked two New Zealand mosques earlier this month, will be honored posthumously later this year. The nationwide celebrations were marred by tragedy when a wall collapsed over students and teachers marking the occasion in the eastern city of Gujranwala. Local administrator Naila Baqar said five students and a teacher died, and 12 others were injured. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Thailands election Sunday is likely to produce a weak, unstable government whether its a civilian or military-backed party that cobbles together a coalition, setting off a new phase of uncertainty in a country thats a U.S. ally in Southeast Asia and one of the worlds top tourist destinations. The election is Thailands first since its military seized power from an elected government in May 2014. It was the conservative establishments third major attempt by either military or legal coup to eradicate the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a tycoon who made his fortune in telecommunication and upended Thailands politics with a populist political revolution nearly two decades ago. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief led the 2014 coup, is hoping to stay in power with a hybrid political system that relies on an appointed Senate and a 20-year national strategic plan to limit the power of political parties not aligned with the military. It will be unstable, said Prajak Kongkirati, a political science lecturer at Thailands Thammasat University. Whatever party wins, Prayuth or Thaksins side, both governments will be weak and unstable. The government can collapse within a year or a year and a half and we might have a new election quite soon. Advertisement Prayuths five years as junta leader have been marred by complaints of human rights violations and growing economic inequality. Thailands ties with the U.S. cooled because of the coup and Prayuth is seeking greater international legitimacy with an election meant to provide the appearance of a return to democracy. If the junta had one success, it was reinforcing its claim to be the protector of Thailands monarchy, an institution at the heart of Thai society, following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016 after a reign of seven decades and the succession of his son Maha Vajiralongkorn. Critics say the new military-designed political system is intrinsically unstable because it is not accepted by all sides and will be the beginning of a new round of struggle in Thailand. The countrys prime minister will not be directly elected by its 51 million voters. Instead, 750 lawmakers 500 from an elected lower house of parliament and 250 from a junta-appointed Senate will decide by simple majority. The prime minister does not have to be a member of parliament. None of the major political parties is likely to have enough elected lawmakers to choose a prime minister and form a government outright. Chaotic outcomes, such as a military-favored prime minister chosen with Senate backing who lacks a majority in the lower house, are possible. Sundays vote is the latest episode in a sometimes violent political struggle that pits Thaksins political machine against a conservative establishment led by the ultra-royalist military. Thaksin swept to power in 2001 with social welfare policies aimed at uplifting the majority rural poor. He has lived in exile since being ousted by a 2006 military coup and accused of abuse of power, corruption and self-enrichment. Some saw him as disrespectful to the monarchy. The 2014 coup ousted the government that was led by Thaksins sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was the head of the Thaksin-allied Pheu Thai party at the time. On Friday, Thaksin hosted a glittering wedding reception in Hong Kong for his youngest daughter, causing a sensation and substantial media and online coverage in Thailand. Guests included the Thai kings sister Princess Ubolratana Mahidol, who last month made a spectacular but quickly aborted attempt to be a prime ministerial candidate for a small Thaksin-allied party. Though ostensibly a family affair, the ceremonys timing two days ahead of the election seemed to implicitly say: Dont forget me and my political allies when you go out to vote. The Pheu Thai party remains broadly popular, especially in the countrys north and northeast, home to the majority of voters, and its current leader, Sudarat Keyuraphan, has urged all Thais to vote, hoping a high turnout will derail Prayuths plans to stay in power. If Pheu Thai does reach the number needed to form a new government, it is unclear how the military leadership would respond, said John Ciorciari, a Southeast Asia expert at the University of Michigan. Regardless of the election result, it is unlikely to put an end to Thailands protracted political crisis, he said. ___ Associated Press writers Grant Peck and Kaweewit Kaewjinda contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Anti- Brexit protesters flooded into central London by the hundreds of thousands on Saturday, demanding that Britains Conservative-led government hold a new referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union. The Peoples Vote March snaked from Park Lane and other locations to converge on the U.K. Parliament, where the fate of Brexit will be decided in the coming weeks. Marchers carried European Union flags and signs praising the longstanding ties between Britain and continental Europe. The protest drew people from across Britain who are determined to force Prime Minister Theresa Mays government to alter its march toward Brexit. May also is coming under rising pressure from her own Conservative Party to either step down or set a date for her resignation as her political support continues to wilt. The coming week is seen as crucial as political rivals jockey for position to succeed her. Advertisement Conservative Party legislator George Freeman tweeted that a new leader is needed. Im afraid its all over for the PM. Shes done her best. But across the country you can see the anger. Everyone feels betrayed. Governments gridlocked. Trust in democracy collapsing. This cant go on. We need a new PM who can reach out & build some sort of coalition for a Plan B, he tweeted. Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable, invited to help lead the march in favor of a second referendum, called the crowd gathered in central London impressive and unified. There is a huge turnout of people here from all walks of life, of all ages and from all over the country, he tweeted. We are a Remain country now with 60 percent wanting to stop the Brexit mess. Police did not provide a crowd estimate. Independent legislator Chuka Umunna and others supporting a second Brexit referendum estimated the crowd at 1 million. More than 4 million people endorsed an electronic petition this week in favor of revoking Article 50, the act that formally triggered the Brexit process. The march comes as May, who opposes a second referendum on Britains EU membership, is easing away from plans to hold a third vote on her troubled Brexit withdrawal plan, which has been strongly rejected twice by Parliament. In a letter to lawmakers on Friday night, May said she might not seek passage of her Brexit withdrawal plan in Parliament next week. The embattled leader said she would only bring her EU divorce plan back to Parliament if there seems to be enough backing for it to pass. If it appears that there is not sufficient support to bring the deal back next week, or the House rejects it again, we can ask for another extension before 12 April, but that will involve holding European Parliament elections, she said. Mays changing stance reflects the plans dismal chances in the House of Commons after two prior defeats. She also says she would need the approval of House Speaker John Bercow to bring the plan back for a third time. Bercow has said a third vote would violate parliamentary rules against repeatedly voting on the same thing unless Mays Brexit divorce plan is altered. Almost three years after Britons voted to walk away from the EU, the blocs leaders this week seized control of the Brexit timetable from May to avert a chaotic departure on March 29 that would be disruptive for the worlds biggest trading bloc and deeply damaging for Britain. EU leaders at a summit in Brussels set two deadlines for Britain to leave the bloc of nearly half a billion people or to take an entirely new path in considering its EU future. They agreed to extend the Brexit date until May 22, on the eve of the EU Parliament elections, if May can persuade the British Parliament to endorse her Brexit divorce deal. Failing that, they gave May until April 12 to choose between leaving the bloc without a divorce deal or deciding on a radically new path, such as revoking Britains decision to leave, holding a new referendum on Brexit or finding a cross-party consensus for a very different kind of Brexit. Despite Mays letter to lawmakers, it was not clear what path her minority government would take this week. The anti-Brexit marchers on Saturday included 63-year-old Edmund Sides, who spent the last three weeks walking from Wales to London in order to take part. Sides, a geologist, said he wanted to be able to speak to people along the way, encouraging families that have been split between Leave and Remain to mend their fences and talk. The whole country isnt doing enough of that, he said. He is worried about the vicious tone that Brexit arguments have started to take and worries about national cohesion. People fear the atmosphere is very dangerous in this country, Sides said. ___ Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Several hundred people have marched in Barcelona to protest the emergence of a far-right party in Spain ahead of next months national elections. The protesters gathered Saturday behind a banner that read Stop Vox, for a world without racism and fascism in reference to the upstart Vox party. Others carried handmade signs, including one that said There arent too many immigrants, there are too many racists! Spain hadnt had a far-right party for years until Vox erupted onto the political scene by winning representation in regional elections in the countrys south in December. Vox has scheduled a rally next weekend in Barcelona as part of its campaign to win seats in the national Parliament in the April 28 general elections. Advertisement Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Pope Francis on Saturday replaced Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati as archbishop of Santiago, Chile, after he was placed under criminal investigation in the countrys spiraling church sex abuse and cover-up scandal. Francis accepted Ezzatis resignation and named a temporary replacement to govern Chiles most important archdiocese: the Spanish-born Capuchin friar and current bishop of Copiapo, Chile, Monsignor Celestino Aos Braco. In a statement asking for prayers for his new job, Aos acknowledged the difficulties ahead, noting the light and darkness, success and shortcomings, wounds and sins of the Santiago church. But Aos too faced accusations of cover-up after a former seminarian accused him of helping stall his case years ago. The 77-year-old Ezzati had submitted his resignation to Francis two years ago when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. But Francis kept him on, and Ezzati became the flashpoint of abuse survivors ire for mishandling several cases of abuse. Advertisement Just Friday, an appeals court in Chile allowed prosecutors to continue investigating Ezzati for an alleged cover-up, rejecting his motion to dismiss the case and remove himself from the probe, Chilean media reported. Ezzati has denied covering up any cases but has acknowledged the pain of abuse victims and vowed to promote transparency. At a press conference Saturday, he said he was leaving with my head held high. He insisted that all complaints that were lodged with the archdiocesan office he created in 2011 have been investigated or are being investigated. Francis himself became embroiled in the Chilean scandal after initially discrediting victims during his 2018 trip to the country, sparking a crisis in confidence in the Chilean hierarchy and his own leadership. After realizing his error and apologizing to the victims, Francis summoned all of Chiles 30-plus active bishops to the Vatican last May and strong-armed them into offering their resignations. With Ezzatis resignation Saturday, Francis has accepted eight of them. Chilean abuse survivors have long accused Ezzati and his predecessor in Santiago, Cardinal Javier Errazuriz, of protecting predator priests and discrediting victims. In recent weeks, Ezzati has been embroiled in a new scandal after a man sued him for allegedly covering up his rape inside the cathedral. The Chile abuse scandal first erupted in 2009, when victims publicly accused one of the countrys most prominent preachers, the Rev. Fernando Karadima, of molesting them for years. Errazuriz initially shelved an investigation, only to have the Vatican eventually convict Karadima in a church tribunal. After the scandal exploded again last year, Francis stiffened the penalty against Karadima and defrocked him. Pollsters have cited the Karadima scandal as the tipping point in the Chilean churchs progressive loss of credibility among ordinary Chileans. Francis had sparked the recent crisis by strongly defending one of Karadimas proteges, Bishop Juan Barros, against accusations that he had witnessed Karadimas abuse and ignored it. But after realizing that something was amiss, Francis ordered a Vatican investigation that uncovered decades of abuse and cover-ups by the Chilean church leadership, Barros and Ezzati included. One of Karadimas victims and Ezzatis harshest critic, Juan Carlos Cruz, welcomed Aos appointment, tweeting that anything is better than Ezzati and his band. In a joint statement, he and Karadimas other whistleblowers said they hoped Aos would bring about a culture centered on victims and vulnerable people and no longer one of culture and cover-up. But a former seminarian, Mauricio Pulgar, said Aos didnt allow him to present proof or witnesses to back up his claims of abuse by a priest, the Rev. Jaime Da Fonseca, when he first presented them in 2012. In an interview with The Associated Press, Pulgar said Aos - who as a priest had been tasked with investigating the case in Valparaiso - covered up abusers and one of them was Jaime Da Fonseca and that allowed him to keep abusing for six more years. Da Fonseca was finally defrocked last year. Aos left Valparaiso in 2014 to become bishop of Copiapo; the bishop running Valparaiso at the time was removed last year as part of Francis cover-up house-cleaning. The Chilean Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday on Aos role in the Da Fonseca case. ___ This version corrects the spelling of the defrocked priest to Jaime Da Fonseca. ___ Luna reported from Santiago. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. PRESS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION GLOBAL GRAPHICS PUBLISHES 2018 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cambridge (UK), 27 March 2019 (18.00 CET): Global Graphics PLC (Euronext: GLOG) announces that it has published its annual report and financial statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2018. The full document is available to download from the investors section of the Companys web site at: http://www.globalgraphics.com/investors/financial-reports Should you wish to receive printed copies please send an e-mail to investor-relations@globalgraphics.com or make your request in writing, for the attention of the Companys Chief Financial Officer, to 2030 Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6DW, UK. Gary Fry, Global Graphics CEO comments, We have put in a solid performance in 2018 although it should be noted that there was a significant amount of non-recurring revenue that we do not expect to be repeated. This leads us to expect that revenue for the 2019 financial year will be broadly in line with 2018. However, due to investing in additional staff during 2018 and 2019, we expect comparable profitability will be reduced. Financial highlights In thousands of euros 2018 2017 Change Revenue 23,922 20,536 3,386 Operating profit/(loss) 2,808 (288 ) 3,096 Profit/(loss) before tax 2,873 (163 ) 3,036 Tax expense (504 ) (103 ) (401 ) Profit/(loss) for the year attributable to equity holders 2,369 (266 ) 2,635 EBITDA 5,720 3,095 2,625 Adjusted operating profit 4,759 2,140 2,619 Adjusted net profit 3,981 1,773 2,208 Basic earnings/(loss) per share 0.20 (0.02 ) 0.22 Adjusted earnings per share 0.34 0.15 0.19 Net cash 5,650 5,076 574 The consolidated pre-tax result was a profit of 2.87 million in 2018 compared with a pre-tax loss of 0.16 million in 2017. The increase in profitability of 3.03 million is due to: an increase in revenue of 3.38 million (3.73 million of 2018 revenue is expected to be non-recurring, see below for more information); a decrease in cost of sales of 0.13 million; an increase in other income of 0.02 million; an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of 0.59 million; an increase in research and development expenses of 0.36 million; a decrease in other operating expenses of 0.51 million; an increase in finance income of 0.02 million; and a decrease in foreign exchange gains of 0.08 million Revenue for the Software segment totalled 9.98 million for the year (2017: 9.08 million). Revenue from existing customers declined by 0.93 million year on year, offset by revenue from new customers and licensing deals of 1.83 million, of which 1.48 million is expected to be non-recurring. Revenue for the Printhead Solutions segment was 9.20 million for the year (2017: 7.68 million). The number of customers for which revenue was recognised during the year increased by 24.5% over the previous year. Sales in Europe remained flat, but there was 64.3% (0.70 million) growth in North America and 13.7% (0.72 million) growth in Asia. The growth in Asia included 0.67 million which is expected to be non-recurring. Revenue for the Fonts segment was 4.75 million for the year (2017: 3.78 million). During the year a new contract was signed in the Fonts segment which generated 1.58 million in revenue. The revenue from that contract is non-recurring and is not expected to be repeated. Gross profit for the period has improved to 79.3% of revenue (2017: 75.2%). Margins were improved across all segments of the Group. Included in selling, general and administrative expenses is amortisation of 1.16 million (2017: 1.52 million) related to intangible assets recognised as a result of acquisitions and 0.31 million (2017: 0.06 million) related to share-based payment expenses. Included in research and development expenses is the capitalisation and amortisation of internally generated intangible assets. During the period there was a net expense of 0.36 million (2017: 0.18 million) related to these assets. The net expense was comprised of 1.41 million (2017: 1.46 million) in amortisation charge offset by 1.05 million (2017: 1.28 million) in capitalisation of development expenses. The exchange rate gains are primarily due to the revaluation of currency balances held at the balance sheet date and the change in exchange rates during the year. The Group presents EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) and adjusted profit when reporting its financial results to provide investors with an additional tool to evaluate the Groups results in a manner that focuses on what the Group believes to be its underlying business operations. The Groups management believes that the inclusion of adjusted financial results provides consistency and comparability with past reports. Additional commentary and analysis of the Group's consolidated results for the year ending 31 December 2018 can be found in the annual report and financial statements. Annual General Meeting The Company expects to hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday 15 May 2019 in Brussels. The official notice of the meeting will be issued in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements closer to the time. About Global Graphics Through its operating subsidiaries, Global Graphics PLC (Euronext Brussels: GLOG) is a leading developer of platforms for digital inkjet printing and type design and development. Customers for digital inkjet technology include press manufacturers such as HP, Canon, Durst, Roland, Hymmen and Mark Andy. Those for font design include numerous international brands, from manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz and Siemens, to digital media and epublishing companies. Global Graphics PLC is headquartered in Cambridge UK. Its subsidiary companies are printing software developers Global Graphics Software ; the type foundry, URW Type Foundry , and the industrial printhead driver solutions specialists, Meteor Inkjet . Contacts The Islamic State group erupted from the chaos of Syria and Iraqs conflicts and swiftly did what no Islamic militant group had done before, conquering a giant stretch of territory and declaring itself a caliphate. Its territorial rule, which at its height in 2014 stretched across nearly a third of both Syria and Iraq, ended with a last stand by several hundred of its militants at a tiny Syrian village on the banks of the Euphrates near the border with Syria. Here are the key moments in the rise and fall of the Islamic State group: ___ Advertisement April 2013 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of al-Qaidas branch in Iraq, announces the merger of his group with al-Qaidas franchise in Syria, forming the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and expanding his reach into neighboring Syria. ___ 2014 January Al-Baghdadis forces overrun the city of Fallujah in Iraqs western Anbar province and parts of the nearby provincial capital of Ramadi. In Syria, they seize sole control of the city of Raqqa after driving out rival Syrian rebel factions, and it becomes their de facto capital. ___ February Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri disavows al-Baghdadi after the Iraqi militant ignores his demands that IS leave Syria. ___ June IS captures Mosul, Iraqis second-largest city, and pushes south as Iraqi forces crumble, eventually capturing Saddam Husseins hometown of Tikrit and reaching the outskirts of Baghdad. When they threaten Shiite holy sites, Iraqs top Shiite cleric issues a call to arms, and masses of volunteers, largely backed and armed by Iran, join militias. ___ June 29 The group renames itself the Islamic State and declares the establishment of a self-styled caliphate, a traditional model of Islamic rule, in its territories in Iraq and Syria. Al-Baghdadi is declared the caliph. ___ July 4 Al-Baghdadi makes his first public appearance, delivering a Friday sermon in Mosuls historic al-Nuri Mosque. He urges Muslims around the world to swear allegiance to the caliphate and obey him as its leader. ___ August IS captures the town of Sinjar west of Mosul and begins a systematic slaughter of the tiny Yazidi religious community. Women and girls are kidnapped as sex slaves; hundreds remain missing to this day. ___ Aug. 8 The U.S. launches its campaign of airstrikes against IS in Iraq. ___ Sept. 22 - The U.S.-led coalition begins an aerial campaign against IS in Syria. ___ 2015 January Iraqi Kurdish fighters, backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, drive IS out of several towns north of Mosul. In Syria, Kurdish fighters backed by U.S. airstrikes repel an IS onslaught on the town of Kobani on the border with Turkey, the first significant defeat for IS. ___ April 1 U.S.-backed Iraqi forces retake Tikrit, their first major victory against IS. ___ May 20 IS captures the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra, where the extremists later destroy archaeological treasures. ___ 2016 Feb. 9 Iraqi forces recapture Ramadi after months of fighting and at enormous cost, with thousands of buildings destroyed. Almost the entire population fled the city. ___ June 26 Fallujah is declared liberated by Iraqi forces after a five-week battle. ___ July 3 IS sets off a gigantic suicide truck bomb outside a Baghdad shopping mall, killing almost 300 people, the deadliest attack in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. ___ Oct. 17 Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announces the start of the operation to liberate Mosul. ___ Oct. 21 IS militants and sleeper cells stage a wave of attacks with suicide blasts in the central Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing at least 80 people in an attempt to divert attention from Mosul. ___ Nov. 5 The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces launch Operation Euphrates Wrath, the first of five operations aiming to retake Raqqa, starting with an encircling of the city. ___ 2017 Jan. 24 Al-Abadi announces eastern Mosul has been fully liberated. ___ Feb. 19 Iraqi forces begin the assault on western Mosul, taking the citys airport and nearby military base within four days. ___ May 10 SDF captures the strategic Tabqa dam after weeks of battles and a major airlift operation that brought SDF fighters and their U.S. advisers to the area. The fall of the dam facilitated the push on Raqqa, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. ___ June 6 SDF fighters begin an attack on Raqqa from three sides, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. ___ June 18 Iraqi forces launch battle for Mosuls Old City, the last IS stronghold there. ___ June 21 IS destroys Mosuls iconic al-Nuri Mosque and its 12th century leaning minaret as Iraqi forces close in, according to Iraqi and coalition officials. __ July 10 Iraqi prime minister declares victory over IS in Mosul and end of the extremists caliphate in Iraq. ___ Oct. 17 SDF takes full control of Raqqa after months of heavy bombardment that devastates the city. ___ September-December Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air power and Iranian forces, recapture IS territory on the western bank of the Euphrates River, seizing the cities of Deir el-Zour, Mayadin and Boukamal on the border with Iraq. ___ 2018 Aug. 23 IS leader al-Baghdadi resurfaces in his first purported audio recording in almost a year; he urges followers to persevere and continue fighting. ___ Sept. 10 SDF launches a ground offensive, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, to take the last territory held by IS in Syrias eastern province of Deir el-Zour. ___ 2019 February-March SDF besiege IS in the village of Baghouz, the last scrap of land the group holds. The advance stalls as some 30,000 civilians, mostly families of IS members, are evacuated from the pocket over the course of weeks. March 23 SDF declares the complete capture of Baghouz and the end of the Islamic State groups territorial caliphate. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. U.S.-backed forces declared military victory over the Islamic State group in Syria on Saturday after liberating the last pocket of territory held by the militants, marking the end of a brutal self-styled caliphate the group carved out in large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014. The nearly five-year war that has devastated cities and towns across north Syria and Iraq ended in Baghouz, a minor border village where the cornered militants made their last stand, under a grueling siege for weeks. On Saturday, the Syrian Democratic Forces raised their bright yellow banner from a shell-pocked house where the militants once flew their notorious black flag. Below it stretched a field shattered by the battle, pitted by trenches and bomb craters and littered with scorched tents, twisted wreckage of burned out vehicles, unspent explosives and few remaining corpses. Baghouz is free and the military victory against Daesh has been achieved, tweeted Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led SDF, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym. Advertisement The fall of Baghouz brings to a close a nearly 5-year global campaign against the Islamic State group that raged in two countries, spanned two U.S. presidencies and saw a U.S.-led coalition unleash more than 100,000 strikes. The campaign has left a trail of destruction in cities in Iraq and Syria, likely killed tens of thousands and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes. The campaign put an end to the militants proto-state, which at its height four years ago was the size of Britain and home to some 8 million people. But the extremist group still maintains a scattered presence and sleeper cells across Syria and Iraq. Its not known whether the groups leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is still alive or where he might be hiding. IS affiliates in Egypts Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan and other countries continue to pose a threat, and the groups ideology has inspired so-called lone-wolf attacks that had little if any connection to its leadership. The caliphates end also marks a new phase in Syrias civil war, now in its ninth year. The country is carved up, with the Iranian- and Russian-backed government of President Bashar Assad controlling the west, center and south, the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces holding the north and east, and Turkish allies controlling a pocket in the north. The fear now is of new conflict among those players. At a ceremony held later Saturday at the nearby al-Omar oil field base, a senior U.S. diplomat, William Roebuck, said the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group is a critical milestone that delivers a crushing and strategic blow to the extremist group. But he stressed it remains a significant threat. We still have much work to do to achieve an enduring defeat of IS, he said. The commander in chief of the SDF, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, appealed for continued assistance to his group until the full eradication of the extremist group. He spoke at the ceremony during which fighters marched to a military band. The victory declaration sets the stage for President Donald Trump to begin withdrawing most of the 2,000 U.S. troops stationed in northern Syria, as he abruptly announced in December that he would do. Trump, however, later agreed to leave a small peacekeeping force of 200 soldiers in Syria to ensure Turkey will not get into a conflict with the SDF. Turkey views Kurdish members of the SDF as terrorists. The Kurds fear being abandoned by the Americans. They are squeezed between a belligerent Turkey from the north, which regards them as a national threat and Syrian President Bashar Assads forces from the south. Saturdays announcement came a day after Trump declared that Islamic State militants no longer control any territory in Syria, a victory he had been teasing for days. Associated Press journalists in Baghouz on Saturday, however, reported hearing mortars and gunfire directed toward a cliff overlooking the village, where U.S.-led coalition airstrikes were carried out a day earlier. SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel said Friday there were IS fighters hiding in caves near Baghouz and that clearing operations were still underway. The site of ISs last stand was centered on a tent encampment in Baghouz where, unknown to the besieging SDF forces, thousands of civilians were holed up. During the weeks-long siege, an estimate 30,000 men, women and children were evacuated from the pocket, most of them IS family members, a mix of Syrians, Iraqis and foreigners. They were exhausted, hungry, many of them wounded and traumatized by the loss of relatives, but some remained die-hard supporters of the caliphate. On Saturday, journalists were taken to the encampment a wasteland of wrecked vehicles, torn tents and scorched trees. A few bodies could be seen and a faint smell of rotting corpses hung in the air. Scattered across the dirt amid empty foxholes and trenches were personal belongings, blankets, generators, oil barrels, water tanks and satellite dishes. Cars and motorcycles were turned to rusted, twisted heaps of metal. There were unused rockets, mortars and grenades, as well as a pile of suicide vests. Ciya Kobani, an SDF commander, announced the end of the operation from the roof of the building with the SDF flag: We have been victorious against Daesh, he declared. At its height, the Islamic State group ruled a third of both Syria and Iraq, holding millions hostage to its harsh and violent interpretation of Islamic law. The group carried out massacres and documented them with slickly produced videos circulated online. It beheaded foreign journalists and aid workers and burned alive a captured Jordanian pilot. During a rampage through Iraqs Sinjar region in 2014, it captured thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority and forced them into sexual slavery. Many remain missing to this day. The group also used its caliphate as a launchpad for attacks around the globe, including the assaults in Paris in 2015 that killed more than 130 people. French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that a major danger to our country is now eliminated, yet the threat remains and the fight against terrorist groups must continue. France has been a member of the coalition fighting the IS since 2014. While it imposed its unforgiving interpretation of Islamic law through public beheadings and crucifixions, the group also carried out the mundane duties of governance in its territories, including regulating prices at markets and repairing infrastructure. Cornered in Baghouz, the group fought fiercely and desperately to hang on to the last shred of territory it controlled, using thousands of civilians, including women and children, as human shields. In the final weeks, they streamed out of Baghouz, bedraggled, angry and hungry, overwhelming Kurdish-run camps in northern Syria where they are being held. Aid organizations say more than 100 people have died in the journey from Baghouz to the al-Hol camp in Hassakeh province, or soon after arriving. ___ Associated Press writer Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The announcement of victory over the Islamic State group in Syria marks the end of the extremists self-styled caliphate, a proto-state in which they held millions hostage to their dark and brutal vision. But IS, which traces its roots back to the bloody emergence of al-Qaida in Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, has survived past defeats and is already waging a low-level insurgency in areas it was driven from months or even years ago. The grueling 4 -year campaign to drive IS from the territories it once held has left entire towns and neighborhoods in ruins, in both war-torn Syria and Iraq. If the long-standing grievances of Sunni Muslims in both countries continue to fester, the extremists could rise again. ___ Advertisement WHAT HAS ENDED EXACTLY? What is over is the Islamic State groups physical caliphate, after the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group supported by the United States, declared on Saturday the capture of the last tiny patch of territory controlled by the militants, in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz. That domain once stretched over large parts of Syria and Iraq, which the group conquered in a blitz in the summer of 2014, capturing towns and cities, including Mosul, Iraqs second-largest. The fighters bulldozed berms along the border and proclaimed a contiguous caliphate stretching across a third of both countries. At its height, the territory was the size of Britain, stretching from near the northern Syrian town of Aleppo to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and home to 8 million people. The extremists governed under a harsh and violent interpretation of Islam. They massacred those who resisted their rule and beheaded hostages, including Western journalists and foreign aid workers, in gruesome videos circulated online. Alleged adulterers were stoned to death, those believed to be gay were thrown from the tops of buildings, and children were made to watch the atrocities as part of their brainwashing. The group captured thousands of women from Iraqs Yazidi minority, forcing them into sexual slavery. IS also carried out the more mundane actions of a state collecting taxes, printing school textbooks, minting its own currency and restoring public infrastructure. It was an experiment in statehood that not even al-Qaida ever tried on a significant scale. From its de facto capital of Raqqa, in northern Syria, its leaders plotted spectacular attacks abroad, including the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. As IS began to hemorrhage territory, it began opportunistically claiming attacks without any evidence of its involvement. The self-proclaimed caliphate attracted tens of thousands of people from around the world, lured by the groups online activism and slickly produced propaganda videos. Young, troubled men were eager to wage war against those branded enemies of Islam, while others were drawn to the promise of life in an Islamic state governed by Gods law. That physical caliphate was declared dead, for now. ___ WHAT IS THE COST OF LIBERATION? The grueling four-year air and ground campaign against IS has killed or wounded tens of thousands of people, driven hundreds of thousands from their homes and left a swath of destruction stretching from the suburbs of Damascus to central Iraq. The major cities IS once held Mosul, Raqqa, Fallujah and Ramadi have all seen major devastation. The group put up fierce resistance nearly everywhere, using civilians as human shields and launching waves of car bomb and suicide attacks. As it slowly retreated, it left behind booby traps and explosives that in many areas have yet to be cleared. The U.S.-led coalition dropped tens of thousands of bombs over Syria and Iraq to help its allies on the ground advance, sometimes pulverizing entire city blocks. Syrian government forces backed by Russian air power battled IS in some areas, as did Iraqs state-sanctioned militias, with help from Iran. The death toll from the campaign remains uncounted. In a report released last year, the coalition confirmed the deaths of 1,139 civilians in airstrikes conducted between August 2014 and November 2018. Rights groups say the number is much higher. An Associated Press investigation found at least 9,000 civilians died in the assault to retake Mosul alone. In Raqqa, the U.S.-backed campaign killed hundreds of civilians and caused destruction on a massive scale. Syria is still mired in civil war, and Iraq estimates it will need $100 billion to rebuild. Local leaders in Mosul say they need that much for their city alone. No one has offered to foot the bill, and hard-hit areas remain empty, even years later. ___ WHATS NEXT? The official declaration of victory is of mostly symbolic value. Thousands of IS militants have dispersed and gone to ground, and U.S. defense officials have warned that IS could stage a comeback in Syria within a year if military and counterterrorism pressure is eased. Theyve cut the trunk of this malignant tree, but they havent pulled up its roots, which are still capable of growing and spreading, Hisham al-Hashemi, a researcher in extremism and expert on IS, wrote in a Twitter post. Activists who closely follow the conflict in Syria already point to signs of a growing insurgency and sleeper cells carrying out assassinations, setting up flying checkpoints and claiming roadside bombs in liberated areas across Syria and Iraq. That insurgency could gain strength as President Donald Trump presses ahead with his planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The American commander overseeing the fight against IS, Gen. Joseph Votel, has warned that the group is far from being defeated, saying its leaders have dispersed and gone underground. What we are seeing now is not the surrender of ISIS as an organization but a calculated decision to preserve the safety of their families and preservation of their capabilities, he said earlier this month, adding that the insurgents are waiting for the right time to resurge. The withdrawal of American forces from eastern Syria would open the door for major turmoil as various actors including the Syrian government, allied with Russia and Iran race to fill the vacuum. IS was all but defeated once before, when U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq in 2011; experts warn it could stage another devastating comeback. And IS has established affiliates across Asia and Africa, and continues to be active in places like Afghanistan, Libya, Egypts Sinai Peninsula, Yemen and the Philippines. ___ WHAT ABOUT DETAINED FIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES? Another major concern is jihadis finding their way back to Europe. Around 1,000 foreign fighters are currently being held in Kurdish-run prisons in northern Syria. Their wives many of them from Western countries and their children are in camps in northern Syria. Syrian Kurdish authorities are calling on countries to take back their nationals, saying they cannot afford to keep shouldering the burden. Trump has weighed in, calling on Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to repatriate their nationals and put them on trial. The U.S. does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go, he tweeted in February. But few countries are willing to bring back people they view as a security threat, posing a dilemma for the Kurdish-led forces as the U.S. prepares to withdraw. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went to the first mosque built in New York City on Friday to show solidarity with the Muslim community, urging people everywhere to reaffirm the sanctity of all places of worship and the safety of all worshippers. Speaking a week after the terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that killed 50 people, Guterres warned again that around the world, we have seen ever-rising anti-Muslim hatred, anti-Semitism, hate speech and bigotry. We need to act against extremism in all its forms whether it targets mosques, synagogues, churches or anywhere else, he added. Guterres first spoke at Friday prayers in the mosque at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York and then addressed the media at its school. He was surrounded there by the imam and more than a dozen U.N. ambassadors from Muslim and non-Muslim countries including New Zealand and Australia, where the white supremacist who gunned down victims at the mosques was born. Advertisement In remarks at the prayer service, Guterres recalled that a worshipper who saw a stranger walk into one of the Christchurch mosques said Hello, brother, not knowing he was a terrorist. This is the spirit deeply embedded in Islam, a religion I so much respect the face of love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy and grace, the U.N. chief said. But Guterres warned in his remarks afterward that hate speech is spreading like wildfire, that social media is being exploited as a platform for bigotry, and many political movements are either openly admitting their neo-Nazi affiliation, or lip syncing their words, and cutting and pasting the symbols and images. That cancer is spreading, the secretary-general said. It is our duty to find the cure. Guterres announced that he was asking Miguel Moratinos, head of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations, to develop an action plan to ensure that all U.N. bodies are fully engaged in support of safeguarding religious sites. He said governments, faith-based organizations, religious leaders and others should be involved in discussing actions that can prevent attacks and guarantee the sanctity of religious sites. The reason is clear: Mosques and all places of prayer and contemplation should be safe havens, not sites of terror, Guterres said. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The day after Thanksgiving in 2009, James Kahler went to the home of his estranged wifes grandmother, where he shot the two women, along with his two teenage daughters. No one not even Kahlers attorneys disputes that he killed the four relatives. Instead, his lawyers argue that he was suffering from depression so severe that he experienced extreme emotional disturbance, dissociating him from reality. What had been an open-and-shut death penalty case Kahler was convicted and sentenced in 2011 was upended when the U.S. Supreme Court said this past week that it would consider whether Kansas unconstitutionally abolished his right to use insanity as a defense. A ruling from the nations highest court could have far-reaching implications for mentally ill defendants across the nation. Kansas is one of five states where a traditional insanity defense in which a person must understand the difference between right and wrong before being found guilty of a crime isnt allowed. Instead, someone can cite mental disease or defect as a partial defense but must prove that he didnt intend to commit the crime. The other states with similar laws are Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Utah. Advertisement A favorable decision in this case would make it clear that the Constitution requires that a defendant be able to understand the difference between right and wrong before being found guilty, and, in cases like Mr. Kahlers, put to death, his defense attorney, Meryle Carver-Allmond, said in an email. Kahlers lawyers argued in their petition to the Supreme Court that although Kahler knew that he was shooting human beings, his mental state was so disturbed at the time that he was unable to control his actions. Were hopeful that, in taking Mr. Kahlers case, the United States Supreme Court has indicated a desire to find that the Constitution requires better of us in our treatment of mentally ill defendants, Carver-Allmond said. The state argues that it hasnt abolished the insanity defense, just modified it. We think the states approach, providing for an insanity defense based on mental disease or defect, satisfies constitutional requirements, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in an emailed statement. We look forward to defending the statute and arguing our case before the Justices in the fall. Kahler was in the middle of a contentious divorce when he went to Dorothy Wights home in Burlingame, where his wife, Karen, and three children were spending the Thanksgiving holiday amid contentious divorce proceedings. He found Karen in the kitchen and shot her twice, then shot Wright and his daughter Emily in the living room. He found his daughter Lauren in an upstairs bedroom. His son, Sean, fled to a neighboring house. Sherrie Baughn, executive director of the Kansas chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, said her organization opposes execution of individuals who have a serious mental illness or mental disability when committing a crime. I am happy that they are looking at it and reviewing this, Baughn said of the Supreme Court decision to take up the Kansas case. Despite constitutional protections, the death penalty is still somewhat applied to people with mental illness or mental disabilities. It is unclear how often an insanity defense would be used in Kansas, because the state hasnt really had one for so many years now, Carver-Allmond said. Without the option, seriously mentally ill defendants are often left to go to trial with little-to-no defense or forced to plead guilty on bad terms. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A U.S. judge appeared skeptical Friday of one of the key arguments that civil liberties groups have made to try to block the Trump administrations policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico until their cases are heard. Judge Richard Seeborg also had tough questions for a Justice Department attorney who defended the practice as a lawful response to an overtaxed immigration system. Seeborg did not immediately issue a ruling at the end of a hearing in San Francisco to help him decide whether to stop the policy while a lawsuit moves forward. The policy began in January and marked an unprecedented change to the U.S. asylum system . Families seeking asylum are typically released in the U.S. with notices to appear in immigration court, but the Trump administration began sending them back to Mexico to await their court hearings. The policy affects those who seek asylum at the nations busiest border crossing, in San Diego, and the Calexico port of entry thats about 120 miles (193 kilometers) east. Advertisement The lawsuit on behalf of 11 asylum seekers from Central America and legal advocacy groups says the administration is violating U.S. law by failing to adequately evaluate the dangers that migrants face in Mexico. Under the new policy, asylum seekers are not guaranteed interpreters or lawyers and dont get to argue to a judge that they face the potential of persecution or torture if they are sent back to Mexico, said Judy Rabinovitz, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups that is suing. The process they have right now completely turns the whole notion of protection on its head, she said. Seeborg questioned the lawsuits argument that the administration misapplied a U.S. law that allows the return of immigrants to Mexico. The ACLU and the other groups say that law does not apply to asylum seekers who cross the border illegally or arrive at an entry port without proper documents. Seeborg said they faced a tall order convincing him that asylum seekers were always exempt from that law. He did say the plaintiffs had authority to bring the case, and the court could hear it. The Trump administration hopes that making asylum seekers wait in Mexico will discourage weak claims and help reduce an immigration court backlog of more than 800,000 cases. Justice Department attorney Scott Stewart said there is a process to protect immigrants who could face harm in Mexico. All 11 plaintiffs in the lawsuit are represented by attorneys, and 10 already have appeared for court proceedings, he said. There will be occasional hiccups to work out, he said. But its going. Its underway. Seeborg questioned the Justice Departments argument that the asylum seekers sent back to Mexico are not eligible for certain protections such as a hearing before an immigration judge. The same thing is happening to these people for good or bad, he said. Border Patrol arrests, the most widely used gauge of illegal crossings, have risen sharply over the last year but are relatively low in historical terms after hitting a 46-year low in 2017. The policy followed months of delicate talks between the U.S. and Mexico. Mexicans and children traveling alone are exempt from it. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A suburban Indianapolis magistrate facing a drug charge has been suspended by the Indiana Supreme Court and fired by his countys judges. Hamilton County Magistrate Will Greenaway is accused of buying methamphetamine from a state police informant in a Walmart parking lot last Wednesday in Noblesville. Hes also accused of biting an officers thumb while trying to swallow the bag of meth. Greenaway was suspended with pay by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The judges of Hamilton County announced later Tuesday that Greenaway has been fired. Magistrates have the same duties as judges in Indiana but arent elected. They are chosen by judges to work with them. Greenaway had been a magistrate for eight years. Advertisement Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Authorities in North Carolina have filed charges against a man and a woman after investigators determined a 15-year-old girl was kept in a basement and sexually abused for more than a month last summer. News outlets cite Cleveland County court records which say multiple charges were filed against a 57-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman. Kings Mountain Police Chief Lisa Proctor told WCNC-TV in Charlotte that the woman was the teenagers biological mother and that the man was the teens stepfather. Court documents also say a 12-year-old girl was also locked in the basement but was not assaulted. Its not known if either of the suspects has an attorney who could comment. Advertisement Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Police in North Carolina say a gunshot from an upstairs apartment went through the floor and wounded a woman in another apartment below. News outlets report the woman suffered serious injuries when she was shot Saturday night in Durham. A statement from Durham police says she was taken to a hospital. A search warrant says a man came into the living room when he heard a boom, and saw smoke. The woman in the room told him she thought she had been electrocuted. But she was shot in the chest, stomach and right leg. Investigators say an officer found several holes in the ceiling consistent with a shotgun blast. They say the door to the apartment above was unlocked but the unit was empty. Advertisement Police have not identified any suspects. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A vintage plane that went from flying passengers in the 1950s to running drugs in the 1970s visited Times Square on Saturday before its next transformation into a cocktail lounge at the former TWA terminal at Kennedy Airport. The fuselage of the 1958 Lockheed Constellation is spending the weekend in Times Square as part of an upcoming documentary about the redevelopment of Eero Saarinens landmark TWA Flight Center into a hotel. The plane arrived in New York in November from Maine, where it was being restored. It was trucked Friday night from Kennedy Airport to Times Square, where the same model plane was featured in an eight-story billboard in the late 1950s. Advertisement The Constellation, known as Connie, flew for TWA for three years before it was forced into retirement by the Boeing 707. It was later used as an Alaskan bush plane and then was used as a marijuana dropper by South American drug traffickers. The plane was bought last year by MCR/MORSE Development, the developers of the soon-to-open TWA Hotel. MCR CEO Tyler Morse said the vintage plane will serve as a cocktail lounge at the hotel. Were trying to recreate the theater of the hotel and make it a special experience, he said Saturday. The 512-room TWA Hotel is scheduled to open in May and will be the only hotel on the airports grounds. It is intended as an homage to the era when Saarinens gull-winged TWA Flight Center opened in 1962. The terminal closed in 2001 when TWA was acquired by American Airlines. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who joined Morse at an event to welcome the vintage plane to Times Square, said the landmark TWA terminal is going to be a vibrant hotel and conference space, and part of our city again. ___ Associated Press journalist Julie Walker contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Portland, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global data center chip market is estimated to reach $15.64 billion by 2025, from $7.71 billion in 2017, registering a CAGR of 9.4% from 2018 to 2025. The report provides an extensive analysis of key segments, drivers & opportunities, market size & forecasts, key investment pockets, and competitive scenario. Innovations in chip technology, rise in adoption of cloud computing, and favorable government regulations regarding localization of data centers facilitate the growth in the market. However, very high costs of operation restrain the market growth. On the other hand, increase in number of smart computing devices is expected create numerous opportunities in the industry. Request Sample of Data Center Chip Market at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/5144 Based on chip type, the GPU segment held the major market share, accounting for nearly one-third of the total share in 2017. This segment is estimated to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is due to the increase in parallel processing capabilities along with rise in applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) for carrying out large scale data computations. On the other hand, the FPGA segment would register the highest CAGR of 11.2% from 2018 to 2025, owing to rise in adoption across various verticals for its excellent reprogramming functionality. The report also discusses chip types such as CPU, ASIC, and others. Based on regions, North America contributed to nearly two-fifths of the total share in terms of revenue in 2017 and will maintain its dominance by 2025. This is due to rise in technological advancements and investments in research and development activities for data centers. On the other hand, LAMEA is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 12.1% from during the forecast period, 20182025. This is due to increase in demand from emerging economies such as Brazil and Chile and developed economies including South Africa and UAE. The research also discusses Asia-Pacific and Europe. Purchase Enquiry at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/5144 Key market players discussed in the report include Intel Corporation, GlobalFoundries, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Arm Limited (SoftBank Group Corp.), Broadcom, Xilinx, Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., and Nvidia Corporation. They have adopted various strategies including expansion, mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, and others to gain a strong position in the industry and make an international mark. The father of a slain black teenager pleaded for peace Saturday after the acquittal of a white police officer triggered an apparent retaliatory shooting at the defense attorneys office and touched off protests in the streets of Pittsburgh. Police put officers on 12-hour shifts until further notice. The verdict late Friday in the deadly shooting of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II angered his family and civic leaders and prompted hundreds of people to gather Saturday afternoon at an intersection called Freedom Corner in the Hill District neighborhood, the historic center of black cultural life in Pittsburgh. One man held a sign with the names of black men killed by police around the U.S. Its very painful to see what happened, to sit there and deal with it, Roses father, Antwon Rose Sr., told the crowd. I just dont want it to happen to our city no more. Advertisement Afterward, he told reporters: I want peace, period, all the way around. ... Just because there was violence doesnt mean that we counter that with violence. The mostly white crowd then marched through downtown Pittsburgh and other city neighborhoods, periodically blocking streets as they chanted, Who did this? Police did this! The protest soon moved onto the University of Pittsburgh campus. Police reported no immediate arrests or injuries. Early Saturday, five to eight shots were fired into the building where the officers attorney, Patrick Thomassey, works, police in nearby Monroeville said. No one was hurt. Police said they had been staking out the place as a precaution, and the gunfire erupted after they left to answer another call around midnight. Former East Pittsburgh police Officer Michael Rosfeld had been charged with homicide for shooting Rose as the unarmed teenager ran away from a traffic stop in June. Rosfeld testified that he thought Rose or another suspect had a gun pointed at him and that he fired to protect himself and the community. I hope that man never sleeps at night, Roses mother, Michelle Kenney, said of Rosfeld after the verdict, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I hope he gets as much sleep as I do, which is none. Roses family is now pressing ahead with a federal civil rights lawsuit filed against Rosfeld and East Pittsburgh, a small municipality about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Pittsburgh, where the trial was held. Attorney S. Lee Merritt, who represents Roses mother in the litigation, said the verdict was based on Pennsylvania law regarding the use of force that he considers unconstitutional. The protest is an appropriate response to injustice, Merritt said, adding that he believes the state law is why jurors reached their verdict of acquittal. He also called the shots at Rosfelds attorneys office an act of cowardice and barbarism that does nothing but perpetuate the stereotypes often used to justify police brutality. Thomassey told reporters after the verdict that Rosfeld is a good man, he is. The defense attorney said he hopes the city remains calm and everybody takes a deep breath and gets on with their lives. The leaders of two major Pittsburgh charities issued a statement expressing shock and outrage over the verdict. Pittsburgh now sadly joins a disturbing and ever-growing catalogue of cases across the United States where law enforcement or security officials have walked free after the killings of young black men under questionable circumstances, wrote Maxwell King, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation, and Grant Oliphant, president of the Heinz Endowments. We have asked the question, Would Antwon Rose be alive today if he had been white? We, his family and African American community leaders believe that more than likely he would be. Pittsburgh was in the spotlight less than five months ago, when a gunman ranting about Jews killed 11 people at a synagogue. Rose was riding in an unlicensed taxi that had been involved in a drive-by shooting minutes earlier when Rosfeld pulled the car over and shot the teenager in the back, arm and side of the face. Neither Rose nor another teen in the taxi was holding a weapon when the officer opened fire, though two guns were later found in the vehicle. Rosfeld had worked for the East Pittsburgh Police Department for only a few weeks and was sworn in just hours before the shooting. The 12-person jury including three black members saw video of the fatal confrontation. The jury took less than four hours to reach a verdict. Prosecutor Jonathan Fodi argued that the video showed there was no threat to the officer. But a defense expert testified Rosfeld was within his rights to use deadly force to stop suspects he thought had been involved in a shooting. The prosecution did not call its own use-of-force expert, a decision the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania questioned. But Mike Manko, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, said prosecutors were confident they had what they needed to make their case. Shortly before the traffic stop, another person in the taxi, Zaijuan Hester, rolled down a window and shot at two men on the street, hitting one in the abdomen. Hester, 18, pleaded guilty last week to aggravated assault and firearms violations. He said he, not Rose, did the shooting. Prosecutors had charged Rosfeld with an open count of homicide, meaning the jury had the option of convicting him of murder or manslaughter. ___ Associated Press journalists Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania, Ramesh Santanam in Pittsburgh and Keith Srakocic in Pittsburgh contributed to this story. ___ This story has been corrected to show that shots were fired into the lawyers building early Saturday, not early Friday. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Even as floodwaters receded in hard-hit places in in the Midwest, experts warned Saturday that with plenty of snow still left to melt in northern states, the relief may only be temporary. Rainfall and some snowmelt spurred flooding in recent weeks thats blamed in three deaths so far, with two men in Nebraska missing for more than a week. Thousands were forced from their homes in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, as water broke through or poured over levees in the region. The damage is estimated at $3 billion, and that figure is expected to rise. As temperatures start to warm, snowmelt in the Dakotas and Minnesota will escalate, sending more water down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries. Lt. Col. James Startzell, deputy commander of the Corps of Engineers Omaha, Nebraska, district, said even warmer temperatures are possible into next week. He urged people living near rivers to be watchful. Advertisement Bill Brinton, emergency management director for hard-hit Buchanan County, Missouri, which includes St. Josephs 76,000 residents, said his counties and surrounding ones have already been ravaged by flooding. Theres a sense from the National Weather Service that we should expect it to continue to happen into May, Brinton said. With our levee breaches in Atchison and Holt and Buchanan counties, its kind of scary really. A precautionary evacuation involving hundreds of homes in the St. Joseph area was lifted as the Missouri River began a swift decline after unofficially rising to a new all-time high, inches above the 1993 record. St. Joseph was largely spared, but Brinton said 250 homes were flooded in the southern part of Buchanan County. It wasnt clear when residents would be able to get back. When they do, officials say they need to be careful. Contaminants that escaped from flooded farm fields, industrial operations and sewage plants are part of the murky water now saturating homes. In Fremont County, Iowa, homes remain underwater, so it will be some time before residents can return, said county Supervisor Randy Hickey. We dont want them in that water, anyway, Hickey said. Experts also warn that sharp objects broken glass, pieces of metal, pointy sticks and rocks could lurk in muddy debris. Downed or broken power lines also may pose electrocution hazards. On Saturday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said President Donald Trump granted her request for an expedited disaster declaration for 56 counties with flooding damage. The move makes assistance available to homeowners, renters, businesses, public entities and some nonprofit organizations. Another risk is posed by wildlife. Brinton said two people in Buchanan County were bitten by snakes after returning home following flooding in 2011. The Missouri River had yet to crest further downstream in Missouri, but the flooding impact in those areas was expected to be far less severe. In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem activated 13 members of the Army National Guard to help distribute water on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation after floodwaters washed out a county waterline. The guardsmen will provide drinkable water to people in the communities of Red Shirt, Pine Ridge, Porcupine, Evergreen and Wounded Knee. The Guard will set up from a central location in each community until the waterline is fixed. Even the lower Mississippi River was impacted. The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday rescued two boaters from a disabled vessel near New Orleans. Coast Guard officials said the flooding means more debris in the river, and the currents can pull a boat into danger. ___ Associated Press reporter Dave Kolpack in Fargo, North Dakota, contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. With the long-awaited special counsels investigation finished but its contents still shrouded in mystery, Americans waited for details, yawned with boredom or stayed fixed to their long-cemented positions on President Donald Trump, the man at the probes center. For all the expected splash of Robert Muellers report, it arrived with more of a thud, thanks to the secrecy surrounding it. Few saw reason to think it would sway many opinions in a divided republic. Helen Jones, a 72-year-old retired English professor in Salt Lake City, Utah, who is Republican but despises Trump, knows whatever comes out, her relatives who strongly back the president wont budge just as detractors like her wont be convinced he isnt a crook. She sees no simple end in sight. I think its just the beginning, said Jones, a political junkie who called the moment a historic one like Watergate. I hope its a turning point in the Trump presidency. Advertisement Across ideology, many expressed relief Saturday that the investigation was finally over. Now maybe we can move on to better things, said Bubba Metts, a 61-year-old conservative who is a financial adviser in Lexington, South Carolina. Twenty million dollars spent for nothing. Dajah Harris, 21, a college senior at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, is a Democrat and no fan of Trump. But she saw the investigation as a distraction from more important things like homelessness, college debt and welfare programs. The country should never have elected someone, she said, whose background raises such questions. I dont feel that where the country is right now that this is something we should even be discussing, she said. Mueller worked in virtual silence as a stream of charges have flowed forth against 37 people and companies. From the start, with his appointment on May 17, 2017, some have framed his work as a battle of good and evil of biblical proportions. And on the 675th day, Mueller finished his work, and he rested. But nothing immediately changed for those who had watched with bated breath. For Mark Itzen, a 64-year-old social worker from Levittown, Pennsylvania, it was a frustrating reality. The most disturbing thing for me is that we dont know the details, the Democrat said. I thought we have the right to know right off the bat after all this anticipation. Expectations remained high for some sort of explosive revelation, but what exactly it might be remained anyones guess. For liberals who welcomed the investigation with gleeful shouts of Its Mueller Time! and anxiously awaited justice that aligns with their view of Trump as Antichrist, it seemed the endless billows of smoke would surely produce evidence of fire. For conservatives who subscribed to the presidents view of the probe as a witch hunt and dismissed it as the misguided tomfoolery of a bitter opposition whose search for retribution is as loopy as its policies, it seemed certain to bring exoneration to Trump and maybe even a roadmap for future victory by him and his party. Jason Cox, a 51-year-old farmer in Campbellsville, Kentucky, who voted for Trump in 2016 and plans to again next year, saw it the way Trump framed it as a witch hunt. It didnt turn out, it seems to me, the way Democrats wanted, he said. I think Pelosi and Schumer are going to just keep beating and badgering and looking for something. Stanley Twardy, legal adviser to Republicans for the Rule of Law, which worked to protect the Mueller investigation from political interference, said the report wont bring a quick end to anything. Its not like the report will be issued and everybody says, OK, were done now, he said. This is all part of a process. The process will work its way out. This is why our country has stood the test of time. Shaela and Cindy Buchanan were tackling chores Saturday morning at the Lost Sock Laundromat in Wichita, Kansas, when the topic of Mueller was raised. Which one is Mueller? asked Cindy, a 51-year-old manager at a paint company. She doesnt follow politics closely but liked Trump at first. The questions about Russia, though, caused the 51-year-old paint company manager to reconsider. Her 48-year-old wife Shaela, who considers herself a political independent, sees Trump as bought and paid for while regular people live paycheck to paycheck. She doubts Muellers report ultimately does anything to change that. I dont feel it is over once it is released, Shaela Buchanan said. People any more they have suffered to the point they dont have any power it doesnt matter. Peter Malak, a 42-year-old high school civics teacher from northeastern North Carolina, offered similar thoughts. He calls himself a swing voter who tends to lean right. While the media obsess over the Mueller report, he said, most Americans just want to pay their mortgages. The average person just doesnt care, he said, while stopping for a haircut. Your life is going to go on either way, regardless of what the Mueller investigation comes out to be. ___ Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://twitter.com/sedensky ___ Contributing to this report were Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky; Allen Breed in Wake Forest, North Carolina; Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island; Adam Beam in Frankfort, Kentucky; Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City, Utah; Hannah Grabenstein in Little Rock, Arkansas; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas; Sarah Blake Morgan in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Elliott Spagat in Solana Beach, California. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Congressional Democrats plotted strategy Saturday as they awaited the conclusions of Robert Muellers Russia investigation, with senior lawmakers demanding full transparency and preparing for next steps if the results were favorable to President Donald Trump. House Democrats conferenced by phone to share what they knew about the probe and to discuss how to move forward. It was unclear when they would have more information from Attorney General William Barr, who received the report from Mueller on Friday. Barr was on pace to release his first summary on Sunday, people familiar with the process said. In a call with 120 House Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would reject any kind of classified briefing on the report and that he information must be provided to Congress in a way that would allow lawmakers to discuss it publicly. A person on the call described it on condition of anonymity because the session was private. Pelosi told Democrats that the American people deserve the truth, the person said. She has said that Barrs offer to provide Congress with a summary of conclusions was insufficient. Advertisement Six committee chairmen also spoke on the call, reiterating the push for releasing the report and underlying documents. The conclusion of Muellers probe comes as House Democrats have launched several of their own into Trump and his personal and political dealings. And no matter what Mueller concludes, they say there is much more investigating to do. Its the end of the beginning but its not the beginning of the end, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a Saturday conference call, echoing his partys strategy moving forward. Coons also issued a warning for his fellow Democrats, many of whom have pinned astronomical political hopes on Muellers findings: Once we get the principal conclusions of the report, I think its entirely possible that that will be a good day for the president and his core supporters. Democrats have said they have to see the full report from Mueller, including underlying evidence, before they can assess it. Those demands for information are setting up a potential tug of war between Congress and the Trump administration that federal judges might eventually have to referee. Six Democratic committee chairmen wrote in a letter to Barr on Friday that if Mueller has any reason to believe that Trump has engaged in criminal or other serious misconduct, then the Justice Department should not conceal it. The president is not above the law and the need for public faith in our democratic institutions and the rule of law must be the priority, the chairmen wrote. The Democratic leaders asked various agencies including the Justice Department, FBI, National Security Agency, State Department, Treasury Department, CIA, IRS and the White House counsel to preserve the Mueller report, any underlying evidence and all investigatory materials compiled by the special counsel. Its unclear what Mueller has found related to the president, or if any of it would be damning. In his investigation of whether Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia to sway the 2016 election, Mueller has already brought charges against 34 people, including six aides and advisers to the president, and three companies. Lawmakers say they need that underlying evidence including interviews, documents and material turned over to the grand jury because the Justice Department has maintained that a president cannot be indicted and also that derogatory information cannot be released about people who have not been charged. So if the investigation did find evidence incriminating Trump, they may not be able to release it, under their own guidelines. The Democrats say it could be tantamount to a cover-up if the department did not let Congress and the public know what they found. Barr testified at his confirmation hearings that he wants to release as much information as he can about the inquiry. But the departments regulations require only that the attorney general report to Congress that the investigation has concluded and describe or explain any times when he or Rosenstein decided an action Mueller proposed was so inappropriate or unwarranted that it should not be pursued. Barr said Friday there were no such instances where Mueller was thwarted. But anything less than the full report wont be enough for Democrats. If the AG plays any games, we will subpoena the report, ask Mr. Mueller to testify, and take it all to court if necessary, said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y. The people deserve to know. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told CNN on Friday that hes willing to subpoena Mueller and Barr, if needed, to push for disclosure. Though Trump himself has said the report should be made public, its not clear whether the administration would fight subpoenas for testimony or block the transmission of grand jury material. If the administration decides to fight, lawmakers could ask federal courts to step in and enforce a subpoena. A court fight could, in theory, reach the Supreme Court. But few tussles between Congress and the White House get that far. They often are resolved through negotiation. In both the Clinton and Obama administrations, even when talks failed and courts got involved in assessing claims of executive privilege, the White House decided not to take the fight to the high court and complied with lower court rulings against it. The Democrats, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, could also formally ask Mueller to send his committee evidence that could be used in possible impeachment proceedings against Trump, as suggested by Benjamin Wittes, a senior Brookings Institution fellow and editor-in-chief of the Lawfare blog. Thats the course one of Nadlers predecessors followed during Watergate, although an impeachment inquiry against President Richard Nixon had already started by that point. Grand jury material from special counsel Leon Jaworski, provided through the federal judge who presided over the Watergate trials, became the road map that the House committee used to vote for articles of impeachment. Nixon resigned before the full House acted on his impeachment. Pelosi said recently that shes not for impeaching Trump, at least for now. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had reversed his administrations decision to slap new sanctions on North Korea a move that left officials at the Treasury Department and observers across Washington scratching their heads. Trump delivered the news Friday from his private club in Palm Beach, Florida. It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea, he tweeted. I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions! The problem: The Treasury did not announce any new action affecting North Korea on Friday, let alone additional large scale Sanctions. The administration on Thursday did sanction two Chinese shipping companies suspected of helping North Korea evade sanctions but not the country itself. Advertisement So what was Trump referring to? The White House wouldnt say. Press secretary Sarah Sanders issued only a brief statement saying that Trump likes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and doesnt think these sanctions will be necessary. But a person familiar with the action later told The Associated Press that Trumps tweet was not about reversing existing sanctions. Instead, the person said, the president was talking about not going forward with additional large-scale sanctions on North Korea at this time. The person was not authorized to discuss the presidents comments and spoke on condition of anonymity. It was the latest example of the confusion sometimes sparked by Trumps governance-by-tweet, which has often sent agency heads scrambling, trying to figure out what he meant or trying to implement policy proclamations that have not gone through traditional vetting processes. That includes when Trump announced, via tweet, that transgender people would no longer be allowed to serve in the military. Trumps tweet took Treasury officials by surprise and prompted reporters to bombard officials at the White House National Security Council and Treasury Department with questions. All declined to comment. The reversal came a day after the Treasury Department announced the first targeted actions taken against Pyongyang since Trump and Kim met in Hanoi, Vietnam, last month for negotiations about North Koreas nuclear weapons program. The meeting ended without a deal. In addition to Trumps talks with North Korea, the U.S. is knee-deep in delicate trade negotiations with China. Its unclear whether Trumps decision was related to North Koreas move on Friday to abruptly withdraw its staff from a liaison office with South Korea. That development is likely to put a damper on ties between the North and South and further complicate global diplomacy on North Koreas nuclear program. The withdrawal also is seen as a major setback for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has sought to improve relations with North Korea alongside the nuclear negotiations between the North and the United States. North Korea said it was withdrawing its staff under instructions from unspecified higher-level authorities, according to a Unification Ministry statement. It didnt say whether the withdrawal would be temporary or permanent. South Korea called the Norths decision regrettable and urged the North to return its staff to the liaison office soon. When the administration announced the sanctions on Thursday against the Chinese shipping companies, administration officials briefed reporters, saying the sanctions were evidence the U.S. was maintaining pressure on North Korea in an effort to coax its leader to give up his nuclear weapons program. Trumps national security adviser John Bolton called it an Important action, tweeting, The maritime industry must do more to stop North Koreas illicit shipping practices. The Treasury Department sanctioned Dalian Haibo International Freight Co. Ltd. and Liaoning Danxing International Forwarding Co. Ltd. for using deceptive methods to circumvent international and U.S. sanctions and the U.S. commitment to implementing existing U.N. Security Council resolutions. Calls to the two companies rang without response Friday or were answered by people who immediately hung up the phone. The Treasury Department, in coordination with the State Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, also updated a North Korea shipping advisory, adding dozens of vessels thought to be doing ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean tankers or exported North Korean coal in violation of sanctions. Two senior administration officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. policy on North Korea, said that illegal ship-to-ship transfers that violate U.S. and international sanctions have increased and that not all countries, including China, are implementing the restrictions. They said the deceptive practices include disabling or manipulating ship identification systems, repainting the names on vessels and falsifying cargo documents. ___ Colvin reported from Washington. ___ Follow Riechmann and Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/debriechmann and https://twitter.com/colvinj Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A West Virginia motorist going nearly twice the speed limit was detained Wednesday after he threatened to kill President Donald Trump and blow up the Pentagon, state police said. The man was taken into custody following a traffic stop along Interstate 68 in northern West Virginia, state police said in a news release. The statement said a trooper saw a vehicle registered from Missouri clocked at 130 mph (209 kph). The trooper stopped the vehicle near Bruceton Mills and indicated the driver appeared to be confused and distressed and made concerning comments. Police dogs indicated the presence of explosive materials inside the vehicle, but the statement said a search turned up no such devices and the incident remains under investigation. Advertisement The interstate was reopened after nearly four hours. The 42-year-old suspects name wasnt immediately released. The Secret Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and Maryland state police assisted. ___ This story has been corrected to show that no explosive devices were found. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Senate on Tuesday rejected the Green New Deal, with Republicans casting the proposal to reduce dependence on fossil fuels to combat climate change as a far-left idea and with Democrats taking the rare step of voting present on a politically driven vote. The measure failed on a 57-to-0 vote, with all Republicans and four Democrats blocking the resolution. Aiming to avoid an intraparty fight on the issue, 43 Democrats - including those who introduced the Green New Deal - voted present. The vote Tuesday came against the backdrop of historic flooding in the Midwest and repeated warnings, including from agencies in the Trump administration, about the economic and environmental impact of failing to deal with global warming. Yet the vote amounted to a political show vote as President Donald Trump and Republicans deride the Green New Deal, but few in Congress have worked on crafting a bipartisan approach to deal with climate change. Advertisement The broad proposal from freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., envisions the United States achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within a decade while guaranteeing Americans high-paying jobs and high-quality health care. Republicans call it unrealistic and see it as a means to divide Democrats, pitting liberals who have embraced the idea, including some 2020 presidential hopefuls, against moderates from Republican-leaning states. Joining Republicans in voting no were Democratic Sens. Doug Jones of Alabama, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, as well as Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Forcing the vote was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who called the plan a far-left wish list. The proposal addresses the small matter of eliminating the use of all fossil fuels nationwide in a 10-year time frame, McConnell said Tuesday. This might sound like a neat idea in places like San Francisco or New York, the places that the Democratic Party seems totally focused on these days. But communities practically everywhere else would be absolutely crushed. He told reporters at the Capitol that he believes climate change is real and a result of human behavior. But he added, The question is, how do you address it? Democrats have countered by calling McConnells maneuver a sham, saying the vote was held without any hearings or expert testimony, all to scuttle meaningful legislative efforts on climate change. McConnell tried to rush the #GreenNewDeal straight to the floor without a hearing, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. The real question we should be asking: Why does the Senate GOP refuse to hold any major hearings on climate change? The vote was in part intended to put the six Democratic presidential contenders in the Senate on record. But those 2020 hopefuls - all of whom co-sponsored the legislation - voted present on Tuesday, with several decrying the vote as a political game. Combating this crisis first requires the Republican majority to stop denying science and finally admit that climate change is real and humans are the dominant cause, one of the 2020 candidates, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said in a statement. Another presidential contender, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said it is politically savvy to set a seemingly aspirational goal, as President John F. Kennedy did when he called for sending a man to the moon. We dont know if we can get to net-zero carbon emissions in 10 years, but we should certainly try, Gillibrand said at a pro-Green New Deal news conference in front of the Capitol. Why not let this be a measure of how great we are as a nation? Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters Tuesday that McConnells stunt is backfiring and that it was becoming clear that the Republican Party is way behind the times on clean energy. I heard talk here about floods in the Middle West, Schumer said, speaking shortly after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, raised the issue at the Senate GOP news conference. To not do something about climate change when you know your communities are being hurt by it is so badly representing the voters of your state. Later on the Senate floor, Ernst again raised the issue of the severe flooding in Iowa, but she made no mention of climate change in her remarks. A spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what Ernst would like to see done to address the issue. The main Senate sponsor of the Green New Deal, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., was unapologetic about the broad scope of his proposal. It is the national-security, economic, health care and moral issue of our time, he said at Tuesdays press event. But a chorus of detractors, including some Democrats, have argued that the sweeping resolution contained many items only tangentially related to reducing climate-warming emissions or addressing their impacts. Others said the goal of drastically curbing the release of the heat-trapping gases across U.S. electricity, manufacturing, transportation and agricultural sectors within just 10 years is impossible to achieve. Among them is former Colorado governor and 2020 Democratic presidential aspirant John Hickenlooper, who said in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Washington Post that the vision being pushed by Ocasio-Cortez and Markey has laudable aims but also take an approach that limits our prospects for success. The resolution sets unachievable goals, Hickenlooper said. We do not yet have the technology needed to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in 10 years. Thats why many wind and solar companies dont support it. Ernest Moniz, President Barack Obamas energy secretary, has also criticized the idea of an all-renewable energy economy by 2030 as just unrealistic. And putting forward unrealistic goals in my view may impede our progress if it starts to leave behind key constituencies, Moniz said last month on the day the Green New Deal was introduced. A panel of U.N. scientists says the world has about 10 years to rein in emissions and keep the global temperature increase to moderate levels. One irony of the Green New Deal proposal is that it is forcing some Republicans to put forward their own climate proposals after being led by for two years by Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists that humans are warming the world. The Washington Posts Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. First published in The Washington Post. Atty. Gen. William Barr plans to release a version of the final, confidential report from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III on his Russia investigation in the coming weeks, a senior Justice Department official said Tuesday. The White House would not get an advance look at the document, said the official, who was not authorized to speak on the record and requested anonymity. The timetable for reviewing and releasing the report would be relatively quick, the official said: weeks, not months. Barr has been reviewing Muellers report to determine whether any information needs to be withheld to protect continuing investigations or grand jury testimony, which is supposed to be kept confidential. Advertisement He sent Congress a letter on Sunday summarizing what he called the principal conclusions from the investigation that Trumps campaign did not conspire with the Russian government and that Mueller did not make a conclusion on whether the president obstructed justice. The special counsel wrote that while his report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on obstruction, according to Barrs letter. Its unclear whether Barrs timetable or redaction process will satisfy House Democrats. Six committee chairs sent a letter to Barr on Monday demanding a full copy of Muellers report by April 2. They also asked for the underlying evidence gathered by the special counsel so that Congress can make its own determination on the presidents actions. Congress must be permitted to make an independent assessment of the evidence regarding obstruction of justice, they wrote. Barr and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who supervised the special counsels office, have already made their own determination that there was no criminal case to be made on obstruction, a controversial decision that Democrats are eager to probe. Asked on Monday whether the Mueller report should be released, Trump told reporters it was up to the attorney general, but it wouldnt bother me at all. A seated President Trump handed commemorative pens to his wife, daughter and eight others who hovered around his desk, then theatrically held up for the cameras the latest executive order bearing his oversize signature. He had done something that people have wanted presidents to do for a long time, a triumphant Trump told the applauding military families who packed the White House East Room. We will now ensure that you have better access to federal jobs. Yet 11 months later, the four-page document he signed in May did no such thing. The order provided no money, created no policies and added no hiring authority. It merely required federal officials to post notices on their websites and draft reports about an order signed a decade earlier by President George W. Bush, which allowed agencies to waive competitive hiring requirements for military spouses in some circumstances. Advertisement The substance mattered little, however. For a president who relishes pomp and shows of executive action, unchecked by Congress, signing ceremonies have become a hallmark, a way to convey accomplishment for a man who asserts he has done more than any president in history. The Times reviewed 101 executive orders Trump has signed since inauguration day, and interviewed experts, advocates and administration officials about their effects. Many were geared toward favored political constituencies, including veterans, blue-collar workers and evangelical Christians. Few moved policy significantly; generally the orders created committees or task forces, demanded reports or pressed for enforcement of existing laws. Trumps boldest unilateral actions, the ones that have provoked the most vigorous objections to his use of presidential power, were not carried out through executive orders. He did initially sign two executive orders to fulfill his campaign pledge to ban all Muslims from entering the country, but courts struck both down. A third version, revised again to pass court muster, was written as a proclamation; it was upheld by the Supreme Court. Trumps recent effort to circumvent Congress to pay for a southern border wall, now the subject of another court challenge, is based on his Feb. 15 declaration of a national emergency. The presidents executive orders are usually more modest, though Americans wouldnt know it from the ceremonies the White House stages. Many orders seek action from Cabinet secretaries, something Trump could easily accomplish with a phone call. You dont really need an executive order for a lot of this stuff, but it makes for a good show, said Elaine Kamarck, a Clinton administration veteran who is the director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution. He even gives out pens, which is really sort of ridiculous, she added, noting that past presidents reserved that tradition for signing momentous laws like the Civil Rights Act. White House officials argue that Trumps orders focus agency leaders on his priorities and that ultimately some have had broad impact, including the reduction of regulations across the federal government and the expanded availability of less expensive health plans that dont offer a full set of benefits. The formality of a written order, they say, can command attention across government. The question is not whether Trumps rhetoric aligns with the legal language in the orders, the White House said in a written response. Rather, the statement added, its what they have accomplished And theyve done a lot! The Times review shows a different picture. A few of Trumps orders have led to changes in policy. Many, however, have proved more ceremonial than substantive. At least 18 of the 101 orders created new task forces, councils or committees. Among them was an infrastructure council that disbanded within a month; members resigned in 2017 after Trumps qualified criticism of white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Va. He issued two orders related to his unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud: One established a commission, the other disbanded it after bipartisan criticism. At least 12 included language such as encourage or to the extent permitted by law, underscoring the presidents lack of authority to make sweeping change without help from Congress. At least 15 reversed or curtailed Obamas initiatives, notably the orders overturning environmental regulations. Those made for some of Trumps most consequential actions even as they demonstrated a major drawback of executive orders they can fairly easily be undone by a successor. Also, courts have blocked some environmental rollbacks. At least 43 called for agency reports or reviews, including one on historically black colleges and another on retirement savings rules. A few in this category led to significant changes, such as Trumps order sharply shrinking the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah that Presidents Clinton and Obama, respectively, had established. At least five related to members of the military, veterans and their families. Two called for plans and task forces on mental health and suicide among veterans. One established an accountability office at the Department of Veterans Affairs. A fourth purported to create a job training program for veterans to enter the U.S. Merchant Marine, but it duplicated an existing Military to Mariner program. It complements what were doing, Coast Guard Lt. Amy Midgett said. In several cases, Trump has made broad claims about the impact of his executive orders that have proved false. He has repeatedly claimed that two of his orders require American-made steel in federal pipelines. In reality, they simply encouraged federal agencies to choose American companies for the product. The order Trump signed on Inauguration Day, to ease the economic burden of President Obamas healthcare law, was similarly toothless. Yet another told federal education officials to follow existing laws respecting local and state boards independence. Trumps 100th executive order, signed Thursday in an East Room event complete with a string quartet, followed up on a promise he made earlier in the month to a conservative conference, promising to force colleges to support free speech. Trump called it historic and groundbreaking. Experts who read the text afterward said the ultimate impact was uncertain, given that public universities already must follow the 1st Amendment and it simply instructed private colleges to comply with their existing policies. An official who briefed reporters beforehand struggled to explain the order and how the administration would enforce it. Some of the orders seemed to have little purpose. One replaced the White House Rural Council with the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity and two renamed a financial fraud task force and a council on physical fitness. Another one of the five related to the military was the order for employing military spouses that simply promoted an existing program. It demonstrated that, for beneficiaries, executive orders can be a mixed blessing bringing attention to issues but inviting complacency that the issues have been addressed. There was definitely quite a bit of excitement out there about the military spouses order, but what I was personally concerned about was that excitement leading to a check the box mentality, said Jennifer Akin, an applied research analyst for Blue Star Families, a military family advocacy organization. Akin said the order brought needed attention to the issue but failed to address bigger obstacles, such as poor child-care options for military spouses. Another favorite of Trumps are his buy American orders. After signing his first one in April 2017, he claimed at political rallies that it would require the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines to be built with American steel. It did not. The order stated a broad goal and required the Commerce secretary to write a report. Signing a second such order earlier this year, he insisted at a White House ceremony that the first was having an incredible effect on jobs for steel workers. The second order, to encourage agencies to use U.S. products to the extent consistent with law, has had no more impact than the first. I could encourage my kids to go to bed; doesnt mean they will, said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, which represents steel workers and manufacturers. Its highly unlikely that an aspirational statement is going to produce actual jobs. Paul noted that Trump has senior advisors and Cabinet officials who have a record of opposing such requirements, including his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Experts say Trumps inability to stock his administration with experienced officials can diminish the impact of his orders; it takes committed, loyal advisors to oversee the laborious rule-making processes at government agencies. If you want it to actually happen, youve got to have people in the department who know what theyre doing, said Kamarck. Trump is hardly the first president to use executive orders to attempt to bypass Congress. Obama, frustrated by a Republican-controlled Congress obstruction in his final years, famously spoke of his desire to use a pen and phone to bypass Capitol Hill. Yet he seldom held signing ceremonies or made the kind of grand claims Trump has made. Trump and his advisors speak often of his impatience with the legislative process, though he spent his first two years with a Congress run by his own party. After his first 100 days, he boasted that his signed orders were central to his historic accomplishments. At the American Farm Bureau convention in Nashville last year, Trump hailed the millions of hardworking Americans, completely forgotten, and told the excited crowd that he had heard that broadband internet access was a vital concern. Then he pulled out a pen to sign the first step to expand access to broadband internet in rural America so you can compete on a level playing field. The crowd roared. Yet again, the order was modest, directing agencies to review procedures for placing private cell towers on public lands. Christopher Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative, said it has had practically no impact for the tens of millions of Americans who lack broadband. Its not unlike trying to bail out a cruise liner with a pint glass, he said. These executive orders seem to be more about appearing to do something than really do something. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS) OR IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS PRESS RELEASE Aperam S.A. announces the Final Purchase Price in relation to its invitation to holders of its outstanding U.S.$300,000,000 0.625 per cent. Net Share Settled Convertible and/or Exchangeable Bonds due 2021 (ISIN XS1084287322) (the Bonds) convertible into common shares of Aperam S.A. to offer to sell their Bonds pursuant to a fixed price tender offer process Luxembourg, 27 March 2019, 7:15 p.m. CET Aperam S.A. (Aperam or the Purchaser) announces the Final Purchase Price in relation to its invitation to holders of the Bonds (the Bondholders) to offer to sell any and all of their Bonds to the Purchaser for cash. The Purchaser expects to purchase U.S.$137.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Bonds pursuant to the Invitation. The Final Purchase Price has been set at 107.02%, equating to U.S..$214,037 for each U.S.$200,000 in principal amount of the Bonds. The Final Purchase Price was calculated on the basis of a USD VWAP Change of -1.27%, determined in the manner described in the term sheet and initial press release relating to the Invitation. In addition, the Purchaser will pay a cash amount representing accrued but unpaid interest on each U.S.$200,000 in principal amount of the Bonds from (and including) 8 January 2019, being the immediately preceding interest payment date applicable to the Bonds to (but excluding) the Invitation Settlement Date (as defined below) (the Accrued Interest Payment). Based on an expected Invitation Settlement Date of 2 April 2019, the Accrued Interest Payment is expected to be U.S.$291.67. Settlement of the Invitation is expected to occur on 2 April 2019 (the Invitation Settlement Date). The Sole Dealer Manager (as defined below) is acting as Settlement Agent on behalf of the Purchaser. Settlement of the Invitation with investors by the Sole Dealer Manager is contingent on prior receipt by the Sole Dealer Manager of the aggregate purchase funds from the Purchaser. Citigroup Global Markets Limited has acted as Sole Dealer Manager in connection with the Invitation (the Sole Dealer Manager), which was conducted by solicitation of indications from certain Bondholders, in accordance with applicable law, as part of a fixed price tender offer process. Contact details of the Sole Dealer Manager are as follows: Citigroup Global Markets Limited Citigroup Centre 33 Canada Square London E14 5LB United Kingdom Attn: Equity Syndicate Desk Tel: + 44 20 7986 0015 Fax: + 44 20 3364 2134 E-mail: emeaecm.notices@citi.com Attn: Equity-Linked Sales Tel: +44 20 7986 0390 E-mail: gary.sheldon@citi.com About Aperam Aperam is a global player in stainless, electrical and specialty steel, with customers in over 40 countries. The business is organized in three primary operating segments: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions and Alloys & Specialties. Aperam has 2.5 million tonnes of flat Stainless and Electrical steel capacity in Brazil and Europe and is a leader in high value specialty products. Aperam has a highly integrated distribution, processing and services network and a unique capability to produce stainless and specialty from low cost biomass (charcoal). Its industrial network is spread in six production facilities located in Brazil, Belgium and France. In 2018, Aperam had sales of EUR 4,677 million and steel shipments of 1.97 million tonnes. For further information, please refer to our website at www.aperam.com Contact Corporate Communications / Laurent Beauloye: +352 27 36 27 103 Investor Relations / Thorsten Zimmermann: +352 27 36 67 304 Inside information This press release relates to the disclosure of information that qualified, or may have qualified, as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulations. IMPORTANT NOTICE This press release does not constitute an invitation to participate in the Invitation in any jurisdiction and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or otherwise acquire any securities. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by laws and regulations. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required by each of the Purchaser and the Sole Dealer Manager to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. Neither the Sole Dealer Manager nor any of its directors, employees or affiliates makes any representation or recommendation whatsoever regarding this press release or the Invitation. The Sole Dealer Manager is acting on behalf of the Purchaser and no one else in connection with the Invitation and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Sole Dealer Manager, or for providing advice in connection with the Invitation. No person has been authorised to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this press release in connection with the Invitation and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorised by the Purchaser or the Sole Dealer Manager. Neither the delivery of this press release nor any purchase of Bonds pursuant to the Invitation shall, under any circumstances, constitute a representation or create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the Purchaser since the date of this press release or that the information contained in this press release is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of this press release. Subject to applicable laws, the Purchaser and its affiliates may at any time and from time to time, following completion of the Invitation, purchase remaining outstanding Bonds by tender, in the open market or by private agreement, or redeem the Bonds by exercising the call option under the terms and conditions of the Bonds, in each case, on such terms and at such prices as the Purchaser or its affiliates may determine. Such terms, consideration and prices may be more or less favourable than those offered pursuant to the Invitation. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proxy , a startup dedicated to empowering all people with a universal identity signal, announced today that it has raised $13.6M in Series A funding in a round led by Kleiner Perkins with participation from WeWork, Y Combinator, Coatue Management and leading industry executives. This brings Proxys total funding to $16.6M to date. With this announcement, Proxy comes out of stealth to launch Proxy Signal , a smartphone-powered universal identity signal that brings frictionless access and personalized experiences into todays rapidly changing workplace. Today people must use a multitude of keys, cards, badges, apps, and passwords to gain access to the buildings, devices, and services they frequently use. Proxy is changing the way people interact with the things they use every day by giving them one secure and privacy-driven universal identity signal, called their Proxy Signal, that is emitted from their smartphone, works everywhere, and goes beyond access to enable responsive environments. There are 20 billion connected devices and 7.5 billion humans on earth. We believe Proxy Signals are the future of how everyone will securely authenticate and interact with everything in the physical world, said Proxy CEO and co-founder, Denis Mars. To achieve this, we created an entirely new identity protocol over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) that represents humans in the physical world via their smartphones. Proxys initial product line provides people with mobile access throughout commercial buildings and the workplace for instance, secured doors, elevators and turnstiles. Proxy is already in use by more than 50 companies driven by an urgent demand for eliminating keycards, badges, visitor passes, ID cards and QR codes. A recent survey of office workers found that about half must take out their keycard or fob at least five times a day at the office, and about one in five has lost their keycard at least once in the last year - creating security concerns and significant administrative overhead for security teams that Proxy resolves. The big idea behind Proxy that people can use a secure, universally accepted digital identity signal on their smartphone to access important things in the physical world is incredibly timely and exciting, and its what attracted us to invest in the company, said Wen Hsieh, General Partner at Kleiner Perkins. Proxys initial physical access market is large and untapped, and the applicability of the technology to other verticals is obvious. There is tremendous potential here, and my partners and I are excited to back this team. We developed this technology to create the kind of frictionless world we ourselves want to live in: one where technology empowers us and then gets out of the way, said Mars. Weve seen what happens in the online world where technology is designed to track us and own our attention, so we think its important to offer a privacy-driven way to own and empower your identity as the digital and physical worlds merge. Earlier this year, Proxy partnered with WeWork to implement Proxy Signal at the companys headquarters in New York and San Francisco, helping provide WeWork employees with seamless access to their workspace. At WeWork, we use technology to connect our member communities and our employees around the world, said Jack Krawczyk, VP of Product Management at WeWork. Proxy has developed an innovative product that enables us to explore new ways to more seamlessly connect our members with their workspaces, and we look forward to supporting them in their journey." Another early Proxy customer is Dropbox, which wanted a better way to enable frictionless access at its San Francisco headquarters. With Proxy, we can give our employees, contractors, and visitors a seamless smartphone-enabled access experience they love, while actually bolstering security, said Christopher Bauer, Physical Security Systems Architect at Dropbox. How Proxy works Proxy employs its patented tokenized access engine and universal identity protocol built on top of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to enable any smartphone or wearable to passively and securely emit a signal that represents the user. People create their Proxy identity within the Proxy ID app and then activate their Proxy Signal. Users own their identity and personal data and have complete control of the devices that can interact with their Proxy Signal. Users must opt-in and explicitly grant permissions to any device, product or organization they connect with, ensuring the user always has full visibility and control over how their signal is being used in real time. Proxys frictionless workplace solution is available immediately. The Proxy ID app can be downloaded on the iOS App Store and Google Play, and the full line of Proxy mobile readers for buildings and workplaces can be viewed and purchased at proxy.com . Proxy also publishes a comprehensive set of APIs and SDKs , enabling all products and devices to join the Proxy network to serve people in new and exciting ways. The company is continuously expanding its building and workplace offerings, enabling responsive environments with context-aware capabilities such as automatic visitor check-ins, smart meeting room booking, responsive desks and workstations, and seamless conference activation, while also developing innovative, identity-empowered solutions for other markets. About Kleiner Perkins For five decades, Kleiner Perkins has partnered with some of the most ingenious founders in technology, helping them make history with their bold ideas. Through twenty venture funds and four growth funds, weve invested $10 billion in hundreds of companies including pioneers such as Amazon, Genentech, and Google. Today, Kleiner Perkins continues to invest in founders and their bold ideas helping them to make history. For more information, visit www.kleinerperkins.com and follow us on Twitter @kleinerperkins . About Proxy Proxy is on a mission to empower every person on the planet with a unique identity signal they own and control. The signal, emitted from a smartphone, allows people to securely authenticate to any device or service, similar to a universal single-sign on for the physical world. Today, large enterprises like WeWork, Dropbox, and Hines enable their employees, contractors, visitors, and tenants to use their Proxy for frictionless access through secured doors, elevators, and turnstiles, and to create personalized experiences throughout the workplace. With Proxy, users own their identity and have complete control over their privacy and personal data. Learn more at www.proxy.com and follow us on Twitter @proxy . Media contact: Michelle Faulkner +1 617-510-6998 michelle@big-swing.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33e704f6-1d5d-4e55-95ab-11df6fa8eae6 BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. A Ballston Spa man was arrested for driving while intoxicated, unlicensed operation, and multiple vehicle and traffic infractions. John F. Bond, 40, was arrested on March 24 by State Police who were called to check on a suspicious vehicle just before midnight on Graves Road in the Town of Galway on Saturday. When they arrived, they found John Bond in a running vehicle, parked in the road. Troopers interviewed Bond, who exhibited signs of intoxication. Bond failed the standardized field sobriety tests, was placed in custody, and transported to State Police in Saratoga. He provided a breath sample with a blood alcohol content of .16 percent. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated due to a previous alcohol related conviction, and aggravated unlicensed operation first degree, due to a prior license revocation for a previous alcohol related conviction. Bond was arraigned and remanded to Saratoga County Jail without bail. He is due back in Galway Town Court on a later date. MALTA, N.Y. A Cohoes man was arrested for stalking and harassing a female victim at her place of work and by cellphone. William J. Wurzburg, 30, was arrested on March 21 and charged by State Police in Saratoga with stalking fourth degree and aggravated harassment second degree. On March 20 troopers received a complaint from a female victim that she was being harassed by Wurzburg. The victim stated that Wurzburg had called her cellphone over 40 times, and had shown up where she is employed after being instructed by the business owner to stay away. Wurzburg turned himself in to police the following day and was charged and subsequently arraigned in Malta Town Court. He was released on his own recognizance, and is due back in court on a later date. More than a decade of research on the mda-7/IL-24 gene has shown that it helps to suppress a majority of cancer types, and now scientists are focusing on how the gene drives this process by influencing microRNAs. Published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the findings could potentially have implications beyond cancer for a variety of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases caused by the same microRNA-driven processes. The study was led by Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., F.N.A.I., Thelma Newmeyer Corman Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center, chairman of the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics at VCU School of Medicine and director of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM). The mda-7/IL-24 gene was originally discovered by Fisher, and he and his colleagues have since published a number of studies detailing how the gene can suppress cancer by directly influencing two important mediators of cell death known as apoptosis and toxic autophagy. They have also been developing mda-7/IL-24 viral gene therapies, purified protein treatments and T-cell-delivered therapies that take advantage of these processes to selectively kill cancer cells. "MicroRNAs play decisive roles in a variety of diseases, including cancer. This study shows for the first time how mda-7/IL-24 influences an enzyme critical to microRNA processing, and it provides exciting clues as to how this process could be targeted therapeutically," says Fisher. The researchers showed that mda-7/IL-24 reduces the expression of an enzyme called DICER, and this effect occurs only in cancer cells. DICER works to process microRNAs for specific cellular functions. In experiments involving prostate, breast and brain cancer cell lines and mouse models, overexpression of DICER was shown to rescue cancer cells from mda-7/IL-24-mediated cell death. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) was found to be a key mediator in this process. MITF regulates cellular responses to reactive oxygen species (ROS), a natural byproduct of the normal metabolism of oxygen and an important component in cell signaling. In times of cellular stress, ROS levels can increase dramatically and contribute to the development of disease. The scientists showed for the first time that mda-7/IL-24 down-regulates MITF, which, in turn, down-regulates DICER, the target of MITF. Previous experiments showed a potent bystander effect where mda-7/IL-24 not only killed cancer cells at the primary tumor site but also in distant secondary tumors not directly targeted by the therapy. The bystander effect is mediated, at least in part, by the potent immune activating and anti-growth properties of mda-7/IL-24. These findings help explain why this bystander effect occurs. "This is an exciting and previously unknown link between mda-7/IL-24 and ROS/MITF/DICER that we plan to continue exploring," says Fisher. "This research may open up new therapeutic targets, and monitoring the levels of these components could provide important biomarkers to help inform the effectiveness of mda-7/IL-24-based therapies." The present studies involve a close collaboration with Webster K. Cavenee, Ph.D., university professor at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California San Diego. Fisher also collaborated on this research with Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., associate director for education and training, Harrison Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Cancer Research and member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center, professor in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics at the VCU School of Medicine and associate scientific director of cancer therapeutics at VIMM; Swadesh K. Das, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at Massey, VIMM member and assistant professor in the VCU Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; Luni Emdad, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., member of the Massey Cancer Molecular Genetics research program, VIMM member and assistant professor in the VCU Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; Anjan K. Pradhan, Ph.D., lead postdoctoral investigator, Praveen Bhoopathi, Ph.D., and Sarmistha Talukdar, Ph.D., all postdoctoral research scientists in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; and Danielle Scheunemann, M.S. student in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics. This study was supported in part by VCU Massey Cancer Center's National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA016059, the National Foundation for Cancer Research, the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine and the Genetics Enhancement Fund. Support was also provided by a Sponsored Research Agreement from InterLeukin Combinatorial Therapies to Emdad. Duckweeds -- for many aquatic animals like ducks and snails, a treat, but for pond owners, sometimes a thorn in the side. The tiny and fast-growing plants are of great interest to researchers, and not at least because of their industrial applications -- for example, to purify wastewater or generate energy. An international research team from Munster, Jena (both Germany), Zurich (Switzerland) and Kerala (India) has recently studied the genomics of the giant duckweed. They discovered that genetic diversity, i.e. the total number of genetic characteristics that are different among individuals, is very low. "This is remarkable given that their population size is very large -- there can, for example, be millions of individuals in a single pond," says Shuqing Xu, professor for plant evolutionary ecology at the University of Munster and lead author of the study. To understand the reason behind this mystery, a team of plant researchers headed by Dr. Meret Huber from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena and the University of Munster measured the mutation rate of this duckweed under outdoor conditions, i.e. how many mutations accumulate per generation. The result: low genetic diversity in this plant was accompanied by an extremely low mutation rate. "Our study emphasizes that accurate estimates of mutation rates are important for explaining patterns of genetic diversity among species," says Meret Huber. The results are not only relevant for future studies on the evolution of plants, including many crops that have similar reproductive strategies like duckweeds, they will also accelerate the use of duckweeds both for basic research and industrial applications. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications. Background Although mutations are the raw materials for evolutionary changes, they are often accompanied by fitness impairments. Evolutionary researchers have hypothesized that natural selection in species with large populations drives the mutation rate to as low as possible. According to this hypothesis, a species with a very large population size may under certain conditions evolve an extremely low mutation rate -- which in turn can result in a very low genetic diversity. Until now, however, scientists had not been able to show this connection in eukaryotes, i.e. organisms whose cells have a nucleus. One reason for this is that mutation rates are difficult to measure experimentally. The researchers took samples of the giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) from 68 waterbodies distributed all over the world and read the DNA sequences of their entire genomes. They found that in congruence with their geographic origin the samples fall into four genetic clusters: America, Europe, India and Southeast Asia. Based on the genome sequence information, they found that the genetic diversity of the species is among the lowest values reported in multicellular eukaryotes. Because genetic diversity is determined by mutation rate and effective population size, the scientists then experimentally estimated the mutation rates and calculated effective population size. Since external conditions can influence the mutation rate, they performed the experiments under outdoor conditions. The result: by sequencing genomes, they found that the mutation rate in the giant duckweed was the lowest ever determined for multicellular eukaryotes. The estimated effective population size, as expected, is rather large. The researchers suspect that the enormous population size of the giant duckweed, and therefore the large possibilities of selection in the course of evolution, has led to the reduction of mutations to a minimum. This in turn can explain the low genetic diversity. "Our study provides new insights into why and how genetic diversity differs among different species," says Shuqing Xu. Together with their collaborators, the scientists are currently working on analyzing genomes of even more duckweed samples and plan to carry out outdoor selection experiments. They wish to discover which other factors might have played roles in shaping the evolution of this plant. While many of the poor are burdened with debt, helping them financially is controversial because their debts are often believed to result from bad habits. A new study by the Social Service Research Centre (SSR) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) demonstrates that reducing the number of debt accounts lowers the mental burden of the poor, thereby improving psychological and cognitive performance. This enables better decision-making. Hence, poverty interventions should be structured to improve psychological and cognitive functioning in addition to addressing the financial needs of the poor. The study was jointly authored by researchers from NUS and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). A field study was conducted between January 2015 and August 2017 by Dr Ong Qiyan and Associate Professor Irene Ng from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, together with Associate Professor Walter Theseira from SUSS School of Business. The research findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Easing the debt burden of low-income individuals Dr Ong explained, "One challenge with poverty alleviation policies is the bedrock belief that the poor are indebted because of personal failings. Under this view, those who are trapped in poverty are believed to be lacking in desirable qualities such as motivation and talent that most of the Singapore population possess and value. However, our study shows that because debt impairs psychological functioning and decision-making, it would be extremely challenging for even the motivated and talented to escape poverty. Instead, the poor must either have exceptional qualities or be exceptionally lucky to get out of poverty. It is hard to be poor, harder than we thought." The study involved 196 chronically indebted low-income individuals who benefitted from the Getting Out of Debt (GOOD) programme managed by Singapore-based charity Methodist Welfare Services. This is a one-off debt relief programme for households with monthly per capita income of less than S$1,500 and had outstanding chronic debts owed for at least six months. Such debts included mortgage or rental, utilities, town council taxes, telco bills, and hire purchase debts. Before debt relief, the average monthly household income per capita of the participants was S$364. advertisement The research team designed a comprehensive household financial survey that measures anxiety and cognitive functioning as well as financial decision-making of the participants. The survey was conducted before the participants received the debt relief and three months after debt relief. Positive effects of debt relief The study, which is the first of its kind, found that the participants had experienced less anxiety and improved cognitive functioning, and they could make better financial decisions three months after receiving debt relief. Between two participants receiving the same amount of debt relief, the participant with more debt accounts eliminated showed more psychological and cognitive improvements. These findings confirm that being chronically in debt impairs psychological functioning and decision-making. The findings also imply that people view each debt as a separate "mental account" and being "in the red" in many debt accounts is psychologically painful. Thus, thinking about these accounts consumes mental resources, increases anxiety and worsens cognitive performance. This psychological impact may prevent the poor from making the right decisions to get out of poverty, further contributing to the poverty trap. Assoc Prof Theseira highlighted that there are differences in how the poor and the non-poor manage their debts and that the poor needs more assistance. He said, "Although our study is based on the poor, many non-poor Singaporeans also have debts. Why are some people able to handle debts easily, while others find them stressful and taxing? One difference is that the non-poor have the financial resources to manage their debts conveniently and at low cost. We think nothing of consolidating our bills on a credit card and paying it automatically. We know that we have enough savings to be able to afford an unexpected expense or occasional splurge. So we have a lot of resilience to life's ups and downs that the poor simply do not. Hence, we should not assume that just because we find it easy to manage debt, we could do the same if we were poor. Our debt mental accounting costs are simply lower than the poor." Actionable evidence to alleviate poverty advertisement Assoc Prof Ng concluded, "The findings in this study opens a pragmatic case for designing good debt relief programmes for low-income households. Firstly, they help. In fact, not helping low-income households with debt is counter-productive because not doing so leaves them in suboptimal functioning and high anxiety. Secondly, the design of the intervention is key. As it is the pile up of debt accounts (more than the amount of debt) that affects functioning, interventions should focus on decreasing the mental load on low-income households, whose minds are already highly stressed." The researchers suggest that policy interventions that streamline debts would significantly improve cognitive and psychological functioning, and reduce counterproductive behaviour. For instance, restructuring or consolidating debt could be a more sustainable policy as it is less costly and more effective than simply clearing debt. More generally, poverty alleviation interventions should target and reduce the factors that contribute to the mental burdens of the poor. The researchers are now examining the longer term effects of debt relief and are applying the insights from the study to find innovative solutions that may help the poor. This research project exemplifies what the NUS SSR aims to achieve -- policy relevant research that collaborates with the social service community to find solutions for Singapore's social needs. The research team extends its appreciation to Methodist Welfare Services and participating agencies for their contribution to this important study. Parents may often feel like they are not "on the same wavelength" as their kids. But it turns out that, at least for babies, their brainwaves literally sync with their moms when they are learning from them about their social environment. In a new study being presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society's (CNS) annual meeting in San Francisco this week, researchers found that how well babies' neural activity syncs with their moms' predicts how well they learn social cues about new toys. "Despite the fact that this is such a powerful learning mechanism, surprisingly little is known about how the human brain performs social learning," says Victoria Leong, of the University of Cambridge. "When we connect neurally with others, we are opening ourselves to receiving information and influence from others." In a body of new work being presented at the CNS meeting, cognitive neuroscientists are starting to shed light on the social brain and new ways to study it. "We're this massively social species and yet the field of neuroscience has focused on the brain in isolation," says Thalia Wheatley of Dartmouth College, who is chairing a symposium on the topic at CNS. "There's this huge gap in knowledge about how our brains work in concert with other minds." Dissatisfied by the classical neuroimaging studies that put people in dark, loud, and isolated brain scanning machines to understand the human mind, Wheatley is working to come up with new methods to understand how brains behave in a social context. Social brains interact like a dance, Wheatley and Leong say, where partners take their own steps but move in concert, continuously adjusting and adapting. At the CNS meeting, scientists presented work on the mother-infant and other social connections, as well as how even fruit flies have vivid social lives that require a new neural understanding. The mother-baby connection "There is no substitute for being physically present and in the moment to connect with an infant." That's the key message to come out of the new work by Leong and colleagues. advertisement In the study, her team looked at how mothers' emotional responses toward novel toys affected their infants' decisions to interact with the toys. Infants wearing wireless EEG technology would watch their mothers, who were also wearing wireless EEG, show either a positive emotion -- e.g. smiling and saying "I like this" -- or a negative emotion toward an object -- e.g. frowning and saying "I don't like this." The babies would then choose which object to play with. The researchers analyzed whether the level of "neural synchrony" between the mother and infant predicted how the infant would respond to a toy. "We found that stronger neural synchrony predicted a higher likelihood of social learning by the infant," Leong says. Neural synchrony is when brainwaves from two people follow predictable patterns with respect to each other. The researchers found that social signals like eye contact were associated with increased synchrony and improved social learning, though Leong says that there is still much work to be done in teasing apart exactly what leads to the neural synchrony. Conducting EEG work with infants is challenging, Leong says, but rewarding. If they are ready and interested in the task, that resulting data is "like pure nectar. You feel like you've been granted exclusive backstage access to one of the most exciting reality shows on the planet," Leong says. "But on the other hand, if they are having a tummy ache, or are teething, or would just rather be left alone, this sentiment is expressed loudly, firmly, and with escalating urgency until the nice lady who is trying to put on a funny hat with wires retreats into a corner." For Leong, the work has wide significance for classroom learning, social bonding, and developmental disorders. "I am interested in understanding what happens when parents or children fail to synchronize with each other, which may occur in certain mental health difficulties and developmental disorders, and the impact that this might have on learning and development in the longer term," she explains. Common bonds "The overarching goal of the symposium is to show that we and other species are social and there's something really important about looking at a brain in its social context," says Thalia Wheatley of Dartmouth. "We can't fully understand the human mind or any other social mind without understanding what happens in interaction." advertisement While humans are an undisputedly social species, a growing amount of research is also showing sociality in unexpected species. "Most people don't think of fruit flies, for example, as being social at all," Wheatley says. But, as Giovanni Bosco, also of Dartmouth College, will present at CNS, fruit flies communicate with each other with their wing patterns, and understanding their communication is key to understanding them. "Many fruit fly behavioral paradigms need to be revisited given our new appreciation of how social these animals are," Bosco says, because fruit flies used in research are raised in isolation and then do not behave as they would in nature. Simple strategies like co-housing them quickly changes their communication and behavior. New methods are needed to better understand the social mind across species, Wheatley says. Indeed, says Leong, understanding interpersonal neural signals is "a new frontier that is ripe for exploration." Wheatley is currently working on a new method that allows people in fMRI scanners to talk to each other at the same time across different sites. "We are excited about creating new tools that will open up new ways to study the brain in interaction." The symposium "An Emerging Neuroscience of Social Connectedness" is taking place at the CNS annual meeting in San Francisco. In the lush, lowland rainforests on the island of Borneo lives a rather common, drab brown bird called the Cream-vented Bulbul, or Pycnonotus simplex. This bird is found from southern Thailand to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. In most of its range, it has white eyes. On Borneo, however, most individuals have red eyes, although there are also a few with white eyes. For 100 years, naturalists have thought the eye-color difference on Borneo was a trivial matter of individual variation. Through persistent detective work and advances in genetic sequencing technology, Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science researchers have discovered that the white-eyed individuals of Borneo in fact represent a completely new species. Their discovery of the Cream-eyed Bulbul, or Pycnonotus pseudosimplex, was published recently in the scientific journal, the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. "One of the reasons we knew we had a new species as opposed to just a variant of another species was because the two populations -- the red-eyed and white-eyed populations -- actually occur together on Borneo. You can go to a site and see both of these birds. One of the theories of speciation is if two birds co-occur in the same area, and they are not interbreeding, then that's a definitive sign that they are different species," said Subir Shakya, lead author and LSU Department of Biological Sciences Ph.D. student. Shakya made the discovery after he had returned to LSU from an expedition to Sumatra. Back at LSU, he was sequencing the DNA of several bird specimens from Sumatra and comparing them to specimens from other sites in the region to determine the degree of genetic relatedness of various species from the different islands and the mainland of Asia, which is a common practice after returning from fieldwork. Several bulbuls from Borneo and the surrounding region were among the specimens he compared; however, the white-eyed Cream-vented Bulbuls from Borneo appeared genetically distinct from all the other white-eyed and red-eyed Cream-vented Bulbuls he examined. Further work to understand this discrepancy led to the conclusion that the white-eyed birds from Borneo were in fact a new species. "We had found white-eyed individuals of the bulbul in old-growth hill forest in Crocker Range National Park in 2008 and in Lambir Hills National Park in 2013; and a group from the Smithsonian found them in Batang Ai National Park in 2018. All of these areas are in Malaysian Borneo," said co-author Fred Sheldon, the LSU Museum of Natural Science curator of genetic resources and Shakya's Ph.D. advisor. Specimens are preserved at the LSU Museum of Natural Science, which houses the world's largest collection of genetic samples of birds from Borneo and Sumatra as well as the Smithsonian and University of Kansas Museum. White-eyed and red-eyed individuals look almost exactly the same, except for eye color. "This discovery was made due to Subir's dogged detective work, and a little serendipity," Sheldon said. BROSSARD, Quebec, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIAGNOS Inc. (DIAGNOS or the Corporation) (TSX Venture: ADK), (OTCQB: DGNOF), a leader in early detection of critical health issues through the use of its proprietary FLAIRE platform based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), announces an update to provide more details with regards to the news release issued earlier today for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between one hospital in the US (the Partner) and DIAGNOS. Memorandum of understanding Main terms: Date of signature: March 22, 2019 Partner and DIAGNOS (each a Party) agree to negotiate, in good faith, a specific agreement for establishing cooperative development and marketing effort for; any required development and inter-operability testing of CARDIO the granting of access to each Partys facilities the co-marketing of CARDIO DIAGNOS expects to sign a definitive agreement with Partner within 45 days from the date of this news release. CARDIO CARDIO is a software application, currently under development, to assist the health professionals in predicting the risk of a patient having a stroke or other conditions that may lead to a stroke. CARDIO was first announced in a press release dated September 19, 2017. DIAGNOS foresees full commercial deployment of CARDIO within six to twelve months from the date of this news release. About DIAGNOS DIAGNOS is a publicly-traded Canadian corporation with a mission of early detection of critical health issues through the use of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool CARA (Computer Assisted Retina Analysis). CARA is a tele-ophthalmology platform that integrates with existing equipment (hardware and software) and processes at the point of care. CARAs Artificial Intelligence image enhancement algorithms make standard retinal images sharper, clearer and easier to read. CARA is accessible securely over the internet, and is compatible with all recognized image formats and brands of fundus cameras, and is EMR compatible. CARA is a cost-effective tool for screening large numbers of patients in real-time. CARA complies with local regulations, is FDA cleared for commercialization in the United States of America, is Health Canada licensed for commercialization in Canada and is CE marking compliant in Europe. Additional information is available at www.diagnos.com and www.sedar.com For further information, please contact: Mr. Andre Larente, President DIAGNOS Inc. Tel: 450-678-8882 ext. 224 alarente@diagnos.ca This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Opening reception Wednesday April 24, 6:00 -7:30 pm Artist will be present all are welcome TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Textile Museum of Canada is pleased to present Balancing Acts, a new exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Nadia Myre. Balancing Acts is a selection of artwork made over the last ten years and marks Myres first major solo exhibition in Toronto. This exhibition is a Primary Exhibition of the 2019 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. Nadia Myre is a Montreal-based artist of mixed Algonquin and French Canadian heritage. A member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg First Nation, she draws attention to the power and histories of Indigenous textile practices that she situates in a colonial context. Throughout her 25-year career, Myres hallmark multidisciplinary methodology has honoured a range of media that actively, yet subtly, engage with the material and the non-material. Through beadwork, textiles, photography, audio, video, and sculpture, she balances ancestral and contemporary methods of working. We are delighted to be working with an artist of such significance at this time in history, said Sarah Quinton, Curatorial Director. Nadia Myres provocative work considers the cultural and political importance of making by hand alongside the urgencies of caring for one another. She asks us to consider our connections to the environment and to relationships that shape the way we live today. Balancing Acts speaks to pressing issues of cultural production and loss: a massive red netted textile structure from 2019 flags troubled relationships to our environment; and a collection of black-and-white loom-woven beadwork is a graphic interpretation of the sharper, darker edges of human scars and healing. Her wallpaper print, Contact in Monochrome (Toile de Jouy) (2018) is a jumble of colonial and Indigenous motifs: 19th-century European beaver-pelt top hats, imposing architecture, tobacco leaves, wigwams, and birch bark canoes all acknowledge intercultural histories. Nadia Myre explores the politics of belonging by positioning her practice through a poetic, feminist backdrop of craft, care, and resilience. Nadia Myre: Balancing Acts is organized by the Textile Museum of Canada and is generously supported by presenting sponsor BMO Financial Group. Nadia Myre (b. 1974) is a Montreal-based interdisciplinary artist of mixed Algonquin and French-Canadian heritage. A member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg First Nation, her work explores the politics of belonging by positioning her practice within a framework of resistance and resilience. She is the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Art Practices at Concordia University, Montreal. Myre is the recipient of numerous commissions and awards, and her work appears in publications such as ArtForum, Art Journal, ArtNews, Canadian Art, Esse, ETC, Le Monde, New York Times, Parachute, Spirale, and the Washington Post. Media Inquiries Caitlin Donnelly, Communications Coordinator 416-599-5321 x2239 or cdonnelly@textilemuseum.ca Zile Liepins, Communications & Design Coordinator 416-599-5321 x2239 or zliepins@textilemuseum.ca High-resolution images: textilemuseum.wordpress.com French English Bollene, March 27th, 2019 - 8:30pm (CET) 2018 Results 2018 turnover: 31.7m (+2.7% YoY), stable on a comparable basis (+0.2%) 2018 EBITDA: 0.67m (+67.5% YoY) vs 0.40m in 2017 A good overall yearly performance for Egide USA Continuously tough environment for Egide SA, due to persistent volume issues, leading to an asset depreciation of 0.94m resulting from an impairment test The group expects overall growth in 2019 driven by the US business units Management is studying an action plan to reorganize Egide SA and to consolidate the US units The results presented below are unaudited consolidated financial statements for 2018 but reviewed by the Audit Committee on March 26, 2019; certification of accounts is expected in the coming weeks. In million Euros, IFRS FY 2017 FY 2018 Revenue 30.89 31.74 EBITDA +0.40 +0.67 Operating Result (0.82) (1.53) Financial Result (0.75) (0.65) Net result before tax (1,58) (2.17) Differed tax / tax +1.21 (0.11) Net result (0.37) (2.28) Consolidated financials 2018 revenue Egide Group's unaudited consolidated revenue grew by 2.7% to 31.74 million in 2018. On a like-for-like basis and constant currency effects, revenue in 2018 was stable (+0.2%). Sales of US entities now represent 55% of the group's total turnover. Egide USA's HTCC ceramic product sales have contributed positively to the overall growth of the Group in 2018 with over $1.4 million added during the year (combined sales of Egide USA and Santier's orders manufactured at Cambridge). For information, the average euro / dollar parity in 2018 was 1.18143 against 1.12929 in 2017 RESULTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018 In 2018, the rate of consumption of raw material and supplies slightly decreased, to 39% of revenue vs 40% in 2017. This gain is the result of the improving of yield and productivity metrics at all three units. Staff costs remain at 43% of the revenue and fixed costs are at the same level than in 2017. R&D expenditures amounting to 1.0 M (same than 2017) were fully expensed in the period. Some non-recurring items have been recorded in 2017 and in 2018 for about 0.40M. The persistent volume issues at Egide SA led to realize an impairment test of the assets of the unit, the result being a depreciation of 0.94 M. The operating loss (before this depreciation) has been reduced by almost 30% and the positive Ebitda has increased by more than 67%. The financial expenses are mainly interest on loans, with a currency exchange in 2017. Then, the net loss before depreciation of assets and tax in 2018 is down by 20% compare to last year. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018ic ASSETS LIABILITIES Fixed assets 7.14 Equity 10.96 Differed tax asset 1.19 Accruals 0.73 Inventory, AR and other assets 12.73 Financial debt (+/- 1 year) 6.93 Cash 2.36 AP and other debt 4.80 TOTAL 23.42 TOTAL 23.42 The distribution of the fixed assets is: 1.22M of intangible (attached to Santier), 5.44M of tangible (land and building of Egide USA, HTTC ceramic installation and all other production equipment of the three units) and 0.48M of financial assets (rent deposits). Long-term financial debt amounts 4.36M and represents loans with Pacific Mercantile Bank (3.48M - Egide USA and Santier), Sofired (0.36M - Egide SA) and simple bond with Vatel (0.48M). The short-term debt (2.57M) is mainly due to the factoring (1.8M - Egide SA). The working capital requirement amounts to 85 days of turnover (excluding tax receivables). 2019 OUTLOOK MARKET As the US defence sector, Asia and Israel are considered as growth markets in 2019. The market in Europe will continue to face difficulties and a complex geopolitical environment, especially regarding China-US relations. The European defence sector will also be affected by stricter enforcement of export rules. Moreover, we observe less long-term visibility for major programs (8 to 12 weeks max) despite positive trends in underlying markets. However, positive trends and market share gains are expected in selected sub-markets: Thermal imaging (+6.6% CAGR 2018-2020) Light Amplification (complementary to infrared) Thermal Batteries (defence applications) The group will also develop new processes for new market applications as Microwave, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), Auto lidar or Resources exploration. OPERATIONS The group will continue to improve its operational metrics at all 3 facilities for On-time delivery, Yields and Productivity and intends to develop new technologies such as 3D printing capabilities (with a third party). Egide USA is expecting a stronger ceramic backlog to support the expected growth in HTCC in 2019 and inter-company transfers will increase in 2019, especially concerning HTCC ceramic, thermal heatsinks materials and machined components. Jim Collins, Chairman and CEO, comments: "We anticipate the first semester will be impacted by the softness of the thermal imaging business which will adversely affect the revenue of Egide SA. At the same time, we expect sequential improvement in the second half driven by continuous improvement of the US operations and a return to the revenue level for Egide SA back to H1 2018. Therefore, the group anticipates overall growth in 2019. The 2018 performance is significantly better than last year, but still needs to be improved. We are studying an action plan to reorganize Egide SA and optimize operations, as well as a consolidation of the US entities to improve synergies." FINANCIAL Communication In 2019, Egide will now present the situation of its activity by semester. Financial Agenda : 2019 H1 revenue: 12 July 2019 To find out more about Egide: www.egide-group.com About Egide Egide is a group with an international dimension, specialized in the manufacture of hermetic packages and heat dissipation solutions for sensitive electronic components. It operates in cutting edge markets with strong technology barriers to entry in all critical industry segments (Thermal Imaging, Optronics, High-Frequency, Power Units.). Egide is the only pure player in this market niche with manufacturing bases in France and the United States. Egide's eligibility for tax efficient French innovation-focused mutual funds (FCPI) was renewed on May 14, 2018. Egide is listed on Euronext Paris(TM)- Segment C - ISIN code: FR0000072373 - Reuters: EGID.PA - Bloomberg : GID JATENZO is a first-in-class proprietary softgel oral formulation of testosterone undecanoate for testosterone replacement therapy in certain adult men, and the first oral testosterone medicine approved in more than 60 years. 87 percent of hypogonadal men treated with JATENZO in the pivotal Phase 3 study had a mean total testosterone concentration in the normal range at the end of treatment NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clarus Therapeutics, Inc., today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved JATENZO (testosterone undecanoate capsules for oral use) (CIII) for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone: primary hypogonadism (congenital or acquired) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (congenital or acquired). Important Safety Information, including a Boxed Warning is provided below. JATENZO is a first-in-class proprietary softgel oral formulation, and the first oral testosterone medicine approved in more than 60 years.1 FDA approval is based on Phase 3 inTUne clinical trial data, which showed 87 percent of hypogonadal men treated with JATENZO achieved a daily average testosterone level in the normal range, with an adverse events profile generally consistent with other T replacement therapies. The approval of oral JATENZO represents a new and significant treatment option for hypogonadal men, said Dr. Robert E. Dudley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clarus. We believe that an oral testosterone replacement therapy may offer appropriate adult male patients and their physicians the opportunity to reconsider treatment options, and help hypogonadal men find relief from their symptoms. Patient adherence can be an issue with testosterone treatment. The oral delivery of JATENZO eliminates the risks of testosterone transference to women or children that can occur with gels, application site irritation common with the transdermal testosterone patch, and discomfort associated with deep muscle injections of testosterone formulations. JATENZO is an important addition to the class of drugs used to treat various forms of testosterone deficiency. JATENZO will fill an important void by providing physicians with an oral testosterone formulation FDA has found to be safe and effective to treat adult men with documented hypogonadism associated with structural or genetic etiologies, said Dr. Ronald Swerdloff, Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Senior Scientist at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and Principal Investigator for the JATENZO clinical trials. Availability of a safe and effective oral testosterone dosage form has long been a desire of many of my hypogonadal patients. JATENZO will be available in three dosages: 158 mg, 198 mg and 237 mg, for twice daily administration with food. Clarus expects JATENZO to be available in U.S. pharmacies before the end of the year. "We represent thousands of men who struggle to maintain adequate levels of testosterone, many of whom do not start or stay on testosterone therapy because of issues with the current formulations," said Carol Meerschaert, Executive Director of the Association for X and Y Variations (AXYS), an advocacy, education and support organization for individuals with X and Y chromosome variations and their families. "An oral testosterone medication, which AXYS has supported since early trials were first announced, could make a significant difference in their physical and mental well-being and we hope will help them to lead fuller, more productive lives." JATENZO is not for use in men with hypogonadal conditions, such as age-related hypogonadism, that are not associated with structural or genetic etiologies. Please see Important Safety Information below, including Boxed Warning for information about potential increased blood pressure associated with JATENZO. About the inTUne Trial The inTUne trial was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of JATENZO in adult hypogonadal male subjects. An active comparator group received Axiron, a topical testosterone formulation. A total of 222 patients were randomized in a 3:1 ratio to JATENZO (n=166) or Axiron (n=56). The primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage of patients in the JATENZO group with an average testosterone level in the normal male range. Both the percentage of patients (87.3%) and the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval (81.3%) met the FDA targets of 75% and 65%, respectively; therefore, the efficacy criteria were satisfied and the study met its primary endpoint. The safety profile of JATENZO was consistent with data generated in two earlier Phase 3 trials and the general safety profiles for T replacement products as a therapeutic class. JATENZO was associated with an increase in average systolic blood pressure consistent with a currently marketed form of injectable testosterone. Importantly, the inTUne trial confirmed the efficacy of JATENZO that was demonstrated in the earlier Phase 3 trials but further refined the dose adjustment scheme. About Hypogonadism Hypogonadism, also known as testosterone deficiency, is a condition in men in which the body does not produce enough testosterone. Only those men who are symptomatic and have consistently low results on a reliable testosterone assay should be offered testosterone replacement therapy, according to current treatment guidelines from both the Endocrine Society and the American Urological Association.2,3 Treatment is meant to induce and maintain secondary sex characteristics and improve bone mineral density, sexual function, sense of well-being, muscle mass and strength. In 2018, approximately 7 million testosterone replacement therapy prescriptions were written by healthcare providers, with estimated total sales of $1.6 billion.4 About Clarus Therapeutics Clarus is a men's specialty pharmaceutical company developing and preparing for the commercial launch of JATENZO, a first-in-class proprietary softgel oral formulation of testosterone undecanoate for testosterone replacement therapy in certain adult males protected by patents issued in the United States and in other major pharmaceutical markets around the world. JATENZO is the first oral testosterone prodrug FDA-approved to treat men diagnosed with hypogonadism associated with structural and genetic etiologies. Clarus owns the worldwide, royalty-free commercialization rights for JATENZO. For more information, please visit: www.clarustherapeutics.com For full prescribing information please visit WWW.JATENZO.COM << MORE TEXT FOLLOWS >> IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION JATENZO (testosterone undecanoate) capsules, for oral use CIII Initial US approval: 1953 WARNING: BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASES JATENZO can cause blood pressure increases that can increase the risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke and cardiovascular death, with greater risk for MACE in patients with cardiovascular risk factors or established cardiovascular disease. Before initiating JATENZO, consider the patients baseline cardiovascular risk and ensure blood pressure is adequately controlled. Starting approximately 3 weeks after initiating therapy or changing the dose, periodically monitor for and treat new-onset hypertension or exacerbations of pre-existing hypertension in patients on JATENZO. Re-evaluate whether the benefits of JATENZO outweigh its risks in patients who develop cardiovascular risk factors or cardiovascular disease while on treatment. Due to this risk, use JATENZO only for the treatment of men with hypogonadal conditions associated with structural or genetic etiologies. JATENZO INDICATIONS AND USAGE JATENZO (testosterone undecanoate) is an androgen indicated for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone. Primary hypogonadism (congenital or acquired) Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (congenital or acquired) LIMITATIONS OF USE Safety and efficacy of JATENZO in males less than 18 years old have not been established CONTRAINDICATIONS JATENZO is contraindicated in: Men with carcinoma of the breast or known or suspected carcinoma of the prostate. Women who are pregnant. Testosterone can cause virilization of the female fetus when administered to a pregnant woman. Men with known hypersensitivity to JATENZO or any of its ingredients. Men with hypogonadal conditions, such as age-related hypogonadism, that are not associated with structural or genetic etiologies. The efficacy of JATENZO has not been established for these conditions, and JATENZO can increase blood pressure (BP) that can increase the risk of MACE. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Blood Pressure Increases In a clinical trial, JATENZO increased systolic BP during 4 months of treatment by an average of 4.9 mmHg based on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and by an average of 2.8 mmHg from baseline based on blood pressure cuff measurements. Average blood pressures had not plateaued at the end of the trial. Seven percent of JATENZO-treated patients were started on antihypertensive medications or required intensification of their antihypertensive medication regimen during the 4-month trial. BP increases can increase the risk of MACE, with greater risk in patients with established cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These BP increases can increase the risk of MACE, with greater risk in patients with established cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease [see Boxed Warning]. In some patients, the increase in BP with JATENZO may be too small to detect, but can still increase the risk for MACE. Before initiating JATENZO, consider the patients baseline cardiovascular risk and ensure blood pressure is adequately controlled. Check BP approximately 3 weeks after initiating JATENZO or increasing the dose and periodically thereafter. Treat new-onset hypertension or exacerbations of pre-existing hypertension. Re-evaluate whether the benefits of continued treatment with JATENZO outweigh its risks in patients who develop cardiovascular risk factors or cardiovascular disease. JATENZO is contraindicated in men with hypogonadal conditions such as age-related hypogonadism, because the efficacy of JATENZO has not been established for these conditions and the increases in BP can increase the risk of MACE. Polycythemia Increases in hematocrit reflective of increases in red blood cell mass, may require lowering the dose or discontinuation of JATENZO. Check that hematocrit is not elevated prior to initiating JATENZO. Evaluate hematocrit approximately every 3 months while the patient is on JATENZO. If hematocrit becomes elevated, stop JATENZO until the hematocrit decreases to an acceptable concentration. If JATENZO is restarted and again causes hematocrit to become elevated, stop JATENZO permanently. An increase in red blood cell mass may increase the risk of thromboembolic events. Cardiovascular Risk Long term clinical safety trials have not been conducted to assess the cardiovascular outcomes of testosterone replacement therapy in men. To date, epidemiologic studies and randomized controlled trials have been inconclusive for determining the risk of MACE, such as non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and cardiovascular death, with the use of testosterone compared to non-use. Some studies, but not all, have reported an increased risk of MACE in association with use of testosterone replacement therapy in men. JATENZO can cause BP increases that can increase the risk of MACE [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. Patients should be informed of this possible risk when deciding whether to use or to continue to use JATENZO. Worsening of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Potential Risk of Prostate Cancer Patients with BPH treated with androgens are at an increased risk for worsening of signs and symptoms of BPH. Monitor patients with BPH for worsening signs and symptoms. Patients treated with androgens may be at increased risk for prostate cancer. Evaluate patients for prostate cancer prior to initiating and during treatment with androgens. Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) There have been postmarketing reports of venous thromboembolic events, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), in patients using testosterone replacement products such as JATENZO. Evaluate patients who report symptoms of pain, edema, warmth and erythema in the lower extremity for DVT and those who present with acute shortness of breath for PE. If a venous thromboembolic event is suspected, discontinue treatment with JATENZO and initiate appropriate workup and management. Abuse of Testosterone and Monitoring of Serum Testosterone Concentrations Testosterone has been subject to abuse, typically at doses higher than recommended for the approved indication and in combination with other anabolic androgenic steroids. Anabolic androgenic steroid abuse can lead to serious cardiovascular and psychiatric adverse reactions. If testosterone abuse is suspected, check testosterone concentrations to ensure they are within therapeutic range. However, testosterone levels may be in the normal or subnormal range in men abusing synthetic testosterone derivatives. Counsel patients concerning the serious adverse reactions associated with abuse of testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroids. Conversely, consider the possibility of testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroid abuse in suspected patients who present with serious cardiovascular or psychiatric adverse events. Not for Use in Women Due to lack of controlled studies in women and potential virilizing effects, JATENZO is not indicated for use in women. Potential for Adverse Effects on Spermatogenesis With large doses of exogenous androgens, including JATENZO, spermatogenesis may be suppressed through feedback inhibition of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which could possibly lead to adverse effects on semen parameters including sperm count. Patients should be informed of this possible risk when deciding whether to use or to continue to use JATENZO. Hepatic Adverse Effects Prolonged use of high doses of orally active 17-alpha-alkyl androgens (e.g., methyltestosterone) has been associated with serious hepatic adverse effects (peliosis hepatis, hepatic neoplasms, cholestatic hepatitis, and jaundice). Peliosis hepatis can be a life-threatening or fatal complication. Long-term therapy with intramuscular testosterone enanthate, which elevates blood levels for prolonged periods, has produced multiple hepatic adenomas. JATENZO is not known to produce these adverse effects. Nonetheless, patients should be instructed to report any signs or symptoms of hepatic dysfunction (e.g., jaundice). If these occur, promptly discontinue JATENZO while the cause is evaluated. Edema Androgens, including JATENZO, may promote retention of sodium and water. Edema with or without congestive heart failure may be a serious complication in patients with preexisting cardiac, renal, or hepatic disease. In addition to discontinuation of the drug, diuretic therapy may be required. Gynecomastia Gynecomastia may develop and may persist in patients being treated for hypogonadism. Sleep Apnea Treatment with testosterone products, including JATENZO, may potentiate sleep apnea in some patients, especially those with risk factors such as obesity or chronic lung disease. Lipids Changes in the serum lipid profile may require dose adjustment of lipid lowering drugs or discontinuation of testosterone therapy. Monitor the lipid profile periodically, particularly after starting testosterone therapy. Hypercalcemia Androgens, including JATENZO, should be used with caution in cancer patients at risk of hypercalcemia (and associated hypercalciuria). Monitor serum calcium concentrations regularly during treatment with JATENZO in these patients. Decreased Thyroxine-binding Globulin Androgens, including JATENZO, may decrease concentrations of thyroxine-binding globulin, resulting in decreased total T4 serum concentrations and increased resin uptake of T3 and T4. Free thyroid hormone concentrations remain unchanged, however, and there is no clinical evidence of thyroid dysfunction. Risk of Depression and Suicide Depression and suicidal ideation has been reported in patients treated with JATENZO in clinical trials. Advise patients and caregivers to seek medical attention for manifestations of new onset or worsening depression, suicidal ideation or behavior, anxiety, or other mood changes. ADVERSE REACTIONS The safety of JATENZO was evaluated in a randomized, controlled clinical study with 166 patients treated with JATENZO twice daily with morning and evening meals for approximately 4 months. All patients were started on 237 mg twice daily, then the dose was titrated to 158 mg, 198 mg, 316 mg, or 396 mg twice daily to achieve testosterone concentrations in the eugonadal range. The most commonly reported adverse reactions (>2%) were: increased hematocrit , hypertension,, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, burping, peripheral edema, enlarged prostate and headache. DRUG INTERACTIONS Insulin Changes in insulin sensitivity or glycemic control may occur in patients treated with androgens. In diabetic patients, the metabolic effects of androgens may decrease blood glucose and, therefore, may necessitate a decrease in the dose of anti-diabetic medication. Oral Anticoagulants Changes in anticoagulant activity may be seen with androgens, therefore, more frequent monitoring of international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time are recommended in patients taking warfarin, especially at the initiation and termination of androgen therapy. Corticosteroids The concurrent use of testosterone with corticosteroids may result in increased fluid retention and requires careful monitoring, particularly in patients with cardiac, renal or hepatic disease. Medications that May Also Increase Blood Pressure Some prescription medications and nonprescription analgesic and cold medications contain drugs known to increase blood pressure. Concomitant administration of these medications with JATENZO may lead to additional increases in blood pressure. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Pregnancy JATENZO is contraindicated in pregnant women. Testosterone is teratogenic and may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman based on data from animal studies and its mechanism of action. Exposure of a female fetus to androgens may result in varying degrees of virilization. In animal developmental studies, exposure to testosterone in utero resulted in hormonal and behavioral changes in offspring and structural impairments of reproductive tissues in female and male offspring. These studies did not meet current standards for nonclinical development toxicity studies. Lactation JATENZO is not indicated for use in females. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential During treatment with large doses of exogenous androgens, including JATENZO, spermatogenesis may be suppressed through feedback inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Reduced fertility is observed in some men taking testosterone replacement therapy. The impact on fertility may be irreversible. Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness of JATENZO in pediatric patients less than 18 years old have not been established. Improper use may result in acceleration of bone age and premature closure of epiphyses. Geriatric Use There have not been sufficient numbers of geriatric patients involved in controlled clinical studies utilizing JATENZO to determine whether efficacy or safety in those over 65 years of age differs from younger subjects. No patients over 65 years of age were enrolled in the 4-month efficacy and safety clinical study utilizing JATENZO. Additionally, there is insufficient long-term safety data in geriatric patients utilizing JATENZO to assess the potentially increased risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Geriatric patients treated with androgens may also be at risk for worsening of signs and symptoms of BPH. DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE JATENZO contains testosterone undecanoate, which is a Schedule III controlled substance as defined under the Controlled Substances Act. Abuse and misuse of testosterone are seen in male and female adults and adolescents. Testosterone, often in combination with other anabolic androgenic steroids, may be abused by athletes and bodybuilders. Serious adverse reactions have been reported in individuals who abuse anabolic androgenic steroids, and include cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accident, hepatotoxicity, and serious psychiatric manifestations, including major depression, mania, paranoia, psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, hostility, and aggression. The following adverse reactions have been reported in men: transient ischemic attacks, convulsions, hypomania, irritability, dyslipidemia, testicular atrophy, subfertility, and infertility. The following adverse reactions have been reported in women: hirsutism, virilization, deepening of voice, clitoral enlargement, breast atrophy, male pattern baldness, and menstrual irregularities. The following adverse reactions have been reported in male and female adolescents: premature closure of bony epiphyses with termination of growth, and precocious puberty. Withdrawal symptoms can be experienced upon abrupt discontinuation in patients with addiction. Withdrawal symptoms include depressed mood, major depression, fatigue, craving, restlessness, irritability, anorexia, insomnia, decreased libido, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Drug dependence in individuals using approved doses for approved indications have not been documented. For more information, call 1-800-208-4115. Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide. 2019 Clarus Therapeutics, Inc. All rights reserved. MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Beyer 312-961-2502 mbeyer@clarustherapeutics.com ____________________________________________ 1 American Professional Pharmacist (1947), Vol 13, pp. 877 [Oreton-M (Schering Corp. trade name for methyltestosterone)]. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=080767 Accessed March 2019 2 Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline, 2018. https://www.endocrine.org/guidelines-and-clinical-practice/clinical-practice-guidelines/testosterone-therapy Accessed March 2019 3 Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline, 2018. https://www.auanet.org/guidelines/testosterone-deficiency-guideline Accessed March 2019 4 IMS Health TORONTO, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VHA Home HealthCare, a not-for-profit, charitable organization, hosts its 15th annual Heart of Home Care Awards event on National Carers Day, Tuesday, April 2, honouring the extraordinary efforts of unpaid caregivers with an afternoon full of inspiration, music and an unmissable awards ceremony. What: Caregiver luncheon, hosted by VHA President and CEO Carol Annett Keynote by Meg Soper author, comedienne, professional speaker, registered nurse Heart of Home Care Awards Presentation feature caregiver videos Special musical performance from Stacey Renee top 10 finalist of CBCs Searchlight contest Silent Art Auction by two of VHAs clients Tiffany Dawe and Emily Yeskoo When: Tuesday April 2, 2019 11:45 AM 1:00 PM Caregiver luncheon for winners and nominees (interviews available) 1:45 PM Doors open for main event 2:00 PM 3:30 PM Main event (keynote, awards ceremony, video presentation, live music) Who: 2019 Heart of Home Care Award Recipients Nazaneen Qauomi Caring with Compassion Award Lindsey Yeskoo Caring and Sharing Advocacy Award Patrick Santillo Creative Caregiving Award Carolyn Cowan Young Caregiver (under 25) Award VIDEO PREVIEW AVAILABLE ON REQUEST Where: The Forth Event Boutique 629 Danforth Ave, 2nd floor Toronto, ON M4K 1R2 This event is possible thanks to our generous sponsors: PACE Consulting, Teak Printing Services Ltd., GoldCare, BDO Canada LLP, Big Red Oak and Manulife. For further information, please contact: Pamela Stoikopoulos, Senior Communications and Public Relations Manager VHA Home HealthCare Call/text 416-294-5186 pstoik@vha.ca LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces an investigation on behalf of Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (Bridgepoint or the Company) (NYSE: BPI ) investors concerning the Company and its officers possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . On March 7, 2019, Bridgepoint announced that it had "determined to restate the Company's previously issued unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and advised that those financial statements should not be relied upon, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018." Bridgepoint stated that the process used for recording revenue for the Full Tuition Grant program portion of its student contracts "were not designed with sufficient precision," leading to "material" accounting errors related to revenue, provision for bad debts, accounts receivable and deferred revenue, which resulted in the overstatement of revenue and expenses. Bridgepoint also identified weaknesses in internal controls. On this news, shares of Bridgepoint fell $3.21, or 34%, to close at $6.22 on March 7, 2019, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Bridgepoint securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Kyra Sunshine Scarlet spent the last day of her life doing what she loved: venturing into the outdoors with her dog, Iris. The 22-year-olds favorite places to visit with Iris, an Australian Kelpie, since moving to Oakley about 10 months ago were the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve and Mount Diablo State Park, according to her father, David, whom she previously lived with in Visalia (Tulare County). Shed string up her hammock between some trees, hang out and read books, splash in the water and let her dog run around, David Scarlet said. Last month, Kyra Scarlets passion for nature took her to Fort Funston, where tragedy would strike. A sand cliff collapsed Feb. 22 and Scarlet, who was walking with Iris and a friend, disappeared. The friend, who was rescued, had sand up to her shoulders when officials found her. Authorities feared Scarlet was buried under tons of dirt, but San Francisco fire officials and park rangers continued searching for her. Rescue efforts soon turned toward recovery, as high tide that night washed much of the sand into the ocean, leading officials to wonder whether her body had been carried out to sea. Several weeks passed until a womans body washed up along the shore Monday. A day after the discovery, the family of Kyra Scarlet identified her as that woman. The middle child of five kids, Kyra Scarlet excelled in math in high school and secured an accounting internship with a car dealership in Kaysville, Utah, during her senior year. In Oakley, she worked as an accountant for a home remodeling firm, her father said. Though she enjoyed her work, he added, her real passion was the outdoors. The San Francisco medical examiner has not yet been able to positively identify the body, though her family announced on a GoFundMe page Tuesday that her body had been the one recovered. It is with sorrow and joy that we are able to announce that our beloved mermaid Kyra Sunshine has been recovered, Susan Scarlet, the young womans mother, wrote in an update to the page. On March 25th the brave men and women from the San Francisco Fire Department who were the first responders for the rescue/recovery back in February were again called out to Fort Funston and were able to complete their recovery mission. 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. She added that the family was grateful to San Francisco firefighters, police and U.S. park rangers. A memorial service for Kyra Scarlet was held March 9 in Utah. Reached by phone Wednesday, her father recalled her full body hugs and her love of nature. Shed do this thing where shed tuck her head into my chest and just squeeze, David Scarlet said, before getting choked up. The Scarlet familys GoFundMe page hoped to raise $15,000 to cover memorial costs. By Wednesday afternoon the fund had reached nearly $10,000. Ashley McBride is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ashleynmcb A man who fled India for the Bay Area after being beaten unconscious by members of a rival religious sect, and then being asked for a bribe when he sought help from police, has been found ineligible for asylum in the U.S. by a federal appeals court. A single beating by religious antagonists does not necessarily show persecution, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said in a 2-1 ruling this week. And one demand for a bribe by local police did not show that the government was unable or unwilling to control the people who attacked him, the court said, since the victim never asked them for help again. In dissent, Judge Paul Watford said the brutal beating, followed by police indifference, added up to religious persecution. The lawyer for Amandeep Singh said he would ask the full appeals court for a new hearing. This is beyond imagination, attorney Kuldip Dhariwal said of the ruling. He said Singh spent two weeks in the hospital after suffering a fractured skull in the November 2010 beating, still feels pain and has scars, and is afraid hes going to be killed in India if he is deported. Singh, now 33, is a Sikh, the fourth-largest religion in India, and was living in Punjab state in 2010 when he got into an argument with members of a smaller sect, the Dera Sacha Sauda, which he said was criticizing Sikhism at a public event. He said members of the sect slapped and beat him, and he ran away. But two months later, he said, 10 to 15 members of the same sect stopped him as he was walking home, demanded that he join their religion, and then beat him, using a stick and a sword, until he lost consciousness. After he got out of the hospital, Singh said, he tried to file a complaint with police, who demanded a bribe of 25,000 rupees, or about $362, which he could not afford. He left India a month later. He said his family has told him that Dera Sacha Sauda members have shown up to ask his whereabouts. Singh lived in Sunnyvale until recently and then moved to Stockton, where he runs a trucking company, said Dhariwal, his lawyer. He said Singh would try to bring his wife and two daughters to the U.S. if he was granted asylum. 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. Immigration courts, and now the appeals court, have ruled against him, however. The majority ruling Monday by Judges Milan Smith and Andrew Hurwitz said one beating and a police demand for a bribe were not enough to show religious persecution, especially since the sect whose members attacked him was small and active in only some parts of India. Watford, in dissent, said the beating Singh suffered on account of his religion was severe enough to show persecution. And the demand for a bribe, he said, showed that the police were unwilling to help him, leaving him under no obligation to ask them again. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko San Francisco waterfront residents opposed to Mayor London Breeds plan to build a 200-bed Navigation Center on an Embarcadero parking lot are gearing up for a legal fight if the city moves forward. In less than a week, a loose coalition of residents from Rincon Hill, South Beach, Mission Bay and other neighborhoods calling themselves Safe Embarcadero for All has raised nearly $35,000 to hire lawyers to contest the centers construction. Attorneys appear to have already started building a case against the proposal. A lawyer with the San Francisco law firm Zacks, Freedman & Patterson has also sent a public records request to the mayors office, seeking all documents and records related to the proposed Navigation Center, including how the city would fund its construction and operation. The Zacks firm is one of several the Safe Embarcadero group has considered hiring, said Neel Lilani, a resident of the Watermark condominium building on Beale Street who helped found the group and set up the GoFundMe web page to collect donations for legal expenses. Attorney Andrew Zacks said he hopes the group retains his firm and that the pace of the project was of great concern. In an effort to open the center quickly, he said, city officials in their haste may be making some significant legal errors. Its up to the Port Commission to decide whether the Navigation Center will be built on the site, because the port owns the 2.3-acre parcel, which is across the Embarcadero from Piers 30-32. The commission is scheduled to vote on leasing the land to the city on April 23, but officials are considering extending that deadline to give the public more time to weigh in on the proposal. Breed has envisioned keeping the center on the site for four years but remains flexible on the length of the lease. She had hoped to have the center opened by the summer, but looming legal fights could imperil that timeline. People want us to address the challenges on our streets and help our unsheltered residents into housing, and I am committed to doing the hard work to make that happen, Breed said in a statement. But its incredibly frustrating and disappointing that as soon as we put forward a solution to build a new shelter, people begin to threaten legal action, she continued. I get that people have questions about the site, and we are happy to demonstrate how these sites work and the positive impacts they have had in other neighborhoods, but we all need to be willing to be part of the solution. Lilani declined to discuss the specifics of how his group might approach a legal challenge if port commissioners green-light the Navigation Center. He did say they are considering possible claims under the California Environmental Quality Act, which would at the very least set back the centers opening date. There are a number of ways, for example, to challenge the citys environmental analysis of the site, and litigating those issues could take months. The center has evoked an intense debate since Breed announced her plan on March 4. Speaking at the first public meetings about the center earlier this month, many waterfront residents said they were convinced the city could not prevent it from turning the neighborhood into a dirty, dangerous place, strewn with needles and trash. Others doubted that homelessness workers would be able to maintain a high level of care at a shelter housing 200 or more people. Homelessness officials counter, however, that the city is already operating two Navigation Centers with at least 125 beds each. One of those, the Division Circle Navigation Center, is set to add another 60 beds this summer. But the centers supporters including the mayor have framed the issue in moral terms, saying that the imperatives of addressing the homelessness crisis means pursuing every opportunity to bring unsheltered people inside. And given the difficulties of finding viable sites for homelessness services in San Francisco, land owned by a city agency like the port is extremely attractive to city officials. Sam Moss, a founding board member of the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) Action group, which supports the project, argued the Navigation Center would improve the very things that waterfront residents are concerned about safety and cleanliness. 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. A Navigation Center is literally trying to take 200 people off the streets. The City of San Francisco and homelessness service providers are trying to stop the exact thing these people were complaining about, said Moss, whos also the executive director of Mission Housing Development Corp. Im tired of people hating the sight of homelessness more than they hate the fact that people are actually homeless. Like many waterfront residents, Lilani said hes sympathetic to the plight of the citys homeless, but chafes at the idea of putting a Navigation Center a 24-hour homeless shelter with enhanced services in his dense, tourist-heavy neighborhood. Frankly, theyre a part of our city and we need to find the right places and solutions for them, Lilani said. This is not the right place for a Navigation Center we need a better long-term solution. He also echoed the widely cited argument that the residents of District Six, where the center would be built, have already taken on more than their fair share of homeless shelters and services. There are five other shelters and Navigation Centers spread across the district, which has the highest concentration of homeless people. District Six already has a number of homeless shelters and Navigation Centers, he said. Were being asked to take on an unfair proportion of the citys overall shelter needs. Its disproportionate and its overlooking the health and safety of this densely populated, residential community. Not every waterfront resident is against placing a Navigation Center on the site, known as Seawall Lot 330. Chris Whelan lives on Beale Street, about a block away from the proposed facility. Hes watched with dismay as his neighbors balk at housing development and, now, a homelessness shelter. Solving the citys homelessness problem, Whelan said, is a take-every-avenue-available situation. The Embarcadero shelter is one of the great avenues available. The breathtakingly beautiful Presidio of San Francisco has a problem its trees are falling down. On Jan. 16, a Monterey pine fell over in front of the Presidio Social Club restaurant, hitting a car. On February 14, an enormous Monterey cypress tree fell across the road at the parks Lombard Street gate. On March 7, a Monterey pine fell onto a lawn across from the YMCA. And just the other day a Monterey pine, buffeted by high winds, snapped near its base and fell over near Baker Beach, killing Cedric, a 2-year-old rescue dog, injuring another dog and nearly hitting the person walking the dogs. I was walking along the path and I hear this loud cracking sound, and this huge tree started falling directly toward us, said Heidi DeVilliers, a professional dog walker who takes the path every day. Mindy Henderson / Mindy Hebderson According to park officials, 62 trees or limbs have fallen in the park in the past year. Many of them were smaller trees or branches, not large trees. But just walking along the paths you can see trees that are dying and have either fallen or are going to fall, DeVilliers said. Presidio Trust spokesman Patrick Hannan said a combination of wet weather, super-saturated soil and high winds they all work to undermine tree stability is responsible for the recent spate of tree failures. Whatever the immediate causes, the toppling trees underscore one of the problems facing the 1,480-acre, historic former Army base its trees are getting old. Most of the Presidios 500-acre forest was planted by the military in the late 1800s to screen the winds blowing off the Pacific. Many of the trees were planted around the same time and at a higher density than would be found in a natural forest. Whatever the reasons, the trees need to be replaced. And that takes time and money. After the tree fell near the YMCA, park officials had a team check about 150 large trees located near buildings. The good news is that they found no immediate risks of whole tree failure, Hannan said. The location where Cedric was killed, however, was in a wooded area away from buildings. But it is on a pathway popular with walkers. Injuries due to tree or limb failures on forest trails are extremely rare in the park, Hannan said. Other than the recent Baker Beach incident, the trust does not have any other recorded incidents. Still, DeVilliers said when she returned to the path a couple of days later another couple trees had fallen in the same area since the Baker Beach tragedy. The Presidio Trust began a reforestation program in the early 2000s, replacing 2 to 3 acres of forest with younger trees each year. To date, the park has reforested 40 acres with more than 5,000 new trees. The goal is for a greater diversity of trees by age and species and a healthier forest overall, Hannan said. Catherine Brown, whose dog was injured when Cedric was killed, doesnt take much comfort in the parks assurances. She says dying trees are a common sight near the forest paths. They look like accidents waiting to happen, Brown said. Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2017 Unshielded: Urban Shield, the annual anti-terror training exercise praised by law enforcement agencies but panned by critics who said it militarized police forces, is gone. It is no more, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern said after the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative, which hands out Homeland Security grants, voted on March 14 not to fund the four-day event, which had been held in September. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The decision to defund the program followed an earlier 3-2 vote by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors on a resolution that called for the $1.5 million program to lose the Urban Shield name and its controversial vendors show, which exhibited the latest in police gadgetry, and to cut the SWAT team competitions from the exercise. They wanted more training for earthquakes and less training for situations like what we saw in New Zealand, Ahern said, referring to the recent mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques. Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2017 The changes were recommended by an ad hoc committee the supervisors appointed that included several anti-use-of-force advocates. For years, Urban Shield has drawn protestors, especially when it was held in downtown Oakland. Supervisor Wilma Chan, one of the three votes in favor of the changes, said a portion of the grant money would still be available for training, just not for Urban Shield. Chan also questioned Aherns warnings that the changes had caused the programs demise. She asked: If he was concerned about the funding, why didnt he go to the (security initiative) meeting where the defunding occurred? There was no need for me to be there, Ahern said. They knew where I stood. They also knew that the changes violated the memorandum of understanding on the guidelines for the funding. Whatever the case, after 12 years and many protests, Urban Shield, which had included teams from 12 Northern California counties, is no more. 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 Urban Shield, the annual anti-terror training exercise praised by law enforcement agencies but panned by critics who said it militarized police forces, is gone. It is no more, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern said after the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative, which hands out Homeland Security grants, voted on March 14 not to fund the four-day event, which had been held in September. The decision to defund the program followed an earlier 3-2 vote by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors on a resolution that called for the $1.5 million program to lose the Urban Shield name and its controversial vendors show, which exhibited the latest in police gadgetry, and to cut the SWAT team competitions from the exercise. They wanted more training for earthquakes and less training for situations like what we saw in New Zealand, Ahern said, referring to the recent mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques. The changes were recommended by an ad hoc committee the supervisors appointed that included several anti-use-of-force advocates. For years, Urban Shield has drawn protestors, especially when it was held in downtown Oakland. Supervisor Wilma Chan, one of the three votes in favor of the changes, said a portion of the grant money would still be available for training, just not for Urban Shield. Chan also questioned Aherns warnings that the changes had caused the programs demise. She asked: If he was concerned about the funding, why didnt he go to the (security initiative) meeting where the defunding occurred? 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. There was no need for me to be there, Ahern said. They knew where I stood. They also knew that the changes violated the memorandum of understanding on the guidelines for the funding. Whatever the case, after 12 years and many protests, Urban Shield, which had included teams from 12 Northern California counties, is no more. 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 In the past 20 years, San Francisco has banned plastic straws, plastic bags, plastic water bottles, fur, high-capacity gun magazines and cigarettes from pharmacies. Soon, if City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Supervisor Shamann Walton have their way, electronic cigarettes will join the list. Yet pot, alcohol and soda which also carry health risks when consumed in excess are widely available at dispensaries, bars and corner stores. So are traditional cigarettes. Many, then, are left wondering: Why are some sins tolerated but others not? Should city officials outlaw traditional cigarettes while theyre at it? Where should the line be drawn? I think the criticism theres a double standard at work is true, said Stanton Glantz, director of UCSFs Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, which studies tobacco and cannabis use and addiction. Marijuana in particular gets an undeserved pass, he said. Legislation proposed last week by Herrera and Walton would not ban e-cigarettes outright, but it would come close. It would prohibit any store in San Francisco from selling e-cigarettes and nicotine cartridges, such as pods made by Juul, a San Francisco company under fire from regulators for its strong appeal to minors, an issue the company has taken steps to address. That ban which would be the toughest in the nation would remain in place until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the products through a process called a pre-market review. A second bill from Herrera and Walton would bar e-cigarette makers from leasing city property in the future. The measure does not appear to immediately affect Juul, whose headquarters are on city-owned Pier 70, but the message is clear: Walton said last week that we dont want them in our city. The proposed measure would add onto an existing city ordinance regarding tobacco, which is the only product that is explicitly banned from being manufactured, distributed and sold on city property, though San Francisco also bars the sale and use of plastic water bottles, some pesticides and arsenic-treated wood on city property. Juul has a tobacco distributors license, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Herreras office is seeking details on what Juul is using this license to do. There are no cannabis businesses on city property, and none have applied for a permit to be on city property, according to Eugene Hillsman, acting director of the Office of Cannabis. San Francisco, though, did embrace the legalization of commercial cannabis sales, creating the Office of Cannabis to handle permitting for cannabis retailers despite research indicating that exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke can do similar harm to the bodys cardiovascular system as tobacco smoke. The light touch on marijuana concerns Glanz of UCSF. Im very troubled that the city and a lot of other people are just proceeding, assuming marijuana is harmless or good for you, because its not, he said. There are some bona fide medical uses that have been documented, but theyre very limited. I think the criticism that people are making that the city is clamping down on e-cigarettes but giving marijuana a pass is quite legitimate. That doesnt mean the city shouldnt crack down on e-cigarettes, said Glantz, who supports the newly proposed e-cigarette restrictions. It just means San Francisco should also crack down on marijuana, he said. Some health experts say e-cigarettes pose a unique danger and should be regulated aggressively because the harm getting children who otherwise wouldnt have started smoking cigarettes to vape nicotine, at a time their brains are especially susceptible to addictive substances outweighs the potential benefits to adult smokers who vape as a way to quit smoking. Were talking about our children, our future, said Dr. Robert Jackler of Stanford University School of Medicine, who studies how the tobacco industry markets to teens. Theres a uniqueness to tobacco. Im not saying Id outlaw tobacco or it shouldnt be sold in San Francisco. But society and we as adults have every right and responsibility to protect young people from getting lured and hooked on nicotine because we know its so devastating. Concerns about youth vaping are growing at the state level as well. On Wednesday, the Senate Health Committee will hold a hearing on two bills introduced by State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, that together would ban the sale of flavored tobacco in California stores, and also take steps to restrict online sales to adults. San Francisco voters banned flavored tobacco sales last June, in an effort to keep kids from getting ahold of products like candy-flavored nicotine cartridges. (Herrera and Waltons proposed legislation would extend the ban to all e-cigarettes, including those that simply taste like regular tobacco as opposed to having fun flavors). The number of middle and high school students across the nation who used some type of tobacco product rose 36 percent to 4.9 million in 2018, compared with a year earlier and the rise was driven by a surge in e-cigarette use, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Jackler of Stanfords School of Medicine supports the goal of restricting access to teens, but he thinks San Francisco could make more of an impact by dedicating more resources to making sure adults arent reselling Juuls to underage teens, or ensuring that stores that sell tobacco products check IDs so that no one under 21 can enter the premises. Herrera said hes not trying to ban regular cigarettes because CDC data indicate that its e-cigarettes, not regular cigarettes, that are driving teens to use tobacco products. We are addressing that core problem, he said. E-cigarettes are the most pressing problem. Juul said that San Franciscos proposed crackdown will hurt adults who use its product to quit smoking. We share the city of San Franciscos concerns with youth usage of tobacco and vapor products, including our own, the company said, citing its aggressive action nationwide to curb youth vaping. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes But this proposed legislations primary impact will be to limit adult smokers access to products that can help them switch away from combustible cigarettes, Juuls said. We encourage the city of San Francisco to severely restrict youth access but do so in a way that preserves the opportunity to eliminate combustible cigarettes. Juul is far from the only San Francisco company to stir outrage from neighbors and local officials. The city struggled to regulate Uber, Lyft and Airbnb in the companies early days, and fielded ample political and public pressure to act. Its all part of San Francisco grappling with the fact that a lot of these controversial companies are headquartered in the city and feeling some sense of responsibility for whats occurring within our city limits, and what were exporting to the rest of the world, said Molly Turner, a lecturer at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business who teaches a course on technologys impact on cities. In coming down hard on Juul a fast-growing company with a $38 billion valuation, 1,100 employees and a new $12.8 billion investment from Big Tobaccos Altria some see a city making a statement about social responsibility over economic gain. We just voted to tax some of our biggest employers to pay for homeless services, Turner said. There is a genuine concern that that might result in the loss of some jobs, yet San Franciscans decided it was worth it. Im not saying that was the right or wrong thing to do, Im saying there are many in the city who maybe dont worry about the consequences on jobs when it comes to moral issues they care about. Indeed, the biggest economic hit may be to corner stores and smoke shops, many of which say the potential e-cigarette ban would cause them to lose significant business from repeat customers who regularly buy e-cigarettes and refillable nicotine cartridges. Walid Rahman, who works at The Town Smoke Shop in the Mission, said the store lost customers when the citys ban on flavored tobacco took effect in January. If the city were to ban all e-cigarettes, the store would probably lose eight to 10 customers a day, or roughly $200 to $250 in sales, he said. San Francisco does not collect sales tax on tobacco and alcohol products, which is done at the state level, said the citys Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector. California cities have a track record of forging ahead of the federal government on anti-smoking laws. They were among the first in the nation to ban smoking in restaurants and workplaces starting in the 1980s, after arguing that it would protect the public against secondhand smoke, according to Jackler of Stanford. Other cities followed suit, banning smoking in public spaces, until it became nationwide practice. San Francisco became the first U.S. city in 2018 to ban flavored tobacco after the ballot proposition passed. San Francisco inspires other municipalities, Jackler said. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho Its a complicated time to work in tech, with Wall Street getting jittery at every new earnings report and a growing political backlash, or techlash, making headlines. But the Bay Areas technology industry continued to be a job engine, with two parts of the region the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas ranking No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, for adding the most tech jobs over the past year, according to a new study by the Computing Technology Industry Association, or CompTIA. Californias tech workforce grew by more than 51,500 jobs in 2018, with well over half of them in the Bay Area. The San Francisco metro area, which stretches from Marin to San Mateo and parts of the East Bay, edged out bigger cities like New York and Los Angeles with a net gain of 20,566 tech jobs. The San Jose metro area, which includes the South Bay and parts of the East Bay, added 13,140 jobs. In a sign of the continued shift of jobs and investment north from the traditional bounds of Silicon Valley to the newer tech hub of San Francisco, the northern part of the Bay Area had 385,019 jobs, versus 371,640 in the southern part. I dont think theres any question that the Bay Area is the top place in the world for tech talent, which is why tech folks come from all over to lure them away, said Jim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council, a public policy organization made up of business and community leaders. While the CompTIA report may ease fears of a tech slowdown, it also highlights the regions continued dependence on the tech sector for growth. Ken Rosen, chairman of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley, told the San Francisco Business Times in February that a dire shortage of housing and office space could make it difficult for companies to grow in the city, helping to create a prospective recession in the next few years. Yet a potent combination of research universities, private capital and an unparalleled labor force makes the Bay Area the worlds center for technology and entrepreneurial activity, Wunderman said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes You sort of need to be here, he said. Thats the world were in. The rush of bright engineers and designers to the city has helped make San Francisco a high-priority destination for tech firms. Companies that once valued being near investors, suppliers and workers in the Peninsula and South Bay are setting up shop in San Francisco to attract and retain workers who prefer city living. LinkedIn moved into a 26-story tower in San Francisco to make commuters happy, while Instagram came back for the purpose of finding talent. San Francisco-headquartered companies like Salesforce and Uber have been snapping up office space in the city as well. Tech firms made up more than 60 percent of all leasing activity in San Francisco in 2018, the highest percentage in four years, according to Los Angeles brokerage CBRE. Being competitive doesnt come cheap, though. Rents for new offices in the citys central business district hit a record-high price of $81.28 per square foot last year, beating the previous peak reached as the dot-com boom was ending. Melia Russell is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobin Lyle Tuttle the father of modern tattooing began his career in 1949 and apprenticed at several California parlors before opening his own shop in 1960, on Seventh street in San Francisco. Tuttle died on March 25 at the age of 87, so we searched The Chronicles archive to find photos of his artistry on his own body and on others. LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces an investigation on behalf of Eventbrite, Inc. (Eventbrite or the Company) (NYSE: EB) investors concerning the Company and its officers possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . On September 19, 2018, Eventbrite sold shares in its initial public offering (IPO) at $23 per share. In the IPO registration statement, Eventbrite stated that its acquisition of Ticketfly had a positive impact on our net revenue growth in the third quarter of 2017. On March 7, 2019, Eventbrite reported its annual financial results, and in a related conference call, Eventbrites Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Julia Hartz, stated that the strategy to integrate Ticketfly will impact revenues in the short-term. On this news, shares of Eventbrite fell 7.96, or over 24%, to close at $24.46 on March 8, 2019, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Eventbrite securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. One Gohs plan in 2012 was to charge into Oikos University in Oakland and fatally shoot a nursing school administrator before taking his own life. But Goh, who officials said Wednesday died in a Sacramento County prison last week, would instead kill seven other people in the second-deadliest mass shooting in Bay Area history. Goh, 50, died on March 20 while serving out seven consecutive life sentences, according to the county coroners records. His cause of death has not been released. The former student at Oikos, a private Christian university near Oakland International Airport, took receptionist Katleen Ping, 24, hostage on April 2, 2012. He then burst into a classroom where students were taking a test and unleashed a barrage of gunfire, killing Ping and six students at the school: Doris Chibuko, 40; Lydia Sim, 21; Grace Kim, 23; Judith Seymour, 53; Sonam Choedon, 33; and Tshering Bhutia, 38. Three other classmates were wounded in the massacre. Officials said Goh dropped out of school but came back to the campus to shoot an administrator after he was unable to get a refund on tuition money. He then stole a car belonging to one of the victims and drove to a nearby Safeway in Alameda, where he surrendered. That guy damaged a lot of peoples lives, said Timothy Brown, Seymours partner. Brown learned of Gohs death as he was preparing to take two days off from his job as a union representative in the South Bay. The seventh anniversary of the shooting is Tuesday. He said he felt some relief when the news broke, but it wasnt up to him to forgive the shooter, who was being held without the possibility of parole. You dont really have closure; youre just able to cope with it better, Brown said. Police testified that Goh confessed to the killings and told officers he had a plan to kill the schools assistant director of nursing, who unbeknownst to him had already left her job at the university. Goh had apparently withdrawn from school without a full refund of his $6,000 tuition payment. He felt that it wasnt anyones fault he hadnt gotten the money, but they should have taken him more serious, Robert Trevino, an Oakland police investigator, testified at a 2014 hearing. Court-appointed psychiatrists diagnosed Goh with paranoid schizophrenia during the trial, which lasted more than five years as doctors and judges deliberated over his mental competency. In April 2017, Goh pleaded no contest to all charges from the fatal shootings in a deal to avoid the death penalty. He is very, very sorry, and hell carry this shame forever, David Klaus, Gohs defense attorney, said in the courtroom. 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. For the victims families and loved ones, such a sentiment carried little weight. The pain and the suffering and the grief will never end, said Kaine Ping, Katleen Pings brother, at the July 2017 sentencing. Brown said the loss of Seymour, his partner of eight years, is something he will always carry. A few weeks before her death, the couple had gotten into an argument about her taking a nursing job at the state prison in Vacaville upon graduation, Brown said. He worried about her safety working with the incarcerated population. A few weeks later, on April 2, 2012, Seymour left for school a place where he thought she would be safe. I start counting down the days to get it over with, Brown said of the coming anniversary. After, I just start counting down to the next April 2. Im in a club I never wanted to be in. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu The suspect wanted in connection with a Monday afternoon shooting inside a San Francisco parole building was arrested early Tuesday morning in Southern California following a second shooting involving highway patrol officers, according to San Francisco police. Just before 4 p.m. Monday, San Francisco officers responded to a call of a shooting in the Mission District, on the 200 block of 13th Street. Officers found a 19-year-old man in the lobby of the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation building, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to his upper back torso. The man, who was not named, was taken to a hospital and on Tuesday remained in critical condition. No corrections employees were involved in the incident, authorities said, and police are still investigating what led to the attack. Shortly after the shooting, investigators identified a suspect and the vehicle he drove a silver Ford Focus and shared the information with law enforcement across the state. By Monday night San Francisco police were notified that the suspects car had registered on an automated license plate reader in Southern California, and told local police to be on the lookout. At about 3:10 a.m. Tuesday, California Highway Patrol officers spotted the suspect vehicle abandoned on Interstate 10 in the Blythe (Riverside County) area near the Arizona border. Officers located the suspect a short time later, and engaged in an what they described only as an officer-involved shooting before the suspect was taken into custody. Police did not identify the suspect or provide a status on whether he or she was injured in the shooting. No CHP officers were injured. 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. Investigators with the Riverside County Sheriffs Office and CHP will review the circumstances of the officer-involved shooting, and San Francisco police officers are expected to travel to Southern California to continue their investigation into Mondays attack. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Desi Danganan feared diners wouldnt order any Filipino dishes when he opened his restaurant Poleng Lounge back in 2005. Instead, he built a pan-Asian menu and gradually introduced Filipino dishes as specials. Oh, how things have changed. The Bay Area is now in the throes of a Filipino food boom, with contemporary restaurants and pop-ups such as FOB Kitchen, Pinoy Heritage and Likha showing diners a new side of classics like sisig and kare kare. For the first two weeks of April, SOMA Pilipinas, San Franciscos official Filipino cultural district, will host a food crawl and pop-up series in an effort to showcase where Filipino food is today and where its going, called Kulinary Confidential. Danganan, the executive director of popular Filipino night market Undiscovered SF, is producing Kulinary Confidential in part as a way to move beyond Undiscovereds street food format. There are chefs doing spectacular things, doing kamayan dinners and modern tasting menus, he said. We were missing a big part of the third wave of Filipino food. That third wave hails from a young generation of Filipino-American chefs, inspired by their parents and grandparents and experimenting with tradition. Think mac n cheese lumpia. Albert Law Heres how Kulinary Confidential works: Diners purchase a $48 passport, gaining them access to off-menu specials at a series of restaurants in the Filipino district, which falls between Market and Brannan Streets and Second and 11th Streets. They can redeem multiple dishes in a day or stagger them out across a week. April 1-7 features lechon tacos from Mestiza, pork blood stew with rice cakes from Manila Bowl, pineapple mochi fried chicken from Alchemy and a mystery onigiri from Sarap Shop. April 8-14 includes chicken escabeche at Alchemy, chicken afritada from JTs, fried chicken with pandan mochi waffle from Little Skillet and adobo carnitas from Senor Sisig. (These special dishes are only available to people who buy the passport.) Meanwhile, the event includes six high-end pop-up dinners. They each show a unique point of view, such as Ox & Tigers fusion of Filipino and Japanese flavors, Aliwang Lutus French spin on a traditional kamayan feast or Sariwas focus on the Indian influences on Filipino food. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. As Filipino Americans, our palates and techniques have evolved by being touched by other cultures, so you see Filipino flavors going into new directions that are constantly changing, Danganan said. We want to show that evolution. About $10,000 in funding comes from the city of San Francisco, according to Danganan, with the goal of making Kulinary Confidential a recurring event highlighting SOMA Pilipinas. The first edition benefits Balboa High Schools Tagalog immersion trip. Were trying to build a Filipino cultural district, one with really strong and resilient restaurants, Danganan said, mentioning how FOB Kitchen went from San Francisco pop-up to buzzing Oakland brick-and-mortar. We want to tap into this natural progression by accelerating the growth of these pop-ups. Kulinary Confidential: April 1-14; buy passports and pop-up tickets at www.undiscoveredsf.com/kulinary-confidential Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Yes, San Franciscos downtown is studded with high-rises. Yes, most Pacific Heights mansions have stripes of lawn or driveways separating them from their neighbors. Still, said incoming Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson, what makes this place a one-of-a-kind city for firefighters is rows of wood frame houses, side by side on sloping streets. San Francisco, after New York, is the second most densely built city in the United States. And so we need our firefighters. Nicholson was speaking at Art of Fire, a fundraiser for the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, on Saturday, March 23. In 2006, after numerous studies proved that the rate of cancer in firefighters is markedly higher than in the general population, Tony Stefani founded the nonprofit to fund cancer screenings and keep abreast of research, to provide medical direction and counseling for cancer victims, and to advocate locally and nationally for the reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals. The benefit, chaired by Andrea Callen, drew almost 600 people to the Palace Hotel. In some respects the cocktail party, auction, dinner, speeches, award ceremony, after-party it was like most benefits. Vacation packages, photos by Michael Mustacchi, paintings by Thomasina DeMaio were auctioned. But it was also a lot more personal for every San Franciscan who depends on firefighters and emergency services. (Pam and Larry Baer, whose son was a beneficiary of those emergency services when he went through a glass door years ago, were there.) Nicholson isnt quite chief yet, so she wore a suit and tie, with nary a brass button in sight. She looked businesslike. But when she took the podium, first asking for a moment of silence for fallen firefighters, she couldnt have been more personal. She talked openly and specifically about her own struggle with breast cancer that was diagnosed in 2012, a double mastectomy, 16 rounds of chemotherapy, loss of hair, more. Yet I am one of the lucky ones. I am still here. I am extremely grateful for that. But many of our brothers and sisters are not. The Foundation was created because things had to change. Chemical companies are poisoning all of us. Her remarks were direct, matter-of-fact, uncomplaining but committed to change. Shed been through the flames. And so we love our firefighters. Five white hats, traditionally given to firefighters who have displayed heroic leadership, were bestowed to Edward Stone and Joseph Carrillo, who administer workers comp claims; to scientists/environmental activists Sharyle Patton and Rachel Morello; and to former emergency room doctor Jennifer Brokaw, advocate for end-of-life planning and counselor to firefighter cancer victims. Guests received copies of Siren Call SF, a new book with photographs by Dwayne Newton and poetry by Jon Obermeyer. You wander these neighborhoods on days off, writes Obermeyer, looking up at windows, the exquisite drapery, to find the domicile that might one day claim you. P.S.: Tom Brokaw, former newsman, on hand to kvell over his daughter, was surrounded by well-wishers. When we talked for a few moments, he brought up his friendship with longtime Chronicle columnist Herb Caen. Brokaw said hed see him when visiting here, and Caen always asked what Brokaw had for him. When I mentioned that when I came to the paper Id worked as secretary to Art Hoppe, another late Chronicle columnist, Brokaw lit up, proclaiming Hoppes wit and gentlemanly decency. Its so good to be here, he said, just to hear someone say his name again. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, did the full media round including The Chronicle in San Francisco on Friday, March 22. At night, his circuit included a reception at the apartment of Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and Markos Kounalakis, then a dinner at Susie and Mark Buells, who live upstairs, and then, last, a stop at the Fairmont, where Willie Brown was having an 85th birthday party. (Nancy and Paul Pelosi and Mayor London Breed were there, too, I am told.) 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. While Schiff was addressing the guests at the Kounalakis fete, word came that it was time for his guest spot on Rachel Maddows show on MSNBC, which would be shot in the Buells guest room. He darted upstairs and did the spot the Kounalakis guests watched him on TV and then returned to the party to finish speaking. P.S.: Talking about the Mueller Report when weve only seen the Barr letter, says Janice Hough, is like reviewing a movie when youve only seen the trailer. PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING I havent accomplished much of anything yet and Im already 19. Woman overheard at Safeway on Solano in Albany by Greta Sholachman Ware Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik A nose for luxury As Californias truffle industry grows, so does the need for trained hunters. In Placerville, Alana McGee trains dogs bred for centuries to sniff out the luxury ingredient. A nose for luxury As Californias truffle industry grows, so does the need for trained hunters. In Placerville, Alana McGee trains dogs bred for centuries to sniff out the luxury ingredient. Truffle, William Shadbolt said firmly to Zane, his 5-month-old dog, holding a small perforated tin with a slice of the luxury mushroom inside. As soon as the distracted puppy finally came over to sniff it, Shadbolt gave him a treat. Good! said trainer Alana McGee of Truffle Dog Co., praising both man and dog. When Shadbolt repeated the command, the white dog with chocolate-brown spots sat down in compliance and quickly sniffed the tin, having picked up that a payoff would follow. Twelve curly-haired Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, along with their humans, had gathered on a truffle farm in Placerville (El Dorado County) for a day-long workshop in the ancient art of truffle hunting. Lori Engel kisses her dog Gigi during the workshop. Lori Engel kisses her dog Gigi during the workshop. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Now that California farms truffles, it needs truffle-hunting dogs, too 1 / 14 Back to Gallery All the dogs at the days workshop were Lagotto Romagnolo (lah-GOAT-toh ro-man-YO-lo), an Italian breed, and all were related. Placerville-area breeder Lisa Sobon specializes in the breed, which may have been the worlds original water retriever, predating the poodle, the Labrador and, of course, the labradoodle. According to the Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Americas website, the breed may have originated as far back as the fifth or sixth century B.C. along Italys northern Adriatic coast, in the region of Romagna (Lagotto Romagnolo means lake dog of Romagna). A 15th century Andrea Mantegna painting titled The Meeting shows a kinky-haired Lagotto lookalike peeking out between the limbs of several towering figures. Originally, they were bred to hunt waterfowl, until, apparently, they had hunted them into exinction. Then they turned to truffles. In Southern Europe, where several types of truffles grow wild and are farmed extensively, Lagotto Romagnolo and other dogs are trained to find their scent so that farmers can dig them up and sell the pricey tubers. Italian dog breeders have been known to rub truffle oil on the mothers teats to give puppies a good early association with the tuber. Lagotto Romagnolo have only started to become popular as a pet in the United States. Theyre dolphin-level smart with supposedly hypoallergenic hair and a distinctive look. Once you find one, however and spend $3,000 to $4,000 for it you soon realize that the need to work is deeply embedded in your new pets DNA. I realize she is a working dog and she needs something to do, said Barbara Schilling of 1-year-old Bella, who would otherwise have been herding chickens around her Monterey backyard. Good thing there are now truffles to hunt. The workshop was held at Staci OTooles Tesoro Mio, one of three Northern California truffle farms to produce the prized black Perigord truffle (Tuber melanosporum). Many other state farmers, who have planted hazelnut and oak trees with roots inoculated with the tuber spores, are eagerly awaiting their first discovery. Most of the humans attending the $125 workshop said they werent planning to turn professional truffle hunting into a side hustle for their pets. A few participants lived or had family in the Pacific Northwest, where other varieties of truffles grow wild, and they hope to go hunting in the woods. The biggest incentive was to get the dogs in touch with their roots, so to speak. We want to see them do something theyre naturally trained to do, said Karen Goldberg, explaining why she and her husband, George Green, crated their dogs Hank and Adriano for the drive up from Marin. The workshop began under the large roofed patio behind OTooles house, with the orchard below and an outline of the Sierra Foothills just visible through the gray drizzle. An hour or so of training would be followed by a truffle-infused lunch (for the humans) from Magpie in Sacramento, with wine made by breeder Sobons husband (also for the humans). Despite the bad weather, the dogs would then venture out into the orchards. Or rather, because of the bad weather. The best truffle hunting is in the pouring rain, McGee assured the crowd, explaining that truffle scents pool on the ground when its wet, while they quickly escape into the ether on a hot and dry California day. As if in a mommy-and-me music class, the adults gathered around their young charges, most younger than 2, beaming as they watched them tussle and play. The puppies often scratched or sneezed when they were supposed to be paying attention, but soon all had learned to sniff the tins on their owners command. For the next phase, McGee put the tins inside plastic containers and spread them out on the floor in a zigzag pattern like traffic cones in a driving test. She instructed Jade Lum, an architect from Los Altos Hills, to walk 1-year-old Tango past the targets on a leash. If Tango stopped to sniff the plastic containers, he got a treat. A particularly handsome pup, Tango trotted alongside Lum and dipped his rounded head to sniff the containers. Then he looked up expectantly through a mop of roan-brown curls for a reward. Its so important to offer these kinds of trainings, said Sobon, a tall, silver-haired woman with light blue eyes, the breeder and guru to the group. Its not just physical exercise, its mental exercise. When the rain finally cleared up, OToole brought the humans on a walk through the orchard with her dogs Mila and Tonne, experienced hunters who have collectively dug up over 15 pounds of truffles. Occasionally, the dogs eat a truffle they find, but OToole just calls that a commission. After five minutes of scanning the ground with his snout like a vacuum cleaner on a carpet, Tonne indicated he had found one with a special tail wag. OToole put her face down in the dirt, then used a trowel to dig a small hole. Theres a mild smell, she said. She rubbed a clump of dirt between her fingers and eventually found a truffle the size of a BB. They have a black sheen on them thats different from the rocks and dirt, she explained, reburying the tiny, otherwise unusable truffle so it could reinoculate the soil. When it was the trainees turn to locate the truffle tins among the trees in the orchard, most of them quickly learned that multiple sniffs would result in just as many treats. The humans seemed pleased with their progress. After all, getting one of Sobons Lagotti had taken patience. A few times a year, the trainer invites 10 interested couples from the long wait list to gather at her home outside Placerville, then assesses their temperament, as well as that of the dogs, before making a match. They dont get to choose the dog, she said. Neither would they be able to choose for that dog to just sit on the couch. Now, at least, both humans and dogs had gained a new skill together. If they continued to practice, tasty rewards could lie ahead. Tara Duggan is The Chronicles assistant food editor. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces an investigation on behalf of Equitrans Midstream Corporation investors (Equitrans or the Company) (NYSE: ETRN ) concerning the Company and its officers possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . On February 14, 2019, Equitrans filed an annual report on Form 10-K with the SEC, announcing the Companys financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2018. In the annual report, Equitrans disclosed that the Companys Mountain Valley Pipeline joint venture is under criminal investigation for possible violations of the Clean Water Act and other federal laws. If you purchased Equitrans securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. French English Paris, Amsterdam, March 27, 2019 Press release Information related to the explanatory documentation for the Combined Annual General Meeting of Unibail-Rodamco SE to be held on May 17, 2019, and to the 2018 Registration Document The Combined Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders of Unibail-Rodamco SE will be held at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild (11 rue Berryer - 75008 Paris) on Friday May 17, 2019, at 10:30 am. The formal notice to shareholders (Avis de reunion a l'Assemblee Generale) will be published on March 29, 2019, in the BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires) and sets out the AGM agenda, the draft resolutions, as well as the terms and conditions for attending and voting at the AGM. The 2018 Registration Document of Unibail-Rodamco SE was filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) on March 27, 2019. The explanatory documentation regarding this AGM and the 2018 Registration Document are available on request, in compliance with the laws and regulations in force, as well as on the www.urw.com website (under Investors). The 2018 Registration Document includes: the 2018 Financial Report, the report of the Supervisory Board on the Corporate Governance, the management report, the remuneration policy and the elements of the remuneration due or granted for the 2018 financial year to the members of the Management Board and of the Supervisory Board, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report. For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Samuel Warwood Maarten Otte +33 1 76 77 58 02 Maarten.otte@urw.com Media Relations Tiphaine Bannelier-Suderie D : +33 1 76 77 57 94 Tiphaine.bannelier-suderie@urw.com About Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is the premier global developer and operator of flagship shopping destinations, with a portfolio valued at 65.2 Bn as at December 31, 2018, of which 87% in retail, 6% in offices, 5% in convention & exhibition venues and 2% in services. Currently, the Group owns and operates 92 shopping centres, including 55 flagships in the most dynamic cities in Europe and the United States. Its centres welcome 1.2 billion visits per year. Present on 2 continents and in 12 countries, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield provides a unique platform for retailers and brand events, and offers an exceptional and constantly renewed experience for customers. With the support of its 3,700 professionals and an unparalleled track-record and know-how, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is ideally positioned to generate superior value and develop world-class projects. The Group has a development pipeline of 11.9 Bn. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield distinguishes itself by its Better Places 2030 agenda, that sets its ambition to create better places that respect the highest environmental standards and contribute to better cities. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stapled shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris (Euronext ticker: URW), with a secondary listing in Australia through Chess Depositary Interests. The Group benefits from an A rating from Standard & Poor's and from an A2 rating from Moody's. For more information, please visit www.urw.com Visit our Media Library at https://mediacentre.urw.com Follow the Group updates on Twitter @urw_group, Linkedin @Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Instagram @urw_group The U.S. Senate handily confirmed Bridget Bade, a federal magistrate from Arizona, to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, marking President Trumps fourth appointee to a liberal court he is trying to shift to the right. The vote was 78-21. Bade, 54, a former federal prosecutor, has been a U.S. District Court magistrate since 2012. Trump has repeatedly denounced the San Francisco-based court, the nations largest appellate circuit, for rulings against him on such issues as immigration, birth control and transgender military service. The court now has 25 judges, 16 appointed by Democratic presidents, and four vacancies, with Trump nominations pending. The U.S. Judicial Conference has recommended adding five more seats to the court to keep up with its workload of cases from California and eight other Western states. The additions would make it theoretically possible to give Republican presidents a majority on the court, but they would require congressional approval. Unlike other recent judicial confirmation votes that have divided along party lines, Bade drew support from more than half the Senates Democrats, including Dianne Feinstein of California. The states other senator, Democrat Kamala Harris, voted against Bade, following her recent promise to oppose all of Trumps appeals court nominees. Every other senator seeking the 2020 presidential nomination Democrats Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont voted no. An American Bar Association committee rated Bade as well qualified for the court, its highest ranking. Her record, and her presentation at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, were reminiscent of Judge Barry Silverman, her predecessor on the court, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who monitors judicial nominations. 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. Silverman, also a former federal magistrate in Arizona, was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and had a generally moderate record before taking semi-retired senior status in October 2016. Most of the Democrats had a pretty good comfort level with her, Tobias said of Bade. She didnt seem like an ideologue. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@BobEgelko Waukesha, WI (53187) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High 44F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Description GIS 27 March, 2019: Pope Francis will visit Mauritius on 9 September, this year, and will celebrate a mass at Marie Reine de la Paix, the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, announced, this afternoon at a press conference, in the presence of Cardinal Maurice Piat and other personalities. Pope Francis will visit Mauritius on 9 September, this year, and will celebrate a mass at Marie Reine de la Paix, the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, announced, this afternoon at a press conference, in the presence of Cardinal Maurice Piat and other personalities. The Prime Minister recalled that he sent an invitation to the Vatican in November 2018, inviting the Pope to visit Mauritius. It is an honour and a great priviledge for us all, that Pope Francis has agreed to visit our multicultural country, he stated. The visit of the Pope will be a State visit, prepared with the collaboration of the Diocese of Port Louis, pointed out Mr Jugnauth. A delegation from the Vatican was here earlier this month to effect site visits in the context of the forthcoming papal visit, he added. The Prime Minister expressed the wish that the population welcomes Pope Francis with the same enthusiasm and pomp as that received by Pope John II when he visited Mauritius in 1989. For his part, Cardinal Piat stated that the Pope is a messenger of peace and his visit to Mauritius is being awaited not only by Christians but by all Mauritians. He added that Pope Francis will also be visiting Mozambique and Madagascar from 4 to 10 September 2019. Description GIS 27 March, 2019: Mauritius will host, on 11 and 12 April 2019, a capacity-building workshop on Transforming Mauritius: Policies to Foster Industrialisation and Development. The objective of the workshop is to provide a platform for participants to acquire knowledge about new challenges in industrial policy formulation. It will be organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection. Some 70 participants from both the public and private sectors are expected to attend. Topics such as Structural T ransformation and Industrial Policy, Industrial Policy in a Digital World, Industrial Policy in Open Economies, and Regional Value Chains in SADC will be covered during the workshop. The story is not over. It may never be over in our lifetimes. But an important chapter has come to an end, and it had a happy ending for the president. Contrary to what were already beginning to hear from some quarters of the left, the Mueller probe almost certainly puts to rest the extreme version of the Russia collusion narrative. If there were compelling evidence that Donald Trump clandestinely conspired with the Russian government, then its safe to assume that Special Counsel Robert Mueller would have found it. And if he found it, he would have put it in his report. And if he put it in his report, Attorney General William Barr would have indicated as much in his summary. Win McNamee / Getty Images Even if Barr were inclined to cover up such findings, he knows that the truth would come out, and that his career and reputation would be utterly destroyed. But it does not and really cannot put to rest the softer versions of the collusion charge. Candidate Trump publicly called on the Russians to keep hacking away at Hillary Clintons emails. Don Jr. and the entire senior leadership of the Trump campaign took a meeting with a self-declared emissary of the Russian government to get dirt on Hillary (and then lied about it later at the presidents direction). Trumps campaign manager, now in prison, worked with Russian-aligned oligarchs in Ukraine. Various campaign peons and hangers-on were eager to cultivate relations with Russia. Moreover, the ironclad conclusion of the intelligence community as well as the Mueller investigation found that Russia did indeed work to get Trump elected. The Trump campaign may have been dishonorably happy for the help, but thats not collusion. And lets be clear: That is very good news. If you believed that Trump was a traitor, its one thing to want that exposed, quite another to want it to be true, which is where a lot of people ended up. Those people will not go away, nor will they lose their adamantine convictions about the presidents fitness or legitimacy. Which is one of the reasons why this will remain a never-ending story. Like Hillary Clinton, Trump is an avatar in a broader culture war. Were still hearing about Clintons emails. Why should we expect the clamor over Trumps alleged collusion to end any time soon? Beto ORourke, who, like most of his competitors for the Democratic nomination, is trying to personify the collective liberal id, simply ignored the news and proclaimed that he believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that Trump sought to collude with Russia. Similarly, just as there are people irretrievably locked into the idea that Trump is illegitimate, there are legions of people equally committed to the idea that the probe itself was an illegitimate witch hunt, or, in the presidents words, an attempted illegal takedown. Never mind that the same people who insisted that Mueller was a dirty deep-state operative doing the Clintons bidding are now celebrating Muellers integrity and thoroughness. (In July, Rudy Giuliani called the probe the most corrupt investigation I have ever seen.) Both the collusion and deep-state narratives have always been subordinate to the larger and deeper motives driving and sustaining political polarization. New facts Trump didnt collude, Mueller wasnt corrupt are like rocks in a river. They will divert the water here or there, and perhaps create some froth and churn, but the torrent wont stop, particularly when there are so many fresh avenues for the waters to follow. The watchword on the right these days is reckoning as in, there needs to be one for anyone who believed Trump colluded or even supported an investigation. On the left, there is a clamor for Congress to pick up where Mueller left off and a hunger for new saviors, such as the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of New York. The idea that the Mueller report itself will remain secret is a childish fantasy. And although Barrs summary may be technically accurate, one can be sure it is not comprehensive. It is too tempting a treasure trove of anti-Trump spoils for Democrats and journalists to ignore. Likewise, all of the documents warrants, internal memos, etc. that birthed the investigation in the first place are too delicious for those seeking a reckoning to remain warehoused like the Ark of the Covenant in the first Indiana Jones movie. A chapter has closed, but the story goes on. Because too many people need it to. 2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC Jonah Goldberg is the author of Suicide of the West. Email: goldbergcolumn@gmail.com. Twitter: @JonahNRO.) To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. The Trump administration has filed a legal brief in support of a full nullification of the Affordable Care Act. The Department of Justice presented this position on Monday in a case challenging the acts constitutionality currently before a federal appeals court in New Orleans. Its a huge shift for the Trump administration, which had previously argued that the individual mandate provision of the act was legally distinct from other aspects of the law that could be allowed to stand. Its also a huge political risk for an already unpopular administration. Nullifying the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would potentially result in the loss of health insurance for about 21 million Americans. The loss of the ACA would also destabilize Medicaid, the insurance program for the poor thats jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Even Americans who arent at risk for losing their health insurance coverage would be affected. Losing the ACA would mean losing the laws overwhelmingly popular provisions, like the ban on health insurance companies former practice of denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. While voter opinions on the entirety of the Affordable Care Act are divided the Kaiser Family Foundations tracking poll showed that 50 percent of all adults had a favorable opinion of it as of this month large majorities of Americans favor the acts consumer protections. Thats a big part of the reason why the Republican-dominated Congress of 2016 and 2017 consistently failed to pass legislation repealing the ACA. Its also a big part of the reason why Republicans in Congress are unlikely to appreciate the Trump administrations decision to wade into this fight now, instead of helping them craft a winning message for the 2020 election season. This isnt it. Eager to turn the page from Special Counsel Robert Muellers muted report on Russian election interference during the 2016 election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pounced with a message about protecting the ACA. House Democrats announced a new plan to lower health care costs and improve protection for people with pre-existing conditions. This is a great issue for Democratic lawmakers, who won back the House on a platform to protect the ACAs most popular provisions. The administrations action has ensured that health care will be a major theme of the 2020 elections, but its offered nothing to replace the ACA. Meanwhile, many of the Democratic primary candidates are running on a platform of either a single-payer health care system or something close to it. California, along with more than a dozen other states, has intervened in court to defend the ACA. As important as that fight is, itll take place against the backdrop of a much larger war in this country over the extent to which Americans want government support for health care. In 2020, the Democrats are betting that the country wants far more support than we have now. The Trump administration is betting against all available evidence that we want none at all. The final decision will be made by the voters, not by the courts. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. The New York Times Regarding Inspection lapses blamed in Transbay center closing (March 15): The subject article is correct in pointing the finger at missing and/or inadequate inspection on this project, which is clearly a fiasco of design and execution. But inspection is only the tip of the iceberg. Of primary importance are the flawed engineering specifications leading to flawed fabrication procedures. Leading to the above is total mismanagement of the project. The mal-engineering and mismanagement of this project are unacceptable. I should hope that accountability (financial and professional) is assigned herewith. That should also apply to those politically responsible. The associated costs need to be applied accordingly, rather than being passed on to the taxpayers! I hope that it is not the intent that they be swept under the rug. A rise in teen vaping has created a frenzy within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as in state legislatures across the country. Just last week, San Francisco introduced legislation to ban the sale of e-cigarettes until the FDA conducts a full review of the product. Lost in the panic, however, has been a conversation about addiction. We dont want to encourage bad habits among teens, but we must ensure our policies on e-cigarettes dont make it harder for addicted adult smokers to quit. San Francisco is not alone in its crusade against e-cigarettes. From Washington, D.C., to New York and Massachusetts to California, we have seen e-cigarette flavor bans and user fees in an effort to curb teen vaping. But for those who work in the field of addiction, theres reason to believe such efforts may have serious unintended consequences, undermining an effective tool for combatting the addiction to smoking. People become addicted to an overall experience, not just to a drugs effects. Helping people beat back their addictions whether its gambling, drugs, electronics or smoking requires a better understanding of what drives addiction. Eva Hambach / AFP / Getty Images 2018 When the New England Journal of Medicine published the first large, systematic study of whether e-cigarettes help people quit smoking earlier this year, there was tremendous enthusiasm. The study compared the effect of e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapies (patches, gum, etc.) to see whether vaping improved cigarette cessation. In what could be viewed as a significant turning point for the conversation around vaping, the research found e-cigarettes to be roughly twice as likely to help adult smokers quit as other therapies: 18 percent of smokers who switched to vaping abstained from smoking tobacco cigarettes after one year versus 10 percent for those who used nicotine replacement therapy. And its easy to see why. A crucial ingredient in addiction are the favored rituals involved in administering a drug. E-cigarettes were more effective replacements for smoking because users can still follow familiar and pleasurable patterns of behavior such as inhalation and the hand-to-mouth motion. The study underlines the fact that replacing cigarettes without continuing these elements doesnt work for roughly half of addicted smokers. Add to this the fact that getting beyond the peak early period for relapse is critical. In the largest study of drug dependencies, the risk of relapse for those who had quit smoking for a year or less was above 50 percent; for smokers who had quit for over a year, the risk of relapse rapidly decreased, stabilizing at around 10 percent after 30 years. Contributed photo So why are lawmakers taking steps against what has been determined to be an effective tool in combatting smoking? Perhaps these politicians are more concerned with displaying a puritanical distaste for addiction, rather than fighting deadly cancer agents. Lawmakers who are truly interested in improving public health and not just stirring up moral panic ought to consider what is driving these addictions before they implement policies. Addictions provide feelings that are intensely welcome to people, for a variety of reasons. For some for shorter or longer periods these sensations are so necessary that they seem almost essential. Too often, however, we confuse addiction or compulsive use with specific medical problems. And this is the case with e-cigarettes. Neither e-cigarettes nor nicotine replacement therapies halt addiction, as the user remains dependent on the chemical effects of nicotine. But the e-cigarette addiction takes a far safer form. Replacing the oft-lethal chemicals that accompany combustible cigarettes with something that is not cancer causing is the essence of the modern public health policy called harm reduction. Harm reduction is a strategy the public health community has used for many years. For example, we learned that needle-exchange programs something San Francisco has engaged in for more than two decades could be an effective part of a larger strategy to reduce the spread of HIV. Researchers have discovered a way for people to continue nicotine use in a 95 percent safer form, according to a 2015 review published by the British public health agency. We ought to see this as a positive outcome. Giving people the space and time to overcome addiction through maintaining their health is an incalculable gift. Once weve helped someone switch to a safer alternative, we can continue to seek the purpose and fulfillment that can give us the choice of abandoning addiction. Stanton Peele is an addiction psychologist who has been researching, writing and treating addiction since the 1970s. His most recent book, written with Zach Rhoads, a developmental specialist with schoolchildren, is Outgrowing Addiction: With Common Sense Instead of Disease Therapy, Upper Access, Inc., 2019). WASHINGTON The Senate took up a disaster-aid package Tuesday that includes billions for California, but the bills fate remains unclear as President Trump digs in on limiting funding for hurricane recovery in Puerto Rico. The Senate voted 90-10 to open debate on a package of more than $12 billion, which would include funding recovery efforts in California from wildfires in 2017 and 2018. But many Democrats say they will oppose final passage if Republicans, who control the chamber, carry out plans to replace the bill with one that reduces money for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories recovering from natural disasters. Trump traveled to the Capitol to meet with Republicans at a closed-door lunch Tuesday and brought a chart that demonstrated how much more money Puerto Rico has already received in disaster aid than other states, senators said. Democrats and some Republicans are calling for more money for Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. The Republican version does include $600 million for Puerto Ricos food stamp program, which will otherwise run out of money next week. That deadline is forcing action on the disaster-aid package in the Senate, where it has been stalled since House passage earlier this year, leaving money for California and other states in limbo. We need to get that done, said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has pushed for more disaster aid for Puerto Rico. I agree that we should always be accounting for how money has been spent, but Puerto Rico certainly has needs that are different than some of these others places. GOP senators who have worked on the bill say its important that the Senate pass something so it can move into negotiations with the Democratic-controlled House. A spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee said the House would not accept what Republican senators have proposed. Democrats say it lacks Medicaid assistance and other federal funding coverage that Puerto Rico and other territories need. We have a way to go, said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate. Well get there eventually. ... The White House for some reason is opposed to the people who are in Puerto Rico, and I think its racist. Republicans disputed the characterization. They and the White House say Puerto Rico has already gotten more than its fair share and hasnt spent the money properly. Trump was talking about the need to help the farmers in Georgia and other farmers who have been hurt that arent actually asking for help but really need it, to make sure that there was adequate funding for them, said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. Democrats and some Republicans, including Rubio, say Puerto Rico has unique problems that require a greater infusion of federal cash, including having been hit by back-to-back storms and infrastructure problems that predated the hurricanes. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., called opposition to Puerto Rican relief money discriminatory. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said the GOP funding proposal for Puerto Rico and other territories was really kicking them in the teeth. Leahys GOP counterpart on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, said opening debate Tuesday was step one. ... Well see what happens tomorrow and go from there. I would envision anything could happen on the floor, Shelby said. If we passed a bill, we could promptly go to conference with the House if they ask for a conference, and start again. He added there will be money for Puerto Rico, but it would need oversight. Its unclear if Democrats would be able to block the Senate Republican version, which contains billions for many states in desperate need of help, like California. It needs 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to advance. California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she may have trouble voting against any bill that contains money for her home state. Theres a lot of money for California; its a big deal, Feinstein said. Weve had the worst wildfire season in history. Fifteen thousand homes burned thats a lot of homes, and I dont want to do anything to jeopardize that. Fellow California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, on the other hand, said she would have a hard time voting for anything that contained insufficient money for Puerto Rico. That would be very difficult, because I cant imagine any legitimate reason for excluding Puerto Rico, given the devastation its experienced, Harris said. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan The Raiders may not be done adding veteran inside linebackers. Oakland will host Broncos free-agent linebacker Brandon Marshall on Thursday, 9News in Denver reported. Last week, the Raiders signed former Bengals inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict to a one-year deal. Marshall, 29, is coming off a season in which a knee injury limited him to 11 games, seven starts and 42 tackles. From 2014-2017, Marshall started 56 of 64 games and had three 100-tackle seasons while serving as the play-caller for a unit that ranked among the NFLs top five in total defense in each season. Marshall became an unrestricted free agent after the Broncos declined to pick up a 2019 option that would have paid him $7 million. Last year, the Raiders lone constant at inside linebacker was Tahir Whitehead, 28, who had a team-high 126 tackles while playing all but three defensive snaps. Twitter: @Eric_Branch There wont be any boats pulling bulging nets of fresh sardines out of the ocean along the West Coast this year after another dramatic decline in population virtually guarantees a ban on the commercial take of the tiny schooling fish. The northern Pacific sardine population, stretching from Mexico to British Columbia, has plummeted 98.5 percent since 2006, according to a draft stock assessment released this week by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Pacific Fishery Management Council. It means regulators have no choice but to ban sardine fishing for the fifth straight year starting July 1 from Mexico to the Canadian border. Weve been urging for an overhaul to the way sardine are managed for the last seven years, said Geoff Shester, a senior scientist with Oceana, an ocean conservation advocacy group. It is critical to hold fishery managers accountable for exacerbating this modern-day sardine collapse and seek management changes to use best available science to learn from our mistakes. The 14 voting members of the fishery council, which makes policy along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts, will meet April 12 in Rohnert Park to discuss the results and vote on regulations, but a fishing ban is inevitable. The latest assessment projects 27,547 metric tons of sardines will be swimming along the West Coast on July 1. It means the sardine population is less than 2 percent of its peak population in 2006, when the fish which are measured using their collective weight as if inside a fishing net reached 1,774,784 metric tons, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The collective weight of the fish this year is well below the 150,000-metric-ton threshold required before commercial fishing can be allowed. It is also below the 50,000-metric-ton level that triggers a rule requiring the council to declare sardines overfished, Shester said. Last year at this time there were 52,065 metric tons of sardines and the year before that there were 86,586, according to the fishery council assessments. Sardines, which generally get frozen in big blocks for use as bait and feed, often end up as by-catch, meaning they are caught up in nets set out for other species. Shester said the fisheries service is required to develop a plan for recovery. He proposes new catch limits on the capture of sardines for use as live bait and more restrictive limits on the percentage of sardines snared in nets meant for other fish. Biologists blame the collapse on natural fluctuations which have been common throughout history, according to recent sediment studies as well as changing ocean conditions. But conservationists such as Shester, however, believe overfishing made a bad situation worse. 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. Scientists warned as early as 2012 that the sardine population on the West Coast was ready to collapse, but regulators allowed sardine fishing to continue until 2015. Shester said the same mistake was made in the mid-1950s when the Monterey Bay canneries made famous by John Steinbecks novel Cannery Row began failing. Stiff quotas and catch limits required under federal law by the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act helped save the tiny epipelagic fish, and their population increased throughout the 1990s. Then, in the 2000s, Monterey Bay once again became the Bay Area hub of sardine fishing, with a large population also thriving off the coast of San Francisco. Fishing fleets hauled in huge quantities of the nutrient-rich fish around the Channel Islands in Southern California and along the Oregon coast. It wasnt unusual for a boat to bring in up to 65 tons of sardines a day. The catch was bringing in $10 million to $20 million in annual revenue until the latest collapse. Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite Fate comes in many forms. One day in 2008, for longtime bar manager Jessica Maria, it arrived as an Albany Adult Education course catalog. Robotic Funk Dancing, read the listing. Taught by a street performer named Tron, the class was to be held in the Albany High gymnasium. Never one to pass up a chance to laugh at herself, Maria convinced 10 friends including her partner, Michael Valladares to take it with her. Following their last class, the students decamped to the Mel-O-Dee Lounge, a nearby karaoke bar, to try out their moves. One friend performed White Lines by Grandmaster Melle Mel while the rest of the crew popped and locked. After that, they took the temperature of the crowd, and decided they needed to leave immediately. So they wound up at the Hotsy Totsy. The oldest bar in Albany, the Hotsy Totsy Club has been in operation since at least 1939. Thats the first time a reference to it can be found in print, anyway, in an Oakland Tribune story about the bar being robbed. For decades its neon sign has beckoned the thirsty in from San Pablo Avenue to partake of stiff drinks and seedy vibes. Maria, Valladares and their friends did just that. And thats when they saw the other sign, the one that read For Sale. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Was there a dive in your hometown whose mythology preceded it? Whose lore, before you were even of bar-going age, somehow obliterated any facts you subsequently learned about the place? In Albany, thats the Hotsy Totsy. It wasnt a hotbed of crime, exactly, but it did not offer much by way of atmosphere. What it did offer was intoxication. Bartenders poured teeming pint glasses of well vodka with a suggestion of tonic or juice. Home from college one winter break, faced with one member of our party being underage, my friends and I went straight to the Hotsy Totsy: They also didnt card. All of which is why the following actually gives me something of an out-of-body experience to type: A decade after that fateful dance class, under its now 10-year-old ownership, the Hotsy Totsy is one of the most charming bars in the entire Bay Area. Before reopening in 2009, Valladares and Maria remodeled the place from the ground up. They decorated it with 40s and 50s pinups and kitsch, changed the neon sign from red, white and blue to 70s AC Transit orange, gray and green, and installed a pressed-tin ceiling by hand. Drawing from Marias decade-plus of bartending at spots like Cesar and Fonda, they crafted a menu of creative but unfussy cocktails using sophisticated ingredients. And now the bar draws discerning drinkers from San Francisco, San Jose and beyond. To Albany. For fun. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Weve always been a little gun-shy of feeling too proud, because the majority of whats great about this place is its history and its location, says Valladares, like me an Albany native, as his bar fills with both people and the scent of carnitas. (The Tacos El Autlense truck cash-only, and excellent parks daily in the lot next door.) We have friends wholl be like, Why dont you open up something like this in Manhattan, or even just San Francisco? he says. And I tell them: This bar couldnt exist in San Francisco. It couldnt exist in Oakland. It would become overrun with the cool crowd. But because were this shack on the side of the road in a small town ... The clientele is hard to pin down. The shuffleboard table and antique Wurlitzer jukebox each have their own unofficial fan clubs. The bar is dog-friendly, so its big with dog owners. There are metalheads in their thirties, rockabilly kids in their twenties, and teachers in their sixties. Theres also a substantial LGBT crowd. A healthy mix of all types make up the Sunday Supper Club, a weekly potluck with its own Facebook group. Its always a little bit fringey definitely a flame for a certain kind of moth, says Valladares. Then there are the old-timers, like 70-year-old Richie Cortese, Albany High class of 67, whos nursing a Guinness at the bar on this particular Friday. (With his first name printed on the back of his chair, hes tough to miss.) In his 40-plus years at the bar, Cortese says, hes known six of the seven owners. Maria and Valladares have their act together, he says. And their son is a kick in the butt. (The couples 6-year-old, Rocko, recently made a poster for a school assignment declaring that he wanted to be a bartender. We had a good time explaining that at the parent-teacher conference, says Maria.) Jessica Christian / The Chronicle They also earned the approval of Chester the Duke Anderson, who bartended at the Hotsy Totsy for decades. When Valladares and Maria bought the bar, Anderson took the couple outside and, in a complete deadpan, said, I come with the bar, recalls Maria. If you go To order: Paloma Rosa ($10), Femme Fatale ($12) or whatever Jessica Maria suggests Where: Hotsy Totsy Club, 601 San Pablo Ave., Albany. 510-526-5986 or www.hotsytotsyclub.com When: 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Thursday, and noon-2 a.m. Friday-Sunday. See More Collapse Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. And he did, fully embracing the new regime. Once you got on Chets sandwich list, hed have a paper bag lunch with your name on it every day, says Valladares. He was an old world kind of gentleman. Dressed real dapper, too. Anderson died in 2013; his cardigan and favorite mixing spoons are displayed on a wall in the front corner by the bar. But the history isnt the only thing thats made the bar such a destination. Marias ambitious cocktail menu stands out today, but it really stood out in 2009. We were ahead of the curve for cocktails in the East Bay, she says, acknowledging restaurants Flora and Fonda as exceptions. (Maria was a Chronicle Bar Star in 2012.) Starting with a menu of $7 cocktails, Maria wanted to showcase high-quality ingredients without getting floofy ... without having all the trappings of a hip joint for people who just want to be seen, she says. Despite serving smart drinks like the Bitter Rivers (gin, Aperol, grapefruit and lime juice, and rhubarb bitters, all carbonated and bottled in house), Maria takes pride in the fact that its basically still a fing weird place. Of course, San Pablo has since changed. Up the street, the Ivy Room draws music fans from all over for live shows, while the Little Hill Lounge in El Cerrito offers more of a shot-and-a-beer situation with retro vibes. The three bars have become a little family, with bartenders attending monthly gatherings at the Hotsy Totsy. And since Maria and Valladares took over the bar, its lore has spread in other ways. It's been used as a shooting location in both an E-40 music video and an independent film starring Rita Moreno. Never has the oddly harmonious blend of old and new been more evident, perhaps, than at the Hotsy Totsys big blowout in February. Marking the 10th anniversary of the new ownership and the 80th anniversary of that first Oakland Tribune mention, the party featured a red carpet and Hollywood premiere-style searchlights out front. Inside, the bar was slammed. An ice luge mixing vodka cocktails was set up in one corner, next to a free taco bar from the truck outside. In another corner, a small team of hairstylists gave partygoers bouffants and updos. Everywhere else was wall-to-wall bodies, several layers deep. My friend from high school and I had spent the drive over trying to parse fact from fiction about the place: Didnt that one English teacher used to go to the Hotsy Totsy at lunch, then teach sixth period kinda drunk? But once inside, it didnt matter. She signed up to get her hair done while I waited to order a pisco sour. I talked to a lesbian couple in their twenties, and then an older man in sunglasses and a silver cape, whom I later learned holds an important position at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. We ate tacos. We people watched. We only ran into two people from high school. It was a Friday night in Albany. This is cool, my friend said. And it was. Emma Silvers is a San Francisco freelance writer. Twitter: @emmaruthless Email: food@sfchronicle.com A trade court judge will recommend banning some iPhones from being imported into the U.S. after concluding that Apples best-selling device infringed on technology owned by mobile chip maker Qualcomm. The U.S. International Trade Commission decision is the latest twist in a bitter legal dispute between Qualcomm and Apple over the rights to some of the technology that connects iPhones to the internet. Its unclear whether the recommended ban will be imposed or even which iPhone models would be affected. MaryJoan McNamaras recommendation still must be weighed by the full trade commission. Qualcomm applauded McNamaras findings. Cupertinos Apple didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. A similar decision was reached by a trade commission judge last September in another patent infringement case that Qualcomm of San Diego filed against Apple. The full commission was expected issue its ruling on that judges initial findings later Tuesday. The legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple broke out more than two years ago after the Federal Trade Commission sued Qualcomm for allegedly using its portfolio of mobile technology patents to gouge smartphone makers and stifle competition in the chip market. A federal court judge in San Jose is still mulling a decision in that case, two months after presiding over a trial. Shortly after the FTC filed its case in 2017, Apple pounced with its own lawsuit accusing Qualcomm of trying to wring licensing fees for technology that it didnt really invent. Apple subsequently stopped paying royalties to Qualcomm, further poisoning the two companies relationship. Qualcomm prevailed in another round of skirmishing when a federal court jury in San Diego decided Apple should pay $31 million in damages for making several different types of iPhones that violated Qualcomm patents. The bout is scheduled to resume April 15 in yet another federal court trial in San Diego. Michael Liedtke is an Associated Press writer. Bernie Ecclestone has backed Toto Wolff's position over the proposed F1 budget cap. Amid tense negotiations between Liberty Media, the FIA and the teams over the 2021 Concorde Agreement and rules, the parties got together in London on Tuesday. Afterwards, F1's official website declared that the meetings moved the sport "a step closer" to agreeing to rules, governance, income distribution and "cost controls" for the future. Part of the 'cost controls' is a proposed budget cap, and Mercedes boss Wolff said recently that the German marque supports it. But he also said: "The challenge is how to control spending, because the teams are structured very differently. For example, we will need to agree penalties in the event that a team deliberately breaks the rules. "We see the biggest challenges with the implementation," Wolff added. Recently, Wolff met in the Swiss ski resort town of Gstaad with former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll, and former F1 supremo Ecclestone. Wolff said any talk of a breakaway series was "nonsense", and Racing Point also rubbished the reports. But Ecclestone, who admitted that a breakaway had been discussed, seemed to back Wolff's position over the feasibility of the budget cap. He told Auto Bild: "In my time, Jean Todt worked on the budget cap, but how can you control for example whether Mercedes does research for formula one at the main headquarters in Stuttgart?" (GMM) Google has quietly been retooling an ambitious but troubled robotics program that was once led by an executive who left the company amid accusations of sexual harassment. Starting in 2013, the internet company spent tens of millions of dollars buying six robotics startups in the United States and Japan. The project included two teams specializing in machines that looked and moved like humans. In a nod to those grand ambitions, Andy Rubin, the vice president of engineering who ran the effort, called it Replicant. (The term was originally used in the movie Blade Runner.) Little came of it. Over the next few years, Google either sold the companies it had acquired or shut them down. The best known of the bunch, Boston Dynamics, was bought by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank and is still working on robots that move like humans or animals. Rubin left Google in 2014 after the harassment allegations. Google regrouped, and reconsidered its focus on the mechanics of complex robots. It has been rebuilding its program for the past few years, with robots that are much more simple than the humanoid-shaped machines that hung on the walls inside Rubins lab. The new effort is called Robotics at Google. It includes many of the engineers and researchers who worked under Rubin, and it is led by Vincent Vanhoucke, a principal scientist at Google. Vanhoucke, a French-born researcher, was a key figure in the development of Google Brain, the companys central artificial intelligence lab. His team recently moved into a new lab on Googles main campus in Mountain View. The New York Times was recently provided a first look at some of the technology the company has been working on. While the machines may not be as eye-catching as humanoid robots, Google researchers believe that the subtly more advanced technology inside them gives them more potential in the real world. The company is developing ways for these robots to learn skills on their own, like sorting through a bin of unfamiliar objects or navigating a warehouse filled with unexpected obstacles. Googles new lab is indicative of a broader effort to bring machine learning to robotics. Researchers are exploring similar techniques at places like UC Berkeley and OpenAI, the artificial intelligence lab founded by Elon Musk and Sam Altman. In recent months, both places have spawned startups trying to commercialize their work. Many believe that machine learning not extravagant new devices will be the key to developing robotics for manufacturing, warehouse automation, transportation and many other tasks. Robotics has long held the popular imagination, but what is easily the most important change is the application of machine learning, said Sunil Dhaliwal, a general partner with Amplify Partners, a Menlo Park venture capital firm. The utility is in the software. Robots are already used in warehouses and on factory floors, but they can handle only specific tasks, like picking up a particular object or turning a screw. Google wants the machines it is working with to learn on their own. On a recent afternoon in Googles new lab, a robotic arm hovered over a bin filled with Ping-Pong balls, wooden blocks, plastic bananas and other random objects. Reaching into this pile of clutter, the arm grabbed a banana between two fingers and, with a gentle flick of the wrist, tossed it into a smaller bin several feet away. For a robot, it was a remarkable trick. When first presented with that pile of clutter, the arm did not know how to pick up a single object. But equipped with a camera that looked down into the bin, the Google system analyzed its own progress during about 14 hours of trial and error. The arm eventually learned to toss items into the right bins about 85 percent of the time. When the researchers tried the same task, their accuracy rate was about 80 percent. It may sound simple enough, but writing computer code to tell a machine how to do that would be extremely difficult. It is learning more complicated things than I could ever think about, said Shuran Song, one of the primary researchers on the project. In another corner of Googles lab, researchers are training robotic hands to manipulate objects push, pull and spin them in subtle ways. The three-fingered hands are hardly complex, at least in the physical sense. The software helping them learn is the breakthrough, and researchers hope the hands can eventually learn to use tools and other equipment. In a third part of the lab, researchers are training a mobile robot sold by a San Jose startup, Fetch. This rolling machine is learning to navigate unfamiliar spaces, which can help in places like warehouses and factories. Google is tight-lipped about how it hopes to use the technologies it is working on, but as with other forms of automation, there is an obvious question of whether it will take away jobs. It is hard to imagine a future where that is not the case, said Michael Chui, a partner with the McKinsey Global Institute, a business research organization. But other researchers believe the robots will complement human labor instead of replace it. There are still so many jobs in the warehouse that robots cant do, said Ken Goldberg, a robotics professor at Berkeley and one of the researchers behind startup Ambidexterous Robotics. What they can do is assist with some of the drudgery. Cade Metz is a New York Times writer. A former dropout nursing student who committed the 2012 mass shooting at Oikos University in Oakland has died in custody, according to multiple media reports. No cause of death has been released, but the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to KPIX that One Goh died at California State Prison at Sacramento on March 20. The James Beard Foundation announced the "short list" of finalists for its annual awards, honoring the nation's most outstanding chefs, restaurants and food-related books and media. Unsurprisingly, the Bay Area was represented across the spectrum from Samin Nosrat for her "Salt Fat Acid Heat" Netflix special to Joshua Skenes of Angler and Saison. ALSO: Humphry Slocombe now scooping in Berkeley We aren't going to summarize the list for you, which you can read online here, but what we have done is compile the prices of each Bay Area restaurant nominated. You can view them in the above gallery. There are the expensive mainstays Atelier Crenn, Benu, Saison where a multi-course tasting menu will run you into the $300 range per person. But you don't necessarily need to spend hundreds of dollars to taste the flavors of James Beard fame. ALSO: NorCal's most random hidden gem is this $12.99 buffet At Manresa Bread, for which Avery Ruzicka is nominated in the Outstanding Baker category, you can buy a loaf of whole wheat bread for $8 and a pastry for $4. You can even eat an entire meal at critics' darling Angler (Best New Restaurant) for about $40, including a starter and main course. For those seeking a prix-fixe menu, Sorrel's is a steal by Bay Area standards, at $95 a person. It's chef, Alexander Hong, is nominated in the Outstanding Chef category. Winners will be announced in May. Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at michelle.robertson@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. Drunk Noodles at the Tang. Photo: Melissa Hom In a city that could soon collapse under the weight of all the comfort food it has available piles of mac-and-cheese, heaping bowls of spaghetti, never-ending buckets of fried chicken its hard to beat the sheer satisfaction of the Drunk Noodles at the Tang, a cozy noodle shop tucked on a block of First Avenue in the East Village. A bowl of rich beef broth is spiked with Momofukus fermented, miso-like Hozon paste, pork, scallions, sesame, and a bit of chile oil. The dish is unlike any other served at the Chinese noodle shops that dot New York City. And, until a few years ago, you probably couldnt find a similar dish in China, either. The Tang doesnt serve traditional Chinese food; they serve the kinds of foods that people are actually eating in China today, and more than anything, that means a break with tradition and a turn toward fusion and experimentation. We really created the Drunk Noodles that wasnt really a thing in China, said owner Yu Li. It was inspired by noodle dishes from different regions; by different food styles. Li comes from a family of Beijing restaurateurs. When he and a partner opened their East Village restaurant in 2016, they wanted to serve the same kind of food that people were eating in China, which is of course quite different than most of the Chinese food thats currently available in New York. Peoples appetites [in China] are changing fast these days, Li explains. People are going for stronger, new flavors there. They are looking for foods that taste different, not just the same foods they have always eaten. When the restaurant first opened, there wasnt exactly a line out the door. The core clientele was comprised primarily of Chinese students studying abroad in the U.S. The past couple of years, however, have seen a surge of interest in all manner of Chinese food, buoying the Tangs audience. Now, Li says, more New Yorkers come in were more like a local spot than a foreign noodle shop. Now, Li is expanding to the Upper West Side, aiming to open a second location on Amsterdam Avenue this spring. Herbal chicken noodle soup and braised beef soup. Melissa Hom. Herbal chicken noodle soup and braised beef soup. Melissa Hom. Li says his own restaurants shift in customers mirrors the broadening palate found back in China, where, according to at least one expert, chefs are entirely unconcerned with making authentically Chinese food. This may seem counterintuitive, but its helping give Chinese food more visibility and expanding the definition of what it can be. As Li assembled the menu, he didnt consider regional specialities or staple dishes, and instead took a cue from the restaurants he knew from his own hometown. If you go to China today, you see these noodle bars everywhere, there are little ones on the street, fancy ones in hotels, Li says. We were going for a more casual street-style food, something everyone back in China knows something that blends all the regional cuisines. Then, he says, we wanted to make a more creative version, and we add our own little twists to fit the New Yorkers palate. In addition to the options that American diners might expect to find at a New York Chinese restaurant scallion pancakes, dumplings, braised beef noodle soup there are dishes inspired by Mongolian cuisine (such as pork belly steamed noodles), as well as dishes from the Tangs Malaysian head chef, Kim Hui Teo. Fried oysters arrive with spicy mayonnaise; the Mouth Watering Boneless Chicken Thigh is bathed in Sichuan chili oil, topped with sesame seeds and scallions; the Tangs take on dan dan noodles includes double-fermented mustard green stems to add salt and funk in addition to mouth-searing heat. As Li explains, he and his chefs didnt want a menu constrained by any traditional or preconceived notions, which is what he says makes his restaurant more authentic to the cuisine of China. (He and his kitchen also use techniques, such as sous vide cooking for a short-rib dish, that Li explains are extremely rare in China.) In the end, Li says, we want New Yorkers to see this as comfort food, too. We want to transform authentic Chinese noodles and cuisine into food for everyone. Chef Kim Hui Teo and owner Yu Li. Photo: Melissa Hom Eat like the experts. Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131961.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131974.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-3', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 3', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132020.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132016.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-6', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 6', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132015.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132014.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-9', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 9', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132013.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Jenny Barr, Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132012.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-12', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 12', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132011.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132010.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-15', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 15', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132009.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132001.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-18', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 18', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17132000.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131999.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-21', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 21', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131998.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131997.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-24', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 24', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131973.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131971.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-27', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 27', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131970.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131968.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-30', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 30', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131969.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131966.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-33', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 33', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131963.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131962.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-36', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 36', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131960.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131959.191243 - window._galleryInterstitial = window._galleryInterstitial || []; window._galleryInterstitial['taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign'] = function () { window._taboola = window._taboola || []; window._taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c-light', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails---redesign-39', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails - Redesign 39', target_type: 'mix' }); window._taboola.push({flush: true}); }; Item-95844.191243 - The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco this April. Photo: Courtesy Of CUESA The Goat Festival returned to the Ferry Building in San Francisco...Photo-17131955.191243 - NEW YORK Former Vice President Joe Biden condemned a white mans culture as he lashed out at violence against women and, more specifically, lamented his role in the Supreme Court confirmation hearings that undermined Anita Hills credibility nearly three decades ago. Biden, a Democratic presidential prospect who often highlights his white working-class roots, said Hill, who is black, should not have been forced to face a panel of a bunch of white guys about her sexual harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas. To this day I regret I couldnt come up with a way to give her the kind of hearing she deserved, he said Tuesday night, echoing comments he delivered last fall as the nation debated sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh amid his Supreme Court confirmation hearing. I wish I could have done something. Bidens role in the 1991 Thomas confirmation hearings is among his many political challenges as he considers making a 2020 bid for the presidency. Should he run, he would be among a handful of white men in a Democratic presidential field that features several women and minorities. His comments about Hill drew swift condemnation on social media, with many noting he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time of the hearing. It literally does not matter what else Biden says about sexual assault if he cannot acknowledge his own culpability in putting a sexual assaulter on the Supreme Court and then pretending for years like he was powerless to stop it, tweeted Jessica Morales Rocketto, a former aide to Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign who now serves as the political director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Biden, 76, delivered the remarks at a New York City event honoring young people who helped combat sexual assault on college campuses. The event, held at a venue called the Russian Tea Room, was hosted by the Biden Foundation and the nonprofit group Its on Us, which Biden founded with former President Barack Obama in 2014. Biden called on Americans to change the culture that dates back centuries and allows pervasive violence against women. Its an English jurisprudential culture, a white mans culture. Its got to change, he said. Steve Peoples is an Associated Press writer. Flooding that has hit parts of the Midwest hard has nearly paralyzed an American Indian reservation in southern South Dakota, swamping roads, trapping people in homes and cutting off water supplies to thousands. The situation on the sprawling Pine Ridge Reservation was improving Wednesday, but two weeks of severe flooding could put the Oglala Sioux tribe in recovery mode for months, if not longer, and deal a serious blow to its economy, President Julian Bear Runner said. This is going to have a devastating effect on us, I feel, he said. The tribe is utilizing any and all of its resources to try to help the communities that have been impacted. The prairie reservation is roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined and is home to nearly 20,000 people, about half living in poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. Heavy snowfall and a rapid melt this month led to overland flooding, swollen creeks and rivers, swamped roads and broken water lines. Pine Ridge is like a desert when it comes to resources, said Peri Pourier, a tribal member and state representative. Were using horses to get out to communities that are away from the main roads. We have elders out there that are just isolated. Bear Runner, 33, said its the worst flooding he has seen and that some tribal elders say they havent seen so much water since they were children. He said the tribe was still on the borderline of emergency Tuesday with floodwaters receding, but many tribal members still dont have easy access to pharmacies, medication, grocery stores, anything to help sustain themselves. The tribe estimates as many as 8,000 people have had water supplies disrupted and another 2,000 have been hampered or trapped by floodwaters. Three people who suffered medical problems died before ambulances slowed by floodwaters could get to them, the tribe said. Gov. Kristi Noem sent National Guard soldiers to the reservation over the weekend to help distribute drinking water. Blake Nicholson is an Associated Press writer. NEW YORK A Soviet-born convicted felon who worked on real estate deals with President Trump was accused in a lawsuit this week of plotting to use Trump-branded skyscrapers to launder money allegedly stolen from a Kazakhstan bank. BTA Bank and the City of Almaty, Kazakhstan, allege Felix Sater conspired with the son of the citys former mayor to use some of the $440 million to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow. Sater, who was due to testify before Congress this week about his work with Trump, started pushing the Moscow project in 2005 and tried to kick start it during Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, but it was never built. The bank also alleges Sater helped the mayors son, Ilyas Khrapunov, mask $3 million as down payments on three condominiums in Trump SoHo, a New York City hotel that Sater helped develop, as an executive at Bayrock Group LLC. Sater arranged for Trump and Khrapunov to meet and discuss potential investments, the lawsuit said, but it makes clear: there is no suggestion Trump engaged in impropriety or that he was aware Sater and Khrapunov allegedly stole money. Messages were left with Sater and representatives for Trump and his company, the Trump Organization. Khrapunov is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan. Saters work on the Trump Tower Moscow project has made him a key figure in the House Democrats investigations into Trumps ties to Russia. The House Intelligence Committee postponed Saters appearance, scheduled for Wednesday. It wasnt immediately clear if he would still meet with the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door session Thursday. Michael R. Sisak is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON The Supreme Courts conservative majority seemed wary Tuesday of getting federal judges involved in determining when electoral district maps are too partisan. In more than two hours of arguments over Republican-drawn congressional districts in North Carolina and a single congressional district drawn to benefit Democrats in Maryland, the justices on the right side of the court asked repeatedly whether unelected judges should police the partisan actions of elected officials. Why should we wade into this? Justice Neil Gorusch asked. Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh pointed out that voters in some states and state courts in others are imposing limits on how far politicians can go in designing districts that maximize one partys advantage. In light of activity at the state level, Kavanaugh asked if the country had reached the point where this court and this court alone must act. But there was no certainty that the justices would, in the end, shut courthouse doors to claims over excessive partisan gerrymandering, as the practice of designing districts for political gain is known. Kavanaugh, in particular, said he would not dispute the problems of extreme partisan gerrymandering. The cases at the high court mark the second time in consecutive terms that the justices are trying to determine if they can set limits on partisan map-making. Democrats and Republicans eagerly await the outcome of cases from Maryland and North Carolina because a new round of redistricting will follow the 2020 census, and the decision could help shape the makeup of Congress and state legislatures over the next decade. Last year, the court essentially punted on cases from Wisconsin and the same Maryland congressional district that was before the court Tuesday. Partisan gerrymandering is almost as old as the United States. While the court ruled 30 years ago that courts could police overly partisan map-making, the justices have never struck down districts on the ground that they violated the rights of voters from the minority party. Supporters of limits on partisan redistricting say that its more urgent than ever for the court to intervene because partisan maps deepen stark political division in the United States and sophisticated computer programs allow map-makers to target voters on a house-by-house basis. Complaints about partisan gerrymandering almost always arise when one party controls the redistricting process and has the ability to maximize the seats it holds in a state legislature or its states congressional delegation. Mark Sherman is an Associated Press writer. LAS CRUCES, New Mexico U.S. immigration authorities have temporarily closed highway checkpoints in New Mexico and much of West Texas, as they reassign agents and use the outposts to help process the growing numbers of Central Americans arriving at the Mexico border. The checkpoints, located up to 100 miles from the border, are designed to be a final layer of defense against illegal border crossings. Because of the volume we are processing wherever space is available, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The orange traffic cones used to divert traffic off Interstate 10 into the canopy-covered border checkpoints west of Las Cruces, N.M., now block the entrance, signaling to drivers that they dont have to stop. Checkpoints are closed throughout the Border Patrols El Paso, Texas, sector, which stretches across 268 miles of border in Texas and New Mexico. The unusual move, first reported by Texas Monthly, comes as the Trump administration says the border is in a state of crisis, helping justify the presidents decision to declare a national emergency and free up military funds to erect a border wall. CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan visited El Paso on Wednesday to discuss the dramatic increase in illegal crossings. Arrests on the Mexico border jumped to 66,450 in February, up 149 percent from a year earlier, as more Central American families seek asylum. After years of calm, El Paso has quickly emerged as the second-busiest corridor for illegal crossings behind Texas Rio Grande Valley, with arrests in February about eight times higher than they were a year ago. March has been even busier. John Sanders, Customs and Border Protections chief operating officer, said Tuesday that the agency was on track to make 100,000 arrests or denials of entry during the month, up about 30 percent from in February and about double the same period last year. Nearly 6 of 10 are arriving as families. U.S. authorities made more than 4,000 border arrests on Monday alone, Sanders said at a conference in San Antonio. While arrests are still well below highs of the early 2000s, the surge of families and children has stretched the Border Patrol. When you have checkpoints shutting down and you have huge distractions away from the core mission of border security, that puts our country in a very vulnerable position, said Manuel Padilla, commander of the Department of Homeland Securitys Joint Task Force-West and the former head of the Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley. U.S. officials say the checkpoint closures are a temporary measure to handle an increase in families and unaccompanied children entering the country illegally. Cedar Attanasio is an Associated Press writer. NEW YORK Seagram's liquor heiress and NXIVM defendant Clare Bronfman collapsed at a pre-trial hearing in Brooklyn federal court Wednesday after a judge questioned her lawyer about whether she was being secretly represented by embattled celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti. Bronfman, 39, fainted and was caught by Mark Geragos, another celebrity attorney representing her, who has been identified as an unindicted co-conspirator in an extortion case announced Monday against Avenatti, the former lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels, who has sued President Donald Trump. The account of the courtroom activity was provided by two people who were present. According to a letter filed by prosecutors that is under seal, according to the source, Avenatti and Geragos met with the government last week to discuss the case of Bronfman, the operations director for NXIVM, the Colonie-based organization now at the center of a racketeering case in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. Both the government and Geragos confirmed the meeting in court, the source said, adding that U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis was "extremely irritated at being kept in the dark." Bronfman never informed the judge she was being represented by Avenatti, the person said. Bronfman is charged along with NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere; Lauren Salzman; television actress Allison Mack; and Kathy Russell, a longtime bookkeeper for NXIVM. Another codefendant, NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman, has pleaded guilty. The person said the sequence of events started when Kathleen Cassidy, an attorney for Bronfman, raised a question that Cassidy said involved attorney-client privilege and sensitive matters and asked the judge to clear the room. The source said several reporters objected and the judge refused to close the courtroom. Garaufis had been attempting to question Bronfman at the bench about whether she had retained Avenatti. Donna Newman, a lawyer for Bronfman, objected to her client answering the question, saying it was a matter of attorney-client privilege. Cassidy requested a sidebar conference at the bench. A five-minute break followed. As Bronfman walked back to the defense table, she started "wobbling and staggering on her feet," the person said. She looked pale and her knees were buckling, the person said, noting that Geragos then caught his client and put her down in a chair. EMS and firefighters arrived and treated Bronfman in a separate room, the person said. She did not return to court. The hearing was set to continue Thursday afternoon. She left the courthouse unaided, with Geragos. Jury selection in the trial will be early next month with opening arguments scheduled for April 29. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged Avenatti with trying to shake down as much as $25 million by threatening Nike with bad publicity. In a separate case, he faces charges he embezzled a client's money to pay his own expenses, and was charged with extortion and bank and wire fraud in separate cases in New York and California. ALBANY The many investigations of President Donald J. Trump, his associates, and his business dealings by multiple state and New York-based federal agencies will continue in the wake of reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that the president colluded with Russia to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, citing the multiple indictments of Trump associates produced by the Mueller probe, said Tuesday that he did not think the report's findings would undermine local investigations. Trump "is not out of the woods there are many cases that are pending," Cuomo told WNYC's Brian Lehrer on Tuesday. "It's been acknowledged that people (close to the president) have done criminal acts." The president is being investigated by numerous state entities, including Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the state's attorney general, and the state Department of Taxation and Finance for civil and criminal offenses related to his businesses, his charitable foundation, and his presidential campaign. Most recently, on March 11, Attorney General Letitia James' office subpoenaed Deutsche Bank and Investors Bank, which allegedly provided funds for Trump Organization projects. The latest inquiry came after Trump attorney Michael Cohen testified before a congressional committee that the president had inflated his assets to investors and the media, and understated them to tax authorities. Last week, Trump characterized Cuomo and state authorities in his home state on Twitter as "presidential harassers." The attorney general's office last year filed a civil lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its directors Trump's three adult children alleging a "pattern of persistent illegal conduct, occurring over more than a decade," including using the foundation for campaign purposes. In December, the Trumps agreed to dissolve the organization, but James is still suing the first family for restitution. The Department of Taxation and Finance, meanwhile, is seeking criminal charges related to the Trump foundation. It is also investigating various tax schemes uncovered by a New York Times investigation. Meanwhile, the attorneys general of Maryland and Washington, D.C., are looking into Trump for allegedly violating the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause, which prohibits someone in public office from accepting a gift or payment from a "King, Prince or foreign state." The great earthquake-warning trial run in downtown Oakland on Wednesday wasnt exactly earth shaking, but it did cause some tremors among the 40,000 people whose cell phones honked and beeped just as they were settling into their work day. At exactly 11 a.m., three of the 12 people sipping coffee at Awaken Cafe, near 15th and Broadway, glanced at their phones when the first residential deployment of Californias highly sophisticated earthquake-warning system went into action. They quickly silenced their phones and went back to their conversations or stuffed their phones back into their coat pockets. Pluto Sheth, 25, the cashier at Awaken, was unperturbed by the fact that he didnt get an alert, text or even a greeting from the U.S. Geological Survey. Its not super concerning, he said before turning nonchalantly back toward the espresso machines. Thus went the largest public demonstration of the early-warning system known as ShakeAlert. There were no reported casualties. The messages, which stated THIS IS A TEST, were sent to every cell phone within a 60-square-block radius on the west side of Lake Merritt using the Wireless Emergency Alert system, which is commonly used to deliver messages like Amber Alerts and notices of severe weather. The alert system, which will be one of the most sophisticated in the world when its completed, is designed so that millions of people in California, Oregon and Washington will be warned about impending earthquakes, giving them just enough time to avoid flying off roadways, being crushed by falling bricks or sliced to ribbons by breaking glass. Despite their general indifference, most people in downtown Oakland liked the idea of being warned beforehand about the prospect of being flattened by falling debris. Knowing the alert was coming, it reminded me of how high risk the East Bay is because of the Hayward Fault, said Suneel Ratan, 54, who was in the middle of a meeting when both his smart watch and cell phone buzzed. Tom Wright, 49, of Oakland, also got two alerts, one each on his work and private cell phones. Depending how much advance time a person can be given, it can be extremely helpful and lifesaving, Wright said. We are a little bit asleep at the switch, I think, because we havent had a massive quake God forbid we have one in a long time. The more of this we can do, the better we are all for it. Some people were nevertheless annoyed by the earthquake warning even as they ignored it. Why do you send these alerts when you dont even know when its gonna happen? said Elizabeth Sanchez, the owner at Cybelles Pizza across from City Hall. It should be longer when its real. This one was just a couple of seconds. Early-warning test followup Those who got the alerts Wednesday are being asked to take the following survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/WEATESTSHAKEALERT. For information about the test and survey: www.caloes.ca.gov/eew See More Collapse She said she and her staff just went about their business while the alert beeped forlornly in the background. ShakeAlert is a warning system that has been under development for seven years by the U.S. Geological Survey, UC Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology, and the universities of Washington and Oregon. The system will eventually include a network of 1,675 sensors in the three states to tap into seismic waves and pinpoint underground shaking before it reaches the surface. The technology will instantly create a computer map of the likely distribution of ground shaking, giving seismologists the information they need to alert regions where the most shaking is expected. The plan is to have alerts sent to every smartphone, business, public agency, utility and home in California, Oregon and Washington. Studies of earthquake early warning methods in those states have shown that the warning time would range from a few seconds to tens of seconds, according to the ShakeAlert website. The system is designed so that the alerts will automatically brake trains, cause firehouse doors to open, close valves in fuel pipelines, halt elevators at the nearest floor, stop amusement park rides and alert people in time for them to dive under a desk or find safe ground before the shaking begins. The problem is that only about half of the seismic stations needed to complete the system and provide adequate coverage are in place, Geological Survey officials said. There are enough stations now to provide coverage in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, but the alerts are weak or too slow outside of urban areas. The current plan is to have all 1,675 stations built by the early 2020s. Early-warning systems like this one have come in handy in Mexico and Japan, which built similar systems in response to devastating earthquakes that killed thousands of people. Sarah Ravani and Peter Fimrite are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani, @pfimrite A new generation of artists have begun to redefine - or even invent - an art form with modern movements in acoustic music. Instrumental duo Small Town Therapy thrives on spontaneous creative moments, where artists' ingenuity aligns and inspired music results. In their work,Dreams and Circumstances, due out from Organic Records on May 17, the duo shows its avant-garde style with compelling compositions and virtuosic improvisation. Featuring Leif Karlstrom and Adam Roszkiewicz, two members of the award-winning progressive roots band Front Country, Small Town Therapy creates genre-bending music that's a blend of cerebral acoustic jazz and classical-influenced original compositions. "We often combine through-composed bits with structured or free improvisation, and that's definitely happening in this recording," saysKarlstrom. "There is a musical arc and story but also the chance for something unexpected to happen - a chance for spontaneous musical moments, which pretty well sums up what Small Town Therapy is about." Largely focused on the two's principle instruments - Karlstrom on violin andRoszkiewicz on mandolin and guitar - the duo is joined on select tracks by fellow accomplished musicians: the Jon Stickley Trio's Lyndsay Pruett and accomplished multi-instrumentalist John Mailander on violin; noted west coast recording artist Eli West on guitar and octave mandolin; and sought-after ensemble player Ethan Jodziewicz on prepared bass. Dreams and Circumstances is a 13-track journey of emotion and spontaneity that begins with "Three Legged Cat," a tune written and arranged in Huddersfield, England while on tour. Roszkiewicz and Karlstrom were in the middle of an impromptu session when a three-legged cat walked by and inspired the title. "Circumstances," the following track that helped inspire the album's title, finds the duo joined by violinist Lyndsay Pruett. "A big focus of the collaborations on this album was the idea of creating moments in the studio. This tune was arranged withLyndsay in the studio very spontaneously, and we think the name reflects that process," says Karlstrom. Based off two melodic parts by Karlstrom, "Dreams On A Pillow Bed" became an exercise in collective improvisation, as the musicians experimented between melodic statements. Here, violinist John Mailander contributes emotive and instinctive playing. With guitar and octave mandolin player Eli West in mind, Roszkiewicz wrote "Tune For Eli," to capture elements of West's guitar playing. Recorded in a pastoral setting outside of Eugene, OR, this tune planted the idea of Roszkiewicz and Karlstromcollaborating with other musicians on this album. "Tune For Paul" was written with another person in mind: Paul Binkley, a member of the Modern Mandolin Quartet, who sadly passed away several years ago.Karlstrom dedicates this song to "him and all the beauty and wisdom he shared with so many people around the world." Similar to other tracks on this album, "Tune For Paul" involves collective improvisation and composition on the spot while in the studio. Dreams and Circumstances also includes a three-track, multi-movement work for mandolin and violin. It begins with Small Town Therapy's initial single release, "Cimarron," followed by "The Square and Compass" and concluding with "You Can't Blame the Eighties ." Meant to be listened to in sequence, these selections journey through a dynamic atmosphere that is both visceral and cerebral. The duo's ability to unfold and evolve mood in this way is at the heart of their work. Dreams and Circumstances creates emotion that springs from the performances and is communicated to its listener. Karlstrom says, "There are several musical and structural elements that they all have in common, but the main goal is that they be emotionally relatable and not too cerebral. In Spanish, Cimarron means wild and untamed and is often used to refer to a fugitive or runaway. El Cimarron is also the name given to Marcos Xiorro who orchestrated a slave revolt in Puerto Rico in 1821. Adam was trying to reflect some of that energy and thinking about how a person's life and identity can be transformed by their circumstances and the world around them. Energy and movement." The album concludes with an interesting experiment of blending music with an unexpected natural sound. Karlstrom, also an Earth Scientist at the University of Oregon explains, "'Hotel Kilauea' is a free improvisation based around volcanic data - specifically ground deformation from GPS sensors and tilt meters as well as SO2 gas emissions collected at Kilauea volcano by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory - that was 'sonified' (i.e., turned into sound) by our friend Ben Holtzman and Columbia University. Ben took the data and applied different sonification algorithms to each data stream, resulting in three voices that can be heard in the mix of the track. Adam and I, joined by John Mailander on violin andEthan Jodziewicz on upright bass, all gathered in a bedroom in Nashville around a stereo pair of microphones. We all listened to the track simultaneously and improvised based on each others' playing and the sped-up sonified data. Both Adam and Ethan employed a 'prepared' technique, by stuffing erasers or crumpled paper or paper clips to their strings to produce weird noises." Truly a new musical landscape. Pre-order Dreams And Circumstances HERE. About Small Town Therapy Small Town Therapy is a collaboration between multi-instrumentalists Adam Roszkiewicz and Leif Karlstrom. The duo plays instrumental string music that emphasizes compelling, thoughtful compositions and virtuosic improvisation. Small Town Therapy is inspired by the New Acoustic Music made popular in California by Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and groups like Montreux. Adam and Leif are also members of Front Country, the Grammy nominated Modern Mandolin Quartet, and the Ger Mandolin Orchestra led by Mike Marshall. Adam and Leif are both highly accomplished musicians and educators and have performed at festivals around the world including: Merlefest, Grey Fox, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Rockygrass, Telluride, the La Roche Bluegrass Festival in France, Didmarton Bluegrass Festival in England, the Blue Highways festival in Utrecht, Holland, the Singer Festival in Warsaw, Poland and the Hardly-Strictly-Bluegrass festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Tags : small town therapy dreams and circumstances small town therapy new album organic records A 44-year-old South Carolina woman is facing charges after five of her dogs got loose and attacked a woman who was attending a funeral, according to Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement officers. Officers said the 76-year-old victim was attending a funeral at Wood Memorial Park when the five mixed-breed dogs got loose from a home across the street and attacked the woman. The woman suffered puncture wounds to her body. A witness told officers that one of the dogs grabbed the woman and was trying to yank her away. The victim, who is from Powhatan, Virginia, said while she was at a funeral for her brother-in-law, she went over to her first husband's grave to fix flowers and as she was bending down that's when the dogs attacked her. She said they bit her both sides of her hips but the most injuries were to her left leg below her knee. She said her injuries looked like bullet holes. "I knew right away they were not friendly dogs, they were like a wolf pack." She said the dogs ran away when her two nephews ran to her rescue. She will be staying in South Carolina to attend a court hearing regarding the attack. Jamie Nelson, director of Environmental Enforcement, said when officers went to the home to seize the dogs, there were 12 other dogs at the home that also belonged to Daisy Anderson. The officers said Anderson refused to sign over the dogs, so officers are going through the court process of having the dogs deemed dangerous. Anderson faces five counts of violating the state law that holds owners responsible for dangerous animal attacks and injuries to people. The five dogs are being held in rabies quarantine at the Spartanburg County Humane Society. Anderson was taken into custody on an unrelated shoplifting charge. The animal control violations are pending, Nelson said. "New Thing," the first single release from sister duo Alicia & Whitney, is headed to Christian INSPO/Soft AC, and Christian AC-formatted radio outlets today. The single is from "A Portrait of Worship," an 11-song collection of music written by the sisters. "We pray that this song is an encouragement," said Alicia. "God is doing a NEW THING and wants to bring healing and wholeness to you and all of your situations. Get ready to experience life in a brand new way!" The sisters, who grew up in a musical family, have been singing since they were young. The death of their father when the sisters were young adults rekindled a passion for songwriting as they worked through their grief by writing songs. It was during this time that the young women felt God urging them to go back to the core of who He created them to be and to help others come to know Him and the purpose He has for each person. Their debut album, "Core," is a collection of songs meant to help others reflect and heal from the inside out through the love of Jesus. In recent years, Alicia & Whitney have toured throughout the United States, sharing their ministry of music and speaking. They also have traveled internationally to Honduras, Tanzania and Israel. In addition to writing and performing music, Whitney is an author. Her debut book, "Beauty for My Ashes," was written to help people cope with grief in a healthy way after losing a loved one. Her second book, "Occupy While Waiting," is a singles guide to pursuing God, purpose and healthy relationships. To learn more about Alicia & Whitney, visit aliciaandwhitney.com, like the duo on Facebook and follow on Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to Alicia & Whitney's YouTube channel here. Tags : alicia and whitney alicia and whitney new thing alicia and whitney new single SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A male suspect involved in a shooting in San Francisco's Mission District Monday afternoon drove to Southern California, where California Highway Patrol allegedly got into a shootout with him before arresting him early Tuesday morning, police said. The name of the suspect has not been released and it was not immediately clear if he was wounded in the Southern California shooting with CHP officers. Police had been looking for him after he allegedly shot a 19-year-old man at about 3:50 p.m. in the 200 block of 13th Street. Responding officers located the victim inside the lobby of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation building at 1727 Mission St., police said. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, according to police. No CDCR staff members were injured in the shooting, police said. Investigators were able to identify the suspect and that information and information about his vehicle -- a silver Ford Focus - were disseminated to authorities. Later that night, investigators learned the car's license plate number had registered on an Automated License Plate Reader in Southern California. Upon learning from San Francisco officers that the suspect was in Southern California, CHP officers near Blythe, a city in Riverside County, located his vehicle abandoned near the Arizona border, according to police. A short time later, CHP officers located the suspect and a shootout occurred, ending with the suspect's arrest. No CHP officers were injured in the shooting, police said. The circumstances of the officer-involved shooting are being investigated by the CHP and the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. San Francisco investigators are expected to travel to Southern California to continue investigating Monday's shooting, police said. It was not immediately clear when the suspect would be booked into a San Francisco jail. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) The city of San Francisco on Tuesday reached a financial settlement of an undisclosed amount with the mother of a man fatally shot by five police officers in the city's Bayview District in 2015. Mario Woods, 26, died of 20 gunshot wounds fired by the officers on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2015. At the time, he was a suspect in an earlier stabbing and was carrying a knife. He refused to drop the knife, but a lawsuit filed in federal court by his mother, Gwendolyn Woods, contends he never threatened the officers or lifted the knife before he was shot. The settlement came six days before a jury trial was scheduled to begin on April 1 in the court of U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco. The financial amount will be confidential for 30 days and must be approved by the city's Police Commission and Board of Supervisors, according to Andrea Guzman, a spokeswoman for city Attorney Dennis Herrera. In a pretrial ruling in October, Orrick dismissed some federal constitutional claims by Gwendolyn Woods, but said the case could go to trial on state law claims of use of excessive force and negligence. Orrick said videos show that Woods had not brandished the knife or made verbal threats. He said a jury should decide whether the officers acted recklessly, or whether they acted reasonably because of fear for their safety and bystanders' safety. In another pretrial ruling on March 14, Orrick said the mother's lawyers could use as evidence a video in which a bystander is heard shouting "That was unnecessary." The judge said the city could use evidence that Mario Woods had drugs in his system when he died. The mother's lawyer, John Burris, was not immediately available for comment. John Cote, a spokesman for Herrera, said in a statement, "Any loss of life is tragic, and our condolences go out to the loved ones affected here. "Police officers are often forced into difficult situations and have to make split-second decisions in dangerous and evolving circumstances. In this case, the officers' response to a risky situation was consistent with their training and in accordance with the law. "This settlement allows us to reach a resolution without the need for a trial," Cote said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that it will not pursue charges against six Salinas police officers who shot and injured a man who allegedly pointed a replica gun at grocery store customers in February. The suspect, Guadalupe Aguirre Espinoza, was allegedly in a Safeway store at 1516 Constitution Blvd. at 10:35 p.m. on Feb. 1. Seven officers responded and tried to negotiate with Espinoza in English and Spanish, according to police. About ten minutes after arriving, police shot Espinoza twice after he allegedly pulled the replica gun out of his waistband. Espinoza was taken to a hospital and treated for his injuries, and later booked into Monterey County jail. None of the officers were injured during the shooting. On Tuesday, the district attorney's office cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing, saying they were entitled to stand their ground and shoot at Espinoza in self-defense. The officers didn't know Espinoza's gun was a replica, prosecutors said, and used less-than-lethal rubber bullets first to de-escalate the situation. Officers Eduardo Bejarano, Evan Adams, Francisco DeLeon, Chayene Garcia, Cameron Mitchell and Sgt. Jeffrey Ramsden were involved in the shooting. Bejarano has the least experience of the officers, at one and a half years, while Ramsden is a 17-year veteran. The shooting was recorded by the body-worn cameras of five officers, according to police. "They acted under a reasonable belief in the need to defend themselves, fellow officers, and members of the public from an imminent threat of deadly force," District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said in a letter to the chief of the Salinas Police Department. Prosecutors interviewed officers and witnesses, reviewed medical records, toxicology results, physical evidence, the police report and audio and video recording from body-camera footage. "Consequently, having found there is insufficient evidence to prove any crime beyond a reasonable doubt, no further action by my office is contemplated or warranted," Pacioni said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SANTA ROSA (BCN) A Santa Rosa man was sentenced in Sonoma County Superior Court Wednesday morning to 75 years to life in prison for the first-degree murders of his estranged wife and his father two years ago. Dalton James Carlson's sentence also includes 25 years to life for use of a firearm. Carlson, 34, killed his father Dale Robert Carlson, 57, in his father's residence on Valley Center Drive and his estranged wife Jessica Noel Carlson, 37, at her residence on Glenbrook Avenue on Feb. 25, 2017. Jessica Carlson's body was found by her 15-year-old daughter and Dalton Carlson's mother after they had not heard from her since the previous day, prosecutors said. Jessica Carlson died of a gunshot wound to her head and neck from a .45-caliber handgun, according to testimony at the preliminary hearing in the case. Dale Carlson's body was found by friends in the kitchen of his home. He was struck at least 11 times with a large flashlight and died of blunt force trauma to his head, according to the district attorney's office. Dalton Carlson cried as letters from Jessica's mother Annette Neal and Jessica's son Skylar Keller were read in court. "I lost two parents," Keller wrote. "Why would someone destroy something so beautiful?" Neal called the murders "a thoughtless, cruel act that impacted everyone in our lives." Dale Carlson's brother Scot told the defendant the family does not understand why the murders happened. "What would drive someone to kill a man like this," he said as he held up a photo of his brother. "I'm never going to have closure. You caused a lot of pain. I just don't know why this happened," Scot Carlson said. Deputy District Attorney Barbara Nanney told the court the crimes were brutal acts. "No one knows why except Dalton," Nanney said. She said Carlson's abuse of methamphetamine was no excuse. "When he was arrested on the roof of Jessica's home, he knew she was in the house dead and he let her lie there," Nanney said. Carlson was facing a misdemeanor charge of battery of his estranged wife and a charge of damaging a communications device at the time of the slayings. He was arrested the day before the murders for being under the influence of a drug outside his wife's house and violating a peaceful contact restraining order. Police officers went to Jessica Carlson's home to investigate a possible burglary and found Dalton Carlson walking on the roof. Both of the victims' blood was found on Carlson's overalls when he was arrested, prosecutors said. Carlson's attorney Jeff Mitchell said testimony at a preliminary hearing indicated Carlson had a "mental break" and he was found in a "psychotic state" with a hammer on the roof of Jessica's home. Carlson's mental competence was an issue in court since the slayings, but a trial had been scheduled in February when he pleaded no contest to the murders. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SANTA CRUZ (BCN) An inmate attempted to escape custody while on a medical visit to Dominican Hospital on Monday, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. The inmate, 32-year-old Joshua Nay, pulled away from restraints and fought with a sheriff's deputy and a hospital security guard, sheriff's officials said. Nay allegedly tried to kick the deputy and bit the security guard. Despite his attempts, Nay was taken back into custody and cited for a count each of attempted escape and battery. His bail was set at $25,000. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A man incarcerated for a 2012 mass shooting that killed seven people at Oikos University in Oakland died in state prison in Sacramento last week, a state correctional spokeswoman said Wednesday. One Goh, 50, died on March 20 while in custody at California State Prison-Sacramento. The Sacramento County coroner's office will determine Goh's cause of death, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Vicky Waters said. Goh was sentenced in 2017 to seven consecutive terms of life in prison for the shooting at Oikos, a Christian vocational school near Oakland International Airport, on April 2, 2012. Students Lydia Sim, 21, Sonam Choedon, 33, Grace Kim, 23, Doris Chibuko, 40, Judith Seymour, 53, and Tshering Bhutia, 38, died in the shooting, as well as Katleen Ping, 24, who worked at the school. Prosecutors said Goh had dropped out of Oikos several months prior to the shooting and wanted his tuition refunded. He had targeted an administrator who wasn't at the school that day. Criminal proceedings had been suspended in the case due to questions about Goh's mental competence. He spent years in treatment at the Napa State Hospital psychiatric facility before being declared competent to stand trial in 2017. However, weeks later in May 2017 he entered a no contest plea to the charges and was sentenced that July. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. RICHMOND (BCN) Richmond police Chief Allwyn Brown updated the City Council Tuesday on his staff's progress toward meeting goals laid out by consultants who completed a review of the department's executive leadership in 2018 and raised questions about morale and working relationships within the agency. Boston-based MBD Innovations found that an acrimonious relationship existed between departmental management and the Richmond Police Officers Association union, and that a similar rift existed between the office of the city manager and the office of the chief. The report also found that rank-and-file officers suffered from low morale and the department on the whole lacked a clearly articulated vision for the future. "All of us are former members of the RPOA, so we're not totally disconnected from the realities of serving in those ranks," Brown said, appearing alongside a half-dozen members of his senior staff. "On a continuing basis we are seeking broad participation and feedback," Brown said. "We want to improve working relationships." That effort has involved giving officers an additional day off every other week and modifying departmental policy to allow facial hair, as well as additional training for the rank-and-file personnel and management -- including an upcoming appearance from a noted expert on how to survive the emotional trauma officers frequently encounter on the job. They've also modified uniform requirements to allow officers to carry their equipment and personal defense weapons on a vest, which Brown said has been known to reduce stress on the lower back and reduce the frequency of lower back injuries. "Overall, I believe we are headed in the right direction," Brown said. But according to Benjamin Therriault, president of the Richmond Police Officers Association, the city and department leadership have yet to make good on the terms of their bargaining unit's contract, which was ratified in 2017. During a brief interview outside council chambers, Therriault said that officers were promised cost-of-living adjustments tied to revenue goals from utility and property taxes, but those pay increases have not been implemented despite the goals in question being met. "That has not happened," Therriault said. "It's been almost two years, we've made numerous requests through our attorneys." Rank-and-file officers have been forgoing pay, but they have not been given access to the financial data associated with those sacrifices as promised, according to Therriault. "It's in our contract," he said. "SInce January 2017 we've been living up to our part." The Richmond Police Department is also facing difficulties maintaining adequate staff levels, as officers leave the department faster than replacements are hired, but Brown said the department is looking to hire a recruiting firm to help address that problem. After Brown addressed the Council, Councilman Nat Bates responded -- citing his background as a probation officer -- saying that there's always room for improvement, and that's where the Council's efforts ought to be focused. "I think our police officers do an outstanding job," Bates said. "There is great appreciation for our police officers, we want them there," Bates added. "When we call, they respond." Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. FAIRFIELD (BCN) Solano County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to continue the county's current use of local polling places instead of switching to Regional Voting Centers for the 2020 primary and general elections. John Gardner, Solano County assistant registrar of voters, said the board agreed that switching from local polling places to regional centers would not be a good idea during anticipated heavy voter turnout during the 2020 election. "And for us, it would have been more expensive. We already have to change our voting equipment and we want to limit the risk of making (more) changes," Gardner said. The Solano County Registrar of Voters office recommended the county renew discussion on using regional voting centers after the 2020 elections. The discussion stems from the California Secretary of State's determination that current voting systems in California are at or near their life expectancy with voting system vendors no longer making replacement parts or providing tech support. The California Secretary of State notified Registrar of Voters' offices in February their existing voting equipment was decertified. The state's 2018-2019 budget includes $134 million to upgrade or replace the aging voting systems. The Solano County Registrar of Voters office is applying for $1.4 million in state funds to upgrade its 15-year-old voting system to modern technology. Switching to Regional Voting Centers would require an additional $1,060,045 for equipment and nearly $500,000 in operational costs, according to the registrar's office. The benefits of Regional Voting Centers include fewer locations to administer and an increase in voting locations and dates. Regional Voting Centers provide every voter with a vote by mail ballot and would reduce the 100 polling places in the county to 25 regional voting centers. Voters can vote at any center in the county, and the 25 regional voting centers would also be open the weekend before Election Day. The impact of the regional voting centers on the Registrar of Voters Office include having to staff all locations with extra help instead of volunteer poll workers, providing all ballot types and styles at all regional locations and increased costs. In 2018, only five of 14 counties allowed to adopt the Regional Voting Center model elected to do so, including Napa and San Mateo counties. They reported technology failures, long lines of voters due to same-day registration processing, and as many as 90 percent of in-person voting on Election Day despite having the Saturday and Sunday voting options, Solano County elections officials said. Alameda and Santa Clara counties are switching to regional voting centers pending approval by supervisors. In Solano County, about 30 percent of voters go to the polls. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Trans individuals and allies hoisted a pink, white and blue flag into the air Tuesday morning for Santa Clara County's 10th annual South Bay Trans Day of Visibility. The celebration brought together advocates who have been fighting for trans rights for decades and those who have recently joined a movement to ensure resources and representation in county healthcare, social programs and more. "We still have a long way to go," said celebration representative Lance Moore, describing daily challenges across the country for trans people, especially women of color. "We're not gonna be held back, we're not gonna be erased, we're still gonna be moving forward." Alexia Diaz, a trans woman who spoke during the event, described her journey from Oaxaca, Mexico to California in 1999 with a dream of being recognized as a woman. She was able to obtain citizenship and may soon receive official documentation under her preferred name. She thanked the county for its support, and pushed for continued progress. "Most importantly, [we should] respect ourselves as a community, so the world around us can respect, accept us, and embrace us just as we are," she said in Spanish, translated by county LGBTQ Affairs director Maribel Martinez. The trans flag has flown above the Santa Clara County government center since 2016, when the county became the first in the country to fly it. Moore, Diaz, Martinez, Supervisor Susan Ellenberg and a mother of a trans daughter raised the flag together after Tuesday's ceremony. The event closed with county officials urging local restaurants and public establishments to begin posting "gender neutral" signage outside of single-user bathrooms to comply with state law. The county is providing the signs for free while supplies last. Trans Day of Visibility celebrations will continue Saturday with art displays, games, HIV testing and trans resources at San Jose City Hall from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Daytime events will be followed by a gathering for adults 21 and older at Renegades bar from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. PACIFICA (BCN) Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard have called off the search for a man who went missing early Tuesday morning after he went swimming with friends at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica. Merced County resident Tyler Collins, 28, went missing around 3:30 a.m. after he and a small group of friends staying at a nearby hotel went to the beach and two of them decided to go in the water, Pacifica police said. After they got about 50 feet from shore, they realized Collins was missing. The friends searched the beach and surrounding area for about 45 minutes before calling authorities, police said. Police, firefighters and U.S. Coast Guard crews responded and search for Collins all morning without success. The Coast Guard searched for 15 hours Tuesday, covering 66 square miles before calling off the effort at 7:45 p.m., the agency said on social media. Pacifica police have released a photo of Collins, who is described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 160 pounds with brown hair. He was last seen wearing black boxer shorts, according to police. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A fight between two men last week at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf ended with one of the men fatally stabbing the other in broad daylight and in front of several witnesses, prosecutors said. Appearing in court for arraignment Tuesday morning, suspect Bruce Penn, 56, pleaded not guilty. Penn's been charged with murder for the stabbing that killed Brook Pettyjohn, 44, last Wednesday at Taylor and Jefferson streets, near the iconic Fisherman's Wharf sign. Penn is being represented by the San Francisco Public Defender's Office and is set to return to court on April 19. According to court documents, after initially receiving numerous 911 calls about a stabbing, officers responded to the scene at 1:45 p.m. There they found Pettyjohn lying in a pool of blood, unresponsive. Suffering from multiple stab wounds, Pettyjohn was rushed to the hospital, where he died. After interviewing more than 15 witnesses and checking surveillance video, investigators learned that Pettyjohn had gotten into a physical altercation with Penn moments before the stabbing. Initially, the two men allegedly fist-bumped each other. However, Penn appeared to get mad when Pettyjohn placed his arms around Penn to "bearhug" him, court documents said. The Sonoma International Film Festival begins Wednesday in Sonoma with films from more than two dozen countries, organizers said. The opening night gala begins at 5 p.m. and the first film "Ladies in Black" starts at 7 p.m. at the Sebastiani Theatre and at 7:45 p.m. at the Meyer Sound & Dolby Hall at Vets 1. Tickets are not available for either the gala or the film. For ticketed events, which begin Thursday, all the film venues are within walking distance of Sonoma's historic plaza. The festival is in its 22nd year and concludes Sunday. Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard have called off the search for a man who went missing early Tuesday morning after he went swimming with friends at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica. Merced County resident Tyler Collins, 28, went missing around 3:30 a.m. after he and a small group of friends staying at a nearby hotel went to the beach and two of them decided to go in the water, Pacifica police said. After they got about 50 feet from shore, they realized Collins was missing. The friends searched the beach and surrounding area for about 45 minutes before calling authorities, police said. Police, firefighters and U.S. Coast Guard crews responded and search for Collins all morning without success. The Coast Guard searched for 15 hours Tuesday, covering 66 square miles before calling off the effort at 7:45 p.m., the agency said on social media. Pacifica police have released a photo of Collins, who is described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 160 pounds with brown hair. He was last seen wearing black boxer shorts, according to police. The city of San Francisco on Tuesday reached a financial settlement of an undisclosed amount with the mother of a man fatally shot by five police officers in the city's Bayview District in 2015. Mario Woods, 26, died of 20 gunshot wounds fired by the officers on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2015. At the time, he was a suspect in an earlier stabbing and was carrying a knife. He refused to drop the knife, but a lawsuit filed in federal court by his mother, Gwendolyn Woods, contends he never threatened the officers or lifted the knife before he was shot. The settlement came six days before a jury trial was scheduled to begin on April 1 in the court of U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco. The financial amount will be confidential for 30 days and must be approved by the city's Police Commission and Board of Supervisors, according to Andrea Guzman, a spokeswoman for city Attorney Dennis Herrera. An Oakland police motorcycle officer was injured on Tuesday morning when a motorist struck the officer when the officer tried to stop the motorist for failing to stop at a stop sign, police said. The officer was taken to a hospital after the incident in the 2400 block of Havenscourt Boulevard at 11:09 a.m. on Tuesday and is listed in stable condition, according to police. The officer, who was dressed in a full police uniform and was riding a fully-marked police motorcycle, saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed that failed to stop at a posted stop sign, police said. The officer activated the motorcycle's emergency lights and siren and conducted a traffic enforcement stop, according to police. The officer dismounted from the motorcycle, approached the vehicle and contacted the driver but the driver quickly reversed his vehicle and struck the officer, police said. Trans individuals and allies hoisted a pink, white and blue flag into the air Tuesday morning for Santa Clara County's 10th annual South Bay Trans Day of Visibility. The celebration brought together advocates who have been fighting for trans rights for decades and those who have recently joined a movement to ensure resources and representation in county healthcare, social programs and more. "We still have a long way to go," said celebration representative Lance Moore, describing daily challenges across the country for trans people, especially women of color. "We're not gonna be held back, we're not gonna be erased, we're still gonna be moving forward." Alexia Diaz, a trans woman who spoke during the event, described her journey from Oaxaca, Mexico to California in 1999 with a dream of being recognized as a woman. She was able to obtain citizenship and may soon receive official documentation under her preferred name. She thanked the county for its support, and pushed for continued progress. A jury in a Contra Costa County coroner's inquest found Tuesday that an Oakland man who died in a crash following a police pursuit last year in Orinda died as a result of an accident, according to a spokesman for the sheriff. Lawrence Martin, 20, was transported to a hospital after a police pursuit and crash near the Orinda BART station Saturday, July 21, 2018. Orinda police had attempted to stop a Nissan Altima for vehicle code violations in the vicinity of St. Stephens Drive and Tahos Road around 9 a.m. The driver of the Nissan allegedly sped away, leading officers onto state Highway 24. Officers lost sight of the vehicle, but it subsequently crashed near the BART station. Martin and a second man in the vehicle, later identified as 20-year-old Danny Lockett of San Francisco, were both transported to a hospital. Martin died and Lockett was arrested on suspicion of felony evasion and violating the terms of his probation. Solano County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to continue the county's current use of local polling places instead of switching to Regional Voting Centers for the 2020 primary and general elections. John Gardner, Solano County assistant registrar of voters, said the board agreed that switching from local polling places to regional centers would not be a good idea during anticipated heavy voter turnout during the 2020 election. "And for us, it would have been more expensive. We already have to change our voting equipment and we want to limit the risk of making (more) changes," Gardner said. The Solano County Registrar of Voters office recommended the county renew discussion on using regional voting centers after the 2020 elections. The discussion stems from the California Secretary of State's determination that current voting systems in California are at or near their life expectancy with voting system vendors no longer making replacement parts or providing tech support. A man was shot and killed in east Oakland on Tuesday night, according to police. The shooting was reported around 8:52 p.m. in the 1800 block of Church Street, police said. Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from at least one fatal gunshot wound. There are no suspects in custody. Nearly 30 firefighters are battling a 1-alarm blaze at a home in Concord early Wednesday morning, according to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District fire officials. At least one person has suffered a burn injury in the fire first reported at a home in the 3700 block of Bon Homme Way, Fire Captain Tracie Dutter said. The fire has not been contained. A person has died following a traffic collision on Interstate Highway 580 in Richmond early Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said the collision occurred around 2:04 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the freeway. The victim was transported to hospital, where they died. Officers are investigating the collision and all lanes are open. Wednesday will see showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs will be in the upper 50s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows will be in the lower 50s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph. Thursday will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs will be in the upper 50s. West winds will be 10 to 20 mph. The chance of showers is 50 percent. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) A minister who promised a woman he'd take care of her daughter began having sex with the teenager daily and later encouraged two other pastors to have sex with her as well, federal prosecutors said Monday. Anthony Haynes could face up to life in prison if he's convicted of child sex trafficking and other charges. The two other Toledo-area pastors charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors said during the opening of Haynes' trial that he first had sex with the girl when she was 14. They said the evidence against him includes text messages, photos, voice mails and DNA evidence from his church where the girl said they often had sex. Haynes' attorney told jurors that the allegations are shocking, but there's not enough evidence to prove the trafficking and conspiracy charges he faces. Attorney Pete Wagner also said Haynes may have had a questionable relationship with the girl, but he didn't coordinate or take part in trafficking her to the other ministers. He also said there was no paying for sex. Prosecutors say the girl had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused by a relative. Haynes pledged in front of his congregation to protect her and serve as a father figure, but he began grooming her for sex when she turned 14 and first forced her to perform sex acts in front of him, said Michael Freeman, an assistant U.S. attorney. They had sex day after day, often at a motel or his church, the Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo, and Haynes would give her cash, Freeman said. After about a year, Haynes introduced her to Kenneth Butler, another pastor, and he also began having sex with her, Freeman said. Sometimes, the two men joked about the arrangement, prosecutors said. One text shown in court that prosecutors say was sent by Butler to the girl said: "You better be nice and naked when I get there." Prosecutors said the girl next met Cordell Jenkins, a minister who founded his own church in Toledo and built a large following until it closed after his arrest. The FBI has said in court documents that Jenkins had sex with two girls at his home, church office and a motel and often recorded the acts with his phone. Haynes, prosecutors said, encouraged the relationship with Jenkins. In addition to the charges against the men, Haynes' wife and stepdaughter are accused of abducting the girl at gunpoint in January and warning her not to testify at his trial. Court documents say the pair forced the teenager from her apartment, choked her with a cord and told her to take back statements she made to investigators. Attorneys for Haynes' wife and stepdaughter have declined to comment. Just before her husband went on trial, his wife appeared Monday in the same courtroom where the judge overseeing the case turned down her request to be released. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos didn't ask for money to fund the Special Olympics in her 2020 budget request to Congress, and one Bay Area congresswoman in particular wasn't having it. Rep. Barbara Lee seemed to go through several emotions when questioning Devos during her appearance before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday, chief among them confusion at DeVos's decision to request no funding for the popular program, which received about $17.6 million in federal funding this fiscal year (it also receives funding from private donors and nonprofits). ALSO: ESPN personalities defend Special Olympics after Devos proposes cuts "I just have to say, Madam Secretary, you have zeroed out Special Olympics once again. I still can't understand why you would go after disabled children in your budget," Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., told Devos at a Wednesday hearing. "It's appalling." This is the third year that DeVos has proposed cutting funding to the Special Olympics. Lee went on to ask DeVos about the status of a report the Department of Education was supposed to submit about how to address the adverse impacts of school segregation. The request was submitted nearly two years ago, according to Lee. MORE: DeVos considering allowing schools to use federal funds to buy guns "Madam Secretary, this letter, we wrote it June 7, we've called, we've asked for this report, we've tried to reach you over and over again, we've never received a response. I wonder where this report is," said Lee. "Could you let us know when this report will be coming to the committee?" "Congresswoman, yes, I'm aware of that request and that report and I know it's near completion, and I commit to you that we will get that to you as soon as, as soon as feasible," replied DeVos. "Madam Secretary, this is almost two years we've been waiting," said Lee, exasperated. "These kids and the school district deserve an answer from our Secretary of Education. We can't wait two years to get a report on school desegregation from you. It shouldn't be that hard to do." "And the response has been awful, in terms of trying to get some sense of timing and why this has been delayed," she added. At another point, Lee seemed to be put in the position of explaining to DeVos her own department's policies, an exchange that became heated during a discussion of DeVos rescinding Obama-era guidelines meant to reduce racial disparities in how schools discipline students. RUNAWAY YACHT: DeVos family yacht untied, set adrift in Ohio "No child should be treated differently based on his or her race or color or national origin and if and when they are, our Office for Civil Rights will act swiftly, has act swift, has acted swiftly. Children need to be treated as individuals," said DeVos. "But they're not being treated as individuals, that's why we had this order put in place. And you rescinded that," said Lee. "Madam Secretary, your own Department of Education Office of Civil Rights indicated that students of color are suspended three times more than white students. We put into place some requirements that would begin to turn this around. You rescinded those requirements!" DeVos, smiling, began repeating her earlier response, only to be cut off by a visibly irritated Lee. "No student, should be treated or disciplined differently " "But Madam Secretary, they are treated differently," said Lee. "No, if they are, it's discrimination," said DeVos. "Well, then why in the world would you rescind the orders that would correct for this?" asked Lee. The exchange culminated in Lee pointing out that federal oversight was ultimately necessary for schools to become racially integrated. "Every community needs to be able to handle their classrooms and discipline in a way that works for them," said DeVos. "Madam secretary, thank god we had Brown v. Board of Education, the federal government gave us a chance to go to public schools," said Lee, as DeVos continued to talk. "We needed the federal government to provide that oversight of civil rights protections." Some commentators have pointed out that sum needed to fund the Special Olympics at current levels is roughly the same as a handful of the president's trips to Mar-a-Lago. On Wednesday, DeVos released a statement responding to the Special Olympics criticism, characterizing media reports as "shameful" and "falsehoods," before going on to state that "given our current budget realities, the federal government cannot fund every worthy program." Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at filipa.ioannou@sfgate.com and follow her on Twitter Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. Now that NASCAR star Kurt Busch has sped away from the Mooresville, NC, estate known as Chateau de Busch, the driver has listed an additional 138 acres for sale down the road. The huge parcel is available for $7,626,300. While some structures dot the landscape, the property is being sold strictly for its land value. The acreage is serene wooded and pasture property, the listing notes. The land affords boundless opportunity for development in the sought-after Mooresville area. "This land is strategically placed right within 20 or 30 minutes of everything," says co-listing agent Kelly Myers. "It's the perfect canvas for any developer's vision of new, single-family residential, or even the rarely found estate-sized lots for unique homes." Kurt Busch's 138 acres in North Carolina realtor.com Fields of green realtor.com Serene, wooded acres realtor.com Busch has deep ties to the area. He purchased a nearby chateau-style retreat in 2013 for $3.29 million. In 2018, he listed the lakefront home for $3.95 million. The Mooresville mansion was eventually sold for $3.6 million. In a 2015 YouTube video for his sponsor, Monster Energy, the professional driver showed off Chateau de Busch. The huge home included a bar, game room, media room, and trophy room. Naturally, a Monster Energy drink was in the fridge. Now that the keys to his kingdom have been passed on, the 40-year-old looks to be shifting gears to an even larger North Carolina deal. But this isnt the first time the professional racer has tried his hand at selling land. In 2016, the Las Vegas native sought to sell an undeveloped, quarter-acre, oceanfront lot for $1.5 million. That plot is currently off the market. At the same time, Busch was also selling a penthouse at the Residences at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center. He purchased the three-bedroom, 3.5-bath unit in 2009 for a whopping $2.81 million. He later reduced the price to $1.95 million. Last year he relisted it at $999,999, and it was eventually sold for $920,000. Busch, a 30-time NASCAR race winner, competes full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, where hes competed in 654 races over 20 years. Along with being the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion in 2004, he won the Daytona 500 in 2017. The post NASCAR Star Kurt Busch Is Zooming Away From 138 Acres in North Carolina appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. A buyer can literally strike gold in Montana for $5.95 million. A modern riverfront home near Big Sky, MT, was constructed with elements brought in from a nearby gold mine. There isn't any gold dust wafting around, but there are priceless beams on the ceiling and the old tin roof reclaimed from the mine. Oh, and some of the floors are from an old dance hall in Deer Lodge, MT. "I kind of like having a story behind everything," says the owner/listing agent Scott Altman, who also built the house. Altman bought the 23.33-acre property along the Gallatin River in 2007, and started building the home, near the world-famous Big Sky ski resort. And when his builder heard that they were taking the nearby defunct Gold Coin Mine apart, Altman bought most of what was disassembled. In addition to using the beams and metal roofing, they cut off the face of one of the rock crushers and used it as a fireplace, and used old bolts and chains for the mantel. Family room realtor.com Fireplace made with elements taken from an old mine. realtor.com Then they took the crankshafts from those crushers, erected them vertically, capped them with another old beam, and formed a clever entry gate to the property. Gate made with vertical crankshafts from an old mine realtor.com They also repurposed the old rails the ore carts used for handrails on the stairs that lead down to the wine cellar. Watch: Luxurious Wyoming Fly-Fishing Estate Casts a Line for a New Owner Oh, and then they welded a valve and pipe over a Kohler top-fall faucet that fills the tub in the master bath, so it looks as if the water is falling down from an old mine pipe in the ceiling. Master bath with unique faucet realtor.com The plan was for the Altman family to head for this gold-flecked retreat as soon as their youngest son graduated high school. That's what they did, finishing and moving into the four-bedroom, 4.5-bath house in 2009. Bunk room realtor.com They also outfitted the 5,398-square-foot house with special features, like a pizza oven in the chef's kitchen (Altman's family is Italian), a 480-square-foot deck overlooking the water, a family room with an old-timey miners' bar, and the aforementioned wine cellar, accessed via trap door. Kitchen realtor.com Then there's the gigantic mudroom/gear room/laundry room, crucial in this location. "With all the rafting, hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, etc., that you do around here, you realize you need a lot of space for gear," says Altman. Gear room realtor.com The Montana mine house is surrounded by pines. realtor.com Now, about a decade later, the house isn't as filled with visitors as it used to be. The Altmans have taken to traveling the country in their Airstream, and Scott says that when they come home, their mine house on the river just feels "too darn big." So it's time to downsize, although the Altmans have every intention of staying in the Big Sky area. "We've gotten a lot of interest from people who want to use it as a generational compound," says Altman. It's easy to see how the property could be ideal for a century or twoor for a celebrity in search of a little pristine privacy. The post This Gorgeous Montana Home Is Made From Pieces of a Gold Mine! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. BEIRA, Mozambique The first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, Mozambican authorities announced on Wednesday, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions. The five cholera cases were confirmed in Munhava, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the hard-hit port city, the national director of medical assistance, Ussene Isse, told reporters. The city of some 500,000 people is still struggling to provide clean water and sanitation after Cyclone Idai roared in on March 14. You know, cholera is an epidemic situation. When you have one case, you expect to have more cases in the community, Isse said. Cholera is a major concern for cyclone survivors now living in crowded camps, schools, churches and any land exposed by the still-draining flood waters. The disease is spread by contaminated food and water, causes acute diarrhea and can kill within hours if not treated with oral rehydration solution or intravenous fluids in severe cases. The World Health Organization has warned of a second disaster if waterborne diseases like cholera spread in the devastated region. On Tuesday it said 900,000 oral cholera vaccines were expected to arrive later this week. The cyclone has killed more than 460 people in Mozambique and left 1.8 million people in need of urgent help. President Filipe Nyusi last week estimated that 1,000 people had been killed. The toll could be higher as floodwaters drain away and reveal more bodies, some emergency responders have said. The actual number of dead may never be known. Health workers were opening clinics across Beira, the center of relief operations for the region. Some people in the city have resorted to drinking stagnant water by the side of the road, increasing the chances of diarrhea, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said. Other people are drinking from contaminated wells. The aid group said it has seen hundreds of cases of acute watery diarrhea in the past few days. The scale of extreme damage will likely lead to a dramatic increase of waterborne diseases, skin infections, respiratory tract infections and malaria in the coming days and weeks, said Gert Verdonck, the groups emergency coordinator in Beira. Hurried efforts continued to restore running water to Beira. The U.N. childrens agency said parts of the citys water supply system were working again, with water running in 60 percent of the pipes. The government also was operating water trucks. Relief operations continued to explore ways to deliver aid to the city that remains largely reachable only by air and sea. More challenging was reaching rural communities, some of them still without contact with the outside world. The death toll in Mozambique is now at least 468, with 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 dead in Malawi. Nqobile Ntshangase is an Associated Press writer. JERUSALEM Egyptian mediators rushed to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Hamas supreme leader emerged from his hideout as an unofficial cease-fire between Israel and the Islamic militant group appeared to take hold. The Egyptian delegation sought to cement the truce that ended two days of heavy fighting between the bitter enemies. They face a key test on Saturday, when Hamas is planning a mass demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of weekly protests along the Israeli border. In a sign that both sides had stepped back from a major conflagration, Hamas supreme leader Ismail Haniyeh made his first public appearance since violence with Israel erupted earlier this week. During times of fighting, Hamas leaders typically go underground, fearing assassination by Israel. Standing before the rubble of his Gaza City office, which was destroyed in an Israeli air strike on Monday, he declared that the Israeli occupation got the message. Haniyeh urged Palestinians to come out in force to the Saturday demonstration. The Israeli military bolstered its forces along the Gaza frontier in advance. Hamas has staged the protests in hopes of pressuring Israel and Egypt to ease a crippling blockade. The protests, however, have yielded few gains, and nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel accuses Hamas of using the demonstrations as cover for attacks, and says it is defending its border against crowds that have hurled flaming tires, grenades and other explosives at troops. But the military has come under heavy international criticism for using disproportionate force against large numbers of unarmed protesters. Palestinian media reported that the Egyptian mediators would offer Hamas economic incentives in exchange for its commitment to end the protests. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a teenage Palestinian medic was shot dead during clashes between Israeli troops and protesters. The Israeli army said it had responded to Palestinians who hurled blocks and firebombs at Israeli forces. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and dozens of skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The latest round was triggered by a Gaza rocket fired early Monday that slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people. Aron Heller is an Associated Press writer. RIO DE JANEIRO Far-right President Jair Bolsonaros call to commemorate the anniversary of Brazils 1964 military coup is causing discomfort in Latin Americas largest nation, with social groups organizing protests and the federal prosecutors office saying the call deserves social and political repudiation. Bolsonaro, a former army captain who waxes nostalgic for the 1964-1985 dictatorship, on Monday asked Brazils Defense Ministry to organize due commemorations on March 31, the day historians say marks the coup that began the dictatorship, which supporters call a military government. The reaction was immediate. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors said that under international criminal law Brazils dictators had committed crimes against humanity. Several civil groups announced that they were organizing protests throughout the country. A Brazilian lawyer reportedly filed a class action suit, arguing that commemorations were not in the publics interest. The decision to commemorate the coup anniversary ended a 2011 move by then-President Dilma Rousseff, who had asked armed forces to suspend such commemorations. Rousseff, a former guerrilla, was jailed and tortured during the dictatorship. This means that (Bolsonaro) thinks the dictatorship against opponents, against political dissidents, is not a dictatorship, said Rosa Cardoso, a lawyer who coordinated Brazils national truth commission. That the illegitimate use of force is not violence when imposed on those who have different beliefs, that torture is not torture but a fair and justified treatment. In 2014, the truth commission concluded that at least 434 people were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship. Among indigenous communities, the death toll rose sharply, according to the report. It is estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 people were illegally arrested and tortured, the prosecutors office said. During Bolsonaros 28 years in Congress, he repeatedly expressed support and admiration for the dictatorship. During last years election, that position angered and shocked many Brazilians while seducing others who think of the dictatorship as a time of low crime and general order. Bolsonaros promise to crack down on crime, one of the biggest challenges in Latin Americas largest nation, appealed to many voters and helped propel him to victory. Diane Jeantet is an Associated Press writer. NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India announced Wednesday that India had shot down a low-orbit satellite with a missile in a test, hailing it as a major moment of national pride. If confirmed, a successful missile test would put India in a small club of countries, including the United States, Russia and China, that have proved their ability to destroy targets in space. When China first successfully tested such a missile, in 2007, it brought global concern over the growing weaponization of space. UNITED NATIONS A hospital in a rural area of northwest Yemen was hit by an air strike Tuesday, killing seven people and wounding eight others, Save The Children said. The international aid organization, which supports the hospital, said in a statement that four of those killed were children and two adults are unaccounted for. Save The Children said a missile struck a petrol station near the entrance to Kitaf rural hospital, about 62 miles from the city of Saada on Tuesday. The organization said the hospital had been open for half an hour and many patients and staff were arriving on a busy morning. Among the dead were a health worker and the workers two children and a security guard, it said. Save The Children, which reported earlier this week that 37 Yemeni children a month had been killed or injured by foreign bombs in the last year, demanded an urgent investigation into the attack. Innocent children and health workers have lost their lives in what appears to have been an indiscriminate attack on a hospital in a densely populated civilian area, said Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the organizations chief executive. Attacks like these are a breach of international law. Thorning-Schmidt said the hospital is one of many Save The Children supports in Yemen, but time after time, we see a complete disregard by all warring parties in Yemen for the basic rules of war. The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital, Sanaa, by Iranian-backed Houthi Shiite rebels, who toppled the government of Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Hadis internationally recognized government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. Saudi-led air strikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. The Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea. The fighting in the Arab worlds poorest country has killed thousands of civilians, left millions suffering from food and medical shortages, and pushed the country to the brink of famine. U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock has said about 80 percent of Yemens population 24 million people need humanitarian assistance. Edith M. Lederer is an Associated Press writer. A pack of endangered African Wild Dogs were filmed gorging on some biscuits at a reserve in South Africa in a veritable feeding frenzy. This pack of five is kept on the privately-owned De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre in a large, naturally-vegetated enclosure, where they are fed dog biscuits. Botha, the dogs keeper feeds them dog biscuits in a large steel tray. The dogs gulp the biscuits down in seconds, without chewing them, then return to the feeding tray a few times to lick up scraps. When the feeding frenzy is over, the dogs cooled off in a shallow pool. The African Wild Dog or African Painted Dog (Lycaon pictus) is sub-Saharan Africas most endangered large predator, surviving only in large reserves. African Wild Dogs are about the size of German Shepherds, and each animal has a unique pattern of tan, black and white markings on its fur. Wild Dogs unusually live in open country and are specialised hunters, living in packs usually numbering 10-15 individuals although this pack was about 40. A German tourist wrestled a park ranger to the ground - after he was caught trying to hike up an erupting volcano in Indonesia. The holidaymaker and his female Russian friend dodged barriers and slipped onto the trail at Mount Bromo in East Java, Indonesia, on March 22. Despite steam pouring from the crater and the volcano rumbling, the German - equipped only with sunglasses and a backpack - tried to hike up the black surface of dried lava. Concerned park officials said they saw the two and went over to stop them but the man became insistent. Footage filmed by a park ranger shows the German wrestling the Indonesian official to the ground before trying to walk away. He was later detained by staff. Syarif Hidayat, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park officer, said: "They tried to use a trail, they left their car behind the temple and went through a toilet. We had to stop them for their own safety but the man became aggressive. The pair allegedly dodged barriers and accessed the closed trail through a gap behind the toilet behind the temple where they parked. Mount Bromo's crater area, within a radius of 1km, is prohibited for visitors because of its volcanic activities. Syarif said that the tourists later apologized for violating the rules at Mount Bromo and they were released later that day. We regret the incident, and hope that similar incidents will not happen again, he added. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Members of the College of Staten Island (CSI) faculty staff held a rally on Tuesday -- calling for a salary increase through a new contract and increased funding for City University of New York (CUNY) colleges. Full-time and adjunct professors from the schools chapter of the Professional Staff Congress Union rallied near the entrance of the Willowbrook campus with signs in hand calling for higher wages in a new contract, and more funding for CUNY in the state budget. While CUNY receives aid from the city, a majority of its funding comes from the state. The state budget is due April 1, so weve been ramping up our actions to make sure that we get the support of the [New York State] legislature to fully fund CUNY, said George Sanchez, chair of the union CSI chapter. In order for us to get our contract demands we are asking for, CUNY has to be funded. So its really important. Sanchez added that more funding will be able to increase campus safety at CSI and fix infrastructure issues, including aging buildings and sidewalks. Full-time and adjunct professors from the College of Staten Island's chapter of the Professional Staff Congress Union are urging for higher salaries ahead of the state budget deadline. (Courtesy of George Sanchez) The union is also demanding compensation of $7,000 per course, up from its current average of $3,500 per course for adjunct faculty. The chapter is currently in contract negotiations. If an adjunct lecturer taught a full load of eight courses for a full school year, the average annual pay would be $28,000. The average annual pay for a full-time lecturer teaching the same course load is $74,000. Every [staff] title is affected by this, said Sanchez. The one thats catching the most fire is the $7,000 and we understand -- and it should. Its important. While calling for higher wages, Sanchez said the union is against raising student tuition. CSI had one of the lowest percentages -- 33 percent -- of undergraduate instruction provided by full-time faculty when compared to the other CUNY schools for the 2016-2017 school year, according to CUNYs year-end report. At 67 percent, it has one of the highest percentages of course taught by adjuncts. According to Cheryl Adolph, executive director of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, CSI is hopeful that a new agreement will be reached soon. The College of Staten Island values its professors and adjunct professors for their innovative teaching, scholarship and research, which positively impact the lives of our students and the community at large, said Adolph. In addition, CSI staff are also valued for their contributions to the operations of the college." The Professional Staff Congress represents 30,000 faculty and staff at CUNY and the CUNY Research Foundation. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Federal authorities allege a Staten Island man orchestrated a years-long scheme that duped online victims into paying for cryptocurrency trading services, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday in Brooklyn. Patrick McDonnell allegedly committed wire fraud between 2014 and 2018, using fraudulent balance statements to hide the fact that he was stealing his clients money for his own personal use, according to a media release from the office of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Richard P. Donoghue. The defendants fraud ends now, he will be held responsible for his criminal conduct, Donoghue said. Part of the evidence being used against the 46-year-old alleged fraudster, who used the alias Jason Flack, includes an over-40-minute YouTube video interview about cryptocurrencies. Throughout the video, the man, who sources allege is McDonnell, wears a Guy Fawkes mask associated with the hacktivist group known as Anonymous. Donoghue thanked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for its cooperation and assistance in the case. CFTC won a lawsuit against McDonnells Travis-based company, CabbageTech, Corp., in August related to its alleged fraud in connection to virtual currencies like bitcoin. In that case, a federal judge ruled the defendants duped people out of cash and virtual currency with the promise of virtual investment advice that they never received, according to a media release from CFTC. The ruling required the company to pay over $1.1 million in civil monetary penalties and restitution, according to the release. When clients asked for refunds, McDonnell offered excuses for delays in repayment, and eventually stopped answering at all, the release from Donoghues office alleges. If convicted in the criminal proceeding, McDonnell faces up to 20 years in prison. His attorney did not return a request for comment Tuesday. Guest post by Mikko Matikka. Audio branding is more important than you think From the beginning of time, our sense of hearing has been essential to us humans. In fact, it is tied closely to our evolution. During our species early days, it was an evolutionary advantage to pay attention to sounds as indications of danger. Today, sounds and music have become tools for enhancing our quality of life and reflecting on our inner feelings. We all know how a beautiful song can bring us to tears, or an energetic pop beat can inject an energy boost into our daily routines. Music has been and will continue to be a gateway to our moods and emotions. Brands have a similar relationship with the abstract. The most legendary brands have managed to appeal to people by mastering intangible qualities like product efficiency, ease of use, CSR, company culturethe brand persona. Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, once said: If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand. Can you hear the difference? Yes, you can! So, music and branding seem to have something in common. In fact, the interaction of audio and brand identity can open a world of opportunities for companies: A recent study revealed, that 75% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 62% of people under 45 say music helps them feel more connected to a brand. Audio, when carefully modeled to match a marketing strategy, can significantly impact visuals as well. Ask Professor Charles Spence and his team from Oxford University. They will tell you that congruent sound can enhance the power of visual communication by over 1,100%. Leveraging audible assets into such strong customer interest doesnt happen simply by selecting songs from stock music libraries on-the-go. It requires a consistent and analytical approach to the use of music and voice, which should be deep-seated into the marketing strategy. This is the raison detre for us at Audiodraft, a Helsinki-based global audio branding service. Getting the sound right for brands The logic behind our value creation stems from the realities of modern day working life. In todays fast-paced, digitalized business world, the task lists of brand managers are subject to constant change and expansion. In order to cultivate brand growth, these professionals have to make sure their content is on point and present in a growing number of multimedia touchpoints. Not only do brands need to stand out in the crowded domain of videos and graphics, but they will also have to stay consistent in emerging audio-first platforms like podcasts and smart speakers, says Teemu Yli-Hollo, my boss and the CEO of Audiodraft. At the same time, making the right decisions for the brand is difficult with something as subjective as music. Weve developed an online platform to ease brand peoples headache over sound by allowing them to analyze, create, and manage their audio brands in a centralized place. Our team starts the process by creating an overview of their clients music usage, tracking various data points like genre, instrumentation, mood, and spoken word from the clients and their main competitors online media content. The results provide hard data about our clients use of music and voice in the market, helping them to choose music and voice content, which are unique and true to their brand identities. Furthermore, the data is used for creating audio branding guidelines for the long run. Were not only looking into what is already there, but more importantly what is not there yet, and what we could bring to our clients tables, Yli-Hollo explains. Creativity with market insight Audiodraft is a unique company to work atits rare that you get to work with things you care about passionately. In our ranks, we have a group of talented musicians, producers, developers, salespeople, and marketers from various nationalities spanning from native Finnish to Finnish-Swedish, French, Irish, and Hungarian. We share a mutual interest in music, tech, and marketing, and our individual skill sets seem to complement each other perfectly. Most importantly, theyre people Im happy to call my friends. In addition to our in-house team, the Audiodraft platform hosts over 20,000 professional musicians, voice actors, and audio experts from around the globe. Each audio branding case is matched with the best available talent, ensuring a perfect fit of creative skill and local market validation. This combination of analytics, data, market insights, and the high level of creativity and musical skills on the platform often yields very interesting prospects for collaboration. Award-winning Case: Kyro Distillery Company This was the case with our partnership with another Finnish business player, Kyro Distillery Company. The teams worked closely to design a tasting experience at Slush Music 2017 to showcase the power of audio on our taste buds. Sadly, I wasnt yet in the team around that time, but I was given the chance to try out the experiment later on at my job interview. The test experience opened my eyes and ears to the business potential of sound (and to the realization that people apparently drink liquor in interviews these days). The results are a testament to multisensory brand experiences the influence of sound in our enjoyment of products. Eventually, the project triumphed at the 2018 International Sound Awards. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Insurers are warning of "awful" results as customers realise they have lost their cover provided through super when the government's July 1 deadline kicks in. People with superannuation accounts that have been inactive for over 16 months will have their life insurance cover cancelled on July 1 as part of a government reform intended to prevent superannuation accounts being eroded by life insurance premiums. Damien Mu and Brett Clark said there was insufficient time to communicate with customers before their life cover is cancelled. Credit:Peter Braig However, the industry says it has not had enough time to warn people that they will no longer be covered. "Theres going to be a lot of people after July 1 this year who go to make that call [to their superannuation fund] when something bad does happen to them or their families, and theyll be told by their fund sorry we cancelled your cover on 1 July," TAL Life Insurance chief executive Brett Clark said. Bank boss pay packets are set to be radically overhauled by the banking watchdog, including moves to force executives to wait longer after departing the C-suite to receive their payouts. APRA chief Wayne Byres says banks had been too slow to reform remuneration structures in the wake of the royal commission. Credit:Louie Douvis The chairman of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Wayne Byres, said that individual boards had been too slow to reform remuneration structures for their executives in the wake of the royal commissions damaging revelations. "Boards have struggled to gain acceptance that new approaches are needed," Mr Byres told the Financial Reviews banking and wealth summit in Sydney on Tuesday. "So it seems inevitable that regulatory intervention, and a greater degree of prescription, will be required to shift practices." An APRA review of pay structures last year found that finance executives lacked the same robust incentives to protect their customers as airline pilots, who suffer the same consequences as their passengers in the event of failure. Too soon. Only 50 days after the release of the royal commissions highly damaging report into the atrocious behaviour of major financial organisations and the regulator is already getting the first signs of push-back. The initial wave of response from the industry was a universal and comprehensive mea culpa for failing their customers and abusing their trust and then a promise they would engage in a cultural revolution. But cracks have started to emerge as have pockets of resistance, according to the corporate regulator. James Shipton warns banks: don't get technical. Credit:Louie Douvis In response, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission chairman James Shipton delivered a shot across the banks bows this during the Australian Financial Review's banking and wealth summit on Wednesday. He warned them to desist complaining about the potential for criminal prosecution and dispense with the technical legal arguments. ANZ Bank chief executive Shayne Elliott says the bank is easing some of its lending standards towards a "sensible equilibrium", after excessive conservatism had "fundamentally" changed its approach to giving credit. Appearing before the House of Representatives economics committee on Wednesday, Mr Elliott also said the bank's costs from remediation had roughly doubled in recent years after the increased scrutiny caused it to re-examine past behaviour. ANZ is "ready to lend": CEO Shayne Elliott at the public hearing before the House Economics Committee. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen With the sharp slowdown in credit growth, there has been debate over how much of it is a result of weaker demand for loans, and how much has been caused by greater caution from banks. Responding to a question from committee chair Tim Wilson, Mr Elliott said there had been a "significant impact" from a change in banks' "risk appetite" for loans. What government policies are holding us back in innovation? Is business filling the innovation void? And are we creating a workforce able to take us forward? These were just some of the questions tackled by the Herald's National Editor Tory Maguire and our special panel line-up Jessica Irvine (Senior Economics Writer, Herald), Ralph Ashton (Director, Australian Futures Project), Dominic Price (Work Futurist, Atlassian) and Sally-Ann Williams (Engineering Community and Outreach Manager for Google Australia) as they examined solutions to short-termism in Australian policy making related to skills and innovation. Loading In a broad-ranging conversation, the panel explored a host of other issues with questions from the audience including: Amaysim has been ordered to pay $900,000 by the Federal Court after the mobile and energy provider was found to have misled customers over electricity costs and the benefits of paying their bills early. Court documents show Amaysim's electricity and gas brand Click Energy last year told online customers in Victoria and Queensland that if they signed up to some plans they would get significant discounts off their usage and supply charge when paying by the due date. This was from October 2017 to March 2018. Amaysim chief executive and managing director Peter O'Connell. Credit:Tamara Voninski However, the discount percentage was based on market offer rates that were higher than the standing offer rates and some customers effectively had no discount. Between October 2017 an May 2018, Click Energy claimed customers could save up to a certain dollar amount by both switching to the company's plans and if they paid their bills on time. The estimated savings were those customers could get by paying bills on time, but were not savings made by switching from another retailer. Air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport are so stretched that flights have to be restricted once a month on average as there are not enough staff to safely manage the congested runways. Amid claims the workforce has been stretched to breaking point, figures obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reveal an almost 50 per cent increase in the total overtime hours worked by air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport over the past three years. Overtime hours at Sydney Airport's control tower have blown out over the past three years. Credit:Steven Siewert The figures, obtained through a freedom of information request, show Airservices Australia controllers in Sydney Airports control tower and radar control centre worked an average of 140 hours, or almost four weeks, overtime each in 2018. That compared to 101 hours, or just under three weeks, each in 2016. That dramatic increase at Sydney Airport came as the number of overtime hours worked at other major Australian airports, and across Airservices operators as a whole, has fallen over the past three years. Many artists have a great fear of creating work for Instagram, says multimedia artist and Melbourne-based blogger, Nat Thomas. "I've just gone, 'Let's go towards the fear.' " Thomas has taken a scene from the movie adaption of Carrie Fisher's memoir Postcards from the Edge, starring Merryl Streep, and turned it into a photo opportunity for visitors of The National 2019, a showcase of Australian contemporary art opening this week across three of Sydney's premier art spaces. Nat Thomas dangling from the ledge in a recreation of a scene from the film Postcards from the Edge. Credit:Nat Thomas For her installation at Carriageworks, Thomas has placed a platform in front of a scene from the film depicting a vertiginous drop from a skyscraper, allowing visitors to snap themselves mimicking Streep as she dangled on a ledge. The work is a critique of the blockbuster exhibition, an exploration of mass media and the way we see ourselves, as well as an ode to Fisher "who hit a particular crossroads in her career, and she wrote her way out of it, and I did the same". Loading Financial abuse can be denying someone the capacity to earn money by not allowing them to study or to have a job. It can be withholding financial documentation such as bank account details, leaving victims financially incapacitated. It can be criminal activity, such as fraudulently taking out loans or coercing people to take out loans or take out their debt. Another acquaintance, 1 44 year-old with two sons, had a well-paid job that she enjoyed when she met the person who would become her fanancial abuser. Shortly after they moved in together, he began questioning any expenditure and grew increasingly abusive. She stopped getting her hair cut and her clothes became threadbare. He put pressure on her to quit her job and racked up thousands of dollars of debt in her name. When I eventually left him I was sleeping in a single bed at my brothers house with my six week old baby and my 10 year old son on a mattress on the floor next to me. I was just one step from homelessness, she says. She has rebuilt her life, retraining as a nurse and moving into her own home with her children. But it hasnt been easy; she had to draw upon her superannuation to help clear the debts her partner accumulated in her name and, due to the increased financial stress, suffered a nervous breakdown. As a result, she is currently under the care of a psychiatrist. Loading Im now faced with the reality that I probably wont ever retire, says Helen. [Financial abuse] often gets dismissed because it's not physical, says Kun. But we see people that 20 to 30 years after they've left the abusive relationship are still struggling to financially survive. Because it's not that they end up with nothing, they often end up with less than nothing. Financial abuse often takes a backseat to other critical forms of abuse. Kun said between 90 and 99 per cent of women seeking help from family violence services have financial abuse occurring, noting that financial abuse often takes a backseat to other critical forms of abuse. And yet, access to financial support can make the difference between staying in an abusive relationship and having the means to leave. As evidenced by both of their accounts, it isnt just disadvantaged or financially illiterate women who are at risk of falling victim to financial abuse women from all walks of life are at threat. Even Mel B, a Spice Girl and bastion of Girl Power, claims to have had her finances controlled by her abusive ex-husband. Professional, white-collared and charming, the perpetrators in these cases dont always fit into our mould of what an abuser should look like. Loading Exposure to poverty stress or inequality of course is going to possibly affect an outcome for someone but actually it's the systems and structures we live in that inform inequality. Anyone can go through it, says Delia Donovan, the newly appointed CEO of White Ribbon. It's not about what you earn. Domestic violence is entrenched into society. As a society we need to show every community member that this is not acceptable and one of the ways we do that is we criminalise something, says Kun, who is calling for a similar legal reform to that of the UK, who introduced legislation earlier this year to criminalise financial abuse. At present, Tasmania is the only Australian state where financial abuse is recognised as a crime, elsewhere it falls under the umbrella of family violence in the Family Law Act, which is currently under review. However, Angela Lynch, the chief executive of the Womens Legal Service Queensland, would prefer we take a wait-and-see approach, noting that criminalising financial abuse wont be a quick fix to what is an incredibly complex problem. I would like to see how that goes [in Britain] for a couple of years and see an analysis of that from a domestic violence perspective and from a victim perspective of how successful has it really been, says Lynch, who points out that it is incredibly difficult to encapsulate economic abuse into a crime. My concern is that [the legal system] could easily be used against victims because perpetrators are quite adept at talking to the police, they're quite charming, they're quite good at using systems and also using litigation. Instead, Lynch would prefer limited resources to be channelled into avenues such as the Womens Legal Services to help give victims an outcome that helps her instead of being thrown at the costly criminal process. In terms of responding to domestic violence the need is never going to be a one approach solution fix it, concludes Delia. Sadly we live in a world where right now we need prevention and we need response. Canberra's population has sprinted past 420,000 on the back of the second fastest growth rate in the nation, new statistics show. The territory grew by 8935 people in 2017-2018, up 2.2 per cent on 2016-17, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures published on Wednesday. Canberra's population grew by 8900 people in 2017-18 on the back of the second fastest growth rate in the nation. New development on Northbourne Avenue, pictured above, will help to carry the load of the capital's population boom in the coming years. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Canberra's population now sits at 420,960. Canberra's rapid growth rate was bettered only by that recorded in Melbourne, where the population in the Victorian capital ballooned by 2.5 per cent to 4.96 million. That means about 327 people arrived in Melbourne each day in 2017-2018. As Molonglo continues to grow, so too do efforts to encourage community spirit. The latest tangible example of this is a beautiful mosaic mural unveiled at the Stromlo Cottage in Coombs. Charles Weston School students Thomas Watson, nine, and Hila Moreh, 11, with the mural at Stromlo Cottage. Credit:Elesa Kurtz The mural, displayed over two large, recycled pot plants, is a collaboration between Mingle, the community development arm of the Suburban Land Agency, and the Charles Weston School at Coombs. Ten metres of mosaic were wrapped around the pots, at the 1926-built cottage, originally the home of the caretaker of the then Weston Creek sewerage works, Charles Gibbs, and now a community hub for the burgeoning suburbs. Police have been asked to investigate what types of technology could be used to confront the rising menace of stolen cars being torched in Canberra's remote bushland. Police Minister Mick Gentleman said the Pierces Creek bushfire in November, which developed quickly from a car fire into a significant threat and burned more than 200 hectares, revealed how easily a major blaze can start from one senseless act. ACT Parks fire manager Neil Cooper, Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman, and ESA Commissioner Dominic Lane discuss the bushfire risk. Credit:Fairfax Media He has asked police to examine potential technologies to address the problem, such as using number-plate recognition linked to CCTV to identify stolen cars when they pass through major "choke point" intersections to the west of the Canberra. The Pierces Creek fire was started by thieves setting fire to a stolen car abandoned deep in the bush. That bushfire, which started on November 1 and burned for several days, was fanned by strong, hot north-westerly winds. Senator Fraser Anning used taxpayer funds to fly to a private business meeting in Adelaide last year in a bid to avert bankruptcy proceedings that could have ended his parliamentary career. The use of public funds raises further concerns about Senator Anning's conduct, which has been under scrutiny since he claimed flights to attend a far-right rally in the Melbourne beachside suburb of St Kilda in January this year. The 69-year-old senator billed taxpayers $1005 to fly from Canberra to Adelaide on November 30 last year, before claiming a further $1,343.32 to fly to Brisbane on the same day. The trip also included $335 for a government car and driver in Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. Queensland senator Fraser Anning's spokesman said the senator had gone to Adelaide to talk to pro-life groups and victims of banking misconduct. Credit:AAP The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald can reveal Senator Anning met with staff from the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank to discuss a significant debt he owed its subsidiary ABL Nominees Pty Ltd from a failed agribusiness investment. The Australian Signals Directorate got drawn into the Christchurch shooter investigation immediately after the attack, and is working closely with New Zealand authorities and ASIO to help unravel what lay behind it, the organisation has revealed. Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate. Credit: Ben Rushton Mike Burgess, who heads the normally highly secretive ASD, brought his organisation out of the shadows on Wednesday, with an address to the Lowy Institute in Sydney and a round of media interviews. He said that as soon as the shooter was "deemed a threat to security Friday week ago, ASD sought and gained ministerial authorisation to help with the Christchurch investigation. But he rejected suggestions Australian authorities had taken their eye off right-wing extremism because of an overly narrow focus on radical Islamic-inspired terror. A landmark report highlighting the "stark over-representation" of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Australians in prison has been met with "deafening" silence by the federal government, the peak body for the nation's lawyers has said. In a scathing assessment, the Law Council of Australia said the federal government's "apparent indifference" to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Pathways to Justice report, released a year ago today, was "troubling" and "an affront". The ALRC's Pathways to Justice Report was released a year ago today. Credit:Andrew Meares "The fact is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are the most incarcerated people on Earth, which is a national disgrace and international embarrassment," the council's president, Arthur Moses, SC, said. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults make up just 2 per cent of the national population but constitute 27 per cent of the prison population, the ALRC said in its report. Over-representation of Indigenous Australians in prison was "persistent and a growing problem". So soon after the horrific Christchurch attacks, media reports allege One Nation has reached out to the National Rifle Association in the United States apparently seeking $US10 million from American pro-gun groups to support it winning more seats in Australian parliaments. While they pay lip service to safety, One Nations policies on gun control are all about making gun licensing easier, reducing waiting periods for handguns, and advocating for increased rights for self-defence. One Nation official James Ashby in an Al Jazeera sting video, seeking donations from the US gun lobby. Credit:Al Jazeera Given the significant community support for Australias national gun laws, its horrifying to read these reports of One Nations activities overseas: gun control is something that the Australian community regards highly, and it is critical that public health and medical communities speak out strongly against any watering down of our laws. Its worth looking back and stressing what weve achieved. There is strong evidence that Australias National Firearm Agreement halted mass shootings. Since our gun laws were strengthened in the aftermath of the 1996 Port Arthur mass shooting, there were no mass shootings in which five or more people died (not including the perpetrator) for the following 22 years until 2018. Then a West Australian grandfather shot dead his wife, daughter and her four children before turning the gun on himself in the largest domestic murder-suicide ever recorded in Australia. Adelaide Stratton from Sydney's northern beaches and Patrick Sergent from Villeneuve-Loubet near Cannes were independently watching the 2016 Bastille Day fireworks in Nice. Both were walking along Promenade des Anglais when a truck careered, intentionally, into the crowd. In moments, 86 were killed and 458 injured. Happy to be here: Adelaide Stratton at her pottery studio in Surry Hills. Credit:James Brickwood Ms Stratton was dragged along by the white truck loaded with weapons and grenades and left lying on the footpath with facial and skull fractures and cuts down her legs. Running away from the ensuing gunfire, Mr Sergent stopped his escape and used his body to shield the prone Ms Stratton from the surrounding mayhem. Three years later these actions towards a stranger are being acknowledged in the Australian Bravery Decorations released on Thursday. Mr Sergent is receiving a Commendation for Brave Conduct. The number of firearms in Australia is dramatically higher than before the Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people, raising fears the gun lobbys efforts to relax national restrictions are bearing fruit. It comes as the bitter political fallout continues over revelations senior One Nation figures James Ashby and Steve Dickson lobbied Americas National Rifle Association (NRA) for $20 million in funding, and discussed trying to undermine Australias strict gun controls with NRA officials. John Howard addresses gun owners in Sale following the Port Arthur massacre. Credit:Colin Murty In 2017, there were an estimated 3.6 million firearms in Australia, compared with 3.2 million in 1996 - the year of the Port Arthur mass killings. In 1997, after former prime minister John Howards successful guns buyback, there were an estimated 2.5 million firearms in the country. The startling figures are contained in a report, Hunters and Collectors: Gun use and ownership in Australia, by left-leaning think tank The Australia Institute. Thousands of extra passengers will be funnelled through Chatswood station every day when a new metro line in Sydney's north opens in May, leading authorities to increase trains on the North Shore line to avoid major overcrowding on platforms. The Herald understands that, in a rejig of the rail timetable, Sydney Trains will run a service every three minutes on the North Shore line for a 90-minute period during the morning peak - just over half an hour longer than at present - to clear commuters switching from metro trains at Chatswood. Passengers board a train at Chatswood station this week. Credit:Janie Barrett The timetable changes are scheduled for April 29, a week before the multibillion-dollar Metro Northwest, to be run by Hong Kong's MTR between Rouse Hill and Chatswood, is due to open. To ease station crowding, more services are planned to start from nearby Gordon and Lindfield to ensure there is more room on trains to pick up commuters at Chatswood. "We need to know who's done this and they need to be accountable for what they have done. They took Ian's life and they've totally destroyed mine. "I wont let this person get away with killing a great kiwi bloke." Ian Pullen's sons Cody and Troy carry their father's ashes, with Mr Pullen's mother Gill. Mr Pullen was found dead on the side of the road at Carrington Street, Glenridding - near Singleton - just after 5.30am on September 29. Police believe the 43-year-old was hit by a vehicle some time in the 90 minutes before his body was discovered. Strike Force Awabakil was established to investigate the hit and run. Police on Thursday confirmed they wanted to speak with the driver of a white dual cab ute that was believed to have been in the area in the early hours of September 29. They are appealing for anyone who saw something in the Carrington Street area at the time of Mr Pullen's death to contact police. Mrs Pullen has had to leave the farm the family had been renting near Taumarunui, in the central part of New Zealand's North Island, and move into town with her youngest child Charlotte, 14. Her other sons Cody, 22, and Troy, 20, live away from the family home, but Mrs Pullen has had to begin working six days a week to make ends meet. She said her husband had a particularly special bond with their young daughter. "If anybody knew Ian, they knew about Charlotte," she said. "The bond that a father and daughter have is like nothing else - nobody else will have that bond. "They took away Charlotte's best friend, someone needs to be accountable for that. "Six months has gone and we need closure, for everybody's sake." Mrs Pullen said her husband had spent a lot of time working as a pilot in Australia - the pair had also lived here previously for nine years. "He went all around Australia working," she said. "He was a wealth of knowledge when it came to helicopters and he was a sought-after pilot." Mr Pullen's death was another blow for a family that is no stranger to tragedy. The pair had a son named Connor who suffered a brain hemorrhage at the age of six months old in 1995 - he died seven years later. Only a year before Connor was born,in 1994, Mrs Pullen gave birth to Aimee, who was premature and passed away when she was 10 weeks old. Mrs Pullen said she and her husband had stuck together "through thick and thin". "Ian's drive to be a pilot kept us going," Mrs Pullen told the Herald. "Everything we did - from dairy farming to commercial eeling - was done to get him his licence. "He had a dream to be a helicopter pilot and with all our hiccups along the years he never gave up." Mrs Pullen described her husband as fun-loving and easy to like - "one of the good blokes". "Ian was so much more than a hit-and-run victim," she said. "Everybody liked Ian. He was happy and cheerful, he always had a big smile on his face. "He was an amazing man." Police had previously been looking for the female driver of a silver hatchback seen in the area around the time Mr Pullen died, but they quickly eliminated her as a person of interest in the investigation. Davis slams academy Australias Oscar favourite, Judy Davis, has delivered a stinging attack on Hollywood on the eve of the Academy Awards. Davis, tipped to win the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in Husbands and Wives, ripped apart Hollywoods attitude towards women and their portrayal in film. I read three scripts in the past year that were all a variation of: a monster, a sexual predator, a hostile mother and a murderous ex-wife, she said. Black Queen uproar Britain is outraged by the latest photo publicity stunt by Italian clothes giant Benetton this time depicting the Queen as a black woman. Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens fumed Benetton are losing friends very rapidly'. It is part of a series depicting the Pope as Chinese, Arnold Schwarzenegger as black and Michael Jackson and director Spike Lee as white. The company last night defended the photos, saying they were not offensive. Case stalls There are countless reasons not to vote for One Nation, but having seen the fallout from their foray into American gun culture, the most compelling is their sheer stupidity. - Gaynor Morgan, Braddon ACT How can any Australian political party place One Nation anywhere but last on preferences at the federal election? Make no mistake, the gun lobby see Christchurch as a battle line not a tragedy. - David Moss, Byron Bay Who funded the wages, the travel, the expenses, the accommodation, and the "sauce"? - Bill Leigh, West Pennant Hills Another entertaining episode from "Mugs at First Sight" as Steve and James, the "gunned-up" couple, disappear overseas and try to "get into bed" with another outstanding reality show, "The United States". With the federal Logies just months away, the Expert Liberal Panel will be looking to win the votes of "good Australians" as the production company, "One Nation", fights to keep their "contaminated" experiment going for another season. - Elizabeth Starr, Chiswick Many Australians have a drink occasionally. What they don't do is threaten to take apart our government and democracy under the protection of having "had a few". If they had been plotting insurrection by terrorism they would now be in custody. - Philip Busfield, Surry Hills Compromise cost Turnbull but it was voters who paid Another excellent article by Peter Hartcher showing how the hopes of Australians for a better world were destroyed by Malcolm Turnbull being shackled to the Abbott legacy and choosing the path of political expediency in preference to a confrontation with the Nationals ("'He sold everything he believed in': the price he paid to be PM", March 27). After a similar experience of raised hopes with Kevin Rudd, perhaps we should settle for someone who does not raise our aspirations too high.- Peter Nash, Fairlight Hartcher's piece demonstrates just how damaging the National Party is to effective government. And now, voters in western NSW have decided that the Nats no longer represent their views and have elected another party in order to protest and agitate for change. The Nats are clearly on the nose and it won't be long before the rest of the nation can deliver their verdict. - Paul Townsend, Narara If Turnbull's two key aims were marriage equality and a greater recognition of climate change with more emphasis on renewables, then he largely achieved them - if you ignore the dramatically higher cost of electricity. Where Turnbull failed; he made no progress towards the more agile and innovative economy he promised us. His most obvious failure there was his part-copper, outdated NBN. Notwithstanding all, he's still potentially the most capable PM we have had of all the current players. His absence from power has changed the tone of politics for the worse. After the election, Australia will have no one to effectively hold Bill Shorten to account. - George Finlay, Balaclava Another of the many issues on which Turnbull sold out was his commitment to an Australia independent of the UK. He could not and would not explain why he thought this acceptable. Republicans must dread the prospect of his support in the next referendum. - Richard d'Apice, Double Bay The headline got it wrong; it shouldn't read "He sold everything he believed in". It should have read; "The price we paid for him to be PM". - Margaret Grove, Abbotsford Such a pity that Turnbull allowed the boofheads to dictate the clamping down on everything the majority of the nation wanted and still wants. - Carolyn van Langenberg, Blackheath Politician sells out everything he has ever believed in to become PM - sorry, not a story. - Bob Eggleton, Neutral Bay In reference to the stories of corruption, backstabbing and venal motivation tainting our elected representatives, would the real people who put public service and noble ideals first, please stand up. - Yolande Enright, East Gosford Dig deeper on common ground There is one idea overlooked by Chris Uhlmann in his thoughtful article ("Everyone knows things are broken", March 27). Most churches and secularists agree there is a precept that, if adhered to, would give society a firm starting point: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". There are various wordings, but the idea is fundamental. The challenge is to put it into practice. Pastors, politicians and other people movers take note. - Ron Pretty, Farmborough Heights What we all stand for is humanism. There's your common goal. As to what Australians stand for, look no further than the First Peoples of this land, the oldest continuous culture that didn't annihilate themselves in cross-cultural warfare. Add on the best from Western, Eastern and in-between cultures and the road to perfection could be a lot shorter and smoother. But then I am an idealist. - Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi Uhlmann draws our attention to how we have lost faith in our politicians, banks and churches. They have acted as a law unto themselves. However that pride is the fundamental flaw in all of us. We are what is broken. That brokenness has been writ large in our politicians, banks and churches. It is neither necessary nor our place to look for what principles we agree upon. We have already been given our operating instructions in the 10 commandments and they have yet to be improved upon. - Mark Porter, New Lambton Uhlmann's brilliant articulation of our current existential funk lacked a nod to the relentlessly hollowing-out impact of a professional media class, which now seems to believe only in its own secular infallibility. In many ways journalism is the one remaining priesthood, with an ersatz "objectivity" its central faith. If liberal democracy is to endure a sceptical and independent Fourth Estate it must be included on the "list of things we all agree on", but all journalists need to recognise the danger of spiralling vocational narcissism. - Jack Robertson, Birchgrove Democrats will struggle I hate to disillusion your correspondent who hopes that 2020 will see an "ethically and morally" deficient Trump defeated (Letters, March 27). So long as the Democrats continue to push candidates who want a single payer national health system; blame Israel for all of the ills in the Middle East; and make threats to stack the Supreme Court with left-wing judges; and lastly push for more power rather than less to emanate from Washington, the world has four more years of Trump to look forward to. - Michael Clarey, Pyrmont Left's higher standards Michael Daley has paid dearly for his comments about Asian immigration, with his political career ("Contenders lobby for top spot", March 27). It's a stark contrast with many on the conservative side of politics in this country, who frequently say similar or worse things over many years, and have been repeatedly rewarded with preselection and election into the most senior and prestigious roles our democracy has to offer. It seems Labor transgressors are held to a much higher standard - something that might, I suppose, be taken as a compliment, but cold comfort to the likes of Daley. - Michael Hinchey, New Lambton It's been suggested that Jihad Dib, current opposition education spokesman, might be a good option as the next leader of the NSW Labor Party but an unnamed Labor MP has said he can't be leader because his name is Jihad. Dib would be an excellent choice. He is a man of great character - a family man to the core, a Muslim, an utter gentleman and is doing a great job as opposition education minister. He would be a skilled leader, as he was a skilled school principal and a final contender for Australian of the year. It's time we put aside these invisible barriers, such as one's name or religion, in order to be elevated to high office. - Jan Bohan, Eastwood It is strange that the NSW parliamentary party that champions employees' rights to job security should find itself being led by a series of casuals. - Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills Poor excuse on wages Just who are the people who believe pay that keeps workers living in poverty is acceptable ("Shorten told not to over-promise on living wage", March 27)? Paying a decent wage puts money in people's pockets, money they spend. Whenever this issue raises its head, businesses run around telling us the sky is falling. For many of Australia's working poor, it has already collapsed down around them. Just look at the Smith Family ads asking people to sponsor a child living in poverty, not in some Third World nation, but right here in this country. - Genevieve Milton, Newtown Ad hoc heritage Your correspondent misses the point in supporting Ryde Council's decision to place an interim heritage order over a property after a development application has been made (Letters, March 27). Heritage items and conservation areas are identified when councils periodically review their plans, at which time the community is consulted and expert studies are carried out. People are entitled to know what the rules are when they purchase a property. While rules can change, an interim heritage order like this is ad hoc and completely irregular. If this property is significant, why is it not already listed? - Matthew Benson, Pymble Lifestyle feeds problem The burgeoning waistlines of Australians have gotten worse yet we are throwing more good money after bad, and drawing on more medical resources than ever in history ("'Heartbreak' in fight to defeat obesity", March 27). These are resources and money that could be going towards ameliorating diseases and conditions that aren't lifestyle induced. I challenge any medical professional to tell me that if we lived in an ideal world, where everyone did some form of physical activity commensurate to their food intake, that we would be still facing a tsunami of lifestyle disease. Telling individuals "it's not their fault" is insanity. - Christopher Woodley, Vaucluse Ruffled feathers I've always had an affection for genuine larrikins but I would not place the sulphur-crested cockatoo in that category (Letters, March 27). They have decimated my ornamental pear, and my walnut and quince crops, and that of my neighbours. They are not larrikins, just destructive and wasteful beasts. All hints on getting them to move on gratefully received. - Ann Clydsdale, Bathurst I don't care which is a clown of the parrot world or a larrikin of the skies. I just wish they weren't smart enough to get around the nets protecting my ripening olives. - Peter Butler, Wyongah Then there's the opinionated, I'm-always-correct parrot, commonly known as Alan Jones. - Michael Deeth, Como West A dispute over $500 led to the brutal bashing, torture and murder of a Sydney teenager, police say. On Thursday, three teenage men appeared in court, charged with murder over the death of 17-year-old Justin Tsang. Justin, from Drummoyne in Sydney's inner west, was reported missing on March 15 after his family said they had not heard from him for four days. His body was found at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains four days after he was reported missing. Two women have been charged as police accuse a suburban massage parlour of operating as an illegal brothel. A business owner and another woman were charged with unlawful prostitution offences after police raided a parlour on Waterworks Road at The Gap on Tuesday. Ferny Grove detectives said the raid was part of a three-month operation, Romeo Essence, aiming to dismantle organised illegal prostitution, including businesses operating under the guise of legitimate massage parlours. Police said The Gap massage parlour was a short distance away from a local school, but would not say which business it was. The two women, a 32-year-old business owner and a 40-year-old female employee are both set to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 29. Will you put One Nation last on the ballot paper? Thats a simple question that will be asked of every conservative candidate between now and the election. One Nation officials Steve Dickson and James Ashby answer questions at a press conference in Brisbane. Credit:AAP And there should be only one answer. Yes. But you wont hear that from the coalition government, because One Nations preferences are more important than good government to a party (and a prime minister) increasingly desperate to cling to power. Detectives have raided a north Queensland home and will search the backyard as part of their investigation into the cold case killing of a 21-year-old whose body has never been found. Jay Anthony Brogden disappeared from nearby Cannonvale, a coastal area in the Whitsunday region, on April 21, 2007. The Bruce Highway billboard in Cannonvale asking for information related to Jay Brogden's disappearance. Credit:Queensland Police Service Officers began their search of an Airlie Beach beach home and backyard on Wednesday but stressed the current residents were not suspects in the cold case investigation. Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said the Mazline Street property was a crime scene. The Queensland government has defended the management of south-east Queensland hospitals after the system hit peak capacity. Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young activated the state health emergency centre on Tuesday to meet the unprecedented demand. Hospitals in the Metro North, Metro South and Gold Coast districts were affected by the situation, with health authorities urging people to stay away from emergency departments unless they were seriously ill. Brisbane's PA Hospital has not yet had to cancel any elective surgeries during the "unprecedented" surge of patients to emergency departments across south east Queensland. Credit:Robert Shakespeare Only the Queensland Childrens Hospital was unaffected by the emergency department gridlock. What was unusual is virtually all of them went to code yellow, so they needed more assistance. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed on Wednesday afternoon 10 hospitals in south-east Queensland were still on code yellow. She was unable to provide a timeline for when the crisis would be over but said there would be an update on Thursday. Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles thanked health workers for their efforts to ease demand in emergency departments Credit:AAP Health Minister Steven Miles said there were still some patients in "non-bed treatment spaces" but the number was reducing. Loading "So for example, in Metro North there are currently eight but that is down from 20, in Metro South there are some patients still in their transit lounges that are in the process of being transferred by ambulance to private hospitals, particularly the Mater sites throughout Metro South," he said. The 30 additional beds were opened at the Mater private hospital, funded through a $3 million emergency injection of funds from the Queensland government. Other private hospitals, including Greenslopes and St Vincent's, have also opened their doors to public patients during the current situation. Ms Palaszczuk said "no more than" 15 elective surgeries were rescheduled and there had been an easing of pressure on emergency departments over the course of Wednesday. Mr Miles said while many of the regions emergency departments had been running near-full capacity for some time, there was still no way they could have foreseen the current situation. What was not predictable was the level of demand, peaking yesterday, Mr Miles said. However all our hospitals have systems in place to deal with these kinds of surges which can happen for a wide variety of reasons. Mr Miles and Dr Young have pointed to high levels of summer flu as well as heat-related illnesses for the higher than the usual number of patients presenting at emergency departments for treatment. Over the last three weeks, the Gold Coast has seen 10 per cent more patients than at the same time last year, with Metro North eight per cent more and Metro South six per cent. Dr Simon Judkins from the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine said the problem has been building for some time, and only came to a head on Tuesday. I think using the term 'unprecedented' is a bit of a cop-out, Dr Judkins said. Loading We know for example Logan Hospital is going to be busier this time next year by around 5-10 per cent than the patient levels were seeing now, so its all precedented. They talk about more cases of the flu, but having someone who needs a bed on a ward sitting in the emergency department for three days is not because of flu. He said emergency staff at the affected hospitals were feeling the strain, while ambulance officers also expressed concern about the current situation. Queensland Ambulance paramedic Torrin Nelson said many crews had been asked to work beyond their scheduled 12-hour shifts and ambulances were forced to wait outside hospitals to deliver patients. I went out as a single-responder [on Tuesday] to a patient in Brisbanes south-east suburbs, not far from the city and the ambulance crew who were coming to transport my patient were coming from Ipswich," Mr Nelson said. If I hadnt been able to get out there as a single-responder, that patient would have had to wait for a crew from Ipswich because all the ambulances were stuck at hospitals. Most of the affected hospitals were still at code yellow on Wednesday afternoon, however the facilities were reportedly working on a timeline to ease down from that status. Six school students have been rushed to hospital after they were struck by a car in a school carpark north of Brisbane. Paramedics were called to Australian Christian College on Cottrill Road at Caboolture about 3.10pm, just as school had finished for the day. Australian Christian College - Moreton where six children were hit by a car on Wednesday afternoon. Credit:Google Maps. School principal Gary Underwood released a statement on Wednesday night saying six students and two parents were injured as the result of a vehicle accident involving parents collecting their children. Thank you to the wonderful assistance provided by parents and staff, including a parent who is an off duty nurse and was a first responder, he said. Year 12 student Annie Pan is a high achiever. She wants to be a dentist when she graduates from Suzanne Cory High School in Werribee, in Melbourne's west. She also plays the piano on the side and attends extra lectures to get ahead. Annie Pan is one of 650 students awarded Western Chances scholarships each year. Credit:Eddie Jim But Annie who comes from a single-income household with a driving instructor as the main breadwinner has always been conscious of the hefty financial burden placed on her parents to ensure she's able to reach her potential. The financial stress alleviated for Annie's family after she was selected to be one of about 3000 students awarded a Western Chances scholarship, an opportunity Annie said was "life-changing". Police would later tell the family she was driving a BMW at high speed when it ploughed into a power pole outside the Southland shopping centre in the early hours of October 6. For five years, Mr Dent watched helplessly as his daughter spiralled down a path of self-destruction. Michael Dent and partner Mary Burnell. Credit:Eddie Jim Some days Paige heard voices telling her to hurt herself, leaving her arms riddled with scars. Other times she imagined spiders were crawling on her skin. But Mr Dent believes his daughter's death was preventable. Loading He says the tragedy of her life was that her complex mental health needs were never met by the public health system. "We thought she'd be safest in hospital because she was too vulnerable to be in the community," he said. "Paige would only ever hurt herself. Every time she was out of hospital we'd worry constantly she would end up dead. "Over the five years she was committed to hospital she ran away about 20 times. She felt like a prisoner there but there was nowhere else for her to go." Mr Dent is making a submission to Victoria's mental health royal commission in the hope that no other family will have to go through what his has. He is also considering legal action against the hospital, which he says failed in its duty of care. A young Paige Dent, in happier times. Mr Dent said for families like his, who cannot afford to access to specialised private care, there is nowhere for their loved ones to go. And a shortage of community mental health services means more people in crisis are resorting to showing up at hospital emergency departments. Loading He claims that Dandenong Hospital wasn't equipped to deal with the complexities of Paige's needs and failed to implement protocols to keep her from absconding. She wasnt ever given a chance of survival because she didn't get the care she needed," he said. "She was just treated like a number and dosed up on medication. "If we had the money we would have put her into a special private care facility we would have done anything to save our Paige, but instead we [were] forced to watch her fading away before our eyes." A picture of an 11-year-old Paige shows her bright-eyed and smiling up at the camera. Shes sitting next to her dad, who has his armed wrapped around her, on a picnic blanket on a wooden bridge overlooking the ocean in San Remo. Paige Dent as a little girl. Credit:Eddie Jim "I think about Paige almost every second and wonder what happened to my cheeky little girl who used to make everybody cards just to show them she loved them," Mr Dent said. Thats why we presented this way, to make the information much clearer: This is how we took the data from that spreadsheet and presented it in a much more accessible format. Credit:Craig Butt For the Schools that Excel project, I gathered 10 years of results information for every school offering VCE in the state, and threaded each year of information together so it was possible to see how school scores had changed over this time. I also brought in schools data from other sources, and had to come up with a way of making sure all the schools matched up, which wasnt easy. Once that was finished, we had to come up with a way of visualising thousands of rows of data in such a way that it wouldnt overload readers with information. Here's the finished dashboard: I hope we succeeded in presenting all this information in a useful way. As far as I know, nobody has attempted this before for VCE data, and there was a lot of work involved, but the pay-off is that we can enable Age readers to explore the results for themselves and perhaps make informed decisions about schools in their area. Loading I also analysed the information, rather than just presenting it, so we could recognise the schools that were doing good work improving their results. This analysis helped form the basis of the inaugural Schools that Excel awards. But data journalism isnt all about sitting in an office and looking at data - the traditional journalism element is still important. Once we had found 10 standout schools, we went out and interviewed the principals at each of them so we could get the stories behind the data. For one school, Murrayville Community College, that meant driving six hours from the city and meeting with the school's staff and students to find out what was driving their stellar results. At its best, data journalism is a new and exciting form of journalism that can lead to new sources of stories and new ways of telling stories, and The Age was one of the first media organisations in Australia to recognise its potential. Loading Lots of data journalism stories have been produced at The Age in the past few years, and as long as our readers find them to be informative and interesting, we will keep producing them. Here are some of recent examples of data journalism projects produced at The Age. The Peak Hour project We used information from VicRoads and location data company HERE Technologies to analyse how travel speeds in Melbourne were worsening, and created a series of interactives that show how traffic congestion impacts your commute. [How to beat Melbourne's worsening peak hour] Do You Earn Enough? A series of stories that helps you find out lots of vital information about your job, such as the average income, the typical hours worked per week, the sorts of people who do it, its future employment prospects and whether it has a gender pay gap. Do you earn enough image? Credit:Jo Gay [Check out the series] https://www.theage.com.au/business/workplace/your-job-who-does-it-what-they-earn-and-will-it-survive-20190206-p50w05.html Black Saturday 10 years on from one of Australia's worst bushfires, we show the Black Saturday fires unfolded. How the Black Saturday fires spread Credit:The Age [Check out the article] The last time Semisha Mwangi saw her husband was on Sunday, when he told her to stay strong. Twenty four hours later, John was put on a plane by immigration officials and deported from Australia back to his home country, Kenya. Semisha just wants her husband home, and she won't stop fighting until he is. Credit:Kate Hedley In the blink of an eye Semisha lost her husband, and her children lost the only father figure they had ever known, and it happened so quickly the Perth woman barely had time to mount a fight. A love lost Menus have been released for the eagerly awaited Perth Night Noodle Markets, returning to Elizabeth Quay from April 5 to 14. More than 20 hawker-style stalls will bring together a host of signature dishes and innovative tastes from Perth and around Australia in the bustling Asian street food festival. The menu has been revealed for the upcoming Night Noodle Markets in Perth. Pictured is one of the offerings from What The Pho. The Night Noodle Markets will feature a blend of Australias multicultural flavours, fusing cuisines from across Asia in the atmospheric, open-air affair. Menus include a range of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. The confirmation of Gladys Berejiklian and John Barilaro as Premier and Deputy Premier of New South Wales should be celebrated regardless of party affiliation and public policy differences because of their immigrant backgrounds. Berejiklian herself has commented on how remarkable it is that someone with a long surname and a woman can be Premier in NSW. She was born in Sydney of Armenian immigrant descent. She is also the first woman to have won an election as NSW Premier, though Kristina Keneally was the first to hold the position. Her achievement was celebrated across the partisan divide with congratulations from Julia Gillard and Tania Plibersek. She is a moderate Liberal in the same state which has produced the conservatives Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott. Giovanni John Barilaro was born in Queanbeyan to Italian immigrant parents. He rose to become leader of the Nationals and Deputy Premier in 2016. His job is now to improve the performance of the Nationals following a disappointing state election in which they lost three seats. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro on Boyd Baling farm in Lismore. Credit:AAP The emergence of Berejiklian and Barilaro reflects the successful engagement with political life of second-generation immigrant communities. Neither is the first to emerge from non-English speaking immigrant communities by any means. Plibersek herself, the daughter of Slovenian immigrant parents, is an obvious example. He also said separate laws passed last week that would require all adults to report child sexual abuse or face two years in jail would negate the need to priests to report information from the confessional. He described those laws as a "real gamechanger", that would "sensitise the community to this issue like never before". "I see it that the confessional will not become the battleground for criminality and that it will not be necessary for us to have these sorts of hypothetical discussions because its already out in the community," Archbishop Prowse said. Loading Asked whether it was a good look for the church to refuse to comply with child protection laws given the findings of the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Archbishop Prowse said: "It depends where you look at it". "I think the optics of everybody in the ACT responsible is a great look and I believe thats going to render the idea of matters being negotiated of a criminal nature in the confessional, will make it obsolete, largely obsolete," he said. Archbishop Prowse also reiterated that it was unlikely abusers would report abuse through the confessional. Vicar General Father Tony Percy said even if they did, it was even more unlikely the priest would be able to identify who had disclosed the abuse. Loading "These types of confessions are most likely to be heard in jail when in fact the crime has been reported so we should be realistic about these types of scenarios," Father Percy said. If a child abuser did confess to a priest, Archbishop Prowse said they would be strongly encouraged to report to the authorities. A different, but similar approach would be taken if a child told a priest in confession that they had been abuse, Father Percy said. "If a child comes its different. You explain to the child, this is not a sin, its not your sin so lets talk about this outside the confessional," he said. However Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding manager Maria Hicks said there were many more pathways for children to report abuse these days, and she would be surprised and saddened if it came through the confessional. Loading Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When Scott Morrison stood up in the Parliament and brandished a lump of coal at the Labor members like a carbonaceous crucifix, the outraged response was not limited to the opposition benches. It was the subject of a spirited disagreement at the next meeting of the Turnbull government's inner sanctum, the cabinet. Participants in the meeting, in February 2017, recalled that Christopher Pyne, the leader of the government in the House, complained about Morrison's stunt. Then treasurer Scott Morrison brought coal to Parliament in February 2017. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Although Pyne today denies any such thing happened, five other ministers present at the meeting recalled it clearly. Pyne rebuked Morrison by saying "that wasn't a very popular move in my electorate", or words similar. And "nobody likes coal". But that comment provoked Barnaby Joyce. He sprang to coal's defence: "Please don't say that in Queensland," said the deputy prime minister, who represents a seat in NSW. Another Nationals member of the cabinet, Resources Minister and Joyce protege Matt Canavan, a Queenslander, backed him up. The tension over coal was never resolved because it was part of the essential tension that always threatened to tear the Turnbull government apart two competing factions, two clashing ideologies, never reconciled. Turnbull never managed to unify them, nor transcend their mutual mistrust. Advertisement Why did the Turnbull government ultimately fail? Because its members decided that what divided them was more important than what united them. And that included personal ambitions. From the time of his ascension to the prime ministership in September 2015, Turnbull was preoccupied with one member of his backbench Tony Abbott. Two of Turnbull's most loyal ministers speaking separately described Turnbull as "obsessed" with Abbott. One of the prime minister's confidantes described Abbott as being "like a witch inside his head". Loading "He would talk about Abbott in the morning meeting of the leadership group all the time," said one member of that group, the handful of senior ministers that confers daily to guide a government, even though the former leader would have been irrelevant to the government's plans for the day. Julie Bishop warned Turnbull more than once that anything he said about Abbott would be reported back to him by two other members of the leadership group, Peter Dutton and Mathias Cormann who, like Abbott, are part of the conservatives faction within the government. "That's nonsense," Turnbull would reply. "You are obsessed with them". Bishop also warned the prime minister against a third member of the leadership group, Pyne, a key figure in the moderates faction. "In the end," Bishop would say, "Christopher will jump to save his own position." Turnbull refused to believe her: "But he's stayed at my house!" Advertisement Of course, in the end, all three of these men betrayed Turnbull. Dutton challenged him for the leadership, Cormann worked to help him, and Pyne ultimately abandoned Turnbull to help Morrison win the leadership instead. As one of Turnbull's senior staff members put it: "A lot of people were constantly waiting for Malcolm to be weakened enough so that they could have a go." But until that fateful, final week in August 2018, Turnbull caught no hint of disloyalty from them. More than once, the prime minister would attest to them individually that "only four people make this government work" he'd list Morrison, Dutton, Cormann and Pyne. Turnbull repeated this judgement in the final fortnight before all of them turned against him. Yet Abbott was the internal enemy who preoccupied Turnbull. It was only days after winning the prime ministership that Turnbull made his first bid to entice Tony Abbott out of Parliament. He canvassed with him the post of high commissioner to London. Tony Abbott on the backbench, listening to then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull speak in February 2018. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The deposed leader said he wanted nothing for himself. He asked only for favours for his former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, and her husband, former Liberal party director Brian Loughnane. For Credlin, he asked the post of sex discrimination commissioner. For Loughnane, he sought Australia's ambassadorship to Ireland and the Vatican. Turnbull turned him down. But the prime minister would return to the "get Abbott out" project again. Advertisement Abbott didn't want employment or distraction. He didn't want a new phase in life. He wanted to finish the old phase. He had "unfinished business" as conservative Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells described it. Abbott, who had quit the prime minister's office promising publicly that he'd conduct "no wrecking, no undermining, no sniping", was to become an unending frustration for Turnbull. With a worried eye on Abbott, skirting around the neuralgic areas of climate change and same-sex marriage where he was bound to Abbott government policy, Turnbull tried to find some unifying ground for his government. First he tried tax reform. In his first flush of optimism, he enthused that "everything" was on the table. Including changes to the GST. And, in an interview with the Herald and The Age a month after he took office, he was asked which tax concessions he was prepared to review. Negative gearing? Capital gains tax? Superannuation? "Everything, every single element, is on the table. And I know that always means that someone can then run a scare campaign, but I'm sorry, we've got to stop [this]. "This is part of the political tradition I'm determined to end. We have got to be able to consider policy options in an unfettered way. We've got to have the maturity to have a debate that is not throwing things off the table," Turnbull said. Advertisement "Because what happens is politicians who get intimidated by their opponents or by the media or whatever, they say, 'Oh that's off the table, that's off the table, that's off the table' and suddenly there's nothing left on the table." Yet he fell into precisely this syndrome. Not only did he end up taking just about everything off the table, he ended up being the chief scaremonger. Then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in the PM's suite at Parliament House in September 2016. Credit:Andrew Meares Turnbull blamed Morrison for the collapse of tax reform. According to Turnbull, the treasurer was guilty of "front-running" the debate, publicly raising specific tax reform options before the government was ready to deal with them. "I wish ScoMo would just shut up," the prime minister complained widely to staff and ministers at the time. In particular, Morrison was trying to push for a higher GST to pay for cuts to other taxes, much as John Howard and Peter Costello had done in 2000. But Turnbull was furious that Morrison was doing it ahead of any decision by the government. "He used to justify it," Turnbull has said to confidantes since. "He thought he was a brilliant media manager." Today, Morrison hits back at Turnbull's complaints: "At all times," a Morrison spokesman says, "the then treasurer was seeking to keep the governments options open on all proposals that were already in the public domain because of the white paper process. The then PM [Turnbull] had taken the position not to rule anything in or out. The then teasurer acted in accordance with that decision." In other words, Morrison was merely acting within the parameters laid out by his leader. Implication: Turnbull was a panic merchant who didn't have the fortitude to allow a real debate on tax. Advertisement Hundreds of demonstrating anti-conscriptionists fought with Liberal supporters at the Liberal partys Kooyong by-election meeting at Kew Town Hall last night. Protesters crowd around the PM, Mr. Holt, as police escort him to his car outside the Kew Town Hall. Credit:The Age Archives First published in The Age on March 29, 1966 Throughout his 55-minute speech, the Prime Minister (Mr. Holt) was slow-clapped, booed and given the Nazi salute. One woman twice tried to disconnect microphone wires and threw a handful of marbles at Mr. Holt. The Liberal candidate for Kooyong at Saturdays by-election, Mr. Andrew Peacock, 27, fared little better. Thirty policemen under two inspectors, expecting a huge mass demonstration outside the town hall, had been stationed in front of the main entrance along Cotham Road and at White Horse Road intersection. Mobile police units were also stationed in side streets around the town hall. Vienna: The Austrian government is considering dissolving a far-right group after it emerged that one of its leading members received a donation in the name of the suspected New Zealand mosque gunman, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Credit:Bloomberg Austrian police on Monday searched the home of the head of the Identitarian Movement of Austria, Martin Sellner, and seized computers and phones after prosecutors discovered that he had received a four-figure sum from a person named Tarrant - the same surname as the suspected Christchurch shooter. Sellner denied involvement in the attack and claimed he had planned to inform authorities about the donation. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Austria's chancellor pledged a full and transparent investigation into any possible connections between the Alpine nation and the New Zealand shooter. Some called it "disturbing" - while others view it as an act of "demystifying" the papacy - but every member of the royal court of Catholic Twitter seems to have an opinion on the video of Pope Francis expressing visceral annoyance at Catholics seeking to kiss his ring. The video, filmed during the pope's day trip to Loreto, Italy, on Monday, first started making rounds in traditional Catholic circles, showing a smiling pope pulling back his hand during a parade of Catholics seeking to kiss his ring. The traditional act of kissing the ring - which in the Catholic tradition is worn in by bishops, cardinals and the pope - has historically symbolised respect for the office. When footage surfaced of Francis steering Catholics away from it, the right-wing Catholic website Lifesite called it "disturbing." Rome: Migrants have hijacked a merchant ship that rescued them off the coast of Libya and is now heading towards Malta, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Maltese authorities say. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Credit:AP The 108 migrants were picked up by the Turkish cargo ship Elhiblu 1 and they hijacked the vessel when it became clear that it planned to take them back to Libya, according to the website of Italian daily Corriere della Sera and Italian news agencies. "These are not migrants in distress, they are pirates, they will only see Italy through a telescope," said Salvini, who has cracked down on illegal immigration, including closing Italy's ports to charity ships, since he took office in June last year. A spokeswoman for Malta's armed forces confirmed the ship had been hijacked and said Maltese authorities were monitoring its progress and it would not be allowed to dock in Malta. Albany: A county in New York City's northern suburbs declared a state of emergency on Tuesday over a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since last autumn, hoping a ban against unvaccinated children in public places wakes their parents to the seriousness of the problem. "It's an attention grab, there's no question about it," Rockland County executive Ed Day said at a news conference, noting that he didn't believe such a drastic step has ever been tried in the US before. Day said he was taking the action in hopes of reversing a recent rise in cases amid disturbing reports that health workers were encountering resistance when investigating cases. Rockland's outbreak has most heavily affected Orthodox Jewish communities, in which vaccination rates tend to be lower. Under the declaration, which lasts for at least 30 days, anyone under 18 who is not vaccinated against measles is barred from public gathering places, including shopping malls, civic centres, schools, restaurants and even houses of worship. Those in violation could be charged with a misdemeanour punishable by up to six months in jail. New York: In the lead-up to last November's midterm elections, I travelled to four key states to take the temperature of the American electorate. At the halfway point of Donald Trump's first term, I particularly sought out independent voters who could swing to either party. Dave Grothe, an army veteran in Iowa, wanted to talk about illegal immigration. "This country is becoming Mexico North," he said. Amy Russo was concerned about healthcare issues, not the Mueller probe. Credit:Matthew Knott Amy Russo, a nurse in North Carolina, spoke about the importance of ensuring patients with pre-existing medical conditions can get health insurance. Worldwide interest in moving to New Zealand has spiked in the aftermath of Christchurchs deadly terror attacks. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) figures show a significant lift in the volume of registrations from people interested in living and working in New Zealand since the March 15 shootings, when 50 Muslim worshippers were killed at the Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid by a lone gunman. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a big factor behind a surge in interest in living in the country. Credit:AP INZ assistant general manager Peter Elms said his agency had received 6457 registrations of interest from March 15 to 24, compared to 4844 for the preceding 10 days a 33 per cent increase. The largest numerical increase had come from the United States 1165 compared to 674, a 72 per cent increase. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) expects major coverage from 13 international media reps who recently attended the concluded 3rdEdition of the SXM Music Festival, an electronic music festival geared towards lovers of electronic music. Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson is very pleased with the attention that the SXM Music Festival received from international media. The travel and music experience received by these international media reps will go a long way and should be very rewarding for the destination Sint Maarten/St. Martin. This was a great opportunity to promote our destination experience internationally and we look forward to the fourth edition of the SXM Music Festival, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Tuesday. Claudia Arrindell and Marie-Line Andrew-Carty representatives of STB hosted the journalists as part of a press trip during the SXM Music Festival on Thursday March 14, 2019. The St. Martin Tourist Office also hosted the journalists on the French side. Some of the media crew wereLuke John: CRACK Magazine; Rob Mc Callum: DJ Magazine; Stuart Kenny: Amuse; Matthew Moen: Paper Magazine; Greg Mc Kenzie: BBC World Travel; Mike Mc Kenzie: BBC World Travel; Lorren Wilson: BBC World Travel. DJ Magazine is one of the electronic musics best-loved brands that started back in 1991, as a print magazine to reflect the emerging UK electronic music scene. It is now a global multimedia brand with assets spanning print, web, video and events. DJ Magazine is translated into 10 languages every single month is read and respected worldwide. BBC Travel tells awe-inspiring immersive travel stories and for a second year in a row, has won the Gold Lowell Thomas Award for best travel journalism website. Amuse is a re-imagined record label company that offers free music distribution to everyone and record deals to artists. Amuse was founded in Stockholm in late 2015 by a global team of music industry experts. It has offices in Stockholm, Los Angeles and a presence in London, Miami and Bogota. Paper Magazine is a New York City-based independent magazine focusing on fashion, popular culture, nightlife, music, art and film. The group got an opportunity to take pictures at some of our beautiful beaches, their day also included stops at Toppers Rhum Distillery, Rainforest Adventures and Guavaberry Emporium, and lunch at Lazy Lizard on the board walk. They had a great time and enjoyed the tour very much. They are looking forward to returning to our shores, STB reps said. The STB collaborated with the SXM Music Festival to host the Third Edition of the SXM Music Festival. SXM Festival has furthered its reputation as a hub for the global electronic music community by involving some of the worlds most renowned party brands for this years edition. The travel trade media are key to destination promotion and their digital content will be viewed by potential travelers in all markets. It was very important for us to connect with international media and influencers to get the word out that the destination is back and open for business, said Interim Director of STB May-Ling Chun. For further information about the SXM Music Festival, you can log on to SXMMusicFestival.com. For Apple phone users, you can download the SXM Music Festival app and for android users you can go to Play store and download the app. ~ Meeting to reconvene at 3 pm today.~ PHILIPSBURG:--- Politics raised its ugly head again in the Parliament of St. Maarten on Wednesday when the public meeting of parliament was called to vet the credentials of incoming Member of Parliament Jules James who will be replacing suspended MP Theodore Heyliger. It appears that the Chairlady of Parliament is sabotaging the meeting she convened by not giving Members of Parliament timely notification based on the rules of order. Members of Parliament told SMN News they only receive the notification at 6:32 pm on Tuesday for the meeting scheduled for 11 am on Wednesday. Even the press notification of the meeting was sent out mid-morning on Wednesday. When the meeting was convened only 5 MPs that are supporting the government attended the meeting. Due to the lack of quorum, the public meeting had to be rescheduled to 3 pm on Wednesday. Some members of parliament said that they need to question the legality of the meeting because they received the notification for the meeting at 12: 21 pm on Wednesday for the 3 pm meeting. The Members of Parliament from the Opposition benches said that the Chairlady of Parliament have been violating the rules of order for way too long without repercussions. Here she is rushing to call this meeting to replace MP Heyliger who is in pretrial detention while a number of requests were submitted to call meetings and to date, they are not being scheduled. Some of the meetings they requested and were not called are the following. Concerns of the dump Construction of the New General Hospital. Tax Reform and relief --- to address the Bearing Point Contract. Ennia and Mullet Bay situation To discuss a way forward regarding the non-attendance to Parlatio The CRS and FATCA laws from the Minister of Finance still has to be scheduled for a vote. The deadline was since January 1st, 2019, while St. Maarten risks being blacklisted. The chair has also not recalled the continuation of the TEATT committee meetings as she is the one that must get ministers to parliament, said one Member of Parliament. WALK TOPS USD HALF MILLION MARK IN FUNDRAISING FOR REGIONAL CANCER CAUSES LAST YEAR PHILIPSBURG:--- CIBC FirstCaribbeans Walk for the Cure, the regions largest cancer fundraiser has again topped the US half-million mark in fundraising for cancer causes across the English and Dutch Caribbean. On St. Maarten, the bank partnered with the Still Beautiful Foundation, raising USD $14,400 in support for the organizations efforts. Founded in 2014 by Marcelina Maso Loblack, Still Beautiful focuses on cancer awareness and reaching out to breast cancer patients in particular with personalized care and providing counseling and education. They have counseled over fifty persons and their families, and worked with thirty chemotherapy patients over the last five years and continue to bring cancer awareness to the forefront via presentations to schools and organizations on the island. Last year the combined efforts of the various organizing committees, sponsors and participants in the 17 territories where the bank has a presence raised a total of USD $512 367.39 in support of various cancer care and awareness charities. The majority of this was in cash, with some sponsors donating services to assist with fund-raising. Additionally, there was a significant uptick in the number of people taking part in the walk; 32,200 as opposed to 19,800 in 2017. I am delighted to report that our collective efforts have paid off handsomely again as this latest figure surpasses 2017s total of just under USD$450 000, said Walk Co-Chair and CIBC FirstCaribbean Executive, Mark St. Hill. In 2016 the event also surpassed the USD $500 000 marks but the adverse effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 led to the cancellation of walks in some territories and a consequent dip in funds raised. Mr. St. Hill said he was humbled by the thousands of men, women, and children who answer our call every year to don their shirts and take the streets by the thousands to join in our crusade against cancer. It is very clear that after seven years of sustained effort on the part of our staff and scores of dedicated corporate sponsors that our Walk for the Cure has emerged as the largest single cancer fundraiser in this region. Last years figures bring the total number of funds raised in the past seven years to over USD $2.2 million and Mr. St. Hill noted that this was also a remarkable achievement for such a relatively young event. Last years walks were for the first time spread over two months spanning weekends in September and October in various territories instead of most walks taking place on the first weekend in October as usual. The change was a result of the unpredictability of the weather around the region at that time of year. Walk committees in each territory partner with local cancer charities which are the recipients of the funds raised in their respective territory. All of the funds raised go to providing assistance, care, and counseling to cancer patients and their families as well as to raise awareness through education campaigns across the region. The funds also help the various organizations to assist with the purchase and maintenance of equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Maple Gold increases non-brokered private placement to C$2,600,000 and closes first tranche of C$2,300,000 Posted by Publisher Internet Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (?Maple Gold? or the ?Company?) (TSX-V: MGM, OTCQB: MGMLF; Frankfurt: M3G https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298248) is pleased to announce that it has increased its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing to up to C$2,600,000 (the ?Offering?) with support from one of its largest shareholders. On March 15, 2019 the Company announced its intention to raise up to C$2,300,000 in flow-through financing (the ?First Tranche?) through the issuance of 18,400,000 common shares (the \Shares\) at a price of C$0.125 per share. The additional C$300,000 in hard-dollar financing (the ?Second Tranche?) is being raised through the issuance of up to 3,000,000 Shares at a price of C$0.10 per share, for total gross proceeds to the Company of up to C$2,600,000. There are no warrants associated with this financing. Maple Gold is pleased to announce that it has closed the First Tranche of the Offering, which was completed with CMP 2019 Resource Limited Partnership (?CMP?), an investment fund managed by Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Inc., an affiliate of Dundee Corporation, and Sprott Asset Management (?Sprott?). The Company is very pleased to welcome CMP and Sprott as shareholders. All Shares issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of closing. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the private placement to drill top-priority targets at the Douay Project and for general corporate purposes. There are no finder?s fees associated with the flow though portion of the Offering and no pro group participation. The closing of the second tranche is expected to take place in the second week of April. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the ?U.S. Securities Act?) or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction. About Maple Gold Maple Gold is an advanced gold exploration and development company focused on defining a district-scale gold project in one of the world?s premier mining jurisdictions. The Company?s ~392 km? Douay Gold Project is located along the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (55 km of strike) within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec, Canada. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and has an established gold resource3 that remains open in multiple directions. For more information please visit www.maplegoldmines.com. ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD. ?Matthew Hornor? ?Matthew Hornor, President & CEO Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains ?forward-looking information\ and ?forward-looking statements? (collectively referred to as ?forward-looking statements?) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management?s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company?s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding timing and completion of the private placement. When used herein, words such as ?anticipate?, ?will?, ?intend? and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions that management believed reasonable at the time they were made or in certain cases, on third party expert opinions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.?s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company?s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Thred Tech Thred Tech gathers and analyses surface, deep and dark web and social media data to further make smart risk and security management decisions. Thred enables quick and safe visibility to expose threats to VIPs, employees, intellectual property, brands and facilities. Nell Cribb in her home on Front Street in Georgetown. Known as Miss Nell, she was a local historian who spent her life in Georgetown serving as a ambassador for the community. She collected Coca-Cola memorabilia throughout her life. When it comes to moons of the outer solar system , potentially habitable worlds tend to steal the spotlight but if a team of scientists get their way, NASA may send a mission to a world that's certainly dead biologically, but far from it geologically. That world, Jupiter's incredibly volcanic moon Io , is the target of a mission that scientists are proposing to NASA for the third time, after a refocusing that they hope will make the project more appealing to the space agency. Known as the Io Volcano Observer (IVO), the mission would launch in 2026 and arrive at its target in 2031. There, it would, as the mission's new motto goes, "follow the heat" in order to understand how the gravitational tugs that the moon experiences trigger its extreme volcanic eruptions . "Tidal heating is a process that is happening throughout the cosmos," Alfred McEwen, a planetary geologist at the University of Arizona and the principal investigator on the IVO mission, told Space.com. On icy moons like Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus , tidal heating melts their interiors to form the massive oceans that scientists believe or know to be hiding under the surface, and the same phenomenon is also believed to play out in other solar systems. But on Io, it's truly a force to be reckoned with. "Io is the best place to study it because it is so pronounced there," McEwen said. Related: Amazing Photos: Jupiter's Volcanic Moon Io No space agency has ever sent a dedicated mission to Io; most of what scientists know about the moon today comes from the Voyager mission through the outer solar system, the Galileo mission to Jupiter and ground-based observations. Before Voyager flew by, scientists didn't even realize the moon hosted active volcanic eruptions, which are now its most famous characteristic. But for now, the only new data scientists can gather about the moon comes from the ground, and telescopes can't get a detailed look at Io's dramatic surface activity. "I would love to see another mission to Io," Julie Rathbun, a planetary scientist at the Planetary Science Institute who studies Io's volcanism but who isn't involved in the IVO proposal, told Space.com. "Getting a mission to Io is just really hard." NASA's Galileo spacecraft spotted Jupiter's moon Io mid-eruption. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/DLR) The proposed IVO mission would fit NASA's Discovery program , the same budgetary class that has included the Kepler planet-hunting telescope, the InSight lander that has just begun its work on Mars and the Dawn mission to the asteroid belt. In part, that relatively low price is enabled by reusing instruments designed for other spacecraft, including for the upcoming Europa Clipper and European Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer missions, as well as for the European-Japanese BepiColombo mission currently en route to Mercury. The mission's flight design helps make the spacecraft's radiation exposure more manageable. "We make close flybys, but they're very fast and furious because the radiation is intense, so we get out," McEwen said. The IVO probe would make 10 such flybys over the course of four years, each carefully timed to the signals of tidal heating, which powers the volcanoes. Tidal heating is the result of the gravitational interaction of different planetary bodies. In Io's case, its gravity interacts with those of its giant neighbor Jupiter, plus its companion moons, Europa and Ganymede . Those interactions are particularly strong because the moons' orbits are synched up: for every once Ganymede orbits, Europa orbits twice and Io orbits four times. That clockwork relationship, which scientists call Laplace resonance, means Io experiences particularly severe tidal heating. But scientists don't know precisely what's inside Io whether its heart is molten rock or solid which makes it difficult to know how that tidal heating is actually working. Related: Orbits of Jupiter Moons Transformed into Mind-Bending Optical Illusions and Music IVO would solve that. Its instruments will be able to determine whether Io hides a global magma ocean or whether its volcanoes rise from mostly solid rock. They will also be able to measure the composition and temperature of lava on the moon's surface, which scientists can use to determine how violent and how frequent the eruptions are. The implications wouldn't be limited to a distant moon but to all worlds that experience tidal heating. And IVO may teach us about our own world as well. Life on Earth has weathered five major mass extinctions , and each extinction corresponds with upticks in dramatic volcanic activity, McEwen said. Io may be the closest model to eruptions that cataclysmic, pouring out that much lava and volcanic gas. "Io provides very large-scale lava eruptions, very high temperatures, of a sort that was common in the early histories of the terrestrial planets," McEwen said. "If you want to understand it, it's really better to see it happen, and Io's the only place to go to do that." Volcanic eruptions on Earth are notoriously complicated; it's why scientists can't predict eruptions despite their best monitoring. But at Io, not only are eruptions simple, they are also prevalent. "It's like this gift if you really want to understand volcanism, here's where you go," Rathbun said. "Io is almost volcanoes in their pure form." Now you can explore one of the most Mars-like places on Earth from the comfort of your own home, thanks to a new partnership between Google and the NASA Haughton-Mars Project. Located in the Canadian Arctic, Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on Earth. With extremely cold temperatures and a dry, barren terrain, Devon Island probably isn't a place you'd want to visit for a vacation. However, if you're training for a mission to Mars, this inhospitable polar desert is one of the best Mars analogs on Earth. Although the island has no permanent residents, it is home to the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP), a field research project funded by NASA and other international partners that's dedicated to figuring how humans can live on other worlds particularly Mars. Last summer, when a team of researchers set out for the annual expedition to Devon Island, they brought along a group of explorers from Google to put together a virtual tour of the island. Related: The 9 Coolest Mock Space Missions The Google team not only gathered the imagery needed for Google Earth, Google Maps and Street View, but they also documented all the behind-the-scenes action in a short documentary that you can watch on YouTube . "The main objective for Google at HMP-2018 was to collect Street View imagery to allow Google Earth and Google Maps users to visit Devon Island virtually, and to create a Google Earth guided tour illustrating, via factual narrative, how Devon Island is so similar to Mars," officials with the SETI Institute said in a statement . "We are excited about this new partnership with Google on the Haughton-Mars Project and about the data products being released," Pascal Lee, director of the NASA HMP at NASA Ames Research Center, said in the statement. "They allow us to share with the world some of the Mars-like wonders of the site and the fieldwork that we do." The guided virtual tour of Devon Island by Google Earth includes a close-up look at Haughton crater, an impact basin approximately 13 miles (20 kilometers) wide that is believed to have formed when a large meteor hit Earth 23 million years ago. A large lake once occupied the crater, but the water has since completely drained, leaving behind a dry lakebed. Much like the gullies seen on Mars , Devon Island is covered in gullies that line steep slopes. The island even has its own version of the mysterious disappearing and reappearing lines on Mars known as recurring slope lineae . Scientists still haven't figured out what's up with these transient features on Mars, but Devon Island may hold some clues, the guided tour says. Virtual explorers can also scope out Astronaut Canyon , a fault line that "was carved into a monumental canyon by glaciers, making it a glacial trough valley," the tour says. The canyon's shape "is similar to many large, winding, V-shaped valleys on Mars, such as the tributary valleys of Ius Chasma, which is part of the gigantic Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars." Researchers believe that glaciers and giant ice formations on ancient Mars likely carved out Valles Marineris the largest canyon in the solar system. You can take the guided virtual tour of Devon Island and all its Mars-like features at https://g.co/earth/devonisland . NASA's chief says the agency is all set to meet a new challenge returning humans to land on the moon within the next five years. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine promised Tuesday (March 26) that the agency will work quickly to send a crew to the lunar vicinity in 2022 and land astronauts on the moon's south pole by 2024. Bridenstine's declaration came after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who chaired the fifth meeting of the National Space Council Tuesday, announced a goal to land astronauts on the moon in the next five years. Related: NASA May Use Private Booster Instead of SLS for Orion Moon Trip Vice President Mike Pence called on NASA to return astronauts to the moon by 2024 during the fifth National Space Council meeting March 26, 2019, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said the agency can meet the challenge. (Image credit: NASA) "It is the right time for this challenge, and I assured the vice president that we, the people of NASA, are up to the challenge," Bridenstine said in a NASA statement . "We will take action in the days and weeks ahead to accomplish these goals. We have laid out a clear plan for NASA's exploration campaign that cuts across three strategic areas: low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars and deeper into space." Bridenstine said he has already made reorganizations at NASA to meet the new goal, including establishing a moon to Mars directorate "to focus on the formulation and execution of exploration development activities." Reaching the goal will depend heavily on NASA's monster Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which hasn't even flown in space yet. The first uncrewed launch date, called Exploration Mission-1 , is scheduled for sometime in 2020. The first crewed mission, which will go to "the lunar vicinity," will be in 2022. Both launches will use the Orion spacecraft, NASA's capsule for deep-space exploration. Bridenstine discussed SLS, as well as possible commercial options, with personnel at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, which is testing out SLS components, according to the statement. "I shared the analysis we conducted to assess flying the Orion on different commercial options," Bridenstine said. "While some of these alternative vehicles could work, none was capable of achieving our goals to orbit around the moon for Exploration Mission-1 within our timeline and on budget." "The results of this two-week study reaffirmed our commitment to the SLS," he added. "More details will be released in the future." Bridenstine pledged that the agency will use "creative approaches to advance SLS manufacturing and testing to ensure Exploration Mission-1 launches in 2020," while making sure that the rocket is safe and reliable. The announcement comes in the 50th year after humans first landed on the moon, in 1969. NASA sent 12 astronauts to the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972 as a part of the Apollo program, and nobody has returned to the moon since (despite several other U.S. presidents trying to send missions afterward). Some Apollo astronauts are still living today, including Buzz Aldrin, who was on the first moon landing in 1969 with Neil Armstrong, who died in 2012. President Trump is up for re-election in 2020. If Trump is re-elected, his second and final term concludes in 2024 the same year that NASA is supposed to land astronauts on the moon. Two NASA astronauts were on the verge of making history this week by becoming the first women to take a spacewalk unaccompanied by men. But due to a lack of appropriately-sized spacesuits currently at the International Space Station , that major milestone for women in space won't be reached this week after all. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch were scheduled to take a spacewalk together on Friday, March 29. However, the agency announced on Monday (March 25) that astronaut Nick Hague would be taking McClain's place, due to a spacesuit sizing issue. Like most spacewalking women, both McClain and Koch wear an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) suit with a size-medium hard upper torso (HUT) the smallest size that NASA has to offer. Of the six HUTs currently aboard the station, two of them are size medium, two are large and two are extra large. However, only one medium and one large suit are currently in a usable condition; the rest are spares that would require about 12 hours of preparation before astronauts can safely wear them on a spacewalk, NASA spokesperson Stephanie Schierholz told Space.com. Related: Women in Space: A Gallery of Firsts NASA astronaut Anne McClain is pictured during her first spacewalk on March 22. (Image credit: NASA) Because spacewalkers typically go out in pairs, the astronauts had prepped two suits, one medium and one large, to be worn for a series of three spacewalks scheduled for March 22, March 29 and April 8. While Koch has always worn a size medium during underwater spacewalk training back on Earth, McClain had trained in both a medium and a large. When McClain took her very first spacewalk last Friday (March 22), she wore the medium suit while Hague wore the large suit, Schierholz said. For the second spacewalk, NASA was planning to have McClain wear the larger size so that her slightly smaller counterpart could wear the medium. However, after McClain successfully completed that first spacewalk wearing the medium suit, she decided that she would rather not size up to a large for her second spacewalk. "Based [on] her experience in the first spacewalk in the series, McClain determined that the medium was a better fit for her in space," Schierholz said. NASA astronaut Anne McClain, wearing a size medium spacesuit, works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on March 22. (Image credit: NASA) So, NASA decided to swap the crew's spacewalking assignments, with Hague taking McClain's place for the second spacewalk and McClain taking Hague's assignment for the third spacewalk on April 8, when she'll head out with Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques. "Given the very busy operational schedule on board the station this spring the spacewalks as well as several resupply missions that will begin arriving in April the teams made the decision to keep the schedule by swapping spacewalkers rather than reconfiguring a spacesuit," Schierholz said. "This decision was based on my recommendation," McClain tweeted today (March 27). "Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first." The news that the first all-female spacewalk would not happen this week sparked conversations on social media about sexism and gender bias at NASA. Even former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton chimed in on Twitter , suggesting NASA "make another suit." But it's not that simple. Because McClain was able to train in both medium and large suits back on Earth, NASA figured that she would probably be fine wearing the large suit on her second spacewalk. However, figuring out what size spacesuit an astronaut needs is a bit more complicated than simply taking measurements and trying on things like you would if you were being fitted for a business suit at a clothing store on Earth. Spacesuits don't always fit quite the same on Earth as they do in space. This is partly due to the effects of microgravity, or weightlessness . If a suit is too big, an astronaut in space might feel like they're floating around inside of it, making them struggle with mobility. That extra space inside the suit can be less noticeable when working in Earth's 1-gravity environment. "Astronauts who do not fit comfortably into available suit sizes can have increased accessibility issues," according to a report from the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG). "For example, temperature is controlled through a rotary dial on the front of the EMU, which means smaller astronauts face visual and mechanical disadvantages that limit their ability to properly control suit temperature." On the other hand, wearing a HUT that is too small can cause shoulder injuries, the report states. Further complicating the matter, astronauts often grow taller while in space. After a spacesuit fit check on March 4, McClain tweeted that she had grown 2 inches (5 centimeters) since she launched into space. Unfortunately, the extra height didn't help with the fit of the large HUT. "When they launch we know pretty well what suit size they are, but of course your body changes slightly in space due to fluid shifts or spine elongation, so we do re-fit suits to the crewmembers and make sure that they have the optimal fit to ensure efficiency when we're going outside for a spacewalk," Mary Lawrence, NASA's spacewalk flight director, said in a news conference on March 19. McClain certainly isn't the first woman to face problems with spacesuit sizes. When the suits were originally designed for the shuttle program some 40 years ago, NASA had planned to offer a broader range of sizes to accommodate as many astronauts as possible. However, to reduce spending, the agency ended up developing only three sizes (medium, large and extra large), which would fit most astronauts. In other words, they built suits to fit the average man. Because very few astronauts were women back then, the spacesuits were never built for women in the first place. Even Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut who holds multiple spacewalking records, has voiced her struggles with the oversize suits. "As a woman, doing spacewalks is more challenging, mostly because the suits are sized bigger than the average female," Whitson said in an interview with Makers in 2017. In its 2017 report on spacesuit development, NASA's OIG writes that the agency's EMUs available today "do not provide a sufficient range of sizes in the Hard Upper Torso component to accommodate astronauts whose body size may not align with historical measurements." Since those "historical measurements" were taken, NASA's astronaut corps has grown increasingly diverse. The 2013 astronaut class which included McClain, Koch and Hague was the first class with an equal balance of men and women. But even as NASA continues to improve its gender diversity, the agency won't be building any new EMUs for women who take spacewalks at the International Space Station. NASA is planning to stop funding the station in 2024. For now, women can hope that a better selection of suit sizes will become available for future astronaut endeavors to the moon, to NASA's lunar gateway space station and eventually, Mars. Bir Lahlou (Liberated Territories), March 24, 2019 (SPS) - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, said on Sunday that the right to self-determination is the fundamental principle of contemporary international law, signed by the Sahrawi side and Morocco in 1991. The right to self-determination is "a consensual solution that comes in accordance with the nature of the conflict in Western Sahara as a matter of decolonization. This process must be completed with the exercise by the Sahrawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, said Ould Salek. The statements by Ould Salek, a member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, follow those made by Moroccos Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nacer Bourita, in which he referred to "the conformity of autonomy with the principle of the right to self-determination and independence, ahead of the second roundtable that brought together the two parties to the conflict, namely Morocco and the Polisario Front, under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary General Special Envoy, Horst Kohler, on 21-22 March in Switzerland. The right to self-determination is "a fundamental principle of modern international law, which also represents the basis on which the United Nations (UN) was founded after the Second World War. This principle was included by the San Francisco Congress in the first article of the UN Charter. Since the international community does not currently recognize Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, the Sahrawi people will only accept the independence of its entire national territory," he stressed. The approval by the Sahrawi Republic of a referendum on self-determination stems from the "commitments made under the agreement the country signed with Morocco in 1991. The peaceful consensual solution forces Morocco to definitively abandon the occupation policy and stop at its recognized international borders, Ould Salek stressed. The Sahrawi FM reiterated SADRs readiness to cooperate with the United Nations and the African Union (AU) to put an end to the conflict between the Sahrawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco, on the basis of respect for the territorial unity of the Sahrawi State. (SPS) 062/SPS/APS We, The Heads of State and Government or representatives of the following SADC Member States: 1. Republic of Angola, 2. Republic of Botswana, 3. Democratic Republic of Congo, 4. Kingdom of Eswatini, 5. Kingdom of Lesotho, 6. Republic of Malawi, 7. Republic of Mauritius, 8. Republic of Mozambique, 9. Republic of Namibia, 10.Republic of Seychelles, 11.Republic of South Africa, 12.United Republic of Tanzania, 13.Republic of Zambia, and 14.Republic of Zimbabwe, The Heads of State and Government or representatives of the following like-minded countries: 15.Peoples Republic of Algeria, 16.Republic of Cuba, 17.Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, 18.Federal Republic of Germany, 19.Republic of Nicaragua, 20.Federal Republic of Nigeria, 21.Republic of Kenya, 22.Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, 23.Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, 24.Republic of Uganda, and 25.Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, The leaders of the following African Liberation Movements and Political parties: 26.African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, 27.South African Communist Party (SACP) of South Africa, 28.Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA) of Angola, 29.Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) of Mozambique, 30.South West Peoples Organisation (SWAPO) of Namibia, 31.Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), 32. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Malawi, and 33.Polisario Front of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, The following Civil Society Organisations, and other institutions: 34.Saharawi Solidarity Forum (South Africa Chapter), 35.Friends of Civil Society, 36.SADC Lawyers Association, 37.Sharpeville Development Forum, 38.Human Rights Defenders, 39.Friends of Western Sahara- South Africa Chapter, 40.Independent Diplomat, 41.Committee of intelligence and Security Services of Africa, 42.African Centre for Constructive Resolution Disputes (ACCORD), 43.PACON, 44.Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), 45.National Youth Council of Namibia. RECALLING the decision of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of August 2017 to hold a Solidarity Conference as a means of expressing SADC Member States support for decolonisation and self-determination for Western Sahara on the basis of the values and principles that have guided the quest for independence throughout Africa; RECALLING the adoption of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 1514(XV) of 1960 on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and UNGA Resolution 2072 on Spanish Sahara (Western Sahara), which recalled Resolution 1514 (XV) and requested Spain to take all necessary measures to liberate Spanish Sahara from colonial domination; NOTING that Western Sahara remains the only territory in Africa under colonial rule, inscribed on the United Nations and Decolonisation list of Non-Self Governing Territories; RECALLING the UNGA Resolution 2229 XXI of 1966 which reaffirmed the inalienable right of the peoples of Western Sahara to self-determination in accordance with UNGA Resolution 1514; ALSO RECALLING the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of 16 October 1975 which found no legal ties of allegiance between the Sultan of Morocco and some of the tribes living in the territory of Western Sahara as might affect the application of Resolution 1514(XV) on the decolonisation of Western Sahara and, in particular, of the principle of self-determination through the free and genuine expression of the will of the peoples of the Territory; FURTHER RECALLING the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 690 of 1991 which established the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) whose purpose is to implement the Settlement Plan for a referendum on selfdetermination for the people of Western Sahara; RECALLING the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1541 of 2004 which reiterated the commitment of the UNSC to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara; WELCOMING the efforts by the UN in particular, those of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara H.E. Mr Horst Kohler former President of Germany, that led to the convening of talks between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front in Geneva, Switzerland from 5 to 6 December 2018 and from 21 to 22 March 2019 in Bursins, Switzerland; RECOGNISING that most African countries have achieved their independence; ALSO RECOGNISING the invaluable role that the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) played in finding a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict from 1976 and the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as a member of the OAU in 1982; ACKNOWLEDGING the 1988 OAU and United Nations (UN) Settlement Plan which played a significant part in establishing the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in April 1991 with goals, which included the organising of and ensuring a free and fair referendum; REAFFIRMING the role that the African Union (AU) has played since its founding in 2002 to advance the cause for Western Saharas right to self-determination; RECALLING the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council 668th Meeting of 2017 underlining the imperative for the Kingdom of Morocco and the SADR, in their capacities as members of the AU to immediately engage in direct and serious talks without preconditions and in compliance with Article 4 of the Constitutive Act of the AU; COMMENDING the critical role which the AU High Representative for Western Sahara and former President of Mozambique, H.E Mr. Joaquim Chissano, has played and will continue to play in interacting with all stakeholders, including the UN Security Council, in order to achieve the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara; ENCOURAGING closer collaboration and stronger cooperation between the AU High Representative for Western Sahara and the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara in establishing a mutually acceptable and sustainable solution to the question of Western Sahara within the Framework of AU-UN cooperation; RECOGNISING that SADC is an integral part of AU efforts to promote continental unity, development, peace, and stability in terms of the Constitutive Act of the AU adopted in 2002; REAFFIRMING SADC solidarity with the Government and people of Western Sahara in their struggle for self-determination; WELCOMING the European Union Court of Justice rulings of 21 December 2016 and 27January 2018 in which Western Sahara and Morocco were clearly identified as two distinct countries and therefore any trade deals between Morocco and the European Union (EU) cannot be applied to the territory of Western Sahara; FURTHER WELCOMING the European Union Court of Justice ruling of February 2018 which held that a long-standing fisheries agreement between Morocco and the EU does not apply to the waters off the coast of Western Sahara; CALLING FOR the urgent implementation of all UN General Assembly, UN Security Council resolutions and AU decisions, with the aim of holding a free and fair referendum in Western Sahara; CONCERNED about the prolonged non-resolution of the question of Western Sahara; ALSO CONCERNED about the continued illegal occupation and exploitation of natural resources of Western Sahara; FURTHER CONCERNED about the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied territories, as noted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights Resolution, ACHPR/Res. 340 (LVIII) of 2016; THROUGH THIS SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE, we, SADC Member States and all countries and organisations present reaffirm our unwavering support for the realization of the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, consistent with the Charter of the UN as well as the AU Constitutive Act: A. REITERATE the role of the AU in particular the AU Peace and Security Council and the Troika in remaining seized with the question of Western Sahara and maintaining momentum on the international community and in particular, the UN Security Council to treat the issue of Western Sahara with a greater sense of urgency and resolve; B. AFFIRM our solidarity with the people of Western Sahara towards their right to self-determination; C. SUPPORT the UN efforts led by the UN Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, and AU efforts as per the AU Assembly Decision AU/Dec.693 (XXXI) of July 2018; D. DECLARE that we remain unequivocally committed to the cause of the people of Western Sahara, and therefore: I. Call for the unconditional implementation of all UN resolutions and AU decisions on Western Sahara, which will lead to a positive, peaceful and permanent solution that meets the aspirations and will of the people of Western Sahara; II. Call on the Kingdom of Morocco and the POLISARIO Front to engage faithfully in direct negotiations without preconditions; III. Support the regional, continental and international efforts to advance the cause of solidarity with Western Sahara among its Member-States, African civil society, and the international community; IV. Call on the UN Security Council to expand the mandate of MINURSO to include monitoring the human rights situation in Western Sahara; V. Urge the international community to continue to provide humanitarian relief in Western Sahara and the refugee camps in Algeria; VI. Call on all concerned parties to refrain from any further exploitation of Western Saharas natural resources by taking into account the UN Legal Counsels opinion of February 2002 that such activity violated international law unless there was expressed consent by the Sahrawi people. Furthermore, we observe that such exploitation undermines the future reconstruction and development of Western Sahara and its potential to become a viable state; VII. Urge the Kingdom of Morocco to fully adhere to the principles and goals enshrined in the African Union Constitutive Act, especially the need to respect colonial borders as they existed at the time of independence; VIII. Emphasize on the centrality of the AU to the resolution of the conflict over the Western Sahara; IX. Call on the AU Summit, in accordance with its responsibilities enshrined in the Constitutive Act to ensure that the Western Sahara conflict be made a standing item on the agenda of the AU Summit at which regular reports should be presented; X. Call on the UN and the AU to immediately put in place a monitoring mechanism aimed at stopping the exploitation of Western Saharas resources. The mechanism should have penalties and other remedial measures to address any breaches of the moratorium on the exploitation of the Western Sahara resources; XI. Recommend that the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms under the AU use their institutional relations with the European Union to raise the issue of Western Sahara when engaging with the EU; XII. Urge the international community to offer material and moral support, including educational scholarships to the people of Western Sahara; XIII. Call upon the international community and the AU to assess the immediate humanitarian needs, especially of Western Saharan women and children living in refugee camps and mobilise material resources to assist in this regard; XIV. Urge political parties and civil society organisations in the SADC Region to highlight the matter of Western Sahara in their constituencies and countries; XV. Call upon the international community to avail health practitioners to assist the people in Western Sahara; XVI. Call for the full respect for international human rights law in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, and urge the United Nations Security Council to include a human rights monitoring mechanism within the MINURSO mandate, with the aim of ending impunity for such violations and abuse that are currently not reported; XVII. Call for the respect of international humanitarian law and support for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Saharawi refugees in a way that is predictable, sustainable and timely, and without any hindrance; XVIII. Reaffirm the right of all AU Member States to participate in all AU partnerships, meetings and activities; and XIX. Pledge our continued solidarity with the people of Western Sahara in their struggle for self-determination, and undertake to raise the question of Western Sahara at all multilateral fora as well bilateral engagements with international partners. THANK SADC for facilitating the organisation of the Conference, the Heads of State and Government, invited guests, and all other organisations for participating in the Conference, and the government and people of the Republic of South Africa for hosting the SADC Solidarity Conference with Western Sahara. Done on 26th March 2019, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa (SPS) 062/SPS/SADC https://www.sadc.int/files/5215/5368/2462/Final_Declaration_from_SADC_Solidarity_with_Western_Sahara_.pdf HARTFORD Despite objections that its unaffordable, an arbitration award for the newly formed Assistant Attorneys General union, passed the House and Senate Wednesday. The House voted 77-61 with eight Democrats joining Republicans in voting against the measure. The Senate later voted 19-17 with three Democrats joining Republicans in voting against it. The debate Wednesday focused mostly on giving 14 department heads within the Attorney Generals office $6,000 stipends in 2020 and $12,000 stipends in 2021. Those stipends are on top of 3.5 percent wage increases and 2 percent step increases over the next two years for all 200 assistant attorney generals. As far as the bonuses for department heads were concerned, the state had proposed a sliding scale based on the number of employees each department head managed starting with $1,500 a year. The union offered a flat $6,000 and $12,000 and the arbiter sided with the unions. Do you know how long it takes for a regular working person in this state to make an extra $12,000?, Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin, said. Were giving this money away as if its not coming out of someones pocket, Dubitsky said. He said these are bonuses being given to people who make more than $114,000 a year. Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said she doesnt know how this award is in the best interest of the taxpayers of Connecticut. The bonuses will be included as part of their pension calculation. Its not about whether they deserve this, Rep. Tom ODea, R-New Canaan, said. Its about what the state can afford. ODea said the assistant attorney generals deserve much more than the state is paying them, but the state doesnt have the money. On the other hand, rejecting the award could also be costly. It would cost $350 a day for an arbiter to look at the contract again. As legislature, ODea said they also need to change the arbitration rules. They go toe to toe every day with the most powerful corporations and law firms in the world, and they win, Rep. Michael DAgostino, D-Hamden, said. It is well worth it. These folks pay for themselves. Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, and Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, said the agreement doesnt jibe with Gov. Ned Lamonts stated stance on the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition agreement. They said if he truly believes in labor savings then Lamont should encourage lawmakers to vote against this award. This contract continues to perpetuate the very policies you have identified as directly contributing to our states crushing fixed costs, Fasano and Formica wrote in a letter to Lamont. It contains the same benefits you believe should be altered in existing contracts. In his response to Fasano and Formica, Lamont said the prior administration opposed the stipends for the 14 department heads and we believe they adequately defended the states interest, position and financial ability to pay during that proceeding. While we respectfully disagree with many aspects of the arbitrators decision pertaining to the Department Head stipends, we also recognize the inherent risks associated with sending this award back to arbitration, Lamont wrote. We trust you and your colleagues in the Legislature will carefully deliberate and weigh all of these factors when carrying out your statutory responsibility to accept or reject the awards. Maribel La Luz, Lamonts communications director, said While Gov. Lamont respectfully disagrees with many aspects of the arbitrators decision pertaining to the AAG Department Head stipends, which the prior administration also contested, he recognizes the inherent risks associated with sending this award back to arbitration. Formica said the salary increases and stipends amount to a 10.8 percent pay increase for the assistant attorney generals and a 20 percent increase for department heads. This is not the type of percentages we should be giving out regardless of the quality of work, Formica said. Fasano pointed to some information from former Gov. Dannel P. Malloys administration to prove his point. He quoted testimony that Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes gave during arbitration proceedings last year. Barnes said Connecticut cant afford the contract. He said Barnes pointed out that Connecticuts credit rating had been downgraded nine times in eight years and that Connecticut had the fourth highest tax burden per capita of all the states. Barnes told arbiters that Connecticut residents pay 15.6 percent of their income in taxes, the second highest rate in the country. In arguing that the state didnt have the ability to pay the state cited $80 billion in long term obligations, mostly related to state employee health and pension benefits. The union argued the states ability to pay must be weigh against the union concessions made in the 2017 SEBAC agreement. Fasano said theres nothing in the evidence to support the unions position. He said the matter should go back to arbitration. Perhaps Ben Barnes is right when he says we cannot afford this contract, Fasano said. STAMFORD - Just when you thought it was settled, the fate of downtowns last historic bridge again floats in the air. Members of the Board of Representatives will vote April 1 on whether an exhaustively debated renovation of the West Main Street bridge, approved in September and already underway, should proceed. The boards Operations Committee Tuesday night voted to recommend that the project go forward. But its not clear which way representatives will go, given that, six months ago, they barely approved an engineering contract with a 21-19 vote. The latest sticking point is that representatives believed that Mayor David Martin would come back to them after the engineering firm, Wengell, McDonnell & Costello, finished the $98,000 first phase of its assessment of the scope of work needed to fix the 1888 bridge, and before the $457,000 second phase. When that didnt happen, representatives contacted Martin, who said that his office, which has authority over contracts, could proceed to the second phase without board approval. It turns out the firm determined that fixing the bridge will cost $336,000 more than originally anticipated. The Operations Committee chairman, Rep. Jonathan Jacobson, D-12, put a question to members Tuesday. Are the projected costs so great that it warrants that we stop? Jacobson said. Representatives are concerned that taxpayers will be on the hook for any overruns on the project, which is to be paid for using a $2 million state grant obtained by the Mill River Collaborative, the nonprofit group working with the city to remake Mill River Park, site of the 125-foot iron bridge. Representatives said the citys agreement with Wengell, McDonnell & Costello requires that they review the firms initial assessment to ensure that cost estimates are correct. Instead, representatives said, the administration concluded on its own that, though some initial estimates had to be revised, the originals were substantially correct and the project is ready to proceed. Martin and members of his staff appeared before the Operations Committee Tuesday to smooth things out. He thinks the agreement is the best way going forward, Martin said, but I give you my word that if you dont want to proceed, I will honor that. He committed to returning to representatives should substantial cost overruns be identified once construction goes out to bid. If the budget slips further, what does the city do? asked Rep. Dennis Mahoney, R-20. The city has a capital account for bridge replacement with several million dollars in it, though the money is mostly allocated for bridge projects on Cedar Heights Road, Riverbank Road, and elsewhere, Martin said. The $50 million Stamford police headquarters building is on budget, so Im hopeful this will come in on budget, but I just dont know, Martin said. If the cost projection for the bridge is too high, the project cannot proceed, he said. If it comes in at $20 over, were moving ahead. If its a million and a half, were not, Martin said. I can only tell you in good faith that we want to get this project done before the bridge deteriorates further. Representatives on this board, and several before it, have spent countless hours debating whether the bridge should be repaired for pedestrians or to carry cars. During the 20-year debate, the bridge has continued to crumble. Engineers fear it could wash away in the next big rainstorm. We need to get moving, City Engineer Lou Casolo said, otherwise we will have a situation where the bridge will have to close. Or it could collapse. As it is, the Engineering Department shuts the bridge during storms. That in itself presents a safety problem, Martin said. People are scaling the fence when we close the bridge. Vehicles were banned 16 years ago, when it was deemed that the bridge cannot carry the weight. Ever since, West Side residents have been concerned that their neighborhood is cut off from downtown. The Mill River Collaborative wants to repair the bridge for pedestrians only, in keeping with the character of the park, and to preserve the historic elements of the 1888 structure. Rep. Benjamin Lee, D-15, wanted to know what a bare-bones bridge would cost. Something not pretty that would get people from one place to the next would be cheaper, Lee said. Do you have a point where you will abandon the historic preservation aspect of it? Martin said the city could not get approval for the project without preserving the bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rep. Anthony Spadaccini, R-14, asked about the plans call for a $213,000 temporary bridge so pedestrians can cross the river during construction, expected to take 18 months. Do we absolutely need that? Spadaccini asked. I would rather have a bridge built and do without the temporary one. Rep. Nina Sherwood, D-8, said eliminating the temporary bridge would create a hardship for a lot of people. Many West Side residents use it daily to get to work, grocery stores, and other destinations. Casolo said building a temporary bridge would still require that the city obtain permits from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, a costly and time-consuming endeavor. Rep. David Watkins, R-1, wrapped up the discussion saying certain things are apparent. We have to replace the bridge, Watkins said. This is a way we do it in a relatively brief amount of time. If a new, higher estimate should come back to the board, members will have to figure it out, Watkins said. I dont see an alternative, he said. On the nine-member Operations Committee, Watkins, Lee, Jacobson, Spadaccini, Mahoney and Rep. Terry Adams, D-3, voted for the project to proceed. Sherwood voted no. Rep. John Zelinsky Jr., D-11, abstained, and Rep. Elise Coleman, D-3, did not attend. The full board is set to vote on the project at 8 p.m. Monday in Legislative Chambers, fourth floor, Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. In December, 1863, General Ulysses. S. Grant had many big decision to make as he made his plans for the spring offensive against the Confederacy. Grant, a West Point graduate and veteran of the Mexican American War, had been a clerk in a leather goods shop in Galena, Illinois, at the start of the Civil War just a little over two years before. By the summer of 1863 he was leading more than a million Union soldiers to crucial victories at Chattanooga and Vicksburg. According to Ron Chernow's best-selling biography, Grant's main concern in the winter of 1863 was securing a reliable supply line for his armies. To do this meant making decisions concerning substantial investments that would impact the operations and lives of many. He did so quickly, regardless of the pressure he was under. When questioned whether or not he was sure he was correct about these fast choices, Grant said, "No I am not, but in war anything is better than indecision. We must decide. If I am wrong we shall soon find it out, and can do the other thing. But not to decide wastes both time and money and may ruin everything." Grant was known as a man who knew his facts. "Every night he knew precisely where the enemy was, and what he was doing and what we were able to do and dare," a colonel under his command once said. But even with those facts, Grant's propensity to make quick decisions often resulted in mistakes. Big ones. For example, his rashness was considered by many to be behind the needless "butchering" of tens of thousands of men to achieve his military objectives at the battles at Shiloh, "The Wilderness" and the very bloody defeat at Cold Harbor. His quick decision-making once resulted in an ill-advised anti-Semitic general order specifically forbidding Jewish merchants from trading near a battle zone. Grant later apologized for that. As President, his administration was accused of nepotism, corruption and mismanagement. Before the war Grant was notoriously unlucky in business, having flopped as both a real estate agent and farmer. After the war, Grant died penniless as a result of his ill-conceived financial investments. Related: 10 Lessons from America's Greatest Military Leaders But look at his life, and his achievements. A man who quit the military in 1854 and forever battled alcoholism rose to General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States and won the war that forever shaped the destiny of our country. After the war Grant served two terms as President and, historians now agree, significantly advanced the causes of civil rights and reconstruction. But you don't accomplish anything of that scale without making hard decisions, hopefully as quick as possible. You act. You move forward. You make mistakes but standing still decreases your chances of success. Some business owners take a long time to make a decision. Others often fail to make any choices at all, instead saying sometimes the best decision is no decision. Grant would not agree with that strategy. Neither do I. Related: Why Sportsmen Make Good Entrepreneurs Simple Techniques for Boosting Morale That Many Leaders Miss. Are You One of Them? How Did Ulysses S. Grant Make Life-and-Death Decisions? Very Quickly. Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved The Des Moines, Iowa, man who admitted to pouring gasoline on his stepson, eventually resulting in his death, was sentenced in court Tuesday morning. In a plea deal, Randy Miles Jr. pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Christopher Lenhart's 2017 death. Miles also pleaded guilty to leaving the state. Miles was sentenced to 30 years in prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum. Police said the gasoline poured on Lenhart ignited, burning him to death. Lenharts family filled the courtroom to learn Miles fate. "Randy ruined my life. He ruined all of our lives, read a statement from Kaylee Schroeder, Lenharts best friend and the mother of his child. Schroeders statement went on to say, "I hope the rest of your life is lonely and miserable. I hope every day you are haunted by the evilness of your actions, but if you aren't, I actually wouldn't be surprised. (It) just proves how inhumane you really are." Lenhart's family said they were upset with Miles plea deal. Miles faced the family in court to apologize. "All I can say is sorry, not because I'm going to prison, I had that coming, but because Ty is gone, he said. I never meant for this to happen. The witnesses, they all say the same thing. I did something reckless. I threw some gasoline at somebody and look what happened." Lenharts family said Miles sentence is too short and does not fit the crime. "I truly wish nothing but the absolute worst for you, Schroeders statement said. "You can wish the worst for me all you want. I wish the best for you guys, Miles said. The state said it accepted Miles plea because attorneys could not not prove how the fire started. Miles must serve at least 15 years of his 30-year sentence. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to revamp oversight of airplane development after the two deadly crashes of Boeing's new 737 Max raised questions about whether the FAA has gone too far in letting companies regulate themselves, according to testimony prepared for a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday. For decades, the FAA has delegated some authority for certifying new aircraft to the manufacturers, reducing government costs and, defenders of the practice say, speeding the rollout of new models. But in the wake of the air disasters in Ethiopia and Indonesia over less than five months, that practice has been seized on as evidence of an overly cozy relationship between the FAA and the industry. The self-certifying practice, called Organization Designation Authorization, was expected to come under scrutiny Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing where the acting FAA administrator, Transportation Department inspector general and chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board were scheduled to appear. In testimony prepared for the hearing, Inspector General Calvin Scovel III said the FAA plans to significantly revamp its oversight of aircraft development by July. He gave few details but said the changes would include new ways to evaluate training and self-audits by aerospace companies. Over the years, the inspector general's office has found management weaknesses in the agency's oversight, Scovel said in testimony obtained by The Associated Press. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who oversees the FAA, has asked Scovel to look into the way the agency certified the 737 Max as airworthy. The Max, featuring bigger, more efficient engines and a new automated anti-stall system, went into service in 2017. The Justice Department is looking into possible criminal violations involving the airliner's certification. Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell's prepared testimony also hinted at coming changes at the FAA but gave few details. "We know that our oversight approach needs to evolve to ensure that the FAA remains the global leader in achieving aviation safety," he said. Elwell also said Boeing submitted an application on Jan. 21 spelling out changes it planned to make to crucial flight-control software on the 737 Max the system suspected of playing a role in the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet in Indonesia and the March 10 plunge of an Ethiopian Airlines Max. In all, 346 people died. FAA engineers and pilots have tested the update in a simulator and the plane, according to his prepared remarks. "The FAA's ongoing review of this software installation and training is an agency priority," Elwell said. An FAA spokesman said Wednesday that the Boeing submission was an "initial application" and that the agency had not yet received Boeing's completed plan for updating the software. The Transportation Department watchdog has previously raised questions about the FAA's certification of Boeing planes and the seemingly close relationship between some agency managers and Boeing. Elwell defended collaboration with aircraft makers and airlines, saying that sharing information gives the FAA more knowledge about emerging risks. The process, he said, has "consistently produced safe aircraft designs for decades." The inspector general also plans to examine the widespread use of automated systems to fly airplanes and look into whether the FAA is making sure airlines are adequately training pilots to handle situations when such features fail. Multiple investigations into the 737 Max crashes are focusing on the new automated system that can push the plane's nose down to prevent an aerodynamic stall. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines said Wednesday that the government's grounding of all Boeing Max 8 jets will contribute to a $150 million revenue loss in the first quarter. The airline says it had to cancel about 2,800 flights due to the groundings. According to numbers from Boeing, Southwest operates the largest fleet of the troubled planes. In Seattle, Boeing's vice president of airplane development, Mike Sinnett, briefed reporters on changes that the company is making to the flight-control system and pilot training. He repeated Boeing's confidence in the safety of the Max. "We are working with customers and regulators around the world to restore faith in our industry and also to reaffirm our commitment to safety and to earning the trust of the flying public," Sinnett said. When the offers were requested, they were certainly requested from countries participating in the Paris Agreement. But what if one of these countries withdrew from the agreement? Would it be right to acquire fighter jets from a country like that? I think thats worth thinking about, he told Kauppalehti, Talouselama and Uusi Suomi on Tuesday. PEKKA HAAVISTO , the interim chairperson of the Green League, believes Finland should consider whether it can acquire its new fighter jet fleet from a country that does not adhere to the Paris Agreement. Id be very pleased if the acquisition was made from a country thats participating in the Paris Agreement, the ex-minister of the environment added. His tentative proposal could rule out two options for Finland: the US-made Lockheed Martin F-35s and Boeing F/A Super Hornets. US President Donald Trump has declared that the country will cease all participation in the agreement to combat climate change, arguing that the agreement has an adverse impact on the national economy. The United States, however, cannot withdraw from the Paris Agreement until 4 November 2020, four years after it adopted the agreement and one day after the presidential elections. If Trump failed in his re-election bid and was succeeded by a Democrat, the country could re-affirm its commitment to the agreement. Haavisto on Tuesday stressed that his proposal is still speculative. The United States has yet to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. If a time came when it did, Im sure this would be a value issue people bring up, he said. No one has yet to draw attention to this and, frankly, Ive been puzzled by it. The climate question is not trivial. Finland is to replace its ageing fleet of F/A 18 Hornets by 2030. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi G race has hair shorn into a buzzcut and tattoos snaking up her forearms. She sits on the beach, wearing a red one-piece swimsuit while waves lap thighs traced with stretch marks. Samantha glides down a pavement in her wheelchair, smiling over her shoulder, hair fanning in the breeze; Meryem, with dark hair, thick brows and freckled pigmentation across her nose, cheeks, chin and forehead, stares straight to camera. Her pink eyeshadow pops. These pictures are a small part of Project #ShowUs, a portfolio of more than 5,000 images featuring 179 women from 39 countries, cast and shot by 116 women and non-binary photographers. Ethnicities, shapes and non-sample sizes are represented, as are disabled models. There are mastectomy scars and cellulite, stretch marks and freckles and wrinkles. The images have not been doctored. In this version of femininity, women dont stop ageing at 40. The project which launches today is a partnership by the beauty brand Dove; the creative collective Girlgaze; and the global image platform Getty Images, which provides more than a million media outlets and advertising companies with stock imagery. Stock imagery simply means pictures that can be licensed for commercial use; advertising agencies use Getty to find stock images that they translate into brand campaigns, and newspapers and magazines use Getty to source stock images to use in articles. The 5,000-plus pictures taken for Project #ShowUs will be hosted on Getty in essence, they form a radical, alternative stock image library that the founders hope will expand the parameters of modern representation. One day, these ordinary women might be on billboards. Grace, Writer & Body Positivity Advocate / Sophie Mayanne/#ShowUs/Getty Images Certainly, thats what women want. Media imagery shapes our perception of the world and this still amounts to a fairly prescriptive vision of femininity, one that is hairless and poreless and ageless, white, Eurocentric and slim. The images that surround us are Photoshopped and distorted, the products of the sleights of many hands conspiring to create something perfect, and unreal. Doves research on the matter is unequivocal: 70 per cent of women dont currently feel represented in media and advertising, and 65 per cent of women think the current images in the media represent a narrow standard of beauty. Some 67 per cent of women are calling for brands to take responsibility for the prescriptive stock imagery they use; 70 per cent feel pressured to reach an unrealistic standard of beauty. The #ShowUs library is an antidote: shot by diverse, real women, starring diverse, real women, with agency over how they were represented. In 2019, the diversity discussion is noisy but in a hyper-visual world, a picture still says more than a thousand words can. Its hard to quantify precisely how pernicious the existing imagery can be. But anecdotally, most women would admit to feeling a low-level, pervasive inadequacy when facing down current stock images, which iterate a rigid sense of what is normal and therefore good poreless skin; firm, olive thighs and what is abnormal and therefore bad blackheads; pale thighs with puckers and dimples. If successful, #ShowUs could collapse this distinction. Dr Rebecca Swift, Creative Insights Director at Getty Images, thinks theirs is a bold experiment. What happens when women depict themselves exactly as they want to be seen? How does the debate change? The women cast in the campaign can choose the keywords that are used to tag their image in the Getty library, and women who tag their photos with #ShowUs on social media will be considered for inclusion on the site. Current imagery represents a narrow view of beauty and is not representative of how women, female-identifying and non-binary individuals look, and the roles they play in society, agrees Sophie Galvani, Doves global vice-president. We wish to make a real, systemic change. Nyome, Plus-Size Model & Body Positivity Advocate / Shingi Rice/#ShowUs/Getty Images Systemic change requires attention to detail, and the right people behind the lens. Each of the women in the global campaign was cast and shot by a local Girlgaze photographer, one attuned to existing representation vacuums. Girlgaze started out as a guerrilla Instagram hashtag, created by broadcaster Amanda de Cadenet; the account now has 187k followers, allies including the film-maker Sam Taylor- Johnson, and a network comprising more than 200,000 women and non-binary photographers around the world. I really hope its a game-changer, says Shingi Rice, one of Girlgazes London representatives, who shot two models for the campaign. Theyre always saying, if you cant see, you cant be Im hoping it reaches the right people, and people identify. I hope its a real internet breaker. Getty has the colossal platform; Girlgaze has the talent; Dove has the pedigree. Its 2004 Real Woman campaign spearheaded by London ad agency Ogilvy & Mather, and shot by mercurial fashion photographer Rankin starred six real women in their underwear, which shouldnt have been as radical as it was. In 2006, its Daughters campaign highlighted issues including body shaming and eating disorders, through video interviews with teenage girls; in 2013, its Real Beauty Sketches piece starred women welling up over favourable portraits of themselves created by artists. It reached more than 15 million people online in its first week. Dove was a disruptor: Gen Z brands like Glossier, Collusion and Monki all noted, and celebrated for diverse campaigning owe much to their elder, founded in 1955 as a soap company. Though Dove is also a brand, that, as such, deals firstly in profits. The mission of its campaigns must not be separated from its money-making mission: within a month of the 2004 Real Woman campaign, sales of the firming cream featured had doubled, which probably went some way towards determining the brands DNA from that point onwards. In 2018, Statista estimated Doves brand value to be more than $6 billion (about 4.5 billion); the eighth most valuable beauty brand in the world. Moreover, for every female-facing campaign which balances capitalism with sincerity, there are plenty that seem venal and opportunistic. Feminism and diversity have been co-opted by corporations, manipulated into meaningless hashtags, monetised and sanitised and marketed to us. The glut of pink-themed afternoon teas in the name of this months International Womens Day, not to mention the ongoing, viral misuse of the word empowerment, showed that brands are happy to commandeer any bandwagon that might seduce women to spend. In 2017, Catalyst.Org estimated that 67 per cent of all UK household consumption is controlled or influenced by women. Juliet, Thriving Cancer Survivor & Mum / Sophie Mayanne/#ShowUs/Getty Images I do believe a shift is under way but I would argue that this shift exists in two distinct phases: Marketing Feminism and Feminist Marketing, observes Olivia Stancombe, a strategist at Shoreditch-based advertising firm Forever Beta. Essentially, its opportunism and tokenism, versus real commitment to change. Marketing Feminism is a baby step, where brands leverage a trend that offers commercial value and cultural relevance. The truly progressive leap is Feminist Marketing, which I see as a fundamental systemic change in our style of communication. As a creative industry, we should be seeing this opportunity as the brief of a lifetime. Still, this library is more than just cynical posturing: its a new visual currency for reshaping the world in the female gaze. Moreover, Swift observes, hopefully, that Getty has registered a rise in the number of media and advertising brands hunting for real women: the term diverse women has increased by 168 per cent in the past year, strong women by 187 per cent, and women leaders by 202 per cent. This is what our customers are asking us for, what theyre talking about, what theyre hoping to convey about their own brand. B urberry has drastically scaled back plans to downsize its London base, and will keep two big buildings in Victoria, the Evening Standard has learnt. When the FTSE 100 fashion giant, known for its trademark trench coats, announced plans in 2017 to move hundreds of jobs to Leeds it occupied 160000 square feet Horseferry House and 127000 square feet 1 Page Street. It went on to hire property agent Cushman & Wakefield to sublet up to all of the latter property as part of plans to save costs and axe space not being used. However Burberry has now told Cushman & Wakefield it wants to retain most of the offices, and only sublet around 30,000 square feet of it. It is understood it wants the offices to expand into if needed, and the creative team wants larger space to work in. Y ou can hear the doors slamming in the great galleries of fine art up and down the country. The Tate has said that all of its establishments will no longer accept donations from the Sackler Foundation, a decision which followed the earlier withdrawal of a 1 million gift to the National Portrait Gallery. The Sackler money is believed to be tainted as it represents the profits from selling prescription opiates, blamed for an epidemic of addiction and opiate-related deaths in the United States. It was a blockbuster drug, Oxycontin, a synthetic morphine developed in 1996 by Purdue Pharma, a company founded by members of the Sackler family. Intended for chronic and severe pain, such as terminal cancer, it was sold too aggressively, and used as a pain remedy. Doctors overprescribed and it was the drug of choice in Americas poor white suburbia, contributing to 200,000 prescription opioid deaths. Purdue pleaded guilty to misrepresenting the drugs risk and was fined but Massachusetts state is now pursuing the Sacklers and others in court, claiming that the founding family knew the scale of the addiction risk and encouraged the misrepresentation. The Sacklers deny this but Britains high priests of culture dont want muddy boots treading their marble halls. Once welcome in the galleries, a Sackler is now as suspect as a fake Vermeer and, under pressure, the family trust and foundation have decided to suspend further donations. The Oxycontin scandal will hurt the museum world. The Sacklers were promiscuous and lavish givers; almost every major art institution you could name the Metropolitan and Guggenheim in New York, the Louvre in Paris, which boasts the Sackler wing of Oriental Antiquities. There is a Sackler Gallery at the British Museum and the new Zaha Hadid-designed gallery in Hyde Park is renamed the Serpentine Sackler Gallery. Its more than embarrassing; Britains big cultural institutions face a funding problem. Unlike rivals in New York, Paris and Amsterdam, Londons museums and galleries dont charge admission. The British Museum and National Gallery get only half their income from Government, the rest is from special exhibits, selling tea and cake and schmoozing the rich and powerful. Big corporates have often obliged but even their money is now spurned BP has pulled out of funding the Tate after climate change campaigners objected to its sponsorship. In Britain, mega-rich culture vultures are rare birds. Wealthy British donors would rather fund poverty alleviation or pay for sport than sponsor cultural elevation. Unlike America, we dont have a long roster of Gettys and Rockefellers anxious to clink glasses with curators of antiquities or mingle with a Turner Prize winner. In Britain, we tend to sneer: the rich foreigners are buying respect, washing away their sins. Like Medici popes, the galleries are selling indulgences to pay for the beautification of the temple. That is all true but I think we still want the temples. Great art makes us feel better in a way that no drug in the world can do. I know more about Oxycontin than I care to. It was part of the cornucopia of synthetic opiates prescribed for my wife in her last weeks. Our bedroom was like a drug-dealers den with every modern mechanism for delivering morphine: patches, pills, syrup and syringes. Synthetic opiates sort of work, but they are a chemical cosh that deadens unbearable pain. You are unconscious, high as a kite or in mounting discomfort. After more than a century of modern medicine, Sister Morphine is all there is for terminal cancer. We all hope that we will just slip away gently in our sleep but for a great many of us, that journey will be the half-life of Oxycontin, Fentanyl and their ilk. If I could make it so, I would want the Sacklers to invest all the money they gave to museums in creating a new drug that would make life worth living at the end of life. Easier said than done. Until it is my turn to take the morphine, I want someone to pay so I can see beautiful things, like the Turners at the National Gallery. B ellway has managed to boost sales and profits despite Brexit jitters causing some would-be buyers to scrap their purchases, the housebuilder said on Wednesday. The FTSE 250 firm sold 5007 homes in the six months to January 31, helping revenue to rise 12.4% to 1.5 billion. Pre-tax profits rose to 313.9 million from 288.7 million. Flats sold in London were in areas such as Stratford and Nine Elms. The average selling price of all homes that were snapped up rose by 6.5% to 293,832. It benefited from high employment, good access to affordable mortgage finance and the Help to Buy scheme. That helped to offset a small increase in cancellation rates, which rose to 13% from 11%. Boss Jason Honeyman blamed a slight moderation in customer confidence in the wider economy caused by Brexit uncertainty. Bellway upped the dividend by 5% to 50.4p per share. L loyd's of London on Wednesday promised to ban or fine insurers who fail to protect staff from harassment after admitting it had not done enough to address sexism claims. The 333-year-old corporation acts as regulator for the giant insurance market, which hosts 300 broking companies and 99 insurance syndicates. It can apply sanctions to firms operating in the market who are not doing enough to protect employees. Sexism claims have come to the fore following a Bloomberg report, which spoke with 18 women working at companies connected to the Lloyds market, based in Lime Street. The report claimed women faced near-persistent sexual harassment. Chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown said: Its shone a light which has made us feel its much more of a market-wide issue than we thought. If we discover businesses operating at Lloyds are not doing enough then we need to step in. Weve not been taking enough action quickly enough on this issue. The corporation will probe insurers policies on harassment over the coming weeks and intends to take action if it is not satisfied. Carnegie-Brown said Lloyds had made big strides on gender issues in recent years. Former chief Inga Beale was one of the Citys most high-profile champions of diversity, and the market narrowed its gender pay gap this year. However Lloyds is still overwhelmingly male, reflected in the make-up of governance committees. The Lloyds council, which supervises the market, has two women out of 16 members. The board has two women out of 13. That means just 14% of board roles at Lloyds are held by women. City consensus says at least 30% of roles should be held by women. Carnegie-Brown said that two- thirds of the councils composition is dependent on candidates put forward by the Lloyds marketplace The market itself needs to recognise this challenge and help us address this. One way to do this is make sure the market is offering more candidates that will bring more diversity. F ormer Autonomy chief Mike Lynch kicked off his defence against HPs $5 billion legal case on Wednesday, claiming it was motivated by his wealthy status and deep pockets. The British software entrepreneur, 53, is being sued by the US giant over claims he committed fraud by artificially inflating sales figures at Autonomy before selling it to HP for $11 billion in 2011. HP had to take an $8.8 billion writedown on the company one year after the deal. Lynchs defence QC Robert Miles started his opening arguments today, claiming the failed acquisition was HPs fault and questioning the companys motivation. The claimants choice of target appears to be motivated by the fact that Dr Lynch is wealthy and has a deep pocket for the purposes of this claim... the claimants need a high-profile target to blame for the losses that they suffered, it says. The entire premise of the claim is far-fetched. There was no motive for Dr Lynch to have masterminded the conspiracy that lies at the heart of HPs claim. Dr Lynch was, at the time of the alleged misconduct, already wealthy and successful. Lynchs defence claims that Autonomy was a remarkable success story, adding: It is difficult to see why Dr Lynch would turn to fraud at that stage in his career. Lynch is pursuing a counter-claim against HP, saying the reputational damage caused cost him business deals worth $150 million. Hewlett Packard Company split in two in 2015 to become HP Inc and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The case refers to the pre-separation company. The trial continues and is expected to last nine months. T hey are crumbling and a pitiful sight it is too. At a Daily Telegraph event last night Boris Johnson was asked whether he would change his mind and support Theresa Mays deal. He replied: Im not there yet. He needed, he said, further reassurances. Could this be the same man whose stern features had, only the day before, dominated the front page of that very newspaper alongside his supposedly implacable instruction to tell the pharaoh in Brussels let my people go? Apparently so. At a Times event, meanwhile, Johnsons fellow Brexit hardliner Iain Duncan Smith admitted that there is a pretty good chance the deal is going to get through. And in todays Daily Mail, Jacob Rees-Mogg, whose abhorrence of Mays deal was formerly so great that in December he tried to oust her as Conservative Party leader concedes that he is now in a position to support that agreement, and by doing so will be accused of infirmity of purpose by some and treachery by others. On that score he is certainly correct. Where are the self-styled Brexiteer grand wizards who converged on Chequers last Sunday to deliver a scary ultimatum to May? They have been replaced, it seems, by a huddle of meek and supplicant smurfs, worried that Brexit might not happen at all. Matthew d'Ancona This, of course, is the heart of the matter. To justify their proposed U-turn a truly spectacular climbdown, given everything they have said about the withdrawal agreement the Brexiteers have briefed that their compliance is conditional upon Mays rapid departure. This, allegedly, is the great concession they have wrung from the PM. But this is an entirely bogus linkage. We know that May is going sooner rather than later, that she has already agreed not to lead her party into the next general election, and that the battery of her political authority is now completely drained. To present her imminent departure as a famous victory for the European Research Group is truly pathetic. No, what has spooked the Brexiteers is the sudden scent in the air of total defeat. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands marched through London demanding a Peoples Vote . The digital petition to revoke Article 50 has accrued more than 5.8 million signatures. The EU has granted a short extension of the exit process and declared itself open to a longer delay. Worst of all for the hardliners, the success of Sir Oliver Letwins amendment on Monday, transferring control of Brexit business to the Commons, has given MPs the chance to signal support for any number of options including a public vote which could thwart the UKs departure from the EU entirely. It is absolutely essential that MPs remember this. The Brexiteers are coming on board because they are scared, which means they are scared of total failure. At the time of writing, the Democratic Unionist Party has yet to signal its support for Mays deal (and Rees-Mogg has made his own backing conditional upon the DUPs satisfaction). There are still ERG members who will not vote for Mays deal under any circumstances. Remember: the Prime Minister needs 75 MPs, of whatever party, to change their mind assuming all those who backed her in the second meaningful vote on March 12 continue to do so. The numbers are not there yet. The Government has tried to frame the deliberations of the Commons this week as a quaint sixth-form debate to which the grown-ups will listen politely but essentially ignore. "The Prime Minister needs 75 MPs, of whatever party, to change their mind. The numbers are not there yet" Ministers argue preposterously that they cannot possibly countenance any proposal that contravenes the sacred writ of the 2017 Conservative manifesto. Since that document conspicuously failed to secure the party a parliamentary majority, it is hard to see why it should be treated with so much reverence. All of this means that MPs must now act with aggression, imagination and pace. Having secured control of the Brexit voting process, they must not squander it. This means three things above all else. First, they must agree upon a version of Brexit that they find least objectionable. Second, and most ambitiously, they must force the Governments hand so that what they decide is more than a political gesture. Our legislative system is constituted so that almost all statutes are initiated by the executive. On this basis, and because so much of the Brexit process is already bound up in law, the Government cannot be formally compelled by any of the decisions taken under the regime established by the Letwin amendment. Not, that is, unless MPs make unprecedented and hugely creative use of the system of private members bills. This ramshackle and barnacled procedure rarely produces very significant legislation David Steels 1967 Abortion Act being the most obvious instance. But it does have one hugely important feature in this context: it enables MPs to initiate law without Government support. I am told that leading Remainers are already investigating this possibility. It is horribly complicated, riddled with procedural challenges, and would involve the suspension of specific parliamentary standing orders. In essence, a bill would be drafted so that the least-worst Brexit agreed upon by the Commons could then be put to the people: effectively turning the so-called Kyle-Wilson amendment into a stand-alone law, mandating the Government to act accordingly. A remote prospect? Absolutely but a prospect all the same. This is no moment for patriotic MPs who know Brexit is madness to lose their nerve or yield to fatigue. G iven that Britain seems only just to have woken up to the Sackler family, the country ought to be told a few things about their company, Purdue Pharma [Sacklers halt donations as Princes Trust says it wont take their funding, March 25]. OxyContin, which Purdue makes, is one of the painkillers blamed for the opioid crisis in the US. As long ago as 2007, Purdue paid $600 million in fines and other payments for downplaying to doctors the addictive effects of the drug. Purdue has just settled for $270 million with the state of Oklahoma over claims that the company marketed OxyContin aggressively. There are around 1,600 other cases being brought against Purdue Pharma, alleging that the company downplayed the addictive effects of OxyContin. Purdue Pharma LP is, according to a report from Reuters, examining ways to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. I believe British institutions such as the V&A, Tate Modern and The Sackler Library in Oxford should remove from their buildings the name of Sackler. I also believe, though the family deny allegations against them, that the awards of honorary knighthoods to the Sackler men and a damehood to Theresa Sackler, should be revoked. Jonathan M L Stone EDITOR'S REPLY Dear Jonathan You make some powerful points about the morality of venerable British institutions continuing to celebrate the tainted Sackler name on their buildings. In truth, these organisations find themselves conflicted. They need private donations to fund the arts and more than 30 of these institutions have relied on the opioid-embroiled Sackler family to the tune of 80 million. When I sent freedom of information requests a year ago to find out their ethical position, most sent stock answers. Only the National Portrait Gallery admitted a problem, holding back a 1 million pledge from the Sacklers for deliberation, as we exclusively reported. Our investigation of the opioid industry last March, including of the Sackler family, exposed the key things you mention and much more. They like to parade as philanthropists helping society but, as we revealed, they used offshore tax havens to avoid millions of pounds of tax. Some would conclude that its easy to donate millions when you hardly pay any tax. David Cohen, Investigations Editor Hard Brexiteers short memories Hardline Brexiteers have been blaming Remainers in the Cabinet for the poor negotiations. Perhaps they have forgotten that Theresa May was made Tory leader because all the brave Brexiteers refused to stand against her. Their tactics seem to be: ask for the impossible, get others to try to negotiate it, then complain when they (inevitably) fail to get what was never possible in the first place. Let us now ensure that the people have all the facts and are trusted to make a properly informed final decision. Mike Harris I agree with Lord Lawson when he says Theresa May ... is the most incompetent Prime Minister in living memory but she is merely typical of the most incompetent Government in living memory. Nik Randall Its not all cashless at the Hayward In response to your reader Marcia MacLeod [Galleries should not refuse cash, March 21], we were sorry to hear she was put off visiting the acclaimed Diane Arbus exhibition at the Hayward Gallery based on her friends experience. We aim to be as flexible as possible but as a publicly funded cultural organisation we also have a duty to run efficiently. Our data shows that the percentage of people who want to pay by cash is 1.4 per cent of all visitors. As a result, the Hayward has trialled cashless payments during its last two shows as the amount of staff time required to process the cash is disproportionate to the demand for this payment method. W ith the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones returning next month, a conference dedicated to the beloved show is coming to the capital and it's been designed for die hard fans. Swooping into Shoreditch's Book Club on Sunday April 14, the event will see a load of wannabe Westeros folk meet for a day of talks, quizzes, screenings and panels to discuss their love for GoT, and celebrate the cultural legacy of the series that has entertained and shocked us for the last eight years. The day will be divided into two sessions. The first starts at 11am and involves a host of daytime talks with academics who will debate on key topics and theories from the show, along with an annotated roster of screenings of key moments from the series to date. Advice? Make sure you've fully caught up before you go. If that's not your style, head for the quiz that kicks off at 6pm. Expect a winner-takes-all style shindig, challenging everything from your knowledge on Dany's dragons to what Cersei did back in season six let's face it, nobody will ever forget that. Oh, and there will be Game of Thrones-inspired cocktails, too. The Game of Thrones conference will be at The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard St, EC2A 4RH. S pring has sprung in the capital and, as the sunshine gives us a taste of the balmy days to come, it's time to get out and about. Easter is the biggest event of the month but theres plenty else on to keep you going until then. A Game of Thrones-inspired dining experience and Underbelly Festival are two of our highlights, but it's also a big month for exhibitions, with shows dedicated to miniskirt legend Mary Quant and artist Edvard Munch opening too. Here's our pick of what London has to offer this month. Drake at the O2 Drake is landing in London with a bang, with his biggest ever run of dates in the capital. Across April 1-11, fans can expect seven nights of Drizzy at the O2. Radio 1 DJ Tiffany Calver will open the concerts and Toronto-based rapper Tory Lanez is on the bill as the main support. The stars Assassination Vacation tour kicked off in Manchester in March and will have visited France, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands by the time the month is up. Here's everything you need to know. April 1-11, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX, theo2.co.uk Underbelly Festival Underbelly Festival is returning for a six-month run on Southbank, promising theatre, cabaret, comedy and plenty more. Aprils line-up includes the likes of circus company Gravity & Other Myths, breakdancing magician Magical Bones and some sing-along karaoke events from The Massaoke Band. Notflix: The Improvised Musical will pop up at the festival mid month, which will see an improv group create a musical on the spot, based on recent films. Read our full guide to Underbelly Festival here. From April 5, 30 The Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX, underbellyfestival.com Beasts of London at the Museum of London Big name celebrities will feature in this new Museum of London exhibition in animal form, that is. Kate Moss, Brian Blessed and Stephen Mangan are just a few celebs to star in Beasts of London, a show exploring the role animals have played in shaping the capital. Visitors will travel through time from the Roman era and Medieval London to present day, with the animals narrating the journey. From April 5, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN, museumoflondon.org.uk The Clash Bath v Bristol at Twickenham Getty Images Old rivalries die hard at Twickenham, as Bath Rugby play Bristol Bears in 'the Clash'. It promises to be a cracking game, with the two sides fiercely competitive. Twickenham has a little magic about it, too, so these tickets for 15 are a great way to experience the place. Besides the rugby, there'll be live music and family entertainment. A top way to spend a Saturday and perfect if you're already missing the Six Nations. April 6, Whitton Rd, Twickenham TW2 7BA, bathrugby.com/theclash Mary Quant at the V&A Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Image An exhibition dedicated to fashion icon Mary Quant the woman behind the boundary-pushing 60s miniskirt is opening at the V&A on April 6. More than 200 garments and accessories, including never before seen items from the designers personal collection, will be on show. Prepare to bathe in glorious style of the Swinging Sixties. From April 6, Cromwell Rd, SW7 2RL, vam.ac.uk The Oxford vs Cambridge goat race JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images This lesser known Oxford vs Cambridge race should be on your radar. The annual Spitalfields Farm goat race is back for its eleventh year in 2019 and will take place on the same day as the celebrated rowing event. Two goats, one representing each team, will battle it out around the farm and an official bookie is set to be on hand for those feeling lucky. Gates open at midday for guests to have a nosey around the farm before the race kicks off (whenever the furry contestants are ready). April 7, Buxton Street, E1 5AR, spitalfieldscityfarm.org Dinner is Coming Winter may have come and gone but now Dinner is Coming. The new immersive dining experience is landing in April at The Vaults, tying in with the release of the eighth and final series of Game of Thrones. Fusing food, comedy and theatre, it will recreate the Seven Kingdoms with a spoof twist. Guests will be invited to attend the wedding feast of Jaffrey Bearathon and Margarine of the Trywell Family. The adults-only show, directed by Sam Carrackset, is set to include nudity, violence and, of course, a helping of dragons. Chefs Chavdar Todorov and Steven Estevez will be providing the food for the fantasy suppers. From April 9, Leake Street, SE1 7NN, thevaults.london/dinner-is-coming Night of the Living Dead, live Pamela Raith The first UK stage adaptation of George A. Romeros 1968 horror flick Night of the Living Dead arrives at Pleasance Theatre on April 9. Running for one month, the show stars Ashley Samuels as Ben, whose recent stage credits include Fun Home at the Young Vic and Motown the Musical. Hell be joined by The Clockmakers Daughter star Jennifer Harding, who takes on the roles of Helen and Judy. From April 9, Carpenters Mews, N7 9EF, pleasance.co.uk Movie sing-along at the Piano Works Grease is the word over at the Piano Works this April, as the West End venue is running the first in a series of themed movie nights, starting with the 50s high school flick. The singing extravaganza will offer a warm up event at 8pm to get your vocal chords going, before the film itself at 8.30pm, with the sing-along going on until 1am. Until April 10, 47 Whitcomb St, WC2H 7DH, pianoworks.bar Edvard Munch: Love and Angst The Lonely Ones, 1899.Edvard Munch(1863-1944),Munchmuseet / The Lonely Ones, 1899.Edvard Munch(1863-1944),Munchmuseet, Courtesy of the British Museum Brace yourself, Edvard Munchs famous The Scream painting is landing in London, albeit in black and white. The monochrome image will be on display at this new exhibition at the British Museum, along with around 82 of Munchs other works. Another standout piece in the show includes the image of the Madonna that features a foetus and a swimming sperm which, unsurprisingly, caused much controversy when it was first seen in the late 19th century. From April 11, Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG, britishmuseum.org Hot Sauce festival Things are spicing up in the capital as Londons first hot sauce festival makes its debut in Peckham. The all-day, free event will host more than 30 artisan hot sauce traders, offering tantalising sauces, fiery chutneys and chilli jams for brave guests to sample. Those that can handle the heat can take part in games inspired by the popular condiment, including hot sauce beer pong, with some saucy prizes to be won literally. April 13, Copeland Park, SE15 3SN, hotsaucesociety.co.uk Cherry Blossom Season at the Brasserie of Light One of Londons most Instagrammable restaurants, Brasserie of Light is going all out to welcome the arrival of the Japanese cherry blossom season. Two new additions will feature on the menu: a floral cocktail named the Sakura, and a cherry parfait. The restaurant will also be adding floral decor to go alongside Damien Hirsts enormous crystal Pegasus, which hangs from the ceiling. Until April 14, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB, brasserie-of-light.co.uk Bread Ahead's Easter baking workshop Easter wouldnt be complete without a sweet treat or two, so the folks at Bread Ahead are hosting a number of Easter baking workshops at their Borough Market and Pavilion Road sites. Eager bakers will learn how to make their signature hot cross buns along with spiced cookies and orange amaretti biscuits. These sessions sell out fast, so best to book ahead to avoid disappointment. April 19-20, at Borough Market, SE1 9DE and 249 Pavilion Rd, SW1X 0BP, breadahead.com Hollywood Hits at the Grand Movie buffs and music lovers alike will find joy at this event at the Grand. A 300-strong choir Some Voices will be take guests through some of Hollywoods best known hits, including tracks from Dirty Dancing and Pulp Fiction. The show runs for five days at the south London venue. April 23, 21-25 St John's Hill, SW11 1TT, claphamgrand.com Royal Geographical Society talk: For the Love of Nature Huw Cordey Animal lovers should head down to this talk at the the Royal Geographical Society, hosted by award-winning filmmakers Huw Cordey and Patrick Morris (Life, Planet Earth, The Hunt). The pair will be sharing stories of their thirty year career of wildlife filming, including their upcoming Netflix series Our Planet, which is narrated by David Attenborough. Sustainable safe water charity Just a Drop is behind the event, and all proceeds go towards its projects. April 25, 1 Kensington Gore, SW7 2AR, justadrop.org Tour the Royal Opera House ( Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images) / Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images Sneak a peek at the backstage area and front of house space of the Royal Opera House before its evening performance. The tour, which lasts for an hour and 15 mins offers a glimpse of the props, costumes and set pieces used in ROHs popular shows April's offering includes Romeo and Juliet and La forza del destino. It seemed perverse at the time this panoramic Thameside cocktail bar had attracted a slew of awards for its ingenious botanical recipes, and was regularly shifting 1,000 drinks a night. But the eternally restless 34-year-old felt the concept had run its course. The landscape and the conversation has shifted, he said on Instagram. It makes sense to burn it down and start afresh. This week Chetiyawardana unveils its successor, Lyaness. Its in the same location, at Sea Containers London on the South Bank. The 21-drink menu is themed around seven house-made ingredients which champion different flavours, including banana, peanut and raspberry. Some of these ingredients are boozy cordials, others are spirits. One or two are non-alcoholic. And each one is showcased in three different drinks. Instead of being led by recipes, were being led by flavour, says Chetiyawardana. I think of it as a cooks approach to cocktails. Infinite Banana is a cordial made from bananas that have been cured, fermented and generally mucked about with in order to capture as many flavour facets as possible. This comes in a trio of cocktails a tiki drink, a Martinez and an Americano which are by turns smoky, spicy and sweet. King Monkey Nut a pungent syrup made with peanuts and coriander seed lends a sweet and savoury Thai note to a spritz. Ultra Raspberry adds a fruity pop to a Bellini spiked with tequila. Mixing it up: Chetiyawardana outside new bar Lyaness, in the former site of Dandelyan / Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd There are drinks within drinks. The Lyaness Highball is made with a whisky which was specially created for the bar by maverick Scotch whisky blender Compass Box, to evoke the flavours of an Old Fashioned. Then theres the deeply-weird Onyx, a spirit that was developed in collaboration with the out-there Danish distillery Empirical Spirits (famous for making a jalepeno spirit called F*** Trump and His F****** Wall). Flavoured with koji, maple wood, birch, hibiscus and hops, and aged in walnut, Onyx is the colour of rhubarb cordial, smells like umami, yet when its served in a Daiquiri tastes inexplicably like chocolate. Chetiyawardana or Mr Lyan, as hes more commonly known has form when it comes to weird concepts. His first cocktail bar, White Lyan in Shoreditch, banned all perishable ingredients including fresh fruit and ice, as well as plastic straws. People laughed when it opened in 2014 but a lot of the ideas it raised particularly about sustainability and waste have now become commonplace in the bar world. Its award-winning successor, Cub, on the same site a restaurant/bar hybrid collaboration with zero-waste chef Doug McMaster set out to prove that luxury and sustainability neednt be mutually exclusive. And he was one of the first high-profile bartenders to take non-alcoholic cocktails seriously, too. I love going into a classic hotel bar and having a perfect martini, says Chetiyawardana. But people dont come to us for that. Half of our guests can probably mix a great cocktail already, so this is about giving them the opportunity to explore things that they wouldnt, or couldnt, at home. To make them feel more excited about going out to bars, but also making drinks themselves. The reason Chetiyawardana can do all this intellectualising and still sell 1,000 drinks a night, and get Bjork behind the decks and Beyonce partying in the basement, is that his bars are also a lot of fun. And hes determined that the electric-blue Lyaness which is being furnished by the man who designed Dandelyans luxe interior, Jacu Strauss should be the same. We want it to feel bright and energetic and buzzy, like a really great house party. If youd prefer to order a plain old G&T at Lyaness, hes cool with that. But I must say, if you did, I think youd be missing a trick. Bookings can be made by phone, email, or online: 020 3747 1063, lyaness@seacontainerslondon.com. For more information, visit lyaness.com. G reat British Menu is back on the BBC, and 24 chefs from around the country have been battling it out for the chance to cook in this years prestigious banquet. It's crunch time now, with the top chefs having been wittled down to find those who will be cooking each course at the distinguished dinner. Last night saw Durham-born, London-based chef Tom Anglesea triumph over his peers, with his scallop dish "Lost Souls in a Fish Bowl" selected as the fish course. It remains to be seen if Anglesea's dish will be named the overall winner, but who is the chef, and where you can you find his restaurant The Laughing Heart? Heres everything you need to know about the Great British Menu hopeful. Who is Tom Anglesea? Tom Anglesea is head chef of The Laughing Heart, a London restaurant, wine bar and, curiously, an off licence, selling wine from artisan farmers that you can take away at a reduced price. Originally from Durham, Anglesea entered the London restaurant scene with a role at Gordon Ramsays Boxwood Cafe, before moving stateside for an 18-month stint at three Michelin-starred restaurant Per Se in New York. From there, Anglesea travelled once again to work at Rockpool in Australia, where chef Neil Perrys cooking inspired Anglesea to embrace Asian influences. He then went on to cook at contemporary Chinese restaurant Spice Temple, also in Melbourne. On his return to the UK, Anglesea earnt a Michelin star for The Red Lion pub in Pewsey and worked with Nuno Mendes at Chiltern Firehouse, before setting up The Laughing Heart with owner Charlie Mellor in 2016. Where is The Laughing Heart? The Laughing Heart can be found in Hoxton in east London, at 277 Hackney Road, E2 8NA. What kind of food does The Laughing Heart serve? Joe Woodhouse Angleseas time in Australia introduced him to Asian cooking, and hes not looked back since. The Laughing Hearts menu is focused on celebrating British ingredients, prepared with international flare. European-style dishes and Asian ingredients can be found throughout: Yorkshire rabbit is served in tortellini with mustard and tarragon, while Orkney scallops are dressed with English wasabi, dashi and sea herbs. The summation of Angleseas global fusion style can arguably be found in his signature dessert: a dish of Sichuan creme brulee, flavoured with the sparky Chinese peppercorns. Theres even better news for night owls: The Laughing Heart stays open until 2am, with the kitchen open until 1am from Monday to Saturday. Review at a glance I f audience members dont already know the fate of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, they will after the first scene of James Phillipss 2005 drama. Or, rather, theyll learn what happened to Jakob and Esther Rubenstein, the Rosenbergs lightly fictionalised counterparts. (Why not just have the real people? Its not clear). In 1953, when McCarthy-era America saw red peril everywhere, the Rosenbergs went to the electric chair for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets. Phillipss detailed and at times laborious drama doesnt come to any startling new conclusions about the pairs culpability or not, but instead rather hedges its bets as it wends its meticulous way through elegant, occasionally overwritten scenes. Its the kind of piece in which, at moments of high tension, every character has an apposite anecdote to share. Interweaving the 1942-1953 storyline about Jakob (Henry Profitt) and Esther (Ruby Bentall) is a second one set in 1975, featuring a history teacher and a lawyer who bond over a shared fascination with the Rubenstein case. Joe Harmstons sinuous traverse staging binds the two strands ever more closely together, as the passionate commitment of the Rubensteins to their ideals and their marriage continues to blaze. Tom Cruise is a loyal Scientologist with ties to the organisation going back three decades. He once called it a beautiful religion." It now appears that his daughter Isabella Cruise is following in his footsteps, reportedly sharing a gushing message about her Scientology "internship." Prominent Scientology whistle-blower Tony Ortega first shared a reported promotional email from Scientology London, in which Isabella is said to have discussed her internship to become an auditor for the church. Her story reportedly began with the words WE ALL NEED TO DO THIS, going on to call it an adventure and an accomplishment. Ortega also shared an image of Isabella, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidmans adopted daughter, which he claimed accompanied the email. He also reported that it was sent out on March 19 by a London Scientology staffer called Kate Wakley, a Scientologist who has been featured in the church's promotional materials. The email also allegedly encouraged readers to sign up for the same internship Isabella is said to have completed, which Ortega told The Daily Beast can cost a member as much as "14 or 15,000 pounds" and claimed is physically brutal, mentally brutal. The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles / Getty Images Isabellas reported testimonial adds that her internship was exactly what I needed, claiming that, This IS what I had been searching for. The missing piece. Suddenly everything began to make sense. It also detailed the reported affect the internship had on her, with the email continuing, We all need to do this. Its hard work. Its a lot of effort. Its a few melt downs and running to the bathroom to have a mini episode, but it is worth everything because you will get through. This is a gift to yourself and so many others... If you are going to make it as a being for the long run you NEED this. Thats the truth. You wont stay Clear or OT without it. So stop messing around and get going. It continued, The internship, for me, is what made me a Scientologist. I dont just believe the tech works now. I know without any doubt that it does. Isabella also reportedly went on to thank her father Tom Cruise, somebody named Cass (believed to be Toms sister Cass Mapother) and an unidentified person named Tash. Tom Cruise / Getty Images She also signed off her message by thanking COB and LRH, shorthands that Ortega claims stand for Chairman of the board David Miscavige who has been accused of physically abusing members as well as Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Church has since claimed that the initial reporting of abuse by CNN and Anderson Cooper is false, stating that Cooper "thinks he can get away with this hogwash" in its magazine Freedom and claiming he had ignored materials provided by the church and refused to speak with church officials. The alleged email by Isabella Cruise continued, I would have drowned in my own problems if you hadnt been there to sup me or get me through the preliminaries... It took a whole family and org to get me here. So thank you to all for the endless support. Id need another few centuries to even find the words, it finished. Tom Cruise at the inauguration of Madrid's Church of Scientology / AFP/Getty Images Ortega provided details on what a Scientology internship allegedly entails to The Daily Beast, saying, It doesnt mean what we use the word internship for. Its just a practical training to be an auditor. So what she was doing was, she was being observed questioning somebody else. Thats why shes talking about how hard it was to get through. Because if you do anything wrong, youve got to go back and do that whole exercise all over again. And its brutal. Its physically brutal, its mentally brutalthey will spend hours and hours. According to People, a Scientologist auditor is somebody extensively trained to help other members through intense self-examination sessions with the help of an electronic device called the E-meter. Isabellas adoptive parents Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were married in 1990, but Cruise filed for divorce in 2001 on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Nicole Kidman with Connor and Isabella / Getty Images They have two adopted children together, Isabella and Connor, who is also believed to be a Scientologist. Alex Gibner, the filmmaker behind the documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, claimed that the church used a number of intimidation tactics to force Cruise to split from Nicole Kidman and that their children were re-educated...into turning against their mother so that Cruise could retain custody. Although Kidman rarely discusses her children, she said to Who magazine last year, They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, its my job to love them. And I am an example of that tolerance and thats what I believe that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and Im open here, she continued. Jackie Kennedy Onassis, born Jacqueline Bouvier, has a signature style thats been emulated for decades - from her pillbox hats to her Chanel suits. As First Lady, she started fashion trends instead of following them. Soon, women all over America were emulating her style, including her white gloves and penchant for boat neck dresses with bows. Jackie Kennedys fashion sense evolved after she left the White House. The formal attire gave way to 60s Jackie O, better known for her Hermes silk scarves paired with signature sunglasses. A young Jacqueline Bouvier / Getty Images Jacqueline Bouviers Long Island life Before she became Jackie Kennedy, she was Jacqueline Bouvier, a Long Island debutante with a penchant for pretty dresses and pearls. She was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. Young Jackie was as a noted equestrian, ballerina and avid reader. Jackie in short shorts / Getty Images She attended Miss Chapins School in Manhattan, where one of her teachers, Miss Platt, described her as "a darling child, the prettiest little girl, very clever, very artistic, and full of the devil." She went to Vassar College, where she studied history, literature, art and French and spent her junior year abroad in Paris, developing a lifelong love of French couturiers. She finished her education at George Washington University and graduated 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduating, she became the "Inquiring Camera Girl" for the Washington Times-Herald newspaper, where she interviewed Richard Nixon and covered Eisenhower's inauguration. Her first wedding dress was destroyed in a Madison Avenue studio flood (Getty Images ) / Getty Images Becoming Jackie Kennedy Jackie met John F. Kennedy at a dinner party in May of 1952, when he was still a Congressman. They were introduced by their mutual friend, journalist Charles Bartlett. "I've never met anyone like her," he said after their first meeting. She married JFK in 1953, wearing a classic boat neck wedding gown that was emulated by Meghan Markle. Her wedding dress was designed for $500 by little-known African American designer Anne Lowe after her first gown was ruined in a flood the week before her wedding. She became First Lady in 1961 - although she hated that title. The one thing I do not want to be called is First Lady. It sounds like a saddle horse, the former equestrian famously declared. She said that during the election she was faced with people insulting her, including her hair. You know, everybody thought I was a snob, and hated politics. She swapped French designers for American ones / Bettmann Archive "A newspaper reported that I spend $30,000 a year buying Paris clothes and that women hate me for it," she told The New York Times in 1960. "I couldn't spend that much unless I wore sable underwear, she joked. After being criticized for wearing French designers, she started working with Oleg Cassini, who eventually designed more than 300 of her ensembles, calling himself the Secretary of Style. "The Jackie Look, or what I call the A-line look, created a worldwide impression of such dimension that she became the First Lady of the world. There wasn't one lady on the planet who didn't want to dress like her, comb their hair like her, walk and talk like her. And it was the first time an American designer could influence world trends, Cassini said. Her A-line gowns were emulated / Getty Images During her first year as First Lady, she reportedly spent $45,446 more than her husbands $100k annual salary on clothing. She also brought her keen eye for design to the White House, where she launched a massive restoration. From shift dresses to Chanel suits During John F. Kennedys presidency, Jackie was best known for her Cassini and Chanel suits. When the First Couple vacationed in Hyannis Port or Palm Beach, Jackie would opt for simple shift dresses, including ones by rising socialite fashion star Lilly Pulitzer. She was known for her pillbox hats / AFP/Getty Images But her most iconic looks came together when she paired her pillbox hat with a perfectly tailored suit and simple white gloves. Hamish Bowles told The Metropolitan Museum of Art that Jackie Kennedy set the standard for how "an entire generation" of women wanted to "look, dress, and behave." One of her most famous outfits, the pink suit she was wearing when JFK was tragically assassinated in 1963, had a history of its own. It was an exact replica of a Chanel suit, made with fabric Chanel sent from their Paris atelier, but sewn in New York - it was Kennedy's way of wearing a French designer without actually wearing something made in France. Before the Texas trip, Kennedy had worn the suit six times before. The suit is now in the National Archives - but Caroline Kennedy signed a decree that says it wont be displayed for 100 years. "The family further desires to ensure that the Materials never be subject to public display, research, or any other use that would in any way dishonor the memory of Mrs. Kennedy or President Kennedy, or cause any grief or suffering to members of their family," the donation papers read. Jackie refused to take the suit off, saying, "Let them see what they've done." The pillbox hat and matching gloves were lost that day. Embracing life as Jackie O / WireImage Life as Jackie O Jackie was close friends with Aristotle Onassis for many years - at one point, he even dated her sister Lee Radziwill, who she had a famously fraught relationship with. The couple eventually married in a small, traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony on his private island on October 20, 1968, five years after JFK's assassination. Ari was 23 years older than her and one of the wealthiest men in the world. Her sister was the matron of honor. Her later style was equally iconic / WireImage When Jackie married Aristotle and became Jackie O, she swapped her tailored suits for bohemian resort wear, including oversized Francois Pinton sunglasses and Hermes headscarves. Her accessories inspired designers including Missoni, Gucci and Valentino. Jackie became a Valentino fan after her time as First Lady. She bought six pieces of his couture collection in 1964 and even bought her second wedding gown from the designer. The designer credited her love for the brand with the Valentino boom. Onassis at the Met Gala / Ron Galella Collection via Getty The former First Lady also attended the Met Gala in 1979, Vogue's annual high society fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. She was naturally wearing Valentino and actually had a relationship with the Met, as she worked on its various costume exhibitions throughout the 70s. She slept in her signature silk scarves to maintain her blowouts. She would use a silk scarf to sleep and a silk pillowcase. If you sleep on cotton, it roughs up your hair, her former makeup artist Peter Lamas told Refinery29. She also reportedly spent $1.25 million, which is approximately $9 million today, on clothing during her first year of marriage. Her new husband later gave her a $30,000 monthly allowance to control her spending. With Bill Clinton and her family in 1993 (Getty Images ) / Getty Images She perfected her '70s style - whether she was yachting or pursuing a publishing career. She ultimately worked as an editor for 19 years, until her death in 1994 from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. More than 1,000 victims of human trafficking in Ohio have been identified thanks to a University of Cincinnati study published Tuesday, March 26, by the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS). An additional 4,209 individuals were considered to be at risk of trafficking victimization during the same period. The UC study, titled "Estimating the Prevalence of Human Trafficking in Ohio," examined data from 14 distinct sources that included child welfare, law enforcement, legal and juvenile justice agencies, primarily from the years 2014 through 2016. UC researchers then processed the information into a single database with a common set of measures. The process included identifying and removing duplicate victim records. An estimated 1,032 victims were identified. "This study demonstrates that it is imperative that Ohio's child welfare and juvenile justice systems are equipped with appropriate resources to identify and serve victims of human trafficking and the youth who are at risk to be victimized," said Governor Mike DeWine. The study, which was funded by a $100,000 OCJS grant, is the first of its kind to use individual case records to identify human trafficking victims as defined by the federal Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. Past estimates had relied upon methods such as random samplings of polls, self-reporting in surveys and computer models. "Obtaining reliable data is essential to implementing informed anti-trafficking policy," said Sophia Papadimos, state anti-trafficking coordinator. "The University of Cincinnati and collaborating partners have equipped the state with new prevalence estimates that will help guide Ohio's human trafficking response efforts." The estimates of known victims and at-risk individuals "are likely very conservative relative to the true number of victims," according to the UC study. "Human trafficking victims are particularly hard to identify because they rarely self-identify as a victim while being trafficked." Additionally, a number of records on human trafficking were unavailable to the research team because of agency restrictions and other factors. "Ohio has made tremendous progress toward understanding and combating human trafficking, and this study further demonstrates the state's commitment to that end," said UC assistant professor of criminal justice Valerie Anderson, the study's principal investigator. "We are hopeful that the findings of this study -- which include an inventory of data capacity and tracking capabilities -- will lead to the creation of tools and systems that will ultimately help identify and respond to victims of human trafficking." The study found that law enforcement, courts, child welfare services and other agencies use disparate recordkeeping systems that are unable to easily integrate or share information. The study's conclusions include recommendations to optimize data collection among the agencies involved in combating human trafficking. Recommended are: The creation of a uniform reporting system for agencies serving vulnerable populations to trace trafficking cases and risk factors while preventing the creation of duplicate reports; Incentives for agencies to implement this system, along with training for law enforcement and other service providers who are likely to interact with potential trafficking victims; Prioritizing the collection of socio-demographic information, such as race, ethnicity and foreign national status; and Integration of strategies that researchers have used to measure other hard-to-reach or hidden populations, such as behavioral screening and assessment tools. The findings emphasize the importance of working toward identifying individuals not reached by existing systems -- individuals who could have different experiences than those eventually identified by formal systems. Risk factors of human trafficking among minors Individuals ages 17 and under who exhibited a history of four or more of the following were considered to be at risk of human trafficking victimization by a child welfare agency examined in the study: Child sexual abuse Running away (four or more times in the prior year) Homelessness Truancy Juvenile court involvement Child Protective Services involvement, including foster care Drug use Psychiatric admissions Multiple sexual partners Sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. C omfort zones, by their nature, are indicative of positions of privilege. To be allowed to shy away from braving new situations or unpleasant atmospheres is a luxury that not everybody can afford. This is the beauty of an upcoming anthology of essays, letters and stories titled Comfort Zones, published in aid of charity Women for Women International. Women for Women International works to support women who live in some of the worlds most dangerous and conflict-ridden locations. Women can enrol on the charitys year-long training programme, where they learn how to earn and save money, improve their familys health and make their voices heard at home and within their community. Since 1993, Women for Women International has helped almost half a million marginalised women in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Sudan. Curated by content agency Sonder & Tell and published by British fashion brand Jigsaw, Comfort Zones has asked a group of influential women writers to go out of their comfort zone and tackle themes and forms within their writing that are brave, vulnerable and new to them. 'Comfort Zones', published by Jigsaw and edited by Sonder & Tell for Women for Women International Kate Hamilton and Emily Ames from Sonder & Tell explain that the anthology holds a record of profound experience and experimental styles, as they asked writers to think about their usual subject matter, and then work against it. There are journalists tackling their rst works of ction, reective essays that take an uninching look at past failures, and big ideas for creating a kinder world. Contributors include Pandora Sykes, Farah Storr, Natasha Lunn and Zing Tsjeng, with topics ranging from journeys into motherhood to the vulnerability that comes with intimacy. T wo men have been charged with offences including rape over an attack on a group of British schoolgirls and their teacher in Ghana. The UK pupils were on a trip to the African country on December 8 when armed men broke into their accommodation. The teenagers and their teacher were seriously sexually assaulted at gunpoint and their possessions were stolen. A security guard was shot and seriously injured after trying to stop the attack. Ghanaian police have now charged two men. Ishmael Akyene, 34, a Ghanaian national, is accused of 14 counts of robbery, one count of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape, one count of possession of a firearm, one count of possession of an instrument intended for unlawful entry and one count of money laundering. Daniel Akpan, 29, a Nigerian national, faces the same charges except he is accused of two counts of rape. Both men were remanded in custody in Ghana. A chef at a top London restaurant smashed a bottle over the head of a man who told him to be quiet, Southwark crown court heard. Mohamed Amzieb Aghmir, 21, who works at The Ivy Kensington Brasserie, attacked Davor Zavadlav at the hostel they lived in after Mr Zavadlav told him to keep the noise down. Mr Zavadlav needed treatment for a gash on his head after the attack on May 27 last year. Aghmir, of West Kilburn, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours of community service. S ix people have been stabbed in a day of violence in London as fears grow over spiralling knife crime across the capital. A young man was stabbed in Kidbrooke, a teenager was slashed outside a police station in Tottenham, another was knifed in Barking and an 18-year-old was attacked with a blade in Tooting. Two men, aged 20 and 26, were also knifed in Hounslow. Police were working to establish if the incidents were connected. Four of the six stabbed in the city on Tuesday were teenagers. The attacks came on the same day the countrys top police officer Cressida Dick warned that youth knife violence is at the worst level she has ever seen. A young man, believed to be 18, was knifed repeatedly after being threatened in Kidbrooke, near Blackheath, shortly before 3.30pm. His serious injuries left him fighting for life but his condition has since improved, Scotland Yard said. Knife Crime - A national emergency A 26-year-old was stabbed several times in an attack in Beaversford Park, Hounslow at about 4.30pm. One man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and remained in custody last night. The victim was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers attended a second incident in the same west London borough at about 5pm. A man, 20, was treated for a slash wound at the scene in Rosemary Avenue. A teenage boy was also slashed in the face metres away from a north London police station. The boy, believed to be 17, was attacked in High Road, Tottenham, at about 6.05pm. Officers said the boy was attacked by a Betfred shop. Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said knife crime was at the worst level she has seen / PA Wire/PA Images Blood was being cleaned from the pavement outside a taxi office opposite Tottenham Police Station, around 160 metres down the road. An officer at the scene said a man had received facial injuries after "an altercation between two young groups", and that the two cordons were linke The boy was treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service staff, who assessed the injury to be non life-threatening, and taken to an east London hospital The victims injuries were not life-threatening, Scotland Yard said. Police later confirmed a 17-year-old was stabbed in Barking at around 7pm and an 18-year-old man had been attacked in Tooting at around 9pm. Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to hold a major summit in Downing Street on April 1 aimed at tackling the problem. Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said the last few years "undoubtedly have been the highest and most worrying levels in my service". She added: "If you look at stabbings of young people I do think this is a new and tragic and worrying phenomenon." T his is the shocking moment a woman narrowly avoids being run over by a bus as she is shoulder barged into the road in a horrifying assault in central London. The victim, aged in her 60s, was pushed by a woman who was in the company of two children at the time of the unprovoked attack on Vauxhall Bridge in Pimlico. She was standing at the traffic lights waiting to cross when the suspect barged her into the road causing her to smash into the passenger doors of the bus. Detectives investigating the assault released CCTV on Wednesday of the shocking incident, which unfolded shortly after midday on May 29 last year, as they appealed for information. The victim was barged into the path of an oncoming bus on Vauxhall Bridge / Metropolitan Police The victim suffered a cut to her head, grazes and bruising to her ankles, shins and knees in the attack. She was also left deeply affected emotionally, police said. Before the incident, the same woman had barged the victim and engaged with her in a verbal exchange in a Tesco Express in Warwick Way. Officers released an image of the woman they are trying to trace in connection with the assault. Suspect: police are trying to trace this woman in connection to the assault / Metropolitan Police Detective Constable Samantha Edwards who is leading the investigation said: "This was an unprovoked assault which could have had much more serious consequences. "A number of enquiries have been undertaken to locate the person responsible. "If you recognise this woman I would ask you to contact police immediately. "It goes without saying that he victim has been deeply affected emotionally by this whole incident." S peedboat killer Jack Shepherd produced a list of demands ahead of his extradition to the UK over the death of Charlotte Brown including direct access to the "mass media." The 31-year-old is expected to return to the UK within two weeks after an extradition request was approved by a court in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday. Shepherd said he agreed to his return because he wishes to take part in an appeal against his conviction. His lawyers tried to insist on a five demands to ensure his "safety" once he is back in Britain. Shepherd is expected to be extradited to the UK within the next two weeks / AFP/Getty Images Among them was his own single occupancy cell for at least one year, with right to change this demand should he chose to do so. The others were 24-hour surveillance in his cell, dedicated guards, constant communication with the mass media and for the press to be granted access to his living conditions, enter his cell and take pictures inside it. He demands transparent imprisonment until the Court of Appeal acquits him, his lawyer Mariam Kublashvili said. Jack Shepherd's lawyers Mariam Kublashvili with Tariel Kakabadze / AP He says that if all these demands are met, he will be able to participate fully in the retrial. The proposals were dismissed by the judge, who said he could only deal with the extradition itself. It comes as the father of Charlotte Brown, the woman who died in the speedboat crash on the Thames, said he believed justice is edging closer after a judge ruled Shepherd must be extradited. Jack Shepherd during his extradition hearing at a court in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday / AFP/Getty Images The pair had been on a first date when Shepherd's speedboat overturned, fatally plunging Ms Brown into the icy water of the River Thames in London. Shepherd fled the UK before his manslaughter trial at the Old Bailey, but surrendered to authorities in Georgia six months after being found guilty in his absence. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment but has been granted permission to appeal against the conviction. He told the Tbilisi court that he made the "difficult decision" to not contest extradition "because I wish to participate in the appeal process, to fight for my freedom and to be reunited with those I love, my family, my son". Tragic death: Charlotte Brown was killed in the crash / PA However Graham Brown said the reality was Shepherd had a weak case and "no choice" but to return, as the father celebrated the extradition ruling. "It brings it a bit closer that we are going to get justice for Charlotte. We are pleased it appears to be coming to an end," Mr Brown told ITV News. "We're hoping that he won't follow through with his appeal, which causes the family more anguish, but I guess that could be a forlorn hope." Another of Shepherd's lawyers in Georgia, Tariel Kakabadze, estimated Shepherd could return to the UK within two weeks. Shepherd also faces a grievous bodily harm charge over an alleged assault in Devon on March 16 last year. A warrant for his arrest was issued by magistrates in Newton Abbot after he failed to attend the court. No date has yet been set for the appeal hearing. Shepherd's legal team had considered fighting extradition altogether and successfully delayed his return by convincing a judge to rule out a fast-tracked process. The Crown Prosecution Service formally requested his extradition on March 1. The web designer, originally from Exeter, handed himself in to authorities in Tbilisi in January, and has been detained there ever since. A teenager has been shot dead in broad daylight in south London, police said. Officers said two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a young man was fatally shot in West Norwood. Police and the London Ambulance Service raced to Friar Mews at about 4.10pm after receiving reports of a boy in his late teens in a critical condition. Just over 40 minutes later the teen was pronounced dead, the force said. The two males arrested are currently being held in south London police stations. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers are in the process of informing his next of kin. Police were called at about 4.15pm / Suzy Bidwell Hards "Formal identification awaits; a post-mortem examination will be scheduled in due course. A crime scene remains in place. "The Homicide and Major Crime Command have been informed and will be leading on this investigation. "A number of enquiries including review of local CCTV footage and forensic analysis at the scene are in hand. "Detectives are urging witnesses to speak to police at the scene, call officers, or Crimestoppers anonymously." Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted following the young man's death, saying: "This is a tragic, senseless act of violence - and the loved ones of this young man are in my thoughts." A section 60 stop and search power was also authorised for all of Lambeth. The shooting comes as another man was attacked in south London just minutes earlier. A man in his 30s was stabbed in the head in London Road, Sutton, at about 4.05pm. His injuries were non life-threatening, police said, and a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. H ealth chiefs today came under pressure to tackle falling down hospitals after the threat to two west London A&Es was lifted. Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday told Parliament that the downgrading of emergency departments at Charing Cross and Ealing hospitals will not happen. They had been earmarked to be replaced by local A&E units in a shake-up of health services in west London known as Shaping A Healthier Future. Mr Hancock said the 500 million plan, which launched in 2012, was no longer supported. Today Labour MP for Hammersmith Andy Slaughter said attention must now be on St Marys hospital in Paddington and improving facilities at world class Charing Cross and Ealing, which lost its maternity and childrens A&E departments. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has a 600 million repairs backlog and is desperately searching for cash to transform St Marys, parts of which are 150 years old. O ne of the worlds leading classical musicians is being sued by a former pupil in a row over the sale of an 18th-century violin worth 80,000. Professor Mateja Marinkovic paid his pupil Ruzica West 26,000 for her prized instrument three years ago when she was desperate for money. In total, Professor Marinkovic was meant to pay 40,000, and gave her a French violin that was valued at up to 14,000 in a part exchange deal. However Ms West, 36, claims she was short-changed because the violin she received has since been valued at only 1,500. She is now suing Professor Marinkovic for the alleged missing money. Professor Marinkovic, who taught Ms West at the Purcell School of Music in Bushey, Hertfordshire, denies the claim and insists he paid in full for the antique violin which was made by renowned Italian craftsman Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi, Central London county court heard. Mateja Marinkovic is a world leading classical musician / Champion News The musician, described as one of the leading violinists, recording artists and teachers of his generation, is an honorary associate at the Royal Academy of Music and is now reportedly teaching at a university in China. Ms West, from Ilford, said she was given the Landolfi violin by her grandmother in 2002 as she set out on her musical career, when it was valued at 80,000. However, she ran into financial difficulties in 2016 and was forced to sell the treasured instrument to her teacher. He told me it was a very good violin and that he wanted to help me, she said. I was desperate and needed the money, and I had to accept his offer because if I had taken it to an auctioneer, I would have waited for a long time for it to be resold. A violin similar to the 18th-century violin worth 80,000 / Champion News Mateja was offering some of the money straight away. Ms West, who was supported by her mother Olga in court, said she agreed to a knock-down price of 40,000. She is also suing the valuer of the French violin. I believe that Mateja gave an assurance to us that the French violin was worth between 12,000 to 14,000, she told Judge Ian Avent. But the judge said: I dont need to remind you that you should have got all the money before you parted company with your Landolfi. Your problem is that you parted with this violin before you got all the money. M Ps have rejected all eight options on a future relationship with the EU as Parliament and the country remained in crisis over Brexit. They voted on a series of options as an alternative to Theresa Mays twice-rejected deal. But the highest number of votes for any of the proposals was one for a confirmatory public vote on a Brexit deal which had been tabled by former Foreign Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, and two other Labour MPs. It was supported by 268 MPs but opposed by 295. Brexit deadlock: MPs rejected all the options put forward / REUTERS In second place was an option championed by former Chancellor Ken Clarke for any Brexit deal to include a customs union, but it still lost by 272 to 264. Labours policy of a customs union with close alignment with the single market was rejected by 307 to 237. A Common market 2.0 blueprint, advocated by former minister Nick Boles and which would keep Britain trading smoothly with the EU, gained the support of 188 MPs but was opposed by 283. A no deal departure, pushed by Tory MP John Baron, was rejected by a crushing 400 to 160. Loading.... Former Cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who masterminded the move for Parliament to take greater control of the Brexit process, insisted that the votes tonight were a starting point and MPs would get a chance to vote again on Monday to see if they can make a breakthrough. He stressed: Its a very great disappointment that the House has not chosen to find a majority for any proposition. However those of us who put this proposal forward as a way of proceeding predicted we would not this evening reach a majority. But he was met with shouts of resign from MPs joking that Sir Oliver had presumed the role of de facto Prime Minister by organising todays indicative votes. Theresa May said today she will step down as PM before the next phase of Brexit negotiations / EPA Speaker John Bercow faced fury from the Tory benches by allowing another set of votes having previously ruled that the Government could not bring its Brexit plan for a third vote unless there were significant changes to it. He clashed with former Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin in heated exchanges, with Mr Bercow warning that he would not be intimidated by MPs. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay argued that the failure to find a solution reinforced the case for Mrs Mays deal, which itself had just suffered a major blow as the Governments Democratic Unionist Party allies said tonight that they would not back it. Dame Margaret also pointed out that two of the options gained more support that the Governments Brexit blueprint, which was defeated by 391 to 242 on the second occasion earlier this month, having previously suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat in history by 230 votes. MPs backing a Peoples Vote were delighted with the results this evening. Shadow minister for civil society Steve Reed tweeted: Parliament has not agreed any option tonight - but the biggest vote in favour of any option, including Mays deal, is for a peoples vote. Round two of voting on Monday. But Westminster experts pointed out that the Beckett amendment did not specify that remaining would be on the ballot paper, so did not mirror the Peoples Vote proposal. A proposal for revocation to avoid a no deal was opposed by 293 to 184. DUP 'regrets' it is unable to support PM's Brexit deal Former farming minister George Eustices option for an EFTA/EEA arrangement mustered just 65 votes, being rejected by 377. An option led by Tory backbencher Marcus Fysh, for hard Brexit contingent preferential arrangements was defeated by 422 to 139. Shadow housing secretary John Healey tweeted that he was gutted to lose Melanie Onn from his team after she resigned over Labours decision to back the option for a second referendum. Wednesday's votes came just hours after Mrs May promised to stand down if MPs backed her withdrawal deal. The Prime Minister then suffered a blow after her Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) allies said they would not support it, despite her vow to quit. DUP leader Arlene Foster / PA Mrs May had managed to win over a number of Brexiteers including Boris Johnson after promising, in a desperate, eleventh-hour move, that she would quit if the Withdrawal Agreement gets through the Commons. However, the DUP said it would not back the plan as it believes that the Northern Ireland border backstop poses a threat to the economic and constitutional integrity of the UK. The party's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds left no doubt that this meant the DUP's 10 MPs voting against the deal, tweeting: "The DUP do not abstain on the Union. Meanwhile, MPs also voted by 441 to 105 to pass a statutory instrument, secondary legislation, to delay Brexit from March 29. The Government had already agreed, under international law, with the EU for an extension to quitting the EU until at least April 12, and the SI brings that into UK law. M Ps will tonight be asked to consider a range of eight alternative Brexit options after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda to force a series of "indicative votes". Voting will take place in the Commons from 7pm on a series of options to see if anything commands a majority in Parliament. On Monday evening, MPs backed an amendment for the votes put forward by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin and a cross-party group to try to find a way through the Brexit impasse after Theresa May's deal failed to secure a majority in the Commons twice. Speaker John Bercow has now selected eight of the 16 proposals put forward, which are currently being debated in the Commons. Speaker John Bercow selected eight options for the 'indicative votes' / EPA The House will be suspended for voting to take place from 7pm to 7.30pm and MPs will be able to vote for and against as many options as they like. However, Mr Bercow said MPs cannot vote aye and no to the same motion. The results of the votes are expected shortly after 9pm and will be available on the House of Commons app. A second round of voting could take place next Monday to find a single preference once the options are narrowed down. Here are the different options that MPs will vote on today: Common Market 2.0 Tabled by Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Andrew Percy and Labour's Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson, the motion proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area. It allows continued participation in the single market and a "comprehensive customs arrangement" with the EU after Brexit, which would remain in place until the agreement of a wider trade deal which guarantees frictionless movement of goods and an open border in Ireland. No deal Backed by Conservative MPs John Baron, David Amess, Martin Vickers and Stephen Metcalfe, the motion proposes leaving the European Union without a deal on April 12. EEA/EFTA without customs union A motion tabled by Conservative MP George Eustice - who quit as agriculture minister this month to fight for Brexit - proposes remaining within the EEA and rejoining EFTA, but remaining outside a customs union with the EU. The motion was also signed by Conservative MPs including former minister Nicky Morgan and head of the Brexit Delivery Group Simon Hart. Customs union The motion requires a commitment to negotiate a "permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU" in any Brexit deal. It was tabled by veteran Conservative Europhile Ken Clarke, backed by Labour's Yvette Cooper, Helen Goodman and chair of the Commons Exiting the EU Committee Hilary Benn and Tory former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Sarah Newton. Labour's plan Labour has tabled a motion again proposing its plan for a close economic relationship with the EU. The plan includes a comprehensive customs union with a UK say on future trade deals; close alignment with the single market; matching new EU rights and protections; participation in EU agencies and funding programmes; and agreement on future security arrangements, including access to the European Arrest Warrant. Revoke Article 50 Under this plan, if the Government has not passed its Withdrawal Agreement, it would have to stage a vote on a no-deal Brexit two sitting days before the scheduled date of departure. If MPs refuse to authorise no-deal, the Prime Minister would be required to halt Brexit by revoking Article 50. The motion, tabled by the SNP's Joanna Cherry, has been signed by 38 MPs including Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Labour's Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of The Independent Group. Confirmatory public vote This motion would require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by Parliament before its ratification. It was drawn up by Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson and tabled by former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett with the backing of scores of MPs across the House. Contingent preferential arrangements A group of Conservative MPs, including Marcus Fysh, Steve Baker and Priti Patel, have signed this motion. T heresa May is set to face calls to name her departure date as she faces Conservative MPs ahead of a set of votes to alter the direction of Brexit. There have been signs that the Prime Minister was winning support from Tory rebels in her last-ditch bid to force her withdrawal deal through Parliament by Fridays deadline. But MPs have seized control of the Commons agenda to force votes on alternatives to her plan, including a call for a public vote on any deal and a demand for Parliament to choose between no-deal and no-Brexit if the UK gets within two days of crashing out. In a highly unusual change to normal Commons procedures, MPs will be asked to take part in a paper ballot on a series of "indicative votes" in the hope of establishing what sort of Brexit could command a majority in Parliament. Boris Johnson, pictured in Westminster last week, has said he may back the PM's deal / Andy Rain/EPA On Wednesday, immediately before the votes, the Prime Minister will address Tory MPs at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee , where she is expected to seek further support for her deal. The agreement was rejected by 230 votes in January and 149 in March. Brexit: How the 'indicative votes' will work in the House of Commons The agreement, and a Political Declaration on future EU-UK relations, must be passed by Friday if the UK is to benefit from an automatic delay in the date of Brexit to May 22. If not, it has to April 12 to make new proposals or leave without a deal. Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson hinted he might be ready to swing behind the PM's deal, telling the Daily Telegraph: "If we vote it down again, for the third time, there is now, I think, an appreciable risk that we will not leave at all." But the former foreign secretary stressed he was "not there yet" and signalled that a change at the top may be required to win him over, saying: "If people like me are to support this deal ... then we need to see the proof that the second phase of negotiations will be different from the first." London People's Vote march: In Pictures 1 /50 London People's Vote march: In Pictures EPA An EU supporter with her face painted REUTERS PA AFP/Getty Images REUTERS EPA A demonstrator carries a dog on his shoulders AP An EU supporter carries a child on his shoulders, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal REUTERS PA REUTERS EU supporters dressed in costumes REUTERS EPA Sir Vince Cable in attendance PA A demonstrator holds a holds a poster AP EPA An EU supporter with the EU flag painted on her face, REUTERS Getty Images A demonstrator leads a dog wearing a suit in the EU colors during a Peoples Vote AP An EU supporter takes a selfie with a sticker on his nose REUTERS Demonstrators pull a cart with a doll AP Katie Walton Placards stand against a wall Getty Images Anti-Brexit campaigners before they take part in the People's Vote March PA Katie Walton Getty Images Getty Images A demonstrator and her dog wait for the start of a Peoples Vote anti-Brexit march in London AP REUTERS Demonstrators on their way from London Victoria Jacob Jarvis Independent Group MPs Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry have a selfie taken with Tracey Ullman PA REUTERS The march took place in central London REUTERS An anti-Brexit banner is unfurled from Westminster PA A demonstrator holds a dog on a leash as people start gathering for a Peoples Vote anti-Brexit march in London AP Anti-Brexit campaigners in Park Lane PA Demonstrators carry posters during a Peoples Vote AP nti-Brexit badges are seen Getty Images Getty Images People attend the 'Put it to the People' Brexit march in London / EPA Meanwhile, an influential critic of the Agreement, the chair of the European Research Group Jacob Rees-Mogg, said he was ready to back the deal so long as it wins the support of the DUP. Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Rees-Mogg said: "I have come to this view because the numbers in Parliament make it clear that all the other potential outcomes are worse and an awkward reality needs to be faced." Conservative MP Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the 1922 Committee, made an open call for Mrs May to "give the timetable for her departure" at Wednesday's meeting. Mr Evans told BBC Radio 4's PM: "A number of Brexiteers are reluctant to support her deal because they think if it gets over the line, she will then say 'Look what I've achieved, I'm staying'. "A number of them want to make absolutely certain she's nowhere near the negotiating table when we start talking about the future trade relationship with the EU. "If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line." Guy Verhofstadt hails 'Brexit revolt' in UK But other former rebels urged fellow Tories to get behind the PM, warning that otherwise the Brexit process might slip out of their control. ERG member Daniel Kawczynski said there was "definitely a palpable shift" among Leavers deciding they must come together behind Mrs May's deal as "the least worst option". The DUP has so far given no indication it will end its opposition. Brexit: What happens next? DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson told the Telegraph that some former opponents of the deal "now take the view that the Withdrawal Agreement, even though it is a rotten deal, is better than losing Brexit". He said: "To them I say that, if the deal goes through, we have lost our right to leave the EU." Mr Wilson suggested that a long extension to Article 50, keeping the UK in the EU, was a better option even if it meant leaving without a deal at the end. There are rumours the Prime Minister will announce when she plans to step down (UK Parliament) / AUK Parliament The ERG were due to meet before Wednesday's votes to discuss tactics, though it was not clear whether they will act as a bloc. The group has not tabled a motion, though individual members have. Labour has tabled its alternative Brexit plan - featuring a permanent customs union with a UK say on trade deals and close alignment with the single market - as one of the indicative vote options. And there was speculation the party would back a motion tabled in the name of former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, requiring a public vote before ratification of any Brexit deal, after shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry predicted it would be "popular". A motion from SNP MP Joanna Cherry demands a vote in Parliament to approve a no-deal Brexit two days before it happens, with the automatic revocation of Article 50 if it fails. MPs take control of Brexit: A breakdown of the vote Other options on offer include a new customs deal; a Norway-style "Common Market 2.0" plan; and the so-called Malthouse Compromise, which would enact Mrs May's deal with the controversial backstop replaced by alternative arrangements for the Irish border. MPs will not be given the opportunity to express their views on Mrs May's deal, as the Government has not tabled any motion for the indicative vote process. No final victor is expected to emerge from Wednesday's votes, but the most popular options will be subject to further debate on Monday to try to whittle the list down. Theresa May is under pressure say when she plans to step down as Prime Minister / AFP/Getty Images Mrs May must table a motion for a third "meaningful vote" on her deal by the end of Wednesday if it is to be debated on Thursday. If it comes any later, she would have to ask the Commons to sit on Friday March 29 - initially marked out for Brexit day and currently listed as a non-sitting day. However, she will also need to persuade Speaker John Bercow that it is not a simple re-run of an earlier vote. Mrs May's official spokesman said: "If we are able to hold and win a vote this week, we would then be able to leave the EU in less than two months' time with a deal, which the Prime Minister firmly believes is what the public wants." Meanwhile, Mrs May was facing the threat of possible resignations if she tries to whip ministers for the indicative votes. Steve Brine, who quit as health minister over Brexit, told Newsnight that "north of a dozen" others could resign. And four ERG members, led by Sir Bill Cash, have warned of "serious legal objections" to a statutory instrument being debated on Wednesday to delay Brexit beyond March 29. D erek Hatton has withdrawn his application to rejoin the Labour Party after being readmitted only to be suspended just days later. The former Militant firebrand, 71, was expelled from the party in 1986 because of his membership of the group. He had been readmitted in February before being suspended less than 48 hours later over a social media post made in 2012. Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) was due to review the Former Liverpool Council deputy leaders application on Tuesday. Mr Hatton is no longer a member of the Labour Party / PA But a party spokesman on Tuesday night confirmed Mr Hatton has withdrawn his request. They said: "Derek Hatton has withdrawn his membership application and is therefore not a member of the Labour Party." His decision to withdraw is understood to have come before the committee had considered his case. Mr Hatton was originally expelled by the then leader Neil Kinnock for membership of the left-wing Militant Tendency It followed a national outcry in the 1980s after the council set an illegal budget and then sent out redundancy notices to thousands of staff by taxi. He and other members of the Trotskyite group known as the Militant Tendency were widely blamed for making Labour unelectable when Neil Kinnock was party leader. The possible readmission of the outspoken left-winger drew criticism from some MPs earlier this year. Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner told the Commons he had written to the Labour Party's general secretary and "lodged a formal complaint" against Mr Hatton. Mr Gardiner's comments followed Labour MP Neil Coyle saying Mr Hatton had tweeted "what seemed to imply that every Jew, wherever they live in the world, is responsible for the actions of the Israeli government", adding: "Does he share my view that Derek Hatton has no part to play in our Labour Party?" The shadow cabinet member replied: "This morning I saw the reports about not just the readmission of Derek Hatton but the tweets he has mentioned. "I wrote to the general secretary of our party, I lodged a formal complaint. I understand that action has since been taken in respect of the complaint and I'm sure that I will be looking out to see precisely what appropriate action is taken in due course. T heresa May suffered a major blow tonight as her Democratic Unionist Party allies said they would not support her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister had managed to win over a number of Brexiteers including Boris Johnson after promising, in a desperate, eleventh-hour move, that she would quit if the Withdrawal Agreement gets through the Commons. However, the DUP said it would not back the plan as it believes that the Northern Ireland border backstop poses a threat to the economic and constitutional integrity of the UK. The party's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds left no doubt that this meant the DUP's 10 MPs voting against the deal, tweeting: "The DUP do not abstain on the Union." Meanwhile, MPs tonight voted by 441 to 105 to pass a statutory instrument, secondary legislation, to delay Brexit from March 29. The Government had already agreed, under international law, with the EU for an extension to quitting the EU until at least April 12, and the SI brings that into UK law. DUP leader Arlene Foster said the party 'regrets' it is unable to back the Withdrawal Agreement / Sky News The Northern Irish party's decision will be highly influential on Leave-backing Tory MPs who had been considering falling in line behind the PM. In a statement, the party said they had had "good discussions" with the Government and "some progress on domestic legislation has been made". They added that all concerned "recognise the need to ensure that as we leave the European Union the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is maintained". Theresa May after delivering her message to MPs that she will quit if they back her deal / REUTERS DUP leader Arlene Foster told Sky News the Brexit deal would endanger the union of the United Kingdom as she made clear her party could still not support Mrs May's Withdrawal Agreement. She said: What we cant agree to is something that threatens the union which has a strategic risk to the union. Because for us, in the Democratic Unionist Party, the union will always come first. And that has been the issue right from the beginning of all of this. You will remember back in December of 2017 we warned about the dangers of the backstop. The Prime Minister made a call and went ahead in relation to that declaration. TODO: define component type apester Then of course came last November the Withdrawal Agreement, we warned her before she signed that Withdrawal Agreement, we wrote to her in relation to all of these matters but she decided to go ahead. We cannot sign up to something that would damage the union. The DUPs move makes it far harder for Mrs May to get her deal through Parliament, even if Speaker John Bercow allows a third vote on it. The party added in a statement: "Given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured between the Government and the European Union, and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote. Indicative votes: What are the eight Brexit options MPs have? "The backstop if operational has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain. "We want to secure the United Kingdom's departure from, and our future relationship with, the European Union on terms that accord with our key objectives to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom. "In our view the current withdrawal agreement does not do so and the backstop, which we warned this Government against from its first inception, poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and will inevitably limit the United Kingdom's ability to negotiate on the type of future relationship with the EU." The move came just hours after Mrs May said she would stand down as Prime Minister before the next phase of Brexit negotiations. The PM did not name a date for her departure from 10 Downing Street, but her announcement sets the stage for a Conservative leadership election within the coming weeks or months. Her offer to resign came in response to calls from a number of her backbenchers for her to promise to quit in return for their help in pushing her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament. But the DUP's decision may sway Tory MPs who had been considering backing the deal. European Research Group chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be guided by the DUP as "guardians of the Union of the United Kingdom". Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson signalled he is likely to swing behind the PM, with close ally Conor Burns tweeting that the former foreign secretary is telling Leave-backing MPs that "we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement". Mr Johnson left a meeting of the ERG without commenting on his apparent U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Mrs May's deal wrapped a "suicide vest" around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. Despite Mr Johnson's shift, an ERG source at the meeting said "there is no way enough votes are coming out of that room to put the Withdrawal Agreement through". Mrs May spoke to the influential Tory 1922 Committee shortly before MPs were due to take part in "indicative votes" on a range of Brexit options in the House of Commons. C abinet minutes will reveal whether Theresa Mays senior ministers discussed allowing the interests of the Tory Party to sway Brexit decisions, a former top Whitehall mandarin said today. Lord ODonnell, who was cabinet secretary between 2005 and 2011, stressed it was the job of civil servants to ensure a proper record is kept of government cabinet meetings, even if they reveal that ministers were putting party before the national interest. I would always advise prime ministers to keep separate proper cabinets as I call them, government cabinets ... and political cabinets, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. If it has not happened, what civil servants job is is to accurately record what happens in a proper cabinet. Brexit: How the 'indicative votes' will work in the House of Commons I have every confidence that they will have done that and if people start talking about the future of political parties, whatever, I expect that to be recorded. Lord ODonnells intervention came after a report in The Times that Tory political concerns were referred to at least five times during a Cabinet meeting last Tuesday. The official account in the minutes, believed to have been signed off by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, are said to end: The Conservative Party wants to stay in government and get councillors elected. The arguments in Parliament could jeopardise that. Some Cabinet ministers are reported to have become so concerned about Tory interests influencing government policy on quitting the EU that they have stressed to colleagues the need to govern in the national interest. One Whitehall source said: In recent weeks there have been an increasing number of mentions in Cabinet minutes about how Brexit has to be delivered for the sake of the Conservative Party. That will be damning when the public inquiry into Brexit happens. Ministers and Tory MPs fear disaster in Mays local elections and at European Parliament polls, if the UK takes part, as a result of the Brexit uncertainty. Lord ODonnell also said he expects Mrs Mays chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, not to lead talks on Britains future trade relationship with the EU if the withdrawal agreement is passed. Downing Street has told MPs that Mr Robbins is going in a bid to persuade them to back the deal. A conservative MP has called for an overhaul to the online petition system, saying it leaves public opinion on important issues like Brexit open for manipulation from foreign state aggressors. During Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday, MP Maggie Throup said a fundamental flaw of the current system is that it accepts unverified signatures from across the world. Would my right honourable friends undertake to reform the online petition system which currently accepts unverified signatures from across the world, the Erewash MP said. Conservative MP Maggie Throup. / PA Archive/PA Images This fundamental flaw can produce and inaccurate reflection of public opinion on an important issue s such as revoking Article 50 and leaves our democracy potentially under threat from manipulation from foreign states aggressors. Responding to the question, Prime Minister Theresa May said the petition has been constantly monitored for signing patterns to check for fraudulent activity. Like the traditional petition paper system we do need to ensure that we do have an e-petition system that aims to strike a balance between allowing people to easily register their support for issues which are important to them while discouraging dishonesty from taking place, she said. Prime Minister Theresa May. / AFP/Getty Images Ive been assured that the government digital service has been constantly monitoring signing patterns to check for fraudulent activity. I cant comment in more detail about the security measures that are taken but petitions are subject to checks as part of due diligence. On Friday, the Petitions Committee said that people had been asking who could sign petitions on their website. Nearly six million people have signed a petition to revoke Article 50. / PA In a series of tweets they said: Anyone who is a UK resident or a British citizen can sign a petition. This includes British citizens living overseas. A few people have been talking about fraud and overseas signatures. As of this afternoon, approximately 96% of signatures on the petition were from the UK. Thats broadly what wed expect for a petition like this. We dont comment in detail about security measures. We use different techniques - automated and manual - to identify and block signatures from bots, disposable email addresses and other sources that show signs of fraudulent activity. We also monitor signing patterns The Government has rejected the petition calling for Brexit to be stopped. It is due to be debated MPs on April 1. N igel Farage and the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker were pictured having a playful arm wrestle today ahead of a debate on Brexit. Former Ukip leader Mr Farage and Mr Juncker were photographed high-fiving before engaging in an arm wrestle before the debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. The pair laughed as they engaged in the battle of strength after Mr Farage approached Mr Junckers table. Addressing the the European parliament, where discussions were also held over EU relations with China, Mr Juncker said he awaited with interest the Commons decision on whether there could be support for alternatives to Theresa Mays twice-defeated Brexit deal. The debate on China was far less complicated than the debate on the UK and I was saying to some of you that if I was to compare Great Britain to a sphinx, the sphinx would be an open book by comparison, Mr Juncker said. Nigel Farage and Jean-Claude Juncker engage in an arm wrestle. / REUTERS Lets see how that book speaks over the next week or so. In Greek mythology the Sphinx guarded the entrance to the city of Thebes, asking a riddle to travellers to allow them passage. Mr Farage, who is a member of the European Parliament, responded on Wednesday to a rallying call made by the European council president Donald Tusk to the increasing majority of British people who want to cancel Brexit. Let me make one personal remark to the members of this parliament, Mr Tusk said. Before the European council, I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UKs participation in the European parliament elections. And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you. Let me be clear: such thinking is unacceptable. You cannot betray the 6 million people who signed the petition to revoke article 50, the 1 million people who marched for a peoples vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union Mr Farage described Mr Tusk as deluded and claimed that a second referendum would deliver a larger majority for leave. He then turned to those sat behind him to ask whether they really wanted him to return as an MEP. Mr Farage appealed to the EUs leaders to get the British out. Mr Tusks comments came as the British government emailed the 5.8m people who have signed a UK parliament petition seeking the revocation of article 50. A bout an hour before the big vote on Monday the Letwin amendment that would seize control of the Brexit process for MPs Richard Harrington decided to resign from his position as business minister. He was at that moment sitting next to Oliver Letwin on the green benches in the chamber. Letwin was telling him his resignation was not necessary, that he could win without it. But Harrington had to be sure. Something had to be done to break the impasse of [the Prime Ministers position] Its my deal or no deal, he says. So he got up and, as his staff had gone home for the night, made his way to the House of Commons library. In solitude he typed his letter, cutting, pasting, formatting it myself, while his phone pinged with urgent texts from the whips asking for confirmation he would vote with the Government. He ignored them, folded his letter and took it up to Theresa Mays office. Outside, two Special Branch officers guarded the door. He asked if he could see the PM. Stephen Parkinson, her close adviser (and a former Vote Leave organiser) appeared. He said, Well, come in. May was standing by the sofas wearing a powder-blue jacket and holding a glass of water. I literally put my letter in her hand. I said, Theresa, Ive decided Ive got no option but to resign. The Prime Ministers expression remained inscrutable. She said, I know you feel very strongly about this. Youve made your position clear. Its an honourable position. Thank you very much. Harrington, 61, has known May since they were in their early 20s. He worked with her at the Home Office and was a member of her leadership campaign team. He told her: Its a big deal for me. I know you dont take it lightly, Richard, she replied. It was now half-past nine. The votes were at 10pm. In the following half-hour the PM would receive two more resignations: foreign office minister Alistair Burt and junior health minister Steve Brine. Today, if she does not allow a free vote on Letwins indicative votes, Harrington believes 10 to 15 more ministers will go. Never in modern history has there been such a breakdown of government. But Brexit is like no other event. Although his diary is now empty of ministerial business, there are long weeks ahead for Harrington, who is the MP for Watford. His phone buzzes incessantly through our chat in his cubbyhole office with its mini-fridge and Ocado-ordered Coke cans. At heart, he says, Brexit is a battle for the Conservative Party. Changing leader is futile because whoever takes over still faces the deadlock of reconciling two positions that cannot be reconciled. A general election solves nothing either. People talk about it because in a democracy its the ultimate relief, Harrington says. But how would we have an election on this issue when neither party has a clear view? People will be thinking: is this a [form of] second referendum or am I to think about the economy, jobs, schools et cetera? I would prefer a second referendum, mainly because it would have clear alternatives. He compares the divisive mentality of no-deal fanatics to Donald Trump and Marine Le Pens National Rally party in France. He suggests the European Research Group faction that are holding the rest of the Conservative Party to ransom should splinter off to another party, as Anna Soubry et al did to The Independent Group. The Conservatives still have multiple fractures. Harrington is part of the Hair-shirt Group, named because they had no food or alcohol at their meetings, unlike Andrea Leadsoms Pizza Club (although when he looked up hair shirts on Amazon they didnt have any.) Its comprised of up to 25, including Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Justice Secretary David Gauke and Business Secretary Greg Clark. All back the Prime Ministers deal. What they dont want is to be straitjacketed into my deal or no deal when the stakes are so high. As a former business minister, Harrington understands the damage of no deal. He describes it as a terrible experiment on our economy. He dismisses the free trade option based on Canadas agreement with the EU, favoured by Boris Johnson, as pathetic and impossible (and anyway even that took 10 years to negotiate) but he would accept something similar to the Norway option. His time at BEIS Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was a total pleasure. But it was in the emotional role as minister for Syrian refugees, responsible for the resettlement of 30,000 people, that he made the best achievement of my life politically. Having seen how many families have been mutilated in Syria, he is pleased to have helped so many, but I wouldve liked it to have been more. The role was scrapped when May became PM because she felt, well, the pledge has been delivered. At the Home Office, May worked extremely hard. While other ministers had, one [red] box each. Most nights I saw her with three. And she was always in early in the morning. It was an absolute routine of life. Harrington says she was perfectly decent but contrasts her style with Greg Clarks at BEIS. He works in a totally different way: a true collegiate view. We were all fully aware of what is going on in every department. At the Home Office, it was what the Americans call silo-ed. He assumes No 10 is the same, because thats very much her character. "When Theresa May was at the Home Office it was what the Americans would called silo-ed, thats her character" Harringtons was an unusual route into politics. He grew up Jewish working class in Leeds and his father ran a market stall selling clothes. (These days if you say My father was in the markets, they say, Commodities or futures?) His parents placed heavy emphasis on education and he was the first in the family to go to university on a scholarship to Oxford. He arrived in 1976 with a dreadful moustache. I looked like I had forgotten to shave. On his first day at the freshers fair he was signed up to the Conservatives (who were running an introductory offer 1 for a year) by Damian Green, who had long hair but otherwise was much the same. Here he met other future colleagues including Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve. Older, by a couple of years, were Theresa and her husband Philip May. Philip was active in politics. She had no interest in politics at university. What were they like? He chuckles, Like they are now. In our twenties and thirties, being roughly contemporaries and mixing vaguely in the same circles, I saw them twice a year at someones house or at weddings. I went to one of her dinner parties in the village where she lives in Maidenhead. She cooked. I cant remember what. I wish I could say, This is off the record now, but there isnt anything. To the best of my knowledge that woman has no vices. [Shell have] a drink, yeah, in an evening: maybe one or two glasses. Although on the fringes, Harrington didnt get involved in politics until much later. Instead he worked at John Lewis (I still have a soft spot for it), and then ran a property company. In 2001 he took a brief two weeks out to help with Kenneth Clarkes leadership campaign and was introduced (by his friend Andrew Feldman, later to become Tory Party co-chairman) to David Cameron. I was impressed. He was progressive. I thought, I see a way out of the darkness for the Conservative Party. Cameron and Feldman asked him to help break the grip that big donors such as Michael Ashcroft had over the party. Still, he hadnt considered standing for Parliament until the Watford seat arose. Initially he was discouraged. The candidates chairman told him: Richard, Ive got enough middle-aged, middle-class white men to last me for ever. Do me a favour, eff off and plague someone else. Rejection made him keener. But it was his father, who was dying in hospital, who convinced him. He said, Are you going to do it? I said, No Im too old. Im completely the wrong profile. Im regarded as being a classic business person. And even if I did win it, Im told marginal seats are impossible to deal with. And he said, Dont be an idiot. Dont be someone on their deathbed who thinks if only Id done this or that. What have you got to lose? T heresa May told MPs today she will quit as Prime Minister if the Commons backs her Brexit plan. In an eleventh hour appeal to Tory MPs to support the Withdrawal Agreement, she said she was prepared to stand down earlier than planned. Addressing the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, Mrs May said: I know there is a desire for a new approach and new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I wont stand in the way of that. She added: I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit. Boris Johnson was said to have performed a u-turn following Mrs May's announcement, that he will now back her deal. Mr Johnson left a meeting of the European Research Group without commenting on his U-turn. He declined to say whether he still believed Theresa May's deal wrapped a "suicide vest" around the British constitution, as he claimed in 2018. Theresa May after delivering her message to MPs that she will quit if they back her deal / REUTERS With a meeting of the ERG ongoing, Mr Johnson's ally Conor Burns MP tweeted: @BorisJohnson absolutely right telling MPs that palpable risk of losing Brexit altogether with the chance of change in the next phase means we have little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer posted on Twitter: "I wonder what it is about the pending Tory leadership contest that made Boris change his mind?" At least 30 Tory hardline Eurosceptics were later said to still be opposed to Mrs Mays deal, according to an ERG source. If true, it would still appear difficult for Mrs May to get her deal across the line. The Democratic Unionist Party, propping up her Government, still showed no sign of falling in line to support her. The PM did not set a firm date for her departure from the post, but her announcement sets the stage for a Conservative leadership election within the coming weeks or months. Mrs May's offer to step down came in response to calls from a number of her backbenchers for her to name the date of her departure in return for their help in pushing the deal through Parliament. Mrs May in PMQs on Wednesday / PA She addressed the Committee of Tory backbenchers as MPs were due to take part in "indicative votes" on a range of Brexit options in the House of Commons. With more and more MPs demanding that she go, Mrs May made clear she was willing to leave No10 to make way for another Prime Minister to lead the negotiations with Brussels on a future trade relationship with the EU. She told MPs that she had heard very clearly the mood of the parliamentary party. She added: This has been a testing time for our country and our party. Were nearly there. Were almost ready to start a new chapter and build that brighter future. But before we can do that, we have to finish the job in hand. She continued: I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I wont I hear what you are saying. Indicative votes: What are the eight Brexit options MPs have? But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May's pledge to step down as Prime Minister shows her Brexit negotiations have not been about "principles or the public interest". He tweeted: "Theresa May's pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not principles or the public interest. "A change of government can't be a Tory stitch-up, the people must decide." The PM's announcement is expected to get more Tory Eurosceptics to support the divorce deal from the EU. MPs emerging from the meeting, where the Prime Minister was given support for her move with the banging of desks, told how she had made clear she was ready to go. TODO: define component type apester Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: She believes that someone else should take forward the next stage of negotiations. She believes that in the national interest a change of leadership is required. ERG Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has signalled he will back the Withdrawal Agreement if the DUP does, said: The Prime Minister was incredibly dignified. Although I was involved in the challenge against her last year, there is never any joy or happiness in somebodys political career coming to an end. Simon Hart MP said: She gave a very strong impression that get the Withdrawal Agreement over the line and then she would start the process by which a new new leader would be selected. She made it very clear that all of this was conditional on the fact that we get the deal done. Pauline Latham MP said: She was sad. She praised her team. Downing Street has hinted that Mrs May is keeping open the possibility of tabling her Withdrawal Agreement for a third "meaningful vote" on Thursday or Friday, but would do so only if she felt there was a credible chance of it securing a majority. The deal must be passed by the end of the week if the UK is to benefit from the EU's offer of an automatic delay to Brexit to May 22. But Commons Speaker John Bercow infuriated ministers after reminding them of his ruling that there needed to be significant change to the deal if it was to be brought back to the Commons for a third time, after twice being defeated by wide margins. Earlier, Mrs May moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing Conservative MPs a free vote on the indicative votes. T he Prime Minister today said she will step down from her post before the next phase of Brexit talks. Theresa May's decision to tell the 1922 Committee that she "won't stand in the way" of new leadership prompted leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg to say: "The great joy of the Tory Party is it has so many talented people in it. "It's like finding a fast bowler in Yorkshire. You just call and one appears." These are the key names currently being floated to take the helm if Mrs May steps down. Environment Secretary Michael Gove / REUTERS Michael Gove The Environment Secretary had a bruising experience in the last Tory leadership race but he is now seen as the favourite at 7-2 - according to William Hill - to replace Mrs May, largely due to his Brexiteer credentials. In June 2016, Mr Gove, who was campaign manager for Boris Johnson's drive to succeed David Cameron, withdrew his support on the morning Mr Johnson was due to declare and threw his own hat in the ring instead. He came third in the first round of voting, trailing behind ultimate winner Mrs May and Andrea Leadsom. TODO: define component type apester Mr Gove, 51, was born in Edinburgh, studied English at Oxford and was a journalist before becoming an MP. He is married to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine. Despite speculation he could take the job, he told reporters on Sunday it was "not the time to change the captain of the ship". Mrs May's de facto deputy David Lidington / EPA David Lidington Mrs May's de facto deputy is seen by some as the natural caretaker prime minister but he has been clear he does not want the job. "One thing that working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task," he said on Sunday. William Hill are offering odds of 6-1 for him to become Number 10's next occupant. The 62-year-old has been the MP for Aylesbury since 1992 and was minister of state for Europe from 2010 to 2016. He is married with four children. Boris Johnson arrives at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday / PA Boris Johnson Prominent Brexiteer and former foreign secretary Mr Johnson has been a leading voice of opposition to Mrs May's Brexit plan. The Old Etonian was one of the key players in the 2017 Leave campaign and resigned from the Cabinet following the Chequers summit in July. He was heavily tipped as a successor to Mr Cameron but ruled himself out of the 2016 leadership contest after Mr Gove made a last-minute bid for the top job. Odds of him taking the helm have come in at 6-1, according to William Hill, but he is likely to have the backing of many pro-Leave members of the party. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt / EPA Jeremy Hunt Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, with odds of 10-1 at William Hill, was a prominent Remainer in the 2016 referendum. As health secretary, Mr Hunt fought a long battle with doctors over a new contract. The 52-year-old, who was first elected as MP for South West Surrey in 2005, was appointed Foreign Secretary in July following the resignation of Mr Johnson. He chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest and instead gave his full support to Mrs May, saying it was "not the right time" to put his hat in the ring. Mr Hunt made a public shift towards Euroscepticism after the referendum, which could win him allies in the Leave camp if he ran for the top job. Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab / REUTERS Dominic Raab With odds at 12-1, Mr Raab is an outlier to take over from the Prime Minister but is thought to harbour ambitions for the role. Mr Raab, a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign, was appointed as Brexit secretary in July but resigned from the role in November, saying he could not support Mrs May's eventual deal. In his resignation letter on November 15, he wrote: "Ultimately, you deserve a Brexit Secretary who can make the case for the deal you are pursuing with conviction. I am only sorry, in good conscience, that I cannot." Mr Raab, 44, has been the MP for Esher and Walton since he was elected in 2010. Home Secretary Sajid Javid / Getty Images Sajid Javid The Home Secretary, with odds of 12-1 at Betfair, has previously signalled his leadership ambitions. He did not stand in the 2016 leadership race but has since emerged as one of the favourites in Westminster to succeed Mrs May. Javid, 49, who backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver, became the first home secretary from an ethnic minority background when he was appointed in April 2018. The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he was managing director at Deutsche Bank before becoming an MP in 2010. He is married with four children. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd / Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images Amber Rudd Amber Rudd, with odds of 49-1 at Betfair, made a return to the Cabinet in November as work and pensions secretary following the resignation of Esther McVey. The MP for Hastings and Rye had to resign from her post as Home Secretary earlier this year over the Windrush scandal. She was a prominent Remain campaigner. T heresa May today signalled a third vote on her withdrawal agreement will be held tomorrow or Friday as senior Tories fired the starting gun for a new leader. Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister told one Tory she will deliver Brexit if this week he and others in this House support the deal. But Speaker John Bercow this afternoon told Mrs May that her deal must have changed in order for it to be brought back to the Commons for a third time. Tory leadership rivals were under starters order as Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom withheld long-term backing from Theresa May. Nigel Evans, an executive member of the 1922 Committee which represents Tory backbenchers, said the race to No 10 would attract more runners and riders than the Grand National. Mays words suggest she is working towards a Friday night deadline set by the EU to allow Brexit on May 22. Theresa May leaving Downing Street to face the House of Commons / PA The Prime Minister could move a special motion tonight to force Speaker John Bercow to allow a third vote. However, her DUP allies, on whom she relies for her Commons majority were holding out against a Brexit deal they said would endanger the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK. Mrs Leadsom indicated that the Prime Minister had her backing until Brexit, which the Government hopes will take place on May 22. The Prime Minister also seemed to strike a valedictory tone when she told Ian Blackford, the Scottish Nationalist leader in the Commons: It is my sense of responsibility and duty that has meant I have kept working to ensure Brexit is delivered. Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom / REUTERS This evening Mrs May was due to address Conservative MPs and was expected either to set out a timetable for her departure or else have one foisted upon her. The last rites were being read over Mrs Mays premiership on a historic day when MPs will rewrite the constitutional rulebook by taking charge of the Brexit process. Brexiteer Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said the move meant voters will never trust the Prime Minister again. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Mrs May: The Prime Minister faces a very clear choice either listen and change course, or go. Which is it to be? Jacob Rees-Mogg heading to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday / REUTERS The Prime Minister hit back that Labour was in disarray over its own policies. Labour would give us capital flight, a run on the pound and falling living standards, she said. Some 16 Plan B blueprints, including the widely favoured Common Market 2.0 option of a close economic partnership with the EU, were due to be debated and voted on in a unique exercise to identify alternatives to the Prime Ministers twice-rejected withdrawal agreement. But Mrs Leadsom told BBC Radio 4s Today programme there was a real possibility of the May deal passing now after backing from leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg and a clear hint from Boris Johnson that he would support it if the PM makes way for new leadership before the next phase of negotiations with the EU. Asked if Mrs May should promise to quit this evening to win the backing of wavering MPs, the Cabinet minister replied: I am fully supporting the Prime Minister to get us out of the European Union. Asked if Mrs May should stand down after that, she said: I think that is a matter for her. I am not expressing a view. Michael Gove out running near his home this morning / Rex Features To MPs it sounded like a refusal to back Mrs Mays leadership to carry on into future talks with the EU. Mr Evans, appearing on GMTV, was asked who should succeed Mrs May. The joint-secretary of the 1922 Committee said: Theres going to be more runners and riders than the Grand National, I know that. He warned against another coronation as happened when Mrs Leadsom pulled out of the Tory leadership race in 2016, paving the way for Mrs May, saying: My hope and we have got to make sure this happens this time is that the MPs put two people to the [Tory] membership and that person has the authority of the membership of the party. Health Secretary Matt Hancock / AFP/Getty Images A battle has begun over how quickly the contest should be staged. Mrs Mays close allies have indicated she wants to have one more party conference as leader but a senior MP said: She can appear as the ex-leader who delivered Brexit and get the adulation of the crowd, but we need a new leader before then. One timetable being canvassed would see the contest completed in six to seven weeks, starting in June. Yesterdays Evening Standard revealed that 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady had visited Mrs May and was understood to have informed her that MPs wanted her to indicate tonight that she plans to go soon. Writing in todays Standard, former Tory minister Nick Boles, another architect of tonights indicative votes, said a Norway-style deal on Brexit could break the deadlock. The British people are desperate for MPs to get a grip where the Government has failed and to find a way to break the deadlock, he said. Common Market 2.0 will allow all of us to move on. Asked if his European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers would also now support Mrs Mays deal, Mr Rees-Mogg said: Half a loaf is better than no bread. He added: I havent changed my mind on the deal. The only way left of doing it [leaving the EU] is this deeply unsatisfying deal. A dozen or more contenders are expected to run for the Tory leadership. Under a fast-track timetable being considered, they would be whittled down to two names within a fortnight for a ballot of members. Conservative HQ is said to already have started checking the list of members to see who is eligible to vote. A man has been repeatedly stabbed and two others attacked in the same week after meeting a man on Grindr, police said. A suspect is accused of attempted to carjack all three men in Manchester and Salford after meeting them on the dating app. The 21-year-old suspect was held on suspicion of robbery and two assaults and remains in custody for questioning, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said. Greater Manchester Police said a young man in his 20s was threatened in his car by a man he had met up with earlier via the app on Tuesday, at about 5.45pm. The frightening attack is alleged to have happened while the suspect was in the car and he demanded the keys to be handed over before stabbing him several times, police said. The app launched ten years ago / Shutterstock / Vdovichenko Denis In a statement, the force said: The attacker then fled the scene on foot in the direction of Birch Drive towards High Bank Road. The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries and he remains there for treatment. The stabbing is the third car-jacking attempt this week, after two more men were threatened on Monday in Irlams o th Height, Salford and Prestwich. Officers are now warning people who are using dating apps to always meet new people in public. Detectives have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to as part of their enquiries. Detective Inspector Gareth Jenkins, of GMPs Salford district, said: This is now the third attack following an attempted car-jacking after an online dating app meeting and were working hard to find the man responsible. We have a CCTV image of a man we want to speak to as part of our investigation and I would appeal directly to the man to get in touch with us. We would also continue to encourage people using dating apps to always meet new people in public places and to let someone know where youre going. If you have any information that could assist our investigation or if you recognise the man pictured, please get in touch as soon as possible. The police appeal comes as the app celebrates its ten-year-anniversary this week, after first launching in March 2009. A group of 108 migrants are reported to have hijacked a merchant ship off the coast of Libya in an attempt to reach Europe. The El Hiblu 1 tanker was taken over by the large number of migrants six miles off the Libyan coast, according to the Times of Malta. The ship is charting a course towards either Malta or Lampedusa. A military spokeswoman said the ship was due to reach Maltese waters by around 6.45pm. The ship is being monitored by two Libyan Coast Guard vessels. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said it was being dealt with as an "act of piracy." A merican astronauts will be back on the Moon within five years by any means necessary," the US Vice President has announced. Speaking as chair of the National Space Council at Nasas Alabama Marshall Spaceflight Centre, Mike Pence said: We're in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s." "It's time for the next giant leap," Mr Pence added, alluding to the famed words spoken by astronaut Neil Armstrong upon becoming the first man to step onto the Moon in 1969. "That next giant leap is to return American astronauts to the moon within the next five years by any means necessary, and to establish a permanent presence on the Moon and prepare to put American astronauts on Mars," he said. Vice President Mike Pence, left, speaks with museum docents at the National Space Council meeting held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Centre. / AP Photo/Eric Schultz "In order to accomplish this, NASA must transform itself into a leaner, more accountable and more agile organisation." The drive to reach the moon reflects President Donald Trump's desire to champion a new national objective as he mounts a re-election bid, while also seeking to counter the potential space weaponry capabilities of Russia and China. The ambitious goal, likely to cost tens of billions of dollars, comes as Nasa has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from US soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. Apollo 15 Lunar Module Pilot James B.Irwin salutes while standing beside the fourth American flag planted on the surface of the Moon. / AP Mr Pence's remarks caused some initial confusion over whether a "return" to the Moon necessarily meant landing astronauts on it or putting them into lunar orbit by 2024. But Nasa officials later clarified a moon landing within five years was the objective. Nasa Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a Twitter post: "Challenge accepted. Now let's get to work." Amazing NASA Space Images - In pictures 1 /80 Amazing NASA Space Images - In pictures Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 NASA This 1969 photograph of the eclipse of the sun was taken with a 16mm motion picture camera from the Apollo 12 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home from the moon. The fascinating view was created when the Earth moved directly between the sun and the Apollo 12 spacecraft NASA Astronaut Bruce McCandless II photographed 320 ft from the Space Shuttle Challenger during the first untethered EVA, made possible by his nitrogen jet propelled backpack (Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU) in 1984 NASA The brilliant tapestry of young stars flaring to life resemble a glittering fireworks display in the 25th anniversary NASA Hubble Space Telescope image NASA Space shuttle Atlantis blasts off from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2011. This lift off is the last in the 30-year-old shuttle program Getty Images The first teklevision image of Earth from a weather satellite taken by the TIROS-1 satellite in 1960 NASA The Echo 2 satellite in 1960. Once the balloon was launched into orbit, a prerecorded message from President Dwight Eisenhower was transmitted from California and heard with clarity in New Jersey NASA The original seven Mercury astronauts and pioneers in human space exsploration pose in their silver spacesuits in 1961 NASA President John F. Kennedy calls for a moon landing in 1961 durning Congress NASA Astronaut John Glenn climbs into his Friendship 7 space capsule in the Atlas rocket in 1962. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth NASA A close-up view of an astronaut's bootprint in the lunar soil, photographed with a 70mm lunar surface camera during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the moon in 1969 NASA Man's first landing on the Moon. Lunar Module, "Eagle," touched down gently on the Sea of Tranquility on the east side of the Moon. Astronauts Edwin Aldrin and Neil Armstrong wre the first men to walk on the Moon in 1969 NASA After an 8 month voyage to Mars, Mariner 4 makes the first flyby of the Mars (the red planet) in 1965 and became the first spacecraft to take close-up photographs of another planet NASA Astronaut Edward H. White II, pilot on the Gemini-Titan 4 spaceflight, is shown during his egress from the spacecraft. His face is covered by a shaded visor to protect him from the unfiltered rays of the sun. White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. He remained outside the spacecraft for 21 minutes during the third revolution of the Gemini-4 mission in 1965 NASA The X-15 completed 199 flights to the edge of space from 1959-1968. Neil Armstrong was one of it's budding young pilots NASA Earthrise over the moon from Apollo 8 in 1968 NASA American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins lift off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the mammoth-sized Saturn V rocket on their way to the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. saluting the US flag on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969 NASA Home View of Moon limb with Earth on the horizon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission NASA Apollo XI astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin laugh with President Richard Nixon aboard the USS Hornet in 1969 Richard Nixon Foundation via Getty Images Lunar mission Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, leaps from the lunar surface as he salutes the United States flag at the Descartes landing site during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) in 1972 NASA First image of Viking 1's foot plantid on martian soil foot in 1976 NASA The first ever long distance image of the Earth and Moon together. The image photograph was taken by Voyager 1 in 1977 NASA A dramatic view of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and its surroundings in 1979 NASA The first space shuttle launch Columbia lifts off in 1981 NASA Astronaut Sally Ride on the flight deck of the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. She became the first American woman in space NASA One of the most celebrated images taken by the Hubble called 'Pillars of Creation' NASA Space shuttle Challenger destructs after lift off in 1973 NASA NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope aboard ESA's SOHO spacecraft took this image of a huge, handle-shaped prominence in 1999. Prominences are huge clouds of relatively cool dense plasma suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona NASA Trailing a column of flame and smoke that dwarfs it, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaps into the clear blue Florida sky on mission STS-99 in 2000 Space Shuttle Atlantis clears the tower as it roars into space on mission STS-106 after a perfect on-time launch in 2000 NASA 2004 The deepest view of 10,000 galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope called the Hubble Ultra Field Deep (2004) NASA 2005 A new view of the Eagle Nebula, one of the two largest and sharpest images Hubble Space Telescope has ever taken (2005) NASA International Space Station pictured by the crew of Atlantis in 2008 NASA The rim of Gale Crater is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze, in this view of NASA's Curiosity rover of a sloping hillside on Mount Sharp NASA Taken on June 03, 2008 and released by NASA on June 4, 2008 shows US space shuttle Discovery Mission Specialist Michael Fossum being photographed by US Mission Specialist Ronald Garan (reflected in Fossum's face shield) as they work outside The International Space Station during the first of three planned space walks. AFP/Getty Images In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, NASA's Great Observatories -- Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory -- have produced a matched trio of images of the central region of our Milky Way NASA A striking black and white image showing the detail of the planet Saturn NASA This majestic false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows 'mountains' where stars are born. These towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm embryonic stars NASA The space shuttle Atlantis is seen over the Bahamas in 2011 prior to a perfect docking with the International Space Station NASA Aurora Australis, seen from a point over the southeast Tasman Sea near southern New Zealand. in 2011 NASA NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Expedition 32 flight engineer, appears to touch the bright sun during the mission's third session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During the six-hour, 28-minute spacewalk in 2012 NASA Behold one of the more stunningly detailed images of the Earth yet created. This Blue Marble Earth montage, created from photographs taken by the VIIRS instrument in 2012 on board the Suomi NPP satellite, shows many stunning details of our home planet NASA Numerous recognizable features appear in this detailed view of London, photographed by an Expedition 10 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS). The most striking visual features are green open spaces such as Regent's Park, Hyde Park and St. James's Park east of Buckingham Palace NASA International Space Station image of London at night NASA This image of Tropical Storm Anna taken from the International Space Station in 2015 NASA Pluto's haze layer and its blue colour, taken by the New Horizons Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) in 2015 NASA NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, dark, narrow streaks on the slopes of Hale Crater are inferred to be formed by seasonal flow of water on surface of present-day Mars. These dark features on the slopes are called "recurring slope lineae" or RSL NASA Earth observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 49 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2016 NASA The moon rises in low Earth orbit by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik from the International Space Station in 2017 NASA Hurricane Harvey is pictured off the coast of Texas in 2017 NASA The International Space Station continues its orbit around the Earth as Expedition 50 astronauts captured this night image of sparkling cities and a sliver of daylight framing the northern hemisphere in 2017 This composite image made from a series of 2018 photos shows a self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover in the Gale Crater NASA US. National Parks From Space. Mt Saint Helen's looking spectacular from above NASA SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft as it lifts off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in 2018 NASA NASA's Juno spacecraft captures Jupiter's southern hemisphere, as the spacecraft performed its 13th close flyby of Jupiter in 2018 NASA The stunning iamge was shared on social media by astronaut Paolo Nespoli NASA The Bailey's Beads effect is seen as the moon makes its final move over the sun during the total solar eclipse NASA The Moon is seen passing in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse from Ross Lake, Northern Cascades National Park, Washington NASA Swirling cloud belts and tumultuous vortices within Jupiter's northern hemisphere picture taken by NASA's Juno spacecraft as it performed it's 13th flypast. Juno was about 9,600 miles (15,500 kilometers) from the planet's cloud tops. NASA Nasa has previously aimed to return astronauts to the lunar surface by the year 2028, after first putting a "Gateway" station in orbit around the Moon by 2024. The US Apollo program, Nasa's forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earth's natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the Moon between 1969 and 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted "soft" landings on the Moon - the former Soviet Union and China - but those were with unmanned robot vehicles. Testifying before a US Senate committee two weeks ago, Mr Bridenstine said Nasa was about two years away from launching its next big rocket and capsule vehicle - the Space Launch System, or SLS, designed to carry crews and cargo beyond Earth orbit. Boeing Co is the primary contractor for the SLS rocket engines. Mr Bridenstine said Nasa was considering moving forward with a less powerful commercial rocket, perhaps a vehicle built by SpaceX or the Boeing-Lockheed Martin partnership United Launch Alliance, to get an uncrewed capsule into space by 2020. After Tuesday's announcement, Bridenstine said he was sure Nasa could achieve a successful Space Launch System flight - designed to carry crews and cargo beyond Earth orbit - by next year. Nasa has already set its sights on the Moon's south pole, a region believed to hold enough recoverable ice water for use in synthesizing additional rocket fuel. T he struggles of Cyclone Idai survivors have deepened with the first confirmed cases of cholera, according to an aid worker. James East, of World Vision, is currently based in Mozambique's cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, where authorities have announced the first confirmed cases of the infectious disease. It raises the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions. Mr East said: "Cholera is a killer if you do not get treated quickly and malaria is another thing to be concerned about. We need to try and stop another crisis which is a health crisis. We have already had to cope with the natural disaster and crisis of the cyclone." Ussene Isse, the national director of medical assistance, said that five cholera cases have been confirmed in Munhava, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the hard-hit port city. An aid worker has said the struggles of the survivors are deepening with the first cases of cholera having been confirmed / PA The city of some 500,000 people is still struggling to provide clean water and sanitation after Cyclone Idai roared in on March 14. More than 750 people died when the cyclone swept through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Strong winds and widespread flooding ripped apart roads, bridges, houses, schools and health facilities, and submerged vast swathes of agricultural land. It is estimated that three million people have been affected by Cyclone Idai and floods across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, according to World Vision, which is working in all three countries. The Disaster Emergency Committee's Cyclone Idai appeal, which was launched on March 21, has now raised 21 million. The UK Government matched pound for pound 4 million donated by the public to the appeal. Cyclone Idai - In pictures 1 /24 Cyclone Idai - In pictures People stranded by Cyclone Idai wait for rescue by the Indian Navy Getty Images The remains of homes following Cyclone Idai in Ngangu, Chimanimani, Zimbabw EPA Satellite image of Cyclone Trevor shows the storm approaching Queensland's coast. EPA A man washes clothes in stream following Cyclone Idai in Ngangu, Chimanimani, Zimbabwe EPA Damage after Tropical Cyclone Idai, in Beira, Mozambique. AP A car drives by a destroyed section of the road after Tropical Cyclone Idai. AP Locals of Chiluvi, a village in central Mozambique, walk along a flooded and muddy street after Cyclone Idai and Floods that hit the region. EPA Damages at the airport in Beira, Mozambique, in the aftermath of the passage of Cyclone Idai. AFP/Getty Images A cyclone that ripped across Mozambique and Zimbabwe has killed at least 162 people with scores more missing and caused "massive and horrifying" destruction in the Mozambican city of Beira. AFP/Getty Images An aerial view from a helicopter of flooding in Beira, Mozambique. AP School students of St. Charles Luanga, rescued by members of the Zimbabwe Military, walk past a mudslide AFP/Getty Images People on a roof surrounded by flooding in an area affected by Cyclone Idai in Beira AFP/Getty Images People try to salvage what is left of their homes after Tropical Cyclone Idai, in Beira, Mozambique AP Members of the public and military personnel search for survivors and bodies in Ngangu township Chimanimani, Manicaland Province, eastern Zimbabwe AFP/Getty Images Jane Chitsuro, 42, a cyclone survivor, sits on a hospital bed at Chimanimani Rural district hospital, Manicaland Province, eastern Zimbabwe AFP/Getty Images A woman hangs a cloth to dry in a sea of rubble after Tropical Cyclone Idai, in Beira, Mozambique AP Timber company workers stand stranded on a damaged road on March 18, 2019, at Charter Estate, Chimanimani, eastern Zimbabwe, after the area was hit by the Cyclone Idai AFP/Getty Images A man searches for missing family members with his dog on March 18, 2019 in Ngangu township, Chimanimani, Manicaland Province, eastern Zimbabwe, after the area was hit by the Cyclone Idai AFP/Getty Images Seen from a drone Praia Nova Village, one of the most affected neighbourhoods in Beira, razed by the passing cyclone, in the coastal city of Beira, Mozambique AP People return to Praia Nova Village, one of the most affected neighbourhoods following a cyclone in the coastal city of Beira, Mozambique AP A woman walks through the flooded streets of the city of Beira, Sofala Province, Mozambique, after Cyclone Idai made land fall AP People trudge through a muddied path to safer ground in Chimanimani, about 600 kilometers southeast of Harare, Zimbabwe AP A man stands on the edge of a collapsed bridge in Chimanimani, about 600 kilometers southeast of Harare, Zimbabwe AP Schoolchildren are stranded across a collapsed bridge in Chimanimani, southeast of Harare, Zimbabwe AP With little clean water available, cholera cases have been reported and there is a high risk of outbreaks of other waterborne diseases. Conditions in Mozambique in particular remain challenging and some areas are still in accessible, but aid is starting to get through. In the aftermath of the disaster helicopters were the only way to get vital aid through to isolated regions, although receding floodwaters have meant that some roads can be used. Despite most river levels having now peaked, flooding remains severe and the full scale of the disaster has yet to become clear as search and rescue operations continue. Mr East said: "There had been a mood of despondency and people are shell-shocked by what has happened. (Now) people are beginning to try and prepare things and are trying to salvage things that have collapsed." He added: "You need a concerted effort by the international community to help these people who are at the very bottom. People are resilient and want better for their kids but they just don't have a chance - and then a cyclone hits. "People are resilient but there is only so much they can take." Child safety is also a priority as the children no longer have the familiar protection of schools and are living in crowded displacement areas with strangers. Mr East said that creating child-friendly spaces where children can play safely is also important. In a situation where family incomes have been destroyed and people are desperate there is a risk of children being exploited through labour, and also a risk of girls being sexually abused, according to Mr East. DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: "The full scale of the disaster in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe has yet to become clear but we do know that this is developing into one of the most pressing humanitarian emergencies in the world at the moment. "Whilst conditions remain challenging, aid is getting through and DEC members are working hard to reach those who so desperately need help." A second survivor of Floridas Parkland school shooting has died in an apparent suicide. Calvin Desir, 16, was named by Coral Springs Police service on Tuesday after a spokesman informed CBS News of a students apparent suicide on Saturday night. The case remains under investigation and a final cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Mr Desirs death comes a week after 17-year-old Sydney Aiello, another student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, died in a suspected suicide. Her mother told CBS Miami that her daughter had struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and survivor's guilt in the year following the shooting. Seventeen people were killed and 17 others injured when Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire at the high school in southern Florida on 14 February 2018. Cruz confessed to being the assailant and is awaiting trial. The death penalty for murder is still legal in Florida. Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder for the mass shootings at the Parkland high school in February 2018 / Getty Images The Coral Springs Police department issued a statement saying: "The tragedy that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is something that we as a community will struggle with for years to come. "The city of Coral Springs recognises the anxiety and suffering continues for students, teachers and families who have experienced such violence and devastating loss. As a city we are committed to shining a light on those who suffer in the darkness." The city plans to hold a meeting about mental health and suicide prevention at its town hall on Wednesday night. David Hogg, an author, activist and survivor of the shootings tweeted on Sunday morning: "How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything? Rip 17+2." A n investigation into a death threat letter supposedly received by Jussie Smollett has been handed over to the FBI, hours after hate crime hoax charges were abruptly dropped against the Empire star. Smollett said the letter was received prior to his claim that he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a Chicago Subway sandwich shop. The US Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our law enforcement partners on this investigation, the US Postal Service said in a statement to Fox News. We are unable to provide any additional comment at this time. Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Courthouse after his court appearance on March 26. / Getty Images Chicago police have previously said Smollett resorted to staging the "bogus" attack after the threatening letter he sent himself at his Chicago Fox studio two weeks earlier did not garner enough attention. "If he mailed that threatening letter to himself by using the post office, he engaged in postal fraud. That's five to 10 years in jail that's three times what he's facing for filing a false report if the feds want to go there," Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano said. Prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday, apparently abandoning the case five weeks after he was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, homophobic attack. Jussie Smollett's criminal charges dropped Smollett's lawyers said his record had "been wiped clean" of the 16 felony counts related to making a false report that he was assaulted by two men. The actor insisted that he had "been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one". Two people of interest in an attack on Empire actor Jussie Smollett. / AP But the Chicago prosecutor who dropped the charges said "we did not exonerate him" and that the charges were only dropped in return for his agreement to do community service and forfeit his $10,000 bond to the city. He also told reporters he still believes Mr Smollett filed a "false police report". Chicago's police superintendent Eddie Johnson also contested the decision, claiming Mr Smollett "committed this hoax, period". Investigators said he made the report because he was unhappy with his pay on Empire and believed it would promote his career. The actor, who is black and gay, said two men shouted racial and anti-gay slurs, poured bleach on him, beat him and looped a rope around his neck. He claimed they shouted, "This is MAGA country", a reference to President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan. T he Duchess of Cornwall revealed that she is learning salsa as she watched a performance in Cuba, where the dance style was born. Camilla, a fan of Strictly Come Dancing, made the admission to Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of Cubas President Miguel Diaz-Canel, at a performance yesterday by the Paso A Paso dance company in Havana. Her feet tapping, the duchess watched youngsters dance on a solo engagement during the penultimate day of the couples historic tour the first official royal visit to the communist island. As well as the salsa, she watched the rumba and rueda de casino, which involves pairs forming a circle and changing partners using steps and turns called out by a leader. The Duchess of Cornwall visits a community dance group, in Havana, Cuba, as part of an historic trip which celebrates cultural ties between the UK and the Communist state. / PA Camilla told the presidents wife: That was brilliant. Im very happy I saw some salsa. Im trying to learn. Dance is seen as an expression of national identity in Cuba. The famously sensual salsa was first performed in Cuba towards the end of the 19th century. Later Camilla rejoined Prince Charles for a gala performance featuring the Cuban National Ballet at the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, which first opened its doors in 1838. Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attends a community dance event in Havana. / REUTERS On Wednesday, they will learn about Cubas food culture as their tour of the island draws to a close. Charles and Camilla will visit a paladar, a privately run restaurant, and be presented with a range of Cuban dishes and produce. Charles will also learn about the devastating tornado in January that ripped through parts of Havana, and discover how the communities responded to the natural disaster. It killed at least three and left scores more injured. T he Trump administration has announced it is expanding a ban on US aid to foreign groups that promote or provide abortions overseas. The expanded rules on the so-called Mexico City policy will now apply to organisations that comply with regulations but give money to others that don't, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Tuesday. He also said the US would cut some funding for the Organisation of America States because at least one of its affiliated institutions has lobbied for abortion availability in the Western Hemisphere. Mr Pompeo said the administration was committed to protecting "the sanctity of life" of the US and abroad and would enforce the policy "to the broadest extent possible" by not allowing foreign non-governmental organisations to skirt the ban. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo / EPA "We will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry," he told reporters at the State Department. "We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes and end runs around our policy. American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions." Abortion rights advocates slammed the decision as dangerous to women's health while abortion opponents welcomed it. The move is an expansion of the so-called "Mexico City policy", first established under President Ronald Reagan but rescinded by subsequent Democratic administrations. Just days after taking office in 2017, President Donald Trump reinstated the policy and then expanded it to include all health programs not just reproductive health ones. Critics of the policy that has been a hallmark of Republican administrations call it the "global gag rule." Pro-choice activists, politicians and others associated with Planned Parenthood in New York / Getty Images They say it hurts reproductive and maternal health care in developing nations by cutting funds to groups that offer critical non-abortion related services to women and children, including birth control and nutritional support for infants and HIV/AIDS treatment. Mr Pompeo denied that and said the US would continue to be a leader in such aid. The US spends some $9 billion to support global health programs. Critics, however, expressed outrage, with Dr Leana Wen, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, branding the decision "unethical, dangerous and unacceptable". "This administration's obsession with attacking women's reproductive health is egregious and dangerous," she said. "Further expanding the global gag rule puts international organisations in an impossible position: provide women the full scope of reproductive health care services or deny critical funding that saves lives." Mike Pompeo speaks at the State Department in Washington / EPA Brian Dixon of the Population Connection Action Fund said Mr Pompeo's decision was "repulsive." "The global gag rule has been an unmitigated disaster for people throughout the developing world," he said. "It is undermining progress on maternal and child health. It is leaving millions of people without access to health care." However, Susan B. Anthony Fund, an anti-abortion group, issued a statement praising the step, saying it was "excited to see Secretary Pompeo taking additional steps to ensure that Americans' hard-earned dollars are actually used for health assistance, not funnelled to groups that push abortion." Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, said Mr Pompeo's "courageous leadership on the implementation of this policy will assure its proper oversight and help advance the protection and empowerment of human persons at all stages in our international global health assistance initiatives." In addition to the revision of the Mexico City rule, Mr Pompeo said the administration would also start to enforce legislation that bars all US funds from being used to lobby for or against abortion. As the first step in enforcement, support for the Organization of American States would be reduced by $210,000, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters later. Mr Pompeo said the step came as a result of some OAS institutions promoting greater access to abortion in the Americas. A 95-year-old World War Two veteran caught four buses to join a march against racism and show his support for the Christchurch mosque shooting victims. John Sato, who has led a quiet life since losing his wife and daughter, said he usually spends his time walking around his neighbourhood, doing chores and listening to music. On Sunday, he left his house in Howick to pay his respects at a mosque in nearby Pakuranga, but decided to venture into the centre of Auckland when he saw the tributes that had been left. After his journey he joined a rally in Aotea Square, smartly dressed in a navy suit jacket and grey trousers, where he was helped by a police officer and a member of the public. John Sato, 95, says he was one of only two Japanese servicemen in the New Zealand army in World War Two / Getty Images Speaking to Radio New Zealand, he said: I think it [the mosque attack] is such a tragedy and yet, it has the other side. It has brought people together, it doesn't matter what their race is or anything. They're people. They suddenly realise we're all one, we care for each other. That tragedy in Christchurch, look what it brought out in the people, it shows the best of humanity. Thousands gathered for the rally in Auckland / Getty Images After the Love Aotearoa Hate Racism event he was taken back by a police officer, who gave him a bottle of water before escorting him home. However he downplayed his earlier journey, saying the buses were more comfortable than walking and he felt "lazy" sat on them. Thousands attend vigil for Christchurch victims Mr Sato, whose wife passed away 15 years ago and only daughter died last year, said he had trouble sleeping on the night of the shootings on March 15 and has done ever since. I stayed awake quite a lot of the night, and I didn't sleep too well ever since you know, I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people, he told the station. New Zealand terror attacks Trafalgar Square vigil - in pictures 1 /26 New Zealand terror attacks Trafalgar Square vigil - in pictures Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. EPA Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire High Commissioner for New Zealand Sir Jerry Mateparae during a vigil in Trafalgar Square. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. EPA Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. EPA Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. EPA Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. EPA Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images Members of the London New Zealand community and well-wishers attend a vigil at Trafalgar Square in central London. AFP/Getty Images He explained his military background, having fought for New Zealand against Japan in World War Two, and echoed the lessons he learned from that. Mr Sato, who describes himself as Eurasian with a Scottish mother and Japanese father, said life should not be wasted due to hatred as he called for people to be more understanding. He joined thousands of people at the event on Sunday, which was one of many held across New Zealand and the world in solidarity with victims of the massacre. A wanted British man has been arrested after allegedly trying to flee Australia on a jet ski armed with a crossbow. The 57-year-old was wanted for alleged drug offences. Border police were tipped off that the man had been seen launching the jet ski the Cape York peninsula, in the northern-most part of Queensland. He was believed to be armed with a crossbow and was carrying additional fuel supplies, officers were told. The jet ski was seized by Australian Border Force / AFP/Getty Images The suspect had travelled nearly 90 miles across the Torres Strait before being detained on mudflats just a few miles from Papua New Guinea. Police said the suspect was taken back to Thursday Island, where he was held pending extradition to Western Australia. Officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) were involved in the operation. Jo Crooks, of the ABF, said: "We have the ability to detect a range of border threats, including suspicious movements through the region. Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again." The man was arrested by authorities in the Torres Strait while attempting to flee Australia on a jet ski / EPA A viciis family have vowed to honour the superstar DJ by setting up a mental health foundation in his memory. The Swedish musician, real name Tim Bergling, was found dead in Muscat on April 20 last year, with his family later confirming that he had died by suicide. His family have now revealed that they will launch the Tim Bergling Foundation in a bid to support organisations working on mental health and suicide prevention campaigns. It will also aid projects related to climate change, endangered species and other environmental causes. Avicii: The star died aged 28 in April last year(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) A statement from the family read: "A year after his passing on April 20, 2018, the Tim "Avicii" Bergling family are starting a foundation the Tim Bergling Foundation in his memory. "The foundation will be everlasting. It will initially focus on supporting people and organisations working in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention." It concluded: "Other areas in which it will be active are climate change, development assistance, nature conservation and endangered species. The foundation's objectives may be pursued both in Sweden and abroad. "Tim wanted to make a difference starting a foundation in his name is our way to honour his memory and continue to act in his spirit." Tribute: The foundation is believed to have been set up in his honour / REUTERS The statement at the time, release to Variety, read: Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. Swedish DJ Avicii dies aged 28 The statement concluded: He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you, Your family. Last year reports surfaced that a posthumous album of the DJs unreleased music had supposedly been given the green light to go ahead and was expecting to release at the end of the year, according to Swedish publication Aftonbladet. However, no music has subsequently been released. B eyonce pulled out all the stops to wish Diana Ross a happy birthday as she serenaded her at her birthday party. The Lemonade songstress emerged from the crowd at Ross star-studded 75th birthday bash on Monday night to sing to the guest of honour. Khloe Kardashian, who was one of many celebrities to be invited to the Hollywood event, captured the moment on her Instagram stories. Positioned in front of the silver-tiered cake, decorated with pictures of Ross, Beyonce sang her heart out as she made it a night to remember. Present: Beyonce sang to Diana Ross at the her 75th birthday party / Instagram / Khloe Kardashian Fans were loving the special moment, quickly taking to social media to hail the iconic moment as one of the best things theyve seen. One wrote: Doesn't get more #iconic than @Beyonce singing #HappyBirthday to the legendary @DianaRoss. Another said: Beyonce singing Happy Birthday to Diana Ross is all I needed to keep me going today. We need the studio version of Beyonce singing Happy Birthday to Diana Ross, joked somebody else. Ross made a huge entrance to her own party in a bold orange ruffled gown, complete with matching make-up, accessories and shoes. On Tuesday, Ross revealed that the city of Los Angeles had declared her 75th birthday as Diana Ross Day in a statement signed by the mayor. The decree read: Ms Diana Ross, with a remarkable career spanning over 50 years, is an international treasure and is one of the most successful recordings artists and entertainers of all time. In celebration of Ms. Diana Ross 75th birthday and in honour of her contributions to American culture, the City of Los Angeles proudly declares Tuesday, March 26, 2019 Diana Ross Day in the City of Los Angeles. P iers Morgan joked that he hadnt ruined the Spice Girls tour after Melanie Brown made claimed to have slept with Geri Horner years ago. Brown left the audience of Morgans Life Stories stunned when she alleged that she enjoyed a night of passion with Horner back at the height of the girl bands fame. The story hit headlines hours after being recorded over the weekend, with Morgan using Good Morning Britain to the clip in question from the interview before the full episode is broadcast later this year. But Morgan has allayed fears that the interview might have damaged the impending reunion tour, with four of the five original members set to play stadiums around the country. Still on: Piers Morgan allayed fears his interview has ruined the Spice Girls tour / Ken McKay/ITV/REX The Spice Girls tour is still on. I haven't ruined that, Morgan joked. If they are successful with the UK of course theyll extend it, he replied in response to Susanna Reid asking if more dates were still on the cards. Do you think theyre going to cancel it over Mel B saying something controversial? Theyd never make it past the first date. Mel B revealed she slept with bandmate Geri Horner Sitting in the Life Stories hot seat, Brown appeared to nod and smile as Morgan asked her if there was any truth in rumours about a secret Ginger Spice tryst. Morgan had asked: You were coming here to be brutally honest - did or didn't you sleep with Geri Halliwell? Did you sleep with her? Spice Girls - In pictures 1 /64 Spice Girls - In pictures Spice Girls at Wembley in 2019 Andrew Timms Best looks Sporty, Baby, Scary, Ginger and Posh sing as The Spice Girls PA The Spice Girls reunite for tour rehearsals Spice Girls Instagram Spice Up Your Life The Spice Girls officially launch Channel Five at Marble Arch in 1997 Rex Viva Forever The Spice Girls - Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham AT 'Viva Forever!' Spice Girls musical launch in 2012 The Spice Girls reunite for the first time since 2012 Victoria Beckham/Instagram Prince Harry meets The Spice Girls PA Reuniting Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Melanie Brown pose for a photocall at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich ahead of their news conference on June 28, 2007 in London Getty Images Doppelgangers The Spice Girls with their wax doubles at The Rock Circus In The West End, London in 1999 Jeremy Selwyn Book launch The Spice Girls launch their book 'Forever Spice' PA Summer ball The Spice Girls at Capital Radio Summer Jam, Clapham Common in 1996 Rex Patriotic Geri Halliwell at The Brit Awards in 1997 wearing her famous Union Jack dress Rex Features Movie stars Spice Girls 'Spice World' Los Angeles Premiere in 1998 Rex Going for gold The Spice Girls performing at The 2012 London Olympic Games, Closing Ceremony Rex Charitable Spice Girls pose for Comic Relief Red Nose Day Launch in 1997 Alex Lentati Iconic Auction of outfits owned by Geri Halliwell. Her Spice Girls memorabilia auctioned at Sotheby's. All proceed's for The Sargent Cancer Care For Children in 1998 David Crump/Daily Mail Onset The girls filming Spice Girls: Spice World Spice Productions Undercover Ginger and Baby Spice star in Spice Girls: Spice World Spice Productions On tour British pop band, The Spice Girls, perform the first concert of the UK leg of their world tour at the O2 Arena, 15 December 2007 Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images Flying high The Spice Girls pose after naming a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 plane "Spice One" in their honor at Los Angeles International Airport, 12 December 2007 AFP/Getty Images Jet setters The Spice Girls unveiling the new name, Spice One, of a Virgin Atlantic Jet at the Flight Path Museum at Los Angeles Airport PA Model looks The Spice Girls, Emma Burton, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham (L to R) perform during the Victoria's Secret fashion show at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, 15 November 2007 AFP/Getty Images West End debut Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Melanie Brown attend the press night of 'Viva Forever', a musical based on the music of The Spice Girls at Piccadilly Theatre on December 11, 2012 in London Stuart Wilson/Getty Images Selfie stick The Spice Girls: Victoria Bekcham, Melanie Chisholm, Emman Bunton, Melanie Brown and Geri Halliwell Stage stars Spice Girls - Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham during 'Viva Forever!' musical press night at The Piccadilly Theatre, London, Britain MTV Europe Music Awards Spice Girls at the Globe Arena in Stockholm. PA Throwback The Spice Girls: Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) Victoria Adams (Posh Spice) Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice) and Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) Girl power The Spice Girls in Spice World (1997) London calling Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls performs during the first date of their 17-date residency, part of their reunion world tour Getty Images Raising money The Spice Girls raise money for Children in Need First reunion The Spice Girls reunited in 2007 Jeremy Selwyn Fashionable flare The Spice Girls at 12th Annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles in 2007 Spice and Vinegar Gary Lineker with the Spice Girls promote Walkers Crisps with limited edition Spice Girls range Mini me's The Spice Girls Dolls hit the market in 1997 Rex Risque Victoria Beckham (Adams) and Geri Halliwell perform with The Spice Girls in Dublin in 1999 Rex One down British pop band The Spice Girls. Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham), Sporty Spice (Melanie Chisholm), Baby Spice (Emma Bunton) and Scary Spice (Melanie Brown) Virgin Records BRIT Awards The Spice Girls perform at The Brit Awards in 2000 and win an award for thier outstanding contribution to British music Back stage snaps The Spice Girls take a twitter snap at Olympic Games London 2012 Closing Ceremony. Charming the royals Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls greets Prince Charles at the Prince's Trust Charity Concert Gala at the Manchester Opera House Rex The Spice Girls meet Prince Charles Prince of Wales with the Spice Girls at the Royal Gala celebrating the Princes Trust 21st Anniversary PA The Spice Girls World Tour Melanie Chisholm, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown perform The Spice Girls World Tour in 2008 Rex The Spice Girls at The MTV Europe Awards The Spice Girls at The MTV Europe Awards in Sweden IN 2000 Rex Award winners The Spice Girls at The Brit Awards in 1998 Rex Collecting gongs The Spice Girls at The Brit Awards in 1997 Rex With her majesty Queen Elizabeth II meeting Emma Bunton, Victoria Adams, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, Mel B of The Spice Girls at The Royal Variety Performance in 1997 Rex Film debut The Spice Girls take center stage in their feature film debut, the Columbia Pictures Presentation of 'Spice World' in 1997 Getty Images Meeting Mandela Spice Girls Mel B and Geri Halliwell meet Nelson Mandela in 1997 as part of the British Royal tour in 1997 Rex Pepsi promotions The Spice Girls promote Pepsi in 1997 Rex Brown replied that they had all slept in a bed together but said that is was not like that. She then smiled and nodded when Morgan asked if Horner was like that. She then said: She's going to hate me for this because she's all posh in her country house with her husband. But its the past. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Joint Statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries LIVE International Court of Justice will deliver its decision on the request for provisional measures in the case of ARMENIA v AZERBAIJAN Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia OPEC Fund Partners Ameriabank to Address Problems and Help to Improve the Life of People in Armenia. T. Alnassar. Generation A: Edition 14. Exclusive Chance to Begin Your Professional Career with Ameriabank Katna Armenian cheeses enter the market: the new project of Galaxy Group of Companies US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Black Friday at ucom: up to 70% discount for smart home devices, gadgets and smartphones 116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan Discussion on the topic IT infrastructure as the basis of the digital economy with the participation of the heads of telecommunication companies in Armenia Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Google Ad Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (263) Culture and National Identity Minister Valer-Daniel Breaz stated, in a message conveyed on the occasion of the World Theatre Day that speaking about national culture in an universal context also implies the capitalisation of the huge patrimonial fund of the Romanian theater, because the actors are, by excellence, ambassadors of the Romanian spirituality around the world. "The theatrical culture must return, with celerity, to the educational programs, in a necessary awareness mission of the heritage that the Romanian culture has in this direction. To speak about national culture in an universal context implies, in a place of honor, the capitalisation of the huge patrimonial fund of the Romanian theater, because, we have to admit openly, that actors are, by excellence, ambassadors of the Romanian spirituality everywhere in the world, loved, respected, perceived as role models," the Culture Minister's message sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday informs. According to the Minister "beyond the power of being a multiple mirror of the world, the theatre has also a curative role: it poses the great challenge of introspection to the audience." "'In my view, the theater is not a genre of art, but a self-contained art,' playwright I.L. Caragiale stated in his article called 'Is the theater literature?.' It is not by accident that we are tempted to dedicate the celebration devoted to all the representatives of the world of the theater, be it persons or institutions, under this nobleness sign of total art, which goes beyond the usual boundaries between aesthetic categories and forms of expression distinctive to the established arts. Beyond the power of being a multiple mirror of the world, the theater also has a curative role: it poses the great challenge of introspection to the audience and necessarily raises the desire to continue the Story. In fact, so many thinkers said it: the world is a huge scene and the only really important thing is the beauty of the play, not the grandeur of the role. In theater, as in life," Minister Breaz says. At his anniversary moment, Valer-Daniel Breaz urges to "a cultural reverence" in front of all those who make the world-as-art meeting possible: the playwrights, the actors and the people of the theater. "Therefore, it is appropriate to make a profound cultural reverence to all those who make the world-as-art meeting possible: the playwrights, the actors and the people of the theater with their many specialties and, last but not least, the audience. Not just today, when the World Theatre Day (established in 1961 in Vienna, by the International Theater Institute) is celebrated worldwide, should we be around the masters, but in a permanent learning and meeting exercise. At this anniversary moment, we wish all those who serve and promote the art of theater be crowned with talent and laurels, and enjoy all the satisfactions that the meeting with the audience can offer! We gratefully tell them Many happy returns!," the Minister of Culture's message reads. Efficient management of all things migration, including the development of legal migration channels and awareness of the benefits of controlled migration, is includes among the objectives of Romania's latest National Immigration Strategy, which was released for public debate on Wednesday by the Interior Ministry. The aim is to provide a general framework for the most efficient management of the migration phenomenon and it includes strategic and specific objectives, as well as action guidelines that reflect Romania's policies in the field. "The National Strategy on Immigration sets out six general strategic objectives, which are detailed by specific objectives and actions. The first general strategic objective concerns the development of legal migration channels to the detriment of illegal migration by raising awareness among foreigners or potential immigrants over the benefits that may arise from legal migration and the non-use of networks or mules to enter Romania illegally. A second objective is to combat and deter the illegal stay of foreigners on Romania's soil, while preventing and combating undocumented employment of this category of people," Deputy Inspector General for Immigration Emil Niculescu said on Wednesday. He added that migration is an important component of the European agenda, with each EU member state setting out its own guidelines and strategies according to needs identified at national level, and at the same time in line with documents issued at European Union level. "The third objective concerns the removal of foreigners from Romania, even forcibly, in case they do not choose to repatriate voluntarily or to join one of the assisted voluntary humanitarian repatriation programmes, and also to encourage and present the benefits for the purpose of leaving Romania voluntarily," said Niculescu. The fourth objective is to develop the national asylum system in order to make it more effective and ensure compliance with enforceable European and international standards. "The fifth objective is related to asylum, providing for an active participation of Romania in the efforts of the world community and the member states of the European Union in the process of extra-EU resettlement and the social integration of third-country nationals who are or are entitled to stay in Romania. The last objective is to provide resources and other support activities necessary for the implementation of policies on migration, asylum and integration," Niculescu said. He added that under the new strategy, facilitating access to Romania of third-country nationals who really meet the employment needs of the country will result in a reduction in the number of vacancies posted by employers. The debate was attended by representatives of the Interior Ministry and other institutions involved, as well as representatives of the civil society, who expressed their interest in this project. The voice of the press gets where the voice of diplomacy and institutions sometimes loses its echo, Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu affirms in his congratulatory message to the AGERPRES National news Agency on the 130th anniversary since its establishment. "On March 27 AGERPRES celebrates its 130th anniversary. We have the pleasure of congratulating AGERPRES on the professionalism and consistency that has characterized it and continues to mark the way in which it reports events. Through its activity, AGERPRES has always ensured the prompt and impartial information of citizens, representing one of the most viable ways to keep the public connected to the external and internal news," the Foreign Affairs Minister reports. He also refers to the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with AGERPRES, which he says is "a real support" in the ministry's activity. The Romanian chief diplomat also talks about the history of AGERPRES, "marked by landmarks of journalistic professionalism", such as the affiliation in 1995 to European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) or the founding, since 2006, of the Black Sea Association of National News Agencies. He underlines the "undeniable" role of the media in promoting and achieving external policy objectives. "We have a common duty to make sure that public messages are fair and true to reality, and together with public authorities and the press, we assume the role of opinion makers. Thank you for your cooperation and I wish you many happy returns!" the Foreign Minister further transmits. *** The history of AGERPRES National News Agency starts on 27 March 1889, when P.P. Carp, the then Foreign Minister, signs the birth certificate of the Telegraphic Agency of Romania, which broadcast nationwide "an exact and fast service of all news items of general or special interest." In less than a month, the Telegraphic Agency of Romania started its actual activity, by sending the first 'telegram' on 11 April. Since 1921, the National News Agency has been broadcasting news items and information without interruption. In the 130 years of activity, AGERPRES has kept its role of being the main information source for the citizens and institutions in Romania, as well as the most important source of news about Romania, for those abroad. The National News Agency continues to update the world and provide balanced, unbiased information. A money laundering and prostitution ring has been dismantled following a joint Romanian-British action that took place in the Romanian Ialomita County and the London metropolitan, according to a press statement released by the Romanian Police and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). Read also: Prime Minister Viorica Dancila: 'Meetings I have had in US have put Romania back on world map' Part of the mission for the dismantling of the criminal ring, eight searches were conducted in Ialomita County and the UK. The investigations carried out in Ialomita County were attended by DIICOT prosecutors and organised crime authorities from Ialomita and Bucharest City. A Romanian operative team was deployed for the simultaneous actions of the British judicial authorities in the London metropolitan area. Following the searches, six people were taken to the court for hearings, and jewelry and cash were seized (approximately 46,000 lei). At the same time, a lien was placed on three houses, an apartment, three cars, bank accounts and shares. According to a DIICOT statement, the activities of the Romanian investigators were integrated into a joint action conducted in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police Service in the execution of an agreement on the establishment of a joint investigation team in the case of DIICOT BT Ialomita and the Kedah Operation conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service. The organised criminal ring allegedly came into existence in 2015, with its members having acted in a coordinated manner and according to predetermined roles to determine at least 22 women to take to prostitution while facilitating their activities in the UK. The ring would stand to benefit materially directly from the related pimping activities. Most of the ring members were discovered in the UK. The activities carried out by the prosecutors and the police officers were supported by the Special Operations Directorate and the Ialomita Gendarmerie. AGERPRES . Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said that the meetings she had with US officials during the visit to the United States on March 23-26 "took Romania back on the world map". Read also: HealthMin Pintea meets European Commissioner for Health and food Safety "There were very good meetings here in Washington, I had a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, with the Secretary of Commerce, Ross (Wilbur), and with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and also with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The participation in AIPAC was very important, which is a natural thing in the context of Romania's holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and given that we have initiated the Presidency with an event dedicated to the fight against anti-Semitism in Brussels and will be closing with a similar event, this time in Bucharest. The meetings were good and, in my opinion, all these meetings, all these discussions have put Romania back on the world map and I say this in a positive context, given the appreciations about our country and the government here, from the United States of America," Viorica Dancila told on Tuesday night a telephone interview at Romania TV private broadcaster. The prime minister reiterated that the US is "the strategic partner that assures the security of Romania" and that the return to Romania represents "a comeback with great things" for the country. Asked what results on the economic side she brings back to the country, Dancila replied: "I come with good news, I have had a meeting with representatives of the big companies in the United States, everyone has shown their openness to come and invest in Romania, in a short time they will come to Romania, we will have a discussion with them so that some will expand their investments and others will have new investments in Romania." "I was pleased with one other thing, I was pleased with the trust they have in the Government of Romania, in the Government of the PSD-ALDE Alliance," Dancila further affirmed. AGERPRES . President Klaus Iohannis's meeting with representatives of the judiciary and magistrates' professional associations regarding the current state of play in the judicial system started on Wednesday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. "A remark for the general public and , obviously, for my guests: today, we discuss about justice and about the justice laws, so that no erroneous impressions emerge," the head of state mentioned prior to the beginning of discussions. The meeting is attended by representatives of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM), the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the Judges' Forum Association of Romania, WeDem Just, Romania's National Union of Judges, the Movement for the Defense of the Prosecutors' Statute, the Initiative for Justice Association, Romania's Prosecutors' Association, the LiderJust Association, the Magistrates' Association of Romania. On Tuesday, the head of state carried out consultations with representatives of the civil society on the referendum on justice. At the end, founder of the Initiative Romania organisation Elena Ghioc announced that the President conveyed, within the meeting, that the referendum on Justice will be organised on 26 May, at the same time with the elections to the European Parliament. The National News Agency represents a pillar of excellence and continuity in the Romanian journalistic environment, a factor of objectivity and professionalism in a world increasingly restless and more exposed to the phenomenon of fake news and manipulation, President of the Court of Accounts of Romania Mihai Busuioc affirms in the message sent on the occasion of the 130th anniversary since the establishment of AGERPRES. "I have the pleasure to sincerely congratulate you, both in a personal capacity and as the President of the Court of Accounts of Romania, on the occasion of the institution's anniversary. 130 years of existence for the National News Agency is a jubilee moment where you celebrate a century of excellence in the service of the correct and timely information of the citizen. The National News Agency represents a pillar of excellence and continuity in the Romanian journalistic environment, a factor of objectivity and professionalism in an ever increasing restless world exposed to the phenomenon of fake news and manipulation. AGERPRES remains therefore for each of us a landmark of real news, journalism in the service of the citizen and equidistance in informing the public," the President of the Court of Accounts said. *** The history of AGERPRES National News Agency starts on 27 March 1889, when P.P. Carp, the then Foreign Minister, signs the birth certificate of the Telegraphic Agency of Romania, which broadcast nationwide "an exact and fast service of all news items of general or special interest." In less than a month, the Telegraphic Agency of Romania started its actual activity, by sending the first 'telegram' on 11 April. Since 1921, the National News Agency has been broadcasting news items and information without interruption. In the 130 years of activity, AGERPRES has kept its role of being the main information source for the citizens and institutions in Romania, as well as the most important source of news about Romania, for those abroad. The National News Agency continues to update the world and provide balanced, unbiased information. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said that the meetings she had with US officials during the visit to the United States on March 23-26 "took Romania back on the world map". Read also: PM Dancila: 'Meetings I have had in US have put Romania back on world map' "There were very good meetings here in Washington, I had a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, with the Secretary of Commerce, Ross (Wilbur), and with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and also with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The participation in AIPAC was very important, which is a natural thing in the context of Romania's holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and given that we have initiated the Presidency with an event dedicated to the fight against anti-Semitism in Brussels and will be closing with a similar event, this time in Bucharest. The meetings were good and, in my opinion, all these meetings, all these discussions have put Romania back on the world map and I say this in a positive context, given the appreciations about our country and the government here, from the United States of America," Viorica Dancila told on Tuesday night a telephone interview at Romania TV private broadcaster. The prime minister reiterated that the US is "the strategic partner that assures the security of Romania" and that the return to Romania represents "a comeback with great things" for the country. Asked what results on the economic side she brings back to the country, Dancila replied: "I come with good news, I have had a meeting with representatives of the big companies in the United States, everyone has shown their openness to come and invest in Romania, in a short time they will come to Romania, we will have a discussion with them so that some will expand their investments and others will have new investments in Romania." "I was pleased with one other thing, I was pleased with the trust they have in the Government of Romania, in the Government of the PSD-ALDE Alliance," Dancila further affirmed. AGERPRES . The US-Romania Strategic Partnership is an important demarche for both countries, to which AGERPRES news significantly contributes and also to mutual understanding, US Ambassador to Bucharest Hans Klemm affirms. Read also: PM Dancila: 'Meetings I have had in US have put Romania back on world map' On behalf of the United States Embassy, I would like to express my sincere congratulations to AGERPRES for its 130 years of success in journalism. We appreciate the accuracy and timeliness of your reports covering the whole of Romania. Your journalistic stories support the local economies and communities, defend and promote fundamental rights and transparency. The independent, free press is a cornerstone of democratic societies both in Romania and in the US. The US-Romania Strategic Partnership is an important step for both countries AGERPRES reports contribute significantly to this partnership and to mutual understanding. We wish you successes many years to come! the head of the US diplomatic mission in Bucharest conveys in a message sent to AGERPRES on the 130th anniversary since its establishment. *** The history of AGERPRES National News Agency starts on 27 March 1889, when P.P. Carp, the then Foreign Minister, signs the birth certificate of the Telegraphic Agency of Romania, which broadcast nationwide "an exact and fast service of all news items of general or special interest." In less than a month, the Telegraphic Agency of Romania started its actual activity, by sending the first 'telegram' on 11 April. Since 1921, the National News Agency has been broadcasting news items and information without interruption. In the 130 years of activity, AGERPRES has kept its role of being the main information source for the citizens and institutions in Romania, as well as the most important source of news about Romania, for those abroad. The National News Agency continues to update the world and provide balanced, unbiased information. AGERPRES . Democrat Red Scare Finally Fails If Trump were to say fly to Alaska, as close to Russia as possible then grant every state with an noteworthy independence movement freedom to leave the USA then this would be the kind of betrayal that should get the Orangeman hung. Imagine that your country, which you presumably love very much, was taken over by a foreign power via some sort of Manchurian Candidate during recent elections. For you, this dreadful scenario is not suspicion, but fact. You are so absolutely sure this power grab happened and you openly acknowledge it. Now if you are some average person in the middle of the country far from the capital, there is not much you can do, but in our little scenario you are actually in power, in the capital. So your country has been taken over by a foreign (and evil) power and you are one of the few who can actually do something about it in this instance what do you do? Apparently, you screw around for two years trying to organize a impeachment proceedings and then just quietly give up because that is what the Democrats are doing right now. Special Counsel Robert Muellers team lost another key member as it was slowly grinding to a halt. In the Red Scare style hunt for collusion with the Russians they have yet to even indict, let alone convict, one member of the Trump campaign for some sort of hidden work or submission to the Russians. This is not proof that there was no collusion but after two years one would hope to see some sort of proof that there is. In America you are still innocent until proven guilty or is that position too right wing? Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi officially signaled defeat for the Democrats by publicly stating that Hes just not worth it in regards to a Trump impeachment, which comes in contrast to her famous statement asking What does Putin have on Trump, politically, personally or financially? which bluntly implies that the Russians do have some means of control over the actions of the POTUS. These is no small claim coming from one of the top brass in Congress. Again this begs the question, if she was so sure that Trump was a confirmed traitor to the United States how can he suddenly become not worth it in terms of impeachment? And this is not just Pelosi, but according to Glenn Greenwald appearing on Fox News during the 2018 midterm elections almost no Democratic Party candidates bothered to delve into the Trump-Russia collusion narrative during their campaigns, which in the recent past had been a core issue. These all means one of three things The Democrats in power are horribly emotionally and intellectually weak and they believed in a conspiracy that felt right and fit in so well with their worldview they just took the ball and ran with it. Trump did actually collude with the Russians but after two years they havent been able to gather enough evidence yet to go forward. The Democrats in power knowingly lied to generate a false conspiracy against the POTUS to remove him from office via rumor mill coup, which is criminal and could even be treasonous as their actions seriously undermine the stability of the United States. In this case they should be put on trial. At this point it would not be surprising if Trump is preparing some sort of team to investigate the investigators. He can be a petty man and a troll at times so this is very much within his character. He would have more evidence of slander and treason that they have of his Benedict Arnold style collusion. The most dangerous thing that the Democrats have done in their anti-Trump witch hunt for the long term is turn treason into some sort of cliche. This word is not something to use lightly and should have massive implications. There have been massive scandalous actions that look far more like real treason in the Soviet Union then there have been in modern America. These actions which partially brought down the Soviet System are the face of treason and a good measure by which to gauge Trumps actions. Firstly, many (in pro-Russian circles) accuse Gorbachev of treason for allowing the Soviet Union to collapse (more on that soon) and for surrendering all of Eastern Europe (all bases/influence in the Warsaw Pact) to NATO without any written assurances or even rumors of getting anything in return. Gorbachev asked for and got nothing for this massive sacrifice, doesnt that sound a bit fishy? If Trump were to pull a Gorby and just give up a massive area of influence, without a single gunshot because it is hard to manage or expensive, then the Democrats would have a case. Disbanding or changing NATO is one thing, but just giving Russia the Baltic States for free because they are a bit of a drain would be grounds for a treason investigation. Regarding the collapse of the USSR, when the leaders of 3 of the 15 Soviet Socialist Republics (the minority) met up on the very very border of the country (to allow easy escape) and signed the Belavezha Accords disbanding the nation with no public referendum (the only referendum voted to save the Union) or legal precedent, that is an instance of real treason. If Trump were to say fly to Alaska, as close to Russia as possible then grant every state with an noteworthy independence movement freedom to leave the USA then this would be the kind of betrayal that should get the Orangeman hung. The tail end of the Soviet period shows us what actual treason looks like, and until the Democrats can find evidence of these sorts of plans they no longer have the right to use this word except when they are looking in the mirror conspiring unjustly against the President of the United States of America. Globalisms Last Disgrace: The Army vs. the Yellow Vests The real fear for Macron is not a violent demonstration that ends with protestors shot and killed. No, the real fear is the protests that are peaceful. There are few people in this world more odious than French President Emmanuel Macron after his behavior this week. Im sure there are child molesters who are worse. But as a man who is pivotal in the future of hundreds of millions of people, his decision to order the French military to quell the Yellow Vests protests with live ammunition is simply vile. Macron outed himself as the very symbol of what animates the globalist elite he represents. Disdain. The disdain he holds for the people he leads is palpable. Its as palpable for his disdain for the British who voted for Brexit. To him the EU is all, the EU is inevitable and when faced with the choice of serving France or serving the EU, he chooses the EU every time. That is what led him to this disastrous decision to deploy the French military to the streets for the first time since 1948 with orders to shoot protestors. And that disdain is so complete that he doesnt realize what happens if even one of those men goes too far and takes the President at his word. Thankfully, that did not happen. But if it did, he would have lost complete control of his country, if he hasnt already. The estimates for Act XIX of the Gilets Jaunes this weekend were over 125,000 across France. That many people taking to the streets risking getting shot is not something you dismiss with a wave of your hand. It is something as a leader you need to take very seriously. Because the real fear for Macron is not a violent demonstration that ends with protestors shot and killed. No, the real fear is the protests that are peaceful. Because what happens, Mr. Macron, if the soldiers you deployed to suppress attendance to these demonstrations see first-hand just how much the violence reported has been overblown? Or worse, the lack of it confirms their suspicions that the violence was committed by agent provocateurs who now didnt show up because its no longer worth the 25/hour they are being paid to sow discontent? Theyll see exactly what Macron doesnt want them to see: angry, dispirited, desperate people with legitimate grievances expressing those feelings the only way they know how. If Macron wasnt courting civil war before this weekend, he is now. Because an uprising against a corrupt and unresponsive government by some people is one thing. It starts with the most angry but it can spread over time only if the government doesnt hear them. Macrons reactions have only made things worse at every turn. So, while the people started this fight for the future of France it will be the military that ends it. And woe to Macron and the French political elite if the military on the ground sides with the people they were sent to shoot. There is nothing more cowardly than a supposedly liberal, tolerant democracy sending in the military to shut down and order violence against is own people for taking to the streets. It is simply the order of tin-pot dictator with delusions of adequacy. Prudent leadership stems from having weapons and knowing when and how to use them. The images coming from France have been horrific and no better than those captured during Mariano Rajoys crackdown on Catalonia during its independence referendum in 2017. That response cost him his job. So too will it be for Macron now that he has crossed that line. Macron is under the orders of his paymasters in The Davos Crowd to get control over France. He will not be removed from office as long as he acts in accordance with their wishes. By now they would have replaced him with someone more acceptable to defuse the situation. There is only one problem with that. There is no one else. Macrons approval rating is abysmal. Hes polling behind Marine Le Pens National Rally who will send more members to the European Parliament than his En Marche will in May. He was already the bait and switch candidate in 2017s election. The globalist-in-reformers clothing. And now that hes the focal point of the Gilets Jaunes anger nothing short of a violent put-down of their rebellion will save Macron at this point. Because they know this and they know that he hates them. But a violent put-down is only winning the battle to lose the war. With the EU locked in mortal combat with Brexiteers and Italy pushing the envelope in the European Council, theres no room to maneuver here. So, this continues until it cant. At which point Macrons legitimacy will evaporate and political change will occur. But the globalists behind Macron and in French political circles will put that off for as long as possible. Thats why the lack of violence at ACT XIXs marches this weekend was so important. Macrons bluff was called. And that means were nearing the end of his story. And it couldnt happen to a more deserving weasel. Merkel, youre on deck. We apologize. A page no longer exists or an error has occured on our server. Return to Our Home Page by Austin Bay March 27, 2019 Department of Justice has finally received special prosecutor Robert Mueller's long-awaited report. Media Sturm und Drang sensationalism to the contrary, Mueller found no evidence (zip, zero, nada) that President Donald Trump, his erstwhile campaign staff or his relatives "colluded" with Vladimir Putin's Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election and insidiously deny Hillary Clinton the White House. Hence this important question: Did the two years of Mueller's excruciating investigation and accompanying sensationalist media rant accusing Trump of a crime he didn't commit deleteriously affect American national security? More on that in a moment. Note quotation marks around "colluded" in paragraph one. Collusion isn't a crime -- even though the mainstream media made it a nom de guerre. Conspiring or coordinating with a foreign power constitutes a crime, one serious enough to call treason. Conspiracy and coordination were the terms Mueller employed. His bottom line: no evidence Trump committed a heinous, anti-American crime. Yet on July 13, 2017 then-House Minority Leader -- now Speaker -- Nancy Pelosi claimed "this week we saw cold hard evidence" that the Trump family colluded with Russia to assault American democracy." Replay the video. Treason against America was her implied but carefully unspoken damnation. Ah, but this month -- days before Mueller informed DOJ that Trump did not commit a crime -- Pelosi whimpered that Trump's "just not worth" impeaching. That's more than a retreat. In retrospect, Pelosi's outlandish 2017 rhetoric promoted a corrosive falsehood so beyond partisan political sparring it became odious narrative warfare damaging U.S. political integrity and institutional stability. Hard evidence exists that a serious national security crime was committed during the election and early 2017. Trump and his campaign were spied upon, not by foreign adversaries but by America's security agencies. Moreover, criminals in these agencies colluded with media compadres to mislead the American people. The security agency corruption and media collusion produced a cold, hard totalitarian horror committed in and against America, the world's paramount democracy. Here are some of the Obama administration narrative warfare extremists who waged war on America: Former FBI Director James Comey, his deputy Andrew McCabe, former CIA kingpin John Brennan, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. These corrupt men corrupted their institutions and damaged U.S. security. As for media collusion, Brennan went to work for CNN. May CNN forever double bubble toil and trouble in its odious lies. Damage noted, thanks to Trump's ability to focus, at the operational level I don't think American national security has suffered much. World leaders, whether friendly or adversarial, see Trump as an American president willing to act and use America's vast powers with savvy. The April 2017 missile attacks on Syrian airfields, following an Assad regime chemical weapons attack, sent a message. Barack Obama wouldn't enforce his own "red lines" curbing bad guy behavior. Trump would. Trump emphasizes U.S. physical and economic security. He is anything but anti-ally. The Muller investigation obscured his record for improving allied cooperation. In January 2019, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Fox News that NATO is stronger than ever. "What he's (Trump) doing is to help us adapt the alliance, which we need," Stoltenberg said. EU members recently announced they will do more to deter Chinese territorial expansion. China always looks for weakness. But Beijing knows Trump understands economic warfare, so it negotiates. Every informed mind knew North Korea would wriggle and stall. At February's Hanoi summit, with Mueller's report a few weeks away, dictator Kim Jong Un demanded a better deal. Trump walked. On March 22, before Mueller's report, North Korea vacated its liaison office in South Korea. However, on March 25, Pyongyang returned. Coincidence? Other elements of the institutional criminality related to the 2016 election have damaged U.S. security. The failure to punish Hillary Clinton for her premeditated and criminal mishandling of classified information undermines societal respect for law. More on that in a future column. TICKERS: SLL; STLHF Source: Peter Epstein for Streetwise Reports (3/26/19) Peter Epstein of Epstein Research profiles a company with a lithium project in Arkansas and enumerates the advantages he sees. Lithium stocks were hot a year ago, now they're not. Brine projects in Argentina commanded rapt attention, now no one cares. Clay-hosted lithium projects were non-starters two or three years ago, now they're in the "maybe" column. Clay-hosted lithium projects are "unconventional," meaning untested, and therefore difficult or impossible to fund. However, "unconventional" need not mean difficult to move forward or impossible to fund. What if I told you about a company with a project that had relatively low-grade lithium, is pre-PEA, and is located in southern Arkansas? Sounds attractive, right? No, it sounds highly .. "unconventional." Last I checked, Arkansas was not in the heart of the Lithium Triangle. Sometimes unconventional is not all bad. Standard Lithium Ltd. (SLL:TSX.V; STLHF:OTCQX) is a company like no other, and that's a good thing. Although pre-PEA (PEA now underway), Standard's 150,000 acre Arkansas lithium project, called the LANXESS project, has been de-risked in a surprising number of important ways. For instance, while other mining juniors talk about being near, "past producing mines," the LANXESS project is currently in operation, at massive commercial scalebut producing bromine from brine, not lithium (yet). It is a past producer, but also a present and future producer! The LANXESS project is hardly early stage. All of the project's infrastructure is in place and currently in use. Power, rail, gas, water, tanks, chemicals, pumps, tankers, trucks, drilling equipment, wells, roads, pipelines, etc. 24/7/365, dozens of wells are pumping billions of gallons of brine (salty water) annually, containing bromine, lithium and other elements, through three nearby processing facilities. The LANXESS project happens to be smack in the middle of North America's largest brine production and processing facilities. These facilities have been in operation for decades. Think about the risks avoided here. The project is in the U.S., thousands of experienced workers are in place working, there's no discovery or resource expansion risk (the resource is already large enough), the project is by and large already permitted, it's in environmental compliance. There's local community support (no Aboriginal or First Nations issues). Year-round operations, port access in the Gulf of Mexico, workers go home each night (no fly-in/fly-out). Best of all, the project is in commercial-scale operation right now, albeit for bromine. These are logistical items that lithium companies in Argentina and Chile, not to mention Australia and Canada, would die for, milestones that can take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to obtain. Not only are operations in place at a large commercial scale, but pumping history, hydrology and geology are all readily available to Standard Lithium for review. This and other data enabled the company to estimate a 3.1 million metric tonne Lithium Carbonate Equiv. (LCE) Inferred resource at the LANXESS project. So, we can be reasonably certain that there's considerable resource size. However, to be safe, we await the Inferred resource being converted to Measured and Indicated, which is expected later this year. One might think that pulling lithium out along with the bromine would be straightforward; it's not, it proved to be quite a technical challenge. However, a challenge on the verge of being solved, as Standard Lithium is operating a mini pilot plant that has already produced battery-grade lithium carbonate. However, this process needs to be scaled up very significantly. I've mentioned several ways in which the company's project is de-risked, taking that theme to a whole new level is a prospective JV with LANXESS (hence the project name). Standard Lithium signed a MOU with LANXESS in May 2018 and a JV term sheet in November. LANXESS is a giant German chemical conglomerate that would provide substantial help on the technical, operational, sales/marketing and R&D fronts. Assuming reasonable project economics, LANXESS has committed to finance 100% of the commercialization of the project. LANXESS' (through its wholly owned subsidiary) Great Lake Chemicals operations in Southern Arkansas encompass more than 150,000 acres, 10,000 brine leases and surface agreements and 250 miles of pipelines. LANXESS extracts brine from wells located throughout the area and transports it to three Arkansas processing plants through a network of pipelines. Executing the JV would be huge, LANXESS would own a majority of the project, but funding is without question the largest risk factor these days. LANXESS funding would be the biggest de-risking event of them all. Several world-class brine projects in Argentina are all but stalled due to a lack of project funding. That's even though those projects are "conventional," proposing to use conventional solar evaporation ponds. And then there's Quebec's Nemaska Lithium; it was billed as fully funded until it found a ~C$400 million hole in its funding basket. Nothing against Nemaska, lithium projects are complex and unique. Delays and cost over-runs are the norm. Standard Lithium's processing technology, if operating at commercial scale, would process enormous volumes of brine in days vs. over a year for solar evaporation ponds. The technology is designed to be easily and conveniently scalable, it's modular. If need be, the company could plan production based on market conditions. Management is not going to run into a ~C$400 million cap-ex problem; the amount of operating data available is immense and remember, most of the infrastructure is already in place. So, what does all of this mean for Standard Lithium? Assuming LANXESS comes on board (LANXESS named Standard Lithium and the Arkansas lithium project during the opening minutes of its 4th Quarter earnings call), it has many risk factors covered, including the biggest risk, project funding. Instead of facing the daunting task of having to raise hundreds of millions in equity capital to fund a commercial development, the company is probably looking at raising closer to C$25 million over the next 18 months. It just closed a C$11 million bought-deal financing. Risk Factors The main risk factor is scaling its proprietary technology from pilot to commercial scale. With regard to this risk, I think it's a question of when, not if, the company achieves this milestone. A moderate delay would be disappointing but would not deliver a fatal blow. Standard Lithium hopes to eventually reach a run-rate of ~20,000 tonnes/year LCE. That will likely take several years, after first achieving limited commercial production potentially as early as 2021. Ultimately, production of 30,000+ tonnes/year LCE for decades is a possibility, by optimizing the well fields and tapping into the company's nearby TETRA Project area. What might the mid-year PEA show? We don't know yet, but we can make some educated guesses. Cap-ex? In Argentina, the average lithium brine project cap-ex requirement from among six well-known projects is C$540 million. The LANXESS project will be built in stages, so the cap-ex will be substantially lower. Remember, most of the infrastructure is already in place and in operation. Op-ex should be on the low side as well. For example, the company has ready access to some of the cheapest chemical reagents in the world. And, the lithium operations will be sharing some costs with the bromine operations. Brine exits the bromine operations at 70 degrees Celsius, so no extra energy needs to be added as it enters the lithium facilities. Management's goal is to be in the bottom quartile on the cost curve. Look at "conventional" brine producer Orocobre Ltd.: it's in year 4 of commercial operation, but is still running at ~70%80% of nameplate capacity. This is no knock on Orocobre, it was the first new brine project in Argentina in 20 years; it just demonstrates how very difficult each unique brine (chemistry) project is. And the weather, it has been surprisingly rainy this year and last, which is bad news for solar evaporation ponds. Global warming? In the early-to-mid 2020s there will be fierce competition for scarce resources in Argentina (labor, executives with brine project building experience, consultants, water, power, mining services and equipment, environmental work and construction activities (at 4,000 meter elevations), access to governmental agencies for permits and approvals). Among the 610 brine projects in Argentina at PEA stage or more advanced, several might never reach production. Several others could be delayed by 1,2,3,4 years in reaching nameplate capacities of 20k35k tonnes/year LCE. Conclusion Standard Lithium (TSX-V: SLL) / (OTCQX: STLHF) will not be fighting for scarce resources, (another risk avoided), there should be no operating or infrastructure bottlenecks, the weather is not a factor. There won't be cost blowouts. If a Bank Feasibility Study calls for first production in mid-2021, and LANXESS is committed to project finance, operations and off-take, it will likely happen pretty much on time and on budget. For hard rock producers in western Australia my understanding is that the situation is a lot better, but we could still see bottlenecks as many hard rock producers try to ramp up supply at the same time. Instead of companies failing, perhaps we will see a wave of M&A in Western Australia. That higher degree of certainty is worth a lot in the Wild West of lithium project development. And, if the brine projects in the Lithium Triangle can't deliver close to nameplate capacity in the early-to-mid-2020s, there's going to be tremendous demand for Standard Lithium's output, and lithium prices will likely be high. Who knows, maybe even the "unconventional" clay-hosted lithium producers will have their day in the sun? Peter Epstein is the founder of Epstein Research. His background is in company and financial analysis. He holds an MBA degree in financial analysis from New York University's Stern School of Business. [NLINSERT] Disclosures: The content of this article is for information only. Readers fully understand and agree that nothing contained herein, written by Peter Epstein of Epstein Research [ER], (together, [ER]) about Standard Lithium, including but not limited to, commentary, opinions, views, assumptions, reported facts, calculations, etc. is not to be considered implicit or explicit investment advice. Nothing contained herein is a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security. [ER] is not responsible under any circumstances for investment actions taken by the reader. [ER] has never been, and is not currently, a registered or licensed financial advisor or broker/dealer, investment advisor, stockbroker, trader, money manager, compliance or legal officer, and does not perform market making activities. [ER] is not directly employed by any company, group, organization, party or person. The shares of Standard Lithium are highly speculative, not suitable for all investors. Readers understand and agree that investments in small cap stocks can result in a 100% loss of invested funds. It is assumed and agreed upon by readers that they will consult with their own licensed or registered financial advisors before making any investment decisions. At the time this article was posted, Peter Epstein owned shares of Standard Lithium and the Company was an advertiser on [ER]. Readers understand and agree that they must conduct their own due diligence above and beyond reading this article. While the author believes he's diligent in screening out companies that, for any reasons whatsoever, are unattractive investment opportunities, he cannot guarantee that his efforts will (or have been) successful. [ER] is not responsible for any perceived, or actual, errors including, but not limited to, commentary, opinions, views, assumptions, reported facts & financial calculations, or for the completeness of this article or future content. [ER] is not expected or required to subsequently follow or cover events & news, or write about any particular company or topic. [ER] is not an expert in any company, industry sector or investment topic. Streetwise Reports Disclosure: 1) Peter Epstein's disclosures are listed above. 2) The following companies mentioned in the article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. Graphics provided by author. TICKERS: DOC; DOCRF; 6PH Source: Streetwise Reports (3/27/19) This clinical decision support software integration is the first of its kind, according to the company. Canada-based Premier Health Group Inc. (PHGI:CSE; PHGRF:OTCQB; 6PH:FSE), a company focused on "developing innovative approaches that combine human skill-based expertise with emerging technologies for the healthcare industry," announced that it has initiated the integration of CB2 Insights' (CBII:CSE) medical cannabis Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tool into its Juno Electronic Medical Records (EMR) platform. More than 4,600 physicians and healthcare practitioners will have access to the industry's only medical cannabis specific CDS tool, and will help them incorporate medical cannabis into their patients' treatment plans, the company stated. "This first-of-its-kind integration in the medical cannabis sector will allow physicians and healthcare practitioners to overcome many of the barriers they face from a lack of access to medical cannabis education, qualification factors, risks and benefits of cannabinoid therapy, all on a patient-specific basis using clinically validated data," Premier Health noted. CB2 Insights, through its clinical arm in the U.S., operates 28 medical cannabis evaluation centers "to study and understand the clinical outcomes of cannabinoid therapy." "We are now in a position to benefit from the aggregated and anonymized data gathered from over 300,000 patient visits in a clinical environment to power our CDS tool that will bring clinicians a point-of-care application to help them incorporate cannabis into their practice and create improved access for patients who can benefit from cannabinoid therapy," Prad Sekar, CB2's CEO, stated. "This is pretty revolutionary," Dr. Essam Hamza, CEO of Premier Health, told Streetwise Reports. "Doctors really don't understand how to prescribe medical cannabis; they've never been taught in medical school. They have been taught to go with evidence-based treatments, but they don't know where to find the evidence on medical cannabis. Integrating the CDS tool into our platform changes the landscape to fill that knowledge gap." "The clinically led, evidence-based data will embed right into our EMR software to help guide the doctor to the correct medical cannabis product and dosing based on parameters such as the patient's medical condition, age and sex," Dr. Hamza added. "This agreement with CB2 will provide us a robust, validated tool to give our physicians and healthcare practitioners a safe and secure way to qualify, educate and where appropriate, prescribe medical cannabis to their patients in a compliant manner," Dr. Hamza explained. Premier Health, through its subsidiary Cloud Practice, is developing "proprietary technology to deliver quality healthcare through the combination of connected primary care clinics with telemedicine and artificial intelligence (AI)." It has an ecosystem of 290 clinics in Canada with nearly 3 million registered patients. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Patrice Fusillo compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Premier Health Group Inc. Please click here for more information. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Premier Health Group Inc., a company mentioned in this article. MONTREAL HSI/Canada is calling on the BC provincial government to take immediate action in stopping all wildlife killing contests across the province and enact the necessary legislation to make any and all future contests illegal. In wildlife killing contests, contestants pay a fee and compete for cash and prizes to see who can kill the most or the largest animals in a specified period of time. Awarding prizes for competitive and indiscriminate killing of animals is unethical and inconsistent with respecting the important role each species plays in our ecosystem. Julie MacInnes, wildlife campaign manager for HSI/Canada, stated: These contests permit some of the most inhumane and cruel methods to kill our iconic and sentient wildlife. These bloodlust traditions need to be banned rather than ignored, or worse, encouraged in 2019. Wolves and cougars are critical to increasing biodiversity and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Wildlife killing contests are unscientific, inherently inhumane, and go against the ethics of most Canadians. In BC, 94% of residents oppose trophy hunting. In the interest of creating a more humane society, HSI/Canada urges the BC Government to react swiftly and decisively by suspending any current wildlife killing contests and to take concrete steps towards making such contests illegal. Facts: In Williams Lake, until March 31, contestants can pay $20 to enter a wolf-whacking contest. As per the rules, hunters take photos of their wolf kills with time stamps or they can bring in the critters head and hide. The person or team with the most kills wins the grand prize. In another contest, hosted by the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club (held March 16 to 24), contestants pay a $10 entry fee and there are cash prizes for those who have accumulated the most points. Points are won depending on which of the target species is killed. Target species include wolves, coyotes, cougars and raccoons. To kill the most animals, participants are often encouraged to use high-tech weapons and other equipment like electronic calling devices, which lure animals in for an easy kill by mimicking the sounds of a fellow animal in distress. Hounds and GPS collars could also be used, in addition to cruel snares and traps. Countless animals are left injured, and dependent young may be orphaned during these events, left to die from starvation, predation or exposure. Once the prizes are awarded, the bodies of the animals are often discarded as trash. HSI/Canada sent an open letter to the BC government to ban wildlife killing contests, in coalition with 54 wildlife, conservation, and animal welfare specialists and organizations. There is growing awareness that these cruel tournaments must be outlawed across North America. In the U.S., California was the first state to institute a ban on wildlife killing contests in 2014. In 2017, Maryland placed a moratorium on cruel aquatic killing contests for cownose rays in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2018, Vermont banned coyote killing contests. In 2019, bills are currently pending to ban wildlife killing contests in the states of New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin and New Mexico and Arizonas wildlife agency is contemplating regulations that would ban wildlife killing contests. Media Contact: Christopher Pare office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org Minimum wage workers are set for a pay rise next week but whether other workers will see their incomes increase, too, is not clear. On April 1, the minimum hourly rate will rise to $17.70, an increase of $1.20 an hour. It will mean someone working a 40-hour week will have to earn a minimum $708. According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, there are about 71,500 people paid the minimum wage in New Zealand. But economist Brad Olsen, of Infometrics, says it would not just be those on the minimum wage who received or at least expected a pay increase next Monday. If the pay of those on the minimum wage increases, the pay for those currently paid about the minimum wage decreases in relative terms. So, someone earning $5 above the minimum wage may want their pay to increase by the same (percentage), to keep their pay the same in relative terms, he says. This wage relativity is quite a common thing we see around changes to the minimum wage. But there will be even more pressure on employers to meet employee demands for increases to wages this year, given the tight labour market and low unemployment rate. Wage relativity usually has the biggest effect on those earners closer to the minimum wage, where the relative difference is closer. Economist Shamubeel Eaqub says it could be expected that cleaners, hospitality and retail workers would be sectors that would see immediate wage rises. Eric Crampton, chief economist at the NZ Initiative, says the minimum wage had increased more quickly that median wages over recent years. The median wage in 2018 was 39 percent higher than in 2008 but the minimum wage was 47 percent higher. The minimum wage increase taking effect on April 1 is bigger than previous hikes. New Zealands 2019 minimum wage increase pushes us into rather uncharted territory, he says. The $1.20 an hour increase is the largest on record and is expected to affect about 209,000 workers. With the minimum wage rising to nearly 70 percent of the median wage, we are also reaching levels well beyond those present in most other OECD countries. With prior smaller hikes, we would expect minor changes for those workers earning about the minimum wage to maintain relativity. I would be hesitant to make guesses about how employers will accommodate the sequence of hokes bringing us ultimately to a $20 an hour minimum wage. There will be some flow-on effect for workers currently near the $18 an hour mark, but we might also expect employers to look hard to find other ways to keep labour costs downs. He says, while the minimum wage was going up more than seven percent, MBIE modelling showed overall incomes for minimum wage workers with families would rise only between 1.7 percent and 3.7 percent, depending on what other income-related Government support they received. A lot of the minimum wage increase will be offset by reductions in Working for Families payments. Researcher Jess Berentson-Shaw, of thinktank The Workshop, says it was important the Government ensured that the changes to economic policies worked with the family support polices in place. Otherwise they risk advantaging those families who system is already working well for. The starting out and training minimum wage rates will increase from $13.20 to $14.16 per hour remaining at 80 percent of the adult minimum wage. -Stuff.co.nz/Susan Edmunds The Bay of Plenty is not at any more risk of contracting meningococcal disease than we have been in the last 20 or 30 years, says medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack. This comes after a woman died of the disease at Waikato Hospital on Friday March 15. The 24-year-old died of meningococcal septicaemia, or blood poisoning. Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection which can cause meningitis or septicaemia. New Zealand had an epidemic of meningococcal disease through the 1990s until about 2005, says Phil. During that period there were several thousand cases and quite a number of people died. Weve now gone not quite back to what we would call pre-epidemic levels, about 120 cases were confirmed last year in New Zealand, whereas before the epidemic, which started in 1991, we used to get about 50 cases a year. So we are not back to that base line but its much better than what it used to be. Unfortunately, there was someone who died in the Waikato, its a serious illness unfortunately, but its also readily treated with anti-biotics if its diagnosed soon enough. Phil says the message to the general public and residents of the Bay of Plenty is, if you or someone you know is developing symptoms, seek urgent medical attention. The sort of things to look for is someone with a rapidly developing headache with nausea, vomiting, not liking bright lights and ultimately the individual becomes quite drowsy and can be unresponsive, says Phil. And the advice, as with any illness if you have any concerns about an individual, seek urgent medical attention. The fact that someone in the Waikato died from this illness doesnt change anything either in the Waikato or anywhere else in the country. Its an illness that occurs from time to time and as Ive said the message is to be alert and seek urgent medical attention. The annual Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers Farm Day event took place in Welcome Bay on Sunday. Despite the drizzly weather, 616 visitors made the trip to Andrew and Robyn McLeods 400-head dairy farm. The Farm Day is the tenth consecutive event held in the Bay of Plenty, and the ninth event on the McLeods property. Both kids and adults braved the weather and some people travelled from outer Tauranga, Te Puke and as far as Gisborne for the event, which included milking displays, sheep shearing, butter churning and expensive machinery and gadgets. Andrew says the event requires a lot of organising. Its a big ask to put it all together. We start the planning months out and it gets really busy a couple of days out. Normally we have around 60 volunteers and we need all of them, its a pretty full on day. Farm goers took part in various activities, such as tossing gumboots, finding lollies burrowed into hay and enjoyed ice creams from Fonterra. The Farm Day was educational as well as enjoyable, as stands were set up by the MPI, Ballance and DairyNZ to teach event goers about detector dogs, fertilizer and facts about cows. Andrew says the effort he and his team put into the event is all worth it. We get terrific feedback. Its great to see how happy the kids are and to hear the adults say they have a better understanding. Tourists from Korea, Germany, China and the USA squelched around in the farmyard mud on Sunday, and in the past the event has drawn cruise ship passengers. Work starts this Sunday March 31, to repair and improve parts of Joan Gaskell Drive in Whitianga to make sure its safe and smoother for motorists this winter. The works have been planned to begin after the Repco Beach Hop event, so theres no disruption with the influx on the visitors to Whitianga this weekend. In a statement from the Thames-Coromandel District Council, it says contractors Broad Spectrum are starting work on the road between the Waterways Bridge and Cook Drive from Sunday March 13 to Monday April 8. Plans are in place to minimise disruption as much as possible. Joan Gaskell Drive is due for a refurbishment, as sections of the road are becoming rougher, requiring frequent repairs with high maintenance costs. While we are trying to minimise the disruption to the public as much as we can, the work will create some short term inconvenience, including minor traffic delays, says Infrastructure Group Manager Bruce Hinson. Traffic delays and/or detours will be in place to ensure the safety of the workers and motorists is not compromised. Detours will minimise the impact on nearby residents and businesses located on Joan Gaskell Drive. The work will be done in four sections, with most of it taking place at night to reduce construction time and ensure access is maintained to retail businesses during their opening hours. The section of road between Kupe Drive and Cook Drive will be done first at night, and will have one lane closed at a time. The closed land will be detoured via Kupe Drive, Whitby Avenue and Cook Drive. The daytime works will be between the Waterways Bridge and Kupe Drive and require the blocking of one lane with stop/go traffic management in place. There will be periods where the road will be open but it will be unsealed with a reduced speed limit. The reduced speed limit will also be in place after construction works have finished to give the surface time to bed in. The work will also be weather dependent and may need to be extended, says Bruce. We are asking everyone to be patience and understanding during the works. The four sections of work: Section 1: Sunday March 31 from 7pm to 6am the following morning pavement works. Sections 1 and 2: Monday April 1 from 9pm to 6am the following morning. Completion of pavement works on Section 1 and commencement of pavement works on Section 2. Section 2: Tuesday April 2 from 9am to 6am the following morning - complete pavement works. Section 3: Wednesday April 3 from 7am to 5pm pavement works. Sections 1 and 2: Thursday April 4 from 9pm to 6am sealing. Section 4: Friday April 5 from 7am to 5pm pavement works. Sections 3 and 4: Monday April 8 from 7am to 5pm - sealing. A gambling venue manager has become the first person in New Zealand to be charged with failing to identify a problem gambler. Under the Gambling Act, staff at venues are required to take all reasonable steps to identify actual or potential problem gamblers and to offer help. The Department of Internal Affairs' gambling group director, Chris Thornborough, says there is "no excuse" for failing to identify problem gamblers. "Venues have a legal responsibility to look after their gambling patrons, just like they do when serving alcohol," he says. If found guilty, the manager could be fined up to $5000 and a criminal conviction would probably bar a person from being directly involved in a gambling business. As the matter was now before the courts, Chris says he was not able to comment on the specific details. However, he says the prosecution showed venues would be held accountable if they ignored patrons showing signs of problem gambling. "We will not back away from prosecuting in cases where we have evidence to suggest that staff in gambling venues have failed to take all of the reasonable steps necessary to identify and look after problem gamblers. We will not stand by and watch as venues ignore patrons showing signs of problem gambling," he says. "Everyone working in gambling venues across New Zealand needs to take their harm minimisation role seriously." -RNZ One lane is reportedly blocked following a two vehicle crash on State Highway 2, near Papamoa. A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline says police are at the scene of the crash, near the Sandhurst Drive ramp. "There doesn't appear to be injuries, but I think St John is at the scene checking people over. "The Mount-bound lane is blocked. People should expect some delays." A police spokesperson says emergency services are currently responding to a crash on SH2, Papamoa. "We received a report at around 8:35am " Bibi to AIPAC: We Are Prepared to Do a Lot More Stand for Israel | March 27, 2019 After flying to the United States and attending the ceremony that declared American recognition of Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was forced to return to the Holy Land because of this weeks rocket attacks. However, in lieu of his attendance at the annual AIPAC conference, PM Netanyahu delivered the following address to the attendees via video: Good Morning, AIPAC. Unfortunately, Im not able to be with you in person because I returned to deal with the security situation in Israel after that criminal rocket attack from Gaza on our territory. We responded with great force. In the last 24 hours, the IDF destroyed major Hamas terrorist installations on a scale not seen since the end of the military operation in Gaza four years ago. Now Im just coming from a meeting with our Chief of Staff and our senior command. And I can tell you, we are prepared to do a lot more. We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state. In the midst of these events, I wanted to speak to you and say two words. Thank you. Thank you, AIPAC. Thank you for bringing together 18,000 proud Americans and more than 4,000 American students who stand with Israel. Thank you for working year after year, decade after decade to strengthen the remarkable alliance between our two countries. And I can tell you that alliance has never been stronger. Thank you for working to strengthen support for Israel on both sides of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans alike. That is how it has always been and thats how it should always be. Yesterday at the White House, President Trump again made history. He formally recognized Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Now that deserves enormous applause. The Golan Heights is indispensable for our defense. Its part of our history. When you put a shovel in the ground there what you discover are the ruins of ancient synagogues. Jews lived there for thousands of years and the people of Israel have come back to the Golan. Israel holds the high ground, and we shall never, ever give it up. It is part of Israel. So on behalf of all the people of Israel, thank you, President Trump and thank you for all the historic decisions you have made. Im sure you remember that in 2015, I went to the American Congress. I spoke out against the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran. In 2018, President Trump walked out of that bad deal. He restored American sanctions against a genocidal regime in Tehran that vows to destroy the one and only Jewish state. He recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital. He moved the American embassy there. He put a great ambassador there, Ambassador David Friedman. You just heard him. And with Ambassador Ron Dermer, Israel and the United States have two of the greatest ambassadors on earth. Thank you, Ambassadors. Thank you, President Trump. Ladies and gentlemen, in recent weeks, weve heard a lot about the rise of forces who want to pull America and Israel apart. So I can tell you one thing. I guarantee you this. They will fail. They will fail. Our shared values are too deep. Our shared interests too strong. Our shared destiny too intertwined. But having said that, I will also tell you we must never take anything for granted. Those who seek to defame this great organization AIPAC, those who seek to undermine American support for Israel, they must be confronted. Despite what they claim, they do not merely criticize the policies of Israels government. God Im used to that. That happens every five minutes. They do something else. They spew venom that has long been directed at the Jewish people. Again, the Jews are cast as a force for evil. Again, the Jews are charged with disloyalty. Again, the Jews are said to have too much influence, too much power, too much money. Ladies and gentlemen, you know what the best way to respond to this kind of hatred is? We read it. We read it just a few days ago in the Book of Esther when Mordechai confronted Haman of Persia. The best way to respond to those who hate the Jews is not to bow down to them. Its to stand up to them. So I have a message to all the antisemites out there whether they live in modern Persia, in the palaces of Tehran or the bunkers of Beirut; whether they march through the streets of Charlottesville or murder worshippers in a synagogue in Pittsburgh; whether they voice their hatred in political parties in Britain, or Europe, or the United States The Jewish people do not bow down. We stand up. We fight. And we win. My friends, ladies and gentlemen, some people will just never get it. Theyll never understand why the vast majority of Americans Jews and non-Jews alike support Israel. Take it from this Benjamin, its not about the Benjamins. The reason the people of America support Israel is not because they want our money, its because they share our values. They just dont get it. Its because America and Israel share a love of freedom and democracy. Its because we cherish individual rights and the rule of law. Its because we dont judge people by the color of their skin, their religion or their sexual orientation. I am proud of Israels vibrant democracy, where no one no one is a second-class citizen. All of Israels citizens are first-class citizens. All of Israels citizens whether Jew or Arab, Muslim, Christian, or Druze, have exactly the same individual rights. We vote in the same elections. Were subject to the same laws. We study in the same universities. And we are also treated in the same hospitals. But Israel is also the one and only country on earth in which the Jewish people exercise our collective right of self-determination. And that right is expressed in the Star of David that is on our flag, in the Hatikvah that is our national anthem, in Hebrew our official language and most powerfully, in the right of every Jew across the world to automatically immigrate to Israel and become a citizen if they choose to do so. It is these features of our collective existence that the Nation State bill enshrined into an historic constitutional law. And contrary to the false attacks and allegations, it did not denigrate any individual rights, which remain sacred and equal for all our citizens. And it will always be that way. Israel will always be a democracy, just as Israel will always be the Jewish State, a place where all Jews anywhere can always call home, no matter how they pray or how they wish to conduct their lives. Israel is the home of all Jews. That is why we all celebrate today the democratic, Jewish State of Israel. We know the truth. Ladies and gentlemen, the Jewish state that Herzl envisioned, the Jewish state that Ben-Gurion proclaimed, is the same Jewish state whose future I am working to secure. I hope the people of Israel continue to allow me to lead them for many years to come. And I am as confident as ever, that as Israel takes its rightful place among the nations, you will be there by our side. Youve always been there by our side. America will be there by our side. Thank you AIPAC. Thank you all for standing with Israel. May God bless you, may God bless America and may God bless our great alliance. Thank you all JORDAN, N.Y. -- A 14-year-old was arrested Tuesday for making a terroristic threat at Jordan-Elbridge High School, according to a news release from New York State Police. The students name was not released because of his age, police said. The student was issued a family court appearance ticket and released to parents. Earlier Tuesday, the Jordan-Elbridge School District released a statement about a student who threatened to shoot up the school." After being informed of the threat on Tuesday afternoon, administration questioned the student, the district officials said in a news release Tuesday. The student denied making the statement, but several other students said the student made the threat in class, officials said. Law enforcement did a threat assessment and the student was suspended until he faces a superintendents hearing, district officials said. The district posted a statement on its web site: District officials respond to student threat at High School Early this afternoon, Jordan-Elbridge High School administration was informed of an alleged threat by a student who stated that he was going to shoot up the school. High School administration immediately brought this student to the office for questioning. The student denied making any such statement. However, several other students informed us that the threat was made as they heard the student make the threatening comment while in class. As a result, law enforcement was contacted to conduct a threat assessment and the student in question was suspended until he faces a formal superintendents hearing. The safety and well-being of all Jordan-Elbridge students and staff is a foremost priority, and every effort will be made to maintain a safe and secure school environment. At this time, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, at 315-689-8500 ext. 5001 .Jordan-Elbridge Superintendent James Froio Update: Syracuse man falsely accused, arrested in fatal stabbing of man after car crash, DA says SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Two additional people have been arrested for their involvement in a homicide on Midland Avenue, according to a news release from the Syracuse Police Department. Dwight Vaughn, 30, and Shavay Davis, 25, of Syracuse were arrested Tuesday, police said. Vaughn was charged with first-degree manslaughter and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, while Davis was charged with making a punishable false written statement, police said. At approximately 11:35 p.m. on March 21, officers responded to the intersection of Midland Avenue and Furman Street at which two people were involved in a car crash and fight, police said. Shaladik Hadid, 39, had been stabbed in the chest and was later taken to Upstate University Hospital by AMR Ambulance, police said. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. After the stabbing, police also arrested Leroy Giles, 27, and charged him with first-degree manslaughter. Vaughn was also convicted of first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and first-degree criminal use of a firearm in 2008 for his role in a near-fatal gas station robbery, according to New York State prison inmate records. Both were booked into the Onondaga County Justice Center, police say. Vaughn is being held on $250,000 bail or bond, according to the justice centers inmate lookup. Davis is not listed in the database as being in the jail. Police say their investigation is continuing. They ask anyone with information contact the Syracuse Police Departments criminal investigations division at 315-442-5222. All calls remain confidential. Anonymous tips can be submitted via the SPD Tips app. Israel and Hamas Prepare to Square Off Stand for Israel | March 27, 2019 Embed from Getty Images The calm that seems to have settled on the Holy Land could very well be fleeting. The Times of Israels Judah Ari Gross notes that Palestinians are preparing to riot in celebration of the anniversary of the March of Return, while Hamas head calls for violence and the IDF remains on high alert: IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi on Wednesday ordered troops along the Gaza border to remain on alert for various scenarios in the region, the army said, as Israel prepares for what it fears will be a violent weekend, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Strips Great March of Return border protests. This week has seen tensions peak between Israel and the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group, with massive exchanges of fire. Throughout these bouts, Egyptian military intelligence has been working to try to broker a ceasefire. Israel is reportedly demanding an end not only to rocket fire but to all violence along the border, including regular riots along the security fence and the launching of airborne incendiary and explosive devices into Israel On Wednesday afternoon, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh came out of hiding for the first time since fighting began and visited the rubble of his office, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday night. In a statement to the press, the chairman of the terror groups political wing said Israel got the message during its latest round of attacks. Haniyeh called on our Palestinian people in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and abroad to participate in Land Day (March 30) and take part in the million-man march The Israeli military is concerned that the one-year anniversary of the first March of Return on Saturday will bring tens of thousands of rioters to the Gaza border threatening to breach the security fence and enter Israeli territory en masse. Israeli defense officials as well as Hamass political foe the Palestinian Authority accuse the terror group of encouraging these border riots in an effort to distract from its failures in governing the Gaza Strip, a crowded patch of land with crushing unemployment, limited access to electricity and potable water, and few economic prospects SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A 22-year-old Canandaigua man was arrested and charged with first-degree rape Tuesday, according to a press release from New York State Police. Benjamin D. Korpiel, 22, is accused of raping a woman in LaFayette, police said. He was taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center for centralized arraignment, police said. AUBURN, N.Y. -- Auburn Correctional Facility was locked down for more than a week due to inmate fights and assaults on staff, according to prison union officials. The lockdown, lifted yesterday, started March 18. The entire maximum-security prison was locked down, officials said. Beginning March 1, staff members were assaulted by inmates four times, officials said. And a large number of inmate-on-inmate fights occurred as well, they said. Officers seized 82 makeshift weapons, including 37 that were found during the week-long lockdown. The majority of the weapons were ice pick types, and one officer found a store-bought, composite knife that was six and a half inches long, officials said. The inmate fights appear to be gang related, officials said. Several inmates suffered cut and slash wounds. The four staff members suffered minor injuries, the union said. It is an extremely dangerous environment our members have to work in, said Joe Mian, vice president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Associations western region. (Eighty-two) weapons seized in a one month period speaks volumes to the fact that the administration needs to do more to make the facility safe. A spokesperson for the state corrections department did not immediately answer a request for comment. An official at the prison declined to comment. Syracuse, NY -- A former Upstate Medical University official is facing two felonies for making up accomplishments on his resume for a top job that paid him $400,000 in taxpayer money, according to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick. Sergio Garcia left the university in 2018 after making later-debunked claims about his work for the U.S. Department of State. Then-University president Danielle Laraque-Arena defended what she described as a thorough vetting process before Garcias hiring. As chief of staff, Garcia was in charge of Laraque-Arenas office and Upstates offices of external relations, human resources, facilities and planning, and university police. Garcia has now been arrested on two felonies, filing a false official record and defrauding the government, according to a criminal complaint. He is accused of fabricating a bachelors degree from a university in Mexico and falsely claiming that he was previously chief of staff for the U.S. Department of State. In fact, Garcia never graduated from that university -- or any university -- and never worked as chief of staff for the state department, Fitzpatrick told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Garcias resume apparently claimed that he was chief of staff for the entire U.S. Department of State, as he did not qualify it in any way, assistant prosecutor Melanie Carden noted. Under law, Garcia can be charged with filing a false record because he victimized a public institution, Upstate Medical University, Fitzpatrick said. The two charges are felonies that carry possible prison time, though none is required. Fitzpatrick announced Garcias arrest Wednesday as part of his offices ongoing probe into Upstate Medical University. His office made the following accusations against Garcia: Sergio Garcia, former Upstate chief of staff, giving a speech in 2017 In applying for Upstates chief of staff in 2016, Garcia claimed he had a bachelors degree from the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. He further stated in his application that he served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of State claiming that he advised front office leadership and aided the Secretary of State. In fact, Garcia never graduated from the university because he didnt complete an apprenticeship program, Fitzpatrick said. Garcias titles at the state department were foreign affairs officer (in 2004 and 2005) and senior adviser (in 2006), the DAs office said. After being hired in January 2017 as a vice president and chief of staff, Garcia continued to spread the falsehoods he initially stated in his application, fabricating additional details regarding his educational background and his responsibilities and experience with the State Department, the DAs office said. Garcia resigned in May 2018. At the time, news accounts linked his departure to much-publicized fabrications about surviving a car bombing in Afghanistan while with the state department. Among Garcias fabrications uncovered by the Albany Times-Union at the time were: Narrowly escaping a bombing in Afghanistan in 2013 that killed 25-year-old foreign service worker Anne Smedinghoff; Being hired by former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to work in the State Department; Being a close friend of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Being in the White House when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred for seven days without shaving or showering; Getting a law degree from an unidentified university in Oklahoma and working for a Los Angles law firm. Fitzpatrick suggested today that Garcias firing was also related to the discovery of fabrications on his resume. In his year-plus at Upstate, Garcia made more than $400,000, Fitzpatrick said. Garcias annual salary was $340,000. Fitzpatrick is not the only one probing Upstates dealings in recent years. Ex-president David Smith pleaded guilty in 2018 to a pay-padding scheme that also ensnared another longtime official, Steven Brady. Those cases were brought by the state Attorney Generals Office. The university was also scrutinized for a $660,500 hush payment to another former CEO, Dr. John McCabe. Fitzpatrick said his investigation into Upstate is still ongoing. JORDAN, N.Y. -- A Jordan-Elbridge High School student has been accused of threatening to shoot up the school" on Tuesday, according to the Jordan-Elbridge School District. After being informed of the threat on Tuesday afternoon, administration questioned the student, the district officials said in a news release Tuesday. The student denied making the statement, but several other students said the student made the threat in class, officials said. Law enforcement did a threat assessment and the student was suspended until he faces a superintendents hearing, district officials said. The district posted a statement on its web site: District officials respond to student threat at High School Early this afternoon, Jordan-Elbridge High School administration was informed of an alleged threat by a student who stated that he was going to shoot up the school. High School administration immediately brought this student to the office for questioning. The student denied making any such statement. However, several other students informed us that the threat was made as they heard the student make the threatening comment while in class. As a result, law enforcement was contacted to conduct a threat assessment and the student in question was suspended until he faces a formal superintendents hearing. The safety and well-being of all Jordan-Elbridge students and staff is a foremost priority, and every effort will be made to maintain a safe and secure school environment. At this time, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, at 315-689-8500 ext. 5001 .Jordan-Elbridge Superintendent James Froio ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Rochester police identified the missing man who was found dead in a vacant Syracuse house this week. The victim was identified as Maximillian Cook, 43, from the town of Greece, near Rochester, police said. Police said the homicide took place at 10 Pennsylvania Ave., Rochester. Cooks body was found in a vacant home on Dearborn Place in Syracuse, police said. The Rochester Police Department received information on Monday that Cook was believed to be the victim of a serious crime. Investigators worked with New York State Police in Onondaga County to locate a vehicle associated with Cook, Rochester police said Wednesday. The vehicle was located at the vacant Dearborn Place house. Police found Cook dead at that location. Aries M. Ash, 30, and Charisse N. Walton, 36, both of North Rose in Wayne County, were arrested in Rochester Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder, police said. Syracuse, NY -- Judges are often quick to warn that trials dont play out like they do on TV. But the intrigue behind a September 2017 double-homicide comes pretty close. Theres the cold-blooded murderer, Rene DeJesus, who has admitted firing a barrage of bullets inside a small Avery Avenue apartment. The gunfire killed the apartments tenant, Jose Castro, and also killed a double-agent accomplice, Arturo Resto, who had befriended the victim only to turn on him later. Theres the victims car: a 2006 Chevrolet Impala. But this was no ordinary car, prosecutor Michael Whalen said today. It had a secret drug trap under the passenger seat. And then theres the man on trial for murder this week. Brian Montanez is accused of being the puppet master who set up the twisted plot that led to the deaths of Castro and Resto inside that apartment. Montanez is accused of seeking to rob Castro of drugs and cash in a dispute over possession of the drug car, prosecutors Whalen and Melinda McGunnigle said. Because the victim died during the robbery, Montanez was charged with murder. Not so fast, defense lawyer Don Kelly told the jury. That theory makes no sense, he argued. Both sides agree the shooting happened in a confrontation between the victim, Castro, and two assailants, DeJesus and Resto. Montanez was not there. But the two assailants were alone in Castros apartment before Castro returned home, Kelly said the evidence will show. What kind of a robbery is this? he asked. Why dont you just find the heroin and the money and go? Why is it necessary to call (the victim) back to the residence to hold him up? What kind of stupid robbery is that? He suggested that DeJesus and Resto had decided to kill Castro on their own. It wasnt part of any robbery plan made with Montanez beforehand, he argued. Resto was supposed to engage Castro when he returned home. Then DeJesus was supposed to jump out of a closet, Kelly said. It turned out that Resto was armed, too, with a knife. And he was wearing gloves, apparently trying to hide his fingerprints at the scene, despite the fact hed been staying at the apartment, Kelly added. This wasnt a robbery at all, he argued. It was an intentional murder, committed by DeJesus and Resto without Montanezs presence or input, he argued. Castro, the victim, was struck 15 times by gunfire. But Resto, the assailant, was injured in the barrage, too. Kelly suggested that DeJesus then decided to kill his own friend, Resto, by firing a bullet into his head. Under law, if thats the case, then the jury would have to find Montanez not guilty of murder. The only way Montanez is guilty of murder is if he planned a robbery with Resto and DeJesus and, during that robbery, Castro was killed. If Resto and DeJesus acted on their own, Montanez isnt a murderer, Kelly said. Thats a far cry from the prosecutions theory. They say Montanez was angry that Castro had recently taken the drug car from him. Montanez wanted to rob Castro to get even, prosecutors said. So Montanez called on an old friend hed met in federal prison: Arturo Resto, of Oklahoma, prosecutors say. Then Resto and DeJesus -- the admitted gunman -- came to Syracuse and met up with Montanez. Prosecutor Whalen told the jury that Montanez set up the robbery committed by DeJesus and Resto. The trio even had an inside track -- Resto had been to Syracuse before and had befriended Castro, the eventual victim, Whalen said. Resto spent the night before the murder staying at the victims apartment, Whalen said. Meanwhile, DeJesus stayed at a nearby motel. The day of the planned robbery, DeJesus joined Resto at the victims apartment. When Castro returned, they held him up. But things went badly. DeJesus, hiding in a closet with a gun, came out and opened fire. During the barrage, the victim and Resto were killed. Afterward, Montanez picked up the surviving DeJesus and drove him to Rochester, the prosecutor said. DeJesus later admitted being the gunman and is serving a long prison sentence. Montanez maintains he is innocent of murder. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Testimony began this afternoon before County Court Judge Matthew Doran. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A 24-year-old woman was pistol-whipped and robbed in her driveway on Monday night, according to the Syracuse Police Department. At 7:30 p.m., officers responded to 103 Dillaye Ave. for a robbery call, police said in a news release on Tuesday. Dillaye Avenue is off of Burnet Avenue near Henninger High School. The woman told police that while she was standing in the driveway when a car with three people arrived, police said. She told police that two men got out of the car and one of the two men had a handgun, police said. The man with the gun pistol-whipped the woman in the head, and the men rummaged through her car and the house, police said. The men then fled, police said. The woman suffered minor bruising and refused medical treatment, police said. Police ask that anyone with information contact the Syracuse Police Department at 315-442-5222. All calls remain confidential. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Noah Syndergaard waved a flag of surrender on Tuesday in the Carrier Dome. It wasnt the traditional white flag. That wouldnt do. Syndergaard considered his surroundings and made a smarter choice. Orange. As in Syracuse University. The Mets ace closed his teams practice in the Dome with a quick jaunt around the field holding high a large flag with Syracuse Universitys block "S.'' The 4,296 fans in attendance roared, And just that quickly, Syndergaard was an honorary Central New Yorker. The workout was designed as a promotional perk from the Mets, who are taking over as the major league affiliate of Triple-A Syracuse this season. Syndergaard wasnt in a marketing mood earlier this week when he griped about spending one of the two days off before Thursdays opener in Washington swinging through Syracuse. Syndergaard wasnt made available to the media after practice, but Mets manager Mickey Callaway said the flag show was the pitchers idea. "Thats Noah. Hes great. I think that he understands how special this was to all the fans,'' Callaway said. "He wanted to do something special. He understands that were here for the fans sake. Thats one thing about Noah. Hes always going to be there for the fans, theres no doubt about it.'' Syndergaards initial concerns aside, Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said he enjoyed the trip to the Dome. I was happy about coming here,'' Nimmo said. "The teams coming here, and were really excited about the partnership with Syracuse. We all have our own opinions, and were allowed to express them. But I was excited to get here, and I think it turned out really well. I really think Noah embraced it.'' Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Baldwin brothers plan to open a drug rehabilitation center in either Onondaga or Oswego County in the coming year. The center is a project of the Baldwin family, spurred by Daniel Baldwins frustration with the lack of drug addiction treatment options in Central New York, he said. Were planning on opening something in the name of the Baldwin family somewhere here in Oswego or Onondaga county, Daniel Baldwin said in an interview with Syracuse.com. Baldwin has been open about his struggle with addiction; his drug of choice was cocaine. Daniel Baldwin said his brothers, Alec, Stephen and Billy, and his mother are on-board with the idea. Im doing the legwork, said Baldwin, who moved to Cleveland, in Oswego County, a few years ago to be closer to his mother, Carol Baldwin. He said he is currently looking for a property that could be used for 100-bed center. About 30 of those would be inpatient. The rest would be different phases of sober, supervised living. The center would provide clients with a year of treatment and be run in concert with SOBA, a treatment center that Baldwin often sends people to when they come to him seeking help. The company has several centers in Malibu as well as one on the campus of Rutgers University. It uses a model based on several phases of treatment that last a year. Frustration is the real honest answer, Baldwin said of his motivation for setting up a center. He said hes been approached by dozens of families looking for help for their children or loved ones who are struggling with addiction. Their stories are the same, he said. They have no place to take them. Baldwin said he isnt sure whether the new center will be for-profit or nonprofit, or how it will be funded. He also said he hasnt applied for the state licenses that he would need. That will come after he finds a property, he said. The plan is to open the facility with SOBA, which would be in charge of the day-to-day operations and treatment model. Baldwin said he is looking for others to join his family in setting up the new facility. Hes been talking the idea around with friends and at the Century Club, where he is a member. I dont have all the answers, Baldwin said. But its go-time now. He said he is currently making a documentary about a friends son who died of a drug overdose after struggling to stay sober. One of the young mans plans was to run with bulls in Pamplona. He never made it, so Baldwin plans to run there this summer and scatter the mans ashes as he flees the angry bulls. Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246 The front door wont stay shut. One stove burner is out of commission. The kitchen drawer is off its tracks. And the front window blind wont stop falling down. For residents of Scattered Site Townhouses in Syracuse, thats just another day living in public housing and its what led federal officials to flunk the development during its inspection last year. Scattered Sites score dropped by 50 points, even though it is one of the newest, most modern public housing developments in Syracuse. Residents say they like living there: They like having their own front doors even if they didnt work properly instead of sharing a high-rise with hundreds of other people. The Scattered Site apartments, which includes more than 150 units, were radical when they were constructed in 1985 in clusters of brick-and-white townhouses scattered across the citys west and south sides. The style was part of a movement away from housing low-income families in densely-populated towers. Yet, federal inspectors found so many deficiencies during visits to Scattered Site apartments in June, that they will be subject to more frequent inspections. Scattered Site was penalized for a variety of issues, from little holes in the walls to missing smoke detectors. Its the little things, resident after resident told a syracuse.com reporter who canvassed the apartments for three days over the last few weeks. Maintenance issues, residents said, add up quickly when youre trying to host a family dinner or get the kids ready for school. About a dozen residents discussed their experiences at Scattered Site. Seven invited a reporter inside to check out the conditions, which varied widely from unit to unit. Syracuse.com reviewed 140 pages of reports from Scattered Sites last two inspections. Many of the homes at Scattered Site Townhouses along the 600 block of Gifford Street had busted doors or damaged door handles. March 12, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com The Syracuse Housing Authority, the public agency responsible for public housing developments in the city, acknowledges its properties are struggling. Executive Director William Simmons said public housing needs to plan for a future that doesnt rely so heavily on federal dollars. Federal funding, based on trends in recent years, will never be enough to cover the needs of SHAs aging properties. According to Simmons, SHA has been forced to operate with almost half the maintenance personnel it had a decade ago due to federal budget cuts. Simmons said SHA has already corrected the more pressing problems at Scattered Site, including anything that would create a health or safety hazard. (HUD stays on site for 24 hours after an inspection to ensure problems like missing smoke detectors are corrected.) Fixing the maintenance issues, and those little things the residents say they struggle with most often, is more complicated. Even the best laid plans, when money is very very tight, can go astray, Simmons said. Some residents, including one who has gone without a shower head for more than eight months, reported that issues raised in inspection reports still hadnt been fixed. Simmons said thats largely because a longer-term plan for renovations at the townhouses was derailed this year by emergency issues at another site, Vinette Towers. SHA plans to begin tackling some renovations at Scattered Site, including bathrooms and the exteriors of the buildings, in spring 2020. Meanwhile, residents say they find ways to deal with the issues. Sometimes they pay to replace appliances out of pocket or look up how to fix something on YouTube. Marion Daily, a 24-year-old who has lived in the Seymour Street Scattered Site Townhouses all her life, said if you contact SHA repeatedly, you can usually get a problem resolved. Most of the time, if you keep calling, theyre pretty good, she said. -- The Scattered Sites apartments used to be top of the class of public housing in Syracuse. In a 2015 inspection, the apartments received a score of 94. That year, the most persistent problems at Scattered Site were with busted window screens. The near-perfect score meant HUD wouldnt visit again for three years. During that time, the Syracuse Housing Authority got satisfactory ratings from HUD. Overall, SHA is considered standard while other authorities in Buffalo and New York City have been downgraded to substandard or worse. Most properties SHA manages have seen modest improvements in inspection scores. SHA owns and manages 2,300 units of rent-subsidized public housing in Syracuse, all built before 1990, many of them decades earlier. Rent varies in public housing depending on family income and ability to pay. HUD caps monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Syracuse area at $688. Syracuse Housing Authoritys Scattered Site housing units on Slocum Avenue, on the Near Westside of Syracuse, March 13, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com While Syracuses scores went up, Scattered Sites saw the opposite trend: It received the worst score in the city last year. The score fell to 44 out of 100, according to inspection reports obtained by syracuse.com through a Freedom of Information request. Thats 16 points shy of what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers passing. HUD penalized Scattered Site by 33 points for things like busted doors, leaky sinks, holes in the walls and slowly crumbling facades. HUD deducted another 23 points for more serious violations, like missing smoke detectors and exposed wires. The failing score means HUD will visit more frequently to check on the housing at Scattered Site. Its due for another inspection some time this summer. HUD officials inspected 23 of the 156 units within Scattered Site last year, uncovering a number of systemic problems that they determined likely affect more than a third of the units there. Heres what inspectors found: All of the apartments need exterior improvements. Overgrown vegetation, graffiti, litter and sharp edges on walls and buildings led to deductions. Two-thirds of the apartments had holes in the walls or pieces missing from the walls. Half the units had missing, inoperable or damaged range stoves. Half had broken or damaged screen doors. One-third had leaky or broken bathroom sinks. Less persistent problems included mildew and water damage, ventilation issues, broken showers or tubs, and electrical problems including exposed wires. The reports did not cover sewer back-ups, a problem residents complained of that affects more than just public housing in Syracuse. Residents also said litter accumulates because many residents dont have trash cans. One woman said it took her about two months to get a new trash can from SHA. Reports and observations made it clear that doors, both inside and out, did not properly latch. This was obvious to a reporter who rang a Midland Avenue doorbell. A gentle press of the bell, located at the center of the door, flung the door past its latch and wide open. No one was home. At other apartments, doors jammed and residents said they had to use the back entrance. -- SHA officials point to declines in federal funding over the last decade as the main reason for the issues at Scattered Sites. Simmons said when he started at SHA more than a decade ago, the funding for capital improvements, or physical upgrades, was more than double what it is now. SHA gets around $3 million a year for this type of work. Now, he said, its a constant struggle to find funding for all of the needs at SHA. Maintenance staffing has dropped by 55 people in 10 years, Simmons said. Sixteen workers left and were not replaced between 2015 and 2018, when the conditions at Scattered Site declined most rapidly. SHA has 65 maintenance workers to handle repairs at more than 2,600 housing units in Syracuse. (The housing authority also owns and maintains about 380 affordable housing properties that HUD does not consider public housing.) And the housing stock isnt getting any newer, Simmons said. After the inspection on June 27 last year, Scattered Site was the top priority for SHA, he said. The organization on Aug. 6 selected an architect, Lothrop Associates, and a plan was drafted to upgrade doors, storm doors, masonry and siding, stoop and concrete replacements and bathroom renovations. SHA also started looking for funding for window replacements. Then the funds had to be moved to fix an emergency situation with interior walls at Vinette Towers, stemming from faulty construction done years ago. Now, SHA is hoping to begin construction on Scattered Site in spring 2020. In the meantime, theyve replaced toilets through an energy savings program offered by HUD. -- In one week in March, Scattered Site residents on the 600 block of Gifford experienced two sewage backups. SHA maintenance vehicles were there each time syracuse.com visited. Every time I call, they come out, Lorine Cunningham, a resident for about 15 years, said. They take good care of you if you call them. Its the residents that are the problem. Cunningham has the phone number and extension for SHA maintenance memorized. She said workers told her the sewage backups have been caused by residents flushing grease, hair, and cigarettes down the drains. Cunningham said neighbors used to hold monthly meetings, where they could discuss problems like the sewage back-ups plaguing her block in recent months. Simmons said he worries that Scattered Site apartments sometimes dont get as much attention by the nature of how they are physically scattered. Apart from it taking more time to travel from townhouse to townhouse, Simmons notes there is less of a community feel to Scattered Site than other public housing developments. Scattered Site shares a tenants group with another housing complex, Benderson Heights, which is east of Interstate 81 near Colvin Street. Carmen Arroyo, who lives at Scattered Site Townhouses on Gifford Street, had just finished cleaning up after a sewage backup when a reporter knocked on her door. Arroyo said she likes her apartment but is frustrated about needed repairs, including problems with her stove, a leaky faucet and a broken drawer, at lower right.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com The two are considered one entity for official purposes, including inspections. The Benderson buildings contain about 50 units, and accounted for fewer of the issues found during inspections last year. The reports show Benderson residents shared many of the same problems, such as broken doors, bathroom vents, leaky sinks, and the occasional missing smoke detector. Simmons said the Benderson community is pretty tight, but Scattered Site less so. He says this too could be improved with additional funding. In the past, SHA dedicated funds to resident education, Simmons said. When new residents moved into public housing, theyd get a small set of cleaning materials and a quick tutorial on how to keep their new place clean. Sometimes, SHA would hold workshops, or hire social workers to train residents in proper maintenance practices. Now, thats rare. Sometimes, through grants, SHA pairs social workers with residents. Mostly, SHA relies on its quarterly newsletters to inform residents. Simmons said thats one reason why he anticipates public housing will be more reliant on private-public partnerships, like Blueprint 15, a project announced earlier this year. SHA will work with the Allyn Foundation to remake the Pioneer Homes and Central Village developments in downtown Syracuse. Simmons, who is preparing for a 16 percent budget decrease for HUD next year, said he expects this will be the future of public housing. The next development on his list where hed like to find a partner: Scattered Site. Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government, education and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 Joint Statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries LIVE International Court of Justice will deliver its decision on the request for provisional measures in the case of ARMENIA v AZERBAIJAN Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia OPEC Fund Partners Ameriabank to Address Problems and Help to Improve the Life of People in Armenia. T. Alnassar. Google Ad Generation A: Edition 14. Exclusive Chance to Begin Your Professional Career with Ameriabank Katna Armenian cheeses enter the market: the new project of Galaxy Group of Companies US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Black Friday at ucom: up to 70% discount for smart home devices, gadgets and smartphones 116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan Discussion on the topic IT infrastructure as the basis of the digital economy with the participation of the heads of telecommunication companies in Armenia Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Google Ad Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive SANDY CREEK, NY - Emily Wemmer, a Sandy Creek high school principal who was under fire by some for social media comments she made about the community and treatment of girls, has a new district job. Wemmer is now an administrator on special assignment at CiTi BOCES, the district told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. District officials had refused to reveal what her new job was, but released the information in response to a Freedom of Information request filed by Syracuse.com | The Post Standard on Feb. 14. Wemmers annual salary in her new role is $82,400, the district said. Her principal job paid $82,318 in 2018. Wemmers comments made on her personal Facebook page caused an uproar among some parents. Other parents came to her defense, saying she was speaking up for her students. In one post, she complained about how women and girls were treated in the district. She also called the district a very conservative, traditional community. Maureen Shiel was named interim high school principal in February. At that time, district officials would only say Wemmer was still a district employee but wouldnt say what she was doing. The district and Superintendent Kyle Faulkner did not answer the question about whether Wemmers job existed before, or was created for Wemmer. Wemmers new duties, according to the information released by the district in response to the FOI, are to: Assist with supervision of students at CiTi Boces, and help maintain a calm, friendly lunch environment. Analyze survey data for Oswego County Literacy Initiative. Collect civil rights data. Analyze social-emotional learning survey data. Organize a countywide Dimensions of Wellness event. Assist with CiTi student management systems. Wemmer is listed in the CiTi BOCES staff directory as data coordinator working in the instructional technology department. She is listed as working at CiTi BOCES main campus, which in Mexico. The Oswego County BOCES changed its name to CiTi BOCES in 2014. CiTi stands for Center of Instruction, Technology and Innovation Wemmer issued an apology to the community after her comments. She said in that statement that her Facebook comments were private communications that became public when she was hacked and her privacy settings were altered. Wemmer has declined comment further. Her social media posts caused a firestorm among some members of the community. Others defended the principal, saying she was standing up for students. Wemmer wrote in a post in early December that I have learned myself that men feel totally entitled to manhandle women whenever. Girls are also expected to be passive. If I dont teach my girls anything else I hope that it is that they can live independently and choose if they want to be in a relationship or not. The mama bear comes out in me when I hear reports of abuse like I heard today. In another post, she said fathers of students will often try to intimidate me physically. Even some male students will try the intimidation BS, she said, adding, "Ive been asked if Im a lesbian or married as if those are the only possibilities for a woman. In another post, Wemmer wrote its hard when youre fighting against an intrenched [sic] conservative, MAGA hat-wearing culture. MAGA is short for President Donald Trumps campaign slogan Make America Great Again. The Trump administration has filed a letter of support for a church in northern New York that has been unable to congregate due to zoning laws. The Christian Fellowship Centers of New York purchased a building in the Village of Cantons C-1 Retail Commercial District earlier this year, according to court papers. The building previously housed a restaurant and night club. The church has not been able to operate since because Cantons zoning laws do not permit churches in the commercial district. According to a report by The Watertown Daily Times, the Christian Fellowship Centers has recently been able to use the building for office space. Mass has been held at a Best Western hotel, The Times reported. Lawyers for the church in February asked a judge to issue a preliminary injunction forcing the Village of Canton to allow the church to hold mass. They argued that preventing parishioners from using the building was a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. The village argues in court papers it is allowed to maintain a delineated business district, dedicated to shopping, dining and recreational activities. The federal government sided with the church today. Federal lawyers argued that the village permitted other groups to assemble in the district, including theater and social clubs. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York Grant Jaquith said a news release that his office was committed to protecting the free exercise of religion. When faith communities face discrimination through zoning or land use regulation, we will use the full force of the federal law to ensure that this fundamental right is not unlawfully infringed," Jaquith said. According to the news release, the case was part of the federal governments effort to protect religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. The Trump administration last year announced a Place to Worship initiative and in 2018 formed the Religious Liberty Task Force. Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government, education and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 Syracuse has some of the oldest public housing in the country but compared to other cities, its in pretty good shape, according to federal inspection reports. The decaying structures at Pioneer Homes and Central Village, directly along Interstate 81, prompted Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon earlier this year to deem public housing in Syracuse unacceptable. If you look at it, drive by it, its deplorable, McMahon said in an editorial board meeting with syracuse.com soon after he took office. The federal government should be ashamed with that. Yet the federal government considers most public housing in Syracuse to be acceptable. Syracuse Housing Authority, the agency that operates federally-funded housing in the city, gets a ranking of standard by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All but one housing development earned a passing grade (above 60) during its last inspection. Syracuse.com obtained nearly 700 pages of inspection reports for the seven large developments managed by SHA through a Freedom of Information request. Heres what we found: How Syracuse is doing overall The James Geddes Housing Development, on the Near Westside, is one of seven run by the Syracuse Housing Authority, March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 78/100 Syracuse Housing Authority received a score of 78 in 2018. Thats up from a 67 in 2017. The score in 2016 was 76. Syracuse gets good marks for its finances and management. It earned 50 out of 60 possible points in those categories, HUDs measures for whether SHA appropriately and quickly spends the money it receives from the federal government. SHA received 28 points for physical conditions out of a possible 40. HUD measures physical conditions through its inspections to housing developments. In 2017 and 2018, HUD inspected seven groups of developments in Syracuse: Pioneer Homes, Central Village, Toomey Abbott, James Geddes, Vinette Towers, Scattered Site Townhouses and Ross Towers. All but one development, Scattered Site Townhouses, earned a passing score on its last inspection. Of the seven inspected, four saw improvements or their scores stayed flat. Just two saw declines in their scores. Pioneer Homes Pioneer Homes housing units on both sides of Interstate 81. Pioneer Homes were some of the first public housing projects built in the country, by Syracuse Housing Authority. March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 64/100 The first public housing development in New York state and one of the first in the country, Pioneer Homes, known colloquially as The Bricks, was built in 1940. It consists of 578 units, mostly two-story rowhouses, situated along South McBride Street and right under Interstate 81. HUD officials inspected 26 units at Pioneer Homes on Aug. 8 last year. They gave the development a score of 64, up six points from its previous inspection. Pioneer lost 17 points for ordinary issues like peeling paint and busted door locks, and 19 points for more serious health and safety violations. In six units, smoke detectors were broken or missing. Systemic problems (affecting more than one-third of units): Cracks and settling in sidewalk pavement, erosion/runoff, overgrown vegetation, broken or missing hand railings, graffiti, tripping hazards/obstructions outdoors, lead hazard, damaged caulking on walls, accessibility (obstructed entrances) Other issues: Bed bugs in four units, mold/mildew, missing/broken cover plates, peeling paint, leaky faucets, damaged/small holes in walls, busted door locks, broken refrigerators, sharp edges/exposed rebar outdoors Central Village Central Village townhouses at Burt Street and Oakwood Avenue, run by the Syracuse Housing Authority. March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Almus Olver Tower, a part of Central Village development run by the Syracuse Housing Authority, at 300 Burt St. March 19, 2019Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 80/100 The two-story townhouses located along South State Street in the area of Martin Luther King Elementary School were built in 1963. For official purposes, HUD also considers nearby 12-story Almus Olver Towers, built around the same time, and McKinney Manor rowhouses to be parts of this development. McKinney, built in 1990, is situated further north on State Street. Altogether, 436 units make up this development. HUD officials inspected 25 units on Aug. 9 last year. Inspectors gave Central Village a score of 80, down from a near-perfect 98 in 2015. Central Village lost 11 points for ordinary issues like overgrown vegetation and missing window screens. It lost 9 points for health and safety violations including one missing smoke detector. Systemic problems (affecting more than one-third of units): Overgrown vegetation, sharp edges causing hazards, lead hazard, accessibility (blocked or missing entrances) Other issues: Damaged doors and windows, busted door locks, broken or missing window screens, broken refrigerators, peeling paint, missing electrical cover plates, deteriorating caulking/seals around windows Toomey Abbott Toomey Abbott Towers at 1207 Almond St., a Syracuse Housing Authority developments. March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 69/100 The 21-story high-rise for senior citizens, at 1207 Almond St. just east of I-81, was constructed in 1969. It has 303 occupied units. HUD officials inspected 25 units on June 25 last year. Officials boosted Toomey Abbotts score to 69 from a failing score of 43 in 2017. That year, reports said there were major problems with common areas and the exterior of the building, included mold/mildew, cracked ceilings and walls and broken doors. Inspection reports showed many of those problems were resolved before last years inspection. Toomey Abbott lost 18 points for more routine issues like small holes in the walls or peeling paint. It lost 13 points for health and safety violations including one missing smoke detector. Systemic problems (affecting more than one-third of units): Lead hazard, small holes in walls, missing or damaged fire extinguishers, damaged door locks, inoperable exhaust fans, peeling paint, damaged window screens, and a problem with the buildings electrical system Other issues: Bed bugs, damaged window locks, Call-for-Aid not working James Geddes Towers and townhouses at the James Geddes Housing develpment, on the the Near Westside, part of the Syracuse Housing Authority developments, March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 72/100 The James Geddes housing complex, which includes four high-rises for senior citizens, near Tully Street, and several neighboring townhouses along the citys Near West Side, were built beginning in 1954. The complex includes 462 units. HUD officials inspected 26 units on Oct. 4 last year. Officials gave James Geddes a 72, a marked improvement from a failing score of 49 in 2017. That year, inspectors found problems with the grounds including erosion and overgrown vegetation. That, and other persistent problems with holes in the walls and deteriorating window caulking, appear to have been corrected, according to inspection reports. James Geddes lost 12 points for more routine issues, and 15 points for health and safety violations, including one missing or broken smoke detector. Systemic problems (affecting more than one-third of units): graffiti and accessibility issues (obstructed or missing entrances, tripping hazards) Other issues observed: Leaky pipes, deteriorating window caulking, damaged door locks, peeling paint, mold/mildew, missing or broken cover plates, small holes in walls, non-latching interior doors, roaches Vinette Towers Vinette Towers at 947 Pond St., a development run by Syracuse Housing Authority. March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 70/100 The 12-story high-rise for senior citizens, located at 947 Pond Street on Syracuses North Side, was built in 1973. For official purposes, HUD also considers Fahey Court, at 100 Pastime Drive, a part of this development. Together, the two buildings have 180 units. Inspectors visited 24 units on Aug. 22 last year. The score, 70, did not change from the previous year. Officials deducted 15 points for more routine deficiencies and 15 points for health and safety violations including a missing or broken smoke detector. Systemic problems (at least a third of units affected): Roofs, sprinklers, overgrown vegetation, graffiti, lead hazard, holes in walls, damaged doors, mold/mildew Others issues: Call-for-Aide inoperable, cover plates missing from electrical sockets Scattered Site Townhouses Syracuse Housing Authoritys Scattered Site housing on Slocum Ave., on the Near West Side of Syracuse, March 13, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 44/100 Scattered Site is made up of townhouses that are literally scattered across the Near West Side and South Side of Syracuse. They were constructed in 1985, the same time as Benderson Heights, which is located on the east side of I-81 near Colvin Street. Both are considered one development by HUD. Together they have 156 units. Officials inspected 23 units on June 27 last year. Scattered Site had a dramatic drop, of 50 points, from its previous inspection score of 94 in 2015. Several problems surfaced for the first time in the 2018 inspection reports. Read our story about why. The townhouses lost 33 points for more routine deficiencies and 23 points for health and safety violations, including three broken or missing smoke detectors. Systemic problems (affecting more than one-third of units): Broken stoves, leaky sinks, busted doors and locks, damaged window screens, small holes in walls, accessibility (obstructed entrances), exterior problems (sharp edges/hazards, litter, graffiti, overgrown vegetation, erosion) Other issues: Non-latching doors, roaches/pests, non-locking windows, missing/broken electrical cover plates, mold/mildew Ross Towers Ross Towers at 710 Lodi St., a development of the Syracuse Housing Authority, March 19, 2019.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Score: 92/100 The Ross Towers development, located at 710 Lodi Street, was built in 1974. The two 12-story high-rises for senior citizens currently have the highest inspection score in Syracuse. The two buildings contain 145 occupied units. HUD officials inspected 23 units on Aug. 28, 2017. Because Ross Towers has a high score, inspectors only visit every two or three years. In 2015, Ross Towers got a score of 95. In 2017, Ross Towers lost five points for routine issues, and three points for health and safety violations, including one missing or broken smoke detector. Systemic issues (affecting more than one-third of units): Overgrown vegetation, missing emergency exit signs, mold/mildew, broken Call-for-Aid Other issues: Damaged door locks Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government, education and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 By Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press (TNS) WASHINGTON Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday defended deep cuts to programs meant to help students and others, including eliminating $18 million to support Special Olympics, while urging Congress to spend millions more on charter schools. We are not doing our children any favors when we borrow from their future in order to invest in systems and policies that are not yielding better results, DeVos said in prepared testimony before a House subcommittee considering the Department of Educations budget request for the next fiscal year. It was the first time that DeVos, a wealthy former Michigan Republican Party chairwoman and school choice advocate, had been called before a Democratic-led panel in the U.S. House to explain President Donald Trumps spending priorities. While proposing to add $60 million more to charter school funding and create a tax credit for individual and companies that donate to scholarships for private schools, DeVos budget proposal would still cut more than $7 billion from the Education Department, about 10 percent of its current budget. It calls for eliminating billions in grants to improve student achievement by reducing class sizes and funding professional development for teachers as well to funds dedicated to increasing the use of technology in schools and improving school conditions. In many cases, DeVos said the purpose of the grants has been found to be redundant or ineffective. In the case of the $17.6 million cut to help fund the Special Olympics, a program designed to help children and adults with disabilities, DeVos simply suggested it is better supported by philanthropy and added, We had to make some difficult decisions with this budget. Do you know how many kids are going to be affected by that cut? asked U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., while also pointing out a recent report by a nonprofit group that concluded the U.S. government has spent as much as $1 billion on charter schools that never opened or closed because of mismanagement or other reasons. DeVos has been a longtime supporter of charter schools independently run, publicly funded schools which typically arent as closely regulated as traditional schools and school choice for public school students, arguing that parents should be able to put their children into the schools of their choice and that funding should follow them. Many public school supporters have argued that government support of charter schools and private schools can undermine traditional, geographic-based schools, which educate most students. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who is chairwoman of the subcommittee that held Tuesdays hearing, called the budget proposal cruel and reckless, saying it will hurt the middle class and low-income families that most need our help. How can you support this budget? I mean that genuinely, she said. As secretary of the Department of Education, how can you support, even boast, about taking 10 percent away from our teachers and students? Its unlikely that any of the major reductions, or any major proposals to boost school choice, are headed towards passage, however. Even with Republican in the majority in the U.S. House the last two years, most of DeVos strongest proposals for cuts or spending were turned back; now with Democrats in the majority, they are far less likely to gain traction. WASHINGTON A familiar pattern repeated itself at the Supreme Court on Tuesday as it again took up the subject of extreme partisan gerrymandering: Liberal justices saw it as a threat to democracy that requires action, conservatives wondered how courts could ever decide when a political process becomes too political. In more than two hours of arguments, neither side seemed to believe there was much doubt that Republicans in North Carolina had pushed through a congressional redistricting plan that would keep their lopsided majority in what has become a purple state. Or that Democrats in Maryland had redrawn lines to eliminate one of the two districts in the blue state capable of electing a Republican. But once again, conservative justices, who make up the majority on the court, wondered how the judiciary should intervene in what is an inherently political process, and what standard would guide how to determine excess. If technology has made thousands of potential maps available to state lawmakers who draw the districts, conservative Justice Samuel Alito asked, "How do you determine whether that choice is constitutional?" He added: "It's a real puzzle to me." Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer said the solution was to go after the outliers. He suggested a test - which didn't seem to get much traction among his colleagues - that would raise constitutional concerns when a majority party in a state with near parity draws a map that would give it two-thirds of the seats. That is similar to the North Carolina map before them. The Supreme Court regularly scrutinizes electoral districts for racial gerrymandering, but the justices have never found that a state's redistricting map was so skewed by partisanship that it violates a voter's constitutional rights. Such a decision would mark a dramatic change for how the nation's political maps are drawn. The court passed up the chance last term to settle the issue. It sent back on technical grounds a Republican-drawn plan in Wisconsin and the challenged Maryland map. A reconfigured court was considering the issue Tuesday. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who suggested that some political gerrymandering could be so extreme that it was unconstitutional but had never settled on a test, has been replaced with Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The new justice is generally more conservative but has not ruled on the issue in the past. Kavanaugh asked pointed questions of both sides. He wondered whether plans that differed dramatically from proportional representation might be suspect, while all agreed the Constitution does not require it. When Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts worried about what kind of test judges could use to determine extreme partisanship, Washington lawyer Paul Clement, representing North Carolina's GOP legislative leaders, suggested the problem is that the framers put drawing electoral lines in the hands of the political branches, and did not intend a role for the judiciary. Liberal justices did not buy it. "That ship has sailed," said Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed, saying the court became involved decades ago when deciding districts had to be fairly apportioned. "Does one person have one vote that counts equally with others if the impact of her vote is reduced based on her party affiliation?" she asked. Justice Neil Gorsuch suggested that if there was a problem with extreme partisan gerrymandering, voters could take care of it, as they did in five states in the fall where citizen initiatives reigned in legislatures. But lawyers for the plaintiffs and Justice Elena Kagan reminded him most states do not allow voters to take the lead. "People really can't fix it," she said during the argument on the North Carolina map, saying that it is what made it so "dramatically wrong here." The Maryland case was not new to the justices. In June, they said it was not ready for them and sent it back. In November, a unanimous three-judge panel found that Democrats had unconstitutionally targeted Republican voters in the 6th Congressional District because of their past votes. The legislature had redrawn the district, which previously stretched across the top of the state, to dip down into Democratic strongholds in the Washington suburbs. "The massive and unnecessary reshuffling of the Sixth District, involving one-half of its population and dictated by party affiliation and voting history, had no other cause than the intended actions of the controlling Democratic officials to burden Republican voters," wrote Judge Paul Niemeyer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. He was joined by U.S. District Judge George Russell. Chief U.S. District Judge James Bredar wrote a separate opinion agreeing with the overall judgment and declaring partisan gerrymandering "a cancer on our democracy." The Supreme Court had also sent back the North Carolina case last term, telling a special panel of three federal judges to decide whether challengers in that state had legal standing. The judges said they did, and also found that the legislature's efforts violated constitutional protections of equal protection. The North Carolina legislature "drew a plan designed to subordinate the interests of non-Republican voters not because they believe doing so advances any democratic, constitutional, or public interest, but because, as the chief legislative mapdrawer openly acknowledged, the General Assembly's Republican majority 'think[s] electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats,' " wrote Judge James Wynn of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. "But that is not a choice the Constitution allows legislative mapdrawers to make." Wynn was referring to comments from a legislative leader after a previous map was struck down as an example of racial gerrymandering that made clear politics was the motive behind the new map. "I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats," said Rep. David Lewis, a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, addressing fellow lawmakers when they passed the plan in 2016. He added: "I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats because I do not believe it's possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats." When voters went to the polls that fall, the 10-3 outcome was exactly as Lewis had predicted, even though Republican candidates won just 53 percent of the statewide vote. The trend continued in the fall's elections, although Democrats actually received a majority of votes. Two of the districts are open, one because of the death this year of one of the Republican congressmen. The other was a close contest marked by alleged election fraud on behalf of a GOP candidate. The winner was never seated, and a new election will be held. WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. John Katko voted with House Democrats on Tuesday in a bid to override President Donald Trumps veto of legislation that would have blocked his declaration of a national emergency at the southern border. The vote Tuesday was 248-181, far short of the two-thirds majority needed to overturn Trumps first veto as president. Katko, R-Camillus, was among 14 Republicans who joined all 234 voting Democrats on Tuesday in the effort to thwart Trumps emergency declaration. In a rare rebuke of Trump from Congress, both the House and Senate passed a resolution last month to block the president from declaring the emergency and bypassing Congress to secure billions for his border wall. Katko missed the vote last month due to the death of his father. But he asked the House Clerk to record his position in support of the resolution. Katko warned that Trump would set a dangerous precedent by diverting $6.7 billion from the military and other programs to finance the border wall. Presidents, from either party, should not legislate from the executive branch, Katko said in February. Doing so dangerously expands the authority of the office and sets poor precedent. Democrats, noting that Congress controls the power of the purse, have promised to take the challenge of Trumps order to court. Trump wants to use his emergency order to redirect about $3.6 billion budgeted for military construction projects. The money would be used for border barriers and enhanced security on the U.S.-Mexico border. The vulnerable military projects include one in Central New York -- a $14.2 million anti-terrorism perimeter security upgrade at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Wednesday awarded the Medal of Honor to Army Sgt. Travis Atkins, almost 12 years after the Fort Drum soldier sacrificed his life to stop a suicide bomber in Iraq. Atkins son, Trevor Oliver, 22, accepted the medal, the nations highest military honor for valor, in a ceremony in the White House East Room. Today, the name of Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins will be etched alongside of the names of Americas bravest warriors and written forever into Americas heart," Trump said before presenting the medal. Trump acknowledged more than 50 current and former members of the legendary 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum near Watertown who made the trip to the White House to honor Atkins. He asked them to stand. Among them, were the three former Army soldiers whose lives were saved June 1, 2007 when Atkins wrapped himself around a suicide bomber in Abu Samak, Iraq. In his final moments on Earth, Travis did not run," Trump said. He didnt know what it was to run. He did not hesitate. He rose to the highest calling. He laid down his life to save the lives of his fellow warriors. Trump asked Oliver, who was 11 when his father was killed, to say a few words before presenting him the medal and telling him, Your fathers courage and sacrifice will live for all time. Its an absolute honor to have every one of you here, Oliver said to more than 500 people gathered in the East Room, most of them members of the military and their spouses. Everything you have said to me over the past few days has meant the world to me, and it changes my life every, every day. Looking at his fathers battle brothers, he added, Im glad that you got to enjoy his love and his energy. Thank you. After he spoke, President Trump leaned over to Oliver and said, Beautiful. Oliver and his grandparents, Jack and Elaine Atkins of Bozeman, Mont., were led into the East Room by Vice President Mike Pence. Among those in attendance were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, a former commander of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, who represents the New York North Country district that includes Fort Drum. Atkins became only the fourth soldier from Fort Drums 10th Mountain Division to receive the Medal of Honor. The medal is reserved for the bravest of the brave, military officials say, and it is awarded only when acts of courage can be well documented. Atkins served in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum from December 2005 until his death on June 1, 2007. He was a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. It was his second time in the Army. He reenlisted after serving in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Kentucky from November 2000 until December 2003. He took part in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003 as an infantry fire team leader. A year after Atkins died at age 31, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor for recognition of valor in battle. But the Pentagon decided to upgrade the honor last year after a review of more than 1,100 commendations for heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trevor Oliver accepts the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump, presented to his father, Army Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins in recognition for conspicuous gallantry in Iraq in June 2007, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday March 27, 2019, in Washington.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) APAP Oliver said he found out about the decision in August when he received a surprise phone call from President Trump. But when Army officials contacted him first to confirm his identity and arrange a call about his father, Oliver thought it was a scam. Army Col. Carrie Perez, who helped lead the Medal of Honor team that contacted the family, told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that officials could only inform Oliver that a senior Defense Department official wanted to talk with him. No mention was made of the president. I immediately didnt think it was real, Oliver told reporters while visiting the Pentagon on Tuesday. I thought there was some elaborate plan going on and they were trying to fool me. So, I immediately was not very nice to people on the phone, and I was being rather rude. A date was set for a call at 4 p.m. Aug. 2. In short order, President Trump was on the phone talking with Oliver, who works a 6 a.m. shift at a Target store in Coon Rapids, Minn. In their phone conversation, President Trump told him that he had good genes from a tough warrior. As I came to realize that it was real, it was completely overwhelming and utter shock, Oliver said. My girlfriend was in the room and she said my jaw was on the floor and I was beet red. It was absolutely a liberating experience. Its such an incredible, incredible honor. Jack Atkins said he had similar thoughts when Defense Department officials called him in Bozeman, Montana. I couldnt believe what she was telling me, said Atkins, a veteran of the Vietnam War. I said, Are you a scam artist working out of your garage? Jack Atkins listened Tuesday at the Pentagon as five Army soldiers who served with his son talked about Travis qualities as a leader, friend and ultimately a hero. I am not surprised to hear what Travis did, Atkins said. This award is one thing. The real award for us is that these guys showed up. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Those violating Rockland Countys new ban against unvaccinated minors in public spaces could face six months in jail or a $500 fine. Parents will be held accountable if they are found to be in violation of the state of emergency and the focus of this effort is on the parents of these children, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said, according to the Journal News in White Plains. We are urging them, once again, now with the authority of law, to get your children vaccinated. Day on Tuesday announced a state of emergency in Rockland County over its ongoing measles outbreak. The county, located outside New York City, also banned unvaccinated people under age 18 from public places. The emergency expires in 30 days. Children with medical exemptions from vaccines are not included in the ban, but the new rule includes no religious exemptions, according to the Journal News. The order only applies to people under 18 because county officials did not want to prevent anyone from going to work, according to CNN. Public places covered by the ban include shopping centers, restaurants, schools and places of worship. Outdoor gathering places are not included. We must not allow this outbreak to continue indefinitely or worsen again, Day said, according to The New York Times. We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk. Rockland County has been battling a severe measles outbreak since last year that now includes 153 confirmed cases. About 73 percent of children ages 1 to 18 in the county have been fully vaccinated, but herd immunity against the illness is not effective until vaccination reaches 95 percent. Most of those infected in the outbreak have been children. Cases have been concentrated largely in ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, according to the Times. Vaccination rates in those communities tend to be lower and anti-vaccination literature has been spreading among those groups. Some Jewish leaders are concerned about backlash over the ban, according to the Journal News. "I'm very concerned about it because there are folks in this community, in this county, who will use this as an opportunity to be prejudiced," said Gary Siepser, CEO of the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Rockland County, according to the Journal News. "I'm very concerned at how people will be viewed and what could happen when people go into the mall or try to go into Target or wherever they want to go shopping and be out. That's my concern." County officials said they will enforce the ban the same way they do other laws, according to CNN. If investigators working to identify when and where an individual was exposed to measles come across an unvaccinated person who had been in public, the case will be referred to the district attorney. But the goal is not prosecution, said John Lyon, a spokesman for the country, according to CNN. "We don't want to fine people," he said. "We want to encourage people to get vaccinated." Police will not be deployed to any locations proactively looking for proof of vaccinations, according to the Journal News. The ban is necessary because of ongoing resistance to other efforts to control the outbreak, Day said, according to the Journal News. An executive order already pulled nearly 6,000 unvaccinated kids out of school and nearly 17,000 doses of the measles vaccine were given in 26 weeks, according to the Times. A public health campaign involving community officials, doctors and rabbis emphasized the importance of vaccinations. Day said he believed Rocklands ban was the first of its kind in the U.S. Public health experts said they could not recall any action like it in recent years, the Times said. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 March 27-- Mar. 27--TROY -- Peiching Dong, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute student from Shanghai, took an Uber from Troy to a gun shop in Saratoga County on March 14 intending to buy a rifle. He left the store in the custody of two FBI agents. Now expelled from RPI, he's sitting in a federal detention center in Batavia, waiting for a hearing on his immigration status. Regardless of its outcome, Dong doesn't plan to return to Troy in the immediate future and is hoping to simply go home to China. "He's been through a lot," said Dong's Latham-based lawyer, Mark Sacco. The RPI campus has been rattled by the circumstances surrounding the detention of the 19-year-old freshman, who was studying chemistry and physics. On Monday -- nearly two weeks after the initial incident -- the school issued a statement announcing that Dong had been permanently removed. "It's definitely the thing on campus right now," said one student, speaking on condition of anonymity. Dong's odyssey started when he was driven to the Saratoga Weapons and Tactical gun shop in Malta. He was interested in buying a high-end rifle, but the fact that he offered his passport and student visa as identification raised a potential concern for Rob Porter, who owns the store. He called federal authorities to inquire if it was all right to sell a firearm to Dong. "We made some calls to some departments that have asked us in the past to 'See something, Say Something,'" Porter said. State Police said they didn't think there was a problem with the purchase. The FBI, however, wanted to talk to Dong. So the student canceled his Uber ride back to Troy and waited about a half-hour for agents to arrive. Porter said there was nothing about Dong's demeanor or behavior that raised any red flags. "He seemed like a nice kid," he said. Dong did, however, show him his switchblade knife -- which Porter informed him was illegal in New York. Nor was his interest in firearms unusual. Tom King, who heads the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said Chinese people who have traveled to the U.S. often have an interest in guns, which are far more difficult to legally own back home. Sacco said the FBI agents took Dong to an RPI dean's office where he was immediately expelled. While the school hasn't offered a detailed explanation as to why, RPI has a policy against weapons on campus. Dong's dorm room was searched by federal authorities after his expulsion and detention. Sarah Ruane, spokesman for the FBI's Albany office, stressed that no criminal charges were involved in the case. Even so, the consequences were severe: With Dong expelled, his visa was no longer valid. He was taken to the Rensselaer County jail, where agents from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement picked him up and took him across the state to the Batavia detention center. The arrest sent shock waves across the normally placid RPI campus, sparking a social media eruption full of speculation and worry. On Monday, the school sought to tamp down potential rumors, issuing a statement that said the school had been "informed by federal law enforcement that a student was attempting to purchase an assault rifle." "With the intervention of law enforcement, and our own Public Safety division, the purchase was prevented," the statement continued. "The student was permanently removed from the university and remains in federal custody." The statement added that, "At no time were guns or ammunition on the Rensselaer campus, nor was there any immediate threat to the campus community." The reference to an assault rifle was an apparent error: The sale of assault-style weapons has been banned in New York for years, with the definition of what constitutes such a weapon expanded by the 2013 SAFE Act gun control law. It's not unusual for students in the U.S. to leave or be deported if their F-1 visa expires or is voided, said L.J. D'Arrigo, an Albany immigration lawyer. But that's usually because a student has flunked out, isn't taking enough credits or has simply stopped attending classes. And unlike other kinds of visas, federal ICE agents get immediate notice of an expiration from the sponsoring college or university. "A student visa is different because it is much more regulated," said D'Arrigo. Additionally, the fact that he was taken to Rensselaer County Jail likely sealed Dong's fate: The county's sheriff, Pat Russo, has a policy of detaining undocumented immigrants and calling ICE agents to check on them. Sacco said Dong's father has flown from China to New York, and they are working to get him out of detention as soon as possible. They also plan to appeal his expulsion from RPI, although that process could take a while. And it's unclear whether he wants to return to the school. "This is Dumb Kid 101," Sacco said, characterizing Dong's attempted gun purchase as an honest mistake. "It was terrible circumstances coming together," said Sacco. "Things looked more suspicious than they were, and you have a climate in this country -- justifiably so -- of all these gun issues." By Rick Karlin, Times Union, Albany, N.Y. Mallory Moench contributed to this story. Samsung SmartThings has been the leading product in the smart hub space pretty much since the day it was released, but one small problem has long held it back: It had to be tethered to your router with an ethernet cable. For many users, including myself, that one problem was a deal breaker. There are just two available ethernet ports on my router, and Im just not interested in turning my living room into a server closet with switches and cables running all over the place. With the third-generation SmartThings Hub (Samsung model number GP-U999SJVLGDA), Samsung finally enters the wireless age in earnest. It still provides the option to connect the hub to your router via ethernet, but Wi-Fi connectivity is the default. As with the previous generations of SmartThings, the third-generation Hub is designed to bridge the gap between your smartphone and a wide variety of wireless smart home productsparticularly devices that use the Zigbee and Z-Wave protocols. You can also use SmartThings to control Wi-Fi gear. Christopher Null / IDG Samsung wisely retained an ethernet port, for enthusiasts who prefer the assurance of hardwired ethernet, but the third-gen SmartThings Hub can also join your home network over Wi-Fi. Samsung counts 329 compatible products on its works with page, and while theres a bit of duplication (seven of those products are different Philips Hue bulbs, for example), that level of support is not only deep, but also broad, with smart home products running the gamut from sensors, switches, and light bulbs to smart deadbolts and Samsungs home appliances. SmartThings also supports Bluetooth devices now, but only on the Android version of the SmartThings app, not iOS (a fact that is barely documented). Nests product line (cameras, smart thermostats, smoke detectors, doorbells, and door locks), however, is still not on that list. The same goes for August smart home products. And Apple fans will want to know that SmartThings is not compatible with Apples HomeKit ecosystem, either. Christopher Null / IDG As you would expect, Samsungs SmartThings Hub (2018) can communicate with many of Samsungs smart appliances. Cosmetically, the SmartThings hardware has been given a nice upgrade: The hub is roughly the same size and weight as before, but its more streamlined now: a smooth, rounded square with less of an industrial appearance. Theres a USB port on the back of the device, but this doesnt appear to have any actual utility. Of larger note: This latest version doesnt have a battery backup; perhaps Samsung has concluded that a smart home isnt of much use if the powers out anyway. Setting up a Samsung SmartThings (2018) Hub While SmartThings setup is largely a tap-and-enter-passwords affair if youre starting from scratch, upgrading from an older SmartThings hub is a surprisingly not-simple matter. There is no migration path, so youll not only need the new version of the SmartThings app (more on this later), youll need to reset and reconfigure all your devices from scratch. The new app is a key point to understand here, because the new SmartThings Hub is not compatible with the older version of the SmartThings app. Whether youre coming at this as a new user or have had your smart home set up for years, youll need to start fresh. That makes it very hard to recommend upgrading from a second-generation SmartThings hub unless you really need that Wi-Fi connectivity option. And I must say, while the new SmartThings app certainly looks better, it is a big step back when it comes to actual operation. Designed as a semi-clone to the iOS Home app, the default view of the primary screen breaks devices down by room, with each further populated with its respective devices. Its easy enough to navigate, but my troubles became more serious when it came to adding devices to the system to control. While it was simple to add smart plugs and even cloud-based devices like a Ring doorbell, SmartThings choked on devices for which it has explicit support. Christopher Null / IDG The new Samsung SmartThings app organizes your smart home devices according to the rooms in which theyre located. I couldnt get my Samsung smart TV to connect to SmartThings, for example, and connecting my Samsung refrigerator required a call to tech support. I also had no luck getting Netatmo devices to connect. In that case, after being told I would need to enter my login credentials, the next screen with which I was presented was blank. I never got some of these devices working on the new hub, a problem that was complicated by having both the app crash and the hardware lose its connection to my network during my testing, requiring a reboot. I couldnt even get the SmartThings report an error system to work to ask for help at any time, resorting instead to Samsungs online chat-based support or the phone. Beyond this, the app supports scenes and automations, including several pre-loaded smart scheduling systems that let various devices work in concert. Of course, SmartThings still supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, and thats even better news for users who want to add things like voice control or the ability to link together devices that SmartThings doesnt support directly. Despite difficulties with its app (and hopefully these are simply growing pains at this point), it seems clear that SmartThings is still the smart hub to beat, thanks to its vast support for myriad devices and a general maturity that other hubs just cant match. The only other real contender in this space, Wink, is lately dogged by speculation that it is going out of business. Although the companys public relations department has not responded to email queries for months, the platforms tech-support group remains active and was responding to reported service outages as recently as March 26. Some enthusiasts had hoped that Amazons Ring division would step up to take on SmartThings, since the hub in the Ring Alarm has everything it needs to support a broader smart home system, but that product hit the market in July of 2018 and were still waiting. Smart home hubs are still necessaryfor now All that said, the bigger question might be this: Do you really need a smart home hub in 2019? Were seeing increasing numbers of smart home devices that operate on Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi devices dont need a hub as a bridge to the cloud. They can also communicate directly with Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers, and those can in turn handle tasks such as grouping, scheduling, andwith models equipped with displayseven streaming footage from your home security cameras. Reduced power consumption and native mesh networking, on the other hand, remain the biggest advantages that the Zigbee and Z-Wave platforms offer. Wi-Fi connectivitys thirst for electricity makes it difficult for Wi-Fi smart home devices to run on battery power. Z-Wave and Zigbee devices sip electricity, and each generation has gotten more efficient. Plus, every Z-Wave and Zigbee device you deploy acts as a network repeater, greatly expanding the area that a SmartThings hub can cover. Mesh Wi-Fi routers are now available (and Samsung offers a SmartThings mesh router of its own that has an integrated SmartThings hub), but theyre more expensive than conventional Wi-Fi routers. So the bottom line is that right now, the SmartThings Hub remains the most DIY-friendly path to a fully featured smart home, doubly so if youve already invested in Z-Wave and Zigbee devices. If youre already using the second-generation SmartThings Hub, on the other hand, you should probably stick with it. Migrating to the third-generation hub will be painful (and for most people, unnecessary). In brief: The European Commission has recommended that member states carry out their own risk assessments of 5G network infrastructures but didnt suggest a blanket ban on Huaweis equipmentsomething the US has been pushing for. The recommendations give countries until the end of June 2019 to carry out the 5G assessments, which includes evaluating the risks linked to the behavior of suppliers and operators. It will be up to each nation whether they decide to exclude a company from their plans. 5G technology will transform our economy and society and open massive opportunities for people and businesses, said European digital chief Andrus Ansip in a statement. But we cannot accept this happening without full security built in. It is therefore essential that 5G infrastructures in the EU are resilient and fully secure from technical or legal backdoors. The US has long accused Huawei of spying at the behest of the Chinese government, with intelligence chiefs warning that a telecoms device from the company could put users at risk of having their personal information stolen. Following the signing of the Defense Authorization Act, US government agencies and contractors have been banned from using certain tech from Huawei. In response, the firm intends to sue the US government. America has been asking its allies not to use Huaweis equipment in their 5G networks. While Australia and New Zealand agree, others, including the UK, believe they can mitigate any potential risks. But ignoring the warnings could come at a cost: US officials said they would limit intelligence sharing with Germany if it used Huaweis 5G technology. The EU also asks that nations work together and exchange information with each other. The reports will be passed on to the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), which will deliver a coordinated risk assessment by 1 October 2019. Why it matters: Google is a world leader in artificial intelligence, causing the company to receive flak for having a lab in China even though its competitors may be offering more direct assistance to Chinese entities. A meeting with top pentagon officials may help educate leaders on what Google is working on as well as how AI advancements are being used universally. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is scheduled to meet with General Joseph Dunford to discuss ongoing artificial intelligence projects that are related to China. Dunford had criticized Google declaring that such AI has provided indirect benefits to the Chinese military, to which Google offered to sit down and meet. In 2017, Google opened an artificial intelligence lab in Beijing. Dunford mentioned this lab when denouncing Google for helping China advance their technical capabilities. Unlike other tech giants, Google has shied away from lucrative cloud computing contracts being offered by the United States. Microsoft and Amazon have both very aggressively pursued defense contracts for cloud services, hoping to become essential providers of infrastructure so that winning future contracts becomes even easier. Employee protests could be one reason Google has chosen not to move forward on large military contracts, but it also may be that China is just a bigger market with less paperwork involved. Google is helping China and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible! The good news is that they helped Crooked Hillary Clinton, and not Trump....and how did that turn out? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2019 Just one week ago, Google even issued a public statement declaring that it is not working with the Chinese military. Dunford never said that there was a direct connection, but President Trump heavily implied that to be the case. Going beyond just Google, Microsoft and Amazon both already have cloud services being sold in China. Amazon even has highlighted the fact that it has worked with 33 public sector customers in China in an AWS presentation. Google may appear to be receiving the most criticism, but there are no public records to show what kinds of military AI work the company has done or plans to do in the future. Why it matters: Following up on FCC Chair Ajit Pai's directive to crack down on robocalls, the FTC announced that it had shut down and fined four robocall scammers earlier this week. While it is not a lot compared to the hundreds or even thousands of shady operations out there, at least the commission has taken some kind of action. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been busy this week. In addition to its notice of an investigation into the privacy practices of broadband providers, the commission announced yesterday it had settled lawsuits with four robocall operations. NetDotSolutions, Higher Goals Marketing, Veterans of America, and Pointbreak Media, all agreed to shut down and pay fines as part of their settlements. The penalties ranged from $500,000 up to $3.64 million per defendant. Operators of the businesses are also banned from opening or running other similar companies. According to the FTC press release, all four operations were engaged in or facilitated fraudulent activity. The companies reportedly bilked billions from consumers and businesses. NetDotSolutions had a robocalling platform called TelWeb, which is sold or licensed to other telemarketing firms including fraudulent debt-relief services. It was charged with facilitating illegal robocalls, calling people on the Do Not Call registry, and spoofing caller IDs. The company owners were fined in total $1.4 million with $5.35 million suspended due to inability to pay. "Four separate operations responsible for bombarding consumers nationwide with billions of unwanted and illegal robocalls pitching auto warranties, debt-relief services, home security systems, fake charities, and Google search results services have agreed to settle with the FTC." Higher Goals Marketing operated a fake debt-relief service and had previously been shut down by a court order under a different name. It was fined $3.15 million, which the FTC will suspend once the company turns over all of its assets. Veterans of America was a charity scam that solicited vehicle donations for veterans. The items never went to charity but were sold for profit. The scam operated under at least six other aliases including Vehicles for Veterans, Medal of Honor, and Donate That Car LLC. The owner was fined $541,032.10, which will be suspended upon relinquishing significant assets including 88 vehicles to the FTC. Pointbreak Media was a Florida-based scam that would call businesses claiming that it represented Google. Of course, the company was not affiliated with Google whatsoever. It would inform victims that their companies were about to be removed from search results. Telemarketers would tell firms that fell for the ruse that they could stop the removal and guarantee first-page placement for payments ranging from $300-$700. They further threatened that if payment were not made, the businesses would be marked permanently closed. Three operators in the scam were fined a total of $12.72 million with the highest penalty being $3.64 million. Defendants can have the fines suspended after handing over assets to the FTC totaling a fraction of the amounts imposed. While shutting down four robocall scams is only a drop in the bucket for addressing a rising problem, at least its a start. Perhaps other companies operating similar shady telemarketing services will get the hint and take their money and run. However, greed is a powerful force, so dont hold your breath that this problem will go away any time soon. When researchers sifted through the ancient garbage of the Byzantine Empire's city of Elusa, they discovered clues of the city's destruction in the rubble. The team's findings from the garbage told a different story from what historians used to believe about the collapse of the ancient city found in what is now the Negev desert in Israel. According to National Geographic, it is widely believed that the Byzantine Empire in the Negev collapsed with the dawn of the Islamic period in the mid-seventh century. It has been said that key changes in trade and wine production greatly affected Elusa, ushering in their eventual decline. It turns out the real reason came a century before the Islamic period's arrival. In a study published in the journal PNAS, scientists excavated urban garbage dumps in the perimeter of Elusa. With their findings, the team discovered that a quick and intense climate shift caused by volcanic eruptions brought about the demise of the Byzantine city. Digging Through Mounds of Trash Guy Bar-Oz, an archaeozoology professor at the University of Haifa, and the rest of his team trained their attention on Elusa's dumps. After all, they point out, the end of trash collection would likely coincide with the end of the city. Through excavating and carbon dating the material found in the trash mounds, the researchers found that Elusa stopped collecting trash in 550. It is much earlier than they expected and predated the beginning of Islamic rule in the region. During this period, the Roman Empire was thriving, according to Baz-Oz. Instead of showing signs of success, however, Elusa was already exhibiting signs of decline in the garbage. "Instead, we are seeing a signal for what was really going on at that time and which has long been nearly invisible to most archaeologists that the empire was being plagued by climatic disaster and disease," Bar-Oz told Live Science. A Climate Shift That Triggered The End The collapse of Elusa occurred during a time period of rapid climate change called the Late Antique Little Ice Age, which was revealed in a study published in Nature Geoscience in 2016. This ice age, which lasted from 536 to 660, was the result of a series of volcanic eruptions in 536, 540, and 547. The eruptions blocked out the sun and triggered a chill to settle over the northern hemisphere for over a century. Food shortages due to the extreme climate shift may have been a factor, but scientists told National Geographic that the cooler climate may have even been beneficial to the deserts of Negev. It is possible that the economy of Elusa collapsed with less demand for their wine and other commodities outside the city. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Does alien life exist? If the answer is yes, why haven't they contacted Earth yet? During a meeting organized by the organization Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) in Paris, scientists discussed the reason behind alien inactivity or what experts call "The Great Silence." Earth May Be Part of a 'Galactic Zoo' One of the possibilities explored is the scenario of a "galactic zoo." Perhaps, scientists suggest, intelligent extraterrestrial beings already know about life on Earth and are simply watching humans from afar, purposefully staying out of the radar. This explanation is called the "zoo hypothesis" and it was introduced in the 1970s by astronomer John Bell. It's akin to the way people watch caged animals in the zoo, Douglas Vakoch, METI president, points out in a statement to IFLScience. Now, the question is, how can humans get the aliens to reveal themselves to the people they're watching? "If we went to a zoo and suddenly a zebra turned toward us, looked us in the eye, and started pounding out a series of prime numbers with its hoof, that would establish a radically different relationship between us and the zebra, and we would feel compelled to respond," he continued. "We can do the same with extraterrestrials by transmitting powerful, intentional, information-rich radio signals to nearby stars." Vakoch adds that METI is planning to send out a message that describes the 150th anniversary of the periodic table in various formats. In doing this, it's possible that any alien who might be observing the planet could be compelled to respond to the undeniable sign of intelligent life on Earth. Are Aliens Out There? Cyril Birnbaum and Brigitte David cited at the METI meeting that the presence of alien life is a relevant subject that affects the entire species since it's related to humankind's place in the universe, according to Forbes. Milky Way alone is home to billions of planets and beyond this galaxy, there is an infinite number of more planets. The likelihood of having just a single planet out of billions and billions of them have ever developed life seems to be extremely small. Scientists have been trying to find evidence of alien life for decades. In 1950, physicist Enrico Fermi summed up the contradiction in what's now known as the Fermi Paradox: if extraterrestrial life is probable, why have none contacted Earth? Another explanation discussed during the meeting in Paris is the "galactic quarantine," which is the theory that extraterrestrials are keeping out of sight because they recognize that finding out about alien life could be detrimental to humankind. For now, no one has the answers. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Fossilized barnacles that hitched on the backs of prehistoric whales have retained information on ancient migration patterns, a new study reveals. Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has reconstructed the migration pathways of whale populations millions of years ago. Sticky Crustaceans Barnacles, or Balanus glandula, are mostly crustaceans related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimps. They attach themselves to rocks, the underside of vessels, and to other marine life. They secrete a fast-curing cement that works like a strong adhesive. Barnacles can attach to a whale by piercing its skin. There are more than 1,400 known species of barnacles. They feed through appendages known as cirri. For the study, the researchers probed the Coronulid barnacles, which include species adapted to live on turtles, manatees, crabs, and snakes. "Normally, the barnacles stay with a whale between one and three years, until they fall or are brushed off, often at whale breeding grounds. At least 24 fossil assemblages of whale barnacles have been found around the world," according to Larry Taylor, a visiting scientist at the Smithsonian, and a doctoral student at the UC Berkeley who led the study. Barnacles Are The Original GPS Based on the research, the oxygen isotope in barnacle shells changes depending on ocean conditions. The information stored on barnacles fossils allowed them to work like GPS trackers from the Pleistocene era. The scientists analyzed three whale barnacle shells from three sites. Through the reading of unique isotope signatures left in the shells, the barnacles can reveal the water bodies they passed through, helping reconstruct the whale's journey through time. The barnacle shell also reflects the ocean's temperature and overall isotopic composition of the location where it was formed. The fossils showed that the ratio of oxygen increases as the temperature declines. One significant finding showed that long-distance journeys of both ancient humpback, and gray whales are similar to those of modern-day whales. "It seems like the summer-breeding and winter-feeding migrations have been an integral part of the way of life of these whales for hundreds of thousands of years," Taylor said. Whales And Panama For hundreds of thousands of years ago until today, whale subpopulations have converged in the coast of Panama. Even in the modern day, whales from as far away as Gulf of Alaska and Antarctica visit the waters of Panama. Panama is a known breeding and birthing ground of humpback whales from both the northern and southern hemisphere. From July to October each year, over 2,000 whales are said to be visiting Panama. The full study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. HTC just announced that it will sell the standalone Vive Focus Plus virtual reality headset beginning April 15 for $799. HTC first revealed the enterprise-focused headset at its annual Vive Ecosystem conference in China. The Vive Focus Plus comes with fully tracked motion controllers, an improvement over the Vive Focus, which launched with similar specs but more limited tracking abilities. The headset is a bit similar to the forthcoming Oculus Quest, only it's focused on business folks whereas Facebook's device is geared more toward the mass market. HTC Vive Focus Plus Specs HTC will allow visitors to its Vive Ecosystem Conference to demo 15 apps for the Vive Focus Plus, a roster which includes at least one game, a Paintball VR experience where the headset comes paired with a haptic vest. Even still, HTC describes the headset as something meant for enterprise users. It'll launch in 25 markets with support for 19 different languages. The Vive Focus Plus touts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, similar to the regular Vive Focus headset. Its display offers a resolution of 1,440 x1,600 pixels per eye, making it a fine competitor to the Oculus Quest and other newer rigs, although the just-unveiled HP Reverb knocks everyone out of the park in this regard. Inside-Out Tracking The headset uses built-in cameras for inside-out tracking. The Verge got to try the system out and says the tracking felt a bit unreliable, although it notes that could be because the trade show was crowded and might have confused the cameras. As previously mentioned, the Vive Focus Plus comes with two controllers tracked via the cameras, much like on the Oculus Quest. It's not clear if the headset will attract businesses, but it's certainly got a lot of potential. The only hurdle is its hefty $800 price tag, but that could be mere pennies for large developers and companies. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Skywatchers in Northern America were left disappointed after the much-awaited aurora borealis, also known as northern lights, made a no-show over the weekend. Fans of the naturally occurring light show went on social media to share how they were let down that they did not get to see the event. One Twitter user posted that their group went on a road trip to Port Washington, Wisconsin to watch the aurora borealis, but they were not able to see anything. Another user by the name of Rachel Shubin tweeted that they were not able to catch the northern lights in their area in New Jersey. Northern lights fan Javier J. Mendez said the aurora borealis did not show up at where he was in upstate New York. Some people even tried to reach out to fellow social media users to ask where they could get a better glimpse of the light show. Tammy Davidson tweeted that their group was able to see the aurora borealis, but based on their images, it would seem that the northern lights were a bit dim in their area. This begs the question: what happened to light show? What Happened To The Northern Lights? The aurora borealis is traditionally seen only in the northernmost parts of the world. This is why people would often have to travel to other countries, such as Iceland or Greenland, just to witness the phenomenon. When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that a geostorm could make the aurora borealis visible over the northern part of the U.S., fans all over the internet made arrangements to catch the rare event. However, agency scientists said they could not guarantee that everyone will be able to catch the northern lights. "I would not drive out of my way for this particular event," said NOAA physicist Terry Onsager. Onsager explained that a large portion of the sun's atmosphere shot off and was believed to be heading toward Earth. It was expected to reach the planet's magnetic field over the weekend. The event would have caused the aurora borealis to appear, but based on scientists' calculations, it would occur at around 11 a.m. This would have made it difficult since the northern lights can only be seen at night. There was also the possibility that it would miss the Earth entirely, which would prevent any aurora borealis from even appearing. Not Enough Blast From The Sun As it turned out, the chunk from the sun's atmosphere did reach the planet but only slightly. Rob Steenburgh, acting head of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, said the Earth got hit only by the trailing edge of the energy blast. This was not enough to trigger the northern lights. For aurora borealis to occur, the planet would have to receive a direct hit of energy particles from the sun. The bigger the blast, the more visible the lights show would be. The full moon and the cloudy skies over the weekend also made it difficult to see the northern lights. Steenburgh pointed out that the sun is now in its solar minimum, which is known as the quietest part of its cycle. During this period, solar radiation levels are minimal and solar flares do not occur often. This means catching an aurora borealis will be even more challenging for skywatchers. No Northern Lights in upstate NY.... this sucks... #NorthernLights Javier J. Mendez (@jayjlaw) March 24, 2019 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A traveler sick with measles may have exposed a number of residents to the contagious virus when he visited different locations in Santa Clara County. Traveler Visited 20 Places While Infectious Health officials said the international traveler went to several places including several stores and restaurant during his visit earlier this month. The person contracted the disease overseas and traveled while infectious. He has since been hospitalized but not before he visited at least 20 places in San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino during his trip, which spanned over eight days from March 16 to March 23. The unnamed person traveled to the Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino, the Great Mall in Milpitas, and Hoover Tower at Stanford. Here are the places the traveler visited and the data and time he was there, according to a list released by the Public Health Department: March 16 T Mobile Store, 789 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. International House of Pancakes, 644 North First St, San Jose 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon Apple Visitor Center, 10600 N Tantau Ave, Cupertino 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Hoover Tower Observation Deck, Stanford University, 550 Serra Mall, Stanford 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Poki Bowl, 2305 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Walmart, 600 Showers Dr, Mountain View 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Fish Market, 3775 El Camino Real, Santa Clara 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Macy's Valley Fair Mall, 2801 Steven's Creek Blvd, Santa Clara 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. March 17 Bill's Cafe, 3163 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Cascal, 400 Castro St, Mountain View 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 7-Eleven, 848 E. Evelyn Ave, Sunnyvale 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. March 18 Il Fornaio (Cucina Italiana), 2752 Augustine Dr, #120 Santa Clara 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. 7-Eleven, 848 E. Evelyn Ave, Sunnyvale 10 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. March 19 Great Mall, 477 Great Mall Drive, Milpitas 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Seniore's Pizza, 940 Monroe St, Santa Clara 9:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. March 20 SA-BY Thai Cuisine, 404 S. 2nd St, San Jose 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Lucky, 3705 El Camino Real, Santa Clara 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. March 21 CVS Pharmacy, 1165 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. March 22 Safeway, 645 San Antonio Rd, Mountain View 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CVS Pharmacy, 1675 Hollenbeck Ave, Sunnyvale 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. People who have visited these places, particularly those who have not been vaccinated or had measles before, may have contracted the virus. The health department advised watching for symptoms, which include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and rash that spreads all over the body. Measles In The United States The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday that the United States already had at least 314 cases of measles from January to March 21 this year. The number is 58 shy of the number of cases reported for the year 2018, the second-highest in over two decades. CDC has so far identified six outbreaks, all of which are linked to travelers who brought measles from other countries such as Ukraine and Israel where there are large measles outbreaks happening. "Eighty-two people brought measles to the U.S. from other countries in 2018. This is the greatest number of imported cases since measles was eliminated from the U.S. in 2000," the CDC said. Measles can easily spread when it reaches communities where groups of people are not vaccinated. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The last time astronauts were on the moon was nearly 50 years ago during the Apollo 17 mission, the final manned lunar mission the United States ever sent. Today, several decades later, Vice President Mike Pence wants NASA to put astronauts back on the moon within five years. In a speech at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council on March 26 in Alabama, Pence outlined a significant new space policy that will send astronauts on manned lunar missions by 2024. "[N]ow it's come the time for us to make the next 'giant leap' and return American astronauts to the Moon, establish a permanent base there, and develop the technologies to take American astronauts to Mars and beyond," said Pence. Can NASA Send Astronauts Back On The Moon? The Trump administration's ambitious space policy called Space Policy Directive-1 wants to accelerate putting astronauts back on the moon, specifically to the lunar south pole. Pence believes NASA has taken too slow to finish the job. In the early '70s, it took NASA eight years to land at the moon when they still didn't know how to do it, said Pence. He expressed dissatisfaction when NASA said its goal was to return to the moon by 2028. "Ladies and gentlemen, that's just not good enough. We're better than that," said Pence. According to Ars Technica, it has been an open secret that large contractors have been receiving billions of dollars in funding for deep space exploration, which has not materialized in the last 15 years. One such contractor is Orion for the Space Launch System rocket. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said during the council meeting that Orion already has a scheduled Exploration Mission-1 in 2020 and another crewed mission that will put astronauts within the lunar vicinity by 2022. "We will take action in the days and weeks ahead to accomplish these goals," said Bridenstine. "We have laid out a clear plan for NASA's exploration campaign that cuts across three strategic areas: low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars and deeper into space." Bridenstine explained that NASA must speed up work on an advanced upper stage for the SLS rocket, which will be needed for its third or fourth flight. On the other hand, budget for the project called for deferring funding on this upper stage until it was needed. This means it will be difficult to complete the rocket by 2024 unless funding is resolved. A New Era Of Space Race In his speech, Pence enumerated a number of space policies that he believes will "propel human space exploration missions further into the depths of our solar system." He mentioned the launching of the U.S. Space Force, which will become the sixth branch of the country's armed forces and will be led by Air-Force General John Raymond. He also mentioned the Lunar Gateway, which is designed as outposts on the moon and the missions to Mars. In March, Canada has signed the deal to become the first international partner for the Lunar Gateway, said Pence. Pence also did not falter when he mentioned that the country is in a "space race" that is competing against China, an emerging global superpower. In December, China successfully landed an unmanned mission on the far side of the moon, making it the first country to do so. China has also revealed its plans to seize lunar strategic high ground and gain power as "the world's preeminent spacefaring nation." Furthermore, Pence mentioned that Russia has been charging the United States with more than $80 million a seat every time an American astronaut flies to the International Space Station. All these and it feels like the intense space race in the '60s is emerging again. The future of space exploration, however, is at a standstill. Returning to the moon is expensive and there are questions as to what will be de-funded to get American astronauts back on the moon. Pence said Congress will be allocating $500 million alone for the crewed mission aboard the Lunar Gateway. Meanwhile, estimates say that the 2024 mission could cost $120 billion. This is amid the fact that the Trump administration's proposed NASA budget includes cuts to programs such as the Office of STEM Engagement and the WFIRST telescope. Still, when things get difficult, Pence said they could change the organization, but not the mission. "To be clear, we're not committed to any one contractor," said Pence. "If our current contractors can't meet this objective, then we'll find ones that will." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung has added a higher-end option to its Galaxy A-series of mid-range devices. The Galaxy A70 boasts a teardrop notch, what Samsung calls an Infinity-U display that's 6.7-inch large with an in-display fingerprint sensor, to boot, and a whopping 20:9 aspect ratio. At that size, its screen is even bigger than the Galaxy S10's 6.1 inches one of Samsung's expensive flagship devices for 2019. This should perhaps come as no surprise. Smartphone displays are getting bigger, and the Galaxy A70 seems committed to following this trend while maintaining a comfortable fit by making its screen taller, not wider. That means it should be easier to wield and use, and since it's running the Samsung One UI, which lowers onscreen elements to make them reachable, that's a guarantee. Galaxy A70 In terms of design, the Galaxy A70 seems practically identical to the Galaxy A50 that was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this past February. Both have a triple-camera system on the back, and they also both use Super AMOLED displays, and their outer shells are made of what Samsung calls "3D Glasstic." Inside is where things get more interesting, 6 GB of RAM make the Galaxy A70 the top-performing handset out of all A-series phones. That's partnered with the decent Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor, garbage by flagship phone standards but perfectly fit for mid-range capabilities. Similar to the Galaxy A50, the Galaxy A70 has an in-display fingerprint sensor, a feature also found on the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus. It's not yet certain whether the scanner works as well as the one on Samsung's flagship devices, but it's hard to imagine the results from a cheaper phone could be any better, or at least on par. Even still, make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more. Galaxy A70 Price And Release Date Samsung has yet to release pricing and release date information for the Galaxy A70, but it's holding "A Galaxy Event" on April 10, so maybe fans will know more by then. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Surgeons in the United Kingdom mistakenly circumcised a man after the medical notes for the patient were switched with those of another person. In a report by the National Health Service (NHS), doctors at University Hospital of Leicester (UHL) had unintentionally carried out a circumcision on a man last year. The patient, who was left unidentified, was supposed to receive a cystoscopy, but his notes were mixed with those of another who was scheduled to be circumcised. University Hospital Of Leicester Review The report said the incident was only one of eight "never events" that happened at University Hospital of Leicester NHS Trusts over the past year. The Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group, who led the review of the hospital, said the workers also left a swab inside a child after the patient underwent nasal surgery. There was also another incident involving patient receiving a medical procedure that was supposed to be for another patient. How did it happen? Both patients apparently had similar names. The report also identified two separate cases in January and April last year where patients were mistakenly connected to air flowmeters instead of oxygen supplies. In November, doctors accidentally implanted a hip nail on the wrong side of a patient. Mistakes such as these have been a particular issue for the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). "Failure to demonstrate learning from never events has been a concern for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland commissioners and partners for some time," the commission wrote in the report. The CCG emphasized its role in helping the UHL NHS Trust to meet its quality and safety priorities. It intends to carry out this task through a comprehensive and collaborative method, as highlighted within its report. The commission added that these objectives will be achieved by strengthening its relationships with medical institutions such as UHL. The CCG also needs to align its improvement strategy around a common set of clinical priorities. The UHL NHS Trust said the never events mentioned in the report are serious and largely preventable. The hospital stressed that if the necessary preventive measures were to be made, then such safety incidents would not occur. Leicester's Hospitals Safety and Risk Director Moira Durbridge apologized to patients involved in the incidents, adding that the hospital is determined to improve its services to its patients moving forward. "We are committed to learning and improving and have enshrined this work into our clinical priorities within our Quality Strategy for 2019/20." Other Incidents Of Medical Blunders In 2017, the NHS reported that medics have made as many as 145 serious blunders over a span of three months. Of this number, 51 incidents involved surgeons operating on the wrong parts of patients' bodies, while 43 of them involved doctors accidentally leaving medical equipment inside of patients following a procedure. About 24 cases had patients being given the wrong implant of prosthesis, and nine had the wrong tooth removed from them by mistake. Government officials said the incidents are likely the result of hospital staff having been "overstretched and overworked," leaving patients to suffer from such mistakes. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Whensister publication, annually chooses its Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers , they're probably people whose names you already know if you follow innovation in the government tech sector, but we also hope there are some faces that will be new to you. Of that top 25, California is represented this year by one team and one individual.There are several characteristics that represent many of this years honorees: Theyre collaboration-oriented, they're breaking new ground, and they're not done yet. Here are the Californians who earned the recognition:Nearly every honoree we interview leads with effusive praise for the talented group of colleagues they work with, each worthy of their own recognition. We dont doubt that in each case, its true. But it also underlines something thats sweeping across government, or at least starting to, thanks to the work of visionaries like the ones we honor in this issue: Theyre open and even eager to reach beyond traditional constraints like department, jurisdiction and industry.For example, CIOs speak often of the need to understand what everyone else in the organization is trying to do before even considering what technology might help them achieve it. Theyre building relationships and adding more value as a result. And those relationships extend deeper into their communities than they ever have before.More than 50 languages are spoken in Alameda County and those languages are spoken within a population of over 1.6 million people, giving county leaders a massive task of connecting to everyone. But CIO Tim Dupuis welcomes the challenge.Regardless of social or income status within the community or language, everybody seems to have some level of contact with technology, he said.Starting from his time as an intern with the Public Works Department in Santa Ana, Dupuis has dedicated his career to the way technology comes together with community. When he took on the role of Alamedas chief technology officer 19 years ago he became CIO 12 years later the department was focused on the fundamentals. But the transition to working on more is what drives Dupuis. The county is now getting involved in some big initiatives on poverty and homelessness, to address community disparities. Still, Dupuis wonders, How do we bring a technology thought process to some of the solutions?One way is to maximize the use of transparency and open data to impact social service programs. Dupuis also has the unique position of serving as registrar of voters as well as CIO, a role that affords him direct community impact. He sees it as a testing ground for county tech: Were able to use the registrars office as a way to showcase different technologies that can be impactful, not just [here], but in all of the different departments.Now Dupuis is using that forward-looking mindset and applying it to his workforce. In late 2018, his department moved into a new open-concept workspace in a renovated bank in downtown Oakland, which he said is fostering innovation among his staff and also attracting a younger cohort. Were showing a modern work environment in this very historic building in a pivotal part of Oakland, he said, which I think is transformative in the way that we perform our government functions through technology.Recognizing the deep potential in modernization and automation, Los Angeles County personnel and human resources officials continue to collaborate on a series of initiatives that are reshaping their business processes and positively impacting the activities of other agencies.Department of Human Resources (DHR) honorees Lisa Garrett , director of personnel; CIO Roozan Zarifian ; and DHR Assistant Director Murtaza Masood have collaborated on transformational technology projects since at least 2015.Were like a tripod, Garrett said. Were not automating just for the sake of automation but to innovate, review all of our processes, clear out clutter that doesnt need to be there and create efficiencies for our departments and the employees that rely on us.Recent projects include NeoGov , a cloud-based platform unifying recruitment, applications and testing. NeoGov aggregates data from four legacy systems, offers mobile access to applicants and enables real-time visibility throughout the hiring process. Thats a meaningful accomplishment for an agency that employs approximately 110,000 active staff, but also maintains files for around 33,000 inactive employees.In June 2018, the agency launched Career Pathfinder , an online tool that helps employees plan future career choices up to 10 moves ahead. In December, DHR announced an online, digitized system that integrates legacy programs for sexual harassment and discrimination, which was anticipated to go live during the first quarter of 2019.Also in December, officials from DHR, the Registrar-Recorders Office and Internal Services debuted an Electronic Personnel Records system, digitizing personnel files from eight county departments in the first of a three-phase process that will continue over the next year.Zarifian praised Garrett for her commitment to innovation and for ensuring the CIO position is an executive team member. Working for Lisa is really an honor, she said, because there are very few department heads that understand how technology can transform the business and if it wasnt for that, for her vision and support, we wouldnt even be here.GovTechGovTechTechwire A Hammond man who claimed to be a "sovereign citizen" and not subject to federal or state laws was convicted of possessing child pornography, including images of children under the age of 2, according to 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux. Frederick Murray, 63, was found guilty Thursday by a jury and faces from ten to 40 years in prison, Perrilloux said in a news release issued Monday. Agents from the FBI Terrorism Unit and the Hammond Police Department began investigating Murray in April 2018 after he filed documents with the 21st Judicial District Court in a case involving his failure to register as a a sex offender. In those documents, Murray calls himself a "Constitutional Citizen/national ... domiciled in the Constitutional but not statutory 'State' of the union and not a 'citizen' of the 'United State of America.'" The FBI says sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that "even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or 'sovereign' from the United States." "As a result, they believe they dont have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement," an FBI article from 2010 says. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 'Domestic extremist' arrested in Tangipahoa Parish, wanted in Missouri on weapons counts A man police described as a domestic extremist who was training others in his anti-government ideology was arrested over the weekend in Tangip A search warrant was issued for electronic devices that could have been used to create what agents said were false documents Murray filed with the court. Devices found in Murray's room in Hammond were reviewed by agents from the FBI Terrorism Unit, who found more than 700 images of child pornography, many of infant females. Twenty-first Judicial District Judge Jeff Johnson is expected to hand down a sentence April 30, the release says. Murray also faces charges of failing to register as a sex offender. A court document says he was previously convicted in 1992 of rape of a child under 16. The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge added a New Orleans deacon Wednesday to an evolving list of clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. When Baton Rouge Bishop Michael Duca first released the names of clergy with such allegations two months ago, the list consisted of 37 names. It now stands at 41. +45 45 Baton Rouge-area clergy members on diocese's official sex abuse list: See names, more The Diocese of Baton Rouge has named 45 clergy members who they've determined to have been credibly accused of abuse within the diocese or in The newest addition is former Archdiocese of New Orleans Deacon James Lockwood, who served in the past as a lay teacher at St. Aloysius School in Baton Rouge. Lockwood's post there only lasted five months, according to the Diocese of Baton Rouge. But Lockwoods name has come up multiple times in New Orleans since he was included last November on the Archdiocese of New Orleans' of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse. Lockwood, who is still alive and in his mid-80s, served at the Center of Jesus the Lord in New Orleans and Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chalmette before he was removed from ministry in 1978. Lockwood worked at St. Aloysius in Baton Rouge in 1984, years after he had been removed as a New Orleans deacon. He did not present himself as a deacon at the time, the Diocese of Baton Rouge said. Once school officials found out about his history in New Orleans, they terminated him. The Diocese of Baton Rouge said that the background checks in place today would have immediately flagged him. A man told WVUE in New Orleans last November that Lockwood had also repeatedly raped him in the early 1970s at Hope Haven, a home for older children and teens. Many were orphans or came from troubled families and the church had been entrusted with caring for them. At least 65 people have alleged abuse at Hope Haven or at Madonna Manor where younger children lived on the 10-acre campus from the 1940s to the 1970s. 4 more allege sexual abuse at Marrero youth homes in new church abuse lawsuit Four more men have come forward with detailed claims of being abused both sexually and physically while living at two troubled Catholic-run yo Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The Archdiocese of New Orleans entered a 2010 settlement of $80,000 with a man who said Lockwood abused him at Hope Haven, according to WVUE. The TV station withheld the name of the man who said Lockwood abused him. They also reported that the deacon was accused in 1978 of crimes against nature and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. I went through the court, Lockwood told WVUE in November. Believe me, it was all worked out. I havent had any problems, and I havent had reason to look at this, like, its been actually, I think its been over 30 years. The Diocese of Baton Rouge said it had not received credible allegations of abuse about Lockwood from his time in Baton Rouge. But the Diocese's practice has been to include on its list clergy members who served in Baton Rouge and who had credible allegations made against them elsewhere. Louisiana clergy abuse lists include one priest who left three-decade-long trail of victims It was 1959 when priest John Franklin was stripped of his ability to minister to Catholics in the New Orleans area because he had been credibl Lockwood was born in 1933 and the Archdiocese of New Orleans ordained him a deacon in 1974. Advocate staff writer Matt Sledge contributed to this report. Editor's note: this story was updated after publication to correct the spelling of James Lockwood's name. CLINTON, La. (AP) A second Louisiana judge has ruled that a man accused in three killings and a non-fatal shooting is competent for trial. WAFB-TV reports the ruling in East Feliciana Parish, where Ryan Sharpe faces two counts of murder and one of attempted murder. The third killing was just inside East Baton Rouge Parish, where a judge ruled March 14 that Sharpe can now help his defense. +5 Alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe pleads not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity Alleged serial killer Ryan Sharpe, facing a trial in the 2017 slaying of a former BREC commissioner, was declared capable to aid in his defens WAFB reports that Sharpe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to first-degree murder in the death of Brad DeFrancesci, second-degree murder in that of Tommy Bass, and attempted first-degree murder of Buck Hornsby. In Baton Rouge, he pleaded not guilty and not guilty because of insanity to second-degree murder Carroll Breeden's death. The four shootings occurred from July 8 to Oct. 9, 2017. Cody Gateley, left, and Lt. Stephen Wild, of the St. George Fire Department, presents charity runner Matty Gregg, center, with a T-shirt and signed his flag as expressions of support. A Baton Rouge man was arrested Wednesday and accused of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend after the two got into an argument the day after Christmas, according to police. The victim, Tyree Jackson, 25, was hospitalized with gunshot wounds and died on New Years Eve. The shooting occurred in the 4600 block of Wells Street in Baton Rouge. Another man also received minor injuries. Joshua White, 31, of 5725 Sumrall Drive, was captured Wednesday by the Louisiana Fugitive Task Force and arrested, Baton Rouge police said in a statement. Baton Rouge police wrote in an arrest warrant that White had previously been in a volatile relationship with Jackson's current girlfriend and the two had a child together. Police said earlier in the day on Dec. 26, White had committed a home invasion of the girlfriend's house, which later resulted in an argument over the phone between him and Jackson. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up White made several threats during the phone conversation and then texted his brother asking for a "tool," which is slang for a firearm, according to the arrest warrant. He met his brother at Walmart to pick up the "tool." Then he went to Wells Street and found Jackson and his friend inside a vehicle. White approached the car on foot and fired several shots into the driver's side window before fleeing the scene, police said. White denied ever speaking with Jackson and being in the area of Wells Street around the time of the shooting. But police said his phone records contradicted that account. He was booked into Parish Prison on one count each of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. In 2001, then-state Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, a Democrat, voted to create a self-exclusion list allowing problem gamblers to confidentially sign up to ban themselves from casinos. Sixteen years later, in 2017, Peterson put her own name on the very list she voted to create. By doing so, she knew entering a casino could lead to a misdemeanor summons. Stephanie Grace: Despite criminal summons, state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson did something right Every now and then, Louisianas political journalists are called on to write about a public figures problem gambling. The topic tends to come But despite that, Peterson showed up at the LAuberge Casino in Baton Rouge in February. State troopers issued her a criminal summons. Then someone leaked the issuing of the summons to WWL-TV. I recently learned that a news outlet was preparing to report that the Louisiana State Police had issued a summons as a result of me entering a casino. While the summons is surely a public document as it should be it has been confirmed to me that the issuance of a summons to me was leaked by one of the entities responsible for maintaining confidentiality, Peterson wrote in a statement. The news of Petersons criminal summons spread quickly after WWL reported it. Most local media ran the story. Even national news outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle and U.S. News and World Report picked up the story. Peterson is a big deal in the world of politics. Shes the current chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party, and she holds a prominent position with the Democratic National Committee. But shes also human and, like the rest of us, has struggles, challenges and shortcomings. I asked WWL reporter Katie Moore if running the Peterson story was a tough call for the station. Oh yeah, we wrestled with it a great deal, she said. The story outed Peterson, forcing the 49-year old legislator to publicly admit she had a gambling problem. For many years, I have struggled with a gambling addiction. It is a disease. From time to time, I have relapsed; I have let myself down as well as family and friends who are near and dear to me," Peterson disclosed in her statement. The conservative website The Hayride ran a column with a photoshopped image of Petersons head over the cartoon body of someone sitting at a blackjack table. The website seemed to be making fun of Petersons addiction. The website wrote, The idea that she (Peterson) got pinched simply for showing up at LAuberge without any outbreak of nutty behavior doesnt really wash. But East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore, whos now handling the case, told me that such behavior didnt happen. Moore says simply showing up at a casino will get you a summons if you are on the list. Peterson could go to jail for up to six months and pay a $500 fine for violating her self-imposed casino ban. Moore doubts that will happen. What we want to see is that the person gets help for themselves, and thats surely the case thats going on with Senator Peterson, said Moore. The self-exclusion list is confidential, but receiving a summons for violating it is not. How tragic if someone tipped the media off about Petersons summons in an attempt to damage her politically. Makes you wonder if theres still a line to cross in politics. It would also be a shame if someone struggling with gambling didnt sign up for the self-exclusion list fearing they, too, like Peterson, would be outed. We should all be pulling for those struggling under the tight grip of a gambling addiction, whether they be in politics or not. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards set the right tone. Karen has shown strength and contrition in the face of a difficult situation. Addiction is a terrible disease, and I am praying for her, her family and her recovery, said Edwards. Peterson seems to want to stop gambling and realizes she has a problem. Otherwise, she wouldnt have put herself on the self-exclusion list. To do so, she had to go to a state office in person and have her picture taken. That photo was then distributed to all Louisiana casinos. She must have known as a public figure she was risking her reputation, but she signed up anyway. How courageous. Peterson deserves our empathy, compassion and support. Email Dan Fagan at faganshow@gmail.com. Twitter: @DanFaganShow. While its become a rather bureaucratic process below the public radar, the Louisiana Constitution requires the Board of Regents to create a master plan and funding formula for higher education. Louisiana community colleges too costly, state's higher education chief says Louisiana students are paying more than the regional and national averages to attend community colleges and the issue needs to be addressed, H Thats now in the works, and we agree with Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed that this is probably the most significant new master plan since 2001, when Louisianas college system was transformed. In those days, during the administration of Gov. Mike Foster, the state was drastically expanding its community college system, catching up on a workforce-oriented structure like that in many other states. It was when the master plan set up a tiered classification of campuses based on ACT college admission scores. What has changed? For one thing, the state has steadily withdrawn funding from colleges, what Reed rightly called a sharp disinvestment in higher education. Where once state money would have been two-thirds of the campuses funding, and tuition or other revenues a third, those proportions have been reversed. With economic hard times, the scramble for enrollment has increased, to the point that LSU the Baton Rouge campus is the public flagship university jettisoned the ACT requirement set by the Regents. Lanny Keller: A tale of two economic worlds, North Carolina and Louisiana Years ago, Baton Rouge businessman Jim Bernhard told a story of how a classmate of his ended up as president of the Senate in North Carolina. Community colleges are now a mature system, but as Reed pointed out, the cuts in state aid have led to sharp tuition increases. No state, particularly one with so many poorer families as in Louisiana, wants relatively high tuition as a barrier to entry into its campuses that are supposed to be a cheaper alternative to four-year campuses. We would also count as a missed opportunity in the last couple of decades the failure to consolidate the public campuses in New Orleans post-Katrina, when a merger of the University of New Orleans and Southern Universitys campus there might have politically possible. Regents leadership is at issue now in a new master plan. LSUs decision to loosen its admission requirements was justified in part because of a complicated set of policies from the Regents that allowed exceptions a case of too many political compromises over the years. And at the same time, there remain exceptions for Southern campuses that have grown to be a political cost of doing business in higher education. Because of the influence of the Legislative Black Caucus, funding carve-outs and benefits for the SU campuses are common. Finally, there is the challenge of equity in higher education, with better-off families favored with tuition waivers, and other aid lagging for the poor. We dont know how all this will be or can be reconciled in a new master plan. But one fundamental argument is that four-year colleges are not necessarily for everyone. Admitting students with minimal preparation does them no favors. After two years, an impartial review has concluded that there was no collusion between Russia and the Donald Trump campaign. How can there be A New Orleans man may spend the rest of his life in prison after the Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated his conviction Tuesday on an obstruction of justice charge related to the killing of his lover's husband. Justices voted 5-2 to reinstate the conviction of Khoi Hoang, who was given a life sentence for obstruction of justice related to the 2013 slaying of Kenner businessman Lien Nguyen. Hoang wasn't convicted of the killing but was sentenced in a New Orleans court as a habitual offender. The high court said there was enough evidence for jurors to piece together a case that Hoang had stripped a license plate off a truck used to dump Nguyens body near Old Gentilly Highway or had in some fashion been involved in a cover-up of the killing. Hoang was involved in a romantic relationship with Nguyen's wife, prosecutors said. The Supreme Court decision reversed a 2-1 ruling from the state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal in 2016 tossing out Hoangs conviction. In an unsigned opinion, the justices said that a jury could reasonably infer (without speculating) that defendant removed the trucks license plate or directed someone else to do so because the truck was going to be used in a murder or had just been used in a murder. That decision prompted lengthy dissents from two justices who said there was a total lack of evidence, with Justice John Weimer saying that he would have acquitted Hoang. The 41-year-old New Orleans East man could now spend the rest of his life in prison, barring a successful appeal to a federal court or to state judges on a different basis. From the start, police acknowledged that they had built a mostly circumstantial case against Hoang, who was accused of occupying one corner of a tangled and deadly love triangle. Investigators theorized that Hoang conspired with Charity Nguyen to kill her husband, Lien, on April 23, 2013, so they could start a new life together. An unidentified black male actually shot Lien Nguyen, according to a witness and video surveillance. However, a friend of Lien Nguyens testified that the couple had offered the shooter cash and pot to kill Hoang's childhood buddy and fellow refugee from Vietnam. Another witness claimed the dying Lien Nguyen said his wife had killed him. Jurors acquitted Charity Nguyen after she took the stand to insist on her innocence. Hoang wasn't as lucky when he went on trial in October 2015. Although jurors deadlocked on a second-degree murder charge, they held him responsible for trying to cover up the killing based on witness testimony about the missing license plate. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Prosecutors said Hoang borrowed a neighbors Nissan Titan truck on the day of the killing. The woman testified that someone else returned the truck after midnight and gave her $200. Weeks later, she realized that its license plate was missing, she said. Hoangs attorney said there was no proof that he took the license plate or that it was taken off the truck while Hoang was using it. The neighbor also testified that another vehicle's license plate was stolen from her apartment complex around the same time. However, the Supreme Court said it was still fair for jurors to conclude that Hoang stole the license plate or had someone else do it. To accept defendants hypothesis of innocence, that the license plate went coincidentally missing at some point after the murder, would indeed be to accept an extraordinary coincidence when viewed in the context of the entirety of the states case, the court said. In her dissent, Chief Justice Bernette Johnson quoted four pages of testimony from the neighbor, describing her as an admitted cocaine addict who gave inconsistent and confusing testimony about the license plate. There is not a scintilla of evidence proving defendant removed the license plate or ordered it removed, she said. There was simply nothing to show the critical facts of when, where and by whom the license plate was removed, Weimer added in his dissent. Weimer said he would have outright acquitted Hoang because the evidence was so lacking. Obstruction of justice in a murder investigation carries a sentence of zero to 40 years in Louisiana. However, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaros office invoked Hoangs prior felony convictions to have him sentenced to automatic life imprisonment under the state's habitual-offender law. Hoang still faces trial in May on the remaining counts on which the jury deadlocked: second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and solicitation of murder. His attorney, Kevin Boshea, said he was reviewing the Supreme Court's decision. "There are a series of options that I must consider both at the trial and appellate levels," Boshea said. Australian banking is embroiled in a self-inflicted "culture and conduct crisis" that made tougher regulation entirely appropriate, says National Australia Bank acting chief executive Phil Chronican. Mr Chronican's admission of the scale of the industry's woes come as lenders face a sharp rise in complaints that the newly formed financial complaints authority has accused the banks of handling too slowly. NAB's Phil Chronican appears before the parliamentary committee on Wednesday. Credit:AAP AMP chairman and finance veteran David Murray this week complained that banks were being stifled by regulation and warned the bank culture crackdown had gone "over the top" as other bankers have said tougher rules and increased scrutiny are harming lending. Mr Chronican on Wednesday did not back Mr Murray's sentiments, telling the federal parliament's banking inquiry he was "not afraid" of regulators becoming more prescriptive in what they expected from banks. National Australia Bank acting chief executive Phil Chronican says he was "distinctly unhappy" to learn of an alleged fraud by the chief of staff to two former chief executives, and he worried it reflected a lack of "discipline" within the lender. Appearing before parliament's banking inquiry on Wednesday, Mr Chronican acknowledged the alleged fraud, which is before the courts, was a "breakdown" of the bank's financial controls. NAB had also conducted a wider review into the safeguards on how money was spent in the bank, he said. NAB's Phil Chronican appears before the parliamentary committee on Wednesday. Credit:AAP NSW Police this month arrested and charged Rosemary Rogers, the former chief of staff to former NAB CEOs Andrew Thorburn and Cameron Clyne over a multimillion-dollar fraud against the bank. Police allege Ms Rogers received benefits worth $5.4 million in bribes from a contractor, with the conduct occurring between 2013 and 2017. Asked what the issue said about NAB's culture, Mr Chronican, who was a board director at the time, said he was "distinctly unhappy" to learn of the matter. Listed property giant Dexus is close to pulling off one of the biggest commercial real estate deals of recent times after confirming it is weighing a $1.4 billion deal to grab QICs development precinct on Melbourne's Collins Street. Dexus, led by Darren Steinberg, confirmed on Wednesday night it was undertaking exclusive due diligence on 80 Collins Street, knocking out competitors including Charter Hall and Mirvac. 80 Collins Street is now a building site. Credit:Josh Robenstone The deal is not complete so we cannot comment on capital partners or funding sources, Dexus, the country's largest office landlord, said. The Queensland governments investment arm, QIC, owns the striking octagon-shaped tower at 80 Collins Street in the upmarket Paris end of Melbournes premier office strip. Western Australia might hold the key to Lynas Corp's future despite the rare earths miner rejecting a $1.5 billion takeover offer from Perth-based Wesfarmers on Wednesday. WAs Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) confirmed it had recently met with the company to discuss approvals in the state. These discussions are preliminary in nature and no formal submission for any change has been presented to the EPA, a spokeswoman for the agency said. The discussions could help solve the problems in Malaysia which threaten the company's future, and made it vulnerable to what analysts and investors described as a low-ball bid from Wesfarmers on Tuesday. It strikes me that most of this week's "now infamous" Tatler take-down of the Duchess of Sussex, One Year of Meghanomania, is, in fact complimentary. The article burning up the internet was reportedly intended to pack a punch, because the magazine's audience is titled. It is rich with passive-aggressive class judgment, and clearly toned to harm. (Though it does pose a semi-sympathetic look at why much of the UK media coverage of the Duchess has been so thoroughly negative.) Prince Charles says she has "tungsten" in her character (according to Tatler), most of us would take and run with that. Credit:AP But the complaints it lists about this interloper to spaces usually occupied only by society's icing-thin top slice will read like pats on the back to the rest of us commoners with our sleeves rolled up, slashing a path through life. Exhibit A is that the piece's author, a man who "very shortly after her engagement was announced ... had dinner with some old-fashioned grandees, one of whom has connections with Kensington Palace [one a peer who 'sighed' that Meghan Markle 'is trouble']", believes that calling a woman "strong" is faintly pejorative. Two Queensland brothers who saved two girls from dangerously rough seas on the Sunshine Coast 45 years ago are finally being recognised for their bravery. Hugh and Jim McClelland, then 15 and 16, were at the Ithaca Life Saving Club in the early afternoon of January 9, 1974, when the alarm was raised about two young girls getting swept out to sea. Hugh and Jim McClelland are finally being recognised for their bravery. That area of the Sunshine Coast between the northern tip of Bribie Island and Bulcock Beach on the mainland side used to be protected by a string of sandbars. But Jim remembered the girls, aged 10 and 11 at the time, were being rapidly sucked out to sea in washing-machine-like conditions whipped up by a recent cyclone. A Queensland man has become the first person in Australia to settle a claim with the Commonwealth over PFAS groundwater after part of his Darling Downs property was contaminated. Eric Donaldson's family property lies along Oakey Creek adjacent to an airfield where firefighting foam which contained the toxic substance had been used since the 1970s. Doctor Eric Donaldson has a cattle property in the PFAS contaminated zone at Oakey. Credit:Katherine Times. PFAS contamination and associated health concerns have led to a number of class actions across the country against the federal government. The Oakey class action alleges the contamination negatively impacted business and land values in the town. A bikie on parole who allegedly fled to the Northern Territory will be brought back to Queensland after he was found hiding out in a remote town. Satudarah bikie gang patched member Jake Thaller, 28, had previously been convicted in the Southport Magistrates Court on "a range of offences", police said. Jake Thaller had he parole revoked by Queensland police. He was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment before being released on court-ordered parole. NT police began a manhunt for Thaller last week after police in Queensland revoked his bail. Douglas Milera (left) and Professor Peter Buckskin during a repatriation ceremony in London on Tuesday. Credit:Natural History Museum London The ancestral remains of 37 Indigenous people will be returned to Australia from London's Natural History Museum. Loading Narungga community representatives from South Australia, Douglas Milera and Professor Peter Buckskin, travelled to the UK to attend the handover ceremony on Tuesday night Australian time. They received the remains of an ancestor who will be cared for at the South Australian Museum until the community is ready to conduct a reburial ceremony. A man kills his wife and everyone suspects him. Then, to hide his guilt after her body is found, he carries her casket at the funeral. The grotesque action was just one of the deceits undertaken by Borce Ristevski as he tried to convince his family and the nation that he hadn't killed his wife, Karen. Borce Ristevski carries his wife's coffin at her funeral in March 2017. Credit:AAP On Wednesday, Karen's relatives spoke of their enduring horror at watching Ristevski affect grief for his wife that day when they believed he was responsible for her death. Nine family members gave victim impact statements at a plea hearing in the Supreme Court after Ristevski pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this month. Ristevski confessed only after a murder charge was withdrawn. Police at Flagstaff station on Thursday morning. Credit:Scott Hudson/Twitter A young didgeridoo player may have been mistaken for a suspected gunman who sparked Melbourne's peak-hour train chaos on Thursday morning. Trains in the CityLoop were brought to a halt and Flagstaff station evacuated after a passenger called police about a man acting suspiciously on a packed peak-hour train. Police later said the suspected gunman was a busker with a duffel bag doing heavy breathing exercises. Will Austin, 22, told The Age he was stopped outside Flagstaff station carrying a yidaki an Indigenous term for a didgeridoo in a large black bag. An independent Melbourne online clothes store has stopped selling T-shirts with an "original design" depicting footy star Tayla Harris after the AFL claimed the artwork breached copyright. On Wednesday last week, the owner of League Tees online store Anthony Costa released a T-shirt and badge with a design inspired by a photo of Carlton AFLW forward Harris. League Tees T-shirt and badge design, inspired by a photo of Carlton AFLW forward Tayla Harris. The photo, taken by AFL Media chief photographer Michael Willson, went viral after Ms Harris took a stand against online trolls who had written graphic comments on the picture. The AFL's general manager of inclusion and social policy Tanya Hosch said Harris was already planning to use the image to raise money for charity. Footage has been released of a hooded man with a sawn-off shotgun firing several shots down a suburban Melbourne street in broad daylight, as police search for the gunman. Police have released images and CCTV footage of a man who fired shots from a black sawn-off shotgun around Heritage Boulevard in Pakenham about 6pm on Monday. Heritage Springs shopping centre went into lockdown after the shooting, with those parked in cars nearby told to stay put as Special Operations Group police swarmed the area. Police are searching for a man who fired several shots down a suburban street in broad daylight on Monday. Credit:Victoria Police Its believed the offender had earlier been with another man and was on a push bike when the pair was seen arguing with two other men aged in their 20s and a woman. Sarah Ristevski wrote a character reference for father Borce days after he admitted killing her mother Karen and declined an offer to prepare a victim impact statement about her mother's death. Ms Ristevski's character reference was not read aloud in the Supreme Court on Wednesday but Justice Christopher Beale described it as a "glowing reference". An outbreak of flu at the Melbourne Assessment Prison meant Borce Ristevski had to wear a face mask as he was led from the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:Joe Armao Ristevski's plea hearing also heard he offered to plead guilty to manslaughter in September last year one month after he was committed to stand trial but prosecutors rejected the offer at the time. Prosecutors accepted the plea two weeks ago, on the eve of what was to be Ristevski's murder trial, after Justice Beale ruled they could not use the killer's post-offence lies and deceptions to prove he intended to kill his wife of 27 years at their Avondale Heights home on June 29, 2016. Ruby says she might be called upon to help resolve for example turf disputes between year sevens and eights squabbling over space to play downball, a game also known as four square that is a cultural tradition at Westbourne. We might try to set up an agreement that some [year levels] play some lunches, Ruby says. Principal Meg Hansen says restorative practice has made a massive difference at Westbourne Grammar. Credit:Justin McManus Principal Meg Hansen says restorative practice has made a massive difference at the school, which has students from more than 40 nationalities. Its one of the reasons she believes student performance has improved steadily over the past decade. Westbourne Grammar is the independent school winner of The Ages inaugural Schools that Excel award for Melbournes west. The schools median VCE study score (a ranking that shows how well students performed in individual subjects) has improved over that time and it is maintaining its high level of achievement. For the past two years in a row, students have obtained a median study score of 34, a first for the school. This puts Westbourne several points above the statewide median of 30. Its proportion of study scores above 40 have improved, reaching a 10-year high of 16.5 per cent last year. (By way of contrast, only 9 per cent of students will get a score on or above 40 state-wide.) Students have a big say at Westbourne Grammar. They not only help mediate disputes, they run the assemblies and are involved in a proposed revamp of the school uniform. One of the things we are talking about is making it more gender neutral, Ruby says. Rather than setting a boys and girls uniform, making both options available for both genders. Students at Westbourne Grammar. Credit:Justin McManus The students The Age spoke to attribute the schools improved VCE performance to a culture of celebrating success and teachers going the extra mile. When someone is doing well they dont get backlash from friends, says Year 11 student Shakeel Manuel. I feel thats slightly different in some places. Loading They have a discussion about inspiring teachers: the biology teacher who marks VCE exams; the English teacher who makes regular time for one-on-one chats; the Japanese teacher who presented students with a book of 200 questions that might be asked in the exam. The respect is mutual. I still have students thank me for teaching at the end of a lesson, says newly arrived teacher Peter Westhead. You might not think that is unusual but you would be surprised how rare it is. Type in the name of your school to find out how it has fared over the past decade, what its graduates do after finishing school, and more: The winner of The Ages Schools that Excel in Melbournes west in the government school category St Albans Secondary College has become something of a cause celebre. In her 2014 book Class Act, Maxine McKew wrote that in the bad old days, the school managed to fit the disparaging stereotype of a westie school a tough place with poor attendance, low performance and almost zero expectations. St Albans Secondary College principal Kerrie Dowsley with students Francisco Passadore-Rocha, Christie Vo, Brigitte Thomas and Nikolina Arnaut at the school in 2014. Credit:Wayne Taylor/ Fairfax Media It has since become a resounding success story, often hailed as a shining example of how socio-economic disadvantage does not have to equate to low educational outcomes. In 2011, Joanne Ha, whose portrait is in the school foyer, became the first student at the school to achieve a perfect VCE score. Over the past decade, St Albans median VCE score has gone from 28 in 2009 to 30 for the past four years. This puts the typical St Albans student on par with the statewide average. It's an achievement that is all the more impressive considering that between 2003 and 2014, the median study score at the school never rose above 29. Principal Kerrie Dowsley says the achievements of the schools Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students have been equally significant and celebrated. Part of what we do is recognise success, Ms Dowsley said. Class Act outlines in detail the details behind the schools stunning transformation the emphasis placed on lesson planning and improved teaching practices. Teachers explicitly outline what will be covered in class and review the lesson at the end. But three years ago, when the school appointed a student learning action team, the students asked: Why dont we know about this? For us a key lever has also been about activating student voice in their learning, Ms Dowsley says. Labor leader Bill Shorten has ramped up pressure on the Coalition to take a stronger stand against racism by calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to back a parliamentary code on "race ethics" in the wake of frenzied debate over One Nation and election preferences. Mr Shorten has also tried to pull his own trade union backers into line, repudiating their calls to "put the Liberals last" and instead arguing Pauline Hanson's fringe party should always be placed at the bottom of how-to-vote cards. Labor leader Bill Shorten repudiated the ACTU's position on preferences, saying One Nation should be put last. Credit:AAP A parliamentary code of conduct on race and cultural ethics was endorsed by Labor MPs in 2016 after Senator Hanson's incendiary speech about Australia being "swamped by Muslims" but it was not backed by the Coalition at the time. In his letter to Mr Morrison, the Opposition Leader said the Christchurch terrorist attack against Muslims and its aftermath particularly Fraser Anning's comments blaming the massacre on immigration was a chance for the Coalition to "rethink its decision to not sign the code". The president of global technology giant Microsoft has warned that the Morrison government's encryption-piercing laws are harming Australia's international reputation as a trusted destination for data storage and investment. Brad Smith, also the company's chief legal officer, said foreign companies and governments were "no longer comfortable" sending their data to Australia after the Assistance and Access Bill, which gives security agencies improved powers to access the encrypted data of suspects, was rushed through Parliament and enshrined into law late last year. Microsoft president Brad Smith has warned the Australian government about its landmark encryption legislation. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In response to ongoing concerns about the legislation, Parliament's joint committee on intelligence and security also announced on Wednesday it has referred the bill for review by the government's Independent National Security Legislation Monitor the first referral to the oversight body in the committee's history. At a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event in Canberra, Mr Smith said Microsoft and others were seeking to "demystify" the complex legislation and were worried about its implications for customers' privacy. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has criticised his trade union backers for encouraging voters to preference Pauline Hanson's "extremist" One Nation party above the Coalition, arguing the right-wing minor party should always be put last. The Australian Council of Trade Unions has maintained Australians should "put the Liberals last" at the upcoming election, a position that ACTU secretary Sally McManus defended as recently as last week. Labor leader Bill Shorten repudiated the ACTU's position on preferences, saying One Nation should be put last. Credit:AAP Anger at One Nation has grown in the wake of revelations by al-Jazeera that its top officials met representatives of the United States gun lobby, discussed weakening Australia's tough anti-firearms laws and explored the possibility of securing tens of millions in donations. Mr Shorten on Wednesday drew a line in the sand and said it was unconscionable to support Senator Hanson's party ahead of the Coalition, a view he said he had put to union leaders. Guwahati, Mar 27 (IBNS): The Border Security Force (BSF) have seized cattle and contraband drugs worth Rs 49 lakh along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya within a week. Reports said the BSF have seized 133 cattle, 33 bottles of liquor and other items including wooden log, boat, clothes, fish, biri, soap, coal, betel nut-leaf and other edible items while being smuggled from India to Bangladesh through the porous international border in Meghalaya during last week in more than 55 incidents. A top official of BSF said that troops had seized 2,825 kg tea and 2,000 kg dry betel nuts worth more than Rs 14.5 lakh on the bank of Piyang river near Dawki bridge on international border on March 21. The BSF has intensified its vigil at border in Meghalaya despite large number of troops being deployed in election duty in different parts of country. Last week remained very eventual for the sentinels of border in curbing trans-border crimes/smuggling. Several special operations were launched by the BSF Troops deployed in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya and in one of these operations, the top BSF official said. He further said the BSF had also intensified its extra vigil along international border keeping in view the forth coming Lok Sabha elections. The Border Security Force has increased its domination on the Indo-Bangladesh Border to prevent illegal smuggling of liquor and cattle through international border in Meghalaya and succeeded to seize 15 cattle worth more than Rs 3 lakh on March 24 at Lyngkhat in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, the BSF official said. All the seized items handed over to concerned department for further legal action. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) An LNP politician has revealed he was sexually abused as a child when he spoke during a heated parliamentary debate over the issue of a child sex offender register. Speaking during debate on an LNP motion calling on the Palaszczuk government to adopt the opposition's plan for a public child sex offender register, member for Southport Rob Molhoek revealed he was a survivor of child sexual abuse. "In 1969, a client of my dad's sexually abused me as a 10-year-old child," he said. "And it only happened once, and I thank God that it only happened once, but it wasn't until 1998 that it occurred to me maybe I should do something about that." Mr Molhoek said he went to the Surfers Paradise police station as an adult and reported the incident. One of Peter Dutton's key backers is among the political targets of the Victorian union movement, as it begins its campaign onslaught on high-priority and blue-ribbon seats ahead of the federal election. Arch conservative Liberal MP Michael Sukkar, who holds Deakin in Melbourne's east, will be forced to fend off the campaign from Victorian Trades Hall Council, which has vowed to exploit his part in knifing Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister. Michael Sukkar will be targeted by a campaign from the Victorian Trades Hall Council during the election campaign. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The union movement is targeting several several high-priority electorates, using an army of 2000 telephone and door-knocking volunteers. Its first tier of targets also includes the suburban electorates of La Trobe, Dunkley, Chisholm, and Higgins, and coastal Corangamite. Bangkok: Thailand's Pheu Thai party says it had formed a "democratic front" with six other parties after a disputed election, claiming the opposition alliance had won a majority in the lower house of parliament and the right to try to form a government. However, the coalition would likely fall short of electing a prime minister, which requires a combined vote with the upper house of parliament, the Senate, which is entirely appointed by the military junta that in 2014 overthrew an elected Pheu Thai government. The outcome of the election remains shrouded in doubt, with unofficial results delayed until at least Friday and allegations of vote-buying and irregularities in ballot counting. Pheu Thai party leader Sudarat Keyuraphan. Credit:AP Partial results still indicate that the pro-army Palang Pracharat party would have enough votes to keep junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister. London: Theresa May has promised her colleagues she will quit the prime ministership if her Brexit divorce deal is ratified, in a last-ditch attempt to get the twice-rejected agreement across the line. May's offer came as parliament tried - and ultimately failed - to find a consensus on any of eight alternative 'Plan Bs' to the Brexit withdrawal deal May has done with the European Union. The Commons is due to try again on Monday unless May can get her deal through parliament in the meantime. I know there is a desire for a new approach and a new leadership in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I wont stand in the way of that, May said. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party. However the promise might be thwarted by parliamentary procedure, as the House of Commons speaker repeated his ruling that the divorce deal cant be voted on again unless it is changed. Anna Sorokin travelled in celebrity circles and tossed $US100 ($141) tips - all the more reason to believe she was the German heiress she said she was. But behind the jet-set lifestyle and pricey threads, prosecutors have said, was a fraudster who defrauded friends, banks and hotels for a taste of the high life. Anna Sorokin sits at the defence table in New York State Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:AP Sorokin, 28, lived in luxury New York City hotel rooms she couldn't afford, promised a friend an all-expenses paid trip to Morocco and then stuck her with the $US62,000 ($87,500) bill, and peddled bogus bank statements in a quest for a $US22 million ($31.04m) loan, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has alleged. On Wednesday, the one-time darling of the Big Apple social scene went on trial on grand larceny and theft of services charges alleging she swindled various people and businesses out of $US275,000 ($388,107) in a 10-month odyssey that saw her jetting to the Midwest and Marrakesh before landing in a cell at Rikers Island. Oneika Raymond. Photo: Courtesy of Oneika Raymond Get That Money is an exploration of the many ways we think about our finances what we earn, what we have, and what we want. In Payday, we talk to notable women about making it big for the first time. A few statistics about travel influencer Oneika Raymond: Shes been to 113 countries, has nearly 77,000 Instagram followers, has lived on three continents, and hosts two shows on the Travel Channel. Shes also been blogging for 14 years, starting as a weekend hobby while she was still teaching at international schools. Her blog is dedicated to inspiring, encouraging, and empowering women and people of color to see the world, and she seeks to demystify travel for a broader demographic. Here, she talks about quitting her day job and supporting herself as a full-time influencer on a call from Hong Kong, hours before a flight to Bhutan. I got my first passport when I was 6 months old. I was born and raised in Toronto, and I come from an immigrant family. My parents moved to Canada from Jamaica when they were teenagers. We always traveled a lot because we had family in the Caribbean and the U.S. I was a French major at university, so I had the opportunity to spend a year in France. When I touched down in Europe for the first time I was hooked. All these sensory experiences, the language, the culture, the people I just loved it. When I graduated, my mom was like, Its time to start your real life. But I hated being home. It just felt so normal. So I started looking for ways to work abroad. People were like, Wow, heres this black girl living in Asia, traveling to Cambodia. Coming from an immigrant family, the backpacking-and-finding-yourself thing was not an option for me. So I found this little program in France where I could teach English as a second language. It didnt pay very much, as it was only 12 hours a week, but it was a living wage. While I was there I learned about international schools, where diplomats and other affluent families send their children and where the pay is excellent. So I got my masters degree in education and for the next ten years, I taught in different international schools in London, Hong Kong, and Mexico. Around 2005, I started a blog called Oneika the Traveller, basically as a way to update friends and family on my whereabouts. I spent nights and weekends working on it. My fellow teachers thought it was strange. Facebook was only just taking off, and the idea of chronicling your life online seemed dorky. So I wasnt open about it, but around 2008 and 2009 I began to accrue an audience. People were somehow interested in what I had to say, not only as a Western person living abroad, but as a woman, and a black woman. A lot of people were like, Wow, heres this black girl living in Asia, traveling to Cambodia, all these things they couldnt necessarily conceive of, because travel didnt feel accessible to them. In 2011, editors started reaching out from Conde Nast Traveler and in-flight magazines, offering writing assignments. It was a good side hustle, but it was also validating, to have these major publications noticing me. The Washington Post did a feature on me, about what was like to be a teacher abroad. I was living in London during the Prince WilliamKate Middleton wedding frenzy, and a Canadian TV station found me online and asked me to do a segment about that. I also started getting press trip offers. A press trip is when a destination or a brand invites you to a place and theyre not paying you to come, but they cover all expenses. Like, the tourism board of Kazakhstan invites you to the country on a press trip, and I might get material that could become an article for Conde Nast Traveler. One of my first press trips was to Luxembourg. The tourism board flew me out from London, paid for my hotel, and fed me extremely well. I was among a crew of mostly traditional journalists, with a few bloggers thrown in, and I felt extremely official. With all these things piling up, I wondered if I could leverage the blog and turn it into a full-blown career. The stakes were high, because by then I was in my early 30s and accustomed to a certain lifestyle I was very comfortable, financially and I didnt want to struggle. I decided to give myself one year to try to sustain myself through media and blogging. I quit teaching in 2016 and moved to New York City. My last job, in Hong Kong, had given me a significant financial cushion. When you work in international schools, you can make an astronomical amount of money, six figures or close to it, especially in Hong Kong. I was living very lavishly there. I was eating out seven nights a week, traveling to Bali and Thailand on my breaks, and I was still able to save. When I got to New York, I created a media deck about myself, with all my statistics, my press clippings, and the publications Id written for. I sent it out to sites like the HuffPost and Buzzfeed, as well as tourism boards, in the hopes theyd let me write for them. I also started a YouTube channel, because I really wanted more on-camera work. Anything that would get my name out there would yield more paid opportunities, I did it. Within a month, CTV in Canada reached out to me and said theyd found my vlogs and they liked my style. They had a national morning show, and would I be interested in becoming their on-air travel expert? I couldnt believe that this national television station that I watched as a kid in Canada was approaching me. Personalities that I grew up with! Like Ben Mulroney! To be on camera with him, broadcast to millions of people, and be paid for it? It was a massive deal for me, the French teacher with a blog. I started building up my Instagram, too, because that was becoming the hot platform. My visual identity is very bright colors, and I do really long captions. Besides straight facts about a destination, Ill write about social issues, socio-political issues, like Ill write about religion in Turkey or xenophobia in France. That seems to resonate with people. From there, brands started to approach me. One of my first big partnerships was with Greyhound bus line. They reached out to me and said, We love what youre doing, and we will pay you thousands of dollars to make social media posts and a couple of videos for us. I would have done it for free, just to get started, but it was a domino effect from there. As soon as that happened, it kind of gave me street cred, like I seemed legitimate to other brands. Within six months of moving to New York, I also got a call from the Travel Channel. They said theyd found me online and asked if Id be interested in working with them. I was like, Absolutely! I did some screen tests, and they liked me and kept me on. Its a huge platform. I came up with a minimum number: Im not going to get on a plane unless theyre paying me at least four figures. Once I started to get a lot of offers, I came up with a minimum number: Im not going to get on a plane unless theyre paying me at least four figures. As any freelancer understands, its hard to figure out your rates, and even now its still the Wild West. Brands reach out and ask what my rate is, and Im like, Well, what do you want? Do you want just an Instagram post? A whole article? Now, I try to lead the conversation. I will offer packages: For this many thousand dollars, I will offer you two Instagram posts, a blog post, and a mention in Instagram Stories, for example. And also, do you want additional content that you can license for your own usage, your own marketing materials? Because then I have a fee for that as well. Consumer brands like automotive or financial, they are very well-versed in this, because theyve been working with actual celebrities on endorsements for years. Ive had potential clients tell me my rate is too high, but youll never know how much your work can command until you ask. That said, I never throw out crazy numbers for the sake of it; I think it can come off as unprofessional. Instead, I research how much I realistically think my services are worth to that client. If theyre not able to meet my number, Ill chat with them to see if we can somehow reduce the deliverables to reflect their budget. If that doesnt work, I simply walk away from the deal. I never want to feel taken advantage of or poorly compensated for my work. Im now making six figures. I am extremely grateful for it, but Ive hustled and worked harder at this job than I ever have before. Theres no closing my computer on a Friday night and opening it up again on Monday morning. Its not just Instagram; I write for Alamo, the car rental company, on their website, and I write for Marriott. I have so many partnerships youre not necessarily seeing on my feed. Im constantly working, constantly creating content, editing photos, answering emails. I travel on behalf of these companies and have some luxurious experiences, but Im on a gig, not necessarily experiencing the destination. Itd be nice to sit at a table having a cocktail at sunset, but instead Im dangling from a balcony trying to get photos of that sunset. I love it, but its definitely work. Im well-compensated but I still realize that it can all disappear tomorrow, and I never want to be in a position where Im not financially stable. I have a 401(k) and save aggressively, and I have investments and savings. Thats key for me. Stay in touch. Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. MINING TECHNOLOGY FORUM IN SOUTH AMERICA Meet the leading technological firms and discover the latest mining innovations at MiningTech South America. Expect to meet more than 250 global attendees from more than 15 countries at this premier mining technology conference and exhibition in Santiago, Chile Be a part of this invaluable platform to seek new partnerships and fresh business opportunities. An Iranian April Surprise? How far will the White House go to re-elect Netanyahu? By Philip Giraldi March 27, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The situation that is developing around both this years Israeli election and next years ballot in the United States smacks of something like a developing conspiracy to renew the mandates of both Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump somewhat reminiscent of the October Surprise that helped bring Ronald Reagan to the White House. Back then, the Reagan campaign team led by William Casey secretly negotiated with Iranian representatives to prolong the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis past the 1980 election, enabling Reagan to use the continuing stand-off as a wedge issue to attack the weakness of Carter foreign policy. If Carter had been able to bring the hostages home, he might have won reelection. In exchange for a Reagan offer of considerable military hardware, the Iranians agreed to release the U.S. hostages after the new president took office, which they did. And Reagan provided the hardware in an exchange that eventually morphed into Iran-Contra. What is less known is that the initial secret meetings between Casey and the Iranians were set up by a group of CIA Chiefs of Station who had served in the Middle East but were at that time in Europe. The first meetings were in Paris. The Chiefs, all active-duty, serving CIA officers, were working for the Carter administration but were conspiring to defeat him and contributed materially to that outcome. Several of them were rewarded when Casey was subsequently named Director of Central Intelligence. Curiously, both then and now Iran was and is at the center of what might or might not develop and there are clear signs that the United States is escalating its crisis with Tehran artificially to produce a conflict that would benefit no one in the short term but Bibi Netanyahu, Israels Prime Minister, who is struggling to get re-elected. A critical question becomes Since Trump has pledged disengagement in the Middle East, is it he who is pulling the strings or is it National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, somewhat reminiscent of the cabal of CIA Chiefs conspiring behind the back of the elected president in 1980? But the more important question is, perhaps, whether Bolton and Pompeo actually want Trump reelected or might they be engaged in something even more devious? Is a Mitt or a Marco lurking, either of whom would be seen very favorably by Israel and the neocons versus an extremely narcissistic and ultimately unreliable Trump? Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter That Washington has been slowly tightening the screws on Iran is undeniable, starting with the withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement last year, which has led to a level of economic warfare initiated by Washington that is unprecedented between two countries that are not actually at war. Ironically and inevitably, though the suffering of the Iranian people is real, the elites who run the country are largely immune to the hardships being experienced. As there has been no sign that the Iranian people will overthrow their government, which is the White Houses stated objective, more pressure is being contemplated. New sanctions were initiated last Friday and a move that mighty actually bring about an armed confrontation is being considered by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is clearly favoring declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to be a foreign terrorist group. Qassim Suleimani, commander of the IRGCs elite Quds Force component, has already been designated a terrorist by the U.S., but no armed forces entity from any country has ever before been awarded that distinction and it would likely produce a serious response from Iran, possibly including an attack on some U.S. military installation in the Middle East or against a U.S. Navy warship patrolling the Straits of Hormuz. That would in turn justify a response and the crisis could easily escalate. According to the New York Times, the Pompeo plans also would designate some Iraqi Shiite militias as foreign terrorist organizations. As a result, the Iranian-trained militias and Iraqi officials who support them would be subject to new economic sanctions and travel restrictions. This scenario would also compound problems with Baghdad, which is already reluctant to accept the stationing of U.S. troops in the country without placing severe restrictions on when, how and where they might be able to operate, and it would also be seen by the rulers in Tehran as a major threat to Irans national security. So, there would be complications and also considerable downside if Washington were to take the lead on designating Iranian or Iranian connected militias terrorists, but bear in mind the considerable upside, which is that war is, generally speaking, good for incumbency unless it quickly and undeniably goes disastrously wrong. A quick strike to punish Iran before the Israeli election would help Netanyahu, just as a successful and not too prolonged cakewalk engagement with the Mullahs would elevate Trump next year. The president and his close advisors have surely noted that the only time he was regarded as presidential by the media and inside the Beltway talking heads was when he ordered the launch of cruise missiles to punish Syria for an alleged chemical attack back in April 2017. The fact that the attack was based on false intelligence was irrelevant and it did not produce any damage to key voter constituencies, apart from that segment of the population that voted for Trump because he was perceived to be the anti-war choice for president. The Israelis are, of course, deep into the planning for a conflict, and have recently again been promoting their repeatedly discredited casus belli claim that Iran has a secret nuclear program. It would be reasonable to suggest that war with Iran is coming and it is only a matter of timing concerning when and exactly how it starts. There may not be enough time left to do Netanyahu a favor that he would surely reciprocate in American elections next year, but you can also bet that the Israeli Mossad intelligence service is hard at work coming up with false flag contingency plans to jump start a war sooner rather than later. There have long been concerns that intelligence agencies might go rogue but we are now living in an age where the existence of a deep state in many countries suggests that they have already been rogue for some time, most particularly in the United States. Suggesting the possibility of some covert intrigues behind the scenes in the Administration does not necessarily mean that there is an actual conspiracy apart from that which is being run by the White House and Congress against the American people. But because we live in a world where we can no longer expect the government to behave honorably, it is wise to expect just about anything. Politicians care only about retaining power by being re-elected in both Israel and in the United States and, since the two governments are currently joined at the hip and likely perceiving war as part of an electoral strategy, why not expect the worst? Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is councilforthenationalinterest.org , inform@cnionline.org. address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== What does "The Israel Lobby - US" documentary reveal about the lobby in America? - Ali Abunimah Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy Prince William will visit Christchurch next month, Kensington Palace has said on Twitter. A statement says the visit will be on behalf of the Queen to "honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terror attack". The visit will be late next month, and comes at the request of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. 14 Year Olds Drowning Death Linked to Sugary Alcoholic Drinks: Quebec Coroner MONTREALA Quebec coroner called on public heath authorities to take stronger action to counter the dangers of youth drinking on March 27 as he released his report into the death of a 14-year-old girl who was found dead in a stream behind her school last year. Martin Larocque concluded that Athena Gervais died of drowning and possible hypothermia in the context of excessive consumption of a sweetened alcoholic beverage. His report found Gervais consumed most of three 568 ml cans of a beverage called FCKD UPthe equivalent of 12 glasses of winein the span of half an hour on Feb. 26, 2018. More on findings of coroner Martin Larocque, who says: We must take away from the death of Athena Gervais that its imperative that a set of measures be adopted to prevent the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption [by] minor children and young adults. https://t.co/ZppSNg3H4a CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) March 27, 2019 She didnt return to class that afternoon, and her body was found three days later in a stream in a wooded area in Laval, Que. In his report, Larocque noted that consuming that much alcohol in such a short period of time likely had a devastating effect on Gervais, who weighed only 110 pounds and wasnt an experienced drinker. In view of the low history of alcohol consumption of a girl of that age and that weight, the consequences of such a large consumption in such a period of time could not be otherwise than sudden and unexpected, he wrote. Larocque concluded that Gervais likely became disoriented and fell into the stream by accident. He noted that she hadnt taken her winter jacket and drowned in only two feet of water, with a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit for driving. Her cognitive state was so affected by the alcohol consumption that it led to her death, the coroner concluded. Quebec and Canadian health authorities have moved to limit the sale and production of sugary, high-alcohol drinks since Gervais death. This comes amid calls for government action following the death of 14-year-old Athena Gervais, who reportedly consumed such a product last month before vanishing. https://t.co/DzgLQ3Yu6X Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) March 13, 2018 Geloso Group, the manufacturer of FCKD UP, ceased producing the beverage, and the Quebec government adopted legislation that limits the alcohol content of sugary beverages sold in convenience and grocery stores to seven per cent. By comparison, FCKD UP contained 11.9 per cent. Health Canada has also proposed new rules that would limit the amount of alcohol in containers under one litre to no more than 1.5 servings, compared to the four servings in FCKD UP and similar drinks. But in his report and at a later news conference, Larocque said more action is needed to counter the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption in youth. Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 26, 2017, he said 2,332 people aged 12 to 24 had to be treated for alcohol intoxicationproof of what Larocque called a real and concerning public health problem. He said sugary beverages pose a particular danger to young people because theyre affordable, sold in colorful cans with flashy displays, cant be closed once opened and have a high level of sugar that masks the alcohol content. The cumulative combination of these factors desensitizes youth to the importance of responsible consumption, he told the news conference. Larocque issued a number of recommendations, including that alcohol in containers under one liter be limited to one serving, rather than the 1.5 servings proposed by Health Canada. He also suggested that alcohol companies should face advertising restrictions regarding the appearance and marketing of products, including a ban on names or slogans that trivialize excessive alcohol consumption, inebriety or alcohol dependence. The coroners concerns were echoed by Alain Gervais, Athenas father, who told reporters he was struck by the devastating amount of alcohol found in his daughters system. He said the report would give the necessary ammunition to the fight to keep sugary alcoholic beverages out of the hands of young people like his daughter. Its next to the candy, its too accessible, he said of the three cans his daughter stole on the day of her death. The advertising is too strong with those products, the bright colours . (They think) its candy, but its not candy. Gervais said he was satisfied with the Quebec governments swift actions in the wake of Athenas death, but he says the federal government has taken too long to ensure stronger rules are in place across Canada. Henry Rex Weaver, an Alabama substitute teacher, was detained after a gun in his pocket allegedly discharged inside a classroom of first-graders in Blountsville, Ala., on March 22, 2019. (Blount County Sheriff's Office) Alabama Teacher Arrested After Gun in Pocket Goes Off In Classroom A 74-year-old Alabama substitute teacher is behind bars after a gun in his pocket went off inside a first-grade classroom, according to reports. The incident happened around midday on March 22 at Blountsville Elementary School, according to a statement by the Blount County Sheriffs Office. Authorities received word that a firearm had been accidentally discharged inside a classroom. Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon was cited by AL.com as saying that the teacher had the gun in his pocket when it discharged. It (the sound) alerted administrators, Moon said, according to the report. He was detained until we could get him in our jail. On 3/22/2019 between the hours of 12:30p.m and 1:00p.m. the Blount County Sheriffs Office received word that a firearm Blount County Sheriff's Office 2019322 The Incident After speaking with school administrators, deputies found out that Weaver had unlawfully brought a small caliber firearm into the classroom and kept it concealed on his person. The sheriffs office said the gun discharged while inside of Weavers pocket. Deputies also learned that there was one child who had received minor injuries. Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey was cited by AL.com as saying the injured student was examined by the school nurse after being struck by a fragment. The student was treated on the scene and released. The Charges Weaver was booked into Blount County Jail and faces numerous charges. Obviously Im concerned about a substitute teacher bring a gun to school, the sheriff said, according to AL.com, and what we can do to prevent that in the future. Weaver has been charged with possession of a deadly weapon on school grounds, third-degree aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment. We are so very thankful no one was seriously injured and for the swift response of school administration, the Blount County Sheriffs Office stated. The Reactions The incident has sparked a range of reactions on social media. Commenter Lynene Marsh wrote in support of arming teachers. If students can carry them the teacher should be able to carry! From experience my granddaughter went to Southeastern where has been 2/3 incidents happened there!! Social media user James Shinn argued only designated law enforcement specialists should be allowed to carry guns in schools. Only Sworn Officers should carry firearms on school property, argued Shinn. For those that support otherwise consider that the most likely person to attack students is a student not an outsider. Let teachers be teachers not police. God forbid something like this ever happened, wrote Jeremie Baker, but if a school shooter showed up there today and this man was able to stop it with his firearm he would be hailed a hero. Its very unfortunate what happened and thank the Lord nobody was hurt or worse. But I would rather have it and not need than need it and not have it. Commenter Jeremy Harbin suggested the firearm was not safely carried and Weaver should pay the price for negligence. Im glad no one was hurt, he wrote. Most likely this was a pocket pistol which means he had a bullet chambered with the safety disengaged (if it had a safety at all). It discharged in his pocket which means that something had to come in contact and pull the trigger (a pen?). Why wasnt the gun holstered with something guarding the trigger? This man was not carrying his gun safely and will pay the price now.which he should because he was negligent in his care of a gun. Guys like this shouldnt carry a gun at all if they are not going to treat it with the respect its due. Facebook user Eric McFerrin argued the charges brought against Weaver were excessive. Inexcusable gun handling but the charges seem out of line for an accident, McFerrin wrote. Glad there were no serious injuries. Be responsible gun owners and secure your weapon, commented Troy Blair. Ive carried for 30 years and never accidentally discharged a weapon. Secure your triggers people. We live in an evil world, Blair continued. And God gives us common sense to protect ourselves and our families. If someone attempts to harm my family, I will defend myself and my family and then pray for the perp once he is no longer a threat. I believe in God, Guns and America. God Bless America. An Ancient Chinese Story: Forfeiting the Chance to Become Immortal The story of Prime Minister Li Linfu of the Tang Dynasty Li Linfu was a prime minister during the Tang Dynasty. As a child, he lived in the eastern capital of Louyang and loved to play all day long. Because he was always occupied with playing, he didnt learn how to read until he was 20 years old. Linfus hobbies included hunting, playing polo, and raising eagles and dogs. His favorite sport was playing polo on a donkey. When he became tired, he would dismount the donkey and lie on the ground to rest. One day, an ugly Taoist sitting nearby said to Li Linfu, How is playing polo on a donkey fun? Is it a worthwhile interest? Linfu glared at the Taoist and retorted, Mind your own business! The Taoist then left. The next day, the Taoist came again and repeated the same words. Linfu, being a bright young man, realized the Taoist was not an ordinary person. He quickly stood up and bowed to the Taoist. Although you are good at polo, sooner or later you will fall off the donkey. It will be too late for regret when you are hurt! warned the Taoist. Linfu promised that he would be careful in the future and no longer play polo on a donkey. The Taoist smiled and told him, I will wait for you here in three days at 3 a.m. Linfu agreed to the appointment. By the time Linfu got there on the agreed date, the Taoist was already waiting. The Taoist asked, Why are you late? Linfu quickly apologized, and then the Taoist asked to meet again in another three days at 3 a.m. For the second appointment, Linfu got there by midnight and waited a long time for the Taoist to arrive. The Taoist was happy to talk to Linfu. Ive been in the human world for 500 years already. You are the only one the heavenly fairies have on a name list, so someday you can fly to Heaven and become an immortal. But if you dont want to become an immortal, you can serve as a prime minister of the Tang Dynasty for 20 years. Think about it. I am going back today. I will meet you here again at 3 a.m. in three days. Back home, Linfu thought, I was born into a royal family. I have been bold and chivalrous since my youth. It would be wonderful to serve as prime minister for 20 years. When Li Linfu met the Taoist again, he confessed that he wanted to be a prime minister, not an immortal. The Taoist pitied him and scolded, I really did not think you were so vulgar! I have visited 500 talented people, and you are the only one with the ability to become immortal. Youve really disappointed me. I pity you. Linfu felt immense regret upon hearing this. He wanted to change his mind, but the Taoist told him that it was too late. The Gods in Heaven already knew his first choice. Before leaving, the Taoist warned him, You can be prime minister for 20 years, during which you will have total power over other peoples lives. You cannot harm people through conspiracies. Try to save more people and kill as few as possible in order to accumulate virtue for your next life. By doing so, you will be able to fly to Heaven and become an immortal in another 300 years. Now, your good fortune is imminent. You may go to the capital and take an official post. A tearful Li Linfu said goodbye as the Taoist left. Li Linfus lineage went back to Li Yuan, the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He was the great-grandson of Li Yuans cousin, Li Shuliang. Li Linfus uncle also worked as an official in the Tang court. When Linfu went to visit his uncle at the capital, the uncle was surprised and asked why he was there. Li Linfu told him, I was wrong before when I only wanted to play and didnt like to read. I have come to you and am determined to change. If I make mistakes again, I am willing to be whipped by you, uncle. Linfus uncle found this odd but didnt ask any more questions. He had Linfu read and then organize tableware after each banquet. Linfu always washed the tableware thoroughly and put everything in order and in the right place. Linfus uncle sometimes asked him to work outside during the bad winter weather. Linfu never refused, and despite having to trudge through deep snow, he completed his assignments well. The uncle grew more and more fond of him and often praised his nephew among other officials. With his uncles help, Li Linfu received a position as an adviser. After 10 years, he was appointed prime minister. Linfu was skilled at using his authority and also had a good understanding of what the Emperor wanted, so he eventually won the Emperors favor. He later held total power during a period of the Tang Dynasty, and nearly every minister and citizen feared him. As the saying goes, Just as brine creates bean curd, all things may be subdued by something with more power. An Lushan, the army commander of three provinces, did not fear Emperor Xuanzong, yet he trembled with fear whenever he saw Li Linfu. He asked one of the Taoists he knew, Im not afraid when I see the Emperor. So how come I panic whenever I see Li Linfu? You have 500 devils with copper heads and iron foreheads who act as celestial guards protecting you, the Taoist replied. How can you be afraid of Li Linfu? Invite him to visit so I can see what happens when you two are together. Thus, An Lushan held a banquet at his home and invited Linfu as a guest. The Taoist hid behind a curtain to watch them. After Linfu left, the Taoist told An Lushan, Strange. When Linfu came, a boy in blue walked in front of him with a censer. The 500 devils following you were frightened and escaped upon seeing the boy. I am not sure why. Perhaps Linfu was an immortal temporarily demoted to our mortal world. Several years later, Li Linfu began to expel dissidents in order to strengthen his power and position. Many people were sent to prison, and many innocent people were killed. He had completely forgotten the Taoists advice at this point. Whoever wanted to meet Linfu had to dismount his horse far away and walk to his house. At noon one day, a person unrestrainedly knocked on Linfus door. Surprised, the guard opened the door and saw a thin Taoist saying he wanted to see the Prime Minister. The guard loudly berated him and tried to drive him away, and then flogged him and took him to the authorities. The Taoist walked away with a smile. The next day, the Taoist went to Linfus residence again. This time, the guard reported the situation to Linfu. Linfu claimed he didnt remember ever knowing a Taoist, but nevertheless asked the Taoist to come in. When Li Linfu saw the Taoist, he suddenly remembered the advice from 20 years before. He was overcome with fear and shame, and suddenly felt at a loss. It dawned on him that the Taoist told him he would be the prime minister for 20 years, and it has been exactly 20 years now, yet he never followed the Taoists advice. Linfu was so scared that he felt ill. He bowed to the Taoist who, in return, asked, How have you been? You did not heed my advice. Instead of doing things with compassion, you killed many innocent people. All your crimes have been recorded in Heaven. Are you really not afraid of being punished by Heaven? At a loss for words, Linfu just kept kowtowing. Linfu sent the servants away and invited the Taoist to sleep on another bed in the same room. The Taoist only drank a bit of tea and asked for nothing else. At midnight, Linfu asked him, You once said that I had the predestined relationship to become an immortal. Does that chance still exist? Due to your misconduct these past years, you lost the chance to become an immortal in 300 years, answered the Taoist. The time has been postponed to 600 years. In 600 years, you may become an immortal. Im almost at the end of my life, and Ive committed so many crimes. What is my future like? asked Li Linfu. Follow me to Heaven if you want to find out, said the Taoist. Linfu quickly kneeled and pleaded with the Taoist to take him to Heaven. The Taoist told Linfu to clear his mind and make himself as still and tranquil as a dead tree before the Taoist would take him away. After a while, Linfu said he no longer had any thoughts. The Taoist got out of bed and told him, Lets go! Linfus body automatically followed the Taoist. Once they approached the gate of the capital city, Changan, the gate opened for them. Linfu became too tired to continue after walking for about three miles, so the Taoist allowed him to rest. They sat on the side of the road. A bit later, the Taoist gave Linfu a bamboo pole and told him, Ride on this. It will automatically stop once we reach our destination. But your eyes must be closed! Once Linfu began riding on the bamboo pole, he immediately felt his body flying upward. He could hear the sounds of the sea and wind. An hour later, the movement suddenly stopped. They landed in front of the huge gate of a city. Several hundred soldiers stood outside the gate, and they warmly welcomed the Taoist and bowed to Linfu. Past the gate, more soldiers lined both sides of the road. The Taoist and Linfu went up some stairs and entered a richly decorated large hall that contained luxurious beds. Linfu was suddenly sleepy and wanted to nap there, but the Taoist quickly stopped him, saying, If you sleep here, you wont be able to return to the human world. This will mean your death. If I can come here after I die, I will be satisfied enough, replied Linfu. The Taoist smiled and said, This place is not as perfect as you imagine. You can still get sick, get into trouble just the same, and suffer here. He handed Linfu the bamboo pole and they left that place. Li Linfu returned home to find his body sitting on a bed with both eyes shut. The Taoist called, Prime Minister Li! Prime Minister Li! Linfu went back into his body and opened his eyes. He tearfully thanked the Taoist. The Taoist bid farewell the next day. Li tried to give him gifts of gold and silk, but he refused. He waved his hand and said, Do your best and Ill see you in 600 years. Then he disappeared. In the 11th year of Tianbao (the last period of Emperor Xuanzongs reign), Li Linfu died. He was said to have been involved in the rebellion that followed, so all his family property was confiscated and his children were exiled. Translated by Dora Li into English, this story is reprinted with permission from the book Treasured Tales of China, Vol. 1, available on Amazon. Baby Girl Paralyzed by Vaccine, Mother Arrested for Seeking Compensation A Chinese mother was detained by police for seeking compensation after her child was partially paralyzed by a vaccine, the Chinese-language Epoch Times reported on March 23. Local authorities in Henan Province, China, said that He Fangmei would be jailed for 15 days for alleged disorderly behavior. On March 21, at the end of the detention period, she was not released by police and her family did not receive any information from the authorities. It turned out that the mother was transferred to a detention center. Hes husband, Li Xin, was only to find about her whereabouts after being told by an elderly guard who worked at the police stations front door. Detention After He was detained, government authorities began shadowing and spying on Li. Any parents who tries to get justice for the children who are harmed by vaccines become social enemies, Li told the Epoch Times. In May 2018, Hes daughter received a DTP vaccination for inoculation against diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus. The girls hands and feet were then damaged by the immunization. To help her as quickly as possible, the parents took her to Beijing for medical treatment, and rented a house. Suddenly, the owner of the rental house told the parents to vacate the property by a certain date. Local authorities pressured the owner to threaten the family. The family was told that any of their belongings that was left in the house would be thrown out. Important medical documents for the daughters treatment were in the house, and Li went back to the house with his daughter to retrieve them. While at the train station, he was suddenly apprehended by a SWAT team. This was the first time in my life that I ever experienced being kidnapped like this, Li told the Chinese Epoch Times. The father was detained by the police and later released. Li said that in the nine months since his daughter was disabled, his wife He complained to the local government many times for a fair compensation on medical expenses. She was refused time and time again. In response, He went to higher authorities, and even out on the streets, to seek help for her daughters injuries. She did this in her hometown in Xinxiang, and also in Beijing. He and Li intended to warn other parents of the dangers of vaccination, but instead have received many kinds of pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Theyve been detained and suppressed in various ways, even being barred from using the internet. Recently, the CCP held the Lianghui, literally translated as Two Meetings, which concluded in mid-March. During the meeting, many people were arrested for a broad range of accusations, including parents who complained about harmful vaccines. Deadly Vaccines In China, children have not only been injured by poorly made vaccine, but even killed. Two children died in early February from botchy Chinese vaccinations. One child, named Han Xu, passed away on Feb. 8. He was born in October 2014, and received a leprosy vaccine 10 months later. He soon began having fevers and spasms. He spent two months in an intensive care unit. Han had to be fed through his nose, and he could smile and eat. However, he was unable to speak or walk. He was often sick. The parents took him to many different hospitals, but his illness was never resolved. Han was diagnosed with meningitis. When the boy passed away, his body was kept from the parents, and no explanation was given by authorities. Examinations were given to Han to check if his illness was hereditary, but all of the exams returned negative results. Specialists were not allowed to sign off on examinations given to Han. Another boy, named He Shangze, passed away on Feb. 10. He had received a vaccination for Polio and DTP (diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus) in October 2014. The next evening, He returned to the hospital with a high fever and went into shock. He was diagnosed with meningitis. A specialist group suggested that He was poisoned by vaccine. Epoch Times reporter Liu Yi contributed to this report. Barbaric Organ Harvesting in China Must End, MPs Say LONDONA group of British lawmakers is urging the UK government to hold China accountable for an alleged crime that some might find too disturbing to believe: the practice of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. Scottish National Party MP Patricia Gibson likened it to something one would expect to read about in a science fiction novel. This barbaric, inhumane practice must end, she said, at the Westminster Hall debate on March 26. In response to several speeches from MPs, Mark Field, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), said he would raise the issue of forced organ harvesting internationally. Members today have outlined concerns that organs are not only being taken from executed death row prisoners, but also from prisoners of conscience, primarily Falun Gong practitioners, as well as other religious and ethnic minorities. Concerns have been raised that sometimes organs are removed while the victim is still alive, and without anesthetic, he said. In 2016, the US congress unanimously passed a resolution condemning state-sanctioned organ harvesting in China, and in the same year, the European Parliament passed a written declaration on stopping organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. Field said the FCO would scrutinize the situation. Some, like Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon, who hosted the debate, wanted the minister to take a stronger stance. I would have felt honestly that maybe he could have been a bit stronger, said Shannon, but added, I dont think that takes away from his commitment of what were trying to change. We have to impress upon China that its unethical. That its murder on demand, he said. Very Substantial Number of Victims The 2016 report, Bloody Harvest: An Update, (pdf) says that prisoners of conscience are subjected to medical exams to assess their suitability for organ transplantation. Ethan Gutmann is one of the authors of the report. He said it was heartening to see more and more MPs in the UK getting involved. You do see a group forming who know what they are talking about, who actually know the issue and speak eloquently about it, and are very determined. This is new, he said. Speaking of forced organ harvesting, he said, In terms of medical corruption, we are looking at something we have not seen since the Nazis, in terms of medical experimentation. A peoples tribunal set up to investigate forced organ harvesting in China gave an interim judgment last December, with the chair, Sir Geoffrey Nice, saying that forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has happened in China on a substantial scale. We, the tribunal members, are all certain, unanimously, and sure beyond reasonable doubt, that in China, forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has been practiced for a substantial period of time, involving a very substantial number of victims, he said. Witness testimonies supported allegations that the victims of organ harvesting were often people jailed for their belief, mainly practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that has been suppressed in China since 1999, as well as Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and House Christians. A former surgeon, Enver Tohti, said he was forced to extract organs from a man who was still alive. He was trying to struggle to resist my insertion, but he was too weak to do action against my insertion, he said during his witness testimony. Dr. Adnan Sharif, Secretary, Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting described the practice as a major crime against humanity. Its sometimes very hard, to listen to those testimonies, listen to those witness accounts because for some people, they just find it too unbelievable to accept that is the case, said Dr. Sharif, a consultant transplant nephrologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Right now, from a global perspective, this is the biggest black mark against organ donation, he said. At the time of this publication, 40 MPs had signed a motion, which calls on the UK government to condemn the alleged practice of forced organ harvesting. It also calls to introduce legislation banning citizens from taking part in organ tourism. Conservative MP Fiona Bruce said during the debate, In the case of killing or murder by way of forced organ removal from prisoners of conscience in China, there are no such victims to tell their stories. That is because no one survives. It is almost a perfect crime. Should that prevent us from speaking out? It should not. Its not the first time this has been debated in parliament, and Bruce said, it wont be the last. Three Lessons for the Left from the Mueller Inquiry By Jonathan Cook March 27, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Here are three important lessons for the progressive left to consider now that it is clear the inquiry by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russiagate is never going to uncover collusion between Donald Trumps camp and the Kremlin in the 2016 presidential election. Painting the pigs face The left never had a dog in this race. This was always an in-house squabble between different wings of the establishment. Late-stage capitalism is in terminal crisis, and the biggest problem facing our corporate elites is how to emerge from this crisis with their power intact. One wing wants to make sure the pigs face remains painted, the other is happy simply getting its snout deeper into the trough while the food lasts. Russiagate was never about substance, it was about who gets to image-manage the decline of a turbo-charged, self-harming neoliberal capitalism. The leaders of the Democratic party are less terrified of Trump and what he represents than they are of us and what we might do if we understood how they have rigged the political and economic system to their permanent advantage. It may look like Russiagate was a failure, but it was actually a success. It deflected the lefts attention from endemic corruption within the leadership of the Democratic party, which supposedly represents the left. It rechannelled the lefts political energies instead towards the convenient bogeymen targets of Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Mired in corruption What Mueller found all he was ever going to find was marginal corruption in the Trump camp. And that was inevitable because Washington is mired in corruption. In fact, what Mueller revealed was the most exceptional forms of corruption among Trumps team while obscuring the run-of-the-mill stuff that would have served as a reminder of the endemic corruption infecting the Democratic leadership too. An anti-corruption investigation would have run much deeper and exposed far more. It would have highlighted the Clinton Foundation, and the role of mega-donors like James Simons, George Soros and Haim Saban who funded Hillarys campaign with one aim in mind: to get their issues into a paid-for national consensus. Further, in focusing on the Trump camp and relative minnows like Paul Manafort and Roger Stone the Russiagate inquiry actually served to shield the Democratic leadership from an investigation into the much worse corruption revealed in the content of the DNC emails. It was the leaking / hacking of those emails that provided the rationale for Muellers investigations. What should have been at the front and centre of any inquiry was how the Democratic party sought to rig its primaries to prevent party members selecting anyone but Hillary as their presidential candidate. So, in short, Russiagate has been two years of wasted energy by the left, energy that could have been spent both targeting Trump for what he is really doing rather than what it is imagined he has done, and targeting the Democratic leadership for its own, equally corrupt practices. Trump empowered But its far worse than that. It is not just that the left wasted two years of political energy on Russiagate. At the same time, they empowered Trump, breathing life into his phoney arguments that he is the anti-establishment president, a peoples president the elites are determined to destroy. Trump faces opposition from within the establishment not because he is anti-establishment but because he refuses to decorate the pigs snout with lipstick. He is tearing the mask off late-stage capitalisms greed and self-destructiveness. And he is doing so not because he wants to reform or overthrow turbo-charged capitalism but because he wants to remove the last, largely cosmetic constraints on the system so that he and his friends can plunder with greater abandon and destroy the planet more quickly. The other wing of the neoliberal establishment, the one represented by the Democratic party leadership, fears that exposing capitalism in this way making explicit its inherently brutal, wrist-slitting tendencies will awaken the masses, that over time it will risk turning them into revolutionaries. Democratic party leaders fear Trump chiefly because of the threat he poses to the image of the political and economic system they have so lovingly crafted so that they can continue enriching themselves and their children. Trumps genius his only genius is to have appropriated, and misappropriated, some of the language of the left to advance the interests of the 1 per cent. When he attacks the corporate liberal media for having a harmful agenda, for serving as propagandists, he is not wrong. When he rails against the identity politics cultivated by liberal elites over the past two decades suggesting that it has weakened the US he is not wrong. But he is right for the wrong reasons. TVs version of clickbait The corporate media, and the journalists they employ, are propagandists for a system that keeps them wealthy. When Trump was a Republican primary candidate, the entire corporate media loved him because he was TVs equivalent of clickbait, just as he had been since reality TV began to usurp the place of current affairs programmes and meaningful political debate. The handful of corporations that own the US media and much of corporate America besides are there both to make ever-more money by expanding profits and to maintain the credibility of a political and economic system that lets them make ever more money. The liberal corporate media shares the values of the Democratic party leadership. In other words, it is heavily invested in making sure the pig doesnt lose its lipstick. By contrast, Fox News and the shock-jocks, like Trump, prioritise making money in the short term over the long-term credibility of a system that gives them licence to make money. They care much less whether the pigs face remains painted. So Trump is right that the liberal media is undemocratic and that it is now propagandising against him. But he is wrong about why. In fact, all corporate media whether liberal or not, whether against Trump or for him is undemocratic. All of the media propagandises for a rotten system that keeps the vast majority of Americans impoverished. All of the media cares more for Trump and the elites he belongs to than it cares for the 99 per cent. Gorging on the main course Similarly, with identity politics. Trump says he wants to make (a white) America great again, and uses the lefts obsession with identity as a way to energise a backlash from his own supporters. Just as too many on the left sleep-walked through the past two years waiting for Mueller a former head of the FBI, the US secret police, for chrissakes! to save them from Trump, they have been manipulated by liberal elites into the political cul-de-sac of identity politics. Just as Mueller put the left on standby, into waiting-for-the-Messiah mode, so simple-minded, pussy-hat-wearing identity politics has been cultivated in the supposedly liberal bastions of the corporate media and Ivy League universities the same universities that have turned out generations of Muellers and Clintons to deplete the lefts political energies. While we argue over who is most entitled and most victimised, the establishment has carried on raping and pillaging Third World countries, destroying the planet and siphoning off the wealth produced by the rest of us. These liberal elites long ago worked out that if we could be made to squabble among ourselves about who was most entitled to scraps from the table, they could keep gorging on the main course. The liberal elites exploited identity politics to keep us divided by pacifying the most maginalised with the offer of a few additional crumbs. Trump has exploited identity politics to keep us divided by inflaming tensions as he reorders the hierarchy of privilege in which those crumbs are offered. In the process, both wings of the elite have averted the danger that class consciousness and real solidarity might develop and start to challenge their privileges. The Corbyn experience But the most important lesson of all for the left is that support among its ranks for the Mueller inquiry against Trump was foolhardy in the extreme. Not only was the inquiry doomed to failure in fact, not only was it designed to fail but it has set a precedent for future politicised investigations that will be used against the progressive left should it make any significant political gains. And an inquiry against the real left will be far more aggressive and far more productive than Mueller was. If there is any doubt about that look to the UK. Britain now has within reach of power the first truly progressive politician in living memory, someone seeking to represent the 99 per cent, not the 1 per cent. But Jeremy Corbyns experience as the leader of the Labour party massively swelling the memberships ranks to make it the largest political party in Europe has been eye-popping. I have documented Corbyns travails regularly in this blog over the past four years at the hands of the British political and media establishment. You can find many examples here. Corbyn, even more so than the small, new wave of insurgency politicians in the US Congress, has faced a relentless barrage of criticism from across the UKs similarly narrow political spectrum. He has been attacked by both the rightwing media and the supposedly liberal media. He has been savaged by the ruling Conservative party, as was to be expected, and by his own parliamentary Labour party. The UKs two-party system has been exposed as just as hollow as the US one. The ferocity of the attacks has been necessary because, unlike the Democratic partys success in keeping a progressive leftwinger away from the presidential campaign, the UK system accidentally allowed a socialist to slip past the gatekeepers. All hell has broken out ever since. Simple-minded identity politics What is so noticeable is that Corbyn is rarely attacked over his policies mainly because they have wide popular appeal. Instead he has been hounded over fanciful claims that, despite being a life-long and very visible anti-racism campaigner, he suddenly morphed into an outright anti-semite the moment party members elected him leader. I will not rehearse again how implausible these claims are. Simply look through these previous blog posts should you be in any doubt. But what is amazing is that, just as with the Mueller inquiry, much of the British left including prominent figures like Owen Jones and the supposedly countercultural Novara Media have sapped their political energies in trying to placate or support those leading the preposterous claims that Labour under Corbyn has become institutionally anti-semitic. Again, the promotion of a simple-minded identity politics which pits the rights of Palestinians against the sensitivities of Zionist Jews about Israel was exploited to divide the left. The more the left has conceded to this campaign, the angrier, the more implacable, the more self-righteous Corbyns opponents have become to the point that the Labour party is now in serious danger of imploding. A clarifying moment Were the US to get its own Corbyn as president, he or she would undoubtedly face a Mueller-style inquiry, and one far more effective at securing the presidents impeachment than this one was ever going to be. That is not because a leftwing US president would be more corrupt or more likely to have colluded with a foreign power. As the UK example shows, it would be because the entire media system from the New York Times to Fox News would be against such a president. And as the UK example also shows, it would be because the leaderships of both the Republican and Democratic parties would work as one to finish off such a president. In the combined success-failure of the Mueller inquiry, the left has an opportunity to understand in a much more sophisticated way how real power works and in whose favour it is exercised. It is moment that should be clarifying if we are willing to open our eyes to Muellers real lessons. Jonathan Cook won the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His books include Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East (Pluto Press) and Disappearing Palestine: Israels Experiments in Human Despair (Zed Books). His website is www.jonathan-cook.net. Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy Boeing Max Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Florida Over Performance Issue A Boeing 737 Max operated by Southwest Airlines was forced to make an emergency landing in Florida after reported engine trouble on March 26. No passengers were on board Southwest Airlines Flight 8701, which was being ferried from Orlando International Airport to Victorville, California, for storage, CNN reported. Southwest said two pilots on the plane noted a performance issue with one of the engines shortly after takeoff, CNN reported. The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport, the firm added. The incident comes after 737 Max jets were grounded around the world after two fatal crashes involving the planes in March and in October 2018. The March 26 grounding, however, had absolutely no relation to the flight-control issue blamed for the crashes, a Southwest spokeswoman told Bloomberg News. The performance issue unfolded shortly after the plane departed Orlando International Airport, according to the report. The crew on the plane declared an emergency and landed without incident in Orlando, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Bloomberg. The plane was sent to a maintenance hangar after it landed. Southwest is shifting its 34 Boeing Max jets to Victorville. The FAA only allows airlines to fly Max 737 planes that dont have passengers on board. The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircrafts flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders, the FAA said, Fox News reported. Hey, Joe. In accordance with a requirement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on March 13, 2019, Southwest has suspended the operation of our 737 MAX 8 aircraft. -Jeana Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 26, 2019 Southwest, in a tweet, confirmed that it has suspended operations of its Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft as required. The cause of the fatal Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes of the 737 Max planes have not yet been determined. Investigators probing the Lion Air crash have looked into an automated system that uses data from two sensors on the plane to prevent an aerodynamic stall, reported The Associated Press. The Lion Air crash left 189 people dead, and the Ethiopian Airlines disaster left 157 dead. US to Overhaul Air Safety The FAA, meanwhile, is going to significantly change its oversight approach to air safety by July following the two fatal Boeing Co MAX 737 crashes, according to written congressional testimony seen by Reuters. At a U.S. Senate panel hearing on Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acting head Dan Elwell will say the agencys oversight approach must evolve after the deadly crashes, according to the testimony. A Boeing 737 Max declared an emergency landing in Florida after experiencing an engine problem, the FAA says https://t.co/ULuBWcgwPs pic.twitter.com/8mISPLd1Ai CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 26, 2019 A spokesman for Ethiopias transport ministry, which is leading an investigation in Addis Ababa, told Reuters the preliminary crash report would very likely be released this week. The initial report will begin to paint a more detailed picture of what went wrong during flight ET 302s six minutes in the air, likely with huge consequences for the planes manufacturer and the airline. Boeing is expected as early as Wednesday to unveil more details of the software upgrade to the MAXs Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS. The company did not comment on Tuesday on the upgrade but said it would closely monitor the congressional hearing. Reuters contributed to this report. A Border Patrol agent apprehends illegal aliens who have just crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Penitas, Texas, on March 21, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Border Official: We Are Doing Everything We Can to Simply Avoid a Tragedy WASHINGTONHuge groups of Central Americans have brought U.S. border security to its knees, as an estimated 100,000 illegal immigrants will overwhelm the system this month. Border Patrol agents arrested 3,974 illegal aliens along the southwest border on March 19 alone. Detention facilities are bursting at the seams, and even local NGOs are struggling to handle the influx. With 55,000 families, including 40,000 children, expected to enter the process this month, we are doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy in a CBP facility, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said on March 27. But with these numbers, with the types of illnesses were seeing at the border, I fear that its just a matter of time. McAleenan said in the past four days, Border Patrol has encountered infants with 105-degree fevers, a 2-year-old in the desert having seizures, a 19-year-old with a congenital heart defect who needs emergency surgery, and a 40-year-old man suffering from multi-organ failure, but trying to refuse medical care. He said migrants are quarantined in the El Paso Del Norte center with the flu, chicken pox, and lice. Our expanded medical efforts are saving lives, but they come at a high cost to our enforcement mission, McAleenan said. To relieve overcrowding at many facilities, Border Patrol agents have had to start releasing illegal immigrants immediately upon apprehending and processing them. For the first time in over a decade, CBP is performing direct releases of migrants, McAleenan said. This is in a limited capacity, its very reluctantly, and it represents a negative outcome for enforcement. He said the practice will only encourage even more migrants to cross the U.S. border illegally and claim asylumregardless of the merit of their claim. But it is the only current option that we have from a life and safety perspective to try to reduce the overcrowding in our facilities, McAleenan said. Trade and Travel Impact Trade and travel between the United States and Mexico is also being affected, with the shift of 750 CBP officers from ports of entry to help Border Patrol care for migrants. The 750 officers will be moved from the San Diego, El Paso, and Laredo, Texas; and Tucson, Arizona, ports of entry. CBP officers will be helping Border Patrol with processing, transportation, and hospital watch, McAleenan said. There will be impacts to traffic at the border. There will be a slowdown in the processing of trade. There will be wait times in our pedestrian and passenger vehicle lanes. He said in some sectors, an average of 40 percent of the Border Patrol agents are fully engaged in just the care, transport, and processing of migrants. Those agents are not on the line, theyre not able to provide their border security functions, he said, adding that cartels and smuggling organizations are taking full advantage of the gaps to bring in drugs and criminals. In the Rio Grande Valley sector so far this fiscal year, more than 25,000 illegal aliens have evaded capture by Border Patrol and are now somewhere in the interior of the United States. Plea to Congress McAleenan said the only way to fundamentally address the crisis is for Congress to close the legal loopholes that are acting as magnets for migrantsthe vast majority of which he says are economic migrants. The Justice Department has said that only 9 percent of Central Americans who claim asylum at the border will end up being granted asylum by an immigration judge. Legislative relief, changes in the law, and closing the vulnerabilities in our legal framework is the only way that this flow is going to be reduced and were going to be able to restore integrity to our immigration system, McAleenan said. Right now, we are not even able to reach the claims of legitimate asylum-seekers. The two legislative changes needed are to the Flores Settlement Agreement and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). The 1997 Clinton-era Flores Agreement initially set standards of care for unaccompanied minors being held in immigration detention. However, a significant change to the agreement in 2015 relaxed the interpretation to say that all minors crossing the border (unaccompanied and with adults) must be released from detention within 20 days. This resulted in the catch-and-release phenomenon of all minors and family units and is the likely reason why the number of family units has surged to 136,000 in just the first five months of fiscal 2019 from 77,600 for the entire fiscal 2016. McAleenan said Congress needs to allow for the detention of asylum-seekers for four to six weeks to complete their immigration court proceedings. He also wants Congress to address the disparity in the TVPRA, which says a Mexican or Canadian minor who isnt being trafficked can be returned to their home country; however, a minor of any other (noncontiguous) country cant be returned. We have government partners in the Northern Trianglein El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduraswho are ready to take children back and handle that humanely. Those are their citizens, they believe they have the responsibility for, McAleenan said. And were not allowed to do that under the law, under the TVPRA. British PM Theresa May Says She Will Quit If Her Brexit Deal Passes LONDONBritish Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is willing to resign if lawmakers in her party back her Brexit deal. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party, May told a meeting of Conservative Party lawmakers on March 27. I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic dutyto deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit. Mays statement comes as she attempts to persuade lawmakers to back her twice-defeated Brexit deal. If her deal does finally pass, it will trigger a leadership contest, although May has not set a date for her departure. The government is now expected to bring the deal back to Parliament for a third vote on March 29. Possible replacements for May include former foreign secretary and Brexit supporter Boris Johnson, current Environment Minister Michael Gove, and Interior Minister Sajid Javid. At a meeting over the weekend of March 23, Brexit-supporting lawmakers like Jacob Rees-Mogg reportedly told May she would need to lay out a timetable for her resignation. Despite the tight time frame, lawmakers were still debating on March 27 the sort of divorce deal the UK should adopt. Oliver Letwin, a 62-year-old Conservative former cabinet minister, said if May was able to get her deal approved this week, then Parliament would stop searching for an alternative. There has been no insurgency here, Letwin said. At this late stage, its still unclear when, or even if, the UK will leave the EU. Eight options have been debated, including the possibility of a public vote on any Brexit deal that Parliament might pass. On March 23, an estimated 400,000 people marched through London to call for a Peoples Vote on the final Brexit deal, one of the largest demonstrations ever in the UK. Nearly 6 million people have signed a petition demanding that Britain cancel Brexit entirely. Other options debated in Parliament included revoking Article 50, which would mean government possibly voting on a no-deal Brexit, or leaving the EU without a deal entirely. This is not about the number of votes precisely cast for one motion or another, Letwin said. Its about whether when we look at the results as a whole we get enough data to enable us to have sensible conversations about where we can go next. That is what I think would constitute a success here. Opponents of Brexit say it could split the European Union, making the bloc weaker in the face of powers such as China and Russia. It also would cut Britain off from its trade partners. Mays deal was defeated in Parliament by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15. She wants Britain to leave the single market and customs union as well as EU political bodies. But the so-called Northern Irish backstop has proven decisive in negotiations. Described as an insurance policy or safety net, the backstop is a clause in the EUUK divorce agreement that is meant to prevent the separation of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by a hard border. Mays deal requires some EU rules to apply regarding the backstop, which has been difficult for Brexiteer lawmakers to accept. Dozens of lawmakers are still opposed to Mays deal, so it remains to be seen whether her guarantee to step down as prime minister will win them over. To succeed, she needs at least 75 lawmakers to change their stance. Reuters contributed to this article. Bronx Man Shot Dead for Not Giving Up His Ring, Girlfriend and Mother Devastated The content is not available due to expiration. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conduct a targeted enforcement operation aimed at immigration fugitives, re-entrants, and at-large criminal aliens in Atlanta on Feb. 9, 2017. (Bryan Cox/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images) Californian County Announces That It Will Stop Holding ICE Detainees at Its Jails A sheriffs department in California is ending its agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to free up space to meet demands for mental health services, according to a press release. The Orange County Sheriffs Department said in a statement on March 27 that it has developed a plan to fund and increase staffing ratios for inmates with mental health and substance use disorders, which includes temporarily suspending operations at the James A. Musick Facility and ending their contract with ICE. #OCSDPIO: OCSD announces changes to jail operations to increase custody mental health services pic.twitter.com/BCKGLAJ6Cl OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) March 27, 2019 The department has been leasing bed spaces to the federal agency since 2010. The contract, which ends in July 2020, allows for early termination. The department said they had already informed ICE of their intention to terminate their agreement. After the contract has ended, ICE will have 120 days to relocate their detainees to other facilities. He added that it is likely that these detainees would be moved to facilities out of state. Ending the contract early is necessary to ensure that we are utilizing our resources to meet our local responsibilities, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said during a video posted on his Twitter. Since 2015, we have seen a 40 percent increase in open mental health cases in our jails. The number of mental health cases now exceed 1,800 on any given day. I am announcing major changes to @OCSheriffs jail operations to efficiently use department resources and address the increasing need for inmates requiring mental health services. See video for more information on upcoming changes. pic.twitter.com/zrimngUkn4 OC Sheriff Don Barnes (@OCSheriffBarnes) March 27, 2019 He added that these decisions were made to mitigate the risk of litigation from the state, while potentially minimize costs to Orange County taxpayers. I want to make clear that the decision to end the ICE agreement is not a result of the recent political rhetoric surrounding immigration, Barnes said. Our 9-year leasing agreement has been mutually beneficial and a benefit to Orange County taxpayers. Barnes also said the end of the agreement would not impact public safety as the department will continue alert ICE about the release of serious and violent offenders in their custody with ICE detainers within the confines of Senate Bill 54legislation that makes California a sanctuary state. According to the Los Angeles Times, Orange County is one of the few large counties in the state that continue to work ICE. Moreover, the Musick facility will be reopened after the construction of two new state-funded housing facilities, which is estimated to be completed in fall 2022. The department said at present about 30 percent of the current inmate population require some level of mental health service, a number that had jumped within five years. These mental health services include things like counseling, medication management, discharge planning, and psychiatric inpatient care. Overcrowding at Detention Facilities ICE and Border Patrol is currently facing major issues with overcrowding at their detention facilities. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen warned lawmakers earlier this month that illegal immigration is simply spiraling out of control and threatening public safety and national security. In February, we saw a 30 percent jump over the previous month, with agents apprehending or encountering nearly 75,000 aliens, Nielsen told the House Committee on Homeland Security. This is an 80 percent increase over the same time last year. And I can report today that CBP is forecasting the problem will get even worse this spring as the weather warms up. Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said on March 27 that an estimated 100,000 illegal aliens are expected to enter the country this month. Border Patrol agents arrested 3,974 illegal aliens along the southwest border on March 19 alone. With 55,000 families, including 40,000 children, expected to enter the process this month, we are doing everything we can to simply avoid a tragedy in a CBP facility, McAleenan said. He added that in order to relieve overcrowding at many facilities, agents have started releasing illegal immigrants immediately upon apprehending and processing them. For the first time in over a decade CBP is performing direct releases of migrants, McAleenan said. This is in a limited capacity, its very reluctantly, and it represents a negative outcome for enforcement. McAleenan said this would only encourage more migrants to cross the U.S. border illegally and claim asylumregardless of the merit of their claim. But it is the only current option that we have from a life and safety perspective to try to reduce the overcrowding in our facilities, he said. The Epoch Times Reporter Charlotte Cuthbertson contributed to this report. TORONTOSam Oosterhoff, Ontarios youngest member of parliament, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts on March 26 at Torontos Four Seasons Centre. He was impressed by the artistic and spiritual richness of the performance. Its really a feast for the senses, said Oosterhoff. New-York based Shen Yun, the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company, has been touring the globe since its establishment in 2006 with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Developed through 5,000 years of civilization, this rich heritage is said to have been divinely inspired. I thought it was very, a very good way to intermingle spirituality and history in some of the performances that we saw this evening I think a lot of people would benefit from having the chance to [watch Shen Yun]. The spirituality in the performance resonated with him both as a Christian and a politician. He was particularly impressed with the values of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong), a traditional Chinese meditation practice depicted in the performance. I think one of the most beautiful things about Falun Dafa is its appeal to a lot of those values that we hold as members of liberal democracies. We cherish freedom, but also tolerance, forbearance, compassion [which are the principles of Falun Dafa] values that we all should hold to as as members of a free and respectful society. So it was great to see those being showcased this evening. And I think theres a lot of lessons that can be learned from this type of performance, he said. Oosterhoof encouraged people to come see Shen Yun. Come on out and make sure you get in a performance or two. Im sure Ill be back again next year, he said. With reporting by NTD Television and Madalina Hubert The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Interpol President, Meng Hongwei, delivers his opening address at the Interpol World congress in Singapore on July 4, 2017. (Wong Maye-E/AP) China Expels Ex-Interpol President From Public Office, Communist Party BEIJINGChina said on March 27 that it has expelled former Interpol President Meng Hongwei from public office and the ruling Communist Party as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Meng was elected Interpol president in 2016, but his four-year mandate was cut short when he was detained without notice by Chinese authorities last October during a visit to China from Interpol headquarters in France. It wasnt clear why Meng had traveled to China. At the time, Meng was also one of Chinas vice ministers of public security. An investigation found Meng guilty of serious legal violations, a party statement said, noting that he had failed to abide by party principles and implement the partys decisions. The statement said Meng abused his power to satisfy his familys extravagant lifestyle, indulging his wifes use of his authority for personal benefit. Expulsion from the party is usually the last step before a suspect is sent for trial and almost certain conviction. Corruption charges usually result in lengthy sentences, including life in prison. Mengs wife, Grace Meng, made a bold public appeal from France for help locating her husband after she lost contact with him last September. The appealespecially unusual for relatives of senior Chinese officialscast light on the forced disappearances of dissidents and allegedly corrupt officials alike under Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Following Mengs appeal, the Ministry of Public Security said he was being lawfully investigated for bribery and other crimes. Interpol said the international police agency had not been informed in advance of the probe, while the French police had launched an investigation into his unexplained disappearance. Interpol later said Meng resigned as president. Rights groups criticized Mengs appointment in 2016, pointing to the lack of transparency in Chinas legal systems and the potential for Meng to use his position against Beijings political opponents. He is among a slew of high-ranking officials who have been ensnared by Xis sweeping crackdown on graft and perceived disloyalty. Mengs political connections may be what cost him his post. He may have somehow been tainted by former security chief and ex-Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang, who is now serving a life sentence for corruption. Mengs various jobs likely put him in close contact with Zhou and other Chinese leaders in the security establishment, a sector long synonymous with corruption, opacity and human rights abuses. Zhou and other senior figures prosecuted in Xis anti-corruption crackdown were mostly convicted of corruption but officials have since also said they were accused of conspiring openly to usurp party leadership. Xi has ousted many powerful officialsmost of them part of an enemy faction loyal to former leader Jiang Zeminsince launching his anti-corruption campaign when he came to power in 2012. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. People walk next to ZTE booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on Feb. 25, 2019. (Rafael Marchante/Reuters) Chinas ZTE Corp Lost $1 billion in 2018, Despite Last Quarter Rebound HONG KONGChinas ZTE Corp made a net profit of 276 million yuan in the fourth-quarter as it recovered from costly U.S. sanctions which dragged it to an overall 2018 loss of 7.0 billion yuan ($1 billion). The worlds fourth-largest telecommunications equipment maker by market share was forced to stop most business between April and July last year due to U.S. sanctions. It paid $1.4 billion to lift these and reported its worst half-year loss of 7.8 billion yuan in August. ZTEs 2018 loss announced on March 27 was just within its earlier guidance range of 6.2 billion yuan to 7.2 billion yuan, but was deeper than the average estimate of a loss of 6.2 billion yuan by 10 analysts, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The company had expected a first-quarter net profit of 800 million to 1.2 billion yuan, against a net loss of 5.4 billion yuan year earlier. It reported a profit of 4.57 billion yuan in 2017 before it became embroiled in a crippling row with the U.S. government over violations of export restrictions. ZTE said its revenue for the quarter ending in December was 26.7 billion yuan, while its full-year revenue dropped 21.4 percent to 85.5 billion yuan, against an average estimate of 87 billion yuan by 12 analysts. Sanctions Bill A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill on Feb. 5 that would reimpose sanctions on ZTE Corp if the Chinese telecommunications firm fails to live up to U.S. laws and an agreement with the Trump administration. Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Susan Collins and Jerry Moran sponsored the legislation along with Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen, Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren and Doug Jones. The bill was introduced amid China-U.S. trade talks and as Washington tries to extradite the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies. Canada detained Meng Wanzhou in December at the request of U.S. authorities investigating Huaweis alleged scheme to use the global banking system to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran. Meng has been released on bail and is confined to her home in Vancouver while court proceedings are underway. Canada announced on March 1 that an extradition hearing against Meng would proceed. U.S. prosecutors allege that Meng committed fraud by telling banks in the United States that Huawei and Skycom, a Hong Kong-based company reportedly doing business with Iran, had no connections. In reality, Huawei effectively controlled Skycom, according to documents presented during bail hearings in Canadian court. Many members of Congress view ZTE and Huawei as national security threats, worrying that the use of their technologies in the United States could make it easier for China to steal secrets. By Sijia Jiang. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. Chinese Student Wanzhen Lu Found Safe After Abduction Saturday MARKHAM, OntarioChinese student Wanzhen Lu, who was violently taken from an underground parking garage in Markham, north of Toronto on Saturday, March 23, has been found safe, and in good health. Const. Andy Pattenden with York Regional Police told a news conference late Tuesday night that the 22-year-old Lu showed at a home in Gravenhurst, Ontario, earlier in the evening and asked the homeowner for help. Pattenden did not explain how Lu got there, but said the Ontario Provincial Police were called to the home about 180 km north of Toronto and that Lu was taken to a hospital for treatment of what he described as minor injuries. He also said that four suspects wanted in connection with Lus abduction remain at large. Were very concerned that theyre still out there, and I can tell you that the investigative efforts are far from over. Were going to continue with this until those four suspects are found and brought into custody, he said. A 35-year-old Toronto man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the case, but Pattenden said he had subsequently been released unconditionally without charge. As for the motive for the abduction, Pattenden said that too remains under investigation, however, he credited police, as well as the media and the public for Lus safe return. I can tell you its because of the relentless pressure from investigators, the relentless pressure from the media, and relentless pressure from the public continuing to push these images out, continuing to have the eyes and ears of everybody in the GTA helping in this investigation that has brought us to this point and Mr. Lu found in good health. It was certainly the news Lus traumatized parents, who recently arrived in Toronto from China, were desperately waiting for. Our investigators have been able to provide this great news to the family whom Im sure are sincerely relieved at this point in time. They along with all of our investigators were very concerned for the well being of Mr. Lu, Pattenden said. Lus abduction was captured on surveillance cameras. Police said he was walking with his friend toward the elevator after parking his car at his condominium around 6 p.m. when a black wheelchair-accessible minivan came up behind him. Investigators said three men jumped out of the van while the driver remained behind the wheel, grabbed Lu, shocked him multiple times with a stun gun and dragged him into the van before speeding off. Great news: Kidnapped Markham student has been found alive in #Gravenhurst after he says he escaped from his captors. #WanzhenLU #markham https://t.co/i9QL3r1zdd pic.twitter.com/k3Rr9NkjuQ Ted McFadden (@TedTmcfadden) March 27, 2019 Lus friend, a young woman, was not injured in the incident, but was traumatized by what police called the brazen and violent attack. Security images released by police showed three male suspects wearing winter jackets with their hoods wrapped tight to their faces. Anyone with information about the continuing investigation is asked to contact York Regional Police or call 911. Correspondent Brian Stelter attends an event at the American Museum of Natural History in New York CIty on Dec. 17, 2017. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for CNN) CNNs Brian Stelter Takes Heat for Doubling Down on Defense of Hoaxster Jussie Smollett CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter is taking fire on social mediaincluding flak from his own station colleaguesfor appearing to defend disgraced hoax hate crime accuser Jussie Smollett. In light of recent developments that saw felony charges dropped for Smollett in spite of seemingly overwhelming evidence he staged the so-called attack, Stelter suggested the narrative had again shifted in the Empire actors favor. Stelter tweeted that Smollett was truly a victim and that we may never know what happened to him the night of the alleged attack, when Smollett claimed he was jumped by assailants later unmasked as paid actors. The narrative has once again changed from victim, you know, to villain back to victim. Its been very confusing, Stelter said on the air Tuesday. People dont know what to believe and we may never really know what happened on the street that night in Chicago. Brian Stelter on Jussie Smollett: The narrative has once again changed from victim to villain back to victim, its been very confusingpeople dont know what to believe and we may never really know what happened on that street in Chicago. (h/t: @DavidRutz) pic.twitter.com/XMQriXUViR Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) March 26, 2019 Among those critical of Stelter was CNN political commentator Steve Cortes. Brian, unless you believe the Chicago Police created an insanely complex hoax themselves, we know precisely what happened that night. Please dont disrespect the cops diligent work, Cortes told Stelter. Brian, unless you believe the Chicago Police created an insanely complex hoax themselves, we know precisely what happened that night. Please dont disrespect the cops diligent work heres their incredibly detailed, documented evidence proffer:https://t.co/lGpVyNcoxe https://t.co/48Sfap1LEX Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) March 26, 2019 The Washington Examiners political commentary writer Tiana Lowe also publicly challenged Stelter, writing on Twitter: We may never really know what happened about a hoax documented with checks and videos is about five inches removed from Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia territory. We may never really know what happened about a hoax documented with checks and videos is about five inches removed from Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia territory. https://t.co/MpU4uWBvwv Tiana Lowe (@TianaTheFirst) March 26, 2019 The Reliable Sources anchor doubled down on his remarks in response to Lowes tweet, insisting that because there isnt any video, no one can truly know what really happened. Hoax Attack Smollett originally claimed he was attacked in the middle of the night in downtown Chicago in January by two men in ski masks. The brothers told detectives that Smollett paid them to fake a hate crime, even rehearsing the attack several days before it allegedly happened and telling one to yell: This is MAGA country while the other was to attack him, but not hurt him too badly. Chicago police later said that Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself, with two Nigerian-American brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, carrying out the attack. This stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with his salary, Chicago Superintendent Eddie Johnson said on Feb. 21. The Osundairos were seen on surveillance footage buying items used in the alleged hate crime hoax, including red hats meant to look like the Make America Great Again hats worn by some Trump supporters. EXCLUSIVE: I tracked down surveillance of the Osundairos buying supplies before attack Sources say Jussie Smollet told brothers what to buy. Countless phone calls placed for this. Visited more stores than I wish to admit. @cbschicago https://t.co/GT6h2g6Y9a pic.twitter.com/ULr3UTDe9Q Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) February 20, 2019 Smollett was facing 16 felony counts for allegedly orchestrating his own hate crime, but the Cook County States Attorneys Office in Illinois dropped all the charges despite admitting Smollett was not being exonerated. The attorney representing the Osundairo brothers issued a statement on March 26 after prosecutors dropped the 16 felony counts against the actor. The Osundairo brothers were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceedings in the Jussie Smollett case, attorney Gloria Schmidt said in a statement. Whitewash of Justice Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel expressed his frustration at the dropped charges during a press conference Tuesday. Because of the judges decision, none of that evidence will never be made public. None of it, he said, according to CNN. This is, without a doubt, a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if youre in a position of influence and power, youll get treated one way. Other people will be treated another way. There is no accountability then, in the system. It is wrongfull stop. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on prosecutors dropping all charges against actor Jussie Smollett: This is a whitewash of justice https://t.co/DpurFFq6NW pic.twitter.com/PiwPjkcZcd CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) March 26, 2019 Chicago Police Department superintendent Eddie Johnson was said to be furious at the recent development. Sources tell CBS2 Chicago Police Supt. Johnson is furious. He had no heads up this was going to happen.@cbschicago Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) March 26, 2019 I only hope that the truth about what happened receives the same amount of attention that the hoax did, Johnson said earlier, according to CBS. Ill continue to pray for this troubled young man who resorted to both drastic and illegal tactics to gain attention. Israel Is Spying In And On The U.S.? BRIT HUME, HOST: It has been more than 16 years since a civilian working for the Navy was charged with passing secrets to Israel. Jonathan Pollard pled guilty to conspiracy to commit espionage and is serving a life sentence. At first, Israeli leaders claimed Pollard was part of a rogue operation, but later took responsibility for his work. Now Fox News has learned some U.S. investigators believe that there are Israelis again very much engaged in spying in and on the U.S., who may have known things they didn't tell us before September 11. First Published: 12/12/01 FOX News. All 4 part of original series: Reposted March 26, 2019 Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy A group of about 30 Brazilian illegal immigrants, who had just crossed the border, sit on the ground near Border Patrol agents, on the property of Jeff Allen, on the U.S.Mexico border in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on March 20, 2019. (Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images) Daily Border Crossings By Illegal Aliens Hit 13-Year High The average number of illegal aliens attempting to cross into the United States from Mexico on a daily basis during the past month reached a 13-year-high, NBC News reported, citing Customs and Border Protection data. The surge has surpassed daily averages not seen since fiscal year 2006, bringing detention centers to maximum capacity. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security is negotiating with the Department of Defense to handle the overflow on military bases. The Department of Health and Human Services asked the Pentagon to add bed space for up to 5,000 children, but the Pentagon has not yet approved the request. Border Patrol agents arrested 3,974 illegal aliens on March 19, the most arrests in a single day since President Donald Trump took office. The number of arrests surpassed 3,595 on six days in February, topping the daily average of 3,530 in the fiscal year 2006. Over the past six weeks, DHS broke the record for the highest number of arrests during the Trump administration seven times, a DHS official told NBC News. Officials are working on a plan to build facilities on land held by the Department of Defense to house the detained illegal aliens and to use military personnel and funds to transport illegal aliens in need of medical transport. The president has deployed thousands of troops to the border to address the crisis there, but Defense officials are wary of having military personnel come in contact with illegal aliens, since such actions may be in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from enforcing domestic law. The mass of illegal aliens crossing the border is made up largely of families. On March 12, Border Patrol agents apprehended 2,022 illegal aliens who arrived as families out of a total 3,834 illegal aliens apprehended that day. The Department of Homeland security is prohibited by a federal court settlement from holding children in custody for longer than 20 days, even if they are arrested with their family. DHS released more than 100,000 illegal aliens who arrived as families into the interior of the United States so far this year. With additional land from the Defense Department, DHS would be able to detain illegal aliens rather than releasing them. Pentagon flagged the Fort Bliss and Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas as potential locations, but there has been no progress to date on constructing facilities. The surge in crossings comes on the heels of Trumps declaration of emergency on the southwest border. The president used the declaration and other executive powers to shift additional funds toward border wall construction. In combination with the funds approved for wall construction by Congress, the White House has secured $8.1 billion for border wall construction. The Pentagon authorized $1 billion for border wall construction on March 25. The funds are designated toward the construction of 57 miles of fencing in the Yuma and El Paso border sectors. In El Paso, border crossings surged by 500 percent this year. Border Patrol agents arrested more than 500 illegal aliens in the span of 5 minutes on March 19. Democrats in Congress argue there is no emergency on the border with Mexico. Joined by a small group of Republicans, the Democrats voted to annul Trumps emergency declaration earlier this month, but the president vetoed the measure. The House of Representatives attempted to override the veto on March 26 but failed to secure enough votes. Petr Svab contributed to this report. Democratic 2020 Candidates Embrace Far-Left Socialist Agenda The Democratic contenders for their partys nomination to run against President Donald Trump in the 2020 election are increasingly embracing some of the most radical socialist ideas in U.S. history. Socialist policies received virtually no support among Democrats as recently as 2013, when not a single Democrat in the Senate co-sponsored the Medicare for All bill introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Just five years later, in 2018, one-third of Senate Democrats and two-thirds of House Democrats have signed on to the proposal. The trend is even more prevalent among the Democrats running for president. Of the candidates who have officially declared their intention to run and are polling at 1 percent or more, seven out of eight contenders support Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is the exception among the field, although even she views both policies as key long-term goals. In addition to the socialist proposals, the Democratic candidates are open to policies that would radically reshape the electoral, judicial, legislative, and judicial systems, including getting rid of the Electoral College, packing the Supreme Court, eliminating the filibuster rule, and abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Cognizant of the hard-left turn among the Democrats, Republicans and the president are casting the upcoming election as a referendum on socialism versus freedom. The Democrats have responded by treading carefully when it comes to the socialist proposals. In a procedural vote on March 26, not a single Democratic senator, including Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, voted in favor of the Green New Deal. Green New Deal Among the 47 Democrats who did not vote aye for the Green New Deal were the five senators who are the official co-sponsors of the resolution: Sanders, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). The Green New Deal calls for a Soviet-style 10-year mobilization that would, by one estimate, cost U.S. taxpayers up to $93 trillion. In addition to vague promises of universal access to food and nature, the resolution calls for the removal of all gas-engine cars and the upgrading or replacing of every building in the United States. The 2020 Democrats backing the Green New Deal subscribe to the same view of climate change catastrophe, and embrace the idea that only radical action can prevent an irreversible spiral toward global destruction in 12 years. Medicare for All For years, Sanders was a lone advocate of Medicare for All. After he put up a formidable challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016, a large swath of the Democratic Party warmed up to his ideas. Like the Green New Deal, Medicare for All is embraced by the Communist Party USA and the Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist organization in the United States. Of the leading 2020 candidates, only Sanders willingly identifies as a socialist. Former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas has refused to disavow socialism. One estimate pegged the 10-year cost of Medicare for All at $32 trillion. The universal healthcare goal of Medicare for All is part of the Green New Deal. The $93 trillion cost for 10 years of the Green New Deal dwarfs the current $60 trillion projection for all government spending over the next decade. The astronomical costs of these socialist programs would fall on the shoulders of American taxpayers. Sanders, Harris, ORourke, Warren, Booker, Gillibrand, and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg are all in favor of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Wealth Tax U.S. taxpayers would have to shoulder the burden of those grand socialist proposals. According to the 2020 Democratic field, America is wealthy enough, and taxing the rich is one way to foot the bill. Warren proposed a 2 percent wealth tax on Americans who have more than $50 million in assets and an additional 3 percent tax on those with more than $1 billion in assets. It would make the ultra-rich pay their fair share & generate nearly $3 trillion over the next 10 years. A lot of rich and powerful people wont like itbut I dont work for them, Warren wrote on Twitter. The $3 trillion that Warrens proposal would raise is $122 trillion short of the combined cost of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, the two policies she embraces. Ending Electoral College After the stunning defeat of Clinton in 2016, Democrats are increasingly in favor of abolishing the Electoral College, an institution created by Americas founders to prevent the tyranny of the majority. Every vote matters and the way we can make that happen is that we can have national voting, and that means get rid of the Electoral College, Warren said during a CNN town hall earlier in March. ORourke and Buttigieg have also endorsed abolishing the Electoral College, and Harris said she is open to the idea. Sanders has said the institution should be examined. Eliminating the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment, but a number of Democratic-leaning states are banding together to circumvent the requirement. The National Popular Vote coalition is coordinating a campaign among states which would call on each member states electors to vote in favor of the candidate who won the popular vote, even if another candidate had won the majority of votes in that state. Thirteen states have already enacted laws to go along with the coalition, for a total of 181 electoral votes. Packing the Supreme Court Democrats have long celebrated the Supreme Court for landmark decisions such as upholding Obamacare, legalizing gay marriage, and removing state restrictions on abortions. But after Trump successfully placed two conservative judges into lifetime posts on the bench, several prominent 2020 candidates are now open to reshaping the court in order to restore a liberal majority. Harris, ORourke, Warren, Buttigieg, and Gillibrand are open to expanding the number of seats on the court if elected president, a move that would allow them to pack the bench with liberal justices or at least dilute the conservative influence on the bench. We are on the verge of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court, Harris said on March 18. We have to take this challenge head-on, and everything is on the table to do that. Eliminating the Filibuster Booker, ORourke, and Warren have also indicated they are open to eliminating the filibuster rule in the Senate. The rule requires a 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster, a measure which promotes bipartisanship. Both Republicans and Democrats have chipped away at the rule over the years, but it still applies to many of the major bills that come before the Senate. So when you talk about changing the filibuster rule, I understand that we are heading, right now, we are heading that way, to people on both sides, Booker told Pod Save America. We are heading that way. You hear Trump calling for the end of the filibuster rule all the time. And I understand that if I am the commander in chief, the president of the United States, fighting a tactical battle, that is something that we are moving toward. Notably, Booker conceded that changing the rule would also give Republicans more power when they are in the majority, while alleging that Republicans in power would literally enact policies that could cause peoples death. Abolishing ICE Warren, Sanders, and Gillibrand have called for the abolition of ICE, which is responsible for investigating criminal and terrorist activity by foreign nationals in the United States and apprehending and removing illegal aliens. The calls to abolish or restructure the agency have escalated among the Democrats, in response to Trumps tough stance on U.S. sovereignty and securing the border. In 2002, I voted against the creation of DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and the establishment of ICE, Sanders wrote on Twitter. That was the right vote. Now, it is time to do what Americans overwhelmingly want: abolish the cruel, dysfunctional immigration system we have today and pass comprehensive immigration reform. Correction: this article has been updated to reflect that universal healthcare is part of the Green New Deal proposal. The associated projected costs have been updated accordingly. Florida Man Dies Using 20-foot Metal Pole to Remove Bird From Power Line A Florida man died from fatal electric shock while using a 20-foot aluminum pole to remove one of his pet pigeon off a power line, according to reports. After receiving a call about a possible electrocution accident, deputies found 36-year-old Elian Garcia-Rivera between a large pigeon coop and a chain link fence, unresponsive, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office. The investigators found that Garcia-Rivera housed pigeons in his backyard. On Saturday afternoon, Garcia-Rivera spotted one of his pigeons perching on a power line above, and he decided to try to get it off with the metal pole. He attempted to get a pigeon off of the power line in his backyard by using a 20-foot aluminum pool pole, agency spokeswoman Teri Barbera told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The pole hit the power line and Garcia-Rivera was thrown to the ground. Garcia-Rivera was hospitalized after being discovered, but he didnt survive. According to experts from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a bird is able to rest on power lines without electrocuting itself because both of its feet are on the same wire. Like all energy, electricity always flows from high-energy areas to areas of less energy through the path that has least resistance. If the bird has one foot on the wire, and the other foot on, for example, a different wire with less voltage, the bird would be electrocuted. In that case, electric current would pass through the bird on its way from the high-voltage wire to the lower-voltage wire. Russian Teenager Drops Phone in Bathtub A 15-year-old Russian martial arts champion was electrocuted when she dropped her iPhone in the bathtub, according to local reports. A rising star in the world of Pankration, Irina Rybnikova was found dead in the bathtub in her home in Siberia by her parents. Rybnikova had died instantly of heart failure when her phone, plugged into a charger, fell into the water on Dec 8, 2018. Her sister Tatiana, 25, said that the preliminary findings pointed to death by electric shock. Russian Teenage Martial Arts Champion Dies After Dropping Phone in Bathtub https://t.co/jeQPl0Tivs via @epochtimes Aifang (@ahe999) December 11, 2018 Phone Deaths on the Rise With phone ownership rocketing over the last decade, stories of electrocution via smartphone chargers have started to appear in recent years, especially among teenagers. But its not only potential electrocution thats deadly. In October, researchers found that since 2011, there had been 259 documented deaths worldwide from taking selfies. The research, however, was limited. They believe that the 259 recorded case to be just the tip of the iceberg, as people brush with death to get the perfect image, falling off boats and over waterfalls. In 2015, Russian authorities issued official warnings as a trend for daredevil selfies and videos took hold, saying a cool selfie could cost you your life. Over 100 people had been injured and 10 killed in death-defying stunts gone wrong, including a woman wounded by a gunshot and two men who killed themselves blowing up grenades. A trend had also grown in Russia for selfies on top of moving trains. The Epoch Times reporter Simon Veazey contributed to this report. Former Canadian minister Joe Oliver attended Shen Yun Performing Arts on March 26, 2019 at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts. (Allen Zhou/The Epoch Times) TORONTOJoe Oliver, Canadas former Minister of Finance, attended Shen Yun Performing Artss opening in Toronto, on March 26, 2019 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This was his third time seeing Shen Yun, the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company, and he was able to discover new depths of artistic beauty and spirituality in the performance. Well, the quality is superb. Its so elegant. It seems so effortless but its probably very difficult to execute its done with so much fluidity and such grace. And then the colors, the costumes, and of course the underlying stories. Sometimes theyre charming, sometimes theyre quite profound, said Oliver. Established in 2006 in New York, Shen Yun has been touring the globe to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture that had all but disappeared under Chinas atheistic communist regime. China was once known as The Land of the Divine, and its heritage has been developed through rich spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Oliver said Shen Yun gives people the opportunity to appreciate the best of Chinese culture. He also appreciated the values he saw in the performance. I think there needs to be an element of spirituality in our lives because we arent just economic vessels. We are also human beings who have values, who have ideals, and who want to take care of other people, he said. Oliver noted that people in the West can learn from the rich philosophical traditions in the East, especially China, the worlds longest continuous civilization. I think its important for us to know our history, and every country has a history. China has a particularly long history. We shouldnt ever bury it. We should understand what it has to offer today. Even though a lot of it is quite ancient, theres wisdom, he said. Oliver encouraged Canadians to see Shen Yun. Id encourage them to see it if they can. . Ours is a very diverse society with a lot of cultures that can teach us more about what it is to be a productive and valued human being, he said. With reporting by NTD Television and Madalina Hubert. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Snow falls on the Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 17, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo) Free-Speech Restrictions on Campuses Still a Problem, Nonprofit Says A number of colleges in the United States are still employing policies that severely restrict freedom of speech for students and faculty from across the ideological and political spectrum, according to research from The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit organization that focuses on civil liberties in the education sector. Such censorship prompted President Donald Trump last week to sign an executive order with teeth, instructing colleges across the nation to protect free speech on their campusesor risk losing federal research funding. One recent high-profile incident that prompted the move involved Hayden Williams, a conservative activist who was assaulted at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley as he was recruiting for Turning Point USA. Zach Greenberg, program officer for the Individual Rights Defense Program, told The Epoch Times in a phone interview that censorship is something that affects almost every student at college campuses. Almost every single political viewpoint you can imagine being expressed on college campuses has been the subject of censorship, he said. We have seen everything from art projects, to pro-life, to pro-choice viewpoints, to animal rights, to gun rights. The president on March 21 said colleges have become increasingly hostile to free speech and the First Amendment. You see it all the time, Trump said, referring to Williamss assault. Public colleges and universities are already legally bound to uphold the First Amendment. But despite that, FIREs 2019 spotlight report states that many campuses have ignored the law, often through the implementation of speech codes: university policies that restrict expression that is protected under First Amendment standards. FIRE works with campuses to ensure that they are abiding by the Constitution and helps assist them to align their policies accordingly. But the groups 2019 review of 466 colleges and universities shows that 28.5 percent of colleges have maintained policies that seriously infringe upon free speech. We have warned schools that these policies are unconstitutional, they are making their school subject to open lawsuits for propagating and enforcing unconstitutional policies, Greenberg said. According to Greenberg, the issue is that many of the restrictive policies on free speech use language that is very broad. Some policies, for example, would punish offensive emails or any action that may be disruptive, and thats an issue because the language is so open to interpretation, it has the potential to punish any student for discussing hot button political issues, he said. These policies really do chill student expression and make students less able to participate in academic discussions. FIRE recently compiled a list of 10 colleges the nonprofit believes to be the worst colleges for free speech. Syracuse University (Syracuse, N.Y.) Students at the Theta Tau engineering fraternity chapter were suspended last year for a private, satirical skit roasting their fellow members. A recording of it was leaked, prompting the college to say the students violated speech codes. The members tried to fight back with numerous lawsuits against the college. Over the past decade, the college has expelled an education student for his Facebook posts and investigated a law student for his satirical blog. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, N.Y.) Students passing out flyers critiquing the schools administration were told to vacate the sidewalk by campus security officers because of eminent domain, a legal concept that had no relation to the situation. The school also cited a policy that claimed students needed prior authorization before they distribute materials on campus. The policy doesnt do that. FIRE detailed how the school has a long history of censorship, including censoring critics of the Iraq War, and critics of the critics of the Iraq War. RPI refused to change its policies and declared a preference for a controlled environment over student expression. Georgetown University Qatar (Doha, Qatar) The school canceled a scheduled debate on the topic, That major religions should portray God as a woman. Georgetown claimed that the event was not sanctioned by the University and did not follow the appropriate policies for activity approval. But a statement the next day suggested the content was to blame, FIRE said. The statement said the debate was a risk to [the] safety and security of our community. The University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.) Students at the schools newspaper legally requested personnel files to find out why the schools vice president suddenly resigned and a professor was banned from campus. The school denied their request, which led to a meeting with the student editors and the newspapers adviser, Scott Morris. Not long after, the school informed Morris that the qualifications of his adviser position would soon changenewspaper advisers need a doctoral degree, which Morris didnt have. UNAs public administrators also added an unwritten vague policy, ordering faculty to have their interactions with the media vetted by the school. Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Ala.) The colleges policy on harassment includes negative stereotyping, [i]nsulting comments or gestures, and comments that are merely related to an individuals age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. FIRE said their definition was broader than the controlling Supreme Court standard, making constitutionally protected expression punishable. Another policy prohibits students from [h]arassing others by sending annoying or offensive messages. University of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisc.) The schools chancellorwho invited a sex educator to give a lecture on campusreceived a formal letter of reprimand from the colleges president. President Ray Cross praised the chancellors commitment to freedom of expression and public discourse, but said he needed to exercise better judgment. Cross also imposed financial consequences on the chancellor and added the reprimand to his personnel file. Liberty University (Lynchburg, Va.) The school repeatedly censored its newspaper, the Liberty Champion. In one example, an article about unmarried pregnant students was cut before publication. A school dean also reportedly told newspaper staff, Your job is to keep the LU reputation and the image as it is. Students with scholarships at the newspaper were required to sign an agreement conditioning their scholarships to their full and continuous compliance with newspaper rules. University of Kansas (Lawrence, Kan.) School officials moved a controversial art display of an American flag indoors after Kansas politicians demanded the school censor the display. In 2014, the Kansas Board of Regents also approved one of the most restrictive social media policies in the country for faculty. Plymouth State University (Plymouth, N.H.) The school fired one professor and disciplined another for supporting a former student at a criminal sentencing hearing. One gave a letter of support and the other served as an expert witness. The former PSU student pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student. Dixie State University (St. George, Utah) The school fired a music professor for discussing a colleagues tenure bid. The faculty reportedly pushed the claims to remove the professor for political reasons. Dixie State also fought with its student newspaper over access to public meetings and records. Cook County State's attorney Kim Foxx speaks with reporters and details the charges against R. Kelly's first court appearance at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Feb. 23, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) Smollett Case Highlights Prosecutors Ties to Billionaire Donor Soros Billionaire financier George Soros and other wealthy liberal donors spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to help elect Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx in 2016, but she is just one of nearly two dozen local prosecutors backed by Soros in recent years. Foxx, the top law enforcement official in Chicago, is currently under intense scrutiny because of a decision to drop all charges against actor Jussie Smollett on March 26. The Empire star was indicted on 16 felony counts last week stemming from an alleged fake hate crime and the filing of a false police report. Standing next to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson on March 25, Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the decision not to prosecute Smollett a whitewash of justice, and later told CNNs Wolf Blitzer that the decision emanating from Foxxs office was an abomination. To me, it makes no sense, said Emanuel. It makes no legal sense, no common sense, and this is an abomination in my sense of justice. Smollett told police in January that he was attacked by two masked men who yelled, This is MAGA country, a reference to President Donald Trumps Make America Great Again slogan. Smollett, who is gay and black, was walking home from a Subway sandwich store at 2 a.m. in frigid temperatures when he said the alleged Trump supporters attacked him. But a police investigation found that Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers with a check to help him stage the alleged hoax. Foxx, the first African American states attorney in Cook County, recused herself from the racially charged case in February, after it was revealed she was backchanneling communication with Smolletts family. Text messages surfaced showing Foxx was in contact with former First Lady Michelle Obamas former chief of staff, Tina Tchen, who is a close friend of the Smollett family. I wanted to give you a call on behalf of Jussie Smollett and family who I know. They have concerns about the investigation, Tchen wrote on Feb. 1. Foxx officially stepped aside, putting her deputy, First Assistant States Attorney Joseph Magats, in charge. Chicagos police union has called for an investigation into her activities. Our goal and our No. 1 priority is combating violent crime and the drivers of violence and I dont think that Mr. Smollett is a driver of violence or a violent individual, Magats told ABC7 Chicago on March 25. While stunning to Emanuel and area law enforcement, Magatss message resonates with a Soros-funded initiative to elect progressive prosecutors in high-population counties around the country. According to records at the Illinois State Board of Elections, Soros gave a total of $408,000 to a super PAC that backed Foxx in 2016, called Illinois Safety & Justice. With the help of outside spending, Foxx seized on a tragic police shooting of an unarmed black man and defeated incumbent States Attorney Anita Alvarez, a Democrat. Upon taking office, Foxx wrote in an open letter that improving public safety was her top priority, and that we cannot fully address our public safety crisis without first taking steps to restore trust and increase accountability and transparency. In 2016, Soros also bankrolled a state attorney election in Orange County, Florida. According to records at the Florida Department of State, he gave almost $1.4 million to the Florida Safety & Justice PAC, which supported Aramis Ayala, a progressive lawyer who was making her first bid for public office. The spending was massive for a local down-ballot contest, and Ayala defeated the Democratic incumbent to become the top prosecutor in Orlando. Soros had also given another $430,000 to a PAC called United for Progress, and $1.3 million to the Florida Democratic Party. While records indicate that Soros didnt contribute to Florida Safety & Justice in the 2018 election cycle, his total PAC contributions in the key swing state swelled to nearly $1.9 million. In 2017, Ayala ran into a controversy of her own, when she unilaterally decided against seeking the death penalty in cases that warranted it under Florida law. Then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, began reassigning certain cases to a neighboring state attorney despite her vocal protestations. The liberal-majority state Supreme Court later sided with Scott. Soros also backed a progressive defense attorney in Philadelphia in 2017, who once joked that he was so liberal, he was completely unelectable. But with the help of two contributions totaling $1.66 million to the Philadelphia Justice & Public Safety PAC, Soros helped Larry Krasner become the citys district attorney. Krasner had previously represented Occupy Philadelphia and Black Lives Matter, and had sued the Philadelphia Police Department more than 75 times, according to Philadelphia Magazine. Soros has also backed progressive district attorney candidates in Mississippi, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Texas. In each case, state-level super PACs have been infused with cash under a variation of the moniker, Safety & Justice. Federal Election Commission records show that the parent organization has the same address as the Washington law firm Perkins Coie. Marc Elias, chairman of the firms political law group, was the general counsel for Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign. He also personally retained the opposition research firm, Fusion GPS, which produced the infamous Steele dossier that sparked the Trump-Russia collusion investigation, according to The Washington Post. Soros spent millions in California district attorney races in 2018, but with limited results. While the billionaire activist dropped a total of $3 million in failed attempts to unseat incumbents in Sacramento, San Diego, and Alameda counties, he was successful in Contra Costa County. In some cases, local activists said they should have received more money instead of relying on media blitz television ads. Soros, if youre going to put money into something, put it into people and activists and groups and leaders who can really mobilize and get people to the polls, the Rev. Shane Harris, founder of the National Action Networks San Diego chapter, told the Los Angeles Times. Universal Robots A/S robotic arms are demonstrated at the Robodex (Robot Development & Application Expo) trade show in Tokyo, on Jan. 18, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images) Japan to Fortify Universities Against Leaks of US Technology Japan is looking to bolster the countrys academic monitoring system to prevent leaks of sensitive U.S. technologies to other countries such as China through its universities. Many Japanese universities have become recipients of advanced technologies through various research partnerships with companies and institutes from other countries, including the United States and China. That creates the risk that U.S. technology could end up in the hands of Chinese companies. To guard against these possible leaks, Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is set to revise guidelines for the management of technology at universities under the countrys Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law, The Japan News reported March 24. The move is also aimed at bringing the country in line with U.S. technology export policy. The new guidelines would be applied to fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology, according to the outlet. In 2018, the United States tightened export controls with the passing of the Export Control Reform Act. The measure expands the power of the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to regulate the export or transfer of emerging and foundational technologies to protect national security. The BIS is currently developing a list of fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum computing, that will be subject to firmer export restrictions. These fields produce technologies that have dual civilian and military use, triggering national security concerns should it fall into enemy hands. Both domestic and foreign universities could face heavy penalties for failing to comply with such export restrictions. Japans Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law also restricts the transfer of technologies that can be used for military purposes to foreign companies and entities. The new guidelines, Japan News reported, will include examples of how advanced technologies could be leaked, preventative measures Japanese universities could take, and broaden the scope of advanced technologies to be monitored. A government survey found that 1,061 Japanese universities conducted 351 joint research projects with foreign companies and other entities in 2017, a one-third increase from 2013, according to Japan News. Meanwhile, total research funding tied to these projects has increased to 1.73 billion yen ($15.7 million) from 1.16 billion yen ($10.5 million) during the same period. The outlet identified Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei as one of the companies with whom Japanese universities have partnered to conduct research. The company has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and elsewhere over concerns that its products could be exploited by Beijing for spying. Foreign students involved in these research partnerships could also be a source of possible leaks, the outlet reported. According to Japanese information portal Nippon, about 40 percent of the 267,042 international students studying in Japan in 2017 came from China. Japanese Concerns Like the United States, Japan is grappling with the growing threat of cyber espionage and technology theft from China. In December 2018, the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on its website that China-based cyber hacking group APT10 had continually attacked its companies and academic institutions. The group was allegedly behind a 2016 attack against industry lobby group Japan Business Federation, The Japan Times reported in January. The stolen data included information concerning the groups policy recommendations, membership details of internal committees, and internal emails. Also in December 2018, two Chinese hackers from APT10 were indicted by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) for carrying out extensive hacking campaigns to steal intellectual property from military service members, government agencies, and private companies in the United States, and a dozen countries. According to the DOJ, the two hackers acted in association with the Tianjin City bureau of the Ministry of State Security, Chinas top intelligence agency. An October 2018 editorial by Japans The Liberty Magazine sounded the alarm over Chinese intellectual property theft through the countrys research sector. It noted that the regime would identify a Japanese technology that it wanted to acquire, and then have Chinese universities or businesses approach the institution possessing the technology. The Chinese entities would propose collaboration and provide funds for the projects, thus opening the door for the transfer of Japanese technology to China. The editorial also flagged the problem of industrial espionage carried out by Chinese nationals. Many of our Chinese engineers disappear after going to China on a business trip, an unnamed employee who works in the intellectual property department at a major Japanese electronic appliance company told The Liberty Magazine. We have no way to prove if they were involved with economic espionage. Leaked Report: Supermarket Ham, Bacon Dont Need Nitrites A leaked report found that preservatives that have been linked to cancer used in processed ham, bacon, and other meats may not need to be there. Many meats sold in stores contain nitrites, which are used to preserve and can kill botulinum bacteria, which can cause botulism. Meat processing such as curing (e.g. by adding nitrates or nitrites) or smoking can lead to the formation of potentially cancer-causing (carcinogenic) chemicals such as N-nitroso-compounds (NOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), according to a Harvard University news release, citing a U.N. World Health Organization study. Many brands dont add nitrites or nitrates to ham, sausages, or bacon and use traditional processes. But many do. Now, the British Meat Processors Association, which used consultant firm Campden, found that nitrites dont kill the botulinum bacteria, reported The Guardian on March 23. The paper described it as a confidential meat industry report. The British Meat Processors report concluded: The results show that there is no change in levels of inoculated C botulinum over the curing process, which implies that the action of nitrite during curing is not toxic to C botulinum spores at levels of 150ppm [parts per million] ingoing nitrite and below. A U.K. politician described the reports findings as embarrassing for the countrys meat industry. This leaked internal report is highly embarrassing for the processed meat industry and for the Food Standards Agency which have persistently peddled the myth that nitrites are essential to protect against botulism, said Baroness Walmsley, the vice-chair of Parliaments all-party group regarding cancer, according to the Guardian. She added: On the contrary, this report reveals nitrites are not a controlling factor against Clostridium botulinum. This evidence raises serious questions about why nitrites are being added to our bacon and ham. Another Parliament political, Tom Watson of the Labour Party, said there is no longer any need for the processed meat industry to be adding cancer-causing nitrites, adding that the chemicals should be removed as soon as possible from processed meats. Does It Really Cause Cancer? The U.S. Department of Agricultures research indicates that sodium nitrite can help prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, an environmental bacterium that can cause illness in some at-risk populations, according to Meatsafety.org. Regarding the link to cancer, the website noted that numerous scientific panels have evaluated sodium nitrite safety and the conclusions have essentially been the same: sodium nitrite is not only safe, its an essential public health tool because it has a proven track record of preventing botulism. The National Toxicology Program, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, conducted a multi-year study to evaluate sodium nitrites safety. The study found that sodium nitrite was safe at the levels used. Meanwhile, according to Food Standards Australian and New Zealand (FSANZ), the preservatives are allowed in small quantities in some foods that have a risk of being contaminated with harmful bacteria, when the risk of adverse health effects from botulism (caused by this bacteria) is much greater than the risk of developing cancer from small amounts of nitrates/nitrites, says the Cancer Council. Not Much Done? British health secretary Matthew Hancock also noted that since the WHO published its study on nitrates and nitrites, not much has been done. Since the study was published and endorsed by the World Health Organisation four years ago, there has been an unsatisfactory response from those who hold the levers of powerand that includes your administrations in the EU and UK, he said, reported The Guardian. In the years since, more evidence has exposed other wide-ranging health risks posed by nitrites. Yet, despite these facts, those responsible for ensuring the food consumers eat is as safe as it possibly can be have failed to act, he continued. The work referenced is still being reviewed and is subject to confidentiality clauses. It also needs to be further peer-reviewed. The work should be seen as a demonstration of the industrys total commitment to providing safe affordable and quality food to the consumer and leaked extracts without context are unhelpful. After proper scrutiny by peers this work will be presented to the Food Standards Agency to help shape future regulation. Man Nearly Extorted $250,000 From Social Media Friend A man was almost duped into paying an extortionist $250,000 (roughly 1.6 million yuan) who he met on social media. The extortionist was later found and arrested, according to a report on March 24 by the Legal Daily, the state-sponsored mouthpiece of the Chinese Ministry of Justice. The man, named Li, received a disturbing letter at his home in Shanghai, China. The letter gave detailed accounts of his personal life and family, and attempted to threaten him. Li reported the incident to the police. The extortionist, named You, was recently sentenced to over 3 years in prison and fined 5,000 yuan ($750). Extortion and Blackmail On the evening of July 15, 2018, Li received a printed, anonymous letter. The letter was over 2,000 words long, but Li was shocked after just a few sentences, according to the Legal Times. The letter described in great detail Lis financial situation and his family members. The letter also indicated where Lis children attended school, and even where they went for summer camp. Describing himself as a sad and tragic person, You said he was a self-made man in his 20s. He went on to say that both his wife and child suffered from serious illnesses, and although their health was stable at the moment, they would need expensive medical treatment in the future. Because of this, You implored that he needed assistance or a loan in the amount $250,000, roughly 1.6 million yuan, according to the Legal Daily. You emphasized multiple times that he was only asking for a loan, and that Li would be paid back in double within a year. To appear more credible, You claimed that he had real estate in both Shanghai and Nanjing that he had already put on the market. You also threatened Li by implying that he would harm his children if he didnt get his money. Then You instructed Li to bring the cash to a specified location on the evening of July 16, only one day after Li received the letter. You also wrote that Li should not report the incident to the police for his familys safety. If you follow my demands, our two families can safely get through this crisis, You wrote in the letter, according to the Legal Daily. Li, however, reported the incident to the police the following day, on the morning of July 16. You was arrested by the police, and confessed to the extortion and blackmail. He told the police that the money was not at all for his family. He started his own business in 2014, and intended to expand operations. He calculated that expansion costs would be around $250,000. You then had the idea to find a wealthy individual in his WeChat friend circle, and extort them for money. WeChat is the most popular messaging app in China. WeChats friend circle is similar to the friend groups on Facebook or Twitter. You explained that he met Li at a class reunion in 2017. The report said that You knew one of Lis classmates. At the party, You and Li exchanged phone numbers and WeChat information, but didnt maintain contact after that. You explained that when he was looking for a target, he saw that Li appeared to be very affluent. Li shared intimate details about his life on WeChats friend circle, including posts about his expensive cars, hobbies, and his family activities. Recently, a court in Shanghai sentenced You to three years and three months in prison, and fined him 5,000 yuan ($750) for extortion and blackmail. The report did not mention if Li deleted You from his WeChat friend circle. Chinas Extortion Schemes Other forms of extortion have developed in China. In September 2018, a group found a way to extort money from business owners by posting false, negative reviews about their products. Their behavior is the opposite of astro-turfing, which is posting false, positive reviews of a product. The group called itself the internet water army. The Sichuan Provincial Public Security Bureau said that the group of five people extorted roughly 200,000 yuan ($30,000) from one company by using these tactics. The first instance of this extortion occurred in November 2017. A WeChat account belonging to a firm called Chengdu Jizhi Interaction Internet Technology Co. Ltd. published an article criticizing a famous Sichuan company. The owners of the WeChat account contacted that company and asked for a meeting. At the meeting, representatives of the Chengdu company asked for 2oo,ooo yuan to have the critical article removed. The targeted company paid the money, then contacted the police on Dec. 22, 2017. Police investigation found that the Chengdu company operated a business involving internet fraud. The internet water army originally came from Chinas fifty-cent army. This was the group that was originally hired by the local authorities in Changsha in October 2004 to post positive comments about the city across different forums. The team further contacted site owners that posted negative comments of the city, asking for the contents to be deleted. The name fifty-cent army comes from the relatively low pay the online posters receive. A study from Harvard in 2016 estimated that 488 million Chinese social media posts come from paid propagandists. Epoch Times reporter Nicole Hao contributed to this report. An airplane of British Airways is being de-iced as it stands on the tarmac of the airport in Duesseldorf, western Germany, on Dec. 10, 2017. (David Young/AFP/Getty Images)) Mix-Up: British Airways Plane Lands in Scotland, Not Germany LONDON, U.K.British Airways has been forced to apologize after a flight from London to Dusseldorf landed more than 600 miles away in Edinburgh by mistake. The detour happened after a sub-contracted crew used an incorrect flight plan and set off from London City airport for the Scottish capital instead of setting course for the Rhine. British Airways said the aircrafta 96-seat BA e-146 regional jetwas operated by German charter firm WDL Aviation on behalf of BA CityFlyer. The crew and aircraft were sub-contracted from WDL under an arrangement known as a wet lease. The Passengers on board were met with a surprise when their plane landed on Monday morning, March 25, in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, instead of Dusseldorf, where they supposed to go. We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed, BA said in a statement. We have apologized to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually. WDL Aviation said it had flown the passengers on to Dusseldorf after their unscheduled Scottish stopover. We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur, it said in a statement. During the flight, a passengers Zsofia Szabo realized the landscape outside the plane window did not look the usual German industrial landscape, instead it was mountainous scenery. Szabo told CNN: when we landed there was a bit of a hilarious moment when the flight attendant asked for a show of hands for the people going to Dusseldorf, which turned out to be everyone. Robert Mueller has come up empty handed, exposing two years of relentless Russiagate propaganda and the media that sold it. By Peter Van Buren March 27, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The short version? Mueller is done. His report unambiguously states there was no collusion or obstruction. He was allowed to follow every lead unfettered in an investigation of breathtaking depth. It cannot be clearer. The report summary states, The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US Presidential Electionthe report does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the Special Counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public. Robert Mueller did not charge any Americans with collusion, coordination, or criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. The special counsel also considered whether members of the Trump campaign coordinated, a much lower standard defined as an agreement, tacit or express, with Russian election interference activities. They did not. Everythingeverythingelse we have been told since the summer of 2016 falls, depending on your conscience and view of humanity, into the realm of lies, falsehoods, propaganda, exaggerations, political manipulation, stupid reporting, fake news, bad judgment, simple bull, or, in the best light, hasty conclusions. As with Dorothys ruby slippers, the proof of no collusion has always been with us. There was a guilty plea from Michael Flynn, Trumps national security advisor, on one count of perjury unrelated to Russiagate. Flynn lied about a legal meeting with the Russian ambassador. Rick Gates, deputy campaign manager, pled guilty to conspiracy and false statements unrelated to Russiagate. George Papadopoulos, a ZZZ-level adviser, pled guilty to making false statements about legal contact with the Russians. Michael Cohen, Trumps lawyer, pled guilty to lying to Congress about a legal Moscow real estate project. Paul Manafort, very briefly Trumps campaign chair, pled guilty to conspiracy charges unrelated to Russiagate and that for the most part occurred before he even joined the campaign. Roger Stone, who never officially worked for Trump, awaits a trial that will happen long after Mueller turns off the last lights in his office. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Mueller did indict some Russian citizens for hacking, indictments that in no way tied them to anything Trump and which will never see trial. Joseph Mifsud, the Russian professor who supposedly told Papadopoulos Moscow had thousands of Hillarys emails, was never charged. Carter Page, subject of FISA surveillance and a key actor in the Steele dossier, was also never charged. After hours of testimony about that infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting to discuss Hillarys email and other meeting around the Moscow hotel, no one was indicted for perjury. The short version of Russiagate? There was no Russiagate. What Will Happen Next is already happening. Democrats are throwing up smoke demanding that the full Mueller report be made public. Even before AG Barr released the summary, Speaker Pelosi announced that whatever he decided to release wouldnt be enough. One Dem on CNN warned they would need the FBI agents actual handwritten field notes. Adam Schiff said, Congress is going to need the underlying evidence because some of that evidence may go to the compromise of the president or people around him that poses a real threat to our national security. Schiff believes his committee is likely to discover things missed by Mueller, whose report indicates his team interviewed about 500 witnesses, obtained more than 2,800 subpoenas and warrants, executed 500 search warrants, obtained 230 orders for communications records, and made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence. Mueller may still be called to testify in front of Congress, as nothing will ever be enough for the #Resistance cosplayers now in charge. Overnight, the findings, made by Mueller the folk hero, the dogged Javert, the Marine on his last patrol, suddenly werent worth puppy poo unless we could all look over his shoulder and line-by-line second guess him. MSNBC host Joy Reid, for her part, has already accused Mueller of covering up the crime of the century. The New York Times headline As Mueller Report Lands, Prosecutorial Focus Moves to New York says the restwere movin on! Whatever impeachment/indictment fantasies diehard Dems have left are being transferred from Mueller to the Southern District of New York. The SDNYs powers, we are reminded with the tenacity of a bored child in the back seat, are outside of Trumps control, the Wakanda of justice. The new holy land is called Obstruction of Justice, though pressing a case against Trump in a process that ultimately exonerated him will be a tough sell. In a sentence likely to fuel discussion for months, the attorney general quotes Mueller, While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. It sounds dramatic, but in fact it means that, while taking no position on whether obstruction took place, Mueller concluded that he did not find enough evidence to prosecute. In the report, he specifically turns over to the attorney general any decision to pursue obstruction further. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, meanwhile, have already determined that the evidence does not support prosecution of the president for obstruction of justice. Mueller also specifically noted that obstruction of justice requires proof of intent, and since he found that Trump, et al, did not conspire with Russia, there can be no intent to obstruct an investigation Trump knew could not lead to anything. The case is thus closed judicially (Mueller having essentially telegraphed the defense strategy), though Democrats are likely to quixotically keep pursuing it. Whats left is corruption. Politico has already published a list of 25 new things to investigate about Trump, trying to restock the warehouse of broken impeachment dreams (secret: its filled with sealed indictments no one will ever see). The pivot will be from treason to corruption: see the Cohen hearings as Exhibit A. Campaign finance minutiae, real estate assessment questions, tax cheating from the 1980s, a failed Buffalo Bills purchase years agohow much credibility will any of that have now with a public realizing it has been bamboozled on Russia? At some point, even the congresswoman with the most Twitter followers is going to have to admit there is no there there. By digging the hole they are standing in even deeper, Dems will only make it more obvious to everyone except Samantha Bees interns that they have nothing. Expect to hear this is not the end, its only the end of the beginning more often, even if it sounds more needy than encouraging, like a desperate ex checking in to see if you want to meet for coffee. Someone at the DNC might also ask how this unabashed desire to see blood drawn from someone surnamed Trump will play out with potential 2020 purple voters. It is entirely possible that the electorate is weary and would like to see somebody actually address immigration, health care, and economic inequality now that weve settled the Russian question. That is what is and likely will happen. What should happen is a reckoning. Even as the story fell apart over time, a large number of Americans and nearly all of the mainstream media still believed that the president of the United States was a Russian intelligence assetin Clintons own words, Putins puppet. How did that happen? A mass media that bought lies about nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and then promised never again! did it again. The New York Times, WaPo, CNN, MSNBC, et al, reported falsehoods to drive a partisan narrative. They gleefully created a serial killers emptywheel-like bulletin board covered in blurry photos connected by strands of yarn. Another generation of journalists soiled themselves. They elevated mongerers like Seth Abramson, Malcolm Nance, and Lawrence Tribe, who vomited nonsense all over Twitter every afternoon before appearing before millions on CNN. They institutionalized unsourced gossip as their ledeshow often were we told that the walls were closing in? That it was Mueller time? How often was the public put on red alert that Trump/Sessions/Rosenstein/Whitaker/Barr was going to fire the special prosecutor? The mass media featured only stories that furthered the collusion tall tale and silenced those skeptical of the prevailing narrative, the same way they failed before the Iraq war. The short version: there were no WMDs in Iraq. That was a lie and the media promoted it shamelessly while silencing skeptical voices. Now Mueller has indicted zero Americans for working with Russia to influence the election. Russiagate was a lie and the media promoted it shamelessly while silencing skeptical voices. The same goes for the politicians, alongside Hayden, Brennan, Clapper, and Comey, who told Americans that the president they elected was a spy working against the United States. None of that was accidental. It was a narrative they desperately wanted to be true so they could profit politically regardless of what it did to the nation. And today the whitewashing is already ongoing (watch out for tweets containing the word regardless). Someone should contact the ghost of Consortium Newss Robert Parry, one of the earliest and most consistent skeptics of Russiagate, and tell him he was right all along. That might be the most justice we see out of all this. Peter Van Buren, a 24-year State Department veteran, wrote We Meant Well : How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and Ghosts of Tom Joad: A Story of the 99% . This article was originally published by " American Conservative " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Click to enlarge Brennan on Mueller summary: 'I suspected there was more than there actually was' Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy Rachel Maddow Visits "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" at the Rockefeller Center in New York City, on March 15, 2017. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NBC) MSNBCs Rachel Maddow Loses Half of a Million Viewers After Implosion of Collusion Conspiracy MSNBC host Rachel Maddow lost half of a million viewers in just one week after special counsel Robert Muellers report indicated that he did not find enough evidence to support collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Maddow has been one of the most prominent voices on the collusion conspiracy, spending most of her programs over the past two years on allegations that President Donald Trump coordinated with the Russian government to win the 2016 presidential election. Maddow struggled to hold back tears as she delivered her opening monologue last Friday, clearly stunned that Mueller did not bring any indictments against the president or his family. The implosion of the Russian collusion narrative damaged more than just Maddows egoit, at least temporarily, destroyed her ratings. The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC delivered monster ratings for the network, cementing the cable host as the left-wing foil to Fox News Sean Hannity. Maddow consistently finished 1st or 2nd in overall cable news ratings over the past year, sometimes garnering more than 3 million viewers. But according to The Daily Beast, Maddows show dropped 500,000 viewers in just one week after the Mueller report dropped. Maddow, who has consistently vied for the first or second top-rated cable news program, was sixth on Monday evening, down almost 500,000 total viewers from the previous Monday, as was MSNBCs second top-rated program in primetime, The Last Word With Lawrence ODonnell, The Daily Beast reported. By Amber Athey Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announce Green New Deal resolution at a press conference outside the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 7, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Ocasio-Cortezs Green New Deal Fails in Senate 0-57 WASHINGTONSenate Republicans on Tuesday, March 26, defeated the Green New Deal resolution. The vote was 57 against the resolution in the 100-member chamber, with 43 Democrats voting present, avoiding an up-or-down vote. Republicans won over Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and one independent senator, Angus King, who usually votes with that party. Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introduced the socialist Green New Deal resolution in the House of Representatives on Feb. 7; an accompanying resolution was introduced to the Senate the same day. In March, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) scheduled a vote on the resolution. McConnell wrote on Twitter that Americans would see which senators are against the deal and which are so fully committed to radical left-wing ideology that they cant even vote no on self-inflicted economic ruin that would take a sledgehammer to Americas middle class. And theyll see which senators are so fully committed to radical left-wing ideology that they cant even vote no on self-inflicted economic ruin that would take a sledgehammer to Americas middle class. Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) March 26, 2019 Republicans were eager to put Democrats on record as voting for the Green New Deal. The resolution urges Congress to hand the government a monopoly over the U.S.s energy industry in order to move the nation entirely away from fossil fuels. The Green New Deal called for a Soviet Union-style 10-year mobilization, which would take all gas-engine cars off the road and upgrade or replace every home and commercial building in the United States. By one estimate, the Green New Deal would cost U.S. taxpayers up to $93 trillion over the course of the mobilization. In comparison, the total projected government spending for the next 10 years is $66 trillion. All of the Democratic senators running for president co-sponsored the Green New Deal resolution, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). The Senate voted on the Green New Deal today: 0 Yeas, 57 Nays, and 43 Senators voted PRESENT pic.twitter.com/nvcnXA7zPe Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) March 26, 2019 Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper became the first 2020 Democratic candidate to oppose the plan, writing in the Washington Post that it would give the government too much power in investment decisions. To spur innovations needed to curb climate change, government must not shun the private sector, Hickenlooper said in the piece. To achieve the kinds of innovations needed to tackle the climate crisis, government must not shun the private sector, but rather must work closely with industry and our nations great research universities to find solutions and scale them rapidly to meet our ambitions. John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) March 26, 2019 Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters the Green New Deal was discussed with Trump at a party lunch on Tuesday. Graham said Trump told Republican senators: Make sure you dont kill it too much because I want to run against it. Two out of three Americans view the Green New Deal as a largely socialist policy, according to a Harris poll. Another poll found that 43 percent of Americans said they are less likely to vote for a candidate who backs the Green New Deal, compared to 30 percent who said they are more likely to do so. The Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist group of the United States, and Communist Party USA both supported the Green New Deal. In an interview with Seth Meyers, Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that the Green New Deal is a resolution rather than a bill, describing it as a broad vision for addressing climate change. Ocasio-Cortez then listed several other socialist policies as part of that vision, including Medicare for All and tuition-free public colleges. Republicans view the Green New Deal as a sign of a far-left shift within the Democratic Party and saw a vote on the resolution as an opportunity to show the public what Democrats thought about the resolution. President Donald Trump recently brought more attention to socialism in the United States during the State of the Union Speech, telling the nation, America will never be a socialist country. The president also lambasted the Green New Deal shortly after the resolution was rolled out. I think it is very important for the Democrats to press forward with their Green New Deal. It would be great for the so-called Carbon Footprint to permanently eliminate all Planes, Cars, Cows, Oil, Gas & the Militaryeven if no other country would do the same. Brilliant! Trump wrote on Twitter. I think it is very important for the Democrats to press forward with their Green New Deal. It would be great for the so-called Carbon Footprint to permanently eliminate all Planes, Cars, Cows, Oil, Gas & the Military even if no other country would do the same. Brilliant! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2019 While backing the Green New Deal, most Democratic candidates for the White House have recently distanced themselves from the socialist label. Only Sanders remains committed to the label. ORourke did not disavow socialism under repeated questioning. Only 18 percent of Americans view socialism in a positive light, according to a poll by The Wall Street Journal and NBC News. The Epoch Times reporter Ivan Pentchoukov and Reuters contributed to this report. Pilot Charl Viljoen reportedly flew a twin-engine aircraft into a building at the Matsieng Airstrip, several miles north of Gaborone, Botswana on March 23, 2019. (Facebook/Aerospaceafricatv) Pilot Crashes Stolen Plane in Reported Attempted Murder of Wife A South African pilot reportedly took his own life when he flew a plane into a building in Botswana in an apparent attempt to kill his wife on Saturday. Several reports indicated that pilot Charl Viljoen flew a twin-engine aircraft into the clubhouse of the Matsieng Flying Club at Matsieng airstrip, just outside the capital, Gaborone. Upon impact, the plane and building went up in flames, which also destroyed a nearby control tower and about 13 vehicles. The pilot was certified dead upon arrival to the hospital, and no other casualties were reported. The Matsieng Flying Club said in a news release that the plane flew into the clubhouse at ground level and was destroyed on impact. The flying club also said emergency services were on the scene within minutes. Botswana plane crash: The aftermath VIDEO 2 pic.twitter.com/78g0iv3sSe Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 24, 2019 The club said that, prior to the crash, the plane had made some low passes past the building, which prompted the club to evacuate. The aircraft approached Matsieng Aerodrome from the direction of Sir Seretse Khama Airport and made a number of low level fly pasts from different directions past the Club facilities next to the Air Traffic Control tower, the group said. Matsieng Flying Club members sensed that the pilot might have had an ulterior motive at the time and ordered an immediate evacuation of the club premises. Charl Viljoen is identified as the pilot in command of the KingAir B200, at the time of the crash at Matsieng FlyingClub in Botswana Aerospaceafricatv 2019324 There were approximately 50 people attending a private baby shower in the building, Eyewitness News reports. The club said the pilot had earlier that day been removed as an uninvited guest from the baby shower. He had allegedly gotten drunk and had a fight with his wife, The Citizen reports. Viljoen and his wife had reportedly been living in Botswana for 10 years. After he left the clubhouse, Viljoen, an employee of Kalahari Air Services, traveled north to Gaborone, where he took a Beechcraft Kingair B200 aircraft from Sir Seretse Khama international airport. He then flew the plane back to the Matsieng air strip. A man at the baby shower allegedly received a phone call from the pilot asking where his wife was, reports Eyewitness. The man who received the call apparently realized Viljoens intentions and warned the event guests. Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana is investigating a plane crash that occurred yesterday evening at Matsieng Airstrip ECHO Newspaper Botswana 2019324 The black box from the plane was recovered Monday, and the Civil Aviation Authority Botswana (CAAB) is investigating the plane crash. According to The Echo, CAAB Head of Communications Modipe Nkwe said the aircraft had been cleared by air traffic controllers when it left the capitals airport. He also said that, when the plane took off, the pilot said he intended to go to Matsieng. It is unclear how Viljoen got access to the plane. Botswanas Minister of Transport and Communications Dorcas K. Makgato said in a press release that the pilot had informed air traffic control at Sir Seretse Khama airport that he would be performing touch and go operations in Matsieng. Makgato also said that the pilot was qualified to fly the aircraft he took and had an airport security pass. He also said that preliminary investigations revealed that Viljoen was killed in the crash, and one person on the ground sustained third degree burns and was flown to South Africa for care. Relevant authorities led by the Directoriate of Accident Investigation is conducting an on-site investigation and a preliminary report is expected to be completed within a month, as per International Civil Aviation Organization requirements. Armed police in the Istanbul New Airport, in this file image taken on Oct. 25, 2018. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) Policeman Shoots Another Officer After Argument in Turkey A police officer opened fire on a colleague before turning the gun on himself after an argument at an airport in Turkey, according to local reports. The incident occurred at about 4:20 pm local time on March 26 at the security desk of Kayseri Airports domestic departures terminal. According to Turkish media outlet Hurriyet, an argument between two male police officers escalated into a fight. One officer then took out his pistol and shot his colleague three times before shooting himself in what appears to be a failed suicide attempt. The two were both taken to a hospital suffering from serious injuries, according to Anadolu Agency. The two police officers were identified as Eyup B. and Ali A. Turkish media reported that ambulances and police cars rushed to the airport, where security measures have also been ramped up. A small crowd of people could be seen on video footage outside the terminal building. Kayseri Airport hosts civilian airlines and has a Turkish Air Force base at the location. Notable Officer on Officer Shootings Earlier this years, an officer in Zambia picked up an AK47 and shot his colleague in the stomach after an argument, then went on the run. In Canada last year, in November a policeman was gunned down by a fellow officer in a case that is still under investigation by authorities. According the Toronto Sun, the shooting in Niagara followed a heated argument and fist fight between a constable and a detective sergeant responding to a traffic accident. Up to five bullets were reportedly fired at Nathan Parker, who did not draw his gun, although authorities say he had only one wound. But his brother, Phillip Parker, described the victim of the shooting as a violent man and had little sympathy. Nathan accelerates from zero to maximum rage in one second. He has the emotional stability of sweating explosives, Phillip Parker told CBC news in December. Nathan has the power to crush anyone, and the switch in his brain that prevents violence is defective. I am surprised that Nathan is not the shooter, he said. Perhaps [the other officer] is simply the faster draw. According to the Sun, there may have been bad blood between the two officers. However, in general, cases of officers shooting each other out of malice are very rare. In the United States a St. Louis police officer was charged in January with killing a fellow officer in a Russian roulette-style game. Officer Nathaniel Hendren has been charged with the involuntary manslaughter of Katlyn Alix, 24,who died while off-duty early on Jan. 24. According to a probable cause statement from the St. Louis Police Department, Hendren shot Alix in the chest while they were handing a revolver back-and-forth, taking turns pulling the trigger. The officers had allegedly been drinking. Hendren met Alix at his home, according to the statement from Sgt. Richard Hellmeier. The officers were playing with firearms when Hendren took out a revolver, and emptied the cylinder. He put one cartridge back in and the two started to play Russian roulette, taking turns to aim at each other and pull the trigger. On the third time, the gun fired, with Hendren pointing it at Alixs chest. President Donald Trump (C) walks with then-Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) (L), and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) (R) as he arrives at the Capitol on March 26, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Trump Signs Executive Order to Protect Americans From EMP Attacks President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 26 to harden Americas critical infrastructure against electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks. Experts from the congressional EMP Commission have long called for such action, warning that an EMP could break Americas electrical grid and result in the eventual deaths of 90 percent of the U.S. population. Such an EMP could occur either from a natural solar storm, or, if an adversary detonated a nuclear bomb high above the United States. Trumps executive order takes a number of aggressive steps to safeguard the United States. In contrast to previous highly limited actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security, such as their paper last October with vague calls for further research, Trumps executive order calls for specific action to be taken on set deadlines. Peter Pry, who has worked with the EMP Commission and has been a driving force to get America protected from an EMP, commented, It is a good, strong executive order. A good first step toward achieving national EMP preparedness. A key part of the executive order is the section on implementation, titled, Strengthening critical infrastructure to withstand the effects of EMPs. It instructs that concrete action be taken to harden Americas critical infrastructure. It explains that the secretary of Homeland Security, along with the secretaries of Defense and Energy, shall develop a plan to mitigate the effects of EMPs on the vulnerable priority critical infrastructure[.] It then says the secretary of Homeland Security will implement that plan, insofar as possible, and where problems arise, the secretary will report to Trumps national security adviser. Currently, Kirstjen Nielsen is the secretary of Homeland Security, and she will report to John Bolton to implement this executive order. Previously, the government has hardened military equipment against an EMP. Trumps order is a call to protect all U.S. citizens, by hardening civilian infrastructure. It defines critical infrastructure to include items that, if incapacitated, would have a debilitating impact on national public health or safety. Potential items that may be flagged for hardening, which the EMP Commission has warned about, may include, among other items, extra high voltage transformers, and nuclear power plants. Extra high voltage transformers may be a priority because Americas electric grid requires them, they are vulnerable to EMP, and they are extraordinarily difficult to replace. America has limited ability to manufacture these, as much of that capability has moved abroad. They are difficult to make and cannot be mass produced. They are so massive that even transporting them to their destination is a challenge. Nuclear power plants present the risk that they could potentially stop operating properly following an EMP, and spew radiation everywhere, in a situation where Americans would be least equipped to deal with it. The executive order carries numerous deadlines on timescales of 90, 180, and 360 days. For instance, Nielsen has just 90 days to list the priority critical infrastructure, then she has a year to identify which of the priority critical infrastructure items are vulnerable to EMP. The basic process laid out, of which some steps occur concurrently, includes: identifying critical infrastructure vulnerable to EMP, clarifying the governments understanding of EMP, evaluating methods to mitigate damage to critical infrastructure from EMP, then doing the actual hardening of that infrastructure. There are a number of periodic reports to evaluate progress on EMP preparedness which will be submitted to Trump and Bolton. For instance, within one year of the order, and on a recurring two-year basis thereafter, the president will get a report generated by the secretaries of Homeland Security, Defense, and Energy, analyzing different options available to improve the resilience of critical infrastructure to EMP. Other parts of the order focus on encouraging and coordinating the flow of information between different parts of the government and toward the private sector who will implement infrastructure hardening alongside the government. It also tells the Department of Defense to focus on ways to deter an EMP attack from happening and to include the possibility of an EMP attack in defense planning scenarios. Trumps executive order takes place amid rising global tensions. Recently, Russia reportedly deployed troops to Venezuela, and it was just a month ago that the KimTrump summit ended poorly. North Korean state media has explicitly threatened that it has the ability to carry out an EMP attack. The executive order also pays attention to developing an emergency response to an EMP in case one does occur, updating operational plans, and communicating that information. Pry cautioned that, even though this is a good executive order, there is still work to be done. No executive order, no matter how well crafted, can succeed, unless the White House is willing to bulldoze through inevitable opposition from lobbyists, Obama-holdovers, and the Deep State. The EMP executive order is not the end of the long struggle to achieve EMP national preparedness, but perhaps the beginning of the end, he said. President Donald Trump talks with journalists before departing the White House March 20, 2019 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Reporter Who Spread Dossier Circulated Photoshopped Picture of Trump Holding Russian Flag A reporter who helped spread the unverified and unsubstantiated dossier claiming there was collusion between President Donald Trumps campaign and Russia also circulated a photoshopped picture of Trump holding a Russian flag, admitting his mistake but declining to apologize. David Corn, the Washington bureau chief for the openly left-wing Mother Jones publication, was one of the first reporters to write about ex-British spy Christopher Steeles dossier, which included a slew of unsubstantiated claims and has been widely discredited since being published in early 2018. Corn and Michael Isikoff of Yahoo News admitted on March 26 that the investigation by special counsel Robert Muellerwhich, after nearly two years, was unable to establish collusion between Trump or anyone in his campaign and Russiaundercut the dossier. Thats what got people worked up initially, and we do have to acknowledge that that which was alleged has not panned out, Isikoff said during an appearance on MSNBC. You know, it was endorsed on multiple, multiple times on this network, people saying its more and more proving to be true, and it wasnt. Corn said that major portions of the dossier were more or less debunked but continued to defend theory of collusion between Trump and Russia. The same day he appeared on the network, Corn shared a picture on Twitter that showed President Trump in the White House along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other American and Russian officials. The picture was taken on May 10, 2017. Corn shared the picture nearly two years later on March 26, 2019, adding in a caption: Imagine looking so happy with representatives of the regime that attacked your nation and a regime you aided and abetted by denying the attack was underway. All smiles. Imagine looking so happy with representatives of the regime that attacked your nation and a regime you aided and abetted by denying the attack was underway. All smiles. pic.twitter.com/eSJakmX9PM David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 27, 2019 It wasnt clear where Corn obtained the photo, but it was clearly photoshopped. Several elements were added in, including a small Russian flag that Trump appeared to be holding in his right hand. There was also a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin photoshopped onto the wall, in place of a portrait of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. A third element was also added: in the picture Corn shared, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway can be seen taking a picture with a smartphone of Trump and Lavrov. But in the real picture, no one is thereConway had been photoshopped in. Corn shared the picture at 7:46 p.m. EDT, according to a timestamp of his Twitter post. Just so everyone knows: this was a photoshopped pic that added a few features, such as Trump holding the Russian flag and the portrait of Putin. But the smiles are real. https://t.co/4B8I3aDZir David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 27, 2019 This was the original shop. Trump looking so happy with representatives of the foreign adversary that attacked America. Yesterdays post RTed a clever photoshopped version. But you dont need to photoshop this pic to tell the story. https://t.co/CAIImjOMN5 David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 27, 2019 Nearly 12 hours later, 7:08 a.m. on March 27, Corn posted an update to 715,000 followers. Just so everyone knows: this was a photoshopped pic that added a few features, such as Trump holding the Russian flag and the portrait of Putin, he wrote. But the smiles are real. This is not the first time this month Corn has drawn questions about the validity of his tweets. On March 5, Corn wrote on Twitter that hed seen some obscene anti-@AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] graffiti in a Pheonix, Arizona, airport. However, he didnt provide any evidence for the claim. I just spotted obscene anti-@AOC graffiti in a bathroom stall in the Phoenix airport. Yes, really. (Not going to post a photo of it.) David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 5, 2019 The tweet drew many responses, most of which expressed heavy skepticism or derision. I just spotted obscene anti-@DavidCornDC graffiti in a bathroom stall in the Phoenix airport. Yes, really. (Not going to post a photo of it.) @dj_beav is learning to code (@dj_beav) March 5, 2019 From NTD News Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) talks to reporters as he heads to the U.S. Capitol for the weekly Republican policy luncheon on March 5, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Sen. Paul: Trump Should Pardon Flynn, Foreign Intel Shouldnt Be Used Against Americans Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he told President Donald Trump that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn should receive a pardon. Foreign intelligence was unfairly weaponized against Flynn in a way that should be unconstitutional, Paul said. The one that I have the strongest feeling about is General Flynn, Paul told Fox News on March 26, when asked if Trump should pardon anybody after special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his probe. In 2017, Mueller took over an FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with such interference. After nearly two years, he finished it without recommending any indictments related to collusion. Flynn pleaded guilty to a process crime, lying to FBI agents about conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The interviewing agents came to Flynn the day after he was appointed as Trumps national security adviser. Armed with intercepts of Kislyaks calls with Flynn, they caught him giving inconsistent answers on several points about how the calls went down. Paul took issue with how the call transcripts were obtained and used. No American should be prosecuted for something they said in a private phone call unless a judge gave a warrant to the government and said they can listen to the phone call, he said. They listened to General Flynn because they were spying on the Russian ambassador. Okay, thats foreign intelligence, but that shouldnt be domestic prosecution. So what they did to Flynn not only was unfair, but I think should be unconstitutional. The senator would like to see even the incidental use of foreign intelligence against Americans greatly abridged. Ive been bugging the president for years to come forward and fix this for all Americans and say that no foreign intelligence gathering of information could ever be used against an American citizen in court for a crime unrelated to terrorism, he said. So what they did to General Flynn was unfair, and I have told the presidenthes not responded to mebut Ive told him my opinion is that he ought to pardon General Flynn. Pauls office didnt respond to a request for comment. Surveillance of Americans On paper, Americans cant be surveilled by the government without a warrant signed by a judge. But intelligence agencies have ways to circumvent the constitutional protection. The communication may be intercepted, for example, if the American is on the phone with a surveillance target outside the United States or a foreign agent inside the United States who is being spied on through a warrant issued under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Thats what happened to Flynn, based on Pauls comments. The names of Americans inadvertently caught in such communications are masked by the intelligence agencies to protect their privacy, but can be unmasked when necessary to understand such foreign intelligence information or assess its importance. In 2017, it was revealed that top Obama officials, including national security adviser Susan Rice and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, requested the unmasking of communications belonging to some members of the Trump campaign and transition team. Theres no direct evidence publicly available that Flynn was under a FISA warrant himself. It happened, however, to another associate of the Trump campaign, Carter Page. The FBI obtained a FISA warrant on Page in October 2016, shortly after he left the campaign. The warrant was renewed three times before expiring in September 2017. Page was never charged with any crime. FISA Abuse The Page warrant was largely based on the infamous Steele dossier, a collection of unsubstantiated claims of Trump-Russia collusion collected by former British MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who was hired at the behest of the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. Stuart Evans, the former deputy assistant attorney general who was in charge of FISA warrants in 2016, had concerns about the warrant on Page, according to text messages obtained by Fox News detailing conversations between then-high ranking FBI officials. Still, the warrant went through with the approval of top FBI and Justice Department (DOJ) officials, all of whom have since left or were fired, except for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who signed the warrants final renewal in June 2017. U.S. Attorney John Huber has been investigating FISA abuses related to the Page warrant, then-acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said during his February testimony to Congress. Another investigation into the alleged FISA abuses has been conducted by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. The Page warrant has been publicly released, but with extensive redactions. Some congressional Republicans have asked Trump to declassify a tranche of documents, including the full warrant, or at least about 20 key pages of it. Trump said in September the documents were handed to Horowitz for a review after the DOJ agreed to release them, but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. With the Mueller probe concluded, that obstacle should be out of the way, although Trump also said that key Allies called to ask not to release the documents. In the end, I can always declassify if it proves necessary, Trump said. Gayle the 22-month-old red white American Staffordshire terrier disappeared minutes before she was due to board her flight at Atlanta, Ga., on March 23. (Courtesy of K9kait/Facebook) Show Dog Gayle Goes Missing Just Before Boarding Her Flight Update: Gayle has been found and reunited with her owner A show dog has disappeared just minutes before she was due to board her flight departing from Atlanta, Ga., on March 23. Gayle, a 22-month-old red white American Staffordshire terrier, was last seen wearing a pink collar and inside her kennel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Nearly three hours before the flight departed the dog was secure in her crate and had already gone through security. However, just 10 minutes before she was due to board, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines staff discovered her kennel was empty and asked owners Floris van Essen and Claudia van Essen Dufornee to make themselves known to airport staff. Although Gayle is microchipped, crew staff noticed the kennel was empty while they were loading it onto the airplane. The van Essens were asked to board the flight without the dog and reassured airport staff would keep looking for the dog. A prize-winning show dog reportedly went missing before a flight in Atlanta https://t.co/s8LlX3vlGe Business Insider (@businessinsider) March 26, 2019 About 10 minutes before boarding, the dogs handlers were told that when workers went to load the dogs crate, they discovered it was empty https://t.co/ZUcRUBQjro Las Vegas RJ (@reviewjournal) March 26, 2019 The owners appealed on the internet to fellow animal lovers to help find Gayle. Please!! Urgent message!! I need your help finding this dog, Kaitlyn Ross, curator or the doggy digital hub K9Kait, said in a Facebook post dated March 24. She got loose in the Atlanta Airport while waiting to board the plane. The staff left her alone in the crate outside and she escaped her crate during that time. She described the Gayles personality as insecure, and encouraged anyone who sees her to try to call the dog to approach. She is social but can be a little scared or panicked by the situation, Ross said. Please share and bring this girl back safe. As you can imagine, this is just a horrible ordeal, Floris told K9Kait in a written statement. The post went viral and started a city-wide dog hunt, with many people reporting similar looking animals to the website. The Atlanta, GALost Dogs, Cats, and Pets community page confirmed Gayle has finally been found and reunited with her owners. Update reunited!! Gale is home safe and sound, the page said in a Facebook post dated March 24. Show dog who went missing at airport found! https://t.co/NswjfiBZyp pic.twitter.com/FAgHqsCkRX 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) March 27, 2019 Many people following the missing case were relieved to learn Gayle was already back at home. So happy she was found and reunited, Suzanne Chillakuru said. Omg they found her, Irene Planakis said. A show dog went missing for four days at the worlds busiest airport. Thankfully, Gale has been found. https://t.co/6a4qRuq1sf CNN (@CNN) March 26, 2019 A show dog that was flying home to Amsterdam after her last competitive event was found after shed been missing from Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for four days. https://t.co/kEEc3IGrXL Gwinnett Daily Post (@GwinnettDaily) March 26, 2019 South Carolina Girl Injured in Classroom Fight Passes Away From Injuries, Officials Say A South Carolina girl reportedly died after she was injured during a classroom fight earlier this week. The Colleton County Sheriffs Office and the school district confirmed the fifth-grader died on March 27 at a hospital in Charleston, WLTX reported. The Colleton County School District has learned from law enforcement officials that the student transported to the Medical University of South Carolina passed away on March 27 at 9:39 a.m., the school district said in confirming the little girls death. HEARTBREAKING: We just got word that fifth-grade girl injured in a classroom fight has passed away. WLTX News19 2019327 Her name wasnt released by school officials. We are devastated by this news, and we want our communities to keep their thoughts and prayers with the students family at this time, the district also said. School officials said they will focus on providing needed support services to our students, teachers, staff, and community, while also providing updates on the Colleton County Sheriffs Offices investigation into this matter through our website. The district also said it is suspending its Facebook page so we can better focus on providing the care that our stakeholders need at this time, without elaborating. JUST IN: Sad news to share in the case of the fifth-grade S.C. girl who was injured in an elementary school fight. The State Newspaper 2019327 According to WLTX, the fight broke out at Forest Hills Elementary School, and teachers ended the fight as soon as possible before calling for paramedics. The girl was taken to a nearby hospital for her injuries, but she was later airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. The State newspaper posted a photo of a GoFundMe in the case, but its not clear if the girl in the photo is the one who passed away. Amid an investigation into the matter, one student has been suspended. Its not clear if any students will be charged with a crime in the case. The nature of the girls injuries were not disclosed by police or school officials. No other details have been provided. Missing Children in the United States There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Under federal law, when a child is reported missing to law enforcement authorities, they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries. This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated that would also be reflected in the total, the center said. In 2017, the center said it had assisted officers and families with more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways and 5 percent family abductions. Nancy McBride, the executive director of Florida Outreach at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said most of the runaways involve technology. [Technology] has great benefits and some potential risks, McBride told USA Today in 2017. Its important to stay plugged into their lives. Tech is utilized by online predators, McBride said, who exploit gaps when the childs relationship with their parents is not the best. About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2017 were likely to be victims of child sex trafficking, the center said. State Attorney Who Dropped Jussie Smollett Charges: We Didnt Exonerate Him The Chicago district attorney who made the final decision to drop the 16 felony counts against Empire actor Jussie Smollett said that the charges being dropped did not mean the actor was innocent. We didnt exonerate him, Joe Magats, the assistant state attorney who made the decision, told the New York Times. The decision was made by Magats because Kim Foxx, the head of the Cook County State Attorneys Office, recused herself from the case after speaking with a family member of the actor several days after the alleged Jan. 29 attack. Magats said that the investigation by the police and the evidence they presented was solid. NEW from Chicago: Joe Magats, the first assistant states attorney who made the final decision to drop the charges against Jussie Smollett, says in an interview: We didnt exonerate him. Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) March 26, 2019 Repeating a statement put out by the office, he said that the charges were dropped in an agreement with Smolletts legal team, in exchange for the actor completing community service and forfeiting his $10,000 bond to the city. Heres the thingwe work to prioritize violent crime and the drivers of violent crime. Public safety is our number one priority. I dont see Jussie Smollett as a threat to public safety, Magats said. We stand behind the investigation, we stand behind the decision to charge him and we stand behind the charges in the case. The mere fact that it was disposed of in an alternative manner does not mean that there were any problems or infirmities in the case or the evidence, said Magats. The explanation came after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson slammed the deal, calling it a whitewash. This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice, Emanuel said at a news conference on the afternoon of March 26, reported ABC. There is no accountability. It is wrong, full stop. At the end of the day, its Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax, period, Johnson said, noting the deal was brokered in secret. Alluding to an earlier claim by Smolletts team that the actor would be vindicated if the case went to trial, he added: I heard that they wanted their day in court so America could know the truth, and they chose to hide behind a secrecy of a brokered deal to circumvent the judicial system. Emanuel further stated that only a sliver of the evidence gathered in the weekslong investigation was presented to the grand jury that indicted Smollett, indicating the voluminous accumulation that authorities obtained in the probe. Smollett, Emanuel said, used his race and privilege to get off scot-free, noting that the actor did not admit any wrongdoing. The mayor wondered: Is there no decency in this man? While prosecutors said they didnt exonerate Smollett, the actor told reporters in a press conference that the charges being dropped indicated his innocence. From NTD News In the fireworks that followed, Assange accused the ambassador of being an agent of the United States government. The crackdown on visitors was felt before I even entered the embassy. Its the third time Ive visited in the past year, and each time the atmosphere seems progressively worse. Just like my previous visit, since new rules for visitors were enacted, I couldnt take my phone into the meeting without giving the Ecuadorian officials a swathe of data. If you want to take it in with you, they request its brand, model, serial number, IMEI number, and telephone number. I was also advised that Ecuador could not be trusted to hold my phone while I met with Assange, so I left it behind and walked to the embassy phoneless, several minutes early to make sure I was on time. When I arrived, embassy staff checked my passport and letter of approval and pointed at the time on the letter. I was six minutes early. Instead of allowing me to wait inside, they told me to come back at the appropriate time despite knowing that I did not have a phone or watch on me. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter When I visited for the first time, which I believe was a year ago to the day, the atmosphere was far more welcoming. The staff and ambassador that were there during my first visit have since been replaced. After being searched, the staff directed me into the conference room, where two large visible cameras were pointed at the table. Those were there last time too. I knew the drill or so I thought. They reminded me multiple times that my visit was only approved until 5 p.m. and that I would need to leave on the dot. Just doing my job, the staff member told me. A few moments later Assange walked by the door, but could not enter. Embassy staff demanded that he submit to a full-body scan with a metal detector before allowing him in the room. They have not done this with any other visitor in the nearly seven years that he has lived there, including during my previous visits. I dont want to do the body scan. It is undignified and not appropriate, I heard Assange say. I am just trying to have a private meeting with a journalist. The door was slammed shut by someone from the embassy. I decided to sit and wait. Not only would they not let Assange in to see me without a body-scan, they also forced his lawyer to be scanned before he could come in to update me on the situation. After roughly 20 minutes, the lawyer came in and informed me that they were demanding to search Assange. Moreover, we would not be permitted to talk anywhere outside the highly-surveilled room where the Ecuadorians had confined me. Agreeing to these draconian terms would set a bad precedent so he was unsure if the meeting would go ahead. After appraising me of the situation, he left the room. A bit later, I decided to leave the room myself for an update from embassy staff. I quickly discovered that the door was locked from the outside. So I went to the second door that was locked too. That was when I realized that Ecuadorian officials had deliberately imprisoned me in a room. As this ominous realization dawned on me, I heard a dramatic confrontation unfolding outside. What are you frightened of in relation to me meeting with a journalist? What is the embassy afraid of? Assange asks. I cant hear the response. Assange is arguing that as a political refugee the embassy has a duty to protect him not to treat him as a prisoner. Is this a prison? Assange asks. Its not, they reply. You know its not. The visit to the publisher had, in fact, become eerily similar to visits I have made to inmates at federal penitentiaries in the US. It seemed our government was getting what they wanted from Ecuador, as a former senior State Department official told Buzzfeed in January, as far as were concerned, hes in jail. Assange, clearly agitated, demands to know why are you surveilling me speaking to a US journalist? Do you think its unreasonable for me to expect privacy when I meet with a journalist? Why are you silent? The embassy staff member responded that he cant say anything. Why cant you say anything? Dont you have an excuse? What is the basis? Why are you surveilling an American journalist? What reason should we tell her? Assange asks. The conversation becomes hard to hear, as I am still locked in the room. Assanges lawyer is also being searched again outside the room, though I can only hear bits and pieces of that conversation. He comes back in with a glass of water and tells me to hang tight. I feel like a prisoner receiving a visit. Finally, someone from the embassy comes in and tells me that I need to go to the lobby so that the ambassador could meet with Assange in the room. The room with the cameras and the bugs. I see Assange in passing in the lobby and say hi, but its cut short as he is directed to the conference room. Still phoneless, I glance at a clock and notice that its 4:19pm. I was locked in the room for over an hour. Sitting in the lobby I hear much of the conversation, so I begin to take notes. Is this a prison? This is how you treat a prisoner, not a political refugee! Assange demands. Ambassador Jaime Alberto Marchan retorts, saying its for our protection, and to protect you! At this point, clearly frustrated, Assange asserts: I am trying to have a private conversation with a journalist. I am also a journalist and youre stopping me from doing my work. How can I safely relay my mistreatment and the illegality going on here to this journalist while under surveillance? One of the issues, it seemed, is that Assange wanted to bring a small radio into the conference room to muffle our voices, so the microphones surveilling the room wouldnt pick up what we were saying as easily. There also appears to be concern that he will share stories with other journalists now that they have him muzzled and gagged. You are preventing this journalist from meeting with me in any other room, Assange says, but only part of the conversation is audible at this point as someone cleaning decided they needed to jingle keys and make a ton of noise for several minutes. You have been illegally surveilling me, Assange sternly insists. I want you to shut up, the ambassador says. I know you want me to shut up the Ecuadorian president has already gagged me, Assange fired back. I am banned from producing journalism. Assange isnt wrong. On March 28, 2018, Ecuador caved to pressure from the United States government to isolate Assange by revoking his right to have visitors, make phone calls or use the internet. In order to have his visits and internet restored, he was presented with a nine-page document that outlined limitations and restrictions on what he would be able to do and say online. Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno publicly said that Assange is gagged from writing political opinion including about US and Spanish policies. This obviously destroyed his ability to work as a journalist and publisher. He told AP: if Mr. Assange promises to stop emitting opinions on the politics of friendly nations like Spain or the United States then we have no problem with him going online. He and the foreign minister have publicly repeated the statement many times, even going as far as to say that Assange cannot talk about his treatment in the embassy. Ecuador's president Moreno directly admits to AP he has isolated @JulianAsange for the last six months to prevent him from writing his opinions about US and Spanish policies https://t.co/KEMKAjLjus @davidakaye pic.twitter.com/RLt4Sex1G7 Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) September 27, 2018 In an interview with El Pais in July, President Moreno also said that his ideal solution is that Assange may enjoy being extradited, if the UK promises that the US will not kill him. The argument continued to escalate. Assange brought up the fact that Ecuador allowed people with diplomatic immunity to be questioned by the US government in January. It is, of course, highly unusual for a sovereign nation to permit foreign officials to question its diplomatic personnel over diplomatic work, the confidentiality of which is protected by international law. You are acting as an agent of the United States government and preventing me from speaking with a US journalist about these violations, Assange demanded. What kind of sovereign state allows its ambassadors to be interrogated by another nation? No self respecting state does that! You have been working with the US government against me, its disgraceful! You are an agent of the US government, and there will be consequences for your illegal acts, Assange continues. He points out that the ambassador has put his own privacy at risk with his efforts to assist their spying on him. (For many years, there had been a white noise machine in the conference room, to protect the ambassador and other officials during sensitive conversations it has now been removed). The embassys own equipment that was used to protect you was removed to help them [the U.S. government] spy on me. Ironically, if they still had that equipment in place I would not have overheard everything to be able to write this very article. As the conversation intensified, the staff member who had answered the door and searched me noticed that I was taking notes and turned on a loud television. He kept turning the volume up until the conversation in the conference room was completely drowned out. He also turned on a loud fan, despite the fact that the embassy was very cold. At around 4:45pm, Marchan and several other men stormed out of the conference room. I attempted to ask the ambassador if the Embassys behavior was specific to me, or if they planned to give all visitors the same sinister treatment. He ignored me and rushed into another room. Finally, Assange comes out and I am able to give him a hug and speak to him briefly in the lobby. Unfortunately, there was only about eight minutes left of our two-hour scheduled visit time and the limit was still being enforced. At 4:58, a member of the staff came over and informed us that if we want to talk, it must be done in the conference room and that we only have two minutes left. We stared at him blankly then began to say our goodbyes. My departure was so rushed that I ended up leaving my passport in the embassy, but thankfully the staff ran out and gave it to me. You can read more about the Stasi-style surveillance at the embassy in my article about our visit in January. More up-to-date background information about what is currently going on with WikiLeaks and Assange can be found here and here. UPDATE: WikiLeaks has confirmed this story. We have approached Julian Assange's legal team to confirm this story. They have confirmed each factual element. The most up to date general context is here: https://t.co/z5JQhPqivVhttps://t.co/6o55ftm6iI WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 26, 2019 " The Gateway Pundit " - Supreme Court Hears Cases on Gerrymandering in 2 States WASHINGTONThe Supreme Court appeared divided on March 26 about separate legal challenges to the state electoral maps of North Carolina and Maryland, which partisans on both sides in those states say are unfairly tilted to their opponents. Whatever the court decides to doit could sidestep the controversies altogether by ruling the challenging parties lack legal standing to bring their casesis likely to have an impact on the 2020 elections, including President Donald Trumps reelection effort, and beyond. The Supreme Court has reportedly never struck down an entire state map for gerrymanderingthe partisan manipulation of the boundaries of electoral districts to favor one party or groupbut it has ordered the redrawing of congressional districts. Traditionally, conservative members of the court tend to favor treating redistricting as a political question that should be left to lawmakers who have been elected to make this kind of decision. Liberal justices tend to be more open to intervening in the map-drawing process to correct perceived injustices. In the cases before the court, in the presidential battleground state of North Carolina, the legislature redrew the map in 2016, giving Republicans a 10 to 3 advantage over Democrats in the delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislature had to act because, at the urging of left-wing activist groups, a U.S. district court found the 2011 map amounted to an unconstitutional race-based gerrymander. A legislative committee made the new map based on seven criteria, including politics and race. In the Maryland case, the map was also redesigned, providing Democrats a 7 to 1 advantage over Republicans in the liberal bastions congressional delegation. Although Republicans have not fared well in Maryland congressional elections for many years, they cried foul and sued. Political Actors In the North Carolina case, Rucho v. Common Cause, attorney Paul D. Clement argued that the current redistricting system is not broken and that the court should not wade into this political controversy. This court has repeatedly failed to identify a justiciable standard for partisan gerrymandering claims. The cause of that failure is not a lack of judicial imagination or a lack of claims that the particular map before the court was the most extreme ever, Clement said. Rather, the root cause of this failure is the basic decision of the Framers to give responsibility for congressional districting to political actors. The Framers consciously chose to give the primary authority to state legislatures. And then, to police the possibility that state legislatures, which the Framers knew to be partisan institutions, would engage in too much partisanship, the Framers chose a structural solution, by giving the federal Congress supervisory authority. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg rejected Clements reasoning. That ship has sailed, Sotomayor said. Once we decided the one person, one vote concept, weve been pretty much in all of our jurisprudence saying that certain acts by the legislature are unconstitutional, including race discrimination and others. Ginsburg asked Clement, Does one person have one vote that counts equally with others if the impact of her vote is reduced based on her party affiliation? You still have an equal right to vote as an individual, Clement said, but the parties on the other side arent complaining about a purely individual injury. They are complaining their votes have been diluted in some way because they have been grouped in a district with either too many people who agree with them or too few people who agree with them, which is not a justiciable injury. Clement said the other side was basically asking state legislatures not to act as state legislatures. He noted that politicians in the early days of the nation understood partisan gerrymandering but did not ask judges to stop it. James Madison was the intended target of a partisan gerrymander by Patrick Henry. He complained about it bitterly. So did George Washington. Neither of them contemplated suit, he said. [Alexander] Hamilton actually suggested to John Jay that the Federalists ought to partisanly gerrymander the electoral college for the 1800 presidential election. John Jay said it wasnt such a good idea. All three authors of the Federalist Papers knew about this and didnt think there was a judicial solution. Reputational Risk Allison J. Riggs, lawyer for the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, said the court was taking a big reputational risk if it opted to do nothing. The Supreme Court, she argued, should involve itself in drawing district boundaries because the case represents the most extreme example of a non-responsive legislature that believes that this court will implicitly endorse unfettered partisan manipulation in redistricting by declining to rein in this most egregious example. Riggs said the leadership of the General Assembly in Raleigh essentially bragged that the 10-to-3 plan was punishing voters who supported Democratic candidates by creating districts that would deprive voters of any meaningful ability to use normal democratic processes to redress infringements on their individual constitutional rights. Justice Neil Gorsuch said that if partisan gerrymandering was such a serious problem, voters ought to deal with it on their own, as they did in several states that in 2018 approved referendums on redistricting rules. In eight states, including California, independent commissions handle redistricting. Voters in Utah, Michigan, and Colorado approved ballot propositions in 2018 to create similar commissions. Voters in Ohio and Missouri approved other modifications of election law. Justice Elena Kagan responded to Gorsuch, saying most states dont permit voters to take these matters into their own hands. People really cant fix it, she said, which is what made it dramatically wrong here. Massive and Unnecessary Reshuffling Lawyer Michael B. Kimberly, representing the Maryland Republican challengers in the days other case, Lamone v. Benisek, deviated somewhat from Clements pro-GOP arguments in the North Carolina case. Since the beginning of the republic, gerrymandering has been recognized also as a constitutional offense. Indeed, the 1812 editorial coining the term gerrymander called it a constitutional offense, Kimberly said. This prompted Chief Justice John Roberts to interject with a quip: Well, your best authority is a newspaper editorial? Roberts also said if there were a partisan-free, neutrally drawn map, that would be the first time in history. Maryland Solicitor General Steven M. Sullivan said his states redistricting efforts were driven by demographic, geographic, and other concerns, not by partisan politics. Justice Brett Kavanaugh chided Sullivan, saying aspects of his argument were not very persuasive. I dont think you should run away from the obvious fact that the goal of redrawing district boundaries was to ensure Democrats retained seven of the states eight seats in the U.S. House, Kavanaugh said. Well, I dont think its running away to say that there were a lot of other factors that had to do with this, Sullivan replied. The justices previously refused to accept the Maryland lawsuit, finding June 18, 2018, that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction at that time to hear the case. Before that, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland held that Democrats had unconstitutionally gone after GOP voters in the states 6th Congressional District. The massive and unnecessary reshuffling of the Sixth District, involving one-half of its population and dictated by party affiliation and voting history, had no other cause than the intended actions of the controlling Democratic officials to burden Republican voters, wrote Judge Paul Niemeyer. Judge James Bredar concurred in a separate opinion, describing partisan gerrymandering as a cancer on our democracy. Eric Garcia ended up in a coma during an alleged fight with his daughter's boyfriend in Austin, Tx., on March 23, 2019. (GoFundMe) Texas Dad Fighting For His Life After Defending Daughter In Violent Attack A Texas man is fighting for his life after police say his daughters boyfriend assaulted him following a dispute. Eric Garcia of Austin confronted his daughters boyfriend after overhearing him calling the girl derogatory names during an argument, CBS Austin reported, citing a police statement. Garcia then asked 24-year-old Jamie Apodacawho had been dating his daughter for about a monthto leave his home. Apodaca left the residence but returned sometime later and got into an argument with Garcia. Police say thats when the confrontation turned violent, CBS Austin reported. The father entered the room where the two of them argued, and the victims daughter says Apodaca struck her father in the upper body, police said in an affidavit cited by KEYE. Attempted to Fight Back Apodaca allegedly struck Garcia several times inside the home, and punched his daughter, causing one of her teeth to fall out of her mouth. The daughter told investigators her father attempted to fight back, but Apodaca struck him, causing him to fall to the ground, KEYE reported, citing the police. An unidentified other individual inside the house also suffered injuries in the altercation. The dispute continued outside the residence, KEYE reported, where Apodaca allegedly punched Garcia, causing him to fall and hit his head on concrete leaving a blood stain behind. His heart quit beating on the driveway and it took over 15 minutes with the paramedics to get his heartbeat back, the family wrote on a GoFundMe page. This father is in a coma after defending his daughter against her #toxic abusive boyfriend. Heres a real #feminist champion in the trenches. https://t.co/0oQs7dY4ks samsound (@samsound) March 27, 2019 It Was Really Shocking Garcias injuries include a skull fracture, an inter-cranial trauma, and a herniated brain, according to KXAN. It was really shocking and its been a really tough couple of days just kind of hoping that he pulls through but knowing that he probably wont, Garcias friend Rock Schouman told the news outlet. He tried to split up a fight. He was such a quiet, nice, humble person, you know. He didnt really deserve what happened to him, Schouman told KXAN. Schouman set up a Facebook donation page, where he wrote please donate as much as you can spare to help this gentle soul on his fight for his life. He explained, Garcia was assaulted outside of his home, and hit his head on the cement, causing major brain swelling and injury. He is on a breathing machine, and in the ICU in a coma. His future looks bleak. Im just really worried about his family because its not easy, especially if you have younger children. He has a 12-year-old daughter, so I just want to make sure that theyre taken care of because they cant really fend for themselves right now, Schouman told KXAN. Make sure the rents paid. Make sure theres food. I dont want his kids to lose their home. I dont know what the futures going to hold for them. I want to keep the lights on, keep the roof over their head for a while until they can figure out what they need to do. Apodaca was arrested and booked into Travis County jail. He is charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member, assault causing bodily injury, and aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury to a family member. His bond was set at $144,010, KXAN reported, and as of Monday remained in jail. The plate lunch is Hawai'i's most iconic dishand an enduring symbol of its colorful food culture. (Alana Kysar and Brooklyn Dombroski) The Aloha Plate: What Is Local Hawaii Food? Alana Kysar brings Hawaiis colorful culinary culture, shaped by decades of immigrant influence, to the home cook Forget the melting pot or the salad bowl. Hawaii, says Alana Kysar, is a really good mixed plate lunch. The plate lunch is the Aloha States most iconic dish: a combination of a proteinor multiple, in the case of a mixed platea scoop or two of steamed white rice; another of creamy macaroni salad; and, occasionally, a vegetable side, all served typically on a sectioned plate or container. Its a fast and ubiquitous meal, the fuel of locals from doctors to surfers to your aunty down the street, Kysar writes in her new cookbook, Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawaii. And as indiscriminately as it feeds the varied people of the islands, it also represents them. Glance at the menu of any plate lunch spot, and youll find a roster of the varied influences that have shaped Hawaiis food culture: Japanese chicken katsu, Filipino chicken adobo, Korean kalbi, Chinese char siu pork. A peek into history offers an explanation: Though the exact origins of the plate lunch are unclear, it can likely be traced to the lunchboxes that immigrant plantation laborers, who arrived in waves during Hawaiis sugar boom, filled with the foods of their homelandsJapan, the Philippines, Korea, China. Today, the plate lunch remains a beloved symbol of the multicultural quilt that is Hawaiis local foodand Hawaii itself. Much like the plate lunch, the islands culinary culture cant be simplified to any one individual part. Its the combination that makes it what it is, Kysar said. Setting the Record Straight That combination is what Kysar, a Los Angeles-based, Maui-born-and-raised food blogger turned cookbook author, hopes to capture in her book. But first, theres an important distinction to be made: All of it is Hawaii food, but not all of it is Hawaiian food. Before becoming the 50th state of the United States, the Kingdom of Hawaii was a sovereign country, established by the islands original Polynesian inhabitants. Hawaiian refers specifically to their descendantsso while growing up in California might make you Californian, simply living in Hawaii, without the right ancestry, doesnt make you Hawaiian. Kysar offers herself as an example: Between her northwestern European father and Japanese-American mother, she has no Hawaiian ancestry. So despite growing up in Maui, strictly speaking, she cant call herself Hawaiian. The same goes for food. Hawaiian food refers specifically, and only, to that of the islands traditional Polynesian culturejust one aspect of what comprises local Hawaii food today. Its a nuanced distinction that Kysar concedes can be confusing, but is important nonetheless. As for a perhaps more easily dismantled misconception she wants to knock: Its not just all about pineapple, she said with a laugh. A History Told in Food What, then, is local Hawaii food? To understand how all-encompassing Hawaiis food culture is, you first have to trace your way through Hawaiis history, Kysar writes. It started with Polynesian wayfinders, the first to settle on the islands as early as 300 A.D. They brought in their voyaging canoes the makings of their cuisine: chickens, pig, dogs, and more than 24 new plant specieslater to be known as canoe plantsincluding taro, coconut, breadfruit, and sugarcane. With these they made staples like poi, taro baked tender and then pounded with water into a starchy paste or viscous liquid; and celebration foods like kalua pig, a whole hog slow-roasted in an imu (an underground earthen oven) until smoky and fall-apart tender. Centuries later, in 1778, the arrival of the British marked the first European contact with the isolated island chain, bringing pumpkins and onions and gifts of cattle to the king. Americans followed in the 1800s and soon established the first sugar plantation. As sugar production exploded, the sudden demand for labor ushered in a new wave of immigration: contract workers from across the Pacific, who came to work the plantations and settled permanently thereafter. They brought with them the ingredients and culinary traditions of their homelands, to recreate familiar foods in unfamiliar new surrounds. First came the Chinese, who turned vacant taro patches into rice paddies and introduced Cantonese staples like chow fun, char siu, and a variety of dim sum delights. The Japanese brought seeds for crops like daikon radish and kabocha, along with bentos, pickled vegetables, and teriyaki. Hawaiis famed shave ice has roots in Japanese kakigori. With the Portuguese came their love for pork and chili peppers, and fluffy-sweet pao doce (sweet bread) and rich malasadas (sugar-dusted yeast doughnuts). Koreans brought kimchee and kalbi; Filipinos pork adobo and other dishes laced with vinegar and garlic. With each new wave came a new cuisine introduced and folded into the local food culture, Kysar writes. The resulting delicious amalgamation is a story of Hawaii in food. In some ways, Kysar continues, to understand local Hawaii food is to understand Hawaii itself. The Spirit of Aloha In Aloha Kitchen, Kysar presents her own experience of Hawaii. Told through family recipes and childhood memories, its very much a love letter to the foods of her home. Her recipe for her favorite mochiko chicken, for instance, is her mothers. (I went through five to eight rounds of trying to make it better, and her recipe is just the best, Kysar admitted.) The salty-sweet, rice flour-battered fried morsels take her back to her childhood every time, she writes. Her manapua, Hawaiis take on Chinese char siu buns, are inspired by the giant ones from her favorite Oahu Chinatown spot. Her chicken katsu borrows a secret from her elementary-school best friend and next-door neighbors father. In the realm of sweets, theres rainbow-colored shave ice, like the cups filled with mochi balls and always ice cream on the bottom she ate every Sunday after hula performances; and even li hing gummy bears, the candies coated in the salty-sour-sweet dried plum powder ubiquitous in grocery stores across Hawaii. The recipes are rooted in time and placebut Kysar hopes to share them with home cooks far beyond. I wanted to make [local Hawaii food] more approachable, she said, to take this thing that people think is so unattainable, because its so far away, and show them how to make these recipes anywhere. Steps like swapping a traditional imu for a roasting pan and liquid smoke to make kalua pig, or offering chard as an alternative to taro leaves for wrapping lau lau, put seemingly aspirational dishes in much closer reach. For saimin, Hawaiis iconic, plantation-era noodle soup, she takes home cooks step-by-step through hand-making the distinct style of noodles, should the packaged variety be difficult to source. It all works toward the goal of bringing people into the fold of this wonderful, amazing cuisine that I just think hasnt been fully explored in the rest of the world, Kysar said. In the end, I really hope to just spread as much aloha as possible. RECIPE: Mac Salad RECIPE: Mochiko Chicken RECIPE: Takuan The Wicked Russia Witch Hunt Hoax Is Dead Commentary After 675 days of relentless reporting of an investigation into alleged Russia collusion, in which millions were spent in taxpayer dollars while lives were destroyed, livelihoods dismantled, and reputations ruined by lies and opprobrious epithets, we find out from a seasoned and experienced prosecutor that there was no Russia collusion. What weve witnessed was a vicious attempt by the media, the Democrats, and the Deep State snakes to undermine an administration and to take down a sitting president without regard for the will of the American people and their votes. Those in the Justice Department who are supposed to know the law should have followed the law, and not abused their power by finagling FISA warrants and acting as though they were above the law. Those who sat on media platforms should have reported facts, not renditions of their propaganda and lies. For two years, the left-wing media and Democrats have publicly pushed a narrative making a lot of noise about Russia collusion, without realizing that the Russia collusion was just their illusion of a made-up crime, because they had no factual evidence of a crime. After the release of the Mueller report, what we know for sure is that President Donald Trump has been fully exonerated and fully vindicated. But the Democrats, along with the liberal media, seem to have not gotten the message and arent shy about their efforts to defy and stop a sitting president. How do Americans move forward after being manipulated by a collusion hoax? The Democrats, along with the liberal media, were the ones who perpetuated a slanderous and salacious lie, and now that the jig is up, most of them refuse to take responsibility or accountability for their actions. The left and liberal medias dishonesty was an apparent betrayal of the American peoples trust. Democrats, who are still grasping at straws, demand that the Mueller report be released, stating that they want more transparency for Americans. But we all know that their plans are to dissect the findings, and use those snippets as sound bites so the liberal media can report them as negative narratives, all to be bestowed upon the public and put on public display. The Democrats grumble about Russian interference, but Russia and other countries have been interfering in our elections for decades. If the liberal media and Democrats were concerned about Russian interference, then they should have been equally and openly troubled under the Obama administration, when a Democrat was president and Russia was interfering in the 2016 election. Though Mueller didnt make a decision either way as it pertains to claims of obstruction of justice, could it be that his no decision was a decision not to charge because there was no evidence of a crime of obstruction? The left thought they could defeat candidate Trump, and Hillary Clinton would easily be the next president of the United States. They were wrong! The media thought they could spoon-feed Americans a narrative full of lies and we would swallow it. They were wrong! This Russia hoax, put into play by the left, was a deliberate attempt to railroad a sitting president. If the FBI can start an investigation without probable cause, unlawfully unmask private citizens, and use a fake dossier to get a FISA warrant approved just to be able to surveil a campaign, then imagine what would happen to the average American. Our flawed judiciary system has had a deleterious effect on average Americans. There seems to be a two-tier systemwith a set of rules and laws for the rich and powerful, and another set for the poor and vulnerable. Every American should sit up and take notice of the biased overreach by FBI officials, and demand answers, and not just from a report, but directly from the FBI investigators mouths. Also, Americans need to know, what did President Barack Obama know? Americans arent oblivious to the totalitarian mob of the left and their thirst for more power by any means necessary; nor are we unclear about the rule of law. We are a Republic governed by constitutional law, and its time to let the law take its course. Those who masterminded, participated, and orchestrated this Russia collusion witch hunt need to be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The investigators should be investigated because they arent above the law. If Americans are to regain any trust in the FBI, then the players, movers, and shakers who orchestrated and participated in this Russia collusion witch hunt must be brought to the table and held responsible for their actions. A well-dressed lie will travel around the globe until it is exposed by the naked, nasty truth. The truth will always prevail and win; light will always drive out darkness. Lynnette Diamond Hardaway and Rochelle Silk Richardson are sisters from North Carolina and are vloggers, internet sensations, influencers, and hosts of The Viewers View and Diamond and Silk Chit Chat Live. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Namgung Song, director of Wonju branch of the Korean Society for Music Education, enjoyed the performance presented by Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company at Gangneung Arts Center on March 24, 2019. (Kim Gook-Hwan/The Epoch Times) GANGNEUNG, South KoreaOur world has become better off because of Shen Yun, said Namgung Song, director of Wonju Branch of the Korean Society for Music Education, after Song saw the performance presented by Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company at Gangneung Arts Center, along with her daughter, on March 24, 2019. Seeing Shen Yun for the first time, Namgung Song spoke highly of New York-based Shen Yun for its perfect portrayal of the magnificence of celestial world. Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking the audience on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture, according to Shen Yuns official website. Watching Shen Yun gave me further insight into Chinese history, culture, and art, Song added. My heart was truly touched. Each performance of Shen Yun includes a full and live orchestra composed of both Chinese and Western instruments, classical Chinese dance vignettes, vibrant costumes, and musical soloists in front of interactive, dynamic digital backdrops. With live music accompaniment, this is indeed an outstanding performance, Song said. The seamless combination of traditional musical instruments and modern symphony orchestra made the music amazingly good and touching I also heard of the sound of the erhu [in the music]. Namgung Song very much enjoyed the animated digital backdrops that can make the audience have a miraculous feeling of transcending the time and space. The ancient Chinese architecture [in the backdrops] is spectacular and awesome, Song said. The synchronization of the backdrop showing the celestial world and the performance on the stage is seamless. Overwhelmed by the majestic scene of the piece The World Divinely Restored, a special feeling came to Songs mind. Our world has become better off because of Shen Yun, Song said. Shen Yun elevates the human morality and teaches people the truth in life. Its really great! Shen Yun attaches much importance to tradition. If people ignored traditions, modernity would not be possible. Therefore, this performance is truly meaningful, he explained. For modern people, Shen Yun is a great teaching. I saw the Shen Yun performance along with my daughter. For her, it is a very precious opportunity. Seeing the piece titled Goodness in the Face of Evil, a story depicting the great deed of the Falun Gong practitioners who returned good for evil while they were persecuted in China, Song was deeply moved. Because of the Chinese Communist regimes ideology, the beautiful traditional art is sabotaged, he noted. It is truly lamentable. They (Shen Yun performers) have a tremendous responsibility. I wish them good health, and hope that they can step up efforts to spread the beautiful culture to the world as a whole. I hope that traditional culture can be revived gradually, and the Communism can be denounced, so that people around the world can see the beautiful Shen Yun show together. Amazed by Shen Yuns historical connotations, Namgung Song wanted to recommend Shen Yun to those who have an interest in furthering their understanding of Chinese culture. Shen Yun is a magnificent art, as its storylines are related to traditional [culture]. With reporting by Kim Gook-Hwan and Billy Shyu. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Taiwan and U.S. flags are placed for a meeting between U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Su Chia-chyuan, President of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan on March 27, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) US Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Boost Taiwan Ties Amid China Tensions WASHINGTONRepublican and Democratic U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation seeking to boost Washingtons relations with Taiwan and raise the islands international profile on March 26, which could heighten tensions with China. Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the influential Foreign Relations Committee, along with Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz, and Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Chris Coons offered the Taiwan Assurance Act. Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, plans to introduce a companion measure in the House. Among other things, the bill would mandate that President Donald Trump review State Department guidelines on relations with Taiwan, direct the Defense Department to make efforts to include Taiwan in military training exercises and expresses congressional support for regular U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. This legislation would deepen bilateral security, economic, and cultural relations, while also sending a message that Chinas aggressive cross-Strait behavior will not be tolerated, Cotton said in a statement. To become law, the measure would have to pass the Senate and House and be signed into law by Trump. Its passage would rankle Beijing as the United States and China are edging toward a possible deal to ease a months-long tariff dispute. Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include the trade war, U.S. sanctions and Chinas increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom of navigation patrols. Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help defend the island nation and is its main source of arms. The Pentagon says Washington has sold Taiwan more than $15 billion in weaponry since 2010. China has been ramping up pressure to assert its sovereignty over the island, which it considers a wayward province of one China and sacred Chinese territory. Beijings concerns about Taiwan are likely to factor strongly into this years Chinese defense budget, following a stern new years speech from Chinese leader Xi Jinping who did not renounce the use of force to bring Taiwan under Chinese rule. China has repeatedly sent military aircraft and ships to circle the island on drills in the past few years and worked to isolate the island internationally, whittling down its few remaining diplomatic allies. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency released a report earlier this year describing Taiwan as the primary driver for Chinas military modernization, which it said had made major advances in recent years. Democratic Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China. By Patricia Zengerle. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. The House Representatives are shown on the last day of the 2019 Utah legislative session, at the Utah State Capitol on March 14, 2019. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP) Utah Bans Abortions After 18 Weeks, Teeing up Legal Showdown SALT LAKE CITY, UTUtah Governor Gary Herbert has signed House Bill 136 into law on Monday, March 25, which would ban abortion in Utah after 18 weeks gestation, with some exceptions, setting the stage for a legal showdown. Though the Republican governor said the measure signed late Monday strikes a balance, opponents said it is unconstitutional and promised to sue, saying the bill would cost the state millions. The law is expected to take effect in May. The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah pointed to the U.S. Supreme Courts longtime holding that states cannot ban abortion before the fetus is viable outside the womb, usually at about 23 weeks. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah re-iterated that sentiment in a statement to media shortly after Herberts signing of HB 136 was announced. The two organizations vowed a joint suit against the State of Utah, but did not provide an estimate of when the suit would be filed. The ban adds to a long list of abortion restrictions in Utah, including a 72-hour waiting period and an in-person informed consent session, Planned Parenthood of Utah said. Herbert had previously signaled his willingness to defend the law, telling KUER earlier this month that his bias is pro-life. The law comes as abortion opponents across the country are motivated by President Donald Trumps appointment of conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices and seek cases to challenge Roe v. Wade, the courts 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. In Utah, Herberts spokesman Paul Edwards said hes against abortion, and believes lawmakers set an appropriate threshold for respecting a womans right to choose while protecting the unborn. The bill allows some exceptions to the 18-week ban in the case that doctors determine a fetus is not viable, that giving birth to the child would put a mother at serious risk, and in the case of rape and incest. Herbert has said he is not worried about the potential cost of a lawsuit, estimated at about $2 million if the state loses. The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Cheryl Acton, R-West Jordan, has said she sponsored it to reduce the number of second-trimester abortions that shock the conscience. Herbert also signed into law this year a measure banning abortion if the only reason is a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The law contains a so-called trigger clause and wouldnt go into effect unless a similar measure is upheld elsewhere. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Wells Fargos Corporate Bank Struggles to Regain Footing NEW YORKAs its consumer bank begins to see signs of recovery from a sales practices scandal that erupted more than two years ago, the San Francisco-based lender has struggled to expand its customer base in the unit catering to businesses and institutional clients. Revenue in the corporate bank dropped 4 percent last year. Before the scandal, it was rising 6 percent a year on average. Because it offers better margins, the health of the corporate bank is critical to Wells Fargo; it represents about a third of revenue but roughly half of $22 billion in annual profit. The bank first told investors in September that while it retained most customers throughout its scandals, it was having a harder time recruiting new clients. This trend has been even more dramatic with the corporate bank where customers tend to stay put. Its been a little bit more challenging for us to bring in new customers, corporate bank head Perry Pelos told Reuters in a recent interview. Corporate clients are harder to win in part because commercial banking relations are more complex. Business customers seek cash management services, assistance with importing and exporting transactions, and various forms of credit such as asset-backed loans or revolving lines of credit. These services are usually locked in with multi-year contracts; some clients can only switch providers every five years. Wells Fargo executives say they are playing the long game, having their teams reach out to prospective clients to build relationships that they hope will pay off down the road. Ive lived through an entire generation of ownership before we won the business, said Greg OBrien, the division manager for commercial banking in New England. Reputational Problems Last year, executives and analysts identified signs of life in Wells Fargos consumer unit for the first time since the 2016 scandal that rocked the bank. Primary checking accounts grew 1.2 percent in 2018, and auto loan originations jumped 9 percent in the most recent quarter. The corporate bank, however, continues to languish. When business clients consider switching banks, Wells Fargos lingering reputational problems make it a harder sell, analysts say. Consumers dont have to justify their decision to open a new credit card to anyone but themselves, said Autonomos analyst Brian Foran. Decision-makers at companies, such as the treasurer, have to answer to the board and other executives. At the margin some of them are going to say, Wells Fargo is very good but so is JPMorgan, he said. Right now, no one gets fired for hiring JPMorgan. Wells Fargo officials acknowledge the scandals remain a concern with certain customers. Ive certainly been in meetings where it comes up, said OBrien. The scandal began with the disclosure the lender had opened unauthorized accounts for consumers. Later Wells Fargo disclosed that corporate bank employees had improperly altered customer information on certain documents. Wells Fargo has racked up billions in fines. Last year the Federal Reserve imposed a punitive asset cap on the bank, preventing it from growing its balance sheet until it improves risk management. Pelos, the corporate bank chief, has tried to compensate for the declining revenue by slashing costs. But the 3 percent reductions last year werent enough to offset the revenue slide. Though 2018 profit increased, the unit became less efficient. A key metric that measures the cost of one dollar of revenue, increased to 56 percent from 55 percent a year earlier. Wells Fargo has not provided 2019 revenue projections for its corporate bank. Theres a lot of confidence that they are going to hit their expense targets, but theres much less confidence that revenue is going to be able to grow as they do that, Foran, the Automos analyst, said. Revenue declines are bad for any company, but for Wells Fargo it raises questions about whether the kind of growth it reported before its scandals is achievable with tighter oversight, analysts said. In the past, the corporate bank focused on growing its cross-selling metric, which measured how many products employees hawked to clients, according to filings. The bank still tracks referrals across different parts of the business today, but the company no longer reports them publicly. OBrien, the northeast middle bank head, said the cross-selling system, which led to the creation of the fake accounts in the consumer bank, didnt cause similar problems in the corporate bank. We have never been in the business of creating false needs to sell, he said. Corporate bank revenue has also been hurt by the Fed asset cap. The unit no longer carries deposits for central banks, and it has sold off some smaller businesses. In January, Wells Fargo pushed back the timeline for when it expects to get the asset cap lifted by six months. Executives told Reuters they are being pleasantly persistent with prospective corporate clients by pitching them ideas and connecting them with existing clients. So far their efforts have failed to bear much fruit, but executives say they have seen signs that customer acquisition trends are beginning to shift. As evidence that business was looking up, Wells Fargo pointed to recent transactions it helped advise like Berry Globals $4.39 billion takeover bid for RPC Group Plc. Earlier this month, Wells Fargo also advised its first ever USD global benchmark for the World Bank. My expectation is that its going to be better, Pelos said. Is it going to be back to where it was before? Its hard to call. By Imani Moise Chris Cuomo attends the 12th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at American Museum of Natural History in New York City on Dec. 9, 2018. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for CNN ) What Wrong Facts Did We Put Out?: CNNs Chris Cuomo Defends Liberal Media for Mueller Coverage CNNs Chris Cuomo defended his colleagues after Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) criticized the media for putting out the wrong facts on the Russian collusion investigation. In a heated exchange on the CNN show, Duffy called out Cuomo and the media for their coverage of the Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation on alleged collusion with Russia for the past two years. Youre the reporters. You have a job to make sure youre putting out the right facts. For two years, you put out the wrong facts, Duffy said during the interview on March 26. Cuomo shot back, saying: What wrong facts did we put out? Duffy responded: That there was Russia collusion. Cuomo insisted they didnt get the story wrong. He said, There is 100 percent behavior by people around the president that qualifies as collusion. Collusion is not a crime its a behavior. You should know that. Duffy replied, But collusion with Russia didnt exist and it was reported on for two years. Thats not true, Cuomo said. Mueller says he couldnt make a criminal case that any of those people helped the Russians interfere. In a four-page (pdf) summary sent to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees on March 24, Attorney General William Barr said Muellers investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It also concluded that the special counsel didnt provide enough evidence to substantiate that the president obstructed justice. During the interview, the Wisconsin congressman suggested to Cuomo that the medias next steps should be to analyze how they get their information. What I think you want to know is, who duped us? Duffy said. Youve been talking about this for over two years. You should say, who actually set this up? Cuomo replied, You guys are supposed to figure that out. What you guys did is you reported on it, Duffy continued. You took all these salacious reports of all of this scandal and for two years. And youve gotta say, listen we gotta analyze how we get our information for two years every single hour of every day we talked about it and I think, I dont want to sit and cast blame on you, I think you have been fair, but I look at the American people and they go, Do I trust the media? Do I trust the Democrats who have been pounding this story thats absolutely false? the congressman added. Cuomo then blamed the president for the peoples perception of the media. He said, For the first time in our history you have a president who tells everybody that the media is their enemy and that the institutions of our democracy cant be trusted. Duffy countered, But if the media was doing its job they would be far more skeptical of some of the details that they got. CNN has previously made false reports on the Mueller probe on several occasions. One example of this was when the network inaccurately reported that then-Trump adviser Anthony Scaramucci was being probed for alleged ties with Russia. Three CNN journalists resigned over the retracted story. In another example, CNN claimed that Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. received an offer of intelligence from Wikileaks before it was made publically available. However, the network had to walk back the claim when it was revealed the alleged date of the offer was 10 days later than what the network first reported. Similar to Cuomo, CNNs President Jeff Zucker also defended the network for their coverage on Muellers probe on March 25. We are not investigators. We are journalists, and our role is to report the facts as we know them, which is exactly what we did, Zucker told the New York Times. A sitting presidents own Justice Department investigated his campaign for collusion with a hostile nation. Thats not enormous because the media says so. Thats enormous because its unprecedented. CNN became openly hostile toward Trump when the president was just a candidate. Even after the Mueller report found no collusion, CNN spun fresh anti-Trump angles, in one case spinning Trumps criticism of the yearslong investigation as Trump moves to weaponize Mueller findings. NTD News reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. A masked Uyghur boy takes part in a protest against China, at the courtyard of Fatih Mosque, a common meeting place for pro-Islamist demonstrators in Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 6, 2018. (Murad Sezer/Reuters) Without Papers, Uyghurs Fear for Their Future in Turkey ISTANBULWithout work or residency permits in Turkey and unable to renew their Chinese passports, Qurbanjan Nourmuhammed and his family live in uncertainty in Istanbul, cut off from their son who returned to Xinjiang three years ago. Nourmuhammed, his wife and five children came to Turkey in 2015, facing increased pressure from China to abandon Islamic practices such as wearing a headscarf, growing a beard and closing their restaurant for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. China has faced growing international criticism for setting up facilities that United Nations experts describe as detention centers holding more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslims. Beijing says it needs the measures to stem the threat of Islamist militancy, and calls them vocational training centers. Ismail Cengiz, founding secretary general of the Istanbul-based East Turkestan National Center, said that some 35,000 Uighurs live in Turkey, which has been a safe haven for them since the 1960s. Turkey is the only Muslim country that has regularly expressed concern about the situation in Xinjiang, due to its close cultural links with the Uyghurs who speak a Turkic language. While Uyghurs had no problems in Turkey until three or four years ago, Ankaras security concerns and stronger ties with Beijing reversed that trend, said Seyit Tumturk, president of a rights organization called the National Assembly of East Turkestan, the name that Uyghur exiles use for Xinjiang. Nourmuhammed has not heard from his son Pakzat since he went back to Xinjiang in 2016 to visit his grandparents. A friend of Pakzats told Nourmuhammed that Pakzat was detained upon arrival at the airport in Urumchi. He believes the government accuses him of having links with extreme Islamists. The Xinjiang government did not respond to a request for comment. The family regularly attends protests around Turkey in the hopes of having their voices heard. When my son was arrested, he was only a 16-year-old kid. His younger siblings ask us constantly when theyll be united with their older brother, Pakzats mother Gulgine Mahmut said. I dont believe he was involved in a crime, I think he was falsely accused. Nourmuhammed is unemployed as he waits for a residency permit he applied for in 2017 to be approved. Gulgine and their four children have been issued with permits, which risks tearing the family apart if Nourmuhammed is deported. Nourmuhammed said his family lost touch with relatives in Xinjiang, who asked not to be contacted due to fears that the government will associate them with jihadists. Uyghurs also cannot renew their Chinese passports at the local embassy when they expire and they are only given a document that will allow them to return to China, said Munevver Ozuygur, President of the East Turkestan Nuzugum Culture and Family Foundation. Some 15 Uyghurs who spoke to Reuters said they expect Turkey to pay more attention to their plight and give them the permits to allow them to work and benefit from the healthcare system. After a gunman, believed to be an Uzbek national, killed 39 people in a popular Istanbul nightclub on New Years Day 2017, Turkey took a more careful approach to people from central Asia, tightening the vetting process for new arrivals, Tumturk said. Not all of the people whose passports have been labeled as risky are problematic people, he said. People who cant retrieve a required document from China can experience the same issue. Cengiz said many Uyghurs had begun to fear they may be sent back to China. Turkey was seen as the only country that could stand up to China. In the past year, they have been fearing for their existence in Turkey, he said. However, some hope has returned after Turkey took a harder stance against China at a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting last month, where Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized Beijing for the alleged mistreatment of Uyghurs and called for authorities to protect the freedom of religion. There is a positive development in the favor of East Turkestan, Ozuygur said. Turkey started to give China the message that it is aware of the oppressions that Uyghurs experience in a proper way with a diplomatic attitude. By Murad Sezer A mysterious flight of a U.S. rendition plane to London and increase of plainclothes British police outside the Ecuador embassy has heightened concern for the WikiLeaks founder, as Elizabeth Vos reports. By Elizabeth Vos March 27, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - I n four days, it will be a full year since WikiLeaks Julian Assange was severed from contact with the outside world by the government of Ecuador. Concern for Assange was heightened as the anniversary approaches after a U.S. Department of Justice jet previously used for the rendition of an accused Russian hacker on Tuesday and remained there for days, only to on Saturday. The flight reportedly departed from Manassas, Virginia. WikiLeaks stated via Twitter regarding the flight: Note that the Edward Snowden DoJ grab team plane N977GA also departed from Manassas, Virginia. WikiLeaks tweeted regarding the flight: What is US Department of Justice jet N996GA doing in London? The jet arrived on Tuesday from DC and was last noted rendering alleged Russian hacker Yevgeniy Nikulin to the US last year from the Czech Republic, causing a diplomatic incident with Russia. Assanges Twitter account, run by members of his legal team, also Note that the Edward Snowden DoJ grab team plane N977GA also departed from Manassas, Virginia. In response to the news, Christine Assange said on social media: This is of urgent and real concern! Under cover of the 24/7 media frenzy on the NZ Mosque shootings. Is the US planning to snatch my son Julian from the London Ecuador Embassy they have been trying to force him from, for a CIA rendition flight? Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter While the jet remained in London, WikiLeaks Assanges lawyers describing an increase of plainclothes British police officers on the ground surrounding Ecuadors London embassy: A build up of plain clothes ear-piece wearing operatives around the Ecuador embassy in London in the last two days has been sighted by Julian Assanges lawyers. There are normally 2-4 plainclothes British operatives present. The reason for the increase is not publicly known. The jet arrived in London on March 19 the same day that Twitter imposed a restriction on the account of Christine Assange which would last for more than 24 hours, followed shortly afterward by the placement of an identical restriction on the Twitter account of Telesur English, which has a record of accurate reporting about Latin America. The restriction, and the subsequent lifting of the measure, was never explained by the social media website. A subsequent report by noted: Ms. Assange told Consortium News by phone that she has had no contact with Twitter and still does not know why her account was restricted or precisely why it was restored. She was unable to post new Tweets or read anyone elses while the restriction was in place. On Thursday, Telesur English, the Venezuelan state broadcasters English service, was hit with the same restrictions by Twitter as had affected Ms. Assange, who tweeted a complaint about it: Telesur English account has been supportive of my son, arbitrarily gagged & tortured journalist Julian Assange. They have been one of the few media to factually update the public on his plight & the political context behind his persecution. That these unexplained restrictions coincided with the arrival of a DOJ jet in London added to a growing sense of urgency surrounding WikiLeaks and its arbitrarily confined founder. Ecuador Elections At the time of the planes arrival, Ecuador was set to hold mid-term elections that could see what called the beginning of a comeback for former President Raphael Correa. Under Correa, Ecuador extended vigorous support towards Assange. In contrast, under President Lenin Morenos leadership, Assanges asylum has been transformed into a state of torturous and In the United States, all eyes this week were fixed on the final chapter of the Mueller investigation coming to a close, and the establishment fall-out from the lack of indictments in Muellers highly anticipated report. Meanwhile, the UKs looming Brexit crisis raised the possibility that opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister. Corbyns stance towards WikiLeaks and Assange has been substantially friendlier than that of Prime Minister Theresa May. Since 2010, the global establishment has made no secret of its animosity towards Assange and WikiLeaks. The Trump administration has likewise made its desire to capture and prosecute Assange well known. WikiLeaks whistleblower Chelsea Manning is again in due to her refusal to cooperate with a Grand Jury regarding Assange. Though the jet in question departed from the UK on Saturday, Met police have been photographed outside the Ecuadorian embassy in addition to the plainclothes police described earlier this week by Assanges lawyers. Elizabeth Vos is a freelance journalist and contributor to Consortium News . Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy State Police are looking for information on the case of a 22-year-old boater who vanished while sailing in area of Avery Point, Groton, in May 2018. Sofia McKenna and her friend, Spencer Mugford, used a mini sailboat with no mast to venture out in the early morning hours of May 27, 2018, state police said. Authorities say the manager of an Oklahoma Arbys restaurant has been charged in the fatal shooting of a customer who she said threatened her. Tulsa County jail records show 25-year-old Deionna Young is being held without bond Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge. Records dont list an attorney representing Young, who was arrested Monday. By RT March 27, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - US President Donald Trump has warned that Russia must get out of Venezuela. Two planeloads of Russian troops are currently in the Latin American country under the terms of a 2001 cooperation treaty. Speaking at the White House, Trump also warned that all options are open when it comes to getting Russia out of Venezuela. Around 100 Russian troops touched down in Caracas on Saturday, a show of support for President Nicolas Maduros government. The move caused consternation in Washington, however, with Vice President Mike Pence calling the deployment an unnecessary provocation. Pence also called on Russia to withdraw its support of Maduro and stand with Juan Guaido, the Washington-sponsored opposition leader who declared himself interim president in January. Trump Threatens Russia: Get Out Of Venezuela, All Options Open Trump met with Guaidos wife, Fabiana Rosales, on Wednesday, and pledged his support to her husband. After the momentum behind his play for the presidency fizzled out, Guaido has continued to criticize Maduros government, on Tuesday accusing the Venezuelan leader of violating the countrys constitution by welcoming the Russian troops. The Russian Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, insisted that the deployment was carried out "in strict accordance with the constitution of that country and with full respect for its legal norms." Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter US officials have repeatedly warned Russia against intervening in the Guaido/Maduro power struggle. National Security Adviser John Bolton tweeted on Monday that the United States will not tolerate hostile foreign military powers meddling with the Western Hemispheres shared goals of democracy, security, and the rule of law. The United States will not tolerate hostile foreign military powers meddling with the Western Hemispheres shared goals of democracy, security, and the rule of law. The Venezuelan military must stand with the people of Venezuela. John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) March 25, 2019 Boltons words echoed those of Senate Armed Services Committee chair Jim Inhofe (R-Iowa), who threatened whatever action necessary should Russia encroach on our hemisphere last month. This article was originally published by " RT " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Deutsche Bank has begun handing over Trump's financial records with them to the House Financial Services Committee Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. A minister who promised a woman hed take care of her daughter began having sex with the teenager daily and later encouraged two other pastors to have sex with her as well, federal prosecutors said Monday. Anthony Haynes could face up to life in prison if hes convicted of child sex trafficking and other charges. The two other Toledo-area pastors charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors said during the opening of Haynes trial that he first had sex with the girl when she was 14. They said the evidence against him includes text messages, photos, voice mails and DNA evidence from his church where the girl said they often had sex. Haynes attorney told jurors that the allegations are shocking, but theres not enough evidence to prove the trafficking and conspiracy charges he faces. Attorney Pete Wagner also said Haynes may have had a questionable relationship with the girl, but he didnt coordinate or take part in trafficking her to the other ministers. He also said there was no paying for sex. Prosecutors say the girl had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused by a relative. Haynes pledged in front of his congregation to protect her and serve as a father figure, but he began grooming her for sex when she turned 14 and first forced her to perform sex acts in front of him, said Michael Freeman, an assistant U.S. attorney. They had sex day after day, often at a motel or his church, the Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo, and Haynes would give her cash, Freeman said. After about a year, Haynes introduced her to Kenneth Butler, another pastor, and he also began having sex with her, Freeman said. Sometimes, the two men joked about the arrangement, prosecutors said. One text shown in court that prosecutors say was sent by Butler to the girl said: You better be nice and naked when I get there. Prosecutors said the girl next met Cordell Jenkins, a minister who founded his own church in Toledo and built a large following until it closed after his arrest. The FBI has said in court documents that Jenkins had sex with two girls at his home, church office and a motel and often recorded the acts with his phone. Haynes, prosecutors said, encouraged the relationship with Jenkins. In addition to the charges against the men, Haynes wife and stepdaughter are accused of abducting the girl at gunpoint in January and warning her not to testify at his trial. Court documents say the pair forced the teenager from her apartment, choked her with a cord and told her to take back statements she made to investigators. Attorneys for Haynes wife and stepdaughter have declined to comment. Just before her husband went on trial, his wife appeared Monday in the same courtroom where the judge overseeing the case turned down her request to be released. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump, emboldened after the special counsel said he did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy to sway the 2016 election, has an early target as he seeks recompense from his critics: Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who maintains that he's seen evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. Over the past two years, Schiff, who has led the House Intelligence Committee since January, has emerged as a public foil to Trump and his supporters. He has delivered scathing takedowns of Trump for calling Robert Mueller's probe a "witch hunt," and he offered similar criticism of Trump's congressional allies now leading a charge to depose Schiff as chairman on the grounds that his bias against the president makes him unfit to lead. Yet even as House Democrats make a clear pivot away from the collusion question, they continue to rally around Schiff - who refuses to let the matter go until lawmakers can assess the investigative materials that informed Mueller's findings. "Undoubtedly there is collusion," Schiff said in an interview this week, after Attorney General William Barr submitted a four-page letter to Congress, summarizing key aspects of Mueller's report. "We will continue to investigate the counterintelligence issues. That is, is the president or people around him compromised in any way by a hostile foreign power? . . . It doesn't appear that was any part of Mueller's report." A Justice Department official said Tuesday that it will take weeks to make at least part of the Mueller report public. House Democrats on Monday gave Barr an April 2 deadline to provide Congress with a copy. This week, the Trump campaign singled out Schiff, along with Intelligence Committee member Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., on a list of people it urged media outlets to avoid booking for interviews after Barr announced Mueller's findings, according to reports. The list includes House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and former CIA Director John Brennan, both of whom, like Schiff, have infuriated the president with their public scrutiny and criticism. Though Barr's summary has cast doubt on the premise of the Intelligence Committee's Russia probe, at least among Republicans, Democrats maintain that Schiff is not wrong in saying that there was evidence of collusion, even if Mueller determined that the matter did not rise to a level that warranted prosecution. "It doesn't mean there wasn't an enormous amount of smoke there," said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., a member of the Intelligence Committee. "This was a fine legal distinction Mr. Mueller had to make." Still, Schiff has taken steps to put the panel's investigation on hold, pending the release of Mueller's findings. On Monday, he announced that the committee had indefinitely postponed a planned hearing with Felix Sater, a former business associate of the president who was involved with the pursuit to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Schiff said the pause is temporary, adding that the intelligence panel might still uncover "deeply compromising" evidence in its counterintelligence investigation that falls outside the scope of Mueller's criminal probe. He pledged that his panel, in partnership with the House Financial Services Committee, would continue to explore allegations of money laundering involving Trump's properties and loans his business sought through Deutsche Bank. The House Intelligence Committee was a center of partisan fighting over Trump's alleged Russia ties even before Mueller began his investigation, developing a reputation for discord and sniping during the GOP-led Russia probe that said there was no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. Republicans see Schiff's recalibration as proof that he was wrong to challenge Trump. "He essentially spent 22 months lying to the country," said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of Trump's most vocal supporters in Congress. Gaetz said that in seeking Schiff's ouster as committee chairman, Republicans were following the example set by Democrats, who in 2017 sought to remove Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., when he led the committee. Democrats called for Nunes to step down as chairman after a controversial visit to the White House in which he reviewed classified reports with administration officials and then told reporters that aides to the president may have been caught up in wiretaps. Nunes was put under ethics investigation and was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, but he stepped aside from running the Intelligence Committee's Russia probe. During that episode, Schiff questioned Nunes' motivation for the "midnight run," as he called it, and later accused Nunes of being "misleading" in his efforts to portray federal law enforcement officials as corrupt and biased for seeking to conduct surveillance on a former Trump campaign adviser. Republicans consider those episodes "important context," Gaetz said, in their own calls for Schiff to step down, which have been voiced by figures as prominent as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, and the president's son Donald Trump Jr. Thus far, those demands appear to be going nowhere. Schiff has the support of party leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who counts him among her closest confidants and most trusted advisers. Politically, the GOP's focus on Schiff "probably helps him," said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a University of Southern California communication professor and close watcher of California politics. "You're talking about California, the state that is the fulcrum of the anti-Trump resistance," she said. "This will not hurt Adam Schiff in California, period." - - - The Washington Post's Rachael Bade, Mike DeBonis and Devlin Barrett contributed to this report. Contributed photo Winsted, CT - The American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) are hosting a panel discussion, Women Shaping the Future with prominent local community leaders, April 4 at 5 p.m. in the Draper Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public. Women Shaping the Future will feature community members whose lifes work is intimately tied to their communities. Panelists include Winsted Mayor Candy Perez; state Rep. Maria Horn, D- Kent, JoAnn Ryan, president and CEO, NW CT Chamber of Commerce and a member of the CT Board of Regents for Higher Education; Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, professor of constitutional and human rights law at Quinnipiac University; and Tara Jo Holmberg, professor of environmental science and biology at NCCC. Attendees will be encouraged to participate in a question and answer session. In an age of much-discussed books and essays that explain world politics on the basis of one big wrong idea, like Samuel Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations" and Francis Fukuyama's "The End of History and the Last Man," Robert Kagan has made his own contribution to the genre in his essay "The strongmen strike back." His idea that something called "authoritarianism" is "a profound ideological, as well as strategic, challenge" to liberal democracy is a big idea, and it is wrong. "Authoritarianism" is a political science label slapped on radically different regimes, not a self-description. There were and are self-conscious Marxist-Leninists and Salafist theocrats. But there is no generic "authoritarian" movement and no common "authoritarian" worldview. Defining communist dictatorship, Arab monarchy and Singaporean one-party technocracy as authoritarian is accurate but trivial, like defining humans, birds and kangaroos as bipeds. You don't know whether you need a doctor or a veterinarian. Nor do most non-liberal, nondemocratic states share hostility to the United States or common foreign policy objectives. Singapore and Saudi Arabia, to name two authoritarian U.S. allies, flourish in the international commercial and alliance system policed by the United States, a.k.a. "the liberal world order." In their own regions, China, Russia and Iran are trying to extend their spheres of influence, at the expense of U.S. influence, and they share a preference for a multipolar world rather than U.S. global hegemony. Russia would like to weaken the European Union for geopolitical reasons; many European national populists would like to weaken the EU as well - to strengthen national governments at the expense of Brussels. None of this adds up to an Authoritarian International like the Communist International (Comintern) of old. There is no Authorintern. In Kagan's world, Washington is to global ideology what Paris is to fashion. Because of America's failure to somehow check the illiberal rule of Vladimir Putin, Kagan writes: "An authoritarian 'backlash' spread globally, from Egypt to Turkey to Venezuela to Zimbabwe, as the remaining authoritarian regimes, following Putin's example, began systematically restricting the space of civil society, cutting it off from its foreign supporters, and curbing free expression and independent media." But Egypt's secular military did not need the permission provided by "Putin's example" to overthrow the Islamist president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, any more than the Islamist president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, needed Putin's example to purge Turkey's secular military. Could any claim be more absurd than this? Yes - Kagan's claim that Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are American versions of the supposed global "authoritarian" backlash: "And, of course, the United States has been experiencing its own anti-liberal backlash. Indeed, these days the anti-liberal critique is so pervasive, at both ends of the political spectrum and in the most energetic segments of both political parties, that there is scarcely an old-style American liberal to be found." Americans to the left of Clinton Democrats and the right of George W. Bush are "anti-liberals," according to Kagan. This is red-baiting, or perhaps brown-baiting, by an adherent of the dead center in American politics. Kagan repeatedly criticizes the Israeli scholar Yoram Hazony for arguing, in "The Virtue of Nationalism," "that true democracy comes from nationalism, not liberalism." Kagan's distinction between liberalism and nationalism is common among Western academics and journalists, but it is confused. Liberalism, like democracy, refers to a form of government. Nationalism refers to a kind of state, a state identified with a cultural and linguistic (not necessarily an ethnic or religious) majority. For two centuries, since the American and French revolutions, the most important contest of political models has been between the nation-state (democratic or undemocratic, liberal or illiberal) and the multinational state (democratic or undemocratic, liberal or illiberal). Most multinational empires, from the Habsburgs, Ottomans and Hohenzollerns to the Soviet Union, have crumbled into nation-states, democratic or otherwise. So have a number of dysfunctional multinational states uch as the former Czechoslovakia, the former Yugoslavia and the former Sudan. Few, if any, of the major conflicts in the world today are battles between liberalism and authoritarianism. Almost all involve nationalism, whether that of stateless nations that want their own nation-states, such as the Palestinians and Kurds and Catalans, or powerful nation-states such as China and Russia, which wish to increase their regional influence for nationalist reasons. To the extent that the European Union and the Pax Americana resemble liberal empires in the service of their own dominant nations - the Germans, French and Americans - the prospects for pan-Western anti-national liberalism are not bright. Giuseppe Mazzini, William Gladstone, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt understood that liberalism and democracy are most likely to succeed when aligned with national self-determination rather than opposed to it. As a former neoconservative foreign policy analyst like Kagan, I recognize the call-to-arms genre in which he writes. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Cold War liberals, later called neoconservatives, individually and through groups such as the Committee on the Present Danger sought to awaken their fellow citizens to the threat of communism without and within. Comparisons to the 1930s were common; among the neocons, it was always 1939. These jeremiads seemed plausible at a time when there really was a hostile superpower promoting a universal secular creed. But even then the idea that the Cold War was a battle of -isms between democracy and communism was wrong. The United States fought two savage wars in Korea and Indochina supporting allied authoritarian dictatorships and defeated the Soviet Union in the 1980s as a de facto ally of communist China. In today's multipolar world of low-level, traditional great-power rivalries over regional spheres of influence, prosecuted more in trade and industrial policies and alliance diplomacy than on the military and propaganda fronts, what is needed is sober realism, not anachronistic, Manichean Cold War thinking that unites simple-minded dichotomies with crusading fervor. Realpolitik is back. In fact, it never went away. - - - Lind is a visiting professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, a contributing editor to the National Interest and author of "The American Way of Strategy." Dear Readers, Food allergies are on the rise in the United States. It is estimated that as many as 8 percent of children suffer from at least one food allergy. A food allergy is when your bodys immune system responds to a certain food as harmful and has a reaction. These reactions can range from itchy skin, vomiting or diarrhea to trouble breathing, wheezing or anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening. Although it is uncertain why food allergies have increased, one theory is the hygiene hypothesis: Our immune systems job is to fight germs and stave off infections. However, our homes have been sanitized with bleach and antibacterial soap. In our efforts to provide clean homes for our families, our immune systems have lost their job and are looking for something to do. As a result, it may mistake a certain food as harmful and take measures to protect the body. Another theory is that its rooted in the way foods are processed. For instance, in China, peanut allergies are far less common than in the United States. While peanuts most often are roasted in the U.S., they are boiled in China. Boiling does not alter the protein in peanuts as does roasting and it usually is the protein in foods that acts as the allergen. There are eight foods that account for 90 percent of food allergies: Peanuts Cows milk Eggs Fish Wheat Shellfish Tree Nuts Soy Peanuts, milk, and eggs are the most common food allergies in children. While many children outgrow these allergies, some will have them their entire lives. In the past, physicians have advised parents not to introduce potential allergy foods to children until age 3. However, recent studies have shown that introducing these foods early may help prevent the allergy from developing. The Learning Early About Peanuts (LEAP) study, which was the first randomized trial to study early allergen introduction as a preventive strategy, found that the introduction of infant-safe peanut-containing foods at 4-11 months of age significantly reduced the risk of developing peanut allergy in high-risk infants. High-risk infants were defined as those who had severe eczema and/or egg allergy. The LEAP study was led by professor Gideon Lack and the results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Similar studies have been conducted on early introduction of eggs to prevent allergies, but the results have been mixed or inconclusive. More research needs to be performed in the area of food allergies to better guide the path. If you are concerned about food allergies for your child, talk to your pediatrician. Refrain from providing any of the above-mentioned foods to your child until approved by your doctor. Sincerely, Dear Dietitian Leanne McCrate, RD, LD, CNSC is an award-winning dietitian based in Missouri. Her mission is to educate the public on sound, evidence-based nutrition. Do you have a nutrition question? Email her at deardietitian411@gmail.com. HAMEL The Illinois Jaycees recently selected Hamel resident Janet Scheller as an honoree of its Outstanding Young Persons of Illinois awards program. The Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) program annually recognizes young people throughout Illinois who excel in their chosen fields, endeavors and show a great commitment to their respective communities. Scheller, 34, will be recognized in the category of Humanitarian and/or voluntary leadership during a banquet in May. Scheller is founder and executive director of Allisons Angel Gowns Inc, a 501(c)(3) organization named after her daughter, Allison, who passed away when she was one day old. The organization creates bereavement gowns from wedding dresses and donates them to grieving parents. With the help of thirty seamstresses and countless volunteers, the organization has transformed over 1,000 wedding dresses and distributed more than 10,000 gowns to grieving parents since 2014. The gowns are distributed to over 150 hospitals located throughout the United States. Scheller is a Stillbirthday Birth and Bereavement Doula (SBD) who can provide support prior to, during and after birth in any trimester. A SBD doula is uniquely qualified to provide support to parents in situations of fatal diagnosis, carrying to term, and NICU care. I am so honored to have been chosen as one of the Illinois Jaycees Outstanding Young Persons of Illinois in 2019, Scheller said. I am incredibly passionate about my work in the bereavement community, and receiving this award inspires me to continue advocating and being a voice for parents who are facing the loss of a child. The Illinois Jaycees will recognize this years honorees at an awards banquet on May 4 at the Wyndham Springfield-City Centre. The event is supported by friends and employers of the honorees, local Jaycee organizations, Illinois businesses and the Illinois Jaycees Charitable Foundation. Friends, local businesses and organizations can offer congratulations to the honoree and support the program by purchasing space in the banquet program. Additional details can be found at www.iljaycees.org/toyp-2019. To locate a chapter nearest to you, email servicecenter@iljaycees.org. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yopi Ilhamsyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 15:33 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f17600141de 3 Opinion el-nino,weather,climate-change,environmental-issues,Indonesia Free The worst ever recorded El Nino of 2015 caused the worlds weather to change. Presently El Nino is predicted to be more frequent, turning into a major climate anomaly threat. Given its normal 5-year return period, its early appearance this year has raised alarm bells. It is feared that El Nino-affected regions in Indonesia will severely suffer from sufficient water resources that might alter the planting season, reducing agricultural productivity and threatening national food security. Many studies have revealed a strong correlation between El Nino and rainfall variability which further leads to retreat of the rainfall onset in Indonesia. A significant shift of the rainy season is found as El Nino signs strengthen, causing a prolonged dry season. Based on monthly average rainfall characteristics in 30 years, Indonesia is identified to have three main types of climatic zones, i.e., monsoonal, equatorial, and local type climates. The peak of the rainy season of the monsoonal type climate occurs in January-February. Meanwhile for the equatorial type climate (e.g., Aceh, North and West Sumatera, Riau and Kalimantan), two peaks of rainfall are found in March and October. In the local type climatic zone (e.g., Maluku islands), the peak of the rainfall occurs in July/August. Monsoonal type-climatic zone is further divided into two types. The first are in regions with drier and longer dry season (e.g., Lombok, Nusa Tenggara) compared to that such as in Java, Bali, South Sumatra, South Sulawesi. Both types have significantly less rainfall during the dry season from June to August. Since the center of Indonesias rice barns are mostly located in monsoonal type-climatic zones which are strongly affected by El Nino, it contributes greatly to drought over the region. In enhancing water resources management, the prediction of El Nino occurrence is then urgently required. According to the latest report released in February from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Nino signs with weak intensity is likely this year. In addition, Indonesias Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) also confirms weak El Nino until July in Indonesia. Though we might not have a severe drought approriate mitigation is still necessary. President Joko Jokowi Widodo has appealed for efforts to overcome this issue so that farmers can harvest twice a year. As many as 65 dams are planned as well as improvement of irrigation systems to ensure water resources, the key to food security. Thus such climate anomaly should no longer become an obstacle to maintain or even increase agricultural productivity. Therefore the harvesting season can be well-managed. Climate-risk management with effective use of climate information would further help to manage water resources, particularly in scheduling rain harvesting and water storage. Professionals could then set up early strategies to optimize productivity during this years dry and rainy season which coincides with El Nino. Reducing disaster risks by minimizing the climate risk through proper adaptation and mitigation is urgent. Excessive use of fossil fuel, forest exploitation, land conversion and forest fires have damaged the environment. The release of greenhouse gas emissions has been uncontrollable. Monitoring of weather and climate conditions, transfer of climate knowledge and research results in the communities, building public awareness associated with extreme weather and its climate change impact such as in health, agriculture, tourism, fisheries etc are among necessary adaptation actions. Such awareness, along with environmental conservation, development of green energy, are among mitigation measures to help us cope with the inconvenient truth of global warming. *** The writer is a Ph.D student at Applied Climatology, Graduate School of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and Faculty member of Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh . Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin A. Ibrahim Almuttaqi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 Indonesia is just a few weeks away from the general election. The logistical challenge of organizing a vote involving over 190 million registered voters and 800,000 polling stations across the vast archipelago is daunting. Also, for the first time both the presidential and legislative elections will be held on the same day. Almost 20,000 public posts at national, provincial and local levels will be contested on April 17. However, virtually all eyes will be on the vote that determines who will occupy Merdeka Palace for the next five years. As Indonesias electorate heads to the polls, the question is whether President Joko Jokowi Widodo deserves five more years or should Prabowo Subianto be given a chance. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 09:18 991 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83f2f50 1 Editorial #Editorial,smear-campaign,Indonesian-politics,#2019GeneralElections,#2019PresidentialElection,2019-presidential-election,Prabowo-Subianto-Sandiaga-Uno,Joko-Widodo-Maruf-Amin,KPU,election,democracy Free With the general elections just around the corner on April 17, there is reason for people to believe in the General Elections Commission (KPU) as it oversees the quinquennial political process. Sadly, there are those who doubt the KPUs ability to uphold a fair election. Those who distrust the commission have done everything they can to portray it as an institution with a deficit of trust, despite that all seven of its members had to undergo a long selection process before eventually being elected by the House of Representatives. Smear campaigns against the KPU are on the rise as tensions prevail among supporters of the two presidential tickets competing in the election. Attempts to discredit the KPU vary in scope, ranging from the spread of an unsubstantiated report about the finding of seven containers loaded with 1 million ballots cast for the incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodo and his running mate Maruf Amin, to suspicions that the KPU is an arm of the government that seeks to ensure Jokowis reelection. The report about the punched ballots was proven to be a hoax and the police arrested five people for their role in creating and circulating the fake news. In yet another display of distrust in the KPU, the hashtag #INAElectionObserverSOS has gone viral on social media the hashtag was once one of the top trending topics worldwide on Twitter. Such developments suggest that international observers must save Indonesia from election fraud. However, the KPU has already invited observers from 33 foreign countries and 11 international organizations to monitor the course of balloting in polling stations across the country. Since 2004, the commission has allowed international observers to monitor Indonesias general and regional elections to make sure the international community perceives them as legitimate. The presence of international observers is a logical consequence of the countrys decision to embrace democracy. Indonesia has since 1999 held four democratic elections, plus thousands of regional elections, which in general were run in a fair manner. Of course, there were several cases of vote rigging, vote buying and other violations of the Elections Law, but they were too insignificant to render the elections illegitimate. Those offenders have been convicted and sentenced in accordance with the law. There should be no doubt about the KPUs ability to maintain impartiality this time around. The poll commission comes under the close watch of the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), an ethics council and a public that has voiced trust in the KPU, as indicated in recent surveys. There is no room for the KPU to meddle in the election process or rig the vote in favor of a certain party. To make sure that the KPU is not complicit in fraud and that democracy wins on April 17, civil society organizations and groups have developed apps and set up websites, such as kawalpemilu.org. All the noise intended to delegitimize the KPU would therefore only endanger democracy. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Wed, March 27, 2019 10:04 991 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83f856c 2 Health marijuana,edible-marijuana,research,Colorado,health,cannabis,pharmaceutical-industry Free The number of emergency-room visits linked to cannabis in one hospital in the first US state to completely legalize its use tripled within a few years, according to a study that points to the dangers of ingesting the drug. Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2014, the first state to do so, making the study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine particularly noteworthy. Nine other states have now legalized cannabis for recreational use, while 34 of the 50 allow its medical use. Researchers analyzed a half-million emergency-department visits at the University of Colorado hospital in Aurora from 2012 to 2016, of which roughly 2,500 were at least partially attributed to marijuana consumption. The number of such visits has increased yearly, from less than 250 in 2012 to more than 750 in 2016. While more than 90 percent of the visits were related to inhalation of the drug, the rest were linked to edible cannabis, whether in cookies, candy or any of the other food forms that have been used to ingest THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the plant's main psychoactive ingredient. Andrew Monte, a professor of emergency medicine and the study's principal author, said the tripling in total emergency-room visits was not altogether surprising. "Whenever there's a new drug in a community, that means there will be more emergency department visits associated with it," Monte told AFP. That applies even to conventional drugs, he said, like blood-pressure medications. Read also: High times in Beverly Hills, with pot delivery and a Gucci ashtray But the proportion of emergency-room visits linked to ingested cannabis is far higher than usage rates would suggest. In Colorado, edible cannabis represented only 0.3 percent of the total weight of THC sold, but accounted for 10 percent of cannabis-related emergency-room visits. "I do think that part of it is naivete around the use of edibles," Monte said. "The edible phenomenon has been noticed by emergency physicians, but there's never been any data to back it up, and these data do that," he said. "The effects of cannabis edibles are much more unpredictable, and unfortunately they last a lot longer, and that results in people ending up in the emergency department." "They're not expecting to have bad anxiety effects or psychoses, and those effects last for a long time." Inhaled cannabis acts in less than 10 minutes, reaches peak concentration in the blood in 30 to 90 minutes and leaves the body in four hours. Ingested cannabis, on the other hand, reaches its peak in three hours, and THC remains in the body for up to 12 hours. That delayed action can lead first-time consumers to eat far too much, and too fast, leading to intoxication and sometimes acute psychiatric symptoms. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 18:31 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f176001a286 1 Entertainment Ancol,Ancol-Dreamland-Park,jakarta,music,concert,Java-Jive,KLa-Project,Glenn-Fredly,ari-lasso,Slank Free Fans of 1990s music in Jakarta will be in for a nostalgic treat as Ancol Dreamland plans to hold a concert celebrating the best of the decade from Indonesian music this April. Ancol spokeswoman Rika Lestari said the concert, dubbed Konser Ketje Flashback The 90s Music, would offer a lineup of the decades iconic performers from April 13 to 28. The event will be chock-full of the countrys chart-topping 90s bands and musicians from various genres, including pop, jazz, rock and hip hop, Rika said on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara news agency. She went on to say that fans could expect stars such as /rif, Funky Kopral, Tipe-X, Java Jive, Iwa K, GIGI, KLa Project, Edane, Glenn Fredly, Ari Lasso and Slank. Read also: Blue, The Moffats to headline The 90's Festival in Jakarta The concerts are set to take place on Ancols Lagoon Beach Floating Stage and at Ancols Carnaval Beach, according to Rika. The concert will be free of charge; concert goers will only have to pay the regular Rp 25,000 (US$1.76) Ancol entrance fee. Ancol also offers a Rp 300,000 monthly pass for free admission to Ancol throughout the month of April. (rfa/wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nova Safo (Agence France-Presse) Chicago, United States Wed, March 27, 2019 11:06 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760007765 2 Entertainment actor,scandal,Jussie-Smollett,Empire,Racism Free Chicago authorities on Tuesday dropped the charges against a US television actor accused of fabricating a hate crime, in a shock move that enraged the city's police and mayor, who dismissed it as a "whitewash." Prosecutors said they had shelved all 16 felony charges against "Empire" star Jussie Smollett in exchange for an agreement that he carry out community service and forfeit a $10,000 bond payment. But Smollett's lawyers claimed there was no such agreement, and that the actor was the victim of a rush to judgment. "There is no deal. The state dismissed the charges," attorney Patricia Holmes said as the actor celebrated with family, whose claim that Smollett had been vindicated was flatly rejected by the police. The 36-year-old, one of the main cast members on Fox musical drama "Empire" alongside Taraji P. Henson, was accused of masterminding a hoax attack in downtown Chicago to gain publicity and secure a bigger paycheck. He reported to police that he was attacked in the middle of the night in January by two masked men while walking near his home. Smollett maintained his innocence in the face of a damning public account from authorities' of their case against him. Read also: 'Empire' actor Smollett pleads not guilty to lying about Chicago attack They accused him of sending himself a threatening letter and hiring two acquaintances to stage the attack, complete with homophobic and racial slurs, while invoking Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. "I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one," Smollett, who is black and gay, said at a brief news conference. "This has been an incredibly difficult time," he added, "Honestly, one of the worst in my entire life." Chicago's police chief and mayor, both visibly angry, denounced the decision to drop the case and countered Smollett's insistence of his innocence. "This is a whitewash of justice," Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman and White House chief-of-staff, told a hastily-arranged news conference. "Mr. Smollett is still saying that he is innocent, still running down the Chicago Police Department. How dare (he)?" the mayor added. 'We did not exonerate' The prosecutor's office offered little explanation at first for suddenly reversing course before finally characterized its decision as a routine one carried out in thousands of cases. "This is not a new or unusual practice. An alternative disposition does not mean that there were any problems or infirmities with the case or the evidence," the Cook County State Attorney's office said in a statement. "We stand behind the Chicago Police Department's investigation and our decision to approve charges in this case. We did not exonerate Mr. Smollett." Authorities have said there is enough evidence to back up their case, including surveillance camera footage, text messages, phone records, and a cashed check Smollett wrote to brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo, both of whom worked on "Empire," to carry out the alleged plan. "I think this city is still owed an apology," Chicago police chief Eddie Johnson said Tuesday. "They chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system," he said. "I stand behind the detective's investigation." Holmes, Smollett's lawyer, acknowledged that the brothers had admitted carrying out the attack, but accused police of using "the press to convict people before they're tried in a court of law." "We believe that it was the correct result in this case. We are very happy with this result," she said. The initial news of the attack had prompted widespread sympathy for Smollett and outrage over the nature of the alleged crime. But the star was written out of the last two episodes of the most recent season of "Empire" -- which is set in New York but filmed in Chicago -- amid uproar over the accusations against him. Smollett said he wanted "nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life." His family described him as "an innocent man whose name and character has been unjustly smeared" in a statement published by the ABC News. Fox producers said Tuesday they were "gratified that all charges against him have been dismissed" but would not comment on whether he would return to the show. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Silvio Castellanos (Reuters) Madrid, Spain Wed, March 27, 2019 18:08 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760018880 2 Entertainment Bonnie-and-Clyde,Kevin-Costner,Woody-Harrelson,film,united-states,Hollywood,Hollywood-actors,Movie,The-Highwaymen,John-Lee-Hancock Free A new film starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson takes a fresh angle on the bloody tale of outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde, focusing instead on the two detectives who ended the lovers' criminal rampage across the United States. In The Highwaymen, directed by John Lee Hancock, Costner plays former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, one of a posse of officers who shot the pair dead in a dawn ambush in Louisiana in 1934. Harrelson plays his partner Maney Gault. "We've chosen this one story about Bonnie and Clyde, and rather than tell their story, we've told the story of the men who hunted them down and risked their lives to bring a murder spree in America to an end," Costner told Reuters. The 1967 move Bonnie & Clyde starred Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the gangster pair believed to have murdered 13 people, robbed banks, and staged kidnaps and car thefts. But the new flick takes a very different path, Costner said in Madrid during a promotional tour. Read also: Hidden Figures could soon be a TV series "They were made heroic in the 1967 movie and that's too bad. But that's how it was made. The men that chased (them) were just average men doing their job," the veteran US actor said. The Highwaymen will premiere on streaming service Netflix on March 29. Asked whether movies that go straight to streaming services have the same cache as those released in cinemas, Costner noted that film and television producers were increasingly experimenting with releasing their work online. With their high-quality long-form programs, Netflix and others are raising the bar for traditional TV production, he said. "Television didn't (have) a very big hold over me until you started having extended stories," he added. Indonesian fashion designer Sapto Djojokartiko launched his Fall/Winter 2019 collection on Tuesday at Lucy in the Sky restaurant-slash-bar in the SCBD area, South Jakarta. The show kicked off with models wearing long puffy red dresses, hinting that the Surakarta-born designer had stepped out of his comfort zone. All this time, our collection always featured neutral colors, said Sapto after the show, referring to his previous collections that were usually dominated by white, grey or nudes. We had to do something out of our comfort zone, particularly in color choices, he added, explaining his reasons to use bold colors in the collection. After doing some research, Sapto decided to feature the Sailendra Dynasty, which according to Encyclopedia Britannica is a dynasty that flourished on Java for about 100 years starting in the year 750 and was marked by a cultural renaissance that also witnessed part of the construction of the Borobudur temple. The dynasty was also said to have ruled in Sumatra's Sriwijaya Kingdom and this is where Sapto found the regal inspiration. Read also: Sapto Djojokartiko illustrates human-technology relationship in latest collection Nods to the Sriwijaya Kingdom appeared through dresses in bold colors such as dark olive and dark blue. These dramatic colors were adorned with intricate embroideries made from silver or gold threads and tiny pleats, resulting in sophisticated chic designs. Sapto Djojokartiko Fall/Winter 2019 features 35 designs. In addition to the bold colors, Sapto also returns with his signature styles, including transparent tulle in neutral colors. The designer said that the collection was more festive, making it suitable for formal events. (mut) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Wed, March 27, 2019 17:05 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760017154 2 Art & Culture Art-Basel,Art-Basel-Hong-Kong,Hong-Kong,exhibition Free For its seventh edition, Art Basel Hong Kong welcomes 242 galleries from more than 30 countries and territories. This year, over half of the fair's exhibitors count gallery spaces in Asia and the Asia Pacific region. The Kabinett sector -- which offers specially-curated presentations by a selection of exhibitors within their booths -- will particularly highlight established and emerging artists from these areas. Kuje Gallery is presenting a selection of oil paintings by Yoo Youngkuk (1916-2002), renowned as one of the founders of the Korean abstract movement. Pearl Lam Galleries will also display works by South Korean artist Chun Kwang Young (b.1944). Other highlights of this section include a retrospective on Taiwan-born minimalist artist Richard Lin (1933-2011). Bonhams is holding a special exhibition of his works from the 1950s to 1970s. A rare piece by the artist, "1.3.1964-Painting Relief," will then go on sale at Bonhams Hong Kong on May 27. Read also: Wealthy millennials boosting the art market The 2019 Art Basel Hong Kong will also display Tishan Hsu's most recent works at the fair's Grand Marine Center venue. Early pieces of the Chinese-American artist will be on show at Empty Gallery's stand, including his installation "Feed Forward." In the Galleries section, New York's Acquavella Galleries will present a rare portrait of Metropolitan Museum of Art curator and critic Henry Geldzahler. Painted by David Hockney, "Henry Reading" shows the artist embracing a colorful Cubist style. The seven-and-a-half-foot-tall collaged work is estimated at $15 million. For its sixth edition, the Film sector brings together 27 film and video works curated by multimedia artist and film producer Li Zhenhua. Among them are Lou Ye's "Spring Fever" -- which won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival -- and Yan Bo's latest documentary, "On the Other River Banks in Berlin" which explores Chinese neo-realist artist Liu Xiaodong's 2018 site-specific project in Berlin. Every year, the Encounters sector is dedicated to presenting large-scale sculpture and installation works by leading artists from around the world. For the 2019 edition of the art fair, it will present 12 large-scale installations, described by curator Alexie Glass-Kantor as "both a call to action and a proposition to re-energize, re-incarnate, re-innovate, and rise-in the extreme, to find hope in hopelessness." One of the highlights of this section include Elmgreen & Dragset's "City in the Sky" -- a three-dimensional skyline of buildings hanging upside-down above visitors. Outside of the confines of the Convention Center, the Victoria Harbour hosts street artist KAWS's latest work, a giant inflatable Companion figure floating in the water. The 2019 Art Basel Hong Kong takes place March 29- 31. Additional information is available on the fair's official website. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 09:37 991 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83f3d8a 1 National cow,thief,Palembang,South-Sumatra Free Upset when some of his cattle went missing, Hendrik, a resident of Jl. Talang Kemang in Gandus district in Palembang, South Sumatra, installed GPS devices on the necks of the animals he still had. The trick worked and helped uncover a gang of cattle rustlers that had taken some members of the herd when they were returning home from grazing land. As reported by tribunnews.com, Hendrik saw some people driving a pickup truck to the grazing land and haul a cow into the back of it. Hendrik immediately reported the incident to police, who then chased the truck by following the GPS signal. The suspects were intercepted around the Musi IV bridge. One person was arrested while two others managed to run away. Police said the arrested suspect, named Yosep Gesan Ulu, 39, claimed his job was to take the meat from the slaughtered cattle to the market. We seized evidence [in the form] of a black pickup truck with plate number BG 9255 NI, three sickles, one lock, one plastic rope and a cempedak fruit that was used as bait, Adj. Comr. M. Aidil, the head of the Gandus Police, said. Cempedak fruit looks like a jackfruit but smells like durian and Yosep claimed the rustlers used it to render the cattle unconscious. (gis/evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Devina Heriyanto and Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27 2019 Seeking justice: Iman Setiawan Sitepu (right), accompanied by Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Yati Andriyani (left), shows a picture of his elder sister Ruth Sitepu during a meeting with National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) official Amiruddin in Jakarta on Tuesday. The people at the meeting are seeking legal efforts to deal with Ruths death in Malaysia, which is alleged to have been caused by violence blamed on local officials.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan) Rudangta Ruth Sitepus family has been living in constant fear for her safety after they lost contact with her and her husband in 2016. That fear turned to dread when one of her friends said they might be the victims of a forced disappearance. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 16:31 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f17600164e6 4 Business Airlines,ticket-prices,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,Budi-Karya-Sumadi,Garuda-Indonesia Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo made a call to reduce airfares in response to the complaints by tourism-related-business earlier this month, but the government believes that the prices are still too high. Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has expressed his disappointment that airlines have failed to significantly reduce ticket prices to help boost tourism, particularly to improve hotel occupancy rates. Luhut has reportedly given airlines until April to significantly reduce airfares, while Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that the ministry would issue a regulation to bring down the price of airplane tickets. I will discuss [airfares] with staff. I will issue a regulation, said Budi on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com. On Monday, Luhut, Budi and representatives of the airlines met to discuss the ticket prices. In the minutes of the meeting, Budi said the ticket prices were too high. He called on flag carrier Garuda Indonesia to lower its ticket prices, although the Garuda Indonesia Group Garuda Indonesia, Citilink and Sriwijaya Air had cut fares by 20 percent in February. Previously, the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) said that during this years low season, the occupancy rate of hotels declined by between 20 and 40 percent compared to the rates in the same season last year. Aviation business analyst Gerry Soedjatman criticized the government for interfering in airfares. He said the government should refer to the existing regulation, namely Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 14/2016 on airline ticket prices. They should not intervene in airline ticket prices. Because the ticket price is part of the business strategy of each airline. They can decide prices as long as they are still in the range between minimum and maximum prices, Gerry said as quoted by tempo.co on Tuesday. He believed that the insistence of the government on reducing airplane ticket prices had a political basis, particularly ahead of the April 17 presidential and legislative elections. He said the government could only make a call, but it could not force airlines to cut ticket prices. Forcing airlines to reduce their prices would have negative long-term consequences for the airlines financial performance, he said, adding that it would lead to a deterioration the competitiveness of the countrys aviation industry. He said the financial performance of the domestic aviation companies had not improved in recent years as a result of the governments decision to cap fares at too low a level. Garuda Indonesia spokesman Ikhsan Rosan said the company was still waiting for the governments decision on ticket prices. In principle, we have to be cautious in recalculating structural costs. But we will follow the governments instruction, he said on Tuesday. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Wed, March 27, 2019 18:38 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f176001a92a 1 National bank-indonesia,Navy,TNI-AL,TNI,currency,islands,sumatra,Batam Free Bank Indonesia (BI) in cooperation with the Indonesian Navy is distributing cash to the countrys 116 outermost islands to help prevent the use of foreign currencies in border areas. Dont let them use foreign currencies because the rupiah is unavailable there, BIs currency management department director Luctor E. Tapiheru said on the sidelines of the launch of BIs mobile cash expedition to six outermost, frontier and least developed (3T) islands at Batu Ampar Seaport, Batam, Riau Islands, on Wednesday. The cash is being distributed to the islands of Rupat, Rangsang, Bengkalis and Panipahan in Riau; and Tebing Tinggi and Belawan in North Sumatra. The program will run until Tuesday next week, with the cash transported on the Indonesian Navys KRI Lepu 861 vessel with 15 central bank employees onboard. BI is tasked with replacing outdated banknotes on the islands with the new ones and decreasing the circulation of foreign currencies, Luctor said. BI has scheduled 15 distribution trips this year to 116 3T islands across Indonesia to dispense between Rp 4.5 billion (US$ 316,611) and Rp 5 billion to several islands each trip. However, cooperation with other parties was needed to reach the district and subdistrict levels, Luctor said. There are currently 43 BI representative offices across the archipelago, mostly located in the provincial capitals. The Navy's vessels are capable of reaching remote areas, he said. The BI and the Navy had been cooperating for the last eight years, the Navy chief of staff deputy operation assistant Cdre. Yusuf said. This is part of maintaining Indonesias sovereignty. Sipadan and Ligitan were lost because the currency used on the islands was Malaysian, said Yusuf, adding that the Navy had prepared 15 vessels for the task. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yulia Savitri (The Jakarta Post) Palembang Wed, March 27, 2019 18:16 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760019230 1 National #Indonesia,#rape,woman,rape,murder,South-Sumatra Free Police are searching for two individuals suspected of being involved in the killing of a 24-year-old female priest, identified only as MZ, in Air Sugihan district, Ogan Komering Ilir regency, South Sumatra. Ogan Komering Ilir Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Doni Eka Saputra said the reverend was murdered after reportedly being raped in an oil palm plantation. He said the crime apparently occurred one day before the body was found by locals on Tuesday morning. MZ was allegedly raped before she was killed. She was found by the locals with no pants and shirt open, Doni told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. He said that MZ, a pastoral candidate at the Indonesian Evangelical Christian Church (GKII), went shopping with a 9-year-old girl, identified as NP, at a local market, departing from the church by motorcycle on Monday. On the ride back to the church in the afternoon, they were allegedly intercepted by two individuals who had covered their faces with masks and sarongs. Doni said both MZ and NP were taken to the plantation area, where they were tied up with tire rubber and strangled. NP survived the incident apparently because she had fainted and was thrown into bushes. Arisman Manai, another pastoral candidate at the GKII church, said that he and other members of the church tried to discover MZ and NP's whereabouts after they grew worried when the woman and the girl did not come back from the market by nightfall. Arisman said the people later found out what had happened when NP returned to the church on Monday night alone in blind panic and fear, revealing that they had been kidnapped by strangers. The people immediately looked for MZ at the location the girl indicated, where they found that the woman had already died. After undergoing a post-mortem examination at the local police hospital, the victim's remains were sent back to her hometown in Nias, North Sumatra. We hope the police would investigate this case thoroughly. We are now taking care of NP as she is in trauma following the incident, Arisman said. (das) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 12:47 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f17600036e8 4 Business government-debt-papers,2019,H1,auction Free The government has raised Rp 223.97 trillion (US$15.76 billion) from the auction of conventional and sharia government debt papers implemented along the first quarter of 2019. The figure was 21.07 percent higher than the target set by the Finance Ministry's Financing and Risk Management Directorate General, which was Rp 185 trillion. From 14 auctions in the first quarter, offers from investors were recorded at Rp 580.75 trillion. The largest offer, namely Rp 93.93 trillion, occurred during the auction on Feb. 26, but the government only executed Rp 22 trillion of them. Rates of returns from this years auction of the governments debt papers declined. Kontan.co.id reported that during the auction on Jan. 3, the rate of SUN series FR0077 for five years was at 7.98 percent, but on Tuesdays action, the rate declined to 7.01 percent or 97 basis points lower. The rate of return of Series FR0078 for 10 years also declined from 8.05 percent to 7.56 percent or 49 basis points lower. Earlier this year, the average return of SUN series FR0077 was 8.7 percent, but during Tuesdays auction the return declined to 8.08 percent or 62 basis points lower. Institute for Development for Economics and Finance senior economist Faisal Basri warned the government about the risk of an increasing ratio of government debt papers in overall government debt. If we have difficulty to pay installments of our bilateral and multilateral loans, there are still fora to resolve the problem. But if we cannot pay out debt papers, we will be punished by the market as investors will sell the governments debt papers, Faisal said on Tuesday. He noted the portion of the governments debt papers in the rupiah was always higher than the debt papers in foreign exchange. However, the ownership of rupiah debt papers by foreign investors was also high, namely 38.55 percent as of March 22. The high ownership of rupiah debt papers by foreign investors is a greater risk to the countrys financial stability, he added. Ownership of the local currencys government debt papers in China and India was only 4 percent. It is 15.7 percent in Thailand, 16 percent in Brazil, 18 percent in Turkey and 24.6 percent in Malaysia. Indonesia is at risk to global fluctuations because foreign investors could sell all of their assets, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bibhudatta Pradhan and Archana Chaudhary (Bloomberg) New Delhi, India Wed, March 27, 2019 17:31 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760017a98 2 World India,satellite,defense,China,Competition Free Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India had joined the US, Russia and China in an elite group of nations that have the capability to target satellites. In a televised address to the nation, Modi said India has shot down a low Earth orbit satellite, noting the capability was crucial for national security. "India has today established its name as a space power," Modi said. "Our scientists used an anti-satellite missile to bring down a live satellite, 300 kilometers away in space." Indias current range of missiles are mostly intended for confrontation with neighboring rivals China and Pakistan. India has fought three wars with Pakistan and one with China. Modis address comes just weeks ahead of general elections to determine whether hell serve a second term as prime minister. Voting will take place in seven phases between April 11 and May 19, with results to be announced on May 23. This address is an indication that Mr. Modi possibly is not very sure of the election campaign going completely his way, said Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst who has written a Modi biography, adding he may have violated the election code of conduct. Its an attempt to bolster nationalist fervor by another means, Mukhopadhyay said, after realizing the patriotic mood generated by tensions between India and Pakistan was not sufficient to continue until the end of elections. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated dramatically when India launched airstrikes on Feb. 26 to attack what the government said was a terrorist training camp inside Pakistan. The government in Islamabad retaliated the next day, shooting down an Indian jet. Indias initial airstrikes were in response to a suicide bombing in Kashmir that killed 40 paramilitary troops. This is significant. India can now take out Chinese communication systems, for instance, said Bharat Karnad, Delhi-based security expert at the Centre for Policy Research. The PM is going to derive whatever political benefits he can in election season -- why would he give up the chance? In 2007, China first used a ballistic missile to destroy its own old weather satellite orbiting 535 miles (861 km) above Earth; Russia has been testing a missile that could be used to strike and destroy a satellite or ballistic missile. Indias space and missile programs -- along with its economic growth of more than 7 percent and a bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council -- is major part of the countrys efforts to build up its defense capabilities and establish itself as a world power. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 27, 2019 13:46 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f1760005eb1 1 Business LNG,project,Masela-block,project-cost,discussion,SKKMigas,Inpex Free The government and Japans Inpex Corp have not yet agreed on the cost of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant to process gas from the Masela Block. In February, the proposed figure was at US$16 billion for the onshore plant, higher than the initial estimate of $14 to $15 billion, when the project was conceived as an offshore facility. Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Task Force (SKK Migas) chairman Dwi Soetjipto said recently that the cost of an onshore project should be lower than that of a floating LNG facility. He said SKK Migas was still discussing the revised plan of development (PoD) with Inpex Corp, the operator of the Masela Block. We certainly want to complete it as soon as possible, but we cant do that if the capital expenditure is too high, Dwi said, adding that such a high cost would not leave the government much room to provide an incentive for the operator. The contract for the Masela Block is still of the cost-recovery type, meaning the government has to shoulder the cost of the blocks operation. If the capex is too high, we cant give big incentives to the investor, he said with reference to Inpex, adding that the incentives could be in the form of a tax holiday, credit investment or an additional split for the operator. Previously, SKK Migas had appointed private consultants, reportedly Australian-based energy company Energy World Corporation (EWC). He further said the LNG project was estimated to produce 150 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of LNG and already had a petrochemical company as a potential buyer. He said the discussion with Inpex also included the issue of extending the contract, which would expire in 2028. (bbn) More in 'I am more than...' (1 of 15) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sondang Grace Sirait (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 28 2019 Egg art: Children are engrossed in the activity of painting eggs during Easter celebrations in Jakarta. (Antara/Fikri Yusuf) Easter may be celebrated differently in various parts of the world, but one element almost always stands out. It is hunted, rolled, painted and decorated. And you know what it is. Though to be fair, eggs are not the only thing Easter brings. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Thanaporn Promyamyai and Sippachai Kunnuwong (Agence France-Presse) Bangkok Wed, March 27, 2019 18:06 991 726ff035860a101ca3955f17600181f2 2 SE Asia #Thailand,#politics,Thai,political-parties,coalition,opposition,junta-government Free Seven political parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed proxy in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country's first election since a 2014 coup. A junta-aligned party and its main rival have both claimed the right to govern the country after Sunday's vote, prompting a political standoff. Questions over irregularities are swirling following invalidated ballots and accusations of skewed numbers, with a fully tally of official results not expected to be confirmed for several weeks. The Pheu Thai party, affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, joined forces with six other parties in a bid to halt military-backed factions from staying in government. "We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power," Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan told reporters. "Pro-democracy parties received the most trust and consensus by the people," she added, conceding that final results have not yet been released. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a 2014 putsch led by general Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime ministerial candidate for the Phalang Pracharat Party. His party stunned the pro-democracy camp by winning the popular vote on Sunday with 7.6 million ballots, according to preliminary results. Its main rival Pheu Thai got 400,000 fewer votes, but is now aiming to take the majority of seats in the lower house with its newly-formed coalition. The seven-party bloc claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs, but with all official results not expected until May 9 the numbers are not ironclad. But the party still cannot elect a prime minister without commanding at least half of all 750 seats in the lower and upper houses. The balance of power is stacked in the junta's favour thanks to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to elect a prime minister. The coalition formed Wednesday does not include two other high-profile parties -- Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party -- who together have around 70 seats so far and whose allegiances are still up for grabs, with Phalang Pracharat expected to seek its own allied bloc. 'People's mandate' Sunday's election had been repeatedly delayed and was seen as a test for Thailand's tattered democracy, which has seen at least 12 coups since 1932. The junta-backed Phalang Pracharat party did better than expected by clinching the most popular votes. "This is the people's mandate who want Prayut to become prime minister," said party deputy spokesman Phalang Pracharat. Weeks of messy negotiations and vote tallying are now expected before the final outcome is confirmed. Even as the coalition sought to create a united "democratic front", it will be almost impossible for them to get the votes they need to elect a Prime Minister, said Aaron Connelly, Singapore-based research fellow at the Institute for International and Strategic Studies. They "seem to be laying down a marker, claiming the legitimacy to oppose the junta in the next parliament", he told AFP. Initial results have been plagued by controversy after the Election Commission unexpectedly said it would delay the final count. The head of Future Forward, a newly-formed party that targeted first-time millennial voters, urged a swift count of votes across the country. "We are calling for the Election Commission to perform its duty in a free and fair manner," the party's telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said Wednesday after joining the coalition. Britain and the US have also called for irregularities to be investigated. "We stand with the Thai people in calling for the expeditious announcement of voting results and a fair and transparent investigation of any reported irregularities," US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement.